News for '-nss'

Is a Hindu unity pitch emerging from renewed NSS-SNDP ties in Kerala?

Is a Hindu unity pitch emerging from renewed NSS-SNDP ties in Kerala?

Rediff.com18 Jan 2026

Sukumaran Nair said he had noted Natesan's remarks and that a decision would be taken after a meeting scheduled for January 21.

'Hindu Unity Is Not What I Am Aiming At'

'Hindu Unity Is Not What I Am Aiming At'

Rediff.com30 Jan 2026

'The Kerala of today is not the Kerala of yesterday.' 'What has seeped into this society is the feeling of hatred towards other castes and religions.'

Sabarimala women's entry issue returns ahead of SC hearing

Sabarimala women's entry issue returns ahead of SC hearing

Rediff.com5 days ago

The Sabarimala temple women's entry issue has resurfaced in Kerala, leading to a political debate between the ruling CPI(M) and the opposition Congress, as the Supreme Court is scheduled to consider review petitions related to its 2018 verdict.

India Still Features In Trump's Security Plan

India Still Features In Trump's Security Plan

Rediff.com26 Dec 2025

The new US national security strategy signals a retreat from global dominance while reaffirming continuity in India's role in Indo-Pacific security and Quad cooperation, points out former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.

Budget 2026: Sports goods sector gets Rs 500 cr boost; Rs 900 cr for Khelo India

Budget 2026: Sports goods sector gets Rs 500 cr boost; Rs 900 cr for Khelo India

Rediff.com1 Feb 2026

The government's flagship Khelo India programme received an allocation of Rs 924.35 crore.

Pune varsity drops 'Voice of Devendra' contest after protest

Pune varsity drops 'Voice of Devendra' contest after protest

Rediff.com12 Aug 2025

Savitribai Phule Pune University (SSPU) withdrew a notification for an elocution competition titled "Voice of Devendra" after opposition from the NSUI, who claimed it was a BJP agenda. The university clarified it was only promoting the event and has since removed the notification.

Coaching Classes Makes Rs 300 Billion A Year!

Coaching Classes Makes Rs 300 Billion A Year!

Rediff.com28 Jul 2025

The 2023-2024 figures showed that the size of the industry, excluding those having an annual turnover of Rs 20 crore, could be Rs 30,652 crore, assuming no tax evasion.

Border states hold mock drills simulating air raids, drone attacks

Border states hold mock drills simulating air raids, drone attacks

Rediff.com1 Jun 2025

Mock drills were conducted on Saturday in states and Union territories adjoining the western border -- from Jammu and Kashmir to Gujarat -- to enhance wartime emergency preparedness and response capabilities, officials said.

What Wednesday's mock security drill will cover

What Wednesday's mock security drill will cover

Rediff.com6 May 2025

India will conduct nationwide civil defense mock drills on Wednesday, including air-raid warning sirens and training civilians to protect themselves in the event of a "hostile attack." The drills come amid rising tensions with Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack. The Ministry of Home Affairs has instructed all states and union territories to participate in the exercise, which will be conducted up to the village level.

India to conduct mock drills on May 7 amid escalating tension with Pak

India to conduct mock drills on May 7 amid escalating tension with Pak

Rediff.com6 May 2025

The Union Home Ministry has asked several states to conduct mock drills on May 7 amid rising tensions with Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack. The drills will include operationalising air raid warning sirens, training civilians on civil defence, and rehearsing evacuation plans. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been holding high-level meetings as India considers countermeasures against the April 22 attack that killed 26 civilians.

Number of people averse to govt surveys rises over 2x in 5 yrs

Number of people averse to govt surveys rises over 2x in 5 yrs

Rediff.com23 Sep 2024

The number of people averse to the surveys by the National Statistical Office (NSO) has more than doubled over the last five years between the 75th National Sample Survey (NSS) round (July 2017- June 2018) and the 79th NSS round (July 2022-June 2023), the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation MoSPI) said on Friday in a conference organised to discuss the issue of 'non- responsiveness' to its sample surveys. The ministry said that nearly 6.9 per cent people in urban areas surveyed by the NSO for the 79th NSS round did not participate in the exercise, while the number of people in rural India that refused to participate in these surveys stood at 3.9 per cent.

The Politics of A Caste Census

The Politics of A Caste Census

Rediff.com2 May 2025

While data can empower communities, it reinforces identities, making local politics more caste-centric, with decisions increasingly contested on the grounds of representation.

Such dynamics could lead to shifting alliances and, in the worst case, local governance getting paralysed as each group demands proportional power-sharing, explain Amitabh Kundu and Mehebub Rahaman.

What's New for Indian Sports in This Year's Budget?

What's New for Indian Sports in This Year's Budget?

Rediff.com1 Feb 2025

Sports budget raised by over Rs 350 crore, Khelo India gets biggest share

Big relief in TDS deduction on rent from Rs 20K to Rs 50K per month

Big relief in TDS deduction on rent from Rs 20K to Rs 50K per month

Rediff.com1 Feb 2025

In a major relief for taxpayers, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday announced an increase in the threshold for Tax Deduction at Source (TDS) on rent from Rs2.40 lakh per annum to Rs6 lakh per annum while presenting the Union Budget 2025-26. Presenting the budget in Lok Sabha, the Finance Minister said, "The annual limit of Rs 2.40 lakh for TDS on rent is being increased to Rs 6 lakh.

What The Budget Has For Senior Citizens

What The Budget Has For Senior Citizens

Rediff.com3 Feb 2025

'The increase in the limit for TDS on interest to Rs 1 lakh will ensure greater cash flow in the hands of senior citizens.'

Pralay missiles battlefield surveillance systems to debut on Republic Day

Pralay missiles battlefield surveillance systems to debut on Republic Day

Rediff.com23 Jan 2025

Ahead of Republic Day, the Indian Army announced on Thursday the addition of two new features to this year's parade: battlefield surveillance systems and a Defebce Research and Development Organisation tableau showcasing Pralay, short-range ballistic missiles.

Govt dissolves Pronab Sen-led panel on statistics, cites 'overlap' in work

Govt dissolves Pronab Sen-led panel on statistics, cites 'overlap' in work

Rediff.com10 Sep 2024

With the dissolution of former chief statistician Pronab Sen-led Standing Committee on Statistics (SCoS) by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), the National Statistical Commission (NSC) has regained prominence as the primary statistical body to address issues regarding results, methodology and questionnaire, among others. A MoSPI official in an email informed the 16-member SCoS about the decision to dissolve it, citing that its work was "overlapping" with that of the Steering Committee for National Sample Surveys (NSS), which was set up in June this year.

India Needs A National Security Strategy

India Needs A National Security Strategy

Rediff.com4 Oct 2024

The National Security Strategy document should flag all major issues concerning security strategy and provide guidelines to concerned departments to work out suitable action plans. Since the global and regional geopolitical canvas is dynamic, the NSS document should be deliberated at length before formulation and should be reviewed periodically, recommends Commodore Venugopal Menon (retd).

Suresh Gopi shown the door by NSS

Suresh Gopi shown the door by NSS

Rediff.com29 Jun 2015

A lowdown on all the goings-on in the Malayalam film industry.

'Kalam-NSS' initiative to tap solar power in space

'Kalam-NSS' initiative to tap solar power in space

Rediff.com2 Nov 2010

"The 'Kalam-NSS' Energy Initiative is a transformative idea that can up shift the US and Indian economies by meeting the urgent global need for a scalable, carbon-neutral, green, 24-hr renewable power source," CEO of National Space Society (NSS) Mark Hopkins said.

22% of India is poor: NSS

22% of India is poor: NSS

Rediff.com21 Mar 2007

Poverty in the country declines to 21.8 per cent of population in 2004-05 from 26.1 per cent in 1999-2000, according to data released by Planning Commission

Is Faith Above Science?

Is Faith Above Science?

Rediff.com9 Aug 2023

Against the backdrop of Kerala's appetite for commonsense, it was assumed that this controversy would pass. Respect for rationalism and scientific outlook is strong in the state despite political forces gnawing at it for their own goals, observes Shyam G Menon.

Delayed Asian Games a blessing for silver-medallist Neha

Delayed Asian Games a blessing for silver-medallist Neha

Rediff.com26 Sep 2023

When the Asian Games was delayed by a year owing to the COVID-19 situation in China, it wreaked havoc with the schedule of many athletes, but for Indian sailor Neha Thakur, it proved to be a blessing in disguise.

Employment in informal sector below pre-Covid level, shows NSO data

Employment in informal sector below pre-Covid level, shows NSO data

Rediff.com18 Jun 2024

After adding 11.7 million workers in the October 2022-September 2023 period from the pandemic lows in April 2021-March 2022, total workers employed in the vast informal sector in India - at 109.6 million - still remains below the pre-pandemic period.

Karnataka teacher forces kids to clean toilets, suspended

Karnataka teacher forces kids to clean toilets, suspended

Rediff.com22 Dec 2023

Close on the heels of an incident in Kolar where school students were 'forced' to clean the soakpit, another incident of pupils being allegedly asked to clean toilets at a government school in has come to light.

Modi Set To Push NPR Again?

Modi Set To Push NPR Again?

Rediff.com3 Aug 2023

'The linking of Aadhaar to births and deaths will revive the debate around citizenship.'

'Rahul should not contest from Wayanad'

'Rahul should not contest from Wayanad'

Rediff.com29 Feb 2024

'He should not come to Kerala and fight against the CPI which is an integral part of the INDIA alliance'

China, Not Pakistan, Is India's Enemy No 1

China, Not Pakistan, Is India's Enemy No 1

Rediff.com16 Jan 2023

16 Indian Army divisions face China, 20 face Pakistan and two divisions are reserves. This powerful signal can hardly be missed in China or Pakistan, notes Ajai Shukla.

Girls, boys sitting together in classes breeds anarchy: Kerala leader

Girls, boys sitting together in classes breeds anarchy: Kerala leader

Rediff.com29 Aug 2022

Children sitting together, and hugging each other is not desirable in India and it is dangerous, Vellappally Natesan said.

Actor Arshad Warsi, 44 others banned from the markets

Actor Arshad Warsi, 44 others banned from the markets

Rediff.com2 Mar 2023

Sebi on Thursday barred 45 entities, including actor Arshad Warsi, his wife Maria Goretti and others, from the securities market in cases related to manipulating the share prices of two companies through uploading misleading videos on YouTube channels. The cases pertains to uploading misleading videos on YouTube channels and recommending investors to buy the shares of Sadhna Broadcast Ltd and Sharpline Broadcast Ltd. Apart from the couple, some of the promoters of Sadhna Broadcast have been restrained from the securities market for their involvement.

How India can improve quality of data collection

How India can improve quality of data collection

Rediff.com22 Jan 2020

As a well-wisher of the Indian Statistical System and part of the system for more than 37 years, Sunil K Sinha, former DG and CEO of NSSO, offers suggestions to improve data quality.

Is India ready for Pak superiority in drone warfare?

Is India ready for Pak superiority in drone warfare?

Rediff.com15 Nov 2022

While Pakistan enjoys rough parity with India in legacy weapon systems, it is beginning to enjoy superiority in drone warfare, thanks to the RPVs supplied by China, explains Ajai Shukla.

Extreme poverty in India declined by 12.3 percentage points during 2011-19

Extreme poverty in India declined by 12.3 percentage points during 2011-19

Rediff.com18 Apr 2022

Extreme poverty in India declined by 12.3 percentage points between 2011 and 2019, with rural areas doing better than urban centres, according to a working paper of the World Bank. India has not released a new household consumption survey since the NSS from 2011. By extension, the country has not released any official estimates of poverty and inequality for over a decade now, added the paper co-authored by economists Sutirtha Sinha Roy and Roy van der Weide.

India's richest 1% own more than 40% of total wealth: Oxfam

India's richest 1% own more than 40% of total wealth: Oxfam

Rediff.com16 Jan 2023

The richest one per cent in India now own more than 40 per cent of the country's total wealth, while the bottom half of the population together share just 3 per cent of wealth, a new study showed on Monday.

PM exhorts youth to beat 'network of lies' on vaccine with right info

PM exhorts youth to beat 'network of lies' on vaccine with right info

Rediff.com24 Jan 2021

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said Indian scientists have done their duty by developing the COVID-19 vaccine and 'now we have to fulfil ours' by defeating through the right information every network spreading lies and rumours.

What you will see at the Republic Day 2023 parade

What you will see at the Republic Day 2023 parade

Rediff.com25 Jan 2023

The Republic Day parade, which will begin at around 1030 am, will be a unique mix of the country's military prowess and cultural diversity, depicting the country's growing indigenous capabilities, Nari Shakti and emergence of a 'New India'.

How the wealth of India's richest can make a difference

How the wealth of India's richest can make a difference

Rediff.com16 Jan 2023

The richest one per cent in India now own more than 40 per cent of the country's total wealth, while the bottom half of the population together share just 3 per cent of wealth, a new study showed on Monday. Releasing the India supplement of its annual inequality report on the first day of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, rights group Oxfam International said that taxing India's ten-richest at 5 per cent can fetch entire money to bring children back to school. "A one-off tax on unrealized gains from 2017-2021 on just one billionaire, Gautam Adani, could have raised Rs 1.79 lakh crore, enough to employ more than five million Indian primary school teachers for a year," it added.

Army contingents display evolution of uniforms, rifles since 1947

Army contingents display evolution of uniforms, rifles since 1947

Rediff.com26 Jan 2022

Three marching contingents of the Indian Army wore uniforms and carried rifles from previous decades, while one contingent wore the new combat uniform and carried the latest Tavor rifles at Republic Day Parade-2022 (RDP-2022) as a part of 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav' celebrating the 75th year of India's independence.

SC to hear pleas seeking review of Sabarimala verdict on Feb 6

SC to hear pleas seeking review of Sabarimala verdict on Feb 6

Rediff.com31 Jan 2019

The review petitions would be heard by a constitution bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices R F Nariman, A M Khanwilkar, D Y Chandrachud and Indu Malhotra.

Army says social media posts about imposition of Emergency fake

Army says social media posts about imposition of Emergency fake

Rediff.com30 Mar 2020

Army officials also said no effort is being initiated to rope in services of retired personnel, the National Cadet Corps and the volunteers enrolled under the National Service Scheme in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.