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Time of India
30-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Experts to parliamentary committee: ONOE can lead to 1.5 percentage point rise in GDP
Former finance commission of India chairman N K Singh and another expert on Wednesday made an economic case for simultaneous elections before a parliamentary committee, saying it can lead to a 1.5 percentage point rise in the real GDP growth, higher capital expenditure and more investment activity, sources said. In their joint presentation before the joint parliamentary committee, which is scrutinising the constitutional amendment bill for ' one nation one election ' (ONOE), they quantified the rise in the GDP at Rs 4.5 lakh crore in terms of 2023-24 figures. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category However, they added that the fiscal deficit is also expected to rise by 1.3 percentage point due to higher post-election spending. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Learn The Most Successful Intraday Strategy in Just 2 Hr. thefutureuniversity Learn More Undo Singh, a former MP and revenue secretary, and Prachi Mishra, economics professor, and head and director of Isaac Centre for Public Policy at Ashoka University, studied election cycles in India as it had simultaneous polls till 1967 before the schedules of Lok Sabha and assembly polls were split. The expected rise in the GDP figure, the sources added, is almost half of the total health budget or a third of the education budget. Live Events Studying the economic figures when national and state elections were held together in India, including when over 40 per cent of the assemblies went to polls the same year along with the Lok Sabha, they said the capital-to-current spending ratio is 5.4 percentage points higher than post-simultaneous elections, indicating a shift towards productive and return-generating investments. The investment ratio against the gross fixed capital formation also goes up by 0.5 percentage point, reflecting greater investment activity, especially private and foreign. Frequent elections disrupt economic activity due to uncertainty, adversely impacting manufacturing, construction, tourism and healthcare, with migrant workers frequently returning home and affecting productivity, they said, according to the sources. Noting that migrants comprise nearly one-third of India's population, they said multiple elections impose financial burden on them, weakening their use of their voting rights. School enrolment also goes down by 0.5 percentage point around non-simultaneous elections due to the deployment of teachers on election duty and schools being converted into polling booths, they said. They argued that the diversion of police for frequent electoral duties leads to a growth in crime during non-simultaneous elections due to a longer duration of deployment. Non-simultaneous elections require more imposition of the Model Code of Conduct, restricting government functioning and slowing down development work. India has not had a single year without elections since 1986, placing the country in a perpetual election mode. It leads to a "spillover of populist promises", resulting in a "policy contagion effect", the sources citing the presentation said. Frequent elections fuel unsustainable welfare measures, Singh said, describing it as a "race to the bottom" in fiscal populism.
Time of India
15-07-2025
- Time of India
These UP districts order closure of schools and colleges from July 16 to 23: Here's why
From Meerut to Varanasi, UP districts declare school holidays based on Kanwar Yatra routes Several districts in Uttar Pradesh (UP) have announced temporary closure of educational institutions during the Kanwar Yatra, citing traffic management and public safety concerns. The closures affect both government and private institutions and vary in duration and schedule across the districts. The orders have been issued by respective district magistrates in view of the increased movement of Kanwariyas and the associated logistical challenges. The Kanwar Yatra, culminating in the festival of Shivratri, has prompted route diversions, traffic congestion, and additional security arrangements, impacting regular academic activities in various regions. School closures in Meerut and Muzaffarnagar In Meerut district, all primary and upper primary schools under the Basic Education Council, secondary schools under the Secondary Education Department, institutions affiliated with CBSE and ICSE, schools under the Madrasa Board, and all degree and technical colleges will remain closed from July 16 to July 23, 2025. The order was issued by District Magistrate Dr. V.K. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is it legal? How to get Internet without paying a subscription? Techno Mag Learn More Undo Singh, who stated that the increased movement of Kanwariyas during this period necessitated measures to ensure student safety and manage traffic effectively. A similar directive has been issued in Muzaffarnagar by District Magistrate Umesh Mishra. All primary, upper primary, secondary, CBSE, ICSE, degree, technical, and DIET institutions—both government and private—will remain closed from July 16 to July 23, 2025. Strict action has been warned against any institution found operational during this period. Other affected districts and specific closures Apart from Meerut and Muzaffarnagar, other districts have announced partial closures in accordance with the days of increased Kanwar movement, particularly Mondays and weekends during the Shravan month. The aim is to ensure smooth traffic flow and the safety of students and the public along major pilgrimage routes. District-wise details of school and college holidays amid Kanwar Yatra District Days of Holiday Special Instructions Meerut July 16 to July 23, 2025 All educational institutions closed Muzaffarnagar July 16 to July 23, 2025 Closure includes government and private institutions Varanasi First Monday of Shravan (July 14) Missed classes to be conducted on Sunday Bareilly All four Mondays of Shravan Staff to be present, no student attendance Badaun Every Saturday and Monday of Shravan Applies to primary schools only In Varanasi, District Inspector of Schools Bholenath Pratap Singh and Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) in-charge have declared a holiday on the first Monday of Shravan for all types of schools, including council, secondary, CBSE, and ICSE. In Bareilly, District Magistrate Avinash Singh has directed closure of schools on all four Mondays of the Shravan month. The directive applies to secondary, basic education, CBSE, ICSE, ITIs, and vocational institutions, especially those within a 5 km radius of Delhi Road and Badaun Road. Staff are required to be present for government duties. Scheduled examinations will continue as planned. In Badaun, primary schools (Classes 1 to 8) will remain closed every Saturday and Monday throughout the Shravan month. This includes council, recognised, aided, and CBSE/ICSE-affiliated institutions. Route diversion plans are in place to facilitate the Yatra. The administration in all affected districts has emphasised the need to plan academic adjustments accordingly. Missed teaching days may be compensated on Sundays to maintain academic continuity. TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here . Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
Time of India
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Buxar MP demands holding of STET before TRE 4.0
Buxar: Buxar Lok Sabha MP Sudhakar Singh has demanded that the State Teacher Eligibility Test (STET) be conducted before the Bihar Public Service Commission's (BPSC) Teacher Recruitment Exam (TRE) 4.0. In a letter addressed to the BSEB chairman on Thursday, the MP expressed his disappointment over delay in conducting the STET exam, which, he said, has jeopardised the future of aspirants. As per the 2024 examination calendar, STET was to be held twice a year. However, only one round has been conducted so far, adversely affecting those who completed their BEd or DElEd during the 2022-24 and 2023-25 academic sessions. "If TRE 4.0 is held before the STET, thousands of eligible aspirants will be denied the opportunity to appear in the exam," he stated. The MP said that despite students submitting memoranda, applications and emails over the past eight months, the BSEB has failed to act decisively. He also referenced the education department's official communication (letter no. 234, dated April 25, 2025) regarding the STET, criticising the delay in holding the exam. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 10 Signs Your Dog Loves You More Than Anything Liseer Read More Undo Singh warned that failure to conduct STET before TRE 4.0 could lead to widespread public unrest. He said that this issue is not just about an exam, but about the livelihoods of lakhs of families and the credibility of the state's education system. He called on the govt to intervene in the matter.
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
With RSS inputs, BJP steps up spade work on 200 seats
Lucknow: In a strategic move for 2027 state elections, the BJP has stepped up its poll spadework in close to 200 assembly seats/segments of Uttar Pradesh where the party faced setbacks in the 2022 assembly and the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The BJP faced a significant dent in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections when its tally shrank from 66 to 36, a decline of around 30 seats. In all, the BJP lost 44 Lok Sabha seats, which, party insiders said, translates into around 200 seats where the party needs to augment its organisational structure and boost its position. The measure, sources said, was taken up after an exhaustive round of discussion with the RSS, the BJP's ideological fountainhead. The Sangh, it is learnt, recently deliberated on a host of steps that were required to be taken by the BJP to counter an aggressive opposition, primarily the Samajwadi Party, which has been hoisting its tried and tested Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak (PDA) plank. The party leadership has tasked state general secretary (organisation) Dharampal Singh to camp in the "vulnerable seats" and churn out remedial measures accordingly. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Insiders Swear By This Risky Forex Strategy – Find Out Why! Expertinspector Learn More Undo Singh, who has already hit the ground running, is learnt to be meeting the key party functionaries – incumbent and former organisational leaders in a host of assembly seats/segments which the BJP lost in the 2022 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections. "The motto of the meeting is 'Har Karya ke liye karyakarta aur har karyakarta ke liye karya' (work for every party worker)," said a senior BJP leader, highlighting how the state leadership was ensuring the engagement of party workers as part of ground-level preparations. The BJP leader said that after a broader assessment of the prevailing ground-level situation is done, the party brass will start deploying teams of key party functionaries to bolster the grassroots campaign. This poll groundwork will include booth-level empowerment to fortify the party's presence at the grassroots level and the outreach campaigns, including the ones like 'Gaon Chalo Abhiyan' to engage with rural voters and the 'Beneficiaries Sampark Abhiyan' to connect with recipients of govt welfare schemes. Likewise, the party plans a digital engagement to facilitate direct communication with ground-level workers and enhance the dissemination of campaign messages. The party also plans to chart out a Caste-Based Mobilisation campaign in response to the Samajwadi Party's successful caste-based outreach. The BJP, experts said, sought to sharpen its focus on non-Yadav Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Dalits, and Brahmins to consolidate its support base. Sources said that the party sought to work on a two-pronged strategy of Hindutva-driven nationalism as well as a caste-based poll narrative. While the recent terror attack in Pahalgam has already stroked the saffron pantheon to play up its nationalist agenda to the core, the BJP govt's recent decision to conduct caste enumeration in the forthcoming census has armed the saffron party to factor in caste dynamics in the overall scheme of things.
