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UP Board to continue with 30% cut in school syllabus

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For the third consecutive year, the Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UP Board) has decided to only cover 70 per cent of the prescribed annual syllabus in the new academic session for over one crore students of Class 9 to Class 12.

These students are enrolled in around 27,735 schools affiliated to the Board across the state.

The board has retained the 30 per cent cut, as in the past two years, in the syllabus uploaded on its official website.

According to the board officials, the decision has been taken due to lack of regular studies for the past two years due to Covid and the mental pressure that the students are facing owing to it.

Officials conceded that this year, after Class 10 and Class 12 examinations, school studies were affected for almost two months due to practical examinations and answer sheet evaluation.

In order to provide a comfortable environment to the students, who have returned to schools after two years and for their holistic development without putting any additional pressure, only 70 per cent of the curriculum would be taught and assessment of students would be based on the curtailed curriculum covered.

The UP Board is also going to conduct Class 9 and Class 10 written examinations on a new pattern from this year.

For the first time, there will be five monthly examinations during the academic session that would form part of students’ assessment. There will be three exams based on multiple-choice questions and two tests based on questions needing descriptive answers.

The decision of the UP Board to curtail its annual syllabus by 30 per cent comes close on the heels of a similar decision taken by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) which too has retained the 30 per cent cut in curriculum for the year as done by it in the previous two pandemic-hit years.

CBSE’s Prayagraj regional officer Shweta Arora, while confirming the move, said last year’s syllabus will be applicable to the 2022-23 session also.

The Council for the Indian School Examination (CISCE) has also cut the syllabus for some subjects like Hindi and English for this year.

Business

Banks Expect Increased Credit Demand Across Retail, MSME, & Agricultural Segments After GST Reforms

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New Delhi: With the Goods and Services Tax (GST) reforms, banks expect increased credit demand across retail, MSME, and agricultural segments as incomes rise and business investment picks up.

According to Ajay Kumar Srivastava, MD and CEO, Indian Overseas Bank, the reform will create a strong effect across the economy, leading to improved cashflows for distributors and retailers, greater working capital access for small businesses, and expanded credit requirements amid rising demand.

“Overall, this decision acts as a catalyst for inclusive growth and economic transformation aligning itself to India’s vision of Viksit Bharat”, said Srivastava. This move makes taxation more transparent and easier to follow. “We expect these measures will drive an estimated growth in consumption over 8-10 per cent in the next two quarters in rural markets, particularly benefiting farmers through reduced costs on agricultural products where GST has been brought down from the 12 per cent to 5 per cent,” according to Srivastava.

The price cuts on daily essentials like dairy products, household items, and consumer durables will provide more relief and reduce the burden to the consumers. The reduced GST on vehicles, electronics, and housing materials will create demand for these segments, while making insurance policies completely tax-free will enhance financial inclusion.

According to Sanjay Agarwal, Senior Director, CareEdge Ratings, GST rate cuts result in a decrease in the final price of goods and services, which enhances consumer purchasing power and could stimulate demand across various sectors.

The impact is generally visible in the consumer durables segment. Lower GST rates on automobiles, electronics, and appliances not only make these products more affordable but also expand the addressable market to include price-sensitive consumers who were previously priced out.

“Banks could see an increase in auto loans, personal loans for electronics purchases,” he mentioned. Outstanding housing loans, vehicle loans, credit card and consumer durables account for around 16.7 per cent, 3.5 per cent, 1.6 per cent and 0.1 per cent of banking credit, respectively.

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Crime

Man Who Threatened To Blow Up Mumbai With 34 Human Bombs & 400Kg RDX Ahead Of Ganpati Visarjan 2025, Arrested In Noida

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Mumbai: In a swift and coordinated operation, the Mumbai Crime Branch has arrested a 50-year-old man from Noida, Uttar Pradesh, within 24 hours after he allegedly threatened to blow up the city using human bombs and 400 kg of RDX explosives.

According to officials, on September 4, 2025, at 2:57 pm, an unidentified person sent a WhatsApp message to the government-issued mobile number of the Mumbai Traffic Control Room in Worli. The message claimed that a massive terror attack would be carried out in Mumbai using human bombs and explosives.

The threat, which came amid the backdrop of Ganesh Visarjan celebrations in the city, was taken very seriously given the potential to disrupt law and order. Acting swiftly, the Crime Branch used technical investigation and intelligence-based tracking to trace the accused. With assistance from Gautam Buddh Nagar Police in Noida, the suspect — Ashwinikumar Sureshkumar Supra (50) — was arrested. The mobile phone used to send the threatening message has also been seized.

The case has been registered under Sections 196(1)(A)(B), 351(2), 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Worli Police Station.

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National News

‘PM Modi Is Great Whether Trump Says It Or Not,’ Says Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis

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Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a great leader irrespective of whether US President Donald Trump says it or not, and added that India frames its own foreign policy, which cannot be dictated to it by any other country.

His statement comes in the wake of Trump’s praise of PM Modi.

Trump on Friday said, “I’ll always be friends with (Narendra) Modi, he’s a great prime minister. He’s great. I’ll always be friends, but I just don’t like what he’s doing at this particular moment.”

The relations between New Delhi and Washington are on a major downturn after Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a whopping 50 per cent, including 25 per cent additional duties for India’s purchase of Russian crude oil. India described the US action as “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable”

When asked about the US President’s remarks, CM Fadnavis said, “Whether Trump says it or not, PM Modi is great. All world leaders feel that he is a great leader. American stand these days is… some praise us and some try to pull us down. But this is a new India…Modiji’s India. We decide our own foreign policy and nobody can dictate it to us.” The country’s march to become Viksit Bharat will continue, he added.

Fadnavis was speaking to reporters after the immersion of Lord Ganesh idol, installed at his official residence ‘Varsha’ in south Mumbai, in an artificial tank there.

On the occasion, he appealed to citizens to bid farewell to Lord Ganesh with traditional fervour and in a peaceful manner.

“All of us bid goodbye to the Lord with a heavy heart and with a sense of happiness that he will return next year,” he said.

The 10-day Ganesh festival, which began on August 27, drew to a close on Saturday.

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