-The Economic Times The Centre has assured Trinamool Congress that deregulation of diesel prices would not be carried out soon, advertising its lack of resolve for tough reform measures. A Trinamool Congress leader told ET that minister of state in the PMO V Narayansamy has conveyed to the party that de-regulation of diesel was not government's priority. State-controlled oil companies had lost Rs 80,000 crore in the year ended March 31 on...

The Supreme Court in its verdict on the constitutionality of the Right to Education Act in relation to the reservation of seats for Economically Weaker Section [EWS] and socially disadvantaged [SD] children has rightly upheld the principle of integration. It is hard to see how it could have been any other way. In fact, the arguments against segregation and in favour of diversity in schools have long been settled in...

-PTI   The suicide of a farmer in Vidarbha's Yavatmal district has put the Maharashtra government in a spot, as in his suicide note, he asked people not to vote forCongress and NCP, the ruling alliance partners in the state, as they don't "care" for farmers.  "Don't vote for the Congress and NCP; they don't care for farmers," 45-year-old Gajanan Ghotekar wrote in the suicide note before consuming pesticide last week at village...

A classroom reflecting life's diversity will benefit children of all strata while enriching teaching experience. Now that the Supreme Court has validated the Right to Education (RTE), its success will depend on teachers. When I said this to a friend who teaches in a primary school, she said, “you are being unfair.” I was startled to hear this response because what I had said was common sense. When I pointed this...

The judgment last week by the Supreme Court, making it mandatory for the government, local authorities and private schools to reserve 25% of their seats for the economically weaker sections, is one more step in making the right to education a reality for Indian children. The road, however, is long and the journey arduous, as there are still millions who face barriers in accessing education. The Right of Children to Free...