Daily briefing
Current Affairs — 29 July 2026
The day's source-attributed current affairs for UPSC, organized for fast revision.
Articles from 29 July 2026
- MP moves SC over mass surveillance at protestA Rajya Sabha member filed a Supreme Court petition seeking a halt to Delhi Police facial recognition and other mass surveillance against students linked to Cockroach Janta Party protests.Read analysis →
- Protests that inconvenience people must not be confused with violenceSupreme Court hearings focus on allegations of excessive police force against protesters, referencing Delhi on July 20 and Siwan (Bihar) on July 25.Read analysis →
- Release all minors held over student protests: SCThe Supreme Court ordered release of all minors arrested during student protests and directed an independent inquiry into allegations of police excesses.Read analysis →
- IndiaAI Mission expands “Safe & Trusted AI” pillar: governance guidelines, AI Safety Institute, and responsible AI projectsGovernment expanded the IndiaAI Mission’s <strong>Safe & Trusted AI</strong> pillar with governance guidelines, an <strong>AI Safety Institute</strong>, and approved responsible AI projects across educational institutions.Read analysis →
- Release Cauvery water to T.N., panel tells KarnatakaCauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) ordered Karnataka to release 4 tmcft of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu in 15 days at 3,500 cusecs per day starting Wednesday morning.Read analysis →
- Over 70% of police back immunity for using forcePolice use-of-force safeguards for unlawful assemblies and police attitudes about coercion were discussed after police action during a “Chalo Sansad” march by the Cockroach Janta Party drew renewed scrutiny.Read analysis →
- Mikhaala Rai: (Author/Byline) on AI/copyright perspectiveDelhi High Court’s stance on AI training brings copyright clarity into focus for creative works and AI-era uses.Read analysis →
- Centre declares 56,825 sq km of Western Ghats as eco-sensitive areaThe Union government has notified 56,825 square kilometres of the Western Ghats as an eco-sensitive area for environmental protection and regulated development.Read analysis →
- Vijay urges Modi to review Gov’t Mekedatu dam standVijay urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to review the Union government’s position on the proposed Mekedatu dam project.Read analysis →
- India curtailed 8,133 GWh solar power to maintain grid securityIndia restricted solar power generation totalling 8,133 GWh in April–June to maintain grid security, alongside rapid PM Surya Ghar rooftop rollout.Read analysis →
- Study finds multiple dengue virus strains circulating together in IndiaICMR VRDL surveillance reports simultaneous circulation of multiple dengue virus serotypes and links concurrent multi-serotype infection with higher severe-dengue risk signals.Read analysis →
- Curbs on panchayat powers in BengalWest Bengal’s government moved birth-and-death registration roles from gram panchayat pradhans to government officers and transferred cheque-signing/disbursement powers under the West Bengal Panchayat (Second Amendment), 2026.Read analysis →
- Co-existing with tigers outside reservesIndia’s Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is starting the “Tigers Outside Tiger Reserves” (TOTR) pilot to reduce human–tiger conflict in landscapes beyond protected tiger reserves.Read analysis →
- India leads global tiger conservation; nearly 70% of world’s wild tigers in India and governance-model detailsOn International Tiger Day (29 July), India’s tiger conservation model—led by Project Tiger, NTCA and technology-led monitoring—was highlighted with India holding nearly 70% of the world’s wild tigers.Read analysis →
- India among the powers: Forever rising, never finishedIndia’s rise in global influence is continuing, but it is not yet a finished transition into durable, institutional power.Read analysis →
- Industrial growth hits 23-month high of 7.3%India’s Index of Industrial Production rose 7.3% in June 2026, the fastest pace since July 2024, with manufacturing up 7.8%.Read analysis →
- MoMA initiatives to improve socio-economic condition of minority communities including Sikhs; NCM outreach studyMinistry of Minority Affairs stated in a Rajya Sabha reply that the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) conducted an “Outreach to the Sikh community” study and highlighted minority welfare measures including PM VIKAS, PMJVK, and NMDFC lower-interest loans.Read analysis →
- Delhi HC shows a better way to think about copyright & AIDelhi High Court’s approach to AI-linked copyright disputes is being treated as a way to balance creators’ rights with AI innovation.Read analysis →
- THE GIST (bullet summary for toxic schools report)Lead is naturally present in deep earth layers, but any human exposure is unsafe and can severely harm children’s brains and also kidneys and the heart.Read analysis →
- Police ‘excesses’Police accountability concerns centre on whether police action was proportionate and justified, and whether investigations and remedies directly address abuse.Read analysis →
- Strict regulations govern the use of sophisticated arms at protestsLegal and regulatory safeguards restrict how sophisticated weapons can be acquired, deployed, and used in protest-related situations.Read analysis →
- K.T. Rama Rao says NEET protests are a unique ‘inflexion point’; warns on delimitation and women’s reservation linkageK.T. Rama Rao linked student protests over the NEET question-paper leak to demands around delimitation and women’s reservation.Read analysis →
- MoES Foundation Day: IMD/observational and service improvements including 13 IMD Centres of Excellence and cyclone warning upgradationMoES marked its 20th Foundation Day with new IMD Centres of Excellence, cyclone warning upgrade to an Area Cyclone Warning Centre, and new forecasting platforms and animal disease risk forecasting via a MoU.Read analysis →
- Government schemes for improving school education quality: Samagra Shiksha, PM POSHAN and PM SHRIThe Ministry of Education outlined how Samagra Shiksha, PM POSHAN, and PM SHRI schemes support NEP 2020 goals for school education quality.Read analysis →
- PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024 assesses baseline learning under NEP 2020; links findings to NIPUN Bharat MissionPARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024 measured baseline learning under NEP 2020 and linked results to the NIPUN Bharat Mission for foundational literacy and numeracy.Read analysis →
- PM-USHA (third phase of RUSA) outlay and extension for higher education access, equity and excellenceGovernment announced the outlay and extension of the PM-USHA scheme (third phase of RUSA) for higher education access, equity, and excellence.Read analysis →
- PM eVidya and DIKSHA initiatives under Samagra Shiksha for digital learningThe Ministry of Education links PM eVidya and DIKSHA digital learning initiatives with Samagra Shiksha, including PM eVidya’s 2020 multi-mode access design and Gujarat’s allocation of 5 DTH TV channels.Read analysis →
- MERITE scheme launched for quality, equity and governance in technical educationMinistry of Education launches MERITE (Multidisciplinary Education and Research Improvement in Technical Education) for quality, equity and governance in 275 technical institutions with a total outlay of Rs. 4,200 crore.Read analysis →
- PM Research Chair (PMRC) scheme for researchers of Indian originThe Prime Minister Research Chair (PMRC) Scheme provides research funding support for Indian-origin researchers and professionals with experience outside India across three seniority categories and 13 engineering/science/technology thematic areas.Read analysis →
- MERU/PM-USHA approvals for Andhra Pradesh and implementation activities including NCrF/CBCS and Academic Bank of CreditsMinistry of Education approved MERU and PM–USHA support for 33 higher-education units in Andhra Pradesh, including Rs. 100 crore for Sri Padmavathi Mahila Visva Vidyalayam, Tirupati.Read analysis →