No other state in India sees its government school teachers featured in viral videos as frequently as Bihar does. These videos, often amusing to outsiders, showcase reporters asking the simplest of questions — such as spelling a month’s name or naming the country’s president — only for the teachers to falter embarrassingly. For those of us who hail from Bihar, this is a
Bihar is a state brimming with potential, yet socio-economic challenges have long impeded its progress. Citing its economic backwardness, the state has long advocated for `special category` status from the centre, which would ensure 90% funding for the union government schemes, compared to 60%-80% for other states, along with various tax concessions. Despite widespread anticipation, this demand
Shooting oneself in the foot with a regressive step for short term political gains is how I would define the Karnataka government’s recent decision to reserve jobs in the private sector for the state’s people. As per Nasscom, the tech sector alone contributes to 25% of the state’s GDP; the state has attracted a fourth of the country’s tech talent and more
With the return of the NDA to power in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, all eyes are now on finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s full budget for the FY 2024-25. The interim budget presented in February was a typical vote-on-accounts, allowing the outgoing government to manage expenses in the period leading up to the general elections. The return of the old regime to power, alb
Over a decade and a half ago when I was still a student, millennials felt the burning need to break down the barriers of gatekeeping in traditional media. Young voices, brimming with ideas and opinions, were often sidelined, their perspectives deemed too marginal or unrefined for mainstream discourse. This led to the start of my own journey with the founding of Youth Ki Awaaz in 2008, which was
Prime minister Narendra Modi has strived incessantly to bring laurels and much needed recognition for the nation since May 2014 when he was sworn in as the head of state. The poser which can be deliberated upon is this: What will be the consequential impact of the new era of coalition politics which confronts us after two terms of the Modi denomination? It’s a well benowest and establishe
Globally there is a shortage of teachers, according to the World Economic Forum, which is a significant roadblock in achieving UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 (free and quality education for every child by 2030). Not only does it impact the individual attention each child receives, but it also leaves educators overworked and has an additional financial burden on already strained education sys
In 2014, the Ministry of Law and Justice published India’s ‘Pre-Legislative Consultation Policy’ or PLCP, a landmark policy that outlined a process and recommendations for lawmaking, through the incorporation of public participation and opinion. In 2024, we mark a decade of this policy, which the Ministry put out with the intention of “responding to the legitimate and gr
“Women’s rights are not a privilege but a fundamental aspect of human rights.” —Savitribai Phule In India, where almost two-thirds of the population resides in rural areas, women’s empowerment initiatives are extremely critical for intensifying local development. Women in rural India are particularly disadvantaged due to low literacy
What are the direct tangible benefits that you want from the government coming in power? The manifestos of various parties set a host of agendas which many times falls back in materialising the intended gains. Governance failures, policy lapses, implementation gaps, leadership crisis and cultural blockages could lead to pessimist tendencies among the citizens from exercising their voting right.
The recent European Union (EU) policy on artificial intelligence (AI) will be a game-changer and likely to become the de-facto standard not only for the conduct of businesses but also for the way consumers think about AI tools. Governments across the globe have been grappling with the rapid rise of AI tools and the potential risks they pose, ranging from misinformation to fraud, and data privac
Nano Diammonium Phosphate, or Nano-DAP, is a revolutionary agricultural input that holds immense potential for transforming farming practices across varied agro-climatic zones in India. This innovative product is a nanoparticle-based formulation of diammonium phosphate, a widely used fertilizer in the agricultural sector. With its unique properties and enhanced efficacy, Nano-DAP has the capabi
The Supreme Court declared the Electoral Bonds (EB) scheme unconstitutional on February 15 and ordered the Election Commission of India (ECI) to provide the names of individuals and business entities that have contributed the specified sum to political parties. This decision has sparked renewed discussions surrounding electoral bonds in India`s political and social spheres. The opponents point
On February 15, the five-judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court declared the government`s electoral bond scheme as unconstitutional. It also struck down amendments the government had made to facilitate passage of EBs wherein the Finance Act 2017 made amendments to the Representation of the People’s Act, 1951, the Income Tax Act, 1961 and the Companies Act, 2013. The
When it comes to the internal matters of India, particularly those that have elevated sensitive values, the US, despite being a close ally, has developed a habit of producing sound bites which are not liked by New Delhi, yet they are intentionally made to keep the world’s largest democracy on toes. This was clearly seen in the context of the Citizenship (Amendment) Ac
When I sit and look back at data-driven policy, it makes me content and makes me uncomfortable at the same time. Content? Why? Because data would ultimately help me target the problem in a better manner, design solutions in a manner that is relevant. However, reducing a human being to just numbers, whether it be eyeing only for 2.6 kg birth (as 2.5 is low birth weight) or reducing severe acute
The issues of the order of immigration, healthcare, abortion rights or otherwise along with the American economy and the American contributions to the twin wars have impacted the general narrative of the US Elections. This time around, the age factor of incumbent President Joe Biden is also in play as he crosses the 81-year mark vis-à-vis his chief rival, Donald Trump’s 77 years. T
We have been taught since childhood that "health is wealth” and “if health is gone, everything is gone”. Indeed, health is one of the main markers of overall wellbeing of any country, and plays a significant role in various development indices like the multidimensional poverty index and the human development index. India’s commitment to the Sustainable Development G
The world is at the cusp of a revolution based on Industry 4.0 and green technologies, including AI, big data, IoT, EVs, solar power, etc., which offer developing countries the opportunity to leapfrog into economic prosperity. However, India’s gross expenditure on R&D (GERD) still stands at a meagre 0.66% of GDP (Economic Survey 2022), with woefully low participation from the private
The idea of decentralized planning, particularly in the Indian context, has been a recurring theme for decades. Despite its acknowledged importance, the implementation of decentralized planning has faced a number of challenges. These include issues such as devolution of powers, transfer of resources, and ad-hoc decision-making. Despite ongoing efforts, the journey towards effective decentralize
