The 100th SKOCH Summit, a landmark event, highlighted India's transformative journey toward inclusive, equitable, and sustainable growth. The discussions transcended technology, focusing on human-centric development, job generation, and bridging regional disparities. The summit explored the potential of AI-led governance and the broader promise of blending technology with grassroots empowerment to ensure no one is left behind. A key focus was India's milestones in inclusive growth. SKOCH’s advocacy for initiatives like the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) demonstrated the transformative power of rural connectivity in linking communities to markets, education, and healthcare. Similarly, the Mudra Yojana, which created 1.7 crore direct jobs, underscored the tangible impact of policies rooted in inclusivity. Both programs reflected how targeted initiatives can address systemic gaps and foster broad-based development. Education emerged as the bedrock of equitable growth. Sanjay Kumar, Secretary of School Education and Literacy, highlighted critical challenges, including high dropout rates and fragmented school infrastructure, with 37% of government schools having fewer than 50 students. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 aims to address these gaps by standardizing curricula, emphasizing skill-building, and offering vocational training. These reforms promise to prepare students for future challenges, moving beyond conventional metrics of academic success. The summit also called attention to human rights in business. Bharat Lal, Secretary General of the NHRC, emphasized the need for inclusivity and equality in corporate practices. From integrating transgender individuals to supporting persons with disabilities, he urged businesses to embed human rights into their operations. The SKOCH Human Rights report on Nifty 50 companies revealed that while technical compliance was high, gaps persisted in workplace equality and mental wellness. Taxation policies came under scrutiny, with Pinky Anand criticizing retrospective taxation for disrupting economic stability and investor confidence. She called for predictable and collaborative tax policies to drive innovation and growth. M Govinda Rao advocated for simplifying India's complex GST system and leveraging AI-driven tax administration to improve efficiency and fairness. The discussions concluded with a collective vision for India’s growth. By addressing structural disparities and fostering innovation across sectors, India can transform its potential into global leadership. As Sameer Kochhar aptly noted, “Inclusive growth is not a destination; it’s a journey.” The summit reinforced the need for continuous efforts to ensure that every individual and community benefits from the nation’s progress.

A recent compliance study by SKOCH Group covering 30 gaming apps, 25 astrology apps and 14 OTT platforms reveals significant differences in responsible practices. The evaluation, using both quantitative metrics and qualitative researcher opinions, highlights the need for better regulatory standards across these segments. OTT platforms performed best, with 71% in Technical Compliance and 41% in Quality of Compliance, excelling in content classification, user protection and transparency. They achieved 100% compliance in critical areas like device neutrality and IPR protection.

Digital Astrology fared the worst, scoring only 14% in Technical Compliance and 6% in Quality of Compliance. Key gaps include the absence of age restrictions, credit restrictions, and mental health safeguards, making it the least responsible category.

Online Real Money Gaming (RMG) fell between the two, with 39% in Technical Compliance and 20% in Quality of Compliance. While RMG has strong measures for age restrictions and grievance redressal, it shares similar weaknesses in credit restrictions and mental health policies, indicating a need for stricter standards across the industry.