Afternoon edition
Daily current affairs for UPSC, BPSC, State PCS and PSC exams.
Why in news?
The NEET-UG 2026 exam was re-conducted for over 22.8 lakh candidates due to a paper leak, raising concerns about the National Testing Agency's (NTA) accountability and the exam's design.
Key points
- Over 22.8 lakh candidates re-appeared for NEET-UG 2026 after a paper leak led to the cancellation of the initial exam.
- The government has initiated a CBI investigation under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.
- The NTA, established in 2017 as a registered society, lacks a codified liability standard towards candidates.
- The nationwide, single-sitting nature of the NEET-UG exam amplifies the gap in accountability for institutional failures.
Background & context
The National Testing Agency (NTA) was established to conduct entrance examinations. The NEET-UG is a crucial medical entrance exam in India.
★ Prelims fact capsule
The NTA was created under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, not through an Act of Parliament.
✎ Mains relevance
GS Paper II: Governance, Government Policies and Interventions; GS Paper III: Science and Technology (Examinations and their Conduct)
Why in news?
An APG report highlights that cyber scam hubs in Southeast Asia are fueled by human trafficking, with hundreds of Indian citizens trapped in 'cyber slavery'.
Key points
- Cyber scam hubs in Cambodia, Myanmar, and Lao PDR are exploiting trafficked individuals.
- Indians are lured with promises of lucrative jobs abroad and then enslaved in these scams.
- Since 2022, 6,998 Indians have been rescued from such centers by Indian agencies.
- NIV, CBI, and ED are probing multiple cases involving human trafficking networks that send Indians to these compounds.
Background & context
Human trafficking involves the illegal trade of people for exploitation, including forced labor and sexual exploitation. Cyber scams are fraudulent schemes conducted online.
★ Prelims fact capsule
Cambodia, Myanmar, and Lao PDR are identified as key locations for these cyber scam hubs.
✎ Mains relevance
GS Paper II: Social Justice, Welfare Schemes for Vulnerable Sections; GS Paper III: Internal Security, Crime and Corruption.
Why in news?
The Centre has sanctioned a 50-km-long, eight-lane greenfield corridor for the Kochi Bypass project, aiming to ease congestion and reduce accidents.
Key points
- The new corridor will link Aroor on NH 66 with Angamaly on NH 544.
- It aims to bypass the congested Aroor-Edapally NH 66 Bypass and Edapally-Angamaly NH 544 stretches.
- The project was initially mooted as a 44-km, six-lane corridor, but a fresh notification allows for an 8-lane width (70 meters).
- The delay was attributed to slow land acquisition, making the original traffic survey outdated and necessitating an eight-lane design.
Background & context
The Kochi Bypass project has been a long-pending infrastructure initiative aimed at improving connectivity and reducing travel time in the Kochi metropolitan area.
★ Prelims fact capsule
The new corridor will have an initial width of 70 meters, with provisions for widening to ten lanes in the second phase.
✎ Mains relevance
GS Paper III: Infrastructure, Transport and Logistics.