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UGC-NET Exam Cancelled Amid Integrity Concerns, CBI Launches Probe

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The University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) June 2024 examination, conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), has been cancelled due to concerns over its integrity. The decision was taken after the University Grants Commission (UGC) received inputs from the National Cyber Crime Threat Analytics Unit of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs, indicating that the examination’s integrity may have been compromised. The UGC-NET examination was conducted on June 18 in two shifts across different cities in India, with over 9 lakh candidates appearing for the test. However, following the allegations of paper leaks, the Ministry of Education decided to cancel the exam to ensure transparency and maintain the sanctity of the examination process. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has been handed over the case for a thorough investigation. The CBI has registered a case against unknown accused persons for compromising the integrity of the UGC-NET exam. The CBI probe aims to identify and punish those involved in the alleged malpractices. The cancellation of the UGC-NET exam has sparked controversy, with the Opposition demanding the resignation of the Education Minister and NTA officials. The Education Minister has announced the formation of a high-level committee to enhance the functioning of the NTA and ensure error-free examinations. The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, which aims to prevent leaks and malpractices in recruitment examinations, has come into effect from June 21. However, the UGC-NET examination will not be covered by this new law. The UGC-NET examination is crucial for determining the eligibility of Indian nationals for Junior Research Fellowships and Assistant Professor positions in Indian universities and colleges. The cancellation of the exam has left many students in limbo, awaiting fresh examination dates to be announced.

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India vs Bangladesh, T20 World Cup 2024: Playing XI Prediction, Head-to-Head Stats, Pitch Report, and Weather Update

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After starting their Super Eight campaign with a thumping 47-run victory against Afghanistan, the Rohit Sharma-led India will take on Bangladesh in their second match of the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on Saturday. Bangladesh produced their best-ever showing at the T20 World Cup by winning three matches in the group stage to qualify for the Super Eights. However, the Tigers were handed a 28-run DLS defeat by Australia in their opening Super Eight fixture. They take on India next. Here’s a look at the Playing XI predictions, head-to-head stats, venue records, pitch, and weather updates ahead of the IND vs BAN match. India Predicted XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah. India Player to Watch: Virat Kohli’s form has been a concern for India in the ongoing tournament. The former India captain has mustered only 29 runs in four matches so far. Kohli, who is opening with Rohit Sharma, will be looking to get some runs under his belt against Bangladesh. Bangladesh Predicted XI: Tanzid Hasan, Litton Das (wk), Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Towhid Hridoy, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman. Bangladesh Player to Watch: The underperformance of openers Litton Das and Tanzid Khan has compounded Bangladesh’s woes. Tanzid Hasan’s form is a concern since, despite striking an unbeaten 58 to help Bangladesh prevent a 3-0 whitewash against the USA late last month, he has reached double digits only twice in six innings. India vs Bangladesh Squads: India: Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya (vc), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj. Bangladesh: Tanzid Hasan, Litton Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Shakib Al Hasan, Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Mustafizur Rahman, Jaker Ali, Tanvir Islam, Shoriful Islam, Soumya Sarkar. India vs Bangladesh Head-to-Head: Matches Played: 13, India Won: 12, Bangladesh Won: 1. India vs Bangladesh Pitch Report: Bangladesh’s 140 versus Australia suggests there was something in the surface, but Australia managed to score at almost nine an over in the chase. India vs Bangladesh Weather Report: According to weather.com, between 10 AM to 2 PM local time, during which the match should ideally finish, the temperature will be around 30 degrees Celsius. The weather will be mostly sunny, and there is no chance of rain. IND vs BAN Livestreaming Details: The India vs Bangladesh T20 World Cup match will be streamed on the Hotstar App and telecast on the Star Sports Network on June 22, Saturday from 8 PM IST.

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India vs Afghanistan Highlights T20 World Cup 2024: Bumrah, Arshdeep Help India Beat Afghanistan by 47 Runs

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India secured a convincing 47-run victory over Afghanistan in their Super 8 match of the T20 World Cup 2024 at the Kensington Oval in Barbados. The Indian bowling unit, led by Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh, played a crucial role in restricting Afghanistan’s batting efforts. India’s batting performance was led by Rohit Sharma, who scored 43 runs off 30 balls. The Indian captain’s innings was supported by Virat Kohli, who contributed 34 runs off 24 balls. The duo’s partnership helped India post a respectable total of 185 runs. In response, Afghanistan’s batting struggled to gain momentum. Their top-order batsmen, including Hazratullah Zazai and Usman Ghani, failed to make significant contributions. The Afghan team managed to score only 138 runs in their allotted 20 overs, ultimately falling short of the target by 47 runs. Bumrah and Arshdeep were the standout bowlers for India, taking three and two wickets respectively. The Indian duo’s impressive bowling display helped to restrict Afghanistan’s scoring and secure the win. India’s victory over Afghanistan has boosted their chances of advancing to the semifinals of the T20 World Cup 2024. The team will look to continue their winning momentum in their upcoming matches.

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NCERT Introduces ‘Criticism of Secularism’ in Textbook: Parties Disregard Equality, Prioritise Minority

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The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has revised the Class XI political science textbook, incorporating a critical perspective on secularism in India. This new content suggests that political parties prioritize minority interests for vote bank politics, leading to “minority appeasement.” Key Changes: Previous Content: The earlier edition emphasized that there is “little evidence” suggesting vote bank politics favors minorities and stated that such politics should only be considered wrong if it results in injustice. It claimed that all political parties utilize vote banks without inherently troubling implications unless injustice is created. Revised Content: The new version states that while vote bank politics might theoretically be harmless, it distorts electoral politics by mobilizing social groups to vote en masse for specific parties, thus prioritizing short-term gains over long-term development. It highlights that competitive vote bank politics can exacerbate social divisions and portrays different groups as rivals. The revision asserts that this form of politics is associated with minority appeasement, leading to the marginalization of minority groups and preventing social reforms. Justification for Changes: The NCERT explained that the previous version failed to adequately define vote bank politics and appeared to justify it. The revised content aims to provide a relevant criticism of Indian secularism, addressing perceived anomalies in the earlier text. These revisions are part of NCERT’s ongoing efforts to update the curriculum but are separate from the broader overhaul set to be completed by the 2025-26 academic session. This ongoing process, initiated in September 2021, involves comprehensive inputs from states, constitutional bodies, and expert groups.

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ADB Approves $170 Million Loan to Strengthen Health Sector in India

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The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $170 million policy-based loan to enhance India’s readiness and capability in the health sector to address future pandemics. This funding, under the Strengthened and Measurable Actions for Resilient and Transformative Health Systems (Subprogramme 1), will support the implementation of the government’s National Health Policy 2017. The policy aims to ensure universal access to high-quality healthcare services across the country. Sonalini Khetrapal, a senior health specialist at ADB, stated, “The Covid-19 pandemic has taught us valuable lessons and the adoption of several innovative practices that would significantly strengthen pandemic preparedness and response capacities if consolidated, sustained, and institutionalised. ADB has been working with the Government of India to strengthen its health system and adopt transformative solutions.” This loan will address deficiencies in governance, legislation, and institutional structures, advancing India’s objective of achieving universal access to quality and affordable healthcare services, Khetrapal added. Work Towards Disease Surveillance Systems The programme aims to enhance disease surveillance systems to promptly address public health threats. It will establish laboratory networks for monitoring infectious diseases across states, union territories, and metropolitan areas. Additionally, it will assist in developing reliable data systems to oversee and align national health initiatives targeting disadvantaged populations such as the poor and women. “The programme will improve the governance and coordination of India’s One Health approach, its multisector response to emerging infectious diseases,” the press release stated. Efforts to Implement Policy Reforms ADB will assist in implementing policy reforms aimed at ensuring sufficient and skilled healthcare professionals. This effort includes legislation to oversee and uphold educational standards, service quality, and professional ethics among nurses, midwives, allied healthcare workers, and doctors. “The programme will help public health and health management teams deployed in some states to support public health functions and improve service delivery,” the release said. The programme aims to oversee integrated public health laboratories in five states and district critical care hospital units to enhance services for infectious diseases and critical illnesses. It will aid the intersectoral governing body and multisector task force in establishing environmentally sustainable and climate-resilient healthcare facilities. Furthermore, it will promote innovative approaches to service delivery.

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Finance Says No to Health Request for $10-Million Fund to Meet G20 Pledge

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The Global Initiative on Digital Health (GIDH), launched during India’s G20 Presidency, remains unfunded by India despite a $10-million pledge. This initiative, a key deliverable from the Health Ministers’ meeting in Gujarat on August 19 last year, was part of the New Delhi declaration. The GIDH, formally initiated on February 20, 2024, by then Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, is still awaiting India’s promised contribution. The delay stems from the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) under the Ministry of Finance, which has not approved the contribution despite India’s commitment. The GIDH, managed by the World Health Organization (WHO), aims to support national digital health transformations within a framework that respects data protection regulations. A source from the Health Ministry indicated the proposal is “under consideration,” but the DEA had previously rejected the request in July 2023 without specifying reasons. The DEA suggested that India should offer technical support instead of financial contributions to avoid creating “committed liabilities.” Despite this setback, the Permanent Mission of India (PMI) to the UN recommended making a “substantial financial commitment” to the GIDH in November 2023. Highlighting India’s role as a leader in digital health, the Health Ministry, with approval from the Health Minister, reconsidered the contribution. In comparison, Indonesia contributed $50 million to establish the Presidency Prevention, Preparedness Response (PPR) Financial Intermediary Fund (FIF) during its G20 Presidency. As Brazil currently heads the G20 Presidency, the GIDH remains a priority within the health sector.

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Karnataka Government Hints at Hiking Water Tariff in Bengaluru

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Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar announced a potential increase in water tariffs in Bengaluru, following a recent hike in petrol and diesel prices in Karnataka. The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) faces significant financial challenges, and Shivakumar emphasized the need for a review after 10 years. The completion of the fifth phase of the Cauvery project is expected to impact the decision on the water tariff hike. After the recent increase in petrol and diesel prices in Karnataka, residents of Bengaluru may also face a water tariff hike. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar mentioned on Wednesday that the water tariff had not been revised for the past decade, necessitating a review. “We are suffering huge losses. We’ve taken up new projects, and no bank is coming forward to finance the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB),” said Shivakumar, who is also the Bengaluru development minister. Last week, the state government increased sales tax on fuel, making petrol and diesel costlier by Rs 3 and Rs 3.5 per litre, respectively. Shivakumar added that he has instructed officials to review the BWSSB’s financial position and provide a report. “Let them give a report first. We will place it before the public before taking a call. The fifth phase of the Cauvery project is going to be completed. In 10-15 days, I’ll ensure completion of BWSSB work in this regard. At least 70% of the water bill is incurred through power bills and labor charges. Every year, we suffer a big loss. Hence, there is no option. I am working out possibilities and discussing how to stabilize the company (BWSSB),” he said. Justifying the necessity of the hike, Shivakumar stated: “Even the financing committee, World Bank, and others are telling us we are politicizing the issue and not even trying to bring it to a breakeven level. This is what various officials and international banking staffers are conveying. We must expand the water distribution system. I have now allotted 6 TMC ft of more water to Bengaluru. We must undertake the work of one more phase. There is no option unless we show them that BWSSB is an independent company and works as an independent entity.”

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PM Modi to Inaugurate 1600-Year-Old Nalanda University’s New Campus, Calls It ‘Very Special Day for Education Sector’

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the new campus of Nalanda University in Bihar’s Rajgir. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he expressed his happiness on the occasion, calling it a “very special day for our education sector.” He highlighted Nalanda’s “strong connection with our glorious past” and its role in catering to the educational needs of the youth. PM Modi wrote, “It’s a very special day for our education sector. At around 10:30 AM today, the new campus of Nalanda University will be inaugurated at Rajgir. Nalanda has a strong connection with our glorious past. This university will surely go a long way in catering to the educational needs of the youth.” The university is a collaboration between India and East Asia Summit (EAS) countries, with deep historical roots. The original Nalanda University, established around 1600 years ago, is considered one of the first residential universities in the world. According to a PMO release, the Prime Minister will visit the Ruins of Nalanda at around 9:45 AM. The ruins were declared a UN Heritage Site in 2016. At around 10:30 AM, he will inaugurate the new campus and address the gathering on the occasion. The ceremony will be attended by several eminent people, including heads of missions from 17 countries. The new campus features two academic blocks with 40 classrooms, accommodating around 1900 students. It has two auditoriums with a capacity of 300 seats each, a student hostel for around 550 students, and various other facilities, including an international centre, an amphitheatre for up to 2000 individuals, a faculty club, and a sports complex. The campus is designed as a ‘Net Zero’ Green Campus, self-sustaining with solar plants, domestic and drinking water treatment plants, a water recycling plant, 100 acres of water bodies, and other environment-friendly facilities.

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Vapotherm Enters Into Definitive Merger Agreement; Transaction Would Result in Company Going Private

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Vapotherm, Inc. (OTCQX: VAPO) announced today that it has signed a definitive merger agreement with a newly-formed entity funded by an affiliate of Perceptive Advisors, LLC, a leading healthcare investment firm. This transaction will result in Vapotherm becoming a private company. Details of the Merger Agreement: Debt Conversion and New Investment: SLR Capital Partners will convert approximately $81 million of term debt into preferred equity in the new entity. Perceptive will invest $50 million of new preferred equity, a portion of which will fund the merger and related payments. SLR will retain $40 million of term debt. Merger Consideration: Vapotherm’s stockholders will receive $2.18 in cash per share, representing a 166% premium over the stock’s closing price on June 14, 2024. Board Approval: A special committee of Vapotherm’s Board, composed solely of independent directors, recommended the approval of the merger, which the Board accepted. Statements from Key Stakeholders: Anthony Storino, SLR Capital Partners: “This transaction allows the Company to strengthen their balance sheet as they focus on accelerating their revenue momentum.” Konstantin Poukalov, Perceptive Advisors: “We believe the Company has a clear vision to expand the use of high-velocity therapy in patients in need and look forward to supporting them in their next stages of growth.” Expected Closing and Future Operations: The transaction is anticipated to close in the second half of 2024, pending customary conditions, including stockholder approval. Upon completion, Vapotherm will be privately held and will no longer be publicly listed or traded on OTCQX. Advisors and Legal Counsel: Cooley LLP is representing Perceptive, Latham & Watkins LLP is representing SLR, Scalar, LLC is acting as the financial advisor to the Special Committee, and Ropes & Gray LLP is representing Vapotherm. About Vapotherm: Vapotherm, Inc. is a publicly traded developer and manufacturer of advanced respiratory technology, based in Exeter, New Hampshire. Their high velocity therapy systems provide non-invasive respiratory support, having treated over 4.4 million patients. The company focuses on delivering technology to patients in respiratory distress, offering a mask-free interface that allows patients to talk, eat, and drink while receiving treatment. Additional Information: This announcement is deemed solicitation material related to the proposed transaction. Vapotherm plans to file a proxy statement with the SEC and urges stockholders to read it in its entirety for important information about the transaction. Documents will be available on the SEC’s website and Vapotherm’s investor relations page. Forward-Looking Statements: The announcement includes forward-looking statements regarding the proposed transaction, stockholder approval, and the anticipated closing timeline. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ. Vapotherm does not assume any obligation to update these statements, except as required by law.

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Maharashtra Govt Allocates ₹9.4 Crore for Healthcare Facilities During Ashadhi Ekadashi Wari

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The Maharashtra government has allocated over ₹9.4 crore to provide healthcare facilities for pilgrims during the Ashadhi Ekadashi Wari. Of this, ₹2.40 crore is earmarked for medicines and ₹3 crore for food and snacks for the healthcare staff and pilgrims. The State Public Health Department issued a general resolution regarding this on June 13. Dr. Abhijit More, a health activist, raised concerns about the higher budget for food compared to medicines and medical equipment. He questioned the logic behind such allocation and called for an investigation into the matter. A senior Health Ministry official, speaking anonymously, explained that the costs shown for medicines and food are just allocations. Funds can be redirected as necessary. The official noted that the food budget appears higher due to the large number of doctors and healthcare staff deployed from various parts of the state and beyond. These staff members are provided with meals and water during and after the Wari, considering the increased cost of food due to inflation. The health department will set up four health camps for pilgrims and provide OPD, IPD, and ICU facilities at 258 medical units. Additionally, 707 ambulances will be available for the Palkhi procession. This year, approximately 3,362 healthcare staff, including doctors, 1,500 volunteers, and 500 department staff, will be deployed to ensure the health and safety of the pilgrims.

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