The first phase of Census 2027 is underway, with over 92 lakh households across 23 States and Union Territories utilizing the self-enumeration facility. This digital approach aims to streamline the data collection process, making it more efficient and accessible for citizens. The Census is a crucial exercise for policy formulation and resource allocation, providing vital demographic and socio-economic data. The ongoing phase focuses on recording household and facility details, highlighting a significant step towards modernizing India's decennial population count.
The first phase of Census 2027 is currently in progress, focusing on household and facility enumeration.
Over 92 lakh households across 23 States and Union Territories have successfully used the self-enumeration facility.
This digital self-enumeration method aims to enhance efficiency and citizen participation in the census process.
Exam Points
Census 2027 is the ongoing exercise.
Over 92 lakh households have used self-enumeration.
The self-enumeration facility is available across 23 States and Union Territories.
The Supreme Court observed that entertaining petitions on religious practices could lead to a deluge of similar cases, potentially disrupting India's unique civilisational fabric where religion is deeply intertwined with society. During the Sabarimala review case hearing, Justice B.V. Nagarathna highlighted India's identity as a "civilisation" with a constant link between people and religion, questioning the courts' role in intervening in such matters. Justice M.M. Sundresh echoed concerns about opening floodgates if fundamental rights challenges are allowed against religious beliefs, suggesting it could break down every religion and constitutional court.
The Supreme Court cautioned against judicial intervention in religious practices, fearing a flood of similar petitions.
Justice B.V. Nagarathna emphasized India's unique civilisational identity, where religion and society are intimately connected.
The court questioned whether judicial forums are appropriate for examining and intervening in matters of faith.
Exam Points
The observation was made during a nine-judge Bench hearing of the Sabarimala review case.
Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Justice M.M. Sundresh made the observations.
The court discussed the implications of challenging religious practices for violation of fundamental rights.
Tensions between the US and Iran have escalated following a drone attack on a US base in Jordan, killing three American soldiers. The US retaliated with strikes on Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria, but avoided direct confrontation with Iran. This cycle of violence, fueled by the Gaza conflict, risks a wider regional war. Iran's actions, often through proxies, aim to challenge US influence and pressure for sanctions relief, while the US seeks to deter further attacks without full-scale war. The situation remains volatile, with both sides needing de-escalation to prevent catastrophic outcomes for the region and global economy.
Tensions between the US and Iran have intensified after a drone attack killed three US soldiers in Jordan.
The US responded with retaliatory strikes on Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria, but avoided direct attacks on Iran.
The ongoing Gaza conflict is a major catalyst for the escalating regional violence involving Iran and its proxies.
Exam Points
A drone attack on a US base in Jordan killed three American soldiers.
India faces a severe challenge with building collapses and fire incidents, often due to poor construction, lack of maintenance, and non-compliance with safety norms. Recent tragedies, like the fire in a Delhi coaching centre and a building collapse in Mumbai, highlight the urgent need for stricter enforcement of building codes and regular safety audits. Many buildings, especially older ones or those with illegal modifications, pose significant risks. Authorities must prioritize public safety by ensuring structural integrity, fire safety measures, and proper evacuation plans, moving beyond reactive responses to proactive prevention.
India experiences frequent building collapses and fire incidents due to poor construction and lack of safety compliance.
Many buildings, particularly older structures and those with illegal modifications, are vulnerable to such hazards.
Authorities often fail to conduct regular safety audits and enforce building codes effectively.
Exam Points
A fire incident in a Delhi coaching centre and a building collapse in Mumbai are cited as examples.
The article mentions the need for compliance with National Building Code of India (NBC) and fire safety norms.
The article argues that openness, collaboration, and the ability to attract talent are fundamental to the West's progress, not isolation. It critiques the idea of a "Western civilisation" as a static concept, emphasizing that its strength lies in its dynamic evolution through continuous interaction and adaptation. The author highlights the importance of open systems for innovation, economic growth, and addressing global challenges, contrasting this with the risks of protectionism and isolation. The piece suggests that maintaining leadership requires embracing diversity, fostering collaboration, and upholding institutional openness rather than retreating into a defensive posture.
Openness, collaboration, and attracting global talent are crucial for the West's continued progress and innovation.
The concept of "Western civilisation" is dynamic, evolving through interaction and adaptation, not isolation.
Protectionism and isolation pose significant risks to economic growth and the ability to address complex global challenges.
Exam Points
The article refers to the "West's post-Cold War dynamism".
It mentions "Silicon Valley" as an example of an open system fostering innovation.
The author is Nikhila Natarajan, a Senior Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation.
This Parley discusses the need to amend India's abortion laws, particularly regarding time limits for minor rape victims and improving access to safe terminations. Dipika Jain and Alka Barua highlight that current laws, while seemingly liberal, face challenges in interpretation and implementation, leading to delays and unsafe practices. They argue for removing rigid gestational limits, especially for survivors of sexual assault and minors, who often present late due to trauma and lack of awareness. The discussion emphasizes shifting towards a rights-based reproductive justice framework, ensuring decisional autonomy for pregnant persons, and addressing the chilling effect on healthcare providers due to criminalization fears.
India's abortion laws, despite appearing liberal, face implementation challenges leading to delays and unsafe practices.
Rigid gestational limits disproportionately affect minor rape victims and sexual assault survivors who often seek terminations late.
There is a strong argument for removing strict time limits, allowing clinical judgment to determine safety, especially in cases of trauma.
Exam Points
The discussion refers to Sections 88 to 94 of the BNS and the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, 1971.
The 2022 Supreme Court judgment recognized reproductive decisional autonomy as a fundamental right.
The MTP Act sets general outer limits of 24 weeks, with exceptions for substantial foetal anomalies and to save the pregnant woman's life.
This article delves into the concept of "legal fiction" as applied to party mergers, particularly in the context of anti-defection law. It explains that legal fiction treats something as true even if it's not, for specific legal purposes, like deeming a merged party as the original party. The Supreme Court's interpretation in cases like the Goa Assembly merger has highlighted how this fiction can impact the disqualification of legislators. The article discusses the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, which allows mergers if two-thirds of legislators agree, and how the legal fiction aims to prevent defection while ensuring political stability, though it raises questions about its scope and potential for misuse.
Legal fiction in party mergers treats a merged entity as the original party for specific legal purposes.
The Tenth Schedule of the Constitution allows for party mergers if two-thirds of legislators agree, providing an exception to anti-defection rules.
The Supreme Court has interpreted the scope of legal fiction, particularly in cases involving the disqualification of legislators post-merger.
Exam Points
The article refers to the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.
It mentions the Supreme Court's ruling in the Goa Assembly merger case.
The concept of "legal fiction" is central to the discussion.
Kerala has drafted an Oil Spill Contingency Plan (OSCP) to protect its extensive coastline from marine pollution, particularly oil spills. This initiative was prompted by the increasing maritime traffic and the potential for accidents involving oil tankers and cargo vessels, as highlighted by past incidents like the MV Asian Forest collision. The OSCP aims to establish a robust framework for prevention, preparedness, and response, including risk assessment, resource mobilization, and coordination among various agencies. It emphasizes the importance of early detection, rapid response, and environmental protection to safeguard Kerala's marine ecosystems and coastal communities.
Kerala has developed an Oil Spill Contingency Plan (OSCP) to safeguard its coastline from marine pollution.
The plan was prompted by increased maritime traffic and past incidents, such as the MV Asian Forest collision.
The OSCP focuses on prevention, preparedness, and rapid response to oil spills.
Exam Points
Kerala has a coastline of 590 km.
The plan was drafted by the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA).
The MV Asian Forest incident (May 25, 2020) is cited as a prompt.
The Supreme Court questioned whether a "proper debate" was held in Parliament before enacting the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023. This law replaced a selection committee that included the Chief Justice of India with one comprising the Prime Minister, a Union Cabinet Minister, and the Leader of the Opposition. The court's query arose during a hearing on petitions challenging the new law, which critics argue undermines the independence of the Election Commission by giving the executive greater control over appointments. The court emphasized the importance of parliamentary deliberation for laws impacting constitutional bodies.
The Supreme Court questioned the adequacy of parliamentary debate on the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners (ECs) appointment law.
The 2023 Act replaced a selection committee that included the Chief Justice of India with one dominated by the executive.
Petitions challenge the new law, arguing it compromises the Election Commission's independence.
Exam Points
The law in question is the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023.
The previous selection committee included the Chief Justice of India.
The new committee includes the Prime Minister, a Union Cabinet Minister, and the Leader of the Opposition.
India has reiterated its call for Canada to take effective action against "anti-India extremist elements," particularly Khalistani groups, operating from Canadian soil. This demand follows a Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) report for 2025, which highlighted that Canada-based Khalistani extremist groups pose a national security threat to Canada itself. India has consistently expressed concerns about the use of Canadian territory as a "safe haven" for elements involved in glorifying violence, threatening Indian diplomats, vandalizing places of worship, and promoting secessionism through "referendums." India also rejected any "baseless imputations" in the CSIS report linking India to foreign interference.
India has urged Canada to take effective action against anti-India extremist elements, specifically Khalistani groups, operating from its territory.
The demand follows a 2025 CSIS report acknowledging that Canada-based Khalistani extremists pose a national security threat to Canada.
India has consistently raised concerns about the use of Canadian soil as a "safe haven" for activities like glorifying violence and promoting secessionism.
Exam Points
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) annual report for 2025 highlighted the threat.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal made the statement.
India has consistently rejected being listed alongside China, Russia, Iran, and Pakistan as "main perpetrators of foreign interference".
The EU's Ambassador to India, Hervé Delphin, lauded the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as the "mother of all deals," creating a massive joint market. However, he cautioned that burdensome compliance norms and administrative procedures could derail its benefits. Delphin emphasized the need for both sides to ensure smooth implementation with a pro-FTA mindset, preventing customs procedures or conformity requirements from acting as trade barriers. He also noted the FTA's shortcoming in not covering investment liberalization in non-services sectors, which could have provided greater assurance and predictability for investors. The deal is expected to be implemented by early 2027.
The India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is hailed as the "mother of all deals," creating a significant joint market.
EU Ambassador Hervé Delphin warned that burdensome compliance norms and administrative procedures could undermine the FTA's benefits.
Both India and the EU must ensure smooth implementation with a pro-FTA mindset, avoiding trade barriers disguised as conformity requirements.
Exam Points
The India-EU FTA is expected to be implemented by early 2027.
The FTA aims to create a free trade zone covering nearly two billion people and a quarter of global GDP.
The article highlights the significant absence of fathers in reproductive health interventions, despite their crucial role in family well-being and child development. Traditional approaches often focus solely on mothers, overlooking fathers' influence on maternal and child health outcomes, including nutrition, mental health, and disease prevention. Research suggests that paternal factors, such as lifestyle, diet, and exposure to toxins, can impact offspring health even before conception. Integrating fathers into reproductive health programs could improve health outcomes, promote gender equity, and foster more supportive family environments, necessitating a shift in policy and program design to include men actively.
Fathers are largely excluded from reproductive health interventions, despite their significant impact on family well-being.
Paternal factors, including lifestyle, diet, and environmental exposures, can influence offspring health outcomes.
Integrating fathers into reproductive health programs can improve maternal and child health, promote gender equity, and create supportive family environments.
Exam Points
The article refers to the "Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health (RMNCH+A) programme".
It mentions a study on men's diet and sperm quality.
The article discusses the impact of paternal exposure to toxins on offspring health.
A study in Bengaluru demonstrated the effectiveness of wastewater surveillance in detecting hidden COVID-19 surges, even when clinical testing declined. The project, initiated in 2020, monitored SARS-CoV-2 RNA levels in wastewater from 28 collection points, covering 75% of the city's population. It successfully identified increases in viral load that preceded or coincided with clinical case surges, providing an early warning system for public health officials. This non-invasive method offers a valuable tool for tracking disease trends, especially in resource-limited settings, and can help inform timely interventions, proving its utility beyond individual clinical testing.
Wastewater surveillance in Bengaluru successfully detected hidden COVID-19 surges, even when clinical testing was low.
The project monitored SARS-CoV-2 RNA levels in wastewater from 28 collection points, covering 75% of Bengaluru's population.
Increases in wastewater viral load often preceded or coincided with clinical case surges, serving as an early warning system.
Exam Points
The study was conducted in Bengaluru, covering 75% of the city's population.
It monitored SARS-CoV-2 RNA levels in wastewater.
The project was initiated in 2020 by the Centre for Infectious Disease Research and Therapeutics (CIDR&T) and Tata Institute for Genetics and Society (TIGS).
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