📈 Indian Economy
🚀 Startup India Revolution
A Deep Dive into India's Innovation Ecosystem
📰 Why in News?
The Startup India initiative has catalyzed India's innovation ecosystem, with 11 new startups joining the unicorn club in 2025, according to the Future Unicorn Report.
🔍 How Has Startup India Transformed the Innovation Ecosystem?
- Digital Infrastructure: Digital India, Aadhaar, UPI, and BharatNet reduced entry barriers and enabled inclusive innovation.
- Capital Access: Fund of Funds and credit guarantee schemes supported early-stage ventures like Fashinza.
- Ease of Doing Business: Online systems and single-window clearances streamlined startup operations.
- Unicorn Boom: India now boasts 118 unicorns, up from just 4 in 2014.
- Sectoral Growth: FinTech, SpaceTech, and DefenceTech are thriving with over 900+ startups combined.
- Employment: Over 12 lakh direct jobs created, boosting exports and reducing import dependence.
📌 What is the Startup India Initiative?
Launched in 2016, it offers tax benefits, simplified compliance, and funding access to foster entrepreneurship and job creation.
Flagship Schemes:
- SISFS: Seed funding for proof of concept and product trials.
- CGSS: Collateral-free loans for startups.
- SIPP: Support for patent filing and IPR protection.
Key Achievements:
- 1.59 lakh DPIIT-recognized startups (up from 500 in 2016).
- India is now the 3rd largest startup ecosystem globally.
- 16.6 lakh direct jobs created by October 2024.
- 73,151 startups have at least one woman director.
⚠️ Key Challenges
- Funding Gaps: Tier-II and Tier-III cities face capital shortages.
- Regulatory Burden: Complex laws like the Motor Vehicles Act and Data Protection Act increase compliance costs.
- Scaling Issues: 90% of startups fail within five years due to operational inefficiencies.
- Market Saturation: Edtech sector faces shrinking margins and consolidation risks.
🛠️ Way Forward
- Tax Incentives: Extend benefits to 5 years and support deep-tech startups.
- Government Procurement: Mandate startup participation in public contracts.
- Decentralization: Develop startup hubs in smaller cities using hub-and-spoke models.
- Skill Development: Focus on AI, blockchain, and IoT under Skill India.
🌟 Conclusion
India’s startup journey is a civilizational reset—bold, innovative, and globally ambitious. From job-seekers to job-creators, Startup India has redefined economic growth through innovation, employment, and global outreach.
📝 Drishti Mains Question
Q: While the unicorn boom showcases success, India's startup ecosystem faces significant challenges in funding and regulation. Discuss the measures needed to ensure sustainable and inclusive growth.
🔖 Important: UPSC Previous Year Questions (2014)
🧠 Prelims Question
Q: What does venture capital mean?
- A short-term capital provided to industries
- B. A long-term start-up capital provided to new entrepreneurs ✅
- Funds provided to industries at times of incurring losses
- Funds provided for replacement and renovation of industries
📝 Mains Question
Q: Scientific research in Indian universities is declining, because a career in science is not as attractive as are business professions, engineering or administration, and the universities are becoming consumer-oriented. Critically comment.
🌍 Geography
🌧️ Mitigating Flood and Landslide Risks
Understanding Vulnerability in Hilly Regions
Tags: GS Paper - 1 | GS Paper - 3 | Physical Geography | Disaster Management | Climate Change
Source: IE
📰 Why in News?
Heavy monsoon rains in 2025 have triggered widespread landslides and floods in hilly states like Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, posing serious threats to lives, infrastructure, and ecosystems.
⚠️ Factors Contributing to Vulnerability
- Steep Slopes: Rapid runoff prevents water absorption, causing flash floods. E.g., Mandi, Kullu, Dharali.
- Fragile Geology: Young mountain ranges like the Himalayas consist of fractured rocks and thin soils, prone to landslides. E.g., Darjeeling, Sikkim.
- Hydrological Funnel Effect: Narrow valleys concentrate rainfall into high-energy rivers. E.g., Alaknanda, Mandakini.
- Trigger Events: Cloudbursts, snowmelt, and saturated soils lead to debris flows and slope failures.
- Human Activities: Unregulated construction, blocked drainage, and deforestation destabilize slopes. E.g., Joshimath subsidence (2023).
🌍 Impact of Climate Change
- Extreme Rainfall: Warmer air holds more moisture, intensifying cloudbursts and flash floods.
- Monsoon Disruption: Droughts followed by intense rain reduce soil absorption and increase erosion.
- GLOFs: Glacier retreat forms unstable lakes. E.g., South Lhonak GLOF (2023) damaged Chungthang hydropower project.
- Permafrost Thaw: Thawing destabilizes slopes, increasing landslide risk.
- Wildfires: Destroy vegetation and create water-repellent soils. E.g., Uttarakhand recorded 5,351 forest fires (ISFR 2023).
📋 NDMA Guidelines
Flood Management
- Structural: Diversion channels, embankments, check dams, desilting, and reservoirs.
- Non-Structural: Flood forecasting, raised shelters, floodplain zoning, and integrated watershed planning.
Landslide Management
- Zonation Mapping: Use UAVs, laser scanners, and EO data for hazard maps.
- Early Warning Systems: Real-time rainfall and seismic monitoring with wireless alerts.
- Training & Capacity Building: Focus on grassroots communities and new technologies.
- Policy Enforcement: Update building codes, enforce land-use laws, and regulate construction in hazard zones.
🛠️ Mitigation Strategies
- Environmental: Afforestation, Van Panchayats, terrace farming, and check dams to stabilize soil and reduce runoff.
- Engineering: Retaining walls, rock bolts, debris barriers, and sediment traps to protect infrastructure.
- Urban Resilience: Sponge city models, rainwater harvesting, and improved drainage systems.
- Policy: Carrying capacity studies, hazard zone mapping, and relocation of vulnerable settlements.
- Early Warning: Integrate weather forecasts, rainfall data, and community sirens for timely evacuation.
- Financial: Disaster risk reduction budgets and parametric insurance for quick payouts.
🌟 Conclusion
Mountain regions are naturally fragile, but human interference and climate change have intensified their vulnerability. A holistic approach—combining ecological restoration, engineering safeguards, policy enforcement, and community preparedness—is essential to mitigate risks and align with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015–30).
📝 Drishti Mains Question
Q: Critically analyse how geological fragility and human activities contribute to hydrometeorological disasters in Hilly Areas.
🔖 UPSC Civil Services Examination – Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
📝 Mains
- Q (2021): Differentiate the causes of landslides in the Himalayan region and Western Ghats.
- Q (2016): “The Himalayas are highly prone to landslides.” Discuss the causes and suggest suitable measures of mitigation.
📘 UPSC Mains Answer Writing Guidelines
- Word Limit: Typically 150 to 250 words per question, depending on the paper and instruction.
- Time Allocation: Around 7–10 minutes per question in GS papers (based on 20 questions in 3 hours).
- Structure: Use clear headings—Introduction, Body (Analysis), and Conclusion.
- Language: Formal, concise, and analytical. Avoid flowery or vague expressions.
- Focus: Stick to the demand of the question—critically examine, discuss, evaluate, etc.
- Support: Use examples, data, schemes, and keywords from syllabus (e.g., SDGs, NITI Aayog, NDMA).
🖋️ Tip: Practice writing answers within time and word limits to build exam readiness and clarity.
🔐 Copyright-Safe Content Notice
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