27 June 2024

MAINS DAILY QUESTIONS & MODEL ANSWERS

 Q1. Recently, the Haryana State Employment of Local Candidates Act, 2020 was declared invalid by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Describe the reasons given by proponents and opponents of local reservations of this kind in the private sector.

 GS II – Judiciary-related issues

 Introduction:

• All private companies are obligated under the Haryana State Employment of Local Candidates Act, 2020 to offer 75% of newly created positions to candidates who are residents of the state. The law has been declared “unconstitutional” by the High Court bench, citing violations of Part III of the Indian Constitution. According to HC, the idea of constitutional morality has been flagrantly transgressed by denying certain persons who do not belong in the State of Haryana their basic right to work and granting them a secondary status.

Arguments in Support of Private Sector Local Reservations:

• Reducing Unemployment: By guaranteeing that the local populace has access to work possibilities, local reservations might be used as a measure to reduce unemployment in particular areas.
• Promotion of Local Talent and Economic Development: Local reservations can support the use of local knowledge and skills, which can boost the area’s economy.
• Constitutional Support: Since residence and place of birth are two different notions, employment based on domicile does not infringe Article 15(1). The Indian Constitution, specifically Article 16(3), grants the state the authority to allocate jobs or posts to members of the lower social classes.
• Reducing Regional Disparities and Fostering Social Upliftment: Local reservations can assist in reducing regional differences in job prospects and fostering social advancement in underprivileged areas.
• Taking Care of Local Social Needs and Cultural Understanding: Employing people from the area helps companies better understand the community and provide services and products that appeal to it.
• Redressing Historical Injustices and Promoting Social Equity: Businesses can aid in the restitution of historical prejudice and the advancement of a more inclusive workforce by endorsing local candidates, especially those from marginalised communities.

Arguments Against Private Sector Local Reservations:

• Articles 14, 15, and 16 (Right to equality) and 19 (5) (Right to freedom to practise any profession or to carry on any employment, trade, or business) of the Constitution are violated.
• Contradiction with Efficiency and Market Principles: Companies contend that they ought to be free to employ the best applicants, wherever they may reside. Companies may be forced to relocate to other states as a result (due to shortage of skilled personnel).
• Decrease in Productivity and Efficiency: The competitiveness of the private sector as a whole may suffer if companies are compelled to employ fewer competent applicants as a result of residence regulations.
• Possibility of Rent-Seeking Behaviour and Corruption: Because people may try to take advantage of the system to obtain unfair advantages in employment possibilities, local reserves may provide a venue for rent-seeking behaviour and corruption.
• Sons-of-the-soil syndrome is fueled by local reservations, which can intensify already-existing tensions between natives and outsiders and perhaps spark civil unrest. There is evidence of its repercussions in other states.
• Global Competitiveness: According to critics, hiring decisions based only on regional preferences may impede a company’s ability to remain competitive in the face of a globalised economy.

Q2. India’s public elementary and secondary education system is beset by a number of problems. What steps may be taken to improve the infrastructure, cost, and quality of government schools relative to private ones?

 GS II – Education related issues

 Introduction:

• Parents prefer to enrol their children in private schools, even if it means paying much more for tuition and other fees, as evidenced by a recent study conducted by the Right to Education Resource Centre at IIM Ahmedabad. Parents blame government schools for the low quality of education received by their children.

The Indian public elementary and secondary education system has a number of challenges, including:

• Poor Learning Outcomes: Children in Standard V have maintained their proficiency in reading basic English sentences at the 2016 level, as reported by the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2022 (from 24.7% in 2016 to 24.5% in 2022).
• Infrastructure Deficiency: 68.9% of schools have a playground in 2022, but just 68.4% of schools have useable restrooms for girls. Only 76% of schools have access to drinking water. These statistics are from the ASER 2022 study.
• Teacher Shortages and Quality: Approximately 1.1 lakh schools in India are single-teacher institutions, according to UNESCO’s 2021 State of the Education Report for India: No Teachers, No Class.
• Poor Attendance: In 2022, the average teacher attendance rate is expected to be 87.1%, whereas the average student attendance rate has been essentially constant at 72% for the previous few years.
• Gender gaps: In some areas, gender gaps still exist despite advancements. The percentage of girls between the ages of 15 and 16 who are not enrolled has decreased, with a current standing of 7.9% in 2022, according (ASER) 2022.
• High Drop-out Rates: According to the UDISE+ 2021–22 data, the overall dropout rate in Indian schools is 1.5% for primary level classes (1–5), 3% for upper primary classes (6–8), and 12% for secondary level classes (9–10). This percentage is still very high.
• Minimal emphasis on pre-primary education: 78.3% of 3-year-olds are enrolled in early childhood education in 2022, according to (ASER) 2022.
• Outdated Curriculum: Although the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) is updated on a regular basis, questions have been raised concerning the curriculum’s applicability and efficacy.
• Gaps in Vocational Education: According to the All-India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2021–22, fewer students are enrolled in programmes for vocational education than in traditional courses.
• Digital Divide: With many students unable to access online education, the COVID-19 outbreak brought attention to the digital divide.
• State-by-State Inequality: According to NITI Ayog’s SEQI 2023, states with higher scores—like Kerala and Tamil Nadu—and lower scores—like Bihar and Jharkhand—indicate differences in the quality of education.
• Growth in private tuition: From 26.4% in 2018 to 30.5% in 2022, more children in Standard I–VIII are enrolling in paid private tuition programmes.

It is possible to take action to make public schools more enticing than private ones:

Improve the Infrastructure:

• Modernise School Buildings: Make sure there are enough classrooms, libraries, labs, and leisure spaces.
• Boost sanitation and hygiene by having access to potable water, working restrooms, and frequent efforts to raise awareness of good hygiene.
• Technology Integration: To support digital learning, make computers, tablets, and internet connectivity available.

Case Study:

• The 5T concept—transparency, technology, teamwork, and timeliness leading to transformation—is the foundation of the Government of Odisha’s 5T High School Transformation Programme. The initiative, which was introduced in 2021, is centred on getting all high schools to adopt instructional technology through the use of e-libraries, smart and digital classrooms, state-of-the-art science labs, better hygienic facilities, and sports facilities.

Encourage Teachers:

• To attract and retain qualified teachers, implement a merit-based hiring policy, pay competitively, and provide chances for professional growth.
• Ongoing Teacher Training: To improve subject knowledge and pedagogical abilities, hold frequent workshops, seminars, and training sessions.
• Performance-Based Incentives: To encourage educators and acknowledge their work, put in place a system of rewards based on performance.

Update the curriculum:

• Integrate a holistic approach to education that emphasises the physical, mental, social, and emotional growth of students.
• Skill-Based Learning: To equip students for future career prospects, incorporate entrepreneurship training and vocational skills.
• Learning through Activities: Promote project-based learning, field excursions, and practical training.

Establish a Good School Climate:

• Encourage an environment that is friendly, inclusive, and supportive of diversity in order to sustain social peace.
• Encourage frequent communication between parents and teachers so that issues can be discussed and student progress can be addressed.

• Community Engagement: To promote a feeling of ownership, include the local communities in school events and decision-making procedures.

Case Study:

• The Government of Odisha launched the first-of-its-kind Mo School Abhiyan, an effort aimed at inspiring and energising the alumni community to help rehabilitate the state’s government schools.

Creativity:

Case Study:

• The objective of Odisha’s Adarsha Vidyalayas (OAV) model is to close the gap between rural and urban areas by offering reasonably priced, high-quality English-medium education. As of right present, 315 coed OAVs in English-speaking medium are located in all 314 blocks of Odisha’s rural and semi-urban districts.

Way Forward:

• By putting these ideas into practise, we can build an inclusive and equitable educational system that enables every child to realise their full potential and realise the goal of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which is to produce a generation of young people who are morally grounded, capable, and prepared to face the challenges of the twenty-first century.