GS-2Editorials24 July 2026thehindu.com

On reporting resistance and resilience

The article explores the concept of 'resistance' beyond a mere event, drawing on British philosopher Howard Caygill's ideas and the author's experience covering student protests in Delhi. It emphasizes resistance as a cultivated human capacity for endurance, even amidst state repression, and connects this philosophical understanding to Mahatma Gandhi's Satyagraha as a way of life. The piece highlights the resilience of protestors, their composure during police action, and the deeper meaning of sustained defiance.

The article explores the concept of 'resistance' beyond a mere event, drawing on British philosopher Howard Caygill's ideas and the author's experience covering student protests in Delhi. It emphasizes resistance as a cultivated human capacity for endurance, even amidst state repression, and connects this philosophical understanding to Mahatma Gandhi's Satyagraha as a way of life. The piece highlights the resilience of protestors, their composure during police action, and the deeper meaning of sustained defiance.

Exam linkage

GS Paper 2: Indian Polity & Governance (Fundamental Rights, role of civil society, government policies and interventions). GS Paper 1: History of India (Mahatma Gandhi and the Indian National Movement - Satyagraha, as a conceptual reference). Essay Paper: Themes related to democracy, dissent, civil liberties, and the power of non-violent resistance.

Syllabus mapping

Indian Polity & GovernanceFundamental RightsPoverty HungerCivil Services DemocracyAptitude Foundational ValuesPublic Service Values

This topic appears in Mains

Questions on Indian Polity & Governance come up regularly in GS papers. Practice writing an answer — and see exactly what earns marks.