Pingali Venkayya, who was born on 2 August 1876 in the Andhra Pradesh state, is said to have designed the Swaraj flag that had been converted into the India national flag. Venkayya was a follower of Mahatma Gandhi and a freedom fighter, linguist and agriculturist who also took part in the freedom movement. In 1921, he introduced his flag design at the INC session held at Vijayawada which included the saffron, green, and subsequently white along with the charkha. His pattern was an indication of the social agreement, peace and self sufficiency, and this then grew as the foundation of the existing tricolour in 1947. Being such a huge contributor, he fell into obscurity and died in 1963. The commemoration of his legacy is nowadays being carried out through the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign.

Context:

• On August 2, 2025, prime minister Narendra Modi remembered Pingali Venkayya on his birthday and encouraged the people of the country to join the #HarGharTiranga campaign. 

Key Points

About Pingali Venkayya?

Who is Pingali Venkayya?

• Pingali Venkayya was the designer of the Non-controversial national flag of India.

• He was born to Shashimohanappa and Venkatanarayana at Bhatlapenumarru village near Machilipatnam in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh in the year 1876.

• Educated in the science of geology in Colombo, and besides his Dear affection for the English and French languages, had a great turn for the oriental languages, which he studied with the utmost ability, and besides Javancese and Malay, was tolerably proficient in Javanese; Japanese; OR, Urú; Sanskritt.

• Fought in the British Indian Army in the Second Boer War (1899–1902) and intensified his nationalist outlook.

• Also known by:

  • “ Patti Venkayya” – for his research on cotton

  • “Japan Venkayya“ – for delivering speech in Japan

  • "Jhanda Venkayya- for designing the national flag

Evolution of Indian Flag

• The flag has a moral universe in every element of it:

  • Saffron: Sacrifice and bravery

  • White: Peace, truth, transparency

  • Green: Growth and unity with nature

• Ashoka Chakra (24 spokes): duty, law and the eternal progress wheel

• The flag is not a piece of cloth; it is the philosophy of civilisational ethos of India that is inclusive, dynamic, democratic.

Part in Freedom Movement

• Was with Mahatma Gandhi when he was in South Africa, became a die-hard follower of Gandhi.

• Participated in numerous national movements between 1906-1922 in:

  • Vande Mataram Movement

  • Home Rule Movement Home

• Briefly an official as plague officer, but then went into the freedom struggle full-time.

Life and Legacy

• The family located at Nellore after independence and Monappa became an advisor to the Government involved with the Mineral Research Department.

• Was the author of the book World of Diamonds ( 1955 ) as he knew many things about geology and diamonds.

• He died destitute and in relative obscurity, on July 4 1963.

Posthumous Recognition:

• There is also a postage stamp created to honour him in 2009.

• During Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (2021), a bronze statue was inaugurated in Guntur.

• The reigniting of national pride in his contribution is the Har Ghar Tiranga movement.

Conclusion

Pingali Venkayya has done more than provide the textile of the Tricolour, he has done so by the ideologies of unity, self-reliance and peace that the tricolour symbolizes. It should be noted that symbolism needs to be grounded in substance as we live in a time of growing nationalism when his legacy reminds us that it is not about the symbolism, not about representation because it should merely be about the substance. As India approaches one century of its independence, it is essential to awaken the history of sacrifice and inclusivity by celebrating the unknown heroes such as Venkayya who created our independence.

Since its inception in 2018, Pariksha Pe Charcha (PPC) the brainchild of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become a mass participatory movement of education. In 2025, the 8th edition of PPC established a Guinness World Record by having 3.53 crore (more than 3.53 crores) of valid registrations in a single month on the MyGov platform. The programme was seen by over 21 crore citizens on digital and traditional media which indicates that its reach was national as well as societal.

Context

• The 8th edition of PPC was a Guinness World Record in 2025 in terms of the highest number of registrations on a citizen engagement platform in a month (more than 3.53 crore valid registrations made on MyGov platform). 

• It had a social reach and national coverage, with more than 21 crore viewers watching the programme on digital and traditional media.

Key Points

What is Pariksha Pe Charcha?

• The Pariksha Pe Charcha, is an annual interactive session headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

• It also interacts with students, teachers and parents prior to board exams in order to minimize stresses and anxieties.

• It is focused on exam preparations strategies, time management, mental health, and inspiration.

• They were organized in the form of a hybrid (off-line + on-line) event and transmitted in India in various languages.

• Learners are engaged in an online contest and a few chosen ones are invited to attend the event physically.

• Participants are issued with certificates, books signed by the PM and an opportunity to gain publicity at a national level.

Significance of Pariksha Pe Charcha

1. Empowering the Participatory Governance

The project considers the democratic spirit of direct participation of the citizens in decision-making and the national dialogue.

Using MyGov, Pariksha Pe Charcha advocates e-governance and also closes the gap between the policymakers and the youth.

2. The ability to make education stress-free and experiential

The main idea of Pariksha Pe Charcha is to diminish the pressure of taking exams and enjoy the learning process.

It goes along with National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, in which experiential learning has been promoted along with discouragement of rote memorization.

3. Ecosystem of holistic and inclusive learning

PM Modi does not solely communicate with students but also with parents and teachers, so there is a triangle of interaction, which reinforces the ecosystem of support around learners.

Contemporary issues of students are covered in such themes as time management, emotional resilience, and digital distractions, among others.

Pariksha Pe Charcha and NEP 2020: Alignment of Vision

International Relevance Recognition

• The Guinness World Record award is the recognition of the world validation of the Indian outreach to the masses and digital governance in the field of education in India.

• It also emphasizes the ability of India to develop models that are recognized all over the world and people-based in the education sector.

From Programme to Movement: A Socio-Educational Transformation

• What started as an yearly event in 2018 has turned into a national change of behaviour in terms of examinations and learning.

• PPC conveys the message that exams are not conclusive but there are milestones on the way toward lifelong learning and personal development.

• PPC leads to the de-stigmatization of academic pressure by praising all the efforts done by students and discussing mental health.

Critical Analysis and Limitations

Way Forward

• Institutionalising Dialogue Models: PPC must become an institutionalised process at state and local levels not just on a year-round basis.

• Enhancing Counselling Infrastructure: In their daily routine, schools ought to embrace PPC themes in mentoring.

• Incorporation with School Curriculum: Such subjects as time management, emotional intelligence, and digital hygiene have to be integrated into school education.

• Digital Divide: Make PPC more accessible to a greater number of people through the presence of regional languages and awareness at grass-root level.

Conclusion

Pariksha Pe Charcha has put a new face on the discourse of education in India whereby an otherwise stressful examination has become more of a learning festival. Its 2025 Guinness world record achievement is not only a quantitative milestone but a qualitative dimension in establishing a new way of thinking about how India manages student well-being, participatory governance and policy communication. As India enters its Amrit Kaal, PPC provides an expandable category of empathetic, digitally inclusive, and psychologically safe education.

The Prime Ministers Internship Scheme (PMIS) is a marquee project, which was announced in the Employment and Skilling Package under the FY25 Union Budget and seeks to offer one crore young people in India with internship opportunities in the 500 leading companies over a five-year frame. Although it was an ambitious scheme, the original pilot of the scheme had problems with participation, improper gender mix, use of funds and coordination with industry requirements.

Characteristic of the Plan

• It was scheduled to be initiated in FY 2024-25 with a 2-lakh crore employment.

• Interns receive:

  • ₹4000/month through DBT by GoI.

  • ₹500/month additional support from Corporate CSR fund.

  • ₹6, 000/year one time incidental grant for expenses.

• It is established via the Ministry of Corporate Affairs via the PMIS Portal.

• Created to fill the gap between education and industrial requirements in skills.

Positive Developments: Rise in Female Participation

Female participation was on the rise and there were positive developments.

1. Gender Imbalance Round I

• The number of males to females in the intern population became 72: 28.

• The female applications: 31 % of all applications.

• Women interns: 28 % of the selections.

2. Improvement Round II

• The number of women applying increased to 41% of the total number of applicants.

• Because of reforms such as:

  • Company name and location disclosure as well as profile.

  • Improved Information, Education & Communication (IEC) communication.

• Significance: An indicator of better gender sensitivity, responsiveness of policies to the recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance.

Concerns identified

1. Weak Offer Acceptance and Joining Rate

• Round I:

  • Offers to 60,000 candidates totaling 82,000.

  • Only 8,700 of applicants participated in the internship.

• Round II (as of July 17, 2025):

  • There were 71,000 offers made, 22,500 accepted.

  • Selection and joining under going.

2. Skill Demand-Internship Role Mismatch

• Candidates had problems acquiring positions, which suited their interest and traits.

• Especially in IT and tech positions.

3. Poor Utilisation of Funds

• FY 2024–25:

• Budget: 2,000 crore.

• Rf. estimate: 380 crore.

• Actual Spend (which is up to feb): 21.1 crore only.

• FY 202526 allocation: Razor-sharp bump up to 10,831 crore.

• Committee Perspective: Must involve active review in regards to real involvement and results.

Structural & Procedural Gaps

• Rejection of marginalised applicants because of:

  • Income limit: >8 lakhs/annually.

  • Important bar if a family member is an ordinary govt employee regardless of salary.

  • Absence of internship to employment tracking system.

  • Low levels of joining were initially caused by a lack of geographic transparency.

Post Round I Reforms 

• Geotagged profile and location of the company displayed in a transparent way.

• Show of additional benefits that companies give.

• Requests of relaxation contemplated, and including:

• Increasing the age from 24 to 25 years.

• Design of state government dashboards to enable state governments to track and to mobilise activity.

• Concurrent evaluation system through feedback is introduced.

Standing Committee Recommendations

Way Forward

• Construct gender sensitive selection processes and be better represented in high growth sectors (IT, manufacturing etc.).

• Create incentives to allow host companies to take on the intern as a full time employee.

• Follow the internship participants on a long-term employment basis.

• Amplify urban-rural digital divide to access to the PMIS Portal.

• Review eligibility on a periodic basis, to account to socio-economic realities.

Conclusion

The PM Internship Scheme is a forward-looking strategy of addressing youth unemployment and skills mismatch in India. Female applicant share rising by 31% to 41% between one round simply demonstrates the ability that responsive policy reform can have. Nonetheless, in order to become a reality of its vision, the scheme will have to consider issues surrounding inclusivity, use of funds, industry fit as well as job creation with periodic assessment and feedback.

Recently the Supreme Court has reaffirmed that honest officials should be provided safeguards by Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 particularly where a political vendetta is involved following a regime change. It also held that conviction can be made under the Act on circumstantial evidence even where the complainant becomes hostile, is unavailable or even dies.

What is the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA), 1988?

• The PCA came into effect on 9th September 1988 with the intention to bring together and build on the anti-corruption legislations in India.

• It also incorporates and repeals the earlier enactments like Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947, Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1952 and Sections 161-165A of the IPC.

Highlights of the Act

• Broader Definitions: Additional definitions on terms such as, public servant and public duty.

• Burden of Proof Shift: Accused is supposed to prove that he is innocent after corrupt practices are proved.

• Minimum Investigating Authority: Only the officers who rank above DSP can investigate.

• Major Offences covered:

  • Bribery and reward.

  • Misuse of Government money

  • One of them is by holding disproportionate assets

  • Criminal misconduct

Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018

Objectives:

• Make the PCA compatible with the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC).

• Ensure openness, discourage bullying of clean officials and answerability by those who give them bribes.

Key Provisions:

• ‘Undue Advantage’:

  • Any satisfaction other than legal wages is a definition of it.

• Bribe-Givers Liable:

  • Receiving bribes is also criminalised.

• Corporate Accountability:

  • Business entities which bribe to be awarded business are punishable.

• Implied Pre-Authorisation to Investigate:

  • Any investigation or even prosecution of any public servant must be transmitted by the competent authority before that investigation or prosecution is done (Section 17 A).

• Attachment of Properties:

  • Associated with PMLA, 2002 and Criminal Law Amendment Ordinance, 1944 to recoup clandestine fortunes.

• Enhanced Punishment:

  • Minimum: Increased from 6 months to 3 years

  • Maximum: Increased from 5 years to 7 years

Recent Verdict of Supreme Court (2025)

• Honest officers protect:

  • Section 17A averts politically inspired inquiries over bureaucrats uniting in the name of serving the masses.

  • Necessary shield of those officers who might be targeted by retaliation, after regime change.

• Admissible Circumstantial Evidence:

  • The evidence does not need to be direct.

  • A person can be convicted of demand and acceptance of a bribe through circumstantial evidence in case of absence or turning hostile of the complainant.

• Witness Hostility:

  • One can be convicted despite retraction of statements made by the main witnesses.

• Corruption's Gravity:

  • The court was again reminding us of how corruption continues to jeopardize every section of the management of governance.

Ethical and Governance Implications

Way Forward

• Strike a Balance between Accountability and Protection:

  • Make sure that protection measures are not means of immunity.

• Approval of Reform:

  • To make it a time bound process and transparent, make Section 17A approval process time bound.

• Institutional Strengthening:

  • Give independence and funds to Lokpal, CVC and internal vigilance organizations.

• Public Awareness:

  • Train the people on whistleblowing instruments such as the Whistleblower Protection Act, or grievance redressal policies.

• Technology:

  • Ensure e-governance to eliminate discretion said interfaces and eliminate corruption prone interfaces.

Conclusion

The verdict delivered by the Supreme Court is a significant move in striking the right balance between integrity and accountability in the provision of the services. Although security of honest officers is important in encouraging bureaucratic courage, this should be coupled with proper checks and transparency so that no one is above law, even those that enforce the law.

There is a recent meteoric rise in the number of HFMD cases in young children in Delhi with some schools issuing advisories, moving to online classes and rolling out sanitisation and preventative measures. There has been a reported augmentation in the daily caseload in outpatient clinics, although administrators in Delhi call them stray incidents.

Context

What is Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD)?

• Type: A viral infection which is contagious.

• Age Group: 3 to 7 years among the children.

• Causative Agents: At most common caused by Coxsackievirus A16 or Enterovirus 71.

Transmission:

• Person to person, through respiratory droplets.

• Infection through surfaces, toys or through polluted hands.

Symptoms:

• Fever.

• Aching changes in the mouth.

• Red rashes / blisters on the palms of hands and soles of feet.

• Irritableness and malaise.

• Lost appetite at times.

Administrative and Government Response

• The Delhi Education Minister said:

• Talked about the HFMD cases as the ones that are all subject to stray monsoon season incidences.

• No health advisory has been declared so far.

• They caution that they should not cause panic as this can happen with isolated cases.

Precautionary Measures Recommended

Why does it matter?

• Public Health: HFMD is very contagious in school environments.

• School Operations: Creates a hindrance of learning, in case of outbreaks.

• Star Rating Preparedness: Demonstrates deficiencies in the health communication and standardized school procedures.

• Parental Awareness: There should be some clear advice so as to avoid underrating or late isolation.

Conclusion

HFMD is non-threatening to life, however, its propensity to spread in the overcrowded school space dictates that supply-isolation and hygienic practices must be implemented. The cases being witnessed in Delhi strengthens the essence of coordinated health advisories, parental awareness, and institutional preparedness to forestall occurrences of localised outbreaks that might develop into a community health issue.

There has been a flare up of controversy with a letter of Delhi Police describing Bengali as the national language of Bangladesh. Amit Malviya, a BJP leader, defended the reference by saying that Sylheti was a dialect that was almost unintelligible to the Indian Bengalis implying an association with the Bangladeshi immigrants. It has caused a backlash in the Barak Valley of Assam where Sylheti is an extremely common language, and this has ignited language and identity issues.

Context

What is Sylheti?

• Sylheti is a local speech variant, which is spoken in:

  • Division of Bangladesh.

  • Barak Valley (Assam), western Tripura and Meghalaya in India.

Linguistic Debate:

• Mutual intelligibility makes some linguists group it as a dialect of Bengali.

• It is further claimed by some others that Sylheti has its own phonetics, lexicon and even a recording history (Sylhet-Nagri), which warrants the classification of Sylheti as an independent language.

• Diglossia: Standard Bengali is spoken mainly in education whereas in the regions Sylheti is implemented informally.

Historical Background

Colonial Era:

• In 1874, Sylhet separated Bengal and was added to Assam to enhance the revenue base of this province.

• Sylhet region was incorporated into the Assam region but preserved the Bengali culture between 1874-1947.

Partition 1947:

• In July 1947, Sylhet was determined in a referendum.

• Most of Sylhet became a part of East Pakistan (current Bangladesh) and Karimganj retained part of itself on the Indian side.

• Led to the influx of Sylheti Hindu refugees to the Barak Valley and the rest of Assam and Tripura.

Cultural identity of speakers of Sylheti

• The biggest percentage of the Sylheti speakers in India consider themselves Bengal and not a speaker of a foreign language or one in Bangladesh.

• They speak a different local form, but linguistics, culture, and history also have links with Bengal.

• Sylhetis have served in the public life of Assamese since the colonial times; and in administration and education.

Outrage and politics aftermath

• Trigger: Bengali also refers to Bangladesh by Delhi Police and Sylheti is considered a short form of Bangladesh immigration according to Amit Malviya.

• Barak Valley Reaction:

  • Blocking of the BJP local leaders and civil life.

  • One of the leading BJP leaders and former Silchar MP, Rajdeep Roy, said that:

  • More than 7 million Indians speak Sylheti.

  • Sylheti is Indian and Bengali, not foreign.

• Scholarly Perspective: Scholars such as Tapodhir Bhattacharjee maintain that Sylheti is only phonetically distinct amongst the Bengali language, and considered not by syntax and morphology as a unique language.

Why the Controversy Matters

Conclusion

The Sylheti problem indicates the interconnections between language, identity, movement and politics within the component of Northeast India. Although Sylheti was different from Standard Bengali, it is a language spoken by millions of Indians, who have historical background before the Partition. Any initiative to label it as foreign by stigmatising it can create an adverse effect of alienating an otherwise rich linguistically and culturally diverse community and destabilising the linguistic diversity of India.