Context:

• The railways plans to float a ₹5,000 crore tender early next year for fast-tracking the adoption of Kavach. 

More about the news

• It has been suggested that the recent accident happened because of a collision of two trains which is a human error.
• In such cases, as per experts, anti-collision devices on trains can help avert a collision. 

About Kavach – Automatic Train Protection (ATP)/Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) 

• The KAVACH is an indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system by the Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO).
• It is a state-of-the-art electronic system with Safety Integrity Level-4 (SIL-4) standards. 
• It is meant to provide protection by preventing trains to pass the signal at Red (which marks danger) and avoid collision. 
• It activates the train’s braking system automatically if the driver fails to control the train as per speed restrictions. In addition, it prevents the collision between two locomotives equipped with functional Kavach systems. 

• The system also relays SoS messages during emergency situations. 
• An added feature is the centralised live monitoring of train movements through the Network Monitor System. 
• Kavach is one of the cheapest, SIL-4 certified technologies where the probability of error is 1 in 10,000 years.

News Source: Live Mint

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Context:

• October 31 is celebrated as National Unity Day or Rashtriya Ekta Diwas every year in India to commemorate Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s birth anniversary.

National Unity Day 

• On this day, ‘Run for Unity’ is held across the country. People from all walks of life take part in this event.
• National Unity Day seeks to promote social and community service initiatives. It also seeks to foster a sense of volunteerism and community engagement.

About Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (October 31, 1875—December 15, 1950)

• Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was an Indian barrister and statesman, one of the leaders of the Indian National Congress during the struggle for Indian independence. 
• From 1917 to 1924, he served as the first Indian municipal commissioner of Ahmedabad and was its elected municipal president from 1924 to 1928. 
• In 1928, he successfully led the landowners of Bardoli in their resistance against increased taxes. 
  • His efficient leadership of the Bardoli campaign earned him the title sardar (“leader”), and henceforth he was acknowledged as a nationalist leader throughout India. 
• He served as deputy prime minister, minister of home affairs, minister of information, and minister of states.
• During the 1930 Salt Satyagraha (prayer and fasting movement), he served three months’ imprisonment. 
• In March 1931 Patel presided over the Karachi session of the Indian National Congress. 
  • Under his chairmanship, “Fundamental Rights and Economic Policy” resolution was passed by the Congress in 1931.
• Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is remembered as the “Patron saint of India’s civil servants” for having established the modern all-India services system.
• He is known as the Iron Man of India for uniting all 562 princely states of the pre-independent country to form the Republic of India.
• He headed following committees:
  • Advisory Committee on Fundamental Rights.
  • Committee on Minorities and Tribal and Excluded Areas.
  • Provincial Constitution Committee.
• The Statue of Unity, the world’s tallest statue, was dedicated to him on 31 October, 2018, which is approximately 182 m (597 ft) in height.

News Source: Economic Times

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Context: 

• The report by the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 28) Presidency, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the Global Renewables Alliance was  recently launched pre-COP event in Abu Dhabi.
  • COP 28 marks the year of the first Global Stocktake, in which the world reflects on its progress in implementing the Paris Agreement.

COP 28 – Key Suggestions From the Report

• Increase In Renewable Power Generation Capacity: Tripling renewable energy capacity for power generation and doubling energy efficiency by 2030 is crucial to limiting the global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by the turn of the century.
  • It has to be increased from 3,382 gigawatts (GW) in 2022 to more than three times to reach  11,174 GW by 2030.
  • Over the same period, installed solar photovoltaic capacity need to increase to more than 5,400 GW from 1,055 GW in 2022. 
  • Wind installations need to exceed 3,500 GW (3,040 GW onshore and 500 GW offshore) from 899 GW in 2022.
  • According to IRENA 1.5°C Scenario, by 2030, global installed hydropower capacity (excluding pumped hydro) would need to grow by almost 17 per cent from the 2022 level, reaching 1 465 GW. 
• Share Of Variable Renewable Energy: The combination of solar PV and wind power, a rise from 10 per cent of the total electricity generated in 2021 to 46 per cent by 2030 is needed to meet the 2030 target.
• Increase In Energy Intensity:  The global annual rate of energy intensity improvement should double by 2030 from the current level.

• Technical Energy Efficiency Improvements: It is embodied by heat pumps, more efficient appliances, and electric vehicles — together with flexible, smart electrification strategies and deployment of decentralized energy – are of tremendous  importance in decarbonising end-use sectors such as buildings and transportation.
• Grid modernisation and expansion: Action is needed to drive grid modernisation and expansion and ensure supply-side, flexibility and demand-side management.
• Increase in investment: It has to be increased from $486 billion in 2022 to $1,300 billion by 2030. 
  • To achieve this, the global financial architecture must be reformed to support the energy transition in the Global South.
• Funding from multilateral development banks: It should be increased exponentially, and public capital should be redirected from the fossil fuel industry to renewable energy development.
• Infrastructure: There is an urgent need to boost cross sector infrastructure planning, increase cross-border co-operation and develop regional power grids.

Source: Down to Earth

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Context:

• The Supreme Court recently ordered the central and the state governments to take steps to fill the vacancies in the Central Information Commission (CIC) and state information commissions (SICs). 

Vacancies in CIC and SIC Hinder RTI Responses

• While ordering the center and state governments, the apex court observed that the 2005 law on the right to information would become a “dead letter” if no action were taken to fill vacant posts in SIC and CIC.
• Shortage of staff in these entities has led to a massive pile-up of unheard Right to Information (RTI) applications.
• SICs in states like Jharkhand, Tripura, and Telangana have become defunct.

About Central Information Commission (CIC)

• It is a statutory body constituted under the provision of Section-12 of RTI Act 2005,  the Central Government constitutes a body to be known as the Central Information Commission.
• The CIC shall consist of the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) and such number of Central Information Commissioners not exceeding 10 as may be deemed necessary.
• Jurisdiction:  It extends over all Central Public Authorities.
• Appointment Process of CIC/IC: The selection committee of CIC/IC consists of 
• • The Prime Minister, who shall be the Chairperson of the committee;
  • The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha
  • A Union Cabinet Minister to be nominated by the Prime Minister.
• Term of office: CIC and ICs (at the central and state levels) will hold a office for a term of three years.   
  • CIC is not eligible for reappointment.
• Oath of Office:  Administered by the President of India.
• Retirement from parent service on appointment: The CIC/IC as the case may be, shall be deemed to have retired from such service with effect from the date of his appointment as  CIC/IC in the Central Information Commission.

State Information Commission (SIC) 

• Composition: The SIC will be constituted by the State Government through a Gazette notification. It consists of one State Chief Information Commissioner (SCIC) and not more than 10 State Information Commissioners (SIC) to be appointed by the Governor.
• Oath Of Office: It will be administered by the Governor according to the form set out in the First Schedule.
• Process Of Appointment:  The Appointments Committee will be headed by the Chief Minister. Other members include the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly and one Cabinet Minister nominated by the Chief Minister.

Powers And Functions Of Information Commissions

• The Central Information Commission/State Information Commission has a duty to receive complaints from any person.
• Power to order inquiry if there are reasonable grounds.
• CIC/SCIC will have powers of Civil Court such as – 
  • summoning and enforcing attendance of persons, compelling them to give oral or written evidence on oath and to produce documents or things;
  • requiring the discovery and inspection of documents; 
  • receiving evidence on affidavit;
  • requisitioning public records or copies from any court or office 
  • issuing summons for examination of witnesses or documents
  • any other matter which may be prescribed.

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Context:

• Reliance Jio Infocomm (Jio) recently demonstrated JioSpaceFiber, India’s first satellite-based giga fiber service to provide high-speed broadband services in inaccessible geographies in the country.

Jio SpaceFiber – Key Highlights

• Four remotest locations in India — Gir in Gujarat, Korba in Chattisgarh, Nabrangpur in Odisha, and ONGC-Jorhat, Assam have been connected with JioSpaceFibre.

What is JioSpaceFibre?

• JioSpaceFiber is an Internet network relying on satellites.
• Reliance Jio has joined forces with SES, a satellite communication provider based in Luxembourg, to drive this ambitious project. 
• They will utilise SES’s O3b and the latest O3b mPower satellites for this initiative.
• Medium earth orbit (MEO) technology will be utilised to enhance the mobile backhaul capacity, allowing Jio’s True5G network to extend its coverage, even reaching remote regions.
  • Mobile Backhaul (MBH) is the process of connecting cell site air interfaces to wireline networks, which are subsequently connected to data centers that host the content and applications accessed by mobile users—both human and machine. 
• Jio SpaceFiber is already accessible in four of India’s most distant locations, including Gir (Gujarat), Korba (Chhattisgarh), Nabarangpur (Odisha), and ONGC-Jorhat (Assam). 

What is a Medium Earth Orbit?

• The region of space in between the low Earth orbit and the geostationary orbit is called the Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). 
• This orbit is at a distance of 2000 to 35786 kms from the earth’s surface. This orbit is ideal for navigation and communication satellites.

What is satellite internet?

• Satellite internet offers internet connectivity by wirelessly transmitting information through a satellite network in space.
• The differentiating factor with satellite internet is that it provides connectivity without the restriction of cables having to reach poor terrain or remote regions.

• This is why satellite internet is also often used as backup when there are land-based outages, for example, in the wake of a disaster. 
• In addition, it’s ideal for connecting moving objects, like aircraft, UAVs (Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles), ships, and trains.

News Source: HinduBL

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Context:

• A report from the US-based cybersecurity firm Resecurity reveals that the personal data of 815 million Indians is currently being sold on the dark web.

Recent Reports on Aadhaar Data Breach

• According to the Resecurity website, an individual using the alias “pwn0001” shared a post on BreachForums (a darknet crime forum) offering access to 815 million records containing information on “Indian Citizen Aadhar and Passport”.
• Resecurity’s investigators found that this threat actor was willing to sell the entire Aadhaar and Indian passport database on hand for $80,000.

What is Aadhar?

• Aadhar number is a 12-digit random number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to the residents of India after satisfying the verification process laid down by the Authority. Any individual, irrespective of age and gender, who is a resident of India, may voluntarily enroll to obtain an Aadhar number. 
• The Aadhar number is unique for each individual and will remain valid for life time.
• Virtual ID:VID is a temporary, revocable 16-digit random number mapped with the Aadhar number. VID can be used in lieu of Aadhar number whenever authentication or e-KYC services are performed.

What are the utilities of Aadhar?

• Promoting Good Governance: It is unique and robust enough to eliminate duplicates and fake identities to roll out several Government welfare schemes for effective service delivery thereby promoting transparency and good governance.
  • As of July 31, 2023, 765.30 million Indians had linked Aadhar with ration card to avail ration through Public Distribution System. Over 280 million residents linked Aadhar with cooking gas connection for LPG subsidy through PAHAL.
• Boost to Financial inclusion: Aadhar can be used as a permanent Financial Address and facilitates financial inclusion of the underprivileged and weaker sections of the society and is therefore a tool of distributive justice and equality. 
  • For Example: Jan Dhan Account- Aadhaar- Mobile” (JAM) trinity made it easier for the poor to receive Direct Benefit Transfers (DBTs) of welfare subsidies into their bank account.
• Key Pillar of ‘Digital India’: The Aadhar identity platform is one of the key pillars of the ‘Digital India’, wherein every resident of the country is provided with a unique identity. 
• Electronic benefit transfers: The UID-enabled-Bank-Account network will offer a secure and low cost platform to directly remit benefits to residents without the heavy costs associated  with benefit distribution; the leakages in the current system will also be stemmed as a result.
• Self-service puts residents in control: Using Aadhar as an authentication mechanism, residents should be able to access up-to-date information about their entitlements, demand services and redress their grievances directly from their mobile phone, kiosks or other means.
• Portability: Aadhaar is a universal number, and agencies and services can contact the central Unique Identification database from anywhere in the country to authenticate a beneficiary’s identity by availing authentication services.

What concerns are associated with the Aadhaar data breach?

• Right to Privacy: As the Supreme Court held that Aadhar could be used for welfare, it recognised a fundamental right to privacy (K.S. Puttaswamy and Anr. vs. Union of India) and struck down Section 57 of the Aadhaar Act which specifically enabled private entities to use Aadhaar numbers to establish identity for delivering services.
• Data Breaches: Many private entities in the country insist on an Aadhar card, and users often share the details. There’s no clarity on how these entities keep these data private and secure.
  • For Example: While data breaches in Aadhaar have been reported in 2018, 2019, and 2022.
• Security concerns: Several studies and news reports have highlighted how using AePS, money from workers’ accounts have been withdrawn or that they have been signed up for government insurance programmes without their knowledge.
  • The ₹10 crore scholarship scam in Jharkhand from 2020 exemplifies this.
• Excessive Aadhaar imposition:In its September 2018 judgment, the Supreme Court ruled that Aadhaar authentication can be made mandatory only for benefits paid from the Consolidated Fund of India and that alternative means of identity verification must always be provided when Aadhaar fails. 
  • Instead, Aadhaar continues to be routinely demanded from children for basic rights such as anganwadi services or school enrolment. 
• Unreliable demographic details: The demographic details on an Aadhaar card are often unverified and unreliable, particularly the person’s age (date of birth). Yet, Aadhar-based age is frequently used to check eligibility for old-age pensions or school admission, and even to assign children to a particular grade.
• Challenges in Aadhaar Authentication Process in Rural Areas: In many rural areas, people have to make multiple trips to ration shops, to authenticate with no guarantee that the authentication will work. 
  • Lack of reliable internet, fading fingerprints among daily wage workers, lack of phone connectivity to get an OTP etc. lead to denials of benefits of welfare schemes.

What measures has UIDAI implemented to secure Aadhaar data?

• Central Identities Data Repository (CIDR): Data of all Aadhaar holders is safe and secure in the Central Identities Data Repository (CIDR) of UIDAI.
• Collaborative Approach: UIDAI  works closely with all user agencies to enhance data security measures when it comes to sensitive user details like Aadhar.
• Advanced security technologies: UIDAI uses advanced security technologies to keep  data safe and keeps upgrading them to meet emerging security threats and challenges.

Also Read: Digital Personal DataProtection Bill 2023

Way Forward

• Masked Aadhaar: The UIDAI,  recommended that “a masked Aadhaar, which displays only the last four digits of your Aadhaar number,” should be used.
• Reinstating Independent Oversight in the Aadhaar Act for Accountability: The draft of the Aadhaar Act  included an entire chapter aimed at ensuring independent oversight of the Unique Identification Authority of India by a high-powered “Identity Review Committee”. 
  • This chapter, however, was dropped in the final version of the Aadhaar Act. Ideally, the Act should be amended to reinstate provisions for independent oversight of the Unique Identification Authority of India. 
• Alternative to Aadhaar authentication: The government must abide by and enforce Supreme Court directions, including- restriction of mandatory Aadhar to permissible purposes, provision of an alternative whenever Aadhar authentication fails.
• Locking Aadhaar Information: Users should lock their Aadhaar information by visiting the UIDAI website or using the mobile app to ensure that their biometric information, even if compromised, cannot be used to initiate financial transactions.
• Multipronged Approach: Adopting measures like encryption, multifactor authentication and access controls are vital to protect data. Regular security audits and updates are also components of a cybersecurity strategy that can adapt to emerging threats effectively.                                             

Conclusion:

The Aadhaar data breach highlights the importance of better security, oversight, and protective measures to safeguard personal information and ensure privacy rights.

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Context:

• The Vice-President of India, emphasized the need to take education as a service to the nation and cautions against the draining of ‘brains, and foreign exchange to foreign locations.

Statistics on India’s Brain Drain

• According to a Morgan Stanley bank report close to nine lakh Indians have given up their citizenship since 2015. In addition, 23000 millionaires have left India since 2014.
• India is also seeing a migration of talented students abroad. The British High Commission states that 1,17,965 Indians got a UK Visa for studies in a year till June 2022.
• Another report suggests that 1.8 million Indians will be spending close to $85 billion on studying abroad by the year 2024. 
• This number shows how money from India is also draining out with its talent. 

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What is a Brain Drain?

• Merriam-Webster defines brain drain as “the departure of educated or professional people from one country, economic sector, or field for another usually for better pay or living conditions.”
• India witnessed the sharpest increase in people migrating overseas, at nearly 10 million between 2000 and 2020, according to the “International Migration 2020 Highlights” report.
• According to a government survey, as many as 12% of scientists and 38% of doctors in the U.S. are Indians and in NASA 36% or 4 out of 10 scientists are Indians.
• In the corporate field  34% of employees at Microsoft, 28% at IBM, 17% at Intel, 13% at XEROX, and more than 12% at Google are Indians.

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What are the main reasons for brain drain in India?

• Lack Of Opportunity in Higher Education: One of the reasons for Indian students moving abroad can be the tough competition to get into premiere Indian universities.
  • For Example, In 2022, there were more than 18.5 lakh applications for the NEET examination. Only 91,927 MBBS seats, 27,698 BDS seats, 50,720 AYUSH seats, and 525 B.VSc & AH seats were available.
  • Similar trends are observed in other elite examinations in the country such as UPSC or the admission to IITs, where lakhs of students compete against each other.
• Employment Opportunities and Higher Pay: The job market in India is highly competitive. Every year, lakhs of new job seekers enter the market and jostle to find opportunities in the best companies. With so many people fighting for jobs, the salaries come down significantly as more and more people are willing to work at lower wages. 
  • Salaries in India for the same role stand in stark contrast with salaries in Europe, the US, or other international destinations.
• Taxation Policy: The high rate of tax and complexity of the regulatory regime in India may also be a factor that has seen the growth in HNIs migrating to other countries.
  • The peak tax rate in India, including surcharge and cess, applicable for an individual with income above ₹ 1 crore is 35.88%. Comparatively, countries in the neighborhood like Singapore and Hong Kong have a much lesser peak rate of 22% and 17%, respectively.
• Visa Programme: The key factor for increasing Indian students studying abroad is the success of the work visa programs provided to international students and graduates. 
  • Between January and September 2021, almost 115,000 Indian students received approval to study in Canada, and during the previous five years, Indian PGWP applicants had an approval rate of more than 95%.
  • Post-study visas, like the H-1B in the US, have mostly gone to Indians.
• Standard of Living: They migrate to first-world countries for better living standards, higher salaries, and access to advanced technologies to enhance future growth.
  • India is placed in the Medium Human Development category. In the 2022 report, India had 0.645 and was ranked 131 among 189 countries.
• The rise of Millennials and Zillennials: The Youth (GEN-Z) challenging the antediluvian status quo. Those who go to study abroad, therefore choose to remain there. But they are also aware of Climate Change, gender discrimination, sectarian warfare, authoritarian bullying, rising crime graph, and political radicalism. It is, therefore, hardly a surprise that the highest immigration exits are happening from China, Russia, and India, along with Iran, Qatar, and Hong Kong.

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What are the negative impacts of brain drain in India?

There are several detrimental effects of brain drain on developing nations like India. 

• Loss of Human Capital: It leads to a shortage of highly skilled professionals, making it challenging to develop critical sectors such as healthcare, education, and technology. 
  • The country is experiencing an alarming shortage of 150 million skilled workers, up from 138 million three years ago, according to TeamLease Services, a leading human resources development consultancy firm.
• Reduction in Innovation, Research, and Development may result from brain drain. 
  • The India Innovation Index 2021 has found that the overall spending on R&D by India has been relatively low across the country. This was reflected in the overall share of gross expenditure on R&D (GERD) as a percentage of GDP, at about 0.7%.
  • India retains 40th rank out of 132 economies in the Global Innovation Index 2023 rankings published by the World Intellectual Property Organization.
• Economic Disparity: The exodus of talented people can make already-existing social and economic disparities worse by depriving the country’s marginalized communities of qualified professionals who can assist in meeting their needs.
• • It can also worsen economic inequality because most highly skilled and educated individuals can afford to emigrate.
• Loss of Revenue: Another effect on areas that experience brain drain is the loss of revenue. Governments rely on income taxes to fund their social programs and infrastructure projects. A mass exodus leads to a drop in tax receipts, stunting economic growth and development.
• Foreign Exchange: Close to 200,000 students travel abroad yearly for higher education programs. Due to this, almost Rs 50,000 crore flows out of India every year for higher education programs. 
  • By 2024, Indian students studying abroad are estimated to increase to 1.8 million and student spending to hit 80 billion USD (MEA).
• Economic Development: Furthermore weakening the nation’s economy is the possibility of brain drain causing a general decline in productivity and innovation.
  • According to the McKinsey Global Institute, 2001, India’s labor Productivity  is only 15% of US productivity resulting in wastage of scarce resources.
  • The (country’s) economy is harmed because each professional represents surplus spending units. Professionals often earn large salaries, so their departure reduces consumer spending in that region or the country.

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Way Forward – Solution to India’s Brain Drain

• Knowledge Economy: As the knowledge economy is more productive and less labor-intensive than other sectors. However, it is also important to ensure that India has the infrastructure and skilled workforce to support the knowledge econometain talent, India needs to invest in research and development, innovation, and education. 
  • The government can also incentivize businesses to invest in these areas.
• Quality Higher Education and Skill Developmenty.
  • To create a knowledge economy that can r
  • India has a large and young population, but a significant proportion of the workforce is unskilled or under-skilled. 
  • To address this challenge, India must invest in high-quality education and skill development. The government can increase funding for education and training programs, and it can also work with the private sector to develop and deliver these programs. 
• Foreign Institutes in India:
  • Allowing foreign higher education institutions to set up campuses in India can be a way to provide Indian students with access to world-class education without having to leave the country. This can help to reduce brain drain and also make India a more attractive destination for foreign students.
  • For Example: Two Australian universities will soon set up campuses at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City).
• Research and Development and Innovation:
  • India must invest more in research and development (R&D) to become an innovation powerhouse. This will help to create high-paying jobs and attract and retain talent.
  • The government can increase funding for R&D institutions, and it can also provide tax breaks and other incentives for businesses to invest in R&D. 
• Higher Wages and Employment Opportunities:
  • Offering Competitive and better employment opportunities to skilled workers in India. Both the public and private sectors can do this.
  • The government can increase salaries for government employees and invest in creating new jobs in the public sector. The private sector can also offer higher wages and better employee benefits.
• Taxation Policy:
  • A favorable taxation policy for entrepreneurs can help to reduce brain drain and also create jobs. The government can reduce the tax burden on startups and small businesses, and it can also provide tax breaks for businesses that invest in research and development.

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In addition to the above solutions, the government can also work to improve the overall quality of life in India. This includes investing in infrastructure, improving public services, and reducing corruption. By making India a more attractive place to live and work, the government can help to reduce brain drain and attract talent from around the world. 

Also Read: International Migration Outlook 2023: Analysis of Trends, Impacts, and Challenges

Conclusion:

Addressing the challenges of brain drain in India requires a comprehensive approach, encompassing investments in education, research, and innovation, along with favorable policies that create opportunities, improve quality of life, and ultimately transform the brain drain into a brain gain for the nation’s sustainable development.

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