New Delhi, Aug. 5 -- Democratic governments are expected to respond decisively when public institutions lose credibility. In recent years, India's response to governance failures has increasingly taken the form of new legislation, enhanced penalties, expanded compliance requirements and stronger regulatory oversight. Such measures often emerge from legitimate concerns - protecting national security, preserving institutional integrity or preventing organised crime. Yet they also invite a broader public policy question: does regulation, by itself, restore public trust?

The question has acquired renewed significance following the nationwide student mobilisation that culminated in Parliament passing the Public Examinations Amendment Bill, 20...