R2R NEWSPAPER NOTES

Fresh SSB batches starting 17th July. Referred articles were published in The Hindu.

1. Secularism - Implicit From Day One, Explicit in 1976

• Definition of Secularism: India's secularism is distinct from the Western concept, emphasizing sarva dharma sambhav (equal respect for all religions) rather than strict separation of church and state.
• Historical Context:
  • Ashoka's Dhamma: Emperor Ashoka's Dhamma is cited as an early example of religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence in ancient India.
  • Mughal Rulers: Akbar the Great's policy of sulh-i-kul (universal peace) is highlighted as another historical instance of religious harmony.
  • Maratha Kingdom: Shivaji Maharaj's policies are mentioned as promoting religious freedom.
• Constitutional Evolution:
  • The term "secular" was not explicitly present in the original Constitution but was implicitly understood through fundamental rights like freedom of conscience and free profession, practice, and propagation of religion (Article 25).
  • The 42nd Amendment in 1976 formally inserted "secular" into the Preamble.
  • Article 26 grants the right to manage religious affairs.
  • Article 27 prohibits taxation for promoting any particular religion.
  • Article 28 deals with religious instruction in educational institutions.
  • Article 29 & 30 protect the rights of minorities to conserve their culture and establish educational institutions.
• Judicial Interpretation: The Supreme Court has repeatedly upheld secularism as a basic feature of the Constitution, which cannot be abrogated. Landmark judgments like the Bommai case (1994) are cited.
• Challenges and Debates: The article acknowledges ongoing debates and challenges to India's secular fabric, including communal tensions and political misuse of religion. It also touches upon the uniform civil code debate.
• Key Figures/Quotes: Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, B.R. Ambedkar, and Sardar Patel's views on secularism are referenced.

• Context: The Indian government announced greenhouse gas emissions intensity reduction targets for industries, particularly the 8 energy-intensive sectors under the Perform, Achieve and Trade (PAT) scheme.
• PAT Scheme:
  • India's flagship energy efficiency program.
  • Aims to reduce energy use and trade energy savings with others.
  • Cycle 1 (2012-14): Successfully met its energy efficiency targets.
  • Energy intensity reduction: Over 8.6% reduction achieved by 400 designated consumers during Cycle 1, equivalent to ₹41,000 crore in energy savings.
• Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS): A market-based mechanism to achieve emission reduction.
• Emission Targets:
  • NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions): India has committed to reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 33-35% by 2030 from 2005 levels.
  • Net-zero future: India aims for a net-zero target by 2070.
• Assessment of Targets:
  • The article argues that the current PAT targets are modest compared to historical emissions data.
  • Achieving PAT targets might not necessarily lead to overall emission intensity decline at the economy-wide level due to varying contributions of different sectors.
  • The need for higher ambition in PAT targets is emphasized, along with the inclusion of more sectors and a focus on absolute emissions rather than just intensity.
• Key Figures/Organizations: Valbhatav Chaturvedi (Senior Fellow at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water - CEEW) and Darshana Singh (Research Analyst at CEEW) are quoted.

• Skills Gap: A significant mismatch exists between the skills provided by the Indian education system and those demanded by the job market, especially for digital and professional skills.
• Youth Unemployment:
  • Youth unemployment rate: 83% of India's unemployed youth are graduates.
  • Education levels: Over one-third of highly educated youth (graduates) are unemployed.
  • ILO report (2024): States that the youth unemployment challenge stems from the lack of quality jobs and inadequate skills.
• Employment Landscape:
  • EPFO data: Shows positive trends in formal employment, with 2.6 million new subscribers in the 18-25 age group in January 2024.
  • Job growth: An estimated 78 million new jobs are needed by 2030 to accommodate the growing workforce.
  • Service sector: Projected to be the primary driver of job creation.
  • Agricultural sector: Expected to see a decline in employment.
• Recommendations:
  • Skill development: Emphasis on upskilling and reskilling to meet industry demands.
  • Collaboration: Stronger partnerships between educational institutions, industry, and academia are crucial.
  • Curriculum reform: The need to create education systems aligned with job placements, including vocational training and digital literacy.
  • Language and soft skills: Important for employability.
  • International Migration: The European Union's migration policy and initiatives like the "EU Blue Card" are presented as models for attracting skilled workers.
• Key Figures/Organizations: S. Irudaya Rajan (Chair, International Institute of Migration and Development, Kerala) and S.P. Mishra (Founder, India Career Centre, Hyderabad) are quoted.

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