20 June 2025: PIB Summary For UPSC
1. ECI marks several firsts in Bye‑polls: Mobile Deposit Facility; Upgraded VTR sharing process; 100% Webcasting of Polling Stations
(Source – PIB (Press Information Bureau), June 20, 2025)
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Topic: GS Paper 2 (Governance – Electoral Reforms) |
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Context |
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Content
Background: By‑polls held across five constituencies covering 1,354 polling stations saw the roll‑out of key election reforms by the ECI.
Major initiatives:
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Mobile Deposit Facility: Introduction of secure drop‑off points (pigeonholes or jute bags) at all polling stations for mobile phones, assisted by volunteers—aimed at easing access for elderly, women, and PwD voters.
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Upgraded VTR Reporting: Direct two‑hourly polling data uploads by presiding officers via the ECINET App, replacing manual reporting and reducing delays. Offline entries allowed where connectivity is weak.
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100% Polling‑station Webcasting: Live video coverage at virtually all polling stations (except one) monitored by officials to ensure compliance and transparency.
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Individual Training & SSR of Electoral Rolls: Enhanced individual mock‑poll training for presiding officers and the first Special Summary Revision of rolls in nearly two decades.
Analysis: These measures address critical transparency, accessibility, and efficiency issues in elections. The real‑time VTR reporting and webcasting can engender greater public confidence, while mobile‑drop facilities reduce voter inconvenience.
Conclusion / Way Forward: Positive testing grounds suggest readiness for wider application, particularly in the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls. These innovations may also serve as models for future electoral reforms nationwide.
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Practice Question: In what ways do the Election Commission of India’s new initiatives—such as mobile‑phone deposit facilities, real‑time VTR reporting, and full webcasting—enhance democratic participation and transparency? Critically evaluate their effectiveness and challenges in the context of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. |
2. Department of Telecommunications, in collaboration with IIT, Hosts First TTDF Symposium 2025 at IIT Madras
(Source – PIB (Press Information Bureau), June 20, 2025)
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Topic: GS Paper 3 (Technology – Telecom Policy & Infrastructure) |
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Context |
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Content
Background: The three‑day symposium at IIT Madras brought together academia, industry, startups, and government stakeholders under TTDF aimed at driving next‑gen telecom innovation.
Key Highlights:
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Funding & Projects: Over ₹500 crore in funding approved for 120 projects out of 1,300+ proposals; ₹187 crore already disbursed.
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Multi‑Core Fibre Testbed: A field facility for multi‑core fibre (MCF) testing spanning 5 km, now open to partners for interoperability trials.
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Strategic Priorities: Focus areas include 6G, AI/ML for IoT, quantum communication, satellite networks and adoption of indigenous solutions.
Analysis:
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Ecosystem Building: TTDF fosters academia‑industry synergy, IPR generation, and reduced reliance on imports.
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Strategic Resilience: Enhances self‑reliance in telecom, critical for national security and economic competitiveness.
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Execution Bottlenecks: Funding disbursement, timely project execution and channelising research into commercial deployment remain key challenges.
Way Forward: To sustain momentum, streamlined administrative processes, dedicated testing facilities, and policy support for commercialisation are essential.
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Practice Question: Discuss the role of the Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF) in reducing India’s dependence on imported telecom infrastructure. What are the major achievements and challenges of TTDF so far, and how can policy interventions enhance its impact? |
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