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Governance and regulation of the use of live animals in research and teaching is examined in Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, China, Japan and India. A comparison of the systems in different countries will enable the determination of best practice and fit-forpurpose regulation. The most comprehensive government regulation of animal welfare in institutions covers a broad range of animals and institutions are required to have an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, whose membership is specified in guidelines or regulations. The work of the Committees is rigorously overseen by government and facilities that use live animals are audited externally. All countries examined have legislation governing the use of live animals in research, although only Australia and Malaysia have a fully equivalent mandated oversight of teaching. Teaching that uses live animals is partly covered in the Philippines, Japan, Singapore and Thailand This paper thus aims to review the regulation of animal use in different Asian jurisdictions in order to determine best practices that are appropriate to those settings. The most comprehensive oversight is provided in Australia and Malaysia that essentially use the same regulatory framework.

The purpose of the study was to explore influence of the managerial practices of heads on the morale of teachers. The informants of the study comprised both public primary school heads and teachers. The study was mixed-methods and employed concurrent triangulation design. The Purdue Teacher Opinionaire (Bentley & Rempel, 1980) was adapted for measuring managerial practices and morale. Quantitative data for the study were collected from teachers (n=806) through multistage sampling technique and qualitative data from heads (n= 20) and teachers (n=31) through interview protocols. The study also verified the link between the managerial practices of heads and morale of teachers through positive statistical correlation. Findings of the study revealed that school heads were using autocratic managerial practices. The study concluded prevalence of dissatisfaction among teachers about the managerial practices of school heads, AEOs, Dy.DEOs and frequent threat of Punjab Employees Efficiency & Disciplinary Act (PEEDA, 2006). Hence, the overall practices of school heads are found autocratic in nature by causing low morale of teachers. The study recommends that the primary school heads, AEOs, Dy.DEOs should be trained on establishing democratic attributes, relationship, and behaviour with the teachers by the Quaid-eAzam Academy for Education Development (QAED) to heighten the morale of teachers.

Despite having one of the largest and fastest-growing post-secondary sectors in the world, there has been increasing protest against the lack of academic freedom within HEIs in India in the past decade. This research study carries out a comparative analysis of academic freedom within HEIs in India and the U.S., with a specific focus on how the notion is formulated within key policy documents and the provisions to safeguard it. Preliminary data from the systematic review revealed that while policy documents within both the countries frame the notion along similar lines, various sections within the Indian Penal Code are used to criminalize useful dissent and freedom of expression within HEIs. The study recommends that in order to safeguard academic freedom in India, certain specific sections within the Indian Penal Code (Section 124A, Section-153A, Section-292, Section-295A) should be either repealed or reformulated so that they are not amenable to misuse by the government.

Recent studies reveal that developing countries cannot achieve good governance in higher education by merely borrowing structures from advanced systems because the globally advocated "one-best-way" approach often ignores levels of institutional capacity in developing countries. This study suggests institutional capacity as a core dimension for practicing good governance in four South Asian countries (Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka). Building on this, this study compiles data from each country's legislation and the UNESCO data to evaluate the autonomy and capacity of higher education institutions and compares those with Southeast and Northeast Asian countries as a reference. This study finds that these four South Asian countries are grouped into different environments based on the divergent paths to governance improvement suggested for each group. This study concludes that university autonomy is critical for good governance in the long run, whereas it is the capacity building that should be given priority to provide an optimal governance environment.

In the aftermath of the Indian government's decision to change the status of Jammu and Kashmir on 5 August 2019, activism for the right to self-determination in Kashmir came under tremendous pressure. An intense crackdown in Kashmir, including a complete communication blackout and internet blockade, meant the only Kashmiri and dissenting voices left were located in diasporic spaces. As two Kashmiri scholar-activists involved in advocacy work on Kashmir, we examine the challenges of decolonial activism and transnational solidarity building, especially in Western academic spaces. For both of us, Kashmir has been a home and is a place where our scholarly ethos is entwined with intimate knowledge. While the diasporic/exilic location presents its own challenges of representation, the urgency imposed by the settler colonial logics that create existential questions for Kashmiris forces reconsiderations both of political alliance building as well as scholarly frameworks. In this article, we explore the emergent contours of a pedagogy of solidarity that centers Indigenous perspectives in relation to Kashmiri diasporic activism. We examine how our solidarity work takes shape in the neoliberal academy, grassroots progressive spaces, and transnational media.

This paper locates the emergence of critical pedagogy (CP) as praxis in the protest movements in New Delhi, India, against the new citizenship amendment laws that were brought about by the Indian government. The ruling government in India brought amendments to the existing provisions for citizenship, such that persons from Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian religious communities from neighbouring Afghanistan, Bangladesh or Pakistan were allowed Indian citizenship. Muslims, however, were excluded from this. This exclusion, coupled with the national project established for finding illegal immigrants in India -- called the National Citizenship Registry project -- affects the Muslim communities in South-Asia and has been widely resisted across India, by Muslims and other social and political organisations. This paper traces the development of such a struggle in Shaheen Bagh, New Delhi, and proposes that CP as a critique of the social, emerged from the specificity of the Shaheen Bagh movement. Shaheen Bagh gives critical insights into rethinking CP whenever its foundational tenets seem to have been lost or are merely subsumed by disciplinary compartments within academia. This struggle offers us insights toward returning to the insurrectionary character of CP, by locating CP within the context of such struggles. At the same time, this study of Shaheen Bagh and the specific form of CP that emerged in thatcontext, also shows us the limitations of contemporary social movements to take CP to its logical conclusion where oppressive class relations are undermined.

British colonization initiated colonial capitalist dispossession of Adivasi-Dalit-Nontribal Forest Dwellers (ADNTFD) in India. Post-independence development continued this trend, accentuated by the neoliberal turn in the early 1990s orchestrated by the then Congress government and intensified by saffron (Hindu nationalist) authoritarian neoliberalism under the recently re-elected Bharatiya Janata Party in 2014 and 2019, leading the National Democratic Alliance regime. Neocolonial continuities and current neoliberal colonial capitalist dispossession and resistance in the forest belt, or India's contemporary 'land wars', are dialectically linked to potential spaces for Participatory Action Research (PAR) with/in ADNTFD struggles. This paper explores the imbrications of the neoliberal agenda, land wars and PAR in India, and by extension, for similar contexts addressing the vicissitudes of neoliberal authoritarian capitalism in the neo-colonies.

The article concerns the description of the system of professional training of border guards at the higher educational establishments in the Republic of India and distinguishing its structural components. To achieve the purpose of the research we used two groups of methods: quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative methods include analysis of statistical data, structural method, method of additional analysis of data, study of specific object, and juxtaposition. Qualitative methods concern analysis of normative documents, literature review, observation, method of scientific description of information, and comparative method. According to theoretical findings system approach enables to consider professional training as an integrated system with regard to its subsystems. Also, it is regarded as a specific strategy or set of techniques used to solve the particular problem -- training of future expert. In our case, the pedagogical objective is to train highly-qualified border guard. The author described the system of professional training of border guards at the higher military educational establishments in the Republic of India in details. We have found that the system of professional training of border guards at the higher military educational establishments in the Republic of India consists of nine structural components. They are the following: legislative, management, institutional, methodological, targeted, organizational, content, technological, and result. Each component has its own peculiarities and coverage. The combination of all the structural components enables the system of professional training be effective and achieve the objectives. The uniqueness of the study of the system of professional training of border guards at the higher military educational establishments in the Republic of India concerns the fact that its structural components were not described before in one work. And the explanation of interrelation of structural components is very important for professional training itself and contributes to enhancing the efficiency of the educational process.

In India, Acts and legislations are in place for persons with mental retardation. Three major Acts namely Rehabilitation Council of India Act (1992), Persons with Disabilities (Equal opportunities, protection of rights and full participation) Act (1995) and National Trust for welfare of persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental retardation and Multiples disabilities Act (1999). Many families having persons with mental retardation are not aware of such Acts. This present study was undertaken to find out the level of awareness on legislations relating to mental retardation among family members having children with mental retardation. A sample of 103 respondents, attending home based training services for their wards at National Institute for the Mentally Handicapped (NIMH) were administered a thirty item questionnaire, classified into four groups namely, awareness of legislations, awareness of rights, concessions and benefits and life cycle needs. The result of the study showed that there is an overall moderate level of awareness on legislative aspects. Educated respondents showed better awareness of Acts and legislations than less educated persons. Among the various aspects of legislations, the respondents were better aware of the benefits and concessions because of the direct utility in their day-to-day activities. There is a need for creation of awareness and sensitization programme among parents and caregivers having persons with mental retardation to enable them to receive optimum benefits. To reach the uneducated population, the materials must also be made available in nonprint media including television, posters and illustrated pamphlets. (Contains 5 tables.)

Background: India made 2 important policy statements regarding tobacco control in the past decade. First, the India Tobacco Control Act (ITCA) was signed into law in 2003 with the goal to reduce tobacco consumption and protect citizens from exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS). Second, in 2005, India ratified the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). During this same period, India conducted the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) in 2003 and 2006 in an effort to track tobacco use among adolescents. Methods: The GYTS is a school-based survey of students aged 13-15 years. Representative national estimates for India in 2003 and 2006 were used in this study. Results: In 2006, 3.8% of students currently smoked cigarettes and 11.9% currently used other tobacco products. These rates were not significantly different than those observed in 2003. Over the same period, exposure to SHS at home and in public places significantly decreased, whereas exposure to pro-tobacco ads on billboards and the ability to purchase cigarettes in a store did not change significantly. Conclusions: The ITCA and the WHO FCTC have had mixed impacts on the tobacco control effort for adolescents in India. The positive impacts have been the reduction in exposure to SHS, both at home and in public places. The negative impacts are seen with the lack of change in pro-tobacco advertising and ability to purchase cigarettes in stores. The Government of India needs to consider new and stronger provisions of the ITCA and include strong enforcement measures. (Contains 2 tables.)

Background Patient rights are basic rules of conduct between patients, medical care providers, and the institutions and the people supporting them. Patient Right Education program provides an opportunity to improve nurses knowledge about patient rights. It fosters communication between patients and nurses, which helps achieve patient satisfaction and reduce the number of violations cases of patient's rights in the hospital. This study aims to find the effectiveness of patient rights education programs among nurses. Materials and Methods A quasiexperimental approach and one group pretest posttest design were adopted for this study. One hundred subjects were selected through a convenient sampling technique in the selected tertiary Hospital, Mangaluru, Karnataka, India. A pretest was conducted on the first day using a structured knowledge questionnaire, and the patient rights education program was conducted for the participants on the same day. The posttest was conducted on the 7th day after the education program. Results Among 100 nurses, the posttest knowledge score (9.67 + 1.67) regarding patients' rights was more than the pretest knowledge (7.43 + 1.67) score. The paired t -test showed that the calculated p -value was 19.381, more than the tab value of 1.98. Hence, it was found that the program effectively improved the knowledge by showing the difference in mean knowledge score at a 5% significance level. For item-wise comparison, McNemar's test was used, and there was an improvement in 50% of patient rights items. Conclusion This study concluded that nurses need a proper awareness system about patient rights for nurses in hospital settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the 100 million refugees and displaced persons in 2022, the category of "climate refugees" has become more salient, yet countries still do not know how to handle it. Two aspects of climate refugees also remain understudied; how climate refugees are perceived, since they are viewed through the dual lenses of climate risks and migratory flows and how these perceptions impact policies. Climate refugees are thus doubly impacted by the spill-over effect of securitization processes in the fields of climate change and immigration. This paper analyzes how climate- and migration-security legislation in a resource-constrained nation conceptualizes climate refugees, and how their diverse conceptual categories spill over into policymaking and create a mutually beneficial and humanitarian approach for host and migrant populations. This paper uses India as a case study based on its historical practice of refugee protection despite significant resource constraints, high risk of inbound climate refugees, participation in key global agreements, and domestic discourse over climate and immigration securitization. Using policy analysis and expert interviews, this study demonstrates that India successfully exemplifies a broadly humanitarian climate mobility regime in the South Asian region through relocations, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief operations, and ad hoc legal protection. Despite crucial structural limitations, India illustrates a democratic global south template implicitly recognizing migrants' vulnerability to climate change and attempts to minimize risk, with potential for replication in other developing and developed nations. This normative policy framework, notwithstanding its limitations, presents an alternative to the threat-centric and unsustainable securitization of climate migration practiced in the Global North. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Any society is governed by a set of laws. In modern democratic nations, especially nations governed by post-war constitutions, such laws are enacted by an elected legislature. The legislature is bound by the constitution itself, both in procedure and in substance. In India, such protection exists in the forms of legislative competence, fundamental rights, and other provisions of the constitution. However, India lacks a direct say of the people in the law-making process which governs the citizenry. The recent controversy in India, including the farm laws reform undertaken in 2020, highlights the need for the participation of stakeholders, experts, and the public in general in the law-making process. The Supreme Court of India has interpreted the right to participation in a limited sense and majorly in cases relating to environmental pollution. There exists a lacuna in the rights-based framework with respect to the right to participate in law-making. India has had a Pre-Legislative Consultation Policy in place since 2014 that mandates publishing the bill thirty days prior to introduction in the parliament for public comments. However, data reflects disregard of the policy by the Government. Furthermore, there is a downward trend in the number of bills being referred to parliamentary committees for scrutiny. This impacts negatively in two ways—first, leading to a lacuna in legislative drafting, and second, depriving the stakeholder and public of the opportunity to submit their comments on a bill under consideration. The extra-parliamentary avenues like the Law Commission of India, which have a significant impact on the legal framework in the country, are under a shadow. The authors argue that there is a need to incorporate a binding consultation policy ensuring public consultation in the process of law-making. This will have both an intrinsic as well as instrumental value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Purpose] This article addresses the lack of legislation in India to govern digital currencies, as well as the legality of Bitcoin in comparison to Russia's ban on other digital assets for payment regulation, highlighting the necessity for effective legislation once all around the world. It further delves into potential misuse of private cryptocurrencies in a variety of ways while placing upon the need for both countries to form a new digital currency regulatory authority. [Methodology/Approach/Design] This paper probes into the existing legal regulations for Cryptocurrency in India, Russia and other countries by using primary and secondary data throughout the paper. The primary data have been taken from legitimate government sources such as Russia's federal law and other bills and laws enacted in India, such as the "Banning of Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, 2019" and "The Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, 2021." Various judgments like the case of Internet and Mobile Association of India v. Reserve Bank of India and Dwaipayan Bhowmick v. Union Of India and Ors. have been taken out from Manupatra which is an online database for legal research. Government reports and notifications from the Indian, Russian and US government have also been examined. The secondary data include numerous news articles from Times of India, The Mirror, India Times, The Moscow Times, Telegraph, The UK News and other new sites. Lastly, articles by various researchers like Bohme et al, Dyhrberg and Kim have also been thoroughly analysed. [Findings] It was concluded that legalising Cryptocurrency through codified laws, appropriate approval for digital currencies through regulatory authorities, establishing clear definition of 'cryptocurrency', uniform taxation for all types of Cryptocurrencies, updation of penal laws and setting imprisonment for cryptocurrency regulation violation seem to be some effective solutions to reignite the Indian and Russian Economies. [Practical Implications] The practical implication lies in the fact that the use of cryptocurrencies is increasing on a daily basis, but neither the national government nor the world organizations has made any steps to control the market for virtual currencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A caste is one of the conventional four social strata into which Hindu society separates its members. The scriptures from ancient India make reference to it. The four classes are the Brahmins (priestly people), the Kshatriyas (rulers, administrators, and warriors; also known as Rajanyas), the Vaishyas (artisans, merchants, businessmen, and farmers), and the Shudras are the lowest of the caste system (laboring classes). However, an individual of the lowest class in traditional Indian society falls outside of the Hindu caste system and is subject to severe social restrictions. This commentary is divided into three parts; the first part highlights the caste system, the second part examines the constitutional and legislative safeguards for them, and the third part illustrates the current social disparity of Dalits in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indian seed industry has shown an annual growth rate of 15.7% during 2011-2018 and is further expected to grow at a CAGR of 13.6% during 2019-2024, reaching a value of US $ 9.1 Billion by 2024. For any seed system to be viable and sustainable it requires a great deal of efforts through the right kind of laws, acts and policy framework and interventions as its essential pre-requisites. Due implementation of some progressive policies by the government of India, seed market has witnessed a major restructuring. These policies bought relaxed seed trade norms, reduced import restrictions on germplasm, encouraged foreign investments, supported quality seed production, plant variety protection, farmers and breeders right protection. Covid-19 pandemic and restrictions imposed had tremendous impact on the seed industry. The policy response and initiatives taken up by the government to address the problems by adopting various strategies helped in the uplifting the farming community. By classifying agriculture sector as essential, it eased in the continuous movement of the seed. This review gives insight about how the Indian seed legislation helped to increase the growth rate of Indian seed industry and also impact of covid-19 pandemic on seed sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Informed consent is a foundation of the ethical conduct of research involving human participants. Based on the ethical principle of respect for persons, the goal of informed consent is to ensure that participants are aware of the risks and potential benefits and make a voluntary decision about participating in clinical trial research. The extraordinary scientific advances happening globally, have demonstrated the potential of regenerative therapies in transforming the health of the nation by providing a therapeutic option for diseases that were previously considered incurable. These therapies, which include cells and gene therapy (GT) labeled as Advanced Therapeutic Medicinal Products globally, have complex mechanisms of action. Owing to their highly personalized and intricate nature of these therapies, developing the latter often presents unique challenges above and beyond those encountered for small molecule drugs. We recently looked through some cell and GT clinical trials and realized the lacunae in the informed consent form (ICF) provided by the investigators. Especially in a country like India, where the general understanding and perception of patients is limited regarding clinical trials, it is felt that any lapses in the consent process may jeopardize the informed decision-making and safety of the participants and tarnish the reputation of India globally. The present article highlights the need for appropriate patient and public education on the various aspects of cell and gene therapies and aims to address all the elements of ICF in light of the challenges associated with these innovative therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human rights of female sex workers are frequently violated due to the criminalisation of sex work, the stigma and discrimination they encounter, and the lack of access to healthcare, education, and social protection. The purpose of this article is to evaluate how much India's laws, policies, and courts uphold sex workers' rights. By examining India's constitutional provisions, it ensures the right to equal treatment under the law and prohibits any form of gender-based discrimination. In recent rulings, the Supreme Court of India declared that "voluntary sex work is not illegal" and that sex work is a "legal profession." Additionally, it states, "Sex workers are entitled to equal legal protection, and if a sex worker is an adult engaged in sex work with consent, police intervention or criminal prosecution should be avoided." Recent decisions and actions by Indian courts on the Constitution of India, fundamental rights, and prostitution laws can be seen as positive from a human rights standpoint. The same rules and court decisions should also be seen positively by the police and the general public from a human rights perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article delves into the strengths and weaknesses of the use of narcoanalysis in criminal investigation in India, from a forensic lens, also bringing with it ethical perspectives. The article shows the interconnectedness of forensic medicine, ethics, and narcoanalysis highlighting the intricate relationship between scientific investigation and ethicolegal processes in the pursuit of truth in criminal cases. The use of narcoanalysis in crime investigation may be less harmful but there is a significant amounts of mental coercion. The article concludes that the interconnectedness collectively contributes to the quest for justice; however, emphases are placed on the importance of adhering to ethical standards and respecting individual rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, is a crucial legislative cornerstone in India's ongoing efforts to combat air pollution and safeguard public health and the environment. This abstract delves into the motivation, objectives, approach, outcomes, and conclusion of this landmark legislation, shedding light on its pivotal role in addressing the pressing issue of air pollution in the country. Motivation: The rapid industrialization and urbanization in India, coupled with increasing vehicular emissions and other anthropogenic activities, have led to a significant deterioration in air quality. Recognizing the alarming consequences of air pollution on human health and the environment, the Indian government was motivated to enact a comprehensive legal framework that could effectively prevent and control air pollution. Objectives: The primary objectives of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, are to establish a legal framework for the prevention, control, and abatement of air pollution and to empower regulatory authorities to enforce strict measures against polluters. It aims to create a sustainable balance between economic development and environmental protection while prioritizing public health. Approach: The Act adopts a multifaceted approach to tackle air pollution. It establishes Central and State Pollution Control Boards to regulate and monitor pollution levels. These boards are granted the authority to issue permits, set emission standards, conduct inspections, and take necessary legal actions against violators. The Act also empowers the government to declare specific areas as "air pollution control areas" to impose stringent regulations and improve air quality. Outcomes: Since its implementation, the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act has yielded significant outcomes in India's battle against air pollution. The establishment of pollution control boards and the implementation of emission standards have led to increased accountability among industries and other pollution sources. Air quality monitoring and data collection have improved, aiding policymakers in formulating evidence-based measures. As a result, there has been a noticeable reduction in air pollutants, contributing to enhanced public health and environmental preservation. Conclusion: The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, serves as a pivotal legal blueprint for tackling air pollution in India. By adopting a proactive approach and promoting compliance with emission standards, the Act has played a crucial role in improving air quality and safeguarding the wellbeing of citizens and the environment. However, ongoing efforts, public awareness, and continuous updates to the legal framework are essential to sustain these positive outcomes and pave the way for cleaner air and a healthier future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The legal definitions of brain death are tantamount for legal dogmas and sometimes criminal intimidation of the treating doctors. The tests for brain death are only applicable to patients planned for organ transplantation. We intend to discuss the necessity of the "Do Not Resuscitate (DNR)" legislature in cases of brain death patients and applicability of tests for brain death irrespective of the intention for organ donation. Methods: A comprehensive review of the literature was performed till May 31, 2020 from the MEDLINE (1966 to July 2019) and Web of Science (1900 to July 2019). Search criteria included all publications with the MESH terms: "Brain Death/legislation and jurisprudence"[Mesh] OR "Brain Death/organization and administration"[Mesh] AND "India" [Mesh]. We also discuss the different opinions and implications of brain death versus brain stem death in India with the senior author (KG) who was responsible for South Asia's first multi-organ transplant after certifying brain death. Additionally, a hypothetical scenario of a DNR case is discussed in the current legal paradigm of India. Results: The systematic search yielded only five articles reporting a series of brain stem death cases with an acceptance rate of organ transplant among brain stem deaths being 34.8%. The most common solid organs transplanted were the kidney (73%) and liver (21%). A hypothetical scenario of a DNR and possible legal implications of the same under the current 'Transplantation of Human Organs Act (THOA)' of India remains unclear. A comparison of brain death laws in most Asian countries shows a similar pattern regarding the declaration of brain death and the lack of knowledge or legislature regarding DNR cases. Conclusion: After the determination of brain death, discontinuation of organ support requires the consent of the family. The lack of education and the lack of awareness have been major impediments in this medico-legal battle. There is also an urgent need to make laws for cases that do not qualify for brain death. This would help in not only realistic realization but also better triage of the health care resources while legally safeguarding the medical fraternity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a worldwide problem with girls most affected even allowing for the possibility that boys are less likely to report it. In India there is strict anti-CSA legislation like the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, but enforcement falls short due to poor socioeconomic conditions, low education levels, and insensitive actions and responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colonial medical education and public health policies emerged from an intriguing discourse of negotiation between the government and the people. These 'structured conflicts', rooted in the politics and the debates of the colonial institutions not only provided opportunities for creative thinking about public health but also for imposing constraints. The colonial and post-colonial India medical legislative debates revealing a new language of protest, assumed greater significance with the growing nationalist movement and the general (though variegated) intellectual polarisation – western and indigenous systems of medicine. Problematising the historiographic assertion of medical modernisation in colonial India to be a part of 'civilising mission', this paper argues that legislature emerged as a platform of activism and protest against the colonial and post-colonial State's appropriation of modernity. While some members appealed for extending the benefit of 'modern' western medicine to the general Indian population, some debated in favour of introducing the indigenous medical systems to the terms of modern professionalisation. The post-colonial policies reveal the true significance of the legislative debates in reviving the position of indigenous systems of medicine in the context of professional modernity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental healthcare in India faces severe challenges amid the ongoing pandemic. India runs the largest vaccination drive globally, including booster doses to rapidly vaccinate its population of over a billion. As persons with mental illness are at greater risk of adverse outcomes from COVID 19, they need prioritized access and administration of these vaccines. This manuscript examines the current legislation and identifies how the legal and ethical frameworks can prioritize COVID 19 vaccinations for persons with mental illness in India through a review of the various legislations of India concerning persons with mental illness and judicial judgments concerning the pandemic and vaccination. Subsequently, we discuss ethical and legal challenges associated with vaccination in this vulnerable population and possible solutions. Based on the current review, the authors recommend the guidelines for capacity assessment for vaccination decisions and discuss existing legal frameworks relevant to the vaccination of persons with mental illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The Indian pharmaceutical market is flooded with different fixed drug combinations (FDCs), many of which lack a rational justification. The study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) regarding FDCs among the physicians of a tertiary-care teaching center. Method: The target sample size for this cross-sectional study was calculated as 75, and the study was conducted between February and August 2020 by using a content-validated questionnaire. Descriptive statistics had been utilized for data analysis, and Chi-square test had been applied for intergroup comparison (with P < 0.05 considered to be significant). Results: The mean age of the physicians who participated in this survey was 33.2 years. While 44% of them could identify all the potential advantages of using FDCs, only 09% could correctly recognize all the disadvantages associated with the same. Among the list of rational and irrational FDCs, only 49% could single out the irrational ones. And though the majority (83%) of the respondents do check for the rationality of FDCs before prescribing them, still out of 25 most commonly prescribed FDCs, 16 lacked any scientific justification for combination, and 09 (out of 16) had been banned by the Government of India. Conclusion: The outcome of this cross-sectional questionnaire-based study reflects the deficit in the knowledge regarding FDCs, as well as incoherence among the knowledge, attitude, and prescription practice. Though the physicians have cultivated a healthy attitude towards prescribing FDCs, the same is not reflected in their practice. In order to rectify these disparities, the authors have proposed certain recommendations within this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on clinical practice guidelines for human rights and privileges of mentally ill persons.

The Punjab as a 'model province' of colonial and post-colonial India has witnessed turbulent and testing times. Its agrarian character and structure determined power equations at local and national levels. Recruitment to the army and share in the total agrarian production provided strong bases to peasants. The British through legislation tried to subvert equations. The peasants reacted sharply in 1907. The colonial legislation was vetoed. The nation state in India invested hugely to create Punjab as 'food basket of India'. However, nature of agriculture transformed with technology and terms of trade have been set in favour of industry. The peasants and farmers faced deprivation and impoverishment as reflected in high debt levels and a spate of suicides. The farm laws enacted in September 2020 have created fears of further impoverishment and dispossession. The farmers have resorted to agitation. The peasants' agitation of 1907 has resonated in the speeches and rallies of farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For 16 months from August 2020 to December 2021, thousands of Indian farmers and farm workers went on strike. Their strike was a response to sweeping neoliberal legislation passed by government that would further impoverish farmers who have been struggling for years, as demonstrated by the huge number of ongoing farmer suicides. The new laws would remove protections and open up Indian agriculture to global market forces. Eventually, due to the farmers’ resolve and their militant organizing the government was forced to back down. This article, by a scholar-activist and participant, provides a detailed description of the strike, that lasted over a year and demonstrates its manner of organising that brought together various sectors, and featured the integral participation of women. It provides an intersectional analysis and analysis of the politics evident right through. It situates the strike within the overall context of the political economy of agrarian crisis and resistance, thereby putting this historic strike on record and providing us with a valuable lesson for our times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic led many analysts to worry about the fate of global democracy, as governments the world over centralised power and enacted emergency legislation. In India, the world's largest democracy, this prediction has turned out to be accurate. However, this article will argue that the pandemic was a mere accelerator of existing trends there. The erosion of democratic institutions in India since the advent of the BJP-led government in 2014 has been so severe that it is no longer possible to classify India as a full democracy. In fact, as this article will show, the very core of India's democracy, the electoral process, has been corroded so that it is very questionable whether Indian elections are still free and fair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual violence within marriage is common and manifests in various forms, including marital rape. It has serious physical and mental health consequences and is a violation of women's sexual and reproductive health rights. Marital rape, reproductive coercion, inserting objects in the vagina or anus, and withholding sexual pleasure are forms of violence routinely experienced by women. Based on service records of survivors coming to public hospitals in an Indian city, this paper presents their pathways to disclosure and institutional responses such as hospitals and police. The findings highlight that a large proportion of survivors of domestic violence confide having experienced forced sexual intercourse by the husband while sharing their experience of physical, economic, and emotional violence with crisis intervention counsellors. However, a small number of women do report marital rape to formal systems like hospitals and police. These systems respond inadequately to women reporting marital rape, as the rape law exempts rape by husband. Sexual violence within marriage can have serious health consequences, and a sensitive healthcare provider can create an enabling environment for disclosing abuse and providing relevant care and support. The paper argues that a necessary precondition to enable women to access health care and justice is to nullify "Exception 2 to Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code" This exception exempts rape by the husband from the purview of the rape law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Safeguarding biodiversity poses a major challenge that warrants preventive legislative and regulatory frameworks to ensure biosecurity, preserve intrinsic biodiversity and mitigate risks from the invasion of exotic pathogenic microbes thereby sustaining agricultural productivity and food safety. The anthropogenic activities contribute enormously towards transboundary movement of invasive alien pathogens through trade and transport of seeds/propagation materials that need to be regulated by enacting appropriate laws and policy guidelines. Black pepper, cardamom, ginger, turmeric and vanilla are the major vegetatively propagated spices cultivated in India. Since primary spread of the major pathogens in these spices are mediated through planting materials, it is imperative to formulate guidelines for flawless and meticulous implementation of quarantine measures which are otherwise not adopted. This review discusses the significance of domestic quarantine in major vegetatively propagated spices with a comprehensive background on plant biosecurity and invasive plant pathogens which could pose threat to spice cultivation in India. It further illustrates the constraints and possible strategies to annihilate the cryptically disseminated pathogens through vegetative planting materials ultimately to safeguard our self-sustaining agricultural systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to ensure greater and more effective access to information the government resolved that Freedom of information Act 2002 enacted by the parliament needs be mode more progressive, participatory and meaningful. The important changes proposed to be incorporated nitro alia include establishment of appellate machinery with investigating powers to review decisions of the public information officers. Penal provisions for failure t provide information as per law. In view of significant changes proposed in the existing Act 2002. The proposed legislation will provide an effective framework for effectuating the right of information recognized under article 19 of the constitution of India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]