Daily Current Affairs

March 21, 2025

Current Affairs

Is APAAR ID for Students Mandatory?

Context: APAAR is part of the National Education Policy 2020’s record-keeping reforms. While the registration is voluntary; activists and parents are worried about the rapid push by schools to generate an APAAR ID. 

Relevance of the topic:

Prelims: About APAAR ID.

Mains: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors, Important aspects of governance, transparency, and accountability

What is an APAAR ID ?

  • APAAR (Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry) system introduces a 12-digit unique ID for every student in India, as part of India’s One Nation, One Student ID initiative. 
  • Aim: To store and consolidate students academic records and accomplishments, facilitating seamless transitions between educational institutions. 
  • APAAR ID is linked to Aadhaar and is stored in the DigiLocker. The registry provides students with standardised data on their marksheets and institutional affiliation. 
  • APAAR is generated through the Unified District Information System For Education Plus (UDISE+) portal, which contains regional academic statistics and data on schools, teachers and students. 
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Benefits of APAAR ID ?

  • Unified academic identity: A single platform to consolidate and showcase academic records.
  • Streamlining student records: Simplifying record-keeping for students, parents, and educators.
  • Digital repository: Securely storing academic data and achievements.
  • Seamless academic mobility: Facilitating smooth transitions between educational levels. Educational institutes can rapidly process and verify any given student’s academic transcripts. 

How is an APAAR ID generated?

  • Schools verify a student’s demographic details, i.e., their name and date of birth. 
  • Parents are required to fill a consent form, and after authentication by the school, the APAAR ID is generated. 

Is APAAR mandatory ?

  • APAAR is voluntary. Parents have the option of writing to schools and opting out of generating the APAAR ID for their children. 
  • The Union government re-confirmed the optional nature of APAAR in response to a Parliament query in December 2022. 

However, there are reports of state governments, particularly in Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka, exerting pressure on schools to achieve full enrollment. 

Criticism and Concerns:

  • Privacy and data security: APAAR is linked to Aadhaar, raising concerns regarding potential risk of data leaks and misuse. 
  • No strong legal framework and policy documents for the APAAR ID system governing data collection, use, storage, and disclosure, particularly of children's (minors) data.
  • No transparency over data handling practices, such as how data is collected, used, stored, and shared, and who accesses it. E.g., Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) filed an RTI but the request was transferred more than 30 times, without a reply. 
  • Discrepancies between Aadhaar and school documents, including typos, may lead to processing delay and administrative burden. 

Cabinet approves ₹1,500 Crore UPI Incentive Scheme 

Context: The Union Cabinet has approved the ‘Incentive Scheme for promotion of low-value BHIM-UPI transactions Person to Merchant’ (payments of less than ₹2,000) for FY 2024-25, with an outlay of around ₹1,500 crore. 

Relevance of the Topic :Prelims : UPI Incentive Scheme.

Key Highlights of the UPI Incentive Scheme: 

  • Estimated expenditure of ₹1,500 crore during the financial year 2024-25. 
  • Incentive Structure:
    • Banks will get a 0.15% incentive on UPI transactions of less than ₹2,000.
    • 80% of the admitted claim amount will be paid to banks without any restriction every quarter.
    • The remaining 20% will depend on achieving certain performance metrics:
      • Technical decline rate should be below 0.75%.
      • System uptime should be more than 99.5%.
  • Target Group: specifically aimed at small traders, who can accept UPI payments at no additional charge. UPI transactions under the scheme remain free of cost for merchants. 
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Objectives: 

  • Promotion of indigenous BHIM-UPI platform. Achieving total transaction value of ₹20,000 crore via UPI for FY 2024-25. 
  • Penetration of UPI in tier 3 to 6 cities, especially in rural & remote areas by promoting innovative products such as: UPI 123PAY & offline (UPI Lite/UPI LiteX) payment solutions.
  • Building a robust and secure digital payment infrastructure with minimal technical declines.

Benefits of the Scheme:

  • Common citizens will benefit from seamless payment facilities with no additional charges.
  • Enable small merchants to avail of UPI services at no additional cost. As small merchants are price-sensitive, incentives would encourage them to accept UPI payment.
  • Supports the government's vision of a less-cash economy through formalising and accounting the transaction in digital form.
  • Efficiency gain- 20% incentive is contingent upon banks maintaining high system uptime and low technical decline. This will ensure round-the-clock availability of payment services to citizens.

Hence, the scheme is a judicious balance of both the growth of UPI transactions and the minimum financial burden on the Government exchequer.

UN Convention Against Torture

Context: Recently, the UK High Court has denied Indian government’s plea for extradition of Sanjay Bhandari, on the grounds of threat of custodial torture in India, as India is not a signatory of the UN Convention Against Torture (UNCAT).

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: UN Convention Against Torture 

About UN Convention Against Torture

  • UNCAT is an international treaty aimed at prevention of torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment to detainees, suspects, and individuals in state custody.
  • The UN General Assembly adopted the convention in December 1984 and currently 173 States are parties to it. India signed it in 1997, but is yet to ratify it.
  • It defines torture as any act that intentionally inflicts severe degree of pain, both physically and mentally (like threats against family or loved ones) to extract information. 
  • Torture includes a variety of methods, including severe beating, electric shock, sexual abuse, rape, prolonged solitary confinement and deprivation of sleep, food or water. 

India and UNCAT

  • Early Initiatives: India played a key role in the UN General Assembly's Unilateral Declaration against Torture, and has also ratified other human rights instruments, including:
    • The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)
    • The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1976)
  • Non-Ratification: Despite these commitments, India has refrained from ratifying the UNCAT, placing it alongside non-ratifying nations such as Angola, Brunei, and Sudan.

India’s reasons for Non-ratification: 

  • Operational needs: Convention might hinder the operational needs of security forces in Kashmir and North East region of India.
  • Fear of external scrutiny: Ratifying UNCAT would subject India to international review mechanisms, which the government views as an infringement on domestic legal processes. 

India argues that provisions of BNS (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita) and BNSS (Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), provide sufficient safeguards against torture.

India’s Constitutional Mandate in this Context:

  • Articles 51(c) & Article 253: It mandates respect for international treaties.
  • Supreme Court precedents: In cases like D.K. Basu (1997), Puttaswamy (2017), and Romila Thapar (2018) it has been affirmed that custodial torture violates the right to dignity and privacy under Article 21.

Institutional Recommendations in this context:

  • Rajya Sabha Select Committee (2010): Recommended a standalone anti-torture law.
  • Law Commission’s 273rd Report (2017): Proposed a draft anti-torture bill.
  • National Human Rights Commission: Has consistently advocated for legal reforms to outlaw torture.
  • Supreme Court: In Tehseen Poonawalla (2018) and Sharaya Bano (2017) case, it emphasised the need for legislative action in this context.

International Obligations

  • Failure to act contradicts India’s democratic values: A democratic state failing to address torture undermines its moral standing and weakens its soft power.
  • Erodes global perception: India aspires to be a moral leader in global politics; continued inaction on torture legislation tarnishes this image.
  • Guantanamo bay: State-sanctioned torture damages democratic credibility and weakens international influence.

India’s reluctance to enact a comprehensive anti-torture law and ratify the UNCAT weakens its legal framework and diplomatic standing. The need of the hour is for India to uphold its constitutional and international commitments and bring its own anti torture legislation.

U.S., U.K. replace Gulf as top source of Remittance to India

Context: Reserve Bank of India (RBI), recently, released the insights about remittances received by India in the fiscal year 2023-2024. 

Relevance of the Topic:Prelims: Key Trends: Remittances to India

What are Remittances?

  • Remittances are transfers in the form of money or goods that migrants send back to their families and friends in their home countries. 
  • Remittance forms a part of the transfer payment category in the current account of the Balance of Payments (BoP) records in an economy.
    • BoP is the transactions in goods, services and assets between residents of a country with the rest of the world for a specified time period typically a year. 
    • Transfer payments are the receipts which the residents of a country get for ‘free’, without having to provide any goods or services in return. They consist of gifts, remittances and grants. They could be given by the government or by private citizens living abroad.
  • Significance: Remittances increase household disposable incomes, lead to poverty reduction, increase investment in human capital, crucial source of foreign currency, help stabilise the balance of payments in recipient countries.
Remittances

Remittances to India- Key Trends reflected by RBI’s Report: 

  • The largest share of remittances into India in 2023-24 came from the:
    • United States (27.7%)
    • United Arab Emirates (19.2%)
  • The US, the UK, Singapore, Canada and Australia together accounted for more than 50% of remittances in 2023-24. 
  • Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations- UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain- held 37.9% of India’s remittances in 2023-24. This is a reduction from 46.7% share in 2016-17.
  • Dominant recipients of remittances: Maharashtra, followed by Kerala and Tamil Nadu.  

Reasons behind the Trends:

  • UAE is the largest hub for Indian migrant workers engaged primarily in blue-collar jobs, which are dominated by the construction industry followed by healthcare, hospitality, and tourism. 
  • In the US, Indian migrants are mainly employed in white-collar jobs (such as management, business, science, and arts), thus explaining the higher remittances received from the US despite the lower number of migrants.

World Bank data on Remittances: 

  • As per the World Bank data, India’s share in world remittances has risen from around 11% in 2001 to about 14% in 2024. 
  • In 2024, India received an estimated $129 billion worth of remittances, the highest ever for a country in any year. 
  • Remittances to India are projected to increase to around US$ 160 billion in 2029. 

Revised Rashtriya Gokul Mission

Context: The Union Cabinet has approved the Revised Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM) to boost growth in the livestock sector. 

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Revised Rashtriya Gokul Mission. 

Revised Rashtriya Gokul Mission

  • The revised mission will be implemented as a Central Sector scheme with an additional outlay of ₹1,000 crore.
  • Total allocation (FY22-26): ₹3,400 crore.
  • Key Components:
    • Heifer Rearing Centres: One-time assistance of 35% of capital cost for setting up 30 housing facilities for 15,000 heifers.
    • Support for High Genetic Merit (HGM) Heifers: 3% interest subvention on loans taken by farmers to purchase HGM IVF heifers from milk unions/ financial institutions.
image 84

Rashtriya Gokul Mission

  • The Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM) is being implemented for development and conservation of indigenous bovine breeds and enhancing milk production.
  • Launched in 2014 under the National Programme for Bovine Breeding and Dairy Development.
  • Ongoing Activities under RGM:
    • Strengthening semen stations and artificial insemination (AI) networks
    • Bull production and accelerated breed improvement programs
    • Skill development and farmer awareness initiatives
    • Establishing Centres of Excellence while reinforcing Central Cattle Breeding Farms. 
  • Key Components:
    • Gokul Grams: Indigenous cattle development centres.
    • National Kamdhenu Breeding Centres: Two centres set up (one in North & South each). Act as gene banks for high-quality indigenous bovine breeds.
    • E-Pashu Haat Portal: Online platform to trade indigenous breeds and semen. 
  • Type of Funding: 100% grant by Central Government, with few exceptions.
  • Implementing Agency: National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and State Livestock Development Boards. 
  • Initiative of: Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying

Achievements under RGM

  • Increased production and productivity in dairy sector:
    • India is the world's largest producer of milk. Milk production has increased by 63% over the past decade. 
    • Availability of milk per capita has risen to 471 grams per day in 2023-24, from 307 grams per day in 2013-14.
    • Milk productivity has also improved by 26% in the last ten years.
  • Nationwide Artificial Insemination Programme (NAIP) under RGM provides free artificial insemination at farmers’ doorsteps in 605 districts across the country.
  • Setting up in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) labs to develop high-genetic merit calves.
  • Development of Gau Chip and Mahish Chip: genomic chips for indigenous bovines, created by NDDB and National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR).  
  • Development of Gau Sort: indigenously developed sex-sorted semen production technology (increases probability of female calf birth). 

Genetically Modified (GM) Rubber

Context: Rubber farmers, under the aegis of NCRFRPS (National Consortium of Regional Federations of Rubber Producers Societies), have urged the Centre to allow the cultivation of GM rubber plants. 

The Central government has stated that the introduction of GM rubber plants is only possible after the State concerned gives permission to initiate confined field trials. 

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key facts about GM crops; GM Rubber; Regulations related to GM crops.

What are GM crops?

  • Genetically Modified (GM) crops are plants that have had their DNA modified (altered) through genetic engineering.
    • It involves inserting new DNA into the genome of a plant. 
    • The seeds produced by these plants will inherit the new DNA.
  • E.g., BT cotton is a genetically modified variety of cotton that contains genes from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis. 
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Benefits of GM crops:

  • Genetic modification is done to transfer a particular trait to the plant in order to:
    • Increased the yield of a crop
    • Increased nutritional content of a crop
    • Developing resistance to:
      • Abiotic stresses like temperature, salinity or herbicide-resistant
      • Biotic stresses like insect-resistant crops.

Regulations related to GM crops: 

  • Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and their products are regulated under the “Rules for the Manufacture, Use, Import, Export and Storage of Hazardous Microorganisms/ Genetically Engineered Organisms or Cells, 1989.”
  • The rules are notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. These rules regulate the use, research, and commercialisation of GMOs, especially for environmental and biosafety concerns. 
  • The commercial cultivation and the field trials of GM crops require clearance from the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. 
  • After the GEAC clearance, the state governments have the power to approve (or reject) the field trains of particular GM crops in their respective states.

Status of GM crops in India:  

  • BT cotton is the only GM crop that is commercially allowed for cultivation in India from 2002. 
  • Field trials of GM Mustard (DMH-11) were approved by GEAC in 2022, but its commercial release is still pending. 

Genetically Modified (GM) Rubber:

  • The world's first GM rubber plant was planted in Assam in 2021. 
  • Developed at: Kerala-based Rubber Research Institute of India 
  • GM rubber has additional copies of the gene MnSOD (manganese-containing superoxide dismutase) inserted in the plant. The MnSOD gene is derived from the rubber plant itself.
    • Natural rubber is a native of warm humid Amazon forests, and is not naturally suited for the colder conditions in the Northeast.
    • This particular variety of GM Rubber is developed exclusively for the northeast to survive the severe cold conditions during winter.
    • The GM rubber plants overexpressed the MnSOD gene as expected, and thus offer protection to young saplings. 
  • There is no risk of genes flowing from the GM rubber into any other native species. 
  • After the approval from the state governments, the confined field trials of GM rubber plants were initiated in Assam in 2021, and Tripura in 2024.

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