{"id":343963,"date":"2025-08-04T20:57:47","date_gmt":"2025-08-04T15:27:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/?p=343963"},"modified":"2025-08-17T13:36:51","modified_gmt":"2025-08-17T08:06:51","slug":"india-must-recognise-repair-as-valuable-knowledge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/india-must-recognise-repair-as-valuable-knowledge\/","title":{"rendered":"India must recognise repair as valuable knowledge"},"content":{"rendered":"

Source<\/strong>: The post India must recognise repair as valuable knowledge has been created, based on the article \u201cThe <\/strong>\u2018<\/strong>right to repair<\/strong>\u2019 <\/strong>must include <\/strong>\u2018<\/strong>right to remember<\/strong>\u2019<\/strong>\u201d published in \u201cThe Hindu<\/strong>\u201d on 4th August 2025. India must recognise repair as valuable knowledge.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"India<\/p>\n

UPSC Syllabus Topic:<\/strong> GS Paper <\/strong>2- <\/strong>Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.<\/p>\n

Context<\/strong>: India\u2019s adoption of a Repairability Index<\/strong> and updated e-waste policies<\/strong> in 2025 marks a shift toward sustainable electronics. However, a deeper transformation is needed\u2014one that values informal repair work not just as service but as vital, culturally rooted knowledge<\/strong> essential for resilience and sustainability.<\/p>\n

For detailed information on India<\/strong>\u2019<\/strong>s Repairability Index aims to make electronic items more durable<\/strong><\/p>\n

read this article here<\/a><\/p>\n

Recognising Repair as Knowledge Work<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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  1. Beyond Policy Compliance: <\/strong>The government is advancing policies on repairability and recycling<\/strong>, but repair must be seen as a form of knowledge<\/strong>, not only a consumer right.<\/li>\n
  2. The Invisible Repair Economy:<\/strong> India’s informal repair sector\u2014from Delhi<\/strong>\u2019<\/strong>s Karol Bagh to Chennai<\/strong>\u2019<\/strong>s Ritchie Street<\/strong>\u2014sustains devices long after their designed lifespan. Yet, it remains excluded from policy frameworks<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
  3. Tacit Knowledge and Material Resilience: <\/strong>Repairers use muscle memory, sensory cues, and improvisation<\/strong> rather than manuals. Their skills ensure material resilience<\/strong> and must be preserved.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Why Tacit Knowledge Matters<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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    1. Learning by Doing: <\/strong>Skills are transferred through mentorship and observation<\/strong>, not formal training. This tacit method fosters adaptability and creativity<\/strong>, which standardised systems often lack.<\/li>\n
    2. Under-recognised Contribution to AI: <\/strong>AI systems increasingly benefit from insights drawn from such hands-on labour. However, those who contribute this foundational knowledge<\/strong> remain largely unrecognised<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
    3. Global and Indian Repair Initiatives:<\/strong> The EU mandates<\/strong> repair access, while India launched a Right to Repair framework in 2022<\/strong> and a national portal in 2023<\/strong>. Yet, repair must be viewed as knowledge production<\/strong>, not just a service.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Policy Gaps in India<\/strong>\u2019<\/strong>s Digital Strategy<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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      1. E-Waste Rules and Repair Oversight: <\/strong>India generated over 1.6 million tonnes of e-waste in 2021\u201322<\/strong>, becoming the third-largest producer<\/strong>. While the 2022 rules promote Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)<\/strong>, they overlook repair as prevention<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
      2. Exclusion from Skilling Programmes:<\/strong> Schemes like PMKVY<\/strong> focus on industrial training. The improvisational nature of repair does not fit such frameworks, leaving informal repairers excluded.<\/li>\n
      3. Overlooked Workforce in Sustainability Campaigns:<\/strong> Campaigns like Mission LiFE<\/strong> encourage reuse but do not support the repairers who make this possible. Policies risk sidelining them<\/strong> while promoting circularity.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Repair as Sustainability and Design Principle<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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        1. \u2018<\/strong>Unmaking<\/strong>\u2019 <\/strong>as Design Insight:<\/strong> The process of disassembling, repairing, and reusing<\/strong> reveals design flaws and reuse potential. Breakdowns become feedback loops<\/strong>, not failures.<\/li>\n
        2. Repairers at the Core of Circularity:<\/strong> They practice daily reuse<\/strong> and restoration, making circularity real. Recognising them reshapes our view of innovation and sustainability<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Aligning AI Policy with Repair Justice<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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          1. Design for Repairability:<\/strong> Most modern gadgets are built for compactness, not repair. Only 23% of smartphones in Asia<\/strong> are easily repairable. Design standards must embed repairability from inception<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
          2. Coordinated Institutional Action<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            Ministries can collaborate:<\/p>\n