Daily Newspaper Notes: February 24, 2026

Towards A Structural Reset Of Indian Federalism

Core Points:

• Southern states are generating important models in ecology, weaving, education, health, IT, business, and political thought.
• Tamil Nadu has revived debate on federalism by appointing a High-Level Committee on Union–State Relations.
• The report calls for a fresh federal compact and rethinking of constitutional design.
• Indian federalism originally leaned towards centralisation due to founding-era anxieties.
• Centralisation later became habitual rather than a conscious constitutional choice.
• Rise of regional parties and coalitions in the 1990s checked centralisation, but without constitutional codification.
• The past decade shows a renewed and troubling pattern of federal imbalance.
• Federal erosion is increasingly justified through “One-Nation-One-Something” frameworks.
• A federation that trusts states, respects subsidiarity, empowers local governments, and accommodates diversity deepens democracy.
• Unity should be based on consent, negotiated accommodation, and principled distribution of power.
• The idea of India as a “Union of States” must guide future Centre–State relations.
• The report proposes constitutional, political, fiscal, representational, and cultural resets.
• Centralisation in recent years runs against India’s civilisational character of diversity and pluralism.
• A new federal compact should rest on political, cultural, and economic non-domination.

Rising Child And Adolescent Mental Health Crisis In India

Core Points:

• Mental health challenges are increasingly seen in younger children, not just adults or older adolescents.
• Anxiety, depression, attention disorders and behavioural issues can appear as early as four to five years of age.
• Early trauma, neglect and chronic stress disrupt emotional and cognitive development, intensifying during adolescence.
• Comorbidities are rising (e.g., ADHD with anxiety; depression with compulsive digital use).
• Early signs such as withdrawal, impulsivity and behavioural changes are often ignored.
• India faces a severe shortage of child and adolescent mental health professionals.
• Families often navigate fragmented care without adequate institutional support.
• Rapid smartphone expansion and low-cost Internet have increased screen exposure among children.
• Internet addiction is now a routine clinical concern (loss of control, irritability, sleep disruption, social withdrawal).
• Excessive screen use does not cause neurodevelopmental disorders but can worsen symptoms and delay diagnosis.
• Parents are the first mental health buffer and must practice trauma-informed, non-judgmental parenting.
• Parent and peer support groups strengthen protective environments and are more effective than isolated clinical interventions.
• Schools prioritise academic performance over emotional wellbeing, creating imbalance.
• Teachers and paediatricians need structured training for early identification of mental health and digital harms.
• Stigma delays care, with families often seeking help only during crises.
• Mental health is closely linked to social media and Internet use.
• Policy action must integrate screening, training, referral systems and affordable community-based counselling. Mental wellbeing should be treated as central to child development, not secondary to competitiveness.