Content
- Centre notifies four new Labour Codes
- Kerala snakebite mitigation model
- Guidelines defining ‘obscenity’ in online content proposed
- India’s First Private PSLV Launch Likely in Early 2026
- Humboldt Penguin Decline
- Big ideas, small purse” (COP30 Just Transition Work Programme)
Centre notifies four new Labour Codes
Why Is It in News?
- All four Labour Codes have finally been brought into force, replacing 29 central labour laws (1930s–1950s era).
- Government calls it the biggest pro-worker reform since Independence; Central Trade Unions call it an “anti-worker, pro-employer” reform.
- Implementation follows years of delay due to state-level rule-making bottlenecks.
- Debate revived due to concerns on hire-and-fire norms, fixed-term employment, union rights, gig-worker protection, wage security, and compliance costs.
Relevance
GS 2 – Governance, Policy, Labour Regulation
- Rights of workers, state capacity, federalism in labour reform.
- Welfare obligations vs ease of doing business.
- Institutional rationalisation after decades of fragmented legislation.
GS 3 – Economy, Growth, Employment
- Effects on formalisation, productivity, MSMEs.
- Labour flexibility vs job security debate.
- Impact on manufacturing competitiveness (China+1 strategy).
What Are the Four Labour Codes?
- Code on Wages, 2019
- Industrial Relations (IR) Code, 2020
- Occupational Safety, Health & Working Conditions (OSH) Code, 2020
- Social Security Code, 2020
Purpose of Codification
- Replace 29 fragmented laws into 4 integrated codes to simplify compliance.
- Modernise labour regulation to match global supply-chain standards.
- Create a single, digitised compliance ecosystem.
1. Code on Wages, 2019
Core Provisions
- Universal wage definition → reduces litigation; increases PF/ESI outgo if “allowances >50% of CTC”.
- National Floor Wage → binding benchmark for states.
- Timely payment, removal of discrimination.
Pros
- Reduces wage variability; strengthens worker rights.
- Prevents states from suppressing minimum wages.
Criticisms
- Floor wage not linked to regional living costs; risks widening real wage gap.
Scholars: Prof. Ravi Srivastava notes wage definition may raise compliance costs, affecting MSMEs.
2. Industrial Relations Code, 2020
Core Provisions
- Threshold for retrenchment/closure without govt approval raised from 100 → 300 workers.
- Mandatory notice for strikes; wider definition of “industry”.
- Fixed Term Employment institutionalised.
Pros
- Predictability for industry; encourages formal hiring; global benchmarking.
Criticisms
- Trade unions argue hire-and-fire flexibility erodes job security.
- 300-worker threshold may push firms to avoid scaling up (K.P. Kannan).
Data
- 83% of India’s factories have <300 workers, making this provision widely applicable.
3. OSH Code, 2020
Core Provisions
- Consolidates 13 laws; uniform safety standards.
- Mandatory welfare facilities, working hours norms.
Pros
- Reduces inspector raj; improves safety standardisation.
Concerns
- Rule-making dilution by states may weaken worker protection.
- Gig and platform workers largely left out of OSH protections.
4. Social Security Code, 2020
Core Provisions
- Extends social security to gig/platform workers, unorganised workers, fixed-term employees.
- Aggregators to contribute 1–2% of turnover.
Pros
- First legal recognition of gig workers; potential for universal social safety net.
Criticisms
- No clear social security architecture; contribution unclear; minimal short-term benefits.
Scholars: Guy Standing links gig-worker precarity to need for portable benefits.
Cross-Cutting Issues
Positive Structural Gains
- Single registration, single licensing, single return.
- Digital compliance → reduces corruption and red tape.
- Aligns India with OECD labour flexibility norms.
Major Criticisms
- Shifts bargaining power in favour of employers.
- Promotes informality-by-avoidance strategies (stall at 295–299 workers).
- Implementation asymmetry: some states may dilute worker protections in competition.
Federal Concerns
- Centre makes the Codes → States write rules → delays created a legal vacuum for years.
- Risk of “race to the bottom” between states.
Way Forward
- Link minimum wage to living wage (ILO recommendation).
- Strengthen grievance redressal and worker data portability.
- Universal social security architecture with clear enforcement.
- Balanced flexibility: flexibility for firms + security for workers (John Dunlop framework).
Kerala snakebite mitigation model
Why Is It in News?
- Kerala has declared snakebite envenomation a notifiable disease (Oct 2025) under the Kerala Public Health Act, 2023, aligning with the Centre’s 2024 National Action Plan for Snakebite Envenoming.
- State aims for zero snakebite deaths by 2030, reducing deaths from 123 (2018–19) to 34 (2024–25).
- Triggered by a 2019 child’s death in a school, which exposed systemic gaps and sparked the creation of SARPA (Snake Awareness, Rescue, and Protection App) and statewide infrastructure reforms.
Relevance
GS 2 – Health, Governance, Disaster Management
- Notifiable disease framework.
- Public health preparedness, inter-departmental coordination.
- Training and capacity building; emergency response systems.
GS 3 – Environment, Biodiversity, Ecology
- Human–wildlife conflict.
- Conservation through awareness.
- Impact of land-use change on species behaviour.
GS 1 – Society
- Vulnerability of rural/agricultural workers.
- Behavioural change and community awareness.
Basics
- India accounts for 64,000 of the 78,600 global snakebite deaths annually (Nature Communications, 2022).
- Kerala: 130+ snake species, ~10 venomous; nearly 5,000 cases annually, many unreported.
- High-risk groups: agricultural workers, forest-fringe residents, rural communities.
Origins of Kerala’s Reform Drive
- 2019: A 10-year-old girl died due to delayed treatment, lack of ventilator support, and school infrastructure negligence.
- High Court initiated suo motu proceedings → mandatory school safety audits, infrastructure upgrades, pest-control norms.
Institutional Response: SARPA Initiative (2020)
Features
- Mobile application connecting people to trained rescuers; first-aid protocol; species identification.
- Training in scientific bag-and-pipe rescue method + mandatory safety gear (boots, gloves, hooks).
- 6,200 trained, 3,300 licensed, but fewer than 1,000 active.
- 58,000 snakes rescued and released; deaths reduced by over 70%.
Significance
- India’s first digitised snake rescue network with trained handlers.
- Shifts rescues from unscientific, risky practices to professionalised operations.
Public Health & Preventive Measures
Declaring Snakebite a Notifiable Disease
- Enables accurate surveillance, mapping hotspots, epidemiological tracking.
- Strengthens ASV inventory management and hospital readiness.
MGNREGS Worker Protection
- Government supplies gloves, gumboots due to high exposure to vegetation and snake habitats.
- Evidence-based worker safety response (increasing pit viper encounters).
School Safety
- Annual safety audits; crack-filling; clearing vegetation; infrastructure maintenance.
Ecological & Environmental Drivers
- Decline in paddy and rise of rubber/cardamom plantations → moist leaf litter → spike in hump-nosed pit viper encounters.
- Kerala’s species profile differs from India’s “Big Four” paradigm.
Medical and Clinical Challenges
Antivenom Issues
- National polyvalent ASV targets Big Four venom.
- Ineffective against hump-nosed pit viper (Western Ghats endemic).
- Kerala plans local ASV production with region-specific venom banks.
Clinical Management
- Hesitancy in ASV administration due to fear of anaphylaxis → need for training, ICU preparedness.
- Pre-hospital delays: heavy reliance on private vehicles; limited emergency protocols in ambulances.
Health System Model Needed
- Hub-and-spoke: PHC → CHC → Taluk → District; emergency triage, stabilisation, ventilator access.
Wildlife & Conservation Linkages
- Snakes crucial for rodent control, preventing crop loss and zoonotic disease spread.
- SARPA + Snakepedia → improved public attitudes, shift from killing to scientific handling.
Operational & Administrative Constraints
- Only ~1,000 active rescuers; most trained individuals unavailable due to day jobs.
- RRTs overburdened with rising human-wildlife conflict (elephants, boars).
- Plan to ensure one licensed handler per panchayat.
Challenges Highlighted
- Ineffective ASV for region-specific species.
- Shortage of active trained rescuers; operational gaps.
- Medical system hesitancy, inadequate critical-care support.
- Underreporting of snakebites.
- Geographical variation in venom potency; dependence on Irula venom supply.
- Ambulance systems not fully equipped for snakebite management.
Way Forward
- Region-specific ASV, venom-collection centres in Kerala.
- Mandatory ASV-administration training, ICU-ready district hospitals.
- Ambulances equipped with snakebite protocols; community-first responder networks.
- Panchayat-level deployment of certified handlers.
- Expand SARPA Phase II with predictive mapping using GIS.
- Integrate awareness in school curricula; Kudumbashree-led community training.
- Strengthen occupational safety for MGNREGS/agricultural workers.
Guidelines defining ‘obscenity’ in online content proposed
Why Is It in News?
- The Union Government has submitted to the Supreme Court a draft amendment to the IT Rules, 2021 proposing explicit definitions of “obscenity” and disallowed online content.
- The proposal seeks to import restrictions from the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 into the digital ecosystem.
- Supreme Court had earlier asked the government to frame clear guidelines for online content, prompting this response.
- Digital rights groups view this as India’s most sweeping regulatory expansion over online content.
Relevance
GS 2 – Governance, Regulation, Fundamental Rights
- Executive powers under IT Act & IT Rules.
- Judicial oversight and constitutional tests (decency, obscenity).
- Free speech vs public morality.
GS 3 – Cybersecurity, IT & Media Regulation
- Digital platforms, online content moderation, intermediary obligations.
- Platform liability and safe harbour.
GS 1 – Society & Ethics
- Community standards, evolving social morality, cultural sensitivities.
Basics
- IT Act, 2000 – Section 67 punishes publishing/transmitting obscene material electronically.
- IT Rules, 2021 – impose due diligence obligations on social media intermediaries, news platforms, and OTT platforms; include a Code of Ethics.
- Cable TV Act, 1995 – defines Programme Code with restrictions on indecency, vulgarity, communal disharmony, etc.
- Cinematograph Act, 1952 – governs film certification; not traditionally applicable to OTT platforms (which are self-classified under IT Rules).
- SC Standard – Aveek Sarkar vs State of West Bengal → “community standards test” to evaluate obscenity.
What the New Proposal Seeks to Change ?
- Introduces explicit definition of “obscene digital content” into IT Rules.
- Imports 17 broad categories from Cable TV Programme Code into the online Code of Ethics:
- Avoid content offending “good taste or decency”.
- No portrayal of criminality as desirable.
- Avoid “indecent, vulgar, suggestive, repulsive or offensive themes”.
- Restrictions on portrayal of ethnic, linguistic, regional groups.
- Applies to all digital content: social media posts, OTT content, digital news.
Legal Basis Claimed
- Amendment backed by Section 67 of IT Act, 2000, Cable TV Act provisions, Indian Penal Code (precursor to BNS).
- Government says SC approval required before finalisation; public consultation to follow.
- Seeks to revive Rules 9(1) and 9(3) of IT Rules (Code of Ethics enforcement) which are currently stayed by Bombay High Court.
Why Major Implications for OTT Platforms ?
- OTT platforms required to ensure content is fit for “public exhibition” → effectively brings them close to Cinematograph Act certification norms.
- Government says this applies only to OTT, not social media, but the draft does not show this demarcation.
Regulatory Shift & Concerns
Scale and Breadth
- Digital rights experts call this the biggest regulatory expansion into digital content in India.
- Restrictions originally meant for broadcast TV are now extended to user-generated content, memes, stand-up comedy, podcasts, news.
Overbreadth & Vagueness
- Phrases like “good taste”, “decency”, “repulsive themes”, “snobbish attitude” → subjective and open-ended.
- Risk of executive overreach as the government seeks to regulate content before courts decide validity of IT Rules.
Impact on Free Speech
- “Sweeping” inclusion may chill satire, creative expression, political commentary, and stand-up comedy.
- Comes in context of controversy around content by comedian Samay Raina and influencer Ranveer Allahbadia.
Judicial Context
- The Supreme Court earlier urged the government to lay down clear guidelines due to rising disputes over online content.
- Bombay HC stay on parts of IT Rules persists; government attempts to revive these provisions through amendment without final judicial verdict.
The “Community Standards Test”
- Proposal references SC judgment (Aveek Sarkar).
- Content not obscene if:
- It does not appeal to lustful/voyeuristic interests to an average person using contemporary community standards.
- It possesses literary, scientific, artistic or political value.
- But experts say the draft ignores this nuance and expands categories far beyond obscenity.
Institutional & Federal Dimensions
- Digital content regulation traditionally under MeitY, but proposed amendment introduced by I&B Ministry.
- Highlights growing inter-ministerial overlap and blurred regulatory jurisdiction over digital spaces.
Criticisms
- Vagueness of terms leads to arbitrary enforcement.
- Possible revival of provisions under judicial stay.
- Concerns about prior restraint, censorship, and chilling effect.
- Extending Cable TV standards to digital media ignores distinct nature of on-demand platforms.
- Potential conflict with Article 19(1)(a) rights.
- Risk of overblocking by platforms to avoid liability.
Way Forward
- Clear, narrow definitions aligned with SC jurisprudence, not broad moral codes.
- Transparent, participatory rule-making with digital rights groups.
- Distinct content norms for social media, OTT, news, not uniform standards.
- Independent regulatory mechanism instead of executive-driven oversight.
- Periodic review of guidelines to reflect contemporary community standards.
India’s First Private PSLV Launch Likely in Early 2026
Why Is It in News?
- India’s first privately manufactured PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) is expected to launch in early 2026.
- A HAL–L&T consortium is manufacturing at least five PSLV rockets under ISRO’s commercialisation push.
- Marks a major shift as, for the first time, a non-government entity will build an entire PSLV, not just components.
Relevance
GS 3 — Science & Technology
- Indigenous manufacturing, space commercialisation, technological self-reliance.
- Role of private sector in strategic technology.
GS 3 — Economy
- Boost to high-tech manufacturing, exports, industrial ecosystem.
GS 2 — Governance
- Role of ISRO, NSIL, IN-SPACe; regulatory shifts enabling private participation.
What is PSLV?
- India’s workhorse launcher since 1993.
- Designed for placing satellites into Polar Sun-Synchronous Orbits (SSO) and low-Earth orbits.
- Known for reliability (over 50 successful launches).
- Used for iconic missions: Chandrayaan-1, Mars Orbiter Mission, IRNSS/NavIC satellites.
What is New?
- Until now, PSLV was built by ISRO, with private industry supplying components.
- For the first time, a complete rocket is being assembled, integrated, and tested by a private consortium.
Background: ISRO’s Privatisation & Commercialisation Push
- ISRO shifted focus from manufacturing to R&D and high-end design.
- IN-SPACe and NSIL created to expand private participation.
- After 2022, ISRO announced PSLV manufacture would be opened to industry to increase capacity and meet global demand.
- HAL–L&T consortium won the bid to build five PSLV-XL versions.
Details of the Current Development
- Hardware delivery to ISRO has begun; integration is on track.
- First PSLV from private sector expected in early 2026, with two further launches in the same year.
- ISRO remains responsible for payload contracting, launch operations, and safety.
- Private players handle assembly, integration, and testing—a new model.
Key Differences vs Earlier Model
- Earlier:
- Private companies supplied components, not entire launch vehicles.
- Manufacturing coordination was ISRO-led.
- Now:
- A fully industry-built PSLV delivered as a ready-to-launch vehicle.
- ISRO acts as technical authority and launch provider, not manufacturer.
Why This Matters — Strategic Significance
1. Increased Launch Capacity
- Demand for small satellites and commercial launches is surging.
- Private production frees ISRO to focus on Gaganyaan, reusable vehicles, deep space.
2. Strengthens India’s Space Industry
- Reduces dependence on ISRO’s limited production capacity.
- Enables India to enter the fast-growing global small-satellite launch market.
3. Technology Transfer & Industrial Capability
- HAL–L&T gaining capability to build rockets independently → enhances Aatmanirbhar Bharat in space technology.
4. More Competitive Globally
- PSLV is globally trusted but capacity is limited.
- Private manufacturing will allow India to offer more launches per year, competing with SpaceX rideshare, Rocket Lab, etc.
Challenges & Concerns
- Skill transfer and maintaining PSLV’s reliability standards.
- Ensuring quality control in private manufacturing.
- Competition from emerging Indian private launch startups (Skyroot, Agnikul).
- Global pricing pressures due to SpaceX’s aggressive cost structure.
Humboldt Penguin Decline
Why Is It in News?
- Chile has officially declared the Humboldt Penguin an “endangered” species (October 2024).
- Scientists warn that the population may soon fall to critically endangered if current threats persist.
- Chile hosts 80% of the global Humboldt Penguin population, making the decline globally significant.
- New estimates: <20,000 penguins, down from ~45,000 in the late 1990s.
Relevance
GS 3 — Environment & Biodiversity
- Species conservation, climate vulnerability, marine ecosystems, anthropogenic pressures.
GS 1 — Geography
- Ocean currents, Humboldt Current system, El Niño impacts.
GS 2 — Governance
- Fisheries regulation, wildlife legislation, transboundary marine conservation (Chile–Peru).
Species Profile
- Scientific Name: Spheniscus humboldti
- Habitat: Pacific coasts of Chile and Peru; nests in rocky islands, burrows, and coastal cliffs.
- Food: Anchovies, sardines, other small fish.
- Lifespan: 15–20 years in the wild.
- IUCN Status: Vulnerable globally; now Endangered in Chile.
Why “Humboldt”?
- Named after the Humboldt Current, a cold, nutrient-rich ocean current along Chile–Peru coast that supports abundant fish populations.
Population Trends
- Late 1990s: ~45,000
- Today: <20,000
- Decline rate: Over 55% in ~25 years.
- Scientists expect further decline due to additive threats.
Key Threat Factors
A. Climate Change (Most Critical)
- Warming oceans weaken the Humboldt Current, reducing nutrient upwelling.
- Decreased plankton → weaker fish populations → food scarcity for penguins.
- El Niño events cause mass starvation by driving fish into deeper, warmer waters.
- Increased storm surges destroy nests.
B. Overfishing & Food Competition
- Intense industrial fishing of anchovies and sardines, the penguins’ primary diet.
- Small-scale artisanal fishing also competes for resources.
- Population crash in prey species leads directly to penguin mortality.
C. Bycatch in Fishing Nets
- Penguins drown in nets used for:
- artisanal gillnets
- industrial trawlers
- A leading direct cause of adult mortality.
D. Habitat Loss & Disturbance
- Coastal development, tourism pressure, egg collection.
- Burrow collapse due to human intrusion.
- Pollution (oil spills, plastics) affects nesting islands.
E. Avian Influenza (H5N1)
- Bird flu outbreak has killed thousands of seabirds across South America since 2023.
- Humboldt Penguins have shown significant vulnerability.
Why Chile’s Alarm Matters Globally ?
- Chile hosts 80% of the world population → any decline here has global extinction-level impact.
- Endangered classification allows:
- stricter fisheries regulation
- protection of nesting sites
- control over tourism and coastal projects
- enforcement of bycatch monitoring.
Expert Concerns
- Marine biologist Guillermo Cubillos:
Persistent threats could push species to critically endangered, a short step from extinction. - Veterinary scientist Paulina Arce:
Urges legally binding sustainable fishing regulations + stronger bycatch controls.
Conservation Challenges
- Weak enforcement of marine protected areas.
- Difficult to regulate small-scale fishing fleets.
- Climate change impacts not fully reversible.
- Limited rescue/rehabilitation capacity for stranded birds.
International Comparison
- Humboldt Penguins face steeper decline than related species:
- African Penguin: dramatic decline due to similar threats.
- Magellanic Penguin: declining but less severely.
- Shows how climate + overfishing combo hits Humboldt species hardest.
Big ideas, small purse
Why Is It in News?
- On November 21, the final scheduled day of COP30, the Presidency released a strengthened draft of the UAE Just Transition Work Programme (JTWP) under the Paris Agreement.
- It proposes a new Just Transition Mechanism, a major institutional step, but fails to secure new finance, angering developing countries.
- The draft removes politically sensitive references to unilateral trade measures, critical minerals, and transition away from fossil fuels, reflecting tense Global South–North negotiations.
Relevance
GS 3 — Environment & Climate Governance
- Climate negotiations, equity, CBDR-RC
- Global climate finance, adaptation gap
- Just transition framework
GS 2 — International Relations
- Global North–South politics
- Trade-related climate measures (CBAM)
- Multilateral governance
GS 3 — Economy
- Impacts on energy transition, MSMEs, labour markets
- Transition risks for developing economies
What is “Just Transition”?
- A framework ensuring that climate actions (mitigation + adaptation) happen fairly, protecting workers, communities, vulnerable groups, and development needs.
- Originated from labour rights movements; evolved into a global climate governance agenda.
What is the JTWP?
- A structured, multi-year programme under the Paris Agreement (adopted at COP28).
- Objective: share best practices, guide countries, and build capacity for equitable climate transitions.
What is the new “Just Transition Mechanism”?
- Proposed institutional platform under UNFCCC to:
- enable cooperation
- provide technical assistance
- support capacity-building
- coordinate just transition activities globally
- Scheduled for detailed development in 2026, adoption likely at CMA8.
Key Highlights of the COP30 Draft
A. Major Institutional Progress
- Creates a Just Transition Mechanism — a big structural shift for anchoring just transition in the UN climate regime.
- Invites Parties to submit design suggestions by March 2026.
B. But Zero Advance on Finance
- No new commitments from developed countries.
- No clarity on:
- additional finance
- predictable flows
- public financing obligations
- Only weak language: “encourages” developed-country support.
- Despite acknowledging widening finance and adaptation gaps, the text avoids enforceable obligations.
C. Political Trade-offs in the Final Text
- Removed:
- unilateral climate-related trade measures (e.g., CBAM) — demanded by G77, LMDCs, African + Arab Groups.
- “transition away from fossil fuels” — pushed by AOSIS, AILAC, developed nations.
- references to critical minerals — which China opposed.
- objections by Paraguay and Argentina on gender terminology.
Result: a politically diluted but institutionally enhanced text.
Broader Definition of Just Transition
The draft defines just transition as:
- multisectoral (energy, agriculture, industry, transport, MSMEs)
- multidimensional (jobs, skills, rights, social protection, livelihoods)
- cross-cutting (poverty, resilience, equity)
Key elements:
- labour rights and human rights
- Indigenous Peoples’ rights
- informal economy inclusion
- decent work and skills
- universal energy access (clean cooking highlighted)
- strong focus on adaptation and resilience, not just energy transition
This expanded framing aligns with most Global South priorities.
What It Means for the Global South
Positive
- Strong reaffirmation of equity and CBDR-RC.
- Recognition that transitions must be country-specific, bottom-up, and development-linked.
- Inclusion of informal workers, MSMEs, and universal energy access.
- Improved institutional home for just transition inside the UNFCCC.
Negative
- No finance guarantees → biggest disappointment.
- No recognition of trade-related pressures (CBAM not mentioned).
- Weakened language on obligations of developed countries.
- Risk that the mechanism may become a knowledge-sharing platform without real funding power.
Implications for India
Strategic Wins
- Equity + CBDR-RC reaffirmed.
- Multidimensional framing aligns with India’s priorities:
- poverty eradication
- energy access
- livelihoods
- informal workforce
- adaptation-centric development
- Fits India’s pitch: “Just transition must not equal energy transition only.”
Key Concerns
- No new finance, despite India’s push for:
- concessional support
- adaptation finance
- MSME transition support
- clean cooking and energy access
- Removal of language on unilateral measures → India loses leverage in CBAM debates.
Opportunities
- India can shape the design of the Mechanism:
- coal region transition
- skill development
- green jobs
- MSME decarbonisation
- clean cooking
- social protection & reskilling
How Week One Negotiations Shaped the Outcome ?
Developing Country Demands
- G77 + China → mechanism with finance mobilisation mandate.
- LMDCs, Arab, African Groups → address trade restrictions (CBAM).
- Nigeria → new body to channel predictable finance.
Developed Country Stance
- EU, UK → oppose new obligations; prefer voluntary action plans.
- Reject trade-related language (domestic policy sovereignty).
- Push for “transition away from fossil fuels” → blocked by Russia + Arab Group.
Result
- Structural win (mechanism exists).
- Substance diluted (finance + fossil-fuel transition language removed).
Why Finance is Missing — Structural Reasons
- Developed countries fear:
- additional financial liabilities
- duplication with existing funds
- precedents for future negotiations
- COP is under pressure from:
- global debt crisis
- unmet $100 bn target
- adaptation finance gap
- political backlash in domestic economies
- Hence, institutional architecture moves ahead; money does not.
