Digital Edtechs are now thriving by promising to do what appointed schoolteachers are supposed to do in exchange for their salaries. They come at a very high cost, affordable only to the relatively wealthy.
The virtues like civic discipline or gender sensitivity in India are not at premium. Basic civic sense is conspicuous by its absence. It gets manifested as indiscriminate littering, spitting, traffic indiscipline, vulgar or derogatory comments against women etc. Such attitudes find manifestation in foreign destinations as well.
Ties between India and East and Southeast Asia are bound to strengthen, given the growing synergies in strategic areas such as defence, critical technology and higher education. It is important for Indian students, professionals, and skilled workers to harness educational and work opportunities in that region that is open to receiving Indian students and techies. This is especially important given that countries in the Anglosphere, not just the US but also Canada and to an extent Australia, are adopting increasingly insular immigration policies and tightening student and work visa regulations.
Across Kashmir, the image of crowded reading rooms alongside empty classrooms should compel us to reflect on the direction our education system is taking. Reading rooms may help students prepare for examinations, but schools and colleges prepare them for life.
The future of Indian higher education may depend not on greater central control, but on creating autonomous institutions operating within a strong framework of accountability.
Digital Edtechs are now thriving by promising to do what appointed schoolteachers are supposed to do in exchange for their salaries. They come at a very high cost, affordable only to the relatively wealthy.
We keep mentioning and talking about our unpleasant experiences often. They are also frequently important to bring focus on specific issues, but it is also equally important to speak about the good ones - ones that make you happy and amazed at the same time.
Among South Asian countries, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are facing major food security risks. But Bangladesh, fortunately, is not at risk though there is a danger of food inflation in Bangladesh.
To alleviate poverty, wealth generation is absolutely necessary and, in a developing country like India, the task of wealth generation has to be accelerated as much as possible.
It appears that some people in India think that Rishi Sunak being the Prime Minister of Britain and Kamala Harris being the Vice President of the USA would provide several benefits to India. This can never happen, as they are not Indian citizens anymore.
Doing all this and more does not indicate that a Congress revival is assured but the election of Kharge as Congress president is the best bet on a journey that the party must undertake at this crucial time when Inda faces threats that it rarely has before.
In Patanjali Yoga, it is clearly written that once you remove 'sanskars' or psychological knots then true liberation takes place. Thus total removal of fear is liberation.
The fact that Sheikh Hasina's government received the largest number of votes at the UN is evidence of the faith that world leaders have in it.
While a lot of good work has been done in this regard in the past seven decades, the accelerated access to education and services for the hitherto underprivileged Hindus and tribals have in fact created vested interest in the perpetuation and expansion of the caste system for social, economic and political advantage.
As a result of the Ukraine war, the socio-political landscape of world politics has deteriorated and has gone through a paradigm shift with the disruption of supply chain management and exorbitant price hike in fuel, food, and consumer goods. This has brought the economy under massive pressure.
Whether a woman wears a dupatta wrapped over her head, a ghunghat, ghomta or hijab as an expression of fashion, custom or faith, they should be at perfect liberty to do so. It is part of their right to equality and freedom of expression. They should not be castigated but respected for making their choice, whether they be Hindus, Christians or Muslims.
Another welcome part of Yatra is the proactive response of these social groups and many political parties to affirm the values of pluralism, diversity and democracy.
Just like the crisis in Islam itself, the hijab will continue to spark controversies with its fair share of supporters and antagonists. Wearing the hijab is seen by many women as an exercise of their agency - the freedom to wear clothes of their woman’s choice, I have the right to wear whatever I deem fit is good for me; the state, society and community cannot dictate my choice of clothing.
Ethanol production from beet sugar should also be promoted in India in a big way as ethanol from beet sugar has even more advantages than ethanol from sugarcane as it is less water consumption.
While the ruling Hindutva ideology sees Islam and Christianity as "foreign religions" and developed this ideology into misconceptions and hate against Muslims and Christians, the understanding of Gandhi, Nehru, Bose and most leaders of the freedom movement revolved around seeing the diverse religions as a point of welcome and strength to the nation.