Editorials

By aiding defections, the BJP is shrinking opposition space in an unseemly fashion The near liquidation of the Congress legislature party in Goa, close on the heels of a rebellion of Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) legislators in neighbouring Karnataka, is the latest aftershock of the national election results in …

The confrontation between the U.S. and Iran in West Asia could snowball with damaging economic consequences On July 7, Iran announced that it would begin enriching uranium above a concentration of 3.67% permitted under the nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), reached by Iran and …

The draft National Education Policy lacks the very abilities it emphasises — critical thinking and deeper understanding The draft National Education Policy (NEP) 2019 recommends a restructuring of school years and the curriculum, in a wide-ranging manner. If properly implemented, many of the suggested changes may help education. These include …

Many in Jharkhand have been denied food under the public distribution system as their ration cards have been cancelled in the mad rush for putting in place a digital system. While activists claim that some have died from starvation, the government denies this. Shiv Sahay Singh reports on the problems …

In reference to Mr. Gandhi’s fresh resolve to renew the Satyagraha campaign, Sir Narayan Chandravarkar, ex-Judge, Bombay High Court, and a Moderate Leader, through the medium of the press, makes a strong and earnest appeal to Mr. Gandhi [from Bombay, on July 11] to desist from starting the campaign. He …

A fresh weather map of India will be prepared every six hours with the help of a modern electronic computer to be installed in the Meteorological Office in Delhi. An agreement for the acquisition of the computer was signed to-day [July 11] between Dr. P. K. Koteswaram, Director-General of Observatories, …

Every bit of information, whether crucial or trivial, is a piece of a large puzzle The Finance Ministry has decided not to let journalists, even those with Press Information Bureau (PIB) accredited cards, enter its premises without prior appointment. The Ministry has benevolently arranged an “air-conditioned waiting room” for reporters …

Recycling is integral to addressing the problems posed by plastic packaging material The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has put 52 producers, brand owners and importers, including big online retailers such as Amazon and Flipkart, and companies such as Patanjali Ayurved and Britannia, on notice, for failing to take responsibility …

The consolidated codes on labour laws need a thorough vetting and discussion in Parliament As part of its commitment to simplify and consolidate labour rules and laws under four codes, the Union Cabinet has cleared the Occupational, Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, a week after it approved the Code …

Modi has been able to bring about a paradigmatic shift to India’s foreign policy in one regard Some argue that Narendra Modi as Prime Minister has brought dynamism to India’s foreign policy, evident by his frequent visits abroad. However, no theory in foreign policy research suggests that the higher the …

Earlier confined largely to the organised sector, it has now spread to other areas, as revealed by the latest survey results The findings of the latest employment survey, called the Periodic Labour Force Survey (2017-18), are a cause for concern as the scenario is still far from anything that would …

A number of practical and constructive proposals were raised by Opposition parties in Parliament last week On July 3, a short-duration discussion in the Rajya Sabha on electoral reforms attracted my attention. It was initiated by Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Derek O’Brien, with the backing of as many as 14 …

India has taken some baby steps but more needs to be done to improve demand and supply Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced an additional income tax exemption of Rs. 1.5 lakh for purchasers of electric vehicles in Budget 2019-2020. She also said that the GST rate on electric vehicles would …

Malaysia to-day [July 10] tightened its immigration regulations and called on all non-citizens above 12 years of age to call at the Immigration Office before September 15 to furnish fresh particulars about themselves. There are an estimated 700,000 non-citizens among Malaysia’s 10 million population, nearly a quarter million of them …

Greece under Mr. Mitsotakis is set fora period of stability and continuity The verdict in Sunday’s Greek elections affords a rare comfort for Europe’s centrists, who, arguably with the exception of Spain in April, have of late ceded ground to populist forces. The conservative centre-right New Democracy party of Prime …

Supreme Court decision on the Rohingya’s status must protect those fleeing persecution The Supreme Court’s decision to examine the question whether illegal immigrants are entitled to refugee status needs to be welcomed, but with caution. It is debatable whether the Centre is right in claiming that this has emerged as …

It is a low-cost measure that offers lifelong benefits The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme is one of the world’s largest programmes for early childhood care and development. Now, a new study suggests that nutrition and health counselling delivered under the programme’s auspices is one of the best possible …

A year after an actor inspired women to speak up against harassment, it’s critical to assess the gains and challenges In the mid and late-1800s, social movements in Europe for equal rights for women threw up the word ‘feminism’, which traces its origins to French. The suffrage movement in Britain …

There is enormous potential in mitigating climate change through forest restoration During the run-up to the Paris climate change meeting in 2015 (COP-21) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, each country decided the level and kind of effort it would undertake to solve the global problem of …

The former PM erred in having too much confidence in the sense of justice of his successors Union Home Minister Amit Shah earlier this month held India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, responsible for the country being deprived of one-third of Kashmir. Except for those who deify Nehru, most others …