National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (Prelims & Mains- Polity & Governance)

Why In News? 

Supreme Court stays  National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) order to close government-funded Madrasas.

Background

The Supreme Court issued an interim order on October 21  restraining the Union Government and the States from taking any action based on the communications sent by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR). 

These communications were regarding the withdrawal of recognition for Madrasas that do not comply with the Right to Education Act 2009,

The order came in response to a writ petition filed by the Islamic clerics’ body Jamiat Ulema-I-Hind, which challenged the NCPCR’s actions. 

The bench, comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala, and Manoj Misra, made this decision.

NCPCR Report

NCPCR in its report ‘Guardians of Faith or Oppressors of Rights: Constitutional Rights of Children vs Madrasas’ claimed that  

• Madarsas violate the educational rights of children
• The curriculum in madrasas is not as per the RTE Act  
• ‘Objectionable content in Diniyat books in the curriculum, teaching of texts that profess the supremacy of Islam, 
• Bihar Madrasa Board prescribing books that are published in Pakistan.
• Lack of trained and qualified teachers as prescribed by the National Council for Teacher Education, and the teachers in madrasas are largely dependent upon the conventional methods used in learning Quran and other religious texts.  (The RTE Act specifies qualifications for teachers and the pupil-teacher ratio)
• These institutions impart Islamic education and are not following the basic principle of secularism; 
• Madrasas deprive children of facilities and entitlements which are provided to students studying in regular schools, like uniforms, books, and midday meals; schools that provide formal education are required to follow norms prescribed by the RTE Act, and with no such mechanism available for madrasas, they lack accountability and transparency in their functioning.
• Madrasa boards are providing Islamic religious education and instructions to non-Muslims and Hindus which is also a blatant violation of Article 28 (3) of the Constitution of India. 

Based on the report NCPCR issued the following  Directions to states  

On June 07, 2024, the NCPCR wrote to the Chief Secretary of the State of Uttar Pradesh directing that the recognition of Madrassas not complying with the RTE Act be withdrawn.

On July 10, 2024, the Union Government wrote to all States/UTs to take action as per the NCPCR’s instruction.  

A similar instruction was issued by the Government of Tripura on August 28, 2024.

Challenging these decisions as an infringement of the right of religious minorities to impart education as per Article 30 of the Constitution, the petitioner approached the Supreme Court.

While issuing notice, the Court directed that pending further orders,

• the communications of NCPCR  to the Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh 
• communication issued by the Secretary, Department of Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education, Government of India 
• and communication issued by the Government of Tripura shall not be acted upon.

BRICS Summit 2024 (Prelims & Mains- IR)

Why in News?

The BRICS summit will take place in Kazan, Russia, from October 22 to 24, 2024.

What is BRICS?

BRICS is an informal group of states comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates 

History of BRICS 

2009-   BRIC originally started as a grouping of four countries(Brazil, Russia, India, China) .

The first BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) Summit was held in Russia’s Yekaterinburg.

2010– at the BRIC Foreign Ministers’ meeting in New York. It was agreed to expand BRIC into BRICS by including South Africa (First expansion of BRIC to BRICS)

2011- South Africa attended the 3rd BRICS Summit in Sanya (China)

2023 –  6 countries Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Argentina, Egypt and Ethiopia were invited to join BRICS.

2024- Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates have joined in January 2024.

Significance of BRICS

BRICS is an example of Global South cooperation (Global South represents developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America)

• With a population percentage of about 41% and economic contribution of about 36.7%, which is projected to increase by 38% by 2029, BRICS seeks to establish a united front of emerging economy perspectives in multilateral institutions.
• BRICS countries seek to build an alternative to what they see as the dominance of the Western viewpoint in major multilateral groupings, such as the World Bank, the Group of Seven (G7), and the UN Security Council.

What does BRICS do? 

• Advocate for greater representation in global organisations: The group aims to push for reform of existing institutions, such as expanding the UN Security Council, and to form negotiating blocs within those institutions. 
• Coordinate economic policy: The group emphasises economic coordination on issues such as tariff policy, export restrictions of critical resources, and investment. 
• Reduce reliance on the U.S. dollar: BRICS leaders have advocated for de-dollarization in favour of increased trade in local currencies or a potential common BRICS currency to remove the domination of the dollar.
• Create an alternative finance system: The group’s New Development Bank (NDB) and Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA) are meant to mimic the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF), respectively. 

BRICS members hope that alternative lending institutions can invigorate South-South cooperation and reduce dependence on traditional funding sources. 

Russia sees the development of the group as an important part of its strategy to counter U.S. global influence and defeat Western attempts to isolate it with sanctions over the war in Ukraine.

Why the expansion?

The next wave of expansion came at the 2023 BRICS summit, 

with invitations extended to six newcomers: Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), in January 2024  Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates  have joined  . Argentina has not joined , after its newly elected President Javier Milei pledged to turn the country in a pro-West direction, saying that it would not “ally with communists.” 

• The addition of Egypt and Ethiopia will amplify voices from the African continent.

Egypt also had close commercial ties with China and India, and political ties with Russia; as a new BRICS member, Egypt seeks to attract more investment and improve its battered economy.                                                                                     Ethiopia is the third-biggest economy in sub-Saharan Africa.

• The addition of Saudi Arabia and the UAE would bring in the two biggest economies in the Arab world and the second and eighth top oil producers globally. 
• Iran aims to leverage BRICS membership to weaken sanctions, boost its economy, and access broader markets

Why does BRICS matter?

• BRICS countries seek to build an alternative to the dominance of the Western viewpoint in major multilateral groupings, such as the World Bank, the Group of Seven (G7), and the UN Security Council.
• The group is poised to exert influence

1. over the wars in the Gaza Strip and Ukraine, 
2. the shape of the global economic system, 
3. the competition between China and the West, efforts to transition to clean energy.

How will Russia use its 2024 Brics presidency?

Russia will host the 20024 Brics summit in Kazan in October.

President Vladimir Putin he said he wants to  

• increase the role of Brics in the international financial system
• develop cooperation between banks, and expand the use of Brics currencies
• promote collaboration between tax and customs authorities

“With Brics, Russia will want to show the West that it still has friends and allies in the rest of the world, despite its invasion of Ukraine,”

Z-Morch tunnel (Prelims & Mains- Polity & Governance)

Why in News? 

7 killed in terror attack on Z-Morh Tunnel

Militants in Jammu and Kashmir targeted workers of an infrastructure company responsible for constructing the Z-Morh tunnel on the Srinagar-Sonamarg highway. 

What is the Z-Morh Tunnel?

The Z-Morh tunnel is a 6.4-kilometer-long tunnel connecting the Sonamarg health resort with Kangan town in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district.

 Located near Gagangir village, the tunnel will provide all-weather connectivity to Sonamarg, a well-known tourist destination along the Srinagar-Leh highway. The tunnel is named after the Z-shaped road stretch where it is being constructed.

Strategic Importance of the Tunnel  

• Besides improving tourism, the Z-Morh tunnel is a critical component for maintaining all-weather connectivity to Ladakh, which is strategically crucial for India’s military. 
• The region around Ladakh borders China, and ensuring quick access for military personnel and equipment is vital for national security.
• Moreover, the Z-Morh tunnel is crucial for the success of another strategic project: the Zojila tunnel. Located at an altitude of around 12,000 feet, the Zojila tunnel will connect Sonamarg to Drass in Ladakh. Expected to be completed by December 2026, the Zojila tunnel will provide crucial all-weather connectivity between Kashmir and Ladakh, further boosting both civilian and military movement.

The Z-Morh tunnel is a crucial infrastructure development project, and its completion holds significant strategic and economic importance for the region.