-Hindustan Times The ministry of social justice and empowerment on February 17 updated the mandatory condition for the scholarship. Students from marginalised sections of society will no longer be able to study Indian culture, heritage, history and social studies under the government’s national overseas scholarship programme, a move that has been criticised by the teaching fraternity and the opposition Congress party. “The government should steer clear of deciding the choice of the topics...

-The Hindu Many students have vowed not to enter classrooms without their hijabs Bengaluru: Young women wearing religious headscarves tearfully pleading to be allowed entry into schools and colleges with many vowing not to remove their hijabs has raised concerns on the impact this will have on their education. While the case is in the High Court of Karnataka, several writers and activists from the Muslim community and education experts have expressed fear...

-The Hindu Menace threatens to blunt BJP’s narrative among farmers this election Reacting to the stray cattle menace, which threatens to blunt the BJP’s narrative among farmers this election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday promised voters in Uttar Pradesh that after March 10 (election result) a new policy would be introduced to deal with the issue. Mr. Modi, without giving any specifics, said the government would make the dung (gobar) of stray...

-The Hindu In his book on Bihar, M.R. Sharan provides a closely observed, scholarly, and empathetic account of the struggle to make constitutional promises a reality in rural India  M.R. Sharan’s splendid book brought tears to my eyes on more than one occasion. The scene is a public meeting at “Narega Chowk” in Ratnauli village, Muzaffarpur district of Bihar. Activists of Bihar Manrega Watch (BMW) are helping resolve grievances. An old woman...

-The Hindu On refugee issues, it ought to be among the most admired nations and not one that has much to be ashamed of — as now This month I introduced a Private Member’s Bill in the Lok Sabha proposing the enactment of a Refugee and Asylum law. The Bill lays down comprehensive criteria for recognising asylum seekers and refugees and prescribes specific rights and duties accruing from such status. It was...