New Delhi: A parliamentary panel on Wednesday recommended the central government to take “concrete, time-bound steps” to ensure that by 2030, public expenditure on education increases to 6% of the Gross Domestic Products (GDP), a target set by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, while noting that the current spending, both by the Centre and states, stands at 4.06% of the GDP.. A parliamentary panel on Wednesday recommended the central government to take “concrete, time-bound steps” to ensure that by 2030, public expenditure on education increases to 6% of the Gross Domestic Products (GDP), (Sansad TV). The panel also recommended that the Centre more than double research and development (R&D) spending from 0.64% to 1.5% of GDP. It added that the expenditure on education was lower than key Brics countries like Brazil (5.62%) and South Africa (6.16%).. The 31-member parliamentary standing committee on education, women, children, youth and sports is headed by Congress MP Digvijaya Singh. In its ‘demands for grants of the department of higher education, ministry of education for 2026-27’ presented to Parliament on Wednesday, the panel expressed its concerns over “alarming” 73.9% cut in the capital head (amount dedicated to long-term, non-recurring investments that create assets or reduce liabilities) of the department in its allocated budget from ₹10.27 crore in budget estimate (BE) 2025-26 to ₹2.68 crore in BE 2026-27, and recommended a five-year capital investment plan with direct capital allocation from BE 2027-28.. The panel flagged 67.6% staff shortages at the University Grants Commission, “severely” impacting the commission’s capacity to discharge its functions. It has also expressed concerns over 63.6% vacancies at All India Council for Technical Education.. The panel has flagged poor global outcomes under the Institutions of Eminence (IoE) scheme as no Indian university is in QS top 100. It has recommended annual accountability reports, strict monitoring (including for private IoEs), time-bound global benchmarks, and linking future funding to measurable gains in research, faculty quality and internationalisation.. Flagging zero spending under the National Digital University (NDU) despite allocations of ₹100 crore in 2024-25 and ₹25 crore in 2025-26, the panel has sought a time-bound rollout plan and clarity on mandate, while recommending its complement — to not compete with Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) by focusing on credit-based online degrees and micro-credentials.. The panel welcomed the announcement in the Union budget 2026-27 for a girls’ STEM hostel in every district and asked the ministry to finalise a detailed rollout plan with funding model, timelines and eligibility norms, while prioritising low female Gross Enrolment Rate (GER), aspirational, Naxal-affected and tribal districts, and ensuring high-speed internet access in all hostels.. The panel backed entry of foreign univers 

 The Supreme Court has held that the percentage of disability cannot be treated as determinative of a candidate’s capability or suitability for public employment, underlining that the State carries a positive obligation to ensure equal opportunity and provide reasonable accommodation to persons with disabilities.. Disability percentage can’t determine capability for public employment: Supreme Court. A bench of justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta made the observation while ordering the Himachal Pradesh government to appoint a lawyer with 90% permanent locomotor disability as an assistant district attorney (ADA), setting aside the state’s decision to deny him the post despite his success in the selection process.. The court also imposed costs of ₹5 lakh on the state, noting that the candidate, Prabhu Kumar, had been “unjustly denied appointment” despite being meritorious and was forced to undergo prolonged litigation.. “The percentage of disability, by itself, cannot be treated as determinative of a candidate’s capability or suitability for public employment,” held the bench in a judgment released on Tuesday, emphasising that the statutory framework under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016 mandates the State to ensure equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation.. Kumar, a practising advocate since 2015, had applied for the ADA post pursuant to a 2018 advertisement issued by the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission. While he cleared the written examination and interview, and was recommended for appointment, the state refused to appoint him on the ground that his disability — assessed at 90% — exceeded the prescribed upper limit of 60% mentioned in the recruitment notification.. The Supreme Court found this stipulation fundamentally flawed. It held that while the RPwD Act defines a minimum threshold of 40% disability for availing reservation benefits, it does not permit the State to impose an upper ceiling that excludes candidates with higher degrees of disability. By prescribing a 60% cap, the state had effectively “rewritten the statutory definition” to the detriment of those the law seeks to protect, the court observed.. The bench was categorical that such a restriction had no rational nexus with the duties of an assistant district attorney, which primarily require legal acumen, analytical ability and mental agility rather than physical capacity. It also noted that Kumar had been practising law for nearly a decade without impediment, demonstrating that a higher degree of disability did not compromise professional competence.. In a significant reiteration of disability rights jurisprudence, the court stressed that the principle of “reasonable accommodation” lies at the heart of the 2016 law and cannot be ignored by administrative authorities. It held that the State must make “necessary and appropriate modifications” to ensure that persons with disabilities can enjoy their rights on an 

 Chhattisgarh’s State Investigation Agency (SIA) has submitted a charge sheet in a Bilaspur special court against nine people accused of ties to a Maoist “urban network,” a public prosecutor stated on Wednesday. The suspects hail from Bijapur, Narayanpur, and elsewhere, according to public prosecutor Dauram Chandravanshi. (Photo courtesy of Getty Images/iStockphoto). The charge sheet was filed on Tuesday in the court of Principal District and Sessions Judge (NIA court) Sirajuddin Qureshi. Public prosecutor Dauram Chandravanshi stated that nine people have been named as accused in the case. The matter is set for a hearing on March 20. The case stems from a crackdown that started on September 25 last year, when the SIA arrested Jaggu Kursam, a Maoist divisional committee member, and his wife Kamla Kursam, an area committee member, in Raipur. The interrogation resulted in the arrest of seven additional suspects from different regions of the state, including Korba, Bilaspur, Narayanpur, and Bijapur. The other accused have been identified as Ram Incham, Pawan (alias Akash/Pushkar), Dhansingh Gavde, Sandev Podiyami, Girdhar Nag, Sukaru Ram, and Shankar Korsa. The majority hail from Bijapur, Narayanpur, and nearby areas. Investigators state that the inquiry began after intelligence reports indicated that several people, masquerading as city laborers, were secretly relaying sensitive data to Maoists via electronic gadgets. The probe uncovered that the suspects were living and employed in urban centers for the outlawed group. They were reportedly involved in spreading Maoist ideology and providing logistical aid, such as food, medical help, and transport. An FIR was filed in connection with this matter in September 2025 at the DD Nagar police station in Raipur. In the course of the investigation and arrests, the agency confiscated gold biscuits, cash, laptops, mobile phones, and multiple pen drives. Officials indicated that the accused have been charged under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). 

 On Wednesday, the Gujarat government introduced a bill in the assembly to implement a Uniform Civil Code, replacing religion-specific personal laws with uniform rules on marriage, divorce, succession, live-in relationships, and related issues for all state residents. (Gujarat Assembly complex – PTI) Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi tabled the bill, drafted based on a report from a committee headed by retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai. Sanghavi stated that the proposed Gujarat Uniform Civil Code, 2026, seeks to establish uniformity, gender justice, and simplification in personal laws throughout the state. However, the code does not apply to members of Scheduled Tribes under the Constitution or to groups whose customary rights are protected under Part XXI of the Constitution. The proposed code will apply to the state and its residents, regardless of their place of residence. The code will apply to individuals born in Gujarat, owning property there, employed by state or central government entities, or who have resided in the state for the past ten years. The BJP-governed Uttarakhand became the first state to enact a UCC law in February 2024. Other BJP-governed states like Assam and Gujarat have pledged to enact the UCC, the ruling party’s sole major ideological commitment yet to be fulfilled. Gujarat’s iteration of the code also aims to formalize live-in relationships through mandatory registration, along with penalties for failing to register, providing false information, or entering banned arrangements. Additionally, it mandates that the registrar notify the local police station upon receiving a declaration about a live-in relationship and inform the parents or guardians if either partner is under 21. The legislation requires all couples living in Gujarat to register their live-in relationships, irrespective of their residency status in the state. Gujarat residents in a live-in relationship outside the state can opt to register voluntarily. Couples are required to provide a statement to a registrar, who checks that the relationship does not include a minor, someone already married, or individuals related within forbidden degrees of kinship. A woman abandoned by her partner in a live-in relationship can seek court-ordered maintenance. Per the code, couples failing to register within one month of starting a live-in relationship risk up to three months in jail, a fine of up to ₹10,000, or both. 

 Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi described the resignation of senior party leader and MP Pradyut Bordoloi as unfortunate, yet a personal choice. Gaurav Gogoi views Bordoloi’s departure as regrettable but personal. Bordoloi, the current MP from Nagaon, quit Congress on Tuesday due to disagreements and claims of humiliation. He joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday ahead of the Assam Assembly polls on April 9. “We regard his decision as unfortunate.” In the previous Lok Sabha elections, the Congress party fielded him as a candidate. In the ongoing Assembly election, the party also fielded a family member of his (Bordoloi’s son Prateek from the Margherita seat) as a candidate. Gogoi, arriving in Dibrugarh from Delhi, said, “Yet he remains upset for personal reasons.” In response to a question about the party’s position on Bordoloi’s son’s candidature, Gogoi added, “I have sympathy and moral support for Prateek Bordoloi.” No matter what decision he wants to make, I will represent the party in speaking for it. Bordoloi chaired the Congress’s manifesto committee for Assam and had compiled a ‘charge sheet’ listing allegations of widespread corruption against the BJP and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, which was released earlier this month. “He personally prepared the Congress election manifesto and publicly highlighted the alleged corruption involving CM Sarma, his wife, and the BJP government.” Congress MP from Dhubri, Rakibul Hussain, remarked, “Now, the same person has moved closer to the CM.” Bordoloi joined the saffron party during a simple ceremony in New Delhi at the residence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.