Official releases, distilled into exam-ready intelligence.

The 393rd report of the Department‑related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture, chaired by Shri Sanjay Kumar Jha, was presented on 12 August 2026. Titled “From Manuscript to Mission: Preserving, Mapping and Sustaining India’s Cultural Heritage in the Age of Artificial Intelligence”, the report proposes a series of measures – from expanding digitisation standards and creating a citizen‑driven ‘Akshar Mitra’ platform, to releasing open‑access manuscript data, building an open index of persons/places/works, extracting astronomical and weather observations, and integrating cultural layers into the PM Gati Shakti Master Plan. It also recommends a guardianship framework for at‑risk manuscripts and collaboration with the Ministry of AYUSH for pharmacopoeial linkages.

The Ministry of Cooperation has rolled out a suite of digital initiatives to modernise the cooperative sector under the ‘Sahkar Se Samriddhi’ vision. A centrally‑sponsored Computerisation of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) project, now funded at ₹2,925.39 crore, has onboarded 63,686 PACS onto an ERP‑based national software, recording over 51.58 crore digital transactions by 15 July 2026. The ePACS platform offers 22 ERP modules, Aadhaar‑linked services, cloud‑based storage, maker‑checker controls and multilingual support in 20 languages. Parallelly, the National Cooperative Database (NCD) now lists about 8.6 lakh cooperatives across 30 sectors, with a upgraded NCD 3.0 portal and GeoTag mobile app launched 6 July 2026. Additional reforms include computerisation of Registrar offices, a Cooperative Ranking Framework, and RBI‑approved relaxations for urban and rural cooperative banks, all aimed at enhancing transparency, governance and service delivery.

The Ministry of Education clarified that recruitment for faculty in Central Higher Education Institutions (CHEIs), including Central Universities, is autonomous and governed by each institution’s Acts, with vacancies filled by their respective Boards or Executive Committees. State university vacancies are managed by state governments and are not centrally recorded. The Ministry highlighted continuous vacancy creation due to retirements, promotions, and expansion, and noted measures such as year‑round advertisements, search‑cum‑selection procedures, and the UGC’s CU‑CHAYAN portal to enhance transparency. Mission‑mode recruitment drives were undertaken in 2021, 2022 and 2025, resulting in 32,114 posts (18,757 faculty) filled up to 23 May 2026.

The Ministry of Education, responding to a Rajya Sabha question, clarified that under the Samagra Shiksha and PM SHRI schemes, recruitment of Special Educators is a State/UT responsibility, with deployment at block or cluster level in an itinerant mode. The Department has notified a Pupil‑Teacher Ratio of one Special Educator per 10 CwSN at primary level and one per 15 CwSN at upper‑primary level (Notification S.O. 4586(E), 21‑09‑2022). According to UDISE+ 2025‑26, 1.17 lakh schools have a dedicated Special Educator, with a total enrolment of 2.21 million CwSN across India. State‑wise data on enrolment and schools with Special Educators is provided in the annexure. Capacity‑building measures include NISHTHA‑based online modules, handbooks by NCERT/CBSE, and two dedicated credits on Inclusive Education in the ITEP programme.

The Ministry of Education, referencing NEP 2020, has pursued a Digital University platform to broaden learner‑centric, technology‑enabled education. In October 2025, NIELIT (MeitY) launched the NIELIT Digital University (NDU) Platform, which now serves learners in over 750 districts, has recorded more than 2.70 lakh registrations and offers over 100 skill‑based courses in areas such as AI, cybersecurity and Industry 4.0. The associated Alumni‑cum‑Placement Portal has attracted over 35,000 learners and 190 recruiters. Under the National Mission on Education through ICT (NMEICT), the SWAYAM Plus platform provides over 500 employability‑focused courses curated with 80+ industry partners across 15 sectors, enrolling more than 6 lakh learners. The information was supplied by Minister of State for Education Dr Sukanta Majumdar in a Rajya Sabha reply.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) facilitated the selection of three Sanchar Mitra volunteers – Ankit Kumar Pal (Delhi), Manish Kumar Mandal (Bengaluru) and Susmita Sain (Guwahati) – as Generation Connect Youth Envoys (GCYE) for the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for the 2026‑2030 period. The appointment, announced on International Youth Day 2026, recognises their contributions under the Sanchar Mitra scheme, which engages youth in telecom‑related awareness, digital safety and inclusion activities. The GCYE programme offers young participants a platform to contribute to national, regional and global ICT, digital transformation and inclusive development discussions, aligning with DoT’s goal of empowering youth in the digital future.

The Government of India will launch a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)‑based Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) in the Union Territories of Chandigarh and Dadra & Nagar Haveli on 14 August 2026. The rollout, announced by the Ministry of Company Affairs, will transfer food‑subsidy benefits directly into beneficiaries’ CBDC wallets as programmable Digital Rupee tokens, replacing conventional bank transfers. The scheme aims to provide a transparent, end‑to‑end traceable payment mechanism, reduce leakages and cash handling, promote financial inclusion, and serve as a proof‑of‑concept for wider adoption across other states and UTs.

The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) launched e‑Inspection and e‑Certified Copy Services, inaugurated by President Justice Anupinder Singh Grewal via video‑conference. The services aim to give advocates, litigants and other stakeholders quicker, convenient access to judicial records and certified copies as part of the Tribunal’s broader digital transformation, which includes a revamped website and the e‑Courts 2.0 initiative. The Tribunal also highlighted data‑driven case‑management measures that have reduced pendency, leading to the approval of 78 resolution plans in April‑June 2026—the highest first‑quarter performance since the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code’s enactment—covering roughly ₹5,517.66 crore. Detailed guidelines for case registration and listing have been issued in consultation with the Bar.

On World Elephant Day 2026, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Bhupender Yadav reaffirmed India’s commitment to elephant conservation, citing that the country has 33 Elephant Reserves across 14 States and 150 scientifically validated elephant corridors. He highlighted advanced population monitoring and stronger measures to mitigate human‑elephant conflict, stating that securing elephants secures forests, biodiversity and ecological heritage. Union MoS Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh noted that nearly 60 % of the world’s wild Asian elephants reside in India, underscoring their role as ecosystem engineers and symbols of ecological heritage.

The Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) reports that the FAME India Scheme Phase‑II (2019‑2024) with a budget of ₹11,500 crore has supported the sale of about 16.72 lakh electric vehicles (e‑2Ws, e‑3Ws, e‑4Ws) and deployment of 5,299 e‑buses as of 31 July 2026, alongside allocation of ₹912.50 crore for 9,583 public charging stations (EV PCS). The PM E‑DRIVE scheme (₹10,900 crore) targets 28.30 lakh EVs and has earmarked ₹4,391 crore for 14,028 e‑buses and ₹2,000 crore for nationwide EV PCS. Additional incentives include a reduced GST of 5% on EVs and chargers, green licence plates, and road‑tax waivers. By 7 August 2026, 67,657 EV chargers (including 1,139 battery‑swapping stations) were installed across states and UTs.

The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), through Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, has developed 72 improved crop varieties using radiation‑induced mutagenesis and cross‑breeding. These varieties – including 17 groundnut, 10 rice, 9 each mungbean and mustard, and others – have been released for commercial cultivation in partnership with ICAR and State Agricultural Universities, offering traits such as higher yield, early maturity and climate‑resilience (drought, heat, salinity tolerance). DAE promotes adoption via large‑scale seed production, collaborations with state seed corporations, KVKs, FPOs and NGOs, and outreach programmes. It also transfers radiation‑based food preservation technologies to private entrepreneurs and supports food‑irradiation units under the PMKSY scheme, with three facilities operational in Uttar Pradesh.

On World Elephant Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted that India harbours more than 60 % of the world’s wild Asian elephants. He noted that the country currently has 33 Elephant Reserves that provide habitats and support long‑term conservation of the species. The Prime Minister also praised forest personnel, scientists, veterinarians, mahouts and local communities for their role in these efforts. The statements were released via a PIB press release and reiterated in the Prime Minister’s post on X on 12 August 2026.

The Department of Space answered a Lok Sabha question on space startups, noting that about 440 space‑technology startups are registered in India. IN‑SPACe has granted 113 authorisations to 52 non‑government entities, of which 18 are startups (Annexure‑I). It has provided financial, technical and incubation support (Annexure‑II) and facilitated 118 technology‑transfer agreements through NSIL, covering critical technologies such as SSLV, IMS‑1 bus and ISRO laser gyro. The government has introduced a liberalised FDI policy, a ₹1,000 crore venture‑capital fund, a ₹500 crore Technology Adoption Fund, and other measures to promote private participation, skill development and infrastructure access. Cumulative private investment in space startups reached roughly USD 618.5 million as of 31 Mar 2026.

The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) reports that the Dhruva reactor at BARC produces the key medical radioisotopes Mo‑99, I‑131 and Lu‑177, which together account for about 90 % of nuclear‑medicine applications. Production data for the last five years show annual outputs ranging from 268 Ci to 693 Ci for Mo‑99‑99mTc, 623 Ci to 813 Ci for I‑131 and 473 Ci to 976 Ci for Lu‑177. During reactor shutdowns, imports were made – e.g., 460 Ci of Mo‑99 from Australia and Russia in 2021‑22 and 136 Ci of Lu‑177 from Russia in 2025‑26. Shortfalls occurred, with up to 19 batches of Mo‑99 missed in 2024‑25. DAE has secured sanction for an “Engineering and Construction of Isotope Production Reactor” slated to start around 2035 with a 0.5 MCi capacity.

The Department of Atomic Energy states that nuclear power plants have comprehensive security measures, including periodic internal audits, regulatory inspections by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) and assessments by external government agencies. All plants employ electronic security systems such as Perimeter Intrusion Detection, Access Control, X‑Ray Baggage Inspection and CCTV monitoring. Cybersecurity is prioritised through continuous monitoring, regular audits, vulnerability assessments and the involvement of CERT‑In and the National Cyber Coordination Centre. Emergency Preparedness Plans approved by the regulator are exercised regularly; Table‑Top, Integrated Command, Control & Response (ICCR) and Mock exercises are conducted at stipulated intervals, with recent ICCR drills at Kudankulam (15 April 2025) and Kalpakkam (17 July 2026). The details were provided by Union Minister of State Dr Jitendra Singh in a Lok Sabha written reply.

The Department of Atomic Energy’s Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD) has identified a beach‑sand mineral (BSM) deposit in Pudupuram‑Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu containing 1.912 Mt of total heavy minerals, including monazite, ilmenite and zircon. To curb illegal beach‑sand mining and unauthorized export of strategic monazite, the Government has (i) amended the monazite threshold to 0.00 % under Ministry of Mines Notification G.S.R 134(E) (Feb 2019), (ii) routed BSM export through the State Trading Enterprise and IREL under DGFT Notification 26/2015‑2020 (Aug 2018), (iii) reinstated Monazite Test Certification for each export consignment, (iv) mandated registration and reporting of all mineral activities under Rule 45 of the Mineral Conservation and Development Rules 2017, (v) asked states to form task forces, and (vi) deployed the satellite‑based Mining Surveillance System. Radiation‑hazard safeguards include mandatory EIA with radiological surveys by BARC before lease issuance, back‑filling of mined land, and continuous monitoring by BARC’s Health Physics Unit.

The Ministry of Earth Sciences reports that AI, ML and Big Data are being integrated into weather forecasting and early‑warning services. The National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF) is linking AI/ML‑based forecast guidance with data assimilation, Earth‑system modelling, ensemble prediction and HPC. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) uses these AI‑derived products, including a deep‑learning rain‑downscaling model (meteoGAN) for Delhi‑NCR and an AI‑based medium‑range forecast model using ERA5 data. Under Mission Mausam, AI/ML supports bias‑correction of rainfall forecasts, lightning prediction, the “MausamVani” generative‑AI app, and a hybrid model that sent SMS advisories to about 5.28 crore farmers in 2026. An integrated National AI‑based Early Warning Platform is being built to deliver impact‑based forecasts and risk‑based warnings in regional languages.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued its First Stage Long‑Range Forecast for the 2026 Southwest Monsoon on 13 April 2026, projecting rainfall at 92 % of the Long Period Average (LPA). The Second Stage forecast revised this to 90 % of LPA and anticipated El Niño development. By 2 August 2026, cumulative seasonal rainfall was 12 % below LPA, matching the forecast despite intra‑seasonal variations. June recorded 35 % below‑normal rainfall (70 % districts deficit); July was 1 % above LPA overall but 47 % of districts still faced deficient rainfall. Weak to moderate El Niño over the equatorial Pacific was identified as a major climate driver suppressing monsoon circulation, leading to dry spells, meteorological drought, lower soil moisture and stress on rain‑fed crops. IMD continues to issue sub‑divisional alerts to aid disaster preparedness and agricultural planning.

The National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, has developed a seabed mining system and successfully conducted mobility and power trials at 5,270 m depth in the Central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB) site allocated by the International Seabed Authority (ISA). NIOT is also developing nodule‑collection and crushing components in line with ISA guidelines. The Ministry has signed contracts with ISA for exploration of polymetallic nodules and sulphides in the Indian Ocean beyond national jurisdiction, undertaking resource and environmental impact assessments and multidisciplinary oceanographic studies to establish baseline conditions. Currently, only exploration activities in the international seabed are permitted. This information was provided by Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences Dr. Jitendra Singh in a Lok Sabha written reply.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman delivered the keynote at a seminar in Jaipur on the role of the New Development Bank (NDB) in mobilising private capital across BRICS member countries. She underscored that multilateral development banks de‑risk projects, enhance bankability and boost investor confidence. Citing India’s experience, she listed reforms such as Viability Gap Funding, Hybrid Annuity Model, credit‑enhancement mechanisms, Infrastructure Investment Trusts, the National Infrastructure Pipeline and the PM Gati Shakti master plan. She also noted that the Union Budget 2026‑27 proposes new Dedicated Freight Corridors, High‑Speed Rail Corridors, operationalisation of new National Waterways and a Coastal Cargo Promotion Scheme to attract private investment.