In the Vana Parva of the Mahabharata, a yaksha tests Yudhishthira with questions. One of them asks which path to follow. In the Ganguli translation, Yudhishthira answers: “Argument leads to no certain conclusion, the Srutis are different from one another.” No sage’s opinion is accepted by all. “The truth about religion and duty is hid in caves: therefore, that alone is the path along which the great have trod.”
Let Scripture Be the Authority
Tasmach chhastram pramanam te karyakarya-vyavasthitau. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna tells Arjuna: “Therefore, let the scriptures be your authority in determining what should be done and what should not be done.” This is verse 16.24, in the translation by Swami Mukundananda.
Senior Advocate
Under the Advocates Act of 1961, a lawyer may be designated a senior advocate on account of “ability, standing at the Bar or special knowledge or experience in law.”
In 2017, in a case brought by the senior advocate Indira Jaising, the Supreme Court introduced a 100-point system for these designations. In 2025 a bench of three judges scrapped it. The system, the court said, “has not achieved the desired objectives.”
Not a Title
In December 1995, in Balaji Raghavan v. Union of India, the Supreme Court ruled on the Bharat Ratna and the Padma awards. “The National Awards do not amount to ‘titles’ within the meaning of Article 18(1),” it held. All the same, “they should not be used as suffixes or prefixes.”
Endorsed by Doctors
The Indian Medical Association received 1.56 crore rupees for endorsing products of PepsiCo, among them Tropicana juice and Quaker Oats. In November 2010 the Medical Council of India declared the endorsements illegal.
In June 2013 the council’s ethics committee found four doctors guilty. A new board of the council later overturned the decision.
Toppers in the Ads
In December 2024 India’s Central Consumer Protection Authority fined three coaching institutes for misleading claims about the civil services exam. Vajirao & Reddy Institute had claimed “617 selections out of 933.” StudyIQ IAS had claimed “120+ selections.” Each of the two was fined 7 lakh rupees.
In 2025 the authority fined Vision IAS 11 lakh rupees. It had claimed “7 in Top 10 and 79 in Top 100 selections in CSE 2023.” By then the authority had fined 28 coaching institutes.
After the Name
The Indian Medical Council regulations of 2002 on professional conduct set out what a doctor may write after his name. Physicians may display “only recognized medical degrees or such certificates/diplomas,” and “memberships/honours which confer professional knowledge or recognizes any exemplary qualification/achievements.”
Matrimony for IIT and IIM Graduates
In January 2015 the Deccan Chronicle reported on matrimonial websites open only to alumni of premier institutes such as the IITs and IIMs. Some asked for certificates before they activated a profile.
Matrimony.com launched IIMIITMatrimony.com, “an exclusive service for finding a life partner who has graduated from premier institutes.” Murugavel Janakiraman, the founder of Matrimony.com, said that “education definitely is a key selection criteria when it comes to finding a life partner.”
The Vocabulary of Family Standing
Khaandaan. Lineage, clan, house, family. The Rekhta dictionary defines it in Hindi as vansh, kul, gharana, kutumb.
Khaandaani. Of noble descent or of a good family, of a renowned family, of rank.
Rekhta also defines khaandaani as shariif gharaane ka fard, a member of a noble household.
Attested by a Gazetted Officer
Indians applying to government offices often needed copies of their mark sheets, birth certificates and other papers attested by a gazetted officer, a senior government official. An affidavit was the alternative.
In July 2014 the central government asked states and union territories to accept self-attested copies instead where possible. The change was to come in phases. Attestation stayed where a law requires it.