News: Chief Justice of India N V Ramana has assured petitioners that the Supreme Court will take up for hearing a pending plea challenging the Electoral Bond Scheme, 2018. No date or any timeline has been specified, though. Two NGOs — Common Cause and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) — have challenged the scheme, alleging… Continue reading Court must settle challenge to the electoral bonds scheme quickly. The sanctity of elections is at stake
Tag: gs paper 2
Being multilingual: Democratic pressure has made political parties introduce English in schools
Context: Political debates about language convey a different picture while if we approach the subject from the other end, that of voters communicating their preferences, and the picture is quite different. What is the situation wrt preference of medium of instruction in schools in India? The demand from parents has led to a sharp rise… Continue reading Being multilingual: Democratic pressure has made political parties introduce English in schools
Recalibrating the India-US relationship
Context: The Russia-Ukraine conflict caught India unprepared, like in the case of Chinese incursions in Eastern Ladakh two years ago. It has also put it into an uncomfortable defensive posture. Has India’s position changed on Russia-Ukraine conflict? India’s position on the war has shifted considerably in the past couple of months as Russia’s actions and… Continue reading Recalibrating the India-US relationship
A trade deal that will create jobs
News: India and Australia have recently signed a trade agreement called the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement or IndAusECTA. What does this mean? This deal will eliminate tariffs on more than 85% of Australian goods entering India and almost all of Indian goods entering Australia. Australian exports to India of sheep meat, wool, coal,… Continue reading A trade deal that will create jobs
To begin with, the UGC needs to get the credits right
News: Recently, in pursuance of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2022, various documents related to a four-year undergraduate degree programme have been released for discussion. These are the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS), the Learning Outcomes-Based Curriculum Framework (LOCF), and the draft National Higher Education Qualification Framework (NHEQF) document issued by University Grant Commission (UGC). Contents1 How… Continue reading To begin with, the UGC needs to get the credits right
Fulfilling the potential of the Bay of Bengal community
News: Recently, the fifth summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) was concluded in Colombo. The organization is also celebrating its 25th year of the formation, which was launched in 1997. What were the outcomes of the summit? The summit had three important outcomes: – Expanding the grouping’s… Continue reading Fulfilling the potential of the Bay of Bengal community
Closing the gaps in criminal justice
News: Recently, the Supreme Court observed certain deficiencies and inadequacies which occur during the course of criminal trials. Therefore, the court has issued certain guidelines in this regard. Further, the essential notification and the necessary changes has been issued by the Guwahati High Court in January 2022. What directions have been given by the Supreme Court? … Continue reading Closing the gaps in criminal justice
The manacles of caste in sanitation work
Context: Even today, the Indian government and civil society continue to grapple with the inhuman nature of manual scavenging. While in 1993, the government promulgated an Act to stop construction of unsanitary dry latrines and employing manual scavengers, the problem still continues. Issues with the Act: Problematic descriptions: The act defined dry latrine as “latrine… Continue reading The manacles of caste in sanitation work
Big headache: Minor offences majorly clog courts and harass individuals and businesses. Decriminalise them
News: The GoI has given a renewed push to decriminalize minor offenses. It has the potential to clog courts, promote ease of doing business and relieve citizens fighting criminal cases for non-serious violations. Example – In 2020 provisions of the Companies Act were decriminalized. Examples of laws causing high pendency: Section 138 of Negotiable Instruments… Continue reading Big headache: Minor offences majorly clog courts and harass individuals and businesses. Decriminalise them
Time to revisit the IIM Act
News: Recently, IIM Ahmedabad (IIMA) witnessed a lot of turbulence over changes in the logo. Other IIMs in the country also witnessed disturbances over a variety of issues. This has raised questions over governance in the premier management institution of India. What changes have been introduced by the IIM Act 2017? The Act has given… Continue reading Time to revisit the IIM Act
