- 6 hours ago
After the NEET controversy, the CBSE online evaluation row, now questions are being raised over the UPSC prelim examination. Nearly five-and-a -half-lakh aspirants appeared for the exam on May 24. But as soon as the paper ended, social media was flooded with complaints that papers were unpredictable and lengthy paper format. Many said questions were harder to decode, with mechanical language and poorly framed questions.
Category
ЁЯЧЮ
NewsTranscript
00:12The first thing they can do is open up the bottle again.
00:16We made sure India heard them.
00:19Yesterday I was trying to get my copy and the website kept crashing as Karen has pointed out.
00:26And it's not even just about a few marks. Because of these checking mistakes, many bad students are now losing
00:32seats in good colleges.
00:34Today, the re-evaluation window opens.
00:37The payment show had failed, the QR codes for UPI scanners weren't working and in the end they did take
00:44extra money from me.
00:47And before finally actually accepting my application.
00:51One show that refused to drop the story.
00:55I could log in as any examiner with their user ID.
00:58So I tried to log in as an examiner, I recorded it and I was successfully able to log in.
01:04And there was an option to change dates also.
01:07And I could date papers myself.
01:09Like I could book marks, as many marks I want, as much marks I want.
01:125 Live. Your voice, your fight.
01:21For the past one week, we've been bringing you voices of students.
01:26First it was NEAT, then CBSC.
01:29Today we've got UPSC Rao firing up as well.
01:34But let's start on a good note today.
01:36Students here on the program said they were not happy.
01:40They wanted more time to re-evaluate and to get their papers re-checked.
01:45The window has shut but the government has now listened.
01:50And today another 24 hour opportunity has been given to Class 12 CBSC students to apply for re-evaluation.
01:58We sincerely hope this has helped.
02:00And if it hasn't, please do write in to us.
02:02Because we are not going anywhere.
02:03We will stick on the story as long as required.
02:08Talking of which, let me take you to the top three stories on top of our mind today.
02:13Number one is going to be again CBSC.
02:15Today we take you to the company that is behind the CBSC marking mess.
02:21The OSM system, why was it introduced?
02:25Importantly, why was a tender given to a particular company?
02:28Is the mess, is the rot within the CBSC deeper than you and I thought?
02:36Number two story on the program today, we talk about after NEAT and CBSC.
02:40What is the UPSC Rao all about?
02:43The finest IS officers of the country come out from here.
02:48Why are this year's students unhappy?
02:53And then finally, we've not got our eyes off the Delhi pollution.
02:56We tell you how Delhi is battling three issues simultaneously.
03:01There's pollution, there's water, there's heat.
03:04ACs are blasting off, houses are catching fire.
03:08In South Delhi, black water is coming out of taps and pollution.
03:12Well, that's become a reality you and I live with even in peak summer heat.
03:20All of those stories will be covered on the program today.
03:22But first up, as always, let's take you what else is making news across the country.
03:28Karnataka transition is now entering its final phase.
03:31DK Sivakumar is said to be sworn in as the Chief Minister on either the 31st of May or the
03:361st of June or the 3rd.
03:37But the Political Balancing Act is far from over.
03:40Sources say Sidhra Maya is pushing for key portfolio positions for loyalists and also his son.
03:45Even as Congress workers to manage sort of, you know, tries to manage the sensitive caste equations there.
03:53Sources say that the Congress High Command is keen on two Deputy Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers will likely
04:00be from Lingayat and Dalit camps.
04:04In key hearing on the NEAT paper leak controversy, Supreme Court has now directed the Centre to file an affidavit
04:10within six weeks detailing how examinations are conducted and concluded each year.
04:16The Court has also sought information on safeguards, institutional continuity and also expert oversight, saying the objective is to ensure
04:24incidents like 2020, 24, 26, some saying possibly 25 as well, do not re-occur.
04:31The Centre informed the Court that the Prime Minister is personally monitoring the issue.
04:38Major political showdown over CBSC.
04:40CBSC portal mess after the NEAT UG round.
04:43Now, the Union Minister Darmidra Pradhan has spoken with India today.
04:48He vows to fix issues.
04:50He vows to punish culprits.
04:53Also calls Rahul Gandhi a frustrated Neta.
04:55How exactly is he responding to all the allegations we have raised on the programme?
05:01We'll bring you an excerpt of that interview as well.
05:05Meanwhile, the Court has granted CBI custody of Giribala in the Thwisha case.
05:10This after CBI told the Court that face-to-face questioning of Samarth Singh and Giribala Singh is crucial, alleging
05:16that Samarth has not been cooperating with investigators, emphasising that custodial interrogation is now needed to recover evidence, collect materials
05:25linked to the case.
05:27Major boost to Amati party in Punjab civic body elections.
05:31Now, Amati party has emerged as a dominant force across several municipality, corporations and councils, registering sweeping victories in Mahali,
05:39in Gidar Baha, in also Bamala, while Congress managed to retain control of the Kupwara civic body.
05:47Celebrations now erupted at the party's Chandigarh office with senior leaders Manisha Sodia thanking voters.
05:54Supreme Court has allowed Vinesh Shafogar to participate in the Asian Games of 2026 selection trials beginning on the 30th
06:02of May, declining to interfere in the Delhi High Court order.
06:06However, the court also raised concerns over sort of missed doping tests and failures to update her whereabouts, with anti
06:14-doping authorities warning that such issue could have serious consequences at international levels.
06:20A growing water supply concern has now taken over the national capital region, with water levels in the Yamuna near
06:27Wazirabad dropping sharply.
06:29Officials are creating channels in the riverbed to ensure water reaches treatment plants, supplying large parts of Delhi as well.
06:38Sources say the city is also facing supply shortfall from Haryana, while failing to understand more details of why the
06:48reservoir levels are actually going down, making it increasingly difficult to pump water for treatment facilities.
06:56Meanwhile, 22-year-old Indian Vidhi Megha was stabbed to death in Canada's Nigra region, in what investigators suspect was
07:06an attempted robbery.
07:07Police say the attack took place in broad daylight on the 15th of May.
07:11Vidhi succumbed to her injuries while being rushed to the hospital.
07:17Sources tell India today that skipper Hardik Pandya has informed Mumbai Indians that he does not wish to continue with
07:23the team.
07:23Sources say the decision came after Mumbai Indians' elimination with concerns over dressing room support and team dynamics.
07:31The franchise is yet to take a call on whether Pandya will be retained, traded or released ahead of the
07:37next season.
07:40And in a significant development in the fight against Ebola, researchers at the University of Oxford say a vaccine candidate
07:46for the current strain could be ready for clinical trials within the next two to three months.
07:51The project is being developed with global partners, including the Serum Institute of India, with animal studies already underway.
07:58Scientists say the vaccine builds on the same platform used for the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine, helping to accelerate its
08:07development.
08:08So far, five cases have been tested in India, all have come negative.
08:18All right, 16 days since the results and CBSC mess keeps getting bigger.
08:23On 5 Live, we already told you how a 19-year-old hacked into the CBSC OSM portal in just
08:3030 minutes.
08:31He changed the marks, changed the teachers' bank details, everything.
08:35You heard Nisagra there on the program.
08:37We told you how CBSC had to retract its statement and then got fact-checked twice by the same teenager.
08:44You also heard from the students.
08:46One in four students who appeared for Class 12th examination this year have asked for a photocopy of their answer
08:52sheet.
08:52The number tells you everything you need to know about the trust deficit.
08:58And today we go one level deeper.
09:02Who built the OSM system?
09:04Who got the contract?
09:06And why nobody is talking about that?
09:10Now, understand this.
09:11The OSM portal runs on a platform called OnMark.
09:15The company behind it is a Hyderabad-based firm called Coempt Edutech Private Limited,
09:21formerly known as Globarina Technology.
09:25Now, you should know that CBSC has not officially named the company.
09:32India Today sent queries as well.
09:34We've got no response.
09:37And here is where it starts to get uncomfortable and it makes us ask questions.
09:45A former IIT Madras professor is reportedly a director at the Coempt Edutech.
09:53Jog your memory a little bit.
09:55Because it is the same IIT Madras that has been asked by the CBSC to review what went wrong with
10:02the system.
10:05Got it?
10:07IIT Madras has been asked to fix the mess that a former faculty member tied to the company could have
10:12potentially built.
10:14That is problem number one.
10:17Conflict of interest.
10:18CBSC has not addressed this.
10:21Nobody is talking about it.
10:23And there is a problem number two.
10:25Because the company Coempt is not new to controversy.
10:29The same company was linked to the 2019 Telangana Intermediary Board results collapse.
10:35What had happened then?
10:36Thousands of students had alleged marking discrepancies.
10:39The opposition there had alleged that errors in the system contributed to the deaths of 23 students.
10:47They had demanded a judicial inquiry and an SIT.
10:52And the same company made its way back into CBSC.
10:56So problem number one was conflict of interest.
10:59Problem number two is repeat offender.
11:02And again, CBSC has not responded to that.
11:07And that's not it.
11:08A cyber security expert that India Today spoke with said very categorically that the OSM system is very, very ancient.
11:17The master password, the ethical student only told you on the program, was part of the code.
11:26Nisagra told us that it was written into the code itself, in plain text, not hidden, not encrypted, just sitting
11:33there.
11:34He said it was the easiest hacks of his life.
11:37And remember, Nisagra was not the only one.
11:42He's not the only one who warned CBSC.
11:45Teachers had seen this coming as well.
11:47The Delhi Government School Teachers Association wrote to CBSC in Feb, right in the thick of the examinations,
11:53asking them to pause the rollout, saying we don't have enough trials, we haven't done trial runs,
12:00we are not feeling confident, but CBSC went ahead anyway.
12:05The result?
12:0711,31,961 answer books have been re-scanned in an exam that 17 lakh students sat for.
12:18Bottom line, the stitch is altogether that a company with a controversial past built the CBSC OSM system.
12:30CBSC won't name the company.
12:31Those affiliated with the same company have now been asked to carry the checks.
12:35The student hacker wants CBSC, the teachers want CBSC, but CBSC, they did nothing.
12:45And again, I want to highlight this, I've said this repeatedly, the OSM system is actually a good system.
12:52It brings in transparency, in spirit it is excellent.
12:57But dear CBSC, we ask now on behalf of those 17 lakh students and families, who is accountable for its
13:06implementation?
13:07The board that rushed this through, the ministry that approved it or the company that built it?
13:15Dear CBSC, somebody has to answer.
13:18We are asking for accountability.
13:22As questions continue to mount over the CBSC marking controversy,
13:26the education minister now has assured a deeper probe.
13:32All these questions that I have highlighted, my colleague here at India today, Shwita Singh, took to the education minister.
13:39She asked her, very pointedly upon, tell us what will happen to this.
13:44Look at his answer.
13:45Thank you very much.
14:23Thank you very much.
14:27Thank you very much.
14:45We have a glitch in the payment gateway.
14:50We have a high-level inquiry committee.
14:54We are going to take action.
14:58We will talk about it.
15:01The education minister is saying that he will make heads roll.
15:07He is saying that he will get down to the bottom of the entire story.
15:10But he has a lot to answer for.
15:12It's not just CBSC.
15:13CBSC is a case of a mix-up.
15:15In NEET, he's got even bigger issues to answer for,
15:18which is why repeatedly leaks are happening despite warnings again,
15:22despite committees being sent, despite everything happening.
15:25So education minister has a lot of work to do,
15:28a lot of answering to do as well.
15:31But politics aside, let's keep our focus back on the students now.
15:35And talking about them, a lot of students are today anxious.
15:38They want to understand after this debacle that we've seen,
15:42in the entire CBSC marking system, what lies ahead for them?
15:48After 12th, people moved to university.
15:50One of the most coveted universities in the country is Delhi University.
15:54So let me bring on Professor Yogesh Singh, Vice Chancellor of the Delhi University,
15:58who joins us now on the program.
16:00Good evening, sir.
16:01Thank you so much for your time.
16:02I want to start by asking you this.
16:05CBSE this time around has had its lowest score in five years.
16:10The lowest score actually was during COVID-19.
16:13After that, this has been the lowest percentage score that they have got so far.
16:18Just the marking system aside, because we continuously, you know,
16:21go on to say that OSM is a good system.
16:23What exactly is your analysis on the mess up here and its impact on students?
16:30With this OSM system, because it was experimented first time,
16:34teachers were, like, were not properly trained, like, or they have not taken it seriously.
16:42Many copies and the issues which I have also seen through media only.
16:48But, you know, they should have corrected answers properly.
16:55Although this is an established technology, we should not worry about it.
16:58Many, you know, Indian universities are following this without any issues.
17:02But, because it was implemented first time on a very large scale,
17:07and thousands of teachers were involved,
17:10some of them would have done it carelessly,
17:15or that is why it has happened.
17:17But, they should not have done it.
17:19But, right now, like, in both the issues,
17:22both the issues, seriousness of teachers are involved.
17:25It is under question.
17:26So, teaching fraternity is under question right now.
17:29It is a matter of concern and worry to all of us.
17:32In need examination also, like, first time it has happened that teachers were caught.
17:39Exemplary punishment should be given.
17:41And here also, some careless teachers have done it.
17:44And the whole system is, there is a panic.
17:48Whole system's reputation is at stake.
17:51It is a matter of concern for all of us.
17:56So, you're saying teachers are involved, it could be, you know, correct as well.
18:01But what about the CBSE system?
18:03We have, now there are no secrets about the fact that they were, you know, forewarned about it.
18:09There is a hacker who sent them email after email saying,
18:12this is how the system is vulnerable.
18:15Please fix it before you do, you know, you go ahead.
18:18Teachers' association in Delhi government school wrote to the CBSE saying, please fix it.
18:24So, don't you think the liability is of the CBSE as well?
18:30They should have.
18:32But, you know, the chairman, chairperson CBSE should answer this.
18:35I don't have the details.
18:37I am not the right person to answer this question.
18:40Please.
18:43I see.
18:44That's a short answer you've given there.
18:47But I read, I read into that.
18:49Okay.
18:50Let me ask you the next question then, sir.
18:52Students at this point are getting pretty restless.
18:57They have spent years now preparing for these exams.
19:00And now at this point, as we hear of suicide cases in need,
19:03we hear of kids getting really panicky in the CBSE as well.
19:09What would you tell them to focus on as they prepare for the next leg?
19:13The exam has happened.
19:14How do they move forward?
19:16First of all, they should right now focus on their studies.
19:20Please do not dissuade yourself.
19:27Otherwise, that will further harm the whole system.
19:30Have faith.
19:31Believe in the system.
19:32Although I do understand that these are the difficult times.
19:37But my dear students, we have no option right now.
19:41But to focus on studies, prepare well, appear for the examination,
19:46and you will have a bright future.
19:48Our systems are not that weak.
19:52The mafias, they are successful, but they will not be successful in future.
19:57Government is taking all possible steps.
20:00So these are good words, but I believe it will take more than words to really satisfy students right now.
20:06But let me ask you this.
20:08The understand within the student community and I'm speaking to them is constantly that something has happened in the past
20:14couple of years to our entire, you know, education system.
20:18When we were growing up, times were not so bad.
20:21But what has changed that one after the other, we hear of an exam paper leak or delay or even
20:26those who've now got, you know, their results waiting for, you know, service to really start.
20:32There is a whole mix up in the education system and the youth is very frustrated.
20:37Are you sensing something like a shift in how our education system behaves now?
20:46I don't know, but, you know, right now, in CBSE, they experimented new technology.
20:54But here, very, very unfortunate need when teachers are caught.
21:03Besides technology, besides the transport, besides centers, which were a practice in the last few decades, when these mafias used
21:15to impersonate, used to leak the paper through centers.
21:22But nobody would have thought that a situation will come in our country where teachers were caught involved in such
21:28a process.
21:29So that's why I'm saying peak has come.
21:31Now, all possible steps will be taken and exemplary steps will be taken in the future.
21:40All right.
21:41The Vice Chancellor there of Delhi University, thank you so much, sir, for coming here, joining us and giving us
21:47your valuable time.
21:48Yours is the next test.
21:49Kids are looking up to the examination system and the entry system for DU.
21:54Let's see how that one goes.
21:56But staying on the story, it is not just CBSE, remember.
22:01Over the last two weeks, India's education system has witnessed one tremor after the other.
22:07First came the NEET leak gate.
22:10The Prime Minister has said that he will himself now be overseeing the entire examination that happens on the 21st
22:17of June.
22:17Then came the CBSE marking mess and now outrage over UPSC prelims.
22:24What's that about?
22:25Now, some of the country's biggest examinations are facing serious questions over credibility, fairness, also trust.
22:33And today, we are asking a very difficult question.
22:36Is India's education system preparing students for the future?
22:40Or pushing an entire generation into anxiety, into uncertainty, into frustration as well?
22:46Lacks of NEET aspirants prepared for years only to see re-exams, probes and court battles that dominated headlines.
22:54CBSE students allege evaluation glitches, swapped answer sheets, wrong photocopies uploaded and raised serious questions over the entire implementation of
23:04the OSM system.
23:06And now, what's happening with UPSC?
23:09India's toughest exam, gateway to country's bureaucracy, now under fire from its own aspirants.
23:17Candidates say this year's paper was unusually lengthy, confusing, calculation heavy and very unpredictable.
23:27Some argue it moved away from the traditional UPSC pattern altogether.
23:32Questions difficult to comprehend, language too complicated, subject weightage suddenly shifted without any warning, concerns growing over whether the level
23:41playing field still really exists.
23:43And the irony, even educators and former bureaucrats reportedly struggled with sections of the paper.
23:52For millions of Indian students, these are not just exams, remember, these are years of sacrifice, family expectations, financial pressures
24:01and also remember dreams, dreams of better life.
24:04So the question really is unavoidable at this point.
24:09When trust in the examination system itself begins to crack, does India now need a complete education system reset or
24:21at least a reset in how the heads are really looking at it?
24:27The next story explains this crisis at a deeper level.
24:41After the neat controversy and after the CVSE online evaluation round, questions are being raised over the UPSC preliminary examination.
24:50Nearly five and a half lakh aspirants appeared for the exam on the 24th of May.
24:54But as soon as the paper ended, social media was flooded with complaints.
24:59To understand the outreach, India today reached Mukherjee Nagar in Delhi, a UPSC coaching hub.
25:23Several aspirants alleged that this year's paper stayed sharply from the traditional pattern, with many claiming confusing Hindi translations.
25:29Many questions were harder to decode, with mechanical language and poorly framed questions.
25:35Candidates say crucial time was lost simply trying to understand what was being asked.
25:41What was the question here?
25:43The next question was here.
25:44From 3 or 4 years ago, what were questions from books came from.
25:48But now, what's coming up?
25:49The content remains in the books and some questions remain in the same way.
25:53But the application-based questions remains in the same way.
25:55So there is a question for example, how the question of the question is, how the question was about how
26:00the question was about, how the question was about how the question was about what the question was?
26:12The CSAT paper too has triggered complaints.
26:15Students say mathematics questions involved lengthy calculations, while comprehension
26:19passages were packed with complex wording.
26:22The lengthiness of this paper is added to vagueness.
26:45For lakhs of students, UPSC is not just an exam, it is years of sacrifice, preparation
26:51and hope.
26:52But this year, many aspirants believed the battle was not just about knowledge, but also about
26:57decoding the language of the paper itself.
27:01With Anmol Bali, Bureau Report, India Today.
27:12Let's cut across to some political updates coming in now.
27:15We are now hearing that DK Sivakumar, the incoming Chief Minister of Karnataka, is meeting with
27:20Rahul Gandhi in the National Capital.
27:22DKS met Rahul Gandhi ahead of his elevation as Chief Minister.
27:26Earlier, remember, DKS had met with President Kharge of the Congress Party and also Kisri
27:32Dina Gopal.
27:33So these hectic huddles that are happening in Delhi, is it all about the cabinet?
27:39That's the key question.
27:40Also, key Congress MLAs are meeting in Bengaluru tomorrow at 4pm.
27:45So what's happening there?
27:46Let's get in a word on all of this with our colleague.
27:51Before that, let's listen in to what DK said.
27:54There will be a CLP meeting tomorrow at 4 o'clock at Bengaluru in the conference room in Janswogha.
28:03That is what we have to say there.
28:05So our two observers will be coming, both the general secretaries, administration, DSO,
28:12Mr. Venakopalji and our Sujiwaranji.
28:17Both of them are coming and our secretaries also will be there.
28:22They will connect with their presence, will connect a CLP meeting and then the process will
28:31be there.
28:33Let's get in a word with my colleague Rahul Gautam, who's in tracking all details of
28:36the story.
28:36Rahul, take us through what exactly is happening.
28:39Are we correct to understand that at this point, the Chief Minister has chosen a new leadership
28:45for the Congress Party in Karnataka, but his cabinet, that also center and the central Congress
28:53leadership has had to oversee all of that as well?
29:00Well, we can say that the Chief Minister has been handpicked by the high command, but that
29:07person is yet to be elected as the leader of Congress legislative party, he needs to become
29:13a CLP leader and then only he can become technically the next Chief Minister of Karnataka and therefore
29:18you have a meeting of CLP tomorrow at 4pm in Bengaluru wherein all the Congress MLAs are
29:25going to meet, they are going to elect a new CLP leader, Sidra Ramayana would be stepping
29:30down from there.
29:31And obviously, in all likelihood, Mr. DK Shiv Kumar who just met Rahul Gandhi is going to
29:38be elevated as the Chief, as the CLP and later on he is going to stake claim over the government
29:44and going to meet Governor's Office.
29:47So clearly it seems that decks are already cleared for Mr. DK Shiv Kumar, he held a series
29:53of meetings today.
29:54He met Malik Arjun Karge, Rahul Gandhi, KC Venu Gopal, Randeep Singh Surjewala and what we
29:59are given to understand is that a lot of many things were on the table when DK Shiv Kumar met
30:04these leaders.
30:05We all know that how a new cabinet needs to take shape in the state of Karnataka and therefore
30:10we have been informed that the names were discussed for potential cabinet ministers.
30:17Apart from this, we have been informed that Rajasaba elections, MLC elections, all these
30:22things were discussed.
30:23I must also tell our viewers that Sidra Ramayana is actively pushing for cabinet bursts for people
30:31who have been loyalist to him during the two terms of chief minister when he served as for
30:39Karnataka.
30:39So clearly it seems that finally you can say that the Karnataka thing has been sorted by
30:47Congress party and in a couple of days we will be having a clear cut picture about the
30:52cabinet formation, about the Rajasaba candidates, MLC candidates and also we will be knowing what
30:57is going to be the fate for Sidra Ramayana, whether he is going to come to Rajasaba, whether
31:02his son Yatindra would be inducted into Karnataka cabinet or whether the other people that he
31:08has been pushing are going to be part of cabinet.
31:10So clearly in a day or two you can say possibly we are going to know answers to all these
31:15questions.
31:16So the Nataka in Karnataka is clearly not over.
31:19First it was over chief minister, now it is over cabinet bursts.
31:22Everybody is eyeing, everybody is eyeing for power.
31:24Nobody is thinking of the aspirations of people of Karnataka.
31:27These are aspirations of politicians, these are not the aspirations of people of Karnataka.
31:31They want something else and they want governance.
31:33Let's see how that happens there.
31:35But Rahul, thanks so much for joining us with the very latest on that.
31:41Let's move on now.
31:42Delhi finally got some relief from the scorching heat after evening showers brought temperatures
31:47down to 36 degrees.
31:49But make no mistake, the capital is far from comfortable.
31:53After a week of punishing heat with temperatures touching 45 degrees, Delhi continues to battle
31:58another familiar, familiar, Begabaran, summer enemy.
32:03What is that summer enemy?
32:04Pollution.
32:05Air quality has swung between moderate and poor for much of the past 10 days with AQI
32:10breaching 250 mark on multiple occasions.
32:13As pollution levels remain a concern, the Delhi government is now stepping up its clean air push.
32:18What are they doing?
32:20They are going from filterless air purifiers to dust-catching systems.
32:23A series of new technology are being deployed now and tested to tackle dust and vehicular emissions across the city.
32:30As part of the clean air push also, Delhi has installed 21 STR-101 filterless air purifiers.
32:36They target dust, smoke, harmful particulate matter, and also treating nearly 3 lakh litres of air every hour.
32:46The government has also rolled out India's first EV-mounted anti-smog gun to curb road dust without adding emission.
32:54Remember, dust is the major pollutant during the summer, unlike PM2.5 that comes in during the winters.
33:01Meanwhile, Pawan 3 device is being tested to capture vehicular pollution at source, with early trials showing encouraging results over
33:08there as well.
33:09But pollution, remember, isn't Delhi's only summer challenge.
33:16Even as the capital fights dirty air, it is also staring at a growing water crisis, this time of dirty
33:23water.
33:23The Yamuna has receded dramatically near Wazirabad, forcing workers to carve channels through riverbeds just to ensure water reaches treatment
33:34plants.
33:35With water levels falling and supplies from Haryana running below requirement, concerns are mounting over shortages in several parts of
33:43the national capital region.
33:46And for some residents, the concern isn't just water shortage.
33:50It's contaminated water.
33:51Residents in some part of South Delhi's poshest colonies claim sewage-mixed water is flowing in their taps.
34:01This includes colonies like Gulmohar Park, even Defence Colony.
34:06Complains are mounting and health fears are growing.
34:13South Delhi's posh colonies are battling a shocking water crisis.
34:17In Gulmohar Park, residents say sewage-mixed water is flowing straight to their homes.
34:2575-year-old retired engineer Kapil Devumat says he developed diarrhea after consuming contaminated water.
34:43Over the past week, families across Gulmohar Park have reported foul-smelling tap water.
34:48Many residents have now started cleaning their overhead water tanks.
34:52Water tank cleaners say complaints are pouring in not just from Gulmohar Park, but also from Panjshil Park, Panjshil Enclave
34:59and Defence Colony.
35:21The crisis has now put authorities under pressure.
35:25Officials suspect ongoing construction work has damaged the underground pipelines.
35:30Stomach infection is the major infection.
35:32Itching, itching, then it gets solved.
35:34Stomach infection, that means it's highly polluted, this water.
35:38And it has got polluted with the sewage.
35:42Somewhere it's got mixed up with the sewage.
35:43We are trying to follow with the DJB.
36:07Residents have been advised to boil water before use, but many say temporary fixes are not enough.
36:13Diarrhea, vomiting, other such infection.
36:16Hundreds of the families of Gulmohar Park, one of the very posh colonies in South Delhi, are complaining about these
36:21illness.
36:22And primary concern seems to be reason, cause of this, is the water contamination.
36:27Many of these houses have constructed their residential apartments.
36:30And constructions over the pipeline has eventually led to the mixing of contaminated water through the water supply line.
36:38For people living in some of South Delhi's most premium colonies, the fear now is simple.
36:43If clean drinking water cannot be guaranteed here, where can it be?
36:48With Ashutosh Mishra, Bureau Report, India Today.
36:55Concerns on pollution in the air, pollution in the water as well.
36:59But I get it, it's Friday, you want some lighter news, so let's take you to that.
37:04A place in the IPL final is on the line as Gujarat Titans take on Rajasthan Royals in the blockbuster
37:11qualifier to clash in Moulinpour tonight.
37:14For Gujarat, it's a shot at redemption.
37:16After their qualifier 1 defeat, for Rajasthan, it's a chance to build on the momentum from their sort of emphatic
37:23win over Sunrisers Hyderabad.
37:25The equation is simple, win and set up the title, clash with RCB.
37:30Lose, it's game over.
37:32And as Rajasthan chance, you know, stands a chance there for a spot in the final,
37:38all eyes will once again be on the very teenage sensation.
37:43Vaibhav Suryvanshi, the 15-year-old, you have to pinch yourself to really believe he's 15,
37:4715 years old, lit up the eliminator with a fearless match-winning knock and has become the breakout star of
37:54the season.
37:55Now, can the wonder kid really deliver once again and take Rajasthan one step closer to the trophy?
38:02That's the big question tonight.
38:16A 15-year-old tearing apart bowlers with international pedigree is no ordinary occurrence.
38:24In the 2026 IPL eliminator, Vaibhav Suryvanshi launched into a world of his own.
38:3450 in just 16 balls and 97 of the most mesmerizing runs in just 29 deliveries.
38:56Miles away in his village of Samastipur, crackers lit up the night sky and the celebrations went deep into the
39:04night.
39:11Chris Gayle, the gold standard of T20 cricket, has now slipped to the second spot
39:17because Vaibhav Suryvanshi now holds the record for the most sixes in an IPL season.
39:24His coach Manoj Oja recalls how Suryvanshi was always destined for greatness.
39:44In many ways, Suryvanshi has divided the world.
39:48He's making some question their existence, while for others, he's setting teenage goals.
39:54Sports Bureau, India Today.
40:02What a story, what a boy.
40:0415-year-old.
40:05Let me cut across to Nikhil Lars now to understand this better.
40:09Nikhil, oh, you've got your sporting gear and your sporting jersey on already.
40:14So that's good to know.
40:15But I have only one question.
40:17And I'm sure that question is on everybody's mind.
40:21Is Suryvanshi now the Sachin Tendulkar of Gen Zs?
40:28Is Vaibhav Suryvanshi the Gen Z Sachin Tendulkar India has been looking for?
40:34Okay, Sonal, I was having trouble listening to you, but I've got the gist of your question.
40:38You're talking about a comparison between Sachin Tendulkar and Vaibhav Suryvanshi.
40:42I'll tell you what, traditionalists don't like comparisons, comparing people from different era.
40:47But hey, this is what we journalists do best, right?
40:49Compare people of different era.
40:51So I'm going to attempt this.
40:53I'm going to break it down into three factors.
40:55On one front or one aspect, I think Sachin was better than Vaibhav.
40:59On one, they are equal and in one where I think Vaibhav Suryvanshi was better than a young Sachin Tendulkar.
41:06Let's start with the one in which Sachin was better.
41:09Is Vaibhav the most prodigious talent that you've seen at the age of 15?
41:13To that, I'd say no, Sachin Tendulkar was.
41:16Because not only was he good in white ball cricket at that young age,
41:19he was even good with red ball, the longest format.
41:22Vaibhav is yet to show that class.
41:24Can he survive in test cricket or red ball cricket?
41:26I think that's a question that needs to be still looked at.
41:29So on that front, Sachin the most prodigious talent at 15.
41:33Where they are quite similar,
41:35the one quality that made Sachin Tendulkar so special was the fact that
41:39he could be the accumulator of the team as well as the aggressor.
41:43Now, those two qualities in one batter are a rare thing.
41:46An accumulator is the one that will get you the maximum runs.
41:49An aggressor is the one who won't necessarily get you the most runs,
41:52but he'll get you runs quickly.
41:53So he could be that impact player in that sense.
41:56Sachin had that.
41:57That's what made him special.
41:58He could combine the two.
42:00Vaibhav Suryavanshi did toe at par.
42:02Not only is he the highest run getter,
42:04he gets it in double quick time.
42:06That's why Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Sachin, both special equal.
42:09Now to the aspect where I think he's ahead of Sachin Tendulkar.
42:13And that's actually bringing bum to the seat.
42:15Why do I say that?
42:16Because already in a season and a half,
42:18I know of people who are going to our ground,
42:21saying, listen, we're going to watch Vaibhav Suryavanshi.
42:23Now that's a phenomenon we've seen with Sachin.
42:25We've seen with MS Zoni.
42:26We see that with Virat Kohli.
42:28But all these players took time.
42:30Somebody took three years, four, five, six years
42:33to then develop that kind of goodwill among fans
42:35that they would throng to the stadium just to watch that one player.
42:39In Vaibhav Suryavanshi's case,
42:40it's happened in just a year and a half of the IPL.
42:43And on that aspect, I think he's ahead of any legend
42:46that we've seen in cricket so far.
42:49Oh, all right then.
42:51So then what are we waiting for?
42:52Why isn't he, Nikhil, already playing for in the India team?
42:57Good question, Zonar.
42:59Can he make it to the Indian team?
43:00Now he's made it to the India A squad.
43:02I think if he does perform India A,
43:04of course, for those of our viewers who don't know,
43:07it's like a stepping stone to the Indian team.
43:09They picked him for the India A squad.
43:11But he's played the Emerging Asia Cup as well,
43:13where he did well.
43:14He's been doing well at the under-19 level.
43:16I think they're trying to ease him into the Indian team.
43:19So if he does well in the India A squad,
43:20he's definitely going to come.
43:22I was speaking to Mr. Sunil Gavaskar yesterday.
43:24He said, if you don't pick him now, forget his age.
43:26If you don't pick him now, you're going to miss the bus.
43:28So in T20 cricket, he needs to come in.
43:31But I'll go one step further.
43:33India's biggest tournament now is going to be a 50-over World Cup.
43:36I would urge the selectors,
43:37try him in a few bilaterals,
43:39in the 50-over format as well.
43:41Because if he can fire there,
43:42it's the same white ball.
43:43Yes, 50 versus 20 overs.
43:45Because if he can fire there,
43:47then there's no way you can go to a World Cup
43:48with a prodigious talent like Vaibhav Suryavanchi.
43:51So I think they're going to ease him in.
43:52But don't be surprised,
43:54within a few months,
43:54you see him don the main Indian senior team jersey.
43:59All right.
43:59Let's see how that one goes.
44:01Nikhil has made his choice very clear.
44:03Let's see if the selectors are really listening in
44:05and how Suryavanchi performs moving forward.
44:08Thanks so much, Nikhil.
44:09Pleasure always having you on the program.
44:13All right.
44:13With that, it's a wrap from us,
44:15from this episode and for the week as well.
44:18Go have a good weekend.
44:19We'll see you again on Monday.
44:21Bye-bye.
44:30We'll see you again on Monday.
Comments