A new index to measure social progress

Even as India commits itself to move on the fast track of economic growth, it must be mindful of the need to invest in improving its social indicators as well

Is Gross Domestic Product (GDP) an adequate measure of a country’s development across many dimensions? This has been debated vigorously in recent years. The discontent with GDP stems from the fact that it focusses exclusively on economic growth. Even there, it does not capture the level of inequity which can exist in a society despite overall economic growth. The inequity can in fact even be exacerbated by it. More importantly, it pays no attention to the social and environmental measures of development which are as important as economic development. Indeed, the United Nations has identified three pillars on which the post- 2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) must rest: economic, social and environmental.

Alternate measures

Several alternative measures have been proposed to capture the social dimension of development, combined with or independent of economic indices. Bhutan has embraced and espoused the concept of Gross National Happiness. A World Happiness Report is now periodically published from the Columbia University which compares self-reported levels of happiness of people from different countries. A composite Wellness Index was proposed by noted economists Stiglitz, Sen and Fitoussi in response to a request from the then President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, for a measure of development that looks beyond GDP. A Global Multidimensional Poverty Index was developed at Oxford to gauge inequity within and across societies.

 We may continue to measure GDP, but we must also measure social progress lest we end up as a soulless society characterised by gaping equality 

However, none of these has really caught on because economists, industrialists and politicians alike are conditioned to place a high premium on economic development as the measure of progress and do not like to see the clarity of a single measure like GDP cluttered by a host of other indicators they view as imprecise or even irrelevant. So, an index of social progress is needed which does not try to displace GDP (not yet anyway) but has additive value. Such an index can be used to remind political leaders that their bifocal vision must accommodate both economic and social progress as being important for a country, recognising, of course, that these two tracks are closely interlinked and sometimes inseparable.

Such an index of social progress has recently been created by a group of academics and institutions constituting the Social Progress Imperative (www.socialprogressimperative.org). This index has three major domains: Basic Human Needs, Foundations of Wellbeing and Opportunity. Each of these has several clusters of specific indicators (as shown in the table).

The environmental dimension is partly incorporated into the Social Progress Index (SPI) as a cluster of indicators related to ecosystem sustainability. While there can be debates on which other indicators could have been included in any of the clusters, the SPI does provide a list of key areas which need to be tracked and acted upon to ensure a higher level of social progress. The index is still evolving, with validation studies being conducted on data from different countries. The authors have extended an open invitation to groups from anywhere in the world to use their data sets for validation and suggest refinements.

The designers of this index draw our attention to three overarching findings of their study so far: social progress is distinct from economic development, though correlated with it; some aspects of social progress are more closely related to the level of economic development than others; countries have relative strengths and weaknesses in social progress, both across the major dimensions and across components within the dimensions.

Of the three domains, Basic Human Needs is best correlated with per capita GDP, Foundations of Wellbeing being intermediate and Opportunity the least so. However, in each domain there is variability in the degree of correlation between the individual components and per capita GDP. As the developers of SPI affirm, the index offers a new tool to explore the complex two-way relationship between economic and social progress. At the same time, it provides a metric for comparison of countries, and States within a country.

Inter-country comparisons

In inter-country comparisons, the top three countries were New Zealand, Switzerland and Iceland. Not surprisingly, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark feature in the top 10. India scored lower than the other four from the BRICS group because of lags in areas such as water, sanitation and access to higher education. In specific indicators, there is variability across these countries. For example, China lags in personal rights and Brazil in personal safety. Costa Rica has an SPI close to that of far richer countries like Spain and Italy. Costa Rica’s outstanding health status and access to education may be related to investment priorities (it has no defence budget) and social harmony. For the present, India need not concern itself with comparisons with other countries or even debate on how accurately the individual components of the index measure social progress. It would help if the SPI indicators serve as a checklist to monitor our progress over time in each of these important areas of human welfare.

Even as the country commits itself to move on the fast track of economic growth, it must be mindful of the need to invest in improving the social indicators as well. We may continue to measure GDP if that is still considered the talisman of economic progress by the worlds of politics and finance, but we must also simultaneously measure social progress lest we end up as a soulless society characterised by gaping inequality and glaring social backwardness despite gaining wealth. Let GDP and SPI be the inseparable Gemini twins that herald our ascent to higher levels of balanced development

Trials and regulations

The promise and performance of genetically modified crops in agriculture is once again under the spotlight, with the sanction given by the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee for confined field trials of several food crops. In its last days, the UPA government decided to end the moratorium on trial cultivation of these engineered varieties, and to allow experiments aimed at generating biosafety data. The GEAC has now taken further steps to allow field trials of rice, brinjal, mustard, chickpea and cotton, and import of GM soyabean oil. Clearly, there can be no credible argument against scientific experiments in agriculture that advance the goal of developing plant varieties that can withstand drought, resist pests and raise yields to feed the growing world population. But this should be done through a transparent regulatory process that is free of ethical conflicts. Proponents of GM crops funding research in agricultural universities represents one such conflict. To aid transparency, research findings should be made available in the public domain for independent study. But India has taken only halting steps towards establishing a strong regulatory system; the Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India Bill, 2013, which provided for multi-level scientific assessments and an appellate tribunal, has lapsed.

While the Central government has not permitted the commercial cultivation of Bt brinjal in India, the recent case of neighbouring Bangladesh shows that regulatory mechanisms must be put in place before such crops are grown, whether for research or for the market — and they must be functional. Although the licence to produce the crop in Bangladesh required that the GM variety be isolated from indigenous ones to prevent genetic contamination, the condition was not followed. Field trials in India, in which the State governments have a say, must ensure that there are sufficient safeguards against such violations. If GM food is allowed to be sold to consumers, they must have the right to know what they are buying, and labelling should be made mandatory. Here again, the Bangladesh experience shows that such a condition may be difficult to enforce. There is no consensus on the performance of GM crops and the results have been mixed. They have had some beneficial impact on tillage practices and in terms of curbing the use of insecticides, but as the Union of Concerned Scientists in the U.S. points out, they have created monocultures and may be affecting birds and bees. All this underscores the need for a cautious approach — one that fosters scientific inquiry, allows for scrutiny and is underpinned by regulation. Enacting a comprehensive law that covers all aspects of GM crops should be a priority.

Speech by the President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee at the inauguration of the Golden Jubilee of National Institute of Technology (NIT)

1. It is my privilege to be here today for the inauguration of the Golden Jubilee celebrations of National Institute of Technology (NIT), Tiruchirappalli. I congratulate everyone associated with this premier centre of technical education on this beautiful occasion. 2. I am also glad to have made use of this opportunity to visit Tiruchirappalli, which is a historical city famous for engineering marvels. The Grand Anicut, or the Kallanai dam, built across the Kaveri River by the Chola King, Karikala Chola, in the Second Century AD, is considered the oldest water regulatory structure in the world. The temple complex at Tanjavur is one of the largest in the country - its apex, the Kumbam, carved out of a single granite rock weighing 90 tonne is another engineering feat. Traditional idol-making at Swamimalai, which developed two thousand years ago, is the basis for investment casting technology, now adopted for advanced gas turbine engines. Tiruchirappalli is a bustling industrial destination today, marked by the presence of important engineering establishments like Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, Ordnance Factory, mechanical workshop of the Indian Railways and number of ancillary industries. Ladies and Gentlemen: 3. NIT Tiruchirappalli is one of the top technical schools and one of the largest suppliers of engineers in our country. Formerly called Regional Engineering College, it was started in 1964. Its first Principal, Professor P.S. Manisundaram, was a visionary who nurtured this College from scratch. Tracing the origins of the older NITs like yours, one can draw a parallel with the genesis of post-1947 modern industrial India, when steel plants, refineries, dams and heavy engineering industries were being set up. Most of these NITs were established in rural locations or in green-field industrial sites, with the aim to spur local development. Your Institute, which was set up alongside BHEL, was one of them. Such vision brought about a pulsating eco-system of industry and technical institution that fostered close interaction. The NITs have made remarkable progress over the years. That their growth since inception is primarily the result of indigenous efforts, without help from foreign institutions, is truly praiseworthy. 4. Another notable feature of the NIT system is its student mix, which by design has a national character, making each campus a microcosmic-Bharat. The bright young minds – the would-be engineers and scientists - are an asset to the nation. Hopes and expectations from them are many. I am confident that the students, including those of this institute, will understand their responsibilities well. They will always, with a sense of obligation, perform their duty for the well-being of their fellow countrymen and development of the nation. Ladies and Gentlemen: 5. The IITs and NITs are the front-ranking institutions for engineering education in India. Yet, according to prominent international surveys on universities, Indian institutions do not figure in the top two hundred places. Since September 2012, I have been expressing my worry about our performance and restating in all my interactions with higher educational institutions the need to take the rating process seriously. It is therefore encouraging to see international rating agencies starting to recognize the quality of our institutes. Some of our IITs are in the top 50 in civil and electrical engineering. Five institutions are amongst the top 20 universities amongst BRICS nations. The number of Indian institutions in the top 100 in Asia has increased to 10 this year from 3 in 2013. I am confident that our institutes would replicate these initial successes in the overall rankings. The NITs, in particular your Institute, should take a cue from successful Indian institutions on how to approach the rating system. Featuring in international rankings has several positive spin-offs, in terms of intangibles like boosting the spirits of students and faculty, to more tangible benefits like better placement for students. More importantly, active participation in rankings will propel the development of institutions in the right direction. 6. India has recently become a permanent member of the Washington Accord, which is an international accreditation agreement amongst 17 countries for professional engineering degrees. I appreciate the efforts of all involved, including this Institute, in taking India into this privileged academic group. India’s entry will enable global recognition of our degrees and increase the mobility of our engineers. It will enjoin our technical schools to adhere to global benchmarks in quality. This will be the real test. 7. To identify the challenges facing NITs and work out strategies, a Conference of the Directors of NITs was organized in Rashtrapati Bhavan last year. I am hopeful of the suggestions made at the Conference being implemented in a time-bound manner. To address faculty shortage, vacant faculty positions must be filled up on priority and external talent injected by hiring experts from industry, laboratories and foreign universities on short-term basis. Academic curricula must have an industry-focus. Industry interface cell must be set up to establish linkages with the local industry and industry associations. 8. ICT networks must be utilized fully to enable knowledge sharing and intellectual collaboration beyond the campus. Academic cooperation is a must for healthy exchange of ideas and expansion of knowledge boundaries. It is heartening to note NIT Tiruchirappalli having active collaboration with leading global universities that augurs well for students’ prospects. 9. Augmentation of student capacity must be facilitated by quick up-gradation of infrastructure. E-classrooms must be made available for smarter dissemination of lectures and tutorials. I am told that NIT Tiruchirappalli is working on the concept of virtual campus, which if executed will enable greater access to better quality education. Ladies and Gentlemen: 10. Knowledge and innovation are the underpinning of progress and prosperity in the twenty-first century. In this age of globalization, we can derive competitive advantage only from an eco-system that is conducive to new learning, research and innovation. NITs must work towards promoting scientific temper in their students. I am glad to learn that this Institute has set up centres of excellence in emerging areas like corrosion and surface engineering, safety, health, energy and environment. 11. Using innovation as a bridge, we must muster enough technological prowess to be counted as an advanced nation. Yet, given the present socio-economic condition of our country, the thrust of research must be to erase backwardness and wipe out deprivation. Innovations must improve the state of the underserved, who want a positive difference in their lives. Institutions like yours must support ingenuous ideas that promise betterment for those aspiring to rise up the socio-economic ladder – help a farmer till the soil better, an artisan perfect his craft or a small entrepreneur improve the productivity of his venture. I am happy to note that this Institute has a Centre for Rural Technology aimed at developing modern and cost effective technologies for application in the rural areas. 12. We pin our hopes on IITs, NITs and other technical institutions to nurture world-class, professionally-competent engineers who will not only take India to new heights in technology but also improve the quality of life of our countrymen. We must, therefore, develop in our budding engineers an understanding of the society. I am pleased to know that students of this Institute are being exposed to the world outside through initiatives like Joy of Giving that provide service to orphanages and the needy. Always remember the words of wisdom of Swami Vivekananda, which I quote: “The education which does not help the common mass of people to equip themselves for the struggle of life, which does not bring out the strength of character, a spirit of philanthropy, and the courage of a lion -- is it worth the name?” (unquote).

Gene key to developing stem cells found

Researchers have found a gene that could be key to the development of stem cells – cells that can potentially save millions of lives by morphing into practically any cell in the body.

The gene, known as ASF1A, is at least one of the genes responsible for the mechanism of cellular reprogramming, a phenomenon that can turn one cell type into another, which is key to the making of stem cells.

Researchers at the Michigan State University analysed more than 5,000 genes from a human egg, or oocyte, before determining that the ASF1A, along with another gene known as OCT4 and a helper soluble molecule, were the ones responsible for the reprogramming.

“This has the potential to be a major breakthrough in the way we look at how stem cells are developed,” said Elena Gonzalez-Munoz, a former MSU post-doctoral researcher and first author of the paper.

“Researchers are just now figuring out how adult somatic cells such as skin cells can be turned into embryonic stem cells. Hopefully this will be the way to understand more about how that mechanism works,” said Gonzalez-Munoz.

In 2006, an MSU team identified the thousands of genes that reside in the oocyte. It was from those, they concluded, that they could identify the genes responsible for cellular reprogramming.

In 2007, a team of Japanese researchers found that by introducing four other genes into cells, stem cells could be created without the use of a human egg. These cells are called induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPSCs.

“This is important because the iPSCs are derived directly from adult tissue and can be a perfect genetic match for a patient,” said Jose Cibelli, an MSU professor of animal science and a member of the team.

The researchers say that the genes ASF1A and OCT4 work in tandem with a ligand, a hormone-like substance that also is produced in the oocyte called GDF9, to facilitate the reprogramming process.

“We believe that ASF1A and GDF9 are two players among many others that remain to be discovered which are part of the cellular-reprogramming process,” Cibelli said.

The finding was published in the journal Science.

From the discomfort Zone: Ingenuity to transform habits

Changing the behaviour of a product’s end-user does not happen by chance. Only an enterprise with special motivation can make it happen, as I wrote last week. Behavioural change is extremely physical. There’s got to be some bodily object that interacts with people for behaviour to change; no intangible theory can do this job at the mass level.

Shaving behaviour: The straight razor, where the blade folds into its handle, what roadside barber shops still use, was invented around 1680. In 1901, Gillette initiated the double-edged safety razor with replaceable blades. To modernise men’s shaving habit, Gillette invented the single-side razor. Introducing the “razor and blades business model” or inexpensive razor with disposable blades, Gillette’s business grew tremendously. The beauty here is the high-tech blade; it’s expensive, but gives a large number of shaves. The razor picks it up from its packaging socket, men don’t touch it. It’s so simple and safe that women are attracted to use it.

So year after year with single focus, Gillette follows every generation, social trend, state-of-the-art engineering with precision manufacturing to innovate and revolutionise the way the world shaves. The Fusion ProGlide with FlexBall Technology they’ve just announced has a maneuverable handle that moves, adjusts, pivots across a man’s facial contours to allow it to capture every hair. This is a grand example of Gillette’s drive for world leadership by constantly changing men’s practical behaviour.

Walkman, the incredible behaviour changer: History shows that Philips, the fundamental inventor of many products, could barely get registered in people’s minds as a behaviour changing agent. On the other hand, newcomer Sony — not a fundamental inventor — successfully did so with the Walkman in 1979. The behavioural change the Walkman established was phenomenal; people moved around with little earphones, hands-free, enjoying music with a personal device. Being able to transform habits often comes from single focused, creative entrepreneurial challenge. Sony masterminded entertainment devices with the Walkman. But then it diversified and ran into losses. The big behavioural change the Sony Walkman introduced has shifted to Apple. Sony lost focus on entertainment devices for the digi-tech generation when it derooted its creative ingenuity into too many directions.

Smartphone: Changing people’s habit and behaviour through the smart mobile phone, Apple dynamised the finger touch. Monopolistic Microsoft missed the boat with people shifting from the laptop to the mobile phone. Till a few years ago, I was comfortable with my Blackberry — the typewriter replica. The day my IT engineer changed my ‘dumb phone’ to a ‘smart phone’, I was lost. But just a few days of usage changed my habit. I could never imagine I’d write articles and books on the touch screen. Just look at how these industries have not only innovated, but contaminated people to change their product usage behaviour.

Fast food: ‘Eat slowly’ is our social nicety when hosting a meal for invited guests. Yet along with 118 countries worldwide, India has abandoned specific, food-related cultural nuances to embrace typical American fast food like McDonald’s. Europeans hated this “time ismoney” fast food concept, and resisted its entry. But when at midnight you don’t find any restaurant open in rural Europe, a McDonald’s welcomes you. In fact, McDonald’s has democratised society globally. A low economic strata family now dares to eat at the extremely expensive Champs Elysees street of Paris because McDonald’s, which is affordable, is there. Also tourists amidst alien ways and food habits make a beeline for the predictably familiar McDonald’s.

In places famous for gastronomy like France and Italy, McDonald’s tweaks its menu and décor to attract locals. In Milan’s 14th century Piazza del Duomo with Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II — the world’s oldest and beautiful shopping mall — there’s luxury brand Prada on the left, Louis Vuitton on the right, Cartier, Gucci, Ferragamo; all within view, jostling for prominence. I was amused to see the bright yellow M twinkling at the edge, saying “I’m lovin’ it”, and attracting heavy traffic in total defiance of the dissonance traditionalists feel.

The only food connecting poor, rich, old and young across heterogeneous India is the jalebi, which is why my book is called Jalebi Management to represent everyone. India’s traditional food habit is different every 500 km, but McDonald’s — with the same vegetarian and non-vegetarian menu — is mesmerising all age groups across south, east, north and west India.

Never so easy: Behaviour change through product usage is not always easy. Take the e-cigarette that’s trying so hard to shift smokers. The response is minimal as e-cigarettes merely give flavoured vapour that simulates tobacco smoking. Actually the main question is, do cigarette companies really want their business model to change? Is the e-cigarette an eye-wash to fool the public and regulators that people’s health is not being damaged? As the e-cigarette is not addictive, it doesn’t work towards behavioural change. So will smokers and cigarette companies forget about changing behaviour and continue to injure health?

Enterprises need a different mindset to change the end user’s behaviour: It’s the ingenuity of the enterprise that drives behaviour creation. Before the digital age, human behaviour took time to change. Digi-tech now helps speed up innovation for industrial production to satisfy human needs. Corporate ideation for changing and sustaining the customer’s behaviour tomorrow will be very challenging because of fast changing digi-trends. An innovative but traditional mindset company can make profitable growth, but when it can command the mechanism of changing behaviour, it enters another league.

The substance of changing customer behaviour always requires a distinct spark. The product or service has to be extremely humane and uplift routine to ideal habit. Society’s drivers may start the change in a small way, but if it’s really scientific it quickly shapes up to addict the masses — who are the followers in society.

Defence projects worth Rs. 21,000 crore cleared

Also okays a project for production of transport aircraft, which is open only to Indian private sector companies.

The government on Saturday cleared defence procurement proposals worth over Rs 21,000 crore and also okayed a project for the production of transport aircraft, which is open only to Indian private sector companies.

Among the major proposals to receive approval is a Rs 9,000 crore tender to provide five fleet support ships for the Navy, for which the request for proposal (RFP) would be issued to all public and private sector shipyards, Defence Ministry officials said.

Chairing his first meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said, “There are many proposals in the pipeline for the defence forces and, today, we have tried to expedite quite a few of them.”

Thus, a proposal for supply of 32 HAL-built Advanced Light Helicopter, ‘Dhruv’, to the Coast Guard and the Navy at a cost of Rs 7,000 crore was also okayed, officials said.

Under the proposal, HAL will supply 16 helicopters each to the Coast Guard and the Navy and also provide maintenance for the machines to ensure the “highest level of operational maintenance and efficiency”.

DAC also cleared an IAF proposal for issuance of a tender for construction of 56 transport aircraft by private industry players to replace the force’s fleet of Avro aircraft, they said.

As per the proposal, private Indian defence companies such as Tata and Mahindra would be issued tender and they would build the aircraft in partnership with foreign firms.

The meeting also cleared the procurement of five fast patrol vessels (FPV) and offshore patrol vessels (OPV) each for the Coast Guard at the cost of Rs 2,360 crore.

The FPVs and OPVs would be built by the state-owned GRSE and Goa Shipyards Ltd, respectively, officials said.

A proposal to procure search and rescue (SAR) equipment for the three services at a cost of Rs 900 crore, too, received the green light.

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Topic MCQs in CAPF-2013 Weightage
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