Welcome to the Rajasthan Current Affairs edition for 14 July 2026, prepared for RPSC and RAS Prelims and Mains aspirants. Today’s roundup covers the Chief Minister’s law and order review and the zero tolerance policy against organised crime, the India Meteorological Department forecast of a dust storm in the west and light rain in the Shekhawati, Jaipur and Bharatpur divisions, the National Green Tribunal’s notice on the polluted Ayad river in Udaipur, the Rajasthan High Court’s query on the criteria for appointing the Rajasthan Public Service Commission chairman and members, and the state’s move to simplify school scholarships through the Shala Darpan portal. Each item carries background, Rajasthan relevance and a Prelims fact table.
1. CM Orders Zero Tolerance Against Organised Crime
Why in News: On 14 July 2026, Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma reviewed the state’s law and order situation at a high-level meeting at his residence and directed the police to adopt a zero tolerance policy towards crime, holding senior officers accountable.
Background: Police and public order are State subjects under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, which makes the state government directly responsible for law and order. At the review the Chief Minister said merely arresting offenders was not enough and directed the police to dismantle entire criminal networks involved in organised crime, drug trafficking and cybercrime. He held Inspectors General and Superintendents of Police answerable for the situation in their jurisdictions and pressed for the use of technology in policing. The directive follows a wider push to strengthen field-level accountability in the state police. This connects to Rajasthan polity, internal security and the accountability of the district police.
Rajasthan Relevance: Prelims police as a State subject, Seventh Schedule, IG and SP hierarchy. Mains GS2 governance and accountability; GS3 internal security, organised crime and cybercrime.
| Prelims Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Event | CM law and order review |
| Date | 14 July 2026 |
| Policy | Zero tolerance towards crime |
| Focus areas | Organised crime, drugs, cybercrime |
| Officers held accountable | IGs and SPs |
| Constitutional head | Police, a State subject |
2. IMD Warns of Dust Storm and Light Rain
Why in News: On 13 July 2026, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast dust-laden strong winds in western Rajasthan and light rain in the Shekhawati, Jaipur and Bharatpur divisions between 13 and 15 July 2026.
Background: The southwest monsoon reaches Rajasthan by early July and is the source of most of the state’s scanty annual rainfall, with the western desert districts receiving the least. The IMD said winds of 30 to 40 kilometres per hour with a dust storm warning would blow over western Rajasthan, while eastern Rajasthan would stay mostly dry with light rain in parts of Shekhawati, Jaipur and Bharatpur, and in Bikaner, Sri Ganganagar, Hanumangarh and Churu on 14 and 15 July. Dust storms, locally called aandhi, are common in the arid west during the pre-monsoon and monsoon break. The forecasts matter for the kharif sowing that depends on timely rain. This connects to Rajasthan geography, the monsoon and the Thar desert climate.
Rajasthan Relevance: Prelims southwest monsoon, IMD, dust storm, Shekhawati region. Mains GS1 geography and climate; GS3 agriculture and disaster preparedness.
| Prelims Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Agency | India Meteorological Department |
| Western Rajasthan | Dust storm, winds 30 to 40 kmph |
| Eastern Rajasthan | Mostly dry, light rain in parts |
| Rain divisions | Shekhawati, Jaipur, Bharatpur |
| Rain districts (14-15 Jul) | Bikaner, Sri Ganganagar, Hanumangarh, Churu |
| Season | Southwest monsoon |
3. NGT Flags Severe Pollution of Udaipur’s Ayad River
Why in News: On 13 July 2026, an observation note placed before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) recorded severe environmental degradation along a multi-kilometre urban stretch of the Ayad river in Udaipur, prompting directions on sewage treatment and river protection.
Background: The Ayad, also called the Ahar, flows through Udaipur city and is a tributary of the Berach, which in turn joins the Banas in the Chambal basin. The note recorded before the Tribunal said the river was extensively laden with solid waste and sewage, its floodplains and banks concretised and its channel narrowed, stripping it of its natural carrying capacity. The NGT has been pressing for mandated sewage treatment plants, bio-remediation and municipal reforms to protect vital water bodies. Rajasthan has about 230 sewage treatment plants and has planned around 80 more between August 2026 and December 2027 to close a large liquid-waste treatment gap. Encroachment and untreated discharge into water bodies attract the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017, while the NGT itself is a statutory body set up under the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010. This connects to Rajasthan environment, urban water bodies and pollution control.
Rajasthan Relevance: Prelims Ayad (Ahar) river, Berach and Banas, NGT, Wetlands Rules 2017. Mains GS3 environment, water pollution and urban waste management; GS2 role of tribunals in governance.
| Prelims Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| River | Ayad (Ahar), Udaipur |
| Drains into | Berach, then Banas |
| Forum | National Green Tribunal |
| Note recorded | 13 July 2026 |
| Key laws | Water Act 1974, Wetlands Rules 2017 |
| STPs in state | About 230, around 80 more planned |
4. High Court Seeks Criteria for RPSC Appointments
Why in News: In July 2026, the Rajasthan High Court sought details of the criteria and process for appointing the chairman and members of the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC), which is functioning under an acting chairman after the previous chairman’s term ended.
Background: The RPSC is a constitutional body created under Article 315 of the Constitution, which provides for a Public Service Commission for each State, with the conditions of service of its chairman and members governed by Articles 316 to 323. Its chairman and members are appointed by the Governor, hold office for six years or until the age of 62, and can be removed only by the President on the ground of misbehaviour after a Supreme Court inquiry, a safeguard that secures the commission’s independence. The RPSC, headquartered in Ajmer and set up in 1949, has been running under an acting chairman since the retirement of the previous chairman in June 2026, and the Governor has appointed new members to fill vacancies. The High Court query focuses on whether objective eligibility norms guide these appointments. This connects to Rajasthan polity, constitutional bodies and administrative accountability.
Rajasthan Relevance: Prelims RPSC, Article 315, Articles 316 to 323, appointment by Governor, removal by President. Mains GS2 constitutional bodies, statutory appointments and accountability.
| Prelims Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Body | Rajasthan Public Service Commission |
| Constitutional basis | Article 315 |
| Headquarters | Ajmer (established 1949) |
| Appointed by | Governor |
| Term | 6 years or age 62 |
| Removal | By President (Article 317) |
5. State Simplifies School Scholarships Through Shala Darpan
Why in News: For the 2026-27 session, the Rajasthan school education department has simplified its scholarship system so that students no longer apply separately, with school heads submitting online proposals through the Shala Darpan portal by 31 July 2026.
Background: Shala Darpan is Rajasthan’s integrated school monitoring portal that holds student, staff and school data for government schools. Under the revised process about 19 scholarship schemes will be routed through the Shala Darpan Beneficiary Scheme Portal and a linked Private School Portal, with school principals preparing and certifying beneficiary proposals online instead of every student filing an individual application. The reform is meant to cut paperwork, reduce exclusion errors and speed up the transfer of scholarship money into eligible students’ accounts, especially for Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, Other Backward Classes and girl students, with the amounts credited through Direct Benefit Transfer. This connects to Rajasthan governance, education and welfare delivery.
Rajasthan Relevance: Prelims Shala Darpan portal, 19 scholarship schemes, Direct Benefit Transfer. Mains GS2 education, welfare delivery and e-governance.
| Prelims Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Portal | Shala Darpan |
| Session | 2026-27 |
| Schemes routed | About 19 scholarship schemes |
| Who applies | School heads, not individual students |
| Proposal deadline | 31 July 2026 |
| Transfer mode | Direct Benefit Transfer |
RPSC Practice MCQs
Q1. At the law and order review on 14 July 2026, the Rajasthan Chief Minister directed the police to focus on which of the following?
- (a) Dismantling entire criminal networks in organised crime, drugs and cybercrime
- (b) Only registering FIRs quickly
- (c) Reducing the number of police stations
- (d) Ending night patrolling in cities
Answer: (a) Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma announced a zero tolerance policy and directed the police to dismantle entire criminal networks involved in organised crime, drug trafficking and cybercrime, holding IGs and SPs accountable.
Q2. The IMD forecast for 13 to 15 July 2026 warned of a dust storm mainly in which part of Rajasthan?
- (a) Western Rajasthan
- (b) The Shekhawati division only
- (c) The Hadoti plateau
- (d) The Aravalli hills
Answer: (a) The IMD warned of dust-laden winds of 30 to 40 kmph in western Rajasthan, while eastern Rajasthan stayed mostly dry with light rain in parts of Shekhawati, Jaipur and Bharatpur.
Q3. The Ayad (Ahar) river, whose pollution was flagged before the NGT in July 2026, flows through which Rajasthan city and drains into which river?
- (a) Udaipur; the Berach
- (b) Kota; the Chambal
- (c) Ajmer; the Luni
- (d) Bharatpur; the Banganga
Answer: (a) The Ayad, also called the Ahar, flows through Udaipur and is a tributary of the Berach, which joins the Banas. The NGT has pressed for sewage treatment and protection of the river.
Q4. Under which Article of the Constitution is the Rajasthan Public Service Commission established, and who appoints its chairman and members?
- (a) Article 315; the Governor
- (b) Article 324; the President
- (c) Article 280; the Chief Minister
- (d) Article 148; the Speaker
Answer: (a) Article 315 provides for a Public Service Commission for each State. The chairman and members of the RPSC are appointed by the Governor and can be removed only by the President under Article 317.
Q5. The simplified school scholarship process introduced in Rajasthan for the 2026-27 session routes beneficiary proposals through which portal?
- (a) Shala Darpan
- (b) Jan Aadhaar
- (c) Raj Kaj
- (d) e-Mitra
Answer: (a) Under the revised system about 19 scholarship schemes are routed through the Shala Darpan portal, where school heads submit and certify proposals by 31 July 2026 instead of students applying individually.
