Autism Spectrum Disorders: Prevalence in India and Way Ahead

In India, the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is a widely debated issue due to a lack of systematic estimates. Most estimates have been derived from studies based on school children, revealing that over one crore Indians may be on the autism spectrum. However, there are notable cultural differences in diagnosing autism between countries, which highlights the need to assess the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders specifically in the Indian context.

What is Autism?

Spectrum disorder: Autism, also known as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects communication, social interaction, and behaviour. It is called a spectrum disorder because the symptoms and severity can vary widely between individuals.

Common symptoms: Some common symptoms of autism include difficulty with social interactions, such as maintaining eye contact or understanding nonverbal cues, delayed speech and language development, repetitive behaviors, and sensory sensitivities.

Cause: Autism is believed to be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, but the exact cause is not yet fully understood.

Cure: There is currently no cure for autism, but early interventions and therapies can help individuals with autism lead fulfilling and independent lives.

Prevalence of Autism in India

Lack of systematic estimates: Autism is a global issue and affects individuals of all cultures, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. However, there is a lack of systematic estimates of autism prevalence in India.

Methos failed: Researchers have attempted to estimate prevalence through government hospitals, but this method failed due to the absence of central medical registries.

Conservative estimates: As a result, prevalence was estimated through school-based assessments. According to conservative estimates, well over one crore Indians are on the autism spectrum. This highlights the need for further research and attention to address the prevalence of ASD in India.

Cultural Differences and Diagnosis of Autism:

Notable cultural differences exist in the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. In the US and UK, the majority of children with autism spectrum diagnosis are verbal, with average or higher IQ, and attending mainstream schools.

However, in India, a significant majority of children with a clinical diagnosis of autism also have intellectual disability and limited verbal ability. This difference is driven by sociological factors, such as access to appropriate clinical expertise, provisions for inclusion in mainstream schools, and availability of medical insurance coverage.

Demand and Supply in India

Shortage of mental health professionals: Most autism assessment tools need to be administered by specialist mental health professionals. However, there is a significant shortage of mental health professionals in India, with less than 10,000 psychiatrists, a majority of whom are concentrated in big cities.

Delay is costly: Delay in interventions can be costly for neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism.

Demand and supply gap need to be met: This gap between demand and supply cannot be met directly by specialists alone, and parallel efforts to widen the reach of diagnostic and intervention services through involving non-specialists is required. Emerging evidence suggests the feasibility of involving non-specialists in autism identification and intervention through digital technology and training programs.

Way ahead: Need for an All-India Program

National program on autism: The need of the hour is to develop a national program on autism in India that links researchers, clinicians, service providers to the end-users in the autism community.

Essential components: This program needs to have three essential components that are joined up: assessment, intervention, and awareness.

Assessment: Research is needed to develop appropriate assessments and design efficient implementation pathways.

Intervention: Clinical and support service workforce needs to be expanded by training non-specialists such that a stepped-care model can be rolled out effectively across the nation.

Awareness: Large-scale initiatives need to be launched to build public awareness that can reduce the stigma associated with autism and related conditions

ICJ and Climate Justice

On March 29, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution that requested an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding the obligations countries have towards climate change reduction.

Vanuatu seeks climate reparations

The resolution, which was passed by consensus, was pushed through by the Pacific Island of Vanuatu, which was devastated by Cyclone Pam in 2015.

This resolution is significant because it invokes article 96 of the U.N. Charter and seeks to clarify the legal obligations of states to protect the climate system.

Resolution A/77/L.58: What does it seek?

The draft resolution (A/77/L.58) asks the ICJ to deliberate on two questions:

Obligations of states: Under international law to ensure the protection of the climate system for present and future generations

Legal consequences: For states that have caused significant harm to the climate system, particularly for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and for people who are harmed?

Frameworks invoked by Vanuatu

The resolution refers to several international protocols, including the-

Paris Agreement

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

What do sponsors of the resolution want?

The sponsors of the resolution expect an advisory opinion from the ICJ to bolster the efforts under the global climate pledge.

The opinion is also expected to clarify more contentious issues, such as-

Climate reparations by the developed world,

Legal culpability for countries that don’t achieve their NDC promises

Climate support to the most vulnerable parts of the world

Where does India stand over this?

India has been silent about the resolution, although it is generally supportive of climate justice and holding the developed world accountable for global warming.

India did not co-sponsor the draft resolution, unlike its neighbors Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.

If ICJ intervenes, what would change?

Only advisory opinion: The ICJ is being asked for an advisory opinion, which would not be legally binding as an ICJ judgment.

Puts moral obligation: The ICJ carries “legal weight and moral authority”.

Symbolic significance: ICJ’s clarification of international environmental laws would make the process more streamlined, particularly as the COP process looks at various issues like climate finance, climate justice, and the most recently agreed to “loss and damages” etc.

What is Bastille Day?

France has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Paris as a guest at the annual Bastille Day parade in July.

Central idea

The National Day of France, also known as Bastille Day, is celebrated on July 14 every year.

Known as La Fete Nationale or Le 14 Juillet in French, the day is celebrated with fireworks and a parade.

One of the most important days in the history of France, it marks the fall of the Bastille, a military fortress and political prison, then considered a symbol of the monarchy and armoury.

French Revolution: A quick recap

The French Revolution, which occurred between 1789 and 1799, was a significant period of social and political upheaval in France.

The revolution was characterized by a period of radical social and political change, which saw the-

Overthrow of the French monarchy

Establishment of a republic, and

Execution (Guillotine) of thousands of people, including King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette

Fall of Bastille

The fall of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, is widely considered the beginning of the French Revolution.

The Bastille was a fortress prison located in the heart of Paris, which had become a symbol of royal tyranny and oppression.

The people of Paris were becoming increasingly restless and unhappy with the ruling monarch, King Louis XVI, who was viewed as a weak and ineffective leader.

On July 14, 1789, a large group of Parisians gathered in front of the Bastille, demanding the release of political prisoners and the seizure of the fortress’s arms and ammunition.

The Governor of the Bastille refused to surrender the fortress, which led to a violent confrontation between the people of Paris and the defenders of the Bastille.

After several hours of intense fighting, the Bastille fell, and the people of Paris stormed the fortress.

Significance of the event

The fall of the Bastille was a significant moment in the French Revolution, as it symbolized the people’s victory over the monarchy and the end of the old regime.

The event also marked the beginning of a period of intense violence and social upheaval in France, as the revolutionaries began to seize power and establish a new order.

Global importance of this event

The fall of Bastille, which was a symbol of the oppressive monarchy, marked a turning point in the French Revolution and inspired other nations to fight for their rights and freedom.

The revolution led to the abolition of feudalism, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, and the establishment of the First French Republic.

The principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity espoused during the French Revolution have had a profound impact on the world’s political and social landscape.

Bharat 6G project: India plans to roll out high-speed internet by 2030

Despite over 45,000 Indian villages lacking 4G connectivity and ongoing efforts to build out 5G networks, the Indian government has set its sights on 6G.

Why in news?

On March 22, PM Modi unveiled the Bharat 6G Vision Document, aimed at gearing up policymakers and the industry for the next generation of telecommunications.

What is 6G?

6G is the next generation of wireless telecommunications technology, which is expected to offer significantly faster data speeds, higher bandwidth, and lower latency than 5G.

It is still in the development stage, and its commercial rollout is not expected for several years.

However, many countries, including India, are already working on developing 6G technology and setting standards for its implementation.

Differences between 6G and 5G

While 6G will offer faster loading times, improved video quality, and faster downloads, like every new generation of technology, it is unclear how much better it will be.

With latency already at the speed of light on existing networks, the benefits of 6G will depend on how different groups plan to use the spectrum.

Satellite constellations will join telecom towers and base stations, integrating networks and extending them to rural areas.

Motivations for pursuing 6G

Encourage local industry: The Indian government hopes to encourage local manufacturing of telecom gear and support Indian companies and engineers in international discussions around standardization.

Avoid delay unlike 5G: India aims to avoid the delay in previous generations of telecommunications technology, which started rolling out in India years after countries like South Korea and the United States.

Increased connectivity: Additionally, the lower frequency in 4G networks may not be able to keep up with the demand for traffic with increasing data usage, making 6G a necessity.

Government Plans for 6G

The Indian government plans to financially support “research pathways” to advance connectivity goals and establish an “apex body”.

India’s 6G goals include-

Guaranteeing every citizen a minimum bandwidth of 100Mbps

Ensuring every gram panchayat has half TB (terabyte) per second of connectivity, and

Providing over 50 million internet hotspots with thirteen per square kilometre.

Roadmap for 6G in India

The government plans to implement 6G in two phases.

Phase 1 will support explorative ideas, risky pathways, and proof-of-concept tests.

Phase 2 will support ideas and concepts that show promise for global acceptance, leading to commercialisation.

It would appoint an apex council to oversee the project and deal with standardisation, identification of spectrum, finances for research and development, and more

The council will finance research and development of 6G technologies by Indian start-ups, companies, research bodies, and universities.

Key focus of the council will be on new technologies such as Terahertz communication, radio interfaces, tactile internet, and artificial intelligence.

Bharat 6G Mission aligns with the national vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and aims to make India a leading supplier of advanced telecom technologies that are affordable and contribute to the global good.

Approaches to 6G in Other Countries

South Korea plans significant investments in 6G technology development, with a focus on laying the ground for key original technologies and domestic production of core equipment and components.

Countries are also starting to work together, with Japan and Germany planning a workshop to work on everything from “fundamental technologies to demonstrations.”

Europe’s equivalent of the Indian 6G Vision Document emphasizes leadership in strategic areas and establishing secure and trusted access to key technologies.