20th August

Higher Education – RUSA, NIRF, HEFA, etc.

NTA’s Big Reset: Air-Gapped & Tamper-Resistant

Explained | Governance | Mains GS2: GS2-15.Transaparency and accountability (institutional and other measures); Citizens Charter, E-Governance (applications, models, successes, limitations, potential)

Higher Education – RUSA, NIRF, HEFA, etc.

Supreme Court asks Centre to institutionalise National Testing Agency reforms, cites the Union Public Service Commission as the model

Bills/Act/LawsExplainedSC Judgements | Governance | Mains GS2: GS2-15.Transaparency and accountability (institutional and other measures); Citizens Charter, E-Governance (applications, models, successes, limitations, potential)

Fundamental Rights

Dignity in death: Supreme Court upholds hanging under Article 21

ExplainedSC Judgements | Polity | Mains GS2: GS2-01.Indian Constitution-Historical underpinnings & evolution; Features, amendments, significant provisions, basic structure of Constitution

Foreign Policy Watch: United Nations

Palestine backs India’s bid for non-permanent Security Council seat

Prelims Only | International Relations | Mains GS2: GS2-20.Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.

Coal and Mining Sector

Steel mills face margin squeeze as global coking coal prices rise

Explained | Economics | Mains GS3: GS3-12.Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth

Foreign Policy Watch: India-China

China lands a rocket first stage for the first time with Zhuque-3

First/Record | Science and Technology | Mains GS3: GS3-17.Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, Robotics, Nano-technology, Bio-technology and issues relating to Intellectual Property Rights.

Climate Change Negotiations – UNFCCC, COP, Other Conventions and Protocols

From scientific research to geopolitics: Why India needs a clear ‘Arctic narrative’

ExplainedWorld Mapping | International Relations | Mains GS2-18.Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests.:

An institution in freefall: Parliament is all dressed up with nowhere to go

op-ed snap | Polity | Mains GS2: GS2-06.Parliament and State Legislatures (structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges; issues therein)

Conflict of Interest in the RDI Fund: When Proximity Is the Qualification

op-ed snapSchemes | Governance | Mains GS3: GS3-15.Science and Technology- Developments and their Applications and Effects in Everyday Life.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Breakthrough

Teen ChatGPT: Safety Moves to Age Verification

Explained | Science and Technology | Mains GS3: GS3-17.Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, Robotics, Nano-technology, Bio-technology and issues relating to Intellectual Property Rights.

Foreign Policy Watch: India-Middle East

[20th August 2026] The Hindu OpED: A Palestinian state is the foundation for regional peace

op-ed snapWorld Mapping | International Relations | Mains GS2-19.Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests, Indian diaspora.:

Count caste by all means, but abandon the belief that counting settles anything

op-ed snap | Indian Society | Mains GS1: GS1-06.Salient features of Indian Society

RBI Notifications

RBI moves to define revolving credit for the first time and bar non-banks from offering it

ExplainedSchemes | Economics | Mains GS3: GS3-01.Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment.

India to build hospital in West Bank, seeks to deploy field hospital in Gaza

World Mapping | International Relations | Mains GS2-19.Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests, Indian diaspora.:

Renewable Energy – Wind, Tidal, Geothermal, etc.

Groundwater risk from solar irrigation is a property of the model, not of solar power

ExplainedSchemes | Agriculture | Mains GS3: GS3-05.Different types of irrigation and irrigation systems

Electoral Reforms In India

How India plans to count caste now, and what went wrong earlier

Explained | Governance | Mains GS1: GS1-06.Salient features of Indian Society

Higher Education – RUSA, NIRF, HEFA, etc.

[20th August 2026] The Hindu OpED: The IISERs have a leadership problem

op-ed snap | Social Justice | Mains GS2: GS2-13.Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Renewable Energy – Wind, Tidal, Geothermal, etc.

Transmission Constraints Emerge as the Binding Limit on India’s Renewable Expansion

Explained | Economics | Mains GS3: GS3-13.Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc:

Waste Management – SWM Rules, EWM Rules, etc

Supreme Court makes school students the instrument for changing household waste behaviour

ExplainedSC Judgements | Environment | Mains GS3: GS3-18.Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment.

Census 2027: rights groups flag gaps in disability categories

Explained | Social Justice | Mains GS2: GS2-13.Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

The myth called ‘perfect victim’

ExplainedSC Judgements | Indian Society | Mains GS1-07.Role of women and women's organization, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues.:

Supreme Court orders a time bound eviction framework for Agasthyamalai encroachments

National Parks/WSSC JudgementsStates | Environment | Mains GS3: GS3-18.Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment.

Due diligence: curbs on surrogate advertising must avoid regulatory overreach

Bills/Act/Lawsop-ed snap | Governance | Mains GS2: GS2-09.Appointment to various Constitutional posts; Constitutional Bodies(powers, functions and responsibilities); Statutory, Regulatory and Quasi-judicial bodies

SEBI’s Closing Auction Session: Better Price Discovery, and the First Manipulation Case

Explained | Economics | Mains GS3: GS3-01.Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment.

Workers protesting for higher wages spent over 50 days in jail on average until courts intervened

Explained | Polity | Mains GS2: GS2-01.Indian Constitution-Historical underpinnings & evolution; Features, amendments, significant provisions, basic structure of Constitution

BRICS is working for a future that puts the planet first

op-ed snap | Environment | Mains GS3: GS3-18.Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment.

Clean electoral rolls are a necessary condition, and their selective use is the risk

op-ed snap | Polity | Mains GS2: GS2-08.Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act.

Early Closure of the FCNR(B) Swap Window and the Cost of Absorbing Dollars

Explained | Economics | Mains GS3: GS3-01.Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment.

Punjab’s decade-long journey towards a formal sacrilege law

Bills/Act/LawsExplainedStates | Polity | Mains GS2: GS2-02.Functions & responsibilities of the Union and the States; issues and challenges of federal structure;

After Naxalism, a development corridor

op-ed snap | Internal Security | Mains GS3: GS3-20.Linkages between Development and Spread of Extremism.