Says our forces destroyed 9 key camps of JeM, Hizbul, LeT; Attends Diamond Jubilee celebrations of BSF, praises force for its dedication, bravery
Sajid Raina
Srinagar, Nov 21: Asserting that strong action and targeted strikes compelled Pakistan to announce a unilateral ceasefire in May this year, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said Operation Sindoor sent a clear message that any challenge to India s borders will be met with a decisive response.
Addressing the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of the Border Security Force (BSF) at Bhuj in Gujarat, Shah said the brave BSF personnel have discharged the responsibility of being the first responders with extraordinary valour, skill and many even making the supreme sacrifice of their lives.
Referring to the April 22 Pahalgam attack, Shah said, Pakistan sponsored terrorists carried out a cowardly attack on our tourists in Pahalgam. The attack was avenged through 'Operation Sindoor.
He said, We gave only a limited response, yet Pakistan treated the strike on the terrorists as an attack on itself. The moment the Pakistani Army came into action, BSF jawans gave them a befitting and resounding reply.
Within just a few days, due to the valour and bravery of the BSF, Army, and Indian Airforce, Pakistan was forced to announce a unilateral ceasefire. A clear message has gone out to the entire world that no one should dare tamper with India's borders or challenge India's security forces otherwise they will have to face the consequences, Shah added.
During Operation Sindoor our forces destroyed nine key locations of Jaish-e-Mohammed, Hizbul Mujahideen, and Lashkar-e-Taiba, including their headquarters, training camps, and launch pads, he said, adding, The objective of this operation was the complete elimination of terrorism, the safety of our citizens, and the security of border areas.
Praising BSF for its dedication, Shah said, Not just the Prime Minister and the Home Minister, but the entire nation salutes their bravery. All of us have unwavering faith in the strength and competence of BSF jawans. Country sleeps peacefully because of their unbreakable resolve to protect us, Shah said.
The Home Minister said, Till date 2013 BSF soldiers have laid down their lives to ensure that the country's borders remain inviolable and secure.
Shah said that ever since establishment of the Border Security Force (BSF) on December 1, 1965, the paramilitary force has successfully scaled every pinnacle of excellence.
He stated that among all Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), the BSF is the only force dedicated to guarding the nation on land, water, and air frontiers. Whether it is our air borders, the most inaccessible land borders, or water borders amidst countless obstacles, BSF personnel remain deployed on all three, Shah said.
He said that the courage and skill with which BSF jawans have adapted to these diverse challenges and the harshest forces of nature to secure India s borders is truly commendable.
On water, land, and sky, the BSF has always had only one goal i.e. the security of India, Shah added.
He expressed pride that today, with the strength of 193 battalions and over 2.76 lakh personnel, the BSF is fully protecting and monitoring the entire 2,279 km border with Pakistan and the 4,096 km border with Bangladesh.
He also said that the coming year will be fully dedicated to the complete modernization of the BSF, and the year after that will be entirely devoted to the welfare of our brave jawans and their families.
During this period, the BSF and the Ministry of Home Affairs will launch numerous schemes and take concrete steps toward the welfare of the personnel and their families, Shah said.
He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of Home Affairs has resolved to transform the BSF into the world s most modern and most capable border security force within the next five years.
Shah added that many new initiatives will be rolled out in the coming days. I assure the families of jawans posted in difficult conditions along the borders that in PM Modi s rule no stone will be left unturned for their welfare, he said.
He said that the BSF has launched numerous operations against the infiltration of narcotics into the country and achieved tremendous success.
The Union Home Minister said that BSF has seized more than 18,000 kilograms of drugs so far in 2025 this is a historic achievement.
He said that the BSF remains fully engaged in preventing infiltration along all our borders. Preventing infiltration is not only essential for the country s security but also crucial to protect our democratic system from being polluted.
"In the coming days, we are bringing the new revolutionary concept of e-Border Security . The BSF has the biggest role in implementing this concept on the ground, and the initial initiative has also been taken by the BSF itself. Every possible effort will be made to fully roll it out on the ground within the next one year, and I am fully confident that within the next five years, the entire land border of our country will be securely covered under this e-security shield," he added.
He said, Unfortunately, some political parties are actively trying to weaken the Ghuspaithiya Hataao campaign. These parties are opposing the voter list purification process being carried out by the Election Commission under the SIR (Special Intensive Revision) exercise.
He declared with firm resolve that it is our pledge that we will identify and deport every single infiltrator from this country, one by one.
The Home Minister said that in this country, only Indian citizens will decide who the Chief Minister of any state becomes or who becomes the Prime Minister of India. No infiltrator has the right to pollute our democratic system or influence our democratic decisions.
The Union Home Minister said that in the past few years, we have rapidly strengthened and made the border fencing impenetrable. Most of the trials related to fencing have now been completed. (KNO)
New Delhi, May 12: A massive protest organised by the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) broke out near the Shastri Bhawan on Tuesday, against the alleged paper leak in NEET-UG this year. The exam was held on May 3, following which allegations of paper leak surfaced, triggering investigations by the Rajasthan Special Operations Group (SOG) and central agencies. Earlier, the National Testing Agency (NTA) announced the cancellation of NEET-UG 2026, and said the examination will be re-conducted on dates to be notified separately. In a statement, the NTA said the decision was taken with the approval of the Government of India in the interest of maintaining transparency and preserving trust in the national examination system.
Srinagar, Feb 12: Jammu and Kashmir recorded over 15.48 lakh traffic violation cases in 2025, with authorities collecting more than Rs 34.17 crore as penalty under the Motor Vehicles Act, the Centre informed Parliament on Thursday. The information was shared in the Lok Sabha in response to a question raised by MP Janardan Singh Sigriwal. According to the official data, 15,48,525 challans were issued across the Union Territory in 2025, while the penalty amount recovered stood at Rs 34,17,36,740. The figures further show that in 2024, a total of 15,44,105 violations were registered with a penalty collection of around Rs 43.40 crore, while in 2023, 12,38,584 challans were issued and Rs 34.56 crore was collected. For the current year, till February 8, 2026, Jammu and Kashmir has recorded 1,63,531 traffic violation cases, with revenue collection of about Rs 2.11 crore. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways stated that stricter penalties under the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 are aimed at ensuring better compliance and deterrence. It also said that traffic enforcement falls under the jurisdiction of States and Union Territories. The government has issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for electronic monitoring and is promoting technology-driven enforcement through Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras integrated with the VAHAN database. Awareness campaigns under the Sadak Suraksha Abhiyan are also being carried out to improve road safety.
New Delhi, Jan 25: The Dental Council of India (DCI) has directed all universities and dental colleges across the country to strictly ensure a minimum of 80 percent biometric attendance for Post Graduate students before allowing them to appear in examinations. The decision has been taken to curb absenteeism among postgraduate dental students. According to a circular issued by the Dental Council of India-a statutory body under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, the decision has been taken after multiple complaints were received from dental colleges in Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh regarding non-attendance of PG students. "The matter was examined by the Grievance Sub-Committee of the DCI in its meeting held on November 24, 2025," the circular reads. It reads that after detailed discussion and deliberation, the committee recommended that all universities and dental colleges must ensure compliance with Regulation 18(a)(i) of the DCI Master of Dental Surgery Course Regulations, 2017, which mandates at least 80 per cent attendance. "The recommendation of the Grievance Sub-Committee has been approved by the Executive Committee of the Dental Council of India through circulation and has now been formally communicated for information and necessary action," the circular reads. As per the circular, all the universities and dental colleges have been directed to ensure minimum 80 per cent biometric attendance of all PG students before permitting them to appear in examinations. The order, issued by Deputy Secretary Dental Council of India Mukesh Kumar, is expected to be implemented with immediate effect across the country.
Srinagar, March 6: Around 17 candidates from Jammu and Kashmir have qualified the Civil Services Examination (CSE)-2025, the result for which was declared by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Friday. The commission recommended a total of 958 candidates for appointment to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and various central services. Anuj Agnihotri, an MBBS graduate, has topped the civil services examination 2025, while Rajeshwari Suve M and Akansh Dhull have got the second and third ranks respectively. According to the official list released by the UPSC the 17 candidates from J&K who have figured in the final merit list include Suvan Sharma (Rank 148), Sugandha Gupta (207), Towseef Ganie (Rank 254), Ritika (Rank 456), Sooyash Shivam (Rank 572), Muneeb Parrah (Rank 581), Ghulam Din (Rank 683), Dwarka Gaadhi (Rank 721), Akash (Rank 747), Koh E Safa (Rank 763), Yasaar (Rank 811), Abhishek (Rank 820), Pankaj (Rank 856), Mohammad Ajaz (Rank 869), Azhar (Rank 886), Sarfraz (Rank 936), and Irfan (Rank 957). The results were declared after conducting the written examination in August 2025 followed by the personality tests (interviews) conducted between December 2025 and February 2026. As per the result notification issue by the UPSC, a total of 958 candidates have been recommended for appointment against 1087 vacancies reported by the government for the examination cycle. These include 180 vacancies in the IAS, 55 in the IFS, 150 in the IPS, 507 in Central Services Group A and 195 in Group B services. Of the total recommended candidates, 317 are from the general category, 104 from the economically weaker sections, 306 from other backward classes, 158 from scheduled castes and 73 from scheduled tribes. A consolidated reserve list of 258 candidates has also been published in accordance with the rules. The claims of recommended candidates regarding reservation categories will be subject to verification by the concerned authorities. The UPSC has stated that the candidature of 348 recommended candidates has been kept provisional, while the result of the two candidates has been kept withheld. The CSE is conducted annually in three stages- preliminary, Mains and interview by the UPSC to select officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) among others. The civil services (preliminary) examination 2025 was conducted on May 25 of 2025. A total of 937876 candidates applied for this examination, out of which 5,76,793 actually appeared in the test. A total of 14,161 candidates qualified for appearance in the written (Main) examination which was held in August, 2025. Of these, 2736 candidates had qualified for the personality test (interview) of the examination. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the candidates who qualified the UPSC exam. "Congratulations to all those who have successfully cleared the Civil Services Examination, 2025. Their dedication, perseverance and hard work have led to this significant milestone. Wishing them the very best as they embark on a journey of serving the nation and fulfilling the aspirations of the people," PM Modi wrote on his official X handle. "To those who may not have secured the desired outcome in the Civil Services Examination, I understand that such moments can be difficult. However, this is only one step in a larger journey. Many opportunities lie ahead, both in future examinations and in the many avenues through which you can contribute to our nation. My best wishes for the road ahead," his post on X reads. UPSC chairman Ajay Kumar announced the declaration of the result and congratulated the candidates who qualified the exam. "Congrats to all successful candidates as you begin a career of service to the nation. For those who did not make it-the learning from this journey will guide you in the paths ahead," UPSC Chairman wrote in a post on X. Among the 17 candidates from J&K who qualified UPSC exam inlcude a visually impaired candidate Irfan Ahmad Lone, a resident of Manzpora in the Naidkhai area of Bandipora.
Srinagar, Jan 8: Contractual faculty members working in government degree colleges of Jammu and Kashmir Higher Education Department (HED) have expressed strong resentment over what they term as a glaring disparity in salaries, demanding revision of their pay in line with University Grants Commission (UGC) norms and regularisation of their services. The faculty, many of whom hold PhDs and are qualified through NET, SET and JRF, said they have been denied UGC-recommended pay scales despite discharging academic responsibilities equivalent to their regular counterparts. “Hundreds of highly qualified scholars have been pushed into silent suffering. For years, we have been assured that our pay revision is under consideration, but nothing has materialised so far,” said Dr Ishfaq Gowhar, a contractual faculty member. Earlier, Director Colleges J&K had acknowledged the legitimacy of the faculty’s demand, stating that while the issue was genuine, its implementation involved significant financial implications due to the large number of contractual appointments. “We are aware that they deserve salary enhancement, but the number of contractual faculty is huge and it has financial implications,” he earlier said. Dr Gowhar pointed out that contractual lecturers, who form the backbone of the higher education system, continue to work on a fixed monthly honorarium of Rs 28,000, which has remained unchanged for nearly a decade. “The irony is that a Class IV employee with a Class 10 qualification draws a salary exceeding Rs 50,000, while doctorate-holding teachers engaged in teaching, mentoring and academic research are paid a fraction of that,” he said. He added that institutions such as SKUAST-K, University of Kashmir and Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) have implemented revised UGC pay scales, but the Higher Education Department has failed to extend similar treatment to its contractual faculty. Dr Gowhar said the demand for “equal work, equal pay” gets prominently featured in election campaigns, raising hopes among contractual teachers. “Promises were made and slogans echoed during elections, but once the process ended, our voices were reduced to silence. Even meeting officials now feels impossible,” he said. He said contractual faculty were not seeking privileges but dignity, fairness and recognition for their service. The faculty appealed to the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the Education Minister to intervene and take concrete steps towards addressing their long-pending demands. “This issue is not merely about salaries. It is about survival, justice and dignity in the classrooms of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
New Delhi, June 23: Google restored instant messaging app Telegram on Tuesday morning as a temporary ban imposed by the government ended in the midnight of June 22. The platform was accessible to some existing users before Google restored it. The app continued to remain delisted on Apple's Appstore till around 10 am. An emailed query sent to Apple did not elicit an immediate response in this regard. The government had temporarily imposed a blanket ban on Telegram until June 22 and sources indicated that there is no change or extension of timelines in the order. The government had ordered the ban on Telegram following its failure to prevent the circulation of fake examination papers of NEET, dissemination of misleading information and other fraudulent activities that impacted the examination process. Before imposing the ban, government officials met Telegram representatives on June 3 where these concerns were flagged. Thereafter, the Centre decided to block the app and its associated web links, including the web version, till June 22. Telegram has also been directed to block its message editing feature till June 30. The NEET re-examination was conducted on June 21 and so far there has been no report of any fraudulent activity. Telegram Founder and CEO Pavel Durov had criticised India's IT ministry for banning Telegram for one week because some users shared leaked exam questions. He alleged that Reliance, in which Meta has a partial stake, may have lobbied, along with its competitor WhatsApp, to impose the ban on the company's app in the country.
New Delhi, Jun 22: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on the Congress on Monday for decades of unabated Maoist violence in the country and said the hands of those who are waving the Constitution now were trembling then. Addressing the "Republic Summit 2026" here, Modi also said Bharat is not only a fast-growing economy, but also a credible and reliable global power and the country is scripting the future of the next 1,000 years. He said the previous Congress governments had labelled Naxal-affected areas as backward regions but the NDA government undertook the challenge of transforming those areas, helping the people there rise above despair and igniting their aspirations for progress. To reflect this new approach, Modi said his government renamed those areas as aspirational districts and blocks and today, these aspirational districts and blocks are driving the growth of those regions. He said a significant proportion of the population in these regions lived in poverty but over the last few years, 25 crore people have overcome poverty, with aspirational districts playing a crucial role in this achievement and those areas that were once affected by Naxalism are seeing new rays of development now. The prime minister said even in the 21st century, terrorists had prevented any facility from being established in the tribal areas. He added that even a government vehicle could not pass through as it would be riddled with bullets. Governments came and went, generations came and went and it seemed that this misfortune of violence would persist just like that, Modi said. "Between 2004 and 2014, more than 17,000 violent incidents occurred due to Maoist terrorism and nearly 7,000 lives were lost. After 2014, we moved forward with the resolve of Nation First to change the situation. "Today, Maoist terrorism in the country is counting its final breaths. This became possible because it required total dedication. Today, those who are waving the Constitution, their hands were trembling to even show the Constitution then," he said. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been seen carrying a copy of the Constitution for different occasions, including while taking oath as an MP after the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Srinagar, May 14: Jammu and Kashmir Health and Education Minister Sakina Itoo on Thursday called for a transparent investigation into the alleged ‘NEET-UG paper leak’ incident. The minister said all those involved in the fraud must face strict punishment, irrespective of their influence or position. Talking to reporters, Sakina Itoo said the alleged fraud has deeply affected students who worked tirelessly for years to qualify one of the country’s most competitive examinations. “This is unfortunate because children work very hard and put immense effort into qualifying this examination,” she said. She said any malpractice in such examinations amounts to playing with the future and careers of deserving students. “The investigation should be conducted properly and in a transparent manner. Whoever is involved should face strict action and severe punishment,” she said. Responding to a question regarding downsizing of government vehicles and related measures announced by the administration, the minister said everyone should contribute if any step helps reduce the country’s problems. “If there is any problem in the country and if we can help in reducing it in any way, then we should also play our role,” she said. Asked about reports of a possible shift to virtual education in view of recent developments, the minister said no such decision has been taken so far.
