Top 20 UPSC Current Affairs Pointers of the past week | August 10 to 16, 2026

— Free online coaching for competitive exams: The prime minister announced that the government would provide free online coaching to students preparing for competitive examinations.

— AI training for one crore youth: The prime minister said that over the next year, one crore youth will be trained in artificial intelligence skills so that they are “not left behind.”

The Prime Minister proceeded to the Red Fort ramparts and hoisted the National Flag, assisted by Captain Sonia Singh Chauhan, a commissioned officer in the Indian Army.(Express photo by Praveen Khanna)

— Semiconductor plants: The Centre has approved 12 semiconductor projects across six states, involving investments of over Rs 1.6 lakh crore. These include fabrication facilities as well as units for semiconductor assembly, testing and packaging. Three have begun commercial production.

— Sports talent hunt: The prime minister announced a nationwide talent hunt for children between ages five and 15, aimed at identifying young athletes across sporting disciplines. This announcement comes as India looks to bid for the 2036 Olympic Games.

Art & Culture

• Invite Bag for 80th Independence Day high tea

— The focus of this year’s high tea was to highlight the heritage and traditions of four states: Maharashtra, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.

— The invite bag—designed in collaboration with the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad—showcased several environmental practices and conservation initiatives from the four states. Its outer cover was inspired by the Kaavi art of the coastal Konkan region. A wrought iron bell was attached to the address slip, which has been handcrafted by tribal ironsmiths in Bastar using recycled scrap iron.

The invite bag contains a handwoven Maheshwari stole. (Express photo)

— The bag also contained a handwoven Maheshwari stole that was used to welcome guests upon their arrival. It also included a display frame featuring figurines handcrafted using ‘Lauh Shilp’ or Pitwa art, a world-renowned tribal craft from Bastar.

The invite bag contains figurines handcrafted using Pitwa art from Bastar. (Express photo)

— A pair of Azulejo tiles in the bag depicted Goa’s Khajan lands, which are community-managed coastal wetlands, reclaimed from mangrove forests. Developed centuries ago, this ancient agro-aqua ecosystem uses an intricate network of dykes (bunds), embankments and sluice gates to control tidal river water, preventing saltwater from flooding crops while supporting paddy cultivation, fishing, and salt-panning.

— Earlier this year, the Republic Day at Home focused on the vibrant heritage and handicrafts of the eight northeastern states. In 2025, the Independence Day At Home reception hosted by the president was themed around the cultural heritage of Eastern India, highlighting crafts from Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and West Bengal.

International Cooperation

• Yemen’s Houthis

— Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis have attacked Saudi Aramco’s Jazan refinery, they said on August 9, two days after the kingdom signed a defence pact with Turkey ​and Pakistan in response to growing regional instability from the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

— The Houthis are a large clan belonging to the Zaidi Shia sect, with roots in Yemen’s northwestern Saada province. Zaidis make up around 35 per cent of Yemen’s population.

— Iran is believed to back the Houthis, even as it has denied the charge. Its regional rival, the Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia (along with Western allies like the US) backs the Yemen government. Houthis’ support for Palestine is, therefore, also a manifestation of existing regional rivalries.

Polity

• Bar Council of India 

— On August 13, the Bar Council of India (BCI) directed state bar councils to not enrol graduates of NALSAR University of Law’s 2026 batch over their protest against the convocation invitation to Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant. Within hours, however, the BCI withdrew the order and closed the proceedings.

— The Bar Council of India is a statutory body established by the Parliament under the Advocates Act, 1961 to regulate and represent the Indian Bar.

— The Advocates Act, 1961 creates a two-tier structure: State Bar Councils under Section 3 and the Bar Council of India under Section 4.

— The BCI consists of members elected from each State Bar Council, the Attorney General of India, and the Solicitor General of India who is an ex-officio member. The members from the State Bar Councils are elected for a period of five years.

— The Council elects its own Chairman and Vice-Chairman for a period of two years from among its members. Presently, Manan Kumar Mishra is the Chairman of the BCI.

— Section 7 empowers BCI to lay down “standards of professional conduct and etiquette for advocates”, supervise State Bar Councils, promote legal education and recognise universities whose law degrees qualify for enrolment as an advocate. Section 49 gives it broad rule-making powers.

Click here to read more on BCI.

• Privilege notice

— Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has been served a breach of privilege notice for allegedly using “unparliamentary and derogatory language” and for levelling “grave allegations” against Union Home Minister Amit Shah, it is learnt.

— Parliamentary privileges are certain rights conferred to the Members of Parliament for conducting the business of the Parliament.

— If there is a belief that such a privilege has been breached, a motion can be raised by any member. The right to raise a question of privilege is based on satisfying two conditions, namely: (i) the question shall be restricted to a specific matter of recent occurrence, and (ii) the matter requires the intervention of the Council.

— The Speaker/Rajya Sabha Chairman is the first level of scrutiny of a privilege motion. Therefore, the Speaker/Chairman can decide on the privilege motion himself or herself or refer it to the privileges committee of Parliament.

• Parliament Brief: Key Bills to know

Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2026

— The Rajya Sabha passed the Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2026, by voice vote on August 11. Earlier, the Lok Sabha also passed the bill by a voice vote on August 10.

— The Bill provides for the setting up of National Tribunals Commission (NTC) to conduct the selection for chairpersons and members of the tribunals, including Central Administrative Tribunal, Armed Forces Tribunal, National Green Tribunal, Income Tax Appellate Tribunal and National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.

— The NTC will bring 16 tribunals under its umbrella, creating a common framework for their governance and administration. It is proposed to be headed by a former Supreme Court judge or a former chief justice of a high court, supported by two judicial members and two technical members. A dedicated NTC Secretariat is also proposed, supporting the objective of uniform governance.

— The government had started the process of rationalisation of tribunals in 2015 and to that effect, Parliament passed the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021. Certain provisions of the 2021 Act were struck down by the Supreme Court, after which the government brought the 2026 Bill to replace the 2021 Act.

Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026

— The Rajya Sabha on August 12 passed a Bill to change the name of Kerala to Keralam, just over two years after the state Assembly passed a unanimous resolution, asking the Centre for the name change.

— The Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, which changes the name of the state to Keralam and makes the necessary amendments to the Constitution, including in the First Schedule, was passed by a voice vote. The Lok Sabha had passed the Bill on August 11.

National Cooperative Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2026

— The Rajya Sabha on August 12 passed the National Cooperative Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which expands the role of the NCDC to giving loans and grants directly to cooperative societies. Earlier, the Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on August 11.

— The Bill provides for expanding the ambit of the societies covered in the Act by amending the definition of “foodstuffs” to include processed food and any other food items notified by the Centre.

— It amends the National Cooperative Development Corporation Act, 1962, which was enacted to set up the NCDC in order to carry out programmes through cooperative societies.

Science and Technology

• Moon base programme

— Moving to strengthen their partnership, US space agency NASA has invited ISRO to join its Moon Base programme, the recently-launched effort to get humans back to the Moon with the larger objective of setting up a permanent settlement there.

— According to NASA’s official website, “The Moon Base is humanity’s first lunar outpost, a place where astronauts will live, work, and explore near the Moon’s South Pole. Through a series of crewed and uncrewed missions, NASA and its partners will build the infrastructure needed to support an enduring human presence on the lunar surface while advancing science, technology, and exploration for the benefit of all.”

— NASA’s invitation to ISRO for the Moon base programme reflects the growing ties between the two space agencies. It comes in the wake of Shubhanshu Shukla’s Axiom flight to the ISS last year and the launch of the dual-frequency radar satellite NISAR. In 2023, India signed the Artemis Accords which provides a framework for civil space exploration.

Defence

• Yard 3037 (Shruti)

— The Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV), Yard 3037 (Shruti), was launched at Kolkata on August 11. The construction of NGOPVs is concurrently being undertaken at two shipyards, Goa Shipyard Limited and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers.

— These indigenously designed and built ships will augment the existing OPVs/Naval Offshore Patrol Vessels for multi-domain operations, such as maritime surveillance, search and rescue, protection of offshore assets, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and antipiracy missions.

Economy

• FAST-DS

— The government has notified a one-time voluntary disclosure scheme, Foreign Assets of Small Taxpayers – Disclosure Scheme (FAST-DS), allowing taxpayers to declare their undisclosed foreign bank accounts, immovable property, jewellery, artistic work, shares, securities or any other asset or income on payment of a specified tax or fee.

— The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has notified the FAST-DS Rules, 2026, operationalising the Budget announcement of FAST-DS, effective August 16 with last declaration date on December 31.

• Unified Payments Interface (UPI)

— Allaying user concerns, the Ministry of Finance “categorically” stated that consumers making UPI payments will not face any transaction charges, and all person-to-person transactions will continue to be free of charge.

— It, however, said as and when MDR (Merchant Discount Rate) charges are introduced, they will apply at a nominal rate only above a certain threshold, and on a limited set of merchant transactions. “It would be far lower than debit or credit card MDRs,” the statement said.

— MDR is a fee levied on merchants by banks to help meet costs related to processing of transactions, settlement and infrastructure. Credit cards face an MDR of 1-3% of transaction value while it is up to 0.9% for debit cards.

— Launched in 2016, UPI is a system developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and regulated by the RBI. It allows users to send and receive money instantly using just their phone numbers or unique identifiers called UPI IDs. It has become the backbone for digital payments in India. It is authorised under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007. 

— Unlike other payment methods, such as NEFT and IMPS, UPI also lets users or merchants request money from others by sending a simple message through their bank app.

• Mustard Honey

— Recently, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) facilitated the first-ever export of 1 metric tonne of mustard honey by Dergang Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO) from Tripura to Dubai.

— It marks a significant milestone for the state’s beekeeping and agricultural export ecosystem. It also opens new avenues for diversification of Tripura’s honey value chain.

Health

• Swine flu

— Delhi has recorded a sharp rise in cases of influenza H1N1 or swine flu this year, with 1,449 cases reported as of August 12, more than six times the 229 infections recorded during the corresponding period last year, according to National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) data.

— The H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu, is a type of influenza virus that causes a viral infection of the nose, throat and lungs.

— Influenza viruses are classified into four types – A, B, C and D. Among these, Influenza A is the most common type that spreads from pigs to people. Common symptoms include fever, cough, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, sweating and chills.

Environment

• Solar eclipse

— Europe witnessed its first total solar eclipse in 27 years on August 12. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, blocking out some or all of the star’s light. The latter phenomenon happens during a total solar eclipse. It is a rare occurrence, requiring the Sun, the Moon and the Earth to line-up perfectly in space.

— The total eclipse was seen along the north of Russia, Greenland, west Iceland, northern Spain and a small area along northeast Portugal.

A total solar eclipse swept across parts of the Northern Hemisphere on Wednesday, briefly plunging the skies into darkness, offering millions a rare celestial spectacle (Source: Photo by AP)

— Together, these locations form the “path of totality” — the narrow strip on the Earth’s surface where the Moon can be seen completely blocking the Sun.

— A solar eclipse also happens to be the best time for scientists to study the Sun. For scientists, observing the Sun’s corona and the inner corona is crucial. The corona’s magnetic field triggers solar flares and “coronal mass ejections”, which can disrupt satellites, GPS and other communication systems on Earth.

— During a total solar eclipse, the Moon completely blocks the solar disc, making the inner corona visible in the form of a halo around the lunar body. This provides helio-physicists with a valuable window to make ground-based observations of the solar atmosphere.

• India achieves 300 GW RE capacity

— India has achieved 300 GW, or 60 per cent of its non-fossil fuel power generation capacity target of 500 GW, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy said on August 9.

— In a major milestone for the nation’s clean energy transition and climate action targets, India has crossed 300 GW of non-fossil fuel-based installed electricity generation capacity as on July 31, 2026; over 60 per cent of the 500 GW capacity targeted to be achieved by 2030, a ministry statement said.

— The 300.50 GW non-fossil fuel capacity (as on July 31, 2026) includes solar power (164.59 GW), wind power (58.14 GW), hydro power (57.24 GW), bio-power (11.75 GW) and Nuclear Power (8.78 GW).

Lar Gibbon — Actor Chiyaan Vikram has found himself at the centre of a wildlife controversy after a video showing him interacting with a Lar Gibbon, an endangered primate native to Southeast Asia, sparked criticism from wildlife activists and conservationists. All about the Lar Gibbon controversy involving actor Vikram (Photo: Screengrab of the viral video enhanced by AI) — The Lar Gibbon (Hylobates lar) is native to Southeast Asia and is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. It is also listed under Appendix I of CITES, which provides the highest level of protection to species threatened by international trade. — In India, the species is also protected under the country’s wildlife laws. The species is often regarded as an exotic and highly desirable animal because of its distinctive appearance and remarkable physical abilities.

Sports 

• First Indian to Win the Korea Masters

— On 9 August 2026, Indian badminton player Ashmita Chaliha won the women’s singles title at the Korea Masters 2026.  With this she became the first Indian to win the Korea Masters and claimed her maiden BWF World Tour Super 300 title in Asan, South Korea.

Ashmita Chaliha downed Han Qian Xi 14-21, 21-14, 21-14 in the final. (Badminton Photo)

— At the Yi Sun-sin Gymnasium in Asan, Ashmita defeated China’s Han Qian Xi by a score of 14-21, 21-14, and 21-14 in the final of the Super 300 Korea Open.

• India’s jumpers at U20 World Championships

— India’s jumpers rarely make a global podium. On August 8, they did it twice at the U20 World Championships in Eugene, US.

— Basant Kumar (19) became the first Indian high-jumper to win a medal at the U20 Worlds, claiming silver. Shahnavaz Khan (19) followed with bronze in the long jump, becoming the first Indian male long-jumper to reach the podium at the championships.

Basant Kumar won a silver in high jump; (right) Shahnavaz Khan won bronze in long jump in Eugene, Oregon, US. (Image: AFI)

— With these two medals, along with Ashish Yadav’s silver in the javelin, India equalled its best-ever haul at the U20 World Championships, matching the tally from the 2021 and 2022 editions.

Awards

• Dirac Medal 2026

— Deepak Dhar, a theoretical physicist from Uttar Pradesh, has been named the co-recipient of Dirac Medal, one of the highest honours in the field.

— The award, instituted in 1985 by the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Italy, puts the 75-year-old on an impressive list of academics who have won the Medal, named after Paul Dirac, one of the central figures in the evolution of quantum theory.

Born in 1951 in Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Dhar is an alumnus of the University of Allahabad and IIT-Kanpur.

— In 2022, Dhar was the co-winner of yet another prestigious award in physics, the Boltzmann Medal, becoming the first Indian to receive it. With the two honours, Dhar joins a small group of only ten to have secured both awards. Many of them have even gone on to win the Nobel Prize in Physics.

• Gallantry awards

— President Droupadi Murmu on August 14 approved 78 gallantry awards, including 13 awarded posthumously, for personnel from the Defence Forces and Central Armed Police Forces.

— The awards include nine Kirti Chakras, of which seven are posthumous; one Bar (conferred second time) to the Shaurya Chakra; and 19 Shaurya Chakras, including one posthumous.

— The awards include five Bars to the Sena Medals (Gallantry); 36 Sena Medals (Gallantry), five of them posthumous; three Nau Sena Medals (Gallantry), and five Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry).

Click here to read more on India’s top civilian, gallantry and service awards.

Persons in News

(Just FYI: Noting historical personalities’ anniversaries aids UPSC prep. UPSC often includes such personalities in questions, so revisiting their lives refreshes your static syllabus.)

• Rahul Navin

— The tenure of Enforcement Directorate (ED) Director Rahul Navin has been extended by a year beyond August 13, a government order read.

— A 1993-batch Indian Revenue Service officer of the Income Tax cadre, 59-year-old Navin has been leading the federal anti-money laundering agency as its full-time chief since August 14, 2024.

ED chief Rahul Navin

— The order issued by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet said it has “approved an extension in tenure of Rahul Navin as ED Director for a period of one year beyond August 13, 2026, i.e. up to August 13, 2027, including extension in service beyond the date of his superannuation, that is July 31, 2027, or until further orders, whichever is earlier”.

Test Your Knowledge

(Note: The best way to remember facts for UPSC and other competitive exams is to recall them through MCQs. Try to solve the following questions on your own.)

(1) Consider the following pairs:

1. Houthis: Yemen

2. Hezbollah: Lebanon

3. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham: Syria

Which of the pairs given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1,2 and 3

(2) Consider the following statements:

1. The corona’s magnetic field triggers solar flares and coronal mass ejections.

2. The path of totality is the narrow strip on the Earth’s surface where the Moon can be seen completely blocking the Sun.

3. Solar Eclipse provides helio-physicists to make ground-based observations of the solar atmosphere.

Which one of the following conclusions based on the above statements is correct?

(a) All three statements are correct.

(b) There are two correct statements, that include statement 1.

(c) There is only one correct statement.

(d) There is no correct statement.

(3) With reference to India, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2022)

1. Government law officers and legal firms are recognised as advocates, but corporate lawyers and patent attorneys are excluded from recognition as advocates.

2. Bar Councils have the power to lay down the rules relating to legal education and recognition of law colleges.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer key

1. (d), 2. (a), 3. (b)

For your suggestions and feedback, write to Roshni.Yadav@indianexpress.com

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