KAS Current Affairs

Preliminary Examination

Paper-I: Current Events of National and International Importance

Paper-II: Current Events of State Importance and Important Government Schemes and Programs

Main Examination

Paper-I: Essays

Essay – 1: Topic of International/National Importance

“From the NALSA Judgment to the 2026 Amendment Bill: An Analysis of the Right to Self-Identification, Challenges of Medical Screening, and the Constitutional Conflict in the Pursuit of Social Justice for Transgender Persons.”

Essay-2: Topic of State importance/Local Importance

“Karnataka is past its demographic peak: Discuss the strategic shift required from ‘Generating Employment’ to ‘Ensuring Job Quality’ to sustain the state’s economic growth.”

Paper-II: General Studies 1

‘Only 5% of households received mandated 100 days of employment under MGNREGA’
Context: Even as the Congress government in Karnataka opposed any move to dilute the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) by the Centre, a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) flagged several shortcomings in the scheme’s implementation in the State.

• The CAG report, tabled in the Legislative Assembly for the period 2019–20 to 2023–24, noted that only 5% of households received the mandated 100 days of employment.
• Most households were provided just 1 to 30 days of work, while demand for employment did not exceed 48% of issued job cards during the audit period.

Contract management

• The report highlighted irregularities in contract management, stating that outsourcing contracts were extended without fresh tenders, leading to higher service charges. It also pointed to violations in recruitment, where contract staff were hired without adhering to reservation norms, resulting in inadequate representation of women, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and persons with disabilities.
• Further, the audit found gaps in data systems, noting that NREGASoft lacked provisions to track employment demand and allocation for vulnerable groups such as nomadic tribes and HIV-positive individuals. Cross-verification with housing scheme records indicated their significant exclusion from the programme.
• Serious financial irregularities were flagged, including fraudulent payments for completed or non-existent housing works, payments to ineligible beneficiaries, and fabrication of records in projects such as solid waste management, check dams, and social forestry.

Pendency rate

• While ombudspersons had been appointed across districts, the report noted a high pendency rate of 59% in grievance disposal, with less than 20% of imposed penalties actually recovered.
• The audit observed a decline in wage expenditure during 2022–23 and 2023–24, underutilisation of funds under the material component, and inadmissible administrative expenditure of ₹32.78 crore. Additionally, Aadhaar mapping remained incomplete for 3.11 lakh workers out of 84.98 lakh active workers as of March 2024, with ₹35.10 crore worth of transactions pending due to rejected payments.
• The CAG observed irregularities such as printing of muster rolls without utilising NREGASoft and irregular payments on such manipulated muster rolls.
• The State government has urged the Centre to scrap the “Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar Ajeevika Mission (Gramin)” and restore MGNREGA in its original form to safeguard employment and livelihoods for rural ​workers.

Karnataka received less than 50% of funds allocated by Centre under JJM: Audit report
Context: Karnataka received less than 50% of the funds allocated by the Centre under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), primarily due to poor utilisation of released funds, according to a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG).

• The report, tabled in the Legislative Assembly, for the period 2019-20 to 2023-24, noted that the State received ₹11,189.37 crore — about 45% of the total allocation of ₹24,819.48 crore.
• It attributed low fund utilisation to the reduced engagement of implementation support agencies. Spending on water quality monitoring and surveillance dropped sharply, from 50% in 2019-20 to just 2% in 2023-24, leading to infrastructure gaps such as inadequate water testing laboratories and equipment.
• The audit further highlighted negligible community participation, with only ₹22.75 crore mobilised against an expected ₹1,594.90 crore.
• Delays of three to nine months in submitting utilisation certificates and audited accounts contributed to the State not receiving the remaining central assistance.
• The findings are seen as a setback for the State government, which has been criticising the Union government for insufficient fund release under the scheme, implemented by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department.
• Against a target of 72.14 lakh households, tap water connections were provided to 47.62 lakh households (66%) as of November 2024. The shortfall was attributed to delays in tendering, execution of works without ensuring land availability, and slow approvals, the report said.

Paper-III: General Studies 2

Karnataka home to 274 springs; Belagavi district tops list with 59
Context: The Karnataka Minor Irrigation and Groundwater Development Department has successfully completed the State’s first spring census. According to the census, 274 springs have been enumerated across 31 districts, with Belagavi reporting the highest number with 59.

Hot spring

• The census also noted that there is one hot spring at Bendru Theertha in Dakshina Kannada district.
• B.K. Pavithra, Secretary, Minor Irrigation and Groundwater Development Department, said that despite the logistical challenges posed by the monsoon, field enumerators leveraged a digital framework to successfully identify and document a total of 247 springs.
• Highlighting the regional distribution and ecological health of these waterbodies, he added: “Our data reveals that Belagavi district leads the State, reporting the highest number with 59 springs. Furthermore, a significant majority of these vital water sources remain active, with 144 springs classified as perennial and 114 as seasonal, while 16 have dried up over time.”

Key rivers

• The census report has mapped the origins of key rivers to these springs, noting that the Cauvery originates at Talacauvery in Kodagu, the Hemavati at Javali in Chikkamagaluru, and the Sharavati at Ambutheertha in Shivamogga.
• This digitised data will now serve as a foundational database for future spring conservation, rejuvenation projects, groundwater management, and comprehensive water resource planning across Karnataka.
• Springs are natural outlets where groundwater flows to the surface through openings in the earth’s crust. They typically occur when the water table intersects with the ground surface or when groundwater is forced out through fractures, faults, or permeable rock layers.

Western Ghats

• “The Western Ghats and Malnad region, including districts like Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada, Belagavi, and Shivamogga, are primary hubs for spring formation due to high rainfall and favourable geological conditions. Owing to a unique hydrological feature, a hot spring in Bendru Theertha, is located in Dakshina Kannada district,” the Karnataka Minor Irrigation and Groundwater Development Department added.
• The department has received a certificate of appreciation from the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti for its first sprint census.

‘State past its demographic peak, job quality is key’
Context: The median age for Karnataka, as per report, is 32; the highest is recorded by Kerala at 39.

• Karnataka has entered a state of demographic transition where a large working-age population will no longer be enough to drive economic growth, and future gains will depend on how productively people are employed, the ‘State of Working India 2026’ report said.
• The report by Azim Premji University was released here on Tuesday. It examines how India’s school-to-work transition has evolved over the last 40 years.

Among ‘older’ States

• The report places Karnataka among relatively “older” Indian States, alongside Kerala and Tamil Nadu, where the share of the working-age population is no longer rising significantly. In economic terms, this means that the boost to growth that comes from a rising working-age population, the demographic dividend, has largely played out.
• According to the report, India is still young (with more young people entering the workforce currently), with a median age of 28, and accounts for a significant share of the world’s youth population. However, this window is narrowing quickly. The number of young people has already begun to decline, it said. The report highlights that the demographic dividend only translates into economic growth if there are enough jobs for people to take up. Without job creation, a large working-age population can just as easily become a burden.

Sharp contrasts

• The State-level picture shows sharp contrasts. While southern and western States such as Karnataka are ageing faster and must now depend on productivity gains, northern States like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar still have a growing youth population. The median age for Karnataka, as per the report, is 32. The highest is recorded by Kerala at 39, while Bihar has the lowest median age of 22.
• The report finds that younger States are not necessarily doing better at employing their youth. When it comes to overall employment, there is little difference between younger and older States. However, older and more industrialised States, including Karnataka, perform better in generating regular salaried jobs, which are typically more stable and better paid than casual or self-employment.
• The link between economic growth and job quality is crucial here, the report said. States such as Karnataka, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, which have seen relatively stronger economic growth, also show a clearer rise in salaried employment among young people. In contrast, poorer States have struggled to convert growth into such jobs at the same pace.
• At the national level, the report traces how young Indians have moved between education and work over the past 40 years. Within education, enrollment among teenagers (15-19 years) has risen sharply since the 1980s, with girls nearly closing the gap with boys. More young people are staying in school longer, and more are entering higher education than before, the report said.

Employment story

• But the employment story is more uneven. Between 2004-05 and 2017-18, rising education levels meant fewer young people were working, as they stayed in school or college longer. Since 2017-18, however, this trend has reversed. Employment among youth has increased but partly because some are leaving education earlier.
• This shift is particularly visible among young men. Data shows a noticeable decline in the share of boys aged 15-19 in education in recent years, including in secondary and higher secondary levels. This decline began around the pandemic period and has not fully reversed, the report notes.

Young women

• Among young women, the trend is different. The recent rise in employment has come mainly from fewer women remaining outside both education and work, rather than from dropping out of education. However, female workforce participation remains a major concern. A large share of women in their early 20s are still neither studying nor employed, the report mentioned, pointing to persistent structural and social barriers.

SC status only for Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs: top court

Context: Conversion to any other religion will lead to complete loss of Scheduled Caste status, regardless of birth, says Supreme Court Bench as it invokes Clause 3 of Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order.

• The Supreme Court held in a judgment that a person professing any religion other than Hinduism, Buddhism, or Sikhism should not be considered a member of a Schedule Caste community.
• The court concluded that conversion to any other religion would result in “immediate and complete loss of Scheduled Caste status from the moment of conversion, regardless of birth”.
• A Bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Manmohan invoked Clause 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, which mandates that “no person who professes a religion different from Hinduism shall be deemed to be a member of a Scheduled Caste”. The Sikh religion was added to the ambit of Clause 3 in 1956. The provision was further amended in 1990 to include persons professing Buddhism.
• “This bar under Clause 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 is categorical and absolute,” Justice Mishra, who authored the judgment, interpreted the 1950 Order.
• The court was hearing an appeal filed by Chinthada Anand, who was born a Hindu-Madiga (Scheduled Caste) but converted to Christianity to become a pastor.
• Mr. Anand had filed a case under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act of 1989 after he alleged that he had suffered repeated attacks and caste slurs.
• The Andhra Pradesh High Court, in a decision in April last year, quashed the criminal proceedings on the ground that Mr. Anand could no longer claim protection under the 1989 Act as he professed Christianity and had been a pastor for about a decade. The High Court was of the view that the caste system was not recognised in Christianity.
• Confirming the High Court’s decision in the plea by Mr. Anand, the top court drew attention to the term “profess” in Clause 3 of the 1950 Order.
• “The term ‘profess’ connotes to publicly declare or practice a religion. The essence of the word lies in the open avowal of one’s religious beliefs in a manner discernible to the public at large. It is not merely a question of personal belief or private conviction, but requires an outward manifestation of one’s faith. It may be observed that Christianity, by its very theological foundation, does not recognise or incorporate the institution of caste,” Justice Mishra said.
• The top court said a convert who did not profess any of the three religions in Clause 3 of the 1950 Order could not claim any “statutory benefit, protection, reservation or entitlement” of a Scheduled Caste (SC) member. Justice Mishra said the bar admitted no exception. A person cannot simultaneously profess and practice a religion other than the ones specified in Clause 3 and claim membership of a Scheduled Caste at the same time, the court said.
• “A person who professes and practices such religion for personal, social and spiritual purposes cannot, in law, assert membership of a Scheduled Caste for the purpose of securing statutory benefits. The two positions are mutually exclusive and contrary to the Constitutional scheme,” Justice Mishra observed. A person claiming to have “re-converted” to Hinduism, Sikhism, or Buddhism must “cumulatively and conclusively establish” clear proof of his earlier caste; provide credible and unimpeachable evidence of bona fide reconversion to the original religion; and show satisfactory evidence that members of his original caste have accepted and assimilated him into the community. The court said renunciation of the new religion by the convert must be unequivocal. It should translate to the adoption and observance of the customs, usages, practices, rituals, and religious obligations of the original caste. Failure to establish even one condition renders the claim of re-conversion unsustainable, the court said.
• The judgment also dealt with the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, which did not prescribe religion-based exclusion as in the case of the Scheduled Caste community. Justice Mishra said a person could claim benefits under the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, only if he or she continued to belong to that particular tribe “in substance”.

LS passes new transgender Bill as MPs stage walkout
Context: Amid an Opposition-led walkout, the Lok Sabha passed by voice vote the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026, which proposes to remove transgender people’s right to self-determination of gender, and introduces a clause for examination by a medical board to determine their gender.

• The Bill sought to stop adults and children from being “forced or compelled” to become or present as transgender persons through hormone therapy or other interventions and strengthened punishments for crimes against transgender persons.

Paper-IV: General Studies 3

AssamSAT: Assam floats tender for satellites to monitor floods
Context: Chief Minister Sarma announced the project in the 2025-26 State Budget; The procurement is for at least five satellites in low-earth orbit.

• Assam has become the first Indian State to float a tender for a group of earth-observation satellites that it says will strengthen disaster response along the flood-prone Brahmaputra valley and help survey the State’s borders.
• The Assam Science Technology and Environment Council issued an Expression of Interest (EOI) on March 16 inviting private aerospace companies to design, build, launch, operate, and eventually transfer the satellites to State ownership. The mission has been named AssamSAT.
• Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the project in the 2025-26 State Budget as a means to achieve what he has repeatedly described as an “infiltration-free Assam”.
• Mr. Sarma has argued that conventional border fencing is inadequate for the State’s chars, the seasonally inundated river islands along the Bangladesh border, and that real-time satellite monitoring is the sole practical alternative.
• The procurement is structured around at least five satellites in low-earth orbit. The brief EOI doesn’t say whether the satellites will operate separately or together, in a constellation. As Per the brief, qualifying parties can avail the full EOI for a fee of ₹30,000.
• Assuming it’s a constellation, the satellites will be able to scan the same part of the ground once every few hours and map it at high resolution — a useful task for disaster response during floods, where the extent of waters can change within hours.
• The EOI also doesn’t specify the sensors the satellites will carry. But since the State has cloudy weather for almost half the year, the satellites may carry synthetic aperture radars (SAR), whose gaze can pierce clouds and darkness.
• Currently, State disaster management agencies seeking satellite data must submit requests to the National Remote Sensing Centre, which will process and fulfill those requests.
• The State sits close to the Siliguri Corridor, a strip of land colloquially called the chicken’s neck that physically connects the Northeast to the rest of India, and which State and Central security agencies have been preoccupied with monitoring.
• Mr. Sarma has also extended the satellite’s mandate to include tracking drug-trafficking routes and monitoring poaching in the Kaziranga National Park.
• In 2024, NewSpace India, Ltd. cleared a private-sector earth observation constellation led by Dhruva Space and Pixxel.
• The plan combines small satellites carrying optical and hyperspectral sensors in low-earth orbit to deliver near real-time imagery for agriculture, disaster response, and national security users while being owned and operated by industry.

Paper-V: General Studies 4

Ethics Case Study: The Harish Rana Landmark Judgment

The case of Harish Rana is a profound intersection of medical ethics, constitutional law, and human compassion. It serves as a landmark Ethics Case Study for those analyzing the concepts of “Right to Life” versus “Right to Die with Dignity.”

1. Case Summary
In a historic first for India, the Supreme Court permitted the withdrawal of Clinically Assisted Nutrition and Hydration (CANH) for 32-year-old Harish Rana. Rana had been in a Permanent Vegetative State (PVS) for 13 years following a tragic fall in 2013 that left him with 100% quadriplegic disability. Following the legal withdrawal of life support, Rana passed away at AIIMS Delhi. In a final act of altruism, his family donated his corneas and heart valves.

2. Key Ethical Dilemmas

• Sanctity of Life vs. Quality of Life: While Article 21 of the Indian Constitution guarantees the “Right to Life,” does this mandate the mechanical preservation of a body in a state where there is zero clinical hope of recovery or consciousness?
• Non-Maleficence (Do No Harm): Is it more harmful to “let go” or to continue invasive medical interventions that merely prolong a vegetative existence without the patient’s consent?
• Parental Autonomy vs. Moral Duty: The struggle of parents who must decide between the instinct to keep a child alive and the compassionate duty to end their prolonged suffering.
• Altruism in Grief: The ethical strength required to pivot from a moment of profound loss to the decision of organ donation, benefiting strangers while the family is in mourning.

3. Analytical Framework for Ethics

4. Legal & Ethical Evolution in India

• Aruna Shanbaug Case (2011): The starting point for the conversation on passive euthanasia in India.
• Common Cause vs. Union of India (2018): Recognized that the “Right to Life” includes the “Right to Die with Dignity,” establishing the concept of a Living Will.
• The Rana Judgment (2026): Goes a step further by allowing the withdrawal of basic nutrition/hydration in specific clinical scenarios, moving past just “ventilator support.”

Conclusion
The Harish Rana case teaches us that Compassion is sometimes found in the courage to let go. It reinforces the ethical principle that the “Right to Life” is not merely about biological existence, but about the dignity of the human spirit. His family’s decision to donate organs serves as a powerful testament to the idea that life can have meaning and impact even after it has technically ended.

Sources: The Hindu

KAS Current Affairs

Preliminary Examination

Paper-I: Current Events of National and International Importance

Paper-II: Current Events of State Importance and Important Government Schemes and Programs

Karnataka received less than 50% of funds allocated by Centre under JJM: Audit report

Context: Karnataka received less than 50% of the funds allocated by the Centre under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), primarily due to poor utilisation of released funds, according to a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG).

• The report, tabled in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, for the period 2019-20 to 2023-24, noted that the State received ₹11,189.37 crore — about 45% of the total allocation of ₹24,819.48 crore.
• It attributed low fund utilisation to the reduced engagement of implementation support agencies. Spending on water quality monitoring and surveillance dropped sharply, from 50% in 2019-20 to just 2% in 2023-24, leading to infrastructure gaps such as inadequate water testing laboratories and equipment.
• The audit further highlighted negligible community participation, with only ₹22.75 crore mobilised against an expected ₹1,594.90 crore.
• Delays of three to nine months in submitting utilisation certificates and audited accounts contributed to the State not receiving the remaining central assistance.
• The findings are seen as a setback for the State government, which has been criticising the Union government for insufficient fund release under the scheme, implemented by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department.
• Against a target of 72.14 lakh households, tap water connections were provided to 47.62 lakh households (66%) as of November 2024. The shortfall was attributed to delays in tendering, execution of works without ensuring land availability, and slow approvals, the report said.

Main Examination

Paper-I: Essays

Essay – 1: Topic of International/National Importance

“Discuss the historical background, legislative journey, and political implications of women’s reservation in the Indian Parliament and State Assemblies. In your answer, critically evaluate the proposed constitutional amendments for increasing Lok Sabha seats and ensuring 33% representation for women by 2029.”

Essay-2: Topic of State importance/Local Importance

“Critically examine the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission in Karnataka. Why has the state been able to utilize only ₹11,189 crore out of the ₹24,819.48 crore allocated by the Centre? Discuss the challenges, audit findings, and suggest measures for effective utilization of funds to achieve the goal of providing piped drinking water to every household.”

Paper-II: General Studies 1

‘State past its demographic peak, job quality is key’
Context: The median age for Karnataka, as per report, is 32; the highest is recorded by Kerala at 39.

• Karnataka has entered a state of demographic transition where a large working-age population will no longer be enough to drive economic growth, and future gains will depend on how productively people are employed, the ‘State of Working India 2026’ report said.
• The report by Azim Premji University was released here on Tuesday. It examines how India’s school-to-work transition has evolved over the last 40 years.

Among ‘older’ States

• The report places Karnataka among relatively “older” Indian States, alongside Kerala and Tamil Nadu, where the share of the working-age population is no longer rising significantly. In economic terms, this means that the boost to growth that comes from a rising working-age population, the demographic dividend, has largely played out.
• According to the report, India is still young (with more young people entering the workforce currently), with a median age of 28, and accounts for a significant share of the world’s youth population. However, this window is narrowing quickly. The number of young people has already begun to decline, it said. The report highlights that the demographic dividend only translates into economic growth if there are enough jobs for people to take up. Without job creation, a large working-age population can just as easily become a burden.

Sharp contrasts

• The State-level picture shows sharp contrasts. While southern and western States such as Karnataka are ageing faster and must now depend on productivity gains, northern States like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar still have a growing youth population. The median age for Karnataka, as per the report, is 32. The highest is recorded by Kerala at 39, while Bihar has the lowest median age of 22.
• The report finds that younger States are not necessarily doing better at employing their youth. When it comes to overall employment, there is little difference between younger and older States. However, older and more industrialised States, including Karnataka, perform better in generating regular salaried jobs, which are typically more stable and better paid than casual or self-employment.
• The link between economic growth and job quality is crucial here, the report said. States such as Karnataka, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, which have seen relatively stronger economic growth, also show a clearer rise in salaried employment among young people. In contrast, poorer States have struggled to convert growth into such jobs at the same pace.
• At the national level, the report traces how young Indians have moved between education and work over the past 40 years. Within education, enrollment among teenagers (15-19 years) has risen sharply since the 1980s, with girls nearly closing the gap with boys. More young people are staying in school longer, and more are entering higher education than before, the report said.

Employment story

• But the employment story is more uneven. Between 2004-05 and 2017-18, rising education levels meant fewer young people were working, as they stayed in school or college longer. Since 2017-18, however, this trend has reversed. Employment among youth has increased but partly because some are leaving education earlier.
• This shift is particularly visible among young men. Data shows a noticeable decline in the share of boys aged 15-19 in education in recent years, including in secondary and higher secondary levels. This decline began around the pandemic period and has not fully reversed, the report notes.

Young women

• Among young women, the trend is different. The recent rise in employment has come mainly from fewer women remaining outside both education and work, rather than from dropping out of education. However, female workforce participation remains a major concern. A large share of women in their early 20s are still neither studying nor employed, the report mentioned, pointing to persistent structural and social barriers.

‘Only 5% of households received mandated 100 days of employment under MGNREGA’
Context: Even as the Congress government in Karnataka opposed any move to dilute the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) by the Centre, a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) flagged several shortcomings in the scheme’s implementation in the State.

• The CAG report, tabled in the Legislative Assembly for the period 2019–20 to 2023–24, noted that only 5% of households received the mandated 100 days of employment.
• Most households were provided just 1 to 30 days of work, while demand for employment did not exceed 48% of issued job cards during the audit period.

Contract management

• The report highlighted irregularities in contract management, stating that outsourcing contracts were extended without fresh tenders, leading to higher service charges. It also pointed to violations in recruitment, where contract staff were hired without adhering to reservation norms, resulting in inadequate representation of women, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and persons with disabilities.
• Further, the audit found gaps in data systems, noting that NREGASoft lacked provisions to track employment demand and allocation for vulnerable groups such as nomadic tribes and HIV-positive individuals. Cross-verification with housing scheme records indicated their significant exclusion from the programme.
• Serious financial irregularities were flagged, including fraudulent payments for completed or non-existent housing works, payments to ineligible beneficiaries, and fabrication of records in projects such as solid waste management, check dams, and social forestry.

Pendency rate

• While ombudspersons had been appointed across districts, the report noted a high pendency rate of 59% in grievance disposal, with less than 20% of imposed penalties actually recovered.
• The audit observed a decline in wage expenditure during 2022–23 and 2023–24, underutilisation of funds under the material component, and inadmissible administrative expenditure of ₹32.78 crore. Additionally, Aadhaar mapping remained incomplete for 3.11 lakh workers out of 84.98 lakh active workers as of March 2024, with ₹35.10 crore worth of transactions pending due to rejected payments.
• The CAG observed irregularities such as printing of muster rolls without utilising NREGASoft and irregular payments on such manipulated muster rolls.
• The State government has urged the Centre to scrap the “Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar Ajeevika Mission (Gramin)” and restore MGNREGA in its original form to safeguard employment and livelihoods for rural ​workers.

Paper-III: General Studies 2

SC status only for Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs: top court
Context: Conversion to any other religion will lead to complete loss of Scheduled Caste status, regardless of birth, says Supreme Court Bench as it invokes Clause 3 of Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order.

• The Supreme Court held in a judgment that a person professing any religion other than Hinduism, Buddhism, or Sikhism should not be considered a member of a Schedule Caste community.
• The court concluded that conversion to any other religion would result in “immediate and complete loss of Scheduled Caste status from the moment of conversion, regardless of birth”.
• A Bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Manmohan invoked Clause 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, which mandates that “no person who professes a religion different from Hinduism shall be deemed to be a member of a Scheduled Caste”. The Sikh religion was added to the ambit of Clause 3 in 1956. The provision was further amended in 1990 to include persons professing Buddhism.
• “This bar under Clause 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 is categorical and absolute,” Justice Mishra, who authored the judgment, interpreted the 1950 Order.
• The court was hearing an appeal filed by Chinthada Anand, who was born a Hindu-Madiga (Scheduled Caste) but converted to Christianity to become a pastor.
• Mr. Anand had filed a case under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act of 1989 after he alleged that he had suffered repeated attacks and caste slurs.
• The Andhra Pradesh High Court, in a decision in April last year, quashed the criminal proceedings on the ground that Mr. Anand could no longer claim protection under the 1989 Act as he professed Christianity and had been a pastor for about a decade. The High Court was of the view that the caste system was not recognised in Christianity.
• Confirming the High Court’s decision in the plea by Mr. Anand, the top court drew attention to the term “profess” in Clause 3 of the 1950 Order.
• “The term ‘profess’ connotes to publicly declare or practice a religion. The essence of the word lies in the open avowal of one’s religious beliefs in a manner discernible to the public at large. It is not merely a question of personal belief or private conviction, but requires an outward manifestation of one’s faith. It may be observed that Christianity, by its very theological foundation, does not recognise or incorporate the institution of caste,” Justice Mishra said.
• The top court said a convert who did not profess any of the three religions in Clause 3 of the 1950 Order could not claim any “statutory benefit, protection, reservation or entitlement” of a Scheduled Caste (SC) member. Justice Mishra said the bar admitted no exception. A person cannot simultaneously profess and practice a religion other than the ones specified in Clause 3 and claim membership of a Scheduled Caste at the same time, the court said.
• “A person who professes and practices such religion for personal, social and spiritual purposes cannot, in law, assert membership of a Scheduled Caste for the purpose of securing statutory benefits. The two positions are mutually exclusive and contrary to the Constitutional scheme,” Justice Mishra observed. A person claiming to have “re-converted” to Hinduism, Sikhism, or Buddhism must “cumulatively and conclusively establish” clear proof of his earlier caste; provide credible and unimpeachable evidence of bona fide reconversion to the original religion; and show satisfactory evidence that members of his original caste have accepted and assimilated him into the community. The court said renunciation of the new religion by the convert must be unequivocal. It should translate to the adoption and observance of the customs, usages, practices, rituals, and religious obligations of the original caste. Failure to establish even one condition renders the claim of re-conversion unsustainable, the court said.
• The judgment also dealt with the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, which did not prescribe religion-based exclusion as in the case of the Scheduled Caste community. Justice Mishra said a person could claim benefits under the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, only if he or she continued to belong to that particular tribe “in substance”.

LS passes new transgender Bill

Context: Amid an Opposition-led walkout, the Lok Sabha passed by voice vote the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026, which proposes to remove transgender people’s right to self-determination of gender, and introduces a clause for examination by a medical board to determine their gender.

• The MPs who walked out of the House were from parties such as the Congress, Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress, DMK, Shiv Sena (UBT), Nationalist Congress Party, and the CPI(M). Congress whip Manickam Tagore said they walked out as they were “not satisfied with the reply” of the Minister on the Bill. Transgender rights groups, civil society leaders, and several prominent members of the community condemned the passing of the Bill as an “injustice”.
• Union Minister for Social Justice Virendra Kumar said the Bill sought to stop adults and children from being “forced or compelled” to become or present as transgender persons through hormone therapy or other interventions, and strengthened punishments for crimes against transgender persons. He said the Bill was aimed at empowering the transgender community.

Karnataka home to 274 springs; Belagavi district tops list with 59
Context: The Karnataka Minor Irrigation and Groundwater Development Department has successfully completed the State’s first spring census. According to the census, 274 springs have been enumerated across 31 districts, with Belagavi reporting the highest number with 59.

Hot spring

• The census also noted that there is one hot spring at Bendru Theertha in Dakshina Kannada district.
• B.K. Pavithra, Secretary, Minor Irrigation and Groundwater Development Department, said that despite the logistical challenges posed by the monsoon, field enumerators leveraged a digital framework to successfully identify and document a total of 247 springs.
• Highlighting the regional distribution and ecological health of these waterbodies, he added: “Our data reveals that Belagavi district leads the State, reporting the highest number with 59 springs. Furthermore, a significant majority of these vital water sources remain active, with 144 springs classified as perennial and 114 as seasonal, while 16 have dried up over time.”

Key rivers

• The census report has mapped the origins of key rivers to these springs, noting that the Cauvery originates at Talacauvery in Kodagu, the Hemavati at Javali in Chikkamagaluru, and the Sharavati at Ambutheertha in Shivamogga.
• This digitised data will now serve as a foundational database for future spring conservation, rejuvenation projects, groundwater management, and comprehensive water resource planning across Karnataka.
• Springs are natural outlets where groundwater flows to the surface through openings in the earth’s crust. They typically occur when the water table intersects with the ground surface or when groundwater is forced out through fractures, faults, or permeable rock layers.

Western Ghats

• “The Western Ghats and Malnad region, including districts like Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada, Belagavi, and Shivamogga, are primary hubs for spring formation due to high rainfall and favourable geological conditions. Owing to a unique hydrological feature, a hot spring in Bendru Theertha, is located in Dakshina Kannada district,” the Karnataka Minor Irrigation and Groundwater Development Department added.
• The department has received a certificate of appreciation from the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti for its first sprint census.

Paper-IV: General Studies 3

Assam floats tender for satellites to monitor floods

Context: Chief Minister Sarma announced the project in the 2025-26 State Budget; The procurement is for at least five satellites in low-earth orbit.

• Assam has become the first Indian State to float a tender for a group of earth-observation satellites that it says will strengthen disaster response along the flood-prone Brahmaputra valley and help survey the State’s borders.
• The Assam Science Technology and Environment Council issued an Expression of Interest (EOI) on March 16 inviting private aerospace companies to design, build, launch, operate, and eventually transfer the satellites to State ownership. The mission has been named AssamSAT.
• Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the project in the 2025-26 State Budget as a means to achieve what he has repeatedly described as an “infiltration-free Assam”.
• Mr. Sarma has argued that conventional border fencing is inadequate for the State’s chars, the seasonally inundated river islands along the Bangladesh border, and that real-time satellite monitoring is the sole practical alternative.
• The procurement is structured around at least five satellites in low-earth orbit. The brief EOI doesn’t say whether the satellites will operate separately or together, in a constellation. Per the brief, qualifying parties can avail the full EOI for a fee of ₹30,000.
• Assuming it’s a constellation, the satellites will be able to scan the same part of the ground once every few hours and map it at high resolution — a useful task for disaster response during floods, where the extent of waters can change within hours.
• The EOI also doesn’t specify the sensors the satellites will carry. But since the State has cloudy weather for almost half the year, the satellites may carry synthetic aperture radars (SAR), whose gaze can pierce clouds and darkness.
• Currently, State disaster management agencies seeking satellite data must submit requests to the National Remote Sensing Centre, which will process and fulfill those requests.
• The State sits close to the Siliguri Corridor, a strip of land colloquially called the chicken’s neck that physically connects the Northeast to the rest of India, and which State and Central security agencies have been preoccupied with monitoring.
• Mr. Sarma has also extended the satellite’s mandate to include tracking drug-trafficking routes and monitoring poaching in the Kaziranga National Park.
• In 2024, NewSpace India, Ltd. cleared a private-sector earth observation constellation led by Dhruva Space and Pixxel.
• The plan combines small satellites carrying optical and hyperspectral sensors in low-earth orbit to deliver near real-time imagery for agriculture, disaster response, and national security users while being owned and operated by industry.

Paper-V: General Studies 4

Sources: The Hindu

KAS Current Affairs

Preliminary Examination

Paper-I: Current Events of National and International Importance

IEA chief warns oil shock worse than 1970s crises
Context: The crisis in West Asia, he said, has had a worse impact on oil than the two oil shocks of the 1970s combined, and a worse effect on gas than the Russia-Ukraine war.

Comparison of Current West Asia Oil Shock vs 1970s Oil Crises & Russia–Ukraine Gas Shock

• The current West Asia crisis is already worse in terms of oil and gas supply loss compared to both the 1970s oil shocks and the Russia–Ukraine gas shock.
• Unlike earlier crises, this one affects multiple energy commodities (oil, gas, petrochemicals, fertilizers, helium, sulfur).
• The IEA’s emergency release of 400 million barrels shows the scale of concern.
• The Hormuz Strait remains the single most critical chokepoint for stabilising global energy flows.

Impact of Current West Asia Oil Shock on India

India, being the third-largest oil importer and heavily dependent on West Asian supplies, faces significant consequences from the ongoing crisis.

• India is highly vulnerable to West Asia’s oil shock due to import dependence.
• The crisis could raise inflation, weaken rupee, and strain fiscal health.
• It may also accelerate India’s push for renewable energy and diversification of supply sources.

Paper-II: Current Events of State Importance and Important Government Schemes and Programs

Main Examination

Paper-I: Essays

Essay – 1: Topic of International/National Importance

Essay-2: Topic of State importance/Local Importance

Paper-II: General Studies 1

Centre to amend the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act

Context: The Union government is likely to amend the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act in the ongoing session of Parliament session. One of the key changes proposed is the appointment of a “designated authority” to take over, manage or dispose of assets created out of foreign funds by an NGO or association, which has had its FCRA registration suspended, cancelled, or not renewed.

• Another proposed amendment is expanding the definition of “key functionary” of an NGO beyond an “office bearer/director” to include directors; partners; trustees; the karta (head) of a Hindu Undivided Family; office-bearers or members of the governing body or managing committee of a society, trust, trade union or association; and any other person who has control over or responsibility for the management or affairs of such an organisation.
• The amendment also proposes to make key functionaries liable for offences under the FCRA.
• Registration under the FCRA is mandatory for an NGO to receive foreign funds. Till now, the 2010 parent Act only had the provision to regulate the flow of foreign funds, and not the statutory framework to manage the assets created out of such funds.
• The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 also proposes to amend Section 43 of the parent Act, which will require any law enforcement agency or State government to seek prior approval of the Central government for initiation of investigation into FCRA-related complaints.
• The Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Bill circulated by Home Minister Amit Shah said that, at present, around 16,000 associations are registered under the FCRA and they receive around ₹22,000 crore annually.
• The Bill proposes to reduce the maximum imprisonment for FCRA offences from five years to one year. It also proposes fixed timelines for the utilisation of foreign funds received under the “prior permission” category, unlike the open-ended provision under the 2010 Act.

Net FDI negative for fifth straight month
Context: Net FDI into India contracted for the fifth consecutive month in January 2026, with outflows exceeding inflows by nearly $1.4 billion, a three-month high. The data shows this was because inflows into India fell nearly 7% while the amount repatriated out of the country nearly doubled.

• According to data released by the Reserve Bank of India on Monday as part of its monthly bulletin, the total amount of money entering India as direct investment, or gross FDI, stood at about $5.7 billion in January 2026.
• This was 7% lower than in January last year, and only two-thirds of the amount that came in December 2025. The RBI, however, looked at a longer time period to draw some positive conclusions.
• “During April 2025 – January 2026, gross FDI inflows remained strong, higher than the corresponding period a year ago,” the central bank noted in its report. “Sector-wise, manufacturing received the highest share of equity inflows, followed by computer services, electricity and other energy, and financial services — these sectors together accounted for over 60% of total inflows.”
• With regard to outflows, the outward FDI by Indian companies increased by 5.4% in January 2026 to $2.1 billion. This was, however, nearly 30% lower than the outward FDI in December 2025.
• “Around 75% of the outward FDI flows were directed to the U.S., Singapore, the UK, and the UAE during the [April 2025 – January 2026] period,” the RBI said. Repatriation and disinvestment by foreign companies doing business in India, on the other hand, increased by 97.3% to $4.9 billion in January 2026. But this was nearly 18% lower than the amount in December 2025.
• As a result, net FDI stood at about -$1.4 billion, the lowest since October 2025.
• The central bank noted that portfolio investments again flowed out more than they flowed in in March this year.

Centre restores RoDTEP benefits for exporters
Context: The government has restored the complete benefits provided to exporters under the Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) scheme. In a notification it said the rates and values applicable 22 this year and were reduced by 50% are now being restored to earlier levels from February 23 to March 31.

• According to GTRI, while the DGFT decision is welcome, the initial reduction is hard to justify as RoDTEP is not a subsidy.

Subsidies & Karnataka’s Economy – Positives vs Negatives

Definition
Subsidy: A financial support or incentive provided by the government to reduce the burden on citizens or producers, making essential goods, services, or welfare schemes more affordable.
It can be in the form of cash transfers, reduced prices, tax exemptions, or guarantees.
Objective: Social justice + Economic stimulus + Welfare support.

Types of Subsidies in India

Types of Subsidies in Karnataka

• India: Subsidies are broad-based, covering food, fuel, fertilizer, education, health, housing, and employment.
• Karnataka: Focuses on guarantee schemes (Anna Bhagya, Gruha Lakshmi, Shakti, Yuva Nidhi, Gruha Jyothi) alongside traditional subsidies in agriculture, education, and health.
• Economic Role: Subsidies act as both welfare support and economic stimulus, especially for vulnerable groups.

Subsidies & Karnataka’s Economy – Positives vs Negatives

Paper-III: General Studies 2

Centre signals early delimitation, women’s quota for 2029 polls
Context: The Union government has indicated that it will bring an amendment Bill proposing a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census to ensure the implementation of the Women’s Reservation Act, 2023, ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha election.

• Under the proposed amendments, the number of Lok Sabha seats will increase from 543 to 816, with 273 seats, 33%, reserved for women. The amendments could be brought in the ongoing Budget Session or in a Special Session called for the purpose.

States’ concern

• Though the draft of the amendments are yet to be circulated, that care would be taken so that the existing proportion of seats will be maintained for all States, amid concerns that States that had showed success in population control programmes would lose out on representation vis a vis more populous States. Southern States had in particular expressed this concern. Overall, each State is likely to see a 50% rise in seats, but the pro rata basis would be maintained.
• As per Article 82 of the Constitution, the next delimitation exercise was to be done based on the first Census after 2026, but these amendments could mean that the 2011 Census data will be applied and the remaking of constituencies can proceed without the current Census exercise being concluded. The proposals may include the expansion of State Assemblies as well.
• The Act originally passed in September 2023 envisaged the conduct of the Decadal Census, followed by delimitation of seats. The 2021 Decadal Census, which got delayed because of COVID, beginning next month. As per the current timelines, implementation of the Act could be pushed beyond 2030. However, by bringing in fresh amendments, the government is now seeking to bring forward the implementation of the Act.
• “The amendments will require a two-thirds majority of both Houses.
• The Women’s Reservation Act, 2023, known as the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023, mandates a 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.

Kolar water table has risen to 50-100 ft. under K.C. Valley project, says IISc
Context: The groundwater level in parts of Kolar has risen significantly under the K.C. Valley project, with water now available at depths of just 50 to 100 ft. compared to nearly 1,800 ft. earlier, said the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), adding that sustained monitoring since 2019 has found no adverse impact on water quality, public health, soil, crops, or livestock.

The K.C. Valley Project (Koramangala–Challaghatta Valley Project) is Karnataka’s flagship initiative to recharge groundwater in the parched districts of Kolar and Chikkaballapur by pumping treated wastewater from Bengaluru’s sewage treatment plants into local lakes. It has raised water tables significantly, but concerns remain about untreated sewage inflows and water quality.

• IISc officials said the project has significantly improved groundwater availability across Kolar and surrounding districts, with 144 lakes being replenished and wells in the region also showing increased water level.
• They said groundwater is being treated through a five-stage purification process, resulting in clean water that is free from odour and colour. Multiple rounds of research conducted by the IISc have found no traces of harmful metal elements in the water.
• The officials also noted that there had been no impact on human or animal health.
• “Crops such as fenugreek, cucumber, beetroot, tomato, and other flowering plants are being cultivated successfully, while soil quality has improved across the region,” the institute said, dismissing allegations of excessive nitrogen content in the soil, stating that there is no difference in soil quality between irrigated and non-irrigated ones.
• The institute said there is also an increase in bird populations and healthy aquatic life in lakes. IISc said surveys conducted three times among residents revealed no complaints, with many reporting improved access to water and better living conditions. Farmers’ livelihood had improved, and officials pointed out to increase in milk production. They also pointed out that instances of kidney stones among residents have reduced attributing it to acess to cleaner water.
• While presenting the findings, IISc officials said several organisations have recommended that the K.C. Valley model be replicated across the country. However, concerns were raised during the meeting over the discharge of untreated sewage into lakes, particularly in parts of Chickballapur, where city sewage is reportedly being let directly into waterbodies.

Significance of the Project
Environmental: Effectively reuses urban wastewater, significantly reducing the pressure on finite freshwater sources.
Agricultural: Acts as a lifeline for farmers in semi-arid districts, supporting dairy and crop production.
Social: Revives traditional lake ecosystems and strengthens rural water security, preventing migration.
Policy: Demonstrates Karnataka’s innovative and aggressive approach to integrated water management.

‘U.S.-led Pax Silica

• The U.S.-led initiative is aimed at building resilient supply chains for critical minerals and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies. India joined the coalition in February 2026, during the AI Impact summit held in New Delhi.

Lok Sabha sends Corporate Law Amendment Bill 2026 to JPC

Context: The government introduced the Corporate Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha following which the House adopted a motion to send the proposed legislation to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for detailed examination.

• The JPC will comprise members from both Houses of Parliament for detailed analysis and recommendations, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said while proposing the motion for JPC reference. The motion was adopted by a voice vote.
• The Bill seeks further amendments to the Limited Liability Partnership Act, 2008 and the Companies Act, 2013 to facilitate ease of doing business and address the gaps identified by the Company Law Committee in its 2022 report.
• The proposed amendments are expected to rationalise penalties, shift several minor procedural lapses from criminal liability to monetary penalties, and streamline regulatory processes to promote ease of doing business.
• The FM said the Bill was aimed at promoting ease of doing business and ease of living for corporates by decriminalising more provisions.

‘Diluting provisions’

• When the Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha, Opposition members Manish Tewari (Congress), Saugata Roy (Trinamool Congress) and T. Sumathy (DMK) opposed the same claiming the legislation sought to dilute the provisions of law under which companies mandatorily had to pay 2% of profit towards corporate social responsibility (CSR).
• The FM refuted the claim and said that the Bill had been introduced after two years of deliberations and the apprehensions of the members were unfounded as the proposed legislation sought to amend only the criteria for net profit, not the entire clause related to CSR.
• Mr. Tewari also said since a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Corporate Affairs was already in place, the Bill must be sent there rather than setting up new JPC.
• Home Minister Amit Shah, intervening, said none of the Opposition members talked about referring the Bill to a panel and now, when the FM has herself sought it, they were arguing as to which panel the Bill should be sent.

Greater cooperation needed between India and Russia, says Jaishankar

Context: Against the backdrop of the war in West Asia, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, said the “evolving multipolar order” calls for “greater cooperation” between India and Russia both bilaterally as well as multilaterally through groupings such as BRICS, SCO, G-20, and the United Nations.

In the context of the 2026 geopolitical landscape, this dialogue underscores India’s mastery of Strategic Autonomy—maintaining a deep, functional bond with Moscow while navigating a world fractured by conflicts in West Asia and Eurasia.

India-Russia Bilateral Agenda (2026)

Key Strategic Takeaways:

1. The “Strategic Autonomy” Litmus Test
   By engaging deeply with Russia amidst the West Asian war, India is signaling to the global community that its foreign policy is dictated by its own national interests. Lavrov’s praise for India’s “strategic autonomy” suggests that Russia views India not just as a buyer, but as an independent pole in the Evolving Multipolar Order.
2. Economic Decoupling from the West
   The transition of nearly all trade (96%) to national currencies is a massive shift. It reduces transaction costs and creates a closed-loop economic system that is “sanction-proof,” ensuring that essential supplies like fertilizers, oil, and nuclear tech remain uninterrupted regardless of global political pressure.
3. BRICS 2026: “Humanity First”
   Under India’s leadership, BRICS is moving toward a people-centric agenda. This softens the “anti-West” image often associated with the bloc, instead focusing on shared global challenges like food security and health, where Russian resources and Indian manufacturing/human capital create a perfect synergy.
4. Connectivity & Energy Security
   The mention of Maritime Cooperation and the EAEU FTA points toward the operationalization of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and the Chennai-Vladivostok Maritime Route. This ensures India has a stable, alternate supply chain for energy and minerals from the Russian Far East.

Summary
The India-Russia Annual Summit 2026 is set to be a milestone. While the West focuses on containment strategies, India is focusing on “Inclusive Multipolarity.” By bridging the gap between its ties with the West and its “special” bond with Russia, India is effectively acting as the diplomatic “hinge” of the 21st century.

This dialogue is a classic example of Realpolitik. India is balancing its “Global Strategic Partnership” with the US against its “Privileged” partnership with Russia to maximize its influence in the Persian Gulf and Eurasia.

Paper-IV: General Studies 3

Karnataka accounted for 9% of India’s ransomware cases in 2025-26: Report
Context: Nearly 9% of the total ransomware cases in India in 2025–26 were from Karnataka, according to the Centre of Excellence for Cybersecurity – Karnataka (CySecK) annual compendium report released.

• The report also stated that 4.3% of the total malware detections were from Karnataka.
• Bengaluru, too, witnessed cyberattacks that were four times higher than the previous year, according to the report.

Vulnerable sectors

• Among the most vulnerable sectors for cyberattacks are government departments, education, and healthcare, which, according to the report, collectively witnessed more than 6.8 million malware detections in Karnataka.
• CySecK is a flagship initiative by the State government through the Department of Electronics, IT, and BT, established in 2019 to drive cybersecurity innovation, research, and ecosystem development across Karnataka.
• CySecK held its annual cybersecurity conference on March 17.
• The report, published as part of the conference, outlines the State’s cybersecurity landscape, key risks, and strategic priorities to strengthen digital resilience.

Major attacks

• The report also details major cybersecurity incidents in the State.
• The most significant was the Kaveri 2.0 Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attack in February 2025, which led to service disruption and an estimated ₹47.75 crore in daily revenue loss.
• DDoS attacks are launched to slow down or crash websites, servers, or networks, making them unavailable to genuine users.
• The second major incident was a ransomware attack on a private hospital that led to encrypted medical records and disruption in patient care. There were also telecom API data breaches, highlighting third-party security risks.
• “As digital adoption accelerates across governance, education, healthcare, finance, and industry, the state’s exposure to cyber risks has increased significantly,” the report noted.
• It also underscored that the growing reliance on digital infrastructure has widened the cyberattack surface across sectors and regions, including cloud platforms, digital payments, connected systems, and data-driven services.

Ignored area

• A senior police officer explained that in the backdrop of technological advancement, cybercrimes are widely discussed and reported, but cybersecurity is less talked about.
• However, Karnataka notified its cybersecurity policy as early as 2024, adopting a dual approach: strengthening government cybersecurity while fostering a robust public cybersecurity ecosystem.
• Aligning with the objectives of the policy, the Karnataka government has launched several initiatives, including CySecK. A major stride has been made by bringing cybersecurity under the Cyber Command Unit.
• CySecK plays this role by working across academia, government, industry, and startups to strengthen Karnataka’s overall cybersecurity readiness.

Draft policy on ‘Responsible Digital Use Among Students’ sets goals for parents, schools
Context: It recommends that schools include digital well-being and social media literacy in the curriculum.

• The draft policy for “Responsible Digital Use Among Students”, released by the Department of Health and Family Welfare, has recommended that parents set structured routines with clear screen-time rules and prioritise privacy, safety, and open conversation with children on digital well-being.
• It recommended that schools incorporate digital well-being and social media literacy in their curriculum, besides implementing special programmes for digital detox and identifying early mental health red flags.
• The policy has been drafted in collaboration with the Karnataka State Mental Health Authority, NIMHANS, and the School Education Department, based on deliberations with stakeholders. It further recommended a set of “preventive, promotive, and responsive strategies for all schools to implement”. “Parents should facilitate more peer interactions and conversations without screens, invite friends over for offline play, promote role play, group reading, or drama at home, and model face-to-face communication,” the draft said.
• The government announced it would bring in a policy to restrict social media use among children below 16. The draft policy aims “to create a safe, balanced, and psychologically healthy digital environment for students”.
• “Parents should define screen time limits (as per age), mandatory screen-free time during meals, sleep hours, and study periods, tech curfew all screens off 1 hour before bedtime,” it recommended for parents, advocating marking digital free zones like bedroom, dining table, kitchen, bathroom, and motorised vehicle where no family members use technology. “Decide upon digital fasting time where no family members use any device,” said the draft.
• On the responsibility of schools, the draft policy states, “Schools must incorporate digital well-being and social media literacy within the life skills, value education, and ICT (Information and Communication Technology) curriculum. Age-appropriate lessons on responsible digital behaviour, privacy, online safety, and screen-time balance should be taught regularly.”

Centre launches AI skilling drive with Google, YouTube
Context: Part of initiatives unveiled by Ashwini Vaishnaw to boost creative economy; a citizen creator platform, and in-built satellite tuners in television sets for access to DD Free Dish launched.

• Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday unveiled three new initiatives aimed at strengthening India’s media, broadcasting, and digital sector and promoting the “orange economy”, or the creative economy.
• The creative economy includes industries where economic value is generated primarily from creativity, culture, technology, and intellectual property.
• The three initiatives are named the National AI Skilling Initiative in partnership with Google and YouTube through the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT); MyWAVES, a citizen creator platform on WAVES OTT; and the rollout of advanced Electronic Programme Guide and in-built satellite tuners in television sets for enhancing access to DD Free Dish services.
• Key media and entertainment industry representatives, the head of YouTube India along with senior Ministry officials took part in the event.
• Underscoring Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of democratising technology, Mr. Vaishnaw said the initiatives will make technology more affordable and accessible. He said that with in-built satellite tuners and an advanced programme guide, citizens can now access content easily without additional equipment.
• He described MyWAVES as a powerful platform for content creators, enabling them to create, upload, and share content.
• Referring to the Union Budget announcements, he underlined the government’s commitment to promoting the “orange economy” and supporting the creative sector.
• The Union Minister said under the National AI Skilling Initiative, being implemented with the support of YouTube, about 15,000 youth will be trained without levying any fee.
• He spoke about the “Creators’ Corner” scheme and urged content creators to actively use Doordarshan and platforms such as MyWAVES to showcase India’s rich culture and regional diversity.
• Speaking about the partnership’s impact, YouTube India managing director Gunjan Soni said: “We believe that AI has the potential to open up remarkable opportunities for India’s dynamic creative economy. Through our collaboration with the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and IICT, we aim to equip creators and professionals with the skills required to master the tools of the future, leverage AI to tell more compelling stories… expand their reach to new audiences, and play a role in shaping the future of media.”
• The AI skilling programme will be conducted in two phases — Phase I from March 23 to June 30 2026, and Phase II from July to December 2026.
• The first phase will focus on foundational AI learning at scale through Google Career Certificates and Google Cloud Generative AI learning paths. Participants will undergo courses such as AI Essentials, Prompting Essentials, Introduction to Generative AI, and Generative AI Leader Path.
• The second phase will involve advanced, project-based specialisation for the creative industry. The curriculum will include modules on the art of storytelling, YouTube best practices, and advanced training using AI tools such as Gemini 3 and Vertex AI.

Paper-V: General Studies 4

Sources: The Hindu

KAS Current Affairs

Preliminary Examination

Paper-I: Current Events of National and International Importance

KIA ranked 11th most punctual large airport in Feb.
Context: The Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) was ranked the 11th most punctual airport among large airports in February 2026, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium’s On-time Performance (OTP) monthly report for airlines and airports.

• The KIA, which has led the large airports category as the most punctual airport several times in the past, did not make it to the top 20 most on-time large airports list in January this year.
• According to the report, in February, KIA served 109 routes and recorded an on-time departure of 84.86%.
• The only other large Indian airport to feature in the February list was the Chennai International Airport, which secured the 10th position among the most punctual airports with an on-time departure of 85.23%.
• The Chennai airport served 67 routes. Harbin Taiping International ​Airport in China was the most punctual large airport, ​followed by Mexico City ​Benito Juárez International Airport, and Houston ​George Bush Intercontinental Airport in February.
• In the Cirium OTP Review 2025, KIA featured among the top 20 in the large airport category. The airport was ranked 11th with an on-time departure of 82.83%.
• The only other Indian airport to feature among the top 20 was the Chennai International Airport which bagged the 12th spot.

Modi sets new record with 8,931 days in public office

Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi became the longest-serving head of a government in India, serving 8,931 days in office, first as the Chief Minister of Gujarat and now as the Prime Minister. He has surpassed former Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling’s record of 8,930 days in office.

Longest-Serving Heads of Government (CM and/or PM)

Longest-Serving Chief Ministers of Karnataka

Paper-II: Current Events of State Importance and Important Government Schemes and Programs

Main Examination

Paper-I: Essays

Essay – 1: Topic of International/National Importance

“India’s relationship with West Asia is one of its most strategically vital foreign policy priorities, shaped by energy dependence, diaspora ties, trade, and evolving geopolitical challenges. Discuss how India balances economic cooperation with Gulf states, cultural and historical links with Iran and Iraq, and sensitive diplomacy with Israel and Palestine.”

Essay-2: Topic of State importance/Local Importance

“Mahadayi Water Dispute: Balancing Karnataka’s Development Needs with Ecological and Inter-State Concerns”

Paper-II: General Studies 1

Paper-III: General Studies 2

Details sought on inquiry, prosecution wings of the Lokpal

• A parliamentary committee has sought details of what is being done to fully operationalise the inquiry and prosecution wings of the Lokpal, over a decade after a law governing it was enacted.
• The law governing the anti-corruption ombudsman — The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act 2013 — came into force on January 1, 2014. However, it began functioning only on March 27, 2019, following the appointment of its chairperson and members.
• To discharge its statutory functions, Section 11 of the Act obligates the Lokpal to constitute an inquiry wing to be led by a director of inquiry for conducting a preliminary inquiry into corruption-related offences.
• The Lokpal Act also has a provision for the constitution of a prosecution wing headed by the ‘director of prosecution’ for the prosecution of public servants.

Process ongoing

• In its latest report, the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice noted that the appointment of the director of inquiry and staffing of the inquiry wing in accordance with the approved organogram is still in process.
• The committee, therefore, desires to be apprised of the present status of appointment of the director and the steps taken to operationalise the inquiry wing in its full statutory form, while ensuring coordination with existing investigative agencies, it said.
• The panel, in its 160th report, said the prosecution wing of the Lokpal had been formally constituted through an order dated June 6, 2025.
• The committee noted that, at present, matters relating to prosecution are being handled through the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which has its own prosecution mechanism.

Paper-IV: General Studies 3

India’s dual dependence on West Asia for urea production
Context: Data indicate that the West Asian conflict threatens both domestic urea production and the stability of its global supply chain

• The ongoing conflict in West Asia has disrupted global trade, leading to LPG shortages and a surge in crude oil prices. Data show that the crisis could also affect India’s supply of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), putting at risk the production of urea, a key fertilizer in the country’s majorly agrarian economy.
• The conflict has already started to impact India’s urea supply. As of Sunday, industry sources told PTI that the country’s urea plants are running at half capacity, with Petronet LNG Ltd, which operates India’s largest liquefied natural gas receiving terminal, declaring force majeure amid disruptions to cargoes. The move triggered supply curtailments by state-owned gas distributors GAIL (India) Ltd, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd.
• India is heavily dependent on imports for its LNG supply, exposing many of its sectors to global shocks such as the U.S.-Israel attacks on Iran. Data show that in 2025, India bought more than 50% of its natural gas from the international market (Chart 1). In fact, India is the fourth largest buyer of natural gas in the world, with an imported supply of 261 lakh metric tonnes in 2025.
• A majority of these imports — more than 40% of it — are tied to long-term contracts with suppliers in Qatar (Chart 2). This supply may be in jeopardy as Qatar’s LNG cargoes pass through the Strait of Hormuz, which has now become a central chokepoint in the Iran-Israel conflict. The UAE and Oman also ship LNG along this route, and both countries contribute to India’s imported LNG supply. Overall, more than 60% of India’s imported LNG could be affected by the closure of the Strait.
• In India, natural gas is primarily used to produce ammonia, which in turn is used to produce fertilizers. In FY26, about 30% of India’s LNG supply was used for the production of fertilizers (Chart 3). Demand also comes from industry and gas-fired power and city gas networks which supply to households and vehicles.
• LNG is the main feedstock for the production of urea, which is the most widely used fertilizer in India. Many urea plants use naphtha or fuel oil — both derived from crude oil – as their main input. However, as urea production is a highly energy-intensive process, these plants have switched to natural gas, which produces fewer emissions.
• National urea consumption hit 387 lakh metric tonnes in 2025, following a decade of steady growth. While domestic production has also been increasing (India produced about 306 lakh metric tonnes of urea in 2025), it does not cover the country’s demand. Due to this, India also relies on imports of urea.
• Data indicate that the West Asian conflict threatens both domestic urea production and the stability of its supply chain. In 2025, India’s urea imports exceeded 2,300 lakh metric tonnes, with a staggering 71% of these imports coming from West Asia (Chart 4). This total comprises 45% from Oman and a combined 26% from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, all of which rely on the Strait of Hormuz for transit.
• Amidst this scenario, the Government of India issued the Natural Gas (Supply Regulation) Order, 2026, officially including the fertilizer sector in its priority list.
• The government also stated that as of March 10, India’s urea reserves have reached 61.51 lakh metric tonnes, about 10 lakh more than last year, ahead of the Kharif sowing season. However, only time can tell if India’s import dependence for both domestic production and global supply trade will weather the ongoing geopolitical instability.

Rice, wheat procurement is ‘consistently’ low: panel

Context: Standing Committee led by DMK MP asks Food Ministry to strengthen its procurement planning and coordination with States to minimise the gap between estimated and actual procurement

• Expressing concern that actual procurement of rice and wheat has consistently remained below estimates in recent years and below targets in States such as Bihar, Gujarat, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution, headed by DMK MP Kanimozhi, has asked the Union Food Ministry to strengthen its procurement planning and coordination with States to minimise the gap between estimated and actual procurement of both the food grains.
• In a report on the Demands for Grants of the Department of Food and Public Distribution, the panel noted that since 2022-23, the procurement of wheat and rice had been less than 30% of the total production.
• “Moreover, actual procurement of wheat has been 76.71%, 71.35% and 87.29% of the estimate for the years 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26 respectively. Similarly, the actual procurement of rice has been less than target since 2022-23,” the report revealed.
• During the kharif marketing season of 2024-25, the procurement of rice from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Punjab was 25.60 lakh tonnes, 0.003 lakh tonnes, and 116.13 lakh tonnes against the target of 35 lakh tonnes, 5.29 lakh tonnes, and 124 lakh tonnes, respectively, the panel said.
• Similarly, during the rabi marketing season of 2025-26, the procurement of wheat was less than the target in the States of Bihar, Gujarat, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh, it added.

Multiple factors at play

• The government told the panel that any fluctuation in estimated production and actual production resulted in variation in procurement. “Procurement depends on multiple factors like production, market surplus, minimum support price (MSP), prevailing market rates, demand-supply situation, and participation of private traders, etc., the government informed.
• Noting these factors, the panel asked the government to strengthen its procurement planning and coordination with the States to minimise the gap between estimated and actual procurement of wheat and rice.
• “While noting the Department’s submission that procurement levels are influenced by multiple factors, the Committee is concerned that actual procurement has consistently remained below estimates in recent years and below targets in several States,” the report said.
• The panel asked the Union government to review the methodology used for estimating procurement requirements, enhance real-time monitoring of production and market arrivals, and work closely with State governments — particularly in States where procurement has significantly fallen short of targets — to ensure that procurement operations are more realistic, responsive and effective. It asked the government to apprise it of the corrective measures taken on the suggestions.

Paper-V: General Studies 4

Source: The Hindu