TRADE MOMENTUM
1. Context
Mired in a slowing economy, inflationary setting and tighter monetary controls world over, India's merchandise exports shrunk 12.7 per cent on a year-on-year basis to $34.66 billion in April a six-month low.
Imports fell sharper by 14 per cent to $ 49.90 billion during the same period.
The fall in imports and exports is not limited to India as other countries too have recorded similar declines affirming the notion of slowing global demand.
2. Current underlying trends in global trade
- The essential headwinds observed concerning global trade are weaker economic activities worldwide, inflation and tightening of monetary policies, disrupted supply chains because of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and financial instability because of the collapse of several financial institutions in advanced economies.
- The ongoing conflict in Eastern Europe continues to have a bearing on the prices of energy, food and commodities.
- As observed by the World Trade Organization (WTO), though food and energy prices receded from their post-conflict peaks by the fourth quarter last year, "they remained high by historical standards and continued to erode real incomes and import demand" during the mentioned period.
- The impact of energy prices was strongest during the winter months in Europe as Russia was among the largest suppliers of energy to Europe before it was sanctioned Europe responded to the loss of gas shipments from Russia by shifting to other suppliers, including the U.S., Qatar, Norway and Algeria.
- This potentially increased LNG prices elsewhere such as Japan, where the prices doubled between January last year to February this year.
- The collapse of financial institutions such as the crypto exchange FTX (November 2022) alongside three banks in the U.S. since March (the Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank and First Republic Bank) and the loss of confidence in Credit Suisse added to the troubled scenario.
- As the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in its latest update (in April) concluded, the events raised "the spectre of financial contagion in an already slowing economy.
3. The situation in Europe and U.S.
- The EU is India's third-largest trading partner after the U.S. and China.
- The European Economic Forecast (published in February) held that the region would narrowly escape the recession that took shape around September.
- As for the U.S., in May inflation had "somewhat" moderated since the middle of the last year.
- Nonetheless, inflation pressures continued to run high with expectations of it receding to 2 per cent having a "long way to go".
- The JP Morgan Global Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI), compiled by S & P, registered 49.6 in May unchanged for the third consecutive month and indicating a marginal deterioration of business conditions.
- The indicator is used to assess manufacturing business conditions.
4. Relation to trade
- In a period of economic slowdown, international trade, both exports and imports, fall sharply as overall demand for goods and services stands reduced.
- There is an aversion to discretionary spending which particularly weighs on some imports and postponable expenditures.
- It is in this light that the exports of engineering goods, gems and jewellery, chemicals and readymade garments and plastics, along with petroleum products contracted or grew at a slower pace in 2023.
- Similarly, inflation, the uneven rise in prices especially of essentials such as food and energy erodes the purchasing power of an individual.
- Additionally, inflation also affects the flow of capital to a developing country.
- The share of exports of goods and services combined in GDP stood at 21. 4 per cent in FY 2021-22.
5. The way forward
- Global demand is not looking good from markets like the EU and the US.
- For the next two-three months, the demand scenario does not look very optimistic adding that the government will initiate interministerial talks to find ways to diversify and sustain the export momentum.
- Global Slowdown, especially in the U.S. which is our major trading partner would have implications on demand for our merchandise exports.
- The high base effect may also be reflected in growing numbers. However, services exports will hold the fort.
- Imports may remain low as commodity prices and INR value stabilise. Quicker recovery may add pressure on import demand.
- As for the concern about lower imports to the non-crude non-jewellery segment that has grown by 15 per cent in the last fiscal higher than the long-term average growth.
- This shows that domestic demand remains robust. A cyclical correction should not be seen as a slowdown.
- Lower imports have been because of stable oil prices, reducing our import bills.
|
For Prelims: India's merchandise exports, World Trade Organization, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development,
For Mains
1. What is Trade Momentum? Discuss the current underlying trends in global trade. Explain how are these related to trade. (250 Words)
2. What are the essential headwinds observed concerning global trade? How is the RussiaUkraine conflict affecting trade in the international market? (250 Words)
3. Why has there been an overall decline in the demand for goods and services? How has the collapse of financial institutions affected trade? (250 Words)
|
|
Previous Year Questions
1. With reference to the international trade of India at present, which of the following statements is/are correct? (UPSC 2020)
1. India's merchandise exports are less than its merchandise imports.
2. India's imports of iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizers, and machinery have decreased in recent years.
3. India's exports of services are more than its imports of services.
4. India suffers from an overall trade/current deficit.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
A. 1 and 2 only B. 2 and 4 only C. 3 only D. 1, 3 and 4 only
Answer: D
2. Which of the following are the main functions of WTO? (UPSC ESE 2020)
1. To organize meetings of member countries to arrive at trade agreements covering international trade
2. To ensure that member countries conduct trade practices as per agreement agreed upon and signed by the member countries
3. To provide a platform to negotiate and settle disputes related to international trade between and among member countries
A. 1 and 2 only B.1 and 3 only C. 2 and 3 only D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: D
3. Consider the following statements regarding, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD): (MPSC 2019)
(a) It is a permanent intergovernmental body established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1964.
(b) It is a part of the UN General Assembly and also a part of the World Trade Organisation.
(c) It is headquartered in Washington D.C.
(d) In 2017, UNCTAD and the government of Vietnam signed a memorandum of understanding on debt and development finance strategies.
Which of the above statements are correct?
1. (a), (b), (c)
2. (a) and (d)
3. (b), (c), (d)
4. (a), (b), (d)
Answer: 2
|
Source: The Hindu
WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY 2023
1. Context
Since the early 20th century, plastics have become a ubiquitous part of human life, despite their many adverse impacts on the environment.
This year’s World Environment Day (June 5) has the theme of #BeatPlasticPollution, calling for global solutions to combat the pandemic of plastic pollution.
2.50th anniversary of World environment day
- The World Environment Day, led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), has been held annually on June 5, since 1973
- The date was chosen by the UN General Assembly during the historic 1972 Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment – considered to be the first world conference to make the environment a major issue.
- Over the years, it has grown to become the largest global platform for environmental outreach, with millions of people from across the world engaging to protect the planet
3. #BeatPlasticpollution
- This year’s World Environment Day campaign is aimed towards discussing and implementing solutions to the problem of plastic pollution – one of the most prescient issues of our time
- According to UN data, more than 400 million tonnes of plastic is produced every year worldwide, half of which is designed to be used only once
- Of that, less than 10 per cent is recycled. Consequently, an estimated 19-23 million tonnes end up in lakes, rivers and seas annually.
- Studies have found that discarded or burnt single-use plastic harms human health and biodiversity, while polluting every ecosystem from mountain tops to the ocean floor
- This year’s world environment day is a reminder that people’s actions on plastic pollution matters steps taken by governments and businesses to tackle plastic pollution are the consequence of this action
4. Plastic and Pollution
- The word plastic is derived from the Greek word plastikos, meaning “capable of being shaped or moulded.”
- It refers to a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials that use polymers as a main ingredient with their defining quality being their plasticity the ability of a solid material to undergo permanent deformation in response to applied forces
- This makes them extremely adaptable, capable of being shaped as per requirement
- Most modern plastics are derived from fossil fuel-based chemicals like natural gas or petroleum
- However, recently, variants made from renewable materials, such as corn or cotton derivatives have also emerged.
- Around 70 per cent of global plastic production is concentrated in six major polymer types – referred collectively as commodity plastics
These include: Polyethylene terephthalate or PET, High-density polyethylene or HDPE, Polyvinyl chloride or PVC, Low-density polyethylene or LDPE, Polypropylene or PP, and Polystyrene or PS
- Each of these have different properties and can be identified by their resin identification code (RIC) denoted by symbols found on plastic products
- While plastics have revolutionised human civilisation – today, they are everywhere, from automobiles to toys, health devices to packaging their adverse environmental impact has been alarming
- This is primarily due to their slow decomposition rate in natural ecosystems
- Decomposition rate refers to the rate at which a material breaks down into its constituent parts through chemical processes plastics are remarkably durable in this sense
- While they do crumble into smaller particles, these particles themselves do not break down into more simpler substances.
5. Microplastics
- Microplastics – officially defined as plastics less than five millimetres in diameter
- There are two categories of microplastics. Primary microplastics are tiny particles designed for commercial use, such as in cosmetics or textiles
- On the other hand, secondary microplastics are particles that are a product of the breakdown of larger plastic items due to exposure to environmental factors such as sun’s radiation or ocean’s waves
- The problem with microplastics, like all plastics, is that they do not break down easily into more harmless particles
- Instead, they find their way across the planet, from the depths of the Pacific Ocean to the heights of the Himalayas
- According to the most recent global estimates, an average human consumes at least 50,000 microplastic particles annually due to contamination of the food chain, potable water, and air
- Notably, microplastics contain a number of toxic chemicals which pose severe risks to human health
- The biggest health risk associated is with the chemical BPA or Bisphenol A , which is used to harden the plastic
- BPA contaminates food and drinks, causing alterations in liver function, insulin resistance, foetal development in pregnant women, the reproductive system and brain function
- The largest collection of plastics and microplastics in the ocean is in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch – a collection of marine debris in the North Pacific Ocean
- Every year, as plastics enter water bodies and find their way into the ocean, they show remarkable resiliency, floating around where the current takes them until they get stuck in a gyre or large circular ocean currents
- The largest such gyre is in the Pacific and hence results in the collection of plastics in the region
- As per estimates, the GPGP covers a surface area of 1.6 million sq km– roughly half the size of India! There are other, smaller such garbage patches in other oceans
6. Way forward
The GPGP comprises majorly of single-use plastics. Broadly speaking, single-use is a term which can refer to any plastic items which are either designed to be used for one time by the consumer before they are thrown away or recycled, or likely to be used in this way
Many countries, including India, have passed legislation to either ban or severely restrict their use.
|
For Prelims: Plastic, Single Plastic use, Microplastics, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) For Mains: 1. Discuss the need and impact of banning single-use plastic in India. What are the government initiatives towards curbing plastic pollution (250 Words) |
Source: indianexpress
ADVERSE POSSESSION
1.Context
The Law Commission, headed by former Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court Ritu Raj Awasthi and comprising retired Kerala High Court judge KT Sankaran, said in its 280th report that there is no reason for increasing the period of limitation. However, two of its ex officio members filed a dissent note stating that the law does not stand judicial scrutiny and “promotes false claims under the colour of adverse possession”
2. What is Adverse posession
- The concept of adverse possession stems from the idea that land must not be left vacant but instead, be put to judicious use
- Essentially, adverse possession refers to the hostile possession of property, which must be “continuous, uninterrupted, and peaceful.”
- According to the Law Commission’s report, the rationale behind this comes from considerations that the “title to land should not long be in doubt”, “society will benefit from someone making use of land the owner leaves idle,” and “persons who come to regard the occupant as owner may be protected.”
- The maxim that the law does not help those who sleep over their rights is invoked in support of adverse possession
- While the concept originally dates back to 2000 BC, finding its roots in the Hammurabi Code, the historical basis of “title by adverse possession” is the development of the statutes of limitation on actions for recovery of land in England
- The first such statute was the Statute of Westminster, 1275. However, it was the Property Limitation Act, 1874, that set the period of limitation at twelve years from when the cause of action first arose, which laid the groundwork for the limitations model inherited by colonial India
- The first attempt to bring the law of limitation to domestic shores was the “Act XIV of 1859”, which regulated the limitation of civil suits in British India
- After the passage of the Limitation Act in 1963, the law on adverse possession underwent significant changes
3.Provisions of Limitations act, 1963
- The 1963 Act fortified the position of the true owner of the land, as he now had to merely prove his title, while the burden of proof of adverse possession shifted to the person claiming it
- Under the Limitation Act, 1963, any person in possession of private land for over 12 years or government land for over 30 years can become the owner of that property, as laid down in Articles 64, 65, 111, or 112 of the 1963 Act, relating to suits for possession of immovable property
- According to Article 65 of Schedule I of the 1963 Act, a person in adverse possession of immovable property acquires title to that property
- However, the possession must be open, continuous, and “in defiance of the title of the real owner for twelve years.” Similarly, Article 64 governs suits for possession based on previous possession and not on title
- Meanwhile, Article 112, which applies to government property, mandates a requirement of 30 years for granting a title by adverse position
- Further, Article 111 says that the limitation period for the State will be 30 years from the date of dispossession for land belonging to a private person where any public street or road or any part of it has been dispossessed and no suit has been moved for its possession “by or on behalf of any local authority”
4. Way Forward
Asserting that courts have rarely ruled in favour of adverse possession owing to its contradictory requirement that the nature of possession is “peaceful as well as hostile”, the dissenting opinion said that the law should be struck off
Citing troubles that true owners have been subjected to, such as “avoidable and expensive litigation” by unscrupulous persons” who are acquainted with fraud
lf the law of adverse possession is struck off from the Limitation Act it will not hinder anybody’s right nor will it cause any neglect of land resources
Source: indianexpress
HIGGS BOSON
1. Context
Recently, physicists working with the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) particles masher at CERN, in Europe, reported that they had detected a Higgs boson decaying into a Z boson particle and a photon. This is a very rare decay process that tells us important things about the Higgs boson as well as about our universe.
2. What is Higgs Boson?
- The Higgs boson is one of the 17 fundamental particles that constitute the Standard Mode of particle physics, and the best scientific hypothesis on the behavior of the building blocks of the Universe.
- It is often called the "God Particle" because it is significant in subatomic physics.
- The Higgs boson is the elementary particle related to the Higgs field that imparts mass to other elementary particles like Quarks and electrons.
- When a particle is subjected to a force, its mass decides how much it affects its speed or position.
- All elementary particles do not have mass, such as Photon, which carries electromagnetic energy but lacks mass.
- A particle's mass is the amount of inertia that defines its presence at any given location.
3. What is a Higgs Field?
- As proposed by Peter Higgs in 1964, the Higgs field is the field of energy that permeates the universe.
- The Higgs field is an invisible field where elementary particles gain mass after interacting with it. Diverse Particles, like electrons, quarks, photons, etc., have varying masses because the Higgs field does not affect them equally.
- The greater a particle's binding strength to the Higgs field, the bigger it's mass.
- Physicists had a solid theory about electromagnetic and weak nuclear interactions in the early 1960s.
- However, deep similarities were discovered between the two. Still, a theoretical approach at a higher level demanded that particles be massless, given the reality that particles in nature had mass.
- In 1964, Peter Higgs presented his original manuscript about the Higgs field (then unnamed) to the journal Physical Review Letters.
- He revised his paper and added a new prediction that a new elementary particle should be linked to the Higgs field.
- It belonged to a new class of elementary particles known as bosons, possessing high mass. This particle was later named the Higgs boson.
4. Discovery of Higgs Boson
- Higgs’ hypothesis proved to be appealing for the masses of all elementary particles. The only way to confirm the theory was to examine a Higgs boson.
- The Higgs boson was anticipated to be unstable, breaking into numerous particles in a microsecond.
- By subatomic standards, its enormous mass meant that only extremely high-energy collisions could produce it.
- Observing the Higgs boson was one of CERN’s primary goals when it built the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the world’s most powerful particle accelerator.
- When the LHC started in 2008, scientists only knew of the Higgs Boson because its mass had to be larger than 114 billion electron volts (eV).
- The LHC stood up to the challenge, with a growing number of observations showing a Higgs-like particle of about 125 billion eV. CERN announced the discovery of the Higgs boson on July 4, 2012, 50 years after its initial proposal.
- Francois Englert and Peter Higgs won the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physics for their theoretical discovery of the Higgs mechanism, which contributed significantly to the origin of the mass of subatomic particles and confirmed the discovery of the Higgs boson fundamental particle.
- The discovery was historic because it established the existence of the Higgs field, required for the Standard Model and many other particle physics theories.
5. Results of the study
- According to quantum field theory, which is the theory physicists use to study these interactions, space at the subatomic level is not empty.
- It is filled with virtual particles, which are particles that quickly pop in and out of existence. They can’t be detected directly, but according to physicists their effects sometimes linger.
- The LHC creates a Higgs boson by accelerating billions of highly energetic protons into a headon collision, releasing a tremendous amount of energy that condenses into different particles.
- As it is a heavy particle, the Higgs boson is unstable and decays into lighter particles.
- We can’t always say which combination of particles it will decay into.
- But, the theory that describes the properties of fundamental particles has predicted the probability that it will take a given path.
- For example, this theory called the Standard Model, says that a Higgs boson will decay to a Z boson and a photon 0.1% of the time.
- This means the LHC needed to have created at least 1,000 Higgs bosons to have been able to spot one of them decaying to a Z boson and a photon.
- As it happens, the Z boson is also unstable. According to Martin Bauer, an associate professor at the Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology, Durham University, Z bosons decay to two muons some 3% of the time.
6. Implications
- The two detectors that announced the new measurement, called ATLAS and CMS had looked for and found the decay before as well (in 2018 and 2020).
- On this occasion, the two teams combined their data, collected “between 2015 and 2018”, and as a result “significantly increased the statistical precision and reach of their searches,” according to a CERN statement.
- This significance is even now not high enough for the teams to claim that a Higgs boson decays to a Z boson and a photon with 100% certainty, reflecting the rarity of the decay pathway.
- The Standard Model has made many. The Standard Model has made many accurate predictions but it can’t explain what dark matter is or why the Higgs boson is so heavy.
- Testing its predictions as precisely as possible is a way for physicists to find whether there are any cracks in the Model cracks through which they can validate new theories of physics.
- For example, some theories predict a higher rate of decay through this pathway; if the LHC and its detectors find experimental proof of that, the new theories could open a new realm of science.
7. Large Hadron Collider (LHC)
- LHC was constructed to determine what is the Higgs field, how it operates, and whether it is elementary or composite.
- The LHC was designed to accomplish much more than identify the Higgs Boson. In Switzerland and France, scientists built the world’s most powerful and largest particle accelerator in an underground tunnel of 100m.
- They propelled protons around the LHC’s 17-mile ring of superconducting magnets with an energy of up to 7 TeV.
- Scientists examined the speeding particles after slamming them together for signs of a degraded Higgs.
- The discovery of the Higgs boson was announced after two years of operation and over 300 trillion unique collisions.
| For Prelims: Large Hadron Collider, Higgs Boson, Higgs field, electron volts (eV), Z boson, Quarks, and electrons. |
|
Previous year Question
1. The efforts to detect the existence of Higgs boson particles have become frequent news in the recent past. What is/are the importance/importance of discovering this particle? (UPSC 2013)
1. It will enable us to understand as to why elementary particles have mass.
2. It will enable us in the near future to develop the technology of transferring matter from one point to another without traversing the physical space between them.
3. It will enable us to create better fuels for nuclear fission.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
A. 1 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: A
2. Recently scientists observed the merger of giant 'black holes' billions of light years away from the Earth. What is the significance of this observation? (UPSC 2019)
A. 'Higgs boson particles' were detected
B. 'Gravitational waves' were detected.
C. Possibility of inter-galactic space travel through a 'wormhole' was confirmed.
D. It enabled the scientists to understand 'singularity'.
Answer: B
|
Source: The Hindu
SCHEDULED TRIBES IN INDIA
1. Context
- Kudmis claim that during the British colonial rule, they were considered a primitive tribe like Mundas, Oraons and Santhals.
- But when the ST list was prepared after 1950, they lost out on the ST status and were put in the OBC category.
- The Kudmi community which is currently listed in the Othe Backward Classes (OBC) category, plays a significant role in every election in tribal-dominated Junglemahal districts of Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Bankura and Purulia.
2. Definition of Scheduled Tribes
- The term Scheduled Tribes first appeared in the Constitution of India.
- Article 366 (25) defined scheduled tribes as "such tribes or tribal communities or parts of or groups within such tribes or tribal communities as are deemed under Article 342 to be Scheduled Tribes for this constitution".
3. Article 342
- The President may, concerning any State or Union territory and where it is a state, after consultation with the Governor thereof by public notification, specify the tribes or tribal communities or parts of or groups within tribes or tribal communities which shall, for this constitution, is deemed to be scheduled tribes about that state or Union Territory, as the case may be.
- Parliament may be law included in or exclude from the list of Scheduled tribes specified in a notification issued under clause (1) any tribe or tribal community or part of or group within any tribe or tribal community, but save as aforesaid, a notification issued under the said clause shall not be varied by any subsequent notification.
- Thus, the first specification of Scheduled Tribes about a particular State or Union Territory is a notified order of the President, after consultation with the State Governments concerned.
- These orders can be modified subsequently only through an Act of Parliament.
- The above Article also provides for listing of scheduled tribes State or Union Territory wise and not on an all-India basis.
4. The criterion for the specification of a community as Scheduled tribes
- The criterion followed for the specification of a community, as scheduled tribes are indications of primitive traits, distinctive culture, geographical isolation, shyness of contact with the community at large and backwardness.
- This criterion is not spelt out in the Constitution but has become well established.
- It subsumes the definitions contained in the 1931 Census, the reports of the first Backward Classes Commission 1955, the Advisory Committee (Kalelkar), on Revision of SC/ST lists (Lokur Committee), 1965 and the Joint Committee of Parliament on the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Orders (Amendment) Bill 1967 (Chanda Committee), 1969.
- In the exercise of the powers conferred by Clause (1) of Article 342 of the Constitution of India, the President, after Consultation with the State Governments concerned has promulgated so far 9 orders specifying the Scheduled Tribes about the state and union territories.
- Out of these, eight are in operation at present in their original or amended form.
- One order namely the Constitution (Goa, Daman & Diu) Scheduled Tribes order 1968 has become defunct on account of the reorganization of Goa, Daman & Diu in 1987.
- Under the Goa, Daman & Diu Reorganization Act 1987 (18 of 1987) the list of Scheduled Tribes of Goa has been transferred to part XIX of the Schedule to the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) order, 1950 and that of Daman & Diu II of the Schedule of the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) (Union Territories) order, 1951.
- No community has been specified as a Scheduled Tribe in the State of Haryana and Punjab and the Union Territories of Chandigarh, Delhi and Puducherry.
5. Declaration as a Scheduled Tribe
- Article 342 provides for the specification of tribes or tribal communities or parts of or groups within tribes or tribal communities which are deemed to be for the constitution of the Scheduled Tribes about that State or Union Territory.
- In pursuance of these provisions, the list of Scheduled Tribes is notified for each State or Union Territory and is valid only within the jurisdiction of that State or Union Territory and not outside.
- The list of Scheduled Tribes is State or UT-specific and a community declared as a Scheduled Tribe in a State need not be so in another State. The inclusion of a community as a Scheduled Tribe is an ongoing process.
The essential characteristics of these communities are:
- Primitive Traits
- Geographical isolation
- Distinct culture
- Shy of Contact with the community at large
- Economically backward
6. Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups
- Tribal communities live, in various ecological and geo-climatic conditions ranging from plains and forests to hills and inaccessible areas.
- Tribal groups are at different stages of social, economic and educational development.
- While some tribal communities have adopted a mainstream way of life, at the other end of the spectrum, there are certain Scheduled Tribes, 75 in number known as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), who are characterised by
- Pre-agriculture level of technology
- Stagnant or declining population
- Extremely low literacy
- Subsistence level of economy
7. Distribution of Tribes
- The Scheduled Tribes are notified in 30 states and UTs and the number of individual ethnic groups, etc. notified as Scheduled Tribes is 705.
- The tribal population of the country, as per the 2011 census, is 10.43 crores, constituting 8. 6 per cent of the total population. 89.97 per cent of them live in rural areas and 10.03 per cent in urban areas.
- The decadal population growth of the tribal from the Census 2001 to 2011 has been 23. 66 per cent against the 17. 69 of the entire population.
- The sex ratio of the overall population is 940 females per 1000 males and that of Scheduled Tribes is 990 females per thousand males.
Image Source: Vikaspedia
- Broadly the STs inhabit two distinct geographical areas Central India and the North Eastern Area.
- More than half of the Scheduled Tribe Population is concentrated in Central India i.e., Madhya Pradesh (14.69 per cent), Chhattisgarh (7.5 per cent), Jharkhand (8.29 per cent), Andhra Pradesh (5.7 per cent), Maharashtra (10.08 Per cent), Orissa (9.2 per cent), Gujarat (8.55 per cent) and Rajasthan (8.86 per cent).
- The other distinct area is the North East (Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh).
- More than two-thirds of the ST population is concentrated only in the seven states of the country, viz. Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.
- There is no ST population in 3 states (Delhi NCR, Punjab and Haryana) and 2 UTs (Puducherry and Chandigarh) as no Scheduled Tribe is notified.
|
For Prelims: Scheduled Tribes, Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups, Kudmis, Mundas, Oraons, Santhals, Article 366 (25), Article 342, Backward Classes Commission 1955, the Advisory Committee (Kalelkar), on Revision of SC/ST lists (Lokur Committee), 1965 and the Joint Committee of Parliament on the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Orders (Amendment) Bill 1967 (Chanda Committee), 1969, Goa, Daman & Diu Reorganization Act 1987
For Mains:
1. Who are Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups? Discuss the criterion for the specification of a community as Scheduled tribes. (250 Words)
|
|
Previous Year Questions 1. Consider the following statements about Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in India: (UPSC 2019)
1. PVTGs reside in 18 States and one Union Territory.
2. A stagnant or declining population is one of the criteria for determining PVTG status.
3. There are 95 PVTGs officially notified in the country so far.
4. Irular and Konda Reddi tribes are included in the list of PVTGs.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
A. 1, 2 and 3 B. 2, 3 and 4 C. 1, 2 and 4 D. 1, 3 and 4
Answer: C 2. With reference to the history of India, "Ulgulan" or the Great Tumult is the description of which of the following events? (UPSC 2020) A. The Revolt of 1857
B. The Mappila Rebellion of 1921
C. The Indigo Revolt of 1859 - 60
D. Birsa Munda's Revolt of 1899 - 1900
Answer: D 3. When did the Tana’ Bhagat Movement start? (Jharkhand Civil Service 2015)
A. April 1912 B. April 1913 C. April 1914 D. April 1915
Answer: C
4. Consider the following statements about the Santhal Hool of 1855 - 56: (UPSC CAPF)
1. The Santhals were in a desperate situation as tribal lands were leased out
2. The Santhal rebels were treated very leniently by British officials
3. Santhal inhabited areas were eventually constituted separate administrative units called Santhal parganas
4. The Santhal rebellion was the only major rebellion in mid-19th century India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1 only B. 2 and 3 C. 1, 3 and 4 D. 1 and 3 only
Answer: D
5. After the Santhal Uprising subsided, what was/were the measure/measures taken by the colonial government? (UPSC 2018)
1. The territories called 'Santhal Paraganas' were created.
2. It became illegal for a Santhal to transfer land to a non-Santhal.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
A. 1 only B. 2 only C. Both 1 and 2 D. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: C
6. The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) was formed by insertion of Article ______ in the Constitution of India. (SSC CGL 2020)
A. 328B B. 338A C. 338B D. 328A
Answer: B
7. With reference to the Parliament of India, which of the following Parliamentary Committees scrutinizes and reports to the House whether the powers to make regulations, rules, sub-rules, by-laws, etc. conferred by the Constitution or delegated by the Parliament are being properly exercised by the Executive within the scope of such delegation? (UPSC 2018)
A. Committee on Government Assurances
B. Committee on Subordinate Legislation
C. Rules Committee
D. Business Advisory Committee
Answer: B
8. Justice Madan B Lokur committee was set up to take steps to (Haryana Civil Services 2021)
A. Look into violation of environment rules.
B. Prevent stubble burning
C. Draft new water policy
D. Regulate digital lending
Answer: B
9. Match the pairs - (Committees on Media) (MPSC 2019)
(A) (Name) (B) (Year)
(a) Chanda Committee (i) 1982
(b) Kuldip Nayar Committee (ii) August, 1977
(c) Verghese Committee (iii) March, 1977
(d) P.C. Joshi Committee (iv) 1964
1. (a) – (i), (b) – (ii), (c – (iii), (d) – (iv)
2. (a) – (i), (b) – (iii), (c – (ii), (d) – (iv)
3. (a) – (iv), (b) – (iii), (c – (ii), (d) – (i)
4. (a) – (iv), (b) – (ii), (c – (iii), (d) – (i)
Answer: 3
10. Consider the formation of the following States and arrange these in chronological order : (UPPSC Combined State Exam 2021)
1. Goa
2. Telangana
3. Jharkhand
4. Haryana
Select the correct answer from the codes given below.
A. 1, 2, 3, 4 B. 4, 1, 3, 2 C. 3, 2, 4, 1 D. 4, 3, 1, 2
Answer: 2
|
Source: Vikaspeida
ROLE OF GOVERNOR IN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES
1. Context
The Tamil Nadu Assembly passed two Bills that seek to transfer the Governor’s power in appointing Vice-Chancellors of 13 state universities to the state government, currently led by the DMK. Chief Minister MK Stalin said the Bills were required as the Governor was disregarding the state government’s opinion on the appointments of VCs, an argument also made by states such as Maharashtra and West Bengal in the past.
2. Highlights of the two Bills
- The Bills passed in Tamil Nadu stress that "every appointment of the Vice Chancellor shall be made by the Government from out of a panel of three names recommended by a search-cum-selection committee.
- Currently, the Governor, in his capacity as the Chancellor of the state universities, has the power to pick a VC from the shortlisted names.
- The Bills also seek to empower the state governments to have the final word on the removal of VCs, if needed.
- Removal will be carried out based on inquiries by a retired High Court Judge or a bureaucrat who served at least as a Chief Secretary, according to one of the Bills.
3. Such Bills passed by other states in recent times
Maharashtra
- In December 2021, the Maharashtra Assembly passed a bill amending the Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016.
- Under the Original Act, the Maharashtra government had no say in the appointment of VCs. If the changes take effect, the Government will be given two names to choose from by the state government.
West Bengal
- In 2019, the West Bengal government took away the governor's authority in appointing VCs to state universities.
- It has also hinted at removing the Governor as the Chancellor of the Universities.
Gujarat
- In Gujarat, only the chief minister has the power to appoint a VC since 1949.
- The Gujarat University Act, of 1949 states that the vice-chancellor shall be appointed by the state government from amongst three persons recommended by a (search-cum-selection) committee.
- However, last month the Supreme Court set aside the VC appointment of Gujrat's SP University by the state government.
Telangana
The Telangana Universities Act, 1991 states that the search committee shall "submit a panel of three persons to the Government in alphabetical order and the Government shall appoint the Vice-chancellor from out of the said panel.
4. What is at the root of the differences?
- In West Bengal, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu, the elected government has repeatedly accused the Governors of acting at the behest of the Centre on various subjects, including education.
- The regulations, which differ from state to state, are often open to interpretation and disputes are routine.
- In fact, the Tamil Nadu Bills make a case for giving the state government the upper hand in the VC appointment process by citing the examples of Gujarat and Telangana.
- It is considered that in line with the aforesaid (Gujarat, Telangana) state university laws, the Government of Tamil Nadu should be empowered to appoint the Vice-chancellors of the state universities, both bills state.
- In Karnataka, Jharkhand, and Rajasthan, state laws underline the need for concurrence between the state and the Governor. The terms " Concurrence " or " Consultation" are absent from state legislation in most cases.
5. Role of the University Grants Commission (UGC)
- Although Education comes under the Concurrent list, entry 66 of the Uion list- Coordination and determination of standards in institutions for higher education or research and scientific and technical institution- gives the center substantial authority over higher education.
- According to the UGC regulations, 2018 the Visitor/ Chancellor mostly the governor in state-shall appoints the VC out of the panel of names recommended by search-cum selection committees.
- Higher education institutions, particularly those that get UGC funds, are mandated to follow its regulations.
- These are usually followed without friction in the case of central universities but are sometimes resisted by the states in the case of state universities.
6. Supreme Court Observation
- In March 2022, while setting aside the appointment of the Vice-chancellor of Gujarat's SP University by the state government, the supreme court made some key observations.
- The court said any appointment as a vice chancellor contrary to the provisions of the UGC Regulation can be said to violate the statutory provisions, warranting a writ of quo warranto.
- It is said every subordinate legislation of the UGC, in this case, the one minimum standards on appointments, flows from the parent UGC Act, 1956.
- In case of any conflict between state legislation and central legislation, central legislation shall prevail by applying the rule/principle of repugnancy as enunciated in Article 254 of the constitution as the subject 'education' is in the concurrent list of the seventh schedule of the constitution.
- Under Article 254, if any legislation enacted by the state legislature is repugnant to the legislation enacted by the Parliament, then the state legislation will be declared void, and the legislation enacted by the Parliament will prevail over the former.
|
For Prelims: Governor, Vice Chancellor, UGC Act, 1956, University Grants Commission (UGC), High Court, Supreme Court, Article 254, Concurrence, Consultation, Quo warranto, Subordinate Legislation, and the Theory of Repugnancy.
For Mains: 1. "Tamil Nadu Assembly passed two Bills that seek to transfer the Governor’s power in appointing Vice-Chancellors of 13 state universities to the state government" In the light of the statement discuss the role of the Governor in public universities. (250 Words).
|
Previous year Questions1. With reference to the Legislative Assembly of a State in India, consider the following statements: ( UPSC 2019)
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? A. 1 only Answer: C 2. Consider the following statements: ( UPSC 2018)
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? A. 1 only Answer: C
|
Source: The Indian Express
