Today in History (August 03rd, 1492)
On August 3, 1492, Christopher Columbus set sail from Palos, Spain, on his first transatlantic voyage, hoping to find a westward route to India. He departed with three small ships: the Niña, Pinta, and Santa María.
Summary of Today’s News
SC asks govt. to overhaul NEET-UG on a deadline.
The Supreme Court criticized the National Testing Agency (NTA) for mishandling the NEET 2024 exam, highlighting concerns over organization, security, and logistics. The Court directed the NTA to restructure the exam process, enhance security measures, ensure data protection, and establish grievance redressal mechanisms. A committee led by former ISRO Chairperson K. Radhakrishnan is to submit recommendations by September 30. The Education Ministry must decide on and implement the recommendations, filing a compliance report afterward.
Quid pro quo via poll bonds are assumptions for now: SC
The Supreme Court declined to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate alleged quid pro quo involving political parties, public servants, and law enforcement, stating the allegations were based on assumptions. Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud emphasized that a general inquiry was premature and advised petitioners to utilize normal legal remedies first. The court noted that electoral bonds are governed by existing laws and that an SIT formation would be inappropriate without exhausting other legal avenues.
NGT impleads Kerala, T.N. in suo motu case on Wayanad landslides.
The Southern Bench of the NGT, led by Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member Satyagopal Korlapati, took suo motu cognisance of the Wayanad landslides, which resulted in 210 fatalities in Mundakkai and Chooralmala. The Tribunal directed Kerala and Tamil Nadu to report on landslide-prone areas and criticized the lack of implementation of recommendations from the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel and the Kasturirangan Committee. The next hearing is scheduled for September 9 to assess progress.
Governor should be a bridge between Centre and State: PM
At the recent prestigious Conference of Governors, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the crucial role of Governors as vital links between the Centre and State governments, especially in tribal and underprivileged areas. Inaugurated by President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the event featured key addresses by the President, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The conference focused on Centre-State relations, welfare schemes, criminal justice reforms, and higher education, emphasizing the implementation of the Education Policy.
