-The Telegraph Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s ambitious plan to replace the leak-prone subsidy regime with direct cash transfers to bank accounts of beneficiaries may get delayed in Bengal because of tardy progress of biometric enrolment of residents in the National Population Register (NPR). Data available with the state’s directorate of census operations, which is overseeing NPR biometric enrolment, show that only 18.8 per cent of the population has been covered under the...

-Outlook Kochi: Reserve Bank Governor D Subbarao today ruled out introduction of Islamic banking in the country but said other methods for channelising funds based on the principles of Islamic law can be looked at. "Islamic banking is not possible", he said, adding the central bank could look at other vehicles based on Islamic banking principles to channelise NRI funds. Replying to a question on the issue, Subbarao said: "There are some legal...

-The Hindu Caste Hindu students keep away, even sit separately in class DHARMAPURI: Even as they are yet to get over the November 7 attack on their houses, the children of Natham, Kondampatti and Anna Nagar Dalit colonies in Naikkankottai village have run into another problem in one of the schools: caste Hindu students are keeping away from them for the last two days at the Government High School. The students are being...

-The Hindu Children in the age group of 15 to 18 find it difficult to re-enrol into school Thirteen-year-old Afroze of Yeshwanthpur dropped out of school when he was eight and finds it difficult to leave his job and get back to school. Nevertheless, with some counselling and parental support, he can probably get back to school as he is less than 14. However, a survey conducted in July by Child Rights and...

-The Telegraph India’s education system is marked by poor quality and produces “functional illiterates”, the chief of a UN body told The Telegraph here today. “India has made a lot of progress in achieving education for all, but what kind of education is being imparted and whether there are adequate teachers are issues of concern. The result is functional illiteracy,” Unesco director-general Irina Bokova said on the sidelines of a conference by...