Arjun ticks off RJD on progress card

According to figures given out by the HRD Ministry today, ongoing litigation blocked recruitment in Bihar. Asked if the Centre had done enough in conjunction with the state to fight the suit and begin the stalled recruitment exercise, Singh evaded response, saying: ‘‘It is a politically loaded question.’’

But fact remains that other states have advanced even as Bihar languishes. The great turnaround story, going by the date of recruitments, is that of Uttar Pradesh. During the current fiscal, UP handed out appointment letters to almost a lakh teachers. These new teachers come under the alternative school or the para-teacher scheme whereby the state pays them only

Rs 2,200 a month instead of the full scale which is three times higher.

Like Bihar, even West Bengal has been slow in getting off the block. It has recruited about 14,000 teachers this year, nothing compared to UP’s achievement. Going by the latest figures, a bulk of the 80 lakh out-of-school children between six and 14 years are mostly from the three states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal,

This was the first meeting of the governing council of the National Mission for the SSA. In his address, Prime Minister Singh said: ‘‘All patriotic Indians should adopt this national campaign as a personal mission’’.

Arjun spanner for Vyas Cabinet rank

: Girija Vyas has taken over as NCW chairperson but the last word on her getting a Cabinet rank is still to be said with HRD Minister Arjun Singh not inclined to sharing the same status. As a result, Vyas holds the rank of secretary in the Government. Till recently, the chairperson of the Congress media department, Vyas was picked for the job at the behest of party president Sonia Gandhi. 10 Janpath is understood to be in favour of her being accorded a Cabinet minister’s rank.