MAINS DAILY QUESTIONS & MODEL ANSWERS
Q1. What do you interpret by a Glass Ceiling? Write about the effects of the “glass ceiling” and possible ways to break it.
GS I – Indian Society
Introduction:
- The phrase “glass ceiling” alludes to an imperceptible barrier that keeps women from moving up the corporate ladder past a particular point. It describes the situation in which a competent individual hoping to move up the organisational hierarchy is prevented at a lower level by discrimination, usually on the basis of race or sex. Thus, the term “glass ceiling” describes vertical discrimination, which primarily targets women in the workplace. Feminists originally used the metaphor to describe obstacles facing accomplished women in their jobs.
Effects of the Glass Ceiling:
- Impacts Economic Empowerment: Because of the glass ceiling, women’s earning potential may be limited and upward mobility may be less possible.
- Diminished opportunities: Women have less access to numerous experiences and networks that are readily available to men because of ingrained biases.
- Social barriers and gender norms: Women’s established ideas of compromise and sacrifice are examples of personal barriers. This influences the way that women portray themselves. The way that men and women “ought” to behave is reinforced by cultural cues and external barriers.
- Gender imbalance: Unnoticed imbalance is created by stereotypes about gender brilliance or natural aptitude depending on gender.
- Low self-confidence: The rigid patriarchy reflected in our sociocultural constructions makes even women doubt their own skills and accept the duties that are assigned to them in the home.
- Affects Minorities as Well: Although the phrase “glass ceiling” was coined and is predominantly associated with women, people from other historically underrepresented groups are also frequently prevented from moving forward by the deeply rooted cultural biases that exist inside organisations.
- Employers can help break down this barrier by appointing women and minorities to executive and leadership positions, which are underrepresented in many corporate settings.
- Additionally, businesses can provide a certain level of openness to their staff members and conduct an internal audit of their hiring and promotion procedures.
- Companies can demonstrate that they have provided equal opportunity for professional progression to all competent employees by being honest about their promotion process.
- This will do away with prejudice and break down the glass ceiling.
- Most significantly, institutions need to shift their perspective and start viewing women as assets rather than as a problem that needs to be fixed for diversity before there can be gender equality or parity.
The next steps:
- You must first recognise the glass ceiling in order to burst through it. Keep an eye out for red flags including a lack of creativity, disrespectful remarks, and a lack of diversity in leadership positions.
- People can address the issue by becoming more knowledgeable about it, voicing their concerns, and accepting accountability for their own growth.
- Companies can address unconscious bias by investing in unconscious bias training, asking staff members about their opinions, genuinely investigating whether there is a glass ceiling, and providing assistance to staff members.
Way Forward:
- The glass ceiling has an impact on women’s financial lives and career paths. Companies might assess their personnel retention and promotion policies to bring about change. Men must be prepared to speak up, take a stand, and support the growth of women in the workplace, just as women can endeavour to help other women in the workplace. Since they are frequently the ones in positions of authority, reform may begin there.
Q2. What is Blue Economy? India’s blue economy holds great promise for resource equity and sustainable economic growth. Analyze.
GS III – Indian Economy
Introduction:
- The term “Blue Economy” describes the deliberate and sustainable exploitation of marine resources for economic growth and human welfare. The Blue Economy idea gained popularity with Gunter Pauli’s 2010 book, “The Blue Economy: 10 years, 100 innovations, 100 million jobs.” It provides a “Green Approach” to fulfil humankind’s ambitions. India, which has an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 2.02 million km, is better positioned to utilise the “potential of oceans” due to its extensive coastline, which spans about 7500 kilometres. square kilometres. It’s a sector that will soon dawn.
The blue economy’s potential for long-term, steady economic growth:
- Economy: By creating chances for jobs and money production, among other things, the blue economy has a huge potential to stimulate economic growth through the sustainable use of oceans.
- Food security and diversification to address new energy resources, pharmaceuticals, valuable chemicals, food protein, deep sea minerals, security, etc. can be supported by it.
- At least 3–5% of the world’s GDP comes from the ocean.
Economic and Social Development:
- India has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to accomplish its national socioeconomic goals and improve ties with its neighbours because to the blue economy.
- The creation of livelihoods, obtaining energy security, constructing ecological resilience, and raising the standard of life and health of coastal communities can all be aided by the blue economy.
- The Indian government’s efforts to eradicate poverty and hunger and ensure sustainable use of marine resources by 2030 would be bolstered and strengthened by the blue economy.
Advantages for the Environment:
- Mangroves and other types of vegetated ocean environments absorb 25% of the excess CO2 that comes from burning fossil fuels, or “Blue Carbon.”
- safeguarding coastal areas against natural calamities like storms and floods.
- A sustainable blue economy can assist in fulfilling obligations under the UN Ocean Conference of 2017, the Paris Climate Agreement of 2015, and the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN by 2030.
Green Energy:
- For social and economic advancement, sustainable marine energy might be extremely important.
- The depletion of surface energy sources will lead to a greater reliance on marine resources in the near future. This will necessitate the deployment of additional human resources in the fields of environment engineering and marine resource protection.
Mineral Resources:
- Large reserves of polymetallic nodules, sulphides, and cobalt-rich ferro-manganese crust (rich in cobalt, bismuth, iron, lead, and platinum) are reported by ISA.
- The Central Indian Ocean Basin and the “clariton-clipperton fracture zone” are the two main areas that the ISA has alerted.
- India has already joined the league and signed a contract with China, Japan, and the USA.
- Fisheries: Fish stocks can be restored and more revenue can be produced via sustainable fisheries.
Transport via Sea:
- The majority of items traded internationally are transported by water.
- By 2022, India’s economy might be worth $10 trillion thanks to the marine services sector, which could form the foundation of its blue economy.
- Approximately 80% of the world’s oil commerce passes via the Indian Ocean, making it a significant commercial route.
Travel:
- Jobs and economic prosperity can result from ocean and coastal tourism.
Changing Climate and Biodiversity:
- Oceans have a significant role as blue carbon sinks, slowing down global warming.
- Seas preserve biodiversity, maintain Earth’s temperature, and take up around 30% of CO2 emissions worldwide.
- The Earth’s oceans encompass 75% of its surface, hold 97% of its water, and are home to 99% of all life on the planet.
Management of Waste:
- Ocean recovery may benefit from improved land-based waste management.
- Problems with the blue economy’s sustainable development:
Danger of horror from the sea:
- Armed robbery and piracy, maritime terrorism, illegal arms and crude oil trade, drug and people trafficking, and the smuggling of contraband, among other crimes.
Natural Catastrophes:
- Each year, cyclones, hurricanes, typhoons, and other natural disasters leave thousands of people stranded and destroy property valued at millions of dollars.
Man-caused catastrophes:
- The stability of the maritime realm is still at risk from oil spills and climate change.
- Climate change’s effects
- threats from more powerful and frequent weather events, such as cyclones, as well as events with a delayed beginning, such as sea level rise.
- long-term effects of climate change on ocean systems, including modifications to main oceanic currents, water temperature, and acidity.
Pollution in marine environments:
- In the form of surplus nutrients from agricultural runoff, marine trash like plastics, and untreated sewage.
- The marine ecosystem may suffer long-term, irreversible ecological harm as a result of deep sea mining.
Geopolitical Concerns:
- The countries are unable to fully realise the promise of the blue economy due to geopolitical rivalries in various locations, such as the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean Region, and the undermining of international laws like UNCLOS.
Overuse of marine resources:
- unreported, uncontrolled, and illegal harvesting of maritime resources.
- According to FAO estimates, about 57% of fish populations have been fully exploited, and the remaining 30% have either been overexploited, depleted, or are recovering.
- Unsustainable growth close to coastal regions:
- physical changes brought about by mining, deforestation, and coastal development that destroy marine and coastal habitats and landscapes
Final Thoughts and Future Directions:
- In order to achieve the more general objectives of growth, employment creation, equity, and environmental protection, India should consider using the sustainable method that strikes a balance between economic advantages and sustainability.
- In order to investigate the minerals beneath the seabed, we must develop the necessary technology.
- India has to concentrate on maritime ICTs, shipping and other forms of transportation, communication services, and building a knowledge centre for marine research and development.
- An efficient response system for natural disasters and humanitarian emergencies ought to be included in the developing Indian Ocean security plan.
- India’s seas should be viewed as a global platform for ongoing social, cultural, and economic discourse rather than as merely bodies of water.
- India’s commitment to reducing plastic pollution must be actively pursued, and the ever-increasing marine pollution must be reduced.
- addressing global warming and the sinking of low-lying islands as part of the FIPIC effort and the Paris Climate Agreement.
