Are you a journalist or an NGO activist? You could be the government's next RTI Fellow

THE government has announced four fellowships for research in the filed of Right To Information (RTI), with each selected Fellow be given a total stipend of Rs 2 lakh for a three-month research. Just check out whether you can apply for the fellowship announced by the government’s personnel department — DoPT recently:

Govt announces 4 RTI fellowships valued Rs 2 lakh each; journalists, NGO activists eligible to apply

ARE you a journalist or a civil society activist or an RTI trainer in the age bracket of 25 to 40 years? And if you are willing to do a three-month-long research on facets of Right to Information (RTI) and its successes or constraints, the government may consider you for a stipend of Rs 2 lakh for completing an RTI Fellowship. The number of such fellowships, as…

Home secretary RK Singh fumes; warns officers not to hobnob with embassies

Is Home Secretary RK Singh Angry?

UNION home secretary RK Singh has asked secretaries of various departments to restrain bureaucrats from hobnobbing with foreign embassies in India. The fear? A few bureaucrats were already “cultivated” by foreign service nationals or embassy officers.

Singh’s letter as quoted by a report in Hindustan Times said that those officials would be dealt with. But who are those officials?

Govt wants to bring in more fellowships under ambit of study leave norms

THE government has relaxed its leave rules to allow officers selected for Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowships. The DoPT in a circular dated May 11, 2011, said the government is examining the feasibility of bringing more fellowship under the purview of study leave on the same terms and conditions as the Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowships.

The study leave is normally granted to a government servant for studies which may be directly or indirectly connected to his sphere of work. But it can relax the norm for those studies which may not be connected to the work of the government servant, but “which may widen the mind” and “improve his abilities” as a civil servant.

Now, all ministries and departments are requested to provide requisite inputs regarding fellowships offered by reputed institutions which may be of benefits in their areas of work. The feedback should come by May 20, 2011.

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Actual DoPT CIRCULAR, dated May 11, 2011

IAS, IPS selected for British Scholarship

Action and Appointments

a) Sudhir Rangappa Narayana, a 1998 batch IDAS has been appointed as Assistant Director General at the deputy secretary level in the Unique Identification Authority of India under the Planning Commission at Bangalore.

b) Ms Amarpreet Duggal, a 1999 batch Indian Postal Service officer, has been appointed as deputy secretary in the department of personnel and training (DoPT).

c) Ms Anita Bhatnagar Jain, a 1985 batch UP cadre IAS, presently working as joint secretary in the department of higher education as joint secretary, has been appointed in the department of information technology in place of Shankar Aggarwal, a 1980 batch UP cadre IAS.

Indian civil servant to get study leave for “widening his mind”; DoPT may recognize more fellowships soon

FOR Indian civil servants looking for a study break to attend fellowship programs, a recent government clarification could open a window of opportunities. The Government says that study leave can also be granted for a course that may widen his or her mind. The department of personnel and training (DoPT) which has recently included Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowships under its ambit is examining the feasibility of bringing more such fellowships under its purview.

The study leave is normally granted to a government servant for a course of study having direct and close connection with the sphere of his duty. But a DoPT circular, dated November 18, 2010, says that study leave “can also be granted for studies which may not be closely or directly connected with the work of a government servant, but which are capable of widening his mind in a manner likely to improve his abilities as a civil servant and to equip him better to collaborate with those employed in other branches of the public service.”

The circular further said that in that backdrop, the DoPT had allowed study leave to those selected for the award of Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowships in relaxation of the existing rules and is also examining the feasibility of bringing more Fellowships under the purview of study leave, on the same terms and conditions as the Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowships. All ministries and department are requested to provide inputs regarding fellowships offered by reputed institutions which may be of benefit to their area of work.

DoPT CIRCULAR, dated November 18, 2010  

Action and Appointments

a) Nilanjan Sanyal, a 1979 batch Orissa cadre IAS, presently additional secretary in the department of food and public distribution has been appointed as additional secretary in the ministry of women and child development against the newly created post.

b) With the Cabinet approving the setting up of an Independent Evaluation Office (IEO) to assess the Central government’s flagship programmes, a new post of Director General (DG) and a number of other posts would be created soon. The DG will have the rank and status of Member, Planning Commission.

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