Understanding Diversity

UPSC GS1 — Indian Society:

India is described as a plural society — multiple cultural, linguistic, and religious groups coexist, often with distinct identities, but share common citizenship and constitutional values.

Key sociological concepts:

Multiculturalism: Policy of recognising and respecting multiple cultural identities within a single state. India practises multicultural constitutionalism — the Constitution explicitly protects minority cultures (Art. 29-30).

Secularism (Indian model): Not separation of religion and state, but equal respect for all religions (sarva dharma samabhava) — the state maintains equidistance from all religions. Contrast with Western secularism (strict separation). Added to Preamble by 42nd Amendment (1976).

Composite culture: The blending and mixing of different cultural elements to create something new — Indian classical music, architecture (Indo-Islamic style), language (Hindustani = Hindi + Urdu elements), cuisine, etc.

Challenges to diversity:

• Communalism: Identity politics based on religion; India witnessed communal riots (Partition, post-Babri Masjid demolition 1992, Gujarat 2002)
• Regionalism: Excessive loyalty to region over national interest; demands for separate states; inter-state water disputes
• Linguism: Language-based conflicts; Hindi imposition controversy; three-language formula debate
• Casteism: Caste-based discrimination, reservations debate, honour killings

[Additional] PVTGs, Forest Rights Act 2006, and PM JANMAN (GS2 — Governance / Vulnerable Sections / Tribal Rights):

PVTG identification criteria (all four must apply):

1. Pre-agricultural level of technology — hunting-gathering, shifting cultivation
2. Stagnant or declining population
3. Extremely low literacy (below national average)
4. Subsistence-level economy

PVTG distribution (by community count):

Total PVTG population: ~8 million in 22,544 villages across 220 districts (Census 2011); Odisha has highest PVTG population (~8.66 lakh), followed by MP (~6.09 lakh).

PM JANMAN — 11 critical interventions: Pucca housing (target: 2,26,064 houses) + piped drinking water (2,90,676 tap connections) + road connectivity (2,746 km of roads) + electrification (1,23,530 unelectrified households) + Mobile Medical Units (578 MMUs) + education, nutrition, healthcare, livelihood support. First dedicated scheme exclusively for PVTGs — "saturation approach" to basic amenities.

Forest Rights Act 2006 — implementation status (as of May 31, 2025, MoTA data):

State-wise leaders (titles distributed):

• Chhattisgarh: 4,91,805 titles (1st nationally)
• Odisha: 4,62,160 titles (2nd nationally)
• Chhattisgarh + Madhya Pradesh + Odisha together = 56% of all titles nationally

Wildlife First v. MoEF — the critical Supreme Court case:

• WP(C) 109/2008 — filed by Wildlife First NGO challenging FRA's constitutional validity
• February 13, 2019: SC ordered states to evict all forest dwellers whose FRA claims were rejected (estimated 10–20 lakh families)
• February 28, 2019: SC stayed the eviction order after urgent MoTA intervention; directed states to review all rejected claims for procedural flaws
• Significance: Pits conservation interests against tribal rights; highlights that most rejections were procedurally flawed (Gram Sabha procedures not followed); the case remains ongoing

FRA's constitutional significance: FRA recognises that forest laws from the colonial period (Indian Forest Act 1927) and post-independence period treated tribal communities as "encroachers" on their own ancestral lands. FRA corrects this by acknowledging the historical injustice — connecting to Article 21 (right to livelihood), Directive Principles (Articles 46, 48A), and the 5th Schedule (protection of tribal areas).

UPSC synthesis: PVTGs + FRA 2006 = GS2 Governance + Vulnerable Sections. Key exam facts: 75 PVTGs across 18 states + 1 UT (A&N); Odisha = 13 communities (most); PVTG criteria = pre-agricultural + declining population + low literacy + subsistence economy; FRA 2006 = MoTA = Gram Sabha as primary authority = three rights (Individual, Community, Habitat for PVTGs); eligibility = STs + other TFDs living in forests for 3 generations (75 years) before Dec 13, 2005; 25.11 lakh titles distributed (as of May 2025) out of 51.23 lakh claims; Chhattisgarh #1, Odisha #2; Wildlife First case = Feb 2019 eviction order + Feb 28 stay; PM JANMAN = Nov 15, 2023 = Rs 24,104 crore = MoTA = 75 PVTGs. Prelims trap: FRA's primary implementing body = Gram Sabha (NOT the Forest Department or Collector — a common confusion); FRA covers both STs and OTFDs (Other Traditional Forest Dwellers — non-tribal communities living in forests for 75 years); Habitat Rights = only for PVTGs (not for all STs); PM JANMAN = PVTGs only (NOT all STs).

[Additional] Classical Languages, 8th Schedule, and Three-Language Formula (GS1 — Indian Society / GS2 — Governance):

Classical Languages in India — complete list (11 as of October 2024):

Union Cabinet approved 5 new Classical Languages on October 3, 2024 — nearly doubling the total from 6 to 11.

Criteria for Classical Language status:

1. High antiquity: 1,500–2,000 years of recorded history
2. A valuable body of ancient literature / texts considered cultural heritage by its speakers
3. Knowledge texts (prose + poetry); epigraphical and inscriptional evidence
4. The literary tradition must be original, not borrowed from another speech community
5. Classical language may be distinct from its modern form (historical discontinuity acceptable)

Benefits of Classical Language status:

• Two major international awards annually for eminent Classical Language scholars
• Establishment of Centre of Excellence for Studies in each Classical Language (university-level)
• Grants to national academies for dedicated Chairs for Classical Languages

8th Schedule — current 22 languages: Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu

Languages pending 8th Schedule inclusion (38 languages demand, key ones):

• Bhojpuri (Bihar; Bihar Cabinet has formally proposed to Centre)
• Tulu (coastal Karnataka and Kerala; Centre acknowledged "consciousness of sentiments" in 2024)
• Kokborok / Kok Barak (Tripura's tribal language; formally demanded)
• Any addition requires a Constitutional Amendment Bill (as done by 92nd Amendment 2003)

Three-Language Formula — controversy timeline:

Bodo Accord 2020 — language recognition as conflict resolution:

• Memorandum of Settlement: January 27, 2020 — GoI + GoA + NDFB factions + ABSU
• Bodo language (already in 8th Schedule since 2003) made Associate Official Language of Assam (Assam Official Language Amendment Act, 2020)
• Strengthened Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) under the Sixth Schedule
• Significance: Armed Bodo insurgency (4,000+ deaths) ended through political settlement that included explicit language recognition — model for linguistic conflict resolution in the Northeast

UPSC synthesis: Language policy = GS1 Indian Society + GS2 Governance. Key exam facts: 8th Schedule = 22 languages (last added 2003 via 92nd Amendment — Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, Santhali); Classical Languages = 11 (Tamil first = 2004; 5 new = October 3, 2024 = Marathi + Bengali + Assamese + Pali + Prakrit); criteria = 1,500–2,000 years antiquity + original literary tradition; Three-Language Formula = Kothari Commission 1964–66 + NPE 1968; Tamil Nadu follows two-language policy since 1968 (C.N. Annadurai); NEP 2020 reaffirmed formula → Tamil Nadu refused → Rs 2,152 crore Samagra Shiksha withheld; Bodo Accord Jan 27, 2020 = Bodo = Associate Official Language of Assam (Sixth Schedule). Prelims trap: Tamil = first Classical Language (2004); NOT Sanskrit (Sanskrit was 2nd in 2005); the October 2024 additions were 5 languages (NOT 3 or 4); the last languages added to the 8th Schedule were in 2003 via 92nd Amendment (NOT 1992 or 2014); Bodo is ALREADY in the 8th Schedule (added 2003) — the Bodo Accord made it an Associate Official Language of Assam (different from 8th Schedule status).