Kerala has done well in the field of higher education and holds much promise. But further policy initiatives are needed to sustain the momentum and prepare for future challenges. Kerala, almost alone among Indian States, has pursued a consistent and in many ways successful higher education policy. It educates 18 per cent of its young people, double the national average, and has universal literacy. It is worth looking at what might...

Citizens group urges Manmohan to pass Lokpal Bill CVC just an advisory body; it has no power to ask CBI to initiate inquiries Situation worse at State-level; Lokayuktas have to seek government permission A group of concerned citizens, including Karnataka Lokayukta Santosh Hegde, the forMer Chief Election Commissioner, J.M. Lyngdoh, and the forMer Central Vigilance Commissioner, P. Shankar, has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, urging him to take measures to pass a...

Nearly 17 years after the implementation of 27% reservation for OBCs in central government jobs on the basis of the Mandal Commission recommendations, a Mere 6.87% of those employed in various union departments in Groups A, B, C and D services belong to the group. Thus a significant 20% posts across categories and departments reserved for OBCs remain unfilled raising doubts on the effective implementation of the Mandal Commission recommendations....

It's a Rs 50,000 crore annual business but those at the bottom of the supply chain -- mostly tribals -- make a Mere Rs 4,000 crore out of it. The extraction of non-timber forest produce -- tuburs, leaves, seeds, plants and roots, besides other products from forest -- could soon become a bigger money-spinner for tribals. The government has set up a committee, which in three months will recommend how...

In the five years of the Right to Information Act, activists who use it have faced reprisal across the country. OCTOBER 2010 marks the fifth anniversary of the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The Act and its implementation have been described in both administrative circles and civil society as “revolutionary” , “a blow for transparency”, “a check on corrupt practices” and “a people's intervention tool with tremendous impact”. Social activists and...