The Indian education ministry has undergone a significant reshuffle of top officials, including the removal of higher education secretary Vineet Joshi, amidst widespread controversies surrounding NEET-UG paper leaks and CBSE digital evaluation glitches, with the opposition demanding the resignation of Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
'Everything will be decided by the Centre.' 'Universities will have no autonomy to start a new course or introduce a new syllabus.'
If India wants to satisfy the aspirations of its youth, it will have to revamp the higher education system without ifs and buts
90 per cent of institutions recorded no improvement in international student metrics, despite government initiatives such as the Study in India programme, UGC regulations on internationalisation, and efforts to attract foreign students.
The overhaul comes after a series of controversies surrounding the conduct of examinations administered by NTA, which has faced questions over examination security and its handling of irregularities.
Education sector experts agree that using the "best technology" was essential to ensure students did not have to sit for an examination all over again because of a question paper leak.
'It interferes in administrative matters of institutions, robbing them of their independence in day-to-day affairs and appointments.'
21st century may have witnessed expansion of higher educational institutions, but who can afford it? Sushree Panigrahi & Jeet Singh look at the numbers.
High fees do not automatically translate into better teaching or stronger clinical exposure, points out Nayagam PP, career counsellor and founder of EduJob360.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has terminated 47 officials and plans legal action following the NEET paper leak controversy. This comes amidst widespread protests and demands for the Education Minister's resignation, as the NTA initiates a major overhaul and recruitment drive to strengthen its operations.
Delhi Police detained several anti-reservation protesters at Jantar Mantar who were demanding that economic criteria be prioritised over caste for government support and reservation. The protest, mobilised via social media by 'Reservation Hatao Andolan', proceeded despite police denying permission for Jantar Mantar and offering Ramlila Ground as an alternative venue. Demonstrators called for a review of the existing reservation system and the introduction of a creamy-layer criterion.
'Providing funds and autonomy to a few institutions that may not have the intent to excel must not become a case of trying to feed those who are not hungry and starving those who are famished,' says Jitendra Kumar Das, Director, FORE School of Management, New Delhi.
Telecommunications icon and entrepreneur Sam Pitroda, who is the chairman of National Knowledge Commission, tasked with building excellence in India's education system to meet the challenges of the 21st century, has said India faces serious problems in its higher education system and that unless it is alleviated expeditiously, the Indian march to become a major global player could be adversely impacted.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urged girl students to "smash patriarchy" and criticised the "Manusmriti mindset" during an interaction in Pune, highlighting issues of sexual harassment, safety, and economic independence for women.
Foreign universities are unlikely to gain major ground in India's higher education market in the near term, as students and families continue to prioritise return on investment over brand value in a highly price-sensitive sector.
'The prohibition regime has been accompanied by concerns regarding the expansion of the illicit liquor trade, increased enforcement challenges and corruption, and the growing use of alternative intoxicants, including illicit drugs.'
The government has intensified its Study in India programme and is working closely with universities and states to achieve this goal.
As the agitation over alleged irregularities in Jharkhand recruitment examinations entered its 14th day, talks between the state government and student protesters on Friday failed to break the deadlock, with students deciding to continue their protest and hunger strike until their demands, including cancellation of the 14th JPSC examination, are met.
Following Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren's decision to cancel the JSSC-CGL exam and other recruitment tests due to alleged irregularities, approximately 2,000 successful candidates now fear losing their jobs, demanding a CBI probe and a fair opportunity to defend themselves.
Private and foreign corporate investment may soon get to flow into Indian higher education with the government considering a move to reform policy that hinders such financing.
There is clearly something deeply rotten in the systems of institutional governance in the bastions of higher education in India, says TCA Anant.
The Jharkhand government is holding fresh discussions with student aspirants protesting alleged recruitment exam irregularities, even as the health of key protest leader Devendra Nath Mahto has significantly deteriorated after being on an indefinite hunger strike for about a week.
The winter session of Parliament is set to begin with the government prioritizing its reforms agenda, including a bill to open the civil nuclear sector to private players. The opposition is expected to raise concerns about electoral roll revisions and air pollution.
A parliamentary panel has decided to review the implementation of reforms in the National Testing Agency (NTA) as well as the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case and has summoned NTA Chairperson Pradeep Kumar Joshi and other bureaucrats for deliberations.
A good NEET score improves your chances of admission. But the counselling process ultimately determines which college and course you will join.
A parliamentary panel has summoned officials from the Union Education Ministry, the National Testing Agency (NTA), and the CBI to address concerns regarding the conduct of examinations.
Author of over 100 books, he served as the secretary general of Lok Sabha from 1983 to 1990.
The outreach comes amid a drop in Indian student enrolments in management programmes at American universities last year, following changes to US student visa policies.
The CBI Director has updated a parliamentary panel on the NEET-UG paper leak investigation, while education ministry officials outlined measures for a fair retest.
The Supreme Court has framed key legal questions regarding the University Grants Commission's equity regulations and stayed the implementation of the framework on caste-based discrimination in higher education institutions.
The Supreme Court has ruled that women Short Service Commission officers in the Army, Navy, and Air Force, who were unfairly denied Permanent Commission, are entitled to full pensionary benefits.
Be aware of a set of costs that never appears on a college's fee page. They sit as clauses near the end of the state counselling body's prospectus and, in many states, not even there, warns Ashok Hegde, founder, neet2seat.
Through his commitment to democratic norms, debate, dissent and constitutionalism, Jawaharlal Nehru helped ensure that parliamentary democracy took deep root in independent India. Utkarsh Mishra evaluates Nehru's 17 years as India's first prime minister, examining his role in nation-building, democratic institution-building, economic planning, scientific advancement and foreign policy.
Election-related freebies and populist measures are other factors crimping the revenue profile of these states.
One of the most important provisions this year is that qualifying NEET-PG does not automatically guarantee participation in counselling.
General Dhiraj Seth has been appointed as the new Chief of the Army Staff, taking command of the 1.3 million-strong Indian Army. He brings nearly four decades of extensive experience, including commanding two operational Army commands along the western front, and will lead the force in its pursuit of self-reliance and readiness amidst dynamic global geo-strategic challenges.
If one has to compare the tenures of the two prime ministers one must credit Nehru with laying the foundations on which Modi is building a grand edifice, asserts Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
Telangana CID arrests 11 individuals, including an Afghan national, for allegedly operating online betting across multiple states through the Dafabet platform. The investigation revealed a complex network of mule accounts and a coordinated multi-state criminal operation.
The new UGC regulations mandating all higher education institutions to form "equity committees" to look into discrimination complaints and promote equity were notified on January 13.
The CBI has taken custody of five individuals arrested in connection with the NEET-UG exam leak and apprehended two more suspects. The agency is investigating the potential involvement of insiders within the National Testing Agency (NTA). Protests continue across the country, demanding accountability and reforms in the examination process.
