1. India’s choice between progress and parochialism

2. T.N. opts for tamil letter instead of rupee symbol in the state budget logo

3. Is learning Hindi as a third language necessary?

4. The gender budget-bigger allocations, little impact.

5. How can India meet its rising power demand?

6. ISRO undocks SpaDex satellites in first attempt

7. What is Hantavirus and how does it spread?

8. Melting Glaciers of Mount Kenya

9. SC says each vote has its own value and recount must not compromise ballot secrecy

10. Over 3,200 PMJAY hospitals must be penalized for fraud, regulation is required: NHA

11. Panel flags gaps in implementation of Centre’s rural housing scheme.

• Mains: GS Paper 1: Indian Society - Diversity of India, Globalization, Social Empowerment.

• India stands at a crucial juncture, balancing technological advancement and cultural nationalism.

• While the Union Government advocates for economic independence and technological leadership (e.g., India’s co-chairing of the AI Action Summit in Paris), recent debates focus on promoting regional languages over English.

• The RSS chief's call to promote Marathi and reject Western attire and customs highlights deeper ideological concerns about cultural identity.

• The challenge is whether India can democratize access to global tools like the English language without eroding its cultural heritage.

• Parochialism is a narrow, localized focus, prioritizing regional interests over broader or global perspectives.

• In India’s context, it is the preference for promoting indigenous languages and customs, sometimes at the expense of global connectivity and technological progress.

• It often arises from a desire to preserve cultural identity and heritage, but can risk isolation from global trends and advancements.

o English is the lingua franca for global trade, diplomacy, and technological collaboration.

o India’s aspirations for leadership in areas like AI, semiconductor manufacturing, and defense technology require English proficiency.

o English is the medium for higher education and access to aspirational jobs in healthcare, law, IT, and global markets.

o It is a key to global job markets, especially in industries that require cross-cultural collaboration.

o English proficiency has been a key factor in India’s IT sector success, enabling millions to access global employment opportunities.

o Rural populations with English proficiency are better positioned to leverage global economic platforms.

o English aids India’s diplomatic outreach and global negotiations, fostering stronger international ties.

o Effective participation in global forums and organizations often requires proficiency in English.

o Resistance to English in public education could widen the gap between private and public school students.

o 65% of India’s children studying in government schools risk being excluded from global opportunities.

o Countries that have prioritized English have surged in technological advancements and global engagement.

o India risks falling behind in global industries like AI, semiconductors, and IT if English proficiency is compromised.

o Lack of English skills can limit access to higher-paying, global jobs, restricting economic mobility.

o Foreign investors may hesitate if India’s workforce lacks global language skills.

4. Cultural Rigidity Hindering Growth: Overemphasis on cultural nationalism may discourage openness to global trends and innovation, risking stagnation.

• South Korea: Focus on English in education to promote global competitiveness.

• China: Incorporating English for economic diplomacy and technology sector growth.

• Vietnam: National Foreign Language Project promoting English for workforce readiness.

• Israel: Utilizes English for innovation despite strong cultural identity

1. Balancing Cultural Identity and Global Needs: The dilemma of preserving cultural identity while embracing global tools like English.

2. Disparity in Education Access: Inequality in access to quality English education in private versus government schools.

3. Policy Contradictions: Conflicting language policies promoting regional pride while seeking global competitiveness.

4. Resistance from Cultural Nationalists: Nationalist narratives view English as a colonial relic, leading to policy resistance.

5. Infrastructure and Resources: Lack of training resources and quality teachers to ensure English proficiency across rural and urban India.

o Promote regional languages without compromising the teaching of English.

o English should be treated as a skill for empowerment, not as an identity threat.

2. Strengthening Public Education: Improve English education in government schools to ensure equitable access to opportunities.

3. Pragmatic Approach to Policy Making: Emulate countries like South Korea and Vietnam, which have integrated English pragmatically while preserving cultural identity.

4. Encourage Multilingual Proficiency: Advocate for a three-language formula—regional, national, and global (English) for holistic growth.

5. Global Partnerships for Learning: Collaborate with global education platforms to enhance English learning methodologies.

6. Public Awareness Campaigns: Promote awareness that language is a tool for empowerment and not a symbol of cultural erosion.

7. Bridging the Rural-Urban Divide: Introduce technology-based learning programs to improve English proficiency in rural areas.

o GS Paper 1: Social Empowerment, Role of Women, Social Justice.

o GS Paper 2: Governance, Government Policies and Interventions, Welfare Schemes for Vulnerable Sections.

o GS Paper 3: Inclusive Growth, Issues Related to Poverty and Hunger, Government Budgeting.

• The Union Budget 2025-26 has increased allocation towards women's welfare, with the gender budget rising to ₹4.49 lakh crore, marking a 37.25% increase from the previous year’s allocation of ₹3.27 lakh crore.

• Despite the consistent increase in allocations over the past years:

o ₹1,71,006.47 crore in 2022-23.

o ₹2,38,219.75 crore in 2023-24.

o ₹3,27,158.44 crore in 2024-25.

• The economic benefits from these allocations have not proportionally reached marginalized women, particularly from SC/ST communities.

• The core challenge lies in ineffective implementation, outdated data, and bureaucratic barriers.

• Gender budgeting is a fiscal tool to ensure that government allocations and policies address gender disparities and promote equitable growth.

• It involves analyzing and tracking budget allocations to ensure that women's specific needs are addressed effectively across sectors like health, education, social welfare, and economic empowerment.

• Promotes Inclusive Development: Ensures that women, especially from marginalized groups, benefit equitably from government schemes.

• Reduces Gender Disparities: Targets specific socio-economic issues faced by women.

• Enhances Accountability: Makes governments accountable for gender-sensitive planning and spending.

• Boosts Economic Participation: Empowers women economically, contributing to broader national growth.

• Outdated Census Data: The last Census was conducted in 2011, leading to policy decisions based on outdated demographic information.

• Women’s Literacy Rates:

   o Overall literacy rate: 64.63% (Census 2011).

   o Tribal women literacy rate: 49.4%, highlighting the gap in education and empowerment.

• Ministry of Tribal Affairs Budget 2025-26: Allocation of ₹14,925.81 crore, a 45.79% increase from ₹10,237.33 crore in the previous year.

• Dalit Adivasi Budget Analysis (2023-24): Over 35% of allocated funds under SCSP and TSP (Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan and Tribal Sub-Plan) are underutilized.

   o ₹300 crore allocated for socio-economic development of 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).

    o ₹75 crore allocated for Dhart Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan.

1. Marginalized Groups Excluded: SC/ST women continue to face exclusion from welfare schemes due to lack of intersectional approaches.

o The outdated census data has led to misaligned policies that fail to cater to current realities.

o Lack of gender-disaggregated data affects effective planning and resource allocation.

o Complex paperwork, procedural delays, and lack of information dissemination hinder access to welfare benefits.

o Over 30% of funds for marginalized women remain unutilized due to red tape.

4. Limited Community Involvement: Top-down policy approaches result in low participation from marginalized women, reducing the efficiency of welfare initiatives.

National and Global Scenario

o The SCSP and TSP allocations across ministries are substantial but underutilized due to bureaucratic delays.

o Lack of awareness and involvement of local communities has hindered effective utilization.

• Global Best Practices:

o Canada: Integrated gender budgeting into the national budgeting process.

o Sweden: Uses gender-responsive budgeting to address women’s welfare across sectors.

1. Intersectional Neglect: Policies fail to consider the intersectionality of caste, class, gender, and tribal identity, excluding the most vulnerable.

2. Lack of Transparency: Absence of transparent monitoring systems reduces accountability in fund utilization.

3. Institutional Gaps: Panchayati Raj institutions, especially in tribal regions, lack autonomy and resources for effective scheme implementation.

4. Digital Divide: Many marginalized women, especially in rural areas, lack digital literacy, preventing access to government welfare schemes.

5. Social Stigma and Gender Norms: Prevailing social customs, like the practice of sarpanch husbands (where male relatives control decision-making), hinder women’s empowerment.

o Empower Panchayati Raj Institutions with autonomy and resources to deliver gender-sensitive schemes.

o Provide capacity-building programs for local governance bodies.

2. Update Data and Statistics: Conduct a new census and ensure gender-disaggregated data collection for accurate policy-making.

3. Transparent Monitoring Mechanisms: Create gender budgeting report cards and implement community-led monitoring systems for greater transparency.

4. Address Intersectionality: Design schemes considering the intersection of caste, gender, and tribal identity to ensure inclusivity.

5. Simplify Bureaucracy: Promote direct benefit transfers (DBT) and reduce procedural delays to ensure timely and efficient disbursal of welfare benefits.

6. Community Participation: Involve marginalized women in policy planning and monitoring through community-led approaches.

7. Enhance Digital Literacy: Implement digital literacy programs in rural and tribal areas to bridge the digital divide.

8. Targeted Awareness Campaigns: Disseminate information about welfare schemes through local outreach programs to improve awareness and participation.