Content

1. The vision of Model Youth Gram Sabhas
2. Cruising ahead

The vision of Model Youth Gram Sabhas

 Why in News ?

• The Ministry of Panchayati Raj, in collaboration with the Ministries of Education and Tribal Affairs and the Aspirational Bharat Collaborative, launched the Model Youth Gram Sabha (MYGS) 2025.
• Aim: To cultivate civic participation, local leadership, and awareness of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) among students by simulating real Gram Sabha proceedings.

Relevance:

• GS-2 (Governance & Polity): Local governance, participatory democracy, 73rd Amendment.
• GS-1 (Society): Role of youth and civic engagement in nation-building.

Practice Question :

• Discuss how the Model Youth Gram Sabha initiative can strengthen the democratic fabric of India by bridging the gap between constitutional ideals and civic practice.(150 Words)

Constitutional & Institutional Basis

• Article 243A (73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992):
  Empowers the Gram Sabha to function as the foundational body of the Panchayati Raj System.
• Definition: Comprises all registered voters of a village; deliberates on local budgets, plans, and governance priorities.
• Significance:
  • Embodies direct democracy.
  • Ensures transparency, accountability, and citizen participation at the grassroots.

Gram Sabha – Cornerstone of Participatory Democracy

• Role in Democratic Architecture:
  • Equivalent in importance to Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha, but at the village level.
  • Represents the purest form of democracy—citizens directly deliberate on governance.
• Current Challenge:
  • Low public participation; especially minimal youth engagement.
  • Poor visibility in educational curricula compared to global institutions like the Model United Nations (MUN) or Youth Parliament.

Why the Gram Sabha Isn’t Aspirational ?

• Educational Gap:
  • School syllabi emphasize national and international governance structures, ignoring local self-governance.
• Perception Problem:
  • Youths aspire to Parliament, not Panchayats; governance is seen as top-down.
• Cultural Disconnect:
  • Civic education treats the Gram Sabha as an administrative formality, not a living democratic experience.

Model Youth Gram Sabha (MYGS), 2025 – Key Features

• Objective:
  • To make Gram Sabha participation experiential and aspirational among students.
  • To instil democratic values and civic responsibility at an early age.
• Structure & Simulation:
  • Students play roles of Sarpanch, ward members, health workers, engineers, etc.
  • Simulate budget discussions, policy resolutions, and village development planning.
  • Supported by teacher training and performance incentives (certificates, awards).

• Phase 1 Implementation (2025):
  • Coverage: 1,000 schools across 28 States and 8 Union Territories.
  • Institutions:
    • 600+ Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs)
    • 200 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs)
    • Selected Zilla Parishad Schools (e.g., Maharashtra)
  • Teacher Training:
    • 126 Master Trainers
    • 1,238 Teachers trained (24 States/UTs).
• Pilot Successes:
  • JNV Baghpat (U.P.) and EMRS Alwar (Rajasthan) conducted successful pilots.
  • JNV Sitapur (Bundi, Rajasthan) involved 300+ students in mock deliberations.

Planned Expansion (Phase 2)

• Nationwide scale-up to include all state-run schools.
• Integration into civics curricula and extracurricular clubs.
• Collaboration with NCERT, NIOS, and State Education Boards for curricular embedding.

Pedagogical & Civic Significance

• Experiential Learning: Converts textbook civics into lived democratic practice.
• Leadership Incubation: Encourages youth leadership, teamwork, and critical debate.
• Local Governance Awareness: Builds appreciation for Panchayati Raj Institutions.
• Civic Values: Reinforces the constitutional ideals of participation, inclusion, and responsibility.

Broader Democratic Implications

• Bridging the Governance Gap:
  • Connects citizens to governance at the most immediate level—village decision-making.
• Institutional Continuity:
  • Youth familiar with Gram Sabha functions are more likely to engage in real ones later.
• Towards Viksit Bharat @2047:
  • Strengthens bottom-up governance, key for achieving inclusive and sustainable development.
• Complementary to Other Initiatives:
  • Aligns with National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 (experiential learning, civic education).
  • Supports Aspirational District Programme by nurturing local changemakers.

Challenges & Way Forward

• Challenges:
  • Need for standardized curriculum integration.
  • Varying levels of teacher capacity across states.
  • Sustaining student enthusiasm beyond simulation.
• Way Forward:
  • Institutionalize MYGS in school civics clubs.
  • Include evaluation metrics for civic participation.
  • Strengthen linkages with actual Gram Sabhas for field exposure.
  • Recognize student participation in national awards and scholarships.

Comparative Insight

• Model United Nations (MUN) → Builds global awareness.
• Model Youth Parliament → Builds national political literacy.
• Model Youth Gram Sabha (MYGS) → Builds grassroots democratic consciousness.
  • Complements top-down democratic learning with bottom-up engagement.

Conclusion

• The Gram Sabha is the soul of India’s democracy, yet under-recognized.
• The Model Youth Gram Sabha revives this spirit by linking youth aspiration with local governance.
• By nurturing civic pride, participatory values, and local leadership, it transforms democracy from a constitutional concept to a daily practice.
• As future leaders emerge from classrooms that simulate real governance, the Gram Sabha could once again become the beating heart of Indian democracy.

Cruising ahead

Why in News ?

• The India Maritime Week 2025, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, underscored the government’s renewed focus on the strategic and economic importance of India’s shipping sector.
• The event marked a shift from decades of neglect under liberalisation policies to viewing shipping as critical to national security, trade sovereignty, and industrial capacity.

Relevance:

• GS-3 (Infrastructure, Economy, Maritime Transport) – Port-led development, Sagarmala, Atmanirbhar Bharat.
• GS-2 (Governance) – Strategic autonomy and public sector role in critical infrastructure.

Practice Question :

• Critically assess the impact of liberalization policies on India’s shipping sector and how recent policy interventions seek to restore strategic autonomy.(250 Words)

Background: Evolution and Decline of Indian Shipping

• Pre-liberalisation (1950s–1980s):
  • India built strong public sector capabilities through the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI).
  • SCI was among the top global shipping companies, owning large fleets servicing India’s oil, coal, and trade sectors.

• Post-liberalisation decline (1990s–2010s):
  • Under LPG reforms, government withdrew preferential treatment to SCI (e.g., first rights on oil transport).
  • Private sector entry did not compensate for shrinking public fleet capacity.
  • The government’s focus shifted toward training Indian seafarers for global employment, not domestic shipping growth.
  • Result: By 2020, India’s share in global shipping tonnage dropped below 1%, while dependence on foreign vessels surged.

COVID-19: A Strategic Wake-Up Call

• The pandemic exposed India’s maritime vulnerability:
  • Over 90% of India’s trade by volume and 70% by value depends on shipping.
  • But most vessels were foreign-owned, leaving India with little leverage to ensure supply chain continuity.
• The crisis highlighted shipping as not just an economic sector but a strategic asset, vital for energy security, defense logistics, and trade resilience.

Government’s Renewed Maritime Focus

• Strategic Repositioning:
  • Shipping is now treated as “dual-purpose infrastructure” — economic + strategic.
  • SCI revival: Fleet expansion, fleet modernization, and new capital infusion after the aborted privatization plan.

• Policy Orientation Shift:
  • From a purely market-liberal approach to strategic interventionism.
  • Aim: Develop self-reliant merchant shipping aligned with Atmanirbhar Bharat and Maritime India Vision 2030.

Major Announcements at India Maritime Week

• Port-Centric Investments:
  • Lakhs of crores in investment commitments — mainly in port modernization and connectivity.
  • Government follows the Landlord Port Model:
    • Ports retain ownership; private operators handle terminals under revenue-sharing.
    • Enhances financial autonomy for reinvestment in capacity building.
• New Transshipment Hubs:
  • Chennai Port and Kolkata Port developing a hub in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands to reduce reliance on Singapore/Colombo.
• Sagarmala & Bharatmala Synergy:
  • Focus on port-road-rail integration, coastal cargo corridors, and logistics parks.
• Human Capital Development:
  • Expansion of Indian seafarer training capacity to maintain India’s global leadership (Indian seafarers form ~10% of global maritime workforce).

Policy Initiatives for Shipping Industry

• Flagging Incentive Scheme:
  • Encourages foreign companies to register ships in India via local subsidiaries.
  • Objective:
    • Ensure regulatory leverage during crises.
    • Support allied services — insurance, repair, logistics, bunkering.
• Fleet Expansion Support:
  • New credit lines and tonnage tax reforms to enhance Indian ship ownership.
• Shipbuilding Push:
  • Slow progress despite policy intent.
  • Government aims to promote domestic shipyards for building:
    • LNG carriers,
    • Green-fuel (ammonia/methanol) vessels,
    • Defence dual-use ships.

Structural Challenges

• Low Merchant Fleet Share: India-owned fleet constitutes <2% of cargo handled in Indian ports.
• Shipbuilding Weakness:
  • India ranks behind China, Japan, South Korea in global shipbuilding output.
  • Limited heavy industrial capacity and R&D for advanced propulsion systems.
• Financing Constraints:
  • High capital costs and long project cycles deter private investment.
• Policy Uncertainty:
  • Frequent regulatory changes, port user charges, and taxation issues limit competitiveness.

Strategic Importance of a Strong Shipping Sector

• Trade Security: Control over transport of critical imports (oil, fertilizers, defense materials).
• Economic Multiplier: Boosts allied industries — steel, engineering, insurance, logistics.
• Energy Transition Leverage: Capability to build LNG and green-fuel vessels essential for future trade.
• Geopolitical Stability: Maritime capacity enhances India’s position in Indo-Pacific strategic supply chains.

The Road Ahead: Policy Recommendations

• Revive and modernize SCI with a diversified fleet mix.
• Fiscal incentives for private shipbuilders (interest subvention, long-term contracts).
• Green Shipping Initiative under National Hydrogen Mission for eco-friendly propulsion systems.
• Maritime Cluster Development: Create integrated hubs combining shipbuilding, repair, logistics, and R&D.
• Expand coastal shipping and inland waterways to decongest ports and reduce logistics costs (currently ~14% of GDP).

Conclusion

• India’s maritime strategy is shifting from port-centric to fleet-centric development.
• Without strong indigenous ship ownership and shipbuilding, India risks dependence in crises despite having world-class ports.
• True maritime power will emerge when Indian yards can build and operate advanced green vessels, and India controls a self-reliant merchant fleet serving both commercial and strategic needs.