Content
- The vision of Model Youth Gram Sabhas
- Cruising ahead
The vision of Model Youth Gram Sabhas
Why in News ?
- The Ministry of Panchayati Raj, in collaboration with the Ministries of Education and Tribal Affairs and the Aspirational Bharat Collaborative, launched the Model Youth Gram Sabha (MYGS) 2025.
- Aim: To cultivate civic participation, local leadership, and awareness of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) among students by simulating real Gram Sabha proceedings.
Relevance:
- GS-2 (Governance & Polity): Local governance, participatory democracy, 73rd Amendment.
- GS-1 (Society): Role of youth and civic engagement in nation-building.
Practice Question :
- Discuss how the Model Youth Gram Sabha initiative can strengthen the democratic fabric of India by bridging the gap between constitutional ideals and civic practice.(150 Words)
Constitutional & Institutional Basis
- Article 243A (73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992):
Empowers the Gram Sabha to function as the foundational body of the Panchayati Raj System. - Definition: Comprises all registered voters of a village; deliberates on local budgets, plans, and governance priorities.
- Significance:
- Embodies direct democracy.
- Ensures transparency, accountability, and citizen participation at the grassroots.
Gram Sabha – Cornerstone of Participatory Democracy
- Role in Democratic Architecture:
- Equivalent in importance to Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha, but at the village level.
- Represents the purest form of democracy—citizens directly deliberate on governance.
- Current Challenge:
- Low public participation; especially minimal youth engagement.
- Poor visibility in educational curricula compared to global institutions like the Model United Nations (MUN) or Youth Parliament.
Why the Gram Sabha Isn’t Aspirational ?
- Educational Gap:
- School syllabi emphasize national and international governance structures, ignoring local self-governance.
- Perception Problem:
- Youths aspire to Parliament, not Panchayats; governance is seen as top-down.
- Cultural Disconnect:
- Civic education treats the Gram Sabha as an administrative formality, not a living democratic experience.
Model Youth Gram Sabha (MYGS), 2025 – Key Features
- Objective:
- To make Gram Sabha participation experiential and aspirational among students.
- To instil democratic values and civic responsibility at an early age.
- Structure & Simulation:
- Students play roles of Sarpanch, ward members, health workers, engineers, etc.
- Simulate budget discussions, policy resolutions, and village development planning.
- Supported by teacher training and performance incentives (certificates, awards).
- Phase 1 Implementation (2025):
- Coverage: 1,000 schools across 28 States and 8 Union Territories.
- Institutions:
- 600+ Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs)
- 200 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs)
- Selected Zilla Parishad Schools (e.g., Maharashtra)
- Teacher Training:
- 126 Master Trainers
- 1,238 Teachers trained (24 States/UTs).
- Pilot Successes:
- JNV Baghpat (U.P.) and EMRS Alwar (Rajasthan) conducted successful pilots.
- JNV Sitapur (Bundi, Rajasthan) involved 300+ students in mock deliberations.
Planned Expansion (Phase 2)
- Nationwide scale-up to include all state-run schools.
- Integration into civics curricula and extracurricular clubs.
- Collaboration with NCERT, NIOS, and State Education Boards for curricular embedding.
Pedagogical & Civic Significance
- Experiential Learning: Converts textbook civics into lived democratic practice.
- Leadership Incubation: Encourages youth leadership, teamwork, and critical debate.
- Local Governance Awareness: Builds appreciation for Panchayati Raj Institutions.
- Civic Values: Reinforces the constitutional ideals of participation, inclusion, and responsibility.
Broader Democratic Implications
- Bridging the Governance Gap:
- Connects citizens to governance at the most immediate level—village decision-making.
- Institutional Continuity:
- Youth familiar with Gram Sabha functions are more likely to engage in real ones later.
- Towards Viksit Bharat @2047:
- Strengthens bottom-up governance, key for achieving inclusive and sustainable development.
- Complementary to Other Initiatives:
- Aligns with National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 (experiential learning, civic education).
- Supports Aspirational District Programme by nurturing local changemakers.
Challenges & Way Forward
- Challenges:
- Need for standardized curriculum integration.
- Varying levels of teacher capacity across states.
- Sustaining student enthusiasm beyond simulation.
- Way Forward:
- Institutionalize MYGS in school civics clubs.
- Include evaluation metrics for civic participation.
- Strengthen linkages with actual Gram Sabhas for field exposure.
- Recognize student participation in national awards and scholarships.
Comparative Insight
- Model United Nations (MUN) → Builds global awareness.
- Model Youth Parliament → Builds national political literacy.
- Model Youth Gram Sabha (MYGS) → Builds grassroots democratic consciousness.
- Complements top-down democratic learning with bottom-up engagement.
Conclusion
- The Gram Sabha is the soul of India’s democracy, yet under-recognized.
- The Model Youth Gram Sabha revives this spirit by linking youth aspiration with local governance.
- By nurturing civic pride, participatory values, and local leadership, it transforms democracy from a constitutional concept to a daily practice.
- As future leaders emerge from classrooms that simulate real governance, the Gram Sabha could once again become the beating heart of Indian democracy.
Cruising ahead
Why in News ?
- The India Maritime Week 2025, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, underscored the government’s renewed focus on the strategic and economic importance of India’s shipping sector.
- The event marked a shift from decades of neglect under liberalisation policies to viewing shipping as critical to national security, trade sovereignty, and industrial capacity.
Relevance:
- GS-3 (Infrastructure, Economy, Maritime Transport) – Port-led development, Sagarmala, Atmanirbhar Bharat.
- GS-2 (Governance) – Strategic autonomy and public sector role in critical infrastructure.
Practice Question :
- Critically assess the impact of liberalization policies on India’s shipping sector and how recent policy interventions seek to restore strategic autonomy.(250 Words)
Background: Evolution and Decline of Indian Shipping
- Pre-liberalisation (1950s–1980s):
- India built strong public sector capabilities through the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI).
- SCI was among the top global shipping companies, owning large fleets servicing India’s oil, coal, and trade sectors.
- Post-liberalisation decline (1990s–2010s):
- Under LPG reforms, government withdrew preferential treatment to SCI (e.g., first rights on oil transport).
- Private sector entry did not compensate for shrinking public fleet capacity.
- The government’s focus shifted toward training Indian seafarers for global employment, not domestic shipping growth.
- Result: By 2020, India’s share in global shipping tonnage dropped below 1%, while dependence on foreign vessels surged.
COVID-19: A Strategic Wake-Up Call
- The pandemic exposed India’s maritime vulnerability:
- Over 90% of India’s trade by volume and 70% by value depends on shipping.
- But most vessels were foreign-owned, leaving India with little leverage to ensure supply chain continuity.
- The crisis highlighted shipping as not just an economic sector but a strategic asset, vital for energy security, defense logistics, and trade resilience.
Government’s Renewed Maritime Focus
- Strategic Repositioning:
- Shipping is now treated as “dual-purpose infrastructure” — economic + strategic.
- SCI revival: Fleet expansion, fleet modernization, and new capital infusion after the aborted privatization plan.
- Policy Orientation Shift:
- From a purely market-liberal approach to strategic interventionism.
- Aim: Develop self-reliant merchant shipping aligned with Atmanirbhar Bharat and Maritime India Vision 2030.
Major Announcements at India Maritime Week
- Port-Centric Investments:
- Lakhs of crores in investment commitments — mainly in port modernization and connectivity.
- Government follows the Landlord Port Model:
- Ports retain ownership; private operators handle terminals under revenue-sharing.
- Enhances financial autonomy for reinvestment in capacity building.
- New Transshipment Hubs:
- Chennai Port and Kolkata Port developing a hub in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands to reduce reliance on Singapore/Colombo.
- Sagarmala & Bharatmala Synergy:
- Focus on port-road-rail integration, coastal cargo corridors, and logistics parks.
- Human Capital Development:
- Expansion of Indian seafarer training capacity to maintain India’s global leadership (Indian seafarers form ~10% of global maritime workforce).
Policy Initiatives for Shipping Industry
- Flagging Incentive Scheme:
- Encourages foreign companies to register ships in India via local subsidiaries.
- Objective:
- Ensure regulatory leverage during crises.
- Support allied services — insurance, repair, logistics, bunkering.
- Fleet Expansion Support:
- New credit lines and tonnage tax reforms to enhance Indian ship ownership.
- Shipbuilding Push:
- Slow progress despite policy intent.
- Government aims to promote domestic shipyards for building:
- LNG carriers,
- Green-fuel (ammonia/methanol) vessels,
- Defence dual-use ships.
Structural Challenges
- Low Merchant Fleet Share: India-owned fleet constitutes <2% of cargo handled in Indian ports.
- Shipbuilding Weakness:
- India ranks behind China, Japan, South Korea in global shipbuilding output.
- Limited heavy industrial capacity and R&D for advanced propulsion systems.
- Financing Constraints:
- High capital costs and long project cycles deter private investment.
- Policy Uncertainty:
- Frequent regulatory changes, port user charges, and taxation issues limit competitiveness.
Strategic Importance of a Strong Shipping Sector
- Trade Security: Control over transport of critical imports (oil, fertilizers, defense materials).
- Economic Multiplier: Boosts allied industries — steel, engineering, insurance, logistics.
- Energy Transition Leverage: Capability to build LNG and green-fuel vessels essential for future trade.
- Geopolitical Stability: Maritime capacity enhances India’s position in Indo-Pacific strategic supply chains.
The Road Ahead: Policy Recommendations
- Revive and modernize SCI with a diversified fleet mix.
- Fiscal incentives for private shipbuilders (interest subvention, long-term contracts).
- Green Shipping Initiative under National Hydrogen Mission for eco-friendly propulsion systems.
- Maritime Cluster Development: Create integrated hubs combining shipbuilding, repair, logistics, and R&D.
- Expand coastal shipping and inland waterways to decongest ports and reduce logistics costs (currently ~14% of GDP).
Conclusion
- India’s maritime strategy is shifting from port-centric to fleet-centric development.
- Without strong indigenous ship ownership and shipbuilding, India risks dependence in crises despite having world-class ports.
- True maritime power will emerge when Indian yards can build and operate advanced green vessels, and India controls a self-reliant merchant fleet serving both commercial and strategic needs.
