Current Affairs 19th July 2023 for UPSC Prelims Exam

Collegium System

Context: The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended the names of four advocates for appointment as judges of different High Courts.

About the Collegium System

Definition: The collegium system is the way by which judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts are appointed and transferred.
Origination: The collegium system is not rooted in the Constitution or a specific law promulgated by Parliament; it has evolved through judgments of the Supreme Court. These cases are called “Judges Cases”.
Process:
- The Supreme Court Collegium is a five-member body, which is headed by the incumbent CJI and comprises the four other seniormost judges of the court at that time.
- A High Court collegium is led by the incumbent Chief Justice and two other seniormost judges of that court.
- Names recommended for appointment by a High Court collegium reach the government only after approval by the CJI and the Supreme Court collegium.
- The government can return the recommended Judge for reconsideration by Collegium.
- If the collegium reiterates its recommendation, then the government is mandated to appoint a person.
Evolution of Collegium System:
- Article 124(2) of the Indian Constitution provides that the Judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by the President. He/she should consult such a number of the Judges of the Supreme Court and of the High Courts in the States as he/she may deem necessary for the purpose.
- Article 217 of the Indian Constitution states that the Judge of a High Court shall be appointed by the President in consultation with the Chief Justice of India and the Governor of the State. Further, the Chief Justice of the High Court should also be consulted except in case of his/her own appointment.
- First Judges Case (1981): SC gave the executive primacy over the judiciary in judicial appointments, while observing that the President’s consultation with the CJI should be “full and effective”.
- Second Judges Case (1993):
  - SC reversed its earlier verdict and gave back primacy to the judiciary and said that CJI must be given priority in such appointments.
  - With this, the advice tendered by CJI became binding.
  - The SC introduced the procedure called the ‘Collegium System’ for the appointment and transfer of judges in the higher judiciary.
  - Further, CJI was required to formulate its advice based on a collegium of judges consisting of CJI and two senior-most SC judges.
- Third Judges case (1998): In this case, the SC laid down guidelines for appointments and transfers which has become the existing form of the collegium, and has been prevalent ever since.
  - Court gave primacy to the opinion of CJI in the matter of appointment of Judges.
  - Recommendation should be made by the CJI and his four seniormost colleagues — instead of two, as laid down by the verdict in the Second Judges Case.
  - Even if two judges gave an adverse opinion, the CJI should not send the recommendation to the government.
Criticism of the System:
- Critics have pointed out that the collegium system is non-transparent, since it does not involve any official mechanism or secretariat.
- It is seen as a closed-door affair with no prescribed norms regarding eligibility criteria, or even the selection procedure.
- There is no public knowledge of how and when a collegium meets, and how it takes its decisions. There are no official minutes of collegium proceedings.
- Lawyers too are usually in the dark on whether their names have been considered for elevation as a judge.

Current Affairs 18th July 2023 for UPSC Prelims Exam

DPT

Context: As per WHO, the coverage rate for DPT3 vaccines in India rose to an all-time of 93% in 2022.

More on News

The WHO and UNICEF estimates for national immunisation coverage for 2022 has been released recently.
Each year WHO and UNICEF jointly review reports submitted by Member States regarding national immunization coverage, finalized survey reports as well as data from the published and grey literature.
Based on these data, with due consideration to potential biases and the views of local experts, WHO and UNICEF attempt to distinguish between situations:
- where the available empirical data accurately reflect immunization system performance and
- those where the data are likely to be compromised and present a misleading view of immunization coverage.
WHO and UNICEF estimates are country-specific; that is to say, each country’s data are reviewed individually, and data are not borrowed from other countries in the absence of data.

About DPT Vaccine

It is a class of combination vaccines against three infectious diseases in humans: diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus.
This vaccine is administered to children in 3 doses, for children below 7 years of age.
The coverage of this vaccine is often used to assess how well countries are doing in providing routine immunisation services to children.
DPT3 vaccine refers to the third dose of diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus.

Some Key Findings

Global Coverage:
- Global immunisation services reached around 4 million more children in 2022 compared with 2021.
- In 2022, about 20.5 million children remained either unvaccinated or under-vaccinated (missed out on one or more vaccines delivered through routine immunisation services).
Coverage in India:
- India accounted for 1.6 million of the unvaccinated and under-vaccinated children for DPT-3 (diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus).
- India recorded 93% DPT3 coverage in 2022, surpassing the all time high pre-pandemic coverage of 91% in 2019, and a rapid increase from 85% recorded in 2021.
Performance of the WHO South-East Asia Region:
- The region had the best immunisation recoveries among all the WHO regions.
- This can be majorly attributed to the efforts being made by India and Indonesia.
- In South-East Asia, the number of zero dose children, those that have not received the first dose of DPT vaccine, halved from 4.6 million in 2021 to 2.3 million in 2022.
- Similarly, the number of partially vaccinated children, those that had received at least one dose of DPT vaccine but did not complete the primary series of three doses, reduced from 1.3 million in 2021 to 650,000 in 2022, a 50% decline.
- The South East region also witnessed a 6% improvement in the coverage of the measles vaccine, rising to 92% in 2022 from 86% in 2021.
- Indonesia reported a DPT3 coverage of 85% in 2022, the same as in 2019, but rising sharply from the 67% recorded in 2021.
- Bhutan recorded DPT3 coverage of 98% and Maldives 99%, surpassing their pre-pandemic immunisation rates.
- Bangladesh with 98% and Thailand 97% demonstrated consistency in routine immunisation coverage throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
- Decline of DPT3 coverage was seen in Myanmar with 71% DPT3 coverage in 2022, was lower than pre-pandemic 90% coverage in 2019.
Impact of Inequities in Immunisation Coverage:
- The inequities in immunisation coverage leading to accumulation of pockets of unvaccinated children posed the risk of outbreaks of measles, diphtheria, and other vaccine-preventable diseases.

National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC)

Context: National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) chairperson Vijay Sampla has tendered his resignation.

About National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC)

Definition: The National Commission for Scheduled Castes is an Indian constitutional body under the jurisdiction of Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India.
- Article 338 of the Indian constitution deals with National Commission for Scheduled Castes.
Aim: It has been established with a view to provide safeguards against the exploitation of Scheduled Castes. To promote and protect their social, educational, economic and cultural interests, special provisions were made in the Constitution.
Origin: The first Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes was set up in August 1978.
- Consequent upon the 89^th Amendment Act, 2003 the erstwhile National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes has been replaced by:
  - National Commission for Scheduled Castes and
  - National Commission for Scheduled Tribes.
Composition:
- The NCSC comprises a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson, and three additional Members.
- They are appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal.
Functions:
- to investigate and monitor all matters relating to the safeguards provided for the Scheduled Castes under this Constitution,
- to inquire into specific complaints with respect to the deprivation of rights and safeguards of the Scheduled Castes;
- to participate and advise on the planning process of socio-economic development of the Scheduled Castes and to evaluate the progress of their development under the Union and any State;
- to present to the President reports upon the working of those safeguards annually;
- to make recommendations that should be taken by the Union or any State for the effective implementation of safeguards for the Scheduled Castes;
- The Commission has powers of a civil court in respect of the following matters:
  - summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person from any part of India;
  - requiring the discovery and production of any documents;
  - receiving evidence on affidavits;
  - issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses and documents.