In a move to crack down on exam malpractices, the Centre has taken a slew of actions, including strengthening the anti-paper leak law and terminating services of up to 47 officials in the National Testing Agency (NTA). The Union Cabinet on Friday (July 24, 2026) cleared a proposal to introduce amendments to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, endowing the anti-paper leak law with tougher penalties and time-bound trial mechanisms.
Protest marches and dharna were witnessed in several districts of Bihar on Friday (July 24, 2026) by the students and locals demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over NEET paper leak. Protesters holding banners, posters and placards carried out the protest marches in Vaishali, Muzaffarpur, Khagaria, Darbhanga, Bettiah (West Champaran), Supaul, Jamui, Samastipur, Madhubani and Buxar. In Vaishali, the protesters burnt the effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Dharmendra Pradhan.
After being criticised by several social media users for ending his hunger strike in the presence of Union Ministers, activist Sonam Wangchuk released a long video message on Friday (July 24, 2026) where he asserted that he “did not cut any deal” with the government and ended the fast as he feared a crackdown against students and protestors at Jantar Mantar. He said he did not press for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan as it is inevitable due to the ongoing Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar and movement by the youth across the country. He ended the fast around 12:30 a.m. Friday (July 24), in the presence of Union Ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh, his wife and civil society leaders from Ladakh. Mr. Nadda served him soup to end the strike.
Over 166,000 people were evacuated in France and Spain as unprecedented forest fires raged near Madrid and Bordeaux, a French city flanked by tourist havens and world-renowned vineyards. French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday (July 24, 2026) asked the army to mobilise to help contain the worst wildfire the country has ever seen after seeking European Union help, as a local official warned the blaze was heading towards Bordeaux.
The government and Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) held talks on Friday (July 24, 2026) at the Constitution Club of India after the Centre “agreed” to the CJP’s demand that the meeting be held at a neutral venue. The CJP has said the “strictest action” the government could take against examination irregularities was to remove Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement that a Bill providing for stringent action against paper leaks would be introduced in Parliament.
Hours after activist and educator Sonam Wangchuk ended his fast at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram late on Thursday night (July 23, 2026), his wife Gitanjali J. Angmo described the students’ ongoing agitation in the backdrop of the NEET paper leak as a “very successful movement” that had put focus on education reforms and awakened the entire country. She expressed the hope that it would also serve as a “wake-up call” for the present regime.
The Lok Sabha did not function for the fifth straight day on Friday (July 24, 2026), as the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, made it clear that Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has to resign before Parliament starts discussion on paper leaks . Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said imposing preconditions before allowing a discussion on the NEET paper leak would send a “wrong message” to the country.
Two Madhya Pradesh Police personnel have been arrested for allegedly raping a minor Dalit girl after abducting her in Bhopal, police said on Friday (July 24, 2026). According to the police, the incident took place on July 22, and the minor survivor lodged a complaint in Bhopal’s Jahangirabad police station on July 23, based on which a case was registered.
All India Congress Committee in-charge of the National Students’ Union of India, Kanhaiya Kumar, was arrested by Delhi Police from the premises of Kerala House here on Friday (July 24, 2026). He was arrested on the complaint of the Resident Commissioner of Kerala Puneet Kumar. NSUI is the Congress’ students’ wing.
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Friday (July 24, 2026) claimed that the BJP was sending its people to the ongoing students’ protest in the national capital in a bid to discredit it, but these party workers were getting upset when they were being called “BJP-ites” there as they were ashamed of their party’s misdeeds.
Towering 407 feet (124 metres), Starship soared from the company’s base at the southern tip of Texas. NASA monitored the flight, a critical step toward using the Starship as a lunar lander for moon crews. Elon Musk’s SpaceX replaced six of the 33 engines on the first-stage booster after they failed to ignite last week, resulting in a last-second launch abort. The previous Starship flight in May also experienced engine trouble, which prevented the booster from making a controlled return.
Published - July 25, 2026 07:16 am IST