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Every time they yelled at you

Every time they raised their hands at you

Every time they made a fool of you

I wanted to protect you

But I stayed silent

I too was a child 

I too was a child without any support 

Without any courage

Should I have spoken?

Had I broken my silence,

Would you be free?

Would I have been able to save yourself and me?

I should have helped you

I shouldn’t have been afraid of the consequences 

I should have been there for you 

Without questioning myself

I was scared 

I’m sorry that I was scared

I too wanted to be there for you

But I couldn’t even help you

I should have spoken for myself 

I should have stood up for you too

But I believed in the power of silence

When I should’ve been able to be with you. 

Dristi Rajak

Grade XII

St Mary’s Secondary School, Jawalakhel, Lalitpur

India has surpassed Japan to become the world’s fourth-largest economy. It is also the fastest-growing major economy globally and the only South Asian nation projected to maintain over six percent annual growth.

Earlier this month, the IMF’s World Economic Outlook confirmed that India remains the world’s fastest-growing economy, with its GDP now standing at $4.3trn. In 2015, India’s GDP was $2.1trn—meaning the economy has more than doubled in less than a decade. The IMF projects India's GDP will reach $5.5trn by 2028, overtaking Germany to become the third-largest economy.

India has developed one of the most dominant and diversified tech, pharmaceutical, and manufacturing sectors in the world. In stark contrast, Nepal—with a GDP of just $46.08bn, roughly 0.01 percent of India’s—remains heavily dependent on remittances and has failed to develop into a manufacturing hub.

Nepal’s trade deficit paints an even grimmer picture. India exports $432 bn annually, while Nepal manages only $1.13bn in exports—just 2.8 percent of its GDP. Given that Nepal is landlocked and 88.6 percent of its trade depends on India, diversification should be a strategic priority. Yet, the government has not developed a clear policy to build alternative trade partnerships.

Nepal lacks functional railway routes and robust trade agreements with China, the world’s second-largest economy. Projects under China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) have stalled due to concerns over debt sustainability and geopolitical sensitivities with India.

Political instability continues to drag Nepal’s economic progress. Around 68 percent of Nepalis blame political instability for delays in BRI projects. While anti-India sentiment occasionally flares—such as during the 2020 Lipulekh protests—people-to-people ties remain strong: about 65,000 Nepali students study in India compared to just 6,500 in China. Furthermore, Indian tourists to Nepal far outnumber Chinese visitors—317,000 versus 101,000 in 2024—even though more Chinese cities (seven) than Indian ones (four) are connected by direct flights to Nepal.

Despite strategic posturing, Nepal's reliance on India is grounded more in geography and economics than ideology. While China offers an alternative, structural limitations and risk aversion have hindered deeper engagement. Nepal’s cautious hedging—seeking infrastructure grants from China while relying on India for trade and security—is a pragmatic survival strategy in a competitive neighborhood.

Nepal’s missed economic moment

Nepali economists have overlooked several critical factors that stunted economic growth. The government's incremental budgeting approach has proven inadequate. For example, the FY 2025–26 budget targets only 4.61 percent growth—far short of the 7–8 percent needed to reach middle-income status.

Nepal has also failed to implement fiscal innovations like tax-base expansion, digital compliance, or performance-based budgeting—tools successfully adopted by countries like South Korea and Singapore.

While the 2006 civil war is often blamed for Nepal’s stagnation, it did catalyze brain drain and rapid, unplanned urbanization. Over one million youth still leave the country each year. The 2015 earthquake further derailed development, redirecting tech and infrastructure budgets toward reconstruction and heritage preservation.

Eight years after the federal transition, provinces remain under-resourced and lack competitiveness. Local capacity gaps meant that only 12 percent of capital budgets were executed mid-year. Despite immense potential in hydropower, Nepal has harnessed only 2,500 MW of an estimated 83,000 MW—its share of GDP from the energy sector fell from nine percent in 2000 to just 4.87 percent in 2024.

Systemic governance failures persist: 44 percent of earthquake-damaged health facilities remain unrepaired, worsening outcomes during the Covid-19 pandemic. About 27 percent of pandemic relief funds were misused, contributing to rising poverty. Remittance inflows—29 percent of GDP—have largely fueled consumption and imports rather than domestic industry.

Meanwhile, only nine out of 35 proposed BRI projects have materialized, stalled by debt fears and lack of transparency. Nepal ranks 94th globally in ease of doing business, deterring foreign investment. Strategic paralysis has also hindered progress on Russian energy and IT cooperation, and stalled rail connectivity with China. The country continues to suffer from an 8.86 percent brain drain rate, ranks 117th out of 180 on the Corruption Perceptions Index, and faces the risk of FATF sanctions.

Recovery will require depoliticizing institutions, streamlining federal governance, and leveraging Nepal’s diaspora, clean energy resources, and strategic location for long-term economic transformation.

Rojen Budha Shrestha

BA LLB 4th Year 

Kathmandu School of Law

In Kathmandu and other urban centers of Nepal, it's increasingly common to hear young people say things like “I’m so depressed” in everyday conversation. These expressions—often heard in cafes or posted on social media—usually refer to temporary moods rather than diagnosed medical conditions. This casual use of mental health terminology reflects a broader trend among Nepali youth, where complex psychological issues are often reduced to catchphrases, especially in digital spaces.

Recent studies show that nearly half of Nepali youth using platforms like Instagram and TikTok report symptoms of anxiety and depression, with over a third experiencing these conditions. The rise of short-form content and influencer-driven narratives has contributed to the oversimplification of mental health. Terms like “OCD” are now casually used to describe habits like organizing a bookshelf, rather than their clinical meaning. An analysis of one million social media posts by Oxford researchers found that discussions around mental illness are 14 percent more likely to trivialize the topic than those about physical health. Equating serious mental conditions with everyday struggles diminishes the gravity of these issues.

Nepal faces substantial challenges in mental health care, with only one psychiatrist and one psychologist per one million people, according to the World Health Organization. This shortage is further complicated by the growing presence of unqualified wellness influencers on social media, who often offer unverified advice and promote viral catchphrases instead of evidence-based support.

Cultural factors also play a role. Western diagnostic categories don’t always align with traditional Nepali understandings of the mind and spirit. As a result, young people may use terms like “bipolar” without fully grasping their meaning, while families may dismiss such conditions as mere trends. According to the Nepal Health Research Council, only a quarter of individuals diagnosed with mental health disorders receive treatment—partly because casual usage of terms like “depression” leads many to mistake clinical symptoms for routine stress.

Another emerging concern is the rise of “illness identity,” where online communities romanticize mental health diagnoses, encouraging young people to adopt these labels as part of their identity. Research from the University of Balamand suggests this can hinder genuine recovery, as authentic appeals for support are often lost in a flood of superficial or performative content.

Addressing these challenges requires a multifaceted approach. Strengthening online counseling protocols to ensure that only credentialed professionals offer mental health services is essential. Incorporating media literacy into school curricula can help students critically evaluate the mental health content they encounter online. Training community health workers to recognize early warning signs is also crucial, especially given the shortage of mental health professionals. Meanwhile, social media platforms should be encouraged to limit sensationalized content and promote accurate, evidence-based information.

Nepali youth have taken important steps toward breaking the silence around mental health. Yet the casual misuse of psychological terms risks trivializing serious conditions and obstructing access to proper care. It’s vital to channel this growing openness into informed dialogue and meaningful support—moving beyond superficial language to foster real understanding and treatment.

Binayak Sapkota

St Xavier’s College, Maitighar

It is high time we wondered why our natural eyesight is hard to maintain today. According to “A systematic review and meta-analysis in Nepal” published in Nepal Journal of Ophthalmology, 8.4 percent of children suffer from refractive errors, with myopia present in 7.1 percent. It’s alarming how many children are losing their ability to see clearly before they even reach adulthood. The issue is wide ranging, from children to the elderly, showing up as myopia, hypermetropia, presbyopia and other related conditions. According to WHO, at present at least 2.2bn people around the world have a vision impairment.

The school’s role in a healthy vision

Schools should conduct regular free eye checkups, treat any errors and make accommodations in the learning environment accordingly. Proper and stable lighting should be managed in the classroom avoiding glare and dim lights. Likewise, classroom boards should be placed at a healthy distance, comfortable and clear to see. Seating arrangements should be designed accordingly. Yellow pages textbooks and copies should be encouraged as they reflect less light and provide more eye comfort. Textbooks, even for higher grades should have a large font and a clear contrast which reduces eye strain. 

In New Zealand up to date policies and practices to manage health and safety risks around the use of digital devices for students and staff is required under the health and safety work act 2015. Nowadays, classrooms are equipped with smart screens and projectors. While they can be great learning resources they must not be the alternative to physical learning tools as they contribute to increased screen time. Nepal should be in line with New Zealand and create a certain daily time limit.

Schools should promote healthy habits among students which include eye exercise classes, regular breaks and outdoor time.

When screens become the babysitter

Screens today have become the babysitter. With busy schedules, parents find it easier to keep their child occupied with phones or tablets for hours than to engage or supervise them. Some may know its effect but they see it as the only choice. Even in other situations parents do not encourage non screen activities or limit screen time. Parents themselves remain frequently occupied in social media, setting a bad example. A study conducted in Pokhara published in the Journal of Nepal Health Research Council (2020), found that 48.6 percent of children aged five to nine had screen time exceeding two hours per day, the study highlighted parental behavior as a major contributing factor.

It is crucial to inform parents about the adverse effects of such a habit. Similarly, free community activities, classes and designated play space should be made available to engage in screen free alternatives. But it is also to be considered that even with parental discouragement; children remain glued to screens harming mental, physical and social well-being.

Countries such as China, Sweden and Singapore have already introduced legal rules limiting children’s screen time and device usage. In China, children under 18 are allowed only one hour of online gaming, and only on public holidays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Sweden and Singapore have age based screen time limits.  Nepal must also direct a clear law limiting non- educational and educational screen usage.

We, as a society must prioritize and protect our young generation. That is, the problem is not just limited to people of young ages but now rather a national health concern. Modern necessity and addiction is causing many to spend hours on the internet. Eye safety precautions are lowly maintained in risky jobs and it is treated as a mere problem. Eye problems in the elderly are often neglected and simply dismissed as a natural part of aging. There are various free awareness programmes and eye treatment being conducted in Nepal. Yet, many are unaware and awareness is not being effectively applied. Basic eye care and treatment are not reached in many places. There is still a lot more to be done in the sector of eye health and this is a call for action.

Uma Regmi

Grade X

Shree Bal Uddhar Secondary School

Budhanilkantha Municipality-10, Kapan, Kathmandu