After independence, the government of India took an initiative to establish a liberal democratic education system in general and higher education in particular to build a strong human resource base for the country.The first report on National Education Policy was released in 1968, which was based on two landmark reports, namely the University Education Commission Report of 1948-49, popularly known as Radhakrishna Commission Report, and the Education Commission Report of 1964-66 known as Kothari Commission Report.

SPEAKER after speaker called for unity among the journalists fraternity to fight the onslaught of the Chandrasekhar Rao government which was threatening the freedom of press.The speakers lambasted the TRS government for adopting a dictatorial attitude towards the journalists at a round table meeting on "Government's attitude towards media and journalists" at Sundarayya Vignana Kendram in Hyderabad on August 11. The meeting was attended by senior journalists representing different working journalists unions, trade union leaders, women activists and NGOs.

DIFFERENT organisations of scheme workers affiliated to the Centre of Indian Trade Unions came together on July 11 in Pune and formed a state co-ordination committee of scheme workers. The organisations represented in the meeting were, Anganwadi Karmachari Sanghatana, State ASHA and Group Facilitator Federation (Maharashtra Rajya ASHA va Gatpravartak Federation), Mid-Day Meal Workers Union (Maharashtra Shaleya Poshan Ahar Kamgar Sanghatana) and Child Labour Project Workers Union (Bal Kamgar Shikshak va Sevak Union). They elected Salim Patel as adhoc convenor.

SEVENTY years of independence, in normal circumstances, should call for celebrations across the nation. Unfortunately these are not normal times. For once we hoped that even this government, hard wired to proclaim its nonexistent ‘achievements’ in strident tones accompanied by incessant jingoist chest thumping, would have considered shedding a few tears for the children of Gorakhpur who did not live to see their country celebrate its 70th year after independence.

WHAT would be the state of your mind, if you witnessed your father being stabbed to death in front of you amidst his desperate attempt to save you from a gang of murderers? This question always comes to my mind whenever I think about a close friend of mine, Siva Prasad. This is what happened to Siva Prasad around three years ago. Siva Prasad, a native of Trivandrum and a member of SFI Kerala state committee, had never been involved in any criminal activity or nowhere a complaint was filed against him for disturbing the peaceful life of any person.