Contents :

1. Aadhaar biometric data access will aid forensics
2. Rising STEM research demands revitalised education

Aadhaar Biometric Data Access Will Aid Forensics

Background :

• Aadhaar Act: The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) imposes strict regulations on data disclosure to protect privacy and prevent misuse.

• Section 33(1): Permits disclosure of certain information under a court order not inferior to that of a High Court judge.

• Section 29(1) & Section 33:sharing of core biometric information (fingerprints and iris scans) under any circumstances is prohibited except for exceptions.

Relevance: GS 2 ( Governance )

Practice Question: Evaluate the legal and ethical dimensions of permitting law enforcement access to Aadhaar biometric data for identifying unknown deceased individuals. (250 words )

Issues :

• Balancing Rights: The challenge lies in balancing the right to privacy with the right to life with dignity.

• High Court Rulings: Emphasise respectful and humane treatment of bodies, highlighting the importance of dignity even in death.

Unidentified Deceased Individuals

• Many unidentified deceased are from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, daily wagers, migrants, or those with strained family relationships.

• Lack of identification documents, mobile phones, and missing person reports worsens the issue.

Standard Investigative Procedures

• Examination and Documentation: Bodies are examined and photographed, and distinct features are noted, such as tattoos and body scars.

• Evidence Collection: Includes collecting evidence from the scene, analysing CCTV footage, scrutinising phone records, and checking against missing person reports.

• Fingerprint Analysis: collected fingerprints are analysed against criminal records available in crime records.

Fingerprints

• Decomposition: Even in severely decomposed bodies, fingerprints can be retrieved and preserved using formaldehyde.

• Limited Databases: Police fingerprint databases are often limited to known criminal histories, and many states have not fully digitised them.

Proposal for Aadhaar Access

• Identification Aid: Access to the Aadhaar database could aid in identifying bodies and assisting families with last rites.

• Homicide Investigations: Ensures investigations proceed effectively by identifying victims.

Legal Issues

• Absolute Prohibition: The Aadhaar Act’s strict prohibition on sharing core biometric information is a major obstacle.

• U.S. Model: In the U.S., law enforcement agencies use advanced identification tools to match the fingerprints of deceased individuals against extensive databases.

Re-evaluating Restrictions

• Case-Specific Access: There is a need to re-evaluate the Aadhaar Act to provide access for specific cases like identifying deceased persons.

• First Information Report (FIR): Access based on an FIR should be provided.

• Judicial Order: A jurisdictional judicial magistrate’s order, rather than a High Court order, could suffice, reducing the higher judiciary’s burden.

Conclusion

The Aadhar Act needs to be re-evaluated to address emerging demands, and identifying deceased individuals is one of them. Meanwhile, the balance between the right to privacy and the right to dignity is the need of the hour.

Rising STEM Research Demands Revitalised Education

Context: India’s STEM(Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics )education faces major challenges, affecting the employability and research capabilities of graduates. While private engineering colleges and newer IITs have expanded access, many students lack essential industry skills.

Relevance: GS 2 ( Education )

Practice Question: Evaluate the challenges in India’s STEM education system and suggest reforms in pedagogy. (250 words )

Key Challenges in Higher Education

• Lack of Industry Skills: Many graduates from private engineering colleges and newer IITs lack the essential skills needed by the industry, which worsens the skill gap.

• Struggles in Research: Research institutes find it challenging to get students with the necessary skill set for higher studies, which hampers the quality of research outputs.

• Insufficiently skilled faculty and declining higher education pursuing students make the situation worse

• Pressure on Faculty: Education quality is compromised by faculties focusing on publishing research papers rather than improving the quality of teaching.

• Lack of Support: Many teaching institutions do not provide a robust environment conducive to quality research, which hinders the development of capable graduates.

Proposed Reforms

• Separate Rankings: Teaching should be ranked based on the quality of their teaching rather than their research output.

• Emphasise faculty development programs, mentorship, and effective teacher evaluations to improve teaching standards.

• Encourage teaching institutions to collaborate with research institutions to enhance teaching methods and pedagogy.

• Introduce a dedicated teaching track within academic hierarchies, such as roles focused specifically on teaching (e.g., teaching assistant, associate professor).

• Funding agencies should incentivise collaborative projects between teaching and research institutions to improve both teaching and research outcomes.

Joint Degree Agreements

Strengthening Collaboration:

• Joint Degrees: Establish joint degree programs between teaching and research institutions, allowing top-performing students to spend their final years at research institutions and receive joint degrees.

• Curriculum Alignment: Align curricula between teaching and research institutions to ensure consistency and high standards in both content and pedagogy.

Benefits:

• Enhanced Student Quality: Improves the quality of students entering research institutions.

• Improved Teaching Quality: Raises the standard of teaching and curriculum in teaching institutions.

• Faculty Exchanges: Facilitates faculty exchanges, promoting the sharing of best practices and improving pedagogical methods.

Policy and Structural Changes

Promotion Criteria:

• Focus on Pedagogy: Base faculty promotion criteria on pedagogical skills and effective teaching, assessed through suitable metrics.

• Centres of Excellence: Establish centres of excellence in pedagogy to enhance the quality of teaching practices.

Resource Allocation:

• Support Partnerships: Allocate resources to support sustainable partnerships between research and teaching institutions.

• Scalable Programs: Implement scalable upskilling programs, outreach initiatives, internships, and online courses to meet the increasing demand for skilled professionals.

Conclusion

Pedagogy and improving teaching and research collaboration are key demands to build a skilled and resilient workforce.