Prelims Pinpointer

Census in India

Core Concept

• Census is a systematic enumeration of population.
• Provides data on demography, socio-economic and cultural characteristics.
• Conducted at local, regional and national levels.

History

• First census conducted in 1872 (non-synchronous).
• First synchronous census held in 1881.
  • Conducted under W.C. Plowden, Census Commissioner of India.
• Census is carried out every 10 years.

Institutional Responsibility

• Conducted by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India (RGI).
• RGI functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Legal and Constitutional Basis

• Census is listed in the Union List (Entry 69) of the Seventh Schedule.
• Conducted under the Census Act, 1948.

Upcoming Census: Key Features

• Will be the 16th Census of India.
• It will be the 8th census after Independence.
• Census data will be collected digitally using a mobile application.
• Self-enumeration facility will be provided for the first time.

Pre-Census Preparations

• States must report changes in districts, towns and villages to RGI.
• Administrative boundaries are frozen before census operations.
• Boundary freeze occurs not earlier than one year before census reference date.
• Census work is preceded by house-listing enumeration.

Impeachment of Judges in India

Concept

• Impeachment refers to removal of Supreme Court or High Court judges.
• Grounds are proved misbehaviour or incapacity.
• The term “impeachment” is not explicitly used in the Constitution.

Constitutional and Legal Basis

• Article 124(4) governs removal of Supreme Court judges.
• Article 218 applies the same procedure to High Court judges.
• Procedure is detailed under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968.

Initiation of Motion

• Motion can be introduced in Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha.
• Requires support of 100 MPs in Lok Sabha or 50 MPs in Rajya Sabha.
• Motion proceeds only after acceptance by the Speaker or Chairman.

Inquiry Committee

• A three-member inquiry committee is constituted.
• Members include a Supreme Court judge, a High Court Chief Justice, and an eminent jurist.
• Committee conducts a quasi-judicial inquiry.

Parliamentary Approval

• Motion must be passed in both Houses of Parliament.
• Requires special majority:
  • Majority of total membership, and
  • Two-thirds of members present and voting.
• Final removal order issued by the President of India.

Key Facts

• Proceedings usually end if the judge resigns mid-process.
• No judge has been successfully impeached in India till date.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

Context: The Union government estimated real GDP growth at 7.4% for FY 2025-26, up from 6.5% recorded the previous year.

More in News

• Government released First Advance Estimates for FY26; nominal growth projected at 8% for the current financial year.
• Reserve Bank of India had estimated GDP growth at 7.3% for FY26, with Q3 at 7% and Q4 at 6.5%.
• Private consumption spending expected to grow at 7% in FY26, marginally slower than 7.2% recorded last year.
• Service sector (tertiary) expected to grow faster at 9.1% in FY26 from 7.2% in FY25 while capital formation to grow by 7.8%.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

• Core Concept

• • • GDP measures the total market value of final goods and services produced domestically.
    • GDP is used to assess the size and performance of an economy.
    • GDP growth may occur due to higher production, price rise, or both.

• Nominal and Real GDP

• • Nominal GDP is measured at current market prices.
  • Real GDP is measured at constant prices.
  • Real GDP excludes inflation effects using a price deflator.
  • Real GDP growth ≈ Nominal growth − Inflation.

• GDP Deflator

• • • GDP deflator reflects price movement from base year to current year.
    • GDP Deflator = Nominal GDP ÷ Real GDP.

• Methods of GDP Calculation

• Income Method

• • • • GDP calculated as sum of factor incomes.
      • Includes wages, rent and profits.

• Production Method

• • • • GDP measured through aggregate value of final output.
      • Expressed as Gross Value Added (GVA).

• Expenditure Method

• • • GDP derived from total expenditure in the economy.
    • Formula includes consumption, investment, government spending and net exports.
  • In India, GDP is estimated using income and expenditure methods.
• GDP data is released by the National Statistical Office.
  • NSO functions under Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.

Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)

Institutional Profile

• • BIS is India’s National Standards Body responsible for standardisation, certification and hallmarking.

• Establishment and Legal Basis

• • BIS was established in 1987.
  • Came into force on 1 April 1987.
  • Governed under the BIS Act, 2016.
  • Headquarters located in New Delhi.

Historical Evolution

• Indian Standards Institution (ISI) was set up in 1947.
• ISI Certification Marks Scheme launched during 1952–56.
• ISI was transformed into BIS in 1987.
• BIS Act, 2016 expanded statutory powers.

Core Functions

• Formulates Indian Standards across sectors.
• Operates product certification schemes.
• Implements Compulsory Registration Scheme.
• Runs Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme.
• Conducts hallmarking of precious metals.
• Provides laboratory testing and recognition services.

Recent Initiatives

• BIS Standardisation Portal launched for digital standards lifecycle.
• SHINE programme focuses on women-centric capacity building.
• BIS-SAKSHAM recognises institutional excellence.

Goldilocks Phase

Core Concept

• Goldilocks phase denotes an economy that is neither overheating nor slowing.
• Characterised by a balance between growth and inflation.

Key Features

• Economic growth remains steady and sustainable.
• Inflation stays low and stable.
• Interest rates remain moderate and manageable.
• Enables policy continuity without aggressive interventions.

Monetary Policy Context

• Inflation remains within or below RBI’s target range.
• Growth is strong but non-inflationary.
• Monetary conditions support investment, consumption and credit expansion.

Policy Significance

• Provides RBI policy space.
• Allows neutral or accommodative stance.
• Reduces need for frequent rate changes.
• Indicates effectiveness of inflation targeting framework.

Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC)

About the Platform

• • ONDC is an open, interoperable digital commerce network.
  • Enables platform-agnostic buying and selling using open protocols.
  • Designed to prevent platform monopolies.

• Launch and Ministry

• • • Launched in April 2022.
    • Implemented by DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

• Core Aim

• • Democratises e-commerce by breaking platform silos.
  • Creates a level playing field for sellers, buyers and service providers.
  • Focuses on MSMEs, competition and inclusivity.

Operating Model

• ONDC is a decentralised network, not a marketplace.
• Does not own listings or process orders.
• Uses open protocols and standard APIs for interoperability.

Key Participants

• Buyer apps handle search and ordering.
• Seller apps manage catalogues and pricing.
• Logistics providers handle delivery and tracking.
• Technology enablers provide digital infrastructure.

Domains Covered

• Includes Food & Beverage, Grocery and Electronics.
• Covers Mobility, including autos, cabs and metro.
• Extends to Financial Services and Agriculture.
• Includes ONEST for Education and Training.
  

Mpemba Effect

Context: Indian scientists simulated the Mpemba effect using a supercomputer model.

Core Concept

• • Mpemba effect describes hot water freezing faster than cold water under certain conditions.
  • It is a counterintuitive physical phenomenon.

• Discovery and Naming

• • Named after Erasto Mpemba.
  • Scientifically reported in 1969.
  • Phenomenon noted earlier by Aristotle, Francis Bacon and René Descartes.

• Scientific Nature

• • Occurs only under specific experimental conditions.
  • No single universal mechanism explains the effect.
  • Classified as a non-equilibrium thermodynamic phenomenon.

• Scientific Relevance

• • Relevant to phase transitions in physics.
  • Studied using computational and experimental methods