1. Follow the signpost and go inside READ MORE
2. Accept your errors READ MORE
3. Scientific Temper~I READ MORE
4. Scientific Temper~II READ MORE

1. Can the High Seas Treaty Protect the Wild West of The Oceans? READ MORE
2. Weather report. Shadow of El Nino over growth READ MORE

1. Married or partnered: Politics won’t defy a largely traditional society. So, civil unions may be a good first step for same-sex couples READ MORE
2. How Does Living with In-Laws Affect Women’s Employment? READ MORE
3. The tricky issue of marriage equality READ MORE  
4. Poverty, population proscribe progress READ MORE

1. A chance for India to shape a data governance regime: The crafting of the country’s data governance must enable a secure, more egalitarian, and trustworthy digital future for all READ MORE   
2. Why only appoint judges as arbitrators? READ MORE
3. What Opposition-free Govt really means for democracy READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. 21 Greenfield Airports are to be set up in the country, 11 are operationalized READ MORE  
2. 5-judge Constitution Bench to decide if same-sex marriages can be legal READ MORE
3. SEBI probing ‘market allegations’ on Adani Group, says Finance Ministry READ MORE
4. India said to bat for sovereign rating upgrade in review with global agencies READ MORE
5. Supreme Court directs Defence Ministry to file note on arrears due under One Rank One Pension scheme READ MORE
6. 246 vultures spotted in first-ever synchronised survey in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka READ MORE
7. EC tells Allahabad HC it does not have power to ban caste rallies by parties in non-election period READ MORE
8. Antiquities abroad: What Indian, international laws say READ MORE
9. IPES report highlights global hunger crisis amid high debt READ MORE  
10. US approves Willow oil drilling project in Alaska: What is the outrage around this READ MORE

Main Exam

GS Paper- 1

1. Married or partnered: Politics won’t defy a largely traditional society. So, civil unions may be a good first step for same-sex couples READ MORE
2. How Does Living with In-Laws Affect Women’s Employment? READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. A chance for India to shape a data governance regime: The crafting of the country’s data governance must enable a secure, more egalitarian, and trustworthy digital future for all READ MORE   
2. Why only appoint judges as arbitrators? READ MORE
3. What Opposition-free Govt really means for democracy READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. The tricky issue of marriage equality READ MORE  
2. Poverty, population proscribe progress READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. China as peace dealer: The recent Iran-Saudi Arabia agreement is significant for the region READ MORE  
2. India-Australia ties get a boost READ MORE
3. New beginnings in West Asia READ MORE
4. A year of Ukraine Crisis: Where do EU-India relations stand? READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. A fragile momentum: On the economy and India’s growth READ MORE  
2. How the Silicon Valley Bank debacle unfolded & rocked India’s start-up ecosystem READ MORE
3. Clear the regulatory air over loan apps READ MORE
4. India’s Agriculture Is Feeling the Effects of Extreme Weather Events READ MORE

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

1. Display technologies on the fast lane READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Can the High Seas Treaty Protect the Wild West of The Oceans? READ MORE
2. Weather report. Shadow of El Nino over growth READ MORE

SECURITY

1. China-Russia cybersecurity ties taking darker turns. India needs to worry too READ MORE

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

1. Lessons from Turkey: How to make India earthquake prepared READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. Follow the signpost and go inside READ MORE
2. Accept your errors READ MORE
3. Scientific Temper~I READ MORE
4. Scientific Temper~II READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. Enumerates the reasons those are major factors for women’s under-representation in Civil Services. What are those factors that lead women to opt out of civil services?
2. In a country like India, where inequality is so prominent, a development scheme can come a cropper if it lacks inclusivity. In light of the statement, discuss how the new changes in the MPLADS scheme Will Make it More Centralised and Less Inclusive?
3. While the judgment on the CEC appointment produces an outcome that strengthens Indian democracy, it equally strengthens the court’s institutional legitimacy. Examine.
4. Any revision should have been to enrich the scheme rather than diluting the essence of inclusivity. Comment on the statement un the light of government decision on MPLADS scheme.
5. While committees and reform commissions have repeatedly stressed on civil servants becoming customer-centric and people-friendly, the situation on the ground appears to be very different. In light of the statement, discuss whether the focus of civil services reforms should be on citizen satisfaction rather than officer performance?

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• A good settlement is better than a good lawsuit.
• Security is an ever-changing landscape.
• Rapid international transportation and the use of sophisticated weapons have helped the expansion of terrorist networks globally.
• Appointments to top positions in the UN have also been captured by China in the two decades, giving it the unfair advantage of running its stated national policies through a global platform like the UN, thereby sculling many relevant interests of other member nations including India.
• It is observed that income inequalities among Indians are unlikely to be narrowed down on their own from trickledown effect of income growth.
• Our schools, colleges and universities possess large untapped potential. The need of the hour is to provide sports facilities to the upcoming sportspersons, provide them facilities and a conducive environment to nurture themselves.
• Indian civil society remains hierarchical and fragmented with the desire of integrating itself into ruling power structures.
• India, which holds the presidency of the G-20, has been repeatedly stressing the need for a globally coordinated regulatory response to deal with crypto assets.
• Despite performative obeisance to the idea by the state, decentralisation has always been hostage to a number of contradictory impulses.
• The lack of clarity over municipal governance, and the hijacking of cities by the political economy of contracting, makes the idea of cities being governed by some sort of collective deliberation a bit of a joke.
• Local government requires many technical, administrative and financial fixes. There is a case to be made that the distinction between the 73rd and 74th amendments is now obsolete.
• The guiding philosophy behind decentralisation was a faith in institutions. These were meant to be the pathways to inclusive growth and active citizenship. You cannot have inclusive growth without inclusive governance, so went the mantra.
• The non-seriousness about the 73rd and 74th amendments is a lack of seriousness about democracy itself.
• The domains of ‘public’ and ‘private’ have become separated in the market economy. The needs of the masses must be heeded, not just the needs of the classes who have wealth to invest in markets.
• The management of the economy must become a PPPP enterprise — People, Public, Private Partnership. ‘People’, the missing ‘P’ in PPP, must be included and come first.

ESSAY TOPIC

• Women are ready to take charge of this era but they can’t leave their responsibilities behind.

50-WORD TALK

• Another corruption scandal and Karnataka’s Bommai government is bouncing on potholes, as if driving on Bengaluru’s roads. Don’t write off MLA Virupakshappa in coming election though. Rousing welcome after securing bail suggests normalisation of corruption. Karnataka Lokayukta deserves praise, but for real change, voters have to feel revulsion with corruption.
• NAAC chairman Bhushan Patwardhan’s resignation after alleging corruption in higher education institute grading calls for a systemic audit. Can the young rely on ratings? Is the system gamed? Is there political interference? Aspirational Indians depend on the index to make decisions for their future. It’s time to review and reform.

 Things to Remember:

• For prelims-related news try to understand the context of the news and relate with its concepts so that it will be easier for you to answer (or eliminate) from given options.
• Whenever any international place will be in news, you should do map work (marking those areas in maps and exploring other geographical locations nearby including mountains, rivers, etc. same applies to the national places.)
• For economy-related news (banking, agriculture, etc.) you should focus on terms and how these are related to various economic aspects, for example, if inflation has been mentioned, try to relate with prevailing price rises, shortage of essential supplies, banking rates, etc.
• For main exam-related topics, you should focus on the various dimensions of the given topic, the most important topics which occur frequently and are important from the mains point of view will be covered in ED.
• Try to use the given content in your answer. Regular use of this content will bring more enrichment to your writing.

[WpProQuiz 441]

THE CONTEXT: India’s Parliament approved the Wages Code in August 2019, and the Code on Industrial Relations, Code on Social Security, and the Code on Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions in September 2020. It published these Codes in the Official Gazette for general information.

The four Labour Codes envisage strengthening the protection available to workers, including unorganized workers in terms of statutory minimum wage, social security and healthcare of workers.  Some of the important provisions are as follows: –

SOME OF THE IMPORTANT PROVISIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS

CODE ON WAGES, 2019

• A statutory right for minimum wages and timely payment of wages has been made available to all workers to support sustainable growth and inclusive development.

INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS CODE, 2020

• To avoid multiple interpretations and litigations, a uniform definition of ‘wages’ across all the four Labour Codes has been provided that is simple, coherent and easy to enforce.
• Statutory provision has been made for the first time to issue an appointment letter to every employee of the establishment which leads to the formalized contract of employment that increases job security and enables a worker to claim statutory benefits such as minimum wages, social security etc.

CODE ON SOCIAL SECURITY, 2020

• Statutory provision has been made for the first time to issue appointment letter to every employee of the establishment which leads to formalized contract of employment that increases job security and enables a worker to claim statutory benefits such as minimum wages, social security etc.
• Provision of Re-skilling Fund for skill development of workers.
• The gig worker and the platform worker have been defined for the purpose of formulating schemes to provide social security benefits. Social security schemes can be formulated from the contribution of aggregators and the other sources can include funds from the Central and State Governments.
• The Central Government may extend benefits to unorganised workers, gig workers and platform workers and the members of their families through Employees’ State Insurance Corporation or Employees’ Provident Fund Organization.
• A worker engaged under Fixed Term Employment (FTE) is entitled for all the benefits which are available to permanent employees and has also been made eligible for gratuity if he renders service for a period of one year.
• Every worker is entitled to annual leave with wages after working for 180 days in comparison to 240 days at present.
• Applicability of Employees’ Provident Fund has been extended to all industries as against scheduled industries at present.

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY, HEALTH AND WORKING CONDITIONS CODE, 2020

• Provision for annual health check-up and medical facilities has also been made which enhances labour productivity and increases life expectancy.

EFFECTS ON WOMEN LABOUR FORCE PARTICIPATION

While 75.1% of men, in the 15–59 age group, were in the workforce in 2018–19, for women in the same age group, it was only 25.0%, reporting a gap of more than 50 percentage points for the year.

The work participation rate (WPR) of women dec­lined from 44.2% in 2004–05 to 25% in 2018–19. The decline in WPR for women is greater in rural areas compared to urban areas. Thus, the New code help in increasing the workforce participation of women by providing them equity in the working environment.

CONDITION OF UNEMPLOYMENT

STATISTICS:

• As per the estimates of PLFS 2018–19, out of the total employment 91.1% of women are infor­mal workers which reflecting on their weak socioeconomic security.
• The increasing share of casual workers and self-employed women workers disadvantages them from regular employment contracts. The sectoral segregation and concentration of women in low-paying jobs have deprived them of employment protection.
• With regard to access to social security, it is evident that only 39.2% of women workers in regular salaried employment were eligible for any social security benefits while a majority 55.8% were not eligible.

MEASURES TAKEN:

• Labour on Social Security Code has included the unorganised worker in the definitions of “workers” .
• Protection through the labour regulations is critical for add­ressing the concerns of female labour force participation.

ISSUES:

• The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour on Social Security Code had informed about the multiplicity of definitions of “workers” which might lead to confusion. Though the Unorganised Workers Social Security Act (UWSSA) intends to cover all unorganised sector workers, the domestic workers are still not included.
• Though the Social Security Code 2020 has tried to include domestic workers in the definition of “wage worker,” yet an exclusive definition has not been adopted.

REPRESENTATION IN DECISION MAKING IN THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE

• Prohibiting gender discrimination in wage payment has been incorporated into the Code vide Section 3 of the Code on Wages 2019. This is in conformity with ILO Convention 100 on equal remuneration and Convention 111 on discrimination (employment and occupation).
• It provides for the constitution of the Central Advisory Board and State Advisory Boards and stipulates that at least one-third members shall be women.
  • This will increase in the about force participation rate
  • It also has an important role to play in determining and fixing minimum wages.

GENDER AND MATERNITY RIGHTS

• A majority of workers in the informal sector do not have access to institutional social security. This convention talks about social security schemes, which are partially being fulfilled by state governments through the Unorganised Workers Social Security Act 2008.
• The most important social security provision for women workers that is provided in the new code is maternity benefit. The code on Social Security 2020 subsumes the existing Maternity Benefit Act (MBA) 1961 and maternity benefit provisions are detailed in Chapter VI of the said code. Existing provisions, in MBA 1961, have been kept intact in the new code and included as a chapter. The quantum of maternity benefits has been enh­anced through an amendment in 2017
• The Code on Social Security 2020 does provide maternity benefits in the form of maternity benefit scheme for unorganised workers and it is being extended for gig and platform workers (a sub-set of the broader unorga­nised labour). The term social security is explicitly defined in the new code and maternity benefit for unorganised, gig and platform workers has been included within the purview of social security.
• The definition of unorganised workers includes home-based and self-employed workers where women are engaged in greater numbers. As per the code definition, “unorganised worker” means a home-based, self-employed or a wage worker and includes a worker in the organised sector who is not covered by the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947

ISSUES

• However, in the Social Security Code 2020, informal women workers are not covered for the institutional maternity benefit as the specific act is applicable for establishments having 10 or more workers. Thus, maternity coverage in true sense of the term is limited to formal women workers only. Informal women workers are covered under the social security scheme.

THE WAY FORWARD

 In the case of self-employment and ambiguous employer–employee relations, the state needs to be involved in the provision of maternity entitlements through appropriate schemes. Labour welfare boards, health departments, and anganwadi centres have to be involved and their activities coordinated.

REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN TRADE UNIONS

Industrial Relations Code 2020 is gender neutral. Representation of women in the decision-making body is imperative for raising issues specific to women workers which were not prioritised in the earlier legislations.

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AT THE WORKPLACE

The OSH Code has amalgamated 13 labour legislations including the Factories Act 1948, which had earlier prohibited night work for women. But, the new code has introduced a special provision for women wherein it has enabled consenting women to work beyond 7.00 pm and before 6.00 am, subject to employers’ compliance with the conditions relating to safety, holidays and working hours be prescribed by the government. However, the government can prohibit the employment of women in some operations that are dangerous to their health.

                Section 67 of the draft rules, for facilitating night working hours for women employees, transport facilities need to be arranged by the employer.

ISSUES:  OSHWC Code 2020 is applicable to establishments having 10 or more workers, women workers in the informal sector would not get legal protection as provided in the POSH Act 2013. Also, broadly, because of this applicability threshold (10 workers or more), women informal workers, including migrant women workers, are excluded from the health, safety and working condition provisions outlined in the OSHWC Code 2020. They are also outside the coverage of health and safety legislation.

SANITATION

The new code requires that employers make sufficient arrangement for latrine and urinal accommodation to male, female and transgender employees separately and maintain hygiene therein and include provision of separate bathing facilities along with a locker room.

ISSUES: OSHWC Code 2020 is its selective applicability. As per Section 2(v) an “establishment” means (i) a place where any industry, trade, business, manufacturing or occupation is carried on in which 10 or more workers are employed.8 This implies that for establishments employing less than 10 workers, provisions of this code would not apply.

THE WAY FORWARD

• There is a need for comprehensive coverage of women through women-centric initiatives. This will help in solving the problem of exclusivity problem of women in the Workspace related issues. The code should comprehensively cover all the establishments.

THE CONCLUSION: In all four codes, the term “worker” or “employee” has always been referred to as “he,” which implies how workers are perceived as male entities by the lawmakers. This itself is problematic and needs to be rectified in the first instance. The new labour codes have the potential to protect certain rights of women workers but are plagued with significant gaps that need to be addressed urgently. Some of these gaps can be filled by the state governments while finalising the rules. The discourse on labour rights for women needs to move beyond the economic rights and also focus on rectifying the larger issues of human rights violations that are embedded in the social structures.

Mains Question:

1. What are the steps taken in the New labour Code for the increase in the labour force participation of women?
2. What are the issues in the labour code that restrict women’s equal participation in the economy?