4 Less E-wastage.

5 lowers power consumptions.

6 Less generation of heat will help towards lowering Global warming.
7 Less wear and tear.
8 Lesser requirement of storage space and transportation costs.
9 Makes medical examinations and intervention easy. Also helps making smaller medical devices for
on body use like pace makers and bio-electric shunts for nerve damage.

V SOCIAL
50. Euthanasia or Mercy Killing – Moral Dilemma
Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering. It
is categorized as voluntary, non-voluntary and involuntary. Euthanasia can be further classified into
active or passive ones. Active euthanasia is an intentional act to deliberately kill a terminally ill patient
using various means whereas passive euthanasia happens when medical treatment is removed
purposefully resulting in a person’s death to relieve him from unending pain. Until now euthanasia is
not legalised in India.
What is euthanasia? The phrase “euthanasia” was coined by Sir Francis Bacon. It is also called
as ‘mercy killing’. The term “Euthanasia” has been derived from the two
Greek Words ‘eu’ and ‘thanotos’, which literally means ‘good death’.
Euthanasia is the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering (provided
motive should be good & death must be painless as much as possible)
or
“A deliberate intervention undertaken with the express intention of ending a life, to relieve
intractable suffering.” – British House of Lords Select Committee on Medical Ethics.
Difference between Euthanasia and physician assisted suicide.
Physician assisted suicide is often misunderstood with euthanasia. The difference being in who
administers the lethal drug.
In euthanasia-a physician or third party administers it.
In physician assisted suicide- it is the patient himself administers it, though on the advice of the
doctor.
Assisted suicide and euthanasia are sometimes called under the umbrella term “assisted
dying”.
Broad classification-

 Voluntary Euthanasia (with patients consent)– euthanasia is performed with patients consent.
It is legal in some countries like Belgium, Netherlands etc.

 Non-voluntary Euthanasia (patient’s consent unavailable)– where a person is unable to give

their consent (for example –patient is in a state of coma or are severely brain damaged) and
another person takes the decision on their behalf, often because the ill person had expressed a
wish previously to end their life in such circumstances.

The Cavalier Page 70

  Involuntary Euthanasia (without asking consent or against the patient’s will)–Euthanasia
conducted against the will of the patient is termed involuntary euthanasia. It is also regarded as
murder
Debate- moral dilemma
Arguments For Euthanasia- According to euthanasia opponent Ezekiel Emanuel, proponents
of euthanasia have presented four main arguments:
a) That people have a right to self-determination, and thus should be allowed to choose their own
destiny.
b) Assisting a subject to die is a better option than continuing to suffer.
c) The distinction between passive euthanasia( which is frequently allowed) and active euthanasia is
not substantive (the underlying principle–the doctrine of double effect is unreasonable) and

The doctrine of double effect

The doctrine of double effect says that if doing something morally good has a morally bad side-effect,
then it is ethically acceptable to do it provided the bad side-effect wasn’t intended. This is true even if
you foresee that the bad effect would probably happen.
The above principle is used to justify the case where a doctor gives drugs to a patient to lessen
distressing symptoms inspite of knowing that doing so may shorten the patient’s life.
This is because the doctor is not targeting directly to kill the patient, and the bad result of the patient’s
death is a side-effect of the good result of reducing the patient’s pain.
d) Allowing euthanasia will not necessarily lead to unacceptable consequences. Pro-euthanasia
activists often take examples of countries like the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg etc where
euthanasia has been legalized to justify that it is mostly trouble-free.
Other arguments-
Arguments based on rights
a. People got an explicit right to die
b. Death is a private subject and if there is no harm done to others then, the state and other people have
no right to interfere (libertarian case)

Practical arguments–
a. Death is a private subject and if there is no harm done to others then, the state and other people have
no right to interfere (libertarian case)
b. Allowing people to die may free up scarce health resources (this is a possible argument, but so far no
authority has seriously proposed it)

Arguments Against Euthanasia

Similarly, Emanuel argues that there are four major arguments presented by opponents of
euthanasia:
a. All deaths are not painful.
b. Termination of active treatment, combined with the effective use of pain relief are available as
alternatives to euthanasia
c. The distinction between active and passive euthanasia is morally significant and
d. Legalising euthanasia will put society on a slippery slope, which will lead to unacceptable
consequences. (In Oregon 2013, pain wasn’t one of the top five reasons that people sought
euthanasia for .In fact it were a loss of dignity, and a fear of burdening others).

The Cavalier Page 71

Other arguments-
Ethical arguments
a. Euthanasia could weaken society’s respect for the sanctity of life.
b. Accepting euthanasia would mean that some lives (those of the sick or disabled) are worth less than
others.
c. Voluntary euthanasia could start of a slippery slope that may lead to involuntary euthanasia and the
killing of people who are thought undesirable.
d. Euthanasia might not be in a person’s best interests.
e. Euthanasia affects rights of other people and not just those of the patient

Religious arguments- Religions are opposed to euthanasia for a number of reasons.

a) Euthanasia is against the will and word of God. (God has forbidden it)

 Virtually all religions in their scriptures say ‘you must not kill’. Therefore carrying out any of these
would be against God’s command, and would be an attack on the sovereignity of God
b) Euthanasia weakens society’s respect for the sanctity of life .

 Human life is sacred. Human lives are special because God created them. Human beings are made
in God’s image. Therefore human life should be protected and preserved, whatever happens
c) law of karma –Suffering may have value (Freedom from worldly life)

 Hinduism and Buddhism see mortal life as part of a continuing cycle in which we take birth, live, die,
and are reborn over and over again.
 During each cycle of life and death human beings make progress towards their ultimate aim, which is
liberation.
 Thus, shortening life interferes with the law of karma.
d) Voluntary euthanasia could start of a slippery slope that may lead to involuntary euthanasia and
the killing of people who are thought undesirable
e) Most religions disapprove of euthanasia. Some absolutely forbid it.
For example, the Roman Catholic church is one of the most active organisations in opposing
euthanasia.
f) Virtually all religions state that those who become vulnerable through illness or disability deserve
special care and protection, and proper care of life is a much better thing than euthanasia.
g) Non-harm – the principle of ahimsa-Hinduism and Buddhism regard all life as precious.(not just
human life) .They say that we should try to avoid harming living things and therefore this also rules
out killing people, even if they want to die.
Practical arguments

 Proper palliative care could make euthanasia unnecessary.

 Euthanasia cannot be properly regulated
 Permitting euthanasia will lead to less good care for the terminally ill.
 Permitting euthanasia could undermine the commitment of doctors and nurses to save lives.
 Euthanasia may become in future a cost-effective way to treat the terminally ill.
 Allowing euthanasia could discourage the search for new mode of treatments for the terminally ill.
 Euthanasia could discourage the motivation to provide good care for the dying.

The Cavalier Page 72

 Euthanasia gives too much authority to doctors.
 Euthanasia exposes vulnerable people to pressure to end their lives.
 Moral pressure on elderly people by selfish families.
 Moral pressure to free up medical resources.
 Patients may feel euthanasia is the only way out when they are abandoned by their families

51. Violence Against Children

Introduction The Parliament recently passed the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill 2018, which awards death
penalty to convicts of child rapes in India. The Bill provides for death penalty as the maximum punishment in
cases of rape of a child under 12.

issues with Child Abuse in India

 An epidemic of child rape is sweeping the country and the rising number of children who are being targeted
is a disturbing scenario.
 According to a report by child rights NGO CRY, sexual offence is committed against a child in India every
15 minutes and there has been an increase of more than 500 per cent over the past 10 years in crime
against minors.

 As per NCRB statistics on rape of women and children, 94% of the rapists are known to the victim, and
almost half the perpetrators include the father, a brother, a grandfather, a close relative, and neighbours.

 Low conviction rate – it is only about 3 per cent of the total cases brought before courts as per the NCRB
Report 2016. One of the main causes for the low rate of conviction under the Act is a lack of infrastructure
and manpower in the criminal justice system.
 Failure of previous acts – Despite the enactment of the POCSO Act in 2012, there has been no decline in
the number of crimes against children. Inference – The new law was no deterrent.
 Delay in justice – It is common for court cases to last years or even decades- one of the reasons is the
serious shortage of judges. More than 6 million criminal cases that have been pending for more than 10
years. Timelines for completion of the investigation, for recording of evidence, and for completion of trial
are almost never adhered to due to pendency of cases and the lack of facilities.
Salient features of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill 2018

 The Bill seeks to replace the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance promulgated on April 21, 2018
following an outcry over the rape and murder of a minor girl in Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir and the rape
of another woman at Unnao in Uttar Pradesh.
 The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill 2018 will amend relevant Sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC),
the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and also the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act
(POCSO Act) 2012.
 The Bill provides for a time-bound investigation in cases of rape of girl children. The investigation into the
rape of a child must be completed within two months.
 The cases are to be tried in a fast track court. The Bill states that any appeal against a sentence by the
trial court must be disposed of within six months.

The Cavalier Page 73

Punishments
 Under the new law, if the victim is under 12 years of age, the culprit faces a minimum sentence of 20
years. The maximum punishment is death. In the cases of gangrape of a child under 12, the minimum
punishment is life sentence while the maximum is death penalty.
 In cases of children aged between 12 and 16, the offence of rape is punishable with the minimum
sentence of 20 years. The maximum punishment in such cases is life imprisonment. If a girl aged between
12 and 16 is gangraped, the convicts face a minimum punishment of life sentence.
 If the victim is aged between 16 and 18, the offence of rape is punishable with a minimum punishment of
10-year jail term and the maximum is life imprisonment. Repeat offenders will be punished with life
imprisonment or death.

52. No-Fly List

Why is there a no-fly list?

 The Civil Aviation Requirements issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation
(DGCA) note that unruly behaviour onboard aircraft has been declared an offence and is a punishable
act. Even one unruly passenger can jeopardise safety on board.
 The government kick-started the process of developing these rules after an incident involving then
Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad assaulting an Air India staffer on a flight back in 2017 occurred.
 Subsequently, a number of airlines banned Gaikwad from travelling on their flights. The government
then came out with the no-fly list in 2017.
Guidelines for no-fly list
In 2017, the government issued rules for preventing disruptive behaviour by air travellers and laid
down guidelines.

 As per the rules, a complaint of unruly behavior needs to be filed by the pilot-in-command, and this is
to be probed by an internal committee to be set up by the airline.
 During the period of pendency of the inquiry, the rules empower the concerned airline to impose a
ban on the passenger. The committee is to decide the matter within 30 days, and also specify the ban
duration.
The rules define three categories of unruly behavior:

 Level 1 refers to behaviour that is verbally unruly, and calls for debarment up to three months;
 Level 2 indicates physical unruliness and can lead to the passenger being debarred from flying for up
to six months;
 Level 3 indicates life-threatening behaviour for which the debarment would be for a minimum of two
years.
How does someone end up on the list?

 A no-fly list essentially begins with a passenger causing verbal, physical or life-threatening
unruliness. The DGCA has given an indicative list of actions that may be construed as unruly.
 These include: consuming alcohol or drugs resulting in unruly behaviour; smoking in an aircraft; using
threatening or abusive language towards a member of the crew or other passengers; intentionally
interfering with the performance of the duties of a crew member, etc.

The Cavalier Page 74

 Once the pilot-in-command submits his complaint, the airline is bound to refer the complaint to its
internal committee.
 During the course of the inquiry, the airline can ban the passenger from flying for a maximum period
of up to 30 days.
 In addition, the Ministry of Home Affairs provides a list of individuals identified as national security
threats to DGCA and to the airlines, for inclusion in the no-fly list.
What is the structure of the internal committee?

 The internal committee is to consist of a retired district and session’s judge as Chairman, along with
a representative from a different scheduled airline and a representative from a passengers’
association or consumer association as members.
 The internal committee shall give the final decision in 30 days by giving the reasons in writing, the
rules state, and the decision of the committee shall be binding on the airline concerned.
 In case the committee fails to take a decision in 30 days, the passenger will be free to fly.
Is there redress for someone declared guilty by the internal committee?

 Any aggrieved person, upon receipt of communication of a ban from the airline, may appeal within 60
days from the date of issue of the order, to an Appellate Committee constituted by the Ministry of
Civil Aviation, consisting of a retired judge of a High Court as Chairman; a representative from a
passengers’ association or a consumer association; and an airlines representative not below the rank
of vice-president or equivalent.
 The rules, however, do not specify the functional details of either the internal committee or the
appellate committee, and whether they would invite the accused to make their case.
 The Civil Aviation Requirements state that the decision of the appellate committee shall be final
and that any further appeal shall lie in a High Court.

53 Social Networking Sites: Good or Bad

 The idea of online social networking has taken the world as a revolution. The web has always provided
a way for people to connect with one another, social networking has taken it a level above. It enables
one to find old friends and make new ones. Its rare to find someone today who has not heard of
Facebook or Twitter.

 Social networking has a vast online landscape, so vast that it can be a little intimidating. These are
so many options available and each service provider has its own terms and condition. We sign in,
sometimes even very private details. But we want to use such a site, many a times simply because
others are using it.
 Social networking has a number of positives. One of the major benefit is that it lets you connect with
other people. You can stay connected with your friends. You may also be able to track down old
friends and acquaintances. You can also use these sites to network professionally. You may help
some people find suitable job. You can use these sites to organize an event and invite your friends.
You can also use these site to promote your work particularly if you are an actor, musician or a writer.
You can keep your fans informed about your performance schedule or even interact with them.
 But its not all sunshine and roses. One of the biggest drawbacks of social networking is that it makes
identity theft easier. In order to create a profile you have to share some information about yourself
and not all the information that you share is safe. But if you don’t share sufficient information then

The Cavalier Page 75

 your friends may not even be able to find you. Another danger is that scammers use social networking
sites to trick people into down loading malicious software. Once your computer gets infected the
scammer will use your friends list to try and spread the malware further. So one needs to guard against
these drawbacks.
 Social networking has revolutionized the way we communicate. It has brought people closer than ever
before. But it could also turn addictive and force us to waste time with constructive output. It has
tremendous advantages if used judiciously. We must also guard against the disadvantages that are
inherent in it.

54.The Value of Games and Sports

 ‘Health is Wealth’ they say. A healthy mind will be of no use unless it resides in a healthy body. One
can develop and maintain a healthy body by actively participating in games and sports.

 Games keep our body alert, active, youthful and energetic. They instill in us a spirit of adventure.
Games increase circulation of blood, boost metabolism, burn calories and improve the respiratory
digestive system. A healthy person can work hard cheerfully for a long period of time and can face
dangers boldly. While playing games various muscles of the body get exercised. They also tone up
the body of both the young and the old. They keep us protected from a large number of diseases.
 Games instill in us a spirit of self reliance, self confidence justice and fair play. They enable us to
cultivate virtues like discipline, honesty, integrity, loyalty and patriotism. A sportsperson develops
team spirit, learns to adjust with other person’s short comings and respects the rules of the game.
Sportpersons learn punctuality and self discipline. Sports also go a long way in nation building.
 Games are excellent means of recreation. Soccer cricket, tennis and wrestling are watched by millions
of fans all over the world. When we watch and play games we forget all our worries and anxieties.
They enable us to divert our mind from negative thoughts.
 For the students games and sports are essential. However nowadays the schools in India do not give
much importance to games and sports. Some schools do not have proper infrastructure and the funds.
As a result children find it difficult to pursue a sport of their liking.
 Sportsmen from India do not do well at world stage. Our performance in Olympics is nothing to boast
of. How can it be when the sports are not encouraged at formative years in the school? Moreover
even at the country level, infrastructure and the funds for sports are highly inadequate.
 Keeping in mind the advantages that accrue from playing games and sports measures should be
taken to ensure people’s active participation in them. It is for the government to evolve a long term
national sports policy.
 It is a foregone conclusion that if maximal participation in sports and games is ensured, it will improve
the overall health of the nation and its citizens. Khelo India School Games Organized recently in the
capital is one such initiative. It will go a long way, if followed properly.

The Cavalier Page 76

 55. Gap Between Rich and Poor: Can We Bridge It
Main Points :
1. A recent study has shown that 73 percent of wealth in India is owned by only 1 percent
people.
2. Poor are unable to afford quality education whereas rich can send their children even
abroad.
3. There are unequal job opportunities. To fight shortage of resources people even resort
to criminal activities.
4. Government should ensure quality education for poor.
5. Reservation for marginalised groups can also help.
6. Encourage entrepreneurship among under privileged sections.

“ An imbalance between rich and poor is the oldest and the most fatal ailment of all
republics”
Unequal distribution of wealth is one of the common problems faced by developing nations. This
creates a significant gap between the wealthy and the poor and leads to many socio-economic
problems. Economic disparity not only affects the lives of the people but also hinders the overall
economic development of a nation. Recent survey conducted by Oxfam has shown that in India 73
percent of wealth is owned by only 1 percent people.

One of the main problems caused by unequal distribution of wealth is that education has become
inaccessible to the poor. Nowadays quality education has become very expensive. There are A-list
schools and colleges which are very costly and not within the reach of poor people. Rich can even
send their children abroad for studies but the poor can never even think of it. Due to this, these people
are not able to compete for high paying jobs and it becomes a fundamental disadvantage for them.
Another important issue is the increase in crime rates. As marginalized groups most often do not
make enough money to meet their basic needs, they resort to heinous acts like burglary, theft etc.

Although these issues are critical, it is possible to find solutions. In fact there are various instances
where solutions have been provided by the government itself. Firstly, the government should develop
schemes and provide scholarships which will help people from the poor section afford quality
education. This will give them a fair chance to compete with rich people. Reserving seats for
marginalized group or quota system can also be one of the solutions. In addition, authorities should
encourage and endeavor entrepreneurship among underprivileged sections. The government of
India, for example, has introduced many schemes to empower the poor. Recently the government
launched scheme Stand up India to promote entrepreneurship among dalits and women. It aims to
provide easy loans ranging from 10 lakhs to 1 crore to members of Schedule Caste / Schedule Tribes
who want to set up greenfield ventures. While poverty is still an issue in the country, the life standards
of the poor are increasing slowly.

To sum up, the gap between the rich and the poor is widening and has created many problems like
an increase in crime rates. However, if the government exercises enough political willpower it is
possible to solve these problems.

The Cavalier Page 77

 56. Role of Media In Moulding Public Opinion
Main Points:
1. Media can penetrate remotest parts of earth.
2. Media can be used for disseminating information as well as for education of the masses.
3. PressCouncil of India safeguards freedom of press.
4. Social media has come up as a challenge to media.
5. Public outcry forces authorities to act.
6. Bias in media is a matter of concern.

Media is an important means of communication. There is print media, newspapers and books
and electronic media, radio and television.Of late internet has also been added to electronic
media. Even though the audio visual electronic media scores over the print media, the latter
is still holding its ground.
The media has the ability to penetrate remotest corners of earth and make its presence felt.
The media coverage of Gulf War of 1991 and the terror strikes in USA in Sep 2001, updated
people with the latest on the events while sitting at home. In India the Kargil operation in 1999
and the terror strike in Mumbai in 2008 were widely covered live by the media.
Inspite of an overdose of electronic media, the print media still enjoys vast readership. People
still want to start the day with a newspaper. Some of the journalists enjoy great fan following
and are respected for their work.The audio visual media enjoys a slight advantage over print
media because it caters to the needs of illiterate.
Media is an effective tool for disseminating information. Media can generate public
involvement through advocating issues. Media played an important role in building public
opinion in the Nirbhaya rape case. It also played an important role in the rise of Narender
Modi in 2014 general elections.
Freedom of Press is the major constituent of freedom of speech in India. The Press Council
of India was therefore set up in 1978 to safeguard freedom of press. Similarly the censor
board has been set up to ensure the content of films and documentaries has the desired self
check mechanism.
With the advent of internet the world has really shrunk. Social media through the Internet has
come up as a challenge to conventional media. There is now a parallel reporting which keep
the television channels and others on toes regarding their content. Anna Hazare’s fast for
Jan Lokpal Bill, Nirbhaya rape case, the public outcry was led on social media and the
conventional media played catch up.
The media houses in the country are owned by corporate giants and big industrial houses.
They tend to keep their own interests above that of the general public or even of the nation.
Media has therefore frequently been accused of being biased and even unpatriotic at times.
Whereas the media wants to criticize all others it is not open to criticism. Its model of self
regulation has not been very effective. Freedom of press is an important constituent of a
vibrant democracy. It must not die simply because the media failed to regulate itself. Its
survival is important to all of us.

The Cavalier Page 78

 57. Agriculture: The Back Bone of Indian Economy
Main Point:
8. 58 percent of rural household depend on agriculture.
9. Agriculture has two components, food and non food.
10. Agro industry includes canned, dairy, processed, frozen foods to fisheries, meat, poultry
and food grains.
11. Green revolution helped India to become self reliant.
12. Investments are mainly driven by government imitative and schemes.
13. Current schemes to up light agriculture.
14. Budget 2018-19, push for agro economy

“Agriculture is our wisest pursuit, because it will in the end contribute most to real wealth,
good morals and happiness”.

Agriculture is the most important sector in our economy. It provides raw materials to many industries
and plays a significant role in economic development. There has however been a decline in the
number of cultivators indicating a shift from farm to nonfarm employment.
Agriculture production has two compartments, food grains and non food grains. Food grains like rice
and wheat have made India self sufficient. In non food grains tea, coffee, cocoa, oil cakes, fruits,
vegetables, spices, sugar and cotton form the basics of country’s exports. Agro industry includes
canned, dairy, processed, frozen foods to fisheries, meat and poultry.
We have came a long way since independence. India has achieved self sufficiency in food grains
production. It has also made significant progress in agricultural sciences and technologies. Green
Revolution in 1968 ushered in a new era and helped India become self reliant. It generated self
confidence in our agricultural capability.
Growth in agriculture sector is considered necessary to achieve ‘inclusive growth ’. It accounts for
nearly 55 percent of employment. It is a supplier of food, fodder and raw materials for a vast segment
of industry. That’s why the investments are mainly driven by government initiatives and schemes.
States are primarily responsible for agricultural production and enhancing income of farming
community. Their effort is supplemented by central government schemes.

In 2014-15 the budget allocated 100 Cr to Kisan TV to disseminate real time information to farmers.
Substantial sum has been allocated to support micro irrigation and watershed development in
‘Pradhan MantriKrishiSinchaiYojna’. The crop losses due to unpredictable weather are well covered
by Pradhan MantriFasalBimaYojna. MeraGaonMera Gaurav is a scheme lunched to ensure effective
reach of scientific farming to villages. Budget 2018-19 has announced that MSP of kharif crops will
be one and half times the production cost. The budget has been hailed as an agriculture budget.
Some initiatives include Operation Green to address price fluctuation in potato, tomato and onion,
Rural Haats to be upgraded to GraminAgriculture Markets so as to cut out the middle men, sufficient
investment for fisheries, Animal husbandry and ware housing.
Agriculture sector in likely to generate better momentum in next few years. Factors such as reduced
transaction costs, improved port gate management and better fiscal incentives will contribute to
sector’s growth. Use of genetically modified crops is likely to improve the yield for the farmers.

The Cavalier Page 79