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Why the poor don't kill us: A must-read on why India is still Bharat
Sanjeev Ahluwalia
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Why the poor don't kill us: The psychology of Indians
by Manu Joseph
Published by Aleph
2025
266 pages ₹599
This is the author's fourth book but the first in the non-fiction genre, an innovation from the 1950s, merging responsible journalism and engaging fiction in impactful storytelling. The result is a sparkling flow of thoughts sustained by their own sometimes convoluted logic. The author quit as editor of the Open magazine to write and explore alternative opportunities.
So, why don't more upper-class Indians get slaughtered in their beds by the numerically overwhelming poor, many of whom serve the former in
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Time of India
42 minutes ago
- Time of India
PM Modi's tax overhaul to strain finances but boost image amid US trade tensions
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Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Looking to secure US citizenship? Students and professionals must prove more than just ‘good moral character'
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has rolled out a significant policy shift that redefines how it evaluates 'good moral character' (GMC) in applicants for naturalization. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now For the thousands of students, researchers, and professionals eyeing the American dream, the message is clear: Citizenship is no longer just about avoiding disqualifying mistakes, but also about actively proving one's contributions and responsibility within society. Beyond a checklist of offenses Until now, GMC assessments often operated like a rigid checklist — certain offenses meant automatic rejection, while absence of such violations often sufficed. The new memorandum, however, restores what the agency calls a 'rigorous, holistic and comprehensive' standard. USCIS officers will now weigh the totality of circumstances when reviewing applications. This means that while serious crimes such as murder, aggravated felonies, or torture remain permanent bars, in other cases evidence of rehabilitation, repayment of taxes, or responsible community participation can offset past lapses. For international students or working professionals who may have had minor infractions or financial disputes, this offers both hope and heightened scrutiny. For instance, an unresolved tax dispute could hurt an application, but repaying dues or demonstrating financial stability over time could redeem an applicant in the eyes of officials. What counts as 'positive contributions' The policy outlines a broad set of attributes that will now carry significant weight: Educational qualifications and consistent academic achievements. Stable employment and lawful career progression in the United States. Long-term lawful residence, payment of taxes, and responsible financial behavior. Family caregiving, community service, and civic engagement. For students, excelling in academics, research contributions, or even sustained involvement in campus and local initiatives could tip the scale. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now For professionals, steady careers and active participation in community networks may serve as evidence of integration and responsibility. Rising numbers, shifting standards The timing of this policy is notable. In fiscal year 2024, 818,000 foreign nationals became American citizens. Mexicans led the list with 107,000 naturalizations (13% of the total), followed by Indians with a little over 49,000 (6%). This continues a trend where Indians represent the second largest contingent to acquire US citizenship. But with numbers rising, officials are signaling that the standards must evolve. As the policy memorandum puts it: 'GMC findings must go beyond the absence of disqualifying acts—it must reflect a genuine positive assessment of who the applicant is and how they have lived in their community.' Concerns of discretion and subjectivity Not everyone sees this as an unqualified positive. Immigration attorneys caution that moving away from a rule-based system could lead to inconsistent outcomes. An applicant's fate may hinge more heavily on the individual discretion of the USCIS officer, potentially resulting in uneven application of standards. A Chicago-based Indian couple considering citizenship told Times of India , 'Years ago, when we initially moved to the US, both of us faced tax disputes owing to interpretation of the India-US tax treaty. This could be a blot on our record.' Their story reflects the anxieties many students and professionals share, where even past financial stressors — such as loan defaults during the pandemic — could resurface during scrutiny. A citizenship that demands more Ultimately, the policy signals that US citizenship is not a transactional benefit but a transformative commitment. For students, this means aligning academic journeys with community involvement. For professionals, it underscores that a career trajectory must be complemented by civic responsibility. Joseph Edlow, recently confirmed as USCIS director, hinted at a broader tightening when he told the New York Times that the current citizenship test is 'too easy.' In his view, memorization is not enough; genuine understanding of civic values is necessary. That sentiment now echoes in the GMC evaluation — citizenship demands not just clean records, but active, positive integration. As the new rules take hold, one thing is evident: those aspiring to secure US citizenship, whether students completing degrees or professionals advancing careers — must be prepared to demonstrate not just who they are on paper, but how they have lived, contributed, and reformed along the way. (with inputs from TNN) TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us
Indian Express
4 hours ago
- Indian Express
GST restructure plan: In new regime, online gaming likely to be placed in top bracket
With the Government proposing to overhaul the GST regime with a special rate of 40 per cent on 'sin and demerit goods', the top slab is likely to see the inclusion of pan masala, tobacco, cigarettes, luxury cars, SUVs — and online gaming. According to sources, the Department of Revenue has kept in mind the country's 'social ethos' while tagging goods and services in the 'sin and demerit' category, and online gaming is seen to be fitting that definition. If this move is finalised, it is likely to cause an upheaval among online gaming companies, ranging from fantasy sports and real gaming platforms, which have previously complained of the 28 per cent GST levied on them. The latest consideration also comes amid growing concerns within the Central and state governments over the amount of money being spent on these platforms, and the ease with which these companies enable automatic deductions for payments, sometimes without consent, during consecutive rounds of a game. The 40 per cent rate, which is likely to be recommended by the GST Council, could also benefit the Central and state governments fiscally, with substantial revenue gains expected. The sector has shown fairly inelastic demand previously, when the GST rate was set at 28 per cent from October 1, 2023. Prior to that, many online gaming companies were not paying 28 per cent saying there were differential tax rates for games of skill and games of chance. Official data shows GST revenues jumped sharply after the Council's decision in July 2023 to impose a uniform 28 per cent levy on online gaming, horse racing and casinos with effect from October 1, 2023. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said last September that revenue from online gaming 'increased by 412 per cent and reached Rs 6,909 crore in just six months… from Rs 1,349 crore before the notification issued on online gaming'. For casinos, she had said the revenue increased by 30 per cent, from Rs 164.6 crore in the six months prior to the decision to Rs 214 crore in the same period after the move. The need for a higher GST rate for online gaming may also find support among policymakers as they have been raising concerns over the amount of time being spent by users on these platforms that is resulting in them spending increasingly high amounts of money on such activities. A key consideration behind the move is concerns among policymakers over the time and increasingly higher amounts of money being spent by domestic users on online gaming platforms. The domestic spend on online games is not 'particularly small', Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran had said on August 14, days after the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) for the first time released monthly data breaking up payments made to various categories of merchants via the Unified Payments Interface (UPI). As per the data, UPI payments on digital games averaged more than Rs 10,000 crore in the first four months of 2025-26. '…take a look at how much Indians are spending on online gaming every month. And the number isn't particularly small — it is Rs 10,000 crore per month. That's Rs 1.2 trillion (in a year),' Nageswaran said at a meeting with statistical advisers in various ministries and departments, organised by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. The Indian Express had earlier reported that the Centre is also finalising a move that could bring online real-money gaming companies under the ambit of anti-money laundering laws and subject them to stricter obligations, such as know-your-customer (KYC) requirements, and tracking and reporting suspicious transactions. According to a report by FICCI and EY from March 2025, online gaming companies in India collectively earned a revenue of close to $2.7 billion in 2024. These companies typically make money by taking a cut from a user's winnings. As per the report, more than 155 million Indians engaged with real money gaming sub-segments such as fantasy sports, rummy, poker and other transaction-based games in 2024, marking a 10 per cent increase over 2023. On an average, around 110 million people played these games daily.
