The Takshashila Podcast

The Parliament recently passed legislation called the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, aimed at curbing cheating and upholding the integrity of public examinations. How does the new law safeguard the public recruitment system against malpractices, such as paper leaks, and help to address the problem of state capacity shortfall? In this episode of All Things Policy, Carl Jaison speaks to Pranav Gupta about the context, causes, and consequences of the new law and the wider implications on state capacity owing to a broken recruitment system. Reading: Can new exam bill save India’s public recruitment system? Do check out Takshashila's public policy courses at https://school.takshashila.org.in/

Two weeks after a suspected Israeli attack on the Iranian diplomatic mission in Syria, Tehran launched a massive drone and missile attack on Israel last Saturday. What does this mean for an already explosive situation in West Asia? Will the exchange of fire between the two countries lead to a larger regional conflagration? Sachin Kalbag and Yusuf Unjhawala discuss in the latest episode of All Things Policy. Check out Takshashila's public policy courses at https://school.takshashila.org.in/

In early April, Nepal’s Foreign Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha travelled to China for his first foreign visit since taking office. While no major deals or breakthroughs were reported, this signalled a new proximity between the two countries. In this episode, Manoj Kewalramani talks to author and journalist Amish Raj Mulmi about the recent developments in China-Nepal ties. Check out Takshashila's public policy courses at https://school.takshashila.org.in/

Join Dr Nithyanandam, a Professor from Takshashila Institution and Mr Varun Sridharan, Co-founder and CEO of Greenvironment Innovation & Marketing India (P) Ltd, in a captivating podcast episode where they delve into the critical need for wastewater management in the Indian context. Amid the water scarcity crisis affecting southern cities, they explore sustainable solutions and technological advancements for treating water at household levels. The discussion also covers the economic aspects, policy interventions required for system improvements, and practical tips for effective wastewater management. Discover how cities like Chennai have tackled their water needs and the lessons Bangalore can learn to enhance its water sustainability. Tune in to this episode to gain a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities in wastewater management. Visit https://school.takshashila.org.in/ for more.

In this episode, 'Willingness to make a Will,' Sowmya Prabhakar is in conversation with Niranjan Vemulkar & Nikhil Varghese to navigate through the why, what, how, and when of having a will in place. We draw insights from the Succession Act, data on unclaimed assets such as Demat accounts & the nomination process. It's important to understand the opportunity cost and the information asymmetry that exists in this landscape of emotions and the need to have a will. Tech solutions hold promise in paving the way for the will.

In this episode of All Things Policy, Anushka Saxena of Takshashila quizzes Neha Mishra, Executive Officer at CII and a fellow with the pioneer cohort of Takshashila's Network for Advanced Study of China (NASC) Fellowship, on China's dominance in critical minerals supply chains. Neha discusses the findings from her Fellowship paper vis-a-vis China's policy architecture on critical minerals, the changing global sentiment towards dependence on China for the same, and the way forward for China's dominance. Do check out Takshashila’s public policy courses: https://school.takshashila.org.in/coursesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of All Things Policy hosted by Amit Kumar, Dr Michael Pettis, Professor of Finance at Peking University and Senior Fellow at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP), answers several critical questions about China's economy. Dr. Pettis weighs on what China's domestic consumption situation looks like; the underlying contradiction between domestic consumption and export policy, and the feasibility of new drivers of the economy and new productive forces.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of All Things Policy, Professor C Raja Mohan, Visiting Research Professor at the Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore, and Wini Fred Gurung, Communications Manager at the Takshashila Institution, discuss the complexities of India's foreign policy, exploring its perspectives on the global landscape, significant shifts in approach over the past decade, and the challenges and opportunities it faces in an ever-changing world.

human-animal conflict, wildlife conservation, India, Malathi Renati, Humane Society International, Vinod Krishnan, Shubhra Sotie, government, markets, society, wildlife experts, conservation efforts, environmental protection, biodiversity, conservation challenges, conservation successes, wildlife management, wildlife protection

What services do urban local bodies in India provide? Where do they get their revenues from? To what extent are these bodies self-reliant? What factors contribute to their financial vulnerability? In this episode of All Things Policy, Sarthak Pradhan and Suman Joshi give an overview of the state of municipal finances in India.

In the past, people had many more children than they do today. There has been a global decline in the fertility rate since 1950. India's fertility rate has been going down steadily from 5.9 in the year 1960 to 2 in 2021. In this episode of All Things Policy, Anushka Saxena, Shreya Ramakrishnan, and Sridhar Krishna discuss this and also the changing social norms and aspirations of women.

The past few weeks saw two key forums being held China, the China Development Forum and the Boao Forum for Asia Conference. These shed light into China’s economic and foreign policy priorities. In this episode, Amit Kumar and Manoj Kewalramani decode the messages that Beijing is sending to the world.

China has issued guidelines for governmental procurement of laptops, PCs, and servers that will gradually replace Intel and AMD processors with homegrown CPUs. Join Rijesh and Satya in this episode of Siliconpolitik as they attempt to decipher China's chipmaking capabilities in the broader context of US sanctions against its semiconductor sector. Recommended reading: https://hightechir.substack.com/p/79-deciphering-chinas-move-against https://www.linkedin.com/in/satyashoovasahu/ https://twitter.com/aytas_too_much

Synthetic or artificially generated data is often an important input for training AI systems. As such systems make important decisions that affect our lives, Bharath Reddy and Shobhankita Reddy explore what it is and how it could impact us.

In the final episode of the special limited series Police Chowki, Javeed Ahmad (former IPS officer & DGP of Uttar Pradesh) and Shrikrishna Upadhyaya take stock of policing in India. They discuss the trajectory of the show and reflect on key takeaways from the conversations had so far, such as, policing as a public good, state capacity in police, social and economic cost of bad policing, and building trust between police and citizens. Find all the previous episodes of Police Chowki here: https://takshashila.org.in/police-chowki-all-things-policy

Is India ready to assume a greater role in global semiconductor value chains? In this edition of SiliconPolitik, Satya Sahu quizzes Stephen Ezell, VP of Global Innovation Policy, ITIF, on their recent report assessing the challenges and opportunities for India in this critical sector.

Pune is one of India's fastest growing cities, but also one that is crying for its transport infrastructure to be transformed, even overhauled. What are the areas of concern, and how can policymakers work with civil society and the government to make this happen? Sachin Kalbag of Takshashila and Pune's leading subject matter expert Sanskriti Menon, Senior Programme Director at the Centre for Environment Education, discuss this vital topic.

It is now clear that the 2024 US presidential election will once again feature a contest between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Beijing, of course, will be keenly watching the campaign unfold over the next few months. But as things stand today, who would the mandarins in Zhongnanhai prefer as the next occupant of the White House? Listen in as Takshashila’s China watchers debate China’s choice.

India urgently requires substantial investment in climate adaptation efforts to sustain progress on development. Recognizing the criticality of the impact of climate change for development and growth, India has anchored its adaptation approach within the country’s wider development goals. While the government has endeavoured to finance adaptation initiatives, adaptation investment needs at the national level are large and will increase in the future. In this episode of All Things Policy, Rakshith Shetty quizzes Malini Chakravarty and Aanandita Sikka from Climate Policy Initiative, New Delhi, on their recent report titled Financing Adaptation in India. To access the report, click the link - https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/publication/financing-adaptation-in-india/

In this podcast episode, Ms.Shreya Ramakrishnan and Dr.Nithiyanandam discuss recent developments along the India-China border in Arunachal Pradesh, focusing on two specific settlements. Dr. Nithiyananda's recent article in the Takshashila Geospatial Bulletin provides significant insights highlighted in the discussion. The podcast covers geopolitical intricacies, emphasizes the importance of satellite imagery analysis, and discusses the historical progress in the two zones mentioned in the report. To learn more about the research article, visit the Takshashila Geospatial Bulletin website.