July 1, 2023

Good morning. Every Saturday, we publish the results of polls from feature stories that were published the past week. We also give a brief overview of the topics that were discussed.

🗳️ POLL RESULTS – Week 131

🗓️ THE WEEK THAT WAS

Should the Body Mass Index (BMI) be considered an indicator of health?

Daily | 26 June 2023

What makes BMI such a popular indicator of health across geographies and cultures? Well, it’s an easy and inexpensive measure for one. It’s a measurement of weight adjusted by height. It’s also the preferred measurement in several national-level or large-scale assessments of population health. But BMI’s shining armour has several chinks. Many health practitioners speculate whether it’s become a dispensible measure. Read more on this here.

Will Byju’s’ troubles affect the Indian startup ecosystem?

Daily | 27 June 2023

Over the past year, the edtech company has been fighting on several fronts – everything from the bad press due to employees speaking out on harsh working conditions to financial constraints. As Deloitte quits as the auditor and board members leave, the company seems to be struggling to survive. Is this bad for the Indian startup ecosystem? Will it spook investors, or are the ramifications limited to Byju’s? We discuss it here.

Has Sikkim’s Organic Movement hit a wall?

Daily | 28 June 2023

Sikkim’s organic movement, which began in 2003, seems to be wavering. In 2015, it became the world’s first entirely organic state. The government’s efforts in cajoling all its farmers to turn to organic farming for the betterment of the state were lauded. But lately, the farmers’ troubles have been mounting. Has the organic rush already peaked, or can its latest troubles transform the movement into a holistic one? We unpack this here.

Is Assam’s delimitation draft fair to its people?

Daily | 29 June 2023

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has its task cut out. The release of the draft delimitation for the state’s 126 assembly seats and 14 Lok Sabha seats has caused quite an uproar. For the ruling BJP government, it’s a way to safeguard the state in a way that the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the 1985 Assam Accords didn’t. The opposition has cried foul citing unfair boundaries. Find the debate here.

Will Chhattisgarh’s law to protect journalists and press freedom prove effective?

Daily | 30 June 2023

In March 2023, the Chhattisgarh state assembly passed the Chhattisgarh Protection of Media Persons Act to protect journalists from the threats that arise due to violence and government crackdowns. After Maharashtra, it’s the second state in the country to protect journalists through legislation. But does it tick the right boxes? More on this story here.