UPSC Key: World Happiness Report 2025, Slaughter bans in India and Rules of Origin

Finns are happiest, Afghans unhappiest; India up 8 places but below Pak, China

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Main Examination: General Studies II: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources

What’s the ongoing story: For the eighth consecutive year, Finland has been named the happiest country in the world, according to the World Happiness Report 2025, published Thursday by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford. 

Key Points to Ponder:

• What are the factors used in the World Happiness Report rankings?

• What is World Happiness Report rankings?

• Who publishes World Happiness Report rankings?

• Map Work- Nordic nations

• Why are the Nordic countries the happiest?

• Analyse India’s ranking in comparison to its neighbouring countries and suggest measures to improve India’s position.

• Discuss the role of economic development, social welfare, and governance in influencing the happiness of a nation’s citizens.

• What lessons can India learn from Finland’s approach to well-being and quality of life?

• Evaluate India’s current policies on mental health and social security in light of the recent report.

Key Takeaways:

• Other Nordic nations—Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden—also retained their top positions, highlighting the strong social support systems and quality of life in these countries.

• The rankings are based on people’s self-assessed life evaluations, compiled through surveys conducted by Gallup in partnership with the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

• “Happiness isn’t just about wealth or growth — it’s about trust, connection and knowing people have your back,” Jon Clifton, CEO of Gallup, said, according to AP. “If we want stronger communities and economies, we must invest in what truly matters: each other.”

• India ranked 118th on the happiness index, while neighbouring Pakistan stood at 109th. Despite facing significant economic and social challenges, Pakistan’s relatively higher ranking suggests a stronger sense of social support among its citizens, as per the report’s analysis.

• While European nations dominated the top 20, some shifts were notable. Costa Rica (6th) and Mexico (10th) entered the top 10 for the first time.

• For the fourth consecutive year, Afghanistan (ranked 147th) remains the unhappiest nation in the world. Afghan women reported particularly harsh living conditions. Other countries at the bottom include Sierra Leone (146th), Lebanon (145th), Malawi (144th), and Zimbabwe (143rd), according to AP.

Do You Know:

• Researchers noted that beyond economic and health factors, simple lifestyle elements—like sharing meals, having a dependable support system, and household size—play a crucial role in overall happiness.

• For instance, in Mexico and Europe, a household size of four to five people is associated with the highest levels of happiness, the report found. The belief in kindness also emerged as a significant factor: societies where people expect lost wallets to be returned tend to report higher happiness levels.

• Top 10 happiest countries in 2025:
—Finland
—Denmark
—Iceland
—Sweden
—Netherlands
—Costa Rica
—Norway
—Israel
—Luxembourg
—Mexico

• Bottom five countries:
—Zimbabwe (143)
—Malawi (144)
—Lebanon (145)
—Sierra Leone (146)
—Afghanistan (147)

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍The trap of global rankings

UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering Similar Theme:
1. Consider the following factors used in the World Happiness Report rankings:
1. GDP per capita
2. Social support
3. Freedom to make life choices
4. Military strength
5. Corruption perception
Which of the above are considered in determining a country’s ranking in the World Happiness Report?
a) 1, 2, 3, and 5 only
b) 2, 3, and 4 only
c) 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5
d) 1, 3, and 5 only

FRONT PAGE

3 yrs, 100 tigers killed & counting: new-age poaching mafia taps tech, digital payments, hawala networks

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination: General Studies III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

What’s the ongoing story: Investigators from five states, four Central agencies, and the Interpol; three nationwide alerts; two critical meetings of chief wildlife wardens; over a dozen arrests in five states this year alone; and, a syndicate spread across the country’s tiger map.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Discuss the role of digital payments, online black markets, and tracking technologies in organized wildlife crime.

• India has seen a rise in tiger poaching despite strict conservation laws—Analyse the effectiveness of anti-poaching laws and enforcement mechanisms.

• What policy interventions are needed to curb organized wildlife crime?

• Examine the role of international cooperation, including treaties like CITES and INTERPOL’s efforts, in tackling wildlife poaching.

• What is the role of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in protecting India’s tiger population?

• How does the illegal poaching network use the hawala system for transactions?

• Discuss the role of financial intelligence and cyber surveillance in combating illegal wildlife trade.

Key Takeaways:

• If the usual suspects in poaching are subsistence hunters, touts scouting forest settlements to fix deals and impoverished “carriers” in small towns sneaking skin and bones in polythene sacks on trains and buses, think again.

• A poaching network marked by an unusual coalition of groups from tribal communities in central India, using digital payments with “hawala funds” and separate supply lines to Nepal and Myanmar, has taken out “100 to any number” of tigers since 2022 from various parts of India, an investigation by The Indian Express has found.

• This newspaper tracked arrest records and court documents, and interviewed forest officials, investigators and former poachers who became informers, to find that this network is leaner and more mobile: fewer middlemen, hired transporters to cut risk as they move consignments, and tie-ups with narcotics and arms syndicates.

• More than a dozen arrests over the past seven weeks in ongoing probes by forest officials of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, and the Centre’s Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) have partly uncovered one of multiple “verticals” of this module operating mainly through the Myanmar border. While the CBI and the Department of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) are following separate leads, the ED has also been roped in to track the money trail.

• The latest set of poachers, according to sources based in Nagpur who are linked to the investigation, have been “in this business for generations” but “unlike their fathers who depended solely on middlemen, they are internet savvy and active on social media”. “Though barely educated, they have no problem running bank accounts, tracking online payments, and booking consignments and flight tickets,” the sources said.

Do You Know:

• For decades, the tiger mafia in India preferred the shortest routes to China’s demanding markets: through Nepal and Tibet. The longer northeastern route to Myanmar, meanwhile, was the mainstay of rhino horn traders who took consignments out of Assam.

• Since the 1990s, periodic seizures of pangolin scales in Meghalaya and Mizoram did point to the northeast route for wildlife contraband sourced from central India although tiger traders started significantly realigning their supply lines only just before the Covid pandemic. But even as the Myanmar route got busy with consignments of tiger bone and skins by 2022, the agencies tasked with busting them continued to operate in trenches.

• After Rajasthan’s Sariska reserve lost all its tigers to poaching by 2005, the Government initiated a series of reforms by establishing the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) in 2007. Earlier, the CBI handled major tiger poaching cases, and even with WCCB in place, it pursued occasional cases along with DRI to meet their mandate of combating wildlife crime.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Tiger poaching: Chandrapur to Aizawl, investigation tracked bank SMS, social media posts, tip-off from Shillong church

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering Similar Theme:
2. Among the following Tiger Reserves, which one has the largest area under “Critical Tiger Habitat”? (2020)
(a) Corbett
(b) Ranthambore
(c) Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam
(d) Sundarbans

US firm brings weight-loss drug to India, 2.5-mg vial to cost `3,500

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

What’s the ongoing story: The new class of weight-loss medicines that has taken the world by a storm will now become available in India, with the pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly on Thursday announcing the launch of tirzepatide to be marketed as Mounjaro. The medicine will be available in a single-dose vial, meant to be taken as a shot under the skin every week.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is tirzepatide?

• How does obesity impact India’s healthcare system and economy?

• With the increasing prevalence of obesity in India, how can weight-loss drugs contribute to public health?

• Analyse the benefits and risks associated with weight-loss drugs.

• Discuss the role of the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) in ensuring affordability of medicines.

• What are the ethical and regulatory challenges associated with the commercialization of weight-loss drugs?

Key Takeaways:

• The 2.5 mg vial is priced at Rs 3,500 (MRP) and the 5 mg vial is priced at Rs 4,375(MRP). This India-specific pricing is part of El Lilly’s effort to expand access.

• The drug — along with Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide marketed as Wegovy — has been much anticipated in India after its significant weight-loss effect was witnessed by many around the world.

• Tirzepatide belongs to a new class of diabetes medicines that were approved for the treatment of chronic obesity after they were found to be almost as effective as bariatric surgery for weight-loss. Called incretin mimetics, these drugs mimic the action of certain gut hormones to improve secretion of insulin, inhibit secretion of glucagon that stimulates glucose production in the liver, and also reduce appetite by slowing down digestion.

• Tirzepatide acts on two targets — GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) hormone receptor and GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide).
The medicine can help people lose just over 20% of their body weight on average, with nearly one in three persons dropping a quarter of their body weight. The drug is not a magic bullet, however. It has to be taken along-side a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.

• The drug is meant to be prescribed to those who are obese with a BMI (body mass index) of over 30 or those who are overweight with a BMI between 25 and 29 with other weight-related co-morbid conditions such as diabetes and heart disease among others.

• The drug should not be prescribed to people who have a family history of a particular type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or a rare condition called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2). It should be avoided in people who may have an allergic reaction to the medicine or its components.

• The subject expert committee on endocrinology and metabolism, under the apex drug regulator Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), recommended that permission be granted to Eli Lilly for importing and marketing the medicine in a single dose pre-filled pen and in a single-dose vial in June last year. The company was also given permission to import and market multi-dose pen by December.

• The expert committee recommended a phase IV trial — or post-marketing surveillance — be carried out by the company, which helps in understanding long term safety of the drug, its effects on a diverse population, and rare side-effects, if any.

Do You Know:

• Globally, one in eight people were living with obesity in 2022. There were 890 million adults and 160 million adolescents living with obesity in 2022. The prevalence of obesity has doubled in adults since 1990 and quadrupled in adolescents, according to the WHO.

• In India, there were 44 million women and 26 million men living with obesity in 2022.

• In the three decades between 1990 to 2022, the prevalence of obesity in women increased 8.6 percentage points and prevalence in men increased 4.9 percentage points.

• There has also been a significant increase in childhood obesity in the three decades. While 0.2 million boys and 0.2 million girls were obese in 1990, 7.3 million boys and 5.2 million girls were obese in 2022.

• WHO scientists say that global costs associated with obesity are likely to reach $3 trillion by 2030.

• In countries with 30 per cent prevalence of obesity, it could absorb up to 18 per cent of the national health expenditure.

• Scientists also argue that obesity adds to mortality — there were five million obesity-related deaths from non-communicable diseases in 2019. This accounted for 12 per cent of all deaths from non-communicable diseases worldwide.

• Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic, originally approved in 2017 for type 2 diabetes, gained immense popularity as doctors prescribed it off-label for obesity, sparking a social media frenzy and supply shortages.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Popular drugs for weight loss endorsed by WHO scientists

UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering Similar Theme:
3. Which of the following regulatory bodies oversee pharmaceutical approvals and pricing in India?
1. National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA)
2. Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO)
3. Drug Controller General of India (DCGI)
4. Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1, 2, and 3 only
d) 1, 2, 3, and 4

IN PARLIAMENT

How a 1958 ruling shaped the debate on slaughter bans

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance

Main Examination: General Studies II: Indian Constitution—historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.

What’s the ongoing story: In a 1956 ruling of the Supreme Court, Justice Vivian Bose said the Constitution was not just for governments, lawyers and politicians but also “for the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker”.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Mohammad Hanif Quareshi v State of Bihar-What you know about the same?

• Why Mohammad Hanif Quareshi v State of Bihar, marked a watershed moment for newly Independent India?

• Examine the constitutional and legal basis of slaughter bans in India.

• How has the judiciary interpreted the balance between religious freedom, trade rights, and Directive Principles of State Policy?

• The 1958 Supreme Court ruling played a key role in shaping the debate on slaughter bans in India. Discuss its significance and subsequent judicial developments in this context.

• How do slaughter bans impact economic activities such as the leather industry, meat exports, and the livelihoods of marginalized communities?

• Analyse the role of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, in slaughter bans in India.

• Suggest measures to strike a balance between religious sentiments, economic concerns, and constitutional principles.

Key Takeaways:

• It was a prescient statement — the following year, nearly 3,000 butchers came knocking on the doors of the Supreme Court. Their case, Mohammad Hanif Quareshi v State of Bihar, marked a watershed moment for the young Republic as it sought to negotiate the centuries-old, communally fraught issue of cattle slaughter within the framework of India’s new Constitution.

• In his book, A People’s Constitution, Rohit De, Associate Professor of History at Yale University, wrote that more than 3,000 individually named petitioners from at least 90 villages and towns from Bombay, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar “signed or put their thumbprints on the petition”.

• Though they were mostly Muslim, Quareshi and the others identified themselves as “citizens of India, Muslims by religion” who belonged to a caste of butchers, hide traders, gut merchants, and leather workers.

• On November 24, 1948, after much debate, the Constituent Assembly bargained for a consequential settlement on the issue of cattle slaughter. The demand of a handful of members from the northern provinces was to make protection against cow slaughter a fundamental right, much like the protection against untouchability. Dr B R Ambedkar, the chairman of the Drafting Committee, prevailed and it was agreed that “fundamental rights deal only with human beings and not animals”.

• On the right to religion, cow slaughter was held not to be a core tenet of the religion while the court cited “interests of the general public” as a reasonable restriction on the right to trade and profession under Article 19(1)(g).

• While the 1958 ruling was a setback for the butchers who went to Court, it also required states to amend their laws to allow procedural clarity on what animals could be deemed “fit for slaughter”. States amended the laws but also tried to circumvent the verdict. After a series of revisions, the Supreme Court in the 2005 ruling in State of Gujarat v Mirzapur Moti Kureshi Kassab Jamat virtually upheld a near-total ban on cow slaughter.

Do You Know:

• Quareshi, from Patna’s Sultanganj, lent his name as the lead petitioner in the batch of cases that challenged state laws, including the Bihar Preservation and Improvement of Animals Act, 1955. The Bihar law and the other state laws prohibited the slaughter of cows, calves, bulls, bullocks and “sheep-buffaloes”. All these laws drew upon the imagery of the cow as a symbol of resistance against British rule, and were enacted in the aftermath of the country’s bloody Partition.

• The petitioners challenged it on three main grounds: that they violated their right to equality (Article 14) as the laws separated bovine butchers from other butchers; their right to practise religion (Article 25); and the right to practise any profession or to carry on any occupation, trade or business (Article 19(1)g). Prof De noted that the argument for freedom of religion “was the last of the four challenges in the petition and took up a single paragraph.”

• On April 23, 1958, a five-judge Supreme Court Bench headed by then Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sudhi Ranjan Das partially upheld the state bans, carving out key exceptions. The court mainly reframed the issue from its communal overtones to bovine economics.

• “In our view the ban on slaughter of she-buffaloes, breeding bulls and working bullocks (cattle and buffalo) which are useful is reasonable but of those which are not useful is not valid. The question as to when a she-buffalo, breeding bull or working bullock (cattle and buffalo) ceases to be useful and becomes useless and unserviceable is a matter for legislative determination,” the court said. Essentially, the court said that cow slaughter was prohibited for economic value and not entirely religious sentiments.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍The states where cow slaughter is legal in India

UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering Similar Theme:
4. The 1958 Supreme Court ruling on slaughter bans primarily dealt with which of the following issues?
a) Fundamental Rights vs. Directive Principles of State Policy
b) Role of the President in amending state laws
c) Protection of tribal rights under the Fifth Schedule
d) Reservation policy for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes

ECONOMY

‘Very good relationship’ but reciprocal tariffs on India from April 2: Trump

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination: General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

What’s the ongoing story: Dampening prospects of a concession, US President Donald Trump said Thursday India will face reciprocal tariffs on April 2, a move likely to hurt India’s exports of agricultural and pharmaceutical goods. These are among the products that have a high tariff differential with the US.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What best defines reciprocal tariffs?

• “Trade wars and protectionist policies have significant implications for emerging economies like India”—Discuss with reference to the recent imposition of reciprocal tariffs by the U.S. on Indian goods.

• What will be the impact of the U.S.-India trade disputes on India’s small and medium enterprises (SMEs), particularly in the textile and handicrafts sectors?

• What role does the World Trade Organization (WTO) play in resolving trade disputes between countries?

Key Takeaways:

• “I have a very good relationship with India, but the only problem I have with India is that they are one of the highest tariffing nations in the world. I believe they are probably going to be lowering those tariffs substantially, but on April 2, we will be charging them the same tariffs they charge us,” Trump said in an interview with US-based Breitbart News.

• This comes after commerce and industry ministry officials earlier this week stated that India plans to engage with stakeholders and resolve all outstanding issues with the US in the bilateral trade agreement (BTA) both countries aim to sign by the end of the year.

• Sectors such as steel and aluminum are already feeling the impact of the 25 per cent tariffs imposed by the US on these metals and industry representatives have said that exporters worth $5 billion are already facing the impact of the new tariffs. Moreover, the anti-dumping watchdog under the Commerce and Industry Ministry has proposed a 12 per cent duty on certain imported steel products that could drive up prices in the country.

• According to SBI research, the US tariff rate on Indian goods increased from 2.72 per cent in 2018 to 3.91 per cent in 2021, before slightly declining to 3.83 per cent in 2022. Meanwhile, India’s tariffs on US imports have risen from 11.59 per cent in 2018 to 15.30 per cent in 2022.

• A Goldman Sachs report suggested that India could be affected by Trump’s tariffs at the national level, the product level, or through non-tariff barriers, all of which could complicate trade relations between the two nations.

Do You Know:

• According to the Investopedia, tariffs are a type of trade barrier that makes imported products more expensive than domestic ones. Tariffs typically come in the form of taxes or duties levied on importers, and they’re eventually passed on to consumers. They’re commonly used in international trade as a protectionist measure.
—In simplest terms, a tariff is a tax. It adds to the cost borne by consumers of imported goods and is one of several trade policies that a country can enact. Tariffs are paid to the customs authority of the country imposing the tariff

• Investopedia says that, Tariffs are often created to protect infant industries and developing economies but are also used by more advanced economies with developed industries. Here are five of the top reasons tariffs are used.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Trump to announce reciprocal tariffs in two days amid 25% tariff on steel, aluminium

UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering Similar Theme:
5. With reference to international trade, what is meant by “reciprocal tariffs”?
a) Tariffs imposed by a country on its own exports to promote domestic consumption
b) Tariffs imposed by a country in response to similar duties levied by another country
c) Tariffs that are uniform across all trading partners to maintain fair trade
d) A taxation method used by the World Trade Organization (WTO) to balance global trade

India-EU FTA talks: Progress on dispute settlement, stalemate on rules of origin

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

What’s the ongoing story: In the first round of trade deal negotiations between India and the European Union after the EU College of Commissioners’ visit to India last month, both countries made considerable progress in agreeing on the norms that will guide dispute settlement under the pact but failed to make a significant breakthrough on rules of origin, which help determine the national source of a product.

Key Points to Ponder:

• The ‘Rules of Origin’ in Free Trade Agreements primarily determines what?

• Discuss the significance of the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in the context of India’s economic and strategic interests.

• What are the key challenges in finalising India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) agreement?

• How do trade agreements like the India-EU FTA influence India’s domestic policies on labour, environmental standards, and intellectual property rights

• Compare India’s trade strategies with the EU and other major economies like the US and China.

Key Takeaways:

• Amid rising protectionism globally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, had announced that both sides would aim to conclude the free trade agreement by the end of 2025. The two parties have been negotiating the agreement since July 2022 and have held ten rounds of talks. The next round is set to start on May 5 in New Delhi.

• Specific discussions on cars and medical devices follow an EU official’s statement last month that the 27-member bloc would not sign a trade deal without “substantive” market access from India for the sale of European-made cars. The emphasis on automobile exports likely stems from the ongoing automobile crisis in the region. In October 2024, Germany-based Volkswagen announced plans to close at least three of its German factories.

• The EU report noted that “intense discussions took place on rules of origin” but did not lead to any major breakthrough. Both sides discussed the product-specific rules for several sectors, including: “processed agricultural products, fisheries, pharmaceutical products, chemical products, fertilisers, textiles and clothing, car parts, wood pulp, and paper.”

• The report also stated that limited progress was made on technical regulations, market surveillance, and technical discussions, adding that important divergences remain on a number of issues, including the incorporation of WTO provisions and the annexes on pharmaceutical products and motor vehicles.

• Last month, Ursula von der Leyen stated that the free trade agreement between the EU and India would be the largest deal of its kind anywhere in the world. Without naming China, she suggested that India and the EU could help each other achieve the “common goal” of de-risking their economies in sensitive sectors such as batteries, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, clean hydrogen, and defence.

Do You Know:

• According to the World Trade Organisation website, Rules of origin are the criteria needed to determine the national source of a product. Their importance is derived from the fact that duties and restrictions in several cases depend upon the source of imports.

• World Trade Organisation website says that the Rules of origin are used:
— to implement measures and instruments of commercial policy such as anti-dumping duties and safeguard measures;
— to determine whether imported products shall receive most-favoured-nation (MFN) treatment or preferential treatment;
— for the purpose of trade statistics;
— for the application of labelling and marking requirements; and
— for government procurement.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍India, EU look to seal trade deal this year, Trump keeps markets reeling

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering Similar Theme:
6. Consider the following countries: (2018)
1. Australia
2. Canada
3. China
4. India
5. Japan
6. USA
Which of the above are among the ‘free-trade partners’ of ASEAN?
(a) 1, 2, 4 and 5
(b) 3, 4, 5 and 6
(c) 1, 3, 4 and 5
(d) 2, 3, 4 and 6

7. Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA)’ is sometimes seen in the news in the context of negotiations held between India and (2017)
(a) European Union
(b) Gulf Cooperation Council
(c) Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
(d) Shanghai Cooperation Organization

EXPLAINED

Rajasthan’s coaching centre Bill, why it has been criticised

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance

Main Examination: General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

What’s the ongoing story: Following years of demands for such legislation, a Bill for regulating coaching centres was tabled in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly on Thursday (March 20).

Key Points to Ponder:

• What are the key provisions of the Rajasthan Coaching Centres (Control and Regulation) Bill, 2025?

• What are the criticisms levied against the Rajasthan Coaching Centres (Control and Regulation) Bill, 2025?

• What concerns have been raised by stakeholders, and how might these concerns impact the effectiveness of the legislation?

• Examine the role of coaching centres in India’s education system?

• The city of Kota has been both lauded for its coaching industry and criticized for the associated student pressures leading to mental health issues—What are the socio-economic impacts of the coaching industry in Kota?

Key Takeaways:

• The Rajasthan Coaching Centres (Control and Regulation) Bill, 2025, has received some criticism for diluting certain provisions of earlier drafts and sidestepping some of the Union Education Ministry’s guidelines on the issue.

• In line with guidelines, an earlier draft specified that only students who are 16 years of age or have completed secondary school examinations can be enrolled in coaching centres. However, the tabled version has no mention of the age criteria.

• Coaching centres could stand to benefit in the absence of such a provision, especially those in Kota. Having become a hub for engineering and medical college aspirants, the city has witnessed a decline in student enrollments recently. The Centre’s guidelines, in addition to bad press over student suicides and the emergence of new hubs in other parts of the country, are seen as the likely factors

Do You Know:

• The government said the Bill aims to “curb the commercialisation of coaching institutes and ensure that they operate within a framework prioritising the well-being and success of students”.

• It seeks to mandate minimum quality standards, the registration of coaching centres, and psychological counselling for students. The Centre’s January 2024 guidelines for the regulation of coaching centres proposed a penalty of Rs 25,000 for the first violation of provisions and Rs 1 lakh for a second violation, followed by cancellation of registration for subsequent violation(s).

• The tabled version sets the first fine at Rs 2 lakh and Rs 5 lakh for the second offence, followed by cancellation of the centre’s registration. This is one aspect where the Bill’s provisions are more stringent compared to the draft and guidelines.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍How new Rajasthan Bill hopes to regulate coaching centres, curb suicides

UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering Similar Theme:
8. The Rajasthan Coaching Centres (Control and Regulation) Bill, 2025, mandates which of the following for coaching institutes in the state?
a) Registration of all coaching centres
b) Mandatory aptitude tests for students
c) Setting a minimum enrollment age of 16 years
d) Provision of mental health support for students

The looming power shortage

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Main Examination: General Studies III: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.

What’s the ongoing story: India’s focus on rapid expansion of renewables in the absence of energy storage systems, especially over the last decade, is now resulting in increasing unstability in the country’s electricity grid, with power shortages projected to surge sharply in May and June.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Discuss the key reasons behind India’s power shortage concerns during peak summer months. What measures can be taken to enhance grid
resilience?

• How do seasonal variations impact India’s power demand and supply?

• Explain the role of coal-based power plants in India’s energy security.

• What are the challenges in transitioning to renewable energy while ensuring a stable power grid?

• Analyse the importance of smart grids and energy storage solutions in addressing India’s electricity supply challenges.

• How can technological advancements help in managing load fluctuations?

• The transition to renewable energy is crucial for sustainability, but it presents challenges in grid stability. Discuss the role of demand-side management, energy forecasting, and infrastructure upgrades in ensuring reliable power supply.

Key Takeaways:

• India has been adding renewable energy at a rapid pace — over 21 gigawatt (GW) of renewable capacity, excluding large hydro, was added between April and January of the ongoing fiscal, more than doubling year-on-year. Total capacity has touched 165 GW, and with large hydro, it is a little over 212 GW. In comparison, coal-based thermal capacity stands at 220 GW.

• However, unlike thermal capacities, which can be ramped up and down as per requirements, renewable energy sources like solar and wind rely on specific atmospheric conditions to generate power. They produce electricity only when weather conditions permit — solar during the day, wind when speeds are sufficiently high.

• During summers, solar generation typically peaks in the afternoon but drops off by evening, leaving a supply gap at a time when temperatures are high and households across north India switch on air conditioners.

• Then, to meet high demand in non-solar hours, baseload capacities like thermal are ramped up. However, since India’s coal-based thermal capacity has barely grown, just 7 per cent from 205 GW in 2019-20, it is increasingly unavailable to bridge the shortfall in non-solar hours.

• Until recently, grid operators had room to ramp up the plant load factor (PLF) of thermal capacities, including gas, as about 92 GW of thermal capacity was added between 2012 and 2017. Now, with thermal plants already running at high PLFs during non-solar hours, stepping up further has become more difficult.

Do You Know:

• India’s peak power demand has surged from 169 GW in 2018-19 to 250 GW in 2024-25, and is projected to touch 270 GW this summer. But with rising demand and increasing reliance on solar and wind, which have grown from 72 GW in 2019-2020 to over 150 GW in February, grid stability has become a growing concern.

• In late February, an unseasonal cloud cover over northern India caused solar generation to plummet, triggering a sharp dip in grid frequency, which created a sudden scare for grid managers. Rapid demand-supply imbalances, especially in the absence of energy storage systems, can cause grid frequency deviations, which, if uncontrolled, may necessitate forced load shedding to prevent system instability

• In a measure to increase active generation capacity, the NLDC has suggested invoking emergency powers under Section 11 of the Electricity Act, 2003 to require imported coal-based plants to run at higher capacities.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Grid operator warns of ‘high-risk’ power shortages in May, June; unmet demand projected to surge

UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering Similar Theme:
9. What is the primary function of the Power System Operation Corporation (POSOCO) in India’s electricity sector?
a) Regulation of electricity tariffs
b) Grid operation and ensuring grid security
c) Construction of power transmission lines
d) Research and development in power generation

Aurangzeb’s tomb in Khuldabad, at the centre of violent protests in Nagpur

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: History of India  and Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination: General Studies I: Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues.

What’s the ongoing story: Three days after Nagpur saw violent clashes, curfew was relaxed in areas of the city on Thursday (March 20). At the heart of the violence is the tomb of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, which the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and other Hindutva bodies want removed.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Who was Aurangzeb?

• Discuss the significance of Aurangzeb’s choice for a simple and unadorned grave in Khuldabad. How does this reflect his personal beliefs and administrative policies?

• Compare and contrast the burial practices of Aurangzeb with those of his predecessors.

• Analyze the impact of Aurangzeb’s austere lifestyle on the architectural developments during his reign.

• Evaluate the role of Sufi traditions in shaping the personal and administrative choices of Mughal emperors, with a special focus on Aurangzeb’s association with Shaikh Burhan-u’d-din Gharib.

• Assess the historical narratives surrounding Aurangzeb’s reign in contemporary times. How do modern interpretations influence our understanding of his legacy?

Key Takeaways:

• Aurangzeb died more than 300 years ago, on February 20, 1707. While the tombs of his predecessors are ornate structures where tourists from across the world flock to, his own humble grave lay largely forgotten till those seeking to avenge historical wrongs turned their eyes to it. Yet, Aurangzeb’s grave and the circumstances of his death hold many lessons for those interested in learning from history.

• Aurangzeb ruled for almost 50 years, the longest serving ruler of one of the most powerful ruling dynasties of the world — the English word ‘mogul’ is still used for a powerful person. But the emperor of Delhi is buried in far-away Khuldabad, and even some Mughal officials have tombs bigger and grander than his.

• Aurangzeb spent the last years of his life with his vast empire collapsing around him. He was facing an agrarian crisis, the nobility was slowly deserting him, and militarily, he was besieged by the increasingly dominant Marathas. It was on a campaign against the Marathas in the Deccan that death came to Aurangzeb, by then nearing 90 years of age.

• A more detailed description of Aurangzeb’s burial is given in Saqi Musta’d Khan’s Maasir-i-Alamgiri, translated into English by historian Sir Jadunath Sarkar. It says, “… According to His Majesty’s last will, he was buried in the courtyard of the tomb of Shaikh Zainuddin [at Rauza, near Daulatabad] in a sepulchre built by the emperor in his own lifetime…The red stone platform (chabutra) over his grave, not exceeding three yards in length, two and half yards in breadth, and a few fingers in height, has a cavity in the middle. It has been filled with earth, in which fragrant herbs have been planted.”

• Rauza was later renamed Khuldabad, as Aurangzeb was given the title of Khuld-Makani, or one who resides in eternity.

• Historian Rana Safvi told The Indian Express, “Rauza means tomb. Khuldabad was earlier known as Ruaza as it housed the shrines of many Sufi saints.”

Do You Know:

• Muhi al-Din Muhammad, commonly known as Aurangzeb, ruled over the Indian subcontinent for over 49 years and spent the last 25 years of his life in areas that now constitute the state of Maharashtra during his failed and expensive foray into the Deccan.

• Aurangzeb’s reign is particularly remembered in Maharashtra for the fierce battles between his forces and the Marathas who essentially stopped the Mughal emperor’s advance. This is a defining moment in the state’s history and, in a place where Maratha pride runs deep, the Mughal emperor is seen as a historical antagonist.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍When Shivaji’s grandson visited Aurangzeb’s tomb

UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering Similar Theme:
10. Which British Viceroy installed a marble screen around Aurangzeb’s grave?
A. Lord Curzon
B. Lord Dalhousie
C. Lord Wellesley
D. Lord Hastings

 

PRELIMS ANSWER KEY

1. (a) 2.(c) 3.(c) 4.(a) 5.(b) 6.(c) 7.(a) 8.(a) 9.(b) 10.(a)

  

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