Current affairs

WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) Sector and Belém Adaptation Indicators

Context COP 30 (dubbed the "COP of Implementation") transformed climate adaptation from an abstract concept into a measurable discipline, placing water security and the WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) sector at the heart of global climate accountability. India’s alignment with...

Vairamuthu Wins Jnanpith Award 2026: Tamil Poet Honoured with India’s Top Literary Prize

Renowned Tamil poet and lyricist Vairamuthu has been conferred with the 61st Jnanpith Award (for 2025), marking a significant milestone in Indian literature. With this achievement, he becomes only the third Tamil writer to receive this prestigious honour, highlighting the...

Assam Peace Settlement with Hmar and Kuki Groups

Context The Government of Assam signed a Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) in March 2026 with several armed groups representing the Hmar and Kuki communities, marking an important step toward ending ethnic militancy in the state. Key Features of the 2026...

Metal–Organic Framework (MOF) Technology: Structure, Uses & Applications

Context Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs) are a new class of highly porous crystalline materials that have gained major attention for applications such as air dehumidification, gas storage, carbon capture, and atmospheric water harvesting. Their extremely high surface area and tunable pore...

EVG7: A New Antibiotic to Combat Clostridioides Difficile Infection

Introduction Scientists at Leiden University developed a new experimental antibiotic EVG7 to treat infections caused by Clostridioides difficile. The study published in Nature Communications shows the drug can clear infection at very low doses while preserving beneficial gut bacteria, unlike...

Lokpal Sanction in Corruption Cases: Meaning, Process and Legal Provisions

Context The Supreme Court of India has agreed to examine the procedure followed by the Lokpal of India for granting sanction in corruption cases. The issue arose after the Delhi High Court criticised the Lokpal’s interpretation of the law while...

Women’s Political Participation in India: Status, Challenges & Way Forward

Context Women’s participation in India’s electoral process has increased substantially, with female voter turnout almost equal to that of men in the 2019 Indian General Election and the 2024 Indian General Election. However, a clear gap remains between participation at...

Washington Consensus Explained: Meaning, Policies, Criticism & Impact

Context Shashi Tharoor’s op-ed traces the birth, legacy, and collapse of the Washington Consensus (WC) — the 10-point neoliberal policy framework coined by John Williamson in 1989. The WC advocated fiscal discipline, privatisation, deregulation, and trade liberalisation. However, decades of...

WHO Pandemic Treaty and Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing

Context The Pandemic Agreement seeks to improve surveillance, data sharing, and equitable access to vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments. A major issue now being negotiated is the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) system, which determines how countries share pathogen samples and...

SC Raises Concerns Over Mandatory Menstrual Leave

Context The Supreme Court of India has expressed concerns that making paid menstrual leave a compulsory legal right could unintentionally affect women’s career opportunities. The Court emphasised the need to balance gender equality, workplace realities, and employer practices. Observations of...