Dental College HOD Seeks Anticipatory Bail in Student Suicide Case Dr. M. Kodanda Ram, the Head of Department of Dental Anatomy at Kannur Dental College, has filed a petition with the Kerala High Court seeking anticipatory bail in connection with an abetment of suicide case involving a student named Nithin Raj. The case has sparked legal proceedings, with allegations of harassment and caste-related misconduct central to the charges. Dr. Ram’s bail application was previously dismissed by the Sessions Court in Thalassery, which granted pre-arrest bail to Dr. Nambiar Sangeetha, a professor at the same institution. The prosecution alleges that Nithin Raj, a student at the college, committed suicide due to prolonged mental harassment by Dr. Ram. According to the charges, the accused subjected the deceased to public humiliation, particularly exploiting his status as a member of the Scheduled Caste community. The case is being investigated under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 3(1)(r) and 3(2)(v) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. These sections address offenses related to causing harm or humiliation to individuals from marginalized communities. In his bail plea, Dr. Ram contested the validity of the charges, arguing that the case was based on incomplete or misleading information. He claimed that the suicide was registered solely on the basis of a statement by the college principal, without any evidence of harassment or torture. Dr. Ram further asserted that Nithin’s father filed a complaint based on hearsay, and there was no clear motive provided for the alleged harassment.#kerala_high_court #scheduled_caste #kannur_dental_college #nithin_raj #dr_m_kodanda_ram
CBSE Likely to Release CTET February 2026 Results by March 31 The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is expected to release the CTET 2026 results along with the final answer key by March 31, as per the typical timeline for such announcements. Candidates who appeared for the exam on February 7 and 8 can access their scorecards through the official website, ctet.nic.in, once the results are published. The results are usually declared within 30-40 days of the exam date, and this year’s release is anticipated to align with that pattern. The CTET exam, conducted for individuals aspiring to become teachers in Classes 1 to 5 and Classes 6 to 8, was held on February 7 and 8. A provisional answer key was released on March 12, 2026, paving the way for the final results. The outcome is critical for many primary school teachers awaiting promotions before the March 31 deadline, as the results will determine their eligibility for career advancement. To qualify for the CTET, candidates must secure a minimum of 60 percent marks. However, a 5 percent relaxation is provided to candidates belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and differently-abled categories. This adjustment ensures inclusivity and equal opportunities for marginalized groups. Candidates can download their scorecards by visiting the official website, ctet.nic.in. On the homepage, they should click on the "Login: CTET Feb 2026 Result" link and enter their registration ID and password. The scorecard will display their marks, likely broken down by section, along with personal details such as name, roll number, and exam center information. The document will also include the overall score and the qualifying status based on the cutoff criteria.#cbse #ctet_nic_in #ctet_2026 #scheduled_caste #scheduled_tribe
Supreme Court Rules Conversion to Non-Hindu Religions Ends Scheduled Caste Status The Supreme Court has ruled that individuals who convert to religions other than Hinduism, Sikhism, or Buddhism lose their Scheduled Caste (SC) status immediately. The court emphasized that SC identity is legally tied to specific religious affiliations under the 1950 Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, which explicitly excludes non-Hindu, non-Sikh, and non-Buddhist converts from SC benefits. The decision was based on a case involving Pastor Chintada Anand Paul, who challenged his exclusion from SC protections after converting to Christianity. The court clarified that claiming SC status requires both professing a religion and maintaining membership in the SC community. It defined "profess" as a public declaration of faith, not merely private belief, and stated that conversion to Christianity or other religions outside the three specified faiths automatically terminates SC status. This interpretation aligns with the 1950 Order, which bars individuals from claiming SC status if they do not belong to Hindu, Sikh, or Buddhist traditions. The ruling also noted that the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act adopts the same definitions, meaning protections under the law are contingent on religious affiliation. The court distinguished SC status from Scheduled Tribe (ST) identity, which is determined by continued community membership through customs and social recognition rather than religious conversion. This distinction highlights the legal separation between the two frameworks, with SC status being strictly tied to religious identity. The ruling underscores that once a person converts to a religion outside the specified faiths, their legal entitlements under SC protections cease.#indian_army #supreme_court #pastor_chintada_anand_paul #scheduled_caste #scheduled_caste_status
