Current Affairs 01 March 2025

Content:

1. GDP grows 6.2% on rising govt., consumer spending
2. ISRO’s Aditya-L1 mission unlocks solar flare secrets with new image
3. SC sets aside dismissal of two women judicial officers
4. India to go past U.S. in scientific publications by 2029, says Minister
5. Recognition of universities will be revoked if they flout discrimination rules: Centre
6. ndian digital economy ranked 28th on user spending: report
7. India must hasten reforms to speed up growth: World Bank

GDP grows 6.2% on rising govt., consumer spending

Context :GDP Growth Rate:

• India’s real GDP grew 6.2% in Q3 FY 2024-25 (Oct-Dec 2024).

• Higher than 5.6% in Q2, but significantly lower than 9.5% in Q3 of 2023.
  • Growth was 0.2 percentage points below RBI’s estimates.

• Factors Driving Growth:
  • Government spending rose 8.3% (compared to 2.3% in Q3 2023).
  • Private consumption increased 6.9% (compared to 5.7% in Q3 2023).
  • Exports surged by 10.4%, a sharp rise from 3% growth last year.

• Declining Investment & Imports:
  • Gross Fixed Capital Formation (Investment rate) slowed to 5.7% (from 9.3% last year).
  • Imports fell by 1.1%, attributed to rupee depreciation.

• Supporting Indicators:
  • High-frequency indicators like GST collections, public spending, electricity generation, and exports showed improvement.

Implications

• Consumption-led recovery: Increased government and private spending is driving growth.
• Weaker investment sentiment: Slowdown in capital formation raises concerns about long-term growth sustainability.
• Trade impact: Export growth is positive, but declining imports signal lower domestic demand or higher import costs due to currency depreciation.
• Fiscal Policy Role: Government spending remains a key driver, indicating reliance on fiscal measures to sustain economic momentum.

ISRO’s Aditya-L1 mission unlocks solar flare secrets with new image

Introduction :

• Historic Observation: India’s first solar mission, Aditya-L1, captured the first-ever image of a solar flare ‘kernel’ in the lower solar atmosphere.
• Payload Involved: The Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT) onboard Aditya-L1 recorded the phenomenon in the photosphere and chromosphere.
• Significance: Marks a major step in understanding solar flares and their impact on Earth.

Relevance : GS 3(Science and Technology)

Scientific Breakthroughs

• X6.3-Class Solar Flare Observed:
  • Captured on February 22, 2025.
  • One of the most intense categories of solar eruptions.

• Near Ultraviolet (NUV) Detection:
  • SUIT detected brightening in the 200-400 nm range.
  • First time such observations were made with this level of detail.

• Energy Transfer Across Solar Layers:
  • Confirms that energy released from flares spreads through different layers of the Sun’s atmosphere.
  • Provides insights into the physics of solar explosions.

• Temperature Linkage Confirmed:
  • Plasma temperature rise in the solar corona directly linked to brightening in the lower solar atmosphere.
  • Validates existing solar flare theories and provides new data for refining solar physics models.

Mission Background

• Launch Date: September 2, 2023.
• Current Orbit: Placed in a halo orbit around the Earth-Sun Lagrange Point L1 on January 6, 2024.

Relevance & Impact

• Space Weather Research: Helps in predicting solar activity that affects Earth’s communication and power grids.
• Scientific Advancements: Enhances understanding of solar flares, benefiting future solar missions.
• Global Contribution: Strengthens India’s position in space-based solar studies.

SC sets aside dismissal of two women judicial officers

Judgment Context:

• The Supreme Court ruled in favor of two women judicial officers from Madhya Pradesh, Savita Choudhary and Aditi Kumar Sharma, who were dismissed for alleged inefficiency and misconduct.
  • Their dismissal was deemed punitive, arbitrary, and illegal.

Relevance : GS 2(Judiciary)

• Judiciary’s Sensitivity to Women’s Well-Being:
  • Justice B.V. Nagarathna, leading the Bench, emphasized the need for a sensitive and inclusive work environment for women judges.
  • She highlighted the physical and mental health challenges faced by women in the judiciary due to heavy workloads and long hours.

• Gender as a Consideration in Performance Evaluation:
  • While gender cannot excuse inefficiency, it is a critical factor in assessing judicial performance.
  • Case example: One of the dismissed officers had suffered a miscarriage, battled COVID in the ICU, and dealt with her brother’s cancer diagnosis.

• Greater Representation of Women in Judiciary:
  • The judgment stresses that increased women’s representation in the judiciary can shift gender stereotypes and change patriarchal perceptions.
  • Women judges in higher positions can encourage more women to seek justice and enforce their rights.

• Legal and Human Rights Perspective:
  • The SC referenced Article 10 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, which mandates special protection for mothers.
  • Justice Nagarathna acknowledged the physical toll on women judges, including working through menstrual pain and post-miscarriage trauma.

• Directive for Reinstatement:
  • The SC ordered the reinstatement of both officers within 15 days with seniority intact.
  • Senior advocate Indira Jaising hailed the verdict as a step toward an “enabling environment” for women in the judiciary.

Broader Implications

• Judiciary as a Model for Gender Equality:
  • The SC emphasized that the judiciary should set an example for the government and legislature in ensuring gender-sensitive policies.

• Workplace Reforms Needed:
  • The case underscores the necessity of structural reforms for women’s well-being in high-pressure jobs like the judiciary.

• Potential Precedent:
  • This ruling could influence future cases concerning gender sensitivity in workplaces, particularly in public service and decision-making roles.

India to go past U.S. in scientific publications by 2029, says Minister

Context : Projection: India is expected to surpass the U.S. in the number of scientific publications by 2029, as per Union Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh.

Relevance : GS 3(Science , Research)

• Current Global Ranking (2023 Data – National Science Foundation, U.S.):
  • China: 8,98,949 publications (Rank 1)
  • U.S.: 4,57,335 publications (Rank 2)
  • India: 2,07,390 publications (Rank 3)

Indian Scientists in Global Rankings:

• Top 2% Scientists List (2024 – Stanford University & Elsevier):
  • India: 5,351 scientists (Rank 10)
  • U.S.: 71,392 scientists (Rank 1)
  • China: 27,165 scientists (Rank 2)

Budgetary Growth in Science & Technology:

• Department of Science and Technology (DST) Budget:
  • 2013-14: ₹2,777 crore
  • 2024-25: ₹28,509 crore
  • Increase: 926%

Significance:

• Reflects India’s growing research output and global scientific recognition.
• Increased budget allocations demonstrate India’s commitment to scientific advancement.
• May boost India’s technological innovations, patents, and global collaborations.

Challenges & Considerations:

• Need for quality enhancement along with quantity growth.
• Strengthening research infrastructure and funding for high-impact publications.
• Retaining top talent and fostering innovation in emerging scientific domains.

Recognition of universities will be revoked if they flout discrimination rules: Centre

Context : Strict Measures Proposed: The Union Government informed the Supreme Court about new UGC regulations empowering it to derecognize higher education institutions (HEIs) if they flout anti-discrimination norms.

Relevance : GS 2(Governance)

• Legal Basis: The UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2025 are currently open for public comments before final notification.
• Punitive Actions:
  • HEIs found non-compliant can be debarred from UGC schemes, degree offerings, and distance/online programs.
  • UGC can remove universities from the list of recognized institutions under Section 2(f) of the UGC Act, 1956.
  • Section 12B (funding restrictions) may also be imposed on errant institutions.
  • Additional punitive actions can be taken on a case-to-case basis.

Context & Supreme Court Hearing:

• Petitioners: Mothers of Rohith Vemula and Payal Tadvi, victims of on-campus caste discrimination leading to suicide.
• Legal Representation: Senior advocate Indira Jaising highlighted 18 student suicides in the last 14 months due to discrimination in HEIs.
• Government’s Stance: Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta emphasized the UGC’s strengthened role to ensure compliance.

New Safeguards in HEIs:

• Equity Committees to be formed in all HEIs, including members from:
  • Civil society
  • Faculty and students
  • Mandated representation from SC, ST, and women
• Justice Surya Kant’s Remarks: Acknowledged past violations and the low compliance levels, stressing the need for stronger enforcement.

Concerns Raised:

• Some IITs, IIMs, and national law schools failed to respond to a UGC directive seeking data on Equal Opportunity Cells.
• Need for a robust monitoring mechanism to prevent and penalize discrimination in higher education institutions.

Implications:

• Stronger enforcement of anti-discrimination policies in universities.
• Greater accountability for HEIs through direct UGC intervention.
• Potential resistance from autonomous institutions like IITs, IIMs, and NLUs.
• Improved inclusivity in higher education with systemic checks against caste and religious bias

Indian digital economy ranked 28th on user spending: report

Context : India’s Digital Economy Ranking:

• India is the third-largest economy globally, but its user digitaleconomy ranks 28th in terms of spending.
  • Indicates a gap between aggregate digitalization and individual user spending.

Relevance : GS 3(Indian Economy)

• Reasons for Disparity:
  • Internet connectivity density is comparable to other nations.
  • However, the spending and usage per user remain lower.

• Potential for Growth:
  • India’s digital economy is growing at twice the rate of its overall economy.
  • Expected to contribute 20% of GDP by 2029.
  • Scope for higher investments in digital penetration and infrastructure.

• CHIPS Framework Analysis:
  • The report evaluates India using the ‘CHIPS’ framework (Criteria: access quality, AI readiness, etc.).
  • Indiaranks:
    • 3rd in overall economy size.
    • 28th in user digital spending.
    • 8th in the combined ranking of these metrics.

Implications:

• Policy Focus Areas:
  • Need to enhance affordability and accessibility of digital services.
  • Bridging the gap between infrastructure availability and actual usage.
  • Encouraging AI adoption and digital skill development.

• Investment Opportunities:
  • Growth potential for e-commerce, fintech, and digital services.
  • Increased scope for private and public sector investments in digital infrastructure.

• Future Outlook:
  • India’s digital growth trajectory remains strong, but user adoption and spending need to catch up.
  • The focus should be on inclusive digital transformation to maximize economic benefits.

India must hasten reforms to speed up growth: World Bank

Key Findings from the Report

• Growth Target: India needs to grow at 7.8% annually for the next 22 years to achieve high-income status by 2047.
• Past Performance: India has averaged 6.3% growth (2000-2024), providing a strong foundation for future reforms.

Relevance : GS 3(indian Economy ,Infrastructure)

Global Lessons for India

• Countries like Chile, Korea, and Poland successfully transitioned to high-income status through global integration.
• India must accelerate reforms and leverage past achievements to achieve similar success.

Key Requirements for Achieving High-Income Status

1. Faster & Inclusive Growth Across States
2. Higher Investment: Increase total investments from 33.5% to 40% of GDP by 2035.
3. Labour Force Growth: Raise labour force participation from 56.4% to 65%.
4. Productivity Acceleration: Boost overall productivity growth.

Demographic Dividend Utilization

• Investing in Human Capital for skill development.
• Enhancing Job Creation with better wages and security.
• Raising Female Labour Participation from 35.6% to 50% by 2047.

Four Key Policy Areas for Growth Acceleration

1. Increase Investments (Public & Private).
2. Create More & Better Jobs through labour market reforms.
3. Boost Structural Transformation, Trade, and Technology Adoption.
4. Ensure States Grow Faster & Together for balanced regional development.

Current Growth Status

• India has accelerated its growth to 7.2% in the past three fiscal years.
• Achieving 7.8% sustained growth requires ambitious reforms and effective implementation.

Conclusion

• India has a strong economic foundation, but to reach high-income status, it must speed up policy reforms, boost investments, and enhance labour force participation.