Myanmar, Manipur, and strained borders

The influx of Myanmar refugees has generated diverse responses in India’s Northeastern States. Photo: Special Arrangement Northeast India has experienced prolonged spells of insurgency. However, over the past few decades, large parts of the region have remained free of insurgencies. This relative peace has allowed for the operationalisation of massive infrastructure projects. But, as the violence … Read more

Manipur’s worsening humanitarian crisis – The Hindu

‘Official estimates account only for those in registered relief camps, omitting unregistered individuals living with relatives, in temporary shelters, or displaced across multiple locations’ | Photo Credit: Getty Images The India-Myanmar borderlands remain a data-deficient region despite their long history of armed conflict, displacement, and humanitarian crises. The complexity of the Manipur conflict, along with … Read more

​Russia reset: on the U.S., Russia, their first major diplomatic interaction

The talks between U.S. and Russian officials in Riyadh, their first major diplomatic interaction since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, marks the beginning of a reset in ties between the two former Cold War adversaries. Led by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the two sides agreed to … Read more

The deeper meaning of declining school enrolment

As the world’s most populous country, India hopes to reap its demographic dividend due to its burgeoning youth population. Demographers and policy planners always knew that this window of opportunity would remain open, but only for a limited time. Declining school enrolment over the past decade marks the beginning of the end of this period. … Read more

​Undermining federalism: On central funding, States and education  

By withholding Tamil Nadu’s central share of Samagra Shiksha funds for rejecting the National Education Policy (NEP 2020), the Union Government is flexing its muscles to coerce States into submission. This move also undermines the intent of the Samagra Shiksha scheme (2018-19), which consolidated the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan, and Teacher Education … Read more

Time and timing: On the CEC selection process

Once again, the manner of appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners (EC) has become controversial, with the government going ahead with the process laid down in its December 2023 law, which is under challenge before the Supreme Court. Last week, the Court had deferred the hearing to February 19, while observing … Read more

Letters to The Editor — February 19, 2025

CEC appointment Riding roughshod over the other pillars of democracy has been the practice of the government of the day. As the face off between the executive and the judiciary is well known, the manner of the appointment of the new Chief Election Commissioner of India is likely to invite the ire of the top … Read more

The danger of a digital censor board

Ranveer Allahbadia. Photo: Special Arrangement There is a moral panic over a show called India’s Got Latent. Much of the furore centres around some crude remarks made by a YouTuber, Ranveer Allahbadia. His remarks have been condemned by Chief Ministers, a Parliamentary Standing Committee, and even the Supreme Court. On India’s Got Latent, which was … Read more