Unless data gathering for the Socio Economic and Caste Census is refined, the exercise could cast out the real claimants. Have the census enumerators recently knocked on your door with swanky tablet computers in hand? If they have, it's because they have begun to go door-to-door in most States to complete the final phase of the Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC). This mammoth exercise is being coordinated by more than...

-PTI A professor of chemistry at the Jadhavpur University was today arrested for allegedly spreading derogatory messages against "respectable people" through the internet. "Professor Ambikesh Mohapatra has been arrested for spreading derogatory messages against respectable persons," Deputy Commissioner of Kolkata Police (south suburban division) Sujoy Chanda said. He, however, refused to divulge the names of the 'respectable persons' who have been defamed in the e-mail. He was arrested and taken to the...

-PTI   A Jadavpur university professor was arrested today for allegedly posting a cartoon on the internet showing West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee in poor light after she forced out Dinesh Trivedi and put Mukul Roy in his place as railway minister.  The arrest of Ambikesh Mohapatra, a chemistry professor, sparked an outrage with opposition CPM and the academic community saying the police action is "highly atrocious" and a "clear assault" on...

The state is still dithering over the implementation of one of the RTE Act’s clauses, which calls for the reservation of 25% of the seats in private schools for students from the economically weaker sections of society. The provision may not get implemented for the next academic year (2012-13).  In a written reply to the legislative council, education minister Rajendra Darda has said that the state government was in the process...

-The Times of India Slow implementation of the Right to Education Act raises concern as only a year left to fulfil norms Unhappy with the slow progress in implementing the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, a memorandum was submitted to the Prime Minister last week by theRTE Forum. The RTE Act, which came into force on April 1, 2009, guarantees the provision of free and compulsory education...