1 September 2025 Current Affairs for UPSC

Why in news:

Hearing a matter in Zahoor Ahmed Bhat vs. UT of J&K, the Supreme Court has sought a detailed response from the Centre on the issue of restoration of statehood to Jammu & Kashmir. The petitioners in the case have argued that not restoring statehood violates citizens’ rights, undermines federalism, and goes against the Basic Structure doctrine.

UPSC Relevance:

GS 2, Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.

UPSC PYQ 2020:

Q: How far do you think cooperation, competition and confrontation have shaped the nature of federation in India? Cite some recent examples to validate your answer.

Constitutional Processes for State Creation:

1. Admission of a State

• Meaning: Inclusion of an already existing, organised political unit into the Union of India.
• Procedure: Guided by international law and agreements.
• Example: Jammu & Kashmir’s accession in 1947 through the Instrument of Accession executed by Maharaja Hari Singh under the Indian Independence Act, 1947.

2. Establishment of a State

• Meaning: Acquisition of new territory in line with international law and then declaring it a state.
• Examples: Goa (liberated from Portuguese control in 1961), Sikkim (through referendum and constitutional amendment in 1975).

3. Formation (Reorganisation) of States

• Provision: Article 3 of the Constitution.
  • Scope: Parliament may by law –
  • Form a new state by separating territory, or uniting states/territories.
  • Increase/diminish area of a state.
  • Alter boundaries or name of a state.
  • Example: State Reorganisation Act, 1956 (from 14 states to 29 states by 2019).

• Limitation: While area of a state can be reduced, it cannot be converted permanently into a Union Territory, as this undermines the federal features of the Constitution.

India’s Federal Design:

1.Union of States – Indivisibility

• Article 1: India = Union of States, meaning states have no right to secede.
• “India” reflects a unitary federation while “Bharat” conveys cultural unity amidst diversity.

2. Absence of the Word “Federation”

• The Constitution deliberately avoids the term “Federation.”
• Instead, the word “Union” emphasizes permanence of the Union and supremacy of the Centre in matters of national unity and integrity.

3. Balancing Unitary Spirit with Federal Character

• Strong Centre: To safeguard sovereignty, integrity, and national security.
• Federal Character: Ensures equitable distribution of resources and supports India’s role as a welfare state.
• This balance reflects the philosophy of cooperative federalism.

4. Federalism as Basic Structure

• Kesavananda Bharati Case (1973): Federalism is part of the Basic Structure doctrine.
• Any attempt to erode federal features (e.g., permanent reduction of statehood) undermines the Constitution’s core identity.

5. Institutional Safeguards

• Rajya Sabha (Article 83(1)): A permanent House to guarantee continuous representation of states at the Union level.
• This ensures federal balance and prevents excessive centralisation.

Reducing J&K from a state to a Union Territory disrupts the federal balance. Restoration of statehood is essential to protect the sanctity of India’s federation and preserve democratic representation of its people.

What next:

December 11, 2023: Supreme Court upheld the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A but directed the Union Government to:

• Restore statehood to J&K.
• Conduct Legislative Assembly elections.
• October 2024: Elections for the 90-member Assembly were completed.

Current issue: Despite SC’s direction, the Union Government has not indicated any concrete timeline for restoring statehood.

Why in News?

India is emerging as a medical tourism hub for NRI’s.

UPSC Relevance 

Trends in economy are important for prelims. Tourism is an important theme under human geography in GS1.

What is Medical Tourism?

• Medical tourism is the practice of traveling to another country to receive medical treatment. 
• Historically, this often involved people from less-developed countries seeking treatment unavailable in their home country. However, in recent decades, the trend has reversed, with individuals from developed nations traveling to developing countries for more affordable medical procedures. 

Status of Medical Tourism in India

• India has emerged as a significant player in the global medical tourism market. The sector was estimated to be worth around US $9 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow to US $13  billion by 2026. 
• India receives millions of patients annually from over 78 countries, with a large number of visitors from Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the SAARC region. Maximum visitors are from Bangladesh.
• Additionally, a notable number of patients also come from developed countries like the UK, the US, Canada, and Australia, primarily seeking cost-effective treatment.

Important Medical Tourism Locations in India

• Delhi-NCR (National Capital Region): A key hub with world-class hospitals like Medanta, Fortis, and Max Healthcare. It is renowned for specialties like cardiology, oncology, organ transplants, and cosmetic surgery.
• Chennai: Often referred to as “India’s health capital,” Chennai attracts a large percentage of foreign patients. It is known for its excellent healthcare infrastructure and expertise in cardiac surgery, orthopedics, and organ transplantation. Major hospitals include Apollo Hospitals and MIOT International.
• Mumbai: As the financial capital, Mumbai is also a global medical hub with advanced facilities and highly skilled doctors. It is particularly known for plastic and cosmetic surgeries, as well as complex procedures at hospitals like Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital and Tata Memorial Hospital (for cancer).
• Bangalore: Known as the “Silicon Valley of Healthcare,” Bangalore is a hub for cutting-edge medical technology and innovation. Hospitals like Narayana Health and Manipal Hospitals attract international patients for various specialties.
• Kerala: Praised for its traditional and holistic healing practices, particularly Ayurveda. Kerala is a top destination for wellness and alternative medicine tourism, offering a unique blend of natural beauty and therapeutic treatments.

Factors Promoting India’s Status as a Global Medical Tourism Hub

1. Cost-Effectiveness: Medical procedures in India are significantly more affordable than in Western countries, with costs often being a fraction of those in the US or UK. This is a major draw for patients without insurance or those seeking complex procedures.
2. Highly Skilled Medical Professionals: India has a large pool of internationally educated and highly skilled doctors, surgeons, and healthcare staff. The English-speaking workforce further eases communication for international patients.
3. Advanced Infrastructure and Technology: Many private hospitals in India are equipped with state-of-the-art medical technology and conform to international standards, with many having accreditations from bodies like the Joint Commission International (JCI) and the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH).
4. No Waiting Times: Unlike public healthcare systems in many developed countries with long waiting lists for non-emergency procedures, India offers immediate access to treatment.
5. Simplified Visa Policies: The Indian government has taken proactive steps to ease the process for medical tourists, including the introduction of e-medical visas and the “Heal in India” initiative.
6. Traditional and Alternative Medicine: India’s rich heritage in traditional systems of medicine like Ayurveda, Yoga, and Naturopathy provides an added attraction for patients seeking holistic wellness and treatment.

India as an emerging Medical Tourism Hub for NRIs

1. Trust, Access, and Value for Money: The Driving Equation

• Complex Decision: Healthcare decisions are a complex blend of trust, access, and value. For Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), geographical distance adds another layer of complexity.
• Shifting Reality: Rising healthcare costs abroad and the assurance of timely, high-quality care in India are influencing NRIs’ decisions.
• No Compromise: India is rewriting the medical tourism narrative, proving that affordability does not require a compromise on quality.

2. The Financial Logic: Unmatched Affordability

• Massive Cost Savings: NRIs can save anywhere from 60% to 90% on major surgeries in India.
• Surgery Cost Comparison:
  • Heart Bypass: $5,000-$8,000 in India vs. $70,000-$1,50,000 in the U.S.
  • Knee Replacement: $4,000-$6,000 in India vs. up to $50,000 in the U.S.
• Routine Treatments & Medicines: The cost gap is significant even for routine treatments, with India offering care at less than a third of international prices. Medicines are also up to 90% cheaper.
• Financial Impact: These savings directly impact an NRI family’s financial security, helping them balance mortgages, children’s education, and retirement goals.

3. The Rise of Health Insurance Among NRIs

• Rapid Growth: The adoption of health insurance among NRIs has risen by more than 150% over the last year.
• Leading Demographics: Young NRIs under 35 led this growth with a 148% increase, while female buyers climbed 125%.
• Affordable Premiums: Health insurance premiums in India are often 25-40 times cheaper than in the U.S. or GCC countries.
• Parental Care: A significant finding is that 60% of NRIs are buying health cover for their elderly parents living in India.
• Common Claims: Most health insurance claims by NRIs are for recurring health issues such as respiratory diseases, infectious ailments, cancer, and heart conditions.

4. Geographical Expansion and Digital Access

• Beyond Metros: The benefits of medical tourism are no longer limited to major cities. Almost half of NRI health insurance claims now come from Tier-3 towns and cities.
• Emerging Hubs: While metros like Hyderabad, Chennai, Kochi, and Thiruvananthapuram remain trusted choices, smaller hubs such as Thrissur, Kollam, and Thane are gaining ground due to better infrastructure and digital platforms.
• Policy and Digital Push:
  • Government Initiatives: Programs like “Heal in India” are simplifying processes.
  • Digital-First Platforms: These platforms allow NRIs to remotely explore, compare, and purchase policies.
  • Seamless Access: Features like cashless claims across hospitals have bridged the geographical distance, ensuring seamless access to healthcare for families in India.

Challenges

• Lack of Regulation and Standardization: The presence of unregulated intermediaries and agents can lead to inconsistent pricing and a lack of transparency, which can harm the industry’s reputation.
• Infrastructure Gaps: While top hospitals have world-class facilities, supporting infrastructure like transport services and hygienic accommodations for patients’ attendants can be a concern.
• Visa and Bureaucratic Hurdles: Despite improvements, visa processes can still be complex for some nationalities, and bureaucratic roadblocks can cause delays.
• Perception and Trust Issues: While the quality of care in accredited hospitals is high, there can be a general lack of trust from foreign patients due to negative publicity or varied standards across different healthcare providers.
• Post-Treatment Care: The lack of a formal system for follow-up care and the availability of medicines in a patient’s home country can be a challenge.
• Ethical Concerns: There are potential ethical issues, such as the exploitation of vulnerable patients or the negative impact on the affordability of healthcare for the local population.

Heal in India Program

This initiative is a push to promote India as a premier destination for medical and wellness tourism. Its core objective is to attract international patients by leveraging India’s strengths.

Important Facts:

• Focus: Attracting patients from around the world to receive medical treatment in India. Positioning India as a hub for “Medical Value Travel,” offering high-quality, advanced treatments at a fraction of the cost found in many Western countries.
• Key Features:
  • Digital Portal: The “Medical Value Travel Portal” is a single window for patients to find accredited hospitals and doctors, compare treatment costs, and apply for visas.
  • Visa Facilitation: Simplification of visa processes through the introduction of dedicated e-medical visas and “AYUSH visas” for traditional treatments.
  • Promotion of AYUSH: Integration and promotion of India’s traditional systems of medicine (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy) alongside modern allopathic medicine.
  • Standardization: Emphasis on hospitals with international and national accreditations (JCI and NABH) to ensure quality and safety.
  • Patient Experience: Setting up special health desks at major airports to provide assistance to medical tourists upon arrival.

Why in News?

Recent studies have thrown light on how rising sea levels due to Global Warming are affecting coral reefs and how coral reefs can be used to assess rising sea levels and associated changes.

UPSC Relevance 

Geographical and Environmental phenomena and issues are important for both Prelims and Mains.

GS1- Important Geophysical Phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc., geographical features and their location-changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.

GS 3 – Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment.

PYQ

2012

The acidification of oceans is increasing. Why is this phenomenon a cause of concern?

1. The growth and survival of calcareous phytoplankton will be adversely affected.
2. The growth and survival of coral reefs will be adversely affected.
3. The survival of some animals that have phytoplanktonic larvae will be adversely affected.
4. The cloud seeding and formation of clouds will be adversely affected.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

 (a) 1, 2 and 3 only

 (b) 2 only

 (c) 1 and 3 only

 (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

2024, GS1

What is sea surface temperature rise? How does it affect the formation of tropical cyclones?

2021, GS1

How does the melting of the Arctic ice and glaciers of the Antarctic differently affect the weather patterns and human activities on the Earth? 

2023,GS3

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has predicted a global sea level rise of about one metre by AD 2100. What would be its impact in India and the other countries in the Indian Ocean region?

The Impact of Rising Sea Levels on Coral Reefs

• Vulnerability: Coral reefs are highly sensitive to changes in their environment, making them particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels.
• Coral Bleaching: As sea levels rise, sunlight may no longer penetrate the water to reach corals, a process that can lead to coral bleaching.
• Additional Stressors: Changes in tide patterns and increased coastal erosion further stress reef ecosystems, compounding the effects of warmer waters and ocean acidification.

Sea-Level Rise in the Indian Ocean

• Above-Average Rise: According to India’s Ministry of Earth Sciences, the Indian Ocean’s sea level is rising at an average of 3.3 mm/year, which is higher than the global average.
• Accelerated Warming: The Indian Ocean is also experiencing above-average warming, which can amplify atmospheric and oceanic changes that contribute to coral bleaching.
• Significant Data Gaps: Despite ongoing monitoring efforts, there are significant gaps in sea-level records, particularly in the central tropical Indian Ocean.

A New Method Using Coral Microatolls

• Natural Recorders: A new study by a team led by Paul Kench used coral microatolls as a natural structure to create high-resolution, long-term sea-level records.
• How They Work: Coral microatolls are disk-shaped colonies whose upward growth is limited by the height of the lowest tide. Their flat upper surface closely reflects the lowest water levels over time, providing a historical record.
• Study Site: The study was conducted on a Porites microatoll on Mahutigalaa, a reef platform in the Maldives’ Huvadhoo Atoll.
• Data Extraction: Researchers painstakingly surveyed the coral’s structure, X-rayed a slab to reveal annual growth bands (like tree rings), and used uranium-thorium dating to determine its historical elevation.

Groundbreaking Findings from the Coral Study

• Earlier Acceleration: The study’s data, which extends back to 1930, indicates that sea levels in the region began accelerating as early as the late 1950s, decades earlier than previously believed.
• Challenging Assumptions: This finding challenges the common assumption in climate change and adaptation work that significant sea-level rise began only around 1990.
• Magnitude of Rise: The data showed a total sea-level rise of around 0.3 meters (30-40 cm) over the 90-year period.
• Increased Rate: The rate of rise has increased markedly over time:
  • 1930-1959: 1-1.84 mm/year
  • 1960-1992: 2.76-4.12 mm/year
  • 1990-2019: 3.91-4.87 mm/year

Historical and Regional Context

• Environmental Signals: The coral microatoll also preserved environmental signals, showing that periods of slowed growth corresponded with major El Niño and negative Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) events.
• Lunar Influence: The data also revealed the influence of the 18.6-year lunar nodal cycle on tides and sea levels.
• Tectonic Stability: The study’s findings were robust because the research site was tectonically stable, ensuring that changes in the coral’s elevation were due to sea-level fluctuations and not land movement.
• Role of Microatolls: While not a substitute for tide gauges or satellite observations, coral microatolls are a valuable complementary tool, providing historical context and filling critical data gaps in remote regions.

6. Policy and Future Implications

• Regional Differences: The study highlighted notable differences in sea-level rise across the Indian Ocean basin, with the central ocean showing an earlier, higher rise compared to coastal areas.
• Informing Adaptation Strategies: For vulnerable island nations like the Maldives, Lakshadweep, and the Chagos archipelago, understanding the timing and magnitude of historic sea-level changes is crucial for developing effective adaptation strategies.
• Continued Role: Coral microatolls are expected to play a growing role in helping scientists reconstruct sea-level histories, especially in the central Indian Ocean, which remains one of the least-monitored basins.

 Read more about corals