Avsnitt
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NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) is a high stakes, high pressure exam that can make or mar the careers and fortunes of entire families. At least 14-NEET-linked suicides were reported this year, and the Tamil Nadu government’s official position is that NEET should be scrapped.
Is a highly centralised MCQ-format exam the best way to assess the merit of a medical education aspirant?
In Part 1 of this series, we looked at whether NEET as a system is aligned with India’s social goals. In the second episode, we unpack NEET’s relationship with merit.
Joining us today is Professor T Sundararaman, a public health expert based in Puducherry.
Host: G Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu
Producer: Shiksha Jural
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In January 2017, when FIFA expanded the World Cup to 48 teams, starting with the 2026 edition, there were mixed feelings. Many welcomed the move, arguing that the flagship event of the planet’s most popular sport should have more than just 32 outfits. But there was criticism too, for many felt that the increase would dilute the quality of football.
What does evidence from the ongoing World Cup in North America say? Here we discuss the question.
Guests: Pradhyum Reddy and Lallianzuala Chhangte
Host: N. Sudarshan
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) is a high stakes, high pressure exam that can make or mar the careers and fortunes of entire families. At least 14-NEET-linked suicides were reported this year, and the Tamil Nadu government’s official position is that NEET should be scrapped.
Much of the recent commentary on NEET has focussed on the paper leak. But larger questions remain: Is NEET, and India’s medical education system, aligned with the nation’s social and public health goals? In a country with one of the world’s lowest doctor-patient ratios, shouldn’t medical education be more accessible to the poor and marginalised? Should NEET be replaced with something more relevant to India’s social realities?
We explore these questions in a three-part series. Joining us in Part 1 is Professor T Sundararaman, a public health expert based in Puducherry.
Host: G Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu
Producer: Shiksha Jural
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Every time a major industrial accident occurs, compensation is announced, inquiry committees are formed and investigations begin. Yet similar tragedies continue to recur across factories, warehouses, construction sites and industrial establishments.Recent weeks alone have seen the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant explosion, the collapse of an under-construction warehouse in Kolkata, septic tank deaths in Delhi and an ammonia leak in Tiruvallur. While each incident has its own immediate cause, they also point to deeper structural problems in occupational safety, regulation and enforcement.Adding to these concerns are significant gaps in accident reporting itself. Official datasets maintained by different government agencies often do not match, several States do not consistently report industrial accidents, inspection rates have declined and key regulatory bodies continue to face staff shortages.In this episode, we examine why industrial accidents continue to recur despite an extensive legal framework. We discuss the role of inspections, data collection, contractor safety, institutional coordination and the reforms needed to move from reacting to disasters to preventing them in the first place.
Guest: Dr. V. Ramana Dhara, Occupational Medicine expert
Host: Devyanshi Bihani
Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian
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In this episode, we have a conversation with Neha Lodha, a a Senior Resident Fellow at the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, where she leads research and policy work on financial, economic, and corporate laws. We spoke about the future of social security in India, examining whether the country's pension framework is keeping pace with an ageing population. The conversation explores the constitutional obligations of the State, the shrinking value of the Centre's ₹200 pension, and whether millions of elderly Indians are being excluded from welfare through outdated eligibility rules.
Guest: Neha Lodha, a Senior Resident Fellow at the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy
Host: Nitika Francis
Producer: Shiksha Jural
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From a historic election victory to an early exit from Downing Street, Starmer's resignation highlights the growing challenges facing Britain's political system. In this video we discuss Labour's future, the race for new leadership, economic pressures, public services, and the implications for India-U.K. relations.
Guest: Sriram Lakshman, Foreign Correspondent, The Hindu
Host: Smriti Sudesh
Edited and produced by Jude Weston and Sharmada Venkatasubramanian
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With Wimbledon 2026 set to start this Monday, there have been three hot topics of discussion: who will make the most of Carlos Alcaraz’s absence, can Jannik Sinner withstand the hot conditions, and Serena Williams’ return to the singles draw through a wild card.
We speak with former professional player and coach of India’s Davis Cup team, Nandan Bal.
Host: G Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu
Producer: Shiksha Jural
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While merchant ships across the world have been manned by Indian seafarers, officers, engineers and crew for years, recent conflicts have suddenly brought Indian seafarers into focus. A recent flashpoint was when the U.S. attacked three ships allegedly carrying Iranian cargo, on the grounds that they were sanctioned vessels. Three Indian seafarers were killed in those attacks.
More recently, when the British detained a Russian-linked vessel that was supposedly under Western sanctions in the English Channel, the Indian captain was arrested. This raises an important question: should Indian seafarers continue serving on these so-called sanctioned ships?
Guests: Ajith SukumaranRetd. Additional Director General of Shipping; Biswanath GuptaAssociate Professor, Jindal Global Law School
Host: M. Kalyanaraman
Producer: Jude Weston
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Coach Pradhyum Reddy shares insights on Lionel Messi's late-career exploits at the FIFA World Cup, and how players like him and Cristiano Ronaldo continue to break records at their age
Lionel Messi has spent nearly two decades rewriting football’s record books. Yet, four years after finally lifting the World Cup with Argentina, the 39-year-old is once again captivating fans on football’s biggest stage and adding new milestones to his extraordinary career.
In this episode of In Focus, we look at Messi’s evolution from the Barcelona superstar who dominated European football to the Argentina icon who conquered the international game. We also discuss his latest World Cup record, what has changed in his game and leadership over the years, and how he has continued to perform at the highest level alongside Cristiano Ronaldo well into his late 30s. The conversation also explores what young footballers in India can learn from Messi’s journey and reflects on the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Guest: Pradhyum Reddy, football coach and commentator
Host: Reuben Joe Joseph
Producer: Shiksha Jural
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The term ‘polycrisis’ denotes a scenario where multiple crises occur at the same time. A new book titled ‘India Out of Work: Rethinking India’s Growth Story’, written by two economists, Santosh Mehrotra and Jajati Parida, argues that India is facing a polycrisis -- a structural economic crisis, an employment crisis, and the education system crisis, and looming overall of all of these, a potential demographic crisis.
How did India land up in a polycrisis and what is the way out?
Guest: Santosh Mehrotra, a professor of economics who has worked with the Planning Commission and the United Nations
Host: G Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu
Producer and editor: Jude Weston
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The first round of direct US-Iran talks has concluded in Bürgenstock, Switzerland, marking a major diplomatic development in the West Asia. Mediated by Qatar and Pakistan, the negotiations come as U.S. President Donald Trump pursues a dual-track strategy: engaging Tehran through diplomacy while keeping the threat of military action firmly on the table. But the talks have raised difficult questions in Israel.
In this podcast episode, we examine Israel's growing strategic dilemma and more.
Guest: Stanly Johny, International Affairs Editor, The Hindu
Host: Smriti Sudesh
Producer and editor: Jude Weston
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A discussion with Srinivasan Ramani on the controversies surrounding the 2026 World Cup, FIFA President Gianni Infantino's response and what ‘sportswashing’ looks like in this edition.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has delivered dramatic matches, surprise results and compelling storylines. But beyond the football, the tournament has also become a flashpoint for debates about geopolitics, immigration and access. Iran's participation has been overshadowed by the fallout of a wider regional conflict, while visa denials and travel restrictions have raised questions about who gets to be part of football's biggest global event.
As the United States hosts the tournament alongside Mexico and Canada, critics have accused FIFA of failing to uphold its own message that football "unites the world". Has the Iranian contingent been treated fairly? Is this World Cup one of the least accessible for global fans in the tournament’s history? What will the legacy of this edition be for the game? And has FIFA done enough to push back against the terms dictated by a host nation?
Guest: Srinivasan Ramani, Deputy National Editor, The Hindu
Host: Reuben Joe Joseph
Producer: Shiksha Jural
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Romila Thapar, an extraordinary scholar known for shaping our understanding of ancient Indian history, and for instituting critical inquiry at the heart of Indian historiography, has come out with an expansive memoir, titled ‘Just Being’.
In this special edition of InFocus-Weekend, she speaks about her new book, the past, the present, and traces the role and impact of Hindutva in India’s present back to its roots in discredited colonial theories.
Host: G Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu
Producer: Shiksha Jural
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Cough syrup is in the news again. Earlier this week, the Central government notified an amendment to the Drugs Rules of 1945. Under this amendment, the sale of cough syrups is only permitted at licensed pharmacies. Earlier, the sale of certain cough syrups was permitted over the counter in retail outlets in villages with small populations of less than 1,000 people, where licensed pharmacies may not have existed. This has now been changed to strengthen regulatory oversight. This means that cough syrups everywhere can be sold only at licensed pharmacies and with a doctor’s prescription, not over the counter. This comes just months after the tragic deaths of 24 children in Madhya Pradesh, who died after consuming cough syrup adulterated with diethylene glycol.
The question however is how far this will go to solve the problem of cough syrups in India. Are the vast majority of cough syrups available rational medications and how and when should they be used? Should the other end of the system – granting of permissions to manufacture cough syrups and mechanisms to ensure they are completely safe not also be strengthened? Is there a need for health education when it comes to over the counter medicines?
Guest: Dr. Anant Phadke who is with the All India Drug Action Network, a national network that advocates for rational and affordable drug policies in India
Host: Zubeda Hamid
Producer: Jude Francis Weston
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India is witnessing an unprecedented expansion in higher education. Over the past decade, thousands of new colleges and universities have been established, producing millions of graduates every year. Yet unemployment of the educated remains a growing concern. Nearly one in three graduates are unemployed. Is India producing more graduates than what the economy can absorb? Here, we discuss the question.Guests: Rajan Wadhera, Former President, Automotive Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra; O. R. S. Rao, Vice-Chancellor, ICFAI University, SikkimHost: M. KalyanaramanLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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When someone says ‘sex work’ in India, what do you assume? That it is illegal and that everyone involved in it is probably a victim of trafficking? The reality however, is far more nuanced. An adult engaging in voluntary sex work is not a crime in India. Running a brothel, public solicitation, other activities connected to sex work and human trafficking, however, are crimes. About two weeks ago, the Supreme Court delivered a landmark judgement hinged on this distinction spelling out clearly that a voluntary sex worker could not be treated in the same manner as a trafficked victim. It said that a raid cannot now sweep up all women found in red light area and confines them in protection homes – it must determine if she is a victim of trafficking or a voluntary worker and that the woman’s consent must be the primary consideration when it comes to rehabilitation.
What does this judgement mean for sex work in India? Do our laws on sex work need to change? Why does rescue and rehabilitation in India invariably mean confinement in a home and how do other countries navigate this?
Guest: Prof. Prabha Kotiswaran, Professor of Law and Social Justice at King’s College, London
Host: Zubeda Hamid
Producer: Jude Francis Weston
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Last week, OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, confidentially filed for an initial public offering in the United States. With a valuation of more than $850 billion, it could become one of the largest tech listings ever.
The move marks a significant milestone for a company that began in 2015 as a not for profit research lab. In 2022, ChatGPT was launched, and the company changed its structure and attached a for-profit entity.
That change did not please everyone. Elon Musk, who helped fund OpenAI in its early years before falling out with the company's leadership, filed a lawsuit in 2024 questioning the change. He argued that OpenAI moved away from its original mission. He accused founder Sam Altman and president Greg Brockman of manipulating him into donating to a not-for-profit organisation and then attaching a for-profit subsidiary and accepting billions from Microsoft.
In May, a jury ruled against Musk on procedural grounds, though he has said he will appeal. He is also pursuing a separate antitrust case against OpenAI and Microsoft.
Guest: Rahul Singh, Associate Professor of Law, National Law School of India University
Host: Nivedita V
Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian
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After 100 days of conflict, the U.S. and Iran have agreed to a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war. But can the deal hold? We unpack the reported 14-point framework, ceasefire provisions, sanctions relief, nuclear commitments, the role of Pakistan and Qatar in mediation, Israel's response, and the challenges that could derail the agreement during the crucial 60-day negotiation period ahead.
Guest: Stanly Johny, International Affairs Editor, The Hindu
Host: Smriti Sudesh
Edited and produced by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian
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Journalist and author Sandeep Menon explores the tactics, form and what to expect from the top contenders and underdogs to watch at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicking off, the debate over who will lift football's biggest prize is intensifying. Are France truly the team to beat? Can challengers such as Spain, Argentina and Portugal dethrone them? Which dark horses and underdogs could spring a surprise in the tournament's new 48-team format?
We discuss all these and also explore what it really takes to win a World Cup.
Guest: Sandeep Menon, sports journalist and author
Host: Reuben Joe Joseph
Producer: Shiksha Jural
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Bangladesh is at a critical political turning point under a BNP-led government. In this episode, we explore what the return of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party under Tarique Rahman means for political stability, governance, and institutions. We also examine India–Bangladesh relations, regional dynamics, and key economic challenges including inflation, reserves, and growth pressures.
Guest: Avinash Paliwal, Author
Host: Smriti Sudesh
Edited and published by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian
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