State PCS - Uttar Pradesh (UP PCS)

• 21 Jul 2025

Women Economic Empowerment (WEE) Index

Why in News? 

The latest Women Economic Empowerment (WEE) Index, developed by the Department of Planning, highlights the significant progress made in enhancing women's economic participation in Uttar Pradesh. 

Key Points 

About the WEE Index 

• About: It is a pivotal report from the Planning Department and Udayati Foundation, aimed at evaluating the impact of government schemes on women and fostering gender-inclusive, data-driven policymaking in the state. 
• WEE Index Structure: The index evaluates all 75 districts based on five key parameters: 
  • Entrepreneurship 
  • Employment 
  • Education & Skill Development 
  • Livelihood 
  • Safety & Transportation infrastructure 
  • 49 indicators from 15 departments are analyzed to gauge performance across these categories. 
• District Classification: The districts were categorized based on their performance in the WEE Index: 
  • 'Champions': These districts demonstrated strong outcomes due to effective government schemes, active women's participation, and structural support. Women in these districts are excelling in entrepreneurship, education, and employment. The list includes:  
    • Lucknow, Kanpur Nagar, Varanasi, Jhansi, Sultanpur, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Prayagraj, Ayodhya, Sonbhadra, Rae Bareli, Gorakhpur, Deoria, Ambedkar Nagar, Agra, Ghaziabad. 
  • 'Leader': These districts performed well but need to maintain momentum. The list includes:  
    • Pratapgarh, Moradabad, Barabanki, Aligarh, Bareilly. 
  • 'Contender': These districts have shown progress, but more efforts are required, particularly in skill training and employment opportunities. The list includes:  
    • Ghazipur, Jalaun, Muzaffarnagar, Bulandshahr. 
  • 'Aspirational': These districts face challenges in grassroots awareness, education, safety, and self-employment. Special campaigns will be launched to address these issues. The list includes:  
    • Chandauli, Baghpat, Amroha, Badaun, Sitapur, Siddharthnagar, Balrampur, Mahoba, Sambhal, Shravasti. 
• Key Insights of the Index: 
  • Education & Skill Development: There has been a notable increase in women’s involvement in education and skill development programs.  
    • Government initiatives such as vocational training, Mission Shakti, Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, and Swachh Bharat Mission have empowered women socially and economically by enhancing safety, social awareness, and mobility. 
  • Public Transport Inclusion: Schemes to recruit women as drivers and conductors in public transport have boosted women’s economic independence and mobility. 
• Actionable Measures: 
  • Integration of WEE Index: The WEE index will be integrated into the Chief Minister’s Control Room for real-time monitoring, serving as a foundational tool for policymaking and tracking outcomes across all departments.  
    • Departments are required to develop actionable plans focused on women’s empowerment and create district-level strategies to localize the impact of state schemes. 
  • Targeted Campaigns: Specific districts such as Banda, Jalaun, Jaunpur, Mahoba, Shravasti, and Sitapur will launch campaigns under the ODOP Margin Money Scheme to increase women’s inclusion. 
  • Recruitment Drives: Recruitment drives for home guards and teachers will prioritize women, drawing from the successful model used in police recruitment. 
  • Expanding Women’s Workforce Participation: Efforts will be made to boost women’s enrollment in technical institutes, vocational programs, and skill training centers.  
    • The creation of ‘Re-enrolment Units’ will aim to bring back women who have dropped out of courses. 
  • Support for Healthcare Careers: Paramedical institutes will be developed to facilitate women’s careers in healthcare and service sectors. 
  • Public Transport Roles: There will be an emphasis on increasing women’s roles in public transport, specifically as drivers and conductors, by providing specialized training and support facilities.

Birth Anniversary of Mangal Pandey

Why in News? 

The Prime Minister paid tribute to the great freedom fighter Mangal Pandey on his 198th birth anniversary on 19th July 2025. 

Key Points 

About Mangal Pandey 

• Early Life and Background: 
  • Born on July 19, 1827, in Nagwa village of Ballia district (present-day Uttar Pradesh), Mangal Pandey hailed from a Bhumihar Brahmin family. 
  • He joined the East India Company’s army at age 22, serving in the 6th Company of the 34th Bengal Native Infantry. 
• Role in Revolt of 1857:  
  • He refused to use the newly introduced Enfield Pattern 1853 rifle-musket, as it was believed that its cartridges were greased with beef and pork fat. It offended both Hindu and Muslim sepoys, who had to bite them open to load the weapon. 
  • On 29 March 1857, he fired the first shot of rebellion at the Sergeant Major of his regiment in Barrackpore, near Kolkata.  
  • This act of defiance triggered the historic Revolt of 1857, often referred to as the Sepoy Mutiny or the First War of Indian Independence.  
  • The uprising ultimately led to the end of the East India Company's rule in India, with the British Crown taking direct control through Queen Victoria’s Proclamation of 1858 and the enactment of the Government of India Act, 1858, which appointed a Viceroy in place of the Governor-General.  
    • Lord Canning became the first Viceroy under this new system. 
  • He was subsequently overpowered and hanged on 8 April 1857, by order of a Court Martial at Lal Bagan, Barrackpore. 
    • After Pandey’s execution, the 7th Awadh Regiment revolted and faced suppression. His regiment was disbanded, similar to the 19th Infantry at Behrampore, for displaying dissent. 
    • The rebellion spread across army cantonments—in Ambala, Lucknow, and Meerut. 
    • On 10 May 1857, sepoys in Meerut launched the uprising that escalated into a nationwide revolt. 
    • They marched to Delhi, urging the aged Bahadur Shah II to become their symbolic emperor. After persuasion, he accepted and was declared Shah-en-shah-i-Hindustan. 
      • He was the last Mughal emperor, exiled to Rangoon after the failure of the revolt. 
      • The Red Fort was seized on 19 September 1857, and he remained in captivity until he died in 1862. 
• Significance: Mangal Pandey’s defiance in Barrackpore was not an isolated incident but a culmination of widespread resentment, religious grievances, and economic exploitation under British rule. His legacy as the trigger of the First War of Indian Independence continues to be remembered as a symbol of national resistance and patriotic sacrifice. 

About Socio-Political Context of Awadh 

• Mangal Pandey belonged to Awadh, a key region for Company recruitment. 75,000 sepoys from Awadh were part of the British army, and almost every agricultural family had a representative serving. 
• The annexation of Awadh in 1856 by Lord Dalhousie on the grounds of misgovernance (not under the Doctrine of Lapse) and the land revenue settlements caused deep resentment. 
  • The Doctrine of Lapse was introduced by Lord Dalhousie (Governor-General, 1848–56). It denied adopted heirs the right to inherit kingdoms, leading to the annexation of states like Satara (1848), Punjab (1849), Jhansi, and Nagpur (1854). 
• Confiscation of taluqdars' lands and harsh revenue systems led to 14,000 petitions from sepoys protesting their economic hardships. Pandey’s rebellion thus became symbolic of this cumulative peasant-military discontent. 

About Other Prominent Leaders of the 1857 Revolt 

• Nana Sahib (Kanpur): Adopted son of Peshwa Baji Rao II; denied pension rights by the British. Took leadership in Kanpur; fled to Nepal in 1859, where he likely died. 
• Begum Hazrat Mahal (Lucknow): Widow of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah; led the revolt from Lucknow. Crowned her son Birjis Qadr as king. Lived in exile in Nepal until her death in 1879. 
• Veer Kuwar Singh (Bihar): 80-year-old zamindar from Bhojpur; led guerrilla warfare. Retook Jagdishpur in 1858 before succumbing to injuries. 
• Rani Laxmibai (Jhansi): Denied succession under the Doctrine of Lapse. Fought British forces under General Hugh Rose in 1858. 
• Khan Bahadur Khan (Bareilly): Led a prolonged resistance in Bareilly at age 82; fought Sir Colin Campbell. 
• Maulvi Liaqat Ali (Allahabad): Controlled Allahabad briefly; operated from Khusro Bagh. Arrested in 1872 and deported to Andaman Islands.