Population Projection Report: Lakshadweep & Andaman & Nicobar Islands (2021–2051)

 

Population Projection Report: Lakshadweep & Andaman & Nicobar Islands (2021–2051)

A national-level report titled “Unravelling India’s demographic future: population projections for States and Union Territories 2021-2051” has been released by:

• International Institute of Migration and Development (IIMAD)

• Population Foundation of India (PFI)

Lead Researchers:

• Principal Investigator: S. Irudaya Rajan

• Co-Principal Investigator: J. Retnakumar

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🔹 Key Findings

Population Growth (2016 → 2051)

Territory	2016 Population	2051 Projected Population	% Increase
Lakshadweep	67,642	74,194	9.68%
Andaman & Nicobar Islands	3,98,310	4,21,135	5.73%

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🔹 Gender-wise Projections

Lakshadweep

Gender	2016	2051
Male	34,716	37,785
Female	32,926	36,319

Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Gender	2016	2051
Male	2,13,467	2,26,139
Female	1,84,843	1,94,996

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🔹 Approach Used for Projections

• Smaller States/UTs show erratic decadal population growth

• No smooth growth trend available

• Hence, mathematical curve fitting using logistic methods was applied

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✨ Main Takeaways for Quick Recall

• Both UTs will see modest population growth by 2051.

• Lakshadweep shows a higher growth rate than Andaman & Nicobar.

• The report uses logistic curve fitting due to fluctuating census data in small regions.

Plastic Ingestion in Marine Species

 

Plastic Ingestion in Marine Species 

Background

• Nearly 1,300 marine species ingest plastics (hard/soft plastics, rubber, fishing debris).

• Includes all families of seabirds and marine mammals.

• Plastic ingestion leads to gastrointestinal blockage, punctures, twisted intestines, → mortality.

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Key Research Study

• Published in PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences).

• Conducted by University of Toronto researchers.

• Database: 10,000+ necropsies, 57 sources.

Findings

Group	Species studied	% with plastic	% died due to plastic
Seabirds	1,537 (57 species)	35%	1.6%
Marine mammals	7,569 (31 species)	12%	0.7%
Sea turtles	1,306 (7 species)	47%	4.4%

• Sea turtles → Highest ingestion & mortality.

• Mortality threshold:

  • 6–405 pieces of macroplastic

  • Volume: 0.044–39.89 ml/cm of body length

  • → 90% mortality chance

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Most Affected Species

• Marine mammals: Striped dolphin, sperm whale, South American fur seal, Florida manatee

• Birds: Albatross, gull, tern

• All 7 sea turtle species

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Most Fatal Materials by Group

Group	Most Fatal Plastic Type
Seabirds	Rubber
Marine mammals	Soft plastics & fishing gear
Sea turtles	Hard & soft plastics

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Why Macroplastics Are Difficult to Study

• Ethical and practical challenges with lab experiments.

• Impacts vary by:

  • Size of animal

  • Type of plastic

  • Feeding habits

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Policy Implications

• Supports science-based regulatory interventions

• Focus on high-risk plastics:

  • Plastic bags

  • Fishing debris

• Helps shape:

  • National Action Plans

  • Global Plastics Treaty efforts

  • Marine ecosystem protection strategies

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UPSC Perspective

Prelims – Possible MCQs

1. Which marine group has the highest frequency of plastic ingestion? → Sea turtles

2. Most fatal to seabirds? → Rubber

3. Journal of publication? → PNAS

Mains – How to use this?

Relevant in:

• GS Paper 3: Environment, biodiversity conservation, pollution control

• Topics:

  • Marine pollution

  • Blue economy threats

  • Anthropogenic impacts

Value-added points

• Marine pollution is a major driver of biodiversity loss.

• Plastic ingestion = violation of SDG 14: Life Below Water.

• Supports global efforts:

  • UNEP Global Plastics Treaty (ongoing negotiations)

  • India’s ban on single-use plastics (2022)

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Way Forward

• Reduce plastic at source: Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)

• Improve waste management & recycling

• Monitoring marine debris via satellite and beach surveys

• Behavioural change: public awareness, alternatives to plastics

• Strengthen fishing gear regulations

 

 India–Russia Defence Dialogue

Sudarshan Chakra and the New Arc of Strategic Deterrence

On December 4, New Delhi will host not just a diplomatic conversation — but a conversation about the future of Asia’s security architecture.

India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Russia’s Andrey Belousov will meet against the backdrop of President Vladimir Putin’s state visit, with the focus firmly on air defence supremacy.

And at the centre of that calculation is the S-400 — and the potentially game-changing S-500.

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🔥 Why This Meeting Matters

India’s geography is its vulnerability:

• A nuclear-armed Pakistan on one side

• An expansionist China, on the other hand

• Two-front threat no longer hypothetical

With S-400 deployment already changing India’s air defence map, Delhi is now exploring:

• Additional S-400 units

• The cutting-edge S-500 system

The S-500 can destroy ballistic missiles
600 km away
and stealth/airborne targets up to
400 km away

This would give India what it has never had before:
➡️ A pan-regional shield capable of neutralising threats deep beyond its borders.

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🚀 Sudarshan Chakra — Mythology Meets Modern Deterrence

The S-400 has already been inducted as
‘Sudarshan Chakra’
— named after Vishnu’s celestial weapon of precision strike.

It has proved its value in recent operations, including Operation Sindoor, silently protecting skies when tensions escalated.

PM Modi’s “Mission Sudarshan Chakra” aims to:

• Build a decade-long protective wall

• Shield strategic, civilian & industrial assets

• Establish fearless deterrence

His warning was unambiguous:

“If the enemy dares to show audacity,
India’s Sudarshan Chakra will destroy them.”

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🔧 Building Sovereign Capability

India is no longer satisfied with import dependence.

Key steps:

• MRO facility for S-400 being set up in India

• Joint shipbuilding and weapon design under discussion

• Expectation of deeper technology transfer

The goal is clear:
➡️ From buyer → collaborator → manufacturer

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🌍 Strategic Context

Why Russia?

• The U.S. may threaten sanctions (CAATSA)

• Europe hesitates on tech transfer

• Israel's systems are complementary, not substitutes

Russia remains willing to supply India with:

• High-end strategic assets

• Autonomy in deployment

• No political strings

For Moscow, India is:

• A reliable defence partner

• A balancing factor in Asia

• A gateway to maintaining relevance beyond Ukraine

For India, Russia is:

• A proven partner in hard military power

• The only nation offering an integrated air-defence ecosystem at scale

This partnership is strategic insurance in a dangerous world.

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🧠 Bigger Picture for UPSC Answers

This dialogue intersects central themes:

Theme	Paper
Two-front security challenge	GS-III
Strategic autonomy	GS-II
Defence modernisation & Aatmanirbharta	GS-III
Role of Russia in India’s security	IR

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✨ High-Impact Mains Line (memorise this)

“Air defence is not just about defending the homeland —
it is about shaping the strategic environment from which threats emerge.”

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🎯 Mains Question

Q. The Indo-Russian defence partnership continues to play a central role in shaping India’s air-defence posture. Discuss in the context of S-400 and the potential acquisition of the S-500.

 

Disasters Test More Than Infrastructure — They Test Federalism

The Wayanad landslides of July 2024 are no longer just a tragic memory of lost lives — they have become a mirror reflecting an uncomfortable truth:

India’s fiscal federalism appears to be shifting
from cooperation to permission,
from partnership to negotiation.

Despite losses worth ₹2,200 crore, Kerala received only ₹260 crore — a mere 11%.
This mismatch is not just a number —
it is a warning.

Disasters are supposed to unify governments.
Instead, they are now revealing widening cracks.

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🏛️ A Framework Designed for Partnership…

…but Practised as Permission

The Disaster Management Act, 2005, created:

• SDRF → joint fund for immediate relief

• NDRF → Union-funded support for “severe” disasters

On paper — shared responsibility
In practice — centralised control

Where cooperation was promised,
Discretion has emerged.

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🔹 Four Cracks in the System

1️⃣ Relief norms frozen in time

• ₹4 lakh for death

• ₹1.2 lakh for a fully damaged house

These numbers insult the cost of rebuilding a life.

2️⃣ What is a ‘severe disaster’?
→ Undefined
→ Applied selectively
→ Decided politically
→ Delayed strategically

3️⃣ Aid is not triggered — it is requested

• States must plead → assess → justify → wait

• The process moves
  When urgency has already died

4️⃣ Finance Commission formulas misread risk

• Population > rainfall

• Geography > landslide zones

• Poverty > hazard exposure

Allocations miss where danger lives.

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💔 Wayanad: A Case Study in Institutional Failure

The Centre refused higher aid because:

• Kerala had ₹780 crore unspent SDRF balance

• It previously received a ₹529 crore loan

But these “balances” are often:

• Committed but unspent

• Held back due to late fund release

• Reserved because States cannot rebuild using SDRF

So Kerala was blamed for following the rules.

When compliance is punished,
the system becomes a paradox.

Even the classification of Wayanad as “severe” was delayed —
limiting access to NDRF when lives depended on speed.

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💡 What Other Countries Do Better

Country	Trigger Type	Key Feature
U.S. (FEMA)	Per capita damage indicators	Mathematical objectivity
Mexico (FONDEN)	Rainfall/wind thresholds	Automatic disbursement
Philippines	Rainfall + fatality indices	Quick response
African & Caribbean insurance pools	Satellite-based loss	Rapid payouts
Australia	State relief spending ratio	Shared accountability

Their model: Data > Discretion
India’s model: Approval > Action

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🧭 What India Must Do — Before the Next Storm

• Update relief norms to present-day rebuilding costs

• Replace discretion with objective triggers

  • Rainfall intensity, fatalities/million population

  • Loss-to-GSDP ratio

• Use a scientific vulnerability index

• Ensure funds are grant-based, not loans

• Union should post-audit, not pre-approve

• Empower States to lead response and recovery

This is not anti-Centre
This is pro-citizen

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✨ A Federalism that Shows Up When It Matters

Disasters do not negotiate.
Aid should not either.

If States must beg for support —
Federalism has already failed.

“Disasters expose not only physical fault lines,
but constitutional ones too.”

The Constitution envisioned shared duty,
not central largesse.

The tragedy of Wayanad is therefore more than a natural disaster —
it is a democratic caution:

Federalism that functions only in sunshine
is no federalism at all.

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📝 UPSC GS-II / GS-III Mains Use

Question:
“India’s disaster financing framework is shifting from cooperative federalism to conditional federalism.”
Analyse with reference to the Wayanad landslides.

Answer pointers:

• Introduce with data (11% aid vs need)

• Discuss central discretion + outdated norms

• Compare global best practices

• Suggest reforms led by the Finance Commission

• Conclude with cooperative federalism as a constitutional obligation

 

China–Japan–Taiwan Tensions: A Dangerous Unfreezing of History

East Asia — where memories of war remain alive, and geography leaves no room for strategic mistakes — is once again on edge.

Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, known for her nationalistic assertiveness, publicly stated on November 7 that any Chinese attack on Taiwan would threaten Japan’s survival — and Tokyo “might intervene militarily.”

This is historic — Japan has never before explicitly signaled military involvement in a Taiwan conflict.

The era of strategic ambiguity is cracking.

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⚠️ Beijing’s Fury: Symbolism Meets Strategy

China responded with a hybrid retaliation:

• Banned Japanese seafood imports

• Issued travel warnings

• Accused Tokyo of deploying missiles on Yonaguni Island (110 km from Taiwan)

• Stepped up Coast Guard patrols near the disputed Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands

Beijing’s warning was chilling:

“Japanese intervention in Taiwan would be treated as an act of aggression.”

This is not mere diplomacy — it is coercive signaling.

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🧨 History Never Died in East Asia

China’s anger draws power from memory:

Historical Trigger	Emotional Impact
Japanese Colonial Rule over Taiwan (1895–1945)	Dignity & identity scars
Japanese invasion and WWII atrocities in China	Still raw in public memory
Post-war return of Taiwan to China	Basis of the Chinese sovereignty claim

Japan fears a China-dominated Asia.

China fears a revived militarist Japan backing Taiwan.

The past here is not past — it breathes into every strategic decision.

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💹 Interdependence: Love and Loathing in Trade

Despite hostility:

• Trade > $300 billion annually

• Japanese technology feeds China’s supply chains

• Chinese markets sustain Japan’s economy

The relationship is a paradox:

Too economically close for conflict.

Too politically suspicious for trust.

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🧭 Why Japan Is Changing Its Posture

Geography is Japan’s destiny:

• A Chinese-controlled Taiwan would push China’s military to Japan’s doorstep

• Japan’s remote islands — Yonaguni, Miyako, and Okinawa — would be exposed

Japan’s new message:

“Taiwan’s security is Japan’s security.”

For China, this is a red line.

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🌐 The U.S. Shadow

The U.S. is Japan’s treaty ally.

But American policy remains:

• One China in principle

• Strategic ambiguity on Taiwan’s defense

If Japan commits openly —

The U.S. balance risks collapsing into open confrontation.

East Asia becomes a powder keg.

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🔍 What This Means for India & Global Stability

• Tensions divert China’s focus from the India front

• Any conflict in the Taiwan Strait =
  global chip crisis, trade shock, maritime disruption

In a world already torn by wars, East Asia cannot afford another ignition point.

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✨ The Only Sensible Future: Status Quo

The status quo isn’t anyone’s dream —

But it has kept the Taiwan Strait peaceful for decades.

🔸 China cannot annex Taiwan without war

🔸 Taiwan cannot claim full independence without war

🔸 Japan cannot intervene without war

🔸 The U.S. cannot commit openly without war

Status quo is the peace.

Change is the conflict.

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🎯 Conclusion — A High-Impact UPSC Line

“In East Asia, history is not a book behind us but a border before us.

The future will depend not on power, but on restraint.”

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📝 UPSC GS-II Mains Q (Use this structure)

Q. The recent China–Japan tensions over Taiwan represent a dangerous intersection of history, nationalism, and strategic geography. Discuss.

Answer framework:

• Introduction: November 7 shift in Japanese signaling

• Body:

  • Historical legacies

  • Strategic calculations (Taiwan as chokepoint)

  • Economic interdependence paradox

  • U.S. alliance politics

• Conclusion: Preserve status quo; diplomacy over deterrence.

 

Governor vs Constitution: What Ambedkar Intended vs What We Witness Today

The Supreme Court’s recent judgment on the role of Governors — especially on withholding assent to Bills and delaying decisions — has reopened a fundamental question:

Are Governors acting as constitutional heads or political agents?

Strikingly, this debate resurfaces exactly 75 years after the Constitution was adopted on 26 November 1949 — a reminder that the anxieties of our founding moment were never fully laid to rest.

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🏛️ When the Constitution Was Born — The Warning Bells Were Heard

In the Constituent Assembly, several members feared that a nominated Governor could become a remote-controlled extension of the Centre — a mini Viceroy.

But Dr. B.R. Ambedkar — the architect of the Constitution — reassured them:

“The Governor under the Constitution is a purely constitutional Governor…

He is not intended to be an agent of the Centre.”

He envisioned:

✔ A Governor loyal to the Constitution,

✘ Not to the political masters in Delhi.

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⚖️ Ambedkar’s Clarity on Discretionary Powers

Members feared an overriding authority like under the Government of India Act, 1935.

Ambedkar’s response was sharp:

“Our Constitution does not give a general overriding power.

The Governor’s discretion is very limited.”

Limited to rare scenarios like:

• No clear majority after the elections

• Constitutional breakdown

• Bills that directly threaten the federal structure

Not what we see today — Governors holding Bills hostage for months, sometimes over political disagreements.

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📌 Withholding Assent — The Heart of Today’s Crisis

Members like N.G. Ranga warned:

“A Bill passed by an elected Assembly should not be at the mercy of a nominated Governor.”

Yet today, Governors are doing exactly that:

• Sitting on Bills

• Returning them without justification

• Delaying democracy through inaction

“As soon as possible” — a constitutional phrase

is being interpreted as

➡️ “As late as politically useful.”

This is constitutional subversion by delay.

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🧠 Ambedkar’s Most Powerful Reminder

“The Governor is not expected to sit in judgment over Bills…

Where the Constitution says he must act on advice, he must act on advice.”

He even joked:

“The Governor’s role is so limited, so ornamental…

few would want to stand for election.”

How tragic that the role he called ornamental has become a weapon in federal politics.

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🔥 K.R. Narayanan’s Question — More Relevant Than Ever

“Has the Constitution failed us,

or have we failed the Constitution?”

Today, we know the answer:

➡️ It is the people in high office who are failing the Constitution.

The Supreme Court’s responsibility is not just to interpret words —

but to protect the soul behind those words.

If a constitutional office is misused to weaken democracy,

the courts must step in.

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🧩 Why It Matters for UPSC Mains

This issue lies at the center of:

• Federalism

• Separation of powers

• Cooperative governance

• Democratic accountability

• Spirit vs Letter of the Constitution

Use in:

• GS-II answers

• Federalism Essay

• Polity Ethics case studies

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✨ High-Impact Closing Line (Write this exactly)

“The Constitution did not fail — we let its guardians fail it.

When the law is twisted to delay democracy, courts must restore the spirit Ambedkar fought for.”

Kerala’s Ageing Population — A Turning Point in India’s Demographic Story

 

Kerala’s Ageing Population — A Turning Point in India’s Demographic Story

Kerala — the State once celebrated for pioneering India’s human development success — now stands at the edge of a demographic cliff.

A new projection by the International Institute of Migration and Development reveals a future where:

• Almost one in every three people in Kerala will be above 60 by 2051

• Its median age will rise to 47, the oldest in the nation

• The working-age population will start shrinking, slowing the engines of Kerala’s economy

Kerala is slowly transitioning from a demographic dividend to → demographic burden.

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📉 A Population That Peaks… and Then Falls

Kerala’s population:

• Rises marginally from 3.58 crore (2026) to 3.62 crore in 2041

• Then slides downward to 3.55 crore by 2051

This marks the moment when life expectancy triumphs over fertility:

• Life expectancy → 82.9 years

• Total Fertility Rate → 1.4, among the lowest in the world

This is not mere statistics —

This is a society growing older faster than it can replenish itself.

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🧓 A Society of the Elderly

By 2051:

• 30.6% of the population will be senior citizens

• 6.4% will be 80+ — the largest share in India

These are not just numbers —

There are millions requiring care, pensions, respect, and support.

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🌆 A Nearly Entirely Urban Kerala

Urbanisation is rewriting the map of the State:

• From 47.7% urban (2011)

• To 91.1% urban by 2051

Villages will not disappear — but they will age, quietly, in the shadow of expanding cities.

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🧠 What This Means for Governance

Kerala’s next challenge is not literacy or healthcare —

it is long-term dignity.

Aged parents without children nearby.

Hospitals are full, but homes are empty.

The economy is vibrant, but the workforce is shrinking.

Policies must now shift to:

• Geriatric and palliative care

• Stable pensions

• Elderly-friendly housing and transport

• Migration management to sustain the labour force

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🧩 A Tale of Two Indias

While Kerala grows grey, states like Bihar remain young and expanding.

India must now plan for:

• Population imbalances

• Workforce mobility

• Shared development responsibilities

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✨ A Line for UPSC Mains (High Impact)

“Kerala’s success in population control has birthed a new governance challenge — a future where longevity is a celebration, but dependency is a burden.”

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🎯 UPSC Mains Question (Expressive Answer)

“Kerala’s demographic achievements now demand demographic wisdom.”

Discuss in light of recent population projections.

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💡 In One Sentence

Kerala is poised to become the oldest State, not because it failed —

But because it succeeded too early.

Menstruation Proof Case at MDU, Haryana (Supreme Court Notice)

 

Menstruation Proof Case at MDU, Haryana (Supreme Court Notice)

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1️⃣ DETAILED BOOKLET VERSION (for mains/essay)

1. Issue in News

• Allegation: Female sanitation workers at Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU), Haryana) were allegedly asked to prove they were menstruating by sending pictures.

• Supreme Court took cognisance and issued notice to the Centre, Haryana Govt, and others on a petition filed by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA).

• Hearing listed for December 15.

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2. Key Facts of the Case

• Women sanitation workers are allegedly forced to submit photographic “proof” of their periods.

• FIR: Three persons connected with MDU booked for sexual harassment (31 October).

• University action:

  • Two supervisors suspended.

  • Internal inquiry ordered.

• SC Bench: Justices B.V. Nagarathna & R. Mahadevan.

• SC remarks:

  • “This reflects the mindset.”

  • Refers to period leave practice (e.g., Karnataka) and says: “Will they now ask for proof for granting leave?”

  • Points out that if workers can’t do heavy work, others can be deployed instead of humiliating them.

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3. Constitutional & Legal Dimensions

(a) Fundamental Rights Involved

• Article 14 – Equality before the law

• Article 15 – Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of sex

• Article 21 – Right to life with dignity, privacy, bodily autonomy

  • Forcing women to “prove” menstruation = violation of dignity, privacy, and bodily integrity.

(b) Relevant Laws & Policies

• POSH Act, 2013 (Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace):

  • Unwelcome acts with sexual overtones, humiliation, and harassment at the workplace.

• Labour & health-related protections:

  • Right to safe and humane working conditions (linked to DPSPs like Article 42 – just and humane conditions of work).

• Right to Health – read into Art. 21 by SC in various judgments.

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4. Core Issues Highlighted

1. Menstruation Stigma & Taboo

   • Treating periods as something suspicious or shameful.

   • Lack of sensitisation among supervisors and officials.

2. Violation of Bodily Autonomy & Privacy

   • Demanding photographic proof interferes with:

     • Personal bodily space

     • Mental health

     • Sense of dignity

3. Power Imbalance & Vulnerable Workers

   • Sanitation workers → often poor, informal, socially marginalised (caste + gender).

   • Fear of job loss → less likely to complain.

4. Workplace Gender Justice Deficit

   • Lack of:

     • Gender-sensitive training

     • Clear SOPs for leave, medical conditions

     • Functional grievance redressal mechanisms.

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5. Reliefs & Directions Sought in the Plea

• A detailed inquiry into the incident by the Centre and the Haryana Government.

• Guidelines to ensure:

  • Protection of health, dignity, bodily autonomy, and privacy of menstruating women and girls.

  • Prevention of such practices nationally, not just in this one case.

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6. Larger Significance

(a) For Women’s Rights

• Pushes the conversation from “sanitary pads only” to privacy, dignity, rights-based framework.

• Connects menstrual health with workplace rights and human rights.

(b) For Governance & Institutions

• Highlights the need for:

  • Gender-sensitisation in universities, government offices, and contractors.

  • Stronger enforcement of POSH and labour protections in outsourced/contract-based work.

  • Monitoring of sanitation work conditions (often ignored).

(c) For Jurisprudence

• SC may:

  • Lay down guidelines on handling menstruation-related issues at the workplace.

  • Further strengthen the link between privacy (Puttaswamy judgment) and women’s bodily autonomy.

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7. Way Forward – Points for Mains Answers

1. Policy & Guidelines

   • National / State-level guidelines on:

     • Menstrual hygiene at the workplace

     • Privacy norms (no intrusive proof)

     • Clear leave and light-duty policies.

2. Institutional Mechanisms

   • Active Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs) under the POSH Act.

   • Independent oversight for sanitation/contract workers.

3. Awareness & Sensitisation

   • Mandatory gender and menstrual health training for all supervisors.

   • Integration in university and government HR policies.

4. Infrastructure

   • Clean toilets, disposal facilities, and restrooms for women workers.

   • Access to sanitary products, especially for low-income women workers.

5. Changing Mindset

   • Menstruation is treated as a normal biological process, not a reason for humiliation.

   • Use of media, schools, and workplaces to fight stigma.

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8. UPSC Answer Framework

(a) Possible GS-II Question (10/15 marks)

“The Maharshi Dayanand University menstruation proof incident illustrates how deeply rooted menstrual stigma intersects with workplace discrimination in India.” Discuss with reference to constitutional rights and needed reforms.

Intro (2–3 lines)

• Briefly mention the SC notice + humiliation of women workers.

Body – Organise as:

1. Rights Violated

   • Art. 14, 15, 21; POSH Act; dignity, privacy.

2. Nature of Discrimination

   • Gender-based, caste-class angle of sanitation workers.

3. Structural Problems

   • Informal work, lack of grievance systems, and insensitivity.

4. Needed Reforms

   • Guidelines, training, menstrual policies, and institutional accountability.

Conclusion

• Emphasise that true gender justice requires recognising menstruation as a health and dignity issue, not a basis for control or humiliation.

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2️⃣ QUICK REVISION VERSION (for last-minute notes)

📝 Topic 1: MDU Menstruation Proof Case – SC Notice

• In News:
  Female sanitation workers at Maharshi Dayanand University (Haryana) allegedly asked to prove menstruation via photos → SC issues notice to Centre & Haryana.

• Key Facts

  • Nearly 3 accused booked for sexual harassment.

  • 2 supervisors suspended; internal probe ordered.

  • Bench: Justices B.V. Nagarathna & R. Mahadevan.

  • Next hearing: Dec 15.

• Rights Involved

  • Art. 14 – Equality

  • Art. 15 – No discrimination on sex

  • Art. 21 – Dignity, privacy, bodily autonomy

  • Art. 42 (DPSP) – Humane work conditions

  • POSH Act, 2013 – Protection from sexual harassment at workplace.

• Core Issues

  • Menstruation stigma + humiliation

  • Violation of bodily privacy

  • Vulnerable women workers (sanitation, often marginalised)

  • Abuse of power by supervisors

• Petition Asks

  • Detailed inquiry into incident

  • National guidelines to protect menstruating women’s:

    • Health

    • Dignity

    • Autonomy

    • Privacy

• Why Important for UPSC

  • GS-II: Fundamental Rights, Women's Rights, POSH

  • GS-I: Women's Issues, social stigma

  • GS-IV: Human dignity, empathy, duty of public functionaries

• Value-add line (remember this):

  “Treating menstruation as something to be ‘proven’ converts a natural biological process into a tool of control and humiliation.”