Crest Learning UPSC

➡️SC on anticipatory bail in caste crime 👉State of M.P. v. Ram Krishna Balothia (1995) 🔹Upheld absolute bar on anticipatory bail under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. 👉Subhash Kashinath Mahajan (2018) 🔹Held anticipatory bail may be granted if no prima facie case is made out. 👉Union of India v. State of Maharashtra (2019, Review) 🔹Restored stricter protection: anticipatory bail allowed only in “extraordinary cases.” 👉Prathvi Raj Chauhan (2020, Constitution Bench) 🔹Final settled position: anticipatory bail under the PoA Act is not wholly barred, but can be granted only when complaint is mala fide or there is no prima facie case. 👉NCRB Data (2022→2023) According to NCRB data, 57,582 cases were registered under “crime against Scheduled Castes” in 2022, up from 50,900 cases in 2021 — an increase ~13.1%. 🔹Uttar Pradesh leads with 15,368 cases, followed by Rajasthan (~8,752) and Madhya Pradesh (~7,733)

➡️ Delhi’s sex ratio at birth shows a persistent decline, reflecting deep-rooted gender bias. 👉Status 🔹Sex ratio at birth 2024: 920 females/1,000 males (2023: 922; 2022: 929). 🔹Birth rate: decreased by 2.7%. 🔹Death rate: increased to 6.37 per 1,000 (2023: 6.16). Infant mortality rate: slightly improved to 22.4 per 1,000 live births. 👉Causes 🔹Illegal prenatal sex determination. 🔹Low maternal education & patriarchal mindset. 👉 Regional Context 🔹Neighboring areas like Ghaziabad and Haryana also report declining sex ratios. 👉Government Measures & Challenges 🔹Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign. 🔹Enforcement of PCPNDT Act weak; illegal clinics persist. 👉Implications 🔹Demographic imbalance → social issues, threatens gender equity (SDG 5). 👉Way Forward 🔹Strengthen PCPNDT enforcement. 🔹Expand awareness & education programs. 🔹Community-based monitoring & incentives for girl child welfare. "To educate a woman is to educate a nation." – Swami Vivekananda

➡️Black crust is forming on the walls of the Red fort, atmospheric deposition due to Air pollution from Construction activities, road dust and emission from cement factories ( contains Titanium, nickel, copper, zinc, barium and lead)

➡️Pink Tax Extra cost charged for products/services marketed to women, despite being similar to men’s. Example Women’s razors, shampoos, haircuts, or dry cleaning often cost more than men’s. 👉 Global & Indian Context 🔹US: Women pay ~7–13% more on similar products. 🔹India: Higher prices observed for personal care products and services for women. 👉Causes 🔹Marketing strategies and premium “feminine” branding. 🔹Societal norms affecting perceived willingness to pay. 🔹Market segmentation exploiting gendered product targeting. 👉 Impacts 🔹Economic burden on women over a lifetime. 🔹Reinforces gender inequality and systemic discrimination. 🔹Limited consumer awareness reduces cost-effective choices. 👉Measures & Solutions 🔹Policy: Gender-neutral pricing (e.g., California, US). 🔹Awareness: Educate consumers to compare prices and demand fairness. 🔹Corporate responsibility: Review pricing to avoid gender discrimination.

➡️India’s Bamboo-Based Ethanol Producer: Assam Bio Ethanol Pvt. Ltd. (ABEPL) 👉First bamboo-based ethanol facility in India. 👉Location: Numaligarh, Golaghat district, Assam. 👉Joint Venture: Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) + Finnish companies Fortum & Chempolis Oy. 👉Objective: Produce sustainable fuel-grade ethanol and promote rural employment through bamboo supply chains. 👉 Production Capacity 🔹Ethanol 49,000 metric tonnes 🔹Furfural 19,000 metric tonnes 🔹Acetic acid 11,000 metric tonnes 🔹Food-grade liquid CO₂ 31,000 metric tonnes 🔹Green power 5 MW 🔹Bamboo required 300,000 metric tonnes annually 👉Technology & Collaboration 🔹Chempolis Oy: Core biorefinery technology (Formicobio). 🔹Sulzer: Provides column internals and engineered pumps for refining. 👉Sustainability & Rural Impact 🔹Supports ~30,000 rural households through bamboo procurement. 🔹Promotes plantation of ~6 million bamboo saplings for raw material supply. 🔹Contributes to clean energy goals and carbon emission reduction. 👉Significance for India 🔹Renewable energy: Utilizes abundant bamboo as a feedstock for ethanol. 🔹Rural development: Provides livelihood opportunities and strengthens bamboo-based economy in NE India. 🔹Bio-economy: Produces ethanol, acetic acid, furfural, and green power from a single plant, promoting circular economy.

➡️Plastic Pollution Crisis 👉400 MT plastic produced annually (UNEP, 2023). 👉Only 9% recycled globally (OECD, 2022). 👉8–10 MT leak into oceans yearly (IUCN, 2021). 👉Microplastics found in human blood & organs (UNEP, 2022; WHO, 2019). 👉$6–19 bn annual economic loss from marine pollution (UNEP, 2023). Solutions & Key Initiatives 👉Global Plastics Treaty (UNEA, 2022) – legally binding by 2025. 👉OECD Measures (2022 – Global Plastics Outlook): 🔹Raise recycling from 9% → 40% by 2060. 🔹Tax virgin plastic to cut demand. 🔹Strengthen waste management in developing nations. 👉Extended Producer Responsibility (India, 2022) – firms must collect & recycle. 👉Circular Economy push – Ellen MacArthur Global Commitment (2018). 👉Ocean Cleanup Project – intercepting plastics in rivers & oceans. 👉UNEP “Beat Plastic Pollution” Campaign – global awareness.

➡️Marriage Below 18 - SRS 2023 👉National Level 🔹Only 2.1% of women were married before 18 years (sharp decline vs NFHS-5: 23%). 🔹Mean age at marriage (females): 22.9 years (up from 22.7 in 2022). 👉Rural-Urban Divide 🔹Rural: ~2.5% girls married before 18. 🔹Urban: ~1.2% (much lower). 👉 High-Prevalence States 🔹West Bengal: ~6.3%. 🔹Jharkhand: also significantly above national average. 👉Low-Prevalence states 🔹Kerala: ~0.1% west). 🔹Himachal Pradesh & Haryana: ~0.4-0.6%. 👉 Implications 🔹Nationally, child marriage has declined drastically. 🔹Regional disparities remain → pockets of high prevalence in eastern states. 🔹Rising age at marriage signals better education, awareness, and women's empowerment.

➡️White Goods 👉Large household consumer durables, originally coated in white enamel, hence the name. 🔹e.g Refrigerators, Washing Machines, Air Conditioners, Microwave Ovens, Dishwashers.

➡️Data from RBI 👉in 2024-25, 56% of 3488.5cr of outward FDI by India went to low tax jurisdictions ( Tax havens) Singapore, Mauritius, UAE, UK, Switzerland. 👉40% outward FDI accounted only by Singapure(22%), mauritius and UAE

➡️Zapad(Russian word meaning West)exercises are large-scale military drills conducted jointly by Russia and Belarus.

➡️According to ADR 👉Around 21% OR 1 in 5 MPs, MLAs and MLCs are from dynastic backgrounds. 👉31% in LS (highest) 👉20% in State assemblies.(lowest) 🔹in north india UP is at top 23% 🔹in Southern Andhra 34%

➡️RTI is becoming a Right to deny information "Democracy dies in darkness" – RTI illuminates governance. The Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005 empowers citizens to seek information from public authorities, ensuring transparency, accountability, and participatory democracy. It operationalises Article 19(1)(a) – freedom of speech and expression. 👉Objectives of RTI Act 🔹Transparency in governance – Citizens can access government records. RTI exposed Adarsh Housing Scam. 👉Accountability of officials – Curbing corruption and maladministration. CAG reports supplemented by RTI queries strengthened accountability. 👉Empowerment of citizens – Strengthens participatory democracy. 🔹Better service delivery – Brings efficiency in public services. 👉Curbing corruption – World Bank (2022) noted RTI as a strong anti-corruption tool. 👉Challenges in Implementation 🔹Dilution of RTI provisions – Amendments & DPDP Act broaden “personal information” exemption. ● SC in Raj Narain vs State of UP (1975): “Right to know is a fundamental right.” 🔹Information Denial – Officials misuse Section 8(1)(j) citing privacy/security. 🔹Backlog of cases – Over 3.15 lakh pending appeals (CIC 2023). 🔹Harassment of RTI activists – Over 100 RTI activists killed (CHRI data). 🔹Weak institutional capacity – Delays in appointment of Information Commissioners. 🔹Corruption shielded – Bureaucratic opacity, refusal citing "larger public interest." 👉Solutions 🔹Clear definition of exemptions – Narrow down "personal information" clause. 2nd ARC Report recommended restricting exemptions to minimum. 🔹Strengthening CIC/SICs – Ensure timely appointments, digital hearings. 🔹Whistleblower protection – Implement Whistleblower Protection Act, 2014. 🔹Digitisation of records – Proactive disclosure under Section 4 to reduce RTIs. 🔹Capacity building – Training of PIOs and awareness campaigns. 🔹Judicial oversight – SC in CBSE vs Aditya Bandopadhyay (2011) upheld RTI as vital for democracy. 👉Way Forward 🔹Balance privacy with transparency – Harmonise RTI with DPDP Act. 🔹Technology-driven disclosure – AI-based dashboards for suo-moto disclosures. 🔹Strengthen legal protection – Amend law to protect RTI users. 🔹Citizen vigilance – Media and civil society must defend RTI’s spirit. RTI is the “Master Key to Good Governance” (2nd ARC).

➡️Justice for Wrongly incarcerated 👉Issue: India has no statutory law to compensate those wrongfully imprisoned, despite many spending years behind bars before acquittal. 👉Case Example: Mohammad Amir Khan, jailed for 14 years on false terror charges, got ₹25 lakh compensation from Delhi govt in 2018. 👉Judicial Stand: SC (2023) suggested Parliament frame a law; earlier (2021) refused to “legislate” on compensation. 👉Foreign Models: Countries like Portugal, New Zealand, USA have statutory systems to compensate exonerees. 👉Experts’ View: Compensation must be fair, uniform, and cover livelihood, dignity, and lost years. Acquitted individuals often lack resources to fight for it. 👉Way Forward: Enact a clear compensation law with NHRC oversight, inspired by global best practices.

➡️West Bengal flood threat 👉Problem 🔹Rivers from Bhutan, Nepal, Teesta (Sikkim) and Ganga waters from U.P. & Bihar cause floods in West Bengal. 🔹DVC water release worsens floods in South Bengal. 🔹Districts like Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, Malda face recurring inundation. 👉Solution Progress 🔹India & Bhutan already have bilateral cooperation through Joint Expert & Technical Groups on flood management. 🔹Regular meetings are held, but West Bengal has no direct representation. 👉Ultimate Solution 🔹Formation of an Indo-Bhutan River Commission with West Bengal as a member. 🔹Strengthened coordination with Bhutan, Nepal, and Centre for effective flood forecasting and control.

➡️Untouchability in india 👉A 200 m, 10 ft wall in Valangaiman (Thiruvarur, TN) blocks a common pathway used by 1,000+ Dalit families. 👉Forces them to take a 1 km detour for school, hospital, and daily needs. 👉Dalit activists call it an “untouchability wall”, alleging dominant caste support. 👉Officials ordered an inquiry; so far termed a property dispute, not caste discrimination.

➡️Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) – Ethiopia’s Largest Hydroelectric Project 👉Location: Blue Nile River, Benishangul-Gumuz region, ~40 km from Sudan border. 🔹Construction Started: 2011. Capacity: 6,450 MW (largest in Africa). Reservoir Capacity: ~74 billion cubic meters. Cost: Around $5 billion. Financing: Mostly Ethiopian government bonds & domestic contributions (no major foreign loans due to disputes). 👉Significance 🔹Energy Security – Will make Ethiopia Africa’s largest power exporter; aims to provide electricity to 65M+ people. 🔹Regional Development – Surplus power to be exported to Sudan, Djibouti, Kenya. 🔹National Symbol – Seen as a project of sovereignty and pride (“renaissance” narrative). 👉Challenges & Controversies 🔹Egypt’s Concern: Fears reduced Nile water flow → threat to agriculture and water security (Nile provides ~97% of Egypt’s water). 🔹Sudan’s Position: Mixed – benefits from cheap electricity & flood control, but worries about water regulation. 🔹Geopolitical Tensions: Egypt demanded binding water-sharing agreement; African Union mediating. 🔹Environmental Issues: Risk of ecosystem disruption, displacement, and climate change sensitivity.

➡️India’s Technological Independence Introduction “Technology is the new oil” – it determines sovereignty in the 21st century. India has made strides in digital governance, space, nuclear energy, and pharma, yet remains dependent on imports in critical areas like semiconductors, AI hardware, and defence technology. 👉Status of Technological Independence in India 🔹Achievements ● Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI): UPI, Aadhaar, CoWIN – admired globally. ●Space: ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 & Aditya L1 → self-reliance in planetary missions. ●Nuclear & Defence: Arihant-class submarines, Agni missiles, indigenous aircraft carrier (INS Vikrant). ● Pharma: India supplies 20% of global generics; vaccine hub (“Pharmacy of the World”). ● IT & Startups: 3rd largest startup ecosystem; AI tools like Bhashini (multilingual). 🔹Dependence ● Electronics & Semiconductors: 65% of electronics demand met by imports (mainly from China, Taiwan). ● Telecom & 5G: Reliance on foreign hardware (Ericsson, Huawei, Nokia). ●Defence Imports: Despite “Make in India”, India remains among the top 2 arms importers (SIPRI 2024). ● AI & Quantum Tech: Heavy reliance on Western cloud providers (AWS, Google, Microsoft). 👉Challenges to Technological Independence 🔹Import Dependence – 85% semiconductor import; 70% solar module imports from China. 🔹Low R&D Investment – India spends only 0.65% of GDP on R&D (vs 2.4% in China, 3% in USA). 🔹Brain Drain – Over 7.5 lakh Indian students abroad (2023); top talent absorbed by global firms. 🔹Weak Academia-Industry Linkages – Indian universities produce research, but poor commercialization. 🔹Intellectual Property (IP) Bottlenecks – India ranked 42/55 in Global IP Index (2024). 🔹Geopolitical Vulnerabilities – Supply chain shocks (COVID, Ukraine war, US-China tech rivalry). 🔹Digital Divide – 40% of rural India lacks stable internet → limits diffusion of technology. 👉 Solutions / Way Forward 🔹Boost R&D & Innovation ● Raise R&D spend to 2% of GDP (NITI Aayog recommendation). ● Strengthen National Research Foundation (NRF) for funding cutting-edge projects. 🔹Atmanirbhar Bharat in Critical Tech ● Semiconductor Mission (₹76,000 Cr): attract global fabs, incentivize local chip design. ● PLI Schemes: expand to AI, robotics, EVs, green hydrogen. 🔹Strengthen Academia–Industry Linkage ● Create Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in AI, quantum, biotech. ● Promote industry-led research consortia. 🔹Talent Retention & Skilling ● National Deep Tech Mission for AI, cybersecurity, quantum. ● Upskill workforce via Skill India Digital Platform. 🔹Global Partnerships with Safeguards ● Collaborate under QUAD Tech Network, IPEF, BRICS AI Group. ● Ensure data sovereignty (Justice B.N. Srikrishna Committee, 2018). 🔹Strengthen IP & Innovation Ecosystem ● Simplify patent regime, reduce pendency (average 5 years in India). ●Incentivize MSMEs for indigenous patents.

➡️National Commission for Women (NCW) (5 member) statutory body under the NCW Act,1990. Safeguards the rights of women. 👉NARI- National Annual Report & Index on Women Safety released by NCW 👉The cities are ranked relative to a benchmark “national safety score”, which is 65% in the 2025 edition. 🔹Safest cities: Kohima, Visakhapatnam, Bhubaneswar, Aizawl, Gangtok, Itanagar, Mumbai. 🔹Least safe: Patna, Jaipur, Faridabad, Delhi, Kolkata, Srinagar, Ranchi