A school principal in Melur in Madurai district, Tamil Nadu, is reported to have denied admission to two girls whose parents had married them off after they completed Class X ( The Hindu , June 23). Prima facie , it seems the principal is wrongly applying her authority. Also, in the broader social context, it seems strange and unacceptable that the benefits of education should be denied to a girl...

PATIALA/SANGRUR: Everyone agrees that theNREGA is causing a shortage of agricultural labour. Everyone, that is, except the workers themselves. For the last two years, the "success" of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (commonly referred to as NREGA) in reducing the number of men migrating out of India's poorest states has become something of a truism. In Punjab, this has resulted in dozens of news articles about the shortage...

-The United Nations Most people with drug use disorders do not receive effective treatment and care, according to a new United Nations information system that, for the first time, provides details on the resources allocated to the prevention and treatment of alcohol and drug-related problems in 147 countries. “Drug dependence is a disorder that can be treated effectively but, unfortunately, the large majority of persons who need it do not have access...

-The Indian Express New CBSE proposals could restore the credibility of teachers as evaluators This year’s round of college admissions have seen cut-offs in Delhi University soaring to an incredible 99 per cent for several courses. This is not surprising, given the astronomical marks that many students have scored in their class 12 boards. But the clamour around results and admissions throws into sharp relief the structure and content of an examination...

-The United Nations 20 June 2012 – World leaders, along with thousands of participants from governments, the private sector, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other groups have come together in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to take part in the UN Sustainable Development Conference (Rio+20).   In our Seven Issues, Seven Experts series, UN officials tell us more about the key issues being discussed at the conference and how we can contribute to make our...