Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh government has suspended Bareilly City Magistrate Alankar Agnihotri on charges of indiscipline after he resigned from service in protest against government policies.
Initially, we will look to take a small batch of a few hundred students, with a plan to increase this to 5,000 students in the next five years, and eventually 10,000 by 2036.'
Can change happen? Not unless the changemakers themselves want it since they benefit the most from the status quo, warns Biswajit Dasgupta.
'Government officials use Gmail and ordinary phones without basic security consciousness.' 'Interoperability, especially in joint exercises with countries like the US, worries me.' 'It often means we open our systems to them, but they don't reciprocate.' 'They could have kill switches in their systems and might even be able to affect ours.'
'There'll be extended periods where things aren't working in your favour. But if you believe in the cause profoundly, then you simply persevere.'
The governor's comments rekindle the debate over the historical account of the marriage between Amer ruler Bharmal's daughter and Akbar in 1569.
Addressing a summit in Varanasi on the implementation of the National Education Policy, Modi said the system should not just produce degree-holders but provide human resources needed to take the country forward.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray has slammed the state government's decision to make Hindi a mandatory third language in schools from Classes 1 to 5, calling it an attempt to "Hindi-fy" the state. Thackeray has vowed to oppose the decision vehemently and ensure it is not implemented. The move is part of the new curriculum implementation under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which mandates a three-language formula for classes 1 to 5. Thackeray argues that Hindi is not a national language but a state language and its imposition undermines the principle of linguistic regionalization. He also questioned why Hindi is being forced on Maharashtra but not in southern states. The Opposition Congress has also criticized the move, calling it an imposition of Hindi and a threat to Marathi sentiment. The state government, however, defended its decision, stating that Hindi is a means of communication in the entire country and that Marathi is already compulsory.
In the fourth such instance, Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi on Tuesday walked out of the state assembly without reading his customary address after alleging that the national anthem was insulted, evoking a sharp response from Chief Minister M K Stalin, who dubbed his action as an 'insult' to the House and the people of the state.
'Our problem is not a budget deficit but a trust deficit. We need to trust our institutions and industries to innovate and lead. That is the way forward for India.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday asserted that India is preparing with full strength to host the 2036 Olympic Games.
"Permitting students to discontinue studies is akin to asking them not to study," Stalin said, addressing an event organised by the Parents-Teachers Association in Cuddalore.
The Rajya Sabha witnessed an uproar on Tuesday over an unparliamentary remark by Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, who apologized to the Chair while clarifying that it was meant for the government that was "trying to create a regional divide" in the country. The controversy stemmed from a statement by Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who slammed the Tamil Nadu government for its stand on the three-language policy under the National Education Policy (NEP). Kharge's use of a Hindi expression, deemed unparliamentary, sparked outrage from the treasury benches. He subsequently apologized for the remark, stating it was directed at the government's policies and not the Chair.
The Congress party has strongly criticized the Union Budget, calling it 'lacklustre' and 'disappointing,' claiming it fails to address the needs of farmers, unemployed youth, and other key sectors.
'If you align your ambition with India's rise, the peak of your careers will unfold alongside the peak of India's power.'
The Supreme Court has directed all states and Union Territories to report on the implementation of guidelines for addressing mental health issues and suicide among students in educational institutions. The Centre has also been asked to file a compliance affidavit.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said the government led by Narendra Modi refers entrepreneurs as wealth creators as the profit earned by them through ethical ways help drive development goals. "Wealth creation in India has never been a taboo in India.
'Why should children, who are already burdened with so many subjects, be over-burdened with three languages?'
NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule has criticized the Maharashtra government's decision to make Hindi a mandatory third language in schools, stating that it will not tolerate any undermining of the Marathi language. Sule also criticized the state's implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, expressing concerns about its potential impact on students and teachers. She also questioned the appointment of a retired bureaucrat as the chief economic advisor to the chief minister and criticized the state's performance in areas like fiscal deficit management and the Jal Jeevan Mission.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar conveyed a strong message to his Polish counterpart Radoslaw Sikorski regarding terrorism and the Ukraine conflict, emphasizing the need for zero-tolerance towards terrorism and criticizing the selective targeting of India.
Gor also announced that India will be a member of the Pax Silica alliance.
At least six major UK universities have announced plans to set up campuses or liaison offices in India.
At the Mumbai campus the institute will offer both UG and graduate degrees, most of its courses will focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Mundane as it may seem, this is in some ways a metaphor for the challenges facing the nation, argue Arvind Subramanian and Devesh Kapur in their new book, A Sixth Of Humanity.
The Union Budget for 2026-27, presented by Finance Minister (FM) Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday, which was a first, had an excellent domestic macro backdrop. According to the first advance estimates, gross domestic product (GDP) in constant prices is projected to grow 7.4 per cent in the current financial year, against 6.5 per cent in 2024-25.
India has raised concerns with the United States regarding the cancellation of scheduled H1B visa interviews for Indian applicants due to enhanced vetting measures. Both countries are engaged in discussions to address the disruptions caused by the delays.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Wednesday asked what was the need to "impose" Hindi on students and appealed to schools in Maharashtra to foil the government's "hidden agenda to deliberately create a language divide".
A parliamentary panel has criticized the Indian government for withholding funds from states that have not agreed to implement the PM SHRI schools scheme, calling the reasoning behind the decision "not factual or justified." The panel has recommended the immediate release of pending funds to states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, which have been significantly impacted by the delays.
Here is an explainer on the functioning of the seven-year-old body.
The DMK government in Tamil Nadu has sparked controversy by replacing the Indian Rupee symbol with a Tamil letter in the logo for its 2025-26 budget. The move has drawn criticism from the state BJP, which accused the ruling party of being "stupid." The development comes amidst the ongoing language row between the Centre and Tamil Nadu, with the latter alleging Hindi imposition by the Union government.
Trump's proposed policy limits undergraduates from any one country to 5% at select top US universities, raising concerns for Indian aspirants eyeing elite colleges.
This was perhaps a missed opportunity for India to spotlight a core domestic challenge: The scale of workforce preparation required for a young, populous, rapidly growing country seeking to reach net zero, points out Radha Roy Biswas.
Uncertainty clouds US fall intake as Trump's visa ban on Harvard raises fears of wider policy shifts, pushing Indian students to explore alternative destinations.
'Many senior Bangladeshis feel Bangladesh will fall into anarchy if the Jamaat becomes an important part of a future government or has disproportionate influence in the government.'
India told the UN Security Council that it calls for a pragmatic engagement with the Taliban, underlining that a focus on only punitive measures will ensure a 'business as usual' approach.
'Neither SAI nor state departments have a dedicated sports administration service. Instead, roles are filled by generalist civil servants or contractual staff, often lacking sector-specific expertise.'
The foreign degree no longer sells itself, families are doing the math, and for many, the numbers just don't add up.
'The vast majority of BJP supporters in Tamil Nadu can't speak any language other than Tamil.' 'When rural Tamil Nadu can't speak any other language than Tamil, how are they going to convince them that they have to learn Hindi?'
Yunus's office, meanwhile, reconfirmed that financial and welfare assistance would be provided to Das' family, and relevant authorities would remain in close contact with them in the coming period.
An amended government order issued on Tuesday said Hindi will "generally" be the third language, instead of being mandatory, but gave an option to opt out if 20 students per grade in a school express the desire to study any Indian language other than Hindi.
