THE BINARY OF THE HUMANITIES AND THE SCIENCES – HIRA

In a 2024 op-ed published in the Indian Express, Manish Sabharwal and Ashish Dhawan (the latter a philanthropist and a founder-trustee of Ashoka University) posed an important question: “Isn’t it impossible to decide which disciplines matter more: The sciences that lengthen our lives or the humanities that make those longer lives worth living?” The article … Continue reading THE BINARY OF THE HUMANITIES AND THE SCIENCES – HIRA →

A Tuition in Nutrition — Urvi Khaitan

Nutrition, Bulletin no. 26 (February 1947). [The informational references are based on various bulletins of Food and Nutrition published by the Department (later Ministry) of Food, Government of India between 1945 and 1949.] Famine was no short-lived spectacle in modern South Asian history. Hunger is writ large across the twentieth century, its text of devastation … Continue reading A Tuition in Nutrition — Urvi Khaitan →

The Critical Force of Student Absenteeism—Yanis Iqbal

Representative Image The Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) administration’s decision to enforce the mandatory 75% attendance rule for students has sparked an outcry. On November 21, 2024, students protested in large numbers against the decision, also calling for the conduct of the students’ union elections (which have not been held since 2019). However, the administration's response … Continue reading The Critical Force of Student Absenteeism—Yanis Iqbal →

Neoliberalism and the Politics of Mental Health—Yanis Iqbal

Illustration courtesy: Olivia Newland In its neoliberal phase, capitalism no longer exists as a historical force with capabilities to play a progressive role. On the contrary, it keeps nakedly “asserting its power all the way to the historical limit of its viability”, as Istvan Meszaros puts it. Breaching these limits, neoliberalism, becomes a ‘counter-historical’ force. … Continue reading Neoliberalism and the Politics of Mental Health—Yanis Iqbal →

Rahul Sankrityayan’s ‘Mental Slavery’—Translated By Satyam Jha

Poster by Bisakh Sarkar The greater the antiquity of any civilization, the stronger it is gripped by the bonds of mental slavery. Since the civilization of India is unquestionably ancient, there are greater impediments on its path of advancement. Mental slavery is the biggest hurdle to progress. Our sufferings, our myriad economic, social and political … Continue reading Rahul Sankrityayan’s ‘Mental Slavery’—Translated By Satyam Jha →

Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing: The Pernicious Pitfalls of the New Education Policy—Suchintan Das

Image Courtesy: Pinterest “In our time, political speech and writing are largely the defence of the indefensible…Thus political language has to consist largely of euphemism, question-begging and sheer cloudy vagueness.” –––George Orwell, Politics and the English Language The much-touted National Education Policy 2020 (NEP) is here. It has been approved by the Cabinet … Continue reading Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing: The Pernicious Pitfalls of the New Education Policy—Suchintan Das →

Beyond the Academic: Indian Higher Education System’s Encounter with the Pandemic—Ananyo Chakraborty

The COVID-19 pandemic and the ill-planned and hastily executed nationwide lockdown that ensued as a combative policy, have exposed the grave fault-lines intrinsic to the Indian higher education system like never before. With colleges and universities being shut down and the scope of physical interaction between students and teachers being cancelled out completely, a set … Continue reading Beyond the Academic: Indian Higher Education System’s Encounter with the Pandemic—Ananyo Chakraborty →

Changing Admissions Policies and the Destruction of Higher Education in India—Vighnesh Tekriwal

Image Courtesy: The Economic Times The past several years have seen a massive assault on higher education in India, which has taken various forms, including funds for research being cut, teachers and academics being denied permanent positions, gross violations of the reservation policy, the appointment of the ruling party’s loyalists as heads of institutions despite … Continue reading Changing Admissions Policies and the Destruction of Higher Education in India—Vighnesh Tekriwal →

The Paradox of Police Action and Inaction on Campus — Nabila Ansari

Protest inside the Department of Mathematics, University of Delhi Three days ago, a peaceful hunger strike by the students of the Delhi University Mathematics Department and other students present in solidarity was disrupted by over 50 policemen and women who appeared on the scene and announced that the 'protest period' was over. The police detained … Continue reading The Paradox of Police Action and Inaction on Campus — Nabila Ansari →