Commentaries

Environment and Energy

Tackling E-Waste in India’s Electric Vehicle Transition

India’s Steady Embrace of Electric Vehicles India, surging ahead as a major global economy and one of the world’s most populous nations, grapples with a critical challenge: the environmental toll of expanding its road transport infrastructure. While these infrastructures are essential for driving development, their rapid growth has triggered alarming emissions of CO2, nitrogen oxides, […]

Economy and Society

Inaccessibility of Legal Education in India 

Historically, legal education and the practice of law have been considered one of the most sought-after professions in the world. Legal education and profession have historically remained linked to ensure access to justice for the masses and promote the rule of law. In India’s history with resistance, many notable personalities who shaped the country’s legal […]

Human Rights & Law

Can Conditional-Cash Transfers Help Combat Child Labour?

Child labour involves the engagement of individuals aged five to fourteen in work, a range ostensibly banned by Indian law, and remains a pervasive issue. India has the highest num- ber of child labourers globally, with an estimated 11.7 million children engaged in hazardous occupations and processes, constituting 4.5% of the children in the 5-14 […]

Environment and Energy

COP28 Missteps: Climate Justice and Undelivered Commitments 

Context The recent COP28 Climate Summit was held in the United Arab Emirates from November 30 to December 12, 2023. More than 200 countries attended the summit, where leaders from governments, business and civil society organisations participated in negotiations & discussions on various themes to strengthen collective action to stop climate change. The COP28 was […]

Economy and Society
Environment and Energy

Increasing Risks of Flash Floods: Policy & Infrastructural Gaps

At the beginning of October 2023, the glacial-fed Lhonak Lake in the northern part of the state of Sikkim triggered a flash flood in the Teesta River basin. The flash floods have claimed 74 lives, and more than 100 people have been reported missing.  The disaster unfolded due to a cloudburst that led to a […]

Human Rights & Law

Valuing Unpaid Work: Women’s Role in Care Economies

Introduction Care work, broadly defined as the provision of physical, psychological, emotional, and developmental support to individuals, plays a pivotal role in society. It encompasses a wide spectrum of activities, from direct and personal care tasks like nursing an ill family member to indirect duties such as cooking and cleaning. Care work is instrumental in […]

Environment and Energy

Delhi’s Ongoing Battle with Peaking Air Pollution: Analysing Government Policies

Delhi-NCR’s air quality hit the ‘400’ danger mark on the AQI 500 scale, considered hazardous once again in the early part of November 2023. The coming festivities on Diwali, despite the ban coupled with a surge in farm fires, are expected to escalate the issue in the coming weeks. According to the Air Quality Life […]

Governance

The Global Hunger Index and India

The 2023 Global Hunger Index placed India 111 out of 125 countries. According to the report, India scored 28.7 on a 100-point scale, putting the country under the “Serious” hunger category. The report measures hunger through four parameters- undernourishment (in both children and adults), child stunting, child under 5 mortality and child wasting. GHI put […]

Human Rights & Law

The Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023: Weakening of the Right to Information Act?

The Indian Parliament represents the predominant theatre of democratic deliberation and participation in the country and serves as the orienting source of nation-building strategy and legislative outlook. As a result, the quality of discussion of key bills in the Parliament represents a complex system of public consultation, standing committee reports, political concerns and federal cooperation. […]

Economy and Society
Environment and Energy

The Growing Problem of Urban Floods

Introduction: The rising problem of urban floods The global surge in urban flooding presents an escalating challenge that has captured the attention of city administrators and urban planners worldwide. This phenomenon, characterised by its complexity and urgency, has particularly taken centre stage in India. Over recent years, the country has witnessed a distressing surge in […]

Economy and Society

The Pension Debate: Old vs. New Scheme

On 1st October, thousands of central and state government employees, alongside workers from public sector units across more than 20 states, gathered at New Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan for what they called the “Pension Shankhanaad Rally”. Their primary demand was the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme [OPS]. This event not only triggered extensive nationwide discussions […]

Human Rights & Law

Places of Worship or Archeology? Reviewing the laws that govern India’s mosques

  The Gyanvapi mosque, constructed in 1669, has a contested history. History stitches facts and invented narratives together, and the same is true for the Gyanvapi compound. Many have propagated many anecdotes about the construction, and the reason for the construction, of the mosque to be adjacent to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, Uttar […]

Environment and Energy

Unlocking Potential in Critical Minerals

  Introduction: the Comprehensive List of Critical Minerals The world has witnessed unprecedented technological advancements and growing demand for clean energy solutions in recent years. This transformative shift towards a sustainable and low-carbon future has underscored the critical importance of securing a reliable supply of some crucial minerals. The Government of India has recognised this […]

Governance

Opportunities and Challenges in the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Bill

Context The Lok Saha passed the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2022 in July and the Rajya Sabha in August 2023. As the name suggests, multi-state societies operate in more than one state. The Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act (MSCS) of 1984 was enacted to introduce comprehensive central legislation that facilitates the organisation and functioning of […]