Research Papers

Economy and Society

Safeguarding local communities against Industrial Development: A case study of Orissa

Abstract Rural development projects have largely centred around the establishment of industries, such as steel plants and oil refineries, or industrial activities like mining. In the past, the coverage and scope of such projects have seen consistent growth. Development projects are also seen to provide job opportunities for the local people, thereby promising financial growth. […]

Economy and Society
Environment and Energy

Heat Stress, Labour Well-being, and Productivity amidst Heat Waves

Abstract Heat waves are among the most dangerous natural hazards. Global temperatures are at an all-time high, and extreme temperature events are more frequent and prolonged. This leads to an increase in the number of people exposed to heat stress. Human health is adversely affected by extreme weather conditions like heat waves. Outdoor labour, particularly […]

Human Rights & Law

Digital Inclusion of Scheduled Tribes: Role of Law and Policy

Abstract The digital divide between marginalised and non-marginalised populations of the country has impacted the socio-economic growth of the Scheduled Tribes [STs] in India. The first part of this paper discussed the consequences of the divide for the ST populace. The second part of the paper discusses the role of policy instruments in bridging this […]

Human Rights & Law

Digital Divide and the Scheduled Tribes in India: Extent, Consequences, and Challenges

Abstract In India, Scheduled Tribes [STs] face disadvantages in accessing almost all tools required for socio-economic development– including education, healthcare, and information and communications technologies. This disadvantage results in a digital divide between the STs and the non-ST population of the country. The repercussions of the digital divide were evident in the backdrop of the […]

Environment and Energy

Coal Dependence, Energy Security, and Human Security in India

Abstract India’s coal dependency is the focus of investigation of this paper, with an understanding of energy security and human security to meet its rising energy consumption. This study examines the current justifications for this trend, considering how coal is intertwined with India’s politics and economic aspirations. Rationales for using more coal remain rooted in […]

Human Rights & Law

Criminalising Tribes (Pt. 1): Pre-colonial and Colonial Times

SERIES INTRODUCTION This series looks at the legal category of ‘Criminal Tribes’ in India, today known as Vimukta Jatis or Denotified Tribes. Although, stereotypes of hereditary criminality are as old as untouchability, DNTs, like SCs have not been able to access equal opportunities because of their ancient stigmatisation and the resulting administrative high handedness. Even […]

To indicate indicate The Omnipresent Pandemic: Cyber Crimes against Women and Children A person holding a black credit card against a laptop screen that shows a big red symbol and words like "junk mail" "password" "security" "spam mail"
Human Rights & Law

The Omnipresent Pandemic: Cyber Crimes against Women and Children

ABSTRACT This article seeks to identify the scale at which cyber crimes and cyberattacks are increasing in India by taking women and children as the focus group. India’s cyberspace is expanding faster than ever before, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. People have started using the internet as a source of entertainment, work, […]

Governance

The Status of Indian Democracy: Contextualising Trends of Representation in the Lok Sabha

ABSTRACT Indian democracy shows a steady decline across various globally cited indicators of democracy, even while the practice remains strong and consistent. The Freedom House Index has changed India’s status from “free” to “partly free” in 2021. Peculiarly, India has performed well on indicators of political representation and indicators of free and fair elections at […]

Economy and Society

NEET: Looking beyond competitive entrance exams for higher education

Abstract Admission into professional courses via highly competitive entrance examinations is becoming the norm in universities. The Union government’s decision to make the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test [NEET] the sole criterion for admission to medical and dental colleges is a significant step in this direction. However, studies worldwide have criticised high-stakes examinations for propagating socio-economic inequalities […]

Economy and Society
Human Rights & Law

Hijab-Ban, Right to Education and Question of Agency of Muslim Women

ABSTRACT Muslim women donning hijab, burqa, or the veil has been a contentious issue and a source of discrimination against them worldwide. In India, this issue resurfaced in December after the Udupi Women’s PU College, a pre-university college in Karnataka, denied entry to several girls since they were wearing hijabs and ‘disrupting’ the college uniform. […]

Human Rights & Law

No Glimmer of Hope: Jharkhand’s Mica Mines and Child Labour

ABSTRACT In 2021 ‘Fenty Beauty’, a leading makeup brand owned by the pop-star Rihanna, was criticised for using mica from mines in Giridih and Koderma, Jharkhand (Sirur, 2021). The news brought into limelight the discourse around industries thriving on cheap raw materials, especially ones acquired from illegal mica mines through child labour. The issue of […]

Human Rights & Law

Revoking AFSPA in Nagaland: Current Trends and Possibilities

ABSTRACT For more than six decades now, Nagaland has been under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act [AFSPA] 1958. Despite the violence and impunity, the act grants the security forces, it is still in force. To bring peace to the region the Framework Agreement was signed in 2015 between the Government of India and the […]

Human Rights & Law

Houses of Tarp and Bamboo: Exploring the Fires in Rohingya Refugee Camps

ABSTRACT Rohingya refugee camps in India witnessed the highest number of fires in 2021 than any other year prior. Most refugee-camp fires demonstrated a peculiar trend of beginning at midnight, often on a disputed property, preceded by threats of eviction or bigotry but said to be the result of bad urban planning. With refugee settlement […]

Economy and Society
Human Rights & Law

Beyond Academics: A case for bringing comprehensive sexuality education to Indian classrooms

Authored by: Barkha Tripathi, Co-Founder, The Zero Period Edited by: Riya Singh Rathore and Avishi Gupta   ABSTRACT India is the second-most populous country globally, with the largest youth population between ages 10 to 24. Despite a young and culturally diverse demography, India has consistently deprioritised knowledge, awareness, and acceptance of comprehensive sexuality education [CSE] […]