What to Read in The Hindu Editorial( Topic and Syllabus wise)

Editorial 1: Reserved faculty posts are still vacant and out of reach

Context

Central universities and top institutes should match their hiring policies with the aim of ensuring social justice.

Introduction

India’s Constitution guarantees social justice, which means giving fair representation to marginalised communitiesin public institutions. To fix past inequalities, there are reservation policies for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), with quotas of 15%, 7.5%, 27%, and 10%, respectively. But central universities and top institutes like the IITs, IIMs, and AIIMS often fail to fill these reserved faculty positions. This raises concerns about whether they are following the constitutional promise of inclusion. The BJP-led government has repeatedly said it supports social justice and wants public institutions to be more inclusive and democratic. In this context, the key question is: What are the systemic obstacles that stop these institutions from giving fair and inclusive representation to all groups?

Status of Reserved Faculty Positions in Central Universities

Category	Vacancies Reported (2021)	Recent Progress	Current Status (UGC 2023 Report)
Scheduled Castes (SCs)	2,389 posts vacant	Some recruitment drive in select universities (e.g., JNU, DU)	Still ~30% of reserved posts remain unfilled, especially in senior positions
Scheduled Tribes (STs)	1,199 posts vacant	Limited improvement	Significant gaps at associate professorand professor levels
Other Backward Classes (OBCs)	4,251 posts vacant	Marginal progress	High vacancy rates persist
General Trend	Large-scale vacancies in 45 central universities	Special drives have had partial impact	Senior academic roles remain dominated by unreserved categories

Structural Issues in Representation

Sector	Lower-Level Representation (Group C & D)	Higher-Level Representation (Leadership & Senior Posts)
Public Sector (Railways, Banks)	Reserved quotas mostly filled	Marginalised groups still underrepresented in leadership
Academia	Some improvements due to recruitment drives	Vice chancellors, directors, principals, and professors mainly from unreserved groups, showing structural exclusion

Systemic barriers

1. Institutional Autonomy and Weak Accountability

• Central universities and elite institutionsenjoy high levels of autonomy, which sometimes shields them from strict government oversight.
• Although the University Grants Commission (UGC)mandates reservation rules, their enforcement is inconsistent.
• Vice-Chancellorsand selection committees, often from dominant social groups, show little urgency in implementing social justice measures.

2. Impact of the 13-Point Roster System

• In 2018, the UGC replaced the 200-point roster(institution-level reservation) with a 13-point roster (department-level).
• Under this system, smaller departmentswith few posts offer minimal or no reserved seats, especially for STs.
• For instance, a department with 6 postsmay have only 1 reserved for OBCs and none for SC/STs, unless more positions are added.
• This change led to a drastic reductionin reserved posts and sparked legal challenges and student-faculty protests.

3. Discretionary Rejections and Bias

• Many qualified SC, ST, and OBC candidates are rejectedunder vague justifications like “candidate not suitable”.
• These subjective decisionsdiscourage talented individuals from marginalised communities from entering academia.
• A 2022 studyby the Ambedkar University Faculty Association found that over 60% of reserved post vacancieswere due to such biased exclusions.

4. Political Influence and Lack of Transparency

• Some appointments are allegedly influenced by political loyaltyor ideological alignment, not merit or fairness.
• These practices undermine transparencyand the principle of equal opportunity.
• Though both Congress and BJP governmentshave spoken in favour of social justice, there is a clear gap between promises and actual implementation.

Steps to Fill Reserved Faculty Posts

• Strictly follow UGC ruleson reservations. Institutions should face regular checks and be asked to publicly report how well they are following reservation policies.
• Review the 13-point roster system.This system should be changed so that it matches the Constitution’s goal of fair representation. The Supreme Court’s ongoing hearings may help clear doubts.
• Fix biases in recruitment.Selection committees should have people from diverse backgrounds. Set clear rulesfor judging candidates. Start training programs to help academic leaders understand social justice and inclusion.
• Reach out actively and enforce politically.Leaders must treat social justice as a real duty, not just a political slogan. The government must make sure these rules are followed in every university.

Why It Matters

• Unfilled reserved postsweaken India’s goal of an inclusive education system.
• Universitiesare not just places to study—they are spaces that can change society.
• Fair representationin teaching jobs is both a legal duty and a moral responsibility to reflect India’s diverse population.

Conclusion

As the National Education Policy 2020 focuses on inclusive and multidisciplinary education, central universitiesmust match their hiring practices with the goal of bringing in more faculty from marginalised communities. Only through strong policy changes, better accountability for social justice, and a clear political commitment to make public institutions inclusive, can we reduce the gap between the promise of social justice and the current lack of action by many academic institutions.

 

Editorial 2: Demand distress

Context

“Rural demand may still increase during the festive season.”

Introduction

The new financial year has begun on a disappointing note, with industrial production slowing significantly. Key indicators like the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), manufacturing data, and consumer goods output suggest weak demand across sectors. A closer look reveals contraction in both essential and discretionary items, reflecting consumer caution and broader economic sluggishness, despite optimistic government projections.

Industrial Growth Slows Down in FY 2025–26

• Index of Industrial Production (IIP)growth hit a 9-month low of 2% in May 2025
• April 2025 was also weak, with 6% growth(8-month low)
• Average growth for April–May 2025-26: only 1.9%, down from 7% in 2024–25
• Indicates a poor start to the new financial year

Electricity Sector — Major Drag

• Contracted by 5.8% in May 2025(worst since June 2020)
• Likely reasons:
  • Cooler-than-usual Mayreduced demand
  • Possibly lower industrial offtake, indicating slowing production

Manufacturing Sector Slows Sharply

• Growth down to 2.6% in May 2025, from 1% in May 2024
• Broad-based slowdown, with many sectors contracting

Sectors showing contraction:

• Textiles
• Leather products
• Chemicals
• Pharmaceuticals
• Electronics
• Furniture
• Most of these are consumer-facing sectors, indicating weak demand.

Consumer Goods Signal Demand Weakness

Simultaneous contraction (first time since Nov 2023):

• Consumer Durables
• Consumer Non-Durables

This is a strong signal of falling consumer demand.

Sub-Sector Breakdown of Consumer Products

Category	Contracting Items
Consumer Durables	Footwear, books, plastic furniture, shaving razors, SS utensils, computers, phones, ACs
Consumer Non-Durables	Meat, honey, fruit juice, jams, sugar, bottled water

Most of these are non-essential/discretionary, indicating people are postponing spending

Other Economic Indicators

• Private Manufacturing PMI (June 2025):
  • Intermediate goods demandis strong
  • But capital and consumer goods demandremains weak
• Finance Minister’s View:
  • Confident that urban demand will recover
  • Budget 2025 tax breaksmay help during festive season
• Rural demandmay improve due to monsoon progress

Weak Start to FY 2025–26

• Urban demand remains uncertain
• Exports/trade still subdued
• Domestic demand is not picking up
• Together, this does not bode wellfor economic momentum in FY 2025–26

Conclusion

The dip in industrial output and widespread contraction in demand point to deeper economic stress. While the government expects urban and rural demand to revive in coming months, current data suggest weak consumer confidence and restrained spending. With global trade still sluggish, domestic demand must recover soon to ensure the economy regains momentum in the remainder of FY 2025–26.