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Indian Students Recalibrate Overseas Medical Choices as New Destinations Gain Ground

3 min readNew DelhiJun 9, 2026 01:55 PM IST IIT Jammu launches Unified Engineering BTech programme for the 2026-27 academic year.The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jammu has introduced a new BTech programme called Unified Engineering, designed for students who want to move beyond conventional single-discipline engineering pathways. The programme is open to JEE Advanced aspirants and offers a fully redesigned, hands-on curriculum that integrates multiple engineering domains. For more information, candidates can visit the official portal of IIT Jammu at iitjammu.ac.in. The programme emerges from a recognition that the lines between mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering are increasingly blurring as technology evolves. Rather than confining students to isolated departments, Unified Engineering is structured to help them connect ideas across disciplines and apply them to complex, real-world problems. For more information on the JoSAA counselling, students can visit the IE Education Portal.The curriculum is built around a Grand Challenge framework that emphasises teamwork, innovation, and real-world impact over traditional rote learning. Students will gain expertise in transformative domains including Artificial Intelligence, Intelligent Systems, Robotics, Smart Mobility, Electric Vehicles, and Sustainable Energy Technologies. Generative AI tools are also integrated into the learning environment as part of a future-ready education model. “We wanted to create a programme where learning feels like an active engineering experience rather than a classroom chore. Unified Engineering is built to give students the mindset, skills and adaptability they need to lead the next generation of tech innovation,” said Dr. Navneet Kumar, Programme Chair, Unified Engineering, IIT Jammu. Graduates will be prepared for cross-functional roles including systems engineers, product development engineers, automation specialists, and AI professionals. The programme is backed by IIT Jammu’s active placement network and its upcoming innovation park, providing students with direct exposure to startups and top global companies including Amazon, Samsung, Intel, Siemens, ABB, Nokia, TCS, IBM, and Hitachi Energy. Similarly, in IIT Jodhpur has also introduced a four-year Bachelor of Science programme in Mathematics and Computing for the academic year 2026-27. The programme is primarily designed to bridge theoretical mathematical frameworks and modern computational applications. This would further equip the graduates with skills in applied mathematics, algorithm design, programming and data analytics, making them ready for successful careers across technology, finance, data science, and research. The introduction of new programmes across IITs has been widely welcomed as a step toward aligning technical education with the demands of an evolving industry landscape. The variety of programmes on offer has grown steadily in recent years.

Indian ExpressJun 9

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pradeshandhracommission

Renowned artist Bhaskara Rao Botcha to lead art workshop, public auction in Visakhapatnam

Image for representational purposes only. | Photo Credit: Getty/istock In a sweeping order, the Andhra Pradesh Information Commission (APIC) has prohibited Tirupati-based RTI activist and advocate Perumal Jayachandra Reddy from filing applications, appeals and complaints under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, citing repeated misuse of the transparency law, vexatious litigation and serious allegations of financial exploitation of information seekers.Delivering a 20-page common order on Friday (June 19, 2026), Chief Information Commissioner Vajja Srinivasa Rao dismissed 39 second appeals and complaints filed by Mr. Jayachandra Reddy, who represented the Legal Aid Welfare Society (LAWS), holding that the RTI Act confers the right to seek information only on individual citizens and not on legal entities such as societies or associations.The Commission also directed the District Collector of Tirupati to immediately seize records allegedly maintained by Mr. Jayachandra Reddy relating to complainants V. Lalitha Devi, B. Chandraiah and other members of the public, citing larger public interest.The order further said all pending RTI applications, first appeals and second appeals filed by Mr. Jayachandra Reddy would stand closed, and directed the Commission’s registry to circulate the order to all government departments, district collectors, superintendents of police, public information officers and appellate authorities across Andhra Pradesh.The Commission said Mr. Jayachandra Reddy had filed RTI applications under the banner of the Legal Aid Welfare Society, represented by its president and advocate, making the applications legally untenable. Referring to Section 3 of the RTI Act, the Commission said only a “citizen” can seek information, while a society or any other juristic person cannot claim that status.The order cited several judgments of the Supreme Court, High Courts and the Central Information Commission, to show the distinction between a legal person and a citizen.The Commission further said the appellant had repeatedly invoked the “life and liberty” provision under Section 7(1) of the RTI Act to seek information within 48 hours without demonstrating any imminent threat to life or personal liberty.According to the order, public authorities complained that Mr. Jayachandra Reddy had filed numerous RTI applications seeking extensive records, often concerning personal grievances rather than matters of larger public interest. Officials also alleged that he repeatedly submitted similar applications, appeals and complaints despite having already received responses.The Commission described several applications as speculative, repetitive and aimed at pressuring public authorities. It also took exception to language in some appeals warning officials of penalties and disciplinary action for non-compliance, terming such statements as intimidating.The order referred to two complaints received against Mr. Jayachandra Reddy. In one case, a woman alleged that he collected ₹1 crore for obtaining property-related records through RTI but failed to provide the documents or return the money. In another complaint, a man alleged that Mr. Jayachandra Reddy collected ₹20,000 to file an RTI application but did not submit it.Calling these allegations serious, the Commission said the RTI Act could not be allowed to become a tool for harassment, private litigation or financial gain. It held that repetitive applications could constitute valid grounds for refusal and cautioned public authorities against being burdened with frivolous and voluminous requests.“Entertaining such appeals could no longer serve the objectives of the RTI Act,” the Commission said while dismissing all 39 cases. Published - June 22, 2026 10:53 am IST

The HinduJun 22

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stateindiaelection

Election Commission of India announces Rajya Sabha polls for 24 seats on June 18

Rhabdoblatta subsparsa (Walker, 1868). | Photo Credit: Special arrangement India is home to 191 species of cockroaches and 119 of these species (more than 60% of the species) are endemic to India, a recent publication by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) highlighted. Endemism is the ecological state where a species or taxonomic group is native to a single, highly defined geographic location. The publication titled DNA barcodes and species delimitation reveal overlooked diversity in Indian cockroaches (Blattodea), reveals that India’s hidden cockroach diversity is far greater than previously recognized.The paper points out that at present 191 extant species of cockroaches Blattodea have been documented in India, distributed across 74 genera, with 126 species having defined type localities within the country.“Notably, 119 of these species are endemic to India, yet less than 20% of this diversity is represented by genetic data in public databases. This substantial gap in molecular data limits the resolution of the systematics of Indian cockroaches and their representation in global phylogeny,” the paper says.As per the study recently published in journal Zootaxa, scientists from ZSI and Prof Ramkrishna More College, have developed the first and largest DNA barcode reference library for the cockroaches of peninsular India.DNA barcoding functions like a supermarket scanner, utilizing short, standardized DNA sequences to achieve rapid and highly accurate species identification.“The study highlights the growing power of DNA barcoding as a globally recognized tool for uncovering hidden species diversity, resolving taxonomic ambiguities, and documenting poorly known groups such as cockroaches,” said Dhriti Banerjee, Director, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata.The study pointed out that of the 126 species originally described from India, only 40 have been recollected and confirmed through fresh specimens and the remaining 86 species are known only from their original descriptions, with type specimens deposited in abroad museums making direct physical comparisons currently unfeasible.“DNA barcode studies on the cockroaches of Peninsular India have opened new avenues for understanding the evolutionary diversification of endemic lineages, revealing possible Gondwanan biogeographic affinities and highlighting how long-term geographic isolation and continental history shaped the fauna of the Indian subcontinent,” Shabnam, lead author of the paper said.K.P. Dinesh, team leader of DNA Barcoding Studies, from ZSI’s Western Regional Centre, Pune said that while cockroaches are widely misunderstood and stereotyped purely as household pests, the vast majority of wild species are harmless.“As one of the oldest and most diverse insect groups on Earth, they play a vital role in maintaining natural ecosystems by decomposing organic matter, recycling nutrients, and supporting forest food webs. Furthermore, because these wild species are highly sensitive to environmental disturbances, they serve as crucial indicators of ecosystem health,” Dr. Dinesh said.The findings underscore an urgent need for continued exploration and molecular documentation to safeguard the nation’s rich biological heritage, the scientist said.A few months ago in March 2026, researchers discovered a new species of cockroach, Neoloboptera peninsularis, lurking within the agricultural landscapes of the Deccan Peninsula. Scientists moved beyond traditional physical descriptions and used DNA barcoding for the discovery of the new species. There are about 5000 species of cockroaches found across the world and India represents approximately 3.8% of global diversity of cockroaches. Published - May 27, 2026 07:28 am IST

The HinduMay 27

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statekarnatakaproposes

State Planning Commission proposes ‘Wisdom Valley’ in Bengaluru Airport City

Sixteen districts have received normal rainfall. | Photo Credit: K. MURALI KUMAR Eleven districts in Karnataka, including Bengaluru Urban, received deficit pre-monsoon rainfall between March 1 and May 11.According to the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre’s (KSNDMC) district-wise pre-monsoon pattern-2026, during this period, Bengaluru Urban (-23%), Bengaluru South (-29%), Tumakuru (-21%), Chitradurga (-44%), Vijayanagar (-24%), Davangere (-25%), Hassan (-28%), Kodagu (-48%), Mysuru (-50%), Mandya (-42%) and Chamarajanagar (-39%) received deficit rainfall.Rainfall is considered normal when it varies between +19% and -19%, deficient when it varies between -20% and -59%, large deficient when it is -60% or less, excess when it varies between +20% and +59%, and large excess when it is +60% and above.Sixteen districts — Bengaluru Rural, Chickballapur, Kolar, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga, Uttara Kannada, Haveri, Ballari, Koppal, Bagalkot, Belagavi, Vijayapura, Yadgir, and Bidar — received normal rainfall.While Bidar, Raichur, and Gadag received excess rainfall, Dharwad and Kalaburagi received large excess rainfall. The KSNDMC’s taluk-wise data reveals that 11 taluks received large deficit rainfall, 99 taluks received deficit rainfall, 72 taluks received normal rainfall, 33 taluks received excess rainfall, and 21 taluks received large excess rainfall.The summer has been intense across the State, with a few districts in north-interior Karnataka recording a maximum temperature of more than 40°C on many occasions.In Bengaluru for instance, the temperature was above 35°C for most of April and even crossed the 36°C mark on many occasions.On Monday (May 11), the IMD forecast said that there would be an increase in maximum temperature by 2-3°C in north-interior Karnataka during the next five days.“There will be no large change in maximum temperature in coastal Karnataka and south-interior Karnataka during next five days,” IMD said.The IMD has already stated that the 2026 southwest monsoon seasonal rainfall (June to September) across Karnataka is expected to be below normal in most parts of the State. However, some regions in northeast and southeast-interior Karnataka are likely to receive normal to above-normal rainfall. Published - May 11, 2026 07:48 pm IST

The HinduMay 12

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SC/ST Commission recommends action against officials for non-removal of caste from ward’s name in Srivilliputhur constituency

A banner announcing the poll boycott put up in Vadakku Achamthavirthan. | Photo Credit: Special arrangement The Tamil Nadu State Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes has directed the Virudhunagar Collector to initiate action against officials who failed to remove the caste-based name “Paraseri” from Vadakku Achamthavirthan (Ward 12) in the district. The ward falls under the Srivilliputhur Assembly constituency (Reserved).Residents of the area boycotted the election to protest the government’s failure to remove the caste name. In a letter to the Collector, writer Imayam, who serves as Chairman (in-charge) of...

The HinduApr 29

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