The government has notified rules under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, with implementation set to begin from May 1, marking the operational rollout of a formal regulatory framework for the sector.

A key feature of the rules is that registration for online social games has been made voluntary. Such games can operate without prior determination or registration with the proposed regulator, the Online Gaming Authority of India (OGAI). However, the authority will have powers to step in and review any game on its own.

OGAI, which will become functional from May 1, will now have six members, with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) included as a full-time member. The validity of certificates issued to games has also been extended from five to ten years, reducing compliance frequency for operators.

The authority will be chaired by additional secretary of the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), and its members will include the joint secretaries of MHA, Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, and the Department of Legal Affairs.

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The rules allow the government to mandate registration for specific categories of social games based on factors such as addiction risk, scale of participation, financial implications and country of origin. Parameters such as the distinction between registration fees, prizes and wagers will also be used to determine the nature of games.

The framework has been refined after receiving over 2,500 stakeholder submissions. It introduces greater clarity on data retention norms, fair play requirements, cybersecurity standards, and the grounds for suspension or cancellation of registrations.

Officials said the rules aim to strike a balance between ease of doing business and user protection, while retaining regulatory oversight for high-risk segments of the online gaming ecosystem.

Notably, the key changes in the rules include removal of complex elements around the promotion on e-sports. The I&B Ministry and Sports Ministry are free to develop separate policies related to it.

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The results of the Class 10 and 12 board examinations of the UP Board 2026 will be declared at 4 p.m. on April 23, according to the official notice. As per Board Secretary Bhagwati Singh, “The results will be issued from the Board headquarters in Prayagraj at 4 p.m. and will be accessible on the official website upmsp.edu.in

Last year, the board declared the results in record time. It was announced on April 25, while this year, the announcement is scheduled two days earlier. As in previous years, the results for both Class 10 and 12 are being declared at the same time.

This year, approximately 54.37 lakh students were registered, with 27.32 lakh sitting for Class 10 and 27.05 lakh for Class 12. The examinations, which commenced on February 18, wrapped up on March 12, after which the grading process was finalised between March 18 and April 4.

#upboardpryj #UPBoardResults2026 pic.twitter.com/eqFpy3667M

— Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad, Uttar Pradesh (@upboardpryj) April 22, 2026

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UP Board Exam Results 2026: Follow this guide to check & download results

Step 1: Head to the official websites such as upmsp.edu.in, results.upmsp.edu.in, or pahachan.upmsp.edu.in.

Step 2: Select the link for “Class 10 Result 2026” or “Class 12 Result 2026″.

Step 3: Input your roll number along with any other necessary information.

Step 4: Hit the submit button.

Step 5: Your mark sheet will be displayed on the screen.

Step 6: Download it and print a copy for your records.

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UP Board Exam Results 2026: Previous year total passing percentage

The Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UPMSP) Class 10 In 2025, 2,545,815 students appeared for the exam and the overall pass percentage stood at 90.1%, with girls outperforming boys at 93.87% against 86.66%, according to the data shared.

A similar pattern was seen in 2024, when 2,749,364 candidates took the exam and the overall pass percentage came in at 89.55%. Girls again led the tally with a pass rate of 93.34%, while boys recorded 86.64%.

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Nadendla Bhaskar Rao, the former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, passed away on Wednesday morning at the age of 90.

He had been suffering from age-related ailments and breathed his last while undergoing treatment at Continental Hospitals.

Rao’s body will be kept at his residence in Jubilee Hills here for friends, relatives, fans and well-wishers to pay their last respects.

His last rites will be held on April 23 at 4 PM at the Hindu crematorium in Punjagutta.

Andhra Pradesh Governor S. Abdul Nazeer expressed ‘profound grief and sadness’ over the passing of Rao.

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Governor of Andhra Pradesh Sri S Abdul Nazeer expressed profound grief and sadness on the passing of Sri Nadendla Bhaskara Rao who served as a Minister, Member of Parliament and as 11th Chief Minister in united Andhra Pradesh for a brief period in 1984. pic.twitter.com/sgJHJhUp3O

— Lok Bhavan, Andhra Pradesh (@governorap) April 22, 2026

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy said: “I express my sorrow over the demise of Nandedla Bhaskar Rao Garu, former Chief Minister of united Andhra Pradesh. Praying to God that his soul attain peace, I convey my deepest condolences to the family members.”

ఉమ్మడి ఆంధ్ర ప్రదేశ్ మాజీ ముఖ్యమంత్రి నాదెండ్ల భాస్కరరావు గారి మరణం పట్ల విచారం వ్యక్తం చేస్తున్నాను.

ఆయన ఆత్మకు శాంతి చేకూరాలని భగవంతుడిని కోరుకుంటూ, కుటుంబ సభ్యులకు నా ప్రగాఢ సానుభూతి తెలియజేస్తున్నాను. pic.twitter.com/jz6AxQ2vqv

— Revanth Reddy (@revanth_anumula) April 22, 2026

Born on June 23, 1935, in Guntur, Bhaskara Rao completed his law degree from Osmania University and began his career as a lawyer. He entered politics and was elected MLA from Vijayawada East constituency in 1978 on a Congress ticket, going on to serve as minister in the cabinets of Marri Chenna Reddy and T. Anjaiah.

In 1982, he played a crucial role in the formation of the Telugu Desam Party under N.T. Rama Rao, and served as Finance Minister in NTR’s cabinet after TDP’s sweeping 1983 victory.

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In 1984, Bhaskara Rao served as Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh for just 31 days — from August 16 to September 16 — taking oath with Congress support while NTR was in the United States for heart surgery.

The episode, known as the ‘August Crisis’, became one of the most dramatic chapters in Telugu political history. He was the state’s 11th Chief Minister.

He later rejoined Congress, won a Lok Sabha seat from Khammam in 1998, and joined the BJP in 2019. His son Nadendla Manohar is currently active in Andhra Pradesh politics.

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