News for 'Knowledge Commission'

India-China stand-off: The truth from the Dragon's mouth

India-China stand-off: The truth from the Dragon's mouth

Rediff.com10 Aug 2017

A new book reproduces original Chinese maps that contradict Chinese propaganda. The book reveals Chinese intelligence admissions that Beijing never maintained any army base, customs office or other government function in the disputed area until 1983.

Why students unions at universities must not be curbed

Why students unions at universities must not be curbed

Rediff.com4 Jul 2016

The State is trying to curb the students movements, therefore, there are suspicions against some of the Subramanian report on education's recommendations, says Mohammad Sajjad.

How India can escape the dry spell doom

How India can escape the dry spell doom

Rediff.com4 Sep 2014

Since 2000, India has had three serious droughts.

Why she said NO to reservation

Why she said NO to reservation

Rediff.com16 Feb 2017

'My parents have taught me that there is nothing more valuable than humanity.' 'I have seen poor and deserving people striving to get ahead in life and how reservation helps them.' 'At the same time I have seen rich kids with well to do parents still taking advantage of reservation.' 'I cannot be an opportunist. I cannot be a hypocrite.' 'I cannot say I believe in humanity and equality and do exactly the opposite.'

'If Smriti Irani succeeds, it will be a great achievement'

'If Smriti Irani succeeds, it will be a great achievement'

Rediff.com4 Jun 2014

'Once you've made up your mind that you don't like Smriti Irani because she has got where she has far too quickly or far too easily, you find reasons to dislike her and to justify your view,' says Pritish Nandy.

Will this Indian CERN scientist get help from our government?

Will this Indian CERN scientist get help from our government?

Rediff.com3 Jul 2015

Son of a Madurai farmer, Dr Vijayaragavan Vishwanathan has built a unique device for agriculture that can save water as well as electricity. Ironically, Vijay got support for his project from different international bodies but is still looking to get support from Indian government organisations when the product was specifically made for India.

Most ministries in Modi govt lying low on RTI disclosures

Most ministries in Modi govt lying low on RTI disclosures

Rediff.com16 Nov 2014

The Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance government, like its United Progressive Alliance predecessor, seems to be failing on suo motu disclosures under the Right to Information Act.

It's time to fix the IPL!

It's time to fix the IPL!

Rediff.com30 May 2016

The IPL has produced more controversies in its short lifespan than any other sporting league in history.

Why we can't write off Stalin despite DMK losing the by-polls

Why we can't write off Stalin despite DMK losing the by-polls

Rediff.com25 Nov 2016

AIADMK's Jayalalithaa won three assembly by-elections from her hospital bed. However, the DMK heir's decision to disempower second-line satraps, who were running personal fiefdoms in their districts, and his fresh approach, could prove beneficial in the next polls, observes N Sathiya Moorthy.

Retail trade in derivatives: Is there really a problem?

Retail trade in derivatives: Is there really a problem?

Rediff.com18 Aug 2014

Before considering reducing the freedom of private investors in the derivatives market, we need to check if the maladies in markets elsewhere exist in India, says Susan Thomas.

Rebuff from NSG is of India's own making

Rebuff from NSG is of India's own making

Rediff.com27 Jun 2016

Immediate NSG membership will not help India realise its nuclear ambitions any faster. It could have easily left the process take its own course, instead of running a high-stakes campaign to get in, says B S Raghavan.

Banks as brokers: Good for you?

Banks as brokers: Good for you?

Rediff.com19 Aug 2013

Lenders are not enthused because, as brokers, their responsibility towards policyholders will be higher than corporate agents.

UK admits 'purely advisory' role in Operation Blue Star

UK admits 'purely advisory' role in Operation Blue Star

Rediff.com4 Feb 2014

British military's role in the 1984 Operation Blue Star to flush out militants from the Golden Temple was "limited" and "purely advisory", Foreign Secretary William Hague told the British parliament on Tuesday.

How foreign NGOs fuel India's anti-uranium lobby

How foreign NGOs fuel India's anti-uranium lobby

Rediff.com1 Dec 2014

'We need uranium to fuel our reactors. Our scientists and engineers have been handling uranium safely since 1967. They must not feel disheartened by the activities of well motivated local or foreign agencies.'

Some advice and a word of caution for the next Army Chief

Some advice and a word of caution for the next Army Chief

Rediff.com19 Dec 2016

'Pakistan thinks it is winning this low intensity conflict.' 'It is a serious observation. Half the battle is convincing your adversary that he cannot make headway.' 'A lot depends on how the internal professional management of the army and the handling of situations that are bound to rise sooner than later in his command, are done.'

India, Kyrgyzstan voice concern over extremism and terrorism

India, Kyrgyzstan voice concern over extremism and terrorism

Rediff.com12 Jul 2015

Seeking a peaceful and secure neighbourhood amidst threat of terrorism and extremism, India and Kyrgyzstan on Sunday signed four agreements including one on bolstering defence cooperation and holding annual joint military exercises.

2014 will not be about Modi versus Rahul alone

2014 will not be about Modi versus Rahul alone

Rediff.com8 Dec 2013

Modi will need to understand that the formula for success will have to be Local Leaders + Modi and not Modi alone...Shivraj Singh Chouhan is in the running for prime minister... The AAP will have to ally with other parties if it hopes to make any dent in the Lok Sabha election. Dr B Venkatesh Kumar, Professor at the Centre for Governance and Public Policy at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, lists some learnings from the 2013 assembly election results.

Modi should address teachers not students

Modi should address teachers not students

Rediff.com4 Sep 2014

Why does Modi want to speak to the students while his audience should be teachers and parents, not necessarily in that order. And September 5 is not Children's Day but Teachers' Day, says Mahesh Vijapurkar.

FULL TEXT of President's R-Day address to the nation

FULL TEXT of President's R-Day address to the nation

Rediff.com25 Jan 2017

The President talked about demonetisation, electoral reforms and disruptions in Parliament.

'Human rights are being curtailed systematically'

'Human rights are being curtailed systematically'

Rediff.com13 Apr 2016

'Human rights violations are there in rural areas and in cities. In rural areas it is crude and in the open. In urban areas it is well hidden.' 'Awareness has grown several fold. India has 160 national and state human rights institutions. No other country in the world has this.' 'Unfortunately the right to association, right to assembly, freedom of expression, right to protest and discuss are all being curtailed systematically one by one.'

Why it is time to scrap NREGA

Why it is time to scrap NREGA

Rediff.com17 Oct 2014

'How many people have been skilled up and thus able to escape from needing to be in NREGA? The true success of NREGA would lie in its irrelevance -- that is, people no longer need it as a crutch.' 'NREGA should enable them to climb out of poverty and stand on their feet.' 'But this is expressly forbidden by NREGA rules. Skill development, which is what India needs more than anything else, appears to be outside the purview of NREGA,' points out Rajeev Srinivasan.

Renaming Akbar Road: History's latest battle

Renaming Akbar Road: History's latest battle

Rediff.com30 May 2016

'I have only this to say to those who talk about Mewar rulers and Akbar's brutality -- do you expect a king to not expand his kingdom?' 'You have entire cities named after Muslim rulers. It's time our heroes got their due.'

Cautious BCCI to summon SGM to discuss Lodha Panel Recommendations

Cautious BCCI to summon SGM to discuss Lodha Panel Recommendations

Rediff.com4 Jan 2016

Shaken by Justice RM Lodha committee's recommended reforms of its governance structure, the Board of Control for Cricket in India has decided to call a Special General Meeting (SGM) within the next two weeks to discuss the implications of the report.

He overcame hunger and humiliation to study at the LSE

He overcame hunger and humiliation to study at the LSE

Rediff.com20 Oct 2016

'There were days when there was no rice at home and we ate only jackfruit seeds.' 'They feel I, a lowliest human being, a tribal, have no right to go abroad and study.' 'The humiliation was so bad that I was broken inside.'

'Reservations are not chocolates Hardik can pick up from the streets'

'Reservations are not chocolates Hardik can pick up from the streets'

Rediff.com15 Sep 2015

'He is just a 22 year old who has no knowledge of India's laws or Constitution. How will such a man handle a discussion on reservations in an intelligent, lawful manner?' 'Let me alert everybody that he is using the 1985 formula. Back then they opposed reservations based on caste for OBCs and now they want to be included in the same category. This clearly tells us what their intention is. They don't want reservations; they want reservations to be cancelled altogether.'

E-commerce boom spells doom for big retailers

E-commerce boom spells doom for big retailers

Rediff.com14 Nov 2014

The threat may be a decade away, but it has brick-and-mortar sellers rethinking their strategies and banking on the govt to regulate online companies.

Dialling 'home': What your mobile phone may be giving away

Dialling 'home': What your mobile phone may be giving away

Rediff.com29 Sep 2014

Not only is this hidden from the user, it's often unrelated to the app's purpose.

10 commandments for Modi Sarkar to curb black money

10 commandments for Modi Sarkar to curb black money

Rediff.com4 May 2017

A K Bhattacharya digs into the yet-to-be-public report on ways to curb black money and finds out that Modi's next moves could include action on dabba trading, hawala, and education.

'Amit Shah said we have to rule Kerala'

'Amit Shah said we have to rule Kerala'

Rediff.com21 Jan 2016

'What authority has a secular government to administer Hindu temples? When Hindu temples are ruled by secular governments, what religious freedom do Hindus have?'

The Huge Call Centre Scam

The Huge Call Centre Scam

Rediff.com20 Oct 2016

An industry of scamsters is operating in the guise of call centres in India.

High Court to Censor Board: Do not act like a grandmother

High Court to Censor Board: Do not act like a grandmother

Rediff.com13 Jun 2016

'Today is our independence day. Udta Punjab is not just a film anymore. It is a movement and one that has ended in the victory of democracy.'

What Reliance's takeover of Network 18 means for media

What Reliance's takeover of Network 18 means for media

Rediff.com12 Jun 2014

With Mukesh Ambani taking over Network 18, the space for disseminating a diverse range of views could shrink, feels Paranjoy Guha Thakurta.

Big boost for agriculture, bags Rs 44,485 crore grant in FY17

Big boost for agriculture, bags Rs 44,485 crore grant in FY17

Rediff.com29 Feb 2016

A provision of Rs 15,000 crore has been made in the budgetary estimate of 2016-17 towards interest subvention.

Collegium may continue work, gives more time for feedback: SC

Collegium may continue work, gives more time for feedback: SC

Rediff.com5 Nov 2015

The Supreme Court on Thursday said there was no bar on the collegium to go ahead with its work to appoint judges for the higher judiciary, which is plagued with large-scale vacancies.

'A country that does not respect its soldiers is doomed to fail'

'A country that does not respect its soldiers is doomed to fail'

Rediff.com29 Oct 2015

'Think about this: A widow of a jawan is drawing only Rs 3,500. If OROP is implemented, she will get additional Rs 1,500. These poor girls are young and have no source of income; they are trying their best to just make ends meet. It is the pain of these situations that has driven me to this.' 'We don't want to put pressure on the government -- that's not our intention. We have full faith in our prime minister. We are asking for a meeting with him, and when we get that, we are sure he will not only give us what we are asking for, but 10 per cent extra.' Major General Satbir Singh, who headed the OROP agitation at Jantar Mantar, speaks out.

How does the Army make Mission Impossible into Mission Possible?

How does the Army make Mission Impossible into Mission Possible?

Rediff.com14 Feb 2016

'Perhaps the finest example is from the current avalanche itself.' 'The Commanding Officer of 19 Madras (the affected unit) is Colonel Um Bahadur Gurung, a Gurkha who joined the Madras Regiment.' 'He inspired this recovery operation at 19,500 feet, a unique feat by itself.' 'He knew that if it was delayed the chances of finding the mortal remains in the Saltoro's ice would be impossible.' 'He did not pass orders from his base at Kumar (15,000 feet) or gave directions; he simply went there himself, inspiring the multitude that followed.' Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain (retd), who has served on the Siachen Glacier, salutes the incomparable spirit of the Indian Army.

BJP's latest act may leave it marooned in Tamil Nadu

BJP's latest act may leave it marooned in Tamil Nadu

Rediff.com27 Nov 2014

Why is the BJP playing 'competitive politics' where there is scope or room for none? The release of 5 Indian fishermen on death row in Sri Lanka was a victory for India's quiet diplomacy of long years in the matter -- and not for loud politics by parties in the country.

'Our appeal to Indians is to buy Indian and wear Indian'

'Our appeal to Indians is to buy Indian and wear Indian'

Rediff.com30 Sep 2015

Designers Shraddha Nigam and Mayank Anand tell us why they're committed to the cause of empowering Indian weavers through their label.

These guys make science fun for rural India

These guys make science fun for rural India

Rediff.com11 Nov 2014

Ramji Raghavan is using this principle to help village children from government schools enjoy science and maths. Indulekha Aravind reports

Why India needs more well-managed and viable states

Why India needs more well-managed and viable states

Rediff.com12 Aug 2013

India's fear of small states derives from memories of Partition and the paranoid view that it will break up under 'too many' states. It's time to shed such fears and bite the 'states' reorganisation' bullet. India won't crumble under a few more Telanganas, Vidarbhas or Gorkhalands, says Praful Bidwai.