GS Analyst: Daily Current Affairs

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, approved in July 2020, aims to overhaul India's education system, with a significant focus on transforming higher education to foster multidisciplinary and cross-disciplinary learning. ?

Transitioning to Multidisciplinary Institutions

• University Restructuring: The NEP proposes converting single-stream institutions into multidisciplinary campuses by adding diverse departments or forming university clusters, promoting a broad-based education. ?
• Establishing New Universities: To achieve widespread access, the policy advocates setting up new multidisciplinary universities, aiming to have at least one in or near every district by 2030. ?
• Administrative Considerations: Implementing these changes requires careful planning to address administrative challenges and ensure effective integration of disciplines. ?

Advancing Cross- and Interdisciplinary Education

• Curriculum Integration: Encouraging students to engage in courses across various departments fosters a cross-disciplinary approach, enhancing their problem-solving skills. ?
• Research Collaboration: Promoting interdisciplinary research involves integrating insights from multiple disciplines to address complex real-world issues.
• Faculty Development: Developing faculty expertise in cross- and interdisciplinary methods is crucial for nurturing a culture of collaborative teaching and research. ?

Practice Question:

Q. Critically evaluate the National Education Policy 2020's strategies for transforming India's higher education system, focusing on the promotion of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches.

On April 2, 2025, President Trump declared "Liberation Day," announcing a 10% baseline tariff on all imports and higher "reciprocal" tariffs targeting specific countries, including a 26% tariff on Indian goods. This move, invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), aims to address the U.S. trade deficit and perceived unfair trade practices. ?

Strategic Underpinnings of Trump's Tariff Policy

• Invocation of National Emergency Powers: President Trump utilized the IEEPA to impose a universal 10% tariff on imports, citing a national emergency due to persistent trade deficits and unfair trade practices by other nations. ?
• Targeted Reciprocal Tariffs: Beyond the baseline tariff, higher rates were imposed on countries with significant trade surpluses with the U.S., such as a 26% tariff on India and up to 49% on Cambodia. ?The Economic Times+2PBS:
• Political and Economic Motivations: The tariffs are seen as a strategic move to counter China's long-term economic ambitions and assert U.S. economic sovereignty, rather than purely economic measures to balance trade.?

Implications for India

• Temporary Suspension of Additional Tariffs: The U.S. has temporarily suspended the additional 26% tariff on Indian goods for 90 days, until July 9, 2025, providing a window for diplomatic negotiations. ?
• Opportunity for Trade Reform: This pause offers India a chance to reassess and potentially reform its trade and foreign investment policies, which have been criticized for being restrictive and deterring foreign direct investment.?
• Demographic and Economic Potential: India's growing, educated workforce positions it as a viable alternative to China in global supply chains, making trade liberalization and economic reforms more pressing.?

Prospects of India-U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement

• Ongoing Negotiations: India and the U.S. have agreed on the terms of reference for the first phase of a bilateral trade deal, aiming to finalize it by late 2025. ?
• Ambitious Trade Targets: The goal is to increase bilateral trade from the current $191 billion to $500 billion by 2030, indicating a significant deepening of economic ties. ?
• Strategic Alignment: A successful trade agreement could serve as a model for India's trade relations with other major economies, such as the UK and EU, and solidify its role as a key player in the global economy.?

Practice Question

Q. Discuss the implications of the recent U.S. tariff policies on India's trade and economic strategy. How can India leverage this situation to reform its trade and investment policies and strengthen its position in global supply chains?

The Beijing India Report 2024, marking 30 years of the Beijing Declaration, highlights India's progress in gender equality. However, it reveals a significant gap in integrating gender considerations into climate policies, particularly affecting rural women. This oversight presents an opportunity to enhance gender-responsive climate action in India.?

Gendered Impacts of Climate Change

• Health and Livelihoods: Climate change exacerbates health issues among women, including increased rates of anaemia and reproductive health problems due to food insecurity and extreme weather events.?
• Economic Vulnerability: Women in rural areas face income losses of up to 33% from non-farm livelihoods, compounded by climate-induced disruptions like droughts and floods.?
• Increased Unpaid Care Work: Resource scarcity leads to an additional 0.3 hours of unpaid care work daily for women, potentially rising to 8.3 hours by 2050 without mitigation efforts.?

Policy Gaps and Recommendations

• Inadequate Climate-Gender Integration: The Beijing India Report lacks a robust climate-gender framework, missing an opportunity to address the intersectional impacts of climate change on women.?
• Need for Gender-Responsive Climate Action: Implementing gender-responsive climate policies is crucial for achieving gender equality and sustainable development.?
• Recommendations for Policy Enhancement: Develop gender-responsive climate budgets, promote women's leadership in climate initiatives, and ensure inclusive participation in climate decision-making processes.?

Role of Women in Climate Adaptation

• Traditional Knowledge: Rural and indigenous women possess valuable traditional knowledge for sustainable agriculture and natural resource management, essential for climate resilience.?
• Leadership in Climate Initiatives: Women lead community-based climate adaptation efforts, such as seed preservation and ecosystem conservation, demonstrating effective local solutions.?
• Policy Inclusion: Integrating women's perspectives into climate policies enhances the effectiveness and inclusivity of adaptation strategies.?

Practice Question

Q. ?Critically analyze the gaps in India's Beijing India Report 2024 concerning the integration of gender perspectives in climate policies. Discuss the implications of these gaps on rural women's resilience to climate change and propose actionable policy recommendations.