Why in the News ? The Indian Army has departed for Thailand to participate in the 15th India-Thailand Joint Military Exercise MAITREE-XV (2026). The exercise focuses on enhancing joint counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism capabilities, interoperability and operational cooperation in jungle and semi-urban environments. MAITREE-XV: Key Features and Objectives ● Exercise MAITREE-XV (2026) is the…
Why in the News ? Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla paid tribute to revolutionary freedom fighter Madan Lal Dhingra on his martyrdom day, recalling his patriotism, courage and sacrifice. Dhingra’s revolutionary activities in London and opposition to British rule remain significant in India’s freedom struggle. Madan Lal Dhingra: A Revolutionary Patriot: ● Madan…
Universal Group of Institutions proudly congratulates SUO Gagan V, NCC Army Wing, UGI, on his prestigious selection for the IMA ATT Camp at the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun, scheduled from 17th to 28th December 2026. Representing 5/2 Coy Army Wing NCC, 2 Karnataka Battalion NCC, his selection reflects his discipline, leadership, dedication and commitment…
The NCC Army Wing of Universal School of Administration is organising an NCC Orientation & Leadership Development Programme on 17 August 2026 at 12:00 PM in Seminar Hall 4, with the theme “Building Character, Leadership & National Service.” The programme will be presided over by Mr. R. Upendra Shetty, Chairman, Universal Group of Institutions. Maj…
Universal Group of Institutions proudly celebrated India’s 80th Independence Day with a deep sense of patriotism, unity, and national pride. The occasion served as a tribute to the countless freedom fighters whose courage and sacrifices shaped India’s journey towards independence. The celebration reflected the institution’s commitment to nurturing responsible, disciplined, and socially conscious citizens. Students,…
Why in the News? The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 has been referred by the Lok Sabha to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) amid strong Opposition and Church objections. The referral has renewed debate over whether parliamentary committees can meaningfully influence legislation, particularly when the ruling government enjoys a parliamentary majority. The issue is…
Why in the News? The Supreme Court has scheduled from October 6 the hearing of a long-pending case before a seven-judge Constitution Bench concerning the conflict between legislative privileges and the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression. The case originated from the Tamil Nadu Assembly’s action against The Hindu journalists in 2003 and…
Why in the News? Researchers at IISc’s SPIRE Lab, in collaboration with ARTPARK and Google, have released SraVaani, a multilingual speech-recognition model trained across 65 Indian languages and dialects. Released publicly under an MIT licence, it seeks to bridge the digital divide faced by regional and non-scheduled languages that remain poorly supported by existing speech-AI…
Why in the News? India’s merchandise exports surged 19.6% year-on-year to $44.2 billion in July 2026, despite disruptions caused by the continuing conflict in West Asia. Exports to West Asia itself recovered by 8.8%, while shipments to China, Africa and several East Asian economies increased significantly, highlighting India’s growing export-market diversification. However, the overall trade…
Why in the News? Chandigarh is set to become the first Union Territory to undertake a full-fledged rollout of Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)-based Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) for food subsidy under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY). The initiative represents a shift from physical foodgrain distribution towards purpose-bound digital welfare delivery through…