Enroll now for UPSC Online Course

DOWNLOAD PDF

Consumption of spurious liquor laced with Methanol  in Kallakurichi district of Tamil Nadu has cost 34 lives and caused severe injuries to many others.

More On News

• Tamil Nadu: Liquor sales in Tamil Nadu are controlled by the State, through around 5,000 outlets with  the manufacture, trade, storage, and sale of methanol requiring licences under the 1959 Rules.

• Last year also witnessed the death of approx 20 people from consuming spurious liquor  in the State’s Chengalpattu and Villupuram districts
  • The police determined that the arrack sellers (Arrack is distilled from the fermented sap of the palm tree) had purchased industrial-grade methanol from factories and had sold it to the victims.

Enroll now for UPSC Online Course 

Spurious Liquor or Hooch

• Hooch: It is a commonly used term for poor quality alcohol, or is an alcohol meant to intoxicate.
  • It is derived from Hoochinoo, a native Alaskan tribe that was known to produce very strong liquor.
• Production Process: Hooch is produced in a much more crude setting using distillation of a fermented mixture, generally of locally available yeast, and sugar or fruit (often fruit waste). 
  • Rudimentary setup:  It often employs just a big vat where the mixture is boiled, a pipe that captures and carries the alcoholic fumes, and another pot where concentrated alcohol condenses. Multiple rounds of distillation are carried out, to produce more potent alcohol.
• Key Ingredient: It typically is a homemade liquor to which methanol (Industrial Alcohol) is additionally mixed to strengthen the intoxicating effects or increase the bulk volume of the solution.

What is Methanol?

• Chemical Formula: The methanol molecule (CH3OH) consists of one carbon atom bonded with three hydrogen atoms and one hydroxyl group.
• Production: Methanol is produced by combining carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of copper and zinc oxides as catalysts at 50-100 atm of pressure and 250° C.
• Application: Industrial applications of methanol use it as a precursor to acetic acid, formaldehyde, and aromatic hydrocarbons. It is also used as a solvent and as antifreeze
• Laws and Regulation: 
• • The Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations 2018: It stipulates the maximum permissible quantity of methanol in different liquors. 
    • Range: These values span a wide range, including “absent” in coconut fenny, 50 grams per 100 litres of country liquor, and 300 grams per 100 litres of pot-distilled spirits.
  • Methanol is included in the Schedule I of the Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical Rules 1989. 
  • Quality: The Indian Standard IS 517 applies to how the quality of methanol is to be ascertained
  • Packaging: The Tamil Nadu Denatured Spirit, Methyl Alcohol, and Varnish (French Polish) Rules 1959, ascertains what signage methanol packaging should carry.

Methanol Poisoning

• Concentration In the Human Body:
  • A body can still have about 33% of Methanol once introduced even after 48 hours. It is completely absorbed via the gastrointestinal tract and the blood methanol level can reach its maximum value within 90 minutes.
  • Natural Presence: Although, the human body contains infinitesimal quantities of methanol (4.5 ppm in the breath of healthy individuals) as a result of eating some fruits. 
    • More than 0.1 ml of pure methanol per kilogram of body-weight can be devastating for a human body.
• Metabolic acidosis: Regular intake of Methanol can cause a condition called Metabolic acidosis which is the accumulation of formic acid over time in the body.  
  • Process: The ADH enzymes metabolise methanol in the liver once ingested  to form formaldehyde (H-CHO). Then ALDH enzymes convert formaldehyde to formic acid (HCOOH) which when accumulated leads to a condition called metabolic acidosis.
    • Formic acid also interferes with an enzyme called cytochrome oxidase, disrupting cells’ ability to use oxygen and leading to the build-up of lactic acid and contributing to acidosis.
      • The formic acid begins accumulating in dangerous amounts in the body  around 18-24 hours after ingestion, affecting the optic nerve, kidneys, the heart, and the brain.
  • Acidification of Blood: Metabolic acidosis further leads to acidaemia ie. when the blood’s pH drops below its normal value of 7.35, becoming increasingly acidic.
• Risk: 
  •  Methanol consumption can lead to methanol-induced optic neuropathy.
    • It is a serious condition that  causes damage and loss of function of the optic nerve and retina and may result in long-term or irreversible visual impairment or even blindness 
      • Ophthalmic effects have been observed in 50% of those who have consumed methanol, and they become apparent within 24 hours.
  • Methanol-poisoning can also cause cerebral edema, haemorrhage, and death.

• Treatment of methanol-poisoning: 
  • Administer pharmaceutical-grade ethanol: Ethanol competes very well with methanol for the ADH enzymes, which metabolise ethanol around 10x faster. As a result, the methanol is kept from being metabolised to formaldehyde.
  • Antidote: An antidote called fomepizole needs to be administered which slows the action of the ADH enzymes, causing the body to produce formaldehyde at a rate the body can quickly excrete.
    • Both fomepizole and folinic acid are in the WHO’s list of essential medicines.
  • Folinic acid: It encourages the formic acid to break up into carbon dioxide and water.
  • Dialysis: The individual may also undergo a dialysis to remove methanol and formic acid salts from the blood, and mitigate damage to the kidneys and the retina.

Check Out UPSC NCERT Textbooks From PW Store

DOWNLOAD PDF

Recently, NITI Aayog announced that the government has monetised assets worth Rs 3.85 lakh crore in the first three years of the National Monetisation Pipeline (2021-22 to 2024-25).

Govt monetised assets worth Rs 3.85 lakh crore under National Monetisation Pipeline in three years

• In the first two years (2021-22 and 2022-23), the NMP targeted Rs. 2.5 lakh crore and achieved approximately Rs. 2.30 lakh crore. 
  • In 2023-24, with a target of Rs. 1.8 lakh crore, the achievement was about Rs. 1.56 lakh crore, marking a 159% increase over the achievement in 2021-22.
• In 2023-24, all ministries attained 70% of their monetization targets, with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the Ministry of Coal leading the way, achieving a total of Rs. 97,000 crore.

Asset Monetisation

• About: Asset monetization involves making public infrastructure available to the private sector or institutional investors through structured vehicles and mechanisms. 
  • This approach differs from ‘privatisation’ or ‘structured partnerships’ with the private sector, as it operates within defined contractual frameworks.
• Origin: In India, the idea of asset monetisation was first suggested by a committee led by economist Vijay Kelkar in 20121 on the roadmap for fiscal consolidation. 
  • The committee had recommended that the government should start monetisation to raise resources for further development and financing infrastructure needs.
• Objectives: Unlocking value from public investment in infrastructure.
  • Leveraging private sector efficiencies.
  • Generating new revenue sources by unlocking the value of previously unutilized or underutilised public assets.
  • Unlocking Idle Capital: This involves the temporary transfer of Brownfield Infrastructure Assets (where investments have already been made but the assets are underutilised, languishing, or not fully monetized) to unlock “idle” capital. 
• Alignment: The Union Budget 2021-22 identified Asset Monetization as one of the three key pillars for boosting sustainable infrastructure financing in the country. 
  • Consequently, the National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) has been aligned with the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) announced in 2019.

Enroll now for UPSC Online Course

About National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP)

National Monetisation Pipeline was launched in 2021 to finance the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) by unlocking the value of underutilised or unutilized public assets.

• Objective: Developed by NITI Aayog in consultation with infrastructure ministries, the strategic objective is to unlock brownfield public sector asset value, leveraging institutional and long-term capital.
• Timeline: This monetization initiative spans four years, from FY 2021-22 to FY 2024-25, aligning with the NIP’s timeline.
• Aim: To establish a unified framework for monetizing core assets, distinct from disinvestment and the monetization of non-core assets, which are not covered under its scope.
  • Core assets are integral to an entity’s business goals and are utilised for delivering infrastructure services to the public or users. 
  • Non-core assets typically consist of land parcels and buildings.
  • The end goal is collaborative infrastructure creation through monetization, enhancing socio-economic growth and citizens’ quality of life.
• Streamlining: To streamline operations, the monetization of non-core assets such as land, real estate, and infrastructure is being shifted from the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) to the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) under the Ministry of Finance.
• Features: Key features of the NMP include estimating a monetization potential of ` 6.0 lakh crores from core assets of the Central Government and Central Public Sector Enterprises.
• Coverage: Sectors covered under NMP comprise roads, ports, airports, railways, warehousing, gas & product pipelines, power generation and transmission, mining, telecom, stadiums, hospitality, and housing.
• Funding: Around 14% of the Central Government’s National Infrastructure Pipeline outlay will be funded through NMP, amounting to ` 43 lakh crores.
• Monetization Modalities: The monetization modality involves structured contractual agreements (PPP agreements/concessions) and the use of Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs), with assets reverting to the government at the contract’s end.
• Core Asset Monetization Framework:
  • Non-ownership Monetization: Emphasizes monetizing rights rather than ownership, requiring assets to be returned at the end of the transaction life.
  • Brownfield Assets with Stable Revenue: Focuses on de-risked assets with stable revenue streams that are crucial for infrastructure.
  • Structured Partnerships and Transparent Bidding: Involves structured partnerships within clear contractual frameworks and transparent competitive bidding processes. Contractual partners must adhere to Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and performance standards.

Significance of National Monetisation Pipeline

• Resource Mobilization: Asset monetisation is critical to attract the required quantum of capital into the infrastructure sector.
• Fiscal Prudence: The revenue accrued by leasing out these assets will help fund new capital expenditure without pressuring government finances.
• Mobilizing Private Capital: Resource and capital efficiencies of the private sector along with the ability to dynamically adapt to the evolving global and economic reality will foster value creation in Infrastructure.
• Resource Efficiency: Through optimum utilization of government assets. 
• Investment Avenues: Creates an enabling environment for participation of long-term institutional investors in infrastructure asset management.
• Cooperative Federalism: To encourage states to pursue monetisation, the Central government has already set aside R$5,000 crore as incentive.
• Promoting Public-Private Partnership: Collaboration of the public and private sector, each excelling in their core areas of competence, helps in delivering socio economic growth and quality of life to the country’s citizens.
• Integration: NMP aligns with PM Gati Shakti to enhance India’s infrastructure comprehensively, while leveraging existing assets to raise funds for new projects.

Check Out UPSC CSE Books From PW Store

DOWNLOAD PDF

India is getting closer to developing a gene therapy for sickle cell disease.

• Developing a gene therapy using CRISPR has been part of India’s mission to eradicate sickle cell disease by 2047. 
• World Sickle Cell Day is celebrated on June 19 to raise awareness about this genetic blood disorder and to educate people about how to manage their lifestyles.

About Sickle Cell Disease

Ite is a genetic blood disorder with a high prevalence rate among the Scheduled Tribes.

• It is a group of inherited red blood cell disorders. 
  • Red blood cells contain haemoglobin, a protein that carries oxygen.
• Healthy red blood cells are round. SCD affects the shape of red blood cells, which carry oxygen to all parts of the body.
  • It causes the red blood cells to become hard and sticky and look like a C-shaped farm tool called a “sickle.” 
  • Sickle cells die early, which causes a constant shortage of red blood cells. 
  • Also, when they travel through small blood vessels, they get stuck and clog the blood flow.
• Threats Posed: Increases the risk of infection and of death from conditions like stroke, heart problems, kidney problems, and pregnancy complications.
• Cure:
  • Only cure comes in the form of gene therapy and stem cell transplants — both costly and still in developmental stages. 
  • Blood transfusion, wherein red blood cells are removed from donated blood and given to a patient, is also a trusted treatment in the absence of permanent cures

Enroll now for UPSC Online Course

Casgevy And Lyfgenia: CRISPR-Based Gene Therapies

• Casgevy made by Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics, and Lyfgenia, by Bluebird Bio—is for people 12 and older.
• These two therapies work in different ways however both therapies utilise the Nobel-winning CRISPR/Cas 9 genome editing technology.

What Is Casgevy Therapy?

• The Casgevy therapy uses the patient’s blood stem cells, which are precisely edited using Crispr-Cas9. 
• The therapy targets a gene called BCL11A, which is crucial for switching from fetal to adult haemoglobin.
• The therapy uses the body’s mechanisms to produce more foetal haemoglobin, alleviating the symptoms of the two conditions

What is Lyfgenia Therapy?

• It uses a viral envelope to deliver a healthy hemoglobin-producing gene.
• Lyfgenia works by taking a piece of a virus (a lentivirus, which belongs to the HIV family) and using it to deliver a functional version of a haemoglobin-producing gene.

Check Out UPSC Modules From PW Store

(Know more about Casgevy And Lyfgenia: CRISPR-Based Gene Therapies, here)

Government Initiatives to address SCA

• National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission: Introduced in the Union Budget 2023, focuses on addressing the significant health challenges posed by sickle cell disease, particularly among tribal populations of the country.
  • Implemented in 17 high-focus states across the country, this program aims to improve the care and prospects of all sickle cell disease patients while reducing the prevalence of the disease. 
  • The program is executed in a mission mode as part of the National Health Mission (NHM), aims to eliminate sickle cell genetic transmission by the year 2047, showing a long-term commitment to eradicating the disease.
• Budget 2023-24: Government announced its plans to distribute “special cards” across tribal areas to people below the age of 40.
  • The cards will be divided into different categories based on the screening results. 
  • The mission will receive funding under the National Health Mission.
• The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) has launched the Sickle Cell Disease Support Corner:  To bridge the gap between patients and health care services in tribal areas. 
  • The Portal provides a web-based patient powered registration system which collates all information related to Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) among tribal people in India, including providing them a platform to register themselves if they have the disease or the trait.
• National Council on Sickle Cell Disease has also been constituted of senior officials of GoI and health care private and public bodies for timely and effective action.

Enroll now for UPSC Online Classes

DOWNLOAD PDF

Recently fifth edition of the State of Global Air (SoGA) report presents a comprehensive analysis of data for air quality and health impacts for countries around the world in 2021

Key Findings of Report

• Air pollution: Air pollution killed 8.1 million globally, 2.1mn in India in 2021, becoming the second leading risk factor for death, including for children under five years. 
  • Of the total deaths, noncommunicable diseases including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) account for nearly 90% of the disease burden from air pollution.
  • Beyond these deaths, many more millions of people are living with debilitating chronic diseases, putting tremendous strains on health care systems, economies, and societies.
• Children under five years old
  • In 2021, more than 700,000 deaths in children under 5 years were linked to air pollution; this represents 15% of all global deaths in children under five.
  • Exposure to air pollution in young children is linked to pneumonia, responsible for 1 in 5 child deaths globally, and asthma, the most common chronic respiratory disease in older children. 
• AirPollution and Climate Change
  • PM 2.5 : More than 90 percent of these global air pollution deaths – 7.8 million people – are attributed to PM2.5 air pollution, including from ambient PM2.5 and household air pollution. 
    • These tiny particles, measuring less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, are so small they remain in the lungs and can enter the bloodstream, affecting many organ systems and increasing the risks for noncommunicable diseases in adults like heart disease, stroke, diabetes, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). 
  • NO2 : For the first time, this year’s report includes exposure levels and related health effects of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), including the impact of NO2 exposures on the development of childhood asthma. 
    • Traffic exhaust is a major source of NO2, which means densely populated urban areas, particularly in high-income countries, often see the highest levels of NO2 exposures and health impacts.
  • Ozone: In 2021, long-term exposure to ozone contributed to an estimated 500,000 (approx) deaths globally, including 14,000 ozone-related COPD deaths in the United States, higher than other high-income countries

Enroll now for UPSC Online Course

Progress Is Being Made

• Death rate linked to children under five has dropped by 53 per cent, due largely to efforts aimed at expanding access to clean energy for cooking, as well as improvements in access to healthcare, nutrition, and better awareness about the harms associated with exposure to household air pollution.
• Air quality actions in regions like Africa, Latin America, and Asia, such as installing air pollution monitoring networks, implementing stricter air quality policies, or offsetting traffic-related air pollution by moving to hybrid or electric vehicles, are all having measurable impacts on pollution and improving public health.

DOWNLOAD PDF

According to a paper published in the journal Nature Communications,  an earthquake around 2,500 years ago could have caused the Ganga river to abruptly change course.

• Researchers believe that this event led to the river abandoning its former channel in what is now Bangladesh and creating a new path.

Key Findings Of Paper

• Change in Course: This study is the “first confirmed instance” of an earthquake driving avulsion in deltas, especially for an immense river such as the Ganga.
  • Avulsions: Many river-course changes, this is called ‘avulsions’
  • The Satellite images showed former main channel of the river, about 100 kilometres south of Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh.
    • This is a low-lying area about 1.5 kilometres wide that can be found intermittently for some 100 kilometres almost parallel to the current river course. 

Enroll now for UPSC Online Course

• • • Exploring this area in 2018, the researchers spotted features created as a result of earthquakes, called seismites.
  • Similar to other rivers running through major deltas, the Ganga too is known to regularly change its course.
• The quake could have had one of two possible sources:
• • One is a subduction zone to the south and east, where a huge plate of oceanic crust is shoving itself under Bangladesh, Myanmar and northeastern India,
  • The other possibility is that the seismic shock came from giant faults at the foot of the Himalayas to the north, which are gradually rising because the Indian subcontinent is slowly colliding with the rest of Asia, they said.
• Rivers can take years or decades to change their course, but an earthquake can cause an avulsion almost instantaneously

Risks Of Another Such Event In Future

• A 2016 study suggested that an earthquake of comparable magnitude could strike the region again, affecting some 140 million people.  

• Large earthquakes impact large areas and can have long-lasting economic, social and political effects

Immediate Consequences

1. Flooding: An abrupt change could lead to immediate flooding in areas along the new course, causing widespread damage and loss of life.
2. Emergency Response: The need for emergency response and disaster relief would be immediate and extensive, requiring significant resources and coordination.

Economic Impact

1. Agriculture: Many regions rely on the Ganga for irrigation. A course change could disrupt water supply, leading to crop failures and loss of livelihood for farmers.
2. Infrastructure Damage: Bridges, dams, and other infrastructure along the original course would become obsolete or require significant modification & Floods would lead to damage

Environmental Impact

1. Ecosystem Disruption: Ganga supports a wide range of flora and fauna. An abrupt course change could destroy habitats, threaten endangered species, and disrupt the ecological balance.
2. Water Quality: New course could introduce pollutant.

Check Out UPSC CSE Books From PW Store

Social Impact

• Displacement : This sudden change in course would lead to mass displacement of people.
• Health: Changes in water availability and quality could affect public health, particularly in regions where clean water is already scarce

Geopolitical Impact

• Interstate Relations: Ganga flows through multiple states in India. A change in its course could lead to conflicts over water rights and resource allocation.

DOWNLOAD PDF

Recently,  IUCN has changed Iberian lynx’s status to ‘vulnerable’ from ‘endangered’ due to significant improvement in its conservation status.

Population of Lynx

• 2001 Status: In 2001, the lynx population had dwindled to just 62 mature individuals.
  • By 2022, the number of mature lynx increased to 648.
• Current status: Including young lynx, the total population is now estimated to be over 2,000.

About Iberian lynx’s

• Scientific name: Lynx pardinus
  • It belongs to cat species and  is sexually dimorphic. 
    • Males are heavier and longer than females. 
• Distribution:  Spain and Portugal
• Known for: long legs, pointy ears, and leopard-like spotted fur.

Enroll now for UPSC Online Course

Key strategies to increase conservation of Iberian lynx’s

• Enhancing prey: Increase the population of its primary prey, the Endangered European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus).
• Protection and Restoration of habitat:  Protecting and restoring its Mediterranean scrub and forest habitat.
• • Habitat Expansion: The lynx’s habitat has expanded significantly, now covering at least 3,320 km², up from just 449 km² in 2005.
  • Reintroduction: Since 2010, over 400 Iberian lynx have been reintroduced into various areas of Portugal and Spain.
• Minimizing human-caused fatalities.
• Genetic Diversity and Breeding Programs
  • Genetic diversity: The diversity of the Iberian Lynx has been improved through translocations.
  • An ex-situ breeding program: This program  has also been crucial in increasing the population. These both measures played a crucial role in increasing the population of Iberian lynx’s. 

Threats to Iberian lynx’s

Despite the success, several threats remain:

• Virus outbreak: The European rabbit population, crucial for the lynx’s diet, is vulnerable to virus outbreaks.
• Disease due to climate change: The lynx faces diseases from domestic cats, poaching, road accidents, and habitat changes due to climate change
• Other risks: Poaching, illegal hunting, and road accidents still threaten the species’ survival.

Check Out UPSC NCERT Textbooks From PW Store

DOWNLOAD PDF

Google Deepmind has unveiled the third major version of its “AlphaFold” – AlphaFold 3, artificial intelligence model, designed to help scientists design drugs and target disease more effectively.

What is AlphaFold?

• An AI tool developed by Google’s DeepMind in 2018 to predict how proteins fold.
  • This artificial intelligence technology that helps scientists understand the behavior of the microscopic mechanisms that drive the cells in the human body.
• Solution to Protein Folding Problem: An early version of AlphaFold, released in 2020, successfully solved the “the protein folding problem.”
  • Each protein is made up of a string of smaller building blocks called amino acids, which contain all the information to transform proteins — from a single sequence to a folded, functional 3D structure.

Enroll now for UPSC Online Course

AlphaFold 3

• It’s built on the foundations of AlphaFold 2 & had made a fundamental breakthrough in protein structure prediction in 2020, by predicting the 3D structure of a protein from its amino acid structure.
• It expands beyond proteins to provide accurate predictions for protein interactions with other biomolecules in living cells – such as DNA, RNA, and small molecules.
• Significance: It can predict the behaviour of other microscopic biological mechanisms, including DNA, where the body stores genetic information, and RNA, which transfers information from DNA to proteins.
• It will potentially help to streamline the creation of new drugs and vaccines.

DOWNLOAD PDF

Recently, the Patna High Court set aside the amendments passed by the Bihar legislature in 2023 to increase the reservation Backward Classes (BC), Extremely Backward Classes (EBC), Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) from 50% to 65% in educational institutions and government jobs.

Patna High Court Strikes Down 65% Quota In Bihar: Background

• Decision of the Bihar Government: Following the caste-based survey report, the government of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar decided to increase the reservation for Backward Classes, Extremely Backward Classes (EBC), Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) due to a lack of adequate representation of these classes. 
  • The State Government had not given this reservation on a proportionate basis.
• Reservation to 75%: Together with the 10% Economically Backward Class (EWS) quota, the Bill had pushed reservation in Bihar to 75%, well past the 50% ceiling set by the Supreme Court.
• Filing of PIL: A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition was filed in the Patna High Court challenging the decision of the Bihar Government to increase reservation in the State from 50% to 65%.

Enroll now for UPSC Online Course

Opinion of the Patna High Court

• Purpose of Reservation: The reservation system was created to dismantle the dominance of a few groups and to uplift the backward classes.
• Balancing Merit: While addressing social inequities, it is crucial that merit is not entirely disregarded.
• Amendments made violate Equality: Court opined that amendments are beyond the powers of the constitution and it violates equality clause under Articles 14, 15, and 16.

The Indra Sawhney Ruling

• About 50% ceiling: The 50% ceiling was introduced by the Supreme Court in its landmark 1992 decision in Indra Sawhney v Union of India in order to ensure “efficiency” in administration.
• Majority Verdict (6-3): Upheld the 27% quota for Socially and Economically Backward Classes (SEBC).
• First Precedent: Established that the criteria for reservation should be “social and educational backwardness”.
• Second Precedent: Reaffirmed the 50% limit on vertical quotas as set by earlier judgments.
• Key Judgments Referenced:
  • M R Balaji v State of Mysore (1963)
  • Devadasan v Union of India (1964)
• Exception Clause: The 50% limit can be exceeded only in “exceptional circumstances”.
• Indra Sawhney Ruling: Reaffirmed in numerous subsequent cases. However, 
  • Attempts to gain political advantage: Attempts to exceed the 50% reservation limit persist in Bihar and other states.
    • Breaching the 50% limit has become a politically charged issue.
  • Frequent Litigation: The 50% ceiling is often contested in courts as states and groups push for higher quotas to address specific social and political demands, leading to judicial review and interpretations.

Check Out UPSC Modules From PW Store

Legal Challenge to Ceiling

• Limit challenged before Supreme Court: The 50% reservation limit is currently being challenged before the Supreme Court.
• Court Actions: Despite the pending challenge, courts have struck down laws that attempt to exceed the 50% limit.
• Notable Exception: The 10% quota for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS), introduced in 2019, is the only exception to this rule so far.
  • Supreme Court Verdict (November 2022): A five-judge Bench upheld the EWS quota in a 3-2 decision.
  • Ruling Details: The verdict stated that the 50% ceiling applies only to SC/ST and OBC quotas. 
  • EWS Quota Classification: The EWS quota is considered a separate category outside the ‘backwardness’ framework.
  • Majority Opinion: The ceiling limit is not considered inflexible or inviolable for all times. This opinion  has led to questions: 
    • Potential Reopening of Indra Sawhney Case: Questions arise whether the Supreme Court might reconsider the Indra Sawhney verdict.
    • Minority Opinion: Two judges expressed concern over breaching the 50% ceiling since the issue is pending before the court.
    • Cautionary Note: They warned that allowing breaches of the 50% rule could lead to further violations and compartmentalization of reservations.

Arguments in favour of 50% Ceiling

• Contradict Principle of Equality: Critics argue that exceeding the 50% reservation limit would contradict the principle of equality.
  • There is a need to maintain a balance between affirmative action through reservations and the overarching principle of equality under the law.
• Reservations as Exceptions: Reservations are viewed as exceptions to ensure equality rather than becoming the norm.
  • Dr. B R Ambedkar’s speech in the Constituent Assembly is frequently cited, warning that unqualified reservations could undermine the principle of equality.

Enroll now for UPSC Online Classes

Criticism of 50% Ceiling and in favour of reservation

• Arbitrary Ceiling: Critics argue that the 50% reservation limit is arbitrary and imposed by the court. Despite efforts by the legislature to exceed this limit, the courts have consistently upheld the 50% ceiling.
• Debate Over Legitimacy: There is ongoing debate regarding the legitimacy and flexibility of the 50% reservation ceiling set by judicial interpretation.
• Reservations as Fundamental Right: Some argue that reservations are integral to the fundamental right to equality and form part of the basic structure of the Constitution.
• Judicial Perspective: The Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling upheld the OBC quota in NEET, emphasising that reservations do not undermine merit but rather contribute to its distribution.

Reservation in Other states

• Tamil Nadu: Introduced the Tamil Nadu reservation law, which exceeded the 50% limit, into the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution.
  • The Ninth Schedule provides the law with a “safe harbour” from judicial review under Article 31A of the Constitution. 

• • Laws placed in the Ninth Schedule cannot be challenged for reasons of violating any fundamental right protected under the Constitution.
• Maharashtra: In May 2021, a five-judge SC Bench unanimously struck down a Maharashtra law that provided reservation to the Maratha community as unconstitutional, holding that the quota limit could not exceed 50%. 
  • With the implementation of the Maratha quota, reservation in the state could have gone up to 68%.

Check Out UPSC CSE Books From PW Store

Conclusion

The Supreme Court will soon revisit the Indra Sawhney case, focusing on substantive equality instead of formal equality.

• This review will incorporate insights gained from over three decades of legal decisions on reservations since the Mandal Commission report. 
• The court’s reassessment could lead to significant changes in how reservation policies are understood and applied. 

DOWNLOAD PDF

The Indian Prime Minister is leading the 10th annual International Yoga Day celebrations in Srinagar on June 21. 

About 10th International Yoga Day 2024

• Refers: As per United Nations, the word ‘yoga’ derives from the Sanskrit and means to join or to unite, symbolising the union of body and consciousness.
• Observation: The international community observes June 21 as International Yoga Day. 
  • Theme for 2024: “Yoga for Self and Society”. 
• Background: 
  • Resolution by the United Nations: The UN passed a resolution on December 11, 2014 during the 69th session of the General Assembly to proclaim June 21 as International Day of Yoga. 
    • Although yoga has long been recognised as India’s great gift to the global culture of wellness, the official recognition by the United Nations came in 2014.
  • The First Yoga Day Celebrations: These were held in 2015 at Rajpath in New Delhi created two Guinness World Records for being the world’s largest yoga session (35,985 people), and for having the largest number of participating nationalities (84).
• Significance: The International Day of Yoga is important in several ways:
  • An effective means of spreading knowledge about yoga’s benefits for physical and mental health worldwide. 
  • It invites individuals from all areas of life to investigate this age-old practice and learn about its transforming potential. 

Enroll now for UPSC Online Course

About Yoga

• Origin: Yoga is an ancient physical, mental and spiritual practice that originated in India. 
  • Philosophical Roots: These lie in the Six Doctrines of Salvation in Hinduism, in which Yoga forms a related and complementary pair with Sankhya, the other two pairs being Nyaya and Vaishesika, and Mimosa and Vedanta. 
  • Yogic Philosophy: Yoga encapsulates a broad set of religious practices and acts of self-mortification, the practitioner of which is called a Yogi. 
    • An early school of yogic philosophy emphasised psychic training as a means of salvation, drawing from the Yoga Sutras of the grammarian Patanjali. 
  • In the Medieval Period: The techniques of yoga were employed by various tantric schools who made the exercises increasingly difficult, and the practice attained a certain exclusivity.
• Significance: 
  • A Way to Discover: Yoga is not just about exercise; it is a way to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and nature.
  • Support by the World Health Organisation (WHO): The WHO has also asked its member states to practice Yoga and has included it in its Global Action Plan for physical activity 2018-30.
  • Yoga for Health and Wellness: Yoga is today a popular and accessible philosophy of physical and mental well-being that is practised by millions around the world. 
    • Yoga boosts physical fitness, reduces stress and anxiety, enhances general well-being, and improves sleep quality.
    • Yoga cultivates the ways of maintaining a balanced attitude in day-to-day life and endows skill in the performance of one’s actions.

DOWNLOAD PDF

The role of the Global South is changing in the global economy and to boost its growth, it needs better financial support, digital infrastructure and climate financing that highlights the need for reforms in the global financial system. 

About Global South

• Refers: Global South refers to various countries around the world that are sometimes described as ‘developing’, ‘less developed’ or ‘underdeveloped’. 
  • The term Global South was first used in 1969 by Carl Oglesby, but gained momentum after the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991.
  • The term ‘Global South’ is not geographical. In fact, the Global South’s two largest countries — China and India — lie entirely in the Northern Hemisphere. 
  • Its usage denotes a mix of political, geopolitical and economic commonalities between nations.
• Regional Spread: Many of the Global South countries are in the Southern Hemisphere, largely in Africa, Asia and Latin America. 
• Characteristics of Global South Countries:
  • Poverty ridden with higher levels of income inequality.
  • Lower life expectancy and harsh living conditions.
• Variations within the Global South Countries:
  • Population Level: 4 out of the 5 most populous nations of the world are in Asia (including China and India).
  • Economic Growth: In recent decades, Asian economies (especially in East Asia) have grown the fastest and are expected to do so in the future as well.
  • Income Level: Latin American countries, except Venezuela are either upper-middle or high-income, while the African members of the Global South region are generally poorer with 7 of the 20 countries having per capita income of less than $1,000.
  • Conflict Situation: 3 large African nations- Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sudan have been affected by long and bloody civil conflicts.

Enroll now for UPSC Online Course

Recent Economic Forecasts about Global South

• Growth and Development: The latest World Bank/IMF forecasts indicate that growth of the Global South will hold steady at around 3% and is the lowest in decades.
• Regional Achievements: For the next two to three decades, nearly three-fourths of the global growth will come from middle- and low-income countries, with Asia leading the way. 
• Reasons for Growth: Decades of supportive geopolitics, demographics, globalisation and technological advances resulted in a period of high growth. 

Impact of Recent Global Events on the Global South

• Globalisation and Social Safety Nets: As globalisation deepened, safety nets in individual countries did not keep pace with the accompanying displacement of livelihoods, impacting social cohesion and support for the multilateral system. 
• Impact of Pandemic: COVID-19 disrupted markets, trade, supply chains, financial globalisation, impacting global growth. 
• Geopolitical Concerns: The war in Ukraine, worsening geopolitics, and the rise of strategic competition risks entrenched policy-driven fragmentation, impacting global cooperation and economic stability.

Check Out UPSC CSE Books From PW Store

Significance of the Global South

• Shifting Economic and Political Power: The Global South has experienced a significant shift in both political and economic powers. 
  • The World Bank (WB) has acknowledged a “shift in wealth” from the North Atlantic to the Asia-Pacific region.
  • By 2030 it is projected that three of the four largest economies will be from the Global South — with the order being China, India, the U.S. and Indonesia.
  • Already the GDP in terms of purchasing power of the Global South dominated BRICS nations surpasses that of the Global North’s G­7 club.
  • The combined GDP of the BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) already surpasses that of the G-7 nations. 
  • These are increasingly asserting themselves on the global scene — be it China’s brokering of Iran and Saudi Arabia’s rapprochement or Brazil’s attempt to push a peace plan to end the war in Ukraine.
• Impact on Geopolitics: Asian nations are predicted to play a significant role and is known by experts as the “Asian Century”.
  • Increased participation within important North-created international institutions, such as IMF, WTO and UN agencies.
  • Increased cooperation in various organisations such as OPEC, ASEAN, and the African Union. 

Enroll now for UPSC Online Classes

Challenges Faced by the Global South

• Vulnerability to Global Headwinds: Headwinds to growth emanating from several sources  such as climate change, cost of living crisis, out-of-reach Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) goals, declining productivity, absence of liquidity financing, and a broken debt architecture impact the Global South the most.
• Financial Challenges in Global South:
  • Absence of Deep Financial Markets: Without deep financial markets, the availability of sustainable financing will be a binding constraint for growth in the Global South and by extension for global growth because the Global South attracts capital at prohibitive rates and at short tenure.
  • Inadequate Financial Systems: The present international financial architecture is seemed to be ill-suited to support the growth potential of the Global South.
    • As per various experts, the global financial system is not providing financing at scale and in time to emerging markets. 
• Technological Disparities: Countries lacking digital public infrastructure (DPI) struggled during the pandemic, while those with effective DPI could provide emergency services. It highlights the need for development of more DPIs.
• Others: 
  • Inadequate Access to Resources: Global North-South divide has been due to major gaps in the access to resources that is required for crucial development.
  • Interference by China: It is through making inroads in the region through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) for developing infrastructure, while it is still a question whether BRI will profit all respective regions or only of China.
  • US Hegemony: The world is now considered to be multipolar but still the US alone dominates international affairs due to its largest economy and dominance in trade and currency.

Way Forward

• Technological Advancements: With the surge in technological innovations including Artificial Intelligence (AI), the digital transformation of daily lives in a positive manner is observed in all sectors such as education, emergency responses, health systems, commerce, etc.
  • Advances in AI give it great potential to boost global growth and inclusion. 
• Establishment of a Common Repository: The DPI architecture requires a centre and a firmer common structure to realise gains and ensure data and cyber security across multiple usages. 
  • An international effort to bring together a coalition of the willing to create a repository of best practices and provide a forum for sharing technical advances would avert system-wide incompatibilities.
    • With reliable and consistent data, shareholders and civil society groups will be in a better position to channel their activism more efficiently. 
    • It will provide the means for corporate boards to develop effective long-term plans for their organisations and large money managers will have the data to act on their sustainability-related goals.
• Improved Climate Financing: As regards climate financing, several proposals envisage leveraging public and multilateral resources. 
  • A recent Bretton Woods Committee Report proposes a complementary approach to focus more forcefully on capital markets. Research shows that 1% of publicly listed companies are responsible for 40% of greenhouse gas emissions. 
  • Need to Adopt: Such a solution would entail three elements: 
    • Mandatory disclosure requirements applied globally for publicly listed companies and large state-owned enterprises. 
    • A digital public infrastructure that translates data disclosed by companies into machine-readable data. 
    • New rating agencies need to rate corporations on the sustainability front. 
• Enhancement of Liquidity Provisions: A strengthened and reformed IMF is required to achieve this liquidity goal. It could address the lack of US dollar swap lines for countries like India and Indonesia.
  • In its absence, countries self-insure by amassing large reserves which could have been used for other developmental purposes. 

Check Out UPSC NCERT Textbooks From PW Store

Conclusion

The recent resurgence of the Global South reflects the evolving geopolitical landscape and the growing influence of developing nations in global affairs. India’s leadership exemplifies this transition through its championing of the interests of the Global South and advocating for a recalibration of the global economic and political order.

DOWNLOAD PDF