The Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation has got an extension of one year, he will continue in this post till May next year. The decision was taken by a high-powered committee comprising the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India and the Leader of the Opposition.

The latest edition of Statecraft covers major geopolitical changes as US President Donald Trump arrives in Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping. The visit, which comes amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, focuses on trade, tariffs and the Iran war.

In this episode of Newstrack, watch the exclusive interview of NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Ashok Lahiri, in which he emphasizes on PM Modi’s austerity amid the growing crisis in West Asia.

In response to the looming fuel crisis due to West Asian geopolitical tensions, the central government has implemented austerity measures, including reducing ministerial convoys to two vehicles. While the ruling party has called it a necessary fiscal move, opposition leaders have termed the move symbolic, and have demanded a special parliamentary session to address the economic situation and rising oil prices. At the same time, the national currency’s devaluation against the dollar has fallen to an all-time low, leading to calls from experts for fiscal consolidation and a reduction in political populism. Amidst these economic challenges, a big controversy has emerged regarding the National Medical Entrance Examination. The investigation into alleged paper leaks and interstate examination mafia has resulted in several arrests in several states, revealing possible political links. Education experts are now advocating a complete overhaul of the testing system, suggesting decentralized, computer-based examinations to ensure transparency in the future. Transparency activists have urged the government to disclose fuel stock data to prevent public panic and hoarding during this period of economic instability.