Nation

A fresh petition has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging Regulation 3(C) of the recently implemented University Grants Commission (Promotion of Equality in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026. The petitioner contends that by limiting the definition of caste-based discrimination to only Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC), the regulation denies protection to individuals from other communities, violating their right to equality under the Constitution. The petition seeks to make the definition caste-neutral. Petitioner Seeks Stay on ImplementationAdvocate Vineet Jindal, representing the petitioner, urged the court to prevent the authorities from implementing or taking action under this provision until the matter is resolved. H...

The Congress party has announced that it will aggressively question the Modi government during the 2026 Budget Session of Parliament, which begins on Wednesday. Party leaders said they will focus on issues including the government’s foreign policy, rising U.S. tariffs, the falling value of the rupee, the proposed termination of MGNREGA, and several other matters of public interest. Allegations of Weakening Constitutional InstitutionsFollowing the all-party meeting, Congress Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha, Pramod Tiwari, accused the government of undermining powers granted by the Constitution and weakening constitutional institutions. He also said the opposition would raise concerns about India’s foreign policy, questioning the country’s strategic position and alliances: “Where has our...

Business leader and Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra has praised the Indian Army’s elite Bhairav Battalion, calling it a symbol of courage, discipline, and modern warfare capabilities. Sharing a video of the battalion from the Republic Day Parade on social media, Mahindra lauded the unit for embodying the true spirit of victory. Referring to the battalion as his highlight of the January 26 parade, Mahindra wrote, “The Bhairav Battalion reminds us that wars are not won merely by the power of weapons, but by the spirit of the warrior. If anyone ever considers taking them on, they should abandon the thought.” His remarks quickly gained attention online, with many users echoing pride in the Indian Army’s growing technological and tactical strength. Specialized Force for Hybrid W...

Several Indian medical students in Iran are reportedly facing difficulties as their passports have been withheld by certain universities. The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) has written to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) seeking urgent intervention. Students Seeking Return Amid Worsening SituationAmid the rapidly deteriorating conditions in Iran, many Indian medical students have expressed their desire to return to India. The JKSA has raised serious concerns against some universities, claiming that passports of students who wish to leave the country have not yet been released. Exams Continue Despite Turbulent ConditionsThe association stated that it remains in contact with Indian students in Iran, including many from Jammu and Kashmir. According to JKSA, while so...

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has notified a new set of regulations titled “Regulations for Promoting Equity in Higher Education Institutions, 2026”, effective from 15 January 2026. The rules aim to strengthen safeguards against discrimination in colleges and universities across India. However, the regulations have sparked widespread debate and protests among students, faculty, and civil society groups. Critics argue that the rules do not address false complaints and may create biases against students from the general category. Public BacklashOn social media platforms like X, multiple hashtags and campaigns have emerged against the new UGC rules, including #ShameOnUGC. Some posts suggest that parents should consider sending their children abroad for higher education to avoid th...

India delivered a sharp rebuttal to Pakistan’s “false and self-serving” claims regarding Operation Sindoor at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), asserting that it is unacceptable for Pakistan to use terrorism as an instrument of state policy. Strong Response at the UNSCIndia’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Parvataneni Harish, responded forcefully to remarks made by Pakistan’s envoy, Asim Iftikhar Ahmed, during an open debate on “Reaffirming International Rule of Law: Pathways to Peace, Justice, and Multilateralism” on Monday. Ahmed had commented on Operation Sindoor, Jammu & Kashmir, and the Indus Waters Treaty. Ambassador Harish emphasized that Pakistan, as an elected member of the Security Council, pursues a “singular agenda” aimed at harming India and...

RVS Mani, a former officer of the Ministry of Home Affairs, has been awarded the Padma Shri for his distinguished contribution to civil service. He is notably recognized for his role in exposing contradictory affidavits filed by the UPA government in the 2009 Ishrat Jahan encounter case, highlighting political interference in a high-profile investigation. Contradictory AffidavitsThe first affidavit, filed on 6 August 2009, was based on precise intelligence inputs indicating that Ishrat Jahan was part of a Lashkar-e-Taiba module tasked with targeting senior Indian politicians. It included detailed accounts of the terrorist background of Ishrat, along with Javed Sheikh (Pranesh Pillai), Jishan Johar, and Amjad Ali, who were killed in the encounter on 15 June 2004 in Ahmedabad. The seco...

A Delhi court has rejected the bail petition of an Army officer accused of accepting bribes, citing the “serious” nature of the charges and the officer’s sensitive role in matters concerning national security and sovereignty. The case involves allegations that Lieutenant Colonel Deepak Kumar Sharma accepted a bribe to facilitate the shipment of goods from a Dubai-based company to Armenia. Bail Plea RejectedSpecial Judge Gagandeep Singh dismissed Sharma’s bail request on 23 January. Sharma was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in December 2025 for allegedly taking ₹3 lakh in bribes from the Dubai company. Court Finds Active Involvement in Shipment ApprovalSharma claimed he had no role in approving the shipments. However, the court noted that case documents and rema...

A large-scale study in the United States has found that individuals who frequently use AI chatbots and other generative AI tools are more likely to exhibit symptoms of depression and anxiety. The research, published on January 21 in the prestigious medical journal JAMA Network Open, was conducted in collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital and several other U.S. institutions. Study DetailsThe study surveyed 20,847 U.S. adults via an online questionnaire conducted between April and May 2025. Participants were asked about their frequency of AI tool usage, including chatbots and generative AI platforms. Their mental health was assessed using the PHQ-9, a standard measure for depression. Key FindingsParticipants who used AI tools daily or frequently were found to display higher ...