New PhD Regulations

Paper 2 – Education

Why You Should Know?

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has notified new regulations on PhD degrees, introducing a set of sweeping changes in eligibility criteria, admission procedure and evaluation methods governing doctoral programs in college and universities.

In detail –

• The mandatory requirement of publishing research papers in refereed journals or presenting in conferences has been scrapped.
• Part-time PhDs have been launched for working professionals, and there is a relaxation of 5 per cent marks in eligibility for admissions even for the new EWS category.
• Anyone with a four-year/eight-semester Bachelor’s programme degree with a minimum 75 per cent marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade will be eligible for a PhD.
• Those joining PhD programmes after a four-year UG programme can do so after a one-year Master’s degree.
• Graduates with conventional three-year UG degrees need to have completed two-year Master’s degrees.
• So far, a Master’s degree with at least 55 per cent marks in aggregate was mandatory for doctoral aspirants.
• Many universities also insisted on using M.Phil as the gateway. Those who had completed their M.Phil dissertation and were awaiting viva voce could also be admitted to PhD programmes.
• The new Rules discontinue the M.Philprogramme altogether. However, that will have no bearing on those holding or pursuing M.Phil degrees currently.
• Apart from reserved category applicants, those falling under the EWS bracket will also be granted five per cent relaxations.

Changes in the procedure for admissions

• There are no major changes in the procedure for admissions.
• As was the norm so far, universities and colleges will be free to admit students through the NET/JRF qualification route as well as entrance exams at the level of the institutions.
• The entrance syllabus shall consist of 50 per cent of research methodology, and 50 per cent shall be subject-specific, the Regulations say.

Changes in the way research supervisors work

• Eligible professors, associate professors, and assistant professors can continue to guide up to eight, six, and four PhD candidates respectively at any given time, as earlier.
• However, earlier, professors, associate professors, and assistant professors could also guide three, two, and one M.Phil scholars respectively over and above their PhD candidates.
• The MPhil programme has been scrapped under the new National Education Policy, 2020.
• The new Rules also bar faculty members with less than three years of service left before superannuation from taking new research scholars under their supervision.
• Each supervisor can also guide up to two international research scholars on a supernumerary basis over and above the permitted number of domestic PhD scholars.
• Universities and colleges have been allowed to frame their own rules governing admissions of international PhD students.

Improve the quality of doctoral education and research

• It has introduced a new requirement for PhD scholars, irrespective of discipline, to train in teaching / education/ pedagogy/ writing related to their chosen subject during their doctoral period.
• They may also be assigned four to six hours per week of teaching/ research assistantship for conducting tutorial or laboratory work and evaluations.
• Earlier, to ensure the quality of their output, research scholars had to appear before a Research Advisory Committee once in six months and present the progress of their work for evaluation and further guidance. They will now have to do this every semester.
• The new Regulations retain the clause that mandates institutions to develop a mechanism using “well-developed software applications to detect plagiarism in research work”.

Provision for part-time PhDs

• This is a new category introduced by the regulations. Although an existing feature in the IITs, for most universities and colleges, this will be new.
• The eligibility conditions are the same for both full-time and part-time candidates. Their PhD work will be assessed in the same way as is done for the full-time PhD students.
• However, in addition to meeting the regular criteria, the part-time PhD candidates will also have to produce a No-Objection Certificate or NOC from their employer.
• Apart from stating that the prospective part-time PhD candidate employee is permitted to pursue studies on a part-time basis, the NOC will have to spell out that they will be given sufficient time for research work. The workplace will require facilities in the employee’s field of research as a doctoral scholar.

About UGC

• University Grants Commission (UGC) is a statutory body set up by the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India in accordance to the UGC Act 1956.
• It is charged with coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of higher education in India.
• It provides recognition to universities in India, and disbursements of funds to such recognized universities and colleges.
• The headquarters are in New Delhi, and it has six regional centers in Pune, Bhopal, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Guwahati and Bangalore.

Sources – IE

Infrastructure Resilience Accelerator Fund (IRAF)

Paper 3 – Infrastructure

Why You Should Know?

The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) announced the Infrastructure Resilience Accelerator Fund (IRAF).

In detail –

• It will be a multi-donor trust fund, managed by UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office, New York. Supported by India, the UK, Australia and the European Union.
• It will support global action on disaster resilience of infrastructure systems, especially in developing countries and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
• The IRAF’s multi-pronged programme will offer customised technical assistance, capacity building, research, knowledge management, and advocacy across the infrastructure life cycle for countries at all stages of development.
• Around $50 million in financial commitments have already been announced for IRAF over an initial
• IRAF will play a crucial role in equipping the Coalition to deliver improved infrastructure governance, inclusive infrastructure services, diversified knowledge, and financing for resilient infrastructure globally.
• One of the first initiatives to be supported by the IRAF is the Infrastructure for the Resilient Island States (IRIS).
• IRAF will enable CDRI to achieve its mandate of resilience through risk-informed investments and infrastructure development resulting in the reduced vulnerability of populations and reduced impact of extreme events and disasters on infrastructure systems

About CDRI

• CDRI which is known as The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, was launched by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi at the UN Climate Action Summit in New York in 2019.
• CDRIis a partnership of national governments, UN agencies and programmes, multilateral development banks and financing mechanisms, the private sector, and knowledge institutions that aims to promote the resilience of new and existing infrastructure systems to climate and disaster risks in support of sustainable development.
• CDRI promotes rapid development of resilient infrastructure to respond to the Sustainable Development Goals’ imperatives of expanding universal access to basic services, enabling prosperity and decent work.

Source – TOI

Age of consent for adolescents

Paper 2 –Polity

Why You Should Know?

On November 4, 2022 the HC of Karnataka says Law Commission needs to rethink age criteria for consensual sex.

In detail –

• The Dharwad Bench of the Karnataka High Court, while dismissing a case filed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, said the Law Commission of India would have to rethink the age criteria, to take into consideration the ground realities.
• The aspect of consent by a girl of 16 years, but who is below 18 years, would have to be considered, it said, if it is indeed an offence under the Indian Penal Code and/or the POCSO Act.

Terms of the POCSO Act

• Under the POCSO Act, 2012, and under several provisions of the IPC, whoever commits a penetrative sexual assault on a child — anyone below 18 years of age — can be “imprisoned for a term which is not less than seven years but which may extend to imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable to [a] fine.”
• Even if the girl is 16 years old, she is considered a “child” under the POCSO Act and hence her consent does not matter, and any sexual intercourse is treated as rape, thus opening it up to stringent punishment.
• There have been several instances in the past few years when the courts have quashed criminal proceedings of rape and kidnapping, after being convinced that the law was being misused to suit one or the other party.
• Often, the offender had been booked under Section 366 of the IPC, Section 6 of the POCSO Act and Section 9 of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006.

Misuse of Law

• The Karnataka High Court said the effect of such criminal prosecution of a minor girl or boy is causing severe distress to all concerned, including the families.
• Sometimes, disgruntled parents file a case to foil a relationship between two adolescents.
• In 2019, a study, Why Girls Run Away To Marry – Adolescent Realities and Socio-Legal Responses in India, published by Partners for Law in Development, made a case for the age of consent to be lower than the age of marriage to decriminalise sex among older adolescents to protect them from the misuse of law, sometimes by parents who want to control who their daughters or sons want to marry.
• The study noted that in many cases, a couple elopes fearing opposition from parents resulting in a situation where families file a case with the police, who then book the boy for rape under the POCSO Act and abduction with the intent to marry under IPC or the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006.

Madras HC verdict

• In 2021, in the Vijaylakshmi vs State Rep case, the Madras High Court, while dismissing a POCSO case, said the definition of ‘child’ under Section 2(d) of the POCSO Act can be redefined as 16 instead of 18.
• “Any consensual sex after the age of 16 or bodily contact or allied acts can be excluded from the rigorous provisions of the POCSO Act.”
• The court suggested that the age difference in consensual relationships should not be more than five years.
• This, it said, will ensure that a girl of an impressionable age is not taken advantage of by “a person who is much older.”

Way Forward

• The courts and rights activists seeking amendment to the age of consent criteria.
• In the meantime,adolescents have to be made aware of the stringent provisions of the Act and also the IPC.
• The Karnataka High Court Bench directed the Principal Secretary of the Education Department to constitute a committee to formulate suitable education material for adolescents on the law on sexual offences and its consequences.
• A parliamentary committee is looking into the Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021 which seeks to increase the minimum age of marriage for women to 21 years.
• Rights activists feel instead of helping the community, raising the age may force vulnerable women to remain under the yoke of family and social pressures.

Source –TH

 

Citizen Perception Survey-2022

Paper 3 – Infrastructure

Why You Should Know?

Recently MoHUAlaunched the Transport 4 All Challenge Stage-2 and Citizen Perception Survey-2022

In detail –

Transport 4 All Challenge

• The Transport4All Challenge is an initiative of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India, that aims at enhancing the mobility experience of citizens.
• The Challenge focuses on digital innovation and invites cities, citizens, and innovators to join hands to develop contextual digital solutions to improve formal as well as informal public transport to better serve the mobility needs of all citizens.
• Stage-2 of the Challenge is open for startups to develop solutions for the issues and problems identified by the cities. Interested startups can register with their idea pitches on the Startup India portal.
• The Transport4All Challenge is organised in partnership with The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) as co-host and challenge coordinator, the Word Bank as knowledge partner, Startup India and City Innovation Exchange as technology partners, and Association of State Road Transport Undertaking (ASRTU) as city-engagement partner.

Objective

• Solutions developed as part of the Challenge aim to integrate formal and informal modes of public transport wherever possible and desirable.
• Solutions that demonstrate the ability to meet the needs of citizens—those living in cities with different contexts—would be piloted in selected cities across the country.

Three Stages of the Challenge

The Transport4All through Digital Innovation Challenge comprises three stages:

Stage I Problem Identification:

• Cities, with the support of NGOs, identify key recurring problems that citizens and public transport operators face

Stage II Solution Generation:

• Startups develop prototypes of solutions to improve public transport with inputs from cities and NGOs

Stage III Pilot Testing:

• Cities engage Startups for large-scale pilots and refine the solutions based on citizen feedback

Background

• More than 130 cities signed up for Stage 1 of the Challenge, launched on 15th April 2021.
• 100 cities formed a Transport4All Task Force (TTF) with key government stakeholders and governments working in the transport sector, along with academic institutes, non-profit organizations, and IPT unions.
• These cities successfully conducted surveys with more than 2 lakh citizens, 15,000 bus drivers and conductors and 22,000 informal public transport (autos etc) drivers— making it the biggest public transport data exercise in the country.
• The 46 cities—who qualify for Stage 2 of the Challenge—used the survey’s findings to develop more than 165 problem statements, that is now curated into a final list of 8 problem statements by the Challenge team.

Citizen Perception Survey 2022

• MoHUA launched the Urban Outcomes Framework 2022 in April, 2022 as an initiative to undertake a transparent and comprehensive assessment of cities based on cross-city outcomes across major sectors.
• The Framework also includes the third round of Ease of Living Index.
• The Ease of Living Index, as a 360-degree assessment, aims to evaluate cities across India based on the Quality of Life, Economic Ability, and Sustainability.
• As part of the Ease of Living Index, a Citizen Perception Survey is being conducted (which carries 30% of the marks under the Ease of Living Index).

Aim –

• This is a very important component of the assessment exercise as it will help in directly capturing of citizen feedback with respect to their city liveability.
• These views would highlight how citizens feel about different aspects of their cities including public transport, education facilities, healthcare services, water availability, cost of living, employment opportunities, among others.

Mode of Survey

• This survey, which is being administered both online and offline, commenced from 9th November 2022 and will continue till 23rd December 2022.
• The offline version involving face-to-face interviews will run parallelly with the online survey. The Citizen Perception Survey was first conducted in 2020 and had a target of 16 lakh responses while we were able to garner response from over 32 lakh citizens residing across the 111 cities participating in the survey.
• This year, the Survey will be carried out across 264 cities with an aim to capture and reflect opinions of from more than 21 lakh citizens across the length and breadth of the country.
• Citizens from the 264 participating cities (Annexure II) are requested to submit their feedback on the following link: https://eol2022.org/.
• Cities will be actively promoting the Citizen Perception Survey and engage maximum citizens to share their city feedback by adopting innovative strategies.

Award

• The top performing cities will be rewarded under the ‘City Engagement Award’.
• The National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) is anchoring the program, along with its agency Quality Council of India (QCI), who are supporting MoHUA in undertaking the exercise.

Sources – PIB

India’s First Sovereign Green Bonds Framework

Paper 3 –Economy

Why You Should Know?

Recently Union Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman approved India’s First Sovereign Green Bonds Framework

In detail –

• The approval of India’s first Sovereign Green Bonds is the fulfillment of the announcement in the Union Budget FY02022-23 by the Union Finance Minister that the sovereign green bonds will be issued for mobilizing the resources for green projects.
• Sovereign Green Bonds Framework also comes close in the footsteps of India’s commitment under Panchamrit as elucidated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at COP26 in Glasgow in November 2021.

What is Sovereign Green Bonds Framework?

• Green Bonds are the financial instruments that generate proceeds for investment in environmentally-sustainable and climate-sustainable projects.
• By the virtue of their indication towards environmental sustainability, green bonds command a relatively lower cost of Capital vis-à-vis regular bonds and necessitate the credibility and commitments associated with the process of raising bonds.
• The document made itclear that equity will be provided only in the case of metro projects, and green spending will include investment, subsidies, grants-inaid or tax foregone, including their combination.
• Every year, the finance ministry will inform RBI about the spending on green projects for which the funds raised through these bonds will be used.
• India’s first Sovereign Green Bonds Framework was formulated and according to the provisions of the framework, Green Finance Working Committee was constituted to validate the key decisions on the issuance of Sovereign Green Bonds.
• An Independent and Norway-based second-party opinion (SPO) provider was appointed to evaluate India’s green bonds framework and certify the alignment of the framework with ICMA’s Green Bond Principles and International Best Practices.
• After due deliberation and consideration, India’s green bonds framework was rated as ‘Medium Green’ with a ‘Good Governance Score’.

Green Finance Working Committee (GFWC)

• The Ministry of Finance has constituted a Green Finance Working Committee (GFWC) including members from relevant line ministries and chaired by the Chief Economic Advisor.
• The GFWC will meet at least twice a year to support the Ministry of Finance with selection and evaluation of projects and other work related to the Framework.
• Initialevaluation of the project will be the responsibility of the concerned Ministry/Department in consultation with experts.
• The allocation of the proceeds will be reviewed in a time-bound manner by the GFWC to ensure that the allocation of proceeds is completed within 24 months from the date of issuance.
• It will also bring out an annual report on the allocation of proceeds to the eligible projects along with details of projects financed, status of implementation, and unallocated proceeds.
• For every year, GFWC will meet to identify a fresh set of eligible expenditures in line with the framework in consultation with line Ministries.
• Once the Finance Bill is passed, Ministry of Finance will inform Reserve Bank of India (RBI) regarding the amount of eligible green expenditures for which proceeds from green bonds can be utilised.

Significance

• The approval will further strengthen India’s commitment towards its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) targets that are adopted under the Paris Agreement and will help in attracting global and domestic investments in eligible green projects.
• The proceeds that will be generated from the issuance of such bonds will be deployed in public sector projects which will help in reducing the carbon intensity of the economy.

Source – IE

 

Maritime History Society

Paper 1 –Natural Resources

Why You Should Know?

The Maritime History Society (MHS) is organising its 43rd Annual Seminar on 15 Nov 22 at the Agastya Auditorium at INHS Asvini, Colaba.

In detail –

• The theme for the day-long seminar is “Exploring the Trajectory of India’s Sea Power”.
• With a coastline of over 7500kms, India has witnessed the sea being the medium of livelihood, exploration as well as annexation since prehistoric times.
• The seminar features 10 presenters who will navigate through the historical evolution and application of sea power in India and discuss its implications thereof.
• The seminar intends to trigger the audience’s curiosity by providing a complete historical overview that might serve as a foundation for establishing a sustainable maritime doctrine, unified maritime policies, and a comprehensive national maritime development plan.

About Maritime History Society

• The Maritime History Society (MHS) came into being on 12 May 1978, to promote the study of India’s maritime history.
• It was founded by the then Rear Adm MP Awati to promote awareness of India’s rich maritime history among young Naval Officers and the public at large.
• Maritime History Society Seeks to evolve into a body of eminence in the field of Maritime History through nurturing of historical research among young mariners, showcase Indian Maritime Heritage and publication of emerging perspective for a vibrant and resurgent Maritime India.
• MHS conducts regular maritime-themed programmes and activities ranging from Outreach Exhibitions to Talks, Conversations and Seminars to bring together scholarship and awareness of Indian Maritime History & Heritage.

What is Maritime history?

• Maritime history is the study of human interaction with and activity at sea.
• It covers a broad thematic element of history that often uses a global approach, although national and regional histories remain predominant.
• As an academic subject, it often crosses the boundaries of standard disciplines, focusing on understanding humankind’s various relationships to the oceans, seas, and major waterways of the globe.
• Nautical history records and interprets past events involving ships, shipping, navigation, and seafarers.
• Maritime history is the broad overarching subject that includes –
• fishing, whaling, international maritime law, naval history, the history of ships, ship design, shipbuilding, the history of navigation, the history of the various maritime-related sciences (oceanography, cartography, hydrography, etc.),
• sea exploration, maritime economics and trade, shipping, yachting, seaside resorts, the history of lighthouses and aids to navigation,
• maritime themes in literature, maritime themes in art, the social history of sailors and passengers and sea-related communities.

Sources –PIB

Indian National Cartographic Association (INCA)

Paper 3 – Security

Why You Should Know?

The 42 International Congress of the Indian National Cartographic Association (INCA) is being organised by the National Hydrographic Office (NHO), Dehradun from 09 to 11 Nov 22.

In detail –

• The NHO had earlier conducted the 37th INCA Congress at Dehradun from 01 to 03 Nov 17.
• The focal theme for the 42d INCA Congress is ‘Digital Cartography to Harness Blue Economy’.
• The deliberation of the Congress will be divided into  sub-themes including
• Space Technologies for Mapping,
• Cartographic Applications for Sustainable Development,
• Geomatics in Disaster Management,
• Mapping for Environmental Planning & Management,
• Hydrography for Resource Management and
• Land Resource Mapping and Surveying.
• All the subjects are of contemporary interest to the cartographer and scientific community.
• A large number of papers on these subjects would be presented by eminent personnel in the field.
• The outcome of the Congress is to explore feasibility of utilising cartography as a tool for developmental purposes.

About INCA

• The INCA was founded on 7th August,1979 and has evolved into one of the largest organisations in the field of cartography with more than 3000 life and institutional members.
• Organisations such as the National Hydrographic Office (NHO), Survey of India, Indian Space Research Organisation, National Thematic Map Organisation and Universities are part of this Association.
• The body has various branches functioning at different centers across the country to harmonise various aspects of cartography.
• It is a matter of great pride that numerous cartographers, eminent scientists, planners and professionals have been participating in the Congress over the years.
• It has Branches functioning at Bangalore, Bombay, Calcutta, Chandigarh, Dehra Dun, Delhi, Gujarat, Hyderabad, Indore, Jodhpur, Kerala, Orissa and Tamilnadu.

Activities

• In order to achieve the above objectives, INCA organizes several programmes. It has so far conducted Twenty five National / International conferences at various places in India.
• These conferences are attended by experts from not only India but also from other countries.
• The conference provides an ideal platform for interaction among Professionals, Academicians, Scientists and Industrialists engaged in cartographic activities, presentation of their work and discussing important issues concerning Cartographic profession.
• A technical exhibition along with a vendor presentation held along with the congress provides an ideal platform for the industry to display their state of art equipment and an opportunity to the delegates to get a glimpse into the technological developments in the field of Cartography.

Aims And Objectives

• To foster cartographic research in the country.
• To co-operate with professional organizations of cognate disciplines and to promote academic interaction within an inter-disciplinary frame.
• To co-operate with international organizations with similar objectives.
• To improve the teaching of cartography at all levels.
• To foster co-operation between Government and Quasi-Government organizations, Research Institutions for the advancement of cartography.
• To hold a National Cartographic Conference, ordinarily, once in a year,and
• Generally, to take such measures as may help to secure for cartography its legitimate place in national life and to strengthen among cartographers a sense of national responsibility and professional efficiency.

Sources – PIB

International trade in Indian Rupees

Paper 3 – Economy

Why You Should Know?

Centre allows International Trade Settlements in Indian Rupees for Export Promotion Schemes under the Foreign Trade Policy

In detail –

• The government of India has made suitable amendments in the Foreign Trade Policy and Handbook of Procedures to allow for international trade settlement in Indian rupees.
• Earlier this year, GOI had allowed international trade invoicing, payment and settlement in the Indian rupee, activating the mechanism announced by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to facilitate trade in the domestic currency.
• The central bank allowed authorised banks in India to open special rupee Vostro accounts of correspondent banks of any partner trading country to facilitate trade in the Indian currency.
• The move was aimed to boost global trade with focus on shipments from India and to support the interests of the global trading community in Indian currency.
• The ministry said the changes have been notified for imports for exports, export performance for recognition as Status Holders, realisation of export proceeds under advance authorisation and Duty-Free Import Authorisation schemes, and realisation of export proceeds under export promotion capital goods scheme.
• “Given the rise in interest in internationalisation of Indian Rupee, the given Policy amendments have been undertaken to facilitate and to bring ease in international trade transactions in Indian Rupees,” the government said.

Significance

• This will help in increasing India’s exports with countries that are facing severe foreign exchange shortage or are under sanctions.
• Two domestic banks – UCO Bank and Yes Bank – are in talks with Russian banks, so that international trade between the two countries can be done in rupees.
• Changes in foreign trade policy will encourage trade in domestic currency. This will boost exports.
• The decision will help the engineering goods sector achieve its export target of $127 billion, which the government has set for this fiscal.

Sources – IE

Chief Justice of India

Paper 2 –Polity

Why You Should Know?

The 50th chief justice is Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud. He was sworn in as the 50th Chief Justice of India on 9 November 2022.

In details –

• In exercise of the power conferred by clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India, the President has appointed Shri Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud, Judge of the Supreme Court as the Chief Justice of India.
• Justice Chandrachud grew up in Bombay and at the age of 12, he moved to Delhi to join his father when the latter was appointed the 13th judge of the Supreme Court.
• An alumnus of Delhi University’s St. Stephen’s College and Faculty of Law, and later Harvard University, where he did his LL.M in 1983, followed by a doctorate in juridical sciences in 1986, Chandrachudpractised as an advocate in the Bombay High Court and Supreme Court.
• The CJI also served as Additional Solicitor General of India from 1998 to 2000.
• He is a former Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court and a former judge of the Bombay High Court.
• He has been part of benches that delivered landmark judgments such as Privacy verdict and Sabarimala case.

How is the Chief Justice of India appointed?

• It is noteworthy that the Constitution of India does not give details of how the Chief Justice of the country should be appointed. Article 124(1) says that there shall be a Supreme Court of India, consisting of a Chief Justice of India.
• But this article does not discuss in detail the qualifications of the Chief Justice and what will be his appointment.
• At the same time, article 126 definitely mentions about the appointment of an acting chief justice.
• Due to the absence of constitutional provisions regarding the appointment of the Chief Justice of India (CJI), the previous traditions are still being resorted to for the appointment of the highest post. 
• Under which when the current CJI retires,  he will be replaced as the chief justice of the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court.

Selection Process –

• Just as the Central Government has asked the Chief Justice about his successor,  every time the Union Ministry of Law, Justice and Corporate Affairs seeks the opinion of the Chief Justice.
• The CJI then recommends the name of the senior-most judge in which he has no doubt about the fitness of the Chief Justice. Not only this, the CJI also talks to the collegium for the upcoming CJI and seeks opinion.
• After the CJI’s recommendation, the Law Ministry takes it forward and it goes to the Prime Minister and from there this information is conveyed to the President.
• After this entire process, the name of the CJI is stamped and then the President administers the oath to him.
• The collegium also has an important role to play in the process of selection of the Chief Justice with the participation of the Law Minister and the Prime Minister.
• The government is likely to send back the collegium’s decision for reconsideration. And if the collegium sends the same name again, the government is not able to oppose it again.
• From 1950  to 1973, it was in practice that the senior-most judge in the Supreme Court was appointed as the Chief Justice.
• This system was violated in 1973 when A.N. Ray was appointed chief justice of India above three senior-most judges.
• Again in 1975, Justice M.H. Baig was appointed, surpassing Justice H.R. Khanna.
• However, the independence of this decision of the government was reduced by the Supreme Court in the Second Judge case (1993), in which the Supreme Court ruled that only the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court should be appointed as the Chief Justice of India.
• For the post of Chief Justice, the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court and the fittest judge for this work is selected. 
• The Union Ministry of Law, Justice and Corporate Affairs seeks the proposal of a new Chief Justice from the Chief Justice of India, who is retiring at the right time.
• If there is any doubt about the fitness of such senior-most judge, then according to Article 124(2) of the Constitution, the next Chief Justice is again consulted in the collegium.
• After the recommendation from the Chief Justice of India, the Union Minister of Law, Justice and Corporate Affairs makes a proposal to the Prime Minister of the country and after that the file is forwarded to the President.

Qualifications of judges-

• He should be a citizen of India.
• He has served as a Judge of a High Court or two or more Courts for at least 5 consecutive years.
• Or, has been an advocate in a High Court or Courts  for 10  consecutive years.
• Have a high quality knowledge of law in the eyes of the President.

Sources – IE

Kashi Tamil Sangamam

Paper 1 – Art and Culture

Why You Should Know?

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has expressed enthusiasm for the Kashi Tamil Sangam which exemplifies the timeless bond that exists between India’s Northern and Southern regions.

In detail –

• “Kashi Tamil Sangamam” will be held in Varanasi (Kashi) from 16 November to 19 December 2022.
• The Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti (BBS) has come up with this proposal to rediscover, strengthen and celebrate the age-old ties between Tamil culture and Kashi, which have existed for centuries.
• Academic exchanges – seminars, discussions etc. – seminars, discussions etc. – will be organized between experts/scholars on various aspects of these two ancient manifestations of Indian culture where the focus will be on bringing forward the relationship and shared values between the two.

Objective

• Its broad objective is to bring these two traditions of knowledge and culture closer, build an understanding of our shared heritage and strengthen mutual relations between these regions and peoples.
• Kashi-Tamil Sangamam will be an ideal platform to understand unity in India’s civilisational wealth through two historical centres of knowledge and culture.
•  To be held under the overall framework and spirit of “Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat”, this Sangamam will build a bridge between ancient India and the contemporary generation.
• Kashi Sangamam will reconnect the link between these two ancient centres of knowledge, culture and heritage.

About the program

• Kashi-Tamil Sangamam various aspects of knowledge-literature, ancient texts, philosophy, spirituality, music, dance, drama, yoga, Ayurveda, handloom, handicrafts as well as modern innovation, businessexchanges,  It will focus on topics like edutech and other next generation technologies etc.
• Seminars, discussions, lectures, workshops etc. will be organized on these topics, for which experts from related subjects will be invited.
• The   event  will be a unique experience for students, scholars, academicians, professionals etc. to learn about various aspects related to Indian knowledge system, education and training related practices, art and culture, language, literature etc.
• These discussions should benefit genuine seekers associated with the fields of knowledge. To ensure this, it has been proposed that apart from experts, common seekers from different groups from different parts of Tamil Nadu are brought for an 8-day visit to Varanasi and its surrounding area.
• Potentially students, teachers, litterateurs (writers, poets, publishers),cultural experts, professionals (art, music, dance, drama, folk art, yoga, Ayurveda), entrepreneurs, (SMEs,  12 such groups including  start-ups, businessmen(community business groups,  hoteliers, artisans, heritage experts (archaeologists, tourguides, bloggers etc.) spiritual, rural, organizations associated with different sects) have been identified.
• These people will participate in educational programs, interact with the people of Varanasi associated with the same area and visit the sights of Varanasi and its surrounding areas.
• It is proposed that around 210 people from different parts of Tamil Nadu may be included in a group for a period of 8 days. The 12 such groups will comprise around 2500 people and they can travel in a month.
• At the end of the Sangamamprogramme, the people of Tamil Nadu will get a comprehensive experience of Kashi and the people of Kashi will also get an opportunity to  know the  cultural richness of Tamil Nadu through healthy exchange of experiences related to events, visits, conversations, etc.

Sources – PIB