Dear Friends:
CCS could not have asked for a better start in 2011. Some great news on our "Bamboo is NOT a Tree" Campaign greeted us in January. Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh announced that the Prime Minister and senior ministers had reached a conclusion on the long-standing debate of bamboo's classification. It is official now: bamboo is a grass! This could be the much-needed respite for tribals who depend on bamboo for their livelihoods.
In February, our remarkable team hosted two international conferences, the Mont Pelerin Society (MPS) Asia Regional Meeting and the Liberty Fund Colloquium. The MPS meeting brought some of the brightest leaders and liberals from around the world to discuss India's position as an emerging powerhouse on the international stage. With dignitaries like Arun Shourie and Montek Singh Ahluwalia rendering keynote addresses, around 100 participants, and 26 renowned speakers, the conference was a resounding success.
Looking ahead, given the importance of the Right to Education Act (RTE), the Centre will focus its research and advocacy efforts on consolidating wins in School Choice and applying liberal solutions to vocational training and higher education. Some of our upcoming activities in the area of education reforms are:
- Helping state governments draft model rules to implement RTE;
- Bringing together budget private schools to act in cohesion and improve their quality standards; and
- Exploring the voucher model to bridge India’s increasing skills gap.
The next two months will see CCS holding workshops with state governments on implementing RTE and the 25% reservation mandated in the Act. As the first lotteries for admissions under RTE are held across the country, CCS will audit the implementation of the reservation clause in Delhi under a grant from the Privatization in Education Research Initiative (PERI) of the Open Society Institute. Simultaneously, under a grant from ANSA (Affiliated Network for Social Accountability), we will audit the last mile delivery of services under RTE in Chittorgarh District in Rajasthan using a community scorecard.
Alongside, our work on the Jeevika Campaign will continue advocating for rights of street vendors in Jaipur and Patna, and explore two additional entry-level professions that are encumbered by entry and exit barriers in both cities.
In addition, we are also scaling up our public policy programs, both residential seminars and online webinars for sustained engagement with students, journalists and young professionals. Our ongoing C Rajagopalachari Essay Competition asks the very important question “How free are you?” The deadline for registration is 30 April 2011. The 2011 Researching Reality Summer Internship will begin accepting applications in early March, so do pass the word along or visit the website for application forms.
Last but not least, we are currently looking for committed researchers, advocacy specialists, and program coordinators to help take the Centre to a higher level of outreach. We hope to grow in strength in the next two months, and would love for you to be part of the CCS team. For more information on the positions, please visit our careers page.
We are always excited to hear from you, so do write to us with thoughts, comments, and advice, or simply to say hello!
In liberty,
Parth J Shah
President, Centre for Civil Society |
| Bamboo is a Grass, Not a Tree
 We celebrate the government’s announcement declaring bamboo as a grass, not a tree. This comes as a huge relief to CCS’ long standing campaign demanding correct recognition for bamboo and establishment of the rights of tribal and forest dwellers. We hope that the final step of amending the Indian Forest Act will also be taken soon. Read more >>
India as a Global Power: Practicing Liberal Values at Home and Abroad
    
CCS welcomed around 100 MPS members, guests, and fellows to the 2011 Mont Pelerin Society Asia Regional Meeting from 10-13 February 2011 in Gurgaon, titled 'India as a Global Power: Practicing Liberal Values at Home and Abroad'. Over the three days, participants interacted with 26 world renowned experts through panel discussion and breakout sessions. The meeting was inaugurated by Arun Shourie. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, in his concluding address highlighted that the three big challenges for India are Energy, Water and Urbanisation. The commentary of Dr Gorawut Numnak, one of the participants at the meeting, highlights that there is nothing else stopping India from realising its potential, but itself. See Photos >>
Liberty Fund Colloquium on “Liberty, Empire, and the Rule of Law”, Rajasthan
 15 liberals from seven different countries came together to discuss In Praise of Empires (Deepak Lal), and Justice and Global Politics at the Liberty Fund Colloquium organized by CCS at the Neemrana Fort Palace in Rajasthan from 14-17 February 2011. Parth J Shah, President, Centre for Civil Society was the Director and Suri Ratnapala, Professor, University of Queensland was the Discussion Leader for the colloquium. These small, scholarly conferences focus on themes in economics, history, law, political thought, literature, philosophy, religion, and the natural sciences. They generally assume an interdisciplinary focus. To date, Liberty Fund has held over 3,000 such colloquia in the United States and abroad. Liberty Fund conferences are attended by invitation only. See Photos >>
CCS in the Media
Our flagship education campaign ‘School Choice' was the central theme of a special program called Vishesh on Lok Sabha TV. Telecast on 30 January 2011, the special episode in Hindi titled Kya Hai Voucher Shiksha? explained to the viewers the meaning and relevance of voucher education. Budget private schools in North East Delhi who are empanelled for our School Vouchers for Girls pilot were featured in the show while opinions from experts like Parth J Shah, Amitav Virmani, Country Director, Absolute Return for Kids and PV Indiresan, Former Director, IIT Madras were also broadcast during the program.
On 12 February our Jeevika campaign was also featured on Lok Sabha TV in the program 'Insight Weekend'. This special episode covered the life of street vendors and highlighted their trials and tribulations. Amit Chandra, Jeevika Campaign Coordinator, CCS was interviewed for the program.
ENABLE – ARK & CCS’ School Access and Voucher Programme
 Absolute Return for Kids has partnered with CCS, pioneers of School Choice reform in India, to implement ENABLE (Ensure Access to Better Learning Experiences), a school access and voucher programme for underprivileged children in Shahdara (North East and East Delhi). The ENABLE programme will provide up to 900 children an opportunity to access quality low cost private school education by funding their education for five years. Eligible children are aged between five and seven, and are either currently out of school, in government schools or attending unrecognised low cost private schools, and come from low income families (earning less than 100,000 INR a year).
State Level Convention on Street Vending in Patna
 CCS, Nidan and NASVI (National Association of Street Vendors of India) came together to celebrate Street Vendor Day on 20 January 2011 in Patna. To mark the occasion, a state level convention of street vendors of Bihar was organised in Shri Krishna Memorial Hall, Patna. The convention saw the participation of over 3000 street vendors from across the state. The convention pushed for legislation protecting livelihoods of street vendors in Bihar on the basis of the National Urban Street Vendors Bill 2004. The convention had three cabinet ministers from the current government in Bihar along with Members of Legislative Assembly, Members of Parliament, Mayors and several other leaders. The Minister for Urban Development promised to bring legislation for street vendors by the end of the next financial year. Read More>>
Jeevika Campaign selected as a finalist in Omidyar and Ashoka’s Property Rights Competition
CCS' Jeevika Campaign, which is working for the right to property and dignity of street vendors and other informal sector entrepreneurs in Rajasthan and Bihar was amongst the 11 finalists of Omidyar and Ashoka’s Property Rights Competition. The competition had 211 entries from 47 countries.
CCS Participation at International Conferences, Doha and Taipei
Parth J Shah, President, CCS participated at the 'World Innovation Summit for Education 2011' in Doha. He was also a speaker for the session ‘The Role of Civil Society’ at Heritage Foundation's ‘Democracy Building in Interesting Times’ Conference in Taipei.
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