Latest news with #PoliticalScience
CNN
4 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
Petitioners advocate for open primaries in Pennsylvania
Political Science Professor Seth Masket and Senior Vice-President of Open Primaries Jeremy Gruber join Michael Smerconish to debate the benefits and drawbacks of open primaries in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
India Today
05-07-2025
- Science
- India Today
CUET UG system flawed? Biased scoring, stream lock-ins, MCQ-only testing flagged
The CUET UG 2025 results were declared on Friday, ending the wait for over 13.5 lakh students, but the questions haven't stopped. From paper errors and response sheet glitches to stream-change hurdles and unfair normalisation methods, students and experts alike are raising red top scorers aren't celebrating without caveats. As lakhs of aspirants navigate India's largest undergraduate entrance test, complaints about skewed scoring patterns and systemic inefficiencies are piling the Common University Entrance Test really living up to its promise of a level playing field?A BIAS AGAINST SCIENCE STUDENTS Science students feel squeezed by the CUET UG 2025 pattern -- especially those aiming to switch into humanities courses such as Economics (Hons) or BMS. The exam's design makes shifting streams tough and forces students to perform well in subjects outside their core, with limited room for THE COURSE STREAM BECOMES DIFFICULTScience students find it impossible to switch streams and compete for top courses in prestigious institutions like Delhi University due to subject OF 5 SUBJECTSThe restriction of choosing only five subjects limits flexibility and prevents students from covering all required subjects for their desired course QUESTION AND TIME PATTERNApplying the same number of questions and time duration (50 questions in 60 minutes) across all subjects, regardless of difficulty level, is unfair, especially for concept-heavy subjects like Physics or AND RAW SCORES CAUSE TROUBLEIn stream-shift scenarios, raw scores (not percentiles) are often used, which disadvantages Science students, as scoring in their subjects is relatively tougher compared to and past year's maths results prove the above points when we compare scores with subjects like Business Studies, Political Science state board students and students from the Northeast are at a disadvantage compared to CBSE suggest that 'One nation one syllabus' has to be implemented for fair competition, and that normalisation for CUET UG is an irrational concept and a misuse of a statistical tool, especially when exams are conducted across a month with uneven shift NOT ENOUGHEducation experts also believe that schools have become redundant due to CUET. Subjects like journalism, history, and psychology cannot be tested through MCQs alone -- writing skills need to be assessed too, which CUET does not currently UG was introduced with the vision of streamlining college admissions across India. But for many students, it's becoming yet another maze of confusion and growing discontent, especially among science stream aspirants, students from marginalised boards, and those eyeing inter-disciplinary shifts, signals an urgent need for reform.- Ends
The National
25-06-2025
- Politics
- The National
Muslim candidate Zohran Mamdani wins New York Democratic mayoral primary in stunning upset
Shortly after former New York governor Andrew Cuomo conceded defeat, his rival and once long-shot candidate Zohran Mamdani quoted Nelson Mandela as he declared victory in the New York City mayoral primary election. "It always seems impossible until it is done," he said, "Tonight we made history," Mr Mamdani added amid a round of cheers and applause from supporters. Peter Yacobucci, a political science professor at Buffalo State University said that Mr Mamdani's victory sends a message to establishment Democrats who might be failing to properly read the mood of the electorate. "It isn't 1990s anymore and recycling the old will no longer win," he said, referring to efforts by some to make make Democrats take increasingly centrist positions on various issues. Prof Yacobucci also said that Mr Mamdani's genuine campaign style and fearless use of social media should also be taken note of by party leaders. "Authenticity wins over scripted normalcy and if leadership does believe that Trump is a significant threat to our democracy they must embrace a new vision," he explained. Besides being a stunning upset, the results from Tuesday's Democratic primary are also historic in the sense that New York City is now one step closer to electing its first Muslim mayor. Ultimately, voters faced a choice between the two top candidates: former New York governor Andrew Cuomo and his main challenger, Zohran Mamdani, a Muslim socialist state assembly member who was born in Uganda. In the first round of ranked-choice voting, Mr Mamdani won 43.5 per cent of the vote and Mr Cuomo 36.3 per cent, according to preliminary results from the city Board of Elections with more than 93 per cent of the ballots counted. Coming in third place on the first round was city comptroller Brad Lander, at 11.4 per cent. Mr Lander and Mr Mamdani had cross-endorsed each other. It is a groundbreaking show by Mamdani, a 33-year-old Queens assemblyman who rose out of relative obscurity in recent weeks. Technically, the result is not yet official. Under the city's ranked-choice system, a candidate is declared the winner after receiving more than 50 per cent of the votes. In each round, a candidate will be eliminated and their voters' No 2 choice will be distributed to the remaining candidates. The process is repeated until a candidate receives a majority. The next rounds of tallying votes are scheduled for July 1. Voting took place in sweltering heat and as the Big Apple tightens security after the US bombed Iran at the weekend. The election also became a microcosm of New Yorkers' views on ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, with Mr Cuomo pledging support for Israel as Mr Mamdani criticised the country's wars in Gaza and Iran. Mr Mamdani, who will likely continue to cruise to victory in the Democratic primary will face incumbent mayor Eric Adams, who won the 2021 election as a Democrat but is running this time as an independent. Polls had largely shown Mr Cuomo ahead, but an Emerson College survey released on Monday showed Mr Mamdani prevailing in the city's complex ranked-choice voting system. This operates as a series of instant run-offs, in which the candidate in last place is eliminated and his or her votes redistributed based on voters' second choice. That process is repeated until a winner is decided. Mr Mamdani hopes his platform of rent freezes and free child care, funded through heavy borrowing, will help voters look past his limited political experience as a state politician. If victorious, Mr Mamdani stands a good chance in heavily Democratic New York of winning the general election in November. He recently accused Mr Cuomo of Islamophobia, claiming that a political action committee supporting the former New York governor had doctored a photo of Mr Mamdani, artificially lengthening and darkening his beard.
South China Morning Post
25-06-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
AbdulWahed Jalal Nori: Latest Articles, Analysis and Profile
+ FOLLOW Dr AbdulWahed Jalal Nori is an assistant professor at International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) and coordinator of the Centre for Foresight Studies. His work bridges Islamic thought, political science and futures studies, focusing on ethics, civilisation and reform. He previously served in various academic and policy roles in Malaysia and Iraq. Dr AbdulWahed Jalal Nori is an assistant professor at International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) and coordinator of the Centre for Foresight Studies. His work bridges Islamic thought, political science and futures studies, focusing on ethics, civilisation and reform. He previously served in various academic and policy roles in Malaysia and Iraq.
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump not on ballot but president influences Tuesday's high-stakes primary
Virginia, one of only two states to hold gubernatorial elections this year, conducts high-profile primaries on Tuesday that may grab national attention. Voters in Virginia, a competitive state in American political elections, will cast Democrat and Republican primary ballots for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and for state lawmakers in the House of Delegates. And while President Donald Trump isn't on the ballot, his sweeping and controversial agenda has been a key part of the conversation on the Virginia campaign trail. Trump's Department of Government Efficiency, better-known by its acronym DOGE, has been on a mission to chop government spending and cut the federal workforce. This Republican Woman May Become The Nation's First Black Female Governor The moves by DOGE, which until last month was steered by Elon Musk, the world's richest person, have been acutely felt in suburban Washington's heavily populated Northern Virginia, with its large federal workforce. Read On The Fox News App "The policies of DOGE have hit northern Virginia hard," Dave Richards, political science chair at the University of Lynchburg, noted. Trump's name and his policies have been front-and-center on the Virginia campaign trail in recent weeks. That's fueled strong turnout in the Democratic Party contests in the 45 days of early voting leading up to primary day as the candidates have pledged to fight the president's agenda. "Over 189,000 Virginians cast their ballots early in the Democratic primaries. 189,000!!!!" the state Democratic Party touted in a social media post on the eve of primary day. The healthy turnout comes despite there being no drama at the top of the ticket. The race for governor has already been set, between Republican gubernatorial nominee Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and former Rep. Abigail Spanberger. But the winner in November will make history as Virginia's first female governor. And if Sears comes out on top, she'll become the nation's first Black woman to win election as governor. Virginia elected its first Black governor, L. Douglas Wilder, in 1989. Trump-backed Favorite Ciattarelli Wins New Jersey Gop Gubernatorial Primary Incumbent Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who has a large national profile, is prevented from running for re-election as Virginia's constitution doesn't allow sitting governors to seek consecutive terms. Republicans have already decided their nominations for lieutenant governor and attorney general, so all the action down ballot is among the Democrats. The GOP's lieutenant governor nominee is former radio host John Reid, who, if elected, would be Virginia's first openly gay lieutenant governor. The six Democrats running to face off in November with Reid are, in alphabetical order, attorney Alex Bastani, state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, chair of the Prince William County school board Babur Lateef, state Sen. Aaron Rouse, federal prosecutor and law professor Victor Salgado, and former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney. The Republican nominee for attorney general is incumbent Jason Miyares. Two Democrats, former state lawmaker and former Washington, D.C., Assistant Attorney General Jay Jones and Henrico County Commonwealth's Attorney Shannon Taylor, are running to face off with Miyares in November. While Republicans currently control all three statewide offices, Democrats hold slim majorities in both chambers of the state legislature. All 100 seats in the House of Delegates - which the Democrats control 51-49 - are up for grabs in November. Kyle Kondik, the managing editor of the non-partisan political handicapper Sabato's Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics, highlighted that "the gubernatorial race will really help set the tone for the other statewide races and the race for the House of Delegates." And Richards noted, "the Republican ticket is very diverse, and the results of the Democratic primary will determine how diverse the democratic ticket is." Virginia's primaries are likely to grab attention, as it and New Jersey - which held primaries last week - are the only two states to hold gubernatorial showdowns in the year following a presidential election. And the results are also seen as a precursor to the following year's midterm elections, when Republicans will be defending their House and Senate majorities, and 36 states will hold elections for governor. Republicans swept the elections for governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general in Virginia four years ago, breaking a 12-year losing streak to the Democrats. And while Republicans haven't carried the Commonwealth in a White House contest since 2004, Trump only lost the state by six points in last November's presidential election, a four-point improvement from his 2020 defeat. But Republicans will be facing historical headwinds this November. With only one exception since 1977, the party that holds the White House loses Virginia's gubernatorial article source: Trump not on ballot but president influences Tuesday's high-stakes primary
