Content:

1. Indian astronaut in space after 41-year gap, on mission to ISS
2. Enabling voting rights for migrants
3. State- and sex-wise liver disease data hint at underlying factors
4. Should the method of counting caste change?
5. Chemotherapy drugs made by Indian firms fail quality tests, shows study
6. New platform helped with faster update of turnout trends: EC
7. When cities have trees that don’t belong, the birds notice

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Indian astronaut in space after 41-year gap, on mission to ISS

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Mission Overview: Axiom-4 Launch

• Historic Milestone: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla becomes the first Indian to reach space since Rakesh Sharma (1984), and first Indian to board the ISS.
• Launch Details:
  • Launched on June 26, 2025 (IST) from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
  • Vehicle: SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
  • Spacecraft: Dragon crew capsule (commercial, reusable).
• Duration & Activities:
  • Total mission span: 14 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
  • Crew Composition: Astronauts from India, U.S., Poland, and Hungary.
  • Objectives include scientific research (60+ activities), STEM outreach, and commercial engagements.

Relevance : GS 3(Space , Science)

Significance for India’s Space Programme

• Symbolic Launch of India’s Human Spaceflight Era:
  • Shukla called this “the start of India’s human space programme”—signalling a formal operational step toward the indigenous Gaganyaan mission (planned 2027).
• Skill & Knowledge Transfer:
  • Provides critical insights on life support, crew management, microgravity research, and ISS-standard procedures—vital for designing Gaganyaan’s crew module, mission control systems, and astronaut training protocols.

Scientific & Technological Value

• Participation in Global Science:
  • Ax-4 mission includes 60 experiments across 31 countries, many of which involve life sciences, material sciences, and human physiology—a collaborative platform for India.

• ISRO’s Role:
  • 8 experiments contributed by ISRO and Indian academic institutions—potential validation of Indian payloads in microgravity.

• Microgravity Research:
  • The data from Ax-4 could feed into human adaptation models, crucial for long-term crewed missions (e.g., Moon, Mars).

Strategic & Diplomatic Implications

• Space Diplomacy:
  • First instance of India joining a multilateral crewed space mission, strengthening ties with NASA, SpaceX, and the Axiom Space ecosystem.
  • Enhances India’s standing in global space partnerships, especially with countries seeking alternatives to China-led collaborations.

• Bilateral Cooperation Potential:
  • May open avenues for U.S.-India collaboration on future missions—e.g., NASA offering support in Gaganyaan, or co-developing tech with SpaceX or Blue Origin.

Cost & Policy Dimensions

• ₹548 crore investment for the seat and advanced training (includes backup astronaut Prasanth Nair).
• Falls within India’s broader ₹20,200 crore Gaganyaan budget, but raises questions on:
  • Transparency in cost-benefit analysis.
  • The need for clearer public communication on strategic rationale by ISRO/Department of Space.
• Commercial Space Trend:
  • Part of India’s move toward leveraging private space platforms—a step toward ISRO-private sector synergies.

Forward Trajectory for ISRO

• Key Learnings for Gaganyaan:
  • Operations, safety standards, mission readiness, crew psychological management.
• Institutional Expectations:
  • Greater transparency, public engagement, and long-term visioning expected from ISRO.
• Urgency Post-ISS Era:
  • ISS likely to be decommissioned by 2030. India must develop independent or collaborative space station capabilities (e.g., Bharatiya Antariksha Station announced for 2035).

Conclusion

• The Ax-4 mission marks a symbolic and strategic inflection point in India’s space journey.
• Beyond technological validation, it tests India’s readiness for global space leadership, requiring policy clarity, institutional coordination, and private-public synergy in the coming decade.

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Enabling voting rights for migrants

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Context: Bihar, Migration, and Low Turnout

• Bihar’s Out-Migration Profile:
  • One of the highest out-migration states in India.
  • Over 50% of households experience migration, mostly for work.

• Voter Turnout Concerns:
  • Bihar’s voter turnout in 2024 Lok Sabha elections was 56%, significantly below the national average of 66%.
  • Migration is cited as a key factor reducing electoral participation.

Relevance : GS 2(Elections ,Social Issues)

Patterns and Complexity of Migration

• India-wide Migration Stats (2021):
  • 28.9% overall migration rate.
  • Majority of women migrate for marriage, while 10% migrate for work, especially in Bihar and eastern India.

• Types of Migrants:
  • Intra-State Migrants (≈85%): Often in informal sectors and travel within state boundaries.
  • Inter-State Migrants: Harder to reach due to geographic and logistical barriers.

Challenges in Voting Access for Migrants

• Disenfranchisement Risks:
  • Migrants often can’t travel home during elections due to distance, cost, or employment conditions.
  • Lack of suitable voting mechanisms effectively denies many their right to vote.

Proposed Mechanisms and Their Prospects

Statutory Holiday + Transport for Intra-State Migrants

• Mechanism: Enforce paid holiday on polling day + arrange special buses.
• Benefit: Enables short-distance travel to home constituencies.
• Challenge: Needs coordination with employers, especially in the informal sector.

Postal Ballot System

• Inspired by: Armed forces voting system.
• Mechanism: Migrants pre-register, ECI issues and collects ballots.
• Benefit: Could be efficient for inter-state migrants if managed well.
• Challenge: Requires extensive advance planning and bureaucratic capacity.

Shifting Constituencies

• Mechanism: Long-term migrants register at place of current residence.
• Benefit: Empowers migrants as local political stakeholders.
• Challenge: May face local opposition; needs clear proof of residence.

Remote Voting Machines (RVMs)

• ECI pilot (2023): RVMs capable of handling votes for up to 72 constituencies.
• Political Concerns:
  • Transparency and credibility issues raised.
  • Code of Conduct enforcement where migrants reside remains a grey area.
• Operational Difficulty:
  • ECI would need to install multiple RVMs per city, especially for states like Bihar with 243 Assembly constituencies.
  • Data collection and coordination must begin months in advance.

Women Migrants: A Special Case

• Women migrating after marriage often don’t re-register in new constituencies.
• Targeted voter awareness and registration drives needed to include them in local electoral rolls.

Why a Mixed Approach is Needed

• Heterogeneity of migrants demands multi-pronged solutions.
  • Temporary vs permanent, intra- vs inter-state, skilled vs unskilled.
• No one-size-fits-all mechanism; ECI needs to combine:
  • Postal ballots
  • RVMs (long-term solution with fine-tuning)
  • Transport/logistical support
  • Flexible re-registration norms

Policy Implications & the Way Forward

• Strengthen migrant inclusivity to uphold democratic ideals.
• Empower migrant workers politically, helping demand better living/work conditions.
• More research and pilot studies needed on:
  • Voting behaviours of migrants
  • Feasibility of tech-based interventions (RVMs, e-postal ballots)
• Build stakeholder consensus — ECI, political parties, civil society, and employers — to implement any voting reform successfully.

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State- and sex-wise liver disease data hint at underlying factors

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Rising Burden of Liver Disease in India

• Liver diseases have emerged as a major public health concern in India.
• In 2022, liver diseases made digestive system illnesses the 8th leading cause of death, a jump from previous years.
• This marks a notable epidemiological shift, highlighting changing lifestyle and health patterns.

Relevance : GS 2(Health , Governance)

Sex-Based Trends

• Men are disproportionately affected:
  • Male deaths from digestive diseases in 2022 were 3.5 times higher than female deaths.
  • This male-to-female mortality ratio is the highest since 2016.
• Liver disease’s share among digestive deaths:
  • 75% of male digestive deaths were liver-related.
  • For women, it was 57.5%, with the figure remaining between 52–57% from 2012–2022.
• Implication: Indicates possible sex-linked behavioural or biological risk factors.

Age-Wise Distribution (2022)

• Men:
  • Liver disease mortality peaks in the 35–54 age group.
  • Suggests early onset of risk factors like alcohol and lifestyle issues.
• Women:
  • 30% of female deaths from digestive diseases occurred in the 65+ age group.
  • Likely indicates age-related liver complications rather than lifestyle-induced disease.

State-Level Insights

• Sikkim has the highest proportion of certified deaths from digestive diseases (~20%).
• North-Eastern states show a distinct trend:
  • Five states record >10% deaths due to digestive diseases — the highest regional cluster.
  • No other Indian region shows such high percentages.
• Insight: Strong regional variation demands targeted public health responses.

Behavioural Risk Factors

• Alcohol Consumption:
  • Only 1% of women vs. 19% of men consume alcohol in India (NFHS data).
  • Aligns with high male liver disease burden in middle age.
• Meat Consumption:
  • Excessive intake is also linked to liver disease.
  • Combined alcohol + meat consumption is highest in North-East India, potentially explaining regional spikes.
• Inference: Strong correlation (not causation) between diet/lifestyle and liver disease trends.

Need for More Research

• While patterns are clear, the evidence is correlational.
• There is no established causation between alcohol/meat and liver disease mortality yet.
• Call to Action:
  • Invest in epidemiological studies.
  • Map risk factors by age, sex, and region for policy design.

Policy & Health System Implications

• Early detection and awareness programmes targeting middle-aged men are crucial.
• Region-specific interventions (especially in North-East) are needed.
• Health infrastructure must be adapted to deal with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like liver disorders.
• Behaviour change communication (BCC) on alcohol and meat consumption should be tailored to demographics and regions.

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Should the method of counting caste change?

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Structure of the Upcoming Census (2026–27)

• Two-phase process:
  • House-listing phase (2026): Lists all dwellings, housing quality, amenities, and assets.
  • Population enumeration phase (2027): Collects demographic and socio-economic information — including caste data (for the first time since 1941).

• First caste enumeration since 1941:
  • 1941 data couldn’t be processed due to WWII.
  • The 1931 Census remains the last usable caste data set.

Relevance : GS 2(Governance , Social Issues)

Why Caste Enumeration?

• PM Modi has stated it is meant to bring marginalised communities into the mainstream.
• Aims to identify disparities across castes to inform inclusive policy-making.
• However, current Census design may not support this goal without restructuring.

Key Gaps in Existing Census Design

• Questionnaire Limitations:
  • Earlier caste questions limited to Scheduled Castes (SCs).
  • No questions on OBCs or other castes in prior censuses.
• Proposed changes for 2027:
  • Extend caste questions to all non-ST populations.
  • Update digital data collection software and enumerator instructions.

Data Quality & Interpretation Issues

• Unemployment data flawed:
  • Based on vague, year-long reference to “seeking/available for work”.
  • Poor conceptual clarity and execution since 1981.

• Childbirth and survival data:
  • Quality concerns; better captured by NFHS surveys.
  • Not useful for reliable caste-wise analysis.

• Migration data weak:
  • Many migrants undercounted or not identified as migrants.
  • Weakens analysis of caste-mobility dynamics.

Household Linkage Problem

• Current phase gap (6–9 months) between house-listing and population enumeration:
  • Linking housing data with personal details (like caste) becomes error-prone.
  • Especially affects urban poor and smaller communities.

• Solution proposed:
  • Transfer housing, amenities, and asset questions from house-listing to population enumeration.
  • Enables better integration and analysis of socio-economic data by caste.

Missed Analytical Opportunities

• Without restructuring, Census cannot answer key policy questions:
  • E.g., literacy rates of persons in kutcha houses by caste.
  • Workforce patterns among urban poor across castes.
• Restructuring needed to allow such disaggregated, caste-wise insights.

Need to Make Census Leaner

• Remove redundant questions to enhance accuracy and focus:
  • Ownership of mobiles/computers and bank accounts may no longer be vital.
• A shorter questionnaire:
  • Improves efficiency and quality of responses.
  • Reduces enumerator fatigue and respondent confusion.

Way Forward for Policy Use

• Past caste-wise data on socio-economic indicators underutilized.
• Upcoming caste data should:
  • Be used for identifying Most Backward Castes/Tribes.
  • Go beyond reservation quotas — inform targeted welfare policies.
• Despite practical limitations, Census remains the best tool for comprehensive nationwide caste data.

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Chemotherapy drugs made by Indian firms fail quality tests, shows study

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Key Findings from the Study

• A University of Notre Dame study tested 189 chemotherapy drug samples across countries.
• ~20% of samples failed quality checks — posing risks of ineffective treatment or toxic side effects.
• 16 of 17 failed drug manufacturers were India-based.
• Failed drugs were exported to over 100 countries, including Nepal, Ethiopia, U.S., U.K., and Saudi Arabia.

Relevance : GS 2(Health , Governance )

Drugs & Manufacturers Under Scrutiny

• Venus Remedies: All 8 samples of its cyclophosphamide failed.
  • Claimed test results were not “scientifically plausible”.
  • Blamed storage conditions, denied receiving complaints.

• Zuvius Lifesciences, GLS Pharma, and Zee Laboratories:
  • Supplied poor-quality drugs to 40+ countries.
  • Did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

• Deviation from international testing standards was alleged by manufacturers, but:
  • Study leader Marya Lieberman defended the methodology.
  • Testing was peer-reviewed and followed standard practices.

 

Types of Drug Failures

• Too little active ingredient: Rendered the medicine ineffective.
• Too much active ingredient: Posed risk of organ damage or death.
• Case evidence:
  • Doctors noted patients becoming unresponsive to treatment or suffering extreme side effects.
  • Some were forced to discontinue chemotherapy due to toxicity.

Global Regulatory Gaps

• More than two-thirds of countries cannot assure medicine quality.
• Nepal:
  • One of the largest importers of the failed drugs.
  • No capacity to test cancer drugs.
  • Has never recalled any cancer drug despite external evidence.
• Patients have no visibility on drug quality; no accountability mechanisms in place.

India: Major Supplier, Questionable Oversight

• India is the world’s largest generic drug manufacturer.
• Activists like Dinesh Thakur allege:
  • Indian drug regulation protects industry more than patients.
  • Enforcement is inconsistent and weak.
• The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO):
  • Claims failing drugs are recalled, and legal action is taken.
  • Lacks transparency on actual recall data or prosecutions.

High Stakes for Patients

• In low-income countries (e.g., Ethiopia), patients save for months or years to afford treatment.
• Receiving a faulty drug can be financially and emotionally devastating.
• Chemotherapy is already physically taxing; substandard drugs worsen outcomes.

Larger Implications

• Highlights failure of international drug surveillance systems, including the WHO.
• Raises concerns over reliance on generic exports from countries with poor regulatory capacity.
• Calls for:
  • Stronger cross-border pharmacovigilance.
  • International accountability mechanisms.
  • Investment in regulatory infrastructure in importing countries.

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New platform helped with faster update of turnout trends: EC

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What Is ECINET?

• ECINET is a new digital platform developed by the Election Commission (EC).
• Aimed at speeding up data entry, verification, and dissemination during and after elections.
• First piloted in by-elections across four States earlier this month.

Relevance : GS (Elections -Reforms)

Key Functional Improvements

• Voter turnout trends were uploaded directly by presiding officers.
  • Replaced the manual paper-based process, leading to real-time updates.
• Index Cards — summaries of election results per constituency — were published within 72 hours.
  • Earlier, this process took several days due to manual data verification.

Impact of ECINET

• Faster and more transparent dissemination of election data.
• Reduces bureaucratic delay and potential for human error in tabulation.
• Enhances accountability, especially in the publication of post-election statistics.

Broader Significance

• ECINET is part of the digitisation push by the EC to modernise election operations.
• If successful, it could:
  • Become the standard model for future Assembly and General Elections.
  • Lead to digitised electoral roll verification, faster result auditing, and increased transparency.
• However, political parties still demand more accountability tools, indicating digital tech alone isn’t enough to assure electoral fairness.

When cities have trees that don’t belong, the birds notice

Urban Heat and Biodiversity Decline

• Climate change + urbanisation is leading to rising temperatures and declining green cover in Indian cities, notably Bengaluru.
• Heat islands (urban zones hotter than surroundings) show significantly lower bird diversity.
• Biodiversity is clustered in areas with more tree cover and less heat, showing strong correlation between microclimate and species richness.

Relevance : GS 3(Environment and Ecology)

Bird Diversity Findings from the Study

• Study by IIHS researchers used eBird data and satellite heat models.
• Bengaluru, with over 350 bird species, sees sharp drops in diversity where tree cover declines or heat increases.
• Not all birds benefit from more trees — some open habitat species thrive where tree density is lower.

Tree Cover: Quality Matters More Than Quantity

• Mere increase in tree cover doesn’t guarantee more biodiversity.
• 77% of Bengaluru’s tree cover is exotic, not supporting native fauna.
• Invasive ornamental trees (e.g., Jacaranda, Tabebuia) are visually appealing but harm local ecosystems and can exacerbate allergies and reduce insect biodiversity.

Problems with Tree Plantation Drives

• Many afforestation efforts ignore local ecological history and plant non-native species.
• Cities like Pune originally had savannahs, grasslands, and wetlands, now replaced by tree plantations.
• Simplistic “tree = green = good” logic is flawed — restoration needs native diversity, not just tree count.

What Should Urban Biodiversity Planning Involve?

• Move away from one-size-fits-all tree planting; consider historical land-use and local ecosystem types.
• Include native grasses, herbs, shrubs, and wetland species alongside trees.
• Mixed approach needed: small gardens, isolated trees, green corridors, wetlands, and large parks.

Ecological & Social Equity

• Poor and marginalised communities are most affected by heat stress and lack of green spaces.
• Urban biodiversity planning must serve both ecology and equity.
• Increasing access to green spaces is vital — some public parks restrict entry, worsening inequity.

Key Takeaways for Policy & Practice

• Tree planting must be strategic and ecologically informed.
• City biodiversity plans should have clear goals, zonal strategies, and native species focus.
• Heat mitigation and biodiversity conservation can be aligned — if done wisely