01 August 2026 Daily Current Affairs

The Exams Made Simple | UPSC · MPPSC · State PCS Current Affairs

Source: The Hindu, International Edition, Saturday, 1 August 2026 (Vol. 4, No. 182)

1. Trump Touts Gaza Deal; Hamas Seeks Israeli Exit

GS-II — International Relations | Pg. 1

What happened

US President Trump announced that the Board of Peace — an organisation established by Washington to oversee the Gaza ceasefire — reached a “historic agreement” for the complete disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza.
The agreement is described as a milestone in implementing the Trump 20-Point Plan; disarmament is to be carried out in carefully structured phases.
As disarmament is completed, Israeli forces will withdraw, and the International Stabilization Force (ISF) will work with a new Palestinian police force to take responsibility for Gaza’s security.

Reactions

Hamas says it will abandon weapons and end its rule in Gaza only if Israel (which currently occupies more than 60% of the enclave) withdraws its troops and “stops killing Palestinians.”
Israel: PM Netanyahu did not respond immediately; National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called the deal “unacceptable.”
Palestinian Islamic Jihad termed reports about the agreement “inaccurate.”
Trump thanked Egypt, Qatar and Turkiye for their mediation efforts.

Mains Angle: Trace the evolution of the Gaza ceasefire process since October 2023, and examine the role of regional mediators (Egypt, Qatar, Turkiye) and new mechanisms such as the Board of Peace/ISF in post-conflict governance.

2. Spain’s PM Blames Trafficking Gangs as 60,000 Cross into Ceuta

GS-II — Migration | Pg. 1, 12

About 60,000 migrants crossed from Morocco into Ceuta (a small Spanish enclave in North Africa) in just 24 hours — equal to nearly 70% of Ceuta’s population. At least 57 migrants died during the crossing attempt.
PM Pedro Sanchez called it a “violation of Spain’s territorial integrity” and blamed human-trafficking gangs for luring migrants with false promises.
Spain’s Interior Ministry said roughly 50,000 people had crossed since Thursday; about half returned to Morocco voluntarily after the sudden influx triggered chaos.
Moroccan forces used tear gas to disperse migrants gathered on a hill overlooking Ceuta.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the images “unacceptable,” asserting that no one can enter the EU “without abiding by our rules.”
Italy separately suspended its Schengen Agreement with Spain for one month, citing the migrant influx via Ceuta.

Concept — Schengen Area/Agreement: A zone of 29 European states that have abolished passport and immigration controls at their mutual borders, functioning as a single jurisdiction for cross-border travel. A member state can temporarily reintroduce internal border checks citing security or migration concerns.

4. LS Passes Registration of Births & Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026

GS-II — Polity/Governance | Pg. 1, 4

Key provisions

Passed by the Lok Sabha via voice vote amid Opposition protests (no debate) over the police crackdown on student protesters at Jantar Mantar (20 July).
Amends the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969.
Makes delayed registration of births/deaths (after two years) more stringent — will now require an order from a Judicial Magistrate (First Class), instead of the earlier district-registrar-level process.

Parliamentary context

Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025: proposes automatic removal of a Minister/CM/PM if arrested and held in custody for 30 days for an offence carrying ≥5 years’ imprisonment. The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) examining it received a deadline extension.
Opposition staged a mock “priest and devotees” skit alleging Ram Temple donation theft, and demanded Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement on the Jantar Mantar police action.

Concept — Zero FIR: An FIR that can be registered at any police station irrespective of jurisdiction where the offence occurred, later transferred to the police station with jurisdiction. (A zero FIR was filed in Noida against a woman for allegedly using abusive language against the PM.)

6. SC Moots Protocol to Access Court’s Livestream Archives

GS-II — Judiciary | Pg. 3

The Supreme Court intends to lay down a protocol under which livestreamed judicial proceedings can only be accessed through the courts’ official audio-visual archives — to prevent “misuse” and “commercial exploitation.”
The Court was responding to an application by activists Anjali Bhardwaj and Amrita Johri seeking modification of the 24 July interim order that had banned circulation of livestreamed court proceedings on social/digital media.
Petitioners’ argument (advocates Prashant Bhushan, Cheryl D’Souza): the 24 July blanket ban reverses the “principle of open justice” upheld by the SC in earlier judgments; they sought preservation of livestreams in official archives instead of an outright ban.
SC’s original concern (order of 24 July, in a plea by Harshita Grover): unregulated circulation makes judges, advocates and litigants vulnerable to trolling and reputational harm, eroding public confidence in the judicial system.
Meta and WhatsApp have agreed to give suggestions on the framework; State High Courts and Bar bodies have filed affidavits.

Concept — Open Justice Principle: A constitutional/common-law principle that judicial proceedings should be conducted publicly and open to scrutiny, ensuring accountability and public confidence in justice delivery — subject to reasonable regulation to prevent misuse.

7. NSA Invoked Against Activist Who Opposed Luxury Hotel in Kaziranga

GS-II — Rights & Security Law | Pg. 2

The Assam government invoked the National Security Act, 1980 to preventively detain environmental activist Pranab Doley, a day after he was granted bail (29 July) for protesting a luxury hotel project near Kaziranga National Park.
Doley was arrested (12 July) over a sit-in protest; the court granting bail had observed that “the standard apparatus of criminal law cannot be used to suppress local anxieties” where ecological preservation intersects with indigenous survival.
The State’s NSA order cites 13 police cases against him since 2017, alleges foreign funding, and calls his activities “prejudicial to public order/security of the State.”
The Sessions Judge (while granting bail) had noted that police could not seize any “deadly weapons,” and that his foreign funding/visits were not hidden.

Concept — National Security Act (NSA), 1980: A preventive-detention law allowing the Central/State Government to detain a person (up to 12 months, extendable) without trial if satisfied that such detention is necessary to prevent them from acting prejudicially to the defence of India, security of the State, maintenance of public order, or foreign relations. Detention orders are subject to review by an Advisory Board under Article 22.

Mains Angle: Examine the tension between environmental/indigenous-rights activism and the invocation of security legislation such as NSA and UAPA in India, in light of Article 21/22 safeguards.

8. Cong. Moves Privilege Motion Over Jitendra Singh’s ‘No Firing’ Claim

GS-II — Parliament | Pg. 4

Congress’s K.C. Venugopal submitted a notice to move a privilege motion against Union Minister Jitendra Singh for telling the Lok Sabha “no firing took place” during the Jantar Mantar student protests (he said only tear gas was used).
It is alleged that the Minister “knowingly and deliberately” placed incorrect information on record while replying to the debate on the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 (29 July).
Congress cites an injured protester still under medication as evidence contradicting the Minister’s claim.
Separately, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge accused the government of targeting protesters via FIRs, detentions and social-media account blocks after the protests were called off, and alleged “doxxing” of women protesters.
LJP(RV) MP Arun Bharti moved a private member’s Bill seeking a National Commission for Youth (with constitutional status) to address youth unemployment.

Concept — Breach of Privilege / Privilege Motion: A motion moved in Parliament/State Legislature against a member (often a Minister) alleged to have committed a breach of the privileges enjoyed by the House or its members — e.g. misleading the House — referred to the Committee of Privileges for examination.

9. Cabinet Extends PM-KISAN Scheme for Four More Years (2026–31)

GS-III — Economy/Agriculture | Pg. 11

The Union Cabinet approved continuation of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) from 2026–27 to 2030–31, with a total outlay of ₹3.15 lakh crore.
Launched in February 2019; provides ₹6,000/year financial assistance per farmer, paid in 3 instalments.
Over ₹4.47 lakh crore has been transferred directly to farmers’ bank accounts in 23 instalments so far (23rd instalment: over 9.49 crore farmers benefited; over ₹18,984 crore released).
Women farmers have received more than ₹1.06 lakh crore under the scheme; nearly 1 in 4 beneficiaries is a woman farmer.

Concept — Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT): A mechanism to transfer government subsidies/benefits directly into beneficiaries’ bank accounts (linked via Aadhaar), aimed at reducing leakages, delays and duplication in welfare delivery. PM-KISAN is a flagship DBT scheme.

10. Cabinet Approves PM Surya Sarovar Yojana — Floating Solar Push

GS-III — Energy/Environment | Pg. 1, 5, 11

Scheme details

A ₹5,070-crore scheme to accelerate floating solar power, providing central financial assistance of up to ₹1 crore/MW for projects on reservoirs and other water bodies.
Target: 5,000 MW of floating solar capacity by 2030-31; implemented by the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI).
India currently has only ~0.7 GW of installed floating solar capacity against an estimated potential of 102 GW.
Mandatory battery energy storage (≥2 hours equivalent, ~10,000 MWh across the programme) to help States manage peak demand and curtailment.

Rationale

Solar development has so far been concentrated in Rajasthan and Gujarat (cheap, vast land + high insolation); floating solar “diversifies” installations to water-rich, land-scarce States.
Addresses land-acquisition and rehabilitation/resettlement cost constraints associated with ground-mounted solar.
India’s flagship floating solar project — Omkareshwar (on the Narmada, Khandwa district, M.P.) — is the country’s largest at 278 MW (with plans to scale to 600 MW); it currently lacks onsite battery storage.

Mains Angle: Floating solar as a land-use-efficient renewable energy pathway — its potential, environmental concerns (aquatic-ecosystem impact), and India’s renewable-energy target trajectory (500 GW non-fossil capacity by 2030).

11. Cabinet Okays ₹84,084-cr. ‘Samudra Manthan’ for Offshore Exploration

GS-III — Energy | Pg. 11

National Offshore Exploration Scheme under the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas; corpus to be utilised until FY2030-31.
Aims to catalyse reserves of 600+ MMTOE (Million Metric Tonnes of Oil Equivalent).
Key components: drilling 60 deepwater exploration wells (₹43,200 cr., govt. funding up to 50% of eligible drilling cost or ₹75 crore/well); offshore data acquisition (₹28,534 cr.); common offshore infrastructure hubs (₹10,000 cr.); manufacturing & services zones for oil/gas equipment (₹2,000 cr.).
Seeks to reduce geological uncertainty via large-scale seismic data and de-risk deepwater/ultra-deepwater exploration to attract private investment, and to reorient growth into offshore E&P amid difficulties from ageing onshore oil and gas fields.

Concept — MMTOE: Million Metric Tonnes of Oil Equivalent — a standard unit used to compare energy content across different fuel sources by converting them to the energy equivalent of one million tonnes of crude oil.

12. ‘India Risks Complicity in Israel’s War Crimes in Gaza’ — Amnesty Report

GS-II — IR/Human Rights | Pg. 12

A month after a UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry (headed by Justice S. Muralidhar) concluded that Israel’s actions in Gaza constituted genocide, an Amnesty International report (“Made in India: The Supply of Weapons and Ammunition to Israel”) examined India-Israel shipment-level trade data.
Finding: India risks complicity in “crimes against humanity of apartheid, genocide and other crimes under international law” by supplying arms and ammunition to Israel.
Data: over 2,500 shipments of small arms, parts and ammunition (machine-gun components, explosive warheads, artillery shells) exported from India to Israel between 7 October 2023 and 30 November 2025; at least 788 shipments were determined to have military purposes.
Private manufacturers named: PLR Systems (Adani Group–Israel Weapon Industries JV), Indo-MIM, Kalyani Strategic Systems (a Bharat Forge subsidiary), Ashoka Manufacturing.
State-owned entities (Munitions India, India Optel, Advanced Weapons and Equipment India) supplied high-explosive artillery shells, mortar launchers and sensors to Elbit Systems and Semiconductor Devices.

Concept — Genocide (International Law): Under the 1948 UN Genocide Convention, acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group — including killing members, causing serious bodily/mental harm, or deliberately inflicting conditions calculated to bring about physical destruction. India is a signatory and has ratified the Convention (1959).

13. Western Ghats Conservation — The ESA Notification Impasse

GS-III — Environment (Editorial) | Pg. 6

Background & timeline

The Western Ghats span 6 coastal States and contain 39 biodiversity hotspot areas, including National Parks, Reserved Forests and Wildlife Sanctuaries; declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site (WHS) in 2012.
The Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP), 2010, chaired by ecologist Madhav Gadgil, recommended declaring 142 talukas (44 districts) as an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA), sub-divided into 3 Ecologically Sensitive Zones (ESZ).
Following political opposition, the Kasturirangan-led High-Level Working Group (2012) recommended a recalibrated, restricted ESA — reduced coverage to only 37% of the Western Ghats, limiting curbs mainly to natural landscapes.
MoEF&CC issued the first draft ESA notification in 2014; the matter has remained unresolved through 5 draft notifications (2015–2026) due to lack of Centre-State consensus. An expert panel (headed by Sanjay Kumar, 2022) had its tenure extended by another year in July 2026.

State-wise positions

Gujarat and Goa have largely agreed to finalisation; Maharashtra has sought a fresh review; Karnataka (10 districts, 20,668 sq km of proposed ESA) consistently opposes the notification citing impact on agriculture, plantations, mining and infrastructure.
A “phased rollout”/”State-wise finalisation” is possible per the 2024 draft notification.

Concept — Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA): Areas notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 where certain developmental/industrial activities are regulated or prohibited to conserve ecologically fragile regions. Legal protection is triggered only upon formal notification by the Central Government.

14. Editorial: Gen Z’s Voice Must Lead to a Humane Education System

GS-II — Governance/Education | Pg. 6

Context: Cockroach Janta Party-led Gen-Z protests over exam paper leaks and single high-stakes competitive exams have exposed flaws in India’s admissions/examination culture.
The editorial calls for a shift from “rank-based filtration” to “capacity-based recognition” — a multi-dimensional assessment combining school performance, aptitude tests, structured interviews, portfolios, internships and co-curricular record.
It critiques the “one-test-fits-all” model (e.g., a single National Testing Agency exam) as educationally unsound and socially unjust given India’s diversity in language, geography and digital access.
It advocates a decentralised system — universities/institution-clusters designing their own assessments within broad UGC norms.
Reform safeguards proposed: encrypted digital paper transmission, multi-layered randomised question banks, biometric verification, time-staggered papers, post-exam forensic audit — to prevent paper leaks.
On the role of elected representatives: the Constitution treats education as a public good (duty of the State under Article 21A/DPSPs) — Parliament and State legislatures are responsible for regulating coaching-sector exploitation.

Mains Angle: “Examination reforms are integral to the right to education.” Critically examine India’s competitive-examination ecosystem and suggest a decentralised, capacity-based assessment framework.

15. Editorial: A Health Tax — Government Must Tax High Fat, Sugar, Salt Foods

GS-II — Health/Economy | Pg. 6

National Family Health Survey (NFHS) data shows India faces a dual burden — undernutrition/stunting persists, while adult overweight/obesity and diet-linked metabolic disorders are rising sharply.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution recommended mandatory front-of-pack nutrition labelling for high-sugar packaged foods, including baby foods.
“Let’s Fix Our Food” — a national consortium on adolescent nutrition led by ICMR-NIN (Indian Council of Medical Research–National Institute of Nutrition) — recommends a health tax on high fat/salt/sugar (HFSS) foods, stricter ad regulation and healthier school food environments.
WHO: since 2017, at least 133 countries have introduced or increased a health tax on unhealthy foods; Colombia’s “junk food law” (2023) is cited as a model (graded tax: 10% → 15% → 20% over 3 years).
ICMR-NIN estimates over 17 million Indian children/adolescents are affected by obesity — a figure that could cross 27 million by 2030.

Concept — Sin Tax / Health Tax: An excise levy imposed on goods deemed harmful to public health or society (e.g., tobacco, alcohol, sugary/HFSS foods), intended both to raise revenue and to discourage consumption via price disincentive.

16. ‘IOC Comfortably Placed Till Most of September’ — Q1 Results

GS-III — Economy | Pg. 11

Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOCL) has crude supplies secured for all of August and most of September (~45–50 days), says Chairman Arvinder Singh Sahney — shielding retail fuel prices amid Strait of Hormuz-related disruption and elevated crude prices.
IOCL posted a net loss of ₹2,661 crore in Q1 (June quarter) FY27 — narrower than anticipated due to refinery operational efficiency; overall revenue rose 26% YoY to ~₹2.76 lakh crore.
Peers: HPCL posted a net loss of ~₹12,265 crore; BPCL posted ~₹3,962 crore, in the same quarter.
IOCL tapped the RBI’s credit facility swap window to raise a $500 million swap for fresh FCNR(B) deposits, ECBs and overseas foreign currency borrowings.

Concept — Under-recovery (Oil Marketing Companies): The gap between the market-determined cost of a fuel/LPG cylinder and the price at which State-owned Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs — IOC, BPCL, HPCL) sell it to consumers at government-controlled/subsidised rates. IOC incurred under-recoveries of ₹720/cylinder (June) and ₹503/cylinder (July) on LPG.

17. Ground Zero: The Banchhada Community — ‘Celebrated at Birth, Pushed into Sex Work’

GS-I/II — Social Justice | Pg. 7

Community background

Banchhada: a de-notified nomadic tribe of the Malwa-Mewar region (M.P.–Rajasthan), population ~25,000 across 78 villages in Mandsaur, Neemuch and Ratlam (western M.P.).
Notified as a “criminal tribe” by the British under the Criminal Tribes Act, 1871; de-notified by the Government of India in 1952 and classified as a Scheduled Caste.
Unlike most communities, families invest more in daughters’ upbringing (nutrition, clothing) — but only so daughters can be pushed into intergenerational sex work once they reach puberty; families (mostly male members) function as pimps.

Barriers & State response

The community faces caste-based stigma in education, employment and housing; children struggle to obtain caste certificates (many born out of wedlock) — denying access to reservation/scholarship benefits.
State response includes the “Jabali Scheme” (hostels for women of the Banchhada/Bedia communities) — activists allege it is “completely missing from the ground” due to inadequate fund allocation.

Concept — Denotified & Nomadic Tribes (DNTs): Communities that were notified as “hereditary criminals” under the colonial Criminal Tribes Act, 1871 (repealed 1952) and subsequently “de-notified.” Many remain socio-economically marginalised, with several now classified across SC/ST/OBC categories. The Renke Commission (2008) and Idate Commission (2017) examined their welfare.

18. 68% of Water Samples Near Bhopal Gas Tragedy Site Show Contamination

GS-III — Environment/Health | Pg. 2

Activists from four survivor organisations allege that 68% of civic-body-supplied drinking water samples in areas affected by the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy tested positive for faecal coliform contamination.
63 samples were taken from 30 localities near the defunct Union Carbide factory (2–22 July); 43 were found sewage-contaminated — clear evidence of contamination in 19 of 30 communities tested.
90% of samples from the city’s Upper Lake supply and 25% from the Kolar dam supply were contaminated; samples from the Narmada river supply were negative.
Activists compare the situation to Indore’s Bhagirathpura tragedy (December 2025–January 2026), where government-supplied sewage-contaminated water reportedly caused over 35 deaths.
The Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) disputes the claim, saying its own July tests found no impurities in any of 61 samples.

Concept — Faecal Coliform: A group of bacteria (including E. coli) found in the intestines/faeces of warm-blooded animals; their presence in drinking water indicates contamination by sewage and possible presence of disease-causing pathogens — a standard water-quality/potability indicator.

19. ‘A Generation in Waiting’ — Recruitment Delays in Uttar Pradesh

GS-II — Governance | Pg. 8

UPSSSC (UP Subordinate Service Selection Commission): Village Panchayat Officer (VPO) 2023 exam results have been pending for 2+ months; the Junior Assistant post result is pending despite the exam being notified in August 2023.
Lekhpal Mains examination (21 May, 861 centres/44 districts): aspirants allege organised cheating; the government denies a paper leak. There were 7,994 posts for 3.01 lakh candidates (37.75 aspirants/post).
UPESSC (established 2023, replacing the UP Higher/Secondary Education Service Boards): TGT recruitment was notified in 2022; the exam was finally held in June 2026 — 8.6 lakh aspirants competed for 3,539 seats.
D.El.Ed (Diploma in Elementary Education) holders allege that primary-level teacher vacancies have not been advertised for over 5 years.

Mains Angle: Examine the institutional and administrative bottlenecks in State-level recruitment commissions in India and their impact on youth employment and social trust in public examination systems.

Prelims Facts Ready-Reckoner

PM-KISAN extended for 2026–27 to 2030–31 with total outlay of ₹3.15 lakh crore.
PM Surya Sarovar Yojana targets 5,000 MW floating solar capacity by 2030-31; outlay ₹5,070 crore.
‘Samudra Manthan’ — National Offshore Exploration Scheme; outlay ₹84,084 crore; target 600+ MMTOE.
India’s largest floating solar project: Omkareshwar Floating Solar Park (Narmada, Khandwa, M.P.) — 278 MW.
Western Ghats WHS declared by UNESCO in 2012; WGEEP (2010) headed by Madhav Gadgil; Kasturirangan panel (2012) recalibrated ESA to 37% of the Western Ghats.
National Security Act, 1980 — preventive detention law; Article 22 provides for review by an Advisory Board.
Criminal Tribes Act, 1871 (British) — repealed/de-notified in 1952; gave rise to today’s Denotified & Nomadic Tribes (DNTs).
TASMAC = Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Ltd. (the State’s liquor retail monopoly).
Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026 amends the 1969 parent Act.
UN Genocide Convention, 1948 — India is a signatory and has ratified it (1959).
ICMR-NIN = Indian Council of Medical Research – National Institute of Nutrition; leads the “Let’s Fix Our Food” consortium.
IOC, BPCL, HPCL are the three major Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) in India.

Practice MCQs

Q1. Consider the following statements regarding the ‘Board of Peace’ mentioned in the news:

It was established by Washington to oversee the Gaza ceasefire.
It functions under the Trump 20-Point Plan for Gaza.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2

Q2. The ‘Kasturirangan Committee’ report, often in the news, is related to:
(a) Reforms in higher education policy
(b) Demarcation of Ecologically Sensitive Areas in the Western Ghats
(c) River-linking projects in peninsular India
(d) Regulation of coaching institutes

Answer: (b)

Q3. With reference to the National Security Act (NSA), 1980, consider the following statements:

It allows preventive detention without trial.
Detention orders under the NSA are reviewed by an Advisory Board.
The maximum period of detention under the Act can never exceed three months.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 only (d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (a) [Detention can extend up to 12 months, extendable]

Compiled by The Exams Made Simple — Daily News Analysis, 1 August 2026. Source: The Hindu (International Edition).