Since 1947, successive governments have missed innumerable opportunities to put the country on the path of sustained, inclusive growth. Time and again, quixotic ideology has led to meaningless debates, antediluvian policy and inexplicable strangulation of capacity buildup in both physical and social infrastructure. Even today, while the gap between current and projected national demand and supply is well acknowledged, the government continues to drag its feet in creating the policy...

In yet another meeting scheduled for Saturday, education department officials and private schools' heads would discuss draft rules of the Right to Compulsory and Free Education Act (RTE), 2009. Issues relating to the admission procedure, the reimbursement process and status of minority schools would be brought up. "The centralized admission process and reimbursement to schools are on priority list. Earlier, we had raised this issue with the administration and would...

It came as a rude shock for parents of economically weaker sections (EWS) whose wards were denied admission under the Right to Education Act, which guarantees 25% reservation in schools at entry level. Most schools don't seem inclined to implement the provisions of the RTE Act as the state government has failed to frame rules in this regard. A few schools are not even accepting the forms under this category,...

Confusion prevails here over implementing the Right to Education (RTE) Act and activists are accusing private school managements of back-pedalling on flimsy grounds for fear of losing their elitist tags. This has delayed the admission process in various city schools. The Chandigarh administration, the private schools association, social activists and parents are still debating the provisions of the RTE Act. There has been no consensus so far. The RTE Act makes it...

The Sarva Siksha Abiyan (SSA) has been taking all efforts to improve the standard of education of the less privileged Narikuravas and Irulas in the district. Among the 10 blocks in the district, non-enrolment these people in schools is predominant in Thaly, Kelamangalam, Shoolagiri, Hosur and Uthangarai adjoining the reserve forests. The composition of the Irula children in the Residential Bridge Course (RBC) centres is about 30 per cent. The...