RAS Topicwise Material

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🔆 Semicon 2.0: India’s Next Semiconductor Push 📍 Why in News? ✅ The Union Cabinet has cleared the second phase of the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) with an outlay of ₹1.27 lakh crore. 📍 Key Focus Areas of Semicon 2.0 ✅ Expands beyond fabrication and packaging to cover the entire electronics manufacturing ecosystem. ✅ Focus on chip-design talent, capital machinery, semiconductor-grade chemicals and gases, and R&D. ✅ Greater emphasis on domestically owned intellectual property (IP) and indigenous semiconductor research. ✅ Semiconductor Lab, Mohali is being revamped to help universities and start-ups tape out chips. 📍 How is it Different from Phase 1? ✅ Phase 1 (2021): ₹76,000 crore outlay with up to 50% capital subsidy for major semiconductor projects. ✅ Semicon 2.0: Capital subsidies may be reduced to around 30–40%, while support expands across the broader semiconductor ecosystem. 📍 Phase 1 Outcomes ✅ 12 manufacturing and packaging units approved with committed investment of around ₹1.64 lakh crore. ✅ Includes semiconductor packaging units, a silicon fabrication unit and a gallium-nitride Micro LED display fabrication unit. ✅ 24 projects approved under the Design Linked Incentive programme. 📍 Strategic Goal ✅ India initially targets commercially important 28-nanometre legacy/process-node chips, widely used in everyday electronics. ✅ Long-term goal is to progress towards frontier semiconductor nodes by strengthening domestic R&D, design capabilities and intellectual property. 📍 Why is India Focusing on Semiconductors? ✅ Reduce vulnerability to global supply-chain disruptions and export controls. ✅ Integrate India more deeply into global electronics value chains. ✅ Build strategic technological capabilities currently concentrated in countries such as Taiwan and the Netherlands. 📍 Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme (MPMS) ✅ Separate ₹62,500-crore scheme aimed at expanding domestic phone assembly and component manufacturing. ✅ Offers incentives of around 2.25%–5%, depending on the level of local design. ✅ Expected over five years: ₹4 lakh crore investment, ₹2 lakh crore production and ₹1 lakh crore exports. #ScienceAndTechnology

🔆 Judicial Accountability and the Electoral Process 📍 Why in Focus? A recent opinion piece examines the Supreme Court’s handling of challenges to the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, raising broader questions about judicial accountability, electoral rights, and constitutional democracy. 📍 Key Highlights: ✅ The article argues that the right to vote under Article 326 is central to democratic participation, and electoral roll revision must ensure inclusion, accessibility, and fairness. ✅ It contends that the Supreme Court, as a counter-majoritarian institution, has a constitutional duty to provide timely and effective judicial review when fundamental democratic rights are at stake. ✅ The piece criticises delayed adjudication in politically significant cases, arguing that delayed decisions may render disputes ineffective once government action has already been implemented. ✅ It raises concerns that burdensome documentation, strict timelines, and administrative procedures in electoral roll revision could disproportionately affect marginalised groups, including the poor, women, minorities, and migrant populations. ✅ The article emphasises that judicial accountability is essential for maintaining constitutional checks and balances, while preserving public confidence in democratic institutions. 📍 Challenges / Issues / Implications: ✅ Balancing judicial restraint with the need for timely intervention in matters affecting constitutional rights. ✅ Ensuring inclusive electoral processes without creating barriers for eligible voters. ✅ Maintaining public trust in institutions through transparent, reasoned, and timely judicial decisions. ✅ Mains Question: Discuss the role of the judiciary as a counter-majoritarian institution in safeguarding electoral democracy in India. How can judicial accountability and timely constitutional adjudication strengthen democratic governance? (250 words) #Judiciary #Polity

🔆 Vikram-1: India’s First Private Orbital Rocket 📍 Why in Focus? ✅ Skyroot Aerospace’s Vikram-1 has reached orbit on its maiden mission ‘Aagaman’, marking India’s first private orbital rocket launch. 📍 About Vikram-1 ✅ Developed by Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace. ✅ Four-stage rocket — first three stages use solid fuel, while the fourth uses liquid fuel. ✅ Payload capacity: 290 kg to a 500-km Sun-synchronous orbit and 480 kg to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at similar altitude. 📍 Significance ✅ Major milestone for India’s private space sector, opened to private participation in 2020 through reforms and institutions such as IN-SPACe. ✅ India joins a small group of countries where private firms have successfully developed orbital launch vehicles. ✅ Skyroot plans Vikram-2, targeting up to 1,000 kg to LEO, followed by a fully reusable launch vehicle. 📍 Commercial Challenges ✅ A successful launch does not automatically ensure a viable business; success requires repeatability, reliability and sustained customer demand. ✅ The small-satellite launch market faces uncertain demand and intense global competition, including cheaper rideshare launches on larger rockets. ✅ Dedicated launchers like Vikram-1 can offer flexible schedules and customised orbital insertion, but at a premium. ✅ Launch services are capital-intensive and relatively low-margin, making diversification into manufacturing and downstream space services important. 📍 India’s Advantage ✅ Lower manufacturing and labour costs, access to ISRO infrastructure, and a growing domestic satellite ecosystem can strengthen competitiveness. 📍 Mains Question ✅ The success of private orbital launch vehicles marks a major technological milestone, but commercial viability remains the real test for India’s emerging private space economy. Discuss. (15 Marks, 250 Words) #ScienceAndTechnology