9th JULY CURRENT AFFAIRS

1Right To Be Forgotten -ARTICLE 21

The Delhi High Court laid down a landmark framework governing the right to be forgotten in India through its ruling in Laksh Vir Singh Yadav v. Union of India.

Framework on De-Indexing, Masking and Informational Privacy in the Digital Age

Regain Identity Control: Empowers individuals to manage their digital footprints and online reputation over time.

Prevent Lifelong Stigmatisation: Ensures people are not perpetually judged by past actions or resolved legal issues.

Protect Privacy Victims: Shields individuals from ongoing harm, such as leaked non-consensual media (revenge porn) or minor, outdated criminal references.

2Mizoram’s Natural History Museum as India’s 21st Designated Repository

In July 2026, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India (GoI) notified the Natural History Museum (NHM), Mizoram University, Aizawl,Mizoram as India’s 21st Designated Repository (DR) under Section 39 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, following the recommendation of National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) and after due examination of the proposal.

About Mizoram’s Natural History Museum:

Establishment: NHM was established in 2022 under Mizoram University Act (No. 8 of 2000) and is strategically located in the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot and recognised for its specialised taxonomic expertise.

Collections and Expertise: NHM has preserved over 500 specimens, including herbarium sheets and wet collections.

It specialises in pteridophytes, macrofungi, fishes, moths, beetles and butterflies through a multidisciplinary team covering seven taxonomic groups

Conservation and Collaboration: The repository will document endemic species and collaborate with the Mizoram State Biodiversity Board, regional institutions, the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) and the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI).

It supports Target 4 of India’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) 2024–2030 on ex situ conservation and genetic diversity, in line with the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF)

It is a landmark UN agreement adopted at the COP15 summit in December 2022.

It provides an actionable blueprint to halt and reverse global biodiversity loss by 2030, aiming for complete harmony with nature by 2050.

(The "30 by 30" Plan): Effectively conserve and manage at least 30% of the world's land, coastal areas, and oceans by 2030.Ecosystem Restoration: Restore at least 30% of degraded terrestrial, inland water, and coastal and marine ecosystems globally.

3DRDO conducts successful flight-test of Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket

The Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight-tested the indigenous Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket (LRGR) on July 8, 2026, at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur, Odisha

The test validated a minimum strike range of 60 kilometres, with the rocket accurately hitting the target, as reported in.

It isLaunched via an in-service multi-barrel system, demonstrating the capability to fire various rocket types from one platform.

Armament Research and Development Establishment in association with High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, with support from Defence Research and Development Laboratory and Research Centre Imarat.

The flight-trial was coordinated by ITR and Proof & Experimental Establishment.

4Enrolment In Government Schools Fell By Nearly 86 Lakh -AISHE Report

Enrolment in higher education increased by over 1.08 crore since 2014, with a 42 per cent increase in female enrolment, according to Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) reports for 2022-23 and 2023-24

"Enrolment in higher education has been continuous ly increasing from 3.42 crore in 2014-15 to4.50 crore in 2023-24

In contrast, enrolment in government schools fell by nearly 86 lakh between 2023-24 and 2025-26 while private unaided recognised schools added more than 88 lakh students

As per the UDISE 2025-26 report, the total enrolment from foundational to second-ary level stood at 24.72 crore in 2025-26, compared with 24.80 crore in 2023-24-a decline of about 8.26 lakh.

Zero-enrolment schools fell from 12,954 to 5,663, while single-teacher schools declined from 1.11 lakh to 1.01 lakh

"It is a commendable increase in female enrolment in higher education from 1.57 crore in 2014-15 to 2.24 crore in 2023-24 (42.2 per cent increase since 2014-15)

The enrolment of SC students has increased to 69.72 lakh in 2023-24 from 46.07 lakh in 2014-15 (an increase of 51.4 per cent since 2014-15).

5Tamil Nadu Electricity Board launches the "Repeat Tripping Elimination Programme (RTEP)"

RTEP to permanently address recurring power outages.

CMD Dr. J. Radhakrishnan has directed officials to identify repeat fault locations, carry out scientific root cause analysis, and implement permanent engineering solutions to ensure reliable, uninterrupted power supply across the state.

With over 3.5 crore consumers depending on the power supply, the state’s electricity network currently operates through around 1,910 substations, 283 upcoming substations, and more than 4.47 lakh distribution transformers. Despite this extensive infrastructure, repeated disruptions in select areas have led to maintenance challenges and inconvenience for consumers.

To address this, the Board has launched the Repeat Tripping Elimination Programme (RTEP), which focuses on identifying the root causes of power interruptions and implementing permanent engineering solutions.

The programme mandates all regions and circles to systematically analyse tripping incidents and take corrective measures

Key objectives of the initiative include reducing repeated outages in specific locations, strengthening monitoring systems, conducting scientific root cause analysis, and prioritising high-risk areas. Authorities have also been instructed to maintain detailed records of frequent tripping at substations and ensure timely intervention.

The guidelines further call for identifying technical issues such as busbar faults, transformer failures, feeder disruptions, cable defects, relay malfunctions, and overload conditions.

By addressing these problems through a structured and scientific approach, the Board aims to significantly improve the reliability and stability of power distribution across Tamil Nadu.