-The Hindustan Times   A year after its implementation, students and parents from the economically weaker sections of society are still finding it tough to use the Right to Education Act (RTE) effectively. Instances of alleged expulsion, mental harassment and misbehaviour have been reported by students and parents from different corners of the city against some private un-aided schools. In one incident, a Class III student, Sidhartha (name changed), an economically weaker section...

There are fears that curative health care will be left to the private sector, while the public system will handle preventive and low-quality care. AN issue of The Lancet earlier this year highlighted some of the problems with public health in India, acknowledging that “it is in crisis”. The robust economic growth over the past 20 years has not translated into better health indices; indeed the decline of infant and child...

An inspection of 60 schools – most of them located in East Delhi and Chandni Chowk parliamentary constituencies – by over 15 organisations under the Delhi Right to Education Forum has revealed “complete lack of hygiene” in most of them. As per Joint Operation for Social Help (JOSH), which had filed a complaint with the Central Information Commission about the state of schools in Delhi, the inspection was undertaken in accordance...

-The Times of India About 15 non-profit organizations went around 60 schools in the city only to find that the right to education is still a distant dream for many. Provisions of the Right to education Act notwithstanding, dirty toilets, shortage of books and staff, broken benches, no playground and absenteeism are still the major issues in many delhi Government Schools. The visit follows a recent order by the Central Information...

Private schools may no longer be able to refuse to provide information under the RTI Act under the pretext of being a 'private authority'. The Central Information Commission (CIC), in a recent hearing against a private school, ruled that the school, which receives substantial funds from the government and was controlled by different agencies under the Delhi administration, including the DDA and the Directorate of Education, comes under the ambit...