🔆 CURRENT AFFAIRS – 25 AUGUST 2026 | TUESDAY

🔆 GEOGRAPHY

📍 Global Ocean Records Hottest Day
🟢 On 22 August 2026, global sea-surface temperature in extra-polar oceans (60°N–60°S) reached 21.104°C, the highest recorded
🟢 Surpassed the previous record of March 2024
🟢 The August peak is unusual as ocean temperatures normally peak during March–April
🟢 Linked to a developing strong El Niño along with long-term human-driven warming
🟢 Warmer oceans can intensify marine heatwaves, storms and sea-level rise, while weakening oceanic carbon absorption

🔆 ECONOMY

📍 Kanda Express for Onion Transportation
🟢 Centre launched ‘Kanda Express’ trains to transport onions from Nashik to Delhi, Chennai, Kochi and Guwahati
🟢 Onion prices rose 19% in a month amid lower output and tighter supplies
🟢 Aims to move onions from surplus to deficit markets
🟢 Intended to ease supply pressure, control food inflation and stabilise retail prices

🔆 AGRICULTURE

📍 India’s First Non-GMO High-Expansion Popcorn Maize Hybrid
🟢 India’s first indigenous non-GMO high-expansion popcorn maize hybrid was unveiled in Eluru, Andhra Pradesh
🟢 Features high-expansion kernels and premium popcorn quality
🟢 Integrated value chain covering processing, storage and packaging
🟢 Aims to reduce dependence on imported hybrids and conserve foreign exchange
🟢 Supports Aatmanirbhar Bharat and development of a globally competitive popcorn ecosystem

🔆 ENVIRONMENT

📍 ALTÉRRA – UAE Climate Fund
🟢 USD 30 billion climate fund launched by the UAE at COP28
🟢 Aims to finance clean-energy and climate-resilience projects in developing countries
🟢 Reflects the principle of CBDR-RC — Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities
🟢 Seeks to bridge the climate-finance gap by mobilising capital for developing economies

🔆 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

📍 Green AI Data Centre – Andhra Pradesh
🟢 Andhra Pradesh Government sanctioned the AM AI Factory project
🟢 Location: Amanam village, Bheemunipatnam mandal, Visakhapatnam
🟢 Planned capacity: 512 MW
🟢 Targeted for completion in 2 years and 4 months
🟢 State support includes power infrastructure, water supply and fiscal incentives
🟢 Expected to generate up to 1,000 jobs

📍 First Module of Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS)
🟢 Union Cabinet approved BAS-1 under the revised Gaganyaan Programme
🟢 BAS-1 targeted for launch in 2028
🟢 Eight missions planned by December 2028
🟢 Full Bharatiya Antariksh Station targeted by 2035
🟢 Vision includes an Indian crewed lunar mission by 2040
🟢 Expected to expand microgravity research, high-tech industrial participation and space-sector employment

📍 India’s First Indigenous 5 kN Air-Breathing RDE
🟢 Defence startup D-Propulse demonstrated a 5 kN Rotating Detonation Engine (RDE) with an aerospike nozzle
🟢 Hot-fire test conducted at a DRDO facility
🟢 Incubated at IIT Madras
🟢 Achieved Technology Readiness Level-5 (TRL-5)
🟢 Pressure-gain combustion can offer 15–25% higher efficiency
🟢 Target: flight-ready engine by December 2027
🟢 Potential applications include cruise missiles, drones and high-speed UAVs

🔆 INDEX

📍 IT Resilience Index – SEBI
🟢 SEBI introduced the Information Technology Resilience Index (ITRI) for Market Infrastructure Institutions (MIIs)
🟢 Covers stock exchanges and depositories
🟢 Assesses IT resilience across 9 parameters
🟢 Key parameters include availability, security, integrity, governance, reliability, monitoring and continuity
🟢 MIIs must calculate ITRI half-yearly and submit comparative analysis with corrective actions
🟢 Supported by an Early Warning System (EWS) for detecting deterioration
🟢 Full rollout targeted by 28 February 2027
🟢 Aims to strengthen resilience and governance of critical market IT infrastructure

#CurrentAffairs

25 August UPSC current affairs

#currentaffairs #prelims

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🔆 Public Examination Reform 2.0 (PER 2.0)

📍 Why in News?
🟢 An education reform expert has called for Public Examination Reform 2.0 (PER 2.0) to shift India from reactive post-breach responses to systemic examination security.

📍 What is PER 2.0?
🟢 A lifecycle-oriented integrity architecture for high-stakes entrance and recruitment examinations.
🟢 Moves beyond PER 1.0 (2006–2015), which focused mainly on candidate-facing transparency.
🟢 Emphasises auditable SOPs, end-to-end chain of custody and institutional accountability.

📍 Why Needed?
🟢 Question-paper compromises can occur at the question-setting and moderation stage, not merely during physical transport.
🟢 Physical security is ineffective when digital workflows and database access remain vulnerable.
🟢 Repeated content errors and translation glitches undermine examination credibility.
🟢 Earlier committees produced recommendations but often lacked enforceable Action Taken Reports.
🟢 Irregularities, score inflation and abnormal clustering of high scores threaten the sanctity of merit.

📍 Core Pillars
🟢 Secure Question Setting: Background checks, conflict-of-interest declarations, rotation and secure translation.
🟢 Digital Custody: Role-based access, biometrics, digital watermarking and activity logs.
🟢 Risk-Based Centres: Algorithmic centre allocation, infrastructure audits and CCTV-based proctoring.
🟢 Independent Audits: Statistical anomaly detection, cybersecurity audits, whistleblower mechanisms and public integrity reports.

📍 Major Challenges
🟢 Massive scale and linguistic diversity.
🟢 Dependence on private testing infrastructure and vendors.
🟢 Commercial coaching networks and possible intermediary nexuses.
🟢 Cyberattacks and AI-generated forgeries.
🟢 Coordination difficulties between central and State examination bodies.

📍 Way Forward
🟢 Publish a National White Paper on Exam Integrity.
🟢 Establish a Unified Public Examination Integrity Framework for NTA, UPSC, State PSCs and recruitment boards.
🟢 Adopt secure-by-design examination architecture.
🟢 Implement relevant Nilekani & Radhakrishnan Committee recommendations with time-bound accountability.
🟢 Strengthen fast-track legal mechanisms and whistleblower protection.

🎯 Mains Question
“The repeated collapse of examination systems reflects deeper structural weaknesses in public administration.” Examine the institutional factors contributing to recurring examination controversies in India. Outline the reforms required in exam governance mechanisms.

#Education

26 August editorial summary

#editorial

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🔆 India’s Land Restoration Architecture

📍 India’s Commitments
🟢 Restore 26 million hectares by 2030 under the Bonn Challenge.
🟢 Pursue the NDC carbon sink target through restoration and increased tree cover.
🟢 India reported 21.76 million hectares restored during 2011–2020.
🟢 Restoration activities generated 1.22 billion person-days of employment.

📍 Major Programmes
🟢 Green India Mission (GIM): Forest restoration and expansion of green cover.
🟢 CAMPA: Compensatory afforestation.
🟢 Nagar Van Yojana: Development of 1,000 urban forests.
🟢 PMKSY + MGNREGS: Watershed, soil and water conservation.
🟢 National Agroforestry Policy, 2014: Promotes trees alongside agricultural systems.

📍 Key Challenges
🟢 Institutional convergence: Land restoration involves at least 8 Central Ministries, with no single nodal agency.
🟢 Finance gap: India has called for diversified, adequate, predictable and sustained international finance, indicating that domestic resources alone may be insufficient.
🟢 LDN accounting: India has not yet submitted a formal Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) target to UNCCD, creating a need to integrate restoration data with the LDN framework.
🟢 Monitoring: Restoration claims need stronger verifiable, landscape-level monitoring.

📍 Prelims Pointers
🟢 UNCCD: United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (1994); one of the three Rio Conventions; Secretariat at Bonn.
🟢 Bonn Challenge: Global restoration pledge — 150 million ha by 2020 and 350 million ha by 2030.
🟢 LDN: Land Degradation Neutrality; linked to SDG 15.3.
🟢 IUCN: Co-launched the Bonn Challenge.
🟢 ICFRE: Houses the Centre of Excellence on Sustainable Land Management.
🟢 NAPCC: Comprises 8 National Missions, including the Green India Mission.

🎯 Mains Question
India’s Bonn Challenge commitment and land restoration achievements have both environmental and socio-economic dimensions. Analyse the challenges of translating India’s restoration pledges into verifiable on-ground outcomes, with reference to institutional convergence, financing and monitoring. (15 marks, 250 words)

#Environment #pib

26 August pib summary
#pib

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🔆 Writs: A Tool for Enforcement of Fundamental Rights

📍 Why in Focus?
Writs are formal legal orders issued by courts under Article 32 (Supreme Court) and Article 226 (High Courts) to enforce fundamental rights and other legal rights. These writs are used as constitutional remedies to ensure rule of law and judicial accountability. The five types of writs include Habeas Corpus, Mandamus, Prohibition, Certiorari, and Quo-Warranto.

📍 Key Highlights:
✅ Habeas Corpus: Protects personal liberty under Article 21 by ordering authorities to produce a detained person.
• Example: Imran Masood vs State of Uttar Pradesh (2023) – Allahabad High Court issued a Habeas Corpus petition challenging preventive detention.

✅ Mandamus: Directs public authorities to perform their mandatory duties.
• Example: Fathima vs Kerala (2023) – Kerala HC directed authorities to register FIRs in hate speech cases.

✅ Prohibition: Prevents a lower court from proceeding in a case beyond its jurisdiction.
• Example: Subrata Roy Sahara vs SEBI (2012) – SC entertained a writ of prohibition barring proceedings in a money laundering case.

✅ Certiorari: Quashes orders of lower courts or tribunals in case of errors.
• Example: Karnataka State Open University vs UGC (2023) – Karnataka HC quashed UGC’s order cancelling degrees.

✅ Quo-Warranto: Challenges the authority of a person holding an office.
• Example: Kumar Padma Prasad vs Union of India (1992) – SC issued a writ of quo warranto to prevent a person from assuming the post of HC judge.

📍 Mains Question:
Q. Discuss the significance of writs in protecting fundamental rights under Articles 32 and 226 of the Indian Constitution. How do they contribute to judicial accountability?

✨ #Writs #ConstitutionalRemedies #FundamentalRights #polity #mains #GS2

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Rakshabandhan special i hope apko accha lgega

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#Goodmorning

All the best CSM26

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🔆 CURRENT AFFAIRS – 26 AUGUST 2026 | WEDNESDAY

🔆 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS & ISSUES

📍 UNCERD – Grave Concern on Rights in India
🟢 UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (UNCERD) expressed grave concern over alleged violations involving SCs, STs, Dalits, Bengali-speaking Muslims, non-citizens and Rohingya refugees
🟢 Reports cited concerns over racially motivated violence, excessive force, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detention, torture and sexual violence
🟢 Concerns linked to increased police check posts, racial profiling and targeted operations
🟢 UNCERD recommended prompt investigation of alleged violations, action against hate speech/crimes and respect for the principle of non-refoulement
🟢 India’s delegation rejected the findings as sweeping generalisations, citing constitutional safeguards and the existing legal framework

📍 Operation Economic Outcast – US Sanctions on Indian Firms
🟢 The US sanctioned four India-based companies under Operation Economic Outcast
🟢 Action relates to importing or facilitating Iranian petroleum and petrochemical products
🟢 Transactions involving Iranian petroleum products were valued at around USD 119 million
🟢 US authorities stated that the measures aim to restrict Iran’s financial resources and warned trading partners of penalties

📍 9th National Security Strategies Conference
🟢 Security agencies directed to intensify measures against infiltration
🟢 Focus on using AI-based analysis on Multi-Agency Centre (MAC) platforms and developing SOPs
🟢 Key areas: counter-terrorism, narcotics control, illegal migration, cybercrime and proxy warfare
🟢 Discussions also covered trial in absentia for fugitives, UAPA investigations, sub-aerial threats, blue economy security, information warfare and biosecurity
🟢 Over 850 participants, including senior police officials, CAPFs and domain experts, attended the conference

🔆 AGRICULTURE

📍 Periyar Kullan – National Recognition
🟢 ICAR-NBAGR recognised Periyar Kullan as Kerala’s second indigenous cattle breed, after the Vechur cow
🟢 Also known as Kuttampuzha cattle and Andukanni
🟢 Mainly found in central Kerala, particularly Ernakulam and Thrissur regions
🟢 Population estimated at around 1,000 cattle
🟢 Small-to-medium-sized cattle weighing around 150–200 kg
🟢 Adapted to semi-feral and silvopastoral grazing systems
🟢 Milk yield: around 2.5–4 litres/day
🟢 Milk contains A2 beta-casein, with about 4.5% fat and 9.1% SNF

🔆 ENVIRONMENT

📍 Assam Elephant Habitat Recovery
🟢 Assam Forest Department and Aaranyak are managing invasive alien plants in Khalingduar Reserve Forest, Udalguri
🟢 Major invasive species removed: Lantana camara, Chromolaena odorata and Mikania micrantha
🟢 Cleared biomass is converted into biochar
🟢 Seed-ball regeneration is used to restore grasses, herbs and shrubs
🟢 Biochar is a porous, charcoal-like material produced by heating organic biomass with little or no oxygen
🟢 Restoration aims to recover the elephant forage base, support herbivores and improve habitat quality

📍 Construction Restrictions around Jojari River
🟢 Supreme Court prohibited construction within 100 metres of the Jojari River
🟢 Hazardous industries prohibited within 500 metres of the flood line/flow path
🟢 Jojari and Bandi rivers eventually merge with the Luni River near Balotra
🟢 Restrictions introduced as an interim safeguard against river pollution and ecological damage
🟢 Rajasthan Government directed to prepare a 20-point resolution plan
🟢 An Integrated Coordination Group has also been formed
🟢 Industrial relocation may be required to protect the riverine ecosystem

🔆 SECURITY

📍 ICGS Ajit – Fast Patrol Vessel
🟢 Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) handed over ICGS Ajit (Yard 1277) to the Indian Coast Guard
🟢 Indigenous content exceeds 65%
🟢 Dimensions: 51.43 m long and 8 m wide
🟢 Displacement: 330 tonnes
🟢 Maximum speed: 27+ knots
🟢 Endurance: 1,500 nautical miles
🟢 Crew: 6 officers and 35 sailors
🟢 Roles include EEZ surveillance, fisheries protection, coastal patrolling, anti-smuggling, anti-piracy and search & rescue

📍 First All-Women Commando Course – CISF
🟢 CISF launched its first all-women commando training course
🟢 30 women personnel undergoing an 8-week advanced course at Barwaha, Madhya Pradesh
🟢 Training includes physical fitness, weapons training, live-fire drills, rappelling and survival exercises
🟢 Commandos will serve in Quick Reaction Teams and Special Task Forces
🟢 First phase plans to train 100 women from aviation security and sensitive units
🟢 Around 2,400 recruits are expected to undergo training next year
🟢 Aim is to increase women’s representation in CISF from 8% to 10%

🔆 MISCELLANEOUS

📍 Judicial Service Practice Requirement
🟢 Supreme Court reduced the mandatory legal practice requirement for entry-level judicial service examinations from 3 years to 1 year
🟢 Candidates appearing between 25 May 2025 and 31 March 2027 are eligible irrespective of prior practice experience
🟢 Selected candidates will undergo 1 year of academy training + 1 year of structured clerkship
🟢 The May 2025 ruling had introduced the 3-year practice requirement for fresh graduates
🟢 Modification seeks to balance practical legal exposure with judicial training and ease entry into the judicial service

#CurrentAffairs

26 August UPSC current affairs

#currentaffairs #prelims

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🔆 53rd PRAGATI Meeting — ₹30,000 Crore Infrastructure Projects, AgriStack & Cyber Fraud

📍 Why in News?
🟢 The 53rd PRAGATI meeting, chaired by the Prime Minister, reviewed 6 infrastructure projects worth over ₹30,000 crore across 9 States.
🟢 The meeting also focused on AgriStack + AI-driven agriculture and coordinated action against cyber fraud, including ‘digital arrest’ scams.

📍 What is PRAGATI?
🟢 PRAGATI stands for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation.
🟢 It is an ICT-enabled multi-modal platform, launched in March 2015.
🟢 It enables direct and real-time review of major infrastructure and social-sector projects by the Prime Minister along with Central and State officials.
🟢 It integrates data from CPGRAMS, Project Monitoring Group (PMG) and government programme dashboards.
🟢 Meetings are generally held once every two months.

📍 53rd PRAGATI Meeting — Key Highlights
🟢 6 infrastructure projects reviewed across 9 States.
🟢 Sectors covered: Railways, Roads and Power.
🟢 Project investment: ₹30,000+ crore.
🟢 Projects should be monitored end-to-end, ensuring that completion of individual packages ultimately results in commissioning of the entire project.
🟢 States and Ministries were encouraged to explore common utility corridors for telecom, power and water alongside major transport corridors.
🟢 Modern technology and stronger quality-assurance mechanisms should accompany faster project implementation.

📍 AgriStack + AI
🟢 The meeting emphasised using AI and digital technologies to derive greater value from India’s agricultural data ecosystem.
🟢 Applications can extend from input planning to post-harvest processing.
🟢 It can support evidence-based policymaking and better targeting of farmers.

📍 AgriStack — Prelims
🟢 AgriStack is a Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for agriculture under the Digital Agriculture Mission.
🟢 It comprises three major layers:
🟢 Farmers’ Registry — linked with Aadhaar and land records.
🟢 Crop Sown Registry.
🟢 Digital Crop Survey.
🟢 Intended applications include targeted subsidies, credit access, crop-insurance claims and AI-based agricultural advisory.
🟢 Key concerns include data privacy, possible misuse of land-holding data and exclusion of unlinked farmers.

📍 Cyber Fraud & ‘Digital Arrest’
🟢 Digital arrest is a cyber-fraud technique in which criminals impersonate law-enforcement or government officials and threaten victims with fictitious legal action to extort money.
🟢 It is not a legally recognised form of arrest.
🟢 The government response involves institutions and mechanisms such as I4C, Sanchar Saathi and the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP).
🟢 The meeting stressed public awareness, particularly among senior citizens, youth and other vulnerable groups.
🟢 It also called for capacity-building of enforcement personnel and stronger inter-agency coordination.

📍 Institutions & Terms — Prelims
🟢 PRAGATI: Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation.
🟢 CPGRAMS: Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System.
🟢 PMG: Project Monitoring Group.
🟢 AgriStack: Agricultural Digital Public Infrastructure.
🟢 I4C: Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre under MHA.
🟢 NCRP: National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
🟢 Digital Arrest: Cyber-fraud method involving impersonation of officials and coercion.

📍 Significance
🟢 PRAGATI strengthens Centre-State coordination and helps resolve inter-agency bottlenecks in project implementation.
🟢 Its end-to-end approach can shift infrastructure governance from fragmented monitoring to outcome-oriented delivery.
🟢 Integration of AI with AgriStack can improve evidence-based agricultural governance and targeted service delivery.
🟢 Coordinated cyber-fraud response can strengthen citizen protection and institutional capacity in the digital economy.

#pib #Governance