Daily Briefing: Govt postpones CSIR-NET; Examining Patna High Court’s reservation ruling; Junaid Khan’s debut; and more

📌 Coming from a farmer’s family and working as a small-time contractor until 2012, Sikander P Yadavendu had largely flown under the radar. However, that changed when his name cropped up in connection with the alleged NEET-UG paper leak in Bihar. Here’s a look at who he is.

🗞️ Express Opinion

‘Merit must be measured in terms of social good’

In today’s Opinion piece, Faizan Mustafa explores the Patna High Court’s decision to strike down the 65% reservation in Bihar, which was based on the widely discussed Caste Survey of 2023. “The 50% rule is justified in the name of efficiency and merit… Merit should not result in exclusion,” he argues.

🔍 Express Explained

A day after a trial court granted bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is in jail under charges of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the Delhi High Court stayed the order. The ED challenged the trial court’s decision, citing the absence of the ‘twin test’ for bail under PMLA. What is the twin test, and why is bail under PMLA so contentious? We explain.

👉 Big Picture

She was 12 when she was gang-raped in Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur in 1994. Her parents had put the child up for adoption, hoping the door would shut firmly on her past. But as her firstborn found his way back into her life, together they fought back.. here is their story

🍿 Movie Review

The Indian Express’ Shubhra Gupta reviews this week’s release ‘Maharaj’, a period film on reformer Karsandas Mulji, which also marks the debut of Amir Khan’s son Junaid Khan. Does Junaid Khan have his father’s genes? Is he as eye-catching as Aamir was in his debut ‘QSQT’.. Read the review to find out. 

Until next time, 

Rounak Bagchi and Aradhana Kalia

Business As Usual by Unny