Category: India

New Delhi: The Union Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, announced on Tuesday that school textbooks from the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) will be cheaper next year. Right now, NCERT prints 5 crore (50 million) textbooks each year, but they plan to increase that number to 15 crore (150 million) from next year.

The new textbooks, following an updated curriculum, will be ready for students in classes 9 to 12 by the 2026-27 school year. Next year, NCERT will publish 15 crore affordable and quality books.

There have been some worries about not having enough textbooks in the past, but this will be fixed with the larger printing numbers, Pradhan said. He promised that since more textbooks will be printed, prices for some classes will go down. Importantly, there will be no price increases for any class, so parents will not feel any extra financial pressure.

The minister also shared that the updates to textbooks are based on the new National Curriculum Framework (NCF), and this work is currently ongoing. The new books for classes 9-12 will be ready by 2026-27, making learning easier and more affordable.

Union Health Minister JP Nadda criticized the opposition, especially the Congress party, during a discussion marking the 75th anniversary of the Indian Constitution. He used the now-abolished Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir to show how past Congress governments tried to change the Constitution. Nadda praised the current Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government for fully integrating Jammu and Kashmir with India.

He explained that Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru allowed Article 370 despite concerns from law minister B.R. Ambedkar. Nehru also imposed Article 35(A) through a presidential order without following proper parliamentary procedures. Nadda highlighted that Sardar Patel united most princely states into India, while Nehru was responsible for Jammu and Kashmir. He stated that Ambedkar believed Article 370 was harmful to India, but Nehru pushed it through.

Nadda pointed out that the Jana Sangh party, which is the precursor to the BJP, opposed having two separate laws and governments in India when Article 370 was in place. He mentioned the sacrifices made by leaders like Syama Prasad Mookerjee for this cause, emphasizing the BJP as the “good lot” in contrast to the “bad lot” of previous governments.

He accused Congress of keeping central laws out of Jammu and Kashmir, denying benefits like reservations and voting rights for refugees from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Nadda also criticized Congress for the Emergency declared in 1975, saying it was meant to protect Indira Gandhi’s position rather than the country.

Nadda urged Congress to recognize the 50th anniversary of the Emergency in 2025 by joining the “Anti-Democracy Day” to reflect on past wrongs. He discussed how the Congress added terms like “secular” and “socialist” to the Constitution for political gain, arguing that they were not needed. He emphasized that many governments were unfairly removed using Article 356 under Congress rule.

He questioned why practices like triple talaq were not banned when many Islamic nations had done so. Nadda spoke about the original Constitution’s symbols, including the lotus, representing resilience and strength in democracy.

Nadda also highlighted Nehru’s failures in managing national security and international relations, especially during the 1962 India-China war. He recalled how India lost significant territory due to diplomatic mistakes.

In conclusion, Nadda remarked that the Constitution creators understood India wasn’t just becoming a nation; it was already established, rooted in its rich culture and history.

On December 16, which is known as Vijay Diwas in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a social media post that upset some people in Bangladesh. This day celebrates the contributions of Indian soldiers in helping Bangladesh gain independence in 1971.

Bangladesh’s law advisor, Asif Nazrul, disagreed with Modi’s post. He pointed out that December 16 is actually Bangladesh’s Victory Day. Nazrul stated on Facebook that while India supported Bangladesh during the war, it was ultimately Bangladesh’s victory. He said, “I strongly protest. December 16, 1971, was the Victory Day of Bangladesh. India was an ally of this victory, nothing more.”

In his post, Modi honored the bravery of the soldiers, saying, “Today, on Vijay Diwas, we honor the courage and sacrifices of the brave soldiers who contributed to India’s historic victory in 1971.” He praised their dedication, saying their actions brought honor to India and will inspire future generations.

The Allahabad High Court has granted anticipatory bail to Sushil Singhania, the uncle of a woman involved in the suicide case of a tech worker from Bengaluru. Justice Ashutosh Srivastava listened to the arguments from Singhania’s lawyer, Manish Tiwary, who said that Singhania is facing unfair media attention.

The tech worker, Subhash, was found dead in his apartment in Bengaluru on December 9. He had left behind a long 24-page suicide note and a 90-minute video explaining his struggles. In these, he accused his estranged wife and her family of harassing him, especially regarding money. He mentioned that his wife asked for ₹2 lakh every month for their child, which had increased from an initial demand of ₹1 crore.

So far, the police have arrested Subhash’s wife, mother-in-law, and brother-in-law for allegedly contributing to his suicide. They were taken into custody from different locations and have been sent to jail for 14 days.

While discussing the bail, the court decided that Singhania, who is elderly and not in good health, should be allowed to avoid arrest for now. He has to follow some rules, like cooperating with the police when needed and not leaving India without court permission.

Delhi is facing a serious air pollution problem. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has decided to bring back strict rules, called Stage-IV measures, because the city’s air quality has dropped to a dangerous level.

On Monday night, the Air Quality Index (AQI) reached over 400, which means the air is very unhealthy. The CAQM quickly held an emergency meeting to discuss this issue. They announced that the new rules will start right away.

To protect students, the Delhi Directorate of Education (DoE) has told all schools to switch to a hybrid learning model, which means students up to Class V will learn partly online and partly in school. This rule applies to all government and private schools.

What does Stage-IV mean for Delhi?
Stage-IV is the highest alert level for air quality. Here’s what it means:

1. Vehicle Rules: Non-essential trucks can’t enter Delhi unless they are carrying important goods. Trucks that run on cleaner fuels, like LNG, CNG, or are electric, are allowed.

2. School Changes: Most schools will have online classes except for students in Classes 10 and 12. The Chief Minister confirmed that this will last for as long as needed.

3. Work-from-Home: Government and private offices may allow employees to work from home to limit their exposure to bad air.

4. Construction Ban: No construction work is allowed, even on roads and power projects, to prevent adding more dust into the air.

5. Health Warnings: People, especially kids and seniors, should stay inside and avoid going out if possible. The CAQM is asking everyone to help reduce pollution.

Wider Impact on the NCR Region
These measures are also being applied in nearby areas including parts of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan. The air quality in these regions has also been very poor, especially in winter when there’s little wind.

Medical experts warn that bad air can lead to health problems like breathing issues and heart disease. So, the government is asking everyone to be careful and stay indoors when possible.

What’s Next?
The goal of these Stage-IV measures is to quickly lower pollution levels and improve air quality. However, weather conditions may not improve soon, possibly lengthening the pollution problem.

The CAQM is trying to manage the air quality as best as they can, but they admit that growing vehicle emissions, industrial pollution, and burning crops in nearby states make it hard.

As the pollution crisis unfolds, the government is ready to take more actions if needed, like more limits on businesses or vehicle restrictions. Delhi residents should keep an eye on any new rules and follow health advice during this urgent time.

In a big move to change farming in Mizoram, Chief Minister Lalduhoma recently started the Mizoram Chief Minister’s Rubber Mission in Aizawl. He talked about how farmers in Mizoram have struggled with different crops in the past, which made them lose trust in government help. He believes rubber is a great crop that many people want, and it can help farmers earn steady money while also being good for the environment.

The Chief Minister promised that this mission is well thought out and will use Mizoram’s land in smart ways. The goal is to make the state a center for rubber production. Before launching the mission, important officials studied rubber farming in other states like Tripura and Kerala and learned from the Rubber Board of India to make sure the project goes smoothly.

Lalthansanga, the Minister for Land Resources, praised the Chief Minister’s vision. He shared that the idea for this mission came after talking to Dr. Sawar Dhanania, the head of the Rubber Board of India. He also confirmed that the team is ready to make this mission work and help farmers.

The Rubber Mission will begin in the financial year 2025-26, with plans to farm on 1,000 hectares of land each year, helping 1,000 farmers annually. Over the next four years, the mission aims to develop 4,000 hectares of land. At the launch event, Pankaja Borah, the General Manager of NABARD’s Mizoram office, provided a check of Rs 27.98 crore for the mission’s first phase, which will involve seven districts in Mizoram

During a recent meeting between India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lanka’s President Dissanayake, there was no talk about the Adani Group’s role in the Colombo Port project in Sri Lanka. India’s Foreign Secretary, Vikram Misri, confirmed this in a press conference on Monday. He stated that the topic of Adani was not mentioned at all during their discussions. This highlights that the focus of their talks was on other important issues in their relationship.