The Election Commission of India (EC) defended its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls before the Supreme Court, dismissing claims that it is a 'parallel NRC.' The EC argued it has a constitutional duty under Article 324 to ensure only citizens are on the rolls. It clarified that while the NRC includes all residents, the electoral roll only includes citizens aged 18 and above. The EC also noted that the Central government has exclusive jurisdiction over the termination of citizenship under Section 9(2) of the Citizenship Act, 1955, while the EC manages voter eligibility.
The EC maintains that verifying citizenship for electoral rolls is a mandatory constitutional duty under Article 324.
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is distinct from the National Register of Citizens (NRC) as it only counts legal adults who are citizens.
Section 14A of the Citizenship Act, 1955, empowers the Centre to maintain the NRC, while the EC focuses on the purity of the electoral roll.
Exam Points
Article 324 of the Constitution grants the EC power for the preparation of electoral rolls.
Section 14A of the Citizenship Act, 1955, relates to the National Register of Indian Citizens.
2.89 crore voters were deleted in the Uttar Pradesh draft electoral rolls during the recent revision.
The Tamil Nadu Cabinet, chaired by CM M.K. Stalin, approved the Tamil Nadu Assured Pension Scheme (TAPS) for State government employees, guaranteeing a pension equal to 50% of the last-drawn basic pay. Additionally, the government is launching 'Ungal Kanavai Sollungal' (Share Your Aspirations), a month-long household survey covering 1.91 crore families. The survey aims to gather feedback on government schemes and identify priority issues. The government also plans to consult Non-Resident Tamils on January 12, which is observed as the Day of Non-Resident Tamils.
The TAPS guarantees state employees a pension of 50% of their last-drawn basic pay.
The 'Ungal Kanavai Sollungal' survey will involve 50,000 trained volunteers to collect public feedback across the state.
The initiative aims to digitize family aspirations and track progress through the Mudhalvarin Mugavari Department.
Exam Points
Tamil Nadu Assured Pension Scheme (TAPS) offers 50% of last-drawn basic pay.
January 12 is observed as the Day of Non-Resident Tamils.
The household survey aims to cover 1.91 crore families across Tamil Nadu.
On the second anniversary of Aditya-L1 reaching the Sun-Earth Lagrangian point (L1), ISRO has issued an Announcement of Opportunity (AO) for Indian scientists to analyze mission data. Launched on September 2, 2023, the spacecraft reached L1 on January 6, 2024. The L1 point, 1.5 million km from Earth, allows continuous solar observation without eclipses. Currently, over 23 TB of data is available in the public domain. The AO aims to maximize scientific returns by involving the broader Indian solar physics community in analyzing the first cycle of solar observations.
Aditya-L1 is India's maiden solar mission positioned at the Sun-Earth Lagrangian point L1.
The L1 point provides an uninterrupted view of the Sun, free from occultation or eclipses.
ISRO has released over 23 TB of scientific data for global and domestic research utilization.
Exam Points
Aditya-L1 was launched on September 2, 2023, and reached L1 on January 6, 2024.
The L1 point is located approximately 1.5 million kilometers from Earth.
Lagrangian points are positions in space where the gravitational forces of a two-body system produce stable regions.
This analysis examines the U.S. operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, arguing it violates international law. Under Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, the use of force is prohibited except for self-defense or UN Security Council authorization. The article contends that law enforcement is not a valid justification for cross-border military force. Furthermore, it discusses 'immunity ratione personae,' which grants heads of state absolute immunity from the criminal jurisdiction of foreign courts. The U.S. actions are described as a dangerous precedent that undermines the international rule of law and sovereign equality.
Article 2(4) of the UN Charter strictly prohibits the use of force in international relations with very narrow exceptions.
Heads of state enjoy personal immunity (immunity ratione personae) from foreign criminal jurisdiction under international law.
The U.S. justification of 'law enforcement' for military intervention is not recognized as a valid exception for using force.
Exam Points
Article 2(4) of the UN Charter proscribes the use of force in international relations.
The Arrest Warrant Case (2002) at the ICJ is a landmark for head-of-state immunity.
The Monroe Doctrine is an antiquated U.S. foreign policy principle regarding the Western Hemisphere.
Shashi Tharoor advocates for a 'right to disconnect' to protect Indian workers from the 'always-on' culture enabled by digital tools. According to the ILO, 51% of India's workforce works over 49 hours weekly, leading to severe mental health issues and burnout. Tharoor proposes amending the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020, to ensure employees aren't penalized for ignoring work communications outside hours. While Kerala has local legislation, a national framework is needed to cover contractual and gig workers who are currently excluded from many labor protections.
India has the second-highest percentage of employees working extended hours globally, according to the ILO.
Work-related stress accounts for 10-12% of mental health cases in India per the National Mental Health Survey.
The proposed Right to Disconnect Bill seeks to amend the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020.
Exam Points
51% of India's workforce works more than 49 hours per week (ILO data).
The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code was passed in 2020.
France introduced the 'right to disconnect' in 2017.
The Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) has proposed doubling the allocation for the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for automobiles and auto components to ₹5,800 crore for the upcoming financial year. The scheme, now in its third year, focuses on Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEVs) like battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Incentives are tied to achieving a Domestic Value Addition (DVA) of 50%. As manufacturing plants are now set up, the focus is shifting toward ramping up production, necessitating higher incentive payouts to eligible applicants.
The PLI scheme for the auto sector incentivizes products with at least 50% Domestic Value Addition (DVA).
The scheme is specifically targeted at Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEVs), including electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
The total planned outlay for the auto PLI scheme is ₹25,938 crore over its duration.
Exam Points
Proposed allocation for FY 2025-26 is ₹5,800 crore.
The scheme requires a minimum of 50% Domestic Value Addition (DVA).
Despite training 1.40 crore candidates under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), India's skilling outcomes remain inconsistent. The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in vocational training is only 28%, far below OECD levels. Key issues include fragmented responsibility between training, assessment, and placement, and a lack of industry participation in Sector Skill Councils (SSCs). The article suggests embedding skills into formal degrees, making SSCs accountable for placement, and expanding the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) to improve employability and bridge the gap between training and industry needs.
PMKVY has trained 1.40 crore candidates, but employability and wage gains remain uneven across sectors.
Only 4.1% of India's workforce has received formal vocational training, compared to 44% in OECD countries.
Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) lack credibility because they don't own the training outcomes or placement responsibility.
Exam Points
PMKVY has trained approximately 1.40 crore candidates since 2015.
India's vocational Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) is currently 28%.
NEP 2020 target for vocational GER is 50% by 2035.
Biomaterials, derived from biological sources or engineered through biological processes, are emerging as a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based products. They are categorized into bio-identical, drop-out, and novel biomaterials. For India, they offer a pathway to reduce heavy dependence on fossil-based imports for plastics and chemicals while providing new income streams for farmers through agricultural residues. While the sector is growing, challenges include feedstock competition with food sources, water stress, and the need for better waste-management infrastructure and policy coordination across ministries.
Biomaterials can be bio-identical to petroleum products (like bio-PET) or entirely novel (like PLA).
Indigenous biomanufacturing can significantly reduce India's import bill for plastics and chemicals.
The Indian bioplastics market is valued at approximately $500 million in 2024 and is expected to grow.
Exam Points
The Indian bioplastics market is valued at around $500 million.
PLA stands for Polylactic Acid, a common biodegradable biomaterial.
Biomaterials are categorized into three types: bio-identical, drop-out, and novel.
India's public health system faces challenges from chronic underfunding, privatisation, and social inequities. The rise of private medical education, with high fees, forces doctors toward profit-driven practice rather than social medicine. While schemes like AB PMJAY exist, they often divert public funds to the private sector, weakening public infrastructure. The article calls for doctors to act as agents of social change, addressing the root causes of disease like malnutrition and pollution, and demands greater political accountability for the quality and accessibility of public healthcare.
Privatisation of medical education leads to high debt for students, influencing their career choices toward profit.
Public-private partnerships can sometimes weaken the public health system by diverting resources to private players.
Social determinants of health, such as air pollution and ultra-processed foods, are major drivers of non-communicable diseases.
Exam Points
AB PMJAY is the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana.
Private medical college fees can exceed ₹40 lakhs for undergraduate training.
Rudolf Virchow is a German pathologist known for the concept of 'medicine as a social science.'
Grasslands and savannahs are often overlooked in global climate negotiations, which tend to focus on forests. However, they are vital carbon sinks and biodiversity hotspots. The UN has declared 2026 as the International Year for Rangelands and Pastoralists. In India, grasslands are managed by 18 different ministries with often conflicting goals, such as the 'wasteland atlas' labeling them for conversion. Integrating grasslands into India's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) could help achieve the target of creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2030.
Grasslands are among the most threatened ecosystems due to agriculture, invasive species, and conversion to forests.
The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP30 focused heavily on forests, neglecting other biomes.
In India, 18 ministries have purview over grasslands, leading to policy silos and conflicting land-use goals.
Exam Points
2026 is the UN International Year for Rangelands and Pastoralists.
India's NDC target is to create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2030.
The 'Cerrado' is a vast, biodiverse savannah in Brazil.
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