In a nation where government schools are barely able to provide the basics, Bihar's recent decision to spend ₹300 crore on a mass cleanliness drive is more than an upgrade to sanitation—it's a declaration of intent.

The move to hire professional agencies to provide housekeeping services to schools throughout the state is a sign that there is increasing awareness that cleanliness is not a luxury, but an educational necessity. Out of the total amount, ₹200 crore will be used to enhance hygiene in primary and middle schools, and ₹100 crore for high schools. These amounts will be used to maintain classrooms, toilets, furniture, and the overall school infrastructure—sectors that tend to be victims of chronic neglect.

What is different about this program is its structural strategy. Rather than loading overworked school employees or untrained assistants with the responsibility for cleanliness, the government of Bihar intends to employ trained sanitation experts. Agencies are supposed to provide cleaners with the right equipment and supplies, and headmasters are supposed to oversee daily operations so that maintenance tasks don't interfere with academic schedules.

More significantly, district education officers (DEOs) will be responsible for overseeing agency performance, an accountability measure that has often been lacking in previous efforts.

Fundamentally, this initiative is about dignity—providing students, many of whom are from underserved communities, with access to clean learning spaces. A well-cared-for school not only safeguards health but also influences perception. It informs children that their education is important, and they are important as well.

If done well, Bihar's initiative can serve as an example for other states. Clean schools are not merely about looks—they are about the state assuming responsibility for the spaces in which young minds are formed. In that sense, this ₹300 crore is not merely in mops and brooms, but in Bihar's children.

The India Skills Report 2025 has not only come with numbers — it brings with it a strong narrative of comeback, rebirth, and acknowledgement. Leading the nation in mathematical and computer proficiency, Uttar Pradesh youth are delivering a strong message: when presented with the correct mix of desire and opportunity, even past underdogs can become leaders.

This success is no coincidence. For decades, UP was synonymous with lagging development indicators and lost opportunities. But in recent years, a quiet but profound shift has been taking place—driven by greater emphasis on skill-based education, digital penetration, and industry partnerships.

The fact that 80% of UP's youth now lead in core employability domains such as mathematics and computers is not only a triumph for the state, but also a template for the rest of the nation. No less revealing is the number of students from UP applying for internships and critical thinking jobs, a stark indication that the youth are no longer satisfied with rote learning—they are setting their sights on thinking, constructing, and creating.

Yes, UP ranks third in English proficiency, behind Maharashtra and Karnataka. But that gap as well is narrowing. More significantly, UP is proving that language is no obstacle to logic, technology, or talent.

The ranking of Lucknow among India's top job-generating cities along with Bangalore and Pune reinforces this change. The state might still rank sixth in overall employment on offer, but its rising trend is unmistakable.

What we’re witnessing is a demographic dividend turning into a developmental dividend. If UP sustains this momentum, not just through policy but through continued investments in infrastructure, mentorship, and inclusive learning, it will not just be a part of India’s success story—it will write a large part of it.

From the heart of India rises a new hope—and its name is Uttar Pradesh.

India is fast emerging as an international power of sustainability learning and green employment. A rise in India's student population for studying courses on sustainability reflects growing numbers of students learning the environmental problems and are motivated to take up a purposeful career. Encouraged by policy efforts, brains, and booming job economies, India's green revolution is as much about saving the planet — as it is about propelling its economy.

A Prosperous International and Domestic Market

The global market for green technology and sustainability has been estimated by Fortune Business Insights at USD 17.21 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach USD 105.26 billion by 2032, with a robust CAGR of 22.4%. The World Economic Forum also identifies that India's green economy shift has the potential to boost its GDP by a massive USD 15 trillion by the year 2047. Such a shift is generating new high-income job avenues in renewable energy, green architecture, environmental consultancy, etc.

In India, the newest careers like renewable energy engineers, environmental policy analysts, and sustainability consultants are in high demand, with salaries ranging from ₹6–18 lakh annually. Not only are these jobs well-paying, but they also give a feeling of fulfillment — something no Gen Z and millennial can do without.

India's Institutes Shine on Global Sustainability Rankings

Indian universities are adopting sustainability at campus and curriculum levels. QS World University Rankings for Sustainability 2025 placed IIT Delhi at number one in India, ranked 171 in the world with a score of 80.6. Other universities that have featured on the list include IIT Kharagpur, IIT Bombay, and IISc Bangalore. In the meantime, in the 2024 Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings, India was the most represented country, with 105 universities taking part.

Of particular note were Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences and Shoolini University, ranking 3rd and 5th globally in their contributions to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). IIT Gandhinagar was noted in their innovations on solar power, smart energy system, and green building, ranking 59th in the world.

Rising Courses on Sustainability

In the last five years, Indian institutions have come up in a rush to open courses on sustainability. IIT Madras even set up an independent School of Sustainability in 2023. IGNOU's Post Graduate Diploma in Sustainability Science and IIT Roorkee's short-duration courses are giving students the resources to tackle real-world environmental problems.

Colleges are not silos. Schools are integrating climate change and ethical leadership into curricula, and online courses such as Coursera and Udemy are seeing increased enrollments in ESG, climate tech, and renewable energy courses.

It's a larger movement: students today want to be part of something meaningful. They understand sustainability not as a course, but as a purpose — one that transcends industries and borders around the world.

Why the Unusual Popularity?

There are several forces driving this green education movement:

A Generation with a Social Conscience: Gen Z is seeing the world being destroyed right in front of them. That has instilled in them a strong sense of responsibility among young people, and many of them desire careers that align with their values. Sustainability courses provide a way to pursue such meaningful careers.

Institutional Pull: Universities are now integrating sustainability into their curriculum. The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2025 will have sustainability as one of its indicators, pushing campuses to be green. Green rankings such as those by UI GreenMetric are also prompting institutions such as Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham and IIT Patna to take the lead.

Policy Support: India's green revolution is supported by robust policies. The nation has a target to produce 50% of its power from renewable energy by 2030. Schemes such as the National Green Hydrogen Mission and Smart Cities Mission are encouraging sustainable practices, which in turn are creating new employment opportunities and educational requirements.

International Exposure: Most Indian students are studying sustainability abroad, and particularly in Germany and the Netherlands — nations renowned for the circular economy and renewable energy. International experience anchors their careers in the job market and brings global expertise back to India.

Opportunities In Careers Are Opening Up

Career opportunities in sustainability today span industries with multiple and rewarding ones:

Renewable Energy Engineer – Crafting solar, wind, and hydro solutions.

Sustainability Consultant – Guiding corporations to green their ways.

Environmental Policy Analyst – Creating and dissecting public policy for climate action.

Waste Management Specialist – Managing recycling and zero-waste programs.

Sustainable Agriculture Expert – Encouraging organic and low-impact farming.

These professions are all not only necessary but have a direct role to play in the immediate reduction of India's carbon footprint and in enhancing to climate resilience.

Fighting India's Environmental Issues with Education

India is facing critical environmental issues — air pollution, water stress affecting more than 600 million people, and agricultural land degradation. Climate change further contributes with uncertain weather and more frequent natural disasters.

It has generated an imperative demand for professionals in sustainability. Education is the solution. Studying sustainability enables young people to create flexible, creative solutions for today's complex environmental challenges.

A Greener Future Through Education

India's adoption of sustainability education is strategic and timely. It supports international environmental objectives, responds to local issues, and provides fulfilling careers. Supported by institutions, robust policy environments, and the energy of young changemakers, India is well-positioned to lead the green revolution — not only in practice, but in education.

The headlines are clear: sustainability is no longer niche. It is mainstream, it is expanding, and it is staying put.

In a welcome but unusual display of pre-emptive governance, the Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration Department has conducted a state-wide drive to discover and inspect the sale of fake food and drugs. The February-March 2025 operation both indicates the magnitude of the problem and the need to tighten regulatory vigilance.

The findings are disturbing, if not downright terrifying. During February alone, of 296 drinking water samples collected around the state, just 72 proved safe after tests. Nearly a third were unsafe, and a huge proportion were of very poor quality. It's a grim reminder that something as straightforward and basic as safe drinking water cannot be taken for granted, even in metropolitan Karnataka.

The food safety situation is just as bleak. Paneer, ghee, fried items, and sweets—the staples of Indian kitchens—were routinely found contaminated or of inferior quality. Even though only 2 out of the 32 samples of paneer analyzed in March were unsafe, the remaining hundreds are still to be examined. These are items eaten by thousands, generally without complaint. The results, preliminary though they are, reflect a systemic collapse of hygiene, production processes, and retail monitoring.

In a parallel push to clean up the hospitality sector, pest control checks in nearly 600 restaurants and hotels yielded 214 notices and financial penalties of nearly Rs 3 lakh. The infractions ranged from poor hygiene to serious food safety violations. It's evident that regulatory lapses are not confined to production units but run deep into the establishments where food is served every day.

On the drug side, the figures also tell an equally gloomy tale. Of the 1,891 drug samples analyzed until March, 41 were substandard—of which 78 defective units of the widely used intravenous fluid Ringer Lactate. No small deficit this; Ringer Lactate is often used in life-saving emergency procedures. The speed with which the department reacted to taking off the market drugs worth over Rs 24 lakh is to be applauded—but also raises a wider issue: How did they end up there to start with?

In a welcome change, the department's relentless drive against toxic artificial colours—specifically those used in bakery items—has begun to yield results. Unsafe samples have plummeted from 4.06% in August 2024 to a paltry 1.16% as of January 2025. The credit must go to the growing awareness drives that are targeting both sellers and consumers. But this achievement, while significant, is only the beginning.

The fact that software is being developed to trace and recall defective drugs is a welcome move. If properly enforced, it can be used as a model for pharmaceutical transparency and consumer protection nationwide. But technology alone will not do. What Karnataka needs—and what India as a nation must aspire to—is a culture of compliance, accountability, and consumer empowerment.

These recent raids are more than a grade card on safety standards; they are an appeal to transform our mindset toward public health. Food and drug safety can't be one-time campaigns—they must become institutional imperatives.

Uttarakhand Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UKSSSC) has opened the application procedure for the appointment of various vacancies including Assistant Accountant, Record Keeper-cum-Store Keeper, Office Assistant III (Accounting), and Data Entry Operator for the year 2025. Eligible and interested candidates may apply for these posts online through the commission's official website.

The UKSSSC Recruitment 2025 online application process has begun on 5 April 2025 and closed on 29 April 2025. This recruitment campaign aims to recruit a total of 63 positions.

Educational Qualification

For these posts, candidates should possess various levels of education in the commerce stream. For Assistant Accountant and Office Assistant III (Accounting) posts, a B.Com or BBA bachelor's degree or master's degree in accountancy is mandatory. Along with this, the minimum requirement for the post of Record Keeper-cum-Store Keeper and Cashier Data Entry Operator has been set as 10+2 Intermediate Examination from Commerce Stream.

Typing Speed and Computer Efficiency

Hindi typing speed is an essential qualification for these jobs, which may be a minimum of 4000 to 6000 key depressions per hour, and for certain jobs English typing (7000 keys per hour) and familiarity with MS Office is also essential. Candidates must also be familiar with Hindi Devanagari script. For more details, candidates can go through the concerned notification.

This application fee will need to be paid.

In respect of this hiring process, examination fee has been determined based on various categories. The candidates from General and OBC categories would be required to pay Rs 300 as fees, whereas Rs 150 fee is fixed for SC, ST, and EWS category candidates. The fees can be only paid through electronic modes such as debit card, credit cards, net banking or other digital permitted means.

Age Limit

The age of candidates is restricted to minimum 18-21 years and maximum 42 years. But, according to the Uttarakhand Subordinate Service Selection Commission Group-C Assistant Accountant and Other Posts Recruitment Rules 2025, there will be extra age relaxation to the reserved categories according to the rules.

Disclaimer: The content has been taken and edited from Amar Ujala. Although we have made changes for presentation and clarity, the original content is owned by its respective authors and website. We do not own the content.

The Jadavpur University students in Kolkata were reportedly refused permission to celebrate Ram Navami on the university campus. The students claimed that the vice chancellor's absence was the reason for refusing them permission.

Somsurya Banerjee, a Jadavpur University student, informed ANI that a delegation of students had formally requested on March 28 to hold Ram Navami celebrations. He stated that they received a written rejection from the university explaining that the request could not be granted when the Vice Chancellor was not present.

"On 28th March, we sent a letter to the university on behalf of General students of JU requesting permission (for Ram Navami Celebrations); today, we got a signed copy from the university saying that they cannot give the permission since the VC is away", he said.

Banerjee also accused inconsistency in the university's handling, noting that a political programme by the Students' Federation of India (SFI) was allowed on April 3 and 4, also in the absence of the VC.

"Likewise on April 3 and 4 - SFI organized a political programme, but that also without the VC present, but with permission. Every religious activity such as 'iftaar' used to be organised here on the university campus but none of us raised any objections to it. We have made intimation to the university as well as an e-mail to the police stating that we would celebrate Ram Navami peacefully. We hope all the student unions and the admin will respect and cooperate in our celebrations.", he added.

Previously, West Bengal assembly opposition leader and BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari condemned Mamata Government and accused them of stopping the people from celebrating Ram Navami.

"It's our constitutional right to celebrate religious festivals, but the police of Mamata Banerjee is deterring us. We need to approach the High Court and Supreme Court over each matter," he added.

During ordinary times, Soma Das would have been thrilled and relieved by the SSC ruling of the Supreme Court. She is not.

The cancer survivor is the sole one (among the 25,753) whose career is not at risk following the apex court on Thursday sanctioning the Calcutta High Court order to cancel the appointments of 25,752 teachers. Das was exempted on "humanitarian grounds" both by the HC and the SC. It might be a personal victory for her, but she doesn't celebrate as two of her fellow panel members are going to lose their jobs. Both, like her, are members of the 2016 SSC panel.

"How can I celebrate while I was one of the ones struggling against the job racket?" Das, now a teacher at Modhura High School in Birbhum, told TOI over phone.

"I cleared the exam on merit, and my name figured in the merit list. But I was appointed on the merit of the HC order passed by then HC judge Abhijit Ganguly, which, on humanitarian grounds, was upheld by the Supreme Court," she added. "I am aware of the fact that there are plenty of deserving teachers who had for years worked hard to get this appointment. They do not deserve such a death. It's a pure failure of the SSC, which did not prepare decent documents despite getting enough time to do so," Das added.

"I never wanted people to lose their jobs. Their fight was my fight as well. This decision is not acceptable to me because many others who were on the panel were also qualified. Owing to some carelessness on the part of the govt and SSC, it was not feasible to distinguish between the qualified and the ineligible," Das said.

Das was admitted to the Birbhum school following an April 18, 2022, order passed by the then HC judge Ganguly. She has to spend a lot of money on her follow-up treatment, which is still going on. "This is the only work for me and my family to live because my brother is still studying for govt jobs. Being a lower middle-class family, a govt job is the only way for us to live," she added further.

"Among us, there are two teachers who are listed here. Between them, the physical science teacher is the sole teacher in school teaching that subject. In such a case, the school will be faced with challenges in undertaking science classes."

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