The Mumbai Police has transferred the alleged suicide case of a second-year IIT Bombay BTech student to the Crime Branch after his father filed a complaint alleging casteist slurs and harassment by Professor Suryanarayan Dulla, who was also named in an FIR.
Climate scientist Tapio Schneider advocates for expanding early warning systems beyond rainfall events to include other disaster triggers like flash floods, citing the recent Nepal floods. He highlights the inevitability of 1.5 degrees Celsius global warming and discusses the role of advanced climate modelling and AI in improving predictions and research, particularly for regions like India.
Jacob Coxon, an AI researcher, resigned from Anthropic, accusing leading tech firms like OpenAI and Anthropic of irresponsibly racing towards superintelligence without adequate safeguards. He warned of existential dangers, a sentiment echoed by Anthropic's Evan Hubinger, who admitted the company lacks a plan for superintelligence alignment.
A report by Scholars at Risk, 'Free to Think 2026', states that academic freedom in India is "severely restricted" due to increasing government influence over higher education, university governance, and curbs on student expression. India is listed among six countries in this category, with its Academic Freedom Index score sharply declining. The report cites instances of faculty dismissals, event cancellations, and pressure on student protests, highlighting the alleged use of the UGC as a vehicle for state influence.
Students at IIT Bombay are demanding 'meaningful institutional reforms' and greater accountability following the death of Sahil Wakode, a second-year B Tech student. While condemning academic misconduct, students highlight systemic issues and have submitted a comprehensive set of demands to the Director, who has agreed to implement them. The protest also addresses the removal of Dean Suryanarayana Doolla during an investigation into alleged abetment to suicide and caste discrimination, emphasising the need for an independent probe.
Former India opener Shikhar Dhawan has expressed strong confidence in Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's ability to contribute significantly to India's 2027 ODI World Cup campaign, stating they will 'add great value to the team and help India win the World Cup'.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has approved the establishment of India's first dedicated Quantum and AI University campus in Amaravati by NIELIT. This significant project, funded by the MeitY, Government of India, will focus on advanced technologies like Quantum, AI, and Semiconductors, integrating education, research, and entrepreneurship.
Indian IT companies have significantly reduced their fresh H-1B visa applications for US FY27, a direct consequence of soaring fees imposed by the Trump administration and new lottery system changes that prioritise higher-salaried employees, leading to a seven-year low in registrations.
A made-in-China humanoid robot, Tiangong Ultra, has shattered Usain Bolt's 100-metre sprint world record, completing the distance in 8.64 seconds compared to Bolt's 9.58 seconds. While a significant technological advancement, experts note the robot's running style differs greatly from humans, highlighting both its strengths in speed and areas where it still lags, such as decision-making and perception.
US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, highlighted the evolving US-India space partnership, moving from cooperation to "co-creation" at the Bengaluru Space Expo. He emphasised joint design, funding, and co-authoring the future of human discovery, citing the NISAR satellite and India's participation in the Artemis Accords as key examples of this growing synergy.
BRICS Sports Ministers adopted a Joint Declaration in Visakhapatnam, reaffirming their commitment to strengthen sports cooperation through dialogue and mutual respect. The meeting, held under India's 2026 Chairship, saw Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya call for a BRICS Sporting Partnership and introduce three key initiatives: a Working Group on Sports Technology, a Sports Manufacturing Conclave in Udaipur, and Traditional and Indigenous Sports Demonstration Games in Ahmedabad in 2026.
Quantum computing is set to redefine artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and scientific discovery, promising unprecedented speeds and capabilities while also necessitating urgent development of quantum-safe security measures and strategic enterprise readiness, says Sunil Varghese.
'When a glacier collapse or a major flood event does occur, the water will simply reclaim its original path, and anything built in that path will be swept away.'
IIT Bombay has removed Suryanarayana Doolla, Dean of Administrative Affairs, from his post and issued a public apology following the death by suicide of 22-year-old student Sahil Wakode, who his parents allege faced caste-based discrimination.
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.
A top Swiss official has emphasised the growing importance of science and technology in international affairs, leading Switzerland to prioritise anticipatory science diplomacy in its foreign policy. Collaboration with India reflects a shared vision between two global innovation leaders.
NASA has invited ISRO to join its ambitious Moon Base mission to establish a permanent lunar outpost near the Moon's South Pole, aiming for scientific discoveries and future deep space exploration. This invitation follows discussions at the Civil Space Joint Working Group meeting in Bengaluru, where both nations also advanced cooperation under the Artemis Accords and the TRUST initiative.
Shoolini University has launched a Centre for Robotics and AI in collaboration with Sirena Technologies to provide students with industrial-grade robotics training and bridge the gap between academia and industry.
Indian physicist Deepak Dhar, a professor at ICTS-TIFR in Bengaluru, has been awarded the prestigious 2026 Dirac Medal for his significant contributions to statistical mechanics. He shares the honour with three other physicists for their work on understanding complex systems, with applications in diverse fields like biology, finance, and AI. Dhar is particularly recognised for his "sandpile model" and has previously received the Padma Bhushan and Boltzmann Medal.
The scholarship covers 100 per cent of the annual tuition fee, hostel and mess charges and provides a laptop in the first year.
The question for the next 20 years is not whether India can become a $5 trillion or $10 trillion economy. Those are attractive targets, but the real question is whether India can create enough productive jobs, educate its children properly, make its cities liveable, and give hundreds of millions of people a substantially better life, asserts Ramesh Menon.
Police have registered a case of abetment to suicide against unidentified persons following the death of a 31-year-old IIT Delhi M.Sc. Physics student who allegedly jumped from a campus building. The incident occurred on August 22, and investigations are ongoing, including examining the student's mobile phone and counselling records.
Following devastating floods in Nepal, families are facing immense challenges in identifying their missing relatives. Hospitals are overwhelmed with unidentified bodies, leading to disputed claims and a reliance on DNA testing, which can take months. Personal belongings and distinctive features are sometimes used, but forensic evidence is often the only conclusive method.
rediffGURU Nayagam PP, a certified career counsellor and the founder of EduJob360, answers admission related questions and guides aspirants on how to pick the right stream and college.
IIT Delhi has reconstituted the external probe panel investigating the death of an MSc Physics student, appointing retired Delhi High Court judge Mukta Gupta as its head. This decision follows the recusal of the previous chair, Ashok Kumar, and ongoing student protests on campus. The panel includes medical experts and student representatives to examine the circumstances of the alleged suicide.
rediffGURU Nayagam PP, founder of EduJob360, offers guidance on how to pick the right college and course for your future.
'The future of a microbiology course is highly promising in India and abroad,' says rediffGURU Radheshyam Zanwar, founder of Zanwar Classes.
Celebrations marking India's 80th Independence Day in the New York tri-state area culminated in a world record, with more than 1,300 US flags surrounded by Indian tricolours arranged to form the number "250", in a tribute to America's semiquincentennial anniversary.
rediffGURU Nayagam PP guides aspirants on how to pick the right career course and college based on their entrance scores and aptitude.
SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey stated that cybersecurity is now a board-level concern, not just an IT challenge, emphasising the need for caution when deploying artificial intelligence in critical infrastructure. He highlighted that AI for cybersecurity must be secure, governed, and accountable, and also addressed the emerging risks from quantum computing, urging collective resilience and sharing of best practices among regulators.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee said the proposed comprehensive statutory framework for regulating OTT content should include robust technology-enabled age-verification mechanisms, effective parental controls and suitable penalties for non-compliance.
A third-year BTech student at IIT Guwahati died after allegedly falling from the fifth floor of a hostel building, prompting a police investigation into the circumstances of his death.
Delhi Police have dismantled a fake degree and certificate racket operating in southeast Delhi, arresting seven individuals involved in the production and distribution of forged educational documents.
Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar met with AI major Anthropic to discuss a long-term partnership aimed at accelerating AI adoption across governance, education, healthcare, research, and the state's startup ecosystem. The collaboration focuses on deploying AI solutions responsibly, ensuring data privacy, and developing AI-focused skilling programmes and an AI University.
'There is no college that can guarantee a Rs 14 lakh per annum (LPA) package,' clarifies rediffGURU Chocko Valliappa.
'Improved law and order and transparent governance have helped change UP's investment image.'
Odisha-based Serendipity Space successfully demonstrated drug crystallisation processes on a satellite prototype in a near-space mission. This breakthrough aims to enable pharmaceutical manufacturing in low Earth orbit, leveraging microgravity to create superior drug crystal structures for enhanced solubility, stability, and effectiveness. The mission tested core technologies, including an autonomous pharmaceutical factory, and was inspired by advancements made on the International Space Station.
'The valley is around 16 km from the Nepal border, and it took just 8-10 minutes for the ice and rocks to reach the Nepal border. You can imagine how fast it must have travelled!'
Maharashtra BJP minister Chandrakant Patil claimed Delhi Police are collecting fingerprints from stones used in the CJP agitation and linking them to Aadhaar numbers for protester identification and background checks. This statement, made in Kolhapur, drew sharp criticism and mockery from Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, who suggested Patil be nominated for a Nobel Prize for his "scientific innovation." The CJP protest at Jantar Mantar involved clashes and stone-pelting over examination paper leaks.
Rockwell Automation's CEO Blake Moret highlights India as the centrepiece of the company's Asian growth strategy, detailing its four-decade presence, significant employee base, and support for the 'Make in India' initiative. The company sees major opportunities in pharmaceuticals, automotive, food and beverage, and consumer products, with AI playing a crucial role in simplifying industrial automation and boosting productivity for Indian manufacturers, including MSMEs.
