Content
- Crimes against Children Surge in Assam, Rajasthan, and Kerala
- Securities Transaction Tax (STT) Challenge: Analysis
- Medicine Nobel for Scientists Who Demystified the Immune System
- MGNREGA Norms Tweaked for Water Projects
- Scientific Research in Resource-Constrained Settings: Challenges and Adaptations
- Why the Immune System Doesn’t Attack the Body
Crimes against children surge in Assam, Rajasthan, and Kerala

Why in News
- The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2023 data shows a sharp rise in crimes against children in Assam, Rajasthan, and Kerala.
- The increase is significant compared to the national average rise of 25%, prompting policy, media, and governance attention.
- The trends highlight issues in child protection, legal enforcement, and reporting mechanisms.
Relevance :
- GS-2 (Governance & Social Justice):
- Child protection policies and mechanisms
- Legal reforms like POCSO Act, Prohibition of Child Marriage Act
- Role of state machinery in prevention, rescue, and rehabilitation
- GS-3 (Social Issues & Internal Security):
- Trends in crimes against children
- Reporting mechanisms and classification of offences
- Targeted interventions for vulnerable groups
Overall National Trend
- National increase in crimes against children (2018–2023): 25%.
- Focus States: Assam, Kerala, Rajasthan — all exceeding the national average.
State | Average Cases (2018–2022) | Cases in 2023 | % Increase |
Assam | 5,100 | 10,000 | ~100% |
Kerala | 2,800 | 5,900 | 106% |
Rajasthan | 6,200 | 10,500 | 70% |
State-wise Drivers of the Rise
Assam
- Main Cause: Crackdown on child marriage.
- Data:
- Cases under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006:
- 2020–2022: ~150 cases/year
- 2023: 5,267 cases
- Share of child marriage cases in total crimes against children: 52% (2023) vs 3–4% previously.
- Cases under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006:
- Insight: Rise reflects active enforcement, not necessarily a spike in incidence.
Rajasthan
- Drivers:
- Reclassification under POCSO Act, 2012
- Shifted from IPC Section 376 (rape) to POCSO provisions.
- Cases under Sections 4 & 6 of POCSO read with IPC Section 376: 3 → 3,500+ cases (2022–2023).
- Indicates more accurate classification, alongside a real increase in offences.
- Kidnapping and abduction:
- Cases under child kidnapping/abduction provisions rose sharply.
- Share in total crimes against children: >54% (2023).
- Reclassification under POCSO Act, 2012
Kerala
- Drivers:
- POCSO cases surge due to improved classification and reporting.
- Increase reflects both better detection and possibly a genuine rise in offences.
Broader Observations
- Reporting vs Incidence:
- Higher numbers may partly reflect improved reporting and classification rather than purely higher crime rates.
- POCSO Act 2012 Impact:
- Enhanced legal focus on child sexual offences.
- Uniform classification helps in policy formulation and tracking.
- Policy Implication:
- States need better child protection mechanisms, rapid response teams, and awareness programs.
- NCRB data aids in targeted interventions and resource allocation.
Key Takeaways
- Assam, Kerala, and Rajasthan are high-alert states for child protection interventions.
- Legal reforms like POCSO Act implementation improve classification, monitoring, and enforcement.
- Policy focus should balance prevention, rescue, rehabilitation, and reporting mechanisms.
- Data-driven approach is crucial to distinguish between reporting artefacts and real increase in crimes.
Securities Transaction Tax (STT) Challenge
Why in News
- The Supreme Court of India has issued notices on a plea challenging the constitutional validity of the Securities Transaction Tax (STT).
- The petitioner claims STT violates fundamental rights, particularly:
- Article 14: Right to equality
- Article 19(1)(g): Right to trade or profession
- Article 21: Right to live with dignity
- The case has drawn attention because it could impact stock market regulation, direct taxation, and financial market participants.
Relevance
- GS-2 (Polity & Governance):
- Constitutional rights: Article 14, 19(1)(g), 21
- Role of judiciary in reviewing legislative competence
- GS-3 (Economy & Finance):
- Taxation policy and financial market regulation
- Double taxation, equity and efficiency in taxation
Basics of STT
- Introduction: STT was introduced in 2004 under the Finance Act.
- Purpose:
- To curb tax evasion in securities markets.
- Applied on transactions on listed stock exchanges.
- Nature of Tax:
- Levied on all securities transactions, including buying and selling shares, derivatives, and equity mutual funds.
- Charged irrespective of profit or loss, unlike income tax which is applied on net profit.
Key Claims in the Petition
- Double Taxation:
- STT is levied even when capital gains tax is paid on the profit from the same transaction.
- Example: If a trader earns ₹1 lakh profit:
- Capital Gains Tax (CGT) applies
- STT is additionally charged, increasing the effective tax burden.
- Punitive Nature:
- Tax is applied even on loss-making trades, unlike most Indian taxes which are profit-linked.
- Viewed as deterrent to free trade.
- Violation of Fundamental Rights:
- The petitioner argues STT infringes the right to earn a livelihood and equal treatment under law.
- No refund or adjustment mechanism like TDS in salaried income exists for STT.
Legal Context
- Current Framework:
- STT is mandated under Finance Act, 2004, applied to:
- Equity shares
- Derivatives
- Equity-oriented mutual funds
- Collected at the time of transaction, automatically deducted by brokers.
- STT is mandated under Finance Act, 2004, applied to:
- Comparative Mechanism:
- TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) for salaried individuals can be adjusted/refunded annually.
- STT has no such provision, making it unique and potentially punitive.
Broader Implications
- Financial Market Impact:
- If SC strikes down or modifies STT, it could reduce compliance burden for traders.
- Potentially increase trading volume and liquidity in stock markets.
- Government Revenue:
- STT revenue in FY 2023-24: ~₹9,500 crore (approximate, from Union Budget data).
- Challenging STT could affect direct tax revenue from securities transactions.
- Policy Debate:
- Balances tax collection efficiency vs fundamental rights.
- Raises questions on design of financial market taxation in India.
Medicine Nobel for scientists who demystified the immune system
Why in News
- The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Shimon Sakaguchi (Japan), Mary Brunkow, and Fred Ramsdell (USA).
- Recognition is for discoveries related to the human immune system, particularly regulatory T cells (Tregs) and peripheral immune tolerance.
- Significance: Findings have paved the way for novel therapies in cancer, autoimmune diseases, and organ transplantation.
Relevance
- GS-3 (Science & Technology):
- Advances in immunology and biotechnology
- Implications for healthcare, personalized medicine, and public health
- GS-2/3 (Ethics & Innovation):
- Research ethics, translational research, and equitable access to advanced therapies

Human Immune System
- Components:
- B cells: Produce antibodies to neutralize pathogens.
- T cells: Mediate cellular immunity; can kill infected cells or regulate immune response.
- Neutrophils & Macrophages: Innate immune cells; engulf pathogens.
- Function: Identify and eliminate foreign antigens while maintaining tolerance to self-cells.
- Tolerance: Prevents immune system from attacking body’s own tissues. Two types:
- Central tolerance: Elimination of self-reactive T cells in thymus.
- Peripheral tolerance: Mechanisms outside the thymus, ensuring immune cells do not attack self-cells in circulation.
Key Discoveries by the Laureates
- Shimon Sakaguchi (1995):
- Identified a previously unknown class of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in mice.
- Showed these cells suppress autoimmunity by controlling other T cells.
- Introduced the concept of peripheral immune tolerance beyond central tolerance.
- Mary Brunkow & Fred Ramsdell (2001):
- Discovered that mutations in the Foxp3 gene cause severe autoimmune disease (IPEX syndrome) in humans.
- Demonstrated the mechanistic link between Foxp3 and Tregs, establishing Tregs as the immune system’s “security guards.”
Mechanism of Peripheral Immune Tolerance
- Regulatory T Cells (Tregs):
- Express Foxp3 gene.
- Monitor and regulate other immune cells to prevent self-reactivity.
- Deficiency or mutation leads to autoimmune disorders, where the body attacks its own tissues.
- Impact on Disease:
- Cancer: Manipulating Tregs can boost anti-tumor immunity.
- Autoimmune Diseases: Treg-targeted therapies reduce abnormal immune attacks (e.g., Type 1 diabetes, IPEX).
- Transplantation: Enhances graft acceptance by controlling immune rejection.
Clinical & Research Significance
- Peripheral Tolerance: Launched a new field of research.
- Medical Applications:
- Novel immunotherapies for cancer (checkpoint inhibitors, CAR-T).
- Treatments for autoimmune diseases (immune modulation via Tregs).
- Organ transplantation: Reduces rejection risk.
- Ongoing Research: Several therapies targeting Tregs are in clinical trials.
Broader Scientific Context
- Previously, immune tolerance was thought to occur only through central tolerance (elimination in thymus).
- Discoveries reveal multi-layered immune regulation, highlighting:
- Complexity of immune system
- Need for balance between immunity against pathogens and self-tolerance
- Showcases how basic research can translate into therapeutic breakthroughs.
Numbers & Facts
- Foxp3 mutations: Cause IPEX syndrome, a rare but life-threatening autoimmune disorder.
- Treg discovery timeline:
- 1995: Sakaguchi identifies Tregs in mice
- 2001: Brunkow & Ramsdell link Foxp3 mutations to autoimmune disease
- Clinical trials: Multiple Treg-based therapies underway globally for autoimmunity, cancer, and transplantation.
MGNREGA Norms Tweaked for Water Projects
Why in News
- The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) revised the Schedule-I norms of MGNREGA to increase allocation and spending on water conservation, water harvesting, and water-related rural works.
- Objective: Address groundwater depletion and promote productive assets, aligning MGNREGA with climate resilience and agriculture sustainability.
Relevance
- GS-3 (Economy & Rural Development):
- MGNREGA implementation, rural employment, and resource allocation.
- Water conservation and sustainable agriculture linkages.
- GS-3 (Environment & Ecology):
- Groundwater depletion, water security, and climate-resilient infrastructure.
- GS-2 (Governance):
- Policy reforms, targeted fund allocation, and state-level planning under a central scheme.
What is MGNREGA?
- Full form: Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005.
- Purpose: Provide at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment per rural household annually.
- Scope:
- Rural works under employment guarantee are funded by the Central Government.
- Work types: infrastructure creation, water conservation, land development, afforestation, etc.
- Key provision: Minimum wage payment for 100 days per household, with priority to the poorest and most vulnerable.
What Changed in the Norms?
- Previous rules: Funds could be spent flexibly across sectors; water-related works had a maximum 30–35% allocation.
- New rules:
- Minimum 60% of MGNREGA funds at the district/block level must go to water conservation, water harvesting, and water-related works.
- Other works (productive assets, agriculture-related, and livelihood-focused) will compete for the remaining allocation.
- Reason for change:
- To create productive assets that directly support agriculture and rural income.
- Responds to Prime Minister’s directive emphasizing water security.
Classification of Blocks
- Blocks categorized based on groundwater extraction:
- Semi-critical: groundwater depletion moderate; some intervention needed.
- Critical: severe depletion; urgent intervention needed.
- Over-exploited: excessive extraction; recharge and conservation critical.
- Funding priority:
- Blocks with over-exploited or critical status get the majority of MGNREGA allocations.
- Objective: replenish groundwater and improve agricultural productivity.
Financial Implications
- Allocation: About ₹35,000 crore earmarked for water-related works under MGNREGA.
- State-wise impact:
- Priority to states with over-exploited or critical blocks.
- Example: Rajasthan (214 blocks), Punjab (115), Tamil Nadu (106), Haryana (88), Uttar Pradesh (59).
Rationale Behind the Move
- Groundwater depletion: Over 70% of blocks in over-exploited or critical zones face declining water tables.
- Agriculture support: Water conservation critical for irrigation, crop resilience, and rural livelihoods.
- Climate resilience: Addresses rainfall variability and drought-prone areas.
- Prime Minister’s push: Aligns MGNREGA with productive asset creation, beyond mere wage employment.
Strategic and Policy Implications
- MGNREGA as a multi-purpose tool:
- Provides employment
- Builds climate-resilient infrastructure
- Supports water security and agriculture productivity
- Monitoring and implementation:
- Focus on district/block-level planning
- Ensures targeted interventions in critical areas
- Expected outcome:
- Improve groundwater recharge
- Ensure sustainable agriculture and livelihoods
- Reduce rural migration due to water scarcity
Scientific Research in Resource-Constrained Settings: Challenges and Adaptations
Why in News
- Highlighted at the Student Conference on Conservation Science (Bengaluru, September 2025) by Dr. Sammy Wambua, conservation genomics scientist from Pwani University, Kenya.
- Focus: How researchers in the Global South, including India and Kenya, navigate bureaucratic, financial, and technological obstacles.
- Relevance: Highlights systemic issues in Indian scientific research and points toward South-South collaboration and innovative solutions.
Relevance
- GS-3 (Science & Technology):
- Challenges in scientific research infrastructure, technology adoption, and funding.
- Role of innovation and collaboration in overcoming systemic barriers.
- GS-2/3 (Governance & Policy):
- Regulatory bottlenecks and procurement rules in government-funded research institutions.
- Importance of policy reform and accountability.
Context of Scientific Research in the Global South
- Scientific research in developing countries faces structural barriers:
- Bureaucratic red tape
- Limited funding
- Expensive and rapidly evolving equipment
- Yet, researchers continue work through innovation, improvisation, and collaborations.
- Indian and African scientists face similar challenges, making comparative learning relevant.
Bureaucratic Challenges
- Multiple overlapping policies and opaque approval processes stall research.
- Oral directives can override written rules; official communication often silent or delayed.
- Example:
- Wildlife permits in India: delays of up to 8 months, even when legally allowed.
- DNA sequencing procurement in public universities: cycles often exceed six months, leading to obsolete equipment.
- Dr. Wambua advocates that government offices should function like service counters: transparent, clear, and proactive.
Funding Constraints
- Postgraduate scholarships and project funding often delayed or denied.
- Indian context: Fellowships disbursed months late, forcing students into teaching or personal loans.
- Workarounds:
- Partner with NGOs or conservation organizations to link research outcomes with capacity building.
- Ensure research budgets cover student fees and stipends.
Technological Limitations
- Equipment such as DNA sequencers are expensive (tens of lakhs INR) and quickly become outdated.
- Workarounds:
- Ship samples to labs abroad for processing using state-of-the-art facilities.
- Leverage international collaborations to access cutting-edge technology.
Collaborative Solutions
- Frameworks of Collaboration: Provisional agreements allow work to start while formal MoUs are processed.
- International collaborations:
- Essential to bridge funding and technology gaps.
- Facilitate knowledge transfer and capacity building.
- South-South collaboration emphasis: Pooling resources among African and Asian countries can align research priorities and avoid isolated, ineffective efforts.
Indian Context and Jugaad
- Procurement rules:
- “Lowest price” norms create challenges for specialized reagents.
- Recent reforms: direct purchase limit increased from ₹1 lakh → ₹2 lakh; VCs can approve tenders up to ₹200 crore.
- Jugaad culture: Scientists develop quick fixes to overcome bureaucratic hurdles, e.g., sitting in offices, improvising timelines.
- Publication metrics:
- 2014–2023: Indian agricultural scientists coauthored ~2,100 papers with US institutions → 33,000+ citations.
- Shows international collaboration boosts visibility and impact.
Lessons and Recommendations
- Transparency and responsiveness: Governments should provide real-time updates on permits, approvals, and funding.
- Flexible procurement: Simplify processes for specialized equipment and reagents.
- Collaborative networks:
- Encourage cross-border research frameworks (South-South and North-South).
- Pool resources and share facilities to mitigate technology and funding constraints.
- Innovation and resilience: Researchers can sustain work using creative problem-solving, persistence, and networking.
Broader Implications
- Ensures equitable science by enabling researchers from resource-constrained settings to contribute globally.
- Addresses systemic gaps in Indian scientific ecosystem: bureaucracy, funding delays, and outdated rules.
- Highlights need for policy reforms in research funding, procurement, and international collaboration.
Why the Immune System Doesn’t Attack the Body
Basics of the Immune System
- The immune system defends the body against pathogens like viruses, bacteria, and harmful molecules.
- Key players: T cells, a type of white blood cell, coordinate immune responses and destroy infected cells.
- Problem: How does the immune system avoid attacking the body’s own healthy cells? This is called immune tolerance.
Relevance
- GS-3 (Science & Technology):
- Advances in immunology and biotechnology
- Implications for healthcare, personalized medicine, and public health
- GS-2/3 (Ethics & Innovation):
- Research ethics, translational research, and equitable access to advanced therapies
The Discovery
- By the 1980s, scientists hypothesized the existence of a special type of T cell that prevents the immune system from attacking itself.
- These were later identified as regulatory T cells (Tregs), also known as “police” T cells.
- Function of Tregs:
- Suppress overactive immune responses.
- Maintain tolerance to self-antigens.
- Prevent autoimmune diseases (conditions where the body attacks itself).
Key Experiments
- Shimon Sakaguchi’s study (1995):
- Surgically removed the thymus (T cell maturation site) in newborn mice.
- Result: Mice developed autoimmune conditions unless Tregs were present.
- Conclusion: Thymus is crucial for producing regulatory T cells; without them, self-attack occurs.
- Later experiments identified FOXP3 gene as essential for Treg development.
- Mutations in FOXP3 → autoimmune conditions like IPEX syndrome in humans and Scurfy mice in animals.
Contributions of Researchers
- Shimon Sakaguchi (Japan):
- Discovered Tregs and their role in immune tolerance.
- Coined the term “police T cells.”
- Mary F. Brunkow & Frederick J. Ramsdell (USA):
- Identified the FOXP3 gene controlling Treg development.
- Linked genetic mutations to autoimmune diseases in humans.
Significance of Regulatory T Cells
- Autoimmunity: Prevents the immune system from attacking organs and tissues.
- Cancer therapy:
- Some therapies target Tregs to enhance immune attacks on tumors.
- Understanding Tregs helps balance immune activation and suppression.
- Drug development: Potential to create therapies for autoimmune diseases by modulating Treg activity.
- Gene therapy: FOXP3 gene research enables interventions in rare immune disorders.
Why This Is in the News
- 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine awarded to Sakaguchi, Brunkow, and Ramsdell.
- Recognises the decades-long work in immune tolerance and regulatory T cell biology.
- Implications for:
- Understanding autoimmune diseases.
- Development of immunotherapies for cancer.
- Potential future therapies to balance immune overactivity.
- Highlights the integration of genetics, immunology, and therapeutic innovation.
Bottom Line
- Regulatory T cells are the body’s internal “police”, ensuring that immune responses target invaders but not healthy cells.
- Discovery of these cells and their genetic control mechanisms has transformed:
- Basic immunology.
- Clinical management of autoimmune conditions.
- Precision medicine approaches in cancer therapy.