GS-II: Government Policies & Interventions | Food Security | Health & Nutrition | Vulnerable Sections Context Changing food-security landscape: Estimates based on the latest household consumption survey suggest that households unable to afford the ICMR-NIN recommended diet declined from about 52% in 2011-12 to 25% in 2023-24. Persistent challenge: Despite substantial progress, around one-fourth of…
UPSC Mains Current Affairs for August 2026
UPSC Mains Current Affairs for August 2026 covers the day’s developments in the form Mains answers need — context, stakeholders, the arguments on either side, and the way forward. Each note is mapped to the General Studies paper and topic it belongs to, so the material is ready to be used in an answer rather than only read.
105 articles · page 7
13 August 2026
Promise of gender equality must be upheld
GS-I: Indian Society | GS-II: Polity & Governance | Gender Equality | Democracy Context India’s independence: India’s freedom was based on the promise that freedom would be bestowed on all citizens, regardless of caste, creed, class, political allegiance or gender. Equality before law: Overnight, all women and men became equal before the law. Contemporary concern:…
E20 Ethanol Blending in India
GS-III: Energy | Environment | Agriculture | Food Security | Biofuels Context E20 debate: Opposition leaders such as Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal have launched campaigns against E20, arguing that it harms vehicles and that the government is forcing it on consumers. Government objective: India aimed to produce 10–11 billion litres of ethanol so that…
Supreme Court clarifies scope of police custody under BNSS
GS-II: Polity & Governance | Criminal Justice System | Fundamental Rights | BNSS Context Supreme Court ruling: In The State of Andhra Pradesh vs Suda Suresh Veera Venkata Naga Raju, the Supreme Court held that Section 187(2) of the BNSS enlarges the window during which police custody may be sought. Change under BNSS: Police custody…
12 August 2026
Glacier Slowdown in Zanskar Region of Ladakh
GS-I: Geography | GS-III: Environment & Climate Change Context New study: Glaciers in the Zanskar region of Ladakh are moving more slowly than they did 30 years ago. Importance: Zanskar contains some of the largest and most extensive glaciers in the Himalaya. Freshwater reservoirs: Glaciers release meltwater during warmer months, sustaining rivers, ecosystems, agriculture and…
India’s rising dependence on U.S. LPG
GS-III: Economy | Energy Security | Infrastructure Context Rising U.S. dependence: Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri stated that 67% of India’s LPG came from the U.S., marking a major shift from the earlier decision to source about 10% of cooking gas from the U.S. Crisis management: India, the world’s second-largest…
Tribunal Reforms Bill, 2026
GS-II: Polity & Governance | Judiciary | Tribunals Context Purpose of tribunals: Tribunals have a raison d’être in the justice system as they allow specialists to settle technical disputes faster than the judiciary. Judicial review: In S.P. Sampath Kumar (1987) and L. Chandra Kumar (1997), the Supreme Court held that tribunal decisions remain subject to…
Mecca Mutual Defence Agreement
GS-II: International Relations | West Asia | India and the Gulf Context Mecca Agreement: Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan signed a mutual defence agreement in Mecca on August 7, under which an attack on one member would be considered an attack on all three. Geopolitical significance: The agreement could mark an important turning point in…
11 August 2026
Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve: Forest Conservation vs Forest Rights
GS-III: Environment & Ecology | GS-II: Tribal Issues | Forest Rights Act, 2006 | Protected Areas | Judiciary Context Eviction notices: The Tamil Nadu Forest Department has issued eviction notices to thousands of households in the Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve (ABR), particularly in Theni, alleging encroachment on forest land. Supreme Court directions: Based on the findings…
Why does handloom remain a key part of India’s economy
GS-I: Indian Culture | GS-III: Indian Economy | Handloom Sector | Rural Employment | Women Empowerment Context National Handloom Day: Observed on August 7, commemorating the launch of the Swadeshi Movement in 1905. Nationalist legacy: From the boycott of British textiles to Mahatma Gandhi’s adoption of the spinning wheel, weaving became a symbol of economic…
Ravi Raaz
Hassan Khan
Shadab Ali