Times of India

The Department of Education under President Trump is implementing major changes affecting public schools across the US. These include expanding tax-funded vouchers, cutting federal grants, promoting conservative Christian values, pushing patriotic curricula, and weakening civil rights protections for students of colour. These policies are reshaping funding, curriculum, and student rights, with significant consequences for families and communities reliant on traditional public education.

Harvard University has laid off approximately 25% of union staff at its School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), citing financial strain from increased US federal taxes on endowment income and changes in research funding. According to The Harvard Crimson, the HUCTW union called it the largest staff cut in decades and criticised the lack of transparency. Around 40 staff were affected, with further cost-cutting measures already underway to address the budget gap.

MIT has become the first US university to reject the Trump administration’s “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education,” which offers preferential federal funding in return for sweeping reforms. MIT President Sally Kornbluth stated the compact restricts academic freedom and independence, conflicting with MIT’s merit-based funding principles. The move highlights growing resistance to federal influence over universities and raises questions about the compact’s future among other invited institutions.

Miguel Cardona, US Secretary of Education under President Biden, joins Yale’s School of Management faculty to teach education policy in 2025-26. A former teacher and Connecticut’s youngest principal, Cardona has led key federal initiatives on student loan forgiveness and equity in education. His appointment comes amid the Trump administration’s push to reduce the Department of Education’s role. Cardona’s expertise spans local, state, and federal levels, offering students valuable insights into education policy.

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has declared the NDA-1 and CAPF ACs 2025 results. Candidates can check their qualifying status on upsc.gov.in. Qualified CAPF ACs candidates must appear for physical tests conducted by ITBP. UPSC has opened a 15-day window to update key personal details. Non-qualifiers can access their mark sheets online for 30 days. A total of 735 candidates have cleared the NDA-1 and INAC 2025 examinations.

Educational institutions in 17 districts of Bihar will remain closed during the first phase of the Assembly elections to ensure smooth polling and encourage voter participation. Voting will take place in 121 constituencies across North and South Bihar on November 6. The Election Commission has deployed a large workforce and imposed strict security measures at nomination centres. The nomination process ends on October 17, with vote counting scheduled for November 14.

RSSB Ayush Officer recruitment 2025: The Rajasthan Staff Selection Board (RSSB) has released the Ayush Officer Recruitment 2025 notification for 1,535 posts across Ayurveda, Homeopathy, and Unani disciplines. The online application process is open from October 10 to November 8, 2025, via rssb.rajasthan.gov.in. Eligible candidates must hold BAMS, BUMS, or BHMS degrees and fall within the 21–40 age range. The selection includes a written exam on December 16, followed by document verification and medical examination.

Over the past five years, Nobel Peace Prize recipients have hailed from diverse educational and professional backgrounds, underscoring that peace efforts transcend academic fields. Laureates include journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov, physicist Narges Mohammadi, philologist Ales Bialiatski, and the collective voice of atomic bomb survivors, Nihon Hidankyo. In 2025, Venezuelan engineer-turned-activist María Corina Machado was honoured for her democratic advocacy. Their stories highlight courage, resilience, and a shared commitment to justice, freedom, and peace.

President Trump’s proposed $100,000 H-1B visa fee has alarmed US school districts relying on international teachers, especially in STEM and special education. With over 2,300 H-1B educators in 500 districts, the fee could worsen teacher shortages and burden underfunded schools. Lawsuits challenge the policy, citing its threat to educational quality and workforce stability.

María Corina Machado, a Venezuelan industrial engineer and opposition leader, has won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her relentless fight for democracy against authoritarian rule. Her journey from academia to activism reflects a fusion of technical precision and civic courage. Founder of Súmate and leader of Vente Venezuela, Machado has endured persecution, exile, and political bans. Her engineering mindset underpins her approach to governance, showing that democracy, like any system, requires constant, principled maintenance.

OICL Assistant Result 2025: The Oriental Insurance Company Limited (OICL) has released the Assistant Result 2025 for the Tier I Preliminary Examination on its official website, orientalinsurance.org.in. Candidates who cleared the exam can download the result PDF and check their roll numbers. The Mains exam is scheduled for October 28, 2025. Detailed scorecards and cut-off marks will be released soon. Candidates must follow official instructions to download call letters for the next stages of recruitment.

NTA has issued an advisory for UGC NET December 2025 applicants to verify their Aadhaar and UDID details before submitting forms. Applications are open from October 7 to November 7, 2025, at ugcnet.nta.nic.in. The exam, for JRF, Assistant Professor, and PhD eligibility, will be held in December-January. Correction window: November 10-12, 2025.

The India Skills Report 2025 by Wheebox reveals the top 10 Indian states where women prefer to work, highlighting growing employability trends and regional preferences. Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra lead the list. The report underscores how safety, infrastructure, and career opportunities shape women’s workplace choices and guide employers’ diversity strategies.

The West Bengal Joint Entrance Examinations Board (WBJEEB) has released admit cards for JECA, JELET, and JENPAS-UG 2025. Candidates can download them from wbjeeb.nic.in using their application number and password. JELET and JENPAS-UG will be held on October 18, followed by JECA on October 19. Admit cards and valid photo ID are mandatory for entry.

The New India Assurance Company Limited (NIACL) has announced the NIACL AO prelims result 2025 on its official website, newindia.co.in. Candidates who cleared the Phase 1 exam held on September 14 will appear for the mains on October 29, 2025. Admit cards for the mains will be available three to four days before the exam.

According to the India Skills Report 2025 by Wheebox, MBA graduates are India’s most employable at 78%, followed by B.Tech (71.5%) and MCA (71%). The national employability rate stands at 54.81%, with rising demand for business, technology, and IT expertise. The report highlights upskilling, adaptability, and a blend of technical and human skills as key to job readiness.

ADRE result 2025: The State-Level Recruitment Commission (SLRC), Assam has released the Assam Direct Recruitment Examination (ADRE) 2025 Grade 3 results at assam.gov.in. Candidates can download their scorecards by logging in with their application number and password. For technical support, contact 9582390056 (Mon–Sat, 10 AM–5 PM). Regularly check the official website for recruitment updates.

The CFA Institute has declared the CFA Level 2 August 2025 results, now available at cfainstitute.org. The pass rate dropped to 44% from 54% in May 2025. Candidates can log in with their registered email and password to view and download results. CFA Level 3 August 2025 results are expected on October 16, 2025.

The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has cancelled NEET PG results of 22 candidates (2021-2025) for malpractice, including 13 from 2025. Additionally, 11 FMGE aspirants faced disqualification. NBEMS emphasized that using cancelled results for admission, employment, or registration is unlawful. The move underscores the board’s commitment to exam integrity amid rising scrutiny over transparency.

Trump’s $100,000 H-1B visa fee is creating a hiring crunch for US universities and K-12 schools. Institutions like Stanford, University of Michigan, and Washington University risk losing top international faculty in STEM, medical, and specialized fields. Smaller colleges face severe financial strain, potentially reducing global talent, research output, and educational quality, while student opportunities and innovation could also suffer.