 "Jayant Pankaj")
Jayant Pankaj
Jayant Pankaj
Jayant Pankaj is a data journalist at Business Standard, where he leverages rigorous number-crunching to craft compelling, data-driven narratives. His reporting spans the intersections of politics, governance, infrastructure and others. He utilises advanced tools to scrape, manage, and visualise large-scale datasets, transforming complex information into accessible insights for readers. He holds an integrated degree in Political Science from the University of Hyderabad and a postgraduate diploma from the Asian College of Journalism.
Jayant Pankaj is a data journalist at Business Standard, where he leverages rigorous number-crunching to craft compelling, data-driven narratives. His reporting spans the intersections of politics, governance, infrastructure and others. He utilises advanced tools to scrape, manage, and visualise large-scale datasets, transforming complex information into accessible insights for readers. He holds an integrated degree in Political Science from the University of Hyderabad and a postgraduate diploma from the Asian College of Journalism.
Jayant Pankaj
Datanomics: Substandard products dominate FSSAI safety violations
Court grants interim relief to Dabur while food regulator's data points to persistent non-compliance across the industry
 "Datanomics: Substandard products dominate FSSAI safety violations")
Incumbent parties won 53% of state by-elections since 2009, shows data
Data from 709 by-elections since 2009 shows incumbent parties won 53% of contests, while opposition parties secured 47%, reflecting a closely contested political landscape
 "Incumbent parties won 53% of state by-elections since 2009, shows data")
Datanomics: Only 4% of UPI transactions to merchants may draw fee
Only about 4% of UPI merchant transactions may attract an MDR under the proposed law, while all person-to-person UPI payments will remain free
 "Datanomics: Only 4% of UPI transactions to merchants may draw fee")
The Himalayan crisis that mountaineer Nirmal Purja captured on camera
Nirmal Purja's iconic Everest 'traffic jam' image foreshadowed a growing Himalayan crisis of overcrowding, environmental degradation and mounting safety risks
 "The Himalayan crisis that mountaineer Nirmal Purja captured on camera")
Statsguru: Gen Z's rage fuelled by joblessness, paper leaks and corruption
The anti-paper leak law highlights deeper challenges as India misses education spending targets, youth unemployment remains high, and Gen Z protests gain momentum
 "Statsguru: Gen Z's rage fuelled by joblessness, paper leaks and corruption")
Datanomics: Crime rises despite expansion of police force since 2014
India's police strength has risen since 2014, yet crime rates have increased, highlighting gaps in policing, public safety and internal security outcomes
 "Datanomics: Crime rises despite expansion of police force since 2014")
Datanomics: Isro's attrition spikes as its salary spend declines
The Department of Space has tightened exit rules for ISRO scientists as the agency grapples with a shrinking workforce and concerns over declining salary expenditure
 "Datanomics: Isro's attrition spikes as its salary spend declines")
Fast-track courts face mounting backlogs amid push for quicker justice
As of December 2025, India had 880 FTCs, which disposed of 1.33 million cases during the year
 "Fast-track courts face mounting backlogs amid push for quicker justice")
Datanomics: Acquisition of surveillance equipment by police on the rise
Delhi Police defends protest videography in court as data shows rising surveillance technology and growing public support for security monitoring
 "Datanomics: Acquisition of surveillance equipment by police on the rise")
Datanomics: Social media platforms acting tougher on suicide content
Despite prominent incidents like the abuse targeted at Judge Khan, cases of bullying and harassment actually fell from 2 per cent to 1 per cent over the same period
 "Datanomics: Social media platforms acting tougher on suicide content")
Despite adequate domestic output, India continues to import ethanol from US
India has achieved 20% ethanol blending and boosted domestic output, yet continues to rely on US imports, keeping its ethanol trade deficit elevated
 "Despite adequate domestic output, India continues to import ethanol from US")
Datanomics: Love, extramarital affairs behind one in 10 murders
Homicides declined during 2015-24 compared to the previous decade, but those motivated by love and extramarital affairs did not
 "Datanomics: Love, extramarital affairs behind one in 10 murders")
Subsidy burden rises to ₹4.4 trn but moderating as states curb spending
States spent as much as 8.6 per cent of their revenue receipts on subsidies in FY18. Such spending rose to 9.4 per cent in FY21 and to 10.8 per cent in FY25
 "Subsidy burden rises to ₹4.4 trn but moderating as states curb spending")
Datanomics: India's struggle to tackle internet child abuse cases continues
Data from the US-based National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) shows that India has consistently recorded some of the highest numbers of CSAM cases worldwide
 "Datanomics: India's struggle to tackle internet child abuse cases continues")
Datanomics: India sees trade deficit with Seychelles on aircraft imports
India's FY26 trade with Seychelles swung to a $267 million deficit as aircraft imports surged, despite 19 new agreements to strengthen defence, maritime security and infrastructure ties
 "Datanomics: India sees trade deficit with Seychelles on aircraft imports")
Datanomics: Passport vs citizenship debate via court rulings and MEA stand
While the MEA says a passport is only a travel document, court rulings and official rules indicate a much stronger link between passports and Indian citizenship
 "Datanomics: Passport vs citizenship debate via court rulings and MEA stand")
Datanomics: India records arms trade surplus, hits record in FY26
India's arms trade surplus hits a record in FY26 as exports surge, partners shift to Europe and Armenia, and BrahMos missile sales talks with the UAE gather pace
 "Datanomics: India records arms trade surplus, hits record in FY26")
Chasing criminals: Defective fingerprints declined suddenly in 2024
Despite advances like the Abhigyan app, 13% of fingerprint submissions to NAFIS between 2012 and 2023 were flagged as defective
 "Chasing criminals: Defective fingerprints declined suddenly in 2024")
Datanomics: Digital censorship in India rose sharply over the past decade
India issued over 54,000 digital block orders between 2014 and 2025, with MeitY emerging as the leading authority behind online content restrictions
 "Datanomics: Digital censorship in India rose sharply over the past decade")
Datanomics: Europe, not Asian nations, India's top arms supplier
Despite Jaishankar's criticism, Europe has overtaken Asia as India's biggest arms supplier, reflecting New Delhi's evolving defence procurement strategy
 "Datanomics: Europe, not Asian nations, India's top arms supplier")