UPSC Civil Services Current Affairs Articles

Union Budget 2026-27: National Security Focus

Key Allocations and Economic Data

• Defence Allocation: Rs 7.85 lakh crore (approx. $86.7 billion), a 15.19% increase from 2025-26 (Rs 6.81 lakh crore, $81.2 billion).
• Capital Outlay Increase: 21.8% rise to Rs 2.19 lakh crore dedicated to military modernisation, including procurement of fighter aircraft, submarines, and drones.
• **

Exam-Focused Notes on Rashtrapati Bhavan and Its Architectural Significance

Architectural Insights:

• Rashtrapati Bhavan, originally Viceroy’s House, completed in 1929, is designed by architect Edwin Lutyens.
• The design reflects a synthesis of British and Indian architectural styles, incorporating traditional motifs and forms:
  • Dome: Modeled after the Great Stupa at Sanchi, an an

• National Green Tribunal (NGT) Act: Establishes the framework, requiring 10-20 full-time judicial members and 10-20 expert members from reputed national institutions or government agencies involved in environmental matters.

• Current Status of NGT: Operating at half capacity with only 4 judicial and 6 expert members, raising concerns about effectiveness in fulfilling its environment prot

Summary of Key Points on Wildlife Conservation, Focused on Individual Animals and their Impact

1. Importance of Individual Animals in Conservation

• Craig, the Super Tusker: An African elephant who served as a global symbol of wildlife tourism and conservation. Notable for his massive tusks, Craig's death highlighted the impact of poaching on genetic diversity in elephants.

• **Ce

Scientific Developments in HIV Research and Treatment

Background and Overview:

• HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) was identified as causative for AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) in 1983.
• Zidovudine was the first effective drug against HIV discovered in 1987 but was soon less effective due to drug resistance.

Mechanisms and Drug Resistance:

• HIV rapidly mutates due to c

Exam-Focused Notes Summary

Health Initiatives

• HPV Vaccination Program: The Union Health Ministry is launching a nationwide voluntary and free Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program targeting girls aged 14. The quadrivalent Gardasil vaccine will protect against HPV types 16, 18 (linked to cervical cancer), and types 6, 11. Scientific evidence supports that a single dose offe

Summary of India's Global Trade Strategy

1. Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023:

   • Aims to increase exports to $2 trillion by 2030.
   • Reinforces strategic autonomy in trade, emphasizing sovereign decision-making.

2. Export Statistics:

   • In 2023, total exports (merchandise and services) increased by 6.05%, reaching $825.25 billion.
   • Projected expansion of India's Free Trade A

Olive Ridley Sea Turtles Radio-Tagging Study – Key Facts and Data:

1. Research Findings:

   • The radio-tagging study monitored Olive Ridley sea turtles along the Chennai coast, revealing nesting-site fidelity.
   • One female turtle, named ‘Kayal’, has demonstrated this fidelity by returning to the same nesting shore three times in a single nesting season.

2. Data on Tagged Turtles:

Summary of Cheetah Translocation and Project Cheetah

Background and Context:

• Cheetahs officially went extinct in India in 1952.
• Project Cheetah was initiated in September 2022 to reintroduce the cheetah species in India.

Translocation Details:

• Upcoming Translocation: Eight cheetahs (six males and two females) will be brought from Botswana to Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madh

Exam-Focused Notes on Child and Adolescent Mental Health in India

Overview of the Issue

• Rising mental health concerns among children and adolescents in India, increasingly recognized as a public health crisis.
• National Mental Health Survey indicates that 7-10% of Indian adolescents face diagnosable mental health conditions, and 5-7% of school-aged children have ADHD.

Key Statis

• Incident Overview: The Forest Department imposed a compounding fine of ₹10 lakh on two groups of sheep herders from Gujarat for illegal grazing of approximately 600 migratory sheep in the Kawal Tiger Reserve, located in the Adilabad district.

• Damage Report:

  • The herders were found to have damaged a significant area of plantation (70 hectares) in the Sirchelma section of the reserv

Summary of India's First Counter-Terrorism Policy - 'Prahaar'

Government Overview:

• Policy Name: Prahaar
• Unveiled by: Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India
• Objective: Comprehensive framework for counter-terrorism focusing on prevention, response, and resilience against terrorism.

Core Principles:

• Zero Tolerance: Commitment to be firm against all f

India Energy Week 2026: Key Highlights and Updates

National Ambitions and Investments

• PM Narendra Modi's Vision: India aims for energy independence with significant investment opportunities worth $500 billion identified in the clean energy sector.
• Target Areas: Focus on affordability and adoption of clean energy sources, particularly green hydrogen, critical for energy tr

• India-Brazil Trade Relations:

  • Trade target of $30 billion by 2030, doubling current levels.

• Agreements Signed:

  • Focus on critical minerals, steel mining, and digital cooperation to diversify supply chains away from China.

• Multilateral Engagements:

  • Both nations are part of various international cooperatives including:
    • BRICS: A grouping of developing nat

Garuda Atlas - Bird Mapping Project Overview

• Project Name: Garuda Atlas (formerly Tirupati Bird Atlas)
• Launched: Originally in 2022, rebranded to Garuda Atlas.
• Lead Organization: Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER Tirupati)
• Collaborators: Tirupati Nature Society (TNS), Andhra Pradesh Forest Department.
• Purpose: To document bird species in a

Summary of Legal Developments on Women’s Inheritance Rights in Tribal Communities

Context of Inheritance Rights

• The Hindu Succession Act, 1956 grants daughters inheritance rights in ancestral property but excludes tribal women under its purview.
• Customary laws within tribal communities typically deny absolute property rights to women, leading to inconsistencies regarding inherita

Health Regulation and Stem Cell Therapy in India: Summary of Key Points

1. Judicial Ruling: On January 30, the Supreme Court of India delivered a landmark judgment banning the use of stem cell therapy for autism, setting a legal precedent for regulating novel treatments and protecting patients from fraudulent claims.

2. Constitutional Context: The ruling addresses issues of medical m

Summary of Key Points

1. Supreme Court Judgment:

   • The U.S. Supreme Court rejected President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs, emphasizing the importance of adherence to federal laws by elected officials.

2. Constitutional & Legal References:

   • The rejection by the Supreme Court underscores the checks and balances inherent in the U.S. Constitution, highlighting the judiciary's r

Summary of Women's Reservation Act and Implications

Legislative Overview:

• Enactment: Women's Reservation Act passed in September 2023.
• Provisions: One-third of Lok Sabha and State Assembly seats reserved for women.
• Implementation Delay: Reservation to commence only "after the first Census taken after the year 2026" and subsequent delimitation.

**Constitutional Framework

Exam-Focused Notes on India's Semiconductor Ecosystem Development

1. Government Initiative:

   • Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced India’s goal to strengthen its semiconductor ecosystem during a virtual event.
   • This initiative is part of India's broader vision to become self-reliant and to achieve the status of a "developed" nation, referred to as "Viksit Bharat."

2. **Joint Ve

Summary of Air Quality Management Measures in Delhi-NCR

Key Facts and Statistics

• New PM Emission Standard: The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has proposed a new particulate matter (PM) emission limit of 50 mg/Nm³, replacing the previous limit of 80 mg/Nm³ established in June 2022.
• Implementation Dates:
  • Large and medium industries must comply startin

Archaeological Findings on Homo Erectus in East Asia

• Discovery Location: Yunxian skulls found in Hubei province, China.
• Age of Skulls: Dated to approximately 1.77 million years old using cosmogenic nuclide burial dating, a significant revision from earlier estimates of about 1 million years.
• Historical Context: This makes the Yunxian skulls the **oldest confirmed hom

• Event Overview: The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is an annual global citizen science initiative, held from February 13 to 16, focused on bird observation and documentation.

• Observations:

  • A total of 238 bird species were documented in Thiruvananthapuram district during the event.
  • Endemic species documented included:
    • Grey-fronted Green-Pigeon
    • Malabar Imperial

Exam-focused Notes: India Joins Pax Silica Strategic Alliance

Overview

• India has joined the Pax Silica, a US-led strategic alliance aimed at securing AI and technology supply chains.
• The agreement was formalized during the AI Impact Summit.

Key Figures

• Sergio Gor, US Ambassador, emphasized the strengthening of US-India relations post Trump administration tariffs