MTO - All Editorials Snapshot: 27-October-2025

The Hindu Editorials snapshot

Editorial 1

Hands-off Approach: On the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar Awards

The government has announced this year’s Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar (RVP) awards, honouring 24 individual scientists and one team for their remarkable contributions. The awards have four categories — Vigyan Ratna, Vigyan Shri, Vigyan Yuva-Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar, and Vigyan Team Award — recognising lifetime achievements, recent work, young scientists under 45, and collective technological innovation. Although the total number of awards can go up to 56, fewer scientists were honoured this year compared to 33 last time. The delay in announcement might reflect more careful evaluation of nominees. Unlike the earlier Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar awards, the RVP does not include a cash prize, in line with the spirit of the Padma awards. However, issues arose last year when some scientists were told they would receive the award but were later dropped, leading to concerns about fairness and transparency. Some scientists also feared that political factors or criticism of the government might influence decisions. The selection committee, headed by the Principal Scientific Adviser, recommends names to the Minister of Science and Technology, but it is unclear whether the Minister can reject them. The RVP was introduced after the government decided in 2022 to reduce the large number of department-level awards and enhance their national prominence. Yet, the process now seems overly centralised and possibly political. To maintain credibility and prestige, the government should remain unbiased and allow scientists to assess the excellence of their peers without interference.

Editorial 2

Clarity and Confusion: On the Bihar Election Preparations, the Rival Fronts

Both the main political alliances in Bihar — the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) — have now declared their chief ministerial candidates after much delay and internal disagreement. Nitish Kumar will lead the NDA, and Tejashwi Yadav will lead the Grand Alliance. The delay in announcement shows the lack of unity and growing rivalry within each camp. The BJP, despite being stronger in the Assembly, has supported Nitish Kumar again after realising that uncertainty about his leadership could hurt the NDA’s election chances. Although Nitish Kumar is older and slowing down, he still has enough political influence for the BJP to stay behind him for now. The Mahagathbandhan faced similar problems, as the Congress hesitated to support Tejashwi Yadav but finally did so to avoid creating more confusion. While Yadav has strong backing from a significant part of the public, he also faces resistance from others. Both alliances struggle with trust and leadership issues, leaving voters doubtful. Meanwhile, Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party is trying to appeal to people who are dissatisfied with both sides, though it remains a distant possibility. Overall, the situation in Bihar politics reflects uncertainty, inner conflict, and the search for credible leadership.

The Indian Express Editorials snapshot

Editorial 3

Express View: AI Disclosure Draft Rules — A Move in the Right Direction

Artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly changed how people create and share content online. It allows users to generate videos, images, and audio easily, but this has created serious risks such as deepfakes, misinformation, and fraud. To deal with these growing challenges, the Indian government has proposed draft rules requiring mandatory labelling of AI-generated content. Visuals must have clear labels covering at least 10% of the image, and audio must include a warning in its first 10% duration. Platforms will now have to ask users if their uploads are synthetically generated and also use technology to verify such content. This makes social media companies responsible for preventing misuse. Large firms like Google (with Gemini) and X (with Grok) have big AI stakes and thus should contribute to finding solutions. The government also aims to make content takedowns more transparent — only senior officials can order removals — which is a fair step, though there should also be a proper redressal mechanism. Since AI is now deeply embedded in the digital world, regulation must evolve faster. AI can empower society through education and creativity but can equally distort truth if used carelessly. These disclosure rules are a solid beginning, but future actions must be quicker, sharper, and smarter to keep up with advancing technology.

Editorial 4

Second Editorial: Creating Discord Between Religious Communities with ‘Unsaid Words’? Allahabad HC Decision is Anti-Free Speech

The Allahabad High Court has ruled that even a message without direct religious references can spread communal discord, a decision that raises serious concerns for free speech. The case involves Afaq Ahmad, who was accused by Uttar Pradesh police under Section 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for sending a WhatsApp message that allegedly provoked public unrest. His message expressed anger over his brother’s arrest, believing it to be politically motivated, and reaffirmed his faith in the judiciary. Despite the lack of explicit religious remarks, the court held that the message carried an implied suggestion of religious bias and could incite enmity between communities. However, this reasoning blurs the line between actual wrongdoing and perceived intent, threatening the boundaries of free expression. The judgment contradicts the Supreme Court’s 2015 Shreya Singhal ruling, which stressed that laws must clearly define offences so ordinary people understand what is prohibited. By creating uncertainty about what counts as “subtle” or “unsaid” offences, the court risks enabling arbitrary enforcement. Criminal laws that restrict expression demand precise interpretation. The High Court, therefore, needs to reconsider its decision to ensure constitutional safeguards for free speech.

Top Vocabulary Picks from Today’s Editorials

Word	Simple Meaning	Synonym	Antonym
Proliferated	Increased or spread rapidly	Multiplied	Declined
Sophistication	High complexity or refinement	Advancement	Simplicity
Bewildering	Extremely confusing or difficult to understand	Puzzling	Clear
Deceive	To make someone believe something false	Mislead	Reveal
Onus	The responsibility or duty of doing something	Burden	Exemption