25 July 2026 Current Affairs (With PDF)

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Can Police Hide Their Identity During Protests?

The issue of police identification came into focus after videos from the ‘Sansad Chalo’ protest in New Delhi allegedly showed police and RAF personnel in plain clothes or without visible nameplates, raising concerns over transparency and accountability.

Legal Position

Police Identification and Accountability

Although no single law expressly mandates visible nameplates for police personnel during every public-order operation, India’s legal framework generally favours identifiable and accountable policing.

• Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023: It empowers magistrates and police officers to disperse unlawful assemblies. The exercise of such coercive authority is premised on action by identifiable statutory authorities.
• D.K. Basu v. State of West Bengal (1997): The Supreme Court directed that police personnel carrying out arrests must bear clear, visible and accurate identification.

Although the judgment specifically concerned arrest and detention procedures, its broader principles of transparency, traceability and accountability are relevant to the use of coercive force during crowd-control operations.

Why Might Police Conceal Their Identity?

Police authorities may argue that visible identification can expose officers and their families to:

• Physical threats and targeted attacks;
• Retaliatory violence;
• Doxxing and privacy violations; and
• Targeting by organised groups or militants.

The practice of concealing identity has historically emerged in counter-insurgency environments, including Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Left-Wing Extremism-affected regions, where individual identification could expose personnel to militant retaliation.

Arguments Against Concealing Identity

• Accountability Deficit: Concealed identification makes it difficult to determine which officer used force and whether the action was proportionate.
• Institutional Impunity: Anonymity can hinder departmental inquiries, judicial scrutiny and disciplinary proceedings.
• Erosion of Public Trust: Unidentifiable enforcement personnel may weaken public confidence in the legitimacy and fairness of state action.
• Rule of Law Concerns: Coercive state power should ideally remain traceable to identifiable officials and accountable institutions.

PM-YASASVI Scheme

The Government of India has reaffirmed its commitment to expanding access to quality education for disadvantaged students through the PM-YASASVI scheme.

About PM-YASASVI

• PM-YASASVI stands for Prime Minister Young Achievers Scholarship Award Scheme for Vibrant India. It is an umbrella initiative of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

Objective

• Provide financial assistance to disadvantaged students;
• Reduce geographical and financial barriers to quality education; and
• Strengthen residential educational infrastructure for eligible communities.

Target Beneficiaries

• Other Backward Classes (OBCs);
• Economically Backward Classes (EBCs); and
• Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNTs).

The annual family income of beneficiaries must be below ₹2.50 lakh.

Major Components

• Pre-Matric Scholarship: ₹4,000 per annum for full-time students of Classes 9 and 10 in government schools.
• Post-Matric Scholarship: ₹5,000–₹20,000 per annum for post-matriculation courses, depending on the course category.
• Top Class School Education: Up to ₹75,000 annually for Classes 9–10 and ₹1,25,000 for Classes 11–12, covering tuition, hostel and institutional expenses.
• Top Class College Education: Full tuition reimbursement up to ₹2 lakh annually in private institutions, along with ₹3,000 monthly living expenses, ₹5,000 for books and a one-time ₹45,000 laptop grant.
• Hostel Construction: ₹3 lakh–₹3.5 lakh per seat, with priority given to rural areas and regions with low literacy levels.

Inclusion Measures

• At least 30% of total slots are reserved for girl students.
• 5% of slots are reserved for Persons with Disabilities (PwD).

SMILE Scheme

The SMILE (Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise) scheme has rehabilitated more than 10,200 persons engaged in begging across 216 cities.

About the Scheme

• SMILE is a Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. It seeks to provide comprehensive rehabilitation, livelihood support and economic reintegration for Transgender persons; and Persons engaged in begging.

Target

• The scheme aims to cover 35,000 beneficiaries across 295 cities by 2030–31, with a focus on Metropolitan cities; Religious centres; Tourist destinations; and Historical cities.

Implementation

• The scheme requires coordination among Central Government; State Governments; Urban Local Bodies (ULBs); and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs).
• It also converges with schemes such as DAY-NULM, NRLM and Mission Vatsalya.

Major Sub-Schemes

1. Comprehensive Rehabilitation of Transgender Persons

• Scholarships from Class IX to post-graduation;
• Garima Grehs for shelter and support;
• Gender-reaffirmation healthcare linked with PM-JAY;
• Skill training under PM-DAKSH; and
• Transgender Protection Cells.

2. Comprehensive Rehabilitation of Persons Engaged in Begging

• The programme advances the vision of “Bhiksha Vritti Mukt Bharat” through Identification and rescue; Shelters with medical care and counselling; Skill training through PM-DAKSH; and Assistance with documentation and access to welfare schemes.

Fast-Track Courts (FTCs) in India

The Prime Minister announced the operationalisation of fast-track courts to address cases related to NEET examination paper leaks under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.

What are Fast-Track Courts?

• Fast-Track Courts (FTCs) are specialised judicial mechanisms designed to expedite the disposal of priority cases and reduce judicial backlogs. They are generally created for specific categories of cases or time-bound judicial objectives.

Evolution of FTCs in India

• 11th Finance Commission (2000): Recommended 1,734 FTCs to dispose of long-pending cases in subordinate courts.
• Post-Nirbhaya case (2012): The Union Government established the Nirbhaya Fund and promoted special courts for cases involving sexual violence.
• 14th Finance Commission (2015–20): Recommended 1,800 FTCs for heinous crimes and property disputes pending for more than five years.
• FTSC Scheme (2019): The government launched Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) for the expeditious trial of rape and POCSO Act cases.

Funding Pattern

• Centre–State ratio: 60:40
• Himalayan and Northeastern States: 90:10

Current Performance

• More than 770 FTSCs are operational across India.
• Nearly 400 are exclusive POCSO courts.
• FTSCs dispose of approximately 9.5 cases per month, compared with around 3.3 cases per month in regular subordinate courts.
• Active FTSCs have recorded a historical disposal rate of around 96%.

However, performance varies significantly across regions. Trial durations have ranged from around 180 days in Puducherry to more than 1,600 days in Delhi, reflecting disparities in infrastructure and judicial capacity.

Constitutional and Legal Framework

• Article 14: Requires reasonable and objective classification for creating special judicial mechanisms.
• Article 21: The Supreme Court has recognised a speedy and fair trial as part of the right to life and personal liberty.
• Article 247: Empowers Parliament to establish additional courts for better administration of Union laws.
• Criminal Law Amendment, 2018: Provides the legal framework for expedited handling of rape cases, including prescribed timelines for investigation and trial.
• POCSO Act, 2012: Sections 28 and 35 provide for Special Courts and prescribe a framework for expeditious trials.
• Public Examinations Act, 2024: Provides the legal basis for prosecuting organised examination fraud and syndicates involved in paper leaks.

Key Challenges

• Conviction Deficit: Faster disposal does not automatically ensure strong convictions; some States have reported conviction rates below 5%.
• Infrastructure Gaps: Many FTCs depend on contractual staff or retired judges, raising concerns about continuity and institutional capacity.
• Article 14 Concerns: Special treatment must be based on objective criteria such as the nature of the offence or vulnerability of victims.
• Regional Inequality: Differences in State funding and judicial infrastructure produce unequal access to timely justice.
• Speed–Fairness Balance: Expediting trials must not compromise due process, evidence evaluation or the accused’s right to a fair hearing.

Foreign Investment in E-Commerce Inventory Model

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has permitted Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the inventory-based model of e-commerce, marking a significant change in India’s e-commerce investment framework.

Earlier FDI Framework

• Marketplace Model: Up to 100% FDI under the automatic route was permitted.
• Inventory-Based Model: FDI was earlier not permitted.

Significance of Allowing FDI

• Boost to E-Commerce Exports: The policy could facilitate easier exports of domestically manufactured goods and improve access to global markets.
• Untapped Export Potential: India’s e-commerce exports are estimated at only around $5 billion, compared with approximately $300 billion for China, indicating substantial room for expansion.
• Addressing Regulatory Gaps: Existing e-commerce export regulations are largely based on conventional B2B export frameworks, creating compliance difficulties for small businesses. A dedicated framework could simplify procedures.
• Opportunity for Small Businesses: Products valued between $25 and $1,000, including handicrafts, art and books, have significant export potential. According to estimates cited by GTRI, India’s e-commerce exports could potentially reach $350 billion by 2030.
• Greater MSME Participation: Simplifying paperwork, testing and labelling requirements could enable more MSMEs to participate in cross-border e-commerce. At present, only around 12,000 MSMEs are estimated to undertake e-commerce exports.

E-Commerce Business Models

• Inventory-Based Model: The e-commerce entity owns the inventory of goods or services and sells them directly to consumers.
• Example: An online platform purchases or manufactures products, owns them as inventory and sells them directly to customers.
• Marketplace-Based Model: The e-commerce entity provides an IT platform that acts as a facilitator between buyers and sellers. The platform generally does not own the inventory being sold.

Regulation of Virtual Digital Assets (VDA)

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance has called for an appropriate regulatory framework for Virtual Digital Assets (VDAs) amid rising retail participation and concerns over regulatory uncertainty.

What are Virtual Digital Assets?

• VDAs, commonly including crypto assets, refer to digital representations of value that can be Digitally traded; Transferred; or Used for payment.
• However, they do not include digital representations of fiat currencies.

Current Regulatory Position in India

• India currently lacks a dedicated comprehensive legal framework for VDAs such as cryptocurrencies.
• The sector is presently regulated primarily through Anti-money laundering provisions; and  Taxation measures.
• The definition of securities under India’s securities law is broadly technology-neutral. Therefore, VDAs that possess the characteristics of securities or derivatives may fall within existing securities regulation.
• However, VDAs that do not meet these characteristics—particularly where their underlying asset or index is not legally recognised—may remain outside the regulatory framework.

Global Regulatory Approach

• Jurisdictions such as the United States; Singapore; United Kingdom; and European Union
• also generally use technology-neutral securities definitions. Crypto assets that exhibit the characteristics of securities may therefore be regulated under existing securities laws, while other crypto assets may be covered by dedicated digital-asset frameworks.

Key Recommendations of the Parliamentary Committee

1. Address the Regulatory Grey Area

• The Committee highlighted that increasing retail participation in VDAs, combined with regulatory ambiguity, can increase risks related to Fraud; Market manipulation; Consumer losses; and Misuse of digital assets.
• Many VDAs may resemble securities or derivatives but remain outside existing laws because their underlying assets or indices are not formally recognised within the legal framework.

2. Establish Self-Regulatory Organisations

• Pending the creation of a comprehensive legislative framework, the Committee recommended an interim self-regulatory mechanism under the supervision of a designated regulator.
• Such a mechanism could help establish standards for Industry conduct; Consumer protection; Risk disclosure; Compliance; and Market integrity.

State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) Report 2026

The 2026 edition of the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) Report was released under the theme “Understanding and addressing the high cost of a healthy diet.”

About the SOFI Report

A. The report is jointly published by five UN agencies:

• FAO – Food and Agriculture Organization
• IFAD – International Fund for Agricultural Development
• UNICEF – United Nations Children’s Fund
• WFP – World Food Programme
• WHO – World Health Organization

B. Food security is assessed through two major indicators:

1. Prevalence of Undernourishment (PoU)
2. Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food Insecurity (FIES)

Key Findings

1. Global Hunger Declines

Global hunger declined for the third consecutive year to 7.8% of the global population, affecting approximately 645 million people.

• Africa surpassed Asia in the absolute number of hungry people.
• Approximately 309 million people in Africa faced hunger.

2. Regional Trends

• Food security improved steadily in Asia; Latin America; and The Caribbean.
• Africa’s hunger rate declined from 20.3% to 20%, marking its first decline in nearly a decade.
• However, moderate or severe food insecurity affected approximately 25.8% of the global population, or around 2.1 billion people, in 2025.

3. Healthy Diets Becoming More Expensive

• The average cost of a healthy diet rose to 4.28 PPP dollars per person per day in 2025.
• Approximately 2.69 billion people remain unable to afford a healthy diet.

4. Post-Farmgate Bottlenecks

• Around 70–75% of consumer food prices are driven by post-farmgate constraints, including Inadequate infrastructure; Weak cold-chain logistics; Unreliable energy supply; and Inefficient markets.

5. Persistent Malnutrition

• Around 150 million children under five remain stunted.
• Only 30.8% of children aged 6–23 months receive a minimally diverse diet.
• Adult obesity rose to 16.2% in 2024.
• Maternal anaemia continues to worsen.

Credit–Deposit (CD) Ratio

The Credit–Deposit (CD) ratio of Indian banks reached a 62-year high of 82.6% in Q1 of FY 2026–27, reflecting strong credit expansion relative to deposit mobilisation.

What is the CD Ratio?

• The Credit–Deposit ratio measures the proportion of a bank’s total deposits that has been deployed as loans or advances.

Formula: CD Ratio = (Total Credit / Total Deposits) × 100

• A higher ratio generally indicates greater deployment of deposits into lending, while a lower ratio may suggest greater liquidity or subdued credit demand.

Factors Affecting the CD Ratio

1. Deposit Growth: Greater deposit mobilisation increases the funds available for lending. If deposits grow faster than credit, the CD ratio may decline.
2. Credit Demand: Strong demand for loans from households and industries increases bank advances and pushes the CD ratio upward.
3. RBI Monetary Policy: Changes in policy interest rates and reserve requirements influence Banks’ lending capacity; Cost of borrowing; and Overall credit demand. These factors can directly affect the CD ratio.
4. Banks’ Risk Appetite and Asset Quality: Banks are more willing to expand lending when asset quality is strong and credit risks are manageable.
5. However, rising Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) may make banks more cautious, reducing credit growth and consequently lowering the CD ratio.

Panama

India and Panama held bilateral discussions to strengthen cooperation in the maritime sector.

Geographical Location

• Panama is a country in Central America, located on the Isthmus of Panama—the narrow land bridge connecting North America and South America.
• Capital: Panama City
• The Panama Canal is an approximately 82-km artificial waterway connecting the Atlantic Ocean (through the Caribbean Sea) with the Pacific Ocean.
• It is one of the world's most important maritime trade routes, significantly reducing the distance and travel time for ships moving between the two oceans.
• Isthmus of Panama: The Isthmus of Panama is a narrow strip of land that links the two American continents and separates the Caribbean Sea from the Pacific Ocean.
• The Cordillera Central is the principal mountain range of Panama.
• Highest Peak: Volcán Barú — 3,475 metres
• It is located within the Cordillera Central.

Batukeshwar Dutt

The nation paid tribute to revolutionary freedom fighter Batukeshwar Dutt on his death anniversary on 20 July.

Early Life and Revolutionary Activities

• Born in 1910 in West Bengal and raised in Kanpur.
• He was a socialist revolutionary and a prominent member of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA).
• Central Legislative Assembly Bombing (1929): On 8 April 1929, Batukeshwar Dutt and Bhagat Singh threw smoke bombs inside the Central Legislative Assembly.
• Their objective was to protest colonial policies and make their political message heard rather than cause fatalities.
• They Distributed revolutionary leaflets; and Raised the slogan “Inquilab Zindabad”.

Lahore Jail Hunger Strike

• During the 1929 Lahore Jail hunger strike, Dutt joined the demand for better treatment and improved conditions for political prisoners.
• The protest highlighted the discriminatory treatment of Indian political prisoners in colonial jails.
• Later Life: He was released from prison after developing tuberculosis. He later participated in the Quit India Movement (1942) and was imprisoned again. He died in 1965.
• Final Resting Place: Batukeshwar Dutt was cremated at Hussainiwala in Punjab, alongside Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru.

Thiru Subramania Siva

The Vice President paid floral tributes to Thiru Subramania Siva on his death anniversary on 23 July.

About Subramania Siva

• Thiru Subramania Siva (4 October 1884–23 July 1925) was a freedom fighter, writer and powerful orator from Tamil Nadu. He is remembered as the first political prisoner of the Madras Presidency.

Role in the Freedom Movement

• Inspired by Bal Gangadhar Tilak’s extremist nationalist ideology.
• Worked alongside prominent nationalists such as V. O. Chidambaram Pillai and Subramania Bharati
• In 1908, Siva and V. O. Chidambaram Pillai helped organise the Coral Mill Strike at British-owned mills in Tuticorin (Thoothukudi).
• The strike became an important example of the use of organised labour action against colonial economic exploitation.

Literary Contributions

• Edited the Tamil monthly Gnanabhanu.
• Authored more than 30 books, including Ramanuja Vijayam and Sachithanandha Sivam
• Translated the works of Swami Vivekananda into Tamil.
• He supported the Tanittamil Iyakkam (Pure Tamil Movement), which sought to reduce the use of non-Tamil loanwords and promote a purer Tamil vocabulary.

INS Malvan

The Indian Navy inducted INS Malvan, the second Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) of the Mahe-class.

Key Features

• Role: Designed for anti-submarine warfare in coastal waters.
• Other Missions: Sub-surface surveillance, Search and rescue, Low-intensity maritime operations
• Builder: Cochin Shipyard Limited.
• Indigenisation: More than 80% indigenous equipment and technology under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

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