-The New Indian Express There are two well-known sayings about statistics. One is that they are like a bikini, for what they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital. Another quote is: lies, damned lies and statistics. Both of them are perhaps applicable to the latest figures released by the Union ministry of health and family welfare, for they show that life expectancy in India has gone up by...

-The Indian Express Chhattisgarh government is unable to accept the right to protest and unwilling to hear the people's voice. By going to town as the Chhattisgarh police and media have recently done on my alleged Maoist links, the real questions have been sidelined. As citizens of this country, do we have the right to protest democratically and constitutionally, and as journalists, researchers or human rights activists, are we free to pursue...

-The Hindustan Times Facing allegations of policy paralysis, the government has often said bureaucrats are afraid to take decisions in the face of increased scrutiny by the national auditor, but HT has found that CAG doesn't have the authority to monitor more than half of the Centre's schemes and programmes. In fact, a draft bill to broaden and clarify the powers of the Comptroller and Auditor General, which has had several run-ins...

-The Indian Express Social audits should not be judged by state response alone. They create awareness about rights and create engaged citizens. This article is in response to Farzana Afridi's ‘Social audit isn't enough' (IE, January 22). Social audits have been enshrined as one of the transparency and accountability tools in the MGNREGA. Such accountability mechanisms aim to strengthen the otherwise weak institutions of delivery as they engage the beneficiaries in the...

-Live Mint At 287 million, India has 37% of the total population of illiterate adults across the world, according a Unesco report New Delhi: The world will miss its goal of universal education by 2015, with millions of children and adults still to be schooled, said a United Nations (UN) body. India has the highest population of illiterate adults, 287 million, 37% of the total population of such people across the world,...