Official releases, distilled into exam-ready intelligence.

The Ministry of Education reports that, following NEP 2020 recommendations, NCERT issued the National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage (NCF‑FS) 2022 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF‑SE) 2023. The frameworks were drafted after extensive bottom‑up consultations involving over 13 lakh citizens, 1.5 lakh teachers/parents/students, 1 550 district‑level meetings across 32 states/UTs, 35 institutional groups, and more than 600 position papers from experts. Subsequently, NCERT set up the National Syllabus and Teaching‑Learning Material Committee (NSTC) and the National Curriculum Framework Oversight Committee (NOC) to develop new syllabi and textbooks for Grades 1‑9, incorporating detailed reviews for academic accuracy, inclusivity, and alignment with NEP 2020, NCF‑FS 2022 and NCF‑SE 2023. The information was provided by Minister of State for Education Shri Jayant Chaudhary in a Lok Sabha reply.

The Government, aligning with NEP 2020, has approved the National Credit Framework (NCrF) to creditise learning across elementary to higher and skill education. As per AISHE 2023‑24, over 700 universities and 7,500 affiliated colleges have adopted NCrF. The UGC’s SOP for operationalising NCrF permits up to 50 % of programme credits to be earned from skill‑based courses. AICTE’s Approval Process Handbook 2023‑27 sets entry norms under NCrF, allowing 10+2 ITI students admission to second‑year diploma programmes and lateral entry to third year for holders of a 2‑year UG diploma (NCrF Level 5.0). NCVET has issued RPL guidelines to award credits based on industry‑relevant assessments. Consequently, the Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education rose from 23.7 % (2014‑15) to 30 % (2023‑24), with female GER increasing from 22.9 % to 31.2 % and total enrolment growing from 3.42 crore to 4.50 crore.

The Supreme Court, in its judgment dated 01‑Sep‑2025, affirmed that the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) is a minimum qualification under Section 23 of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, and is mandatory for appointment in RTE‑covered schools. The Court later extended the deadline for acquiring TET qualification from 31‑Aug‑2027 to 31‑Aug‑2028 (judgment dated 29‑May‑2026) and recommended that State and UT authorities conduct TET twice a year, six months apart, to give teachers reasonable opportunity to qualify. It also exempted in‑service teachers with less than five years of service remaining as of 01‑Sep‑2025 from the TET requirement until superannuation, but barred them from promotion unless they obtain the qualification. This information was conveyed by Minister of State for Education, Shri Jayant Chaudhary, in a Lok Sabha reply.

The CSIR‑National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR‑NEERI) has deployed its indigenous NEERI‑ZAR instant water‑filter units in flood‑hit Assam to provide safe drinking water where conventional supplies are disrupted. Initially five household‑based and five community‑based units were installed in Jonakimondal village (Jorhat district), followed by the handover of 70 household‑based and 20 community‑based units to the district administration for wider distribution. The filters operate without electricity, can be assembled using locally available materials in about two days, and are suitable for both household and community use, addressing water contamination during floods and other emergencies. The effort was a joint initiative of CSIR‑NEERI and CSIR‑North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR‑NEIST).

The Ministry of Tourism continues to promote the North‑Eastern Region (NER) through the annual International Tourism Mart (ITM) – held in Gangtok, Sikkim (13‑16 Nov 2025) – and by revamping the Incredible India website (IIDP) in Sep 2024 with multilingual content. It provides Central Financial Assistance under the DPPH scheme for fairs and festivals and funds projects under Swadesh Darshan 2.0, PRASHAD, SASCI and CBDD schemes. The Ministry also implements the Swachhta Action Plan, organising 200 activities in 2025‑26, and collaborates with the Civil Aviation Ministry’s RCS‑UDAN to fund VGF for NER air routes. Annexure‑I records 2025 domestic and foreign tourist footfall for each NER state and Jan‑Jun 2026 figures, while Annexure‑II lists CFA‑sanctioned festivals. The information was given by Union Minister Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in Lok Sabha.

The PIB release details the allocation of foodgrains under the PM‑POSHAN scheme for the financial years 2023‑24, 2024‑25 and 2025‑26. The Central Government funds 100 % of foodgrain, transport and Management Monitoring & Evaluation costs, with the Food Corporation of India (FCI) supplying the grains. State‑wise allocations (in metric tonnes) are listed for all States/UTs, totalling 2.68 million MT in 2023‑24, 2.53 million MT in 2024‑25 and 2.42 million MT in 2025‑26. Annexure‑II provides district‑wise data for Uttar Pradesh, showing the number of children served and the quantity of foodgrains distributed per district for the same three years. The release also outlines the monitoring hierarchy, involving the Union Education Minister, Programme Approval Board, State and District steering committees, and grievance redressal mechanisms.

The Ministry of Education released a detailed statement on the allocation of funds for primary education under the Samagra Shiksha programme. It outlines the financial assistance mechanism, conditions for fund release (such as pace of expenditure and audited accounts), and notes that some states face delays in receiving instalments due to slow spending. The department has introduced the PRABANDH system, which includes a dashboard for monthly monitoring of physical and financial progress. Tables provide state‑wise allocations for 2023‑24 to 2026‑27 (in lakh rupees) and aggregate spending on infrastructure, teacher salaries, free textbooks and uniforms for 2024‑25 and 2025‑26. The release also cites education cess collections and their utilisation through PSK and MUSK funds.

On 10 August 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared on X an article authored by Union Minister Bhupender Yadav highlighting the ‘remarkable comeback’ of India’s Asiatic lion. The post notes that the lion population is thriving, with its habitat and range expanding, and attributes this success to the Government’s unwavering commitment to conservation supported by strong community participation. The Prime Minister’s message underscores the role of policy‑driven wildlife protection and community involvement in preserving the species for future generations.

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has eliminated the need to submit physical duty payment challans for Export Obligation Discharge Certificate (EODC) applications under the Advance Authorisation (AA) and Export Promotion Capital Goods (EPCG) schemes. From 1 August 2026, licence‑wise voluntary duty payment data received from Customs/ICEGATE will be integrated with DGFT’s online portals via an API, allowing exporters and regional authorities to verify payments digitally. This paperless mechanism is expected to speed up EODC processing, reduce transaction costs and documentation, improve data accuracy, and lessen the compliance burden, especially for MSME exporters. The change is part of the government’s broader digital‑trade‑facilitation agenda aimed at ‘Minimum Government, Maximum Governance’.

The Jiyo Parsi Scheme, launched in 2013 by the Ministry of Minority Affairs, provides financial assistance for infertility treatment, childbearing, childbirth and post‑natal care (Medical component) to the Parsi community. Since 2018‑19, 1,055 beneficiaries have received aid under the Health of Community component, with a cumulative expenditure of Rs 37.43 crore. The scheme has recorded 534 births since 2014‑15, which the Union Minister noted as a step towards stabilising the community’s declining population. Independent third‑party evaluations deem the scheme successful. Outreach is enhanced through workshops, registration and bio‑authentication drives, and monthly publicity in major Parsi newspapers, though no direct financial aid is given under the advocacy component.

The Ministry of Minority Affairs’ earlier ‘Leadership Development of Minority Women (Nai Roshni)’ scheme, which aimed to build confidence and awareness of rights among minority women through knowledge of government systems, banks and institutions, has been merged into the integrated umbrella scheme PM VIKAS (Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan). PM VIKAS targets socio‑economic and educational empowerment of six notified minority communities via skill development, leadership and entrepreneurship initiatives, and infrastructure support. Minority women in Odisha are eligible to participate in these components, subject to scheme guidelines. The information was provided by Union Minister of Minority Affairs Shri Kiren Rijiju in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.

The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs launched an upgraded National Youth Parliament Scheme web portal (NYPS 2.0) on 11 September 2024. Unlike the earlier version, NYPS 2.0 is open to all educational institutions, groups and individual citizens across India. Between the launch (11‑09‑2024) and 21‑07‑2026, the portal recorded 4,939 institutional registrations, 1,611 group registrations, and 54,518 individual registrations, with a total of 103,791 participants (students and citizens). The Ministry has informed all State Governments, UT Administrations, State Legislatures and major educational boards (CBSE, CISCE) and promotes the portal through a video tutorial on Sansad TV. Details of 42 consultative committees are hosted on the CCMS portal.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued a Direction to allocate 1601‑series numbers for service and transactional voice calls by entities in sectors other than Banking, Financial Services & Insurance (BFSI) and Government. Phase‑I targets utilities (electricity, water, city gas, LPG) and logistics/courier services, with Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) required to verify eligibility and complete onboarding within 90 days. The numbers will be assigned directly to eligible entities, not intermediaries, and must be used exclusively for service/transactional calls, not promotional calls, aiming to curb impersonation and enhance consumer trust in voice communications.

The Technology Development Board (TDB) of the Department of Science & Technology has signed an agreement with Griva Healthcare Pvt. Ltd. to fund the manufacturing and commercialisation of ‘GrivaVision’, an indigenously developed portable digital colposcope that uses AI‑assisted software for early detection of cervical pre‑cancerous lesions. The project will set up production at Kollam, Kerala, and aims to make screening more accessible and affordable in primary and community health settings. GrivaVision complies with WHO‑approved Automated Visual Evaluation standards, is ABDM‑compatible, holds a CDSCO Class B licence, and incorporates over 50 % locally sourced components, thereby strengthening India’s domestic medical‑device value chain and reducing reliance on imports.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) is implementing GIS‑based urban planning under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and AMRUT 2.0. A 100 % centrally funded sub‑scheme for GIS‑based Master Plans has been approved for AMRUT cities and for Class‑II towns (population 50,000‑99,999). To date, 461 AMRUT cities across 35 States/UTs have been onboarded, with final geospatial databases prepared for 437 cities and 292 Master Plans finalized. Under AMRUT 2.0, 875 towns are covered, with 100 finalized databases and 93 finalized Master Plans. The geo‑databases are linked to the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan portal, and capacity‑building programmes have trained about 5,600 officials through 113 workshops.

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.