What to Read in Indian Express Editorial( Topic and Syllabus wise)

Editorial 1 : Planning for a hotter world

Introduction: In 2024, India and several other countries experienced their hottest year on record. This alarming trend highlights the urgent need for India to not only reduce its greenhouse gas emissions but also adapt to the inevitable impacts of climate change. These impacts pose significant threats to public health and the economy, given India's diverse and sensitive climate.

 

Climate Risks and Resilience in India: Key Highlights

1. Widespread Climate Risks

• Nearly 80% of Indians live in districts at risk of floods, droughts, or cyclones.
• Hotspots exist where multiple disasters overlap (e.g., parts of Odisha, Telangana, and Gujarat).
• Climate extremes are felt year-round across the country.

 

2. Heatwave Challenges

• Record-breaking heat waves in 2024 with temperatures nearing 50°C in Delhi.
• 23 states are heatwave-prone, with over 44,000 heatstroke cases and 300 fatalities reported in 2024.
• Rising heat impacts public health, productivity, energy demand, and water reservoirs.
• Delhi’s power demand during June 2024 heatwave peaked at 8,647 MW, a 16% increase from the previous year.

 

3. Monsoon Variability

• Uneven monsoons causing significant consequences for agriculture.
• Indo-Gangetic plains saw a 20% decline in southwest monsoon rainfall (2012–2022).
• Annual crop losses from extreme weather account for 0.25% of India’s GDP.

 

4. Cyclones and Floods

• Arabian Sea saw a 52% increase in tropical cyclones over two decades.
• Cyclone early warning system covers 100% of at-risk populations, but flood warning covers only one-third.
• Severe flooding in 2024 affected states like Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh.
• Urban flood preparedness to improve under the “Mission Mausam” initiative.

 

Adaptation and Resilience Strategies

1. Heat Stress Management

• Conduct detailed risk assessments at granular levels.
• Identify vulnerable populations and prioritize targeted actions.
• Support the dairy sector with renewable energy-based solutions like solar chillers to combat heat stress.

 

2. Agricultural Adaptation

• Revamp crop-weather calendars for rainfed crops, accounting for changing monsoon patterns.
• Promote flood- and drought-resistant crop varieties (e.g., 2,500+ varieties developed by ICAR).
• Contextualize local cropping practices to water availability and moisture changes.

 

3. Enhancing Disaster Risk Financing

• Strengthen city-level resilience through Urban Disaster Management Authorities under the Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill 2024.
• Mobilize finance via city resilience bonds and green municipal bonds.

 

Conclusion: With the 2025 Budget a few weeks away, climate resilience must move from the margins to the mainstream of our financial planning and priorities. It’s a good economic investment — from crops to cities — not just an environmental one.

Editorial 2 : The leaders our universities need

Introduction: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has drafted new regulations aimed at aligning higher education standards with the National Education Policy (NEP). These regulations focus on improving the hiring and promotion processes for teachers and academic staff.

 

The significance of the post of Vice-Chancellor (VC)

• The VC’s post is central to the functioning of a university.
• As the academic and administrative head of the university, he/she chairs the council of the university, the board of faculties and the finance committee of the university.
• The VC represents the university externally, both within and overseas.
• He/she is also responsible for securing the university’s financial base and making it robust enough to allow the delivery of the institution’s mission, aims and objectives.
• The mandate of this post is the creation of knowledge for humanity/universe.

 

The mandate of recent regulation

• The regulation clears ambiguities in the formation of the search-cum-selection committee to appoint VCs.
• Such powers are now vested in the Governor-Chancellors or Visitors.
• Earlier, the government would seek the nominee of the Governor-Chancellor from a list of three names it supplied.
• The Governor-Chancellor will now nominate his representative.
• A UGC nominee was always a part of the search panel which is as it should be, since the maintenance of the quality/academic standards is its mandate.
• The third member will be nominated by the apex body of the university like the Management Council or Senate.
• These bodies may have representatives with affiliations to the ruling party in the state.
• However, state governments have been complaining that they are left with no voice in the selection of the VC.

 

Recent controversy regarding Vice-Chancellor post

• In recent times, the VC’s post has attracted controversy in some states.
• Some state governments have tried to replace the Governor-Chancellor with a Chief Minister-Chancellor.
• This turn of events is ironic because the President of India and the Governors were given this role to keep politics out.

 

Need for flexibility in regulations to appoint VC

• Regarding the opening up of the post of VC to non-academics, one cannot but be reminded of the Kalyani Mathivanan vs State (2015) case in which the Madras High Court famously remarked that appointment to the post of VC should have some flexibility.
• Flexibility in appointment processes is therefore an imperative.
• At the same time, this should not lead to a scenario where the “eminence” of the post may be contested.
• To avoid such situations, the draft proposes that industry experts, public sector veterans, and senior administrators or experienced professionals can be directly appointed as VCs.
• This is a bold move. However, resisting interference by vested interests could be a challenge.

 

Selection of Vice-Chancellor (VC) in Universities: Key Practices

• Search Committee Composition
  1. In the US:
     • Includes senior administrators (provosts, deans), faculty representatives, staff members, students (occasionally), and trustees or board members.
  2. In the UK:
     • Composed of university governors/trustees, senior leaders (Pro-VCs, Deputy VCs), faculty representatives, and external advisors or search firms.
     • Faculty and students are often included, ensuring inclusivity and transparency.
• Executive Titles in Prestigious Institutions
  1. Universities like MIT and Stanford use titles like Chancellor or President for their highest executive roles.
• Search Committee Processes
  1. Engagement with Stakeholders:
     • Committees consult with university constituencies to identify qualifications and qualities for the leadership role.
  2. Candidate Evaluation:
     • Formal interviews, background checks, and assessments are conducted to select suitable candidates.
• Governance and Regulations
  1. In both the US and UK, there are no regulators that set standards for these appointments, allowing institutions to follow their own processes.

 

Some reforms in new UGC draft

• Some other provisions of the draft regulations are forward-looking.
• Waiving the requirement of clearing the UGC-NET examination for an entry-level assistant professor’s post in technical institutions for instance.
• A ME or Mtech degree with at least 55 per cent marks would suffice.
• Removing the cap on contract teacher appointments is in line with the NEP’s objectives and must be welcomed.
• This could help fill up the large number of vacancies in several of the country’s universities.

 

Way forward

• As members of a progressive society, we share the education minister’s optimism on these regulations.
• However, we may need to pause and ponder if we are in sync with the best practices in the world.
• Our universities are starved of funds today.
• Eminent people from systems outside the universities, such as representatives of industry bodies or the services sector, may need to understand the ethos of a university before they deliver on its objectives.
• At the same time, they could help bring in a professional perspective and facilitate the creation of endowments.

 

Conclusion: The primary challenge for vice-chancellors, regardless of selection method, is to elevate research standards and drive internationalisation. Achieving these goals could enhance the global standing of universities, and it is hoped that the regulations will support this vision.