Meaning: A barrier lake is formed when a natural or artificial barrier blocks the flow of a river/stream, causing water to accumulate upstream. Natural Barriers: Common natural barriers include landslides, rockfalls, volcanic lava flows, moraines and glacial debris. Landslide-Dammed Lake: When a landslide blocks a river valley, the resulting lake is called a landslide-dammed or…
UPSC Prelims Current Affairs for August 2026
UPSC Prelims Current Affairs for August 2026 brings together the news items of the day that map to the Prelims syllabus — polity, economy, environment, science and technology, and international relations. Each item is written as a factual pointer you can revise quickly, with the static-syllabus link made explicit so the reading feeds directly into your Prelims notes.
73 articles
31 August 2026
PM SVANIDHI Yojana
Launch: Launched on 1 June 2020 to provide collateral-free working-capital loans to street vendors affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Ministry: Implemented by the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA), with the Department of Financial Services facilitating credit access through banks and financial institutions. Target Beneficiaries: Primarily street vendors, including eligible vendors from peri-urban areas…
Uzbekistan
Location: Uzbekistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Capital: Tashkent. Neighbouring Countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. Unique Geography: Uzbekistan is one of the world’s doubly landlocked countries—it is surrounded only by other landlocked countries. Regional Significance: It is the only Central Asian country sharing borders with all four other Central Asian republics—Kazakhstan,…
29 August 2026
OBC Creamy Layer
OBC reservation: The Central Government provides 27% reservation to OBCs in direct recruitment to Central Government services and admissions to Central educational institutions, subject to applicable rules. Creamy Layer: The relatively socially/economically advanced section among OBCs that is excluded from the benefit of OBC reservation. Constitutional Basis: The principle emerged from the Supreme Court’s interpretation…
Trishuli River
Trishuli River is a major transboundary Himalayan river flowing through Tibet (China) and Nepal. It originates in the Tibetan Plateau and enters Nepal through the Himalayas. In Nepal, it flows through the Trishuli Valley. It is one of the important tributaries of the Gandaki (Narayani) River system. The Trishuli joins the Seti Gandaki near Devghat,…
Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF)
Definition: A GLOF is the sudden release of a large volume of water from a glacial lake, generally due to failure, overtopping or breaching of its natural dam. Natural Dam: The lake may be impounded by moraine, glacier ice or bedrock. Triggers: Ice/rock avalanche into the lake Landslide Heavy rainfall Earthquake Rapid glacier melting Failure/erosion…
27 August 2026
Dimna Lake
· Location: Dimna Lake is an artificial reservoir located near Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, at the foothills of the Dalma Hills. River Basin: It is associated with the Swarnarekha River system. Purpose: The reservoir is an important source of water supply for Jamshedpur. Dalma Hills: The lake lies close to the Dalma Wildlife…
Koshi River
· Origin: The Koshi River system originates in the Himalayas of Tibet and Nepal and is formed by several major tributaries. Major Tributaries: The three major tributaries traditionally associated with the upper Koshi system are Sun Koshi, Arun and Tamor. Confluence: These rivers converge in eastern Nepal to form the Koshi…
Bhote Koshi River & Lhende River
Bhote Koshi River: A Himalayan river associated with Tibet (China) and Nepal and forms part of the Koshi river system. Lhende Khola: A smaller Himalayan stream/tributary in Rasuwa district of Nepal, near the Nepal–China border. River Relationship: Lhende Khola joins the Bhote Koshi, making it important in understanding the recent flash-flood event. Koshi River System:…
26 August 2026
Regenerative Agriculture
Regenerative Agriculture is an approach to farming that aims to restore and improve soil health, biodiversity and ecosystem functions while producing food. Unlike conventional agriculture, which often focuses mainly on maximising short-term yields, regenerative agriculture emphasises long-term ecological health and resilience. It is generally associated with improving soil organic matter, water retention, nutrient cycling and…
Ravi Raaz
Hassan Khan
Shadab Ali