Auhona Mukherjee

CBSE cancels Class XII exams in West Asia amid regional tensions

CBSE cancelled remaining Class XII board exams in seven West Asian countries scheduled between March 16 and April 10 after reviewing security conditions amid the Iran-US-Israel conflict

Centre drafting insurance scheme for gig workers with life, accident cover

The labour ministry is drafting a social security scheme offering insurance and possible pension cover for gig workers under the Code on Social Security

West Asia war forces course correction for Indian students as fears rise

Region known for affordability and simpler visa processes now in turmoil, leaving students to rethink overseas education

CBSE to undertake serious review following QR code 'rickroll' incident

CBSE assured Class 12 Board maths question paper with QR code was genuine

Flexi-staffing industry growth falls to three-quarter low in Q3FY26

Sequential growth in India's flexi-staffing sector slowed to 0.5 per cent in Q3 FY26 as firms paused hiring amid labour code implementation, according to an ISF report

Two-thirds of companies have no female KMP, says CFA Institute study

Women held only 12.4 per cent of key managerial personnel roles in FY25, with nearly two-thirds of companies having no female KMP, highlighting a sharp gender gap in corporate leadership

Centre plans major push to train allied health professionals, caregivers

Addressing the concluding session of the webinar, Dr VK Paul, member (health) at government think tank NITI Aayog said that the strategic way forward includes strengthening existing institutions

Active job vacancies on govt job portal falls to 16-month low in Feb

The count of active jobs in February was the lowest since October 2024, when it was 14.12 lakh, according to the NCS performance dashboard

Missing half in India's growth puzzle: Female labour participation just 42%

Over 125 million women in India with secondary or higher education are outside the labour force

Only 22% of candidates trained under PMKVY secured employment, shows data

Government data show that only 22% of candidates certified under PMKVY 1.0 to 3.0 secured jobs, with placements for SC and ST candidates at about 25%, even as PMKVY 4.0 delinks training from targets

EPFO panel flags rising unclassified balances, seeks March-end roadmap

Employees' Provident Fund Organisation finance panel seeks roadmap to clear suspense account balances by March 31 amid concerns over rising unclassified funds

Skill Ministry signs Flexi-MoU with Bajaj Auto for auto training

MSDE's Directorate General of Training signs a Flexi-MoU with Bajaj Auto to train candidates in advanced automotive manufacturing under the revised Flexi-MoU Scheme

Manufacturing PMI climbs to four-month high in Feb, rises to 56.9

However, the latest figure was significantly lower than the Flash India Manufacturing PMI of 57.5, released last month

EPFO retains employees' provident fund interest rate at 8.25% for 2025-26

This is the second year in a row that the EPF interest rate has been kept unchanged at 8.25%

EPFO panel clears new SOP for exempted establishments, CBT to take call

EPFO's Exempted Establishment Committee has approved a consolidated SOP to streamline regulation of exempted establishments, replacing annual audits with risk-based reviews; CBT will review it next

New GDP series: Consumption demand recovers in FY26, govt spending flat

India's Second Advance GDP Estimates for FY26 signal strengthening private consumption, steady government spending and firmer investment momentum, reflecting shifts under the revised GDP series

Internship, apprenticeship and skilling schemes face a reality check

PMIS, ELI and NAPS show promise but face low uptake, funding gaps and weak industry linkages, raising concerns over scale and job outcomes

Labour Ministry to auto-refund small balances in inoperative EPFO accounts

Pilot to cover 7.11 lakh inoperative EPFO accounts with ₹1,000 or less; funds to be auto-credited to Aadhaar-seeded bank accounts without fresh claims

Salary growth may ease to 9.1% in 2026; GCCs, pharma may be outliers

India Inc's salary growth is projected to ease to 9.1% in 2026, with GCCs and pharma firms leading increases as companies prioritise skill-based rewards, variable pay and talent retention strategies

Govt publishes handbook on employer compliance under Labour Codes

Labour Ministry releases a handbook outlining 23 compliance actions for employers under the four Labour Codes, offering clarity ahead of final rules expected by the end of the fiscal year