The cartoon controversy provides the possibility of interrogating the functioning of the academic system to understand its relationship with the downtrodden masses. A new deliberation is needed in order to make the academic world more sensitive and responsive towards the issues and concerns of the subaltern-oppressed communities. This will be an ethical incentive for the present-day dalit movement in India and can bring greater democratisation to the education system. Harish Wankhede...

This month a group of Dalit (or Untouchables, as they were formerly labelled) students organised a Beef Festival in Osmania University of Hyderabad. It was the festival to assert their culinary rights in public and make a political statement of dietary habits of Dalits and Muslims – by cooking and eating beef Biryani on campus. About 2000 students participated and although it started out well, the festival was disrupted and students...

-The Hindu   Low Muslim Representation appears to be a striking feature of this year's admissions to nursery classes in Delhi's private schools. Of 92 schools which provided some sort of information on their websites, as many as 20 (or their branches) admitted no Muslim child while 17 admitted only one Muslim child each. While the sketchy nature of available data – with only a few schools willing to reveal the numbers of...

Taking cognizance of the report published by The Hindu on Monday indicating low Muslim Representation in this year's admission to nursery classes in Delhi's private schools, the National Commission for Minorities has said that it will urgently look into the matter and take action. National Commission for Minorities chairman Wajahat Habibullah said: “We have got a copy of the letter submitted to Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on the issue and...

While welcoming the report of the High Level Expert Group on Universal Health Coverage for India for its comprehensive vision and many well-conceived recommendations, this article focuses on the conditions needed for its promise to bear fruit. Towards this, it explores the political dimension, which comprises the forces and interests that come into play to shape and reconfigure administrative policy and its implementation.   We are grateful to Anand Zachariah and Susie...