04 December 2023 CNA
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
A. GS 1 Related SOCIETY 1. On re-criminalising adultery B. GS 2 Related C. GS 3 Related D. GS 4 Related E. Editorials SOCIETY, SOCIAL ISSUES 1. India, disability inclusion and the power of ‘by’ F. Prelims Facts 1. Genome sequencing G. Tidbits 1. Methane 2. Crime against women H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
A. GS 1 Related
1. On re-criminalising adultery
Syllabus: Indian society and diversity – Salient aspects.
Mains: Issues related to marital norms and gender equality.
Context:
The Parliamentary Standing Committee recommends reinstating adultery as a criminal offence in India, but with gender-neutral culpability. This follows the Supreme Court’s 2018 decision to decriminalise adultery.
Introduction
- The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs has recommended reinstating adultery as a criminal offence, but in a gender-neutral manner.
- Adultery was decriminalised unanimously by a Supreme Court Constitution Bench in 2018, citing discrimination and privacy concerns.
Legislative Recommendations
- The Committee suggests criminalising adultery in a gender-neutral way, making both men and women equally culpable.
- The rationale is to safeguard the sanctity of marriage, emphasising its sacred status in Indian society.
- Opposition MPs argue against raising marriage to a sacrament and oppose state interference in private lives.
Legislative History of Adultery Law
- Lord Macaulay, involved in IPC drafting, was initially against making adultery a penal offence, favouring pecuniary compensation.
- The Law Commission in its 42nd Report (1971) considered criminalising adultery but didn’t recommend repeal, emphasising societal abhorrence towards marital infidelity.
- The Malimath Committee in 2003 proposed retaining adultery as an offence but on gender-neutral terms.
Repeal of Adultery Law
- The Supreme Court, in Joseph Shine vs. Union of India (2018), unanimously struck down Section 497, decriminalising adultery.
- The Court emphasised privacy, stating that adultery remains a valid ground for divorce but should not be a criminal offence.
Arguments Against Criminalization
- Critics argue that criminalising adultery infringes on the privacy of consenting adults and interferes in personal lives.
- The dissenting note by MPs emphasises avoiding state interference in private lives.
Possibility of Legislative Reversal
- While a Supreme Court ruling establishes a precedent, the Parliament can overrule judicial decisions through legislation.
- Legislative action to reinstate adultery as a criminal offence would be valid if it alters the legal basis of the previous judgement.
- The court cautioned that legislation merely seeking validation without curing defects in the earlier law would be ultra vires.
NutGraf: Amidst debates on privacy and marriage sanctity, India’s Parliamentary Committee suggests reviving criminalization of adultery with a gender-neutral approach, challenging the 2018 Supreme Court ruling.
B. GS 2 Related
Nothing here for today!!!
C. GS 3 Related
Nothing here for today!!!
D. GS 4 Related
Nothing here for today!!!
E. Editorials
Category: SOCIETY, SOCIAL ISSUES
1. India, disability inclusion and the power of ‘by’
Syllabus: Social Empowerment, Social sector
Mains: Â Issues Relating to Development and Management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
Introduction:Â
- Disability inclusion stands at the crossroads of social, economic, and gender vulnerabilities, impacting 1.3 billion people globally.Â
- In developing countries, particularly rural areas, 80% of this population faces exclusionary systems, leading to heightened instances of poverty and limited access to opportunities. Recognizing the urgency, recent efforts and initiatives shed light on the imperative of prioritizing disability inclusion in the global development agenda.
The figures of disabilities:Â
- The global scale of disabilities is huge. Recent statistics indicate that approximately 1.3 billion people worldwide, equivalent to the entire population of India, are living with some form of disability.
- Out of this population, a staggering 80% resides in developing countries, with 70% located in rural areas.
Present Exclusion and Its Impact:
- Current systems predominantly cater to persons without disabilities, leading to exclusionary practices.
- Challenges include heightened instances of poverty, limited access to education, employment opportunities, and various forms of social and economic discrimination.
- Despite the right to equal treatment, persons with disabilities often face limited employment opportunities, reinforcing stereotypes and contravening the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Effective Inclusion with “For” vs. “By” Approach:
- Emphasizing the significance of distinguishing between actions “for” persons with disabilities and those done “by” them.
- Inclusion is more effective when persons with disabilities actively participate in the decision-making process.
Economic Benefits of Inclusion:
Studies, such as the one by the International Labour Organization (ILO), suggest that integrating persons with disabilities into the economy could boost global GDP by 3% to 7%.
Challenges in Rural Areas : Rural areas, where 70% of persons with disabilities reside, present unique challenges such as limited access to education, employment, and development schemes.
Climate-related risks further compound the difficulties faced by this population.
Initiative and efforts:Â
- Â The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (2016) in India introduces various schemes and a unique ID for persons with disabilities (UDID) card.
- Â A need for awareness campaigns and capacity-building, especially in rural areas, to ensure effective last-mile connectivity of government benefits.
- Â Acknowledging the private sector’s pivotal role in promoting the employment of persons with disabilities.Successful examples underscore the importance of engaging companies and building confidence in hiring and retaining workers with disabilities.
- SPARK project by ILO and IFAD, implemented in collaboration with the Women’s Development Corporation in Maharashtra has empowered persons with disabilities as leaders and facilitators, fostering awareness and inclusion at various levels.
There is a crucial need for a fundamental shift in commitment, solidarity, financing, and action to prioritize the voices and needs of persons with disabilities at the core of the global development agenda.
Nut graf: Addressing the plight of 1.3 billion people globally living with disabilities, there is a need for an inclusive ‘by’ approach over ‘for’ in decision-making for persons with disabilities. Government initiatives in India, private sector engagement, and the SPARK project showcase efforts toward meaningful inclusion. There is a need for a fundamental shift in global commitment to prioritize the voices and needs of persons with disabilities in the development agenda.
F. Prelims Facts
Syllabus: GS 3- Science and Technology
Prelims: About Genome sequencing
Population-Scale Genomics: Genesis and Global Initiatives
- The deCODE initiative in Iceland, launched in 1996, pioneered large-scale population genetic studies, providing insights into disease genetics and genomic data handling methods.
- The deCODE’s success inspired global initiatives, leading to widespread population-scale genome programs globally.
- Initiatives like the AllofUS program in the U.S., the European Union’s ‘1+ Million Genomes,’ and the ‘Three Million African Genomes’ reflect diverse objectives, from disease prevalence understanding to scalable public-health initiatives.
Cost Reduction and Accessibility
- Decreasing costs of whole-genome sequencing enable a larger global population to access genome sequencing.
- The UK’s 100K Genome project revealed that 18.5% of sequenced data had actionable insights, leading to direct healthcare benefits.
Challenges and Ethical Considerations
- Population-scale programs present ethical challenges regarding access to and use of genomic data, ensuring equitable representation, and preventing misuse.
- Regulatory frameworks, such as the Genetic Information Non-discrimination Act in the U.S., aim to address concerns about genetic data misuse.
Genomics in Asia and India
- GenomeAsia, led by multiple partners across Asia, aims to sequence a lakh whole genomes from diverse populations.
- India’s GenomeIndia initiative is working towards sequencing 10,000 whole genomes from diverse population groups, contributing to the landscape of genetic diseases and clinical variants.
Future Impacts and Beyond Healthcare
- Population-scale genomics extends beyond individual health, shaping understanding of human evolution, migration patterns, and adaptation.
- It contributes significantly to knowledge about human biology, paving the way for a future with precise, personalised approaches in medical and biological understanding.
G. Tidbits
1. Methane
- Methane is an organic compound composed of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms (CH4) is gaining attention as a potent climate pollutant due to its greater global warming potential (GWP) compared to carbon dioxide.
- The ongoing COP-28 climate talks in the United Arab Emirates have seen philanthropic bodies, including the Sequoia Climate Foundation and the Bezos Earth Fund, committing $450 million to solutions addressing methane emissions.
- Methane has a GWP of 28 over a century, making it more effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide.
- Despite its higher GWP, methane is considered a short-lived climate pollutant as it breaks down in the atmosphere within a few years.
- Major sources of methane include cattle farming, landfills, wastewater treatment facilities, rice cultivation, and certain industrial processes.
- According to the annual report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Delhi is reported to be the most unsafe metropolitan city for women in India, recording an average of three rape cases daily.
- The Crime in India Report for 2022 shows Delhi recorded 14,158 incidents of crime against women, the highest among 19 metropolitan cities for the third consecutive year.
- The reported crimes include rape cases, incidents of kidnapping or abduction of women, cases of dowry deaths and incidents of cruelty by husbands or their relatives.
- Many incidents of rape and assault involve individuals who are known to each other, making it challenging for the police to prevent such incidents directly.
- Awareness drives and self-defence training camps conducted by the police to address the issue.
- The number of unreported cases has reportedly decreased, indicating increased registration of cases by women.
- The NCRB data also shows an uptick in overall crime, including crimes against children and senior citizens, as well as a doubling of cybercrime cases in 2022.
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
Q1. Consider the following statements, with reference to the Methane:
- Methane (CH4) has a greater global warming potential (GWP) than carbon dioxide.
- Methane is an organic compound, consisting of carbon and four hydrogen atoms.
- It is a long-lived climate pollutant.
How many of the statements given above are incorrect?
- Only one
- Only two
- All three
- None
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: a
Explanation: Methane has a higher GWP than carbon dioxide (GWP100 of 28), but it’s a short-lived climate pollutant, breaking down in a matter of years
Q2.Consider the following statements, with reference to the IndiGen Genome Project:
- It is an initiative of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to sequence genomes of the ethnic Indian population.
- The project aims to create a pilot database of carrier genetic diseases for affordable carrier screening in India.
- Population-scale whole genome sequencing in the IndiGen project helps explore pharmacogenetic variants related to COVID-19 response.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
- Only one
- Only two
- All three
- None
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: c
Explanation: All three statements are correct. The project aims to sequence genomes, create a carrier genetic diseases database, and explore pharmacogenetic variants related to COVID-19 response.
Q3. With reference to the SPARK project, which of the following statements is/are incorrect?
- It is a collaboration between the ILO, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the Women’s Development Corporation in Maharashtra.
- The SPARK project focuses on mainstreaming women with disabilities into self-help groups for social and economic development
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: d
Explanation: Both statements are correct. The project involves collaboration, and aims to mainstream women with disabilities for development.
Q4. Which Supreme Court case held that adultery is not a crime and struck it off the Indian Penal Code?
- Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of IndiaÂ
- Joseph Shine versus Union of India
- Shayara Bano v. Union of India
- Puttaswamy v. Union of India
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: b
Explanation: In the case Joseph Shine versus Union of India (2018), a five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court held that adultery is not a criminal offence.
Q5. Consider the following statements, with reference to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB):
- NCRB, established in 1986, operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
- It serves as a repository of crime and criminal information.
- NCRB maintains the National Database of Sexual Offenders (NDSO) and oversees the Online Cyber-Crime Reporting Portal.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
- Only one
- Only two
- All three
- None
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: c
Explanation: All three statements are correct.
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
- Keeping persons with disabilities out of formal employment not only impacts them individually but the society as a whole Elaborate. (250 words, 15 marks) (General Studies – II, Social Justice) ​
- The government shouldn’t enter the citizens bedrooms Critically analyze the statement considering the Parliamentary panel proposing reintroduction of adultery as a criminal offence in India (250 words, 15 marks) (GS II – Polity )
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