kollam l monday l august 31, 2026 l `10.00 l PAGES 12 l city EDITION Over 2.63L appear for NEET-PG, re-test at two centres iN Jaipur NEET-PG 2026 was successfully conducted across the country on Sunday, but not at two centres in Jaipur due to an internal power failure action against technical partner biometric authentication at all centres The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has scheduled a re-examination for the affected candidates in Jaipur at 3 pm on September 5, while also calling an immediate meeting to decide the course of action against the technological partner and agency responsible for ensuring adequate infrastructure at the examination centres ■ ■ As part of the measures to further strengthen examination security and prevent impersonation, Aadhaar-based authentication of candidates was successfully undertaken at the examination centres The examination for admission to PG medical courses was conducted by NBEMS in computer-based mode in one shift from 9 am-12.30pm 2,445 candidates from jaipur will appear for re-test on sept 5 CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI Justice Bhuyan calls for hiring top jurists as SC judges s u c h i t r a k a lya n m o h a n t y @ New Delhi SUPREME Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan on Sunday strongly favoured appointing distinguished jurists as judges of the top court, saying such a move would diversify the bench and enable reputed scholars to contribute to decision-making. Speaking at the 13th convocation of National Law University, Delhi, Justice Bhuyan said Article 124(3)(c) of the Constitution specifically provides for this category. Yet, in more than 76 years, no one other than high court judges or practising lawyers have been elevated to the Supreme Court. “It is regrettable that this provision has remained one of our Constitution’s unused mandates,” he said. Either the Centre and the Collegium believe Indian academia lacks sufficient depth for serious consideration, or the provision has simply not been explored properly, he said. Justice Bhuyan dismissed the common argument that legal scholars lack practical experience as a “very shallow objection”. He pointed out that distinguished academics routinely serve as judges of constitutional courts in the United States, Britain, Canada and Kenya. The purpose of the “distinguished jurist” clause, he said, was to bring in judges whose academic scholarship would free them from rigid technical constraints and equip them better to handle complex public law issues. Further, he said that the right to question is central to democracy, adding that students cannot be threatened when they express a different viewpoint. Indo-Uzbek uranium pact in works Bilateral ties elevated to strategic partnership; 11 agreements signed; $5-bn trade target set J AYA N TH J ACO B @ New Delhi INDIA and Uzbekistan on Sunday agreed to establish a longterm arrangement for uranium supplies from Uzbekistan to India as part of their civil nuclear cooperation, while elevating bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The decision was taken during talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent, where the two sides also set a target of increasing annual bilateral trade to $5 billion by 2030. The two sides also signed 11 agreements covering areas including trade, investment, infrastructure, critical minerals, mining, defence, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, information technology, education and digital public infrastructure. Uranium emerged as a key new area of cooperation in the civil nuclear energy sector. During delegation-level talks, Modi said the two countries would establish a long-term arrangement for uranium supplies from Uzbekistan. “We will also establish a longterm arrangement for the supply of uranium,” Modi said, adding that India and Uzbekistan should develop a roadmap to fully realise the potential of their partnership. Secretary (West) in the MEA Sibi George later said discussions on uranium supplies had U nn i k r i s h n a n S @T’Puram Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends the delegation-level talks with Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent | pti 1 2 3 Uzbekistan will remove visa requirements for Indian citizens for stays of up to 30 days, which will encourage tourism, business travel and wider people-topeople contact. Indians travelling to Uzbekistan would be able to use UPI-enabled applications within a year In the joint statement, India and Uzbekistan “unequivocally condemned terrorism, including cross-border terrorism, in all forms and manifestations” and reiterated zero tolerance to terrorism. Both sides called for action against terror outfits and their financing networks Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with Uzbekistan’s highest state honour. Modi described the recognition as a moment of “great pride” and dedicated it to the 140 crore Indians, saying it reflected the strength and depth of India-Uzbekistan relations been “positive” and that the two countries were close to signing an agreement shortly . He said the upgraded strategic partnership would include a foreign minister-level coordination group and elevate the existing ‘joint commission mechanism’ from secretarylevel to ministerial. The two sides called for concerted action against terrorist organisations and their financing networks, safe havens and infrastructure, while stressing that those responsible for terrorism, as well as their backers, facilitators and affiliates, must be brought to justice. Cooperation in intelligence-sharing, law enforcement, countering violent extremism, organised crime, illicit drug trafficking and cyber threats will also be strengthened. Defence cooperation is another area where the two countries intend to move beyond traditional exchanges. Modi said India and Uzbekistan would encourage their defence industries to establish direct linkages and pursue co-development and co-production of military equipment. Highlighting Uzbekistan’s strategic importance, Modi said: “Uzbekistan is at the heart of Central Asia and is at the heart of India’s engagement in the re gion,” describing a stronger bilateral partnership as a “powerful force for peace, progress and prosperity in Central Asia.” Clearing a major hurdle, the proposed `8,707-crore expansion of Thiruvananthapuram airport has secured a suggestion for green clearance from the State Expert Appraisal Committee-1 (SEAC-1). The committee recommended integrated environmental clearance (EC) along with coastal regulation zone (CRZ) clearance for the project for a period of 10 years. The decision taken at the 217th SEAC-1 meeting chaired by Anirud Kumar Dharni, chairman, SEAC-1 (South Zone) Kerala, paves the way for final EC order by State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), allowing the airport to move forward with massive infrastructure upg rades planned over the decades. Under the project by Thiruvananthapuram International Airport Ltd (TIAL), the airport will scale up its passenger handling capacity to 27 million passengers a year. Cargo capacity will jump to 4.2 lakh metric tonnes annually. The clearance comes at a time when the state government is focusing on seaport and airport led development. For travellers, the expansion brings redesigned terminals in two stories, modern An artist’s view of redeveloped T’Puram International Airport expansion Ambitious plan Passenger capacity to increase from 4.5 million to 27 million In first phase, capacity will be increased to 12 million L8,707 cr: Total investment L907 cr: Work under way Expression of Interest called for L2,400 cr Next investment from April ’27 digital systems for faster check-ins, upgraded aircraft parking areas (aprons), and smoother flight connecting paths (taxiways). A state-ofthe-art cargo complex is also planned. A hotel project coming up at the entrance will be integrated into the master plan. To meet safety standards set by Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the airport will need an additional 6.88 hectares of land alongside its current 248.29-hectare ● More on P4 campus.  Nepal toll nears 800, rescue ops intensify 68.5 tonnes of Indian aid E XPR E SS N E WS S E RVIC E @ New Delhi E x p r e s s Re a d Arjun tank overhaul to begin after 6-yr delay New Delhi: Six years after the first of its Arjun tanks became due for overhaul, the Army has begun the process of rebuilding them, with two Arjun Mk-1s set to be stripped down and refurbished at the Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF) in Avadi near Chennai | P7 `8,707-crore T’Puram airport expansion lands green clearance nod ‘Row’ power Traditional palliyodams set out from Sathra Kadavu in Aranmula for the ceremonial Uthrattathi boat race organised as part of the Onam celebrations at Parthasarathy Temple in Aranmula on Sunday | SHAJI VETTIPURAM INDiA has stepped up its rescue and relief operations in flood-hit Nepal, deploying tunnel engineers, doctors, paramedics and forensic experts as rescuers race against time to reach people feared trapped in hydropower tunnels on the fifth day of the disaster. Nepal’s disaster authority said 781 people had died and 2,502 remained missing. Across the border in China’s Gyirong County authorities reported 16 , deaths. Bodies have been recovered from eight affected districts as security forces and specialist teams continue clearing debris and searching inundated areas. As of 5:30 pm on Sunday 149 , Indian nationals had been rescued, an update from the government said. India has so far provided 68.5 tonnes of relief material and deployed specialised technical and forensic teams. A fourth Indian flight carrying 11 tonnes of assistance reached Nepal on Sunday . The latest consignment includ- India has so far provided 68.5 tonnes of relief material and deployed technical and forensic teams. A fourth Indian flight carrying 11 tonnes of aid reached Nepal on Sunday. It includes a tunnel technical team and equipment for search and rescue 10,000 Nepali troops A woman carries essentials as she walks along a muddy road in the aftermath of recent flash floods at Belkotgadhi in Nuwakot district of Nepal on Sunday | PTI 10,000 Nepali troops are involved in the wider rescue operation, alongside specialist teams from India and China. With hundreds missing, the priority remains gaining access to isolated and debris-covered areas before trapped survivors run out of time ed a tunnel technical team and equipment for search-and-rescue operations, forensic equipment for DNA analysis and essential relief supplies. The supplies included blankets, sleeping bags, tarpaulin, plastic sheets and hygiene kits. An 11-member Indian technical team, comprising doctors, paramedics and tunnel engineers, in Kathmandu conducted reconnaissance of hydro- Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police has been working since Friday night to clear debris and reach those believed to be trapped. On Sunday, Nepal’s military airlifted heavy machinery to the remote site, with rescuers reaching the entrance of one tunnel. Oxygen supplies and cameras are being prepared for deployment once a P9 safe passage is created. power tunnels in the flood-hit Trishuli area of Nuwakot district. The team carried out an aerial survey of Chilime and Langtang before beginning work around the tunnel sites. The rescue effort is focused on the Upper Trishuli hydropower complex, where authorities received information that around 350 people could be trapped inside a tunnel. An 82-member joint team of the No true Hindu rejects Muslims in India: RSS chief MVD cracks down on middlemen; set to make all 60 online services faceless r a je s h k u m a r t h a k u r Five-point plan @ New Delhi RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday called upon the Indian diaspora in the US and across the world to contribute to both their “janmabhoomi” and “karmabhoomi” with the loyalty and values India has given them. Addressing a packed gathering at New York’s Madison Square Garden during the Universal Oneness Celebration, Bhagwat said no nation is merely a piece of land. “All nations have a destiny to fulfil. This is the Bharat’s destiny Let . us awake, as Bharatiyas, to that destiny and fulfil our duties in our Karmabhoomi as well as our Janmabhoomi.” RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in New York on Sunday | PTI He told the diaspora that their primary duty is to their place of work. Serving the motherland is desirable but not obligatory. “Your Janmabhoomi expects you to live the values it has imparted on you.” Bhagwat underlined unity in The gathering, which attracted delegates from 853 cities across 39 US states, opened with 180 religious leaders from 30 countries presenting a fivepoint resolution rejecting the use of religion to justify hatred or violence, which was formally submitted to Bhagwat diversity as India’s DNA. Defining dharma as the principle that unites, upholds and balances everything without causing rifts, he said diversity must be celebrated and respected even as the feeling of oneness is kept alive. Quoting Swami Vivekananda, he said Bharat’s mission is to realise and make the world realise this unity in diversity . In a strong message on inclusiveness, Bhagwat declared that anyone who calls himself a Hindu but believes there should be no Muslim in India cannot be considered a Hindu. “If any Hindu thinks that there should be no Muslim in Bharat, he is not a Hindu. If you want to call yourself Hindu, you must believe that all paths are leading to the same goal and that every human has dignity”. Earlier, speaking on ‘One World One Humanity’, Bhagwat said the RSS stands for global unity and the dignity of every human being. Upgraded system Applications to be processed via Aadhaar-linked mobile OTP verification and cleared on firstcome, first-serve basis Visits to RTO offices will become obsolete, except for vehicle inspections, legal heir identity verifications, or personal hearings following show-cause notices Most driving and learner’s licence-related services via Sarathi, including renewal and issuance of duplicate, besides vehicle registration and ownership services via Vahan, including transfer and issuance of NoCs, to become faceless E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @T’Puram In a major push to eliminate the persistent influence of unauthorised intermediaries, the motor vehicles department (MVD) will make all 60 of its online services faceless and Aadhaar OTP-authenticated, starting September 21. Transport Commissioner C Nagaraju announced that the measure aims to streamline public delivery under the Vahan and Sarathi portals while protecting applicants from exploitation. Out of the 60 services offered by the department, only 21 are currently delivered through faceless systems. Lack of ro- bust digital authentication in the rest has allowed unscrupulous commission agents to exploit gullible applicants. Officials noted that intermediaries often upload incomplete documents to deliberately stall applications, subsequently demanding money from citizens under the pretext of expediting the process. To close these loopholes, the MVD requested the National Informatics Centre (NIC) and the Ministry of Road Transpor t and Highways (MoRTH) to convert all remaining services into faceless, Aadhaar-linked systems, a project currently undergoing final soft● More on P4 ware testing.