1. Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 – Constitutional Issues and SC Interim Order
GS Paper II – Polity & Governance (Separation of Powers, Judicial Review, Minority Rights, Secularism) with linkages to GS I (Society – Secularism, Communalism).
Context: The Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 sought to expand government and Waqf Board control over religious endowments, raising concerns about minority autonomy. Multiple petitions challenged its provisions in the Supreme Court, questioning excessive state intervention.
Introduction
The Supreme Court of India issued an interim order on September 15, 2025, regarding the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. While the Court declined to stay the entire Act, it temporarily suspended certain provisions pending further examination.
Provisions Stayed:
- District Collector’s Authority: A provision granting District Collectors the authority to adjudicate disputes over waqf properties was stayed. The Court found this to potentially violate the separation of powers by encroaching on judicial functions.
- Five-Year Islamic Practice Requirement: The Act required individuals to have been practicing Muslims for at least five years to dedicate property as waqf. This provision was stayed until rules clarify its application.
Provisions Not Stayed:
Other provisions, including those related to the composition of waqf boards and registration of waqf properties, remain in force.
Implications:
The interim order highlights tensions between state regulation and religious autonomy. The final judgment will have a significant impact on the governance and protection of waqf properties in India.
Constitutional Concerns
- Freedom of Religion (Arts. 25–26): Defining “practising Muslim” = state interference in faith.
- Equality & Non-Discrimination (Arts. 14–15): Excluding non-Muslims violates equality before law.
- Right to Property (Art. 300A): Abolition of waqf by user → dispossession without due process.
- Separation of Powers: Collector’s role struck down → only courts can adjudicate disputes.
- Judicial Review: SC acted as constitutional guardian, ensuring laws remain within limits.
Broader Implications
- Secularism: Selective intervention challenges India’s model of principled distance.
- Minority Rights: Over-regulation risks alienating communities.
- Governance: Centralization aids efficiency but risks bureaucratic overreach.
- Judicial Oversight: Interim order shows courts’ role in maintaining Rule of Law.
Way Forward
- Clear, non-intrusive definitions to avoid state policing of faith.
- Allow non-Muslims to create waqf for secular purposes → inclusive secularism.
- Protect “waqf by user” with safeguards instead of abolition.
- Ensure judicial supremacy in property disputes.
Conclusion
The Act and SC’s interim order reflect enduring tensions between regulation and religious autonomy. By striking down the Collector’s powers, the Court upheld Separation of Powers and Judicial Review, but left unresolved questions on Equality, Minority Rights, and Secularism. The final verdict will shape India’s constitutional approach to managing religious endowments.
2. Rising Overweight & Obesity in India – UNICEF Report
GS-2/GS-3 (Health, Nutrition, Human Resource Development)
Context
UNICEF warns of a sharp rise in obesity across all age groups in India. While undernutrition persists, India now faces a triple burden of malnutrition: undernutrition, micronutrient deficiency, and overweight/obesity.
Trends (Anchor Data)
- Children under 5: Overweight doubled from 1.5% (2005-06) to 3.4% (2019-21).
- Adolescents (10–19 yrs): Obesity/overweight 2.4% → 5.4% (girls), 1.7% → 6.6% (boys).
- Adults: Women 12.6% → 24%; Men 9.3% → 22.9%.
- Projection: By 2030, 27 million (11% global burden) Indian children/adolescents may be obese.
- Economic cost: $29 bn in 2019 → projected $839 bn by 2060 (~2.5% of GDP).
Structural Causes
- Nutrition Transition: Rise of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) displacing traditional diets.
- Lifestyle Shifts: Urbanisation → sedentary jobs, increased screen time, reduced physical activity.
- Food Environment: Aggressive marketing of unhealthy foods, weak consumer protections.
- Social Factors: Poor maternal nutrition & gender norms (women/girls eat last/least) heighten risks.
Implications
- Public Health: Spike in NCDs (diabetes, hypertension, heart disease) → long-term burden.
- Economic Costs: Productivity losses + rising healthcare expenditure.
- Equity: Obesity coexists with stunting in same communities → worsens inter-generational poverty.
- Governance: Nutrition policies skewed towards undernutrition; obesity prevention remains weak.
Policy Dimensions
- Existing measures: POSHAN Abhiyaan 2.0, Eat Right India, Fit India Movement.
- Gaps: Limited regulation of UPFs, weak school-level nutrition/lifestyle interventions.
- Needed shift: From calorie sufficiency to diet quality & balanced nutrition.
Way Forward
- Regulation: Front-of-pack labelling, higher taxes on sugary/processed foods, curb junk-food marketing to children.
- Behaviour Change: Scale up nutrition literacy and physical activity campaigns in schools.
- Integration: Adopt double-duty actions → ICDS & PM-POSHAN to address both undernutrition & obesity.
- Urban Design: Safer spaces for exercise; reduce obesogenic environments.
- Whole-of-Government approach: Health + Education + Food Processing + Urban ministries.
UPSC Keywords
- Triple burden of malnutrition
- Non-communicable diseases (NCDs)
- Ultra-processed foods (UPFs)
- Food environment
- Double-duty nutrition interventions
Conclusion
India’s rising obesity is a silent epidemic, threatening health, productivity, and economic stability. Select data already signal a looming crisis. The way forward lies in multi-sectoral governance, effective regulation, and nutrition-sensitive policies to ensure India’s demographic dividend does not turn into a health liability.
3. PLFS (Periodic Labour Force Survey)
Context – Rise of female youth unemployment
- Launched by: National Statistical Office (NSO), MoSPI, in 2017.
- Replaced: Earlier Employment–Unemployment Survey (EUS) of NSSO.
- Objective: Provide estimates of employment & unemployment at national and state level.
- Frequency:
- Annual Report (July–June) → for rural & urban.
- Quarterly Report → for urban areas only.
- From 2022 → monthly estimates also introduced.
- Indicators Measured:
- LFPR (Labour Force Participation Rate) = % of population in labour force.
- WPR (Worker Population Ratio) = % of employed persons in population.
- UR (Unemployment Rate) = % of unemployed in labour force.
- Reference Periods:
- Usual Status (365 days)
- Current Weekly Status (7 days)
- Latest (Aug 2025): UR fell to 5.1% (rural 4.3%, urban 6.7%).
4. WPI (Wholesale Price Index)
Context- WPI Inflation hits 4 months high.
- Released by: Office of Economic Adviser, DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
- Base Year: 2011–12 = 100.
- Coverage: Prices at wholesale/producer level (earlier than retail stage).
- Major Groups (weights):
- Primary Articles – 22.62%
- Fuel & Power – 13.15%
- Manufactured Products – 64.23%
- Excludes: Services sector.
- Difference from CPI:
- WPI → wholesale/producer level; broader basket of manufactured goods.
- CPI → retail level, more representative of consumer impact.
- Use: Key indicator for tracking inflation, monetary policy, price stability.
- Latest (Aug 2025): WPI inflation turned positive at 0.52%, after 2 months of deflation (driven by food & manufactured goods).
Quick UPSC Pointers
- PLFS = NSO, labour market, monthly/annual/quarterly data, LFPR-WPR-UR.
- WPI = DPIIT, base 2011–12, wholesale stage, 3 groups (Primary, Fuel, Manufacturing).
- CPI vs WPI = Consumer vs Producer level.
- Current Trend = Falling unemployment (PLFS), mild positive inflation after deflation (WPI).
5. Fertilizer Shortage in the country (GS 3 – Agriculture, Prelims facts)
Fertilizer Control Order (FCO), 1985 – regulates quality, distribution, prices.
- Types of Fertilizers
- Urea – only controlled fertilizer (subsidised), 45 kg bag fixed at ₹266.5.
- DAP (Di-ammonium Phosphate) – key non-urea fertilizer, subsidy under Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) Scheme.
- MOP (Muriate of Potash) – 100% imported.
- Complex fertilizers – NPK blends.
- Nutrient Content
- Urea → 46% Nitrogen.
- DAP → 18% N, 46% P.
- MOP → 60% K.
- India’s dependency: ~25% urea, 90% phosphate, 100% potash imports.
- Top suppliers: Russia, China, Jordan, Oman, Morocco.
- Schemes:
- Neem-coated Urea – prevents diversion, enhances efficiency.
- PM-PRANAM (2023) – incentivises states to reduce chemical fertilizer use.
- Nano Urea – IFFCO innovation to cut import bills.
Mains Points (Analytical)
Issues in Fertilizer Shortage
- Import Dependence → high vulnerability to global prices & supply shocks.
- Subsidy Burden → ₹2.1 lakh crore in FY24, fiscally unsustainable.
- Inefficient Usage → skewed NPK ratio (urea overuse, soil degradation).
- Leakages & Diversion → subsidised fertilizers diverted to industries/other countries.
- Distribution Challenges → delays in DBT payments, uneven regional supply.
Implications
- Agriculture Productivity → crop yields at risk.
- Farmer Distress → higher input costs, reduced profitability.
- Food Security → shortage may impact grain production.
- Environmental Impact → overuse worsens soil fertility, groundwater contamination, GHG emissions.
Way Forward
- Diversify import sources & boost domestic production capacity.
- Promote balanced fertilization (NPK + micronutrients + organic).
- Expand Nano-fertilizers & bio-fertilizers adoption.
- Rationalise subsidies, link to direct benefit to farmers.
- Strengthen soil health card usage & awareness.
