Page 29 - Lok Sabha

16 exams postponed by NTA since 2018; Covid, logistics among reasons: Govt

The National Testing Agency (NTA) postponed at least 16 exams due to different reasons since its inception in 2018, the Ministry of Education informed the Lok Sabha on Monday. The reasons for postponement included COVID-19 pandemic, administrative reasons, logistical reasons, and technical issues. The information was shared by Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar in response to a written question in Lok Sabha asked by DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi. "Since its inception in 2018, NTA has successfully conducted over 240 examinations involving over 5.4 crore students. "Since most of the examinations conducted by NTA are held in multiple-subjects, multiple-shifts and span over a number of days, there have been instances due to unforeseen circumstances like COVID-19 pandemic, logistical and technical issues, administrative issues, legal orders etc, when examination dates initially notified in respect of specific subjects or shifts could not be adhered to," the Minister ...

NEET 2024: 'Education minister blamed everyone but himself', says Rahul

NEET 2024 row: Replying to allegations made by Rahul Gandhi in Parliament today, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that no evidence of paper leak has been found in the last seven years

Oppn raises paper leaks issue; LS Speaker asks for constructive discussion

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said in the Lok Sabha on Monday that there is a very serious problem in the country's examination system, prompting Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan to issue a strong rebuttal and state that there was no evidence of paper leaks in the last seven years. As the opposition sought to corner the government over the issue of paper leaks, Speaker Om Birla also weighed in saying it was not right to raise questions about all exams and that members should discuss about developing a better examination system. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is probing the alleged irregularities in the medical entrance exam NEET. The agency has lodged six FIRs. The NEET-UG is conducted by the NTA for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions. On the first day of the Budget session of Parliament, Opposition members raised the issue of exam paper leaks. Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, said there w

In all-party meet, Congress seeks LS Dy Speaker's post for opposition

The Congress on Sunday sought the Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker's position for the opposition in the all-party meeting convened by the government ahead of Parliament session, and raised the issue of paper leaks, including of the prestigious NEET, sources said. They said party leader Gaurav Gogoi said the opposition should be allowed to raise issues in Parliament after Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju sought cooperation from every party for the smooth running of the two Houses. Samajwadi Party MP Ramgopal Yadav, sources said, raised the issue of the Uttar Pradesh government's controversial directive to eateries on the kanwariya route to display the owners' names. The YSR Congress spoke about the TDP government's alleged targeting of its leaders in Andhra Pradesh and sought the Centre's intervention. The meeting is being chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and was convened by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rijiju. Separately, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that in th

Rulings by chair not to be criticised, MPs reminded ahead of Parl session

Rulings given by the chair should not be criticised directly or indirectly in or outside the House and members should not raise slogans, including "Vande Mataram" and "Jai Hind", MPs have been reminded ahead of the Parliament session beginning Monday. The members have also been reminded that displaying "exhibits" on the floor of the House is "not in order". The Rajya Sabha Secretariat has come out with excerpts from the "Handbook for Members of Rajya Sabha", drawing the attention of the members to parliamentary customs and conventions and parliamentary etiquette. The excerpts were published in a Rajya Sabha bulletin issued on July 15. The session begins on July 22 and is slated to conclude on August 12. "The decorum and the seriousness of the proceedings of the House require that there should be no 'thanks', 'thank you', 'Jai Hind', 'Vande Mataram' or any other slogans raised in the House," the bulletin said. It noted that rulings are given by the chair according to the precedent

Six new bills listed for Parliament's upcoming session; Om Birla forms BAC

The Centre has listed six new bills for introduction, including the one which seeks to replace the 90-year-old Aircraft Act, to provide enabling provisions for ease of doing business in the aviation sector, in the upcoming Parliament session beginning Monday. Besides the Finance Bill, the government has also listed 'The Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill' for introduction, consideration and passing. The proposed legislation aims to bring more clarity and convergence in the roles of different organisations working in the field of disaster management, a Lok Sabha bulletin issued Thursday said. The Bhartiya Vayuyan Vidheyak, 2024 seeks to replace the Aircraft Act of 1934 to provide enabling provisions for ease of doing business in the civil aviation sector. The session beginning July 22 will conclude on August 12. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is scheduled to present the Union Budget on Tuesday, July 23. Other bills listed for introduction and passage during the session are

Budget 2024: Govt likely to announce steps to enhance pulse production

Union Budget 2024: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Budget in the Lok Sabha on July 23

Parliament security breach: Delhi police file supplementary charge sheet

During a live Lok Sabha session on 13 December 2023, six people were arrested for breaching security with smoke canisters to protest against unemployment and price rises

SC extends stay on notices issued by LS privileges panel to WB officials

The Supreme Court on Monday extended till July 19 the stay on notices issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat summoning the West Bengal chief secretary, DGP and others in a matter related to alleged breach of privilege of the House by them. On April 15, the top court had granted two weeks to the Lok Sabha Secretariat and others to file their replies to the plea moved by top bureaucrats of West Bengal against their summoning by the privileges committee of the Lok Sabha. They were summoned by the Committee of Privileges of the Lok Sabha over a complaint of "misconduct" filed against them by BJP MP Sukanta Majumdar when he was trying to visit the violence-hit Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district of the state. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud and justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra adjourned the hearing on the plea of the bureaucrats to July 19 after it was informed by a lawyer appearing for the Lok Sabha Secretariat that Solicitor General Tushar Meht

Budget 2024: What does the education sector expect from Nirmala Sitharaman?

Union Budget 2024: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Budget in the Lok Sabha on July 23

After Uddhav, West Bengal CM Mamata meets Sharad Pawar during Mumbai visit

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday met Nationalist Congress Party (SP) president Sharad Pawar during her first visit to Mumbai after the declaration of Lok Sabha poll results more than a month ago. Banerjee, who heads the Trinamool Congress, met Pawar at his residence 'Silver Oak' in south Mumbai. The Trinamool Congress leader, who is on a day-long visit to Mumbai, earlier met Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray at his residence "Matoshree" in Bandra. The Trinamool Congress, the NCP (SP) and the Shiv Sena (UBT) are constituents of the opposition INDIA bloc. This was Banerjee's first visit to Mumbai after the June 4 Lok Sabha results which saw the INDIA bloc putting up better-than-expected performance. In Maharashtra, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) bagged 30 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats, stunning the ruling Mahayuti, which comprises the BJP, the Shiv Sena and the NCP. Constituents of the MVA, including the Congress, are members of the INDIA alliance at ..

FinMin wraps up consultations, FY25 Budget to be presented on Jul 23

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has concluded consultations with various stakeholders, including representatives of industry and social sectors, as part of the budget preparation exercise. Sitharaman will present her seventh Budget on July 23. This would be the first full budget of Modi 3.0 which is going to set the path for Vikshit Bharat (developed India) by 2047. Last month, President Droupadi Murmu, while delivering her address to the joint sitting of Parliament, had said that many historic steps and major economic decisions will be taken in the upcoming budget session. In her first address to the joint sitting of Parliament since the constitution of the 18th Lok Sabha, the President said, "This budget will be an effective document of the government's far-reaching policies and futuristic vision". "Along with major economic and social decisions, many historic steps will also be seen in this budget," she said. The Finance Ministry in a statement said the pre-budget consultat

Fair trade, focus on manufacturing, infra on steel firms' Budget wish list

Steel companies hope the govt will continue to focus on infra expansion while also giving the industry a level playing field to compete with imports

Balancing act: How will Narendra Modi make India look strong globally?

Modi could even - and probably should - push his Russian interlocutors to make serious efforts to end the war

Rahul urges PM Modi to visit violence-hit Manipur, offers support for peace

PM Modi, during his address in the Rajya Sabha last week, reaffirmed that the central government is making efforts to normalise the situation in Manipur

Expect all members to uphold parliamentary dignity, follow rules: Om Birla

After a tumultuous Parliament session, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Saturday said he expects all members to uphold the dignity of the House by following rules and procedures. The three-term Lok Sabha from Kota parliamentary seat received a rousing welcome in his constituency after being elected as Speaker of the Lower House of Parliament for a second consecutive term. Asked about Rahul Gandhi's role as the Leader of the Opposition, Birla said the Rae Bareli MP holds a Constitutional post. The Lok Sabha Speaker also said that he expects all members to uphold parliamentary dignity while discharging their duties in the House. Birla said he would endeavour to give an opportunity to all members to raise issues dear to them in the House as per the rules and procedures. "It will be my endeavour to conduct the debate in the House in a manner that it doesn't affect the dignity of Parliament, be it the members from treasury benches or the opposition," he said. People lined up along the str

Congress postpones programme to felicitate new Lok Sabha MPs from UP

Congress postponed its programme to felicitate the newly-elected Lok Sabha members from Uttar Pradesh that was scheduled for Friday. UP Congress chief Ajay Rai told PTI that the programme has been postponed but did not give any reason for the postponement. Party sources, however, said that they did not want the programme to be held in Lucknow on the day senior party leader Rahul Gandhi visited Aligarh and Hathras to meet the family members of the stampede that killed 121 people. The Congress, which had contested the recently-concluded Lok Sabha election with the Samajwadi Party, has won six seats from UP, which sends 80 MPs to the Lower House -- the highest for any state. Rai said that a fresh date for the programme will be decided soon. All party candidates who had contested the elections will be called for the programme, he said. Rahul Gandhi, who won the Lok Sabha elections from Rae Bareli seat, had earlier this morning visited the families of the stampede in Aligarh and ...

Amritpal Singh to be taken to New Delhi for oath-taking as MP today

An eight-member team of the Punjab Police would escort jailed 'Waris Punjab De' activist Amritpal Singh to New Delhi for his swearing-in as an MP, an official said. Singh, who has won the Lok Sabha polls from the Khadoor Sahib constituency in Punjab, has been granted four-day parole for the swearing-in. The police team, led by a Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP)-rank official, arrived here on Thursday afternoon and is scheduled to escort Singh, lodged in Dibrugarh Central Jail, to New Delhi in a special flight amid tight security for the swearing-in on Friday. Singh's lawyer Rajdev Singh Khalsa said he would be taken to Delhi aboard a "military aircraft" for the swearing-in. Singh's parole orders are stringent, prohibiting him or his relatives from making any public statements during his visit to New Delhi. Moreover, any form of media coverage, including videography or circulation of statements, is strictly prohibited. In addition, Singh has been instructed not to engage in a

Average vote share of LS poll winners in 2024 came down to 50.58% : ADR

The winners of Lok Sabha elections 2024 won an average of 50.58 per cent votes, down by 2 per cent as compared to the last general elections, according to an analysis by the poll rights body ADR. Among the elected MPs with declared criminal cases, 42 per cent won with a vote share of 50 per cent and above, the ADR report said. The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch (NEW) have released a comprehensive analysis of the vote share in the Lok Sabha Elections 2024, examining 542 out of 543 constituencies. The Surat constituency in Gujarat was excluded from the analysis as its candidate was elected unopposed. Winners in the 2024 elections secured an average of 50.58 per cent of the total votes polled, a decrease from 52.65 per cent in 2019. Notably, 279 winners (51 per cent) achieved more than half of the total votes in their constituencies, while 263 winners (49 per cent) failed to reach the half-way mark. Among the major parties, the BJP had 75 out of

Agniveer controversy explained: From Rahul Gandhi's claim to Army response

What is the Agniveer scheme and how has Ajay Kumar's death sparked fresh debate on the controversial army recruitment scheme