Set up in 2014 by the Government of India as a premier think tank opened its door to bright young minds and launched its first internship programme.
It engages Indian students pursuing postgraduate degrees or in the final year of law and engineering graduate programmes or research scholars enrolled in recognized universities/ institutions within India or abroad, as interns.
The internship programme aims to provide young and brilliant minds to carry out research, critical study, documentation and dissemination of best practices to develop a national repository, and establish a platform for wider dissemination.
This will also provide opportunities for these young students to learn as well as contribute to public policy.
The Internship is for a minimum of 8 weeks and a maximum of 6 months duration.
Interns are to be paid Rs. ten thousand per month as an honorarium.
NCGG Internship Programme attracted huge interest and over 1,700 applications were received for the June 2023 batch.
From these applications, after scrutiny and interactions, 22 candidates have been selected based on their academic and extracurricular achievements and passion for public policy, governance, and related domains.
They represent a wide range of disciplines, including law, development studies, public health, economics, geography, political science, and more.
They have pursued their education at reputed institutions such as Harvard Law School, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Indian School of Public Policy, and National Law Universities, among others.
The NCGG Internship Programme is a short-term engagement that offers a unique blend of public policy-making and practical experiences.
One of the key objectives of the programme is to foster a collaborative environment where interns can work on innovative ideas and perspectives on policies in their respective domains.
Context: Recently the medical journal Lancet launched its study on Diabetes and Endocrinology that reveals that more than a tenth of the people in the country have diabetes, 35 per cent have hypertension and 28 per cent have high cholesterol levels.
What is a lifestyle disorder?
Lifestyle diseases can be defined as diseases linked to one's lifestyle. These diseases are non-communicable diseases.
Causes of Lifestyle Disorder
They are caused by lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating, alcohol, substance use disorders and smoking tobacco, which can lead to heart disease, stroke, obesity, type II diabetes and lung cancer.
These studies have pointed out that lifestyle-related disease is aggravated by poor awareness, especially in rural areas.
Who is more affected by Lifestyle disorders?
Several studies have shown that close to 20 per cent of diabetics in the country are below the age of 45 and nearly 45 per cent of the people with the disease are not senior citizens.
The burden of these disorders is higher in urban areas. But people in rural centres are increasingly becoming vulnerable to metabolic diseases, especially diabetes.
There is, for instance, almost no rural-urban divide when it comes to pre-diabetes — more than 60 per cent of pre-diabetic people in India end up having the disease.
The study’s warning that the country’s already serious diabetes burden could take a turn for the worst in the next five years should be taken seriously by the country’s healthcare sector.
Consequences of lifestyle disorder
In 2005, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that 61 per cent of all deaths -35 million and 49 per cent of the global burden of disease were attributable to chronic diseases.
By 2030, the proportion of total global deaths due to chronic diseases is expected to increase to 70 per cent and the global burden of disease to 56 per cent.
The Havard School of public health estimated that NCDs are responsible for a loss of 6.2 trillion US dollars between the period 2012-30.
Context: The findings of the National Family Health Survey-5 (2019-21) show that 59.1% of adolescent girls were anaemic. The NFHS-4 numbers also reported over 41.9% of school-going girls as underweight, numbers showcase a worrying trend.
Health of adolescent girls
Adolescence is the phase of life between childhood and adulthood, from ages 10 to 19.
It is a pivotal period of rapid physical, cognitive and psychosocial growth. This affects how they feel, think, make decisions, and interact with the world around them.
It is a significant indicator of women’s labour force participation in India in the long term, as better nutrition improves every young girl’s prospect to participate in productive activities
Adolescent girls are particularly vulnerable to undernutrition and anaemia due to the onset of menstruation.
Growth retardation is one of the most important health concerns for adolescents.
Recommended dietary allowances of nutrients for adolescents in India:
Reason for nutritional deficiencies in adolescent girls
Gender Discrimination: Environmental conditions to cultural norms that lack a gender-neutral environment within a household, affect the nutrition uptake in adolescent girls.
Poverty: Families with limited financial resources may struggle to provide an adequate diet for all family members, and girls may be disproportionately affected.
Limited Access to Healthcare: Lack of access to quality healthcare services, including prenatal care and postnatal support, can contribute to nutritional deficiencies in girls. Malnourished mothers are more likely to give birth to undernourished babies, perpetuating the cycle of malnutrition.
Early Marriage and Pregnancy: In some parts of India, girls are married off at a young age, which can lead to early pregnancies. Adolescent girls who become mothers before their bodies are fully developed are at a higher risk of malnutrition, as their bodies may not be able to adequately support both their own growth and the growth of their infants.
Social and Cultural Factors: Traditional beliefs and practices, such as restrictions on food intake for girls and women, can further exacerbate nutritional deficiencies. For example, the practice of excluding certain foods from women's diets during menstruation may result in inadequate nutrient intake.
Lack of Nutritional Knowledge: Lack of education and information about balanced diets, food preparation, and utilization of available resources can hinder the improvement of nutritional status. For example, bad cooking habits like over boiling vegetables and straining water, removing the husk from wheat, eating polished rice and straining rice water, etc.
Hookworm infestation: It is a parasitic infection and resides in the small intestine. It can cause significant nutritional deficiencies. They attach to the intestinal lining and consume blood, leading to chronic blood loss and iron deficiency anaemia. This can impair the body's ability to absorb nutrients, resulting in malnutrition and stunted growth, particularly in children.
Consequences of nutritional deficiencies in adolescent girls
Malnutrition: It can lead to stunted growth, weakened immune system, increased susceptibility to infections, and higher mortality rates.
Impaired Cognitive Development: Essential nutrients like iron, iodine, vitamin A, and zinc, can impair cognitive development and lead to learning disabilities, reduced attention span, and decreased intellectual capabilities. This can have long-term effects on educational attainment and economic productivity.
Increased Disease Burden: Nutritional deficiencies weaken the immune system and make adolescents more vulnerable to various diseases and infections. For example, vitamin A deficiency increases the risk of blindness and susceptibility to infectious diseases like measles. Iron deficiency can lead to anaemia.
Reproductive Health Problems: Nutrient deficiencies, particularly of iron and folate, can increase the risk of menstrual irregularities, and heavy or prolonged periods, and even affect fertility in the long term.
Economic Implications: Undernourished adolescent girls are also at a higher risk of chronic diseases and pregnancy complications, which can lead to a higher healthcare burden on both families and communities, potentially leading to financial instability and increased poverty.
Government initiatives to address nutritional deficiencies
Scheme for Adolescent Girls (SAG): This scheme is for adolescent girls of the age group 11-14 years to facilitate, educate and empower Adolescent Girls and to break the intergenerational life cycle of nutritional and gender disadvantage.
Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK): For adolescent participation and leadership, equity and inclusion, gender equity, and strategic partnerships with other sectors and stakeholders. The programme envisions enabling all adolescents in India to realise their full potential by making informed and responsible decisions related to their health and well-being.
Targeted and regionally contextualised Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) efforts around adolescent girls’ nutrition are sure to generate greater demand and the adoption of good practices of foods.
Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS): The ICDS is a centrally sponsored scheme that aims to provide a package of services, including supplementary nutrition, immunization, health check-ups, and referral services, to pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children up to 6 years of age. Adolescent girls are also included in the program to ensure adequate nutrition during this critical stage.
National Nutritional Anaemia Prophylaxis Program (NNAPP): This program focuses on preventing and controlling iron-deficiency anemia among vulnerable groups, including adolescent girls. It provides weekly iron and folic acid supplementation to girls aged 10-19 years, along with health and nutrition education.
National Deworming Day: The National Deworming Day on February 10 is an initiative aimed at deworming all children and adolescents in the country to prevent worm infestation and improve overall health. Adolescent girls are an important target group for this program.
Way forward
Routine training of health workers for effective implementation and monitoring of various schemes.
Implement comprehensive nutrition education programs in schools and communities that specifically target adolescent girls. Teach them about balanced diets, essential nutrients, and healthy eating habits. This can be integrated into the school curriculum or delivered through community health workers.
Nutritious school meals: Enhance the quality of mid-day meals provided in schools to ensure they meet the nutritional needs of adolescent girls. Include a variety of nutrient-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, pulses, and whole grains.
Conduct nutrition-focused workshops, cooking demonstrations, and awareness campaigns to empower families and communities to make informed choices regarding their nutrition.
Focus on addressing gender disparities that affect nutrition, such as unequal access to food, resources, and education.
Regular data collection and analysis can help track progress, identify gaps, and inform evidence-based decision-making for future interventions.
Investing in girls’ nutrition is not only a moral obligation of the state but also an economic one, with potential returns in the form of greater and more sustainable economic growth of the nation. The strength of a nation is measured by its ability to nurture its future generations. There is a need for effective convergence and collaboration among all the relevant departments, to sow the seeds of a healthier, stronger India, where every girl can reach her full potential.
Context: Recently WHO said that piped potable water across India will avert 4,00,000 diarrhoea deaths.
Status of Water Accessibility in India
As per UNICEF two-thirds of India’s 718 districts are affected by extreme water depletion.
One of the challenges is the fast rate of groundwater depletion in India, which is known as the world’s highest user of this source due to the proliferation of drilling over the past few decades.
Groundwater from over 30 million access points supplies 85 per cent of drinking water in rural areas and 48 per cent of water requirements in urban areas.
Close to 54 per cent of rural women – as well as some adolescent girls - spend an estimated 35 minutes getting water every day, equivalent to the loss of 27 days’ wages over a year.
Less than 49 per cent of the rural population is using safely managed drinking water (improved water supply located on-premises, available when needed and free of contamination)
Impacts of Potable Water Accessibility
It will help in reducing the number of deaths associated with water accessibility like diarrhoea etc.
This would avoid 14 million DALYs (Disability Adjusted Life Years) from diarrhoea, save close to $101 billion and 66.6 million hours every day of time that would otherwise have been spent — predominantly by women — collecting water.
A DALY represents the loss of the equivalent of one year of full health and is a way to account for the years of life lost due to premature mortality (YLLs) and the years lived with a disability (YLDs), due to prevalent cases of a disease or a health condition, in a population.
It is estimated that waterborne diseases have an economic burden of approximately USD 600 million a year in India.
School attendance in India decreases when children are required to spend hours collecting water. A 22 per cent increase in school dropout rates has been reported in drought-affected states.
Steps Taken for Potable Water Accessibility
In 2019, the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (MDWS) was restructured and the Ministry of Jal Shakti (meaning “power of water”), was bifurcated into two key departments – the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, and the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
In August 2019, the union Government launched the Jal Jeevan (Water for Life) Mission.
The Centre says it will achieve 100% coverage under the Jal Jeevan Mission by 2024;
So far five States, including Gujarat, Telangana, Haryana and Punjab, have reported full coverage.
Grassroots-level support is being prioritized, and communities play a pivotal role in the planning, implementation, operation and maintenance of their schemes.
Around 11,000 Implement Support Agencies (ISAs, mainly NGOs) are being trained to support the implementation of the JJM, covering aspects such as
community empowerment and engagement,
water quality testing and surveillance,
utility operation, water safety and security planning,
source sustainability measures,
such as recharge and reuse through grey water management,
Context: Recently Union Health Ministry announced that the National Exit Test (NExT) will be held in 2024.
About National Exit Test
NExt will replace the final-year MBBS examination and the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Postgraduate (NEET-PG), acting as the test for registration for doctors and admission to medical postgraduate courses.
All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, was likely to conduct the exam, which will test the clinical and practical learning of the students.
Medical education in India
The National Medical Commission (NMC) has been constituted by an act of Parliament known as the National Medical Commission Act, 2019 to regulate medical education in India.
The objective of NMC includes to:
Improve access to quality and affordable medical education,
Ensure the availability of adequate and high-quality medical professionals in all parts of the country;
Promote equitable and universal healthcare that encourages community health perspective and makes services of medical professionals access to all the citizens;
Encourages medical professionals to adopt the latest medical research in their work and to contribute to research;
Objectively assess medical institutions periodically in a transparent manner;
Maintain a medical register for India;
Enforce high ethical standards in all aspects of medical services;
lay down policies for maintaining high quality and high standards in medical education and make necessary regulations on this behalf;
lay down policies for regulating medical institutions, medical researchers and medical professionals and make necessary regulations on this behalf;
assess the requirements in healthcare, including human resources for health and healthcare infrastructure and develop a road map for meeting such requirements;
promote, co-ordinate and frame guidelines and lay down policies by making necessary regulations for the proper functioning of the Commission, the Autonomous Boards and the State Medical Councils;
ensure coordination among the Autonomous Boards;
take such measures, as may be necessary, to ensure compliance by the State Medical Councils of the guidelines framed and regulations made under this Act for their effective functioning under this Act;
exercise appellate jurisdiction with respect to the decisions of the Autonomous Boards;
lay down policies and codes to ensure observance of professional ethics in the medical profession and to promote ethical conduct during the provision of care by medical practitioners;
frame guidelines for the determination of fees and all other charges in respect of fifty per cent. of seats in private medical institutions and deemed to be universities that are governed under the provisions of this Act;
exercise such other powers and perform such other functions as may be prescribed.
Members of NMC
The Commission shall consist of the following persons to be appointed by the Central Government, namely:—
a Chairperson;
ten ex officio Members; and
twenty-two part-time Members.
Structure of NMC
Each Board referred to in the sub-section shall be an autonomous body that shall carry out its functions under this Act subject to the regulations made by the Commission.
Each Autonomous Board shall consist of a President, two whole-time Members, and two part-time Members.
National Examination
There shall be a uniform National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for admission to the undergraduate and postgraduate super-speciality medical education in all medical institutions which are governed by the provisions of the NMC Act 2019.
The Commission shall specify by regulations the manner of conducting common counselling by the designated authority for admission to undergraduate and postgraduate super-speciality seats in all the medical institutions.
A typical final year undergraduate medical examination, known as the National Exit Test shall be held for granting a licence to practice medicine as a medical practitioner and for enrolment in the State Register or the National Register.
Any person with a foreign medical qualification shall have to qualify National Exit Test for the purpose of obtaining a licence to practice medicine as a medical practitioner and for enrolment in the State Register or the National Register.
The National Exit Test shall be the basis for admission to the postgraduate broad-speciality medical education in medical institutions.
Context:In an attempt to foster greater cooperation and understanding, US and China have shown signs of willingness to engage in diplomatic dialogue.
Outreach efforts by US
Recently the Director of CIA made a visit to China in order to stabilize the relationship and prevent a possibility of open conflict.
US National Security Advisor visited China in May 2023, to maintain channels of communication and ‘manage competition’.
At G7 meeting in Hiroshima, President Biden emphasizes that US is not looking to decouple from China but to de-risk and diversify its relations.
Instances of Conflict between US China
Antony Blinken called off a visit in February 2023 to China after Chinese high-altitude balloon appeared above US.
China is suspicious that QUAD is a mechanism to contain it in Indo Pacific.
The visit of Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan in August 2022, further strained the relations between US and China.
Chinese side publicly stated that US led West wants to contain and suppress China.
US and China moving towards a detente
It will help in reducing tensions and pave the way for cooperation between them.
It is acknowledged that they possess the most formidable capacities globally and should commit to shape their policies in a manner that minimizes the likelihood of military confrontation with them.
India’s position in US China Dynamics
US and India have grown closer over a shared perception of China’s rise.
US sees India as a major partner in its endeavour to build a regional coalition against China.
Roadmap for India
India must develop a strategic approach to balance China by collaborating with the United States and other countries that share concerns regarding China, all while maintaining its own autonomy. It is crucial to clearly define the boundaries of this strategic alignment, determine India's willingness to engage, and effectively manage expectations on both sides.
Context:The United States and Britain have announced a new strategic pact as their leaders rededicated the “special relationship” to counter Russia, China and economic instability.The leaders (Joe Biden and Rishi Sunak) further concluded that the UK-US relationship was an "indispensable alliance". The leaders acknowledged the importance of the partnership as the U.S.-UK bilateral investment relationship is the largest in the world, with over $1.5 trillion in stock supporting more than 2.7 million jobs in both countries. There was also discussion on current geopolitical crisis and challenges to international stability from authoritarian states such as Russia and the People’s Republic of China; disruptive technologies; non-state actors; and transnational challenges like climate change.
Recent Developments - Atlantic Declaration
An “Atlantic Declaration” was adopted by the leaders aims to boost industry ties on defence and renewable energy, in the face of growing competition from China. This is seen in furtherance of the Atlantic charter that was signed in 1941. The Atlantic Declaration, includes commitments on easing trade barriers, closer defence industry ties and a data protection deal and steps up co-operation on AI.
The Atlantic Declaration sets a new standard for economic cooperation, propelling our economies into the future so we can protect our people, create jobs and grow our economies together
Expansion of subsidies: The Atlantic Declaration includes plans to mitigate some of the impact of US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) on the UK economy, with proposals to remove barriers which affected trade in electric vehicle batteries.
Under current policy, the IRA provides tax credit worth $3,750 (£3,000) for each electric vehicle (EV) manufactured in the US, or which use components mined, processed or manufactured in the country. The UK is already a net exporter of raw materials for EV batteries to the US. But nations without a US trade deal are barred from accessing IRA subsidies
Critical mineral Partnership: The Atlantic Declaration commits the UK and US to working on a new critical minerals agreement which would give buyers of vehicles made using critical minerals processed, recycled or mined by UK companies access to tax credits.
Data partnership: The declaration also includes a commitment to a "new UK-US Data Bridge" which would allow UK firms to transfer data freely to certified US organisations without paying a levy. Experts have estimated the change will affect around 55,000 UK businesses and translate close to £100m in direct savings per year.
Emerging Technologies: The leaders recognized the greatest transformations in global economy since the Industrial Revolution with the concrete materialization of AI (Artificial Intelligence).United states also supported UK’s plan to set up an international summit on AI safety.
Focus on Euro-Atlantic and Indo-pacific: The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to deepen unrivalled defence, security, and intelligence relationship across every theatre in the globe and recognized the indivisibility of security in the Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific and other regions.
Indo-Pacific dialogue: Through the U.S.-UK Indo-Pacific Dialogue leaders agreed to continue find new opportunities to coordinate our approaches, to support ASEAN and ASEAN centrality, to partner with the Pacific Islands, to coordinate on economic and technological advancement, and to contribute to regional peace and stability.
Reaffirming faith in NATO: The leaders agreed to continuing strengthen NATO’s ability to deter further attempts to undermine Alliance security, in support of NATO’s new Strategic Concept.
Context: Recently Meta and the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD), launched the Amrit Generation campaign.
About the Amrit Generation campaign
It is an initiative to empower and engage the youth of India by encouraging them to express their aspirations and dreams for the future.
The Amrit Generation campaign invites young people from across the country to showcase their creativity and share their aspirations by creating Reels on Instagram and Facebook, Participants are encouraged to explore their ambitions and what they aspire to become when they grow up, fostering a sense of community and inspiring others in the process.
To participate in the Amrit Generation campaign, the participants simply need to create a reel on Instagram or Facebook showcasing their aspirations using the hashtag (#) Amrit Generation (duration of the reel needs to be specified).
The campaign begins on 8th June 2023, Further details, including eligibility criteria and submission guidelines, can be found on the Facebook GPA Page and social media handles of the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India.
Fifty entries from the campaign will be selected and invited to New Delhi for a unique opportunity to interact with senior policymakers and industry leaders, providing valuable insights into their respective fields and offering guidance on how to achieve their dreams.
The selected young Indians will also get an opportunity to visit the Meta office in Gurugram and learn from industry leaders and creators on leveraging the potential of a creator economy.
About Meta
Meta builds technologies that help people connect, find communities, and grow businesses.
When Facebook launched in 2004, it changed the way people connect.
Apps like Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp further empowered billions around the world.
Now, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality to help build the next evolution in social technology.
Context: The Government of India recently decided to allow 2000 Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) to open Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Kendras across the country. 1000 Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Kendras will be opened by August and 1000 by December, this year.
About Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS)
The Primary Agricultural Cooperative credit societies (PACS) constitute the lowest tier of the three-tier Short-term cooperative credit (STCC) in the country.
Importance of PACS
PACS account for 41 % (3.01 Cr. farmers) of the KCC loans given by all entities in the Country and 95 % of these KCC loans (2.95 Cr. farmers) through PACS are to the Small and Marginal farmers.
About Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Kendras
These are the outlets where anyone can buy generic medicine at very low prices.
The Scheme is implemented by a society registered under the Societies Registration Act, viz., Pharma & Medical Bureau of India (PMBI).
The product basket of PMBJP comprises 1800 drugs and 285 surgical items.
Obejctives of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Kendras
Ensure access to quality medicines for all sections of the population especially the poor and the deprived ones.
Create awareness about generic medicines through education and publicity to counter the perception that quality is synonymous with high prices only.
Generate employment by engaging individual entrepreneurs in the opening of PMBJP Kendra.
Context: Recently Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has reported that 508 districts in the country are free of manual scavenging.
What is manual scavenging?
Manual scavenging is the practice of removing human excreta by hand from sewers or septic tanks.
In 2013, the definition of manual scavengers was also broadened to include people employed to clean septic tanks, ditches, or railway tracks.
Why is manual scavenging still prevalent in India?
The lack of enforcement of the Act
The exploitation of unskilled labourers.
Caste-based occupation and discrimination.
Consequences of Manual Scavenging
Many people lose their lives while cleaning septic tanks every year for example, On May 11, 2019, three men in their 20s were killed after they inhaled toxic fumes while cleaning a septic tank at a housing society in Thane.
People engaged in manual scavenging are illiterate and they lose the chance to get any other meaningful skill.
When young people died, their families become more vulnerable to economic and social discrimination.
Family of manual scavengers get trapped in the vicious cycle of poverty and social discrimination.
Steps were taken to eliminate manual scavenging
India banned the practice under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 (PEMSR).
The Act bans the use of any individual for manually cleaning, carrying, disposing of or otherwise handling in any manner, human excreta till its disposal.
The Act recognizes manual scavenging as a “dehumanizing practice,” and cites a need to “correct the historical injustice and indignity suffered by the manual scavengers.”
A campaign has been launched by Ministry to machine sewers and septic tanks in 243 cities.
A helpline was created under the same campaign to register complaints if manual scavenging is reported.
Concerns over implementation
The biggest issue is, the government has not yet identified the people involved in manual scavenging.
There is no mechanism to decide who will receive the machines, who will monitor them and who will be held accountable for the implementation.
Lack of adequate mechanics of rehabilitation of manual scavengers.
Caste-based discrimination prevents them from entering other occupations.
Due to p[oerverty and illiteracy they are not in a position to get skill training.
Way forward
Improve literacy rate and quality of education at grass root level in government schools because the lower caste people don’t have the resources to afford private education.
Provide meaningful employment at the local level so that their bargaining power can be improved.
Strict action should be taken against those who violate the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 (PEMSR).
The mechanisation of cleaning of sewer and septic tanks in mission mode.
Context:As Prime Minister Narendra Modi heads to Washington for a state visit in two weeks, the unfolding geopolitical churn in Asia triggered by China’s rise will form a critical background to his talks with US President Joe Biden. In two and a half years, US has made significant strategic gains and reversed the dominant perception that China’s domination of Asia is inevitable and America’s retreat is irreversible.
Recent Development
The annual Shangri-La Dialogue, which concluded its 20th edition in Singapore witnessed the discussion on changes to capture the shifting strategic trends in Asia.
The dialogue highlighted the deepening tensions between the US and China. There was an understanding to mobilise a broad-based coalition to balance China, the United States is seeking to resume high-level talks between the two sides and focus on confidence-building measures to prevent the tensions from escalating into a hot war.
The US has drawn in its closest partners — the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada – into the grand regional coalition. Acting on the same lines Australia has outlined its strategy of engagement with China while standing up to Beijing’s military bullying.
United States has elevated the Quad to the summit level.
It has also unveiled the AUKUS high-tech alliance with the UK and Australia.
It has launched trilateral coordination with South Korea and Japan.
It also unveiled a “local quad” along with Australia, Japan, and the Philippines to counter the Chinese military pressures against Manila.
The US has been encouraging Japan to raise its military capabilities, modernising the military alliance with South Korea
US is also revitalising its frayed military partnership with Manila and enhancing security cooperation with Indonesia.
Further, NATO is now raising its game in Asia. For example, Japan has taken the lead in drawing Europe into Asian security and South Korea is ready to join hands. On the other hand, Australia and New Zealand now participate in NATO deliberations,
There is also a push for building a stronger strategic partnership with India, which has been a high priority for the US administration, and for the same a “road map” for a significant elevation of bilateral defence cooperation, including technology transfers and joint defence industrial production was recently agreed upon.
About Indo – Pacific
The term Indo-Pacific which was first used in geo-political context by an Indian Navalist in a journal article. It was later used by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s speech in the Indian Parliament titled “Confluence of the Two Seas” in 2007. The term Indo-Pacific found its place in India’s official communiqués 2014 & recently Ministry of External Affairs has established an Indo-Pacific division within the ministry, considering India’s growing interests within that region.
Free & Open Indo-Pacific
Assertion for Free and Open Indo-Pacific by major powers can be considered a reaction to militarization of waters in Indo-Pacific, South China Sea (SCS) in particular, and emergence of Chinese economy and military across Asia & Africa. The assumption is that “freedom of navigation” is being or might be constrained by increased military presence in the SCS by China’s navy. It is worth noting that China continues to support the freedom of commercial shipping in the seas of the Indo-Pacific.
There is a fear among ASEAN members that Indo-Pacific is becoming a closed region due to major power rivalries including India, China, US and Japan and therefore ASEAN intends for a free and open Indo-Pacific.
As per Japan, the “Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy” seeks to improve “connectivity” between the Pacific and the Indian Oceans. In pursuit of this, Japan aims to strengthen strategic collaboration with India, the US and Australia.
The US vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific has three components – economic, governance and security. The US seeks greater economic engagement with countries of the Indo-Pacific, maintenance of international law in Indo-Pacific region and primacy of U.S. navy and not of China in the region.
Indian Vision of Indo-Pacific
India put forth India’s vision of the Indo-Pacific at the Shangri La dialogue, 2018. The view was consistent with the overall norms enunciated by regional powers, including the US, Japan, Australia and Indonesia with the emphasis on ASEAN centrality in Indo-Pacific.
India has asserted that it will not take sides but chooses the side of values and principles which are commonly embraced with ASEAN based upon as Free & open Indo-Pacific.
India is evolving its regional role to encompass the Indo-Pacific and Eurasian region to ensure a balanced multipolar world.
India would continue to maintain its strategic autonomy irrespective of the prevailing geo-politics to ensure stability in power relations in Asian region among the great powers.
India will not be a part of closed group of nations or aggregate Indian power in any bloc and India's friendship with any nation should not be mis-construed as an alliance.
India's growing engagement in the Indo-Pacific region should not be considered anti-China.
India continues to maintain multi-literalism as form of foreign policy engagement with parallel interactions (E.g., SCO & Quad) based on respective common mutual interests.
Differences in Vision with others
Japan is primarily focused upon South China Sea, while India’s security is focused primarily towards Bay of Bengal and to Arabian Sea.
US does not follow ASEAN centrality in Indo-Pacific architecture. It has aligned with UK and Australia to form AUKUS which is a military partnership focusing on transfer of Nuclear submarine technology to Australia.
Chinese military installations have expanded towards Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, but India has not done similarly in South China and East Asia Sea.
India intends to become both a maritime & continental power in Asia, but Japan and USA are focused on maritime capability.
Major powers have constituted military alliances in Indo-Pacific region, but India has chosen not to indulge in military alliances.
India & Indo-Pacific
With rise of China, India's Foreign policy seems to focusing on strategic and military considerations which is visible in its collaboration with USA and renewed focus on Indo-Pacific and the Quadrilateral security dialogue. However, there are differences in the understanding of the concepts of Indo - Pacific and the Quadrilateral grouping. Further there are hurdles in India’s strategy with regards to the Indo-Pacific and the Quad. So let us understand, the issues faced by India and what should be India's approach to clearly outline its interest in the Indo-Pacific and the Quad. Indo – Pacific vs Quad: Indo-Pacific is a grand politico-economic vision while Quad is a forum for common issues in the region concerning India, U.S., Australia and Japan.
Similarities in Indo-Pacific & the QUAD
Quad members are major States in Indo-Pacific region, and both Quad and Indo-Pacific constructs are focused on China.
They are also in some ways centered around India’s geographic location and its policies.
Differences
The Indo-Pacific provides a complex political and economic construct aimed challenging China strategically. The Quad on the other hand is inherently more anti-China in character and intent.
The Indo-Pacific has subtle anti-China undertones. But the Quad’s ability to succeed would entirely depend on China — the more aggressive China gets, the more resolute the Quad countries would be in strengthening it.
Hurdles in India's Strategy
For a politico-economic construct such as the Indo-Pacific to survive, there must be strong economic partnerships and linkages among its members.
Merely focusing on strategic talk will not work.
Indian Economic Engagement with Indo-Pacific
India's recent decision not to join Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), region’s flagship free trade arrangement, could potentially complicate its future engagements in the region.
There is huge gap between India and China on trade with every Indo-Pacific country.
This growing trade gap that India and China have with these countries will be a major determining factor in shaping the region’s strategic realities.
Further India's decision not to sign on to the RCEP also needs to be viewed in the broader context of the Chinese institutional engagement of the region.
India does not have FTAs with New Zealand, the U.S., Bangladesh and the Maldives. It has FTAs with South Korea, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, Japan and Sri Lanka.
In the case of China, it has FTAs with all these countries barring the U.S.
This shows that economic compulsions will go a long way in shaping strategic realities for a variety of reasons including that trade with China is crucial for the economies of these States.
Thus, strategic talks need to be aligned with the economic realities for the success of the Indo-Pacific.
Military engagement
Even on this front India lags China.
China is a major defence supplier to several region’s States including Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand.
While India has minimal sales, defence dialogues and occasional joint military exercises in the region. However, India’s decision to supply Brahmos to Philippines is a step in the right direction.
Way forward
India’s role in the Indo-Pacific will remain limited if it does not prove to be a major economic partner to these States.
But given the economic slowdown in India today in the wake of COVID-19 and the Ukraine crisis led global slowdown (compared to the much better place that China is in), India’s ability to economically engage with the region remains limited.
On the military-strategic side too, India’s performance in the region is less than desirable.
Further, it is said that the only way forward for India is a regional strategic alliance with the US.
But given the hangover its non-alignment principles and Material constraints India will need fresh mindset to do so.
Conclusion
Thus keeping in mind the sea change in the Indo-Pacific and the shared interests in stabilising the Asian balance of power are objective realities demanding a solid India-US defence partnership.
Context: The 2024 National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) results were announced recently by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. This annual ranking, based on a comprehensive evaluation of various educational institutions across India, highlights the best performers in multiple categories. The rankings are crucial as they influence the perception of institutions, guide students in making informed decisions, and drive institutional improvements.
Key Facts from article- As per National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) rankings-2024.
Top Institutes in Engineering
1. IIT Madras
2. IIT Delhi
3. IIT Bombay
Universities Rankings
Indian Institute of Science (Bengaluru) ranked as the best university in the country followed by Jawaharlal Nehru University Delhi and Jamia Millia Islamia.
Top Overall Institutes
1. IIT Madras
2. IISc Bengaluru
3. IIT Bombay
Top Management
1. IIM Ahmedabad
2. IIM Bangalore
3. IIM Kozhikode
Top Medical College- AIIMS Delhi leads in the medical category.
Top Colleges- Delhi University's Hindu College ranked as the best college in the country followed by Miranda House College and St. Stephen's College.
State Universities Ranking
1. Anna University, Chennai
2. Jadavpur University, Kolkata
Law Institutes
1. National Law School of India University, Bengaluru
2. National Law University, Delhi
Architecture and Planning
1. IIT Roorkee
2. IIT Kharagpur
Open universities
1. IGNOU
2. Netaji Subhash Open University, Kolkata
Innovation category
1. IIT Bombay
2. IIT Madras
Agriculture and allied sectors
1. Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi
2. ICAR- National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal
Top research institutes
1. IISc, Bengaluru
2. IIT Madras
Top dental college
1. Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Science, Chennai
Best skill university
1. Symbiosis Skill and Professional University, Pune
Top-ranked institution for pharmacy
1. Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi
New Categories
The 2024 rankings, introduced three new categories: open universities, skill universities, and State public universities, bringing the total to 16 categories. The Ministry of Education is considering adding "sustainability" as a ranking criterion in the future and is exploring the inclusion of institutions from neighboring countries to make the rankings more comprehensive
Increased Participation and Future Directions
The 2024 NIRF rankings saw participation from 6,517 institutions, a significant increase in engagement.
About NIRF
This framework outlines a methodology to rank institutions across the country since 2016.
The methodology draws from the overall recommendations and broad understanding arrived at by a Core Committee set up by Ministry of Education (MoE), to identify the broad parameters for ranking various universities and institutions.
The parameters broadly cover
Teaching, Learning & Resources (TLR)
Student Strength including Doctoral Students (SS)
Faculty-student ratio with emphasis on permanent faculty (FSR)
The combined metric for Faculty with PhD (or equivalent) and Experience (FQE)
Financial Resources and their Utilisation (FRU)Research and Professional Practices
Research and Professional Practice (RP)
The combined metric for Publications (PU)
The combined metric for Quality of Publications (QP)
IPR and Patents: Published and Granted (IPR)
The Footprint of Projects and Professional Practice (FPPP)
Graduation Outcomes (GO)
Metric for University Examinations (GUE)
Metric for Number of Ph.D. Students Graduated (GPHD)
Outreach and Inclusivity (OI)
Percentage of Students from Other States/Countries (Region Diversity RD)
Percentage of Women (Women Diversity WD)
Economically and Socially Challenged Students (ESCS)
Facilities for Physically Challenged Students (PCS)
Perception (PR) Ranking
Peer Perception
Academic Peers and Employers (PR)
NIRF ranks different educational institutes in the following 16 categories
