Contagion demystified

This timely book by an epidemiologist gives fascinating insights into how things spread — not just viruses but ideas and misinformation too The Covid-19 pandemic has brought focus on three fields of studies — epidemiology, virology and immunology. While all three are important to understanding the outbreak, the field that was shown most of the […]

Policy or fantasy?

The NEP 2020 aims to restructure the school education system by extending it to children under six For the Indian state, kids are like Pokemon. Its education policy used to be “gotta catch ‘em all”. Now, as laid out in the National Education Policy 2020, the goal is “gotta catch ‘em young”. Because, as I […]

Wishful thinking

Beyond jargon and keywords, what is the NEP 2020 and why do we need it? This National Education Policy envisions an education system rooted in Indian ethos that contributes directly to transforming India, that is Bharat, sustainably into an equitable and vibrant knowledge society, by providing high-quality education to all, and thereby making India a […]

Hindi through the backdoor

The NEP seeks to promote Hindi and vernacular languages at a time when English is the aspirational language of the poor and Dalits are using it to escape discrimination The New Education Policy (NEP), recently approved by the Union Cabinet, proposes to bring some radical changes in the Indian education system. While the policy has […]

Curtains down

Stage performers across West Bengal are facing a severe shortage of funds as shows have come to a halt during the lockdown, with some even looking for alternative jobs As one crosses Hatibagan’s Hari Ghosh Street in North Kolkata, one can see a huge tarpaulin laid right on the side of the road. The tarpaulin […]

Adversity as opportunity

The pandemic has posed an existential crisis for Indian metal and rock music. Artists have withdrawn, spending the time to hone their talent and break new ground There are a set of people who do things for the love of it, and in the process, make a living. Musicians belong to this breed. The pandemic […]

Online exams a failure

Delhi University’s online mock exams are a disaster, students claim In June, Delhi University announced open book online exams for its final semester students. As the move was opposed by students and teachers alike, human resource development minister Ramesh Pokhriyal, on June 24, asked the University Grants Commission to revisit its guidelines for online exams. […]

Devaluation of education

Can Indian universities ask students to take exams when they have barely taught them? When the Coronavirus pandemic hit India, educational institutions were among the first public spaces to be closed to contain the spread of the virus. While exams for first and second year college students were cancelled, the question of conducting final year […]