Tag: business standard

Context: Political considerations instead of constitutional proprieties appear to have influenced the delimitation of the Assembly and parliamentary constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) by the fifth Delimitation Commission. The commission submitted its recommendations recently. Under what provisions the fifth Delimitation Commission was set up? In setting up the fifth Delimitation Commission, the govt invoked… Continue reading On Delimitation in J&K: Beyond the boundary

News: Recently, the first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of India died in a helicopter crash. The second CDS of India has not been appointed so far. The Indian military continues to remain headless and directionless with no successor to Rawat.   Contents1 Importance of the CDS 2 History of Tri-Service Command in India 3 What are the… Continue reading The missing CDS

Context: The Sate-owned NTPC said it plans to begin work on the construction of a new coal power plant, despite it being faster, cheaper and cleaner to build solar or wind. Why India should transition to solar and wind energy? Record low tariffs: India has seen record low renewable energy tariffs of Rs 1.99 (2.6… Continue reading Faster, cheaper and cleaner power

Context: The conflict in Ukraine has created an opportunity for India’s agricultural exports, particularly wheat. But, India’s chances of becoming a stable supplier of wheat are limited in the absence of a long-term policy on foodgrain exports. Out of the around 200 million tonnes (mt) of global wheat exports, Russia and Ukraine export 60 mt.… Continue reading Agri trade beyond the Ukraine war

Context: Jal Shakti Minister recently told the Rajya Sabha that since 1979, there were 42 instances of dam failures, the latest being the Annamayya reservoir in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh that led to the death of at least 20 people in November 2021. India has the 3rd largest number of dams in the world… Continue reading How safe are India’s dams?

Context: This article, the first in a series of three, suggests that although the rule of law is a necessary condition for the survival of civilised society, but it is not sufficient for the delivery of justice. This first article will focus on the judiciary, especially the higher judiciary, the next one on police reforms,… Continue reading Why the judiciary is failing?

Context: Addressing the chief ministers of the states recently, Prime Minister said that the Union government had reduced excise duty on fuel last November, but pointed out that some states had not followed this lead. States raised several objections to his statement. They pointed out that the Union government has earned windfall gains on fuel… Continue reading Reforming fuel taxes

News: Recently, Britain formalised a symbolic “self-isolation” through Brexit in 2020. However, despite the economic shocks that were anticipated from both the COVID and the nation’s withdrawal from the European Union, Britain attracted more Indian students to its shores during a pandemic.  What is the nature of the UK-India relations wrt education? Britain’s institutions have… Continue reading Shitij Kapur on why India offers opportunities in educational partnerships