Constitution does not pretend that all are equal in a land scarred by deep inequality: CJI
The Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai has hailed the Indian Constitution as an unpretentious social document that does not avert its gaze from the brutal truths of caste, poverty, exclusion and injustice in the country.
'It (the Constitution) does not pretend that all are equal in a land scarred by deep inequality. Instead, it dares to intervene, to rewrite the script, to recalibrate power, and to restore dignity,' Chief Justice Gavai said in his recent Oxford Union speech on 'From Representation to Realisation: Embodying the Constitution's Promise'.
Justice Gavai, who is the second Dalit Chief Justice of India, credited the freedoms guaranteed in the Constitution for his journey from a municipal school to the office of the Chief Justice of India.
'Many decades ago, millions of citizens of India were called 'untouchables'. They were told they were impure. They were told that they did not belong. They were told that they could not speak for themselves. But here we are today — where a person belonging to those very people is speaking openly, as the holder of the highest office in the judiciary of the country. This is what the Constitution of India did. It told the people of India that they belong, that they can speak for themselves, and that they have an equal place in every sphere of society and power… At the Oxford Union today, I stand before you to say: for India's most vulnerable citizens, the Constitution is not merely a legal charter or a political framework. It is a feeling, a lifeline, a quiet revolution etched in ink,' the Chief Justice said in his speech on June 10.
The CJI said the oppressed classes in India had never sought charity after centuries of exclusion and silence.
'Their call was for recognition, dignity, and protection in the new India. They sought not charity, but a rightful space in the fabric of a free and constitutional democracy. To be seen in the Constitution was to be seen by the nation. To be included in its text was to be included in its future,' Chief Justice Gavai said.
The CJI said one of the most remarkable and often overlooked truths in the framing of the Indian Constitution was that many of the nation's most vulnerable social groups were not merely subjects of Constitutional concern, they were active participants in its making.
The Constituent Assembly had been composed of Dalits, Adivasis, women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and even those once unjustly branded as 'criminal tribes' to craft a broader Constitutional imagination, and collectively ensure the demands for justice and equality were met, the CJI said.
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Indian Express
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- Indian Express
UPSC Key: National Emergency, Women's Reservation Bill and CPI inflation
Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for June 12, 2025. If you missed the June 11, 2025 UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here FRONT PAGE Echoes from Courtroom No. 24: Verdict unseated PM, she struck back at nation Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: History of India Main Examination: General Studies II: Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues. What's the ongoing story: On June 12, 1975, the ruling by Justice Jagmohan Lal Sinha of Allahabad High Court set aside Indira Gandhi's 1971 election, triggering a chain of events that led to the imposition of Emergency. Key Points to Ponder: • What is an Emergency? • Emergency 1975-what you know so far? • What are the emergency provisions in the Constitution of India? • Which type of Emergency was imposed in 1975? • Reason behind Emergency 1975-know in detail • What were the Impacts of imposing National Emergency in 1975? • Who was the judge who delivered the verdict against Indira Gandhi in the 1975 election case? • Who was the President of India during the declaration of Emergency in 1975? • Which fundamental rights was most curtailed during the Emergency? • Evaluate the role of the judiciary during the Emergency, particularly in the ADM Jabalpur case. • Do you agree that the 44th Amendment Act was a corrective measure to restore constitutional balance post-Emergency? Key Takeaways: • At 10 am on June 12, 1975, Justice Jagmohan Lal Sinha reached Courtroom Number 24 of the Allahabad High Court and took his seat in the jam-packed courtroom. And then, he pronounced a judgment that would go on to have epochal consequences for then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi — and India. • Allowing the petition of Raj Narain, who, following his loss to Indira Gandhi in the 1971 election, had moved court alleging electoral malpractices by the Prime Minister, Justice Sinha said, 'This petition is allowed and the election of Smt. Indira Nehru Gandhi, Respondent No. 1, to the Lok Sabha is declared void… (Indira Gandhi) accordingly stands disqualified for a period of six years from the date of this order.' • For the first time in the history of independent India, a Prime Minister's election had been set aside. Months earlier, the courtroom had witnessed another first — the Prime Minister being cross-examined for two consecutive days. • Justice Sinha then signed on the order, one that would set off a spiral of events that culminated in Indira Gandhi invoking Constitutional provisions to impose an internal Emergency – a 21-month period that witnessed an unprecedented suspension of fundamental rights and the suppression of dissent across the country. • It was on April 24, 1971, that Raj Narain, a socialist who lost the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat to Indira Gandhi that year as a joint Opposition candidate of the Samyukta Socialist Party, challenged the election result alleging electoral malpractices and misuse of government machinery by the then Prime Minister. When the petition was filed, no one gave it a chance. • n his book The Case That Shook India: The Verdict That Led to the Emergency, Prashant Bhushan, whose father Shanti Bhushan was counsel for Raj Narain and later became Union Law Minister, wrote of the many pressures Justice Sinha faced after May 23, when the arguments were wrapped up and the verdict awaited. Do You Know: • The Emergency refers to the period from June 25, 1975 to March 21, 1977, during which the government of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi used special provisions in the Constitution to impose sweeping executive and legislative consequences on the country. • The declaration of Emergency converts the federal structure into a de facto unitary one, as the Union acquires the right to give any direction to state governments, which, though not suspended, come under the complete control of the Centre. • Parliament may by law extend the (five-year) term of Lok Sabha one year at a time, make laws on subjects in the State List, and extend the Union's executive powers to the states. The President can modify, with parliamentary approval, constitutional provisions on the allocation of financial resources between the Union and states. • Under Article 352 of the Constitution, the President may, on the advice of the Cabinet headed by the Prime Minister, issue a proclamation of emergency if the security of India or any part of the country is threatened by 'war or external aggression or armed rebellion'. • In 1975, instead of armed rebellion, the ground of 'internal disturbance' was available to the government to proclaim an emergency. In its press note, the government said certain persons were inciting the police and armed forces to not discharge their duties — an apparent reference to Jayaprakash Narayan's call to police not to follow orders that were 'immoral'. • This was the only instance of proclamation of emergency due to 'internal disturbance'. The two occasions in which an emergency was proclaimed earlier, on October 26, 1962, and December 3, 1971, were both on grounds of war. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Explained: The story of the Emergency Previous year UPSC Main Question Covering similar theme: 📍Under what circumstances can the Financial Emergency be proclaimed by the President of India? What consequences follow when such a declaration remains in force? (2018) Govt looks at reservation for women in next LS elections Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc Mains Examination: • General Studies I: Role of women and women's organization • General Studies II: Parliament and State legislatures—structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these. What's the ongoing story: The Modi government intends to roll out reservation of seats for women, which is linked to the delimitation exercise, in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, highly placed sources said Wednesday. Key Points to Ponder: • The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (One Hundred and Twenty-Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2023-Know key provisions • The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (One Hundred and Twenty-Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2023 seeks to reserve how many seats for women? • Will the reservation of seats be permanent or limited to a set time period? • What are the issues and challenges with the bill? • Quota within Quota and Women's Reservation Bill-Connect the dots • What Global Gender Gap Report says about women Political Empowerment in India? • What is the current state of women's representation in politics in India? • Why is women's participation in politics important? • Why delimitation is required for the implementation of women reservation? • 'Thirty-three percent Women's reservation together with gender budgeting can be very crucial to India's future progress towards gender equality'-Comment • If you can recall, addressing the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort on the 76th Independence Day, the Prime Minister called for a resolve to respect women- How 'resolve to respect women' will be implemented? Do you think 'respecting women' comes under policy or it should be in one's behaviour? • Women power's or women's empowerment? • Why after 75 years of Independence, India is still talking about women's power and women's empowerment? • What are basic issues and challenges which impedes women in India to be empowered? • Why women's empowerment is male driven? Key Takeaways: • Official sources said the government is targeting implementation of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam that reserves one-third of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies in the next election. • According to the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2023, the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, passed in September 2023, reservation of one-third of seats for women in Lok Sabha and state Assemblies shall come into effect after an exercise of delimitation is undertaken based on figures from the first Census that is conducted after the enactment of the Act. • Earlier this month, the government announced that the process of data collection for the Census, along with caste enumeration, would commence next year and offer a snapshot of the country's population as on March 1, 2027. • For women's reservation to become a reality in the next Lok Sabha elections, delimitation will have to be completed well in time for the Election Commission of India to conduct the 2029 polls on the basis of the new delimitation of constituencies. • Government sources claimed that the Census data will be available faster than the previous time with the advancement of technology – the enumeration will be conducted digitally using mobile applications for data collection and a central portal to collate the details and manage it. • The Census data is significant for delimitation because the process of readjusting the seats of Lok Sabha and state Assemblies and redrawing their territorial boundaries is expected to be launched once the data is available. • For delimitation to happen after the next Census, Parliament will have to pass a Delimitation Act, which will constitute a Delimitation Commission for the exercise that is likely to lead to an increase in Lok Sabha seats. Article 82 of the Constitution mandates readjustment of seats after every Census. Do You Know: • The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2023, links women's reservation to the contentious delimitation process. It states that women's reservation 'shall come into effect after an exercise of delimitation is undertaken for this purpose after the relevant figures for the first Census taken after the commencement of…' this Bill. • Article 82 of the Constitution provides for the readjustment of the constituencies (number and boundaries) of Lok Sabha and State Assemblies after every Census. • The 42nd Amendment froze this delimitation exercise until the first Census after 2000 is published. In 2001, this was further extended for 25 years. So now, delimitation would happen on the results of the first Census after 2026. • In normal course, this would have meant that delimitation would happen only after the 2031 Census results are published. But since the Census which was due in 2021 – the exercise is held every 10 years – has been delayed, ostensibly because of the Covid pandemic, this timeline could be altered. • The earliest that the Census exercise can now happen is 2025 – houselisting in 2024 followed by the actual Census and the publication would take one to two years. If the results of the '2021 Census' are published after 2026, this could become the basis of delimitation of constituencies. • The Census will be followed by the delimitation exercise which requires more amendments to the Constitution. Articles 82 and 170 (3) that deal with composition of the Legislative Assemblies would have to be amended, said S K Mendiratta, former legal advisor, Election Commission of India. • As of now, the reallocation of seats in Lok Sabha and readjustment of seats in State Assemblies are to be done when 'relevant figures for the first Census taken after the year (2026) have been published'. Mendiratta said this timeline (2026) would have to be changed to give effect to women's reservation. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Salute the women who fought 📍Express View on women's reservation Bill: Welcome, women Previous year UPSC Main Question Covering similar theme: 📍'The reservation of seats for women in the institution of local self-government has had a limited impact on the patriarchal character of the Indian political process'. Comment. (GS2, 2019) 📍Male membership needs to be encouraged in order to make women's organization free from gender bias. Comment. (GS1, 2013) Feared extinct in Valley, rare sighting revives hope of Eurasian otter's comeback Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Main Examination: General Studies III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment What's the ongoing story: For three decades, the Eurasian otter, once an integral part of Kashmir's aquatic ecosystem, was thought to be extinct in the Valley. However, a rare sighting of the semi-aquatic mammal has now been reported in south Kashmir Key Points to Ponder: • Eurasian Otter-Know in brief • What is the IUCN status of the Eurasian otter? • Is Eurasian otter found in India? • 'The Eurasian otter, once an integral part of Kashmir's aquatic ecosystem, has now been reported in south Kashmir'- What does this symbolise? • Discuss the ecological significance of Eurasian otters and the importance of their conservation in India. • What are the reasons for the decline in Eurasian otter populations? Key Takeaways: • The otter, which has been globally classified as 'near threatened' by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), was spotted in the Lidder River in Srigufwara, south Kashmir. • While villagers initially thought it was a crocodile, wildlife officials identified it as an Eurasian otter after watching videos captured by the villagers. That was later confirmed through photographic evidence. • 'It has been confirmed as Eurasian otter,' Suhail Ahmad Wagar, the Wildlife Warden for south Kashmir, told The Indian Express. 'After it was reported, we set up CCTV surveillance, and we have captured it (on camera) at a few places.' Do You Know: • The Eurasian otter, locally known as Vuder, was an integral part of Kashmir's aquatic ecosystem and was abundantly found in the water bodies. Its presence was used to scare the children and keep them away from the water bodies. However, over the last three decades, it was not spotted in the water bodies of the Valley, and it was thought to be extinct in Kashmir. • The sudden decline in otters, a carnivorous mammal that feeds on fish and other aquatic fauna, was attributed to increased water pollution and hunting of the mammal for its fur. • Wildlife officials say that this is the third occasion this year that it has been spotted in the Valley. 'In May, it was first spotted in the Gurez valley,' Wagay said. 'It was also spotted in Heerpora (in south Kashmir's Shopian district).' • Wildlife officials say that the sighting of the mammal is encouraging and could help restore Kashmir's aquatic ecology. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Eurasian otter spotted in STR and Kanha-Pench corridor EXPRESS NETWORK Railway safety body gives final nod for Mizoram capital's first rail link Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Main Examination: General Studies III: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc. What's the ongoing story: The Commission of Railway Safety (CRS) has authorised operations on the railway line from Hortoki to Sairang in Mizoram, the final clearance for a key stretch that will connect state capital Aizawl by rail for the first time. Key Points to Ponder: • What is north eastern railway connectivity project in India? • How many North-eastern state capitals are connected to the national railway network? • Know the strategic and economic significance of connecting Aizawl to the national railway network via the Bairabi–Sairang line. • What are the challenges faced during the construction of the Bairabi–Sairang railway project? • How PM Gati Shakti initiative helped in transforming infrastructure in the North-eastern region of India? • Know the potential benefits of the Bairabi–Sairang railway line in promoting tourism in Mizoram. Key Takeaways: • The Hortoki-Sairang line is the last leg of the larger 51.38-km Bairabi-Sairang rail project. • Sairang is a satellite town of Aizawl, around 20 km from the city. Bairabi in Kolasib district, near the border with Assam, has so far been the only railhead in Mizoram. The inspection by the CRS, a railway safety audit body under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, is the final step before train operations commence. • A senior official of the Ministry of Railways said the 33.86-km Hortoki-Sairang stretch was inspected by Sumeet Singhal, Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS), Northeast Frontier Circle, between June 6 to June 10. The formal inauguration of the full Bairabi-Sairang line will likely take place this month. • So far, trains have entered only up to 1.5 km in Mizoram. They have also not been running on the Bairabi to Hortoki section that was commissioned last year. With the commissioning of the final leg, Mizoram's capital is now integrated with the national railway network and trains are set to run on the complete stretch. • The 51.38-km Bairabi-Sairang New Line Railway Project comprises 48 tunnels (with a cumulative length of 12,853 metres), 55 major bridges and 87 minor bridges. The height of one of the bridges (bridge number 196) is 104 metres — which, for context, is 42 metres taller than the Qutub Minar. Do You Know: • The project also includes five road overbridges and 6 road under bridges. This project is divided into four sections: Bairabi-Hortoki, Hortoki- Kawnpui, Kawnpui-Mualkhang and Mualkhang-Sairang. • The Bairabi-Sairang project is part of a broader push by the Ministry of Railways to connect all northeast state capitals by rail. This involves numerous new line and doubling projects across Assam, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Manipur and Tripura. Rail work is yet to take off in Meghalaya over years of opposition by local groups. • According to data tabled by the Ministry of Railways in Lok Sabha on March 19 this year, overall, as of April 1, 2024, there were 18 railway projects (13 new line and 5 doubling) with a total length of 1,368 km and an estimated cost of `74,972 crore at various stages of planning and implementation in the northeast, including Assam. Of this, 313 km of track length has been commissioned. An expenditure of Rs 40,549 crore had been incurred up to March 2024. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Aizawl becomes fourth N-E capital with rail link, trial run successful Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: 1. If you travel by road from Kohima to Kottayam, what is the minimum number of States within India through which you can travel, including the origin and the destination? (2017) (a) 6 (b) 7 (c) 8 (d) 9 EXPLAINED Drone warfare & India Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Main Examination: General Studies II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests What's the ongoing story: Ukraine's Operation Spider's Web and the recent India-Pakistan hostilities in the wake of Operation Sindoor underline the salience of drones — specifically ones sent out in swarms — in modern warfare. Relatively low-cost, low-tech drones pose significant challenges to traditional militaries, one which countries, including India, are racing to overcome Key Points to Ponder: • Ukraine's major drone strike on Russian military planes-what you about the same? • Why the recent Ukraine's major drone strike on Russian military planes is termed as Russia's Trojan horse moment? • What is a FPV drone? • Why the attack changes the rules of battlefield engagement? • What can be the strategic implications of Ukraine's Operation 'Spider's Web' on the dynamics of modern warfare? Key Takeaways: • Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) date back to World War II and the Korean War, where they were used for training anti-aircraft gunners and in specific offensive missions. Their modern military usage took off in the 1990s, after being successfully deployed in the Gulf War of 1991. • The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict of 2020 marked a turning point in drone warfare: Azerbaijan's use of Turkish Bayraktar TB2 and Israeli Harop drones devastated Armenian defences, decisively shifting the conflict's dynamics in favour of Baku. • Ukraine has notably used 'first-person view' (FPV) racing drones to target tanks, chase individual soldiers and small units, and, most notably, bomb Russian air bases. Do You Know: • Since 2020, India has ramped up its counter-drone infrastructure, deploying a layered defence that blends indigenous technology, EW, and air defence systems. Key systems include: —Akashteer Air Defence Control System: Developed by Bharat Electronics Ltd, it integrates with the Indian Air Force's integrated command network for real-time tracking; —Bhargavastra: Solar Defence and Aerospace Ltd's weapon system fires 64 micro-rockets in salvos to eliminate drone swarms; —DRDO's Anti-Drone System: It offers 360-degree radar coverage, with both jamming (soft kill) and laser (hard kill) capabilities. Drones can be detected up to 4 km away, and neutralised within a 1 km radius; and —Indrajaal: An AI-powered grid from a Hyderabad startup that combines jammers, spoofers, and intelligence to protect areas up to 4,000 sq km. Already deployed at naval sites in Gujarat and Karnataka. • During the May 2025 swarm attacks, the IAF activated its Integrated Counter-UAS Grid, alongside conventional radars, guns, and missiles, neutralising attempted strikes on 15 military bases and several urban targets. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Operation Sindoor | How India's air defence shield works: Inside the IACCS command system Why the Census 2027 is critical for India's economic growth & development Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc. Mains Examination: • General Studies I: population and associated issues • General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. What's the ongoing story: The Government of India has announced that the next Census will be conducted in two phases over 2026 and 2027. The effective date for which it will provide all the data will be March 1, 2027. Key Points to Ponder: • What is Census? • What kind of data is published in the Census? • What is the difference between Census, caste census and SECC? • What are the main objectives for conducting the next census? • How could the upcoming census affect political representation in various states? • What is the significance of delimitation in relation to Lok Sabha elections? • How might caste data collection impact future government policies? • What are some potential challenges in implementing caste-based data in the census? Key Takeaways: • India has undergone a Census once every decade since 1881; regardless of who ruled over the country and any calamity. However, the link was broken when India failed to conduct the Census for 2021 in the wake of the Covid pandemic. It is noteworthy that the delay in India's case — 6 years — is much longer than in most other countries (including India's neighbours such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka). • Explaining the delay, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) spokesperson posted the following on X: 'Covid disrupted all sectors, including education. Around 30 lakh enumerators are needed for the Census and most of them are primary school teachers. Conducting the Census post-Covid could have disrupted primary education immensely.' • One, the caste census, or the collection of caste data along with all the other data. Two, the possible usage of Census 2027 data for the purposes of delimitation, which is essentially an exercise that will entail rebalancing the state-wise share of Lok Sabha seats based on population. Most of the southern states, which were more effective in population control over the past 50 years, stand to lose electoral representation relative to northern states, which failed to control their population growth as effectively. • At one level, the fact that caste and delimitation are heavily politicised, warn some demographers, may vitiate the quality and credibility of the Census data. This may happen as people attempt to tweak their answers on questions (such as caste and language etc.) in a manner that, in their view, suits their politics instead of providing an unbiased response capturing the reality. • The national Census provides the fundamental statistical basis for all other types of surveys and analysis in the country. The Census isn't just the complete enumeration of all Indians. Rather, it is as complete an image of India as possible, as it collects data on age, gender, family status, economic status, unemployment, language, education, disability, migration — the list is pretty long. • In other words, the Census is a reality check for the country — a look in the mirror without which a self-portrait is not possible. In providing all this information for each Indian, the Census not only tells the story of how India changed in the past 10 years — in this case, the past 16 years — but also gives clues to how it might change in the next decade. Do You Know: The Census forms the basis of all future surveys and policymaking. • Inflation control and Interest rates-To be sure, retail inflation rate captures the rate at which the general price level in the economy went up from one year to the next. This rate, in turn, is based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and how much it rose over the past year. The CPI is essentially a basket of goods and services that retail consumers 'consume'. The index allocates different weights to different goods and services and then maps how prices of these components move in a weighted fashion. Food articles, for instance, have a weight of 46% in the total index. This is another way of saying that 46% of all the money spent by a common Indian is spent on food items. • A Census — say Census 2011 — provides one clear image of India at one specific point in time. That distribution of people — quality of their lives, their economic status, their migration patterns etc. — provides the base for all future surveys such as the consumption survey for government or the many of the market surveys done by private companies trying to figure out whether there is going to be more demand for cars ( and if so, what kind of cars) in rural India in the next 5 to 10 years. • Migration, Urbanisation and Governance-Migration, for instance, is one of the least understood variables. Often, population projections are based on fertility (birth rate) and mortality (death rate) assumptions. But there is a third variable that can, and often does, change the population of a village, city or state — that's internal migration in the country. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍The Census of 1931 ECONOMY For first time in 6 years, CPI inflation likely to have fallen below 3% in May Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development Mains Examination: General Studies III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment. What's the ongoing story: India's headline retail inflation rate may have fallen below 3 per cent for the first time in just over six years in May 2025, with food prices again expected to drive down the overall trajectory even though vegetables became somewhat more expensive last month compared to April 2025. Key Points to Ponder: • What is CPI inflation? • How is it calculated? • What are its components? • What does the data show? • What is the significance? • What is Inflation? • Know the Types of Inflation like Moderate Inflation, Galloping Inflation, Hyper-Inflation, Stagflation, Deflation, Core Inflation etc. • What are the causes of Inflation in the present situation • How Inflation is Measured in India? • What is the Long term, Medium Term and Short-term impact of Inflation? • New Standard for Measuring Inflation in India and Old Standard for Measuring Inflation-Key Differences • Steps or Measures Taken by GOI to Control Inflation • What do you understand by Wholesale Price Index (WPI) and Consumer Price Index? WPI and CPI is published by whom? • What's the RBI assessment on inflation recently? Key Takeaways: • Inflation based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), data for which will be released by the statistics ministry at 1600 IST on Thursday, was already at a multi-year low of 3.16 per cent in April 2025. • In May 2025, while some vegetables became dearer – potato and tomato prices rose 3 per cent and 10 per cent, respectively, from the previous month according to data from the Department of Consumer Affairs – prices of cereals and pulses cooled. The net effect, according to economists, was a decline in prices of essentials. Bank of Baroda's Essential Commodities Index, for instance, declined 0.6 per cent year-on-year last month – the first time the index has fallen since January 2019. • While the headline inflation rate is seen falling for the seventh month in a row in May 2025, core inflation – which measures the year-on-year price change for non-food-non-fuel items in the CPI basket – is seen edging up to around 4.2 per cent. • Core inflation, seen as an indicator of underlying demand pressures, has gradually risen since the middle of 2024, when it stood at 3.1 per cent. According to Nomura economists Aurodeep Nandi and Sonal Varma, the recent uptick in core CPI inflation should be looked through. • While the outlook for inflation is benign – the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) last week cut its forecast for the current fiscal by 30 basis points (bps) to 3.7 per cent – the pace with which prices of certain food items are falling is decreasing. According to Union Bank of India, vegetable prices possibly rose in May 2025 on a month-on-month basis after consistently falling for six months. 'On-the-ground prices of most food segments, though, continue to slide but the pace of correction is losing ground,' the bank's economists, led by Kanika Pasricha, said in a note. Do You Know: • The CPI inflation is nothing but the rate of inflation that consumers face. It is different from the major inflation indicator — the wholesale price index-based inflation rate. According to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), which releases the data, the consumer price index measures 'changes over time in general level of prices of a basket of selected goods and services that households acquire for the purpose of consumption'. At an all-India level, the current CPI basket comprises 299 items. • Apart from an aggregate index, consumer price indices are constructed for both rural and urban consumers as well. The 'base year' for the current series of indices is 2012. In other words, the price index is given a value of 100 for 2012 and changes from these price levels are then calculated to arrive at inflation rates for each good or service. • The CPI has six main components, each with differing weights and many more sub-components within them. The main components are—Food and beverages, Pan, tobacco and intoxicants, Clothing and footwear, Housing, Fuel and light and Miscellaneous (services such as education, health care etc.) • Among these, food articles currently weigh 45% of the total index. The second-biggest component is that of miscellaneous services. Within the food category, cereal prices are the biggest factor — they account for 9.67% of the total CPI. This means that a spike in prices of food articles like cereals, vegetables, milk and pulses tends to have the biggest impact in raising consumer inflation. And the reason why food articles have been given such a high weightage is that most Indian consumers tend to spend a considerable portion of their income towards meeting their food demand. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍What latest inflation data say PRELIMS ANSWER KEY 1.(b) For any queries and feedback, contact Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X.
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Chasing Dalit vote without addressing the social divide
At the 15th Convention of the Uttar Pradesh Scheduled Caste Federation held at the Ramlila ground in Agra on March 18, 1956, BR Ambedkar shared the reasoning behind his assertion that the Scheduled Castes (SC) were not Hindus. He said, 'If we had been Hindus, then we would not have been untouchables. Instead, we would have been pujaris (priests) in the temples.' Ambedkar's words continue to echo, given that untouchability, on a much-diminished scale though, remains a social reality seven decades after it was abolished and its practice in any form declared a punishable offence. Ironically, eradicating untouchability or social isolation of Dalits is no longer a major agenda of any political party though the scheduled castes are a much-wooed vote bloc. In March this year, Agra, where Ambedkar had installed a statue of Buddha (his ashes are kept near the statue), saw caste tensions escalate after the Rajasthan-based Karni Sena ransacked the house of Samajwadi Party MP and a Dalit, Ramji Lal Suman over his unwarranted remarks about a mediaeval-era Rajput ruler, Rana Sanga. Since then, reports of Dalit wedding processions in UP, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh being attacked or stopped in areas dominated by the upper castes have become frequent. The contradiction between Dalits being wooed in the electoral battlefield and rejected in the social space is not new. Dalits first emerged as a political constituency in northern India in the 1980s. The 1990s saw growing Dalit assertiveness under the leadership of the Bahujan Samaj Party, which even formed the government in Lucknow twice. At the same time, renting a house in UP on a non-Dalit street was a challenge for Dalits. In the mid-1990s, a Banaras Hindu University (BHU) professor had to hide his caste from the landlady to rent her premises in Varanasi. A Dalit intellectual, who had returned from the US to be with his aging parents, had to run from pillar to post to get decent accommodation in New Delhi. The scenario has not changed much. In 2025, a businessman in Agra failed to get a decent house, while a landlord in Prayagraj returned the advance payment after knowing the caste of the tenant. Ashok Bharti, chairman of National Confederation of Dalit and Adivasi Organisations, says, 'Being a Dalit in India means a life of challenges. Wherever, whichever direction Dalits go, caste is the monster that crosses their path. They can't buy or rent a house in a colony dominated by upper castes, Dalit children in schools can't get water or mid-day meals. In colleges, they are humiliated for accessing reservations and, in employment, their caste reaches before they join. However, the situation is improving. Dalit assertion is compelling and with the support of many progressive savarnas, they can now be seen in all places.' Untouchability infuriates Dalits, of course, but does it influence their political choices? The issue is absent in the poll agenda of even Dalit parties such as BSP, RPI, and Dalit Panthers even though they have been advocating social empowerment via political empowerment. But all political parties are pursuing the Dalit voter: Since the political preferences of major castes and communities are known, the scramble is for non-aligned Dalit voters. The success of the PDA (pichra or backward, Dalit, and alpsankhyak or minority) formula of the Samajwadi Party in the 2024 general election has intensified the wooing. This has alarmed the Sangh Parivar which has been struggling to unite the Hindu population (80% of India's population) under the Hindutva banner. It is in this context that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat recently gave a call for social harmony — Bhagwat had been on a month-long tour of UP in April 2025. He reiterated the message in an RSS resolution — one temple, one well, and one cremation ground for all in villages to end untouchability. The 2017 resolution also noted that words and wishful thinking would not be enough. Pravin Togadia, then international working president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), had asked 'every non-Dalit Hindu to befriend at least one Dalit family.' But these statements have survived mostly as gestures. As RSS cadres and BJP functionaries fan out to the rural areas to explain their commitment to the constitutional rights of Dalits, the latter reiterate Ambedkar's words: 'If RSS really wants to abolish untouchability, they should appoint Dalit pujaris (priests) in temples and start inter-caste marriages (called roti-beti ka rishta in common parlance).' That said, there is a churn within the Dalit political community. Dalits worship Ambedkar and get protective about the Constitution, but the Dalit vote is neither a consolidated bloc nor is it the monopoly of any one party. With all political parties promising them the moon, the Dalit vote bloc has disintegrated. Welfare schemes of the Union government have attracted many to the BJP. Ambedkar had said Dalits don't worship Hindu idols, but some Dalit sub-castes are making a beeline for Ayodhya and Kashi. Jatavs, the largest chunk among the Dalits, are, however, embracing Buddhism. In this melee, younger Dalits are weighing their political options. They are restless, aggressive, and aware of their rights. On May 25, Dalits of a village in UP's Etah district sent a clear message to the authorities by refusing to allow a shobha yatra to pass through their village in retaliation to the district administration's alleged discriminatory act of not granting them permission for their procession on Ambedkar Jayanti in April. The message is clear: Do not take us for granted. It is this fault line the BJP will need to address if it wants to win over Dalits and defuse caste tensions in the states under the party. The views expressed are personal.
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Bihar Elections 2025: Who Gains, Who Loses If AAP Contests On All 243 Seats?
Curated By : Satyaki Baidya Translation Desk Last Updated: June 12, 2025, 18:17 IST AAP is reportedly eyeing urban and young voters, traditionally seen as the support base of the RJD and Congress. (PTI/File) In a move that could reshape the dynamics of the upcoming Bihar Assembly Elections 2025, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has announced it will contest all 243 seats on its own. Once a part of the opposition INDIA bloc, AAP's decision to go solo is expected to add a new twist to the state's political equation, potentially affecting the fortunes of both the ruling NDA and the opposition alliance. Political experts note that despite AAP's limited support base in Bihar and its underwhelming performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections—where it contested a few of the 40 seats without securing any wins—the party's decision to contest all 243 assembly seats signals its growing ambitions and intent to expand its political footprint. AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal said, 'We will go among the people in Bihar on issues like education, health, and electricity." The party is reportedly eyeing urban and young voters, traditionally seen as the support base of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress. Which Alliance Stands To Lose From Kejriwal's Move? According to political commentators, AAP's move could hurt the INDIA alliance, which includes the RJD, Congress, and Left parties. RJD's core vote base in Bihar comprises Yadavs, Muslims, and Dalits, while Congress holds sway in some urban and Dalit constituencies. Many have expressed that AAP's presence may divide these votes—particularly in closely contested seats—ultimately benefiting the NDA. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the INDIA bloc won 9 seats in Bihar, while the NDA secured 30. Experts note that if AAP cuts into the RJD and Congress vote share, it could directly benefit the BJP and Janata Dal (United). Which Alliance Can Benefit? Political experts believe that AAP's decision could indirectly benefit the NDA. The NDA's strength in Bihar comes from the alliance of BJP, JDU, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM). In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the NDA secured 52% of the vote share, while the INDIA alliance got 42%. According to political analyst Yashwant Deshmukh, 'Voting in Bihar is based on arithmetic. If the NDA remains united, it is difficult to defeat it." Experts note that the division of opposition votes due to AAP's presence may make it easier for the NDA to win. Swipe Left For Next Video View all Political commentators argue that AAP's decision to contest all seats is a risky move, given Bihar's political landscape shaped by complex caste equations and the dominance of strong regional parties. According to experts, while AAP's Delhi model may resonate with urban voters, regional parties like the RJD and JDU maintain deep-rooted influence in rural areas. Analysts further suggest that even if AAP secures 5–10% of the vote, it could significantly damage the INDIA bloc's prospects. Many believe that while AAP's strategy may help the party position itself as a long-term alternative in Bihar, the immediate impact is likely to hurt the INDIA alliance the most. Commentators point out that a division in opposition votes could ultimately strengthen the NDA's position. All eyes are now on how Bihar's electorate responds and how effective AAP's campaign proves to be on the ground. News elections Bihar Elections 2025: Who Gains, Who Loses If AAP Contests On All 243 Seats?
