“Our premier institutions of higher education are the vehicles on which India has to propel itself into a knowledge society. These temples of learning must resound with creativity and free thinking.”

Pranab Mukherjee, President of India, delivering the sixth K.S. Rajamony Memorial Lecture in Kochi (The Tribune, March 2)

“If you mix your politics with your investment decisions, you’re making a big mistake.”

Warren Buffet, Berkshire Hathaway CEO, cautioning investors not to pull out of US stocks for political reasons, in a CNBC interview (Time, March 13)

“Skill was earlier a part of education. We have taken it out of education and are trying to create a parallel vertical for the skill-training ecosystem.”

Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Union minister of skill development, on the government’s plan to make millions of youth job-ready (Outlook, March 20)

 

“When you’re 16 or 17, you’re hormonally challenged. To protect you from outbursts, a lakshman rekha is drawn… for your own safety.”

Maneka Gandhi, Minister for women and child development, justifying draconian college hostel curfews (India Today, March 20)

“He has chosen to interpret his mandate in a way that licenses and empowers the worst tendencies of his party. This is now not a statement just about UP: It is a statement about the prime minister’s inclinations and judgement. In the moment of his political triumph, he has chosen to defeat India.”

Pratap Bhanu Mehta, president, Centre for Policy Research, on prime minister Narendra Modi’s appointment of hindutva icon Yogi Adityanath as chief minister of Uttar Pradesh (Indian Express, March 20)

“Linking Aadhaar card with PAN ensures that any government will have complete access to all the data of the citizen and can use it to manipulate anyone at will.”

Yogi Aggarwal, columnist, on the government’s decision making it compulsory for all taxpayers to submit an Aadhar card number (Deccan Chronicle, March 29)