NewsBytes

EU, India free trade pact to be world’s largest deal: Ursula Von Der Layen

India and the European Union have agreed to go ahead with a free trade agreement this year, which will be “the largest deal of this kind” in the world, European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen said. “A free trade agreement between the EU and India would be the largest deal of this kind anywhere in the world. I am well aware it will not be easy. But I also know that timing and determination count and that this partnership comes at the right moment for both of us,” Ursula Von Der Leyen, who is on a two-day visit to India, said. “This is why we have agreed with Prime Minister Modi to push to get it done during this year. And you can count on my full commitment to make sure we can deliver,” she said.

New SEBI Chief: Bureaucrat at helm of market regulator after 3 years

Seasoned bureaucrat and a stickler for rules Finance Secretary Tuhin Kanta Pandey will be at the helm of capital market regulator, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), for three years. The 1987-batch Odisha-cadre Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, Pandey, would replace Madhabi Puri Buch. This is the second appointment of a bureaucrat at the helm of a regulatory body in as many months. In December 2024, the government had appointed Revenue Secretary Sanjay Malhotra as RBI Governor following the superannuation of Shaktikanta Das.

Sebi launches centralised database portal for corporate bonds

Markets regulator Sebi has launched a centralised database portal for corporate bonds in a bid to create a single, authentic source of information on such securities. The portal -- Bond Central-- has been developed by Online Bond Platform Providers Association (OBPP Association) in collaboration with Market Infrastructure Institutions (MIIs) comprising stock exchanges and depositories. “The Bond Central aims to create a single, authentic source of information on corporate bonds issued in India and is intended as an information repository for the public at large and is accessible free of cost,” Sebi said in a statement. This database is expected to enhance transparency and facilitate informed decision making amongst investors and other market participants and will be operated by the OBPP Association, which is a not-for-profit entity with support from MIIs.

CBSE plans to hold two board exams for Class X from 2026

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Tuesday proposed a major reform in the Class X examination system, introducing two board exams from the 2025-26 academic session. This move aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and aims to reduce academic pressure by offering students a chance to improve their scores. The proposal was discussed in a high-level meeting at the Ministry of Education, chaired by the Union Minister of Education. A draft policy released on Tuesday has been developed and uploaded on the CBSE website (https://www.cbse.gov.in), inviting feedback from schools, teachers, parents, and students until March 9, 2025. As per the draft policy, the first phase of exams is scheduled from February 17 to March 6, while the second phase will be conducted from May 5 to May 20.In 2026, about 26.60 lakh Class X students and 20 lakh Class XII students are expected to take the exams.

Both examinations will cover the entire syllabus from current textbooks. Core subjects such as Science, Mathematics, Social Science, Hindi, and English will follow a fixed examination schedule, while regional and foreign languages will be tested on a single day, as per the norms.

The draft noted that exams for elective subjects like Data Science will be conducted two or three times, with students assigned a date based on CBSE's internal scheduling system.

Two Board exams will now serve as both - regular and supplementary exams, eliminating the need for a separate re-examination.

PM's campaign against obesity

NIT Rourkela develops AI model to improve blood sugar predictions

The National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela said it has developed an advanced AI-driven model to improve blood sugar predictions for people with diabetes. The model is designed to help individuals and healthcare providers make better and more personalised treatment decisions. Unlike traditional forecasting methods, which often require manual adjustments and struggle with long-term glucose trends, this AI model automatically processes data to identify key patterns. By learning from past blood sugar fluctuations, it delivers precise predictions, allowing for timely and personalised adjustments in insulin doses, diet, and physical activity. The model has outperformed existing techniques by offering more reliable predictions tailored to an individual’s unique glucose patterns.

SEBI proposes new method to prevent stock manipulation in derivatives market

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has proposed a major change in the way open interest (OI) is calculated in the equity derivatives market. In a statement, the regulator suggested moving to a ‘Future Equivalent’ method instead of the current notional value-based calculation. This shift aims to prevent stocks from being unfairly pushed into the ban period due to manipulation.  SEBI explained that the existing notional value method adds up the total value of all futures and options contracts without considering the actual market risk.