QS World University Rankings 2024
Context: 2024 edition of the QS World Ranking for the Universities has been released, recently. Relevance: GS II: Education Dimensions of the Article: QS World University Rankings: Key Highlights of the QS World University Rankings 2024 Overview Indian Universities in the Rankings Asian Rankings Most Represented Indian Universities Research Insights Overall Research Trends -Source: The […]
Forced Labour and its Economic Implications
Context: The International Labour Organization (ILO) recently unveiled a report titled ‘Profits and poverty: The economics of forced labour’, shedding light on the dire economic implications of forced labour globally. According to the report, forced labour is responsible for generating illegal profits amounting to a staggering USD 36 billion annually. This alarming revelation underscores the […]
Making Higher Education Future Ready
Context: Education, as the cornerstone of comprehensive development, empowers individuals, societies, and nations alike. High-quality contemporary education facilitates economic, intellectual, and social advancement by equipping young people with essential qualities such as critical thinking, creativity, skill enhancement, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Given India’s significant demographic dividend, the nation’s commitment to providing high-quality education tailored to the […]
Higher Engagement Better Learning
Context: The Annual Status of Education Report 2023 indicates that over 86.8% of individuals aged 14-18 are enrolled in educational institutions, yet a quarter of them struggle to read a Class 2-level text fluently in their regional languages. India has long grappled with a learning deficit, a challenge highlighted in Pratham’s annual surveys. Despite increased awareness, little […]
About Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Scheme
Context The Union Cabinet extended the subsidy of Rs 300 per 14.2-kg cylinder under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) for up to 12 refills per year till the end of 2024-25. Relevance: GS-II: Social Justice and Governance (Welfare Schemes, Government Policies & Interventions) Dimensions of the Article: Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Scheme Key Features: Eligibility & Identification: […]
On the Relevance of University Rankings
Context: In the last two decades, global university ranking systems have become the focal point of attention in higher education ecosystems globally. Countries such as China, Japan, and Russia are investing significant resources to enhance the standing of their universities, aiming for “world-class” status as defined by these rankings. However, a recent trend has seen some […]
The Economic Case for Investing in India’s Children
Context: The necessity of economic investment in India’s children may appear self-evident, given the nation’s emphasis on the demographic dividend, education, and employment. However, the realm of early childhood education has persistently suffered from inadequate investment and exploration over the years. With the government’s growing emphasis on women-led development, as exemplified by a recent survey conducted […]
Strengthening Legal Education
Context: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law, and Justice has recently presented a significant report on legal education, proposing several groundbreaking recommendations to enhance the quality of legal education in India. Unlike fields such as medicine and engineering, legal education has not been a primary focus for India’s policymakers since Independence. Relevance: […]
Child Safety in the Online World
Context: In the initial days of February, Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, publicly apologized to parents whose children fell victim to online predators during a Congressional hearing. This hearing was convened to scrutinize and investigate the widespread problem of online child sexual exploitation, with executives from these companies being criticized for neglecting their responsibility […]
Slower Pace of Job Creation
Context: Recently, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation released the results for the Annual Survey of Industries (ASI) for 2020-21 and 2021-22. Relevance: GS Paper 2: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources. Dimensions of the Article: Key Terms related to Employment: Analysis of the Annual […]