Current Affairs 09 July 2026

Scientists Develop IoT-Based Smart Health Tracker for High-Altitude Yaks

Scientists from the ICAR–National Research Centre on Yak (NRC-Y), Dirang (Arunachal Pradesh), in collaboration with Assam Don Bosco University, have developed an Internet of Things (IoT)-based smart monitoring system to track the health and movement of high-altitude yaks in the Himalayan region. The technology is expected to help yak farmers monitor livestock health, predict stress, and prevent animals from straying into inaccessible areas near the international border.

Highlights

• Scientists developed an IoT-based smart monitoring system for Indian yaks (Bos grunniens).
• The technology was developed by ICAR–National Research Centre on Yak (NRC-Y), Dirang, in collaboration with Assam Don Bosco University.
• The system uses a smart collar device to monitor:
  • Animal health
  • Stress levels
  • Movement through geo-fencing
• According to the 20th Livestock Census, India has about 58,000 yaks, with nearly half found in Ladakh.
• The Indian yak (Bos grunniens) is popularly known as the “Ship of the Himalayas” and is an important source of meat, milk, wool, and transportation for Himalayan communities.

DRDO Successfully Flight-Tests Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted the flight test of the Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket (LRGR) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, Odisha, on 8 July 2026. The rocket was tested for a user-defined minimum range of 60 km and accurately struck its target while successfully demonstrating all planned in-flight manoeuvres.

BRICS Women Ministerial Meeting

During the BRICS Women Ministerial Meeting held in Kochi, Kerala, under India’s BRICS Chairship 2026, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj showcased India’s women-led Panchayati Raj model as a global example of inclusive grassroots governance. The discussions highlighted India’s initiatives to strengthen women’s leadership, democratic decentralisation, and sustainable rural development.

Highlights

• The BRICS Women Ministerial Meeting was held in Kochi, Kerala, under India’s BRICS Chairship 2026.
• India highlighted the success of women-led Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in promoting inclusive grassroots governance.
• Of the 42 Gram Panchayats recognised under the National Panchayat Awards, 25 were led by women.
• The Sashakt Panchayat Netri Abhiyan, launched in March 2025, has trained around 1.5 lakh elected women representatives.
• The Ministry is developing 744 Model Women-Friendly Gram Panchayats, with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
• India has localised the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into nine citizen-centric themes for implementation at the Gram Panchayat level.
• The Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) uses nearly 150 measurable indicators to assess the performance of Gram Panchayats.

Bhubaneswar Declaration Adopted to Strengthen Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs)

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs, in collaboration with the Government of Odisha, concluded the two-day National Workshop on Strengthening Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) in Bhubaneswar with the adoption of the Bhubaneswar Declaration. The declaration provides a national roadmap to transform Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) into centres of excellence for research, innovation, preservation of tribal heritage, and evidence-based policymaking, contributing to the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047.

• It proposes the adoption of the Model TRI Framework 2030, which sets standards for governance, staffing, research quality, and technology integration in TRIs.
• It also recommends preparing a National TRI Research Agenda (2027–2032) to identify common research priorities for tribal development across India.

Ministry of Education Releases AISHE Reports 2022–23 and 2023–24

The Ministry of Education has released the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) reports for 2022–23 and 2023–24. The survey provides official statistics on India’s higher education sector, covering enrolment, Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), faculty, infrastructure, and institutional performance. The latest report highlights a steady increase in enrolment, improved gender parity, and greater participation of SC, ST, and female students in higher education.

Highlights

• The All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) reports for 2022–23 and 2023–24 have been released by the Ministry of Education.
• Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) increased to 30.0 in 2023–24, up from 29.5 in 2022–23.
• Female GER reached 31.2, which is higher than the overall GER.
• The Gender Parity Index (GPI) stood at 1.08 in 2023–24, remaining above 1.0 for the seventh consecutive year, indicating higher female participation in higher education.
• Total enrolment in higher education increased to 4.50 crore in 2023–24.
• STEM enrolment crossed 1.02 crore, with women accounting for 44% of STEM students.
• The total number of faculty members increased to 17.32 lakh, including 7.78 lakh female faculty members.
• More than 90% of registered Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) participated in the survey.

‘Bridge Man of India’ Girish Bharadwaj Passes Away

Girish Bharadwaj, popularly known as the “Bridge Man of India”, passed away at the age of 76 in Sullia, Dakshina Kannada district, Karnataka. An engineering graduate, he was renowned for designing and constructing low-cost hanging footbridges, significantly improving rural connectivity across the country. He built over 140 hanging footbridges across India. In recognition of his contribution to society, he was awarded the Padma Shri in 2017.

Q1. The Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket (LRGR), recently flight-tested by DRDO, was tested for a user-defined minimum range of:
A. 40 km
B. 50 km
C. 60 km
D. 75 km

Q2. Consider the following statements regarding the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2023–24:
1. The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education reached 30.0.
2. The Gender Parity Index (GPI) stood at 1.08, indicating higher female participation in higher education than males.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3. Consider the following statements regarding India’s initiatives to strengthen women-led Panchayati Raj Institutions:
1. The Sashakt Panchayat Netri Abhiyan was launched in March 2025.
2. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj is developing 744 Model Women-Friendly Gram Panchayats with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q4. The recently adopted Bhubaneswar Declaration is primarily associated with:
A. Strengthening Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) in India
B. Conservation of coastal ecosystems under the Blue Economy Mission
C. Promotion of urban local bodies through the Smart Cities Mission
D. Expansion of digital public infrastructure under the Digital India Programme

Q5. What is the scientific name of the Indian yak, popularly known as the “Ship of the Himalayas”?
A. Bos indicus
B. Bos grunniens
C. Bos taurus
D. Bubalus bubalis

Q6. Girish Bharadwaj, who recently passed away, was popularly known by which of the following titles?
A. Water Man of India
B. Bridge Man of India
C. Missile Man of India
D. Metro Man of India