Language lessons

Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are planning to implement a two-language formula for school education, as opposed to the push for a three-language policy in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Both States are inclined towards primacy for local languages, Tamil and Kannada, respectively, and then English in school education. Tamil Nadu has already unveiled its State Education Policy (SEP) while a commission has submitted its recommendations for Karnataka's SEP. Tamil Nadu has merely reiterated its existing twolanguage policy, but Karnataka is set to discontinue its three-language policy. The commission has proposed that Kannada or the child's mother tongue should be the medium of instruction up to Class 5, and preferably till Class 12. Kannada or whatever is the mother tongue and English will be the two compulsory languages. If implemented, this will replace the model that includes Hindi as a third compulsory language. Other recommendations include moving away from NCERT textbooks and developing a Karnataka-specific curriculum and bilingual teaching methods. The Tamil Nadu SEP, which was announced by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin recently, makes Tamil compulsory up to Class 10 across all boards. The NEP proposes a third language which should be Hindi or another Indian language, seen as an attempt to impose Hindi. 

Signing off on an entrenched symbol of stigma

In rural Tamil Nadu, the word 'colony' has become a symbol of social stigma and of being associated with a 'lower caste neighbourhood'. It has continued to be a social marker of 'untouchability'. Therefore the announcement by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin in the Legislative Assembly, on April 29, 2025, that all the village names ending with 'colony' and others containing denigrating caste references such as 'Pallappatti', 'Paraiyappatti', 'Naavidhan Kulam', 'Paraiyan Kulam', 'Sakkilippatti' would be removed from State records, and that such villages would be renamed is significant.

We can reasonably hypothesise that the practice of segregating the toiling masses into isolated settlements away from the quarters of higher castes based on the varnashrama system began sometime around 12th century CE. We began to see literary references supporting this from the 12th century onwards. 

The difficult path for Trump's 'one big budget bet

The most debated government downsizing reform that has been implemented in recent history has been the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative under the Donald Trump administration in its second term. The initiative aims to reduce U.S. federal spending, deficit, debt and interest burden, streamline government operations, and enhance government efficiency. The initiative was much in the news with the appointment of Elon Musk, to advise and guide the government on the initiative, and his declaration that the overall goal is to achieve a leaner government by cutting the deficit and reducing the number of federal agencies from over 400 to 99. 

The ECI's lack of transparency is worrying

On June 24, the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the commencement of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls of Bihar, entailing the verification of nearly 8 crore voters. This drastic step was taken in secrecy, with no prior public information or consultation. The ECI also declared that the SIR exercise would be extended to the entire country. Lack of transparency has continued to characterise the exercise on the ground, raising concerns about the credibility of the process. 

Providing justice for juveniles

Recently, the Karnataka High Court delivered a landmark judgment in criminal appeal no. 200093 of 2019, emphasising the crucial role that police and magistrates must play in identifying juvenile offenders at the very inception of a criminal case. It reiterated the need for vigilance when taking cognisance of offences involving juveniles. The court stressed that proper identification could prevent minors from being wrongly imprisoned with adults. 

SIR of Bihar's electoral rolls and its political ripple effects

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Bihar has raised concerns about possible disenfranchisement of migrant voters. Bihar, along with Uttar Pradesh, is a key source of outmigrants, and people from these two States are relocating in large numbers. This mobility is visible across the country. While it was evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, there is little data to document it. The last Census was in 2011. The 2027 Census will capture these migration patterns of the last 15 years, but there are proxy data sets and recent sample surveys that give insights into where people are going and from where. 

What is Telangana's Kaleshwaram project?

The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP), billed as the lifeline of Telangana by the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government, is mired in controversies over the manner in which it has been executed. A barrage forming a major component of the project suffered damages within three years of its inauguration, while two others constructed upstream developed cracks resulting in the charge that the KLIP was a colossal waste of public money. 

What are the new rules on chemically contaminated sites?

The Environment Ministry has notified new rules under the Environment Protection Act that lays out a process for addressing sites with chemical contamination. Called the Environment Protection (Management of Contaminated Sites) Rules, 2025, they give a legal structure to a process of addressing chemical contamination, that until now was missing despite several such sites already identified across the country. 

How artificial intelligence is tackling mathematical problem-solving

The International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) is arguably the leading mathematical problem-solving competition. Every year, high school students from around the world attempt six problems over the span of three hours. Students whose scores cross a threshold, roughly corresponding to solving five of the six problems, obtain Gold medals, with Silver and Bronze medals for those crossing other thresholds. The problems do not require advanced mathematical knowledge, but instead test for mathematical creativity. They are always new, and it is ensured that no similar problems are online or in the literature. 

Indian, ASEAN officials to begin fresh round of talks to review trade agreement today

As India braces for the im-pact of U.S. tariffs of 25% that went into effect from August 7, the government is seeking to shore up other trade negotiations, including with ASEAN countries beginning on Monday in New Delhi. 

India has set an example in lion conservation: Minister

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Sunday said the rise in the Asiatic lion population in Gujarat reflected India's intimate relationship with nature and wildlife. 

Shukla's ISS trip will help Gaganyaan mission: ISRO chief

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla's experience aboard the International Space Station (ISS) will prove valuable for Gaganyaan, India's upcoming human spaceflight pro-gramme, V. Narayanan, Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), said on Sunday. 

Bridging home cover gap amid rising climate shocks

The recent tremors in Delhi NCR and flash floods across North India have once again raised a critical question: Are urban households truly prepared for climatelinked disasters?

Even monsoons, this year, have had a lasting impact on homes and lives. Over six lakh people have been displaced in Assam with 47 lives lost across the NorthEast. Homes, bridges and power lines have been swept away in Himachal Pradesh's cloudbursts.