Axis Bank has opened 50 new branches across India, while Abakkus Mutual Fund has surpassed Rs 10,000 crore in AUM. YES Bank launched a new credit card for women, and J&K Bank partnered with HDFC Life to enhance its insurance offerings, showcasing significant growth and strategic developments in the Indian financial sector.
Institutional investments in India's housing market plummeted by 85 per cent to USD 154 million in the first half of 2026, while overall real estate inflows saw a modest 6 per cent increase, driven primarily by domestic investors and strong interest in office and data centre projects.
One 97 Communications, operating as Paytm, announced that its subsidiary, Paytm Europe Payments, has secured a payment institution licence from Luxembourg's financial regulator, CSSF, effective July 2, 2026. This licence permits services like execution of payment transactions, credit transfers, and acquiring payment transactions, marking a significant step in Paytm's European expansion strategy, supported by a recent 9 million euro investment from Paytm Cloud Technologies Limited.
Educator Faisal Khan's 'Khan Sir' coaching institute in Patna was allegedly vandalised and pelted with stones, with Khan also claiming firing took place, though police could not confirm the gunshots.
Banaras Hindu University (BHU) has received approximately Rs 15 crore in funding from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for six biomedical research projects. These projects aim to address critical national health priorities, including cancer detection, antimicrobial resistance, and pediatric septic shock, fostering advanced research and improving patient care.
High fees do not automatically translate into better teaching or stronger clinical exposure, points out Nayagam PP, career counsellor and founder of EduJob360.
Minister of State for Telecom Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani urged BRICS nations to collaborate on building institutional capacity and advocating for fair standards in international telecom and ICT bodies. He highlighted India's willingness to share its modular, open-source digital public infrastructure frameworks like Aadhaar and DigiLocker, emphasising their role in sustainable development and economic growth across the Global South.
The Delhi government's Women and Child Development Department (WCD) has introduced a new internship and research framework, offering students in social work, psychology, and related fields structured field exposure at child care institutions and welfare centres.
The Indian government has imposed stockholding limits on bulk sugar consumers, restricting them to a 15-day supply if they use over 10 tonnes monthly, effective September 1 to November 30, to stabilise prices ahead of the festival season.
The Supreme Court has directed the Centre to submit an affidavit detailing the steps taken to implement the recommendations of the Radhakrishnan panel and the Nandan Nilekani committee for institutionalising reforms in the National Testing Agency (NTA) and improving NEET exam processes.
The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) has announced Dr C S Pramesh, director of Tata Memorial Hospital, as the new chief guest for its 86th Convocation on August 22, replacing Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant, who was unavailable due to a full calendar.
New Delhi must look for formal, institutional statements issued directly from Washington rather than rely on casual pronouncements meant for local audiences, notes Ambassador Rajasekhar.
Researchers at Delhi's Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology have developed 'MutAIverse', a generative AI platform designed to decode DNA damage and identify potential causes of cancer. Tested on head and neck cancer patients in Guwahati, the platform successfully traced exposure to smokeless tobacco as a contributing factor. This innovation aims to shift focus from just diagnosis to understanding causative factors, potentially aiding in prevention and protection.
Researchers at IIT (ISM) Dhanbad have secured a patent for a novel temperature-independent optical sensor designed to precisely measure structural tilt in two directions. This lightweight sensor, utilising Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) technology, offers enhanced monitoring capabilities for various applications including bridges, robotics, aerospace, and geotechnical systems, promising low maintenance and long-term stability checks.
The initial public offering (IPO) of e-commerce enablement platform Shiprocket Ltd was subscribed an impressive 99.38 times on its final day of bidding, attracting bids for over 9.38 billion shares against 94.43 million on offer.
The Maharashtra government has declared snakebite a notifiable disease, mandating all healthcare providers to report cases and deaths. This move aims to strengthen monitoring, ensure timely treatment, and improve anti-snake venom availability, following a tragic incident where tribal schoolgirls died from snakebites.
A Delhi court has granted bail to a director of a coaching institute accused in an alleged scam linked to a Delhi government scheme, stating that his continued imprisonment would serve no purpose.
Indian benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, saw declines in early trade, influenced by rising crude oil prices and ongoing geopolitical tensions in West Asia. Experts suggest that crude oil remains a primary concern, with Brent holding near USD 88 a barrel due to renewed US warnings against Iran, embedding a geopolitical risk premium in energy markets. Track Sensex, Nifty
Over 14,000 members of the academic and scientific community have petitioned Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, seeking intervention against Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's "gau mutra expert" remark concerning IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti during parliamentary proceedings. The petition calls for the withdrawal of the derogatory expression, arguing it undermines the dignity of an eminent scientist and the institution he leads, and urges for respectful democratic discourse.
Indian benchmark equity indices, Sensex and Nifty, experienced declines in early trade due to elevated crude oil prices and persistent geopolitical uncertainties, particularly following the expiry of the US-Iran ceasefire. Track Sensex, Nifty on August 19, 2026.
Indian benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty experienced declines in early trade, driven by a surge in Brent crude oil prices above USD 91 per barrel due to escalating tensions between Iran and the US, alongside an increase in US 10-year bond yields. Track Sensex, Nifty on August 18.
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant urged national law universities to proactively lead the integration of technology into the legal system, rather than merely reacting to changes. Speaking at a conclave, he stressed the importance of incorporating academic integrity and responsible AI use into the curriculum, rejecting outright bans on generative AI. The CJI highlighted that law schools must prepare graduates to critically engage with technological tools, ensuring justice, fairness, and human judgment remain central to the evolving legal landscape.
Indian benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, experienced significant declines, with the Sensex falling 493 points and the Nifty dropping for the sixth consecutive day, primarily due to elevated crude oil prices reaching USD 91 per barrel and diminishing hopes for a diplomatic resolution in West Asia.
Indian benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, continued their downward trend for the fifth consecutive day, with the Sensex dropping 281 points and Nifty falling 78 points, primarily driven by surging crude oil prices and persistent geopolitical tensions in West Asia.
The Rajasthan government has issued an order restricting the entry of outsiders into government schools and barring photography and videography without prior permission, a move that follows protests over poor conditions and an announced inspection by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).
The Nagaland Baptist Church Council has voiced strong opposition to any directive making the singing of 'Vande Mataram' compulsory, especially for Christians. They argue that patriotism should not be reduced to forced conformity and that India's constitutional values of liberty, pluralism, and freedom of conscience must be respected. The council also called for dialogue and sensitivity from state institutions.
Indian benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty closed lower, with the Nifty recording its fourth consecutive day of decline, primarily due to elevated oil prices and ongoing geopolitical tensions between the US and Iran, which dampened investor sentiment.
Indian physicist Deepak Dhar, a professor at ICTS-TIFR in Bengaluru, has been awarded the prestigious 2026 Dirac Medal for his significant contributions to statistical mechanics. He shares the honour with three other physicists for their work on understanding complex systems, with applications in diverse fields like biology, finance, and AI. Dhar is particularly recognised for his "sandpile model" and has previously received the Padma Bhushan and Boltzmann Medal.
A 19-year-old second-year Mechanical Engineering student at IIT Kharagpur, Ankit Sharma, died after allegedly falling from the third floor of a campus building. Police have launched an investigation, examining CCTV footage to determine the circumstances of the fall, which remains unclear whether accidental or otherwise.
Indian companies, including NBFCs, filed proposals with the RBI to raise $6.08 billion through external commercial borrowings (ECBs) and foreign currency convertible bonds (FCCBs) in June, marking a significant increase from the previous month.
Indian benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, saw declines in early trade, with the ongoing US-Iran standoff cited as a major factor impacting investor sentiment and raising concerns about inflationary pressures and currency volatility for oil-importing nations like India. Track Sensex, Nifty on August 14, 2026.
'There is no college that can guarantee a Rs 14 lakh per annum (LPA) package,' clarifies rediffGURU Chocko Valliappa.
The National Council of Educational Research and Training has reconstituted the Textbook Development Team for class 11 and 12 political science with a mandate to integrate cultural rootedness, Indian knowledge systems and inclusion, with at least four of the members having direct or indirect links with the RSS.
A doctor at Bidar Institute of Medical Sciences was allegedly assaulted by a group of people, leading to protests by medical staff demanding action and protection.
Analysts predict that geopolitical developments, particularly surrounding the Strait of Hormuz and the US-Iran standoff, along with crude oil prices, will be the primary factors influencing stock market movement in the coming week. Investors will also monitor foreign institutional flows and the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) minutes for signals on the Federal Reserve's policy outlook.
Fintech firm PhonePe has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to integrate its enterprise data intelligence platform, PulsePro, into the PM GatiShakti framework. This collaboration aims to provide granular, hyperlocal insights for national infrastructure planning, economic analysis, and holistic urban and rural development.
A UKG student in Visakhapatnam tragically died after allegedly collapsing at school. While officials initially reported the boy became unconscious, the District Education Officer has alleged that the student died following a physical assault by a teacher, prompting an investigation and promises of strict action against those responsible.
India's capital markets regulator, Sebi, has simplified the onboarding process for foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) by permitting them to submit a digitally signed Power of Attorney (PoA) to their custodians, eliminating the need for notarisation or apostillisation.
As NSRCEL enters its next phase, the incubator plans to focus on AI, deep technology and global partnerships as it looks to expand its reach.
The Supreme Court, in a 6:3 majority verdict, has ruled that the expansive, labour-friendly definition of 'industry' from its 1978 Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board judgement will not be used for interpreting the Industrial Relations Code of 2020. However, the 'triple test' from the 1978 verdict will still apply to pending cases under the now-repealed 1947 Industrial Disputes Act.
