TRENDS
Despite tall poll promises, health for all remains a distant dream
While parties give the mandatory nod to imperatives such as healthcare while campaigning, much needs to be done to make quality healthcare easily accessible
BUSINESS
Why making apprenticeship a right will not solve India’s skills problem
Despite the Apprenticeship law existing on paper, implementation has been nearly non-existent. The data on apprentices from the government also varies widely
BUSINESS
What the BJP and other political parties need to take away from the India Skills Report
The BJP-ruled states in the North like UP, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana have done very well on the tests – but that doesn’t mean that the jobs are being created there
BUSINESS
The lessons brands ought to learn from Zomato’s ‘green’ gaffe
Zomato’s decision was insensitive about the notions of caste and segregation often associated with food choices in India
BUSINESS
Why a consumer sentiment survey is a pointer to the urgency of regulating AI in India
Indians are taking to AI like a fish to water or will when it becomes mainstream, shows a survey. As countries race to regulate AI, with the EU taking the lead, we should not be left behind
BUSINESS
Will a new pharmaceutical marketing code succeed where earlier attempts failed?
The code’s voluntary nature and past experience does not inspire confidence in its implementation. Apart from companies, there is a dire need to regulate the other side of the table as well
BUSINESS
Is consumption spending really on the upswing? Advertisers don’t think so
Advertising spends are a proxy for consumer sentiment since marketers spend money on advertising to drive sales growth. They are also a leading indicator since advertising spends precede market impact on consumption
BUSINESS
It’s time for a radical new approach to school education
The existing system of school education is broken. Several fixes have been tried, by the government, the private sector but nothing has really worked, as learning outcomes show
BUSINESS
Why India’s attempt to regulate coaching schools is doomed to fail
What is needed is a holistic approach aimed at improving the quality of school education across the board
BUSINESS
Why we need to incentivise the creation of quality jobs
While our unemployment rates are low, these numbers hide a multiplicity of types of employment, most of which are not considered desirable. People opt for them because the alternative is doing nothing at all
BUSINESS
Bihar's 'pashu sakhis' show how India's animal husbandry gap can be plugged
There are only about 65,000 livestock veterinary institutions to cater to more than 1.4 billion animals. Where present, they cater largely to cattle or the commercially organised poultry sector
BUSINESS
Houthi strikes blow apart India’s apparel exports target
What is needed is a holistic policy response which takes into account the end-to-end requirements of the apparel sector, rather than piecemeal responses to different challenges of different sets of players at different times
BUSINESS
India: Marketer’s dream or Piketty’s nightmare?
Which is the real India? The India reflected in the glowing Goldmann Sachs report, the technologically advanced India sending missions to the moon and the affluent consumerist India, or the millions lining up for the government’s free food scheme?
TRENDS
Why PepsiCo’s patent win is no small potatoes
The PepsiCo case marks a watershed moment in India’s agri and bio-technology innovation sector
BUSINESS
Time to give 'Aatmanirbhar India' a Chinese makeover?
China has followed a consistent and holistic policy aimed at adding know-how and skills with a view to eventually beating the original suppliers. This is behind its leadership in many industries today
BUSINESS
The Green Pivot: Carbon reduction alone isn’t enough. India needs to step up on carbon removal too
Experts have repeatedly warned that carbon removal efforts need to keep pace with emissions reduction initiatives, since carbon capture needs to supplement and not replace carbon emissions reductions
BUSINESS
Why MSMEs face a cash crunch
The real problem turns out to be receivables—the money owed to them for goods or services rendered, which had yet to be settled by their buyers. Also, GST refunds getting stuck. And big business – the principal buyer for products and services of MSMEs – was often the key culprit
BUSINESS
India’s tech army is growing, so is the skills gap
India has the largest population of tech workers with traditional skills for which demand is falling
BUSINESS
Cyclone Michaung exposes dire threat to business continuity from climate change
Climate change is a real problem businesses have to grapple with on the ground and companies need to make plans to cope, rather than wait for governments to take action
BUSINESS
Why a whole new generation of Indians needs to be taught the virtues of saving
Household savings as a percentage of GDP plunged to 5.1 percent in FY23, the lowest in nearly half a century. A sustained fall in savings rate does not bode well for India’s growth
BUSINESS
Why America’s proposed 'junk fees' regulation is a good idea for India to follow
E-commerce service providers often add fees of various shapes and sizes to the total bill that are not evident upfront. The US plans to curb those deceptive practices
BUSINESS
Does Indian management education need a new saviour?
Allahabad University has announced a new management education course that includes teachings from ancient scriptures and the lives of great Indian business leaders
BUSINESS
Why other regulators need to pay heed to RBI’s advice to bank boards
Even the mere fact that quality of participation will be looked at by third parties might be enough to generate healthier board practices
BUSINESS
Has India Inc modernised its thinking?
It's been ten years since the Companies Act was modernised. What has changed and what remains to be done
