-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Teacher's Day was never so big, ever since it was designated as such, back in 1962. That's because of the planned address of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to thousands of school children. But, what about the teachers who will gather their flock for the big day? Nearly 43% of school teachers in India are now working under privately managed schools. That's about 4.2 million teachers, of...

-The Hindu   The central policy challenge for the new government is how to sustain social gains while ensuring that Dalits can participate more meaningfully in the economy, by sharing in the fruits of economic growth while contributing as well In his address to the nation on Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his intention to "take a solemn pledge of working for... the welfare of the poor, oppressed, Dalits, the exploited...

-The Hindu Reason: inordinate delay in sanctioning of funds by Centre Theni (Tamil Nadu): Thousands of labourers, who registered their names with the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), in rain-fed and drought-prone areas of the district are jobless due to the inordinate delay in sanctioning of funds by the Centre. The delay has not only stalled ongoing works but also affected implementation of new ones, according to officials in village...

-Live Mint A report finds that 44% of govt employees are temporary, and share of permanent workers is declining New Delhi: At least 44% of government employees are temporary and the number of such workers is rising, leaving them without access to social security benefits and in some cases depriving them of minimum wages. The size of the government workforce is on the decline and so is the share of permanent workers,...

-Down to Earth The fracas over India's refusal to meet the deadline on trade facilitation exposes rich nations' double standards NOTHING HAS exposed the double standards at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) than the current uproar over the implementation of two agreements at the global trade policing organisation. One, termed Public Stockholding for Food Security Purposes, protects the food security concerns of millions of the poor and the livelihood of millions of...