Writing in 1816, Thomas Jefferson commented acerbically that some men look at constitutions

with sanctimonious reverence and deem them like nthe ark of the covenant, too sacred to be touched. He advocated for periodic constitutional conventions to ensure that political frameworks remained responsive to a society’s changing needs, warning against ossification.

In contrast, James Madison, particularly in the 49th Federalist Paper, cautioned that frequent revisions would erode the “veneration” essential for political stability. He argued that public reverence for the constitution, despite its imperfections, is necessary for the endurance of wise and free governments. While Jefferson championed critical scrutiny and reform, Madison prioritized preserving public trust and stability by treating constitutions with enduring respect and limiting formal change.

In 1971, Noam Chomsky and Michel Foucault participated in a televised debate in the Netherlands. Their discussion revolved around various factors, one of which was the nature of human creativity.

Chomsky argued that there are deep biologically rooted structures that underlie human behavior and creativity. This is exemplified by his theorisation of an innate language faculty (‘universal grammar’), a built-in capability that enables humans to generate language creatively.

Foucault challenged this conception of a universal innate human creativity. He argued that what we think of as ‘creativity’ is largely shaped by historical and social forces, that is the ‘discourses’ which proliferate and the ‘power relations’ which exist.

"Antonio Gramsci introduced the idea of the ‘subaltern’ to describe social groups which are marginalized, disenfranchised, and excluded from structures of politico-cultural power (peasants, indigenous groups under colonialism). Consequently, they are subordinated by hegemonic forces through both force and ideology.

Political change occurs when the subaltern develops a class consciousness and organizes to challenge hegemonic rule.

Michel Foucault’s idea of the ‘subject’ focuses on how individuals are constructed through disciplinary practices (like education, medicine, the criminal justice system, politics etc.). This happens within systems characterised by unequal relations of power and knowledge distribution, resulting in a process of self-formation (that is, how people shape themselves within power structures)."

Lenin argued that the revolution should be led by a vanguard recruited by the working class, which would then structure the revolution in a top-down manner by eliminating counter-revolutionary forces. This vanguard, which would serve as the source of creativity and leadership, in addition to uniting the working class together. The vanguard would then be dismantled in the future, once a communist regime is established. Lenin attacks the idea of 'spontaneity' which he describes as the idea that socialist ideals will emerge spontaneously through the labour struggle. The contrasting opinion posed by Rosa Luxemburg and others opposed the hierarchical structuring of the revolution, and saw it instead as an organic process that springs from the contradictions imminent within the capitalist system, as well as the proletariat's natural tendency of offering resistance, thereby ushering a spontaneous growth of the revolution. Although she agreed with the need to represent their ideologies in the political framework, she believed that the party should be structured horizontally and be broad-based, rather than working in a top-down manner.

This debate derives from Ambedkar's point of view on Hindu priests: 

A priest should be the servant of the State and should be subject to the disciplinary action of the State in the matter of his morals, beliefs, and worship, in addition to his being subject along with other citizens to the ordinary law of the land... Every person who professes to be a Hindu must be eligible for being a priest. It should be provided by law that no Hindu shall be entitled to be a priest unless he has passed an examination prescribed by the State and holds a sanad (A warrant or permission from some proper authority) from the State permitting him to practise.

"In the terrible wake of the Holocaust, Germany underwent an process of denazification to repeal Nazi laws, eliminate Nazi symbols from the public realm, cull Nazi books from libraries, obliterate the swastikas on forms and paperwork, and rename streets, to ""re-educate"" the people in democractic values. But Germany also had to address the problem of what to do with with the 8.5 million members of the Nazi Party (NSDAP), and the many more million Germans who who had belonged to some Nazi organization. Further, Germany created an active memory culture in order to establish a collective commitment to remember and face up to the nation’s crimes under Hitler, and to accept Germany’s sole and permanent responsibility for the murder of six million Jews. This looked like trying to accept collective guilt about German complicity in the Holocaust, and creating a Jewish homeland in Palestinian territories.

It’s good to be proud of German culture, German values, and not to lose that in some sort of multiculturalism that dilutes everything. [Germany has] has too much of a focus on past guilt. - Elon Musk, said at a gathering of the hard-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which finished second in the national elections, a party that has toyed with Nazi-era slogans. The AfD's rhetoric about their love for Germany and German culture has found great purchase among Germany's youth, who think that the nation focusses too much on its guilt about the Holocaust, with many young people responding by distancing themselves from any culpability in the events of the past, claiming a distance from the actions of their ancestors.

For the purposes of this debate, there are two models of police

organization:

The centralized model grants considerable power to the national

police authority and establishes a hierarchical system with

regional and local police headquarters.

The decentralized model grants greater flexibility and decision-

making power to local headquarters, with the central authorities

responsible for establishing basic agreements.

Mauritius is an island nation in East Africa (in the Indian Ocean).

Though not currently a member of the BRI, Mauritius has a strong economic relationship with China, as evidenced by the Mauritius-China Free Trade Agreement (FTA). This agreement provides Mauritius with duty-free access to the Chinese market for various products and simplifies the investment processes. 

China has also established a Renminbi clearance center in Mauritius, enhancing financial cooperation and positioning Mauritius as a hub for Chinese financial activities in Africa.

Simultaneously, Mauritius is a close collaborator of India. The two nations signed the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA) in 2021 to enhance trade in goods and services, providing preferential market access for both nations. 

Furthermore, India and Mauritius have elevated their bilateral relationship to an ‘Enhanced Strategic Partnership,’ focusing on security cooperation, maritime security, and development projects.

Aura is Walter Benjamin's term—a Marxist from the Frankfurt School of Critical Theory—for the distinctness bestowed upon the physicality of an object by virtue of the specificity of its place in time and place, for example through its history, or the physical traces that the passage of time has marked it with.

A corporate bond is a bond issued by a corporation in order to raise financing for a variety of reasons, such as ongoing operations, mergers & acquisitions, or expanding business.

Educational data, such as student enrollment numbers, attendance records, and school performance indicators, is used by governments to allocate financial resources, monitor program implementation, and assess the effectiveness of schemes like the Mid Day Meal Scheme and other school support initiatives.

Funding for several programs is directly tied to the data reported by schools and education departments. For example, the number of students enrolled can determine the quantity of food supplied, the amount of grants released, and staffing or infrastructure support provided.

Post-independence, India confronted a major debate over whether agriculture or industry should drive growth. 

Gandhian economists like J.C. Kumarappa pushed for an agriculture-first approach, stressing rural development and food security as essential for stability. In contrast, the likes of P.C. Mahalanobis argued for an industry-first approach, believing heavy industries were key to modernization and long-term prosperity.

The former approach was echoed in the First Five-Year Plan (1951–1956), which prioritized irrigation, energy, and land reforms. Major projects like the Bhakra-Nangal Dam were launched, boosting food production. The plan targeted a 2.1% growth rate but achieved around 3.6%, exceeding expectations.

The latter approach was echoed in the Second Five-Year Plan (1956–1961), which prioritized heavy industries such as steel, mining, and machine-building and aimed at rapid industrialisation. Though it aimed for 4.5% growth, the economy grew by about 4.2%. It eventually became the model for subsequent Indian growth.

In modern superhero narratives, figures like Batman often operate outside the bounds of law, acting as extralegal enforcers of justice. Despite their ethical commitments, these heroes—like Superman or Batman—routinely break legal norms to preserve moral or social order. In an analysis of The Dark Knight, the figure of Batman represents a form of “heroic exceptionality”: an individual who transcends the law to achieve what the law cannot. The Joker, in contrast, exposes the contradiction at the heart of this model—namely, that justice enforced through extralegal means undermines the very legitimacy it seeks to uphold.

This dilemma is rooted in Hegel’s distinction between the heroic age—where justice is defined by individual acts of ethical will—and the era of legal rationality, in which justice is meant to be institutionalized through law. In Hegel’s terms, modernity entails a rejection of personal heroic interventions in favor of an objective legal order. However, as The Dark Knight reveals, there are moments when the legal system appears insufficient—corrupted, slow, or incapable of responding to exceptional threats. In such cases, a society may feel compelled to tolerate or even endorse ‘heroic. 

Music festivals have become major cultural events, often featuring a mix of established “legacy” artists and newer, current-charting performers. The headline slot—typically the final and most high-profile performance of the day—is considered a marker of status and draw.

Legacy acts refer to artists or bands with long-standing careers and historical influence. They are known for their past contributions to music and often have multi-generational fanbases.

Emerging and current-charting artists are performers who are relatively newer to mainstream success or who dominate current music charts and streaming platforms.

As festivals evolve to reflect changing audience demographics, commercial priorities, and cultural tastes, questions have emerged around who should headline: long-standing icons or artists defining the present moment.

A recent example highlighting this discussion occurred at Coachella 2025. Charli XCX, following her performance, was seen wearing a sash reading ""Miss Should Be Headliner,"" which some interpreted as a commentary on the festival's lineup, where Green Day was the headliner. In response, Green Day's drummer, Tré Cool, wore a sash stating ""Actual Headliner,"" and frontman Billie Joe Armstrong donned a hat referencing Charli's 2024 album ""Brat."" Charli later reposted a photo of Tré Cool with the caption ""obsesssed,"" indicating a lighthearted exchange. 

Lorde is a singer songwriter, who has influenced several contemporary pop artists like Charli XCX, Addison Rae, and Olivia Rodrigo. After releasing her second album Melodrama, a highly critically acclaimed album which is often considered to be one of the greatest albums of the 21st century, Lorde released her third album Solar Power. Solar Power critically and popularly under performed, as many people could not connect with either its themes of escapism and leisure, or its sounds of psychedelic and indie folk, which moved away from the the electro pop and pulse synth sounds of Melodrama that revolved around themes of heartbreak and disillusionment.

For her forthcoming fourth album, Lorde recently released a lead single “What Was That”. In the song, Lorde decided to give the people exactly what they want, and what they want, unsurprisingly, is Melodrama part two.

The ‘Adopt a Heritage: Apni Dharohar, Apni Pehchaan’ scheme is an initiative of the Ministry of Tourism, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and the Archaeological Survey of India. Under it, the government invites entities, including public sector companies, private sector firms as well as individuals, to develop selected monuments and heritage and tourist sites across India. Development of these tourist sites calls for providing and maintaining basic amenities, including drinking water, ease of access for the differently abled and senior citizens, standardised signage, cleanliness, public conveniences and illumination, along with advanced amenities such as surveillance systems, night-viewing facilities and tourism facilitation centres.

ASHA workers are female community health volunteers appointed under the National Health Mission (NHM). Each ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) typically serves a population of around 1,000 people in rural areas and acts as the link between the community and the public health system. They are often the first point of contact for health-related needs—ranging from antenatal care to immunisation, family planning, and awareness-building on sanitation and nutrition.

Currently, ASHAs spend a significant amount of their time (around 60%) on collecting and reporting data through multiple registers and digital apps. This heavy data entry burden potentially limits their ability to engage with the community, despite them being well-integrated and the go-to person for various health and social issues.

Conversely, mandatory data entry targets aim to ensure crucial health information is captured for monitoring and planning purposes. This data feeds into systems like HMIS and is used to track progress on health indicators. However, the current system faces challenges like data redundancy, app malfunctions, and a lack of adequate resources, potentially making the data collection process inefficient and burdensome for ASHAs.

India’s startup ecosystem has rapidly expanded, with e-commerce playing a central role in its growth. Companies like Flipkart, Meesho, Nykaa, and Zepto have gained prominence, backed by aggressive venture capital funding and driven by deep discounting, rapid customer acquisition, and platform-based models. Union Minister Piyush Goyal recently criticized this trend, stating that startups "should not become discounting platforms" and should focus instead on creating genuine value, sustainable operations, and local employment. While e-commerce has enabled market access, digital adoption, and consumer convenience, critics argue that the prevailing model encourages unsustainable growth, prioritizes valuations over viability, and undermines traditional retail and MSMEs through predatory pricing and labor casualization.