President Droupadi Murmu appointed new Governors for seven states and two Union Territories. R.N. Ravi, previously Kerala Governor, is now Governor of West Bengal, while Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar (previously West Bengal Governor) is given additional charge of Tamil Nadu. Other significant changes include Lt. Gen. Syed Ata Hasnain (retd) as Governor of Bihar and Taranjit Singh Sandhu as L-G of Delhi. The appointments come ahead of crucial Assembly elections and highlight the often-stormy relations between the Governor's office and elected governments in states like Tamil Nadu, where Mr. Ravi had withheld assent for several Bills.
President Droupadi Murmu appointed new Governors for seven states and two Union Territories.
R.N. Ravi was appointed Governor of West Bengal, and Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar received additional charge of Tamil Nadu.
The appointments are significant as they precede crucial Assembly elections in the affected states.
Exam Points
President Droupadi Murmu made the appointments.
R.N. Ravi appointed Governor of West Bengal.
Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar given additional charge of Tamil Nadu.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu introduced a Draft Population Management Policy aimed at raising the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) from 1.5 to an optimal level of 2.1. The policy seeks to reverse the declining fertility rate and prepare the state for an ageing society by 2047. Incentives include ₹25,000 at delivery for a third child, ₹1,000 monthly assistance for five years, and free education until age 18. The state's TFR is mirroring lower fertility states like Tamil Nadu (1.4) and Kerala (1.6), necessitating a new policy playbook to prevent a shrinking workforce and economic cripple.
Andhra Pradesh introduced a Draft Population Management Policy to increase its Total Fertility Rate (TFR).
The policy aims to raise TFR from 1.5 to an optimal level of 2.1 to counter an ageing society and shrinking workforce.
Incentives for families having a third child include financial aid at delivery, monthly assistance, and free education.
Exam Points
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister: N. Chandrababu Naidu.
Target TFR: 2.1 (from current 1.5).
Incentive for third child: ₹25,000 at delivery, ₹1,000 monthly for 5 years, free education till 18.
The Karnataka High Court has directed the State government to issue a notification to include an additional 55 sq. km of the Kappatagudda reserve forest into the Kappatagudda Wildlife Sanctuary in Gadag district. This directive aligns with a unanimous resolution passed by the Karnataka State Wildlife Board (KSWB) in January 2019, which had resolved to declare the entire 300 sq. km of the reserve forest as a sanctuary. The court noted that only 244.15 sq. km was declared in the May 2019 notification, making the reduction arbitrary and contrary to the Board's decision.
The Karnataka High Court ordered the State government to expand the Kappatagudda Wildlife Sanctuary.
An additional 55 sq. km of the Kappatagudda reserve forest in Gadag district must be included.
This directive upholds a 2019 resolution by the Karnataka State Wildlife Board to declare the entire 300 sq. km as a sanctuary.
Exam Points
Kappatagudda Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Gadag district, Karnataka.
Karnataka State Wildlife Board (KSWB) resolved to declare 300 sq. km as sanctuary in January 2019.
High Court directed inclusion of an additional 55 sq. km.
The article discusses the potential of the Women's Reservation Act to create India's most gender-representative Parliament by 2029, reserving one-third of Lok Sabha seats for women. However, it emphasizes that mere presence is insufficient; real change requires addressing women-specific issues like elder care, which currently lacks a policy framework and gender dimension. India is ageing rapidly, with women disproportionately affected by lower savings, broken employment histories, and lack of caregivers. The author argues that political parties must integrate dignified ageing for women into their manifestos and campaigns now, not after the 2029 elections, to ensure meaningful impact.
The Women's Reservation Act will reserve one-third of Lok Sabha seats for women by 2029, promising a more gender-representative Parliament.
Effective representation requires addressing specific issues relevant to women, beyond just their presence in Parliament.
Elder care for women is highlighted as a critical, unaddressed policy area, lacking a gender dimension in existing policies.
Exam Points
Women's Reservation Act reserves one-third of Lok Sabha seats for women.
India's population above 60 years is projected to cross 250 million by 2040.
National Policy for Older Persons (1999) and Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme are mentioned as existing policies.
The article highlights the urgency of protecting women's rights amidst escalating global conflicts and instability, coinciding with International Women's Day 2026. Despite the UN's theme "Rights, Justice, Action: For All Women and Girls," the reality shows women and children are disproportionately vulnerable in war zones, facing gender-based violence, food insecurity, and disrupted access to health and education. The UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) on Women, Peace and Security aimed to protect women and include them in peacebuilding, but implementation remains weak. The world is experiencing record high conflicts, with women largely excluded from peace negotiations, underscoring the collective responsibility to ensure their rights and participation.
International Women's Day 2026 theme is "Rights, Justice, Action: For All Women and Girls," emphasizing the need for concrete action.
Women and children are disproportionately affected by global conflicts, facing increased violence, displacement, and lack of essential services.
UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) aims to protect women in conflicts and ensure their participation in peace processes, but implementation is lagging.
Exam Points
International Women's Day is observed on March 8.
UN recognized International Women's Day in 1977.
UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security adopted on October 31, 2000.
The article argues that while India has made significant strides in maternal health, women's midlife health remains largely invisible in policy and practice. As India's disease burden shifts towards Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), women in their 30s and 40s are experiencing higher rates of chronic conditions like hypertension and thyroid disorders, yet receive less structured attention. The invisibility extends to medical diagnostics, workplace design, and social realities, leading to late diagnoses and complex treatments. A life-course approach, broadening screening programs, and investing in women-specific health research are crucial to ensure women's dignified ageing and overall well-being, which benefits families, workplaces, and the economy.
India has achieved significant success in maternal health, with a drastic fall in Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR).
However, women's health beyond childbearing years, particularly midlife health, is systemically invisible in policy and practice.
Women in their 30s and 40s face higher rates of NCDs and chronic diseases but receive less attention.
Exam Points
Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) fell from 362 per 1,00,000 live births in 2000 to about 80 per 1,00,000 in 2023.
National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and National Health Mission (NHM) are key initiatives for maternal health.
106 per 1,000 women report at least one NCD compared to 65 per 1,000 men.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah unveiled two mascots, Pragati (female enumerator) and Vikas (male enumerator), for the upcoming Population Census 2027. He also soft-launched four digital tools for the exercise. This will be India's first digital Census, and notably, the first to allow self-enumeration and enumeration of caste. The digital platforms, developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), will facilitate enumeration operations across the country in two phases: Houselisting Operations (HLO) and Population Enumeration.
Mascots Pragati (female) and Vikas (male) have been unveiled for the Population Census 2027.
Census 2027 will be India's first digital census, allowing both self-enumeration and enumeration of caste.
Four digital tools were launched to facilitate the census operations.
Exam Points
Census year: 2027.
Mascots: Pragati (female enumerator) and Vikas (male enumerator).
The inclusion of India's indigenous Cervavac HPV vaccine into the national immunisation programme has been delayed due to an ongoing ICMR study. This study aims to determine if a single dose of Cervavac generates a stable immune response comparable to Gardasil, following a relaxation by the WHO on HPV vaccine dosage. Previously, the WHO recommended a two-dose schedule, but now suggests single-dose options due to slow introduction and low coverage globally. While Prime Minister Modi launched a campaign using Gardasil-4, the ICMR study's results for Cervavac are expected in 2027, which will inform its official recommendation for a single-dose roll-out.
The indigenous Cervavac HPV vaccine's inclusion in India's Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) is pending an ICMR study.
The study will assess if a single dose of Cervavac provides sufficient immune response compared to Gardasil.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has relaxed its HPV vaccine dosage recommendations, now suggesting single-dose schedules for girls aged 9-15.
Exam Points
Indigenous HPV vaccine: Cervavac (quadrivalent).
Vaccine currently used in campaign: Gardasil-4 (developed by Merck).
Study conducted by: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
The article critically examines the legality of recent U.S. and Israel strikes on Iran, particularly focusing on a missile strike that reportedly hit a girls' primary school in Minab. Under the UN Charter, the use of force is generally prohibited, with self-defense (Article 51) allowed only against an actual armed attack, not a "pre-emptive" or "anticipatory" strike as claimed. The strike on the school raises concerns about violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), specifically the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution. IHL protects civilians and civilian objects like schools, and any incidental harm must be proportionate to military advantage, with all feasible precautions taken.
U.S. and Israel strikes on Iran are legally questionable under the UN Charter, which prohibits the use of force except in self-defense against an actual armed attack.
The claim of "pre-emptive" or "anticipatory" self-defense is not widely recognized in international law for justifying military action without an ongoing armed attack.
The reported missile strike on a girls' primary school in Minab raises serious concerns about violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL).
Exam Points
UN Charter Article 2(4) prohibits the threat or use of force against territorial integrity or political independence.
UN Charter Article 51 permits self-defense against an actual armed attack.
International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is codified by the Geneva Conventions of 1949.
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