New Delhi, Aug 11: India on Tuesday said the state of its border with China will reflect on the state of the "larger bilateral ties" and that maintenance of peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) is of "utmost importance".
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also rejected China's criticism of New Delhi identifying 27 places and features in Arunachal Pradesh by their standard names, and asserted that the state is an "inalienable and integral" part of India and nothing can change this "indisputable reality."
"In matters relating to the border areas between India and China, we have always emphasised in discussions with the Chinese side that we consider these issues as most serious," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at a regular media briefing.
"The maintenance of peace and tranquillity in these areas is of the utmost importance. We have also stated that the state of the border affairs will reflect on the state of our larger bilateral ties," he said.
Jaiswal said this was reiterated at meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China border affairs ( WMCC) held last week.
"At this meeting, the two sides engaged in frank discussions and reviewed the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC)," he said.
Jaiswal said the Indian side again underlined that maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas is essential for the overall development of bilateral relations.
"It was agreed to continue to use existing diplomatic and military channels, including the WMCC, local commander-level meetings and other agreed mechanisms, to resolve outstanding issues and avoid misunderstanding and miscalculation along the LAC," he said.
India and China rolled out a series of measures in the last over one year to rebuild their relationship after it came under severe strain following the deadly Galwan Valley clashes in 2020 and the subsequent military face-off that lasted for over four years.
In October 2024, the two sides firmed up a disengagement pact for Depsang and Demchok, the last two friction points in eastern Ladakh.
Days after the agreement was finalised, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks in Kazan and took a number of decisions to improve the ties.
In August last year, Modi travelled to the Chinese city of Tianjin to attend the annual SCO summit. Modi and Xi held extensive talks on the sidelines of the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) summit.
In the meeting, Modi said India is committed to taking forward its ties with China based on mutual trust, respect and sensitivity.
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.
New Delhi, Aug 11: India on Tuesday said the state of its border with China will reflect on the state of the "larger bilateral ties" and that maintenance of peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) is of "utmost importance". The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also rejected China's criticism of New Delhi identifying 27 places and features in Arunachal Pradesh by their standard names, and asserted that the state is an "inalienable and integral" part of India and nothing can change this "indisputable reality." "In matters relating to the border areas between India and China, we have always emphasised in discussions with the Chinese side that we consider these issues as most serious," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at a regular media briefing. "The maintenance of peace and tranquillity in these areas is of the utmost importance. We have also stated that the state of the border affairs will reflect on the state of our larger bilateral ties," he said. Jaiswal said this was reiterated at meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China border affairs ( WMCC) held last week. "At this meeting, the two sides engaged in frank discussions and reviewed the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC)," he said. Jaiswal said the Indian side again underlined that maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas is essential for the overall development of bilateral relations. "It was agreed to continue to use existing diplomatic and military channels, including the WMCC, local commander-level meetings and other agreed mechanisms, to resolve outstanding issues and avoid misunderstanding and miscalculation along the LAC," he said. India and China rolled out a series of measures in the last over one year to rebuild their relationship after it came under severe strain following the deadly Galwan Valley clashes in 2020 and the subsequent military face-off that lasted for over four years. In October 2024, the two sides firmed up a disengagement pact for Depsang and Demchok, the last two friction points in eastern Ladakh. Days after the agreement was finalised, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks in Kazan and took a number of decisions to improve the ties. In August last year, Modi travelled to the Chinese city of Tianjin to attend the annual SCO summit. Modi and Xi held extensive talks on the sidelines of the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) summit. In the meeting, Modi said India is committed to taking forward its ties with China based on mutual trust, respect and sensitivity.
Jerusalem, Mar 10: New footage shows what an expert investigative group says is likely an American Tomahawk missile hitting a compound in southern Iran, metres from the school where a deadly unclaimed blast killed over 165 people at the start of the war raging in the Mideast. It comes as mounting evidence points to US culpability for the February 28 strike, which hit a school adjacent to a Revolutionary Guard base in Minab, Iran, in the country's southern Hormozgan Province. Experts interviewed by The Associated Press, citing satellite image analysis, say the school was probably struck amid a quick succession of bombs dropped on the compound. A US official familiar with internal deliberations on the matter has told the AP that the strike was likely American. The official spoke anonymously because they were not authorised to comment publicly on the sensitive matter. The new footage, first analysed by the investigative group Bellingcat, was taken the day the school was struck but circulated on Sunday by Iran's semiofficial Mehr news agency. It shows a missile hitting a building, sending a dark plume of smoke into the air. The AP was able to geolocate the video and determine it was taken from a site adjacent to the school, while smoke was already rising from the school vicinity. Satellite imagery of the compound is consistent with visual identifiers found in the video, including a flat-roofed building, power lines and vehicles. Trevor Ball, a Bellingcat researcher, identified the munition as a Tomahawk cruise missile -- which only the US is known to possess in this war. It is the first evidence of a munition used in the strike. US Central Command has acknowledged using Tomahawk missiles in this war and even released a photo of the USS Spruance, part of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier group located within range of the school, firing a Tomahawk missile on February 28. Bellingcat said the footage "appears to contradict" US President Donald Trump's claim over the weekend that Iran was responsible for the deadly school blast. When asked about the strike at a press conference on Monday, Trump claimed that Iran has access to the Tomahawk cruise missile, which is made by American defence contractor Raytheon. While the company sells the missile to allied countries like Japan and Australia, there is no evidence to suggest that Iran has acquired it. Trump argued that the cruise missile is "sold and used by other countries" and that Iran "also has some Tomahawks". "Whether it is Iran or somebody else ... a Tomahawk is very generic," he said. When asked why he was the only person in his administration making the claim, Trump said, "Because I just do not know enough about it." He added that "whatever the report shows, I am willing to live with that report". On Saturday, Trump also was asked by a reporter whether the US was responsible for the blast. Without providing evidence, he responded, "No, in my opinion, based on what I have seen, that was done by Iran." Trump added that Iran is "very inaccurate" with its munitions. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth quickly chimed in to say the US was investigating. Neither the US military's Central Command nor the Israeli military immediately replied to requests for comment on Monday. Several other factors point to a US strike. One is the launching of an assessment of the incident by the US military. According to the Pentagon's instructions on processes for mitigating civilian harm, an assessment is launched after a group of investigators makes an initial determination that the US military may bear culpability. Another is the location of the school -- next to the Revolutionary Guard base and close to barracks for a naval unit. The US military has focussed on naval targets and acknowledged strikes in the province, including one in the vicinity of the school. Israel, which has denied conducting the strike, has focussed on areas of Iran closer to Israel and has not reported any strikes south of Isfahan, 800 kilometres (500 miles) away. Complicating any assessment of the incident is the lack of images of bomb fragments from the blast. No independent agency has reached the site during the war to investigate. Janina Dill, an expert on international law at Oxford University, wrote on X that even if the strike was a misidentification -- and the attacker believed that the school had been a part of the neighbouring IRGC base -- it would still be "a very serious violation of international law". "Attackers are under an obligation to do everything feasible to verify the status of targeted object," she wrote. The Trump administration, however, strikes a different tone on international humanitarian law. Speaking about the US operation at a press conference on March 2, Hegseth said: "America, regardless of what so-called international institutions say, is unleashing the most lethal and precise air-power campaign in history." "No stupid rules of engagement," he said. "No politically correct wars. We fight to win, and we do not waste time or lives." (PTI)
New Delhi, Mar 7: Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar on Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi could not be briefed on Israel's strikes against Iran during his recent visit to the country as the decision on the military action was made after he had concluded the trip. Modi undertook a two-day visit to Israel, which concluded on February 26. Two days later, Israel and the US launched a joint military offensive against Iran that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Sa'ar, participating virtually in the Raisina Dialogue, said Israel has "great relations" with Modi and India that have deepened over the years. "But we could not brief Prime Minister Modi on this because the decision was taken only on Saturday early morning," he said. The decision to launch the attack was taken as the negotiations between the US and Iran collapsed, he indicated. Israel's military action against Iran is aimed at removing "existential threats" emanating from Iran, he said. Sa'ar said Iran is continuing its nuclear programme, developing ballistic missiles and backing Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis. "Probably we will have to see a change in the regime in Iran," he said. (PTI)
