Social Issues
Education, health, poverty, gender and welfare schemes
Census 2027: Caste enumeration to be conducted in Phase 2 as self-enumeration begins on April 1
The first phase of Census 2027 — House Listing and Housing Operations — formally begins on April 1, 2026, making it the first phase of India's 16th national ...
Bill seeking divisional status for Jammu’s Pir Panjal and Chenab Valley: Politics behind it, and financial implications
PDP MLA Waheed Para has introduced the Jammu and Kashmir Territorial Administrative Reorganisation Bill, 2026, a Private Member's Bill in the J&K Legislative...
‘Stable’ live-in couples to be considered married in Census 2027
Census 2027 FAQs and enumeration guidelines indicate that live-in couples residing together in the same household will be counted as "married" if they consid...
2027 Census activities at an advanced stage: RGI
The Registrar General of India (RGI) confirmed that preparations for Census 2027 are at an advanced stage, with caste enumeration to be conducted during the ...
Centre allocates PDS kerosene to States, UTs in 60-day emergency measure to ease LPG pressure
The Central Government has made an ad hoc allocation of PDS Superior Kerosene Oil (SKO) to States and Union Territories for 60 days to ensure households faci...
Government releases 33 FAQs for first phase of Census
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has released 33 officially notified questions for the first phase of Census 2027 — the House Listing and Housing Operation...
What is the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill? | Explained
The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly passed the Freedom of Religion Bill 2026 (also called Dharma Swatantrya Adhiniyam), making Maharashtra the 13th state to...
Govt releases 33 FAQs for first phase of Census
The Government of India has released 33 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for the first phase of Census 2027 — the House Listing and Housing Census — which b...
View: Why India’s South thinks it has to populate or perish
Several southern Indian states — led by Andhra Pradesh — are now actively encouraging women to have more children, with politicians warning that falling fert...
Revisiting Dasgaon, where a 23-year-old drank water from a well and broke a social order
A recent revisiting of the village of Dasgaon in Maharashtra has brought attention to a largely forgotten precursor to the famous Mahad Satyagraha: in early ...
Centre allows temporary kerosene distribution in kerosene-free states, UTs amid LPG supply concerns
The Central Government has authorised an ad hoc allocation of Public Distribution System (PDS) Superior Kerosene Oil (SKO) to 21 States and Union Territories...
Despite assurance from Centre, MGNREGS workers denied work
Thousands of rural workers across states including Bihar and Rajasthan have been denied work under MGNREGS, with some district officials informally claiming ...
Rules finalised, rollout of all 4 labour codes likely in April
Final rules for all four labour codes have been notified and full implementation is expected from April 1, 2026, marking a historic consolidation of India's ...
Parliamentary committee backs age-restrictions for social media platforms
A parliamentary committee has backed the introduction of age-based restrictions on social media platforms for children and adolescents in India. The Committe...
Aligning MSP with the real cost of farming: Lessons from Maharashtra
A policy analysis piece highlights the gap between the Minimum Support Price (MSP) announced by the government and the actual comprehensive cost of cultivati...
In photos: A pesticide tragedy that haunts an Indian state
A photographic report revisits the endosulfan pesticide tragedy in Kasargod district of Kerala, where aerial spraying of endosulfan over cashew plantations i...
A shade of dark: On the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026
The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026 was introduced in Lok Sabha on March 13, 2026, seeking to amend the parent Transgender Pe...
NCERT reset, AI push: Pradhan spells out education roadmap
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan outlined India's education roadmap centred on NCERT restructuring and AI integration, responding to ongoing contr...
Explained: The Transgender Persons Amendment Bill and the debate over self-determination
Parliament passed the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026, amending the 2019 parent Act The Bill deletes Section 4(2) of the 2019...
Unemployment rate falls to 3.1% in 2025; labour participation and wages improve: PLFS
India's unemployment rate dropped to 3.1% in calendar year 2025, according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), marking a significant improvement in l...