<p>India strides into 2025 with a sense of anticipation, poised to tackle big challenges and seize big opportunities.</p><p>The nation faces a delayed census, a heated debate over the controversial proposal of simultaneous elections and the urgent need to curb growing communalism.</p>.<p><strong>Big exercise </strong></p><p>Already facing criticism for a four-year delay, with critics citing its problematic relationship with official statistics, the Narendra Modi government is set to commence the census count in 2025. This will help in the rollout of the 33% women’s quota and the delimitation of Parliament and Assembly seats.</p><p>But the most important outcome would be that the government will have the latest statistics to expand the social security net and include at least 11 crore people under the food security scheme. </p>.Curtains fall on 2024.<p><strong>Crucial question</strong></p><p>Will the government count the caste in the census, or will there be a separate Caste Census? Will it remain a poll point, especially with the Bihar Assembly election slated for the last quarter of the new year? Will caste triumph over Hindutva?</p>.<p><strong>Major challenge</strong></p><p>The government has unveiled its pet theme, 'One Nation, One Election', but the question remains whether it has the wherewithal to implement it. The numbers in Parliament do not inspire confidence for the government. Opponents of the proposal are unlikely to change their stance as they believe it impinges on the federal structure, effectively kills multi-party democracy and devalues a citizen's vote.</p>.<p><strong>Big trouble</strong></p><p>RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat may have warned right-wing supporters not to look for a temple beneath every mosque, but his remarks were not well-received by all. The government will need to address and curb the rise of communalism.</p>.New dawn, renewed hope.<p><strong>Dalit icon</strong></p><p>The renewed interest in BR Ambedkar and the rush to claim his legacy will spark major debate in the new year. The Constitution will dominate political discourse, with various parties clashing over claims and counter-claims. While the Dalit icon is celebrated, the country continues to grapple with casteism, and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes still face atrocities.</p>.<p><strong>Big resolve</strong></p><p>Farmers are still on the warpath over a variety of demands, ranging from a legal guarantee for minimum support price to loan waivers. Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal has been on a hunger strike for over a month. The 'annadatas', as politicians of various hues call them, are unwilling to settle for anything less.</p>.<p><strong>Challenging task</strong></p><p>The mainstream Left parties are facing one of their fiercest battles for survival. While they may still be an intellectual powerhouse, the Left is electorally down. What they lack at present is leadership, and that is what they should be seeking this year.</p>.<p><strong>Big test</strong></p><p>How will the government address the growing elderly population in the country? How can their potential be harnessed? These questions are likely to be posed to policymakers as the government is likely to gather new statistics with the upcoming census.</p>.<p><strong>Grave concerns</strong></p><p>Unemployment, rising prices, income inequality, divisive agendas, misinformation and cybercrimes are just a few of the many issues that will keep citizens anxious.</p>
<p>India strides into 2025 with a sense of anticipation, poised to tackle big challenges and seize big opportunities.</p><p>The nation faces a delayed census, a heated debate over the controversial proposal of simultaneous elections and the urgent need to curb growing communalism.</p>.<p><strong>Big exercise </strong></p><p>Already facing criticism for a four-year delay, with critics citing its problematic relationship with official statistics, the Narendra Modi government is set to commence the census count in 2025. This will help in the rollout of the 33% women’s quota and the delimitation of Parliament and Assembly seats.</p><p>But the most important outcome would be that the government will have the latest statistics to expand the social security net and include at least 11 crore people under the food security scheme. </p>.Curtains fall on 2024.<p><strong>Crucial question</strong></p><p>Will the government count the caste in the census, or will there be a separate Caste Census? Will it remain a poll point, especially with the Bihar Assembly election slated for the last quarter of the new year? Will caste triumph over Hindutva?</p>.<p><strong>Major challenge</strong></p><p>The government has unveiled its pet theme, 'One Nation, One Election', but the question remains whether it has the wherewithal to implement it. The numbers in Parliament do not inspire confidence for the government. Opponents of the proposal are unlikely to change their stance as they believe it impinges on the federal structure, effectively kills multi-party democracy and devalues a citizen's vote.</p>.<p><strong>Big trouble</strong></p><p>RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat may have warned right-wing supporters not to look for a temple beneath every mosque, but his remarks were not well-received by all. The government will need to address and curb the rise of communalism.</p>.New dawn, renewed hope.<p><strong>Dalit icon</strong></p><p>The renewed interest in BR Ambedkar and the rush to claim his legacy will spark major debate in the new year. The Constitution will dominate political discourse, with various parties clashing over claims and counter-claims. While the Dalit icon is celebrated, the country continues to grapple with casteism, and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes still face atrocities.</p>.<p><strong>Big resolve</strong></p><p>Farmers are still on the warpath over a variety of demands, ranging from a legal guarantee for minimum support price to loan waivers. Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal has been on a hunger strike for over a month. The 'annadatas', as politicians of various hues call them, are unwilling to settle for anything less.</p>.<p><strong>Challenging task</strong></p><p>The mainstream Left parties are facing one of their fiercest battles for survival. While they may still be an intellectual powerhouse, the Left is electorally down. What they lack at present is leadership, and that is what they should be seeking this year.</p>.<p><strong>Big test</strong></p><p>How will the government address the growing elderly population in the country? How can their potential be harnessed? These questions are likely to be posed to policymakers as the government is likely to gather new statistics with the upcoming census.</p>.<p><strong>Grave concerns</strong></p><p>Unemployment, rising prices, income inequality, divisive agendas, misinformation and cybercrimes are just a few of the many issues that will keep citizens anxious.</p>
