MAINS Current Affairs includes NVS-03 Mission: Strengthening India’s Indigenous Navigation System & Concerns Over the Collegium System

Science and Technology

1. NVS-03 Mission: Strengthening India’s Indigenous Navigation System

Context: To restore the functioning of India’s indigenous satellite navigation system, Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC), ISRO is launching the NVS-03 satellite.

• The mission is expected to strengthen the existing satellite constellation and improve India’s autonomous positioning, navigation and timing capabilities.

Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC)

• NavIC is India’s autonomous regional satellite navigation system, established by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It is designed to meet both civilian and military navigation requirements and was launched in 2013.

Key features of NavIC

• Earlier name: Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS).
• Purpose: Provides precise Position, Velocity and Timing (PVT) services.
• Coverage: Covers India and extends approximately 1,500 km beyond the country’s borders, forming its primary service area.
• Origin: Its development began following the 1999 Kargil War, when India reportedly faced restrictions on access to GPS information from the United States.

Satellite constellation

• NavIC was designed around a constellation of seven satellites, supported by a network of ground stations operating 24×7.
• Three satellites: Placed in Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO).
• Four satellites: Placed in inclined Geosynchronous Orbit (GSO).

Services provided by NavIC

• NavIC provides two types of navigation services:

Standard Positioning Service (SPS):

• Intended for civilian users.
• Supports general navigation and positioning requirements.

Restricted Service (RS):

• Intended for strategic users.
• Provides services for military and other authorised applications.

Accuracy of NavIC

• Location accuracy: Better than 20 metres.
• Timing accuracy: Better than 40 nanoseconds across the core service area.

Navigation frequencies

• The first-generation NavIC satellites use:
• L5 band.
• S-band.

NVS Series: Second-Generation NavIC Satellites

• The NVS series comprises five second-generation NavIC satellites, designated NVS-01 to NVS-05.
• These satellites are planned to enhance the existing NavIC constellation and improve its capabilities.

Major features

• L1 frequency band: The second-generation satellites incorporate L1-band communication, expanding NavIC’s compatibility and usability across different applications.
• Indigenous atomic clocks: They carry at least one indigenously developed rubidium atomic clock.
• Greater self-reliance: Indigenous clocks are intended to replace the imported rubidium clocks used in the first-generation IRNSS satellites.

Important NVS missions

The indigenous rubidium atomic clocks have been developed by ISRO’s Space Applications Centre.

Atomic Clock: Meaning and Working

• An atomic clock is a highly precise timekeeping device that measures time using the natural vibration frequencies of atoms, generally cesium or rubidium.
• It is considered one of the most accurate timekeeping technologies and can maintain accuracy at the nanosecond level (one-billionth of a second).

Working principle

1. Stable atomic frequencies: Atoms exhibit extremely stable and predictable frequencies when they transition between different energy states.
2. Frequency measurement: The atomic clock measures these characteristic frequencies.
3. Time generation: The measured frequency is used to generate standard and highly precise time signals.

• Significance: Accurate timing is essential for satellite navigation because positioning calculations depend on precise measurements of the time taken by signals to travel between satellites and receivers.

Why Is NavIC Currently Not Functioning as Intended?

• Despite its strategic importance, NavIC has experienced technical difficulties that have reduced its positioning capabilities.

Failure of atomic clocks

• Several first-generation NavIC satellites experienced failures of their onboard atomic clocks.
• These failures reduced the number of satellites available for providing positioning services.
• In March 2026, the last functioning atomic clock aboard IRNSS-1F also stopped working after the satellite completed its designed mission life of 10 years.

Failure of NVS-02

• NVS-02 was successfully placed in Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).
• However, a technical malfunction prevented its propulsion system from completing the required orbit-raising manoeuvre.
• Consequently, the satellite could not reach its intended operational orbit.

Insufficient number of operational satellites

• As of July 2026, only three satellites were providing Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) services:
• IRNSS-1B.
• IRNSS-1I.
• NVS-01.
• At least four operational satellites are required for basic standalone positioning services.

Therefore:

• NavIC’s standalone positioning capability is currently unavailable.
• Its timing service continues to remain functional.

How Will NVS-03 Strengthen India’s Navigation Capabilities?

Restoration of positioning services

• Successful commissioning of NVS-03 would increase the number of operational satellites to the minimum threshold of four.
• This would help restore basic standalone positioning services under NavIC.

Improved compatibility with electronic devices

• The inclusion of the L1 frequency band improves NavIC’s compatibility with consumer electronic devices.
• It can facilitate wider adoption of the indigenous navigation system in devices used for everyday navigation and location-based applications.

Conclusion

NavIC is an important component of India’s strategic and technological autonomy. However, failures of onboard atomic clocks and technical difficulties with satellite deployment have affected its positioning capabilities.

The NVS-03 mission, along with the wider second-generation NVS programme, is important for restoring operational services, improving compatibility and strengthening India’s self-reliance in satellite navigation technology.

Polity and Governance

2. Concerns Over the Collegium System

Context: A retired Supreme Court judge recently stated that a former Chief Justice of India may have discussed proposed judicial appointments with the Central Government before the Collegium formally met to deliberate on them.

This has renewed debate over the functioning, transparency and evolution of India’s Collegium System.

What is the Collegium System?

• Until the 1980s, judges were appointed by the government after consultation with the judiciary, as provided under the constitutional process.
• The Collegium System is the mechanism through which judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts are appointed and transferred by the judiciary itself.
• It is not established through any specific constitutional or statutory provision.
• It evolved through a series of Supreme Court judgments collectively known as the Three Judges Cases.
• These judgments established the primacy of the judiciary in the process of judicial appointments.

Composition of the Collegium

Constitutional Provisions Governing Judicial Appointments

• Although the Collegium System itself is not expressly mentioned in the Constitution, judicial appointments and transfers are governed by specific constitutional provisions.

Article 124

• Provides for the appointment of Supreme Court judges by the President.
• The appointment is made after consultation with the Chief Justice of India.

Article 217

• Deals with the appointment of High Court judges.
• The President appoints High Court judges after consultation with:
• The Chief Justice of India.
• The Chief Justice of the concerned High Court.
• The Governor of the concerned State.

Article 222

• Empowers the President to transfer a judge from one High Court to another.
• Such a transfer is made after consultation with the Chief Justice of India.

Article 50

• Article 50 is a Directive Principle of State Policy (DPSP).
• It directs the State to separate the judiciary from the executive in the public services of the State.
• It seeks to strengthen judicial independence by promoting separation between judicial and executive functions.

Evolution of the Collegium System: Three Judges Cases

The Collegium System developed through three important Supreme Court judgments.

First Judges Case (1981)

• The Supreme Court held that the Executive enjoyed primacy in judicial appointments.
• The opinion of the Chief Justice of India was not considered binding on the government.

Second Judges Case (1993)

• The Supreme Court reversed its earlier position.
• It held that the Chief Justice of India should act collectively with senior judges in matters of judicial appointments.
• The judiciary was given primacy in the appointment process.
• This judgment led to the creation of the Collegium System.

Third Judges Case (1998)

• The Supreme Court further clarified the composition of the Collegium.
• It held that the Supreme Court Collegium would consist of the CJI and the four senior-most Supreme Court judges.
• This institutionalised the present structure of the Collegium System.

What is the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP)?

• The Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) is a document containing the rules and procedures for appointing judges to the Supreme Court and High Courts.
• It is framed jointly by the government and the judiciary.

Procedure for judicial appointments

1. Initiation by the Collegium: The Collegium initiates proposals for appointments to the higher judiciary and forwards its recommendations to the Central Government.
2. Examination by the Centre: The Central Government examines the recommendations and may return a proposed name if it has objections or reservations.
3. Reconsideration by the Collegium: The Collegium may reconsider the recommendation and reiterate its earlier decision.
4. Appointment after reiteration: If the Collegium reiterates its recommendation, the appointment should be made.

Revision of the MoP

• In 2015, the Supreme Court struck down the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC).
• Following this judgment, the Court directed that the MoP be revised to improve transparency, accountability and efficiency in judicial appointments.
• However, despite several rounds of consultation between the government and the judiciary, the revised MoP has not yet been finalised.

Why Is Transparency Needed in the Collegium System?

Improves accountability

• Public disclosure of the reasons behind judicial appointments allows greater scrutiny of the selection process.
• It helps establish accountability in decisions concerning appointments to constitutional institutions.

Enhances public trust

• Transparent appointment procedures can strengthen public confidence in the judiciary.
• They also reinforce the credibility of judicial independence.

Promotes merit-based selection

• Greater transparency helps demonstrate that appointments are based on competence, integrity and commitment to constitutional values.
• It can make the selection process more objective and credible.

Prevents arbitrary decisions

• Recording and explaining the reasons behind recommendations can reduce the possibility of subjective or opaque decision-making.
• It provides a clearer basis for evaluating appointment decisions.

Challenges Associated with the Collegium System

Absence of a statutory framework

• The Collegium System does not have a specific constitutional or statutory foundation.
• Its functioning is primarily based on judicial interpretations and conventions.

Lack of codified selection criteria

• There are no clearly codified eligibility and evaluation criteria governing the selection of judges.
• This can make the assessment process less transparent.

Limited public disclosure

• Deliberations and the reasoning behind recommendations are not always publicly disclosed.
• This limits public scrutiny of judicial appointments.

Absence of independent review

• There is no formal mechanism for independent review of the Collegium’s recommendations.
• This raises questions about accountability in the appointment process.

Delays in judicial appointments

• Delays in the appointment process contribute to vacancies in the higher judiciary.
• Persistent vacancies can affect the functioning and efficiency of courts.

International Practices of Judicial Appointments

The Collegium procedure is a distinctive system developed by the Indian Supreme Court and has no direct parallel in other democracies.

These systems illustrate different approaches to balancing judicial independence, institutional accountability and participation in judicial appointments.

Way Forward

Finalise the revised Memorandum of Procedure

• The government and judiciary should complete the revision of the MoP.
• The revised framework should establish clearer procedures and improve transparency, objectivity and accountability in judicial nominations.

Provide reasons for Collegium recommendations

• Collegium recommendations should include brief justifications explaining the basis for selecting proposed candidates.
• Such disclosure should be balanced against the need to protect legitimately confidential information.

Conclusion

The Collegium System has evolved through judicial interpretations to safeguard the independence of the judiciary and establish judicial primacy in appointments. However, concerns relating to transparency, accountability, selection criteria and delays highlight the need for procedural improvements.

Finalising the Memorandum of Procedure and providing reasoned recommendations, while protecting legitimate confidentiality, can help strengthen public confidence in the judicial appointment process and preserve judicial independence.

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