# Current Affairs July 2026 for UPSC: VB-G RAM G Replaces MGNREGA, Semicon 2.0, Vikram-1, Sarnath World Heritage Site and the Anti-Paper-Leak Law Source: https://tracknation.in/story/current-affairs-july-2026-for-upsc-vb-g-ram-g-replaces-mgnrega-semicon-2-0-vikram-1-sarnath-world-heritage-site-and-the-anti-paper-leak-law (TrackNation — free UPSC notes with PYQs) > Current affairs for 1 to 31 July 2026 for UPSC Prelims 2027: the VB-G RAM G Act replacing MGNREGA, the anti-paper-leak amendment, UAPA designations, the Cabinet packages (Semicon 2.0, mobile scheme, Khelo India), the India-Australia uranium arrangement, the US tariff switch to Section 301, Skyroot's Vikram-1 and Sarnath as India's 45th World Heritage Site, with practice questions. ## July 2026 at a Glance 🎯 **July 2026: 1 to 31 July.** July replaced MGNREGA with a new rural employment law, passed a tougher paper-leak law, cleared two big Cabinet packages, signed a uranium arrangement with Australia, saw a private Indian rocket reach orbit and added Sarnath to the World Heritage List. Facts marked 'official' come from the Cabinet's Khelo India release; the rest are named secondary sources. ## July at a glance | **Date** | **Event** | **Subject** | **Exam angle** | | 1 Jul | VB-G RAM G Act replaces MGNREGA | Polity, Economy | 125 days; 60:40 sharing | | 4 Jul | 23 LeT and JeM operatives designated under UAPA | Security | Section 35; total 80 | | 9 Jul | India-Australia uranium arrangement, Melbourne | IR | IAEA safeguards | | 15 Jul | Cabinet: Semicon 2.0, MPMS, urea policy | Economy | Rs 2,19,353 crore | | 18 Jul | Skyroot's Vikram-1 reaches orbit | Science | Mission Aagaman | | 24 Jul | US Section 122 tariff replaced by Section 301 | IR, Economy | India at 10% | | 25 Jul | Sarnath inscribed as India's 45th World Heritage Site | Culture | Busan, 48th session | | 25 Jul | Pradhan resigns; Joshi gets Education | Polity | NEET fallout | | 30 Jul | Parliament passes the anti-paper-leak amendment | Governance | 5 to 10 years | | 31 Jul | Cabinet: Khelo India Rs 36,441 crore | Sports | 2026-27 to 2030-31 | ## Rural Employment: VB-G RAM G Replaces MGNREGA The biggest policy change of the month was in rural employment. ## Polity and economy: VB-G RAM G replaces MGNREGA - The **VB-G RAM G Act came into force across rural India on 1 July 2026, replacing MGNREGA**. - **Days of work:** the guarantee **rises from 100 to 125 days** per rural household, with a 60-day pause during peak sowing and harvesting seasons. - **Cost sharing:** **60:40 for most States** (Centre:State), with the **Union paying 90 per cent in the North-Eastern and Himalayan States** and Union Territories with a legislature, and the whole cost in Union Territories without one. Under MGNREGA the Union paid the entire wage bill. At least three States (Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand) objected. - **Money and wages:** the Centre's allocation for 2026-27 is **Rs 95,692.31 crore**; the national average daily wage rises from **Rs 298.8 to Rs 327.4**. - *Static:* MGNREGA was enacted in 2005; the right to work is a Directive Principle (Article 41), not a Fundamental Right; employment and unemployment fall in Entry 23 of the Concurrent List. ## Governance and Security: Paper Leaks, a Resignation and UAPA Governance in July was driven by the NEET-UG fallout and a fresh designation of terrorists. ## Governance and security: paper leaks, a resignation and UAPA designations - **Anti-paper-leak law (29-30 July).** Parliament passed the **Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026**: the Lok Sabha on 29 July and the Rajya Sabha on 30 July by voice vote amid an Opposition walkout. It provides **jail terms of five to ten years**, trials to be completed **within three months of the charge sheet**, time-bound investigation, a special task force and daily hearings. The parent law is the 2024 Act of the same name. - **Education Minister (25 July).** **Dharmendra Pradhan resigned as Union Education Minister on 25 July 2026** after weeks of protests over the paper leak. The President accepted the resignation on the Prime Minister's advice and gave **Pralhad Joshi, Cabinet Minister, charge of the Ministry of Education** in addition to his existing portfolio. *Static:* Ministers are appointed by the President on the Prime Minister's advice (Article 75(1)) and hold office during the President's pleasure. - **UAPA designations (4 July).** The Home Ministry **designated 23 Pakistan-based individuals** linked to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (13, Lahore-based) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (ten, Bahawalpur-based) as terrorists, taking the **total number of designated individuals to 80**. The designation is under **Section 35 of the Act, which adds names to the Fourth Schedule**. *Static:* the 2019 amendment allowed individuals, and not only organisations, to be designated. ## Economy: the Cabinet Packages of 15 and 31 July Two Cabinet meetings produced the month's scheme numbers. ## Economy: the Cabinet packages of 15 and 31 July - **15 July.** Cabinet approved seven decisions with a **combined outlay of Rs 2,19,353 crore**: **Semicon 2.0 with an outlay of Rs 1,27,500 crore**; the **Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme (MPMS) with an outlay of Rs 62,500 crore for five years**, with incentives of 2.25 to 5 per cent on eligible sales plus up to 1.5 per cent for domestic component sourcing and 3 per cent for design and R&D; the **National Investment Policy for Urea 2026** (NIPU-2026), a policy with no allocation that encourages new gas-based urea plants; and Varanasi corridors and two rail projects (secondary). - **31 July (official).** Cabinet approved the **expanded Khelo India Scheme with a combined outlay of Rs 36,441 crore** for 2026-27 to 2030-31: **Rs 29,054 crore for the Khelo India Scheme and Rs 7,387 crore** for Assistance to National Sports Federations, nearly eight times the previous allocation. It includes Khelo India Feeder Schools, Centres of Excellence, SAI Training Centres and accredited academies. - *Static:* sport is a State subject (Entry 33, List II); the Centre supports it through schemes; Khelo India was launched in 2017-18. ## International Relations: Australia and the US Tariff Switch July's international items were a uranium arrangement and a tariff replacement. ## International relations: Australia and the US - **India-Australia (9 July, Melbourne).** The two countries signed an **administrative arrangement under the 2015 civil nuclear cooperation agreement** clearing the way for Australian uranium to be exported to India for peaceful purposes under IAEA safeguards. They also unveiled a joint declaration on defence and security with a roadmap on cyber, critical technologies and supply chains, and agreed to speed up the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement and an investment protection pact. *Static:* India is not a signatory to the NPT; Australia exports uranium only to countries with safeguards agreements; the Quad includes both. - **US tariffs (24 July).** The US 10 per cent global surcharge under Section 122 **expired on 24 July 2026** (150 days from 24 February) and was replaced by **duties under Section 301**, based on a forced-labour investigation covering 60 economies. India's rate was reported at 10 per cent against 12.5 per cent for some competitors, after India banned imports of goods made with forced labour; India challenged the investigation (secondary). The India-US trade agreement is still unsigned. ## Science and Culture: Vikram-1 and Sarnath July also had a space first and a heritage listing. ## Science and culture: Vikram-1 and Sarnath - **Vikram-1 (18 July).** Skyroot Aerospace's **Vikram-1 reached orbit on its maiden flight, Mission Aagaman**, lifting off from Sriharikota and placing payloads in a **450 km circular low Earth orbit at 60 degrees inclination**. It is a four-stage vehicle and India's first privately built rocket to reach orbit; Skyroot plans a second test before commercial flights (secondary). *Static:* IN-SPACe authorises and promotes private space activity; Skyroot's earlier Vikram-S flew suborbitally in November 2022. - **Sarnath (25 July).** The Ancient Buddhist Site, Sarnath was **inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List on 25 July 2026** at the **48th session of the World Heritage Committee in Busan**, as **India's 45th World Heritage property**, under criteria (iii) and (vi). India's 45 properties comprise **37 cultural, 7 natural and 1 mixed**. *Static:* the Maratha Military Landscapes were inscribed at the 47th session in Paris; Sarnath is where the Buddha gave his first sermon, and the Ashokan pillar's lion capital is India's national emblem. ## Further Reading - PIB press releases, ministry websites and annual reports, the Gazette of India, MEA and UN documents and the official sources named in each note — the primary sources behind every fact above. ## How UPSC Could Ask This Next Here is how UPSC could turn July into questions. ## How UPSC could ask this next - **Rural employment:** the number of days, the cost-sharing pattern, the Directive Principle behind it and what changes from MGNREGA. - **Law:** the section under which individuals are designated terrorists, the schedule, and the penalties in the examinations law. - **Heritage:** the count of Indian sites, cultural against natural, the criteria, the session and venue, the earlier Buddhist sites. - **Space and industry:** what makes Vikram-1 different, and the incentive structure of the mobile phone scheme. - **IR:** why uranium exports need safeguards, and the legal basis of the US tariff replacement. ## Test Yourself: Practice Questions Sixteen practice questions on July 2026, each tied to a verified fact. ## Practice Questions **Q1.** The VB-G RAM G Act, in force from 1 July 2026, guarantees how many days of work per rural household? - (a) 120 - (b) 150 - (c) 100 - (d) 125 **Answer: (d)** — It replaced MGNREGA, which guaranteed 100 days. **Q2.** Under the VB-G RAM G Act, the Centre-State cost-sharing ratio for most States is - (a) 75:25 - (b) 50:50 - (c) 60:40 - (d) 100:0 **Answer: (c)** — The Union pays 90 per cent in North-Eastern and Himalayan States. **Q3.** The right to work is mentioned in the Constitution under - (a) Article 41 (Directive Principles) - (b) Article 51A - (c) Article 19(1)(g) - (d) Article 21 (Fundamental Rights) **Answer: (a)** — It is not a justiciable right. **Q4.** Under the 2026 Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, those involved in paper leaks face jail terms of - (a) one to three years - (b) ten to twenty years - (c) life imprisonment only - (d) five to ten years **Answer: (d)** — Trials are to be completed within three months of the charge sheet. **Q5.** Who was given charge of the Ministry of Education after Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation on 25 July 2026? - (a) Ashwini Vaishnaw - (b) Piyush Goyal - (c) Pralhad Joshi - (d) Jitendra Singh **Answer: (c)** — The charge was in addition to his existing portfolio. **Q6.** Individuals are designated as terrorists under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act under - (a) Section 43D - (b) Section 35 (Fourth Schedule) - (c) Section 3 - (d) Section 15 **Answer: (b)** — The July 2026 designation of 23 individuals took the total to 80. **Q7.** The outlay of Semicon 2.0 approved by the Cabinet on 15 July 2026 is - (a) Rs 62,500 crore - (b) Rs 36,441 crore - (c) Rs 1,27,500 crore - (d) Rs 28,840 crore **Answer: (c)** — The same meeting approved the Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme. **Q8.** The Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme approved in July 2026 has an outlay of - (a) Rs 1,27,500 crore for ten years - (b) Rs 2,19,353 crore - (c) Rs 10,000 crore for three years - (d) Rs 62,500 crore for five years **Answer: (d)** — Rs 2,19,353 crore was the combined outlay of seven decisions. **Q9.** The expanded Khelo India Scheme approved on 31 July 2026 covers the period - (a) 2024-25 to 2028-29 - (b) 2026-27 to 2030-31 - (c) 2026-27 to 2035-36 - (d) 2025-26 to 2027-28 **Answer: (b)** — Its combined outlay is Rs 36,441 crore. **Q10.** The India-Australia uranium arrangement of July 2026 was signed in - (a) New Delhi - (b) Sydney - (c) Melbourne - (d) Canberra **Answer: (c)** — It is under the 2015 civil nuclear cooperation agreement. **Q11.** Australian uranium is supplied to India subject to - (a) Wassenaar Arrangement rules - (b) NPT membership - (c) IAEA safeguards - (d) the Missile Technology Control Regime **Answer: (c)** — India is not an NPT signatory. **Q12.** The US temporary global tariff under Section 122 expired on - (a) 1 August 2026 - (b) 31 March 2026 - (c) 24 July 2026 - (d) 20 February 2026 **Answer: (c)** — It was replaced by Section 301 duties. **Q13.** Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram-1 rocket reached orbit on its maiden flight called - (a) Mission Prarambh - (b) Mission Udaan - (c) Mission Vyom - (d) Mission Aagaman **Answer: (d)** — It lifted off from Sriharikota on 18 July 2026. **Q14.** The Ancient Buddhist Site, Sarnath was inscribed on the World Heritage List at the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee held in - (a) Paris, France - (b) New Delhi, India - (c) Busan, Republic of Korea - (d) Bahrain **Answer: (c)** — It is India's 45th World Heritage property. **Q15.** India's 45 World Heritage properties comprise - (a) 34 cultural, 7 natural and 4 mixed - (b) 40 cultural, 3 natural and 2 mixed - (c) 30 cultural, 10 natural and 5 mixed - (d) 37 cultural, 7 natural and 1 mixed **Answer: (d)** — The mixed property is the Khangchendzonga National Park. **Q16.** Which agency authorises and promotes private-sector space activities in India? - (a) IN-SPACe - (b) ISRO's Mission Control - (c) DRDO - (d) NSIL **Answer: (a)** — Skyroot's launch was a private orbital launch. ### Mains Practice Questions Use these to frame full-length answers. You don't have to answer one exactly — they show the angles UPSC tests, so let them guide which points you cover. - Compare the VB-G RAM G Act with MGNREGA on entitlement, financing and federal balance, and assess the objections raised by States. - Evaluate the effectiveness of criminal penalties and time-bound trials in preventing paper leaks in public examinations. - Examine the significance of India-Australia uranium cooperation for India's energy security and non-proliferation standing. - Discuss the role of private players in India's space sector in the light of the Vikram-1 mission.