-The Hindu Caste data will help us understand the contours of inequality and craft reasoned and inclusive policies The debate about whether the decennial Census should collect data on caste from individuals who fall into the administrative categories of ‘General’ and ‘Other Backward Classes’ (OBCs) has been argued by public intellectuals, politicians, and government administrators for decades. As the Census currently only collects data on ‘Scheduled Castes’ (SCs) and ‘Scheduled Tribes’ (STs),...

-The Telegraph The govt would be providing it to all its over 7 lakh students of Classes IX-XII for the first time since its over two-decade existence Jamshedpur: Students in government schools and intermediate colleges of Jharkhand will not have to purchase textbooks. The Jharkhand government would be providing free textbooks to all its over 7 lakh students of Classes IX-XII for the first time since it’s over two decades of existence. It...

-IndiaToday.in NCPCR has issued a notice to Principal Secretary education Madhya Pradesh over a controversial chapter in a class 7 textbook. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has issued a notice to Principal Secretary education Madhya Pradesh over a chapter in class 7 books, for promoting communal disharmony. As per the notice, the commission has pointed out how an example in the textbook could very well not just traumatise the...

-The Hindu Rising fuel prices remain a festering pressure point for households The urban poor have been the worst-hit by the high inflation that has prevailed over the past one-and-a-half years, and the persistent uptick in fuel prices continues to pose a major threat for them, rating agency Crisil said in a note on Friday. While inflation shrinks purchasing power across the board, the impact on different income classes varies with their share...

One is almost certain to hear this from an economist that if something is available at free of cost or at a subsidised rate thanks to government intervention, then people tend to overuse or overconsume such goods/ commodities. So, the best solution is to create a market for such 'almost freely available' or 'highly subsidised' goods or commodities. Once people start paying to use or consume such goods/ commodities, they...