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Artificial Intelligence

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Last Update: March 2025 (Artificial Intelligence)

Artificial Intelligence

This article deals with ‘Artificial Intelligence – UPSC.’ This is part of our series on ‘Science and Technology’ which is an important pillar of the GS-3 syllabus. For more articles on Science and technology, you can click here

Introduction

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a branch of computer science focused on enabling machines to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. These tasks include learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and decision-making.
It is concerned with
- Learning from Experience
- Recognising images (e.g., facial recognition in smartphones)
- Solve Complex Problems
- Understand Human Language
- Create perspectives
The Nobel Prize (2024) for Physics was awarded to John Hopfield and Geoffrey Hinton, regarded as fathers of Artificial Intelligence, for training in Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs).

Side Topic: Traditional AI vs Generative AI

	Traditional AI	Generative AI
Key Focus	Analyses data, performs specific tasks and automate decision making	Creates new data (text, images, music etc.)
Learning Approach	Explicit rules and algorithms	Data driven learning (Neural Networks)
Output	Structured outputs such as predictions, solutions or classifications	Entirely new content or creative outputs
Adaptability	Require manual intervention and reprogramming	Automatically adjust and improve its performance over time.

Benefits and Uses of AI

The benefits and uses of Artificial intelligence are immense and can be categorised in the following way

Governance

Policing: AI can be used to analyse crime patterns to allocate resources (e.g., Geolitica (formerly PredPol) is a company involved in predictive policing).
Smart Traffic Management: Cities like Bengaluru use AI to optimise signal timings.
Analyse Government Scheme: AI can be used to track the real-time performance of schemes like PM-KISAN.

Agriculture

Precision Farming: AI is used in Precision farming which is driven by data from soil analysis and crop monitoring. For example, Microsoft’s FarmBeats combines data with farmers’ knowledge and intuition to increase farm productivity and reduce costs.
Predictive Analytics: AI can be used in weather forecasting, pest control, etc., and plays an essential part in farming. For example, the Plantix app can identify pest infestations using an image of the plant.

Financial Sector

Fraud Detection: AI can flag suspicious transactions (e.g., Mastercard’s Decision Intelligence).
Robo-Advisors: Platforms like Zerodha’s Coin offer AI-driven investment advice.

Healthcare

Early Disease Detection: AI can be used for Early Disease Detection using processes like Google’s AI for Diabetic Retinopathy (prepared by Google by working to team of Ophthalmologists to identify signs of diabetes from eye scans).
Robotic Surgery: AI can help in performing robotic surgery. For example, the Da Vinci Surgical System translates a surgeon’s hand movements into real-time at the console.
Apple Watch uses AI to monitor heart rhythms and alert users about heart attacks.

Education

Personalised Learning: AI can enable personalised learning, create smart content, and automate grading and assessments. For example, Platforms like BYJU and Unacademy use AI for adaptive learning.
Proctoring: AI monitors online exams for malpractice (e.g., Proctorio).

Manufacturing

Predict Equipment Failure: AI can predict equipment failure using tools like GE Predix and help reduce downtime.

Logistics

Better Logistics: Uber and Google Maps suggest the best route using AI.
Warehouse Automation: Robots like Amazon’s Kiva sort and transport goods efficiently.
Driverless Cars: Autonomous vehicles that use AI for navigation

Energy

Smart Grids: Smart Grids balance the supply and demand of energy using AI and help integrate renewable sources (like Solar and Wind) into the grid.
Optimise Energy Use: Systems like Google’s Nest optimise HVAC usage, cutting energy costs by 20–30%.

Other Uses

Generative AI: These models generate human-like text, answer questions, and perform conversational tasks. Examples include ChatGPT, Deep Seek, etc.
Personal Assistants: Companies like Google, Amazon(Alexa), etc., have developed personal assistants. They work on AI. Hence, now everybody can have personal assistant for free.
AI-Powered Prosthetics: Devices like Open Bionics’ Hero Arm adapt to user movements.
Games playing: AI-intelligent games learn from their mistakes and are not monotonous.

Challenges and Ethical Concerns

Ethical-Moral Impulses: AI lacks human qualities like compassion, raising concerns about decision-making in critical situations.
Bias and Prejudice: Since AI Models are trained from existing literature and data, they can inherit human biases, leading to unfair outcomes.
Plagiarism: AI can be used for creating fake content and manipulating public opinion such as fake videos of politicians.
Job Loss: AI threatens jobs in IT, transportation (e.g., self-driving cars), and even professions like law and medicine.
Exacerbate Inequality: AI may exacerbate inequality by favouring high-skilled jobs over low-skilled ones.
Lack of Accountability: There is no clear distinction of who is to be held accountable, in case there was an unfavourable outcome
Super-intelligence: A sufficiently intelligent AI system can redesign itself or create a better successor system, leading to an intelligence explosion.
Environmental Impact: High energy consumption during AI model training contributes to carbon emissions.
AI Colonialism: Dominance of AI development by a few countries (e.g., the U.S., China, and Europe) creates a digital divide, reinforcing existing inequalities in economic, social, and political systems.
Threat to Democracy: AI can be used to manipulate elections, spread fake news, and influence public behaviour.

Why India should invest in building own AI Models?

Data Sovereignty & Security: AI models require vast amounts of data for training, and relying on foreign models can lead to data security risks.
Cultural & Linguistic Relevance: Most global AI models are trained on datasets that do not fully represent India’s diverse linguistic and cultural landscape. Indigenous AI models can be designed to better understand regional languages, dialects, and cultural contexts, leading to more accurate and inclusive AI solutions.
Economic Growth & Job Creation: Investing in AI model development can boost India’s tech ecosystem, creating new opportunities for AI researchers, engineers, and startups.
Cost Efficiency & Independence: Relying on foreign AI models often involves licensing fees and restrictions. Developing indigenous AI models can reduce costs in the long run.

Indian Government and Artificial Intelligence

1. IndiaAI Mission (2024)

The mission was approved by the Union Cabinet in 2024. It aims to establish a comprehensive AI ecosystem in India. It is to be achieved by

Democratizing Computing Access: Setting up affordable High-Performance Computing (HPC) infrastructure for startups, researchers, and academia.
StartUp Risk Capital: Financial support for early-stage AI ventures.
Socially Impactful AI: Focus on healthcare, agriculture, education, and sustainability.
Ethical AI: Ensuring transparency, accountability, and fairness.

Key components of the mission include

India AI Compute Capacity: Build 10,000+ GPU-based supercomputing infrastructure.
India AI Innovation Centre: Develop indigenous large multimodal models (LMMs) tailored to Indian languages and contexts.
India AI Datasets Platform: Host non-personal datasets (e.g., agriculture, healthcare) for public and private use.
IndiaAI Application Development Initiative: Promote AI adoption in governance (e.g., predictive policing, smart cities).
IndiaAI Startup Financing: Fund 500+ AI startups through grants, loans, and VC partnerships.
IndiaAI FutureSkills: Upskill 1 million professionals via online courses
Safe & Trusted AI: Ensuring ethical AI governance is aligned with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (2023).

2. BharatGen Program

Initiative of the Ministry of Science and Technology.
It is a Large Language Model (LLM) project focused on developing a generative AI system capable of generating high-quality text, audio and images in various Indian languages.

3. Bharat Data Sagar

It aims to establish a vast repository of India-centric data that ensures that the AI models are deeply rooted in the country’s unique context.

4. National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence

NITI Aayog has identified five areas where AI can be useful. These include

Healthcare
Agriculture
Education
Smart cities and infrastructure
Transportation

5. Digital Personal Data Protection Act

It aims to strengthen data privacy and address AI-related concerns.

6. Budgetary Support

2022 Budget: AI declared a sunrise sector with tax incentives for startups.
2018 Budget: ₹100 crore allocated for National Mission on Cyber-Physical Systems

Global Measures

AI Action Summit: Summit was held in France to tackle potential risks of AI.
Hiroshima AI Process: It is an effort of G7 countries to regulate AI.
Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI): To guide the responsible development and use of AI. India is a founding member.
EU Framework for AI: It has divided the AI applications into four risk classes and
- Prohibited Applications:
  - Mass-scale facial recognition systems (with limited exemptions for law enforcement)
  - AI systems aimed at behavioural control or manipulation
- High-Risk Applications:
  - Examples include AI tools for self-driving cars.
  - These applications are permitted but require certification and must make their backend techniques open to public scrutiny.
- Medium-Risk Applications:
  - Includes technologies like generative AI chatbots.
  - Allowed without restrictions but must provide detailed documentation of their functioning.
  - Users must be clearly informed that they are interacting with an AI, not a human.
- Low-Risk Applications:
  - Minimal regulations, focusing on transparency and user awareness.

Female Labour Force Participation Rate (India)

by admin

Last Updated: Feb 2025 (Female Labour Force Participation Rate (India))

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Female Labour Force Participation Rate (India)

This article deals with ‘Female Labour Force Participation Rate (India).’ This is part of our series on ‘Society’ which is important pillar of GS-1 syllabus . For more articles , you can click here.

Introduction

Earlier, the Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) was continuously decreasing. But that trend has reversed now and Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) has increased from 23.3% in 2017-18 to 41.7% in 2023-34 (according to PLFS).

Female Labour Force Participation Rate (India)

The increase is FLFPR has been seen across the states.

Female Labour Force Participation Rate across States in India

But, women are underrepresented in white-collar and blue-collar jobs and dominate the pink-collar jobs (like nursing and teaching).

Feminization U-Hypothesis

Above trend can be explained with the help of the phenomenon of Feminization U-Hypothesis

With development,

Women’s labour force participation drops during the initial phase of industrialization (as women don’t have the skills required for new jobs and start to invest in education to acquire skills needed for new jobs).
However, in the long run, their labour force participation will increase once a certain level of development is reached.

Barriers for Women to join Work Force

Although FLFPR has increased, various barriers stop women from joining the workforce. These include:-

Social Causes
- Patriarchal Mindset: Patriarchal norms of Indian society and social constraints on the freedom of women result in lower LFPR among women
- Nuclearization of families: Childcare and household work restrict women’s work participation.
- Caste factor: In some upper castes, a stigma is attached to women working outside the home.
Entry Barrier: Many sectors, like the Armed Forces, weren’t open to women till recently.
Lack of Care Economy: India has low levels of investment in Early Childhood Care and education. Hence, women can’t join the workforce due to caregiving responsibilities.
Unpaid Household Work: Economists distinguish between production for self-consumption and production for the market. Only the latter is counted as ’employment’. Most women work at home, but it is not counted in labour force participation since it is unpaid.
Use of overly broad categories: While measuring employment, productive works such as poultry farming and collection of firewood are considered domestic duty and women involved in such works are considered out-of- labour-force category.
Rising incompatibility of work: Due to structural change in the Indian economy, skilled jobs in the service and construction sectors are coming up, but women don’t have the necessary skills for these jobs.
Higher Education: As women pursue higher education, their entry into the job market is delayed (Feminization U-Hypothesis (explained below)).
An income effect of the husband’s higher earnings: The rise in men’s income has resulted in women’s withdrawal from the labour market.
Violence against women forces women to move out of the labour force. E.g.:
- Violence against women in the workplace restricts their participation.
- The mode of transportation is not safe for women restricting their movement.
Problems like looking after young children, lack of crèches facilities at the workplace etc. force working mothers to quit their job.

Importance of Women in Work Force

Economic Growth and Prosperity: The inclusion of women in the workforce positively impacts national economic growth.
Empowerment and Decision-Making: Women’s employment empowers them financially and boosts their say in household decision-making. For example, the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) shows that employed women tend to have more say in family matters.
Social Indicators Improvement: Higher LFPR improves social indicators such as infant and maternal mortality rates.
Demographic Dividend: India’s demographic dividend can be fully realized with a substantial participation of women in the workforce.
Diverse Perspectives and Innovation: Women’s participation brings a range of perspectives to the table, fostering creativity and innovation.

Steps taken to increase FLFPR

Skill Upgradation

Skill India Mission: Women are provided with a special focus under the Skill India Mission.
STEP Scheme: STEP or Support to Training and Employment Program for women provides skills to women to increase their employability or to make them self-employed.

Entrepreneurship

Stand-Up India Scheme: It promotes entrepreneurship among women (and SC/ST). Women can avail of Rs. 10 lakhs to 1 crore collateral-free loans from Indian banks to start greenfield enterprises in the non-farm sector.
Start-Up India: Various female led Start-Ups have received government support under the Start-Up India initiative. Additionally, 10% of the Fund of Funds for Start-Ups is reserved for women.
Credit Guarantee Scheme for Start-Ups (CGSS): Scheme has guaranteed loans of Rs.24 crore for women led Start-Ups as of Jan 2025.
Nandini Sahakar Scheme: 2% interest subvention is given to women led innovative cooperative projects
Marketing Support: Women’s trade fair participation to market their products is fully subsidised by the government.
ZED Certification: 100 per cent subsidy on certification for women MSMEs.
Procurement: 3% of procurement by CPSEs is reserved for women-owned enterprises.

Maternity Leave Benefits

The Maternity Leave has been increased to 26 months from the existing 12 months.

Stopping Gender Disparity

Code on Wages: It prohibits wage discrimination on the grounds of sex.
Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (PoSH): It enhances the safety of women at the workplace.

State Specific Schemes

Kerala: Smart Kitchen Project

It was launched by the Kerala government in 2021.
Under the scheme, soft loans are given to women to modernize their kitchens. These loans can be paid back in small instalments.
It helps to increase women’s participation in labour as their time and energy spent on household chores decrease.

Telangana: WE Hub (Women Entrepreneurs Hub)

It is Telangana state led incubator for women entrepreneurs.
It ensures that women Start-Ups have access to technical, financial, governmental, and policy support.
Till 2025, it has raised ₹177 crore and incubated 6376 start-ups.

Digital Economy and increase in FLFPR

Women face challenges in accessing the traditional job markets due to social causes, time restrictions, workplace safety, etc. (as mentioned above). However, the development of the digital economy has positively impacted women’s participation as the digital economy allows remote working. In the digital world, gender does not matter as much as in the physical economy.

Steps ahead

Promote Women-owned Enterprises in Rural India.
Bangladesh Model: Promote the Apparel & Shoes Sector as these two sectors generate the highest number of jobs for women per unit investment.
Open more sectors for women, like Defence Services.
Green Workforce: The Renewable Energy sector can create many jobs for women. For example, the Solar Urja Lamps project in Dungarpur, Rajasthan, to provide an economical and sustainable solar lighting solution where Women’s Self-Help Group (SHG) members were trained, resulting in the employment of 83 women and the establishment of five solar shops.
Skilling women so that they can fit in the post-LPG Reforms economy.
Promote woman entrepreneurship: Via Standup India and many other schemes.
Maternity Benefits: The government has already increased Maternity Leave to 26 weeks. Steps should be taken to extend it to the informal sector as well.
Self Help Groups (SHGs) like Kudumbshree should be promoted to make women, especially in rural areas, self-employed.
Japan Model (Womenomics): It includes getting more women into leadership positions.
Reshaping societal attitudes and beliefs about women’s participation in the labour force.
Recognize the unpaid household work of women in the employment data.

Side Topic: Low proportion of Women in Leadership Roles in India

Women’s representation on company boards in India is very low at a mere 18.3% (as of 2023). But this number is gradually increasing, which is a very positive sign. Women head many big corporates, for example, Pepsi by Indra Nooyi, Axis Bank by Shikha Sharma, etc.
In 2021, Germany made it mandatory for large listed firms to have at least one woman on their boards.
Under the SEBI regulations in India, the listed firms must have at least one female director on the Board of Directors.

Reasons for the lack of women in leadership roles

Glass Ceiling Effect: It restricts the promotion of women to the topmost positions. This glass ceiling exists due to the persistence of patriarchy in society and also since the present leadership consists of men who promote the interests of men only.
Leaky Pipeline Effect: The proportion of women decline as management grade rises

Demographic Dividend

by admin

Last Updated: Feb 2025 (Demographic Dividend)

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Demographic Dividend

This article deals with ‘Demographic Dividend.’ This article is part of our series on ‘Economics’ which is an important pillar of the GS-3. For more articles, you can click here.

What is Demographic Dividend?

A country is said to be in the Demographic dividend phase WHEN

The majority of its population is in the working-age group.
The dependency ratio is minimum, i.e. very few people below 15 & above 64.
The age pyramid shows a bulge in the middle.

As East Asian countries in the past, and Ireland today, India is supposed to benefit from a ‘demographic dividend.’ This dividend results from large working-age people with a relatively small percentage of older people to support.
As of 2024, the median age of Indian is 28 years old, compared with 43 in China and the 38 in the United States and 48 in Japan. It implies a large and growing labour force, which can deliver unexpected benefits in terms of growth and prosperity.

But to reap the Demographic Dividend, the government have to
- Invest in education & skill development of the young generation.
- Produce enough good jobs to absorb them in employment (78.5 lakh non-farm jobs needs to be created annually until 2030).

Otherwise, this huge population would become burden onerous to handle instead of becoming an asset.

What to do to achieve Demographic Dividend?

Gig Economy (in India)

by admin

Last Updated: Feb 2025 (Gig Economy (in India))

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Gig Economy (in India)

This article deals with ‘Gig Economy (in India) – UPSC Notes.’ This article is part of our series on ‘Economics’ which is an important pillar of the GS-3. For more articles, you can click here.

Introduction

Gig Economy is the economy in which organizations work with independent workers for a short duration. Companies like Uber, Ola etc., don’t treat the workers as employees of the company. Instead, they are treated as freelance contractors, and traditional employee rights like minimum wages, pension, provident fund, insurance etc., aren’t given to them by the company.

Features of Gig Economy

Gig Economy has two sets of agents (i.e. Buyer and Seller), which interact through intermediaries or aggregators.
Gig Worker is not an employee on the company’s payroll. Instead, they are treated as Independent Service Contractors.
They are paid in terms of ‘piece rate’ (depend on gigs completed) and ‘rewards’ (dependent on the rating given). The company doesn’t pay them a fixed salary.
Gig Workers (or contractors) aren’t eligible for social security incentives such as provident fund, insurance, pension etc., provided by the company.

Case Studies

Uber: It is the most famous company that employs the gig economy. It has re-defined the gig economy.

Udemy: In Udemy, instructors develop courses and sell them on the platform to those who want to learn that skill. Udemy is just the host of the content and pays the instructors according to the sale of their courses after cutting their share.

Airbnb: Airbnb provides a platform to the house owners with extra space to rent their space to the travellers. Airbnb provides the platform to connect buyers and sellers and take the commission in return for services.

Status of Gig Economy in India

Reasons for increase in Gig Economy in India

Widespread Access to the Internet: The gig economy has boomed due to affordable data plans and digital connectivity, even in remote and rural areas.
Government Initiatives: Rapid increase in the Start-Up ecosystem in India owing to various government initiatives (like Start-Up India).
Changing Work approach: Remote and flexible employment is becoming mainstream post-Covid, attracting youth and professionals to gig platforms like Upwork and UrbanClap.
Rise in demand for Contractual Employees: Sectors like e-commerce and logistics prefer contractual gig workers to meet seasonal demand (e.g., Amazon and Flipkart hiring during festive seasons).
Cost Optimization by Businesses: Companies increasingly outsource tasks to gig workers to reduce operational costs.
Women Empowerment: Gig work offers flexibility, encouraging women in rural and urban areas to join the workforce (e.g., Meesho for home-based entrepreneurs).

Benefits of Gig Economy

For Workers

Job Creation: The gig economy generates a large number of jobs.
Flexibility: The gig economy provides flexibility in terms of working hours.
Independence: Gig workers operate as independent contractors and aren’t answerable to any boss (because they are their boss)

For Consumers

Lower Cost of Service: The gig companies can provide the same service at a lower cost due to economies of scale and efficient use of resources.
Quality of Service: The quality of service is higher as the Aggregator companies ensure quality of service and compliance.

For Companies

Optimization of Resource Utilization: It provides an easy way to monetize resources like vacant spaces in homes (Airbnb) and ordinary vehicles (Uber and Ola).
Cost Efficiency: It guards companies against fluctuations in demand as they don’t have to pay workers if there is a lack of demand.

Issues with Gig Economy

The gig workers don’t have the cover of social security such as provident fund, pension etc.
There is no security of a job in the gig economy.
The income of the gig workers is not fixed, and companies enjoy large powers vis-a-vis workers enabling them to exploit workers.
The gig economy is not adequately regulated and gives a lot of opportunity to the companies to evade taxes and harass workers.
Stress on the gig-workers due to pressure from algorithmic management practices and performance evaluation on the basis of ratings. E.g., monitoring of Ola and Uber employees.
Limited opportunities for skill up-gradation and career progression that are attached to traditional jobs.
Potential exploitation of workers due to the individualistic nature of gig work, gig workers cannot form unions and bargain collectively.

Steps taken wrt protection of workers in the Gig Economy

Steps taken by Indian Government

Budget 2021-22: The Government has announced that the law on minimum wages act and Employee State Insurance Corporation will apply to all firms.
Regulation: Central Government has announced that Taxi-hailing apps can’t charge more than 20% commission from driving contractors. Along with that, contractors cant work more than 12 hours per day.
Rajasthan Government’s Initiative: The Rajasthan government has formed the Tripartite Board to automatically register gig workers upon joining a platform. The registered gig worker will be eligible to
- Medical and accident support
- Educational aid for workers’ children.
- Access to other welfare schemes.

International Examples

In 2021, the UK Supreme Court ruled that Uber drivers should be considered workers and not freelance contractors, making them eligible for all employment-related benefits such as minimum wage, annual leaves, and insurance.

Skilling People in India

by admin

Last Update: Feb 2025 (Skilling People in India)

Skilling People in India

This article deals with ‘Skilling People in India – UPSC Notes.’ This article is part of our series on ‘Economics’ which is an important pillar of the GS-3. For more articles, you can click here.

Need to Skill people ?

The answer to this question lies in analysing the percentage share of GDP & employment of various sectors of the economy.

49% of people engaged in Agriculture contribute to only 18.7% of GDP. Shifting these people to the manufacturing & service sector by skilling them will significantly increase the economy’s overall productivity. For example, a farmer in Bihar with 1 hectare of land earns ₹50,000 annually, while a factory worker in Chennai or Pune with basic technical skills earns ₹3–4 lakh/year.
Skilling the workforce will help reduce disguised unemployment as workers can be employed in productive sectors. For example,
It will also help in land consolidation because marginal farmers will go to the service & manufacturing sectors. They can sell their lands or lease them to those who want to keep working in agriculture.
With over 65% of the population below 35 years, India has a narrow window of opportunity to capitalize on its demographic advantage by skilling the people.

Companies coming from abroad will need a skilled workforce. Skilling the workforce will make India attractive for MNCs to set up production houses. For instance, Samsung’s Noida plant employs 70,000 workers but imports technicians from South Korea due to local skill shortages.

Why do people in India lack skills?

Education: The education system heavily relies on producing the clerical rather than the skilled workforce.
Rapidly changing Technology: There is always a mismatch between the speed of technological change due to advancements in AI, automation, blockchain, and robotics and the rate of changing skill sets.
Social Acceptance: Our society gives lesser recognition to vocationally trained people (such as carpentry, plumbing, and tailoring). In contrast, countries like Germany and Switzerland have robust vocational education models where skill-based jobs are highly respected and well-paid.
Pending Labour Reforms: Employers generally prefer automation and contract labour to save themselves from labour laws and, as a result, don’t invest in skilling the workers.
Poor Infrastructure and Quality in Skill Training Centres: Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and Skill Development Centres lack proper infrastructure, experienced faculty, and industry partnerships.

Programs to Skill

1. Skill India Mission

Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE)

It was created as a separate ministry in 2014.
Objective: Address India’s manpower needs and equip youth with industry-relevant skills.
Key Functions of the Ministry include
- Policy Framing: Develop policies like the National Skill Development Policy.
- Scheme Implementation: Implement schemes like Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), UDAAN, a Special Industry Initiative for J&K, etc.
- Industry Partnerships: Promotes PPPs and CSR funding for skill development.

Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY)

The scheme works under the Skill Ministry.
Objectives: Enable a large number of Indian youth to skill them with industry-relevant skills through training, thus helping them secure a better livelihood.
Primary Target Group: 10th or 12th-grade dropouts, migrant workers, rural youth, and women.
PMKVY has two training components: Short-Term Training and Recognition of Prior Learning.
Under the provisions of the scheme
- It is a certification scheme under which certification of completion, along with ₹8,000, is given to those who successfully pass the program.
- After completion, a person can also apply for a loan worth Rs. 20,000 to 1.5 lakh to start a venture.
- Soft skill & computer course is also provided.
- The main focus of the scheme is 10 or +2 dropouts.
The scheme is presently in its third phase. Several new initiatives, like the Upskilling for Weavers and Artisans in Traditional Crafts in Nagaland and Kashmir, digital marketing etc., were launched under PMKVY 3.0.

PM Internship Scheme

The scheme was announced in the Budget for 2024-25.
Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Corporate Affairs
Aim: To provide internships to 1 crore youth in top-500 companies (like Tata, ICICI, Zomato, Flipkart, etc.) over the five years.
Age Eligibility: Youth in the 21-24 age group. Selection will be based on academic performance, skill assessment tests, and industry demand.
Under the scheme,
- The Government of India pays a Monthly Stipend of ₹4,500 per month. Additionally, ₹500 per month is contributed by the company (which can be adjusted in its CSR budget).
- The Government also provides an additional ₹6,000 to each candidate to cover miscellaneous expenses (travel, food, training materials, etc.).

National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme

The scheme aims to encourage industrial establishments to undertake apprenticeship programs by providing financial incentives.
Under the scheme, the Government reimburses 25% of the stipend (up to ₹1,500 per apprentice per month).

Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU GKY)

The scheme was launched in 2014 with the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) as the nodal agency.
It is a component of the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM).
Main Features of the scheme include
- The scheme follows the Placement-Linked Approach.
- Target beneficiaries include rural youth between 15-35 years.
- Training is provided by accredited agencies, known as Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs), selected through a rigorous screening process.

National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC)

NSDC is owned by the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and the private sector in a 49:51 ratio.
Key Function: Fund and support vocational training institutions to promote skill development.

Skill Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP)

It is a World Bank loan-assisted program.
Objective: To decentralize skill development and align it with local needs and youth aspirations.

Indian BPO Promotion Scheme (IBPS)

IBPS works under the supervision of the Ministry of Electronics and IT.
The scheme incentivizes the establishment of BPOs and their extension to Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities with financial support in the form of Viability Gap Funding.

Indian Institute of Skills

PM laid the foundation stone of the instruction in 2017.
“Indian Institute of Skills” is inspired by the Singapore training model.
The institute would adopt various best practices from the country.

Indian Skill Development Service

To attract dedicated young and talented administrators for skill development, the Government has established ISDS, whose first batch was inducted in 2019.

Digi Saksham

The scheme aims to improve the employability of youth by equipping them with essential digital skills.

Memorandum of Understanding

The government has signed MoUs with China, the UK, Australia, and Germany for Skill Development in India.

Schemes for Skilling the Minorities

a. Ustaad Scheme

Ustaad scheme aims to skill minority artisans.
The main emphasis of the scheme is on

Kashmiri Embroidary	Muslims of Kashmir
Jardosi	Bengali Muslims
Phulkari	Punjabi Sikhs
Thangka Painting	Buddhists

Hunar Haats are organized under the Ustaad scheme, thus providing platforms for marketing artisans’ products belonging to minority communities

b. Sikho aur Kamao

The scheme works under the Ministry of Minority Affairs.
Under the scheme, the person belonging to the Minority Community can get computer knowledge, tailoring skills, etc., from the Private Institution. The Government later reimburses that institution.

c. Manas Scheme

MANAS = Maulana Azad National Academy for Skill
It is an innovative scheme and works on the principle of ‘Giving back to the Community’ under which the leading celebrities in various skill sets are used as the driving force behind the skill development projects in their respective fields.

Criticisms / Challenges

There is no standard definition of skill in India. Hence, there is no way to measure whether the skill is imparted or not.
The availability of good quality teachers to impart skills is not adequate.
The industry does not value the certificates that these programs give.
The curriculum is not updated at the regular interval.
There is duplication of efforts in these schemes. Instead of many schemes, there should be one universal scheme.
There is a need for constant up-gradation of skills. These programs don’t recognise this.

QUAD

by admin

Last Updated: July 2025 (QUAD)

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QUAD

This article deals with QUAD – UPSC.’ This is part of our series on ‘International Relations’ which is an important pillar of the GS-2 syllabus. For more articles, you can click here.

Introduction

Quad is a strategic diplomatic partnership between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States to support an open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient.

Timeline

2004	The origins of the Quad can be traced back to the ‘Tsunami Core Group‘, which was formed in the aftermath of the Indian Ocean Tsunami of December 2004 when the above countries came together to assist countries devastated by the Tsunami.
2007	The first meeting of Quad was held on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum, and QUAD was formalized.
2017	Quad remained dormant for nearly a decade.
2017	The four countries again came together owing to China’s rising threat with the stated aim of establishing a rules-based international order.
2020	Malabar Naval Exercise, which started in 1992 between India and the US and expanded in 2007 with the inclusion of Japan, was expanded to include Australia. Hence, the Malabar Naval Exercise became the first official grouping of the Quad
2021	First Quad Leaders Summit was held (virtually)
2024	India hosted the Quad Leader’s Summit

Structure

Membership: USA, Australia, Japan and India
QUAD does not have any Secretariat or Permanent decision-making body. It is maintained by Meetings and Military Drills (like the Malabar Naval Exercise).
Note: QUAD can be expanded QUAD-Plus with the inclusion of South Korea, Vietnam, New Zealand, and other countries sharing the same threat and values.

Key Pillars of the QUAD

Securing the Strategic Sea Routes in the Indo-Pacific
Securing Rules-based Global Order
Establishing a Liberal Trading System
Offer Alternative Debt Financing
Addressing contemporary global issues.

Significance for India

Balancing the Chinese Power

QUAD partners can support India if Chinese hostilities rise on the Indo-China borders.
India is working with Quad partners to offer alternatives to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, a project that undermines India’s territorial sovereignty and regional primacy.

Cementing Indian position in the Indo-Pacific

Due to its favourable topographical location and peninsular geography, India has widespread trade and cultural connections with the Indo-Pacific littorals. QUAD provides a platform for India to advance its East Asian interests and further strengthen its Act East policy.

Net Security Provider

Quad membership will help India achieve the objective of being a Net Security Provider in the Indian Ocean.

Supplementing India’s Defence Capabilities

Cooperation in the field of defence among Quad members through joint patrols, exchange of strategic information, etc., can help India overcome its limitations pertaining to finances, naval capacity, military reconnaissance, and technological and surveillance capabilities.

Economic Advantage

Economically, the Quad will also make India a preferred destination for investment, with supply chain disruptions caused by dependence on China.

Possibilities of Wider Cooperation

During the COVID epidemic, the QUAD decided to coordinate on COVID-19 vaccines, Climate change and new-age Technology. This points towards the fact that QUAD is far more than a security pact against China.
(2025) Quad has initiated Quad Critical Mineral Initiative to strengthen, secure and diversify critical mineral supply chains (to counter China’s stranglehold).

Negatives of Quad

Contrary to BRICS and SCO: India’s proactive engagement with the Quad can undermine her relationship with BRICS & SCO, where China is an important partner. The Quad has deteriorated Sino-Indian and Indo-Russian relations.

Divergence on acceptable risks and costs: The acceptable risks and costs of Chinese threats are different for all the QUAD members owing to factors such as direct territorial disputes with China, their proximity and the risk of retaliation by Beijing.

Seen as Cold War Mentality: China has criticized the Quad diplomacy as reflective of a “Cold War mentality” and an attempt to establish an “Asian NATO”.

Less Institutionalization: The Quad remains relatively lightly institutionalized in its current form. It is neither a security arrangement nor a trade group, which could undermine its credibility and influence.

Conflicting signals from the US: The US announced a new trilateral defence partnership with Australia and the UK (AUKUS), leaving Japan and India from QUAD.

No Provision of Collective Security: Unlike NATO, the Quad does not have the provision for collective defence

Previous Year Questions

Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) is transforming itself into a trade bloc from a military alliance, in present times Discuss. (2020)

Weaponization of Space

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Last Update: Jan 2025 (Weaponization of Space)

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Weaponization of Space

This article deals with ‘Weaponization of Space‘. This is part of our series on ‘Science and Technology, which is an important pillar of the GS-3 syllabus. For more articles, you can click here.

Introduction

Weaponization of Space includes

Placing weapons in outer space or heavenly bodies
Creating weapons that will travel from Earth to attack or destroy targets in space.

Background

The weaponization of Space started in the 1960s with the Soviet HUNTER KILLER low-orbit satellite system designed for space combat.
In 1967, the Outer Space Treaty barred the placement of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) in outer space. However, the treaty was silent on the deployment of non-WMD weapons such as space-based laser systems.
In 1983, the USA launched STAR WARS (or Strategic Defence Initiative) aimed to create Space-based missile defence system aimed at intercepting and destroying nuclear missiles.

Chinese Space Weaponization

In 2007, China successfully tested its first ASAT (Anti-satellite) missile.

Indian Developments

Mission Shakti: Mission Shakti is an Anti-Satellite Missile made by DRDO.

NATO’s Collective Security

In a 2021 summit statement, NATO leaders have expanded the use of their all-for-one, one-for-all mutual defence clause to include a collective response to attacks in space.

Outer Space Treaty, 1967

It was signed in 1967.
India is also a member of the Outer Space Treaty.

Main Provisions

Exploration & use of outer space shall be done for the benefit of all countries.
Outer space shall be the province of all mankind.
Outer space is not subject to the claim of sovereignty.
States shall not place weapons of mass destruction in outer space.
Astronauts are to be regarded as the envoys of humankind.
States shall be responsible for space activities, whether carried out by government or non-government entities.

Limitations of Treaty

The vague definition of terms like Weapons of mass destruction makes it liable for misuse.
It is a 20th-century treaty in a 21st-century digital age with cyber-digital weapons. For example, what if, through any radio wave attack, all the digital infrastructure of any state is paralysed?
Lack of a ‘Space Police’ makes it toothless to enforce the provisions.

Factors behind Weaponization of Space

Protecting Space Assets: Countries are weaponizing their space to safeguard their satellites in space against other countries’ Anti-Satellite (ASAT) missiles or space-based weapons.
Enhanced Combat Capabilities: Space-based systems provide tactical advantages like precise targeting of enemy assets.
4th Dimension of Warfare: Space is now considered the 4th dimension of warfare after land, air and water. Many countries, like China, Russia, the USA, etc, are focusing on dominating the 4th dimension of warfare, leading to increased weaponization of space.
Insufficient Existing Treaties: While the Outer Space Treaty (OST) explicitly prohibits the deployment of weapons of mass destruction in space, it does not address non-WMD weapons.

Impacts of Space Weaponization

Disturbance in Global Balance of Power: The Weaponization of space opens up a new front in space and disturbs the balance of power, triggering geopolitical tensions.
Arms Race in Space: Space Weaponization by any country results in an arms race in outer space.
Creation of Space Debris: Tests like China’s 2007 ASAT or India’s Mission Shakti in 2019 generate large amounts of space debris.
Peaceful exploration of outer space will be impacted: Placing weapons in outer space increases the risk of turning space into a battlefield, impacting exploration of outer space and research activities.

Way forward

reat Space as a Global Common: Like Antarctica, outer space should be considered a global common under international law.
Strengthen International Treaties: Update the Outer Space Treaty (1967) to include provisions prohibiting all forms of weaponization, including non-WMDs.

Juvenile Delinquency

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Last Updated: Jan 2025 (Juvenile Delinquency)

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Juvenile Delinquency

This article deals with ‘Juvenile Delinquency ’. This is part of our series on ‘Society’ which is an important pillar of the GS-1 syllabus. For more articles, you can click here.

Introduction

Juvenile delinquency, also referred to as Juvenile in conflict with law, involves individuals under the age of 18 engaging in unlawful activities.

Causes of Juvenile Delinquency

Dysfunctional Families: Broken homes, domestic violence, and substance abuse make children vulnerable to indulging in unlawful activities.
Negligent Parenting and Strict Parenting: Overly strict or neglectful parenting styles can foster resentment in children.
Breakdown of Traditional Joint Families: The breakdown of traditional joint families leads to the absence of a social control agency. In joint families, older members intervene to prevent deviant behaviour.
Corruption of Value System: Due to rapid societal changes (globalization, westernization, etc.), traditional cultural values have been diluted.
Negative impact of Social Media: The Fear of Mission Out (FOMO) compels juveniles to adopt risky behaviours to fit in.
Glorification of Crime by Media and Movies: Juveniles tend to imitate behaviours of perceived “successful” but negative role models in a phenomenon known as Anticipatory Socialization.
Subculture of Crime in Children Living in Slums: Children in such socioeconomically disadvantaged areas view criminal activities as a survival mechanism and means to escape poverty.
Lack of Adolescent Education in Educational Institutions

Consequences of Juvenile Delinquency

Loss of Nation’s Human Resources: Juveniles involved in delinquent activities are unable to contribute effectively to the economy, which could have otherwise added to the country’s demographic dividend.
Low Social Status leads to difficulty in Mainstreaming: Juveniles who come into conflict with the law are stigmatized and labelled as criminals by society, making it difficult for them to find employment or get education opportunities.
Overburdened Criminal Justice System: Juvenile crimes increase the workload on the justice system
Cycle of Crime: A juvenile engaged in small-scale theft frequently progresses to more serious offences.
Economic Costs: The state bears high costs for running reformative homes, juvenile courts, and rehabilitation centres.

Juvenile Justice (Amendment) Act

Juvenile Justice Act defines a child as a person who has not completed 18 years of age.
In 2015, it was amended to add a provision wherein a child in the age group of 16-18 years could be tried as an adult in case of heinous offences.
Heinous crime is a crime that requires imprisonment for 7 years .
The Juvenile Justice Board, consisting of psychologists and social experts, assesses whether “the crime was committed as a ‘child’ or as an ‘adult’.

Child Marriage in India

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Last Updated: Jan 2025 (Child Marriage in India)

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Child Marriage in India

This article deals with ‘Child Marriage in India ’. This is part of our series on ‘Society’ which is an important pillar of the GS-1 syllabus. For more articles, you can click here.

Introduction

Child Marriage involves the marriage of minors (below the legal age of 21 for boys and 18 for girls) that violate their rights and contribute to various social challenges.

Data regarding Child Marriage in India

According to the 2011 Census, 30.2% of all Indians were married before they turned 18.
According to the Lancet Global Health Report (2023), there is a high prevalence of Child Marriage in India, with 1 out of 5 girls and 1 out of 6 boys victim of it.
Child marriage is more prevalent in rural areas than in urban areas.
In Bihar and Rajasthan, approximately 60% of females are married as children.

Causes of Child Marriage

Poverty: Lack of education in poverty-stricken families often leads to early marriages
Growing insecurity of Girls: The increasing concerns for the safety of girls in some communities create a sense of urgency among families to marry off their daughters once they reach puberty.
Cultural Reproduction: Deep-rooted traditional practices that have persisted over generations have contributed to the perpetuation of child marriages.
Perception of Economic Liability: A girl child is seen as an economic burden, leading families to marry them off early.
Increased Dropout Ratio: A higher dropout rate among girls after primary education pushes them towards early marriages
Weak Enforcement of Legal Provisions: Despite the existence of legal frameworks such as the Child Marriage (Prohibition) Act, the act is weakly enforced.

Consequences of Child Marriage

Educational Deprivation: Child Marriage denies access to education, limiting future opportunities.
Health Impacts on Women: Child Marriage raises health risks for women, leading to higher rates of maternal mortality and anaemia.
Population Growth: Child Marriage contributes to a higher population due to increased fertility rates at a younger age.
Domestic Violence: Child Marriage amplifies instances of domestic violence.
Psychological Consequences: Child Marriage results in the prostitution of personality and psychological alienation for those involved.

Government provisions

Statutory Provisions

Child Marriage (Prohibition) Act, 2006

Marriage of boys under the age of 21 and girls under the age of 18 is illegal.
There is a provision for a Child Marriage Prohibition Officer to stop child marriages, create awareness, etc.
Additionally, the Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill of 2021 seeks to elevate the minimum age of marriage for females to 21 years.
Whoever performs, conducts or abets child marriage can be imprisoned for up to 2 years and fined up to Rs. 1 lakh.

Conventions

United Nations Convention on the Rights of Child (UNCRC): The convention emphasizes the protection of children’s rights, including the right to protection from early and forced marriages.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights: The declaration emphasizes that Marriage shall be entered only with the intended spouses’ full and free consent.
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW): CEDAW calls for eliminating gender-based discrimination, including harmful practices like child marriage.

Policies

National Population Policy, 2000 promotes delayed Marriage for girls

Supreme Court Judgement

Society For Enlightenment and Voluntary Action v. Union of India (2024): The Supreme Court held that even fixing the marriage during childhood violates the free choice of choosing one’s partner and life path, and steps should be taken by the Parliament to ban it.

Schemes

Dhan Laxmi Scheme: The Government provides financial assistance to those marrying after the age 18.
Odisha Child Marriage Resistance Forum: Forum of Children who have resisted parental and societal pressure to get married before the legal age

SDG

SDG target 5.3 aims to ‘End the Child Marriage in girls by 2030.’
It involves a multifaceted approach encompassing awareness campaigns, legislative reforms, educational initiatives, and community engagement.

Article 13 of the Indian Constitution

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Article 13 of the Indian Constitution

This article deals with ‘Article 13 of the Indian Constitution – Indian Polity.’ This is part of our series on ‘Polity’ which is important pillar of GS-2 syllabus . For more articles , you can click here.

Article 13

Article 13 declares that all the laws inconsistent with any Fundamental Rights shall be void.

And the LAW, according to Article 13, is

Permanent laws enacted by Parliament and State Legislatures
Temporary laws like ordinances
Statutory instruments like orders, rules, regulations and notifications
Non-legislative sources of law like customs or usage having the force of law
Although Constitutional Amendments aren’t law and can’t be challenged in the Supreme Court, the Keshavananda Bharti case pronounced that if the constitutional amendment violates the basic structure of the constitution, which includes Fundamental Rights, it can be challenged.

It has to be noted that ‘Judicial Review’ is conferred by Article 13.

Note: The pre-constitution laws are not declared invalid ab initio (from the start). They are invalid only when they are inconsistent with any of the fundamental rights.

Judicial Review

What is Judicial Review?

The term’ Judicial Review’ means the Power of a Court to review and potentially strike down an act of Legislature, Executive or Administration as unconstitutional if they are not in line with the provisions of the constitution.
The doctrine of Judicial Review has its origin in the USA in the Marbury v/s Madison case of 1803.

Judicial Review of Legislative Action in India

The Indian constitution provides for Judicial Review through Articles 13, 32, 131-136, 143, 226, and 246.
Judicial Review of Legislative Action is done using basic constitutional doctrines as listed below.
- Doctrine of Basic Structure,
- Doctrine of Pith and Substance: ‘Pith’ means ‘true nature’, and ‘Substance’ means ‘a most important part of something’. Hence, the Doctrine of Pith and Substance says that where the question arises of determining whether a particular law relates to a specific subject (mentioned in one List or another), the Court looks to the true nature and substance of the matter.
- Doctrine of Colourable Legislation: It means that whatever legislature can’t do directly, it can’t do indirectly.
- Doctrine of Severability: It means that when a part of the statute is declared unconstitutional, then the unconstitutional part is to be removed, and the remaining valid portion will continue to be valid
- Doctrine of Liberal Interpretation: The provisions of the Constitution should be interpreted liberally and broadly instead of in a narrow sense.
- Doctrine of Limitation of Stare Decisis: The Policy of the courts to stand by the precedent
- Doctrine of Eclipse: If the act violates the Fundamental Rights of citizens, the Fundamental Rights overshadow the act, making the act unenforceable.
- Doctrine of Prospective Over-Ruling: The Supreme Court can overrule its earlier judgment, but the impact will apply from the prospective effect and not retrospectively.
- Doctrine of Harmonious Construction: Provisions of the Constitution shouldn’t be interpreted in isolation. Instead, it should be read together to ensure consistency and harmony, keeping in mind the intent of the Constitution makers.

Important Cases / Judicial History of Judicial Review of the Legislative Action

AK Gopalan v. State of Madras: The Constitution is supreme, and every statute has to conform to the constitutional requirements.
Minerva Mills Case: The Judicial Review is the Basic Feature of the Indian Constitution.
Indira Gandhi v. Raj Narain (1975): Ordinary Laws aren’t subject to the Doctrine of Basic Structure, which is applied only to determine the validity of the Constitutional Amendment.
IR Coelho v. State of Tamil Nadu (2007): All Constitutional Amendments made on or after 24th April 1973 by which the Ninth Schedule is amended by inclusion of various laws therein shall have to be tested on the touchstone of Basic Features of the constitution enshrined in Article 14, 19 and 21.

Judicial Review of Administrative Action

In this case, the Court scrutinizes the entire Administrative Action and sees how it was reached. If the Court finds an Administrative Action arbitrary or irrational, it sets aside the entire action.

Delhi Development Authority v. UEE Electrical Engineering Private Limited (2004): The court held that irrationality and procedural impropriety are grounds for judicial review of administrative action.
Doctrine of Proportionality: If the Administrative Authority awards disproportionate punishment to the allegations, it remains open for judicial review.