The Indian Institute of Mass Communication (Deemed to be University) formally launched its Ph.D. Programme on 1st January 2026, marking a historic milestone in the Institution’s academic journey of 60 years. Scholars will be selected for admission to the Ph.D. Programme for the academic year 2025-26.
The online admission process for both Full-Time and Part-Time candidates, which began on 1st January 2026, will remain open till 30th January 2026. Candidates applying with UGC-NET eligibility will be directly called for a personal interaction, while the Part-time candidates without UGC-NET qualification will have to take an entrance exam to be held on 15th February 2026.
As part of the initial rollout of the Export Promotion Mission, two key interventions under the NIRYAT PROTSAHAN sub-scheme have been launched to strengthen MSME exports and improve access to trade finance.
In continuation to the approvals of 24 applications for INR 12,704 crore announced earlier, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has further approved 22 proposals under the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS) with projected investment of INR 41,863 crore, projected production of INR 2,58,152 crore.
The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has continued its series of Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) disbursements with the release of Rs. 45 lakh (USD 50,000) to farmers of Andhra Pradesh through Andhra Pradesh State Biodiversity Board. With this disbursement, India’s cumulative ABS releases now exceeds Rs. 143.5 crore (USD 16 million).
This initiative underscores the economic opportunity available to Red Sanders cultivators, who derive dual income benefits: first, through the lawful sale of Red Sanders wood/logs cultivated; and second, through monetary benefits under the ABS mechanism mandated under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
The ABS framework thus directly rewards farmers for conserving and sustainably utilising a globally valued endemic species.
To date, the NBA has released over ₹104 crore (USD 11.5 million) to the State of Andhra Pradesh towards Red Sanders conservation, protection and to benefit claimers, and over ₹15 crore (USD 1.66 million) to other States including
Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha and Telangana.
In the last three months, the NBA has released ABS money to the tune of ₹5.35 Crores to more than 220 Red sanders farmers from the state of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.
Turkmenistan, one of the world's most isolated nations, officially legalised mining and exchanging cryptocurrency in a major shift for the country's tightly controlled, gas-dependent economy.
Signed by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, the legislation regulating virtual assets brings cryptocurrencies under civil law and establishes a licensing scheme for cryptocurrency exchanges overseen by the country's central bank.
However, digital currencies will still not be recognised as a means of payment, currency, or security.
Turkmenistan's internet also remains tightly regulated and controlled by the government.
Turkmenistan, a former Soviet country in Central Asia, relies heavily on the export of its vast natural gas reserves to support its economy.
China is the country's main importer of gas, and Turkmenistan is currently working on pipeline to supply gas to Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India.
Turkmenistan also adopted a law introducing electronic visas in April last year, aimed at simplifying entry for foreigners. After gaining independence in 1991, the autocratic nation typically placed strict entry requirements on would-be visitors, with many visa applications turned down for unclear reasons.
India, home to the world's largest tiger population, has lost as many as 166 of these majestic animals in 2025, forty more than the previous year, due to various reasons, as per the latest data of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
The data also shows that Madhya Pradesh, dubbed the country's 'tiger state', recorded the highest number of deaths at 55.
Among other states, Maharashtra, Kerala and Assam reported 38, 13 and 12 tiger deaths, respectively, in the bygone year.
Of these 166 deceased tigers, 31 were cubs.
Experts feel territorial infighting due to space crunch was the major reason for the death of the felines.
The figures indicate that the country recorded 40 more tiger deaths in 2025 as compared to the previous year (2024) when it lost 126 of these big cats, the apex predators in the ecosystem who are considered to be at the top of the food chain.
The first tiger fatality of the bygone year was reported from the Bramhapuri forest division in Maharashtra on January 2, where an adult male tiger died. This was followed by the death of a female tiger inside the Pench Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh three days later.
The most recent death of an adult male tiger was reported from North Sagar in Madhya Pradesh on Dec 28.
Following the notification allowing 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in the insurance sector, the Finance Ministry has revised norms to remove the requirement that a majority of directors and key management personnel in an insurance company with foreign investment be Indian residents.
However, the revised rules stipulate that at least one of the top leadership positions — chairperson, chief executive officer (CEO) or managing director — must be held by an Indian resident.
Assam has made a big move on the pay revision front by becoming the first state in India to constitute an 8th State Pay Commission, just as the 7th Pay Commission’s provisions are set to expire on January 1, 2026.
The development comes amid growing anticipation among government employees and pensioners for clarity on pay hikes.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the decision, saying the state government has appointed former chief secretary Subhas Das to head the new pay panel.
Until now, no state had taken this step to match the Union Government’s 8th Pay Commission, even though central employees have been awaiting clarity on the implementation timeline for several months.
The 8th Pay Commission—the next in line to revise salaries and pensions for government workers—formally comes into effect from January 1, the same day the 7th Pay Commission ends. This is expected to set the stage for a much‑anticipated salary revision for central government employees, although the final implementation could take longer.
The Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI) on Thursday launched a new logo depicting the importance of data in the country's development.
The new logo and mascot have been launched as part of efforts to modernise its institutional identity, enhance public outreach, and reinforce the role of official statistics in nation building, the MoSPI said.
The new logo shows the importance of data in the development of the nation and reflects the ministry's commitment to facilitate India's data-driven governance, transparency, and progress, it said.
The Ashoka Chakra in the logo represents truth, transparency, and good governance.
The rupee symbol (₹) at the centre highlights the vital role of statistics in economic planning, policy making, and national growth. The use of numbers and symbols reflects modern data systems and statistical science.
The mascot reflects MoSPI's core values of accuracy, transparency, and data-driven governance, and presents data in a way that is easy to understand.
ESAF Small Finance Bank announced the appointment of Karthikeyan Manickam as its chairman.
He is a former executive director of the Bank of India.
Manickam possesses expertise across key areas, including banking operations, risk management, regulatory compliance, human resources management, and credit monitoring and recovery, the bank said in a release.
As chairman, he will provide strategic guidance and independent oversight to the board, it added.
Manickam has also served on the boards of Tamil Nadu Grama Bank and BOI STAR Investment Managers, and was the Chairman of Star Union Dai-ichi Life Insurance Company (SUD Life).
Rashmi Shukla, Maharashtra's first woman Director General of Police (DGP), retired January 3, 2026, having completed 37 and a half years in the Indian Police Service.
Ms. Shukla was accorded the Guard of Honour at her farewell ceremony held at the Naigaon Police Ground in Bhoiwada in the presence of senior officers.
Senior IPS officer Sadanand Date has been appointed the new state Director General of Police (DGP). Hailed as a 26/11 hero, Mr. Date earlier served as the Director General of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and was recently repatriated to the Maharashtra cadre.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Thursday said 98.41 per cent of the ₹2000 banknotes in circulation have been returned.
The RBI had announced the withdrawal of ₹2000 denomination banknotes from circulation on May 19, 2023.
"The total value of ₹2000 banknotes in circulation, which was ₹3.56 lakh crore at the close of business on May 19, 2023, when the withdrawal of ₹2000 banknotes was announced, has declined to ₹5,669 crore at the close of business on December 31, 2025," it said.
Thus, 98.41 per cent of the high-value banknotes in circulation as of May 19, 2023, have since been returned.
A facility for deposit and/or exchange of the ₹2000 banknotes was available at all bank branches in the country up to October 7, 2023. From October 9, 2023, the RBI's 19 Issue Offices are also accepting ₹2000 banknotes from individuals/entities for deposit into their bank accounts.
Apart from this, members of the public are sending ₹2,000 banknotes through India Post from any post office within the country to any of the RBI Issue Offices for credit to their bank accounts, an official statement said.
The total value of ₹2,000 banknotes in circulation was ₹3.56 lakh crore at the close of business on May 19, 2023, the RBI said, stressing that the bills continue to be legal tender.
