16 September 2025

• Why important now?
• The Supreme Court has partially stayed provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, terming some sections prima facie arbitrary and unconstitutional.
• Trigger: Multiple petitions challenged the new law for violating fundamental rights and upsetting the balance between executive power and judicial authority.

  1.Institutional background

• Waqf: Permanent dedication of property by a Muslim for religious/charitable purposes.
•  Waqf governance in India was codified under the Waqf Act, 1954, later replaced by the Waqf Act, 1995, and now amended in 2025.
•  Historically, disputes about Waqf property have been highly contentious due to overlapping claims between private owners, government, and religious institutions.

Key Facts/Data(Prelims Pointers)

• SC Bench: CJI B.R. Gavai and Justice A.G. Masih.

1.Key provisions stayed

• Mandatory proof of practising Islam for 5 years before creating a Waqf (stayed until procedure/mechanism is created).
•  Section 3C proviso: automatic loss of Waqf status if property is doubted to be government- owned.
•  Executive powers to alter Waqf and revenue records unilaterally.

2.Institutional limits imposed:

• Central Waqf Council → max 4 non-Muslims out of 22 members.
•  State Waqf Boards → max 3 non-Muslims out of 11.
•  CEOs of State Waqf Boards → preferably Muslims.
• Separation of powers principle upheld: title of property can only be decided by judiciary/Waqf Tribunal (Sec. 83).
• Historical note: Since 1923, all Waqf laws required registration of Waqfs.

3.Critical/Analysis/Pros/Opportunities

• SC has ensured that executive overreach into judicial functions is checked.
• Protects Waqf properties from arbitrary dispossession.
• Strikes balance between minority rights and state’s interest in safeguarding public property.
• Brings accountability to Waqf management (registration requirement reinforced).

4.Cons/Challenges

• Ambiguities remain on the procedure to verify religious practice.
• Potential administrative delays in resolving title disputes → risk of property misuse.
• Communal sensitivities may get politicized.
• SC’s directive to limit non-Muslim members may reignite debates on secular representation.

Long Term Implications

• Strengthens judicial oversight in property disputes involving religious institutions.
• Could trigger a larger debate on reform of Waqf management in India.
• May set precedent for balancing religious freedoms with state regulation.

Way Forwards

• Government must establish a transparent mechanism for verifying Waqf creation claims.
• Digitization and GIS-based mapping of Waqf and government properties to prevent overlaps.
• Adoption of best practices from countries like Turkey (centralized Waqf management) or Malaysia (public audits of Islamic endowments).
• Encourage community participation with accountability while safeguarding secular values. Strengthen Waqf Tribunals with judicial officers, better infrastructure, and strict timelines.

AADHAR IS PART OF STATUTE,CAN BE USED BY VOTERS’

• The Supreme Court is hearing a challenge to the Election Commission’s (EC) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.
• The immediate trigger was the inclusion of Aadhaar as the 12th valid document for voter verification, alongside 11 other documents already listed by the EC.
• Concerns were raised that Aadhaar is not proof of citizenship, and therefore its inclusion could lead to non-citizens gaining voting rights.
• The issue sits at the intersection of citizenship, electoral integrity, and data privacy.
• Historically, electoral reforms have been closely linked to debates around purification of rolls, electoral fraud, and migrant inclusion/exclusion (e.g., NRC in Assam).

Key Facts/Data (Prelims Pointers)

• Section 23(4), Representation of the People Act, 1950 – permits EC to use Aadhaar to authenticate entries in electoral rolls.
• Aadhaar Act, 2016 – Aadhaar is a proof of identity, not proof of citizenship/residence.

1.Supreme Court Judgments:

• Puttaswamy (2017) – affirmed right to privacy.
•  Puttaswamy (2018) – upheld Aadhaar as constitutional but restricted mandatory use.
• EC Rulebook: 11 existing documents (e.g., passport, land record, driving licence, etc.) + Aadhaar (added as 12th)

• Current Case Timeline: Plea fixed for hearing on October 7, 2025.

Static Linkages

• Representation of the People Act, 1950 & 1951 – statutory basis of electoral rolls and conduct of elections.
• Election Commission of India (ECI) – constitutional body under Article 324.
• NRC and Citizenship debates – relevance of Aadhaar vs proof of citizenship.
• Right to Vote – a statutory right (not a fundamental right).
• Right to Privacy – Article 21.

Critical Analysis Oppostunities/Pros

• Aadhaar offers ease of authentication, reduces duplication of voter rolls.
• Could enhance digital governance in elections.
• Useful for preventing “bogus voting” and migration- related roll duplication.

Challenges/Cons

• Aadhaar not proof of citizenship, raising fears of enfranchising non-citizens.
• Risk of exclusion errors – poor, women, migrants often lack supporting documents.
• Privacy and surveillance risks – linking Aadhaar to voting may create profiling concerns.
• Legal ambiguity: Aadhaar’s status is identity-only, but EC uses it as citizenship-linked authentication.

Long Term Implications

• Sets precedent for digital democracy and Aadhaar’s role in governance.
• May trigger larger debate on citizenship verification before elections.
• If unchecked, could create a constitutional clash between Parliament’s law and Supreme Court’s interpretation.

Way Forward

• Clear parliamentary guidelines on Aadhaar’s role in electoral rolls (identity vs citizenship).
• Conduct nationwide public consultations before major electoral reforms like SIR.
• Ensure alternative documents remain valid, preventing exclusion of vulnerable groups. Adopt global best practices –

Adopt global best practices –

•  Estonia: e-voting with robust digital ID + citizenship registry.
•  Germany: separate citizen registry to prevent confusion with general ID.

• Strengthen data protection laws (pending DPDP Act implementation) to ensure electoral privacy.

Adopt global best practices –

•  Estonia: e-voting with robust digital ID + citizenship registry.
•  Germany: separate citizen registry to prevent confusion with general ID.

UNLOCKING INNOVATION WITH INDIA’S PROCUREMENT REFORMS

• Procurement in India has traditionally been rule- bound and compliance-heavy, prioritising fraud prevention and cost-efficiency.
• This rigid framework often delayed or compromised research by forcing scientists to buy low-quality equipment through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) or undergo lengthy exemption processes.
• Trigger: In June 2025, the Government of India amended the General Financial Rules (GFR) to improve flexibility for R&D procurement.
• Aim: To remove bottlenecks, speed up purchases, and align procurement with the needs of innovation ecosystems.

Key Facts/ Prelims Pointers

• Direct Purchase Limit: Raised from ₹1 lakh → ₹2 lakh.
• Purchase Committee Limit: Increased (e.g., ₹10 lakh→ ₹25 lakh).
• Limited Tender Enquiry (LTE): Threshold raised (e.g., ₹50 lakh → ₹1 crore).
• Global Tender Enquiries (GTE): VCs/Directors can now approve tenders up to ₹200 crore for scientific equipment and consumables.
• Exemption from GeM: Specialised research equipment no longer mandatorily routed through GeM.
• Earlier Problem: Poor-quality vendors on GeM and long delays in procurement exemptions.

1.Global Best Practices:

•  US: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program (3% federal R&D reserved for startups).
•  Germany: KOINNO agency under High-Tech Strategy promotes innovation-oriented procurement.
•  EU/South Korea: “Pre-commercial procurement” (PCP) pays premium for prototypes.

Critical Analysis Opportunities

• Faster procurement, less delay: Improves “time-to-lab” for critical research.
• Institutional autonomy: Scientists/VCs can decide on specialised procurements quickly.
• Innovation push: Flexible procurement can act as a demand-side policy instrument to catalyse private R&D.

Challenges

• Ethics & misuse: Greater discretion raises corruption/favouritism risks without strong monitoring.
• Domestic suppliers: Risk of being sidelined if global tenders dominate.
• Threshold adequacy: ₹2 lakh direct purchase ceiling still too low for high-tech fields.
• Capacity gap: Institutional heads may lack training in procurement best practices

Way Forwards

• Outcome-weighted tenders: Evaluate bids on innovation, quality, scalability – not just cost.
• Sandbox exemptions: Allow IITs/CSIR labs to bypass GFR for a portion of purchases, tied to innovation KPIs. Procurement for Innovation Centre (Indian KOINNO): Dedicated agency to guide innovation procurement.
• Staged procurement (PCP model): Fund prototypes → pilots → scaling.
• AI-driven procurement assistant: INDIAai ecosystem to predict customs delays, scan global catalogues, reduce decision cycles.
• Co-procurement alliances: Pool demand of multiple labs for economies of scale.
• Transparency & accountability: Public dashboards, performance-linked procurement audits, whistleblower safeguards.

INDIA ECONOMIC AMBITIONS NEED BETTER GENDER DATA

• Women contribute only 18% to India’s GDP, despite being ~50% of the population.
• 196 million employable women are outside the workforce.
• Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR): 41.7%, but only 18% in formal employment.
• India’s aspiration to be a $30 trillion economy by 2047 depends on closing the gender gap.
• Core issue → Women’s invisibility in data, policymaking & budgetary allocations

Key Facts/Prelims Pointer

• WEE Index (Women’s Economic Empowerment Index):
•  Launched by Government of Uttar Pradesh (first of its kind in India).
•  Tracks women’s participation across five levers:
  • Employment
  • Education & Skilling
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Livelihood & Mobility
  • Safety & Inclusive Infrastructure
• Gender Budgeting: Often limited to welfare schemes; needs mainstreaming into all departmental expenditure.
• Example: In U.P. transport sector, gender data → led to targeted reforms (female recruitment + women’s restrooms at bus terminals).
• Skilling vs Entrepreneurship gap: Women >50% enrolment in skilling programmes, but very low as registered entrepreneurs → highlights barriers in credit & finance access.

Static Linkages

1.Polity & Constitution:

•  Art. 14 (Equality), Art. 15 (Non-discrimination), Art. 39 (DPSP – Equal livelihood opportunities), Art. 42, Art. 46.

2.Economy:

• Labour market reforms, credit & MSMEs, informal sector challenges.

3.International:

• SDG 5 (Gender Equality),
• Global Gender Gap Report (WEF),
•  World Bank studies linking gender equality with higher GDP.

Critical Analysis Strengths:

• Makes gender gaps visible & measurable at district level.
• Enables data-driven policymaking (example: transport sector reforms).
• Replicable model for other States with trillion-dollar economic goals.

Challenges

• FLFPR rise not matched by formal jobs.
• Persistent structural barriers: credit, mobility, safety, care responsibilities.
• Gender budgeting risks remaining tokenistic unless mainstreamed across sectors.

Way Forward:

• Universal adoption of gender-disaggregated data in MIS across departments.
• Capacity-building of local governments for data collection & usage.
• Move beyond numbers: track retention, leadership roles, re-entry post-marriage/maternity.
• Apply gender lens in every rupee spent (not just women-centric schemes).

UPSC Takeaway

• The WEE Index is a governance innovation linking gender equity with economic growth.
• It provides a roadmap for inclusive growth, ensuring women’s visibility in policy, budget, and institutional reforms.
• India’s demographic and economic aspirations depend on mainstreaming women into the economy.

• The idea of a two-state solution dates back to 1937, before the State of Israel was created.
• Oslo Accords (1990s) were the most notable attempt to implement it.
• 1967 Arab-Israeli War → Israel occupied Gaza & West Bank; settlement expansion undermined two- state viability.
• The October 7, 2023 Hamas attack and Israel’s subsequent war in Gaza reignited global debate.

Recent development

• 80th UN General Assembly (12 Sept 2025):
• Overwhelmingly endorsed a timebound, irreversible two-state solution roadmap.
•  Vote count: 142 in favour, 10 against, 12 abstentions.
•  Also called for: End to the war.
• Establishment of a Palestinian Authority government in Gaza.
• Hamas-free Gaza.

• India’s stand: Voted in favour, breaking its recent pattern of abstentions (Oct 2023, Sept 2024, June 2025).

India’s Position -Significance

• Marks a shift from cautious abstention to a proactive support for Palestinian statehood.
• Aligns with India’s historical backing of the Palestinian cause (Non-Aligned Movement era). Reflects India’s balancing act between strategic ties with Israel (defence, tech) and long-standing support for Palestine.
• Helps India maintain credibility in Global South and among Arab partners (energy security, diaspora interests).

Global Dynamics

• Support waning for Israel, even among traditional allies.
• US opposed resolution, calling it “misguided” and “a gift to Hamas”.
• Growing domestic opposition inside Israel to prolonged war.
• The resolution, though non-binding, symbolises moral & diplomatic pressure.

Static Linkages

• Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) – India’s early pro- Palestine stance.
• UN & International Law – UNGA resolutions are non-binding, UNSC holds enforcement power.
• Energy Security – Dependence on West Asian oil. Diaspora factor – 9M+ Indians in West Asia.

Critical Analysis

• India’s vote shows diplomatic recalibration, balancing realpolitik with values.
• A two-state solution remains difficult:

 1.Israel’s rejection (PM Netanyahu openly opposes).

2.US opposition (Israel’s closest ally).

 3.Palestinian politics fractured (Fatah vs Hamas).

• Still, resolutions keep diplomatic pressure alive and preserve the vision of peace.

IT NEVER RAINS,IT POURS

Context & Bachground

• What triggered it?
• Unusually prolonged and intense monsoons in Mori tehsil (Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand) coinciding with apple harvest season (July–October).
• Why important?
• Affects horticulture-based livelihoods (apples, rajma, potatoes).
• Highlights climate change in fragile Himalayan agro-ecosystems.
• Illustrates “slow violence” — cumulative but less reported disasters (crop failures, post-harvest losses, livelihood erosion).
• Institutional backdrop:
• Disaster management (NDMA/SDMA), horticulture promotion (MIDH), crop insurance (PMFBY), community seed banks, cold-chain logistics.

Key facts/ Prelims Pointers

• Apple physiology: Needs chill hours between 0°C– 7°C for winter dormancy → flowering & fruiting.
• Cropping mix in valley: Apples, rajma, potatoes, ragi, amaranth, rice, seasonal vegetables.

1.Climate impacts reported:

•  Extended monsoon rains (beyond August 15).
•  Hail, delayed rains in earlier years, reduced snowfall in winters.
•  Landslides cutting road access, repeated power cuts.

• Geography: Mori tehsil, Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand; pine/deodar forests, wildlife-rich Himalayan landscape.

• Geography: Mori tehsil, Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand; pine/deodar forests, wildlife-rich Himalayan landscape.

2.Schemes & Institutions:

• PMFBY – crop insurance.
• MIDH – horticulture development.
•  NDMA/SDMA – disaster preparedness.
•  Seed banks – community adaptation for preserving local varieties.

Critical Analysis Opportunities

• High-value horticulture → scope for processing/value addition.
• Community initiatives like seed banks show resilience.
• Small technologies (solar cold rooms, weather advisories) can reduce losses.

Challenges

• Erratic monsoon & declining snowfall disrupt cycles.
• Weak infrastructure (roads, electricity).
• Crop insurance often inadequate in remote regions.
• Risk of losing traditional rajma/apple varieties.

Implications

• Agro-climatic zones may shift upslope or decline.
• Risk of rural livelihood collapse → outmigration.
• Long-term cultural and ecological loss if traditional crops vanish 

 Way Forward

• Agro-climatic monitoring: Install chill-hour and rainfall trackers with advisories.
• Insurance reform: Index-based crop insurance for remote hill crops.
• Post-harvest support: Cold storage hubs, better crates, cooperative marketing.
• Resilient infrastructure: Climate-proof rural roads, underground power lines.
• Seed & varietal diversity: Support seed banks, breed low-chill apples & hardy rajma.
• Livelihood diversification: Value-added processing (dried apples, preserves), eco-tourism.
• Human-wildlife mitigation: Fencing, crop compensation schemes.
• Landscape planning: Watershed management, soil conservation, ecosystem services.

CHECK,MATE:PLANS FOR A SECOND INDIGENOUS POPULATION OF CHEETAHS ON MP

• Cheetah extinction in India: Extinct in the wild since 1952.
• Reintroduction: 20 cheetahs brought from Namibia & South Africa (2022–23).
• Kuno National Park (Madhya Pradesh): First home; now has 29 cheetahs, including 19 born in India.

Current Development

• Second site: Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary (Mandsaur & Neemuch, MP; near Rajasthan border).
• Plan: Relocate 1 female cheetah (post-monsoon) to mate with 2 males (Prabhash & Pavak).
• Goal: Create a second free-ranging population ~280 km from Kuno.

Cheetah reproduction (biological Facts-Prelims Pointers)

• Female puberty: 25–30 months, 1st litter ~29 months.
• Male maturity: 4–8 years (prime age).
• Estrus signs: urine spraying, rolling, rubbing, sniffing, tolerance of males.
• Mating frequency: 3–5 times/day for several days. Gestation: ~3 months, litter size up to 6 cubs.
• Cubs gain ~45 g/day, fastest growth among large cats.
• Lactation: ~4 months; female requires >1.5 kg food/day

Threats & Challenges

• Co-predator conflict: High leopard density (24 in enclosure, 17 relocated).
• Prey base sufficiency crucial for survival.
• Past incident: Female Daksha died (2023) in violent mating attempt.
• Climate risk: Cubs died of extreme heat (2023).

Monitoring & Management

• Radio collars track mother & cubs.
• Denning behaviour: Female stays with cubs 2–3 days, then moves in star pattern.
• Veterinary surveillance: Cub health checks start at 10 days after birth (till ~6 weeks).
• Prey supplementation inside enclosures (live prey & dressed meat).
• Camera traps around den sites.

Conservation Significance

• Part of Project Cheetah – world’s first intercontinental translocation of a large carnivore.
• Strengthens India’s global conservation profile.
• Aligns with wildlife corridor creation and biodiversity goals.