Hardat work

Kapil Sibal's HRD ministry that has frenetically pursued reforms in education over the past two years, has now started setting its own house in order.

Reforming education, reforming itself
Kapil Sibal's HRD ministry that has frenetically pursued reforms in education over the past two years, has now started setting its own house in order. Both the department of school education and literacy, and the department of higher education are streamlining their organisation in a bid to adopt and acquire ISO-9001 standards. The standards certify quality of service delivered to customers and other stakeholders - and meeting them will help the ministry counter any suggestions that it itself lives in a glass house.

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Exception becomes a rule
Government has rules for everything and also for regularising what is not permitted in the normal course of action. As per government norms, consultants are not allowed to travel abroad for official business. But a senior consultant in the Planning Commission had to. So, the bureaucracy found a way out. The government can bear expenses of any person required to help the official team in international negotiations. Using the provision, the consultant was allow-ed to fly and now the exception has now become a rule.

Naresh Chandra to head review committee on national security
Naresh Chandra, former cabinet secretary and India's ambassador to the US,will head a 14-member task force formed by the government to review existing processes and procedures in the national security system.