Content India’s Solar Momentum Export Promotion Mission India’s Solar Momentum Why in News  ? India’s solar capacity touched ~129 GW, up from 3 GW in 2014 (over 40× growth in 11 years). Non-fossil installed power capacity crossed 50% of India’s total ~500 GW electricity capacity five years ahead of the 2030 target. Massive scale-up recorded under PM Surya Ghar, PM-KUSUM, Solar Parks, and PLI for Solar PV Manufacturing. 8th Assembly of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) hosted by India in Oct 2025, reinforcing India’s global solar leadership. Relevance GS II (Governance, International Relations) Climate diplomacy leadership via International Solar Alliance South–South cooperation through solar finance & capacity building Federal cooperation in renewable energy deployment Energy as a tool of strategic diplomacy (OSOWOG grid vision) GS III (Economy, Infrastructure, Energy, Environment) Energy security: Reduced fossil fuel import dependence Infrastructure: Grid integration at high RE penetration Industrial policy: PLI for Solar PV Manufacturing Agriculture: Solar pumps under PM-KUSUM Circular economy: Solar panel recycling challenge Why Solar Matters for India ? India is: 3rd largest energy consumer globally Among the top 3 CO₂ emitters, though per capita emissions remain low Solar power addresses: Energy security (reduces fossil fuel imports) Climate mitigation (zero operational emissions) Rural electrification Job creation & manufacturing growth High natural advantage: 300+ sunny days/year 4–7 kWh/m²/day solar radiation Strategic shift from coal-dominant mix → renewables-led grid Solar Capacity Growth: Structural Transformation 2014: 3 GW Oct 2025: ~129 GW Growth rate: Over 40-fold increase Now largest contributor to renewable energy, ahead of wind & biomass Share in India’s renewable mix: Solar now forms ~50%+ of total RE capacity Impact: Reduced long-term power costs Improved grid diversification Lower exposure to global fuel price shocks Non-Fossil Power Milestone Non-fossil installed capacity: ~259 GW Total national capacity: ~500 GW Result: >50% electricity capacity from non-fossil Covers: Solar Wind Hydro Nuclear Biomass India achieved its 2030 climate electricity mix target in 2025 itself Global Standing in Renewables (2025) As per IRENA Renewable Energy Statistics 2025: 3rd in solar capacity 4th in wind power 4th in total renewable installed capacity Implication: India is now a system-shaper, not just a follower, in global clean energy markets Policy Anchor: Panchamrit at COP26 Announced at COP26, 2021 Five Pillars: 500 GW non-fossil capacity by 2030 50% power capacity from non-fossil by 2030 (already achieved) 1 billion tonne CO₂ emission reduction by 2030 45% reduction in carbon intensity vs 2005 Net Zero by 2070 Function: Aligns energy policy, industry, transport, urban planning with climate goals Key Government Programmes Powering Solar Expansion A. PM Surya Ghar (Rooftop Solar Revolution) Launch: Feb 2024 Outlay: ₹75,021 crore Target: 1 crore households Benefit: Up to 300 free electricity units/month Status (Dec 2025): 23.9 lakh homes covered 7 GW rooftop capacity installed ₹13,464.6 crore subsidy released Impact: Direct household cost savings Decentralised energy generation Urban & semi-urban grid decongestion B. National Solar Mission (2010) Technology-wise deployment: Ground-mounted: 98.72 GW Rooftop: 22.42 GW Hybrid (solar share): 3.32 GW Off-grid: 5.45 GW Strategic value: Enabled India’s utility-scale solar parks Drove tariff discovery through reverse bidding C. PLI Scheme for Solar PV Manufacturing Implemented by Ministry of New and Renewable Energy Outlay: ₹24,000 crore (Tranche I & II) Manufacturing capacity awarded: ~48.3 GW Investments attracted (Sept 2025): ₹52,900 crore Jobs generated: ~44,400 Significance: Reduces import dependence on China Builds end-to-end domestic solar supply chain Supports Atmanirbhar Bharat in clean tech D. PM-KUSUM (Solarisation of Agriculture) Launched: 2019 Components: A: Grid-connected solar plants on fallow land B: Standalone solar pumps C: Solarisation of grid-connected pumps Status (Oct 2025): ~9.2 lakh standalone solar pumps (B) 10,535 grid solarised pumps (C) 9.74 lakh feeder-level solarised pumps Subsidy: 30–50% CFA up to 15 HP pumps Impacts: Cuts diesel subsidy Boosts farm incomes Supports daytime irrigation E. Solar Parks & Ultra Mega Solar Projects Launched: 2014 Target enhanced: 20 GW → 40 GW Status (Oct 2025): 55 solar parks 39.97 GW sanctioned 14.92 GW already commissioned Benefits: Common infrastructure Faster land acquisition Lower project risks Extended till March 2029 India’s Global Solar Diplomacy International Solar Alliance (ISA) Co-founded by India & France HQ: Gurugram 125+ member countries Functions: Solar finance mobilisation Technology transfer Capacity building Global risk mitigation 8th ISA Assembly (Oct 2025, New Delhi) 550+ delegates, 30+ ministers Focus areas: Resilient solar value chains Inclusive solar access Job creation & women leadership OSOWOG grid integration One Sun, One World, One Grid (OSOWOG) Proposed by India (2018) Vision: Global renewable power interconnection Solar trading across time zones Strategic outcome: Enhances energy security Cuts global storage costs Positions India as a transnational grid leader Strategic Significance of India’s Solar Surge Economic Lower power tariffs Reduced fossil fuel imports Manufacturing-led green growth Environmental Emission intensity reduction Coal displacement Social Rural electrification Farmer income diversification Geopolitical Leadership in climate diplomacy South–South solar cooperation via ISA Critical Challenges Ahead Intermittency & storage adequacy Grid balancing at high RE penetration Land conflicts in ultra-mega parks Recycling & end-of-life solar panels Dependence on imported critical minerals Conclusion: What This Milestone Really Means India is no longer just adding renewables—it is: Restructuring its entire power system Indigenising clean-tech manufacturing Exporting solar governance models globally Crossing 50% non-fossil power capacity in 2025 marks: A historic energy transition point A firm foundation towards 500 GW by 2030 & Net Zero by 2070 Export Promotion Mission  Why in News  ? Government approved the Export Promotion Mission (EPM) with an outlay of ₹25,060 crore (FY 2025–26 to FY 2030–31). Launch announced in Union Budget 2025–26 as a single, unified, digital export-support framework. Implemented through Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). Backed by: ₹20,000 crore Credit Guarantee Scheme for Exporters Major regulatory relief by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) amid global trade disruptions. Special focus on MSMEs, labour-intensive sectors, tariff-hit sectors and low-export districts. Relevance GS II (Governance, Polity, Federalism) Mission-mode governance replacing fragmented schemes Digital governance through DGFT’s unified export platform Cooperative federalism via district export promotion Role of RBI in economic stabilization Centre–State coordination in trade facilitation GS III (Economy, Trade, MSME, Banking) Export-led growth strategy MSME credit access via ₹20,000 crore credit guarantee Trade finance reforms & interest subvention Logistics cost reduction for interior districts Global value chain integration Why Exports Matter for India ? Exports drive: Manufacturing growth MSME employment Foreign exchange stability Global value-chain integration Key structural issues earlier: Fragmented export schemes High cost of trade finance Logistics disadvantages in interior districts Weak branding & standards compliance among MSMEs EPM responds to the need for: Unified governance Digitally delivered incentives Outcome-based export promotion What is Export Promotion Mission (EPM)? A national, mission-mode export reform framework Outlay: ₹25,060 crore (6 years) Coverage: Merchandise exports Services exports Objective: Strengthen finance, market access, standards, branding, and district-level participation Replaces: Multiple fragmented export-support schemes with one integrated digital architecture Policy Rationale: Why a Mission Approach? Earlier ecosystem suffered from: Overlapping schemes Slow approvals Weak inter-ministerial coordination EPM focuses on: Affordable trade finance Export-quality certification & standards Market access & branding Logistics rebates for interior exporters Designed as: Adaptive to global trade shocks Digitally monitored Outcome-linked Institutional Structure & Governance Nodal Implementing Agency: DGFT Key Stakeholders: Department of Commerce Ministry of MSME Ministry of Finance Export Promotion Councils Commodity Boards Financial institutions State Governments Digital Backbone: End-to-end processing Application → Approval → Disbursal Integration with customs & trade systems Governance Model: Inter-ministerial coordination State partnership Data-driven monitoring Two Core Sub-Schemes Under EPM A. Niryat Protsahan – Financial Enablers Targets export financing constraints, especially for MSMEs. Key Instruments: Interest subvention on: Pre-shipment credit Post-shipment credit Export factoring Deep-tier financing Credit cards for e-commerce exporters Collateral support for export loans Credit enhancement for: New exporters High-risk markets Impact: Lowers cost of capital Expands credit access Encourages first-time exporters B. Niryat Disha – Non-Financial Enablers Targets market-readiness and competitiveness. Key Supports: Testing, certification & compliance International branding & packaging Trade fairs, expos & buyer-seller meets Export warehousing & logistics Inland transport reimbursement (for remote districts) Cluster-level & district export facilitation Impact: Bridges quality and branding gap Integrates Indian MSMEs into global market standards Expands exports from non-coastal and low-export districts Sectoral & Regional Focus Priority sectors: Textiles Leather Gems & Jewellery Engineering goods Marine products Target groups: MSMEs First-time exporters Labour-intensive industries Regional thrust: Interior districts Low-export-intensity regions Strategic intent: Geographic diversification of exports Reduce coastal concentration Credit Guarantee Scheme for Exporters (CGSE) Approved alongside EPM Additional credit support: ₹20,000 crore Implemented by: Department of Financial Services (DFS) National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited (NCGTC) Features: 100% Government of India guarantee Collateral-free export credit Additional working capital up to 20% of sanctioned limits Valid till 31 March 2026 Objective: Liquidity assurance Market expansion support Risk mitigation for lenders RBI Regulatory & Liquidity Support (Nov 2025) Issued as “Trade Relief Measures Directions, 2025” (i) Moratorium on Repayments Applicable: 1 Sept – 31 Dec 2025 Simple interest, no compounding Interest convertible into Funded Interest Term Loan (FITL) (ii) Export Credit Tenure Extension Pre & post-shipment credit tenure extended to 450 days Applies to credit disbursed up to 31 March 2026 (iii) Working-Capital Flexibility Drawing power recalculation Margin reduction & reassessment permitted (iv) Regulatory Forbearance Relief period excluded from DPD Not treated as restructuring No adverse impact on credit bureau records (v) Provisioning Requirement Minimum 5% general provision on eligible standard accounts (vi) FEMA Relaxations Export realisation period extended 9 → 15 months Advance payment shipment window extended 1 → 3 years Macro Impact: Prevents NPA stress Preserves export liquidity Stabilises trade during global slowdown Digital Implementation & Monitoring DGFT operates: Unified exporter database Automated approvals Scheme-wise benefit tracking Features: Paperless processing Real-time monitoring Outcome-based fund release Policy Advantage: Reduces transaction cost Improves transparency Speeds up exporter onboarding Expected Outcomes of EPM Improved access to affordable export finance Higher compliance readiness for global standards Enhanced branding & international visibility Increased exports from: Non-traditional districts First-time exporters Employment generation in: Manufacturing Logistics Services Supports: Atmanirbhar Bharat Export-led growth model Viksit Bharat @ 2047 vision Strategic Significance Converts India’s export policy from: Fragmented schemes → Mission-mode governance Strengthens: Trade finance ecosystem MSME global integration District-level export capacity Aligns with: Industrial corridor development Gati Shakti logistics reforms Digital public infrastructure Key Risks & Challenges Global demand slowdown Tariff protectionism in developed markets MSME compliance cost burden Logistics bottlenecks in remote districts Banking risk aversion despite guarantees Conclusion   The Export Promotion Mission (EPM) represents a structural reform in India’s export governance. By integrating: Digital delivery (DGFT) Credit guarantees (NCGTC) Monetary relief (RBI) Financial & non-financial enablers (Niryat Protsahan & Disha) It creates a whole-of-government export ecosystem focused on: MSME empowerment Market diversification Trade resilience EPM operationalises India’s shift towards technology-driven, inclusive and globally competitive exports.

Content Surveillance apps in welfare, snake oil for accountability A black Friday for aviation safety in India Surveillance apps in welfare, snake oil for accountability Why in News? July 2025 circular of the Union Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) officially acknowledged large-scale misuse and manipulation of the NMMS app in MGNREGA. Despite this failure, the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD) made Facial Recognition Technology (FRT) mandatory for Take Home Rations (THR) under Poshan Tracker. Renewed policy debate on tech-based surveillance for accountability in welfare delivery. Linked to rising concerns on: Exclusion errors Privacy violations Worker demotivation Digital authoritarianism in welfare governance Relevance GS II (Governance & Social Justice) Digital governance and welfare delivery Role of technology in public service delivery Exclusion errors in PDS, MGNREGA, ICDS Accountability vs responsibility in administration Cooperative federalism at the grassroots Institutional trust and state–citizen relations GS IV (Ethics in Public Administration) Accountability vs moral responsibility Means–ends inversion in governance Ethics of care vs algorithmic compliance Surveillance ethics and human dignity Demoralisation of frontline workers Practice Question “Digital surveillance has increasingly replaced administrative accountability in India’s welfare delivery system.” Critically examine with examples from MGNREGA and ICDS.(250 Words) Core Concept: Accountability vs Responsibility Accountability External enforcement: making people do what authorities want. Based on surveillance, monitoring, threat of penalties. Responsibility Internal motivation to act in public interest. Emphasised by Jean Drèze and Amartya Sen (2025): True governance reform requires norms, ethics, and intrinsic motivation, not only surveillance. Evolution of Tech-Fixes for Accountability 1. Biometric Attendance (Early 2010s) Introduced to curb: Absenteeism Late arrival Early exit RCT Evidence (Rajasthan): Long-run attendance actually declined among government nurses. Jharkhand (Khunti Block): Staff focused on marking biometrics, not on actually completing work. Structural Failure: Output displaced by input monitoring. 2. Aadhaar-Based Biometric Authentication (ABBA) in PDS (2017) Objective: Prevent identity fraud in ration distribution. Consequences: Exclusion of elderly, disabled, immobile persons Dependence on neighbours disallowed. Dealer manipulation: Full biometric authentication but short-weight rations (4.5 kg vs 5 kg). Result: “Pain without gain” High transaction cost No real corruption control 3. NMMS App in MGNREGA (2022) Requires: Geo-tagged photographs of workers twice daily Intended Goal: Eliminate fake muster rolls. Ground Reality: Uploading: Random photographs Photographs of photographs Irrelevant jpeg files July 2025 MoRD Circular: Lists 7 types of manipulation practices Government response: 100% daily verification of all photos across Gram Panchayats → Administrative overload. 4. Facial Recognition Technology (FRT) in Poshan Tracker (THR) Applied to: Pregnant women Lactating mothers Children Requires: Live blinking photo for ration authentication Field Reality (Nuh, Haryana): Connectivity issues Crowd management failures Angular Workers admit: “Those who want to cheat will continue” 5. Surveillance on ANMs & Anganwadi Workers Mandatory: Geo-tagged photos for: Breastfeeding counselling Home visits Perverse Incentives: Photo without counselling → Safe Counselling without photo → Punishable Andhra Pradesh Tribal Area Case: ANM penalised for moving 300 metres to get network to upload data. Result: Demoralisation of sincere workers Shift from service to compliance Structural Failures of Tech-Based Accountability Monitoring focuses on presence, not performance Corruption adapts faster than regulation Digital compliance replaces real service delivery Honest workers penalised; dishonest ones innovate Surveillance increases transaction time in welfare delivery Six Major Systemic Harms Created by Tech-Fixes Exclusion Errors PDS: elderly, disabled excluded due to biometric failure MGNREGA: workers excluded if NMMS photos fail to upload Inefficiency PDS & THR distribution slows due to repeated authentication New Corruption Channels Fake ABBA failures Fake NMMS uploads Brokered authentication Privacy Violations Uploading photographs of breastfeeding mothers Facial data without meaningful consent Identity Fraud Recycling old images Proxy photos Worker Demotivation Surveillance-induced stress Punishment for network failures Loss of professional dignity Political Economy Angle: Capture by Tech Vendors Massive public expenditure on: Smartphones for frontline workers e-POS machines Servers, cloud storage Data consumption Authentication infrastructure Creation of: Guaranteed captive markets for surveillance-tech firms Parallel drawn with: Tobacco industry Refined sugar industry Both: Cultivated ignorance about harms to delay regulation Conceptual Framework: Agnotology Introduced by Robert Proctor Meaning: Systematic production of ignorance Deliberate ignoring of known failures Applied here as: Government acknowledges NMMS misuse Yet expands FRT mandates Indicates institutionalised wilful blindness Governance Diagnosis India’s digital governance has shifted from: Trust-based welfare → Surveillance-based welfare The state now assumes: Citizens are default potential cheats Frontline workers are default suspects This directly undermines: Social capital Institutional trust Cooperative federalism at grassroots Ethical & Constitutional Dimensions  Article 21: Right to dignity infringed by intrusive surveillance Data Protection Principles: Violated via mass biometric capture Ethics of Care: Reduced to algorithmic compliance Means–Ends Inversion: Technology becomes the goal, welfare becomes secondary Key Scholarly Insight Drèze–Sen Thesis (2025): Accountability can enforce obedience. Responsibility alone sustains ethical public service. Tech-fixes cannot: Build integrity Build empathy Build service motivation Conclusion Tech-based surveillance in welfare has: High fiscal cost Low governance return Severe ethical violations It: Does not eliminate corruption Merely digitises corruption Without: Work culture reform Administrative leadership Social norm transformation → Accountability mechanisms remain mechanical, brittle, and counterproductive. In this sense, tech-fixes for accountability function as policy “snake oil”. A black Friday for aviation safety in India  Why in News? December 5, 2025: After large-scale flight cancellations by IndiGo, The Civil Aviation Minister placed Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules under abeyance. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) appealed to pilots to dilute compliance with FDTL. This move: Suspended a safety regulation mandated by the judiciary. Directly subordinated passenger safety to commercial continuity. Triggered a national debate on: Crew fatigue Regulatory capture Weak aviation safety oversight in India Relevance GS Paper II (Polity & Governance) Regulatory capture and policy subversion Executive interference in independent regulators Judicial inconsistency and regulatory uncertainty Conflict of interest in aviation governance Right to Life (Article 21) and state obligation GS Paper III (Infrastructure, Transport & Safety) Civil aviation safety standards Regulatory framework of DGCA & ICAO Impact of poor aviation governance on economic infrastructure Crew fatigue as a systemic safety risk Crisis management failure in transport sector Practice Question “Regulatory capture weakens public safety in critical infrastructure sectors.” Analyse this statement in the context of India’s civil aviation sector.(250 Words)  Core Issue in One Line Commercial interests of airlines overrode legally mandated aviation safety norms, creating systemic risk to pilots and passengers. What is FDTL? Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) regulates: Maximum flying hours Duty periods Mandatory rest hours for pilots and cabin crew Objective: Prevent fatigue-induced human error, a leading global cause of air accidents. Issued as a Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) under DGCA’s regulatory powers. Historical Background of Dilution 2007: DGCA issued a robust CAR on crew fatigue and rest. 2008: Airline owners protested. Ministry ordered DGCA to keep the CAR in abeyance. Bombay High Court (Writ Petition 1687 of 2008): Condemned the move. Observed: “Safety of flights has been overlooked for protecting financial interests of a few operators.” Pilot shortage must be addressed by reducing flights, not increasing duty hours. Irony: The same court later upheld the Ministry’s dilution. Continuity of policy failure: The same commercial-first mindset persists in 2025. Immediate Cause of the 2025 Aviation Crisis New FDTL regulations were to come into force on November 1, 2025. Both: IndiGo management, and DGCA Knew the deadline for over one year. Yet: Crew shortage was not addressed. Mass flight cancellations followed. Result: Thousands of stranded passengers Only ticket refunds offered No compensation for hotels, missed connections, or economic losses Regulatory Loophole: CAR 2022 on Crew Strength DGCA CAR Series ‘C’ Part II Section 3 (April 19, 2022): Minimum 3 sets of crew per aircraft. Actual safety requirement: Domestic: Minimum 6 pilot sets per aircraft Wide-body long-haul: 12 pilot sets per aircraft Airlines: Legally complied with the minimum CAR, But violated fatigue safety principles. Outcome: Deliberate under-employment of crew IndiGo identified as a major beneficiary of this dilution Regulatory Failure: DGCA as a Captured Regulator DGCA actions on December 5, 2025: Morning: Appeals to pilots to cooperate with airlines. Afternoon: CAR on FDTL placed under abeyance by Ministry. Indicates: Loss of regulatory autonomy Political and corporate pressure overriding safety science Classic case of: Regulatory capture Where regulator serves industry, not public safety. International Warning Ignored: ICAO Audit In 2006, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) audit recommended: India must establish an independent civil aviation authority. DGCA should not function as a department under Ministry control. 20 years later (2025): India still lacks: Independent aviation regulator Functional safety firewall between government and airlines Result: Airlines operate with impunity DGCA acts as a puppet regulator Safety Consequences & Accident Record Major crashes since 2010: Mangaluru Kozhikode Ahmedabad (AI-171) Ahmedabad AI-171 crash investigation: Findings allegedly delayed by the Ministry Despite repeated disasters: No systemic reform of fatigue regulation No accountability of airline owners No institutional strengthening of DGCA Key Ethical & Governance Failures 1. Violation of Right to Life (Article 21) Passenger and pilot safety compromised by: Forced fatigue Commercial scheduling pressure 2. Conflict of Interest Ministry acts as: Promoter of aviation growth And supposed safety guardian This dual role leads to systemic bias in favour of airlines. 3. Judicial Inconsistency Initial High Court protection of safety Later reversal enabling dilution Creates regulatory uncertainty and moral hazard Political Economy of the Crisis Airlines maximise: Aircraft utilisation Revenue per crew Government prioritises: Aviation sector optics Stock market confidence Public safety becomes: Externality transferred to passengers and pilots Why This is a Structural, Not Episodic Failure ? Repeated pattern since 2007: Safety CAR issued → Airlines protest → Ministry intervenes → DGCA dilutes Institutional lesson: India’s aviation governance operates on commercial dominance, not safety primacy International Norm vs Indian Practice Parameter Global Best Practice India (2025) Regulator Independent aviation authority Ministry-controlled DGCA Fatigue norms Non-negotiable Routinely diluted Crew strength Conservative safety buffer Minimum legal threshold Crisis handling Capacity reduction Rule suspension Final Governance Diagnosis Indian aviation currently operates in a state of: Rule suspension in emergencies Corporate-first policymaking Weak institutional checks The December 5, 2025 actions: Prove that aviation safety remains subordinate to airline profitability Convert safety regulation into adjustable commercial tools Conclusion The suspension of FDTL norms to rescue airline operations represents a dangerous shift from “safety as a constitutional obligation” to “safety as a negotiable cost”, validating long-standing ICAO warnings and exposing the structural fragility of India’s aviation governance.

Contents Pension Reforms in India Swap app mandates for digital literacy Draft ISI Bill, 2025 Brain-Stem Death (BSD) National intelligence grid gains traction as Central agencies, police scour for information Filaments Pension Reforms in India WHY IN NEWS ? India’s elderly population (60+) is 153 million today, projected to reach 347 million by 2050. Over 88% of senior citizens work in the informal sector with no assured pension or social security. Renewed focus due to: Expansion and redesign of Atal Pension Yojana and National Pension System, Launch of e-SHRAM portal, Labour Codes reform redefining “wages” for pension calculations. LASI Survey (2017–18) and Comprehensive Annual Modular Survey (2022–23) reveal: 42% of people above 55 unaware of NPS. 63% of elderly lack basic internet usage skills. Relevance : GS Paper II – Governance & Social Justice Welfare schemes for the vulnerable sections (elderly, informal workers) Social security architecture: IGNOAPS, NPS, APY, e-SHRAM Role of Labour Codes in redefining wage-linked social protection Digital exclusion and governance delivery gaps Institutional mechanisms for old-age welfare GS Paper I – Indian Society Demographic transition and population ageing Informalisation of labour and its social consequences Gendered vulnerability in old-age employment GS Paper III – Indian Economy Household savings and capital market deepening Pension funds as long-term infrastructure financing source Fiscal sustainability of OPS vs contributory pensions BASICS: WHAT IS A PENSION SYSTEM? Pension = Regular post-retirement income for old-age security. Two broad types: Social Assistance (Non-contributory) → Government-funded. Contributory Pension → Individual + employer/government contribution. INDIA’S DEMOGRAPHIC & STRUCTURAL CHALLENGE Rapid ageing + Informalisation: Informal sector share among 55+: Women: 75.6% Men: 68% Consequence: No employer pensions. No assured retirement income. Continued old-age labour → poverty risk + dignity deficit. FIRST PHASE: WELFARE-BASED SOCIAL ASSISTANCE Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (1995) Target: BPL elderly (65+) Nature: Non-contributory Role: First national effort to assure minimum old-age income security. Expanded coverage and benefit levels over time. Limitation: Very low pension amount. No linkage to savings or investment behaviour. Old Pension Scheme (Pre-2004) For government employees. Defined benefit; fully state-funded. Problem: Heavy fiscal burden. Unsustainable with rising life expectancy. SECOND PHASE: SHIFT TO CONTRIBUTORY PENSIONS National Pension System (2004) Replaced OPS for new recruits. Features: Defined contribution. Market-linked returns. Applies to: Government employees. Corporate sector workers. Recent reform: NPS 2.0 100% equity option. Multiple Scheme Framework (MSF). Targets young, high-risk investors. Atal Pension Yojana (2015–16) For informal sector workers (18–40 years). Features: Monthly/quarterly/half-yearly contribution. Government guarantees minimum pension. Behavioural impact: Encourages formal savings culture. Improves retirement planning in low-income groups. THIRD PHASE: BRIDGING FORMAL–INFORMAL DIVIDE e-SHRAM portal National database of informal workers. Functions: Registration for welfare schemes. Eligibility discovery. Attempted integration into formal social security. Challenges: Aadhaar–bank–mobile linkage errors. Digital exclusion: 63% elderly cannot use the internet. Risk of exclusion errors > inclusion gains. ROLE OF LABOUR CODES IN PENSION SECURITISATION Uniform definition of wages: Basic pay ≥ 50% of total earnings. Direct impact: Higher: PF contribution, Gratuity, Pension base. Closes employer strategy of inflating allowances to reduce social security burden. POLICY EVOLUTION: SEQUENTIAL LOGIC Stage 1 – Welfare Protection: IGNOAPS, OPS. Stage 2 – Financial Behaviour Change: NPS, NPS 2.0. Stage 3 – Informal Inclusion: APY, e-SHRAM. Current Direction: Data-driven targeting + contributory security. CRITICAL GAPS Awareness deficit: 42% above 55 unaware of NPS. Coverage vs Access mismatch: Availability ≠ Effective utilisation. Digital divide: Elderly excluded from portal-based access. Pension adequacy: APY pension slabs insufficient for inflation-adjusted living. IMPACT ON FINANCIAL SYSTEM Promotes: Long-term household savings. Capital market deepening. Reduced old-age dependency ratio pressure over time. Shifts India: From welfare-centric pension state To participatory, market-linked social security state. Swap app mandates for digital literacy WHY IN NEWS ? The Union government withdrew its directive to mandatorily preload the ‘Sanchar Saathi’ app on every new smartphone after: Civil society backlash Political opposition Objections from digital rights groups The controversy sits at the intersection of: Exploding cyber fraud Expanding state surveillance capacity Right to privacy jurisprudence Relevance GS Paper II – Polity & Governance Right to Privacy under Article 21 and Puttaswamy doctrine Limits of executive power without statutory backing Surveillance vs civil liberties Citizen–State trust in digital governance GS Paper III – Internal Security & Cybersecurity Cyber fraud ecosystem and telecom security Digital arrest scams, OTP frauds, financial cybercrime Platform regulation and behavioural cybersecurity GS Paper IV – Ethics in Public Administration Informed consent and digital coercion Surveillance ethics vs public safety Technological paternalism vs citizen autonomy WHAT IS SANCHAR SAATHI? A telecom safety platform for: Reporting spam and fraud Blocking lost/stolen devices Checking mobile number misuse Operates through: Web portals SMS USSD codes Linked with the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) system. WHAT DID THE WITHDRAWN DIRECTIVE REQUIRE? Mandatory pre-installation on all new smartphones App: Could not be uninstalled Was visible on first boot Would receive over-the-air updates Reportedly sought access to: Phone SMS Location Effect: Transformed a voluntary safety tool into a system-level state surveillance interface CONSTITUTIONAL TEST: K.S. PUTTASWAMY (2017) Under K.S. Puttaswamy vs Union of India, any restriction on privacy must pass: Legality – Backed by law Necessity – No less intrusive alternative Proportionality – Least restrictive method Why the directive failed: Necessity failed: Same objectives already achieved via: Sanchar Saathi portals USSD codes SMS reporting 1909 spam helpline Proportionality failed: Permanent background access ≫ limited, on-demand verification Legality weak: No detailed parliamentary statute authorising forced installation CYBER FRAUD CONTEXT: SCALE OF THE PROBLEM Interpol estimate (2023): $1 trillion global loss due to online financial fraud India witnessing growth in: “Digital arrest” scams Investment frauds OTP-based account takeovers Key constitutional principle: “Serious problem” ≠ automatic justification for mass surveillance EXISTING INDIAN ANTI-FRAUD ECOSYSTEM (ALREADY IN PLACE) Sanchar Saathi + CEIR portals Telecom Regulatory Authority of India ‘DND’ app National 1909 short code for spam/fraud Privacy Warning from DND Experience: Earlier versions required access to: Call logs SMS data Apple blocked it for violating privacy safeguards. Only after system-level redesign was limited access allowed. Sanchar Saathi mandate repeated this mistake at a much larger scale. CYBERSECURITY RISK OF “PRIVILEGED APPS” A privileged, non-removable app: Becomes a high-value target for hackers If compromised: Enables lateral movement across millions of devices Cybersecurity research consensus: Widely deployed system components = single-point failure risks SURVEILLANCE STATE VS BEHAVIOURAL CYBERSECURITY Digital scams succeed through: Fear False authority Psychological manipulation Pure technological surveillance: Does not eliminate human vulnerability Risks normalising permanent monitoring Kenya Study (2023): Generic scam warnings: Did not improve scam detection ability Behaviour change must be: Continuous Culturally adapted Behaviour-specific INDIA’S EXISTING BEHAVIOURAL CYBER AWARENESS MODELS Reserve Bank of India e-BAAT outreach ‘RBI Kehta Hai’ mass media safety campaign Chhattisgarh cybersecurity awareness vans Telangana ‘Fraud Ka Full Stop’ campaign Reported 8% decline in cybercrime Police-bank mobile kiosks in: Tiruchi, Tamil Nadu Other urban centres CORE GOVERNANCE ISSUE Shift from: “What’s there to hide?” to “What’s there to see — and how is it being used?” Citizens treated as: Passive surveillance subjects Instead of: Active cybersecurity participants POLICY WAY FORWARD: THREE-PILLAR MODEL 1. Platform & Network Regulation Mandatory obligations on: Telecom firms Banks FinTech platforms For: Pattern detection Real-time fraud blocking Large-value transaction traceability 2. Robust Citizen Reporting & Redress Seamless: 1930 helpline App-based reporting Time-bound grievance disposal 3. Sustained Digital Public Education Not slogan-based Must be: Continuous Local-language Behaviour-specific Community-led Draft ISI Bill, 2025  WHY IN NEWS ? On September 25, 2025, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the Draft Indian Statistical Institute Bill, 2025. The Bill seeks to: Convert ISI from a “registered society” into a “statutory body corporate”. The move triggered: Protests by students and faculty Opposition by political parties (TMC, CPI-M) A letter by D. Ravikumar demanding withdrawal. Relevance GS Paper II – Polity, Governance & Federalism Autonomy of Institutions of National Importance Statutory bodies vs registered societies Centre–State relations and cooperative federalism Accountability vs independence dilemma WHAT IS THE INDIAN STATISTICAL INSTITUTE (ISI)? Founded in December 1931, Kolkata by P.C. Mahalanobis. Registered originally under: Societies Registration Act, 1860 Later under West Bengal Societies Registration Act, 1961. Declared an Institution of National Importance (INI) under: Indian Statistical Institute Act, 1959 Academic spread: ~1,200 students 6 centres across India Disciplines: Statistics, Mathematics, Economics, Computer Science, Operations Research, Cryptology, Quality Management. ISI’S STRATEGIC SIGNIFICANCE TO INDIA Backbone of India’s statistical governance architecture. Birthplace of: National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) → foundation of India’s official data ecosystem. Key contribution: Mahalanobis Model → Heavy-industry based planning. Global academic legacy: C.R. Rao S.R.S. Varadhan (Fields Medalist) Often linked with the Bengal Renaissance and scientific institution-building. WHAT DOES THE 2025 BILL PROPOSE? (A) Change in Legal Status From: Registered Society To: Statutory Body Corporate (B) New Governance Architecture Power concentrated in: Board of Governors (BoG) under Section 15. Earlier structure: 33-member Council 10 from ISI community (8 elected faculty, 1 worker, 1 scientific worker) Under 2025 Bill: Zero elected ISI representatives Dominated by Union Government nominees (C) Funding Model Shift Section 29: “Power to generate revenue” Student fees Consultancy Sponsored research Signals a shift towards corporate-style funding model WHY ARE ACADEMICIANS PROTESTING? 1. Loss of Institutional Autonomy Society model allowed: Independent Memorandum & Bye-laws Faculty-driven governance Statutory corporate model: Direct state control via BoG 2. Political Interference in Appointments All appointments routed through: Union Government-controlled BoG Fear of: Ideological capture Loyalty-based hiring over academic merit 3. Threat to Basic Research ISI’s strength: Long-gestation, non-commercial basic research Corporate funding logic: Favours short-term, revenue-generating projects Risks marginalising pure mathematics & statistics 4. Federalism Concerns Bypasses: West Bengal Societies Registration Act Seen as violating: Spirit of cooperative federalism 5. Democratic Deficit Over 1,500 academicians wrote to Rao Inderjit Singh (MoS, MoSPI). Students formed: Human chain protest in North Kolkata (B.T. Road campus). GOVERNMENT’S POSITION Objective: Make ISI a “world-leading institute” by its centenary in 2031. Justification: Four review committees examined ISI. Most recent chaired by R.A. Mashelkar (2020). Recommendations: Governance reforms Academic expansion Global competitiveness CORE POLICY DILEMMA Issue Government View Academicians’ View Legal Status Strong statutory backing Society model protects autonomy Governance Centralised professional management Democratic academic self-rule Funding Diversification via market Commercialisation of research Appointments Uniform national control Political interference risk CONSTITUTIONAL & GOVERNANCE DIMENSIONS Article 19(1)(g): Academic freedom & professional autonomy Federalism: Central law overriding state-registered societies Institutional independence: Similar debates seen in: Universities Regulatory bodies Research councils Deeper risk: Shift from knowledge institutions as public goods To knowledge institutions as corporate entities LIKELY POLITICAL TRAJECTORY Opposition parties: TMC CPI(M) Have vowed to: Oppose Bill if tabled in Parliament. Indicates: Possible Standing Committee scrutiny Legislative confrontation ahead BROADER IMPLICATIONS FOR INDIA Affects: Credibility of India’s statistical system Independence of official economic data Global trust in Indian research institutions Comes at a time when: Data transparency and methodological credibility are already under scrutiny. Brain-Stem Death (BSD) WHY IN NEWS ? Renewed debate on legal ambiguities in Brain-Stem Death (BSD) certification under the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994. India’s deceased organ donation rate remains critically low: India (2023): 0.77 donors per million Spain (2023): 49.38 donors per million ~5 lakh Indians die annually while waiting for organ transplants. Demand rising to: Expand the donor pool Remove legal-bureaucratic bottlenecks Clarify death certification & consent protocols Relevance : GS Paper III – Health Sector & Human Resource Development Public health system capacity: ICU infrastructure & trained transplant coordinators Organ donation as a resource optimisation strategy in healthcare Demand–supply gap in transplants and mortality burden Health system efficiency and end-of-life care management Medical technology, ventilator dependence and ICU rationing WHAT IS ORGAN TRANSPLANTATION LAW IN INDIA? Governed by: Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994 Covers two types of transplants: (A) Deceased Donor Transplant Organs retrieved from a person with certified Brain-Stem Death (BSD). Heart may still beat with ventilator support. Law legally recognises BSD as death. (B) Living Donor Transplant Organ removed from a healthy living person. Needs legal sanction because: Doctors are otherwise prohibited from removing healthy organs. WHAT IS BRAIN-STEM DEATH (BSD)? Defined under the 1994 Act as: “Permanent and irreversible cessation of all functions of the brain-stem.” Brain-stem controls: Breathing Consciousness Vital reflexes BSD = irreversible biological death, even if heart is artificially supported. WHY INDIA’S ORGAN TRANSPLANT PERFORMANCE IS POOR Extreme shortage of: ICU infrastructure BSD-certified hospitals Trained transplant coordinators Major bottlenecks: Legal confusion Bureaucratic controls Family consent delays Low public awareness Result: Massive organ-demand vs supply gap KEY LEGAL CONFUSIONS AROUND BSD Q1. Is BSD legally equivalent to cardiac death? Yes, under the 1994 Act: “Deceased person” includes: Death by brain-stem death Death by cardio-pulmonary failure Core legal phrase: “Permanent disappearance of all evidence of life” Therefore: BSD has full legal recognition as death Q2. Should life support continue if family refuses organ donation? Law: Only defines death Does not dictate post-death hospital actions Ethical-legal position: If no consent: Life support may be continued on family request But death certificate time is final If consent exists: Life support must continue temporarily to preserve organs Q3. Are two death certificates required? Current practice: BSD certificate issued first Fresh death certificate issued after organ harvest Legal position: Unnecessary duplication BSD certificate alone is sufficient for legal death registration LINK WITH DEATH REGISTRATION LAW Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969 Definition of death: “Permanent disappearance of all evidence of life.” Same core definition as 1994 Act. Form 4 (Death Registration Form): Separates: Cause of death Mode of death (heart failure, respiratory failure, etc.) BSD is interpreted as: Respiratory failure due to brain-stem damage Conclusion: No new amendment needed to register BSD legally. MAJOR LEGAL CONTRADICTION NEEDING AMENDMENT Section 14(1) of 1994 Act: BSD certification & organ retrieval allowed only in registered hospitals. Rule 5(1) & 5(2): BSD certification mandatory in every hospital with ICU, including: Non-transplant hospitals Provision What it Allows Section 14 Only registered hospitals Rule 5 All ICU hospitals Resulting Contradiction: This legally blocks universal BSD identification. CRITICAL NEED FOR LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENT Reform Required: Allow BSD certification and organ retrieval in all ICU-equipped hospitals. Restrict actual transplant surgery to: Registered transplant centres only. Why Essential: BSD commonly occurs in: Trauma Stroke Brain haemorrhage cases Most such deaths occur in: District hospitals Medical colleges Current law artificially shrinks the donor pool. BUREAUCRATIC BOTTLENECKS IN BSD CERTIFICATION Problem 1: Doctor Approval by Appropriate Authority (AA) Form 10 requires: 2 of the 4 certifying doctors to be AA-approved Issues: No special qualification criteria Cumbersome approval process Doctors reluctant to apply Effect: BSD certification gets delayed or avoided Reform Needed: Allow any registered specialist medical practitioner to certify BSD. Problem 2: No “Time of Death” in Form 10 A death certificate without time = legally incomplete Kerala Government (2020) solved this by: Defining time of death as: “Time when arterial pCO₂ reaches target value in second apnoea test” Other States still lack this clarity. Result: Legal uncertainty in death registration. CONSENT PROCESS: LEGAL SEQUENCING When should consent be sought? As per law: First → BSD must be diagnosed & certified Then only → Family approached for consent Legal tools: Form 8 (Declaration & Consent Form): Starts with: “Has been declared brain-stem dead/dead…” Confirms: Authorisation for organ removal after BSD certification Consent before BSD certification is legally incorrect. POLICY IMPORTANCE OF CLEAR BSD LAW Addresses three national priorities: Public health → Organ availability Medical ethics → End-of-life clarity Resource efficiency → ICU & ventilator optimisation Prevents: Indefinite ventilator occupation Medico-legal hesitation Family-doctor conflict National intelligence grid gains traction as Central agencies, police scour for information WHY IN NEWS ? National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) is now handling ~45,000 data access requests per month. At the 2024 DGPs’ Conference in Raipur, chaired by Narendra Modi, States were asked to scale up NATGRID usage in all investigations. Union Home Ministry directed States to liberally use NATGRID. Access expanded: From 10 Central agencies To Superintendent of Police (SP)-rank officers in States. Comes amid: 20.41 lakh cybersecurity incidents in 2024 (highest since 2020). Relevance : GS Paper III – Internal Security Counter-terrorism intelligence architecture Cybersecurity incidents and digital infrastructure protection Financial crime, narcotics, terror financing investigations Technology-driven policing GS Paper II – Polity & Governance Federalism in policing (State subject, Central platform) Executive powers, absence of statutory backing Oversight and accountability mechanisms WHAT IS NATGRID? A real-time, secured data access platform for: Police Intelligence agencies Investigative bodies Purpose: To integrate multiple government & private databases Enable fast, intelligence-led investigations Conceptualised in 2009 after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. Became fully operational in 2023–24. WHAT KIND OF DATA DOES NATGRID ACCESS? NATGRID enables real-time access to: Aadhaar data Driving licence & vehicle registration Airline passenger data Banking & financial transactions Telecom records Social media account metadata This allows multi-dimensional profiling for: Terror cases Financial crimes Narcotics Cybercrime Organised crime WHO CAN ACCESS NATGRID? Earlier Access (Only Central Agencies): Intelligence Bureau Research and Analysis Wing National Investigation Agency Enforcement Directorate Financial Intelligence Unit Narcotics Control Bureau Directorate of Revenue Intelligence Current Expansion: SP-rank State Police officers now included Marks a shift from Central-only intelligence to federal policing integration. WHY WAS NATGRID CREATED? Problem earlier: Agencies had to: Write letters Seek case-specific approvals Wait weeks for data Post-26/11 reform logic: Terror attacks exploited information silos NATGRID solves this by: Providing single-window, integrated access Eliminating: Inter-agency delays Jurisdictional bottlenecks OPERATIONAL ADVANTAGES No FIR required to access data. Enables: “Join-the-dots” investigations Preventive intelligence Financial trail mapping Reduces: Inter-agency dependency Tactical delays Critical for: Terror financing Cryptocurrency fraud Cross-border crime Cyber extortion CURRENT OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES Despite being designed as a real-time system, State police report: Slow login processes Delayed data retrieval Procedural friction Officers still dependent on manual follow-ups Indicates a gap between platform design and field usability. CYBERSECURITY CONTEXT India recorded: 20.41 lakh cyber incidents in 2024 Government concern: Repeated attempts to breach: Power grids Telecom networks Financial infrastructure NATGRID is now positioned as: A core digital internal security backbone GOVERNANCE & POLITICAL CONTEXT Originally conceptualised under P. Chidambaram (2009). Gained full momentum after 2019 under Amit Shah as Home Minister. Key governance change: Central–State trust deficit was resolved Enabled State police onboarding CONSTITUTIONAL & PRIVACY IMPLICATIONS NATGRID directly engages: Article 21 – Right to Privacy Doctrine from: Puttaswamy judgment (Legality, Necessity, Proportionality) Key Risks: Mass surveillance potential Profiling without judicial warrant No FIR requirement dilutes judicial oversight Data misuse risk in political or civil cases Lack of independent audit mechanism Security efficiency ↑ but privacy safeguards remain institutionally weak. FEDERALISM DIMENSION Policing is a State subject. NATGRID: Operates under Union Home Ministry control. Expansion to State police: Strengthens cooperative federalism But: Central platform still controls architecture, access logs, and audit COMPARISON WITH GLOBAL MODELS Country Platform Oversight USA Fusion Centers Strong Congressional + Judicial oversight UK GCHQ–NPCC systems Parliamentary Intelligence Committee India NATGRID Executive-controlled, weak statutory oversight CORE POLICY DILEMMA Security Objective Liberty Risk Faster crime detection Mass data aggregation Preventive intelligence Surveillance without suspicion Unified access Weak data minimisation WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE (REFORM AGENDA) ? Enact a dedicated NATGRID statutory law: Defines: Purpose limitation Data retention period Audit standards Mandatory: Independent oversight authority Judicial access logs Technical reforms: Faster access interfaces Tiered access control Parliamentary reporting on: Annual request volumes Misuse cases Breach audits Filaments WHY IN NEWS ? On December 3, researchers from the University of Oxford reported: Discovery of a ~50 million light-year-long galaxy filament. The filament shows aligned galaxy spins, suggesting that the entire filament itself is rotating. The team claims it may be: “One of the largest spinning structures ever observed in the universe.” This provides direct observational support to predictions made by cosmological simulations. Relevance : GS Paper III – Science & Technology Astrophysics and cosmology Dark matter and large-scale structure of the universe Observational astronomy and simulation-based science GS Paper I – Physical Geography (World Geography Interface) Large-scale structure of the universe Formation of galaxies and cosmic web WHAT ARE COSMIC / GALAXY FILAMENTS? Cosmic filaments are: The largest known structures in the universe. Thread-like formations forming the Cosmic Web. They are composed of: Dark matter Intergalactic gas Galaxies Typical scale: Tens to hundreds of millions of light-years They: Connect massive galaxy clusters Surround vast empty regions called voids STRUCTURE OF THE COSMIC WEB The large-scale universe is arranged into: Filaments → long, thread-like galaxy highways Walls/Sheets → flat, dense galaxy regions Nodes (Clusters) → intersections of filaments Voids → enormous empty regions  Together, these form the Cosmic Web, the universe’s fundamental large-scale architecture. HOW DO COSMIC FILAMENTS FORM? Originates from: Tiny density fluctuations just after the Big Bang Under the influence of gravity: Matter collapses into sheets Sheets intersect → filaments Filaments intersect → clusters Dominant driver: Dark Matter, which provides gravitational scaffolding Ordinary matter (gas + galaxies) follows dark matter distribution. WHY ARE FILAMENTS CALLED “COSMIC HIGHWAYS”? Gas and small galaxies: Flow along filaments toward massive galaxy clusters. This inflow: Feeds galaxy growth Triggers star formation Shapes galactic evolution over billions of years Hence, filaments decide: Where galaxies form How fast they grow How much fresh gas they receive HOW DO ASTRONOMERS DETECT FILAMENTS? By: Mapping positions and distances of thousands of galaxies Using redshift surveys Then: Tracing spatial clustering patterns Supported by: Large-scale computer simulations based on: Lambda-CDM Model of cosmology These simulations reproduce: Filaments, walls, voids, and clusters almost exactly as observed. WHAT EXACTLY DID THE OXFORD TEAM DISCOVER? A ~50 million light-year galaxy filament Traced by: At least 14 galaxies Unique feature: The galaxies’ axes of rotation are aligned with the filament’s direction Interpretation: The entire filament is slowly rotating as a coherent structure WHY IS ROTATION OF A FILAMENT IMPORTANT? Earlier belief: Filaments are static gravitational channels New result shows: Filaments can have large-scale angular momentum This supports: The theory that gravitational infall and tidal forces can spin up even gigantic cosmic structures It links: Galaxy-scale rotation → filament-scale rotation → cosmic-scale dynamics SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE Confirms that: Angular momentum exists at the largest observable scales Strengthens: Theoretical predictions from cosmological simulations Helps explain: Why galaxies in the same filament often show spin alignment Improves understanding of: Structure formation Galaxy evolution Dark matter dynamics IMPLICATIONS FOR COSMOLOGY Validates: The gravitational instability model of structure formation Improves: Precision in large-scale universe mapping Supports: The idea that: The universe evolved from tiny early ripples into a connected cosmic network