Mains Practice Questions for the Day
- Q. India’s solar power sector has expanded rapidly, but its long-term success depends on resolving structural challenges in land, grid, finance, storage and manufacturing. Discuss. Suggest reforms to unlock India’s solar energy potential.
- Q. Government school closures in the name of rationalisation can weaken the Right to Education and deepen social inequality. Discuss.
Q. India’s solar power sector has expanded rapidly, but its long-term success depends on resolving structural challenges in land, grid, finance, storage and manufacturing. Discuss. Suggest reforms to unlock India’s solar energy potential.
(GS Paper III – Renewable Energy / Infrastructure / Climate Change)
Introduction:
India’s solar sector has become a major pillar of its clean energy transition, with solar capacity expanding from about 3 GW in 2014 to 162.15 GW by June 2026. However, sustaining this momentum requires addressing structural constraints that affect project execution, grid reliability and investor confidence.
Body
Major Challenges in India’s Solar Power Sector
1. Land acquisition and ecological conflicts:
Large solar parks need vast contiguous land. In agricultural or ecologically sensitive regions, land conversion raises concerns over livelihoods and biodiversity. For example, projects in Rajasthan have faced delays due to protection concerns linked to the Great Indian Bustard.
2. Transmission and grid integration gaps:
Solar capacity has grown faster than transmission infrastructure. In high-generation States like Rajasthan and Gujarat, grid congestion and evacuation delays lead to curtailment, affecting investor confidence.
3. Intermittency and storage limitations:
Solar power depends on daylight and weather. Affordable storage systems such as batteries and pumped hydro are still limited. Without storage, solar cannot provide reliable round-the-clock power.
4. Financial stress of DISCOMs:
Weak finances of distribution companies cause payment delays to solar developers and affect long-term power purchase agreements.
5. Import dependence:
India still depends heavily on imported solar modules, cells and upstream components. This exposes the sector to supply chain risks and weakens domestic value addition.
6. Policy uncertainty and financing constraints:
Frequent changes in tariffs, duties and State policies create uncertainty. High cost of capital also affects smaller developers.
7. Skill-quality gap:
Rapid rooftop solar expansion requires trained installers and technicians. Poor-quality installations can reduce efficiency and create safety risks.
Reforms Needed
India should promote land pooling, leasing and agrivoltaics to reduce land conflicts. Transmission planning must move in parallel with solar parks through faster Green Energy Corridor implementation. Storage should be scaled through battery energy storage systems, pumped hydro and hybrid solar-wind-storage projects.
DISCOM reforms under RDSS, smart metering and timely tariff revision are essential. Domestic manufacturing must deepen from modules to polysilicon, wafers, cells and storage systems through PLI, R&D and technology partnerships. Stable policies, timely PPAs, green bonds, blended finance and sovereign guarantees can reduce investment risks. Finally, Skill India, ITIs and industry partnerships should create a certified solar workforce.
Conclusion:
India’s solar ambition cannot rest on capacity addition alone. It needs a complete ecosystem of land access, grid readiness, storage, domestic manufacturing, financial stability and skilled manpower to make solar power reliable, affordable and self-reliant.
Q. Government school closures in the name of rationalisation can weaken the Right to Education and deepen social inequality. Discuss.
(GS Paper II – Education / Social Justice )
Introduction:
Government schools are the main educational support system for poor, rural and marginalised children. A recent NITI Aayog report stated that nearly 94,000 government schools were closed in the past decade, contributing to a 2.26 crore decline in government school enrolment. This raises concerns about Right to Education, neighbourhood schools and social equity.
Body
Rationalisation and School Closures
School rationalisation means merging or closing low-enrolment schools and shifting children to nearby institutions. While the NEP 2020 supports rationalisation, it also warns that the concept of neighbourhood schools should not be weakened.
Impact on Right to Education
The RTE Act, 2009 guarantees free and compulsory education for children aged 6–14 years. However, when nearby government schools close, children are forced to travel longer distances. In parts of Jammu and Kashmir, children reportedly travel 4–6 km daily, weakening the neighbourhood school principle.
Deepening Social Inequality
The impact is not uniform. Government schools are mainly used by poor households, SCs, STs, minorities, backward communities and rural families. Girls are often withdrawn first when schools become distant due to safety and mobility concerns. Migrant and displaced children are also at greater risk of dropping out.
Governance Concerns
States such as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir have witnessed major closures. In Madhya Pradesh, lakhs of children were found without school records or at risk of dropping out. The RTE has fallen short due to weak enforcement, inactive School Management Committees, teacher vacancies and limited legal capacity of poor parents.
Way Forward
India must protect neighbourhood schools, conduct social impact assessments before closures, provide safe transport, fill teacher vacancies, revive SMCs and create Centre-State monitoring of RTE compliance.
Conclusion:
School rationalisation is acceptable only when it improves access, quality and efficiency. It becomes problematic when it shuts the nearest government school for poor, rural, SC/ST, minority and girl children. The Right to Education cannot be fulfilled merely by formal enrolment; it requires a nearby, functional, well-staffed and inclusive school. Therefore, India must ensure that rationalisation is guided by equity, neighbourhood access, teacher availability and community participation. Government schools should be strengthened as instruments of social justice and constitutional democracy, not treated only as units of administrative cost.
