29 March 2025: PIB Summary For UPSC

1. Losing the thread

(Source – Indian Express, Section – The Editorial Page – Page No. – 14)

Topic: GS3 – Agriculture

Context

India, once a leading cotton producer and exporter, has become a net importer due to policy paralysis, regulatory roadblocks, and a failure to adopt new agricultural technologies.

 The Boom Years: A Cotton Revolution

• Between 2002-03 and 2013-14, India witnessed a phenomenal rise in cotton production, almost tripling from 13.6 million bales to 39.8 million bales.
• This growth was driven by the adoption of genetically modified (GM) Bt cotton hybrids, which helped Indian farmers increase their yields and reduce their dependence on pesticides.
• India also transitioned from being a net importer to a major exporter of cotton, surpassing the United States in cotton production by 2015-16.
• The country’s cotton revolution was marked by widespread adoption of technology, which contributed to higher yields and global market dominance.

About Cotton

Cotton is one of the most important commercial crops cultivated in India and accounts for around 25% of the total global cotton production. Due to its economic importance in India, it is also termed as “White-Gold”. In India, around 67% of India’s cotton is grown on rain-fed areas and 33% on irrigated areas. Growing Conditions: Cotton cultivation necessitates a hot, and sunny climate with a long frost-free period. It is most productive in warm and humid climatic conditions. Cotton can be successfully grown in a range of soil types, including well-drained deep alluvial soils in northern regions, variable-depth black clayey soils in the central region, and mixed black and red soils in the southern zone. While cotton exhibits some tolerance to salinity, it is highly sensitive to waterlogging, emphasizing the importance of well-drained soils in cotton farming.

Decline in Cotton Production: A Self-Inflicted Crisis

• However, the upward trajectory of Indian cotton was short-lived. By 2024-25, production plummeted to 29.5 million bales, the lowest since 2008-09.
• Worse still, India became a net importer of cotton, relying on supplies from the US, Australia, Egypt, and Brazil.
• This sharp decline is not a result of any external imperialist conspiracy but rather a consequence of domestic policy failures and regulatory hurdles.
• National lint yields have dropped below 450 kg per hectare, a steep fall from the peak of 566 kg per hectare in 2013-14.

Technological Advancements and the Role of GM Cotton

• India’s rise as a cotton powerhouse was largely fueled by its willingness to embrace new technologies.
• Innovations by Indian scientists, such as C.T. Patel’s H-4 hybrid and B.H. Katarki’s Varalaxmi hybrid, laid the foundation for high-yielding cotton varieties.
• The introduction of Bt cotton hybrids in 2002-03, followed by second-generation Bollgard-II technology in 2006, further boosted productivity and made India a global leader in cotton cultivation.
• However, the country’s reluctance to approve newer technologies has led to stagnation and decline in recent years.

Policy Paralysis and the GM Crop Ban

• India’s cotton crisis can be traced back to policy decisions that hindered agricultural innovation.
• The turning point came during the second term of the UPA government, when a moratorium was imposed on GM Bt brinjal, despite approval from the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee.
• The NDA government further tightened restrictions, halting even field trials of GM crops.
• The treatment of GM crops as “hazardous substances” under the Environment Protection Act, 1986, has discouraged scientific advancements in agriculture.

Regulatory Hurdles and Their Consequences

• The bureaucratic roadblocks have not been limited to foreign technologies.
• Several indigenous GM crop innovations, including Delhi University’s hybrid mustard and National Botanical Research Institute’s pest-resistant cotton varieties, have faced insurmountable regulatory challenges.
• The regulatory system, driven more by fear and activism than by scientific evidence, has stalled progress, leaving Indian farmers without access to advanced crop varieties.
• Meanwhile, courts have stepped in to decide on matters that should be handled by experts, further complicating the approval process.

The Economic Fallout: India’s Growing Cotton Imports

• The decline in cotton production has had significant economic consequences.
• India’s cotton imports have doubled in value, from $518.4 million in April-January 2023-24 to $1,040.4 million in the same period of 2024-25.
• At the same time, exports have fallen, shrinking from $729.4 million to $660.5 million.
• The resurgence of pink bollworm infestations, which were identified as a growing threat as early as 2014, has exacerbated the crisis.
• The refusal to adopt newer pest-resistant GM cotton varieties has left Indian farmers vulnerable to yield losses.

Who Benefits? The Global Cotton Giants

• India’s shift from a net exporter to a net importer of cotton ultimately benefits the world’s leading cotton-exporting nations, particularly the US and Brazil.
• These countries are expected to lobby for the removal of India’s 11% import duty on cotton.
• The situation is reminiscent of India’s decision in 2021 to permit imports of GM soyameal, setting a precedent for allowing GM corn imports in the future.
• Ironically, while Indian policymakers continue to restrict GM cotton cultivation domestically, they seem willing to accept genetically modified imports, raising questions about the true intent behind these regulations.

The Farmer’s Plight and the Activist Influence

• Throughout this crisis, Indian farmers have been denied access to cutting-edge agricultural technology.
• Their voices have been drowned out by activists and bureaucrats who blocked field trials in the name of environmental concerns, while the same activists have remained silent as GM soyameal and corn enter India through major ports.
• The failure to empower Indian farmers with better technology has placed them at a competitive disadvantage, making them reliant on expensive imported cotton.

Conclusion:

• India’s cotton crisis is a direct result of policy missteps and an overly cautious regulatory approach.
• The refusal to adopt new GM technologies, combined with bureaucratic inefficiencies and judicial overreach, has led to a decline in production and a growing dependence on imports.
• If India wants to reclaim its position as a global cotton leader, it must embrace scientific advancements, streamline regulatory approvals, and prioritize the needs of its farmers over unsubstantiated fears.
• The future of Indian cotton depends on bold policy decisions that foster innovation rather than hinder it.

PYQ: Analyse the factors for the highly decentralized cotton textile industry in India. (2013)

Practice Question: India, once a global leader in cotton production and exports, is now a net importer due to policy paralysis and regulatory hurdles.” Critically analyze the factors leading to this decline and suggest policy measures to revive the cotton sector in India. (250 Words /15 marks)

2. The new reading and writing

(Source – Indian Express, Section – The Ideas Page – Page No. – 15)

Topic: GS3 – Science & Technology

Context

India must prioritize AI literacy as a fundamental skill to remain competitive and innovative in the AI-driven future.

 The Shift from Traditional to AI Literacy

• In 1947, India had a literacy rate of just 12%, which has since risen to over 75%, fueling economic mobility, global competitiveness, and innovation.
• However, just as the industrial era demanded proficiency in reading and writing, the AI era requires a new form of fluency—AI literacy.
• The ability to understand and interact with artificial intelligence will shape the future, much like traditional literacy did in the past.

Why AI Literacy Matters

• AI is no longer limited to tech companies; it is embedded in workplaces, classrooms, healthcare, finance, and entertainment.
• Just as reading and writing have been fundamental to human progress, AI literacy will determine who shapes the future and who merely consumes it.
• The Indian economy is already being reshaped by AI, and the key question is whether young Indians will have the skills to control AI or be controlled by it.

Computational Thinking: A Foundation for AI Literacy

• In the early 2000s, computational thinking (CT) emerged as a fundamental skill, emphasizing problem-solving, abstraction, and algorithmic logic.
• Many countries have integrated CT into their school curricula, but India’s approach has been slow, often limited to IT-sector skilling programs.
• To fully harness AI, AI literacy must extend beyond technical fields, covering school education, workforce training, and broader societal engagement.

Defining AI Literacy

AI literacy is more than just coding; it involves three key dimensions:

1. Human-AI Collaboration – Understanding AI systems and working with them as co-pilots rather than passive users.
2. Critical AI Awareness – Recognizing bias, fairness, and ethical implications in AI-generated decisions.
3. Problem-Solving with AI – Applying AI creatively to solve real-world challenges, regardless of technical expertise.

True AI literacy cultivates problem-solving, abstraction, and systems thinking, much like traditional literacy is not about writing novels but about basic comprehension and critical thinking.

India’s Opportunity in the AI Era

• India has long been a global leader in IT services and outsourcing, but this model has constrained its role as an innovator.
• The AI revolution presents a chance for India to move beyond being a service provider to becoming a global AI leader.
• Initiatives like Wadhwani AI’s agricultural solutions and Sarvam AI’s generative AI breakthroughs showcase India’s potential, but scaling such innovation requires investment in AI education, research, and entrepreneurship.

The Need for a National AI Literacy Initiative

To position India as a global AI innovator, a multi-pronged approach is essential:

1. Integrating AI into school curricula – Ensuring AI education is accessible across public and private schools, both rural and urban.
2. Experiential AI maker labs – Establishing hands-on learning environments to promote practical AI skills.
3. Investing in AI and the future of work – Focusing on workforce reskilling and preparing youth for an AI-driven economy.
4. Cultivating AI literacy for the masses – Making AI literacy initiatives culturally and contextually relevant for all Indians.
5. Launching a national AI literacy platform – Connecting stakeholders across government, industry, and education to drive AI literacy forward.

Conclusion:

• AI literacy is not optional—it is a necessity for India’s future competitiveness, innovation, and societal well-being.
• Just as traditional literacy unlocked economic and social progress, AI literacy is the next great unlock.
• The key question remains: Will India lead the AI revolution, or will it lag behind?

Practice Question: As artificial intelligence becomes a key driver of economic and technological change, AI literacy is emerging as a fundamental skill for the future.” Discuss the importance of AI literacy in India and suggest measures to integrate it into education and workforce training. (250 Words /15 marks)

 

Check this post out 28 March 2025: PIB Summary For UPSC