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Centre orders joint probes into every suspected human rabies death
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Australia warns on counterfeit rabies vaccine in India; 'Abhayrab' maker reacts (Representational image)SummaryA new protocol mandates multi-agency investigations within 48 hours to trace infection sources, identify exposed contacts and strengthen rabies surveillance under the One Health framework.India will, for the first time, investigate every suspected human rabies death through joint teams drawn from health, veterinary, municipal and forest departments, as the Centre moves to tighten surveillance and speed up containment amid persistent rabies fatalities.The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has issued a standard operating procedure (SOP) mandating joint investigation teams at the national, state, district and block levels, according to two government officials and the document, Standard Operating Procedure for Joint Investigation of Suspected Human Rabies Deaths, reviewed by Mint.The protocol aims to confirm rabies deaths, trace the animal source, identify exposed contacts and ensure timely vaccination. Local authorities must begin field investigations within 48 hours of notification and submit final investigation reports within seven days.One Health responseThe framework adopts the One Health approach, bringing together the departments of health and family welfare, animal husbandry and dairying, urban and rural local bodies, forest and wildlife, and designated rabies diagnostic laboratories.Treating healthcare facilities must report every suspected rabies death on the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) within 24 hours. Joint investigation teams will then collect medical records, interview family members and caregivers, map bite locations, and assess whether anti-rabies vaccines and immunoglobulins were administered appropriately, according to the SOP.Primary healthcare officers will also review vaccine storage, procurement and distribution at regional healthcare facilities.Rabies, a preventable yet almost invariably fatal viral disease once symptoms appear, remains a major public health challenge. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), dogs account for nearly 96% of human rabies cases worldwide, with the remaining 4% linked to bites from cats, monkeys, mongooses, wild cats and cattle.Government data shows dog-bite cases rose to 3.72 million in 2024 from 2.75 million a year earlier, while rabies deaths climbed to 180 from 22 in 2022, prompting a new SOP for multi-agency investigations and faster containment.Queries sent to the health ministry spokesperson remained unanswered until press time.From investigation to containmentAnimal investigations will survey exposure sites to trace, isolate and observe dogs, livestock or wild animals linked to bite incidents.The SOP directs field investigators collecting biological specimens to use personal protective equipment, including double gloves and masks, while maintaining specimens at two to eight degrees Celsius during transport. Designated laboratories will test brain tissue or saliva samples using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and direct fluorescent antibody tests, sharing results with health departments within 24-48 hours. Local teams must submit final reports within seven days, documenting the likely transmission route, community risks and preventive measures.Where wild animals such as jackals, foxes or feral cats are suspected sources, forest departments will lead field operations and establish a 5-km buffer zone around the exposure site. Teams will carry out targeted animal vaccination, monitor wildlife morbidity, conduct door-to-door risk assessments in nearby villages and manage local waste to reduce human-wildlife interactions. Exposed contacts will receive post-exposure vaccines and rabies immunoglobulins immediately, without waiting for laboratory confirmation.The framework also mandates monthly data sharing across state and district departments, including confirmed rabies deaths, dog-bite clusters, stray dog census dat
New Delhi: The Centre has raised its apprenticeship target under the National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS) by 40% to 600,000 students in 2026-27 from 428,000 a year ago, according to two people aware of the development. It has allocated ₹1,250 crore for the scheme in the current fiscal year.The government has also introduced a quality benchmark, requiring that at least 40% of apprentices be rated "good" or above by the industries where they undergo training.The decision is part of the government's efforts to address growing discontent over youth unemployment and the widening gap between academic qualifications and industry requirements, especially after massive student protests that led to Dharmendra Pradhan's exit as Union education minister.The NATS, implemented under the Apprentices Act, 1961, to provide on-the-job training to graduates, diploma holders and vocational students, along with the Prime Minister Internship Scheme (PMIS), is central to the government's strategy to improve employability."The government is aiming to make more young people employable by providing training that is closely aligned with industry demand,” said one of the two people cited above.The overall unemployment rate for people aged 15 and above stood at 5.5% in June 2026, unchanged from May, according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), India's official employment survey. The annual unemployment rate declined to 6.5% in 2025 from 7.0% in 2024.Skill developmentExperts say the move is aimed at strengthening the link between skill development and employability, addressing a long-standing mismatch between training outcomes and labour market demand.“Someone has to evaluate how these schemes are performing. If they are not succeeding in integrating youth into the labour market, we need to understand whether the problem lies with the design of the schemes or with weak demand from the private sector,” N.R. Bhanumurthy, director, Madras School of Economics, told Mint.Bhanumurth said that the issue was on the government's agenda even before the recent developments. "That is why it introduced initiatives such as the Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme and various skilling programmes. The government is doing its part, but it is equally important to examine why the private sector is not absorbing more young workers.”Nishant Kumar, associate professor at the Centre for Political Studies, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, said the higher apprenticeship target suggests the government is trying to move beyond skilling to actual employment."It recognizes that creating jobs for young people is both an economic necessity and a political imperative. The challenge, however, is ensuring that industries absorb apprentices and turn training into long-term employment,” he said.In a written reply, the ministry of skill development and entrepreneurship told the Lok Sabha on 23 March 2026 that 523,024 individuals underwent apprenticeship training under the NATS in 2025.Mint's queries emailed to the ministries of education and finance remained unanswered.Important roleIndustry bodies have repeatedly pointed to a mismatch between the skills imparted through formal education and those required in the workplace, particularly in sectors such as electronics, semiconductors, renewable energy, defence manufacturing and advanced manufacturing.Apprenticeships can play a key role in addressing the skills gap while strengthening the micro, small, and medium enterprises workforce, said Vinod Kumar, president of the India SME Forum. "However, the success of the scheme will depend on ensuring that graduates are trained in trades aligned with their educational background and industry requirements.”“To make the programme effective, the government should also provide both monetary and non-monetary incentives to MSMEs for training apprentices, as it is small businesses, rather than large corporates, that undertake much of the hands-on training and h
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