On Friday, the Congress party hit out at the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government over reports that the Centre had halted the National Talent Search Examination (NTSE) in order to provide scholarships to deserving students.

In a post on X, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra stated that a “public relations (PR) exercise was prioritized over a vision for progress.

She emphasized that the NTSE Scholarship, established in 1963, has significantly impacted the futures of many children by facilitating access to quality education and contributing to national development. Vadra referred to a news report indicating that the NTSE scholarship had been suspended for the past three years.

“Yet, the Pariksha Pe Charcha continues for the Prime Minister’s personal publicity. In the last three years, ₹40 crore could have been allocated for scholarships, while ₹62 crore has been spent on publicity,” Vadra remarked.

She expressed concern that the discontinuation of scholarships for thousands of students has seemingly closed the door to a promising future, while the Prime Minister’s PR efforts persist unabated.

On January 9, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also raised similar points, noting that the scholarship had been discontinued three years ago under the pretext of controlling spending on scholarships. “However, the non-biological PM has continued with a PR campaign labeled Pariksha Pe Charcha, wasting around ₹62 crore. This is what we call ‘Entire Political Science,’” he added.

Reports indicate that the government has allocated over ₹62 crore for Pariksha Pe Charcha, an annual event where Prime Minister Modi offers advice to schoolchildren on how to approach exams. During these three years, the scholarship program designed for schoolchildren up to doctoral levels—linked to the National Talent Search Examination—was suspended after the education ministry instructed the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to put the examination on hold.

Had the scholarship program continued, total expenditures over the past three years would have been less than ₹40 crore, based on previous spending patterns. Some government officials suggested that suspending the Talent Search Exam was part of an effort to reduce scholarship-related expenditures.

Many academics and parents have raised questions about the government’s priorities, asserting that Pariksha Pe Charcha amounts to little more than a repeated “public relations” and “self-glorification” initiative by the Prime Minister, whereas the scholarship could significantly benefit students.

Pariksha Pe Charcha is conducted in January or February at a venue in Delhi, where students from various states and schools gather. Modi responds to a selection of pre-screened audience questions as well as some pre-recorded ones, with expenses covered by the education ministry.

Five members of a family, including three young children aged eight, four, and one, were found murdered in their home, with their bodies stuffed in sacks and hidden in a bed box, police said on Friday. The brutal killings have sent shockwaves through the Uttar Pradesh town of Meerut.

Two individuals have been detained in connection with the shocking murders, and several other suspects have also been taken into custody as investigations unfolded following the discovery of the bodies on the night of January 9. The parents were discovered wrapped in bedsheets, and all five victims suffered from severe head injuries and slash marks on their necks.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Vipin Tada stated that, based on a complaint lodged by the relatives of the deceased woman, a case has been filed against three named suspects and other unidentified individuals. He confirmed that two named suspects and several others are currently being questioned.

The bodies of the husband and wife were located wrapped in bedsheets, while the bodies of their three children were discovered stuffed into the storage compartment of a bed in the family’s home, located in the densely populated Suhail Garden area, under the jurisdiction of the Lisari Gate police station.

SSP Tada mentioned that one named suspect is currently on the run, and police teams have been assigned to locate and apprehend him. He assured that all evidence is being collected and expressed confidence that the case will be resolved soon.

The victims have been identified as Moin, also known as Moinuddin (52), his wife Asma (45), and their daughters Afsah (8), Aziza (4), and Adeeba (1). According to police reports, Asma’s brother, Shamim, filed a formal complaint late at night, alleging the involvement of Asma’s younger sister-in-law, Nazrana, and her two brothers in the suspected murders.

SSP Tada, who visited the crime scene on Thursday night, indicated that the family’s house was secured from the outside when concerned neighbors and locals checked on the family. The bodies were discovered after they gained access through the roof.

“The locked state of the house suggests that the perpetrator may have been familiar with the family,” Tada noted, adding that initial investigations point to an old grudge as a potential motive behind the horrific incident.

The SSP further revealed that one of the deceased’s legs was found tied with a bedsheet, and a forensic team, along with senior officers, is compiling evidence. The family, who had recently relocated to the area, is also being investigated for their background for further details.

Moin, a mechanic, and Asma had been unaccounted for since Wednesday. According to police, Moin’s brother Salim was the first to discover the gruesome scene when he went to check on the family after becoming worried about his brother’s absence. Salim had initially arrived at Moin’s house with his wife and, after multiple attempts to gain entry failed, was ultimately forced to break in with the help of neighbors.

AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal announced on Friday that his party plans to provide financial assistance to Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) for hiring private security guards if they are re-elected in Delhi.  

During a press conference, Kejriwal mentioned that specific guidelines detailing the financial assistance amounts and the number of guards that can be hired will be established later.

In his statements, Kejriwal criticized the BJP, claiming the party has disregarded the welfare of Delhi’s residents, which has contributed to their absence from power for 27 years. He emphasized that AAP prioritizes the needs of the people in Delhi, as evidenced by their commitment to support RWAs in enhancing neighborhood security through private security services.

Earlier on December 30, Kejriwal announced a new scheme that offers a monthly honorarium of Rs 18,000 to Hindu and Sikh priests. Kejriwal said that the registration of the Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana will begin on Tuesday. This announcement comes amid a huge row over a scheme that promises a monthly stipend to unemployed women.

Addressing a press conference, the former Delhi Chief Minister said that he was making an important announcement regarding a scheme. He mentioned that the name of the scheme is Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana. He continued that under this scheme, there is a provision to give an honorarium to the priests of temples and the granthis of the Gurudwara, adding that they will be given an honorarium of about Rs 18,000 per month. 

He pointed out that this is happening for the first time in the country. He added that the priest is a class that has carried forward the rituals from generation to generation, who never paid attention to their family and the governments never paid attention to them. Arvind Kejriwal said he would kickstart the scheme after visiting the Hanuman Temple in Delhi’s Connaught Place tomorrow.

Earlier, the AAP national convenor launched the Mahila Samman scheme which offered a stipend of Rs 2100 per month to unemployed women. The AAP leaders started a registration drive for the scheme. Nonetheless, the next day, the government’s women and child development (WCD) department advertised that the Mahila Samman scheme was non-existent and urged residents not to share personal data.