Blog

Private Member Bill on Right to Disconnect

Polity & Governance

Context

• A private member bill “Right to Disconnect Bill, 2025”, reintroduced in the Lok Sabha.

Right to Disconnect

• The Right to Disconnect refers to an employee’s right to not engage in work-related communications—such as calls, emails, or messages—outside official working hours.
• It aims to protect workers from excessive digital connectivity and ensure a healthy work–life balance.

Key Features of the Bill

• The draft legislation proposes giving workers the legal right to ignore official communication outside designated working hours without facing disciplinary action.
• Right to refuse after-hours calls, messages and emails without repercussions.
• Setting up an Employees’ Welfare Authority to implement and monitor the right to disconnect.
• A national baseline study to assess digital communication burdens on employees outside work hours.

Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhikshan Bill

Polity & Governance

Context

• The Union Cabinet has approved the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhikshan Bill.

Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhikshan Bill

• The bill proposes a unified regulator for higher education, replacing existing statutory bodies such as the University Grants Commission (UGC), the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE).
• UGC oversees non-technical higher education, the AICTE oversees technical education and the NCTE is the regulatory body for teachers’ education.
• It follows recommendations in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 for a single regulatory authority to streamline governance and oversight in India’s higher education sector.

Digital Hub for Reference and Unique Virtual Address (DHRUVA)

Polity & Governance

Context

• The Department of Posts (DoP) under the Ministry of Communications has proposed Digital Hub for Reference and Unique Virtual Address (DHRUVA).

DHRUVA

• A national framework to create virtual, UPI-like address labels such as “name@entity” that serve as proxies for physical locations.
• The system is built as a part of its Digital Public Infrastructure initiatives and will allow private firms to participate.

Turkiye’s “Stone Hills” Project

History

Context

• Recent archaeological discoveries on Turkiye’s southeastern hills reveal life 11,000 years ago, during the emergence of early settled communities.

“Stone Hills” project

• It was launched in 2020 covering 12 sites in Sanliurfa province—described as the world’s Neolithic capital.
• It includes Göbekli Tepe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and oldest known megalithic structures in Upper Mesopotamia.
• In India the Neolithic settlements have been found in the North-Western part (Such as Kashmir), Southern part (Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh), North East(Meghalaya), and Eastern part (Bihar and Odisha) of India.
• Some of the important Neolithic settlements are Burzahom (Kashmir), Gufkral (Kashmir), Chirand (Bihar), and Utnur (Andhra Pradesh).

Stone Age

• It is a prehistoric period marked by the use of stone tools, divided into three major periods: Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic.
• Paleolithic Age: Also known as the Old Stone Age.
• Began around 2.6 million years ago and lasted until around 10,000 BCE.
• Humans were hunter-gatherers, using stone tools for hunting, butchering, and food processing.
• Mesolithic Age: Occurred between 10,000 BCE and 5,000 BCE (varies by region).
• Characterized by specialized tools, environmental adaptations, and the early domestication of plants and animals.
• Neolithic Age: Began around 12,000 years ago and ended between 4500 BCE and 2000 BCE.
• Marked by the adoption of agriculture, animal domestication, and settled communities.
• Led to the development of pottery, weaving, and complex social structures.
• Agriculture revolutionized human societies and led to the rise of civilizations.

Shyok Tunnel

Economy

In News

• The Defence Minister inaugurated Shyok Tunnel in eastern Ladakh and 124 other strategic border infra projects.

Shyok Tunnel

• It is the 920-metre cut-and-cover tunnel.
• It would provide all-weather connectivity to areas close to the LAC in eastern Ladakh, where India and China were locked in a military standof
• Significance – It will also likely reduce dependence on air maintenance and resolve logistical challenges in the difficult terrains.
• Uniqueness– It is built in one of the world’s toughest and most challenging terrain.

Border Roads Organisation (BRO)

Defence

In News

• Defence Minister unveils ₹5,000 crore BRO roads, bridges and key assets across Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir and seven states in major border infrastructure push.

Border Roads Organisation (BRO)

• Established in – It was formed in 1960 by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru
• Objective – To coordinate the speedy development of an adequate road communication network of roads in the North and the North-Eastern border regions of the country.
• Functions under – It works under the administrative control of the Ministry of Defence.
• Significance – Support the armed forces meet their strategic needs by committed, dedicated and cost-effective development and sustenance of the infrastructure.
• Works through Border Road Tasks Forces (BRTFs) and Projects (e.g., Project Himank, Project Vijayak, Project Dantak, Project Vartak, Project Udayak, etc.).

RELOS Agreement

International relation

In News

• Russia’s lower house of parliament has ratified the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistic Support (Relos) Agreement with India.
• Relos is similar to logistics agreements India has signed with countries like the US, UK, Japan, Australia, France, Singapore, South Korea, and Vietnam.

India–Russia Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Support (Relos) Agreement

• It is a bilateral military logistics pact.
• It enables both countries’ military aircraft, ships, and personnel to use each other’s bases for refueling, maintenance, spare parts, training, joint exercises, humanitarian missions, and disaster relief.
• It streamlines logistics by reducing paperwork, ensuring quicker support, and allowing rolling settlement of costs.

National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID)

Defense

Context

• The National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) has begun receiving nearly 45,000 requests per month, reflecting a significant rise in its use by central and state security agencies.

National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID)

• It is a real-time intelligence and data-access platform developed after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks (2008)
• Objective – to enable seamless information-sharing across agencies.
• It functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)
• It consolidates over 20 categories of civil and commercial data, such as bank transactions, telecom usage, passport/immigration records, tax IDs, police FIRs (CCTNS), and other e-governance sources.
• Data accessibility: Initially restricted to Intelligence Bureau (IB), the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) etc.
• Access to NATGRID is now available to Superintendent of Police (SP) rank officers.

Significance of NATGRID

• Counterterrorism: NATGRID enhances the ability to detect and disrupt terror networks by correlating travel patterns, financial transactions, telecom data and social contacts.
• Improved Crime Detection: The platform assists in investigations related to organised crime, narcotics, human trafficking, cybercrime, fake currency networks, and cross-border smuggling.

11th India International Science Festival (IISF)

Economy

In News

• The 11th India International Science Festival (IISF) commenced in Panchkula, Haryana.

India International Science Festival (IISF)

• It was launched in 2015
• It is a major platform for scientific exchange, innovation, outreach, and public engagement.
• 2025 Theme : Vigyan Se Samruddhi: for Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

IISF 2025 focus on five broad themes:

1. Science, Technology and Ecology of North-West India and the Himalayan Region;
2. Science for Society and Education;
3. Atmanirbhar Bharat through Science and Technology;
4. Biotechnology and Bio-economy; and
5. Integration of Traditional Knowledge with Modern Science.

Saras Food Festival 2025

Syllabus: Miscellaneous

In News

• The Saras Food Festival 2025 at Delhi’s Sunder Nursery became a vibrant showcase of women’s empowerment through Self-Help Groups (SHGs) under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM).

Saras Food Festival 2025

• It features over 500 traditional dishes served across 62 stalls, representing states from Haryana, Arunachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Gujarat, and many more.
• It showcases women’s entrepreneurship and self-reliance, with around 300 “Lakhpati Didis” from SHGs across India presenting food and rural products.

SARAS Aajeevika Mela

• It is organised by the Ministry of Rural Development under Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihood Mission.
• It provides rural women and self-help groups a national platform to sell their products directly, eliminate middlemen, and gain vital market exposure.
• It equips them with skills to upgrade their products, increase incomes, and connect with buyers from across the country and beyond through workshops on packaging, design, communication, and marketing, the Melas

Anti dowry laws

Polity & Governance

In News

• The Supreme Court issued systemic directions to strengthen enforcement of anti-dowry laws.

Dowry Cases In India

• NCRB’s Crime in India 2023 report confirms a 14% rise in cases under the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, reaching 15,489 from 13,479 in 2022, alongside 6,156 dowry deaths nationwide.
• Uttar Pradesh topped with 7,151 cases and 2,122 deaths, followed by Bihar, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh.

Legal Status in India

• The payment of dowry has long been prohibited under specific Indian laws including the Dowry Prohibited under specific Indian law including:

Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961

• Mandate – To prohibit giving or taking of dowry.
• Imprisonment – Anyone who violates this law is punishable with imprisonment for a term not less than five years, and fine of not less than Rs 15,000.

Citizenship Under CAA Only After Scrutiny: SC

Polity & Governance

Context

• The Supreme Court of India has recently clarified that citizenship under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) is not automatic.
• Applicants must meet all conditions of naturalisation, and the Union government must examine each case individually.

Key Features of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019

• Purpose and Objective: The CAA amends the Citizenship Act of 1955 to provide Indian citizenship to certain persecuted minorities from neighboring countries of Pakistan, Afghanistan, or Bangladesh.
• Eligible Communities: The Act specifically covers six non-Muslim religious communities of Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians.
• Individuals from these communities who entered India on or before December 31, 2014, without valid travel documents or whose documents expired, are eligible for citizenship.
• Exemption from ‘Illegal Migrant’ Status: Such persons shall not be treated as illegal migrants under the Act, enabling them to apply for citizenship through naturalization.
• The required period of residence in India for naturalization has been reduced from 11 years to 5 years for these groups.
• Applicability Exceptions: The Act does not apply to:
• Tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura (as included in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution).
• Areas under the ‘Inner Line Permit’ system (Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Manipur).

Connect with the basics – Pathways to Indian Citizenship

• Constitutional Foundations: Articles 5–11 of Constitution of India (Part II) lays down the initial framework for citizenship at the time of its commencement:

1. Article 5: Grants citizenship to persons domiciled in India at the commencement of the Constitution.
2. Article 6: Covers migrants from Pakistan, granting citizenship under certain conditions.
3. Article 7: Addresses those who migrated to Pakistan but later returned.
4. Article 8: Provides for citizenship of Indians residing abroad.
5. Article 9: Bars dual citizenship, if a person voluntarily acquires citizenship of another country, they forfeit Indian citizenship.
6. Article 10: Ensures that existing citizens continue to enjoy rights unless terminated under law.
7. Article 11: Empowers Parliament to regulate citizenship by law.

Statutory Provisions: The Citizenship Act, 1955:

• It provides the legal framework for acquiring and terminating Indian citizenship. Key modes of acquisition include:

1. By Birth (Section 3)
2. By Descent (Section 4)
3. By Registration (Section 5)
4. By Naturalization (Section 6)
5. By Incorporation of Territory (Section 7).

Anti-Defection Law

Polity and Governance

Context

• A private member’s bill titled “The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2025 (Amendment of the Tenth Schedule)” has been introduced in Lok Sabha.
• The Tenth Schedule to the Constitution, popularly known as the Anti-Defection Law, was added to the Constitution by the Constitution(Fifty-second Amendment) Act, 1985.

Whip

• A whip refers to an order to members of a party in the House to abide by a certain direction of the party.
• Political parties issue whips to their MPs to either vote for or against the bill, depending on their party line.
• Once the whip is issued, the MPs from each party will necessarily have to obey the whip or else risk losing their seat in Parliament.
• It is not mentioned in the constitution but is considered a parliamentary convention.
• Parties appoint a senior member from among their House contingents to issue whips — this member is called a chief whip, and he/ she is assisted by additional whips.

Anti Defection Law

• The Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, also known as the anti-defection law, was added to prevent political defections.
• Disqualification on ground of defection: A legislator belonging to a political party will be disqualified if he/she:

1. voluntarily gives up his party membership, or
2. votes/abstains to vote in the House contrary to the direction issued by his political party.
3. Independent members will be disqualified if they join a political party after getting elected to the House.
4. Nominated members will be disqualified if they join any political party six months after getting nominated.
5. A member is not disqualified if he has taken prior permission of his party, or if the voting or abstention is condoned by the party within 15 days.

1. Exemptions in cases of merger: Members are exempted from such disqualification when at least two thirds of the original political party merges with another political party.
2. the members must have become members of the party they have merged with/into,
3. or they should have not accepted the merger and choose to function as a separate group.
4. Decision making authority: The decision to disqualify a member from the House rests with the Chairman/Speaker of the House.