Writing - Article Writing — Important Questions

THE IMPORTANCE OF READING BOOKS IN THE SMARTPHONE AGE / by Anjali Saxena / In an age dominated by ten-second reels and endless scrolling the quiet act of reading a book has become quietly revolutionary. A 2023 survey revealed that the average urban Indian adult now reads only seven books a year — half the figure from a decade ago. Yet reading offers what scrolling cannot: sustained attention deep empathy and complex reasoning. Long-form reading rewires the brain's neural pathways for focus and analysis — capacities our digital age desperately needs. Schools and parents must therefore foster a reading culture: dedicated library hours visible adult readers at home and a personal commitment to thirty unhurried minutes a day. Audiobooks supplement but cannot replace printed text whose tactile slow rhythm engages the mind differently. The smartphone will not save us — only the unfashionable art of turning pages will.

CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE NEED FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY / by Rohit Sinha / India today stands at a critical climate juncture. Rising heat waves erratic monsoons melting Himalayan glaciers and coastal flooding threaten millions of citizens. Coal still provides over 70 per cent of our electricity but its burning is the chief driver of climate change. The good news: solar and wind energy are now cheaper than coal in many states with solar tariffs falling below Rs 2.50 per unit. India's target of 500 GW of non-fossil-fuel power by 2030 is ambitious but essential. Citizens too can contribute by reducing electricity waste using public transport and supporting EV adoption. The cost of inaction — failed crops drought-induced migration and waterborne disease — far outweighs the cost of clean energy. The question is no longer 'whether' but 'how fast' we can transition. The next decade will determine our climate future.

MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS AMONG STUDENTS / by Karan Joshi / Mental health among Indian students has reached a quiet crisis. Surveys show that almost half of senior school students experience anxiety depression or burnout related to academic pressure peer comparison and uncertain career paths. Yet stigma silences most: fewer than 30 per cent ever seek professional help. The pandemic forced a national conversation about isolation and grief — celebrities and athletes spoke openly about therapy normalising what was once taboo. Schools must now act: trained counsellors emotional-education classes safe-space discussion groups and reduced exam-marks-only culture. Parents should listen without judgement. Friends can spot warning signs — sudden withdrawal sleep changes loss of interest — and refer peers to help. Mental health is not a personal weakness; it is part of overall health that anyone may need help with at any time. Awareness is the first step toward healing.

THE RISE OF ONLINE EDUCATION POST-PANDEMIC / by Saanvi Verma / The COVID-19 pandemic forced schools and universities into a sudden digital experiment whose effects remain with us today. Online learning democratised access — students from remote villages could attend lectures from premier institutions. Self-paced study reduced commute fatigue and recorded sessions allowed unlimited revision. However the experiment also revealed serious cracks. Only 12 per cent of rural homes have reliable internet. Extended screen time damaged eyesight reduced attention spans and harmed handwriting practice. Teacher-student bonding suffered as did peer interaction. The post-pandemic verdict is clear: hybrid learning — blending classroom and online — offers the best of both worlds provided rural digital infrastructure rapidly catches up. Education's future is not a choice between physical and virtual but a thoughtful integration that retains depth while embracing flexibility.

THE ROLE OF YOUTH IN NATION BUILDING / by Riya Kapoor / India is the youngest country in the world with more than 65 per cent of its population under 35. The energy ideas and dreams of this generation will determine whether the next twenty years are India's defining decades. Youth contribute through education entrepreneurship innovation civic engagement and cultural preservation. Start-ups founded by young Indians now solve problems from clean drinking water to mental-health access. Volunteers teach children in underprivileged areas plant trees and clean rivers. Yet challenges persist: skill gaps unemployment and the lure of materialism. The need is for purposeful youth — those who combine ambition with empathy ability with ethics. Schools can help by including community-service hours moral-education classes and career counselling. The youth must remember that the nation they inherit is the one they themselves build. Every action however small adds to that future.

THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON TODAY'S GENERATION / by Manav Sharma / Social media has woven itself so deeply into daily life that for most young Indians it is hard to imagine a world without Instagram WhatsApp and YouTube. The benefits are real: instant connectivity creative platforms access to global news and the ability to mobilise causes within hours. Yet the cost is mounting. Constant comparison breeds anxiety and low self-esteem. Misinformation spreads faster than facts. Attention spans collapse to seconds. Algorithms designed for engagement amplify outrage over nuance. The remedy is neither nostalgia nor abandonment but mindful use. Set screen-time limits curate balanced feeds and reserve digital-free hours for family and reflection. Schools should teach digital literacy. Tech companies must enforce stricter age controls. Parents need to model healthy habits. Used wisely social media empowers; used carelessly it corrodes — the choice is ours.