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JNU fee hike: High Court shocked JNU knows nothing about protesting students

The Delhi High Court today slammed the Jawaharlal University administration and described as “shocking” that the University had no idea about academic details of the students against whom it has filed a contempt petition for protesting within 100 meters of its administrative block.

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JNU students marching towards Rashtrapati Bhavan against the university administration's hostel fee hike order.

The Delhi High Court today slammed the Jawaharlal University (JNU) administration and described as “shocking” that the University had no idea about academic details of the students against whom it has filed a contempt petition for protesting within 100 meters of its administrative block.

Justice A K Chawla directed the university to file an affidavit giving details of the students named in the contempt petition, including their courses, its status and duration of stay in the campus.

The court listed the matter for hearing next Friday. JNU, represented by central government standing counsel Monika Arora, has sought contempt action against its students and the police for allegedly violating a high court order barring protests within 100 meters of the university’s administrative block.

While, Jawaharlal Nehru University students from across centres, boycotted the semester examinations on Thursday to protest the steep hostel fee hike. The students boycotted the exams for the first time in its history since the university was set up. The students took the decision after talks between student leaders and the HRD secretary failed to resolve the 46-day impasse.

The Jawaharlal University Students’ Union in its statement said that the students of the university had shown exemplary unity in the face of intimidation, violence and a barrage of threats in the form of circulars released by the administration.

However, students appeared for their papers in the School of Sanskrit and Indic Studies (SSIS).

The High-level committee formed by the Human Resource Development Ministry is yet to release a report by a committee it set up last month to solve the crisis.

Earlier in the day, Vice-Chancellor M. Jagadesh Kumar also met eighteen hostel presidents to discuss the matter and “explained about the revised hostel manual, but nothing conclusive emerged from the meeting and VC had to walk out of the meeting when the students stared asking him questions.

The students of JNU have been protesting for almost a fortnight against the draft hostel manual which proposes a 300% increase in the hostel fee and introduces various other charges under new heads. The Executive Committee came up with the new proposal, which said the rent for a double-seater room which was raised from Rs 10 per month earlier to Rs 200 in the draft has been reduced to Rs 100 a month while the rent for the single-seater room, proposed at Rs 600 from Rs 20 per month earlier, has been reduced to Rs 200 per month.

India News

Vodafone Idea in talks with Elon Musk’s Starlink, other satellite providers

Vodafone Idea is exploring partnerships with satellite communication providers, including Starlink, to expand internet connectivity in uncovered areas and rural regions.

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Vodafone Idea in talks with Starlink for satellite internet services

Vodafone Idea is currently in exploratory discussions with multiple satellite communication providers, including Elon Musk’s Starlink. This move comes shortly after its telecom competitors, Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio, secured agreements with Musk’s company to introduce Starlink’s satellite internet services in India.

The company disclosed its ongoing talks on Wednesday after Indian stock exchanges sought clarification regarding its stock movement. Earlier in the day, a local financial news platform reported Vodafone Idea’s interest in satellite internet services.

Vodafone Idea’s satellite broadband strategy

Vodafone Idea’s Chief Technology Officer, Jagbir Singh, highlighted the company’s vision for satellite connectivity. “Our strategy is to provide services—whether fixed or mobile—in uncovered areas, where satellite makes perfect sense,” Singh stated in the report.

Additionally, the company aims to expand fixed wireless broadband coverage in rural areas and smaller towns, where traditional infrastructure deployment is cost-prohibitive.

Starlink’s expansion in India

Elon Musk’s SpaceX recently partnered with Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio to distribute Starlink’s satellite internet services in India. These partnerships will allow the telecom giants to stock Starlink’s equipment in their retail stores, providing direct access to the satellite communication service for consumers across thousands of locations.

However, Starlink’s entry into the Indian market remains subject to government approval before it can officially commence operations in the country.

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Dreaming of Harvard? Tuition is now free for middle-income families

Harvard University will offer free tuition to students from families earning $200,000 or less per year, with full financial coverage for those under $100,000.

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Harvard University, free tuition, financial aid, middle-income families, Ivy League education, tuition-free college, Harvard admissions, student financial support

Harvard University has taken a major step toward making education more accessible and affordable by offering free tuition for undergraduate students whose families earn $200,000 or less per year. This initiative, set to begin in the 2025-26 academic year, is expected to benefit thousands of students from middle-income families who aspire to study at the prestigious Ivy League institution.

The university will also provide full financial coverage, including tuition, housing, food, health insurance, and travel expenses, for students from families earning $100,000 or less annually.

Eligibility criteria for Harvard’s tuition-free education

Harvard’s new financial aid structure will be based on household income:

Families earning $100,000 or less:

Full financial coverage, including tuition, food, housing, health insurance, and travel costs.

Additional $2,000 start-up grant in the first year.

A $2,000 launch grant during the junior year to support the transition beyond Harvard.

Families earning $200,000 or less:

Tuition fees waived.

Additional financial aid to cover billed expenses based on financial circumstances.

Families earning above $200,000:

Many will still qualify for financial aid, depending on their specific financial situation.

Harvard’s commitment to affordability

Harvard University previously offered free tuition to students from families earning less than $85,000 per year. The new financial aid expansion aims to make higher education more accessible to students from middle-income backgrounds, ensuring that cost is not a barrier to attending one of the world’s most prestigious universities.

Harvard University President Alan M. Garber and Edgerley Family Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Hopi Hoekstra announced the initiative on March 17, stating that the goal is to broaden access and remove financial constraints for talented students.

The university’s financial aid team will work individually with students and families to match assistance based on specific financial circumstances. Students can visit Harvard’s official website for further details and application guidelines.

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AAP leader Satyendar Jain faces fresh Rs 7 crore CCTV fraud allegations

Delhi ACB has filed a fresh corruption case against Satyendar Jain, alleging he took a Rs 7 crore bribe to waive penalties in a Rs 571 crore CCTV project. AAP denies all charges.

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AAP Minister Satyendar Jain

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) finds itself mired in yet another controversy as former Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain faces fresh corruption allegations in connection with a Rs 571 crore CCTV installation project. The Delhi government’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has filed a case against Jain, accusing him of taking a Rs 7 crore bribe to waive a Rs 16 crore penalty imposed due to project delays.

According to the ACB’s statement released on Wednesday, the case has been registered under Section 17 of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The allegations stem from the installation of over one lakh CCTV cameras across Delhi’s 70 Assembly segments, with a second order of an additional 1.4 lakh cameras allegedly placed after the initial delay.

The case is reportedly based on the testimony of an official from Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), who detailed alleged irregularities and “shoddy” installations. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Delhi has criticized AAP, accusing the party of suppressing the investigation when it was in power.

BJP Attacks AAP Over Corruption Allegations

Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva has slammed AAP over the fresh charges against Jain. He alleged that the tender for the Rs 571 crore project was awarded to BEL, and Jain took a Rs 7 crore bribe to waive off financial penalties. “BJP had complained then also… but AAP tried to suppress the investigation. No matter how much you tried to hide corruption, you have to answer now,” Sachdeva stated.

Neither AAP nor Satyendar Jain has responded to the allegations yet.

More Legal Trouble for AAP Leaders

This fresh case adds to the mounting legal troubles for top AAP leaders. Satyendar Jain, who was granted bail in October last year after spending two years in custody in a money laundering case, is also facing prosecution in a disproportionate assets case.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia are also battling corruption charges. Kejriwal has been accused of misusing public funds for promotional posters, while Sisodia is embroiled in an alleged Rs 2,000 crore scam linked to classroom construction in Delhi government schools. Jain is also named in this case.

The controversial Delhi liquor excise policy scam also remains under investigation. Last month, a Comptroller and Auditor-General (CAG) report stated that the state suffered a Rs 2,002 crore loss due to policy irregularities.

AAP Denies Charges, Calls It a Political Vendetta

AAP has dismissed all allegations, claiming they are politically motivated and orchestrated by the BJP to tarnish its image. The party has also denied accusations that Kejriwal misused Rs 45 crore of taxpayers’ money for renovating his official residence.

Despite its denials, AAP suffered a massive defeat in the recent Delhi Assembly elections, where the BJP secured 48 of the 70 seats, marking a significant power shift in the capital after nearly three decades.

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