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India clears Russian vaccine for emergency use amid vaccine shortfall, Maharashtra delays board exams

India has authorised the emergency use of the Russian vaccine Sputnik V after reports that the country’s vaccination efforts are coming a cropper due to the shortage of Indian-made vaccines Covishield and Covaxin.

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Maharashtra Board exams

India has authorised the emergency use of the Russian vaccine Sputnik V after reports that the country’s vaccination efforts are coming a cropper due to the shortage of Indian-made vaccines Covishield and Covaxin.

While Covaxin is made by Bharat Biotech of Hyderabad, Covishield is the AstraZeneca once developed by the University of Oxford and manufactured in India by the Serum Institute of India. Emergency use authorisation usually precedes a formulation’s approval as a vaccine. The other big vaccines yet to be okayed for use in India are the ones made by Pfizer and Moderna, which are both double dose. Johnson and Johnson has also developed a vaccine which is said to be a single-dose product.

With almost a week-long incidence of over a lakh fresh cases being recorded, the vaccination efforts seem to have been hit. While the Government has insisted there is no vaccine shortage, social media is awash with posts of people being returned from hospitals without being vaccinated. The Centre has blamed a few states for the spike including Maharashtra, which has applied the brakes on state board exams as a result of the spike in cases.

Maharashtra Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad said state board exams for classes 10 and 12 will now be held in May and June respectively.

In an announcement on Twitter, the state education minister said, Given the current COVID-19 situation in Maharashtra, we’ve postponed state board exams for class 10th and 12th. The present circumstances are not conducive for holding exams. Your health is our priority.

The announcement was made after the consultation with the state chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, teachers, parents, and elected representatives from across parties, she said. In a video message, Gaikwad said that Covid cases have been on the rise for the past few days. She went on to state that there has been stress about preparing for the exams among the students and the pandemic affecting the health of stakeholders. 

The safety of the stakeholders is our utmost priority and hence have decided to postpone the board exams. The SSC exam is likely to be conducted in June and the HSC exams could be scheduled at the end of May so that a student’s higher education is not impacted, she added. 

The HSC and SSC exams in Maharashtra were slated to begin from April 23 and April 29 respectively.

Gaikwad said that various alternative assessment options were also evaluated during the consultation, keeping in mind the well-being, health, and future of our students. Thanking CM Thackeray for his guidance, she mentioned that postponing the exams seemed to be the most pragmatic solution amid the Covid-19 surge in the state. 

She said the government would also request other education boards to adopt similar solutions under the prevailing circumstances. We’ll also be writing to the CBSE, ICSE, IB, Cambridge boards, requesting them to reconsider their exam dates, she added.

Last week, the Maharashtra government had announced for all students in Class 9 and Class 11 that they will be declared to be passed without taking exams, while a similar decision for the students of Class 1-8 was taken earlier in the month.

Read Also: Deepika Padukone steps down as MAMI chairperson, says she has way too much work

Meanwhile, Maharashtra logged its highest-ever single-day spike of coronavirus cases on Sunday with the addition of 63,000 fresh cases in the last 24 hours. With 63,294 new Covid-19 cases, the state’s caseload has reached 34,07,245 since the outbreak of the pandemic. Also, 349 new deaths in a single day have increased the total fatalities to 57,987 in the state.

Education

UGC NET June 2026 admit card released; candidates can download hall tickets online

The National Testing Agency has released UGC NET June 2026 admit cards. Candidates can now download their hall tickets from the official website before the examination begins on June 22.

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The National Testing Agency (NTA) has released the admit cards for the UGC NET June 2026 examination. Registered candidates can now download their hall tickets from the official UGC NET portal by logging in with their application credentials. The examination is scheduled to be conducted between June 22 and June 30, 2026.

The admit card is a mandatory document for entry to the examination centre and contains important details such as the candidate’s name, roll number, examination date, reporting time and allotted test centre. Candidates have been advised to carefully verify all information mentioned on the document after downloading it.

How to download the UGC NET admit card

Candidates can follow these steps to access their hall tickets:

  1. Visit the official UGC NET website.
  2. Click on the admit card download link.
  3. Enter the application number, date of birth or password, and security details.
  4. Submit the information to log in.
  5. Download and save the admit card.
  6. Take a printout for use on the examination day.

Important instructions for candidates

Candidates must carry a printed copy of the admit card along with a valid photo identity proof to the examination centre. The city intimation slip issued earlier is meant only for advance travel planning and cannot be used as a substitute for the admit card.

Applicants are also advised to check reporting timings, examination guidelines and centre details mentioned on the hall ticket well in advance to avoid last-minute issues.

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India News

Delhi records coolest day of June as rain brings relief from heat

Heavy rain and cloudy conditions helped Delhi record its coolest day of June, with the India Meteorological Department forecasting further relief from heat in the coming days.

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Delhi experienced a significant break from the intense summer heat after rainfall and cloudy skies pushed temperatures down, making it the coolest day of June so far.

The change in weather brought much-needed relief to residents who had been dealing with high temperatures and humid conditions over the past several weeks. Rainfall was reported in several parts of the national capital and adjoining NCR regions, leading to a noticeable drop in daytime temperatures. Similar weather conditions have recently helped keep temperatures below normal across the city.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the combination of rain-bearing systems and cloud cover contributed to the cooler conditions. The weather department has indicated that pleasant weather is likely to continue, with chances of additional rainfall and thunderstorms over the next few days.

The rainfall not only lowered temperatures but also improved outdoor conditions after a prolonged spell of heat. Earlier this month, Delhi had experienced episodes of extreme weather, including heatwave conditions and dust storms, making the recent spell of rain a welcome change for residents.

IMD’s latest forecast suggests that while temperatures may gradually rise later in the week, intermittent rain and thunderstorms could continue to provide temporary relief from the summer heat.

Weather officials have advised people to stay updated on local forecasts as changing weather conditions could bring brief spells of rain, gusty winds and thunderstorms across Delhi-NCR.

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India News

Uddhav Sena MPs unreachable as Delhi meetings fuel fresh split speculation

Fresh uncertainty surrounds Shiv Sena (UBT) after several MPs reportedly became unreachable, with attention now focused on crucial meetings in Delhi.

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Fresh political uncertainty has gripped the Shiv Sena (UBT) after several of its Lok Sabha MPs reportedly became unreachable, prompting senior leaders to make personal efforts to contact them amid growing speculation of a possible rebellion within the party.

Party chief Uddhav Thackeray and other senior leaders are understood to be reaching out to MPs as concerns grow over potential defections. The developments come ahead of a parliamentary committee meeting in Delhi, where several MPs from the Uddhav Thackeray camp are expected to gather.

Reports suggest that some MPs from the Shiv Sena (UBT) faction could hold discussions in the national capital alongside leaders from the rival Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde. Sources have indicated that a group of MPs may explore forming a separate faction in Parliament before potentially aligning with the Shinde-led camp, although no official announcement has been made.

Names being discussed in political circles include MPs such as Sanjay Dina Patil, Sanjay Deshmukh, Nagesh Patil Ashtikar, Omraje Nimbalkar, Bhausaheb Wakchaure and Sanjay Jadhav. However, at least one MP, Sanjay Dina Patil, has publicly rejected reports linking him to any rebel group.

Meanwhile, senior Uddhav camp leaders including Arvind Sawant and Anil Desai are expected to remain actively engaged in efforts to maintain party unity. Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut has also been in Delhi amid the unfolding developments.

The latest episode has revived memories of previous political upheavals in Maharashtra and intensified speculation over whether the Shiv Sena (UBT) could face another significant organisational challenge in the coming days. As meetings continue in Delhi, political observers will be closely watching for any formal announcements from either camp.

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