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Editorials · Indian Polity & Governance

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21 August 2026

GS-2Editorials21 Aug 2026thehindu.com

Can free public technology break the private coaching industry?

The article discusses Prime Minister Modi's announcement of free online coaching for competitive exams using India's digital public infrastructure (DPI), aiming to enhance education equity and affordability, especially for Gen-Z youth. Experts debate the initiative's potential to disrupt the private coaching industry, highlighting the need for advanced AI-based, mobile-first systems tailored for competitive exam preparation, distinct from traditional school curricula. Challenges such as bridging the gap between school learning and exam requirements, providing personalized feedback, and ensuring last-mile connectivity (e.g., through satellite technology) are explored. The discussion also touches upon the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020's emphasis on skill hubs and the potential for a common competitive learning stack versus dedicated platforms for various exams.

Indian Polity & GovernanceScience & Technology
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20 August 2026

GS-2Editorials20 Aug 2026thehindu.com

​Vote of trust: On Trump’s appreciation, clean electoral rolls in India

The article discusses the debate surrounding election integrity in India and the U.S., prompted by Donald Trump's remarks. It highlights the differences between India's nationalized election administration system, led by the constitutional Election Commission of India (ECI), and the U.S.'s decentralized electoral process. The piece focuses on the challenges of ensuring clean electoral rolls and implementing photo identification for voting, noting partisan politics and mistrust in both democracies. It emphasizes the need for transparency and inclusivity in electoral processes, particularly concerning initiatives like the Special Summary Revision (SIR) in India.

Indian Polity & Governance
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GS-2Editorials20 Aug 2026thehindu.com

​Due diligence: On surrogate advertising

The article discusses the Maharashtra FDA's efforts to curb surrogate advertising, particularly for tobacco products, by targeting celebrity endorsers. It highlights the legal framework involving the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), and Consumer Protection Act (CPA) 2019. The Delhi High Court's stance on the burden of proof in surrogate advertising cases is also mentioned, emphasizing the need for regulatory bodies to prove their suspicions rather than relying solely on brand registration. The piece underscores the public health implications, especially India's high oral cancer burden, and the challenges of a fragmented regulatory regime.

Indian Polity & Governance
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GS-2Editorials20 Aug 2026thehindu.com

No shortcuts to hiking health spend to 2.5% of GDP

The article critically analyzes India's healthcare system, highlighting the persistent low public health expenditure (1.4% of GDP against the 2017 National Health Policy target of 2.5%). It discusses the challenges in regulating the dominant private healthcare sector, citing the ineffectiveness of the Clinical Establishments Act, 2010, and the government's stance that 'health is a State subject' in Supreme Court proceedings. The piece also points out the problematic nature of a Parliamentary Standing Committee's report, the influx of private equity leading to healthcare inflation, and the limited impact of government schemes like PMJAY due to implementation issues and lack of oversight.

Indian Polity & Governance
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19 August 2026

GS-2Editorials19 Aug 2026thehindu.com

Panic over Telangana’s voter purge

The article discusses the alarm raised by the ruling Congress party in Telangana over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, fearing a large-scale voter purge. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy expressed concern over a potential 21% reduction in voter numbers, drawing parallels to alleged purges in West Bengal and Assam. The party criticized its own organization for a 'lackadaisical approach' in deploying Booth Level Agents during field verification. The Chief Electoral Officer's (CEO) office reported that 21.7% of enumeration forms were 'uncollectable' and nearly 20 lakh entries were inconsistent, potentially affecting 94 lakh electors. The Congress fears this could disproportionately affect poorer sections and minorities, impacting their voting rights and access to welfare benefits. Factors cited include alleged skipped door-to-door verification and 'dual voter' issues due to migration, particularly around Hyderabad. The party is now focusing on the 'claims and objections' phase to protect its voter base.

Indian Polity & Governance
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GS-2Editorials19 Aug 2026thehindu.com

Retrofitting: the missing link in India’s vehicle scrappage policy

India's vehicle scrappage policy is struggling due to weak incentives and a lack of alternatives to outright destruction. The article proposes retrofitting (converting old internal combustion engine vehicles to electric vehicles) as a more economically viable and environmentally sound solution. Retrofitting offers significant cost savings for consumers, reduces the carbon footprint associated with new vehicle manufacturing, prevents hazardous waste pollution, and creates local employment. However, its widespread adoption is hindered by regulatory hurdles, operating in a legal grey zone, and the absence of clear frameworks for approval, OEM involvement, and registration by bodies like ARAI and RTOs, despite successful international precedents.

Indian Polity & Governance
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18 August 2026

GS-2Editorials18 Aug 2026thehindu.com

On dignity in political discourse

The article analyzes the controversy surrounding a remark by Tamil Nadu's Leader of Opposition, Udhayanidhi Stalin, during a rally, leading to his arrest. It uses this incident to highlight a broader shift in Tamil Nadu politics towards personality-driven discourse, amplified by social media, replacing ideological debates with personal attacks. The author criticizes the erosion of dignity and the resurgence of misogyny, contrasting it with the foundational ideals of self-respect and social justice of the Dravidian movement and the DMK. The article calls for accountability from the leader and the party to uphold political ethics and dignity in public life.

Indian Polity & Governance
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GS-2Editorials18 Aug 2026thehindu.com

The ‘proud Assamese’ from other States

The article discusses Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's appeal to non-native residents to identify as 'Assamese' in the ongoing Census exercise. This appeal aims to counter the declining share of Assamese speakers and address the state's changing ethno-religious demographics. The article delves into historical migration patterns, the assimilation of Bengali-origin Muslims (Na-Axomiyas), and the political motivations behind such demographic appeals, particularly concerning the protection of 'indigenous Assamese' and electoral calculus.

Indian Polity & Governance
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GS-2Editorials18 Aug 2026thehindu.com

Awaiting answers: On the student protests in Jharkhand

Students in Jharkhand are protesting against alleged irregularities in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) examinations, demanding cancellation of disputed exams, a CBI investigation, and reconstitution of commissions. The protests highlight deep-rooted issues of transparency, delayed results, and lack of accountability in public sector recruitment in the state, leading to a loss of trust among aspirants. The state government has responded with investigations, arrests, and the cancellation of some exams conducted by a blacklisted agency, but faces pressure to ensure a fair and predictable recruitment system.

Indian Polity & Governance
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17 August 2026

GS-2Editorials17 Aug 2026thehindu.com

Andhra’s urban transformation

Andhra Pradesh's Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD) Department is undertaking a significant urban transformation, aiming for sustainable development by 2047. Key initiatives include streamlining archaic administrative procedures, mandating in-situ solid waste management for large apartment complexes, implementing a 'Reuse of Treated Used Water Policy, 2026' to promote a circular water economy, and redeveloping slums using Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models with Floor Space Index (FSI) relaxations. The state is also promoting green buildings through incentives, optimizing land use, and encouraging transit-oriented development by easing zoning regulations, with a vision to create rapidly growing, adaptive, and environmentally resilient cities like Amaravati.

Indian Polity & GovernanceEnvironment & Ecology
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