Content:
- Is Artificial Intelligence Affecting Critical Thinking Skills?
- The Academic Link Between Nepal and India
- Govt. Launches AI Kosha, Repository of Data to Build Models and Tools
- ₹1 Lakh Crore Fund to Stimulate Private Sector Research and Development Close to Approval
- Harnessing Gut Microbiome to Halt Vitiligo
Is Artificial Intelligence affecting critical thinking skills?
Context : Impact of AI on Critical Thinking Skills
AI Usage in Education: A Growing Trend
- AI tools are increasingly integrated into classrooms worldwide.
- 61% of Indian educators already use AI tools in teaching.
- Concerns arise over students passively accepting AI-generated content without critical analysis.
Relevance : GS 3(Science , Technology)
Should AI Be Allowed in Classrooms?
- Yes, AI should be permitted as it is now an integral part of education.
- Contextual usage is key – AI’s role differs across disciplines (e.g., coding vs. humanities).
- Institutions should set ethical and responsible usage guidelines.
- AI should not replace cognitive skill development but complement learning.
AI as a Critical Part of Educational Infrastructure
- AI is becoming essential for learning, research, and administrative tasks.
- The Future of Jobs Report 2025 highlights AI skills as a key requirement.
- Secure integration is crucial to prevent misuse and data privacy concerns.
- The need for safety audits and regulation in AI adoption, especially in schools.
Regulating AI: The Need for a Balanced Approach
- AI regulation should evolve alongside its technological advancements.
- While global universities have AI usage policies, Indian institutions are still in discussions.
- Institutions must develop ethical AI guidelines tailored to specific courses.
- The European Union has taken proactive steps, whereas India is still in the discussion phase.
Does AI Hinder Critical Thinking?
- Diverging views:
- Some believe AI can complement critical thinking by assisting in analysis.
- Others fear over-dependence on AI may reduce deep engagement with topics.
- Education must focus on balancing AI usage with critical thinking development.
- Responsible AI usage education is needed to ensure students and faculty understand its limitations.
The academic link between Nepal and India
Historical Academic Ties
- Nepal’s formal education system has deep connections with India, dating back to the Rana regime.
- Many Nepalese elites pursued education in Indian cities like Banaras, Patna, Darjeeling, Dehradun, and Gorakhpur.
- The first college in Nepal, Tri-Chandra College (1918), was initially affiliated with Calcutta University and later Patna University.
Relevance : GS 2(International Relations ,Education)
Influence of Colonial Legacy
- Nepal was never colonized, yet its education system was shaped by British India.
- Colonial influence was established through:
- Affiliation of Nepalese institutions with Indian universities – limiting local academic autonomy.
- Nepali instructors trained in Indian universities – reinforcing the colonial curriculum.
- Until 1959 (when Tribhuvan University was established), Nepal lacked postgraduate education.
Shift Towards Independent Education
- National Educational Planning Commission (NEPC) – 1954: Aimed to make education more relevant to Nepal’s national needs.
- New Education System Plan (NESP) – 1971: Revamped the education system for greater autonomy.
- Despite these efforts, Indian universities remain a key academic destination for Nepalese students.
Nepalese Students in Indian Institutions
- Nepal consistently contributes the highest number of foreign students in India.
- 2021-22 AISHE Data: 46,878 foreign students enrolled in India, 28% from Nepal.
- Preference for engineering, technology, and social sciences at IITs, IISc, and private institutes like KIIT.
- Presence in universities across India – from Kashmir to Kerala, NEHU to Gujarat Ayurveda University.
Challenges Faced by Nepalese Students in India
- Instances of discrimination, harassment, and lack of institutional support.
- KIIT incident (2024):
- A Nepalese student died by suicide due to harassment, leading to protests.
- University initially expelled Nepalese students but later withdrew the order after backlash.
- Raised concerns over student safety and Indo-Nepal diplomatic ties.
Indo-Nepal Peace Treaty & Bilateral Concerns
- Article 6: Ensures national treatment for each other’s citizens.
- Article 7: Grants reciprocal privileges for residence, trade, movement, etc.
- Incidents like KIIT contradict the treaty and risk straining bilateral relations.
Higher Education as a Cultural Bridge
- Education fosters cross-border cultural capital and South Asian unity.
- Institutions must ensure equal treatment to foreign students to prevent alienation and discrimination.
- Differential treatment weakens the educational ethos, turning academia into a pedagogy of the oppressed.
Govt. launches AI Kosha, repository of data to build models and tools
- AI Kosha Initiative: A government-backed platform for non-personal datasets aimed at fostering AI model and tool development.
- Initial Dataset Count: Launched with 316 datasets, mainly supporting Indian language translation tools.
- IndiaAI Mission Alignment: AI Kosha is part of the ₹10,370 crore IndiaAI Mission, focusing on AI advancement.
Relevance : GS 3(Science ,Technology)
Compute Capacity & Infrastructure
- GPU Access Expansion:
- 14,000 GPUs commissioned for shared access, an increase from 10,000 earlier this year.
- More GPUs to be added quarterly to support AI model training.
Government’s AI Development Strategy
- Homegrown AI Model:
- Government accelerating efforts to develop an indigenous foundational AI model.
- Inspired by China’s DeepSeek, which achieved success at lower costs than U.S. firms (OpenAI, Google).
- High interest from startups in leveraging India-specific AI solutions.
Dataset Categories in AI Kosha
- Translation & Linguistic Tools: Majority of datasets aimed at improving Indian language AI models.
- Other Data Sources:
- Telangana Open Data Initiative (health-related data).
- 2011 Census Data.
- Satellite Imagery from Indian satellites.
- Meteorological and Pollution Data.
Past Government Data Initiatives
- Open Governance Data Platform:
- 12,000+ datasets hosted by data.gov.in from multiple government agencies.
- Ministries and departments have designated Chief Data Officers to facilitate dataset contributions.
- 2018 Non-Personal Data Committee:
- Explored making private sector data (e.g., ride-sharing traffic data) accessible for startups & policy use.
- Faced pushback from tech industry over data-sharing concerns.
- Debate on non-personal data preceded the LLM (Large Language Model) boom, such as ChatGPT.
Significance & Challenges
- Significance:
- Encourages AI innovation using publicly available data.
- Supports startups, academia, and government in developing AI tools.
- Strengthens AI ecosystem with better compute power and data access.
- Challenges:
- Private sector resistance to data sharing remains unresolved.
- Data quality and availability across diverse domains need continuous enhancement.
- Evaluation frameworks for foundational AI models still evolving.
₹1 lakh crore fund to stimulate private sector research and development close to approval
- Objective: Stimulate private sector investment in core research and development (R&D).
- Fund Size: ₹1 lakh crore, primarily in the form of low-interest, long-term loans.
- Administering Body: Likely to be handled by the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF).
Relevance : GS 3(Research and Development)
- Eligibility:
- Private sector companies (not universities or academic institutes).
- Focus on commercial product development, not fundamental or blue-sky research.
- Consortiums with academia may participate if led by private entities.
- Loan Structure:
- Nearly zero per cent interest.
- Tenure of 5-7 years.
- Evaluated by a professional body, not DST.
Comparative R&D Investment Trends
- India’s R&D investment:
- <1% of GDP (0.65%) – significantly lower than scientifically advanced nations (1.5%-3%).
- Private sector contribution: 30%-36% of total R&D expenditure.
- Global benchmarks:
- USA: Private sector contributes 75% of R&D spending.
- China: Private sector contributes 77%.
Strategic Focus Areas
- Sector agnostic, but likely to prioritize:
- Space technology
- Pharmaceuticals
- Automobile sector
- Energy
- Exclusion: Service industries (e.g., IT sector) will not be eligible.
Government’s Role & Financial Allocation
- Initial allocation: ₹20,000 crore to the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
- ANRF’s long-term goal: ₹50,000-crore corpus with ₹36,000 crore from non-government sources.
- Comparison to PLI scheme: Functions similarly to Production Linked Incentive (PLI) but focused on R&D.
Significance of the Initiative
- Encourages industry-led R&D by reducing financial risks.
- Boosts innovation and intellectual property creation in India.
- Bridges India’s R&D investment gap compared to leading economies.
- Strengthens India’s position in high-tech industries like pharmaceuticals, space, and energy.
Harnessing gut microbiome to halt vitiligo
Understanding Vitiligo
- Vitiligo is a chronic autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks melanocytes, leading to depigmented white patches on the skin.
- While primarily cosmetic, it can lead to psychological distress due to social stigma.
- It has been linked to cardiovascular diseases, endocrine disorders, and mental health issues.
Relevance : GS 2(Health)
Prevalence of Vitiligo
- Affects 0.5% to 2% of the global population.
- In India, reported between 0.25% and 4% among dermatology outpatients.
- Higher prevalence in Gujarat and Rajasthan (up to 8.8%).
Role of Gut Microbiome in Vitiligo
- Research from Northwestern University suggests that a microbial compound derived from gut-friendly bacteria may slow vitiligo progression.
- Pre-clinical trials on vitiligo-prone mice showed that a weekly administered microbial compound:
- Reduced pigment loss by 74%.
- Suppressed harmful killer T cells that attack pigment cells.
- Increased regulatory T cells, which are typically deficient in vitiligo patients.
Potential Implications of the Study
- Could be a breakthrough treatment if validated through double-blind, randomized clinical trials.
- The microbial compound may work alone or in combination with existing therapies.
- Early intervention is crucial; effects may not be as strong in advanced vitiligo cases.
Challenges and Future Prospects
- Human clinical trials are needed to confirm safety, effectiveness, and long-term outcomes.
- Understanding the mechanism of gut-skin interaction in vitiligo treatment.
- Potential for developing new microbiome-based therapies for other autoimmune disorders.
Conclusion
- The study highlights the gut-skin connection and offers hope for vitiligo treatment.
- If successful, microbiome-based interventions could become a non-invasive and effective therapy for millions affected by vitiligo.
