What to Read in Indian Express Editorial( Topic and Syllabus wise)

Editorial 1 : Engaging with a divided West

Context

As the G7 summit unfolds in Canada, global attention risks being diverted by fringe protests and rhetorical distractions. Amid this backdrop, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s presence is a significant diplomatic opportunity for India to navigate a fractured Western alliance and assert its role in the emerging global order.

Fractured Unity Within the G7

• Once a symbol of Western strategic unity, the G7 now reveals growing divisions across trade, climate, defence, and geopolitics.
• The summit takes place at a time when differences over the Middle East, Ukraine, and global trade are straining the alliance.
• Trump’s return to the world stage has revived concerns over US unilateralism, further widening the rift between America and Europe.
• His protectionist tariffs and hardline defence demands—such as increasing military spending to 5% of GDP—have alarmed allies, especially Canada, where Prime Minister Mark Carney now faces the challenge of preserving cohesion within the group.

India’s Strategic Balancing Act

• India’s presence as a non-member invitee reflects its rising geopolitical importance. For Modi, the summit offers more than just visibility—it is a venue to engage with divided Western powers and promote India’s long-term interests.
• Historically, India has pursued a multi-alignment strategy, balancing ties with both the West and rival powers like Russia and China. This nuanced approach is more relevant than ever as the traditional East-West dichotomy breaks down.
• India’s goal must now be to turn global disorder into diplomatic opportunity by strengthening ties with individual G7 memberswhile safeguarding its strategic autonomy.

The Legacy

• Western powers have never been a monolith. From colonial rivalries to Cold War-era disagreements—like the Franco-German opposition to the Iraq war—internal dissent has long shaped Western politics.
• Today’s divisions are deeper and more ideological, encompassing disputes on climate policy, digital governance, and socio-political values.
• Trump’s support for European far-right movements and disdain for multilateral norms underscores this fracture. This moment marks a transition in global leadership structures—one that India must observe closely and use to its advantage.

Way Forward

• Instead of being distracted by issues like Khalistani protests or Trump’s Kashmir remarks, India must focus on higher strategic goals.
• India must also position itself as a bridge between the fractured West and the rising Global South, advocating for a multipolar world order that is more inclusive and balanced.
• In this era of global realignment, the G7 summit is not merely a diplomatic eventbut a crucial opportunity for India to shape the contours of the future international system.

 

Editorial 2 : How India conducts its Census

Context

The 16th census marks a significant milestone: it will include the first nationwide caste enumeration since 1931.

Why the Census matters

• The Census serves multiple critical functions. It is the basis on which electoral constituencies are drawn and seats reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
• Central grants to states and districts are often population-based, as are subsidies and ration allocations.
• Ministries ranging from Education to Rural Development use Census data to locate schools, primary health centers, and infrastructure projects.
• It helps the judiciary, planners, and scholars alike understand trends in migration, urbanisation, employment, and fertility.
• The Census is also crucial to the implementation of constitutional provisions. Article 82 of the Constitution mandates delimitationof constituencies based on the most recent Census.
• Article 330 and 332reserve seats for SCs and STs in legislatures based on their population proportions.

How the Census is conducted

• The process is carried out in two broad phases: the House-listing and Housing Census, followed by the Population Enumeration.
• House-listing phase:Here, every structure in the country is visited to record the characteristics of buildings and households. Enumerators collect data on the head of the household, the number of members, on the use of the building (residential, commercial, etc.), the materials used in its construction, the number of rooms, ownership status, sources of water and electricity, the type of toilet, fuel used for cooking, and the availability of assets like TV, phone, vehicle, etc.
• This information helps build a profile of housing stock, access to amenities, and living conditions across India.
• Population enumeration:This follows the housing census and focuses on individual data: name, age, sex, date of birth, relationship to the head of household, marital status, education, occupation, religion, caste/tribe, disability status, and migration history. Enumerators fill out a schedule for every person, even the homeless, and the process captures demographic and socio-economic details that form the heart of the Census database.
• The data is processed centrally and released in stages — first the provisional population totals, then more detailed tables disaggregated by various indicators. Robust quality control mechanisms, including re-checks and audits, are built into the process.

Different from the 2011 Census

• Both in terms of methodology and content, Census 2027 will be different from 2011.
• Apart from the process being digital and allowing self-enumeration, Census 2027 will include:
• GPS integration:While 2011 used physical maps and area lists, 2027 introduces GPS tagging of households and geofencing to avoid coverage gaps.
• Mobile tracking and validation:Enumerators in 2027 will receive alerts for errors like inconsistent age or unrealistic household size, enabling real-time corrections. Such checks did not exist in 2011.
• Coding System:For the 2027 Census, the Registrar General of India has introduced a new coding system to make data collection more accurate and efficient. Earlier, in the 2011 Census, information like caste, occupation, or mother tongue was written by hand, often leading to spelling mistakes and confusion during data processing.
• Also, responses for some of the questions being canvassed were descriptive in nature.

Among the most significant changes

• Caste enumeration for all individuals— not just SC/ST — has been reintroduced after 90 years (last done in 1931).
• New categoriesunder reasons for migration, such as displacement due to climate events or natural disasters.
• Technology usage— questions on whether individuals used the internet or smartphones.
• Gender inclusion— explicit options to mark transgender identity.

Challenges in the field and how they’re addressed

• Digital literacy among enumerators is a major concern. To resolve this, extensive training modules, simulations, and region-specific language interfaces have been designed.
• Connectivity in remote areas: The app is built to function offline and auto-synchronise once signal returns.
• App glitches and updates: Enumerators will be given field support and diagnostic tools to troubleshoot problems in real time.
• GPS drift or tagging issues: Supervisors will verify and manually adjust coordinates where necessary.
• Reluctance or fear among respondents: Enumerators have been trained in soft skills and legal provisions, and mobile alerts are built in to document refusal or delayed access.

Conclusion

The 2027 Census marks a transformative shift in India’s data collection approach, combining technological upgrades with expanded social insights, including caste enumeration and gender inclusion.