What happens when AI listens to an Indian forest? It can get the answer wrong. Global AI models used to identify wildlife sounds are often trained on recordings from ecosystems outside India, making it harder to recognise the country’s distinctive biodiversity. To bridge that gap, 59 ecologists, researchers and wildlife enthusiasts have built an open, crowdsourced library of Indian wildlife sounds, covering 518 species and nearly 5,815 minutes of recordings from 25 states and Union Territories. The collection includes birds, mammals, insects and amphibians, giving researchers local data to train bioacoustic AI systems. The project could help conservationists identify elusive species and monitor India’s forests more accurately, one sound at a time.On that note, let’s get to the rest of today’s edition. Big StoryEmployment generation under the government’s revamped rural job guarantee programme fell sharply in July, declining 49.94 per cent year-on-year, according to official data. The drop came after the two-decade-old MGNREGS was replaced by the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), or VB-G RAM G, from July 1. The new scheme generated 7.67 crore person-days in July, compared with 15.33 crore under MGNREGS in the same month last year, while the number of households availing the programme fell 51.45 per cent to 68.94 lakh. Both figures were the lowest in five years. The decline assumes significance amid an erratic monsoon, with half of India’s 741 districts recording deficient to severely deficient rainfall between June 1 and August 3. Kharif crop coverage was also down 26.5 per cent year-on-year by July 31. One possible reason for the fall is the new provision allowing states to pause employment for up to 60 days during peak sowing and harvesting seasons. The government, however, said the transition has been smooth and more than 98 per cent of households demanding work were offered employment.⚡ Only in ExpressLuxury homes in Delhi’s most expensive neighbourhoods, bank auctions, and prices that seemed too good to ignore. That was the pitch that allegedly helped pull off a Rs 200-crore property fraud targeting wealthy buyers. Mohit Gogia, the alleged mastermind, reportedly presented himself as a property intermediary with access to repossessed homes and backed the deals with what appeared to be bank documents, auction papers and ownership records. Buyers allegedly paid crores for properties they believed were genuine bargains, only to find that the homes were never part of any auction. As police follow the money trail and investigate the network behind the deals, the case offers a glimpse into how the appearance of an official property transaction can make an elaborate fraud look perfectly legitimate. From the Front PageStudent standoff: The Jharkhand government has agreed to several key demands of protesting students, including cancelling three JPSC examinations, ordering probes into alleged irregularities and setting up fast-track courts to expedite related cases. However, the deadlock over the JSSC-CGL exam remains, with students demanding its cancellation and a CBI probe. The government has instead proposed a judicial inquiry headed by a retired judge and said the CGL results cannot be cancelled as the examination was conducted under the monitoring of the Supreme Court and Jharkhand High Court. Despite the concessions, student leaders have decided to continue their protest and march towards the Jharkhand Assembly.Bail denied: A 30-year-old former Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) student was arrested after a Mumbai court rejected his anticipatory bail plea in connection with an October 2025 campus event held in memory of former Delhi University professor G N Saibaba. Police have booked nine former TISS students over the event, alleging that objectionable material was displayed or circulated and invoking provisions related to unlawful activities. The accused have maintained that the gathering was a memorial event and denied any criminal intent. The arrest follows the court’s refusal to grant pre-arrest protection, allowing police to take the former student into custody as the investigation continues.Story continues below this adReconsider decision: Around 450 students of NALSAR University of Law have urged the administration to reconsider inviting Chief Justice of India Surya Kant as the chief guest for its upcoming convocation, citing his recent comments during a Supreme Court hearing on alleged police excesses against student protesters in Delhi. The first representation was submitted by 70 graduating students on July 23, with students from other batches later joining the demand. They said the choice of chief guest should reflect the university’s commitment to constitutional rights, access to justice and meaningful engagement with grievances. NALSAR has not officially confirmed the convocation date or CJI Surya Kant’s participation. Must ReadParole problem: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has sought 10-day parole for Jagtar Singh Hawara, who is serving a life sentence for his role in the 1995 assassination of former Punjab CM Beant Singh, so he can meet his ailing mother. Mann has described the request as humanitarian, but it has triggered a political row in Punjab, where the release of Sikh prisoners has long been a sensitive issue. AAP has cited Hawara’s long incarceration and support from village panchayats, while opposition leaders have questioned the government’s consistency in handling such cases. Nature connect: Chhattisgarh’s Forest Department is using birds, snakes, butterflies and forest walks to reconnect young people with nature through its YUVAN initiative. Launched in 2024, the programme focuses on hands-on learning, with youth volunteers taking part in birdwatching, biodiversity documentation, snake rescue, tree plantation, wetland restoration and forest-fire prevention. The initiative has grown to around 500 volunteers and has also expanded to schoolchildren through the “Junior YUVAN” programme. The programme’s emphasis is on experiencing nature first-hand rather than simply learning about conservation in classrooms.⏳ And Finally…Former India captain Ajinkya Rahane looks back on his international cricket journey, the challenges and satisfaction of scoring Test hundreds overseas, and why he always put the team ahead of personal milestones. At the Idea Exchange, Rahane also spoke about his evolution as a player and leader, his decision to retire from international cricket, and the ongoing debate over Rohit Sharma’s place in India’s 2027 ODI World Cup squad.Story continues below this ad In today’s 3 Things podcast, we discuss an Indian Express investigation into the Research Development and Innovation Fund. Next, we look at Sheikh Hasina’s first virtual media interaction from Delhi. Finally, we explain the upcoming caste census, which will be conducted alongside the population enumeration phase of the Census, and how caste-related data will be collected.That’s all for today, folks! Until tomorrow, Anupama