Union Minister Jitendra Singh refuted Rahul Gandhi's allegations in Lok Sabha that Home Minister Amit Shah ordered firing on students protesting the NEET fiasco. Singh clarified that no bullets were fired, only tear gas was used, and the authority to order firing rests with a magistrate, not a minister. He also dismissed Gandhi's claims about Shah's cavalcade and foreign travel, criticising the opposition leader for making unsubstantiated remarks during a heated parliamentary debate.
'We thought if we made the show, people could get into it.'
President Droupadi Murmu on Friday approved 78 gallantry awards, including 13 posthumously, to the personnel of the defence forces and central armed police forces on the eve of 80th Independence Day.
Indian hockey fans, including a significant diaspora presence and supporters from abroad, created a vibrant, festive atmosphere in Amstelveen for the World Cup opener against Wales on Independence Day, driven by increased expectations following recent Olympic successes.
Seven workers have died and three are currently missing after a tunnel under construction at a hydroelectric project site in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, was inundated with water and debris following landslides and subsidence.
Two policemen, including one from the MP police special task force, have been arrested in Bhopal for allegedly luring and raping a 17-year-old Dalit girl. The main accused, Santosh Sen, is charged under POCSO and SC/ST Act, while his colleague, Jitendra Rajput, is accused of abetment.
The Kayastha Pathshala Trust has revoked permission for Rahul Gandhi's 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' programme in Prayagraj, citing an Allahabad High Court order restricting the use of KP College ground and waterlogging. Despite the cancellation, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai insists Gandhi will still interact with students on August 8 and has sought an alternative venue, alleging political obstruction.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk has ended his 26-day indefinite hunger strike after Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh met him and conveyed the government's assurances regarding his demands, including not registering cases against peaceful protesters and considering compensation for NEET paper leak victims.
Six faculty members from IIT Madras have been awarded the prestigious ANRF J C Bose Grant, recognising their outstanding research contributions in engineering and science. The highly competitive grant provides Rs 25 lakh annually for five years to support frontier research.
Indian-origin chess prodigies Bodhana Sivanandan, 11, and Shreyas Royal, 17, have made history by winning the 2026 British Chess Championships. Bodhana became Britain's youngest-ever Women's chess champion, while Royal scooped the overall British title, establishing their status as emerging world-class talents.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Tuesday accused the Centre of resisting the Supreme Court's bid to facilitate quashing of FIRs against students and protesters and demanded that the outfit's members be included in the high-powered committee announced by the court to examine allegations of police excesses and violence against cops.
The Indian Parliament is scheduled for a significant legislative day, with the Lok Sabha set to consider and pass the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026. Concurrently, the Rajya Sabha will introduce the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and pass the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, highlighting a busy agenda for both houses.
Amidst widespread student protests over the NEET paper leak, the Indian government has introduced the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha. The bill proposes significantly stricter punishments, including jail terms of up to 10 years and fines of up to Rs 50 lakh for individuals involved in paper leaks, and up to Rs 10 crore for organised crimes, aiming to enhance transparency and fairness in public examinations.
Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has publicly thrown his support behind students protesting the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak, emphasising the importance of empowering India's youth amidst ongoing demonstrations and calls for systemic educational reform.
Parliament embraced Gen Z lingo during a Lok Sabha debate on the crucial anti-paper leak amendment bill.
Amidst widespread student protests and allegations of paper leaks, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi's dharna outside the Prime Minister's residence has prompted the government to declare its willingness for a comprehensive parliamentary debate on the contentious NEET examination.
The mortal remains of Merchant Navy chief officer Sagar Gupta, who was killed in a Black Sea attack amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict, were brought to his native place in Kanpur on Wednesday, 18 days after the incident, with his family demanding 'martyr' status and compensation.
Construction of the approved reactor projects is expected to take five to six years after receiving financial approval.
The Lok Sabha stalemate is expected to conclude as Speaker Om Birla has secured an agreement from all political parties to discuss the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill 2026. This bill proposes stricter punishments, including up to 10 years in jail and a Rs 50 lakh fine, for paper leak offences, following recent nationwide student protests over the NEET fiasco.
Discover the top OTT releases this week, featuring a compelling mix of Hindi dramas like Imtiaz Ali's Main Vaapas Aaunga and Manoj Bajpayee's Governor, alongside regional and international titles.
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, were forcibly removed and detained by Delhi Police during a protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence, demanding justice for students protesting the NEET paper leak and condemning alleged police brutalities.
On July 21, 2026 in New Delhi, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, D K Shivakumar, V D Satheesan, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, K C Venugopal, Pawan Khera and others staged a protest at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence, demanding the resignations of Modi, Home Minister Amit A Shah and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Amidst escalating protests over the NEET paper leak, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has declared Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation 'non-negotiable' and is also demanding 1 crore compensation for families affected by suicides linked to the exam cancellation.
Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh on Friday welcomed activist Sonam Wangchuk's decision to end his 26-day hunger strike, saying dialogue and trust are better than confrontation to resolve the crisis pertaining to the alleged NEET-UG paper leak.
Tripura's Director General of Police, Anurag Dhankar, was found dead in his office. While the cause of death is yet to be determined pending a post-mortem, opposition leaders have called for a judicial inquiry amidst reports suggesting suicide. A magisterial probe has been ordered into the incident.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk has stated he will end his indefinite hunger strike if the Centre provides an unequivocal assurance that no punitive or retaliatory action will be taken against students and youth who participated in protests against alleged examination irregularities.
The Indian government has significantly altered its approach to the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP)-led agitation over the NEET paper leak, moving from dismissal to calibrated political engagement, including promises of fast-track courts, a new anti-paper leak law, and negotiations with key protest leaders.
After six days of stalemate, a discussion on the anti-paper leak bill began on Tuesday in Lok Sabha with the government describing it as a reaffirmation of ruling dispensation's commitment to safeguard the welfare of students but opposition hit back over the lathi-charge on protesters, saying every blow on them hurt the government's prestige more than the backs of the youth.
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.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk released a video detailing his experience at Safdarjung Hospital, where he alleged he was prevented from leaving despite a Delhi High Court order. Hospital authorities claim the video was recorded before they received the official court order and in a no-videography zone. Wangchuk, who was on a hunger strike for examination reforms, later ended his fast at Medanta Hospital after government assurances.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has warned it will resume its agitation if the government fails to provide a written agreement by Tuesday on the withdrawal of criminal cases against its protesters and organisers. The party claims this agreement was reached during talks that led to the calling off of their 36-day protest at Jantar Mantar.
Educator-activist Sonam Wangchuk has ended his 26-day hunger strike, stating he received assurances from the government and MPs regarding examination reforms, compensation for NEET-UG paper leak victims, and protection for peaceful protesters.
At this point at 85, Sharad Pawar is like a mature but ageing trapeze artist who is assessing if he will still land on his feet if he jumps from the safe perch of INDIA to the NDA. Can a Great Betrayal be presented as a tactical move? Watch Sharad Pawar do it, predicts Aditi Phadnis.
The Lok Sabha has approved an amendment to India's anti-paper leak law, introducing stricter punishments including jail terms of up to 10 years and fines of up to Rs 50 lakh, in response to recent large-scale student protests and the NEET paper leak case.
The government introduced the SHANTI Act, 2025, to support the mission and open the sector to private participation.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh stated that human-led artificial intelligence will be the defining force in India's journey to becoming a developed nation by 2047. Speaking at the 29th National Conference on e-Governance, he emphasised that technology must strengthen governance without replacing human accountability, advocating for responsible AI deployment with citizens at the centre. The conference concluded with the adoption of the Jaipur Declaration on e-Governance 2026, outlining a roadmap for AI-enabled, data-driven, and secure digital governance.
The Delhi High Court has declined to halt the Centre's HPV immunisation campaign, noting that data on 5.5 million administered vaccines showed no 'instant harm'. However, the court emphasised that 'half-baked vaccines' should not be given to the public and raised 'serious issues' regarding past protocol violations in vaccine testing and certification.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for staging a protest outside the Prime Minister's residence regarding the NEET paper-leak issue. Pradhan accused Gandhi of using students as "political tools" to disrupt Parliament, while asserting the government's commitment to discussing NEET concerns in the House. The incident involved Gandhi and other opposition leaders being detained after refusing to end their sit-in.
The Mirzapur: The Movie teaser brings back the world of crime, power and revenge with Ali Fazal, Pankaj Tripathi and Divyenndu reprising their fan-favourite roles.
Opposition parties, particularly the Congress, have strongly criticised the BJP for felicitating former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who resigned following student protests over the NEET exam controversy. They have also dismissed the government's proposed anti-paper leak legislation as a 'cosmetic Bill' and questioned the sincerity of education reforms.
