August 1, 2026

President Droupadi Murmu has given assent to the Bill NEW DELHI: President Droupadi Murmu has given assent to the Bill amending the anti-paper leak law, days after Parliament passed the legislation to introduce stricter penalties for examination-related malpractices.In a Gazette notification issued on Friday, the ministry of law and justice said the President has given assent to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, days after it was passed by both Houses of Parliament earlier this week. The Centre said the amendments highlight its commitment to strengthening the integrity of public examinations and safeguarding the interests of students.The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 was passed by the Rajya Sabha through a voice vote on Thursday amid a walkout by several Opposition parties belonging to the INDIA bloc. The Lok Sabha had cleared the legislation a day earlier.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesSoon after Parliament passed the Bill, Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a video message on Instagram, saying that the “important task of making a stringent law against paper leaks has been completed.”The Prime Minister said the government was taking steps to curb paper leaks and examination malpractices, adding that it had become imperative to strengthen the examination system through the use of the latest technology. He also said the government was working to ensure that “no paper-leak mafia plays with the future of students.”Under the amended law, individuals found guilty of paper leaks or using unfair means in public examinations will face imprisonment ranging from five to 10 years, along with a fine of up to Rs 50 lakh.For organised offences, the legislation prescribes a minimum jail term of seven years and a fine of not less than Rs 10 crore.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorAadrita HalderWrites on social matters, geopolitics, and trending issues for the Times of India.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosThousands March With Constitution, Jharkhand Witnesses Massive Student Agitation Over JPSC Exam Leak’I Was Influenced’: Jantar Mantar Protest Accused Apologises As PM Modi Offers Forgiveness’They Abused My Late Mother, But I Forgive Them’: PM Modi Signals Relief For Protesters Facing FIRsMigrant Labourer Killed In Kulgam Terror Attack, Security Forces Launch Massive Search OperationCauvery Row Escalates As TN Farmers Protest, DK Shivakumar Delays Meeting With VijayDelhi Riots Case: Tahir Hussain, Four Others Get Life Term For IB Officer Ankit Sharma’s MurderIndia Signs Rs 4,000 Crore Credit Agreement With Bhutan, Reviews Rs 10,000 Crore Development PackageIndian Navy Receives Indigenous Diving Support Vessel Nipun, Strengthens Deep-Sea Rescue CapabilityCabinet Approves ₹84,084 Crore Samudra Manthan Scheme To Boost Offshore Oil And Gas ExplorationMeta India Head Named In FIR As Posts Criticising PM Modi Surface; Social Accounts Under Scanner123PhotostoriesSitting for hours every day? These 5 yoga poses can ease tight hips, stiff backs, and desk-related aches in just 10 minutesWhat happens when you roast garlic with olive oil wrapped in aluminium foil in the oven? The chemistry explained5 plants that can grow in small pots and are suitable for small spacesStop making these 8 dosa mistakes: The science behind perfect dosas5 small plants that never die5 Plants with red leaves to add a splash of colour to your homeAlways saying sorry in your relationship? Here are 5 things couples should never apologize forHe thought it was food poisoning until doctors found a kidney stone: The warning signs that are easy to missWhy Indian royals chose emeralds over diamonds: The fascinating history behind their favourite gemstoneWhat happens when you say ‘thank you’ every day? These 5 spiritual changes may surprise you123Hot PicksHurricane IrmaRuchika SinghRRB Group D Admit CardNEET selective edit windowCommonwealth Games LiveUS work permit feeE20 petrol debateAssam floodsKanwar Yatra 2026Top TrendingSaurav DasBengal JeM Terrorist ArrestedJaisalmer Military Station AccidentCM VijayDehradun Teacher SuicideAnkit Sharma Murder CaseAam Aadmi PartyShraddha Walkar Murder CaseMumbai Building CollapseStock Market Up

Vamsikrishna02 mins mins
President Droupadi Murmu has given assent to the Bill NEW DELHI: President Droupadi Murmu has given assent to the Bill amending the anti-paper leak law, days after Parliament passed the legislation to introduce stricter penalties for examination-related malpractices.In a Gazette notification issued on Friday, the ministry of law and justice said the President has given assent to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, days after it was passed by both Houses of Parliament earlier this week. The Centre said the amendments highlight its commitment to strengthening the integrity of public examinations and safeguarding the interests of students.The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 was passed by the Rajya Sabha through a voice vote on Thursday amid a walkout by several Opposition parties belonging to the INDIA bloc. The Lok Sabha had cleared the legislation a day earlier.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesSoon after Parliament passed the Bill, Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a video message on Instagram, saying that the “important task of making a stringent law against paper leaks has been completed.”The Prime Minister said the government was taking steps to curb paper leaks and examination malpractices, adding that it had become imperative to strengthen the examination system through the use of the latest technology. He also said the government was working to ensure that “no paper-leak mafia plays with the future of students.”Under the amended law, individuals found guilty of paper leaks or using unfair means in public examinations will face imprisonment ranging from five to 10 years, along with a fine of up to Rs 50 lakh.For organised offences, the legislation prescribes a minimum jail term of seven years and a fine of not less than Rs 10 crore.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorAadrita HalderWrites on social matters, geopolitics, and trending issues for the Times of India.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosThousands March With Constitution, Jharkhand Witnesses Massive Student Agitation Over JPSC Exam Leak’I Was Influenced’: Jantar Mantar Protest Accused Apologises As PM Modi Offers Forgiveness’They Abused My Late Mother, But I Forgive Them’: PM Modi Signals Relief For Protesters Facing FIRsMigrant Labourer Killed In Kulgam Terror Attack, Security Forces Launch Massive Search OperationCauvery Row Escalates As TN Farmers Protest, DK Shivakumar Delays Meeting With VijayDelhi Riots Case: Tahir Hussain, Four Others Get Life Term For IB Officer Ankit Sharma’s MurderIndia Signs Rs 4,000 Crore Credit Agreement With Bhutan, Reviews Rs 10,000 Crore Development PackageIndian Navy Receives Indigenous Diving Support Vessel Nipun, Strengthens Deep-Sea Rescue CapabilityCabinet Approves ₹84,084 Crore Samudra Manthan Scheme To Boost Offshore Oil And Gas ExplorationMeta India Head Named In FIR As Posts Criticising PM Modi Surface; Social Accounts Under Scanner123PhotostoriesSitting for hours every day? These 5 yoga poses can ease tight hips, stiff backs, and desk-related aches in just 10 minutesWhat happens when you roast garlic with olive oil wrapped in aluminium foil in the oven? The chemistry explained5 plants that can grow in small pots and are suitable for small spacesStop making these 8 dosa mistakes: The science behind perfect dosas5 small plants that never die5 Plants with red leaves to add a splash of colour to your homeAlways saying sorry in your relationship? Here are 5 things couples should never apologize forHe thought it was food poisoning until doctors found a kidney stone: The warning signs that are easy to missWhy Indian royals chose emeralds over diamonds: The fascinating history behind their favourite gemstoneWhat happens when you say ‘thank you’ every day? These 5 spiritual changes may surprise you123Hot PicksHurricane IrmaRuchika SinghRRB Group D Admit CardNEET selective edit windowCommonwealth Games LiveUS work permit feeE20 petrol debateAssam floodsKanwar Yatra 2026Top TrendingSaurav DasBengal JeM Terrorist ArrestedJaisalmer Military Station AccidentCM VijayDehradun Teacher SuicideAnkit Sharma Murder CaseAam Aadmi PartyShraddha Walkar Murder CaseMumbai Building CollapseStock Market Up


President Murmu assents to anti-paper leak amendment Bill
President Droupadi Murmu has given assent to the Bill

NEW DELHI: President Droupadi Murmu has given assent to the Bill amending the anti-paper leak law, days after Parliament passed the legislation to introduce stricter penalties for examination-related malpractices.In a Gazette notification issued on Friday, the ministry of law and justice said the President has given assent to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, days after it was passed by both Houses of Parliament earlier this week. The Centre said the amendments highlight its commitment to strengthening the integrity of public examinations and safeguarding the interests of students.The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 was passed by the Rajya Sabha through a voice vote on Thursday amid a walkout by several Opposition parties belonging to the INDIA bloc. The Lok Sabha had cleared the legislation a day earlier.

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Amit Shah presented Lokmanya Tilak award to Ajit Doval and hailed his role in India’s national security NEW DELHI: Union home minister Amit Shah on Saturday lauded National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval for his contribution to India’s national security and foreign policy, saying the veteran intelligence officer has played a crucial role behind every major national security decision taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi since 2014.Speaking at a function in Pune after presenting the Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2026 to Doval, Shah said the NSA’s advice and strategic inputs have been instrumental in strengthening India’s security architecture and defence preparedness.He also said Doval’s contribution to India’s internal and external security had been so significant that history would reserve “a golden page” for him.”NSA Ajit Doval has played a great role in strengthening India’s foreign policy. In every decision of PM Modi for national security, Doval has had a ‘role and advice’ in the background,” Shah said.”Whenever history is written, if anyone analyses internal security and external security, then clearly, for Ajit Doval ji, a golden page will have to be kept reserved; there is no doubt about this,” he added.’First selection’ after Modi became PMShah said one of the first decisions taken by PM Modi after assuming office in 2014 was appointing Doval as the National Security Advisor, a move he said transformed India’s strategic posture.”Today, India’s foreign policy has become a foreign policy with a backbone of steel; no one can deny this. We have, along with self-respect, strengthened our position in the world,” Shah said.Praising Doval’s decades-long career in the Intelligence Bureau, Shah said India has emerged as a stronger and more confident nation under Modi’s leadership, with Doval making a significant contribution to that transformation.”After becoming NSA in 2014, Doval helped implement many strategic ideas on the ground and played a major role in modernising India’s armed forces, strengthening technology, enhancing operational capability and improving the country’s defence preparedness,” Shah said.He added that the Modi government has fundamentally transformed both the defensive and offensive capabilities of the armed forces over the past 12 years, with Doval playing a key role in the process.Shah also noted that much of Doval’s contribution can never be made public because of the confidential nature of intelligence operations.Recalling his tenure as Gujarat’s home minister, Shah narrated how he first interacted with Doval following the Ahmedabad serial bomb blasts. He said then chief minister Narendra Modi had advised Gujarat Police to consult Doval while investigating the attacks.”I remember Ajit ji had come to my house. The tips he gave resulted in Gujarat Police resolving not just the Ahmedabad bomb blast, but 13 bomb blasts across the country all at once. This was a very great achievement,” Shah said.Shah invokes Lokmanya Tilak’s legacyThe Union home minister also paid tribute to Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, calling him one of the foremost architects of India’s freedom movement.He said Tilak’s iconic slogan, “Swarajya is my birthright, and I shall have it,” gave a new direction to India’s freedom struggle and inspired generations of freedom fighters.Shah added that the slogan made Indians realise that self-rule was their right and not a favour bestowed by anyone.Describing Tilak as a fearless journalist, Shah said one could truly understand courage in journalism only by reading the articles published in Kesari, the newspaper founded by the freedom fighter.”How fearless a journalist can be can only be experienced by reading the articles of Kesari,” he said.Referring to Tilak’s role in mobilising people through the public Ganesh and Shivaji festivals, Shah said they laid the foundation for cultural nationalism and that India continues to follow the path envisioned by the freedom fighter.”India is now moving firmly on the path of cultural nationalism laid down by Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and no one can reverse that journey,” he said.Shah further added that Tilak’s ideas on nationalism, self-rule and social awakening continue to guide the country and remain relevant for nation-building, particularly for the younger generation.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelines’Award will inspire those who serve the nation’Shah said honours such as the Lokmanya Tilak National Award are not merely ceremonial but recognise those who dedicate their lives to the country and inspire future generations.”When such individuals are honoured, the feeling of gratitude of society towards them is discharged… Today, the Tilak Award that has been conferred upon Ajit Doval ji… for those who live for this country and work for this country, it will become a place of great inspiration,” he said.Doval accepts award with humilityAccepting the Lokmanya Tilak National Award, Doval thanked the organisers and said he was honoured to receive an award named after Lokmanya Tilak.”I am thankful for this award named after Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak and accept it with humility,” Doval said.Doval also praised the country’s leadership, saying, “We are very fortunate to have leaders like PM Modi and Amit Shah”.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos30+ Dead, 2 Dozen Stuck In Russia As Centre Continues Efforts To Bring Them Home SafelyThousands March With Constitution, Jharkhand Witnesses Massive Student Agitation Over JPSC Exam Leak’I Was Influenced’: Jantar Mantar Protest Accused Apologises As PM Modi Offers Forgiveness’They Abused My Late Mother, But I Forgive Them’: PM Modi Signals Relief For Protesters Facing FIRsMigrant Labourer Killed In Kulgam Terror Attack, Security Forces Launch Massive Search OperationCauvery Row Escalates As TN Farmers Protest, DK Shivakumar Delays Meeting With VijayDelhi Riots Case: Tahir Hussain, Four Others Get Life Term For IB Officer Ankit Sharma’s MurderIndia Signs Rs 4,000 Crore Credit Agreement With Bhutan, Reviews Rs 10,000 Crore Development PackageIndian Navy Receives Indigenous Diving Support Vessel Nipun, Strengthens Deep-Sea Rescue CapabilityCabinet Approves ₹84,084 Crore Samudra Manthan Scheme To Boost Offshore Oil And Gas Exploration123PhotostoriesInside Surbhi Chandna’s warm bohemian-themed home: Elegant décor, cozy corners, and moreHow to select the right knife and understand its usageSitting for hours every day? These 5 yoga poses can ease tight hips, stiff backs, and desk-related aches in just 10 minutesWhat happens when you roast garlic with olive oil wrapped in aluminium foil in the oven? The chemistry explained5 plants that can grow in small pots and are suitable for small spacesStop making these 8 dosa mistakes: The science behind perfect dosas5 small plants that never die5 Plants with red leaves to add a splash of colour to your homeAlways saying sorry in your relationship? Here are 5 things couples should never apologize forHe thought it was food poisoning until doctors found a kidney stone: The warning signs that are easy to miss123Hot PicksHurricane IrmaRuchika SinghRRB Group D Admit CardNEET selective edit windowCommonwealth Games LiveUS work permit feeE20 petrol debateAssam floodsKanwar Yatra 2026Top TrendingSaurav DasBengal JeM Terrorist ArrestedJaisalmer Military Station AccidentCM VijayDehradun Teacher SuicideAnkit Sharma Murder CaseAam Aadmi PartyShraddha Walkar Murder CaseMumbai Building CollapseStock Market Up

Amit Shah presented Lokmanya Tilak award to Ajit Doval and hailed his role in India’s national security NEW DELHI: Union home minister Amit Shah on Saturday lauded National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval for his contribution to India’s national security and foreign policy, saying the veteran intelligence officer has played a crucial role behind every major national security decision taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi since 2014.Speaking at a function in Pune after presenting the Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2026 to Doval, Shah said the NSA’s advice and strategic inputs have been instrumental in strengthening India’s security architecture and defence preparedness.He also said Doval’s contribution to India’s internal and external security had been so significant that history would reserve “a golden page” for him.”NSA Ajit Doval has played a great role in strengthening India’s foreign policy. In every decision of PM Modi for national security, Doval has had a ‘role and advice’ in the background,” Shah said.”Whenever history is written, if anyone analyses internal security and external security, then clearly, for Ajit Doval ji, a golden page will have to be kept reserved; there is no doubt about this,” he added.’First selection’ after Modi became PMShah said one of the first decisions taken by PM Modi after assuming office in 2014 was appointing Doval as the National Security Advisor, a move he said transformed India’s strategic posture.”Today, India’s foreign policy has become a foreign policy with a backbone of steel; no one can deny this. We have, along with self-respect, strengthened our position in the world,” Shah said.Praising Doval’s decades-long career in the Intelligence Bureau, Shah said India has emerged as a stronger and more confident nation under Modi’s leadership, with Doval making a significant contribution to that transformation.”After becoming NSA in 2014, Doval helped implement many strategic ideas on the ground and played a major role in modernising India’s armed forces, strengthening technology, enhancing operational capability and improving the country’s defence preparedness,” Shah said.He added that the Modi government has fundamentally transformed both the defensive and offensive capabilities of the armed forces over the past 12 years, with Doval playing a key role in the process.Shah also noted that much of Doval’s contribution can never be made public because of the confidential nature of intelligence operations.Recalling his tenure as Gujarat’s home minister, Shah narrated how he first interacted with Doval following the Ahmedabad serial bomb blasts. He said then chief minister Narendra Modi had advised Gujarat Police to consult Doval while investigating the attacks.”I remember Ajit ji had come to my house. The tips he gave resulted in Gujarat Police resolving not just the Ahmedabad bomb blast, but 13 bomb blasts across the country all at once. This was a very great achievement,” Shah said.Shah invokes Lokmanya Tilak’s legacyThe Union home minister also paid tribute to Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, calling him one of the foremost architects of India’s freedom movement.He said Tilak’s iconic slogan, “Swarajya is my birthright, and I shall have it,” gave a new direction to India’s freedom struggle and inspired generations of freedom fighters.Shah added that the slogan made Indians realise that self-rule was their right and not a favour bestowed by anyone.Describing Tilak as a fearless journalist, Shah said one could truly understand courage in journalism only by reading the articles published in Kesari, the newspaper founded by the freedom fighter.”How fearless a journalist can be can only be experienced by reading the articles of Kesari,” he said.Referring to Tilak’s role in mobilising people through the public Ganesh and Shivaji festivals, Shah said they laid the foundation for cultural nationalism and that India continues to follow the path envisioned by the freedom fighter.”India is now moving firmly on the path of cultural nationalism laid down by Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and no one can reverse that journey,” he said.Shah further added that Tilak’s ideas on nationalism, self-rule and social awakening continue to guide the country and remain relevant for nation-building, particularly for the younger generation.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelines’Award will inspire those who serve the nation’Shah said honours such as the Lokmanya Tilak National Award are not merely ceremonial but recognise those who dedicate their lives to the country and inspire future generations.”When such individuals are honoured, the feeling of gratitude of society towards them is discharged… Today, the Tilak Award that has been conferred upon Ajit Doval ji… for those who live for this country and work for this country, it will become a place of great inspiration,” he said.Doval accepts award with humilityAccepting the Lokmanya Tilak National Award, Doval thanked the organisers and said he was honoured to receive an award named after Lokmanya Tilak.”I am thankful for this award named after Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak and accept it with humility,” Doval said.Doval also praised the country’s leadership, saying, “We are very fortunate to have leaders like PM Modi and Amit Shah”.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorTOI News DeskThe TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most.”Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos30+ Dead, 2 Dozen Stuck In Russia As Centre Continues Efforts To Bring Them Home SafelyThousands March With Constitution, Jharkhand Witnesses Massive Student Agitation Over JPSC Exam Leak’I Was Influenced’: Jantar Mantar Protest Accused Apologises As PM Modi Offers Forgiveness’They Abused My Late Mother, But I Forgive Them’: PM Modi Signals Relief For Protesters Facing FIRsMigrant Labourer Killed In Kulgam Terror Attack, Security Forces Launch Massive Search OperationCauvery Row Escalates As TN Farmers Protest, DK Shivakumar Delays Meeting With VijayDelhi Riots Case: Tahir Hussain, Four Others Get Life Term For IB Officer Ankit Sharma’s MurderIndia Signs Rs 4,000 Crore Credit Agreement With Bhutan, Reviews Rs 10,000 Crore Development PackageIndian Navy Receives Indigenous Diving Support Vessel Nipun, Strengthens Deep-Sea Rescue CapabilityCabinet Approves ₹84,084 Crore Samudra Manthan Scheme To Boost Offshore Oil And Gas Exploration123PhotostoriesInside Surbhi Chandna’s warm bohemian-themed home: Elegant décor, cozy corners, and moreHow to select the right knife and understand its usageSitting for hours every day? These 5 yoga poses can ease tight hips, stiff backs, and desk-related aches in just 10 minutesWhat happens when you roast garlic with olive oil wrapped in aluminium foil in the oven? The chemistry explained5 plants that can grow in small pots and are suitable for small spacesStop making these 8 dosa mistakes: The science behind perfect dosas5 small plants that never die5 Plants with red leaves to add a splash of colour to your homeAlways saying sorry in your relationship? Here are 5 things couples should never apologize forHe thought it was food poisoning until doctors found a kidney stone: The warning signs that are easy to miss123Hot PicksHurricane IrmaRuchika SinghRRB Group D Admit CardNEET selective edit windowCommonwealth Games LiveUS work permit feeE20 petrol debateAssam floodsKanwar Yatra 2026Top TrendingSaurav DasBengal JeM Terrorist ArrestedJaisalmer Military Station AccidentCM VijayDehradun Teacher SuicideAnkit Sharma Murder CaseAam Aadmi PartyShraddha Walkar Murder CaseMumbai Building CollapseStock Market Up

Vamsikrishna 0
Screenshot from video posted on X by Tehseen Poonawala NEW DELHI: Venture capitalist, political analyst and consultant Tehseen Poonawala has alleged that the Delhi Police has enforced a house arrest on him in relation to his protest against E20 fuel.Poonawala had previously announced that on the 1st of August he would undertake a solo walk to Gandhi Smriti, followed by maun vrat and a hunger strike to protest against the mandatory E20 ethanol policy.Saturday morning, Poonawalla posted a series of videos and messages on X stating that a large contingent of Delhi Police personnel, including women officers, had arrived at his home and restricted his movement. “I am being arrested at GK1. No crime against me, no papers, no documents… nothing!” he wrote, sharing a photograph of a police vehicle parked outside his building.In subsequent posts, he declared, “I AM UNDER HOUSE ARREST,” and alleged, “An entire battalion of Delhi Police cops including women officers have put me under house arrest!! Nitin Gadkari ji sir is scared of Ethanol.” In another post he wrote, “The Delhi Police force that has put me under house arrest so I cannot speak against Ethanol.””Almost as if I am a terrorist!! All I wanted was a maun vrat and a peaceful democratic one day hunger strike. My Instagram account was suspended! I was abused! Now house arrested!” he wrote in one post.Videos shared by Poonawalla show police officers stationed at the doorway of his residence. In one clip, he is seen speaking to an officer inside the house, repeatedly asking for any written order or document. He is heard saying he is being detained fifteen days before Independence Day. The officer is heard responding that the proposed protest could lead to a law-and-order situation and seeking cooperation.In later videos recorded, Poonawalla stated that police informed him that as he had announced his protest on social media in advance, thousands of people might come out to join him. He also claimed that one officer told him he was “a great human being” but that orders had come “from the top” to place him under house arrest.Poonawalla alleged that internet connectivity in the area had been disrupted, with media personnel complaining of jammed signals, though he managed to continue posting updates. He used hashtags such as EthanolScam, BETA BADHAO YOJNA and SUGAR DADDY, reflecting his long-standing criticism that the ethanol policy benefits certain sugar interests and distilleries.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesDelhi Police has not responded to Tehseen Poonawala’s claims yet.Poonawalla demanded discussions on ethanol policy, asking for E10 for E10-compliant vehicles, reduced rates of E0 petrol, and public disclosure of all E20 Fuel policy documents. He also called for keeping Union minister Nitin Gadkari out of the ethanol portfolio.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos30+ Dead, 2 Dozen Stuck In Russia As Centre Continues Efforts To Bring Them Home SafelyThousands March With Constitution, Jharkhand Witnesses Massive Student Agitation Over JPSC Exam Leak’I Was Influenced’: Jantar Mantar Protest Accused Apologises As PM Modi Offers Forgiveness’They Abused My Late Mother, But I Forgive Them’: PM Modi Signals Relief For Protesters Facing FIRsMigrant Labourer Killed In Kulgam Terror Attack, Security Forces Launch Massive Search OperationCauvery Row Escalates As TN Farmers Protest, DK Shivakumar Delays Meeting With VijayDelhi Riots Case: Tahir Hussain, Four Others Get Life Term For IB Officer Ankit Sharma’s MurderIndia Signs Rs 4,000 Crore Credit Agreement With Bhutan, Reviews Rs 10,000 Crore Development PackageIndian Navy Receives Indigenous Diving Support Vessel Nipun, Strengthens Deep-Sea Rescue CapabilityCabinet Approves ₹84,084 Crore Samudra Manthan Scheme To Boost Offshore Oil And Gas Exploration123PhotostoriesInside Surbhi Chandna’s warm bohemian-themed home: Elegant décor, cozy corners, and moreHow to select the right knife and understand its usageSitting for hours every day? These 5 yoga poses can ease tight hips, stiff backs, and desk-related aches in just 10 minutesWhat happens when you roast garlic with olive oil wrapped in aluminium foil in the oven? The chemistry explained5 plants that can grow in small pots and are suitable for small spacesStop making these 8 dosa mistakes: The science behind perfect dosas5 small plants that never die5 Plants with red leaves to add a splash of colour to your homeAlways saying sorry in your relationship? Here are 5 things couples should never apologize forHe thought it was food poisoning until doctors found a kidney stone: The warning signs that are easy to miss123Hot PicksHurricane IrmaRuchika SinghRRB Group D Admit CardNEET selective edit windowCommonwealth Games LiveUS work permit feeE20 petrol debateAssam floodsKanwar Yatra 2026Top TrendingSaurav DasBengal JeM Terrorist ArrestedJaisalmer Military Station AccidentCM VijayDehradun Teacher SuicideAnkit Sharma Murder CaseAam Aadmi PartyShraddha Walkar Murder CaseMumbai Building CollapseStock Market Up

Screenshot from video posted on X by Tehseen Poonawala NEW DELHI: Venture capitalist, political analyst and consultant Tehseen Poonawala has alleged that the Delhi Police has enforced a house arrest on him in relation to his protest against E20 fuel.Poonawala had previously announced that on the 1st of August he would undertake a solo walk to Gandhi Smriti, followed by maun vrat and a hunger strike to protest against the mandatory E20 ethanol policy.Saturday morning, Poonawalla posted a series of videos and messages on X stating that a large contingent of Delhi Police personnel, including women officers, had arrived at his home and restricted his movement. “I am being arrested at GK1. No crime against me, no papers, no documents… nothing!” he wrote, sharing a photograph of a police vehicle parked outside his building.In subsequent posts, he declared, “I AM UNDER HOUSE ARREST,” and alleged, “An entire battalion of Delhi Police cops including women officers have put me under house arrest!! Nitin Gadkari ji sir is scared of Ethanol.” In another post he wrote, “The Delhi Police force that has put me under house arrest so I cannot speak against Ethanol.””Almost as if I am a terrorist!! All I wanted was a maun vrat and a peaceful democratic one day hunger strike. My Instagram account was suspended! I was abused! Now house arrested!” he wrote in one post.Videos shared by Poonawalla show police officers stationed at the doorway of his residence. In one clip, he is seen speaking to an officer inside the house, repeatedly asking for any written order or document. He is heard saying he is being detained fifteen days before Independence Day. The officer is heard responding that the proposed protest could lead to a law-and-order situation and seeking cooperation.In later videos recorded, Poonawalla stated that police informed him that as he had announced his protest on social media in advance, thousands of people might come out to join him. He also claimed that one officer told him he was “a great human being” but that orders had come “from the top” to place him under house arrest.Poonawalla alleged that internet connectivity in the area had been disrupted, with media personnel complaining of jammed signals, though he managed to continue posting updates. He used hashtags such as EthanolScam, BETA BADHAO YOJNA and SUGAR DADDY, reflecting his long-standing criticism that the ethanol policy benefits certain sugar interests and distilleries.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesDelhi Police has not responded to Tehseen Poonawala’s claims yet.Poonawalla demanded discussions on ethanol policy, asking for E10 for E10-compliant vehicles, reduced rates of E0 petrol, and public disclosure of all E20 Fuel policy documents. He also called for keeping Union minister Nitin Gadkari out of the ethanol portfolio.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos30+ Dead, 2 Dozen Stuck In Russia As Centre Continues Efforts To Bring Them Home SafelyThousands March With Constitution, Jharkhand Witnesses Massive Student Agitation Over JPSC Exam Leak’I Was Influenced’: Jantar Mantar Protest Accused Apologises As PM Modi Offers Forgiveness’They Abused My Late Mother, But I Forgive Them’: PM Modi Signals Relief For Protesters Facing FIRsMigrant Labourer Killed In Kulgam Terror Attack, Security Forces Launch Massive Search OperationCauvery Row Escalates As TN Farmers Protest, DK Shivakumar Delays Meeting With VijayDelhi Riots Case: Tahir Hussain, Four Others Get Life Term For IB Officer Ankit Sharma’s MurderIndia Signs Rs 4,000 Crore Credit Agreement With Bhutan, Reviews Rs 10,000 Crore Development PackageIndian Navy Receives Indigenous Diving Support Vessel Nipun, Strengthens Deep-Sea Rescue CapabilityCabinet Approves ₹84,084 Crore Samudra Manthan Scheme To Boost Offshore Oil And Gas Exploration123PhotostoriesInside Surbhi Chandna’s warm bohemian-themed home: Elegant décor, cozy corners, and moreHow to select the right knife and understand its usageSitting for hours every day? These 5 yoga poses can ease tight hips, stiff backs, and desk-related aches in just 10 minutesWhat happens when you roast garlic with olive oil wrapped in aluminium foil in the oven? The chemistry explained5 plants that can grow in small pots and are suitable for small spacesStop making these 8 dosa mistakes: The science behind perfect dosas5 small plants that never die5 Plants with red leaves to add a splash of colour to your homeAlways saying sorry in your relationship? Here are 5 things couples should never apologize forHe thought it was food poisoning until doctors found a kidney stone: The warning signs that are easy to miss123Hot PicksHurricane IrmaRuchika SinghRRB Group D Admit CardNEET selective edit windowCommonwealth Games LiveUS work permit feeE20 petrol debateAssam floodsKanwar Yatra 2026Top TrendingSaurav DasBengal JeM Terrorist ArrestedJaisalmer Military Station AccidentCM VijayDehradun Teacher SuicideAnkit Sharma Murder CaseAam Aadmi PartyShraddha Walkar Murder CaseMumbai Building CollapseStock Market Up

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Kejriwal accused the government of shifting its position on the issue NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday stepped up his attack on the Centre over the rollout of E20 fuel, demanding that consumers be allowed to choose between regular petrol and the ethanol-blended variant at fuel stations. He also announced a march to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence on August 3 to submit public petitions against the policy.Addressing a town hall-style meeting on E20 fuel at the Constitution Club of India in New Delhi, Kejriwal accused the government of shifting its position on the issue. “Government blaming opposition parties over E20 fuel, calling it our agenda, but now BJP leaders are also cursing them,” he said.Kejriwal alleged that ethanol blending would increase costs and create problems for both consumers and farmers. “Ethanol is costlier than petrol, farmers are in trouble as it is polluting water, soil; govt forcing E20 on citizens over India-US trade deal,” he said, claiming that India’s ethanol imports would rise fivefold compared with last year after the introduction of E20 fuel.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThe former Delhi chief minister said he would begin collecting petitions at noon on Monday before leading a march with around 100 people to Lok Kalyan Marg. He also called for lower prices for E20-blended petrol and an overall reduction in petrol prices.Kejriwal further urged the Centre to release the study it has cited to support the use of E20 fuel. “The Centre says studies have been conducted and E20 does not harm vehicles. I want them to share that report,” he said.The event was attended by people from several states, with participants sharing their experiences and concerns about using E20 fuel and the issues they claimed to have faced with their vehicles.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorVivek DubeyA digital news desk journalist at The Times of India with over two years of experience. Closely tracks foreign affairs and international politics. Fondness for precise language and clever headlines. When not editing news, he is usually refining a turn of phrase.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos30+ Dead, 2 Dozen Stuck In Russia As Centre Continues Efforts To Bring Them Home SafelyThousands March With Constitution, Jharkhand Witnesses Massive Student Agitation Over JPSC Exam Leak’I Was Influenced’: Jantar Mantar Protest Accused Apologises As PM Modi Offers Forgiveness’They Abused My Late Mother, But I Forgive Them’: PM Modi Signals Relief For Protesters Facing FIRsMigrant Labourer Killed In Kulgam Terror Attack, Security Forces Launch Massive Search OperationCauvery Row Escalates As TN Farmers Protest, DK Shivakumar Delays Meeting With VijayDelhi Riots Case: Tahir Hussain, Four Others Get Life Term For IB Officer Ankit Sharma’s MurderIndia Signs Rs 4,000 Crore Credit Agreement With Bhutan, Reviews Rs 10,000 Crore Development PackageIndian Navy Receives Indigenous Diving Support Vessel Nipun, Strengthens Deep-Sea Rescue CapabilityCabinet Approves ₹84,084 Crore Samudra Manthan Scheme To Boost Offshore Oil And Gas Exploration123PhotostoriesHow to select the right knife and understand its usageSitting for hours every day? These 5 yoga poses can ease tight hips, stiff backs, and desk-related aches in just 10 minutesWhat happens when you roast garlic with olive oil wrapped in aluminium foil in the oven? The chemistry explained5 plants that can grow in small pots and are suitable for small spacesStop making these 8 dosa mistakes: The science behind perfect dosas5 small plants that never die5 Plants with red leaves to add a splash of colour to your homeAlways saying sorry in your relationship? Here are 5 things couples should never apologize forHe thought it was food poisoning until doctors found a kidney stone: The warning signs that are easy to missWhy Indian royals chose emeralds over diamonds: The fascinating history behind their favourite gemstone123Hot PicksHurricane IrmaRuchika SinghRRB Group D Admit CardNEET selective edit windowCommonwealth Games LiveUS work permit feeE20 petrol debateAssam floodsKanwar Yatra 2026Top TrendingSaurav DasBengal JeM Terrorist ArrestedJaisalmer Military Station AccidentCM VijayDehradun Teacher SuicideAnkit Sharma Murder CaseAam Aadmi PartyShraddha Walkar Murder CaseMumbai Building CollapseStock Market Up

Kejriwal accused the government of shifting its position on the issue NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday stepped up his attack on the Centre over the rollout of E20 fuel, demanding that consumers be allowed to choose between regular petrol and the ethanol-blended variant at fuel stations. He also announced a march to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence on August 3 to submit public petitions against the policy.Addressing a town hall-style meeting on E20 fuel at the Constitution Club of India in New Delhi, Kejriwal accused the government of shifting its position on the issue. “Government blaming opposition parties over E20 fuel, calling it our agenda, but now BJP leaders are also cursing them,” he said.Kejriwal alleged that ethanol blending would increase costs and create problems for both consumers and farmers. “Ethanol is costlier than petrol, farmers are in trouble as it is polluting water, soil; govt forcing E20 on citizens over India-US trade deal,” he said, claiming that India’s ethanol imports would rise fivefold compared with last year after the introduction of E20 fuel.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThe former Delhi chief minister said he would begin collecting petitions at noon on Monday before leading a march with around 100 people to Lok Kalyan Marg. He also called for lower prices for E20-blended petrol and an overall reduction in petrol prices.Kejriwal further urged the Centre to release the study it has cited to support the use of E20 fuel. “The Centre says studies have been conducted and E20 does not harm vehicles. I want them to share that report,” he said.The event was attended by people from several states, with participants sharing their experiences and concerns about using E20 fuel and the issues they claimed to have faced with their vehicles.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorVivek DubeyA digital news desk journalist at The Times of India with over two years of experience. Closely tracks foreign affairs and international politics. Fondness for precise language and clever headlines. When not editing news, he is usually refining a turn of phrase.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos30+ Dead, 2 Dozen Stuck In Russia As Centre Continues Efforts To Bring Them Home SafelyThousands March With Constitution, Jharkhand Witnesses Massive Student Agitation Over JPSC Exam Leak’I Was Influenced’: Jantar Mantar Protest Accused Apologises As PM Modi Offers Forgiveness’They Abused My Late Mother, But I Forgive Them’: PM Modi Signals Relief For Protesters Facing FIRsMigrant Labourer Killed In Kulgam Terror Attack, Security Forces Launch Massive Search OperationCauvery Row Escalates As TN Farmers Protest, DK Shivakumar Delays Meeting With VijayDelhi Riots Case: Tahir Hussain, Four Others Get Life Term For IB Officer Ankit Sharma’s MurderIndia Signs Rs 4,000 Crore Credit Agreement With Bhutan, Reviews Rs 10,000 Crore Development PackageIndian Navy Receives Indigenous Diving Support Vessel Nipun, Strengthens Deep-Sea Rescue CapabilityCabinet Approves ₹84,084 Crore Samudra Manthan Scheme To Boost Offshore Oil And Gas Exploration123PhotostoriesHow to select the right knife and understand its usageSitting for hours every day? These 5 yoga poses can ease tight hips, stiff backs, and desk-related aches in just 10 minutesWhat happens when you roast garlic with olive oil wrapped in aluminium foil in the oven? The chemistry explained5 plants that can grow in small pots and are suitable for small spacesStop making these 8 dosa mistakes: The science behind perfect dosas5 small plants that never die5 Plants with red leaves to add a splash of colour to your homeAlways saying sorry in your relationship? Here are 5 things couples should never apologize forHe thought it was food poisoning until doctors found a kidney stone: The warning signs that are easy to missWhy Indian royals chose emeralds over diamonds: The fascinating history behind their favourite gemstone123Hot PicksHurricane IrmaRuchika SinghRRB Group D Admit CardNEET selective edit windowCommonwealth Games LiveUS work permit feeE20 petrol debateAssam floodsKanwar Yatra 2026Top TrendingSaurav DasBengal JeM Terrorist ArrestedJaisalmer Military Station AccidentCM VijayDehradun Teacher SuicideAnkit Sharma Murder CaseAam Aadmi PartyShraddha Walkar Murder CaseMumbai Building CollapseStock Market Up

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India’s quiet overtesting crisis (AI-generated image) Walk into any diagnostics lab in a major Indian city and you will likely be handed a laminated menu, not of food, but of the body. Silver package, gold package, platinum package. Forty tests, sixty tests, ninety. Fasting blood sugar, thyroid panels, vitamin D, cardiac markers, tumour markers, all bundled together and priced to feel like a bargain rather than a medical decision. Nobody asks whether these tests were prescribed by a doctor, because increasingly, they aren’t. They are sold.This is the quieter side of India’s healthcare story, one that gets far less attention than the shortage of hospital beds or the scarcity of rural doctors. In the country’s cities, among its insured and upwardly mobile, a different problem has taken root: too much testing, too often, for too little reason. Corporate wellness programmes hand out annual full-body checkups as a perk. Insurance companies fold preventive panels into premium plans as a selling point. Diagnostic chains run festive discounts on scans the way electronics stores discount televisions. The result is a population of healthy, asymptomatic people walking out with reports listing dozens of parameters, several flagged in borderline yellow, and no doctor in the room to explain what any of it means.The consequences are not trivial. Overtesting drives a cascade, a mildly abnormal number on an unnecessary test leads to a follow-up scan, which leads to a biopsy, which leads to weeks of anxiety over something that may never have caused harm.Doctors describe patients arriving with thick folders of test results and no clinical complaint, unsure why they were tested in the first place, but certain that more tests must mean better health.The question this raises is not whether early detection saves lives, it does, but whether India’s growing test-industrial complex has confused detection with reassurance, and reassurance with health.When does a test actually become necessary?Ask a doctor practising evidence-based medicine when a test is warranted, and the answer rarely begins with the test itself. It begins with a conversation.”It’s an individualised question,” says Dr. Haripriya Jagadish, Internal Medicine Specialist at Apollo Spectra Hospital, Chennai. “Most practitioners go by evidence-based medicine. The doctor will elicit the history, which will include all the symptoms of the patient, and based on that, the tests are done.”That process, history-taking, is the part of clinical practice most invisible to the patient and most absent from the retail model of testing. A doctor working through a patient’s symptoms, duration, family history and risk factors is, in effect, narrowing a list of possibilities before ordering a single test, so that each test serves to confirm or rule out something specific. A preventive package sold off a billboard skips that step entirely, running dozens of tests without first asking what, if anything, the patient’s body is signalling. India’s overtesting epidemic (AI generated image)According to Dr Jagadish, the reasons a test is actually indicated tend to fall into a few well-defined categories. “The common reasons start from infections, chronic diseases, inflammation and malignancy,” she says. “Everything is based on the symptoms and the science.” An unexplained fever might point toward an infection workup. Unexplained fatigue or weight change, paired with family history, might justify screening for a chronic condition such as diabetes or thyroid dysfunction. Persistent, localised pain or an abnormal finding on physical examination might warrant investigation for inflammation or, in some cases, malignancy. In each instance, the test follows the symptom, not the other way around.This is the clinical logic that preventive test packages tend to bypass. Rather than starting with a patient’s history and narrowing toward a hypothesis, they start with a menu of everything available and work backward, hoping that volume compensates for the absence of a clinical question. For Dr. Jagadish’s generation of evidence-based practitioners, that inversion is precisely the problem, not that testing itself is harmful, but that testing without a preceding clinical reason strips it of the context needed to interpret what the results actually mean.Regulation that hasn’t caught upWhen a pharmaceutical company in India wants to advertise a prescription drug to the public, the law steps in, such advertising is restricted, and in most cases requires government authorisation before it can run. When a diagnostics chain wants to advertise a bundle of forty preventive tests, including several with genuine cancer-screening implications, no equivalent threshold exists. The test package occupies a regulatory blind spot: not quite a drug, not quite a medical procedure requiring a prescription, and therefore largely free to be marketed the way any consumer product would be, with discounts, urgency, and appeals to fear.India’s oversight of diagnostic laboratories does exist, but it is aimed almost entirely at technical quality, accreditation bodies set standards for how accurately a lab must run a test, not for whether that test should have been sold to an asymptomatic customer in the first place, or how the results should be communicated once they arrive. There is no requirement that a preventive test package be accompanied by pre-test counselling, no mandate that a qualified clinician interpret results before they reach the patient, and no restriction on marketing screening tests directly to consumers with no clinical indication.This is not a uniquely Indian problem, direct-to-consumer testing has expanded globally, and regulators in some markets have begun responding, tightening requirements around what claims these tests can make and how aggressively they can be marketed to healthy people. What distinguishes India is the pace of that catch-up. As the market for retail diagnostics has scaled rapidly across metros and now smaller cities, the regulatory apparatus governing how these tests are sold, and to whom, has largely stayed where it was decades ago, built for an era when a blood test still required a doctor to ask for it.The anxiety economyThe report itself rarely arrives with context. It arrives as a PDF or a printed sheet, rows of values, reference ranges in brackets, and a handful highlighted in red or yellow, with no accompanying explanation of what those deviations actually mean for a specific person’s health. For a patient with no symptoms and no clinical history prompting the test, that ambiguity becomes fertile ground for anxiety.The pattern is a familiar one to clinicians. A mildly elevated tumour marker, a borderline nodule on an incidental scan, a number just outside the “normal” range on a test that was never clinically indicated in the first place, these findings, once flagged, tend to set off a cascade. The patient seeks a specialist opinion. The specialist, unable to rule out concern from a single data point, orders a follow-up scan or a repeat test. In some cases, that escalates further to a biopsy or invasive procedure, undertaken to investigate a finding that may have had no clinical significance to begin with. The anxiety economy (AI generated image)Dr Jagadish points to this as one of the central risks of indiscriminate testing. “The problem with getting too many tests, especially ones like cancer screening, is when you do them and get an abnormal value, unless there’s a medical correlation, it can do more harm than good,” she says. “Especially this generation has a lot of anxiety around that. It unnecessarily drives up the medical cost of the patient as well as the psychological trauma.”That psychological toll rarely features in conversations about overtesting, which tend to focus on financial waste or clinical inefficiency. But for the patient sitting with an unexplained abnormal result, the experience is rarely just administrative. It is weeks of uncertainty, repeated consultations, and a growing preoccupation with a number that may resolve on its own, or may never have meant anything at all. For a generation already primed toward health anxiety, amplified by symptom-checking apps, wellness content and a culture that treats more data as inherently reassuring, an unexplained flagged result can be harder to sit with than the absence of information ever was.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesWhat gets lost in this cycle is the fact that not every abnormality requires action. Medicine has long understood that some findings are incidental, present, but clinically irrelevant, yet a system that tests first and interprets later leaves little room for that nuance. The result is a quiet, largely undocumented cost of overtesting: not just money spent on unnecessary follow-ups, but the accumulated weight of worry carried by people who were never actually sick.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorAadrita HalderWrites on social matters, geopolitics, and trending issues for the Times of India.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’I Was Influenced’: Jantar Mantar Protest Accused Apologises As PM Modi Offers Forgiveness’They Abused My Late Mother, But I Forgive Them’: PM Modi Signals Relief For Protesters Facing FIRsMigrant Labourer Killed In Kulgam Terror Attack, Security Forces Launch Massive Search OperationCauvery Row Escalates As TN Farmers Protest, DK Shivakumar Delays Meeting With VijayDelhi Riots Case: Tahir Hussain, Four Others Get Life Term For IB Officer Ankit Sharma’s MurderIndia Signs Rs 4,000 Crore Credit Agreement With Bhutan, Reviews Rs 10,000 Crore Development PackageIndian Navy Receives Indigenous Diving Support Vessel Nipun, Strengthens Deep-Sea Rescue CapabilityCabinet Approves ₹84,084 Crore Samudra Manthan Scheme To Boost Offshore Oil And Gas ExplorationMeta India Head Named In FIR As Posts Criticising PM Modi Surface; Social Accounts Under Scanner’My Father Was Almost Lynched’: Injured Delhi Cop’s Daughter Emotional Appeal After Violence | Watch123PhotostoriesWhat happens when you roast garlic with olive oil wrapped in aluminium foil in the oven? The chemistry explained5 plants that can grow in small pots and are suitable for small spacesStop making these 8 dosa mistakes: The science behind perfect dosas5 small plants that never die5 Plants with red leaves to add a splash of colour to your homeAlways saying sorry in your relationship? Here are 5 things couples should never apologize forHe thought it was food poisoning until doctors found a kidney stone: The warning signs that are easy to missWhy Indian royals chose emeralds over diamonds: The fascinating history behind their favourite gemstoneWhat happens when you say ‘thank you’ every day? These 5 spiritual changes may surprise you5 ancient Egyptian rituals that are deeply disturbing123Hot PicksHurricane IrmaRuchika SinghRRB Group D Admit CardNEET selective edit windowCommonwealth Games LiveUS work permit feeE20 petrol debateAssam floodsKanwar Yatra 2026Top TrendingSaurav DasBengal JeM Terrorist ArrestedJaisalmer Military Station AccidentCM VijayDehradun Teacher SuicideAnkit Sharma Murder CaseAam Aadmi PartyShraddha Walkar Murder CaseMumbai Building CollapseStock Market Up

India’s quiet overtesting crisis (AI-generated image) Walk into any diagnostics lab in a major Indian city and you will likely be handed a laminated menu, not of food, but of the body. Silver package, gold package, platinum package. Forty tests, sixty tests, ninety. Fasting blood sugar, thyroid panels, vitamin D, cardiac markers, tumour markers, all bundled together and priced to feel like a bargain rather than a medical decision. Nobody asks whether these tests were prescribed by a doctor, because increasingly, they aren’t. They are sold.This is the quieter side of India’s healthcare story, one that gets far less attention than the shortage of hospital beds or the scarcity of rural doctors. In the country’s cities, among its insured and upwardly mobile, a different problem has taken root: too much testing, too often, for too little reason. Corporate wellness programmes hand out annual full-body checkups as a perk. Insurance companies fold preventive panels into premium plans as a selling point. Diagnostic chains run festive discounts on scans the way electronics stores discount televisions. The result is a population of healthy, asymptomatic people walking out with reports listing dozens of parameters, several flagged in borderline yellow, and no doctor in the room to explain what any of it means.The consequences are not trivial. Overtesting drives a cascade, a mildly abnormal number on an unnecessary test leads to a follow-up scan, which leads to a biopsy, which leads to weeks of anxiety over something that may never have caused harm.Doctors describe patients arriving with thick folders of test results and no clinical complaint, unsure why they were tested in the first place, but certain that more tests must mean better health.The question this raises is not whether early detection saves lives, it does, but whether India’s growing test-industrial complex has confused detection with reassurance, and reassurance with health.When does a test actually become necessary?Ask a doctor practising evidence-based medicine when a test is warranted, and the answer rarely begins with the test itself. It begins with a conversation.”It’s an individualised question,” says Dr. Haripriya Jagadish, Internal Medicine Specialist at Apollo Spectra Hospital, Chennai. “Most practitioners go by evidence-based medicine. The doctor will elicit the history, which will include all the symptoms of the patient, and based on that, the tests are done.”That process, history-taking, is the part of clinical practice most invisible to the patient and most absent from the retail model of testing. A doctor working through a patient’s symptoms, duration, family history and risk factors is, in effect, narrowing a list of possibilities before ordering a single test, so that each test serves to confirm or rule out something specific. A preventive package sold off a billboard skips that step entirely, running dozens of tests without first asking what, if anything, the patient’s body is signalling. India’s overtesting epidemic (AI generated image)According to Dr Jagadish, the reasons a test is actually indicated tend to fall into a few well-defined categories. “The common reasons start from infections, chronic diseases, inflammation and malignancy,” she says. “Everything is based on the symptoms and the science.” An unexplained fever might point toward an infection workup. Unexplained fatigue or weight change, paired with family history, might justify screening for a chronic condition such as diabetes or thyroid dysfunction. Persistent, localised pain or an abnormal finding on physical examination might warrant investigation for inflammation or, in some cases, malignancy. In each instance, the test follows the symptom, not the other way around.This is the clinical logic that preventive test packages tend to bypass. Rather than starting with a patient’s history and narrowing toward a hypothesis, they start with a menu of everything available and work backward, hoping that volume compensates for the absence of a clinical question. For Dr. Jagadish’s generation of evidence-based practitioners, that inversion is precisely the problem, not that testing itself is harmful, but that testing without a preceding clinical reason strips it of the context needed to interpret what the results actually mean.Regulation that hasn’t caught upWhen a pharmaceutical company in India wants to advertise a prescription drug to the public, the law steps in, such advertising is restricted, and in most cases requires government authorisation before it can run. When a diagnostics chain wants to advertise a bundle of forty preventive tests, including several with genuine cancer-screening implications, no equivalent threshold exists. The test package occupies a regulatory blind spot: not quite a drug, not quite a medical procedure requiring a prescription, and therefore largely free to be marketed the way any consumer product would be, with discounts, urgency, and appeals to fear.India’s oversight of diagnostic laboratories does exist, but it is aimed almost entirely at technical quality, accreditation bodies set standards for how accurately a lab must run a test, not for whether that test should have been sold to an asymptomatic customer in the first place, or how the results should be communicated once they arrive. There is no requirement that a preventive test package be accompanied by pre-test counselling, no mandate that a qualified clinician interpret results before they reach the patient, and no restriction on marketing screening tests directly to consumers with no clinical indication.This is not a uniquely Indian problem, direct-to-consumer testing has expanded globally, and regulators in some markets have begun responding, tightening requirements around what claims these tests can make and how aggressively they can be marketed to healthy people. What distinguishes India is the pace of that catch-up. As the market for retail diagnostics has scaled rapidly across metros and now smaller cities, the regulatory apparatus governing how these tests are sold, and to whom, has largely stayed where it was decades ago, built for an era when a blood test still required a doctor to ask for it.The anxiety economyThe report itself rarely arrives with context. It arrives as a PDF or a printed sheet, rows of values, reference ranges in brackets, and a handful highlighted in red or yellow, with no accompanying explanation of what those deviations actually mean for a specific person’s health. For a patient with no symptoms and no clinical history prompting the test, that ambiguity becomes fertile ground for anxiety.The pattern is a familiar one to clinicians. A mildly elevated tumour marker, a borderline nodule on an incidental scan, a number just outside the “normal” range on a test that was never clinically indicated in the first place, these findings, once flagged, tend to set off a cascade. The patient seeks a specialist opinion. The specialist, unable to rule out concern from a single data point, orders a follow-up scan or a repeat test. In some cases, that escalates further to a biopsy or invasive procedure, undertaken to investigate a finding that may have had no clinical significance to begin with. The anxiety economy (AI generated image)Dr Jagadish points to this as one of the central risks of indiscriminate testing. “The problem with getting too many tests, especially ones like cancer screening, is when you do them and get an abnormal value, unless there’s a medical correlation, it can do more harm than good,” she says. “Especially this generation has a lot of anxiety around that. It unnecessarily drives up the medical cost of the patient as well as the psychological trauma.”That psychological toll rarely features in conversations about overtesting, which tend to focus on financial waste or clinical inefficiency. But for the patient sitting with an unexplained abnormal result, the experience is rarely just administrative. It is weeks of uncertainty, repeated consultations, and a growing preoccupation with a number that may resolve on its own, or may never have meant anything at all. For a generation already primed toward health anxiety, amplified by symptom-checking apps, wellness content and a culture that treats more data as inherently reassuring, an unexplained flagged result can be harder to sit with than the absence of information ever was.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesWhat gets lost in this cycle is the fact that not every abnormality requires action. Medicine has long understood that some findings are incidental, present, but clinically irrelevant, yet a system that tests first and interprets later leaves little room for that nuance. The result is a quiet, largely undocumented cost of overtesting: not just money spent on unnecessary follow-ups, but the accumulated weight of worry carried by people who were never actually sick.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorAadrita HalderWrites on social matters, geopolitics, and trending issues for the Times of India.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’I Was Influenced’: Jantar Mantar Protest Accused Apologises As PM Modi Offers Forgiveness’They Abused My Late Mother, But I Forgive Them’: PM Modi Signals Relief For Protesters Facing FIRsMigrant Labourer Killed In Kulgam Terror Attack, Security Forces Launch Massive Search OperationCauvery Row Escalates As TN Farmers Protest, DK Shivakumar Delays Meeting With VijayDelhi Riots Case: Tahir Hussain, Four Others Get Life Term For IB Officer Ankit Sharma’s MurderIndia Signs Rs 4,000 Crore Credit Agreement With Bhutan, Reviews Rs 10,000 Crore Development PackageIndian Navy Receives Indigenous Diving Support Vessel Nipun, Strengthens Deep-Sea Rescue CapabilityCabinet Approves ₹84,084 Crore Samudra Manthan Scheme To Boost Offshore Oil And Gas ExplorationMeta India Head Named In FIR As Posts Criticising PM Modi Surface; Social Accounts Under Scanner’My Father Was Almost Lynched’: Injured Delhi Cop’s Daughter Emotional Appeal After Violence | Watch123PhotostoriesWhat happens when you roast garlic with olive oil wrapped in aluminium foil in the oven? The chemistry explained5 plants that can grow in small pots and are suitable for small spacesStop making these 8 dosa mistakes: The science behind perfect dosas5 small plants that never die5 Plants with red leaves to add a splash of colour to your homeAlways saying sorry in your relationship? Here are 5 things couples should never apologize forHe thought it was food poisoning until doctors found a kidney stone: The warning signs that are easy to missWhy Indian royals chose emeralds over diamonds: The fascinating history behind their favourite gemstoneWhat happens when you say ‘thank you’ every day? These 5 spiritual changes may surprise you5 ancient Egyptian rituals that are deeply disturbing123Hot PicksHurricane IrmaRuchika SinghRRB Group D Admit CardNEET selective edit windowCommonwealth Games LiveUS work permit feeE20 petrol debateAssam floodsKanwar Yatra 2026Top TrendingSaurav DasBengal JeM Terrorist ArrestedJaisalmer Military Station AccidentCM VijayDehradun Teacher SuicideAnkit Sharma Murder CaseAam Aadmi PartyShraddha Walkar Murder CaseMumbai Building CollapseStock Market Up

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