Mains Practice Questions for the Day
- Q. The PCPNDT Act remains essential for preventing sex-selective practices, but advances in portable ultrasound and artificial intelligence demand a more nuanced regulatory framework. Discuss.
- Q. Dependence on foreign digital infrastructure poses risks to India’s economic security, national defence and strategic autonomy. Discuss the need for digital sovereignty and suggest a suitable strategy for India.
Q. The PCPNDT Act remains essential for preventing sex-selective practices, but advances in portable ultrasound and artificial intelligence demand a more nuanced regulatory framework. Discuss.
( UPSC GS Paper II: Public Health, Government Policies, Gender Justice and Healthcare Access)
Introduction:
The Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, 1994 was enacted to prevent prenatal sex determination and sex-selective abortion amid India’s declining child sex ratio. It mandates registration of ultrasound centres, regulates the purchase and location of machines, requires detailed records and prohibits disclosure of foetal sex. However, advances in portable ultrasound and artificial intelligence have created diagnostic applications that were not anticipated when the law was framed.
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Continuing Importance of the Act
Preventing Misuse
- Son preference and illegal sex-determination networks continue to exist. Strict regulation therefore remains necessary to prevent the misuse of ultrasound technology and protect the girl child.
Promoting Gender Justice
- The Act addresses the discriminatory use of medical technology. However, legal prohibition alone cannot eliminate gender bias. It must be supported by girls’ education, social security, improved healthcare investment and action against dowry and discrimination.
Need for Regulatory Reform
Uniform Treatment of Technologies
- The existing framework broadly regulates ultrasound devices as a single category despite differences in their technical capabilities.
- High-frequency linear probes used for examining the breast, thyroid, muscles and soft tissues cannot ordinarily be used for foetal sex determination but remain subject to the same restrictions as obstetric ultrasound.
Improving Rural Cancer Diagnosis
- Portable ultrasound can provide breast imaging, assessment of superficial lumps and early referral in rural areas where patients face long travel distances, high costs and shortage of specialists.
Role of Artificial Intelligence
AI-enabled ultrasound can assist image acquisition, identify suspicious lesions and support frontline health workers in referral decisions. However, AI must supplement rather than replace qualified medical judgment.
Balanced Reform Framework
The Act should adopt risk-based and purpose-specific regulation. Community use of approved high-frequency probes may be permitted with safeguards such as:
- Device certification and restricted software
- Geofencing and digital scan logs
- Prohibition of obstetric imaging
- Trained and accredited operators
- Data-privacy protection
- Regular audits and strict penalties
- Human oversight and referral protocols
Conclusion:
The objective should not be deregulation but intelligent regulation. A carefully designed amendment can preserve the PCPNDT Act’s gender-justice purpose while expanding timely cancer diagnosis and equitable healthcare access for women.
Q. Dependence on foreign digital infrastructure poses risks to India’s economic security, national defence and strategic autonomy. Discuss the need for digital sovereignty and suggest a suitable strategy for India.
( UPSC GS Paper II: Data Governance, Government Policies and International Relations)
Introduction:
Digital sovereignty refers to a nation’s ability to exercise effective control over its data, digital infrastructure, computing systems and critical technologies. As administration, commerce and defence become increasingly software-dependent, digital sovereignty has become central to India’s strategic autonomy.
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Need for Digital Sovereignty
- Foreign-controlled cloud and software platforms may suspend services in response to sanctions or directions from external governments. Such disruption could affect public administration, banking, manufacturing and energy systems.
- Modern defence platforms rely on proprietary software controlled by foreign manufacturers. The denial of precise GPS assistance during the Kargil conflict demonstrated the strategic risks of external technological dependence.
- Data stored in India may also remain subject to foreign jurisdiction when handled by overseas technology companies. Dependence on foreign AI models, semiconductors and communication networks further creates risks of algorithmic bias, supply-chain disruption and cyber vulnerabilities.
India’s Progress
- India has demonstrated indigenous capacity through UPI, RuPay, Aadhaar and ONDC. The India Semiconductor Mission, IndiaAI Mission, MeghRaj cloud, domestic navigation systems and migration towards Indian software platforms represent important steps.
- Trusted partnerships such as BrahMos and semiconductor cooperation can provide access to technology without complete dependence on a single country.
Strategy for India
India should:
- Expand sovereign cloud and domestic data centres.
- Promote indigenous semiconductors, AI models and cybersecurity tools.
- Increase public and private R&D expenditure.
- Provide patient capital and assured procurement to deep-tech firms.
- Audit foreign software used in critical sectors.
- Protect data through encryption and Indian legal jurisdiction.
- Participate actively in global digital standard-setting.
- Develop technologies jointly with trusted partners.
Conclusion:
Digital sovereignty does not imply isolation from global technology networks. It requires reducing critical dependence and ensuring that India retains control over technologies essential to its governance, economy and defence.
