UNESCO Award of Distinction for Thukkachi Temple Restoration: ₹5 Cr Project by IIT Madras Blends Traditional Wisdom & Modern Tech

Rajghat Excavation Boxes Opened After 70 Years: 10,000+ Artifacts from 800 BC to Medieval Period

Rajghat excavation in Varanasi reveals continuous human settlement from 800 BC to medieval period, providing insights into ancient Kashi Mahajanapada. The reopening of 22 boxes after 70 years yielded over 10,000 artifacts including Painted Black Pottery, Brahmi script seals, and rare photographs of archaeological sites like Ajanta and Ellora. This is crucial for UPSC History (Middle Ganga Valley, Mahajanapadas) and Art & Culture.

IIT Madras Incubated Centre Launches 4 Foundational AI Models for Indian Languages Supported by Education Ministry

IIT Madras incubated Bodhan AI and AI4Bharat have launched four foundational AI models for Indian languages covering speech recognition, speech generation, machine translation, and optical character recognition. These open-weight models enable government and EdTech to deploy multilingual AI using sovereign infrastructure, boosting digital education in regional languages.

IIT Kharagpur Applies for MD, IIT Madras Plans MBBS: IITs, IISc Redefine Medical Education

India's premier engineering institutes (IITs, IISc) are entering medical education, signaling a paradigm shift under NEP 2020. IIT Kharagpur applied for MD (March 2026), IIT Madras plans MBBS, and IISc's Tata Medical School will offer MD-PhD from 2027. This convergence aims to create 'physician-scientists' and reduce medical device imports, but faces regulatory and capital challenges.

Weekly UPSC Compilation: BRICS New Delhi Declaration, Swachh Vayu 2026 Rankings, Sagar Manthan Launch & More (Sept 7-13)

This week's UPSC current affairs compilation covers critical topics: BRICS New Delhi Declaration (India hosting, key outcomes), Swachh Vayu rankings 2026 (Lucknow tops), Sagar Manthan ORV launch, and more. Essential for Prelims facts and Mains analysis on environment, IR, defence, and culture.

AI in Education: 11% of Papers Contain AI Text, Shift from Banning to Guided Use Needed

India's education system must move from fear-led restriction to structured enablement of AI. With 11% of student papers containing AI language, institutions need to define permitted use, require disclosure, and assess process over output. The article outlines two parallel strategies: using AI to teach better and teaching students to use AI better.

India's R&D Spend Stagnant at 0.64% GDP, Only 2,500 Postdoc Positions Fuelling Brain Drain

India's gross expenditure on R&D has stagnated at 0.64% of GDP for two decades, with only 2,500 postdoctoral positions nationally. This chronic underfunding—$13 per person vs. China's $250 and the US's $2,100—is driving an estimated 95% of Indian postdocs abroad. The article examines systemic flaws in India's research ecosystem and the transformative potential of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF).

US Appeals Court Upholds $565.2M ICC Award Against Antrix Corp: FSIA Arbitration Exception Examined

The US Ninth Circuit upheld a $565.2 million ICC arbitration award against ISRO's commercial arm Antrix Corp, rejecting arguments of sovereign immunity under the FSIA. This landmark ruling clarifies the limits of state immunity in commercial arbitration and has significant implications for India's space sector and international investment disputes.

Project Cheetah: India-born KGP12 Gives Birth to 4 Cubs, Total Population Reaches 56

An India-born cheetah (KGP12) has given birth to four cubs at Kuno National Park, taking the total cheetah population in India to 56. This milestone comes a day after Project Cheetah completed four years, highlighting the progress and challenges of the world's first intercontinental cheetah reintroduction program.