Latest news with #NOS
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Han's Mazda RX-7 Straight Out of Tokyo Drift Auctioned for $1.2 Million
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Han's popular Mazda RX-7 from The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift has been auctioned for a huge sum of $1.2 million at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, recording the highest sale price anyone has paid for an RX-7. The movie showcased intense drifting sequences, with the bright orange and black 1992 RX-7 FD Veilside Fortune Coupé stealing the spotlight as Han's car, a character played by Sung Kang. Featuring a wide body kit from Veilside, only the roof and the tailgate remained stock. This particular RX-7 was used for stunt and static scenes rather than for actual drift scenes, and is one of the two examples that survived the battering. Bonhams Cars confirmed that the car was in excellent condition at the time of sale, featuring several signs that it was used extensively for filming, such as the "Universal Studios production markings" that a car collector would covet. The listing stated: "Preserved in generally excellent condition, the car's exterior is finished in a spectacular pearlescent orange with high-gloss black accents. Numerous Universal Studios production markings are still present, including '#71 HANS' labels on the passenger door, engine bay, and scuttle, together with marks left by camera mounts used during filming." Atmosphere during "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift "Tokyo Photocall at Harumi Kyakusen Terminal in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by JIL Studio/WireImage) Atmosphere during "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift "Tokyo Photocall at Harumi Kyakusen Terminal in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by JIL Studio/WireImage) JIL Studio/WireImage/Getty Images Revealing the modification done to the car under the hood, the listing added: "The RX-7's twin-rotor turbocharged engine was rebuilt by legendary tuner RE-Amemiya and is in close-to-stock tune, producing around 280bhp. The car is said to weigh a little over 1,050kg." The RX-7 had covered 66,785 miles since the day it rolled out of the dealership, and came with documents supporting its role in the movie. In typical Fast and Furious fashion, the car also featured a well-set-up sound system. Not to forget the original NOS bottle that was still intact inside the car, though yet to be connected. The listing highlighted: "Veilside's own racing bucket seats with composite shells replace the originals, while the cabin features a combination of carbon fibre, aluminium, velour, vinyl and chrome trim. An Alpine sound system is installed, boasting twin amplifiers and multiple loudspeakers, while a polished NOS bottle (currently not connected) is mounted above the propshaft tunnel. "The car is fitted with a vehicle tracker with 24/7 live monitoring. There is also a custom-made stainless steel prop for the rear hatch to enable the sound system to be displayed." Stored carefully in dry conditions, the RX-7 is declared road legal in the United Kingdom. It is the most expensive car ever sold from the Fast and Furious series.
Time of India
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
National Overseas Scholarship Funds Frozen, Selected Candidates Have Offers From Global Varsities, Can't Go
Nagpur: Many bright students, including 29 girls from underprivileged communities — scheduled castes, denotified tribes, landless labourers and minorities — could lose their opportunity to study in premier foreign universities with the Union ministry of social justice and empowerment failing to issue award letters to majority selected candidates under the govt's prestigious National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) scheme for 2025–26. The ministry has cited insufficient funds. Though 106 students were officially selected after a rigorous process in the first round, only 40 received provisional award letters. The others — many of whom hold offers from top global universities — are left in the lurch. These 106 students, including 29 girls hail from Maharashtra, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Odisha, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. They gained admissions to master's and PhD programmes in universities in Singapore, Australia, USA, and the UK. The scholarship is granted for only QS-ranked institutions like Johns Hopkins, University of Cambridge, University of Leeds, University of Sydney, National University of Singapore. In its July 1 notification, the Union ministry stated that 440 online applications were received while publishing the list of selected candidates. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Uber luxury living at Hyderabad's billionaire junction Sumadhura Group Learn More Undo "Of these, provisional award letters will be issued to candidates from Serial Number 1-40. Provisional award letters to the remaining candidates (41-106) may be issued in due course, subject to availability of funds." However, the notification goes on to state the "candidature of selected candidates is provisional, subject to being found eligible and availability of funds during the 2025-26 fiscal. " Yogesh Taneja, undersecretary in the ministry, told TOI that the five-year budget allocated for NOS was exhausted in the last three years. "We require additional funds, and this will be arranged soon," he said. Taneja mentioned that total allocation of funds for each student varies, as per university's fee, course duration, and country's living expenses. The govt incurs expenses anywhere from Rs40 lakh to Rs 2.5 crore. To a query on why all 106 were not given provisional letters if funds were being arranged and a rider 'subject to availability of funds' put for even selected candidates, Taneja didn't respond. Rajiv Khobragade, president, The Platform for Justice & Human Rights, said, "This is the first time the central govt is short of funds for NOS. Generally, we have to pursue state govts to get scholarship funds released," he said. Though the scheme was allocated ₹130 crore this year — its highest ever — bureaucratic delays, pending clearances, and possible fund diversions have halted implementation, he said. Khobragade, who raised the issue with Union minister Ramdas Athawale, said, "Funds meant for marginalised communities are quietly diverted to other purposes such as tourism or schemes with far less impact, compared to education. How will this country develop if we continue to shift educational funds elsewhere?" In its letter, The Platform has put forward a five-point proposal. It said all selected candidates must be issued award letters even if fund release happens in phases. Formal confirmation will allow students to proceed with visa and admission processes. Temporarily reallocate unused welfare funds to support NOS scholars. Facilitate public sector bank loans with govt undertaking. Place a supplementary demand in the monsoon session of parliament to approve additional education-specific funds. Engage CSR support from PSUs and corporates.
The Wire
11-07-2025
- Politics
- The Wire
NOS Scheme Cap: Parliamentary Panel Flagged Inefficient Use of Funds in March
New Delhi: While the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has issued provisional scholarship awards to less than half of those selected for its National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) for the academic year, 2025-26, citing 'availability of funds', a parliamentary standing committee report had flagged non-utilisation of funds by scholarship schemes run by the ministry in March this year. The report also noted that the annual scholarship granted to students is "not sufficient to meet the present-day expenditure". The report said that the income eligibility criteria fixed for scholarships 'deprives many meritorious candidates' and that despite the large amount of budgetary allocation spent on scholarship schemes "year after year, the scholarship amount released to the eligible students spills over to the next academic year'. Non-utilisation of funds Earlier this week, The Hindu reported that the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment declared the results for the 2025-26 cycle of the National Overseas Scholarship, saying that 106 students had been selected for the 125 annual slots available. But it added that only the first 40 candidates will be given provisional award letters, and the rest will get the letter 'subject to availability of funds'. Leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi criticised the Narendra Modi-led Union government and said that when 'Dalit, backward, or tribal student wants to study, that's when the Modi government suddenly remembers its budget.' However, according to the departmentally-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment's Fifth Report on 'Demands for Grants for the year 2025-26' headed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP P.C. Mohan that was tabled in parliament on March 17, several issues had been flagged relating to scholarship schemes including non-utilisation of funds. In the report, the committee noted that the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, which implements the umbrella scheme SHREYAS (Scholarships for Higher Education for Young Achievers), was not able to 'utilise budgetary allocation fully on any of the four sub-schemes' under it. The SHREYAS scheme includes: National fellowship for SCs, National Overseas Scholarship for SCs, Top Class Education for SCs and Free Coaching for SCs and OBCs. Also read: Less Than 40% of Selected SC, ST and Poor Students To Get Scholarship, Modi Govt Says No Money: Report The report states that according to the information provided by the ministry to the committee, in the financial year 2024-25, while the budgetary estimate and revised estimate for the SHREYAS scheme was Rs 428 crores, only Rs 239.32 cr or 55.91% was the actual expenditure on the scheme. A breakdown of the four sub schemes shows that the Actual Expenditure on the National Fellowship for Scheduled Caste (SC) communities was 65.17% of the budgetary allocation, that of the Free Coaching for SCs and Other Backward Caste (OBC) communities was 64%, Top Class Education for SCs was 33.12%, National Overseas Scholarship for SCs was 58.4%. Budgetary allocation from the report. 'The Committee find that proposals to the tune of Rs 70.46 crore are pending for approval with the Department as late as February, 2025 and proposals to the tune of Rs 93.00 crore under various sub-schemes are expected by 31 March, 2025,' the report said. 'The Committee, therefore, recommend that Department should issue instructions to the Institutions/Organisations to submit the complete proposals within the given time frame to avoid any delay in future. With regard to the proposals of 2024-25 pending with the Department for approval and also the proposals expected by 31 March 2025, the Department may take necessary action for early approval so that funds allocated under this Scheme is utilised fully in this Financial Year. The Committee would like to be apprised in this regard.' Scholarship not sufficient to meet expenditure The committee noted that the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment spent Rs 6,410.09 crore and Rs 7,830.26 crore on various scholarships and other educational schemes in 2022-23 and 2023-24 respectively. In the year 2024-25, the department spent Rs 3,403.51 crore on Educational Scholarship Schemes till February 2025. However, it said that the annual scholarship granted to students is "not sufficient to meet the present-day expenditure" required to get quality education. 'The Committee believe that for the success of any educational scheme, other factors are also significant such as cost of education, availability of good Government Schools/Colleges and teaching staff for its effective implementation. The Committee are of the opinion that the annual scholarship granted to a student for pursuing education is not sufficient to meet the present-day expenditure required to get proper and quality education,' the report said. The committee report recommended that the annual scholarship amount be 'periodically reviewed to contain the inflation so that the Scheme is more fruitful.' 'The Committee would, therefore, like the Department of Social Justice & Empowerment to review the annual scholarship amount granted to each student pursuing various courses along with the Ministry of Education and other stakeholders to achieve the envisaged objectives of the various scholarship schemes of the Department. The Committee would like to recommend that the quantum of Scholarship granted to a student under each Scheme should be periodically reviewed to contain the inflation so that the Scheme is more fruitful,' the report said. Income eligibility depriving meritorious students The committee also noted that during the period 2022-23 to 2024-25, out of the 1,881 applications received for National Overseas Scholarship, 629 were complete and 325 candidates were selected for the scholarship. It said that the total number of slots fixed (125) under the scheme needs to be increased and that the income eligibility criteria 'deprives' meritorious students from availing its benefits. 'Keeping into consideration the number of aspiring candidates for National Overseas Scholarship, the Committee feels that there is a urgent need to increase the number of 125 slots fixed under the Scholarship Scheme each year,' the report said. 'The Committee are of the strong opinion that the income eligibility criteria fixed for the Scholarship Schemes deprives many meritorious candidates from availing the benefits of the Scheme. The Committee, therefore, desire that the income fixed for making candidate eligible for scholarship needs to be reviewed so that more candidates are covered under the Scheme,' it added. In addition, the committee noted that while a large amount of budgetary allocation is spent on scholarship schemes, "year after year the scholarship amount released to the eligible students spills over to the next academic year as the applications from State Governments are received up to the months of February and March." "The Committee are of the view that [the] current system is required to be reviewed as the students should get scholarship within the same academic year so that the education of the student is not disrupted for want of money," the report said. "The Committee would like the Department to give all the handholding support to the state governments to start the process early so that the requisite formalities are completed in time. The Committee expect that the Department should make all out efforts to sensitise the State Governments and Other Implementing Agencies on this aspect and get the issue of last-minute spending resolved," the committee said.
The Hindu
07-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Social Justice Ministry seeks additional allocation for overseas scholarship
The Union Social Justice Ministry is in the process of seeking additional allocation for administering the National Overseas Scholarship scheme for marginalised students, officials told The Hindu, days after the ministry withheld provisional award letters to 66 selected candidates 'subject to availability of funds' in the 2025-26 cycle. On July 1, the Ministry declared the results for the 2025-26 cycle of the NOS, saying that 106 students had been selected for the 125 annual slots available. But it added that only the first 40 candidates will be given provisional award letters, and the rest will get the letter 'subject to availability of funds'. The Ministry administers this scholarship for students from Scheduled Caste, Denotified, Semi-Nomadic, and Nomadic Tribes, landless agricultural labourers and traditional artisans, backgrounds, for pursuing postgraduate studies in top universities abroad. This is the first time in at least three years that the 1st round of results for the NOS has seen the selection committee unable to fill all 125 available slots. Further, the applications received for the scholarship also dropped to a low of around three years to about 440. This comes even though the Budget Estimates for 2025-26 showed the scheme receive the highest allocation it has in around five years of ₹130 crore. A senior government official said, 'We are seeking more allocation to administer the scheme. The allocation this year is higher than others. But what must be considered is that the scholarship is paid out through the period of education of the candidates. So, a part of this year's allocation must be used for this as well, that is for candidates selected in previous years and continuing their studies. As a result, the ministry is seeking more allocation and soon this will be worked out.' Notably, the fund-crunch for the National Overseas Scholarship administered by the Social Justice Ministry comes even as the government is in the middle of evaluating the scheme in time for the 16th financial cycle, which will be beginning from Financial Year 2026-27. 'All the issues in administering the scholarship are being considered. The evaluation is currently underway,' the official said. The evaluation is part of the government's procedure to check how the scheme is performing and decide if it should be continued. Earlier this year, the Departmentally-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment, had pointed out several issues with the gamut of scholarship schemes administered by the ministry. Among them, the panel had noted that the amounts of scholarships were not enough, the slots for schemes like NOS needed to be increased, and the issue of scholarship disbursals spilling onto the next year, year after year.
Hindustan Times
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Govt withholds overseas scholarships due to ‘fund crunch'
The ministry of social justice and empowerment has issued provisional scholarship awards to 40 of the 106 candidates selected for its National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) for the 2025-26 academic year, with a notice saying that letters for the remaining 66 candidates 'may be issued… subject to availability of funds'. The scheme has 125 slots, but the allotment depends on the availability of funds.(Unsplash ) According to the July 1 announcement, the ministry placed 106 candidates on its selected list and 64 on the non-selected list and rejected 270 candidates. '106 candidates have been placed in the Selected list. Out of these, initially, the provisional award letters will be issued to the candidates from serial number 1 to 40,' the ministry said. It received 440 applications for the 2025-26 academic year between March and April. Non-selected means the students have not been considered in the list due to a cap of 10% state and other quotas. These students may be considered in the next list if those selected for provisional scholarships get rejected for failing to provide the required documents. While in previous years, all students in the selected lists received provisional scholarship letters at the same time, this year the ministry has decided to disburse the letters in a phased manner dependent on availability of funds, leaving students in a lurch. Also Read | UP CM Yogi Adityanath assures fee waiver to Class 7 girl, RSS-run school refuses: 'No such provision' 'Provisional award letters to the remaining candidates (from serial number 41 to 106) in the selected list may be issued in due course, subject to availability of funds,' it said. To be sure, the scheme has 125 slots, but the allotment depends on the availability of funds. This means the rejections are not absolute or that the students won't get the scholarships at all. The NOS program, started in 1954-55, provides critical financial support to students from Scheduled Castes (SC), Denotified Nomadic Tribes (DNT), semi-nomadic tribes, landless agricultural labourers, or traditional artisan categories, with a family income under ₹8 lakh per annum. It funds master's or PhD degrees at the top 500 global universities (according to QS rankings), offering up to $16,920 annually for a maximum of three years (master's) or four years (PhD). The scheme nominally provides 125 scholarships annually, capped at 10% per state. The ministry, however, said that the award of scholarships needs approval from the cabinet committee on economic affairs. 'It is an issue with the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs not approving the money allocated to these scholarship schemes. We have the money, but we also need the green signal from above to give it out,' an official of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. The uncertainty has come despite a significant increase in the budgetary allocation. Also Read | Best emerging courses for science students in 2025: AI, biotechnology and more In the Budget announced in February this year, the government allocated ₹130 crore to NOS for the FY 2025-26 — a 36.84% rise from the ₹95 crore in 2024-25. By December 19, 2024, the ministry had disbursed ₹56.29 crore to 80 beneficiaries for the current academic year. A Delhi-based candidate, ranked outside the top 40 and holding an offer for an MA in economics from a UK-based university, said: 'Without issuing any communication to students before announcing the results, the ministry said it will issue provisional letters to the top 40 students. I am not among the top 40 and will not be able to get the letter even after they issue letters to the next 40 students on the list. I feel stuck and confused about whether I should apply for other scholarships or wait. Even after being selected for the scholarship, I might not be able to study abroad if I do not have enough funds, which will affect my academic career.' Earlier, a similar disruption was reported in the Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF) under which over 1,400 PhD scholars have faced stalled stipend payments since January 2025. Similarly, there was confusion over the National Fellowship for Scheduled Castes (NFSC) for June 2024, for which the list was published in April 2025. The National Testing Agency initially released a selection list of 865 scholars in March 2025 and issued award letters, only to publish a revised list in April, drastically reducing selections to 805 and removing 487 previously chosen candidates. Also Read | DU panel clears move to drop papers on Pakistan, China, Islam Opposition leaders, including Congress's Rahul Gandhi, have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging resolution for various scholarships, but no government response has been reported. 'Post-matric scholarships for students from marginalised communities are plagued by delays and failures. While I have cited examples from Bihar, these failures are widespread across the country,' the letter had said. Experts expressed concerns about the situation. 'On one hand, India is emerging as the world's fourth-largest economy; on the other, it lacks sufficient funds to support just 125 scholars from historically marginalised communities in pursuing overseas education. This reflects the current government's approach to investing in the future of Dalit and Tribal scholars—the nation-builders of tomorrow. Instead of expanding opportunities, the government appears to be reducing funds and scholarships, which is deeply concerning. Our students who have admission offer letters from top foreign universities are worried about their future,' Raju Kendre, founder of Eklavya India Foundation which coaches marginalised students for scholarships, said.
