Jharkhand CM accepts students' demands; cancels JSSC-CGL, other exams held by firm at center of row

RANCHI, Aug 17:Granting one of the major demands of students protesting against alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations, the Jharkhand government on Monday decided to cancel the JSSC-CGL examination, along with all other recruitment examinations conducted by private firm TDPL, which is under the scanner of the Crime Investigation Department (CID) of the Jharkhand Police.

The decision came on the 24th day of the ongoing student protest, with some protesters having been on hunger strike for the past 14 days. It followed a marathon meeting of the Jharkhand Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday.

Making the announcement after the meeting at the state secretariat, Soren said, "There have been some starting revelations in the ongoing CID and SIT probes. After much of deliberations in the cabinet, it has been decided to cancel the JSSC CGL. All other exams conducted by TDPL will also be cancelled."

The chief minister also said that he has directed the CID to look into irregularities in all recruitment examinations conducted in the state since 2014.

TDPL is the private agency that has conducted exams including 14th JPSC civil services prelims examination, besides two civil services backlog examinations. The Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examination was conducted by the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) in 2024 and around 1800 successful candidates have already been appointed in various departments of the state government.

The fresh controversy regarding recruitments exams started with CID registering a case on July 22 probing alleged irregularities in the 14th civil services prelims exam conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Examination (JPSC) this year.

The agency till now has arrested 21 individuals including former JPSC chairman L Khiangte, besides directors and executives of TDPL and other middlemen for irregularities in connection with the JPSC exams. The probe has led to involvement of TDPL syndicate in the JSSC CGL exam as well.

The job aspirants started their protest soon after and have been holding a sit-in at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium in Ranchi, with some of them also observing a hunger strike. The students marched to the Vidhan Sabha on August 10 and threatened to gherao the Chief Minister’s residence on August 20 if their demands were not met.

Rahul Gandhi demands accountability as NTA announces re-conduct of UGC-NET

NEW DELHI, Aug 17: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday attacked the government and demanded that the National Testing Agency (NTA)’s leadership be held accountable after the agency said it would re-conduct the University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) for English, commerce and sociology.

He said that Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation as Union education minister on July 25 after student protests against examination irregularities was not the last step but only the first.

In a post on X, Gandhi addressed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asked him to look at what his NTA has just done. “UGC-NET exams for sociology, English and commerce were held between 22 and 30 June. Nearly two months later, NTA has cancelled all three because it set faulty papers and repeated old questions. Thousands of candidates who prepared for years, filled forms, paid the fees, and travelled to distant centers must now do it all again in September. NTA makes the mistake, but the student serves the sentence.”

He said this is no longer an education system but an “extraction machine”. “It takes your money, your years, your mental health, and your confidence and returns nothing. Not even a job. NTA still won’t answer the real question - were these papers leaked before the exam?”

Gandhi said that, just like every other arm of the Modi government, NTA never says it is their fault. “Just like every other compromised paper, I am absolutely sure there will be no accountability.”

He referred to students taking the UGC-NET again in September and said they are not the problem. “Modi built a system that cannot run an exam and then blames the students who take it. Your years are being stolen, and we will not stop until Modi answers for it,” Gandhi said.

After Hyderabad, Top Bengaluru Law College Opposes Invitation To Chief Justice

BENGALURU, Aug 16: Students and alumni of the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) have opposed the invitation to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Bar Council of India (BCI) Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra to the university's upcoming convocation ceremony.

The opposition comes days after a major controversy at another premier institution, the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR) University of Law in Hyderabad, where the BCI briefly ordered that students from the 2026 graduating batch should not be enrolled as advocates after some of them objected to Chief Justice Kant being invited as chief guest at their convocation.

The BCI later withdrew the order, and Mishra apologised to law students, saying their "dignity, independence of thought and legitimate concerns" must be respected.

In a letter on Saturday students and alumni of NLSIU said they stood in "unconditional solidarity" with their counterparts at NALSAR and criticised both the BCI chairman's conduct and the CJI's proposed participation in their own convocation.

The student body said that the issue was not simply about who attends a graduation ceremony but whether students at India's leading law schools should be free to disagree with powerful institutions and public officials without fearing consequences for their professional futures.

"We stand in unconditional solidarity with our fellow students at NALSAR who have shown exemplary courage and moral conviction in speaking truth to power," the statement said.

The NLSIU students and alumni have demanded an unconditional apology from the BCI to the NALSAR student and faculty community.

They accused the BCI of attempting to infringe students' fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression. They also called on the BCI to explain how its official letterhead came to be used by its chairman in connection with the controversial order.

NLSIU and the BCI have a long institutional relationship with the university's governing bodies including both the Chief Justice of India and the BCI chairman. At NLSIU's 2025 convocation, Chief Justice Surya Kant, then a Supreme Court judge, presided over the ceremony while Mishra delivered the welcome address.

The latest dispute therefore places two of the country's most powerful legal institutions - the Supreme Court and the statutory regulator of the legal profession - at the centre of a debate with students of one of India's most influential law schools.

The dispute began at NALSAR after a section of its graduating class objected to the university's proposal to invite Justice Kant as chief guest for its convocation.

The students' objections related to remarks attributed to the Chief Justice during a request for urgent listing of a petition alleging police brutality during protests led by the Cockroach Janata Party at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.

Chief Justice Surya Kant was quoted as saying, "Don't waste our time." He later clarified that he had not refused to hear the petition, but had asked that it be filed in the proper manner.

On Thursday, the council, headed Mishra, a BJP Rajya Sabha MP, issued an order directing state bar councils not to enrol members of NALSAR's 2026 graduating batch until further directions.

The order argued that a law student who showed no regard or respect for the country's highest judicial office could not be expected to become a "responsible or sensible advocate, teacher or a judge".

It immediately triggered a controversy. Hours after issuing the order, Mishra sought to distance the council from any suggestion that all NALSAR students should be punished.

In a post on X, he said the "vast majority" of students were innocent and should not suffer for the alleged misconduct of a few. He said action would be taken after an inquiry. Later that night, the BCI withdrew the order in its entirety.

NTA to re-conduct UGC-NET for 3 subjects; 2nd exam cancellation this year after NEET leak

NEW DELHI, Aug 16: The National Testing Agency (NTA) on Sunday said it will re-conduct the University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) examination for three papers, after “multiple errors” were found in the exam conducted from June 22 to June 30 this year.

UGC-NET is conducted to determine the eligibility of candidates for the posts of Assistant Professor and admission to PhD programmes. The NTA’s decision marks the cancellation of a second major exam by the agency this year, after the May 3 NEET-UG 2026 exam was scrapped following a paper leak that sparked nationwide protests.

In a statement, the NTA said it had formed a committee to oversee several complaints of errors in the English, Commerce and Sociology question papers.

“The Committee found that the three papers had many factual, typographical, translation errors including misspelt names of prominent scholars, garbled book titles, errors in the stem wording of questions, grammatical errors, gender and number agreement errors, punctuation mistakes, and non-standard coined terms for established concepts, as well as repetition of a significant number of questions previously administered. The Committee recommended that, in the interest of holding a fair and error-free examination, these three papers should be re-conducted,” it said.

On September 9, the English paper will be held from 9 am to noon, followed by the Commerce paper that will be held from 3 pm to 6 pm. The Sociology paper will be held on September 10 from 9 am to noon, the agency said. “Further details of city, centre, and admit card details will be notified separately on the official website. No additional examination fee will be charged from the candidates of these three subjects for the re-conduct,” it added.

A person aware of the details, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the Sociology question paper carried several spelling, translation and typographical errors. “At least 14 questions in the English question paper were repeated from the December 2024 examination paper. The Commerce paper faced similar issues.”

This person added: “Instead of dropping more than a dozen questions in each subject and keeping students concerned over repeated questions, the NTA decided to re-conduct the examinations of these three subjects.”

The UGC-NET examination comprises two papers: Paper I, which includes 50 questions on teaching aptitude, reasoning ability, and general awareness, and Paper II, which contains 100 subject-related multiple-choice questions.

Several candidates had complained about errors and repetitive questions in the exams for the three subjects two months ago. It was earlier reported that those who appeared for the Sociology paper had alleged that a 100-page PDF containing handwritten questions was circulated before the June 30 exam, with nearly 90 questions and answer options matching the actual paper.

In the English paper, the candidates alleged that more than 60 of the 150 questions were identical to the ones asked in the 2024 examination, with the sequence of the answer options also unchanged.

The re-examination has prompted concerns among candidates over having to prepare again and travel to examination centres.

“It feels like a huge pressure. It is not my fault but because of NTA and its system’s failure, why should we face these problems?” a candidate from Jhargram in West Bengal, who appeared for UGC-NET English in June, said.

He said he travelled nearly 450 km to Burdwan for the June examination and was now preparing for CTET to be held on September 6 and other examinations. The NTA’s decision has made it “difficult to refocus” on UGC-NET for September 9, he said.

Meanwhile, the agency on Sunday released the provisional answer keys for 84 of the 87 subjects. Candidates can challenge the provisional keys until August 18.

34% of enumeration forms are yet to be digitised in Delhi

NEW DELHI, Aug 16: With the deadline for the enumeration phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls just two days away, around 34% of the forms have not been digitised, according to data released by the chief electoral officer (CEO).

As of 8 pm on August 15, officials had digitised 9,698,217 of the 14,510,299 enumeration forms distributed across the city. This means 4,812,082 forms, or around 33.16%, were still pending digitisation ahead of the August 17 deadline.

The enumeration forms have been distributed to 100% of the electors across all 13 districts, according to the official figures; however, the pace of digitisation varies.

Southeast area of Delhi has digitised 55.63% of its 1,557,000 forms, leaving more than 690,000 forms to be digitised. New Delhi has digitised 60.64%, while south and central Delhi areas have recorded 60.80% and 61.78% of digitisation, respectively.

North Delhi has achieved the highest digitisation rate at 75.64 per cent, followed by west at 73.06%and southwest at 72.93%.

The exercise is part of SIR Phase III, with the enumeration phase being conducted from June 30 to August 17. The CEO office has said the revision aims to ensure that no eligible citizen is left out in the electoral roll while preventing the inclusion of ineligible persons.

With more than 4,800,000 forms still awaiting digitisation, election officials face a significant workload in the final two days of the enumeration phase.

Modi announces AI skilling of 1 crore youth in one year

NEW DELHI, Aug 15: Addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the 80th Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a series of initiatives and targets covering Artificial Intelligence, education, sports, Civil Defence, semiconductor manufacturing, nuclear energy and women-led development.

Key announcements from the Prime Minister’s address include:

1. AI Skilling for One Crore Youth: The Prime Minister announced that one crore youth would be trained in AI skills over the next one year. Referring to the rapid expansion of Artificial Intelligence, he said the initiative would help equip India’s youth with the capability to lead in the world of AI.

2. Free Online Coaching for Various Examinations: The Prime Minister announced free online coaching for youth preparing for various examinations. Referring to the financial burden of coaching classes on poor and middle-class families, he said Digital Public Infrastructure, available talent and teachers would be brought together to create a complete network for providing free coaching to the country’s youth.

3. Nationwide Sports Talent Hunt for Children Aged 5-15 Years: The Prime Minister announced a talent hunt campaign across villages, cities and schools to identify sporting talent among children between five and 15 years of age. The identified children would be provided specialised training to develop them into players capable of representing the country. Referring to Olympic disciplines in which India currently does not participate or qualify, the Prime Minister said greater emphasis would be placed on building capabilities in such sports.

4. Vibrant Civil Defence Network for Modern Challenges: Highlighting the changing nature of warfare, the Prime Minister announced that a vibrant Civil Defence network would be created in the country. He said that warfare was no longer necessarily confined to borders and could also affect refineries, the banking sector, data centres, factories and other infrastructure. The Prime Minister said that Civil Defence arrangements developed in accordance with the wars of the previous century had become outdated. Citizens would therefore be familiarised with modern systems, and a large voluntary Civil Defence force capable of dealing with modern challenges would be developed.

5. More Semiconductor Plants to Strengthen Self-Reliance: The Prime Minister highlighted the critical role of semiconductor chips in the digital and technological world and said India was moving towards self-reliance in this sector. He said three semiconductor plants had already started and production from these facilities had begun to be exported. The Prime Minister further said that another five-seven or eight semiconductor plants would come up in the coming seven-eight years, and described self-reliance in semiconductors as a pathway towards Viksit Bharat.

6. 100 GW Nuclear Power Capacity by 2047: Highlighting the growing energy requirements of chips, AI and data centres, the Prime Minister underlined the importance of energy security and nuclear power. He said India was moving ahead with a target of 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047 and aimed to start five new nuclear reactors within this decade. The Prime Minister also said that India had achieved an important milestone this year in fast breeder nuclear technology, marking a significant step towards self-reliance in nuclear fuel.

7. Target of Six Crore Lakhpati Didis: Highlighting the contribution of women to nation-building, the Prime Minister said that the earlier target of creating three crore Lakhpati Didis had been surpassed. He said India would now move ahead with the target of six crore Lakhpati Didis. The creation of another three crore Lakhpati Didis, he said, would bring about a major transformation in the rural economy through the strength of women.

India taking comprehensive steps for exam reforms: President Murmu

NEW DELHI, Aug 14: President Droupadi Murmu on Friday said the government was taking comprehensive measures to reform the examination system and curb unfair means in public exams. The reforms, she said, were aimed at making examinations more transparent, secure and trustworthy for students and young people.

The annual Independence Day eve address was broadcast on Akashvani’s national network and telecast live on Doordarshan channels. It began with the Vande Mataram, followed by the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana.

The president spoke first in Hindi, then in English. Regional-language versions will be aired later on Doordarshan and Akashvani.

The address came a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day speech from the Red Fort.

President Murmu said Operation Sindoor sent a “clear and firm message” to terrorists and their supporters that they would face consequences for their actions, regardless of where they hid. She also said the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with a country that “harbours terrorism” was a decisive step in India’s national interest, particularly for farmers.

The President said India is moving towards building a Viksit Bharat by 2047. She stressed that the benefits of development should reach every citizen as India progresses towards becoming a modern nation.

She said the upliftment of deprived sections has been given priority. She also highlighted the efforts to set new standards in women’s empowerment and development.

The President said the nation belongs to the entire community and added that every citizen has a role in the country’s progress and development.

CJI Surya Kant defends NALSAR students' right to protest

NEW DELHI, Aug 14: Back off, was the message from Chief Justice Surya Kant Mishra to Bar Council of India (BCI) that had issued a directive to all State Bar Councils not to enrol any 2026 batch graduate of NALSAR University of Law in Hyderabad.

The BCI, the apex regulatory body of the legal profession, had issued the order to halt graduates' enrolment pending an inquiry into a campaign by students opposing the participation of Chief Justice in the university's convocation.

Within hours of issuing the order, the BCI said its latest information indicated that the vast majority of the 2026 NALSAR graduates were innocent and were not inclined to participate in any move to disrespect the Chief Justice.

"Absolutely uncalled for. I myself was a student who was actively engaged in protests. It's a dialogue between me and students; who are they (BCI) to interfere," the Chief Justice underlined.

The observations came after a plea challenging the BCI circular was mentioned for urgent listing.

The top court has sought a response from BCI on its circulars, saying no punitive action should be taken against NALSAR students or faculty members.

The counsel appearing for the BCI told the bench that the circular has been withdrawn.

The Council had sought a factual report from the Vice-Chancellor on those who initiated, organised or mobilised the campaign and, pending the inquiry, directed that no 2026 graduate be enrolled by any State Bar Council. However, that decision now stands withdrawn

Earlier, the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President and Senior lawyer Vikas Singh had slammed the BCI's move as "arbitrary, illegal and disproportionate".

In a letter to BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra on August 13, Singh strongly objected to the direction, saying the blanket restriction amounted to an attempt to intimidate law students for exercising their fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression.

The SCBA chief said universities were intended to be spaces for free thought and debate and that students should not be threatened with denial of entry into the legal profession merely for disagreeing with a constitutional authority.

"Students cannot be threatened with denial of their right to enter the legal profession merely because they have expressed disagreement with a constitutional authority", the senior lawyer added.

6 Killed, 2 Trapped As Water, Debris Enter Tunnel In Uttarakhand's Chamoli

CHAMOLI, Aug 13: Six people were killed after water and debris entered a tunnel in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district on Thursday, officials said. Two workers are still trapped and rescuers are trying to reach them, the State Disaster Management Authority said in a statement, adding a total of 22 people were working at the project site of Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Ltd (THDC) in Chamoli's Pipalkoti when a sudden flow of water rushed inside. The strong currents swept many of them towards the tunnel's exit, reports said.

The statement said 14 workers were injured.

"This is a deeply tragic incident... The entire administrative team and all my colleagues have arrived, and our priority is to provide continuous support to those engaged in the rescue operations," local MLA Lakhpat Butola said.

District magistrate Gaurav Kumar said that at 6.30 pm, a significant amount of debris and water surged into the tunnel where construction work has been going on.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has ordered rescue and relief operations to be taken up on a war footing. Dhami said he is taking real-time updates from senior officers.

"I spoke to the injured workers admitted to hospital; their condition is stable. I have also informed the chief ministers of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh that their residents, those injured or involved in the incident, are receiving treatment here. I have also spoken to the chief medical superintendent," the chief minister said.

Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are going through the debris to search for the trapped workers.

It had been raining heavily in the district for the last few days. On Monday, strong currents due to rising water level in a river had swept away a bridge in the district's Niti Valley region. In a video of the incident, a massive volume of water mixed with mud rushed downstream and slammed into the metal bridge. Within seconds, the sheer force of the water uprooted the bridge and pushed it towards the riverbank.

Lok Sabha probe panel finds Justice Yashwant Varma guilty in cash-at-home case

NEW DELHI, Aug 12: The three-member inquiry committee probing allegations against Allahabad High Court judge justice Yashwant Varma has found all three articles of charge against him proved, holding that his explanation regarding the discovery of a large quantity of unaccounted currency at his official residence was “evasive” and “misleading”.

The report, tabled in both Houses of Parliament on Wednesday, stopped short of holding that the currency belonged to justice Varma for want of substantial evidence establishing personal ownership. But it rejected his defence that he had no knowledge of the cash or responsibility for what happened to it after it was discovered following a fire at his official residence in Delhi on March 14, 2025.

“The cumulative record therefore establishes the presence of substantial currency notes within the official premises, failure to satisfactorily explain its presence, failure to preserve the material, later non-availability of the currency notes, and absence of any substantiated defence capable of displacing the evidence led before the Committee,” the 126-page report said.

The committee comprised Supreme Court judge justice Aravind Kumar, then Bombay high court chief justice Shrikrishna Chandrashekhar, who has since been elevated to the Supreme Court, and senior advocate BV Acharya.

The panel rejected justice Varma’s contention that the storeroom where the cash was found was beyond his control. It noted evidence concerning a locked cabinet containing his personal articles in the room and held that the circumstances established a sufficient connection between the judge and the premises. The first article of charge was consequently held proved.

The committee was also critical of the failure to preserve the burnt currency after the fire.

While it did not find direct evidence that justice Varma himself physically removed the cash, it held him responsible for failing to ensure preservation of material evidence from premises under his institutional control. It also examined the role of people attached to his household and establishment in the handling of the storeroom and currency. The second article of charge was held proved.

The panel was particularly critical of justice Varma’s explanation during the inquiry. It examined his initial denial of any knowledge of the currency and his subsequent allegations of conspiracy, planting of cash and deficiencies in the collection and preservation of evidence. The committee found that these explanations failed to account for the presence of the cash or displace the evidence before it.

It also drew an adverse inference from justice Varma’s decision not to enter the witness box and subject himself to cross-examination. The committee said his defence was “false” in parts and found his overall explanation evasive and misleading. The third article of charge was also held proved.

The findings follow an earlier in-house inquiry ordered by then Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna after the controversy erupted in March 2025. After that panel found justice Varma’s explanation unsatisfactory, CJI Khanna asked him to resign or face the constitutional process for his removal. Justice Varma declined and the report was forwarded to the President and Prime Minister.

Parliamentary removal proceedings followed, with the Lok Sabha admitting a motion against him and constituting the statutory inquiry committee. Justice Varma, however, resigned from judicial office on April 9, 2026, while the parliamentary inquiry was underway.

It remains to be seen whether the tabling of the report marks the end of the matter, or whether Parliament can still consider the implications of the findings and explore the possibility of pursuing proceedings for justice Varma’s removal through impeachment despite his resignation.

Students will influence journey of 'Viksit Bharat': Modi

NEW DELHI, Aug 8: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday told students at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, that the decisions they make over the next three to four decades will influence India’s journey towards becoming a ‘Viksit Bharat’.

Addressing the 57th convocation ceremony of IIT Delhi, Modi said every generation faces its own challenges and carries a specific national responsibility. He asked the students to consider how their decisions could contribute to the country and address its needs, according to reports.

“You are all aware that every generation faces the specific challenges of its time and also bears its own national responsibility. Whatever you do over the next 30 to 35 years of your lives will influence our journey towards a 'Viksit Bharat'. Therefore, the basis of every decision you make should also be: how will this benefit the country? Which of the nation's needs will this fulfil?” he said.

Modi also urged students to keep their curiosity alive and continue learning, saying the world and technology are changing rapidly and that “those who learn, win.”

He said the rapid pace of change means nobody can predict what the next 20 to 30 years will look like. He encouraged students to remain open to new situations and challenges.

"Today, the world is changing rapidly. Nobody can say what will happen 20-30 years from now. Keep your curiosity alive in life... Keep your learning instinct alive. Those who learn, win," he said.

The prime minister said challenges can become opportunities for people who dare to find new solutions. He said being receptive to new situations and challenges would help students turn difficult circumstances into opportunities.

Modi said this ability was among the lessons students had learned during their time at IIT Delhi.

"People who are open to new situations and challenges will turn challenges into chances and this is what you have learned at IIT Delhi," Modi said.

He also highlighted India's efforts to become self-reliant across sectors, saying new areas were opening up for young people in the country.

"Today, new sectors are emerging in the country for our youth," he said.

The prime minister also pointed to the rapidly changing global power balance, saying technology was the biggest force driving these changes.

"The global power balance is changing every moment and the biggest force behind it is the speed of technology," Modi said.

Referring to developments in artificial intelligence, Modi said some new initiatives related to AI had also been launched at IIT Delhi.

"I extend my very best wishes to all of you for this as well," he said.

Highlighting India's progress in the semiconductor sector, Modi recalled that questions had been raised when the government began taking steps to develop the industry.

"But today, production has begun at the first semiconductor unit. I firmly believe that from chips to ships, everything will be made here by your hands," the PM said.

More than 3,000 graduating students, including 587 PhD scholars, were conferred their degrees at the convocation ceremony.

After Vijay-led all-party meet, Tamil Nadu leaders vow united front against delimitation

CHENNAI, Aug 8: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Saturday said the state’s parliamentary representation must remain completely untouched, asserting that the state's place in the Parliament must be preserved.

His comments came during a meeting with the state’s MPs to formulate a united response to the Centre’s proposed delimitation exercise, even as major regional parties DMK and AIADMK stayed away from the meeting.

Speaking about the consensus reached at the all-party meeting convened by Chief Minister Vijay, Congress Lok Sabha MP Karti Chidambaram said Tamil Nadu’s parliamentary representation must remain completely untouched.

The meeting, held at Kalaivanar Arangam, was attended by around 21 Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs, primarily from the Congress, VCK, CPI, CPI(M), MDMK and IUML.

The participating leaders unanimously agreed to strongly oppose any population-based redrawing of constituencies that could diminish Tamil Nadu’s political representation.

“This is an issue beyond party politics. This is an issue that concerns Tamil Nadu’s rights and Tamil Nadu’s representation in the Parliament of India. Tamil Nadu can’t be diminished in the Parliament of India. Tamil Nadu’s place in the Parliament of India must be preserved. Any delimitation, whatever might be that formula, whether it is based on population or a uniform increase, will diminish our role in Parliament, and that can’t be allowed,” Chidambaram told reporters.

He stressed that this issue was beyond party politics and urged all parties to speak in unison for the rights of Tamil Nadu.

"We discussed the repercussions of delimitation, in whichever manner it takes place. We are very clear that we want the Parliament to be frozen at 543 and Tamil Nadu's representation to be guaranteed at 39," he said.

Chidambaram further shared that of Tamil Nadu's MPs from both Houses, about 21 attended and were unanimous that the state's seat share could not be altered.

"Our representation in the Parliament can't be diminished. Any kind of alteration and delimitation, either on the basis of population or on a proportionate increase, will be resisted. We want the Parliament to be frozen at 543, and the distribution among the states to be preserved as it is, which means Tamil Nadu will have 39 members in a house of 543," he said, adding that a larger Parliament would be an "ineffective Parliament" and would not serve the state well.

'Gen Z are our own, protesting doesn't make them anti-national': Mohan Bhagwat

MUMBAI, Aug 6: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday said that if Gen Z is protesting, they aren't anti-nationals but “our own people”.

Addressing an event in Mumbai, Bhagwat said that Gen Z is not like the previous generation, which did not question elders, and that it wants logical answers.

“When we were of their age (youth), we would listen to our elders. We never used to question. Now, the Gen Z wants logical answers,” he said.

"If Gen Z is protesting, they are not anti-nationals. They are our own people, our next generation... I do not believe Gen Z is like that... I think the new generation - the Gen Z and Gen Alpha - is more honest than our existing generation, and the honest appeal of patriotism and service works with them," he added.

His remarks came against the backdrop of the recent Jantar Mantar protests in Delhi against the NEET paper leak, which was largely joined by Gen Z students.

Talking about the police action on the students at the protest on July 20, Bhagwat said he does not know why the police resorted to lathi charge and pellet guns.

“Why did the lathi charge happen? Why are pellet guns used? We need to study the reasons,” he said.

Bhagwat also backed comprehensive reforms in the education system, saying one or two reforms are not enough.

“I'll tell you, two or three are needed. Education is not a business, and we need to provide education to all. We need to work on fee structures," he said, while backing a demand for the share of education in India's budget to be increased to six per cent.

“Public participation is important in education, from school development to quality education. Focus on teachers' training. We are giving education to educate people, not for business,” he said while elaborating on the needed reforms.

Bhagwat said conflicts between countries should not permanently damage bilateral relations. He asserted that nations such as Pakistan and China should not be viewed as India's "wholehearted enemies". He said disputes may temporarily put ties on hold, but should not bring them to an end.

"In times of conflict, we should not spoil bilateral ties. They can be put on hold till the issue is resolved, but they cannot be severed. Conflicts may halt ties, but they should not end them. It is not that Pakistan and China are whole-heartedly our enemies. State politics also plays a role," he said.

Bhagwat also said people should stand with the government during times of conflict, while stressing that humanity ultimately transcends political divisions.

"During conflict, we are with the government, but we also know that sometimes we have to become one. Humanity is one," he said.

'Making a 15-year-old girl apologise is complete nonsense', says Rahul Gandhi

NEW DELHI, Aug 5: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday accused the Modi government of forcing students to apologise and intimidating their families. "Sending goons to their homes, sending goons into women's homes, forcibly making them apologise, making a 15-year-old girl apologise, and then accepting that apology, that is complete nonsense. We do not accept it," Gandhi said.

Addressing a press conference here, Rahul Gandhi said the students were only demanding an end to exam paper leaks and improvements in the education system. Calling the current system "flawed", "collapsing" and "useless", he said it needed to be corrected.

"They were not being violent. They were not being aggressive. They were not being nasty. They were beaten, they were assaulted, and they were threatened," he said.

Rahul Gandhi addressed the media alongside CJP protester Rhiya Ahir and other students who were subject to police action during the NEET protests in Delhi on July 20.

The Congress leader praised the student protesters, saying they had "defended the Constitution", protected the idea of India and stood up for the country's future. He said raising concerns over the education system and demanding reforms was not a crime.

Gandhi said the Congress wanted an education system that functions properly and respects students. "We want an education system that works. We want exam leaks to stop. And we want the future of this country, our students, to be respected and protected," he said.

Model Rhiya Ahir introduced herself as the woman seen confronting the Mumbai Police during the protests. Rejecting the description of her as merely the "girl who went viral", she said, "I am the girl who stopped 20 children from being unlawfully detained." She asked the media to "change your narrative" and focus on why she intervened.

Ahir alleged that she had faced sustained online harassment after the incident. She claimed that party workers had circulated false and defamatory posts about her on social media, including allegations that she was "selling my body for ₹140". "This is not trolling, it is a crime," she said.

Student protester Muskan Sharma alleged that she was assaulted by a Rapid Action Force (RAF) officer during the police action on the CJP protest. "The people who are supposed to protect me are the ones beating me. Where should I go for my protection?" she said.

Sharma also questioned the officer's conduct, asking, "Why did he try to jab a baton into my buttocks?" She made the remarks while addressing the media alongside Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

2 losses, 1 win: BJP election scorecard days after Gen Z delivered a setback to Modi govt

NEW DELHI, Aug 3: The BJP had a mixed day, at best, in the assembly bypolls on Monday, winning just one of the three seats that went to polls, all of them in states it rules. The party lost the high-profile Bankipur seat in Bihar and failed to wrest Datia in Madhya Pradesh, though it held on to Manjalpur in Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat.

The results came just days after the Centre came under pressure — and the education minister had to be replaced — over protests that saw massive participation of youth in Delhi against examination paper leaks. Track election results live here

The biggest setback for the BJP came from Bihar, where Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor defeated BJP candidate Neeraj Kumar by 19,324 votes in Bankipur.

The BJP had held the seat since 1995.

The bypoll was held after BJP national president Nitin Nabin resigned from the assembly upon moving to the Rajya Sabha.

This was Kishor's first election victory since entering politics and gave Jan Suraaj its first MLA. The party had failed to open its account in the 2025 Bihar elections.

During the campaign last week, Kishor said Jan Suraaj had already changed Bihar's political debate despite not being in power.

RJD's vote share also dropped sharply. Its candidate, who had polled more than 46,000 votes in the last assembly election, got fewer than 15,000 votes this time.

The BJP also lost the Datia assembly bypoll in Madhya Pradesh, with Congress candidate Ghanshyam Singh defeating BJP's Ashutosh Tiwari by 6,016 votes.

The Congress retained the seat, which it had won in the 2023 elections.

The BJP's only win came from Gujarat, where it comfortably retained the Manjalpur Assembly seat.

BJP candidate Satendrabhai Patel defeated Congress candidate Bhikhabhai Rabari by a margin of over 30,000 votes.

The bypoll results came days after the Centre took a beating from non-stop GenZ-driven protests at Delhi's Jantar Mantar over exam paper leaks and education reforms. The agitation, led by the satirical digital collective Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), began over the NEET paper leaks before expanding into a mass movement on education, jobs and governance.

SC says states can withdraw FIRs against students who participated in NEET protests

NEW DELHI, Aug 3: The Supreme Court on Monday clarified that the expression "criminal antecedents" in its order on releasing student protesters referred only to those involved in grave and heinous offences, and said states could close or withdraw FIRs against the remaining students in accordance with law.

The clarification came after the Centre submitted that it was "serious" about not pursuing FIRs against students who participated in the NEET examination paper leak protests, including the July 20 Parliament march in Delhi, provided they did not have criminal antecedents.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana was hearing a batch of pleas alleging police excesses against student protesters during the agitation spearheaded by the Cockroach Janta Party .

"It is clarified that NCT of Delhi and any other state shall be at liberty to close or withdraw FIRs against protesters... The word criminal antecedents is to be read as grave and heinous offences," it said.

At the outset, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted that there was some misconception regarding how to implement the Union government's commitment to withdraw the FIRs against students.

"There was some misapprehension about what to do with the FIRs against the protesters. I have instructions to say that the government is serious about that commitment. Those who had criminal antecedents... except them, everything can be taken care of," Mehta said.

Modi says he forgives students who abused him in Cockroach protests

NEW DELHI, Aug 1: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said he forgives students who hurled expletives at him during protests last month, describing them as “misled children” who must be shown “the right path” rather than be prosecuted and punished.

The biggest political crisis of Modi’s third term was caused by growing support for the youth-led Cockroach protest movement, which emerged in May after a crucial exam was voided after the questions were leaked, forcing more than two million students to resit the exam the following month.

The Cockroach Janta Party – as the protesters called themselves after the chief justice of the Supreme Court described unemployed youths and activists as “cockroaches” – was initially a social media campaign calling for educational reform via viral memes. But it morphed into a mass movement mobilising tens of thousands of supporters in capital New Delhi and inspired similar protests in cities across India.

The protests eventually ended after the Modi government agreed to all the protesters’ demands, including the resignation of the education minister, and pledged not to pursue criminal cases against any demonstrators.

But despite Modi’s assurances, the authorities in states ruled by Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party filed cases against hundreds of protesters after some clashed with security forces and shouted abusive slogans about the prime minister.

Supporters of Modi’s far-right Hindu nationalist politics have doxed female protesters, including teenagers, on social media, hurling rape and death threats at them, and demanding the local authorities take criminal action against them.

“These are misled children. Showing them the right path is our duty. Punishing them, making them run around courts, or tormenting them in society will not change the situation,” Modi said in a video posted on social media late on Friday, adding that “disgusting expletives” were targeted at him and his late mother at the protest.

“It is a cultural shock to us that how can our daughters use this language,” he said, before adding: “I want to forgive them.”