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

Editorial 1: Rational response

Context

In response to the U.S. tariffs, India is pursuing a steady and rational course of action.

Introduction

The Government of India has responded to the 50% U.S. tariffs with pragmatism and restraint, avoiding provocation despite controversial statements from U.S. officials. Focused on strategic preparation rather than emotional reaction, India aims to protect its trade interests, ensure macroeconomic stability, and maintain diplomatic channels, demonstrating a balanced approach between immediate challenges and long-term economic resilience.

India’s Response to U.S. Tariffs

• The Government of India has approached the 50% tariffs imposed by the U.S. with maturity and pragmatism.
• Despite provocative statements from senior U.S. officials, India has avoided being baited, maintaining its established stance.
• Example: U.S. Trade Adviser Peter Navarro called the Russia-Ukraine war “Modi’s war,” yet India remained calm.
• Focus has been on preparing strategiesto manage the reality of high tariffs rather than reacting emotionally.

Trade Negotiations with the U.S.

• Negotiations on a trade deal with the U.S. are paused but not abandoned.
• Even the additional 25% penalty tariffis not considered a deal-breaker, though it limits the effectiveness of any trade agreement.
• A practical approach: Avoid abrupt cessation of talks, which could harm India further.
• Government messaging to industry emphasizes reassurance and preparation, not denial.

Focus on Practical Solutions

• The government is prioritizing effective measuresover optics:
  • Recognizes that flashy fiscal incentives would barely offset 50% tariffscompared to competitors facing much lower tariffs.
  • Concentrates on tackling immediate concerns, like the liquidity crunch for exporters.

Macroeconomic Considerations

• Exports account for one-fifth of India’s GDP, with the U.S. representing about one-fifth of that.
• Around 40% of India’s exports to the U.S.will remain unaffected by the tariffs.
• While some sectors may face significant impact, the overall macroeconomic effectis expected to be limited.

Mitigation Strategies

• Dual approachto minimize impact:
  • Rekindle dialogues with China.
  • Boost domestic consumption through GST rate cuts.
• Possible easing of COVID-era Press Note 3to allow controlled Chinese FDI, with national security safeguards.
• Centre and States need to coordinateon GST cuts without compromising States’ fiscal health.

Policy Philosophy

• Emphasis on level-headed action over emotional reactions.
• The government aims to protect the economy realistically, focusing on measures that are practical, targeted, and implementable.

Conclusion

India’s approach reflects practicality, emphasizing targeted solutions, such as addressing the exporters’ liquidity crunch and promoting domestic consumption. By combining trade negotiations, measured policy interventions, and careful macroeconomic planning, the government seeks to mitigate the tariff impact while safeguarding overall economic growth, national interests, and long-term stability, avoiding impulsive or symbolic responses.

 

Editorial 2: Detoxifying India’s entrance examination system

Context

India faces a choice: maintain the stressful competition that impacts youth or implement a framework of equity and justice in admissions.

Introduction

Every year, nearly 70 lakh students in India compete for undergraduate seats through entrance examinations such as the JEE, NEET, CUET, and CLAT. With a fixed number of seats, the competition is intense, giving rise to a thriving coaching industry and a culture of relentless pressure. Recent issues, including branch closures, financial misconduct at a major JEE coaching centre, an Enforcement Directorate raid, and student suicides, underscore a broken system. It is time to rethink undergraduate admissions, focusing on fairness, equity, and student well-being.

The coaching crisis and its toll

• Scale of aspirants: 15 lakh students compete for roughly 18,000 IIT seats, creating intense competition.
• Coaching industry: Centres charge ₹6-7 lakhfor two-year programmes; students start as young as 14 years.
• Excessive workload: Students solve complex problems from books like Irodovand Krotov, far beyond Tech requirements.
• Psychological effects: The rat race causes stress, depression, and alienation, impacting peer bondingand normal adolescence.
• Regulatory attempts: Some state governmentshave tried to regulate coaching centres, but the root issue is the entrance exam system.
• Unreasonable distinctions: Differentiating students with 91% vs 97% in Class 12or 9 percentile in JEE is unnecessary; a 70%-80% score in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics is sufficient for B.Tech.
• False hierarchy: The system favors those who can afford coaching, sidelines capable students, and worsens urban-rural, gender, and regional disparities.
• Illusory meritocracy: Wealthier families are privileged, creating a toxic obsession with superiority, ignoring luck and privilege.
• Global perspective: Philosopher Michael Sandelrecommends lotteries for elite admissions (e.g., Stanford, Harvard) to address meritocratic excess.

The Dutch lottery and beyond

• Learning from the Netherlands
  • The Netherlands uses a weighted lotteryfor medical school admissions, first introduced in 1972 and reinstated in 2023.
  • Applicants meeting a minimum academic thresholdenter a lottery; higher grades improve odds.
  • This system reduces bias, promotes diversity, and eases pressure, addressing the limitations of overly precise metrics.
  • Demonstrates that lotteries are viablewhen capacity is limited, supporting Sandel’s critique of meritocratic excess.
• China’s “Double Reduction” Policy
  • Introduced in 2021, the policy banned for-profit tutoringfor school subjects.
  • Coaching was nationalized overnightto reduce financial burdens, address inequalities, and protect student well-being.
  • Tackles challenges similar to India’s unregulated coaching industryand its negative impact on youth.
• Proposed Admissions Approach for India
  • Simplify admissionsand trust the school system.
  • Use Class 12 board examinationsas the benchmark for Tech readiness.
  • Set a minimum eligibility threshold(e.g., 80% in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics).
  • Group students into categories (90%+, 80%-90%) and allocate seats via a weighted lottery, incorporating gender, regional, and rural reservations.
  • Higher gradesimprove odds but ensure fair chances for all, reducing cut-throat competition.
• Enhancing Equity and Diversity
  • Reserve 50% of IIT seatsfor rural students educated in government schools, promoting social mobility.
  • If entrance exams persist, coaching should be banned or nationalized, with free online resources 
  • Introduce annual IIT student exchange programmesto promote national integration and exposure to diverse cultures.
  • Encourage professor transfers between IITsto maintain uniform academic standards and dismantle artificial hierarchies.

Conclusion

Scrapping undergraduate entrance examinations in favor of a lottery-based system would liberate students from the coaching treadmill, allowing them to focus on school, sports, and holistic growth. It would lower financial barriers, giving every qualified student, irrespective of wealth or privilege, a fair chance at top institutions. Most importantly, it would let youth be youth, instead of turning them into machines chasing percentiles at a tender age. India’s education system stands at a crossroads: it can either continue a toxic race that harms students and society, or embrace fairness, sanity, egalitarianism, and equal opportunity. The choice is unmistakably clear.