How effective is the Indian polity in making laws and policies to address changing ground realiti... more How effective is the Indian polity in making laws and policies to address changing ground realities? How do its gears work? Which stakeholder groups are more successful in bringing about policy change, through what methods, and in what contexts? Seeking to answer these questions, Shaping Policy in India takes a close look at nine landmark Indian laws and legislative attempts to reveal the socio-political process of policy formulation in the world’s largest democracy. Offering in-depth accounts of the evolution of these nine major legislations, this book interrogates the suitability of existing political theories to explain the policy development process in an emerging economy like India. It covers recent events in the 1999–2014 period that have underlined the role of non-government players in law-making in India, as well as long-standing movements like right to information, right to education, and food security. Case studies have been used to assess the complexity against the relief...
The Background Note examines the regulatory framework for private, self-financed technical instit... more The Background Note examines the regulatory framework for private, self-financed technical institutions, which primarily teach engineering courses. It also analyses the role of the regulatory bodies to promote quality education, enhance accessibility, curb capitation fees and provide access to reliable information to students. Finally, it evaluates the various policy options to improve the regulatory mechanism of private technical institutions.
While the Bill promotes the activities of MFOs, there are differing opinions on the cost efficien... more While the Bill promotes the activities of MFOs, there are differing opinions on the cost efficiency of the MFO model. NABARD is designated as the regulator of the micro financial sector. However, its dual role as a key participant in the sector and the regulator could lead to conflict of interest. Banks and deposit taking Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) have to comply with Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) prudential norms designed to safeguard depositors’ funds. While the Bill enables NABARD to prescribe norms for MFOs, it specifies some norms which are less stringent than for banks and NBFCs. Unlike banks regulated by RBI, the Bill does not exempt registered MFOs from the Usurious Loans Act, 1918 or state laws which cap interest rates. The Bill defines “micro financial services†to include insurance and pension services without specifying to whom such services are to be provided. This implies that every insurance and pension company would be regulated by NABARD.
This paper studies the circumstances surrounding the setting up of the National Investigation Age... more This paper studies the circumstances surrounding the setting up of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) after the 2008 Mumbai attacks and the proposal to set up the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC). The NIA was established through a rare consensus among the parties due to the timing but the setting up of NCTC got stalled due to opposition of the states. From a policy perspective, such a study would provide a window to understanding the mechanisms that can be created to allow for greater cooperation between states and the centre where there is a pan-Indian aspect to a “law and order” problem. Section I shall give an overview of evolution of India’s federal structure and its key features. Section II shall explain the demarcation of powers between the centre and the states regarding security issues and discuss the differing circumstances that contributed to the setting up of the NIA but stalled the NCTC. Section III shall discuss possible mechanisms for overcoming the resistance of state governments on security issues that have a pan-Indian character.
The impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on every aspect of our lives is inevitable and already... more The impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on every aspect of our lives is inevitable and already being felt in numerous ways. Countries are grappling with the opportunities and challenges that AI presents. Among the South Asian countries, India has taken a lead in promoting and regulating AI. However, it lags significantly behind countries such as China or the United States. This article explores India’s AI ecosystem, the threats and challenges it faces, and the ethical issues it needs to consider. Finally, it examines the common concerns among South Asian nations and the possibility of coming together to promote and regulate AI in the region. JEL: Z: Z0: Z000
The main objectives of the Bill are: (a) to introduce a single statute relating to food, and (b) ... more The main objectives of the Bill are: (a) to introduce a single statute relating to food, and (b) to provide for scientific development of the food processing industry. The Bill aims to establish a single reference point for all matters relating to food safety and standards, by moving from multi-level, multi-departmental control to a single line of command. It incorporates the salient provisions of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act 1954 and is based on international egislations, instrumentalities and Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex).
The requirement for legislative approval of financial measures is a democratic instrument enshrin... more The requirement for legislative approval of financial measures is a democratic instrument enshrined in the Indian Constitution. However, there is a sharp disconnect between the formal power and the actual budgetary role of the legislature. This article proposes that Parliament take the initiative in establishing a Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO), which would strengthen the former in carrying out its role of financial oversight. A PBO will help strengthen regulatory oversight of fiscal decisions of the government.
How effective is the Indian polity in making laws and policies to address changing ground realiti... more How effective is the Indian polity in making laws and policies to address changing ground realities? How do its gears work? Which stakeholder groups are more successful in bringing about policy change, through what methods, and in what contexts? Seeking to answer these questions, Shaping Policy in India takes a close look at nine landmark Indian laws and legislative attempts to reveal the socio-political process of policy formulation in the world’s largest democracy. Offering in-depth accounts of the evolution of these nine major legislations, this book interrogates the suitability of existing political theories to explain the policy development process in an emerging economy like India. It covers recent events in the 1999–2014 period that have underlined the role of non-government players in law-making in India, as well as long-standing movements like right to information, right to education, and food security. Case studies have been used to assess the complexity against the relief...
The Background Note examines the regulatory framework for private, self-financed technical instit... more The Background Note examines the regulatory framework for private, self-financed technical institutions, which primarily teach engineering courses. It also analyses the role of the regulatory bodies to promote quality education, enhance accessibility, curb capitation fees and provide access to reliable information to students. Finally, it evaluates the various policy options to improve the regulatory mechanism of private technical institutions.
While the Bill promotes the activities of MFOs, there are differing opinions on the cost efficien... more While the Bill promotes the activities of MFOs, there are differing opinions on the cost efficiency of the MFO model. NABARD is designated as the regulator of the micro financial sector. However, its dual role as a key participant in the sector and the regulator could lead to conflict of interest. Banks and deposit taking Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) have to comply with Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) prudential norms designed to safeguard depositors’ funds. While the Bill enables NABARD to prescribe norms for MFOs, it specifies some norms which are less stringent than for banks and NBFCs. Unlike banks regulated by RBI, the Bill does not exempt registered MFOs from the Usurious Loans Act, 1918 or state laws which cap interest rates. The Bill defines “micro financial services†to include insurance and pension services without specifying to whom such services are to be provided. This implies that every insurance and pension company would be regulated by NABARD.
This paper studies the circumstances surrounding the setting up of the National Investigation Age... more This paper studies the circumstances surrounding the setting up of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) after the 2008 Mumbai attacks and the proposal to set up the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC). The NIA was established through a rare consensus among the parties due to the timing but the setting up of NCTC got stalled due to opposition of the states. From a policy perspective, such a study would provide a window to understanding the mechanisms that can be created to allow for greater cooperation between states and the centre where there is a pan-Indian aspect to a “law and order” problem. Section I shall give an overview of evolution of India’s federal structure and its key features. Section II shall explain the demarcation of powers between the centre and the states regarding security issues and discuss the differing circumstances that contributed to the setting up of the NIA but stalled the NCTC. Section III shall discuss possible mechanisms for overcoming the resistance of state governments on security issues that have a pan-Indian character.
The impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on every aspect of our lives is inevitable and already... more The impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on every aspect of our lives is inevitable and already being felt in numerous ways. Countries are grappling with the opportunities and challenges that AI presents. Among the South Asian countries, India has taken a lead in promoting and regulating AI. However, it lags significantly behind countries such as China or the United States. This article explores India’s AI ecosystem, the threats and challenges it faces, and the ethical issues it needs to consider. Finally, it examines the common concerns among South Asian nations and the possibility of coming together to promote and regulate AI in the region. JEL: Z: Z0: Z000
The main objectives of the Bill are: (a) to introduce a single statute relating to food, and (b) ... more The main objectives of the Bill are: (a) to introduce a single statute relating to food, and (b) to provide for scientific development of the food processing industry. The Bill aims to establish a single reference point for all matters relating to food safety and standards, by moving from multi-level, multi-departmental control to a single line of command. It incorporates the salient provisions of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act 1954 and is based on international egislations, instrumentalities and Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex).
The requirement for legislative approval of financial measures is a democratic instrument enshrin... more The requirement for legislative approval of financial measures is a democratic instrument enshrined in the Indian Constitution. However, there is a sharp disconnect between the formal power and the actual budgetary role of the legislature. This article proposes that Parliament take the initiative in establishing a Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO), which would strengthen the former in carrying out its role of financial oversight. A PBO will help strengthen regulatory oversight of fiscal decisions of the government.
The paper studies the structural issues that hamper the legislature's oversight role over the exe... more The paper studies the structural issues that hamper the legislature's oversight role over the executive.
This Background Note for the Conference on Effective Legislatures provides an overview of the rul... more This Background Note for the Conference on Effective Legislatures provides an overview of the rules regarding conflict of interest issues that may arise in Parliament.
The Background Note examines the regulatory framework for private, self-financed technical instit... more The Background Note examines the regulatory framework for private, self-financed technical institutions, which primarily teach engineering courses. It also analyses the role of the regulatory bodies to promote quality education, enhance accessibility, curb capitation fees and provide access to reliable information to students. Finally, it evaluates the various policy options to improve the regulatory mechanism of private technical institutions.
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