India’s dry states, Bihar and Gujarat, continue to report alcohol consumption despite prohibition laws. NFHS data and research on Bihar’s alcohol ban highlight changing drinking patterns, enforcement challenges, underreporting and the policy’s potential impact on domestic violence and harmful drinking. What does a ban on alcohol achieve if people continue to drink? Fair question! Bihar’s…
International Stuttering Awareness Day highlights the importance of stuttering awareness, inclusive education, and workplace inclusion for people who stammer. By promoting speech disorder awareness, accessible communication, and equal opportunities, schools and workplaces can create supportive environments where everyone’s voice is heard. A colleague once refused to compere an important event we had organised. His refusal…
India’s para-athletes deserve recognition for their achievements, but disability inclusion must extend beyond sporting events. The article examines persistent barriers in education, accessibility and employment, reviews India’s disability rights framework, and argues that inclusive development requires consistent action in schools, workplaces and communities. India has good reason to celebrate. At the Asian Para Games 2026 in…
India wants to expand its digital infrastructure. A new NITI Aayog framework asks states to check whether local resources can support that growth—and what the public will receive. Every investment proposal comes with promises. A data centre may bring capital, jobs and support for digital services. But the government considering it must also answer some basic…
The World Bank’s October update records a sharp fall in poverty. Sustaining that progress will require better earnings, reliable public services and protection against financial shocks. A household crosses the poverty line. Does that mean it can now manage a hospital bill, a failed crop or a month without work? That is the question worth…
As menopause enters India’s health conversation, the workplace remains overlooked. From symptoms affecting working women to gaps in policy and employer support, the article examines what Indian workplaces can do to make midlife inclusion a reality.
The estimate is for 2023. India had nearly 148 million chewing-tobacco users that year—about six in ten users worldwide India carries about 65% of the estimated global death toll An estimated 1.63 lakh Indians died from diseases, which is attributable to chewing tobacco in 2023. That amounts to roughly 450 deaths a day. India accounted…
On World Teachers’ Day, Clear Cut looks beyond the celebrations at teacher vacancies, working hours, non-teaching duties and pay—and asks how India compares with the US and China. Every year on October 5, World Teachers’ Day brings familiar messages of gratitude. Schools celebrate teachers. Students thank them. Governments speak about their role in building the…
India has reduced child marriage substantially, but the latest NFHS data show that one in five young women were still married before 18. A new UN observance puts the issue back on the global agenda. It also gives India a significant annual marker for measuring progress. India has made decent progress on child marriage. The…
The battle over Tata Sons is about leadership, control and a possible listing. But behind it lies a larger question: could changing Tata’s unusual ownership structure eventually change one of India’s oldest sources of patient philanthropic capital? Ten years ago, Bombay House was at war with its chairman. Cyrus Mistry’s removal in October 2016 triggered…
