UPSC Prelims
Daily Digest
29 July 2026
Prelims Pinpointer: Daily UPSC Prelims Notes — 29 July 2026
Five high-yield Prelims topics from today’s news — IIP data, a rare amoebic infection, the PM Surya Ghar scheme, an experimental cervical cancer therapy, and the Rupee’s currency valuation metrics.
Today’s Topics
IIP Growth (June 2026)
7.3% — 23-Month High
Up from 5.1% in May 2026
Solar Curtailment (Q1 FY27)
8,133 GWh
April–June 2026, for grid security
Rupee’s Currency Status
Overvalued → Undervalued
Per RBI’s REER assessment
📈
Index of Industrial Production (IIP) — June 2026
Economy
India’s industrial growth hit a 23-month high of 7.3% in June 2026, up from 5.1% in May 2026.
What Is IIP: Definition & Key Facts
- IIP measures short-term changes in the volume of industrial output.
- It is released by MoSPI (Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation), on the 28th day of the following month, with a six-week lag.
- The base year for the current IIP series is 2011-12.
- IIP covers three broad sectors: Mining, Manufacturing, and Electricity — with Manufacturing holding the highest weight at approximately 77.6%, followed by Mining at 14.4% and Electricity at 8%.
IIP Use-Based Classification
Primary GoodsBasic materials for further production, e.g. food, fuel
Capital GoodsMachines and equipment used to produce other goods
Intermediate GoodsSemi-finished goods used in further manufacturing
Infrastructure/Construction GoodsCement, steel used for infrastructure development
Consumer DurablesLong-lasting goods, e.g. refrigerators, automobiles
Consumer Non-DurablesShort-use goods, e.g. food, textiles
Source: The Hindu
🧠
Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM)
Health / Science
An 18-year-old in Kasaragod, Kerala tested positive for amoebic meningoencephalitis after bathing about a week earlier in a pond along the Kanhangad–Panathur State highway. The Health Department has since warned against bathing in the contaminated pond.
What Is PAM: Key Facts
- PAM is a rare, usually fatal infection of the central nervous system.
- It is caused by a free-living amoeba called Naegleria fowleri, which occurs in shallow surface waters and poorly maintained swimming pools, particularly in warm climates.
- The amoeba enters the brain through the nose during swimming in contaminated warm freshwater, then invades the brain and meninges via the nasal passage.
- PAM is distinct from Granulomatous Amoebic Encephalitis, which is caused by Acanthamoeba or Balamuthia mandrillaris.
Symptoms & Treatment
- Symptoms typically appear within five days of infection and progress rapidly — starting with fever, headache, vomiting and light sensitivity, later advancing to stiff neck, seizures, hallucinations and coma.
- There is no standard treatment for PAM; combination therapy using antiparasitic medicines currently offers the most promise.
Source: The Hindu
☀️
PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana
Energy / Schemes
India curtailed 8,133 GWh of solar power during the April–June 2026 quarter to maintain grid security amid a transmission-renewable capacity mismatch.
Solar Power Curtailment: Key Concepts
- Curtailment means limiting power output from generating sources to maintain grid stability, occurring due to excess supply or transmission constraints.
- The Grid Controller of India monitors and reports curtailment data nationally.
PM Surya Ghar: Key Facts
- Launched in February 2024 to provide free electricity to households.
- Has received more than 75 lakh applications as of July 2026, with over 39.7 lakh rooftop solar systems (totalling 14,180.90 MW) installed.
- ₹27,343.9 crore in Central Financial Assistance has been released to 48 lakh households.
- DISCOMs act as State Implementation Agencies (SIAs), while the NPIA (National Programme Implementation Agency) implements the scheme nationally.
Subsidy Structure
Up to 2 kW60% subsidy on solar unit cost
2–3 kW40% subsidy on the additional cost
Subsidy CapCapped at 3 kW capacity per household
EligibilityValid electricity connection, no prior solar subsidy
Source: The Hindu
💊
SHetA2 Cervical Cancer Pill
Science & Tech
ICMR has developed the experimental SHetA2 oral therapy, which targets HPV proteins responsible for causing cervical cancer.
What Is SHetA2: Key Facts
- An experimental oral therapy against HPV-induced cervical cancer; a small-molecule drug with easy absorption.
- Targets persistent HPV infection that causes cervical cancer, and has completed preclinical evaluation.
Mechanism of Action
- Destroys the viral E7 protein by breaking the E7–Hsc70 interaction.
- This selectively destroys cancer cells and prevents precancerous lesions from progressing into invasive cancer.
Cervical Cancer in India: Key Facts
CausePersistent HPV infection
RankSecond most common cancer among Indian women
DetectionPap smear detects precancerous lesions
Alternative TestVisual inspection using acetic acid
Source: Indian Express
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Rupee Undervaluation: NEER, REER & RBEER
Economy
The rupee has shifted from an overvalued to an undervalued currency following sharp depreciation against major global currencies, with the RBI observing that the rupee has become undervalued.
NEER: Definition & Key Facts
- NEER (Nominal Effective Exchange Rate) is a weighted average exchange rate against major trading partner currencies, based on a basket of 40 currencies.
- Weights are derived from each country’s share in India’s foreign trade; the base year is 2015-16. NEER’s key limitation is that it excludes inflation differences among trading partners.
REER: Definition & Key Facts
- REER (Real Effective Exchange Rate) adjusts NEER for inflation differences among trading partners, measuring the currency’s real competitiveness in international trade.
- A REER value above 100 indicates an overvalued currency, while a value below 100 indicates an undervalued currency.
NEER vs REER: Key Distinction
| Aspect | NEER | REER |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Weighted exchange rate index | Inflation-adjusted exchange rate index |
| Inflation | Not considered | Included |
| Purpose | Measures nominal currency movement | Measures real competitiveness |
| Indicator | External currency value | Real trade competitiveness |
RBEER: Real Broad Effective Exchange Rate
- Measures the real exchange rate against a broader basket of 64 trading partners, using 2020 as the base year.
- Published by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; used to evaluate a country’s international competitiveness.
Source: Indian Express
