-India Education Diary   Top-level academics from India and abroad, policy makers and education experts will unfold their experiences and strategies for an effective implementation of the historic Right to Education (RTE) Act and explore and identify critical issues in the education sector at a national conference that gets under way here on Wednesday (Dec. 21). The day-long conference, titled 'Catalysing Education for All: Intention, Innovation, and Implementation', is being organized by...

-The Business Standard   The new Bill will set back the cause of food security - while wrecking central finances. The Food Security Bill cleared by the Union Cabinet for introduction in Parliament seems irrational and impractical by parts. It seeks to provide a statutory right to highly-subsidised food for 75 per cent of the rural population, with 46 per cent in the “priority” category, or below the poverty line (BPL); and to...

While the police force has for long been promising transparency in its working without doing much about it, the common man has taken it upon himself to "expose cases of police highhandedness and excesses". A video of a family being roughed up by cops 19 days ago - recorded by a bystander - has helped mobilize massive support for the victims, and on Monday 17 associations and 15 village panchayats...

-Express News Service Applicants seeking admission to entry-level classes in private schools under the 25 per cent reservation of Right to Education (RTE) Act 2009 can apply in their neighbouring schools by January 20. As per the guidelines framed by UT Administration, in compliance with the provisions of RTE Act, an applicant either from Economically Weaker Section (EWS) or disadvantaged groups of society, can apply in a school situated within a radius...

Maharashtra says it could go against existing franchisee norms Power distribution utilities of three States including Maharashtra have objected to the proposed suggestions by a sub-group of the Task Force on Private Participation in the Power Sector of the Planning Commission. They feel the proposals could go against existing franchisee norms in the States and skew the tariff. The sub-group had been pushing for Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) in the distribution of electricity as...