It Wasn’t That Bad An Year At All

Context: This year may have been perceived as an Annus Horribilis for India; however, it has also seen initiatives that lay the seed of an economic revival such as labour, healthcare and education.

Structural Labour Reforms:

• Industrial Relations Code allows companies up to 300 workers, to fire workers without prior approval.
  • Consolidation of laws dealing with collective bargaining and dispute management.
  • Allows for establishment of a reskilling fund for retrenched employees; strikes require a 14-day notice.
• Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 has consolidated 13 laws.
  • It allows state governments to exempt new factories from the provisions of the Code.
  • It entitles women to work during the night shift.
  • State governments are now required to maintain records of migrant workers while providing them access to the public distribution system (PDS).
• Social security net: registrations have been reduced to just one form; Such reforms will help establish ‘Make in India’, facilitating greenfield investments in manufacturing.

Healthcare Reforms:

• Government and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in partnership with states, responded with the most stringent lockdown in the world.
  • India expanded its capacity to provide healthcare services and products (like masks, etc.).
  • India has the least number of Covid-19 cases per capita among major nations.
• Key vaccines (in line with clinical trial procedures) have been fast-tracked with regulatory clearances.
  • Indian firms have been encouraged to tie up with key research institutes conducting clinical trials.
  • India is now preparing to supply vaccines to the world.

Education Sector Reforms:

• National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 brings a much-needed focus on changing training courses, along with structural reforms (e.g. making B.Ed the minimum degree for teaching).
  • Teacher Eligibility Test focusses on foundational, preparatory, middle and secondary school content.
  • A range of merit-based scholarships is being launched to motivate local talent to enter the teaching profession, focusing on preferential employment in their local areas.
  • National Professional Standards for Teachers will be developed for a more merit-based structure for tenure, promotions and salaries for teachers by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE).
  • A flagship target of 6% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), is tied to increase the gross enrolment ratio in higher education to 50% by 2035.

Conclusion: India has been able to utilize this period of hopelessness to launch key structural reforms that position it well for a rejuvenation, renewing India’s tryst with destiny.