State PCS - Uttar Pradesh (UP PCS)

• 23 Sep 2025

19th National Jamboree of Bharat Scouts and Guides

Why in News?

Uttar Pradesh will host the 19th National Jamboree of the Bharat Scouts and Guides, a major youth event that will bring together thousands of young people from India and abroad. 

Key Points

• About: The week-long event, set to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will take place in Lucknow's Vrindavan Scheme from 23rd to 29th November 2025.
  • The Prime Minister has a longstanding connection with scouting, having participated in the 2009 Jamboree in Ahmedabad as Gujarat's Chief Minister during the centenary year of scouting.
• Activities: The Jamboree will feature a variety of adventure sports, science exhibits, and cultural activities, providing an opportunity for youth to engage in leadership-building exercises. 
• Tent City: The state government is building a gated Tent City with world-class facilities to accommodate 35,000 participants, with the groundbreaking ceremony scheduled for 29th September 2025.
• History: The first Jamboree in India was held in Hyderabad in 1953, and Uttar Pradesh hosted the fourth edition in Prayagraj in 1964.

Note: The Bharat Scouts and Guides is a voluntary, non-political, educational Movement for young people, open to all without distinction of origin, race or creed, in accordance with the purpose, principles and methods conceived by the founder Lord Baden-Powell in 1907.

UP to Curb Caste-Based Practices

Why in News?

The Uttar Pradesh government has issued a notification to curb caste-based glorification by banning caste-based political rallies, removing caste signboards, and prohibiting caste mention in police records to promote social harmony.

• This decision follows a ruling by the Allahabad High Court in the Praveen Chetri v State of UP case, which criticized caste recording in police records as regressive and against the principles of a modern, secular India.

Key Points

• Ban on Political Rallies: The notification imposes a blanket ban on political rallies based on caste identity, stating they promote social conflict and threaten “public order” and “national unity.”
• Display on Vehicles: Vehicles displaying caste-related stickers, slogans, or identifiers will be subject to penalties under the Central Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
• Ban on Signboards: Public signboards that glorify any particular caste or declare geographical areas as caste-based territories or estates must be removed immediately.
• Revised Police Record Procedures: The order mandates the deletion of caste details from police records such as FIRs, arrest memos, and recovery documents.
  • The caste column in police databases (CCTNS portal) will be removed. Instead, the mother’s name will be recorded alongside the father’s name in all related documents.
• Monitoring of Social Media: The government has instructed authorities to monitor social media platforms and take action against individuals spreading caste-based hatred or glorifying any caste group.
• Exemption for Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) Act, 1989: The only exemption to the caste prohibition will apply to cases related to the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, where caste identification remains essential.

Constitutional and Legal Provisions Against Discrimination 

• Constitutional Provisions: 
  • Equality Before Law: According to Article 14, no person shall be denied equal treatment before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India. 
  • Prohibition of Discrimination: Article 15 of the Constitution of India states that the State shall not discriminate against any citizen on the grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth, or any of them. 
  • Abolition of Untouchability: Article 17 of the Constitution abolishes Untouchability. 
• Legal Provisions:  
  • The Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955: The act was enacted to enforce Article 17 of the Constitution of India, which abolished the practice of untouchability. 
  • The SCs and the STs (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989: It was enacted to safeguard the members of SCs and STs from caste-based discrimination and violence.

International Day of Sign Languages 2025

Why in News?

The Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, organized a grand celebration for "Sign Language Day – 2025" on 23rd September 2025.

• The Ministry of Education, in partnership with the Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET) and NCERT, also held a Special Five-Day Live Programme on Indian Sign Language from 15th to 19th September 2025.

Key Points

• About: 
  • The United Nations General Assembly declared 23rd September as International Day of Sign Languages to underscore the significance of sign language in realizing the human rights of Deaf people. 
  • The date marks the establishment of the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) in 1951, which advocates for the rights and recognition of deaf individuals globally.
  • The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which was adopted by the UN in 2006, recognizes sign languages as equal to spoken languages and obligates states to promote the linguistic identity of the Deaf community.
    • India was one of the first countries to ratify the Convention in 2007.
• Theme: This year’s theme, "No Human Rights Without Sign Language Rights," calls for increased recognition of sign language as a tool for ensuring equality and dignity for individuals who are Deaf.
• 8th National Indian Sign Language Competition: As part of the celebration, the winners of the 8th National Indian Sign Language Competition, which saw participants from schools across the country in 13 categories, were honored for showcasing creativity and talent within the Deaf community.