22 July 2026

34 topics worth reading, 58 questions. Ordered by what they are worth in the exam, not by where they ran in the paper.

Conservation threats to the rare white-bellied heron in Northeast India

• White-bellied heron (Ardea insignis) status: Rare, elusive bird reaching up to four feet in height, inhabiting Himalayan river systems up to 1,500 metres above sea level.
• Legal protection: Listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, granting it the highest level of legal protection in India.

2 questions · 2 mcqs

Escalation of U.S.-Iran conflict and its impact on global crude oil markets and Indian economy

• Renewed conflict between the U.S. and Iran following the collapse of an interim deal in early July has led to air strikes, tanker attacks, and missile/drone strikes across West Asia.
• Iran targeted U.S.-allied countries including Jordan, Bahrain, and Kuwait, where critical energy and desalination infrastructure was struck.

2 questions · 2 mcqs

Impact of global conflicts on India's FTA negotiations

• Global conflicts are causing delays in India's Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with three key partners: Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Israel, and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).
• The affected negotiations involve countries accounting for approximately $243 billion in annual trade, representing about 20% of India's total global trade.

2 questions · 2 mcqs

Judges Inquiry Act proceedings against former High Court judge Yashwant Varma

• Constitutional provision on judicial resignation: 13 constitutional functionaries in India possess the power to 'resign at will' by writing under their hand to a specified constitutional authority, without requiring acceptance by any external authority.
• Offices with power to resign at will (no acceptance required): President, Vice-President, Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha, Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha, Judges of the Supreme Court, Judges of High Courts, Governors, Speaker and Deputy Speaker of State Legislative Assemblies, Chairman and Deputy Chairman of State Legislative Councils, and Members of Public Service Commissions.

2 questions · 2 mcqs

India-U.K. Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)

• The India-U.K. Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) entered into force on July 15, aligned with the broader India-U.K. Vision 2035 framework.
• Bilateral Trade Target: India and the U.K. aim to double bilateral trade to over $100 billion by 2030.

2 questions · 3 mcqs

Supreme Court ruling on electoral roll revision and welfare benefits linkage

• Supreme Court reiterated that exclusion from electoral rolls cannot result in non-electoral consequences or serve as a determinant of citizenship status.
• Judicial Precedent: The Supreme Court previously ruled in the Bihar Special Intensive Revision (SIR) case that SIR outcomes are strictly meant for determining voting rights and barred authorities from using them for any other purpose.

2 questions · 1 mcqs

Editorial on changing family structures and youth perspectives based on UNFPA survey

• UNFPA Demographic Futures Survey: Released on World Population Day (July 11), surveying over 1,08,000 young adults across 73 countries to study perspectives on family structure and barriers to family formation.
• India's Theme for World Population Day: Set by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare as 'Healthy Timing and Spacing of Pregnancies' (HTSP).

2 questions · 2 mcqs

Editorial on building an Atmanirbhar philanthropy ecosystem in India

• Domestic private philanthropy in India exceeds ‣1.18 lakh crore annually, which is over five times the total foreign inflows (Bain–Dasra India Philanthropy Report 2026).
• Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) channels over ‣40,000 crore per year into social development.

2 questions · 2 mcqs

Supreme Court hearing on Shiv Sena (UBT) plea against Lok Sabha MPs merger

• The Supreme Court agreed to urgently hear a challenge against the Lok Sabha Speaker's recognition of a unilateral merger of six out of nine MPs into a rival political faction.
• The core legal debate centers on whether a valid 'merger' under anti-defection laws requires the merger of the original political party itself, or whether a faction of the legislative party can merge unilaterally.

2 questions · 1 mcqs

Passage of the Uniform Civil Code Bill in Madhya Pradesh Assembly

• The Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly passed the Madhya Pradesh Uniform Civil Code 2026 Bill by voice vote during its Monsoon Session.
• The Bill criminalises polygamy and nikah halala within the State.

2 questions · 1 mcqs

Establishment and statutory powers of the National Road Safety Board

• India recorded a peak of 1,77,175 road fatalities in 2024 according to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways' 'Road Accidents in India' report.
• The Central Government constituted the National Road Safety Board on June 29 under Section 215B of the Motor Vehicles Act as a statutory advisory body to advise Union and State governments on road safety.

1 questions · 2 mcqs

Release of updated Index of Core Industries (ICI) series

• Base Year Revision: The Union Government updated the base year of the Index of Core Industries (ICI) from 2011-12 to 2022-23 to align it with national accounts (GDP/GVA), inflation, and the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).
• Expansion of Sectors: The number of core sectors covered under the ICI increased from eight to nine with the addition of iron ore, added due to its intensive use in industrial production.

1 questions · 2 mcqs

AISHE report highlights decline in higher education undergraduate enrolments

• According to the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) report for 2023-24 released by the Ministry of Education, undergraduate (UG) enrolments in India declined for the first time since AISHE began in 2011.
• Total higher education enrolments increased by 3.7 lakh (0.8%) in 2023-24, representing the lowest-ever annual increase, while UG enrolments—which constitute over 75% of total enrolments—fell by 93,000 (0.27%).

2 questions · 2 mcqs

UN Climate Chief on India's clean energy transition and decarbonisation

• India's primary response to energy transition challenges relies on decarbonisation and electrification, backed by public and private finance.
• Energy transition challenges span a spectrum ranging from technical hurdles like power grids and energy storage to climate finance constraints.

2 questions · 2 mcqs

Omar Abdullah's campaign for J&K Statehood restoration

• Supreme Court Directive: The Supreme Court directed the Central Government to restore Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir at the earliest.
• 2024 Assembly Resolution: The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly passed a resolution in 2024 seeking the return of special status with constitutional guarantees.

2 questions · 1 mcqs

Supreme Court order on government supervision of Kerala Waqf Board

• The Supreme Court modified a Kerala High Court interim order that had placed the Kerala State Waqf Board under the administrative supervision of a State government official (Joint/Additional Secretary).
• The High Court interim order had barred the Board from performing major functions, making policy decisions, incurring capital expenditure, or exercising judicial functions without court permission.

2 questions · 1 mcqs

Outbound portability of Rajasthan's Mukhyamantri Ayushman Arogya Yojana

• Outbound portability under Rajasthan's Mukhyamantri Ayushman Arogya (MAA) Yojana allows beneficiaries to receive free, cashless medical treatment in other States.
• Integration with Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) enables access to 16,000 government and 14,000 private empanelled hospitals across India.

1 questions · 2 mcqs

Supreme Court notice on appeal process for Assam NRC excluded persons

• The Supreme Court issued notice to the Centre, Assam government, and the office of the NRC State Coordinator on a petition regarding the appeal process for individuals excluded from the Assam National Register of Citizens (NRC).
• The petition was filed by the Assam State Jamiat Ulama before a Supreme Court Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice Vipul M. Pancholi.

2 questions · 2 mcqs

UN FAO report on hunger shift to Africa

• According to a UN report, Africa has for the first time surpassed Asia as the continent with the largest population facing hunger.
• An official from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) stated that the centre of gravity of hunger has shifted from Asia to Africa.

2 questions · 1 mcqs

Political representation and marginalisation of Dalits in Punjab

• Punjab has the highest Scheduled Caste (SC) population percentage in India, accounting for approximately 32% of the total state population.
• Despite forming nearly one-third of the population, SCs in Punjab remain politically marginalized, having produced only one Dalit Chief Minister (in 2021 for a brief tenure) since 1977.

2 questions · 2 mcqs

Study on health impacts of heat stress in South India

• Study launched by M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) in partnership with Tamil Nadu and Karnataka State governments, IISc Bengaluru, SCARF, ICMR-NITM (Belagavi), and ICMR-NIE (Chennai) to evaluate the physical and mental health impacts of heat stress in South India.
• Selected study sites: Perungudi (Chennai) and Poompuhar (Mayiladuthurai) in Tamil Nadu; Sirwar (Raichur) and Chalakarre (Chitradurga) in Karnataka, covering 1,200 households per site.

2 questions · 1 mcqs

Punjab farmers' march against proposed India-U.S. trade agreement

• Farmers under the banner of 'Desh Bachao Morcha', an umbrella body of farmer unions from multiple states, organized protests against the proposed India-U.S. trade deal at the Shambhu (Ambala) and Khanauri (Jind) border points.
• Farmer organizations expressed concerns that the proposed India-U.S. trade agreement spans across critical sectors, including agriculture, dairy, industry, digital trade, services, intellectual property rights, energy, investment, and market access.

2 questions · 1 mcqs

Allahabad High Court split verdict on bulldozer demolitions

• A Division Bench of the Allahabad High Court delivered a split verdict in a petition seeking protection against anticipated administrative 'bulldozer action' (demolition of residential and commercial properties).
• The core judicial question contemplated by the Bench was whether a High Court can prescribe additional safeguards against demolition beyond those already laid down by the Supreme Court of India.

2 questions · 1 mcqs

Deaths of Indian seafarers in overseas maritime conflict zones

• Fatalities in Ukraine Maritime Conflict Zone: Four Indian seafarers, including Chief Officer Akhil Joyan, were killed in a missile strike on the Guinea-Bissau-flagged cargo vessel MV Golden Leo near Odessa port, Ukraine, which left ten people dead in total.
• Casualties in the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman: Multiple Indian seafarers (including personnel on MT Settebello and MV GFX Galaxy) were killed in attacks in waters off Oman and the Strait of Hormuz.

2 questions · 2 mcqs

Protests over NEET paper leak and Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) agitation

• Constitutional Scope of Peaceful Assembly & Police Force: Under Article 19(1)(b) of the Indian Constitution, citizens have the right to assemble peacefully without arms, subject to reasonable restrictions under Article 19(3) on grounds of public order and sovereignty. Standard judicial guidelines (e.g., Ramlila Maidan Incident case) dictate that any police action or force used during public demonstrations must be lawful, necessary, and strictly proportionate.
• Inter-State Jurisdictional Limits on Preventive Action: State police forces cannot unlawfully restrict a citizen's fundamental right to move freely throughout the territory of India under Article 19(1)(d) to prevent participation in a demonstration outside their territorial jurisdiction. Prohibitory orders issued under local laws (such as Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita - BNSS) apply strictly within the enforcing authority's administrative jurisdiction.

3 questions · 2 mcqs

Teesta VI Hydroelectric Project tunnel gas leak tragedy

• At least 20 workers were killed and five trapped inside an under-construction head race tunnel at Samardung in Namchi district, Sikkim, following a toxic gas leak.
• The incident occurred at the Teesta State-VI Hydroelectric Project, which is under the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC).

1 questions · 2 mcqs

Delhi government digitisation drive for Lal Dora property records

• Lal Dora refers to a demarcation ('red line') drawn by the British in 1908 around rural settlements to simplify revenue collection and allow villagers to construct structures in abadi (habitation) zones without adhering to building norms.
• The Delhi government is digitising property records in Lal Dora villages to establish authenticated digital records and issue smart property cards to residents.

1 questions · 1 mcqs

French Parliament approval of social media ban for under-15s

• The French Parliament has approved a bill banning social media access for children under 15 years of age.
• France is the first European nation to pass legislation barring children from social media applications like TikTok.

1 questions · 1 mcqs

Forest diversion and tree felling for coal mining project in Angul, Odisha

• As many as 3,31,818 trees face felling for a coal mining project proposed by Rungta Sons Private Ltd in Angul district, Odisha.
• The project involves the diversion of 754.039 hectares of forest land for non-forestry purposes.

1 questions · 1 mcqs

High Court petition challenging Rajya Sabha election nomination rejection in MP

• Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan filed an election petition in the Madhya Pradesh High Court challenging the rejection of her nomination papers in the Rajya Sabha elections.
• The Returning Officer (RO) rejected her nomination on the ground that she had concealed information regarding a pending court case.

2 questions · 1 mcqs

Presentation schedule for Tamil Nadu Assembly Budget 2026-27

• The Annual Financial Statement (Budget) of a State is laid before the State Legislature under Article 202 of the Indian Constitution.
• The Business Advisory Committee (BAC) in the Legislative Assembly decides the allocation of time for government business and determines the session schedule.

1 questions · 1 mcqs

Recusal of Supreme Court judge in Surendra Gadling bail plea

• Supreme Court judge Justice Shree Chandrashekhar recused himself from hearing the bail plea of activist Surendra Gadling in the 2016 Surjagarh iron ore mine arson case.
• This marks the third recusal by a Supreme Court judge in connection with the matter within a period of one year.

1 questions · 1 mcqs

Supreme Court acquittal in 1996 Samleti bus blast case

• The Supreme Court set aside the conviction and death sentence awarded to Abdul Hameed in the 1996 Samleti bus bomb blast case.
• The decision came nearly three decades after his arrest and almost 12 years after he was awarded the death sentence.

1 questions · 1 mcqs

Kerala High Court ruling on body terminology in POCSO cases

• The Kerala High Court held that the distinction between 'chest' and 'breast' is irrelevant in a sexual assault offence under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.
• The observation was made by Justice A. Badharudeen while modifying the sentence of an individual accused of assaulting a 12-year-old boy in Kozhikode.

1 questions · 1 mcqs