Current Affairs 09 May 2025

Content :

1. India hits back after intercepting Pak. strikes
2. Is social media defining self-worth?
3. Do restaurants have the right to charge a service fee?
4. MMR shows a declining trend, reveal latest data
5. India recorded 21 lakh additional deaths in 2021, say RGI reports
6. Researchers call for wider access to genetic screening for diabetes patients in India
7. CCI notifies new definitions to curb predatory pricing
8. Public health in India strained by flawed policy, weak training

India hits back after intercepting Pak. strikes

Context and development:

• Escalation of Hostilities: Pakistan launched a series of drone and missile attacks targeting Indian military and civilian locations along the western border.
• Targets Identified: Military stations at Jammu, Pathankot, and Udhampur were among those attacked.
• Indian Response:
  • Swift interception using air defence systems.
  • Eight missiles shot down near Satwari, Samba, R.S. Pura, and Arnia.
  • Drones neutralised in areas around Jammu and Pathankot.
  • Retaliatory strikes using loitering munitions targeted Pakistani air defence systems.
  • An air defence system in Lahore reportedly neutralised.

Relevance : GS 3(Internal Security)

Military Significance

• Use of Loitering Munitions: Indicates shift towards precision, unmanned retaliatory capabilities.
• First Use of Targeting Enemy AD Systems: Neutralising Lahore’s AD system suggests strategic escalation.
• Non-Kinetic & Kinetic Methods: Blends cyber, electronic, and physical responses – showcasing integrated warfare.

Security Measures & Civil Preparedness

• Preventive Blackouts: Enforced in Punjab, Gujarat, and Rajasthan to avoid detection and damage.
• Zero Casualties: Reflects high readiness and effective defence posture.
• Standard Operating Procedure (SoP): SOP-driven neutralisation helped avoid panic and further escalation.

India’s Strategic Messaging

• “Same Domain, Same Intensity”: Message of proportionate retaliation without escalation.
• Non-Escalation Clause: India maintains a defensive posture but warns of retaliation if provoked.
• Operation Sindoor: Earlier action by India on terror infrastructure in PoK set the context for escalation.

Wider Implications

• Tactical Deterrence: India showcases strong defensive and offensive response, aiming for deterrence.
• Pakistan’s Provocation Strategy: Use of drones and missiles indicates an attempt to test India’s red lines.
• Civil-Military Synchronisation: India’s coordinated blackout and interception reflects strong internal coordination.

Is social media defining self-worth?

Context : Identity Formation in a Digital Age

• Public performance over private reflection: Identity is crafted and displayed for public approval rather than discovered privately.
• Blurred boundaries: Authentic self-expression is entangled with algorithmic pressures, obscuring reality and performance.
• Digital and real-life merge: Online interactions and personal identity form an inseparable continuum.

Relevance : GS 1(Society) , GS 2(Social Issues)

 Role of Influencers and Platform Design

• Distorted ideals amplified: Influencers project curated perfection, prioritizing popularity over authenticity.
• Structural reinforcement: Platforms reward surface-level positivity and suppress vulnerability.
• Child influencers under pressure: Young content creators often mirror adult-imposed success metrics, skewing self-worth.

 Impact on Body Image & Mental Health

• Unrealistic standards normalize: Idealized trends (e.g.,hyper-productive routines) propagate toxic norms.
• Logical awareness doesn’t protect: Even with knowledge of filters, many youth internalize feelings of inadequacy.
• Aspiration flips to shame: The journey from inspiration to self-comparison often leads to low confidence and anxiety.

 Dangers of Viral Trends

• Perfection remains elusive: Ever-changing trends create a loop of dissatisfaction and unattainable ideals.
• Risks escalate: Trends like the Blue Whale Challenge reveal how validation-seeking behavior can become dangerous.
• Emotion masked by spectacle: Many trends reflect unspoken emotional struggles, not just shallow entertainment.

 Rethinking Parenting Strategies

• Control isn’t the answer: Surveillance-driven parenting backfires in a digitally fluent environment.
• Trust over tactics: Open communication, not monitoring, fosters healthier relationships.
• Digital fluency for adults: Parents must learn to understand teen behavior online — including secret accounts like “Finstas.”

 Conclusion

• Social media ecosystems are reshaping identity and emotional well-being.
• Performative culture, driven by influencers and algorithms, reinforces superficial norms.
• Empathy, openness, and dialogue — not control — are key to navigating these shifts.

Do restaurants have the right to charge a service fee?

 What Is the Issue?

• Service Charge Defined: A pre-fixed amount (typically 5%–20%) added to the bill, distinct from a voluntary tip.
• Central Question: Is this charge a legitimate business practice or an unfair burden on consumers?

Relevance : GS 2(Governance) ,GS 3(Taxation)

 Consumer Perspective

• Unfair Surprise: Often not disclosed upfront; discovered only on receiving the final bill.
• Feels Mandatory: Many diners feel compelled to pay, despite poor service.
• Resistance to Waiver: Requests to remove the charge are often met with denial or conflict.
• Consumer Complaints: The National Consumer Helpline has received consistent complaints.
• Ministry Stand (2016): Clarified that service charges are voluntary and can be waived.

 Regulator’s View: CCPA Guidelines (July 2022)

• Ban on Default Levying: Prohibited automatic inclusion of service charges.
• Transparency Mandated: Restaurants cannot collect service charges under any other name.
• Consumer Rights Upheld: Emphasized that tipping is based on satisfaction, not compulsion.

 Restaurant Associations’ Argument (NRAI, FHRAI)

• Industry Norm: Practice has existed for over 80 years.
• Wage Structuring: Claimed as part of negotiated employee compensation.
• Equitable Distribution: Helps distribute tips among back-end and service staff fairly.
• No Explicit Legal Ban: Argued that there’s no statute prohibiting the practice.

 Legal Standpoint

• Delhi HC Interim Relief (2022): Stayed CCPA guidelines, allowed service charge if disclosed on menus.
• Delhi HC Final Ruling (March 28, 2025):
  • Service Charge = Voluntary: Cannot be imposed mandatorily.
  • Consumer Choice Reinforced: Customers may pay a tip at their discretion post-service.
• Current Status: A fresh appeal has been filed against this ruling; litigation continues.

 Historical Context

• 1958 Committee Recommendation:
  • Criticized tipping culture.
  • Called it “injurious to the dignity” of staff and a source of harassment for customers.
  • Supported voluntary tips based on satisfaction.

 Why Is the Issue Mired in Litigation?

• Conflict of Rights:
  • Consumer rights to fair and transparent billing vs.
  • Restaurants’ autonomy in business practices and wage structures.
• Absence of Clear Legislation: The matter rests on interpretation of consumer laws, not a statutory prohibition.
• High Stakes: Impacts pricing models, staff pay, and industry norms across thousands of establishments.

MMR shows a declining trend, reveal latest data

Context – Declining trend of MMR:

MMR (Maternal Mortality Ratio) is the number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births within a given time period.

• Current MMR: 93 per 1,00,000 live births (2019–21).
• Previous Trends:
  • 97 (2018–20),
  • 103 (2017–19).
• Clear Decline: Indicates gradual improvement in maternal health outcomes.

Relevance : GS 2(Health)

 Age-wise Distribution

• Highest MMR: Women aged 20–29 years.
• Second Highest: Women aged 30–34 years.
• These are prime reproductive years, highlighting risks during peak childbearing age.

 State-wise High MMRs

• States with High MMR (above national average):
  • Madhya Pradesh: 175
  • Assam: 167
  • Uttar Pradesh: 151
  • Odisha: 135
  • Chhattisgarh: 132
  • West Bengal: 109
  • Haryana: 106
• Indicates regional disparities in healthcare access and maternal care quality.

 MMR as a Health Indicator

• Definition: Number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.
• Reflects reproductive health, healthcare quality, and equity in a region.
• Maternal Death (WHO): Death during pregnancy or within 42 days of termination, excluding accidental causes.

 Global Perspective (WHO)

• Global MMR Goal (SDGs): Less than 70 per 100,000 live births.
• 2023 Figures:
  • Over 700 women died daily due to preventable pregnancy-related causes.
  • A death every 2 minutes worldwide.
  • 90%+ deaths occurred in low- and lower-middle-income countries.
  • Emphasizes need for skilled care before, during, and after childbirth.

 Data Source

• Collected via Sample Registration System (SRS)—one of India’s largest demographic surveys.
• Challenge: Maternal deaths are rare events, requiring large samples for accurate estimates.

 Key Implications

• Declining MMR shows progress in maternal healthcare, but:
  • High-risk age groups need targeted interventions.
  • State-level disparities must be addressed with focused policies.
  • Meeting SDG targets requires sustained effort in maternal care infrastructure, awareness, and skilled medical support.

India recorded 21 lakh additional deaths in 2021, say RGI reports

Context : Sharp Rise in Registered Deaths (2021)

• Total deaths registered: 1.02 crore (10.2 million) in 2021.
• Increase from 2020: Around 21 lakh more deaths (81.2 lakh in 2020).
• Year-on-year increase: 26% rise in registered deaths.
• Compared to 2019 (75.9 lakh), deaths increased by over 34% in two years.

Relevance : GS 2(Health)

 COVID-19 Impact

• COVID-19 deaths as per RGI:
  • 2020: 1,60,618 deaths.
  • 2021: 4,13,580 deaths.
  • Total (2020–21): 5,74,198.

• Demographic breakdown (2021):
  • Males: 2,67,363
  • Females: 1,46,215
  • Transgender: 2
• Official health ministry figure (as of May 5, 2024): 5,33,665 deaths due to COVID-19—suggesting a data discrepancy.

 Medical Certification of Deaths

• Total medically certified deaths (2021): 23,95,128
  • An increase of 5,83,440 from 2020.
• Share of certified deaths: ~23.4% of total registered deaths.
• Indicates low levels of medical certification, posing challenges for accurate mortality analysis.

 Leading Causes of Medically Certified Deaths (2021)

• 1st: Circulatory system diseases (incl. pulmonary): 29.8%
• 2nd: COVID-19: 17.3%
• 3rd: Respiratory diseases (non-COVID): 12.7%
• 4th: Infectious & parasitic diseases: 6.1%
• COVID-19 moved from 3rd leading cause in 2020 to 2nd in 2021.

 State-wise Contributors to Death Surge

• States/UTs with significant death increase:
  • Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka
  • Others: Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Punjab, Telangana, Jharkhand, Delhi
• Suggests wider and deeper pandemic impact across multiple regions.

 Birth Registrations

• Slight Decline in registered births: ~0.1% drop in 2021.
• Indicates possible pandemic-related disruptions in birth registrations or slight fertility decline.

 Key Takeaways

• Massive spike in excess deaths likely reflects undercounted COVID-19 fatalities.
• Discrepancy between official COVID dashboard and medical certification data suggests underreporting or misclassification.
• Urgent need to improve medical certification and data transparency for better public health policy.

Researchers call for wider access to genetic screening for diabetes patients in India

 Key Discovery

• Scientists from Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF), Chennai, in collaboration with Washington University School of Medicine, U.S., identified a new subtype of MODY (Maturity-Onset Diabetes of the Young).
• Published in the journal Diabetes by the American Diabetes Association.

Relevance : GS 2(Health)

 What is MODY?

• MODY is a rare, inherited form of diabetes caused by single-gene mutations.
• Typically appears in adolescents or young adults.
• 13 subtypes of MODY had been recognised before this study.
• The new variant challenges existing assumptions about MODY.

 Scientific Breakthrough

• Study revealed a loss-of-function (LOF) mutation that:
  • Affects potassium channels in pancreatic beta cells.
  • Disrupts insulin secretion.
• Notably, it marks the first case of a switch from congenital hyperinsulinism to diabetes in MODY context.

 Clinical Implications

• The new MODY subtype is non-responsive to conventional treatments like sulphonylureas, which work for other MODY forms.
• Understanding the specific genetic mutation is crucial for selecting the right therapy — an example of precision medicine.

 Call for Wider Genetic Screening

• V. Mohan (MDRF Chairman) emphasized the need to integrate genetic testing in routine diabetes diagnosis.
• Many MODY cases in India are misdiagnosed as Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, leading to inappropriate treatment.
• Radha Venkatesan (MDRF) stressed that genetic screening can lead to better clinical decisions and targeted treatments.

 India-Specific Relevance

• The findings are based on clinical and lab data of Indian patients, underlining the importance of region-specific research.
• Highlights the need for accessible and affordable genetic diagnostics in India’s vast diabetic population.

 Policy and Research Implications

• Supports mainstreaming precision medicine in India’s diabetes care.
• Urges investment in genetic infrastructure and awareness, especially in public health systems.

CCI notifies new definitions to curb predatory pricing

 Context and Objective

• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has notified new definitions of costs to identify predatory pricing more accurately.
• Aims to strengthen fair competition and curb anti-competitive practices, especially in emerging sectors like the digital economy.

Relevance : GS 2(Governance)

 What is Predatory Pricing?

• As per Competition Act, 2002, predatory pricing refers to selling below cost with an intent to:
  • Eliminate competitors, and
  • Reduce competition in the market.
• The definition of “cost” is now formally addressed through this regulation.

 New Cost Definition Introduced

• CCI defines cost as “Average Variable Cost (AVC)”:
  • AVC = Total Variable Cost / Total Output in a given period.
• Variable cost includes all expenses excluding fixed costs and fixed overheads directly attributable to the product or service.

 Flexible, Sector-Agnostic Approach

• CCI has chosen to not use sector-specific definitions of cost.
• Each case will be assessed individually, considering market dynamics, especially in complex and evolving sectors like tech and digital platforms.

 Response to Stakeholder Feedback

• The notification follows a draft release in February 2025 and public consultation.
• CCI incorporated suggestions from stakeholders, notably:
  • Avoiding rigid, sector-specific cost metrics.
  • Adopting a case-by-case, adaptive evaluation method.

 Cost Regulations 2025 – Key Takeaways

• Establishes a sector-agnostic, cost-based regulatory framework.
• Provides regulatory clarity without compromising on flexibility.
• Particularly relevant to digital markets, where pricing models and cost structures vary significantly.

 Implications

• Likely to enhance scrutiny of pricing strategies of dominant firms, especially in:
  • E-commerce
  • Online services
  • Telecom
• Ensures smaller players are not unfairly priced out of the market.
• Reinforces CCI’s proactive regulatory stance in a dynamic market environment.

Public health in India strained by flawed policy, weak training

Context: Conceptual Misunderstanding of Public Health

• Public health in India is often wrongly seen as a sub-discipline of medicine, ignoring its interdisciplinary nature.
• It combines medical science (e.g., germ theory), engineering (e.g., sanitation systems), and social sciences (e.g., poverty’s impact on health).
• Public health also involves communication, behaviour change, and trust-building—making it both a science and an art.

Relevance : GS 2(Governance ,Health)

Governance Fragmentation

• Public health is treated as a State subject per the 7th Schedule, but responsibilities also lie in Union and Concurrent Lists.
• Example:
  • Union List: Quarantine, international health regulations.
  • Concurrent List: Drug safety, food safety, pollution control.
• This leads to:
  • Poor coordination among ministries (Health, Water Resources, Food Safety, Municipalities).
  • Overlapping jurisdictions and diluted accountability.
  • Colonial legacy of fragmented governance persists in a federal setup.

Structural Contradictions in Policy

• Public health policies often conflict:
  • E.g., promoting tobacco farming while running cancer prevention programmes.

• Institutional contradictions:
  • ICMR fights tobacco-related diseases while ICAR’s Central Tobacco Research Institute boosts its cultivation.

Flawed MPH Education Ecosystem

• MPH curriculum mirrors public health governance—fragmented and inconsistent.
• Eligibility issues:
  • Some programmes restrict to medical/allied fields; others allow all graduates—without a common foundation.
• Content gaps:
  • Minimal focus on crucial areas like:
    • Public health engineering (sanitation infrastructure),
    • Nutrition (food technology and safety),
    • Behavioural sciences (psychology, social marketing),
    • Health technology assessment (cost-effectiveness of interventions).
• Delivery problems:
  • Courses often theoretical or managerial, lacking field exposure.
  • The 2-year duration is too short to cover diverse skillsets in-depth.

Systemic Invisibility of MPH Graduates

• No structured public health cadre across most states.
• MPH holders are relegated to temporary NGO or clerical roles.
• Their technical skills remain underutilized, violating the vision of the National Health Policy 2017.

Implications and Way Forward

• Without a skilled public health workforce, India’s response to challenges like antimicrobial resistance, climate-related diseases, and pandemics will be inadequate.
• Urgent reforms needed:
  • Nationally standardized MPH curriculum with scope for regional adjustments.
  • Modular, flexible programme structure to handle the field’s breadth.
  • Creation of a formal, well-defined public health cadre.
  • Integration of public health into national policymaking akin to national security.