THE RACE TO FIND A CURE FOR COVID-19
Why in news? While efforts to develop an anti-COVID-19 vaccine are encouraging, safety issues are paramount. The epicentre of the pandemic has shifted from Wuhan district in China to the highly developed Western world. With no specific therapy or vaccine available at present, it is imperative that we fast-forward the development of efficacious vaccines and […]
LONG LIVE THE NATION-STATE: THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS DEMONSTRATED
Why in news? The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that the nation-state is not only alive but absolutely essential. Paradoxical as it may sound, COVID-19, a global menace, has demonstrated the resilience of the nation-state often portrayed as antediluvian by the advocates of globalisation. It has ended up strengthening the relevance of national boundaries as the […]
COVID-19: MANY TASKS AT HAND
Why in news? India has a formidable challenge ahead as it needs to control the disease, combat misinformation and protect civil liberties. As COVID-19 continues its global rampage, India has taken drastic steps to stem its spread. It has banned incoming international commercial flights till March 31, established rules of quarantine for those returning from […]
FOR A NEW GENERATION OF HEROES IN COURT
A primer It is because of their righteous conduct and commitment to the Constitution that some judges stand out. The travails of judicial life have been well catalogued, particularly withdrawal from society and the financial handicaps that accrue, but there are several who have sacrificed thriving litigation practices in order to offer their services to […]
LOCKDOWN AND BEYOND: GOVERNMENTS MUST AID PEOPLE
Why in news? India has responded to the spectre of large-scale transmission of the novel coronavirus and the unprecedented public health catastrophe it may bring by ordering a full national lockdown. Why and How? The goal is to flatten the transmission curve and help a frayed health system cope with a large number of cases. […]
A PANDEMIC, AN ECONOMIC BLOW AND THE BIG FIX
Why in news? India has just finished a day of curfew on 22nd March 2020, and clapping to practice ‘social distancing’ and to express gratitude to the millions of health and essential services workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a laudable initiative by the Prime Minister to rally the nation together. The nation is […]
THE AGE OF THE NEOLIBERAL VIRUS
Introduction The coronavirus that causes the COVID-19 disease is the first neoliberal virus in the world. To say so is not to reduce its dangers but to criticize how it has been confronted by most governments across the world. Criticism: Hits and misses On March 12, Denmark largely shut down for at least two weeks, […]
A REVIVAL OF MULTILATERALISM, STEERED BY INDIA
Why in news? The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the fore the nature of challenges we face today, and what we might face in the future. The nature of these challenges has 2 aspects: Cross national Character Cross-domain with strong feedback loop- disruption in one domain cascades into disruptions in others Example: The use of […]
FOR A FLOOR TEST FIRST: ON MADHYA PRADESH CRISIS
Why in news? Kamal Nath-led Congress government in Madhya Pradesh has to prove its majority on the floor of the legislature at the earliest. Delaying tactics by Mr. Nath goes against democratic principles. Also, the Governor’s position that the government will be presumed to have lost the majority unless it takes a floor test immediately […]
IT’S WRONG TO PRESUME THAT MERGERS WILL SOLVE BANKS’ WOES
Hurdles in the proposed merger of nationalised banks The main hurdle will be to the smooth process of integration. In our country, all our banks have their own importance in terms of origin, growth, expansion and geographical [focus], and have been contributing to economic development in their own way. When banks were nationalised in 1969, […]