Official releases, distilled into exam-ready intelligence.

The National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL), under the Quality Council of India, launched India’s first Accreditation Scheme for Mobile Food Testing Laboratories at the ‘Gunvatta Samanvaya – A Multilateral MoU Exchange Ceremony’ in New Delhi. The scheme creates a framework for mobile labs to deliver reliable, internationally‑benchmark‑ed food testing services nearer to communities, aiming to strengthen food‑safety surveillance, improve access to quality testing, enable quicker regulatory action and boost consumer confidence. The event also featured a multilateral MoU exchange to foster regulatory convergence, coordinated assessments and a more integrated quality infrastructure.

The Union Agriculture Minister launched the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) for agriculture students at ICAR‑IARI, Pusa. More than 6,000 students received a total of ₹21.35 crore through Direct Benefit Transfer, with scholarships now paid monthly to ensure timely, hassle‑free assistance. The Minister highlighted the need for practical training, technology integration, and innovation in agricultural education, linking it to food security, nutrition and farmers’ income priorities. He also urged students to participate in plantation drives on Hariyali Amavasya, connecting agricultural learning with environmental responsibility.

The Department of Health Research‑Indian Council of Medical Research (DHR‑ICMR) will organise the second edition of S.H.I.N.E. (Science, Health and Innovation for NextGen Explorers) on 11–12 August 2026. The two‑day programme will be hosted at 83 ICMR institutes, Model Rural Health Research Units and affiliated field units, inviting around 30,000 school students (Grades 9‑12) from government and private schools to engage in laboratory tours, research exhibitions, poster walks and direct interactions with scientists. The initiative is presented as a response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for students to “spend one day as a scientist” and aligns with the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision to nurture scientific temper among youth.

The Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, will host the PSB Confluence on 17‑18 August 2026 in New Delhi. The two‑day conclave will bring together about 125 senior leaders from Public Sector Banks and Public Financial Institutions such as NABARD, EXIM Bank, SIDBI, NHB, IIFCL, IFCI and NaBFID, along with officials from the Indian Banks Association and DFS. Union Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman and MoS Finance Shri Pankaj Chaudhary will address the event. Six thematic tracks – Deposit Mobilisation, Banking for Youth, Investment Cycle, Global Capability Centres, Agriculture & Horticulture Value‑Chain Infrastructure, Credit‑Card Business, and Priority‑Sector Lending – will be discussed to generate actionable, people‑centric outcomes for inclusive economic development.

The Ministry of Commerce & Industry marked the 10th anniversary of the Government e‑Marketplace (GeM) on 9 August 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Minister Piyush Goyal highlighted five priorities for the next decade: expanding last‑mile access via Suvidha Kendras, deeper use of artificial intelligence for price intelligence and marketplace integrity, integration of states, public enterprises, panchayats and cooperatives, greater focus on credit and sustainability through GeM Sahay and TReDS linkages, and university outreach. GeM now hosts over 25 lakh sellers and 1.37 lakh buyer organisations, facilitating cumulative procurement of more than ₹20 lakh crore through 3.78 crore orders. The platform has 12.28 lakh MSEs (45.6 % of GMV) and 2.24 lakh women‑led MSEs, and has launched a custom ‘My Stamp’ and a nationwide help‑desk short code 14550.

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), via NCVET, DGT and under PMKVY 4.0, has launched AI‑based training programmes. 116 NSQF‑aligned qualifications covering AI domains such as Generative AI, LLMs, Prompt Engineering, Robotics and AI Ethics are in place. Under PMKVY 4.0, 53,449 candidates were trained/oriented and 25,466 certified in AI‑related job roles as of 30 June 2026. The DGT introduced the Artificial Intelligence Programming Assistant course and a 240‑hour Generative AI course for ITI trainees, revising the Employability Skills curriculum to include AI and Green Skills. The SOAR initiative offers 50 AI‑focused NSQF courses online, with 496,426 learners enrolled and 98,576 certified by 22 July 2026.

APEDA facilitated the first‑ever export of 1 Metric Tonne of mustard honey by the Dergang Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO) from Tripura to Dubai. The shipment creates a new international market for local beekeepers, is expected to improve price realisation and income for associated farmers, and showcases the role of FPO‑led aggregation and export‑oriented production. The initiative was supported by Salt Range Foods Pvt. Ltd. and highlighted by Tripura’s Agriculture Minister as a step towards expanding the state’s agri‑export ecosystem and organic agriculture outreach.

Dr. Srinivasa Kumar Tummala, an eminent oceanographer with over three decades of experience in remote sensing, satellite oceanography, coastal hazard mitigation and disaster management, has assumed charge as Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES). He succeeds Dr. N. Kalaiselvi (additional charge) and follows Dr. M. Ravichandran (full‑time). The appointment is positioned as a strategic transition as India scales up its Deep Ocean Mission, enhances climate‑modelling capabilities and fortifies multi‑hazard early‑warning infrastructure to protect coastal communities and advance the Blue Economy agenda. Dr. Tummala’s prior roles include heading UNESCO‑IOC’s ICG/IOTWMS Secretariat, directing INCOIS, and managing the establishment of India’s Tsunami Early Warning System.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met India’s Commonwealth Games medalists, noting that the nation’s sporting success depends on cultivating a sports culture beyond infrastructure. He said athletes’ medals inspire school‑children more than any verbal encouragement and highlighted the role of the Khelo India Scheme and the Sports Authority of India in nurturing talent. The Prime Minister recalled regular interactions with sportspersons during his tenure, praised their emotional journeys, and affirmed that Indian athletes now command respect and even fear on the international stage. He also referred to recent upgrades of sports facilities in Varanasi and Bhopal.

UPSC has issued Advertisement No. 10/2026 for direct recruitment to various posts in the Government of India. The detailed advertisement and candidate instructions are available on the UPSC website (https://upsc.gov.in). Applications can be submitted online via the UPSC Online Recruitment Application portal (https://upsconline.nic.in/ora/) from 8 August 2026 to 28 August 2026 for most posts, and until 4 September 2026 for posts under the administration of the UT of Ladakh. Candidates are advised to follow the instructions provided in the advertisement.

On 8 August 2026, the Ali Yavar Jung National Institute of Speech and Hearing Disabilities (Divyangjan) in Mumbai held its first Alumni Meet, bringing together 122 alumni from across India. Director Dr Suman Kumar welcomed the gathering, emphasized alumni contributions in clinical services, research and entrepreneurship, and urged alumni to support the institute through mentoring, research, internships and other initiatives. The meeting introduced a proposed AYJ Alumni Association with Mr Avichal Ambulkar as President and other members named for key offices. The event was described as the start of a renewed partnership under the theme “Connecting Generations – Lifelong Impact.”

The Ministry of Culture released data on the proceeds earned by the Government from e‑auctions of mementos and gifts presented to the Prime Minister. The amounts received were Rs 3.1 crore (2021), Rs 3.6 crore (2022), Rs 15.8 crore (2023), Rs 14.4 crore (2023), Rs 11.16 crore (2024), Rs 2.24 crore (2024) and Rs 1.89 crore (2025). Auctions were conducted each year from 17 September to early/mid‑October, with the latest five years spanning 2021‑2025. The release notes that before 2019 no such auctions were organized by the National Gallery of Modern Arts (NGMA). The figures were provided by Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in a Lok Sabha reply.

The Prime Minister interacted with India’s Commonwealth Games (CWG) champions, congratulating them on multiple medal wins and acknowledging the role of the ‘Khelo India’ scheme in their training. The athletes recounted personal challenges, injuries and family issues faced over the past four years, and highlighted support received from the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the scheme. The PM emphasized that their achievements inspire future generations, reinforce a sports culture in the country, and enhance India’s international reputation. The dialogue also touched on the athletes’ training locations (Varanasi, Bhopal, Ujjain) and expressed gratitude for the continued backing of sports initiatives.

The Ministry of Minority Affairs has outlined three key schemes for the socio‑economic empowerment of hill‑based minority communities. 1) Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) merges five earlier livelihood programmes to deliver skilling, women‑leadership, education and infrastructure support, converging where needed with the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram. 2) Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK) is a centrally‑sponsored scheme that builds community infrastructure in minority‑concentration areas across health, education, skill development, women‑centric projects, water‑sanitation, sports and renewable energy. 3) The National Minorities Development & Finance Corporation (NMDFC) offers concessional credit: Credit Line‑1 for families earning up to ₹3 lakh and Credit Line‑2 for up to ₹8 lakh, implemented through State Channelising Agencies such as West Bengal Minorities Development & Finance Corporation. The details were furnished by Union Minister Shri Kiren Rijiju in a Rajya Sabha reply.

India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy reports that as of 31 July 2026 the country’s installed non‑fossil fuel power capacity reached 300.50 GW, surpassing the 300 GW milestone and accounting for over 54 % of the total generation capacity of about 552 GW. The capacity mix comprises 164.59 GW solar, 58.14 GW wind, 57.24 GW hydro, 11.75 GW bio‑power and 8.78 GW nuclear. In FY 2025‑26 a record 55.29 GW of non‑fossil capacity was added, driven mainly by 44.6 GW solar and 6 GW wind. Domestic manufacturing under the Production Linked Incentive scheme has pushed approved solar PV module capacity to 200 GW, up from 2.3 GW in 2014.

The Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) is the Government’s flagship digital platform for lodging and tracking public service grievances. Since its launch in 2014, the system has expanded to connect all Central Ministries, Departments, State Governments and Union Territories, and now integrates with over 5 lakh Common Service Centres and a mobile app. Annual grievances rose from 3.01 lakh in 2014 to about 27 lakh in 2024, while the number of Grievance Redressal Officers grew from 10,232 to over 1.11 lakh by 2025. Average disposal time fell from 157 days (2014) to 15 days (2025) and further to 14 days in 2026. Recent enhancements include AI‑driven routing, a voice‑chatbot ‘Samadhan Didi’ (launched May 2026), and the upcoming NextGen CPGRAMS with advanced analytics and multilingual support.

The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs reports that under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY‑U) and its upgraded version PMAY‑U 2.0, over 1.25 crore houses have been sanctioned and more than 1 crore houses have been completed and delivered to beneficiaries nationwide. In the 8th meeting of the Central Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee (held on 6 August 2026), 2.09 lakh houses were sanctioned for EWS families across 16 states/UTs, including 1.42 lakh under the Beneficiary‑Led Construction (BLC) vertical, 67,045 under Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP), and allocations for Interest Subsidy Scheme (ISS) and Affordable Rental Housing (ARH). Women received 2.03 lakh of the sanctioned houses, senior citizens 16,662, and significant numbers were earmarked for SC, ST and OBC beneficiaries, reflecting the scheme’s focus on social inclusion and women’s empowerment.

The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has released approximately Rs 3.79 crore under the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism to 33 State Biodiversity Boards, Union Territory Biodiversity Councils, the ICAR‑National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources and, via the Haryana SBB, the Hisar Bovine Sperm Station. The funds cover a range of agrobiodiversity – tomato, chilli, brinjal, cauliflower, watermelon, various gourds, okra, mustard and Sahiwal cattle semen – and were sourced from companies such as Bayer Science and Innovation, HM Clause India, Advanta Enterprises and the Department of Animal Production & Health, Sri Lanka. Disbursements were allocated proportionately based on cultivation‑area data and are earmarked for updating People’s Biodiversity Registers, in‑situ and ex‑situ conservation, Biodiversity Heritage Sites, capacity‑building of Biodiversity Management Committees and community socio‑economic development, reinforcing India’s commitments under the Biological Diversity Act, the Nagoya Protocol and the Kunming‑Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Union Minister of State for Science & Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, said India will be an essential player in the next industrial revolution driven by biotechnology and artificial intelligence. He highlighted that India is among the few countries with a dedicated Biotechnology policy (BiOE3), and also cited the National Quantum Mission and AI Mission as key initiatives. The Minister noted that India’s space economy has grown to about USD 9 billion and is projected to reach USD 40‑45 billion in the next eight to nine years. He also mentioned the removal of roughly 2,000 obsolete laws and the opening of sectors such as space and nuclear to private participation, underscoring an enabling policy environment for emerging technologies.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, hosted India’s Commonwealth Games 2026 medal‑winning athletes at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, interacted with them and listened to their experiences. He stated that their achievements are a source of immense pride for the nation and will inspire many youngsters to take up sports. The Prime Minister also shared the event on X, reiterating that the athletes’ exceptional performances will motivate the youth.