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

Editorial 1: Divided state

Context

A renewed vision of leadership is essential across the two dominant parties in America.

Introduction

The shooting of Charlie Kirk, a controversial ally of Donald Trump, reflects the deep polarisation and growing reliance on gun culture in U.S. politics. What should be debates of ideas are increasingly turning into clashes of violence, exposing the erosion of dialogue, bipartisanship, and democratic values. The incident highlights the fragility of America’s political and social fabric.

The Shooting and its Symbolism

• Incident: Charlie Kirk, a conservative commentator and ally of Donald Trump, was shot.
• Polarisation Highlighted: The attack underscores deep divisions in U.S. society and the dangerous tendency to resort to lethal violence in political disputes.
• Irony: Kirk was a strong advocate of the Second Amendment (gun rights), while simultaneously promoting conservative values on campuses, curbing abortion rights, and limiting LGBTQ rights.
• Alleged Attacker: Tyler Robinson, reportedly distanced from his conservative family roots, has been arrested; his motives remain unclear.
• Underlying Cause: Long-standing political vitriol, marked by nativism, exclusion, religious conservatism, and intolerance of diversity, has eroded dialogue and bipartisanship.

U.S. at a Crossroads

• Moral Standing:
  • Crackdowns on dissent (e.g., protests over Gaza) and harsh immigration policies (family separations, raids) undermine the U.S.’s claim as a beacon of democracy.
• Economic Position:
  • The Washington Consensus-based rules system is weakened.
  • Trump’s tariff policies triggered global trade wars, disrupting supply chains and damaging U.S. economic credibility.

Political Consequences

• Domestic Landscape:
  • Democrats weakened after two Trump terms.
  • Republicans unified behind Trump’s agenda, which diverges from traditional conservatism.
• Silence Across Aisles:
  • Bipartisan dialogue has collapsed.
  • Fear and marginalisation dominate, especially among minorities sidelined from mainstream discourse.
  • Gun culture becomes the default outlet for frustration.

Gun Reform and Hope for the Future

• Repeated Failures:
  • Past Presidents, including Barack Obama (17 unsuccessful attempts), failed to pass meaningful gun control reforms.
• Path Ahead:
  • Only new, enlightened leadership in both parties can restore dialogue, reduce polarisation, and rebuild a less fractured polity in the post-Trump era.

Conclusion

The U.S. now faces a critical crossroads—both morally and economically. Without new leadership and meaningful efforts at gun reform, the cycle of hatred, exclusion, and violence will persist. Restoring democratic ideals, economic credibility, and open dialogue is essential. Only an inclusive, enlightened polity can move the nation beyond fear, division, and toxic politics into a more cohesive future.

 

Editorial 2: India’s economic ambitions need better gender data

Context

Uttar Pradesh’s initiative of a Women’s Economic Empowerment Index offers a framework that can be adopted across India.

Introduction

Women currently contribute only 18% of India’s GDP, and a business-as-usual approach risks leaving trillions of dollars untapped. India’s ambition of becoming a $30 trillion economy by 2047 depends on one truth: inclusive growth is impossible if half the population remains invisible in policy data. Nearly 196 million employable women remain outside the workforce. Though the Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) has risen to 41.7%, just 18% are in formal jobs. The challenge is not only to create opportunities for women, but to make them visible, measurable, and actionable across all levels of governance.

A district-level tool

1. Launch of WEE Index

• First in India: Uttar Pradesh launched the Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) Index, a district-level tool.
• Five Economic Levers Tracked:
  1. Employment
  2. Education and Skilling
  3. Entrepreneurship
  4. Livelihood and Mobility
  5. Safety and Inclusive Infrastructure
• Significance: Goes beyond measurement; embeds a gender lensin every dataset, department, and decision.

1. Importance of Gender-Disaggregated Data

• India has many indices on health, economy, and infrastructure, but few disaggregate by gender.
• Without gender data:
  • Gaps remain hidden
  • Reforms stall
  • Exclusion deepens
• Visibility drives action: When inequities are visible, targeted reforms

1. Case Study: Uttar Pradesh Transport Sector

• Data revealed a very low percentage of womenbus drivers and conductors.
• Led to redesigned recruitment strategiesand fixing infrastructure gaps (e.g., women’s restrooms in bus terminals).
• Even modest changes proved catalytic— possible only due to gender-specific insights.

1. Moving Beyond Participation Rates

• The WEE Index highlights structural barriers, not just participation.
• Example:
  • Women form 50%+ enrolmentin skilling programmes.
  • Yet, they represent only a small fraction of entrepreneurs.
  • Their access to creditis even more limited.
• Insight: The challenge is not participation alone, but systemic barriers in finance and enterprise support.

The need for data from every system

• Mandate: Gender-disaggregated data must become universal and normative.
• Integration: Every departmental MIS — from MSMEs, transport, housingand more — should include gender breakdowns.
• Capacity Building: Strengthen local governmentsto collect, analyse, and use this data to design gender action plans.
• Beyond Surface Counts: Move from basic counts to track retention, leadership, re-entry, and quality of employment.
• Critical Stages: Focus on transitions after Class 12 and post-graduation, where female dropout rates surge.
• Current Limitation: Often restricted to finance departmentsor women’s welfare schemes.
• True Approach: Apply a gender lensto every rupee spent across education, energy, infrastructure, and beyond.
• Core Principle: “You cannot budget for what you do not measure.”

Help for States moving ahead

• UP’s Pilot Model: Uttar Pradesh has created a replicable and scalable foundation.
  • Other states like Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Telanganahave set trillion-dollar economic targets.
• Gender Dividend Imperative: To meet these ambitions, states must leverage their gender dividend.
  • A framework like the WEE Indexcan convert intent into action.
• Practical Impact of WEE Index: Enables district-wise gender action plans.
  • Guides budget allocations, infrastructure priorities, and programmatic reforms.
• Evolving India’s Response: The gender gap is not new, but India’s response must fundamentally evolve.
  • Requires a shift in perception, measurement, and governance responseto gender.
• Starting Point, Not Finish Line: The WEE Indexis the starting block, not the endpoint.
  • It makes the invisible visibleand provides a roadmap to move women from the margins to the mainstream of India’s growth story.

Conclusion

India’s gender gap is longstanding, yet the response to it must transform. Addressing this challenge requires a paradigm shift in how gender is perceived, measured, and acted upon across all levels of governance. The WEE Index is not the destination but the starting point—shedding light on the invisible and charting a path to bring women from the margins to the mainstream of India’s growth journey.