22 Mar 2022: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

CNA 22 Mar 2022:-Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. GS 1 Related
B. GS 2 Related
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. Indo-Pacific should be free of conflicts, says Morrison
2. Sri Lanka’s aggravating economic crisis
POLITY AND GOVERNANCE
1. A solution in search of a problem: on 10% reservations
C. GS 3 Related
D. GS 4 Related
E. Editorials
ECONOMY
1. Whither unemployment benefits?
HEALTH
1. Changing the jurisprudence of scarcity
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. A Ukraine peace plan that needs a U Thant
F. Prelims Facts
1. President gives away Padma awards
G. Tidbits
1. ‘Less than 1% of oil imports from Russia’
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
FIP Magazine

2. Sri Lanka’s aggravating economic crisis

Syllabus: India and its neighbourhood – relations.

Mains: Sri Lanka’s economic crisis and India’s assistance

Context: Sri Lanka’s economic crisis is aggravating rapidly, putting citizens through enormous hardship. 

Recent development:

  • The price of cooking gas spiked and the price of the milk powder shot up.
  • Authorities were forced to cancel school examinations for millions of students, due to a shortage of paper.
  • Know more about  Sri Lanka’s Economic crisis in CNA dated Jan 7, 2022.

Economic Crisis in Sri Lanka:

  • At the macro-economic level, all indicators are worrisome. 
    • The Sri Lankan rupee has fallen. 
    • Consumer price inflation is at 16.8%.
  • Sri Lanka must repay foreign debt totalling nearly $7 billion this year (2022) and continue importing essentials from its dwindling dollar account. 

Assistance to Sri Lanka: 

  • India: 
    • India has extended assistance totalling $ 2.4 billion including:
      • a $400 million RBI currency swap, 
      • a $500 million loan deferment, 
      • credit lines for importing food, fuel, and medicines. 
    • Recently, a billion-dollar credit line was finalized. 
  • China:
    • China is considering Sri Lanka’s recent request for further $2.5 billion assistance.
    • Beijing has extended $2.8 billion since the outbreak of the pandemic.

How is India’s assistance being viewed in Sri Lanka?

  • Sri Lanka has thanked India for the timely assistance, but there is growing scepticism in Sri Lankan media over Indian assistance. 
  • Indian assistance is “being tied” to  Indian key infrastructure projects in the island nation in the recent past.
  • India is blamed for resorting to “diplomatic blackmail”, while Sri Lankan leaders are criticized for trading crucial energy projects for emergency financial assistance from India.
Nut Graf
As Sri Lanka is reeling under a severe economic crisis, India has extended support and help following the ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy even as there is growing criticism from the Sri Lankan media over New Delhi’s key infrastructure projects in the island nation.
Category: POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. A solution in search of a problem: on 10% reservations

Syllabus: Mechanisms, laws, constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.

Prelims: Economically Weaker Section (EWS)

Mains: Potential implications of the EWS quota Bill and recommendations

Context: This article examines the potential implications of the EWS quota Bill and recommends alternative strategies.

About Economically Weaker Section(EWS):

  • The EWS Bill promises 10% reservation to individuals classified as economically backward.
  • The individual should have an income threshold of ₹8 lakh per annum. 
  • Know more about the Concerns surrounding the EWS.

Potential implications of the EWS quota Bill: 

  • Bills exclude no one: 
    • Individuals classified as economically backward will receive a 10% reservation under the bill.
    • According to the National Sample Survey (NSS) of 2011-12, 99 percent of families have yearly per capita expenditures that are less than the income threshold of ₹8 lakh.
    • Even if all of the other exclusion criteria were applied, the Bill would still cover over 95% of the households.
  • Concerns with OBC reservation:
    • The 10% employment reservation may be particularly troublesome for OBCs because the OBC quota is limited to 27% of seats, despite the fact that OBCs account for at least 40% of the population.
  • Getting caste certificates:
    • The EWS quota’s actual implementation could be difficult. Only a small percentage of non-SC/ST/OBC persons have a caste certificate.
    • A huge proportion of SC/ST/OBC families say they have trouble getting these certifications.
  • Little benefit to be derived from the EWS quota
    • There are challenges in deriving the benefits of the EWS quota as the EWS reservation limits the choice of positions under specifically reserved categories.

Recommendations: 

  • One strategy might be to try to disseminate the benefits of reservations as broadly as possible within the existing structure, while also ensuring that people only use their reserved category status once in their lives.
  • A second strategy might be to acknowledge that India’s future economic progress will be driven by the private sector and entrepreneurship. We must focus on basic skills to ensure that all Indians, regardless of caste, class, or religion, can participate in economic prosperity.

Nut Graf
Given the deep inequalities prevalent in access to education and jobs based on caste and socio-economic status, affirmative action makes a lot of sense. However, there is a need to relook the EWS quota system since there are implementational challenges. 

E. Editorials

Category: ECONOMY

1. Whither unemployment benefits?

Syllabus: Inclusive Growth and issues arising from it

Prelims: Schemes related to the provision of unemployment relief; Related new labour code provisions

Mains: Concerns with the existing schemes and their functioning; Recommendations

Unemployment trend in India:

  • The unemployment rate in India stood at 6.1% in 2017-18. Notably, there exists a gap between the urban unemployment rate and rural unemployment rate with the urban unemployment rate being on the higher side.
  • While the unemployment rate declined to 5.8% in 2018-19 and 4.8% in 2019-20, the urban unemployment rate has declined only marginally to 7.7% and 6.9%, respectively. The COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdowns have only worsened the unemployment scenario in the economy. Urban unemployment has continued to stay high during 2021 and later. Hence urban unemployment continues to remain a grave concern.

Unemployment relief in India:

  • Though the Indian labour laws do not expressly provide for unemployment benefits, various schemes and acts have provisions for unemployment benefits.

Rajiv Gandhi Shramik Kalyan Yojana:

  • The Rajiv Gandhi Shramik Kalyan Yojana (RGSKY) provides unemployment allowance to involuntarily unemployed insured persons who have made contributions for two years to Employees’ State Insurance. The scheme is designed under the Employees’ State Insurance Act (ESIA), 1948.
  • It provides cash support at the rate of 50% of the last average daily wages for the first 12 months and 25% for the next 12 months.
  • It covers those who become unemployed due to retrenchment, closure or permanent invalidity. Apart from the cash relief, the scheme also provides for medical care during unemployment tenure as well as vocational training to equip the worker for future employment opportunities.

Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana:

  • The Union government introduced the Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana (ABVKY) in 2018 on a pilot basis for two years.
  • Under this scheme, unemployed insured persons are provided cash allowance at the rate of 50% of the average per day earning of the claimant for 90 days.
  • Given that the pandemic resulted in the closure of many companies, this scheme was extended during the COVID-19 period.

Industrial Disputes Act:

  • As per the provisions of the Industrial Disputes Act (IDA), 1947, industrial establishments employing 100 or more workers must pay retrenchment compensation to workers in case they lose jobs due to government-sanctioned workers’ retrenchment or closures of establishments.

Concerns:

  • Laws and schemes have failed to offer relief to workers.

Rajiv Gandhi Shramik Kalyan Yojana:

  • Employees’ State Insurance Act under which the Rajiv Gandhi Shramik Kalyan Yojana functions has limited coverage in India and has also been plagued by the issue of slow expansion in its coverage.
  • The available data of the RGSKY points out the very low number of workers availing unemployment allowance. Similar observations were also made under ABVKY.
  • This indicates the failure of these schemes to provide unemployment benefits to the organised sector workers even during the pandemic. These facts strengthen the case against the government’s sole reliance on these schemes.

Industrial Disputes Act:

  • Employment-intensive industries like construction and services are excluded from the provisions of the Industrial Disputes act. Given that a substantial number of workers are employed in these sectors, they are rendered devoid of the benefits under the IDA.
  • Notably, many States have amended provisions under the IDA to apply it to establishments employing 300 or more workers. This has resulted in a scenario where workers employed in smaller establishments are unable to receive retrenchment payments.
  • The retrenchment compensation paid under the IDA remains very low and is insufficient for the workers to sustain on till they find another employment.
  • The burden of unemployment allowance is transferred to the employer under the Industrial Disputes act while the government absolves itself of all responsibilities. Notably, employers have been hesitant in paying the retrenchment compensation to workers.

New labour codes:

  • The Social Security Code (SSC), 2020, though included unemployment protection in its definition of ‘social security’, did not provide for a scheme for the same. It only offers vague promises of schemes to the unorganised workers. This is a point of concern given that workers in the unorganized sector are more prone to unemployment through disruptions like the pandemic and they lack even basic social security.
  • Notably, the SSC has no concrete provision relating to unemployment allowance for workers of the organised sector. This is a point of concern given that the hire and fire reforms in the Industrial Relations Code could accentuate unemployment, especially in urban areas.

Recommendations:

  • An urban employment guarantee scheme on the lines of the successful MGNREGA should be framed to provide adequate employment opportunities for workers in the urban labour market.
  • Economists have shown that relief to workers does not cost much as a proportion of GDP. The governments should abandon their neoliberal policies and consider allowing for a universal unemployment allowance scheme to ensure inclusive economic development.
  • The Social Security Code must be amended to provide for a universal unemployment allowance scheme funded by the tripartite contributions of employers, workers and the government.

Nut Graf
Given that the existing laws and schemes have failed to offer adequate unemployment relief to the needy workers and given that unemployment relief is a major aspect of social security and is critical for the inclusive economic growth and development of India, the government should work towards providing a universal unemployment allowance scheme.

Category: HEALTH

1. Changing the jurisprudence of scarcity

Syllabus: Issues Relating to Development and Management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Mains: Challenges in the medical education sector in India; Recommendations

Challenges in medical education in India:

  • The lack of adequately equipped and staffed medical colleges remains a major concern.
  • The available seats for medical education in India continue to remain much lower than the actual demand. As a result, the competition for these seats is high. The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test draws 16 lakh candidates for 88,000 MBBS seats.
  • This has resulted in high levels of stress on the aspirants and has given rise to coaching hubs such as the ones in Kota. The limited access to these coaching hubs remains a concern for the children coming from rural or poor households.
  • The plight of the Indian medical students returning from Ukraine has brought to light the severe deficiency in providing adequate medical education seats in India. Given the lack of adequate seats within India, these students are having to go abroad. They are having to seek unregulated agents to obtain indifferent quality education abroad with uneven chances of fitment into the Indian medical system.
  • The provision for reservations has been another hindrance to the accessibility of medical education for aspirants competing in the general category. The growing calls for increased reservations could only accentuate this problem further.

Recommendations:

  • The article notes that instead of becoming conditioned to the shortages in the medical education sector, with large volumes of students chasing low numbers of seats, there is the need to broaden medical education in India to overcome the state of scarcity.
  • The article calls for having a medical education system that is accessible and affordable to all sections of the society and in this direction makes the following recommendations.

Incentivizing private participation:

  • There is an urgent need to open up the medical education sector for the enhanced investment of private capital and talent.
  • Restrictive rules limiting new entrants into the medical education sector should be done away with.
  • The government should provide for appropriate tax benefits which will make it viable to start and run new medical colleges.
  • The government must allow for a sensible pricing policy realizing that private investments need returns. The government must abstain from unreasonable and unnecessary price restrictions. The article argues that beyond a wholesome regulation, the market forces should be allowed to operate to obtain the benefits of pricing and quality. The government can consider mandating scholarships as the social commitment of the private institution.

Focus on quality education:

  • While increasing the number of medical seats available, equal emphasis should also be laid upon mandating quality infrastructure and capable teachers and keeping standards high.
Nut Graf
The right to health and to a good medical education is part of the right to life, under our expanded conceptualisation of Fundamental Rights. Ensuring a medical education system that is accessible and affordable to all sections of society is thus an imperative for the government.
Category: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. A Ukraine peace plan that needs a U Thant

Syllabus: Effect of Policies and Politics of Developed and Developing Countries on India’s interests

Mains: Major elements of a sustainable peace plan for ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict

Context:

  • The article, written by Shashi Tharoor, former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, (2001-2007), discusses the elements of a viable peace plan for the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Addressing security demands of Russia:

  • Given the fact that Russia has already taken a high-risk enterprise of launching a military invasion on Ukraine, it is highly unlikely that it would pull back and end the conflict without tangible gains. In this direction, the article calls for meeting some of the major security demands of Russia.
  • The first basic requirement for peace would be a declaration of formal, binding neutrality for Ukraine like the ones observed in the case of Finland and Austria which have embedded the principle of neutrality in their Constitutions. This would indicate a formal policy of not having or even pursuing a military relationship with NATO. This neutrality should also be guaranteed by other powers.
  • While a declaration of neutrality would be the first step in the direction of de-escalation, Russia is also likely to demand restrictions on weapons Ukraine could station on its soil, their power and range aiming to restrict the threat posed by them to Russia.
  • As an additional security measure, Russia could also be allowed to ensure its de facto control over the Donbas region comprising the Luhansk and Donetsk provinces by allowing for the stationing of its peacekeepers. This would give Russia the buffer zone it seeks.
    • Notably, just before Russia invaded Ukraine it officially recognised the independence of the two separatist provinces of Luhansk and Donetsk in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region.
  • Given that a comprehensive peace settlement is necessary to achieve long term peace and security in the region, the peace settlement would probably have to consider the possibility of formal international recognition of Russia’s 2014 annexation of the Crimean peninsula.

Maintaining pressure on Russia:

  • Notably, Russia is suffering greater battlefield losses than it anticipated and making much slower progress than most experts had predicted when the invasion began. Also, Russia is having to pay a huge price economically, geopolitically and diplomatically, due to the sanctions regime imposed on it for its military attack on Ukraine.
  • This aspect has to be considered to make Russia cede some concessions during the negotiations of a peace settlement.

Maintaining the sovereignty of Ukraine:

  • While at the outset the meeting of the previously discussed security demands of Russia may appear against the sovereignty of Ukraine, and there are doubts on whether the Ukrainian leadership would agree to such demands, Ukraine may as well agree just to stop the suffering and destruction.
  • It is likely that Ukraine would only accept formal neutrality provided there were assurances for aid, if it were to be attacked again in future. Given that U.S. involvement in this respect is unlikely to be accepted by Russia, this sort of security guarantee could come from the United Nations.
  • Additionally, while Ukraine may give up its push for NATO membership, it would want to join the European Union (EU). Notably, Russia has so far said no to Ukrainian adhesion to the EU as well, but if peace is in the interests of both sides, this could be the one issue on which Russia would have to concede.
    • Notably, Austria, Finland and Sweden have stayed neutral while serving as flourishing members of the EU.

Conclusion:

  • The article argues that a viable peace plan is possible and calls upon the United Nations led by the Secretary-General to pursue it.
  • The article reminisces the role played by U Thant (Third secretary-general of the United Nations from 1961 to 1971) in de-escalating the tensions between Russia and the U.S. during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.

F. Prelims Facts

1. President gives away Padma awards

Syllabus: GS1: Art and Culture: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

Prelims: Padma awards

Context: 54 prominent personalities were given the Padma awards by the President of India.

Padma awards 2022:

  • India’s first Chief of Defense Staff, General Bipin Rawat, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, Tata Sons chairman N. Chandrasekaran, former Comptroller and Auditor General Rajiv Mehrishi and the late Radheshyam Khemka were among the prominent personalities who were conferred with Padma awards.
  • Many of the Padma awardees were “unsung heroes”, including the 125-year-old yoga practitioner Swami Sivananda. 
  • The list of awardees comprises four Padma Vibhushan, 17 Padma Bhushan and 107 Padma Shri awards. 

Padma awards

  • Padma awards are announced on the eve of Republic Day and given by the President at ceremonial functions at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Know more about the Padma Awards

G. Tidbits

1. ‘Less than 1% of oil imports from Russia’

  • India imported less than 1% of its crude oil requirement from Russia.
  • India’s major sources of crude oil imports are the U.S., Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Nigeria.

H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions

Q1. Consider the following statements with regards to admissions in Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV):
  1. A member of parliament can recommend up to 5 students for admissions into KVs each academic year.
  2. A discretionary quota given to the Union Education Minister for admission into KVs was scrapped in 2021.
  3. The objective of KVs is to cater to the educational needs of children of transferable Central Government including Defense and Paramilitary personnel by providing a common programme of education. But admissions are open to civilians as well.

Choose the correct code:

  1. 1 & 3 only
  2. 2 & 3 only
  3. 1 & 2 only
  4. All of the above
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: b

Explanation:

  • All Members of Parliament (MP) of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have provisions to recommend 10 students for admission in Kendriya Vidyalaya every academic year. Hence statement 1 is not correct.
  • The Central government scrapped the Union Education Minister’s ‘discretionary quota’ for Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV) admissions starting from the 2021-2022 academic session. Recommendations made by the Union ministers for admissions into KVs have also been done away with. Hence statement 2 is correct.
  • Objective: 
    • To cater to the educational needs of the children of transferable Central Government employees including Defence and Para-Military personnel by providing a common programme of education;
    • To pursue excellence and set pace in the field of school education.
  • Hence statement 3 is correct.
Q2. Consider the following statements with regards to the ‘2+2’ dialogue held by the 
Government of India:
  1. India holds such talks with Australia, Japan and the USA only.
  2. It is a format of dialogue where the defense/foreign ministers or secretaries meet with their counterparts from another country.
  3. The USA was the first country with which India began 2+2 dialogue.

Choose the correct code:

  1. 1 & 2 only
  2. 1 & 3 only
  3. 2 & 3 only
  4. All of the above
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: c

Explanation:

  • A ‘two plus two dialogue’ is a term used for the installation of a dialogue mechanism between two countries’ defence and external affairs ministries.  
  • India has a 2+2 format dialogue mechanism on strategic and security issues with four of its key strategic partners, Russia, Australia, the US and Japan. Hence statement 1 is not correct.
  • The ‘two plus two dialogue’ is an expression used to indicate that two appointed ministers from each country, the ministers of defence and external affairs, in this case, will meet up to discuss the two countries’ strategic and security interests. Hence statement 2 is correct.
  • India held its first 2+2 dialogue with the US in September 2018. The USA was the first country with which India began 2+2 dialogue. Hence statement 3 is correct.
Q3. Consider the following statements with regards to the Padma awards:
  1. The Awards are conferred on the recommendations made by the Padma Awards  Committee, which is constituted by the Prime Minister every year.
  2. Government servants including those working with PSUs, except doctors and scientists, are not eligible for these awards.
  3. The total number of awards to be given in a year (excluding posthumous awards and to NRI/foreigners/OCIs) should not be more than 120.

Choose the correct code:

  1. 1 & 2 only
  2. 2 & 3 only
  3. 1 & 3 only
  4. All of the above
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: d

Explanation:

  • The Padma Awards are conferred on the recommendations made by the Padma Awards Committee, which is constituted by the Prime Minister every year. The nomination process is open to the public. Even self-nomination can be made.
  • All persons without distinction of race, occupation, position or sex are eligible for these awards. However, Government servants including those working with PSUs, except doctors and scientists, are not eligible for these awards.
  • The total number of awards to be given in a year (excluding posthumous awards and to NRI/foreigners/OCIs) should not be more than 120. 
  • Hence all the statements are correct.
Q4. Who amongst the following first proposed the idea of “Gandhi Khaddar Fund”?
  1. Jawaharlal Nehru
  2. Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya
  3. Vallabhbhai Patel
  4. Vinoba Bhave
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: b

Explanation:

  • Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya went around the country, especially to places where Government repression was stronger, such as Assam and Punjab with Rajendra Prasad.
  • He went to Assam and there launched a movement against opium, with appreciable success.
  • Elsewhere he exhorted people to take to the constructive programme of the Congress adopted at Bardoli, such as the boycott of foreign cloth, removal of untouchability, etc.
  • He launched the “Gandhi Khaddar Fund” to promote the use of Khaddar.
  • Hence statement B is correct.
Q5. With reference to Ocean Mean Temperature (OMT), which of the following statements is/are correct?
  1. OMT is measured up to a depth of 26°C isotherm which is 129 meters in the southwestern Indian Ocean during January — March.
  2. OMT collected during January — March can be used in assessing whether the amount of rainfall in the monsoon will be less or more than a certain long-term mean.

Select the correct answer using the code given below: [UPSC 2020]

  1. 1 only
  2. 2 only
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2
CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: b

Explanation:

Sea surface temperature (SST) is routinely used for predicting whether the total amount of rainfall that India receives during the monsoon season will be less or more than the long-term mean of 887.5 mm. Now, scientists from Pune’s Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) find that Ocean Mean Temperature (OMT) has a better ability to predict this than the Sea Surface Temperature. Compared with SST which has a 60% success rate of predicting the Indian summer monsoon, OMT has an 80% success rate. OMT is analysed by measuring the ocean thermal energy during the period from January to March. Using OMT data, scientists are able to predict with 80% probability the monsoon of any year. Hence, statement 2 is correct. SST is restricted to a few millimetres of the top ocean layer, whereas OMT which is measured up to a depth of 26 degrees C isotherm, is more stable and consistent, and the spatial spread is also less. The 26 degrees C isotherm is seen at depths varying from 50–100 metres. During January–March, the mean 26 degrees C isotherm depth in the Southwestern Indian Ocean is 59 metres. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions

  1.  10% reservation for the EWS category is ‘a solution in search of a problem’. Do you agree? Discuss. (250 words; 15 marks) [GS-2, Polity]
  2. Discuss the potential of India – Australia relationship. Does the relationship have significance beyond the Indo-Pacific as well? (250 words; 15 marks) [GS-2, International Relations]

Read the previous CNA here.

CNA 22 Mar 2022:-Download PDF Here

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