One Nation One Election, making entrance exams transparent, and a Navy accident
Dec 19, 2024
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Damini Nath, a reporter for The Indian Express, dives into the controversial proposal of 'One Nation One Election', detailing necessary amendments and the reactions in Lok Sabha. She highlights the impact on democratic governance. Abhinaya Harigovind, also from The Indian Express, discusses pivotal recommendations for enhancing transparency and security in entrance exams following a significant leak. Finally, the episode addresses a tragic Navy accident near Mumbai that resulted in 13 fatalities, sparking discussions about safety measures.
The One Nation, One Election proposal has gained traction with recent legislative efforts but faces significant opposition regarding federalism concerns.
Recommendations from the high-level committee aim to make entrance exams more transparent and secure, mirroring election processes for better integrity.
Deep dives
One Nation, One Election: A Step Towards Simultaneous Polls
The proposal for One Nation, One Election aims to synchronize the timing of Lok Sabha, State Assembly, and local body elections in India. This initiative was reaffirmed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Independence Day and has seen recent progress with the introduction of two bills in the Lok Sabha. The recommendations from a high-level committee chaired by former President Ramnath Kovind laid the groundwork for constitutional amendments, including changes to articles ensuring elections occur simultaneously. However, this initiative faced significant opposition in the Lok Sabha, with critics arguing that it undermines the federal structure by placing state assemblies' terms in sync with the Lok Sabha.
Recommendations for Entrance Examination Reforms
The Ministry of Education established a high-level committee to enhance transparency and efficiency in national entrance examinations following controversies like the NEET-UG paper leak. Chaired by former ISRO chief K. Radhakrishnan, the committee proposed 101 recommendations, including moving towards computer adaptive testing to secure examination integrity. It also stressed the importance of a restructured National Testing Agency (NTA) that primarily conducts entrance exams, ensuring better oversight and management of the testing process. Additional measures include improving exam security through encrypted question papers and establishing state-level committees for better coordination and supervision, similar to election procedures.
Tragic Naval Incident Off the Coast of Mumbai
A tragic incident off the Mumbai coast resulted in the loss of 13 lives when a naval craft lost control and collided with a passenger ferry. The ferry was busy transporting nearly 110 passengers when the Navy craft, undergoing engine trials, veered off course. Emergency response efforts quickly mobilized rescue operations, involving multiple naval and coast guard assets. In response to the tragedy, Prime Minister Modi announced financial aid for the victims' families, while local government officials initiated an investigation to uncover the cause of the accident.
First, The Indian Express' Damini Nath explains 'One Nation One Election' at length. She shares the details of the amendments required to implement it, the reaction that it received in the Lok Sabha and all the recent developments.
Next, we talk to The Indian Express' Abhinaya Harigovind who shares the recommendations of the high level committee that was created post the NEET UG paper leak. She talks about the ways recommended by the committee in which the entrance exam process can be made more like the election process. (13:27)
Finally, we talk about a Navy craft losing control and hitting a ferry off the Mumbai coast causing 13 deaths. (23:23)
Produced and hosted by Niharika Nanda Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar
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