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Editorials/Opinions Analysis For UPSC 27 November 2024

  1. From a republic to a republic of unequals
  2. An ideal way to treat India’s corneal blindness problem
  3. Timely reiteration


Relevance :GS 2 (Indian Polity )

Practice Question :Explain economic inequality crisis in india . Suggest key measure to address the issue .(250 Words )

Significance of Constitution Day

  • Marks 75 years since the adoption of the Indian Constitution, a transformative document for governance.
  • Highlights the inclusive and intellectual debates of the Constituent Assembly representing a wide ideological spectrum.

Liberty and State’s role :

  • Liberty: Essential for the realisation of human potential.
  • States Role: Necessary intervention to reduce inequalities in post-Independence India.
  • Balancing liberal values with welfare measures like affirmative action and reservations to ensure equality.

Egalitarian Vision of the Constitution

Inspired by John Rawls’ egalitarian liberalism, emphasising:

  • Equal basic liberties.
  • Equal opportunities.
  • Difference principle (benefits to the least advantaged).

Reflected in:

  • Part III (Fundamental Rights): Guarantees individual freedoms.
  • Part IV (DPSPs): Directs state action to minimise inequalities.
  • Article 38(2) and Article 39(c) explicitly mandate reducing income and wealth inequalities.

Judicial Interpretation of Egalitarian Ideals

  • D.S. Nakara (1982): Advocated decent living standards and cradle-to-grave security.
  • Samatha Case (1997): Defined socialism as reducing income disparities and promoting equal opportunities.
  • Justice Krishna Iyer’s interpretation of Article 39(b): Resources as community assets for equitable distribution.

Impact of Economic Reforms on Inequality

  • Pre-1990s Welfare State: Reduced top 1% income share from 21% (1930s) to 6% (1980s).
  • Post-1990s Neoliberal Reforms: Shift from welfare to market-oriented policies:
  • Top 1% now controls 22.6% of total income (2022-23).
  • Structural changes favour private capital over equitable growth.

Evidence of Worsening Inequality

Paris School of Economics (2024):

  • Top 1% wealth share: 40.1% (2022-23).
  • Extreme inequality levels resemble pre-Independence disparities.

State of Inequality in India Report (2022):

  • Top 10% earn ₹25,000/month, while 90% earn less than this amount.

Intersection of Economic and Social Inequalities

Wealth Concentration by Caste:

  • 90% of billionaire wealth held by upper castes.
  • SCs (2.6%) and STs (0%) are underrepresented.
  • OBC share of wealth reduced from 20% (2014) to 10% (2022).
  • Rise of Billionaires: From 9 (2000) to 119 (2023), illustrating widening disparities.

Threat to Constitutional Vision

  • Neoliberal Policies:Undermine the welfare state, increasing wealth concentration.Violate Article 39(c) and constitutional egalitarian principles.
  • Overlapping Inequalities: Social inequalities amplify economic disparities, giving systemic advantages to dominant groups.

Call for Reflection

  • Need to critically assess policies against constitutional ideals.
  • Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s warning: Social and economic inequality threatens political democracy.
  • Reaffirm commitment to constitutional values to create a more just and equitable society.


Relevance : GS 2 (Health )

Practice Question : Discuss an ideal approach to addressing India’s corneal blindness problem . Explain challenges in the current healthcare infrastructure .(250 Words )

Context: Acute Shortage of Corneas

Current Need vs Supply:

  • Required: 1,00,000 corneal transplants annually.
  • Availability: Only 30% of this demand is met.
  • Impact: Many individuals live with avoidable blindness due to unavailability of corneal tissue.

Magnitude of Corneal Blindness

  • 1.2 million Indians suffer from corneal opacities.
  • Corneal blindness is the second leading cause of blindness in those aged 50+ and the primary cause in younger individuals.

Treatable Cases:

  • One-third of corneal opacity cases can be treated through transplantation.

Systemic Gaps:

Eye Banks:

  • Required: 50 high-functioning banks.
  • Current: Only 12-14 meet high standards.

Corneal Surgeons:500 surgeons performing 200 transplants/year.

  • Current: Insufficient skilled professionals.
  • Proposed Solution: ‘Presumed Consent’

Mechanism:

Treat all eligible deaths in hospitals as potential cornea donors unless explicitly opted out.

Advantages:

  • Reduces delays in retrieval (corneas must be retrieved within 8-10 hours post-death).
  • Simplifies the process by bypassing the need for next-of-kin consent.
  • Potentially increases supply significantly.

Challenges with Presumed Consent

Ethical Concerns:

  • Risk of undermining voluntary donation by removing the consent process.
  • Can erode trust in the healthcare system and the donor-recipient relationship.

Global Evidence:

  • High organ donation rates in Spain, the U.S., and Portugal are achieved through public education and soft opt-in/required request models, not presumed consent.

Effective Alternative:

  • Hospital Cornea Retrieval Programme (HCRP):Involves grief counsellors approaching families to seek explicit consent for donation.

Successful examples:

  • LV Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI):
    • Over 70% of 1,40,000 corneas harvested in 35 years through HCRP.
    • Eliminated waiting lists for corneal transplants in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Odisha.

Benefits:

  • Supports the grieving process for families.
  • Builds trust and public support for corneal donation.

Actionable Steps

Investments in Infrastructure:

  • Increase the number of high-functioning eye banks from 14 to 50.
  • Train and deploy 500 active corneal surgeons nationwide.

Public Education:

  • Raise awareness about corneal blindness and the donation process.
  • Emphasise the transformative impact of donation on recipients’ lives.

Scaling HCRP:

  • Expand the programme to all general hospitals.
  • Employ and train more grief counsellors to improve donor rates.


Relevance : GS 2 (Judiciary )

Practice Question :Discuss the significance of the Supreme Court’s reaffirmation of secularism and socialism in Indias constitutional framework.(150 Words )

Secularism Reaffirmed:

  • Supreme Court rejected challenges against ‘secular’ and ‘socialist’ added via the 42nd Amendment (1976).
  • Emphasised secularism as integral to India’s constitutional framework.

Clarification on ‘Socialist’:

  • The term does not enforce a rigid economic system but ensures economic and social justice.
  • Allows flexibility for policies like market-driven reforms while addressing inequalities.

Historical Context:

  • Original Preamble (1949) excluded these terms.
  • Terms were added during the Emergency but retained after thorough debates in the 44th Amendment (1978).

Judicial Precedents:

  • S.R. Bommai Case (1994): Secularism declared a basic feature of the Constitution, immune to amendments.
  • Other rulings emphasised neutrality of the State and freedom of religious practice.

Interpretation of the Terms:

Secularism:

  • Unique to India, ensuring State neutrality toward all religions.
  • Allows individuals freedom to practice and propagate their faith.
  • Rejects the Western model of strict Church-State separation.

Socialism:

  • Focuses on economic and social justice, not ideological rigidity.
  • Balances market competition with policies for equitable growth.

The Debate:

Court’s Position:

  • The Emergency-era origin of the amendment insufficient to invalidate the terms.
  • Parliamentary debates in 1978 reinforced their relevance.

Significance of the Verdict:

Upholds Constitutional Values:

  • Secularism and socialism remain foundational principles safeguarding equality and justice.
  • Reinforces their compatibility with evolving governance and policies.

Timely Reiteration:

  • On the 75th anniversary of the Constitution, the verdict reaffirms India’s commitment to inclusivity and fairness.
  • Counters attempts to dilute secularism or question its relevance.

Conclusion:

The Supreme Court’s decision reinforces secularism and socialism as guiding principles for governance, ensuring inclusivity, justice, and adaptability to changing socio-political contexts.


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