IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs Analysis
Archives
(PRELIMS Focus)
PRASHAST Portal: Strengthening Inclusive Education in India
Social Issues; Government Schemes; Education
Why in the News?
The Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education, recently conducted a nationwide screening of a 30-minute sensitisation and orientation module on inclusive education through the PRASHAST Portal. More than 60,000 schools participated.
Key Facts
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- Full form: PRASHAST — Pre-Assessment Holistic Screening Tool.
- Purpose: School-based screening to identify children with probable disability conditions covered under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016.
- Coverage: All 21 specified disability categories under the Act.
- Two-stage screening:
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- Part I: Initial screening by regular teachers based on classroom behaviour and observations.
- Part II: Validation by special educators or counsellors, followed by referral for detailed assessment and certification where required.
- Users: Teachers, special educators, school heads and counsellors.
- The PRASHAST 2.0 mobile application supports screening and generation of school-level reports.
- The sensitisation module promotes respectful, accessible and supportive school environments for CwSN.
Sources / Further Reading
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2320665®=48&lang=2
National SC-ST Hub (NSSH) Scheme: Promoting Inclusive Entrepreneurship
Indian Economy; Government Schemes
Why in the News?
The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) highlighted the National SC-ST Hub Scheme’s role in promoting entrepreneurship among Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities. As of 31 July 2026, it had assisted 1,90,414 beneficiaries and trained 54,499 candidates.
Key Features
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- Launched: 18 October 2016.
- Nodal Ministry: Ministry of MSME.
- Implementing agency: National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC), a public sector enterprise under the Ministry of MSME.
- Objective: Build the capacity of SC/ST-owned Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) and improve their access to finance, technology, skills and markets.
- Public procurement: Supports participation in government procurement to help achieve the 4% procurement target from SC/ST-owned MSEs under the Public Procurement Policy for MSEs.
- Major interventions:
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- Special Credit Linked Capital Subsidy Scheme (SCLCSS): 25% capital subsidy, capped at ₹25 lakh, for eligible plant, machinery and equipment financed through institutional credit.
- Training, mentoring and business development.
- Assistance with GeM onboarding, exhibitions and market linkages.
- Reimbursement support for eligible bank-loan processing, bank-guarantee and product-testing charges.
Sources / Further Reading
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2320514®=48&lang=1
Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia): India’s First High-Altitude Wildlife Safari
Environment & Ecology
Why in the News?
India’s first high-altitude snow leopard wildlife safari was launched in Ladakh in October 2026. The initiative aims to promote responsible wildlife tourism, community-based conservation and sustainable local livelihoods. It is being conducted by the Snow Leopard and High-Altitude Nature Conservation (SHAN) Society, in collaboration with Ladakh’s Forest Department.
Key Facts
- Scientific name: Panthera uncia; family Felidae; order Carnivora.
- Habitat: Cold, arid, rugged high-altitude mountains of Central and South Asia.
- Indian distribution: Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
- Population in India: 718, according to the first Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India (SPAI), conducted during 2019–2023.
- State/UT-wise population: Ladakh (477), Uttarakhand (124), Himachal Pradesh (51), Arunachal Pradesh (36), Sikkim (21) and Jammu and Kashmir (9).
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List—Vulnerable; CITES Appendix I; Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972—Schedule I.
- Conservation initiatives: Project Snow Leopard (2009); SPAI, coordinated by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII).
Safari and Conservation
The safari initially covers snow-leopard sighting areas such as Rumbak, Shang and Uley. Regulated routes, trained local guides and specially designed vehicles aim to reduce illegal off-roading and disturbance to wildlife.
Sources / Further Reading
Slaty Egret (Egretta vinaceigula): A Bioindicator of Wetland Ecosystem Change
Environment & Ecology
Why in the News?
In October 2026, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) highlighted changes in the Slaty Egret’s breeding behaviour in Botswana’s Okavango Delta, illustrating how bird observations can reveal changes in wetland ecosystems.
Key Facts
- Scientific name: Egretta vinaceigula.
- Family: Ardeidae; Order: Pelecaniformes.
- Appearance: Small waterbird with slaty-grey plumage and a subtle purplish tint.
- Distribution: Southern and south-central Africa, particularly Botswana’s Okavango Delta; also occurs in Zambia and Namibia.
- Habitat: Seasonal wetlands, marshes, floodplains and reedbeds.
- Diet: Primarily fish, amphibians and aquatic invertebrates.
- Behaviour: Often uses a “foot-ruffling” technique to flush prey from water; breeds colonially in vegetated sites, often on islands surrounded by water.
- IUCN Red List: Vulnerable (2025 assessment); population trend decreasing. Estimated mature individuals: 2,500–3,000.
Ecological Significance
The Okavango is an inland delta in Botswana whose waters do not reach the sea. Seasonal floodwaters originating in Angola shape its habitats and breeding conditions.
Recent surveys found some former nesting sites vacant or damaged by fire and elephant activity, while new nesting sites appeared elsewhere. Researchers caution that these observations do not yet establish a population trend or a single cause.
Sources / Further Reading
Conservation Assured | Tiger Standards (CA|TS): Global Benchmark for Tiger Conservation
Environment and Ecology
Why in the News?
Nameri Tiger Reserve in Assam received CA|TS-Approved status on 10 September 2026, following assessment and approval by the CA|TS International Executive Committee. With this recognition, all four tiger reserves in Assam—Nameri, Kaziranga, Manas and Orang—have achieved the status.
Key Facts
- Nature: An international framework assessing the effectiveness of tiger conservation and protected-area management.
- Launched: 2013, at the first Asian Parks Congress in Japan.
- Objective: Establish measurable standards for effective tiger conservation and identify management gaps.
- Assessment structure: 7 pillars and 17 elements, covering standards and criteria for tiger conservation areas.
- Seven pillars: Importance and status, management, community, tourism (optional), protection, habitat management and tiger populations.
- Indian implementation: The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) works with the Global Tiger Forum (GTF) and WWF-India on CA|TS assessment.
- Nameri Tiger Reserve: Located in Assam’s Sonitpur district, it covers approximately 464 sq km, including a 200-sq-km core area. Its conservation measures include anti-poaching patrols, camera-trap monitoring and habitat restoration.
Sources / Further Reading
(MAINS Focus)
GST Reforms Will Sustain Growth Momentum, Help Face Global Headwinds
GS III – Economy / GS II – Governance
GST Reforms, Compliance, and Ease of Doing Business
Introduction
On Thursday, the 57th GST Council Meeting concluded with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announcing a host of reforms aimed at improving compliance in the GST regime. This follows the 56th meeting (September 2025), which rationalised GST slabs into a two-slab structure of 5% and 18%, plus a special de-merit rate of 40% for sin and luxury goods. The process reforms announced now are the second part of what the Minister has called “Next-Gen GST.” These changes address long-standing taxpayer concerns—difficulties in registration, delays in refunds, and harassment during disputes—and are not only welcome but necessary to fulfil the promise of a single unified market.
Addressing Taxpayer Concerns
Simplified Registration
- Automatic Acceptance: Routine changes (e.g., adding a new office) accepted automatically.
- Ease of Scaling: Small businesses can scale up across the country without first establishing a place of business in each concerned state.
Faster Refunds
- Acknowledgment Period: Reduced from 15 days to 10 days.
- Sanction Timeline: 90% of all refunds sanctioned within three days of acknowledgement.
- Impact: Addresses a long-standing grievance of smaller firms, who can be robbed of working capital at a critical time.
Expanded Input Tax Credit (ITC)
- New Inclusions: Expenses such as health and life insurance for employees now eligible for ITC.
- Benefit: Reduces cascading taxes; improves working capital.
Reduced Harassment
- Inspections and Seizures: Can only be done by officers of the supply state or destination state—not in transit states.
- Arrest Powers Removed: GST officers’ power to arrest withdrawn.
- Prosecution Threshold: Raised from ₹1 crore to ₹5 crore.
- General Penalty: Reduced from ₹25,000 to ₹10,000.
- Small Disputes: No notices for disputes below ₹10,000; all existing ones withdrawn.
The Bigger Picture: Next-Gen GST
Two-Part Reform
- Part 1 (56th Meeting): Rationalised tax slabs—5% and 18%, plus 40% de-merit rate.
- Part 2 (57th Meeting): Process reforms—registration, refunds, ITC, dispute resolution.
Impact on Consumer Demand
- Lower Tax Slabs: Already had a salutary impact on consumer demand.
- Process Reforms: Critical to sustain the momentum.
Global Context
- Economic Upheavals: Producing headwinds for India’s growth prospects.
- Reform Imperative: To grow faster at such a time makes it essential for India to keep reforming.
Positive aspects
- Taxpayer-Friendly: Addresses registration, refunds, ITC, and dispute resolution.
- Reduced Harassment: Limits inspections, removes arrest powers, raises prosecution threshold.
- Ease of Doing Business: Simplifies compliance; supports small businesses.
- Single Unified Market: Fulfils the promise of “One Nation, One Tax.”
Challenges
- Implementation: Ensuring system readiness for automatic acceptance and refunds.
- Capacity: Tax officers need training for new processes.
- Revenue Impact: Reduced penalties and raised thresholds may affect deterrence.
- Awareness: Taxpayers must be informed of new provisions.
Way Forward
- System Readiness: Robust IT infrastructure for automated processes.
- Capacity Building: Train tax officers and taxpayers.
- Monitoring: Track compliance, revenue, and dispute trends.
- Continuous Reform: Keep pace with evolving business needs.
Conclusion
The 57th GST Council’s Next-Gen reforms address long-standing taxpayer concerns—registration difficulties, refund delays, and dispute harassment. Automatic acceptance of routine changes, faster refunds (90% within three days), expanded ITC (including health and life insurance), and reduced harassment (no arrest powers, higher prosecution threshold, lower penalties) will improve compliance and ease of doing business. Lower tax slabs have already boosted consumer demand; process reforms are critical to sustain momentum amid global headwinds. To grow faster at such a time, India must keep reforming. These changes fulfil the promise of a single unified market and strengthen the GST regime’s taxpayer-friendly framework.
Practice Question
- The 57th GST Council’s Next-Gen process reforms address long-standing taxpayer concerns and will sustain growth momentum amid global headwinds. Critically examine the key reforms and their implications for compliance, ease of doing business, and India’s growth prospects. (250 words, 15 marks)
Bangladesh's Mango Diplomacy with India Reaches Its Limits
GS II – International Relations
India-Bangladesh Relations, Soft Power, and Diplomatic Engagement
Introduction
For two years, Bangladesh used Haribhanga mangoes, hilsa, jamdani fabrics and Tangail sarees to maintain diplomatic channels with India. However, since Sheikh Hasina’s ouster in July 2024, deeper tensions over her fate, river-water sharing, political trust and security have persisted. Soft power can keep diplomatic doors open, but resolving hard political differences requires substantive negotiations.
The Soft Diplomacy Campaign
Instruments Deployed
- Haribhanga Mangoes: 1,000 kg sent to PM Modi (July 2025), plus consignments for senior officials.
- Hilsa Fish: Evoked nostalgic warmth in Kolkata.
- Jamdani Exposition (September 2025): First in Delhi; brought traditional weaving into Indian artistic space.
- Tangail Sarees Exhibition (April 2026): 300 handloom sarees from master weavers in Tangail and Pabna; sold out within 24 hours.
- Cultural Programmes: Paired with trade gestures and determined High Commission outreach.
Rationale
- Keeping Doors Open: Preserved public channels; prevented friction from decaying into hostility.
- Building Constituencies: Creating constituencies within Indian society not viewing Bangladesh strictly through political quarrels.
- Buffer: Provided crucial space during turbulent political transition.
Limits
- Cannot Determine Hasina’s Fate: She remained in India while Dhaka pursued extradition.
- Cannot Settle River Water Disputes: Unresolved questions lingered.
- Cannot Rebuild Political Trust: Core security anxieties persisted.
- Access ≠ Influence: A sold-out exhibition proves admiration for craftsmanship, not agreement with strategic posture.
The Political Impasse
Continuing Disputes
- Hasina’s Extradition: Dhaka pursued formal extradition; India did not comply.
- Border Management, Transit Rights, Treatment of Citizens: Persistent arguments.
- Visa Services: Suspended, later resumed after Tarique Rahman’s BNP came to power (February 2026); still below pre-2024 levels.
- Water Resources, Trade Imbalances, Regional Security: Unresolved.
The Tarique Rahman Visit
- Invitations Extended: Direct bilateral visit and BRICS summit attendance (as BIMSTEC chair).
- Visit Did Not Materialise: Dhaka noted a high-level summit required appropriate environment and mutual respect; Indian officials underscored invitations were extended.
- Polite Impasse: Revealed the true state of affairs—a prime ministerial visit requires substantive agenda, political preparation, and deliverable outcomes.
- India’s High Commissioner (Dinesh Trivedi): Urged direct top-level dialogue.
Cultural Familiarity ≠ Political Convergence
- Tangail Exhibition Entangled: Debates over heritage claims and geographical indication status.
- South Asian Reality: Cultural familiarity has never guaranteed political convergence.
The Structural Shift
The Old Architecture
- Hasina Era: Deep security cooperation, energy links, established political arrangements.
- Hasina’s Removal: Dismantled the comfortable architecture.
The New Equilibrium
- Dhaka’s Demand: Based strictly on sovereignty, reciprocity, and strategic flexibility.
- New Delhi’s Concerns: Regional security and Dhaka’s shifting external alignments.
- Complex Matters: Trade treaties, water allocation, border enforcement, intelligence cooperation.
The Limits of Soft Power
- Operates Best When Foundation is Functional: Cultural affinity adds warmth when fundamentals align.
- When Fundamentals Clash: Soft power can prevent complete rupture but cannot negotiate reconciliation.
- Diminishing Returns: Symbolism is yielding diminishing returns.
Way Forward
Formal Political Engagement
- Direct Top-Level Dialogue: Necessary to resolve outstanding issues.
- Substantive Agenda: Trade, water, border, security—prepared with deliverable outcomes.
- Mutual Respect: Appropriate environment for high-level visits.
Addressing Core Issues
- Hasina’s Status: Difficult political negotiation.
- Water Sharing: Teesta and other shared rivers.
- Border Management: Enforcement, transit rights, citizen treatment.
- Security Cooperation: Intelligence sharing, regional alignments.
Building on Soft Power
- Cultural Ties: Continue, but as complement—not substitute—for political engagement.
- People-to-People: Constituencies within Indian society provide a buffer.
- Economic Links: Energy, trade, connectivity.
Conclusion
Bangladesh’s mango diplomacy with India has kept communication channels open, but cultural gestures like mangoes, hilsa and jamdani cannot resolve deeper disputes over Sheikh Hasina, river waters, political trust and security. The failure of high-level engagement reflects a wider diplomatic impasse following Hasina’s removal. Dhaka seeks a new relationship based on sovereignty and reciprocity. Symbolism has opened the door; substantive political negotiations must now move relations forward.
Practice Question
- Bangladesh’s mango diplomacy with India has reached its limits; soft power can create an opening but cannot settle hard politics. Critically examine the role of soft power in India-Bangladesh relations and suggest a way forward for repairing ties. (250 words, 15 marks)
