Newspaper Analysis 30th March 2025

The provided source, "The Hindu Analysis: UPSC Current Affairs Insights", summarises six important articles from The Hindu newspaper relevant to the UPSC syllabus.

The first topic discusses judicial transfers and the need for a National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC). It highlights the long-standing debate about judicial appointments and transfers, noting the government's past attempt to establish the NJAC, which was struck down. The "first, second, and third judges cases" are mentioned as crucial to the evolution of the collegium system. The present situation involves the Justice Yashwant Verma case, raising questions about judicial integrity. The Judiciary's resistance to non-judicial members in appointments and transfers is seen as potentially harming public perception. The transcript suggests that without reforms, public faith in the judiciary could erode, and the need for a mechanism like the NJAC or other reforms for transparency and accountability will remain.

The second topic covers GST 2.0 and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Report. The introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) aimed at creating "one nation one tax", and a GST compensation fund was established due to states' concerns about revenue loss. The PAC has pointed out two major issues: the lack of mandatory CAG audit of the GST compensation fund and confusion and delays in GST refunds. The PAC argues the lack of audit affects fund release and questions the utilisation of held-up funds. Delays in refunds cause issues for entrepreneurs, and many GST registrations were cancelled without proper notice. "GST 2.0" is proposed by the PAC for simplification and improved compliance. The exclusion of petroleum and energy-based fuels from GST is also noted.

The third topic addresses the balance between renewable energy and coal dependence. While India has promoted renewable energy initiatives like the National Solar Mission and the International Solar Alliance , recent data for 2023-24 shows an increase in coal-based electricity generation to 79% , with coal consistently over 70% since 2014-15 . Renewable energy generation remains stagnant at 7% , despite increased coal production and imports . This raises concerns about the effectiveness of renewable energy policies and India's climate commitments .

The fourth topic is Operation Brahma, India's humanitarian effort to provide aid to Myanmar and Thailand following recent earthquakes . This reflects India's role as a first responder in the region and its commitment to HADR .

The fifth topic discusses ISRO's Semi-Cryogenic Engine. ISRO has been developing its launch vehicle technologies, and the GSLV Mark III uses a cryogenic upper stage . The newly developed semi-cryogenic engine is expected to lead to better thrust capacity and efficiency. This development could enhance payload capacity and reduce costs for future space missions.

The sixth topic examines the cooling of the Southern Ocean surface temperature. Contrary to climate model predictions of warming, the Southern Ocean around Antarctica has experienced cooling. This is attributed to the inflow of freshwater from melting ice and increased rainfall, which reduces surface temperature. The missing freshwater input explains a significant portion of the mismatch between predicted and observed temperatures. This cooling, while seemingly counterintuitive, is a consequence of ice melt due to climate change and has long-term implications such as rising sea levels .

In summary, the transcript covers critical current affairs relevant to the UPSC syllabus, including judicial appointments, GST reforms, India's energy mix, humanitarian aid efforts, advancements in space technology, and the complexities of climate change impacts on ocean tempera