State can regulate minority institutions
Why in news?
- The Supreme Court has held that state can regulate minority educational institutions.
Important Facts
- The Supreme Court held that the State is well within its rights to introduce a regulatory regime in the “national interest” to provide minority educational institutions with well-qualified teachers in order for them to “achieve excellence in education.”
- The managements of minority institutions cannot ignore such a legal regime by saying that it is their fundamental right under Article 30 of the Constitution to establish and administer their educational institutions according to their choice.
Scientific Social Responsibility
Why in news?
- During the 107th Indian Science Congress, head of the Climate Change Programme under Department of Science and Technology, spoke about the Centre’s policy on implementing scientific social responsibility (SSR).
Important Facts
- Under the Scientific Social Responsibility (SSR) programme, researchers who are working on a science project funded by any of the Ministries under the Central government will have to undertake activities to popularise science and make it more accessible to the public.
- The Department of Science and Technology (DST) would draw up a list of activities which could be taken up under the SSR programme. This could range from going to colleges delivering lectures, writing an article in a magazine or doing something beyond the curriculum.
- The science outreach would be mandatory and researchers had to include this as part of their outcome report.
- It will be implemented this year after a consultation meeting with all stakeholders.
ITR-1 income tax return form
Why in news?
- The government of India notified new tax return forms for assessment year 2020-21 (income earning year April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020).
Important Facts
- As per the notification, returns in ITR-1 Sahaj can be filed by an ordinary resident individual whose total income does not exceed ₹50 lakh, while form ITR-4 Sugam is meant for resident individuals, HUFs and firms (other than LLP) having a total income of up to ₹50 lakh and having presumptive income from business and profession.
- According to the new notification, an individual taxpayer cannot file return either in ITR-1 or ITR-4 if he is a joint-owner in house property.
- Also, the ITR-1 form is not valid for those individuals who have deposited more than ₹1 crore in bank account or have incurred ₹2 lakh or ₹1 lakh on foreign travel or electricity respectively. Such taxpayers will have to use different forms, which will be notified in due course.
- An individual who “owns a house property in joint ownership with two or more persons” is required to furnish a return of income.