Policy Beyond Politics

This episode examines the institutional ecosystem that shapes women’s safety in India beyond the existence of legal statutes. Over the past two decades, the country has introduced an extensive legal framework addressing domestic violence, sexual offences, trafficking, and workplace discrimination. Yet, persistent gaps remain between statutory guarantees and the realities experienced by women, part...

This podcast examines whether fiscal systems, particularly tax structures, have mitigated or reinforced gender inequities over the past three decades. While gender budgeting has gained global policy visibility, empirical evidence suggests that fiscal frameworks often remain formally gender neutral yet substantively unequal in impact. The discussion interrogates how income taxation, consumption tax...

The fifth episode of the five-part podcast series on the book, Public Choice – A Primer by Dr Eamonn Butler, explores how constitutions function as the foundational rules that shape governance and public accountability. It examines why societies need constitutions beyond symbolism, and how constitutional frameworks influence political decision-making and limit government excesses. Drawing from the...

The fourth episode of the five-part podcast series on the book, "Public Choice – A Primer" by Dr Eamonn Butler, explores brings together key insights from Public Choice: A Primer and reflects on how the theory continues to evolve in response to new governance challenges. Based primarily on Chapter 12 (Current and Future Horizons), the discussion revisits earlier themes, the logic of coll...

The third episode of the five-part podcast series on the book, "Public Choice – A Primer" by Dr Eamonn Butler, explores how incentives drive political and bureaucratic behaviour, why collective decisions are vulnerable to special interest influence, and how institutional design, as explained by Public Choice Theory, can either mitigate or amplify these distortions. Drawing from Chapters...

As India stands on the brink of the XVI Finance Commission’s recommendations, the debate on fiscal federalism has re-emerged at the centre of public policy discourse. A recent report titled “State Finances in Transition: An Analysis of Revenue Receipts and Fiscal Dynamics in India during the XV Finance Commission Period,” published by the Foundation for Responsive Governance and authored by Sharad...

The second episode of the five-part podcast series on the book, "Public Choice – A Primer" by Dr Eamonn Butler, explores how and why governments exist, how collective decisions are made, and how electoral behaviour shapes policy outcomes. Drawing from the chapters “Who Needs Government?” and “How to Win Elections,” the episode attempts to unpack the mechanisms of governance , the trade-o...

Public policy shapes our lives, but how these decisions are made is often misunderstood. This CPPR podcast—the first of our five-part series on the book, "Public Choice – A Primer" by Dr Eamonn Butler —introduces our audience to Public Choice Theory. Public Choice applies economics to politics, showing how voters, politicians, and bureaucrats act in self-interest—just like in markets. In...

Private schools educate nearly one-third of India’s students , with Low-Fee Private Schools (LFPS) serving the majority from low and middle-income families. Despite their vital role, LFPS struggle under rigid regulations—land and infrastructure mandates, fee caps, and burdensome recognition processes—that prioritize compliance over learning. This podcast explores why parents choose LFPS, how state...

India’s manufacturing sector, despite liberalization and decades of economic reforms, continues to underperform relative to its potential. A recent study, “Multiplying Multi-Plants: A New and Consequential Phenomenon” by Arvind Subramanian, Abhishek Anand, and Dr Naveen Joseph Thomas , sheds light on a critical yet overlooked factor influencing this stagnation—the rise of multi-plants . These are...

India’s sports industry is booming, with leagues like the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Indian Super League (ISL) contributing billions to the economy. The IPL alone is valued at $16.4 billion in 2024, with other leagues following suit. However, despite this growth, sports participation at the grassroots level remains limited, especially outside of cricket. Moreover, sports in India is often vie...

Kerala has a rapidly ageing population, with the proportion of senior citizens (aged 60 and above) projected to reach 22.8% by 2036, significantly higher than the national average of 15%. This demographic shift poses challenges for the state in terms of providing adequate care and support for its elderly population. As Kerala grapples with the challenges of a rapidly ageing population, a comprehen...

In this episode, we explore the need for decriminalisation, simplification, and digitisation in business regulations. We dissect the implications of the Jan Vishwas Act and proposed amendments and delve into the progress of decriminalisation across the nation, identifying states leading the charge in reform efforts. Join us as we unravel the complexities and envision the future of business regulat...

In the 2023 annual Gender Gap Report by the World Economic Forum (WEF), India saw an advancement in its ranking, now positioned at 127 out of 146 countries, marking an improvement of eight places compared to the previous year. However, the report emphasised that India’s attainment of only 36.7% parity in economic participation and opportunity underscores the ongoing challenge of addressing gender...

Generative AI is projected to increase annual global GDP to the amount of trillions if implemented properly, according to analysts. What is India’s stake in this new global phenomenon? In today's podcast, we look at generative AI and LLMs, the issues they pose, the effect they have on Indian society and industry, and how we can look forward to regulating AI while allowing it to grow and provid...

In this podcast, we will be diving into the topic 'Decriminalisation of business laws in the state of Kerala'. Kerala, with a Gross State Domestic Product of 7.8 lakh crore, has shown promising growth potential. However, it currently ranks 15th in the Ease of Doing Business ranking within the country, indicating room for improvement in terms of business friendliness. Establishing a favorab...

To achieve the sustainability goals of the transport sector, it is necessary to promote the use of NMT. In this podcast, Mr Shrinivas Deshmukh, Co-founder & Director, Urban Research Foundation, talks about policy-level and implementation-level challenges in the integration of NMT with the public transport sector. Non-motorised transport systems have been proposed to be seamlessly integrated wi...

In this episode of Policy Beyond Politics, we delve into the Indian Space Policy and its implications for the booming space relations between India and the US. With India aiming to increase its share of the global space economy to more than 10% by 2030, we explore the recent milestones in the Indian space sector, including the successful launch of India's first private rocket. We also discuss...

The involvement and participation of citizens and stakeholders in the sustainable urban mobility planning process is necessary in order to obtain public legitimacy and create a plan that satisfies the mobility needs of people. With the adoption of new Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), citizen participation methods have started to shift more towards online environments. Planning for...

The momentous NATO Summit held in Vilnius, Lithuania this year also known as the summit for implementation, resulted in a comprehensive 90-point joint communiqué. With a wealth of significant announcements, it is essential to analyze the major achievements as well as the unfulfilled promises of the Vilnius Summit, especially as NATO approaches its 75th anniversary in 2024. This podcast episode fea...

Contracts are an essential tool for any Public Transport Authority. Countries across the globe have incorporated the private contractors into the Public Transport Ecosystem. However, contracting and tendering processes come with possible challenges and implications. In this podcast, Ms Stéphanie, Mobility and Urban Planning Consultant Ubiquity Consulting, Madrid, Spain and Lizbeth Jibi Godwin, Ass...

India hosted the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2023 virtually on the 4th of July, 2023, which brought together leaders from member countries such as China, Pakistan, Russia, and more. The primary focus of the meeting was to discuss key issues related to regional security, economic connectivity, and trade. India's hosting of the 2023 SCO Summit marks a significant milestone for...

 Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded a four-day official trip to the United States on 23 June 2023. Apart from receiving an elaborate welcome ceremony and attending a state dinner, Modi was also granted the opportunity to deliver a speech to Congress for the second time during his tenure as Prime Minister. These significant occasions aimed to demonstrate the mutual dedication of both nat...

In today's fast-paced world of technological progress, Education Technology (EdTech) has gained widespread acceptance and holds immense potential for revolutionising both learning and teaching experiences. To explore how the school education system and teacher training programs can effectively utilise EdTech by identifying the challenges and experiences of educators, teachers, and parents, the...

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been re-elected and sworn in as the president of Turkey for the third time with a vote share of 52.14% against 47.86 % by Mr Kemal Kilicdaroglu. This extends President Erdogan’s 20-year regime up until 2028, into his third decade in power. High hopes were placed on the opposition leader Mr Kilichdarolu who had the potential to unify various political factions in...