The Supreme Court indicated it might frame uniform guidelines for police conduct during large-scale demonstrations, emphasizing the constitutional right to peaceful protest. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant stressed that discipline is integral to democracy and that police excesses should be independently examined. The court acknowledged injuries to both protesters and police personnel and highlighted the need for "self-imposed discipline" from both citizens and law enforcement. Senior advocate Vikas Singh urged the court to frame uniform guidelines due to widespread allegations of police excesses across the country, making a standard operating protocol necessary.
The Supreme Court is considering framing uniform guidelines for police conduct during mass demonstrations to protect the constitutional right to peaceful protest.
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant emphasized that police excesses must be independently examined and that discipline is crucial for democratic processes.
The court acknowledged concerns over injuries sustained by both protesters and police personnel, stressing the need for self-imposed discipline from all parties.
Exam Points
Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant made the oral remarks.
The Bench also comprised Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana.
Petitions concerned protests over examination issues and alleged "aerial firing" by police in Bihar.
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court struck down Tamil Nadu government orders granting jobs to family members of Karur stampede victims. A Division Bench of Justices C.V. Karthikeyan and R. Sakthivel allowed public interest litigation petitions challenging the Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay-led government's decision. The court ruled that these appointments violated Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution, which ensure equality. It stated that while the government termed it a humane gesture, it overlooked existing waitlists for compassionate grounds and that executive power must remain within constitutional confines to prevent chaos.
The Madras High Court struck down government orders granting jobs to kin of Karur stampede victims, citing violations of constitutional principles.
The court emphasized that appointments on compassionate grounds must adhere to specific guidelines and not bypass existing waitlists.
It ruled that the government's executive power, under Article 162, must operate within the confines of the Constitution to ensure fairness.
Exam Points
The Madurai Bench comprised Justices C.V. Karthikeyan and R. Sakthivel.
The stampede occurred in September last year during a Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam roadshow.
The court cited Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution regarding equality.
Kerala has nominated Ashutosh Dash, a former Chief Engineer and Special Secretary to the Odisha government's Water Resources department, as its nominee to the Independent Panel of Experts (IPOE) on the Mullaperiyar dam. This nomination follows Kerala's protests over the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA)'s "unilateral" decision to remove its previous nominee, T.K. Sivarajan, from the panel. The NDSA had requested Kerala to nominate a new expert on June 25. The IPOE, created under the Dam Safety Act, 2021, comprises five members for a comprehensive dam safety evaluation of the Mullaperiyar dam.
Kerala nominated Ashutosh Dash as its expert on the Independent Panel of Experts (IPOE) for the Mullaperiyar dam.
The nomination came after Kerala protested the removal of its previous nominee, T.K. Sivarajan, by the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA).
The IPOE was established under the Dam Safety Act, 2021, to conduct a comprehensive dam safety evaluation.
Exam Points
Kerala nominated Ashutosh Dash.
The panel is the Independent Panel of Experts (IPOE) on the Mullaperiyar dam.
The IPOE was created under the Dam Safety Act, 2021.
The U.S. has imposed a 10% tariff on goods from India and other countries, citing forced labour. This move is seen as an attempt to restore permanent tariffs and push for trade deals beneficial to the U.S. The tariffs, which offer preferential rates to countries with existing trade deals with the U.S. (like the EU, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland), are not primarily focused on forced labour, as evidenced by product-wise exemptions and country-wise quotas. India, despite not being accused of using forced labour, faces tariffs because of others, highlighting the U.S.'s inconsistent stance. India should avoid rushing into a trade deal given the U.S.'s history of changing tariff landscapes.
The U.S. imposed a 10% tariff on goods from India and other nations, ostensibly due to forced labour concerns.
These tariffs are viewed as a strategy to re-establish permanent tariffs and incentivize trade deals with the U.S., offering preferential rates to existing partners.
The selective application and exemptions suggest the primary focus is not genuinely on forced labour but on trade leverage.
Exam Points
The U.S. imposed a 10% tariff under Section 301.
The U.S. Supreme Court's February 2026 decision impacted U.S. attempts to secure trade deals.
The Obama administration's $465 million Department of Energy loan to Tesla in 2010.
The U.S.-Saudi Arabia civil nuclear deal, announced amidst a U.S.-Iran conflict over Tehran's nuclear program, is ill-timed. President Trump's subsequent condition that Saudi Arabia must join the Abraham Accords further complicated matters, especially after the October 2023 Hamas attack halted Saudi normalization with Israel. The agreement, as reported, allows for nuclear enrichment on Saudi soil and does not require adherence to the IAEA's Additional Protocol, raising proliferation concerns. This contrasts with U.S. policy towards Iran. The deal's execution has deepened Saudi concerns about U.S. security guarantees and strengthened Iran's resolve, achieving the opposite of Trump's stated objectives.
The U.S.-Saudi civil nuclear deal was announced at an inopportune time, coinciding with U.S.-Iran tensions over nuclear programs.
President Trump's post-agreement condition for Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords complicated the deal, especially after the October 2023 Hamas attack.
The deal raises proliferation concerns by potentially allowing Saudi nuclear enrichment and not requiring adherence to the IAEA's Additional Protocol.
Exam Points
Saudi Arabia is a signatory to the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty).
Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman (MBS) aims for economic diversification through Vision 2030.
The deal was announced by U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
India's proposed Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) III norms are crucial for the global shift to electrified powertrains and addressing India's dependence on imported crude oil. While the draft notification aims for ambitious emission reductions (113 gCO2/km to 77 gCO2/km by FY2031-32), several flexibility mechanisms, like the Carbon Neutrality Factor and super credits for hybrids/EVs, reduce its effective stringency. Unlike China's Dual Credit System that mandates NEV credits, India's system allows manufacturers to buy credits from the Bureau of Energy Efficiency at low prices, potentially hindering genuine technological transformation. Stronger, market-shaping regulations are needed to align with India's energy security and climate goals.
India's CAFE III norms are vital for transitioning to cleaner mobility and reducing reliance on imported crude oil.
The proposed norms aim for significant emission reductions but include flexibility mechanisms that may dilute their effective stringency.
Unlike China's Dual Credit System, India's framework allows credit purchases from BEE at low prices, potentially hindering genuine electrification efforts.
Exam Points
CAFE III norms aim to reduce average emissions from 113 gCO2/km to 77 gCO2/km by FY2031-32.
The Power Ministry's July 16 draft notification is the third iteration of CAFE III.
China's Dual Credit System was introduced in 2018.
India's journey to Viksit Bharat by 2047 depends on AI's productivity gains being broadly shared, especially with informal women workers who constitute 82% of working women. While AI holds promise for agriculture and micro-enterprises, its design must be gender-responsive to avoid amplifying stereotypes and discrimination. Key priorities include conducting gender impact assessments for AI systems, developing AI literacy as public infrastructure tailored to women's time constraints and literacy levels, and ensuring digital safety to combat technology-facilitated gender-based violence. These measures are crucial for AI to empower informal women workers, enabling meaningful access to tools and opportunities, and contributing to truly inclusive economic growth.
AI's potential for India's inclusive growth hinges on its ability to empower informal women workers, who form a significant portion of the workforce.
Gender-responsive AI design is crucial to prevent the amplification of stereotypes and discrimination, ensuring equitable access and benefits.
Implementing gender impact assessments for AI systems is necessary to evaluate outcomes across various demographics and ensure accessible redressal mechanisms.
Exam Points
About 82% of working women in India are in informal employment (2018 ILO report).
India's AI Governance Guidelines were released in November 2025.
A 2024 study of Farmer.Chat found 61% of women users reported improved quality of life within 45 days.
The Cockroach Janta Party's movement highlights the urgent need for economic reforms to create more employment for India's youth. While India has expanded education, the labour market struggles to absorb aspirations, leading to high unemployment, especially among graduates. The author argues that fixing the education system alone is insufficient; the basic economic structure must be reformed. India's economic growth has been a laggard in employment elasticity since the 1990s, and increasing AI adoption could worsen this. Learning from China's "people-first" ideology, India needs policies that prioritize workers' rights, ensure training, and protect against layoffs, making "ease of living" subordinate to "ease of doing business."
The Cockroach Janta Party's movement underscores the political urgency of economic reforms to generate youth employment.
India's economy has shown low employment elasticity since the 1990s, meaning GDP growth has not translated into sufficient meaningful jobs.
The increasing adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is projected to exacerbate unemployment challenges.
Exam Points
The Cockroach Janta Party's movement highlighted unemployment.
China's per capita income has risen roughly eight times faster than India's in the last 30 years.
China's youth unemployment stood at 16.3% in April.
India's youth face a severe scarcity of quality jobs despite expanded education, leading to intense competition for government positions. Only about 15 million out of 127 million employed youth hold regular salaried jobs with social security. Graduates face the highest unemployment rate at 22.7%, significantly higher than those with less education. The transition from school to work is broken, with a mismatch between wage expectations and available entry-level pay. Government jobs are highly sought after because they promise merit-based selection, bypassing private sector hiring networks often shaped by class, caste, and family. This structural problem requires reshaping growth to generate opportunities as fast as education generates aspirations.
Despite expanded education, India faces a severe scarcity of quality jobs, with only a small fraction of youth holding regular salaried positions.
Graduates experience the highest unemployment rate (22.7%), indicating a broken school-to-work transition and a mismatch between aspirations and available jobs.
Government jobs are highly coveted due to their promise of merit-based selection, offering an alternative to private sector hiring influenced by social networks.
Exam Points
About 307 million people aged 15 to 29 in India.
Only about 15 million (fewer than one in eight) hold a regular salaried job with a contract and social security.
Graduates face the highest unemployment rate at 22.7%.
Pralhad Joshi, the new Union Education Minister, inherits a range of structural reforms initiated under his predecessor, Dharmendra Pradhan, focusing on implementing the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Key initiatives include the National Curriculum Framework, Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill (VBSA), PM SHRI schools, the three-language formula, and new teacher-training programs. Common themes across these reforms are performance evaluation, skilling-education convergence, and promoting a vision of Indianness, often facing implementation challenges and criticisms of centralisation. Foundational literacy, teaching quality, and higher education flexibility remain works-in-progress, with funding gaps and resistance from State universities hindering progress.
Pralhad Joshi takes over as Union Education Minister, continuing reforms initiated under NEP 2020.
Key ongoing initiatives include the National Curriculum Framework, Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, PM SHRI, and the three-language formula.
Reforms aim for performance evaluation, skilling-education convergence, and promoting a specific vision of Indianness.
Exam Points
Pralhad Joshi is the new Union Minister for Education.
Dharmendra Pradhan was the previous Education Minister.
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is being implemented.
Amid concerns of fertilizer shortage and over-use of chemical fertilizers, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the National Investment Policy for Urea (NIPU)-2026. This policy aims to achieve self-reliance in urea production, currently reliant on imports, by encouraging new investments in gas-based urea manufacturing units. Key changes include separating fixed and variable costs for transparency, introducing a Return on Equity (RoE) band of 12-16%, and mitigating foreign exchange risk. The government emphasizes promoting balanced and efficient fertilizer use through Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) to ensure sustainable nutrient management and long-term soil fertility.
India approved the National Investment Policy for Urea (NIPU)-2026 to achieve self-reliance in urea production.
The policy encourages new investments in gas-based urea manufacturing units to reduce dependence on imports.
Key changes include transparent cost separation, a 12-16% Return on Equity (RoE) band, and foreign exchange risk mitigation.
Exam Points
The National Investment Policy for Urea (NIPU)-2026 was approved.
The total fertilizers subsidy in 2025-26 is ₹2,17,281.10 crore.
Urea subsidy alone for 2025-26 was ₹1,42,175.74 crore.
The Supreme Court has renewed focus on the unresolved CBSE On-Screen Marking (OSM) controversy, which affected nearly 18 lakh Class XII students. Despite the widespread impact, the response was less robust than to NEET irregularities. The OSM process faced issues like portal glitches, payment failures, and blurred scans, denying many students equal opportunity to verify evaluations. The court highlighted concerns about the integrity of the evaluation system. A proposed "seven-day framework" could restore transparency by providing universal access to evaluated answer scripts, allowing verification of completeness and authenticity, and enabling re-evaluation of genuine grievances, thereby strengthening public trust and accountability.
The CBSE On-Screen Marking (OSM) controversy affected nearly 18 lakh Class XII students, raising concerns about evaluation integrity.
Many students were denied equal opportunity to verify their evaluations due to procedural and technical flaws in the OSM review process.
The Supreme Court emphasized the need for transparency and accountability in the evaluation system.
Exam Points
The controversy affected nearly 18 lakh Class XII students.
Around 98 lakh answer scripts were digitised under the OSM system.
The Central Information Commission (CIC) advised CBSE to frame comprehensive SOPs under Section 25(5) of the RTI Act.
The Supreme Court indicated it would seek suggestions from a high-powered task force, headed by former UIDAI chairman Nandan Nilekani, on transitioning the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for Undergraduate (NEET-UG) to a computer-based test (CBT). This development follows the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 examination due to a paper leak. The Centre informed the Bench that a high-powered task force was constituted to address the matter. The top court directed the Centre to file an affidavit outlining its roadmap for implementing reforms and a cybersecurity framework, emphasizing the need for comprehensive changes to ensure examination integrity.
The Supreme Court will seek guidance from a task force on transitioning NEET-UG to a computer-based test (CBT).
This move follows the cancellation of NEET-UG 2026 due to a paper leak.
A high-powered task force, led by Nandan Nilekani, has been constituted by the Union government to address the examination issues.
Exam Points
The task force will be headed by Nandan Nilekani, former UIDAI chairman.
The Bench comprised Justices P.S. Narasimha and Alok Aradhe.
The NEET-UG 2026 examination was cancelled following a paper leak.
V. Kamakoti, Director of IIT-Madras and a member of the high-powered task force revamping the National Testing Agency (NTA), stated that "trust" is the biggest challenge in preventing exam leaks. He emphasized the need for trustworthy teachers to set question papers and maintain confidentiality. Professor Kamakoti highlighted that every individual and process in the exam hierarchy, from question generation to exam centre administration, must be held directly accountable through a clear organizational structure. While AI can assist with tasks like translation, human oversight remains crucial for verifying accuracy, especially for inclusive exams conducted in multiple languages.
The Director of IIT-Madras identified "trust" as the primary challenge in preventing exam leaks.
He stressed the importance of trustworthy personnel in setting question papers and maintaining confidentiality.
Clear organizational structures are needed to ensure direct accountability for every individual and process in the exam hierarchy.
Exam Points
V. Kamakoti is the Director of IIT-Madras.
He is one of six domain experts on a multidisciplinary panel revamping the National Testing Agency (NTA).
The Union government introduced the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha, proposing stricter penalties for examination paper leaks, including up to 10 years in jail and a ₹50 lakh fine. This move came amidst uproar from Opposition members demanding a discussion on police action against protesting students. Speaker Om Birla brokered a truce, with a debate scheduled for Tuesday. The Opposition plans to widen its offensive by raising issues like the alleged Ram Temple donation embezzlement and ethanol-blended fuel, aiming to challenge the government and gain political ground, especially with the Cockroach Janta Party spearheading Gen-Z protests.
The Union government introduced the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, in Lok Sabha.
The Bill proposes stricter penalties for paper leaks, including up to 10 years in jail and a ₹50 lakh fine.
The introduction was met with Opposition protests demanding a discussion on police action against student protesters.
Exam Points
The Bill is titled Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026.
Proposed penalties include up to 10 years in jail and a ₹50 lakh fine.
The Bill was introduced by Union Minister of State for PMO and Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh.
The Supreme Court directed the Uttar Pradesh government to include an independent forensic auditor in the reconstituted Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing alleged donation theft at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya. Calling for a "qualitative and impartial" investigation, a three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant also ordered the SIT to submit a status report within two weeks. The court emphasized the need for first-hand experience in the investigation, referring to a previous three-member committee that had uncovered prima facie evidence of fraud. The State government agreed to the inclusion of an auditor with expertise in forensic auditing.
The Supreme Court ordered the Uttar Pradesh government to include an independent forensic auditor in the SIT investigating alleged donation theft at the Ram Temple.
The court emphasized the need for a "qualitative and impartial" investigation into the misappropriation of trust funds.
The SIT is directed to submit a status report on the probe's progress within two weeks.
Exam Points
The Bench was headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant.
The SIT is probing alleged donation theft at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust in Ayodhya.
Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta represented the Uttar Pradesh government.
The Bombay High Court allowed Union Minister Nitin Gadkari to initiate legal proceedings against Meta, Google, X, and other unnamed entities over social media content falsely linking him to the Centre's Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP). Justice Abhay Ahuja granted leave for Gadkari to file a substantive civil suit seeking removal of the defamatory content and ₹11 crore in damages. Gadkari clarified that he had no role in the EBP's policy decisions, despite serving as Union Minister for Road Transport since 2014. He identified at least 24 defamatory posts and intends to approach the Supreme Court on the matter.
The Bombay High Court permitted Union Minister Nitin Gadkari to sue Meta, Google, and X over defamatory social media posts.
The posts falsely link Gadkari to the Centre's Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP) policy decisions.
Gadkari seeks the removal of the content and ₹11 crore in damages.
Exam Points
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari was granted leave by Justice Abhay Ahuja.
The Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP) was introduced by the Centre in 2003.
The implementation of 20% ethanol blending with petrol (E20) was achieved during the 2025-26 period.
The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has removed public access to its website's "cut list," which details changes ordered in films, displaying "under maintenance" for days. This move prevents public scrutiny of film censorship, particularly regarding politicization of content and suppression of anti-establishment themes. The Hindu previously reported how CBFC's cuts reflected these trends. While cut lists are accessible via QR codes on film certificates through the e-Cinepramaan portal, their removal from the main website raises transparency concerns and indicates a weakening of CBFC's institutional norms, especially after recent accusations of delaying certification for several films.
The CBFC website's "cut list," detailing changes ordered in films, has been inaccessible for days, showing "under maintenance."
This removal hinders public scrutiny of film censorship, especially concerning politicization and suppression of certain themes.
The inaccessibility raises transparency concerns and suggests a weakening of CBFC's institutional norms.
Exam Points
The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) website's "cut list" is inaccessible.
The Hindu reported in 2023 on CBFC's cuts reflecting politicization.
CBFC chairperson Shashi Shekhar Vempati stated the system is undergoing technical maintenance.
The Supreme Court sought the Union government's response on a petition challenging the interpretation of the "merger" exception under Paragraph 4 of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution (anti-defection law). Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, the petitioner, argued that the current interpretation allows a legislature party to effect a "deemed merger" without formal party approval, potentially turning an electoral majority into a minority. He contended that this has "huge repercussions" for the polity and can alter electoral verdicts. While the Bench acknowledged the concerns, it initially expressed disinclination to intervene, suggesting it was a matter for Parliament or political parties, but ultimately issued notice on the plea.
The Supreme Court sought the Union government's response on a plea challenging the interpretation of the anti-defection law's "merger" exception.
Petitioner Kapil Sibal argued that the current interpretation of Paragraph 4 of the Tenth Schedule allows for "deemed mergers" without formal party approval.
Sibal contended that this interpretation has significant repercussions for the polity, potentially altering electoral verdicts and turning majorities into minorities.
Exam Points
The petition challenges Paragraph 4 of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal filed the petition as petitioner-in-person.
The Bench comprised Justices P.S. Narasimha and Alok Aradhe.
Pharma major Merck has signed non-exclusive voluntary licensing agreements with four Indian drugmakers: Aurobindo Pharma, Cipla, Emcure, and Viatris. These agreements will enable the supply of its investigational, once-monthly oral HIV pill, Alimatravir, in 129 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The royalty-free agreements aim to expand access to the drug in regions that account for a substantial majority of new HIV diagnoses globally. This initiative is expected to significantly improve the availability and affordability of the treatment in these high-need areas.
Merck signed non-exclusive voluntary licensing agreements with four Indian drugmakers for its HIV pill, Alimatravir.
The Indian drugmakers involved are Aurobindo Pharma, Cipla, Emcure, and Viatris.
The agreements are royalty-free and aim to supply the once-monthly oral HIV pill in 129 low- and middle-income countries.
Exam Points
Merck signed agreements with Aurobindo Pharma, Cipla, Emcure, and Viatris.
The drug is Alimatravir, an investigational, once-monthly oral HIV pill.
The supply will cover 129 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
Thailand's Food and Drug Administration has approved Nuzolvence (zoliflodacin), a first-in-class oral antibiotic for the treatment of uncomplicated urogenital gonorrhoea. Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, with support from The GARDP Foundation, led the priority review submission for this drug. Thailand is the second country to approve this new chemical entity, following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approval six months prior. This approval marks a significant step in combating gonorrhoea, especially given the rising concerns about antibiotic resistance.
Thailand's FDA approved Nuzolvence (zoliflodacin) for uncomplicated urogenital gonorrhoea.
Nuzolvence is a first-in-class oral antibiotic.
Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, supported by The GARDP Foundation, led the review submission.
Exam Points
Thailand's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Nuzolvence (zoliflodacin).
Dr. Reddy's Laboratories led the priority review submission.
Bank of Baroda (BOB) has initiated a forensic investigation into a breach where critical data, reportedly one terabyte (TB) worth, was leaked onto the dark web. The bank stated that the incident involved the compromise of an employee's email account, leading to unauthorized access to certain data. Immediate containment measures were implemented upon identification. BOB assured that its core banking systems were not accessed and remain secure, despite social media reports claiming personal Aadhaar details of customers were exposed. The incident highlights growing cybersecurity risks for financial institutions storing vast amounts of customer and business data.
Bank of Baroda initiated a forensic investigation into a critical data leak on the dark web.
The breach reportedly involved one terabyte (TB) of data, stemming from the compromise of an employee's email account.
The bank confirmed immediate containment measures were implemented upon identifying the incident.
Exam Points
Bank of Baroda (BOB) initiated the forensic investigation.
India's operational data centre capacity is projected to increase more than five-fold, from 2.2 GW in 2025 to 12 GW by 2030, primarily fueled by rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), hyperscale cloud investments, and the expanding digital economy. AI-dedicated capacity is expected to reach 6,546 MW by 2030. Data centre electricity demand is forecast to grow significantly, reaching 191 terawatt-hours (TWh) by 2040. Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu currently dominate IT load, but future investments are expected to expand into emerging markets like A.P., Telangana, U.P., and Karnataka, attracting significant commitments from global hyperscalers and domestic operators.
India's data centre capacity is projected to increase over five-fold to 12 GW by 2030, driven by AI and hyperscale cloud investments.
AI-dedicated capacity is expected to reach 6,546 MW by 2030, indicating a significant shift in infrastructure demand.
Data centre electricity demand is forecast to grow substantially, reaching 191 TWh by 2040.
Exam Points
India's data centre capacity is projected to reach 12 GW by 2030 from 2.2 GW in 2025.
AI-dedicated capacity is expected to rise to 6,546 MW by 2030 from 275 MW in 2025.
Data centre electricity demand is forecast to grow to 191 TWh by 2040 from 10 TWh in 2025.
Hong Wang has made history by becoming the third woman to win the prestigious Fields Medal, one of the top honours in mathematics, in 2026. The Medal, awarded every four years to mathematicians under 40, also recognized Yu Deng, John Pardon, and Jacob Tsimerman. Wang, along with Deng, are the first Chinese nationals to win since 1982. Wang was honored for solving the three-dimensional Kakeya conjecture with Joshua Zahl. Her work, and that of other laureates, spans complex mathematical problems in number theory, algebraic geometry, and symplectic geometry, demonstrating significant advancements in the field.
Hong Wang became the third woman in history to win the Fields Medal, a top honor in mathematics.
The Fields Medal is awarded every four years to mathematicians under 40.
Wang, along with Yu Deng, are the first Chinese nationals to win the Medal since 1982.
Exam Points
Hong Wang won the Fields Medal in 2026.
She is the third woman to win the Medal, after Maryam Mirzakhani (2014) and Maryna Viazovska (2022).
Yu Deng, John Pardon, Jacob Tsimerman, and Hong Wang were the 2026 laureates.
India's urban growth and development depend critically on effective water management, yet many city water systems are fragile, marked by high non-revenue water, low wastewater treatment, and poor cost recovery. A focused agenda within a single political term can stabilize urban water services. This involves rethinking water sources by treating rainwater and treated wastewater as mainstream supplies, improving efficiency through clear responsibilities, better measurement, and modernized customer services. Additionally, it requires redesigning tariffs and subsidies for equity and reforming investment appraisal to consider full lifetime costs and environmental impacts. The goal is to shift from counting connections to managing performance and resilience, investing in operations and local capacity.
Urban India's water systems are fragile, characterized by high non-revenue water, inadequate wastewater treatment, and poor cost recovery.
A single political term can significantly improve urban water services through a focused agenda.
Rethinking water sources to include rainwater harvesting and treated wastewater as mainstream supplies is crucial.
Exam Points
Utilities lose more than 30% of water they produce (non-revenue water).
Only around 27% of sewage is treated.
Many utilities recover less than 55% of their operation and maintenance costs.
Read more
Read it. Retain it. Recall it.
Get spaced-repetition flashcards, daily quizzes and offline access — free on Android.