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3 weeks ago | 
thehindu.com | Vignesh Radhakrishnan |Sambavi Parthasarathy |Maitri Porecha
With the debate over Tamil Nadu’s refusal to adopt the three-language policy still ongoing, the latest data needed to address key questions on the issue is lacking. Vital data that could help bring clarity is the list of languages currently being taught in schools across the States. Notably, DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi raised this question in the Lok Sabha (LS) last month. However, the reply only provided the share of schools that taught three-languages, without mentioning the specific languages.
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3 weeks ago | 
flipboard.com | Vignesh Radhakrishnan |Sambavi Parthasarathy |Maitri Porecha
Hate oiling your hair? Apply these 5 things on hair for instant hair growthWhile oiling your hair has long been a go-to remedy for boosting hair growth, it's not the only option available. For those who cannot or prefer not …
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3 weeks ago | 
thehindu.com | Sambavi Parthasarathy |Vignesh Radhakrishnan
While an increasing number of urban women are entering paid employment, the share of them who do unpaid household work, such as cooking, shopping, and caring for children and the elderly, has also grown. This means that the deep gender divide in doing household chores largely remains unchanged in India.
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1 month ago | 
thehindu.com | Vignesh Radhakrishnan |Sambavi Parthasarathy
Over the past three years, there has been a sudden surge in drug abuse in Kerala, sparking widespread concern. In March, the Kerala High Court warned of the “poisonous fangs of the drug mafia”, while the Governor met with university Vice-Chancellors to address student drug use. The State Higher Education Department launched a ‘Love-a-Thon’ campaign against substance abuse, and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan urged new Sub-Inspectors to take a lead in combating the drug trade.
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1 month ago | 
thehindu.com | D. Suresh Kumar |T. Ramakrishnan |Sambavi Parthasarathy |Vignesh Radhakrishnan
The Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan, while speaking to journalists at the inauguration of the Kashi Tamil Sangamam in Varanasi on February 15, 2025, categorically said that funds under the Samagra Shiksha scheme would not be released for Tamil Nadu unless the State accepts National Education Policy (NEP) in its entirety. He further said Tamil Nadu must adhere to constitutional norms and that the State cannot think it is above the Constitution.
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1 month ago | 
thehindu.com | Sambavi Parthasarathy |Vignesh Radhakrishnan
The latest exchanges between Tamil Nadu and the Centre over Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) funds have reignited the long-standing language debate. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has reaffirmed the State’s opposition to Hindi imposition and reiterated its commitment to the two-language policy. Meanwhile, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has dismissed allegations of Hindi imposition, defending the policy’s intent. “Tamil is one of the oldest languages of our civilisation.
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2 months ago | 
thehindu.com | Sambavi Parthasarathy |Vignesh Radhakrishnan
The surge in the number of electors during the recent Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Delhi is not unusually high, an analysis of Election Commission data shows. The spurt in electors in Maharashtra became a subject of controversy after the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, raised the issue at a recent press conference.
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2 months ago | 
thehindu.com | Nitika Francis |Vignesh Radhakrishnan |Samreen Wani |Sambavi Parthasarathy
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her eighth consecutive Budget on Saturday (February 1, 2025). Ms. Sitharaman announced a major rejig of tax slabs, providing long-awaited relief to the middle class. In the run up to the Assembly election in Delhi, a city that often votes with its wallet, this is a timely intervention as far as the BJP is concerned. Here is a collection of stories on taxes from The Hindu on Union Budget 2025. Published - February 01, 2025 06:53 pm IST
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2 months ago | 
thehindu.com | Samreen Wani |Nitika Francis |Sambavi Parthasarathy |Vignesh Radhakrishnan
Funding for the various production linked incentive schemes (PLI) has more than doubled in the recent Union Budget 2025-26 underscoring the importance for the manufacturing sector and the government’s push for making India self-reliant and a major global manufacturing hub. The outlay for PLI schemes increased by over 108% in FY26 (Budget estimates BE) to Rs 19,482.58 crore from Rs 9,360.36 crore in FY25 (Revised estimates RE).
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2 months ago | 
thehindu.com | Vignesh Radhakrishnan |Samreen Wani |Sambavi Parthasarathy |Nitika Francis
In FY26, the government is expected to spend ₹50,077.95 crores on higher education. The allocation increased by ₹3,595.6 crore, when compared with the revised estimates for the year FY25. While the allocation has increased in absolute terms, spending on higher education as a share of overall budget, has stagnated. While absolute change in allocation gives an idea of what the government is focussing on, analysing the allocations as a share of the total Budget is more prudent.
