Hybrid, not home: IT cos’ quiet shift back to office

Bengaluru: One size doesn’t fit all in the return-to-office push. Work-from-home, once the defining perk of the pandemic era, is quietly being phased out across India’s IT sector as companies tighten hybrid work norms and make in-office presence the new default.TCS has mandated five days of office attendance and linking compliance to variable pay and…

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To cut traffic load, targeted ‘congestion pricing’ mooted

New Delhi: Targeted ‘congestion pricing’ in dense business districts, combined with demand-based parking management, can reduce traffic volume, raise speeds and cut emissions, as seen internationally, according to Economic Survey 2025-26. It has highlighted how such steps have helped authorities in Singapore and London address congestion.Though efforts have been made since 2009 to propose charging…

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Budget 2026 for agriculture: The opportunity to strengthen India’s crop protection backbone

The intent around the proposed Pesticides Management Bill, 2025 marks a significant move as it aims to align India’s regulatory framework with contemporary realities. (AI image) By Susheel KumarIndian agriculture stands at an important inflection point. On the one hand, the country speaks with confidence of becoming a global food powerhouse, a trusted supplier to…

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Microsoft stock plunges 12.3%, drags Wall Street lower-here’s what driving the fall

Microsoft led a pullback on Wall Street on Thursday, with US stocks retreating from record levels after the tech heavyweight logged its steepest single-day fall in years, weighing on broader market sentiment. While gold prices also reversed sharply after a blistering run, reflecting a broader cooling of risk appetite across global markets.Microsoft sank 12.3% despite…

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Tariff war, AI bubble: Crisis worse than 2008 looming? Economic Survey explains what India should do

India’s strongest macroeconomic performance in decades has collided with a global system that no longer rewards macroeconomic success. (AI image) Economic Survey 2025-26: India stands tall in the global economic order – as the world’s fastest growing major economy that is exhibiting resilience in the face of global economic turmoil and Donald Trump’s tariff threat….

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Union Budget 2026: Teachers, technology and the true cost of school education reform

Union Budget 2026 is being pitched around growth, skills and competitiveness, but school education still gets judged by access—more classrooms, more enrolment. Education leaders argue the real test now is outcomes. Shiv Nadar School CEO Arti Dawar says sustained investment in teacher development, modern pedagogy, industry exposure and equitable tech access is essential to turn…

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