Govt defers implementation order of restrictions on imports of laptops, computers till October 31
New Delhi (PTI): The government on Friday deferred the implementation of the import restriction order on laptops and computers (including tablet computers) by about three months till October 31, a move that gives more time to electronic companies to import these devices without a licence.
Now, these companies would need to take a licence from the government to import these devices from November 1.
On August 3, the government put the import of these devices under a licence regime with immediate effect. Subsequently, industry raised issues with the government on the notification.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), in an order issued late on Friday, said the notification dated August 3 (Thursday) shall be effective from November 1.
"Import consignments can be cleared till October 31, 2023 without a licence for restricted imports. For clearance of import consignments with effect from November 1, 2023, a valid licence for restricted imports is required," it said.
It added that a "liberal transitional arrangement is provided for import of laptops, tablets, all-in-one personal computers, ultra-small form factor computers and servers ... till October 31, 2023".
The move will offer a breather to the companies that have been on tenterhooks following Thursday's order.
The restrictions were imposed for security reasons and the need to promote domestic manufacturing. The move will also curtail in-bound shipments of these goods from countries like China and Korea.
The import curbs will allow the Centre to keep a close watch on the locations from where the products are coming, officials said.
The decision will also spur domestic manufacturing at a time when India has identified electronics manufacturing as a key priority area for its future growth ambitions and is hoping to attract investments from global biggies looking to diversify their operations outside China.
Under the PLI 2.0 (production-linked incentive scheme) IT hardware scheme, 44 companies have already been registered and two companies have filed their applications on the scheme portal by July 31. The companies can submit applications till August 30.
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NEET student hangs self in Rajasthan's Sikar
Jaipur (PTI): A student preparing for the NEET examination allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in a rented room in Rajasthan's Sikar on Friday, police said.
According to the police, the student allegedly hanged himself from a ceiling fan using his sister's scarf while one sister was attending coaching classes and the other was in the bathroom.
He had appeared in the NEET UG exam 2026, which was cancelled due to paper leak, they said.
Udyog Nagar SHO Rajesh Kumar said that the deceased, identified as Pradeep Meghwal, was a resident of Kanika ki Dhani village in Jhunjhunu's Gudha Gaudji area.
He had been living in a rented room in Sikar's Jaldhari Nagar area with his two sisters while preparing for NEET over the last three years.
His elder sister later found him hanging and informed the landlord and police after bringing him down, officials said.
The SHO said the body was kept at SK Hospital mortuary, and a postmortem had not been conducted.
The student's father, Rajesh Kumar Meghwal, told police that Pradeep's NEET examination had gone well and the family was expecting him to score around 650 marks.
Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot expressed grief over the incident and linked it to anxiety among students after reports of irregularities and paper leaks in NEET 2026.
Pilot said repeated paper leak incidents and cancellation of examinations were affecting students' mental health and demanded a time-bound investigation and strict action against those responsible.
