The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO)'s Central Board of Trustees (CBT) approved the Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS) 2026 without wide consultations, replacing the EPS 1995. This decision affects approximately 5.4 crore contributing members and 82 lakh pensioners, raising serious transparency concerns. Over the past decade, features of the EPS 1995 were altered to the detriment of employees, including limiting coverage to ₹15,000/month and changing pensionable salary calculation from 12 to 60 months. The new scheme removes the higher pension option, which was previously extended by Supreme Court intervention. The article criticizes EPFO's approach, stating that a positive mindset and empathy are needed, not just changes in laws.
The EPFO's Central Board of Trustees (CBT) approved the Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS) 2026 without consulting stakeholders, raising transparency concerns.
The new scheme replaces EPS 1995 and impacts millions of contributing members and pensioners.
Past changes to EPS 1995, such as limiting coverage to ₹15,000/month and altering salary calculation, have been detrimental to employees.
Exam Points
The Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS) 2026 was approved on March 2.
It replaces the EPS 1995 scheme and affects approximately 5.4 crore contributing members and 82 lakh pensioners.
The pensionable salary calculation changed from the average pay in the last 12 months to 60 months.
India is making strides in research, development, and innovation, but faces challenges like inadequate private sector participation and insufficient public funding. Despite schemes like the National Research Foundation (NRF) and tax incentives for startups, the innovation ecosystem remains fragmented. The article highlights the need for a holistic approach, moving beyond just increasing R&D expenditure to fostering a culture of innovation, improving governance, and ensuring equitable participation. It emphasizes the importance of human resources, social justice, and addressing the gender gap in STEM fields to achieve true innovation-led growth.
India shows progress in R&D and innovation but is hampered by insufficient private sector engagement and fragmented governance.
A true innovation-led economy requires a holistic approach, focusing on human resources, social justice, and equitable participation, not just R&D expenditure.
The article highlights the importance of addressing the gender gap in STEM fields and ensuring diverse participation in innovation.
Exam Points
India's gross expenditure on R&D (GERD) was approximately $12 billion in 2023.
Private sector's share in R&D investment is 37%, below the global average of 65%.
The National Research Foundation (NRF) was announced with a budget of ₹50,000 crore.
The Economic Survey 2025-26 projects that India's new labour codes will significantly increase formalisation, create 77 lakh jobs, and boost GDP by 1.25% by 2029-30. However, the article argues that these optimistic projections overlook the realities of India's informal workforce, where over 80% of workers are unprotected. The codes raise thresholds for protections and promote 'fixed-term employment,' which undermines job security. Issues like unclear rules for gig worker schemes, reskilling funds, and minimum wage methodology, along with the weakening of labour inspections, suggest that the codes may not genuinely improve workers' lives or reduce informality.
The Economic Survey 2025-26 optimistically projects that new labour codes will boost formalisation, job creation, and GDP growth.
The codes raise thresholds for defining 'factory' and 'contract labour,' potentially making it easier for firms to avoid permanent employment.
The promotion of 'fixed-term employment' under the codes undermines job security, a key feature of formal work.
Exam Points
The Economic Survey 2025-26 projects formalisation to increase from 60.4% to 75.5%.
It projects the creation of 77 lakh jobs and a 1.25% contribution to GDP by 2029-30.
The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code raises the definition of a 'factory' from 10 to 20 workers (with power).
The Supreme Court has agreed to examine the definition of 'personal data' under India's new Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, and its corresponding Rules, 2025. This decision follows a petition arguing that the law's vague definitions and the deletion of 'public interest' from the Act hinder journalists' access to information and compromise the right to information. Chief Justice Surya Kant emphasized the need to balance privacy with the right to information, questioning when data of public officials should be considered public versus personal. Concerns were also raised about the Act's penalty-centric framework, where fines go to the government, not the injured data principal.
The Supreme Court will examine the definition of 'personal data' under the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023.
The petition argues that the Act's vague definitions and the removal of 'public interest' clause impede journalists' access to information.
Chief Justice Surya Kant stressed the importance of balancing the right to privacy with the right to information.
Exam Points
The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, and its Rules, 2025, are under scrutiny.
The petition was jointly filed by journalist Geeta Seshu and the Software Freedom Law Center.
Senior advocate Indira Jaising represented the petitioners.
The Supreme Court has clarified that parental income alone cannot be the sole criterion for determining the creamy layer status of OBC candidates for reservation. The court ruled that parental income from salaries and agricultural land should be excluded when applying the income/wealth test. This decision is expected to widen the reservation pool by including children of senior public sector officials previously excluded based on their parents' annual salary exceeding ₹8 lakh. The judgment emphasizes that creamy layer exclusion criteria are 'status-based' rather than purely income-based, reflecting social progression through governmental service hierarchy.
The Supreme Court ruled that parental income alone is insufficient to determine creamy layer status for OBC candidates.
Income from salaries and agricultural land of parents should be excluded when applying the income/wealth test for creamy layer.
This ruling is expected to expand the reservation pool for OBCs, benefiting children of senior public sector officials.
Exam Points
The Supreme Court ruling was delivered by a Bench of Justices P.S. Narasimha and R. Mahadevan.
The previous threshold for parental annual salary for exclusion from OBC reservation was ₹8 lakh.
The OBC quota was introduced in 1993 with a guiding charter to exclude the creamy layer.
The article analyzes women's political participation in India, highlighting both progress and persistent disparities. While women's voter turnout has increased, their representation in State Assemblies and Parliament remains low. Factors like patriarchal household structures, financial barriers, and lack of political party support hinder women's entry into politics. The study by Lokniti-CSDS indicates that women are less likely to participate in political activities beyond voting, and many still prefer male candidates. Despite some improvements, systemic barriers and a lack of political will continue to impede equitable representation, necessitating comprehensive reforms beyond just legal changes.
Women's political participation in India has seen increased voter turnout but persistently low representation in legislative bodies.
Patriarchal household structures, financial constraints, and lack of support from political parties are significant barriers to women's political entry.
Studies indicate that women are less likely to engage in political activities beyond voting and often prefer male candidates.
Exam Points
Women's voter turnout in Lok Sabha elections increased from 44.7% in 1999 to 67.2% in 2019.
Women's representation in State Assemblies was 9% in 2009 and 11% in 2024.
Women's representation in Lok Sabha was 11% in 2009 and 15% in 2024.
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