Current Issues

The present study examines the influence of training programmes and employee welfare measures on the performance of workers employed in the Nanded Division of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC). As a major public-sector transport undertaking catering to vast rural and semi-urban populations across Marathwada, MSRTC relies heavily on the efficiency, discipline, and service orientation of its frontline and supervisory staff. The research explores how systematically designed training inputs and a comprehensive welfare ecosystem together shape key performance indicators such as punctuality, safety compliance, job satisfaction, and quality of passenger service. The findings reveal that both training adequacy and welfare satisfaction are significantly and positively associated with employee performance. Technical and refresher training programmes are rated as the most impactful, while medical facilities and housing support are the most valued welfare components. Employees at urban depots report higher access to welfare infrastructure than those at rural outstations. The study concludes with practical recommendations for MSRTC management to strengthen training frequency, upgrade outstation welfare facilities, and create a systematic performance-linked recognition framework.

This paper explores the design and educational value of a personalized English vocabulary bot using Claude AI for students. It examines how an AI-driven conversational tool can support vocabulary acquisition through contextual explanations, example sentences, collocations, and adaptive practice based on learner level and academic need. Using a theoretical study approach, the paper also situates the proposed bot within the broader development of digital communication and reviews its potential impact on mental health and learner well-being. The discussion highlights both the benefits of AI-supported language learning, such as instant feedback, learner autonomy, and reduced language anxiety, and the concerns associated with digital communication, including overload, distraction, and mental fatigue. The paper concludes that Claude AI can serve as an effective educational companion when used responsibly and pedagogically, offering a balanced model for personalized vocabulary learning in digital contexts.

Early disease detection plays a crucial role in improving patient outcomes and reducing healthcare costs. Recent advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Deep Learning (DL) have enabled automated analysis of facial biomarkers for identifying potential health conditions. Facial biomarkers such as skin discoloration, facial asymmetry, eye abnormalities, and texture variations may indicate underlying diseases. Although deep learning models have demonstrated remarkable performance in medical image analysis, their black-box nature limits clinical trust and adoption. Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) techniques provide transparency by explaining model predictions and highlighting important facial features associated with disease detection. This review explores the integration of explainable deep learning with facial biomarker analysis for early disease detection. The paper discusses facial biomarkers, deep learning architectures, explainability techniques, applications, challenges, and future research directions.

The rapid growth of electric vehicles (EVs) has emerged as a critical strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, minimizing dependence on fossil fuels, and promoting sustainable transportation systems. However, developing nations face substantial barriers in accelerating EV adoption due to inadequate charging infrastructure, unreliable power grids, high battery costs, limited policy support, and lack of consumer awareness. This research paper examines the major infrastructure challenges hindering EV adoption in developing economies and evaluates smart charging solutions that can support sustainable mobility transitions. The study analyzes the role of smart grids, renewable energy integration, AI-based charging management, vehicle-to-grid (V2G) systems, battery swapping technologies, and public-private partnerships in overcoming infrastructure limitations. Using secondary data from international energy reports, government publications, and industry case studies, the paper highlights the current status of EV ecosystems in countries such as India, Brazil, South Africa, and Indonesia. The research further proposes a strategic framework for policymakers and stakeholders to accelerate EV deployment through intelligent charging infrastructure and digital energy management systems. The findings suggest that integrated smart charging networks combined with supportive policies and renewable energy adoption can significantly enhance EV penetration in developing nations while ensuring energy efficiency and environmental sustainability.

Housing is a fundamental human need and an important indicator of socio-economic development. In India, the challenge of providing adequate housing to rural populations has remained a major concern for policymakers. The Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G), launched in 2016, aims to ensure "Housing for All" by providing financial assistance to rural households living in inadequate housing conditions. This article examines the role of PMAY-G in promoting inclusive development by improving housing conditions, reducing poverty, enhancing social dignity, and strengthening rural welfare. The study highlights the achievements, challenges, and future prospects of the scheme while emphasizing its contribution to inclusive growth and social justice.

Sustainable development has become a cornerstone of India’s national agenda under the Viksit Bharat vision. While science, engineering, and technology (SET) provide the technical foundation for sustainability, Human Resource Management (HRM) plays a crucial but often overlooked role in embedding and scaling sustainable practices. This study empirically investigates how HRM strategies—particularly green HRM, continuous skill development, and employee engagement—shape sustainability outcomes in engineering and technology driven organizations. Survey data from 210 employees across institutions and firms were analyzed using descriptive statistics, reliability checks, correlation, and regression techniques. Results confirm that HRM practices significantly predict sustainability performance, positioning HRM as a strategic enabler of sustainable development in the SET context aligned with Viksit Bharat.

This present study is based on the influence of Human Resource Management (HRM) practices on the job satisfaction of MSRTC employees. The main objective of the study was to examine the relationship between HRM practices, employee performance, welfare measures and employee motivation in the organisation. The study was conducted among 150 respondents selected from different divisions and depots of MSRTC in Maharashtra.

This study investigates the depth and dynamics of parental involvement in children’s home-based learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, a period marked by an unprecedented disruption to traditional educational systems worldwide. The sudden closure of schools and the rapid transition to online and remote learning environments significantly altered the roles and responsibilities of parents, requiring them to actively participate in their children’s educational processes. In this context, the study aims to explore parents’ experiences, perceptions, challenges, and adaptive strategies in facilitating effective learning at home. Adopting a qualitative research design, the study relies on in-depth, semi-structured interviews conducted with a diverse group of parents representing different socio-economic, educational, and occupational backgrounds. This approach enables a comprehensive understanding of the varied dimensions of parental engagement, including academic support, supervision, technological facilitation, emotional encouragement, and communication with teachers. Thematic analysis was employed to identify recurring patterns and insights from the collected data. The findings reveal that parental involvement increased substantially during the pandemic, with parents assuming multiple roles such as facilitators, motivators, and co-educators. Many parents reported dedicating significant time to monitoring assignments, assisting with coursework, and ensuring regular participation in virtual classes. Additionally, parents played a crucial role in managing digital tools and platforms, especially in households where children lacked independent technological skills. Emotional support also emerged as a key component, as parents helped children cope with stress, isolation, and reduced social interaction. However, the study also identifies several challenges faced by parents in supporting home-based learning. These include limited digital literacy, inadequate access to reliable internet and devices, work-life imbalance, and increased psychological stress. Parents working from home or in essential services often struggled to balance professional responsibilities with their children’s educational needs. Furthermore, maintaining children’s attention, motivation, and discipline in a home environment posed significant difficulties. Despite these obstacles, many parents demonstrated resilience and adaptability by developing innovative strategies such as creating structured daily routines, utilizing supplementary learning resources, and fostering interactive learning environments. The study underscores the critical importance of parental engagement in sustaining educational continuity during crises and highlights the need for stronger collaboration between schools and families.

Counter-terrorism has emerged as one of the most significant priorities of governments and international organizations in the twenty-first century. From military interventions and surveillance systems to preventive legislation and border security mechanisms, states have invested enormous resources in protecting societies from terrorist violence. While many of these measures have succeeded in disrupting terrorist networks and preventing attacks, an important question continues to challenge policymakers and scholars alike: can strategies designed to eliminate terrorism inadvertently contribute to the very conditions that sustain it? This article examines the paradoxical dimensions of contemporary counter-terrorism by exploring how certain security measures, despite their protective intent, may generate unintended political, social, and psychological consequences. Excessive securitization, broad surveillance frameworks, discriminatory profiling, prolonged military campaigns, restrictions on civil liberties, and heavy-handed law enforcement responses often create grievances that extremist organizations exploit for recruitment and mobilization. In many instances, efforts aimed at strengthening security have simultaneously weakened public trust, intensified social polarization, and reinforced narratives of victimization among vulnerable communities. Drawing upon contemporary global experiences, the study highlights the complex relationship between security and freedom, state authority and democratic accountability, and prevention and radicalization. It argues that terrorism cannot be addressed solely through coercive instruments because extremist ideologies frequently flourish within environments characterized by exclusion, alienation, injustice, and political discontent. Effective counter-terrorism therefore requires a balanced framework that combines security operations with community engagement, social resilience, legal safeguards, educational initiatives, and respect for human rights. The article contributes to ongoing debates by demonstrating that the success of counter-terrorism should not be measured only by the number of attacks prevented or militants neutralized. Rather, long-term effectiveness depends on the ability of states to maintain public legitimacy, uphold democratic values, and address the structural conditions that enable extremism to thrive. By examining the contradictions embedded within contemporary counter-terrorism practices, this study advocates for a more nuanced, sustainable, and human-centered approach to security governance in an increasingly complex global environment.