KARNATAKA

• Launched on June 11, 2023, the Shakti Scheme offers free bus travel to women across Karnataka in non-AC state-run buses (KSRTC, BMTC, NWKRTC, KKRTC). Following its implementation, women’s employment rose by 23% in Bengaluru and 21% in Hubballi-Dharwad. Over 508 crore trips were made by women from June 2023 to July 2025. Despite improved mobility, challenges remain in safety and first-last mile connectivity. The scheme significantly empowered women but needs infrastructure upgrades and staff training.
• On July 24, 2025, a commemorative postage stamp honoring Rani Chennabhairadevi—“Queen of Pepper”—was released at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. Ruling Gerusoppa (now in Karnataka) for 54 years (1552–1606), she resisted colonial powers and excelled in governance and economic diplomacy, notably in the spice trade. President Murmu applauded the event organized by Excellent Educational Institutions, Moodbidri. The stamp recognizes her courage, secularism, and lasting legacy, reaffirming efforts to honor forgotten women leaders in Indian history.
• Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum (VITM) in Bengaluru is celebrating its Diamond Jubilee. A highlight of the 60-year celebration is the inauguration of a renovated Fun Science Gallery on July 27, opening to the public on July 28. This interactive gallery features over 50 exhibits on mechanics, optics, sound, mathematics, and physics, focusing on practical, high school and college-level applications through illusions, puzzles, and hands-on activities. The jubilee also includes a memorial lecture on Sir M. Visvesvaraya. Established on July 27, 1965, by Indira Gandhi, VITM is India’s second oldest science museum.
• The Karnataka government’s decision to reduce the SSLC pass percentage from 35% to 33% and the second Pre-University (PU) pass percentage to 33% has drawn mixed reactions. While officials cite the move will help eliminate discrimination and provide justice, stakeholders, including parents and academicians, express concern, terming it a reflection of “educational bankruptcy” and a decline in quality. The change also applies to college-level minimum marks.

POLICY

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched the National Cooperative Policy 2025 on July 24, replacing the 2002 policy after 23 years. It aligns with the UN’s 2025 International Year of Cooperatives and envisions ‘Viksit Bharat by 2047 through Sahkar Se Samriddhi’. Covering 2025–2045, it is built on six pillars including inclusivity, youth engagement, and sector expansion. Drafted by a 48-member committee, it supports key initiatives under the Ministry of Cooperation, formed in 2021 to promote prosperity through cooperation.

SOCIAL ISSUES

• The Supreme Court has issued a 15-point guideline framework to tackle rising student suicides, recognizing mental health as part of the right to life under Article 21. Prompted by a plea following a NEET aspirant’s death, the Court highlighted a regulatory gap in educational settings. Key measures include appointing trained counsellors in institutions with 100+ students, mandatory referral systems, and district-level monitoring. These binding directives apply to all academic institutions and will remain in effect until formal legislation is enacted.

SCIENCE AND TECH

• Lenacapavir, marketed as Yeytuo in Europe by Gilead Sciences, is a groundbreaking HIV prevention drug approved by the US FDA and recommended by the EMA. Offering six months of protection through a single injection, it shows nearly 100% efficacy and is backed by WHO and UNAIDS. Pending EU Commission approval, it will be available across 30 European countries, with generics planned for 120 low-income nations. However, limited access in Latin America raises equity concerns despite growing infection rates.
• India successfully test-fired the indigenously developed ULPGM-V3 precision-guided missile from a UAV at the National Open Area Range, Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh. Developed by DRDO with Newspace Research Technologies, this marks a leap in UAV-based anti-armour capability. ULPGM-V3 features a dual-channel HD seeker, operates in varied terrains and lighting, and supports real-time updates. It has a modular warhead system for anti-armour, bunker-blast, and fragmentation missions. Future integration is planned with long-range UAVs by Indian defence firms.