GS Analyst: Daily Current Affairs

Context:

India and the Maldives ought to recognize the advantages of strengthening their relationship.

Maldivian Ministerial Missteps

• Tweet Controversy: Maldivian ministers' offensive tweets targeting PM Modi spark outrage.
• Diplomatic Fallout: Deletion of tweets, minister suspensions, and diplomatic summons follow, but damage persists.
• Indian Reaction: Social media calls for a boycott of Maldives as economic tensions rise post-tweets.

Shifting Geopolitical Dynamics

• Change in Leadership: President Muizzu's divergent approach from his predecessor signals a shift.
• Strained Relations: Choosing Turkey and China over India for state visits raises concerns about priorities.
• Security Concerns: Muizzu persists in pressing India for military personnel withdrawal, disrupting established security dynamics.

The Need for Diplomatic Reassessment

• Mutual Restraint: Escalating hypernationalistic sentiments demand both Delhi and Male to reassess their responses.
• Economic Interdependence: Boycott calls may backfire as India-Maldives ties hold economic, strategic, and regional significance.
• Preserving Stability: Amid regional elections, India must navigate domestic political changes without compromising bilateral ties or regional stability.

Context:

India has long discussed logistics improvements, and now, with precise data on measurement and quantification, the focus on enhancing performance becomes more targeted.

Logistics Performance Improvement

• LPI Ranking: India's Logistics Performance Index (LPI) ranking has improved from 54 in 2014 to 38 in 2023, signaling advancements in trade logistics.
• National Logistics Policy: The National Logistics Policy aims to reduce logistics costs to global benchmarks, enhance LPI ranking among the top 25 countries, and establish data-driven decision support mechanisms by 2030.
• PM Gati Shakti: Launched in 2021, PM Gati Shakti is expected to impact logistics positively, although its effects might not be immediately reflected in the 2023 LPI.

Estimating Logistics Costs

• Economic Survey 2022-23: Logistics costs in India range from 14-18% of GDP, exceeding the global benchmark of 8%.
• D&B and CII Reports: Earlier reports varied, estimating costs at 15-16% of consignment value and 14% of GDP, revealing a competitiveness gap.
• NCAER Report (2023): Precise methodology estimates logistics costs between 7.8% and 8.9% of GDP in 2021-22, indicating a decline over time.

State-level Logistics Performance

• Perceived vs. Precise Data: Logistics improvement efforts show in LPI, but perceived challenges persist. NCAER's precise estimation method provides a clearer picture of logistics costs in India.
• LEADS Report (2023): The Logistics Ease Across Different States (LEADS) report categorizes states as achievers, fast movers, or aspirers based on logistics performance.
• Coastal States: Coastal states like Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu excel, while Goa, Odisha, and West Bengal lag. West Bengal is urged to formulate a State Logistics Master Plan.

Context:

Institutions prioritizing a comprehensive education centered on values will encounter challenges in its realization due to the unpredictability of student behavior.

Introduction to New Education Policy Initiatives

• Overview: The National Credit Framework (NCrF) and the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) are pivotal elements in India's New Education Policy 2020, aiming for transformative impacts.
• Objectives: NCrF seeks to consolidate credits across education levels, promoting interdisciplinary education and aligning with global standards. ABC serves as a digital archive for credit accumulation.
• International Alignment: The credit-based system supports internationalization, facilitating credit transfer and enhancing global recognition of Indian institutions.

Implications and Benefits of NCrF and ABC

• Student-Centric Learning: NCrF and ABC promote student-centric learning, enabling flexibility, interdisciplinary study, and personalized pacing.
• Challenges for Students: While offering advantages, the flexibility poses challenges such as uncertainty in returning to academics after breaks, requiring informed career-oriented choices.
• Faculty and Institutional Challenges: Fluid student numbers impact faculty workload, requiring institutions to adapt curricula, maintain uniform timetables, and address challenges for those without accreditation.

Challenges and Recommendations for Implementation

• Infrastructure and Administrative Challenges: Lack of awareness, understanding, and infrastructure hinder successful implementation. Faculty training and funding are crucial for aligning with the credit-based system.
• Institutional Autonomy: Implementing a uniform syllabus may compromise institutional autonomy, posing challenges for branding and distinctiveness.
• Consensus and Awareness: Inadequate awareness and opposition from some states highlight the need for consensus through discussions, deliberations, and comprehensive training campaigns.