-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...

-Hindustan Times Hindu-Muslim polarisation is not as outwardly visible despite being an everyday reality. Many Jats, who once openly voted on the basis of a “Hindu identity”, are fighting the election side-by-side with Muslims due to the Samajwadi Party (SP)-Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) alliance Pichli baar leher thi. Hum bhi leher mein doob gaye. (There was a wave last time. We also drowned in it.) In September 2013, the Muzaffarnagar riots killed 60...

-Hindustan Times The ministry of external affairs said that the issues in India are considered and resolved through its constitutional framework and mechanism. After the United States and Pakistan waded in the Karnataka hijab row, the ministry of external affairs on Saturday said that “motivated comments” on India's internal issues are not welcome. The ministry said in a statement that the matter regarding dress code is under judicial examination and the issues...

-Hindustan Times In his letter dated January 27, chairman of the high powered committee for the Char Dham Pariyojana, Ravi Chopra, has said the union ministry of road transport had ignored recommendations The chairman of a panel set up by the Supreme court to oversee widening of roads under the Char Dham Pariyojana has written to the top court saying he wanted to resign as the road ministry was ignoring the committee’s...

-Hindustan Times The highly-anticipated report will assess climate adaptation and the impacts of climate change, looking at ecosystems, biodiversity, and human communities at global and regional levels. A new report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that is to be released on February 28 will be important for India, experts said, because it focuses on vulnerability and adaptation to climate crisis. The highly-anticipated report will assess climate adaptation and the impacts of...