DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 15th December

Category: Government Schemes

Context:

• Recently, the Orissa High Court directed education authorities to amend the consent form used for generating APAAR IDs to include an explicit opt-out option.

About APAAR Id:

• Full Form: It is an acronym for Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry.
• Nature: It is a specialised identification system designed for all students in India, beginning from an early age.
• Objective: It aims to streamline and enhance the academic experience for students throughout India by assigning a unique and permanent 12-digit ID to each student, consolidating their academic records into a single accessible platform.
• In sync with NEP: It is introduced in accordance with the National Education Policy (NEP) of 2020 and the National Credit and Qualifications Framework (NCrF).
• Voluntary: Registration for an APAAR ID is voluntary, not mandatory.
• Tracks academic progress: Under the initiative, each student would get a lifelong APAAR ID, making it easy for the learners, schools, and governments to track academic progress from pre-primary education to higher education.
• Linked to Academic Bank of Credits (ABC): Every individual will have a unique APAAR ID, which will be linked to the Academic Bank of Credit (ABC). With the APAAR ID, students would be able to store all their certificates and credits, whether they come from formal education or informal learning.
• Gateway to Digilocker: It would serve as a gateway to Digilocker. When a student would complete a course or achieve something, it would be digitally certified and securely stored in his/her account by authorised institutions.
• Enhanced transparency: It ensures accountability and transparency in education by streamlining academic records. It enhances efficiency, combats fraud, and includes co-curricular achievements for holistic student development.
• Data-driven decision-making: With multiple use cases, APAAR facilitates a smooth transfer process and supports data-driven decision-making in educational institutions.

Source:

• • Hindustan Times

Category: Environment and Ecology

Context:

• In a first-of-its kind study in eastern India, a bar-headed goose fitted with a GSM-GPS transmitter has revealed its migration route and flying pattern.

About Bar-headed Goose:

• Nature: It is a migratory bird species which is known to be one of the highest-flying birds in the world. 
• Uniqueness: It can fly at altitudes of 25,000 feet, while migrating over the Himalayas, where oxygen and temperature levels are extremely low. They can cover distances of over 1,600 km in a single day.
• Distribution:  It is native to central Asia, where the species breeds, Bar-headed Geese, are found in countries like India, Pakistan, Nepal, Kazakhstan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Japan, and other nearby regions. 
• Geographical spread in India: In India, their geographical range extends from the northeast to the southern parts of the country.
• Wintering Sites in India: Large congregations are often sighted at various Indian wetlands, including the Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, Pong Dam Lake in Himachal Pradesh, and the East Calcutta Wetlands.
• Habitat: They reside near water bodies, preferring high-altitude lakes during the breeding season and freshwater lakes, rivers, and streams in their wintering habitats. 
• Wetland Health Indicator: Their presence indicates healthy wetland ecosystems, as they are sensitive to habitat changes.
• Appearance: This species is grey and white with two horseshoe-shaped, brownish-black bars on the back of its white head. Although male and female birds appear similar, the male bird is slightly larger than the female.
• Breeding pattern: They usually form monogamous pairs and are seasonal breeders.
• Conservation Status: It is classified as ‘Least Concern’ under the IUCN Red List.

Source:

• • Down To Earth

Category: International Organisations

Context:

• The Government of India recently showcased the country’s pioneering achievements in various fields (such as rural development) at the IFAD–India Day event held in Rome.

About International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD):

• Nature: It is an international financial institution and a specialized agency of the United Nations.
• Establishment: It was established as an international financial institution in 1977 through United Nations General Assembly Resolution.
• Objective: It is dedicated to eradicating poverty and hunger in rural areas of developing countries. It also seeks to empower rural people to increase their food security, improve the nutrition of their families.
• Association with UN: It is a member of the United Nations Development Group (UNDP).
• Membership: Currently, IFAD has 180 Member States, including India. (India is a founding member of IFAD).
• Governance: Its Governing Council is the highest decision-making body which meets every three years.
• Headquarters: Its headquarters is located in Rome, Italy.
• Focus on SIDS: Its projects and programmes are carried out in remote and environmentally fragile locations, including least-developed countries and Small Island developing States (SIDS).
• Supports pro-poor technologies: It grants support research, innovation, institutional change, and pro-poor technologies.
• Grants: It extends two types of grants, depending on the nature of the innovation and the scope of intervention: global or regional grants and country-specific grants.

Source:

• • PIB

Category: Society

Context:

• NSU organised an exhibition on Ahobila Paruveta Utsavam, highlighting the Chenchu tribe’s unique traditional association with Ahobilam shrine and Lord Narasimha.

About Chenchu Tribe:

• Location: The Chenchus are a food-gathering tribe primarily residing in the Nallamalai forests of Andhra Pradesh. They are also found in Telangana, Karnataka, and Odisha.
• Uniqueness: They are one of the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in Andhra Pradesh.
• Language: They speak variants of Telugu, the Dravidian language of the region.
• Habitat: A Chenchu village is known as “Penta“. Each penta consists of a few huts that are spaced apart and are grouped together based on kinship patterns. 
• Social order: “Peddamanishi” or the village elder, is generally the authority to maintain social harmony in a family or a village. 
• Norms of equality: Small conjugal families predominate, women taking equal rank with men and marrying only upon maturity.
• Rituals: Their rituals are few and simple; religious and political specializations are slight.
• Livelihood: The Chenchu live life with exemplary simplicity.  Most of them still gather food from the forest and roam in it to find things to meet their needs. The bow and arrow and a small knife are all the Chenchus possess to hunt and live.
• Work with cooperatives: The Chenchus collect forest products like roots, fruits, tubers, beedi leaf, mohua flower, honey, gum, tamarind, and green leaves and make a meagre income from it by selling these to traders and government cooperatives.
• Religion: Chenchus worship a number of deities. Chenchus have also adopted certain religious practices from Hindus.
• Association with Srisailam temple: For ages, the Chenchus have been associated with the famous Srisailam temple (dedicated to Lord Shiva and Devi Brahmaramba) in Andhra Pradesh, situated at the heart of Chenchu land. The Chenchus enjoy special privileges at Srisailam temple.

Source:

• • The Hindu

Category: Science and Technology

Context:

• Recently, rare supernova from 730 million years after the Big Bang was spotted by James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).

About Supernova:

• • Definition: A supernova is a massive stellar explosion marking the end of a star’s life
  • Uniqueness: They are the largest explosions that take place in space.
  • Based on hydrostatic equilibrium: A star maintains stability through a balance between the inward pull of gravity and the outward pressure from nuclear fusion in its core. A supernova occurs when this balance is lost.
  • Remnants: Depending on the original mass of the star, a supernova can leave behind a dense neutron star or a black hole.
  • Energy emission: It can emit more energy in a few seconds than our sun will radiate in its lifetime of billions of years.

• Types:

• • • Type II Supernova (Core-Collapse): It occurs in single massive stars (at least 8-10 times the mass of the Sun) at the end of their life cycle. The core, having exhausted its nuclear fuel, collapses under its own immense gravity, triggering a shockwave that ejects the outer layers in a massive explosion.
    • Type Ia Supernova (Thermonuclear Runaway): It occurs in a binary star system where one star is a white dwarf. The white dwarf siphons matter from its companion star. Once it exceeds a critical mass limit (the Chandrasekhar limit), it completely destroys the white dwarf without leaving a remnant.
  • Spectacularity: These spectacular events can be so bright that they outshine their entire galaxies for a few days or even months.
  • Source of heavy elements: They can be seen across the universe and they are the primary source of heavy elements in the universe.
  • Frequency: Astronomers believe that about two or three supernovas occur each century in galaxies like our own Milky Way. Because the universe contains so many galaxies, astronomers observe a few hundred supernovas per year outside our galaxy.

• Significance:

• • Element Creation: They are the primary source of all elements heavier than iron (e.g., gold, silver, uranium) through a process called nucleosynthesis.
  • Cosmic Recycling: The expelled material enriches the interstellar medium, providing the building blocks for subsequent generations of stars, planets, and life itself.
  • Cosmic Distance Indicators: Type Ia supernovae have a consistent peak brightness, making them “standard candles” for measuring vast cosmic distances and understanding the accelerating expansion of the universe.

Source:

• Money Control

(UPSC GS Paper II – Statutory Bodies, Human Rights Commissions, Governance & Accountability)

Context (Introduction)

NHRC’s order directing Uttar Pradesh to pay ₹10 lakh for a 2021 custodial death comes at a time of rising custodial violence and growing concerns about the Commission’s diminishing autonomy, limited enforcement capacity, and declining credibility in safeguarding human rights.

Main Arguments: Why the NHRC Directive Matters? 

• Reaffirmation of State Accountability: With 4,400+ custodial deaths (2020–22) nationwide and nearly 1,000 in UP, the directive underscores the constitutional principle that the State is answerable for violations of the right to life inside its custody.

• Attempt to Reclaim Institutional Purpose: Once proactive in shaping human-rights jurisprudence — on extra-judicial killings, prison reforms, and compensation norms — NHRC had grown passive in politically sensitive cases. The directive signals a possible reorientation toward its founding mandate.

• Highlighting Police Culture & Excessive Force: Recent survey-based assessments reveal troubling approval for coercive policing among personnel, indicating deep-rooted behavioural norms that enable custodial violence.

• Revisiting Public Trust in Oversight Bodies: By intervening in a long-pending case, the NHRC sends a message that constitutional oversight still matters, even if delayed.

• Restoring India’s Rights Architecture: Given concerns about falling institutional standards, the directive serves as a reminder that human-rights bodies must be independent, assertive, and citizen-centred.

Challenges / Criticisms of NHRC 

• Weak Enforcement Powers: NHRC’s recommendations are non-binding, leading to frequent state non-compliance and rendering it largely advisory rather than authoritative.

• Lack of Independence in Appointments: Reports highlight executive-dominated selection processes, limited diversity, and lack of transparency — weakening autonomy and raising conflict-of-interest concerns.

• Inadequate Resources & Overburdened Structure: Shortage of investigators, delays in case disposal, and heavy reliance on police officers on deputation reduce credibility and effectiveness.

• Limited Jurisdiction Over Armed Forces: NHRC can only seek reports in cases involving armed forces, with no power to conduct independent investigations — a long-standing institutional weakness.

• Reluctance to Pursue Sensitive Cases: Documented hesitancy to take up politically inconvenient cases has fuelled perceptions of drift, passivity, and excessive deference to governments.

• Deficient Monitoring & Follow-Through: Compliance tracking mechanisms remain weak; many states ignore directives on compensation, custodial safeguards, and prison conditions without consequence.

Way Forward

• Strengthen Statutory Mandate & Enforceability: Give NHRC binding powers in grave violations, allow independent investigations, and expand jurisdiction over all uniformed services — aligning practice with global standards for human-rights bodies.

• Overhaul Appointment Processes: Introduce transparent, merit-based, and diversity-enhancing selection norms; reduce executive dominance; ensure adequate representation of women, civil society, and marginalised groups.

• Professionalise Investigative Capacity: Build a dedicated cadre of civilian investigators, forensic experts, psychologists, and social workers instead of relying heavily on police personnel.

• Ensure Accountability of State Authorities: Mandate time-bound compliance to NHRC recommendations, create a public dashboard of implementation status, and institutionalise penalties for unjustified non-compliance.

• Prioritise Custodial Violence Prevention: Install CCTV systems in all police stations, strengthen judicial oversight of custodial interrogations, and embed behavioural and ethical training within police academies.

• Revitalise State Human Rights Commissions (SHRCs): Enhance funding, staffing, suo-motu powers, and coordination with NHRC to build a multi-layered rights-protection ecosystem across states.

Conclusion:

NHRC’s directive in the UP custodial death case is significant not for its monetary value but for its symbolic assertion that human dignity remains non-negotiable. However, without structural reforms — stronger powers, independent appointments, professional capacity, and robust state compliance — the Commission’s impact will remain limited. Institutional renewal must accompany individual interventions.

Mains Question 

1. Critically examine the challenges facing the NHRC and outline reform measures needed to restore its effectiveness. (250 words, 15 marks)

Source: Indian Express

(UPSC GS Paper II – “Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests”; GS Paper III – “Effects of liberalization on the economy”)

Context (Introduction)

India’s rapid acceleration in signing Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with diverse partners — from EFTA to New Zealand, Oman, Canada and potentially Russia — reflects a shift from purely economic objectives toward geopolitical signalling, strategic hedging, and securing political safety nets in an uncertain global order.

Main Arguments: Why India Is Signing So Many FTAs Now?

• FTAs as Strategic Insurance: As global geopolitics fractures — with increasing U.S.–China polarisation and a weakened WTO — FTAs serve as political stabilisers rather than trade boosters, helping India lock in partnerships amid global realignments.

• Formalising Existing Trade Rather Than Creating New Trade: Empirical trends show India’s FTAs historically do not significantly expand trade—export shares with ASEAN, Japan, and Korea remained stagnant or declined. FTAs mostly codify existing flows, not generate new ones.

• Leveraging FTAs for WTO-Plus Areas: India uses FTAs to negotiate cooperation in services, investment, mobility, data, standards, and supply-chain security, areas where the WTO has stagnated and multilateralism is gridlocked.

• Political Logic Over Economic Logic: Recent FTAs (UAE, EFTA, Australia) align more with India’s Indo-Pacific strategy, its QUAD logic, and broader foreign-policy goals rather than immediate economic gains — hence the MEA increasingly leads instead of Commerce.

• Pre-Emptive Hedging against “Big Two” Realignment: Trump’s burst of bilateral FTAs and U.S. retreat from multilateralism has forced India to diversify partners. If Washington and Beijing consolidate into a “Big Two”, India’s FTAs serve as geostrategic hedges.

Challenges / Criticisms 

• Limited Trade Gains Despite Multiple FTAs: Data show negligible increases in intra-FTA trade; partner tariffs were already low, India’s services strength was underutilised, and fears of Chinese goods rerouted via ASEAN undercut domestic industry support.

• Underperformance in Services Liberalisation: Despite India’s comparative advantage, most Asian partners resisted services mobility, resulting in FTAs that are skewed toward goods, limiting India’s value capture.

• Fragmented RTA Implementation: Out of nearly 18 FTAs/PTAs, only eight include services agreements and only two have defined end-date implementation schedules — reflecting weak follow-through.

• Domestic Political Economy Constraints: Import-competing firms, tariff-sensitive manufacturing groups, and MSMEs often resist deeper liberalisation, lowering India’s appetite for ambitious FTA commitments.

• Geopolitical Overload Diluting Economic Priorities: As FTAs are increasingly driven by strategic diplomacy, economic ministries may under-prioritise competitiveness reforms, supply-chain integration, and structural capabilities needed to benefit from agreements.

Way Forward: 

• Reprioritise Services & Mobility Negotiations: Focus FTAs on Mode 4 mobility, professional visas, digital services, fintech, and regulatory harmonisation with partners — areas where India has real comparative advantage.

• Streamline RTA Design for Economic Coherence: Move toward template-based FTAs, stronger end-date implementation, and periodic review mechanisms like those adopted in EU and CPTPP agreements.

• Deepen Domestic Competitiveness Reforms: Boost logistics efficiency, reduce tariff dispersion, accelerate PLI-linked productivity, and strengthen MSME readiness — necessary to fully leverage FTAs as economic tools.

• Ensure Clear MEA–Commerce Coordination: Institutionalise joint decision-making structures so geopolitical goals do not overshadow economic outcomes; create an inter-ministerial FTA strategy cell.

• Explore Strategic FTAs like India–Russia: Given shifting global alignments, an India–Russia FTA could secure energy, minerals, and logistics corridors (Northern Sea Route), serving long-term strategic autonomy.

Conclusion

India’s recent proliferation of FTAs is less a story of trade expansion and more a reflection of strategic adaptation. In a fractured global order, FTAs have become political safety nets, signalling alignment, hedging rivalries, and ensuring economic resilience. To truly benefit, however, India must strengthen services negotiations, institutional coherence, and domestic competitiveness — aligning geopolitics with economic substance.

Mains Question 

1. “India’s recent burst of FTAs is driven more by geopolitical calculations than economic imperatives.” Discuss (250 words, 15 marks)

Source: Indian Express