Social Justice

Measles-Rubella Elimination Campaign 

Context: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched the National Zero Measles-Rubella Elimination campaign 2025-26, marking a significant step towards India's goal of eliminating Measles and Rubella by 2026.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key facts about Measles, Rubella; Measles-Rubella Elimination campaign. 

About Measles:

  • Measles is a highly contagious airborne disease caused by the measles virus virus. Measles virus is a single-stranded, negative-sense, enveloped RNA virus.
  • Transmission:
    • spreads easily from one person to the next through the coughs and sneezes of infected people.
    • spread through direct contact with mouth or nasal secretions.
  • Symptoms: High fever, cough, runny nose, red watery eyes and rash. Rashes usually appear near the hairline & cheeks, slowly moving to the chest and trunk area, and later on the limbs. Koplik spots (small white spots) may form inside the mouth. Measles can also lead to serious health issues, including- ear infections, diarrhea, pneumonia and death. Fatality rate: 5-10%
  • Measles Vaccine: The first effective measles vaccine was developed in 1963. In the last 50 years, it is estimated that measles vaccinations have prevented over 9 crore deaths worldwide. The vaccines reduce chances of developing measles 20-fold.
  • Key Facts: Most people do not get the disease more than once. Measles is not known to occur in other animals.
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About Rubella

  • Rubella is caused by the rubella virus that invades the lymph nodes, eyes and skin. Rubella or German measles is milder than measles. 
  • Transmission: Transmitted through droplets from the cough or sneeze of an infected individual. Transmitted through direct contact with fluids from the nose or mouth of an infected person.
  • Symptoms: Low-grade fever, rashes, sore throat. Rubella may not cause serious complications in healthy adults, it poses a great risk to pregnant women as it can result in Congenital Rubella Syndrome which affects the development of the baby.

Measles-Rubella Elimination Campaign 2025-26:

  • With the ‘ACT NOW’ policy, govt. aims to target the elimination of Measles-Rubella in the same way as Polio and Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus. 
  • Aim: Achieve 100% immunisation coverage to children by administering them with the two doses of Measles and Rubella vaccine.

Key Facts: 

  • Under the Universal Immunisation Programme, two doses of the Measles-Rubella vaccine are provided free of cost to all eligible children, at 9-12 months and 16-24 months of age, respectively. 
  • Currently, India's MR vaccination coverage stands at 93.7% for the first dose (2024-25 HMIS data) and 92.2% for the second dose.
  • In 2024, India recorded a remarkable decline of 73% in Measles cases and a 17% reduction in Rubella cases in comparison with 2023.

Bridging gaps in Foundational Literacy and Numeracy 

Context: Quality Early Childhood Care and Education is the necessary propellant for the cognitive development of children. Various governmental and non-governmental surveys indicate that a large proportion of elementary students in India are lacking basic foundational literacy and numeracy skills.

Relevance of the Topic: Mains: Foundational Literacy and Numeracy: Concept & Challenges in Achievement. 

Education is the most potent tool for socio-economic mobility and a key instrument for building an equitable and just society. India is a party to UN Sustainable Development Goals, whose SDG4 aims to deliver quality education for all.

Foundational Literacy and Numeracy

  • Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) refers to basic skills in reading, writing, and mathematics. It is the ability to read and understand a basic text and perform simple mathematical calculations by the end of grade 3. 
  • Significance: Strong literacy and numeracy help children to learn, experiment, reason and create, to be active and informed citizens, and to contribute socially, culturally and economically. National Education Policy (2020) accords the highest importance to the achievement of Foundational Literacy and Numeracy.
  • India Early Childhood Education (ECE) Impact Study found that:
    • Only 15% of pre-primary children could match basic objects, a skill essential for letter recognition in Class one. 
    • Only 30% could identify larger and smaller numbers, which are foundational for arithmetic. 

As a result, children often start formal schooling without the skills they need, with many bypassing essential ECE years entirely.

Challenges in the achievement of Foundational Literacy and Numeracy:

  • Lack of Early childcare and education: Over 85% of a child’s cumulative brain development occurs prior to the age of 6. Presently, quality ECCE is not available to crores of young children, particularly children from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Only 9% of pre-primary schools have a dedicated ECCE teacher.
  • Poor status of Anganwadis: The Anganwadi workers are overworked, with duties and responsibilities that centre around her being a teacher, a nurse and a social service provider. AWW is not equipped with the necessary tools to be able to engage children in learning experiences. AWW spends only 38 minutes per day on preschool instruction, which is far short of the scheduled 2 hours.
  • Nutritional deficiencies among children: The relationship between nutrition, health and learning is undeniably strong. As per GHI 2024, India has the highest child-wasting rate (18.7%) of all the countries, with a child stunting rate of 35.5%. This malnutrition adversely affects children’s cognitive development.  
  • Inadequate budget: National Education Policy of 1968 recommended India should spend 6% of its GDP on education. However, as per the Economic Survey (2024-25), India spends just 2.7% of its GDP on education. The government spends only ₹1,263 a child annually on ECE compared to ₹37,000 a student on school education, largely on producing teaching-learning materials that are often underused. 
  • Inadequate infrastructure: Though RTE Act (2009) mandated basic infrastructure in schools like toilets, safe drinking water, playground etc., the 2023-24 UDISE+ data shows that infrastructural deficit still persists, particularly in government schools. 
  • Low pupil-to-teacher ratio: As per the Right to Education Act 2009, the desired Teacher Pupil ratio (TPR) in primary schools is 1:30 in primary and 1:35 in upper primary levels. But, TPR varies in India across different states and regions, indicating uneven distribution of teaching resources. As per the UDISE data, the proportion of single-teacher schools in India is as high as 14.7%. 
  • Poor pedagogic skills: The medium of instruction is often different from the mother tongue of children. It negatively impacts the child’s motivation to engage in classroom processes.

Way Forward

  • Increase budget allocation, with focused investment in Foundational Literacy and Numeracy.
  • Provision of Primary education in the Mother tongue.
  • Alignment of synergies between the Ministry of Women and Child Development and Ministry of Education.
  • Since nutrition and education are both equally important and require significant time and effort, it may be worthwhile to consider having two Anganwadi workers per Anganwadi.
  • Ensure minimum instruction time in schools and learning at home. The Right to Education Act (2009) requires that children from grades I-V spend 200 days involving 800 instruction hours in school. Currently, different states are seen allocating different amounts of time for literacy instruction, which ranges from 35 min in some states to about 90 minutes in some others. There needs to be a standard block of time across all the states.

National Education Policy 2020 stipulates that Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) is critical for education and lifelong learning success. In this direction, the government has launched the NIPUN Bharat Mission (National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy) to ensure that every child in the country necessarily attains FLN by the end of Grade 3, by 2026-27.  

Also Read: School education 

CBSE introduces Sugar Boards

Context: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has made it mandatory for schools to set up sugar boards in schools to educate students on the risks of high sugar intake.

The National Commission For Protection of Child Rights has pushed for the introduction of a ‘sugar board’ in all schools- not only CBSE affiliated but affiliated to various State boards.

Relevance of the topic:

Prelims: Key facts about the Initiative- Sugar Boards.

Mains: Efforts by the government in promoting healthy dietary habits and nutritional intake.

What are Sugar Boards?

  • Sugar board is a visual representation of the quantity of sugar contained in commonly consumed foods and drinks.
  • Objective: To educate students about the risks of excessive sugar intake.
  • It provides essential information including- recommended sugar intake, sugar content in commonly consumed foods (such as junk food and cold drinks), health risks associated with high sugar consumption and healthier dietary alternatives.
  • Significance: It is a significant initiative towards nutritional literacy and preventive healthcare to create awareness in nearly 2 crore students and their families.

Sugar Intake and Prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes

  • Over the past decade, there has been a significant increase in Type 2 Diabetes among children, a condition primarily seen in adults. The incidence of Type 2 Diabetes among children and adolescents is 397 per lakh population, next only to China which has 734 estimated cases per lakh.
  • Studies indicate that sugar constitutes 13% of daily calorie intake for children aged 4-10 years and 15% of those aged 11-18 years, substantially exceeding the recommended limit of 5%.

This alarming trend is attributable to high sugar intake and easy availability of sugary snacks, beverages and processed foods within school environments.

India’s Regulatory Stand

  • Food Standards and Safety Authority of India (FSSAI) had convened a scientific panel of experts in 2025 to decide on a High Fat, Salt and Sugar (HFSS) definition pertaining only to school meals. However, the FSSAI has still not set HFSS standards or finalized the ‘health-star rating system’, for front-of-pack labelling regulations.
  • While there are regulations in place for making claims on packaged food, FSSAI has not fixed a cut-off for High Fat, Salt, Sugar consumption for the Indian population.
  • India currently relies on World Health Organisation (WHO) cut-offs for ideal HFSS intake. For instance, WHO guidelines restrict daily sugar intake in adults and children to 25 grams (six teaspoons). 

Experts emphasise the need for India-specific sugar intake cut-offs based on indigenous epidemiological data, as Indians are genetically more prone to heart diseases, necessitating studies on BMI, insulin resistance, and other health indicators.

The initiative must be complemented by stringent food regulations in school canteens, formulation of India-specific HFSS standards, and widespread parental and community engagement. 

Also Read: Tackling Obesity and Regulating Ultra-Processed Foods in India 

What is Anaemia?

Context: 57% of women in their reproductive age in India have undiagnosed and untreated Anaemia. This increases the risk of pre-term birth, low birth weight, and life-threatening maternal complications which contribute to maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality.

Relevance of the Topic:Prelims: Key facts about Anaemia. 

About Anaemia

  • Anaemia is a condition in which the number of red blood cells (RBCs), and consequently their oxygen-carrying capacity, is insufficient to meet the body’s physiological needs. 
  • Anaemia impairs the body’s ability for gas exchange by decreasing the number of RBCs transporting oxygen and carbon dioxide.
    • The function of the RBCs is to deliver oxygen from the lungs to the tissues and carbon dioxide from the tissues to the lungs. 
    • This is accomplished by using haemoglobin (Hb), a protein composed of haem and globin. 
  • Symptoms: Fatigue, weakness, dizziness and shortness of breath etc.
  • Treatment: Anaemia is preventable and treatable. Treatments include folic acid supplements, iron chelation, and blood transfusions and bone marrow transplants (in advanced cases).

Factors causing Anaemia

Anaemia results from one or more of the following process:

  • Iron deficiency is the most common cause of anaemia globally (around 50% cases).
    • Iron is necessary for synthesis of haemoglobin (Hb). 
  • Other nutritional deficiencies (including folate, vitamin B12 and vitamin A)
  • Defective red cell production, increased red cell destruction or blood loss.
    • Inherited or acquired disorders that affect Hb synthesis, red blood cell production or red blood cell survival can all cause anaemia. 
  • Acute and chronic inflammation, helminths infestation (hookworm, flukes), parasitic infections (like Malaria). 

Impacts

  • Iron deficiency anaemia results in impaired cognitive and motor development in children and decreased work capacity in adults.
  • In pregnancy iron deficiency anaemia can lead to perinatal loss (miscarriage, still birth), prematurity and low birth weight babies. 
  • Iron deficiency anaemia adversely affects the body’s immune response.
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Burden of Anaemia in India

  • India’s anaemia burden has grown alarmingly with NFHS-5 (2019-21) finding that:
    • 57% of women in the age group (15-49)
    • 67% of children between 6-59 months
    • 59% in adolescent girls (15-19 yrs)
    • 31% in adolescent boys (15-19 yrs)
  • This is a rise from the data in NFHS-4 (2015-16). 

Government Initiatives to tackle Anaemia burden

1. Anaemia Mukt Bharat strategy (2018):

6X6X6 strategy to reduce prevalence of anaemia in children, adolescents, and women. 

  • Reduce Anaemia among six beneficiary age groups:
    • children 6-59 months
    • children 5-9 years
    • adolescents 10-19 years
    • women of reproductive age (15-49 years)
    • pregnant women
    • lactating women 
  • Implementation of six interventions:
    • Prophylactic Iron Folic Acid Supplementation
    • Periodic deworming (Albendazole tablet)
    • Intensified year-round Behaviour Change Communication Campaign
    • Testing of anemia using digital invasive haemoglobinometer
    • Point of care treatment
    • Mandatory provision of Iron Folic Acid fortified foods in public health programmes
  • Addressing non-nutritional causes of anemia in endemic pockets, via six institutional mechanisms.

2. Mission Poshan 2.0:

  • Supplementary nutrition is provided to children (6 months to 6 years), pregnant women, lactating mothers and Adolescent Girls (14 to 18 years in Aspirational districts and North-East States). 
  • Poshan Maahs and Poshan Pakhwadas: Celebrated in September and March-April, dedicated activities for awareness on anaemia are conducted.

3. Rice Fortification Initiative:

  • Government is supplying fortified rice enriched with iron, folic acid and vitamin B12 under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM-POSHAN) Scheme, Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme in all States and Union Territories.

4. Diet and Biomarkers Survey in India (DABS-I) survey (2022):

  • New survey launched to map diet, nutrition and health status pan India. It will collect individual dietary intake data of different age groups for correct estimates of anaemia among urban and rural populations.

5. AnemiaPhone:

  • It is a latest technology to accurately, quickly, and cheaply assess iron deficiency, recently transferred to the Indian Council of Medical Research.
  • It requires a small finger prick, a drop of blood is placed on a test strip, and the device can determine iron deficiency in a few minutes. It would enable access to rapid screening, and diagnosis of iron deficiency at the point of need.

Growing Digital Divide in Indian Schools

Context: The recent data from the Ministry of Education shows that the majority of schools in rural areas in India lack robust digital infrastructure and internet access.

Relevance of the topic:

Prelims: Key facts related to UDISE+ 2023-24 report.

Mains: Mains: Reasons behind digital divide and measures to bridge it.

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India’s education system has been known to draw criticism on several counts. One is the lack of access to basic amenities and adequate infrastructure and other is the consequential rise in dropout rates. However, one important criticism is the growing digital divide in Indian schools.

The recently released Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) 2023-24 report by the Ministry of Education underscores this crisis.

State of Digital Infrastructure in Schools

  • As per UDISE+ 2023-24 report: 
    • Around 50% of our schools do not have access to modern information and communications technology (ICT), despite proclaimed increases in investment in education both by Centre and the States.
      • Functional computers are available in only ~52% of schools.
      • The Internet is accessible in only 54% of schools.
    • These figures mark a marginal improvement from FY22, when just 45% of schools had computers and 34% had internet access.
  • Rural-Urban Gap in Internet Connectivity: Rural schools are behind urban schools in terms of internet connectivity by 29%. 69% of urban schools have access to digital infrastructure against 45% of rural schools. This indicates that a gap of 24% percent exists between urban and rural schools. 
  • Persistent post-pandemic digital deprivation: A CRY survey during the pandemic found most school children lacked access to online classes, and this deprivation continues post-pandemic, despite the adoption of hybrid learning to improve access to quality education.
  • Tele-Density Imbalance: Urban tele-density and rural tele-density stood at 134% and 59% respectively, as of March 2024, highlighting a substantial difference of 75%, between tele-density in rural and urban areas. 

Reasons for growing Digital Divide

Despite an overall increase in digital penetration, divide been growing because of following reasons: 

  • Lack of infrastructure in rural areas:
    • Even though 89.7% of schools have access to functional electricity (UDISE+ 2023-24), frequent power outages especially in rural areas due to transmission and distribution losses often render digital infrastructure redundant and unusable.
    • Digital India School programme under the Digital India Campaign has failed to make any impact in rural schools due to poor internet connectivity. 
  • Shortage of qualified teachers: Limits the quality and reach of computer literacy programs.
  • Gaps in education system: Although computer education is part of the school curriculum, there are disparities in access and instructional standards, particularly in rural and economically disadvantaged areas. E.g: Assam (17.6%), Bihar (20.4%), Madhya Pradesh (21%).
  • Limited access for older demographics: Older age groups often lack motivation or access to learning resources for computer literacy.
  • Unequal distribution of resources: There is a significant disparity in resource allocation for computer literacy initiatives, leading to unequal progress across different states and regions.
  • Delays in BharatNet Project: The persistent digital divide is partly due to delays in BharatNet Project, which aimed to connect 6 lakh villages with broadband by May 2023. As of October 2024, only 2.14 lakh villages were connected, pushing the deadline to 2025.

Government Initiatives to promote Digital Literacy: 

  • Digital India Campaign 2015: To transform the country into a digitally empowered society.
  • Education Integration: Computer education is being integrated into the formal education system from an early age. E.g., Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.
  • Skill Development: Various programs target underprivileged communities to bridge the digital divide. E.g., Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA).

The growing digital divide highlights the urgent need to prioritise basic infrastructure in schools, especially in rural areas. Only after addressing these foundational gaps education system will become truly inclusive and effective. 

Also Read: Right to Digital Access part of Article 21: SC  

Total Fertility Rate remains Constant at 2.0 in 2021: SRS Report

Context: The Registrar General of India (RGI) has recently released the Sample Registration System (SRS) Report for 2021. Among other data, the report provides insights about the key trends of Total Fertility Rate in India. 

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key trends about Total Fertility Rate in India. 

What is Total Fertility Rate?

  • Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of a population is the average number of children that are born to a woman over her lifetime if:
    • They were to experience the exact current age-specific fertility rates (ASFRs) through their lifetime.
    • They were to live from birth until the end of their reproductive life.
  • Replacement level fertility is the level of fertility at which a population exactly replaces itself from one generation to the next. It is considered to be 2.1 children per woman. 
  • If the TFR of a population goes down below 2.1- it indicates that a generation is not producing enough children to replace itself. Thus, indicative of reduction in population in general and depletion of working age population in particular.
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Major Highlights of the SRS Report: 

  • Total Fertility Rate (TFR) in India has remained constant at 2.0 in 2021, same as the year 2020.
    • India has witnessed a steadily declining TFR from 6.18 in 1950 to 4.60 in 1980 to 2.0 in 2021. 
    • Bihar has reported the highest TFR at 3.0, while Delhi and West Bengal reported the lowest TFR of 1.4. 
  • Gradual decline in the share of population in the age group of 0-14 from 41.2% in 1971 to 24.8% in 2021. 
  • The proportion of the economically active population between 15-59 years has increased from 53.4% to 66.2% during the same period (1971-2021).
  • Elderly population has gone up to 5.9% for the 65+ age group and to 9% for the 60+ age group during the same period (1971-2021). Kerala recorded the highest percentage of population in the age group of 60. 
  • Mean age at effective marriage for females has increased from 19.3 years in 1990 to 22.5 years in 2021.

Key Facts: 

  • As the Census is usually counted every 10 years, the Sample Registration System (SRS) Report is the largest demographic survey in the country mandated to provide annual estimates of fertility and mortality indicators at the State and national level.

States cannot be compelled to adopt National Education Policy: SC 

Context: The Supreme Court has dismissed a petition seeking the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Kerala citing that it cannot compel any state to adopt NEP 2020. 

While the Centre claims that the NEP promotes multilingualism, Tamil Nadu argues that it puts unfair pressure on non-Hindi-speaking states.

Relevance of the topic:

Prelims: Key facts about National Education Policy 2020.

Mains: Debate surrounding three language formula in NEP. 

Major Highlights: 

  • The SC has stated that the court does not have the power to compel a state to follow a central policy like the National Education Policy 2020. Under Article 32 of Indian Constitution, the court can only intervene when there is a  violation of fundamental rights due to the policy’s implementation.

Key Facts

  • Education is on the Concurrent list of Schedule 7 of Indian Constitution, enabling both the Centre as well as the states to enact laws. The 42nd Constitutional Amendment moved education from the State List to the Concurrent List.
  • The Right of Education Act, under Article 21A, makes education a fundamental right of every child between the ages of 6-14 and specifies minimum norms in elementary schools. 
  • Article 32 of Indian Constitution grants every individual the right to move the Supreme Court for the enforcement of their fundamental rights.
  • The NEP 2020 is the latest education policy in India (after NEP 1986). It is founded on the five guiding pillars of Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability and Accountability. It proposes various reforms in school education as well as higher education including technical education.

Read More- National Education Policy 2020: National Education Policy 2020 

State of Child Labour in India

Context: Child labour in India persists not due to lack of laws but due to weak enforcement.

Relevance of the topic:

Prelims: Key facts related to state of child labour in India.

Mains: State of Child labour in India and reason behind its persistence despite stringent laws.

Child Labour

  • International Labour Organisation (ILO) defines the term child labour as work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development.
  • The Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 (amended in 2016) defines:
    • child as a person who is below the age of 14 years. 
    • adolescent as a person who is between the age of 14-18 years. 
  • As per national criteria, only those below the age of 14 engaged in economic activities (outside family enterprises and audio-visual entertainment industry) are considered child laborers. 

State of Child Labour in India

  • As per Census 2011, 10.1 million children (>1 crore) in India in the age group (5-14) years are working, either as ‘main worker’ or as ‘marginal worker’. 
  • As per Periodic Labour Force Survey 2018-19 the number of children in child labour in India ranged from 18 lakh (using the national definition) to 33 lakh (using the international definition).
  • Almost half of these children work within their own families, with the agricultural sector employing the largest share, followed by industrial sectors like manufacturing and construction. They are frequently engaged in highly dangerous and exploitative sectors like Match and fireworks production, Glass and leather industries, Brick kilns and coal mines.

Impacts of Child Labour on Children

Child labour has deep and long-lasting impacts on children’s physical, mental, and social well-being:

  • Physical and Mental Abuse: Children employed in factories and informal sectors often face physical and verbal abuse, extremely low wages, and are denied medical care even in the event of injuries.
  • Health Hazards: Work environments lack basic hygiene, sanitation, and clean water, making children highly vulnerable to infectious diseases. Exposure to toxic substances in industries like glass, fireworks, and leather can lead to chronic, irreversible illnesses and premature death. 
  • Loss of Education: Working children are deprived of schooling, which affects their ability to break the cycle of poverty, restricts future opportunities, and leads to intergenerational poverty.
  • Poverty Cycle: As per the ILO, child labour is both a cause and consequence of poverty. Child labour perpetuates the cycle of poverty, as the lack of education and skills hinders the children's ability to escape poverty in the future.
  • Social Isolation and Stigma: Working children often grow up in isolation, without proper emotional and social development, making reintegration into society or formal education systems difficult.
Impacts of Child Labour on Children

Constitutional Provisions for Protection of Child: 

  • Article 15 (3) permits positive discrimination in the favour of children.  
  • Article 21A which makes education free and compulsory between the ages of 6-14 years. 
  • Article 23 states that children should not be forced to work at cheap wages due to their economical or social disadvantage.
  • Article 24 prohibits child labour in hazardous occupations, factories and mines.
  • Article 39 requires the State to direct its policies to ensure the tender age of children is not abused. 

Why Child Labour persists despite Strong Laws?

  • Weak Enforcement: 
    • Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 regulate the working conditions of children in India and prohibit their employment in certain hazardous occupations and processes. It was significantly amended in 2016 to further define hazardous work and expanded protection. 
    • However, real-world implementation remains weak. As per the government data, only 613 cases were registered under the Act in 2021 for violations involving children aged between 5 and 14 years.
    • A significant portion of child labour is found in the informal economy, making it harder to regulate and monitor due to weak regulatory oversight.
  • Lack of updated Census data: Last Census was conducted in 2011, there is no recent, accurate data on how many children are currently engaged in labour. This lack of updated information makes it hard for policymakers and organisations to assess the scale of the issue, allocate resources effectively, or implement targeted interventions to combat child labour. 

Way Forward

  • Strengthen enforcement mechanisms through better surveillance, inspections, and punishment for violators.
  • Update and maintain reliable data on child labour through regular surveys and Census.
  • Tackle root causes- poverty, lack of access to education, malnutrition.
  • Provide support to rescued children including education, counseling, and vocational training.
  • The government should make a positive list of occupations for non-hazardous industries and processes where adolescents can work.

India has the laws in place to eradicate child labour. What it needs now is political will, social awareness, and administrative action to enforce those laws effectively and rescue its children from the clutches of exploitation. 

National Scheme for Upgradation of ITIs

Context: The Union Cabinet has approved the scheme for upgradation of 1,000 government Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), and the setting up of five National Centers of Excellence (NCOE) as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for transforming vocational education in India.

Relevance of the Topic:Prelims: Key facts about National Scheme for Upgradation of ITIs and setting up of National Centres of Excellence. 

National Scheme for Upgradation of ITIs and setting up of National Centres of Excellence:

  • Initiative of: 
  • Centrally Sponsored Scheme. 
  • Outlay: Rs. 60,000 crore (Central Share: Rs 30,000 crore, State Share: Rs 20,000 crore and Industry Share: Rs 10,000 crore). Additionally, 50% of the central share will be co-financed equally by the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank.
  • The scheme will focus on:
    • Upgradation of 1,000 Government ITIs in hub and spoke arrangement with industry aligned revamped trades (courses)
    • Capacity Augmentation of 5 National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) and setting up of 5 National Centres of Excellence for Skilling in these institutes.

Key Focus Areas: 

  • Position existing ITIs as government-owned, industry-managed aspirational institutes of skills, in collaboration with State Governments and industry. 
  • Adopt an industry-led Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) model for an outcome-driven implementation strategy, making it distinct from previous efforts to improve the ITI ecosystem.
  • Skill 20 lakh youth through industry-aligned training programs over a five-year period. Ensure alignment between local workforce supply and industry demand, thereby facilitating industries, including MSMEs, in accessing employment-ready workers.
  • Strengthen Training of Trainers by upgrading infrastructure in the five NSTIs and offering pre-service and in-service training to 50,000 trainers. This is to enhance the quality and consistency of vocational education.

Background: Need for upgrading Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs): 

  • ITIs have been the backbone of vocational education and training in India, operating under State Governments. ITI network has expanded by nearly 47% since 2014, reaching over 14,600 across India, with over 14 lakh enrolment. However, vocational training via ITIs has suffered from lack of systemic interventions to improve their infrastructure, course contents, and remains less aspirational. 
  • India has only 42% of Indian graduates considered employable. Hence there is an urgent need for aligned government, academia, and industry action. By upgrading ITIs and embedding on-the-job learning, soft skills, and future capabilities like green and digital skills, India can unlock its talent potential. 

The schemes are a significant step towards revamping vocational education and bridging the critical skill-employability gap across sectors. 

Human Development Report 2025

Context: India has ranked 130 out of 193 countries in the recently released Human Development Report 2025, ‘A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of AI’. India has improved its ranking from 2022, reflecting gradual improvements in key development indicators.

Relevance of the Topic : Prelims: Key facts related to Human Development Report 2025.

Human Development Report

  • Annual report published by: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). 
  • The first HDR was launched in 1990 by the Pakistani economist Mahbub ul Haq and Indian Nobel laureate Amartya Sen.
  • The report provides Human Development Index (HDI) which measures a country's performance across three dimensions:
    • Health: Life expectancy at birth
    • Education: Mean & expected years of schooling
    • Standard of living: Gross National Income (GNI) per capita. 
  • HDI Score Range: 0 (lowest) to 1 (highest). 
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  • Based on the scores, the countries are classified into: Very High Human Development, High Human Development, Medium Human Development, Low Human Development.
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Key Highlights of Human Development Report 2025

  • Theme: A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.
  • The report highlights AI's potential to reignite human development, provided that policies are people-centered and focus on enhancing human capabilities.  
  • Ireland secured the first spot in the Index with a score of 0.972. 

India’s Performance:

  • India has ranked 130th out of 193 countries, moving up three places from 133 in 2022.
  • India’s HDI value has increased from 0.676 (2022) to 0.685, showing an improvement in areas like health, education, and income.
  • However, India still falls under the medium human development category (which includes countries with HDI values between 0.550 and 0.699). 
  • However, with a score of 0.685, India is now very close to entering the high human development category, which starts at 0.700.

India’s achievements over the years (as highlighted in the Report):

  • Gross National Income per capita has risen over four times to $9,046.76 in 2023 from $2,167.22 in 1990.
  • 135 million Indians have escaped multidimensional poverty between FY16 and FY21.
  • India’s life expectancy at 72 years in 2023, is the highest level it has reached since the inception of the index in 1990 (58.6 years). 
  • Children are expected to stay in school for 13 years on average, up from 8.2 years in 1990.

It is a result of programmes such as MGNREGA, the Right to Education Act, the National Rural Health Mission and other initiatives.

The report highlights deep-rooted inequalities in India:

  • Income and gender inequalities have pulled down India’s overall HDI by 30.7%, one of the highest losses in the region.
  • Women’s participation in the workforce and politics still remains low.
    • Economic Survey of 2024-25: Female labour participation rate has risen to 41.7% in 2023-24.
    • Recent measures like the constitutional amendment reserving one-third of legislative seats for women offer inclusive political participation.

The report highlights a global slowdown in human development, stating that the rate of progress is the slowest since 1990. India is also affected by this trend. 

Delhi launches Ayushman Bharat Vaya Vandana Yojana

Context: The Chief Minister of Delhi flagged off a fleet of registration vans for doorstep registration of beneficiaries of the Delhi government’s Vaya Vandana Yojana.

Relevance of the Topic:Prelims: Key facts about Vaya Vandana Yojana. 

Ayushman Bharat Vaya Vandana Yojana

  • Initiative of: Delhi government. 
  • Aim: To provide cashless treatment of up to ₹10 lakh for senior citizens aged 70 and above for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation across public and private empanelled hospitals in Delhi. 
  • Mobile registration vans will conduct on-the-spot registrations in local neighbourhoods. Every citizen aged 70 or more can obtain the Ayushman Vaya Vandana Health Card simply by providing their Aadhaar and Delhi residence proof for registration.
  • This initiative combines ₹5 lakh coverage from the central government’s Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) with an additional ₹5 lakh provided by the Delhi government.
    • Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) is the largest health assurance scheme in the world. It offers health insurance worth ₹5 lakh per year per family for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation across public and private empanelled hospitals in India.
  • All eligible beneficiaries can avail benefit regardless of their financial background. 

The initiative aims at the welfare of senior citizens and seeks to eliminate all logistical challenges to accessible healthcare. 

What is a Gig Worker? - Definition & Meaning

Context: As of 2025, India’s gig economy is projected to employ over 12 million workers, a number expected to increase further with urbanisation and digital penetration. The workers often work 10-12 hours daily, six or seven days a week, to meet basic needs. They are devoid of social security (i.e., no provident fund, no health insurance, and no pension). 

Relevance of the Topic: Mains: Gig workers: Challenges faced and government initiatives.

About gig workers

  • Code on Social Security 2020 defines a gig worker as “a person who performs work or participates in a work arrangement and earns from such activities outside of traditional employer-employee relationship. 
  • In this firms hire workers on a part-time flexible basis rather than as full-time employees.
  • They can be broadly classified into platform and non-platform-based workers.
  • Platform workers are individuals whose work is based on online software apps or digital platforms. For example, drivers for cab-hailing services like Uber or Ola, delivery workers of Zomato or Swiggy.
  • While non-platform gig workers are generally casual wage workers and own-account workers in the conventional sectors, working part-time or full time. For example, home-based workers (such as handicrafts, tailoring, etc.) and domestic workers (maids, cooks, etc.)
  • According to the report by NITI Aayog and IBEF, the gig workforce in India is 7.7 million and is expected to expand to 2.35 crore (23.5 million) workers by 2029-30.

Government initiative regrading gig workers

  • Code of social security: Provides for the registration of all the Gig workers. 
    • It calls upon the Central and State Governments to formulate schemes to ensure social security benefits such as Insurance for the Gig workers. 
    • It also empowers the Government to set up Social Security Funds for their benefit. The contribution to these funds may be funded from contributions of Centre, State and aggregator platforms such as Uber, Zomato etc.
    • The National Social Security Board will be responsible for ensuring the well-being of gig economy workers and will consist of representatives from both aggregator companies and gig workers.
  • e-shram portal: A centralised database of Unorganized Workers which will help to implement the social security services to them and share their information with various stakeholders for delivering the welfare schemes.
  • The Rajasthan Platform Based Gig Workers (Registration and Welfare) Act 2023: A board will be set up to make sure gig workers register and receive support, addressing their weaknesses and giving them a way to bargain and negotiate together. The Act also includes a plan to create a social security fund, which will be funded by a fee on each transaction.
  • PMJAY to Gig Workers: The Budget 2025 announced that gig workers will now be eligible for healthcare under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). This move addresses gig workers' lack of income security and access to medical services.

Challenges faced by gig workers

  • Social security:  Platform workers in India are predominantly paid a piece rate (i.e., Per task) and are classified by the platforms as “Independent contractors”. As a result, workers do not benefit from labour regulations pertaining to wages, hours, working conditions, and the right to collective bargaining.
  • Safety and health risk: Due to the demanding work hours, drivers are physically exhausted, and exposed to an increased risk of road traffic accidents, especially due to the ‘10-minute delivery at the doorstep’ policy of certain e-commerce platforms.
  • Algorithmic control: Platforms are criticised for having opaque algorithms, imposing excessive control over their workers through “ratings-based reputation systems”, assigning “disproportionate power” to customers over workers, and causing significant risk to workers who are unfairly penalised based on customer feedback.
  • Modest pay: Many app-based cab drivers and delivery workers are having a hard time covering their costs because they're paid too little. For example, Blinkit pays a minimum of only Rs 15 for each delivery.
  • Issues with labour codes: Among the four proposed new labour codes, only the Code on Social Security mentions gig work.
    • Despite receiving the assent of the President, the Labour Codes are still awaiting implementation 4 years on.

Way forward:

According to Niti Aayog: 

  • Platformisation: Platform India initiative can be launched similar to Start-up India, to make platforms simpler and provide support through funding, incentives, skill development, and financial inclusion.
  • Need regulations to ensure that companies establish fair and transparent payment structures to protect gig workers from being underpaid or exploited by companies.
  • Platform-led models for skilling and job creation: In the gig and platform sector need promotion. Platforms can collaborate with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) to nurture skilled workers and micro-entrepreneurship.
  • Gender Sensitisation & Accessibility Awareness Programmes for workers and their families: Platform businesses can undertake partnerships with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to enable different sections of workers such as women workers and PwDs to take up employment opportunities in the platform sector through skill development, access to finance and assets.
  • Occupational Disease and Work Accident Insurance: On the lines of Indonesia’s initiatives in offering accident and other insurance to platform workers, may adopt such a model for providing accident insurance to all delivery and driver partners, and other platform workers across India.
  • RAISE Framework for Operationalizing the Code on Social Security (CoSS), 2020: As Central and State governments draw up rules and regulations under CoSS 2020, they could adopt the five-pronged RAISE approach to ensure realisation of full access to social security for all gig and platform workers: 
    • Recognise the varied nature of platform work to design equitable schemes.
    • Allow augmentation of social security through innovative financing mecha- nisms. 
    • Incorporate, while designing schemes, the specific interests of platforms, factoring the impact on job creation, platform businesses and workers.
    • Support workers to subscribe to government schemes and welfare programmes through widespread awareness campaigns. 
    • Ensure benefits are readily accessible to workers.

Global Practices:

  • In 2021, the United Kingdom recognized Uber drivers as ‘workers’ under the UK Employment Rights Act 1996.
  • Germany's Temporary Employment Act ensures gig workers receive equal pay and treatment.