Student leader Devendra Nath Mahto ended his 16-day hunger strike at Sadar Hospital in Ranchi on Monday after the Jharkhand government cancelled the JSSC-CGL examination and all recruitment tests conducted by private firm TSR Data Processing Private Limited (TDPL). Mahto ended his fast in the presence of state ministers Dipika Pandey Singh and Irfan Ansari, following the state Cabinet decision chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren. The government also ordered a Criminal Investigation Department (CID) probe into alleged irregularities in Jharkhand recruitment examinations conducted since 2014. After ending his fast, Mahto thanked Soren, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, state ministers, fellow students, media and others who supported the agitation. (PC:PTI)

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday announced that the state Cabinet has decided to cancel the JSSC-CGL examinations, meeting a key demand of job aspirants protesting in Ranchi for over three weeks. Soren said the government will conduct a comprehensive inquiry into all errors, whether minor or major, that have occurred since 2014. The Chief Minister also announced that all activities associated with TDPL will be scrapped. This includes examinations conducted by TDPL, published results, selected candidates, participating candidates and all other activities carried out by the organisation. The decisions come amid sustained protests by job aspirants demanding action over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations and related processes in Jharkhand.

The Rajasthan government has restricted unauthorised entry of outsiders, photography, videography, interviews and live streaming inside state-run schools, citing student privacy, safety and dignity. The directive came as Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) co-convener Ashutosh Ranka announced plans to visit schools under its “School Thik Karo” campaign to audit infrastructure and education quality. Ranka said requests had come from schools in Jaipur, Kota, Jodhpur, Ajmer, Udaipur, Bharatpur, Dholpur, Barmer and Hanumangarh, allegedly facing poor conditions. The rules require visitors to obtain prior permission and register their entry, while access to student areas must be supervised. Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dostara criticised the move, accusing the BJP government of hiding shortcomings in the education system.

Senior IAS officer Deepti Gaur Mukerjee has been appointed as the new Secretary of the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education, as part of a top-level bureaucratic reshuffle approved by the Centre. A 1993-batch IAS officer from the Madhya Pradesh cadre, Mukerjee was serving as Corporate Affairs Secretary before the appointment. She succeeds Vineet Joshi, who was appointed Secretary of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj last month. The appointment was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) through a modification of its earlier order. Mukerjee’s appointment comes amid heightened scrutiny of the higher education system following the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) paper leak controversy. (PC: NDTV Profit)

A 19-year-old NEET aspirant from Maharashtra's Ahilyanagar allegedly died by suicide after falling 11 marks short of the reported qualifying cut-off in the re-examination, leaving behind a note expressing anguish over her unfulfilled dream of becoming a doctor. The Jalalpur village resident had appeared for the May 3 NEET exam and the June 21 re-exam, reportedly scoring 166 against the reported 177-mark cut-off after expecting over 300. Police said she died on July 25 while alone at home, and recovered a handwritten note requesting that her parents and brother not be blamed. The incident comes amid nationwide debate and protests over NEET reforms. (PC: News 18)

Senior BJP leader Pralhad Joshi was appointed Union Education Minister on Saturday, hours after Dharmendra Pradhan resigned from the post. Joshi, who currently serves as Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, has been given additional charge of the Education Ministry. The appointment followed President Droupadi Murmu's acceptance of Pradhan's resignation with immediate effect under Article 75(2) of the Constitution, based on the Prime Minister's advice. An official notification confirmed that Joshi would continue handling his existing portfolio alongside the Education Ministry. The leadership change comes amid the political fallout over the NEET-UG controversy and Pradhan's resignation after sustained nationwide protests demanding accountability and education reforms. (PC: Times Now)

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on Saturday amid weeks of nationwide protests over the NEET-UG paper leak and education irregularities, saying he accepted moral responsibility for the crisis. In his resignation letter, Pradhan said stepping down was necessary to prevent “anti-national forces” from exploiting the situation and creating confusion. He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the opportunity to serve as Education Minister and reaffirmed his commitment to public service. His resignation came after sustained protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which had made his exit a non-negotiable demand. The government later held talks with protesters, who subsequently announced the withdrawal of their agitation after their demands were accepted.

Punjab has become the first state in India to introduce Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a mainstream subject for students from Class 1 to Class 12. The initiative aims to equip children with future-ready skills, including AI fundamentals, coding, machine learning, robotics, and ethical use of technology through age-appropriate lessons. The curriculum will gradually expand across government and private schools, supported by teacher training and digital learning resources. The state government said the move is designed to prepare students for an AI-driven economy, enhance digital literacy, and strengthen India's future workforce in emerging technologies.

Global Banking School (GBS) has celebrated the graduation of 6,000 students during ceremonies held in Leeds, Birmingham, Manchester and London this summer. The graduates completed courses in construction, business, digital technologies, and health and social care. Many studied while working full-time, running businesses, or caring for their families. GBS said the average age of this year's graduates was 41, reflecting its focus on flexible learning for working adults. The celebrations came after the institution recorded a 92% positivity score in the National Student Survey (NSS) 2026, above the higher education sector average for the sixth consecutive year. Among the graduates was Kamrul Islam, who completed an HND in Construction Management while working as an Assistant Quantity Surveyor and running a perfume business. He said, "Balancing a full-time career, higher education and running a business was one of the biggest challenges I have faced." Another graduate, Yudzhel Medzhnun Shaban, from Penge in south-east London, said the course helped strengthen his management and technical skills while allowing him to continue operating his lift installation business. "Now I'm ready to grow bigger and provide more employment in my community," he said. GBS said many graduates are progressing into employment, entrepreneurship and further education across the UK.

NEET UG 2026 AIR 2 Panshul Bansal proved that success does not require giving up hobbies. The Faridabad student scored 715 out of 720, including a perfect 180 in Physics, while continuing to play video games, badminton, piano and other activities during his preparation. After the original NEET exam was cancelled, Panshul overcame the setback by staying focused and improving his performance in the re-exam. He said consistency, quality study and analysing mistakes mattered more than long study hours. Panshul now hopes to join his dream medical college and pursue a career as a surgeon. (PC: The Indian Express)