News: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) completed a hundred years of existence, and this article discusses ways to improve the PAC’s oversight. What is the significance of the PAC? One, it plays a crucial role in scrutinizing the use of government funds. The PAC is a parliamentary committee, and customarily the leader of the largest… Continue reading Credibility of govt accounting – On Public Account Committees
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Reservations in super-speciality courses: The Dravadian model of public health
News: Supreme Court judgment upholding OBC reservation in NEET is a landmark judgment. Merit has to be contextualized socially and seen as an instrument of advancing social goods like equality. Tamil Nadu model where merit also takes historical privileges into account can be replicated in the rest of India. Read here: Supreme Court upholds validity of OBC… Continue reading Reservations in super-speciality courses: The Dravadian model of public health
A proposal that has stirred up questions of IAS control
News: The Union Government proposal to amend IAS Cadre Rules has attracted the opposition of various states. Must read: Deputation of Cadre Officers and the Proposed Amendments – Explained, pointwise Contents1 What is All India Services?2 Why did centre propose the amendments to the deputation of cadre officers?3 Why did state governments oppose the proposed amendments?4… Continue reading A proposal that has stirred up questions of IAS control
The devastating impact of school closure
News: Schools are becoming an easy target for politicians. A decision of closing the schools makes them caring and sensitive, but it impacts the lives of children. Why the reasoning provided for the closure of schools is not correct? Protect children: The main reason given for closing the school is to protect the children. According to… Continue reading The devastating impact of school closure
In conjuction: On evolution of democratic society
News: Indian PM in his speech recently stated that India had wasted a lot of time “fighting for rights” and “neglecting one’s duties”. What is the relationship between rights and duties? The evolution of democratic society is centered on the expansion of individual and group rights. Duties are important for reinforcement of those rights. Thus,… Continue reading In conjuction: On evolution of democratic society
India needs a national vision
News: In India, announcements are made in various sectors without a stated national vision. There is no official document to guide policy and decision-making. What are the National vision documents of other countries? China: It released a ‘Made in China 2025’ document in 2015, that talks about a 10-year plan for the development of 10… Continue reading India needs a national vision
Why India must engage with Myanmar
News: Following the military coup in Myanmar, India should adopt a policy that should be a balance of India’s interest and India’s norms. What is the importance of Myanmar for India? Read here: Coup in Myanmar and India-Myanmar bilateral relations – Explained What should be India’s policy after Tatmadaw (military) took over? India should implement an unbiased… Continue reading Why India must engage with Myanmar
India’s challenge in European geopolitics
News: The resignation of Germany’s Naval chief over his comments made in India, show the complexity of European geopolitics. He commented on the importance of Russia in balancing China, NATOs difficulty in admitting Ukraine, and told that taking Crimea from Russia might be impossible. Though the comments reflect common sense, but they are against the… Continue reading India’s challenge in European geopolitics
Let’s universalize India’s employment assurance
News: Recently head of Hindustan Unilever has suggested that it’s time for the government to launch an urban job guarantee along the lines of India’s rural employment scheme. What is the need urban employment scheme? First, India’s rural employment scheme helped village-dwellers during the covid crisis. Second, service sector has been severely affected by the… Continue reading Let’s universalize India’s employment assurance
Rules For a Civil Service
News: Recently the chief minister of West Bengal and other states objected to the central government’s proposed amendments to the rules governing the deputation of IAS officers. What are the amendments proposed by the government? Read: What are the proposed amendments to Rule 6 (deputation of cadre officers)? Why changes are proposed? First, IAS officers… Continue reading Rules For a Civil Service
