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In a significant drone defence technology milestone, India has inducted 'Bhargavastra', a future-proof low-cost counter-drone system developed by Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited (SDAL). Designed to counter the emerging threat from drone swarms and UAVs, Bhargavastra is a significant step ahead in India's air defence capability and Atmanirbhar Bharat indigenisation drive.

India's First Micro-Missile Based Anti-Drone System

The Bhargavastra system uses guided micro-rockets to identify and eliminate enemy drones from a long range. The system successfully accomplished all mission objectives in a series of successful live tests conducted at the Seaward Firing Range in Gopalpur on May 13.

The tests included three separate firings—two solo shots and a salvo of two micro-missiles launched in just two seconds. According to SDAL, both the four micro-rockets cleared the minimum launch parameters, demonstrating precision firing as well as readiness to operate.

1. Bhargavastra Features:

• Identifies drones at a distance of over 6 km range
• Engagement range of over 2.5 km
• Concurrent launching of over 64 guided micro-missiles
• Operational in various environments as well as high-altitude regions
• Deployment via Economic Explosives Ltd-designed mobile launcher platforms at higher speeds
• Designed to fill a critical capability gap in Army Air Defence; also evoking interest from the Indian Air Force

With few comparable systems available globally, Bhargavastra places India at the forefront of low-cost counter-UAV technology, providing a mobile and scalable option to costly, fixed, surface-to-air missile systems.

Lessons from Operation Sindoor

The evolution of the system precedes Operation Sindoor, when India had utilized its S-400 Triumf missile defence system to successfully repel Pakistani drone and missile attacks. Although the S-400 remains important for the defence against high-value targets, greater use of low-cost drone swarms requires cost-effective and scalable drone defence systems.

Bhargavastra stands poised to revolutionize counter-drone warfare, providing the Indian military with a low-cost, multi-purpose option to neutralize and counter unmanned threats without wiping out expensive strategic missile inventories.

The Common University Entrance Test Undergraduate (CUET UG) 2025 formally began today, with the National Testing Agency (NTA) holding the first session of the examination at numerous centres in the nation. Early feedback and specialist review of the first session indicate a mix of anticipated trends and unexpected changes across major subjects like English, General Test (GAT), Economics, and Chemistry.

Here's the analysis of CUET UG 2025 Day 1, Shift 1, by Karan Mehta, Co-founder at Toprankers

ENGLISH LANGUAGE: VOCABULARY TAKES CENTRE STAG

The English part this year was more vocabulary-oriented. A lot of questions were synonyms and antonyms, so students who had a good word stock had an advantage. Just three reading passages came up—one factual and two narrative—comprising about 12 questions in total. Grammar-based questions were fewer than before, and the general level of difficulty was said to be between easy and moderate.

GENERAL TESTS: LOGICAL REASONING PREVAILS

General Test, that addressed a spread of aptitude subjects, was slightly more challenging compared to last year, especially in the Quantitative Aptitude section. Logical Reasoning was presented with the maximum number of questions, whereas Current Affairs took a smaller place. Nevertheless, Static General Knowledge questions that are usually related to recent events dominated. Students averaged around 12–13 questions from the GK and Current Affairs category on average. This section was typically assigned a moderate level of difficulty.

ECONOMICS: MICROECONOMICS TAKES CENTER STAGE

Aspirants who were writing the Economics paper reported a clear emphasis on Microeconomics at the expense of Macroeconomics, with some newly introduced topics brought in by the NTA.

The passage had two reading passages and consisted of a few questions based on NCERT books and the Annual Government Budget. The bulk of the paper was easy to moderate in level, but some tricky questions stiffened even well-prepared students.

CHEMISTRY: A BALANCED AND REASONABLE PAPER

The Chemistry paper had a well-balanced set of questions from Physical, Organic, and Inorganic Chemistry. The Physical and Organic sections had each about 14 to 16 questions, whereas Inorganic Chemistry consisted of 9 to 11 questions. Numerical problems were largely formula-based and straightforward, with one or two taking more detailed derivations. The general feeling among test-takers was that the Chemistry section was the easiest of the bunch.

The CUET UG 2025 will be held in multiple shifts up to June 3. Candidates are advised to remain current by regularly checking the official NTA website for updates on shift timings, admit cards, and other necessary information.

As the exam continues, further insights are likely to be revealed that would assist future test-takers in fine-tuning their preparation plans for the next few days.

The government on Tuesday made former defence secretary Dr Ajay Kumar chairman of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in consideration of the vacancy created by the retirement of outgoing chairperson Preeti Sudan on April 29.

A Meteoric Career with Defence, Technology & Governance Interests

Dr. Kumar, an alumnus of IIT Kanpur and a PhD holder from the University of Minnesota, has four decades of diverse experience to his credit. As Defence Secretary (2019–2022), he spearheaded path-breaking reforms, such as:

• Establishment of India's first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) position in 2020.
• Implementation of the Agniveer scheme (2022) to transform armed forces recruitment.

Previously, as the force behind Digital India (2014), he initiated:

• Unified Payments Interface (UPI) – a global standard in digital payments today.
• Aadhaar – the largest biometric ID system in the world.
• myGov and Jeevan Pramaan – citizen-centric e-governance initiatives.

What's Next for UPSC?

As Chairman until October 2027 (or age 65), Dr. Kumar will lead India's top civil services recruitment agency at a time when:

• Reforms in exam patterns and transparency are on the agenda.
• Aspirants demand more inclusivity in the selection process.

Why This Matters

His joining is an indicator of technology-led governance and forward-thinking leadership in determining India's future civil servants. Renowned for his problem-solving abilities, Dr. Kumar's time at UPSC may redefine the agency's role in nation-building.

In His Words:

"Technology must empower, not exclude. Our systems should reflect India's aspirations."

CUET UG 2025 starts: Students find first shift moderately demanding

The Common University Entrance Test Undergraduate (CUET UG) 2025 formally began today, with the National Testing Agency (NTA) holding the first session of the examination at numerous centres in the nation. Early feedback and specialist review of the first session indicate a mix of anticipated trends and unexpected changes across major subjects like English, General Test (GAT), Economics, and Chemistry.

Here's the analysis of CUET UG 2025 Day 1, Shift 1, by Karan Mehta, Co-founder at Toprankers

ENGLISH LANGUAGE: VOCABULARY TAKES CENTRE STAG

The English part this year was more vocabulary-oriented. A lot of questions were synonyms and antonyms, so students who had a good word stock had an advantage. Just three reading passages came up—one factual and two narrative—comprising about 12 questions in total. Grammar-based questions were fewer than before, and the general level of difficulty was said to be between easy and moderate.

GENERAL TESTS: LOGICAL REASONING PREVAILS

General Test, that addressed a spread of aptitude subjects, was slightly more challenging compared to last year, especially in the Quantitative Aptitude section. Logical Reasoning was presented with the maximum number of questions, whereas Current Affairs took a smaller place. Nevertheless, Static General Knowledge questions that are usually related to recent events dominated. Students averaged around 12–13 questions from the GK and Current Affairs category on average. This section was typically assigned a moderate level of difficulty.

ECONOMICS: MICROECONOMICS TAKES CENTER STAGE

Aspirants who were writing the Economics paper reported a clear emphasis on Microeconomics at the expense of Macroeconomics, with some newly introduced topics brought in by the NTA.

The passage had two reading passages and consisted of a few questions based on NCERT books and the Annual Government Budget. The bulk of the paper was easy to moderate in level, but some tricky questions stiffened even well-prepared students.

CHEMISTRY: A BALANCED AND REASONABLE PAPER

The Chemistry paper had a well-balanced set of questions from Physical, Organic, and Inorganic Chemistry. The Physical and Organic sections had each about 14 to 16 questions, whereas Inorganic Chemistry consisted of 9 to 11 questions. Numerical problems were largely formula-based and straightforward, with one or two taking more detailed derivations. The general feeling among test-takers was that the Chemistry section was the easiest of the bunch.

The CUET UG 2025 will be held in multiple shifts up to June 3. Candidates are advised to remain current by regularly checking the official NTA website for updates on shift timings, admit cards, and other necessary information.

As the exam continues, further insights are likely to be revealed that would assist future test-takers in fine-tuning their preparation plans for the next few days.

Tensions are running high at Kerala University following the cancellation of a seminar hosted by the Department of Tamil, in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack. The acting Vice-Chancellor of the university, Dr Mohanan Kunnummal, cancelled the May 9 event on grounds that the subject and material presented in relation to it were "anti-national."

The row broke out when a PhD researcher posted an article from a Tamil language website in a departmental WhatsApp group, according to The Hindu. The piece, "Pahalgam Attack: Truths Drowned in Nationalist Frenzy," critically analyzed the event and hinted at political agenda in the way it was depicted—most notably amidst national polls.

Although the event had been cancelled, no disciplinary measure was said to have been imposed on either the scholar or the Head of the Tamil Department. The scholar merely received a memo for which he later apologized, prompting the department to remove the controversial subject matter from the agenda of the seminar.

But the matter has since escalated into a political hot button. The Students Federation of India (SFI) has criticized the Vice-Chancellor's action, accusing him of promoting an agenda of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in the guise of administrative impartiality.

Things escalated at a recent University Syndicate meeting, where Left-leaning members accused the VC of misrepresenting the scholar's intention, according to India Today. They pointed out that the article was posted prior to the start of Operation Sindoor counter-terror operation, questioning the basis for calling the seminar anti-national. BJP members in the syndicate defended the VC's action, citing it as a necessary measure to maintain national sentiment.

The campus community continues to be polarized with arguments ongoing about academic freedom, political interference in universities and limits of debate in sensitive national issues.

Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) declared the result of Class 10 and Class 12 examinations 2025 on Tuesday with 88.39% students passing the exams.

Ever since last year, CBSE does not announce Class 10 and Class 12 toppers. Girls have indicated this year's pass percentage as 91.64 per cent while it was 85.70 per cent for boys. Transgender candidates have achieved 100 per cent pass percentage compared to the previous year which was 50 per cent.

1,11,544 candidates have passed above 90 per cent and 24,867 candidates have passed above 95 per cent. Above 1.29 lakh candidates have been declared compartment.

Delhi candidates as a whole had performed the best with 95.18% pass percentage. Delhi West had topped at 95.37%, followed by Delhi East at 95.06%. 3,08,105 students had appeared from the zone out of which 2,91,962 had passed examinations.

Board exams held in India and abroad during the year were held in 7,842 centers in 84 Class 10 and 120 Class 12 subjects. CBSE has advised the candidates to obtain certificates and scorecards from safe and secure sources only. Digitally signed certificates can be printed as proof of study and used as per a court of law within a few days.

CBSE allowed downloading of marks and scorecards from websites. Students must log in to actual websites to download CBSE results and check. Actual websites are cbse.gov.in and results.cbse.nic.in. Only a few websites like DigiLocker and UMANG provide online view access to digitally signed digitally signed scorecards and certificates. In an attempt to put curb on leakage of information and misinformation, CBSE cautioned people against checking results from unauthorized websites.

The result would be accessible via SMS and IVRS also for the non-internet category. The students can just SMS "CBSE10 " or "CBSE12 " to 7738299899 or call 24300699 (along with area code) to find their marks.

Step-by-step guide to view and download the CBSE Class 10 or 12 result.

Step 1: Visit cbse.gov.in or results.cbse.nic.in.

Step 2: Click on the Class 10 or Class 12 result link on the home page.

Step 3: Enter roll number, school number, birth date, and admit card ID.

Step 4: Enter the details to view your scorecard.

Step 5: Save and keep ready the provisional marksheet.

In order to login to DigiLocker, students are to login with Aadhaar connected mobile number and 6-digit school-generated PIN. Marksheet, migration certificate, and other study certificates can be downloaded by students at login.

Digitally signed scores secured through DigiLocker and government portals are absolutely acceptable for recruitment and admission to college. Hard copy can be furnished to students after declaration by the school.

The online-first result declaration website of CBSE by Ministry of Electronics and IT provides ease of access with security to lakhs of students. The board never discourages topper reports but discourages and encourages individual student results and follow-up studies so that competitive fever is not created.

The Directorate of Education (DoE), Delhi, has also issued fresh directions on the use of guest teachers during summer holidays and commencement of remedial classes in government schools. Based on a Saturday official release, the services of all the guest teachers working in government schools and government-aided schools will be suspended for the period of summer vacation, which is May 11 to June 30.

But the DoE has permitted the employment of guest teachers for short-term work for school activities such as remedial instruction and vacation exercises within the term. "Heads of schools are at liberty to employ guest teachers during the vacation month depending on administrative requirements for school activities," it said.

Now, there are over 10,000 guest teachers employed in Delhi government schools. While they are not stationed during vacation, even their services can be utilized to enhance learning support to students who need learning support.

For managing learning losses and improving examination outcomes, DoE has also declared remediation classes for students of Class 9 to Class 12. The classes will be conducted from May 13 to May 31 in Science, Maths, and one other subject but to be determined by the principal of each school based on school performance and academic needs.

Classes are to be held from 7:30 AM to 10:30 AM with teachers reporting early. Students' parental consent and attendance have been ordered to be maintained by school librarians and provide clean and hygienic facilities. School libraries would also remain open for self-study during class hours, and some teachers would be on duty during the timeframe.

These initiatives try to make good use of the summer vacation and help needy students who lack academic assistance.