MPSC exam paper leaks: CJP to join protesters demanding resignation of key officials
The agitation seeking the resignation of the MPSC chairman and secretary would be taken forward, and a statewide tour would be undertaken to interact with MPSC aspirants if the demand was not met by September 24, the CJP said in a release
Meghan Markle posts family life video after returning to Britain
More than 30 missing from ferry that sank in Vanuatu
This loss appears to be the result of strong winds and marine warnings not being heeded, and possibly of negligence, including overloading of the vessel, says Prime Minister's office
'99 Quna Festival' Wraps Up as Qunabox's Physical AI Entertainment Debut Draws Crowds, Giving Its Second Growth Curve Early Market Validation
Trump says he will consider releasing 9/11 records after families request
Several families have long alleged that a group of extremist religious leaders in Saudi Arabia gained influence in the Saudi government and aided the hijackers
Here is a select list of stories to start the day
Saudi Civil Defence lifts warnings of potential danger in four cities
Saudi Civil Defence had issued the alerts for the cities of Najran, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Abha
In Delhis Atal Canteens, food to fill a stomach
For thousands of people, Atal Canteens have become a daily stop for a meal that costs5. In December 2025, the Delhi government started the first canteens. They are now at 100 locations across the city, providing close to 50,000 meals every day.Nikhil M. Babu reports on howthese spaces attract people from different walks of life, even as some complain about the quality of the food served
Babulal Marandi He also urged the Chief Minister not to force students and the unemployed to take to the streets again; called for an immediate recommendation for a CBI inquiry
Mumbai on orange alert with moderate rain likely on Sept. 14
Thane, Palghar and other districts faced warnings for heavy rain; rainfall intensity is expected to ease thereafter across the State, with light to moderate rain on September 15 and 16
Trump says lifting U.S. tariff on Irish whiskey as 'everybody's been bugging' him about it
Irish whiskey currently faces the standard tariff imposed by the U.S. President on most imports from the European Union, which was reduced from 15% to 10% in July
Trump calls on Ukraine to halt strikes on Russian diesel fuel, says attacks causing shortage
Ukraine has for months been targeting Russia's oil and gas industry with long-range strikes, prompting fuel rationing across the country and causing Moscow to ban diesel exports in July
Man killed by falling boulders near Cheerbasa Helipad as Kedarnath Yatra suspended temporarily
Officials said travellers heading to Kedarnath have been advised to halt at Sonprayag and Gaurikund, while those returning have been told to stop at Jangalchatti
World Athletics stance on Russia ban unchanged: Sebastian Coe
The global body for track and field announced in July it was keeping in place a ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes that was imposed in March 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine
Fighting in Yemen intensifies, Houthis launch more attacks on Saudi Arabia
As Yemen risks descending into another civil war, the United Nations estimated that more than 80,000 people in the impoverished country have been displaced by the fighting since the start of September
JKPSC gets 2.69 lakh applications, selects 3,594 in 4 yrs
Srinagar, Sep 13: Amid an unemployment rate of 6.7 per cent in the Union Territory, the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC)hasreceived nearly 2.69 lakh applications for various advertised postsduring the four-year period from 2022-23 to 2025-26 and recommended3,594 candidates for appointment. According to figures contained in JKPSCs annual reports 2025-26, a sharp increase in the number of aspirants applying for government jobs has been recorded through the Commission, with applications reaching a four-year high of 94,546 in 2025-26. In 2022-23, JKPSC received 37,880 applications and recommended 763 candidates. The number of applications almost doubled the following year, reaching 74,465 in 2023-24, when 958 candidates were recommended. Applications declined to 62,208 in 2024-25, while the number of candidates recommended also fell to 721, the lowest figure of the four-year period. The trend changed significantly in 2025-26, when applications surged to 94,546, an increase of more than 32,000 applications over the previous year and nearly 2.5 times the 2022-23 figure. During the year, the Commission recommended 1,152 candidates, the highest annual selection figure during the four-year period. The four-year figures indicate that the Commission received 269,099 applications in total and recommended 3,594 candidates. This means that, in simple numerical terms, there were roughly 75 applications for every candidate recommended over the four-year period. However, this ratio should not be treated as a selection rate because candidates can apply for multiple recruitment processes and the application and selection figures relate to different stages and recruitment exercises. The annual trend is particularly notable in 2025-26, when the number of applications rose by around 52 per cent over 2024-25, while recommendations increased by nearly 60 per cent. The data further shows that 2023-24 witnessed the second-highest number of applications at 74,465, while 2025-26 surpassed it by more than 20,000 applications. Of the 94,546 applications received in 2025-26, 88,185 were for recruitment involving written examination and interview, while 6,361 were for recruitment through written examination alone. The Commission's recommendations that year comprised 529 candidates through the written examination-and-interview route and 623 through written examination alone. In 2022-23, the corresponding recommendation figures were 316 and 447; in 2023-24, 850 and 108; and in 2024-25, 314 and 407. The sharp rise in applications comes amid intense competition for government employment in J&K. The central takeaway from the four-year data is clear: applications have risen dramatically from 37,880 to 94,546 while annual recommendations increased from 763 to 1,152. The widening gap between the number of aspirants and the relatively limited number of posts underscores the intense competition for JKPSC recruitments.
India can be bridge for peace: Mirwaiz to Iranian FM
New Delhi, Sep 13: Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr Moulvi Mohammad Umar Farooq on Sunday said India, with its legacy of Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy of Ahimsa, could play a constructive role in encouraging restraint, diplomacy and peaceful engagement at a time of growing international tensions. The grave challenges facing our world cannot be settled through ever-widening wars. Confrontation will only aggravate them. Human dignity has no sect or nationality, and every innocent life is precious. We must remain on the right side of history on the side of justice, humanity and peace, he said. Mirwaizmade these remarks after meeting Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, along with Aga Syed Hassan and Molvi Imran Raza Ansari. During the interaction, the delegation exchanged views on the grave situation confronting the region, the need for restraint and diplomacy, and the importance of safeguarding unity within the Muslim Ummah. The delegation conveyed solidarity with the people of Iran and expressed deep concern over the loss of innocent lives, destruction of homes and infrastructure, and the climate of fear and insecurity created by war. They also referred to the continuing devastation in Palestine and the loss of life and instability in Lebanon, saying the widening cycle of conflict had created an extremely serious situation across the region. Mirwaiz said that at such a critical moment, wisdom, restraint and statesmanship were needed more than ever.War only multiplies human suffering. However big the differences may be, endless confrontation cannot resolve them. Ultimately, even the most difficult disputes have to return to dialogue, engagement and negotiation, he said. He said the present conflicts must notbe allowed todeepen sectarian divisions within the Muslim world. At a time when Muslims in many parts of the world are already facing Islamophobia, insecurity and uncertainty, political rivalries and sectarian differences should not be permitted to further weaken the Ummah, Mirwiaz said.Our differences must never overcome the larger bonds of faith, brotherhood and shared humanity. The suffering of people in Iran, Palestine, Lebanon and elsewhere should bring us closer in compassion and responsibility, not push us further apart. Mirwaizrecalled the historic association of Iranwith Srinagar's Jama Masjid, including the commemorative gathering held there followingthe passing of Imam Khomeiniin 1989. He also recalled Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's historic visit to Kashmir in the early years following the Iranian Revolution, whenheaddressed the Friday congregation at Jama Masjid in the presence of Mirwaiz Moulvi Mohammad Farooq, stressing the message of the Qur'an, brotherhood and Shia-Sunni unity. On the occasion, Mirwaiz presented Foreign Minister Araghchi with a specially crafted walnut-wood souvenir depicting the historic Jama Masjid Srinagar, symbolising the enduring cultural and spiritual bonds between the people of Kashmir and Iran. Referring to the wider regional and global situation, Mirwaiz said South Asia's own experience had demonstrated the heavy human cost of prolonged tensions and unresolved disputes and had reinforced the need for sustained engagement and dialogue. The delegation expressed hope that the present crisis would not widen further and that diplomacy, dialogue and reconciliation would prevail over confrontation.
Sgrs 147 million litres of untreated sewage enters Jhelum, Dal Lake daily
Srinagar, Sep 13: Kashmirs two iconic water bodiesJhelum and Dal Lakeare facing a growing sewagecrisis, with acrucial scientific studyestimatingthat nearly 147 million litres of Srinagars sewage remain untreatedevery dayand are discharged into the two water bodies collectively. The figure emerges from the study Assessment of Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Dal Lakes TrophicState,published in the journal Water. The researchers estimate that Srinagar generates around 201 million litres of sewage daily, of which nearly 73 per cent goes untreated into Dal Lake or the Jhelum. The 73 per cent works out to approximately 147 million litres a day, it reveals. The study, however, does not provide a separatebreak-upof the quantity entering the Jhelum and Dal Lake, meaning the figure represents the combined untreated discharge into the two water bodies. The findings assume significance as both water bodies are already under considerable ecological pressure. The trophic condition of Dal Lake between 2019 and 2023 showed a worrying deterioration in its ecological health, the study reads. By the end of the assessment period, the lake was classified as eutrophic, indicating increasing nutrient enrichment and pollution pressure. The researchers linked the deterioration to pollutant loads associated with human activity and untreated wastewater. Excessive nutrient input can trigger algal growth, reduce water quality and disturb the natural balance of aquatic ecosystems, the study notes. The Jhelum faces its own growing wastewater burden as it cuts through Srinagar. An action-taken report submittedbeforethe National Green Tribunal (NGT) records 10 outfalls discharging into the Jhelum, with domestic and household wastewater listed among the discharges. A Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) audithasfurther exposed the weakness of Srinagars drainage system, finding that the citydoes not haveseparate sewage and storm-water networks. In one striking instance cited by the audit, three dewatering stations discharged 7.47 crore litres between October 20 and 30, 2023, despite there being no rainfall during the period. The audit observed that the absence of rainfall indicated that the discharge was not simply stormwater and pointed towards household wastewater entering the drainage system. The Lal Mandi dewatering station alone discharged 4.39 crore litres during those 11 days, with the audit recording discharge into the Jhelum, the audit report said Climate expert Dr Touseef Bhat said pollution of the Jhelum and Dal Lake should be viewed as a wider ecological challenge, with untreated wastewater, urbanisation and changing climatic conditions collectively increasing pressure on Kashmirs fragile water systems. The problem has existed for decades, but the scale is now becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. As Srinagar expands, concrete surfaces have replaced open spaces, while sewerage and drainage infrastructure has struggled to keep pace with the volume of wastewater generated by the growing urban population, Bhat said. Earlier research by University of Kashmir scientists had documented numerous drains carrying urban waste into the Jhelum through Srinagar and recorded deterioration in several water-quality parameters along the river. The latest findings add urgency to the need for effective sewage interception and treatment. The government has undertaken several sewage-treatment and pollution-control projects to bridge the infrastructure gap. But experts say treatment plants alone cannot solve the problem unless households are connected to functional sewer networks and untreated drains and outfalls are intercepted. The challenge is therefore not merely about increasing treatment capacity. It is about ensuring that sewage never reaches the river or lake in the first place. The numbers provide a stark warning: Srinagar generates around 201 million litres of sewage every day, while roughly 147 million litres is estimated to remain untreated and enter Dal Lake and the Jhelum collectively.
Boat carrying migrants partially sinks in Greece, 25 missing
So far, 51 foreign nationals have been rescued by nearby vessels; there were 77 people on the boat, according to survivors
For Ganeshotsav, Mumbai Police deploy over 16,800 personnel
Additional personnel will be deployed on immersion days to manage crowds, traffic and law-and-order requirements
GMC Srinagar establishes disability support unit
Srinagar, Sep 13: Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar has constituted an Enabling Unit for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) to facilitate academic, clinical and other support for students with disabilities and promote an inclusive educational environment. The unit has been constituted with immediate effect through Order No. 85-RA(SS) of 2026, dated September 9, 2026, in pursuance of directions stated to have been issued by the National Medical Commission (NMC). Prof. (Dr.) Khurshid Ahmad Dar, Head of the Department of Chest Medicine, has been appointed Chairman/Coordinator of the unit. Prof. (Dr.) Imtiyaz Hussain Dar, Head of Orthopaedics; Prof. (Dr.) Showkat Ahmad Showkat, Head of ENT; Prof. (Dr.) Sajad Bashir Khanday, Professor of Ophthalmology; Dr. Nisar Ahmad Naikoo, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry; and Administrative Officer Nusrat Mubeen have been nominated as members, with Dr. Naikoo designated as SPOC. According to the order, the Enabling Unit will function as a single point of contact for students with benchmark disabilities. It will facilitate access to reasonable accommodation, academic and clinical support measures and barrier-free access within the institution. The unit will also receive and address requests related to disability-specific accommodations during the course of study, including clinical training and internship. The order further directs the unit to disseminate information about its availability, role and contact details to students at the time of admission and through the college website and notice boards. It will coordinate with the designated Disability Assessment Board, faculty, hospital administration and other competent authorities to ensure timely implementation of reasonable accommodation in accordance with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016, and NMC guidelines. The unit will also maintain records of requests received and accommodations provided while ensuring confidentiality and non-discrimination. GMC Srinagar has directed that the Enabling Unit remain functional, adequately publicised and readily accessible to students with benchmark disabilities, with the stated objective of promoting an inclusive educational environment consistent with the RPwD Act, 2016, and directions of the Supreme Court. In July this year, the NMC had directed all medical colleges and institutions under its jurisdiction to establish dedicated Enabling Units to ensure inclusive education and support for students with disabilities. The directive has been issued in compliance with the provisions of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016, particularly Sections 16 and 17, and follows the directions of the Supreme Court in the Om Rathore vs Director General of Health Services & Others case as well as its order dated July 21, 2026, in Anmol vs Union of India & Others.
Floating cinema revives Shammi Kapoors enduring bond with Kashmir
Srinagar, Sep 13: Decades after Shammi Kapoor made Kashmir an inseparable part of his cinematic image, his magic returned to the valley in a setting that could hardly be more fitting - the waters of Dal Lake, where the first International Film Festival of Jammu & Kashmir (IFFJK) transformed the world-famous lake into a floating cinema. The screening of Kashmir Ki Kali at the festival brought back memories of Kapoors enduring association with Kashmir, where he shot several of his popular films and immortalised the valleys mountains, lakes, snow and shikaras on the silver screen. From Junglee (1961) to Kashmir Ki Kali (1964) and others, Kapoors films helped establish Kashmir as one of Hindi cinemas most beloved shooting destinations. The J&K Film Policy itself recalls the actors iconic Yahoo image as part of the regions cinematic legacy. His connection with the valley went beyond filmmaking. Accounts of his visits describe Kapoor as a familiar and much-loved figure among locals, with shikara owners and shopkeepers remembering his presence during film shoots. Director Rahul Rawail has also recalled that locals would ask about Kapoor whenever film crews returned to Kashmir. In Kashmir Ki Kali, Kapoor and Sharmila Tagore turned Dal Lake and its shikaras into an enduring part of Hindi cinemas visual memory. The films songs, romance and Kashmir landscapes remain closely associated with the actor even decades after its release. Sharmila Tagore has recalled that the film was shot at several locations in Kashmir, including Nehru Park, where the song Deewana Hua Badal was filmed. Watching the same cinematic legacy unfold on a floating screen over Dal Lake gave the IFFJK screening a strong sense of nostalgia. We have seen Shammi Kapoors films since childhood, but watching Kashmir Ki Kali here, with the lake and mountains around us, was a completely different experience. It felt as if the old Kashmir of cinema had come alive again, said Tahir Ahmad, a theatre artist. For shikarawalas, the screening carried an even deeper connection, as their traditional boats have themselves been part of Kashmirs cinematic imagery for generations. We have heard many stories about Shammi Kapoor and the film shoots in Kashmir. Our shikaras have been part of films for many years. Seeing a film being shown on the lake itself was a very special experience for us, said Bashir Ahmad, a shikarawala. The floating cinema opened on the first day of the festival with the screening of Junglee, another iconic Shammi Kapoor film. While the film is strongly associated with Kashmir much of it was shot in Gulmarg the famous Yahoo song The festival later screened Yash Chopras Kabhi Kabhie (1976), further connecting the floating cinema with the long history of Hindi films and Kashmir. With families, tourists, film enthusiasts and curious onlookers gathering along the lakefront, the screenings turned Dal Lake into more than a backdrop. The waters, mountains, shikaras and city lights became part of the cinematic experience. For a valley that once attracted filmmakers in large numbers, the initiative also carries a larger significance. Kashmir was a favoured destination for Hindi cinema during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s helping shape its image as a film tourism destination. And on Dal Lake, where Shammi Kapoor once sang to Sharmila Tagore from a shikara, IFFJK has now brought that cinematic memory back to life, this time with the audience watching from the shores and the screen floating on the very waters that became part of Bollywood history.
Talks between Iran and Gulf countries in Oman postponed in the interests of consensus
The regional meeting to discuss possible agreements on the Strait of Hormuz was scheduled for September 14
Ladakh moves to revive shrinking Tso Kar Lake
Leh, Sep 13: The Ladakh Administration has stepped up efforts to restore the rapidly shrinking Tso Kar Lake in Changthang, with Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena taking the lead in an ambitious water-revival initiative aimed at bringing untapped glacier water to the iconic high-altitude lake. The initiative, which draws inspiration from Prime Minister Narendra Modis vision of balancing development with environmental conservation, seeks to channel around 320 million litres of glacier water every day into Tso Kar. The administration is diverting water from the Rupsho Kharnak glacier stream, located at an altitude of around 18,045 feet, towards Tso Kar, which lies nearly 11.5 kilometres away at about 15,000 feet. The stream currently carries substantial quantities of meltwater into the Sindhu River without being utilised. The project comes against the backdrop of a sharp decline in Tso Kars water spread. The lake, which once covered nearly 11,000 acres, has now reduced to around 3,200 acres, representing a shrinkage of almost 70 percent over the past decade. The retreat of the lake has raised concerns not only about water availability but also about the fragile ecosystem dependent on it. Tso Kar has historically served as an important habitat for migratory birds, including the black-necked crane. Local residents have also linked the shrinking lake to the loss of grazing grounds used by Pashmina goat herders. Under the current plan, the administration intends to utilise the natural gradient between the glacier stream and Tso Kar rather than undertaking extensive concrete construction. Water is being moved through an earthen channel towards a series of three natural depressions located along the route. The three depressions cover approximately 270 acres, 24 acres and 10 acres, respectively, and together can hold around 1,230 million litres of water. Check dams with RCC pipes will regulate the flow between the depressions before water is eventually released into Tso Kar. The first stage of the project is already showing results. Work on the earthen channel began on September 2, while water started reaching the first depression on September 9. Around 20 cusecs of water is currently being diverted, and nearly 20 percent of the first depression was filled within four days. The cascading arrangement is expected to provide an additional ecological benefit by allowing sediments to settle in the three intermediate water bodies before the water enters Tso Kar. The new freshwater wetlands could also provide additional habitat for migratory birds and potentially emerge as new tourism attractions along the Leh-Manali Highway. The initiative was conceived following LG Saxenas visit to Tso Kar on August 10, when local residents and the village head apprised him of the lakes dramatic decline and its impact on the surrounding ecology and livelihoods. A survey subsequently conducted by the Public Health Engineering Department proposed an 11-kilometre RCC channel. However, considering the sensitivity of the area, the administration opted for a simpler earthen-channel approach to minimise permanent construction and ecological disturbance.
Veterinary interns to meet Minister Dar
Srinagar, Sep 13: The ongoing strike by veterinary interns at SKUAST-Ks Shuhama campus entered its seventh day on Sunday, with the interns set to meet Agriculture Minister Javed Dar to press for an increase in their monthly stipend. President of the Veterinary Association, Saqlain Rashid, said that a delegation of the interns will meet the Agriculture Minister today after he asked them to meet him and discuss their concerns. We will meet the Agriculture Minister along with our delegation today. We are hopeful that our issues will be addressed and that the meeting will have a fruitful outcome, Saqlain Rashid said. He said the interns are demanding an increase in their stipend from the existing 6,000 to around 23,000 per month, which, according to the association, is being provided to veterinary interns in several other states but not at SKUAST-K. The interns have been pressing the authorities to revise the stipend, stating that the existing amount does not adequately meet their expenses during the internship period. The association expressed hope that the Agriculture Minister would consider their demands and take necessary steps towards resolving the issue.
Terrors changing face, Indias counter-terror strategy
India has moved from defensive restraint to proactive counter-terrorism
Pakistans westward turn strategic depth or overstretch
Pakistans expanding West Asian role brings influence and opportunity, but also strategic risks
Low paid employees meet in Jammu
Jammu, Sep 13: The All Jammu and Kashmir Low Paid Employees Federation held a provincial-level meeting at the residence of late Comrade K. D. Sethi at Wazarat Road here to discuss key issues concerning employees and chalk out future strategies. The meeting was chaired by Provincial President Jammu Tasavar Hussain Shah, along with Kashmir Provincial President Javied H. Shah. Senior members of the federation and provincial representatives from Poonch, Rajouri, Reasi, Udhampur, Kathua, Basohli, Doda and Kishtwar participated in the meeting. Among those present were Kabla Singh, S. Jagjit Singh Awal, Anil Kumar Verma, Ishar Dass Sangra, Yougal Sharma, Amrik Singh, Jaleel Khawaja, Asrar Ali Pathan, Amar Nath and Harbushan, besides other members. The meeting primarily focused on the demand for Medical Allowance for employees and the need for a fair and transparent Annual Transfer Drive (ATD). After detailed deliberations, the members resolved to strengthen unity among employees and work collectively to pursue their common causes and legitimate demands. The meeting concluded with a commitment to remain united and continue raising employees issues through a common platform.
Building consensus: On the 18th BRICS Summit, the New Delhi Declaration
The 18th BRICS Summit pushed for changes in traditional power equations
Gurez hospital to get new IPD block
Srinagar, Sep 13: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has accorded administrative approval for the construction of a new In-Patient Department (IPD) block at Sub-District Hospital (SDH) Dawar in Gurez at a technically vetted cost of 11.36 crore. The approval was conveyed through Government Order No. 169-JK (HME) of 2026, dated September 2, 2026, issued by the Health and Medical Education Department. According to the order, the project has been approved for a technically vetted amount of 1,136.48 lakh, with the construction aimed at strengthening inpatient healthcare infrastructure at SDH Dawar. The general cost abstract attached to the order places the construction component at 604.43 lakh, while 30.91 lakh has been earmarked for procurement of different types of furniture. The electrical component has been estimated at 86.02 lakh and the mechanical component at 397 lakh. The project also includes provisions of one per cent each for contingencies, quality assurance and consultancy services. The annexure puts the grand total at 1,135.48 lakh. The government has directed that the work be executed strictly within the approved cost and according to the items reflected in the Detailed Project Report (DPR). The design and execution are to conform to the latest applicable Indian Standards and specifications of MoRTH, PWD and CPWD. The department has also been directed to set definite timelines for completion and ensure that the project is completed and made fully functional without any cost or time overrun. Before commencement of work, necessary NoCs from regulatory authorities and concerned departments are to be obtained. The government has also stipulated that encumbrance-free land must be available for the project and that the identified land should not be earmarked for any other purpose. The order directs that site safety parameters, including soil strata, load-bearing capacity, gradient and highest flood levels, be assessed. Adequate earthquake-resistant provisions are also to be incorporated in the design. The administrative approval follows the NABARD Project Screening Committee meeting held on March 30, 2026, technical vetting by the Engineer-in-Chief and financial concurrence conveyed by the Director Finance, Health and Medical Education Department. The order has been issued with the concurrence of the competent authorities by M. Raju, Commissioner/Secretary to the Government, Health and Medical Education Department.
A rising graph: On the doping culture in Indian sports
Doping is now a deep-rooted culture in Indian sports
Revisiting Kuwaits invasion amid war
The legacy of the invasion extended well beyond 1991, with the war reshaping not only migration strategies but also the social geography of the Malayali diaspora in Kuwait
IFFJK will open doors for Kashmiri filmmakers: Actor Sadia Khateeb
Srinagar, Sept 13: Bollywood actress Sadia Khateeb has hailed the first International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir (IFFJK), describing it as a beautiful event that could open new opportunities for filmmakers from Kashmir while showcasing the regions hospitality and growing potential as a film destination. Khateeb, who attended the International Film Festival of Jammu & Kashmir (IFFJK) recently in Srinagar told Rising Kashmir that she had a great experience returning to Kashmir specifically for the event. This is a beautiful event organised by the J&K Government, Tourism Department and other departments. I keep coming to Kashmir sometimes to meet my parents and sometimes for shoots, but this time I came for the film festival and it was a great experience to be back in Kashmir, she said. The actress also experienced the festivals floating cinema, calling it a unique experience. I also saw the floating cinema and it was a different experience. It always feels great when people from our own place do something great and extraordinary, said Khateeb who has worked in films like Shikara, Raksha Bandhan, Diplomat and others. Khateeb said the festival could help create opportunities for both Kashmiri and outside filmmakers while changing perceptions about Kashmir. I think this festival will open doors for Kashmiri filmmakers as well as outsiders. It will also help people who dont know how safe Kashmir is and how hospitable people are here. Such festivals are going to be beautifully prosperous, she said. She said the film fraternity in Mumbai was excited about the festival, particularly because it was being held in Jammu and Kashmir for the first time. The industry in Mumbai was very happy to know about this film festival and excited too because it is happening for the first time. Earlier, such film festivals have taken place in Goa and other cities. When it happened in J&K, everyone was excited. Everyone looks for an excuse to be in Kashmir, Khateeb said. She added that those who attended the festival enjoyed being part of the event and experiencing Kashmir. The actress also shared her personal connection with Kashmir, saying her father had been posted here as Director Agriculture and that her family has a house in the Rawalpora area. I keep coming to Kashmir. Whenever I come to Kashmir, the first thing I do is go to Boulevard Road or Khayam for barbecues. I also go for Wazwan. When I come to Kashmir, the first thing I do is look for good food, she said.
No ban, only regulation: Waqf Board clarifies shrine directive
Srinagar, Sep 13 : The Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board has issued directions regulating the feeding of birds and distribution of Tahrir (cooked rice prepared and distributed as a religious offering or charity at shrines) and other food items within the premises of Waqf-managed shrines across Jammu and Kashmir, asking devotees and visitors to use designated facilities for such activities. The directive has been issued under the directions of J&K Waqf Board Chairperson and Minister of State Dr Syed Darakhshan Andrabi. The Board has called upon devotees, visitors and other people visiting the shrines to cooperate with the authorities and adhere to the arrangements put in place on the premises. The Waqf Board said the move was aimed at maintaining cleanliness, hygiene, sanctity and a peaceful atmosphere at the shrines. According to the Board, feeding birds and distributing food items at locations other than those designated for the purpose can lead to the accumulation of food waste and attract stray animals. This, it said, can create unhygienic conditions and cause inconvenience to devotees, particularly those engaged in prayers and other forms of worship. The Board has therefore asked devotees not to undertake bird feeding or food distribution at arbitrary locations within shrine premises and instead use the designated points established by the Waqf authorities. However, Dr Darakhshan Andrabi has clarified that the directive should not be construed as a ban on the traditional practice of distributing Tahrir or other food items at the shrines. We have not banned the distribution of Tahrir or other food items at the shrines. We have asked the devotees to distribute into those points where the Waqf Board has already constructed the distribution facilities at all the shrines, Dr Andrabi said. She said the Board had made arrangements at the shrines to facilitate the distribution of food in an organised manner while ensuring that the premises remained clean and orderly. Dr Andrabi also clarified that devotees had not been barred from feeding birds altogether. Instead, specific locations have been provided for the activity. We have also provided the spots at the shrines where the devotees can do feeding of birds, she said. The clarification is significant as the initial directive, which prohibited bird feeding and distribution of Tahrir and other food items within shrine premises, could otherwise be interpreted as a complete ban on these practices. The Board's position is that the activities are to be regulated and shifted to designated areas rather than discontinued The Board has appealed to devotees to cooperate with its officials and follow the instructions displayed or communicated at individual shrine premises.
Keralam CM V.D. Satheesan takes a trip down memory lane at alumni meet
Ecology Must Anchor Sustainable Development
Sustainable development has too often been reduced to a slogan repeated at international summits and inserted into policy documents. Its real meaning is far more demanding. It requires societies to pursue economic growth without exhausting the natural systems that make life possible. For India and the wider Global South, this balance is not an abstract policy concern. It is directly linked to public health, food security, livelihoods and social justice. The accelerating damage to ecosystems shows the cost of treating nature as an unlimited resource. Rivers are polluted, forests are disappearing, groundwater is being depleted and cities are struggling under the pressure of unplanned expansion. Climate change has intensified heatwaves, irregular rainfall, floods and droughts. These disasters do not affect all people equally. Poor households, farmers, labourers, coastal communities and those dependent on forests bear the heaviest burden, despite contributing the least to environmental destruction. This is why ecology must remain at the heart of development planning. Roads, industries, housing and energy projects are necessary, but their benefits cannot justify the permanent destruction of forests, wetlands, watersheds and agricultural land. Environmental clearances must not become procedural formalities designed merely to remove obstacles before construction begins. They must be transparent, scientifically credible and based on the long-term carrying capacity of each region. The challenge is particularly serious in ecologically fragile areas such as the Himalayas. The regions forests, glaciers, rivers and wetlands support millions of people far beyond its immediate boundaries. Yet reckless construction, poorly planned tourism, quarrying, deforestation and weak waste management are placing enormous pressure on this fragile system. Development that ignores the limits of mountain ecology eventually creates economic losses, displacement and disasters. The recent pattern of floods, landslides and land subsidence should be treated not as isolated events but as warnings from an overstretched landscape. A sustainable approach must also recognise that conservation and development are not opposing ideas. Renewable energy, climate-resilient agriculture, public transport, water harvesting, recycling, green buildings and responsible tourism can generate employment while reducing ecological stress. Small farmers and local communities should be treated as partners in conservation, not as encroachers on their own traditional landscapes. Their knowledge and participation are essential for protecting forests, pastures, wetlands and biodiversity. The transition to clean energy is equally important, but it must be managed fairly. Green technologies require minerals, land and infrastructure. If their extraction creates new forms of displacement and pollution, the language of sustainability will lose credibility. A just transition must therefore include local consent, fair compensation, ecological restoration and social protection for workers and communities affected by economic change. Governments must strengthen institutions responsible for environmental protection and make polluters accountable. Citizens, too, have a role in reducing waste, conserving water and supporting responsible consumption. But individual action cannot substitute for sound public policy. The larger responsibility lies with governments and industries that shape the scale and direction of development. The true measure of progress is not how quickly economies expand, but whether prosperity reaches people without destroying the foundations of their future. Ecology is not an obstacle to development. It is the condition that makes meaningful and lasting development possible.
There were no immediate reports of casualties on any of the trains; the diplomatic train carrying security advisers from several European Union states had purposely left the station at Yahodyn ahead of schedule
The evidence gap in dole politics
Governments often attach lofty social purposes such as dignity and empowerment to cash transfers, but rarely publish the model that links payments to outcomes
The TET Debate: Can a Teachers Entire Career Be Reduced to One Examination?
Can one examination define a lifetime of teaching? This question deserves serious consideration in the wake of the Supreme Courts decision making the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) mandatory for certain in-service teachers, with the compliance deadline extended to 31 August 2028. The objective of maintaining minimum standards in teaching is neither unreasonable nor undesirable. The intention behind TET is understandable. The real concern is whether a single, standardised examination with a fixed qualifying benchmark can fairly determine the professional eligibility of teachers who have already spent decades in classrooms. Indeed, the official CTET framework describes TET as a mechanism intended to establish national standards and benchmarks for teacher quality. But a legitimate objective does not automatically make every method of achieving it equally fair. This is where the present controversy deserves a deeper conversation. A teacher recruited years ago under the rules applicable at that time did not enter the classroom by deceiving the system. He or she was appointed through the qualifications and selection procedures prescribed by the government then. Many such teachers have now spent 15, 20, 25 or even 30 years teaching. Their professional life has been shaped not merely by textbooks but by thousands of lessons, examinations, parent meetings, difficult students, administrative responsibilities and the everyday realities of schools. So, a question arises! Can the professional worth of a serving teacher, who has taught thousands of children for years, be reduced to whether he or she can secure 60 per cent in one eligibility examination at the age of 50 or 55? For a teacher in his or her fifties, with years of teaching experience behind them, should professional competence ultimately come down to securing 60 percent in one examination? The issue, therefore, is not about resisting accountability or lowering standards; it is about asking whether quality assurance can be achieved without disregarding experience, professional service and the human realities of teachers who entered the profession under earlier rules. Just imagine telling a teacher who is 52 years old that the professional validity of those decades of service will now depend on clearing an examination. The problem becomes even more complicated when success is determined by a fixed numerical threshold. Suppose two teachers have identical academic qualifications and decades of classroom experience. One remembers the terminology of child development, pedagogy or educational psychology particularly well and scores 62 per cent. The other, perhaps because of age, examination anxiety or simply because he has been away from formal examination preparation for decades, scores 58 per cent. Is the first teacher professionally eligible and the second professionally unfit? What exactly changed between 58 and 62 per cent? Did four percentage points suddenly transform one into a competent teacher and the other into an incompetent one? This is not an argument against assessment. It is an argument for better assessment. Human beings do not remain cognitively identical throughout their lives. Ageing can involve changes in processing speed, working memory, attention and retrieval, although these changes vary considerably among individuals. More importantly, examination performance is influenced by familiarity with test-taking, preparation time, anxiety and the format of assessment. A teacher who has spent 25 years solving classroom problems may not necessarily perform optimally in a standardised written examination after suddenly returning to an examination environment. Now, coming to the human dimension that is being overlooked in this whole process. Behind every TET form is a teacher sitting at home with a syllabus in front of him or her, wondering: What happens if I fail? Behind every practice paper may be a 50-year-old teacher trying to memorise concepts that were never part of the examination culture in which they were originally trained. Behind every result is not simply a number but a family, a salary, childrens education, household responsibilities and the fear of losing a career built over decades. The Supreme Court itself acknowledged the predicament of long-serving teachers and recognised that dislodging teachers with decades of service could appear harsh, even while upholding the statutory requirement. That acknowledgement is important because it reminds us that educational policy is ultimately about people. Perhaps the answer is not to abandon TET, but to rethink its application. For fresh recruits, a rigorous combination of professional qualification, TET, subject competence, demonstration lessons and structured selection may be entirely justified. For already-serving teachers, however, a different and more contextualised assessment could be designed. Their classroom experience, annual performance, student outcomes, professional development, classroom observation, teaching portfolios, peer assessment and demonstrated pedagogical practices could form part of a comprehensive competency evaluation. Why must everyone be measured with the same ruler when everyone is standing at a different point on the professional journey? A 23-year-old entering the profession and a 53-year-old who has spent three decades in classrooms are not the same assessment population. Equality does not always mean identical treatment; sometimes fairness requires context-sensitive treatment. Looking at this issue through another lens, we are asking already serving experienced teachers to prove their professional eligibility through a test, while ironically at the same time, the basic eligibility for the post of General Line Teacher is simple graduation, which was just 10+2 until the 2014-15 recruitment. Neither B.Ed. nor CTET or STET is mandatory for new entrants under existing recruitment rules. In J&K, even today the basic professional degree, i.e. B.Ed., is NOT mandatory for the post of general line teacher. If there is one issue that needs urgent attention, it is this inconsistency that creates a question which ordinary teachers are entitled to ask. If an experienced serving teacher must now prove eligibility through TET for survival in service, why should the system simultaneously recruit untrained teachers? The question becomes even more important in light of NEP 2020, which envisages the four-year Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP) as the minimum qualification for school teachers after 2030. Therefore, we should certainly protect the right of every child to quality education. But quality education cannot be built by creating permanent insecurity among the very people expected to deliver it. A teacher should not spend days wondering whether a percentage on an examination paper will erase decades of service. Let us test teachers where testing improves teaching; not merely where testing produces numbers. Let us demand standards from fresh recruitment. Let us strengthen professional development. Let us assess serving teachers through methods that recognise experience as an educational asset rather than treating it as something that can be cancelled by a single examination. If TET is genuinely the benchmark of minimum professional competence, it should be applied prospectively and consistently; not perceived as a retrospective test of the worth of people who entered service under a different regulatory regime. Perhaps the most important question is not whether teachers should be assessed. It is whether we have the wisdom to assess them fairly. So, let us ask again: Can a Teachers Entire Career Be Reduced to One Examination? (The author is a 2019 batch teacher (CTET qualified), now selected as a 10+2 Lecturer in Education through JKPSC and is currently pursuing Research at the Department of Education, Central University of Kashmir. Feedback: irfanbashircuk@cukashmir.ac.in )
Want to 'reset' ties with India, should be done through bilateral discussions: Bangladesh
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir said Bangladesh needs to move beyond what he described as an excessive preoccupation with India and approach its relationship with New Delhi in a balanced manner
BRICS and the New Delhi Declaration: A Diplomatic Victory for India?
The rise of BRICS is one of the clearest manifestations of this changing reality. What began as an economic grouping of emerging economies has gradually acquired a much larger geopolitical significance, bringing together countries that collectively represent a substantial share of the world's population and economic strength. Its expansion into West Asia, Africa and Southeast Asia has further enlarged its reach and given it a voice that the established centres of global power can no longer ignore. The question, therefore, is not simply whether BRICS has emerged as a challenge to Western dominance; the more important question is what kind of challenge it representsand, within that evolving equation, whether the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration can be regarded as a diplomatic victory for India. There is certainly a basis for viewing BRICS as one of the instruments through which the old distribution of global power is being questioned. For decades, the international political and economic system was shaped disproportionately by the United States and its Western allies. Institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, the dollar-centred financial system and several important mechanisms of international governance reflected the realities of a world that emerged after the Second World War. But the economic and strategic landscape has changed dramatically since then. China has become a major economic and technological power, India has emerged as one of the world's most consequential economies, the influence of the Gulf countries has expanded, and countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America are demanding a greater role in determining the rules by which the international system operates. BRICS is therefore not an isolated phenomenon; it is an institutional expression of this broader redistribution of economic and political weight. Yet to describe BRICS merely as an anti-Western bloc would be an oversimplification. Its members do not share an identical foreign-policy outlook, nor do they have the same relationship with the United States and Europe. India, for instance, maintains deep strategic, economic and technological engagement with the West while simultaneously playing an active role in BRICS and maintaining important relations with Russia and other emerging powers. The Gulf members have extensive commercial and security relationships with Western countries, while Brazil has traditionally followed an independent diplomatic path. China and Russia, on the other hand, have adopted much more assertive positions towards aspects of the existing Western-led order. What unites these countries, therefore, is not a common ideology against the West but a common interest in greater strategic autonomy, greater representation and a more balanced distribution of power in global governance. This distinction is crucial to understanding India's approach. New Delhi has little interest in replacing one rigid bloc with another. Its diplomatic preference has increasingly been for a multipolar world in which countries can cooperate across geopolitical divisions without surrendering their independent choices. From this perspective, BRICS becomes valuable not because it can defeat the West, but because it can create additional centres of economic and political influence. The discussion over increasing the use of national currencies in trade, strengthening cross-border payment systems and developing alternative mechanisms of financial cooperation illustrates this gradual approach. It does not mean that the dollar is about to disappear from international finance; such a conclusion would be unrealistic. Rather, it indicates a desire among emerging economies to reduce excessive dependence on any single financial system and to acquire greater freedom in conducting their economic affairs. The same aspiration is visible in the demand for reform of global institutions. The countries of the Global South have long argued that the institutions created in the middle of the twentieth century do not adequately reflect the economic and demographic realities of the twenty-first century. India, with its enormous population, growing economy and expanding international influence, has a particularly strong interest in this reform. Its demand for a greater role in global decision-making, including permanent membership of a reformed United Nations Security Council, is therefore not merely a matter of national prestige; it forms part of a much larger argument about the legitimacy and representativeness of the international system. It is against this wider background that the New Delhi Declaration assumes importance. India's BRICS presidency came at a particularly difficult moment, when geopolitical tensions were already dividing the international community. The expansion of BRICS has made consensus more complicated because the grouping now contains countries with competing strategic interests and sometimes sharply divergent positions on major international questions. The situation in West Asia presented one of the most difficult challenges during negotiations, with Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates bringing different regional calculations to the table. That a common declaration was eventually adopted after prolonged negotiations is therefore not an insignificant accomplishment. India's success was not in eliminating disagreements among the members; it was in ensuring that those disagreements did not prevent them from finding sufficient common ground. This is perhaps where the New Delhi Declaration can legitimately be described as a diplomatic victory for India. Diplomacy is rarely about persuading every participant to accept one country's position in its entirety. Its more sophisticated form lies in reconciling competing interests without allowing the larger objective to collapse. India appears to have performed precisely that balancing act. It succeeded in keeping BRICS focused on multilateralism, development, economic cooperation, financial reform and greater representation of emerging economies rather than allowing the grouping to be defined exclusively by geopolitical confrontation with the West. That achievement is particularly important because an explicitly anti-Western BRICS would ultimately limit India's own diplomatic space. India's interests do not lie in a world divided permanently into opposing camps. Its strength comes from its ability to maintain relationships with multiple centres of power while pursuing an independent national interest. New Delhi's simultaneous engagement with Washington, Moscow, Beijing, European capitals and countries across the Global South is not necessarily a contradiction; it is an expression of strategic autonomy. The New Delhi Declaration, viewed in this context, reflects an attempt to strengthen the collective voice of emerging economies without transforming BRICS into another rigid alliance. The economic provisions of the declaration reinforce this pragmatic character. Greater cooperation in cross-border payments, local-currency transactions and financial mechanisms could gradually reduce some of the vulnerabilities associated with excessive dependence on existing financial channels. But the more significant point is that BRICS is attempting to create choices rather than proclaiming an immediate revolution in the global financial system. Alternatives, once established and made credible, can themselves alter the balance of power. The challenge to the existing order therefore need not come through its sudden destruction; it can emerge through the gradual creation of parallel possibilities. For India, another significant dimension of the declaration is the recognition of its larger aspirations in global governance. Support from major BRICS members for India's greater role in international institutions strengthens New Delhi's longstanding argument that global governance must reflect present realities rather than remain frozen in the political circumstances of the mid-twentieth century. Such diplomatic support may not by itself alter the structure of the United Nations, but it strengthens India's position in the continuing debate over reform and representation. India's achievement, however, should not be exaggerated. The New Delhi Declaration is not proof that BRICS has become a cohesive geopolitical power capable of replacing the Western-led order. The grouping continues to face serious internal contradictions. India and China have unresolved strategic differences; Russia's relationship with the West is fundamentally different from India's; the Gulf countries have their own regional priorities; and the expanding membership brings an even wider range of political and economic interests into the organisation. BRICS has no common foreign policy, no collective defence arrangement and no single geopolitical doctrine. Its ability to translate declarations into sustained practical cooperation will ultimately determine whether its growing influence is durable. This is why the significance of the New Delhi Declaration should be judged not merely by the language contained in the document but by what follows from it. Can BRICS make financial cooperation more effective? Can it increase trade and investment among developing economies? Can it strengthen South-South cooperation in technology, health, infrastructure and sustainable development? Can its members continue to find common ground despite their geopolitical differences? And can India maintain the delicate balance between strengthening BRICS and preserving its constructive engagement with the Western world? These are the questions that will determine whether the New Delhi Summit becomes a landmark in the evolution of global politics or remains another entry in the long catalogue of summit declarations. Nevertheless, the broader diplomatic message from New Delhi is difficult to overlook. India demonstrated that its growing influence does not necessarily depend upon choosing one geopolitical camp against another. Its diplomatic strength increasingly lies in its ability to engage with competing centres of power, articulate the concerns of the Global South and still retain enough credibility to bring diverse countries towards a common position. In that sense, India's success was less about imposing its will than about creating consensus where consensus appeared difficult. The emergence of BRICS should therefore be understood neither as the beginning of the end of the West nor as an inevitable replacement of one hegemonic system by another. The West remains enormously powerful, and the United States continues to possess unmatched military, technological and financial capabilities. The dollar remains deeply embedded in international finance, while Western economies and institutions retain enormous global influence. But what is changing is the ability of any one centre of power to assume that its preferences will automatically constitute the global consensus. That is the deeper significance of BRICSand perhaps the more enduring significance of India's role within it. The New Delhi Declaration represents a moment in which India demonstrated that diplomacy in the twenty-first century may increasingly be about building bridges between different power centres rather than choosing one side of the divide. It did not erase disagreements within BRICS; it managed them. It did not declare war on the existing global order; it demanded that the order become more representative. It did not seek to replace Western dominance with another dominance; it strengthened the case for a world with multiple centres of influence. If that vision succeeds, the real transformation will not be the victory of East over West or South over North. It will be the gradual emergence of a world in which no single power or group of powers can claim to speak for the entire international community. And in helping move that transition forward, the New Delhi Declaration can indeed be counted as a significant diplomatic moment for India. (The author is RK columnist and can be reached at: sanjaypanditasp@gmail.com )
An MBBS internship in India, officially designated as the Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) or Compulsory Rotatory Residential Internship (CRRI), is a mandatory 12-month hands-on clinical training period that every medical graduate must complete after passing their final MBBS professional examinations. Governed by the National Medical Commission (NMC), it serves as the final practical bridge between being a medical student and a licensed, independent primary care physician. Why Internship? The Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) is mandatory for MBBS students in India for several vital reasons, ranging from practical clinical readiness to legal requirements. Here is exactly why this internship year is an absolute necessity in the Indian medical education system: The Bridge from Theory to Real-World Practice 1. For four and a half years, MBBS students primarily acquire theoretical knowledge and observe cases from a distance. The internship is their first opportunity to shift from classroom learning to active clinical action. Hands-on experience: It teaches them vital practical skills that textbooks cannot, such as drawing blood, putting in IV lines, passing catheters, and suturing wounds. Decision-making: It builds clinical judgment, teaching them how to prioritise patients, manage emergencies, and make split-second decisions under pressure. 2. Legal Requirement for Licensing In India, completing the 12-month internship is a statutory legal requirement. You cannot get a permanent registration number from the National Medical Commission (NMC) or State Medical Councils without a valid internship completion certificate. Without this registration number, an MBBS graduate cannot legally practice medicine, prescribe drugs, or work as a Medical Officer in India. 3. Preparation for Diverse Indian Healthcare Demands India has a massive, highly diverse population with major differences between urban and rural healthcare availability. The internship includes a mandatory 3-month posting in Community Medicine (rural health centres). It exposes young doctors to grassroots healthcare challenges. It teaches them how to manage public health programs, treat tropical diseases, and handle cases with limited resources in rural setups. 4. Specialisation Exploration (Choosing a Career Path) Before the internship, students often do not know which branch of medicine suits them best. Rotating through every major department (Medicine, Surgery, OB-GYN, Paediatrics, Orthopaedics, etc.) acts as a trial period. It helps graduates figure out which speciality they want to pursue for their post-graduation (MD/MS) based on their aptitude and interest. 5. Development of Soft Skills and Professionalism Being a doctor requires much more than medical knowledge. The intense internship year forces students to develop critical soft skills: Communication: Learning how to explain diagnoses to patients, break bad news to families, and counsel anxious relatives. Teamwork & Stress Management: Learning to work with nurses, senior residents, and hospital staff while managing long 24-to-36-hour shifts. When Internship? In the context of Indian medical education, there is only one true internship period: the 12 months following your final year exams. It is a mandatory, legally enforced bridge that transforms a medical student into a licensed, practising physician. The Human Element: Demographics, Grind, and Grit : Behind the clinical rotation tables lies the raw, human reality of the Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI). For an intern, this year is less about academic reading and entirely about surviving the high-stakes, high-pressure environment of Indian public healthcare. 1. The Age Factor: Young Minds, Massive Responsibilities The Age Bracket: The vast majority of medical interns in India are 23 to 25 years old. The Transition: At an age when most of their peers in engineering or corporate sectors are navigating entry-level office jobs, medical interns are thrust into life-or-death situations. They go from being protected students who memorize textbook definitions to frontline workers breaking bad news to grieving families, assisting in emergency resuscitations, and managing chaotic casualty wards. 2. The Hardwork and The Grind The sheer volume of physical labor expected from an MBBS intern in India is notoriously gruelling. The Brutal Shift Timings: A standard day is rarely just 8 hours. Depending on the department, interns routinely pull 24-hour to 36-hour continuous shifts with little to no sleep. The Scut Work: Because Indian public hospitals are chronically understaffed, interns function as the backbone of daily operations. Beyond clinical learning, a massive portion of their energy goes into administrative laborwheeling patients to radiology, running blood samples to laboratories, manually filling out endless paperwork, and tracking down patient case sheets. 3. The Psychological and Environmental Factors The environment of a government hospital medical college shapes an intern's resilience through extreme trial by fire: Overwhelming Patient Footfall: Indian public hospitals handle an astronomical volume of patients. An intern on a single emergency night shift might screen hundreds of patients, testing their clinical reflexes and patience to absolute limits. The NEET-PG / NExT Shadow: Perhaps the most unique and stressful factor for Indian interns is the dual burden of time. They must survive physically exhausting 100-hour workweeks while simultaneously preparing for one of the toughest competitive exams in the worldNEET-PG or NExT. Balancing active hospital duties with late-night textbook revision leads to chronic sleep deprivation and burnout. Emotional Detachment vs. Empathy: Facing severe trauma, systemic resource shortages, and patient mortality daily forces these young doctors to mature rapidly. They must quickly learn the delicate balance of maintaining emotional empathy for patients while building a thick skin to prevent psychological exhaustion. Where Internship? According to the Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) Regulations set by the National Medical Commission (NMC): The Same Institute Rule: For Indian Medical Graduates (IMGs), the rule is strict: you must complete your 12-month internship at the exact same medical college hospital from which you completed your MBBS course. The older practice of ransferring or externing to a different hospital in another city or state for internship is no longer casually permitted. The Approved Hospital List: For Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs)students who completed their MBBS abroad and passed the screening examthe internship must be completed in NMC-approved government or private medical colleges within India, often allocated through centralized state counselling processes. Rural Postings: A portion of the internship (specifically under Community Medicine) cannot be done in the main city hospital. Interns must live and work at Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Community Health Centres (CHCs) in rural areas for up to two months to understand grassroots public healthcare. The Reality Checklist: Conditions of the Internship Places The conditions of the hospitals where MBBS students undergo their internships vary wildly depending on whether they are in a massive government facility, a rural village, or a corporate private hospital. 1. Public / Government Medical Colleges (The High-Volume Zones) The vast majority of Indian medical students train in state or central government hospitals. The conditions here are characterised by extreme intensity: Infrastructure Deficits: These places are often overcrowded and under-resourced. Interns regularly work in wards lacking central air conditioning, facing broken fans, or short on basic ward supplies (like gloves, specific syringes, or proper patient trolleys). The Patient Influx: Public hospitals are flooded with hundreds of patients every day. While this means the infrastructure is chaotic, it provides unmatched clinical exposure. An intern here will see rare diseases and perform dozens of basic procedures (like drawing blood, putting in IV lines, or suturing wounds) daily. Hygiene and Security Challenges: Wards can be highly congested. Security is a major concern, as overcrowded emergency rooms frequently witness friction between emotionally distressed patient relatives and under-staffed medical teams. 2. Rural Health Centres (The Grassroots Postings) During the mandatory rural rotation, the environment shifts completely: Basic Living Conditions: Interns are usually required to live in residential quarters on-site at a village PHC or CHC. These accommodations can vary from decent to highly compromised, with issues like erratic electricity, poor internet connectivity, and basic plumbing. Limited Diagnostic Tools: Unlike tertiary hospitals, there are no advanced MRI machines or rapid lab results here. Interns must rely purely on basic clinical examination skills, managing snakebites, basic maternal deliveries, and infectious diseases with minimal backup. 3. Private Medical Colleges / Corporate Hospitals For students studying in private institutions, the setting is vastly different: Superior Infrastructure: The working conditions are physically comfortable. Hospitals are clean, fully air-conditioned, technologically advanced, and well-staffed with nurses and ward boys. Lower Administrative Workload: Because these hospitals have dedicated staff for running lab samples or filling paperwork, interns face much less non-clinical scut work. The Downside (Patient Privacy): Because patients pay high fees, they rarely allow a young intern to perform procedures on them. Private hospital interns primarily observe senior consultants rather than getting the intense hands-on experience that their government counterparts get. Ultimately, the place where an MBBS internship is done determines a doctor's initial clinical competence. Government hospitals present brutal physical conditions but elite medical learning, while private institutions offer comfortable conditions but limited independent practical exposure Why Internship Stipend? The question of why MBBS intern students deserve a fair and uniform internship stipend has become a central debate in medical education. After completing four and a half years of rigorous academic study and clearing their final professional exams, MBBS graduates enter a mandatory one-year rotating internship. This period is not just a continuation of their education; it is a transition into full-time clinical service where interns form the backbone of public healthcare delivery. Here is why a robust, standardised internship stipend is a necessity, not a luxury, for MBBS interns. 1. Payment for Essential Clinical Labour MBBS interns are not mere observers; they are frontline healthcare workers. In most government and charitable medical colleges, interns work gruelling shifts that frequently extend from 12 to 24 consecutive hours, sometimes totalling over 80 to 100 hours a week. They manage emergency wards, conduct preliminary patient examinations, dress wounds, draw blood, and assist in major surgeries. Without their labour, the daily operations of major public hospitals would heavily falter. A stipend is the rightful financial compensation for this intense physical and mental labour. 2. Financial Independence and Relief By the time a medical student reaches their internship, they are usually 23 to 25 years old. Dependence on Parents: After a lengthy and expensive education, expecting young adults to continue relying on their parents for basic living expenses (food, rent, utility bills, and books) is unfair and financially draining for families. Loan Repayment: Many students take out substantial educational loans to fund their MBBS. A fair stipend allows them to begin managing their financial obligations and daily expenses independently. 3. Boosting Morale and Mental Well-being Medical internships are notoriously stressful, characterised by high patient loads, sleep deprivation, and exposure to critical trauma. When interns are underpaid or not paid at all, it breeds resentment and severe burnout. Financial anxiety compounded by physical exhaustion severely impacts an intern's mental health. Providing a fair stipend acts as a vital morale booster, making students feel valued by the healthcare system they serve. 4. Preventing Exploitation and Ensuring Equity Currently, there is a massive disparity in stipends across different states and institutions. While interns in some central government institutions receive a substantial amount, their peers in certain state government colleges or private institutions receive a fraction of that, or sometimes nothing at all, despite doing identical work. Mandating a fair, uniform stipend prevents private management from exploiting young doctors as cheap labour. It ensures equity, guaranteeing that a student's compensation is determined by their work, not by the geographical location or funding type of their college. The Current Landscape vs. The Need of the Hour The National Medical Commission (NMC) and various court rulings have repeatedly emphasised that all interns must be paid a stipend fixed by the respective authorities. However, implementation remains uneven. Medical interns are the primary link between patients and senior doctors. Denying them a fair stipend undermines the dignity of the medical profession. Providing a justifiable stipend is an investment in the healthcare system, ensuring that the next generation of doctors is motivated, financially secure, and focused entirely on saving lives. What Internship Stipend should be paid? To enhance and standardise the stipend amount for MBBS intern doctors, both the central and state governments must adopt a coordinated policy framework. Currently, the National Medical Commission (NMC) mandates that interns be paid, but leaves the specific execution and financial liability to individual states and institutions. This creates massive regional disparities. The Supreme Court of India has repeatedly reprimanded defaulting institutions and the NMC, emphasising that medical internships are a matter of right and denying fair compensation is akin to onded labour. A comprehensive policy roadmap should be implemented to ensure fair remuneration. 1. Central Government & NMC Action Plan As the overarching regulatory bodies, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and the NMC must set the national benchmark. Establish a National Minimum Stipend Floor: The NMC should amend the Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) Regulations to establish a statutory National Minimum Stipend Floor (e.g., 25,00030,000 per month) indexed to inflation. No medical collegegovernment or privateshould be legally allowed to pay below this baseline. Strict Enforcement and Penalties: The NMC must continuously monitor compliance through its mandatory disclosure portal. Institutions failing to pay or delaying stipends should face swift disciplinary actions, including hefty financial penalties or the freezing of seat allocations. Reactivate Regular Central Revision Cycles: The Central Government should resume its strict biennial (two-year) revision cycle for central institutions like AIIMS and central university hospitals. This sets an immediate upward benchmark for state governments to emulate. 2. State Government Action Plan Because public health and state medical colleges fall under provincial jurisdiction, state governments must fix systemic local issues. Implement Equal Pay for Equal Work Across Sectors: State policies must mandate private and minority medical colleges to match the stipend amounts paid by government medical colleges within that state. An intern's clinical duties remain identical regardless of whether a hospital is state-run or privately owned. Automatic Inflation Indexing: State health departments should implement a policy where intern stipends automatically increase by a set percentage (e.g., 5-10%) every two years to account for the rising cost of living, bypassing the need for students to launch mass protests or strikes to seek adjustments. Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Systems: To prevent private management from coercing or shortchanging students, states should mandate that all internship stipends be disbursed via a Direct Benefit Transfer system linked directly to the intern's bank account, ensuring complete audit transparency. Rahul Gandhi's vision on internships Rahul Gandhi's vision on internships revolves around the idea that fair compensation and structured training are legal rights for the youth, rather than privileges or cheap labor. As the Leader of the Opposition (LoP), his philosophy shifts the narrative from ad-hoc stipends to a legally enforceable structural framework. This vision can be analyzed through two distinct lenses: his broader national policy for all graduates and his specific stance regarding medical (MBBS) intern doctors. 1. Broad National Vision: The Right to Apprenticeship During his election campaigns and policy announcements, Rahul Gandhi introduced a flagship economic model for young graduates known as the Pehli Naukri Pakki (First Job Guaranteed) scheme. Legally Guaranteed Internships: Modelled after the rights-based approach of MGNREGA, his vision proposes a statutory Right to Apprenticeship Act. This would make it legally mandatory for both government offices and private corporations to take in college graduates and diploma holders under the age of 25 for a one-year internship. National Minimum Stipend Baseline: A core component of this vision is a guaranteed financial floor. He proposed a fixed stipend of 1 lakh per year (equivalent to 8,500 per month) to be transferred directly via DBT into the accounts of the interns. Criticism of Existing Models: Gandhi has frequently criticised current central government internship schemes. He argues that a low-stipend infrastructure results in high refusal rates (claiming up to 90% of youth reject them) because meagre payouts fail to match basic living costs. 2. Emerging Stance on MBBS Intern Doctors The broader philosophy of fair pay for professional work has directly intersected with ongoing medical agitations. Direct Appeals from Medical Interns: Protesting MBBS and BDS internsspecifically highlighted during recent statewide strikes in places like Jammu and Kashmir demanding a stipend hike from 12,300 to 30,000have formally approached Rahul Gandhi to champion their cause on a national stage. Dignity of Labour over Exploitation: Within his political framework, the gruelling 12-to-36-hour shifts clocked by medical interns without timely or adequate compensation align with what he labels administrative exploitation. The core of his vision supports the idea that medical interns are professional healthcare workers whose compensation must mirror their immense clinical responsibilities. Treating Health and Life Insurance as a Non-Negotiable Labour Right: Within his core political philosophywhich views interns as vital frontline workers rather than cheap student labourproviding free health, accident, and disability insurance is a natural extension. In high-risk clinical environments where medical interns face continuous exposure to blood-borne pathogens, needle-stick injuries, and infectious diseases, his vision treats institutional insurance coverage as a primary safety net that the hospital must guarantee. State-Sponsored Group Premium Models: Rather than forcing financially strapped medical students to buy private out-of-pocket policies, the framework aligns with a fully government-funded group welfare model. Similar to the way he has pushed for direct-to-beneficiary safety net expansions (like the 25 Lakh health insurance model in Kerala), his internship vision implies that state and central governments must completely absorb the premium costs for comprehensive medical student insurance during their 12-month rotation. Institutional Protection Against Legal & Negligence Vulnerabilities: Medical interns operate under constant high-pressure clinical supervision. Gandhis rights-based approach supports insulating young doctors through compulsory institutional professional indemnity insurance. This ensures that trainee doctors are protected against potentially crippling personal legal liabilities or allegations of negligence while managing overcrowded public emergency wards and casualties . (The author is pursuing his M.Tech in Power Systems and Control and is a worker of Congress's student organisation, NSUI. Feedback at: fahadpeer07@gmail.com)
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Doom of hockey, cricket & other sports in Pakistan reflects its societal decline too
FRAGRANCE OF IDEAS Pakistan was born on 14 August, 1947 and thus has a very short history of its existence as a nation spanning over seven decades. It, due to its earlier history and connection with mainland India -Bharat, inherited a rich legacy of civilization, art, culture and other great historical iconic Centres in the world. However, due to its religio-political mindset, hatred against India and in pursuit of its newly adopted official policies, Pakistan disconnected itself with its thousands of years old civilizational ethos, history and culture. There were earlier very prominent sports-persons from a number of sports in Pakistan who made a mark on the international stage. With the passage of time, their replacements couldn't be created or groomed by the Pakistan society at large and particularly by the responsible authorities in the country. The result is for everyone to observe and see. The current state of sports in general in Pakistan has reached its nadir with the course of time. Pakistan got its last podium finish in hockey at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, when its men's team won a bronze medal by defeating Netherlands. It was followed by the podium finish and championship triumph in the FIH Men's Hockey World Cup in 1994 in Sydney, Australia. It is now for the last three decades that Pakistan has virtually reconciled to its dismal performance in the game and has ceased to be of any sort of inspiration for the younger generations therein. In the course of time, the disastrous condition of hockey in Pakistan was replicated in cricket too. Most of the commentators, sports journalists and analysts in Pakistan consider cricket as the only and the last effective source of entertainment in their country in the given socio-political scenario at the national level. Once upon a time, Pakistan was considered as a frontline cricketing nation in the world. It produced very high quality players and game-icons at an international level having potential to challenge any top teams including Australia, India, England and the former mighty West Indies. Pakistan has won 3 major senior men's ICC trophies in its cricket history i.e. ODI World cup in 1992, T20I World cup in 2009 and the Champions Trophy in 2017. Besides this, it has won the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup twice in 2004 & 2006. The decline in the game began in the period 2013-2018 but it went down pathetically after 2017. It is almost a decade now that Pakistan cricket has gone into terrible doldrums and has lost its sheen completely. Ever since India decided to stop bilateral series with Pakistan, it has further added insult to the injury. The degree and stature of the game has surely come down and the only permanent feature that has remained is consistent defeats and consequent embarrassments to the nation. Even at the regional level, both the teams of Pakistan, men's and women's, have not been able to display any quality and standard in their outings. Their men's team won Asia cup twice, the last in the year 2010 (16 years ago) and the women's team never won it though it participated in 10 tournaments till date. Their current training, skill levels, qualification pattern and talent selection have reached a big sorry state of affairs. The developments during their recent England tour have further exposed the whole pandora-box publicly with allegations of indiscipline, wrong selections, cyber crimes involving senior players and consequent investigations and ban. Then their obsession with comparison and contrast with India has further put them in a situation of global humiliation and shame. For the last five years, they aren't able to win any match against Team India on the ground but are vociferous on regular media and especially the social media to raise all sorts of issues and keep on discussing irrelevant stories about ICC, BCCI, Indian players, management and money control. It will require herculean efforts to lift cricket in Pakistan again given the situation as it exists now. Pakistan had been the international champion of Squash for decades. It had a virtual sway over all others at a global level. Icons after icons of the game belonging to Pakistan virtually ruled in a row and didn't allow anyone to defeat them on the Court. It has won World Team Squash championships 6 times while its individual players dominated the winning spree 14 times by being victorious in Men's World open championships. Their domination was very formidable up to the turn of the 21st century. Thereafter, the game, its players and all connected structures crumbled disastrously in a span of one decade and thus the four-decade wonderful history of Squash in Pakistan came to a virtual naught. In the early years of Pakistan, there were a number of wrestlers who won medals in Olympics and Asian Games and also had podium finishes in other important international championships and events. There were recognised training structures available throughout the country about this age-old sport. But apathy at the level of the management, government and also at the level of the society brought it to its lowest level. Unfortunately for Pakistan, the radicalisation of society, religious fundamentalism and Islamic terrorism over the last four decades sucked the national talent, skill and young minds towards their fold. For all of them, terrorism came out to be their de facto 'national sport' in a practical sense. Over the last decade, Pakistan produced a Javelinthrower in Arshad Nadeem who created a sensation in the Paris Olympics 2024 by throwing one of the best & longest throws in history touching almost 93 meters. He was earlier way behind Neeraj Chopra, the Indian champion, but in the 2024 historic event, he created a new history. However, he has again lost his rhythmand control due to several factors and is in his worst struggling phase which was evident in his recent exhibition in the Glasgow CommonwealthGames 2026. Then there are several sports in which Pakistan doesn't take part at all due to their religio-social embargo, particularly in relation to the female participation in the games and sports of their choice. A number of their players in various sports have been observed taking more interest in their controversial religious issues on the ground than their regular sports activism and practice. The overwhelming control of sports by the political bosses has severely damaged the sports environment in entire Pakistan. It will take a long time to reverse the situation particularly when the senior and retired players virtually disassociated themselves from any functional participation in the rejuvenation of the overall sports scenario and it seems endless for the time being....! (The author is a senior BJP & KP leader, Human Rights Defender and a columnist and can be reached at: ashwanikc2012@gmail.com )
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BRICS stand a setback for Pakistan: BJP
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