The Congress party has criticised the Modi government's announcement of a new committee on exam reforms, alleging it is a tactic to divert public attention. The opposition highlighted that recommendations from a previous committee formed in 2024 remain largely unimplemented, while Prime Minister Modi has now constituted another high-powered task force led by Nandan Nilekani to reform NTA examinations.
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.
The Supreme Court has informed the Centre that it will closely monitor the steps taken to curb NEET examination paper leaks, emphasising that 'ad hocism has caused trouble for years' and demanding a comprehensive overhaul of the examination process.
When dialogue fails, protest becomes inevitable.
In a democracy, protest is often the only language left once institutions stop listening, explains Ramesh Menon.
A parliamentary committee has voiced concerns over ongoing examination irregularities despite government measures, recommending the Ministry of Education publish a time-bound roadmap for reforms. The panel also urged a nationwide blacklist of firms involved in exam processes and suggested utilising the National Testing Agency's financial surplus to enhance its capabilities.
A parliamentary panel has decided to review the implementation of reforms in the National Testing Agency (NTA) as well as the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case and has summoned NTA Chairperson Pradeep Kumar Joshi and other bureaucrats for deliberations.
Param Foundation inaugurates 'ParSEC Whitefield', a 30,000 sq ft experiential science and innovation centre in Bengaluru, designed to engage visitors through interactive exhibits, innovation workshops and public programmes.
The CBI Director has updated a parliamentary panel on the NEET-UG paper leak investigation, while education ministry officials outlined measures for a fair retest.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has informed the Supreme Court that the NEET-UG exam will transition to a computer-based test (CBT) mode from next year, following consultations with the Centre and recommendations from a high-level committee.
Police in Kochi have arrested five individuals and conducted raids following a tip-off about a racket allegedly providing forged documents for organ donors and recipients. The investigation is ongoing, with authorities looking into possible links to other states.
Police in Kerala are investigating the potential involvement of hospitals in a racket that forged documents for organ donations. Six people have been arrested in connection with the scam, and the investigation is expanding to examine how hospital procedures may have been bypassed.
The Supreme Court on Monday said it was sad that National Testing Agency has not learn lessons from the earlier NEET paper leak as it sought response from the Centre, NTA and Central Bureau of Investigation on pleas for replacement of the testing agency with a robust and autonomous body to conduct the medical entrance exam.
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) has apprehended a gang from Bihar accused of drugging and robbing train passengers on the Malabar Express. The suspects were caught with stolen valuables and sedatives.
Nine migrant workers died after an under-construction building collapsed at the Ennore thermal power station in Chennai. Authorities have responded, and compensation has been announced for the families of the deceased.
A highly respected scientist with 35 years of experience in ISRO, 60-year-old Radhakrishnan has played a key role in many of the country's space projects, including Chandrayaan-I.
Former Indian Space Research Organisation chief K Radhakrishnan will be the chief guest at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's annual 'Vijayadashami' event on October 12 in Nagpur.
'The solution is to replace, clean up, retest and proceed.' 'There is nothing to worry about if corrected.'
The government has moved to increase the strength of the joint committee of Parliament that will scrutinise the two bills proposing simultaneous elections from 31 MPs to 39, giving representation to more parties.
Floor leaders of the Opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance met on Monday ahead of the start of Parliament's winter session and decided to raise the issue of alleged corruption in the Adani Group and demand a Joint Parliamentary Committee on the matter.11111111111111111111111111
Leaders of various INDIA bloc parties have written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, urging him to allow leaders of the opposition in both Houses of Parliament to speak during the Constitution Day function to be held on Tuesday. The function will be addressed by President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. The letter, signed by leaders of various opposition parties, states that they believe in the best traditions and interests of Parliamentary democracy, the Leaders of Opposition (LoPs) in both Houses should also be given an opportunity to speak on this historic occasion. Parliamenary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, however, said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not be addressing the event and accused "some of the Opposition parties " of giving reactions without knowing the actual arrangement. He added that sitting arrangements have been made for the Leaders of Opposition of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on the dais.
The grand old party alleged that these namesake candidates are backed by the Communist Party of India-Marxist and the Bharatiya Janata Party to confuse voters.
Brisk polling was seen for the Wayanad Lok Sabha and the Chelakkara assembly seats in Kerala as they witnessed a turnout of 20.54 and 19.08 per cent, respectively, after the first three hours of voting on Wednesday.
The Bharatiya Janata Party announced on Saturday that Navya Haridas, a two-time councillor in the Kozhikode Corporation, will be the National Democratic Alliance candidate for the Wayanad Lok Sabha by-election.
Embroiled in a battle for survival, Left parties marginally improved their performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, leading in eight to 10 seats according to vote counting trends.
Pradhan further said the opposition had a chance to raise this issue during the motion of thanks to the President's address and asserted the government was ready for any type of discussion.
Amid a row over irregularities in competitive exams National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and National Eligibility Test (NET), the education ministry on Saturday notified a seven-member panel headed by former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief K Radhakrishnan to ensure transparent, smooth and fair conduct of examinations through the National Testing Agency (NTA).
They said the agency is also taking steps to bring under its ambit cases registered in various states by the police.
The 'top leadership' of the National Testing Agency is under the scanner over alleged irregularities in competitive exams National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test and National Eligibility Test, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Saturday even as he denied any paper leak in the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-University Grants Commission NET, which was postponed a day ago.
The top court said since the remit of the panel has been expanded, the committee would submit its report by September 30 on various measures to rectify deficiencies in the examination system.
The Centre on Saturday night announced that the probe into alleged irregularities in the medical entrance exam NEET will be handed over to the CBI for a comprehensive investigation.
Announcing candidates for the remaining four seats in Kerala, the Bharatiya Janata Party has fielded its state chief K Surendran in the high-profile Wayanad constituency against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
Political pundits unanimously suggest that the state is not experiencing a discernible Gandhi wave this time around.
vIn its effort to tackle the impacts of climate change in Kerala, the Communist Party of India-Marxist-led government has launched an ambitious project to improve the green cover of over 3,000 temples being managed by five devaswom boards under its control.
India's Mars orbiter craft has completed eight years in its orbit, well beyond its designed mission life of six months. Plans on a follow-on 'Mangalyaan' mission to the Red Planet, however, are yet to be firmed up.
The Left government in Kerala on Thursday withdrew a handbook for police personnel on duty at the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala after the Bharatiya Janata Party raised a hue and cry over a mention in the book that all pilgrims can enter the temple.
"Indeed, a satisfying feeling," K Radhakrishnan who as the then Chairman of Indian Space Research Oranisation (ISRO) led the Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan) team said on achieving the milestone.
The ISRO team worked tirelessly to make the Mars mission a success
Isro will rope in industry to manufacture customised Isro-theme T-shirts, coffee mugs, posters, key chains, games, jigsaw puzzle and so on.
"I would like to warmly congratulate all scientists of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for the successful launch today of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)-C19 carrying the Radar Imaging Satellite -1(RISAT -1), the heaviest satellite launched till date using PSLV, " Dr Singh said.
India will not undertake a human space flight before the year 2017 and is likely to use a next-generation rocket for the ambitious mission, the cost of which would be reworked, Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation, K Radhakrishnan said on Monday.
