Access to land and its resources is important since it determines the extent of poverty and deprivation one faces. Historically tribal populations and other traditional forest dwellers did not enjoy any legal entitlement such as ownership rights or user rights of the forest lands where they had been living since ages, both communally and individually. The Forest Rights Act (FRA) is, thus, seen as a progressive legislation that attempted to...

-Business Standard CIC to adopt new software system from next week to enable applicants to receive notifications and updates Citizens will now get real-time updates on any complaints or appeals filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, reported the Economic Times on Monday. The report added that the Central Information Commission (CIC) would now function akin to an e-court. How will it work? According to the report, from next week, the CIC will...

-Press Note from Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy and the Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reforms (CJAR) The Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy and the Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reforms co-organized an important panel discussion on appointments to the Higher and Subordinate Judiciary, on the 31st of August 2016 at the India International Centre, Delhi. Diverse stakeholders, including senior advocates, journalists, academics and activists formed part of the Panel. There...

-The Hindu When knowledge gained is not acknowledged, and the textbook is considered the sole source of answers, education becomes a foreign language. A critique of rote learning is an educational cliché. Much has been written about it and almost every educator will passionately argue against it. However, the textbook still continues to be the holy grail of learning. You can participate in activities, test yourself, memorise information and learn. But don’t...

-Hindustan Times Gurgaon: Parents seeking admission for their little ones complain that a number of private schools are not complying with Right to Education Act (RTE) in nursery admissions. They say private schools continue to screen students and parents looking for admission though RTE norms prohibit the exercise. A number of parents said schools, in the name of admission processes, conduct interactions and try to get information about their financial status and...