The Indian Express Analysis In English | Free PDF Download

Table of Contents

It’s not UPA vs. NDA

• Average annual growth of 8.13 % in gross value added(GVA) during UPA from 2004-05 to 2013-14.

• NDA 2014-2018 = 7.22%

• GDP data based on the revised 2011-12 base year series for past years up to 1993-94 — only confirms an established fact: The UPA period did see higher growth and more investment activity than during NDA.

• UPA was lucky: The 2000s marked a decade of loose monetary policies from western central banks, fuelling a rising tide of global liquidity that lifted all emerging economy boats.

• Last 2 years of UPA – macroeconomic imbalances from both “twin deficits” (fiscal and current account) and “twin balance sheets” (overleveraged corporate and non-performing assets-laden banks).

• NDA -2 – helped partly by the low global crude prices during its first three years.

• Modi government could have done much more to sort out the banking sector mess early in its tenure — when all was well on the oil and rupee front.

Who defends the defenders?

What is AFSPA?

• Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) enacted in 1958, gives powers to the army and state and central police forces to shoot to kill*, search houses without warrant and destroy any property that is “likely” to be used by insurgents

• Arrest any person reasonably suspect

• 356 serving soldiers filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court seeking relief for officers and troops serving on counter-insurgency duties from “persecution and prosecution” for performing their duties

• This writ petition may could be considered as violating the Constitution under the Army Act Failure of governance and the state? Their petition pertinently asks whether they should continue to engage in counter-insurgency operations (CIO) as per military orders and standard procedures “… or act and operate as per the yardsticks. of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC)?”

• Major problem under AFSPA – Counter-insurgency operations, became difficult because they are waged against one’s own citizens.

• The Army – a “blunt instrument”, trained and motivated to destroy the nation’s enemies through extreme violence.

• Insurgencies due to – alienation and socio-economic factors, are aggravated by political venality and apathy

• Serial failure of the elected government, civil administration and police – area is declared as “disturbed”

• The military asked to restore order, invoking AFSPA.

• Even when the army restores relative peace and normalcy, the local police and administration repeatedly fail to resume their normal functioning

• Imposition of AFSPA is not a requirement of the army, but a fig leaf used by governments to hide failures of governance

• Solider are also human beings- they do make mistake

• Strict and comprehensive codes of conduct have been laid down by the army’s leadership and drastic punishments are meted out under the Army Act

• Soldiers are also have equal citizens with equal rights and not sacrificial lambs for those with a confused national perspective.

• Soldiers when acting on behalf of the state must be dealt with under the Army Act and not the CrPC.

His syllabus for reform

Rajiv Gandhi’s vision for India is evident in his policies pertaining to the country’s modernisation, democratic decentralisation and economic liberalisation. After independence only two national education policies:

1.The National Policy on Education, 1968

2.National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986. Rajiv Gandhi recognised the importance of early childhood care and education (ECCE) An initiative to link ECCE with the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) was envisaged.

• The NPE pushed for the universal retention of students in educational institutions and improving learning outcomes.

• Operation Blackboard – for infrastructure Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and RTE Act (2009) – carried forward these plans

• Non-Formal Education Programme – For out-of-school children

• National Literacy Mission Programme for all non-literates in the 15 to 35 age group.

• Navodaya Vidyalayas

• NPE proposed central funding for autonomous colleges for a period of five years.

• UGC NET , JRF , IGNOU TODAY’S SCENARIO – NEGLECTED HIGHER EDUCATION

• India ranks 103 in the Global Human Capital Index out of 130 countries, the worst among the BRICS countries.

• Only one Indian institution, IISc Bangalore, was ranked among the Top 300 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, 2018

• More than 500 faculty posts are vacant in IIT-Delhi and IITBombay, that have recently got the tag of Institute of Eminence

• The Ministry of Human Resource Development has drafted the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) Bill. It aims to replace the 62-year-old University Grants Commission

• The bill aims to “promote quality of academic instruction and maintenance of academic standards” and to promote autonomy of higher educational institution.

• The Bill will strengthen the Centre’s hold on the education system – micromanagement and overregulation

Conclusion :-

• China spends more than 2% of its GDP on research and development.

• India spends 0.6% For India to stand among the developed nations, much larger public investment is required in both the primary and higher education sectors. Indian Government must focus on education policy