National:
- On July 30, 2026, the Ladakh administration declared 23 archaeological, historical and cultural sites as protected monuments under the Jammu and Kashmir Ancient Monuments Preservation Act. The decision provides legal protection against encroachment, unauthorised construction, damage and alteration. It aims to conserve Ladakh’s monasteries, forts, palaces, rock carvings and other important heritage structures for future generations.
- On July 30, 2026, the Rajya Sabha passed the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 by voice vote after its approval by the Lok Sabha on July 29. The Bill strengthens the 2024 law by increasing penalties for paper leaks, organised cheating and service-provider misconduct. It also provides for Special Task Forces, two-month investigations, Special Fast Track Courts and time-bound trials to protect students and ensure transparent public examinations.
- On April 18, 2026, the Union Cabinet approved the Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool with a sovereign guarantee of ₹12,980 crore. The domestic pool will provide continuous insurance coverage for Indian-linked ships against hull, machinery, cargo and war-related risks. It seeks to reduce dependence on foreign reinsurers and protect India’s maritime trade during geopolitical conflicts, sanctions and global insurance disruptions.
- On July 29, 2026, APEDA facilitated the first sea shipment of seven tonnes of value-added flavoured makhana from Darbhanga, Bihar, to Canada. The initiative aims to expand international markets for Bihar’s makhana, promote value-added agricultural exports and improve farmers’ income. Processing makhana into flavoured products can increase returns and strengthen Bihar’s position as a major makhana-producing and exporting state.
- On July 29, 2026, the National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange launched NCDEX Nidhi, a mutual fund transaction platform aimed at expanding investment access in rural and semi-urban India. The platform supports SIPs through UPI AutoPay, flexible investment dates and transparent transaction tracking. It initially partnered with six asset management companies and trained members of Farmer Producer Organisations as mutual fund distributors to promote financial inclusion.
- On July 29, 2026, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India approved the grant of a Certificate of Registration to ProTec General Insurance, allowing it to conduct general insurance business in India. The company is promoted by the M Pallonji Group and Divya Sehgal, with backing from Federal Bank and other investors. ProTec became the fourth insurer to receive an IRDAI licence in 2026, increasing competition in India’s insurance sector.
- From July 23 to 30, 2026, the 11th All India Police Judo Cluster Championship was organised by the Central Industrial Security Force under the All India Police Sports Control Board at GMC Balayogi Indoor Stadium, Gachibowli, Hyderabad. More than 1,600 athletes from 36 police and CAPF organisations participated in judo, wushu, taekwondo, karate and pencak silat.
- On July 30, 2026, Indian weightlifter Lovepreet Singh won the silver medal in the men’s above-110 kg category at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. He lifted a combined total of 388 kg and set a Games record with a 176 kg snatch. New Zealand’s David Liti won gold with 389 kg, defeating Lovepreet by only one kilogram.
- On July 30, 2026, the Zoological Survey of India completed the country’s first comprehensive Catalogue of Lepidoptera after 12 years of research. It records 13,703 species of butterflies and moths found across India. The catalogue consolidates taxonomic information collected over more than a century and will support biodiversity research, species identification, ecological monitoring and conservation planning.
- On July 23, 2026, mathematicians Yu Deng, John Pardon, Jacob Tsimerman and Hong Wang received the 2026 Fields Medal during the International Congress of Mathematicians in Philadelphia, United States. Awarded every four years to mathematicians below 40, the Fields Medal recognises outstanding achievements in mathematics and is regarded as one of the discipline’s highest international honours.
- On July 29, 2026, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh virtually inaugurated India’s first dedicated Department of Military Medicine at Command Hospital, Central Command, in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. The department will conduct specialised training and research on combat injuries, operational stress, battlefield healthcare and emerging medical threats. It aims to strengthen the medical preparedness and operational effectiveness of India’s armed forces.
- The claim that the indigenous Diving Support Vessel Nipun was delivered to the Indian Navy in July 2026 could not be officially verified. Nipun and Nistar were launched at Hindustan Shipyard Limited, Visakhapatnam, on September 22, 2022. These vessels are designed for deep-sea diving, underwater rescue and submarine-support operations. Only Nistar’s delivery on July 8, 2025, was confirmed.
- On July 29, 2026, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs signed a three-year MoU with CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow. The agreement seeks to conserve rare, endangered and threatened medicinal plants, protect tribal traditional knowledge and develop sustainable livelihoods. It will also train tribal youth in plant propagation and conservation after obtaining prior informed consent from the concerned Gram Sabhas.
- On July 29, 2026, the Ministry of Rural Development, through DAY-NRLM, signed a non-financial MoU with Project Concern International India. Signed by Swati Sharma and Indrajit Chaudhuri, the three-year partnership will strengthen women-led and self-help-group enterprises through training, GeM onboarding, tender participation, market linkages and improved access to government and institutional procurement opportunities.
- On July 29, 2026, Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia conferred the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Telecom Excellence Awards 2025 on Amantya Technologies Private Limited and Finaara. The Department of Telecommunications instituted the awards to recognise exceptional contributions to telecom innovation, skills, services, manufacturing and technology-based applications in areas such as agriculture, healthcare, education and commerce.
- International Tiger Day was observed worldwide on July 29, 2026, to promote tiger conservation and create awareness about poaching, habitat destruction and human-wildlife conflict. The observance originated at the 2010 Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit. Its main aim is to protect wild tiger populations, conserve their natural habitats and encourage governments and communities to strengthen coordinated conservation efforts.
- On July 29, 2026, Oscar-winning Irish musician Glen Hansard died at the age of 56 in a motorcycle accident in Dublin, Ireland. He was the lead singer of The Frames and appeared in the film Once. Hansard was internationally famous for co-writing and performing Falling Slowly, which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2008.
Questions:
Q1. APEDA facilitated the first sea shipment of flavoured makhana from Bihar to which country?
a) United States
b) Australia
c) Canada
d) United Kingdom
Answer: c) On July 29, 2026, APEDA facilitated the first sea shipment of seven tonnes of value-added flavoured makhana from Darbhanga, Bihar, to Canada.
Q2. NCDEX Nidhi is primarily a platform for:
a) Commodity warehousing
b) Mutual fund transactions
c) Crop insurance claims
d) Digital gold trading
Answer: b) NCDEX launched NCDEX Nidhi on July 29, 2026, as a mutual fund transaction platform. It is designed to improve investment access in rural and semi-urban areas.
