National Curriculum: Does one size fit all?

The HRD Minister has approved a national core curriculum for Science and Mathematics in classes XI and XII. A similar curriculum for the Commerce stream is also on the anvil. Does the prescription of a core curriculum bring uniformity in the course content in all school boards, giving a level-playing field to students from different states? Does it facilitate holding of common entrance tests for colleges? Is it an unnecessary fetter on the independence of states to prescribe curricula in tune with local circumstances and requirements?

“Before the crisis, Asia has been integrating into the world more than within itself”, observed by a UN-backed gathering, held on 18 August 2010 at the United Nations Conference Center in Bangkok, Thailand.

The high-level roundtable, titled the Global Economic Crisis and the Asia-Pacific Region: Sustaining Asian Dynamism in a Post-Crisis World, brought together distinguished former heads of state, policy makers and experts from broad idealism. Representing the liberal ideology and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Liberty, Dr Rainer Adam took part in the roundtable.

Dr Parth Shah, President of Centre for Civil Society (CCS), was invited to a workshop on private schooling organised by South Africa’s Centre for Development and Enterprise (CDE), in cooperation with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Liberty (South Africa regional office). This event was one of the Foundation initiatives to provide platforms for South-South exchanges between partners from developing countries and emerging economies.

Dr Shah took part in a round table discussion on Successful low-cost private schooling models from India – Possible applications for South Africa with Democratic Alliance (DA) parliamentary and provincial spokespersons on education. Both CDE’s report (Hidden Assets: South Africa's low-fee private schools) and Dr Shah’s presentation debunk the myth that private schools are the prerogative of affluent families and in fact show-case that low-cost private schools are the preferred route for many poor parents.

Is the world economy in crisis because it lacks the fundamentals of sound money?

In its second year, the Atlas Economic Research Foundation is holding an essay contest in order to raise awareness and promote knowledge about sound money, and to identify young talents whose keen understanding of this subject will steer the direction of monetary policy toward sound free market principles. This year’s theme is “Money in Crisis.” Deadline is 15 January 2011.

Was liberalism transplanted in India from the west or was it rooted in Indian tradition? Was Gandhi a liberal? What is the role of religion in the evolution of India’s liberal tradition? Is there a liberal space in India politics? Are India’s liberals united or divided when it comes to solutions for India’s problems? How can we move beyond the “marketplace of ideas” to the “marketplace of policies”?

To discuss these questions and more, twenty liberals from politics, media, academics, civil society and government came together at the “Colloquium on the Indian Liberal Tradition” held recently in Bangalore from 13-15 June. It was organised by the Centre for Civil Society in partnership with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Liberty (FNF).