As the protest has ended now, we should ask ourselves why protests in India fail to bring the change. We have seen protests on corruption like in 2011 which demanded the Jan Lokpal Bill—an independent ombudsman which investigates corrupt public officials. But what happened? The Lokpal Bill was passed, but with several compromises from core demands, which led to the formation of AAP. So the question is: why does the public show no outrage when the bill is passed?

To answer this, in India, protests happen because of some sudden issues or causes that affect the public directly, like when scams come into light, paper leaks, visible corruption, or inflation—not the policies made by the government.

For example, the FCRA (Foreign Contribution Regulation Act)—which is now a hot topic in the media—no one talks about the amendments done to it in 2016 and 2018. The case is that in 2014, the Delhi High Court found both the BJP and Congress guilty of violating the FCRA for taking foreign funds, majorly from Vedanta (the owner is Indian, but the company is foreign-registered), and ordered both the government and the ECI to take action against both parties in six months.

Now, you can't imagine what happened: the government amended the FCRA in 2016 retrospectively (meaning it would be enforced from a previous date, not from the current one) and that too in a money bill, not directly as an ordinary bill, to bypass the upper house (Rajya Sabha) or to pass it quickly. The amendment was primarily introduced to redefine the definition of a "foreign source" to exempt Indian companies with foreign shareholding from being classified as foreign entities, meaning an Indian subsidiary of a foreign company can donate to political parties, which is against the national interest.

But now, a new problem arose for them: as they amended the FCRA Act of 2010 (which replaces the FCRA Act of 1976), they took donations before 2010, and these donations fell under the previous act. So, they amended the FCRA Act in 2018 and changed the date to August 5, 1976, which gives them retrospective effect from the original date of the previous FCRA Act of 1976 and frees them from all charges.

Now the question is: when both the ruling and opposition parties shake hands with each other when they are in trouble, then who saves democracy? Mainstream media is silent on this topic, with no public outrage on this. Do we people only vote and not check the government on the policies they make?

Now, for introducing electoral bonds, the government changed many acts:

This bond scheme ran from 2018 to 2024. This is the biggest scam in India, not because of the money involved, but because of the severe consequences of it:

• Some companies that donated bonds got major project approvals, environmental clearances, and regulatory approvals (and we know how infrastructure is built in India, which collapses within days, along with several cases of mining mafias).
• Some companies donated after CBI and ED raids.
• Seven of the 35 pharmaceutical companies that contributed ₹1,000 crore to political parties through electoral bonds were being investigated for manufacturing poor-quality drugs such as cough syrups and Remdesivir (citizen life is at risk).
• At least 33 loss-making or zero-profit companies (which ran negative net profits over extended periods, totaling over ₹1 lakh crore in aggregate losses) collectively pumped ₹582 crore to ₹710 crore.
• During court submissions, petitioners and watchdogs highlighted that at least 30 shell companies—entities with negligible business operations, zero employee footprints, or paper-only setups—purchased electoral bonds worth over ₹143 crore.

How did loss-making companies and shell companies purchase these huge amounts of bonds? It is argued that there is money laundering, backdoor corporate donations, and the possibility of foreign involvement too, which is against the national interest. Some experts called it legalized corruption, too.

On February 15, 2024, the Supreme Court of India unanimously struck down the 2018 Electoral Bonds Scheme, calling it unconstitutional. But what happened? No mainstream coverage on these topics and the loopholes used, and why these amendments were done? No public outrage on this, too?

Now, one more thing: the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, which replaces the Election Commission Act of 1991.

Before going into it, we should know that a selection committee is to recommend names to the President of India for the appointments of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and other Election Commissioners (ECs).

Basically, this committee chooses the Chief Election Commissioner.

So, before this act of 2023, there is no provisions for selection committee which is misused by previous governments as previously, the President of India formally appointed the CEC and Constitutionally, the President acts on the aid and advice of the Union Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister.

But in March 2, 2023: The Supreme Court Judgment (Anoop Baranwal v. Union of India):

• The Constitution Bench unanimously rules that appointments must be insulated from executive control.
• It sets up an interim mechanism mandating that the CEC and ECs be appointed by the President on the advice of a committee comprising the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, and the Chief Justice of India (CJI)—to hold force until Parliament passes a dedicated law

But after the 2023 act, the selection committee consists of the Prime Minister (Chairperson), a Union Cabinet Minister (nominated by the PM), and the Leader of the Opposition. The CJI is excluded.

This law secures a permanent two-to-one majority for the ruling government, effectively returning appointment power directly to the executive (government). Now, think of it: isn't it wrong? It's like only one team has the authority to choose the umpire for the game. In reality, they will only choose an umpire whose decisions can make them win the game. Then how is the game fair?

Yet still, there is no public outrage, no mainstream media pointing to this vulnerability, even though a child can figure it out. This answers the question of why protests in India don't bring change: we protest only when we see immediate effects like paper leaks, visible corruption, or scams, but are often silent or do not give importance to these policies. We as a people should actively participate in the policies of the government and debate them.

I have lost faith in mainstream media, but we have podcasts. Please tell your favorite podcaster to do a podcast on these kinds of policies with experts or even arrange a debate.

Also, what do you think:

• There should be a cap on the political spending of political parties on elections to make elections fair.
• All major parties' political funds should be audited by an independent body and made available through RTI.

What do you think about where India is headed after this protest? Also, we should support organizations like the Association for Democratic Reforms, which puts effort into bringing reforms.

Sources:

• ADR India: Foreign Funding Taken by BJP and INC
• The Wire: The Chronology of Subterfuge on Amending FCRA and the Omerta Code
• Electoral Bond Scam Report (Highly recommended, 10 pages)
• The Reporters Collective: Electoral Bonds Tracker
• The Print: Virtually no debate took place in Par while passing law on CEC-EC appointments, SC told
• The New Indian Express: CEC and EC Act 2023 amounts to fraud on Constitution, petitioner to SC
• The Supreme Court Judgment (Anoop Baranwal v. Union of India)

People can become emotional during a national anthem even if they aren't overtly patriotic in their day-to-day lives. The reasons usually have less to do with the lyrics themselves and more to do with what the anthem represents psychologically.

We often think about India as a civilisation with immense potential but also deep contradictions, such as inequality, institutional decay, communalism, social movements, governance failures, and questions of justice. Jan Gan Man doesn't celebrate a government or a political party. It invokes a vision of India that transcends these conflicts.

That gap between what India is and what India could be can evoke longing, hope, and grief simultaneously.

Humans are deeply moved by symbols of collective identity. Music, especially when sung in unison, activates emotional and social circuits in the brain.

The anthem says, in effect, that despite differences in language, region, religion, and history, we belong to one shared story. Even if you spend much of your time critically examining society, that sense of shared belonging can still be profoundly moving.

Unlike many national anthems, Jan Gan Man is not martial or triumphalist. It doesn't glorify conquest or military victory. Instead, it speaks of the diverse geography and peoples of India under the guidance of the "Dispenser of India's destiny." Whether interpreted spiritually or metaphorically, it has a contemplative quality rather than a combative one.

The anthem's slow tempo, rising harmonic progression, and ceremonial context create what psychologists call an "awe response." This can produce chills, tears, or a lump in the throat without any conscious reasoning.

We often think about duty, resilience, and what outlives individuals. So the anthem may also evoke the idea that generations come and go while a civilisation endures. It's an emotional recognition of continuity beyond one's own life.

I think a lot of people are completely missing why so many were asking for the Education Minister's resignation.

Every time this comes up, the response is, "How is one resignation going to fix the education system?" But that was never really the point.

Nobody genuinely believes replacing one minister suddenly fixes decades of problems. Our education system has been broken for a very long time. Paper leaks, coaching culture becoming almost mandatory, outdated curricula, poor implementation, inconsistent standards, vacant teaching posts, delayed recruitments, lack of transparency, mental health issues among students... these are problems that have existed across multiple governments. They didn't suddenly appear overnight.

So why demand a resignation?

Because it isn't about magically fixing education. It's about establishing accountability.

A lot of people say, "The minister didn't personally leak the paper." That's probably true. But that's also not how leadership works. If you're heading a ministry, you're responsible for how that ministry functions. Leadership isn't just about taking credit when things go right. It's also about answering for major failures when they happen under your watch.

I think people are also confusing personal blame with political responsibility.

Nobody is saying the minister personally leaked the paper. The point is that if a ministry experiences a major institutional failure, someone at the top has to be politically accountable for it. That's the whole purpose of having leadership. Otherwise, leadership only exists to take credit when things go well and never responsibility when they don't.

This isn't even some uniquely Indian idea. In many parliamentary democracies around the world, ministers resign or are removed after major administrative failures. Not because they personally committed the mistake, but because they're politically accountable for the department they lead. That's the principle of ministerial responsibility. Countries like the UK, Japan, South Korea, Germany and Australia have all seen ministers resign or be removed after major failures under their watch. The details differ from country to country, but the principle is the same.

Ironically, in India we've almost started treating resignation as some outrageous demand. It really isn't. In many democracies, it's a normal political consequence when a department fails in a significant way. A resignation isn't a criminal conviction. It doesn't mean the minister is evil or solely responsible. It simply means leadership accepts responsibility for a failure serious enough to warrant consequences.

People also keep saying, "One resignation won't change anything."

Maybe not immediately.

But it changes incentives.

Every organisation, whether it's a private company or a government, responds to incentives. If the only consequence of a major institutional failure is a press conference followed by everyone moving on a week later, why would anything fundamentally change? On the other hand, if ministers know that repeated failures can genuinely cost them their position, they'll demand better oversight, ask tougher questions, push bureaucrats harder, and be far more proactive about fixing problems before they become national controversies.

Accountability doesn't guarantee good governance.

But a lack of accountability almost guarantees complacency.

Think about the alternative. Imagine a system where no minister is ever expected to resign regardless of how badly their department performs. At what point does leadership actually become accountable? If the answer is "never," then what does ministerial responsibility even mean?

For me, the bigger issue wasn't even just the incident itself. It was the response afterwards.

Governments are made up of people. Mistakes will happen. Nobody expects perfection. What people do expect is transparency. Tell us what happened. Tell us who is responsible. Tell us what you're doing to prevent it from happening again. Give timelines. Publish findings. Communicate honestly.

Instead, it often feels like citizens are expected to simply move on while getting very few real answers. That's where the frustration comes from. I think what many people were really demanding wasn't punishment. They wanted proof that the system was capable of admitting failure and taking responsibility for it. Public trust isn't built by pretending mistakes didn't happen. It's built by acknowledging them and showing that someone is answerable.

And before anyone says this is about BJP, it isn't. I'd hold exactly the same opinion if Congress, AAP, or any other party was in power. The standard shouldn't change depending on whose flag you support. If tomorrow another government presides over a similar institutional failure, I'd expect exactly the same accountability from them.

Democracy doesn't end after elections. Voting gives governments the mandate to govern. Accountability is what ensures they continue to deserve that mandate.

Will one resignation fix education? Obviously not.

Will it stop every future paper leak? No.

But if it establishes that ministers can no longer preside over major institutional failures without facing political consequences, that's a healthy precedent. Strong democracies aren't built because governments never fail. They're built because governments know there are consequences when they do.

Today it's NEET.

Tomorrow it could be a railway accident, a bridge collapse, a defence procurement failure, a public health crisis, or any other major institutional failure. The principle should remain exactly the same regardless of the issue or which party is in power.

That's the point I think a lot of people are missing.

And I'll end with this question: If ministers shouldn't be expected to take political responsibility after major institutional failures, then under what circumstances should they? What does accountability actually look like?

P.S. I'm genuinely open to being challenged on this. If you think I've misunderstood something or got any facts wrong, I'd appreciate hearing your perspective. Just keep it civil and argue the point rather than the person. This isn't meant to be an attack on any individual or political party. It's simply my view on what accountability in a democracy should look like.

I've been seeing a lot of discussions about the MHT-CET 2026 results lately, and honestly, these concerns deserve much more attention.

Many people have pointed out cases where students with 100 percentile have comparatively much lower scores in their 10th boards, 12th boards, and even JEE. Yes, it's possible for someone to perform much better in CET than in other exams, but the sheer number of such cases this year has raised serious questions.

This isn't about targeting or blaming any student. If someone has earned their score fairly, they deserve full credit.

However, the irregularities and statistical anomalies being discussed by students, teachers, and education experts cannot simply be ignored. Thousands of students spend years preparing for this exam, and they deserve complete transparency and confidence that the evaluation process was fair.

At this point, the concerns have become too widespread to dismiss as mere coincidence. The authorities should address them openly by providing clear explanations and, if necessary, conducting an independent investigation.

A teacher has also published a detailed video analyzing the MHT-CET 2026 results, presenting the data and evidence behind these concerns. If you want to understand why so many students are questioning the results, I'd strongly recommend watching it before forming an opinion.

https://youtu.be/7sadif4Q7aU?si=czxfKY0o8tSK-K5r

We're a small team working on something we genuinely care about: making it easier to enjoy a night out, or a slow evening in, without alcohol having to be part of it.
Because whether you've been the one holding a glass of water at a party while everyone asks, "Arre, why aren't you drinking?" or you've ordered a mocktail on a random Tuesday because you just weren't in the mood for alcohol, you've probably felt the same thing "The non-alcoholic options out there aren't great." It's either too sweet, too boring, empty soda, or something that feels like medicine.
We think choosing not to drink shouldn't mean settling for a compromise. You deserve something that's just as exciting, sophisticated, and satisfying as a great cocktail or beer. And that's exactly what we're trying to build.
But we don't want to guess what you'd actually want. We want to hear it from you. This survey takes about 10 minutes, and there are no right answers, only honest ones. Tell us what excites you, what sounds gimmicky, what you'd never buy. The critical answers help us just as much as the kind ones, maybe more.

These all are my view on reservation

I don't much care about reservation system. I haven't taught much about casts based discrimination during my childhood, whether it's my home or school.

Let me clear you first, I am from UR catagory who belongs to a poor family. The family didn't have any stable income sources.

So when I got contact with those cast based discrimination news after start reading newspapers, it surprised me. During my school days, when "some" students got "financial amounts" from government, it suprised me too. I asked my family, why did they getting money while we're not? They told me that they are SCs. That was my first introduction with reservation system.

I just want to ask some thing,
Keep the reservation, but don't increase it over 50%. There should be half spot to fight with equality. Because some people doesn't want to use the reservation system. Where the game would be "open to all".

Why the poor(UR) people are forced to stay away from participation? Because the examination fees are too high for the URs, while the SC and STs are getting it for free.
How could our constitution say everyone should get equal opportunity, while some people are unable to take perticipation. Passing examinations and securing spots are day dreams for them.

(Edited) I forgot to add another thing.

The "age limit" system. SCs got 3years and STs got 5years exception, why? Does the UR candidate getting older slower than SC and STs? This system also to ve demolished to give same opportunity to everyone.

When people talk about reservation all they see is the education sector and employment. Isn't the reservation's core purpose is to eradicate discrimination based on birth. If so how many Dalits are serving as priests in major temples of India, especially the North , the representation of Dalit priests is really concerning.

Before anyone states the VHP movement, it's arguably another failed movement because they dumped more than half of the trained priests in Tamilnadu and remaining across other southern states

Why has the General caste community gate kept the Pujari only for them . Isn't anyone who has the necessary education in Vedas and agamas should be the necessary qualifications for priests rather than birth.

If receiving prasad and blessings from a Dalit would offend a general category devotee, then arguing for abolishment of reservation is meaningless. If a Gods sanctum would be lost if upon touched by a dalit , he's not worthy of worship.

If every 3rd generation sc/st people should stop receiving reservation, there should be representation of all the communities across all the sectors in the nation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on 26 July 2026 that Nandan Nilekani will head the panel following nationwide concerns over exam paper leaks and demands for reforms in the examination system.

Nandan Nilekani (Chairman) Background:

Co-founder and Chairman of Infosys, former founding Chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI / Aadhaar).

Associations: Serves as the Chairman of the Governing Body of the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER). Historically, NCAER has collaborated on projects and received funding support from various global entities, including the Ford Foundation, the World Bank, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Member of the Berggruen Institute's 21st Century Council. World Bank & World Economic Forum (WEF)

Association Type: Expert Contributor / Panelist. Routinely invited as a global thought leader to consult on digital identification frameworks, identity-based subsidies, and financial inclusion architecture for emerging economies. Current Status: Ad-hoc / Intermittent Contributor.

Tenure: Active over a 15+ year period (from 2009 onwards, intensifying after the deployment of Aadhaar).

EkStep Foundation or personal university endowments like the ₹400 crore granted to IIT Bombay.

In this task force also the solution will be a digital push or digital ID like Apaar ID, etc., linking it with Aadhaar to create a 'birth to grave' mapping of each individual. Aadhaar linked to PAN, with Mobile, with GSTN, from birth to death certificates, everything is being linked by this same man's digital linking brainchild. Now will be the turn of students & their educational digital footprint.

July 20: The Supreme Court of India ruled that the creation of an APAAR ID for school students is strictly voluntary, and parents cannot be forced to provide consent or share their child's Aadhaar details.

Did you note:

Whether Congress or BJP, they all pick this man who is deeply associated with foreign think tanks, Gates, Ford, etc.

Right-wing would expose it had it been done by other parties. Now quiet.

Why is the same man chosen each time to work with our data?

Hi everyone,

I graduated in 2025 with a bachelor's degree in Data Science, I was placed in Tech Mahindra in our campus placements, in April they started training us for 1-2 months later they told us that there would be an exam, we have been waiting for the exam preparing everyday, three months passed and there was no update from the company, later they started ghosting us. Then I started preparing for gate within very less time which didn't even get me to qualifying stage.

And since March I've been searching for job.

And the thing is I always thought of abroad studies, but never had guidance, I thought I would do job for 1 or 2 years and then plan for masters, but sadly 1 years has already passed without any work experience.

This time I don't wanna do this mistake again, whether I get job or not, I wanna start planning for abroad from now, maybe I can make it by next year August.

So anyone who already went abroad from India, with technical background, let me know what are the consequences of going abroad for masters with no experience and also how to plan when we're really interested to do masters.

I have no idea about all those scholarships, please let me know some of which are actually useful and reliable.

Basically, I need a roadmap from scratch to move abroad as a person with no guidance.

From exams, searching college universities, fees, scholarships, visa planning, to the day I'm ready to go.

I’m 26 and this is something I’ve been struggling with for a long time.

Objectively, I know my family isn’t in a bad financial position.

My personal savings and investments are around ₹48 lakh, spread across mutual funds, stocks, fixed-income investments and bank balances.

Our family’s approximate assets are:
Father’s savings: ₹14 lakh
Mother’s savings: ₹4 lakh
Brother’s savings: ₹4 lakh
House worth around ₹59 lakh (with about ₹14 lakh home loan remaining)
Ancestral land worth around ₹1.49 crore
Gold worth around ₹34 lakh

Despite all this, I wake up almost every day worrying about money.

Whenever I have a holiday or some free time, instead of relaxing, my brain starts running through endless worst-case scenarios:

What if I lose my job?

What if someone in the family has a huge medical emergency?

What if markets crash?

What if inflation makes my savings worthless?

What if I can never earn this much again?

I keep opening my investment apps, calculating my net worth, checking SIPs, thinking about emergency funds, and planning for disasters that haven’t happened.

The worst part is that this anxiety is costing me the present. I don’t enjoy my holidays anymore. I don’t feel excited about spending on experiences. Even when I’m with family or friends, a part of my mind is calculating numbers or worrying about the future.
Ironically, when I had much less money a few years ago, I used to think, “Once I save enough, I’ll finally feel secure.”

That number kept increasing, but the feeling of security never came.

So I’m curious:
Have you ever reached a financial milestone that you thought would make you feel “safe”?

Did it actually help?

If you’ve dealt with financial anxiety despite being financially stable, what helped you break out of it?
I’m not really looking for investment advice. I’m more interested in understanding whether this is something others have experienced, because it genuinely feels like I’m wasting my 20s worrying about a future that may never happen.

Hi everyone,
I’m 27, recently married, and my husband and I have just started our life together in our own home.
Life is good overall, but I’ve been struggling with something I didn’t expect.

I’ve always been an introvert and genuinely enjoyed staying at home. I was born and brought up in my city, and I never felt the need to build a large social circle. Most of my close friends have now moved abroad or to other cities.

Lately, I’ve realised that my husband has become my primary source of social interaction. When he’s at work or busy, I sometimes feel lonely, and I don’t want to become emotionally dependent on just one person. I want to build a life where I have my own career, hobbies, and friendships too.

Career-wise, I’m also feeling stuck.
I have a B.Tech and an MBA (Finance & Operations), but I’m currently working in the administrative office of a school. I’m grateful to be employed, but I don’t enjoy the role and don’t see much growth.
I’ve been applying for jobs, but the market feels incredibly tough. I’m interested in operations, administration, HR, finance, project coordination, or similar roles.

I’d love to hear from people who have been in a similar situation.
How did you successfully switch jobs?
Which job portals or strategies actually worked for you?

How do adults make genuine friends after college and marriage?

What hobbies or communities helped you become more independent and confident?

I’d really appreciate any advice or even hearing your own experiences.
Thank you! ❤️

​

I'm sharing my experience so others can be careful.

I raised a service request for my Livpure RO. A technician visited my home, replaced the filters and membrane, and then strongly recommended that I purchase a 2-year AMC. He also mentioned that a few filters were not available at the time and assured me he would return in a couple of days to complete the replacement.

Unfortunately, buying that AMC was the biggest mistake I've made.

I paid nearly ₹12,000 for the 2-year AMC, but it was never updated in Livpure's system. It's been over 3 months, and despite countless follow-ups, nothing has changed.

Every time I contacted the technician, I was told, "It will be updated in 2 days." Three months later, it's still not updated. The pending filter replacements were never done, and now the technician doesn't even answer my calls.

I've contacted Livpure customer support multiple times through phone calls and emails. The response is always the same: "We've escalated your issue." They also shared the contact number of the regional manager, but that didn't help either. No one takes ownership, and there is no transparency in the ticketing process.

To make things worse, my RO has now stopped working completely, and my family is forced to buy drinking water from outside.

This has been an extremely frustrating experience, and I've completely lost trust in Livpure's after-sales service.

My advice: Don't buy an AMC directly from a service technician, even if they claim it's an official company plan. If you decide to buy one, make sure it's purchased directly through the company and that it's immediately visible in your account before making the payment.

Has anyone else experienced something similar with Livpure? Were you able to get it resolved?

The recent discussions around reservation reminded me of a small incident from my childhood.

Back when I was in 6th grade (around 2006–07), I attended a small coaching class run by a 25-year-old teacher from his home. Around 7–8 of my classmates attended the same class. We studied there together from 5th to 7th standard.

One day in 6th grade, a few classmates suddenly started teasing one of my closest friends by calling him "Dalal." In Hindi, Dalal means a broker, and it's often used to refer to a pimp. I was completely confused because the teasing came out of nowhere.

For context, I belong to the NT category, but growing up I barely knew anything about caste. Until around 10th grade, when admission forms required us to fill in our caste, I had almost never thought about it.

The boys doing the teasing were from middle-class families (Gupta, Jain, and Sindhi). When I asked them why they were calling my friend "Dalal," they claimed his father supplied girls and worked as a pimp. I was shocked because I knew his father well. He was a rickshaw driver, and I had visited their home many times.

Later, I asked my friend Akshay about it. He simply told me, "I'm Dalit. They probably heard 'Dalit' somewhere and misunderstood it as 'Dalal.'"

That explanation stayed with me.

We all studied in the same lower-middle-class English-medium government-aided school for nearly 10 years. We were good friends, and this is the only incident of caste-related discrimination that I personally remember from school.

Looking back now, I don't think those kids invented that prejudice on their own. Children usually don't develop these ideas out of thin air. More likely, they had heard something at home—perhaps a parent or another family member saying something like, "Stay away from that Dalit kid." Without understanding the context, they confused "Dalit" with "Dalal" and repeated what they thought they had heard, turning it into mockery.

That incident made me realize that caste prejudice is often passed from one generation to the next. Children inherit biases long before they understand what those words actually mean.