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The United Kingdom and Uttar Pradesh have signed an agreement to send five students every year on fully funded Chevening scholarships to the UK. The announcement was made in Lucknow on Tuesday during British High Commissioner to India Lindy Cameron’s meeting with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.Chevening is the UK Government’s international scholarship programme, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office along with partner organisations. Applicants must hold an undergraduate degree, apply to three eligible master’s courses in the UK, and secure an unconditional offer from at least one. The scholarship covers tuition, living expenses, travel, and other costs for the selected students.Five students to benefit every yearUnder the agreement, five students from Uttar Pradesh will be selected each year for the next three years to pursue higher education in the UK. The Chevening programme covers tuition fees, a monthly stipend, travel costs, visa fees, and other allowances.“It’s wonderful to be here in Lucknow today to sign with the Chief Minister the agreement on the new Chevening scholarships which we’re announcing together between the United Kingdom and Uttar Pradesh. This will give the opportunity for five students every year for the next three years to go to the UK on a fully funded scholarship which is part of the fantastic and growing relationship between the United Kingdom and India,” Cameron said. — ANI (@ANI) She also linked the scholarship to broader ties between the two countries. “With the recent signing of both the trade agreement and Vision 35, the vision for the new relationship between the UK and India recently signed by our two prime ministers during PM Modi’s visit to the UK. So it’s great to be here talking about education and talking about the fantastic opportunities for business that the FTA will also allow us to explore here between the UK and India,” Cameron added.This is the first time Uttar Pradesh has directly partnered with the UK under the Chevening scheme, creating new opportunities for students from the state to pursue higher education abroad.(With inputs from ANI)

After Reliance Jio's scrapping of its basic 28-day plan, all eyes are on Airtel and Vodafone Idea as to whether or not they follow suit.Jio announced the discontinuation of its entry-level plan (1 GB/day, Rs 249, 28 days) with effect from August 18. Following the rejig, the basic 28-day plan subscribers of Jio will have to level up to the next best choice -- Rs 299, 1.5 GB per day, 28 days.Jio's site now has only 1.5 GB/day and higher data packs, with no lower-data options. The latest move will effectively leave customers with no choice but to buy higher-priced packs. Its 2GB/day, 28-day pack is available at Rs 349.It may be noted here that Airtel's vice chairman Gopal Vittal had last month called for further "tariff repair" for a sustainable return on capital employed.The last time there was a similar rejig by one telco, the rivals were quick to introduce plan changes of their own.Compared to Jio's new prepaid entry price, Vodafone Idea's entry-level 28-day pack (1 GB/day) currently comes at Rs 299. Its 1.5 GB/day plan comes at Rs 349. Its 2GB/day plan for 28 days comes at Rs 408.As for Airtel, its entry-level plan (1GB/day, 28 days) comes at Rs 299, while its 1.5 GB/day plan for 28 days comes at Rs 349.India telecom battleOver the past some months, Airtel has rolled out a slew of prepaid and postpaid offers to woo customers as the race against Mukesh Ambani's Jio tightens in a difficult telecom market.Mittal and Ambani's telecom battle has intensified further in 2025 even as both Airtel and Jio have cornered more and more market share at the expense debt-laden Vodafone Idea. The two frontrunners now account for the bulk of India’s wireless market.TRAI data shows Jio adding 1.9 million net wireless subscribers in June 2025, keeping its top place in Indian telecom. Airtel gained 763,482 subscribers, while Vodafone Idea (Vi) lost 217,816 users.Bharti Airtel's revenue market share (RMS) touched a record around 40% in FY25. In FY25, Airtel's revenue rose 17.9% year-on-year to Rs 1.25 lakh crore with an EBITDA of Rs 57,909 crore, helping the company clock a lifetime-high revenue market share.According to the company's last annual report (released in July), its robust revenue growth was supported by an "improved portfolio mix, continued premiumisation and tariff repair across our mobile pricing plans."The second-largest telecom operator had added 24 million net 4G/5G customers in FY25 even as its ARPU (average revenue per user), a key performance metric, increased by Rs 36 to Rs 245 during the period. The day after Jio made the announcement of scrapping the basic plan, shares of Reliance Industries were up significantly (by over 2.5% around mid-day).