UPSC: Sub-categorisation in SC, Ideas4LiFE, PARAKH, and More

Table of Contents

UPSC GS 2

Sub-Categorisation In Scheduled Caste Reservation

News: A seven-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud has ruled that sub-classification of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes is permissible for the purpose of reservation.
More on News:
- - The top court had reserved the verdict on pleas seeking review of the E V Chinnaiah judgement.
  - In E V Chinnaiah verdict (2004), the Supreme Court had ruled that State Legislatures cannot sub-classify Scheduled Castes for grant of reservation in admissions and public jobs.
Supreme Court’s Ruling in State of Punjab and ors vs Davinder Singh and ors:
- - Scheduled Castes are not a homogenous group.
  - The members of SC/ST are not often able to climb up the ladder due to the systemic discrimination faced. Article 14 permits sub-classification of caste.
  - Governments can subclassify them to give more weightage in 15% reservation to those who suffered more discrimination among SCs.
  - State must evolve a policy to identify creamy layer among the SC ST category and take them out of the fold of affirmative action (reservation).
  - Reservation should be meant for only the first generation among a category.
  - Sub-classification of Scheduled Castes would not violate the President’s exclusive authority under Article 341 to identify Scheduled Castes.
  - The States’s power to sub-classify is subject to judicial review.
  - The Supreme Court affirmed the validity of laws allowing subclassification in states like Punjab and Tamil Nadu .
  - It upheld the Punjab Scheduled Caste and Backward Classes (Reservation in Services) Act, 2006, and the Tamil Nadu Arunthathiyars Act, 2009, which allocates reservations for Arunthathiyars within the state’s 18 per cent SC reservation.
What is Sub Categorisation of Caste?
- - It refers to further classifying broader caste groups into sub-groups based on various criteria.
  - Some castes have sought recognition and specific privileges based on their unique characteristics, historical backgrounds, or socio-economic status.
Reservation in India:
- - Article 15(4): Special provision for socially and educationally backward classes of citizens or for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.
  - Article 16(4): Provision for the reservation of appointments in favor of any backward class of citizens.
  - Article 16(4A): Reservation in the promotion of posts in services under the state for members of the SCs and STs.
  - Article 16(4B): State can fill unfilled vacancies reserved for SCs/STs in the following year.
  - Article 39A: State has to ensure justice and free legal aid to weaker sections of the society
  - Article 243D: Reservation for SCs/STs and Women in Panchayati Raj Institutions
  - Article 243T: Reservation for SCs/STs and Women in Urban Local Bodies
  - Article 330 and Article 332: Reservation of seats for the SCs and the STs in the Parliament and in the State Legislative Assemblies respectively.

Read also: International Criminal Court (ICC) Vs International Court of Justice (ICJ) | UPSC

Ideas4LiFE Portal

News: Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav recently launched Ideas4LiFE.
Purpose: To invite ideas for products and services that promote environment-friendly lifestyles.
Target Audience: Students, faculty, and research scholars.
Goal: Encourage innovative contributions to the global Mission LiFE initiative.
Opportunity: Engage in a global movement dedicated to environmental sustainability.
Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment):

- - Objective: A global mass movement led by India to encourage individual and community actions for environmental protection and preservation.
  - Launch: Introduced at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, November 2021.
  - Aim: Mobilize one billion Indians and people globally to adopt sustainable lifestyles.
  - Principle: Embraces the P3 model—Pro Planet People.
  - Three-Pronged Strategy:
  - Demand: Encourage individuals to adopt simple, effective, environment-friendly actions in their daily lives.
  - Supply: Enable industries and markets to adapt to changing demands for sustainable practices.
  - Policy: Influence government and industrial policies to support sustainable consumption and production.

PARAKH

News: A recent report submitted to the Education Ministry by PARAKH has recommended incorporating student performance from Classes 9, 10, and 11 into the final Class 12 marks.
Establishment: PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development) was established within NCERT in 2023.
Purpose: To standardize school board assessments across India.
Objectives:
- - Standardization: Set norms, standards, and guidelines for student assessment.
  - Implementation: Carry out activities related to student assessment as outlined by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Team Composition:
- - Experts: The PARAKH team comprises leading assessment experts with extensive knowledge of both Indian and international education systems.
Mandate:
- - Platform Integration: Work towards unifying school boards across States and Union Territories on a common platform.

Major Areas of Focus:
- - Capacity Development: Enhance skills in competency-based assessment.
  - Large-Scale Achievement Survey: Conduct surveys to assess large-scale student achievement.
  - Equivalence of School Boards: Ensure comparability between different school boards.
  - Holistic Progress Cards: Develop progress cards for different educational stages (Foundational, Preparational, Middle, and Secondary).
Key Recommendations from PARAKH
Assessment and Evaluation:
- - Final Class 12 Results: Will be based on a cumulative score with the following weightage: Class 9 (15%), Class 10 (20%), Class 11 (25%), and Class 12 (40%).
  - Credit-Based System: Introduce a system for assessments that includes online courses and holistic evaluations such as self-assessments, teacher feedback, and peer reviews.
  - Standardization of Exam Papers: Establish a trained cadre of teachers to ensure uniformity in exam question papers.
  - Question Bank and Exam Blueprints: Develop a question bank for Classes 9 and 11 and create blueprints for exam papers for Classes 10 and 12.
Administrative Improvements:
- - Affiliation Guidelines: Update and periodically review the guidelines for school affiliations, with affiliations valid for up to three years.
  - Recognition and Regulation: Empower boards to recognize schools and take action against those that are unrecognized.
  - Exam Security: Develop mechanisms to prevent cheating and ensure the secure handling of exam papers.
Curriculum and Infrastructure:
- - Digital Literacy: Integrate digital literacy, including coding and cybersecurity, into the curriculum, adhering to the National Curriculum Framework.
  - Essential Facilities: Ensure all schools have necessary facilities such as toilets, internet access, libraries, strongrooms for exam papers, and ramps or elevators.

Aldermen

News: The Supreme Court has said it may pronounce its verdict on a plea of the Delhi government challenging the lieutenant governor’s power to nominate aldermen to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.
Origin of Term:
- - The term “aldermen” comes from Old English “ealdorman,” meaning “old man,” referring to individuals with specialized expertise.
Delhi Municipal Corporation Act of 1957:
- - Allows the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi to nominate ten individuals to the corporation who are over the age of 25 and have specialized expertise or experience in municipal administration.
Voting Rights:
- - Aldermen cannot vote in the mayoral election.
Ward Committee Role:
- - Aldermen can vote to elect one representative for each of the 12 MCD zones to serve on a standing committee.

UPSC GS 3

Achanakmar Tiger Reserve

News: Rare black panther was recently sighted in Achanakmar tiger reserve.
Location: Bilaspur district, Chhattisgarh, India.
Establishment: Became a wildlife sanctuary in 1975 and was declared a tiger reserve in 2009.
Area: Covers 553.286 square kilometers.
Biosphere Reserve: Part of the Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve.
Ecological Significance:
- - Tiger Corridor: Connects to Kanha and Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserves, aiding in tiger dispersal among these reserves.
  - River: Maniyari River flows through the reserve, serving as the forest’s lifeline.
Tribes and Communities:
- - Inhabitants: Home to the Baigas, a “Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG)”.
  - Core Area: 626 hectares with 25 forest villages.
  - Demographics: About 75% of the population in the core area is Baiga tribe; the rest include Gond and Yadav communities.
Vegetation and Flora:
- - Type: Tropical moist deciduous forest.
  - Flora: Includes Sal, bija, saja, haldu, teak, tinsa, dhawara, lendia, khamar, and bamboo. Over 600 species of medicinal plants are found.
Fauna:
- - Mammals: Tiger, leopard, bison, flying squirrel, Indian giant squirrel, chinkara, wild dog, hyena, sambar, chital.
  - Birds: Over 150 species.

Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR)

News: Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) proposed new norms tightening LCR (Liquidity Coverage Ratio) may lead to a short-term slowdown in credit growth.
Definition:
- - The Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR) measures the proportion of highly liquid assets held by financial institutions to ensure they can meet their short-term obligations (cash outflows for 30 days).
Purpose: To ensure banks and financial institutions have sufficient capital to manage short-term liquidity disruptions.
Reason for 30-Day Period: The 30-day period was chosen because, during a financial crisis, government and central bank interventions typically take around 30 days.
Basel III and LCR
- - Origin: The LCR was introduced as part of the Basel III framework, developed by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS).
  - Implementation in India: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued Basel III liquidity guidelines in 2012 and implemented the LCR in January 2015.
Regulatory Requirements:
- - RBI Circular (2020): Banks are required to maintain sufficient High Quality Liquid Assets (HQLA) at all times to cover unexpected withdrawals.
Calculation of LCR:
- - Formula: LCR = (High Quality Liquid Assets (HQLA)) / (Total net cash outflows over the next 30 calendar days)
Definition of HQLA:
- - Assets that can be easily and instantly converted into cash with minimal or no cost, such as cash, reserves with central banks, and central government bonds.
HQLA in India:
- - Eligibility: In India, all Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) eligible assets, required by the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, can be considered HQLA under LCR requirements if held in excess. This helps in maintaining and optimizing liquidity requirements.

See: North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO): Origin and Mandate | UPSC

Humboldt Penguins

News: In eight years, Humboldt penguins at Mumbai Zoo have grown from eight to 18 in number.
Definition: The Humboldt penguin (Spheniscus humboldti) is a medium-sized penguin.
Temperature Range: Thrives in temperatures between 0 to 25°C.
Habitat: Found along the Pacific coast of Peru and Chile in South America.
Adaptations: Possess large, bare skin patches around their eyes for temperature regulation. This adaptation makes them popular in zoos, as they can thrive in warmer climates.

Conservation Status:
- - IUCN: Vulnerable (VU)
  - CITES: Appendix I
General Penguin Facts:
- - Species: There are 18 penguin species globally.
  - Cold-Adapted Species: Only 4 species require cold temperatures with snow and ice to survive.
  - Lifespan: They live approximately 18-20 years in captivity and 15-18 years in the wild.