The Art of Multi-Alignment: India’s Strategic Balancing Between BRICS and the QUAD

Author/s : Dr Suvasish Chakraborty, Assistant Professor, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Adamas University, Kolkata, West Bengal

Abstract : The multipolar world order has immensely changed the nature of contemporary global politics, which now demands countries to enter into issue-oriented partnerships instead of alliances. As such, the so-called contestation between BRICS and the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) has garnered considerable academic interest amid India's two-track foreign policy towards both platforms. Against this backdrop, the article examines how India attempts to reconcile these seemingly antithetical institutional engagements and the Indian ethos of strategic autonomy. The study presents the argument that this dual engagement is a result of India's multi-alignment (both normative and pragmatic) policy to balance the interests of the state and international co-operation, in the light of the English School theory of international relations. The article highlights India's leadership in the BRICS and QUAD framework and how it is simultaneously advocating for global governance reform, South–South cooperation, maritime security, critical technology partnerships and resilient supply chains. The study concludes that both interactions are not a policy paradox but a well-nudged policy for better positioning India as a bridge between the Global South and Indo-Pacific democracies, thereby consolidating its emerging role in global politics.

Keywords: BRICS, QUAD, Strategic Autonomy, English School Theory, India’s Multi-alignment, Global South, Indo-Pacific Democracies

Issue & Page No. : Vol. No. 13, Issue 03, July-September 2026, pp. 12-19

Smriti as witnessing Consciousness: A Conceptual Framework for Teacher Self-Regulation in Indian Psychology

Author/s : Anjali Ramola, Research Scholar, Department of Education, Central University of Rajasthan &

Dr. Narendra Kumar, Assistant Professor, Department of Education, Central University of Rajasthan &

Sankalp Sharma, Assistant Professor, Department of Teacher Education, Central University of Haryana

Abstract : Classroom management, assessment, literacy and instructional competence have all improved significantly in modern teacher education. However, because it does not explore the teachers’ inner life, it is still structurally lacking. There is not a clear framework for fostering consciousness in the classroom, as evidenced by problems like burnout, emotional reactivity, ethical fragility and a loss of professional meaning. Indian psychological traditions are being mentioned more and more in educational discourse, but their incorporation into teacher education is still disjointed and frequently only symbolic.

Based on Indian psychology, this conceptual paper tries to suggest an integrated consciousness-based architecture for teacher development. The study synthesizes three complementary dimensions: teleology (WHY transformation is necessary), ontology (WHERE transformation occurs within the person) and method (HOW self-regulation is enacted through witnessing consciousness). These dimensions are based on the first six chapters of the Bhagavad Gita, the Panchkosha model described in the Taittiriya Upanishad and the regulatory psychology of Yoga Sutras. Smriti, characterized as persistent, witnessing awareness permitting moral, non-reactive action without repression is essential to this integration.

In order to establish the teachers awareness, as the cornerstone of pedagogical integrity and classroom climate, the paper tries to makes the case that teacher education must shift from skill accumulation to consciousness cultivation. The framework provides a theoretically sound basis for upcoming empirical studies and the creation of indigenous models in teacher education, despite its conceptual nature.

Keywords: Teacher Education, Indian Psychology, Panchkosha ,Bhagavad Gita, Yoga Sutras, Contemplative Education, NEP 2020, Consciousness-based Education

Issue & Page No. :  Vol. No. 13, Issue 03, July-September 2026, pp. 27-41

A Study on Awareness on Addressing Social Media Crimes in Central Higher Educational Institutions of India

Author/s : Mr. Shruthik Sharma, Assistant Professor, Department of Criminology & Forensic Science, Koshys Institute of Management Studies (Autonomous), Bengaluru &

           Dr. Rajdeep Ghosh, Assistant professor of Law, School of Law, Forensic Justice and Policy Studies, National forensic Sciences University, Gandhinagar &

Ms. Pallavi A Rao, Department of Forensic Science, School of Biological & Forensic Sciences, Kristu Jayanti (Deemed-to-be) University, Bengaluru

Abstract :  The usage of social media platforms has been a revolution in the way the society interacts, communicate and connect around the world. Parallel to the benefits, it is serving as the breeding ground for the cybercrimes, creating different challenges for the privacy of an individual and for the wellbeing of a society. This study evaluates the education and awareness levels of the students of central higher educational institutions, approach of the faculties and the initiatives taken by the managements and stake holders in addressing the social media crimes and crime prevention. This study solely relies on the relationship between the social media crimes in cyberspace and the contemporary society as the students of today are the people on streets tomorrow. Along with these data, this study also highlights the adverse effect of social media platforms on the society including crimes and mental health implications. The study encourages the integration of cybercrime prevention measures into the educational curriculum system. It would help to enhance the teacher awareness about the lifestyle of students, empower students to surf the digital landscape with safety measures and encourage collaborative initiatives from the stake holders to safeguard the individuals. The study will be able to find and analyse the awareness among the students of Central higher Educational Institutions regarding the cybercrimes occurring through social media platforms. The Study will also be able to figure out the recommendations and initiatives by which the educational institutions could enhance the internet security skills of their students.

Keywords: Cybercrimes, Social media platforms, higher educational institutions

Issue & Page No. : Vol. No. 13, Issue 03, July-September 2026, pp.50-61

The Effect of Storytelling on Imagination of Primary School Students

Author/s : Sapna Sharma, Research Scholar, Faculty of Education, SGT University, Gurugram &

Dr. Neha Sharma, Associate Professor & Dean, Faculty of Education, SGT University, Gurugram

Abstract : The current research paper explores the impact of structured storytelling activities on the imagination of primary school children in grade second . The study involved 68 second-grade students primary school. The research project is informed by core values of India's National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, particularly the need for a holistic approach to learning in the foundational stage, which includes playbased and experiential education. In this regard, a quasi-experimental pre-test–post-test design was adopted, splitting the participants into an experimental group (n =34) and a control group (n = 34). Imagination was measured using an Imaginative Thinking Scale (ITS) that contained four sub-scales: creative visualization, narrative production, symbolic thought, and emotional empathy. Analysis showed highly significant differences in all four scales for the experimental group (p < 0.05). There was an observed improvement in the imagination score of the experimental group from 5.41 to 8.12 out of 10 (a 50.1% increase) following the eight weeks of storytelling activities compared to a slight improvement of 6.8% in the control group. Further qualitative data on story maps and classroom interactions of the participants supported the findings. In conclusion, the results of this research indicate that deliberately constructed storytelling tasks are effective ways to develop students’ imagination at the elementary level and should be included as part of an established program of instruction for both Early Childhood Education and Foundational Learning, in accordance with the directives set forth by the NEP 2020.

Keywords: Storytelling, Imagination, Primary Education, Foundational Literacy, Creative Thinking

Issue & Page No. :  Vol. No. 13, Issue 03, July-September 2026, pp. 69-75

Analysis of Covid-19's Effects on West Bengal's Fireworks Industry in Champahati, South 24 Parganas

Author/s : Pradip Chouhan, Assistant Professor of Economics, National Law University, Agartala, Tripura, India &

Shuvasmita Chatterjee, M.Sc passed student, Department of Economics, Sister Nivedita University, Kolkata, India &

Navin Kr. Jha, Professor, Department of Economics, Sister Nivedita University, Kolkata, India

Abstract : India is the second largest producer of fireworks globally, and the firecracker sector plays a crucial role in the nation's informal economy. Due to the ever-present dangers of COVID-19 and the worsening air quality in our country, the Supreme Court has requested for a ban on firecrackers during major festivities. Champahati, South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, India is one of the most well-known and significant firecracker markets. This article aims to provide light on the current condition in this market in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study is based on primary data collected through a survey, from the workers in the Champahati firecracker industry. The firecracker sector in Champahati, Baruipur, West Bengal took a major hit after COVID-19, the ensuing situation, and the subsequent prohibition. The majority of these incidents resulted in the industry being ordered to abruptly halt operations, and as a direct result, business has been steadily deteriorating ever since. The average monthly sales in this sector have dropped by 31%-50% as a result. Labourers are being taught in batches to create green crackers in an effort to manage air quality, and the industry's future still appears bright as the post-pandemic atmosphere gradually returns to normal.

Keywords: Firecracker industry; COVID-19; Informal worker; West Bengal

Issue & Page No. : Vol. No. 13, Issue 03, July-September 2026, pp.81-89

Multimodal Representations of the 2025 Uttarkashi Flood in National and Regional Digital News Media

Author/s : Deepti Singh, Post-Graduation Student, University School of Mass Communication, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi &

  Sidharth Verma, Research Scholar, Centre of Excellence in Disaster Management, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi &

Durgesh Tripathi, Dean & Professor, University School of Mass Communication, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi

 Abstract : Floods are increasingly represented in digital journalism in multimodal formats in which text and images shape public discourse on floods. Although a number of studies have examined disaster communication, little attention has been paid to how the same flood is differently represented by national and regional digital newspapers. Adopting a qualitative research design, this study purposively selected 18 digital news articles and examined how various modes of disaster narratives are represented in the form of headlines, photographs, typography, page layout, and other visual elements. News18 framed the flood disaster as an emotionally charged crisis through sensational language, multimedia, and prominent page layout. On the other hand, Garhwal Post framed the disaster in the form of documentary photographs and detailed reporting on environmental vulnerability, governance issues, and long-term effects, thus narrating the flood from a more contextual and explanatory perspective. The present study attempts to apply multimodal discourse analysis in the study of disaster communication in the Indian Himalayas by comparing national and regional digital news coverage of disaster events and contributes to existing literature on digital journalism, environmental communication, and media representation.

Keywords: Multimodal Discourse Analysis, Disaster Communication, Digital Journalism, Flood Representation, Uttarkashi Flood

Issue & Page No. : Vol. No. 13, Issue 03, July-September 2026, pp. 97- 105

Sovereignty as Organized Hypocrisy: The Capture of Nicolás Maduro and the Selective Grammar of Non-Intervention in Great Power Practice

Author/s : Avdhesh Singh, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for the Study of the Americas, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India 

Abstract : On 3 January 2026, United States special forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro during a raid on his residence in Caracas, flying him to New York to face narco-terrorism charges without prior authorisation from the United Nations Security Council. China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the operation as a blatant use of force against a sovereign state and demanded Maduro's immediate release, positioning Beijing as a defender of Westphalian non-intervention. This article argues that China's position, and the American operation it condemns, are both instances of what Stephen Krasner terms organized hypocrisy: the persistent gap between the international system's formal veneration of sovereignty and its selective violation by whichever power finds violation convenient. Reading the Maduro case through Krasner's fourfold typology of sovereignty and E. H. Carr's realist critique of interwar legal moralism, the article shows that China's own record on Taiwan, Hong Kong, the South China Sea, and Xinjiang exhibits precisely the selectivity it condemns in Washington, just as Washington's own selective invocation of sovereignty against Russia's invasion of Ukraine sits uneasily with its conduct in Venezuela. The article concludes that sovereignty talk should be read not as a normative constraint great powers occasionally break, but as a legitimating vocabulary both powers deploy and discard according to interest, with implications for how rising and middle powers navigate an order neither hegemon actually practises as written.

Keywords: sovereignty; organized hypocrisy; non-intervention; great power politics; international law; Krasner; realism; Venezuela

Issue & Page No. : Vol. No. 13, Issue 03, July-September 2026, pp.111-118

Post-Marxism in Praxis: SYRIZA and Podemos, Experiments in a New Left Politics

Author/s :  Nirjhar Mukherjee, PhD Scholar, Department of Political Science, Presidency University, Kolkata &

Assistant Professor & Head of the Department, Berhampore College, Murshidabad, West Bengal

Abstract : Post-Marxist political theory emerged as a break from Marxism in the mid-eighties. It gained considerable traction in the past decade. This paper examines the emergence of new kinds of left parties such as SYRIZA in Greece and Podemos in Spain as empirical manifestations of post-Marxist theory. Drawing primarily on the theoretical corpus of Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe, the paper situates post-Marxism as a deliberate theoretical and political break from Marxism, heterodox or otherwise. Post-Marxism rejects economic determinism, historical teleology, and the ontological privileging of the industrial working class as the revolutionary subject in favour of a contingent, discursively constructed politics of hegemony and antagonism. It argues that this break, rather than representing an abandonment of radical politics, has opened new strategic possibilities for left politics in an era where traditional class identities have fragmented. The experiences of SYRIZA and Podemos show these possibilities with varying degrees of success. Through an analysis of their discursive strategies, organisational forms, and governmental experience, the paper explores how post-Marxist concepts — hegemony, the 'empty signifier,' populist reason, and the chain of equivalences —have been operationalised in concrete political conditions shaped by austerity and democratic crisis. Drawing additionally on scholarship in comparative politics, movement studies, and political economy, it assesses the tensions that emerged when these post-Marxist electoral projects confronted the institutional constraints of liberal capitalism and European governance structures, as well as the classical Marxist critiques that questioned whether such a break from historical materialism could sustain a genuinely transformative politics. The paper concludes that while SYRIZA and Podemos demonstrate both the productive possibilities and the structural limits of post-Marxism, the theory provides a guide to creative, diverse left-wing political praxis in the twenty-first century.

Keywords: post-Marxism, hegemony, Laclau, Mouffe, SYRIZA, Podemos, austerity, agonism, discourse

Issue & Page No. :  Vol. No. 13, Issue 03, July-September 2026, pp. 127-134

Impact of Infrastructure Teacher Recruitment and Government Expenditure on Learning Outcomes of Standard Five Level Students in Rural India During the Period 2006-07 To 2016-17

Author/s :  Pulkit Agarwal, Professor, Seth Anandram Jaipuria College

Abstract : Education is one of the pillars of Human Development Index (HDI) and is even addressed as the 4th goal under Sustainable Development Goals i.e., “Quality Education” and without successful investment in Human Capital, a nation cannot achieve sustainable economic development. An investigation is done in the present thesis on learning outcomes among children in different states of India at standard V level. Here 24 major states of rural India are considered. The exercise is done using the data from Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), District Information System for Education (DISE), Handbook of Indian Economy and Ministry of Education data from 2006-2007 to 2016-2017 whose information is kept bounded under rural India and including almost all schools under Government sector. Learning outcome index of the students of almost each state are calculated at standard V level taking English and Mathematics as the subject to check their performance. It is observed that in most of the states, the learning achievement of the children at elementary level is deteriorating, but not rapidly. It has also come out that availability of some school related parameters like ‘number of schools with safe drinking water facilities’, ‘student classroom ratio’ (SCR), ‘pupil teacher ratio’ (PTR), ‘number of schools with pucca building’, ‘ratio of expenses on elementary education to GSDP’ and ‘the ratio of expenses on elementary education to expenses on all levels of education’ can have an impact on the learning outcomes. Some policy suggestions are made to improve the learning outcomes of the students of primary level till Standard V.

Keywords: Education, Primary, English, Maths, Budget, Cross Product, Safe Drinking Water, Student Classroom Ratio, Pupil Teacher Ratio

Issue & Page No. : Vol. No. 13, Issue 03, July-September 2026, pp. 144-153

Evolution of Livelihoods in India: A Geographical Study on Changing Livelihood Strategies

Author/s : Dr. Twinkle Vaid, Assistant Professor, Khalsa College, Ranjit Avenue, Amritsar

Abstract : Livelihoods represent the ways through which individuals and households secure the necessities of life and pursue social and economic well-being. They are shaped by the interaction of environmental resources, social institutions, technology, culture, markets and political processes. India provides a diverse geographical setting for understanding the historical evolution of livelihood systems, ranging from hunting and gathering and pastoralism to settled agriculture, craft production, industrial employment and contemporary service-oriented and diversified livelihoods. This paper examines the evolution of livelihood strategies in India from prehistoric societies to the contemporary period from a geographical perspective. Based on a review of secondary literature and recent official statistics, it traces major transformations associated with the emergence of agriculture, urbanisation, state formation, colonial economic restructuring, post-independence development, the Green Revolution, economic liberalisation and the expansion of service, entrepreneurial and digital economies. Recent official evidence reveals an important structural divergence: services account for 53.6 per cent of GDP in  2025-26. The paper concludes that future livelihood strategies need to combine economic diversification with social protection, environmental sustainability, skill development, digital inclusion and region-specific planning.

Keywords: Livelihood diversification, Rural transformation, Sustainable livelihoods, Regional differentiation, Digital economy, India

Issue & Page No. : Vol. No. 13, Issue 03, July-September 2026, pp. 159-166

Relationship between Artificial Intelligence Readiness, Self-Esteem and Mental Health among Secondary School Students

Author/s : Pinkey, Research Scholar, Faculty of Education, SGT University, Gurugram &

Dr. Neha Sharma, Associate Professor, Dean Faculty of Education SGT University, Gurugram 

Abstract : The fast track integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in teaching and learning calls for an examination of potential psychological consequences of AI on adolescents. This paper provides evidence on AI Readiness, Self-Esteem and “Mental Health among secondary school students. A quantitative, explanatory, survey research design was employed. The sample consisted of 348 Class XI students (173 boys, 175 girls) from private senior secondary schools in Gurugram, Haryana. Data were collected by three standardized instruments The Student Artificial Intelligence Readiness Scale (SAIRS), Self-Esteem Inventory (SEI), and the Student Mental Health Scale (SMHS-50). Descriptive and inferential statistics particularly (Pearson’s product-moment correlation) were performed. The findings showed AI Readiness and Self-Esteem had a significant, positive, moderate relationship (r = 0.456, p < 0.01). AI Readiness and Mental Health also had a significant, positive, strong relationship (r = 0.512, p < 0.01). Finally, a strong positive relationship was indicated between Self-Esteem and Mental Health (r = 0.634, p < 0.01). The results indicate that AI Readiness and Psychological Well-Being are closely connected. In the current learning context, the development of AI Readiness fortifies students’ psychological state through positive self-evaluation and improves their overall mental health.

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence Readiness, Self-Esteem, Mental Health, Secondary School Students, Technostress.

Issue & Page No. : Vol. No. 13, Issue 03, July-September 2026, pp. 175-181

From Dharma to Disposal: A Socio-Legal and Constitutional Reconstruction of Extended Producer Responsibility in India

Author/s : Shudhanshu Ranjan, Research Scholar, Department of Law, SRT Campus, HNB Garhwal University, Tehri Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India &

  Dr. Himani Bisht, Assistant Professor, Department of Law, SRT Campus, HNB Garhwal University, Tehri Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India

Abstract : India generates approximately 9.3 million tonnes of plastic pollution annually, prompting the implementation of a digitized Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework. However, this formal legal architecture relies on the false sociological presumption of a fully formalized waste sector, structurally excluding the four million informal waste pickers predominantly women from marginalized castes who actually sustain 60 to 80 per cent of the nation's recycling economy. By prioritizing algorithmic certificate trading and market-driven “paper compliance,” the State facilitates a system where corporate polluters evade genuine environmental remediation. This technocratic approach constitutes “technological redlining,” simultaneously violating the fundamental right to equality (Article 14) and the indivisible right to livelihood and a clean environment (Article 21). To resolve this socio-legal paradox, this paper develops a novel interdisciplinary framework that anchors environmental governance in the ancient Indian ethics of dharma (ecological equilibrium), karma (continuous accountability), and ṛṇa (intergenerational moral debt). These normative traditions are translated into modern transformative constitutionalism, bridging civilizational ethics with constitutional mandates under Articles 48A and 51A(g). Utilizing empirical data from Chintan and WIEGO alongside international comparative jurisprudence, the paper exposes the illusion of corporate auditing and proposes a six-point socio-legal reconstruction model. This model mandates the formal statutory recognition of waste pickers, inclusive corporate partnerships, weight-based service fees, decentralized solidarity economies, hybrid traceability, and strict criminal deterrence. Ultimately, India’s EPR must transcend technocratic ledgers to become a system of substantive environmental justice and inescapable moral accountability.

Keywords: Extended Producer Responsibility; Informal Waste Sector; Environmental Justice; Transformative Constitutionalism; Green Criminology; Circular Economy

Issue & Page No. : Vol. No. 13, Issue 03, July-September 2026, pp. 188-194

Visual Communication Through Magazine Covers:  A Semiotic Analysis of National Geographic Magazine Covers (2020-2025)

Author/s :  Mohd Anas, Assistant Professor, Department of Mass Communication, Aligarh Muslim University

Abstract : Magazine covers are carefully crafted visual texts that influence the way readers interpret stories within. This research explores the way National Geographic magazine conveys meaning through the integration of images and text. Using purposive sampling, five magazine covers published between 2020 and 2025 were selected to represent five common editorial themes: wildlife and conservation, climate and environmental change, human cultures and society, history and archaeology, and scientific innovation and exploration.

The analysis shows that the selected covers rarely depend on images alone. Instead, photographs establish an initial visual impression, while headlines and cover lines narrow possible interpretations and direct readers towards a preferred meaning. Several covers also encourage readers to reconsider familiar assumptions about people, wildlife, historical objects, and the natural world. Rather than simply presenting information, the covers use visual communication to shape how subjects are perceived and understood. The study demonstrates that meaning on National Geographic covers emerges from the close interaction between visual design and textual anchorage.

Keywords: Visual communication, semiotics, magazine covers, National Geographic, Barthes, Kress and van Leeuwen.

Issue & Page No. : Vol. No. 13, Issue 03, July-September 2026, pp. 200-209