Editorials/Opinions Analysis For UPSC 20 June 2025

Content :

1. Exiting refugee status, getting back dignity
2. Will delaying the Census affect its implementation?

Exiting refugee status, getting back dignity

Context

• The article discusses long-term Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in India, primarily in Tamil Nadu, highlighting the absence of a comprehensive national refugee policy, contrasting it with the treatment of Tibetan refugees.
• Two recent developments in India and Sri Lanka expose the fragility of repatriation and refugee dignity.

Relevance : GS 2 (Social Issues , Governance)

Practice Question : The prolonged displacement of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in India highlights the urgent need for a national refugee framework. Critically examine the limitations of India’s current refugee policy. What measures can be taken to ensure dignity and long-term solutions for refugees residing in India? (15 marks, 250 words)

Recent Developments

SC’s Observation on a Convicted Refugee

• Supreme Court upheld Madras HC’s verdict reducing a Sri Lankan refugee’s sentence under UAPA.
• The refugee wished to settle in India post-sentence, but the SC remarked:
  “India is not a dharamshala to entertain all refugees.”
• Shocking to refugee communities, as Indian judiciary has historically shown empathy towards stateless individuals.

Repatriation Crisis in Sri Lanka

• A 70-year-old refugee, repatriated via UNHCR, was detained at Jaffna airport for “leaving the country illegally”.
• Released after public outcry; Sri Lankan authorities blamed “automatic application of outdated law”.
• Minister promised legal amendments — highlights gaps in reintegration policy on the Sri Lankan side.

Sri Lankan vs Tibetan Refugees in India

Policy Gaps and Implications

• No national refugee law or clear rehabilitation framework for Sri Lankan refugees.
• Tamil Nadu government provides welfare, but private sector employment remains limited.
• Despite skills (e.g., engineering graduates), lack of formal recognition or integration leads to underemployment.
• Centre’s silence implies an intent to maintain temporary status, unlike the long-term assimilation granted to Tibetans.

Ethical & Humanitarian Dimensions

• 40+ years of refugee existence → challenges the “temporary” label.
• The refugee tag hinders self-respect, dignity, and long-term life planning.
• World Refugee Day 2025 theme: “Solidarity with Refugees” calls for practical implementation of dignity-based policies.
• Camps, though well-intentioned, perpetuate segregation and exclusion.

Way Forward: Policy Recommendations

1. Formulate a National Refugee Framework:
   1. Integrate with international human rights norms (though India is not a signatory to 1951 Refugee Convention).
   1. Ensure non-refoulement, welfare access, and pathways to citizenship where feasible.

• Shift from “Repatriation-only” Policy:
  • Recognise de facto permanence of some refugee communities.
  • Enable local integration with legal, social, and economic rights.

• Job Market Access & Skill Recognition:
  • Frame schemes to utilise refugee skillsets in the private sector.
  • Encourage public-private partnerships for refugee employment.

• Engage Sri Lankan Government on Dignified Repatriation:
  • Ensure legal safeguards, rehabilitation support, and non-criminalisation of past exits.

Will delaying the Census affect its implementation?

Context & Background

• Census 2021 delayed to 2027: Initially due to COVID-19; now a further unexplained postponement despite normalcy since 2022.
• First time caste enumeration included in India’s post-independence Census.
• Raises critical issues around governance, resource allocation, inclusion, and digital divide.

Relevance : GS 2(Governance )

Practice Question :Critically examine the implications of the delay in India’s decennial Census. How can the upcoming digital Census balance efficiency with inclusion?(250 Words)

Reasons Behind the Delay

• Valid initial reason: COVID-19 lockdown and disruptions in 2020–21.
• Unexplained delay post-2022: Schools, offices reopened; yet Census not resumed.
• Speculation: Political timing to coincide with delimitation post-2026 freeze period.

Implications of the Delay

• Outdated Data Usage:
  • Government still using 2011 data in 2025 for policies.
  • Affects schemes like PDS, MGNREGA, education enrolment, vaccination planning.
• Skewed Planning: Migration, fertility, urbanisation, and ageing trends have changed significantly.
• Infrastructure & Disaster Management: Poor population estimates impair preparedness.
• Data Invisibility: Marginalised communities remain uncounted or underrepresented.

Challenges in Upcoming Census

• First Digital Census:
  • Pros: Faster processing, reduced manual error.
  • Cons: May exclude women, rural, poor, and digitally marginalised groups.
  • Only 33% of rural women use the Internet; digital-first risks undercounting.

• Training of Enumerators:
  • Critical for caste data collection.
  • Must distinguish between surnames and actual caste identities.
  • Need for regional language fluency and sensitivity.

Concerns Around NPR Linkage

• National Population Register (NPR) was to be updated alongside Census 2021.
• Combining NPR with Census risks:
  • Controversy and fear due to NRC link.
  • Delays and data distortion due to politicisation.
• Recommendation: Keep Census independent for credibility and efficiency.

Caste Census – Potential and Pitfalls

• First time inclusion in regular Census.
• Caste data vital for targeted welfare, affirmative action, and representation.
• Challenges:
  • Data inconsistency as seen in 2011 SECC (e.g., 40 lakh caste names).
  • Requires clear guidelines, trained staff, and a well-designed taxonomy.

Importance of Census in Governance

• Fundamental for:
  • Policy formulation & resource allocation.
  • Understanding demographic shifts: ageing, migration, urbanisation.
  • Implementing welfare programs and monitoring inequality.
• Essential for evidence-based planning and federal fiscal devolution (e.g., Finance Commission).

Way Forward

• Timely execution: Avoid further delays; break 16-year gap cycle.
• Door-to-door enumeration must continue alongside digital efforts.
• Decouple NPR from Census to ensure trust and participation.
• Revamp training protocols and ensure enumerator quality.
• Use Census as an opportunity to invest in inclusion and evidence-driven policy.