News: Recently, India’s Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) received the WHO’s Global Health Leaders Awards 2022 in recognition of their work during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as for serving as a link between communities and health systems. Contributions of the ASHA workers They have led to increased access to primary health-care services; i.e., maternal… Continue reading A case for community-oriented health services
Tag: gs paper 2
The challenge of reforming death penalty sentencing
News: Recently, the Supreme court, in Manoj and Ors. vs State of MP, has acknowledged that there is an intense and persistent crisis in the fairness of administering the death penalty in India. Legality of the Death Penalty in India In Bachan Singh vs State of Punjab (1980), the court upheld the constitutionality of the death penalty. The court… Continue reading The challenge of reforming death penalty sentencing
Global food shortages demand an international-level solution
Context: Food shortages are beginning to cast a shadow over the world. One long-term factor is the warming of our planet, which has slowly destroyed agricultural land. But the proximate cause of the greatest concern is the war in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Black Sea blockade is preventing Ukrainian grain and fertilizers from leaving the port… Continue reading Global food shortages demand an international-level solution
Another sanctions package
News: The European Union’s (EU’s) announcement of a joint decision to phase out imports of Russian crude oil has, together with some other developments, shaken up oil markets. This is the sixth such package of sanctions on entities linked to the Russian Federation by the countries of the EU. Earlier sanctions have benefitted India, but… Continue reading Another sanctions package
Questioning the safety of Aadhaar
News: Two days after issuing an advisory asking people to refrain from sharing photocopies of their Aadhaar Card, the Unique Identification Development Authority of India (UIDAI) has opted to withdraw the notification. It stated that the action was to avert any possibility of ‘misinterpretation’ of the (withdrawn) press release, asking people to exercise “normal prudence”… Continue reading Questioning the safety of Aadhaar
A judicial course that calls for introspection
News: Recently, the Supreme Court of India ordered the release of A.G. Perarivalan, a convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. About the Case The Governor had not taken a decision on the recommendation of remission by the State Cabinet for a long time. After sitting over the recommendation for more than two years, the… Continue reading A judicial course that calls for introspection
The sedition law must go
Context: Recently, the Supreme Court directed the Union government and the states to refrain from using the law of sedition. In addition, the Supreme Court has also kept all previous cases under Section 124A of the IPC in abeyance till the matter is reconsidered in a comprehensive way. Hence, it will be inappropriate to continue… Continue reading The sedition law must go
India needs a forward-looking strategy on Pakistan
Context: India’s approach is very different from the framework that emerged at the dawn of the 1990s. Since the early 1990s, the regional and international context has also altered in many ways. The balance of power between India and Pakistan has been changing. Now, it is essentially in India’s favour. What have been the changes… Continue reading India needs a forward-looking strategy on Pakistan
Needed, education data that engages the poor parent
News: In recent years, datasets such as Pratham’s Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) and the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT’s) National Achievement Survey (NAS) have captured various types of data related to education sector in India. But, is data enough for bringing in a transformative change? The case of Rajasthan’s education… Continue reading Needed, education data that engages the poor parent
Fuelling Federal Fights
Context: The Supreme Court in a recent verdict in the Mohit minerals case stated that GST Council decisions are not binding on states. At one level, this can be seen as a reiteration of the constitutional provision that there is nothing in constitutional amendments relating to GST to force compliance with GST Council decisions. It’s… Continue reading Fuelling Federal Fights
