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Correspondent

23 August 2024 at 4:29:04 pm

Trust Reset

As the recent protests over the NEET paper leak showed, India’s examination system has reached a point where incremental repairs are no longer enough. The appointment of a high-powered task force on examination reforms, headed by technology pioneer Nandan Nilekani, is therefore not merely an administrative response to the NEET-UG paper leak crisis but a concrete attempt to rebuild confidence in one of the country’s most important public institutions. Examinations are gateways to opportunity,...

Trust Reset

As the recent protests over the NEET paper leak showed, India’s examination system has reached a point where incremental repairs are no longer enough. The appointment of a high-powered task force on examination reforms, headed by technology pioneer Nandan Nilekani, is therefore not merely an administrative response to the NEET-UG paper leak crisis but a concrete attempt to rebuild confidence in one of the country’s most important public institutions. Examinations are gateways to opportunity, social mobility and professional ambition. For millions of students across the country, a competitive examination represents years of sacrifice by families and the possibility of a better future. When question papers leak repeatedly, evaluation systems fail or allegations of manipulation emerge, the resulting damage strikes at the idea of fairness itself. The crisis surrounding NEET-UG exposed uncomfortable vulnerabilities in the country’s examination infrastructure. The resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and the subsequent appointment of Pralhad Joshi with additional charge of the ministry underlined the political seriousness of the issue. But political accountability alone cannot fix a structural problem. That is why the composition of the new task force is a move on the right direction. It brings together expertise from technology, space research, intelligence, education administration and logistics. Nilekani’s appointment is particularly significant. The former Infosys chief executive and architect of Aadhaar has experience in building large-scale digital public infrastructure involving hundreds of millions of citizens. The Aadhaar project itself was born out of a similar challenge: how to create a reliable identity system in a country where leakages and duplication weakened welfare delivery. India’s examination system now requires the same kind of thinking. The committee’s mandate to examine the entire examination lifecycle - from question paper creation and distribution to candidate verification, evaluation and results - is the right approach. The problem lies in multiple weak points where human intervention, poor security protocols and outdated processes can create opportunities for malpractice. Technology will inevitably be central to the solution. Artificial intelligence can help detect unusual patterns, blockchain-based verification can strengthen record security and better data systems can improve transparency. But a secure examination system requires independent oversight, professional management, clear accountability and swift punishment for wrongdoing. India’s National Testing Agency was created to bring efficiency and standardisation to public examinations. Its credibility must now be restored through reforms that are visible and trusted by students. The Nilekani task force has been given the difficult job of repairing that trust. The government has chosen a committee led by people with experience of managing complex national systems. It is a sensible first step. The real test will now be whether its recommendations translate into action.

Tax Terrorism Makes Impact

Tax Terrorism

Around two years ago, while addressing the gathering at the Krishhithon Agriculture Expo held in Nashik, then state agriculture minister Abdul Sattar said that his government will urge the Centre to abolish GST on farm supplies including fertilizer, seeds, and even agricultural equipment. It is critical to lower the cost of agricultural inputs. Farmers will benefit from reduced GST rates on all goods used for farming. I have spoken with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde about the situation, and the state government would shortly bring this topic up with the Center, the minister had stated at the event. Two years later the situation has not changed and the helpless agrarian community bearing the burden. The government which is very generous with the diamond jewellery sector while imposing the tax has not even left the educational field along with the farmers. The state government is not leaving any stone unturned to add to the woes through the SGST.  


The Goods and Services Tax was implemented in India with effect from 1st July 2017. In India, the maximum population is of the middle class and lower middle class where people either belong to the service class or they depend on agriculture for their living. In this scenario, the most important question is what is the impact of GST on a common man or a middle-class family. For the general public, the actual impact of any economy is when the prices of their necessities become affected. For the public in large when prices become low for the day-to-day goods and services that are consumed, the economy is good, else if the inflation rate is higher, then the public gets unsatisfied with the changes done by the government.


The single largest contributing Sector to the Indian Economy is Agriculture. It alone accounts for up to 16 percent of the Indian GDP. GST was supposed to have more of a greater indirect impact on the Agriculture Sector. GST directly or indirectly affects all sections of the economy. Agriculture industry is too not an exception. Transportation is one factor that has a direct impactful effect on Agriculture. The GST rate levied on agricultural products is 5 percent.


At the same time, GST rates on education services in India range from 5 percent to 28 percent, varying significantly depending on the type of service provided. Interestingly, diamond jewellery has finally been brought under the GST regime.


Now GST on diamonds being cut and polished from 0.25 percent to 1.5 percent effective from 18th July 2022. This shows the government’s overall approach towards the elite class. Significantly, GST on aircrafts, helicopters and cruise ships is also very nominal. The issue of ‘Tax terrorism’ was raised in Parliament. INDIA bloc leaders protested against increasing GST on various sectors. The government is in no mood to relent. People are suffering but a certain class is getting privileges.

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