Inside Raisina Hill: Role Of AI In Legal Education, UPSC Prelims 2026 Under Scrutiny

As one walks down the Hill along the Rajpath, now renamed Kartavya Path, come other edifices — Rail Bhavan, Krishi Bhavan, Shashtri Bhavan, and Kartavya Bhavan on one side and Sena Bhavan, Udyog Bhavan, and Vanijya Bhavan on the other. The bureaucrats who adorn the offices in these buildings decide on India's economic, social, and industrial policies. There are many tales to be told from the corridors of these grandiose buildings. We let you in on some of them here in this week's edition of "Inside Raisina Hill".

Credible Information Vital To Democracy: President Murmu

President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday urged young officers of the Indian Information Service (IIS) to make government communication more responsive, citizen-centric, and capable of countering misinformation, stressing that effective communication and credible information are vital to a vibrant democracy.

Addressing a group of Officer Trainees of the IIS and Indian Statistical Service (ISS) at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Murmu said that the two services, despite having distinct responsibilities, share a common objective of strengthening governance and serving the people.

Highlighting the evolving role of government communicators, the President said that social media has fundamentally changed how citizens receive, share, and respond to information. She called on IIS officers to look beyond merely disseminating government messages and use digital platforms to listen to citizens, understand their concerns and aspirations, and respond to their feedback.

The President also encouraged the trainee officers to approach their careers with integrity, adaptability, and a strong commitment to public service.

Imparting Responsible AI Use In Legal Education

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant has urged law schools not to completely ban artificial intelligence (AI) tools, but to teach students to use emerging technologies responsibly, ethically, and effectively, while keeping human judgment at the core of legal decision-making.

Addressing the second edition of the Vice Chancellor’s Conclave organised by National Law University, Jodhpur, the CJI said that legal education must evolve with technology and prepare students for professional environments where AI is increasingly becoming part of everyday work.

Surya Kant said a blanket ban on AI tools could prove counterproductive, as it may prevent students from developing the skills needed to navigate technology-driven workplaces. Instead, law schools should introduce AI in a supervised and transparent manner, allowing students to understand both its potential and limitations.

The CJI emphasised that technology should complement, rather than replace, human reasoning in the legal profession. 

His remarks come amid growing debate in academic institutions over the use of generative AI by students, particularly concerns surrounding academic integrity, over-reliance on technology, and the need for responsible use.

UPSC Prelims 2026: CAT Seeks Response On 8 Questions

The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has sought a response from the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) after four unsuccessful aspirants claimed that eight questions in the Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2026 allegedly contained factual errors or incorrect answer keys.

The tribunal has directed the UPSC to file its response before the next hearing on October 8. The matter comes just ahead of the Civil Services Mains Examination, scheduled from August 21 to 30.

The four aspirants, who failed to clear the Prelims cut-off, approached the CAT on July 27, challenging eight questions in General Studies Paper-I of the examination held on May 24. They have claimed that errors in the disputed questions and the corresponding answer keys may have significantly affected their scores.

According to the applicants, the disputed questions contain material factual inaccuracies, while some provisional answers issued by the UPSC allegedly do not align with authoritative sources.

The petition further contends that, when negative marking is taken into account, the disputed questions could have caused a score variation of more than 16 marks. The applicants have argued that such a difference could be crucial in determining whether a candidate crosses the qualifying cut-off.

The CAT’s notice now puts the UPSC on record to respond to the allegations before the tribunal takes up the matter again in October.

Garima Bhatnagar, Varsha Sharma Get Key EOW Responsibilities

IPS officers Garima Bhatnagar and Varsha Sharma have been given key responsibilities in Delhi Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW), as part of a major reshuffle involving 43 IPS and DANIPS officers.

Bhatnagar, a 1994-batch AGMUT cadre officer, will continue as Special Commissioner of Police, EOW, while also taking additional charge as Managing Director of the Delhi Police Housing Corporation Limited (DPHCL). Sharma, a 2010-batch AGMUT officer, has been appointed Additional Commissioner of Police, EOW, following her transfer from Goa.

With more than three decades of experience, Bhatnagar has handled a range of policing, administrative, intelligence and international peacekeeping assignments during her career. Sharma returns to Delhi with extensive field experience, having served as Deputy Inspector General of Police, Range, Goa. Her earlier assignments include postings with the Delhi Police and in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The appointments come as the EOW continues to deal with increasingly complex cases involving financial fraud, investment scams, corporate cheating, criminal breach of trust, and real estate-related offences. 

Industrialist Sachin Sabnis Joins IRCTC Board

Belagavi-based industrialist and entrepreneur Sachin Balkrishna Sabnis has been appointed as a Non-Official Director on the Board of the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) for a three-year term.

Sabnis’ appointment adds an independent industry voice to the board of the railway PSU and takes the total strength of the IRCTC Board of Directors to seven.

The board is headed by the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) and includes the Director (Finance), Director (Tourism and Marketing), Director (Catering Services) and two Government Directors. 

The appointment comes as IRCTC continues to oversee key passenger-facing services of Indian Railways, including catering, tourism, and online ticketing-related operations.