[Burning Issue] CRISPR Technology and Associated Concerns

The CRISPR-Cas9 system has revolutionized genetic manipulations and made gene editing simpler, faster and easily accessible to most laboratories. To its recognition, this year, the French-American duo Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna have been awarded the prestigious Nobel Prize for chemistry for CRISPR. Gene editing using CRISPR technology The CRISPR is an acronym for Clustered… Continue reading

[Burning Issue] Paytm vs Google App Store Row

The altercation between technology giant Google and fintech major Paytm has brought the global debate around app store monopolies to India. Paytm has been at odds with Google ever since the tech giant removed its apps. Earlier this month, Paytm announced the launch of its Android Mini App Store to support Indian developers to take… Continue reading

[Burning Issue] New Labour Laws

The Parliament has passed new versions of three labour codes — Industrial Relations Code Bill, 2020, Code on Social Security Bill, 2020 and Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code Bill, 2020. The Code on Social Security 2020, which received the Presidential Assent on 28 September 2020, subsumes major regulations relating to social security, retirement… Continue reading

[Burning Issue] Global Fuel Dynamics and India’s Energy Security

Context Despite the global decline in crude oil prices over the last month and buying of cheap Russian crude oil, the retail prices of Petrol and Diesel in India have remained high. These increased prices have also caused high inflation in India, leading to an increase in key policy rates by RBI. In this context,… Continue reading

[Burning Issue] Agricultural Reform Bills, 2020

Farmers in Punjab and Haryana have been protesting against 3 ordinances promulgated by the Centre back in June this year. After the Monsoon Session of Parliament began this week, the government has introduced three Bills to replace these ordinances. What are these ordinances? The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020; The… Continue reading

[Burning Issue] Quashing of the Question Hour

In view of the pandemic and a truncated Monsoon Session, Parliament has said no to Question Hour and curtailed Zero Hour. The opposition MPs have criticised the move, saying they will lose the right to question the government. A look at what happens in the two Houses during Question Hour and Zero Hour: What is… Continue reading

[Burning Issue] GST Compensation

During this pandemic, one significant area of loss of revenue to both the Centre and the states is GST. The states need all the funds they can get to ramp up the country’s rundown health system. The Compensation Act mandates compensating the states for revenue loss on GST implementation from the Compensation Fund. The Goods… Continue reading

[Burning Issue] India’s GDP Contraction

India’s GDP for the period April to June 2020 has contracted by 23.9 percent. In other words, the total value of goods and services produced in India in April, May and June this year is 24% less than the total value of goods and services produced in India in the same three months last year.… Continue reading

[Burning Issue] Rolling-out of National Digital Health Mission

The National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) announced by the PM on the 74th Independence Day has the potential to transform the healthcare sector, making it more technologically advanced, inclusive and delivery-driven. Digitizing Healthcare: A Backgrounder The National Health Policy 2017 had envisaged creation of a digital health technology eco-system aiming at developing an integrated health… Continue reading

[Burning Issue] Fiscal Council in India: Certain solution in uncertain times

The impact of COVID-19 on the economy is devastating and the government is forced to opt to borrow for spending more in order to support vulnerable households and engineer economic recovery due to the after-effects of COVID-19 pandemic on the economy. The BI highlights the need for bipartisan, independent Fiscal Council to report and analyse… Continue reading

[Burning Issue] Free Speech Vs. Contempt of Court

Power of judiciary lies neither in deciding cases, nor in imposing sentences, nor in giving punishment for its contempt, but in the trust, confidence and faith of the general public. Criticism is important for it helps to give us a new perspective and opens our eyes to things we may have overlooked or never considered.… Continue reading

[Burning Issue] Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy, 2020

The realities of International relations has ensured that the importance of hard power never diminishes. From China to USA, military power has time and again seen research, innovations and reforms. It is true if India wants to see itself as a hard power then innovation is the keyword. More precisely, indigenous production! In order to… Continue reading

Best Practices under Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP)

The Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP) was launched in January 2018 with the vision that renewed focus on interventions in the most backward districts of India. Anchored by NITI Aayog, the programme rests on the three pillars: Convergence (of Central and State Schemes) Collaboration (between Centre, State, District and Citizens) Competition (among the districts through NITI… Continue reading

[Burning Issue] One Year since the Repeal of Art. 370

Exactly a year back, on August 5, 2019, the government of India revoked the special status granted under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. The move was made on the promise of a better life for every Kashmiri in terms of social and economic parameters. So, with… Continue reading

[Burning Issue] National Education Policy 2020

Seeking to completely overhaul India’s education system, the Union Ministry of Education, formerly known as the Human Resource Development Ministry, introduced the National Education Policy 2020. The set of reforms encompasses a whole range of ideas and promises, from vocational education through schools to higher studies. “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow… Continue reading

[Burning Issue] Disputes over Anti-Defection Law

A CM takes oath at 4 am in the morning. MLAs are taken to an unknown destination or a resort with their mobiles and all communications virtually shut! Likewsie, if unconstitutional principles and practices no longer excite the citizens, but some political norms do, then our democracy is in trouble. Turbulence in governments — involving… Continue reading

[Burning Issues] Geopolitics and the roll-out of 5G

5G Technology is the future of the telecom sector. Research and development in this field have attracted global giants. But the rollout of 5G network has also caught the eyes of various governments. This is because 5G is not just a matter of cellular network but has security implications for nations and scope for dominance… Continue reading

[Burning Issue] Police Brutalities and the Need for their Sensitization

“The police uniform evokes various emotions. There is a fear of oppression and cruelty, as well as a perception of security. This perception shapes into expression from our daily observance. These days, people face a predicament whether to approach the police or not. They are scared whenever they see a policeman approaching them. Instead of… Continue reading

[Burning Issue] The ‘Boycott China’ Movement

In one way reminiscent of Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violent resistance to the British Raj, where Indians under occupation forewent Manchester-sewn textiles in favour of “homespun” cloth, the difference between then and now, of course, is that China is not an occupying force here and no more do we rely on the “hoemespun cloth”. In this… Continue reading

[Burning Issue] India- Sri Lanka Fishermen Issues

2 days back, an article in Hindu caught our eyes. It was – “Indian trawlers are back, say Sri Lanka’s fishermen”. This is not a new issue, in fact, this news piece has it’s own way of making it back to the headlines again and again. The conflict has also strained both countries’ bilateral ties,… Continue reading

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