India's Student Revolt

India's Student Revolt: South Asia Has Seen This Before

When economic transformation outpaces institutional renewal anywhere in South Asia, the gap between aspiration and opportunity becomes fertile ground for frustration, alienation, and political discontent. The leaked papers in India were only the trigger 

India's Youth Eruption and Ham-Handed Governmental Response: Demeaning Student Power Can Prove Costly

The youth eruption is a consequence of pent-up anger and frustration of the government's indifference to the repeated leaks of exam question papers for which millions of doctor, engineer, police and civil service aspirants prepare for years.  Over 20 students have reportedly committed suicide after the NEET exam paper leak for which they had toiled for over a year

The Cockroach Party and India's Democratic Reckoning: A Test of Governance for the BJP

The rise of the Cockroach Janta Party is not only the rise of yet another protest group. It is testing how India's democratic system is secure enough to accommodate and to be questioned by the very same generation who will take over from it.

Jantar Mantar and the Crisis of Policing: Why India Needs a Citizens’ Police

The Republic does not need a police force that teaches citizens to fear the State. It needs a citizens' police that gives them reason to trust the Constitution. Because the young person standing behind the barricade is not an enemy of the Republic. Sometimes, he has travelled more than a thousand kilometres simply because he still believes enough in Indian democracy to show up.

More on Public Policy and Governance

Is India at all serious about fighting pollution?

But how does one counter the Swiss-based air-quality monitoring group IQAir which reports that India was the third most polluted country in the world after Bangladesh and Pakistan in 2023 and Delhi was the “most polluted” capital in the world?

Can India emerge as an alternate supply chain to global industries?

Essentially the world is looking for alternate supply chains which began with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and continues even today with growing trade tensions between the two camps.

The CAA is yet another instrument in the divisive politics of India's ruling dispensation

The largest persecuted groups in recent times have been Tamils (largely Hindus) in Sri Lanka and Rohingyas (largely Muslims) in Myanmar. Why have they been left out from the list of the ones who will be given shelter citizenship here in India under the CAA?

India's looming water crisis: Need to raise public awareness on water conservation as a national priority

India has only 2 percent of the world’s freshwater supply but 17 percent of the world's population. The present predicament of people in Bengaluru, skipping work to stand in long queues for a bucket of water is a sobering reminder.

The Dalit community in Pakistan battles fear and discrimination

While Dalits in India face atrocity, abuse and exploitation, in Pakistan there is "discrimination and distancing in the social and economic domains," Khangarani said. 

India's basmati rice exports at risk over Red Sea attacks

India’s basmati exports are significantly affected as over one-third of production is shipped to West Asia, Europe, North Africa and North America via the Red Sea.

INDUS-X 2024 marks a new high in India-US defence industry cooperation

India-US defence cooperation has made fair headway leading to  INDUS-X which has initiated the information network and regulatory mechanisms to deepen defence technology collaboration that is poised to strengthen the bonds of US-India partnership, innovation and deterrence.

Promotion of faith-based knowledge is undermining scientific temper in India

The Indian Science Congress has for the last many years been accepting papers that have no scientific basis and are based on mythology. Pained by this all prominent scientists came together and issued a statement calling upon the government to stop the undermining of scientific methods and thinking

India's 8.4 per cent GDP growth: More than what meets the eye

The overall contribution of agriculture to GDP growth this year will be below 1 percent as per the latest estimates. This is worrying for various reasons, most importantly for what it means for the livelihoods and incomes of rural families.

Is Manipur lurching towards civil war again?

Manipur appears to be veering toward massive armed attacks against the tribals – both the Kuki-Zo and Naga, with the state administration remaining ambivalent.  This is a dangerous development - civil war in a state bordering Myanmar which itself is experiencing rising violence.  

Are India's government employees justified in going on strike?

While the government employees belong to organized class, there are an estimated 300 million people in India who belong to the unorganized class living on daily wages or are self-employed without economic and social security. 

Gandhi’s extraordinary idea of trusteeship of wealth at a time of vulgar ostentation

In a chapter titled “Choice before Capitalists”, Gandhi writes, “At present, there is no proportion between the wholly unnecessary pomp and extravagance of the moneyed class and the squalid surroundings and the grinding pauperism of the ryots in whose midst the former are living.”

South Asia's lack of integration: Is a union of minds at least possible? | South Asia Monitor

At present, there aren’t even any direct flights between Pakistan and Nepal, even as Kathmandu promotes itself as the meeting place of South Asia, noted journalist Kanak Mani Dixit.

India's defence modernisation goes apace; but are China, Pakistan getting the right messaging?

While the Army, Navy and Air Force are doing whatever is required to maintain their battle effectiveness, there is a dichotomy that prevails in how New Delhi is dealing with China and Pakistan.

Temple inaugurations are not decolonization; Indian culture is much broader

India did not get subdued by colonial culture in totality. What we are facing today is the promotion of religiosity and conservatism. Since politics is stalking the streets in the garb of religion, India's traditional syncretic culture is coming under attack from conservative and orthodox values.