Assess the extent to which political corruption, populism, and competitive clientelism have eroded India’s administrative capacity and policy coherence. Comment on the view that India’s problems of governability reflect a mismatch between its democratic aspirations and its political-administrative capacity.

Political Corruption, Populism, and Competitive Clientelism: Erosion of Administrative Capacity and the Crisis of Governability in India The Indian democratic project has often been lauded as one of the most ambitious experiments in postcolonial state-building, combining mass political participation with constitutional guarantees of rights, developmental objectives, and plural representation. Yet, persistent concerns about the quality … Continue reading Assess the extent to which political corruption, populism, and competitive clientelism have eroded India’s administrative capacity and policy coherence. Comment on the view that India’s problems of governability reflect a mismatch between its democratic aspirations and its political-administrative capacity.

Analyse the tensions between co-operative and competitive federalism in post-1991 India’s political economy. Assess the impact of centrally sponsored schemes and fiscal devolution on the realisation of co-operative federalism in India.

Co-operative and Competitive Federalism in Post-1991 India: Tensions, Transformations, and the Political Economy of Fiscal Devolution The federal design of the Indian Constitution reflects a delicate balance between unity and diversity, combining strong centripetal features with space for state autonomy. Federalism in India was conceived as "holding together" rather than "coming together," with the Constitution … Continue reading Analyse the tensions between co-operative and competitive federalism in post-1991 India’s political economy. Assess the impact of centrally sponsored schemes and fiscal devolution on the realisation of co-operative federalism in India.

The New Economic Policy of 1991 and the Transformation of India’s Developmental Trajectory: Political, Economic, and Social Implications in the Age of Globalization The New Economic Policy (NEP) of 1991 marked a paradigmatic turning point in India’s developmental trajectory. Conceived in the wake of a severe balance of payments crisis, the policy package of liberalization, … Continue reading How did the New Economic Policy of 1991 transform India’s developmental trajectory, and what have been its political, economic, and social implications within the broader context of globalization and state restructuring?

The marginalisation of Left ideology in India’s contemporary political landscape represents one of the most significant transformations in the country’s post-independence political trajectory. Once a formidable ideological and organizational force—shaping class discourse, labour mobilization, and welfare policy—the Indian Left now finds itself increasingly peripheral in both electoral politics and intellectual influence. This decline is not … Continue reading What structural, political, and ideological factors have contributed to the marginalisation of Left ideology in India’s contemporary political landscape, and how has this decline impacted the discourse on class politics, labour rights, and welfare-oriented development?