-The Telegraph The Supreme Court today raised more questions on the appointment of contract or ad hoc teachers by some states, saying "a populist measure cannot destroy the fabric of education". It asked the Gujarat government to furnish by Monday a "long chart" explaining the rules, eligibility and qualifications prescribed for such appointments. "A populist measure cannot destroy the fabric of education. Unless you give us (details of) the selection process adopted, we...

-Live Mint Cherry-picked indicators of progress cannot convey the complexities of development in India's diverse states Which Indian states have fared better than their peers and which ones have done relatively worse is a perennial question for discussion. There is more at stake than mere grading of states here. Investment flows, central government funds and praises for being a good state are all linked to this seemingly straightforward question. It seems to...

-The Economic Times The huge delay in bringing the Food Security Bill to Parliament and the massive opposition to it have seen most states going ahead with key provisions of the proposed Bill, Planning Commission member Abhijit Sen tells ET. Sen has doubts whether the bill would be passed in the Monsoon Session of Parliament. Edited excerpts: * Do you think Food Security Bill would be passed in the Monsoon Session? I am not...

-The Hindu Business Line It requires a change in mindset to reverse declining sex ratios. The state-wise child sex ratio (number of females per 1000 males in 0-6 years age group) in India during 2001-2011 declined except in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Mizoram, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu (see table). Interestingly, these are the same states that had recorded a significant fall in child sex ratio during 1991-2001. Adverse child sex ratio can have...

-Live Mint The kharif crop may improve by 8.1% to 135 million tonnes, after falling by 2% last year due to weak monsoon Foodgrain production in India's kharif season, the summer crop, is estimated to increase by a little more than 8% this year on expectations of normal monsoon rains, boosting hopes of a recovery in Asia's third largest economy and a decline in food price inflation. The kharif crop may improve by...