10 April 2023

DAILY QUESTIONS & MODEL ANSWERS

Q1. Should opinion polls be prohibited because they interfere with the conduct of free and fair elections? critically analyse. (250 words)

Paper & Topic: GS II – Election-related issues

Model Answer:

Introduction:

• An opinion poll is a pre-election survey that asks respondents their thoughts on a range of election-related topics. On the other hand, an exit poll is a post-election survey conducted immediately after voters cast their votes to determine support for political parties and their candidates.
• Exit poll findings cannot be made public until the end of the last round of voting, according to Election Commission of India (ECI) norms. Even while there isn’t a clear ban on opinion polls, the results can only be made public 48 hours before voting begins. The EC aims to forbid the publication and transmission of polls as soon as it declares the adoption of the model code of conduct for elections.

Body:

Background:

• The EC has often tried to limit and forbid these elections. For instance, the EC ordered in 1998 that when reporting the findings of exit and opinion polls, newspapers and television stations publish the sample size of the electorate, the specifications of the polling methodology, and the margin of error.

The research organization’s history:

• The rules, according to the print and electronic media, violated their fundamental right to free speech and expression.
• As the EC ruling was challenged, a constitutional bench of the Supreme Court determined that the EC cannot enforce such rules in the absence of statutory authorisation.
• Since then, EC has made numerous contacts with the Law Ministry in an effort to modify the law to make these elections illegal.
• Exit polling was the only thing subject to limitations after Section 126(A) was added to the Representation of People Act 1951 in 2010.

Polls of public opinion that are against free and fair elections:

• Credibility of the polling organisation: Opinion polls may be contentious if the organisation conducting them is perceived as biassed.
• Misleading: The choice, wording, and timing of the questions, as well as the characteristics of the sample that was chosen, according to critics, can have an impact on the projections of these polls.
• Political parties frequently assert that many opinion and exit polls are commissioned and funded by their rivals and may affect voters’ decisions throughout a protracted election rather than merely representing the sentiment or views of the general public.
• Representatives of the majority of national and state parties have admitted that the sample size and makeup of these polls are biassed.
• lacking transparency The real problem with Indian opinion polls, with a few commendable exceptions, is that they lack professionalism and transparency.
• The problem is made worse by a general unwillingness on the part of media outlets and polling organisations to provide even the most basic methodological details about their surveys.
• The bulk of polls may get away with providing only the most basic methodological information and vague claims regarding the survey’s representativeness. So, it is impossible to tell a fake poll from a real one.
• Unfortunately, there is a lack of understanding about the purpose of polls and what they can and cannot reveal among the general public and even media professionals.
• The problem is made worse by pollsters who make broad generalisations that are not much less than black magic.

In defense of polling:

• Regulating these polls is seen as a fundamental limitation of the right to free speech and expression.
• Another argument is that in order for voters to make informed voting decisions, they have a right to know what other people believe about crucial political issues.
• Voters want and need to know how other people are casting their ballots because elections are public events.
• By monitoring voter mood through surveys, this crucial job is carried out.
• In a society as unequal as India, where a small but vociferous elite is used to passing off their voice as the general interest, scientific sample polls of the public are one of the rare ways the voice of the poor and the disadvantaged gets registered.
• All things considered, there isn’t a better technique to monitor public opinion than this one. Thus, there is a huge need for this information among politicians, the media, and the general public.

Steps to take after achieving equilibrium:

• Every election-related poll, or any opinion poll for that matter, must disclose the ownership and track record of the organisation conducting the survey, information about the sponsor, the sampling frame, sample size, and exact technique used to draw the sample, the social profile of the achieved sample, the location, the timing, and the manner of the interviews, the precise wording and order of the questions asked, and the raw vote shares.
• In addition to this proactive disclosure, the polling organisation should be required to offer further information upon request. This second-order disclosure could comprise basic tables for a few key variables.
• Not to mention, in the event of a dispute or challenge, the polling organisation should be required to make its unit level data (raw data file) available for in-camera assessment by a committee of experts.
• There may be a provision specifying limitations and sanctions for violators of these guidelines.

Conclusion:

• What matters is the presence of a regime of compelled disclosures, not the institution in charge of enforcing it. Once in place, such a method would promote open procedures by giving the general public a means of telling real surveys from false ones. That would be a significant development for democratic public culture. The public’s opinion is after all too vital and significant to be left in the pollsters’ or politicians’ hands.

Q2. Accelerate Vigyan’s (AV) mission is to significantly advance top-tier scientific research and to prepare scientists for jobs in both research and the knowledge-based economy. Discuss. (250 words)

Paper & Topic: GS III – Science and Technology related issues

Model Answer:

Introduction:

• The “Accelerate Vigyan” (AV) programme was launched by the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) to provide a centralised site for national research internships, capacity building projects, and workshops. The primary audience for this programme is young, aspiring researchers. It aims to give them the chance to spend significant time in carefully chosen top institutions, labs, and organisations while empowering them through best practises and a supportive environment, enabling them to gain the knowledge and perspective they need to take on future research assignments that demand high standards.

Body:

AV’s mission and vision:

• The primary objective of this interministerial initiative is to emphasise the promotion of top-tier scientific research and the training of the scientific workforce, which can lead to research professions and a knowledge-based economy.
• Recognizing that the development of capable researchers is the cornerstone of all research, AV will create and strengthen national systems for spotting research potential, mentoring, instruction, and practical workshops.
• With the three major goals of consolidating all scientific programmes, launching elite orientation programmes, and providing opportunities for research internships to those without access to such resources or facilities, the purpose is to expand the research base.

Components:

The ABHYAAS Initiative:

• It aims to boost research and development in the country by enabling and enhancing future PG/PhD students’ research talents in particular areas across numerous disciplines or fields.
• It is divided into two parts: High-End Workshops like KARYASHALA and Research Internships like SAMMOHAN: SAYONJIKA and SANGOSHTI are two of its subgroups.
• A list of the capacity-building initiatives in science and technology that have the backing of all national funding organisations is being compiled as part of the continuing SAYONJIKA project.
• The SERB already has a tool for organising workshops called SANGOSHTI.

The AV scheme’s meaning is:

• The AV system is advantageous for researchers who have few opportunities, money, or infrastructure available to them.
• Under the slogan “Accelerate Vigyan,” the AV seeks to brand and bring together all scientific conferences and training sessions held across the country.
• The database of skilled workers compiled through all of the AV’s sub-components would help with capacity building.
• The programme also attempts to develop the sense of social responsibility among the country’s scientific community.
• Particularly with regard to its component that gathers/consolidates all noteworthy scientific happenings around the country, the AV will work in mission mode.
• It will also introduce mentoring, education, and practical workshop programmes at the national level.

Conclusion:

• In a nutshell, Accelerate Vigyan is expected to revolutionise the creation of career paths and encourage the identification of the expansion of the skilled labour force.