Content:

1. Is Artificial Intelligence Affecting Critical Thinking Skills?
2. The Academic Link Between Nepal and India
3. Govt. Launches AI Kosha, Repository of Data to Build Models and Tools
4. ₹1 Lakh Crore Fund to Stimulate Private Sector Research and Development Close to Approval
5. Harnessing Gut Microbiome to Halt Vitiligo

Is Artificial Intelligence affecting critical thinking skills?

Context : Impact of AI on Critical Thinking Skills

AI Usage in Education: A Growing Trend

• AI tools are increasingly integrated into classrooms worldwide.
• 61% of Indian educators already use AI tools in teaching.
• Concerns arise over students passively accepting AI-generated content without critical analysis.

Relevance : GS 3(Science , Technology)

Should AI Be Allowed in Classrooms?

• Yes, AI should be permitted as it is now an integral part of education.
• Contextual usage is key – AI’s role differs across disciplines (e.g., coding vs. humanities).
• Institutions should set ethical and responsible usage guidelines.
• AI should not replace cognitive skill development but complement learning.

AI as a Critical Part of Educational Infrastructure

• AI is becoming essential for learning, research, and administrative tasks.
• The Future of Jobs Report 2025 highlights AI skills as a key requirement.
• Secure integration is crucial to prevent misuse and data privacy concerns.
• The need for safety audits and regulation in AI adoption, especially in schools.

 Regulating AI: The Need for a Balanced Approach

• AI regulation should evolve alongside its technological advancements.
• While global universities have AI usage policies, Indian institutions are still in discussions.
• Institutions must develop ethical AI guidelines tailored to specific courses.
• The European Union has taken proactive steps, whereas India is still in the discussion phase.

Does AI Hinder Critical Thinking?

• Diverging views:
  • Some believe AI can complement critical thinking by assisting in analysis.
  • Others fear over-dependence on AI may reduce deep engagement with topics.
• Education must focus on balancing AI usage with critical thinking development.
• Responsible AI usage education is needed to ensure students and faculty understand its limitations.

The academic link between Nepal and India

Historical Academic Ties

• Nepal’s formal education system has deep connections with India, dating back to the Rana regime.
• Many Nepalese elites pursued education in Indian cities like Banaras, Patna, Darjeeling, Dehradun, and Gorakhpur.
• The first college in Nepal, Tri-Chandra College (1918), was initially affiliated with Calcutta University and later Patna University.

Relevance : GS 2(International Relations ,Education)

Influence of Colonial Legacy

• Nepal was never colonized, yet its education system was shaped by British India.
• Colonial influence was established through:
  • Affiliation of Nepalese institutions with Indian universities – limiting local academic autonomy.
  • Nepali instructors trained in Indian universities – reinforcing the colonial curriculum.
• Until 1959 (when Tribhuvan University was established), Nepal lacked postgraduate education.

Shift Towards Independent Education

• National Educational Planning Commission (NEPC) – 1954: Aimed to make education more relevant to Nepal’s national needs.
• New Education System Plan (NESP) – 1971: Revamped the education system for greater autonomy.
• Despite these efforts, Indian universities remain a key academic destination for Nepalese students.

Nepalese Students in Indian Institutions

• Nepal consistently contributes the highest number of foreign students in India.
• 2021-22 AISHE Data: 46,878 foreign students enrolled in India, 28% from Nepal.
• Preference for engineering, technology, and social sciences at IITs, IISc, and private institutes like KIIT.
• Presence in universities across India – from Kashmir to Kerala, NEHU to Gujarat Ayurveda University.

Challenges Faced by Nepalese Students in India

• Instances of discrimination, harassment, and lack of institutional support.
• KIIT incident (2024):
  • A Nepalese student died by suicide due to harassment, leading to protests.
  • University initially expelled Nepalese students but later withdrew the order after backlash.
  • Raised concerns over student safety and Indo-Nepal diplomatic ties.

Indo-Nepal Peace Treaty & Bilateral Concerns

• Article 6: Ensures national treatment for each other’s citizens.
• Article 7: Grants reciprocal privileges for residence, trade, movement, etc.
• Incidents like KIIT contradict the treaty and risk straining bilateral relations.

Higher Education as a Cultural Bridge

• Education fosters cross-border cultural capital and South Asian unity.
• Institutions must ensure equal treatment to foreign students to prevent alienation and discrimination.
• Differential treatment weakens the educational ethos, turning academia into a pedagogy of the oppressed.

Govt. launches AI Kosha, repository of data to build models and tools

• AI Kosha Initiative: A government-backed platform for non-personal datasets aimed at fostering AI model and tool development.
• Initial Dataset Count: Launched with 316 datasets, mainly supporting Indian language translation tools.
• IndiaAI Mission Alignment: AI Kosha is part of the ₹10,370 crore IndiaAI Mission, focusing on AI advancement.

Relevance : GS 3(Science ,Technology)

Compute Capacity & Infrastructure

• GPU Access Expansion:
  • 14,000 GPUs commissioned for shared access, an increase from 10,000 earlier this year.
  • More GPUs to be added quarterly to support AI model training.

Government’s AI Development Strategy

• Homegrown AI Model:
  • Government accelerating efforts to develop an indigenous foundational AI model.
  • Inspired by China’s DeepSeek, which achieved success at lower costs than U.S. firms (OpenAI, Google).
  • High interest from startups in leveraging India-specific AI solutions.

Dataset Categories in AI Kosha

• Translation & Linguistic Tools: Majority of datasets aimed at improving Indian language AI models.
• Other Data Sources:
  • Telangana Open Data Initiative (health-related data).
  • 2011 Census Data.
  • Satellite Imagery from Indian satellites.
  • Meteorological and Pollution Data.

Past Government Data Initiatives

• Open Governance Data Platform:
  • 12,000+ datasets hosted by data.gov.in from multiple government agencies.
  • Ministries and departments have designated Chief Data Officers to facilitate dataset contributions.

• 2018 Non-Personal Data Committee:
  • Explored making private sector data (e.g., ride-sharing traffic data) accessible for startups & policy use.
  • Faced pushback from tech industry over data-sharing concerns.
  • Debate on non-personal data preceded the LLM (Large Language Model) boom, such as ChatGPT.

Significance & Challenges

• Significance:
  • Encourages AI innovation using publicly available data.
  • Supports startups, academia, and government in developing AI tools.
  • Strengthens AI ecosystem with better compute power and data access.

• Challenges:
  • Private sector resistance to data sharing remains unresolved.
  • Data quality and availability across diverse domains need continuous enhancement.
  • Evaluation frameworks for foundational AI models still evolving.

₹1 lakh crore fund to stimulate private sector research and development close to approval

• Objective: Stimulate private sector investment in core research and development (R&D).
• Fund Size: ₹1 lakh crore, primarily in the form of low-interest, long-term loans.
• Administering Body: Likely to be handled by the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF).

Relevance : GS 3(Research and Development)

• Eligibility:
  • Private sector companies (not universities or academic institutes).
  • Focus on commercial product development, not fundamental or blue-sky research.
  • Consortiums with academia may participate if led by private entities.

• Loan Structure:
  • Nearly zero per cent interest.
  • Tenure of 5-7 years.
  • Evaluated by a professional body, not DST.

Comparative R&D Investment Trends

• India’s R&D investment:
  • <1% of GDP (0.65%) – significantly lower than scientifically advanced nations (1.5%-3%).
  • Private sector contribution: 30%-36% of total R&D expenditure.

• Global benchmarks:
  • USA: Private sector contributes 75% of R&D spending.
  • China: Private sector contributes 77%.

Strategic Focus Areas

• Sector agnostic, but likely to prioritize:
  • Space technology
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Automobile sector
  • Energy
• Exclusion: Service industries (e.g., IT sector) will not be eligible.

Government’s Role & Financial Allocation

• Initial allocation: ₹20,000 crore to the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
• ANRF’s long-term goal: ₹50,000-crore corpus with ₹36,000 crore from non-government sources.
• Comparison to PLI scheme: Functions similarly to Production Linked Incentive (PLI) but focused on R&D.

Significance of the Initiative

• Encourages industry-led R&D by reducing financial risks.
• Boosts innovation and intellectual property creation in India.
• Bridges India’s R&D investment gap compared to leading economies.
• Strengthens India’s position in high-tech industries like pharmaceuticals, space, and energy.

Harnessing gut microbiome to halt vitiligo

Understanding Vitiligo

• Vitiligo is a chronic autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks melanocytes, leading to depigmented white patches on the skin.
• While primarily cosmetic, it can lead to psychological distress due to social stigma.
• It has been linked to cardiovascular diseases, endocrine disorders, and mental health issues.

Relevance : GS 2(Health)

Prevalence of Vitiligo

• Affects 0.5% to 2% of the global population.
• In India, reported between 0.25% and 4% among dermatology outpatients.
• Higher prevalence in Gujarat and Rajasthan (up to 8.8%).

Role of Gut Microbiome in Vitiligo

• Research from Northwestern University suggests that a microbial compound derived from gut-friendly bacteria may slow vitiligo progression.
• Pre-clinical trials on vitiligo-prone mice showed that a weekly administered microbial compound:
  • Reduced pigment loss by 74%.
  • Suppressed harmful killer T cells that attack pigment cells.
  • Increased regulatory T cells, which are typically deficient in vitiligo patients.

Potential Implications of the Study

• Could be a breakthrough treatment if validated through double-blind, randomized clinical trials.
• The microbial compound may work alone or in combination with existing therapies.
• Early intervention is crucial; effects may not be as strong in advanced vitiligo cases.

Challenges and Future Prospects

• Human clinical trials are needed to confirm safety, effectiveness, and long-term outcomes.
• Understanding the mechanism of gut-skin interaction in vitiligo treatment.
• Potential for developing new microbiome-based therapies for other autoimmune disorders.

Conclusion

• The study highlights the gut-skin connection and offers hope for vitiligo treatment.
• If successful, microbiome-based interventions could become a non-invasive and effective therapy for millions affected by vitiligo