General Studies Paper 3

• Context: The world is preparing itself for an energy transition from fossil fuel to green energy.
• Around 133 countries have pledged to a “net-zero carbon emissions Most govts, corporates and civic entities have also shown determination to “phase down” and eventually phase out fossil fuels from their energy basket.
• However, world is still highly dependent on fossil fuels. The natural gas and oil prices have also been turbulent in the past year due to demand supply mismatches and geopolitics.

What should be the factors that need to be considered while designing policies for green transition?  

• Any future energy policy would have to overcome a paradox b/w the aim for a clean energy system and the wide availability of fossil fuel resource.
• Long and expensive:Fossil fuel-based economic system will have to be redesigned and, in parts, rebuilt for clean energy to achieve scale.
• This will take decades and also require massive capital infusion.
• No country or multilateral institution can finance this transition individually. The world will have to collaborate otherwise the financing deficit will push back the transition even further.
• Fossil fuels will dominate the energy basket during this transition phase and their prices will be determined by the factors of demand, supply and geopolitics.
• OPEC plus will have a huge influence in the market. Countries which have huge resources of petroleum like Saudi Arabia, the Gulf nations, Iraq, Russia, etc will gain greater control over the petroleum market as private companies move beyond fossils under pressure from shareholders and regulators.
• Geology of the minerals and metals required for clean energy is skewed towards the geology of petroleum reserves: The Democratic Republic of Congo controls, for instance, more than 50% of the global supply of cobalt; Australia holds a comparably large share of the lithium market; and China bestrides the mining, processing and refining of rare earth
• This inequity in terms of resource availability will create new centres of energy power.
• National self-interest and short-term political ambition will be the defining determinant of future energy supply relations: Though US and China are into a Cold War and may even fall into the “Thucydides trap”. However, they are still coordinating on the energy front.
• Example:A few weeks ago, the two countries decided to coordinate the release of oil stocks from their strategic reserves to cool off the oil market.

Way forward:

• India must maintain and nurture its relations with its traditional suppliers of oil and gas. It must not assume that their role in the energy market will diminish.
• It should accelerate the build-up of the storage capacity for oil and gas; the former to hold strategic oil reserves, the latter to store gas for conversion to blue hydrogen.
• It must create a facilitative ecosystem for the search and development of the minerals and metals required for clean energy.
• A single point executive should be appointed which would act as a point of coordination for multiple stakeholders (governments, regulators, farmers) involved in this process and to develop common rules and standards.
• India should create a “clean energy Aatmanirbhar supply chain”
• It should also ensure that green transition must not lead to import dependency on raw minerals and manufactured inputs, especially from China.

General Studies Paper 3

• Context: Legal MSP is an illogical, expensive and inefficient policy instrument. Unless farmers move rapidly towards high-value agriculture, there is not much scope to achieve better incomes for smallholders in an economically efficient and sustainable way.

What is the actual reach of MSP regime?

• If one uses the Census and National Accounts data,
• The percentage of farmers benefiting from MSP comes around to be6%
• The value of Agri-produce benefiting from the MSP regime comes down to just 2%.
• The reach of MSP, both in terms of agri-Households or the value of agri-produce, is not more than 9%.

Why legalising MSP is economically illogical?

• MSP distorts the basic logic of the supply-demand mechanism,slows down the process of diversification, and is economically a very expensive and inefficient policy instrument.
• For instance: Procurement at MSP has spread to many other states, most notably in Chhattisgarh and Telangana for paddy, and Madhya Pradesh for wheat. This is taken as a success story. However, the point which is missed here is that most of these farmers also benefit from highly subsidised PDS. This is irrational and economically inefficient. Paddy is first bought from small and marginal subsistence farmers at MSP, and then same is given back to them after incurring 40% higher costs on top of MSP during the process of procurement, stocking and distribution.

Way forward:

• Providing direct income support: It is much better to directly support small and marginal farmers with an income policy or through a diversification package towards high-value agriculture. This support can be on a per hectare basis, tilted towards small and marginal holders, which can be directly transferred to farmers’ accounts without distorting markets or cropping patterns.
• For instance, the PM-KISAN policy of giving Rs 6,000 into the accounts of agri-HHs can be refined and scaled up, by linking it with adopting farming practices that are environmentally sustainable.
• The government’s focus needs to be directed towards
• The development of efficient value chains
• Forming of commodity-specific farmer producer organisations (fpos)
• Equipping them to assay, grade, and package their products
• Incentivise the private sector to invest in logistics, storage, cold chain, processing.

General Studies Paper 2

• Context: India’s foreign policy in 2021 followed a style of openness and readiness to deal with friends and foes alike. From selective alignment, India moved to universal engagement, even to the extent of convening meetings with antagonists.

About India’s foreign policy in 2021

• Relations with the US and its allies: India took active engagements with the U.S. and went beyond familiarization with the new government to increased commitment to Quad and acceptance of AUKUS  and formation of the ‘western Quad with the U.S., Israel and the UAE.
• Relations with Russia: Major agreements were signed with Russia, despite the American threat of CAATSA  against S-400 missiles and the Russian inclination to align with China in the days to come.
• Relations with China: The relations with China met with limited success. China is confident that the growing hard power — economic and military — gives it the luxury to dispense with diplomatic niceties. Hence,
• China has not shown willingness to disengage in Ladakh and withdraw to the previous positions behind the Line of Actual Control, 2. Recently, changed the names of various places in Arunachal Pradesh, 3. Building villages on the unpopulated border with India, 4. Trying to create a wedge between India and its close Himalayan neighbours — Nepal and Bhutan, 5. Seeking to undermine Indian influence in the Maldives and Sri Lanka and, more broadly, in the Indian Ocean.
• Taliban in Afghanistan: American notion of bringing in some civility to the Taliban in Kabul has failed. Now it is a high priority for India to face a Pakistan-China-Taliban axis with some support from Russia and Iran.
• Relations with Myanmar: In 2021, the Foreign Secretary visited Myanmar to engage the military junta at a time when Aung San Suu Kyi and other opposition leaders are in prison.
• Climate Change: India decided to stand out of the line on the matter of net-zero emission target  years but succumbed to the pressure to commit more to promote renewable energy and phasing down coal.
• United Nations: India took the presidency of the UN Security Council in August 2021 and provided significant contributions. But, India showed less interest in the demand for United Nations reform in 2021.
• Other issues: India has been charged as “India only a part-democracy” received less Indian interest. As for Indian democracy, the Prime Minister’s assertion that India is the “ mother of democracy went uncontested at the political level.

How to address the challenges in India’s foreign policy in 2021?

• The extraordinary efforts made by India have not been fruitful in Afghanistan and  Among them, China remains the most important national security task for India in 2022 and beyond. To redress the power imbalance with China, India has to
• Along with diplomatic relations, India has to rush the military modernisation and strategic coordination with its Quad partners, 2. At the economic level, India will need to move rapidly to end its isolation in the global trade domain, 3. India has to stay out of a China-dominated Asia-wide free trade agreement, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), 4. Negotiate bilateral free trade agreements with strategic partners like the United Kingdom, Australia, UAE, and Israel.

General Studies Paper 2

• Context:  There is vast scope for improvement in the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY). POSHAN Abhiyan and PMMVY are India’s initiatives to fulfill its commitment towards the Sustainable Development Goal of improving maternal health. However, targets can be achieved only if we revisit the design and implementation of this scheme.

What are the issues?

• Unchanged targets: The target of the scheme has remained unchanged over the years.
• The estimated eligible population of pregnant and lactating mothers in India was 128.7 lakh for 2017-18 according to the Centre for Policy Research 2019-20). The target set by the Government was 51.70 lakh beneficiaries. This is only 40% of the eligible population.
• Fall in enrollment and disbursements:  In 2020-21, more than 50% of registered beneficiaries did not receive all three installments and there was a 9% drop in enrollment under the scheme.
• This is according to the data provided by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) in response to a parliamentary question.
• Reduced Budget allocation: Budget allocation for the PMMVY has also been reduced as it has been clubbed under SAMARTHYA along with multiple other schemes such as Beti Bachao Beti Padhao.
• The overall budget of SAMARTHYA is ₹2,522 crore, which is nearly equivalent to the budget of PMMVY alone in the previous financial years.
• State-level schemes: States such as Odisha, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu, respectively, implemented State-specific schemes for maternity benefits.
• For example, MAMATA (2011) in Odisha, the KCR Kit (2017) in Telangana, and the Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy Maternity Benefit Scheme (MRMBS) in Tamil Nadu.
• States’ schemes had relatively increased coverage and higher maternity benefits. For instance, Odisha’s MAMATA, has been offering a conditional cash transfer of ₹5,000 as maternity benefit for up to two live births for more than a decade now. It has led to better performance of this scheme, in comparison to PMMVY Scheme.

What are the suggestions for improvements in PMMVY?

• Extend the maternity benefit under the PMMVY to the second live birth, similar to its predecessor, the Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana. This would be more imperative for women in the unorganized sector, who are more vulnerable to economic shocks and nutrition loss for all childbirths.
• Increase the maternity benefit amount:The current entitlement of ₹5,000 provided over one-year amounts to one month’s wage loss (as per the MGNREGA wage rate of ₹202).
• The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 mandates 12 weeks of maternity leave for women with two or more children. Thus, pregnant and lactating mothers should receive 12 weeks of wage compensation amounting to ₹15,000.
• Address the implementation gaps that lead to reduced coverage. These gaps stem from a lack of awareness within targeted beneficiaries and process level challenges.
• A simplification of the process can result in increased registration of beneficiaries. Further, the current registration form requires a mother and child protection (MPC) card, husband’s Aadhaar card, bank passbook, and registration form for each of the three installments. This results in delayed, rejected or pending applications.

General Studies Paper 1

• Context: Population growth is a function of fertility and life expectancy. India had about 1.38 billion (138 crore) people in 2020. Two recent studies estimate the country’s population to peak at 1. 5-1. 6 billion somewhere between 2040 and 2048.
• India’s population has been on a decline,and several figures point in this direction.
• Every year since 2003 the number of live births has been falling consistently.
• Fertility rate(average number of children born to a woman) came down to 2 – well below the world average in 2019.
• It took only 14 years for the fertility rate to fall by 50% (from 3 to 2) in India, whereas in Bangladesh – globally acclaimed for birth control – a similar fall took 17 years.

Reasons:

• Percentage of women marrying before the age of 18 has fallen by half in the past 15 years.
• Women participation in key family decisions have shot up from 37% to 89% in the past decade and a half.
• Urbanisation is another family size suppressor. In rural areas a child is a resource, a free labour to work on farms and tend to livestock. But in a city a child is a liability till adulthood.
• The higher cost of raising children also prevents middle and upper middle classes from having a big family.

What can be the new set of challenges that can emerge due to this declining population trend? 

• Compared to other countries with the same fertility rate, India’s infant mortality rate is higher and life expectancy is lower. That means the coming fall in population could turn into a collapse.
• India is also home to the highest number of underweight and stunted children.
• The peak of India’s demographic dividend is already behind The prospect of India ageing before prospering to the levels of Western countries is real.
• It’s this fear that has caused China to abandon its draconian single child policy and encourage its youth to have more kids. India could be in a much worse situation than China as the productivity level in China are much higher than India.

Can this trend be reversed? 

• Policy persuasion does not help in convincing people to go for smaller or no families.
• The immediate task for India is to save more children at birth and ensure that they grow into healthy and educated adults.

General Studies Paper 2

• Context: Hearing a case related to the Maharashtra crisis in 2022 and whether a speaker facing a notice for his removal can disqualify MLAs in his assembly, the Supreme Court (SC)  on February 15, 2023 maintained that Speakers should be the first authority to decide on
• Earlier in 2016, the SC in the Nabam Rebia case had held that a Speaker or Deputy Speaker facing notice of removal cannot decide disqualification proceedings against legislators.

What are the Debates over Discretion of the Speaker’s Role?

• For the past three years, the All India Presiding Officer’s Conference,chaired by  Lok Sabha Speaker,  has been reviewing the Speaker’s role as envisaged in the 10th Schedule of the Constitution that deals with disqualification of MPs and MLAs.
• The focus of the discussions is to secure the legislative speaker’s dignity in this matter.Many presiding officers have expressed views that their role should be limited and other mechanisms must evolve to decide cases of defection.
• One proposal being discussed is to leave the issue of disqualification to the respective political parties as they give tickets to the MLAs.
• During a Speaker’s Conference in Dehradun in 2021,several participants voiced their concerns and pointed out loopholes that often cast a shadow on the speaker’s role.

What is the 10^th Schedule of the Indian Constitution?

• About:
  • The Tenth Schedule of the Indian Constitution,also known as the Anti-Defection Law,   was added by the 52^nd Amendment in 1985.
    • It was a response to the toppling of multiple state governments by party-hopping MLAs after the general elections of 1967.
  • It lays down the provisions related to disqualification of members of Parliament (MPs) and State Legislatures on grounds of defection.
• Exception:
  • It allows a group of MP/MLAs to join (i.e., merge with)another political party without inviting the penalty for defection.
    • And it does not penalise political parties for encouraging or accepting defecting legislators.
  • As per the 1985 Act, a ‘defection’ by one-third of the elected members of a political party was considered a ‘merger’.
  • But the 91st Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003,changed this and now at least two-thirds of the members of a party must be in Favour of a “merger” for it to have validity in the eyes of the law.
• Discretion:
  • The decision on questions as to disqualification on ground of defection are referred to the Chairman or the Speaker of such House, which is subject to ‘Judicial review’.
  • However, the law does not provide a time frame within which the presiding officer has to decide a defection case.
• Grounds for Defection:
  • If an elected member voluntarily gives up his membership of a political party.
  • If he/she votes or abstains from voting in such House contrary to any direction issued by his political party.
  • If any independently elected member joins any political party.
  • If any nominated member joins any political party after the expiry of six months.

Conclusion

• The role of the Speaker in defection cases is crucial for ensuring the stability and integrity of the government and the democratic system. It is also important to note that the Speaker has to act in a fair and impartial manner while deciding such cases, and the decisions should be guided by the principles of natural justice and the provisions of the Constitution.

General Studies Paper 2

• The youth constitute nearly half of India’s population. Youth contribute to the economic growth of the country as it is the most productive age group being employed. Much of the economic growth potential of India is derived from the vibrant and highly skilled youth population in the country. Youth face a lot of health issues because of their physiological state, behaviours, diet, work and other factors, many of which are related to their behavioural habits.

Youth Health Issues

• Mental Health: Clinical depression has been one of the leading causes of illness and disability among young adults and adolescents, followed by suicide. The reasons include poor scholastic or workplace performance, violence, poverty and unemployment, stigma, marginalisation and discrimination, peer pressure etc. Challenges like non-availability of mental health services as well as not recognising mental health issue as a reason to seek healthcare worsen the situation.
• Alcohol and Drug Use: Alcohol and drug use is largely associated with various high risk behaviours that can cause communicable and non-communicable diseases like HIV/AIDS, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and liver diseases, etc. Also, mental health is compromised in such individuals as well their family members due to financial burden that follows.
• Tobacco Use: Majority of the individuals who use tobacco in any form (smoking or chewing) begin doing so in their adolescence. This is usually combined with alcohol dependence, increasing the risk of various illnesses significantly. Tobacco can cause cancer of oral cavity, throat, oesophagus and lungs and many other health issues. In addition, tobacco consumption increases the risk of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, heart diseases, stroke, vascular diseases etc.
• Physical Inactivity: It has been estimated that only 20% of the young adults are known to exercise adequately or be involved in sports activities (longer than 30 minutes per day and 5 days a week). Less physical activity causes increase in risk factors and diseases including obesity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, heart diseases and other chronic diseases. Physical inactivity can impact mental health adversely.
• Diabetes and Hypertension: Diabetes is becoming potentially epidemic, with 1 in every 10-adult having diabetes. 1 in every 5 adults in India have hypertension. In both cases, majority are not aware that they have diabetes or hypertension. Recent years have seen more and more young people developing diabetes at earlier age. The major reasons for this is reduced physical activity and unhealthy diet.
• Other Health Problems: These include injuries in the form of accidents, self-harm, workplace accidents etc.  The violence in the form of interpersonal violence, domestic violence, workplace violence, bullying ragging, sexual violence can take place.
• These health problems that have early onset during youth can have long bearing effects at older age, specially the chronic diseases. Early onset can reduce longevity, quality of life, increase expenses and can lead to early complications during older age.

Improving Health of the Youth

• There are three secrets of healthy life: Balanced Diet, Regular Physical Activity and Sufficient Sleep. The youth often lack on one or more of these aspects. Though there has been a series of Government initiatives- from both health sector as well as other sectors, however, those are yet to catch the full attention of youth. The Ayushman Bharat programme with health and wellness centre component has focus on nirogi or preventing illness by adoption of healthier lifestyle. ‘FIT India‘ initiative is aimed at increasing exercise habits of people including youth.

Making Health of Youth a Mass Movement

• This requires optimal utilisation of every possible avenue for improving health of this age group. It requires interventions at schools, colleges and workplaces amongst other. It demands that the school health services are strengthened and work as early intervention centres for dealing with the rising incidence of various disease. There is no structured and focused programme to promote health among college students. This is the age group which has queries and concerns mostly unanswered regarding the mental health, sexual health, drug as well as personal health concerns.
• The workplace health has to be promoted by installing weighing scales in bathroom, exercise time and equipment in large offices as well as encouraging healthy food in cafeteria menu. The official policies on timely care seeking when not feeling well and reducing stress in workplace should be promoted. There is a need for improving health seeking behaviour of youth who often resort to self-remedies. There is a need for improving family and community participation in improving health of youth in India.

Healthy Lifestyle

• There is a lot of stigma associated with mental health issues. This is a reason people do not seek health care. However, mental illnesses are very similar to any physical illness. With right advice from trained doctors and with medications, both physical and mental illnesses can be treated. It is time to start talking about mental health There is need to destigmatise mental health.
• Regular physical activity is zero-cost effort, which one can do for good health. According to WHO and other health agencies, people should engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic physical activity per week or at least 75-150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity. India has been ranked 8th among countries with the lowest physical activity globally.
• Reports have shown that 3 out of 4 adolescents and young people are not physically active enough as per the given recommendations. A study showed that barriers to low physical activity are personal attributes, perceived negative consequences, sociocultural environment, lack of time etc. Identification of these barriers and steps to overcome these are required.
• Regular and at least six to eight hours of sleep boosts immunity, reduces stress and keeps us away from many health Therefore, making one’s sleep cycle regular and ensuring that enough sleep on daily as well as weekly basis has to be an approach of every person.

Sports, Health and Youth

• The leading health body, the World Health Organization has established a Sports and Health programme to capitalise the potential of people to lead healthy lives through promoting participation in sports and working with the sports community. It has been established that physical activity through various sports can boost confidence, improve social life, lead to psychosocial and personal development and help in prevention of substance abuse.
  

Conclusion

• Youth constitute around half of India’s population and are the foundation of country’s economic growth and development. Though, otherwise healthy population, the youth face a host of problems due to their age, behaviour and other factors which can have long-term effect during old age. Prevention of ill health effects in youth can have long-term benefits individually, at family level and at national level. The policies aimed at youth should be targeted at healthier lifestyle, adoption of regular physical activity and health prevention and promotion measures. Healthy youth today will make healthy nation tomorrow.

General Studies Paper 2

• Context: Iran foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has recently cancelled his visit to the Raisina meet in India.
• This is because the event showed a video of Iranian women cutting their hair during a non-violent protest that began last September in Iran. This event highlights the changing bilateral relations between the two nations.

India and Iran relations:

• India has been quiet about the protest that happened in Iran. However, at the UN Human Rights Council session, India did not vote against the resolution for a fact-finding mission on human rights violations committed by Iran to suppress the protests.
• Moreover, the event organiser in Delhi refused to pull out the video as demanded by the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
• India also ended its energy trade with Iran when the Trump administration reimposed sanctions against it in 2019.
• India’s proximity to the US and Iran’s increasing proximity to China have also been a challenge to ties.
• Iran was among the Islamic capitals that reacted strongly during the Nupur Sharma blasphemy row.
• These all events show that there has a been decline in the bilateral relation of both the countries.
• However, both of them have joined hands on issues such as connectivity through Chabahar, terrorism in the region and Afghanistan, etc.
• Hence, despite declining bilateral relations between the two nations, these issues will help them to move ahead together.

General Studies Paper 2

• Context: Indian expatriates and persons of Indian origin overseas at present amount to around 3. 2 crores. They are highly skilled and successful, and they also have an emotional attachment to any Indian cultural events occurring overseas. It is time for India to leverage this strength.

About the Indian diaspora’s economic wealth

• In several countries, Indians are among the top earners. A 2012 estimate of the diaspora’s wealth was $1 trillion. At present, this wealth has increased manyfold.
• The collective economic heft of Indians abroad to India’s GDP will be around $ 3. 5 trillion at the end of March. Indians already generate an economic value of well over $5 trillion.
• It means that geographical India will likely have a GDP of $5 trillion by 2025. But the other India (which includes persons abroad and invested in India) is already a $5 trillion-plus powerhouse.

Advantages of the Indian diaspora’s wealth:

• A country’s top income earners are pivotal to the country’s economic progress. For instance, they invest, they innovate, they take risks, they back new technology and also they create jobs.
• Indian diaspora already sends $100 billion in remittances to India annually. This is the highest remittance figure in the world.

What should be done to completely utilize the Indian diaspora’s wealth?

• In business, network effects kick in when the value of a product is intrinsically tied to the increase in the number of users. The network effect of high-earning, high-performing Indians abroad should be entirely invested in the idea of India’s progress.
• In the ET Global Business Summit, PM highlighted the immense value of the Indian diaspora. It is time for business leaders and policymakers to integrate the diaspora’s economic dynamism.

General Studies Paper 3

• Context: The world is going through a phase of demographic transition towards aged populations. Adaptation strategies will require governments, businesses and common people to make key adjustments.
• This may usher in a great opportunity for India that is experiencing a demographic dividend.

What is the Demographic Transition and Demographic Dividend?

• Ademographic shift refers to a change in the composition of a population over time.
  • This change can occur due to various factors such as changes in birth and death rates, migration patterns,and changes in social and economic conditions.
• Ademographic dividend  is a phenomenon that occurs when a country’s population structure shifts from having a high proportion of dependents (children and elderly) to having a higher proportion of working-age adults.
  • This change in population structure can result in economic growth and development if the country invests in its human capital and creates conditions for productive employment.

What is the Significance of India’s Demographic Dividend?

• About:
  • India entered the demographic dividend opportunity window in 2005-06 and will remain there till 2055-56.
  • India’s median age is markedly lower than that of the US or China.
    • While the median ages of the US and China are already 38 and 39 respectively, India’s median age is not expected to reach 38 until 2050.
  • Challenges Associated with India’s Demographic Dividend:
    • Low Female Labour Force Participation: India’s labour force is constrained by the absence of women from the workforce.
      • As per Periodic Labour Force Survey 2020- 2021, female labour workforce participation stands at 1%.
    • Environmental Degradation:India’s rapid economic growth and urbanisation have led to significant environmental degradation, including  air pollution, water pollution, and deforestation.
      • Addressing these issues is essential to ensuring sustainable economic growth.
    • High Dropout Rate:While over 95% of India’s children attend primary school, the National Family Health Surveys  confirm that poor infrastructure in government schools, malnutrition,  and scarcity of trained teachers have resulted in poor learning outcomes and high dropout ratios.
    • Lack of Employment Opportunities:With a large and growing working-age population, Indian job market is not able to generate enough jobs to meet the demands of this expanding workforce.
      • This has resulted in high rates of underemployment and unemployment.
    • Lack of Adequate Infrastructure:Poor infrastructure, including inadequate education and health facilities, transportation, power, and communication network, makes it challenging for people to access basic services and employment opportunities, particularly in rural areas.
    • Brain Drain:India has a large pool of highly skilled and talented professionals, but many of them choose to leave the country in search of better job opportunities and living conditions abroad.
      • This brain drain is a significant loss for India, as it results in a shortage of skilled workers and limits the country’s ability to fully leverage its demographic dividend.

How India can Utilise its Demographic Dividend?

• Gender Equality:India needs to address gender inequality in education and employment, including improving access to education and employment opportunities for women.
  • Women’s participation in the workforce can increase economic growth and lead to a more inclusive society.
• Raising Education Standards: In both rural and urban settings, the public school system must ensure that every child completes high school and goes on to skilling, training, and vocational education.
  • The modernization of school curricula along with the implementation of  Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCS) and the establishment of open digital universities will further contribute to India’s qualified workforce.
• Encouraging Entrepreneurship:India needs to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation, particularly among the youth, to create job opportunities and contribute to economic growth.