Editorials/Opinions Analysis For UPSC 24 October 2025

Content

1. Public Sector Vacancies in India and its Impacts
2. The UN matters, as a symbol of possibility

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Public Sector Vacancies in India and its Impacts

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CONTEXT

• Theme: Massive vacancies in India’s public sector and their socio-economic and national security implications.
• Trigger: Youth unemployment at a multi-decade high despite promises of large-scale public sector recruitment.

Relevance:

• GS-2 (Governance & Social Justice):
  • Efficiency and accountability of public institutions.
  • Policy implementation challenges (Viksit Bharat 2047, employment guarantees).
• GS-3 (Economy & Security):
  • Employment and labour market dynamics; youth unemployment.
  • National security implications of vacancies in paramilitary forces and investigative agencies.
  • Sectoral productivity: Education, health, transport, and R&D gaps.

Practice Questions:

• “Vacancies in India’s public sector represent not only a governance deficit but also a strategic risk. Examine the causes, consequences, and measures to address this challenge.”(250 Words)

MAGNITUDE OF THE CRISIS

Youth Unemployment

• Public sector unemployment: Even the largest employer (Railways) has no new hires recently.
• Example: 2 crore applicants for 64,000 railway apprenticeships — illustrates mismatch between demand and supply.

Vacancies Across Key Sectors

Sector	Vacancy Statistics	Implications
Education	Kendriya & Navodaya Vidyalayas: 12,000+ vacancies; Central Universities: 25% posts vacant	Compromises quality of education, teacher-student ratio, research output.
R&D / Science & Technology	ISRO, Sriharikota: >25% posts vacant; two-fifths of scientist positions unfilled	India lags behind US/China in innovation, patents, scientific output.
Medical / Healthcare	CHCs: 20% doctor posts vacant; AIIMS: 20% posts vacant	Compromises patient welfare, overburdens existing staff.
Aviation / DGCA	40% posts vacant in safety & airworthiness; ATC shortages	Hampers emergency response and operational safety.
Railways / Safety	>1.5 lakh safety posts vacant; 6.7% increase in accidents (2023)	Risks public safety and transport security.
National Security	NIA: 3/10 posts vacant; Paramilitary: >1 lakh vacancies	Weakens law enforcement, border protection, investigation capacity.
Social Justice	National Commission for Minorities & Scheduled Castes: multiple vacancies	Delays protection of vulnerable groups.
Revenue & Tax Administration	CBDT: 34% posts vacant; Customs: 26%	Impacts tax collection and compliance.
Health & Family Welfare Dept.	25% posts vacant	Weakens healthcare governance.

STRUCTURAL AND GOVERNANCE IMPLICATIONS

1. Quality deficit: Vacancies reduce efficiency and service delivery.
2. Governance gap: Key institutions fail to perform mandated roles.
3. National security risks: Vacancies in paramilitary forces and NIA weaken response capacity.
4. Policy failure: Promises of mass employment (2 crore jobs annually) remain unfulfilled.
5. Overburdened personnel: Leads to fatigue, burnout, and decreased productivity.
6. Economic implications: Inefficient use of resources, hindered growth in education, healthcare, and research sectors.

ROOT CAUSES (INFERRED)

• Recruitment processes are slow, bureaucratic, or politically influenced.
• Lack of strategic workforce planning in critical sectors.
• Insufficient focus on skilling and retaining talent in public institutions.
• Discrepancy between ambitious policy promises (Viksit Bharat 2047) and ground reality.

CONSEQUENCES

1. Education: Student-teacher ratio worsens; research output declines.
2. Healthcare: Hospitals and CHCs under-staffed → patient care compromised.
3. Scientific innovation: ISRO, DRDO, and research labs understaffed → reduced global competitiveness.
4. Transport safety: DGCA, ATC, Railways vacancies → accidents, compromised operational safety.
5. National security: NIA, paramilitary shortages → increased vulnerability to internal/external threats.
6. Social justice: Commissions unable to protect vulnerable groups.
7. Economic growth: Vacancies reduce productivity and service efficiency in critical sectors.

CRITICAL INSIGHTS

• Vacancy epidemic = governance deficit: Public institutions are unable to deliver mandates efficiently.
• Impact on Viksit Bharat 2047: Promises of development undermined by structural workforce gaps.
• National security at stake: High vacancy in paramilitary and investigative forces is a strategic risk.
• Policy credibility at risk: Unmet employment promises erode public trust.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Immediate recruitment drives: Focus on sectors with maximum vacancies (railways, health, education, security).
2. Strategic workforce planning: Align recruitment with long-term national priorities.
3. Modernise HR processes: Reduce bureaucracy, implement digital recruitment platforms.
4. Retention policies: Incentives for scientists, teachers, healthcare professionals, and law enforcement.
5. Periodic audit of vacancies: Ensure transparency and accountability.
6. Policy alignment: Make Viksit Bharat 2047 goals realistic and implementable.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Magnitude: 14.5 lakh+ vacancies across central institutions.
• Multi-sector impact: Education, health, R&D, security, governance, and social justice.
• Consequences: Governance deficits, quality erosion, strategic vulnerability, loss of public trust.
• Solution focus: Recruitment, retention, workforce planning, and alignment with national priorities.

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The UN matters, as a symbol of possibility

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Historical Context

• Founded: 24 October 1945 (UN Charter came into force) after World War II.
• Purpose: Prevent future wars, promote peace, uphold human dignity, and ensure rule of law.
• Founding Members: 51 nations (now 193).
• Core Bodies:
  • General Assembly
  • Security Council (UNSC)
  • ECOSOC
  • ICJ
  • Secretariat
  • Trusteeship Council (inactive now)

Relevance:

• GS-2 (International Relations & Global Governance):
  • UN’s role in peacekeeping, humanitarian interventions, and norm-setting.
  • Reform of UNSC: India’s push for permanent membership and reformed multilateralism.

Practice Mains Questions:

• “At 80, the United Nations faces a crisis of relevance. Critically examine its achievements, limitations, and the imperatives for reform in the 21st century.”(250 Words)

CONTEXT OF THE EDITORIAL

• Occasion: 80th anniversary of the UN (2025).
• Central Thesis:
  The UN, though indispensable, risks irrelevance without urgent reform — especially in the Security Council, agility in operations, and restoration of its moral authority.

CORE ARGUMENTS

UN’s Evolution: From Hope to Hindrance and Hope Again

• Cold War Era: UN was a battleground for ideological confrontation (U.S. vs USSR).
• Post-Cold War Era: Transitioned to peacekeeping and humanitarian interventions (e.g., Namibia, East Timor).
• Failures: Rwanda (1994), Srebrenica (1995) — exposed UN’s paralysis under veto politics.
• Successes: Peacekeeping, humanitarian relief (UNHCR, WFP, UNICEF).

→ Analytical Point: The UN mirrors global power politics; its efficiency depends on member cooperation, not just institutional design.

Changing Global Order

• 1945: Bipolar (U.S.–USSR).
• 1990s: Unipolar (U.S. dominance).
• 2020s: Multipolar/Fragmented (rise of India, China, EU, middle powers).
• Challenge: Institutions still reflect 1945 realities.
• Erosion of Multilateralism: Rise of nationalism, populism, and retreat of liberal internationalism.

→ Analytical Point:
This represents a “crisis of multilateralism” — where global institutions lag behind global realities.

UN’s Foundational Principles Under Strain

• Sovereign Equality: Undermined by veto power of P5.
• Collective Security: Weakened by selective intervention and political vetoes (e.g., Syria, Ukraine).
• Peaceful Dispute Resolution: Often bypassed by unilateralism and regional blocs.

→ Example: UNSC paralysis over Russia-Ukraine due to veto.

Case for Reform: India and Beyond

• Permanent Members: U.S., UK, France, Russia, China — unchanged since 1945.
• G4 Nations (India, Germany, Japan, Brazil) demand reform.
• India’s Credentials:
  • Largest democracy & most populous nation.
  • Major peacekeeping contributor.
  • Voice of Global South.
  • Founding member of UN.
• Yet: No permanent seat — undermines legitimacy and equity.

→ Analytical Point: Reform = legitimacy + efficacy.
Without inclusion, UNSC decisions lack global acceptance.

UN’s Strengths That Still Matter

• Humanitarian Reach:
  • UNHCR — 117 million displaced (2024).
  • WFP — feeds ~150 million annually.
  • UNICEF — child health, immunisation, education.
• Norm-Setting Role:
  • Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948).
  • SDGs (2015) — global template for sustainability.
  • Gender, climate, and human rights frameworks.
• Convening Power: Provides neutral platform for diplomacy.

→ Analytical Note:
The UN’s “normative power” often outweighs its coercive power — shaping laws, values, and expectations.

Constraints and Structural Weaknesses

• Veto misuse: Permanent members shield allies (e.g., U.S.–Israel, Russia–Syria).
• Funding dependence: U.S. contributes ~22% of budget; delays or cuts cripple operations.
• Bureaucratic inertia: Slow, procedural, resistant to innovation.
• Politicisation: Human rights and sanctions regimes selectively applied.

→ Interpretation:
UN’s paralysis stems from member-state hypocrisy, not just institutional inefficiency.

India’s Strategic Autonomy and Global Governance

• Policy of Non-Alignment → Multi-alignment: India avoids power bloc dependency.
• Focus: Regional stability, sovereignty, plural global order.
• Critique: UNSC structure perpetuates post-war hierarchies.
• Vision: Global order built on dignity, plurality, and cooperation.

→ Interpretation:
Relates to India’s foreign policy continuity — autonomy, equity, and reform-based leadership (aligns with “Vishwa Bandhutva” and “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”).

Agenda for Renewal and Reform (Tharoor’s Prescriptions)

Reform Area	Objective	Measures Suggested
UNSC Reform	Legitimacy & representation	Expand permanent seats; include Global South (India, Africa, Latin America)
Institutional Agility	Speed & responsiveness	Streamline decisions, decentralize power, use digital tools
Moral Voice Restoration	Uphold values & credibility	Speak truth to power; defend human rights universally
Member Commitment	Ensure functionality	Regular funding, depoliticized contributions, shared responsibility

→ Key Idea: UN’s survival depends on reform from within and renewal of collective political will.

THEORETICAL INSIGHTS

1. Realist View:
   1. UN is a tool of great power politics.
   1. Its actions depend on consent of dominant states.
   1. Example: U.S. invasion of Iraq (2003) bypassed UN.
2. Liberal Institutionalism:
   1. UN fosters cooperation and global norms.
   1. Despite failures, it remains the best available platform for global governance.
3. Constructivist View:
   1. UN’s true power lies in its ability to shape ideas and values (e.g., human rights, gender equality, climate action).

DATA POINTS (2025 Context)

• UN Peacekeeping: 11 missions; ~70,000 troops from 120 nations (India among top 5 contributors).
• SDG Progress (UN SDG Report 2024): Only 15% of targets on track.
• Funding Gap: UN regular budget ~$3.4 billion; humanitarian needs exceed $50 billion annually.
• U.S. Dues Default: $1 billion outstanding (2025).

INDIA-SPECIFIC DIMENSIONS

• Reform Diplomacy:
  • Active in G4 and L.69 Group.
  • Advocates “Reformed Multilateralism” (as per PM Modi’s 2023 UNGA speech).
• Soft Power Contribution: Yoga, Ayurveda, Digital Public Goods, Disaster Relief (COVAX, G20).
• Strategic Relevance: Balancer between North and South, and between West and East.

Limitations / Counterpoints:

• UNSC reform faces P5 resistance — low feasibility.
• “Moral voice” limited by UN’s dependence on member politics.
• Overreliance on consensus may paralyze decisive action.

CONCLUSION

• At 80, the UN remains a mirror of global contradictions — indispensable yet insufficient.
• Reform is existential, not optional: to remain relevant, the UN must reflect today’s realities.
• India’s case for inclusion embodies the shift toward a plural, equitable order.
• As Hammarskjöld said, “The UN was not created to take mankind to heaven, but to save humanity from hell.”

Hence, the UN at 80 must become:

• Representative (inclusive governance)
• Responsive (crisis agility)
• Resilient (moral and institutional strength)

Only then can it serve as the world’s moral compass and crisis manager in the 21st century.

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