Repairability Index
India took a major step to promote sustainable electronics by adopting a Repairability Index. This index ranks mobile phones and appliances based on how easy they are to repair, availability of spare parts, and software support. The government also introduced new e-waste policies that include minimum payments to encourage formal recycling. These efforts aim to make repair a consumer right and recognise repair as a valuable cultural and intellectual resource.
Repairability Index and E-Waste Policies
The Repairability Index helps consumers choose products that last longer and are easier to fix. It ranks devices on repair-friendliness, spare part access, and software updates. Alongside, new e-waste rules incentivise formal recycling by setting minimum payments. This reduces informal dumping and promotes responsible disposal. The policies are aligned with global trends like the European Union’s Right to Repair rules and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12 on responsible consumption.
Importance of Tacit Knowledge in Repair
India’s repair economy relies heavily on tacit knowledge. This is practical skill passed on through observation and hands-on experience rather than formal training. Repairers diagnose problems using sensory cues and adapt creatively to constraints. This knowledge supports India’s technological resilience by extending device lifespans beyond planned obsolescence. However, this informal expertise is often overlooked in policy and digital frameworks.
Challenges Facing Informal Repairers
As product designs become less repairable and consumer habits shift towards disposability, informal repairers face marginalisation. They lack access to formal skilling programmes and policy support. Existing national skill development schemes focus on formal industrial roles that do not capture the improvisational nature of repair work. This threatens to erode a vast, undocumented reservoir of knowledge vital for sustainability and economic opportunity.
Policy Gaps and Opportunities
Current policies like the E-Waste (Management) Rules 2022 mainly focus on recycling, with limited emphasis on repair as a preventive strategy. The National Education Policy 2020 promotes experiential learning but does not adequately support repair expertise transmission. Campaigns such as Mission LiFE advocate repair and reuse but lack targeted support for repair workers. There is a need to integrate repairability into design, procurement, and skill development policies.
Role of AI and Digital Public Infrastructure
India’s digital and AI policies focus on innovation and data-driven governance but often ignore the informal repair economy. AI can help codify repair knowledge through decision trees and language models that translate tacit expertise into shareable formats. Embedding repairability standards in AI and procurement policies can encourage sustainable design. Recognising informal repairers in digital platforms like e-Shram can connect them to social protection and training.
Designing for Unmaking and Circular Economy
The concept of unmaking involves designing products for easy disassembly, repair, and reuse. This approach treats breakdowns as feedback and learning opportunities rather than failures. Informal repairers are central to this circular economy by salvaging parts and restoring devices. Supporting them as sustainability stewards can reshape environmental and digital innovation in India.
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