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

Editorial 1 : The Adolescent at Home

Context: Mental Health of Youth   

Introduction: According to NCRB data, over 40,000 student suicides reported in the past 5 years and as per National Mental Health Survey, 2016, 1 in 10 adolescents suffer from a mental health disorder. Less than 0.5% of India’s health budget allocated to mental health. This disproportionately affects India’s more than 250 million youth under 20.

 

Key Contributing Factors

• Academic Pressure
  1. High-stakes exams and societal expectations create chronic stress.
  2. Fear of failure linked to rising suicide rates.
• Social Media & Digital Culture
  1. Comparison anxiety: Metrics like likes/followers replace self-worth.
  2. Toxic masculinity narratives: Influencers promote aggression and emotional suppression.
• Cultural Stigma
  1. Mental health discussions are taboo in families and communities.
  2. Lack of awareness about seeking professional help.

 

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic

• Deepened Isolation
  1. School closures cut off real-world social interactions.
  2. Increased reliance on digital platforms for connection.
• Long-Term Consequences
  1. Entrenched digital dependency: Compulsive scrolling and validation-seeking habits.
  2. Unresolved emotional struggles: Anxiety and depression worsened post-lockdown.

 

Systemic & Structural Failures

• Underfunded Mental Health Infrastructure
  1. Severe shortage of trained professionals, especially in rural areas.
  2. Limited access to affordable care.
• Education System Gaps
  1. No standardized mental health curriculum or counselling in schools.
  2. Focus on academic performance over emotional well-being.

 

Cultural & Societal Challenges

• Toxic Masculinity
  1. Promotes emotional suppression in boys, discouraging help-seeking behaviour.
  2. Fuels misogyny and alienation.
• Role of Media & Influencers
  1. Curated content perpetuates unrealistic standards of success/beauty.
  2. Lack of positive role models embracing vulnerability.

 

Proposed Solutions

• Systemic Reforms
  1. Increase mental health funding to 5-10% of the health budget.
  2. Integrate mental health professionals in schools and colleges.
  3. Develop preventive counselling programs and digital literacy education.
• Cultural Shifts
  1. Normalize conversations about mental health through media campaigns.
  2. Promote healthy masculinity that values empathy and emotional honesty.
• Family & Community Engagement
  1. Educate parents to recognize signs of distress and reduce stigma.
  2. Encourage emotional expression from an early age.
• Leverage Public Figures: Celebrities and influencers to share personal mental health stories.

 

Way Forward and Conclusion

• Urgency of Investment: Underfunding mental health is a life-threatening obstacle for youth.
• Collective Responsibility: Policymakers, educators, families, and media must collaborate.
• Redefine Success: Prioritize emotional resilience and well-being over academic/online validation.
• The mental health crisis among India’s youth is a national emergency requiring immediate, multi-pronged action. 

 

Editorial 2 : Diffusion is Destiny

Context: How technology affects balance of power and the lesson for India.   

 

Introduction: Jeffrey Ding’s much-discussed book Technology and the Rise of Great Powers (Princeton University Press) is upending a lot of conventional wisdom. Transitions in the balance of power in the international system are often driven by technology.

 

Conventional Wisdom vs. Ding’s Thesis

• Traditional Leading Sectors Theory
  1. Dominance in leading sectors (e.g. textiles, chemicals, electronics) drives economic and geopolitical power.
  2. Examples
     • Britain’s textile dominance during the Industrial Revolution.
     • Germany’s chemical industry in the Second Industrial Revolution.
     • Japan’s 1980s edge in consumer electronics and automobiles.
• Ding’s General Purpose Technologies (GPT) Framework
  1. GPTs are technologies with broad applicability that drive productivity gains across multiple sectors (e.g. steam engines, electricity, AI).
  2. According to Ding, national power stems from diffusion of GPTs, not sector-specific dominance.
  3. Examples
     • Britain’s Industrial Revolution success relied on iron-based machinery diffused across industries, not just textiles.
     • The U.S. overtook Germany by institutionalizing electricity adoption and engineering standards.

 

Historical Case Studies

1. Conventional View: Textile innovation as the driver.
2. Ding’s View: Power came from iron-based machines and widespread engineering skills.
   • Second Industrial Revolution (Germany vs. U.S.)
3. Germany: Led in sectors like chemicals but lacked GPT diffusion.
4. U.S.: Surpassed Germany by standardizing electricity adoption and fostering engineering adaptability.
   • Third Industrial Revolution (Japan vs. U.S.)
5. Japan: Dominated consumer electronics but lagged in computerization diffusion.
6. U.S.: Leveraged GPTs (e.g. computing) to transform multiple sectors simultaneously.

 

Implications for Development

• Lessons for Countries like India
  1. Prioritize Systemic Change:
     • Invest in human capital (widespread education, not sector-specific training).
     • Build institutional adaptability and interoperability of technologies.
• Avoid Overemphasis on Leading Sectors: Sectoral gains (e.g. exports) are transient. GPT diffusion ensures long-term growth.
• Challenge: GPT diffusion lacks headline appeal and requires long-term, foundational investments.

 

Geopolitical Implications

• U.S. vs. China
  1. China’s Strengths: Dominance in leading sectors (e.g. electric vehicles).
  2. U.S. Edge: Superior GPT diffusion (e.g. AI, engineering ecosystems) if institutions remain intact.
• Ding’s Prediction
  1. Critical Factor: Not who invents technologies (e.g. AI), but who diffuses them widely.
  2. Risk: U.S. advantage could erode if policy undermines institutional frameworks (e.g. Trump-era reforms).

 

Conclusion and Way Forward

• Diffusion is Destiny, nations must prioritize systemic GPT adoption over sectoral dominance.
• Foster institutional flexibility, human capital, and foundational investments.
• Shift focus from "mission-mode" innovations to economy-wide technological integration.