Students with four-year undergraduate degrees can now directly appear for NET and pursue PhD, according to University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Jagadesh Kumar. To pursue a PhD with or without a Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), the candidates will require a minimum of 75 percent marks or equivalent grades in their four-year undergraduate course.

So far, a candidate for the National Eligibility Test (NET) needed a master's degree with a minimum of 55 percent marks. The exam this year will be conducted in offline mode instead of a Computer-Based Test. Tests for all subjects will be conducted on June 16.

"The candidates with four-year undergraduate degrees can now directly pursue PhD and appear for NET. Such candidates are allowed to appear (for tests) in a subject in which they want to pursue a PhD irrespective of the discipline in which they have obtained the four-year bachelor's degree," Kumar told PTI.

Rajasthan Royals spinner Yuzvendra Chahal took his 200th IPL wicket on April 22 to become the first bowler to achieve the feat in the franchise tournament.

Chahal dismissed Mumbai Indians all-rounder Mohammad Nabi caught and bowled for 23 with his leg-spin as he celebrated the achievement at Rajasthan’s home ground in Jaipur.

He came into the game on 199 wickets ahead of Dwayne Bravo, who retired with 183 wickets and is now bowling coach of defending champions Chennai Super Kings.

The 33-year-old Chahal, who has also played for Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, achieved the milestone in his 153rd IPL match.

Gandhinagar-based Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) and Starburst Aerospace of France on Monday entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to advance aerospace, defence, and homeland security innovation. The MoU includes the creation of a venture capital fund of 100 million euros for aerospace, defence and security technology and provides export promotion support for Indian start-ups to explore international markets, the RRU said in a release. The partnership between Starburst and RRU is a reflection of the progress in the India-France Strategic Partnership in defence and space, it said.

The strategic alliance between RRU, Starburst, and Security and Scientific Technical Research Association (SASTRA), a not-for-profit company set up by RRU, is aimed at fostering innovation and driving advancements in the aerospace, defence and homeland security sectors, the RRU said.

Sakshi Mittal (IAS) has been selected for the appointment as Director in the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Monday. According to an order issued from the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT), she has been selected for the appointment under the Central Staffing Scheme for a period of five years from the date of taking over charge of the post or until further orders, whichever event takes place earlier.

Mittal is a 2010-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of AGMUT cadre. She was recommended for the Central deputation by the Ministry of Home Affairs. "She may kindly be relieved of her duties immediately with instructions to take up her new assignment in DoPT," the order further added.

Air India bids farewell to its iconic Boeing 747 aircraft, fondly known as the 'Queen of the Skies' from the Mumbai's international airport. The double-decker plane took off for Plainfield, US, where it will be dismantled and stripped for parts, marking the end of an illustrious chapter in aviation history.

Sharing a video clip of the Boeing 747 taking off from the Mumbai airport and doing a 'wing wave', Air India said it will miss the aircraft's iconic presence.

"Today, we wave goodbye to the first of our last 'Queen of the Skies', the B747, departing Mumbai. Thank you for an era of majestic flights. We'll miss your iconic presence," the airline said in a post on X.

The Central Government has approved the appointment of Nidhi S Jain (IA&AS) as Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) of Cotton Corporation of India Limited (CCI) on Monday. According to an order issued from the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) on April 22, she has been appointed to the post for an initial period of three years with effect from the date of assumption of charge of the post or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

Nidhi is an Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IA&AS) service officer of 2009-batch. Presently, she is posted as Director of Audit (Environment & Scientific Departments), Branch office, Mumbai.

Ananth Technologies Founder, CEO and Chairman Pavuluri Subba Rao has been conferred with the ‘Aryabhatta Award’ instituted by the Aeronautical Society of India (ASI). He was also presented with ASI’s ‘Distinguished Fellow’ title.

He received the award recognition of Rao’s “tremendous lifetime contribution to the promotion of astronautics in India.”

A former ISRO scientist, Rao incorporated Ananth Technologies Limited in 1992 to indigenously design and develop some of the country’s most sophisticated avionics for ISRO and the Defence sector.

World English Day, also known as English Language Day, is celebrated every year on April 23 to commemorate the birth and death anniversary of the English playwright and poet William Shakespeare. It was established first time by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2010 to promote multilingualism and cultural diversity, as well as to celebrate the importance of the English language in the world.

The English language is one of the most popular languages spoken around the globe.

The day prospects the history, culture, development, and achievements associated with the language.

First Rainbow International Tourism Conference in Nepal took place in Kathmandu organised by civil society Mayako Pahichan in association with Nepal Tourism Board.

Chief Guest of the event, Bhagawati Chaudhary, Minister of Women, Children and senior citizen inaugurated the even along with Sunil Babu Pant, first openly gay member of Parliament in Asia.

LGBTQ participants and experts in their field spoke on pink tourism and bringing inclusiveness in tourism sector to boost economy of any country.

EU Ambassador in Nepal Veronique Lorenzo expressed that Nepal being LGBTQ friendly country, has great prospects to attract tourists as compared to other LGBTQ non-friendly Asian countries. Nepal visioned itself to be favourable destination wedding and honeymoon vacation place for LGBTQ community from its two big neighbours along with other countries.

India's net direct tax collections surged by a massive 17.7 per cent year-on-year to Rs 19.58 crore in the fiscal year ended March 2024, surpassing even revised estimates by a wide margin, the tax department said on Sunday.

Net collections of income and corporate taxes, which make up for most of the direct taxes, in 2023-24 financial year exceeded the Budget estimates by Rs 1.35 lakh crore (7.40 per cent) and the revised estimates by Rs 13,000 crore.

The government had raised the target for direct tax collection in FY24 (April 2023 to March 2024) to Rs 19.45 lakh crore in the interim Budget presented on February 1.