Best BS Opinion: Oil and Mo

India’s retail inflation rate measured 4.38 percent in June, surpassing the Reserve Bank of India’s target of 4 percent for the first time since January 2025 due to higher food and fuel prices. Although this increase is not yet worrying, today The first editorial states Policymakers face a more uncertain inflation outlook. Renewed tensions in West Asia have pushed crude oil prices higher again, while a weak monsoon has delayed kharif sowing and raised the risk of persistent food inflation. These dual uncertainties can complicate monetary policy. The editorial suggests that the RBI may keep rates steady in August until there is more clarity on the trend in the oil market and rainfall.

According to the latest Unified District Information System for Education Plus or UDISE+ 2025-26 report, India has made significant progress in increasing school access, reducing school dropout rates, improving teacher availability and strengthening infrastructure. however, Second editorial argument That these gains must now translate into better learning outcomes. The migration of students from government to private schools reflects weakening faith in public education, even though private institutions do not consistently produce better results. Persistent gaps in foundational literacy and numeracy, highlighted by recent assessments, remain a serious concern. Improving teacher quality, reducing non-academic burden, protecting access for disadvantaged groups and prioritizing learning over enrollment are essential to fully realize India’s demographic dividend.

AK Bhattacharya argues The real employment challenge posed by technology and artificial intelligence lies not in overall job loss but in the disproportionate impact on lower-level workers. Evidence from major banks shows that supervisory positions are expanding while non-supervisory jobs are shrinking due to increased automation. This trend could make it harder for workers to move from agriculture to manufacturing and services, reducing productivity gains and creating social and economic pressures. Given this perspective, the government should strengthen skilling and re-skilling programs, especially for low-level jobs, so that workers can adapt to the AI-driven economy and remain employable.

Chinese mercantilism has been the most consequential global economic force of this century, surpassing the oil shocks, the 2008 financial crisis, and even the impact of US monetary policy. Arvind Subramanian writes. He credits China for keeping global inflation low, accelerating the renewable energy transition through cheap solar panels and batteries, and expanding energy access in developing countries. At the same time, he argues that China’s export-led strategy has accelerated deindustrialization in advanced economies and stunted industrialization in many developing countries by preventing new industries from emerging. As a result, he says, China’s economic model has reshaped the global economy, for better and for worse.

In his review, Neha Bhatt Presents The Age Code: The New Science of Food and How It Can Save Us As one by David Cox accessible exploration How nutrition shapes aging and long-term health. Combining personal experimentation with emerging research, this book examines the science of longevity through clinical trials, dietary interventions, and insights from communities known for extraordinary lifespans. It argues that extending health span rather than life span alone should be the central goal. While some of the ideas feel repetitive and the narrative occasionally meanders, the book is an easy, conversational read, written with a light personal touch.