1 President Murmu accepts Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, Pralhad Joshi given additional charge of the Education Ministry
The President of India, on the advice of the Prime Minister, has accepted the resignation of Shri Dharmendra Pradhan from the Union Council of Ministers under clause (2) of Article 75 of the Constitution of India with immediate effect . Further, on the advice of the Prime Minister, the President has directed that Cabinet Minister Shri Pralhad Joshi be given the charge of the Ministry of Education in addition to his existing portfolio . Shri Joshi is currently holding the post of Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and New and Renewable Energy . Dharmendra Pradhan resigned from the Union Council of Ministers amid the paper leak controversy . He said that his decision was taken to protect the interests of students and to prevent the youth of the country from falling into the “web of illusion”.
The ancient Buddhist site of Sarnath has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List . Sarnath, one of the world’s most sacred Buddhist pilgrimage sites , was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List during the 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Busan, South Korea . The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) stated in a social media post that Sarnath has become India’s 45th World Heritage Site , further strengthening the country’s cultural heritage on the global stage. Sarnath is a highly significant and sacred site of Buddhism . Located approximately 10 kilometers from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, this historic site is where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon after attaining enlightenment. The site included in this list consists of two parts: the Chaukhandi Stupa and the Archaeological Remains of Sarnath (Dhamek Stupa, Dharmarajika Stupa, Mulagandhakuti Vihara, Ashoka Pillar, etc.), located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh . Together, these parts preserve the architectural and archaeological remains of the ancient site of Sarnath. In Buddhist tradition, the site is known by various names: Rishipatana, Ishipatana, and Mrigadava. All these names refer to the sacred place where the Buddha visited in the sixth century BCE and delivered his first sermon, known as the “Turning of the Wheel of Dharma” (Dharmachakra Pravartan). This event marked the beginning of the Buddhist Sangha and the establishment of the principles of the Noble Eightfold Path. The site is home to a group of ancient monuments, built from the pre-Mauryan period (5th-4th centuries BCE to 3rd century BCE) until the destruction of Sarnath in the 12th century CE (with some additions later). With Sarnath’s declaration as a World Heritage Site, three of the four most important sites of Buddhist pilgrimage—Lumbini (Nepal), the Mahabodhi Temple, Bodhgaya ( Bihar ), and now Sarnath (Uttar Pradesh)—have been included in the World Heritage List. The ancient site of Sarnath was added to the World Heritage Tentative List in 1998. With 45 sites on this list, India ranks sixth worldwide and second in the Asia-Pacific region, which has the highest number of World Heritage Sites. 196 countries have ratified the World Heritage Convention, 1972.
Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the ‘5R’ framework for a responsive and taxpayer-centric tax regime at the 167th Income Tax Day celebrations held in New Delhi on Friday. She stressed on bringing more certainty in the tax system, reducing litigation and providing better services to honest taxpayers. The Finance Minister presented the 5R principles of ‘Responsive Tax Governance’ for taxpayer services —
- Recognize
- Respond
- Resolve
- Reflect
- Reform
4 India won its first medal at the 6th Commonwealth Games when Jhandu Kumar won a bronze medal in the men’s heavyweight para-weightlifting event.
India has won its first medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow . Jhandu Kumar won the bronze medal in the men’s heavyweight para-powerlifting event . Jhandu Kumar, a resident of Nalanda, Bihar, lifted 190 kg to finish third. He also attempted a record lift of 196 kg but could not achieve it. In the lightweight category, Ashok Malik finished fourth and Paramjeet Kumar seventh. In the women’s category, Jaspreet Kaur finished sixth and Suman Devi seventh. Jhandu Kumar achieved this feat despite battling polio and facing financial difficulties.
The International Criminal Court has removed its chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, from his post . Member countries voted overwhelmingly to remove him from the post following allegations of misconduct. British lawyer Karim Khan had been accused of sexually assaulting a female colleague over nearly two years. Khan has denied these allegations.
The Honourable Chairman of the Rajya Sabha , Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan , today inaugurated the two-day orientation program, ” Prarambh ,” for the newly elected/nominated Rajya Sabha members for the biennial elections in 2026. Addressing the inaugural function of the two-day orientation and training program for the newly elected and nominated Rajya Sabha members in New Delhi , he said that debates in the House should always lead to meaningful decisions. He said that healthy debate strengthens democracy, while constructive cooperation paves the way for national progress.
NTPC ‘s Pakri-Barwadih open cast coal mine located in Barkagaon, Hazaribagh district, Jharkhand, which plays a vital role in strengthening the country’s energy security, has received a five-star rating for the second consecutive year . The Coal Controller’s Office (CCO), under the Ministry of Coal, has awarded this honor for the financial year 2024-25, based on safe mining, environmental protection, and effective use of modern technology. Three NTPC mines—Pakri-Barwadih in Jharkhand, Dulanga in Odisha , and Talaipalli in Chhattisgarh —have received a five-star rating this year. Among these, the Pakri-Barwadih mine has demonstrated its excellent performance by securing the top position among the country’s open cast mines for the second consecutive year.
The Central Government has approved a comprehensive package of ₹69,725 crore to make the country’s shipbuilding industry globally competitive . The package aims to increase domestic shipbuilding capacity, provide long-term financing for the maritime sector, encourage skill development, and establish India as a global shipbuilding hub. Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal informed the Lok Sabha that a Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Scheme of ₹24,736 crore has been approved to make Indian shipyards cost-competitive with global shipyards. This scheme will strengthen the domestic shipbuilding industry at cost levels. A Maritime Development Fund of ₹25,000 crore will also be established under the package. This fund will provide long-term financial support to the shipbuilding and maritime sectors. This fund includes a Maritime Investment Fund of ₹20,000 crore and an Interest Incentivization Fund of ₹5,000 crore. The government has also approved the Shipbuilding Development Scheme (SBDS) with an outlay of ₹19,989 crore. This scheme will develop greenfield clusters and expand existing shipyards in brownfields. The goal is to increase the country’s shipbuilding capacity to 4.5 million gross tonnage per year.
9 The government informed Parliament that eight amendments had been made to the Constitution in the last twelve years.
The Constitution of India has been amended eight times during the last twelve years and the details of these Constitution Amendment Bills enacted are as follows:
1. The Constitution (Ninety-ninth Amendment) Act, 2014 (Relating to the National Judicial Appointments Commission in place of the collegium system for appointment of judges to the Supreme Court and High Courts)
2. The Constitution (One Hundred and First Amendment) Act, 2015 (Relating to the Land Boundary Agreement between India and Bangladesh)
3. The Constitution (One Hundred and First Amendment) Act, 2016 (Relating to Goods and Services Tax in India)
4. The Constitution (One Hundred and Second Amendment) Act, 2018 (Relating to the constitutional status of the National Commission for Backward Classes)
5. The Constitution (One Hundred and Third Amendment) Act, 2019 (Relating to reservation in government jobs and educational institutions for economically weaker sections)
6. The Constitution (One Hundred and Fourth Amendment) Act, 2019 (Lok Sabha and States) 7. The Constitution (One Hundred and Fifth Amendment) Act, 2021 ( Relating to
amendment of article 342A and corresponding amendments in articles 338B and 366 of the Constitution) 8. The Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment)
Act, 2023 (Relating to reservation of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies)