TMC slams opposition after HC stays relief scheme for sacked non-teaching staff, vows legal recourse
The remarks came immediately after the Calcutta High Court restrained the West Bengal government from implementing a scheme that sought to provide monetary support to sacked Group C and D staff until September 26 or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
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Time of India
38 minutes ago
- Time of India
Last word
HCs and trial courts must follow SC's line on free speech The Constitution is clear – you have the right to freedom of speech and expression, subject to reasonable restrictions. But like an Ashokan edict carved in stone, the Constitution's letter is only as good as the spirit of the institutions tasked with upholding it. In the Thug Life case, SC has once again struck a blow for free speech. While clearing the Kamal Haasan film's release in Karnataka, it has made it abundantly clear that one person's 'hurt sentiments' are not a reasonable ground for curbing another's right to expression: 'In India…there will never be an end to the hurt sentiment phenomenon. But for that, right to free speech cannot be jeopardised…' Three months ago, in the Imran Pratapgarhi case, SC had forcefully made the same point: 'Even if a large number of persons dislike the views expressed by another, the right of the person to express the views must be respected and protected.' As the chief arbiter of the land, SC could not have made itself clearer in March any more than it can now. There's no way its word can be misunderstood or misinterpreted. Yet, Calcutta HC told a 22-year-old early this month: 'Look, we have freedom of speech but that doesn't mean you will go on to hurt others.' Then, Karnataka HC told Haasan: 'You or any citizen have no right to hurt sentiments of the masses…' And lower courts' views on free speech are generally even more stifling. This divergence of opinion within the judiciary has a chilling effect on free speech because there's only one SC above hundreds of HCs and subordinate courts. If free speech is a pillar of democracy, and a tenet of the Constitution, it shouldn't have to run the gauntlet with the hope of eventual salvation in the apex court. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email This piece appeared as an editorial opinion in the print edition of The Times of India.
Time of India
39 minutes ago
- Time of India
Boudh gets rail connectivity as PM flags off trains
1 2 Bhubaneswar: For the first time, Boudh district got train services after Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off two new trains and extended the services of three existing trains connecting Purunakatak and Boudh on Friday. Modi flagged off the trains after inaugurating the Sonepur-Purunakatak section (73 km) of the Khurda Road-Balangir (301 km) new line project, connecting Boudh district. This railway section was constructed at a cost of Rs 1,376 crore. With this, Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of seven railway projects worth Rs 2,750 crore. "Boudh district headquarters is now connected to the railway network for the first time after completion of this railway section. Finally, our district will be on the railway map of India, fulfilling the decades-old dream of the local people," said Seshadev Jani, a resident of Boudh district. He said people can now visit the Bhairavi temple at Purunakatak by train. "The Sonepur-Purunakatak rail section will strengthen the social and economic connectivity of this region. Now people from Boudh can visit Bhubaneswar, Khurda, and Cuttack via train," he added. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo The commissioning of the rail section helped the railways to run two new trains and extend the services of three existing trains up to Purunakatak via Boudh. The PM flagged off the Boudh-Bhubaneswar New-Boudh Weekly Express (18313/18314) and Sambalpur-Boudh-Sambalpur Weekly Express (18311/18312) here. People attended the flag-off ceremony of the trains at Boudh and Purunakatak stations. The Boudh-Bhubaneswar New-Boudh Weekly Express will leave from Boudh at 7 am every Monday and reach Bhubaneswar New at 6.15 pm via Balangir-Sambalpur-Angul-Naraj. In the return direction, this train will leave from Bhubaneswar New at 11 pm on Mondays and reach Boudh at 10.30 am on Tuesdays. Similarly, the Sambalpur-Boudh-Sambalpur Weekly Express from Sambalpur will leave at 7.25 pm on Sundays and arrive at Boudh at 11.55 pm on the same day. The return train from Boudh will leave at 12.15 pm on Tuesdays and reach Sambalpur at 5.30 pm on the same day. Apart from this, the Bhubaneswar-Sonepur-Bhubaneswar Inter-City Express and two pairs of Balangir-Sonepur shuttle passenger trains will now originate from Purunakatak in Boudh district.
Time of India
39 minutes ago
- Time of India
Not up to the mark! School safety and academics worst in NE Delhi
New Delhi: North East Delhi has emerged as the worst-performing district in the capital in terms of school safety and academic outcomes, according to the latest Performance Grading Index for Districts (PGI-D), released by the Union education ministry on Wednesday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The report, which assessed 788 districts across India for the years 2022–23 and 2023–24, evaluates school education quality on six parameters: learning outcomes, effective classroom transactions, infrastructure, child safety, digital learning, and governance processes, assigning a total score out of 600. Among Delhi's districts, North East Delhi scored the lowest overall — 307 out of 600 — in 2022–23, giving it a place in the 'Prachesta-1' grade. It retained the same grade in the 2023–24 cycle, confirming no year-on-year improvement in the district's standing. What stands out sharply is North East Delhi's dismal performance in the 'child safety' category, where it scored 23 out of 35 points — the lowest among the capital's districts alongside West Delhi. This domain includes indicators such as deployment of counsellors, availability of separate toilets for girls and the presence of functional grievance redressal mechanisms. In addition, the district scored only 93 out of 290 in learning outcomes, again the lowest in the city, indicating significant deficits in foundational and grade-level proficiency across primary and secondary education. The combined shortfall in both safety and academic indicators paints a worrying picture for North East Delhi, especially in the context of its post-2020 riot recovery, which had impacted several educational institutions in the area. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now While the PGI-D report does not offer causation, it suggests the district lags behind its counterparts in ensuring both a secure and academically enriching school environment. Experts say these figures demand targeted intervention. "The low scores in safety and outcomes are not just numbers — they reflect deep-rooted systemic challenges," said an education researcher familiar with the PGI framework. As per the PGI-D methodology, scores above 90% place a district in the topmost grade of 'Utkarsh' and those between 81–90% in 'Uttam-1'. North East Delhi's score, translating to just above 51%, underscores the urgency for corrective policies at the district level, the researcher added.
