The Delhi government has announced collateral-free loans of up to Rs 10 crore for women-led startups and self-help groups (SHGs), with the government set to act as guarantor for eligible applicants. The announcement was made by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta during the inauguration of a two-day Mega SHG Mela in Rohini.

The initiative is aimed at helping women entrepreneurs and small home-run businesses that often face difficulties in securing institutional credit due to the lack of collateral or financial guarantees.

According to the Chief Minister, the Delhi government itself will stand as guarantor for the loans extended to women-led startups and SHGs.

The announcement was made at the Mega SHG Mela organised near Rohini West Metro Station in northwest Delhi, where around 24 self-help groups showcased products including handicrafts, khadi items, crochet work, food products and household goods.

Focus on women entrepreneurship

The scheme is expected to benefit women entrepreneurs operating small businesses in sectors such as tailoring, handicrafts, beauty services, food processing and retail ventures. Many such businesses rely heavily on personal savings or informal borrowing because access to formal bank credit remains limited.

The Delhi government also said it plans to create dedicated retail opportunities for locally made products in malls and major shopping complexes across the capital to improve market access for women-led businesses.

During the event, Rekha Gupta highlighted initiatives such as “Vocal for Local” and “Atmanirbhar Bharat,” encouraging the promotion of indigenous products and local manufacturing.

A passenger train bound for Patna caught fire at Sasaram railway station in Bihar on Monday morning, with officials suspecting a short circuit as the likely cause of the blaze.

According to initial reports, the incident took place around 6 am when the Sasaram-Patna fast passenger train was stationed at platform number six shortly before its scheduled departure. Thick smoke was seen billowing out from one of the coaches as railway personnel and firefighters rushed to contain the fire.

The fire created panic among passengers present at the station, but no injuries or casualties were reported. Railway Police and fire brigade teams managed to bring the situation under control after emergency efforts at the spot. One coach of the train was reportedly completely damaged in the incident.

Railway authorities have started procedures to detach the damaged coach and conduct a detailed inspection before the train resumes operations. Officials said the exact cause of the fire is under investigation, though preliminary findings point towards a suspected electrical short circuit.

The incident comes a day after another fire was reported in a Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express in Madhya Pradesh’s Ratlam region. In that case too, passengers were evacuated safely and railway authorities later initiated a wider review of fire safety systems in coaches and railway infrastructure.

The Central Board of Secondary Education has announced that students in Classes 9 and 10 will be required to study three languages from July 1, 2026, as part of the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023.

Under the revised structure, students will study languages under the R1, R2 and R3 format. The board has clarified that two of the three languages must be Indian languages.

However, CBSE has stated that there will be no Class 10 board examination for the third language, also referred to as R3, during the initial phase of implementation.

What the new language structure means

According to the updated curriculum framework, students will choose three different languages. The same language cannot be selected at more than one level simultaneously.

The board has explained the structure as:

• R1: Any language offered by CBSE
• R2: A language different from R1
• R3: A third language different from both R1 and R2

The move is aimed at promoting multilingual education in line with NEP 2020 recommendations.

No board exam for third language initially

CBSE has clarified that although the third language will become mandatory for Classes 9 and 10, students will not immediately face a board examination for R3 in Class 10.

Reports said the full implementation of the three-language board examination structure is expected to happen gradually over the coming years.

Schools asked to prepare for rollout

The board has already directed schools to finalise language options and upload details on the OASIS portal to ensure smooth implementation of the revised policy.

CBSE has also indicated that temporary textbook arrangements and interim measures for language teacher shortages may be introduced during the transition phase.