
CBSE allows Basic Math students to take Mathematics in Class 11
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has confirmed that students who took Basic Mathematics (241) in Class 10 can continue to take Mathematics (041) in Class 11, as long as they have the ability and interest to handle the subject. This rule will continue for the academic year 2025-26.CBSE had first introduced the two-level Mathematics system -- Basic and Standard -- for Class 10 students starting with the academic session 2019-20, with the first exams under this system conducted in March 2020.The idea was that Basic Math was for students not planning to study Math further, while Standard Math was for those who want to pursue it at a higher level. Normally, students who took Basic Math were expected to continue with Applied Mathematics, not Standard Mathematics.But due to COVID-19 and related challenges, CBSE allowed an exception. Now this exemption remains in place for next year, giving Basic Math students the chance to switch to the more advanced Mathematics course in Class 11.SCHOOLS TO ASSESS STUDENT READINESSSchools must check and confirm that students are ready for this swith.'The head of the institution/school should satisfy that the students have the aptitude and ability to pursue Mathematics (041) in class XI,' the CBSE notification says.Parents and students are advised to note that once the subject is chosen and entered in the List of Candidates (LOC), it cannot be changed later. Schools are asked to share this update with their communities to avoid confusion.This move aims to give students more flexibility, especially those who decide later that they want to pursue science, engineering, or other courses requiring higher-level maths.
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Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Bristol Myers agrees up to $11.1 billion deal with BioNTech to shake up cancer immunotherapy
Bristol Myers Squibb has agreed to pay up to $11.1 billion to partner with Germany's BioNTech and develop the latter's next-generation cancer immunotherapy, which could take on rival Merck & Co's best-selling drug Keytruda. The deal, which includes $3.5 billion in unconditional payments, underpins BioNTech's ambition to continue a costly long-term focus on experimental cancer treatments and show that its success as Pfizer 's COVID-19 vaccine partner was not a one-off achievement. It also underscores a push across the pharma sector to master a new dual mechanism of action in oncology that activates the immune system - similar to an established drug class including Merck & Co's Keytruda - but which also cuts a tumour's blood supply. BioNTech's German-listed shares surged 16.7% by 1236 GMT to a six-week high. The two companies said in separate statements that the U.S. group will co-develop and co-commercialize BioNTech's drug, BNT327, for multiple solid tumour types. Live Events BioNTech's CEO and co-founder Ugur Sahin said the collaboration will serve "to accelerate and broadly expand BNT327's development to fully realize its potential." The companies said in presentation slides that Bristol Myers was bringing global networks in clinical development and manufacturing to the partnership, among other benefits. BioNTech said in a statement that the partners were seeking to set a new standard of care in the cancer market segment, now dominated by so-called checkpoint inhibitors including Keytruda with $29.5 billion in 2024 sales. Western drugmakers have struck a host of deals to win access to the new drug technology, known as PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibodies, which was pioneered in China. Pfizer last month partnered with China's 3SBio , paying $1.25 billion upfront and up to another $4.8 billion depending on developmental achievements. Merck & Co, whose Keytruda business is under threat from the sector's development push, in November last year licensed an early-stage cancer drug from China-based LaNova Medicines for up to $3.3 billion. "We are now starting to see an industry vote of confidence in the differentiation of this novel mechanism," BMO Capital Markets analysts said in a note. They welcomed BioNTech "partnering with a big pharma name to help manage a broad development plan and potential commercialization". Shares in Instil Bio, which is working with China's ImmuneOnco on a similar compound, soared 24% in U.S. trade on Monday. Summit Therapeutics and China's Akeso have formed another partnership in the development race with a drug candidate called ivonescimab. BioNTech took full ownership of BNT327 through the acquisition of China's Biotheus earlier this year for $800 million upfront and up to $150 million contingent on development achievements. It previously held certain rights in the drug under a 2023 collaboration deal. In addition to an initial payment of $1.5 billion, Bristol plans to pay BioNTech $2 billion in non-contingent anniversary payments through 2028. BioNTech may also earn up to $7.6 billion in development, regulatory and commercial milestones, Bristol said. The companies will share global profits and losses from the drug equally, and joint development and manufacturing costs will also be shared on a 50/50 basis, with some exceptions. BNT327 is being tested as a first-line treatment in extensive stage small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. More than 1,000 patients have been treated with the drug to date. Economic Times WhatsApp channel )


The Hindu
5 hours ago
- The Hindu
Misinformation a bigger threat than COVID-19 uptick
The reported cases of COVID-19 in India have risen from less than a few a day to a few 100 a day since mid-May 2025. Wastewater surveillance data from Indian cities have also reported an increased SARS-CoV-2 viral load. All this has resulted in heightened media and public attention because of the COVID-19 experience in 2020-21. A similar uptick in COVID-19 cases has also been reported from some other countries and regions of the world which includes Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand and South Korea. Is there a new variant circulating? Are there reasons to worry? The current uptick in cases is being linked to the most common SARS-CoV-2 variant currently circulating, JN.1, a descendent of the Omicron variant (BA.1.529). Omicron has been the last variant of concern of SARS-CoV-2, first reported in November 2021. Since then, even though a few sub-variants or sub-lineages of Omicron have emerged, there has not been any new variant of concern, in any part of the world. The current dominant variant, JN.1 (also called Pirola) is not new and was first reported in August 2023 in Luxembourg and has been reported from India since November-December 2023. A few sub-lineages of JN.1, such as LF.7 and NB.1.8, have also been reported. But till now, there have not been any major clinical differences with the parent variant. Epidemiological facts Why this uptick? The answer lies in three epidemiological facts. First, any new virus stays for long once it enters the population, possibly forever. SARS-CoV-2 is omnipresent in India and other countries, even when no new infections are being reported. In September 2020, Moriyama M. and colleagues discussed in the scientific journal, Annual Review of Virology, that the seasonality of respiratory viruses has been recognised for thousands of years, and that the annual epidemics of the common cold and influenza disease are the most known proof. The contributing factors for seasonality are environmental parameters such as temperature and humidity, human behaviour and crowding, and changes in viral genes to alter virus stability and transmission rates. SARS-CoV-2 is a respiratory virus and is likely to have a seasonal pattern. It is just that, till now, the pattern in a rise in COVID-19 has not been established. Though some data from Singapore indicate that COVID-19 cases rise every six to nine months, the seasonality may vary from one country to another. In India, after the Omicron wave in January 2022, there were upticks in COVID-19 cases in early 2023 (due to the Omicron Sub-lineage XBB.1.16), then in December 2023 and January 2024, and then in July-August 2024. There is a fresh uptick now, from May 2025. Therefore, a seasonal pattern of COVID-19 surge, every eight to 10 months might be an emerging pattern for India. It is worthwhile to note that the number of reported cases in most seasonal surges has been relatively small and clinical disease has become mild to milder. Also read | Wastewater surveillance shows increasing COVID-19 viral load Second, SARS-CoV-2 is a type of RNA virus, which is known to have more frequent mutations and genetic changes than other types of viruses. Though the key variant continues to be JN.1, there have been some new sub-lineages, which might be behind the uptick. Third, the uptick in COVID-19 cases in India is real but also due to enhanced COVID-19 testing and surveillance, following reports of COVID-19 cases in neighbouring countries. Increased testing means more people are being tested and, thus, detection. So if the Indian population has 'hybrid immunity' from natural infection and through vaccines, and if this is not a new variant, why is there still an uptick? The answer is neither natural infection nor vaccine-induced protects from fresh infection. Immunity does protect from moderate to severe diseases and deaths. The cases or infections are a mere indicator that a person carries SARS-CoV-2 in their nose and throat. However, immune protection will ensure that people do not get sick or have severe illness. As of now, no serious cases of illness are being reported. Numbers in perspective The current uptick seems to be getting disproportionately high attention. Even with the spike, 200 to 300 new COVID-19 cases a day in India translates to one new infection for every 45 lakh to 70 lakh population. We are not hearing about hospitalisations due to COVID-19 and the deaths being attributed are one or two in a day. Let us put these numbers in perspective. The daily infections due to other illnesses are in thousands and lakhs every day. For example, every day, 8,000 new cases of tuberculosis (TB) are being reported in India. If we think in terms of deaths, every day, nearly 30,000 people in India die due to old age and other health conditions. Every day, an estimated 900 people die due to TB, a preventable and treatable health condition; another 390 due to influenza virus illness and another 310 deaths due to the relatively unheard but widely prevalent vaccine preventable Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) disease. Air pollution and respiratory illnesses cause manifold illnesses and deaths. In this backdrop, COVID-19 is just another illness that is much less severe than other health issues which need greater priority. One reason why it is getting attention is because of the continuous use of old but not so relevant tracking parameters such as 'active cases', which give a falsely high number of COVID-19 cases. The approach of 'active cases' was acceptable early in the COVID-19 pandemic, when infectiousness lasted one to two weeks as the virus was novel and there was no immunity against virus in people. Therefore, after the infection, the immune system needed one to two weeks to get activated and clear the virus, prolonging the process. However, five years since then, most individuals have immunity from either vaccines or natural infections to mount a quick and effective defence and thus, be non-infectious in a day or two as well. Therefore, counting everyone who tested positive as an active case does not make sense. On vaccination There is no need for an additional COVID-19 vaccine dose. In the first three years of COVID-19 (2020-22), the Indian population (all age groups) had been exposed to various variants of SARS-CoV-2 including Omicron. Alongside this, nearly all adults received two or more shots of COVID-19 vaccines. Therefore, the population in our country has 'hybrid immunity' against SARS-CoV-2. Most people were exposed to the Omicron variant in December 2022 and January 2023. And JN.1, the circulating dominant variant, is from the Omicron family. It is likely that antibody levels would have gone down and there is waning immunity. Thus some immune escape to new sub-variants is possible. However, the human immune system has specialised cells called 'memory cells' which are largely undetectable but are programmed to respond to future infections and are likely to protect against future severe illness. There is no new variant of concern to believe immune escape, as of now. Scientifically, there is no need and thus no recommendation for additional shots of COVID-19 vaccine for the Indian population. COVID-19 is not a concern and the prevention and the treatment of any pre-existing health condition is much more effective than 'additional COVID-19' shots. Thus, those with high risk should get vaccinated with flu and other age-appropriate recommended vaccines to prevent any comorbidity. The current uptick in COVID-19 in Asia and India seems to follow an emerging seasonal pattern of SARS-CoV-2. There does not seem to be any reason for worry. All that is needed is for the government to keep a watch and monitor the trends. The Infodemic and misinformation could be a bigger threat than a minor uptick in COVID-19 cases. For India, for both government and citizens, there needs to be a balanced approach — neither underestimating the threat nor spreading panic. One important tool in this is not to spread unverified messages and rumours. There is a need for a rational, epidemiological and balanced approach in reporting and responding to the current and future seasonal spikes in COVID-19. If we continue to treat every spike as an impending 'wave' and as a 'false alarm', it will strain the health system and workforce, resulting in response fatigue and undermining credibility. Responses to COVID-19 surges must be rational, proportionate and reflective of epidemiological reality. Current evidence is that from now, COVID-19 could be treated like any other mild respiratory illness. Dr. Chandrakant Lahariya is a practising physician and a leading epidemiologist and global health expert, who has nearly 17 years of professional work experience with the World Health Organization and other UN agencies


The Print
8 hours ago
- The Print
JEE Advanced 2025 results: IIT cutoffs drop to three-year low
Every year, the IITs announce the minimum aggregate marks and subject-wise marks for admission, which are calculated based on the total marks obtained in Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry in the JEE (Advanced) exam. Candidates have to satisfy both subject-wise and aggregate qualifying marks to be included in the rank list. The Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) (Advanced) 2025 was conducted by IIT Kanpur on 18 May. A total of 1,80,422 candidates appeared for the exam, of which 54,378 (approximately 30.1 percent) have qualified. The pass percentage has increased this year from 26.7 percent last year when 48,248 out of 1,80,422 candidates had qualified. New Delhi: The minimum cutoff for admissions to the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) has dropped significantly this year to a three-year low, falling nearly 10 percentage points—from 30.34 percent last year to 20.56 percent—according to the JEE (Advanced) results announced on Monday. The minimum aggregate cutoff for the general category this year is 20.56 percent, which is 10 percentage points lower than last year's 30.34 percent. Earlier, a similar drop was seen in 2020, when it dropped to 17.42 percent amid the Covid pandemic, down from 25 percent in both 2019 and 2018. In 2021, the minimum cutoff remained at 17.5 percent, and in 2022, it further declined to 15.28 percent. However, it rebounded to 23.89 percent in 2023 and rose to 30.28 percent in 2024. While IIT Kanpur officials declined to comment on the reasons behind this year's drop, teachers and experts attributed the decrease to the perceived difficulty of JEE Advanced 2025. Although the overall exam pattern remained consistent, certain sections—particularly Physics and Mathematics—were reported to be more challenging than in previous years. 'Both physics and mathematics exams were tough comparatively and it is due to this that the cutoff has gone down,' a physics teacher at Prudence coaching in Kota said. Keshav Agarwal, President of the Coaching Federation of India, said this year's Physics paper raised serious concerns among both students and educators. 'Around five questions were challenged by candidates, following which one was dropped and the answer to another was revised. Such issues not only undermine the credibility of a highly competitive exam but also cause significant stress and confusion among aspirants,' he said. 'We hope that such fundamental oversights are addressed proactively, and the sanctity of the examination is upheld—not just through its difficulty level, but through its fairness and precision,' he said. Meanwhile, a professor at IIT Delhi said that there were approximately 17,700 seats available across the IITs, and at least three candidates need to be shortlisted for each seat for counselling. 'It's possible that the exam was more difficult this year, leading to a dip in student performance. As a result, the cutoff may have been lowered to ensure the required number of candidates were eligible for counselling,' the professor added. Also Read: To use or not, is no longer the question. From IITs to DU, universities are fighting unethical AI use Cutoff, minimum marks dropped across all categories According to data shared by IIT Kanpur, the minimum aggregate marks required to make the merit list dropped across all categories this year. For the general category, the cutoff fell from 109 marks last year to 74 this year. For OBC candidates, it decreased from 98 to 66 marks, while for SC and ST candidates, it dropped from 54 to 37 marks. The minimum marks per subject also declined, falling from 10 to 7 marks for the general category, with similar decreases observed across other categories. In percentage terms, the minimum aggregate cutoff for the OBC category dropped from 27.30 percent last year to 18.5 percent this year. For SC and ST candidates, it fell from 15.17 percent to 10.28 percent. Rajit Gupta from the IIT Delhi zone is the top ranker in the Common Rank List (CRL), having scored 332 out of 360 marks. Devdutta Majhi from the IIT Kharagpur zone is the top-ranked female candidate with a CRL of 16, securing 312 out of 360 marks. Of the 54,378 candidates who qualified this year's exam, 17,511 (approximately 32.2 percent) are from the general category (including PwD), 12,822 (23.6 percent) from the OBC category (including PwD), 12,528 (23 percent) from the SC category, and 5,017 (9.2 percent) from the ST category. The remaining candidates qualified under the EWS category. The counselling process for IIT admissions is set to begin on Wednesday. (Edited by Tony Rai) Also Read: 'Everything at stake' for Indian students as US pauses visa interviews amid social media vetting plan