• Launch Date and Venue: July 7, 2026; New Delhi
• Main Objectives: To improve the income, productivity, and livelihoods of 2 million (20 lakh) small and marginal farmers across the country; and to create 20,000 new agri-entrepreneurs by training rural youth.
• Concerned Ministries: Union Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Ministry of Rural Development
• Focus States (8 key states): Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Assam, Jharkhand
• Implementation Model: India's largest private sector-led agri-entrepreneurship program, based on a multi-partner alliance.
• Existing Network: 20,000 new entrepreneurs will be added to the existing network of over 26,000 agri-entrepreneurs. These entrepreneurs will facilitate soil testing, machinery services, and financial and market linkages at the village level.
• Women Empowerment: The scheme places special emphasis on women's participation by involving a large number of "Krishi Sakhis" (farm friends) and women entrepreneurs.
• Key Collaborating Partners: PepsiCo Foundation, State Bank of India Foundation (SBIF), Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Agri Entrepreneur Growth Foundation (AEGF), Transform Rural India Foundation (TRIF)

• Calibre and Range: It is a 7.62x51mm calibre assault/battle rifle with an effective range of up to 500 metres.
• Weight and Operation: Weighing less than 4 kg, it is easy for soldiers to carry. It utilizes a modern gas-operated rotating bolt system.
• Record Development Time: This state-of-the-art indigenous rifle was designed and manufactured in just 100 days, marking one of the country's fastest weapon development programmes.

• UPI-Indonesia Payment System Link: India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) will be linked to Indonesia's national payment system.
• Local Currency Transaction (LCT): An agreement was reached between the central banks of both countries (RBI and Bank Indonesia) to promote trade in local currencies (Rupee and Rupiah).
• ION Platform: Indonesia is developing the 'Indonesia Open Network' (ION) based on the model of India's Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC).
• Procurement of Missile Systems: Indonesia agreed to purchase BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles and Astra air-to-air missile systems from India.
• Development of Sabang Port: Both countries will jointly develop the strategically vital Sabang Port.
• IIM Bangalore Campus: The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore will establish its first overseas campus in the 'Singhasari Special Economic Zone (SEZ)' in Malang, Indonesia.
• Electoral Cooperation (EVM): An agreement has been signed between the Election Commissions of India and Indonesia.
• Cultural Diplomacy: Both countries will observe this year as the "Tagore-Dewantara Year of Cultural and Educational Diplomacy."

• Phased Development: The project will be implemented in two phases. Executive education programs for senior officials and corporate professionals will commence in the first two years. Following their success, degree-granting management programs will be introduced in the second phase.
• Partnership: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between IIM Bangalore and PT Intelegensia Grahatama (PT IGT)—the development and management entity of the Singhasari SEZ—to establish the campus.

Indonesia:

• Vast Archipelago: Over 17,000 islands; major ones include Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and Papua.
• Capital: Jakarta; a new capital, Nusantara, is currently under development.
• Land Borders: Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, and Timor-Leste.
• Maritime Neighbors: India, Singapore, the Philippines, Australia, Vietnam, and Thailand.
• Great Channel (6° Channel): Located between India's Indira Point and Indonesia's Sumatra.
• Highest Peak: Puncak Jaya (5,030 m).
• Major Straits: Malacca, Sunda, and Lombok.
• Currency: Indonesian Rupiah (IDR).
• India-Indonesia Military Exercises: Samudra Shakti (Navy) and Garuda Shakti (Army).
• Cultural Ties: Deep influence of the Ramayana and Mahabharata; the year 2027 is being celebrated as the "Tagore-Dewantara Year."

• According to the report, nearly half (50%) of the Sustainable Development Goals are lagging behind expected progress, while the situation has deteriorated for 15% of the goals.
• Since 2015, approximately 1 billion people have gained access to safe drinking water, and 1.2 billion people have gained access to safely managed sanitation facilities.
• Between 2015 and 2024, a 30% reduction in new HIV infections and a 35% reduction in AIDS-related deaths have been recorded.
• Access to electricity has been ensured for 92% of the global population.
• Internet usage has risen from 40% in 2015 to 74% in 2024.
• For the first time, more than half of the world's population is covered by social protection schemes.

• Top Countries: Sweden holds the top spot in this index (score: 96.05), followed by Switzerland, Finland, Germany, and the Netherlands, respectively. Nine of the top 10 countries are European.

India's Performance:

• India ranked 125th out of 197 countries, marking a drop of one place compared to the previous year (it was ranked 124th in 2025).
• Indian passport holders enjoy visa-free access or visa-on-arrival facilities in 26 countries.
• Overall Score: 45.1, the highest since the index's inception.
• Quality of Life Index: Ranked 118th, an improvement of 11 places compared to the previous year.
• Investment Index: Ranked 94th, an improvement of 3 places.
• Indian passport holders can travel visa-free or avail visa-on-arrival facilities in Bhutan, Jamaica, Macau, Nepal, Palestine, Tunisia, Angola, and Barbados.
• Indian citizens require a visa to visit 88 destinations, including the USA, UK, Germany, France, China, Andorra, and the UAE.
• India's visa-free mobility score improved from 18 in 2021 to 23 in 2026.
• India ranks 29th among Asian countries in this index. Neighboring countries/Comparison: Namibia (124th) is ranked just above India, and Azerbaijan (126th) is just below.
• Lowest rank: Afghanistan holds the last place (197th) on this list.

• Total enrolled students: Approximately 24.72 crore (Pre-primary to Higher Secondary)
• Total working teachers: 1.03 crore (up from 94.83 lakh in 2022-23)
• Total operational schools: 14.67 lakh (Government: ~10.05 lakh, Private: ~3.41 lakh)
• National Pupil-Teacher Ratio (PTR): 24:1 (better than the NEP standard of 30:1)
• Share of women in the teaching workforce: 54.9% (up from 54.2% the previous year)
• At the Preparatory level: The school dropout rate has declined to 1.8%.
• At the Secondary level: The dropout rate has dropped to 7.0%, reflecting better student engagement.

Improvement in Student Transition Rates:

• Foundational to Preparatory level: 99.2%
• Preparatory to Middle level: 93.8%
• Middle to Secondary level: 88.3%
• Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) at the Secondary level has risen to 71.7%.

School Availability and Management:

• Single-teacher schools: The number of schools with only one teacher has decreased by 3%.
• Zero-enrollment schools: The number of schools with no enrolled students has seen a significant decline of 29% compared to the previous year.

Physical and Digital Infrastructure:

• Basic Amenities: Electricity and drinking water facilities have been ensured in 95% and 99.5% of the country's schools, respectively.
• Toilet Facilities: Toilets are available for 98.5% of female students and 97.2% of male students.
• Digital Access: The percentage of schools with computer facilities has risen to 69.9%, and those with internet connectivity to 67.4%.
• Inclusive Education: Ramps and handrails have been provided in 58.2% of schools for Children with Special Needs (CwSN).

• The left-arm fast bowler played 44 One Day Internationals (ODIs) and 36 T20 Internationals (T20Is) for Afghanistan.
• He claimed 43 wickets in ODIs and 37 wickets in T20s.
• Shapoor Zadran is primarily remembered for his stellar performance in the 2015 ICC ODI World Cup and for hitting the 'winning four' in Afghanistan's historic first-ever World Cup victory against Scotland.

Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH):

• It is an extremely rare, severe, and life-threatening hyper-inflammatory syndrome (a condition causing excessive inflammation) in which the body's immune system goes out of control and begins destroying its own organs.
• In medical science, it is considered a 'medical emergency' because, without timely treatment, it rapidly leads to multi-organ failure.

Scientific meaning of the name:

• Hemo: Blood cells
• Phagocytic: Engulfing or destroying cells
• Lympho + Histiocytosis: Uncontrolled proliferation of white blood cells known as lymphocytes (T-cells) and histiocytes.

• Birth: May 2, 1950; Karnataka
• 140+ Bridges: Constructed over 140 low-cost suspension footbridges in remote rural areas of the country.
• First Bridge (1989): Built over the Payaswini River in Karnataka; this model was later adopted in several states.
• Padma Shri (2017): Honored for his contributions to rural infrastructure and social service.
• Monikers: 'Bridge Man of India', 'Setu Purush', 'Setu Bandhu', and 'Visvesvaraya of Sullia'.

• Current Position: Prior to his appointment as Ambassador to North Korea, he served as India's Ambassador to the African nation of the Republic of Cabo Verde.

North Korea:

• It is a highly isolated communist country located in the northern part of the Korean Peninsula in East Asia.
• Borders: China lies to the north (with the border defined by the Yalu/Amnok and Tumen rivers), and Russia is situated at the extreme northeastern tip. To the south, it shares a border with South Korea.
• Maritime Boundaries: The Yellow Sea lies to its west, and the Sea of ​​Japan (or East Sea) lies to its east.
• 38th Parallel: This line of latitude is the historic line that divides the Korean Peninsula into North and South Korea.
• Demilitarized Zone (DMZ): The actual border between the two countries is known as the Korean Demilitarized Zone.
• Highest Peak: Mount Paektu is the highest peak (2,750 meters); it is an active volcano located on the border with China.
• Capital: Pyongyang
• Currency: North Korean Won (KPW)
• Establishment of Diplomatic Relations with India: Consular relations between the two countries were established in March 1962. Subsequently, full embassy-level diplomatic relations were initiated on December 10, 1973.

• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved this proposal from the Ministry of Home Affairs in July 2026.
• He will serve in this position until June 30, 2029 (the date of his retirement).
• Cadre and Batch: He is a 1993-batch IPS officer of the Haryana cadre.
• Previous Experience: Prior to this central appointment, he served as the Director General (DG) of Prisons and Director General of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Haryana. He has also served as an Inspector General (IG) in the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
• Honours: He was awarded the Police Medal in 2009 and the President's Police Medal in 2016.
• Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D):
• Establishment: It was established by the Government of India on August 28, 1970.
• Nodal Ministry: It is an apex body functioning under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
• Other Important Recent Appointments (July 2026):
• Amit Garg: He has been appointed as the new Director of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) and will hold this post until October 31, 2027.
• A new appointment has also been approved for the post of Head of the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA).

• Atal Bihari Vajpayee Running Parliamentary Shield: Kashmir University was awarded this prestigious running shield and the National Winner trophy upon becoming the national winner.
• Organizing Ministry: This competition is organized by the Union Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.
• Participation: 51 universities and colleges from across the country participated in this edition of the national competition.

• Establishment: This honor was officially established in 1959.
• Significance: It is the highest civilian and military honor (Star of the Republic of Indonesia) of the Republic of Indonesia.
• Eligibility: This award is conferred upon individuals who have made extraordinary and unique contributions to Indonesia's integrity, unity, stability, continuity, and national prosperity.
• Contribution: PM Modi received this honor for strengthening India-Indonesia bilateral friendship and the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two nations.
• Global Milestone: With this honor, the total number of international awards received by PM Modi from various countries and organizations across the world has reached 35.

• Designating Authority: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, based on the recommendation of the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA).
• Relevant Legislation: Under Section 39 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
• Year of Establishment: This museum at Mizoram University was established in 2022.
• Global Significance: The region falls within the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot.
• Designated Repository:
• Under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, the Central Government notifies select institutions as designated repositories. Here, authenticated biological specimens—discovered or acquired under the Act—are preserved for scientific research, species identification, and long-term conservation.

Features of the Museum and Preserved Organisms:

• Species Preserved: Authentic specimens of pteridophytes, macrofungi, reptiles, amphibians, fish, moths, beetles, and butterflies will primarily be housed here.
• Example of Endemic Species: *Leptobrachella tamdil*, a unique amphibian recently discovered in the forests of Mizoram, will also be conserved through this repository.
• Scientific Capacity: The institute currently holds over 500 biological specimens (including herbarium sheets and wet-preserved collections).