The country is in a vortex of challenges, counter-challenges and suspicious suggestions even amongst good friends on the desirability or otherwise of inclusion of caste in Census 2011. I feel that a calmer discussion may clear a number of cobwebs. It is common ground that the caste system exists in our country since centuries. It is unnecessary to dilate upon the origin of caste; whether due to the freezing of the...
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Pvt schools gain at expense of the govt-run by Rukmini Shrinivasan
Newly released National Sample Survey data shows that the proportion of students in private educational institutions has increased at the cost of those in government institutions, but private education remains affordable only to upper classes. Meanwhile, expenditure on education, particularly private education, is growing much faster than household budgets. The NSS 64th round (2007-8) records data on participation and expenditure on education after a gap of 11 years. The NSS...
More »Disparity in wages between male, female workers in rural India reduced
UPA's flagship job guarantee scheme seems to have ensured better wages for women in rural India. An NSSO survey report released earlier this week revealed that disparity in wages between male and female workers in rural India had reduced between 2004-05 when there was no national rural employment guarantee scheme and 2007-08 when the scheme was introduced by UPA-1. In 2007-08, rural women working in NREGA areas were getting 54%...
More »Nearly 49,000 slums in India: NSSO by Mahendra Kumar Singh
Even as the Indian economy remains one of the bright spots in the world showing an upward growth trajectory, around 49,000 slums continue to blight the urban landscape forcing lakhs of people to live in pathetic conditions. To make things worse, of these 49,000 slums, 24% was located along nallahs and drains and around 12% along railway tracks, according to a report released by National Sample Survey Office (NSSO). Not...
More »Rural women earn better wages than urban counterparts by Chetan Chauhan
World’s biggest employment guarantee scheme Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (MGNREG) has ensured better wages for rural women. In a survey report, the National Sample Survey (NSS) organisation has found that disparity in wages between male and female workers in rural India has reduced between 2004-05 — when there was no MGNREG, and 2007-08 — when the scheme was introduced in most parts of rural India. Now, the rural women working...
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