Despite the provision of free school uniforms to be given to school children aged 6-14 years under the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act, when it comes to education department of Uttar Pradesh things are happening in the wrong way. Officials working in UP's education department demand for commissions from uniform suppliers, reveals a Cobra Post sting. In order to know more, please read the press release from Cobra...

-Economic and Political Weekly Direct benefi t transfers in the form of cash cannot replace the supply of food through the public distribution system. Though it is claimed otherwise, DBT does not address the problems of identifying the poor ("targeting") and DBT in place of the PDS will expose the vulnerable to additional price fluctuation. Further, if the PDS is dismantled, there will also be no need or incentive for procurement...

-The Hindu So far, 2.11 lakh children across the State enrolled in private schools under the quota Bengaluru: Those ‘big’ schools in the neighbourhood have for long been a dream for many students from the economically weaker sections. The RTE quota that reserves 25 per cent of the seats to such children has come as a boon, though several issues continue to nag the implementation of the Act, which came into force...

-Hindustan Times Karnal: A day after a 35-year-old man, Satpal Kashyap, died after being hit by a police vehicle in the convoy of chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, the deceased's family claimed that timely medical aid could have saved his life. The deceased, a daily wage earner from Pakhana village, was the sole breadwinner of the family and is survived by his wife and four school-going children. Karnal superintendent of police Abhishek Garg...

-The Indian Express A few years ago I met a woman, let's call her Chandibai, in a village outside Udaipur. A former panchayat member, she was now a leader in her village - a person to whom others (particularly other women) turned for help. She wore her mobile on a cord around her neck and had the panchayat president, the village development officer and even the district collector's office on speed...