National

The NEET 2026 results show a significant increase in cut-off marks, rising by 30 to 35 points from last year. The National Testing Authority released results on July 16 after a re-examination due to a paper leak. Twelve Tamil Nadu students scored above 690, with Venkatapathi Velayutham achieving a 99.99915 percentile. Of 142,494 registered candidates from Tamil Nadu, 108,601 appeared, and 61,306 qualified, maintaining a qualification rate of 56.45%. The rise in cut-off is attributed to improved scores, with 1,390 students scoring above 650 marks this year. Tamil Nadu will have 950 additional MBBS seats for 2026-27.

During the Jagannath Yatra in Puri on July 16, 2026, two people died and many were injured due to a crowd surge on Badadanda. The incident occurred when an ambulance attempted to navigate through the crowd, causing panic. Anil Dash, aged 35, was identified among the deceased. Around a hundred individuals were treated for injuries, with two in critical condition. The Chief Minister's Office reported that the festival was otherwise peaceful, while former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed condolences and called for improved crowd management. The chariot procession was halted and will resume on July 17.

The Delhi High Court has asked the Central and Delhi governments to respond to a public interest litigation concerning activist Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike at Jantar Mantar, where he demands the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The petitioner, Rakesh Kumar Saini, highlighted Wangchuk's deteriorating health, urging for medical intervention. The Court scheduled a hearing for July 16, emphasizing the need for the Union's presence. The PIL argues that the government is neglecting Wangchuk's well-being and requests forced feeding to prevent life-threatening consequences, asserting that his death would be a national shame.