Gyanesh Kumar, a 1988-batch Kerala Cadre IAS officer, has been appointed as the next Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India. Kumar, who was previously an Election Commissioner, will serve until January 26, 2029. His appointment comes amidst controversy as the Congress party demanded the government defer its decision until the Supreme Court concludes its hearing on a petition challenging the composition of the selection panel. Kumar's tenure will see him oversee several state assembly elections, including Bihar, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal.
An Indian-origin PhD student at MIT, Prahlad Iyengar, has been suspended until January 2026 for his pro-Palestinian activism. The suspension effectively ends his NSF fellowship and disrupts his academic career. Iyengar is appealing the decision, arguing that it is a violation of free speech and a result of MIT's ties to the war industry. The suspension comes after MIT banned the distribution of a pro-Palestinian student-run magazine, "Written Revolution", which featured Iyengar's article "On Pacifism." The article included imagery and language that MIT deemed could be interpreted as a call for violent protest. Iyengar has been barred from campus and is facing a series of sanctions for his activism.
He said that as compared to global models costing 2.5 to 3 US dollars per hour usage, India's AI model will cost less than less than Rs 100 per hour (1.16 US dollars per hour) after 40 percent government subsidy.
'The launch of Nila, our very first satellite was very emotional as well as nerve wracking. We tried to calm ourselves by cracking some poor jokes!'
Neeraj Kumar Chaudhary, physics educator at Unacademy for IIT-JEE exams, offers important tips for aspirants.
Kumar, who played a key role in implementing decisions following the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution in Jammu and Kashmir during his stint in the Union home ministry, took charge as an election commissioner on March 15, 2024.
India has its share of both large tech companies and large national laboratories, but why is it that these don't seem to be at the forefront of any innovation news headlines? asks Ajit Balakrishnan.
Ahsaas Channa is very excited about for the coming season of Kota Factory, where she reunites with Jitendra Kumar -- or as she calls him, 'Jeetu Bhaiya'.
India succeeded in busting the Pakistani narrative on Operation Sindoor, particularly among the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) member nations, where Islamabad sought succour after carrying out terror activities across the border, Shiv Sena leader Shrikant Shinde said.
Satyajit Ray anticipated the issues we are only now starting to raise, long before large language models, AI chatbots, predictive algorithms, and autonomous systems began to control every bit of our lifestyles, notes Atanu Biswas.
IIT Madras secured the top position out of the 10,885 institutes that took part in the NIRF's ninth edition.
'It has the potential to sow seeds of furthering discord when the direction of the discourse is aimed at propagating the perceived supremacy of 'cultural nationalism' from a distant past over the prevailing dominance of 'Constitutional nationalism',' argues N Sathiya Moorthy.
The director of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, V Kamakoti, has sparked controversy after making a remark about the "medicinal value" of cow urine, or "gomutra." Kamakoti, while speaking at an event celebrating Maatu Pongal (a festival dedicated to cows and bulls), cited an anecdote about a sanyasi who was cured of a fever by consuming gomutra. He also claimed that gomutra has "anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and digestive properties." The remark has been widely condemned by rationalist organizations, political leaders, and medical professionals who have criticized Kamakoti's statements as "pseudoscience" and "regressive." The controversy highlights the ongoing debate in India around traditional beliefs and scientific evidence.
Simplifying investment policies at the micro level and introducing a time-bound framework will be critical for India's growth targets, notes Krishna Ella.
rediffGURUS who are career counsellors and JEE experts are currently helping counsel engineering aspirants to prepare for upcoming entrance examinations to secure a good college.
Institutional investments in Indian real estate have seen a strong start to 2025, with inflows reaching $ 1.3 billion in the first quarter - a 31 per cent year-on-year (YoY) increase. This growth was primarily driven by domestic investments, which accounted for 60 per cent of the total inflows during the quarter. With $ 0.8 billion inflows, domestic investments saw a 75 per cent annual rise and were largely focused on industrial & warehousing and office segments.
'Every decision India makes along the LoC, it must also consider implications along the LAC.'
'That is why I'm extremely concerned when India says that every terrorist incident in future from Pakistan will be treated as an act of war.'
'Presumption of innocence must guide all formal actions, but transparency must not be mistaken for pre-judgment.' 'The cruel irony, however, is that Justice Varma is a fine judge who enjoys a reputation for writing well-reasoned judgments.'
India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has underscored the importance of not equating the victims and perpetrators of terror attacks, highlighting the need for global unity in combating terrorism. Speaking at Raisina Tokyo 2025, Misri expressed appreciation for Japan's support following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, India. He also cautioned against the trend of some Western countries hyphenating India and Pakistan in the context of their recent military confrontation. Misri further outlined India's economic aspirations and its commitment to becoming a factor of stability in a turbulent world.
Designed by talented students at the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) Jodhpur, the design of the jersey draws inspiration from the intricate motifs found inside the Vijay Stambh (Victory Tower) at Chittorgarh.
As RBI governor, Sanjay Malhotra will have to give the highest priority to the interest of the economy while deciding on the growth-inflation trade off at Mint Street.
From the Sensex pack, Zomato, IndusInd Bank, NTPC, Infosys, HCL Technologies, Titan, Power Grid, Hindustan Unilever, Tech Mahindra and ITC were among the gainers. On the other hand, Reliance Industries, Nestle India, Tata Motors, Adani Ports, Tata Steel, UltraTech Cement and Kotak Mahindra Bank were the laggards.
'When Dr Murli Manohar Joshi wanted to start a course on astrology, Jayant was the first one to have the courage to stand up and say astrology is not science.' 'That's a very rare quality -- to stand up to authority.'
'With a very stable technology with limited functionalities, a large network has spanned out.'
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has slapped 11 new conditions on Pakistan for the release of the next tranche of its bailout programme and warned that tensions with India could heighten risks to the scheme's fiscal, external, and reform goals, according to a media report on Sunday.
Like last year, IISc Bangalore, Delhi University and five Indian Institutes of Technology -- Bombay, Delhi, Madras, Kharagpur, Kanpur -- have secured positions in the elite top 100 institutes in Asia.
'His contribution not only elevates our institution but also serves as an inspiring example of how our alumni community continues to drive meaningful change.'
The overall average package offered during IIT Bombay placements 2023-2024 stood at Rs 23.5 LPA. 22 students accepted offers with annual packages exceeding Rs 1 crore.
Trading sentiment in the equity market will largely be driven by domestic corporate quarterly earnings, any update related to US tariffs and foreign fund movements this week, analysts said. Investors would also focus on world market trends, movement of global oil benchmark Brent crude and the rupee-dollar trend for further cues, experts noted.
'Unfortunately, India and Pakistan could learn a 'lesson' from this conflict that will make them more likely to use these weapons against each other in the future.' 'Rounds of missile and drone attacks could be more routine features of their hostility, just like artillery fire has become a familiar fact of life along the Line of Control.'
Reliance has filed patents not only in India but also in the US, Canada, Europe, Estonia, South Korea, and South America. The patents include narrowband Internet of Things, AI large language models, AI DeepLearning, Big Data, devices, and quantum AI in 6G.
With eight institutes -- out of 56 universities that participated from India -- in the top 100, India is the third most represented country in the Asia rankings
Forty years after the Bhopal gas tragedy, 377 tons of hazardous waste has been shifted from the defunct Union Carbide factory for its disposal, an official said.
'We have not even used 0.1% of the available resources.'
Announced in January 2024, the BPGPA MBA is a blended (hybrid) programme that combines on-campus, in-person sessions and live interactive online sessions.
A bench of Justices AS Bopanna and MM Sundresh asked the UGC to furnish the details of steps taken on a plea by the mothers of Rohith Vemula and Payal Tadvi.
'India has the maths talent, academic institutions, and research institutions to do the next big thing.'
Former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has taken on new academic roles at the University of Oxford and Stanford University, both alma maters of the Conservative Party member of Parliament. Sunak will join Oxford's Blavatnik School of Government as a member of the World Leaders Circle and a Distinguished Fellow, while at Stanford, he will be the William C Edwards Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution. Sunak expressed his enthusiasm for contributing to both institutions, highlighting their leading research in global challenges, economic policy, and technological advancements. He emphasized the significance of his education at both universities in shaping his life and career. The appointments have been welcomed by both institutions, with leaders praising Sunak's expertise and experience in global affairs and economic policy.
Pragati Kharya, a resident of Sanigawan in Kanpur who was pursuing a PhD in Earth Sciences, died by suicide inside her hostel room D-116 in hall number-4 during the intervening night, but the matter came to light on Thursday noon, they said.
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