The Supreme Court asked the Union government to reconsider its decision not to reduce the cut-off percentile for National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Super-specialty (NEET-SS) seats for the current year. While expressing concern about a large number of seats going unfilled annually, a bench of Justices P.S. Narasimha and Alok Aradhye noted that vacant seats make a compelling case for reduction. The Centre expressed willingness to conduct a 'stray round' for vacant NEET-SS seats, but had decided not to lower the qualifying percentile. The bench was hearing a petition filed by the Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association.
The Supreme Court directed the Centre to reconsider lowering the NEET-SS cut-off percentile to prevent seats from remaining vacant.
The Centre showed willingness to conduct a stray round for filling vacant super-specialty medical seats.
The petition was filed by the Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association citing 40 vacant seats in the State and 152 diverted seats.
Exam Points
NEET-SS is conducted annually by the National Board of Examinations (NBE) for admission to DM and M.Ch. super-specialty medical courses.
The bench handling the case comprised Justices P.S. Narasimha and Alok Aradhye.
The petition highlighted 152 vacant super-specialty seats earmarked for in-service government doctors in Tamil Nadu.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to visit India for the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, marking his first visit to the country in seven years. The visit comes amid renewed efforts to stabilize ties, following the 2024-25 thaw, and is seen as a step towards deeper engagement between the two Asian giants. Discussions will focus on trade, investment, regional security, and people-to-people exchanges, with an aim to manage differences and ensure a peaceful border situation. Both countries have been working to de-escalate tensions since the 2020 Galwan Valley clash through high-level talks and diplomatic engagements.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to visit India for the BRICS Summit in New Delhi after a gap of seven years.
The visit marks a significant milestone in stabilizing India-China bilateral relations following the 2024-25 thaw.
Discussions will center on trade, investment, regional security, and maintaining peace along the border.
Exam Points
This is the first visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to India in 7 years.
Ties between India and China have been strained since 2020 following the Galwan Valley clash.
The visit aims to build on recent progress in diplomatic engagements and de-escalate border tensions.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has backed the use of semaglutide-based weight-loss drugs, including those manufactured in India, stating they can play a significant role in tackling the global obesity and non-communicable disease (NCD) crisis. The WHO highlighted that under medical supervision, these drugs help reduce body weight, improve metabolic health, and lower the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. The organization urged countries, including India, to ensure wider access to such treatments, particularly for people with obesity and related conditions, while making them more affordable.
WHO has endorsed semaglutide-based weight-loss drugs for obesity, diabetes, and heart health under medical supervision.
India's role as a manufacturer is highlighted for expanding local production and improving treatment availability.
Semaglutide functions as a GLP-1 receptor agonist, originally developed for type 2 diabetes to regulate appetite and reduce food intake.
Exam Points
Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist originally developed for type 2 diabetes management.
The drug aids in regulating appetite, reducing food intake, and slowing gastric emptying under medical supervision.
Obesity and NCDs remain a growing public health challenge globally and in India.
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