The article discusses the growing unemployment among educated graduates in India, attributing it to a widening gap between the number of graduates and job creation, a mismatch between skills taught and industry demands (exacerbated by AI and automation), and the capital-intensive nature of new investments. It highlights the transformation of sectors like IT and manufacturing, leading to 'jobless growth'. The authors emphasize the need for increased investment in research and development, deeper industry-academia collaboration, a robust entrepreneurship ecosystem, and a focus on indigenous design and product development to create high-value employment.
The article analyzes the crisis faced by mainstream media (MSM) due to the rise of social media (SM), highlighting SM's dual role in democratizing information while also fostering misinformation and chaos. It argues that MSM's imitation of SM tactics and its broken advertisement-driven business model undermine its professionalism and independence, leading to governance crises and reduced public trust. The author advocates for a user-pays business model for MSM to restore its credibility, independence, and crucial role in ensuring social stability and good governance, emphasizing that truly "free" media requires financial independence from both state and corporate influence.
The article critically analyzes the Indian government's new policy requiring a doctor's prescription for syrup-based medicines, a measure introduced to restore confidence in India's pharmaceutical supply chain following over 300 child deaths globally due to ethylene glycol (EG) and diethylene glycol (DEG) contamination in India-made cough syrups. While the Union Health Ministry removed 'syrup' from Schedule K of the Drugs Rules 1945 to enforce this, the article argues it's a defensive rather than reformist solution. It highlights that the core issue is manufacturing quality control failures, inadequate raw material testing, and chronic understaffing of State drug controllers, rather than consumer access. The policy may reduce inappropriate use but won't prevent contaminated products from entering the market, as the government continues to tolerate the pharmaceutical lobby's resistance to stringent testing.
The NFHS-6 report indicates mixed progress in India's child nutrition, with a decline in stunting and significant improvements in institutional births and vaccination coverage, attributed to better healthcare access, maternal education, and sanitation. However, wasting levels remain largely unchanged, and poor feeding practices, maternal time poverty, and the shift towards processed foods continue to pose challenges. The article emphasizes the need to strengthen frontline workers, ensure multisectoral convergence, engage men in childcare, and promote crèche models for sustained progress in child nutrition.
The Indian government has implemented significant upgrades to its statistical databases, including Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Consumer Price Index (CPI), Wholesale Price Index (WPI), and Index of Industrial Production (IIP). These updates involve new base years (e.g., 2022-23 for GDP and IIP, 2024 for CPI) and methodological improvements like the double-deflator approach for GDP and a more inclusive basket for CPI. The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) is responsible for GDP, CPI, and IIP updates, while the Ministry of Commerce and Industry updated WPI and introduced the Producer Price Index (PPI), which will replace WPI in five years. These changes aim to make India's economic statistics more representative, robust, and aligned with international best practices.
The article highlights that Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) have become more significant obstacles to global trade than traditional tariffs. While tariffs have decreased significantly since the WTO's establishment, NTBs, such as regulations, certifications, and product requirements, have surged, affecting about 90% of global trade. The EU is noted as the most extensive user of regulatory tools, while the US employs NTBs for strategic competition. India, traditionally reliant on tariffs, is now expanding quality regulations as part of its industrial strategy. The article points out that India's low FTA utilization rates (around 25%) are largely due to NTBs, citing examples with ASEAN, Japan, and South Korea. It concludes by emphasizing that India's newer trade agreements, like with the UAE and EFTA, are explicitly addressing NTB reduction through mutual recognition and legally binding obligations, signaling a crucial shift in trade diplomacy.
