The Conversation- by The Contrarian

Episode 8 - National Education Policy: What's the Catch?

India’s education system is undergoing a massive transformation with the National Education Policy (NEP). The NEP aims to bring flexibility, holistic learning, and a multidisciplinary approach to students, but how much of it is practical? Who wins, who loses, and what’s the catch? For the first time ever, this episode is entirely student-led—because who better to comment on education than those experiencing it firsthand? Unlike our usual format, this time, it’s all about raw, unfiltered student voices. Joining us are our Community heads, Praniti Bajaj and Pal Parmar, along with second-year students, Neha Bhatia and Harshita Shrangi. Together, they dive into what the NEP promises, its impact on students and teachers, and whether it’s the game-changer India needs or just another policy on paper.

Episode 7, 2023: The Migration Paradox and Human Rights with Priyali Sur and Aleena Tabu

Leaving one's homeland, a place of roots poses emotional challenges. Some relocate nearby; others face leaving their country for safety or a better life. Migration is woven into history but in the 21st century, global movements prompt crucial talks, merging migration and human rights. This episode features Aleena Sabu, an adept MA student in International Relations specializing in Migration and Diaspora Studies, and Priyali Sur, a prominent multimedia journalist and advocate for marginalized communities. Join us as we navigate this complex landscape, shedding light on the human stories behind migration's intricate intersections with rights and aspirations, shaping our world today.

Episode 6, Side A: Are We Bad Feminists - Deconstructing the F Word | Amrita Nair

Feminism is the overarching ideology that emphasises on the social, economic, and political equality of the sexes - although this term has often been misinterpreted, and has been used for personal gain. The advent of social media has propelled several discourses, and through this podcast - we wish to engage in a fruitful conversation about the need for feminism, as well as deconstruct some of its misnomers such as pseudo-feminism and femvertising. This episode, serving as a base for more varied and pointed conversations about the notion of equality across culture, corporate setups, and law - will focus on the contextual history of feminism, the waves of feminism and how the term has evolved. Explore the advent of this ideology on our new podcast episode with a very special guest - Ms. Amrita Nair.

Episode 5 - Is the internet safe?

Human existence as we know it has made a shift from the physical to the digital realm. We are the only species to have carved out an alternate reality for ourselves. Whether it is shopping, or interacting with friends through social media – all of our activities can take place on the world wide web. With this colony of unique ip addresses and patterns accentuated into society, how do we maintain the same level of security online. Explore the answer to this question on our new podcast with a very special guest and Jai Hind alum, Siddhant Chaterjee.

Episode 4, Side A: Consumer Behaviour and Psychology behind Fast Fashion

Fast fashion retailers, by introducing new merchandise almost weekly and deliberately manipulating the supply of merchandise, treat fashion like food that spoils quickly or as has been said in the popular press, “fast fashion retailers treat fashion as produce.” Any industry based on a throwaway culture is bound to generate environmental and social concerns.  Along with Sanchayan Banerjee, who has a PhD focusing on Behavioural and experimental economics designed to induce pro-environmental attitudes amongst economic agents and presently is working to extend the theory of Nudge to incorporate an element of reflection in it with an idea of achieving persistent behavioural changes that are ethically aligned with an individual's conscious choice. We aim to understand the reasons behind the increased demand and consumption of fast fashion despite the alarming influences. *part 1 of 2*