takshashila-scholar

Takshashila Scholar

Structured policy reasoning tools for Takshashila researchers. Works as a Claude Code plugin. Embeds Bardach's 8-step analysis, causal loop diagrams, stakeholder mapping, and draft review — with India's institutional context built in at every step.

→ Student or outside user? See README-STUDENT.md

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For the research team: where to start

The three highest-value entry points for an experienced researcher:

1. Stress-test a draft before it goes to an editor

/draft-review

Paste your draft. Runs argument critique (expert mode), values review, and causal analysis. The argument critique will find the 2–3 things your editor or a hostile peer reviewer would raise — before they do.

2. Map the causal claims in a piece you are writing

causal analysis of [paste your argument]

Produces a Mermaid diagram with named feedback loops (R1 "ecosystem flywheel" etc.), cross-connections between loops, and a ranked list of which causal links are weakest. Good for discussion documents and policy briefs before submission.

3. Find committee reports you may have missed

/parliament-search [topic]

Searches all 24 DRSCs (16 Lok Sabha + 8 Rajya Sabha). Surfaces the most relevant reports immediately — not just a list, but "report #3 is most relevant because it contains data on X." Requires parliamentwatch installed locally.

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The full research lifecycle

Path A — You have a hypothesis (something you want to argue):

[H]  hypothesis-development   → Research Brief: falsifiable claim,
                                 causal skeleton, assumption map,
                                 evidence requirements
 ↓
[2]  SOURCES        /parliament-search + government-source-finder + /zotero-review
 ↓
[3]  ACTORS         stakeholder-analysis → Interest × power matrix
 ↓
[4]  CAUSAL MAP     causal-loop-analysis → named loops, cross-connections, leverage points
 ↓
[5]  DRAFT          /op-ed  /policy-brief  /grant-proposal  discussion-document-writing
 ↓
[6]  REVIEW         /draft-review ← available at any stage
 ↓
[7]  DISSEMINATE    /promote

Path B — You have a policy problem (still working out what you think):

[P]  /policy-analysis         → Policy Analysis Memo: alternatives,
                                 criteria, trade-offs, recommendation
 ↓
[H]  hypothesis-development   ← CONVERGENCE POINT
     Crystallise the recommendation into a testable claim before drafting
 ↓
     [3] → [4] → [5] → [6] → [7]  same as Path A

The key question: "Can you state your argument in one sentence?"

• Yes → Path A (hypothesis-development)
• Not yet → Path B (/policy-analysis)

/scholar asks this and routes you. /draft-review works at any stage.

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Web app companion

A browser version of this toolkit is available at takshashilainst.github.io/scholar-web — no terminal, no install, just an API key.

It covers the core research lifecycle (13 of the workflows above) plus one tool that is web-only for now:

It covers the core research lifecycle (13 of the workflows above). Budget Analysis is available in both — the CLI version adds parliament search for CAG/PAC reports, direct URL fetching via defuddle, and Zotero integration.

The CLI plugin has deeper capabilities (parliament search, Zotero/Obsidian integration, voice calibration, grant scaffolding). The web app is for researchers and students who do not work in a terminal.

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Intellectual tradition

Takshashila Scholar is built on the four commitments of the Takshashila Institution:

• Freedom — individual liberty, limits on arbitrary state power
• Pluralism — India's diversity, legitimacy of multiple value systems
• Citizenship — civic participation, accountability, constitutional fidelity
• Realism in international relations — foreign policy by interests and power, not ideology

The takshashila-values-review skill checks any draft against all four. The rules/takshashila-language.md file enforces vocabulary standards: Indian subcontinent not South Asia, West Asia not Middle East, no jargon.

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Installation

Claude Code is Anthropic's AI assistant for your terminal — think of it as Claude with access to your files and persistent instructions. Install it once:

npm install -g @anthropic/claude-code

You need an Anthropic account. The free tier works for most research tasks.

Install the plugin: