President Donald Trump’s decision to ban citizens from 12 countries from entering the United States, citing national security concerns, is yet another attempt by his five-month-old administration to tear down legal migration. Mr. Trump’s decision in 2017, during his first term, to ban citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries had triggered chaos and protests at America’s … Read more
This year, the theme of World Food Safety Day, which is observed on June 7, is “Food Safety: Science in Action”. It is an opportune moment to reflect on India’s journey, evolving from a narrow focus on preventing food adulteration to embracing a more comprehensive, science-based approach to food safety. But despite the progress, there … Read more
Discussions are ongoing in India to amend the nuclear liability framework, regulated by the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damages Act (CLNDA), 2010, and the Atomic Energy Act (AEA), 1962, to allow private companies to build and operate nuclear energy-generation facilities. This move is part of a broader strategy to expand India’s nuclear energy capacity from … Read more
Global higher education is undergoing a paradoxical shift. On the one hand, student enrolment is booming, with over 254 million currently enrolled in higher education institutions. This figure has more than doubled over the past two decades and is projected to rise. On the other hand, despite this growing demand, university closures and mergers loom … Read more
India’s next decadal population census, initially delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, is now scheduled to conclude by March 2027, after a further delay apparently fuelled by political motivations. The Census in 2021 did not take place as planned, thus impacting different aspects of governance, especially social security schemes for vulnerable populations that rely heavily on … Read more
The next Census The announcement of India’s next Census is both significant and overdue. While the shift to a digital Census marks a step forward, the more historic move is the inclusion of caste enumeration for the first time in independent India. This could provide critical data to inform policy decisions. However, the long delay … Read more
In a diplomatic move, with far-reaching consequences, United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s new agreement with the European Union (EU) signals a powerful “reset” of their relations, resuming cooperation on food standards, fishing rights, defence and border checks. While this development may appear Eurocentric, it opens a gateway to possibilities and challenges for India that … Read more
In less than 24 hours, ecstasy turned into despair. Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title, secured on Tuesday night in Ahmedabad, triggered unabated joy and raucous celebrations in Bengaluru and the rest of Karnataka. However, by Wednesday evening, a thick shroud of grief hung over the southern metropolis as a ghastly … Read more
“Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties,” said John Milton in his famous pamphlet, Areopagitica (1644), opposing the licensing system (called imprimatur). Originally introduced in response to the introduction of the printing press in England in 1538 and reinstituted by the British Parliament in … Read more
