THE GIST of Editorial for UPSC Exams : 11 January 2020 (Demographic dividend to demographic wasteland (Indian Express))

Demographic dividend to demographic wasteland (Indian Express)

Mains Paper 2: Society
Prelims level : Not much
Mains level : Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism and secularism

Context:

• One of the greatest privileges of being a Chief Economic Advisor was the opportunity to meet with students from all over India.

Dividend to wasteland:

• We speak of creating a $5-trillion economy by taking advantage of our demographic dividend.
• But if our universities become war zones rather than sacred sanctuaries of learning, we don’t build human capital.
• We make carcasses of the hopes of our students.
• Just as the psychological burdens of poverty and hardship narrow cognitive bandwidth (according to research by Sendhil Mullainathan and Anandi Mani), the psychological burdens of violence on students could impair their capabilities and turn the demographic dividend into a demographic wasteland.
• Since building human capital, maintaining social peace and creating strong institutions are key determinants of long-run development, recent actions triply undermine achieving sabka saath, sabka vikas.
• It is bad enough that our higher education system has routinely been failing our youth. It is bad enough too that their prospects of getting decent, well-paying jobs are becoming more grim.
• To heap violence and physical and psychological insecurity only adds more hopelessness to their educational years and to their sense of the future that awaits them.

Conclusion:

• For exercising their right of expression, their right to articulate their concerns and opinions about a set of measures they fear might consign many Indians to second-class citizenship.
• Regardless, they must be heard.
• This will we be able to understand and address their concerns and to be clear, address them we must.

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Prelims Questions:

Q.1) With reference to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (Liquidation Process) (Amendment) Regulations, 2020, consider the following statements:
1. The amendment clarifies that a person, who is not eligible under the Code to submit a resolution plan for insolvency resolution of the corporate debtor, shall not be a party to a compromise or arrangement of the corporate debtor under section 230 of the Companies Act, 2013.
2. The amendment provides that a secured creditor, who proceeds to realise its security interest, shall contribute its share of the insolvency resolution process cost, liquidation process cost and workmen’s dues, within 30 days of the liquidation commencement date.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: A
Mains Questions:
Q.1) Is some our higher education institutions has failed to contribute demographic dividend and remains as a demographic wasteland? Comment.