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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.

The Narsimha Moment: India in a Shifting World Order


AI generated image
AI generated image

In this reading of the Narasimha story, Prahlad becomes a metaphor for Bharat—resilient, restrained and rising amid external pressure and internal challenge.

 

The story of Mahavatar Narsimha is widely known. Yet read differently, it resonates with the geopolitical and political currents unfolding in India and across the world. At its heart is the story of Vishnu’s Narsimha avatar and his devotee, Prahlad.


Prahlad and Bharat

As Rajnath Singh said, “Bharat ko rokne ke liye saari taaqatein prayas kar rahi hain, par Bharat nahi rukega” (“All forces are trying to stop Bharat, but Bharat will not stop growing”). In this reading, Prahlad symbolises Bharat.


Prahlad, gentle and compassionate, stands for coexistence with nature and all living beings — an echo of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. When his gurukul teachers equate power with violence against the weak, he insists that true power lies in defending and protecting them.


India in a Hostile World

In today’s geopolitical landscape, Prahlad comes to symbolise Bharat, while China and America are cast as the forces trying to restrain it. America may speak of stronger ties, but the argument here is that it remains uneasy with India’s rise.


As India moves towards becoming the world’s third-largest economy, it faces pressure from both powers. China, more covertly, has sought leverage by restricting rare earth supplies, affecting sectors such as EVs and defence. In this reading, both mirror Hiranyakashipu, repeatedly trying to halt Prahlad’s advance.


America and Pakistan, meanwhile, are likened to Holika — seeking to burn Prahlad, only to be consumed themselves while he remains unharmed.


This mirrors what the US is doing to itself through tariffs and by providing aid to Pakistan, which is then used for attacks such as Pahalgam. In effect, it is setting fire to itself, not India.


As for China, cast here as Hiranyakashipu, the stronger of the two brothers, it is expected to try to crush Prahlad at every opportunity — and India is prepared for that challenge.


With the decline of Western power, and Trump in the most powerful office acting as an accelerant, South Asia is emerging as a new centre of power. As the world turns towards Asia, China, with its authoritarian model, is unlikely to be seen as a credible alternative. India, embodying the qualities of Prahlad, stands out as the stronger option. Despite many challenges, it remains the world’s fastest-growing major economy.


India, as Prahlad, stands for a multipolar world — not a unipolar or bipolar one. It supports smaller nations in their development. Where much of the world speaks the language of war, India speaks for peace.


Operation Sindoor is presented as a striking example of how conflict can be brought to an end — in contrast to the US record of unnecessary war. Its message is clear: those who harm India will be dealt with firmly, while those who treat it with respect — such as Israel and Russia — are met with equal respect and support.


A World Looking to India

“India is not demanding a seat at the table; it is creating its own table,” actor Denzel Washington is often quoted as saying. Whether in Brazil’s outreach to PM Modi or Canada’s decision to invite India to the G7, the message is the same: India’s global weight is growing.


When Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar welcomes PM Modi in a saree, it reflects the cultural impression India leaves on the world. When Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape touches PM Modi’s feet, it suggests that Indian culture resonates beyond national borders. And when European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says, “When India stabilises, the world also gets stabilised,” it reflects a wider global belief in India’s rise.


For years, India was mocked as a country that “missed the bus”. But, as PM Modi said in Parliament recently, “India today drives the bus, and the world says we should not miss it.” The recent Artificial Intelligence Summit is presented as one more sign of India moving from participant to leader.


In this telling, India is the Prahlad the world is waiting for — and with the strength of its civilisation and culture, it can help make the world better.


Prahlad’s story also contains a second warning: the threat from within. His tormentors are not only external but also familial — a reminder of CDS Bipin Rawat’s “2.5-front war”, with the “0.5 front” coming from inside. In this reading, hostility to PM Modi can harden into narratives that do not merely target a leader but damage India’s image itself.


India, like Prahlad, will rise above both external pressure and internal doubt. For many, this is a defining phase in the nation’s ascent — a civilisation moving with confidence towards Viksit Bharat 2047. Jai Hind.

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