Srinagar, Aug 6: Strengthening its commitment to financial security across the nation, SBI Life Insurance will enable families across Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh to take a step closer towards securing their financial future.
SBI Life Insurance, one of India’s leading life insurers, today announced a strategic corporate agency tie-up with J&K Bank (Jammu & Kashmir Bank), a Scheduled Commercial Bank and one of the oldest private sector banks in India.
"Now, customers can walk into any of J&K Bank's 1,000-plus branches across the region and access SBI Life's full range of life insurance solutions, from protection and savings plans to retirement and child plans, tailored to suit their evolving financial needs and life stage," an official handout reads.
For many households in the region, this means trusted financial protection is now available at the same branch they already bank with.
The corporate agency agreement was signed by Budhaditya Banerjee Regional Manager- Institutional Alliances, Chandigarh Region and Masood Ahmad Lankar, DGM Cross Selling, J&K Bank in the presence of Santosh Chacko, President – Business Strategy, SBI Life Insurance, Anita Nehru , GM DAC & Cross Selling, J&K Bank.
At a time when financial security and long-term planning are becoming increasingly critical for households across India, this alliance combines SBI Life's expertise with J&K Bank's deep roots and relationships across the region, to make life insurance simpler to understand, easier to access, and more relevant to everyday financial planning, helping families plan with greater confidence for whatever lies ahead.
The partnership advances financial inclusion in line with the IRDAI’s vision of 'Insurance for All by 2047', extending long-term financial security to communities that have historically had limited access to it.
Speaking on the partnership, Amit Jhingran, MD & CEO, SBI Life Insurance, said, “At SBI Life, our purpose is rooted in helping individuals and families build financial resilience and approach the future with greater confidence."
He said their partnership with J&K Bank reflects a shared commitment to deepening insurance awareness and strengthening the culture of financial protection for households across the nation.
"Life insurance plays a critical role in ensuring financial continuity and safeguarding family aspirations," he said.
He added this collaboration will further reinforce its importance in everyday financial planning.
"We are proud to support the national vision of ‘Insurance for All by 2047’ and contribute meaningfully to building a financially secure society," he said.
Commenting on the collaboration, MD & CEO, J&K Bank Amitava Chatterjee said, "Guided by our philosophy of 'socially empowering banking', we remain committed to catalyzing economic and social transformation across the communities we serve. The addition of SBI Life to our portfolio of insurance partners enhances our ability to offer customers a wider range of competitive, need-based life insurance solutions, enabling them to choose products best suited to their unique financial needs.
He further added that by bringing together the strengths of two trusted institutions, this collaboration further reinforces our customer-centric approach and enhances our ability to deliver greater value through the Bank's extensive network across the country.
"It also builds upon the enduring trust that J&K Bank has nurtured over decades, beginning in its core geographies of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh and extending across its operational footprint nationwide," he added.
Commenting on the tie-up, Santosh Chacko, President – Business Strategy, SBI Life Insurance, said insurance is fundamentally about building financial dignity and ensuring that families remain protected through life’s uncertainties.
"Through this partnership, we want life insurance to be seen not merely as a product, but as an essential pillar of responsible financial well-being, which aligns with our philosophy of ‘Apne Liye, Apno Ke Liye’, where securing one’s future goes hand in hand with protecting the aspirations of loved ones," he said.
Through this association, SBI Life Insurance and J&K Bank aim to enhance insurance penetration across Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, promote financial literacy and awareness, and help more households across the region feel prepared and protected for the future.
New Delhi, May 12: A massive protest organised by the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) broke out near the Shastri Bhawan on Tuesday, against the alleged paper leak in NEET-UG this year. The exam was held on May 3, following which allegations of paper leak surfaced, triggering investigations by the Rajasthan Special Operations Group (SOG) and central agencies. Earlier, the National Testing Agency (NTA) announced the cancellation of NEET-UG 2026, and said the examination will be re-conducted on dates to be notified separately. In a statement, the NTA said the decision was taken with the approval of the Government of India in the interest of maintaining transparency and preserving trust in the national examination system.
Srinagar, Feb 12: Jammu and Kashmir recorded over 15.48 lakh traffic violation cases in 2025, with authorities collecting more than Rs 34.17 crore as penalty under the Motor Vehicles Act, the Centre informed Parliament on Thursday. The information was shared in the Lok Sabha in response to a question raised by MP Janardan Singh Sigriwal. According to the official data, 15,48,525 challans were issued across the Union Territory in 2025, while the penalty amount recovered stood at Rs 34,17,36,740. The figures further show that in 2024, a total of 15,44,105 violations were registered with a penalty collection of around Rs 43.40 crore, while in 2023, 12,38,584 challans were issued and Rs 34.56 crore was collected. For the current year, till February 8, 2026, Jammu and Kashmir has recorded 1,63,531 traffic violation cases, with revenue collection of about Rs 2.11 crore. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways stated that stricter penalties under the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 are aimed at ensuring better compliance and deterrence. It also said that traffic enforcement falls under the jurisdiction of States and Union Territories. The government has issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for electronic monitoring and is promoting technology-driven enforcement through Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras integrated with the VAHAN database. Awareness campaigns under the Sadak Suraksha Abhiyan are also being carried out to improve road safety.
New Delhi, Jan 25: The Dental Council of India (DCI) has directed all universities and dental colleges across the country to strictly ensure a minimum of 80 percent biometric attendance for Post Graduate students before allowing them to appear in examinations. The decision has been taken to curb absenteeism among postgraduate dental students. According to a circular issued by the Dental Council of India-a statutory body under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, the decision has been taken after multiple complaints were received from dental colleges in Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh regarding non-attendance of PG students. "The matter was examined by the Grievance Sub-Committee of the DCI in its meeting held on November 24, 2025," the circular reads. It reads that after detailed discussion and deliberation, the committee recommended that all universities and dental colleges must ensure compliance with Regulation 18(a)(i) of the DCI Master of Dental Surgery Course Regulations, 2017, which mandates at least 80 per cent attendance. "The recommendation of the Grievance Sub-Committee has been approved by the Executive Committee of the Dental Council of India through circulation and has now been formally communicated for information and necessary action," the circular reads. As per the circular, all the universities and dental colleges have been directed to ensure minimum 80 per cent biometric attendance of all PG students before permitting them to appear in examinations. The order, issued by Deputy Secretary Dental Council of India Mukesh Kumar, is expected to be implemented with immediate effect across the country.
Srinagar, Jan 8: Contractual faculty members working in government degree colleges of Jammu and Kashmir Higher Education Department (HED) have expressed strong resentment over what they term as a glaring disparity in salaries, demanding revision of their pay in line with University Grants Commission (UGC) norms and regularisation of their services. The faculty, many of whom hold PhDs and are qualified through NET, SET and JRF, said they have been denied UGC-recommended pay scales despite discharging academic responsibilities equivalent to their regular counterparts. “Hundreds of highly qualified scholars have been pushed into silent suffering. For years, we have been assured that our pay revision is under consideration, but nothing has materialised so far,” said Dr Ishfaq Gowhar, a contractual faculty member. Earlier, Director Colleges J&K had acknowledged the legitimacy of the faculty’s demand, stating that while the issue was genuine, its implementation involved significant financial implications due to the large number of contractual appointments. “We are aware that they deserve salary enhancement, but the number of contractual faculty is huge and it has financial implications,” he earlier said. Dr Gowhar pointed out that contractual lecturers, who form the backbone of the higher education system, continue to work on a fixed monthly honorarium of Rs 28,000, which has remained unchanged for nearly a decade. “The irony is that a Class IV employee with a Class 10 qualification draws a salary exceeding Rs 50,000, while doctorate-holding teachers engaged in teaching, mentoring and academic research are paid a fraction of that,” he said. He added that institutions such as SKUAST-K, University of Kashmir and Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) have implemented revised UGC pay scales, but the Higher Education Department has failed to extend similar treatment to its contractual faculty. Dr Gowhar said the demand for “equal work, equal pay” gets prominently featured in election campaigns, raising hopes among contractual teachers. “Promises were made and slogans echoed during elections, but once the process ended, our voices were reduced to silence. Even meeting officials now feels impossible,” he said. He said contractual faculty were not seeking privileges but dignity, fairness and recognition for their service. The faculty appealed to the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the Education Minister to intervene and take concrete steps towards addressing their long-pending demands. “This issue is not merely about salaries. It is about survival, justice and dignity in the classrooms of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
Srinagar, March 6: Around 17 candidates from Jammu and Kashmir have qualified the Civil Services Examination (CSE)-2025, the result for which was declared by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Friday. The commission recommended a total of 958 candidates for appointment to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and various central services. Anuj Agnihotri, an MBBS graduate, has topped the civil services examination 2025, while Rajeshwari Suve M and Akansh Dhull have got the second and third ranks respectively. According to the official list released by the UPSC the 17 candidates from J&K who have figured in the final merit list include Suvan Sharma (Rank 148), Sugandha Gupta (207), Towseef Ganie (Rank 254), Ritika (Rank 456), Sooyash Shivam (Rank 572), Muneeb Parrah (Rank 581), Ghulam Din (Rank 683), Dwarka Gaadhi (Rank 721), Akash (Rank 747), Koh E Safa (Rank 763), Yasaar (Rank 811), Abhishek (Rank 820), Pankaj (Rank 856), Mohammad Ajaz (Rank 869), Azhar (Rank 886), Sarfraz (Rank 936), and Irfan (Rank 957). The results were declared after conducting the written examination in August 2025 followed by the personality tests (interviews) conducted between December 2025 and February 2026. As per the result notification issue by the UPSC, a total of 958 candidates have been recommended for appointment against 1087 vacancies reported by the government for the examination cycle. These include 180 vacancies in the IAS, 55 in the IFS, 150 in the IPS, 507 in Central Services Group A and 195 in Group B services. Of the total recommended candidates, 317 are from the general category, 104 from the economically weaker sections, 306 from other backward classes, 158 from scheduled castes and 73 from scheduled tribes. A consolidated reserve list of 258 candidates has also been published in accordance with the rules. The claims of recommended candidates regarding reservation categories will be subject to verification by the concerned authorities. The UPSC has stated that the candidature of 348 recommended candidates has been kept provisional, while the result of the two candidates has been kept withheld. The CSE is conducted annually in three stages- preliminary, Mains and interview by the UPSC to select officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) among others. The civil services (preliminary) examination 2025 was conducted on May 25 of 2025. A total of 937876 candidates applied for this examination, out of which 5,76,793 actually appeared in the test. A total of 14,161 candidates qualified for appearance in the written (Main) examination which was held in August, 2025. Of these, 2736 candidates had qualified for the personality test (interview) of the examination. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the candidates who qualified the UPSC exam. "Congratulations to all those who have successfully cleared the Civil Services Examination, 2025. Their dedication, perseverance and hard work have led to this significant milestone. Wishing them the very best as they embark on a journey of serving the nation and fulfilling the aspirations of the people," PM Modi wrote on his official X handle. "To those who may not have secured the desired outcome in the Civil Services Examination, I understand that such moments can be difficult. However, this is only one step in a larger journey. Many opportunities lie ahead, both in future examinations and in the many avenues through which you can contribute to our nation. My best wishes for the road ahead," his post on X reads. UPSC chairman Ajay Kumar announced the declaration of the result and congratulated the candidates who qualified the exam. "Congrats to all successful candidates as you begin a career of service to the nation. For those who did not make it-the learning from this journey will guide you in the paths ahead," UPSC Chairman wrote in a post on X. Among the 17 candidates from J&K who qualified UPSC exam inlcude a visually impaired candidate Irfan Ahmad Lone, a resident of Manzpora in the Naidkhai area of Bandipora.
Srinagar, Sep 17: Awami Itihaad Party (AIP) Chief Spokesperson Inam Un Nabi on Thursday said that the continued delay in rationalising Jammu and Kashmir’s reservation policy was causing a growing loss of opportunities for Open Merit aspirants, who have already waited for nearly two years for a final decision. “Nearly two years of the Omar Abdullah government have passed and the third year is underway, yet Open Merit aspirants are still waiting for a resolution. For a young aspirant, every month matters. Every recruitment notification matters. A delay of even a few months can mean losing an opportunity because of age limits or recruitment cycles,” Inam Un Nabi said. Inam Un Nabi said the scale of the concern was evident from recent recruitment figures. Of 480 Medical Officer posts, only 192 were earmarked for Open Merit, while 288 went to various reserved categories. Similarly, out of 502 Constable (Telecommunication) posts, only 201 were allocated to Open Merit, with 301 under reserved categories. In another recruitment, just 2 of 10 Assistant Professor posts were available under Open Merit. Inam Un Nabi also pointed to the latest JKPSC figures, according to which 275 of 623 candidates recommended through written-examination-based recruitment in 2025-26 were from Open Merit, representing 44.14 per cent, compared with 286 of 407, or 70.27 per cent, in 2024-25. “Whatever one’s position on reservation may be, these numbers demonstrate why the government cannot keep the matter pending indefinitely. The government has itself taken up rationalisation, the Cabinet process has taken place, and the issue has also been discussed with the Union Government. Yet the final decision remains awaited,” he said. He stressed that delay itself was becoming a burden on young aspirants “Every month that passes means another batch of students is preparing, another recruitment cycle is moving ahead and another group of candidates is getting closer to the upper age limit. Their lost time and lost opportunities cannot be returned later. The government has to understand that a file pending for months is not just a file pending for a student. It can mean a lost career opportunity,” Inam Un Nabi said. Inam Un Nabi urged the government to place the final reservation rationalisation proposal in the public domain and provide a clear timeline for its implementation. “Open Merit aspirants have waited long enough. The government must now give them clarity. The issue needs a transparent, time-bound and balanced resolution rather than another round of assurances,” the AIP spokesperson said.
Jammu, Aug 13: In a major relief for pilgrims and passengers travelling from western India, the Railway Board has approved the extension of the Sabarmati–Jammu Tawi Express up to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra. The extended service will run via Jammu and halt at Shaheed Captain Tushar Mahajan railway station in Udhampur before terminating at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi railway station, Katra. The move is expected to significantly ease the journey of thousands of passengers from Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab and other parts of western India who currently have to disembark at Jammu Tawi and arrange separate road transport to reach Katra. With the extension, passengers will be able to travel directly to Katra without changing trains or making separate arrangements for the final leg of their journey. The move is expected to cut travel time, reduce additional expenditure and make the pilgrimage to the Vaishno Devi shrine more convenient. The Jammu division of Northern Railway said the decision would provide a major boost to rail connectivity to the shrine and further facilitate religious tourism in the region. The commencement date of the extended service will be announced separately after finalisation of operational arrangements. Railway authorities have advised passengers to check the IRCTC website, mobile application and station enquiry counters for reservation details and the latest status of the service. The extension comes as a significant step towards strengthening direct rail connectivity to Katra and easing the growing movement of pilgrims to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine.
Baramulla, Aug 3: Minister for social welfare department, Sakina Itoo Monday said the government has prepared a cabinet memorandum to provide compassionate appointments to the relatives of Anganwadi workers and helpers who die while in service. Addressing an awareness programme in Baramulla, Sakina Itoo said the proposal seeks to ensure that a family member of a deceased Anganwadi worker or helper is given priority for appointment without the need for a fresh advertisement. She said the cabinet memo is ready and will be taken up for further approval. The minister acknowledged that Anganwadi workers and helpers continue to receive a low honorarium, but said successive National Conference governments have taken steps to improve their welfare. She said the honorarium was enhanced during the government led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah between 2008 and 2014, and that the present government is committed to ensuring they receive a better share and that Anganwadi centres receive greater budgetary support. She praised the contribution of Anganwadi workers and said they have continued to serve people even during difficult times and deserve recognition for their role in implementing welfare schemes at the grassroots level. She also said the government is examining issues related to the service conditions of Anganwadi workers. Referring to changes made after 2019, the minister said the earlier system was altered by introducing a retirement age, a decision she termed incorrect, adding that the government is working to address the matter. (KNO)
