Why in News?

A 1993 Nobel laureate told ESTIC that the fear of Indians becoming dependent on foreign companies by adopting GM crops is “nonsense”.

He said the work can be done in, and owned by, Indian laboratories.

Key Facts: GM Crops

• Meaning: GM crops have their genes changed by laboratory transfer of genes from another organism.
• CRISPR-Cas9: A guide RNA steers the Cas9 enzyme to a spot in DNA to cut it.
• Regulator: The GEAC under the Environment Ministry, under the 1989 Rules of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
• GM food: The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 needs FSSAI approval for GM food.
• Bt cotton: Approved in 2002, it is the only GM crop in commercial cultivation.
• Bt brinjal: Cleared in 2009, with an indefinite moratorium in 2010.
• GM mustard: DMH-11 from Delhi University was approved for environmental release by the GEAC on 25 October 2022.
• Supreme Court: A split verdict on 23 July 2024. Both judges asked the Centre to frame a national policy on GM crops.
• Genome editing: A March 2022 memorandum exempts SDN-1 and SDN-2 edits from GM rules. SDN-3 stays regulated.
• Genome-edited rice: Kamala (DRR Dhan 100) and Pusa DST Rice 1 were released on 4 May 2025.
• Golden Rice: Engineered in 1999 for a vitamin A precursor.

Why in News?

The Supreme Court’s Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has recommended measures to protect Himachal Pradesh’s environment, including a carrying capacity assessment of tourist destinations, completing pending compensatory afforestation and mandatory environmental clearance for hill roads with two or more lanes and for railway lines.

Key Points

• Approach: Move from a “permission-based approach” to scientific carrying capacity assessment, risk-sensitive planning and continuing compliance monitoring.
• Compensatory afforestation: 30,462 ha planted against a target of 34,169 ha, a shortfall of 10.85%. Only ₹592.69 crore was spent against a ₹1,110.81 crore plan (2020-26).
• Roads: An Ombudsman in each state for NHAI grievances. NHAI reported ₹198 crore of damage in 2021-26 and found 44 landslide-prone locations on Kiratpur-Manali.
• Hydropower: 866 of 1,007 projects are below 10 MW. Muck-dumping sites at Larji and Parvati are not fully restored.
• Tourism: Hotels rose 90.8% (2016-26) and homestays about 670%.
• Next step: The Himachal government has been given time to respond.

Background

• Case: The Supreme Court took suo motu note in July 2025 and asked the CEC in July 2026 to examine nine thematic issues.
• CEC: Set up by the Supreme Court on 9 May 2002 in the T.N. Godavarman case, constituted under Section 3(3) of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and made permanent in September 2023.
• Compensatory afforestation: Managed through CAMPA under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016.

Why in News?

Uttar Pradesh’s Food Safety and Drug Administration has issued guidelines on food colours after non-food-grade industrial dyes were found in chutney, ahead of Diwali.

Key Points

• UP’s guidelines: No colours in green and red chutneys. Rhodamine-B is banned in cotton candy and ice lollies, and industrial dyes in tikka, kebabs and fried fish. Vendors must account for the colours they buy.
• Rhodamine-B: Misused in cotton candy, chutney, kebabs and sweets. It can cause liver damage and cancer.
• Metanil Yellow: Misused in jalebi and turmeric. It is linked to neurotoxicity.
• Auramine O: Misused in sweets and savouries. It is linked to cancer and liver and kidney damage.
• Malachite Green: Misused in sweets and savouries. It is toxic and possibly carcinogenic.
• Sudan dyes: Misused in chilli powder, oils and sauces. They are linked to cancer.
• Orange II: Misused in sweets and red chilli. It damages red blood cells, liver and kidneys in animal studies.
• Permitted but risky: Tartrazine can cause hives and allergy, and Carmoisine can cause hypersensitivity.

Background

• FSS Act, 2006: It replaced the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954. FSSAI is the statutory body under it.
• Permitted synthetic colours: Eight under the 2011 Regulations: Ponceau 4R, Carmoisine, Erythrosine, Tartrazine, Sunset Yellow FCF, Indigo Carmine, Brilliant Blue FCF and Fast Green FCF. The usual limit is 100 ppm.
• Rhodamine-B: It is banned as a food colour.

Why in News?

Balbharati, Maharashtra’s State textbook bureau, has introduced new Class 6 textbooks under NEP 2020. They add ancient Indian science and scholars, cut some history content on caste and foreign invasion, and follow NCERT’s new books. It shows how a State applies a national policy in a subject shared by the Centre and States.

Key Points

• Books: Balbharati books reach over 1.4 crore students (about 65% of State enrolment) in State Board schools under the SCERT curriculum.
• What changed: Ancient Indian knowledge was added to history, geography and science. History lost content on caste, priestly privilege and foreign invasion.
• Link to the Centre: Balbharati says the changes follow NEP 2020’s emphasis on the Indian Knowledge System, and many match NCERT’s new Class 6 book of 2024.
• Federal point: A State can adopt a national policy voluntarily and write its own books.
• The contrast: Tamil Nadu keeps a two-language policy and in May 2025 filed a suit under Article 131 over ₹2,151 crore of Samagra Shiksha funds. It wants NEP 2020 and PM SHRI declared not binding unless a State accepts them.
• Courts: The Madras High Court said RTE Act funds need not be linked to NEP 2020.

Background

• Seventh Schedule: Education is Entry 25 of the Concurrent List. It was moved from the State List by the 42nd Amendment Act, 1976.
• Union’s role: Entry 66 of the Union List gives Parliament power over the coordination and determination of standards in higher education and research.
• Article 254: If a Union law and a State law on a Concurrent subject conflict, the Union law prevails, unless the State law has the President’s assent.
• RTE Act, 2009: Section 29 says the curriculum for elementary education is laid down by an academic authority specified by the appropriate Government. Article 21A gives the right to free and compulsory education for ages 6 to 14.
• NEP 2020: A policy, approved on 29 July 2020. It is not a law, so States implement it through their own bodies.
• NCF-SE 2023: The National Curriculum Framework for School Education was released on 23 August 2023, the first revision in 18 years.
• NCERT and SCERT: NCERT prepares the national framework and books, which are mandatory only for CBSE schools. States have SCERTs and State textbook bureaus such as Balbharati.
• Article 131: It gives the Supreme Court original jurisdiction in disputes between the Centre and States.