India's Single Time Zone: Experts Warn Children Lose Sleep, Economy Suffers

• A viral video sparked debate on India's single time zone, highlighting significant sunrise/sunset differences across the vast country.
• Sunrise in Arunachal Pradesh can be as early as 4:20 AM, while Gujarat's Kutch region sees it around 6:10 AM, a nearly two-hour difference.
• Experts argue eastern India loses usable daylight, forcing early reliance on artificial lighting and increasing electricity consumption.
• Later sunsets delay melatonin release, disrupting children's sleep patterns and negatively impacting their academic performance, especially in low-income households.
• Research suggests two time zones could improve sleep, learning, and productivity, potentially leading to billions in economic gains, despite past rejections due to logistical concerns.

Why It Matters: India's single time zone negatively impacts sleep, education, and energy consumption, prompting calls for multiple zones.