Selected Civil Service Candidates Advised To Be Mindful On Social Media, Maintain Public Decorum
Newly selected candidates of the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2024 have been issued a detailed advisory reminding them to uphold high standards of integrity, dignity, and discipline in all spheres of life-including on social media. The message emphasises that even before their formal training begins, their public conduct on social media will reflect on the image of the services they are about to join.
In the advisory issued by Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), the training institution for India's civil servants, candidates were reminded that "your past actions also will be a reflection of your character and personality throughout your career." It stressed that the journey of becoming a civil servant begins not with training, but from the moment of selection.
"You should start displaying exemplary conduct that befits an officer right from this day and not wait for your training to start," it stated, highlighting their future roles in governance and public service.
Stressing the role of civil servants as visible representatives of the State, the note said, "Civil servants are the public face of the State and their conduct is under constant public scrutiny." Candidates were urged to maintain "courteous, respectful, dignified and appropriate" interactions with the public, government personnel, elected representatives, civil society organisations, and vulnerable sections of society.
The institution also reinforced its guiding motto: "Sheelam Param Bhushanam - Character is the supreme embellishment," calling on candidates to demonstrate "integrity, dignity, humility and rectitude at all times."
Among the detailed behavioral expectations are:
Rejecting all forms of inducement, such as gifts and hospitality
Demonstrating gender sensitivity, punctuality, and compassion
Adhering to civic manners and personal hygiene
Abstaining from public consumption of intoxicants
Dressing in modest and occasion-appropriate attire
Social media conduct received special attention. The advisory warned that posts and online behavior, even at this early stage, can impact the reputation of the service. "Any posts made or facilitated by you on social media will also reflect on the service," it cautioned.
Candidates were advised to avoid impulsive online activity: "Pause and reflect on the possible impact of what you are going to post." It further added that avoiding potentially misinterpreted or controversial content is advisable.
While the use of technology was encouraged for improving service delivery, the message underlined the need for ethical and responsible digital behavior. "The Academy promotes the use of technology and AI for improving the speed and quality of services delivered to the citizens," it said, but with clear boundaries on self-promotion and conduct.
Candidates were also encouraged to begin adopting a healthy lifestyle in preparation for the intensive physical and academic training that lies ahead.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
18 hours ago
- Indian Express
UPSC Key: Aviation Disaster, Iran-Israel Conflict and Free Speech
Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for June 13, 2025. If you missed the June 12, 2025 UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here THE WORLD As Israel appears ready to attack Iran, US pulls out personnel from West Asia Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Mains Examination: General Studies II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests. What's the ongoing story: Israel's latest military operation inside Iran, carried out just ahead of nuclear discussions between Tehran and the US in Oman, marks a turning point in what was once a shadow conflict. Israeli officials say that the airstrikes were aimed at disrupting Iran's nuclear ambitions. Key Points to Ponder: • Israel's latest military operation inside Iran-what you know so far? • Iran-Israel Conflict-know the background • Iran-Israel bilateral relations-know the present situation • How do tensions in West Asia affect global energy security? • What diplomatic challenges India can face in balancing its ties with both Israel and Iran? • What role can international organizations like the United Nations play in de-escalating the Israel-Iran tensions? Key Takeaways: • The operation — dubbed 'Rising Lion' — struck key nuclear and military infrastructure and allegedly killed high-ranking Iranian figures, including Revolutionary Guards Commander Hossein Salami and two prominent nuclear scientists. Iran confirmed Salami's death on state media. • Though the US distanced itself from the operation, the strikes arrive amid growing tension around Tehran's uranium enrichment program, and just days after Donald Trump acknowledged that 'it could be a dangerous place' for US forces in the region. Do You Know: Here's a look back at the relations between the two countries in the past: • 1979 – A revolution The overthrow of Iran's Western-aligned Shah ends formal ties with Israel. The new Islamic regime adopts anti-Israel ideology as a core pillar of its foreign policy. • 1982 – Hezbollah emerges as Iran's regional proxy Amid Israel's invasion of Lebanon, Iran's Revolutionary Guard aids in establishing Hezbollah, a Shi'ite militia that would grow into one of Israel's most formidable enemies. • 1983 – Suicide bombings shift the balance in Lebanon Iran-backed militants use suicide attacks to push out Western and Israeli forces. In November, a car bomb targets the Israeli military headquarters in Lebanon. Israel later retreats from much of the region. • 1992–1994 – Deadly attacks in Argentina Bombings in Buenos Aires hit the Israeli embassy and a Jewish community center, killing dozens. Iran and Hezbollah are accused, but both deny involvement. • 2002 – Hidden nuclear work comes to light Reports of Iran's secret uranium enrichment facilities raise alarms globally. Israel urges a hardline response, warning that Tehran may be pursuing nuclear weapons. • 2006 – A costly war with Hezbollah Israel and Hezbollah fight a brutal month-long war. Despite heavy firepower, Israel fails to neutralize the group. The conflict ends in a military and political deadlock. • 2009 – Khamenei likens Israel to a 'cancer' Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, brands Israel 'a dangerous and fatal cancer,' reinforcing Tehran's hostile stance. • 2010 – Cyber warfare begins with Stuxnet The Stuxnet virus, widely attributed to US and Israeli intelligence, cripples Iran's Natanz nuclear site. It marks the first known case of a cyberattack targeting industrial systems. • 2012 – A scientist is killed in Tehran Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan, a key Iranian nuclear scientist, is killed when a bomb is planted on his car. A city official blames Israeli agents. • 2018 – Trump exits nuclear deal; Israel cheers President Donald Trump pulls the US out of the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement. Netanyahu calls it 'a historic move.' That May, Israel claims to have struck Iranian positions in Syria after rockets target the Golan Heights. • 2020 – Soleimani killed, tensions spike A US drone strike in Baghdad kills General Qassem Soleimani, leader of Iran's Quds Force. Israel welcomes the move. Iran retaliates with missile attacks on US bases in Iraq, injuring around 100 American troops. • 2021 – Iran accuses Israel of another assassination Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, thought to be the architect of Iran's alleged nuclear weapons program, is killed. Tehran blames Israel, which remains silent. • 2022 – Joint US-Israel pledge to block Iran's nukes During a visit to Israel, US President Joe Biden signs the 'Jerusalem Declaration' alongside Israeli PM Yair Lapid, vowing to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Biden also hints at military force as a 'last resort.' • April 2024 – Embassy strike triggers unprecedented Iranian attack A suspected Israeli airstrike destroys Iran's consulate in Damascus, killing seven IRGC officers. Iran retaliates by launching hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel — its first direct strike on Israeli territory. • October 2024 – Iran escalates with 180 missiles Tehran launches a large-scale missile attack, claiming retaliation for Israel's assassinations of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh. Israel strikes back days later, targeting Iranian military sites. Explosions are reported in Tehran and nearby bases, with Iranian officials reporting limited damage. • June 2025 – 'Rising Lion' strikes Tehran's nuclear program Israel confirms a broad military operation targeting Iran's nuclear program, ballistic missile infrastructure, and senior scientists. It declares a state of emergency at home in preparation for Iranian retaliation. Iranian media report the deaths of Commander Hossein Salami and nuclear scientists Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍How the world reacted to Israel's strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities 📍War clouds over Middle East Previous year UPSC Main Question Covering similar theme: 📍'India's relations with Israel have, of late, acquired a depth and diversity, which cannot be rolled back.' Discuss. (2018) IAEA censures Iran over breaking rules, Tehran announces new enrichment site Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Mains Examination: General Studies II: Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate. What's the ongoing story: The UN nuclear watchdog's board of governors on Thursday formally found that Iran isn't complying with its nuclear obligations for the first time in 20 years, a move that could lead to further tensions and set in motion an effort to restore United Nations sanctions on Tehran later this year. Key Points to Ponder: • International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)—Know about the same • What does the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) do? • Uranium enrichment is a process used primarily for what? • Map Work-Nuclear facilities in Iran • Iran's nuclear sites, such as Natanz and Fordow, are primarily used for what? • Know the role of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and the IAEA in addressing Iran's nuclear program. • What is the significance of the 2023 IAEA resolution on Iran's nuclear program? • Know in detail the implications of Iran's nuclear enrichment announcement in response to IAEA censure on global nuclear diplomacy. Key Takeaways: • Iran reacted immediately, saying it will establish a new enrichment facility 'in a secure location' and that 'other measures are also being planned.' • 'The Islamic Republic of Iran has no choice but to respond to this political resolution,' the Iranian Foreign Ministry and the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran said in a joint statement. • US President Donald Trump previously warned that Israel or America could carry out airstrikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities if negotiations failed — and some American personnel and their families have begun leaving the region over the tensions, which come ahead of a new round of Iran-US talks Sunday in Oman. • In Israel, the US Embassy ordered American government employees and their families to remain in the Tel Aviv area over security concerns. Nineteen countries on the International Atomic Energy Agency's board, which represents the agency's member nations, voted for the resolution, according to diplomats who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the outcome of the closed-doors vote. • Russia, China and Burkina Faso opposed it, 11 abstained and two did not vote. • In the draft resolution seen by The Associated Press, the board of governors renews a call on Iran to provide answers 'without delay' in a long-running investigation into uranium traces found at several locations that Tehran has failed to declare as nuclear sites. Do You Know: • Iran has two underground sites at Fordo and Natanz and has been building tunnels in the mountains near Natanz since suspected Israeli sabotage attacks targeted that facility. • According to the draft resolution, 'Iran's many failures to uphold its obligations since 2019 to provide the Agency with full and timely cooperation regarding undeclared nuclear material and activities at multiple undeclared locations in Iran … constitutes non-compliance with its obligations under its Safeguards Agreement.' Under those obligations, which are part of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Iran is legally bound to declare all nuclear material and activities and allow IAEA inspectors to verify that none of it is being diverted from peaceful uses. • The authority to reestablish those sanctions by the complaint of any member of the original 2015 nuclear deal expires in October, putting the West on a clock to exert pressure on Tehran over its program before losing that power. • The resolution comes on heels of the IAEA's so-called 'comprehensive report' that was circulated among member states last weekend. In the report, the U.N. nuclear watchdog said that Iran's cooperation with the agency has 'been less than satisfactory' when it comes to uranium traces discovered by agency inspectors at several locations in Iran. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Can Israel's attack on Iran's nuclear assets lead to an explosion or radiation leak? Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: 1. In India, why are some nuclear reactors kept under 'IAEA safeguards' while others are not? (2020) (a) Some use uranium and others use thorium (b) Some use imported uranium and others use domestic supplies (c) Some are operated by foreign enterprises and others are operated by domestic enterprises (d) Some are State-owned and others are privately owned FRONT PAGE A-I plane with 242 crashes, 1 survivor Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Main Examination: General Studies III: Disaster and disaster management. What's the ongoing story: In the world's worst aviation disaster in a decade and the first involving a Boeing 787, a London-bound Air India passenger aircraft with 242 people on board crashed in a residential area shortly after take-off from the Ahmedabad airport Thursday afternoon. Key Points to Ponder: • A-I Plane Boeing 787-what you know so far? • What caused air crash? • What are the causes for a post-crash fire? • What happens when there is a post-crash fire? • What is a black box? • Why is it called a 'black' box? • How do black boxes help understand airplane crashes? • What's a Mayday call? • What happens after Mayday call? • Do chances of survivors decrease when a plane catches fire after a crash? • What is Montreal Convention treaty? • Even though plane crashes don't happen very often, they cause a lot of damage and give the people involved very little chance of surviving. It has been observed that the majority of accidents occur during take-offs and landings. What role does disaster management play in the aviation industry? • What factors contribute to aircraft accidents? • What are the potential risk-reduction strategies and post-disaster requirements for the aircraft disaster? • Past aviation disasters-What Lessons did we learn? Key Takeaways: • At least one person, a male passenger, had survived the crash, according to Ahmedabad Police Commissioner Gyanender Singh Malik. The survivor was identified as Viswashkumar Ramesh who was on seat 11A of Flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick. • Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was among the 230 passengers on board. Air India said the passengers comprised 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, 1 Canadian national and 7 Portuguese nationals. • The wide-bodied Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, bearing the registration VT-ANB, was being operated by a 12-member crew. It was being piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kundar. • Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who inspected the crash site, told reporters that the death toll 'would be officially declared by the authorities concerned following DNA examination and identification of the passengers'. He said 'we have news of one passenger surviving, I have just met him'. • There were 24 casualties on the ground too because the aircraft went down on the premises of the BJ Medical College in the densely-populated Meghaninagar area, shortly after it took off at 1.39 pm from Runway 23 of the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. • At least five persons, including four medical students, were killed when the plane crashed into a hostel building of the medical college. Dr Minakshi Parikh, Dean, B J Medical College, said two more students were missing, while another 20 were injured. Five of the injured students were in a 'serious' condition, she said. • According to officials, the flight 'crashed immediately after take-off and went up in flames'. Senior officials of Ahmedabad city police said the first responders had to deal with flames and billowing black smoke. Do You Know: • According to data from the trade group International Air Transport Association (IATA), the landing phase accounted for more than half (53%) of all aviation accidents from 2005 to 2023. The takeoff phase was the next most deadly, accounting for 8.5% of all accidents (see Chart 1). • The phases immediately before/after these two events — the approach phase before landing and the initial climb phase after takeoff — contributed to another 8.5% and 6.1% of accidents, respectively. Rejected takeoffs accounted for 1.8% of accidents. • Boeing's own data, which looked at fatal commercial jet accidents from 2015 to 2024, also paints a similar picture (see Chart 2). • The takeoff and the initial climb phases accounted for 20% of all such accidents as well as 20% of all fatalities despite accounting for only 2% of exposure. The subsequent climb phase accounted for another 10% of fatal accidents and, notably, 35% of fatalities, despite accounting for only 14% of exposure. On the other hand, the final approach and landing phases accounted for 47% of all accidents and 37% of fatalities, despite making up 4% of exposure. The descent phase accounted for another 3% of accidents and 7% of fatalities. But despite making up 57% of exposure, the cruise phase, that is, when the aircraft is flying at a stable altitude and steady speed, accounts for only 10% of fatal accidents and less than half a percent of fatalities. • The most basic explanation for this is that during these phases, aircraft are what in aviation lingo is called 'low and slow', leaving pilots very little time to react if something goes wrong. 'When cruising at 36,000 feet, a pilot has the luxury of time and space to course correct. Even if both engines go out, the plane won't just fall out of the sky. It becomes a glider. In this state, a typical airliner loses about a mile in altitude for every 10 it moves forward, giving the pilot a little over eight minutes to find a place to land. But if something goes wrong on the ground, that window shrinks considerably,' according to an article by Business Insider. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Why a majority of aviation accidents occur during takeoff & landing 📍Victims' kin may get up to `1.5 cr each as insurance compensation 📍BLACK BOX THE EDITORIAL PAGE Speech and trust Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc. Main Examination: General Studies IV: Case Studies on above issues. What's the ongoing story: Pratap Bhanu Mehta writes: Crisis of free speech is crisis of social mistrust. Each act of legal censorship is a vote of no confidence in our autonomous agency Key Points to Ponder: • What is the right to freedom of speech and expression? • What is Article 19 of the Constitution? • What is 'free Speech'? • What are the Laws restricting the freedom of expression in India? • What are the International Legal Regime on free Speech? • Free Speech and Hate Speech- Where and what is that thin line drawn between these two? • In the context of Fundamental Rights, what do you understand by the term 'Absolute' and 'Reasonable Restrictions'? • Absolute and Reasonable Restrictions-Where and what is that thin line drawn between the two? • Laws restricting the freedom of expression • Impact of Hate Speech on Freedom of Expression, Free speech and on the Right to Freedom of Religion Key Takeaways: Pratap Bhanu Mehta writes: • Regimes of free speech are fundamentally regimes of trust. They rely on a healthy distrust of the power of the state. Historically, no censor really thought they could get people to believe what the state wanted them to believe through censorship. • Censorship was the assertion of authority. The best defence of free speech is not instrumental, based on the value of truth, democracy or progress. It relies on something more elemental: No one should have authority over what we think or say. Who gave authority to anyone else over what I can think or say? • But a free speech regime depends on trust at many levels. It depends on trust in individuals that they would not easily be incited, inflamed or manipulated. • Many would argue that this is an idealisation. Certain forms of speech and expression are indeed harmful. Some are intended to assault or injure. Many of these harms are captured in legal prohibitions against incitement or forms of hate speech. • The conditions of communication where doubt and hate can travel faster than truth and reconciliation, the collapse of the contexts of communication, have added to a crisis of free speech. But the crisis of speech is a crisis of social mistrust; it will not be solved by legal means. Every act of legal censorship will also be an act of non-confidence in you and me, the citizen who cannot be trusted. The tragedy is that we find the work of the social creation of trust far more difficult that sealing the conditions of our own infantilism. Do You Know: • In drafting the Indian constitution, the founders of modern India were heavily influenced by the American and British constitutions. 'Several members of the Constituent Assembly vividly recalled, and had even experienced, the colonial British administration's attempts to stifle the freedom movement using oppressive anti-sedition laws,' writes Professor of Law, Niru Sharan in her paper, 'Freedom of speech and expression; Indian constitution: An overview' (2015). Consequently, there was never any doubt whether the constitution should protect free speech. • Consequently, Article 19 (1) (a) of the Indian constitution guarantees that 'all citizens shall have the right to freedom of speech and expression.' Interestingly, despite the near unanimity of the decision to include freedom of speech in the Constitution, this was the first clause of the constitution that came to be amended, barely 16 months after it was adopted. • The First Amendment Act of the Indian Constitution remains to be one of the most fervently contested changes to the Constitution that was debated over 16 days. The bill for the amendment was moved by Nehru on May 16, 1951 with the thundering words, 'somehow we have found that this magnificent constitution that we had framed was later kidnapped and purloined by lawyers.' Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Dear Editor, I disagree: Not all speech is free 📍Sharmistha Panoli's arrest and a question: Whose free speech? ECONOMY May inflation drops to 2.82% on easing food prices, lowest since February 2019 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: A fall in prices of fruits, pulses, and cereals helped lower India's headline retail inflation rate to a 75-month low of 2.82 per cent in May 2025, acording to data released on Thursday by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), possibly providing some more easing room to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Key Points to Ponder: • 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? Key Takeaways: • At 2.82 per cent, the latest inflation rate based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) was somewhat lower than economists' expectations of around 3 per cent. CPI inflation stood at 3.16 per cent in April 2025 and 4.80 per cent in May 2024. The last time retail inflation was lower was in February 2019, when it stood at 2.57 per cent. • Per MoSPI data, food inflation as measured by the Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI) almost halved to a 43-month low of 0.99 per cent last month from 1.78 per cent in April 2025 as fruit prices declined by 2 per cent month-on-month (m-o-m) while those of pulses were down 1.7 per cent. Cereals also helped to bring down the overall food inflation in May 2025, with prices down 0.6 per cent compared to the previous month. • Prices of vegetables, meanwhile, inched up slightly last month from April 2025. However, in year-on-year (y-o-y) terms, retail prices of vegetables were down 13.7 per cent — the sharpest pace of decline since December 2022, according to Paras Jasrai, associate director and economist at India Ratings & Research. • Proteins became more expensive on a sequential basis in May 2025. While the price of meat and fish was up 1.5 per cent m-o-m, egg prices rose 2.5 per cent and milk turned 0.7 per cent more expensive in May. Do You Know: • Core inflation — which excludes items whose prices are volatile such as food and fuel and is seen as an indicator of underlying demand conditions — inched up to around 4.2 per cent, according to calculations done by The Indian Express. The steady rise in core inflation over the last year-and-a-half or so is suggestive of 'steady demand conditions' in the economy, said Jasrai of India Ratings. • In terms of the regional break-up, urban inflation eased to 3.07 per cent in May 2025 from 3.36 per cent the previous month, while rural CPI inflation declined to 2.59 per cent from 2.92 per cent. Inflation in May 2025 was highest in Kerala at 6.46 per cent, while it was lowest in Telangana, at 0.55 per cent. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Everyday Economics: What are WPI and CPI inflation rates? 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. Priya Kumari Shukla is a Senior Copy Editor in the Indian Express (digital). She contributes to the UPSC Section of Indian Express (digital) and started niche initiatives such as UPSC Key, UPSC Ethics Simplified, and The 360° UPSC Debate. The UPSC Key aims to assist students and aspirants in their preparation for the Civil Services and other competitive examinations. It provides valuable guidance on effective strategies for reading and comprehending newspaper content. The 360° UPSC Debate tackles a topic from all perspectives after sorting through various publications. The chosen framework for the discussion is structured in a manner that encompasses both the arguments in favour and against the topic, ensuring comprehensive coverage of many perspectives. Prior to her involvement with the Indian Express, she had affiliations with a non-governmental organisation (NGO) as well as several coaching and edutech enterprises. In her prior professional experience, she was responsible for creating and refining material in various domains, including article composition and voiceover video production. She has written in-house books on many subjects, including modern India, ancient Indian history, internal security, international relations, and the Indian economy. She has more than eight years of expertise in the field of content writing. Priya holds a Master's degree in Electronic Science from the University of Pune as well as an Executive Programme in Public Policy and Management (EPPPM) from the esteemed Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, widely recognised as one of the most prestigious business schools in India. She is also an alumni of Jamia Milia Islamia University Residential Coaching Academy (RCA). Priya has made diligent efforts to engage in research endeavours, acquiring the necessary skills to effectively examine and synthesise facts and empirical evidence prior to presenting their perspective. Priya demonstrates a strong passion for reading, particularly in the genres of classical Hindi, English, Maithili, and Marathi novels and novellas. Additionally, she possessed the distinction of being a cricket player at the national level. Qualification, Degrees / other achievements: Master's degree in Electronic Science from University of Pune and Executive Programme in Public Policy and Management (EPPPM) from Indian Institute of Management Calcutta ... Read More
New Indian Express
a day ago
- New Indian Express
Be agents of change: Birla to civil servants
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla today asserted that bringing positive change in people's lives should be the guiding objective for civil servants. He urged officials to embrace innovation and transparency as effective tools in governance to ensure societal betterment and fulfill the expectations of the common people. Addressing the valedictory function of the 127th Induction Training Programme at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie on Thursday, Speaker Birla stated, 'Bringing positive change in people's lives must be the guiding objective for every civil servant.' Revenue from liquor cess meant for social welfare In a landmark step aimed at bolstering social welfare, the Uttarakhand government has announced that 1% of the revenue collected from the cess on the sale of English liquor will now go towards the welfare of vulnerable sections of society. The move, approved by the state Cabinet, will help channel funds for the upliftment of orphaned and destitute children, adolescent girls and economically disadvantaged, homeless and elderly women who have been affected by disasters or accidents. The CM's women and child multi-faceted assistance fund rules outline the meticulous process for disbursing these crucial funds. BJP's Joshi flags threat to Gangotri eco zone Veteran BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi has strongly objected to the presence of a waste incinerator at Gangotri National Park near the Gangotri Temple. This plant, he contends, violates regulations meant for eco-sensitive zones, where industrial activities are prohibited. The facility reportedly emits toxic gases, posing a direct threat to the fragile Himalayan ecosystem and its biodiversity. Flagging the risk of environmental degradation, Joshi has urged Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav for urgent action. His intervention underscores the need to protect this ecologically significant region. Narendra Sethi Our correspondent in Uttarakhand narendrasethi@
Indian Express
2 days ago
- 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.
