Context Recent initiatives like the PM Vishwakarma scheme and the National Education Policy (NEP) treat caste as a cultural and occupational identity. While these efforts aim to promote inclusion, they raise concerns about achieving real equality. Key Concepts Culturalisation of Caste Caste is increasingly seen as part of culture, …
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ILO Report on Women’s Labour Force Participation (WLFP)
Background: The ILO report titled ‘The Impact of Care Responsibilities on Women’s Labour Force Participation (WLP)’ highlights the barriers that caregiving responsibilities pose to Indian women’s participation in the workforce. Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR): Represents the proportion of individuals within a population who are either employed or actively seeking …
Read More »Silk Road
The Silk Road was a complex network of ancient trade routes linking China in the East to the Mediterranean in the West. This extensive web of routes facilitated the exchange of goods like silk, spices, gold, and gemstones, connecting various civilizations. Zhang Qian is often recognized as the “Father of …
Read More »Demographic Shift and India
Context: India’s elderly population (those aged 60 and above) is expanding rapidly. In 2023, there are 149 million elderly individuals, making up 10.5% of the total population. By 2050, this figure is projected to reach 347 million, or 20.8% of the population. Challenges of an Ageing Population Increasing Dependency Ratio: …
Read More »Euthanasia in India
Context: Recently, the Supreme Court of India declined a request to remove a Ryles tube from a patient in a vegetative state, even though the 2018 judgment on passive euthanasia permits the withdrawal of life support in terminal cases. Understanding Euthanasia: Euthanasia, also known as mercy killing, refers to intentionally …
Read More »India’s Approach to Refugees
Context: India has granted refuge to former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina following her forced departure from Bangladesh, despite the absence of an official refugee policy in the country. Defining Refugees: Refugees: Individuals compelled to leave their home country and seek safety in another due to the threat of persecution, …
Read More »Status of Women in the Workforce
Context (IE): The Kerala High Court has temporarily halted the release of the Justice Hema Commission report, which examined the working conditions of women in the film industry. The interim stay was issued based on concerns that releasing the report would be against public interest and infringe on individuals’ privacy …
Read More »Ahilya Bai Holkar – A Model Leader
Today, we celebrate the 300th birth anniversary of the Maratha queen Ahilya Bai Holkar — a great administrator and visionary with a spiritual inclination. GS 1 : Ahilya Bai Holkar’s social, economic, and cultural contributions. About Ahilya Bai Holkar Early Life and Rise to Power: Born in 1725 in Ahmednagar, …
Read More »Asymmetric Federalism in India: Balancing Diversity and Unity
Introduction “Asymmetric federalism in India” emphasizes unequal power-sharing arrangements within a federation, has become a prominent topic in Indian politics. Understanding Asymmetric Federalism Definition: Asymmetric federalism describes a federal system where the central government and constituent units (states/UTs) possess unequal powers and relationships across political, administrative, and fiscal domains. Dimensions …
Read More »Purchasing Managers’ Index: The Economic Health Indicator
TABLE OF CONTENTS News Concept Calculation Components of PMI PMI Releases News: Business activity in the services sectors likely clocked their fastest expansion in more than 13 and a half years in March, aided by a record uptick in export orders, as per the HSBC India Services Purchasing Managers’ Index …
Read More »Agni Prime Ballistic Missile: Forefront of India’s Defence by DRDO
TABLE OF CONTENTS News Concept Understanding Ballistic Missiles News: The new generation ballistic missile Agni-Prime was successfully flight-tested by the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) along with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) from the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha Concept : The Agni Prime …
Read More »Evaluating the Efficacy and Sustainability of National AIDS Control Program (NACP): A Comprehensive Review
TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Objectives Implementation Key Components Target Groups Achievements Challenges 1. Introduction NACP is a comprehensive program launched by the Government of India to combat HIV/AIDS in the country. It was initiated in 1992 and has undergone several phases of implementation to address the evolving challenges posed by …
Read More »NSFDC
The National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC) is a public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India. It was established in 1989 with the objective of providing financial assistance, concessional loans, and skill development training to members of Scheduled Castes (SCs) for …
Read More »Earth Summit
The Earth Summit, often referred to as the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from June 3–14, 1992. This international conference brought together political leaders, diplomats, scientists, media representatives, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) from 179 countries in an attempt to focus …
Read More »Manual Scavenging in India
The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 defines a manual scavenger as: “Manual scavenger” means a person engaged or employed, at the commencement of this Act or at any time thereafter, by an individual or a local authority or an agency or a contractor, for …
Read More »MANIPUR’S ETHNIC FAULTLINES
Context: The ongoing violence between the Kuki-Zomi tribals and the largely Hindu Meiteis in Manipur is the first time in three decades that the state has witnessed direct clashes between two ethnic groups. The Manipur valley is encircled by skirts of low hills that spread into Nagaland and Mizoram. In these hill areas live 15 Naga tribes and the Chin-Kuki-Mizo-Zomi …
Read More »AUTISM DISORDERS
‘Fix your gut, fix your brain’ used to be an underrated idea, but it is gaining in relevance today as more and more research throws light on the role of the community of bacteria living in your gut, that is, the gut microbiome. A healthy gut microbiome is not a …
Read More »SLOW PROGRESS TO CREATING A SAFE WORKPLACE FOR WOMEN
The recent case of allegations of sexual harassment that some of India’s sportswomen (wrestling) are said to have faced have shocked us. Those affected had to sit in protest in the capital to make themselves heard. This shows that any internal complaints committee (if there is one) does not function. …
Read More »INDIA ADDRESS TOWARDS SICKLE CELL ANAEMIA
Sickle cell anaemia (SCA), a genetic blood disorder, found mention in the Budget this year. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the government will work in “mission mode” to eliminate the condition by 2047. India is the second-worst affected country in terms of predicted births with SCA — i.e. chances …
Read More »A PICTURE OF ISLAM THAT IS QUITE DIFFERENT
Towards the end of 2022, a hugely significant moment in the post-Independence history of Indian Muslims slipped by under the radar. The Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, the oldest Muslim organisation in India, with its roots in the national freedom struggle, filed a petition in the Supreme Court of India seeking reservation for …
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