Viksit vision is needed to build a Viksit Bharat

Viksit Bharat is a laudable objective. India must aspire to be a developed country. All the better if a deadline can make things happen. But what is the path that is being taken? What is the vision? In this issue we have stories that are cause for disquiet. A robust education system, for instance, should be one of the load-bearing walls of Viksit Bharat. A rising economy draws on people with an education, skills and a capacity for critical thinking.

India, however, has a problem with learning standards in its schools and colleges which is not being adequately addressed. In our interview of the month, one of the country’s leading academicians, Deepak Nayyar, laments the decline of public universities. He blames political interference and too much centralization — by governments, over time. But the present one hasn’t been different. A new law which the government is passing seeks to give yet more power to the Centre. The intention is uniformity which, Nayyar correctly points out, is the enemy of quality.

Labour sector reforms have similarly been a let-down. They were awaited by workers and employers alike because the old laws were serving no one’s interests. Four Labour Codes have now been introduced to simplify hiring, firing and workplace standards. But they fail to address several realities, chief among them being that 80 percent of the Indian workforce is unorganized. We spoke to Rajiv Khandelwal of Aajeevika Bureau, a clear voice who engages with both industry and unorganized workers. An opportunity for more effective reform appears to have been missed.

There was insufficient consultation with regard to the Labour Codes. It was so also with MGNREGA that has been abruptly swept off the table despite serving as an effective social security measure. Aruna Roy and Nikhil Dey provide a critique.

Inclusion should be the hallmark of Viksit Bharat. Just how is brilliantly explained in relation to high technology by Dr R.A. Mashelkar and his co-author, Sushil Borde, in their book More From Less For More. It is for this reason that we chose to feature an extract from the book as our cover story. Whether it is technological innovations or policies the important thing is to have everyone in.

In our Living section we take you to Kochi for its many syncretic charms. And what is it like designing clothes for the disabled? We find out.

The Insights section brings you all our regular columnists with Sanjaya Baru on the dangers of authoritarian regimes, and Shyam Bhatia on the Indian force the Nazis raised.