SOCIAL JUSTICE

GS2 – Social Sector Context: The Common University Entrance Test (CUET) has drawn criticism due to administrative delays, centralisation issues, and concerns over equity in education. About CUET: Introduced in 2022, conducted by NTA under NEP 2020. Mandatory for admissions in Central Universities. Covers 13 languages and 27 domain subjects. …

GS2 – Society Context: At the 4th Convocation Ceremony of IIIT-Kota, Vice-President Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar critically examined India’s education and digital dependency landscape, urging reforms to uphold technological nationalism and educational ethics. Key Concerns Raised: Coaching Centres as “Poaching Centres”: Described as talent black holes, promoting rote learning and commercialised …

 GS2 – Society Context: Tamil Nadu has achieved notable success in reducing TB-related deaths through its TN-KET (Kasanoi Erappila Thittam) initiative launched in 2022. It focuses on early detection and timely treatment of severely ill TB patients and is now being seen as a potential national model for replication, especially …

GS2 – Social Sector Context: With the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and concerns over food safety, FSSAI launched the Eat Right India initiative to promote health, nutrition, and sustainability—supporting POSHAN Abhiyaan and SDGs. Pillars of Eat Right India (Launched in 2018): Eat Safe: Ensures food safety throughout the …

GS2 – Social Sector Context: The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched the 3 by 35 Initiative, targeting a 50% increase in the prices of tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks by 2035 through health-focused taxation, aiming to reduce the global burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Key Objectives: Reduce NCD-related premature …

GS2 – Social Sector Context: As NEP 2020 completes five years, the NIPUN Bharat Mission (National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy) emerges as a key driver of foundational learning reforms across Indian classrooms. Key Features of NIPUN Bharat: Dedicated Classroom Investment: Unlike traditional education budgets focused …

GS2 – Social Sector Context: India has 1.44 million zero-dose children, the second highest globally after Nigeria, as per The Lancet (2023), highlighting serious immunisation coverage gaps. As per WHO, zero-dose children are under one year of age who have received no routine vaccines. These children are vulnerable to diseases …

GS2 – Social Sector Context The release of the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) 2023–24 by NSO in January 2025 has sparked debate about the adequacy of current poverty measures. The Thali Index offers an alternative rooted in real food accessibility. Limitations of Calorie-Based Poverty Metrics Cultural Disconnect: National calorie …

GS2 – Social Sector Context India has achieved a milestone with a record-breaking 54 institutions making it to the QS World University Rankings 2026. About the Rankings: The QS World University Rankings are released annually by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a UK-based organization that focuses on global higher education and international …

GS2 – Social Sector Context: CBSE, with support from the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), is set to mandate ‘Sugar Boards’ in schools to raise awareness about sugar consumption and related health risks. About Sugar Boards Visual learning aids installed in schools to: Highlight sugar content in …

GS2 – Social Sector Context: India collaborates with the World Health Organization (WHO) to promote AYUSH globally through a significant agreement on traditional medicine practices. This agreement initiates the development of a dedicated Traditional Medicine section within the International Classification of Health Interventions (ICHI). The inclusion of this module will …

GS2 – Social Sector Context: A recent analysis by the Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP) has brought to light serious gaps in access to suitable antibiotics for treating drug-resistant infections in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including India. Study Findings Scope of the Study: The research focused on …

GS2 – Vulnerable Groups Context: In the landmark Pinki vs. State of Uttar Pradesh case, the Supreme Court delivered extensive instructions aimed at curbing the issue of child trafficking in India. Understanding Child Trafficking: According to the United Nations, child trafficking involves the recruitment, transfer, or sheltering of minors for …

GS II-Vulnerable section Overview Child trafficking is a form of human trafficking that involves the illegal transportation, recruitment, or harboring of minors using coercion, force, fraud, or deception. This exploitative practice aims to subject children to inhumane conditions such as forced labor, prostitution, slavery, organ trade, and servitude. While child …

GS2 – Social Sector – Education The University Grants Commission (Recognition and Grant of Equivalence to Qualifications obtained from Foreign Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2025 has been officially released. This initiative is in line with the vision of internationalising higher education as envisaged in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Applicability …

GS II-Judiciary Context The Chief Justice of India (CJI) recently initiated a three-member in-house inquiry into allegations against Justice Yashwant Varma, leading to his transfer to the Allahabad High Court. This has reignited discussions on judicial transparency. Judicial Transfers in India Constitutional Basis: Article 222 of the Indian Constitution grants …

GS II-POVERTY Introduction The National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013, is a landmark social welfare legislation introduced by the Government of India. It aims to provide food security to the economically weaker sections of society by ensuring access to subsidized food grains. The Act covers 75% of the rural population …

GS II-Vulnerable section Context Recent anthropological research challenges the outdated Lokur Committee criteria (1965) for identifying Scheduled Tribes (STs), advocating for a spectrum-based classification that better reflects India’s diverse tribal identities. Existing Tribal Classification System Lokur Committee (1965) defined STs based on five criteria: Primitive Traits Distinctive Culture Geographical Isolation …

GS-1: Society (Gender Issues, Social Empowerment) GS-2: Governance (Public Infrastructure & Safety Policies) GS-3: Urban Development (Inclusive Public Spaces, Sustainable Cities)   Key Highlights Gendered Spatial Control & Women’s Mobility: India ranked 128/177 countries in the Women, Peace & Security Index 2023, indicating gender disparity. NFHS-4 (2015-16): 54% of Indian …

GS2 SOCIETY:  UGC Caste Discrimination Rules: Latest Updates The Union government has informed the Supreme Court that the new UGC regulations will grant it the authority to de-recognize higher education institutions (HEIs) that fail to prevent caste and religion-based discrimination.   Caste-Based Discrimination in Indian Universities Caste discrimination in Indian …