UPSC Essentials April 2024

April 2024 Issue
MRP: 399/-
2023 was the warmest year since records began in 1850, beating the previous record of 2016, Europe’s Copernicus Climate Change
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UPSC ESSENTIALS April 2024 Issue
LETTER TO
INDEX
ASPIRANTS
Dear Aspirants,
N
o, you are not wasting time preparing for this
prestigious exam. If you aspire for something
special you need to put in special efforts to
achieve it, especially now that Prelims 2024 is so near.
What you need to do is add some value to your
COVER STORY UPSC SPECIALS
preparation and enrich your knowledge. This month's Warming up to climate change
UPSC Essentials magazine, like the previous issues, CASE STUDIES
tries to provide some value-added must-reads from
The Indian Express that you may add to your
IAS officer who has a solution to
timetable. water crisis
Last year was do�ed with a large number of EXPRESS EDGE
extreme weather events around the world — SOCIETY &
including heatwaves, floods, droughts, and wildfires. HISTORY & CULTURE SOCIAL JUSTICE
It’s official — 2023 was the ho�est year on record.
This should shift our focus to climate change. But How citizenship was decided by Unemployment and associated
before digging deep into complex themes on climate makers of Indian Constitution issues (Part 2)
and the environment, some of the most fundamental
questions about climate change, the science behind it, POLITY THIS QUOTE MEANS
and its impact must be answered. Alind Chauhan of
The Indian Express helps us in this task in our cover Unpacking the Kovind 1. ‘A woman without education
story of the month -- Warming up to climate change. commi�ee report on is like a banyan tree without
The Express Edge allows you to read some of the
simultaneous elections roots or leaves’
most important reads wri�en by our experts on
different themes categorised as per your syllabus. The INTERNATIONAL 2. ‘The destiny of India is now
topic of citizenship from a historical angle, essentials being shaped in her classrooms’
of the Kovid commi�ee report on simultaneous RELATIONS
elections, the employment scene in India and a
Katchatheevu: Why an Indian UPSC ETHICS SIMPLIFIED
historical insight from an expert on otherwise seen as
an International Relations issue -- Katchatheevu -- will Island went to Sri Lanka From Values to Morality — the
help you prepare these topics from a be�er concept & caselet
perspective. ECONOMY
Finally, the UPSC Specials bring you a variety of
Beyond MSPs and protests, EXPERTS TALK
topics from unemployment (social issues) to morality
(ethical issues) to water crisis management (case some basic facts about Indian Why is Sanjeev Sanyal wrong
study). Just before you solve the quiz and solidify your farmers on civil services exam
preparation, do not forget to read our expert talk -- preparation?
Why is Sanjeev Sanyal wrong on civil services exam ENVIRONMENT
preparation? What we need to focus on is how to
The push for nuclear energy as PRACTICE QUIZ
maximise our efforts in giving the best we aspire for.
Aspirants, queries and doubts are a part of the climate solution Current Affairs Revision MCQs
preparation. So feel free to connect with us through
our various initiatives along with this magazine as we SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
become part of your dream journey.
1. 125 years of Kodaikanal Solar
THINK SMART Observatory
WORK HARD 2. New map of universe may
CONQUER YOUR open a window to dark energy
GOAL! HEALTH
Enjoy reading
Obesity and Undernutrition:
Manas Srivastava What a new study says
2
COVER STORY WARMING UP TO CLIMATE CHANGE

Introduction
2
023 was the warmest year since records began in 1850, beating the previous record of 2016, Europe’s Copernicus
Climate Change Service (C3S) recently said. Temperatures in 2023 likely exceeded those of any year-long period in at
least the last 100,000 years, the announcement added. As a result, last year was dotted with a large number of
extreme weather events around the world — delayed snowfall in Northern India, sweltering heatwave in Australia, raging
wild�res in Chile, and soaring sea surface temperatures. �ese are some of the implications of climate change.
One must have read that Antarctic sea-ice extent reached a record low in the 45 years since satellite data was available.
Arctic sea-ice extent remained well below normal. Extreme weather events ravaged all inhabited continents, exacerbating
food insecurity, population displacement, and impacts on vulnerable people.�ese are only a handful of consequences of
global warming that the world is currently witnessing.
Although scientists unequivocally agree that climate change is real, there are still many myths and a lot of confusion
around the subject. In our cover story this month, Alind Chauhan answers some of the most fundamental questions about
climate change, the science behind it, and its impact.
Is Earth becoming warmer?
One way to measure the Earth's warming is to observe the effects of rising temperatures. Oceans are getting warmer, snow and
ice cover are depleting in the Northern Hemisphere, the Greenland ice sheet is shrinking, and the sea level is rising. (Via Pixabay)
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�e 2023 summer was the hottest on record. Antarctic sea-ice extent reached a record low in the 45 years since satellite data
was available. Arctic sea-ice extent remained well below normal. Extreme weather events ravaged all inhabited continents,
exacerbating food insecurity, population displacement, and impacts on vulnerable people.
How do we know that the Earth is warming?

One way is to look at temperature measurements that in some cases extend to the late 1880s. Today, scientists use satellites to
monitor surface temperature and put together, they indicate that the planet has become warmer. �e average global temperature
on Earth has increased by at least 1.1 degree Celsius since 1880, according to NASA.
Yearly surface temperature compared to the 20th-century average from 1880–2022. Blue bars indicate cooler-than-average years; red
bars show warmer-than-average years. NOAA Climate.gov graph, based on data from the National Centers for Environmental
Information.
�ere are also indirect methods to verify the increasing temperature of Earth. A 1998 study that analysed tree rings, ice cores
and other natural indicators, showed that temperatures remained fairly �at for centuries before turning sharply upward.
Another way is to observe the e�ects of rising temperatures. Oceans are getting warmer, snow and ice cover are depleting in
the Northern Hemisphere, the Greenland ice sheet is shrinking, and the sea level is rising.
“�ese measurements are made with a variety of land-, ocean-, and space-based monitoring systems, which gives added
con�dence in the reality of global-scale warming of Earth’s climate,” according to ‘Climate Change: Evidence & Causes’, an
analysis by the UK’s Royal Society and the US National Academy of Sciences.
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Arctic sea ice reaches its minimum extent each September. September Arctic sea ice is now shrinking at a rate of 12.2% per decade,
compared to its average extent during the period from 1981 to 2010. This graph shows the size of the Arctic sea ice each September
since satellite observations started in 1979. (Credit: NASA)
One can, however, argue that Earth’s climate has always changed in its 4.5 billion-year history. While this is true, the rapid
warming taking place in recent decades can’t be attributed to natural cycles of cooling and warming.
“�e kind of changes that would normally happen over hundreds of thousands of years are happening in decades,” a report by WWF
said. For instance, the majority of the warming has occurred since 1975, at a rate of roughly 0.15 to 0.20 degree Celsius per decade.
Moreover, 2022 marked the 46th consecutive year (since 1977) with global temperatures rising above
the 20th-century average. �e 10-warmest years on record have all occurred since 2010, with the last
nine years (2014-2022) among the 10-warmest years, a report by the US National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said.
But what is behind Earth’s soaring temperature?

Simply put, greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. Since the mid-19th
Century, scientists have known that greenhouse gases have substantial control over Earth’s climate,
despite their small amounts in the atmosphere. �ey trap the Sun’s energy in the Earth’s system before it escapes to space,
leading to warming. �is is known as the greenhouse e�ect, a process that is essential for keeping the planet at a suitable
temperature for life.
�e problem began when the Industrial Revolution kicked o� in the 1700s. Human activities like the burning of fossil fuels
like coal began to release high levels of greenhouse gases. As the global atmospheric concentrations of these gases went up, more
and more heat got trapped and the Earth’s temperature started to increase.
5
NOAA Climate.gov graph, based on data from NOAA Global Monitoring Lab.
According to a March 2023 Synthesis Report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), “human activities,
principally through greenhouse gas emissions, have unequivocally caused global warming. �e main drivers of these emissions
are energy use, land use, and the consumption and production of goods.”
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How do we know humans are

causing global warming?
Air pollution in Quebec, Canada. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
2023 could have been the hottest year in the 174-year observational record and probably the hottest in 125,000 years. It was
dotted with lethal heat waves, devastating �oods, droughts, and record-low ice levels in the Arctic and Antarctic.
Are humans causing global warming?

Earth has cycled through many cool and warm periods in its 4.5 billion-year history. �ey have been caused by several
natural factors like solar energy, which varies over time and a�ects the climate, or ocean circulation — the movement of heat
around the world by currents. For instance, around 12,000 years ago, major changes in Atlantic circulation turned the
Northern Hemisphere into a “frigid state”, according to a report by �e New York Times.
Volcanic activity can also signi�cantly alter the planet’s climate. Eruptions lead to the release of gases and dust high into
the atmosphere, which re�ects back the sunrays and results in short-term cooling of Earth. �e opposite can happen too. A
dramatic period of global warming 56 million years ago was triggered due to a volcanic eruption that released large amounts
of carbon dioxide (CO2) — global temperatures soared by up to �ve degree Celsius.
But are these natural factors responsible for current global warming? Although they are still at play, their in�uence is too
little or they occur too slowly to explain the rapid warming, especially in recent decades, according to NASA.
�e main culprit behind the soaring global temperature is rising greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere. As
explained in the �rst instalment of this series, greenhouse gases like CO2, methane (CH4), and water vapour trap the Sun’s
energy in the Earth’s system before it escapes to space, causing warming. Since the industrial revolution, human activities like
burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gases have released more and more greenhouse gases.
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Take the example of CO2. Its

concentration in the Earth’s
atmosphere has spiked
dramatically over the last 150
years, from a pre-industrial era
concentration of approximately
280 parts per million (ppm) to
more than 410 ppm currently,
according to a report by the
Union of Concerned Scientists.
Moreover, measurements
from ancient ice cores show that
CO2 is now at its highest levels
in over 800,000 years. As a
result, the planet has
experienced rapid warming,
particularly since the 1950s.
In 2014, the UN’s
Intergovernmental Panel on ��
1880–2017 as a difference from the average value for 1880–1910. The other lines show the
Climate Change came out contributions from individual natural and human factors, all natural factors, all human factors, and
with a report that said: the combined effects of both natural and human drivers. Source: US Global Change Research
“Human in�uence on the Program.
climate system is clear and
growing, with impacts
observed across all continents
and oceans. Many of the
observed changes since the
1950s are unprecedented over
decades to millennia. �e IPCC
is now 95 percent certain that
humans are the main cause of
current global warming.”
Over the years, more and
more studies have con�rmed
the role of human activities in
worsening global warming. A
2014 study, ‘A probabilistic
analysis of human in�uence on
recent record global mean
temperature changes’, found
that the odds of current
warming occurring without Carbon dioxide levels. Credit: NASA
anthropogenic (caused by
humans) greenhouse gas emissions are less than 1 in 100,000.
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Is the Sun behind the rising

global temperatures?
The Sun doesn’t always shine at the same level of brightness. Scientists know that it slightly dims and brightens depending on on an
11-year cycle of high and low activity. (Representational image/Vishal Srivastav)
Delayed snowfall in Northern India, sweltering heatwave in Australia, raging wild�res in Chile, and soaring sea surface
temperatures. �ese are only a handful of consequences of global warming that the world is currently witnessing. Although
scientists unequivocally agree that climate change is real, there are still many myths and a lot of confusion around the subject.
How does the Sun impact Earth’s climate?

�e Sun is the primary source of energy that fuels biological and physical processes on Earth. Its heat
makes liquid water, helps plants to grow, and warms air that in�uences our weather system.
�e middle-aged star doesn’t always shine at the same level of brightness, though. Scientists know that
it slightly dims and brightens depending on an 11-year cycle of high and low activity due to the reversal of
its magnetic poles.
According to a report by NASA, “During each cycle, the Sun undergoes various changes in its activity
and appearance. Levels of solar radiation go up or down, as does the amount of material the Sun ejects into
space and the size and number of sunspots and solar �ares. �ese changes have a variety of e�ects in space,
in Earth’s atmosphere and on Earth’s surface.”
For instance, data suggest that between the late 1800s and the mid-1900s, there was a small uptick in the amount of sunlight
coming to Earth. Scientists estimate that this contributed to up to 0.1 degree Celsius of 1.0 degree Celsius of warming observed since
the pre-industrial era.
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So, is the Sun responsible for current global warming?

No, it isn’t the driving force behind today’s global warming. How do we know this? In the past �ve decades, although the planet’s
average temperature has soared to new heights, the Sun’s energy output has increased or decreased by only 0.1%, according to the
NASA report, published in 2019. �is is one of the reasons why scientists don’t believe that the Sun is responsible for current global
warming.
The peaks and valleys in solar activity since 1900. The Sun’s activity increased in the early half of the twentieth century, but it can’t be
responsible for warming over the past 50 years. Graph by NOAA Climate.gov, based on data from the WDC-SILSO, Royal Observatory of
Belgium.
Another reason why scientists reject the

idea that the Sun has a role in soaring global
temperatures is that if the Sun’s energy
output had increased, all of the layers of
Earth’s atmosphere would be warming up.
But that hasn’t happened.
Instead, it has been observed that the
lower atmosphere is warming and the upper
atmosphere has cooled in recent years — an
attribute of the warming caused by
greenhouse gases.
�erefore, it is safe to conclude that
today’s global warming is a result of human
activities. Since 1975, Earth has become
hotter at a rate of roughly 0.15 to 0.20 degree
Celsius per decade. �e warming
corresponds to the rising levels of
greenhouse gases.
The above graph compares global surface temperature changes (red line) and the
Sun’s energy that Earth receives (yellow line) in watts (units of energy) per square
meter since 1880. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
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What are climate tipping points?
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February 5, 2024. (Nahuel Huapi National Park/Handout via REUTERS)
Climate tipping points are essentially critical thresholds beyond which a natural system can tip into an entirely di�erent state and
cause irreversible and disastrous consequences for the planet, including more warming.
For example, rising global temperatures can trigger a change like a rainforest becoming a dry savannah. “�is change is propelled
by self-perpetuating feedback loops, even if what was driving the change in the system stops. �e system – in this case the forest –
may remain ‘tipped’ even if the temperature falls below the threshold again,” according to a report by the European Space Agency.
Moreover, breaching one tipping point can increase the likelihood of crossing others — triggering a catastrophic domino e�ect.
For instance, unabated global warming can cause irreversible ice melt from the Greenland ice sheet. �is could slow down the
ocean’s circulation of heat, the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), which, in turn, could impact South America’s
monsoon system. Changes in the monsoon system may lead to a rise in the frequency of droughts in the Amazon rainforest, the
ESA report noted.
Over the years, scientists have identi�ed a host of di�erent climate tipping points across the Earth system. According to the ESA
report, they largely fall into three broad categories — cryosphere, ocean-atmosphere, and biosphere — and range from the melting
of the Greenland ice sheet to the death of coral reefs.
Are we close to breaching any of the climate tipping points?

In December 2023, the Global Tipping Points Report, led by Professor Tim Lenton from the University of Exeter’s Global
Systems Institute with the support of more than 200 researchers from over 90 organisations in 26 countries, was published.
�e report identi�ed and examined more than 25 climate tipping points. It revealed: “Five major tipping points are already at risk
of being crossed due to warming right now and three more are threatened in the 2030s as the world exceeds 1.5C global warming.”
Currently, as Earth has become 1.1 degree Celsius warmer than pre-industrial levels, the tipping points at risk are the collapse
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The pins are coloured according to our central global warming threshold estimate being below 2 degree Celsius, within the Paris
Agreement range (seen as yellow circles), between 2–4 degree Celsius, accessible with current policies seen as orange circles, and 4
degree Celsius and above (seen as red circles). (Credit: ESA)
of big ice sheets in Greenland and the West Antarctic, the widespread thawing of permafrost, the death of coral reefs in warm
waters, and the collapse of one oceanic current in the North Atlantic.
Once the planet passes the 1.5 degree Celsius threshold, tipping points, including the death of boreal forests, mangroves, and
seagrass meadows, will potentially be breached.
�e report added that crossing these tipping points could have a catastrophic impact on societies, with the potential to
“escalate violent con�icts, mass displacement and �nancial instability”.
How can we avoid breaching tipping points?
�e best way to limit the risk of passing climate tipping points is to curb greenhouse gases. However, the world has not been
able to do so far. In 2023, greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere reached the highest levels ever recorded in the
atmosphere, according to the latest data by C3S and the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS).
While carbon dioxide concentrations last year were 2.4 parts per million (ppm) higher than in 2022, methane concentrations
increased by 11 parts per billion (ppb).
“Global governance is currently inadequate to minimise tipping point threats and to do so equitably,” the Global Tipping
Points Report noted. It also added that by the time an adequate global emergency action would be implemented, some of the
climate tipping points may still be crossed.
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Why do global sea surface

temperatures matter?
Wri�en by Alind Chauhan
Almost 90 per cent of the extra heat trapped by greenhouse gases has been absorbed by the oceans, making them steadily warmer over
the decades. (Representational image/Wikimedia Commons)
�e average global sea surface temperature (SST)

— the temperature of the water at the ocean surface
— for February 2024 stood at 21.06 degree Celsius, the
highest ever in a dataset that goes back to 1979, the
Copernicus Climate Change
Service (C3S) said on March 5.
�e previous record of 20.98
degree Celsius was set in August
2023.
Since March 2023, the average
daily SST has been o� the charts.
Look at the graph below. While
the orange line shows 2023’s temperatures, other grey
lines track temperatures of previous years. �e solid
back line represents where we are so far in 2024 and it
is way above any other previous year, including 2023.
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So why are the oceans getting warmer? And why are rising sea surface temperatures a
cause of worry?
Since the Industrial Revolution kicked o� in the 19th Century, human activities such as burning fossil fuels have released high
levels of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, and nitrous oxide are some of the notable
GHGs, which essentially trap heat in the atmosphere and contribute to global warming. As a result, the average global temperature
has risen at least 1.2 degree Celsius above pre-industrial times.
Notably, almost 90 per cent of the extra heat trapped by GHGs has been absorbed by the oceans, making them steadily warmer
over the decades. Speaking to the Wired magazine, biological oceanographer Francisco Chavez of the Monterey Bay Aquarium
Research Institute in California, said: “�e oceans are our saviours, in a way…�ings might be a lot worse in terms of climate
impacts, because a lot of that heat is not only kept at the surface, it’s taken to depths.”
Apart from global warming, there are other factors which have led to a spike in ocean temperatures. For instance, El Niño — a
weather pattern that refers to an abnormal warming of surface waters in the equatorial Paci�c Ocean — has contributed to both
ocean warming and rising global surface temperatures. However, the global daily average SST began to soar well before El Niño fully
developed and remains unusually high as the weather pattern is now waning.
�ere is also less dust blowing o� the Sahara Desert recently due to weaker-than-average winds. Typically, the dust forms a “giant
umbrella that shades” the Atlantic water and reduces ocean temperatures, according to the Wired magazine report. But now, the
umbrella has partially folded and more of the Sun is beating down on the ocean, the report added.
Why are rising sea surface temperatures a cause of worry?

Higher ocean temperatures can have irreversible consequences for marine ecosystems. According to
For instance, warmer oceans lead to an increase in ocean strati�cation — the natural several studies,
separation of an ocean’s water into horizontal layers by density, with warmer, lighter, less
salty, and nutrient-poor water layering on top of heavier, colder, saltier, nutrient-rich higher ocean
water. Usually, ocean ecosystems, currents, wind, and tides mix these layers. temperatures may also
�e rise in temperatures, however, has made it harder for water layers to mix with each result in more frequent
other. Due to this, oceans are able to absorb less carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and
the oxygen absorbed isn’t able to mix properly with cooler ocean waters below,
and more intense storms
threatening the survival of marine life. like hurricanes and
Nutrients are also not able to travel up to the surface of the oceans from below. �is cyclones.
could threaten the population of phytoplankton — single-celled plants that thrive on the
ocean surface and are the base of several marine food webs. Phytoplankton are eaten by
zooplankton, which are consumed by other marine animals such as crabs, �sh, and sea stars. �erefore, if the phytoplankton
population plummets, there could be a collapse of marine ecosystems.
Warmer oceans cause marine heat waves (MHWs), which occur when the surface temperature of a particular region of the sea
rises to 3 or 4 degree Celsius above the average temperature for at least �ve days. Between 1982 and 2016, such heatwaves have
doubled in frequency and have become longer and more intense, according to a 2021 study by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC).
MHWs are devastating for marine ecosystems as they contribute to coral bleaching, which reduces the reproductivity of corals and
makes them more vulnerable to life-threatening diseases. �ey also impact the migration pattern of aquatic animals.
According to several studies, higher ocean temperatures may also result in more frequent and more intense storms like hurricanes
and cyclones. Warmer temperatures lead to a higher rate of evaporation as well as the transfer of heat from the oceans to the air. �at’s
why, when storms travel across hot oceans, they gather more water vapour and heat. �is results in more powerful winds, heavier
rainfall, and more �ooding when storms reach the land — meaning heightened devastation for humans.
�e only way to avoid or blunt the aforementioned consequences is to reduce GHG emissions. �e world, however, is nowhere
close to doing that. In 2023, the concentration of GHG reached the highest levels ever recorded in the atmosphere, according to C3S.
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What are emissions scenarios and

Representative Concentration Pathways
(RCPs)?
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What are emission scenarios?

Essentially, emission scenarios are pathways that tell us about emissions of greenhouse gases and
aerosol due to human activities over time. Scientists use these scenarios to feed into climate models,
which then calculate things like future global temperatures or sea levels.
�e latest approach to determining emission scenarios is known as Representative Concentration
Pathways (RCPs). “RCPs specify concentrations of greenhouse gases that will result in total
radiative forcing increasing by a target amount by 2100, relative to pre-industrial levels,” according
to a report by the UK’s Meteorological O�ce.
Total radiative forcing is the di�erence between the amount of energy that enters the Earth’s
atmosphere and the amount of energy that leaves it. Currently, as we know, more energy is entering
the planet than leaving because of the increased levels of greenhouse gases and aerosols. �at’s why we are witnessing global
warming. Radiative forcing is measured in watts per square metre.
�ere are four pathways: RCP8.5, RCP6, RCP4.5, and RCP2.6 — the latter is also called RCP3PD, where ‘PD’ stands for
Peak and Decline.
15
�e numbers represent the expected

change in radiative forcing from the
year 1750 to 2100. So, RCP4.5
represents an increase of 4.5 watts per
square metre of radiative forcing
between 1750 and 2100. �e
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC) considers 1750 as the
base year as it predates the Industrial
Revolution and the radiative forcing
was quite stable. Moreover, a higher
value of forcing means more
concentration of greenhouse gases and
other pollutants, which in turn, means
higher global warming and a more
pronounced impact of climate change.
To determine forcings and
All forcing agents’ atmospheric CO2-equivalent concentrations (ppm) from the IPCC AR5
pathways, scientists relied on “the
report. (Wikimedia Commons)
existing literature and synthesised
values for a wide range of scienti�c and
socioeconomic data, like population growth, GDP, air pollution, land use and energy sources,” according to a report by �e Guardian.
Notably, RCPs are neither forecasts nor policy recommendations. �ey are used to represent a broad range of climate outcomes.
What are the different

RCP warming levels?
Let us start with RCP2.6, which
assumes an additional radiative
forcing of just 2.6 watts per square
metre by the end of the 21st Century.
�is is the best-case scenario as the
concentration of greenhouse gases is
drastically reduced and the world
takes stringent mitigation actions.
RCP2.6 is also known as RCP3PD as
emissions peak around 2050 and
then decline. As a result, the global
average temperature would increase
by 1.6 degree Celsius compared to ��
pre-industrial levels. temperature from 1900 to 2100 under three emissions scenarios. Historical simulations are for
RCP4.5 and RCP6 are ��
three global emission scenarios: low (RCP2.6), moderate (RCP4.5), and high (RCP8.5). (Credit:
intermediate scenarios, where . In
Government of Canada)
RCP4.5, the global average
temperature would increase by 2.4 degree Celsius. In RCP6, it shot up to 2.8 degree Celsius above the pre-industrial levels.
�e worst case scenario is RCP8.5, where the concentration of greenhouse gases and other pollutants will be three times more than
the present. In this case, the temperature would rise to 4.3 degree Celsius by 2100.
16
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
COP 28: What were the most important

decisions, where they fell short
Wri�en by Amitabh Sinha
COP28: �e annual climate conference this year saw some key resolutions on fossil fuels, methane emissions, funds to �ght
global warming, among others. However, many concerns remain.
COP28 President Sultan al-Jaber, center, attends the opening session at the COP28 U.N. Climate Summit in Dubai.
��
�e COP28 climate meeting delivered some important outcomes — a �rst-time acknowledgement of the need to move away
from fossil fuels, a �rst promise to reduce methane emissions, operationalisation and capitalisation of the loss and damage fund, and
an agreement on a framework for the global goal on adaptation. However, like all previous COPs, it still remained an underachiever,
unable to measure up to the expectations, particularly in galvanising more ambitious climate action in the immediate term.
The expectations
COP28 was being seen as possibly the last opportunity to ensure that the world had some hopes of keeping within the 1.5 degree
Celsius warming threshold. �e main agenda at COP28 was to carry out a Global Stocktake (GST), a comprehensive assessment of
where the world was in its �ght against climate change and what more needed to be done to meet the climate objectives. �e GST is
mandated by the Paris Agreement to be a periodic exercise, the �rst one in 2023 and every �ve years therea�er.
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COP28 was being held at a time when global warming was breaking new records. �e year 2023 is already con�rmed to emerge
as the hottest year ever. Several months this year set new temperature records. More than 80 days this year happened to be at least
1.5 degree Celsius warmer than pre-industrial times.
At the same time, every assessment showed that the world was not doing enough, and that the 1.5 degree target was rapidly
slipping out of hand. COP28, therefore, was expected to use the GST to stimulate more ambitious climate actions, particularly
between now and 2030.
The outcomes
However, COP28 disappointed on that front. �ere was little in the �nal agreement to accelerate climate action in the short term.
FOSSIL FUEL PHASE�OUT: �is was the most hotly contested issue at COP28, and the reason for a prolonged deadlock. �e
role of fossil fuels in causing global warming had never been even acknowledged in any earlier COP decision, but this was getting
increasingly untenable. A�er much deliberations, the �nal agreement called upon countries to contribute towards “transitioning
away” from fossil fuels, “so as to achieve net zero by 2050”. �ere were no time schedules and no targets. Some countries were
extremely disappointed that the term “fossil fuel phase-out” had not been used. But even if it was, it would have a similar e�ect in
the absence of any timeline. Production and consumption of fossil fuels are unlikely to be curbed signi�cantly in the near term,
but it is an important, rather unavoidable, measure in the 2050 timeframe.
TRIPLING OF RENEWABLE ENERGY: �is was an expected outcome, and the
only one that contributes to additional emission reductions between now and 2030. Cu�ing methane
�e COP28 agreement calls upon countries to contribute to tripling of global
installed capacity of renewable energy, and doubling of annual improvements in
emissions could
energy e�ciency. Together, these two measures have the potential to avoid emissions involve tweaking
of about 7 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent between now and 2030, more agricultural pa�erns
than all the net result of all the other climate actions being currently taken. Tripling is
which could be
a global target, and it is not incumbent on every country to individually triple its
current installed capacity. It is thus not clear how this tripling would be ensured. extremely sensitive in a
PHASE�DOWN OF COAL: Despite being a fossil fuel, just like oil or natural gas,
country like India.
coal has received a separate mention in the agreement. �is is because coal was
already singled out for phase-down in the Glasgow conference in 2021. �ere was a
move to stipulate that no new coal �red power plants could be opened without an in-built carbon capture and storage facility, but
this was strongly resisted by India, China, South Africa and other countries. It was dropped, and �nally the Glasgow language
was reiterated. �ere is nothing about how this phase-down is to be measured, or from what baseline.
METHANE EMISSION CUTS: �e agreement talks about “accelerating and substantially reducing non-cabon-dioxide
emissions globally, including in particular methane emissions by 2030”. Methane is the most widespread greenhouse gas apart
from CO2, accounting for nearly 25 per cent of all emissions. It is also about 80 times more potent than CO2 in causing global
warming. Methane emission reductions can therefore bring substantial bene�ts. But several countries, including India, are
extremely opposed to any mandate to cut methane emissions, mainly because one of the major sources happens to be agriculture
and livestock.
Cutting methane emissions could involve tweaking agricultural patterns which could be extremely sensitive in a country like
India. Possibly in deference to the concerns of such countries, the agreement does not mention any targets for methane emission
cuts for the year 2030, although a group of about 100 countries had made a voluntary commitment, in Glasgow in 2021, to
reduce their methane emissions by 30% by 2030.
LOSS AND DAMAGE FUND: For the poor and vulnerable countries, this was the most important outcome. A decision
to set up a Loss and Damage Fund had been taken last year in Sharm el-Shaikh but it had not been created, and no money
had been promised. COP28 operationalised this fund on the opening day of the conference, and several countries,
18
including hosts UAE, made funding commitments. By the end of the conference, commitments worth about US$ 800
million had been made. �e money is meant to provide �nancial help to countries trying to recover from climate-induced
disasters.
GLOBAL GOAL ON ADAPTATION: �is was another important step developing countries had been waiting for.
Historically, adaptation hasn’t received enough attention, or resources, as compared with mitigation activities, mainly
because adaptation is largely a local endeavour. Its bene�ts also are mostly local.
But developing countries had been arguing that a global framework for adaptation was necessary to bring more attention
to it. Accordingly, the Glasgow conference had decided to set up a two-year work programme to de�ne the contours of this
framework. �e work programme resulted in the identi�cation of some common adaptation goals, important for the entire
world. �ese included reduction in climate-induced water scarcity, attaining climate-resilience in food and agricultural
production, supplies and distribution, and resilience against climate-induced health impacts.
CUTTING METHANE EMISSIONS COULD INVOLVE TWEAKING

AGRICULTURAL PATTERNS WHICH COULD BE EXTREMELY
SENSITIVE IN A COUNTRY LIKE INDIA.
19
DO YOU KNOW?
How much should developed countries

pay for climate action?
In 2009, developed countries committed to paying $100 bn every year. �ey have not done so — and with the climate bomb
ticking, negotiators are working on a new global climate �nance budget ahead of COP29 in Baku this November.
A view shows the "Poza de la Becerra", a geological anomaly that scientists say can help them understand the origin of Earth, climate
change and the chances of life on Mars, in Cuatro Cienegas, state of Coahuila, Mexico March 20, 2024. (REUTERS/Daniel Becerril)
�e 2022 climate change conference in Sharm el-Sheikh decided to set up a Loss and Damage Fund to help developing countries
recover from climate disasters.
�e Dubai conference last year was all about Global Stocktake, or GST, a review of ongoing climate action, which resulted in the
�rst-ever explicit acknowledgement of the need to “transition away” from fossil fuels, and a promise to triple global renewable
energy capacity by 2030.
�is year, the focus is on �nance. �e expression that is likely to be heard most frequently in climate conversations and at COP29,
scheduled for November 11-24 in Baku, Azerbaijan, is NCQG — or New Collective Quantitative Goal (on �nance).
What is the New Collective Quantitative Goal?

NCQG is a convoluted way to describe the new amount that must be mobilised by developed countries every year from 2025
onward to �nance climate action in developing countries. �is new amount has to be higher than the $100 billion that developed
countries, collectively, had promised to raise every year from 2020, but had failed to deliver.
20
NCQG is extremely important for developing countries, and discussions on this new amount have been ongoing for a couple of
years at least. At a two-day meeting that concluded in Copenhagen, Denmark, on March 22 — the �rst minister-level climate
meeting for this year — some technical work to arrive at the NCQG was �nalised.
How much money is required to ensure effective climate action?

It has been clear for some time now that the biggest hurdle to a signi�cant scale-up in global climate action is the unavailability of
adequate �nance, especially in developing countries.
�e scale of annual climate �nance �ows has always been considerably less than the $100 billion that the developed countries had
promised to mobilise every year from 2020 onward. But even if that amount were being made available, it would be only a small
fraction of the money that is required to enable actions that would keep the world on the 1.5 degree Celsius pathway at least until
2030.
Assessments of current �nancial requirements run into several trillions of dollars
every year. In a recent
In 2021, UN Climate Change, the secretariat of the United Nations Framework submission made to
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), said in a report that developing countries
would require a total of about $6 trillion annually between then and 2030 just to UN Climate Change,
implement their climate action plans. India called upon
An updated version of that report is supposed to come out later this year, and is developed countries to
expected to raise this �gure much higher.
�e �nal agreement at Sharm el-Sheikh included some estimates of the scale of
ensure that the NCQG
�nancial requirements. It said that a global transition to a low-carbon economy would was “at least US$1 trillion
likely require about $4-6 trillion every year until 2050. Ensuring a tripling of renewable per year, composed
energy capacity, as agreed in Dubai, is estimated to cost $30 trillion until 2030, according primarily of grants and
to the International Renewable Energy Association (IRENA).
Of course, these are not mutually exclusive sets of requirements. �ere could be concessional finance”.
considerable overlaps. But $5-7 trillion every year would mean deploying about 5-7% of
the global GDP to climate action. A few years ago, the estimated requirements used to
add up to just about 1-1.5% of global GDP. �is shows the rapidly rising cost of inaction.
What are the prospects for a realistic new annual climate finance target?
At this point, even the possible amounts under discussion are not in the public domain. But it would probably be too much to
expect that the developed countries, which have been unable to mobilise even $100 billion a year until now, would commit to
raising an amount that is even remotely close to the assessed requirements.
In a recent submission made to UN Climate Change, India called upon developed countries to ensure that the NCQG was “at
least US$1 trillion per year, composed primarily of grants and concessional �nance”. India’s submission was one of several inputs
that will feed into the ongoing discussions on the NCQG.
At the Copenhagen ministerial meeting last week, Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change, urged the developed
countries to make climate �nance “bigger and better”.
“We are talking trillions, not billions. �at is going to require more from all sources and serious conversations about making new
innovative sources real, rather than just words on a page,” he said.
Ironically, Stiell’s own organisation is facing a severe shortage of funds. “In this talk of climate �nance and transparency, I do need
to mention that our organisation, the UNFCCC, now faces severe �nancial challenges… Our budget is currently less than half
funded. We are attempting to meet an ever-growing mandate… Our job is to make your job easier, to carry out the tasks you have
all agreed we should do, but we can only do this if we have the funding support,” he said.
UN Climate Change, which organises dozens of climate meetings every year and facilitates the implementation of various
decisions and agreements, depends heavily on contributions from countries and voluntary organisations for carrying out its work.
21
How will this money be used?

�e new amount, even if far from su�cient for the climate challenge the world faces, will be higher than the current
commitment of $100 billion, since that is the mandate of the NCQG.
However, the delivery of that amount will be critical. Even $100 billion was considered a decent sum when it was promised
back in 2009 — and it could have made a substantial di�erence if it had been delivered in full in time (from 2020 onward).
�e developing countries would like to make sure that a transparent and inclusive process is instituted to monitor and
measure whatever amount is �nally agreed upon. Unlike the $100 billion �gure, which was o�ered without any consultations,
the NCQG will be the result of negotiations, and countries will have better control over compliance.
THE WAY THE NEW SUM IS DISTRIBUTED ACROSS DIFFERENT

KINDS OF NEEDS — MITIGATION, ADAPTATION, LOSS AND
DAMAGE, AND SEVERAL OTHERS — WILL ALSO BE IMPORTANT.
CLIMATE FINANCE FLOWS ARE CURRENTLY HEAVILY SKEWED IN
FAVOUR OF MITIGATION ACTIONS, WHILE DEVELOPING
COUNTRIES HAVE BEEN DEMANDING THAT MORE MONEY BE
MADE AVAILABLE FOR ADAPTATION AND OTHER ACTIVITIES.
22
EXPRESS EDGE HISTORY & CULTURE
How citizenship was decided by

makers of Indian Constitution
Wri�en by Mira Patel
�e formulation of citizenship in India’s Constitution was a meticulous process, fraught with debates and
considerations. In�uenced by colonial legacies and the a�ermath of Partition, the framers cra�ed a uni�ed citizenship
framework that balanced inclusivity with safeguards against illegal migration.
The citizenship question plagued the farmers of the Indian Constitution for 2 years (Created by Abhishek Mishra)
T
he members of the dra�ing committee of the Indian Constitution were well aware of the profound signi�cance
of being an Indian citizen, so much so that the controversy generated by the provisions on citizenship in the
dra� Constitution necessitated Jawaharlal Nehru to admit that the provisions had received far more thought
and consideration than any in the Constitution.
�e process, described by BR Ambedkar as a “headache” due to the two years it took to �nalise, was complicated by
the unprecedented consequences of the Partition, particularly the exodus it catalysed.
23
Pre-independence
In pre-colonial India, citizenship as it is understood in modern terms didn’t quite exist. Instead, society was organised into
various hierarchical structures, with individuals’ rights and status o�en determined by factors such as caste, religion, occupation,
and social standing.
During the colonial period, citizenship took on a more formalised character. Before getting into that, however, it is important
to distinguish between two distinct phases of British rule. India was formally governed by the East India Company from 1757-
1858. However, for much of the early 19th century, the Company had to share power with the British Crown. In 1858, the Crown
formally took control, therea�er becoming the direct legal authority over British India. For 90 years, India would be ruled as a
British colony until she achieved independence in 1947.
Historian Arun Sinha notes that these two phases of colonial rule were associated with two di�erent conceptualisations of
citizenship. He outlines the same in his 1958 article published in Sage Journals, Law of Citizenship and Aliens in India.
During the initial phase between 1757 and 1858, according to Sinha, there was no o�cial citizenship law but instead Acts that
granted rights to British subjects. However, as the Acts did not explicitly de�ne the term ‘subject,’ there was uncertainty regarding
whether they pertain solely to European British subjects or extended to the inhabitants of territories acquired from the Mughals.
Consequently, there was ambiguity surrounding the status of native Indians and the extent of their rights and responsibilities.
During the second phase, from 1858 onward, India was divided into two primary political entities — British India, a larger
portion directly governed by the British, comprising 54 per cent of the territory and 70 per cent of the population, further
divided into provinces; and the princely states, encompassing about 565 distinct and widely dispersed units governed by local
princes, kings, and feudal lords, with limited internal autonomy under British suzerainty.
By the end of this phase, there was a notable shi� in the concept of British nationality. �e British Nationality and Status of
Aliens Act 1914 replaced the common law understanding of nationality with a codi�ed version, marking the �rst citizenship law
in the British era. Additionally, the Act de�ned British subjecthood to include ‘natural born British subjects’ and individuals who
��
24
obtained naturalization certi�cates from colonial authorities. Essentially, this created a two-tier system in which people born on
the British mainland, or to British parents, were given higher status than native-born people in the colonies. Although both were
assured protection by the British, particularly overseas, in application, those of Indian descent were relegated to second-class
citizenship.
A�er Independence, India’s �rst Constituent Assembly was determined to change that.
Constitution
�e Constitution of India came into e�ect on January 26, 1950. However, it’s worth noting that the sections regarding
citizenship were only put into e�ect on the day of the Constitution’s adoption, which was November 29, 1949. �ese citizenship
provisions applied to the entire country except for the State of Jammu and Kashmir. �e Constitution introduced a uni�ed form
of citizenship, known as national citizenship, without the existence of separate citizenship based on states.
Although the term citizenship is not explicitly de�ned in the Constitution, Articles 5-11 outline the framework for citizenship
at the time of the Constitution’s commencement. �ese provisions delineate the methods of acquiring citizenship, such as birth,
domicile, and descent, as well as
circumstances that disqualify individuals
from obtaining Indian citizenship.
Article 5 speci�cally addresses citizenship
at the outset of the Constitution. It establishes
a dual requirement for granting citizenship,
which includes being ‘domiciled’ in India and
meeting one of three criteria — being born in
Indian territory, having at least one parent
born in Indian territory, or being a resident
of Indian territory for a minimum of �ve
consecutive years preceding the
Constitution’s commencement.
�e deliberations of the Constituent
Assembly reveal that despite the discussions
and acknowledgments of India’s illustrious
history, the prevailing focus was on the
imperative to construct a fresh society upon
the remnants of the old. �is motif of
construction, of forging something novel,
resonated in Nehru’s address on the eve of
August 14, 1947, where he said, “We step out
from the old to the new, when an age ends
(and when) the future beckons to us.” �e
Constitution was cra�ed with the aim of
materialising this innovative vision of India, P.S Deshmukh (Government of India Archives)
propelling the nation towards the future while symbolically drawing a veil over the past.
One of the main challenges facing the framers was the very foundation of citizenship — whether it should be based on birth
or descent.
�e discussion primarily revolved around whether citizenship should be grounded in jus soli, whereby it is acquired by virtue
of one’s birth on the nation’s soil, or jus sanguinis, which considers citizenship through descent or the nationality of one’s parents.
�e framers of India’s constitution ultimately opted for the jus soli principle, which Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel described as being
emblematic of an “enlightened, modern, civilised” and democratic form of citizenship in contrast to jus sanguinis, criticised by
Krishnaswami Ayyar as representing “an ideal of racial citizenship.”
25
However, some disagreed with the notion of allowing anyone born on Indian soil to be conferred with
citizenship. Notable among the detractors was PS Deshmukh from Maharashtra who, during the Constituent
Assembly Debates in 1949, argued that Ambedkar’s de�nition of citizenship would make “Indian citizenship the
cheapest on earth.” His primary dissatisfaction was with the concept of citizenship by birth. He contended that if
the proposed Article were to be approved, even a child born to a woman while she was passing through the
Bombay port would be granted citizenship.
Citing the mistreatment of Indians abroad, Deshmukh further argued that, “In America, Indians can obtain
citizenship at the rate of 116 or 118 per annum. �at is the way in which other countries are safeguarding their
own interests and restricting their citizenship.”
Deshmukh proposed that to obtain citizenship, a child must not only be born on Indian soil but also to
Indian parents. �is suggestion would eventually be adopted in 2003. More controversially, Deshmukh also
called for all Hindus and Sikhs across the world to receive Indian citizenship,
an idea that contradicted the secular leanings of Nehru, who had in 1929 The framers of
and 1931, expressed a commitment to extending citizenship independent of
India’s constitution
religion.
Deshmukh defended his proposal, asking the Assembly, “Does it mean ultimately opted
that we must wipe out our own people, that we must wipe them out in order for the jus soli principle,
to prove our secularity, that we must wipe out Hindus and Sikhs under the which Sardar
name of secularity.” Deshmukh was supported by Haryana representative Vallabhbhai Patel
Das Bhargava who argued, “Hindus and Sikhs have no other home but described as being
India…�e phrase ‘secular’ should not frighten us in saying what is a fact
and reality must be faced.”
emblematic of an
It was during this moment that Nehru reportedly rose to express his “enlightened, modern,
discontent with the notion of “this secular-state business being thrown civilised” and democratic
about.” He voiced his opinion that the Assembly should not perceive their form of citizenship in
commitment to secularism as an extraordinary act of generosity or sacri�ce, contrast to jus sanguinis,
emphasising, “We have only done something which every country does
criticised by
except a very few misguided and backward countries.”
Compounding these debates was the issue of Partition, which, by 1949, Krishnaswami Ayyar as
had gripped both India and Pakistan. representing “an ideal of
racial citizenship.”
Partition
�e Partition resulted in widespread displacement of people on either
side of the border. From Independence in 1947 until the Constituent Assembly adopted the Constitution of
India on 26 November 1949, there was a gap in Indian citizenship law. �is gap le� the status of individuals
as Indian citizens uncertain during a period of immense humanitarian crisis and national identity turmoil.
�e Indian stance on people who relocated from Pakistan to India post-Independence marked a pivotal
moment where citizenship began to adopt religious undertones. Initially, unrestricted travel between the
dominions was advocated, considering both as a uni�ed economic entity.
However, economic realities prompted a shi� in policy. From March 1948, the Constituent Assembly of
India grappled with issues concerning the rights and citizenship of returning minorities. Pakistan’s alleged
refusal to return property to returnees in West Pakistan was contrasted with India’s eagerness to restore
property to those returning to India.
26
Following Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination and Pakistan’s initial economic challenges, Muslims began
returning to regions like UP, Rajputana, and Delhi. As the in�ux continued into the summer of 1948,
concerns grew about the emergence of ‘miniature Pakistans’ within Indian territory, according to Kapur. Even
involuntary migration during communal unrest, facilitated by military escorts, was viewed as disloyalty to
the �edgling dominion.
During the Constituent Assembly Debates, Jaspat Roy Kapoor, hailing from the United Provinces, voiced
the viewpoint that individuals who had chosen to align themselves with Pakistan should not be permitted to
return. He stated that “once an individual has migrated to Pakistan and shi�ed their allegiance from India to
Pakistan, their migration is �nalised.”
On the other end of the spectrum was Brajeshwar Prasad from Bihar who argued that many people who
went to Pakistan had “�ed in panic,” even going as far as to propose blanket citizenship for all Pakistanis. He
said, “I wish all the people of Pakistan should be invited to come and stay in this country if they so like….I
see no reason why a Muslim who is a citizen of this country should be deprived of his citizenship at the
commencement of this constitution, (e)specially when we are inviting Hindus who have come to India from
Pakistan to become citizens of this country.”
At the time these discussions were taking place, an ordinance was already in e�ect, terminating the free
movement between India and West Pakistan. According to a temporary Act passed in July 1948, all movement
from West Pakistan to India required one of �ve kinds of permits provided by the Indian Government.
As highlighted by Assembly members, Indian authorities were obligated to grant these permits very
Overcrowded train transferring refugees during the partition of India, 1947. (Wikimedia Commons)
27
selectively. Notably, East Pakistan, which housed a signi�cant minority population, was excluded from the
permit system, and the border remained unrestricted until shortly before the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war.
However, the ultimate citizenship provisions indirectly delineated the lines drawn by the Partition. In simple terms,
during the citizenship debates, Ambedkar recognised that the rules being created for citizenship had two main ideas.
One was to be very welcoming and open to everyone, which is called liberal. �e other idea was more about
prioritising certain groups of people based on their ethnicity, which is called ethnonationalism. Ambedkar wanted to
balance these two ideas. So, he suggested making rules that would let most people become citizens, but also included
rules to control who could come into the country during the chaotic time when India and Pakistan were being
formed a�er Partition. He acknowledged that the developing articles on citizenship encompassed both a liberal
understanding of citizenship and an ethnonationalism concept.
As Ambedkar outlined to the Assembly, “persons coming from Pakistan to India in the matter of their acquisition
of citizenship on the date of the commencement of the Constitution are put
into two categories— those who have come before July 19, 1948, and those
who have come a�erward. In the case of those who have come before July 19, Following
1948 citizenship is automatic. No conditions, no procedure is laid down with Mahatma Gandhi’s
regard to them. With regard to those who have come therea�er, certain assassination and
procedural conditions are laid down and when those conditions are satis�ed,
Pakistan’s initial
they also will become entitled to citizenship under the article we now
proposed.” economic challenges,
�e permit system proved controversial however, with Mahboob Ali Baig Muslims began
Sahib of Madras arguing that “you have stated that if a person is born in India returning to regions
as de�ned in the 1935 Act he is a citizen of India. Why do you want a certi�cate like UP, Rajputana, and
from him when he returns to India?” Delhi.
Addressing the logic behind the permits (that people coming back would be
disloyal to India,) he said, “What would you do if one of your men becomes a
traitor, a Communist and tries to overthrow the Government? So, to say those people coming to India might become
traitors and therefore they should not be allowed to come back, that is no reason at all.”
Nehru, for his part, defended the system, saying that it did not discriminate against any religious group. �at being
said, he also acknowledged that the system would initially favour Hindus and Sikhs. Despite Nehru’s assertions, the
permit system did disproportionately a�ect Muslims. As Manav Kapur, a legal scholar, points out in a 2021 article
India’s Citizenship Amendment Act for the Statelessness and Citizenship Review, “case law on citizenship and
migration through the �rst 20 years of India’s Independence show subtle and not-so-subtle biases against Muslims.”
Post-independence
In Citizenship and its Discontents, political scientist Niraja Jayal makes a compelling argument tracing the evolving
nature of Indian citizenship, shi�ing from the principle of jus soli to jus sanguinis. Initially, Jayal says, at the dawn of
the Constitution, citizenship rights were primarily determined by jus soli, where birth on Indian soil conferred
citizenship, albeit intertwined with other criteria. However, in recent times, Jayal suggests that Indian citizenship has
increasingly leaned towards jus sanguinis, emphasising descent or parental citizenship, while explicitly disfavouring
Muslims.
�e constitutional provisions were initially intended to de�ne citizenship at the Constitution’s commencement.
While the Constitution addressed citizenship at its outset, the Citizenship Act of 1955 aimed to delineate the
substantive aspects of citizenship therea�er.
28
Section 3 of the Citizenship Act, 1955 stipulated that “every person born in India on or a�er January 26, 1950 shall
be a citizen of India by birth.” However, a�er 1986, an additional condition required at least one parent to be an Indian
citizen at the time of the child’s birth for the child to inherit Indian citizenship.
In 2003, the criteria for Indian citizenship underwent a tightening. To qualify as an Indian citizen, an individual had
to be born in India with both parents being Indian citizens, or one parent being an Indian citizen while the other
could not be an illegal migrant at the time of birth. �is amendment aimed to make the acquisition of Indian
citizenship through registration and naturalisation more rigorous and prevent illegal migrants from obtaining Indian
citizenship.
�e concern regarding illegal migration traces back to the Constituent Assembly and debates surrounding
the status of Assam. As Pandit �akur Das Bhargava, from East Pakistan, said at the time, “A�er the Partition
for reasons best known to themselves many Musalmans have come to Assam with a view to make a Muslim
majority in that province for election purposes and not to live in Assam as citizens of India.”
THE BIRTH OF BANGLADESH IN 1971 COMPOUNDED THE ISSUE,

INTRODUCING THE BANGLADESHI DIMENSION TO THE
FOREIGNERS’ CRISIS. BY THE LATE 1970S, THE PRESENCE OF
FOREIGNERS ON ELECTORAL ROLLS EMERGED AS A
SIGNIFICANT ISSUE IN ASSAM POLITICS. AGAINST THE
BACKDROP OF MASS MIGRATION FROM BANGLADESH, NEPAL,
AND SRI LANKA, THE AMENDMENTS IN THE CITIZENSHIP ACT
AND THE 2003 REVISIONS WERE ENACTED.
29
EXPRESS EDGE POLITY
Unpacking the Kovind committee

report on simultaneous elections
Wri�en by Ajoy Sinha Karpuram , Arjun Sengupta
In its report submitted to President Droupadi Murmu, the High Level Committee on One Nation, One Election headed by
former President Ram Nath Kovind has recommended that elections to Lok Sabha and state Assemblies should be held at the
same time.
Ram Nath Kovind, Chairman of the High-Level Committee (HLC) on 'One Nation, One Election', presents the report to President
Droupadi Murmu, in New Delhi, Thursday, March 14, 2024. Two of the committee members, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and
DPAP leader Ghulam Nabi Azad are also seen. (PTI Photo)
I
n its report submitted to President Droupadi Murmu the High Level Committee on One Nation, One Election headed
by former President Ram Nath Kovind has recommended that elections to Lok Sabha and state Assemblies should be
held at the same time and, subsequently, elections to local bodies (municipalities and panchayats) too should be
“synchronised” so that they are held within 100 days of the simultaneous state and national elections.
30
To give e�ect to its recommendation, the committee has suggested 15 amendments to the Constitution of India — in the form of
both new provisions and changes to existing provisions — to be carried out through two Constitution Amendment Bills.
�e �rst Bill will deal with the transition to a simultaneous election system, and the procedure for fresh elections to Lok Sabha or
a state Assembly before the expiration of their stipulated �ve-year term.
According to the Kovind committee, this Bill can be passed by Parliament without the requirement for consultation with state
governments or rati�cation by state Assemblies.
�e second Bill will deal with municipal and panchayat elections, as well as the creation of a Single Electoral Roll by the Election
Commission of India (ECI), with details of every voter and the seat for which they are eligible to vote.
�e Kovind committee has acknowledged that this Bill deals with subjects on which states have the primary power to enact laws
— and it would, therefore, require the approval or rati�cation of more than half of India’s states before it can be enacted.
Transition to simultaneous polls; Parliament’s power to make laws

�e �rst Bill recommended by the Kovind committee would begin by inserting a new article— 82A —into the Constitution.
Article 82A will establish the process by which the country will move to a system of
simultaneous elections for Lok Sabha and state Assemblies.
According to the committee report, Article 82A(1) will state that “on the date of the The Kovind
�rst sitting of the House of the People a�er a general election”, the President will issue a commi�ee has
noti�cation bringing Article 82A into e�ect. �e date of this noti�cation “shall be called
the Appointed date”. recommended that
Article 82A(2) will state that “all the Legislative Assemblies constituted in any general the power of Parliament
election held a�er the appointed date shall come to an end on the expiry of the full term under Article 327 should
of the House of the People”.
be expanded to include
�e proposed Article 82A(3) requires the ECI to hold “General elections to the House
of the People and the Legislative Assemblies simultaneously”. If the ECI believes that “conduct of
elections to any legislative assembly cannot be conducted simultaneously, “it may make a simultaneous elections”
recommendation to the President, to declare by an Order, that the election to that as well.
Legislative Assembly may be conducted at a later date”. (Article 82A(4)).
However, even in cases where the state Assembly election is deferred, “the full term of
the Legislative Assembly shall end on same date as the end of the full term of the House of the People constituted in the General
Election”. (Article 82A(5))
�e proposed Bill also recommends amending Article 327, which gives Parliament the power to make laws relating to elections
to Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, and state legislatures, including the preparation of electoral rolls and delimitation of constituencies.
�e Kovind committee has recommended that the power of Parliament under Article 327 should be expanded to include
“conduct of simultaneous elections” as well.
When Lok Sabha or state Assembly is dissolved before ‘full term’ ends
Lok Sabha and state Assemblies are constituted for a period of �ve years a�er each election. �e committee has recommended
that this �ve-year period be referred to as “the full term” by amending Sub-clause 2 of Article 83 (“Duration of Houses of
Parliament”) and Sub-clause 1 of Article 172 (“Duration of the State Legislatures”).
If Lok Sabha or a state Assembly is dissolved before the expiry of the full term, the remaining period will be referred to as the
“unexpired term”, as per the suggested amendments to Articles 83(3) and 172(3).
�e recommended Articles 83(4) and 172(4) state that the Lok Sabha or state Assembly that replaces the previous one will serve
only for the remaining “unexpired term” before being dissolved again once simultaneous elections are conducted as scheduled.
�ese amendments are also a part of the �rst Constitution Amendment Bill proposed by the Kovind committee, which it says
will not require rati�cation by states.
�e report has also recommended the amendment of certain laws relating to legislative Assemblies in Union Territories such as
�e Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991, �e Government of Union Territories Act, 1963, and the Jammu
and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. �ese laws would have to be amended to ensure that Assembly elections in UTs also take
place simultaneously with Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections.
31
Simultaneous local body elections, preparation of single electoral roll

�e second Constitution Amendment Bill recommended by the Kovind committee contains amendments that would require
rati�cation by the states. Under Article 368(2), any constitutional amendment that deals with subjects in the State List (where states
have the power to enact laws) would have to be rati�ed by at least half of the state legislatures in the country before it can be passed.
As the amendments suggested in the second Bill relate to municipal and panchayat elections, which fall under Entry 5 of the State
List titled “Local government”, they would require rati�cation by the states.
�e committee has suggested the inclusion of a new Article 324A in the Constitution. �is new article would empower
Parliament to make laws to ensure that municipality and panchayat elections are held simultaneously with the General Elections (to
Lok Sabha and state Assemblies).
�e Kovind committee has also recommended that new sub-clauses should be added to Article 325 of the Constitution. �is
article says: “�ere shall be one general electoral roll for every territorial constituency for election to either House of Parliament or
to the House or either House of the Legislature of a State…”
THE NEW ARTICLE 325(2) PROPOSED BY THE COMMITTEE WILL

CREATE A “SINGLE ELECTORAL ROLL FOR EVERY TERRITORIAL
CONSTITUENCY FOR ELECTION IN THE HOUSE OF THE PEOPLE,
LEGISLATURE OF A STATE OR TO A MUNICIPALITY OR A
PANCHAYAT”. IS ELECTORAL ROLL “SHALL BE MADE BY THE
ELECTION COMMISSION IN CONSULTATION WITH THE STATE
ELECTION COMMISSIONS”, AND “THE ELECTORAL ROLL
PREPARED UNDER THIS SUB- ARTICLE SHALL SUBSTITUTE ANY
ELECTORAL ROLL PREPARED EARLIER BY EITHER THE ELECTION
COMMISSION UNDER ART 325 OR THE STATE ELECTION
COMMISSIONS UNDER ART. 243K AND ART. 243ZA” (PROPOSED
ARTICLE 325(3)). IF THIS RECOMMENDATION IS ACCEPTED, THE
PROCESS OF CREATING ELECTORAL ROLLS WILL BE TAKEN OVER
BY THE ECI, AND STATE ELECTION COMMISSIONS WILL PLAY A
PURELY CONSULTATIVE ROLE.
32
EXPRESS EDGE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Katchatheevu: Why an Indian

Island went to Sri Lanka
Wri�en by Arup K Cha�erjee
�e island was ceded by the Indian administration under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to Sri Lanka in 1974 in an act
of bilateral largesse. Since the outbreak of the Lankan civil war, in 1983, the island became the crownless battleground
for combats between Indian Tamil �shers and a Sinhala-dominated Lankan navy.
A
little over twenty miles north of Dhanushkodi lies the disputed territory of Katchatheevu (meaning ‘barren island’ in
Tamil), a 285-acre uninhabited isle that was caused by a 14th-century volcanic eruption. Engulfed in the womb of
oblivion, Katchatheevu has found ways of sporadically leaping back to attention, most recently when Prime Minister
Narendra Modi obliquely mentioned it in Lok Sabha.
�e island was ceded by the Indian administration under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to Sri Lanka under the Sirimavo
Bandaranaike administration in 1974 in an act of bilateral largesse, preceding the 1976 exchange of letters that divided the
maritime boundary line in the Sethusamudram littoral region between the two neighbors.
33
Since the outbreak of the Lankan civil war, in 1983, the island became the crownless battleground for combats between Indian
Tamil �shers and a Sinhala-dominated Lankan navy, leading to the loss of livelihoods, properties, and lives of Indians owing to
accidental crossings of the international maritime boundary line. Of late, Sinhalese �shermen have begun raising apprehensions that
the Sri Lankan administration might be persuaded to lease the island to India. However, the Katchatheevu dispute is far too complex
to be distilled down to jingoistic discourses or parochial anxieties, as it is a relic in a legacy of geopolitical conundrums from colonial
South Asia.
A Colonial Indian Island

Katchatheevu was once part of the Ramnad Zamindari. �e Ramanathapuram principality (or Ramnad) was established in 1605
by the Nayak dynasty of Madurai. It consisted of 69 coastal villages and 11 islets, including Katchatheevu. A copper plaque issued by
Koothan Sethupathi, sovereign of Ramanathapuram between 1622 and 1635, testi�es to the Indian ownership of the territory
extending up to �alaimannar in present-day Sri Lanka, including Katchatheevu, which was a source of regular revenue for the
Sethupathi dynasty. In 1767, the Dutch East India Company signed an agreement with Muthuramalinga Sethupathi to lease the
island, and, later, in 1822, the British East India Company leased the island from Ramaswami Sethupathi.
As pointed out by W T Jayasinghe, the former Sri Lankan Secretary of Foreign A�airs, three proclamations issued by Colin
Campbell, the Governor of Ceylon, in 1845, that outlined the limits of Ja�napatnam, made no mention of Katchatheevu. �is fact
tilts the island’s historical ownership in India’s favour.
In July 1880, Muhammad Abdul Kader Maraickar and Muthuswamy Pillai executed a registered lease deed in favour of Edward
Katchatheevu was once part of the Ramnad Zamindari.
Turner, the Special Assistant Collector of Ramnad—the Zamin being then under the Court of Wards—for a period of �ve years for
collecting roots for dyeing purposes from 70 villages and 11 islands belonging to the Ramnad estate, of which Katchatheevu was one
island. Again, in 1885, there was a lease drawn up for a similar purpose and period by Ramaswamy Pillai in favour of T Rajarama
Rayar, Manager of the Ramnad Estate. Katchatheevu featured in this deed.
In 1913, a lease was signed by the Raja of Ramnad and the Secretary of State for India in Council for the full exploitation of the
chank shells lying within the limits described in the schedule thereto; the said schedule mentioned Katchatheevu to lie in the Palk
Bay. �is was in accordance with the legal understanding during British times that Katchatheevu was in India and not Ceylon.
34
�e judgment in Annakumaru Pillai V. Muthupayal case (1904) on the question of dividing the jurisdictions of chank beds
reinforced this point of view where the prevailing interpretations of the Madras High Court’s ruling implied that Katchatheevu was
‘an integral part of His Majesty’s dominions’ and the chank beds ‘are part of the territories of British India.’ A 1922 report from the
Imperial Records Department on the question of the ‘Ownership of the Island of Kachitivu [sic]’ also supports India’s historic claim
to the island by virtue of the island’s ownership by the Raja of Ramnad. �e British government’s lease was extended up to 1936,
obviating Sri Lanka’s possession of the island until 1947-48 when both India and Ceylon became independent. �en, in 1947-48,
there was a lease in favour of the Dewan of Ramanathapuram, V Ponnuswamy Pillai, by Mohammed Meerasa Maraickar in respect
of Katchatheevu alone.
But the seeds of the Katchatheevu dispute seem to lie in incidents from October 24, 1921, when delegations from colonial India
and Ceylon tried negotiating on a ‘Fisheries Line’ to curb overexploitation of marine resources and �nd a suitable solution to
Katchatheevu. �e Ceylonese, headed by the Principal Collector of Customs, B. Horsburgh, strongly opposed the Indian view that
Katchatheevu was part of Indian marine territory given that it belonged to the
Zamindari of the Raja of Ramnad—a claim based on which Tamil Nadu stakes its right
to Katchatheevu until today. Horsburgh demonstrated evidence to show that A 1922 report from
Katchatheevu, including the St. Antony’s Church on the island, was the property of the
the Imperial
Ja�na Diocese.
�e two sides eventually agreed on a border that passed three miles west of Records
Katchatheevu, ensuring that the island was well within Ceylonese territory. Although Department on the
delegates of neither side rati�ed the agreement, nor was it o�cially approved by the question of the
Secretary of State, an ad hoc imagined maritime boundary came into existence. �e
British-Indian delegation cautioned, however, that the ‘Fisheries Line’ could not be ‘Ownership of the Island
considered a territorial boundary ‘so as not to prejudice any territorial claim which the of Kachitivu [sic]’ also
Government of Madras or the Government of India may wish to prefer in respect of the supports India’s historic
island of Katchatheevu.’ Nevertheless, until postcolonial times, the Katchatheevu a�air
claim to the island by
was far from resolved.
virtue of the island’s
The Neighbour Doth Protest Too Much? ownership by the Raja of
Since 1956, when India and Ceylon recognised the need to Ramnad.
divide their international maritime boundary, the issue of the
‘Kachcha �ivu [sic] Island Dispute’ had been raised in the Lok
Sabha, each time to be overruled by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru (then also the Minister of External
A�airs) since he believed it to be no matter of ‘national prestige’ and, hence, too �imsy a ground to enter into a
con�ict with Ceylon. For the latter, nonetheless, Katchatheevu would continue as a potential military base,
qualifying it as a ground to enforce uti possidetis juris—the principle of retaining boundaries of colonial
dominions as postcolonial nation-state boundaries.
Described in a 1969 issue of the International Review of History and Political Science as a “square-shaped island” that was
“one-��h as large as New York City’s Central Park … one-half mile long and barely one-half mile wide”. Back then it served “mostly
as a �shermen’s stopover and a smugglers’ base”. Once a year, even today, pilgrims from Sri Lanka and India visit the island in spring
to pay homage to its patron saint, St. Antony, in a church (spanning 12 � by 14 �) built in 1905 by the Ramnad merchant
Seenikuppan Padayachi, who meant for it to be a layover for Indo-Ceylonese �shermen seeking to dry their nets or take refuge
during tempests.
Katchatheevu’s geopolitical dividends swelled around February 1968 when Prime Minister Gandhi ceded 250 miles of arid land
in the Rann of Kutch region to Pakistan. Sensing a parallel prospect in the Sethusamudram region, Ceylon began staking claims to
Katchatheevu on grounds that the St. Antony’s Church lay in the diocese of the Roman Catholic Bishop of northern Ja�na. Despite
being too inconsequential to appear on most postcolonial maps, it raised great consternation in the Indian parliament as the
Colombo-based Sun newspaper issued a hoax news�ash that year, headlined ‘Ceylon Government takes over Kachcha �ivu [sic].’
Legend has that upon hearing Lankan demands, mandarins in New Delhi were bewildered as to which among the �ock of Gulf
35
of Mannar islands their neighbouring country had in mind, and why indeed Ceylon wished to incorporate an atoll of cacti sans
drinking water while a much bigger problem, that of stateless Tamil refugees, confronted both nations. Sri Lanka, however, believed
Katchatheevu to contain petroleum deposits (recently, the Lankan government reportedly leased land around Del� Island and
Katchatheevu to Chinese power companies).
Far from a small price

Nehru’s policy of strategic ambivalence over Katchatheevu was abjured by Gandhi, whose muni�cent cession of the island was
celebrated in India as a destruction of “the canard that India behaves overbearingly towards its small neighbours” even though her
administration possessed “an unassailable case” which it forfeited to secure “harmonious relations with Sri Lanka”. Although the
Lankan administration would maintain that the 1974-76 agreements followed a “spirit of compromise” and “give and take”, the
Indian decision was founded on principles of “fair, just and equitable” transfer emanating from “mature statesmanship … in the
cause of friendship and cooperation in the area”.
Its benevolence aside, the cession of Katchatheevu was also meant to eradicate the three-pronged danger plaguing the
Sethusamudram region of the Indian Ocean. �e �rst was Ceylon’s Sinhalese-Tamil con�ict, which peaked in the 1970s, with the
establishment of the radical Sinhalese communist group, Janata Vimukti Peramuna (JVP). �e second was the alleged support
provided to the JVP by North Korean in�uence and hints of emerging Southeast Asian and Chinese in�uences in Sri Lanka. �e
third was the increasing Soviet and American competitive naval deployments in the Indian Ocean, since 1968, demanding the need
for bilateral rallying to have the maritime region
declared as a zone of peace.
Touted back then as a “small price” for bilateral IN THEORY, TAMIL FISHERS
peace, Katchatheevu would go on to alienate Tamil
parliamentarians and �sherfolk for the perceived
RETAINED THEIR HISTORIC RIGHTS
erasure of their participation in the negotiations that TO FISH AROUND KATCHATHEEVU—A
led to the cession. �is was especially true in the light REGION FERTILE WITH SHRIMP
of the precedent established in the Berubari Union RESOURCES— THOUGH IN PRACTICE
case (1960), wherein the Supreme Court of India
directed the requirement of a constitutional
THEY WERE TURNED INTO CRIMINAL
amendment for cessions of Indian territories. TRANSGRESSORS OF THE NEW
In�amed by the peripheralisation of Tamil identities, TERRITORIAL BOUNDARIES.
on July 23, 1974, Era Sezhian, a DMK Lok Sabha
member, labelled Katchatheevu’s cession as an
“unholy and disgraceful act of statesmanship, unworthy of any government”.
�is was the beginning of Katchatheevu’s entanglement with questions of feasibility surrounding the Sethusamudram project
(once planned as a canal across Adam’s Bridge or Ram Setu) and the Palk Bay �sheries dispute. �e demarcation of the �sheries line
attempted in the 1974-76 agreements—motivated by India’s urge to befriend Sri Lanka in the emerging global power structures—
nevertheless failed to correctly implement the rights of Tamil �shermen.
In theory, Tamil �shers retained their historic rights to �sh around Katchatheevu—a region fertile with shrimp resources—
though in practice they were turned into criminal transgressors of the new territorial boundaries. During and a�er the Lankan civil
war, the Lankan navy saw Tamil �sherfolk as complicit with the cause of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, thus maintaining
their policy of shooting �rst and asking questions later.
A much-needed denouement
Following the termination of the Lankan civil war, in 2008, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa �led a writ petition in the
Supreme Court of India, arguing that the 1974 and 1976 agreements had a�ected Indian �shermen’s livelihoods, four years before
moving the Court again on the expediting the hearing on the rights of Tamil �shermen. Later, she approached the newly elected
prime minister, Narendra Modi, in this regard.
In 2014, Mukul Rohatagi, former attorney-general for India, cautioned the Supreme Court of India that since the bilateral
36
agreements were not disputed between the two nations (but subject to an internal federal dispute between the Centre and Tamil
Nadu), India would need to resort to war to reclaim Katchatheevu. Unlike politicians from Tamil Nadu, the Indian government has
been restrained on the matter of Katchatheevu since it is ‘sub-judice in the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India.’
In early 2022, Sri Lanka set INR 10 million as the bail amount for arrested Indian �shermen. By April 1,
Katchatheevu was back on the burner with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M K Stalin, submitting a memorandum
to Prime Minister Modi. Both nations are bound by the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, 1969, to
honour the Agreements of 1974/76. According to Article 56 of the Convention, neither country can unilaterally
retract the agreements and, under Article 65(1), withdrawal from the agreement by either nation will require
rati�cation by the other. If one nation agrees with the other’s withdrawal, the two will have to seek a settlement
under the UN Charter’s Article 33 (on peaceful settlement of disputes) with third-party intervention or be referred to the
International Court of Justice in accordance with Article 37. �e Indian state’s resistance to altering the status quo in its littoral
neighbourhood is a rea�rmation of its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, which mandates peaceful relations with Sri Lanka.
Other than preserving the status quo, the only resolution that seems to o�er itself is a bilateral rebuilding of consensus around the
narratives of Katchatheevu.
As Ashis Nandy once drolly observed, Lankans ‘may not always live happily with the Indian state, but they seem to live happily
with India’s national poet,’ Rabindranath Tagore, who arguably composed the musical symphonies of the national anthems of India
and Sri Lanka.
It is unlikely that the Indian state would demand for Sri Lanka to return Katchatheevu. But given its persistent unconditional
economic aid to the Lankan administration, both in its dire need and otherwise, India possibly �nds itself in a unique position to
persuade Sri Lanka for the joint administration of Katchatheevu. Such an eventuality, however, would contain almost no economic
merit. Nevertheless, the extraordinary symbolic bene�ts accruing to both nation states are inestimable at this stage, especially in the
emerging complex global order following the G-20 summit.
(First published on: 16-09-2023)
37
EXPRESS EDGE ECONOMY
State of employment in India:

What a new report says
Wri�en by Aanchal Magazine
�e improvement has coincided with periods of economic distress, both before and during the Covid-19 pandemic,
says the India Employment Report 2024 released by the Institute for Human Development and International Labour
Organisation.
T
here have been “paradoxical improvements” in labour market indicators such as the labour force participation
rate, workforce participation rate, and unemployment rate in India in recent years a�er long-term
deterioration from 2000-2019. �e improvement has coincided with periods of economic distress, both before
and during the Covid-19 pandemic, says the India Employment Report 2024 released by the Institute for Human
Development and International Labour Organisation on Tuesday (March 26).
38
The big picture

�e report has �agged
concerns about poor
employment conditions: the
slow transition to non-farm
employment has reversed;
women largely account for the
increase in self-employment and
unpaid family work; youth
employment is of poorer quality
than employment for adults;
wages and earnings are stagnant
or declining.
�e ‘employment condition
index’ has improved between
2004-05 and 2021-22. But some
states — Bihar, Odisha,
Jharkhand, and UP — have
remained at the bottom
throughout this period, while
some others — Delhi, Himachal
Pradesh, Telangana,
Uttarakhand, and Gujarat —
have stayed at the top.
�e index is based on seven
labour market outcome
indicators: (i) percentage of
workers employed in regular Status of unemployment of youths and adults in India.
formal work; (ii) percentage of
casual labourers; (iii) percentage of self-employed workers below the poverty line; (iv) work participation rate; (v) average
monthly earnings of casual labourers; (vi) unemployment rate of secondary and above-educated youth; (vii) youth not in
employment and education or training.
Employment quality
Informal employment has risen — around half the jobs in the formal sector are of an informal nature. Self-employment
and unpaid family work has also increased, especially for women. Almost 82% of the workforce is engaged in the informal
sector, and nearly 90% is informally employed, the report said.
Self-employment remains the primary source of employment — 55.8% in 2022. Casual and regular employment accounted
for 22.7% and 21.5% respectively.
�e share of self-employment remained almost stable around 52% between 2000 and 2019, while regular employment
increased by almost 10 percentage points, to 23.8% from 14.2%. �is reversed by 2022, with self-employment increasing to
55.8%, while the share of regular employment declined to 21.5%. Casual employment consistently declined to 22.7% in 2022
from 33.3% in 2000.
Regular employment is generally seen as providing better-quality jobs due to the regularity of employment and associated
social security bene�ts, while casual work is linked with relatively poor-quality jobs due to its irregular nature and lower daily
earnings.
39
Share of unemployed educated youths in total unemployed persons and youth unemployment rate by social group and level of education.
Participation of women
�e female labour force participation rate (LFPR) in India remains among the world’s lowest. Female LFPR declined by 14.4
percentage points (compared to 8.1 percentage points for males) between 2000 and 2019. �e trend reversed therea�er, with female
LFPR rising by 8.3 percentage points (compared to 1.7 percentage points for male LFPR) between 2019 and 2022.
�ere is a considerable gender gap — women’s LFPR (32.8%) in 2022 was 2.3 times lower than men’s (77.2%). India’s low LFPR is
largely attributed to the low female LFPR, which was much lower than the world average of 47.3% in 2022, but higher than the
South Asian average of 24.8%, as per ILO data.
Structural transformation
�ere has been a reversal of the slow transition towards non-farm employment a�er 2018-19. �e share of agriculture in total
employment fell to around 42% in 2019 from 60% in 2000.
�is shi� was largely absorbed by construction and services, the share of which in total employment increased to 32% in 2019
from 23% in 2000. �e share of manufacturing in employment has remained almost stagnant at 12-14%.
Since 2018-19, this slow transition has stagnated or reversed with the rise in the share of agricultural employment.
40
Youth employment
�ere has been a rise in youth employment, but the quality of work remains a concern, especially for quali�ed young workers.
Youth employment and underemployment increased between 2000 and 2019 but declined during the pandemic years. However,
unemployment among youths, especially those with secondary-level or higher education, has intensi�ed over time.
In 2022, the share of unemployed youths in the total unemployed population was 82.9%. �e share of educated youths among all
unemployed people also increased to 65.7% in 2022 from 54.2% in 2000.
�e unemployment rate among youths was six times greater for those who had
completed secondary education or higher (18.4%) and nine times higher for graduates There has been a
(29.1%) than for persons who could not read or write (3.4%) in 2022. �is was higher
among educated young women (21.4%) than men (17.5%), especially among female rise in youth
graduates (34.5%), compared to men (26.4%). employment,
�e unemployment rate among educated youths grew to 30.8% in 2019 from 23.9% in but the quality of work
2000, but fell to 18.4% in 2022.
remains a concern,
The way forward especially for qualified
•• �ere are �ve key policy areas for further action: promoting job creation; improving young workers.
employment quality; addressing labour market inequalities; strengthening skills and active
labour market policies; and bridging the knowledge de�cits on labour market patterns and
youth employment.
•• �e rise of arti�cial intelligence (AI) could have an impact on employment, the report said, noting that the outsourcing
industry in India could be disrupted because some back-o�ce tasks would be taken over by AI.
•• Investment and regulations are required in the emerging care and digital economies, which could be an important source of
productive employment. �e lack of job security, irregular wages, and uncertain employment status for workers pose
signi�cant challenges for gig or platform work.
•• Economic policies are required to boost productive non-farm employment, especially in the manufacturing sector, with
India likely to add 7-8 million youths annually to the labour force during the next decade.
•• More support needs to be provided to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, especially by providing tools such as
digitalisation and AI and a cluster-based approach to manufacturing.
41
EXPRESS EDGE ENVIRONMENT
The push for nuclear energy

as climate solution
Global nuclear advocates have of late highlighted its energy potential. It is also being projected as a solution for clean
energy transition that the world so desperately needs to achieve its climate change goals. But challenges to its uptake
remain signi�cant.
A view shows the construction site of the third-generation European pressurised water nuclear reactor (EPR) in Flamanville,
France, June 14, 2022. (REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier)
B
russels hosted a �rst-of-its-kind Nuclear Energy Summit that was billed as the most high-pro�le international meeting
on nuclear energy ever, boasting the attendance of representatives from 30 countries, including a few heads of state. �is
day-long meeting on March 21 was the latest in a series of e�orts being made in the last few years to pitch nuclear
energy as an important solution to global problems like climate change and energy security.
�e International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which organised last week’s event, called it a “landmark” and a “turning
point” in the e�orts to expand the use of nuclear energy for generating clean electricity.
�e meeting was not meant to produce any decisions or �nalise any agreement. Rather, it was another attempt to build
42
momentum for a greater acceptance of nuclear energy which many countries continue to have apprehensions about. Such
apprehensions were aggravated by the Fukushima accident in 2011. �e continuing crisis at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in
Ukraine, the �rst nuclear facility to have been caught in a dangerous armed con�ict, has also been a source of grave concern.
But global nuclear advocates, led by the IAEA, an intergovernmental organisation that works for the safe and peaceful use of
nuclear science and technology, have been very active in the last few years in highlighting the potential of nuclear power to accelerate
the clean energy transition that the world so desperately needs to achieve its climate change goals.
�e IAEA has launched an ‘Atoms4Climate’ initiative to talk about this and has begun an engagement with the climate community,
especially at the COPs or the annual year-ending climate conferences. Two years ago, at COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, IAEA set up a
pavilion for the �rst time, and at COP28 in Dubai last year, about 20 countries pledged to work towards tripling global nuclear energy
installed capacity by 2050.
The case for nuclear energy

�e case for nuclear energy as a possible substitute for fossil fuels, at least for electricity generation, is not without merits. It is
a clean source of energy with a minimal carbon footprint. �ere is negligible release of emissions during the electricity
generation process.
Even when the entire life cycle is considered – accounting for activities like reactor construction, uranium mining and
enrichment, waste disposal and storage, and other processes – greenhouse gas emissions are only in the range of 5 to 6 grams per
kilowatt hour, according to IAEA. �is is more than 100 times lower than coal-�red electricity, and about half the average of
solar and wind generation.
Some independent studies have put the emission from nuclear life cycles at much higher levels, around 50-60 grams per
kilowatt-hour in some instances, depending on the processes and energy used for extraction of minerals, construction and other
activities. But in most cases, nuclear power plants are known to have substantially lower carbon footprint than solar or wind
projects over their entire life cycle.
Chart 1 shows the global nuclear energy generation capacity in GW.
43
�e other great advantage of nuclear is its perennial availability, unlike wind or solar which are season or time-dependent. It is
thus suitable for baseload electricity generation that solar or wind projects are unable to do unless breakthroughs in battery
storage technologies come along.
For these reasons, nuclear energy features prominently in most of the decarbonisation pathways suggested by the IPCC
(Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) and others. IAEA says nuclear energy is already contributing very signi�cantly to
reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Nuclear power generation results in avoiding emissions of more than 1 billion tonnes of
CO2 equivalent every year, according to IAEA. In the last �ve decades, this has resulted in a cumulative avoidance of about 70
billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent.
Chart 2 shows the number of reactors worldwide by age.
What explains the poor uptake of nuclear energy?

But despite these advantages, there has been a serious lack of enthusiasm for the accelerated deployment of nuclear energy. Only
31 countries in the world use nuclear energy for generating electricity. And barely seven more are working towards joining this club.
�e number of operational nuclear reactors has actually come down in the last 20 years, from 437 in 2003 to 411 now, IAEA data
shows. �e average life of these reactors is more than 31 years, which highlights the fact that few new reactors have come onboard in
the last decade.
�e total installed electricity generation capacity has shown only a marginal increase during this period, from about 360 GW in
2003 to 371 GW now. Nuclear energy accounts for less than 10 per cent of global commercial electricity generation, and its share has
been declining for almost three decades now.
Safety concerns are not the only reason for the poor uptake of nuclear energy in recent years, though those would be some of the
most important, particularly a�er the Fukushima accident. Nuclear power also happens to be the costliest electricity right now.
44
Chart 3 shows the nuclear energy generation (in GWh) and its share in global electricity generation.
Nuclear reactors require high investments and technology base, take years to build, and have to operate under a variety of
regulations and constraints, making them unattractive for countries wanting to quickly ramp up their electricity generation in an
a�ordable manner.
�e kind of technology breakthroughs that have driven down the costs of solar and wind in the last decade, thus enabling rapid
adoption, have not happened in the nuclear sector. �e much-discussed technology of small modular reactors is far from being mature.
It is hurdles like these that have worked against a rapid growth in nuclear energy in the last three decades. But the climate
emergency is creating an opportunity for a greater push for nuclear energy.
As IAEA director general Rafael Mariano Grossi told �e Indian Express in a recent interview, there was a growing realisation
that without nuclear “you would never get anywhere near the climate goals. Nowhere near”.
COP outreach
Die-hard climate activists who have been demanding deep and rapid cuts in production and consumption of fossil fuels aren’t
really great supporters of nuclear energy. �e annual climate conferences have usually maintained a safe distance from the nuclear
industry and its advocates. But that is changing.
In the last �ve years, nuclear energy has progressively gained visibility at these conferences. IAEA has now begun participating
in these like any other international agency with observer kind of status, organising side events and talks on the potential of
nuclear energy.
�e Dubai meeting last year was particularly eventful. Representatives from 22 countries, including several that do not currently
use nuclear-generated electricity, committed themselves to working together to achieve a tripling of global nuclear energy installed
capacity by 2050 from 2020 levels. �is is an extremely ambitious goal, though broadly in line with some pathways projected by the
IPCC for achieving global net-zero emission levels by 2050.
45
Even more signi�cant was the fact that the �nal outcome from Dubai formally acknowledged nuclear energy as one of the zero,
or low-emission technologies, that needed to be accelerated to achieve rapid and deep decarbonisation. �is was the �rst time that
nuclear energy was mentioned in any COP outcome.
According to IAEA projections, before the tripling declaration, the total electricity generating capacity of nuclear power was set
to grow by 22 per cent by 2030 and 100 per cent by 2050 from 2020 levels. Tripling appears to be a herculean task right now.
What is India’s position on nuclear energy?

India, which currently has 23 operational nuclear reactors, does acknowledge the role of nuclear energy in its decarbonisation
plan and is planning for a rapid expansion in the coming years, even though the share of nuclear energy in electricity generation is
likely to remain extremely modest in the foreseeable future.
�e currently operational reactors have a combined installed electricity generating capacity of 7,480 MW (about 7.5 GW). At least
ten more reactors are under construction, and the capacity is supposed to triple to 22,480 MW by 2031-32. �e share of nuclear energy
in total electricity generation capacity is just about 3.1 per cent, among the lowest in countries that do use nuclear energy.
Only Brazil and Iran have a lower share of nuclear energy in their electricity generation mix. Even a�er expansion, this share is
not expected to go beyond 5 per cent.
Interestingly, India skipped the tripling
declaration at COP28 in Dubai. It was not INDIA, WHICH CURRENTLY HAS 23
the only nuclear power-producing OPERATIONAL NUCLEAR REACTORS, DOES
country to do so, several others also did
not sign up. But India was very much part
ACKNOWLEDGE THE ROLE OF NUCLEAR
of the Brussels meeting last week, with ENERGY IN ITS DECARBONISATION PLAN
Department of Atomic Energy Secretary AND IS PLANNING FOR A RAPID
Ajit Kumar Mohanty in attendance. EXPANSION IN THE COMING YEARS.
Mohanty said that India was �rmly of the
view that “nuclear power is a clean and
environment-friendly source of electricity, which is available 24×7, and can provide the country long-term energy security in a
sustainable manner.”
Mohanty talked about India’s ongoing e�orts to triple its current nuclear power capacity by 2030, and said that the aim was for
nuclear energy to have a “signi�cant share in electricity mix of India by the year 2047”. He did not o�er a target for 2047.
Former head of the Department of Atomic Energy Anil Kakodkar believes that India wasn’t moving fast enough to expand its
nuclear power sector. In a recent interview with �e Indian Express, Kakodkar expressed surprise at India staying away from the
tripling declaration at COP28 and said India had the potential, and also the imperative, to grow its nuclear energy sector at a
much faster pace.
“�ere is a perception that renewables will solve everything. In the short-term, that might be the case. But as our hunger for
clean energy increases, the demand cannot be met without getting in nuclear energy in a big way. Every projection shows that,”
Kakodkar had said.
46
EXPRESS EDGE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
125 years of Kodaikanal Solar Observatory

Wri�en by Anjali Marar
�e Madras Observatory was merged with the KoSO following the reorganisation of all Indian observatories on
April 1, 1899. �e hilltop observatory helped in making some key scienti�c discoveries over the years.
The Kodaikanal Solar Observatory. (Via Wikimedia Commons)
S
ince ancient times, seafarers, mathematicians, astronomers and physicists have all extensively studied and followed
the Sun and its activities. In 1792, the British East India Company established the Madras Observatory, a �rst of its
kind in this part of the world.
Here, astronomical observations of the Sun, the Moon, bright stars and planets recorded during 1812-1825 were
preserved in two large data volumes. �e �rst dedicated solar observations were recorded later in 1878 from the
Trigonometrical Survey O�ce in Dehradun.
Back then, astronomy was largely limited to special events like eclipses or planetary transits that drew huge interest
from foreign astronomers to visit India. Some of these visitors later settled here and laid a foundation for observatory-
based astronomy in the country.
47
The Kodaikanal Solar Observatory back in the day. (Via ‘Hundred Years of Weather Service’, IMD)
Several important observations were made here – the spectroscopic observations taken
during the August 18, 1868, total solar eclipse from Guntur in Andhra Pradesh led to the Scanty rainfall over
discovery of helium, the Universe’s second-most abundant element a�er hydrogen.
For the �rst time, celestial and solar photography were attempted from the Madras
south India during
Observatory during the total annual solar eclipse on December 12, 1871. Here is its story. the winter monsoon
of 1875 triggered one of
Links to the Great Drought the worst droughts the
Scanty rainfall over south India during the winter monsoon of 1875 triggered one
of the worst droughts the country had experienced till then. Multiple failed crops over country had experienced
the famine-stricken peninsular India killed 12.2 to 29.3 million people across the till then.
Madras and Mysore Provinces during 1875-1877.
48
India, along with China, Egypt, Morocco, Ethiopia,

southern Africa, Brazil, Columbia and Venezuela, su�ered
concurrent multi-year droughts during 1876-1878, later
named the Great Drought, and an associated global famine
that killed nearly 50 million.
�e drought was thought to be due to multiple reasons
– solar activity; cool Paci�c Ocean conditions followed by a
record-breaking El Nino (1877-1878); strong Indian Ocean
Dipole and warm North Atlantic Ocean conditions.
Why study the Sun?

Being the primary source of energy, life on Earth is
supported by the Sun. Any change on the solar surface or its
periphery could signi�cantly a�ect the Earth’s atmosphere.
Powerful solar storms and solar �ares can be potentially
harmful to Earth’s satellite-based operations, power grids and
navigational networks.
�e KoSO (Kodaikanal Solar Observatory), which has
been imaging the Sun for over a century now, has a rich
repository of data. �is is extremely useful not only to
reconstruct the Sun’s historic past but also to link its
behavioural changes to better understand and predict its
future and its impact on life on Earth and Space weather.
Solar Physics Observatory in Palani Hills

Based on the evidence that solar activity was linked to the Halley’s comet photographed from KoSO on May 13, 1910. (Via
‘Hundred Years of Weather Service’, IMD)
seasonal rainfall distribution over India, the specially
constituted Famine Commission of the British Raj
recommended that the Government of India take regular
solar observations.
�us was born the idea for an Indian solar observatory, ‘for
carrying out systematic examinations and the study of
changes in progress in the Sun and their co-relations with the
larger features of Indian meteorology’. (‘Hundred Years of
Weather Service’, IMD)
Scotland-born Charles Michie Smith, a Professor of
Physics at the Madras Christian College, was entrusted to
locate an ideal site for setting up this solar observatory in
undivided India.
�e hills of Leh, Mussoorie and Shimla were rejected for
being dusty and cloudy and the atmosphere around them
being unstable. Smith then conducted regular astronomical
observations on southern India’s hilltops, which were found to
be better.
Later, Smith surveyed hill stations located over 2,000
metres above the mean sea level in Tamil Nadu – Kodaikanal
in the Palani hills and Kotagiri in the Nilgiris. �e survey of Photograph of the Sun taken in white light on April 2, 1958. (Via
rainfall, cloud cover and sky transparency, haze, atmospheric ‘Hundred Years of Weather Service’, IMD)
49
stability, humidity, fog and mist was

completed and Kodaikanal was
chosen as the ideal location for the
observatory.
In August 1893, the Government
of India sanctioned a Solar Physics
Observatory under the
meteorological budget.
In 1895, Lord Wenlock, the then
Governor of Madras, laid its
foundation stone. Supervised by
Smith, who went on to become the
�rst director of the renamed
Kodaikanal Solar Observatory
(KoSO), the ongoing civil
construction picked pace. By the
end of the 1900s, the main
observatory building and the two
adjacent domes were built and ready
to accommodate instruments.
�e Madras Observatory, where
Smith brie�y served as the
Government Astronomer, was
merged with the KoSO following the
reorganisation of all Indian
observatories implemented by the
Government of India on April 1,
1899. Instruments mainly from the
Madras Observatory supplemented
the new ones at KoSO, where
systematic observations commenced
on March 14, 1901.
�e Bhavnagar Telescope, named
a�er Maharaja of Bhavnagar,
operated during KoSO’s nascent
years. �is 16-inch Newtonian (later
Cassegrain) mobile telescope ��
remained India’s largest from 1888-
1968. It was imported from Dublin, Ireland, and was �rst established at the Maharaja Takhtasinghji Observatory in Poona (now
Pune) around 1888.
However, the Poona observatory closed down and the telescope was sent to KoSO in 1912. Some of the
early solar observations at KoSO included the examination of the Sun’s disc from spots and faculae; tracing
bright lines from the Sun’s chromospheres and prominences; visual and photographic observations of bright
lines widened in the spectra of sunspots; measuring solar radiations on clear sky days and the direct
photography of the Sun in monochromatic lights of calcium and hydrogen.
�e radial motion of sunspots, better known as the Evershed E�ect, was discovered from the sunspot
observations made at KSO by John Evershed, KoSO director from 1911-1922.
50
Until the end of World War II in 1945, KoSO remained an observatory dedicated to solar physics.
�erea�er, it expanded its ambit to study cosmic rays, radio astronomy, ionospheric physics, stellar physics
and more areas. �e continuous recording of the solar radio noise �ux commenced in 1952 is considered the
earliest solar radio observations in the country.
�e contemporaries – Maharaja Takhtasinghji Observatory, Lucknow Observatory, and Calcutta
Observatory – did not stand the test of time.
KoSO @125
�e Government of India separated Astrophysics from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in April
1971. �e KoSO was brought under the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru on April 1, 1971.
From solar data recorded on basic photographic plates or �lms, the 125-year-old KoSO boasts a mammoth
digital repository containing 1.48 lakh digitised solar images of 10 terabytes. �ese include 33,500 white-light
images (showing sunspots) and thousands of other images of the Sun recorded every day since the start of the
20th century.
KoSO is the only observatory o�ering high-resolution digitised images for such a long period (with
coverage of more than 75 per cent).
KoSO A SPECTRUM OF ADVANCED INSTRUMENTS LIKE THE

H-ALPHA TELESCOPE TO PERFORM FULL DISC IMAGING, A WHITE
LIGHT ACTIVE REGION MONITOR (WARM) WITH CALCIUM AND
SODIUM LTERS TO MAKE FULL DISC SIMULTANEOUS
OBSERVATIONS OF THE PHOTOSPHERE AND CHROMOSPHERE
LAYERS OF THE SUN, A SOLAR TUNNEL TELESCOPE AND MORE.
51
New map of universe may open

a window to dark energy
�e researchers include an Indian team led by Shadab Alam at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Mumbai.
The hypothesis of dark energy comes mainly from the observed phenomenon of the universe expanding at a rapid rate. (DESI)
An international team of researchers has

just released the most comprehensive “three-
dimensional” map of the universe, which,
scientists hope, could reveal some clues about
dark energy, the mysterious force that is
believed to be causing the universe to expand
uncontrollably.
�e researchers, including an Indian team
led by Shadab Alam at the Tata Institute of
Fundamental Research in Mumbai, has
published its �ndings from the �rst year of
observations by the Dark Energy
Spectroscopic Instrument, or DESI, a unique
piece of equipment that, once �tted over a
telescope, can capture light from 5,000 galaxies DESI is a collaboration of more than 900 researchers in institutions across the
at the same time. world. (DESI)
52
Using DESI, which is mounted over the Mayall 4-Meter Telescope in Arizona, United States, researchers have been able to
measure light from six million galaxies — some of which existed as far back as 11 billion years ago — to prepare the most
detailed map of the universe as yet with very precise information about the distances between these galaxies.
“�e key thing is that we have been able to measure the distances between these galaxies with a very high degree of
accuracy. �at is why we call it a three-dimensional map. Otherwise, we have a catalogue of tens of billions of objects in the
universe. We have identi�ed these objects, but for most of them we don’t know how far they are from us. Knowing the precise
distances of the galaxies is crucial because that allows us to calculate the expansion rate of the universe,” Alam told �e Indian
Express.
And that, scientists hope, could o�er them their �rst clues into the mystery of dark energy that is supposed to make up
almost 70 per cent of the universe but about which nothing is known.
The DESI collaboration has measured that the expansion rate of the universe was increasing by 68.5 km per second after every 3.26
��
�e hypothesis of dark energy comes mainly from the observed phenomenon of the universe expanding at a rapid rate.
�e vast empty spaces between stars and galaxies have been measured to be expanding at an accelerating pace, despite the
countervailing force of gravitation that has the e�ect of pulling things together. Scientists have been unable to �nd any
explanation for this rapid expansion, and have been forced to hypothesise that there must be some “dark” energy causing this
expansion.
Understanding the nature of dark energy is one of the fundamental problems in science right now, because it can o�er key
insights into the origin and evolution of the universe, as well as its eventual fate. It can reveal new fundamental forces at work,
and could unravel our entire knowledge of the physical world. �e problem is that, so far, scientists have not been able to
�gure out even the �rst piece of the puzzle.
But the data from DESI is causing some excitement.
53
DESI is a collaboration of more than 900 researchers in institutions across the world. From India, TIFR is the only participating
institution. (DESI)
“�ere is already a slight hint of new physics in the data from DESI, which we are quite excited about. It is possible that it
eventually turns out to be trivial, but there is promise. Also, right now we have been able to analyse only one year of
observational data from DESI. It is scheduled to run for �ve years. �is March 31, DESI completed three years of operations.
As it is, DESI has provided us with a wealth of new, pathbreaking information,” Alam said.
One of them is the measurement of the expansion rate of universe. �e DESI collaboration has measured that the
expansion rate of the universe was increasing by 68.5 km per second a�er every 3.26 million light years of distance, a unit
astronomers de�ne as megaparsec.
“From the scienti�c point of view, knowing this expansion rate with high precision is extremely signi�cant. It can give us
our �rst clues into the behaviour of dark energy. I don’t think we would immediately get to know the exact nature of dark
energy, but maybe we can start with some information about what it is not. �at would be progress,” Alam said.
DESI is a collaboration of more than 900 researchers in institutions across the world. From India, TIFR is the only
participating institution.
54
EXPRESS EDGE HEALTH
Obesity and Undernutrition:

What a new study says
Wri�en by Anonna Du�
Adults — anyone over the age of 20 years — are considered to be obese, if they have a body mass index (BMI) of 30
kg/m2 or more. �e study blamed a lack of access to a�ordable and nutritious food for the prominence of
undernutrition and obesity.
An increase in obesity, especially in children, is likely to lead to an increase in diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, heart
attacks, and strokes. (Representational image/Express archive photo)
I
ndia has seen a steady increase in obesity levels — not only in adults but children too — over the last 32 years. At
the same time, the prevalence of undernutrition has also remained high in the country. As a result, India has
become one of the countries with a high “double burden,” according to a new Lancet study, which examined the
trends of malnutrition across the world over the last 32 years.
�e study, published on �ursday (February 29), blamed a lack of access to a�ordable and nutritious food for the
prominence of undernutrition and obesity. While lack of access to food can lead to undernutrition, increased access to
processed foods high in fats, salt, and sugar has driven up obesity, the study added.
55
What are the parameters of being obese and underweight?

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), obesity is an abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat that poses
health risks.
Adults — anyone over the age of 20 years — are considered to be obese, if they have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2
or more. BMI is a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters, according to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention. School-aged children and adolescents — anyone between the ages of 5 and 19 years — are
considered obese, if their BMI is two standard deviations more than the mean.
Underweight is one of the four broad sub-forms of undernutrition. An adult is considered underweight if their BMI is less
than 18 kg/m2. School-aged children and adolescents are considered underweight if their BMI is two standard deviations
below the mean.
What does the data tell about obesity and thinness in India?
Obesity in women has spiked in the past three decades — it increased from 1.2% in 1990 to 9.8% in 2022, according to the
study. �ere were 44 million women living with obesity in 2022. Meanwhile, obesity in men increased by 4.9 percentage
points during the same period, with 26 million men living with obesity in 2022.
Notably, there has also been a signi�cant increase in childhood obesity. �ere has
been a spike of 3 percentage points in girls and 3.7 percentage points in boys over
the 32 years that the study examined. In 2022, 3.1% of girls and 3.9% of boys were According to the
obese. In other words, while 0.2 million boys and 0.2 million girls were obese in
1990, 7.3 million boys and 5.2 million girls were obese in 2022.
World Health
Despite a signi�cant decline, the prevalence of underweight and thinness Organisation
continues to be high across genders and age groups. �e study found that 13.7% of (WHO), obesity is an
women and 12.5% of men were underweight. �inness — a measure of being abnormal or excessive
underweight in children — in Indian girls was found to be the highest in the world,
with a prevalence of 20.3%. And, it was the second highest in Indian boys, with a accumulation of fat that
prevalence of 21.7%. poses health risks.
Why are more women obese as compared to men?
Speaking to �e Indian Express, Dr V Mohan, one of the authors of the study from India, said: “Women are more prone to
putting on weight because most of them do not have access to or time for physical activities such as walks or gyms. �ey are
also likely to put the nutrition of the family above theirs. �ey are also likely to have fewer hours of proper sleep, waking up
�rst and going to bed last”.
Dr Mohan added that if central obesity were to be considered, obesity in women would be as high as 40% to 50% in many
parts of the country. A better predictor of future risk of diseases like diabetes and hypertension, central obesity is an excess
accumulation of fat in the abdominal area.
How do socio-economic conditions affect obesity and undernutrition?

Dr Mohan explained that obesity is no longer the disease of the rich in India. He said: “Eating junk food is cheaper and
easier. For example, the cost of samosas and pakoras available at roadside shacks is less than fruit and vegetables. While it is
not nutritious, it is tastier. It is the same as the West, where a McDonald’s burger will cost say a dollar but fresh vegetables
much more. �is has led to an increase in obesity even among the poor, especially in states that are better o� such as Tamil
Nadu, Punjab, and Goa.”
While it is a�ecting more people, there continues to be a rural-urban divide when it comes to obesity. An analysis of the
NFHS-5 data from last year shows that the prevalence of obesity was 31.7% in urban women and 19% in rural women. It was
28.6% among urban men and 18.8% among rural men.
56
Undernutrition persists in extremely remote and rural parts of poorer states where access to any kind of food is low.
“Undernutrition is prevalent in the extremely poor populations in states like Bihar, Jharkhand, or Odisha, where people
might be eating just one meal a day,” said Dr Mohan.
What are the impacts of obesity and undernutrition on health?

�e health consequences of obesity are obvious. An increase in obesity, especially in children, is likely to lead to an
increase in diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, heart attacks, and strokes. �e e�ect of undernutrition, however, is not so
obvious.
Dr Mohan said that undernutrition is likely to increase the burden of non-communicable diseases.
“�ere is a well-known hypothesis that says babies who are born small are likely to have smaller organs
and vessels. �ey have a catch-up growth later in life, but their bodies are less likely to adjust to
increases in nutrition, making them more prone to lifestyle disease. So when a healthy-weight baby
and an under-weight baby become obese later in life, the risk of diabetes or other diseases is much
higher in the under-weight baby,” he said.
Dr Mohan explained that this has been seen even in famines, where the rate of diseases like diabetes
shoots up ten to ��een years later. Babies born during famines are smaller, so they grow up to have
more diabetes as compared to a normal population where it may go up, but only slightly.
What needs to be done?

Obesity and underweight should not be considered in isolation, according to the study. “Because the underweight-obesity
transition can occur rapidly, leaving their combined burden unchanged or higher. It proposes that the focus has to be on
programmes that enhance healthy nutrition, such as targeted cash transfers, food assistance as subsidies or vouchers for
healthy foods, free healthy school meals, and primary care-based nutritional interventions,” the study said.
Other than ensuring food security, the study also mentioned that there is an urgent need for supporting weight loss in
those with obesity. “Prevention and management are especially important because the age of onset of obesity has decreased,
which increases the duration of exposure. Making healthy food a�ordable and accessible is the challenge,” the study said.
WITH A BOOM IN THE MARKET FOR DRUGS TO TREAT OBESITY,

THE STUDY ADDED: “NEW PHARMACOLOGICAL TREATMENT OF
OBESITY, ALTHOUGH PROMISING, IS LIKELY TO HAVE A LOW
IMPACT GLOBALLY IN THE SHORT-TERM, DUE TO HIGH COST AND
THE ABSENCE OF GENERALISABLE CLINICAL GUIDELINES.”
57
UPSC SPECIALS CASE STUDIES
IAS officer who has a solution to water crisis

Wri�en by Manas Srivastava
About 3,000 kilometers away from water stressed Bengaluru, IAS Surendra Kumar Meena and Alipurduar district
administration have an e�ective solution to water scarcity. Don't miss the Post Read Question.
Good governance implies that in the face of a crisis, our response should be more likely to be meaningful, effective and
sustainable. We need to maintain a clear and steady view of the facts of the problem, and then act accordingly. Civil servants
��
of boats lying idle in dry Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary near Ahmedabad.)
A
bout 3,000 kilometers away from Bengaluru, a small district exempli�ed an e�ective solution to water scarcity
through good governance. Let us learn about this good governance strategy that made big headlines.
�e following case study is framed from a success story recognised at �e Indian Express Excellence in
Governance Awards. UPSC Essentials of �e Indian Express takes you through some inspiring case studies every week
from the area of Governance and Civil Services which not only highlight the problem but also focus on award-winning
solutions.
58
Relevance: For Essays, Governance and Ethics section of Mains examination as case studies and example-fodder for
answers. Candidates will �nd it useful for framing replies in interviews and personality tests. �is particular case study is
relevant to questions related to water scarcity and disaster management. Moreover, such real-life stories should be read,
noted, and applied to remain motivated, inspired and also to create role models.
The Case
Water scarcity was a common problem in Alipurduar district. Located in the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas, North
Bengal’s Alipurduar district houses several wildlife sanctuaries and national parks. However, a decline in the groundwater
level over the years led to a crisis in many parts of the district. �e challenges faced by district administration and DM
Surendra Kumar Meena included resource limitations and getting support from local people. Can good governance
rejuvenate water bodies, provide solutions to water crises and breathe new life into this Bengal district?
The Problem
�e Indian population is water-distressed. Newspaper headlines on the water crisis in Bengaluru should be a warning for
both cities and villages in the country. Such warnings have also been indicated by studies, including the Niti Aayog’s
Composite Water Management Index (CWMI). “If mitigation measures are not implemented, India faces a 6 per cent loss in
its gross domestic product (GDP) by 2050,” the CWMI said.
Like Bengaluru, most Indian urban centres continue to neglect water management.
�e Indian Express’ Editorial writes, “�e governance de�cit at the municipal level in India means that solutions such as
rainwater harvesting, reviving water bodies and cleaning and reusing wastewater remain on paper. �e crisis in Karnataka’s
capital should be a wake-up call.” Addressing the water crisis requires innovative solutions at administrative level. Do we have
any examples? Alipurduar has an answer – Jaladharini Dooars.
The Solution/ Idea

•• In 2021, the district administration of
Alipurduar launched a project to overcome the
water crisis in the area by rejuvenating 235 derelict
water bodies and digging new ponds.
•• Named ‘Jaladharini Dooars’, the initiative has
helped meet water demand for agriculture and allied
activities during the dry season in the area.
•• Jaladharini literally means ‘holding back of water’.
It was given shape a�er detailed discussions with
o�cers from departments including agriculture,
horticulture, �sheries, animal resources and also
with the district Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) cell. According to DM Surendra Kumar Meena, the initiative helped increase the
potential for preserving water in derelict water bodies throughout the year.
•• Discussions were also held with representatives (Express Photo)
from farmer groups, �sher-folk cooperative societies,
local panchayat members and experts for identi�cation of potential locations where water conservation could be taken up.
Survey reports from the land department were also referred to and were later physically veri�ed.
•• According to District Magistrate Surendra Kumar Meena, twelve water bodies were rejuvenated in the �rst phase, said
Meena. In the second phase, 221 water bodies, including 50 rejuvenated water bodies, were excavated. To meet the
burgeoning demands, the administration excavated 151 new ponds in the third phase.
•• Excavation of ponds generated a lot of income for the locals. It has generated employment for over 6 lakh man-days
through the MGNREGA scheme.
59
•• One of the challenges the administration faced was identifying lands needed for the project. According to Suman
Bagdas, the district planning o�cer, “Land department o�cers helped us overcome this challenge. Getting support from
the locals was also a challenge but not a huge one since they were the worst a�ected due to the water crisis. Once the
project started, they understood the importance of the initiative.”
•• An example worth mentioning is Biswakarma Jhora. Located in Madarihat-Birpara block, Biswakarma Jhora is one of the
biggest rejuvenated water bodies. Spread over 13 bighas, it is now a biodiversity park that comprises a �sh sanctuary, a
medicinal plant garden, a butter�y garden, an ornamental �sh pond, a beekeeping farm and boating facilities. “A lot of tourists
started coming to Biswakarma Jhora once it was completed. �ere is no entry fee for school students, while a nominal Rs 10 is
charged for adults,” said Budesh Lama, the joint Block Development O�cer (BDO) of Madarihat-Birpara block.
Prasenjit Saiba, the local �sher-folk committee secretary, said �sh such as rohu, catla, miguel and calbasu are bred in these
ponds. “We release small �sh here. Once they grow, we sell them to local villagers at low prices,” said Saiba.
What we learn…
•• Good governance implies that in the face of a crisis, our response should be more likely to be meaningful, e�ective and
sustainable. We need to maintain a clear and steady view of the facts of the problem, and then act accordingly. Civil
servants trying to address the water crisis would be more e�ective if they keep these pieces of wisdom in mind.
•• �ere are many takeaways from the e�orts of IAS
Surendra Kumar Meena and the district administration THE INDIAN POPULATION IS
of Alipurduar. Excavated over the last couple of years as
part of a water conservation initiative, these ponds have
WATER-DISTRESSED.
revitalised agriculture, horticulture and pisciculture, NEWSPAPER HEADLINES ON THE
besides functioning as a playground for pachyderms. WATER CRISIS IN BENGALURU
•• According to DM Surendra Kumar Meena, the SHOULD BE A WARNING FOR
initiative helped increase the potential for preserving BOTH CITIES AND VILLAGES IN
water in derelict water bodies throughout the year. �is
water was then utilised as a sustainable groundwater
THE COUNTRY. SUCH WARNINGS
source to meet the demand during lean seasons, HAVE ALSO BEEN INDICATED BY
especially the dry season. STUDIES, INCLUDING THE NITI
•• It is worth noting that these water bodies were created AAYOG’S COMPOSITE WATER
to meet the agricultural needs of the locals but they ended MANAGEMENT INDEX (CWMI).
up bene�ting the wildlife too. “Now elephants from the
nearby Jaldapara forest come to the newly excavated
ponds at twilight to drink water and bathe,” said Yusuf Ali, the executive assistant of Khairbari gram panchayat.
•• It must be appreciated that a project, which included the creation of both community and individual ponds, has
improved the economic status of the people. �at is how a good governance strategy when applied on ground doesn’t only
overcome a challenge but also open new doors of opportunties.
•• For a sustainable water conservation project and an idea which may act as a role model for other water stressed areas,
IAS Surendra Kumar Meena was awarded �e Indian Express Excellence in Governance Award in the Water category.
Post Read Question:

�e Indian population is water-distressed. Addressing the water crisis requires innovative solutions at administrative level. Discuss.
60
UPSC SPECIALS SOCIETY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
Unemployment and associated issues (Part 2)

How to answer questions on Unemployment — its consequences, wages issue, rural-urban joblessness and more for
UPSC exams? Our expert discusses probable questions and a key issue — Is AI going to be the new age cause of
unemployment? Part 1 was covered in the March issue of the UPSC Essentials magazine.
��
��
answer.
A
bout the Expert: Pranay Aggarwal is an educator and mentor for aspirants preparing for UPSC Civil Services exam.
With more than 10 years of experience guiding civil service aspirants, he is acknowledged as an expert on civil service
exam preparation, especially on subjects like Social Issues and Sociology. He is the India representative on the Research
Committee on Education, Religion and Political Sociology for UNESCO’s International Sociological Association and a member
of Indian Sociological Society and its committee on social movements. He is also the Convenor of Indian Civil Services
Association, a think tank of senior bureaucrats.
61
Relevance of the topic: �e issue of employment has been at the heart of economic policy discussions, especially in
recent decades when the link between economic growth and employment generation has a social dimension too. �is topic has
various dimensions: factual – re�ected through surveys, government reports and think tank data and analytical-based on
experts’ analysis and debates revolving around them. One may have to make a note of important de�nitions and terminologies,
data and changing trends along with connecting the dots with other related issues. It is an important theme in GS I (Society), GS
II, GS III, Prelims and personality tests. Aspirants will �nd it relevant for Essays as well.
Manas: In part 1 of the Unemployment topic, you have discussed the causes. What are the
various consequences of unemployment that we generally see in society?
Pranay Aggarwal: Unemployment yields a spectrum of consequences that extend beyond individual
hardships, resonating throughout society and the economy.
ECONOMIC DOWNTURN: Persistent unemployment can contribute to economic slowdowns as

reduced consumer spending and lower demand for goods and services impede overall economic
growth.
POVERTY AND DEPRIVATION: Unemployment is one of the major causative factors for
widespread poverty. �e unemployed frequently lack access to basic resources including food and shelter, which also results in
deprivation and denial of basic human rights.
SOCIAL STRAIN: Unemployment o�en leads to heightened social tensions, as individuals and families grapple with
�nancial stress, potentially giving rise to increased crime rates and social unrest.
HEALTH IMPACTS: Individuals facing prolonged unemployment may experience deteriorating mental and physical
health due to stress, anxiety, and a lack of access to healthcare resources.
SKILL EROSION: Prolonged unemployment can lead to a deterioration of skills, diminishing the employability of a�ected
individuals. �is skill erosion poses challenges for both individuals and the broader economy.
GENERATIONAL EFFECTS: Youth unemployment can have lasting e�ects on a generation’s economic prospects,
hindering career trajectories and contributing to a cycle of economic disadvantage.
GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE: Increased unemployment o�en necessitates higher government spending on social
welfare programs, placing a strain on public �nances and potentially a�ecting long-term �scal sustainability.
DIMINISHED INNOVATION: Unemployment leads to underutilization of human potential, sti�ing innovation and
creativity within the workforce, which is detrimental to long-term economic progress.
MIGRATION: In search of better opportunities, unemployed individuals may migrate from rural to urban areas,
contributing to urbanisation and related challenges such as overcrowding and inadequate infrastructure. People also may
migrate from less industrialized regions, like Bihar, to more industrialized places like Mumbai and Bengaluru. �ese a�ect
local politics, sometimes fomenting anti-migrant sentiment and movements.
Understanding and mitigating these consequences requires a holistic approach, encompassing social welfare measures,
targeted economic policies, and initiatives that promote education and skill development.
Manas: It is generally said that unemployment of one country can be seen through a
global prism. Simply, how does the global economy affect national employment?
Pranay Aggarwal: �e global economy has a profound impact on national employment, in�uencing job creation,
unemployment rates, and the overall health of the labor market. Several key factors illustrate this interconnected relationship:
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TRADE DYNAMICS: Changes in global trade patterns directly a�ect industries and employment within a nation. Shi�s in
demand for exports or disruptions in supply chains can lead to �uctuations in employment levels across sectors.
ECONOMIC GROWTH: �e global economy’s overall growth or contraction can in�uence a nation’s economic performance.
During periods of global economic expansion, there is typically increased demand for goods and services, leading to job creation.
Conversely, economic downturns can result in reduced demand, impacting employment negatively.
FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT �FDI�: Nations with attractive business environments o�en attract foreign investment,
stimulating economic activity and job creation. Conversely, economic uncertainty or unfavorable conditions can deter foreign
investors, a�ecting domestic employment opportunities.
CURRENCY EXCHANGE RATES: Fluctuations in currency exchange rates can impact a nation’s competitiveness in global
markets. A weaker currency may boost exports, supporting industries and employment, while a stronger currency could hinder
exports and lead to job challenges.
GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAINS: Many industries operate within global supply chains. Disruptions, such as those caused by
geopolitical events or natural disasters, can impact the production and availability of goods, in�uencing employment in a�ected
industries.
TECHNOLOGICAL TRENDS: Global advancements in technology, such as automation and arti�cial intelligence, can have
universal e�ects on employment patterns. Industries adapting to these technological shi�s may experience job transformations or
disruptions.
COMMODITY PRICES: For nations heavily reliant on commodity exports, �uctuations in global commodity prices can
signi�cantly impact employment in related industries. Changes in oil prices, for example, can a�ect employment in the energy sector.
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION: Collaborative e�orts and agreements among nations can create
opportunities for increased economic cooperation, leading to expanded markets and enhanced employment
prospects.
GLOBAL CRISIS: Global crisis, such as �nancial meltdowns or pandemics, can have widespread
repercussions on national economies and employment. Economic interconnectedness can amplify the e�ects
of such crises across borders.
LABOUR REFORMS: India and several other developing economies have signi�cantly changed the legal
landscape governing industrial relations; largely in response to the dictates of the globalised economy. �ese reforms have a direct
and signi�cant bearing on workers’ rights and entitlements.
Understanding and navigating these global economic dynamics is crucial for policymakers. E�ective strategies to manage and
respond to the global economy’s impact on national employment include diversifying industries, fostering innovation, and maintaining
a skilled and adaptable workforce. Additionally, international collaboration and diplomatic e�orts can contribute to creating a more
stable and favorable global economic environment.
Manas: Not much is talked about, but rural unemployment is as relevant as urban
unemployment. Please discuss the two.
Pranay Aggarwal: Certainly, both rural and urban unemployment are critical facets of the overall employment scenario, each
presenting distinct challenges and requiring tailored interventions.
Rural Unemployment
AGRICULTURAL DEPENDENCY: Rural areas o�en rely heavily on agriculture, and �uctuations in agricultural productivity
can directly impact rural employment. Seasonal variations and dependence on weather conditions contribute to the cyclicality of
rural employment.
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UNDEREMPLOYMENT: While individuals may be engaged in agricultural activities, the level of productivity and income
generation may not be commensurate with their potential. �is underemployment highlights the need for diversi�cation and value
addition in rural economic activities.
LIMITED NON�AGRICULTURAL OPPORTUNITIES: �e scope for non-agricultural employment in rural areas can be
limited, leading to a concentration of workforce in traditional sectors. Diversi�cation of the rural economy through initiatives like
rural industrialisation becomes crucial.
SKILL MISMATCH: �e skills possessed by the rural workforce may not align with the requirements of emerging job
opportunities. Bridging this gap through skill development programs is essential to enhance employability.
Urban Unemployment
FORMAL VS. INFORMAL SECTOR: Urban areas o�en have a more diversi�ed economic landscape with opportunities in both
formal and informal sectors. However, the informal sector can pose challenges in terms of job security, bene�ts, and regulatory oversight.
TECHNOLOGICAL DISRUPTION: Urban areas are more susceptible to technological advancements that may automate
certain jobs, potentially displacing workers. Ensuring adaptability through upskilling becomes crucial in this context.
EDUCATIONAL DISPARITIES: Urban centers attract a large number of skilled professionals, leading to increased
competition for well-paying jobs. Disparities in educational access and quality; along the lines of caste, class and gender; can
contribute to uneven employment opportunities.
COST OF LIVING: Urban areas o�en have a higher cost of living, and inadequate wage levels can lead to
economic vulnerabilities for urban workers. A�ordable housing and social welfare measures become signi�cant
considerations.
In addressing both rural and urban unemployment, comprehensive policies must recognise the unique
challenges of each context. Rural development strategies should focus on agricultural diversi�cation, skill
enhancement, and infrastructure improvements. Policies for urban areas need to address technological
disruptions, promote inclusive education, and ensure the availability of decent work opportunities in both formal
and informal sectors. Recognising the interconnectedness of rural and urban dynamics is also vital for fostering balanced and
sustainable employment growth.
Manas: Some experts opine that ‘wages are the worry, not just unemployment.’ How
should we address this aspect?
Pranay Aggarwal: One cannot but agree with the statement. It underscores the importance of considering not only job availability
but also the quality and compensation associated with employment. A focus solely on unemployment rates may overlook the
prevalence of low-wage jobs. Even if employment opportunities exist, inadequate wages can lead to economic vulnerabilities,
hampering individuals’ ability to meet their basic needs and achieve �nancial stability. Some crucial aspects I can highlight in this
context are:
WORKING POVERTY: Some individuals may be employed but still experience poverty due to insu�cient wages. Addressing
wage concerns is essential for combating working poverty and ensuring that employment leads to a reasonable standard of living.
INCOME INEQUALITY: �e emphasis on wages acknowledges the broader issue of income inequality. Disparities in earnings
can lead to social and economic imbalances, a�ecting overall societal well-being and contributing to social unrest.
QUALITY OF EMPLOYMENT: Job quality encompasses factors beyond wages, such as working conditions, job security, and
bene�ts. A narrow focus on reducing unemployment rates may not guarantee the creation of high-quality jobs that o�er stability and
opportunities for career advancement.
PRODUCTIVITY VS. WAGE GROWTH GAP: In some cases, productivity gains have not been proportionally re�ected in
64
wage growth. Addressing this gap is essential for ensuring that workers share in the bene�ts of increased productivity and
economic growth.
LIVING WAGE: A living wage is the minimum income necessary for a worker to meet their basic needs such as food, housing,
and clothing. �e goal of a living wage is to allow a worker to a�ord a decent standard of living through employment, without
government subsidies. Advocates of the concept argue that attention to it is crucial to creating a more equitable and just society.
ECONOMIC STIMULUS: Higher wages can contribute to increased consumer spending, providing a boost to the economy.
Addressing wage concerns is not only a matter of social justice but also has potentially positive e�ects on economic growth.
SKEWED ECONOMIC RECOVERY: In the a�ermath of economic downturns, recovery e�orts should not only focus on
restoring employment numbers but also on ensuring that the recovered jobs o�er fair compensation and job security.
While reducing unemployment is a vital goal, the quality of employment, as re�ected in wages and overall job conditions, is equally
signi�cant. A comprehensive approach to economic policies should encompass strategies that not only create jobs but also prioritise fair
compensation, reducing income inequality and promoting a more inclusive and sustainable economic environment.
Manas: No topic is complete without understanding the AI connect to it. Is AI going to be

the new age cause of unemployment?
Pranay Aggarwal: �e impact of AI on employment is a nuanced and evolving subject. Frankly, the jury is still out on this one.
While AI has the potential to create e�ciencies, improve productivity, and contribute to economic growth, it also poses challenges
related to job displacement and shi�s in the nature of work.
A recent IMF study suggests that AI may a�ect as many as 40 per cent of jobs globally. In developed countries, around 60 percent of
jobs are expected to be impacted by AI. In emerging markets and low-income countries, AI is likely to a�ect 40 per cent and 26 per cent
of all jobs, respectively.
Some likely impacts and considerations of AI on the employment scenario are:
JOB DISPLACEMENT: Automation and AI can replace certain routine and repetitive tasks, potentially leading to the
displacement of jobs in speci�c industries. �is is particularly true for jobs involving manual or routine cognitive tasks.
EMERGENCE OF NEW JOBS: Conversely, the adoption of AI can create new job categories, o�en requiring human skills such
as creativity, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence that AI currently lacks. New industries may emerge as an outcome of
technological development.
SKILL REQUIREMENTS: �e integration of AI emphasises the importance of skills that complement technology. Upskilling
and reskilling the workforce to adapt to the changing demands of the job market become crucial to mitigate the potential negative
impact on employment.
JOB TRANSFORMATION: AI is more likely to transform jobs rather than completely eliminate them. Tasks that are automated
may free up human workers to focus on more complex, strategic, and value-added aspects of their roles.
ETHICAL AND SOCIETAL IMPACTS: Ethical considerations, such as bias in AI algorithms and the impact on privacy, also
need attention. Governments and organizations must implement policies and regulations to ensure responsible AI deployment.
AI IN SUPPORTIVE ROLES: AI is increasingly being integrated into supportive roles, enhancing human capabilities rather
than replacing them. Collaborative e�orts between humans and AI can result in more e�cient and e�ective outcomes.
My sense is that while AI has the potential to impact employment dynamics, it is not a deterministic force leading to widespread
unemployment. Not just as yet, at least. �e overall impact will depend on how societies, businesses, and policymakers navigate the
integration of AI, ensuring that the bene�ts are maximized while mitigating potential negative consequences. Proactive measures such
as education reforms, continuous skill development, and ethical AI practices are essential components of managing the evolving
relationship between AI and employment.
65
UPSC SPECIALS THIS QUOTE MEANS
‘A woman without education is like a

banyan tree without roots or leaves’
Wri�en by Yashee
We examine a statement of Savitribai Phule on women's education. Quotes from historical �gures are an important part
of the UPSC Civil Services Exam especially in papers of Ethics and Essays.
A stamp issued in Savitribai Phule's honour in 1998. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
M
arch 10 is the death anniversary of Savitribai Phule, who passed away in 1897 at the age of 66 years. Savitribai was
one of the �rst women teachers of India, and spent her life trying to empower women through education, in the face
of virulent opposition.
She also wrote extensively on the subject. On her death anniversary, we look at one of her famous quotes, “A woman without
education is like a banyan tree without roots or leaves.” Quotes from historical �gures are an important part of the UPSC Civil
Services Exam syllabus.
66
What is the full quote?

Savitribai said, “A woman without education is like a banyan tree without roots or leaves; she cannot provide for her children and stay
alive herself.” While it is not clear exactly when she made this statement, Savitribai wrote on the subject of women’s education consistently
and compellingly. Two books of her poems, ‘Kavya Phule’ and ‘Bavan Kashi Subodh Ratnakar’, were published in 1934 and 1982.
What does the quote mean?

�e quote says that a woman without education is incomplete. Just like a Banyan tree cannot draw nutrition for itself without roots,
and cannot provide shade to anyone else without leaves, a woman without education is weak and can’t contribute to her family and
society adequately. A tree without roots can easily fall and die — a woman without education is similarly vulnerable, with nothing to
anchor and sustain her in a hostile society.
Savitribai was writing at a time when women were deprived of education and their taking up paid employment of choice was
unthinkable. �is meant that a woman whose husband had died or who had no one to provide for was literally caught between life and
death; her fate and that of her children was exceedingly uncertain, leaving them open to exploitation.
Savitribai, thus, wanted women to have assets and abilities of their own — roots and leaves — which could help them survive. Her
use of the imagery of a Banyan tree makes her message easy to grasp for everyone.
What did Savitribai Phule do for women’s education?

Savitribai was born on January 3, 1831, in Maharashtra’s Naigaon, in the lower caste community of malis (gardeners). In
keeping with the customs of the time, she was not educated, and married o� at the age of 10 to Jyotirao Phule, who was then 13.
It was her husband who introduced her to academic education, and Savitribai never looked back. Later, she attended a teachers’
training institute in Pune.
�e couple went on to found India’s �rst school for girls in Pune’s Bhidewada in 1848. For their work, they had to face severe social
backlash, from a conservative society as well as from nationalists like Bal Gangadhar Tilak, who thought diluting the caste system
would mean dilution of the Indian Hindu identity itself. �e chorus against them was so strong that Jyotirao’s father Govindrao was
forced to evict them from his house.
Savitribai and Jyotirao then moved to their associate and friend Usman Shaikh’s neighbourhood. Savitribai, alongside Usman’s sister
Fatima Sheikh, began teaching girls here. Within two years, more schools were started for girls, shudras and ati-shudras in Pune.
Everyday, as Savitribai made her way to the school, she had cow dung thrown at her from the conservative sections of society,
along with abuse and slurs. Undeterred, she started carrying a spare saari, and would change out of the soiled one once she
reached the school.
A 2008 lecture on Savitribai Phule by Dr T Sundararaman, as part of NCERT’s Memorial Lecture Series, says, “According to the
memoirs written by Balwant Sakharam Kolhe, Savitribai would say to those who troubled her, “As I do the sacred task of teaching my
fellow sisters, the stones or cow dung that you throw seem like �owers to me. May God bless you!””
“Savitribai was a woman who not only fought against the hegemonic practices of the society but also against imperialistic forces. She
opened the �rst ever indigenous school for girls as she believed women can be truly empowered if they are educated. For her, education
was the tool to bring about social reform. She �rmly held the opinion that education had the power to alter and shape the social role
and position of women. She inspired a generation of women with her words of �re to rise and �ght against injustices,” Dr Aditi Paswan,
Assistant Professor Sociology Department, Delhi University’s Lakshmibai College, told �e Indian Express.
What other social reforms did she carry out?

Along with Jyotirao, Savitribai started the Balhatya Pratibandhak Griha (‘Home for the Prevention of Infanticide’) for pregnant
widows and their children. �e couple adopted one such child, Yashwantrao, who went on to become a doctor.
In 1873, the Phules set up the Satyashodhak Samaj (Truth-seekers’ society), a platform open to all irrespective of caste and religion,
with the aim of working to ease the su�erings of Dalits and women.
When her husband died in 1890, Savitribai carried out his last rites, a role still primarily performed by men.
Even her death came while working for the society — when the Bubonic plague broke out in Maharashtra in 1897, she contracted
the disease while taking a sick child to the hospital, and breathed her last on March 10, 1897.
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‘The destiny of India is now being shaped

in her classrooms’
Wri�en by Rishika Singh
�e quote is from the

govt’s Kothari
Commission report
(1964-66). We take a
deeper look at its
implications and what it
has come to mean in
India in the years since.
A portion of the quote
was given as a statement
question in the 2017
UPSC Civil Services
Examination’s Essay
paper.
T
he contribution
of both teachers
and the wider Students from a slum attend a classroom session at the Yamuna riverbed near Mayur Vihar in New Delhi in
profession of teaching is 2023. (Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)
acknowledged in our Indian society. One of the earliest formal recognitions was made in independent India, in the
government’s Kothari Commission report (1964-66), which said “�e destiny of India is now being shaped in her classrooms.
�is, We believe, is no mere rhetoric. In a world based on science and technology, it is education that determines the level of
prosperity, welfare and security of the people.”
We take a deeper look at the implications of this quote and what it has come to mean in India in the years since. A portion
of the quote was given as a statement question in the 2017 UPSC Civil Services Examination’s Essay paper.
Where is the quote from?

�e Kothari Commission, headed by former University Grants Commission chief DK Kothari, was set up “to advise the
Government on the national pattern of education and on the general principles and policies for the development of education
at all stages and in all aspects.” In simple terms, it was to recommend a comprehensive Education Policy to the government.
As part of its report, the quote is mentioned.
What the quote means

�e quote gives a deeper meaning to a space that is quite routine for a large section of India’s population today. Classrooms
and schools are part of the everyday lives of millions of students in schools and colleges, but the quote suggests that attaining an
education is not just an individualistic action.
A person’s ability to get educated and a person’s choice to send their children to school does not just promise a better future
for their own economic prospects. For instance, it was found in the latest Annual Status of Education Report (Rural), ASER
2022, that children whose parents have attended schools themselves are more likely to send their children to school. �e Kothari
Commission’s report also called education an “Instrument of Change”.
However, it added, “�is emphasis on the social purposes of education… as a tool for the realization of national aspirations or
68
for meeting national challenges, does not imply any underestimation of values for the individual. In a democracy, the individual
is an end in himself and the primary purpose of education is to provide him with the widest opportunity to develop his
potentialities to the full.”
So, education should ideally not be limited to securing marks in examinations or getting a job, though those are important
goals nonetheless. Education should be the means to learn more about oneself, the diverse world around oneself and be a tool to
develop oneself in all spheres of life.
Why the education system needs reforms

�e commission’s report further said that the system of education at the time was “designed to meet the needs of all imperial
administration within the limitations set by a feudal and traditional society, [and] will need radical changes if it is to meet the purposes
of a modem democratic and socialistic society.”
Since then, several changes and policies have been made in the �eld. Free school education from ages six to 14 was made mandatory
a�er the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act (RTE Act), 2009, came into force in 2010 under the 86th
Amendment to the Constitution of India (2002). Programmes such as the Midday Meal Scheme further aided poor children in
attending schools, becoming an incentive for parents to enroll their children in formal
education. A person’s ability to
�e literacy rate of India is now around 74 per cent (based on the 2011 Census data).
�ere has been a steady decline in the school dropout rate and an increase in enrolment get educated and a
both in school and higher education, according to the Economic Survey for 2022-23. person’s choice to
However, there are still signi�cant gaps that need to be addressed. First, the de�nition of send their children to
literacy is wide – referring to a person aged seven and above, who can both read and write
with understanding in any language. And within this, while the literacy rate was 82.14 for
school does not just
males, it was at 65.46 for females. �ere are also wide regional variations: Kerala had a promise a be�er future
93.91 per cent literacy rate while Bihar stood at 63.82 per cent. for their own economic
What about the role of teachers in education? prospects.
In its report, the Kothari Commission said that of all the di�erent factors that
in�uence the quality of education, “the quality, competence and character of teachers are undoubtedly the most signi�cant.”
Teachers can act not just as people who give instructions from a pedestal but people who can directly in�uence a student’s
level of interest and understanding when it comes to a subject. �ey can guide students towards the path that could help them
in the future.
�e report said that therefore, it was paramount to attract su�ciently high-quality recruits to the teaching profession. �is
would, from the government’s end, mean the provision of adequate remuneration, opportunities for professional
advancement and favourable conditions of service and work. Vast infrastructural gaps – such as having toilets in schools –
continue to exist to date.
Teacher vacancies would have to be addressed, as would the trust issues arising in the process of recruiting public teachers.
From the classroom side, teacher absenteeism would have to be tackled, by understanding what prompts such actions and
whether surveillance of teachers is necessarily the way to resolve this issue. Whether students have the freedom to freely
question and debate ideas in a classroom, yet be gently guided by a mentor in how such discussions can be held in a sensitive
manner, is also a point of concern today.
69
UPSC SPECIALS UPSC ETHICS SIMPLIFIED
From Values to Morality �

the concept & caselet
Wri�en by Nanditesh Nilay
Understanding morality is a prerequisite to ethics. Let's know more for the UPSC CSE Ethics paper from Nanditesh Nilay.
��
L
ast month we understood the concept of Values or those fundamental human feelings, beliefs, and notions which are
considered conducive as well as urgent to human happiness and harmonious living in society.
Now before exploring the concept of Ethics, it will be appropriate to answer the universal aspects of human values
and morality.
Relevance: �e topic is a part of UPSC CSE General Studies Paper-IV Ethics Syllabus. Aspirants will �nd the article useful
for their Essay paper too. Moreover, the essence of the article will help aspirants in their professional lives or in life in general.
70
THE CONCEPT
The ‘unchanging’ fundamental values
�ere is no denying of the fact that when we go through various literatures, we come to a conclude that several fundamental
human values are universal as well as eternal. �ese are intrinsic to all of us, all human beings, and de�nitely, they are manifestations
of the natural order. �at natural order which exists permanently and which is o�en referred to as the ‘law’ or ‘Dhamma’ etc.
�e carrying out or pursuance of these universal values forms the basics of ethical human conduct. Examples of such universal
human values are love, non-violence, compassion, truth, etc.
However, it is also noticed that some values appear to be changing with place, time, and community. However, a deeper
understanding will kindle us to understand that these are only the derivatives of these fundamental human values, expressed in the
speci�c context of time and place, etc. �erefore, a few values appear around changing texture. Nevertheless, fundamental human
values never change. If we enter into the tunnel of self-doubt or any kind of dilemma about the authenticity or appropriateness of
any value, one will have to take reference from the foundational universal human values only. �ere is no other way out. And the
more one’s conduct is around universal human values, the better will be the health of individualistic and collective happiness. People
will choose nature, harmony, tolerance, nonviolence, and peace over any kind of indi�erence.
Morality and moral standards

Now around this background and context, one can �nd the reasoning for understanding Ethics rather than jumping straight into
this concept. So what is Ethics? It is that discipline which is involved in examining the moral standards of an individual or society at
large. So it is clear that without understanding moral standards, we can not de�ne ethics.
Before moral standards, let’s understand morality. Morality is all about those standards that a group or a person has about what is
good and evil or what is right and wrong. Moral standards are those norms or types of conduct or actions that are believed to be right
and wrong. Later they are those values that are placed on what we believe to de�ne what to be morally right or wrong, good or evil/bad.
Moral norms
�ese are general rules such as, “One should never bribe.” And moral values are expressed through the value or worth of those
moral norms. Here it can be expressed as a statement, “Honesty is wisdom”.
So the key feature of morality or moral standards is the kind of subject it deals with. �ose matters which bring serious bene�t to
mankind or save human society from any kind of wrong doings.
�is whole discussion is leading us to the central theme of the paper which is Ethics and its importance in general and
particularly in governance. Further, this discussion can lead to a secondary question of the importance of ethical attitude in
governance. Let’s know more in our future articles.
EXPRESS INPUT
A note on Public Morality
In her opinion piece (Public morality and the Aryan Khan case) for �e Indian Express, R Mahalakshmi wrote:
What is public morality? Even though there is no written document that provides a blueprint for what goes under that head,
there is a general understanding that individuals are expected to behave in certain ways that are considered acceptable, and that
some of these actions are governable by law. In other words, individuals, notwithstanding their private choices and actions, could
face legal repercussions for actions that �y in the face of public morality. �at then leads us to the questions: How do we come to an
agreement about what is acceptable? Is public morality a static concept, something that is a given and immutable?
�ose who had gone through their youth and early adulthood in pre-liberalisation India would remember that it was considered
improper for middle-class girls and boys to be speaking to each other outside the familial circle, even for innocuous things. If at all it
was allowed, there was supposed to be strict supervision so that the youngsters would not cross any “lakshman rekhas”. In the 21st
century, it would be ridiculous to tell young women and men in India or elsewhere that they cannot talk to their classmates of the
opposite sex, or their neighbours, or the children of family friends.
71
In cinema, “vamps” such as Jaya Malini, Silk Smitha, and Helen, who had a provocative physical presence, were de�nitely not
meant to be role models. For that, you had docile heroines, who danced, sang and devoted themselves to just one man. Today,
neither in terms of attire, nor behaviour, can one distinguish between the “vamp” and the heroine, at least in the mainstream Hindi
cinema which is consumed across the country. Young and older women do not feel the need to hide their preference for a particular
kind of attire, even if it is considered inappropriate. A man is not the purpose of her existence, and women have made strides in
professions of their choice, busting this particular myth. �e idea of choosing to live with another outside the bonds of matrimony,
while not openly acknowledged, is quite commonplace today. More importantly, to not see marriage as the ultimate destination,
especially for women, has gained some semblance of acceptability. �ere has been a questioning of the law on issues of obscenity,
consent in marriage, and rape, even within the institution of marriage, primarily because of the challenges to the established moral
conventions of the day.
Drinking and smoking were frowned upon once. When our uncles and brothers indulged themselves, it was supposed to be
hidden away from the family and the elders. But look at where we are today, with a corporatised and globalised life being �ashed
before us at all times. Several young, middle-class children would be able to distinguish between wines, hold forth on the best beers,
possibly also recount the history of alcohol if they’d care to invest more time on the subject.
Let us move to other serious issues — that of pornography, or sex tra�cking. �ere are clear moral issues involved here, and
while the law takes a position on these, there may not be an absolute convergence of the moral and legal aspects in real-life
situations. �e market and global capital have played a major role in muddying the already murky waters, and radical as well as
conservative voices have tangled the issues further.
THE CASELET
Vaccine hesitancy and Moral
conviction
You are a DM in a remote hilly
area. It’s a pandemic time so you
have been monitoring the
vaccination drive without any
delay. Later, you are informed by
your team that there is a village of
300 families, and most of the
villagers are females. You are also
informed that it is not easy to
reach the village.
Now when you began
planning for the vaccination, you
found that most of the villagers
are reluctant to vaccinate, and are
not ready to listen to anyone. �ey even pose threat of physical violence if they are forced to get vaccinated.
It was the rainy season and therefore the team was in a �x. �e DM was unable to rally support even from other stakeholders, as
the media and public sympathy was with the villagers. When the DM discussed this issue with his family members, nobody
encouraged him to take unnecessary risks while reaching the top. Also, since he was afraid of heights in his childhood, the hesitation
increased.
However, he decided to move ahead. For the villagers, the vaccination was a sign of bad omen, but DM still went with his team.
�e path was narrow and slippery, and only a few people could have gone together. So the DM was accompanied by two female
health workers, out of which one worker was hesitant about going to the village as her in-laws — who had not treated her well
— were from the same village. She was not willing to meet them, however, she continued climbing with the team.
�ey reached the village a�er an hour but the Mukhiya and his team were circumspect and hesitant. �ey requested the DM to
72
return and not to disturb the belief fabric of the villagers. �ey have been happy and together. Despite repeated requests, nobody
was ready for vaccination. Time was running out. One of the villagers said, “I know you have to show that there is a hundred percent
vaccination in your district. Go and do it. If someone inquires, we will speak in your favour. But one thing is for sure. Nobody is
going to be vaccinated in this village.”
�e lady health worker suddenly saw her in-laws moving slowly around. �e vaccination box was in her hand. On the other
hand, the DM was unfazed. He was remembering the words of his teacher that duty comes �rst and a bureaucrat is �rst a civil
servant.
�e DM went to the Mukhiya and said, “I am not bothered about a 100 per cent vaccination, but I am seriously concerned for the
lives of everyone. My team is like a family. And you would be informed that this village has thrown out this lady because she was
willing to become a health worker. It is her in-law’s place. Today, due to that job she is capable of injecting vaccines. She is here to
save all of you. �ink.”
Post Read Questions:
Q 1. Identify the major issues in this case.
Q2. If you had been the DM, how would you have handled the situation?
Q3. What are those universal values that are leading this case?
Q4. If you would have been the DM, what would have been your values statement to the villagers?
EXPRESS INPUT
Thought Process
Can morality help in decision making? Is clarity of human emotions enough to act promptly in adverse situations? Care,
compassion or empathy – are these ‘universal values’ apt for a civil servant even in the formal conditions. Can Moral Conviction be
so strong that it can save an individual from ethical dilemma?
Points to ponder
�ere are two ways to explore the caselet.
1. GO LINE BY LINE: Do not miss the aspects such as the geography, female population, vaccine hesitancy, DM’s situation and
stakeholders, female health workers, the civil servant’s duty etc.
2. READ BETWEEN THE LINES: “A bureaucrat is �rst a civil servant.” What does it mean? What is more important than 100
per cent vaccination for the DM and what does it imply? Can you notice the time factor?
(�e writer is the author of ‘Being Good and Aaiye, Insaan Banaen’. He teaches courses on and o�ers training in ethics, values and
behaviour. He has been the expert/consultant to UPSC, SAARC countries, Civil services Academy, National Centre for Good
Governance, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Competition Commission of India (CCI), etc. He has PhD in two disciplines
and has been a Doctoral Fellow in Gandhian Studies from ICSSR. His second PhD is from IIT Delhi on Ethical Decision Making
among Indian Bureaucrats. He writes for the UPSC Ethics Simpli�ed (Concepts and Caselets) fortnightly.)
73
UPSC SPECIALS EXPERT’S TALK
Why is Sanjeev Sanyal wrong on

civil services exam preparation?
"If you fail at anything in life, someone will come up to tell you that you wasted your time. UPSC aspirants deserve
respect for the path they choose and not discouragement", says our expert Ravi Kapoor.
E
conomic Advisory
Council to the
Prime Minister
(EAC-PM) member
Sanjeev Sanyal said in a
series of posts on social
media platform X, “As
mentioned, it (is) perfectly
�ne to attempt the UPSC
or other such exams, but
only if the person wants to
be an administrator. �e
problem is that lakhs of
people are spending 5-8
years repeatedly doing this
exam as a ‘way of life’. �is
is such a waste of youthful
energy.” Former bureaucrats had described this view as “absurd” and “avoidable”. Also, many UPSC Aspirants and
mentors may �nd it demotivating and disrespectful for those who prepare for Civil Services with a purpose. Ravi
Kapoor tells us why UPSC preparation is not a waste of time.
About the Expert: Ravi Kapoor, an IRS o�cer, has now ditched his coveted rank of deputy commissioner and has
o�ered free quality mentorship to UPSC aspirants, drawing upon his ten years of experience to create customised and
productive curriculum. �rough a free mentorship programme, he integrates tailored educational materials,
psychological principles, visual learning techniques, and a strong emphasis on mental well-being into his teaching
skills granting aspirants a chance to learn from his expertise.
On Aiming for Civil Services

If aiming for Civil Services through UPSC is a waste of time then so is wanting to become a professional cricketer or
a professional actor or any other profession which requires a very high degree of hard work, motivation and
determination. So, anything that involves competition and a skewed success ratio is a waste of time. �is, according to
me, is an absurd conclusion about a prestigious exam and the courageous students who aspire for it.
74
As far as UPSC is concerned, it may have become a hobby for some aspirants.
It maybe true for some but not for all. It should not be generalised at all. UPSC
exam is a waste of time only for those who have over-invested in it without
thinking about their over-investment rationally. But before making any
statements that may discourage aspirants one must go and ask such aspirants why
have they over-invested so much time in their UPSC journey. �eir answers will
make them face reality.
On Advice of Discouragement
People giving advice should know one important fact about this exam. �e
UPSC examination process and the preparation journey are sustainable only for
those who are really committed to their aim. Being committed to your aim is a
good thing. Such aspirants push themselves really hard to achieve their goals.
But the fact of life is that the result is not in their hands. If you fail at anything in Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister
��
life, someone will come up to tell you that you have wasted your time. �at is how
society is. But that isn't good advice. Does this advice give you any alternatives?
Has this advisor understood why you voluntarily aimed for this noble profession? Did he ask you how you want to contribute to
nation-building? I believe aspirants deserve respect for the path they chose and not discouragement. Such advice should not
demotivate you.
On ‘Youthful Energy’ and

‘Risk-taking’ Attitude of UPSC
Aspirants
I have seen the journey of some aspirants
very closely. Starting from scratch they gave
�ve or more years to UPSC. �ey over-
invested in this journey because they felt they
were very close to the goal and it was a risk
worth taking. Aspirants take risks with UPSC
exams at an age when they can take risks in
life. UPSC attempts coincide with the risk-
taking youthful age bracket of (20s-30s). �is
is the only age bracket in life where risks like
these can be taken. And even if it is a failed
risk one can go back to other plans of life. Life “UPSC attempts coincide with the risk-taking youthful age bracket of (20s-30s). This
continues beyond UPSC. is the only age bracket in life where risks like these can be taken”, says our expert
Ravi Kapoor.
On how a UPSC Aspirant stands
out from the crowd
In most cases, life takes a better turn because one has learned so much in the UPSC preparation stage both academically and
personally. In fact, if you talk to students who have prepared for civil services, you will �nd how exceptional personalities they
have become because how they think and view issues is di�erent from any common person. Such an ability acquired and
developed through UPSC CSE preparation is mostly not seen in conventional educational systems, sadly. A serious aspirant,
even if unable to clear UPSC exams, stands out in a room full of professionals because of their knowledge, and the zeal to work
hard and since they have tasted failure, they are courageous to take risks.
75
On Craze of UPSC
Yes, there is a craze for UPSC but I don’t see a problem in it. �e youth of our country are interested in something intellectual
rather than an easy money-minting plan. �ey did not choose a path of quick success. �ey aimed to choose a path that requires
great hard work and struggle. �is is a good sign for our nation. If they clear the exam, they will be seen as the smartest people in
the country. If they do not clear they will still be able to contribute a lot to the nation building in whatever they do.
On Entrepreneurship versus Civil Services

Everyone doesn’t want to be an entrepreneur. �ere is nothing wrong with being an entrepreneur. But every entrepreneur is
not necessarily successful. Most people choose civil services because they see the governance gap and they want to bridge the
gap. �ey have chosen voluntarily to take pain and stress to achieve their aim. I would like to see this dedicated lot as civil
servants for sure. And if not in civil services, in some sectors contributing to nation-building through the experiences they have
gained in their preparation journey.
On Success and Aspirations

Much of such advice comes from how success is de�ned today. Popular belief is that one is successful only if one can outshine
the competition otherwise he or she is mediocre. In such cases, success becomes synonymous with some exceptional qualities. If
you fail, people will comment on your aspirations. Of course, aspirations can be achieved in better ways. �ere can be strategies
in which the time can be lessened to achieve success. But anything that takes time doesn’t mean it is a waste of time. Also, every
wise aspirant should have a ‘plan b’ if he or she has already faced two failed attempts. I am not suggesting to quit but to have a
backup plan. Nevertheless, in my eyes, aspiring for something as tough as UPSC deserves huge respect. Your aspiration, no
matter what the result is, deserves respect. Say proudly, “It’s my choice.
YES, THERE IS A CRAZE FOR UPSC BUT I DON’T SEE A PROBLEM IN

IT. THE YOUTH OF OUR COUNTRY ARE INTERESTED IN
SOMETHING INTELLECTUAL RATHER THAN AN EASY MONEY-
MINTING PLAN. THEY DID NOT CHOOSE A PATH OF QUICK
SUCCESS. THEY AIMED TO CHOOSE A PATH THAT REQUIRES
GREAT HARD WORK AND STRUGGLE. THIS IS A GOOD SIGN FOR
OUR NATION.
76
UPSC SPECIALS PRACTICE QUIZ
Brush Up Your Current Affairs Knowledge

And Consolidate Your UPSC CSE Preparation.
Compiled by Nitendra Pal Singh 1. It is an advanced remote sensing satellite capable of
providing scene-speci�c spot imagery.
QUESTION 1
2. �e satellite operated in a sun-synchronous polar orbit at
WITH REFERENCE TO THE SORA – LAUNCHED BY
an altitude of 635 km.
OPEN AI, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS:
3. It is equipped with panchromatic and multi-spectral
1. It can generate videos up to a minute long while
cameras.
maintaining visual quality.
HOW MANY OF THE STATEMENTS GIVEN ABOVE ARE
2. It creates complex scenes with multiple characters, speci�c
CORRECT?
types of motion, and accurate details of the subject and
background. (a) Only one
3. It cannot create multiple shots within a single generated (b) Only two
video.
(c) All three
4. Currently, there is no portal other than Sora which can
convert text-to-video. (d) None
HOW MANY OF THE STATEMENTS GIVEN ABOVE ARE QUESTION 3

CORRECT?
PANDARAM LANDS WERE RECENTLY IN THE NEWS
(a) Only one DUE TO THE DISPUTE BETWEEN THE LOCAL PEOPLE
AND THE ADMINISTRATION. IT IS LOCATED IN:
(b) Only two
(a) Andaman and Nicobar
(c) Only three
(b) Daman and Diu
(d) All four
(c) Goa
QUESTION 2
(d) Lakshadweep
WITH REFERENCE TO THE CARTOSAT-2, CONSIDER
THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS: QUESTION 4
77
WITH REFERENCE TO THE WILDLIFE PROTECTION ACT PROGRAMME. THESE VILLAGES ARE LOCATED IN:
OF 1972, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS:
(a) Assam
1. �e Chief Conservators of Forests permit hunting or killing of
(b) Tripura
a wild animal speci�ed in Schedule I.
(c) Sikkim
2. Section 41 of the 1972 Act regulates hunting of wild animals
(d) Arunachal Pradesh
3. Species mentioned under Schedules I and II are classi�ed as
“Strictly Protected Species.” QUESTION 7
HOW MANY OF THE STATEMENTS GIVEN ABOVE ARE WITH REFERENCE TO THE CARD NETWORK IN INDIA,
CORRECT? CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS:
(a) Only one 1. Card networks connect banks, merchants, and customers (card
users) to one another to carry out smooth and secure
(b) Only two
transactions.
(c) All three
2. Diners Club is not included in authorised card networks in
(d) None India.
QUESTION 5 3. �e transactions done by card networks are covered under the

purview of the Reserve Bank of India.
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING COUNTRIES:
1. Kuwait
CORRECT?
2. Sudan
(a) Only one
3. Egypt
(b) Only two
4. Oman
(c) All three
5. Saudi Arabia
(d) None
HOW MANY OF THE ABOVE COUNTRIES SHARE
QUESTION 8
BOUNDARIES WITH THE RED SEA?
WITH REFERENCE TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE
(a) Only two
DR SWAMINATHAN COMMISSION CONSIDER THE
(b) Only three FOLLOWING STATEMENTS:
(c) Only four 1. Minimum Support Price (MSP) based on C2 (actual cost of
production) plus 50 per cent must be �xed.
(d) All �ve
2. Delay in issue of the MSP particularly in respect of Kharif crops
QUESTION 6 needs to be avoided.
ZEMITHANG, TAKSING, AND CHAYANG TAJO WERE 3. Implementation of MSP across regions needs improvement.
RECENTLY IN THE NEWS DUE TO VIBRANT VILLAGES
78
HOW MANY OF THE STATEMENTS GIVEN ABOVE ARE QUESTION 11

CORRECT?
WITH REFERENCE TO THE CAIRNS GROUP, CONSIDER
(a) Only one THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS:
(b) Only two 1. It has claimed that India’s public stockholding (PSH)
programme is highly subsidised and hurting food security of
(c) All three
other countries.
(d) None
2. It comprises of 19 nations including USA, Canada and
QUESTION 9 Australia.
WITH REFERENCE TO FLOOR TEST HELD IN LEGISLATIVE WHICH OF THE STATEMENTS GIVEN ABOVE IS/ARE NOT
BODIES, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS: CORRECT?
1. When the House is in session, it is the Speaker who can call for (a) 1 only
a �oor test.
(b) 2 only
2. When the Assembly is not in session, the Governor’s residuary
(c) Both 1 and 2
powers allow him to call for a �oor test.
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
3. �e Composite Floor Test is conducted only when more than
one person stakes a claim to form the government. QUESTION 12
HOW MANY OF THE STATEMENTS GIVEN ABOVE ARE CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS ABOUT THE
CORRECT? PLAGUE:
(a) Only one 1. �e plague is caused by virus that can spread between animals
and people.
(b) Only two
2. Pneumonic plague can spread from person to person by
(c) All three
inhaling infectious droplets.
(d) None
3. Recently, Mexico con�rmed the �rst case of bubonic plague.
QUESTION 10
4. �e symptoms include swollen lymph nodes.
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING PAIRS OF LITTERATEURS
HAVE BEEN NAMED THE RECIPIENTS OF THE 58TH
CORRECT?
JNANPITH AWARD?
(a) Only one
(a) Javed Akhtar and Jagadguru Rambhadracharya
(b) Only two
(b) Damodar Mauzo and Javed Akhtar
(c) Only three
(c) Damodar Mauzo and Gulzar
(d) All four
(d) Gulzar and Jagadguru Rambhadracharya
QUESTION 13
79
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING FACTORS: 2. �e city is close to the city of Donetsk.
1. Moisture 3. Recently, Russia has registered a big victory, capturing this

town.
2. Temperature
THE ABOVE�MENTIONED STATEMENTS REFER TO
3. Light air density
WHICH CITY?
4. Wind speed
(a) Robotyne
HOW MANY OF THE ABOVE FACTORS HAVE LINK
(b) Marinka
BETWEEN POLLUTION AND WINTER MONTHS IN INDIA?
(c) Kreminna
(a) Only one
(d) Avdiivka
(b) Only two
QUESTION 16
(c) Only three
WITH REFERENCE TO THE RAISINA DIALOGUE,
(d) All four
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS:
QUESTION 14
1. It is an annual conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics,
WITH REFERENCE TO THE MONEY BILL, CONSIDER THE which aims to address the most
FOLLOWING STATEMENTS:
challenging issues faced by the world.
1. A Bill can be designated as a money Bill if it includes �nancial
2. �e conference takes place in New Delhi.
obligations of the Indian government.
3. �e theme of the 2024 edition is focused on four pillars – Neo
2. �e President of India has the �nal say on whether a Bill is a
Insurgence, Amoral Mosiac, Chaotic Codes, Pernicious
money Bill or not.
Passports, and Grey Rhinos.
3. Rajya Sabha has 14 days to consider the Bill and return it with
recommendations.
CORRECT?
(a) Only one
CORRECT?
(b) Only two
(a) Only one
(c) All three
(b) Only two
(d) None
(c) All three
QUESTION 17
(d) None
QUESTION 15 THE SUPREME COURT HAS DIRECTED GOVERNMENTS

TO FOLLOW THE “BROAD AND ALL-ENCOMPASSING”
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS: DEFINITION OF FORESTS. CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING
STATEMENTS WITH REFERENCE TO THE ABOVE
1. �e city had been a major centre of resistance, blocking further
STATEMENT:
Russian advance.
80
1. �e “broad and all-encompassing” de�nition of forest was laid (b) Ravi

down in 1996 judgment in the T N Godavarman case.
(c) Indus
2. �e provisions of the Act were applied in… recorded forests.
(d) Sutlej
WHICH OF THE STATEMENT�S� GIVEN ABOVE IS/ARE
CORRECT? QUESTION 20
(a) 1 only WITH REFERENCE TO THE GOOGLE’S GEMMA, CONSIDER

THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS:
(b) 2 only
1. It shares some key technical and infrastructure components
(c) Both 1 and 2 with Gemini.
(d) Neither 1 nor 2 2. It has been designed in compliance with its AI principles.
QUESTION 18 3. It uses automated techniques to �lter certain personal
information and sensitive data from its training sets.
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS ABOUT
INDIAN FARMERS: HOW MANY OF THE STATEMENTS GIVEN ABOVE ARE
CORRECT?
1. At the time of Independence, around 70 per cent of India’s total
workforce was involved in agriculture. (a) Only one
2. �e relative proportion of cultivators has increased from 1951 (b) Only two
to 2011.
(c) All three
3. As per the latest Situation Assessment Survey of Agricultural
Households (Jan-Dec 2019), 70 per cent of all agricultural (d) None
households have a land holding size of less than 1 hectare.
QUESTION 21
WITH REFERENCE TO THE ALLOCATION OF ELECTION
CORRECT?
SYMBOL, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS:
(a) Only one
1. �e Election Commission of India is responsible for the
(b) Only two allotment of symbols.
(c) All three 2. �e process of allocation of election symbols is mentioned in

the Constitution of India.
(d) None
3. Recently, the election symbol “Man Blowing Turha” has been
QUESTION 19 allocated to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
KIRU HYDEL POWER PROJECT WAS RECENTLY IN THE HOW MANY OF THE STATEMENTS GIVEN ABOVE ARE
NEWS DUE TO ALLEGED CORRUPTION IN THE AWARD CORRECT?
OF A CONTRACT. THE POWER PROJECT IS LOCATED ON
WHICH RIVER? (a) Only one
(a) Chenab (b) Only two
81
(c) All three MEOW MEOW, WHITE MAGIC, M�CAT AND DRONE
RECENTLY SEEN IN THE NEWS ARE:
(d) None
(a) Spywares
QUESTION 22
(b) Space satellites
WITH REFERENCE TO MINIMUM SUPPORT PRICE (MSP)
AND FAIR AND REMUNERATIVE PRICE (FRP) CONSIDER (c) Drugs
(d) AI tools
1. FRP is the price that the Centre’s Cabinet Committee on
QUESTION 25
Economic A�airs (CCEA) decides.
IT IS A SERIES OF LARGE LANGUAGE MODELS �LLMS�,
2. MSP is �xed based on the recommendations of the
RECENTLY SEEN IN THE NEWS, THAT CAN RESPOND IN
Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).
11 INDIAN LANGUAGES LIKE HINDI, TAMIL, AND
3. Sugarcane has both the FRP and MSP MARATHI. THE ABOVE LINE REFERS TO:
HOW MANY OF THE STATEMENTS GIVEN ABOVE ARE (a) Param

CORRECT?
(b) Airawat
(a) Only one
(c) BharatGPT
(b) Only two
(d) Hanooman
(c) All three
QUESTION 26
(d) None
WITH REFERENCE TO THE HYDROGEN FUEL CELL
QUESTION 23 VESSELS, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS:
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING LANDMARK CASES: 1. �ese vessels use conventional batteries as the primary storage
house of electrical energy.
1. I.C. Golak Nath v. State of Punjab
2. �e hydrogen fuel cell-powered vessel has zero emission, zero
2. Nabam Rebia, and Bamang Felix v. Deputy Speaker
noise and is energy-e�cient.
3. Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association v. Union of
3. It generates electricity by utilising the chemical energy
India
contained in hydrogen.
WHAT IS THE CORRECT CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER OF
4. India’s �rst indigenously developed hydrogen fuel cell ferry was
THE ABOVE CASES OF THEIR FINAL JUDGEMENT?
deployed for service at Allahabad.
(a) 1-2-3
(b) 3-2-1 CORRECT?
(c) 2-3-1 (a) Only one
(d) 1-3-2 (b) Only two
QUESTION 24 (c) Only three
82
(d) All four (a) 1 only

(b) 2 only
QUESTION 27
(c) Both 1 and 2
WITH REFERENCE TO THE INDIAN LEOPARDS, CONSIDER
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
QUESTION 30
1. �ey are apex predators and are crucial in maintaining a
balanced ecosystem.
WITH REFERENCE TO THE GENOME INDIA PROJECT,
2. Western Ghats has the highest population of leopards. CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS:
3. Maharashtra has the largest population of leopards. 1. It aims to create a comprehensive catalogue of genetic
variations found in the Indian population.
2. It was approved by the government in 2020.
CORRECT?
3. �e Genome India initiative is essential for understanding the
(a) Only one history of our evolution.
(b) Only two HOW MANY OF THE STATEMENTS GIVEN ABOVE ARE
CORRECT?
(c) All three
(a) Only one
(d) None
(b) Only two
QUESTION 28
(c) All three
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING ORGANISATIONS HAS
INTRODUCED THE “FROM FARM TO FORK” STRATEGY IN (d) None
ORDER TO OVERHAUL THE AGRICULTURE SECTOR?
QUESTION 31
(a) European Union
(b) African Union
1. �e number of candidates contesting the Lok Sabha polls has
(c) Food Corporation of India increased over four times from 1952 to 2019.
(d) Food and Agriculture Organization 2. �e average number of candidates per constituency has
decreased from 1952 to 2019.
QUESTION 29
3. Bihar and Tamil Nadu saw a high representation of candidates
WITH REFERENCE TO THE CONTEXT WINDOWS, from state parties.
1. It is the amount of conversation that an AI can read and write CORRECT?
at any given time.
(a) Only one
2. �ey are measured in tokens.
(b) Only two
CORRECT? (c) All three
83
(d) None QUESTION 34
QUESTION 32 CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS ABOUT CV 1. Moldova

RAMAN:
2. Bulgaria
1. Raman spectroscopy is a basic analytical tool to conduct
3. Turkey
nondestructive chemical analysis for both organic and inorganic
compounds. 4. Greece
2. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, designated February 28 as 5. Georgia

National Science Day to commemorate the announcement of the
discovery of the “Raman E�ect”. WHICH OF THE ABOVE COUNTRIES SHARE BORDERS
WITH THE BLACK SEA?
3. He won Nobel Prize in 1950.
(a) Only two
CORRECT? (b) Only three
(a) Only one (c) Only four
(b) Only two (d) All �ve
(c) All three QUESTION 35
(d) None WITH REFERENCE TO HOUSEHOLD CONSUMPTION

EXPENDITURE SURVEY (HCES) 2022-2023, CONSIDER THE
QUESTION 33 FOLLOWING STATEMENTS:
THIS PLACE HAS IMMENSE SIGNIFICANCE IN HINDU 1. �e National Sample Survey O�ce (NSSO), Ministry of
CULTURE DUE TO ITS ASSOCIATION WITH LORD Statistics and Programme Implementation along with NITI
KRISHNA AND THE MAHABHARATA. IT IS BELIEVED Aayog has conducted Household Consumption Expenditure
THAT AFTER KILLING HIS UNCLE KAMSA, KRISHNA Survey (HCES) during August 2022 to July 2023.
MIGRATED TO THIS PLACE WITH HIS YADAVA CLAN, AND
2. �e results showed that urban consumption spending rose
FOUNDED HIS KINGDOM HERE BY RECLAIMING 12
more sharply than rural spending in 11 years till 2022-23, with a
YOJANA LAND FROM THE SEA. PRESENT-DAY, THIS TOWN
rise in share of expenditure on food for both rural and urban
IS A COASTAL TOWN LOCATED AT THE MOUTH OF THE
households.
GULF OF KUTCH, FACING THE ARABIAN SEA. THE TOWN
IS A PART OF THE KRISHNA PILGRIMAGE CIRCUIT. WHICH OF THE ABOVE STATEMENT�S� IS/ARE CORRECT?
�e above mentioned lines refer to which place: (a) 1 only
(a) Porbandar (b) 2 only
(b) Vadodara (c) Both 1 and 2
(c) Bharuch (d) Neither 1 nor 2
(d) Dwarka QUESTION 36
84
WITH REFERENCE TO INDIA MAURITIUS RELATIONS, 3. Leopard

4. Cheetah
1. Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Pravind Jugnauth jointly
5. Snow leopard
inaugurated an airstrip and the St James Jetty on North Agaléga
Island in the Indian Ocean which will also act as an Indian 6. Jaguar
military base.
7. Puma
2. In pursuance of the vision of SAGAR, India will provide
material and technical support to the maritime security apparatus WHICH OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED CATS ARE FOUND
of Mauritius, o�er information exchange mechanisms, and IN INDIA?
conduct joint maritime security exercises and patrols, as mutually (a) 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6
agreed.
(b) 1, 2, 3 and 4
3. �e �rst team of Indian “technical personnel” reached the
Mauritius to take charge of one of the three aviation platforms (c) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
stationed in the country.
(d) 1, 2 , 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7
HOW MANY OF THE ABOVE STATEMENTS ARE NOT
QUESTION 39
CORRECT?
WITH REFERENCE TO OFFICE OF LOKPAL, CONSIDER
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
1. Former Supreme Court Justice AM Khanwilkar has been
(c) All three appointed as the chairperson of the Lokpal recently.
(d) None 2. �e Lokpal chairperson and the members are appointed for a
term of �ve years or serve till they are 65 years old, whichever is
QUESTION 37 earlier.
Falkor (too), recently seen in news, is most closely related to: 3. �e �rst Lokpal chairperson was former Jharkhand HC Chief
(a) Palaeosciences Justice Pradip Kumar Mohanty.
(b) Oncology 4. �e chairperson is appointed by a committee comprising the

Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition, the Speaker of the
(c) Ocean ecosystem house, the Chief Justice of India and one “eminent jurist”
nominated by the President.
(d) Manned space mission
HOW MANY OF THE ABOVE STATEMENTS ARE
QUESTION 38
CORRECT?
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING SEVEN BIG CATS WHICH
(a) Only one
THE INTERNATIONAL BIG CAT ALLIANCE (IBCA) AIMS TO
CONSERVE: (b) Only two
1. Lion (c) Only three
2. Tiger (d) All four
85
QUESTION 40 QUESTION 42
WITH REFERENCE TO THE EL NIÑO, CONSIDER THE CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS ABOUT
FOLLOWING STATEMENTS: HAIPER:
1. It refers to the abnormal warming of sea surface waters in the 1. It is an all-in-one visual foundation model that generates
equatorial Paci�c Ocean. high-quality video content.
2. It emerges naturally during autumn-summer in the northern 2. It does not o�er video repainting tools.
hemisphere.
3. It does not a�ect the temperatures and rainfall patterns. CORRECT?
4. El Niño typically lasts for 2 to 3 months. (a) 1 only
HOW MANY OF THE STATEMENTS GIVEN ABOVE ARE (b) 2 only

CORRECT?
(c) Both 1 and 2
(a) Only one
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
(b) Only two
QUESTION 43
(c) Only three
WITH REFERENCE TO THE PENICILLIN G, CONSIDER THE
(d) All four FOLLOWING STATEMENTS:
QUESTION 41 1. It is the active pharmaceutical ingredient used in

manufacturing antibiotics.
WITH REFERENCE TO THE GEOLOGIC TIME SCALE (GTS),
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS: 2. �e production of Penicillin G was phased out in India a�er
Chinese products �ooded the market.
1. �e GTS is based on chronostratigraphic classi�cation which
deals with the relation between rock strata and the measurement 3. It is used for the treatment of bacterial infections.
of geological time.
2. �e units in GTS like eons, eras, periods, epochs, and ages have CORRECT?
same length of time.
(a) Only one
3. �e GTS (since the formation of Earth) is divided in ascending
(b) Only two
order of duration.
(c) All three
CORRECT? (d) None
(a) Only one QUESTION 44
(b) Only two WITH REFERENCE TO THE SILVER FILIGREE, CONSIDER

(c) All three
1. It is known to have existed as far back as the 12th century.
(d) None
86
2. Andhra Pradesh has received a geographical indication (GI) tag (d) Island located north-west of Andaman and Nicobar.
for this product.
QUESTION 47
3. In this art, silver bricks are transformed into thin �ne wires or
WITH REFERENCE TO THE LAHORE RESOLUTION OF
foils and used to create jewellery or showpieces.
1940, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT:
1. It formally called for an independent state for India’s Muslims
CORRECT?
and called it as Pakistan.
(a) Only one
2. Pakistan National Day is observed on March 23, the day the
(b) Only two Lahore Resolution was adopted in 1940 by the Muslim League.
(c) All three 3. �e Lahore Resolution was criticised by many Indian Muslims,
like Abul Kalam Azad and the Deoband ulema led by Husain
(d) None
Ahmad Madani, who advocated for a united India.
QUESTION 45
WITH REFERENCE TO THE SIXTH SCHEDULE OF THE NOT CORRECT?
CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING
(a) Only one
STATEMENTS:
(b) Only two
1. It allows to create Autonomous District and Regional Councils
with the power to administrate tribal areas. (c) All three
2. �e Schedule also gives power to collect land revenue and (d) None
impose taxes.
QUESTION 48
3. Ladakh has been included under the Sixth Schedule.
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT WITH
HOW MANY OF THE STATEMENTS GIVEN ABOVE ARE REFERENCE TO METHANE:
CORRECT?
1. It is an invisible but strong greenhouse gas, and the second
(a) Only one largest contributor to global warming a�er carbon dioxide,
responsible for 30 per cent of global heating since the Industrial
(b) Only two
Revolution.
(c) All three
2. �e gas also contributes to the formation of ground-level ozone
(d) None — a colourless and highly irritating gas that forms just above the
Earth’s surface.
QUESTION 46
3. �e satellite which will track and measure methane emissions
THE PLACE KULASEKARAPATTINAM WAS IN THE NEWS. at a global scale is known as MethaneSAT.
IT IS ASSOCIATED WITH:
HOW MANY STATEMENTS GIVEN ABOVE ARE CORRECT?
(a) DRDO’s new research centre in Telangana.
(a) Only one
(b) ISRO’s second rocket launchport in Tamil Nadu
(b) Only two
(c) Naval Port in Kerala
87
(c) All three (a) 1 only
(d) None (b) 2 only
QUESTION 49 (c) Both 1 and 2
WITH REFERENCE MAN-ANIMAL CONFLICT SEEN IN (d) Neither 1 nor 2

NEWS RECENTLY, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING
STATEMENTS: QUESTION 50
1. Amid repeated deaths from animal attacks and rising anger RECENTLY, 1947 JUSTICE VIVIAN BOSE RULING WAS
over them, Kerala declared man- animal con�ict as a state- CITED BY SUPREME COURT WITH REFERENCE TO:
speci�c disaster, becoming the �rst state in the country to do so. (a) Quashing FIR over Art 370 protest
2. Once the issue is declared a state-speci�c disaster, the onus to (b) Quashing the result of the election for the Mayor of
deal with it shi�s to the state disaster management authority, Chandigarh
which, powered by the Wildlife Protection Act, can take quicker
and more decisive action. (c) Judgement declaring electoral bonds as ultra vires
WHICH OF THE ABOVE STATEMENT�S� IS/ARE CORRECT? (d) None of the above
ANSWER KEY
1. (b) 2. (c) 3. (d 4. (a) 5. (b) 6. (d) 7. (b) 8. (b) 9. (c) 10. (d) 11. (b) 12. (b) 13. (c)
14. (b) 15. (d) 16. (b) 17. (c) 18. (b) 19. (a) 20. (c) 21. (b) 22. (c) 23. (d) 24. (c) 25. (d) 26. (b)
27. (a) 28. (a) 29. (c) 30. (c) 31. (b) 32. (a) 33. (d) 34. (b) 35. (d) 36. (a) 37. (c) 38. (c) 39. (b)
40. (b) 41. (a) 42. (a) 43. (c) 44. (b) 45. (b) 46. (b) 47. (a) 48. (c) 49. (a) 50. (a)
88

UPSC Essentials April 2024

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UPSC Essentials April 2024

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April 2024 Issue

COVER STORY WARMING UP TO CLIMATE CHANGE

Is Earth becoming warmer?

How do we know that the Earth is warming?

But what is behind Earth’s soaring temperature?

How do we know humans are

Air pollution in Quebec, Canada. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Are humans causing global warming?

Take the example of CO2. Its

Is the Sun behind the rising

How does the Sun impact Earth’s climate?

So, is the Sun responsible for current global warming?

Another reason why scientists reject the

What are climate tipping points?

Are we close to breaching any of the climate tipping points?

Why do global sea surface

�e average global sea surface temperature (SST)

Why are rising sea surface temperatures a cause of worry?

What are emissions scenarios and

What are emission scenarios?

�e numbers represent the expected

What are the different

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

COP 28: What were the most important

CUTTING METHANE EMISSIONS COULD INVOLVE TWEAKING

How much should developed countries

What is the New Collective Quantitative Goal?

How much money is required to ensure effective climate action?

How will this money be used?

THE WAY THE NEW SUM IS DISTRIBUTED ACROSS DIFFERENT

EXPRESS EDGE HISTORY & CULTURE

How citizenship was decided by

THE BIRTH OF BANGLADESH IN 1971 COMPOUNDED THE ISSUE,

EXPRESS EDGE POLITY

Unpacking the Kovind committee

Transition to simultaneous polls; Parliament’s power to make laws

Simultaneous local body elections, preparation of single electoral roll

THE NEW ARTICLE 325(2) PROPOSED BY THE COMMITTEE WILL

EXPRESS EDGE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Katchatheevu: Why an Indian

A Colonial Indian Island

Katchatheevu was once part of the Ramnad Zamindari.

Far from a small price

EXPRESS EDGE ECONOMY

State of employment in India:

The big picture

EXPRESS EDGE ENVIRONMENT

The push for nuclear energy

The case for nuclear energy

Chart 1 shows the global nuclear energy generation capacity in GW.

Chart 2 shows the number of reactors worldwide by age.

What explains the poor uptake of nuclear energy?

What is India’s position on nuclear energy?

EXPRESS EDGE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

125 years of Kodaikanal Solar Observatory

The Kodaikanal Solar Observatory. (Via Wikimedia Commons)

India, along with China, Egypt, Morocco, Ethiopia,

Why study the Sun?

Solar Physics Observatory in Palani Hills

stability, humidity, fog and mist was

KoSO A SPECTRUM OF ADVANCED INSTRUMENTS LIKE THE

New map of universe may open

An international team of researchers has

EXPRESS EDGE HEALTH