RC Induction Process: Essay Round

Below is the list of topics that the Research cell has come up with for Induction process of batch 2020-2022. The topics have been decided taking in to consideration of the diverse background of students in the current batch 2020-2022.One topic has to be chosen out of the 15 topics listed below which have been described for easy understanding of the students. They are as follows :-

1. Is 'climate change action' a necessity or a luxury? Justify, in the light of the ever-changing global perspectives on climate change, keeping in mind the notion of climate equity as well. Description: Climate change is a topic of great importance certainly across researchers and international organizations. It poses the greatest threat to those least responsible for it–generally people who are already vulnerable to deep-rooted challenges such as poverty. Conversely, those who contribute the most to climate change are endowed with much better capacity to protect themselves from its impacts. In a completely equal world, each country's share of the world's carbon dioxide emissions would be equal to its share of the global population. But this is not reality. So then, what is the reality of climate change and the subsequent action required against it?

2. Role of Social media in driving political polarization

3.The Political Economy of the Covid-19 Vaccine: Now that multiple vaccine candidates have been developed, the political economy of the vaccine is observing interesting developments. Developing countries are pushing for patent-free vaccines and the richer countries want private incentives to be protected. Is protection of incentives necessary or can state owned enterprises match the private players? Write what you think about private player incentives during a humanitarian crisis taking into account the history of vaccine development and the progress of vaccines being developed by state owned entreprises in Russia, China, and Cuba.

4. India's policies towards environment has taken a negative turn over the past 5 years. Discuss this on the basis of amendments in the mineral laws and EIA.

5.New Global Order post Coronavirus Pandemic: Various forces in history have helped shaped the equations between countries , be it wars for political supremacy or biological warfares that were used as a tool for weakening economies.This makes us think about two issues in International politics : Is this current pandemic giving us a hint about future usage of bio-terrorism as a new tool to cripple economies ? Elaborate with respect to historical biological warfares in past used for this purpose. Also, more importantly how does the new world order looks like after this pandemic ? Will the equations change or the seeds of change has already started unfolding.Elaborate with respect to past major events in International economic/geopolitical scenario.

6. Will rising public debt in India due to Covid be sustainable and what will be its impact in short run and long run ?

7. In the context of the Web Series 'Scam 1992', explain the problem of moral hazard in financial markets. You can cite other scams and financial crises as well (Indian or Global)

8. How can we harness the power of capital through Impact investing to tackle social challenges and shift the core emphasis of the conventional investment approach to regenerative environmental and social benefits? Idea - Impact investments are investments made with the intention to generate positive, measurable social, and environmental impact alongside a financial return. Impact investments can be made in both emerging and developed markets, and target a range of returns from below market to market rate, depending on investors' strategic goals. It provides capital to address the world’s most pressing challenges in sectors such as sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, conservation, microfinance, and affordable and accessible basic services including housing, healthcare, and education. Impact investing challenges the long-held views that social and environmental issues should be addressed only by philanthropic donations, and that market investments should focus exclusively on achieving financial returns. The market offers diverse and viable opportunities for investors to advance social and environmental solutions through investments that also produce financial returns. Many types of investors are entering the growing impact investing market.

9.RCEP: India has decided to opt out from joining the RCEP, one of the largest trading agreements. Was it a wise decision and what was the rationale behind it? Had India considered joining RCEP, what would have been the benefits of it?

10.Is degrowth tenable for poor countries? Degrowth strategies are gaining traction, especially in light of the latest climate disasters and the pandemic. But are these strategies useful in poverty alleviation, hunger and economic growth in poorer countries, which still have a long way to go in terms of catching up.

11.Ever since ‘first generation’ reforms addressing product markets materialized with the India’s economic liberalization in 1991, industry has been lobbying for ‘second generation’ reforms focussing on factor markets, especially labour, premised on grounds that India’s labour laws are archaic, complicated and poorly administered. With the objective of facilitating ease of doing business and promoting a transparent and simplified system to deliver a contemporary business environment, the Industrial Relation Codes 2020, the Code on Social Security 2020 and the Code on Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions 2020 were passed by the Parliament. However, it has provoked criticism from trade unions and activists for compromising labour welfare and worker rights. Provide a detailed critique of the recent series of the contentious labour law reforms

12.To alleviate the economic distress associated with the COVID pandemic, the Finance Minister announced a slew of measures including proposed amendments to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) to enable smooth and quick resolution for companies encountering insolvency and bankruptcy, with a view of primarily averting liquidation. Ever since it came into being, the three year old IBC with stated objectives of ‘faster resolution and value maximization’ has frequently been challenged by corporate defaulters who seek to procrastinate the corporate insolvency resolution process and evade repercussions. Following these upheavals and subsequent amendments, there have been calls to make the IBC more resilient and sustainable. Analyse the efficacy and evolution of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code.

13.Should corporations have a social purpose? It’s based on Milton Friedman’s principle that the only social responsibility of business is to increase its profit. Thus the debate is whether corporations should pursue social responsibility or serve themselves?

14.Are we moving towards a Gig Economy at a faster pace owing to the pandemic?

15.InsurTech as a combination of Insurance and Financial Technology aims to increase insurance penetration through digitalization in insurance industry. This involves active use of IoT and Big Data for risk assessment and policy distribution. Insurance being a important part of a household's portfolio, does this pose a greater threat to the client privacy and data security especially in context of India?

Disclaimer for the essay round:-

• Minimum Word Limit - 1000-1500 Words; no cap in maximum word limit provided the content is original and conveying message as per the demands of the question.

• Style of Writing - APA style of writing(Link for the format)

• Academic Style of Writing will be highly appreciated

• Evaluation would happen on the basis of structure of the essay, flow of the content, clarity of thought and expressions, message that it is conveying to larger audience.

• Esaays will be subjected to multiple rounds of plagiarism and hence originality is expected from each of the submissions. Any submission found to be plagiarised will lead to direct disqualification.

• Quotations , Citations if any should follow the APA style of writing which is given in the link above.