The blockade of two national highways in Manipur by Naga groups entered the 55th day on Sunday and the prices of essential commodities remained high. Hundreds of trucks are still stranded. The All-Naga students' Association launched the blockade on April 12 to protest against elections to six autonomous district councils in the hills which, it alleged, were given not enough powers to carry out development works. However, the Manipur government has...

The health ministry will soon finalise the syllabus for the proposed short-term medical course for training doctors especially for rural areas, an official said Wednesday. 'The course is now in its advanced stage of finalisation,' a senior official from the health ministry said. The official said almost all state governments have given their nod to the syllabus. 'The syllabus has got the nod of most of the state governments. Only...

Quacks cannot play with the lives of “little Indians” on the strength of questionable certificates, the Supreme Court ruled today in a judgment with far-reaching consequences if enforced strictly. The court said an “unqualified, unregistered and unauthorised medical practitioner” who had no “valid” qualification, degree or diploma couldn’t be permitted to “exploit poor Indians” on the basis of a certificate granted by an institution. The vacation bench cleared the air after...

Newly released National Sample Survey data shows that the proportion of students in private educational institutions has increased at the cost of those in government institutions, but private education remains affordable only to upper classes. Meanwhile, expenditure on education, particularly private education, is growing much faster than household budgets. The NSS 64th round (2007-8) records data on participation and expenditure on education after a gap of 11 years. The NSS...

The PPP model proposed in the Eleventh Plan provides for no government or social control over education. It will lead to the privatisation and commercialisation of education using public funds.  Public-private partnership (PPP) has become a fashionable slogan in new development strategies, particularly over the last couple of decades. It is projected as an innovative idea to tap private resources and to encourage the active participation of the private sector...