Daily Bulletin

The National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) has recognised several institutions as 'Awarding Bodies', authorising them to issue certifications aligned with the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF). The newly recognised bodies include the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRD&PR), NITTTR Kolkata, the NIIT Foundation, and the Central Hindi Training Institute (CHTI), which will offer qualifications in areas ranging from pest management and AI tools to Hindi stenography. Additionally, the Nettur Technical Training Foundation (NTTF) was upgraded to an 'Awarding Body (Dual)' with pan-India jurisdiction.

The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) has constructed a total of 7,97,020 km of rural roads and connected 1,62,876 habitations since its inception, as of July 16, 2026. The scheme's funding pattern is a 60:40 ratio between the Centre and States, with a more favourable 90:10 ratio for North-Eastern and Himalayan states. To ensure inclusive development, PMGSY guidelines relax population norms for connectivity in Tribal, North-Eastern, Himalayan, and Left Wing Extremism-affected areas.

The Ministry of Rural Development has announced that all States and Union Territories have notified their respective schemes under the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB–GRAM–G) Act, 2025. The implementation of this new rural employment and livelihood mission commenced nationwide on July 1, 2026. The central government is continuously reviewing the preparedness of states for its successful rollout.

The Union Government has expressed its readiness to hold a discussion in Parliament on the alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), with Prime Minister Narendra Modi assuring strict action against those responsible. The statement by Union Minister Jitendra Singh comes amidst persistent demands from the opposition for a debate. The issue has also seen political escalation, with former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik calling for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who in turn accused the opposition of politicising the matter.

Union Minister of State for Personnel, Dr. Jitendra Singh, has stated that the next generation of governance reforms must be driven by evidence-based decision-making. He emphasised leveraging data and analytics for formulating effective public policies and enhancing service delivery, aiming to foster a more transparent, efficient, and citizen-centric administrative system.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has announced plans to consult with civil society organisations on online child safety. Concurrently, the ministry will commission a comprehensive study to assess the harms children face on social media platforms, aiming to gather data to inform future policies and regulatory frameworks.

The Delhi High Court has declined to suspend the conviction of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Pradeep Singh in a case of celebratory firing. A trial court had previously convicted Mr. Singh under Section 304 Part II of the Indian Penal Code (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and provisions of the Arms Act.

A third judge of the Supreme Court has recused themselves from hearing the bail plea of lawyer Surendra Gadling. Following the recusal, the matter will now be placed before the Chief Justice of India for the constitution of a new bench to hear the petition.