Afternoon edition
Daily current affairs for UPSC, BPSC, State PCS and PSC exams.
Why in news?
Supreme Court defers hearing on plea challenging the National Testing Agency's (NTA) decision to re-conduct NEET-UG 2026. The exam was cancelled due to paper leak allegations, leading to a CBI probe and a scheduled re-exam.
Key points
- Supreme Court deferred hearing on the plea to July.
- NEET-UG 2026 exam cancelled due to paper leak allegations.
- CBI is investigating the paper leak.
- A plea challenges the blanket cancellation, arguing it unfairly penalizes bona fide candidates.
- The matter will be heard by a Bench already handling related NEET cases.
Background & context
NEET-UG is a national entrance exam for medical courses in India. Paper leaks and malpractices in competitive exams have been a recurring issue, leading to public outcry and judicial intervention.
★ Prelims fact capsule
The NEET-UG 2026 examination was originally scheduled for May 3, cancelled on May 12, and a re-exam was scheduled for June 21.
✎ Mains relevance
GS Paper II: Governance, Polity, Social Justice (Issues related to education, examination reforms, rights of students).
Why in news?
NTA stated that Telegram was warned about misuse of its features facilitating paper leak frauds before a blanket ban was imposed. The government has blocked Telegram and ordered disabling of its message-editing feature to prevent panic from engineered fake leaks ahead of the NEET re-exam.
Key points
- Telegram was warned about feature misuse prior to the ban.
- The government blocked Telegram access nationwide and ordered disabling of its message-editing feature.
- The intervention aims to stop the spread of fake leaks causing panic among students.
- Specific features like editable timestamps and lax group naming filters were cited as problematic.
- Telegram's group and channel synchronisation features are reportedly exploited by cheating syndicates.
Background & context
Messaging apps have become a double-edged sword, facilitating communication but also providing avenues for malpractice in sensitive examinations. Government's role in regulating digital platforms for public interest is a key issue.
★ Prelims fact capsule
Telegram access was blocked nationwide until June 22, and its message-editing feature was disabled for Indian users until June 30.
✎ Mains relevance
GS Paper II: Governance (Digital India, IT Act, Cybersecurity), Social Justice (Fairness in examinations).
Why in news?
The Supreme Court refused bail to a man accused of cyberfraud, describing such offenders as 'parasites' and calling for sterner legislation to deal with them. The court emphasized that societal interest is better served when cybercriminals are in custody.
Key points
- Supreme Court denied bail to an accused cyberfraudster.
- Accused were described as 'parasites' preying on unsuspecting citizens.
- Court called for stringent legislation to tackle cyberfraud.
- Societal interest protected when offenders are in jail, not free.
- Accused was facing multiple cyberfraud cases across different states.
Background & context
Cybercrime is a growing menace, posing significant threats to individuals and the economy. Existing laws are often seen as inadequate to deal with the evolving nature and scale of cyberfraud.
★ Prelims fact capsule
The accused in this case was facing multiple cyberfraud cases in Bihar, Tamil Nadu, and Jammu and Kashmir.
✎ Mains relevance
GS Paper III: Internal Security (Cybersecurity, Cybercrime), Law and Order, Governance.