Context

Election weather challenges prompt calls for weather-friendly schedules to maximize participation and democracy’s health in India.

Significance of Indian General Elections

• Indian General Elections: India, as the largest democracy in the world, is currently amidst its general elections, a moment of critical importance with a staggering 96.88 crore eligible voters.
• Global Impact of India’s Elections: Each vote cast signifies a commitment to democracy, and the outcome of these elections holds sway not only over India but also reverberates globally, influencing various world events.
• Deepening of Democratic values: Amidst the plethora of democracies holding elections, it is India’s electoral process that stands out as paramount in deepening democratic values worldwide.

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Participation and Efforts by Election Commission and Civil Society

• ECI’s Voter Outreach Efforts: Efforts to enhance participation in the elections are commendable, with the Election Commission of India (ECI) striving to reach out to voters, even in remote and inaccessible areas.
• Promoting Voter Awareness: Civil society organizations and the media have also played significant roles in raising awareness about the importance of voting.
• Early Voting Enthusiasm: The enthusiastic response from voters in the initial phases of voting reflects a positive trend.
• Voter Turnout Challenge: However, discussions surrounding voter turnout often highlight a significant challenge posed by the hot weather, which can potentially deter greater participation.

Mitigation Measures Implemented by Election Commission of India (ECI)

• ECI’s Swift Weather Mitigation Measures: Acknowledging the severity of the weather, the ECI swiftly implemented mitigation measures. 
• Task Force Establishment: The Election Commission of India (ECI) collaborated with various agencies to monitor weather conditions and implement necessary measures.
  • A task force comprising officials from ECI, IMD, NDMA, and MoHFW was set up to review the impact of heat waves and humidity on polling days.
• Voter Comfort Measures: Instructions were issued to ensure the provision of shelter, drinking water, and fans at polling stations, aiming to alleviate voter discomfort.

Impact on Voter Turnout

• Weather Challenge: With the need to conclude elections before the expiry of the term of the 17th Lok Sabha on June 16, the schedule spans from April to June, coinciding with India’s scorching summer temperatures.
• Voter Health Concerns: Despite the ECI considering weather conditions, the final deadline necessitates elections during this period, leading to concerns about voter discomfort and potential health risks.
• Voter Apathy: Harsh weather conditions, coupled with the need to travel long distances, can discourage voters, particularly in rural areas. Overcoming voter apathy becomes a significant challenge during the scorching summer months.
• Regular Occurrence of Extreme Weather: Extreme weather during elections is not uncommon in India, with temperatures often soaring above 40 degrees Celsius in many regions.
• • The frequency and intensity of such weather events highlight the persistent challenge faced during electoral processes.
• Climate Change Impact: Climate change exacerbates weather extremes, posing even greater challenges for future elections held during the summer months.
  • Adapting to these changing climatic conditions becomes imperative for ensuring the integrity and inclusivity of electoral processes.

Way Forward to Weather-Proofing Polls

• Reevaluating Election Timing: In light of these challenges, there is a pressing need to debate the timing of elections, considering the well-being of voters, campaigners, and election officials. 
• Proposed Weather-Friendly Election Schedule: A weather-friendly timetable for general elections is proposed, emphasizing the importance of maximizing participation to strengthen democracy.
• Addressing Climate Concerns in Election Planning: While not part of the High-Level Committee on Simultaneous Elections’ recommendations, this proposal underscores the seriousness of climate concerns and the necessity for a collective response from all stakeholders to ensure conducive weather conditions for elections.

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Conclusion

By advocating for a weather-friendly election timetable, stakeholders can pave the way for maximum participation and uphold democratic values in India and globally. This collective endeavor is essential to navigate the challenges posed by climate change and safeguard the integrity of electoral processes.

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Context

While the traditional academic curriculum focusses solely on technical expertise, there is a growing recognition among educators worldwide about the well-being and emotional health of students in higher education.

Role of Emotional Intelligence in Personal and Professional Success

• Emotional Regulation and Success: Navigating through the complexities of personal and professional life in today’s bustling world, individuals’ capacity to comprehend and regulate their emotions significantly influences their success, happiness, and overall sense of fulfillment.
• Emotional Impact on Organizational Dynamics: Emotions dictate individuals’ interactions, communication styles, leadership approaches, and innovation efforts, ultimately contributing to organizational success and cultivating a positive work environment.
  • Frequently, behavior stems from emotions.
• Navigating Emotions for Better Decisions: Emotions often fail as reliable guides in challenging situations. Hence, identifying and processing them aids in making informed decisions, as feelings and needs are interconnected, understanding one facilitates comprehension of the other.
• Role of Feelings: Feelings serve as gateways to understanding health requirements, prompting individuals to take suitable actions and fostering personal growth and healing.
• Lack of Emotional Awareness: Without emotional awareness, individuals risk being oblivious to their own needs, potentially resulting in indecision or emotional outbursts. This challenge is prevalent in both corporate and educational settings today.

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Impact of Emotional Intelligence in Workplace

• Emotional Intelligence in Workplace: In the workplace, a blend of self-awareness, emotional intelligence, proficient communication, and a nurturing work atmosphere stands as imperative.
  • By adopting these approaches, organizations can cultivate a culture that empowers employees to effectively handle their emotions, resulting in heightened productivity, job contentment, and overall welfare.
• Correlation with Job Satisfaction: Emotional intelligence positively correlates with job satisfaction. Employees with higher emotional intelligence are more satisfied with their jobs, as it fosters purpose, belonging and commitment.
  • Highly emotionally intelligent employees excel in interpersonal relationships, conflict resolution, and adaptability, while leaders with emotional intelligence inspire trust, motivate teams, and foster a positive work environment.
• Enhancing Workplace Performance: By promoting emotional well-being, organizations optimize employee performance and achieve better business outcomes.
• Organizational Strategies: Recognising the importance of emotional well-being, organisations implement initiatives to support employees’ mental health be it wellness programmes, counselling services or flexible work arrangements.
• Promoting Workforce Health and Resilience: Stress-reducing activities, workload management, work-life balance and emotional validation can reduce absenteeism, turnover and healthcare costs, promoting a healthier and more resilient workforce. 

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Context

May 3 marks World Press Freedom Day, in recognition of protecting the core principles guiding journalism. 

Background of World Press Freedom Day

• UN Declaration: The United Nations proclaimed the day as such in December 1993, to mark the anniversary of the Declaration of Windhoek.
• Advocating Press Freedom and Responsibility: The Namibia Declaration, forged during a 1992 UNESCO seminar in Namibia, emphasized the vital responsibilities of journalists, advocated for a non-monopolistic media landscape, and upheld the principle of press freedom.
• Protection of Journalists: During a recent speech at the UN General Assembly, President Dennis Francis emphasized the words of Mahatma Gandhi, stating that ‘freedom of the press is a precious privilege that no country can forego.’ 
  • On World Press Freedom Day, he urged a renewed commitment to safeguarding journalists and media workers globally.

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Mahatma Gandhi the Journalist

• Gandhi’s Mobilization for Social Change: Recognizing the potency of collective action for societal transformation, Gandhiji, even during his time in South Africa, endeavored to rally the Indian community.
• Gandhi’s Vision through Indian Opinion: Launching the newspaper Indian Opinion at the age of 33, Gandhi aimed to raise awareness of colored needs, foster diaspora unity, and prompt introspection among Indians, as historian Ramchandra Guha observes.
• Gandhi’s Advocacy for Press Freedom: Gandhi also acknowledged the importance of a liberated press, encompassing protection not only from political oppression but also from corporate influences.
• Gandhi’s Editorial Stand Against Advertisements: In a 1912 edition of Indian Opinion, Gandhi expressed a shift in perspective, stating, ‘We now feel that we should also discontinue the practice of publishing advertisements.’ 
  • Initially deeming advertisements beneficial, upon reflection, he deemed the practice undesirable, attributing it to the impatience of individuals seeking wealth and advantage over competitors.
• Gandhi’s Pioneering Mass Communication Efforts: Especially during Gandhi’s era, the avenues for mass communication were severely restricted. However, Gandhi would eventually initiate newspapers in India as well, including Young India, Navajivan, and Harijan.

Significance of Journalism

• Facilitate Exchange of Ideas: These enduring principles of journalism highlight its role as a universal platform facilitating idea exchange and providing insight into contemporary events serving as a historical archive, journalism reflects the zeitgeist, capturing the thoughts, aspirations, and intended audience of its time.
• Unifying Power of Journalism: Journalism, through narratives, fosters comprehension of shared experiences and mutual concerns, offering diverse perspectives. 
  • Fundamentally, it functions as a conduit bridging societal divides by impartially covering all segments of the community.

Meaning of Quote:“Freedom of the press is a precious privilege that no Country can forego”

• Challenges of Press Freedom: While essential, a free press isn’t flawless. Frequently, the press’s framework allows dominant societal factions to shape narratives, primarily promoting their interests and ideologies.
• Critiques of Gandhi’s Journalism: Gandhi’s journalistic endeavors were not devoid of imperfections. According to Guha, ‘Some subsequent Marxist historians viewed Indian Opinion as mirroring the class prejudices of its merchant backers.’ 
  • The publication did engage with issues like taxation and trade, which directly impacted these merchants.
• Importance of a Free Press: Absence of press restrictions also enables criticism and facilitates corrective measures. Thus, despite its imperfections, a free press holds significant importance.
• Indian Opinion’s Advocacy for Social Justice: Guha notes that Indian Opinion passionately advocated for Indian indentured laborers and occasionally championed the rights of Africans, shedding light on their dispossession by European farmers and the injustice of their exclusion from parliamentary representation.
• Vital Role of Press Freedom: Sacrificing press freedom leaves minimal channels for critiquing societal institutions like the government, politicians, and judiciary, as well as challenging ideologies such as patriarchy, casteism, and colonialism. 
  • This fosters a top-down structure devoid of constructive feedback, ultimately contributing to the deterioration of a nation unwilling to confront its shortcomings.

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Conclusion

Freedom of the press is a privilege – something not accorded easily. But its absence is detrimental to the society as a whole.

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Context

It is reported that Pakistan has created two universities for its armed forces, while China has three but India has no Defence University even though such a university in India was first proposed in 1967.

Indian Defence University

• Purpose of IDU: IDU aims to bridge existing gaps in Professional Military Education (PME) by providing higher military education with a qualified faculty comprising academics, serving, and retired military officers.
• Diverse Curriculum: The curriculum of IDU would encompass diverse subjects relevant to national security and defense, blending theory with practical application.

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Need For Establishing Indian Defence University (IDU)

• Long Overdue Realization: The establishment of the IDU has been delayed, despite its critical importance for defense preparedness, fostering a strategic culture, and promoting inter-service integration.
• Advancing Joint Warfighting Education: Operationalizing IDU is imperative to lay the foundation for joint warfighting through a forward-looking military education curriculum.
• Rapidly changing the dynamic of Warfare: The dynamic and chaotic nature of warfare, particularly in regions like Europe and West Asia, requires military officers to be able to produce results despite dealing with unclear initial information and rapidly changing circumstances.
• Empowerment through Professional Military Education (PME): To tackle these complex challenges, military officers are empowered through a well-constructed PME continuum. This continuum enhances their abilities to adapt to changing assignments and increasing responsibilities over their long careers.

• Parallels with U.S. Evolution: The evolution of PME in the United States, as exemplified by the Goldwater-Nichols Defense Reorganization Act of 1986 and Ike Skelton’s report to the U.S. Congress significantly reformed military education in the U.S. armed forces.

Slow Progress in the Establishment of Indian Defence University (IDU)

• Historical Context: The idea of establishing a Defence Services University was proposed as early as 1967 by the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC). 
• Committee Formation: Following the Kargil conflict, a committee chaired by Dr K. Subrahmanyam was established to examine the issue of establishing the IDU.
  • Based on its recommendations, in May 2010, ‘in principle’ approval was accorded for the setting up of the IDU in Gurgaon. 
  • Despite some optimistic reportage in 2017-18, the progress on setting up of the IDU has been rather slow.
• Delays in Establishing IDU: Despite initial approval in 2010, progress on establishing IDU has been slow, hindering the development of a unified Professional Military Education (PME) framework.

Challenges in Current System

• Lack of an integrated framework: While India boasts world-class training institutions, there is a lack of an integrated Professional Military Education (PME) framework and interdisciplinary approach to strategic thinking.
• Lack of Military Focus in Curriculum: Affiliations with universities for degree courses do not adequately address military education requirements.
• Inadequacy of RRU: Comparing the Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) to the IDU is seen as flawed because the RRU’s objectives and curriculum do not specifically address military requirements for managing warfare and executing plans.

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Conclusion

Prompt action is required to initiate IDU and develop a curriculum aligned with contemporary security challenges and the evolving nature of warfare.

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