Extension of AFSPA in Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh
Context: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has recently extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) in certain regions of Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh for an additional six months. In Nagaland, the AFSPA extension encompasses eight districts and 21 police stations. Similarly, specific areas in Arunachal Pradesh will also come under the […]
Youth Suicide Rates in India
Context: India holds the unfortunate distinction of having the highest number of suicides globally. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), 1.71 lakh individuals died by suicide in 2022. The suicide rate has surged to 12.4 per 1,00,000 individuals – the highest rate ever documented in India. However, these statistics are likely underestimated due to deficiencies in […]
Verification of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail
Context: The introduction and implementation of the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT), a supplementary system connected to the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), alongside the mandate of tallying VVPAT counts from five randomly selected polling booths in each Assembly constituency to cross-check with the EVM vote count, have failed to mollify critics of EVM usage […]
Dilemma of the Unemployed Youth
Context: Youth unemployment presents a global challenge with significant economic, social, and political ramifications for nations at various stages of development. Recently, India has seen a surge in attention towards this issue, sparked by the release of the India Employment Report (IER) 2024 by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Institute for Human Development (IHD), New Delhi […]
About Sainik Schools Overview
Context: Recently, the Defence Ministry said that the scheme for new Sainik Schools is “well thought out” and the “political or ideological affiliation or otherwise” of the applicant institution does not influence the selection process. Relevance: GS II: Government Policies and Interventions Sainik Schools Overview Nature and Affiliation Funding Establishment and Objective Governance Geographical Presence […]
Commercial Interests Public Health and Safety
Context: In February of this year, the Supreme Court of India issued a contempt notice against Patanjali Ayurved for releasing deceptive advertisements that directly violated the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act of 1954 and its accompanying rules. This action came despite the company assuring the Court in November of the previous year that it would not engage in […]
Time to Root out Corruption
Context: In recent months, a dominant topic in the Indian media has been ‘Corruption’. Extensive scandals, investigations by central agencies, public demonstrations, and anti-corruption movements have consistently drawn attention across various media platforms, government circles, and public and private conversations. Civil rights activists have exerted significant pressure on the government to enact robust anti-corruption legislation […]
About the Empowering India’s Tribal Communities
Context: In recent times, India has witnessed remarkable progress across various sectors, including space exploration and technological innovation. However, amidst these advancements, the indigenous tribal communities within the nation confront numerous obstacles hindering their development and overall well-being. This raises a pressing need for collective endeavors to address their requirements and diminish prevailing socio-economic disparities. […]
Department of Telecom Directs Deactivation of USSD
Context: The Department of Telecom (DoT) has instructed telecom operators to deactivate USSD-based call forwarding services, specifically the commonly used *401# service for unconditional call forwarding, with effect from April 15. The directive comes in response to concerns over the misuse of this facility for unauthorized activities. The DoT has urged telecom operators to transition […]
About A C-Vigil App
Context: Since the announcement of General Elections 2024, over 79,000 complaints have been received on the C-Vigil app. Relevance: GS II: Government policies and Interventions C-Vigil App: An Overview Features: