Your PEEK Into The Day: 5 Stories That Deserve The Front Page

The Fact: The CBSE’s revised mandate introducing a third language in the middle of the academic session for the current Class 9 has triggered concern among students and parents. Under the new directive declared in a May 15 circular, several students may be compelled to drop foreign languages that they studied for three years and opt instead for an Indian native language. With board examinations just two years away, the sudden policy shift is being viewed as an added academic burden. Calling the move arbitrary and disruptive, a group of parents and students has approached the Supreme Court challenging the mandate. The Chief Justice of India has now transferred the petition to an appropriate bench, with the matter expected to be listed for hearing next week.

The Context: Initially, in an April 9 notification, the CBSE had stated that the three-language policy under the National Education Policy (NEP) would not apply to current Class 9 students until the 2029–30 academic session. This meant that only students entering Class 6 this year would be required to study the three languages. However, the May 15 order has caused a sharp reversal. Under the revised directive, current Class 9 students will also fall under the ambit of the three-language formula. The students will have to study three languages — R1, R2, and R3 — with at least two being native Indian languages. As a result, students who had opted for foreign languages such as French or German from Class 6 onwards may now be forced to discontinue them. Since English is treated as the medium of instruction in most CBSE schools, it would qualify as a non-native language. For many students, the shift means abandoning a foreign language they have studied for the past three years and beginning an entirely new language from scratch, in the middle of their academic session. While the CBSE has stated that no board examination will be conducted for the third language to reduce academic pressure, the subject’s marks will still be reflected on students’ CBSE certificates.

The Peek Insight: The CBSE’s decision looks deeply ill-timed. Introducing a new language midway through an academic session is both abrupt and ad hoc. Beyond the immediate academic burden, this move will also reshape school timetables by potentially reducing recreational and co-curricular periods such as sports, music, and library sessions to accommodate additional language classes. The directive has also raised concerns over its impact on teachers. Many foreign language instructors now face uncertainty over their roles. At the same time, schools may be forced to rely on inexperienced faculty to teach native languages until proper pedagogical resources are put in place. For several critics in southern states, the move is what they describe as “backdoor Hindi imposition.” Under the three-language framework, if a student opts for Tamil or Kannada as one native language, Hindi could effectively become the default second Indian language. This entire controversy adds to a growing list of concerns surrounding India’s education system. From the NEET paper leak row to allegations of inconsistencies in Class 12 board evaluations, this directive further dents the credibility of the Indian education system.

The Fact: A day after US President Donald Trump said that negotiations were proceeding nicely with Iran, the United States launched what it described as "self-defence" strikes in southern Iran. The attack targeted several missile launch sites and boats laying mines near Bandar Abbas, which is close to the Strait of Hormuz. Tim Hawkins, spokesman for the US Central Command, said that these strikes were conducted to defend the US troops. Later, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said that it had downed a US drone and fired at a fighter jet. But the timing of these attacks was not specified. Iran too reiterated the same response, that the Islamic Republic had the "legitimate and definite" right to retaliate.

The Context: These fresh attacks come days after a clash between Iran and US naval destroyers in the crucial Strait of Hormuz. Last week, Trump had stated that the two sides were close to a deal. Although he did instruct the negotiators to "not rush into" one. Marco Rubio, who is currently in India, had said that an agreement between the two sides could be reached on Monday. The agreement likely involved a 60-day extension of the ceasefire, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and discussions regarding Iran's uranium enrichment plans. This could also involve the requirement of several Muslim countries, including Iran, to join the Abraham Accords. The accords are agreements with the US that are signed to promote cooperation among countries in West Asia and North Africa. But now, after these fresh attacks, the status of the negotiations remains unknown. Earlier this month, Iran issued a stark warning that it may enrich its uranium to 90% weapons-grade purity if it faces any further military action from either the US or Israel. On the other hand, both Trump and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier said that the war would not be over until Iran's uranium stockpile is destroyed or removed.

The Peek Insight: These strikes are significant because of the contradiction they expose in America’s approach toward Iran. This war, too, began in the same way. Just when mediation efforts by Oman seemed to have brought the United States and Iran close to a diplomatic conclusion. And that has sown a distrust between the two nations. So, even though both sides are negotiating on paper, militarily, the talks could collapse at any moment. At the same time, the significance of the Strait of Hormuz makes the war between the two countries a global conflict. The tension has severely affected global fuel prices, inflation, shipping costs, and supply chains, including in India. The other major concern is the cycle of “retaliatory legitimacy.” Each side presents escalation as defensive, even as the region inches closer to a wider war. Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu have both publicly stated that the conflict cannot end until Iran’s nuclear capability is dismantled. Meanwhile, for Iran, backing down under military pressure risks appearing strategically weak. Which means the real fear now is not necessarily an immediate all-out war, but a prolonged state of controlled instability.

The Fact: An investigation by The Indian Express has revealed major gaps in Delhi’s dust pollution control infrastructure despite road dust being identified as the single largest contributor of pollution in the capital. The report reveals that Delhi currently has only 95 Mechanical Road Sweeping Machines (MRSMs). This is after the Centre has estimated a requirement of at least 505 such machines for effective dust management. The Prime Minister’s Office had also recommended that Delhi deploy over 1,000 additional machines for comprehensive dust control coverage. The investigation also found that even the limited number of machines available is not being fully utilised, as well as unequal deployment patterns. This comes as Delhi’s AQI has remained above 300 in several areas during peak summer.

The Context: Delhi’s pollution debate has historically been dominated by winter smog, stubble burning, and firecrackers. But environmental experts have repeatedly pointed out that road dust remains one of Delhi’s most persistent and under-addressed pollution sources. And unlike other pollutants, it is rather easier to fix this problem. It can be mitigated through regular mechanised sweeping, vacuuming, water sprinkling, and other methods. Still, there has been a continuous failure on the part of the Delhi government. According to studies by bodies such as the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology and Centre for Science and Environment, road dust contributes significantly to PM10 and PM2.5 pollution levels in Delhi.

The Peek Insight: Indian Express investigation exposes how Delhi’s pollution crisis is an administrative failure, which is conveniently hidden behind weather and seasonal outrage. Every winter, Delhi’s pollution becomes a national spectacle because the smog is visible. But the moment visibility improves, public urgency disappears too. But this investigation shows how millions continue inhaling toxic air year-round. And that is the hypocrisy at the heart of Delhi’s pollution politics. The unequal deployment pattern makes the issue even more uncomfortable. VIP zones receive disproportionately higher dust-control coverage while working-class neighbourhoods remain neglected. This reflects urban inequality. In other words, cleaner air becomes a privilege determined by geography and political visibility. This investigation shows how Delhi’s pollution problem is not unsolvable. It is technically manageable. But the lack of political seriousness has been forcing people of the national capital to live in gas chambers all year round.

The Fact: Rape-convict and Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim walked out of the Rohtak Sunaria's prison for a 30-day parole. This will be his 16th parole since 2020. The last time he was out was in January for a 40-day parole. He was also released for 30-days last year in January, just a week before the Delhi elections. During his time out, he mostly remains at his Dera ashram in UP's Baghpat; other times, he has stayed in Sirsa. This time he will stay at the latter. He is not allowed to gather his followers, but he can address them virtually.

The Context: In August 2017, Ram Rahim was convicted by a Panchkula court after he was found guilty on rape charges. Apart from a 20-year imprisonment, Ram Rahim was also ordered to pay a fine of Rs 15 lakh each to the two victims. But in almost 9 years that he has been in jail, he has been released on parole or furlough for more than 400 days overall. This includes the 40-day parole he got to celebrate his birthday on August 5, 2025. While parole is granted for a specific or urgent reason like death, illness, or any other event, a furlough is a scheduled break to reduce the monotony of a long-term sentence.

The Peek Insight: The repeated paroles granted to Ram Rahim Singh pose a deeply uncomfortable question: Does influence effectively change what a prison sentence means? What also makes Ram Rahim’s case controversial is the timing and frequency of these releases. Several of his paroles have coincided with politically sensitive periods, including elections where the Dera Sacha Sauda is believed to hold significant influence among voters. There is also a bitter irony here. In India, thousands of undertrial prisoners spend years behind bars without timely hearings or bail. When political prisoners like Umar Khalid are incarcerated in jail for six years without a trial convicting them of their crimes, equality before the law tends to lose its meaning.

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