NITI Aayog Education Quality Report 2026: Punjab Tops with 82% Class 3 Proficiency, Surpasses Kerala and Launches 118 Schools of Eminence

Maharashtra FDA Bans Junk Food in Schools: 41 Million Children Overweight, Experts Call for Home Diet Changes

Maharashtra FDA bans sale of HFSS foods (chocolates, chips, sugary drinks, deep-fried snacks) in schools and within 50-metre radius. Doctors welcome the move but emphasize it alone cannot curb childhood obesity without healthier home food, nutrition education, and physical activity. India has 41 million overweight/obese children aged 5-19, as per World Obesity Atlas 2026.

Karnataka Bans HFSS Foods Near Schools Under FSS Act, 50-Metre Radius

Karnataka has banned the sale of High Fat, Sugar and Salt (HFSS) foods within 50 metres of schools and colleges, effective from July 24, 2026, under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. This is a significant public health measure targeting childhood obesity and unhealthy eating habits, with implications for state-level governance, food safety regulations, and school health policies.

Maharashtra Mandates Safe Food Norms in Schools; Bans HFSS Items, Covers All Boards

Maharashtra has issued a statewide compliance order to ensure safe, balanced food in all schools, banning HFSS items (junk food) within premises and a 50-metre zone. The move targets childhood obesity and micronutrient deficiencies, making it a key governance and public health initiative for exam aspirants.

CAG Report: ₹15.25 Cr Shortfall & ₹17.80 Cr Solatium Unpaid to Tribals in WB Mining Acquisitions

CAG report reveals West Bengal government's failure to ensure fair compensation to tribal landowners in mining land acquisitions by ECL and BCCL between 2017-22, resulting in a short payment of ₹15.25 crore and unpaid solatium of ₹17.80 crore. The report highlights systemic lapses by district authorities in implementing Coal India's R&R Policy 2012 and the LARR Act 2013.

FSSAI Safe Food Regulations 2020 Enforced in Maharashtra Schools; Junk Food Banned

Maharashtra's School Education Department has issued a to-do checklist enforcing the FSSAI's Safe Food and Balanced Diet for School Children Regulations 2020. All schools must ban junk food, ensure valid FSSAI licences for all food operators, and include nutritious items like fruits and pulses in menus. This is critical for understanding state-level food safety enforcement and child health governance.

NITI Aayog Report: 90% Graduates in Mismatched Jobs, 13% Unemployment, Push for Industry-Aligned Degrees

NITI Aayog's 'Reimagining Skilling for Viksit Bharat' report exposes a severe education-employment disconnect: over 90% of graduates hold jobs unrelated to their qualifications, graduate unemployment is 13% (20.4% for women) vs national 3.2%, and over 2 crore students are in generic BA/B.Sc/B.Com degrees with weak job linkages. The report calls for urgent reforms: redesigning generic degrees into industry-aligned specialisations, scaling apprenticeship-embedded programs, and establishing PPP skilling universities. This is high-yield for Prelims data and Mains essays on education policy, unemployment, and skill development.

CAG Report Flags 28-42% Transition Loss, Teacher Crunch & ₹2,428 Cr Fund Gap in Samagra Shiksha (WB)

CAG audit of Samagra Shiksha in West Bengal reveals severe implementation failures: 28-42% dropout transition loss, over 500 schools with no teachers, and fund utilisation as low as 46%. Students must note the data points for prelims and the governance failures for mains.

Delhi Lakshmi Yojana: ₹5,100 Cr Budget, ₹2,500/Month Aid to Women via New Portal

Delhi CM Rekha Gupta launched the online portal for the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana on August 1, 2026, offering eligible women ₹2,500/month. With a ₹5,100 crore budget, the scheme fulfills a key BJP poll promise but includes strict eligibility exclusions and a lock-in component, making it a high-yield topic for welfare scheme-based questions in state and central exams.