Afternoon Briefing: NEET Toppers Reduced to 61 After Re-exam; Kamala Harris Emerges as Top Choice to Replace Biden; and More

Officials reported on Monday that none of the 813 students who retook the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) on June 23 scored full marks. This has brought down the number of toppers from 67 to 61. The National Testing Agency (NTA) released the retest results late Sunday night. The re-exam was held for 1,563 students who had previously received grace marks due to time lost during their May 5 exam. Out of these, 813 students participated in the re-exam, which took place at seven centers in Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, and Meghalaya. The purpose of the retest was to give these students a fair chance to show their abilities without the earlier disruptions. The number of NEET-UG toppers has now decreased to 61 after the re-exam.

In other news, a clash between NDA and INDIA is expected in Parliament today, with the NEET row and the Agnipath scheme being key points of focus.

Joe Biden’s recent debate performance has put both him and the Democratic Party in a tough spot, with growing calls for his resignation. With elections just three months away, the Democrats are losing support from both donors and voters, worsened by Biden’s poor debate showing. A recent poll indicates that Vice President Kamala Harris is the leading candidate to replace Biden if he decides to step down from his reelection campaign. Biden’s shaky debate performance has sparked discussions among some Democrats about the need to replace him on the ballot before November. This concern highlights the urgency within the party as the election date approaches. The debates have increased fears that Biden’s continued candidacy could harm the Democrats’ chances, leading to serious talks about finding an alternative candidate to strengthen their position.

In entertainment news, singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya has openly discussed the humiliations he faced early in his career. In an interview with Pinkvilla, he revealed how music directors often ignored him, especially when they got a Shah Rukh Khan film. Despite having close relationships with these directors, he was not given a chance to sing. Abhijeet recalled winning an award for “Yes Boss,” yet still facing rejections from music directors who told him they wouldn’t choose him for their tracks. He admitted to being “a victim of industry politics,” saying, “It has happened a lot with me. When music directors got a Shah Rukh Khan film, they wouldn’t give me a chance to sing, no matter how close I was to them.” This pattern of being overlooked, despite his talent and success, was a recurring issue in his career.

In sports, the 137th edition of the Wimbledon Championships is set to begin on Monday at the All England Club in London. Carlos Alcaraz, fresh off his French Open win, returns to defend his men’s singles title against strong competitors like Jannik Sinner and the legendary Novak Djokovic, who is aiming for his eighth Wimbledon title. In the women’s singles, Marketa Vondrousova hopes to continue her surprising success after becoming last year’s unexpected champion. WTA world no. 1 Iga Swiatek faces tough competition from Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, and the promising Coco Gauff, promising exciting matches throughout the tournament.