1. Polity, Defence and National Security
Syllabus: Prelims Unit IV - Indian Polity | Mains GS II - Polity, Constitution, Governance
Home Ministry orders that Vande Mataram be played before the National Anthem
- In a letter dated July 9, 2026, the Union Home Ministry asked Chief Secretaries of all States and Secretaries of Union Ministries to strictly comply with the directive that the National Song Vande Mataram be sung or played first, before Jana Gana Mana, whenever both are performed at official events.
- The letter was written by Joint Secretary Arvind Khare and also stressed the use of the correct script and correct pronunciation. On February 6, the Ministry had directed that all six stanzas of Vande Mataram, running about 3.10 minutes, be sung at official events.
- Vande Mataram was written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and published along with his novel Anandamath in the early 1880s. In 1937, the Indian National Congress decided to use only its first two stanzas at party gatherings. Jana Gana Mana was written and composed by Rabindranath Tagore.
- On May 5, the Union Cabinet cleared an amendment to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, to make any insult to the singing of Vande Mataram a punishable offence. The Bill is likely to be tabled in the Monsoon Session of Parliament beginning July 20. At present the Act covers insults to Jana Gana Mana, the National Flag and the Constitution, punishable with imprisonment up to three years.
SIR Phase 3: over 23.8 lakh names deleted in draft rolls of four States and one Union Territory
- Draft electoral rolls under the third phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) were published for Odisha, Manipur, Mizoram, Sikkim and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. Of a combined pre-revision electorate of 3.72 crore, 23,82,014 names (6.39%) were deleted.
- The highest deletion rate was in Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu at almost 30% (1.26 lakh of 4.28 lakh electors). The highest absolute deletion was in Odisha, 20.12 lakh names, taking the roll from 3.33 crore to 3.13 crore, a deletion rate of 6%.
- In Odisha, 10.07 lakh deletions were for permanent shifting, 8.32 lakh for death and 1.58 lakh for multiple enrolment. Manipur saw 7.5% deletion (1.58 lakh of 20.93 lakh) and Mizoram the lowest at 5.2% (46,162 deletions).
- Voters have one month to file claims and objections. The final rolls will be published on September 11.
Three United Nations Special Rapporteurs question India on SIR deletions
- Three United Nations Special Rapporteurs, on minority issues, on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and on freedom of religion or belief, have written to the Government of India flagging the large-scale removal of names from electoral rolls under the SIR.
- The communication is dated May 1, 2026, poses seven questions, and gives the government a 60-day timeline to respond. It seeks disaggregated data on the religion and ethnicity of excluded voters.
- It flags the alleged use of opaque artificial-intelligence-driven systems, weak grounds for deletion such as spelling errors, and the lack of remedies. A similar communication was sent in December 2018 when the National Register of Citizens was being updated in Assam.
Chief Justice of India: the role of artificial intelligence is only to assist, not to judge
- Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said artificial intelligence should be used only for procedural convenience and not in the act of judging. He said: the moment it begins to weigh one party's equities against that of another, it has stopped assisting and started deciding.
- He was speaking at a summit organised by the Indian Institute of Arbitration and Mediation. He said the technology may triage a dispute, organise evidence or draft a first translation.
- Earlier this month a Bench headed by Justice P.S. Narasimha found that a Tribunal had relied on AI-hallucinated verdicts to decide a real case. The Supreme Court advocated a policy of zero tolerance towards blind reliance on machine intelligence.
INS Mahendragiri commissioned at Visakhapatnam, sixth Project 17A stealth frigate
- The Indian Navy commissioned INS Mahendragiri, the sixth advanced Project 17A class stealth frigate, at the Eastern Naval Command headquarters, Visakhapatnam, in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
- The ship is named after a majestic mountain range in the Eastern Ghats. It has a Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion system, an Integrated Platform Management System and an array of indigenous combat systems. It displaces about 6,670 tonnes.
- Rajnath Singh said future wars may be fought with artificial intelligence but they will still be won by national resolve, trained soldiers and credible military power. The commissioning is seen as a milestone of Atmanirbhar Bharat in warship manufacturing. Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi took part.
National Investigation Agency chargesheets eight in the Ambala car bomb blast case
- The National Investigation Agency filed a chargesheet against eight accused, including the Pakistan-based gangster turned terrorist Shehzad Bhatti, for the car bomb blast in Ambala, Haryana, in January.
- The explosion took place in the parking area of the Baldev Nagar Police Station. The car was packed with gas cylinders and explosive substances, with the aim of spreading terror by targeting police establishments.
- Seven arrested Indian nationals are Karamjit Singh, Akash, Soureb, Raman Kumar, Satyam, Sukhdev Singh and Amarjeet Singh. Akash was identified as Bhatti's principal India-based operative.
Home Minister assures Catholic Bishops Conference on the Foreign Contribution Amendment Bill, 2026
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured the Catholic Bishops Conference of India that the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 is not discriminatory against Christian non-governmental organisations.
- Of the ₹17,000 crore in foreign donations that came to India last year, about ₹3,000 crore was meant for Christian bodies, a little under 15% of the total.
- Shah said the Bill will not apply retrospectively, and that if property is attached the affected party gets 12 months to appeal.
West Bengal forms committee headed by Justice Ranjana Desai to review draft Uniform Civil Code
- The West Bengal government constituted a high-level committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai to examine a draft Uniform Civil Code for the State. The notification is dated July 10.
- A draft Bill titled The Uniform Civil Code, West Bengal, 2026 has already been formulated. It covers marriage, divorce, intestate succession and testamentary succession for all residents irrespective of religion, faith or community. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said the committee would submit its findings soon.
United States indicts the Lawrence Bishnoi syndicate; 37 charged so far
- On July 8, the United States Department of Justice announced an indictment against three Punjab-linked transnational organised crime syndicates operating across India, Canada, the United States and Europe. The charges were filed in a California court in February 2026.
- It alleges that Lawrence Bishnoi (33) and his associate Satinderjeet Singh alias Goldy Brar ordered the assassination of pro-Khalistan activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June 2023 in Surrey, British Columbia. So far 37 people have been charged, 24 arrested in the United States, Canada and Spain, and 10 are fugitives.
- Bishnoi is lodged in Sabarmati jail since 2023 in solitary confinement. The Home Ministry invoked Section 303 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, prohibiting his movement outside jail. He is accused in the killing of singer Sidhu Moosewala and in a plot to attack actor Salman Khan.
Enforcement Directorate attaches a further ₹1,021 crore in the Reliance Group case
- The Enforcement Directorate attached assets worth a further ₹1,021 crore in the case involving Reliance Home Finance Limited and Reliance Commercial Finance Limited.
- Total assets attached so far in the Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group cases stand at ₹20,367 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and ₹77.86 crore under the Foreign Exchange Management Act. The probe is based on multiple Central Bureau of Investigation cases.
2. International Relations and Geo-Politics
Syllabus: Prelims Unit VI - Current Events | Mains GS II - India and its neighbourhood, International Relations
India and New Zealand elevate ties to a Strategic Partnership at Auckland
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon met in Auckland and elevated bilateral ties to a Strategic Partnership.
- The two sides set a target of doubling annual bilateral trade to ₹35,000 crore by 2030 and agreed on early implementation of the free trade agreement. Wellington committed to invest 20 billion United States dollars in India over the next 15 years.
- Talks yielded 18 concrete outcomes including 10 agreements, plus a four-year roadmap. Three crucial pacts cover hydrographic data sharing, mutual naval logistics and enhanced maritime engagement in the Indo-Pacific.
- The two countries also agreed on a maritime security dialogue, a joint working group on counter-terrorism, and an India-New Zealand Joint Action Plan on Sport. The joint statement called for freedom of navigation in accordance with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
- Under the free trade agreement concluded in April, 100% of New Zealand's exports to India get duty-free or near duty-free access, and 95% of Indian goods get concessions entering New Zealand. India and New Zealand established diplomatic ties in 1952.
Fifteen Indian tourists killed as speedboat capsizes off Phu Quoc, Vietnam; ten from Tamil Nadu
- A sightseeing speedboat capsized off Phu Quoc, Vietnam, killing 15 Indian tourists. It was leaving Hon May Rut Ngoai, an island in the An Thoi archipelago, carrying 32 Indian tourists and four crew, and overturned about 400 metres off shore.
- Twenty-one people were rescued, including all four crew members. Of those killed, ten were from Tamil Nadu, three from Andhra Pradesh and two from Kerala. The group comprised sellers, distributors and employees of Lava International.
- The Tamil Nadu victims are Balaji and Alagurajan (Trichy), Sridhar (Salem), Santosh Kumar (Chennai), Ravisankar (Tiruvannamalai), and Sheik Abdullah, Vinaya Kumar, Muruga Prabu, Babu and Senthil Kumar (Dharmapuri).
- Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay directed officials to coordinate with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Vietnam to repatriate the bodies. Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung ordered an investigation and a review of waterway safety.
Iran's Supreme Leader vows revenge; Trump warns of 1,000 missiles
- Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei vowed revenge for the United States and Israeli killing of his father and predecessor, Ali Khamenei, in late February. He said vengeance is the will of the nation and must inevitably be carried out. Iran has compiled a list of individuals to be targeted.
- United States President Donald Trump said any attempt to assassinate him would lead the United States to completely decimate Iran, adding that 1,000 missiles are locked and loaded. Trump has declared the ceasefire over. A Qatari delegation is visiting Iran to mediate.
- Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran has kept its word under a memorandum of understanding signed last month.
NATO after the Ankara summit: towards a more European alliance
- NATO, founded in 1949, now has 32 members. Its Ankara summit was held in Turkiye on July 7 and 8. The Secretary-General is Mark Rutte.
- Trump has pushed European members to spend 5% of GDP on defence, made up of 3.5% core military and 1.5% critical infrastructure. Only five of the 32 members are on track to meet this in 2026.
- At Ankara, European allies pledged 50 billion dollars in new defence procurements and 70 billion euros of military assistance to Ukraine, in return for Trump's commitment to Article 5. The declaration's objective was a stronger Europe within a stronger NATO.
- Trump called NATO a paper tiger without the United States. A leaked communication said the United States planned to pull a third of the fighter jets it provides NATO for Europe. Spain and the United Kingdom refused American warplanes access to their bases and France refused over-flight rights for the war against Iran.
Jaishankar in New York to canvass support for a non-permanent seat on the Security Council
- External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar travelled to New York to canvass support for India's candidature for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the term 2028-29. The election is due in June 2027.
- India last served as a non-permanent member in 2020-2021. Jaishankar is on a July 10 to 13 visit and will also press India's long-standing demand for reform of the Security Council and permanent membership.
United States tightens H-1B, OPT and Green Card rules
- The United States plans wide-ranging changes to H-1B, Optional Practical Training (OPT) and employment-based Green Cards, proposed by the Departments of Homeland Security, Labor and State. The H-1B rules are expected to take effect in August.
- The Department of Labor proposes raising the entry-level wage benchmark for H-1B and the Program Electronic Review Management (PERM) system from the 17th percentile to the 34th percentile. The H-1B annual cap is 85,000, and Indians account for about 71 to 74% of approved applications.
- For students, the duration of status principle would be replaced by fixed periods of stay requiring extensions. From February 2027, tighter rules apply to OPT, including the two-year STEM extension. In 2023-24 India sent about 3.3 lakh students to the United States, the largest share of international students.
World briefs: Venezuela quake toll, Cuba blackout, typhoon in China
- The death toll from the twin earthquakes of June 24 in Venezuela topped 4,000, with 4,333 killed and 16,740 injured. Entire districts were flattened in the coastal state of La Guaira.
- Cuba suffered a complete nationwide power blackout for the second time in one week after a grid failure. A typhoon in China forced the evacuation of about 17 lakh people, with winds up to about 144 kilometres per hour.
- In Pakistan, 88 militants were killed in Balochistan since a major anti-terror operation launched on July 5. In Germany, the far-right AfD unveiled a manifesto for Saxony-Anhalt, which votes on September 6; an AfD win would make it the first far-right party to govern a German federal region since the Second World War.
3. History, Art, Culture and Heritage
Syllabus: Prelims Unit I - Indian History and Culture | Mains GS I - Indian Heritage and Culture
Playback singer S. Janaki, the Isai Arasi, dies at 88
- Legendary playback singer S. Janaki died at the age of 88 in Mysuru, Karnataka, following a cardiac arrest. She was born on April 23, 1938, in Pallapatla village, Guntur district, in present-day Andhra Pradesh.
- She won the National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer four times, including for Senthoora Poove from 16 Vayathinile, the debut film of director Bharathiraja. She also won the Kerala State Award 11 times.
- She sang in about 18 languages, and herself claimed about 40,000 songs. Her first songs were recorded under music director T. Chalapathi Rao for the Tamil film Vithiyin Vilayattu. Her celebrated collaboration with Ilaiyaraaja began with his debut film Annakili (1976), which completed 50 years in 2026.
- She rejected the Padma Bhushan in 2013, saying it had come too late, and that she should have been given the Bharat Ratna if the government wished to recognise her work. She was known as the Isai Arasi, the Queen of Music.
Birth anniversary of freedom fighter Maaveeran Azhagu Muthukone observed
- The birth anniversary of freedom fighter Maaveeran Azhagu Muthukone was observed across Tamil Nadu. He was born at Kattalangulam near Kovilpatti in Thoothukudi district.
- He is honoured as one of the earliest voices raised against British rule in the Tamil country, a century before the Sepoy Mutiny, and sacrificed his life for the motherland.
- Floral tributes were paid at his bronze statue near Chennai Egmore Railway Station on behalf of the State government by Ministers Rajmohan and Rajiv. Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan and DMK president M.K. Stalin paid tributes.
Prime Minister visits the Prambanan Temple, Indonesia's largest Hindu temple complex
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Prambanan Temple near Yogyakarta, Indonesia, with President Prabowo Subianto. It is a 9th-century UNESCO World Heritage Site and the largest Hindu temple complex in Indonesia, housing the trimurti of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
- Indonesia's founding state doctrine is Pancasila, whose first principle is belief in one supreme god. The state recognises six religions: Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism, formalised in 1965.
- Hinduism's application for recognition was rejected in 1952 and finally recognised in 1962. Reformers organised under the Parisada Hindu Dharma, founded in Bali in 1959, reframed Balinese practice around a single supreme deity, Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa.
Amarnath Yatra 2026 under way; 57-day pilgrimage began on July 3
- The 57-day Amarnath pilgrimage began on July 3, 2026 and will conclude on August 28. The cave shrine is at an altitude of about 13,000 feet in Anantnag district, south Kashmir, and houses a naturally forming ice stalagmite revered as a manifestation of Lord Shiva.
- Pilgrims take either the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag or the shorter 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district. In 2025, after the Pahalgam attack of April 22, about 4,10,000 pilgrims visited the cave, a decline of about one lakh from the previous year.
34th Thiruvasaga Mahanadu held in Chennai
- The 34th Thiruvasaga Mahanadu, a two-day conference, was held at Kokale Hall, Mylapore, Chennai. Former judge S. Jagadeesan released the Thiruvasagam rendering and said reading Thiruvasagam leads to a righteous life.
- He noted that Thiruvasagam has so far been translated into six languages and called for a further push in translation.
4. Geography, Environment and Infrastructure
Syllabus: Prelims Unit III - Indian Geography | Mains GS I and III - Geography, Environment, Disaster Management
One-fourth of India's monsoon rain evaporates before it reaches the ground, finds IITM Pune
- Researchers at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune computed that on average about 25% of the rain mass evaporates before reaching the ground over the north Western Ghats during the southwest monsoon. The actual amount ranges from 4% to 61% over the four monsoon months of June to September.
- This is the first observational estimate of raindrop evaporation over India, published in the journal Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. The corresponding author is Saikat Sengupta.
- The team collected rainwater and atmospheric vapour in Pune during the 2019 monsoon, read their isotope ratios on a laser spectrometer, and fed the results into a one-dimensional Below Cloud Interaction Model. Satellite estimates put evaporation at about 20% in the tropics, 40% over Zurich and about 60% near Barbados.
- Evaporating raindrops absorb heat, cooling the sub-cloud layer, feeding downdrafts and creating cold pools at the surface, which reshape the convection that generates the next burst of rain. IITM already runs a rainwater-isotope network of nine sites.
Death toll rises to eight in the Moshi waste plant collapse near Pune
- The death toll in the Moshi waste processing unit collapse near Pune rose to eight. Fourteen of an estimated 23 people trapped were rescued and one person is still missing.
- The three-storey administrative building of a waste-to-energy plant run by the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation collapsed on Wednesday after an adjacent mound of garbage gave way. About 15 excavators were used; the rescue was carried out by the National Disaster Response Force and the Army.
Madras High Court orders action on private jeep safaris in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
- The Madras High Court directed the Forest Department to take action on private jeep safaris being operated inside the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve.
- The court held that such safaris, particularly at night and in core areas, cause disturbance to wildlife and must be regulated.
- In a separate matter, the High Court also directed the State government to announce a clear policy on the euthanising of elephants, after three elephants were put down in Tamil Nadu, and criticised the absence of guidelines.
Tamil Nadu records 100 degrees Fahrenheit at twelve places; rain likely over Western Ghats districts
- The Chennai Regional Meteorological Centre said heavy to moderate rain is likely in one or two places over the Western Ghats districts, and light rain over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal. The cause is a wind discontinuity at about 0.9 km altitude over the Tamil Nadu coast.
- One hundred degrees Fahrenheit was recorded at 12 places in Tamil Nadu. The highest was Madurai airport at 103.1 degrees Fahrenheit, followed by Vellore 102.92, Chennai airport 102.2, Tiruttani 101.84 and Chennai Nungambakkam 101.3.
Landslides block three national highways in Uttarakhand; Kerala forms panel on Wayanad landslide
- Continuous monsoon rain triggered landslides in Uttarakhand, blocking three national highways including the Yamunotri National Highway, where about 100 metres of road was washed away. Around 120 roads in the State were blocked.
- The Kerala government set up a five-member expert committee to investigate the causes of the Wayanad landslide in which seven people were killed. The panel will report within one month, and a solatium of ₹5 lakh was announced for each victim's family.
Satellite study: dams make rivers warmer downstream
- A satellite study covering 2013 to 2024 found that 71% of 287 large dams across the United States significantly altered downstream water temperature.
- In most cases the water became warmer and stayed so for at least 20 km downstream. The most extreme shifts were recorded at dams with reservoirs.
5. Indian Economy and Government Schemes
Syllabus: Prelims Unit V - Indian Economy | Mains GS III - Economy, Resource Mobilisation, Inclusive Growth
₹10,000-crore container scheme and Bharat Container Shipping Line as shipping shocks bite
- A ₹10,000-crore container manufacturing scheme was announced in the Union Budget 2026-27, aiming to increase domestic production tenfold. India manufactured only about 24,000 TEUs in FY24, against China's several million a year.
- Its first outcome came on July 3, when an India-made export-import container built by the DCM Shriram Group was unveiled at Dadri for Maersk, which has placed a follow-on order for another 1,000 containers.
- In February, the Shipping Corporation of India, Container Corporation of India and the port authorities of Jawaharlal Nehru, Tuticorin and Chennai signed an agreement to establish the Bharat Container Shipping Line, India's first national container carrier. Foreign shipping lines currently carry 90 to 95% of India's cargo.
- Freight costs have spiked. Shipping a container from Kochi to Jebel Ali rose from about 1,500 dollars to nearly 7,000 dollars. More than 40% of cargo that once moved through Thoothukudi or Kochi has shifted to Nhava Sheva. Thoothukudi will handle larger mother vessels only after its ₹15,000-crore Outer Harbour Project.
Foreign exchange reserves rise to 674.19 billion dollars
- India's foreign exchange reserves rose to 674.19 billion United States dollars in the week ended July 3, according to the Reserve Bank of India.
- Gold reserves stood at about 105.2 billion dollars, Special Drawing Rights at 18.62 billion dollars and the reserve position in the International Monetary Fund at 4.79 billion dollars.
- Separately, bank deposits rose by about ₹6.97 lakh crore in the fortnight ended June 30.
Indian Bank posts a first-quarter net profit of ₹3,273 crore
- Indian Bank, headquartered in Chennai, reported a net profit of ₹3,273 crore for the first quarter of 2026-27, up 17% from ₹2,973 crore a year earlier.
- Total income was ₹20,724 crore and net interest income ₹7,435 crore. Deposits rose 14% to ₹6,84,623 crore and advances 15% to ₹4,16,992 crore. Gross non-performing assets fell to 1.86% and net non-performing assets to 0.15%.
- Bank of Maharashtra posted a first-quarter net profit of ₹2,020 crore with total income of ₹9,063 crore.
Employees' Provident Fund Amnesty Scheme 2026 announced
- The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation announced that employers who failed to remit past provident fund contributions can regularise them under the Employees' Provident Fund Amnesty Scheme 2026.
- The scheme flows from the provisions of the Social Security Code, 2020. Establishments can regularise arrears, and penal damages are waived on compliance. Applications are to be filed online.
Food safety authority issues nine notices to Swiggy Instamart
- The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India issued nine notices to Swiggy Instamart for the alleged supply of expired, spoiled, rotten and contaminated food products, under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
- The products named include an organic egg brand, a whey protein product, a packaged snack mixture and a deteriorated infant food formulation.
Aditya Birla Group to invest a further ₹12,000 crore in its Odisha alumina refinery
- The Aditya Birla Group proposed an additional ₹12,000 crore to expand its greenfield alumina refinery at Kansariguda, Rayagada district, Odisha, from 1 million tonnes per annum to 3 million tonnes.
- This takes the total investment to ₹20,000 crore. It was announced by chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla after meeting Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.
HDFC Bank chief flags El Nino and a weak monsoon as risks to growth in 2026-27
- HDFC Bank Managing Director and Chief Executive Sashidhar Jagdishan, in the bank's annual report, said El Nino and a below-normal monsoon pose risks to growth in 2026-27.
- Other risks he listed are the West Asia conflict, capital-flow volatility linked to artificial intelligence, the re-emergence of tariff risks and geopolitical tensions. He said measures by the Government and the Reserve Bank of India are expected to mitigate external risks to macroeconomic stability.
Avenue Supermarts posts an 11.33% rise in first-quarter net profit
- Avenue Supermarts, which runs D-Mart, reported a consolidated net profit of ₹860.44 crore for the first quarter of 2026-27, up 11.33% from ₹772.81 crore.
- Revenue from operations rose 14.9% to ₹18,794.53 crore. The profit after tax margin was 4.6%, against 4.7% a year earlier. Stores that are two years and older grew 5.5%.
6. Tamil Nadu - Development, Administration and Governance
Syllabus: Prelims Unit IX - Administration of Tamil Nadu | Mains GS II - State Governance, Welfare Schemes
Tamil Nadu to get 100 additional MBBS seats from 2026-27
- The National Medical Commission permitted the government medical colleges in Namakkal and Tiruppur to increase their annual MBBS intake by 50 seats each from the academic year 2026-27, raising each college's intake from 100 to 150.
- Total MBBS seats in Tamil Nadu's 36 government medical colleges will rise from 5,050 to 5,150. The Medical Assessment and Rating Board issued the Letter of Permission on July 10.
- Permission was granted under the Undergraduate Medical Education Standards Regulations, 2023, framed under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019. Both colleges were among the 11 government medical colleges approved for Tamil Nadu during 2019 and 2020 and inaugurated in January 2022.
Tamil Nadu's Total Fertility Rate falls to 1.3, well below replacement level
- Health Minister K.G. Arunraj said Tamil Nadu's Total Fertility Rate now stands at 1.3, down from 1.4 in 2025, and well below the replacement level of 2.1. India's Total Fertility Rate is 1.9.
- He said the State is gradually becoming an ageing society: currently 16 out of every 100 persons are aged above 60, and in the next ten years one in five will be above 60. He also said 41 out of every 100 working women in the country are from Tamil Nadu.
- He was speaking at a World Population Day event and recommended a spacing gap of two to three years between pregnancies. He listed the State's one-year maternity leave for women, two-month paternity leave and free education for children. Assembly Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar was present.
Cauvery delta kuruvai area collapses; farmers seek a drought declaration
- The Stanley Reservoir at Mettur could not be opened on the customary date of June 12 owing to insufficient storage. Tamil Nadu realised only 2.915 tmc ft in the Cauvery from Karnataka in June, against the 9.19 tmc ft stipulated by the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and the Supreme Court.
- After a record of over 6 lakh acres of kuruvai paddy in 2025, fields are lying fallow. Thanjavur's kuruvai area fell to about 89,000 acres from about 1,94,000 acres, and Tiruvarur to about 64,000 acres from about 1,91,000 acres.
- Delta farmers stand to lose about ₹1,125 crore, with a production loss of up to 15 lakh tonnes of paddy. Mettur dam held just 38 tmc ft against a capacity of 93.47 tmc ft. Farmers want the delta declared drought-hit and relief of ₹15,000 per acre.
- On the crop loan waiver, the government announced a revised scheme on June 16: total waiver of loans up to ₹75,000 for all farmers irrespective of landholding, and for loans above ₹75,000 a waiver restricted to ₹35,000 per farmer. The government cited the Reserve Bank of India's Model Operating Procedure, which requires States to settle the entire waiver amount to cooperative banks within 45 to 60 days.
Tamil Nadu bans the transport of quarried minerals to other States
- The Tamil Nadu government issued a government order stopping the transport of quarried minerals from the State to other States, in order to protect the supply of construction material within Tamil Nadu and control prices.
- The order applies to sand, gravel, granite and other quarry minerals. Enforcement rests with district collectors and the Geology and Mining Department, and illegally transported material will be seized.
- The Director of the Geology and Mining Department also ordered the transfer of 27 officials, including two deputy directors and 25 assistant directors and geologists, following complaints.
TASMAC: rules to be amended for a ₹10 refundable deposit on liquor bottles
- The State government decided to amend the rules to enable collection of an additional ₹10 on every liquor bottle, folded into the maximum retail price, so that the amount can be refunded to consumers who return the empty bottle. TASMAC filed a report on this in the Madras High Court.
- Empty bottles will be returned to the manufacturing companies, and every bottle will carry a QR code. Distilleries must take back the empties through their own staff.
- A letter has been sent to the Prohibition and Excise Commissioner to carry out the rule amendments, and the Commercial Taxes Commissioner has been asked for an opinion on the value added tax rule change. The case is before Justices N. Sathishkumar and D. Bharatha Chakravarthy and was adjourned by six weeks.
Tamil Nadu seeks central assistance for a ₹6,600-crore Chennai MRTS revamp
- Tamil Nadu has written to the Centre seeking funds and loan assistance to revamp the Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) in Chennai, pitching it as the MRTS Rejuvenation project and requesting that it be taken up as a Central Sector project. The estimated cost is nearly ₹6,600 crore.
- The aim is to hand over MRTS operations to Chennai Metro Rail Limited and bring the system up to metro standards by refurbishing stations, modernising systems and upgrading trains. Central Sector status would mean equity shared equally and access to external funding.
- The preliminary project report has been sent to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. The Railway Board cleared the takeover in July 2025, but the process can begin only after a memorandum of understanding is signed between Southern Railway and the State government. The Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority is coordinating the takeover.
Innovation City policy soon; State's per capita debt at ₹1.28 lakh
- Public Works and Sports Development Minister Aadhav Arjuna said the State government would soon release a policy to establish an Innovation City so that innovators need not go abroad. He said the policy would provide a pathway for Tamil Nadu to become a 1.5-trillion-dollar economy.
- Finance, Pensions, and Planning and Development Minister N. Marie Wilson said the White Paper released by his department showed Tamil Nadu had a per capita debt burden of ₹1.28 lakh, and urged students to contribute to the Gross State Domestic Product.
- They were speaking at the 35th convocation of Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, where 4,712 undergraduate, 932 postgraduate and 116 doctoral scholars graduated, and the outgoing batch bagged 4,002 placement offers.
Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department invites trustee applications for 757 temples
- The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department invited applications for the appointment of non-hereditary trustees to 757 temples under its control.
- Under Section 46(1), applications are invited for 673 temples, and under Section 46(2) for 84 temples. Under Section 46(3), applications are also invited for 220 temples in 35 temple groups across 14 districts.
- Applications may be filed online, by hand or by speed post to the Joint Commissioner's office up to 5.45 p.m. on August 12, 2026.
Licences of ten fireworks units suspended in Virudhunagar after a month-long audit
- Licences of ten fireworks units in Virudhunagar district were temporarily suspended after officials found gross violations during a month-long audit.
- The district has about 1,200 fireworks units employing around four lakh workers directly. In the first phase, 206 units were identified for audit; officials found that 82 units had committed minor violations and 12 units had multiple violations.
- Six teams from multiple departments conducted the inspections, including of Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation licence holders. Industry Minister Keerthana said workers' safety would get top priority.
Greater Chennai Corporation to upgrade 80 km of roads in three localities
- The Greater Chennai Corporation will upgrade 80 km of roads across three localities, the Perambur-Vyasarpadi neighbourhood, Ambattur Industrial Estate and Guindy Industrial Estate, under comprehensive infrastructure projects compliant with Indian Road Congress standards.
- Works include road reconstruction, junction improvements, public transit integration, stormwater drainage upgrades, inclusive footpaths, urban greening and energy-efficient lighting. Total consultancy cost is about ₹1.18 crore.
- Ambattur Industrial Estate spans 1,167 acres with roughly 1,800 industries and a 40-km road network. Guindy Industrial Estate covers 404.08 acres with around 700 industries. Both projects would follow an agreement between the Corporation and the Tamil Nadu Small Industries Development Corporation (SIDCO).
Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption arrests seven employees in a week, seizes ₹22.33 lakh
- The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption arrested seven government employees across Tamil Nadu between July 4 and 10 for demanding or accepting bribes.
- Surprise inspections at 11 government offices in Krishnagiri, Tiruvallur, Theni, Kanniyakumari, Dindigul, Thanjavur and Ranipet yielded ₹12.46 lakh in unaccounted cash. Checks at six inter-State vehicle check-posts led to the seizure of ₹9.87 lakh, taking the total to ₹22.33 lakh.
Applications open for Siddha, Ayurveda, Unani, Homoeopathy and Yoga courses
- The Directorate of Indian Medicine and Homoeopathy opened online admission applications for five Indian medicine courses, Siddha, Ayurveda, Unani, Homoeopathy and Yoga and Naturopathy, from July 13. The last date is 5 p.m. on July 31, and admission is on the basis of NEET marks.
- Government colleges offer 320 seats, of which 48 go to the All India quota and 272 to the State quota. The 29 private colleges offer 1,920 seats, with 15% for the All India quota. Yoga and Naturopathy has 160 government seats and 1,900 private seats, and the course runs for five and a half years.
- The colleges include the Siddha and Unani colleges at the Arignar Anna Government Indian Medicine Hospital campus, Arumbakkam, the Siddha Medical College at Palayamkottai, the Homoeopathy Medical College at Thirumangalam, Madurai district, and the Ayurveda Medical College at Kottar, Kanniyakumari district.
Tamil Nadu Day on July 18; competitions announced for students
- Tamil Nadu Day will be celebrated on July 18. Ahead of it, the Tamil Development Department announced essay, oratory and other competitions for school and college students at the district level.
- District-level prizes are ₹10,000, ₹7,000 and ₹5,000, and State-level prizes are ₹50,000, ₹30,000 and ₹20,000. District winners advance to the State-level round.
Governor Arlekar: National Education Policy 2020 is the first serious attempt to decolonise education
- Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar said the National Education Policy 2020 is the first serious attempt to decolonise India's education system, and that its purpose is to create a good person. He said not implementing the policy is not right.
- He was speaking at the 59th convocation of Dwaraka Doss Goverdhan Doss Vaishnav College, Chennai, where 3,224 students received degrees, including 2,650 undergraduates and 574 postgraduates, along with 146 rank holders.
Two more headmistresses removed in Karur for screening the Chief Minister's speech
- Two more headmistresses in Karur were removed from service for live-broadcasting the Chief Minister's public event inside government school classrooms.
- They are S. Mallika, headmistress of the Krishnarayapuram Panchayat Union Girls' Middle School, who screened the event on a smart classroom board, and R. Rajeshwari, headmistress of the Mahadhanapuram Panchayat Union Middle School. The order was issued by District Elementary Education Officer A. Sanmugavel.
Supreme Court judge opens ₹50-crore integrated court complex at Pollachi
- Supreme Court judge Justice K.V. Viswanathan inaugurated the new integrated court complex at Pollachi, Coimbatore district, built at a cost of ₹50 crore.
- He said courts protect the rights of the people and that judges must be independent, impartial and free of fear or favour, and that the judiciary must be a mirror of society and win public trust. Madras High Court Chief Justice M.S. Ramachandra Rao took part.
Kaaval Karangal of the Greater Chennai Police rescued 10,298 persons in six years
- The Kaaval Karangal unit of the Greater Chennai Police has rescued 10,298 people in six years. Of them, 4,418 were mentally ill persons, 4,257 were reunited with their families and 509 were admitted to government hospitals.
- The scheme has since been extended to the Tambaram and Avadi police commissionerates and three others.
Four workers electrocuted while sinking a borewell near Mamallapuram
- Four workers were killed on the spot at Mamallapuram in Chengalpattu district when a 40-foot iron pipe they were lifting to sink a borewell touched a high-tension overhead electric wire. A fifth worker was seriously injured.
- The dead are Prabhu (33), Balaji (20), Paatsabai (35) and Rajendran (55). The borewell was being sunk for drinking water at a private lodge on the East Coast Road. Chengalpattu Superintendent of Police Aimal Jamal inspected the site.
Narco-terrorism on the Tamil Nadu coast: a growing security challenge
- India has a coastline of about 7,516 km, of which Tamil Nadu accounts for 1,076 km. The coast is strategically sensitive because the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar lie close to Sri Lanka.
- Central intelligence reports say networks of the Pakistan-based drug smuggling kingpin Haji Salim are using the Arabian Sea route via Gujarat, Lakshadweep and the Maldives to reach the Tamil Nadu coast. In one Indian Navy operation, a consignment of 300 kg of heroin, five AK-47 rifles and 1,000 rounds of ammunition was intercepted in the Indian Ocean.
- In May, the National Investigation Agency conducted simultaneous searches at 19 locations across Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. From a lorry, 89,600 gelatin sticks and 10,500 detonators were seized. The cases show hawala and cryptocurrency channels funnelling money to terror outfits, and there are calls for a coordinated coastal security authority.
Chennai Metro Phase-2: traffic diverted at Thirumangalam and K.K. Nagar
- Traffic will be diverted from July 13 at Thirumangalam and K.K. Nagar in Chennai for Metro Rail Phase-2 construction. At Thirumangalam the diversion runs from 13 July 2026 to 12 July 2027, a full year, affecting a 100-metre stretch.
- The order was issued by the Chennai City Police Commissioner. Separately, TANGEDCO announced a maintenance power shutdown on July 13 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in parts of Chennai including Pammal, Perungudi, Thiruvanmiyur, Adyar, Velachery, Anna Nagar and Guindy.
7. Science, Technology and Space
Syllabus: Prelims Unit VIII - Science and Technology | Mains GS III - Science, Technology, Health
BITS Pilani laboratory demonstrates quantum advantage, a first from India
- Dr. Indrakshi Raychowdhury, associate professor of physics at BITS Pilani, working with scientists from IBM Quantum, simulated the behaviour of subatomic particles on 120 qubits of an IBM processor. The calculation took the quantum machine 20 seconds, while a classical computer took two hours.
- The Quantum Advantage Tracker deemed the result active, the first such from an Indian laboratory. The tracker was launched in November 2025 by IBM with the Flatiron Institute and the startups BlueQubit and Algorithmiq. Of about 220 items logged, only around a dozen have been accepted.
- The problem is a simplified stand-in for the theory of the strong nuclear force governing quarks and gluons, one of only three problems useful to physicists that has so far resisted classical computing. The team's encoding pushed a task others had run on at most 27 qubits to 120.
- India's National Quantum Mission is a ₹6,003-crore programme approved in 2023. It funds quantum algorithms and runs a computing hub in Bengaluru, but India has no high-end quantum hardware of its own.
Parrot bornavirus PaBV-4 identified in India for the first time
- Scientists identified and genetically characterised parrot bornavirus 4 (PaBV-4) circulating among captive psittacine birds in India, a first for the country. The team was led by Pankaj Deka and Sangeeta Das of the Assam Veterinary and Fishery University, Guwahati; the study was published in Scientific Reports.
- They tested 83 psittacine birds from 13 species in aviaries in Assam, Karnataka and West Bengal during 2020 to 2024, and found 44 of the 83 birds infected. Infection was detected in almost 88% of dead birds and 19% of apparently healthy cage mates.
- The virus causes proventricular dilatation disease, a largely fatal condition affecting the digestive and nervous systems of birds. The virus belongs to the species Orthobornavirus alphapsittaciforme. The strain has been reported earlier in Canada, Israel, Japan, South Korea and the United States.
First rifting event observed in the Indian Ocean
- Using underwater sensors, researchers in April 2024 found magma moving under the crust in the Indian Ocean, with the seafloor sinking by 4 metres and spreading apart by more than 1 metre.
- This led to an eruption that poured 160 million cubic metres of lava on the ocean floor over 16 days, largely without severe earthquakes.
Why Roman concrete lasts: lime turns cracks into calcite cement
- A study of samples from an ancient latrine at Hadrian's Villa, Italy, found that the lime in the mixture reacts with moisture and carbon dioxide over centuries to form calcite cement that fills cracks.
- This makes Roman concrete a long-term sink for carbon dioxide, unlike modern concrete which degrades in decades.
Global semiconductor sector faces a shortage of ten lakh skilled workers
- Union Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, speaking in Hyderabad, said the global semiconductor sector faces a shortage of about ten lakh skilled workers in the coming years.
- He said India is emerging as a major hub for chip design and manufacturing, with 12 semiconductor projects approved under the India Semiconductor Mission and three more in the pipeline.
Indian Railways to modernise and relaunch the IRCTC website
- Indian Railways decided to modernise and relaunch the IRCTC website. About 80% of railway reservations are made online through it.
- The technology is being upgraded to cut booking failures, speed up Tatkal booking and integrate ticket booking with the RailOne application. Aadhaar-based verification will be strengthened.
8. Sports and Personalities in News
Syllabus: Prelims Unit VI - Current Events, Sports | Mains GS I - Personalities in News
FIFA World Cup 2026: Spain beat Belgium 2-1 to reach the semi-final
- Spain beat Belgium 2-1 in the quarter-final in Los Angeles to reach the semi-final against France in Arlington, Texas. The scorers were Fabian Ruiz in the 30th minute and substitute Mikel Merino in the 88th minute for Spain, and Charles De Ketelaere in the 41st minute for Belgium.
- It was Spain's first goal conceded in the tournament. Merino's winner came from a goalkeeping error by Senne Lammens, and was his second winning goal in a row. The crowd was 70,492.
- FIFA has appointed two in-house VAR officials for every match from the quarter-finals to the final, after a video review controversy in the round of 16. VAR was approved by the International Football Association Board in 2016 and introduced at the World Cup in 2018. South Africa midfielder Jayden Adams, who played all three group matches, died at 25.
Kranti Gaud takes five wickets in the first-ever women's Test at Lord's
- Kranti Gaud (22) took 5 for 37 in 17 overs to bowl out England for 170 in the first-ever women's Test at Lord's. She will go up on the Lord's honours board.
- She is only the third Indian seamer to take a five-wicket haul in a women's Test, after Gargi Banerjee and Jhulan Goswami.
- India made 285 in the first innings and led by 115. At stumps on day two India was 154 for 1 in the second innings, a lead of 269, with Smriti Mandhana on 69 and Yastika Bhatia on 39.
England sweep India 4-0 in the T20 series and go top of the rankings
- England beat India by 56 runs in Southampton to claim the five-match series 4-0 and go top of the T20 international rankings.
- Jos Buttler made 131 off 64 balls with 12 fours and 8 sixes and captain Harry Brook 95 not out off 45 balls. They added 233 for the second wicket off just 102 balls, and England posted 257 for 3, its highest total against India.
- India replied with 201 for 8, with Ishan Kishan 56 and Tilak Varma 53. Sam Curran took 3 for 36. Buttler was Player of the Match and Brook Player of the Series.
Sourav Ganguly, Anjum Chopra and Kevin Pietersen inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame
- The International Cricket Council inducted former India men's captain Sourav Ganguly, former India women's captain Anjum Chopra and former England captain Kevin Pietersen into the ICC Hall of Fame.
- The ceremony was held in Edinburgh, and the announcement was made by ICC Chairman Jay Shah.
Wimbledon: Linda Noskova wins her maiden Grand Slam title
- Linda Noskova (21) of Czechia beat compatriot Karolina Muchova 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 in 2 hours 27 minutes to win the Wimbledon women's singles title, her maiden Grand Slam. She is the fifth woman representing Czechia to win a Major.
- In the men's final, Jannik Sinner faces Alexander Zverev, their first meeting on grass. Sinner has beaten Zverev nine straight times. Sinner reached the final by beating Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. Zverev won Roland-Garros this year for his maiden Slam.
Animesh Kujur clocks 10.14 seconds; Sarvesh Kushare takes Diamond League bronze
- Animesh Kujur (23) clocked a personal best of 10.14 seconds in the 100 metres, finishing second at a meet in Wetzlar, Germany. It is the fastest ever 100 metres by an Indian on foreign soil and the second fastest ever by an Indian, behind Gurindervir Singh's national record of 10.09 seconds.
- Sarvesh Kushare (31) became the first Indian high jumper to finish on a Diamond League podium, taking bronze with 2.26 metres in Monaco on his debut. Ukraine's Oleh Doroshchuk won with 2.32 metres.
- At the Asian Under-23 Athletics Championships in Ordos, China, India took its tally to 11 medals: Shivaji Parashuram silver in the men's 10,000 metres, Priya bronze in the discus and Shravani Sangle bronze in the 400 metres hurdles.
Sports round-up at a glance
| Sport | Key result |
|---|
| Archery (World Cup Stage 4, Madrid) | India's women's compound team (Prithika Pradeep, V. Jyothi Surekha, Chikitha Taniparthi) won silver, losing 228-232 to Colombia. Prithika Pradeep (17) won individual bronze, her maiden individual World Cup medal. |
| Shooting (ISSF World Cup, Lonato) | Neeru Dhanda (26) clinched her maiden ISSF World Cup title, winning gold in women's trap, shooting 27 of 30 in the final. |
| Chess (6th La Plagne Open, France) | Grandmaster Pa. Iniyan won the title with 7.5 points from nine rounds (six wins, three draws), unbeaten. |
| Cycling (Tour de France) | Belgium's Tim Merlier won Stage 8, beating Eritrea's Biniam Girmay into second place. |
| Table tennis (Ultimate Table Tennis, Season 7) | Dabang Delhi beat HVR Kolkata Thunderblades 8-7, with Sutirtha Mukherjee winning the decider. Ahmedabad APL Pipers beat U Mumba TT 9-6. |
| Swimming (79th Senior National Aquatics Championship, Chennai) | Hosted at the SRM Institute aquatic complex, Kattankulathur. Railways won the women's overall title with 41 points; Services topped the men's section with 44 points. |
