The Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIM-K) has achieved a major milestone by entering the Top 100 in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026 for the first time. This reflects the growing global recognition of Indian management education.

About QS World University Rankings

The QS World University Rankings are published annually by Quacquarelli Symonds, a global higher education consultancy. These rankings assess universities based on parameters such as academic reputation, employer reputation, employment outcomes, and overall performance.

Methodology of QS Rankings

The QS rankings follow a structured framework to evaluate institutions across multiple dimensions:

1. Lenses (Broad Categories)

The rankings are organised into five major lenses: Research and Discovery, Employability and Outcomes, Global Engagement, Learning Experience, and Sustainability.

2. Indicators

Each lens consists of specific indicators such as Citations per Faculty and Employer Reputation, which measure targeted aspects of performance.

3. Metrics

Indicators are further divided into metrics, which involve detailed quantitative calculations to generate precise scores.

Key Highlights for India

India has recorded significant progress in the QS Rankings 2026. The country has 120 new entries, placing it fourth globally after the United States, China, and the United Kingdom. It now holds the fourth-largest number of institutions in the rankings.

Additionally, six Indian institutions feature in the global top 100 for Computer Science, all showing improvement compared to the previous year.

Top Performing Indian Institutions

The Indian Institute of Technology (ISM) Dhanbad and the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad have achieved the highest global rank (21) among Indian institutions.

IIT-ISM Dhanbad has retained its leadership in mineral and mining engineering, while IIM Ahmedabad has entered the top 25 globally in business, management studies, and marketing.

Conclusion

The QS World University Rankings 2026 highlight the increasing global competitiveness of Indian universities. Sustained improvements in research quality, employability, and international engagement will be essential for further progress.

Recently, Iran fired Qader cruise missiles targeting the USS Abraham Lincoln, highlighting its naval strike capabilities.

About Qader Cruise Missile

The Qader cruise missile is a medium-range, shore-based anti-ship cruise missile developed by Iran and deployed by its naval forces. It is primarily designed to target enemy ships and naval assets.

Features of Qader Missile

• It is an upgraded version of the Noor missile, which itself is based on a Chinese missile design.

• It has a range of approximately 120 to 300 km.

• It carries a warhead of about 200 kg of high explosive.

• It is specifically designed to strike warships, aircraft carriers, and oil tankers.

Working Mechanism

The Qader missile operates using a turbojet engine and follows a low-altitude flight path.

• It uses a technique called sea-skimming, where it flies just a few metres above the sea surface.

• This helps it avoid radar detection and reduces the reaction time for defence systems.

What are Cruise Missiles?

A cruise missile is a guided missile that flies at low altitude, often following the contours of terrain or sea to avoid detection. Unlike ballistic missiles, they are continuously powered and highly maneuverable.

Features of Cruise Missiles

• They fly at low altitudes and are powered by jet engines.

• They can maneuver around obstacles, making them difficult to intercept.

• They use advanced guidance systems such as GPS, inertial navigation, and terrain contour matching.

• Their speed ranges from subsonic to supersonic (Mach 0.8–3).

• Their range varies from short to medium distances (50–2,500 km).

• They can be launched from land, sea, or air platforms.

Examples of Cruise Missiles

Some well-known cruise missiles include:

• BrahMos

• Nirbhay

• Tomahawk

Conclusion

The Qader cruise missile represents Iran’s advancement in naval warfare and precision strike capability. More broadly, cruise missiles have become a critical component of modern military strategy due to their stealth, accuracy, and flexibility.

Recently, the OECD projected that India’s economy is expected to grow at 6.1% in 2026–27. This projection highlights India’s strong economic resilience and positions it among the fastest-growing major economies in the world.

Establishment

The OECD was established on December 14, 1960, by 18 European countries along with the United States and Canada. It was created to promote economic cooperation and development across nations.

Members

The OECD currently consists of 38 member countries. These members are typically democratic nations that support free-market economies and work together on policy coordination.

Objectives

The main objective of the OECD is to shape policies that foster prosperity, equality, opportunity, and well-being for all. It aims to improve economic and social conditions worldwide.

Functions

The OECD performs several important functions:

• It publishes economic reports, statistical databases, analyses, and global growth forecasts.

• It works to combat bribery, corruption, and financial crimes.

• It also maintains a list of non-cooperative tax havens to promote transparency in global finance.

India and OECD

India is not a member of the OECD but maintains close engagement with the organisation. It has been a Key Partner since 2007 and participates in various OECD initiatives and policy discussions.

Headquarters

The OECD is headquartered in Paris.

The National Housing Bank (NHB) has recently launched the Gruha Sugam Portal to simplify access to housing loans. The initiative is specifically aimed at defence personnel, paramilitary forces, and government employees, enabling them to avail loans more efficiently.

About Gruha Sugam Portal

The Gruha Sugam Portal is a digital platform designed to facilitate easy access to home loans from the place of posting. It focuses on promoting digital lending, enhancing financial inclusion, and supporting the goal of affordable and sustainable housing in India.

Objectives

The portal aims to simplify the housing loan process and reduce dependency on physical visits to financial institutions. It seeks to increase home ownership, improve access to housing finance, and strengthen the overall housing ecosystem through digital innovation.

Salient Features

The portal offers several important features. Eligible users, including defence personnel, paramilitary forces, and central and state government employees, can apply for housing loans digitally through their administrative units. It eliminates the need to visit banks, thereby ensuring ease of access and convenience. The platform acts as a unified digital marketplace, allowing users to compare and select the best loan offers. It provides seamless integration with NHB and lending institutions, leading to faster loan processing and approvals. Additionally, it includes grievance redressal mechanisms and an online chat facility for quick resolution of queries, ensuring consumer protection.

About National Housing Bank (NHB)

Establishment and Status

The National Housing Bank (NHB) is an apex financial institution established to promote housing finance companies (HFCs) in India. It is an All-India Financial Institution and is wholly owned by the Government of India.

Regulatory Framework

The NHB is responsible for the supervision of housing finance companies, while their regulation is carried out by the Reserve Bank of India. Since April 24, 2019, the entire paid-up capital of NHB has been held by the Government of India.

Functions of NHB

The NHB performs several key roles. It ensures supervision of housing finance companies and provides grievance redressal for customers. It also offers financial support to institutions in the housing sector and works towards the promotion and development of housing finance in India.

Headquarters

The head office of NHB is located in New Delhi.

A recent earthquake of magnitude 6.2 struck off the east coast of Honshu, highlighting the region’s high seismic activity due to its tectonic setting.

About Honshu Island

Honshu, historically known as Akitsushima, is the largest and most important island of Japan. It lies between the Pacific Ocean (to the east) and the Sea of Japan (to the west), forming a long arc in a northeast–southwest direction.

Geographical Features

Honshu extends for about 1,287 km and varies considerably in width. It covers an area of approximately 227,898 sq. km, making it the seventh-largest island in the world. The island is characterized by a central mountainous region, often referred to as the Central Trough, which contains many of Japan’s highest peaks.

Population and Cities

Honshu has a population of around 104 million people, accounting for more than 80% of Japan’s total population. It is the second-most populous island in the world, after Java. The island hosts major cities such as Tokyo (the capital), Osaka, Hiroshima, Nagoya, Kyoto, and Yokohama, making it the political, economic, and cultural center of Japan.

Important Physical Features

Honshu is home to Mount Fuji, Japan’s highest mountain and an active stratovolcano. It also contains Lake Biwa, which is the largest freshwater lake in the country.

Seismic Activity

Earthquakes frequently occur in Honshu because it lies along the boundaries of several tectonic plates. This makes the region part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, a zone known for intense seismic and volcanic activity.

The decade from 2016 to 2026 marks a period of significant transformation in Kerala’s economic and social landscape. Despite multiple challenges, the state has achieved balanced progress across sectors by combining economic growth with social justice and democratic participation.

Economic Growth and Planning Framework

Kerala stands out as the only Indian state to continue a structured planning process even after the dissolution of the Planning Commission. This approach has enabled the state to increase capital expenditure since 2017, unlike many other states.

The state’s growth rate has remained comparable to or higher than the national average, with broad-based development across sectors. Importantly, Kerala has prioritised inclusive growth, as seen in higher fund allocation for SCs and STs than their population share.

Infrastructure Development and Institutional Innovation

Infrastructure growth has been supported by innovative institutions like the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board, which has financed over 1,200 projects.

Local governments have evolved into key drivers of economic growth, going beyond their traditional participatory roles. Institutional reforms are also reflected in the formation of Kerala Bank, created through the consolidation of cooperative banks.

Advancements in Education

Kerala has achieved universal elementary education with near-zero dropout rates, including among SC/ST students.

The state has become India’s first fully digital school education system, highlighting its commitment to modernisation. In higher education, governance reforms, updated curricula, and strong public investment have improved institutional quality and rankings.

Public Health Achievements

Kerala has achieved an infant mortality rate of just 5 per 1,000 live births, which is comparable to developed nations.

Major initiatives such as the Aardram Mission and Karunya Arogya Suraksha Padhathi have strengthened healthcare access and affordability. The state’s health system showed strong resilience during crises like the Nipah outbreak and COVID-19 pandemic.

Poverty Alleviation and Housing

Housing schemes like the LIFE Mission have been highly impactful, with over five lakh houses constructed for the poor. These initiatives have significantly improved living conditions and social security, reinforcing inclusive development.

Gender Development and Social Inclusion

Programmes such as Kudumbashree have empowered women through self-help groups, livelihood generation, and local economic participation.

Kerala has also introduced an Elderly Budget and expanded pension coverage, ensuring welfare for vulnerable sections, including children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.

Social Justice and Welfare Systems

The Public Distribution System (PDS) in Kerala covers almost all households, ensuring food security and price stability.

There has been a significant increase in allocations for vulnerable groups, strengthening the state’s commitment to social justice.

Industrial Growth and Technological Advancement

Kerala has witnessed growth in MSMEs, modern industries, and industrial infrastructure. Public sector enterprises have also improved performance.

The startup ecosystem has expanded rapidly, supported by initiatives like recognising internet access as a basic right and the implementation of K-FON, promoting a knowledge-based economy.

Infrastructure and Connectivity

Major projects such as the Hill Highway, expanded national highways, and Kochi Metro have improved connectivity and reduced travel time.

Innovative projects like the Kochi Water Metro promote sustainable transportation, while the Vizhinjam International Deep-Water Seaport marks a major advancement in trade infrastructure.

Fiscal Constraints and Challenges

Despite its achievements, Kerala faces serious fiscal challenges. Key issues include:

• Centralisation of taxation under the Goods and Services Tax

• Reduced fiscal transfers from the Centre

• Borrowing restrictions imposed on states

These factors have limited fiscal autonomy and policy flexibility, posing risks to the sustainability of Kerala’s development model.

Conclusion

Kerala’s development trajectory demonstrates a unique model of inclusive and sustainable growth, integrating economic progress with human development and social justice.

However, the long-term sustainability of this model depends on addressing fiscal constraints and strengthening cooperative federalism. Kerala’s experience offers valuable lessons, proving that equity and growth can coexist effectively.

India has assumed the BRICS Presidency in 2026 under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”. The focus is on strengthening Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) cooperation, especially in emerging areas like Artificial Intelligence (AI), deep-tech, and digital governance.

Evolution of STI Cooperation in BRICS

Early Recognition of Cooperation

STI cooperation began with the Sanya Declaration, where science and technology were formally included in the BRICS agenda to address developmental challenges.

Institutional Framework Development

The 2015 MoU on STI Cooperation marked a major step toward structured collaboration. The BRICS Young Scientist Forum (YSF) was also established to promote networking among young researchers.

Expansion to Innovation and Technology Transfer

The BRICS Action Plan for Innovation Cooperation (2017–2020) expanded the scope from academic research to entrepreneurship and commercialization. The creation of the Technology Transfer Centre (TTC) enabled collaboration among startups, incubators, and science parks.

Recent Advancements (2021–2026)

Under the BRICS Innovation Action Plan (2021–2024), led by India, cooperation deepened further. A major milestone was the Remote Sensing Satellite Constellation agreement, enabling data sharing among BRICS nations.

Recent declarations at Kazan and Rio de Janeiro have shifted focus toward deep-tech areas, especially making AI a central pillar of governance. The expansion into BRICS+ has further enhanced technological capacity and collaboration potential.

Enlargement of BRICS and Global Role

Formation and Growth

The term BRIC was coined by Jim O’Neill in 2001. The grouping evolved into BRICS with the inclusion of South Africa and has now expanded into BRICS+.

BRICS+ Composition

BRICS+ includes:

• Original members: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa

• New members: Egypt, UAE, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran

The bloc represents nearly 50% of the global population, about 40% of global GDP, and 26% of global trade.

Institutional Features

BRICS operates through a rotating chairmanship and is based on three pillars:

• Political and security cooperation

• Economic and financial cooperation

• People-to-people exchanges

It lacks a permanent secretariat, which affects continuity.

Key Institution

The New Development Bank, headquartered in Shanghai, was established in 2015 to finance infrastructure and sustainable development projects.

How India Can Drive STI Cooperation

Leveraging Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)

India can showcase models like Aadhaar, UPI, and Digital India as scalable frameworks for digital transformation across BRICS nations.

Promoting Mega-Science Projects

India can propose a BRICS Mega-Science Consortium, drawing from its experience in global projects like LIGO and SKA, to reduce dependence on Western research infrastructure.

Advancing Climate Technology

India can lead a Clean Energy R&D Consortium, building on initiatives like the International Solar Alliance, focusing on green hydrogen, battery storage, and climate-resilient technologies.

Healthcare Innovation

India can leverage its strengths as the “pharmacy of the world” and propose a BRICS Digital Health Grid using platforms like CoWIN and Ayushman Bharat.

AI and Emerging Tech Governance

India can help create common frameworks for AI ethics, data governance, and cybersecurity, enabling BRICS to act as a rule-maker in global tech governance.

Challenges in BRICS STI Cooperation

Asymmetry in R&D Capacity

There is a significant gap in R&D expenditure, with China dominating and other members lagging, leading to imbalanced collaboration.

Geopolitical Tensions

Strategic differences, especially between India and China, create a trust deficit, limiting cooperation in sensitive technologies like AI and semiconductors.

Institutional Weaknesses

The absence of a permanent STI secretariat results in lack of continuity and coordination.

Limited and Fragmented Funding

Although the New Development Bank exists, funding for STI and deep-tech projects remains limited.

Weak Private Sector Participation

BRICS initiatives are largely state-driven, with insufficient involvement from startups, venture capital, and industry.

Reforms Needed

Institutional Strengthening

Establishing a permanent STI Secretariat and a BRICS Technological Alliance can improve coordination and continuity.

Dedicated R&D Funding

Creation of a BRICS STI Innovation Fund is essential to support cross-border research and deep-tech innovation.

Mega-Science Missions

Focus should shift to large-scale joint projects such as satellite systems and public health networks.

Tech Governance Frameworks

Developing common standards for AI, data protection, and intellectual property will enhance cooperation.

Private Sector Integration

Encouraging participation of industry and startups will help translate research into practical and scalable solutions.

Conclusion

BRICS is emerging as an important platform for techno-multipolarity and Global South cooperation. With India’s leadership in 2026, there is a significant opportunity to strengthen STI collaboration, institutional mechanisms, and funding structures.

However, the long-term success of BRICS depends on addressing structural weaknesses, geopolitical tensions, and financial constraints, ensuring that it evolves into a robust and influential global innovation platform.

In 2024, the Prime Minister of India emphasised a shift from coercive enforcement (“danda”) to data-driven and citizen-centric governance. This vision has taken shape through the Jan Vishwas framework, aimed at reducing unnecessary criminalisation and improving ease of living and doing business.

Jan Vishwas Project

Largest Decriminalisation Exercise

The Jan Vishwas initiative represents one of the largest decriminalisation reforms globally. It reviewed over 950 laws and led to the removal of more than 12,500 criminal compliance provisions, covering both citizens and businesses.

Key Legislative and Policy Measures

The reform includes the Jan Vishwas Bill, amendments to the Companies Act, notification of Labour Codes, and the removal of obsolete laws. These steps aim to simplify legal frameworks and reduce compliance burdens.

Illustrative Reforms

Several minor offences have been decriminalised, including:

• Ticketless railway travel

• Minor factory compliance issues (canteens, registers, etc.)

• Procedural lapses in publishing and reporting

• Minor traffic violations

For instance, cheque bouncing cases alone account for a large share of pending court cases, highlighting the need for such reforms.

Structural Problem – Over-Criminalisation

Cascade Effect of Laws

A single criminal provision can generate thousands of compliance requirements through subordinate legislation. For example, the earlier Factories Act created over 8,500 jail-linked compliances from one provision.

Administrative Expansion

The administrative state uses multiple regulatory tools such as notifications, circulars, and SOPs, creating numerous compliance obligations like licenses, inspections, and registers.

Case Illustration

Guidelines for poultry farms under the Environment Protection Act 1986 imposed over 20 criminal liabilities for minor violations, reflecting excessive regulatory control.

Why Decriminalisation Matters

• Inequality: Harsh laws disproportionately affect the poor, while powerful entities often evade enforcement.

• Informality: Excessive regulation discourages formalisation; only a small fraction of enterprises contribute to social security.

• Corruption: Increased discretion in enforcement creates opportunities for rent-seeking.

• Judicial Burden: Contributes to nearly 5 crore pending cases, delaying justice delivery.

Jan Vishwas Siddhant – Reform Strategy

1. Principle Formulation

Focus on:

• Nature of offence (procedural vs serious harm)

• Intent (malicious vs inadvertent)

• Proportionality of punishment

• Use of civil penalties instead of criminal sanctions

2. Inventory Creation

A comprehensive identification of all criminal provisions across laws.

3. Application of Principles

Systematic removal or conversion of criminal provisions into civil penalties.

Constitutional and Philosophical Dimensions

The reform reflects a shift from “procedure established by law” to a more just and fair system, inspired by constitutional debates involving thinkers like Felix Frankfurter and Benegal Narsing Rau.

It represents a transition from “niti” (control-based governance) to “nyaya” (justice-oriented governance), emphasising liberty, fairness, and constitutional morality.

Challenges and Limitations

• Partial Decriminalisation: Some laws still retain criminal provisions despite overlap with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

• Bureaucratic Resistance: Tendency to maintain regulatory control persists.

• Enforcement Gaps: Many laws remain symbolic without effective implementation.

• Low Awareness: Citizens and businesses may not fully benefit due to lack of legal literacy.

Way Forward

• Digitisation: Reduce human discretion and enhance transparency.

• Further Deregulation: Rationalise compliance requirements.

• Single Source of Truth: Create a unified database of all laws and rules.

• State-Level Adoption: Replicate reforms across states for wider impact.

• Principles-Based Governance: Institutionalise proportionality and necessity in law-making.

Conclusion

The Jan Vishwas initiative marks a paradigm shift from a coercive, compliance-heavy system to one based on trust, proportionality, and justice. By reducing over-criminalisation, it helps ease judicial burden, curb corruption, and promote formalisation of the economy.

However, its long-term success depends on consistent implementation, administrative reforms, and wider adoption across states. Ultimately, prioritising “nyaya” over “niti” reflects a governance model rooted in legitimacy rather than fear.