VK News Today https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html US consumer price inflation hits 3.8% in April, highest in nearly 3 years as Iran war fuels energy costs NEET UG paper leak 2026: Rahul Gandhi asks students to ‘Google’ former NTA DG’s posting, says BJP rewards those “who toy with students’ futures” From ‘Leo’ to ‘Mersal’: Thalapathy Vijay’s top box office hits before his political journey In 1893, Milton Hershey’s encounter with a chocolate-making machine at the Chicago World’s Fair established the foundation for his chocolate empire | ChatGPT may have made the same mistake again that Sam Altman said sorry for in Canada weeks ago IPL 2026, GT vs SRH: Why Gujarat Titans changed jersey colour against Sunrisers Hyderabad | Cricket News Rs 16.77 lakh crore gone! Stock market crash over four days leaves investors with deep losses; what’s the road ahead? Why 2+2 Programs Are Revolutionizing International Education for Indian Students | Yash’s ‘Toxic’, Ranbir Kapoor’s ‘Ramayana’ to Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘King’ – Big ticket films with massive box office expectations in 2026! Bill Gates House: 5 high tech and outstanding art inspirations from Bill Gate’s house to transform your home A year after taking $100 deposits, Trump Mobile has made changes in fine print that has worried buyers; here’s what it says Image credit: Santosh Gupta NEW DELHI: Maharashtra MLA from NCP (SP) rode a horse straight into the municipal corporation headquarters as a mark of protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to the people to use less fuel amid the Middle East crisis.MLA Jitendra Awhad along with several leaders and workers of the party staged the unusual protest in Thane, travelling on horses and bullock carts to symbolically “save fuel”.Local leaders of the party, including Thane city president Manoj Pradhan and opposition members, also participated in the agitation.PM Modi on Monday called upon the citizens to prioritize work-from-home, reduce foreign travels in a bid to save fuel after US-Israel initiated war on Iran has choked the oil supplies globally.”Wherever possible, utilise the Metro and public transportation; opt for carpooling; prioritise railways as a mode of transportation for goods; and wherever feasible, increase the usage of electric vehicles. Let us all come together and make every possible effort to conserve energy in our daily lives, so that the economic burden currently weighing upon the nation may be alleviated,” PM Modi had said.NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule demanded clarification from the government over Indian economy’s health. “In view of the seriousness of this issue, the Prime Minister should convene an all-party meeting under his own chairmanship. Taking all party leaders into confidence on matters of national interest and conducting the decision-making process is absolutely essential for the good of the country,” she said in a post on X.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 MediaVideosFrom Indira Gandhi To Modi: Why Indian Govts Ask Citizens To Reduce Gold Consumption During Crises’Chor Bazaar Of EC-BJP’: Rahul Hits Out After Suvendu Appoints Bengal EC Official As Chief SecretaryOpposition Slams Centre Over NEET Leak; Claims Of Mafia, Collusion And System FailureNEET-UG Cancelled, Anand Kumar Demands China-Like Crackdown On Coaching System ReformsNEET UG 2026 Cancelled After Probe Finds Major Question Matches In Leak PDFUdhayanidhi Stalin’s Fresh ‘Eradicate Sanatan Dharma’ Remark Triggers Massive BJP Backlash In TNNTA Scraps NEET UG 2026 Over ‘Guess Paper’ Leak, Re-Exam Dates To Be Announced | WatchFIR Filed Against SP MP Ajendra Singh Lodhi Over Alleged Remarks Against PM ModiCBI Takes Over Probe Into Murder Of Suvendu Adhikari’s Aide Chandranath Rath, Forms 7-Member SITAIADMK Faces Biggest Split Since Jayalalithaa Era As Rebel Faction Extends Support To Vijay’s TVK123PhotostoriesFrom iconic red to controversial purple lipstick: Decoding Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s Cannes beauty journeyHow to reduce someone’s power over you without saying a wordHow to make Sweet Potato Fried Rice for a light summer dinner at home5 simple habits to keep your brain sharpWhy Vidya Balan stopped wearing Sabyasachi after the Cannes 2013 controversyKaran Kundrra- Tejasswi Prakash’s dreamy love story: Becoming friends in Bigg Boss 15 to buying a house together in DubaiOTT releases this week (May 11-17, 2026): ‘Kartavya’, ‘Berlin’, ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ lead the lineup10 proven ways to sharpen your concentration and focus at workDoctors are warning about cancer’s ‘pre-diagnosis phase’ where symptoms exist but clear answers often don’tMissed Mother’s Day? 10 thoughtful ways to make your mother feel special this week123Hot PicksCBSE class 12 resultRaj SinghBandi Sanjay KumarPune child rape-murder caseLPG stockNEET exam cancelledModi on Gold and WFHTop TrendingTamil Nadu CMBhagwant Mann CousinIPL Points TableFifa World Cup 2026 ScheduleVijay AstrologerHimanta Biswa SarmaIPL Orange Cap 2026AIADMK splitHighway Toll DuesBhuvneshwar Kumar ‘Jana Nayagan’ OTT: Thalapathy Vijay’s film sparks massive streaming war after the actor’s political triumph How to reduce someone’s power over you without saying a word Why geologists are obsessed with this giant slice of ocean crust in Oman From consultations with India Inc to protecting forex: what next after PM Modi’s appeal on gold, work from home – 10 things to know ‘Isko sack kab karoge?’: Pakistan captain Shan Masood faces massive backlash after humiliating Bangladesh defeat Chitagranda Singh was to do a film with ‘Dhurandhar’ director Aditya Dhar but it never got made: ‘He had written an amazing character for me’ In the 1870s, George Eastman’s frustration with carrying heavy camera gear while travelling established the foundation for Kodak’s simpler cameras “To get a woman in the mood…..”: Mike Vrabel’s resurfaced response to Dianna Russini goes viral amid affair rumors If a company replaced its CEO with…: Indian-origin tech leader says he backtested billionaire Michael Milken’s idea NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case: Multiple arrests made across 3 states; cops uncover multi-state network of at least 45 people (Image credit: ANI) NEW DELHI: In a major breakthrough in the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case, investigators have made multiple arrests across the country — from Nashik to Dehradun to Rajgir — uncovering a well-organised multi-state network of at least 45 persons spanning Maharashtra, Kerala, Haryana, Bihar, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand.The investigation has revealed a network involving paper solvers, impersonators, coaching centre counsellors and even MBBS students.Nashik arrest: Medical student heldA medical student from Maharashtra’s Nashik has been arrested in connection with the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak. The student, identified as Shubham Khairnar, a bachelor of medical sciences student in Bhopal, allegedly obtained a physical copy of the ‘guess’ paper in Nashik a few days before the May 3 exam and forwarded a soft copy to a person in Haryana.”A request from Rajasthan Police was received this morning for taking an individual into custody. Accordingly, Nashik police Crime Branch Unit 2 has nabbed a person,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police Kirankumar Chauhan. A team of Rajasthan Police will arrive in the city to take his custody.The Rajasthan Special Operations Group (SOG) had earlier said the ‘guess’ paper leaked from a printing press in Nashik, and was used in Haryana or Rajasthan.Rajgir arrests: Cash, multiple admit cards seizedOn the day of the exam itself, police in Rajgir, Bihar made a crucial catch. Rajgir DSP Sunil Kumar Singh said that checking vehicles on May 3, police came across two cars.”The person driving, who claimed to be an MBBS student, had a stack of cash inside his car. Upon checking their mobile phones, we found multiple admit cards. Three people have been arrested,” Singh said.The arrests came as police were on high alert following intelligence inputs.Dehradun arrests: The ‘mastermind’The Rajasthan Police SOG arrested five persons from Dehradun, including the alleged mastermind, Sikar-based career counsellor Rakesh Kumar, on May 7. Four NEET aspirants were arrested the following day.Rakesh Kumar allegedly received the question bank containing 410 questions from an examinee in Kerala. Of these, 150 questions matched the actual NEET exam held on May 3. He initially sold the paper for Rs 5 lakh, later reducing the price to Rs 30,000 per aspirant as the exam date approached.A counsellor from a coaching centre in Sikar was also detained for allegedly paying Rs 5 lakh to buy the ‘guess’ paper and selling it to NEET aspirants through WhatsApp.The handwritten ‘guess’ paper matched 120 of the 150 questions for biology and chemistry from the original paper.What the investigation foundA senior SOG official said the investigation has revealed a well-organised nation-wide network with paper solvers to impersonators.The SOG has so far interrogated 13 suspects from Dehradun, Sikar and Jhunjhunu in connection with the case.The National Testing Agency on Tuesday cancelled the NEET-UG 2026 examination, affecting over 22 lakh candidates. The Union Government has referred the matter to the CBI for a comprehensive inquiry.The NTA said the decision was taken “in the interest of maintaining transparency and preserving trust in the national examination system.”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 MediaVideos’Chor Bazaar Of EC-BJP’: Rahul Hits Out After Suvendu Appoints Bengal EC Official As Chief SecretaryOpposition Slams Centre Over NEET Leak; Claims Of Mafia, Collusion And System FailureNEET-UG Cancelled, Anand Kumar Demands China-Like Crackdown On Coaching System ReformsNEET UG 2026 Cancelled After Probe Finds Major Question Matches In Leak PDFUdhayanidhi Stalin’s Fresh ‘Eradicate Sanatan Dharma’ Remark Triggers Massive BJP Backlash In TNNTA Scraps NEET UG 2026 Over ‘Guess Paper’ Leak, Re-Exam Dates To Be Announced | WatchFIR Filed Against SP MP Ajendra Singh Lodhi Over Alleged Remarks Against PM ModiCBI Takes Over Probe Into Murder Of Suvendu Adhikari’s Aide Chandranath Rath, Forms 7-Member SITAIADMK Faces Biggest Split Since Jayalalithaa Era As Rebel Faction Extends Support To Vijay’s TVKTamil Nadu CM Vijay Orders Shutdown Of 717 TASMAC Shops Near Temples, Schools And Bus Stands123Photostories5 simple habits to keep your brain sharpWhy Vidya Balan stopped wearing Sabyasachi after the Cannes 2013 controversyKaran Kundrra- Tejasswi Prakash’s dreamy love story: Becoming friends in Bigg Boss 15 to buying a house together in DubaiOTT releases this week (May 11-17, 2026): ‘Kartavya’, ‘Berlin’, ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ lead the lineup10 proven ways to sharpen your concentration and focus at workDoctors are warning about cancer’s ‘pre-diagnosis phase’ where symptoms exist but clear answers often don’tMissed Mother’s Day? 10 thoughtful ways to make your mother feel special this week5 ‘dirtiest’ spots in your kitchen you’re probably forgetting to clean, NYC doc revealsWooden vs Marble Chakla Belan: Which one is better and tips to improve their shelf lifeWhy humans once ate dirt and some still do today123Hot PicksCBSE class 12 resultRaj SinghBandi Sanjay KumarPune child rape-murder caseLPG stockNEET exam cancelledModi on Gold and WFHTop TrendingTamil Nadu CMBhagwant Mann CousinIPL Points TableFifa World Cup 2026 ScheduleVijay AstrologerHimanta Biswa SarmaIPL Orange Cap 2026AIADMK splitHighway Toll DuesBhuvneshwar Kumar JKBOSE Class 11 result 2026 out at jkresults.nic.in, download marksheets here using roll number Mouni Roy’s old comment on fights with Suraj Nambiar resurfaces amid divorce rumors: ‘Give more love, be there for each other’ 8-year-old exploring ramon crater discovers rare 1,700-year-old statue fragment “They had a nasty little open relationship”: Dianna Russini’s public kiss with husband triggers “staged PR” accusations online Who is Eileen Wang? California mayor resigns after pleading guilty to working for Chinese government Updated: May 12, 2026, 18:38 IST Jennifer Harmon, Broadway actress and ‘One Life to Live’ star, dies at 82 Shani Jayanti 2026: Planetary Combinations Explained, 3 Powerful Saturn Remedies to Reduce Negativity and Invite Blessings A 160-million-year-old ‘technicolour’ dinosaur fossil discovered in China with four wings and bird-like feathers NEET paper leak: Education minister avoids question, NTA gives no concrete answers, opposition corners Centre Who is Stuart Prior? Reform UK councillor accused of racist posts quits within days of victory NEET paper leak; stock market crash and more The NTA cancelled NEET-UG 2026 after a “guess paper” very closely matched with the original question paper. The government ordered a CBI probe, while fresh exam dates and admit card schedules will be announced later.Sensex and Nifty plunged over 1.5% as rising crude oil prices, a record-low rupee, continued foreign investor selling and escalating US-Iran tensions triggered panic across Indian equity markets.Pakistan confirmed Iranian aircraft landed at its airbase but denied reports linking them to military operations, calling claims misleading and tied instead to diplomatic and ceasefire-related arrangements.Ahead of Vijay’s floor test, an AIADMK rebel faction backed the TVK government, deepening internal divisions within the party and strengthening Vijay’s bid to prove majority in the Assembly.Olympian Sakshi Malik supported Vinesh Phogat in her dispute with the WFI, urging authorities to allow the wrestler’s comeback after motherhood and give her a fair trial opportunity.Here are the top stories from the day:NEET exams cancelled over paper leakThe National Testing Agency cancelled NEET-UG 2026 following the question paper leak through a “guess paper” circulating before the exam that closely matched actual questions. Over 22 lakh students were affected. The Centre ordered a CBI inquiry into the leak and malpractice, while NTA said the rescheduled dates for the exam would be announced within 7-10 days without fresh registration or additional fees. Read the full storyTop reasons for stock market’s crash that wiped out Rs 10.16 lakh crore investors wealthIndian stock markets tumbled sharply, wiping out over Rs 10 lakh crore in investor wealth. Rising crude oil prices, a record-low rupee, persistent foreign investor selling and uncertainty over the fragile US-Iran ceasefire hurt sentiment were the major players behind this dramatic crash. Analysts said elevated geopolitical risks, higher bond yields and global macroeconomic concerns continue to pressure equities. Read the full storyPakistan admits Iranian military aircraft at its airbasePakistan admitted that Iranian aircraft landed at its airbase during the US-Iran ceasefire period. However, it rejected US media reports suggesting any military link, and called them speculative and misleading. Islamabad said the planes were connected to diplomatic talks and logistical arrangements linked to peace efforts. The clarification followed a CBS report alleging Iranian military aircraft had landed at Rawalpindi’s Nur Khan Airbase. Read the full storyBig AIADMK twist looms ahead of TVK’s Vijay’s floor testTamil Nadu’s post-poll political drama intensified as an AIADMK faction led by SP Velumani and CV Shanmugam extended support to Vijay’s TVK government ahead of the crucial floor test. The move exposed sharp divisions within AIADMK over possible DMK backing. Vijay has also secured support from Congress, Left parties, VCK and IUML. Read the full storyOlympic medallist Sakshi Malik backs Vinesh Phogat; seeks PM’s helpSakshi Malik backed Vinesh Phogat amid her standoff with the Wrestling Federation of India over returning to competition after retirement. Criticising rules that allegedly block mothers from resuming sports careers, Sakshi urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and WFI officials to allow Vinesh a fair chance to compete and represent India again. Read the full storyAbout 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 MediaVideos’Chor Bazaar Of EC-BJP’: Rahul Hits Out After Suvendu Appoints Bengal EC Official As Chief SecretaryOpposition Slams Centre Over NEET Leak; Claims Of Mafia, Collusion And System FailureNEET-UG Cancelled, Anand Kumar Demands China-Like Crackdown On Coaching System ReformsNEET UG 2026 Cancelled After Probe Finds Major Question Matches In Leak PDFUdhayanidhi Stalin’s Fresh ‘Eradicate Sanatan Dharma’ Remark Triggers Massive BJP Backlash In TNNTA Scraps NEET UG 2026 Over ‘Guess Paper’ Leak, Re-Exam Dates To Be Announced | WatchFIR Filed Against SP MP Ajendra Singh Lodhi Over Alleged Remarks Against PM ModiCBI Takes Over Probe Into Murder Of Suvendu Adhikari’s Aide Chandranath Rath, Forms 7-Member SITAIADMK Faces Biggest Split Since Jayalalithaa Era As Rebel Faction Extends Support To Vijay’s TVKTamil Nadu CM Vijay Orders Shutdown Of 717 TASMAC Shops Near Temples, Schools And Bus Stands123PhotostoriesWhy Vidya Balan stopped wearing Sabyasachi after the Cannes 2013 controversyKaran Kundrra- Tejasswi Prakash’s dreamy love story: Becoming friends in Bigg Boss 15 to buying a house together in DubaiOTT releases this week (May 11-17, 2026): ‘Kartavya’, ‘Berlin’, ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ lead the lineup10 proven ways to sharpen your concentration and focus at workDoctors are warning about cancer’s ‘pre-diagnosis phase’ where symptoms exist but clear answers often don’tMissed Mother’s Day? 10 thoughtful ways to make your mother feel special this week5 ‘dirtiest’ spots in your kitchen you’re probably forgetting to clean, NYC doc revealsWooden vs Marble Chakla Belan: Which one is better and tips to improve their shelf lifeWhy humans once ate dirt and some still do todayHair oil or hair conditioner: Which is better to stop hair fall in summers123Hot PicksCBSE class 12 resultRaj SinghBandi Sanjay KumarPune child rape-murder caseLPG stockNEET exam cancelledModi on Gold and WFHTop TrendingTamil Nadu CMBhagwant Mann CousinIPL Points TableFifa World Cup 2026 ScheduleVijay AstrologerHimanta Biswa SarmaIPL Orange Cap 2026AIADMK splitHighway Toll DuesBhuvneshwar Kumar May 12, 2026, 18:08 IST Middle East crisis: Asia faces bunker fuel crunch amid Strait of Hormuz disruption, raises cost concerns ‘This is not a school exam’: NEET UG 2026 cancellation sets off nationwide outrage among aspirants Mouni Roy net worth: Inside the ‘Brahmastra’ star’s luxurious lifestyle, Mumbai penthouses and high end cars Why arm hair stops growing but head hair keeps getting longer | Scientists found a hidden CO2 sponge beneath the South Atlantic seafloor US government agency releases ‘Public Notice’ for everyone in America using banned drones and routers AI generated image Every morning across Indian hospitals, before the first doctor completes their rounds, nurses have already taken vitals, flagged deteriorating patients, administered overnight medications, and in many cases, made the quiet judgment calls that determine whether a patient makes it to the afternoon. They are the first responders within the ward, the last face a patient sees before surgery, and the only clinical presence most patients have through the night.Yet in the public architecture of healthcare, they are nearly invisible.India has approximately 3.4 million registered nurses, and a shortage of nearly two million, according to Indian Nursing Council data. WHO recommends a nurse-to-patient ratio of 1:5 in general wards. In most government hospitals across the country, the reality is closer to 1:15, sometimes worse. The work that falls into that gap, the monitoring, the counselling, the crisis management, the family communication, does not disappear. It is simply absorbed, silently, by whoever is standing at the bedside.That person is almost always a nurse.The role has expanded well beyond clinical care. Nurses today function as translators between medical jargon and patient comprehension, as counsellors absorbing fear and grief that formal systems have no protocol for, and as the earliest warning system in any ward. Studies consistently show that nurse-identified early warning signs are among the strongest predictors of patient outcomes, yet nursing assessments rarely carry the institutional weight of a physician’s note.On World Nurses Day, as the profession marks its global moment of recognition, the more urgent question is not one of celebration, it is one of reckoning. “In nursing we learn politics, administration, lobbying, psychology — our curriculum covers all of that. But we are a very disorganised human resource,” says Ms. Antonia Pushparaj, MBA in Hospital Management, MSc in Nursing, Apollo Spectra Hospital, Bengaluru. India, she points out, is the largest supplier of nurses on the global platform, a fact that speaks to the profession’s scale and competence, but also to a troubling paradox. The country that trains and exports nurses in the greatest numbers has not yet figured out how to adequately value them at home.More than a caregiver: The expanding, uncredited role of the modern nurseAt any given moment in a hospital ward, a nurse is doing at least four things at once.She is checking a post-operative patient’s blood pressure and mentally comparing it against the reading from two hours ago. She is fielding a question from a family member camped outside the ward doors, explaining, for the third time, why the surgery is running late and what that does and does not mean. She is watching, from the corner of her eye, a patient three beds down whose breathing has shifted in a way that has no name yet but does not feel right. And she is documenting all of it, in real time, into a system that will later be read by a physician who will make decisions based on observations they did not make themselves.None of this is what most people picture when they think of a nurse.AI generated imageThe popular image of nursing, inherited from decades of hospital dramas, is one of assistance. The nurse as support staff, executing physician orders, taking temperatures, changing dressings. Competent, certainly. But all of it carries the silent implication of a secondary role.The reality of contemporary nursing has outpaced that image entirely. As healthcare systems grow more complex and patient loads heavier, the scope of nursing work has expanded to fill gaps that no formal policy or job description fully accounts for.Nurses are now, in practice, the primary interpreters of clinical information for patients and families, translating diagnosis, prognosis, and procedure into language that frightened, non-medical people can actually absorb. They are the first to identify when a patient’s condition is turning, and the ones who must decide, often without immediate physician backup, how urgently to escalate.In psychiatric and palliative wards especially, the emotional labour is its own discipline entirely, sitting with patients in acute distress, holding space for families confronting terminal diagnoses, managing their own grief while remaining functional on a 12-hour shift.There is no billing code for any of it. There is rarely even acknowledgement.For Antonia, the profession’s central contradiction is personal.”Even if I had a daughter, I might not have allowed her to choose this profession,” she says. “I can see what nurses go through — the type of humiliation we go through.” It is a striking admission from someone who has spent her career not just in nursing, but leading it. But it is not, she is careful to clarify, a statement of regret. It is one of clear-eyed honesty about a system that has consistently failed the people holding it together.Antonia manages a large nursing workforce, and she describes the administrative complexity of that role, coordinating shifts, resolving conflicts, maintaining standards across departments, as genuinely demanding. But it is the mentoring, she says, that keeps her invested. “Guiding nurses in the modern healthcare spectrum gives me joy. It gives me an opportunity to lead and guide others.”When the world stopped, nurses did notWhen Covid-19 swept through hospitals in 2020 and 2021, it did not disrupt the healthcare system so much as it exposed it. The shortages that administrators had long flagged in internal memos became visible overnight. The emotional labour that nurses had quietly absorbed for decades suddenly had a name and along with it came the statistics of the people we lost to the disease.In wards that had been hastily converted into Covid units, nurses worked in full PPE for shifts that routinely stretched beyond twelve hours. They could not always speak to patients clearly through their masks. They could not offer the physical reassurance, a hand held, a forehead checked, that had always been an unspoken part of the job. And yet they stayed. When ventilators ran short and families were barred from entering, nurses became the only human presence for patients in their final hours. They held phones to the ears of the dying so families could say goodbye.AI generated imageThe applause that rang out from balconies across the world during those months was genuine. But it was also quite short-lasting. Within two years of the pandemic’s peak, many healthcare systems reported record nursing attrition. Burnt out, underpaid, and psychologically hollowed, nurses left in numbers that confirmed what the profession had been warning for decades, that goodwill cannot be a retention strategy. In India, the exodus accelerated an already critical shortage, pushing nurse-to-patient ratios in public hospitals to levels that patient safety experts described as dangerous.Covid did not create the crisis in nursing. It simply made it impossible to look away.The pandemic, Antonia says, forced a moment of reckoning, but not a lasting one. “Everyone took a backseat, but nurses were in the forefront. Covid truly changed the trajectory of nurses.” What it did not change, at least not enough, was the culture around them. Recognition, she argues, cannot be seasonal. “It’s not just about celebrating us during a pandemic or on May 12th, but every time a patient gets discharged.”Responsibility for that shift, she believes, is shared. “The hospital management, the nursing council, and society at large all have a role to play in changing the perception of nursing as a profession.”And yet, beneath the policy arguments and the professional frustrations, what sustains her is something quieter. Her most cherished memory as a nurse, she says, is when a mother places her newborn in her arms. “I deem that as the highest form of responsibility. It is the most therapeutic relationship.”It is, in many ways, the image that cuts through everything else, the trust that patients place in nurses not because they are required to, but because in that moment, there is no one else they would rather have.About the AuthorAadrita HalderWrites on social matters, geopolitics, and trending issues for the Times of India.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosOpposition Slams Centre Over NEET Leak; Claims Of Mafia, Collusion And System FailureNEET-UG Cancelled, Anand Kumar Demands China-Like Crackdown On Coaching System ReformsNEET UG 2026 Cancelled After Probe Finds Major Question Matches In Leak PDFUdhayanidhi Stalin’s Fresh ‘Eradicate Sanatan Dharma’ Remark Triggers Massive BJP Backlash In TNNTA Scraps NEET UG 2026 Over ‘Guess Paper’ Leak, Re-Exam Dates To Be Announced | WatchFIR Filed Against SP MP Ajendra Singh Lodhi Over Alleged Remarks Against PM ModiCBI Takes Over Probe Into Murder Of Suvendu Adhikari’s Aide Chandranath Rath, Forms 7-Member SITAIADMK Faces Biggest Split Since Jayalalithaa Era As Rebel Faction Extends Support To Vijay’s TVKTamil Nadu CM Vijay Orders Shutdown Of 717 TASMAC Shops Near Temples, Schools And Bus StandsCongress Expands Kerala CM Consultations As Satheesan-Venugopal Battle Intensifies123PhotostoriesOTT releases this week (May 11-17, 2026): ‘Kartavya’, ‘Berlin’, ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ lead the lineup10 proven ways to sharpen your concentration and focus at workDoctors are warning about cancer’s ‘pre-diagnosis phase’ where symptoms exist but clear answers often don’tMissed Mother’s Day? 10 thoughtful ways to make your mother feel special this week5 ‘dirtiest’ spots in your kitchen you’re probably forgetting to clean, NYC doc revealsWooden vs Marble Chakla Belan: Which one is better and tips to improve their shelf lifeWhy humans once ate dirt and some still do todayHair oil or hair conditioner: Which is better to stop hair fall in summersCricketer Nitish Kumar Reddy’s ₹3 crore Visakhapatnam home is a perfect picture of success, family bond and coastal calmSuccess quote of the day by Confucius: “Success depends upon…”123Hot PicksCBSE class 12 resultRaj SinghBandi Sanjay KumarPune child rape-murder caseLPG stockNEET exam cancelledModi on Gold and WFHTop TrendingTamil Nadu CMBhagwant Mann CousinIPL Points TableFifa World Cup 2026 ScheduleVijay AstrologerHimanta Biswa SarmaIPL Orange Cap 2026AIADMK splitHighway Toll DuesBhuvneshwar Kumar Stock market today (May 12, 2026): Which are top 10 gainers and losers on NSE & BSE? 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