Table of Contents
Making up for lost time
India and Canada must use Justin Trudeau‟s visit to take a long-term view of bilateral ties
Prime Minister, begins his much anticipated seven-day, •five-city state visit of India on Feb 17
This is his •first trip to India after he became Prime Minister in 2015
but he has always had India and Indians around him.
He is familiar with Indian rituals and customs.
He and his spouse are practitioners of yoga.
He can even perform bhangra.
He has several friends, advisors and colleagues of Indian origin,
Given that the Indian diaspora comprising 3.6% of the Canadian population is well-educated
The Khalistan angle- Sikh community, which affectionately calls him „Justin Singh‟
Khalistani elements in the quest for electoral gains
Never in Canadian history have at least 19 persons of Indian origin been elected to the House
of Commons, of which 17 (15 Sikhs) represent Mr. Trudeau‟s Liberal Party.
He has rewarded four Sikhs with key Cabinet berths.
Canada has truly been a land of opportunity for the Indian diaspora
Another welcome development in recent years has been a spike investments by well-endowed Canadian Pension Funds
Canadian companies have have pumped in some $12-15 billion Canadian in India in sectors
including real estate, financial services, distressed assets, modern logistics facilities and
e-commerce.
Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and Investment Promotion and
Protection Agreements (BIPPA)- which have been under negotiation for several years, would boost our economic partnership.
Would particularly open up the services sector allowing highly skilled Indian professionals,
for whom there is a ready demand, to work in Canada.
BIPPA is closer to •finalisation,
But India would prefer that both agreements be operationalised in one go.
During Prime Minister Narendra Modi‟s visit to Canada in April 2015,
Both sides agreed to elevate their bilateral relations to a strategic partnership
Essentially rest on 3Es — economy, energy and education
India has started importing uranium from Canada, beginning 2015.
Canada also has sizeable reserves of oil and gas
Key partner in India‟s quest for energy security.
With declining interest in Britain & some uncertainty over the U.S.‟s policies, Indian students
have begun heading for vocational and higher education to Canada in larger numbers
Canada also continues with a liberal immigration policy.
Both nations also have some collaboration in agri-tech and much more can be done
Canadian pulses were being imported by India.
Enough potential for stepping up cooperation in areas like information technology, science
and technology, clean and green tech, aviation and outer space, cold-climate warfare,
cybersecurity, counterterrorism and tourism.
The need of the hour is to strengthen mutual trust and con•fidence, by taking a long-term view of the relationship
A deepening crisis
Our national aspirations will remain unmet(not achieved) at long as we fail to prioritise education
In 1966, the Kothari Commission had said in its voluminous report that India should aim
at spending 6% of its GDP on education.
More than half a century later, we are spending less than 3% of our GDP on education. D.S.
Kothari‟s recommendation gives us a symbolic measure of the imp given to education.
At the time the commission chaired by him was drafting its report,
India was passing through a difficult period.
Famines, wars and political uncertainty were taking their toll.
The economy was stuck in sluggish(सुस्त) growth
Conditions are rather different today.
By any standards, India is more prosperous today and people‟s aspirations are higher
Despite this favourable social climate, education has failed to become a matter of
national concern.
Every year, the Union Budget indicates that it is not a high priority although it is
loudly announced to be so.
This year‟s Budget is no different
There is no sign of funds to enable institutional recovery after a prolonged period of
damage caused by •financial cuts in higher education
Finance Minister referred to the importance of teacher education.
This was a welcome reference
Commission appointed by the Supreme Court under the chairpersonship of the late Chief
Justice of India, J.S. Verma.
Report of this commission brought to public attention the dismal state of teacher education,
especially the corruption
Justice Verma Commission offered several good remedies to improve the regulatory structure
But the progress could not be sustained
Finance Minister made a special mention of the four-year integrated B.Ed. (Bachelor of Educat
ion) programme as a way forward for achieving quality in teacher training.
The big question that has remained unanswered since the commission submitted its report is
whether the Central government will spend the money the sector needs.
A decade ago, the Yash Pal report on renovation and rejuvenation of higher education
Implementing these recommendations will need increased public spending
We need to recognise that growing inequality among youth
United Nations discourse of sustainable development should remind us that our national
aspirations might get a jolt(झटका) if we fail to prioritise education
Should Supreme Court proceedings be live-streamed?
Prelims Focus Facts-News Analysis
Page-1- 5,100 cr. assets seized in PNB case
Enforcement Directorate carries out searches on Nirav Modi‟s firms across five States
Page-1,10- Prasar Bharati rejects Ministry‟s directives
We are autonomous, says Board
Rejected a range of “directives” coming from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry,
Saying they constituted “contempt” of the Prasar Bharati Act
Ministry‟s proposal..to hire two senior journalists, Siddharth Zarab i and Abhijit Majumdar,
Ministry had •fixed an annual compensation of •1 crore for Mr. Zarabi and •75 lakh for Mr. Majumdar.
The members argued that the highest…compensation paid to contractual employees in Prasar Bharati was about •1.6 lakh a month and a jump to •1 crore a year cannot be justified.
Page-1- You value a rape at •6,500, „shocked‟ SC asks M.P. govt.
Are you doing charity by paying •6,500 to a rape victim, asked Supreme Court on Thursday
after going through an a•davit •led by the Madhya Pradesh government on the compensation
given under the Nirbhaya Fund scheme.
The apex court said it was “shocking” that Madhya Pradesh, which was among the States that received maximum funds from the Centre under the Nirbhaya scheme
17 killed in mass shooting at Florida high school.
KP Oli sworn in as Nepal PM for second time
Ethiopian PM resigns after protests
PNB fraud may wipe out profit