The Maharashtra government has abolished the mandatory one-year service bond for MBBS students, citing an "inverse ratio" of available positions to graduating candidates. This decision benefits graduates from various medical colleges, exempting most from the bond, though those who have already joined their postings must complete it. The move aims to ease postgraduate admission difficulties and address issues of competency and motivation in bond service, a decision welcomed by the Maharashtra Association for Resident Doctors (MARD).
It is plain to see that the US senate bill's real objective is to derail India's time-tested strategic partnership with Russia, points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
World number one pair Henry Patten and Harri Heliovaara successfully defended their Wimbledon men's doubles title, defeating Mate Pavic and Marcelo Arevalo in two tie-break sets. This marks their second Wimbledon victory and third major title together, highlighting their dominance in men's doubles.
Despite a population of 1.45 billion, India's football team is ranked a lowly 138th in the world and failed to qualify for next year's Asian Cup, highlighting deep-rooted systemic issues and a failure to implement reforms that keep the World Cup dream distant for fans.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has resigned following weeks of widespread protests and public outrage over examination paper leaks, particularly the NEET-UG controversy, leading to jubilant scenes at Jantar Mantar as demonstrators declared 'victory'.
Iran on Monday formally rejected a US-proposed ceasefire deal amid the escalating conflict in West Asia, instead unveiling its own 10-point plan aimed at permanently ending the ongoing war, as reported by the Iranian state news agency Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).
Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk emphasised the enduring relevance of Mahatma Gandhi's non-violent resistance, stating, "His path is as relevant today as it was 100 years ago. This experiment is successful today."
The Congress party has criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement of fast-track courts for paper leak cases, calling it "too little, too late" and a "deceptive" measure. The party demands accountability from the Modi government for its alleged failures in preventing and investigating paper leaks, specifically citing issues with the NEET-UG and UGC-NET investigations.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk has extended his indefinite hunger strike, stating he will continue until youth leaders meet parliamentarians or he is allowed to do so from the hospital. This decision follows police action against protesters during the Cockroach Janta Party's "Sansad Chalo" march, where thousands were detained while demanding accountability for alleged irregularities in competitive examinations and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk's health has deteriorated significantly on the 15th day of his indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar, where the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) is protesting alleged examination irregularities. Wangchuk's blood pressure has dropped and he has lost 7.8 kg, while the protest is drawing support from political leaders and public intellectuals.
Tata Motors is set to acquire Italy's Iveco Group, a strategic move aimed at propelling the Indian automaker into the top four global commercial vehicle (CV) manufacturers, with projected annual revenues of $35 billion-$40 billion within five years.
A parliamentary committee is actively working to establish a mechanism for implementing the 'One Nation, One Election' reform, with its chairperson, PP Chaudhary, indicating that it could be fully operational by the 2029 general elections. Chaudhary highlighted that nearly 99 per cent of civil society stakeholders consulted have supported the proposal, which aims to mitigate an estimated Rs 7 lakh crore economic loss due to frequent polls.
Former Punjab Police DSP Jaspal Singh, a life convict in the 1995 abduction and murder of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, has been reported untraceable at the address provided in his jail records after being released on interim bail in May 2023, sparking a political controversy.
The US Department of Transportation has proposed new rules to reverse a five-decade ban on overland supersonic flights, driven by advancements in quiet supersonic technology like NASA's X-59 aircraft. This move aims to enable a new era of faster air travel while addressing noise concerns, with final rules expected by mid-2027.
Cricket's inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics is a strategic move by Olympic leaders to tap into India's massive fan base and commercial power, aiming to attract billions of new viewers and strengthen the Games' appeal in key markets.
India pacer Gurnoor Brar received a warning and a demerit point for an "inappropriate and dangerous" throw during the first ODI against England in Birmingham, breaching the ICC Code of Conduct. He admitted the Level 1 offence, which occurred in the eighth over of England's innings.
The proposed order will state that students currently in Classes 7, 8 and 9 who have opted for two foreign languages under the existing framework will be allowed to continue with the same combination until Class 10.
Incessant overnight rainfall has triggered severe flash floods and landslides in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch and Rajouri districts, resulting in at least eight fatalities and six people missing, prompting Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to cut short his Delhi visit to personally monitor the situation.
A 27-year-old man was allegedly charred to death in Bengaluru after his girlfriend set him on fire at her house. Police suspect the murder was premeditated, as the woman believed he had been avoiding her.
The BJP is significantly increasing its digital engagement with young people on Instagram, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several Union ministers, in response to the NEET-UG paper leak controversy and subsequent student protests. This strategic shift aims to counter the narrative and communicate government actions on examination reforms.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has proposed allowing celebrity endorsements for its regulated entities like AMCs and stock brokers, but only at the brand level, not for specific products or services, as part of a major overhaul of advertisement codes.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has resigned from his post amidst widespread nationwide protests concerning the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy, citing the larger interest of students and the need to prevent exploitation by anti-national forces. The government is also preparing to introduce a stringent anti-paper leak law.
US Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh has picked former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan, Harvard University economics Professor Raj Chetty and Microsoft XBOX CEO Asha Sharma to be part of task forces constituted to examine the central bank's approach to monetary policy and propose transformational changes.
The change comes at a time when online MF distributors are increasingly moving investors from the SoA mode to demat holdings.
The Trump administration's proposed H-1B wage structure aims to increase pay for skilled overseas workers in the US by an average of $14,000, with Level I wages potentially rising to $97,746. This move, coupled with a weighted selection process favouring higher-skilled workers, is intended to curb abuse of visa programmes and ensure parity with American workers, but has already led to a sharp decline in H-1B applications, particularly from Indian IT companies.
The Delhi Traffic Police has issued an advisory for heavy vehicular movement and restrictions around the Parliament complex ahead of the Monsoon Session and a planned 'Chalo Sansad' march by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP). Security has been significantly intensified across New Delhi, with additional personnel, barricades, and checks to manage traffic and maintain law and order during the protest against alleged NEET irregularities.
Top tennis players have agreed to resume media duties at Wimbledon after constructive talks with organisers, despite core issues regarding prize money and player welfare remaining unresolved. Players had initially cut short pre-tournament media duties to protest for a larger share of Grand Slam revenue and greater say in decision-making.
The Reserve Bank of India's proposal to allow non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) access to the term money market is projected to significantly increase market volumes by 40-60 per cent in the first year, potentially doubling turnover within two to three years, according to treasury executives.
Protesters from the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) remained camped at Jantar Mantar following a police crackdown during their 'Sansad Chalo' march, demanding accountability for alleged exam irregularities and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk has declared his hunger strike will persist beyond the 'Sansad Chalo' march, demanding government accountability for education system failures or assurances from political leaders to address the issue in Parliament. He also alleges 'illegal detention' at Safdarjung Hospital.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk's health is rapidly deteriorating on his 17th day of hunger strike, prompting widespread appeals from prominent political figures and Bollywood celebrities for him to end his fast and for the government to address the urgent demands for NEET examination reforms.
India may press for an automatic review mechanism in its proposed interim trade deal with the United States (US), mirroring a sunset clause introduced by the European Parliament in its trade agreement with Washington, people aware of the negotiations said. The European Parliament last week approved the EU-US trade deal but inserted a sunset clause requiring the arrangement to expire on December 31, 2029, unless both sides agree to extend it.
It was left to an incensed Gen Z to show the rest of India that enough was enough, and that the time had come to shatter the fear psychosis generated by the government's authoritarian approach to protests and criticism, points out M R Narayan Swamy.
A Delhi court has reinstated jailed activist Umar Khalid's right to two weekly video meetings (e-mulakats) with his family, overturning a reduction to one meeting. The court noted Khalid had consistently used two e-mulakats for six years without violating prison rules, despite jail authorities arguing for a single weekly meeting under current regulations. Khalid is on trial in a 2020 northeast Delhi riots conspiracy case.
Union minister J P Nadda on Wednesday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of playing politics over the NEET paper leak and urged the Opposition to allow an "intensive" discussion on the issue in Parliament to find a "permanent solution" to the problem, instead of indulging in a blame game.
India and Bangladesh are seemingly moving closer to resuming bilateral cricket ties, with a six-match white-ball series in September now appearing likely after a gap of nearly a year in scheduled meetings between the two sides.
Lalit Modi suggests IPL franchises owning Test teams and four-day matches as ways to revive Test cricket, which he says is in decline globally.
rediffGURU Vipul Bhavsar answers readers' personal income tax queries
Legal database platform India Kanoon has approached the Delhi High Court, challenging a single-judge order that recognised an individual's 'right to be forgotten' and directed the platform to de-index and disable 'name-based search functionality' for certain judicial orders.
The Allahabad high court has delivered a split verdict on the controversial practice of "bulldozer justice," involving the punitive demolition of properties linked to accused persons. Two judges, Justice Atul Sreedharan and Justice Siddharth Nandan, expressed differing views on whether a stay on demolitions can be issued, leading the matter to be referred to the Chief Justice for a third judge's opinion.
