20 Nov 2023: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

E. Editorials

Category: GOVERNANCE

1. Steering road safety in India back onto the right lane

Syllabus: Government Policies and Interventions for Development in various sectors

GS- II

Category- Governance

Prelims- World Health Organization, Motor Vehicles Act 2019, UN’s Second Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030, Sustainable Development Goals

Mains- Interventions for Road Safety

Introduction: 

• India’s massive road network has fueled economic growth and connected its vast population, but is increasingly causing a “silent but deadly pandemic” of traffic deaths and injuries

The Alarming Scale of India’s Road Safety Crisis

• As per the World Health Organization(WHO), an estimated 3,00,000 people are killed on India’s roads each year – over 34 deaths every hour.
• Those suffering life-altering injuries are even higher than the death toll.
• Beyond human suffering, road crashes cost India an estimated 5-7% of GDP annually.
• While road safety is a global issue, India accounts for nearly 25% of all road deaths worldwide.

Key Interventions and Actions Needed

• Enforcing seat belt use for drivers and passengers is a priority. Seat Belts reduce death risk by 45-50% for drivers/front passengers, and 25% for rear passengers.
• Helmet use must also be enforced for motorcyclists and passengers. Correct helmet use reduces fatal injury risk by 42%.
• Vulnerable road users (pedestrians, cyclists, two-wheeler riders) account for almost 75% of road deaths in India.
• Speeding must be reduced; it leads to 70% of India’s road crash deaths. Drink-driving should have zero tolerance.
• Road infrastructure needs enhancement – there are too many unsafe roads, despite recent government upgrades.

Raising Awareness and Changing Behavior

• Large public awareness campaigns like #MakeASafetyStatement with celebrities can change behavior.
• The United Nations Special Envoy for Road Safety worked with manufacturers to produce affordable $20 helmets meeting UN standards, including in India, to increase access to safe helmets.
• Positive steps in India include the Motor Vehicles Act 2019 and better crash data collection to understand causes.

 

Adopting Best Practices and Implementing Reforms

• Police in major cities like New Delhi are adopting modern technologies like intelligent traffic management systems to better regulate traffic flow and reduce crashes.
• A community-wide effort that includes public and private entities is necessary to enhance roadway safety for all.
• The likelihood of surviving a road crash depends greatly on the state in which a person resides and access to high-quality emergency and post-crash care.
• Policy makers should also look at international best practices and successes, then adapt them to India’s specific needs and circumstances.
• A holistic road safety system as envisioned in the UN’s Second Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030, and complete implementation of the 2019 amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act is the need of the hour.

Way Forward

• Road safety is a complex, multidimensional challenge, but the benefits of addressing it can be profound.
• Ending this silent pandemic of road injuries will save lives, strengthen the economy, and improve quality of life for all.
• One of the SDG targets include halving global road deaths/injuries(target 3.6) and making public transport safer(target 11.2).
• India has huge opportunities to improve road safety through infrastructure, vehicle manufacturing, technology, and more.
• The shocking statistics on road deaths in India should serve as a wakeup call for action.
• Strategic investments in road safety measures are required, along with political will at all levels of government.

Nut Graf: India’s vast road network, while fueling economic growth, is causing a devastating “silent but deadly pandemic” of traffic fatalities and injuries. Public awareness campaigns, adopting best practices, and implementing reforms can bring about significant change. This calls for strategic investments, political will, and a holistic approach to road safety.

Category: SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Making public education inclusive

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

GS- II

Category- Social Issues

Prelims- Odisha Adarsha Vidyalayas(OAV), ‘Mo School’ Abhiyan, and 5T High School Transformation Programme, Education World India School Rankings 2022-23.

Mains- Improving outcomes in government educational institutions

Introduction: 

• A recent study by the Indian Institute of Management(IIM) Ahmedabad revealed that many parents have lost faith in government schools because of poor education standards.
• The Odisha government has implemented reforms to improve public education through initiatives like Odisha Adarsha Vidyalayas(OAV), ‘Mo School’ Abhiyan, and 5T High School Transformation Programme.
• These initiatives aim to make government schools better than private schools in infrastructure, affordability and quality.

Key Features of OAV Model:

• • The Odisha Adarsha Vidyalaya (OAV) in Polasara block of Ganjam district was ranked 5th best among government-run day schools in India according to the Education World India School Rankings 2022-23.
  • Two other OAV schools also placed in the top 10 in these rankings.
  • English-medium schools: 
    • The OAV model strives to address the rural-urban education gap by bringing high-quality, affordable English-medium schooling to rural and semi-urban communities.
  • Equitable representation: 
    • OAVs promote social equity by providing opportunities to rural and economically disadvantaged students
    • Efforts have been made for representation of SC, ST, and female students through reservations, leading to higher female enrollment
    • Children who had endured traumatic experiences including abuse, trafficking, forced labor, and underage marriage were rescued and prepared for the OAV entrance exam.
  • Focus on quality
    • They provide coaching to help students crack national-level exams like NEET
    • The model also focuses on consistent teacher training and maintains a teacher-student ratio of 1:25

• • Leveraging technology
    • Digital technology is used to ensure accountability, transparency through Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system and website to track progress
  • The government now plans to transform OAVs into Centers of Excellence to foster innovation and inquiry-based learning

Mo School Abhiyan:

• • Mo School Abhiyan was launched by Odisha in 2017 to motivate and mobilize alumni community to contribute to revamping government schools
  • It was founded on 5 pillars: connect, collaborate, contribute, create, celebrate

• • Connect alumni: 

• • • It connects schools with alumni from various fields and promotes alumni mentorship

• • Enables collaboration: 
    • Deeper collaboration between alumni, schools, district administration facilitates student exposure to exchange programs, sports, cultural events and infrastructure
    • Over 33,000 schools in 30 districts engaged over 6 lakh alumni members
    • School Adoption Programme enables alumni to make financial contributions to adopted schools
    • Over 5.5 lakh contributors including MPs, MLAs, bureaucrats and professionals contributed over ₹797 crore to 40,855 schools

Focus Areas of 5T Programme:

• • Launched in 2021, the 5T-High School Transformation Programme focuses on adopting educational technology in Odisha’s high schools. 

• • Educational technology: 

• • • The “5T” concept stands for transparency, technology, teamwork, timeliness and transformation.

• • Smart classrooms and Improved facilities

• • • This includes digital classrooms, e-libraries, modern science labs, improved sanitation facilities, and sports facilities.
    • 6,872 high schools have been transformed under this programme at a cost of ₹3,411 crore.

• • Assistive devices for disabled students

• • • The programme provides assistive devices and tailored teaching materials for students with disabilities like autism and other disabilities.

• • Holistic development

• • • Campaigns like ‘Mo School Hockey Clubs’ and ‘Football for All’ have been launched to enable holistic development of students.

Outcomes: 

• This proactive approach by Odisha has caused a major shift in enrollment patterns. 
• In 2019-20, private schools had 16,05,000 students versus 14,62,000 in 2021-22.
• Currently, 81% of students in Odisha study in government schools.

Conclusion: 

• Education is a human right and should be accessible and affordable for all.
• The interventions by the state government have established education as a public good founded on equality and excellence.

Nut Graf: The Odisha government has implemented a series of reforms to improve public education, including the Odisha Adarsha Vidyalayas (OAV) model, the ‘Mo School’ Abhiyan, and the 5T High School Transformation Programme. These initiatives have resulted in a significant shift in enrollment patterns, with more students opting for government schools. The government’s proactive approach to education founded on equality and excellence can be a model for other states.

F. Prelims Facts

1. Legal experts divided on self-regulation provisions in draft broadcasting Bill

Syllabus: GS 2- Governance

Prelims: About Draft Broadcasting Bill

Introduction

• The draft Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2023, has generated varied opinions, particularly concerning its provisions on self-regulation by broadcasters and broadcasting network operators.

Positive Perspectives

• The proposal for self-regulation is welcomed as it instals a greater sense of responsibility and accountability among broadcasters and networks, aligning with the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.

Concerns and Criticisms

• Some experts express surprise and concern over certain details in the Bill, such as the requirement for broadcasters to intimate the government, which may be perceived as unnecessary, especially in light of new Digital Personal Data Protection legislation.
• The draft Bill mandates the public disclosure of personal details of members of the Content Evaluation Committee (CEC), leading to concerns about potential personal risks for committee members based on the content they approve.
• Mandatory disclosures may pose risks, considering the sensitivities of diverse audiences and potential audience reactions to sensationalised content, whether justified or not.

Anticipated Changes

• The draft Bill is currently open for public comments, and stakeholders anticipate several changes following consultations.
• Stakeholders hope for reconsideration of the personal disclosure requirements for CEC members, emphasising the need to balance responsibility and potential harm.

Challenges and Areas of Interest

• The effectiveness of self-regulation depends on the independence of regulatory bodies, such as the Broadcast Advisory Council, in exercising their powers under the Act.
• There is interest in examining potential overlaps in powers between self-regulatory organisations (SROs) and the Registering Authority, particularly concerning the revocation and suspension of registrations.

Grey Areas and OTT Platforms

• Legal experts raise concerns about grey areas in the draft Bill, particularly in relation to the positions of over-the-top (OTT) platforms and satellite services.

G. Tidbits