Shepherd Turns UPSC Topper Birdev Done, AIR 551
Birdev Siddhappa Done, from the Kuruba community of shepherds in Karnataka and Maharashtra has ranked 551 in the recently declared UPSC results.From studying in a Marathi-medium village school to cracking one of India's toughest exams, listen to Birdev as he shares learnings from his life with us.
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Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
Knowledge Nugget: UNFPA State of World Population Report 2025 – Must-know insights for UPSC
Take a look at the essential concepts, terms, quotes, or phenomena every day and brush up your knowledge. Here's your knowledge nugget for today. (Relevance: UPSC has asked questions on population, government policies to utlise demographic dividends, and key terms associated with it. Check them in the post-read questions. In this regard, understanding the SOWP Report 2025 is important for your UPSC exam.) The 2025 State of World Population (SOWP) Report was released by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). This year's report, 'The real fertility crisis: The pursuit of reproductive agency in a changing world' has called for a shift from panic over falling fertility to addressing unmet reproductive goals. The report draws on academic research and new data from a UNFPA–YouGov survey spanning 14 countries, including India. 1. According to the report, one in three adult Indians (36%) face unintended pregnancies, while 30% experience unfulfilled desire for having either more or fewer children, and 23% face both. 2. SOWP Report 2025 underlines that millions of individuals are unable to realise their real fertility goals. This is the real crisis, not underpopulation or overpopulation. And, the answer lies in greater reproductive agency – a person's ability to make free and informed choices about sex, contraception, and starting a family. 3. One in five people globally expect not to have the number of children they desire. The key drivers include the prohibitive cost of parenthood, job insecurity, housing, concerns over the state of the world, and the lack of a suitable partner. A toxic blend of economic precarity and sexism plays a role in many of these issues, the report shows. 4. In the case of India, financial limitations are one of the biggest barriers to reproductive freedom. Nearly four in 10 people say financial limitations are stopping them from having the families they want. Job insecurity (21%), housing constraints (22%), and the lack of reliable childcare (18%) are making parenthood feel out of reach. 5. Health barriers like poor general well-being (15%), infertility (13%), and limited access to pregnancy-related care (14%) add further strain. Many are also holding back due to growing anxiety about the future—from climate change to political and social instability. 6. According to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA, 2024), India is now the world's most populous nation, with nearly 1.5 billion people – a number expected to grow to about 1.7 billion before it begins falling, around 40 years from now. Why is it called UNFPA? High fertility and low fertility duality case of India 1. Replacement-level fertility is commonly defined as 2.1 births per woman, which is the rate at which a population size remains the same from one generation to the next. India has reached the replacement-level fertility of 2.0, but the report pointed out that many people, especially women, still face significant barriers to making free and informed decisions about their reproductive lives and significant disparities persist across regions and states. These barriers create what the report identifies as India's 'high fertility and low fertility duality.' 2. Fertility has fallen below the replacement level (2.1) in 31 states/UTs, but remains high in Bihar (3.0), Meghalaya (2.9), and Uttar Pradesh (2.7). Urban-rural gaps persist, and seven states have yet to reach replacement TFR in rural areas. In Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Delhi, many couples delay or skip childbirth due to costs and work-life conflict, especially among educated middle-class women. This duality reflects differences in economic opportunities, access to healthcare, education levels, and prevailing gender and social norms. Issue of Infertility in India The report highlighted that Infertility remains under-prioritised in India. Infertility needs to be considered for inclusion under the government's health insurance schemes, as suggested in the report. An estimated 27.5 million Indian couples face infertility, yet public sector services are limited, while private care remains expensive and largely confined to urban centres. 📍Positive Growth of Population: When the birth rate is more than the death rate between two points of time or when people from other countries migrate permanently to a region, it is called positive growth of population. 📍Negative Growth of Population: When there is a decrease in population between two points of time due to a fall in birth rate below the death rate or people migrate to other countries, it is called negative growth of population. 📍Density of Population: The number of persons per unit area is called the density of population. According to the 2011 Census, India's population density is 382 persons per square kilometer, and in states, Bihar has the highest density at 1106 persons per square kilometer. In 1951, it was 117 persons/sq km. What is the demographic dividend? FYI: The dependency ratio is equal to the population below 15 or above 64, divided by the population in the 15-64 age group. This is usually expressed as a percentage. The working-age population is generally defined as those aged 15-64 years. 📍Period of population explosion: The sudden increase in the population of the country is called a population explosion. In India, the decade of 1951-1981 is referred to as the period of population explosion. During this period, the average annual growth rate was as high as 2.2 percent. 📍Fertility Rate: The fertility rate refers to the number of live births per 1000 women in the child-bearing age group, usually taken to be 15 to 49 years. Total fertility rate (TFR) 📍Total Fertility Rate (TFR): According to the website of OECD, the total fertility rate in a specific year is defined as the total number of children that would be born to each woman if she were to live to the end of her child-bearing years and give birth to children in alignment with the prevailing age-specific fertility rates (1) The total fertility rate in an economy is defined as: (UPSC CSE 2024) (a) the number of children born per 1000 people in the population in a year. (b) the number of children born to couple in their lifetime in a given population. (c) the birth rate minus death rate. (d) the average number of live births a woman would have by the end of her child-bearing age. (2) India is regarded as a country with 'Demographic Dividend''. This is due to– (UPSC CSE 2011) (a) Its high population in the age group below 15 years. (b) Its high population in the age group of 15-64 years. (c) Its high population in the age group above 65 years. (d) Its high total population. (Source: NCERT, 'Millions unable to realise reproductive goals': UNFPA State of World Population Report 2025 reveals crisis of fertility aspirations, India becomes world's most populous nation: What's behind the population numbers?) 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. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for May 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at Khushboo Kumari is a Deputy Copy Editor with The Indian Express. She has done her graduation and post-graduation in History from the University of Delhi. At The Indian Express, she writes for the UPSC section. She holds experience in UPSC-related content development. You can contact her via email: ... Read More
India.com
2 hours ago
- India.com
Meet Adiba Anam: Maharashtra's First Muslim Woman IAS Officer, Daughter Of An Autorickshaw Driver Who Cracked UPSC With AIR 142
photoDetails english 2914746 The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is the premier central recruitment agency in India, responsible for conducting examinations such as the Civil Services Examination. It is responsible for selecting candidates for esteemed positions such as IAS, IPS, and IFS. The selection process includes three stages — Preliminary, Mains, and Interview — and is known for its high level of difficulty. UPSC ensures fair and merit-based recruitment, playing a key role in upholding transparency, efficiency, and integrity in the appointment of government officials. Updated:Jun 12, 2025, 10:29 AM IST First Muslim woman to become an IAS officer 1 / 7 The UPSC Civil Services Examination is considered one of the toughest recruitment exams in India, and those who clear it often have inspiring stories behind their success. One such remarkable journey is that of Adiba Anam, the daughter of an autorickshaw driver from Maharashtra's Yavatmal district, who made history by becoming the state's first Muslim woman to become an IAS officer. Economic struggles 2 / 7 Born into a financially challenged household in Yavatmal, Maharashtra, Adiba Anam grew up with limited resources. However, her parents, especially her father, ensured that their economic struggles never stood in the way of her Anam says she drew inspiration for perseverance and hard work from her father, Ashfaq Sheikh, who toiled for long hours to provide for the family. Adiba's education 3 / 7 After finishing her schooling, Adiba Anam pursued a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics from a local college in Pune. Determined to achieve her childhood dream of joining the civil services, she began preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Examination. Despite her dedication and focused efforts, the journey was tough—she faced setbacks, failing to clear the exam in her first two attempts. AIR Rank 4 / 7 However, 27-year-old Adiba did not let her initial failures break her spirit. She continued to work diligently, and her persistence finally paid off when she cleared the 2024 UPSC Civil Services Examination with an impressive All India Rank (AIR) of 142. She has been allotted the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) cadre, making history as the first Muslim woman from Maharashtra to achieve this milestone. Adiba's inspiration to become IAS 5 / 7 Adiba's inspiration to join the civil services dates back to her childhood, when she would visit an NGO managed by her maternal uncle. There, she came across bureaucrats involved in education and health initiatives, which left a lasting impression on her. Women empowerment 6 / 7 Now that Adiba Anam has become an IAS officer, she is determined to work towards improving the lives of the underprivileged, especially in the areas of health, education, and women's empowerment. As per reports, she hopes to ensure that 'no girl gives up on her dreams because of her background or her family's financial struggles.' Pride and happiness 7 / 7 Adiba's success in the UPSC exam has filled the entire Yavatmal district with pride and happiness. Neighbours have been visiting her home in large numbers to congratulate the family, especially her father, Ashfaq Sheikh, who made sure his daughter had every opportunity to chase her dreams despite their financial hardships. (All images: X(formerly twitter)
The Hindu
6 hours ago
- The Hindu
The many tales of Connemara Public Library in Chennai
On a rather breezy Friday evening, students were pouring in and out of the Connemara Public Library on the Government Museum campus in Egmore: some in large groups, others in focused solitude, with many staying the whole day. Thankfully, the structure, which houses over 9.8 lakh books, is not one of those forgotten places in the city. And there is a reason for that. One cannot ignore the library's layers of history. When the former Governor of the Madras Presidency, Lord Connemara, recognised the need for a public library in the city, he laid its foundation stone on 22 March 1890. By 1896, the library was officially opened to the public. Since then, it has grown into a landmark of Chennai, with many prominent figures, including C.N. Annadurai, Rajagopalachari, R. Venkataraman, C. Subramaniam, and writer Sujatha, having been active members. Go-to spot for UPSC aspirants Fast forward to today, the library has been witnessing a significant increase in footfall from civil service aspirants like never before. 'At least 600-700 students use the library every day, including a large section of civil service aspirants. Around 10% of them bring their own books, but space for that is limited,' says a senior librarian. While older readers still flip through newspapers and magazines in peace, it is the younger crowd that is most often seen in and around the library. Ilamathi T., a UPSC aspirant from Salem, collected her bag from the library reception after a long day. 'This library is like my second home. I also sit under the campus trees to study; it is peaceful, but at the same time, I am never alone, as many students are preparing for the exams alongside me,' said Ms. Ilamathi. 'The archives of old newspapers and the stacks of competitive exam books especially come in handy,' she added. Heritage wing What many may not know is that the heritage wing of the Connemara Library is the true jewel in its crown. It opens to the public only once a year, on April 18, when rare books from the 18th and 19th centuries come out to shine, such as The Revolt in Hindustan by Sir Evelyn Wood, Centamil published in 1822, and many more. But the spaces that hum with daily activity are the textbook section, followed by the general books, reference section, Indian language books, and periodicals. The library management has been coming up with book exhibitions, student activity programmes, children's books area, cultural programmes, and so on to increase the footfall on the literary fiction side, which has taken a dip. Meanwhile, the Public Works department has also been working on a conference room and STEM zone inside the library. Connemara also wears a badge of honour: it is one of only four libraries in the country listed under the Delivery of Books Act. This means that any book published in India — no matter the size, genre, or region — finds its way here. The membership fee for deposit is ₹300, and ₹50 for yearly circulation; members can borrow up to six books at a time. For any booklover, this is indeed a sweet deal.
