Babus, mantris & buzz: Is Rahul Gandhi not taking interest in Bihar?
Is Rahul Gandhi not taking interest in Bihar?
Rahul Gandhi is reportedly showing no interest in Bihar for the past month. He left for abroad after the Working Committee meeting in Patna on September 24. He skipped the Central Election Committee meeting convened for Bihar. He also did not meet with key allies RJD leaders Lalu Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav. And the INDIA alliance could not take decision on seat sharing till the last moment. Experts said that Rahul has ultimately realised the ground realities that the Congress is not in the race and now the party is trying to increase its vote percentage.
Bihar Elections: Grand Alliance partners contesting against each other
In Bihar, due to the dispute the RJD, Congress and Left parties are contesting against each other. CPI has fielded candidates in Rosera, Rajapakar, and Bihar Sharif constituencies, against Congress. In Rajgir, the CPI(ML) has given ticket to a candidate against the Congress nominee. In the Bachhwara seat of Begusarai Congress has fielded a candidate against the CPI’s nominee.The RJD has also put up its candidates against Congress in Vaishali and Lalganj constituencies. The Indian Inclusive Party (IIP) has filed nominations from Saharsa and Jamalpur constituencies. The RJD has given space to the IIP as the seventh partner in the Grand Alliance, which the party reportedly refused to accept.Jharkhand Mukti Morcha is also not happy with Mahagathbandhan and decided to field its candidates separately.
BUREAUCRACY
Exodus of IRS officers is worrisome!
India’s civil service appears to be overstretched and losing experienced and senior officers make the situation even worse. The condition is more pathetic in the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) cadre. As per government data, as many as 853 officers of the IRS cadre have taken voluntary retirement in last decade. Analysing year-wise data, twenty IRS (Income Tax) Group A officers took VR in 2014, 19 in 2015, 14 in 2016, 15 in 2017, 35 in 2018, 31 in 2019, 23 in 2020, 53 in 2021, 58 in 2022, 58 in 2023 and 57 in 2024. Also, 24 IRS (Customs and Indirect Taxes) Group A officers took VR in 2014, 30 in 2015, 40 in 2016, 30 in 2017, 45 in 2018, 61 in 2019, 32 in 2020, 30 in 2021, 49 in 2022, 56 in 2023 and 73 in 2024. If this trend continues, who will keep the machinery of governance running?.
Will Kotak Mahindra Bank acquire IDBI Bank?
Kotak Mahindra Bank is advancing discussions to potentially acquire IDBI Bank, marking a major development in the Indian banking sector. After a period of relative silence in the bidding process, Kotak has re-emerged as a strong contender alongside international players such as Emirates NBD, Fairfax Financial, and Oaktree Capital. The government, which currently holds a 45.48% stake in IDBI Bank while LIC controls 49.24%, is looking to divest a controlling 60.72% stake, valued between $8-10 billion. Kotak’s active engagement in the process, including final rounds of due diligence, signals serious intent, especially as final bids are expected within the next quarter and a decision by the financial year’s end is likely.
The acquisition would not only provide Kotak with a significant expansion of its banking footprint but also reshape the competitive landscape among Indian lenders, given the scale and strategic value of IDBI Bank. The deal is anticipated to be one of the largest in India’s banking history and would grant the winner considerable influence over IDBI’s operations, subject to regulatory limitations on voting rights.
Promotion of IAS in UP and Punjab !
Predictions indicate a “promotion wave” for 2015-2020 batch IAS in UP and Punjab by November 2025, filling 20% cadre gaps amid retirements (e.g., 21 IAS retirements in September 2025 nationwide.
Bureaucratic reshuffle post-Onam 2026 likely in Kerala
Andhra is the “bright spot” for IAS talent production (highest per capita in India, per DoPT data).There are whispers of cadre fatigue in Kerala due to unresolved transfer litigations, predicting a mass IPS reshuffle post-Onam 2026 to address promotion backlogs
Direct Tax Collections Update
Net direct tax mop-up rose 6.3% to ₹11.89 lakh crore (as of September 30, 2025), driven by personal income tax; refunds dipped 16% due to stricter checks. ITR filing for AY 2025-26 closed September 16 with 7.5 crore returns, despite portal issues.
GST Reforms (GST 3.0) Whispers
Speculation of “GST 3.0” rollout in 2026, including stricter ITC validation and CTO discretion on invalid credits, potentially adding penalties back to 2017. Predictions of higher evasion probes post-Diwali, with freebies (e.g., Ladli Behan, Bihar schemes) funding via expanded tax nets. Trend: Shift to AI-driven audits reducing human bias but increasing disputes.
CVO tenure extended
The tenure of Rajesh Chandra, CVO, Defence Accounts, has been extended for a period of two years beyond December 11, 2025. He is an IDAS officer.
CeNS, Bengaluru seeks Director
Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bengaluru, has advertised the post of Director. Applications can be sent to gcchair@cens.res.in.
SAI seeks Jr Estimator & Quantity Surveyor
Sports Authority of India (SAI) has invited applications for the post of Junior Estimator and Quantity Surveyor on contract basis. Online applications can be submitted latest by November 1, 2025.
RLDA advertises Chief Project Manager, Patna post
Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) has advertised the post of
Chief Project Manager for Patna on deputation basis. . Applications must reach latest by November 6, 2025.
DPCC invites third phase of applications for various posts
Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has invited third phase of
applications for various posts on deputation basis. These posts include Senior Environmental Engineer, Environmental Engineer, Senior Scientist L-I, Assistant Environmental Engineer, Scientist-B, System \Analyst and Programmer on deputation basis. Applications must reach latest by October 31, 2025.
RVNL advertises AGM/ JGM-Civil posts for Agra and Delhi
Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) has invited applications from IRSE/
Civil Engineering officers for the post of Additional General Manager/
Joint General Manager-Civil. The vacancies are for Yavatmal, Nagpur
and Nanded. Applications can be sent to rvnl.deputation@rvnl.org.
ACEO post in GeM advertised
Post of Additional Chief Executive Officer (ACEO) in Government
eMarketplace (GeM) on deputation basis has been advertised.Applications must reach latest by November 12, 2025.
42 candidates selected for 51 Asstt Director of Ops, DGCA posts
As many as 42 candidates have been recommended by Union Public Service
Commission (UPSC) for 51 posts of Assistant Director of Operations in
Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Civil Aviation. The interviews were held in September 2025.
Degree of Doctor of Science conferred upon R K Tyagi, CMD, POWERGRID
Ravindra Kumar Tyagi, Chairman & Managing Director, Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID), a Maharatna CPSU under Ministry of Power, Govt. of India, has been conferred the degree of Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) by Punjab Engineering College (deemed to be University), Chandigarh, in recognition of his outstanding contributions in the growth of Power Sector in India including contributions in the field of Electrical Engineering, Science & Technology. The honorary doctorate was bestowed upon R. K. Tyagi by Gulab Chand Kataria, Hon’ble Governor of Punjab and Administrator, UT Chandigarh, during the 55th Convocation Ceremony of the institution held at Chandigarh. Tyagi has pioneered 1200 kV systems, environment friendly transformers, AI-based asset management and process-based substations. He has represented India in several international committees and chaired multiple technical bodies such as Electrotechnical division, BIS and CIGRE study groups, which has contributed to the development of international technical standards in power sector. He has also authored multiple high impact papers for reputed national and international journals. He is a recipient of numerous awards, such as CBIP Individual Award 2025, PSU Leadership Award 2025, ET Energy Leadership Award, International Electrotechnical Commission 1906 Award and International Council on Large Electric System Paris Award. Tyagi is an Electrical Engineer from Punjab Engineering College (PEC), Chandigarh and has completed M. (Tech) in Energy Studies from IIT Delhi. He is a “Fulbright Scholar” from Carnegie Mellon University, USA. During his 35 years of industry rich experience in Power Sector, he held various key positions in leading power CPSUs. He has handled multi-disciplinary works in various business areas of POWERGRID, such as, Asset Management, Engineering, Business Development (domestic and overseas), Telecom, Load Despatch & Communication, NTAMC, DMS etc.
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