KAS Current Affairs

Preliminary Examination

Paper-I: Current Events of National and International Importance

India showing steady progress in reducing child deaths amid slowing global gains: report
Context: An estimated 4.9 million children died before their fifth birthday in 2024 worldwide, including 2.3 million newborns, according to the latest estimates released by a UN report on child mortality. The report, released, said that most of these deaths were preventable with proven, low-cost interventions, and access to quality healthcare.

• The report titled “Levels and Trends in Child Mortality” added that under-five deaths globally have fallen by more than half since 2000. However, since 2015, this pace has slowed by more than 60%.
• However, India is among the countries demonstrating steady progress in reducing child mortality through sustained public health efforts. The latest United Nations Inter-Agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNIGME) Report, 2025 states that the status of neonatal mortality rate reduction in India has shown progress.
• The Union Health Ministry added that India, over the past two decades, has played a pivotal role in reducing child mortality in the South Asia region.
• The Ministry, in its release, said that the Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR) recorded a decline since 1990. In 1990, India had an NMR of 57 per 1,000 live births, which fell to 17 in 2024.
• Also, the Under-5 Mortality Rate (U5MR) witnessed a sharp fall — in 1990, the U5MR stood at 127 per 1,000 live births, while in 2024, it declined to 27.
• “This sharp reduction is due to targeted public health interventions, improved institutional delivery systems, and expanded immunisation coverage,” the Ministry said.
• The UN report found that an estimated 2.1 million children, adolescents, and youth – in the age group of 5-24 – died in 2024. Infectious diseases and injuries remain leading causes among younger children, while self-harm is the leading cause among girls aged 15 to 19, and road traffic injuries among boys.
• “This year’s report for the first time estimates deaths directly caused by severe acute malnutrition. It found more than 1,00,000 children aged 1-59 months — or 5% — died from it in 2024. The toll is far greater when indirect effects are considered, as malnutrition weakens children’s immunity and increases their risk of dying from common childhood diseases,’’ the report by the UNIGME states.
• Mortality data also frequently fail to capture severe acute malnutrition as an underlying cause of death, suggesting the burden is likely substantially underestimated. Some of the countries with the highest numbers of direct deaths from severe acute malnutrition include Pakistan, Somalia, and Sudan.
• Newborn deaths account for nearly half of all under-five deaths. Leading causes of newborn deaths were complications from preterm birth (36%), and complications during labour and delivery (21%).
• Beyond the first month, infectious diseases, including malaria, diarrhoea, and pneumonia were major killers. Malaria remained the single largest killer in this age group (17%), with most deaths occurring in endemic areas of sub-Saharan Africa.
• In 2024, sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 58% of all under-five deaths.

A.P. CM launches free bus travel for differently abled

• Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu launched the ‘Divyang Shakti’ scheme, which offers free bus travel to differently abled persons.
• Under the scheme, those with more than 40% disability can travel free of cost in APSRTC buses. Attendants will get a 50 per cent concession on the fare.

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

The ‘Creamy Layer’ Policy in Indian Reservation System: Constitutional Intentions, Judicial Interventions, and Challenges before Social Justice

Essay-2: Topic of State importance/Local Importance

Karnataka’s 11G Model Economy: A New Compass for Inclusive and Sustainable Development

Paper-II: General Studies 1

Paper-III: General Studies 2

State Information Commission brings Apex Bank under RTI Act
Context: As the State Co-op Apex Bank has now been declared as public authority, the information relating to its functioning, including financial decisions, will now be subject to public scrutiny under RTI.

• In a significant order that goes a long way in ensuring transparency in the cooperative banking sector, the Karnataka Information Commission has ruled that the Karnataka State Co-operative Apex Bank qualifies as a public authority under the Right to Information Act, 2005, directing it to comply with provisions of this transparency law.
• The ruling came while hearing a second appeal filed by Hanumantha Vasanth Shinde, who had sought copies of documents submitted by Nirani Sugars Ltd. while availing loans from the Apex Bank between March 2022 and June 2024. The bank had declined the request, stating that it was a cooperative society and hence did not come under the purview of the RTI Act.
• The bank argued that it was neither owned nor substantially financed by the State government and therefore did not fall within the definition of “public authority” under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act.
• However, State Information Commissioner Rajashekara S., who heard the case, rejected the argument, observing that the institution functions under deep and pervasive state control.
• In his order, the Commissioner examined the historical evolution of the bank, statutory provisions governing cooperative institutions, and the extent of administrative and financial oversight exercised by the State.
• The order pointed out that the bank traces its origins to the cooperative movement in the erstwhile Mysore State and was founded by the Registrar of Cooperative Societies in his official capacity. Over the decades, the State government has continued to influence its functioning through policy directions and institutional oversight, it noted.
• The commission observed that the Registrar of Cooperative Societies serves as an ex-officio director on the bank’s board and retains statutory powers to inspect records, conduct inquiries, and order audits under the Karnataka Co-operative Societies Act, 1959.
• Further, audit reports of apex cooperative institutions are required to be submitted to the State government and placed before the legislature. The bank is also regulated by the Reserve Bank of India and supervised by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development for rural credit operations, the order pointed out.
• The commission relied on several judicial precedents to determine whether the bank could be treated as an instrumentality of the State.
• It cited the Supreme Court judgment in Ajay Hasia v/s International Airport Authority case, which laid down tests for identifying State-controlled bodies.
• It referred to the Karnataka High Court ruling in B.T. Krishnegowda v/s Karnataka State Co-Operative Apex Bank, which held that the Apex Bank is an instrumentality of the state and therefore subject to writ jurisdiction.
• The commission directed the Apex Bank to appoint Public Information Officers (PIOs) and First Appellate Authorities (FAAs) across its offices and comply with the proactive disclosure requirements under Sections 4(1)(A) and 4(1)(B) of the RTI Act. It instructed the Principal Secretary of the Cooperation Department and the Registrar of Cooperative Societies to ensure that the bank implements the RTI framework without delay.

Wider implications

• The order could have broader implications for cooperative financial institutions in Karnataka as many of which have resisted RTI requests citing their cooperative status.
• With the Apex Bank now being declared a public authority, information relating to its functioning — including governance practices and financial decisions — may be subject to public scrutiny under the RTI Act. This is expected to have wider implications as this institution that wields significant political influence, especially at grass-roots, is now being opened to public scrutiny.

Bill seeking to prevent ‘honour killings’, caste-based crimes tabled in Assembly
Context: The State government tabled the Karnataka Freedom of Choice in Marriage and Prevention and Prohibition of Crimes in the Name of Honour and Tradition (Eva Nammava, Eva Nammava) Bill, 2026, in the Legislative Assembly. It aims to curb “honour killings” and violence arising from caste-based objections to inter-caste marriages.

• The Bill notes that caste-based discrimination continues to persist in the State and often manifests in brutal forms of violence, including honour killings, particularly against young adults who exercise their constitutional right to choose their life partners through inter-caste marriages.
• The proposed legislation seeks to ensure freedom of choice in marriage, prevent caste-based crimes, safeguard human rights, and promote dignity in inter-caste unions. It also proposes the creation of an Eva Nammava, Eva Nammava Vedike (meaning “he/she is ours”) to solemnise and support inter-caste marriages.
• The government decided to introduce the Bill in view of rising incidents of violence and killings linked to inter-caste marriages.

Stringent punishments

• The Bill guarantees protection for consenting adults entering into marriage and provides safeguards against family or community coercion. It proposes a minimum punishment of five years’ imprisonment in cases where a person or couple is killed in the name of “honour”.
• In cases of injury inflicted in the name of “honour”, the punishment includes a minimum of two years’ imprisonment along with a fine of ₹2 lakh.

Unlawful gatherings

• The legislation prohibits the assembly of five or more persons with the intention of condemning or opposing a marriage on grounds of caste, tribe, community, tradition, or family objections.
• Those found guilty of participating in unlawful assemblies or engaging in criminal intimidation will face up to three years’ ​imprisonment and a fine of ₹2 lakh.
• All State government officials will be required and empowered to assist law enforcement agencies in implementing the provisions of the law.
• The government will identify districts, sub-divisions, and villages where such crimes have been reported over the past five years. Each district magistrate will constitute a monitoring committee to ​oversee implementation, review relief and rehabilitation measures, and track prosecution of cases.
• Additionally, an Eva Nammava Vedike will be set up in every district, comprising a retired judge, police officer, revenue officer, sub-registrar, and other members as prescribed.
• The government, in consultation with the High Court, will designate certain district courts as special fast-track courts to try cases related to crimes committed in the name of “honour”.

Tax Bill

• The Karnataka Tax on ​Profession, Trades, Callings and Employments (Amendment) Bill, 2026, was also tabled in the Assembly. It aims to simplify compliance, reduce paperwork, and improve ease of doing business.
• The Bill proposes that filing of returns may be deemed complete in cases where an enrolled person has paid the due tax for the year.
• The move is expected to streamline tax administration, improve voluntary compliance, and enable more efficient use of departmental resources.

Commercial ads to be banned near heritage structures
Context: The State Legislative Council passed two amendment Bills related to advertisements in urban areas and the transfer of police officers. Both the Bills were adopted by the Karnataka Assembly.

• Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh, who tabled the Bill, announced a ban on commercial advertisements in and around heritage structures. Moving the amendments to the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, 1976, and the Karnataka Municipalities Act, 1964, the Minister said the decision is intended to protect the aesthetic and cultural value of heritage buildings while also streamlining advertisement regulation.
• Mr. Suresh said that over the past seven to eight years, thousands of unauthorised advertisements have come up across the State without payment of any fee or tax to local bodies, resulting in significant revenue losses running into hundreds of crores.
• “The amendments are aimed at curbing such unauthorised advertisements and ensuring that urban local bodies receive due revenue,” he said.
• In cases where advertisements are displayed on private property, the property owner will not be taxed. Instead, the advertiser or company concerned will be held responsible for payment. Advertisements will be permitted only in designated locations identified by local bodies, ensuring that they do not inconvenience the public. However, no advertisements will be allowed on the walls of heritage structures or in their immediate surroundings in a manner that affects their appearance.
• Exemptions have been provided for professionals such as doctors and lawyers. However, political parties and leaders who put up flex boards, banners and buntings will be required to pay fees based on size, as determined by local authorities.
• The Minister said that advertisement charges will be fixed based on the location and category of urban areas, and the revenue generated will be utilised exclusively for the development of the respective local bodies.
• Responding to members’ queries, he said ​separate rates will be prescribed for LED advertisement boards.

Police Bill

• The Karnataka Police Bill, 2026, moved by Home Minister G. Parameshwara, empowers the Police Establishment Board to immediately transfer police officers up to the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police for misconduct, negligence, or dereliction of duty.
• This amendment allows for action before the mandatory two-year tenure expires. The Act covers cases of “misconduct or gross negligence or dereliction of duty or an act of moral turpitude”.
• The Police Establishment Board is authorised to take action directly rather than waiting for lengthy government approval, aiming to reduce political interference and speed up disciplinary actions.

Paper-IV: General Studies 3

Indian wolf gives birth to 7 pups

• Seven pups of an Indian wolf born at Pilikula Biological Park in January have now been let in the display enclosure. This is the first time an Indian wolf under captivity gave birth to pups at the park.

Centre offers 10% additional LPG to States, UTs that fast track CGD network

Context: Seeking to enhance penetration of piped natural gas (PNG) among commercial entities whilst attempting to support supplies of liquified petroleum gas (LPG), which has been constrained due to tensions in West Asia, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) has written to State governments and Union Territories, offering to allocate them an additional 10% of cooking gas provided they facilitated speedy expansion of city gas distribution (CGD) networks.

LPG vs. PNG: Strategic Shift in India’s Energy Policy

1. The Core Context: Why the Shift?
India is currently facing a constraint in Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) supplies due to geopolitical tensions in West Asia.
Import Dependency: India imports 60% of its LPG consumption.
Logistical Bottleneck: Approximately 90% of these imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz, which is currently facing effective closure/disruption.
The Solution: To ease this pressure, the Centre is pushing for a rapid transition to Piped Natural Gas (PNG) for commercial and domestic use.

Comparative Analysis: LPG vs. PNG

Solar ingot plan to take off June ’28, boost local output
Context: In a bid to boost local output of solar ingots and wafers – constituents of solar cells fitted on solar panels – the Ministry for New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) said from June 2028, only ingots and wafers made in India would be eligible for domestic projects.

• It did this by announcing the Approved List of Module Manufacturers (ALMM) List-III for Ingots and Wafers — a list of firms making the components — on Wednesday. As of date, such an ALMM list exists for manufacturers of solar cells and modules. The ALMM is a compulsory registration regime by the MNRE, first issued in 2019.

In Govt.-funded plans

• Only ALMM-listed modules can be used in government-funded, open-access and net-metering solar projects such as PM Surya Ghar and PM Kusum scheme and Solar Energy Corporation of India tenders. Only domestic produce are eligible for Production-Linked incentives.

Grandfathering clauses

• “Suitable grandfathering provisions have been built in to protect projects already in the pipeline. The current order of MNRE extends mandatory sourcing needs from ALMM lists already in place for modules and cells, one step further up the solar supply chain to include ingots and wafers, which now are heavily import-dependent,” the MNRE said.
• India has targeted adding 280 GW of solar capacity by 2030 and installed about 132 GW as of November 2025.

Cabinet okays ₹33,660-cr. BHAVYA plan for 100 industrial parks by ’32
Context: The Union Cabinet approved the Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojna (BHAVYA), with an allocation of ₹33,660 crore for the development of 100 ‘plug-and-play’ industrial parks across the country.

• The aim was to create 100 “future ready” industrial parks integrated with the PM GatiShakti to make use of the latter’s multi-modal connectivity and last-mile access.
• “These parks will set new benchmarks in industrial infrastructure, ensuring reliability, reducing inefficiencies and enhancing productivity across sectors,” the government said.
• As per Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade Secretary Amardeep Singh Bhatia, the scheme’s duration would be for six years starting 2026-27. The first phase would see 50 parks being set up.
• The minimum land need for the parks would be 100 acre in most cases, and 25 acre for industrial parks in hilly or North Eastern States. The maximum size is 1,000 acre.

States, pvt. sector

• While the Union government will provide up to ₹1 crore per acre, the scheme is meant to involve State governments as well as the private sector.
• “At the heart of BHAVYA lies a strong push for deregulation and ease of doing business, with streamlined approvals, effective single-window systems, and investor-friendly reforms led by States,” the government said.

CCI gets ₹1,719 crore to pay support price

Context: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved a funding of ₹ 1,718.56 crore to the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) to meet the minimum support price (MSP) needs for the cotton season 2023–24. The Government said the move is aimed at providing direct price support to cotton farmers in India.

• The Centre hoped this intervention would stabilise cotton prices, prevent distress sales, and ensure better returns to farmers.
• The MSP per quintal of medium staple cotton was ₹6,620 and ₹7,020 for long staple cotton, in the 2023-24 season. During that season, with an estimated 114.47 lakh hectares under cultivation and production pegged at 325.22 lakh bales, this accounted for nearly 25% of global cotton output, the release noted.

Large Hadron Collider discovers a new particle
Context: The Large Hadron Collider has discovered a new particle, the 80th identified so far by the world’s most powerful particle smasher, Europe’s CERN physics laboratory announced.

• The new particle has been named “Xi-cc-plus”. Scientists have expressed hope that the particle — which is similar to a proton but four times heavier — will reveal more about the strange behaviour of quantum mechanics.
• All the matter around us, including the protons and neutrons that make up the nucleus of atoms, are made of baryons. These common particles are composed of three quarks, which are fundamental building blocks of matter.
• Quarks come in six “flavours”: up, down, charm, strange, top and bottom. Each has varying mass, electric charge and quantum properties. In theory, there could be many different types of baryons that mix these flavours. However, most are extremely difficult to observe.
• To chase them down, the Large Hadron Collider sends particles whizzing around an underground ring at phenomenal speeds until they smash into each other. This gives scientists a brief chance to measure how the more stable elements decay, then deduce the properties of the original particle.
• The newly discovered Xi-cc-plus contains two “charm” quarks and one “down” quark. Normal protons have two “up” quarks and one “down” quark. Because the new particle has two heavier “charm” quarks instead of “up” ones, it is much heavier.
• Vincenzo Vagnoni, spokesman for the Large Hadron Collider beauty (LHCb) experiment, said it was “only the second time a baryon with two heavy quarks has been observed”. It is also “the first new particle identified after the upgrades to the LHCb detector that were completed in 2023,” he said in a statement.
• “The result will help theorists test models of quantum chromodynamics, the theory of the strong force that binds quarks into not only conventional baryons and mesons but also more exotic hadrons such as tetraquarks and pentaquarks.”
• In 2017, the LHCb experiment announced that it had discovered a similar particle, made of two “charmed” quarks and one “up” quark. The new particle differs only in having a “down” quark in place of the “up” quark — a small change that has profound consequences.
• Due to complex quantum effects, the new particle has a predicted lifetime up to six times shorter than its counterpart, making it far more tricky to spot, CERN said.
• The collaboration observed the new baryon by analysing data from proton-proton collisions recorded during the third run of the LHC, achieving a statistical significance of 7 sigma, well above the 5 sigma threshold required to claim a discovery. CERN Director-General Mark Thomson called it “a fantastic example of how LHCb’s unique capabilities play a vital role in the success of the LHC.”
• The Large Hadron Collider is a 27-km long proton-smashing ring running 100 metres below France and Switzerland. Famously, it proved the existence of the Higgs boson — known colloquially as the “God particle” — in 2012.

Paper-V: General Studies 4

Ethics and Human Rights
As AI systems continue to be deployed in a number of sectors that have an impact on the social, economic and political structure of society (prompting experts to declare a “Fourth Industrial Revolution“), the question of whether AI is “good” or “bad” for humankind continues to be debated.

• Some issues that arise for consideration are: will we face mass-scale unemployment due to AI systems replacing humans? how to avoid AI being used for inappropriate or dangerous purposes? the impact of AI on human dignity and personhood? and the implications of private and/or public ownership of AI systems on society’s structure issues such as manipulating information in the run up to elections and potential hacking into the election process itself are now becoming realities that democracies have to contend with.
• According to the World Economic Forum, unemployment, inequality, racism, security and the rights of a robot are some of the ethical concerns raised by the existence of AI systems. Some of these questions are being considered by national and international organizations of late, as part of an examination of policy to govern AI systems.
• The private sector is also putting out its views, along with industry associations and non-profits.For instance, private companies like Microsoft, Google, SAP and IBM have also formulated ethics guidelines to be considered while developing AI systems. Considering the scale and reach of these companies, and the fact that they are at the forefront of the development of AI technology, the perspectives of private companies on the ethical principles governing the use of AI systems is valuable.
• The calls for ethical principles to guide AI converge around the following principles, although the discussion around each of these principles may vary in terms of their exact constituents and the context in which each is prioritised:

• Transparency – transparency is typically broken down into improving explainability and ensuring disclosure, and in the areas of data use, human-AI interaction, automated decision-making and understanding the purpose of AI systems, primarily with a view to increase trust in AI systems and as an important step to protect legal rights while using AI systems. There is a push to greater disclosure, in a manner that is understandable by non-experts, although the understanding of what may be disclosed is still uncertain, given the push to protect intellectual property rights of the developers of AI systems.
• Justice and fairness – the focus in this category is typically fairness or prevention of bias or discrimination; but in some cases, discussion has extended to the impact of AI on diversity, the labour market, democratic governance, due process rights, etc. There have been suggestions to improve AI systems in these areas by incorporating these norms into technical standards and codes; increasing transparency; increasing public awareness and education about the possible influences of AI systems on rights; increased auditing or monitoring of AI systems’ performance; strengthening existing legal systems to account for the issues that arise from AI systems, etc.
• Non-malfeasance – the discussion around this principle has largely pertaining to the need for security and safety in the deployment of AI systems, i.e. that AI systems should not cause any foreseeable or unintentional harm. More specifically, these discussions have considered cybersecurity threats such as hacking, and the risk that technology advancements may outpace the ability to regulate. The various kinds of harm that have been considered are erosion of privacy, safety, negative impact on social well-being, and even physical harm. Proposed solutions include interventions in AI at the design stage, including privacy by design, multidisciplinary cooperation, establishing industry standards, increased oversight, etc.
• Responsibility and accountability – the discussion relating to these principles have been quite varied, including recommendations on integrity, clarification on liability, and providing for remedies where AI systems could potentially cause harm. There is also lack of clarity on whether there is a difference in the way accountability is considered in the case of AI systems vis-à-vis humans.
• Privacy – in the case of privacy, most jurisdictions connect the discussion to the right to privacy, which must be protected, and the issue is generally presented as a data protection or data security issue. In terms of potential solutions, stakeholders have considered privacy by design, differential privacy, data minimization and access control. There have been calls for privacy laws to adapt to AI..
• Beneficence – this principle relates to the promotion of wellbeing, peace and happiness, the creation of socio-economic opportunities and economic prosperity, for all people or all society.
• Freedom and autonomy – the discussion around freedom and autonomy relates to measures ensuring that users are at the core of the system, protecting the freedom of expression, informational self-determination, freedom to use different platforms and other aspects of positive freedom. However, in some cases, freedom and autonomy has been interpreted to mean negative aspects of freedom as well, such as the freedom against technological experimentation, manipulation and surveillance. In most cases, freedom is believed to be served by ensuring that individuals have sufficient options and information about AI and its interactions with the world.
• Trust – discussions around the principle of trust have typically involved ensuring trust in AI systems from users and society in general. This is ensured through other aspects mentioned above, such as accountability, explainability, transparency, etc. as a means to fulfil public expectations.
• Dignity – dignity is discussed purely in the context of human beings, and that AI systems should be constructed such that they do not destroy, diminish or reduce human dignity in any way, and on the contrary, work to preserve and promote human dignity.
• Sustainability – the idea of sustainability is referenced in the context of developing and using AI to protect the environment, contribute to fairer and more equal societies, and create systems that are sustainable and endure over time.
• Solidarity – the principle of solidarity has been discussed as a fallout of AI systems on the labour market, and with the push for a strong safety net. The goal with this principle is to push for greater protections for vulnerable groups and ensure that AI does not destabilize social cohesion.
• One of the most prominent AI ethics guidelines are the OECD Principles on AI in 2019 that formed the base for the human centred principles adopted in the G-20 Summit also in 2019. Both the instruments present a list of five principles that were adopted by the member nations, that included human-centred values and fairness, transparency and explainability, robustness, security and safety and accountability.
• Similarly, the Global Partnership on AI (GPAI) was established in June 2020, with a view to support the responsible and human-centric development and use of AI in a manner consistent with human rights, fundamental freedoms, and our shared democratic values, as elaborated in the OECD Recommendations on AI. The GPAI proposes to involve multiple stakeholders across industry, civil society, governments and academia to collaborate across four Working Groups – (a) Responsible AI; (b) Data Governance; (c) the Future of Work; and (d) Innovation & Commercialisation. One of the first priorities of the GPAI is to consider how AI can be used to better respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The GPAI is to comprise a Secretariat hosted by the OECD, along with two Centres of Expertise. The first GPAI Multistakeholder Experts Group Plenary is proposed to be held in December 2020, and hosted in Canada.

Ethics and Human Rights

Sources: The Hindu

KAS Current Affairs

Preliminary Examination

Paper-I: Current Events of National and International Importance

India and Seychelles carryout joint military exercise

• The ongoing 11th edition of the India–Seychelles Joint Military Exercise LAMITIYE-2026, being conducted at the Seychelles Defence Academy from March 10 to 22, witnessed professional exchanges and joint training aimed at strengthening defence cooperation between the two countries.
• The exercise marks the first tri-services edition, bringing together personnel from the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force alongside the Seychelles Defence Forces. The training focuses on enhancing interoperability in sub-conventional operations in semi-urban environments, particularly within the framework of United Nations peacekeeping missions.

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

Bill for levy and collection of fees on ads tabled

• The Karnataka Municipalities and Certain Other Law (Amendment) Bill, 2026, was tabled in the Legislative Assembly to make provisions for advertisements on a par with the provisions of the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024, for levying and collection of fees on advertisements, regulation of unauthorised advertisements, and validation of fees and penalties in municipalities and municipal corporations.
• Minister for Urban Development tabled the Bill in the House, and it would be taken up for discussion.

Main Examination

Paper-I: Essays

Essay – 1: Topic of International/National Importance

“To what extent can BRICS evolve from an economic cooperation forum into a credible platform for global security architecture? Discuss the challenges India faces in balancing Iran’s expectations for ‘condemnation’ against its own strategic commitment to neutrality in the US-Israel-Iran conflict.”

Essay-2: Topic of State importance/Local Importance

“Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA): A Unified Governance Body for Tackling Urban Challenges of Traffic Congestion and Flood Management”

Paper-II: General Studies 1

Paper-III: General Studies 2

Lokpal asks SC to clarify on procedurefor grant of sanctions

Context: The Supreme Court agreed to clarify the procedure for the Lokpal to grant sanction in corruption complaints, after the top anti-graft ombudsman was criticised by the Delhi High Court for “mutilating” the law while dealing with the cash-for-query allegations against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra.

1. The Core Legal Dispute: Section 20 of the Lokpal Act
The Lokpal is seeking clarity on Section 20 of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013. This section outlines the procedure for the Lokpal to handle complaints and grant “sanction” (official permission) to proceed with a chargesheet.

The conflict arises from two different interpretations:
The Lokpal’s View: As an independent ombudsman, it believes it has the inherent power to order a probe and subsequently sanction a chargesheet based on reports (like the CBI’s) if it finds a prima facie case.
The High Court’s Critique: The Delhi HC accused the Lokpal of “statutory re-engineering.” Essentially, the court felt the Lokpal bypassed specific legal safeguards or procedural steps mandated by the 2013 Act before jumping to the sanctioning phase.

2. Why the Mahua Moitra Case Triggered This
The case involving former MP Mahua Moitra acts as the “test case” for this procedural clarity.

3. Role of the Supreme Court
The Supreme Court, led by CJI Surya Kant, has now stepped in to act as the final arbiter.
The “Halt”: The SC has stayed the High Court’s “request” (which told the Lokpal to redo the process). This means the Lokpal isn’t immediately forced to change its stance until the SC decides on the law.
The Goal: The SC will now define a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the Lokpal. This will ensure that in future cases, the Lokpal knows exactly when and how it can authorize a criminal chargesheet without being accused of overstepping its statutory bounds.

Summary: The implementation of the Delhi HC’s critical judgment is currently paused. The Supreme Court will now hear arguments to decide if the Lokpal acted within its rights or if it needs to strictly follow a more rigid, multi-step process before it can greenlight the prosecution of an MP.

Bill to redefine ‘transgender person’, drop ‘self-perceived’ identity tabled

Context: The Centre introduced a Bill to amend the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, amid claims it takes away transgender people’s “right to self-perceived gender identity” and alters the definition of a “transgender person”.

• The move drew condemnation from the community and activists told The Hindu that the proposed amendments are in variance of the landmark 2014 NALSA judgment.
• Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, introduced the Bill.
• The government said the “existing vague definition” of transgender persons had made it “impossible to identify the genuine oppressed persons to whom the benefits of the Act are intended to reach”. It said the law was never meant to protect “each and every class of persons with various gender identities, self-perceived sex/gender identities or gender fluidities” and “was and is intended to protect only those who face severe social exclusion due to biological reasons for no fault of their own and no choice of their own.”
• Under the 2019 Act, a transgender person is one “whose gender does not match with the gender assigned to that person at birth and includes trans-man or trans-woman (whether or not such person has undergone Sex Reassignment Surgery or hormone therapy or laser therapy or such other therapy), person with intersex variations, genderqueer and person having such socio-cultural identities as kinner, hijra, aravani and jogta.”
• The proposed definition says transgender persons are people “having such socio-cultural identities as kinner, hijra, aravani, and jogta, or eunuch”, people with intersex variations, and people who have “congenital variations” compared to the “male or female development” in their “primary sexual characteristics, external genitalia, chromosomal patterns, gonadal development, endogenous hormone production or response or such other medical conditions”.
• It goes on to say that any person or child who was “compelled to assume, adopt, or outwardly present a transgender identity, by mutilation, emasculation, castration, amputation, or any surgical, chemical, or hormonal procedure or otherwise” would also be included in this definition. However, it adds that this definition shall not include “persons with different sexual orientations and self-perceived sexual identities”.
• Activists said the community fought to ensure that the right to self-identification was codified into law when the Act was drafted in 2019.
• Aqsa Shaikh, a transwoman who teaches community medicine in Delhi, expressed shock. “I am wondering who I am, if I am not a transgender person as per this amendment,” she told The Hindu.
• Tamil Nadu-based trans activist Grace Banu, a key community leader, said, “Our entire fight when the 2019 Act was being drafted was to ensure that the right to self-identification of our gender was included explicitly in the law.”
• The amendments introduce a Section on crimes against transgender persons and children, and prescribe specific punishments. These offences include denial of access to public spaces to trans people, forcing transgender people to perform bonded labour, or forcing them to leave their homes or places of residence.

Paper-IV: General Studies 3

Bengaluru shows consistently low PM2.5 levels
Context: A report states that Bengaluru shows consistently low PM2.5 levels compared to other cities and stands out for maintaining the lowest and most stable air quality.

• The report says that median concentrations remain relatively stable, with a slight increase during the winter months.
• A new report states that Bengaluru shows consistently low PM2.5 levels compared to other cities and stands out for maintaining the lowest and most stable air quality.
• The report, ‘Meteorology-Driven Persistence of PM2.5 Pollution in Indian Cities: Implications for NCAP Phase-III’, by Climate Trends, analyses how meteorological conditions influence the persistence of PM2.5 pollution across six major Indian cities: Delhi, Patna, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, and Bengaluru.

On CPCB data

• The report is based on the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) air quality monitoring data from 2024–2025, and the analysis integrates station-averaged CPCB observations with meteorological clustering to characterise PM2.5 behaviour across monthly, seasonal, and regime-specific scales.
• “Bengaluru shows consistently low PM2.5 levels compared to other cities. Median concentrations remain relatively stable, with only a slight increase during the winter months. The narrow interquartile ranges across most months indicate low variability and fewer extreme pollution events, making Bengaluru the least polluted city among those analysed,” the report states.
• It added that the seasonal mean PM2.5 concentrations in Bengaluru indicate better air quality when compared to northern cities, with clear seasonal variability across both years.
• According to the report in 2024, the seasonal mean values were 37.4 micrograms per cubic metre in the winter, 35.7 micrograms per cubic metre in the summer, 15.7 micrograms per cubic metre during the monsoon, and 33.3 micrograms per cubic metre in the post-monsoon season.

During colder months

• “In 2025, winter pollution increased to 42.4 micrograms per cubic metre, indicating slightly poorer air quality during colder months, while significant improvements were observed in other seasons.
• The summer mean dropped sharply to 24.7 micrograms per cubic metre, the monsoon mean declined further to 13.4 micrograms per cubic metre, and the post-monsoon mean reduced to 28.6 micrograms per cubic metre, reflecting overall seasonal improvement outside winter in 2025,” the report states.
• The monthly average PM2.5 values further illustrate these patterns.
• In 2024, the highest monthly mean was observed in March (46.2 micrograms per cubic metre), followed by January (39.6 micrograms per cubic metre) and February (39.4 micrograms per cubic metre), while the cleanest months were June and July (both ~11-12 micrograms per cubic metre) due to the monsoon influence.
• In 2025, most months recorded lower mean values compared to 2024, particularly in April (26.9 micrograms per cubic metre) and May (15.2 micrograms per cubic metre).
• However, winter months showed mixed trends, with January (40.4 micrograms per cubic metre) remaining high and a sharp increase in December (52.2 micrograms per cubic metre), the highest monthly mean across both years.
• “Overall, the mean PM2.5 levels suggest that Bengaluru experienced cleaner air in 2025 during summer, monsoon, and post-monsoon seasons, although episodic winter pollution remains a concern,” the report stated.

Delhi highest

• The report identifies Delhi as the most severely polluted city, recording the highest annual PM2.5 levels and extended periods of severe air quality in winter. Patna emerges as the second-most polluted city, while Mumbai and Chennai saw a rise in annual pollution levels in 2025.

Airports in tier-II cities are not financially viable after end of UDAN scheme: M.B. Patil

Context: Airports in tier-II cities and district headquarters have proved to be not financially viable after the end of the UDAN scheme, Industry and Infrastructure Development Minister said in the Legislative Assembly.

• Airports in tier-II cities such as Kalaburagi, Bidar and Shivamogga are not financially sustainable after the completion of the three-year incentive period under the scheme, which provides concessional airfares to passengers.

Across country

• Noting that several airports located in district and divisional headquarters across the country are facing similar financial challenges, he said the airport at Bidar is currently operating with financial support from the Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board (KKRDB). There has also been a demand to resume operations at the Kalaburagi airport with similar support from the Board, he added.
• To improve the viability of district airports, Mr. Patil said he had proposed to the Union Civil Aviation Minister that the UDAN scheme be extended from three years to five years. For the subsequent five years, the Centre and the State governments could jointly support operations in a 50:50 ratio, he suggested.
• He also said the State government is planning to introduce an aviation policy — on the lines of those adopted by Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh — to develop airports in tier-II cities and make them financially viable.

Ballari airport proposal

• The government intends to establish an airport in Ballari to serve the regions of Vijayanagara and Koppal districts as well as neighbouring areas of Andhra Pradesh.
• The airport project was first proposed in Ballari in 2010, but no groundwork commenced after the private firm associated with the project withdrew. In 2022, the previous BJP government decided to take up the project with State funding. However, no consensus has been reached regarding the 900 acres acquired nearly 15 years ago for the project.
• Mr. Patil said the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) has now identified two alternative sites in Ballari district measuring about 800 acres and 1,200 acres for the proposed project.

Meeting with CM

• Mr. Patil said a meeting of public representatives from Ballari, Vijayanagara and Koppal districts will soon be convened under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister to discuss the merits and challenges of the project.
• However, the suitability of the proposed site will have to be assessed by the Airports Authority of India before a final decision is taken.
• Mr. Patil said airports must be planned with long-term foresight to avoid repeating the mistakes seen in places such as Hubballi, Belagavi and Vijayapura.

Paper-V: General Studies 4

Sources: The Hindu

KAS Current Affairs

Preliminary Examination

Paper-I: Current Events of National and International Importance

Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar assumes charge as T.N. Governor
Context: Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, who was appointed by President Droupadi Murmu on March 5 to discharge the functions of the Governor of Tamil Nadu, assumed his gubernatorial office at Lok Bhavan in Chennai.

• Chief Justice of the Madras High Court Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari administered the oath of office to Mr. Arlekar.
• The outgoing Governor R.N. Ravi, who served as the Governor of Tamil Nadu for nearly 54 months since September 2021, has been posted as the Governor of West Bengal.

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

Cabinet clears Eva Nammava Eva Nammava Bill
Context: The State Cabinet on Thursday cleared The Karnataka Freedom of Choice in Marriage and Prevention and Prohibition of Crimes in the name of Honour and Tradition (Eva Nammava Eva Nammava) Bill, 2026.

• The decision came at a Cabinet meeting , and is likely to be placed in the ongoing Budget session of the legislature.
• The Bill had come with certain modifications from the previous one. The Cabinet also cleared the Advertisement Policy, 2026. The State Cabinet also cleared the decks for a new international stadium to be built at Surya Nagar 4th Phase in Anekal taluk.

State expands tie-up with British Council to boost Arivu Kendras
Context: Karnataka’s Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Department has expanded its partnership with the British Council to strengthen English language learning, library services, and knowledge access in rural areas through the State’s Gram Panchayat Arivu Kendras (Knowledge Centres).

• Under this expanded collaboration, the number of British Council Library Corners in Gram Panchayat Arivu Kendras will be increased from 10 to 70, with 60 additional centers being established across the state. As part of the initiative, the British Council will provide 3,000 children’s English books and extend free access to its digital library resources, enabling rural readers to connect with global knowledge platforms and curated English learning content.
• “Gram panchayat libraries have evolved into vibrant Arivu Kendras. During the pandemic, these libraries became critical learning spaces for children, and by offering free membership to those in the age group of 6 to 18, we have brought over 5 million young readers into this ecosystem,”.
• “For many young people in rural Karnataka, English language skills are an important pathway to higher education, employability, and social mobility. Our partnership with the British Council helps bring high-quality English learning resources, books, and digital content closer to these learners,”.

Key Features and Overview of Arivu Kendras:

Main Examination

Paper-I: Essays

Essay – 1: Topic of International/National Importance

“Cauvery Water Dispute: Implementation of Tribunal Awards, Mekedatu Project, and Challenges in Inter-State Sharing.”

Essay-2: Topic of State importance/Local Importance

“Bengaluru’s Traffic Labyrinth: Problems, Challenges, and Sustainable Solutions.”

Paper-II: General Studies 1

Paper-III: General Studies 2

India co-sponsors UN resolution condemning Iran
Context: India has co-sponsored a resolution at the United Nations Security Council that condemned actions by Iran aimed at interfering with navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

• The resolution demands the ‘immediate cessation of all attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran’ on GCC countries; India prioritises the safety of ‘all civilians’, says Ministry in wake of criticism over unbalanced responses on conflict in West Asia.
• India has prioritised the safety of “all civilians”, the government in an effort to deflect criticism that it had only condemned Iran’s actions, and not those by the U.S. and Israel in the ongoing war in West Asia.
• India co-sponsored a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) resolution at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) along with 134 countries that demanded the “immediate cessation of all attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran” against GCC countries Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan. The resolution was passed with 13 UNSC members voting in favour while Russia and China abstained.
• It condemned “any actions or threats by the Islamic Republic of Iran aimed at closing, obstructing, or otherwise interfering with international navigation through the Strait of Hormuz”.
• “The resolution reflects several of our positions,” said Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal at a weekly press briefing on Thursday.
• “We have a large diaspora in the GCC countries, and their well-being and welfare are of utmost importance. The Gulf is also very important for our energy security needs,” Mr. Jaiswal added, in references to about 10 million Indians who live and work in West Asia, and India’s energy purchases from the region that make up about 50% of its crude oil and 90% of its liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) imports.
• In contrast, there are about 9,000 Indians in Iran and India has discontinued its energy imports from Iran since 2019, under threat of U.S. sanctions. The Indian support for the UNSC resolution comes on the heels of a number of statements by the Ministry condemning specific Iranian actions such as the attacks on various countries across the West Asian region, buildings in Dubai, Omani facilities and a Thai ship bound for India.

U.S.-Israeli actions

• However, India has not similarly condemned the attacks by the U.S. and Israel on Iran, in which an estimated 1,255 people have been killed, including Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his family and advisors; the sinking of Iranian ship IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean that had been hosted for exercises by India; or the bombing of a school in Mubin in which 150 schoolgirls are believed to have been killed. Nor has India or the GCC-led resolution spoken about Israel’s strikes on Lebanon, where the government said more than 630 people have been killed, and 8,00,000 displaced from their homes.
• Mr. Jaiswal said that the MEA had issued statements, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had made suo motu statements in both Houses of Parliament that regretted the loss of lives.
• “As far as the question of the schoolchildren is concerned… we have issued several statements on the ongoing conflict. We have underlined the need for prioritising the safety of all civilians. We regret the precious lives lost, and express our grief in that regard,” Mr. Jaiswal said.
• In the past few days, India’s “silence” on U.S. and Israeli actions has come in for criticism from a number of senior former diplomats speaking to the media and at various public events.
• “Diplomacy should recognise complexity, not reduce it to a single culprit,” former Indian Foreign Secretary and former Ambassador to the U.S. Nirupama Menon Rao said on Thursday in a post referring to the Ministry of External Affairs statement, suggesting that India’s sponsorship of the UN resolution would “endorse a narrative that begins the story with Iranian retaliation rather than the escalation that preceded it”.
• Former Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal said India should have issued a statement condoling the death of Ayatollah Khamenei “to recognise that the head of state contrary to norms of international law has been politically assassinated”.
• Speaking about the March 4 submarine torpedo attack that sank the IRIS Dena “very close to India shores”, former Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran said that India must assert itself in the face of U.S. actions. “Tactical subservience can easily result in strategic irrelevance,” he added.

SC to study what constitutes ‘personal data’ in DPDP laws

Context: Chief Justice of India says a balance has to be struck between privacy and the right to information; court issues formal notice to Union government and asks advocate to frame questions of law.

• The Supreme Court agreed to examine what constitutes “personal data” under India’s new digital personal data law, which is being accused of using data privacy norms to block the right to information.
• A three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said the need to define “public data” and “personal data” has arisen following the implementation of the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023 and its corresponding Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025.
• The court issued formal notice to the Union government on a petition jointly filed by journalist Geeta Seshu and the Software Freedom Law Center, represented by senior advocate Indira Jaising and advocate Paras Nath Singh, who said the DPDP laws effectively stall journalists from accessing data of public interest concerning those who hold public offices.
• “The term ‘public interest’ has been deleted from the DPDP Act. Journalists cannot access data which is in public interest. A journalist need not have personal data, but needs information which is in the public interest to satisfy the public’s right to information and knowledge,” Ms. Jaising submitted.
• She said the Act does not clearly define terms such as “information” and “personal”. The state could mount sweeping surveillance on anyone, Ms. Jaising said.
• She highlighted how the Act allowed compensation for illegally accessing personal data to go directly to the government and not the injured person.
• “While the DPDP Act introduces a penalty-centric framework with fines running into hundreds of crores, such penalties are payable exclusively to the Consolidated Fund of India. The data principal whose privacy is violated receives no compensation, restitution or restoration, even in cases involving identity theft, financial fraud, reputational harm or dignitary injury,” the petition said.
• The Chief Justice said a balance had to be struck between privacy and the right to information. One right should not compromise the other, the court said.
• “At what point should data regarding a respectable person holding public office be treated as public and when should it be seen as personal,” the CJI asked. The Chief Justice pointed out that an individual’s data privacy has to be protected against sweeping provisions of law.
• “Entire personal data of the citizenry from a substantial part of the globe are flowing into bigwig private entities. Data has become the true wealth of the day,” Chief Justice Kant said.
• The court asked Ms. Jaising to frame questions of law and scheduled the case for detailed hearing on March 23.

‘Parental income alone cannot set creamy layer status’

Context: Settling the decades-long confusion over how to calculate wealth or income to determine the creamy layer status of OBC candidates for reservation, the Supreme Court ruled this week that it “cannot be decided solely on the basis of the [parental] income”.

• This is likely to widen the reservation pool to include the children of senior public sector officials who had earlier been excluded on the basis of their parents’ annual salary income being above the ₹8 lakh threshold.
• The court said the framework to exclude the creamy layer from the OBC quota is clear that parental income from salaries and agricultural land are to be kept out while applying the income/wealth test.
• A Bench of Justices P.S. Narasimha and R. Mahadevan was hearing an appeal by the Union government against lower court rulings in favour of such OBC candidates. The cases arise from confusion over how to apply the income/wealth test for OBC children of PSU/PSB officials in the absence of equivalence with government posts, and whether income from salaries can be included in these calculations. During the hearings, OBC candidates selected in civil services examinations over the past decade argued that the Centre had incorrectly deemed them as part of the excluded creamy layer by including the salaries of their parents who worked in Central and State PSUs.

‘Based on status’

• In its March 11 judgment, the court noted that the creamy layer exclusion criteria were “status-based rather than purely income-based, reflecting the policy understanding that advancement within the governmental service hierarchy denotes social progression independent of fluctuating salary levels”.
• When the OBC quota was introduced in 1993, a guiding charter was created to exclude OBC candidates whose families had accumulated certain social and economic privileges over the years, known as the creamy layer.
• This would then allow reservation benefits only for those declared as “non-creamy layer” candidates, based on several criteria, including a crucial income or wealth test.
• The 1993 charter of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) had declared some OBC families ineligible on the basis of their occupations.
• Thus, children of people in constitutional posts, senior Central and State government employees, members of the armed forces, and property owners supposedly could not avail themselves of the OBC quota for the civil services.
• However, exceptions were carved out of these exclusions: for instance, children of MPs and MLAs; government officials who have been promoted, not hired, into senior positions; and owners of unirrigated agricultural land, among others, are all eligible for OBC quotas, subject to a parental annual income limit of ₹8 lakh.
• However, the DoPT has differentiated in how this income test is applied. With the help of a clarificatory letter issued in October 2004, the interpretation that has been applied was that parental salaries could be counted separately to apply the income test for determining the creamy layer for candidates whose parents worked in Central or State PSUs, an interpretation that was contested in the present cases.

‘Unequal treatment’

• Delivering the judgment in this batch of cases, the Supreme Court said, “Treating the children of those employed in PSUs or private employment, etc., as being excluded from the benefit of reservation only on the basis of their income derived from salaries, and without reference to their posts (whether Group A or B, or Group C or D) would certainly lead to hostile discrimination between parties who are similarly placed and would amount to equals being treated unequally.”

1. The Core Issue: “Creamy Layer” Determination

The central conflict arose because the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) had been mechanically classifying candidates as “Creamy Layer” (and thus ineligible for reservation) solely based on the income of their parents, even if those parents were employed in PSUs, banks, or the private sector.

• The Court’s Ruling (March 11, 2026): A bench consisting of Justices P.S. Narasimha and R. Mahadevan ruled that a candidate’s status cannot be determined solely by parental income. The court emphasized that the “social and occupational status” of the parents must be the primary consideration, as stipulated in the 1993 and 2004 DoPT guidelines.

2. Historical Background of the “Creamy Layer” Concept

Paper-IV: General Studies 3

Committee on Responsible AI formed
Context: The Government of Karnataka has constituted a Committee on Responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI) to develop a comprehensive framework to guide the safe, ethical and transparent adoption of AI across government systems and public services.

• The committee, chaired by Kris Gopalakrishnan, co-founder of Infosys, and co-chaired by N. Manjula, Secretary, Department of Electronics, IT, Biotechnology and Science & Technology, brings together leading experts from industry, academia, policy and law.
• According to a government communique, the first meeting of the committee was held on Thursday (March 12, 2026) in Bengaluru, where members discussed the rapidly evolving AI landscape and the need to establish strong governance frameworks to ensure the responsible use of AI technologies, particularly in systems that impact citizens.
• The committee would develop a Responsible AI Policy and implementation road map for Karnataka, aimed at enabling innovation while ensuring that AI systems deployed across government are safe, fair, transparent and accountable, it said.
• Commenting on the initiative, Priyank Kharge, Minister for Electronics, IT, Biotechnology and Rural Development & Panchayat Raj, said, “As Karnataka enters its Deeptech Decade, the State is focused not only on accelerating AI innovation but also on ensuring that these technologies are deployed responsibly and in the public interest.’’
• The Responsible AI Committee brought together leading experts from industry, academia and policy to help shape a governance framework that promotes innovation while safeguarding transparency, accountability and citizen trust, said Mr. Kharge, adding, this initiative would help the State to continue to lead in building an AI ecosystem that is both cutting-edge and responsible.

AI for growth

• “Artificial Intelligence is a highly disruptive technology, and we are already seeing its potential to significantly accelerate the growth of Karnataka’s economy. If we are able to leverage this opportunity effectively, Karnataka can become the first in the country to develop a comprehensive framework for responsible AI—one that drives better citizen services, creates the jobs of the 21st century, and strengthens our innovation ecosystem,’’ said Mr. Gopalakrishnan, chairperson, Committee on Responsible Artificial Intelligence.
• By harnessing AI thoughtfully and responsibly, Karnataka would be able to significantly accelerate the growth of its economy, he further said.
• Some of the topics which came under discussion at the maiden meeting of the Responsible AI Committee included establishing responsible AI principles and policy guidelines for the State, aligned with India’s AI governance guidelines and global best practices, including legality, fairness, non-discrimination, privacy, safety, security, transparency, accountability, human oversight, inclusion and national interest.

Bengaluru woman becomes life-saving stem cell donor for teenager with severe aplastic anaemia

Context: A young aplastic anaemia survivor, who received a second chance at life through a life-saving blood stem cell transplant, met his donor in Bengaluru.

• Nineteen-year-old Anandu received the blood stem cells from 32-year-old Swathi, a resident of Bengaluru, after being diagnosed with severe aplastic anaemia – a life-threatening blood disorder.

Life-saving decision

• At 15 years, when he was in 10th grade, Anandu was diagnosed with the illness. Aplastic anaemia is a life-threatening condition in which the bone marrow fails to produce enough new blood cells. Physician V.P. Krishnan, consultant, pediatric hemato-oncology and BMT, MVR Cancer Centre and Research Institute, Kozhikode, advised that he undergo a stem cell transplant as it was the only curative option.
• Swathi, an IT consultant, had participated in a donor recruitment drive at her workplace in 2016, organised by DKMS Foundation, a non-profit organisation dedicated to fight against blood cancer and other blood disorders.
• In 2022, she received a call from DKMS requesting that she donate her stem cells, to which she agreed. Anandu had received support through the DKMS Patient Funding Programme, India, which provides partial financial assistance to eligible patients undergoing blood stem cell transplantation.

More donors crucial

• Reflecting on Anandu’s journey, Dr. Krishnan said, “He underwent a matched unrelated donor hematopoietic cell transplant in early 2023. Although he experienced expected complications such as febrile neutropenia and mucositis during the transplant period, his recovery progressed well.”
• Today, Anandu is leading a healthy life and is preparing for his 12th board examinations.
• “Anandu and Swathi’s story highlights why more people need to register as potential blood stem cell donors. It is the generosity of donors like Swathi that makes life-saving transplants possible. With only 0.09% of India’s eligible population currently registered as donors, the chances of finding a match remain limited,” said Patrick Paul, executive chairman, DKMS, India.
• He also added that in Karnataka, more than 49,000 individuals have registered as potential blood stem cell donors with the DKMS Foundation India. Bengaluru alone accounts for approximately 38,000 registered donors.
• Individuals between 18 and 55 years of age, in good general health, with a BMI under 40, and not already registered are eligible to sign up as potential blood stem cell donors.

Paper-V: General Studies 4

Ethics Case Study: The Conflict of Public Health vs. Administrative Revenue Targets

1. Case Overview
The Karnataka government is currently managing two critical sectors—Excise and Dairy—where the pursuit of financial targets and operational efficiency is clashing with public health and safety. While the government aims for an excise collection target of ₹45,000 crore, it is simultaneously battling widespread liquor smuggling. Concurrently, the dairy sector reports that 3,049 milk samples were found to be adulterated, yet no criminal cases have been filed against the offenders.

2. Facts of the Case
Excise & Liquor Smuggling:
Target: ₹45,000 crore revenue; ₹32,492 crore collected as of February 2026.
Enforcement: 1,489 illegal liquor smuggling cases recorded in three years, primarily from Goa, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh.
Border districts like Belagavi, Raichur, and Kalaburagi are the most affected zones.

Milk Adulteration:
Scale: 3,049 samples adulterated out of over 1.5 million tested.
Hotspots: Hassan (788 samples), Ballari (588), and Shivamogga (434).
Administrative Response: Despite the presence of harmful substances like salt and sugar, no criminal cases have been filed; offenders receive only counseling and warnings.

3. Ethical Dilemmas
Revenue vs. Responsibility: Does the state’s focus on hitting high revenue targets in the liquor sector undermine the urgency of curbing illegal consumption and smuggling?
Deterrence vs. Counseling (The Milk Adulteration Issue): Is “counseling” an adequate ethical response to the contamination of a staple food consumed by children and the elderly, or does it reflect a lack of accountability?
Institutional Integrity: When enforcement is lax (as seen in the lack of criminal cases for food adulteration), does the state lose its moral authority to regulate the public?

4. Stakeholders and Values
Government: Responsible for fiscal stability (revenue) and ensuring Article 47 (improving public health) of the Constitution.
Public: Consumers rely on the state to ensure the safety of food and the regulation of intoxicating substances.
Enforcement Agencies (Excise/Food Safety): Expected to balance strict law enforcement with administrative efficiency.

5. Options for Action (The Policy/Ethics Committee View)
If I were a member of a high-level committee reviewing these issues, I would propose the following multi-dimensional strategy:

A. For Excise Policy (Liquor Smuggling)
Move beyond “Revenue-only” KPIs: Transition from purely monetary targets to “enforcement-quality” targets. Performance should be measured by the reduction in illegal smuggling incidents, not just tax collected.
Technological Integration: Implement E2E (End-to-End) tracking using QR codes on liquor bottles to eliminate leakage and ensure taxation is based on ABV (Alcohol By Volume) as proposed, which is a scientifically more ethical way to tax.
Inter-State Cooperation: Establish joint task forces with border states to choke the supply chain of illicit liquor.

B. For Food Safety (Milk Adulteration)
Zero Tolerance Policy: Shift from a “counseling-only” approach to a “graded penalty” system. First offenses could involve heavy fines, and repeat offenses must result in criminal prosecution and license cancellation.
Transparency & Disclosure: Publicly name the primary cooperatives or private dairies where repeated adulteration is detected to ensure consumer trust is backed by transparency.
Strengthen Legal Framework: Ensure that food safety laws are applied consistently, regardless of whether the supplier is a primary cooperative or a large private firm.

Ethics Case Study: The Conflict of Public Health vs. Administrative Accountability

1. Case Overview
The state of Karnataka is currently facing a dual crisis in essential supply chains: the systemic adulteration of milk (a staple food) and the severe chemical contamination of vegetables supplied to Bengaluru. While the government is pursuing revenue targets in sectors like excise, these reports highlight a breakdown in regulatory oversight, where economic interests and “administrative convenience” appear to be taking precedence over the fundamental right to safe food and public health.

2. Key Facts
Milk Adulteration: 3,049 samples were found adulterated with salt, sugar, and other substances. Despite the legal provision for criminal prosecution (up to life imprisonment), no cases have been filed. Offenders are merely “counseled.”
Vegetable Contamination: A CPCB report indicates severe contamination of vegetables with lead, pesticides, and heavy metals. Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) are reportedly non-functional, and there is a significant gap between existing sewage treatment capacity (1,200 MLD) and the required capacity (1,800 MLD).
Excise Policy & Smuggling: High revenue targets (₹45,000 crore) for excise have been linked to systemic challenges in controlling illegal liquor smuggling across borders (Goa, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh).

3. Ethical Dilemmas
Revenue vs. Life (The Excise Dilemma): Is it ethical for the state to set aggressive revenue targets that may lead to the neglect of enforcement, thereby allowing illegal trade to flourish?
The “Counseling” Trap (The Accountability Dilemma): In cases of food adulteration (milk), choosing to “counsel” offenders instead of filing criminal charges is a failure of deterrence. It prioritizes the comfort of the supplier over the health of the consumer.
Negligence vs. Rights (The Environmental Dilemma): The contamination of vegetables through untreated sewage is a violation of the citizens’ right to health. The state’s failure to maintain STPs indicates a breach of the social contract.

4. Stakeholders and Values
The State/Government: Bound by Article 47 of the Constitution to improve public health; however, it is currently struggling to balance this with fiscal revenue goals.
Public/Consumers: Victims of silent health crises (e.g., fatty liver, nervous system issues mentioned in the vegetable report). They hold a legitimate expectation of safety.
Regulatory/Enforcement Agencies: Expected to exercise impartial and stringent oversight, which is currently being undermined by a preference for “soft” enforcement.

5. Proposed Governance Framework (Ethical Solutions)
As a member of an ethics review committee, I propose the following shifts:

A. Shift from “Counseling” to “Compliance”
Zero-Tolerance Prosecution: Food safety is non-negotiable. Any detected adulteration must trigger an automated legal process. “Counseling” is appropriate for educational settings, not for criminal food adulteration.
Public Audits: Create a public digital dashboard that names cooperatives and dairies that have failed quality tests, ensuring market-driven accountability.

B. Aligning Revenue with Public Good
Earmarked “Health Cess”: A portion of the revenue collected from excise and other high-growth sectors should be legally ring-fenced for public health infrastructure, such as modernizing STPs and water treatment.
Performance-Based Enforcement: The performance metrics for officials should include “reduction in contamination cases” rather than just “tax collected.”

C. Inter-Departmental Accountability
Integrated Monitoring: Since the vegetable crisis involves Irrigation, Agriculture, and Urban Development, the proposed inter-departmental committee must have a time-bound mandate with personal liability for officials if water quality standards are not met.

Source: The Hindu

KAS Current Affairs

Preliminary Examination

Paper-I: Current Events of National and International Importance

LPG Issue and the Strait of Hormuz

• The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, located between Iran and Oman. It serves as the passageway for nearly 20% of global crude oil exports and a significant share of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) shipments. Many Asian countries—including India, China, Japan, and South Korea—depend heavily on this route for their energy needs.
• If the Strait were to be closed due to geopolitical tensions, LPG supplies would be severely disrupted. This would lead to higher cooking gas prices, increased fertilizer costs (since LPG and natural gas are feedstock for fertilizers), and consequently rising food prices. Beyond energy, the closure would affect shipping costs, insurance premiums, and global supply chains, disproportionately impacting vulnerable populations.

Impact Analysis: LPG Supply Chain & the Strait of Hormuz

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

“The relationship between science and war: Many inventions, from penicillin to the internet and from nuclear energy to space satellites, are the ‘children of war’. Is it possible to proactively utilize the effort and money spent on war for human welfare instead? Present your opinions.”

Essay-2: Topic of State importance/Local Importance

“The Ballot Paper Revival: Balancing Electoral Credibility with Technological Progress in Indian Local Governance”

Paper-II: General Studies 1

Panel estimates Lakkundi treasureto be at least 500 years old
Context: Treasure found in Lakkundi of Gadag district which comprised mainly gold ornaments is estimated to be at least 500-600 years old.

• Members of the Treasure Evaluation Committee led by archaeologist M.S. Krishna Murthy verified and evaluated the gold ornaments in Gadag, before coming out with their assessment on the age of the ornaments.
• “After verification of the size and design of the 466 gm of gold ornaments found in Lakkundi, it is estimated that they may be of the age of Vijayanagar empire. The common public did not use ornaments having faces of lion and keertimukh (face of glory). They appear to be ornaments made for offering to a female deity,” Mr. Krishna Murthy.
• “In the golden ornaments we have found pearls, emerald and blue sapphire,”. “According to the rate of gold, the value of the ornaments will be ₹80 lakh. However, since they are ancient, the value will be 10 times more,”.

‘IT exports from State set to cross ₹5.5 lakh
Context: Karnataka’s IT exports are expected to cross ₹5.50 lakh crore in 2025–26, IT and BT Minister to the Legislative Assembly.

• Bengaluru Urban tops the list with a contribution of 39.9% to GSDP; Kalaburagi, Bengaluru Rural contribute 1.9% each. Karnataka’s IT exports are expected to cross ₹5.50 lakh crore in 2025–26, IT and BT Minister.
• State’s IT/BT exports were ₹3.55 lakh crore in 2022–23, ₹4.09 lakh crore in 2023–24, and ₹4.58 lakh crore in 2024–25.
• Of the projected ₹5.5 lakh crore exports, Mysuru contributes around ₹3,000 crore, while Mangaluru and Udupi together contribute around ₹3,500 crore.
• By contributing 5.4% to the State Gross Domestic Product (GSDP), Dakshina Kannada district ranks second in the State and has the potential to add another 2% to the GSDP.
• Bengaluru Urban district topped the list with a contribution of 39.9% to the GSDP. Kalaburagi and Bengaluru Rural districts contribute 1.9% each to the GSDP.

Paper-III: General Studies 2

SC upholds ‘right to die’ for man in vegetative state
Context: The Supreme Court upheld the right to die with dignity of 32-year-old Harish Rana, who has been in a persistent vegetative state for nearly 13 years, by allowing the withdrawal of clinically assisted nutrition and hydration (CANH).

• A Bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K.V. Viswanathan delivered the judgment in a packed courtroom where emotions bubbled to the surface, even reaching up to the judges’ raised podium where stoicism usually ruled.
• Mr. Rana had sustained severe head injuries and 100% quadriplegic disability after sustaining a fall from the fourth floor of his accommodation as a Panjab University student in in 2013.
• “To Harish’s family, we want to acknowledge the deep emotional weight this decision carries. This decision can feel like an act of surrender, but we believe it is, in truth, an act of profound compassion and courage. You are not giving up on your son. You are allowing him to leave with dignity. It reflects the depth of your selfless love and devotion towards him,” Justice Pardiwala read from his 286-page opinion.
• This was the first time the Supreme Court had implemented its own 2018 Constitution Bench guidelines for what it had then called ‘passive euthanasia’.
• The top court also acknowledged the general consensus that ‘passive euthanasia’ was an obsolete and rather confusing term. “‘Euthanasia’ will refer strictly to active euthanasia, which remains impermissible. ‘Withdrawing or Withholding of Medical Treatment’ will replace the term ‘passive euthanasia’,” Justice Pardiwala said.
• Justice Viswanathan joined his lead colleague on the Bench in a separate and concurrent opinion that the family had left no stone unturned to care for their son and brother. “It is only when the matter reached a point of no return, that to relieve Harish from what he is undergoing, they have resorted to this legal course of action. One can only imagine the agony they would have undergone during this period,” Justice Viswanathan said.
• The court directed AIIMS Delhi to shift Mr. Rana from his residence to their palliative care centre. The process of withdrawal of CANH must be part of a well-structured, tailored, robust and articulated palliative care plan for a PVS patient in his or her most vulnerable phase of life.
• “The right to die with dignity is inseparable from the right to receive quality palliative and End-of-Life (EOL) care. It is imperative to ensure that the withdrawal process is not marred by pain, agony, or suffering,” the Supreme Court held.
• The court directed Chief Medical Officers in all districts to form panels of registered medical practitioners to constitute secondary medical boards to examine applications for the withdrawal of life support.
• The area Judicial Magistrates of First Class must be intimated by hospitals if a primary and second medical boards unanimously recommend withdrawal of life support in cases. The court urged the Centre to initiate a specific legislation detailing the procedure for life support withdrawal.

Legal Milestones of Euthanasia in India:

Judge distinguishes between active and passive euthanasia

Context: The distinction between “active” and “passive” euthanasia goes beyond the simplistic binary of “act” versus “omission”, Supreme Court judge Justice J.B. Pardiwala said.

• “The true distinction between active and passive euthanasia lies not merely in the nature of the conduct, i.e., acts or omissions, but also in the source of the harm that leads to death,” Justice Pardiwala said in a judgment.
• The judge characterised active euthanasia as causing death by introducing a new, external agency of harm, such as a lethal injection.
• “In such cases, death is not the result of the patient’s underlying illness, but of an intervention that sets a new chain of events in motion. It is for this reason that active euthanasia is understood as an intervention that disrupts the natural path towards death,” Justice Pardiwala observed in the judgment.

Underlying condition

• Conversely, he explained that passive euthanasia should be understood as allowing death to occur. By withdrawing or withholding life support, the physician is not creating a new risk of death. Rather, the doctors are choosing to allow the underlying fatal condition to take its natural course by no longer continuing the medical interventions that were artificially prolonging life.
• “The undeniable fact is that the patient’s affliction, i.e., the underlying medical condition, is not caused by any act or omission of the doctor. Rather, the underlying condition is due to factors independent of the doctor or their actions,” Justice Pardiwala said. However, withdrawing treatment should not violate the duty of care a doctor owes a patient in all circumstances. “The surrendering of any medical effort must not be at loggerheads with the duty of care which joists all medical action,” Justice Pardiwala emphasised.
• The judgment said active euthanasia involved a “positive, overt act” designed to curtail the natural lifespan and extinguish life.

‘Right to dignified death prevails over interest of the state’

Context: The Supreme Court held that the state’s absolute interest to preserve life must become subservient to a patient’s right to dignity at a tipping point when medical interventions become increasingly futile and invasive while the chances of recovery keep dropping.

• “When the degree of bodily invasion progressively increases, and the prognosis for recovery progressively decreases, there arises a certain point when the state’s absolute interest in preserving life must become subservient to the dignity of the individual, though he is unconscious or incompetent,” Justice J.B. Pardiwala said in a judgment upholding the withdrawal of life support to a 32-year-old man in a persistent vegetative state for over 12 years.
• The court said that the interest of the state must not be allowed to overpower the dignity which must be equally assured to individuals in the process of life and death.
• “Dignity is the most sacred possession of a human being. Its possession can neither be said to lose its sanctity in the process of death nor when death occurs,” Justice Pardiwala observed.
• Temporarily keeping alive a terminally ill patient who was brain dead or in PVS, solely because doctors are able to leverage the technological advancements in medicine, and compelling such patients to endure a slow, agonising death, cannot fully be compatible with the Constitutional ideal of dignity, Justice Pardiwala said.

Paper-IV: General Studies 3

Paper-V: General Studies 4

Ethics Case Study: Illegal Mining and Systemic Failure
Background
Allegations of large-scale illegal mining have surfaced in the Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) region, located on the border between Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. This illegal activity has resulted in substantial losses to the state exchequer, massive encroachment of reserved forest land, and the deliberate destruction of inter-state boundary markers to facilitate illicit operations. The Supreme Court has now tasked a committee, headed by a retired Justice, to assess the environmental and financial damages.

Ethical Dilemmas
1.Economic Gain vs. Environmental Stewardship: The conflict between industrial expansion and the preservation of protected forest ecosystems.
2.Private Interests vs. Public Service: The misuse of political influence by public office-holders for personal enrichment.
3.Institutional Delay vs. Justice: The erosion of public trust due to the long delay in investigative outcomes (Justice delayed is justice denied).
4.Integrity of Evidence: The moral crisis posed by the deliberate destruction of boundary markers to obscure the truth.

Stakeholders
The Government and Public: The ultimate losers of state revenue and environmental heritage.

The Mining Company/Owners: The entities accused of prioritize profit over legality.

The Judiciary: The body responsible for ensuring accountability and ecological justice.

Forest & Environment Departments: The custodians of the land who failed to prevent the encroachment.

Options for Action (The Six Choices)
As a member of the Supreme Court-appointed committee, you have the following options:

Option 1: The Minimalist Approach
Submit a purely technical report focusing only on the calculation of the financial loss to the state. This ensures a quick resolution but fails to address the root causes of the illegal mining.

Option 2: The Holistic Reform Approach
Recommend financial recovery from the mining company, mandate the use of GIS-based digital boundary mapping, and call for strict departmental action against complicit officials.

Option 3: Environmental Restitution (Polluter Pays)
Beyond financial penalties, mandate that the company fund a multi-decade reforestation and biodiversity restoration project in the affected areas.

Option 4: Administrative Accountability
Conduct a formal inquiry into the state forest and mining officials who were in charge during the period of illegal activity. This addresses systemic corruption rather than just targeting the mining company.

Option 5: Technology-Driven Surveillance
Propose the mandatory implementation of real-time satellite imagery and drone-based monitoring for all border mining zones, creating a permanent, tamper-proof digital oversight system.

Option 6: Community-Led Vigilance (Whistleblower Protection)
Establish a decentralized, anonymous grievance portal for local villagers and forest-dwellers to report suspicious activities, incentivized by legal protection for whistleblowers.

Source: The Hindu