Introduction In 2025, India experienced extreme weather events on 99% of the days from January to September, resulting in over 4,000 deaths, with heavy rains, floods and landslides accounting for the majority of these fatalities (Down to Earth, 2025). The recent floods in Punjab have affected nearly 20 lakh people with more than 3 lakh […]

Data is one of the fundamental pillars of evidence-based decision-making, fostering trust through transparency, which ultimately leads to better governance in a country. While developed economies have already established a robust national statistical ecosystem to ensure a steady flow of data within their countries, developing nations still struggle to generate even the most basic statistical […]

The prevalence of mental illness in prison settings is significantly higher than in the general population—approximately 3-6 times higher, as available evidence indicates (Andersen, 2004; Fazel & Danesh, 2002; Lamb & Weinberger, 1998; Taylor, 2010; Wilper et al., 2009). Substance use disorders (alcohol, nicotine, cannabis, opioid, cocaine, benzodiazepines and other drugs) are the most frequently […]

Introduction The greatest challenge that we face in dealing with the juvenile justice system is to strike a balance by being both fair and just to the child in conflict with the law and the victim.  The term ‘child’ is universally defined as any person under 18 years, as established by International law. As per […]

Introduction In criminal justice systems around the world, the question of “How dangerous is this person?” often shapes the outcome of sentencing and parole decisions. While several countries have turned to structured psychological tools such as the Historical-Clinical-Risk-20 (HCR-20) and Static-99 to bring transparency and consistency to these high-stakes judgments, India continues to rely almost […]

Introduction Perhaps nothing exemplifies the delicate balances that are crucial for successful growth of any industrial sector than the Indian drone industry, today. Caught between the disruptions and innovations of the fourth industrial revolution, risk and possibilities of an emerging nation in an increasingly globalizing world, policy regulation and liberalization, and, economic growth and inclusion—the […]

Introduction As India grapples with leveraging its manufacturing prowess to fuel its growth story with challenges emerging on the fronts of international trade, a closing demographic window, concerns of premature deindustrialization, etc., an analysis of what has been called as her de facto Industrial Policy—Production Linked Incentives, announced in 2020—becomes imperative (Dhar, 2024). Launched to […]

From healthcare to education, Artificial Intelligence hype has covered every sector, with some calling it the greatest breakthrough since splitting the atom (Price, 2023) while others leveling up their research on existential threats due to AI (Future of Life Institute, 2023). Whether or not AI is worth the hype, constant and steady progress is being […]

India’s demographic dividend—having more working-age than dependent population—provides for a significant opportunity for economic growth. The median age of the country stands at 28.4 years, which is significantly lower than countries like China, Japan, and the USA, which stand at 39.6, 49.4, and 38.3 years respectively (United Nations, n.d.). India’s current working age (15 to […]

Background  The Yamuna River is deeply entrenched in historical & cultural significance but yet it stands as a stark contrast to its once life-giving form. Flowing through the heart of Delhi, the river has been overwhelmed by decades of unchecked urbanisation, untreated sewage, and now stands as a reminder of the ecological consequences of urbanization […]

Introduction Closing 2025, the central government announced the implementation of the 4 labour codes, effective from 21st November, 2025. In an overhaul of the existing national labour regulatory system, the new labour codes rationalize 29 existing labour laws into 4 codes – the Code on Wages, 2019; Industrial Relations Code, 2020; Code on Social Security, […]

Industrial Geography of Indian States: Comparing the Organized Manufacturing Sector of Maharashtra & Uttar Pradesh –  Background & Rationale Regional disparity in economic performance for a country like India, whose individual states fare larger than entire countries, is a truism. Debates abound whether these divergences are organically linked in the manner of ‘core’ and ‘periphery’ […]

Abstract The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Scheme (MGNREGS) is the world’s largest social protection programme (World Bank, 2012). Enacted in India in 2005, it guarantees 100 days of employment, in a year, to poor families, keeping the local government at the centre of the implementation of the program. The 73rd Amendment recognizes the village […]

Introduction At the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People in August, human rights activist and environmentalist Joan Carling declared, “People are not sitting down; people are taking action. And women are at the forefront of these actions.” Her words highlight an often-overlooked truth in the fight against climate change: although women are significantly underrepresented […]

The government of India, in November 2022, announced that it would discontinue the Maulana Azad National Fellowship for students pursuing higher studies.  MANF, launched in 2009,aimed to provide financial assistance to students from six minority communities pursuing an M.Phil. or a PhD for five years. It was implemented by the Ministry of Minority Affairs. Since […]

Throughout India, there are several instances of women leaders at the margins- affecting change and driving leadership in critical policy and governance areas in their local communities. The SPRF Grassroots Women’s Tracker outlines a collection of such women, who have driven crucial policy changes from the bottom, in sectors such as education, local governance, sanitation, labour, livelihoods and justice.

PPP allows us to understand and make comparisons between two countries about the price of the same goods and services in both countries. Thus, a PPP analysis shows the price of the same goods and services in different economies, adjusted for parity. A high PPP implies that a basic set of essential goods and services […]

Abstract The paper delves into the persistent issue of manual scavenging in India. Manual scavenging, an abominable practice, is deeply rooted in the country’s societal fabric despite legislative efforts to eradicate it. This paper examines the socio-economic complexities sustained through the practice and highlights the loopholes in the present system that allow for continued exploitation […]

India is many things – among others, it is often critical to remind oneself that we speak about a subcontinent with heterogeneous and distinct identities, cultures, languages and priorities. Even as we come together as one people, we remain in many ways subject to far too many interpretations, hence often easily misunderstood. Unlike multiple other […]

Introduction The Indian pharmaceutical sector holds a significant position in the global pharmaceutical industry, ranking among the top providers of generic medicines globally. It stands as the world’s third-largest pharmaceutical industry in volume and the fourteenth-largest in value. In the previous year, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman emphasised India’s recognition as “the global pharmacy” due […]