Student protests against alleged examination irregularities in Jharkhand have intensified, with six demonstrators on hunger strike demanding the cancellation of the 14th Jharkhand PSC Civil Services Examination and an independent probe. The agitation, which has garnered political support from both opposition and ruling allies, is set to impact the Monsoon Assembly Session, even as a CID investigation progresses and prohibitory orders are issued.
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.
Student organisations across India celebrated the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, attributing it to their nationwide protests against alleged NEET irregularities. While welcoming the move as a victory, groups like NSUI, AISA, and SFI affirmed their commitment to continue agitations until broader demands for accountability, transparency, and education reforms, including scrapping the NTA and NEP, are met.
After making history as the first Indian male judoka to win a Commonwealth Games gold, Harsh Singh is now focused on securing a medal at the upcoming Asian Games.
The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) celebrated Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation, calling it their first victory in the ongoing protest against the alleged NEET paper leak. Led by Abhijeet Dipke, the CJP vowed to continue their agitation until demands for compensation for student suicide victims and action against those responsible for the leak and police excesses are met.
US President Donald Trump has signed two executive orders aimed at cracking down on 'birth tourism' and limiting eligibility for birthright citizenship, weeks after the Supreme Court rejected a similar directive.
A new digital political phenomenon, the 'E20 Janta Party', is gaining traction on Instagram, mobilising Gen Z against the government's mandatory 20% ethanol-blended petrol (E20) and demanding Union Minister Nitin Gadkari's resignation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for forgiveness and guidance for students involved in NEET irregularity protests at Jantar Mantar, despite facing abusive language, stressing the importance of steering the youth towards the right path.
Veteran Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat lauded the nation's youth as the 'force that shapes the future' following Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation amidst the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy, stating that 'democracy won and fear lost'.
The government is questioning the visiting Meta team on whether the company is adhering to the law of the land, following summons to the social media giant over temporary restriction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Facebook post recently, sources said on Thursday.
Delhi Police sources indicate they will await official communication before withdrawing cases against NEET paper leak protesters, despite the Centre's assurance. While 15 FIRs are registered, the police confirm that the broader conspiracy investigation into the July 20 violence will continue, examining evidence and identifying those involved.
Dipke has clarified the funding of his US education, stating it was supported by a scholarship and an education loan, amidst growing scrutiny and calls for a probe into his finances.
A Rajya Sabha lawmaker has filed a plea in the Supreme Court challenging the Delhi Police's alleged use of facial recognition technology and other biometric surveillance during a recent protest. The plea argues that such surveillance at peaceful assemblies is unconstitutional and lacks legal backing, seeking a declaration against its indiscriminate use and a mechanism for data access and deletion.
India has strongly criticised the local body elections in Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir (PoK), labelling them as a facade to conceal Pakistan's illegal occupation and severe human rights violations in the region. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated India's stance that all of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, including PoK, are integral parts of India. He also dismissed Pakistan's claims to a shared cultural legacy, citing its history of promoting terrorism and fundamentalism.
Nationwide protests against the NEET paper leak have intensified across several Indian states, with demonstrators condemning the Delhi Police crackdown and demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The Congress party has called for further demonstrations, while various student and political groups have organised marches and sit-ins, some leading to clashes with police.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta has argued that video-recording of the ongoing CJP-led protest against the NEET paper leak at Jantar Mantar is in 'legitimate state interest' for security reasons, while petitioners allege 'continuous, indiscriminate and intrusive surveillance'.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu extended their congratulations to Indian athletes Neeraj Chopra, Yash Vir Singh, Yamini Maurya, and Tejaswin Shankar for their medal-winning performances at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026, praising their dedication and historic achievements.
All India Students' Association president Neha Bora was attacked with ink during a protest march in Ranchi against alleged irregularities in Jharkhand recruitment exams. The attacker, identified as Amarnath Pandey, accused her of being "anti-national" due to her support for Umar Khalid. Bora, who has previously faced police action during protests, remained defiant, alleging the incident was orchestrated by BJP-RSS to suppress student movements. The protests against exam irregularities have been ongoing for 14 days, with students demanding re-examination and dialogue with the government.
Former World Champion Viswanathan Anand has reversed his earlier decision not to seek another term and will contest the election for the FIDE Deputy President's post.
Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), emphasised the importance of young or Gen Z voices leading dialogues with youth, ahead of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's interaction with students in Mumbai. Dipke highlighted that youth protests, including those against the NEET paper leak, have compelled leaders to engage with Gen Z. He also expressed solidarity with students protesting alleged paper leaks in Jharkhand, criticising the government's handling of the issue.
Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has publicly supported students protesting against repeated exam paper leaks, emphasising the importance of meritocracy and condemning shortcuts. The ongoing protests, which have seen violent clashes, are spearheaded by the Cockroach Janata Party and Sonam Wangchuk, demanding the removal of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan following the NEET paper leaks and subsequent student suicides.
The Supreme Court of India has expanded the scope of Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code, ruling that the provision dealing with cruelty by a husband or his relatives also applies to partners in live-in relationships. This landmark decision clarifies that a man in a live-in relationship can be prosecuted for cruelty if the relationship is "in the nature of marriage," aiming to prevent domestic violence and ensure legal protection for women in such unions.
The Bihar government has announced the withdrawal of all cases filed against protesters involved in demonstrations concerning the NEET paper leak. This decision includes the release of individuals who were jailed in connection with these incidents.
Young Indian cyclist Harshita Jakhar has made history by becoming the first Indian woman to participate in the Tour de France Femmes. The 19-year-old led a pack of international cyclists during a ceremonial start at Stage 2 of the prestigious race, an opportunity provided by the UCI World Cycling Talent programme. Jakhar, who aims for medals in future Asian Games, expressed her gratitude for the chance to ride in her dream event.
The Congress party has called for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, stating that the 'rot' in India's education system is profound. Party general secretary Jairam Ramesh highlighted alleged scams in Maharashtra's engineering admissions and discrepancies between entrance exam and board results, urging deep introspection beyond mere legislative fixes for paper leaks.
Chhattisgarh's latest police recruitment exam results have drawn widespread attention after a bizarre mix of candidate names, such as 'News', 'Space Rani', 'He Ram' and 'Tufail', surfaced on the qualifying list, prompting the Opposition Congress to allege irregularities, even as candidates came forward to defend their unique monikers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced stringent measures, including the establishment of fast-track courts, to combat exam paper leaks and protect the future of India's youth, following widespread protests over the NEET paper leak.
Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has voiced his support for the ongoing student protests against exam paper leaks, characterising it as a "revolt against feeling of suppression in a democracy." His comments follow similar calls from other prominent sports personalities like Sachin Tendulkar and Shubman Gill for lasting solutions. Students are demanding the removal of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured steps to protect student interests amidst the protests, which recently saw a 'Sansad Chalo' march met with police action.
A social media post by BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi's daughter celebrating Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation as Union Education Minister, has ignited an internal controversy within the BJP.
A 19-year-old medical aspirant, Ankita Suresh Sangle, allegedly died by suicide in Jalalpur after being disheartened by her NEET re-examination score of 166 marks, while the family of another aspirant, Akanksha Chaturvedi, who died earlier, demanded justice and compensation, calling for top government leadership resignations amidst the ongoing NEET paper leak controversy.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has reiterated its demand for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation, stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement on fast-track courts for paper leak cases does not address accountability.
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 Centre has informed the Supreme Court that the 'creamy layer' principle, which excludes affluent individuals from reservation benefits, does not apply to Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). This stance opposes Public Interest Litigations (PILs) seeking to implement such a principle for SC/ST reservations and to direct the government to formulate policies for more equitable distribution of reservation benefits.
The global players' union, FIFPRO, has strongly criticised FIFA President Gianni Infantino, accusing him of 'profound abuse of presidential power' following the secretive development and subsequent shelving of the 'FIFA Forward Enterprise' plan, which aimed to privatise the FIFA World Cup.
India's largest retirement fund manager, the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), is enhancing its investment governance and fund management practices, following the Reserve Bank of India's recommendations.
The Union Cabinet has approved a draft bill to introduce stricter punishments for examination paper leaks, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement. This new legislation builds upon the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, aiming to curb cheating in public examinations conducted by various central agencies amidst recent controversies like the NEET and NET paper leaks.
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval has urged India's youth to dedicate themselves entirely to national interest, rising above personal gains to capitalise on the current 'window of opportunity' for building a stronger nation. He emphasised that true freedom is not merely doing what one wants, but involves commitment and sacrifice for the country's progress.
The Telangana High Court has denied interim protection from arrest to Bageerath, son of Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar, in a POCSO case. The court will issue orders on the anticipatory bail petition at a later date.
Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg has issued an apology for the temporary removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Facebook post, while company executives acknowledged significant content moderation failures, including issues with child sexual abuse material, deepfakes, and the paid boosting of certain content.
UEFA's member associations have unanimously voted to boycott the World Cup and other FIFA competitions in protest against FIFA's plan to sell stakes to external investors in a subsidiary managing its tournaments.
