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Soon, single test for college entry
New Delhi, August 19
The government is hopeful of conducting the first common entrance exam for entry to all colleges and universities in the country by 2013. The proposed exam will, in one go, test aspirants for all undergraduate (UG) courses, thereby ending the era of multiple examinations for admission to higher education institutions.

Anna changes track, harps on Jan Lokpal Bill
Says will not leave Ramlila Maidan till this Bill is adopted 
New Delhi, August 19
After spending close to 70 hours behind bars, though voluntarily, Anna Hazare walked out of Tihar Jail today to a rapturous applause of thousands of people waiting patiently for him outside. Responding to a tumultuous ovation from enthusiastic supporters, a smilingly Anna warned the government that his agitation would continue till his "last breath"
FAST FORWARD: Anna Hazare at Ramlila Grounds in New Delhi on Friday. Tribune photo: Mukesh Aggarwal
Nation Page: 9 parties back Anna

Cong core group weighs options
New Delhi, August 19
With Anna Hazare attracting huge public support, a harried UPA government is hard pressed to evolve an effective strategy to deal with the Gandhian's hardening stance on the Lokpal Bill and his growing fan following.

West Bengal to be renamed Paschim Banga
Kolkata, August 19
An all-party meeting in the West Bengal Assembly today unanimously adopted a decision to rename West Bengal as Paschim Banga. But before the new name is officially used, it needs two-thirds majority in both Houses of Parliament. Accordingly, a resolution passed in the Assembly in this regard will be sent to the Centre to allow the state to rename it as Paschim Banga instead of West Bengal (English) and Pashim Bangla (Bengali).

Govt reshapes draft land Bill
New Delhi, August 19
The Rural Development Ministry has incorporated significant changes in the draft Land Acquisition Bill. The politically sensitive legislation will now come to force with retrospective effect and provide five times higher land compensation to affected persons in the SC/ST category — a provision possibly made keeping in mind coming Assembly elections in crucial states like Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh and vote bank politics.

Hansi-Butana Row
Centre proposes experts’ panel, Punjab rejects it
New Delhi, August 19
The Centre today suggested in the Supreme Court that the dispute over the strengthening of the Hansi-Butana canal should be referred to an expert committee comprising members from Punjab, Haryana and the Central Water Commission (CWC). Punjab, however, opposed the proposal contending that Haryana would complete the strengthening work on the Rs 260-crore canal before the report of the experts’ committee was in.

Gopal Das wasn’t RAW spy: Govt
New Delhi, August 19
The Union Government today informed the Supreme Court that Gopal Das, released by Pakistan recently after 26 years of imprisonment, was not a spy of the external intelligence unit, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). Gopal Das, a resident of Punjab, had been convicted in Pakistan on charges of espionage.

Finally, thalassaemic Sukhsohit to be a babu New Delhi, August 19 There is good news for UPSC rank holders who feared losing a slot in the civil services on grounds of genetic or physical disabilities and disorders. Four months after the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) rejected the appointment of Panchkula-based thalassaemic Sukhsohit Singh, who had secured 833rd rank in the UPSC 2008 exams (results were declared late last year) PM overturns DoPT’s decision which declared Sukhsohit unfit on health grounds