Opinion

LinkedIn likes to position itself as the world’s “professional meritocracy.”
But this week, women across the platform proved something alarming: merit alone does not guarantee visibility, masculinity does.

In a bold social experiment, women professionals changed their gender to “male” on LinkedIn. What happened next was not a coincidence. It was evidence.

Engagement skyrocketed.
Comments multiplied.
Reach exploded overnight.

If anyone ever doubted gender bias on LinkedIn or the existence of algorithmic discrimination, this experiment has turned suspicion into measurable proof. The platform’s algorithm appears far more eager to amplify male-coded profiles than female ones.

But while the evidence is powerful, the method raises serious concerns.

Are Women Proving Bias—or Training the Algorithm to Ignore Them?

Let’s be honest: this trend is painful. Women already battle systemic barriers in workplaces, leadership roles, and online spaces. Now, even digital platforms—supposedly neutral—seem to reward women only when they pretend not to be women.

And here’s the chilling part:
If women keep adopting masculine markers for visibility, they may be reinforcing the very algorithmic bias they’re trying to expose.

By presenting themselves as “male,” women risk:

signalling that feminine communication lacks value
diluting the diversity LinkedIn should amplify
normalising the idea that women must adapt to digital inequality
losing the authentic tone, empathy, and nuance that define their voice

This is not a harmless experiment. It’s a wake-up call.

Women Respond: “I’m Not Changing My Gender to Please an Algorithm.”

Journalist Shamita Iyer asks the most critical question:
“What is the aim? To force LinkedIn to change—or to spark a viral trend women feel pressured to join?”
She refuses to edit her identity for reach:
“I’m keeping my voice, tone, and gender. I like them,whether the algorithm does or not.”

Dr. Prachi Thakur echoes the sentiment:
“I will not change my gender whatsoever. That would mean reinforcing the algorithm.”

Their stance reflects what many women professionals feel: visibility shouldn’t require self-erasure.

There Is a Better Strategy: Women Amplifying Women

Rachael, whose post triggered this debate, offers a solution rooted in solidarity rather than distortion:
“Find ten women’s posts every day, follow, engage, amplify.”

This is not gaming the system.
This is reshaping it.

Imagine thousands boosting women’s voices daily. LinkedIn’s algorithm will have no choice but to evolve.

LinkedIn Must Answer for This

The burden cannot fall entirely on women.
It is time for LinkedIn to confront this gendered visibility gap and address its algorithmic bias against women.

Because women should not have to become men to be heard.

The future of digital equality depends on platforms that recognise authentic voices, not masculine defaults.

In recent years, a remarkable cultural movement known as "Bhajan Clubbing" has caught the imagination of India’s youth aka Gen Z. This viral trend is promoting the real meaning of bhajans, unlike the old view of bhajans as ritualistic or mandatory religious chants. It is introducing new energy to devotional music by making it lively soulful events.. Bhajan Clubbing blends ancient chants with contemporary rhythms, creating a unique space where spirituality meets fun, community, and emotional well-being.

What is Bhajan Clubbing?

Bhajan Clubbing is a social and spiritual gathering where participants come together to sing devotional songs, often infused with modern beats and live music elements. Nowhere like silent prayer gatherings, these gatherings are like music meditations or jam sessions with applause, dancing, and group dynamism. With dim lighting, cozy surroundings, and no alcohol or non-veg involved, these events offer a peaceful, inclusive alternative to conventional nightlife.. It is a vibrant and relaxing atmosphere that keeps young people interested in experience even when they are looking to get more out of life.

Why is Gen Z Hooked to Bhajan Clubbing?

For Gen Z, Bhajan Clubbing is not about religious obligation but authentic connection, emotional expression, and belonging. It provides the peaceful refuge of the busy, high-tech digital landscape. By chanting and conscious music, the participants feel emotionally relieved, lessened in terms of stress and connected to their peers- some of the main needs in the disunited society of today. It is also in line with emerging youth interest in mindfulness, wellness, and other spiritual practices that are not directly linked to religion, so bhajan gatherings are a new and timely means of engaging with tradition.

What Are Experts Saying?

Psychologists and education experts are observing the positive impact of Bhajan Clubbing on young minds. They observe that group chanting and rhythmic devotion can help increase concentration, decrease anxiety and improve cognitive ability, which is translated into higher academic achievements. The relaxing quality of bhajans makes the mind calm, which is generally associated with creativity and creativity. Experts see Bhajan Clubbing as a bridge connecting cultural heritage with contemporary mental health and learning benefits.

Education and Creativity via Bhajan Clubbing

Academic success is centred on a balanced mind that can develop creativity and resilience. Bhajan Clubbing offers a compelling model where spirituality and creativity are intertwined. Students that have attended such musical gatherings have indicated that they have become more focused, emotionally stable and think creatively. In my opinion, this trend attests to the fact that tradition can be dynamic and can be transformed into living, including experiences that will empower modern learners not only emotionally but intellectually.

Overall, Bhajan Clubbing symbolises a cultural renaissance, a youthful reclaiming of devotional music as a channel for peace, joy, and creative expression. In a veil of shedding the burden of responsibility and adopting fun and mindfulness, Gen Z is redefining bhakti (devotion) in a manner that they find especially meaningful and that amplifies their educational and personal development.

This fusion of calm and creativity through Bhajan Clubbing offers valuable lessons on how ancient practices can meet modern needs, inspiring educators and students alike to explore holistic paths toward flourishing both inside and outside classrooms.

Terrorism is a nightmare which traumatises societies and unfortunate situations such as the J&K police station blast and the Delhi red fort explosion are hurting us with the moments of this danger. The only way to counter it is to know the psychology of terrorism that influences terrorists to commit such heinous deeds.

Studies reveal that terrorists are not crazy monsters, but usually people with very complicated psychological reasons, such as the feeling of injustice, identity crisis, political discontents, and the necessity to belong. People become outcomes of the extremist groups to find a purpose and status which substitutes the sense of inconvenience or isolation. And acts of violence, although hideous, are used to express their outrage and make their feelings felt by these groups.

During the decades of strife in places such as Jammu & Kashmir, radicalization has found ample grounds. Feelings of oppression, defeat and broken trust are the ingredients of the wrath that militant outfits use. The Delhi red fort blast, which is believed to have links to the terror modules in areas such as Faridabad,reflects how these forces reach deep into urban centers, previewing a broader, more complex terror network

Terrorists tend to project their violence psychologically as heroic sacrifices to a cause bigger than themselves. This perverse vision of the world is supported by group processes which emphasise excessive loyalty and discourages opposition. This insight can be used to understand why mass violence becomes possible to them though morally abhorrent.

Counter-terrorism actions should not only focus on security operations but also seek to combat these driving forces by inclusive governance, deradicalization programmes, and engaging communities. It is also crucial to prevent the recruitment and isolate the extremists through the public awareness and the resiliency of the society.

The J&K police station blast and Delhi red fort blast highlight the dynamic nature of terror: it is not mere unthinking hate speech but a strategic psychological warfare that targets to disrupt the social and government power. India can only win the battle against terrorists by seeing the mental state of terrorists and focusing on the real cause of terrorism to ensure that terror is broken in a loop and a better future can be created. 

Days after Plus III Arts second-year students of the Odia department at Ravenshaw University staged dharna in front of the vice-chancellor's office seeking repair of their dilapidated classrooms, their peers in the self-financing computer science course on Monday launched a similar protest seeking immediate upgradation of the laboratory infrastructure.

They complained that there was an acute shortage of computers in their laboratories and the existing ones were outdated and did not function properly. “We had reported this matter to the vice-chancellor and department officials multiple times but they kept turning a deaf ear to our pleas,” they rued.

“We have seven batches of students - three of BSc, two MSc and as many of MCA. With 40 students in each batch, the total number comes to around 280. Each student pays nearly `40,000 towards the course fee which comes to around `11 crore from all 280 students. If the university isn’t able to provide us with a proper functioning computer and basic infrastructure, what is the collected money being used for?” questioned Dibya Prakash Patra, a protesting student.

Another student, Debasmita Sahu, said they too have given written complaints to the V-C in this regard but to no avail. The students, after having their pleas unheard for long, resorted to a sit-in protest to press for their demands.

The agitation was, however, called off after the university authorities assured them that a tender had already been floated for purchasing computers and their demands would be fulfilled within a month.

On November 6, Plus III Arts second-year students of the Odia department held their classes in the open in front of the V-C’s office seeking immediate repair of their dilapidated classrooms.

The protest had been called off after the university officials assured them of completing the repair work in 10 days

In Srinagar, a huge blast on late Friday night tore through Nowgam Police Station, killing at least ten and injuring more than 35. This J&K police station blast happened at a time when police were processing a large consignment of explosives obtained in the Faridabad terror module case, the same case that involved the deadly car bomb outside the red fort in Delhi that killed 13. Are these two gruesome events mere accidents, or are they part of a larger, carefully planned terror attack? This article takes a deep plunge into what could actually be happening.

The Nowgam explosion happened when police and forensic scientists were handling 350 kg of ammonium nitrate explosives that had been retrieved in the Faridabad case. Two primary hypotheses are under investigation: either the chemicals that were accidentally ignited during the handling process or that a terror attack may have occurred deliberately, perhaps an IED in a vehicle left in the police station compound. 

A terror group associated with Jaish-e-Mohammed has taken the responsibility, and it is undergoing verification by the officials. The blast was so powerful, bodies scattered hundreds of feet away, which indicated the extent of its violence. Detectives are currently examining keenly whether the Srinagar blast and the Delhi attack were two segments of the same scheme.​

Who are the people behind these attacks? Terrorists often come from troubled backgrounds, feeling ignored or hurt, which radicalizes them through hate-filled groups. Surprisingly, some accused in these cases include educated professionals, even doctors, showing how deep and hidden these networks can be. These attackers see violence as a way to fight for power or ideology, often driven by a mix of anger, identity crises, and brainwashing.

But here are some questions we can’t overlook: Are these attackers just pawns in a larger game? Why were such dangerous explosives stored in a police station! A place meant to keep us safe?! Was the Nowgam blast an accident, a cover-up to destroy evidence, or a warning from terror groups trying to scare authorities? And what does it mean when trusted professionals get involved in terror? Could this be a new, hidden face of terror that uses brains and bravery to hide?

Such incidents leave us wondering whether the security agencies in India are prepared to battle against such dynamic threats that combine the armed actions of classical terrorism with intelligent schemes and inside assistance. The common man has a right to know the truth regarding the connection between Faridabad, Srinagar and Delhi attacks. India can only be safer by having an insight on the mind games that terrorists subject themselves to.

Ultimately, these explosions are frightening indications that terror’s deadly dance continues with a new face, and India needs to upgrade itself to suppress these or maybe get rid of its roots for the betterment of society. The Nowgam and Delhi attacks warn us not to be blind, to be aware, and to demand truth.

Undoubtedly, the School Academic Performance Report published by CBSE is a major step toward bringing transparency into India's education system; however, restricting its access only to the heads and principals of the schools is a violation of parents' fundamental right to information.

The School Academic Performance Report is a historical and highly commendable step taken by the Central Board of Secondary Education. But restricting this report only to the school administration and not making it public goes against the very spirit of transparency and works contrary to the Right to Information act of the citizens.

Right to Know: A Parent's Perspective

Every parent has a right to know how his or her child's school stands as compared to state and national standards. Whether the average performance of a school in Class 10 and 12 examinations is above or below the state and national average is a piece of critical information required by every parent.

But many times, some schools perform far above, or below, the average figures. Public dissemination of such information would help parents and the community establish a school's true academic standing.

Why Performance Reports Matter

Experience has shown that many schools do wonderfully up to Class 10, but their quality deteriorates at the senior secondary level because of a lack of qualified teachers. Some shine in commerce, but lag behind in science or the arts. If such comparisons are publicly available, parents can indeed make an informed choice about which schools have stronger faculties and better outcomes.

Transparency and Fee Rationalization

Once the comparative data on the schools' academic performance and facilities becomes public, schools will no longer be able to arbitrarily decide on the fees. Fees would become performance-based: schools offering better education and infrastructure would have the ethical justification for charging higher fees. This would automatically introduce a fair and competitive system where only quality ensures survival.

Empowering Girls through Education and Gender Equality

Parents are more cautious about their daughters' education; therefore, knowing the enrolment rate and academic progress of girls in each school would help parents decide more aptly. This transparency would ensure that the school administrations take the girls' education more seriously.

Beyond Academics: Recognizing Sports and Talent

The report goes beyond academics because it covers the comparative analysis of students' participation and achievements in sports both at state and national levels. This helps parents identify schools that have performed well in various disciplines of athletics, swimming, or shooting and thereby guide students interested in sports to the right institutions.

What the Report Covers

The CBSE's School Academic Performance Report Card analyzes Class 10 and 12 data across these key categories:

• Comparison of average marks with state and national averages.
• Gender-based performance analysis (boys vs. girls).
• Comparing the Subject-wise Average Marks across Regions:
• Participation and achievements in sports relative to national standards.

A Call for Public Access

While this is a very positive step towards accountability in education, if the report cards are not made public, very little change will result. Parents, students, and the public have a right to this information to help create a shared culture of accountability and improvement. Transparency is only worth something when it is accessible to all-because in education, accountability is the foundation of real reform.