Insights, a blog published by IMPRI.
Policy UpdateShivali Yadav 1. Background The STRIVE project, or Skills Strengthening for Industrial Value Enhancement, was initiated by the Government of India via the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship with assistance from the World Bank. The agreement was executed…
Despite having the world's third largest share of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) doctorates, India’s scientific ecosystem has long faced challenges.
India's tea industry occupies a distinctive place in the country's rural economy. It is the world's largest producer and consumer of black tea, and in 2024 it ranked as the third-largest tea exporter globally, with exports touching ₹7,817.58 crore in FY 2024-25 (Press Information Bureau [PIB], 2026). Yet the sector's economic significance sits alongside a long-standing social burden: tea is a highly labour-intensive plantation crop, employing 11.56 lakh workers in the organised sector alone, with women comprising nearly 58 per cent of this workforce (PIB, 2026). Worker welfare in tea gardens — housing, healthcare, education and social security — has historically been the statutory responsibility of estate managements under the Plantation Labour Act, 1951, with implementation resting largely with state governments.
Malnutrition continues to be one of India’s biggest public health challenges, even with significant improvements in food production and economic development. Food security has increased, but many people still experience hidden hunger, a type of malnutrition caused by a lack of essential vitamins and minerals, even when calorie intake is sufficient. Where hidden hunger weakens immunity, hinders cognitive development, lowers learning capacity, and decreases productivity. Ultimately, this limits human capital development and economic growth.
Manish Thakre Every year, millions of young people appear for India’s high-stakes competitive examinations. When some of them publicly raise concerns about the conduct or fairness of examinations, they are almost always described simply as “students.” They are indeed students.…
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 introduced the concept of an Academic Bank of Credits, a digital system where students could accumulate credits earned from accredited institutions and later use them for transfer, accumulation, or redemption for a degree, diploma, or certificate. The University Grants Commission acted on this promptly. In agreement with the Ministry of Education, it announced the ABC Regulations, 2021 in the Gazette of India on 28 July 2021, utilizing Section 26(1)(f) and (g) of the UGC Act, 1956. The initiative was publicly unveiled around the first anniversary of NEP 2020.
The South Caucasus is a strategic region that has traditionally been shaped by competition among Russia, Turkey, Iran, and Western powers. However, in recent years, India has established a more visible presence in the region through its rapidly expanding relations with Armenia. The partnership has attracted particular attention because it coincides with growing political and military cooperation among Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Pakistan. Consequently, a conflict once understood primarily as a territorial dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan is increasingly linked to broader geopolitical rivalries, defense partnerships, and competing Eurasian connectivity projects.