ZERO FIR: PROGRESSIVE BUT NOT ENOUGH

06 Nov 2026

Context: The Zero FIR provision under Section 173 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 allows a victim, particularly in cases of sexual violence, to register an FIR at any police station, irrespective of the territorial jurisdiction...

CENSUS 2027: TRAINING OF ENUMERATORS AND NEW QUESTIONS

03 Nov 2026

Context: India's upcoming Census, being conducted in two phases, with Population Enumeration forming the second phase.Door-to-door Population Enumeration will involve approximately 34 lakh enumerators, primarily government school teachers.The second...

THE GEOGRAPHY AND ECONOMY OF PUNJAB'S LONG DRUG CRISIS

30 Oct 2026

Context: Punjab has been battling drug abuse and trafficking for nearly 15 years, with continued availability of narcotics despite repeated enforcement and rehabilitation initiatives.NCRB data (2024): Punjab recorded the highest number of drug-posses...

Double Fortified Salt: A Ready Solution to Tackle Anaemia

27 Oct 2026

Context: Public health challenge: Anaemia, driven significantly by iron deficiency, affects over half of Indian women and nearly three-fourths of children, contributing to maternal mortality, impaired cognitive development, reduced productivity and i...

Unlocking Agri-Potential of FRA Lands

22 Oct 2026

Context: Recognises the rights of Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers over forest land and resources. However, land ownership alone cannot ensure livelihood security without sustainable agriculture, soil and water management, insti...

Farmers Need a Share of India’s Solar Boom

28 Sep 2026

Context: India’s installed solar capacity has risen sharply from 2.82 GW in 2014 to 168.04 GW by August 2026, making India the third-largest solar market after China and the U.S.However, most utility-scale solar capacity is concentrated with large co...

Lessons from India’s Smallholder Farmers for Rural Transformation

16 Sep 2026

Context: Global development is facing multiple pressures from conflict, climate change, food insecurity, persistent poverty and fiscal constraints, exposing limitations of conventional development models.India’s experience with smallholder farmers, w...

Thailand’s Peaceful Society Promotion Act: Political Amnesty and Its Limits

02 Sep 2026

Context: Thailand’s Peaceful Society Promotion Act, an amnesty law aimed at political reconciliation, came into force on August 24, 2026, after being passed by lawmakers in July.The initiative comes amid continuing political polarisation involvi...