Policy & Government

India's National Medical Commission has proposed amendments to the 2026 medical practice regulations that would ease norms for establishing new medical colleges while tightening postgraduate education standards. A key provision would grant Armed Forces Medical Services doctors a single national licence to practice

WHO and ITU's joint Working Group on Regulatory Considerations has released a six-area framework governing AI systems in healthcare, covering validation standards, data quality, and lifecycle risk management. The guidance sets risk-tiered validation requirements and calls on international bodies including IMDRF and

The Supreme Court dismissed a plea seeking a Round 5 or Special Stray Vacancy Round in NEET PG 2025 counselling, upholding the National Medical Commission's decision to close the process. The ruling bars any court-ordered extension of counselling deadlines, leaving unplaced candidates without further recourse in the

A survey shows approximately 78 percent of Americans oppose increasing Social Security's full retirement age, a central reform option for addressing the program's projected trust fund shortfall. The finding reflects unusually broad public consensus against a key cost-reduction mechanism. It narrows the viable political

Maharashtra has secured Rs 3,708 crore in JICA funding for healthcare infrastructure, covering medical education, nursing, and delivery systems. The package accompanies governance changes at the Maharashtra Medical Council and expansion of NITI Aayog's Aspirational Districts Programme to six new districts.

Plan sponsors and asset managers are actively debating how private market assets can be incorporated into defined contribution retirement plans. The structural mismatch between DC daily liquidity requirements and private asset lock-up periods creates valuation, fairness, and fiduciary liability challenges. The

India's Union Cabinet approved a Sovereign Maritime Fund to insure Indian-flagged, India-bound, and India-originating vessels, reducing reliance on foreign underwriters. The move directly addresses shipping vulnerability exposed by global disruptions affecting marine insurance access and pricing. Fund capitalization

India's Lok Sabha defeated a Constitution Amendment Bill during a special parliamentary sitting, handing the government a notable legislative setback. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi accused the ruling side of using women's reservation provisions to obscure electoral map changes. The bill's failure blocks immediate

India's IT ministry has dropped a UIDAI proposal to mandate Aadhaar biometric app preloading on smartphones, following opposition from Apple, Samsung, and others over security, compatibility, and manufacturing cost concerns. The reversal is the sixth failed government preload attempt in two years and exposes limits on

J&K Lieutenant Governor has invited legislators and political leaders to join the Nasha Mukt J&K Abhiyan, a 100-day anti-drug campaign. Political parties across the territory have responded positively, broadening the initiative beyond administrative channels. The campaign's outcomes across J&K districts will be

A federal judge blocked the Justice Department from seizing voter registration data from Rhode Island, the latest court loss for the Trump administration's voter data campaign. The ruling reinforces a pattern of judicial resistance to federal demands for state voter rolls ahead of the US midterms.

Donald Trump has moved to seek 'resolution' of his $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS over alleged improper disclosure of his tax records. Because Trump controls the Justice Department, which would represent the government in settlement talks, critics warn he could effectively negotiate both sides of a dispute with a

China is developing regulations targeting AI-generated virtual humans, including synthetic singers and digital influencers, over concerns about consumer deception and declining platform trust. Rules under consideration would likely require explicit labeling of AI personas and place compliance obligations on

Keir Starmer rejected calls to resign over the Mandelson vetting controversy as a senior Foreign Office official stepped down over the handling of the process. Starmer pledged to deliver 'relevant facts' on Monday, framing disclosure as the government's chosen route to defuse the crisis. The episode raises questions

Congress has temporarily extended Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, keeping warrantless incidental collection of US citizen data legally intact. The extension defers structural reform, maintaining compliance uncertainty for technology firms and civil liberties advocates. No timeline for a

The Allahabad High Court has ordered an FIR against Rahul Gandhi over alleged dual citizenship, with the case transferred from Rae Bareli's special MP/MLA court to Lucknow on December 17, 2025. The allegation directly implicates Gandhi's eligibility to serve as a Member of Parliament under Indian law.

Nida Khan, pregnant and linked to the TCS case, is moving court for anticipatory bail as Maharashtra police question her spouse. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis publicly called the case 'very serious,' signaling high-level political attention and likely intensified investigation. The outcome of the anticipatory bail

An Indian government bill to expand legislative assemblies, tied to activating women's seat reservations, failed to clear parliament on Friday. The defeat blocks the near-term path to implementing a one-third quota for women in India's legislatures. It marks a rare loss for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.

Tamil Nadu CM M.K. Stalin declared victory after a Constitution Amendment Bill was defeated in the Lok Sabha, framing it as Tamil Nadu defeating Delhi. The outcome intensifies the political friction between the DMK-led state government and the central government over legislative and federal authority.

Section 702, the surveillance law permitting warrantless collection of foreign communications, approaches an April expiration with Congress divided on reforms. A lapse would not immediately end surveillance given existing operational certifications, but would create legal uncertainty. Reform advocates seek to close