Content:
- Over-centralisation threatens federal health policy
- Humour, perversity, and the legal debate on free speech
- Warriors of hope: The role of ASHAs in public health
- DeepSeek’s market disruption must awaken India’s AI strategy
Over-centralisation threatens federal health policy
Context : Supreme Court Judgment (Dr. Tanvi Behl vs Shrey Goyal, 2025):
- Struck down domicile-based reservations in post-graduate medical admissions.
- Held that such quotas violate Article 14 (Right to Equality).
- Weakens a mechanism States used to ensure a stable medical workforce.
Relevance : GS 2 (Polity , Governance, Judiciary)
Practice Question:The recent Supreme Court judgment striking down domicile-based reservations in post-graduate medical admissions raises concerns about excessive centralisation in health policy. Critically examine the impact of this ruling on State autonomy, public health governance, and medical education policy. (250 words)
Impact on State Health Planning:
- Domicile quotas ensured:Retention of medical graduates trained in State-funded institutions.Predictable supply of specialists in underserved areas.
- Court’s reasoning overlooked:Difference between undergraduate (MBBS) and post-graduate (MD/MS) education.MBBS provides foundational knowledge, whereas PG education is the main source of specialist doctors.
- Possible consequences:States may reduce investment in medical education.Increased reliance on external recruitment, which is unpredictable.
Challenges to Competitive Federalism:
- Competitivefederalism should incentivize States to develop medical institutions.
- Without domicile reservations, States may deprioritise medical college funding.
- State-run medical colleges vs. Central institutions (AIIMS, PGIMER, JIPMER):
- Central institutions enjoy selection autonomy.
- State medical colleges, which serve public health needs, lack this flexibility.
Health as a Constitutional Right & State Subject:
- Article 21: Right to life includes access to healthcare.
- State List: Public health is a State subject, requiring policy autonomy.
- Medical colleges = Health Infrastructure:
- Not just academic institutions but vital to State healthcare planning.
Meritocracy vs. Structural Realities:
- Court’s rigid meritocratic approach ignores systemic disparities.
- Issues with NEET-PG merit assessment:
- Percentile-based cutoffs: Candidates with negative scores qualify.
- 2023 case: Qualifying percentile reduced to zero to fill vacant seats.
- Contradiction:
- UG admissions consider regional & socio-economic factors, but PG does not.
- Domicile quotas align with:
- Public health needs (ensuring doctors serve their home States).
- Equitable healthcare access (reducing regional disparities).
- Issues with NEET-PG merit assessment:
Need for Reconsideration:
- Court’s reasoning stems from Pradeep Jain (1984), but healthcare landscape has changed.
- Retaining specialists within State health systems is more crucial post-pandemic.
- Alternative approach:
- Tamil Nadu model: Links quotas to public service mandates.
- Ensures State investment leads to tangible public health benefits.
- Excessive centralisation weakens:
- State autonomy in medical education.
- Regional healthcare planning & competitive federalism.
Humour, perversity
Context : SC’s Observations – The Supreme Court has called for stakeholder discussions on regulating humour-related obscenity without infringing on free speech.
Relevance : GS 2(Judiciary ,Fundamental Rights)
Practice Question: In light of recent debates on obscenity and humour in digital media, critically analyze the adequacy of existing laws in balancing free speech with societal decency. (250 words)
Existing Legal Framework:
- Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS): Deems electronic content obscene if it is “lascivious or appeals to prurient interest.”
- IT Act: Contains similar provisions for digital content.
- Cable TV Rules: Prohibit content that offends decency and morality.
- IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021: Establish age-based classifications and a grievance redress system.
Regulation vs. Overreach:
- The case of India’s Got Latent suggests that existing laws might be adequate.
- FIRs and arrests indicate a pattern of criminalizing speech that offends public sentiment.
- The internet’s global reach should not justify universal jurisdiction over content complaints.
The Public Morality Debate:
- The distinction between ‘clean’ and ‘dirty’ humour is subjective but well understood.
- Outrage is often triggered when restricted content leaks to a broader audience.
- Overzealous law enforcement could lead to unnecessary criminalization of speech.
Need for Balance:
- While explicit content warrants regulation, should verbal offences lead to imprisonment?
- The tendency to lodge FIRs over subjective grievances risks excessive judicial intervention.
- The legal system should avoid an overreaction that fuels a moral panic.
Warriors of hope
Background
- Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) were introduced under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in 2005 to bridge the gap between the community and public healthcare delivery.
- Over one million ASHAs serve in rural India, performing critical public health functions.
Relevance : GS 2(Governance ,Health ,Social Justice)
Practice Question :Discuss the role of ASHAs in public health and suggest measures to improve their working conditions and remuneration.(250 Words)
Roles and Responsibilities
- Maternal & Child Health: Encouraging institutional deliveries, providing antenatal & postnatal care.
- Disease Control: Assisting in interventions for communicable & non-communicable diseases.
- Community Health: Monitoring hygiene, sanitation, nutrition, and vaccination campaigns.
- Data Collection: Recording births and deaths in their designated areas.
- COVID-19 Contribution: Played a crucial role in pandemic response, awareness, and vaccination drives.
- Global Recognition: Received the WHO Director-General’s Global Health Leaders Award (2022).
Challenges Faced by ASHAs
- Low Wages & Unstable Income:
- Designated as volunteers, not permanent employees.
- Receive ₹5,000 to ₹15,000 per month, a mix of fixed salary & incentive-based earnings.
- Poor Work Conditions:
- Long working hours, extensive travel, and lack of proper infrastructure.
- Irregular income due to incentive-based payment.
- Often skip meals, neglect their own health while serving others.
- Limited Social Security:
- 2018 ASHA benefit package provides insurance for accidents, disability, and death.
- No pension or job security despite years of service.
- Protests for Fair Compensation:
- Demand permanent employment status with regular salaries and benefits.
Way Forward
- Recognizing ASHAs as permanent government employees with stable salaries and social security.
- Enhancing financial support through fixed monthly remuneration and incentives.
- Providing better working conditions, including travel allowances, health benefits, and training.
- Strengthening ASHA’s role in the healthcare system through structured career progression.
DeepSeek’s market disruption must awaken India
Context :DeepSeek’s Breakthrough –
- A Chinese firm, originally focused on financialtrading, has developed a low-cost AI model rivaling OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
- Its innovation significantly reduces computational costs, disrupting global tech and stock markets.
- The development has caught the attention of business leaders, including Mark Zuckerberg.
Relevance : GS 3(Technology)
Practice Question:Explain What is Generative AI models like DeepSeek ? Discuss how India can adapt to retain its global competitiveness .(250 Words)
Threat to India’s IT Sector:
- India’s IT dominance has been based on cost-effective, English-speaking skilled labor.
- AI-driven automation, as demonstrated by DeepSeek, can eliminate the need for low-cost human labor in IT services.
- Generative AI threatens India’s outsourcing model, which relies on repetitive, low-value tasks.
- Indian IT firms risk falling behind Chinese counterparts in AI-driven service models.
Lessons for Indian IT Companies:
- Investment in R&D is crucial: DeepSeek’s success stemmed from treating AI as a secondary initiative but still investing in it.
- Companies must foster innovation, risk-taking, and long-term R&D rather than just optimizing workforce efficiency.
- A culture of experimentation and tolerance for failure is necessary for breakthroughs.
India’s R&D Deficit:
- India’s GERD (Gross Domestic Expenditure on R&D) is below 1% of GDP, much lower than China’s 2.43% (2021, UNESCO data).
- Low investment in advanced research and hiring top talent hinders innovation.
- The manufacturing vs. services debate is misleading—both sectors need to be strengthened together.
Future Priorities for India:
- AI Integration in Workforce: Instead of resisting automation, India must focus on upskilling to leverage AI effectively.
- Quantum Technology: India must prioritize investments in quantum computing, the next technological frontier.
- Government and private sector collaboration is essential to fund R&D and attract top researchers.
