Bangabandhu’s Legacy Under Threat: The Campaign To Undermine Sheikh Mujibur Rahman In Bangladesh
Bangabandhu’s legacy seems to be under threat due to the campaign to undermine Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Bangladesh.
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Editor’s Pick
The Palk Bay Conflict: Sustainable Solutions to India-Sri Lanka Fishermen Dispute
The Palk Bay Conflict calls for sustainable solutions to India-Sri Lankan fishermen dispute at the earliest.
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Trump 2.0 and India: Trumping Tariff Tensions, Transactionalism Amidst Geopolitical Rebalancing
It is tough to make any predictions regarding Trump 2.0. While some commentators believe that his policies will be as disruptionist as in his previous stint, others are of the opinion that he may be transactional but less unpredictable. During the presidential campaign, Trump had said that he would impose tariffs on countries which are trading in non-dollar currencies. It remains to be seen if he goes ahead with such measures given that several countries with close links to the US, including India, have been favouring de-dollarisation. It also remains to be seen how Trump 2.0 would perceive the Chabahar project given the current turmoil in the Middle East.
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Indian Teachers in Chakravyuh: Guru, Researcher or Contractual Worker?
The overall perspective on the Indian education system calls for introspecting on how well the teachers of today are mentoring the young generations. Given the teachers being put on the job of handling classes immediately after recruitment without appropriate pedagogical training, the weaknesses in their pedagogical practices remain predominant. The concept of ‘temporary teachers’ does not permit the institutions for systemic long-term improvements in teaching quality, thus, being detrimental to student development. The rush to figure out well in the accreditation and ranking frameworks is pushing teaching to the backseat. Teacher assessment tools ought to be remodelled to prioritize teaching over research for overcoming these challenges and making classroom teaching a high priority on the agenda of teachers. Student participation in the assessment of the educational deliveries from any institution is needed for prioritizing teaching activities over other aspects.
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Netanyahuism: The Zeitgeist of Our Times?
The humanitarian crises unfolding in West Asia and Eastern Europe, along with the inability of the international community to enforce peace in these regions can be captured in a larger phenomenon engulfing the world today – ‘Netanyahuism’. Netanyahu’s approach of ‘eye for an eye’ has become popular all throughout the world. The taboo against the use of instrumentality of military actions to achieve foreign policy objectives is declining. The international community must show moral courage and start calling out the militaristic approach of both Iran and Israel. Solutions need to be found on the diplomatic table, not on the battlefield.
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Operation Prosperity Guardian: West Asia in Splits
The Arab world has been witnessing exacerbating conflicts and spillovers in the region. Home to the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet, Bahrain is the only Arab state to be part of the U.S. Naval Armada, Operation Prosperity Guardian. Both Iran and Saudi have been careful to not directly hit at each other since the restoration of their diplomatic ties. With this picture in mind, Saudi also would not want to harm the Iranian-backed Houthis. Like the Saudis, the Emiratis want to secure the Red Sea but do not want to be viewed as supporting Israel instead of solidarity with Palestine. With the nightmares of the previous Arab-Israeli wars still very much etched in the soil, the states have been trying to not escalate the tensions while trying to grapple for a balanced approach whilst also being steadfast in their solitude with Palestine.
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The Broken Ladder: Exam Failures and the Crisis in Indian Education
Reports indicate that the exam failures are eventually leading to a crisis in Indian Education system and there is a need of standardization.
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The Multifaceted Role of Vice Chancellors in Indian Universities
Understanding Leadership Styles and Challenges in Higher Education Governance The Vice-Chancellor is the head of a university and plays a
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Left-Right-Centre: 2024 is Swinging the World
There is a rise of populism worldwide while tactical compromises on certain policy issues may draw flak they become inevitable.
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India & Iran Ink Landmark Deal: 10-Year Chabahar Port Operation to Boost Regional Trade and Connectivity
India has recently signed a 10-year landmark deal with Iran to take over the Chabahar Port Operations, risking US economic sanctions.
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ILO Report & the Achilles’ Heels of India’s Employment Landscape
Revelations of ILO’s India Employment Report 2024 are raising alarms for improvement after navigating India’s employment landscape .
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Electoral Bonds, Kejriwal’s Arrest, Congress Accounts: The Funding of Elections and the Role of Civil Society
Bond Disclosure Sparks Debate on the common thread that holds together all seemingly disparate events which is the omnipresent ‘corruption’.
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Breaking Silence on Silent Sufferings
Breaking silence on silent sufferings leading to suicides must become a matter of public discussion because only that solution is sustainable.
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THE SABUDANA TRIVIA
The Sabudana Trivia for incorporating it into your cooking repertoire to add a touch of Indian flavour and wholesome goodness to your meals.
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Exploring the Intersection of AI, Web Data Scraping, and Copyright: Legal and Ethical Considerations
The evolving landscape of AI, web data scraping, and copyright integration has a series of legal and ethical considerations.
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Navigating the Complex Terrain of AI in India’s Judicial System: A Pragmatic Inquiry
Without careful oversight and mitigation strategies, AI applications in the judiciary could inadvertently perpetuate biases, affecting the fairness and impartiality of legal outcomes. Ensuring that AI systems are used as a tool rather than a definitive authority is crucial to maintaining the balance between efficiency and the human judgment essential to justice.
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Riyadh’s ‘Active Neutrality’ at Play: SCO, OPEC+ and Proposed Defence Deal with USA
In March 2023, Riyadh entered the China-led Shanghai Cooperation Organization as a dialogue partner. Saudi Arabia had also signed a Beijing-mediated agreement with Iran to resume diplomatic ties. The Gulf nation has played an important part along with Russia in the OPEC+ cuts in oil production much to the displeasure of Washington DC. Yet, in recent days, Saudi Arabia has been pushing for getting a defence pact with the US ratified before the US election of 2024.
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Beyond Books and Bells: Organizational Citizenship Behavior in Higher Education
Despite budget constraints, Indian universities like Jadavpur, Jamia Millia Islamia, and Aligarh Muslim University thrive, attributing their success to Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB). OCB, defined as discretionary actions benefiting the organization, extends from academic staff to students, fostering positive change within higher education institutions. The unsung heroes embody dedication, commitment, and selfless actions, impacting holistic development despite the challenges.
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Mapping The Higher Education Ecosystem Of India
The existing challenges paint a complex picture of India’s higher education ecosystem. Addressing them requires a multi-pronged approach, including increased
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Blossoming China-Afghanistan Ties, Deepening Faultlines in Af-Pak
The timing of China accepting the credentials of the Afghan ambassador, appointed by the Taliban, also comes at a time when ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan have witnessed a significant deterioration.
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BJP drubs Congress in Hindi Heartland, Congress Consolidates in the Peninsula: The Larger Trends in India’s Electoral Politics post-2023 Assembly Elections
National issues and leadership cannot be relegated totally to the sidelines in assembly elections, even though it is not possible to win state elections without strong regional leaders. What is clear from the election results of the MP, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Telangana is that welfare schemes, which often draw strong criticism from certain commentators, strike a chord with the voter. All political outfits have also begun to focus on welfare schemes specifically targeted at women.
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Biden Vs Trump 2024: The Geopolitics of Russia-Ukraine & Israel-Hamas in USA’s Politics
A recent poll by The New York Times and Siena College found former President Donald Trump leading over President Joe Biden in five key swing states for a potential 2024 presidential election match-up. The poll suggests Biden is losing support among young and black voters, and despite improvements in economic indicators, voters appear pessimistic about the US economy. Trump’s potential win could have significant implications for the ongoing geopolitical conflicts in Russia-Ukraine and the Middle East.
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Uniform Retirement Age of Teachers: A Panacea for Higher Education
The retirement age of Indian college and university teachers should be uniformly set at 65 to ensure equal opportunities and rights. Knowledge, skills, and experience are vital prerequisites for educators, these only develop over time. Though the increase in retirement age may pose hiring challenges, the resulting longer tenure of experienced educators would greatly enhance the quality of education, fostering more effective teaching and higher quality of research. Having a uniform retirement age would also address the potential decline of experienced teachers by 2027.
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A Month Since the October 7 Attacks: Bibi’s Ground Operations to ‘Eliminate Hamas’ and Post-War Scenario in Gaza
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) are now encircling Gaza treating Hamas as a target. This escalating conflict ignited anti-American sentiment in the Muslim world, with global opinion turning against Israel. A month of heavy bombardment killed over 10,000 people, including 4,104 children, leading to international calls for a ceasefire. WHO, U.N. agencies, and international charities express concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
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Israel-Hamas War: No Endgame Amid International Pressure
In response to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, the United Nations General Assembly has called for an immediate ceasefire. The warfare has resulted in significant casualties and prompts international concerns about an impending humanitarian catastrophe. Despite global pressure, Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, remains resolute to continue ground operations. Simultaneously, diplomats are considering possible administration changes in Gaza post-conflict. The international community continues to advocate for a two-state solution, emphasizing the significance of justice, reconciliation, and peaceful coexistence.
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The Chinese Potential: Close Ties with Tehran, Dialing Down Israel-Palestine Tensions
Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, urges Israel to respect international humanitarian law, protect civilians, and ensure Chinese interests in Israel. Amid tensions following Hamas’s multi-pronged attack, China criticizes the killing of civilians but avoids condemning Hamas. As the conflict escalates, upcoming meetings between Wang Yi and US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, could present opportunities for dialogue. Despite increasing aggression from Iran, China’s influence in the Middle East could potentially help mitigate the situation.
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The Battle Royal: Israel-Hamas in a Jungle of Diplomatic Maneuvers
Israel-Hamas conflict has been marred by Diplomatic Maneuvers by world powers including USA, Russia, China, Iran, EU in previous fortnight. The article analyses the updates on the conflict as on October 23, 2023
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Israel-Palestine Conflict Dynamics in West Asia
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine marked a significant turn, with a surprise attack on Israel marking the fiftieth anniversary of the Arab-Israeli war. The violence, which has been consistent since post-WWII, escalated as Hamas launched over five thousand rockets at Israel. Despite international efforts, including the Cairo Summit for Peace, a resolution seems elusive. Accusations of Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands and retaliatory violence add tension, while powerful countries attempt to exert influence and propose solutions.
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Vulnerability of Energy to Climate: A Perspective on Thermal Power Plant & Scope of Renewable Energy
Climate change’s severity in India is escalating, driven largely by the country’s dependence on coal-based power plants. Recognizing this, the government aims to satisfy 50% of energy needs through renewable sources by 2030 and has taken steps to limit pollution with clean coal technologies. However, the transition from coal presents challenges, including fluctuating costs of natural gas and the reliability of renewable energy. Implementing new technologies and shifting towards renewables requires strong local institutions, community involvement, and private sector participation.
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Israel-Hamas War: Gaza Hospital Attack, Biden’s Visit, Iran-USA Powerplay
The shifting global power equation combined with increasing advocacy for regional peace through a sovereign Palestinian state necessitates that the US rethink its global strategy. Tensions in Gaza are escalating, potentially leading to a large-scale conflict as Israel plans a comprehensive offensive against Hamas. Amidst growing fears of war and a worsening humanitarian crisis, there’s a pressing need for negotiating peace and ensuring timely humanitarian aid in the region.
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A Reordered World: The Dance of Global Forces on the Stage of Human Forces
The world is being reordered. There is a complex interplay of global forces like climate change and human forces like power play and populism
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The 3Ds of Post-COVID Classrooms: Distracted Students, Disruptive Ed-Tech, Declining Interactions
The post-COVID classrooms are being marred by distracted students owing to the disruptive role played by ed-tech & declining interactions.
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India-France In Transcaucasia- A Part Of The Problem Or A Solution
Indian-French interests in Transcaucasia are positioning themselves as one of the main guarantors of compliance with the UN principles.
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Performance of Non-Performing Assets In Indian Banks
Non-performing assets of the banks require attention to the recovery of their dues to examine the changes in GNPAs of banks.
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Shoigu’s Visit to North Korea: Russia’s Asian Rebalance
Shoigu’s visit to the DPRK amid the ongoing conflict with Ukraine offers an opportunity for fast resolution of Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.
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Horizon 2047: Celebrating 25 Years Of The India-France Strategic Partnership
PM Modi’s visit to France has helped in strengthening and extending the Indo-French Defence Cooperation through strategic cooperation.
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AI Chatbots May Devitalize Ingenuity: Arrival of New Disruptors in Education
There is a lot of buzz around ChatGPT, a language model software capable of responding to queries with human-like intelligence. However, AI poses the threat of the diminishing use of human cognitive skills. The absence of ample thinking before writing and the sheer utilization of AI tools for generating reports and documents may make one devoid of skill and imagination to create new things. Spoon-feeding by artificially intelligent systems is enfeebling metacognition and promotes a lackadaisical attitude in students in the education process. Analyzing, report writing, etc. is likely to get reshaped with the evolving AI chatbots based on disruptive technology that redefines the ontology and epistemology of teaching, learning, examination, and research. There is a thin line between someone requiring support and someone becoming parasitic to the support. The likelihood of loss of ingenuity, and diminishing cognitive skills need to be investigated thoroughly at every activity level.
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Ukraine: Military Opposition Building Up Against Prez Zelenskyy
There are many influential “groups of dissatisfied” against the policy of the Ukrainian President and his team among the officers of the Ukrainian army. However, it is already visible to the naked eye the contours of a formidable military opposition which the head of state may encounter in the near future.
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Clean Drinking Water: A Necessity Increasingly Difficult to Fulfill
The paucity of an essential invisible – clean drinking water – is threatening the very existence of homo sapiens. India finds itself at the 120th rank among 122 countries in the Water Quality Index. Three-fourths of rural households find it difficult to get drinking water in India. In large tracts of remote and arid regions of India having high solar irradiance, especially the Thar Desert, Solar Thermal Desalination technology can play a crucial role in fulfilling the needs of the local communities. Strong local institutions and community participation would become the key to their success. The government must encourage private players to provide technological solutions to tackle the water crisis while ensuring that the accessibility of clean drinking water remains a basic and universal right, instead of becoming a paid service.
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Ukraine Conflict, ‘Spy Balloon’ and Evolving US-China Relationship
In recent weeks, tensions between Beijing and Washington seem to have escalated after the incident of an ‘alleged’ Chinese spy balloon being spotted in US airspace. The Biden Administration may not want ties with China to deteriorate further and it may also seek to find common ground on important global issues. It is likely however to continue with its tough economic stance vis-à-vis China in the run-up to the 2024 US presidential election. The important factors which will influence the trajectory of the Washington-Beijing relationship are the course of the Russia-Ukraine war and China’s stance on the same as well as China’s approach towards Taiwan.
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Darkness of Cyber Attacks Requires the Light of Cyber Security Education
Statistics show that cyberattacks occur every 39 seconds. The total damage caused by cyber-attacks amounted to $6 trillion in 2022. Growing adaptation to smartphones is heightening security vulnerabilities. Ransomware as a service (RaaS) is evolving as a business model. The formal education system must trigger well-crafted education programmes for rolling out a cyber defence army that understands the creativity behind cyber attacks and can protect society at large. Galloping advances in the cyber world push not just for cyber hygiene to become part of formal education at the school level, but also for the ineluctable rigorous campaigns to update every individual to remain cyber safe.
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Vicious Cycle of Economic Slowdown in South Asia
Sri Lanka and Pakistan are dealing with serious economic crises. Apart from serious domestic issues like shortage of essential commodities, and power cuts, both countries have meagre foreign exchange reserves. The excessive dependence on China is the main reason for the increasing debt trap. Both countries also had to seek International Monetary Fund (IMF) assistance despite domestic opposition against the conditionalities imposed by the IMF. It is important for South Asian countries to work towards more robust economic linkages within the region and to shed dependence upon external assistance.
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Protectionist UK Restricting Indian Students May Backfire
Limiting the number of students from India or changing rules pertaining to the graduate post-study work visa will make the United Kingdom a less attractive destination for higher education for Indian students. The UK needs to understand that Indian students contribute significantly to the UK economy, not just in the form of tuition fees, but also through their talent and skills.
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Odisha: A Guiding Light for Sports Tourism and Paradiplomacy
Hosting the FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023, Odisha is the first state in India to host the event for the second time in a row. This is an important feat and highlights the fact that Odisha — along with Punjab — has emerged as a key nursery for Indian hockey. Odisha’s focus on sports, especially hockey, also shows that every state should create its own template for economic prosperity and give a boost to tourism. Its success in hockey, where all stakeholders have worked in harmony, is important not just from the dimension of sports but also economy and para-diplomacy. Other states should seek to emulate its success!
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The Curious Case of Foreign Universities: UGC Draft
The UGC, coming up with a regulation to allow foreign universities to set up their off-shore campuses in India, has had academics at sixes and sevens and divided. While one stratum welcomes the move saying it would increase job prospects, foreign collaborations, and the research environment in the country, the other believes it will sound the death knell for the home universities. It is strongly felt that Ivy League universities and colleges are unlikely to apply for setting up their campuses in India. India must desist from the temptation of attracting substandard universities that would dupe Indian people out of their money in the name of dazzling foreign degrees.
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North-East Festival: A Roadmap To Domestic And Global Ties
North-East Festival is a festival that celebrates the beauty, diversity, and integrity of North-East India. The USP of this festival is the way in which we seamlessly integrate elements of social cohesion, cultural heritage, and economic welfare, making them an immersive experience for all. This also seeks to give a fillip to ties between North Eastern India and the increasingly important ASEAN region. The festival is important for a number of reasons. First, it highlights aspects of the region’s culture and economy that residents in other parts of India are not familiar with. Second, it can give a boost to tourism in the region. Third, it can open up new horizons for entrepreneurs from North Eastern India, and the rest of the country.
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Academia Wary of New UGC Regulations for PhD
Although the new UGC regulations for research appear to change the face of higher education in India and encourage institutions to compete with world-class universities across the globe, their implementation is bound to be shoddy without proper reflection and spade work. A critical rethinking on the part of the policymakers is the need of the day for improving the quality of PhDs in the country. Simple cosmetic changes and juggling around with existing structures cannot bring any positive reform in the quality of higher education, especially research in the country.
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Indo-China Great Power Competition in the Indo-Pacific: An Essay
With the establishment of the Indo-Pacific concept, the relationship between India and China has taken a drastic turn in their bilateral and multilateral engagement causing constrain in their ties. In such regard, no longer the Indo-China ties could be viewed from a narrow perspective as it has evolved and rather should be viewed from the great power politics. Although, the ambition of China is clearly visible of acquiring more power and enhancing its stature and position in global politics and power vis-à-vis India which has kept a balanced and friendly approach to secure its national and strategic interest ensuring its rise doesn’t alarm others.
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The Growth Story Of ASEAN Powers: Indonesia and Malaysia
While the Malaysian economy has been adversely impacted as a result of political instability, the Indonesian economy has benefited immensely from political stability. Also, Malaysia has been lagging behind Indonesia in terms of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). But still Malaysia continues to be one of the most attractive investment destinations in ASEAN.
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The New Geopolitics Of Global Education
Geopolitical issues have affected the people-to-people links and higher education adversely. While the UK, like other developed countries in the West, is keen to attract talented professionals as well as students who could contribute positively towards its economy, it is mooting the idea of restricting the inflow of international students who get admitted into ‘low-quality degrees’, and also bring in their dependents through the student visa route. On the other hand, Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy makes a clear reference to strengthening people-to-people contact with different parts of Asia and seeks to enhance Canada’s international student program with permanent residence and job opportunities for students from the Indo-Pacific.
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Gig Economy: The New Disruptor of Education, Jobs & Social Security
A new philosophy of labour economics is flourishing because of gig recruiters who only target their requirements irrespective of whether the doers have any formal educational certificates or not and the worthiness of gig workers decides their hiring. The sole reliance on the expertise of individuals to perform the respective jobs is likely to delink the educational attainments with the jobs which in turn will also decouple the educational attainments from the pay levels. It is imperative for the education system to engrain the students with comprehensive abilities to adapt, and learn-unlearn-learn in the self-initiated mode for remaining relevant and fetch higher incomes for themselves in the changed economic spectrum. The ensuing independence of educational attainments from jobs and income may push children out of the formal education system for immediate jobs and higher incomes, which may have its implications on the overall capacity building of human resources for sustainability.
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A Rundown of Sports Diplomacy
The ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar once again highlights the importance of sports in foreign relations. Sports, over the years, have helped unite nation-states with opposing ideologies. Diplomacy through sports harnesses soft power in geopolitics. Major sporting events like the Dynamo Moscow Football Tour after WWII stands as a testament to two rival countries coming together to settle their indifferences through the means of sport. The ping-pong game between China and the US helped end two decades of animosity between Sino-US relations. In recent years, sports diplomacy has been used to promote legitimate means of peace and development infrastructure in countries while hosting major sporting events. A country with a strategy of sports diplomacy will benefit in economic development and will leave a positive impact.
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America is Back – Or is it?
It is true that the US needs to strike a balance between domestic priorities and its global commitments, but it cannot have meaningful engagement with the rest of the world, including ASEAN, if it is insular on economic issues. In other words, the US needs to realize that both ‘America First’ and globalisation – with some checks – can co-exist.
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India’s Growing Demand For Exotic Pets Is Bad News For All
India’s Growing Demand For Exotic Pets is bad news for all and surest way to curb it would be to let this demand die down.
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Saudi Arabia and UAE: Playing the Balancing Act
Two Gulf countries – Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE) – have re-oriented their external relations significantly in recent years. The improvement in ties between both these Gulf countries, especially UAE, and Israel is a strong reiteration of the same. UAE along with Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan normalised ties with Israel via the Abraham accords signed in 2020. Even at a global level, not just the Middle East, both Saudi Arabia and UAE are trying to re-position their foreign policy. One important change has been the strengthening of UAE-China and Saudi Arabia-China relations, much to the discomfort of the US.
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Making Sense of Falling Apples Prices in Jammu and Kashmir
Apple growers in Kashmir Valley are on the roads to express their simmering anger due to price crashes and infrastructural bottlenecks. Out of 2.1- 2.9 million tons of apples grown in India annually, around 75 percent comes from the Kashmir valley. In order to enhance the income of apple growers, there is a need to address the infrastructural bottlenecks, technical upgradation of capabilities of horticultural staff, improvement in market intelligence system, branding and government need to regulate the pesticides. Further, there is also a need for reducing the layers in the supply chain by necessary ICT intervention. The government needs to explore Cooperative farming, strengthen farmer-produce organizations and incentivize the establishment of fruit processing units.
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Congress May Lose Another Opportunity As Shashi Tharoor Stares At Impending Defeat
The Congress may lose another opportunity as Dr. Tharoor stares at an impending defeat and can’t confront BJP on multiple issues like this.
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Mahatma Gandhi and The Young India
As the nation celebrates Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday this year, it is important to reinstate the larger vision of Swaraj of the Father of the Nation that advocated for inclusive and sustainable development based on the principles of education with character, work with ethics, and professional morals and promotion of mass entrepreneurship to ensure zero unemployment for a populous country like India. For Mahatma Gandhi, mere urbanization was no answer for development as the soul of India lives in its villages. As such his vision of sustainable development need to be realized in modern times of technology innovations by creating clusters of high-tech smart villages so the cause of economic growth and environmental sustainability can be addressed with clarity and with conviction. In this article, the authors have presented a strong case for making the vision and philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi relevant to Young India, as they are the future and have the potential to create the India of our dream.
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Education Pollution: Substandard Schools, Decaying Higher Education, Mushrooming Coachings
There are nearly 1.2 lakh single-teacher schools in the country of which an overwhelming 89% are in rural areas. More than 30% of schools had no toilets and over 60% had no playground. The selection of the top positions of the institution has emerged as a great challenge. A research scholar who gets a UGC fellowship does not want to complete his Ph.D. work in time but tries to extend it since after his/her Ph.D. if he/she gets an appointment in a private institution, he /she will get less salary. The conditions of teachers in self-finance institutions are very pathetic. Mushrooming of coaching centres and dummy schools across all cities has misled students into believing that they can perform better in entrance exams if they go for coaching at such centres and by skipping classes in regular schools.
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India’s State Animals Are A Mixed Bag Of Happy And Sad Stories
Many state animals remain highly threatened in the present day with diminishing hope of survival. While Hangul suffer from a skewed sex ratio, fishing cat is beaten to death. The Alpine musk deer is an endangered species mercilessly killed for the musk pod of the males. Many other state animals like the clouded leopard of Meghalaya, Nilgiri tahr of Tamil Nadu, Phayre’s langur of Tripura, red panda of Sikkim, sambar of Orissa, wild water buffalo of Chattisgarh, and the Sangai of Manipur are also highly threatened.
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Japan, The Land of Rising Militarism
By 2028, the military budget of the Land of the Rising Sun will exceed $80 billion. The Russian-Ukrainian crisis, the rising tensions around Taiwan, and North Korea’s continued missile tests are all reasons for the drastic increase in Japan’s defence spending. Its defence ministry is now considering the prospect of purchasing new weapons: advanced missiles and air defence systems capable of intercepting rockets launched from China and North Korea, including hypersonic missiles.
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The Chip War: US Restrictions, China’s Ambitions and the Semiconductor Industry
Semiconductor chips form a very crucial part of the technological and strategic competition between the US and China. The disruptions in the supply and value chain due to the pandemic and trade tensions with China have brought out the significance of semiconductor chips. These are crucial for technological progress and responsible for the country’s growth as an economic power. The present article looks at the present US-China tensions and the implications of such spillover on the semiconductor ecosystem.
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We, the Guinea Pigs of the World
As the pandemic hit, governments all over the world imposed severe lockdowns, clamping down everything to naught. This was a mega experiment of making people sacrifice their freedom of movement, right to livelihood, and right to learning in order to save their lives. Did community transmission help in checking the spread of the virus? We have no conclusive evidence of that. Did it help in developing immunity from the virus amongst a large section of the population? We can’t say. If there was some immunity amongst some people, was it lasting and reliable? We don’t know. These were all experiments conducted on people who were treated no better than guinea pigs.
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Illegal Wildlife Trade Is Silently Killing Lesser Known Species In India
Although the Indian culture is generally gentle towards flora and fauna of the country, certain ritualistic practices and traditional beliefs are not. ‘Siyar singhi’ (‘jackal horn’) is a part extracted from a golden jackal’s skull and used as a talisman to satiate superstitious beliefs. The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau of India seized over 370 such talismans between 2013 and 2019. Owls are trapped and illegally traded in India during Diwali and Laxmi Puja to be sacrificed to appease the deities for tantric rituals and ceremonies, endangering the survival of the owl species. People also extensively poach turtles and tortoises for their meat in several parts of the country or capture them for the illegal pet trade.
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Heading Towards Extinction of Formal Education?
The new trend of popularizing coaching institutions, over-dependence on digital technology, and reduced financial support to institutions of higher learning shall prove to be the death knell of our long cherished formal education. Are we giving free/subsidized education and scholarships to regular students just to enroll in the institution and join coaching classes? The ground reality is that in universities and colleges, we are teaching with the minimum number of teachers without students. The greatest threat to formal education is the recent trend of robbing universities of their academic autonomy. Policymakers have been acting as feudal lords to impose and further their agenda through higher education institutions. One of the turning points for the survival of formal education and universities could be to generate active value-based research.
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An Era of Dynamism in Higher Education
The HEIs must assess the changing requirements for programmes commensurate to the specially trained manpower requirements. The quick responsiveness of private sector HEIs in offering programmes as per market demand is facilitating good admissions to them. The regulatory framework must enable public universities to exercise their choices of being dynamic in conceiving and offering market-centric demand-driven programmes/courses. Nonetheless, the public sector HEIs must not get rid of their mandate to roll out well-trained and qualified graduates and postgraduates in all disciplines whether popular or not popular.
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Pushed to Periphery: The Case of Mudumalai Tiger MDT-23
Biodiversity or wildlife-related conflicts are often described as situations where wildlife comes into conflict with humans over common resources. However, in many situations, particularly in those where conservation organizations are active, conflicts take the form of disputes between different stakeholder groups over wildlife management goals or priorities, and it is increasingly being acknowledged. Recent research shows that the development of conservation management schemes is affected by a multifaceted range of criteria and this has implications for the design of such schemes, and the way in which their aims are communicated to those affected and executed. There is now a growing awareness amongst conservation biologists that sociological and psychological approaches are often required to achieve a realistic understanding of such issues. Local communities are carrying a very heavy burden of conservation, while elites have the pleasure of enjoying the wilderness and wildlife, resulting in the cost-benefit ratio of conservation being strongly skewed in favour of tourism companies, national governments, and the international conservation community. Compensation and enhanced assistance to the locals should be regarded as a payment for ecosystem service they were generationally safeguarding and contributing towards its sustenance.
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I2U2 and its Significance in the Indo-Pacific Region
The arrival of the I2U2 as a quadrilateral security structure in West Asia will act as a strategic group. Coupled with QUAD and the AUKUS, it will strengthen the position of the West in the Indo-Pacific Region. As the I2U2 focuses on the strategic concerns in West Asia as a geopolitical shift is taking place in the Western Indian Ocean, it will become a feature of the broader region with greater implications. I2U2 provides the opportunity for its members to collaborate and assist one another in six key areas. Being an economic group, it addresses the vacuum in West Asia and allows the Middle Eastern countries to view it as an alternative. With the smooth access and supply of oil being a prime aim across the world, the development of a security net under I2U2 will ensure peace and stability in the region.
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Crossing China’s Red Line: Pelosi’s Taiwan Visit on the Cards and Challenges Ahead
Recently leaked information regarding the possible visit of Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, to Taiwan in August created a diplomatic row between the US and China, pushing China to object to such a visit strongly. Pelosi is a long-time critic of China. Newt Gingrich was the last US Speaker to visit Taiwan, 25 years ago. With August being critical for President Xi Jinping’s leadership, it coincides with the Biden-Xi virtual summit. Although a statement from President Biden regarding the visit is concerning for the US-Taiwan ties, the visit being called off will only convince China that its deterrence worked and will strengthen its position over the Taiwan Issue.
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Seashells Belong To The Sea, Not Our Homes
While the world is busy trying to save the tigers, lions, sharks, and whales, the marine organisms with seashells are silently vanishing from the sea and filling up our homes. Their absence is creating a void in the oceans that will have a long-lasting impact on every species’ survival in the coming times. Let us leave the seashells where they belong and admire them for the life they harbour and the ocean ecosystem they sustain.
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Analysing Maritime Domain Awareness in the Indo-Pacific
Analysing maritime domain awareness is essential to asses threat to the safety and security of the world’s sea lanes.
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The Significance of Neutrality for Ukraine
Considering the long history of Ukraine and Russia, the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine factored in Kyiv’s desire to join NATO, bringing NATO close to Russian borders. The desire to join NATO not only extended the conflict, which stretched to more than 100 days, but it also caused one of the major humanitarian crises in recent times. With the West continuing to aid Ukraine through military aid, the relevance of Ukraine adopting neutrality still stands valid, as Russia continues to occupy more Ukrainian territory with no scope of peace in the forefront.
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Caste-based Reservation and Discrimination: An Equitable Social Order?
Based on an open-house discussion, the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay is planning to introduce a mandatory course on caste awareness and racial discrimination to increase awareness and eliminate the caste-based and racist slurs that have entered into colloquial language. Indisputably, the statutory provisions of reservations based on caste and economic status have been created to facilitate in reduction of the social and educational gaps as envisaged by the enabling provisions of the Constitution of India. The presupposition of OBC, SC, or ST candidates spoiling the merit is not appropriate. The transformations are happening and the comparable performance by reserved category candidates indicates their competency upgradation and forthcoming change in the social order that is free from discrimination and has equity and access at its core. Sensitizing the community about the relevance of caste reservation for the deprived classes of society on social and educational fronts has to be talked about continuously along with checking the discrimination for a healthy society.
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All That Glitters is Gold Indeed
Generally, people make investments in banks and gold. All that glitters is indeed gold due to good returns on gold sale in time of need.
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Iran and Venezuela on Cooperation Road
Iran and Venezuela recently signed a 20-year agreement that sought to strengthen cooperation in a number of areas – though the focus of the agreement is on bolstering ties in the finance and energy sectors. The agreement will be closely watched by the West since both countries have been facing US sanctions and have repeatedly lashed out at western imperialism. While Venezuela and Iran share close ties with Russia and China, the agreement sends a strong message that the countries that are part of the Russia-China camp need to have an independent foreign policy and economic vision.
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Going the Smart Technologies Way: New Tech Innovations for Positive Impact on Human Behavior Needed
Impact of technology and innovations on Humans is essential for conscious and righteous conduct, following ethics and professional morals.
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Catastrophic Consequences of the Conflict
The ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict has had a long history and with threat perceptions on both sides. However, the conflicts and wars benefit only a few, and that too in the short term. The world must work together to end this crisis at the earliest. Or else, its cascading effect might push the whole world into an abyss from where the recovery would become extremely difficult. The underdeveloped and the developing world are likely to be the worst affected and they all must come together to pitch for peace.
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Decoding China’s Hegemony in Indo-Pacific Region and Its Repercussions
The Chinese economy is faltering, the business sector is more indebted than ever, the fertility rate (1.702) remains below replacement level, the population is ageing, and the benefit of cheap labour is eroding. China’s debt-to-GDP ratio (US$27 trillion) is 159 percent. However, China’s objective has been to reclaim its former glory by controlling Asia in the short term and the rest of the globe in the long run. The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the western world’s response have introduced a new dimension to the Indo-Pacific power struggle. China may be emboldened by the western world’s reluctance to intervene directly in the Ukrainian situation. India would need to tread carefully and traverse the rough waters in this new geopolitical context.China’s rise will continue to be a source of contention for states in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
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Local Communities Key To India’s Wildlife Conservation
In a country with a burgeoning human population, creating or extending such protected areas is not feasible. Several Indian communities, like Bishnoi, Maldhari, Mumbai Adivasi, and people of Sundarbans, have deep-rooted beliefs that allow them to live with wild animals, including large predators. Such an attitude toward wildlife has allowed the world’s second-most populous country to protect and preserve its biodiversity to a significant extent. As Indians, we all have a duty and a role to play in fostering community-based conservation in our country to allow our rich biodiversity to thrive in the coming decades.
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Fee Fixation for Technical Higher Education
Prescribing a precise amount of fees may well be construed as if the council is exceeding its mandate of prescribing the norms and guidelines for charging tuition and other fees. Pricing regulation assumes particular significance in the context of the higher educational institutions, which are, as yet expected to operate as not-for-profit entities. They are prohibited from profiteering or indulging in crass commercialization. Nonetheless, unable to fill their sanctioned intake, many institutions do not invest in labs, physical facilities, infrastructure, and human resources and, thus, find themselves trapped in the vicious cycle of mediocrity. Fixing a mandatory minimum level of fees would favour such institutions but cannot be said just for the students.
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Fixing Responsibility for Wrong Appointment of a Vice-Chancellor
Recently, on 3rd March 2022, Hon’ble Supreme Court has held that a state cannot legislate the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor contrary to the provisions of the UGC Regulations. Therefore, if any state does not follow the apex court judgment, the appointments shall be unconstitutional. It is very unfortunate when the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor gets challenged after the selection, and the honourable courts turn down the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor on the basis of either not following the rules and regulations of the Act or the selected Vice-Chancellor not possessing the minimum qualifications as per the rules made by the UGC. If a Vice-Chancellor is removed by the Hon’ble High Court, a serious question arises in the mind – who should be held responsible for such a fault?
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Academic Collaboration of Indian and Foreign Institutions Needs Soul-Searching
The new UGC regulations for academic collaboration are said to have three possible formats of collaboration, namely, joint degree, dual degree, and twinning programmes, with a liberal view of UGC to encourage collaborations. The intent of exposing Indian students to the education system abroad sounds reasonable, nevertheless, the affordability of practising such engagements and their relevance to students calls for honest introspection. The private sector HEIs market their programmes by showcasing their foreign collaborations to woo new students during admissions. In most cases, the poor socio-economic conditions of Indian families may not allow their children to take advantage of the foreign collaborations unless they get sponsorships to sustain the expenses.
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Defence Sector During Russia-Ukraine Crisis: Implications for India
Although several developed countries might propagate the idea that the conflicts and wars bring misery to humanity at large, they promote the idea of defence preparedness as a means and instrument of deterrence, and this ensures that their interests are served even during good times. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has created all the needed threat perception amongst many a country to cause the global armament exports to flourish. Will the geopolitics permit, promote, and support India to capitalize on this export opportunity, or would it be prevented from doing so?
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Political Turmoil and Strained Ties with the West: A Double Whammy for Pakistan’s Economy
Apart from Pakistan’s army and opposition political outfits, the business lobbies in Pakistan have been flagging the point that strained ties with the US and the EU will have an adverse impact on Pakistan’s economy. While the Pakistan Army Chief, Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, had alluded to the importance of Pakistan’s ties with the US in his address on April 2, 2022, Pakistan’s business has expressed its apprehensions with regard to the current political situation and the potential souring of ties with the West, in general, and the US, in particular. The current economic crisis in Sri Lanka also underscores the pitfalls of being excessively dependent upon China and the need for an astute foreign policy.
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Alternative to SWIFT: Russia-Ukraine War Highlights the Urgency
The financial warfare against Russia, inter alia, has cut off Russian banks from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) thereby blocking Russia from rapid money transfers internationally. Even though SWIFT accounts for no more than 1 percent of the transactions involving Russian entities and payments, the ban may potentially disrupt its trade in energy and agricultural produce as well as Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Foreign Institutional Investors (FII). In totality, the sanctions against Russia may shrink its economy by 5 percent. The current crisis has made many countries of the world think of developing alternative payment systems and capabilities. This would be a challenging task as the alternative to SWIFT would work only when a larger number of countries become willing to cooperate and agree to become a part of the alternative network.
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Decoding the Objectives of FM Wang Yi’s Visit to India
The visit to India of Wang Yi, China’s foreign minister and State Councillor, which was kept secret until he arrived in New Delhi following visits to Pakistan and Afghanistan, had multiple objectives. China appeared to have attempted to advance its agenda in this region in light of the larger objective in the South China Sea, after assessing the geopolitical changes resulting from the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Unfortunately for Wang, Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Minister Jaishankar made it abundantly clear to him that normal relations between the two countries are impossible until the border situation improves. Wang, as is customary in Chinese diplomacy, used subtly disguised concepts to argue that normalization of relations between the two countries should take precedence and that the border issue should be placed in an appropriate position—that is, given no weight.
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Publicizing Caste and Religion in Electoral Politics: Representation or Appeasement?
Dependence on caste and religion to win elections is observed frequently in India. Few call it appeasement while few others call it representation. Is it not paradoxical? Classification of victorious public representatives by their caste/religion tacitly enhances their importance in the country’s democracy. Apparently, it messages about corroborating the wide representation of communities through the leaders belonging to them. But at the same time, it evinces the unfading pertinence of caste/religion in our society. It is inevitable to delve into the disquietude nucleating from the issues of publicizing representation and appeasement of communities based on caste/religion for strengthening coherence in the society.
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Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Impact on Global Flow of Funds
The Russia-Ukraine conflict can intensify the already shaken economic conditions created by COVID-19 as inflationary pressures might have an effect on many countries. Investors in Central and Eastern Europe are cautious with their investments. As per an IMF report, the sanctions imposed against Russia will impact the global economy. It clearly seems to have already affected FDI and portfolio investment in many countries, including India. For the sixth month in a row, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) were net sellers in February, selling shares worth $4.9 billion. It was also the most shares sold by FPIs since the epidemic began in March 2020, when they sold $8.3 billion worth of stock. The Union Finance Minister of India had stated that the Russia-Ukraine conflict and surge in crude oil prices pose risk to the financial stability of the country.
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Economic Implications of Russia-Ukraine Crisis
The world has been thrown into yet another catastrophe caused by the Russian attack on Ukraine and the retaliatory sanctions imposed on Russia by the major economies of the world. It is now time to see how would these twin crises of the pandemic and the ongoing conflict affect the geopolitics and world economy. Russia accounts for nearly a quarter of the global gas market and has been a major supplier of crude, platinum. Russia and Ukraine are also the top suppliers of neon gas, essential for making semiconductor chips, an essential component of every electronic item. Even though the direct effect of sanctions on major economies might appear minuscule as they may have relatively smaller and limited trade with Russia, they too would suffer significantly on account of indirect, collateral, and tangential repercussions.
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Expansion in Medical Education: Easier Said Than Done
The Ukrainian Crisis has brought the problems of medical education in India to the fore. While the most urgent challenge has been to evacuate all the Indian students to bring them back safely and also to explore all the possibilities to rehabilitate them within the country. In a short to medium-term framework, India must aim at expanding its intake capacity in medical education by manifold but with due regard to quality as well as affordability. Here are the facts as well as the opinions and views of a cross-section of society for investigating the expansion in medical education.
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Goggling UP Assembly Elections
The fight in UP assembly elections remained primarily between the BJP and the SP. The star campaigners of ruling dispensation raked on the incidents during pre-2017 rule with few prominent ones being Kairana riots & associated migration in western UP, dynastic politics, law and order, camouflaged polarization, nationalism, etc. The law and order, women’s safety, free gas connection, free toilets, free houses, elimination of mafias, welfare schemes of a free ration on account of COVID disruption, direct benefit transfer, health care schemes, infrastructure, various freebies, etc. remained the mainstay for the BJP. Astoundingly, the SP leadership maintained reasonable decency in language while referring to the political opponents across the electioneering. The SP leadership continually reminded of its works, including the “Dial 100”, “Dial 1090”, police reforms, free ambulance service, solar energy initiatives, power plants, power station networks, farmer mandis, sugarcane procurement, the four-lane connection of district headquarters, Agra-Lucknow Expressway, Lucknow Metro, IT park, tourism, welfare schemes of food, pension, etc.
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Bracing for the Changing Geopolitics: Ukraine Crisis and Energy Security in India
As Russian troops reach Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, the Brent crude prices have already touched $110 a barrel, a level that was breached 8 years ago in 2014. The moot question, therefore, is, whether or not India was ready to anticipate and handle the consequences arising out of such a crisis with minimal disruptions. Taxes on petroleum, today, may be a major source of revenue but is also vulnerable to volatility impelling upon the need to look for an alternative but stable source of revenue to the government.
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Political Controversies at Beijing 2022 Olympics
The 2022 Winter Olympics concluded recently in Beijing. What made the 2022 Winter Games stand out was that the political aspect of the games was talked about exponentially more than the sporting aspects. The 2022 Beijing Olympics might have been the most tainted game in the history of the Winter edition. There was already a trend of increasing controversies and the political nature of the competition, but the latest set of events in China might have set the tone for years to come. Politicization, environmental problems, doping, decreasing viewership, fewer hosting candidates, increasing criticism, and many more problems cloud the future of the world’s oldest and grandest sporting phenomenon.
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Impact of COVID-19 on Women Self Help Groups of Odisha
This International Women’s Day, we look at the impact of COVID-19 Women Self-Help Groups of Odisha. While several studies have been done highlighting the role of WSHGs in providing support and sustaining livelihoods during the tough times of the pandemic, not much has been looked upon with regards to the impact on these WSHGs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic seems to have altered many facets of the lives of the WSHG members. However, a majority of them are optimistic about their activities and income returning to pre-pandemic levels in the near future.
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The Lessons for Taiwan from Russia-Ukraine Conflict
Against the backdrop of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine Conflict, there is an increasing suspicion that Beijing would follow Moscow’s lead and attempt to conquer Taiwan militarily. Ukraine’s experience should instil a stronger sense of urgency in Taiwan regarding the need to overcome bureaucratic and partisan impediments to coalescing around a military plan that is fit for Taiwan’s security environment and resource restrictions. This is an opportunity for Taiwan’s current and future leaders to instil confidence in the country’s future.
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Why do Indians Go Abroad for Higher Education?
Against the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine crisis, the Prime Minister of India has revived a concern that needs to be taken seriously and urgently. It is imperative for the higher education policy planners, administrators, and regulators to take proactive measures to ensure quality higher education at an affordable cost within the country across the broad spectrum of higher education, including but not limited to only medical education.
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Russia-Ukraine Crisis: The Impact on India
The ongoing Ukraine Crisis has transported India back to the Cold War era when it was expected to choose a side. However, given India’s growing stature in international affairs and its dynamics with the two countries, maintaining the same strategic autonomy as last time will be nearly impossible. While a Russia-China-India axis in the present scenario is next to impossible, jumping on the Washington wagon has its own set of ill consequences for India vis-à-vis Moscow. It is in India’s best interests for the Ukraine crisis to be de-escalated as soon as possible.
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Olympics and International Relations: Uncovering an Intertwined Relationship
*This is Part Two of the Two-Part Article Series on the Olympics and International Politics.* The Olympics are more than just a stage for international politics. They are a true reflection of the world order and what goes on in it. Hosting an edition of the Olympics is the most beneficial way of gaining soft power for any country. During the Cold War, the Olympics was not only a competition for power and a symbol of pride for the two countries, but also a representation of their global dominance. While the Olympics have been the victim of international political impact multiple times throughout their history, they keep showing their ability to overcome those challenges and continue to bring the international community together to promote sports with the objective of peace.
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The Political Nature of the Olympics: Protests, Boycotts and Violence at the Games
A few countries, including the United States of America, have decided to stage a diplomatic boycott of the ongoing 2022 Beijing Olympics. The Olympics and politics have had a complex relationship even in the past. Almost every Olympics has had one or multiple instances of politicisation. In Olympic history, multiple countries have boycotted the games to express dissent on the basis of international conflicts and issues. The Olympic games also have had their fair share of violence, resulting in human and infrastructural casualties over the years.
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Shift Focus Away From Latrine Construction to Achieve an Open Defecation Free India: Swachh Bharat
*This is Part Two of the Two-Part Article Series on India’s ODF Challenge.* Human behavior is dependent on culture, with culture adapting to available resources along with cost and benefit of using a technology. In spite of 22 years having elapsed since the Total Sanitation Project started, India is still struggling with open defecation. The focus on the technology of individual household latrines construction seems to be misplaced. The talking points of the Indian Sanitation Campaigns have been handed down by the western agencies which were initially in the sanitation campaign and the message has remained constant. To achieve an open defecation free country, India must look at the state of its communities across the country rather than impose a ‘one-nation, one-fit’ solution or a western model. The only way ahead is to focus on health and hygiene by focusing on the accessibility and availability of water and soaps, and not on latrines.
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