The Indian Express editorial analysis offers valuable insights into current issues affecting India, providing a critical understanding of socio-political and economic matters. For UPSC CSE preparation, such editorials are essential for developing analytical skills, enhancing understanding of governance, and applying knowledge to relevant General Studies topics. Through editorial analysis, aspirants can engage with contemporary issues, assess policy impacts, and build a nuanced perspective required for the examination.
1. Quota for Women at IITs: Proof That Inclusion Works
The increasing presence of women in the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) marks a significant milestone in India’s journey toward gender equity in higher education. This achievement, driven by the implementation of a supernumerary quota for women in 2018, underscores how targeted reforms can transform opportunities and create inclusive spaces in traditionally male-dominated fields like STEM.
Key Gains in Representation
- Dramatic Growth:
At IIT-Kanpur, female enrollment rose from 908 in 2017 to 2,124 in 2024. Similar trends were observed at IITs Roorkee, Chennai, and Mumbai, with Roorkee reporting a 76.36% increase in female enrollment between 2019-20 and 2024. - Supernumerary Quota:
By adding seats specifically for women rather than reserving existing ones, the initiative has expanded opportunities for female aspirants without impacting others.
Beyond Numbers: A Cultural Shift
- Breaking Stereotypes:
The increasing representation of women challenges the long-held notion that STEM is a “male-dominated” field, fostering an environment where women’s ideas and innovations are indispensable. - Campus Reforms:
Significant infrastructure upgrades, such as additional hostels, improved sanitation facilities, and recreational areas, have made IITs more welcoming for women. - Engagement Initiatives:
Open-door policies for female students and their families ensure they feel included and valued as part of campus life.
Challenges Ahead: Bridging the Gender Gap
- Underrepresentation Persists:
According to AISHE 2021-22, women account for only 11.3 lakh out of the 38.9 lakh undergraduate engineering students. This highlights the need for sustained efforts to close the gap. - Transitioning to Workplaces:
The India Human Development Survey (2004-2024) reveals persistent barriers for women in economic opportunities, emphasizing the importance of gender-neutral workplace policies and mentorship.
A Broader Model for Inclusion
The success of the women’s quota at IITs demonstrates that top-down reforms can spark societal change. Lessons from this initiative can be extended to other fields where gender disparities exist, following the example of medical colleges, which achieved equal male-to-female enrollment in 2020-21.
Way Forward: Empowerment Beyond Enrollment
- Systemic Support:
Implement gender-neutral policies, mentorship programs, and ensure workplaces are free from bias. - Holistic Inclusivity:
Foster a culture where women can thrive academically, socially, and professionally. - Sustained Monitoring:
Continue measuring the effectiveness of policies to ensure the momentum of progress does not falter.
Conclusion
The rise of women in IITs is a testament to the power of inclusion. While much progress has been made, the journey is far from over. To truly empower women, it is vital to support them beyond the classroom, ensuring their full participation in shaping India’s intellectual and economic future.
Source: IE
2. How Uniform Taxation Can Transform the Agricultural Sector
India’s agricultural sector, often referred to as the backbone of the economy, is at a crossroads. Persistent issues such as low productivity, marketing inefficiencies, and fluctuating farm incomes underscore the urgent need for reforms. A critical yet underexplored solution lies in uniform taxation in agricultural markets, which could pave the way for better governance, reduced price volatility, and enhanced farmer incomes.
The Problem with Current Agricultural Markets
- Fragmented Taxation Structure:
Agricultural markets across states impose varying market fees and charges, which amounted to ₹908 crore in 2018-19 and may have reached ₹2,000 crore by 2023. These inconsistencies hinder efficient market operations and inflate costs for farmers and consumers. - Price Volatility:
A mere 5% fluctuation in production can result in an inverse 50% change in farmgate prices, exposing farmers to severe income instability. - Lack of Strategic Investments:
Agricultural research and infrastructure development are hampered by inadequate and thinly spread resources. Crops like chickpea, soybean, and mustard remain underfunded, despite their potential to reduce import dependency and improve nutrition. - Resistance to Reforms:
State governments, constrained by short-term revenue needs, resist reforms such as uniform taxation, fearing it would erode their financial autonomy.
Why Uniform Taxation is a Game-Changer
- Better Governance:
Implementing a “One Nation, One Tax” framework for agriculture, akin to GST, would eliminate discrepancies, promote transparency, and streamline market operations. - Reduced Price Fluctuations:
A uniform tax structure would minimize middlemen’s influence and stabilize farmgate prices, shielding farmers from drastic income changes. - Encouraging Entrepreneurship:
Standardized taxes would foster regulated competition, driving entrepreneurial ventures in processing, logistics, and value addition, benefiting both farmers and consumers. - Data-Driven Decisions:
Charging a nominal administrative fee for collecting and analyzing real-time data would enable better planning, market intelligence, and policy interventions.
Addressing Federal Concerns
State governments may view uniform taxation as an assault on federalism. However, the 16th Finance Commission could provide financial compensation to states for a five-year transition period. Reducing horticulture market fees to 0.1% would balance administrative needs with revenue considerations while easing the burden on farmers.
The Need for Strategic Investments
Uniform taxation alone cannot address all challenges. Strategic funding in agricultural research and infrastructure development is essential:
- Focused investment of ₹1,000 crore per year in key crops like chickpea, soybean, and mustard could double yields over eight years.
- Addressing marketing inefficiencies, especially for perishable horticulture produce, is crucial to ensuring fair prices.
Preparing for Climate Challenges
Agricultural reforms must also integrate climate resilience strategies. The absence of a comprehensive land-use strategy leaves India vulnerable to climate change impacts, jeopardizing food security and farmer livelihoods.
Conclusion
Uniform taxation in agricultural markets offers a practical and transformative solution to many of the sector’s longstanding issues. By improving governance, reducing volatility, and fostering entrepreneurship, it can lay the groundwork for a more resilient and equitable agricultural economy. However, this must be complemented by strategic investments and federal collaboration to ensure that India’s farmers not only survive but thrive in a rapidly changing world.
Source: IE
3. Farmers’ Demand for a Legal Guarantee of MSP: A Bare Minimum
The debate surrounding the legal guarantee of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) has reached a critical juncture. Farmers’ consistent demand for MSP to be made a statutory right underscores their struggle for economic justice. Despite the government’s promises and announcements, the reality on the ground reveals a stark gap between declared MSPs and the actual prices farmers receive.
The Ground Reality of MSP Implementation
The government annually declares MSP for 23 crops, portraying it as a major boon for farmers. However, these declarations often lack substantive action. Markets frequently fail to honor these minimum prices, leaving farmers at the mercy of fluctuating market dynamics. For instance:
- Moong (green gram) in Merta, Rajasthan, sold at an average of ₹6,467 per quintal in December 2024—₹2,215 below the MSP.
- Jowar (sorghum) in Jalana, Maharashtra, fetched ₹2,456 per quintal—₹915 below the MSP.
- Similar discrepancies exist for maize, soybean, and other crops, cumulatively resulting in massive income losses for farmers.
Without mechanisms to enforce MSP, the terms “minimum” and “support” become hollow promises.
The Case for a Legal Guarantee of MSP
- Logical Coherence and Feasibility:
A legal guarantee does not necessitate the government purchasing the entirety of a crop. Instead, the framework involves ensuring farmers receive at least the MSP, regardless of who buys their produce. The demand centers on entitling farmers to a minimum price and obliging the state to ensure this entitlement. - Operational Mechanisms:
The implementation of a legally guaranteed MSP could involve:- Expanded Procurement: Diversifying procurement beyond rice and wheat to include pulses, millets, and oilseeds for food security schemes.
- Market Interventions: Setting floor prices at auctions, stabilizing prices through limited purchases, and empowering farmers’ collectives like FPOs.
- Price Deficiency Payments: Compensating farmers for the difference between market price and MSP when interventions fail.
- Affordability:
Critics argue that legally binding MSP would lead to fiscal disaster, but data suggests otherwise.- The 2022-23 deficit for the top 15 crops under the government-declared MSP totaled ₹26,469 crore.
- At the present rates, a legally guaranteed MSP would cost about 0.5 per cent of the Union budget. Even with the Swaminathan Commission’s recommended MSP (C2+50%), the cost would be 4.2% of the budget, or 0.6% of GDP.
- Timely interventions and competitive markets would further reduce these costs.
- Economic Benefits:
Legal MSP would inject purchasing power into rural households, spurring consumption, increasing demand, and driving growth in the broader economy.
Challenges and Misconceptions
- Fiscal Fears:
Detractors inflate figures to portray MSP guarantees as unaffordable, assuming the government must purchase all crops. In reality, targeted interventions suffice to ensure price stability. - Resistance to Reform:
Bureaucratic inertia and political hesitance remain significant hurdles. While states argue about feasibility and federalism, farmers continue to bear the brunt of this indecision. - Public Perception:
Mainstream narratives often misrepresent farmers’ demands as excessive or impractical, sidelining their legitimate grievances.
A Path Forward
The demand for a legal MSP guarantee is not about charity—it is about justice for a sector that sustains the nation but remains economically vulnerable. For this framework to succeed:
- Strong Political Will: The government must prioritize farmers’ welfare over fiscal and administrative convenience.
- Collaborative Federalism: States and the Center must work together to implement MSP reforms, with financial support for states during the transition.
- Farmer Empowerment: Strengthening farmers’ bargaining power through cooperatives, FPOs, and better storage facilities will complement MSP reforms.
Conclusion
The legal guarantee of MSP represents the bare minimum that a nation committed to its farmers should offer. It is a logical, operationally viable, and economically justifiable solution to the agrarian crisis. With the right mix of political resolve and administrative innovation, it can transform Indian agriculture, ensuring dignity and stability for millions of farmers while fueling the nation’s growth.
Source: IE
4. Why Criticism Over the Nehru-Led Economy Doesn’t Hold
Introduction
- Jawaharlal Nehru prioritized economic policy to increase income levels, which were significantly low for the majority of Indians.
- Nehru’s pragmatic approach aimed at growth without adhering to rigid ideologies, as highlighted during the Second Five-Year Plan launch in 1956.
Economic Growth Under Nehru
- The average annual growth rate during Nehru’s tenure was 4%, compared to less than 1% in the last 50 years of British rule.
- Though lower than modern growth rates, this performance was a crucial intermediate phase for post-colonial economic development.
- India grew slower than South Korea but faster than China during Nehru’s time.
Key Criticisms and Counterarguments
- Neglect of Agriculture in Favor of Industrialization
- Criticism: Agriculture was overshadowed by the focus on industrial growth.
- Counterargument:
- Agriculture led the growth trajectory during Nehru’s era.
- Industrial inputs and public infrastructure improved agricultural productivity.
- The invitation to Norman Borlaug in 1963 and the subsequent Green Revolution exemplify forward-looking policies.
- Inefficiency of Public Sector Enterprises
- Criticism: Public sector enterprises drained resources without returns.
- Counterargument:
- Public sector savings grew faster than private corporate savings.
- Public enterprises were envisioned by Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis to generate revenue for public investments.
- Later inefficiencies in the public sector were due to policies post-Nehru.
- Private Sector Repression Due to Licensing Policies
- Criticism: Licensing stifled private sector growth.
- Counterargument:
- Private sector investments flourished, growing at rates comparable to the public sector.
- Public investments expanded demand, creating opportunities for private enterprises.
Missed Opportunities in Education
- Nehru’s policies lacked a mission-mode focus on primary education and literacy, particularly for girls.
- Low literacy rates in 1947 led to a democratic deficit, limiting human capital and productivity.
- East Asian countries’ success in eradicating poverty and raising income levels is attributed to robust schooling systems.
- Critics like Amartya Sen and J P Naik flagged the continued neglect of education as a major shortcoming.
Conclusion
- Nehru’s economic policies were not without flaws but were instrumental in transforming India from a stagnant, colonial economy to one with steady growth.
- His focus on industrialization, agriculture, and pragmatic policymaking laid the foundation for future development.
- However, greater emphasis on education could have enhanced these gains significantly.
- Nehru’s achievements remain a historic milestone in India’s economic history, despite the criticisms.
Source: IE
Disclaimer:
This analysis is based on the editorial content published in Indian Express and is intended solely for informational and educational purposes. The views, opinions, and interpretations expressed herein are those of the author of original article. Readers are encouraged to refer to the original article for complete context and to exercise their own judgment while interpreting the analysis. The analysis does not constitute professional advice or endorsement of any political, economic, or social perspective.
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