Authors: 1. Sagrika Singh, BA in Economics & History, University of Delhi2. Anika Srivastava, BA Hons. Political Science, University of Delhi ABSTRACT This paper explores the rise of Gen Z-led protests in Nepal as a part of broader trend of youthmobilization across South and Southeast Asia. It examines how these protests connect toSustainable Development Goal 16 (SDG 16), which focuses on peace, justice, and stronginstitutions. The paper places Nepal’s 2025 digital-era uprising, triggered by state censorshipand corruption scandals, in the context of similar movements in Bangladesh, Indonesia, andthe Philippines. This comparison highlights shared regional issues of accountability,inclusivity, and transparency. Using comparative literature and recent case evidence, thestudy illustrates how digitally connected youth activism is turning SDG 16 from a policyframework into a real political demand.The paper delves deeply into the institutional responses prompted by the leaderless anddigitally synchronized protests occurring in Nepal and throughout the broader region. Itreveals that state institutions have exhibited a fluctuating approach, swinging betweenoppressive measures, extensive surveillance, and targeted digital crackdowns, contrasted withattempts at reform, dialogue, and strategies for co-optation. This dichotomy reveals acomplex tension: on one hand, authorities strive to maintain political control in the face ofsocietal unrest, while on the other hand, they grapple with genuine demands foraccountability and reform from the populace.Furthermore, the study meticulously examines how these varying governmental reactionsinfluence public trust in institutions, the perceived legitimacy of democratic governance, andthe overall long-term outlook for inclusive political processes. By placing the Nepal 2025uprising within this wider comparative context, the analysis emphasizes a pressing question:do the adaptations made by these institutions ultimately foster stronger mechanisms foraccountability, or do they simply entrench existing authoritarian practices?Ultimately, the paper posits that the mobilization of Generation Z transcends mere temporarydissatisfaction; it represents a profound political force driving change. This demographic isurging governments to move beyond mere rhetoric and actively implement the principlesenshrined in Sustainable Development Goal 16 encompassing ideals of peace, justice, and theestablishment of robust institutions transforming these principles into tangible realities thatimprove everyday life and governance.

Authors: Harshdeep Kaur, Anand Raj ABSTRACT Despite progress in education and health, India continues to have one of the world’s lowest rates of womenparticipating in paid work. “This paper explores how women’s economic engagement influences theirbargaining power within households and how social and structural barriers shape that relationship. The studyis grounded in the Naila Kabeer (1999) framework of “resources–agency–achievements” and builds on aflow of concerns: limited participation, safety and mobility restrictions, earnings without decision-makingcontrol, concentration in informal work, the invisibility of unpaid care, restrictions despite education, and theresulting economic loss for the nation. Using secondary data from the National Family Health Survey(NFHS-5), the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), and the Time-Use Survey (2019), supplemented withinternational reports and recent literature, the paper examines multiple hypotheses, including: (1) whetherwomen’s income contributions strengthen their role in household decision-making; (2) the influence of jobtype and social respectability on bargaining outcomes; (3) the impact of unpaid care work on participationand agency; and (4–7) the roles of household wealth, social identity, demographic factors, and the exclusionof educated women in shaping bargaining power and national growth potential. A descriptive and analyticaldesign is applied, combining statistical trends with contextual interpretation. Findings suggest that whileincome is important, social norms, job quality, and caregiving burdens critically mediate women’s bargainingpower. The study concludes that enhancing women’s economic agency is not only central to gender equitybut also to India’s long-term growth, as undervaluing women’s work leads to both social and economic costs.

Authors: Christabel Okoroafor, Anushka Pandey, Natalie Joseph, Ceren Kale, AksharaShukla, Chibudom Ironuru ABSTRACT Migration is a fundamental aspect of human history, driven by the search for survival, security, andopportunity. From the earliest movements out of East Africa to contemporary global flows, migrationpatterns have always reflected deeply embedded political, economic, and environmental dynamics. Inthe modern era, migration is shaped by “push” factors such as conflict, poverty, and climate change, and“pull” factors like economic opportunity and safety. However, these movements are not merely personalchoices, they symbolize persistent global inequalities, particularly between the Global North andSouth. Statistics reveal that while 37% of migration occurs between Southern nations, corridors such asMexico–U.S. and Africa–Europe underscore the influence of geopolitical alliances, policy disparities,and entrenched systemic inequalities.The study of U.S. migration policy offers a powerful lens into these broader forces. Recent years havewitnessed profound shifts, especially under the Trump administration, which implemented sweepingrollbacks on humanitarian protections. Policies like the “Zero-Tolerance” family separation initiative,the “Remain in Mexico” protocol, travel bans targeting Muslim-majority and African countries, andnarrowing of asylum eligibility marked a stark departure from prior commitments to refugee and asylumrights. These measures resulted in widespread family separation, increased deportations, and fueled anatmosphere of fear and exclusion for migrants and asylum seekers.Moreover, the Trump administration’s approach has had long-term reverberations, weakeninginstitutional capacity, fueling backlogs, and politicizing immigration agencies. Even as the Bidenadministration has attempted to reverse some of these policies, structural barriers and the legacy ofenforcement-first strategies persist, complicating efforts toward humane migration justice and reform.The implications extend beyond the U.S., altering global attitudes and contributing to a backlash againstmultilateral cooperation on migration issues. As migration remains a key site of contestation andnegotiation, achieving genuine change will require not just policy reversal but structural transformationto address the deep-rooted inequalities, uphold human rights, and rebuild trust in migration governance.

Authors: Diptika Chatterjee and Daman Kaur ABSTRACT The paper represents the dynamic study about inequality in India with its serious implications on the natives of our country. In this paper, by considering alternative survey sources and data collection methods, we begin bydeveloping a measurable cum outcome based approach, which allows us to study the income dynamics of ourcountry over the past 5 years, we observed, studies that are examining education, inequality, and growth acrossmultiple countries. Trends of income inequalities, by a more formal examination of inequality, can also be takenthrough the decomposition of the Gini coefficient, which measures inequality in household income and consumption. The (Hces 2023-24, n.d.) showed an overall Gini index of consumption expenditure of 0.36, with ahigher Gini of 0.39 for urban India as compared to a Gini of 0.30 for the rural area. We emphasised that the quality of economic data in India is notably poor and has seen a constant and a significant decline overall. The Annual Status of Education Reports (ASER) data, reported for the years 2020-2024, also reinforces these observations as it offers information about participation and indications of qualitative differences in learning outcome.

Authors: Aditi Natasha Bhuinyan and Ayush Paul ABSTRACT This study evaluates the financial performance and crisis resilience of ESG-focused versus traditional equityindices in India. Using daily data from April 2011 to December 2024, it compares the NIFTY ESG Index with theNIFTY100 Traditional Index across cumulative returns, volatility, Sharpe ratios, and maximum drawdowns. Theanalysis reveals that the ESG index consistently outperforms the traditional benchmark, delivering highercumulative and risk-adjusted returns while maintaining comparable or lower downside risk. During periods ofmarket stress, notably the COVID-19 pandemic, ESG investments demonstrated superior resilience, with lowervolatility, faster recovery, and stronger Sharpe ratios. These findings suggest that ESG integration enhances bothlong-term financial performance and portfolio stability, challenging the notion that sustainable investing requiressacrificing returns. The study provides robust empirical evidence that ESG considerations in India cansimultaneously support profitability, risk management, and sustainable growth, highlighting their strategic valuefor investors, corporations, and policymakers seeking to align financial objectives with long-term sustainabilitygoals.

Authors 1. Shreya Agrahari 2. Tanya Sachdeva 3. Himanshi 4. Sheetal Sharma 5. Manya Khanna ABSTRACT The purpose of this thesis was to examine the interrelationship between Good Girl Syndrome, assertiveness, and self-esteem for young women aged 18 – 30 in India. The study included 100 females using methods with a quantitative design. The subsequent statistical analyses involved the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient and multi-linear Regression. The study revealed that conformity and assertiveness didn’t statistically significantly predict self-esteem, as hypothesized (Mahalik et al., 2005; Tylka & Hill, 2004). The findings of this study present intriguing evidence that the dynamics of Good Girl Syndrome may be more complicated than initially believed, also proposing further study into the region of young women in India culturally, socially. Finally, these findings evidence the continued conversation as to the consequences of feminine conformity on women’s mental health and well-being (Simmons, 2007; Parent & Moradi, 2010).

Authors: 1.Mansha :- Desh Bhagat University, Punjab.2.Sonali:- Central University of Gujarat.3.Mimansa joshi :- 3 Year B.A.LL. B (Hons) at Rajiv Gandhi National University rd of Law, Punjab.4.Safia shahnawaz :- 4th year B.A. LL. B(hons) at Faculty of Law, Aligarh Muslim University. ABSTRACT This paper addresses the complicated contortions of the United States in the Middle East, wherestrategic hegemony is interpreted through a mostly humanitarian lens. Beyond the blatantinterventions of Iraq and Syria, the paper examines less discernable U.S. interventions in Yemen,Lebanon, and Oman—geographies that have taken up U.S. influence and control by making use ofaid, diplomacy, and military partnerships without open hostilities. This paper uses Realistapproaches to theories and critical discourse analysis and shows how doctrines such as the“Responsibility to Protect” are instrumentalized and strategically deployed to advance its strategicinterests. The paper then turns to the U.S.-Israel relationship and examines how the convergence ofCommonwealth, political, social, and religious affinities influences policy decisions. At the sametime, American complacency in Palestine and recent involvement in military strategies against Irancertainly raises legitimate doubts about the U.S. credibility as a peacebuilder. In conclusion, theresearch argues that humanitarianism is an engineered instrument of American hegemony, whereinthe concept of intervention shifts from the making of overt war to subtle domination.

Authors: Vishwaraj Chavan and Simin Qureshi ABSTRACT This study examines the effect of Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) on the upgrading educationalsystems at both levels in India, particularly on Case Studies Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra,the Bharti Foundation, and the National Model Schools project. Taking a case study researchstrategy, the study assesses PPPs against the criteria of affordability, accessibility, governance, andsustainability, and situates the research within the frame of the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs 10, 11, and 16. The research validates that PPPs lower the initial capital requirement for thegovernment and encourage private innovation while their equity records are mixed. Maharashtra’sITI joint ventures that did use private sector finance sacrificed affordability for low-incomestudents. Delhi’s PPP schools accelerated infrastructure development yet lacked strong enforcementof the EWS quota. Andhra Pradesh Model Schools and SALT initiative offered technological andinstitutional innovation while seen apprehensions on long-term viability. Bharti Foundation’sapproach to development was extremely inclusive but was dependent upon repeateddonations fromdonors.The study opinesthat PPPs in education are feasible if equity and Accessibility is embeddedin contract relationships and underpinned by open governance frameworks and timely funding.There should be longitudinal follow-up on end in subsequent research. points, inter-statecomparisons, and unconventional funding devices to ensure PPPs not only produce efficiency, butalso equitable and persistent gains in schooling.

Authors: Dhruv Singh Jodha and Namita Chawla ABSTRACT The current study investigates the relationship between internet addiction and self-esteem among undergraduate students from public and private institutions across Delhi NCR. Using the Internet Addiction Test for Adolescents (IAT-A) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, data from 14 participants revealed a strong negative correlation between internet addiction and self-esteem. Private college students showed slightly higher addiction scores, while public college students consistently reported lower levels of self-esteem. Behavioral patterns of students emphasized extended online usage and prioritization of internet usage above other tasks. The findings highlight the influence of institutional and socio-cultural factors, as well as the universality of the internet addiction-self-esteem nexus, further informing targeted interventions for young adults.

AUTHORS: Aditi Natasha Bhuinyan and Ayush Paul ABSTRACT This study evaluates the financial performance and crisis resilience of ESG-focused versus traditional equityindices in India. Using daily data from April 2011 to December 2024, it compares the NIFTY ESG Index with theNIFTY100 Traditional Index across cumulative returns, volatility, Sharpe ratios, and maximum drawdowns. Theanalysis reveals that the ESG index consistently outperforms the traditional benchmark, delivering highercumulative and risk-adjusted returns while maintaining comparable or lower downside risk. During periods ofmarket stress, notably the COVID-19 pandemic, ESG investments demonstrated superior resilience, with lowervolatility, faster recovery, and stronger Sharpe ratios. These findings suggest that ESG integration enhances bothlong-term financial performance and portfolio stability, challenging the notion that sustainable investing requiressacrificing returns. The study provides robust empirical evidence that ESG considerations in India cansimultaneously support profitability, risk management, and sustainable growth, highlighting their strategic valuefor investors, corporations, and policymakers seeking to align financial objectives with long-term sustainabilitygoals.