Current Affairs 10 March 2025

Content:

1. Madhav National Park in M.P. becomes India’s 58th Tiger Reserve, to get more big cats soon
2. Closing the gender gap in the higher judiciary
3. As imports of semiconductor chips rise, India eyes local production
4. What does NEP, 2020 state about languages?
5. Are unique electoral ID numbers being duplicated?
6. Having our own foundational AI models is vital as our demography is different’
7. First rear fuselage for LCA Mk1A manufactured by Indian private sector handed over to HAL

Madhav National Park in M.P. becomes India’s 58th Tiger Reserve, to get more big cats soon

Context :

• Madhav National Park in Shivpuri district, Madhya Pradesh, has been declared India’s 58th Tiger Reserve.
• Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav made the announcement.
• This is Madhya Pradesh’s 9th Tiger Reserve, further strengthening its status as the “Tiger State of India.”
• Madhav Tiger Reserve currently has five tigers, including two cubs born recently.

Relevance : GS 3(Environment and Ecology )

Tiger Reintroduction Efforts

• In 2023, three tigers, including two females, were introduced to Madhav National Park.
• Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav is expected to release two more tigers into the reserve soon.

Conservation Significance & Ecological Impact

• Strengthening Tiger Conservation:
  • Madhya Pradesh already leads with the highest number of tigers in India (~785 as per the 2022 Tiger Census).
  • The addition of Madhav Tiger Reserve further reinforces the State’s commitment to tiger conservation.

• Biodiversity & Ecological Benefits:
  • Enhances habitat connectivity in the Chambal region.
  • Supports the prey population and promotes natural forest regeneration.

Challenges & Future Prospects

• Habitat Management:
  • Need for adequate prey base, water sources, and territorial space to support the growing tiger population.

• Human-Wildlife Conflict:
  • Measures needed to mitigate conflicts with nearby human settlements.

• Ecosystem Restoration:
  • Continuous efforts required to restore grasslands, water bodies, and degraded forests.

• Tourism & Conservation Balance:
  • Responsible eco-tourism policies to ensure sustainable development without harming wildlife.

Closing the gender gap in the higher judiciary

Progress of Women in Law

• Women have made significant strides in the legal profession over the past century.
• Cornelia Sorabji became the first woman lawyer to practice in India in 1924.
• The number of women lawyers has increased, with many achieving the rank of Senior Advocate.
• Women have been appointed as judges in lower courts, but disparities persist in higher judiciary.

Relevance : GS 2(Social Issues , Judiciary)

Inequality at the Top

Disproportionate Representation in High Courts

• Women constitute only 14.27% (109 out of 764) of High Court judges.
• Eight High Courts have just one woman judge, and three High Courts (Uttarakhand, Meghalaya, Tripura) have none.
• Allahabad High Court, India’s largest, has only 3 women judges (2% of total strength).
• Women judges are appointed later than men (average age: men – 51.8 years, women – 53 years).
• Only one woman Chief Justice (Gujarat High Court) out of 25 High Courts.

Severe Underrepresentation in the Supreme Court

• Only two women judges at present – Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Justice Bela Trivedi.
• Justice Bela Trivedi’s retirement in 2025 will leave only one woman judge in the apex court.
• No woman judge appointed to the Supreme Court since 2021.
• 28 judges appointed since 2021 – all men.
• Over 75 years, only one woman has been elevated directly from the Bar to the Supreme Court, compared to nine men.

Barriers to Women’s Appointment in Higher Judiciary

Systemic and Deep-Rooted Gender Inequality

• Justifications given: lack of eligible women candidates, lack of seniority, lack of interest – all unfounded.
• Women face heightened scrutiny and must prove merit more than men

Opaque Collegium System

• No transparent criteria for judicial appointments.
• Collegiums are male-dominated, leading to fewer women being recommended.
• Even when recommended, women face higher rejection rates from the government.
• Since 2020, 9 women were recommended for High Courts but not confirmed; 5 were the only ones rejected.

Steps Towards Equality

Transparent and Merit-Based Appointment Process

• The collegium must establish clear, transparent criteria for judicial appointments.
• A process should be in place for lawyers to express interest in judgeship.
• Merit-based selection with a time-bound recommendation process.

Focus on Gender Diversity in Appointments

• Gender diversity and merit are not contradictory; diversity enhances judicial legitimacy.
• One-third to half of the higher judiciary should be women.
• Gender representation should be considered alongside state-wise, caste, and religious representation.
• The judiciary must explicitly state gender balance as an objective in appointments.

As imports of semiconductor chips rise, India eyes local production

Background: Rising Imports of Semiconductor Chips

• Sharp Increase in Imports:
  • Monolithic Integrated Circuits (ICs) imports reached ₹1.05 lakh crore in FY24.
  • 2,000% rise in Monolithic IC imports compared to FY16.
  • 4,500% increase in memory chip imports since FY16.
  • 4,800% rise in amplifier imports since FY16.

Relevance : GS 3(Economy ,Import ,Export)

• Import Dependence on China:
  • China has been the largest supplier of semiconductor chips to India for the past decade (except FY19).
  • Other key suppliers: Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan.

• Increasing Share in Total Imports:
  • Monolithic ICs now constitute 2.09% of total imports (FY25, April-November), up from 0.19% in FY16.

Government’s Push for Domestic Production

• First India-Made Semiconductor in 2024:
  • Announced by Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw at WEF, January 2024.
  • Aims to reduce import dependency and boost self-sufficiency.

• Key Semiconductor Manufacturing Facilities:
  • Tata Semiconductor Assembly & Test Facility (Morigaon, Assam).
  • Dholera Semiconductor Fabrication Facility (Tata Electronics + Taiwan’s Powerchip Semiconductor).
  • Total of 5 manufacturing plants under construction.

The Semicon India Programme

• Launched in 2021 to develop semiconductor and display manufacturing ecosystems.
• Budget Allocation vs. Actual Spending:
  • FY23: ₹13 crore spent vs. ₹200 crore (RE).
  • FY24: ₹681.11 crore spent vs. ₹1,503.36 crore (RE) vs. ₹3,000 crore (BE).
  • FY25: ₹3,816 crore (RE) vs. ₹6,903 crore (BE).
  • Budget cuts indicate implementation challenges, but RE for FY25 has doubled compared to FY24.

Challenges in India’s Semiconductor Ecosystem

• Limited Value Addition:
  • India’s current focus is on assembly, testing, packaging, and fab segments.

• Missing Capabilities:
  • EDA (Electronic Design Automation): Software used for chip design.
  • Core IP: Semiconductor patents.
  • Wafers & Fab Tools: Raw semiconductor materials and fabrication machinery.
  • Advanced Packaging Tools (ATP).
  • Chip Design Expertise.

Strategic Importance & Future Outlook

• Reducing Dependence on China: Critical for supply chain resilience.
• Strengthening Domestic Industry: Need for incentives, R&D investment, and infrastructure development.
• Global Positioning: India aims to integrate into the global semiconductor value chain by expanding fabrication, design, and research capabilities.

What does NEP, 2020 state about languages?

Background

• NEP 2020 replaces the National Education Policy of 1986, introducing reforms across school and higher education.
• The policy emphasizes promoting multilingualism, strengthening Indian languages, and ensuring flexibility in language learning.
• Tamil Nadu has opposed the three-language formula, rekindling the language debate.

Relevance : GS 2(Education )

Medium of Instruction

• NEP 2020 recommends that the medium of instruction up to at least Grade 5, preferably till Grade 8 and beyond, should be in the home language, mother tongue, local language, or regional language.
• The policy cites research showing that children grasp concepts better in their mother tongue between the ages of 2 and 8.
• Bilingualism (mother tongue along with English) is encouraged.

Findings of the 8th All India School Education Survey (AISES)

• Conducted by NCERT, AISES studies the medium of instruction and languages taught in schools.
• Declining trend in mother tongue as the medium of instruction:
  • Primary stage: 86.62% of schools use the mother tongue (down from 92.07% in the previous survey).
  • Urban-rural divide:
    • 87.56% of rural schools vs. 80.99% of urban schools use the mother tongue.
    • Previously, it was 92.39% (rural) and 90.39% (urban).

Three-Language Formula

• Evolution of the Three-Language Formula:
  • 1968 Policy:
    • Hindi-speaking states: Hindi, English, a modern Indian language (preferably a South Indian language).
    • Non-Hindi-speaking states: Hindi, English, and a regional language.

• NEP 2020:Greater flexibility—no language will be imposed on any state.Encourages classical languages like Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Odia, Pali, Persian, and Prakrit.Pushes for Sanskrit as an option in the three-language formula.

Implementation Challenges

• Poor execution of the three-language policy:
  • Haryana (1969): Tamil was made the second language but removed in 2010 due to lack of Tamil speakers.
  • Himachal Pradesh: Unable to offer Tamil and Telugu due to the unavailability of teachers.

• State Initiatives:
  • Assam (2023): Introduced bilingual textbooks for Science and Maths in Assamese, Bodo, and Bengali.
  • Andhra Pradesh (2023): Launched Telugu-English bilingual textbooks.
  • NCERT (2024): Released digital books in 104 regional languages, including Bengali, Tulu, Dogri, and Car Nicobarese.

Foreign Languages in NEP 2020

• Foreign languages like Korean, Japanese, Thai, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and Russian will be offered at the secondary level.
• CBSE Plan:
  • Till Class 10 → Students must learn two Indian languages.
  • Class 11 & 12 → Option to choose one Indian language and one foreign language.

Are unique electoral ID numbers being duplicated?

Background:

• Allegation: Trinamool Congress (TMC) has claimed that multiple voters have been assigned the same Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers across different States.
• Election Commission’s (EC) Response: The duplication issue arose due to the manual, decentralized system before ERONET. The EC assured that no voter can cast their vote outside their designated polling station despite EPIC duplication.
• TMC’s Counterargument: The party claims that duplicate EPIC numbers can lead to voter suppression, especially against non-BJP voters, due to mismatched voter photos in electoral rolls.

Relevance : GS 2(Election )

What is an EPIC Card?

• Definition: A 10-digit unique voter ID card number assigned by the EC to prevent impersonation.
• Introduced: 1993, under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960 for electoral transparency.
• Generation Process: Assigned via ERONET, a digital platform ensuring regional uniqueness by linking voter data to the State and constituency level.

What is ERONET?

• Full Form: Electoral Roll Management Network.
• Function: A web-based platform for election officials to manage electoral roll processes.
• Purpose:
  • Ensures accurate voter registration, migration, and deletion of names.
  • Automates electoral roll management and prevents duplication.

Election Commission’s Response to Allegations

• Acknowledgement of Issue: Identical EPIC numbers exist due to the old manual mechanism used before ERONET integration.
• Technical Explanation:
  • Earlier, different State/UT CEO offices used the same EPIC series, leading to unintentional duplication across Assembly Constituencies.
• Clarifications:
  • Despite duplicate EPIC numbers, demographic details, constituency, and polling booths are different for each voter.
  • A voter can only cast a vote in their designated polling station.
• Action Plan:
  • EC will assign unique EPIC numbers to all affected voters.
  • ERONET 2.0 will be updated to prevent such errors in the future.

Having our own foundational AI models is vital as our demography is different

India’s AI Strategy and Need for Foundational Models

• Government’s AI Mission: India launched an AI Mission in 2019, but COVID-19 delayed its progress. The mission aims to develop India-specific foundational AI models.

• Computing Infrastructure Development:
  • The government has floated tenders for the private sector to establish compute facilities.
  • Plans are in place for 18,000 GPU worth of computing resources.
  • Seven to eight private players are investing in AI infrastructure.

Relevance : GS 3(Technology , Science)

• Need for Indigenous AI Models:
  • India’s demographic and linguistic diversity necessitates AI models trained on localized datasets.
  • Open-source models may not align with India’s cultural and linguistic complexities.
  • Both approaches—custom models and adaptations of existing open-source ones—are essential.

DeepSeek and India’s AI Preparedness

• DeepSeek’s Breakthrough:
  • Achieved efficiency by processing data sector-wise and linking it in parallel.
  • Claims of development at $5 million are likely underestimated.
  • Assembled 15,000–20,000 GPUs, indicating significant resource investment.

• India’s Readiness:
  • Government-led initiatives and private-sector collaboration provide foundational AI capabilities.
  • Compute infrastructure expansion is a priority to develop and train AI models domestically.

AI’s Role: Supportive, Not Replacing Humans

• AI as an Enhancer: Should automate routine tasks to allow humans to focus on higher-order cognitive functions.
• Explainability of AI Models: Essential for trust and accountability. AI outputs should be interpretable, ensuring transparency.
• Government’s Role: The Ministry of Electronics and IT is addressing AI ethics and explainability in policy frameworks.

India’s Approach to Quantum Computing

• Majorana 1 and Topological Qubits:
  • Microsoft’s breakthrough in quantum computing could enable more stable and scalable qubits.
  • Topological qubits are more resilient to disturbances than superconducting qubits.

• India’s Position in Quantum Computing:
  • Indian research groups are engaged in quantum computing but need to transition research into practical applications.
  • Long-term commitment is required, similar to Microsoft’s 15-year effort in Majorana-based quantum computing.

Future Prospects: Quantum AI and Next-Gen Computing

• Quantum AI: The intersection of AI and quantum computing could revolutionize machine learning models.
• Potential for India: Developing quantum computing capabilities will be crucial to staying competitive in future AI advancements.
• Global Scientific Paradigm Shift: Quantum computing and AI advancements mark the beginning of a transformative era in technology.

First rear fuselage for LCA Mk1A manufactured by Indian private sector handed over to HAL

Significance of the Event

• Historic Milestone: First time an Indian private sector company has manufactured and delivered a key structural module (rear fuselage) for LCA Mk1A.
• Strengthening Defence Manufacturing: Part of India’s push for self-reliance (Aatmanirbhar Bharat) in defence production.
• Public-Private Partnership (PPP): Enhanced collaboration between HAL (public sector) and private enterprises in aerospace manufacturing.

Relevance : GS 3(Technology ,Internal Security)

Technical Aspects

• What is the Rear Fuselage?
  • Supports the tail section and associated components of the aircraft.
  • A critical part of the airframe, impacting aerodynamics, stability, and structural integrity.

• Integration with LCA Mk1A
  • HAL has already manufactured 12 rear fuselages in-house.
  • New private-sector-produced fuselages will enhance production capacity.
  • Ensures timely delivery of 83 LCA Mk1A aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF) from 2025-26.

Strategic Importance

• Boost to Indigenization:
  • Reduces reliance on foreign suppliers for critical aerospace components.
  • Encourages Indian MSMEs to participate in high-tech defence manufacturing.

• Impact on Defence Procurement:
  • Strengthens India’s Make-in-India initiative in aerospace.
  • Enhances India’s capability to export defence equipment in the future.

• Operational Readiness of IAF:
  • Timely delivery of LCA Mk1A enhances India’s air combat capability.
  • Provides IAF with a modern, indigenous fighter aircraft with advanced avionics and capabilities.

Broader Implications

• Economic Impact: Encourages private investment in the defence sector.
• Technological Growth: Enhances India’s capability in complex aerospace manufacturing.

Geopolitical Leverage: Strengthens India’s position as a global defence manufacturer