KAS Current Affairs

Preliminary Examination

Paper-I: Current Events of National and International Importance

Gyan Bharatam Survey & App

• This is a massive national undertaking to digitize and catalog India’s vast, often undocumented, wealth of ancient knowledge.
• Objective: To create a comprehensive national database of manuscripts (handwritten documents on palm leaves, paper, bark, or cloth) scattered across private collections, temples, and local libraries.
• The App: The Gyan Bharatam App serves as a crowdsourcing platform where citizens can upload images and metadata of manuscripts in their possession.
• Verification Process: To ensure academic and historical integrity, every entry submitted by the public undergoes a multi-tier verification by experts before being officially recorded in the national register.
• Significance: It prevents the physical loss of ancient texts and makes India’s intellectual heritage accessible for global research in fields like Ayurveda, Astronomy, Mathematics, and Literature.

MY Bharat Budget Quest

• Operating under the MY Bharat (Madhyamik Yuva Bharat) platform, this initiative focuses on “Jan Bhagidari” (People’s Participation) in economic policy.
• Objective: To demystify the Union Budget and policymaking process for the youth, fostering a generation that understands fiscal responsibility and national priorities.
• Format: A nationwide digital quiz and quest that challenged participants on various aspects of the 2026-27 Budget, including key schemes, allocations, and economic concepts like the 11G Model Economy.
• Scale of Participation: Approximately 12 lakh (1.2 million) youth participated, signaling a high level of interest in how the country’s finances are managed.
• Strategic Goal: By connecting youth with the budget, the government aims to increase transparency and ensure that the “Amrit Kaal” goals are understood by the primary stakeholders—the young population.

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

How delayed polls choked city’s air quality
Context: The delay in holding civic body polls has not only affected local administration in Bengaluru but has also led to the stalling of a whopping ₹1,475.90 crore under the 15th Finance Commission’s million-plus cities challenge, aimed at improving air quality.

• While the stalled funds themselves appear mammoth, the impact of losing them has also affected air quality and particulate matter levels in Bengaluru, which have seen a steady rise over the last five years. For example, the Air Quality Index (AQI), which earlier averaged between the 60s and 90s in the city, has now crossed the 120 mark. In March 2026, the highest recorded AQI stood at 141, according to the city AQI dashboard.

What is the programme?

• The Union government launched the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in 2019 to improve air quality across the country. Cities receive funds to improve air quality either under NCAP or under the 15th Finance Commission’s scheme called the million-plus cities challenge, a performance-based incentive for air quality improvement and solid waste management. Bengaluru was deemed eligible to receive grants from the 15th Finance Commission.
• Accordingly, documents accessed by The Hindu show that Bengaluru received funds for two consecutive financial years, FY 2021–22 and FY 2022–23. However, after that, the city received no funding.
• According to Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) sources, the criteria to receive grants were amended in 2023, making it mandatory to have an elected urban local body. For the erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) area, civic polls were last held in 2015, and councillors’ terms ended in 2020, after which elections have not been conducted.
• As a result, BBMP has missed out on securing ₹1,475.90 crore, which could have been used to address the rising levels of Particulate Matter 10 (PM10) in the city.
• Compounding the problem, BBMP also failed to utilise the funds it had earlier received. Between 2021 and 2023, the 15th Finance Commission released ₹572 crore under the Solid Waste Management (SWM) component and ₹256 crore under the air quality component.
• Although the local body had ₹828 crore at its disposal, its utilisation began only in 2023, according to the PRAANA portal set up to monitor the release and usage of funds.

Where were the funds used?

• Recently, Bangalore Central MP P.C. Mohan raised a question in the Lok Sabha regarding NCAP/15th Finance Commission funds allocated to Bengaluru and their utilisation.
• The response showed that Bengaluru has used the funds to plant green cover over 1,25,290 square metres, collect 2,72,000 tonnes of construction and demolition (C&D) waste, procure and deploy 127 new electric buses, and intervene at 20 traffic congestion points, among several other measures.
• In what comes as a welcome move, the civic authority has finally started discussions on improving air quality and greening urban spaces. According to GBA sources, Chief Commissioner M. Maheshwar Rao has been emphasising the need to green urban spaces and median lines during meetings.
• “Once GBA elections are conducted and a local governance body is elected, we will be eligible for funds and start receiving them. The action plan for intervention is ready, and we have obtained government approval,” a GBA source told The Hindu.
• Further, a city-level monitoring and implementation committee has been formed to oversee the approved city action plan. An emergency response plan has also been prepared to tackle air pollution during critical situations. The committee has identified nine hotspots (high-emission zones), and action plans have been formulated to address them.

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

Russia’s Baltic port of Ust-Luga

In the current geopolitical landscape of March 2026, Russia’s Ust-Luga port has emerged as a high-stakes flashpoint. As one of Russia’s most critical energy export hubs on the Baltic Sea, it has become a primary target in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Strategic Importance of Ust-Luga
Located approximately 110 km west of St. Petersburg, Ust-Luga is a multi-purpose port that serves as Russia’s “Western Gateway.”

• Energy Hub: It is a vital artery for the export of crude oil, gas condensate, and refined petroleum products. It handles approximately 700,000 to 1.15 million barrels of oil per day.
• Revenue Source: The port is essential for generating the foreign currency that sustains Russia’s economy. Together with the nearby port of Primorsk, it handles nearly 45% of Russia’s seaborne crude exports.
• Global Reach: Much of the oil from Ust-Luga is destined for markets in Asia, specifically India and China, especially as European markets remain largely closed due to sanctions.

Impact on Global Markets
The disruption at Ust-Luga is happening simultaneously with the U.S.-Israel-Iran war in West Asia, creating a “perfect storm” for global energy:

• Price Surge: With the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed or restricted and Ust-Luga offline, global oil prices have soared past $100 per barrel.
• Supply Shock: The combined disruption across these major nodes has removed millions of barrels from the daily global supply, causing acute stress in aviation, shipping, and fertilizer production.
• Sanction Easing: Due to these extreme price pressures, the U.S. Treasury recently issued temporary licenses (March 12, 2026) to allow some Russian oil already at sea to reach markets, despite ongoing sanctions.

Paper-III: General Studies 2

Paper-IV: General Studies 3

Despite assurance from Centre, MGNREGS workers denied work
Context: From Bihar to Rajasthan, thousands of rural workers say work has been halted; as the Centre continues talks with the States on the VB-G RAM G Act, some district officials say they have been directed not to start new work under the old scheme.

• For the past 87 days, MGNREGS workers have been protesting at the Muzaffarpur district headquarters in Bihar. The Union government had assured them that until the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act, 2025, passed by Parliament in December, is rolled out, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) will continue unchanged. But on the ground, workers say the story is very different.
• The protest in Muzaffarpur began on January 2. Nearly 12,000 workers in the district have not received work for the past three or four months — even before the new rural employment law was introduced.

Uncertainty continues

• There is no clarity on when the new scheme under the VB-G RAM G Act will be implemented on the ground, as the Centre is still holding talks with the States to establish the necessary framework.
• “Usually, no work is given during the rain. We waited for the monsoon to end, then for the waterlogged areas to drain. By December, the MGNREGA season normally begins. But despite repeated demand, no work has been provided.
• This is a blatant violation of the law,” said Sanjay Sahni of MGNREGA Watch-Bihar, an organisation working with rural workers. Facing repeated rejections, around 16,000 workers — most of them women — gathered at the district headquarters to demand work. A delegation also travelled to Delhi on March 25 to meet senior officials in the Rural Development Ministry.
• “The district officials claim they have instructions not to start any new work. But the Ministry officials insist that no such order exists,” Mr. Sahni said. He wonders whether it is lack of information or whether there is an informal signal from the Centre to stop all work under the MGNREGS.

Ground reality

• In Dungarpur district of Rajasthan, similar complaints have emerged. At Balwarha panchayat, around 40 women workers arrived on March 23 to complete paperwork for April’s work cycle. Panchayat officials asked them to return later, citing a lack of clarity. On Saturday, they were told that the MGNREGS had been discontinued and no further work would be available under the scheme.
• At Padarmarhi Mewarha panchayat, nearly 30 women workers sat for four hours last Friday, demanding work for the first week of April. Local officials initially claimed that directions had been issued not to start new MGNREGS works. After the women refused to leave, their applications were eventually accepted, but uncertainty continues whether any work will actually be assigned.
• “For each household, MGNREGA work brings in about ₹25,000 to ₹28,000 annually. In some women-led households, MGNREGA and government pensions are the only sources of income,” said Madhulika of the Rajasthan Asangathit Mazdoor Union.
• “There are no formal orders. The VB-G RAM G Act clearly states that until it is implemented, MGNREGA will continue. But on the ground, we are being told otherwise,” she said.

Paper-V: General Studies 4

KAS Current Affairs

KAS Current Affairs: Current Affairs is the living pulse of the KPSC syllabus. It is not a standalone subject to be memorized in isolation; rather, it is a dynamic thread that weaves together History, Economy, Polity, and Ethics across both the Preliminary and Main stages. In the context of the upcoming examinations, transitioning from simply “reading the news” to “studying the syllabus through the news” is the critical shift that separates a serious aspirant from a casual reader.

The “Syllabus-First” Philosophy
By following a current affairs pattern strictly mapped to the KPSC syllabus, you ensure that every hour spent reading the newspaper is an hour spent building your exam rank.

Preliminary Examination

Paper-I: Current Events of National and International Importance

India signs ₹858-cr. defence deals with Russian, U.S. firms
Context: The Ministry of Defence signed contracts worth ₹858 crore for the procurement of air defence systems for the Army and maintenance support for the Navy’s reconnaissance fleet, reinforcing India’s balanced defence partnerships with Russia and the United States.

• A contract worth ₹445 crore was signed with Russian agency JSC Rosoboronexport for the procurement of the Tunguska Air Defence Missile System for the Army. The system is expected to significantly enhance India’s multi-layered air defence capabilities against aerial threats such as aircraft, drones and cruise missiles, while further strengthening the Indo-Russian strategic defence partnership.
• In a parallel move, the Ministry signed a ₹413-crore contract with U.S. firm Boeing India Defense Private Limited for depot-level inspection of the Navy’s P-8I Long-Range Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft under the ‘Buy Indian category with 100% Indigenous Content’.
• The contract will enable in-country maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of the P-8I fleet, enhancing operational readiness, in line with the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India push. The agreements underline India’s focus on strengthening combat capabilities.

Stronger trade corridors and supply chains needed, says Jaishankar
Context: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s recent address at the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in France (March 2026) highlights a critical shift in India’s strategic focus toward resilient trade corridors and supply chain security.
This comes at a high-stakes moment, as the conflict in West Asia—which began on February 28, 2026—enters its second month, directly threatening the global economy.

Key Highlights: Jaishankar at G7 (March 2026)

1. The “Resilience” Mandate
   Against the backdrop of the U.S.-Israel war against Iran, Jaishankar argued that traditional trade routes are increasingly vulnerable.
   The Problem: The Strait of Hormuz (controlled by Iran) is currently a flashpoint. Since 20% of the world’s energy passes through it, the conflict has caused immediate “shocks” in food, fuel, and fertilizer markets.
   The Solution: India is pushing for “Resilient Trade Corridors” that can bypass single-point chokepoints. This isn’t just about speed; it’s about economic survival for the Global South.
2. IMEC and the “FTA Advantage”
   A major focus was the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). Jaishankar noted that the project is now more relevant than ever due to:
   India-EU FTA: The political conclusion of the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement in January 2026 (expected to enter force by 2027) provides the legal and economic framework to make IMEC viable.
   Synergy: Combined with the EFTA (European Free Trade Association) and UK FTA, IMEC is no longer just a connectivity project but a high-utility trade highway linking India to the heart of Europe.
3. Freedom of Navigation & Narco-Terrorism
   Jaishankar underscored two non-traditional security threats:
   Freedom of Navigation: With merchant shipping under attack in the Gulf and Red Sea, India insists that international waterways must remain open for global economic security.
   Narco-Terror Linkages: He raised concerns about the “Captagon” synthetic drug trade and organized crime, which thrive in conflict zones and fund destabilizing activities.

Strategic Context: The West Asia Crisis

India’s Stance: “Pragmatic Neutrality”
Notably, while India has called for an end to the conflict and expressed concern over civilian lives, it has maintained strategic autonomy. India has:
Avoided direct condemnation of U.S. or Israeli military actions.
Focused on dialogue and diplomacy to reopen trade routes.
Positioned itself as the “Voice of the Global South,” ensuring that the concerns of developing nations (who suffer most from fuel/fertilizer inflation) are heard by the G7.

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

“While the G7 views the West Asian conflict through the lens of ‘Global Security and Democratic Solidarity,’ the BRICS+ framework emphasizes ‘Strategic Autonomy and Multi-polarity.’ Evaluate the conflicting and converging roles of these two blocs in mediating the 2026 U.S.-Israel-Iran war.”

“The inability of the UN Security Council to prevent the escalation of the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict has led to the ‘Club-based Diplomacy’ of the G7 and BRICS. Assess whether this shift toward informal blocs strengthens or weakens global peace and stability.”

Essay-2: Topic of State importance/Local Importance

Paper-II: General Studies 1

Paper-III: General Studies 2

Zojila Pass, which connects the Kashmir Valley with Ladakh

Context: The Zojila Pass, situated at an altitude of approximately 3,528 meters (11,575 feet), is one of the most strategic and treacherous mountain passes in the world. It serves as the vital terrestrial link between the Kashmir Valley (Srinagar) and the high-altitude desert of Ladakh (Kargil and Leh) via National Highway 1 (NH-1).

1. Strategic and Geographical Significance
   The Gateway: It acts as the natural divide between the lush, green Kashmir Valley and the arid, brown mountains of the Dras and Suru Valleys.
   Military Lifeline: It is the primary route for transporting military logistics, fuel, and essential supplies to the troops stationed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and the Siachen Glacier.
   Historical Feat (Operation Bison): In 1948, during the Indo-Pakistani War, the Indian Army made history by deploying Stuart light tanks at this altitude to recapture the pass—the highest altitude at which tanks have ever been used in combat.
2. Current Status & Recent Events (March 2026)
   Recent Avalanche (March 27, 2026): Just days ago, a massive snow avalanche struck near “Zero Point” on the Zojila Pass. Tragically, several vehicles were buried, leading to the loss of seven lives. This event has highlighted the persistent dangers of the pass, especially during the spring when rising temperatures destabilize heavy snow layers.
3. The Zojila Tunnel: A Game Changer To solve the problem of seasonal isolation, the Zojila Tunnel project is currently under construction.Length: At 14.15 km, it will be India’s longest road tunnel and Asia’s longest bi-directional tunnel.Progress (March 2026): The project has achieved approximately 60% physical progress. A critical breakthrough (where both ends of the tunnel meet) is expected by May 2026.Impact: Once completed (targeted for late 2027 to 2028), it will reduce the travel time across the pass from 3.5 hours to just 15 minutes. Crucially, it will provide all-weather connectivity, ensuring Ladakh is never cut off from the rest of India.

Quick Comparison: Pass vs. Tunnel

Amid conflict, India sends out invites for key BRICS meetings
Context: Hoping to forge an elusive consensus over the war in West Asia, New Delhi is going ahead with planning key meetings of BRICS countries this year in India, and has sent out invitations for the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting to be held in May and the 18th BRICS Summit in September.

• According to officials and diplomats, the invitations to the 10-nation grouping that also includes Iran and the United Arab Emirates went out in mid-March. Both countries have rebuffed several attempts by India — the current Chair of BRICS — for a joint statement.
• Officials said it is unclear whether they will attend the meeting together, but “as of now” the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting is due to be held in-person in mid-May.
• The summit, which could bring Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and leaders from Brazil, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the UAE together in Delhi, is expected to be held on September 9-10.
• “One of the key events on the political track, in addition to the traditional leaders’ meeting [in September], will be the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, scheduled for May,” Russian government spokesperson Maria Zakharova told journalists in Moscow this week.
• “This will be a good opportunity for a thorough discussion of current issues on the international agenda, the role of BRICS in the world, and opportunities for joint action,” she said, responding to questions about how the grouping would tackle the war in West Asia.
• Diplomats have openly acknowledged difficulties in forging a statement that is agreeable to both Tehran and Abu Dhabi. “We have an ongoing conversation with BRICS members on the conflict in West Asia,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at a media briefing on Friday.
• “As you’re aware, some of the BRICS members are also involved directly in the conflict… Because we have differing opinions, it has been difficult for us to forge a consensus on this particular conflict.”
• In June 2025, the BRICS then chaired by Brazil had managed to issue a strong statement when the U.S. and Israel jointly struck a number of Iranian nuclear sites, condemning the military strikes against Iran.

G-7 allies press Rubio for clarity on American plans for Iran war
Context: G-7 allies were pressing U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio for clarity on American plans for Iran almost one month into the war in the West Asia, with concern also intensifying over the extent of cooperation between Russia and the Islamic republic.

• German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said the international community needed to collaborate even more closely now it was dealing with two wars — including the conflict sparked by Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine — in which Russia and Iran were cooperating.
• In contrast to usual protocol, and in a sign of the distance between the United States and its allies, there is to be no joint communique at the end of the meeting.
• The UK’s Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper urged a “swift resolution to this conflict that restores regional stability”.
• Mr. Rubio said earlier that it was in the “interest” of all G-7 nations to push for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Paper-IV: General Studies 3

Paper-V: General Studies 4

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