Daily
250 words
55 topics

19 August 2026

19 topics really matter today — about 24 minutes. The full edition is 55 topics and 90 questions, roughly 60 minutes.

Nothing read yet

Other days

Jump to another date

August 2026

SMTWTFS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 2728 29 30 31

Test yourself

Filter

9/10

MGNREGA employment decline

  • Transition from MGNREGA to Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (VB-G RAM G) occurred on July 1, 2026.
  • Employment generation in the first four months (April-July) of 2026-27 saw a 43% decline compared to the average of the previous two years.

1 min · 2 questions · 1 prelims · 17-day story

8/10

Census 2027 questionnaire details

  • Census 2027 population enumeration phase has commenced in Ladakh and specific snow-bound regions of Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh.
  • The Registrar-General and Census Commissioner of India notified 40 questions for the second phase, an increase from 29 questions in the 2011 Census.

1 min · 2 questions · 1 prelims · 18-day story

8/10

Positive Indigenisation List for defence

  • The Department of Defence Production (DDP) has released the sixth Positive Indigenisation List (PIL).
  • The list consists of 405 strategically important defence items.

1 min · 2 questions · 2 prelims · 6-day story

7/10

Bihar alcohol ban social impact

  • The report 'Macro Perspective of Bihar’s Development Achievements, Unfinished Agenda, and the Way Forward' (India Policy Forum 2026) suggests lifting the Bihar alcohol ban, citing revenue loss and lack of impact on crime.
  • Critique of using NCRB crime data: Reporting of violence against women is often incomplete; increases in reported crime may reflect better awareness and legal aid rather than higher incidence.

1 min · 2 questions · 1 prelims

7/10

Bangladesh-India Teesta water-sharing

  • The Teesta water-sharing agreement remains a long-pending issue in India-Bangladesh bilateral relations.
  • Bangladesh has expressed a desire to maintain friendly ties with India while emphasizing the need for New Delhi to consider Dhaka's interests regarding water sharing.

1 min · 1 questions · 0 prelims

7/10

Government push for piped natural gas

  • The Central government has announced an incentive scheme for city-gas distributors (CGDs) to promote the adoption of piped natural gas (PNG).
  • Effective from September 1, eligible CGDs will receive an additional allocation of 200 standard cubic metres (SCM) of Administered Price Mechanism (APM) natural gas for every new billed domestic-PNG connection.

1 min · 1 questions · 1 prelims · 2-day story

7/10

India's crude oil import bill surge

  • India's crude oil import bill in July reached $13.7 billion, a 41% year-on-year increase.
  • The rise in import costs is attributed to elevated global oil prices driven by geopolitical instability in West Asia.

1 min · 2 questions · 1 prelims · 10-day story

7/10

Legal issues surrounding sacrilege laws

  • Punjab's Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act criminalises sacrilege against the Guru Granth Sahib with penalties up to life imprisonment.
  • The Act defines sacrilege to include both physical desecration and expressive acts like speech, writing, or electronic communication that hurt religious feelings.

2 min · 2 questions · 2 prelims · 4-day story

7/10

Decline in corporate investment in India

  • Corporate investment as a share of GDP in India has shown a persistent decline since 2016.
  • Investment peaked in 2004 (rising from 6.5% to 10.3%) and saw a revival post-Global Financial Crisis (GFC) until 2016.

1 min · 2 questions · 1 prelims

7/10

Telangana electoral roll purge concerns

  • Telangana is currently undergoing a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
  • The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) reports 2,64,86,214 forms digitised out of 3,38,26,448 total electors (78.3% completion).

1 min · 2 questions · 1 prelims · 76-day story

7/10

Centre's pilot project for night soil service

  • The Ministry of Works and Housing has recommended a pilot project for night soil service in selected cities based on the Singapore model.
  • The recommendation follows the findings of the Sivaraman Committee on urban wastes.

1 min · 2 questions · 1 prelims

7/10

U.S. accusation of India enabling Chinese tariff evasion

  • A recent White House report identifies India among 40 countries allegedly enabling Chinese tariff evasion.
  • The allegation suggests India imports Chinese goods, performs minor modifications, and re-exports them to the U.S. to circumvent higher tariffs.

1 min · 2 questions · 1 prelims · 15-day story

7/10

BRICS opposition to EU carbon tax

  • BRICS Environment Ministers' Meeting (New Delhi) issued a joint statement opposing the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
  • BRICS nations characterized CBAM as 'unilateral, punitive, discriminatory, and protectionist'.

1 min · 2 questions · 2 prelims

7/10

SC dismissal of petition on execution methods

  • The Supreme Court dismissed a petition challenging the constitutional validity of execution by hanging as prescribed under Section 354(5) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and Section 393(5) of the Bhartiya Nagarika Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.
  • The Court observed that the petitioner failed to provide evidence of botched executions in India.

1 min · 1 questions · 1 prelims

7/10

Maharashtra Speaker's decision on Shiv Sena split

  • Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar ruled in 2024 that the faction led by Eknath Shinde constitutes the 'real' political party following a split in June 2022.
  • The Speaker maintains that the decision was made within the existing legal framework and adhered to guidelines established by the Supreme Court.

1 min · 2 questions · 1 prelims · 8-day story

7/10

NTA revamp and paper checking reforms

  • The National Testing Agency (NTA) is undergoing a structural revamp following recent examination irregularities.
  • 600 experts from the existing examination team have been removed and replaced with new personnel.

1 min · 2 questions · 1 prelims · 84-day story

7/10

PM CARES Fund financial transparency

  • PM CARES Fund was established in March 2020 as a public charitable trust to provide assistance during emergency situations.
  • Financial disclosures for FY 2023-24 and 2024-25 were released after a two-year delay.

1 min · 2 questions · 1 prelims · 2-day story

7/10

Maharashtra sugarcane workers' plight

  • Maharashtra contributes to one-third of India's sugar production, with an industry turnover of approximately ₹1 lakh crore.
  • Sugarcane cultivation in Maharashtra involves 40 lakh farmers across 14.87 lakh hectares.

1 min · 2 questions · 2 prelims · 10-day story

7/10

Supreme Court on NEET-UG paper leak protests

  • Supreme Court (SC) invoked Article 142 to facilitate the quashing of FIRs against students involved in peaceful NEET-UG protests.
  • The SC distinguished between peaceful student protesters and individuals with serious criminal antecedents (e.g., murder, rape, narcotics offences).

1 min · 2 questions · 1 prelims · 25-day story

6/10

India's GDP growth projection by Ind-Ra

  • India Ratings & Research (Ind-Ra) has projected India's GDP growth at 6.8% for the current fiscal year (FY27).
  • The growth projection represents a slowdown from the 7.6% growth recorded in the previous fiscal year.

1 min · 1 questions · 1 prelims · 3-day story

6/10

Letters to the editor on student agitation

  • Student agitations in Jharkhand and Delhi reflect nationwide concerns regarding the integrity of the education and examination ecosystem.
  • Key issues identified include frequent paper leaks, inordinate delays in declaring examination results, and allegations of corruption in job recruitment.

1 min · 2 questions · 1 prelims · 84-day story

6/10

Congress criticism of social media blocking orders

  • Reports indicate approximately 1.95 lakh social media blocking orders were issued between March and July.
  • Concerns raised regarding the automation of censorship processes and the reduction of takedown response times to three hours.

1 min · 2 questions · 1 prelims · 10-day story

6/10

ED investigation into CMRL case in Keralam

  • The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is conducting investigations into alleged financial transactions between Exalogic Solutions and Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL).
  • Recent enforcement actions included searches across eight locations in Kozhikode, Keralam.

1 min · 1 questions · 1 prelims

6/10

Delhi fire safety preparedness

  • 80% of Delhi is unplanned, with only 5% of buildings possessing Occupancy Certificates.
  • Delhi Fire Services (DFS) reports a significant capacity gap: 71 fire stations currently operational against a requirement of 120.

1 min · 2 questions · 1 prelims · 3-day story

6/10

Delhi Lakshmi Yojana implementation

  • Delhi Lakshmi Yojana provides monthly financial assistance of ₹2,500 to eligible women aged 21 to 60.
  • Official letters for beneficiaries are scheduled for issuance starting August 27, with fund disbursement beginning September 1.

1 min · 2 questions · 2 prelims · 12-day story

6/10

Delhi electoral roll revision issues

  • Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Delhi involves a verification and mapping phase for voter data.
  • As of the end of the enumeration phase, 97.5 lakh (67.2%) of voters have been digitised and verified.

1 min · 1 questions · 1 prelims · 76-day story

5/10

Tata Sons AGM adjournment

  • Tata Sons Private Ltd. held its first-ever adjourned Annual General Meeting (AGM) due to a lack of quorum.
  • Quorum requirements are governed by the Articles of Association, requiring a joint representative from Sir Dorabji Tata Trust (SDTT) and Sir Ratan Tata Trust (SRTT).

1 min · 1 questions · 1 prelims · 4-day story

5/10

Education and AI integration

  • AI is rapidly changing the nature of work, making routine tasks obsolete and requiring fewer employees for oversight.
  • Impact on Indian industry: AI is transforming sectors like generic drugs and biosimilars through automated molecule screening, robotics, and machine vision.

1 min · 2 questions · 1 prelims

5/10

Trump's threat to bomb Oman

  • The U.S. has threatened to bomb Oman, a long-standing regional ally, citing frustration over the lack of a diplomatic breakthrough with Iran.
  • The ongoing conflict, which began on February 28, has led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran.

1 min · 1 questions · 1 prelims · 54-day story

5/10

Maharashtra homeopaths' registration dispute

  • The Maharashtra government has suspended the registration of Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP) for homeopathic practitioners.
  • The suspension of registration is an interim measure pending a final verdict from the Bombay High Court.

1 min · 1 questions · 1 prelims

5/10

RJD protest march against paper leaks

  • Recurring instances of question paper leaks in academic and recruitment examinations have raised concerns regarding the integrity of the educational assessment system.
  • Allegations of excessive use of force by law enforcement agencies during student protests have prompted demands for administrative accountability and transparency.

1 min · 2 questions · 0 prelims · 25-day story

5/10

Odisha flood relief package

  • Odisha government announced a ₹1,000-crore relief package for flood-affected areas.
  • Six districts affected: Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, and Kendrapara.

1 min · 2 questions · 1 prelims · 8-day story

5/10

West Bengal Assembly LoP appointment dispute

  • The Calcutta High Court Division Bench declined to interfere with the Speaker's decision to appoint a specific member as the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly.
  • The court directed that the incumbent LoP shall continue in the post until the Single Bench adjudicates on the pending petition challenging the appointment.

1 min · 1 questions · 1 prelims

5/10

Haryana political criticism of Central government

  • Allegations regarding the centralisation of major development projects and event hosting opportunities in specific states.
  • Concerns raised regarding the perceived lack of advocacy by state-level governments for their respective state's interests in federal resource allocation.

1 min · 2 questions · 0 prelims

4/10

Helicase enzyme function

  • Helicase is an enzyme responsible for unwinding double-stranded DNA to facilitate genetic replication.
  • The process requires energy derived from ATP to break bonds between DNA bases.

1 min · 1 questions · 2 prelims

4/10

U.S. sanctions on ICC officials

  • The United States has imposed sanctions on International Criminal Court (ICC) President Tomoko Akane (Japan) and Senior Trial Lawyer Abdoulaye Seye (Senegal).
  • The U.S. government justifies these sanctions based on the allegation that the ICC is a 'politicised' body.

1 min · 1 questions · 1 prelims · 3-day story

4/10

UAE accusation of Iranian missile fire

  • The UAE Defence Ministry reported the detection of two ballistic missiles launched from Iran toward its territory.
  • The first missile landed outside UAE territorial waters, while the second landed within them.

1 min · 1 questions · 1 prelims

4/10

Wipro acquisition of Dermatouch

  • Wipro Consumer Care & Lighting acquired a 60% stake in Ahmedabad-based skincare brand Dermatouch.
  • The acquisition was made at an enterprise valuation (EV) of ₹387.5 crore.

1 min · 1 questions · 1 prelims

4/10

Milky Mist IPO listing

  • Milky Mist Dairy Food, an Erode-based company, successfully completed an Initial Public Offering (IPO) raising ₹1,533 crore.
  • The IPO price band was set between ₹133 and ₹140 per share.

1 min · 1 questions · 1 prelims · 2-day story

4/10

Volkswagen India localisation strategy

  • Volkswagen Group India operates six brands: Škoda, Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, Bentley, and Lamborghini.
  • Strategic focus is on increasing product portfolio expansion and enhancing localisation within the Indian market.

1 min · 2 questions · 1 prelims

4/10

BSE stock decline

  • BSE Ltd. shares experienced a decline for five consecutive trading sessions.
  • The stock closed at ₹3,308 per share, representing a 0.7% decline in the most recent session.

1 min · 1 questions · 1 prelims

4/10

Meta trial over impact on youth

  • A coalition of 29 U.S. states has initiated a federal trial against Meta Platforms regarding the impact of Facebook and Instagram on youth mental health.
  • The core allegations include designing platforms to be addictive to children and teens, misleading consumers about safety, and improper collection of children's personal data.

1 min · 2 questions · 1 prelims · 3-day story

4/10

Kargil War quiz

  • Operation Safed Sagar was the code name for the Indian Air Force's operations during the Kargil War.
  • The Kargil War involved the Indian Army's efforts to clear the Kargil sector of infiltrators.

1 min · 1 questions · 2 prelims

4/10

Exhibition of Indian art in Bombay

  • The Exhibition of Old Indian Paintings and Textiles was held at the Town Hall in Bombay.
  • The event was organized by the newly formed society for the encouragement of Indian art in Bombay.

1 min · 1 questions · 1 prelims

4/10

Goa nightclub fire bail cancellation

  • The Bombay High Court cancelled the bail granted to the owners and a business partner of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Goa.
  • The order was passed by a single Bench of Justice Dr. Neela Gokhale.

1 min · 1 questions · 1 prelims

4/10

Taittiriya Upanishad convocation address

  • The Shikshavalli chapter of the Taittiriya Upanishad contains the convocation address from a guru to a sishya.
  • The text prescribes four entities to be treated as God: Mother (Matru), Father (Pitru), Teacher (Acharya), and Guest (Atithi).

1 min · 1 questions · 1 prelims

4/10

H1N1 influenza outbreak status

  • H1N1 (swine flu) is a subtype of influenza A virus causing respiratory illness.
  • Symptoms include fever, chills, cough, sore throat, headache, fatigue, and muscle aches; severe cases may involve vomiting and diarrhoea.

1 min · 2 questions · 1 prelims · 5-day story

4/10

SIT report on Ram Temple embezzlement case

  • A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted to probe allegations of embezzlement concerning the Ram Temple Trust.
  • Reports indicate the SIT has provided a clean chit to the former general secretary of the Temple Trust.

1 min · 2 questions · 1 prelims · 28-day story

4/10

Donald Trump's remarks on Indian CEC

  • The U.S. legislative debate surrounding the 'SAVE America Act' focuses on implementing stricter voter identification requirements and restricting mail-in voting.
  • Proponents of the proposed U.S. legislation cite the Indian electoral model, specifically the use of mandatory photo identification for voters, as a benchmark for ensuring electoral integrity.

1 min · 2 questions · 1 prelims · 3-day story

4/10

Karnataka-Tamil Nadu row over poacher killing

  • Incident: Killing of three suspected poachers and injury of one person by forest staff at Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary, Hanur, Chamarajanagar district, Karnataka on August 15.
  • Karnataka government position: Forest staff fired in self-defense after suspects refused to surrender and attacked officials.

1 min · 2 questions · 1 prelims · 4-day story

4/10

Rape and death of patient in Panipat hospital

  • A 57-year-old female heart patient was raped by a CT scan operator at the Civil Hospital in Panipat, Haryana, on August 16.
  • The victim, who was terminally ill, died two days later at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences in Rohtak.

1 min · 2 questions · 0 prelims

4/10

Acquittal of CPI (Maoist) leader in VHP murder case

  • D. Keshava Rao, a leader of the CPI (Maoist), was acquitted by a local court in Odisha’s Gajapati district regarding the 2008 murder of VHP leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati.
  • The accused had spent 15 years in prison prior to his acquittal.

1 min · 2 questions · 1 prelims

4/10

Delhi ACB arrest of Satyendar Jain

  • Delhi Anti Corruption Branch (ACB) arrested former Water Minister and former Delhi Jal Board (DJB) CEO regarding irregularities in sewage treatment plant (STP) tenders.
  • The case involves alleged manipulation of technical specifications to favor a specific private entity, limiting competition.

1 min · 2 questions · 1 prelims · 7-day story

4/10

Jharkhand recruitment exam cancellations

  • The Jharkhand government cancelled the JSSC-CGL examination and all other recruitment tests conducted by TSR Data Processing Private Limited (TDPL) since 2014.
  • The decision follows a 24-day protest by students alleging irregularities in the examination process.

1 min · 2 questions · 1 prelims · 84-day story

4/10

AAP MLA Kuldeep Kumar arrest and protest

  • A habeas corpus petition was filed in the Delhi High Court regarding the detention of a legislator by police.
  • Habeas corpus is a constitutional remedy used to challenge the legality of a person's detention by state authorities.

1 min · 2 questions · 1 prelims · 25-day story

250words.in · https://250words.in/daily/2026-08-19