UPSC Key | Agnipath scheme, neighbourhood first policy, constitutionalism, and more (2024)

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Explained

Agnipath Scheme: why it was introduced, the opposition to it

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance

Mains Examination: GS-II: Government policies and interventions

What’s the ongoing story- The Bharatiya Janata Party-led government’s ambitious Agnipath scheme has faced opposition, from political parties and Armed Forces veterans alike, since it was announced in June 2022.

Prerequisites:

— What is the Agnipath scheme?

— What is the objective of the Agnipath scheme?

Key takeaways:

— Agnipath was aimed at recruiting personnel below officer ranks — soldiers, airmen, and sailors who are not commissioned officers — to the Indian Armed Forces for a period of four years. At the end of this tenure, upto 25% of these recruits, the so called ‘Agniveers’, can join the services on a permanent commission (another 15 years), subject to merit and organisational requirements.

— Aspirants between the ages of 17.5 years and 23 years are eligible to apply (the upper age limit was increased from 21), and the recruitment standards remain the same as with regular service, prior to Agnipath.

— The scheme was announced in June 2022, after military recruitment was paused for two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

— Agniveers draw a basic salary of Rs 30,000-Rs 40,000 per month, and are entitled to other risk and hardship allowances.

— Unlike soldiers in regular service, Agniveers do not draw pensions post-retirement. Only the 25% of Agniveers who get absorbed into the forces after four years will receive pensionary benefits, although the initial four years of service will not be considered for these.

— This is the biggest change that Agnipath has brought in. Not only does the scheme will help reduce the Armed Forces’ permanent force levels, this in turn will considerably cut the defence pension bill, which has been a major concern for governments for many years.

— Critics say that the scheme creates a “lesser” cadre of soldiers, who work on the same tasks as those with full commission, but with lesser pay, benefits, and prospects.

Points to Ponder:

— What are the benefits of the Agnipath scheme?

— What are the concerns associated with the Agnipath scheme?

— What reforms have been taken by the government in the defence sector?

Post Read Question:

Department of Border Management is a Department of which one of the following Union Ministries? ( UPSC CSE 2008)

(a) Ministry of Defence
(b) Ministry of Home Affairs
(c) Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways
(d) Ministry of Environment and Forests

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

The Agnipath scheme for recruiting soldiers — what is it, how will it work?

Highway to ‘climate hell’

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity and Climate Change- that do not require subject specialisation.

Mains Examination: GS-III: Environment, Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

What’s the ongoing story- This May was the warmest May ever. In fact, each of the last 12 months have set a new warming record for that particular month, Europe’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said last week.

Prerequisites:

— What is global warming and its impact?

— What is the Paris Agreement?

— Organisation to look for: World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

Key takeaways:

— The WMO, in a separate report published on June 6, said there is now an 80% chance that at least one calendar year between 2024 and 2028 would see its average temperature exceed 1.5 degree Celsius above the pre-industrial levels — for the first time in history. Just a year ago, the WMO had predicted a 66% chance of the same.

— In 2015, 195 countries signed the Paris Agreement, which pledged to limit global temperatures to “well below” 2 degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century. It also said countries would aim to curb warming within the safer 1.5 degree Celsius limit.

— The safer 1.5 degree Celsius limit was chosen based on a fact-finding report, which found that breaching the threshold could lead to “some regions and vulnerable ecosystems” facing high risks, over an extended, decades-long period.

— The 1.5 degree Celsius threshold is not a light switch which, if turned on, would trigger a climate apocalypse. It is just that once this threshold is breached for a long period of time, the impact of climate change such as sea level rise, intense floods and droughts, and wildfires will significantly increase and accelerate.

— Last year, a report found that five major climate tipping points are already at risk of being crossed due to warming. Climate tipping points are critical thresholds beyond which a natural system can tip into an entirely different state.They cause irreversible damage to the planet, including more warming.

— The only certain way of remaining under the threshold is to immediately, and radically, curb the emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases (GHG). To do this, the world needs to stop burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas, which release GHGs into the atmosphere. So far, countries have failed to make a significant dent in this regard.

For Your Information:

— Scientists have identified a number of these Climate tipping points across Earth, which fall into three broad categories: cryosphere (for example, melting of the Greenland ice sheet), ocean-atmosphere (change in water temperature), and biosphere (death of coral reefs), according to a report by the European Space Agency (ESA).

Points to Ponder:

— What are the causes of global warming?

— How does climate change impact extreme weather events?

— What are climate tipping points? How can we avoid breaching climate tipping points?

— What measures have been taken globally and nationally to combat climate change?

Post Read Question:

Assess the impact of global warming on the coral life system with examples. (UPSC CSE 2019)

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Warming up to climate change: What are climate tipping points?

AP vs Telangana: Unresolved issues between the states that went to court

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity

Mains Examination: GS-II: Polity and Governance

What’s the ongoing story- A decade on, several issues relating to the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 (APRA) remain pending between the two successor states, and Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has said he hopes they are resolved soon.

Prerequisites:

— What are the constitutional provisions related to the creation of new states?

— What is Special Category Status?

— What is the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 (APRA)?

Key takeaways:

— The creation of the new states was followed by division and apportionment of the assets of undivided Andhra Pradesh. Courts were required to adjudicate several disputes that arose.

— In December 2022, Andhra Pradesh approached the Supreme Court claiming that the division of assets contained in the Ninth and Tenth Schedules of the APRA had not commenced even though the Act clearly apportioned them between the two “successor states”.

As of June 2, 2024, Hyderabad is the capital city of Telangana alone, and no longer the shared capital of both states. Andhra Pradesh is in the “disadvantageous position of having to start from scratch”.

— In 2016, the Supreme Court decided on a dispute where Telangana claimed ownership of all funds and assets of the Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE). SC directed that APSCHE assets should be divided between the two states based on the population ratio.

Points to Ponder:

— What are the points of dispute between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana?

— What is the history of the reorganisation of states in India?

(Thought Process: Read about the States Reorganisation Act (1956), important commissions related to the reorganisation of the state and the basis of the reorganisation.)

— What are the concerns associated with the reorganisation of states?

— What are the various statehood demands in India? What are the reasons behind it?

— What are the advantages of the creation of new states?

Post Read Question:

Growing feeling of regionalism is an important factor in the generation of demand for a separate state. Discuss. (UPSC CSE 2013)

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Special Category Status for Andhra Pradesh: Chandrababu Naidu’s big demand

The Editorial Page

Being Neighbourly

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: GS-II: International Relations

What’s the ongoing story- The presence of leaders from South Asia and the Indian Ocean at the swearing in of Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister of India for the third time underlines Delhi’s continuing commitment to the “neighbourhood first” policy. It also represents the stakes India’s neighbours have in strong and stable ties with this country.

Prerequisites:

— What is the status of India’s relationship with the neighbouring countries?

— What is India’s neighbourhood policy?

— Map work: India and its neighbouring countries and Bordering States.

Key takeaways:

— India will need all the goodwill it can command to navigate the increasingly complex world marked by intensifying conflict among the major powers and the restructuring of the global economic order.

— India also inherits familiar foreign policy challenges in the neighbourhood. Over the last decade, Delhi’s engagement with its smaller neighbours has seen many twists and turns, and frequent crises have become part of the regional landscape. But the presence of their leaders at the start of Modi’s third term underlines the deepening trend of interdependence that provides a basis for stability.

— The absence of Pakistan’s leadership on the occasion reflects the continuing challenge of normalizing Delhi’s ties with Islamabad.

— A bigger challenge awaits India in managing ties with China and seizing new opportunities for deepening ties with the West.

Points to Ponder:

— How do domestic affairs shape the foreign policy of a nation?

— What is the Gujral doctrine?

— What are the significance and challenges of India’s neighnourhood first policy?

— What initiatives have been taken by the government to promote the neighbourhood first policy?

Post Read Question:

Prelims

Consider the following pairs: (UPSC CSE 2016)

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

(a) 1 and 2

(b) 2 only

(c) 2 and 3

(d) 3 only

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

PM Modi’s swearing-in ceremony: Signals to India’s neighbourhood and Indian Ocean region

Only 13.6 Per cent

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Polity

Mains Examination: GS-II: Polity and Governance

What’s the ongoing story- Akshi Chawla Writes- “Even as women remained central to poll promises, and mere months after the historic Women’s Reservation Bill was passed, they remain on the margins of politics.”

Prerequisites:

— What are constitutional provisions related to Women’s Reservation?

— What is the Women’s Reservation Act, 2023 ( Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam)?

— What is the status of women’s representation in the Parliament?

Key takeaways:

— “The 18th Lok Sabha will have 74 women along with 469 men. While this cohort of 74 certainly includes many powerful, gritty and diligent elected representatives, together, they comprise only 13.6 per cent of all MPs. Not only is this share abysmally skewed, it is lower than the share of women elected in the 2019 election (14.4 per cent).”

— “If we consider the context in which the 2024 elections took place, women’s parliamentary representation should have recorded a notable improvement. After all, this was the first parliamentary election after India passed the historic Women’s Reservation Bill that seeks to reserve one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies for women, once it comes into force.”

— “Although parliaments continue to be dominated by men in most parts of the world, India lags further behind most of its peers. For instance, in 2023, 52 countries around the world held parliamentary elections — on average, 27.6 per cent women were elected, data from the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) shows. In fact, globally, women comprise 26.9 per cent of all MPs currently. Before the election of the 18th Lok Sabha, India ranked 143rd among the 185 countries on this metric, as per IPU data. With this dip in women’s representation, the ranking is likely to fall further by five or six positions.”

— “India has led from the front when it comes to expanding women’s political participation at the local level. It is high time that we show a similar commitment in addressing the gaps at the state and national levels.”

For Your Information:

— Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023 aims at bringing 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and all state legislative assemblies. Cleared with near unanimity, the bill also extends the quota to the seats reserved for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Points to Ponder:

— What are the reasons for low women representation in the Parliament?

— What is the significance of increased women’s representation in the Lok Sabha?

— What initiatives have been taken by the government to increase women’s representation in the Parliament?

Post Read Question:

Discuss the desirability of greater representation to women in the higher judiciary to ensure diversity, equity and inclusiveness. ( UPSC CSE 2021)

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Making room for women in politics demands a new political imagination

The message from rural India

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Economy

Mains Examination: GS-III: Indian Economy and Issues

What’s the ongoing story- Ashok Gulati writes— “It would be interesting to note that the BJP’s tally in rural-dominated constituencies came down from 253 in 2019 to 193 in 2024, a slide of 60 of the 63 seats the party lost in the election. It seems that rural India has sent a strong message to the BJP. More importantly, there are lessons for the new government as well as for those who have lost the elections.”

Prerequisites:

— What is Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PM-AWAS)?

— What is the Har Ghar Jal Scheme?

Key takeaways:

— “There is no doubt that the Narendra Modi government has introduced major changes in rural areas through its schemes to build toilets, houses (PM-AWAS), drinking water (har ghar, nal se jal), rural roads, and electricity supply. Even then, rural income levels remain low. And within the rural space, the income of agricultural households is even lower. It clearly shows that the rural economy has not been doing well.”

— “On the agriculture front, the growth in agri-GDP in 2023-24 (FY24) was just 1.4 per cent as per the latest provisional estimates released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.”

— “In this context, three things must be remembered. One, there are too many people dependent on agriculture. They need to move to higher productivity, non-farm jobs. This could be in rural areas to build rural infrastructure, or outside the rural economy to build urban India.”

— “Two, within agriculture, the focus needs to shift from basic staples to high-value agriculture such as poultry, fishery, dairy and fruits and vegetables.”

— “Three, given the increasing number of climate change-induced extreme weather events (heat waves or flash floods), India needs to invest heavily in climate-smart agriculture, including agrivoltaics — solar as a third “crop” for farmers that can give regular monthly income even when other crops fail due to drought or floods.”

Points to Ponder:

— What are the challenges in rural development?
— What initiatives has the government taken to encourage rural development?
— What measures should be taken to diversify the rural economy?

Post Read Question:

Despite Consistent experience of high growth, India still goes with the lowest indicators of human development. Examine the issues that make balanced and inclusive development elusive. (UPSC CSE 2016)

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

How to double India’s farmers’ income

Economy

Instant flour mixes for dosa, idli to attract 18% GST

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Economy

Mains Examination: GS-III: Indian Economy

What’s the ongoing story- Instant mixes, including idli, dosa and khaman flour, cannot be classified as chhatua or sattu and 18 per cent GST should be levied on them, the Gujarat Appellate Authority for Advance Ruling (GAAAR) has ruled.

Prerequisites:

— What is Goods and Services Tax (GST) and how does it work?

— 101st Amendment Act, 2016 and GST Council-Know in detail

Key takeaways:

— Gujarat-based Kitchen Express Overseas Ltd had approached the AAAR against the ruling by the GST advance authority, saying that its seven instant flour mixes are not ‘ready to eat’ but are required to undergo certain cooking processes and can be called ‘ready to cook’.

— The company sells flour mixes of gota, khaman, dalwada, dahi-wada, dhokla, idli and dosa in powder form and pleaded that it is akin to sattu and should attract GST of 5 percent.

— The GAAAR rejected the appellant’s contention, saying that ingredients that go into the making of ‘instant flour mixes’ are not covered under the relevant GST rules as is the case with sattu. According to a circular issued by the CBIC, small amounts of ingredients that are mixed to make sattu are specified in the GST rules to be eligible for a 5 percent tax rate.

— The appellate authority also said that merely because the end consumer of the instant mix flour is required to follow certain food preparation processes before such products can be consumed is no grounds that 18 per cent GST should not be levied on it.

For Your Information:

— GST is a consumption tax and is levied at the final consumption point. The principle used in GST taxation is the Destination Principle.

Points to Ponder:

— What are the different types of GST?

(Thought Process: Know the differences between Central GST (CGST), State GST (SGST), Union territory GST (UTGST) and Integrated GST (IGST))

— What are the benefits of GST?

— What are the issues and challenges related to GST?

Post Read Question:

What is/are the most likely advantages of implementing ‘Goods and Services Tax (GST)’? (UPSC CSE 2017)

1. It will replace multiple taxes collected by multiple authorities and will thus create a single market in India.

2. It will drastically reduce the ‘Current Account Deficit’ of India and will enable it to increase its foreign exchange reserves.

3. It will enormously increase the growth and size of economy of India and will enable it to overtake China in the near future.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

GST collection hits record high of Rs 2.10 lakh crore in April

The Ideas Page

Unity and Diversity

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity

Mains Examination: GS-II: Polity, Issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure.

What’s the ongoing story- Faizan Mustafa– “In the recent Lok Sabha elections, the ultimate sovereign, and the real parmatma, of our nation has told the new government in unequivocal terms: Do not undermine the noble ideas of diversity, constitutionalism and federalism.”

Prerequisites:

— What is Constitutionalism?

— What is federalism and its types?

— Read about the evolution of federalism in India.

Key takeaways:

— “Constitutionalism is the idea of limited government. It demands that governmental power should not itself be destructive of the values it was intended to promote. Civil liberties operate as restrictions on the power of the state.”

— “The silver lining of the election results is that at least some of us have realised that the salvation of souls is not the business of the state. A few are now convinced that secularism is good for religions, including Hinduism. It is the idea of secularism that protects religions from the control of the state.

— “Let the unique characteristics of our civilisation and Constitution, such as heterogeneity, federalism, and constitutionalism, be implemented in both letter and spirit.”

For Your Information:

— Federalism divides power between the central/federal government and its member states. A constitutional framework provides the institutional underpinning for federalism. It usually serves two purposes: first, to lessen the likelihood of a tyranny of the majority; second, to strengthen the union.

Points to Ponder:

— Why is Indian federalism described as quasi-federalism?

— What are the challenges faced by the Indian federalism?

— What measures should be taken to strengthen the federalism in India?

— What is the significance of constitutionalism?

Post Read Question:

Prelims

Which one of the following is not a feature of Indian federalism? (UPSC CSE 2017)

(a) There is an independent judiciary in India.
(b) Powers have been clearly divided between the Centre and the States.
(c) The federating units have been given unequal representation in the Rajya Sabha.
(d) It is the result of an agreement among the federating units.

Mains

Though the federal principle is dominant in our constitution and that principle is one of its basic features, but it is equally true that federalism under the Indian Constitution leans in favour of a strong Center, a feature that militates against the concept of strong federalism. Discuss. (UPSC CSE 2014)

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Federalism in India: What you need to know

UPSC Essay and Ethics Snippets

‘Wordly Wise’ from The Editorial Page

“Writing Laws is easy, but governing is difficult.”

— Leo Tolstoy

(Thought Process: Let’s begin with basics. What is governance and why are laws important? What is more complex, the process of creating a law or the process of governing? Is the formulation of laws the only instrument for ensuring a just and fair society? Do the principles of laws make them impactful, or is it the effective implementation of laws, or both? What do you think are the crucial factors for governing?)

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