UPSC CARE Mains Practice 10th November 2025
Mains Practice Questions for the Day
- Critically examine the challenges faced in the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) and suggest measures to make India’s skill development ecosystem more transparent, accountable, and outcome-driven.
- The Supreme Court’s 2025 order directing the removal of stray dogs from public spaces has reignited debates on reconciling public safety with animal welfare and legal compassion.” Critically analyse the challenges and policy measures needed for humane and effective stray dog management in India.
1Q. Critically examine the challenges faced in the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) and suggest measures to make India’s skill development ecosystem more transparent, accountable, and outcome-driven.
Introduction:
The Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), launched in 2015 under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), is the flagship initiative of the Skill India Mission aimed at providing free skill training to enhance youth employability. However, recent revelations of large-scale irregularities, including fake documentation, absentee trainees, and fund misuse, have raised serious concerns about transparency and governance within the scheme.
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1. Key Challenges in Implementation:
a) Widespread Corruption and Fund Misuse:
Multiple Training Partners (TPs) inflated attendance records, diverted funds, and reported non-existent training centres, resulting in large-scale financial leakages.
b) Weak Monitoring and Transparency:
Oversight remains inconsistent. The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) has faced criticism for not disclosing details of defaulters under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, undermining public accountability.
c) Skill–Industry Mismatch:
Courses are often outdated and disconnected from evolving market needs in areas like AI, robotics, and green energy. The lack of collaboration between industry and training institutions has led to low placement outcomes.
d) Inadequate Infrastructure and Accessibility:
Training centres in rural and semi-urban regions suffer from limited facilities, poor digital infrastructure, and lack of qualified trainers.
e) Regional Disparities and Administrative Gaps:
States such as Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan account for the highest number of blacklisted centres, reflecting weak coordination and uneven implementation capacity.
2. Measures to Strengthen the Scheme:
a) Strengthen Monitoring and Accountability:
Adopt real-time biometric attendance, geo-tagging of centres, and AI-based data verification.
Link future funding to placement performance rather than enrolment numbers.
b) Digital Transformation:
Expand the Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) for end-to-end online tracking of trainees, certification, and job linkages.
Integrate PMKVY with the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) for credit portability.
c) Regional and Sectoral Customisation:
Align training modules with local economic needs—such as agro-processing, renewable energy, and tourism—to create region-specific employment opportunities.
d) Convergence with Other Schemes:
Link PMKVY with MUDRA, PM Vishwakarma, and Start-Up India to facilitate access to credit and entrepreneurship mentoring.
e) Strengthen Institutional Oversight:
Enhance inter-agency coordination between MSDE, NSDC, and State Skill Missions through periodic audits, third-party evaluation, and social accountability frameworks.
Conclusion:
The PMKVY remains vital to realising India’s demographic dividend, but its credibility depends on ensuring transparency, accountability, and industry linkage. Transforming PMKVY from a training-oriented to an employment- and outcome-oriented model, supported by robust digital monitoring and convergence with national missions, will be key to building a future-ready, skilled workforce for India’s economy.
2Q.The Supreme Court’s 2025 order directing the removal of stray dogs from public spaces has reignited debates on reconciling public safety with animal welfare and legal compassion.” Critically analyse the challenges and policy measures needed for humane and effective stray dog management in India.
Introduction:
The Supreme Court’s 2025 directive to remove stray dogs from public spaces and relocate them to shelters under the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, was issued amid a sharp rise in dog-bite incidents and rabies deaths across India. While aimed at protecting public safety, the order has sparked ethical, legal, and administrative debates on balancing human welfare with animal rights, given India’s existing legal framework that promotes humane management through sterilisation and vaccination.
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1. Background: India’s Stray Dog Crisis
- India has over 80 million stray dogs, among the world’s largest populations.
- According to WHO, 59,000 people die globally each year due to rabies, 40% being children under 15; India accounts for 36% of these deaths.
- Despite ongoing sterilisation under the ABC Programme, issues like limited funding, poor infrastructure, and overcrowded shelters have undermined effectiveness.
2. Legal Framework for Stray Dog Management
- Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960
- Section 11 criminalises cruelty towards animals.
- Sections 428–429 IPC penalise killing or maiming of animals.
- Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023
- Mandates the Capture–Neuter–Vaccinate–Return (CNVR) method, not permanent confinement.
- Ensures sterilisation, vaccination, and return of dogs to original localities.
- Provides for feeding zones and local dispute-resolution committees.
- Judicial Precedents
- Earlier Supreme Court rulings (AWBI cases) upheld CNVR as humane and barred culling.
- The 2025 “no-release” directive marks a shift, potentially conflicting with ABC Rules.
3. Key Challenges in Implementation
- Inadequate Shelter Infrastructure: Municipal shelters are overcrowded; Delhi’s centres house only 80–200 dogs each.
- Funding Shortfalls: NGOs managing sterilisation programmes face delays in municipal reimbursements.
- Manpower Deficit: Insufficient veterinary staff limits sterilisation coverage.
- Legal Ambiguity: The “no-release” order contradicts statutory ABC provisions.
- Public Health Gaps: Inconsistent availability of anti-rabies vaccines and poor surveillance.
- Ethical Concerns: Permanent confinement risks cruelty, while culling violates humane principles.
4. Ethical Dimensions
| Ethical Domain | Core Concern | Constitutional / Moral Basis |
| Human Safety vs. Animal Rights | Protecting people from bites while ensuring animal welfare | Article 21 (Right to Life) & Article 51A(g) (Compassion to Living Beings) |
| Public Health Ethics | Preventive sterilisation and vaccination vs. reactive removal | Utilitarian approach – greatest good for greatest number |
| Environmental Ethics | Overfeeding and waste mismanagement sustain stray populations | Ecological balance and One Health principle |
| Governance Ethics | Humane administration vs. populist culling | Rule of law and procedural justice |
5. Policy Measures for Humane Management
A. Administrative & Technological Reforms
- AI-Based Dog Census: Use GIS mapping, drones, and QR-coded collars to track sterilisation and vaccination.
- Mobile ABC Units: On-site sterilisation and treatment vans for rural and semi-urban zones.
- Smart Feeding Zones: Controlled feeding with automatic dispensers and CCTV monitoring.
- Predictive Analytics: Forecast population trends for proactive interventions.
B. Institutional & Financial Mechanisms
- “Adopt-a-Ward” CSR Model: Corporates to sponsor ABC and vaccination drives.
- Dedicated Stray Animal Fund: Integrate with Smart Cities Mission for sustainable funding.
- Capacity Building: Training municipal staff and veterinary officers for humane handling.
C. Legal and Policy Reforms
- Update ABC Rules: Clarify “no-release” conditions consistent with humane principles.
- Mandatory Microchipping: Ensure accountability for pet abandonment.
- Uniform SOPs: National framework for stray management and rabies control.
D. Social and Ethical Interventions
- Education: Dog-safety and rabies awareness modules in schools.
- Community Engagement: Certification for responsible feeders and caretakers.
- Public Health Coordination: Integrate stray management with One Health strategy.
6. Global Best Practices
- Bhutan: “One Health” approach combining sterilisation, vaccination, and education.
- Netherlands: Achieved zero stray dogs through mass sterilisation and strong pet laws.
- Singapore: Public awareness and strict anti-abandonment penalties reduced stray populations.
Conclusion:
The Supreme Court’s directive stems from legitimate public safety concerns but risks undermining established humane practices under the ABC Rules, 2023.
A sustainable solution lies in integrating technology, law, ethics, and governance — ensuring humane sterilisation, efficient waste management, community participation, and transparent data-driven monitoring.
India must pursue a One Health approach where human safety and animal welfare coexist, creating compassionate yet safe urban ecosystems.