July 8, 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.

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🗳️ POLL RESULTS – Week 132

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🗓️ THE WEEK THAT WAS

Is retail inflation about to finally ease up?

Daily | 3 July 2023

For May, retail inflation was 4.25%, the lowest in two years. However, there’s a difference between numbers on a page and seeing prices at the market. The question on every consumer’s mind is – are we out of the woods? Is India’s retail inflation going to subside to some sense of normalcy? Or are there twists and turns ahead? Read more on this here.

Is the drug regulation draft Bill enough to redeem India’s global pharma standing?

Daily | 4 July 2023

The Centre introduced the New Drugs, Medical Devices, and Cosmetics Bill in 2022. It was brought to replace the Drugs and Cosmetics Act of 1940 and overcome its limitations. It addresses critical issues such as e-pharmacy, Ayurveda regulation, and clinical trials. But does it pack the punch needed to revamp India’s pharmaceutical industry? We discuss it here.

Will the National Research Foundation (NRF) Bill help India’s R&D capabilities?

Daily | 5 July 2023

Recently, the government approved the National Research Foundation (NRF) Bill 2023. It’s seen as a landmark decision to foster a culture of research and innovation across educational institutions and R&D facilities. While the Centre and others see this as just what the doctor ordered, others are sceptical. We unpack this here.

Has the Bhadralok’s political primacy ended?

Daily | 6 July 2023

Bhadralok, the Sanskritised term for the gentry, no longer has the same social and political advantages that it had a century ago in colonial Bengal. When Mamata Banerjee became Chief Minister for a third term, the media was replete with imagery and metaphors of a final nail in the coffin of bhadralok-dom. Does contemporary Bengali politics signal the end of this social group and ideal, or simply a mutation? Find the debate here.

Will China’s new Foreign Relations Law affect Indo-China relations?

Daily | 7 July 2023

China has expanded its military and intelligence capabilities, much to the dismay of some of its neighbours, like India, and its rival, the US. Its most recent move is a sweeping new foreign relations law to assert its right to impose ‘countermeasures’ against any action it deems hostile. While Indo-China relations haven’t exactly been cordial over the past few years, will this new law jolt things further? More on this story here.