UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 9 January 2026
Kartavya Desk Staff
UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 9 January 2026 covers important current affairs of the day, their backward linkages, their relevance for Prelims exam and MCQs on main articles
InstaLinks : Insta Links help you think beyond the current affairs issue and help you think multidimensionally to develop depth in your understanding of these issues. These linkages provided in this ‘hint’ format help you frame possible questions in your mind that might arise(or an examiner might imagine) from each current event. InstaLinks also connect every issue to their static or theoretical background.
Table of Contents
GS Paper 2:
• Top court’s green governance
Top court’s green governance
• 500% tariffs ahead for India?
500% tariffs ahead for India?
Content for Mains Enrichment (CME):
• India–AI Impact Summit
India–AI Impact Summit
• Madhav Gadgil — the conscience of people-centred conservation
Madhav Gadgil — the conscience of people-centred conservation
Facts for Prelims (FFP):
• UIDAI launches Aadhaar mascot Udai
UIDAI launches Aadhaar mascot Udai
• District-Led Textiles Transformation (DLTT) Plan
District-Led Textiles Transformation (DLTT) Plan
• Dust EXperiment (DEX)
Dust EXperiment (DEX)
• PANKHUDI portal
PANKHUDI portal
• Child marriage and India
Child marriage and India
• Spina Bifida
Spina Bifida
Mapping:
• Greenland
Greenland
UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 9 January 2026
GS Paper 2:
Top court’s green governance
Source: TH
Subject: Polity/Environment
Context: Recent articles have highlighted concerns over the Supreme Court’s evolving role in environmental governance, pointing to frequent policy reversals and uncertainty arising from judicially driven green regulations, especially visible in 2025 environmental rulings.
About Top court’s green governance:
What it is?
• Top court’s green governance refers to the Supreme Court’s proactive role in environmental protection, where it goes beyond adjudicating legality and issues continuous, policy-shaping directions—often through continuing mandamus—to compensate for regulatory failure.
Major Supreme Court judgments on environment in 2025:
• Vanashakti v. Union of India (2025) Initially held ex post facto environmental clearances illegal as violative of the precautionary principle. Later reversed in review, allowing such clearances citing disruption to ongoing projects, raising concerns of doctrinal inconsistency.
• Initially held ex post facto environmental clearances illegal as violative of the precautionary principle.
• Later reversed in review, allowing such clearances citing disruption to ongoing projects, raising concerns of doctrinal inconsistency.
• Aravalli Hills Mining Matter (2025) Court adopted a restrictive definition of Aravallis (excluding areas below 100 metres), opening large tracts to mining. Order later stayed by a coordinate bench, and an expert committee constituted.
• Court adopted a restrictive definition of Aravallis (excluding areas below 100 metres), opening large tracts to mining.
• Order later stayed by a coordinate bench, and an expert committee constituted.
• Kancha Gachibowli Forest Case, Hyderabad (2025) Suo motu cognisance of mass tree felling for IT infrastructure. Court stayed further deforestation citing biodiversity loss and public trust doctrine.
• Suo motu cognisance of mass tree felling for IT infrastructure.
• Court stayed further deforestation citing biodiversity loss and public trust doctrine.
• M.K. Ranjitsinh v. Union of India (Great Indian Bustard case) Continued strong conservation stance: undergrounding power lines, habitat restoration, predator-proof fencing. Reaffirmed link between environmental protection and inter-generational equity.
• Continued strong conservation stance: undergrounding power lines, habitat restoration, predator-proof fencing.
• Reaffirmed link between environmental protection and inter-generational equity.
• Delhi-NCR Air Pollution cases (2025) Court repeatedly directed Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on long-term planning, data transparency, and enforcement. Highlighted regulatory delay and lack of coordinated airshed-level governance.
• Court repeatedly directed Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on long-term planning, data transparency, and enforcement.
• Highlighted regulatory delay and lack of coordinated airshed-level governance.
• Stray Dog Management Case (2025) Initial order for relocation of stray dogs later modified to sterilisation-and-release policy. Reflected judicial struggle to balance animal welfare with public safety.
• Initial order for relocation of stray dogs later modified to sterilisation-and-release policy.
• Reflected judicial struggle to balance animal welfare with public safety.
Successes of the Supreme Court in Environmental Conservation:
• Strengthened environmental jurisprudence: The Court has constitutionalised environmental protection by embedding global environmental principles into Article 21, moving beyond statutory interpretation to rights-based climate and ecological justice.
• Checked executive inaction: The Court has acted as a constitutional watchdog, compelling lethargic regulators to fulfil statutory duties when governance paralysis threatens public health.
• Prevented irreversible ecological damage: Applying the precautionary principle, the Court has halted environmentally risky activities until scientific certainty and safeguards are ensured.
• Expanded the public trust doctrine: The Court has reinforced that natural resources are held by the State in trusteeship, not ownership, for present and future generations.
E.g. Vellore District Environment Monitoring Committee v. District Collector (2025) imposed restoration liability on polluting tanneries under Polluter Pays.
• Mainstreamed environmental rights under Article 21: Environmental protection has been linked to dignity, health, and equality, making it a non-derogable constitutional obligation.
E.g. Union of India v. Rajiv Suri (2024–25) mandated rapid constitution of SEIAAs to prevent bypassing environmental scrutiny.
Issues and Challenges Associated:
• Judicial overreach into regulation: The Court sometimes prescribes technical or operational solutions, blurring the separation between adjudication and administration.
E.g. In Delhi air pollution cases, directions on smog towers and traffic management intruded into CAQM’s technical domain.
• Policy uncertainty due to reversals: Frequent dilution or reversal of landmark rulings weakens regulatory predictability and long-term environmental planning.
E.g. Vanashakti v. Union of India (2025) reversed the ban on post-facto clearances within months, unsettling environmental jurisprudence.
• Expertise paradox: Judicial reliance on expert committees, followed by rejection or reconstitution, undermines scientific consistency.
E.g. The fluctuating judicial definition of “Aravalli Hills” led to repeated committee reviews before a final standard emerged.
• Shrinking space for public challenge: Direct Supreme Court intervention can sideline statutory forums, narrowing participatory environmental justice.
E.g. Mining proponents bypassed NGT proceedings in 2025 by approaching the Supreme Court directly, muting local objections.
• Continuing mandamus fatigue: Long-running cases risk judicial micromanagement, replacing durable policy reform with interim governance.
E.g. The 1-km ESZ mandate (2022) was modified after protests, reflecting instability inherent in prolonged mandamus.
Way Ahead
• Re-anchor to legality: Judicial review should prioritise due process, statutory compliance, and reasoning, not policy design.
• Discipline, don’t replace: The Court should enforce accountability rather than substitute governance.
E.g. Holding officials liable for failure to utilise CAMPA funds would strengthen execution without micromanagement.
• Clear thresholds for intervention: A principled standard can prevent arbitrary dilution of environmental safeguards.
E.g. A Doctrine of Non-Regression would have avoided reversal on post-facto environmental clearances.
• Strengthen institutions: Robust regulators reduce dependence on judicial governance.
E.g. Filling vacancies in SPCBs, CAQM, and NGT would decentralise environmental justice and restore institutional balance.
Conclusion:
The Supreme Court remains a crucial guardian of India’s environmental rights where governance fails. However, frequent doctrinal shifts and regulatory substitution risk eroding certainty and institutional balance. A principle-based, regulator-disciplining—not regulator-replacing—approach is essential for sustainable and democratic green governance.
Q. “Judicial overreach can dilute fundamental rights as much as legislative excess.” Discuss with reference to freedom of speech and expression. Explain the constitutional risks involved. (10 M)
500% tariffs ahead for India?
Source: TP
Subject: International Relations
Context: The United States is considering a bipartisan bill allowing tariffs up to 500% on countries, including India, that continue purchasing Russian oil, after US President Donald Trump signalled support for the proposed Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025.
About 500% tariffs ahead for India?
What it is?
• The Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025, backed by US Senators led by Lindsey Graham, seeks to empower the US President to impose punitive tariffs (up to 500%) on countries buying Russian oil, to choke revenues funding Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Background of the issue:
• After the Russia–Ukraine war (2022), India sharply increased imports of discounted Russian crude to protect energy security.
• The US and G7 imposed a $60/barrel price cap to limit Russian revenues without disrupting global oil markets.
• Despite reducing purchases marginally, India remains one of Russia’s largest oil buyers, leading to earlier US penalty tariffs (25%, later 50%) on Indian exports.
• The proposed Bill escalates pressure by linking energy trade with secondary sanctions.
Key Features Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025:
• Secondary sanctions framework: Empowers the US President to impose secondary tariffs and sanctions on countries that continue purchasing Russian oil, gas, uranium, and petroleum products, even if they are not directly trading with the US.
• Punitive tariff provision: Mandates tariffs of up to 500% on goods and services imported into the US from countries that knowingly engage in trade involving Russian-origin energy products.
• Financial isolation of Russia: Directs the US Treasury to impose property-blocking sanctions on Russian financial institutions and foreign entities transacting with them.
• Presidential discretion: Grants the President authority to determine tariff levels and targets, giving significant leverage in diplomatic negotiations.
• National interest waiver: Allows the President to waive the 500% tariffs for up to 180 days for specific countries, goods, or services if deemed in the US national interest.
• Strategic objective: Aims to cripple Russia’s war-financing capacity and pressure third countries to reduce reliance on discounted Russian energy.
Implications of a 500% U.S. tariff on India:
• Trade and export shock: A 500% tariff would operate as a de facto trade embargo, making Indian goods commercially unviable in the U.S. market.
E.g. GTRI estimates exports worth ~$120 billion could be hit, with labour-intensive sectors like textiles, gems and jewellery—already under 50% tariffs since Aug 2025—facing closures and job losses.
• Energy security dilemma: Cheap Russian crude has helped India manage inflation and fiscal stress, making sudden disengagement economically costly.
E.g. Early-2026 assessments suggest shifting away from Russian oil could raise India’s import bill by $9–11 billion, prompting refiners like Reliance to pause Russian cargoes to avoid sanctions exposure.
• Geopolitical strain: The tariff threat strains the India–US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and raises concerns of selective enforcement.
E.g. Indian officials note the contradiction that China, the largest buyer of Russian energy, has largely avoided equivalent penalties, undermining trust in a rules-based order.
• Global market distortion: Extreme secondary sanctions risk fragmenting energy markets and financial systems, accelerating economic bloc formation.
E.g. Legal scrutiny in the US over using IEEPA for such tariffs could push countries like India and Brazil toward non-dollar payment systems, accelerating de-dollarisation.
• Pressure on strategic autonomy: India’s ability to balance ties with Washington and Moscow faces its sternest test since the Cold War.
E.g. The US exit from the International Solar Alliance (Jan 2026) alongside tariff threats signals a shift toward transactional diplomacy that constrains India’s policy independence.
Way ahead for India:
• Accelerate energy diversification: Reducing exposure to Russian crude lowers vulnerability to sanctions-driven coercion.
E.g. India is expanding sourcing from Guyana, Brazil and West Asia to bring Russian oil dependence below a “sanction-safe” threshold.
• Diplomatic price-cap renegotiation: India must frame its oil imports as stabilising, not distorting, global energy markets.
E.g. High-level talks led by EAM S. Jaishankar can highlight how Indian buying prevents oil spikes to $120/barrel, which would hurt US consumers too.
• Hedge via new FTAs: Diversifying export markets can cushion MSMEs from U.S. tariff shocks.
E.g. Fast-tracking UK and EU FTAs can provide alternate demand channels for tariff-hit sectors like apparel and engineering goods.
• Legal and multilateral recourse: Unilateral tariffs of this scale challenge core trade law principles.
E.g. A coordinated challenge at the WTO or G20 could question 500% tariffs as violations of MFN obligations.
• Structural energy transition: Reducing fossil fuel dependence weakens external economic leverage over India.
E.g. Scaling up the National Green Hydrogen Mission and EV adoption can permanently dilute crude-oil-linked geopolitical pressure.
Conclusion:
The proposed 500% tariff threat goes beyond trade, challenging India’s energy security and strategic autonomy. While Russian oil remains economically attractive, prolonged confrontation with the US carries high costs. A calibrated mix of diplomacy, diversification, and energy transition will be crucial to safeguard India’s economic and geopolitical interests.
Q. US tariff escalation has converted a commercial dispute into a strategic bargaining instrument. How has this shift altered India’s diplomatic leverage in bilateral negotiations? What does it mean for India’s China-balancing role in the Indo-Pacific? (10 M)
#### UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 9 January 2026 Content for Mains Enrichment (CME)
India–AI Impact Summit
Context: India has announced the India–AI Impact Summit 2026, scheduled for 19–20 February 2026 in New Delhi, making it the first-ever global AI summit hosted in the Global South.
About India–AI Impact Summit:
What it is?
• The India–AI Impact Summit is a high-level multilateral forum announced by the Prime Minister at the France AI Action Summit, designed to advance responsible, inclusive, and development-oriented AI cooperation, with a strong Global South
Key features:
• Global South leadership: First global AI summit hosted in a developing country, amplifying Southern perspectives in AI governance.
• Multilateral continuity: Builds on G20 AI Principles, UN & GPAI resolutions, African Declaration on AI, and Hamburg Declaration on Responsible AI.
• Three Sutras framework: People: Human-centric, inclusive, culturally sensitive, and trustworthy AI. Planet: Responsible AI aligned with climate action, sustainability, and reduced energy footprint. Progress: AI for equitable growth across health, education, governance, agriculture, and public services.
• People: Human-centric, inclusive, culturally sensitive, and trustworthy AI.
• Planet: Responsible AI aligned with climate action, sustainability, and reduced energy footprint.
• Progress: AI for equitable growth across health, education, governance, agriculture, and public services.
• Outcome-oriented approach: Focus on concrete deliverables, cooperative mechanisms, and implementation frameworks rather than declarations alone.
• Strategic geopolitics of AI: Addresses employment disruption, algorithmic bias, and energy intensity in a rapidly evolving global order.
Relevance for UPSC examination syllabus:
• GS Paper II (Governance & International Relations)
• Global governance of emerging technologies, multilateral cooperation, North–South divide, technology diplomacy.
• Global governance of emerging technologies, multilateral cooperation, North–South divide, technology diplomacy.
• GS Paper III (Science & Technology, Economy, Environment)
• Artificial Intelligence, digital public infrastructure, future of work, energy use of technologies, sustainable development.
• Artificial Intelligence, digital public infrastructure, future of work, energy use of technologies, sustainable development.
• GS Paper IV (Ethics)
• Ethical AI, bias, accountability, human-centric technology, social justice in technological adoption.
• Ethical AI, bias, accountability, human-centric technology, social justice in technological adoption.
Madhav Gadgil — the conscience of people-centred conservation
Anecdote: When Madhav Gadgil began his career, he believed conservation meant fencing forests and removing people. Decades later, he publicly renounced this view, admitting that forests survive not despite communities but because of them. Walking the villages and forests of the Western Ghats, he listened more than he lectured, treating farmers, adivasis, and fishers as ecological stakeholders, not encroachers. As chair of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (2011), he proposed strict protection—but rooted in democratic consent, local governance, and social justice. His ideas unsettled both bureaucratic power and corporate interests, yet he remained steadfast that conservation without people’s rights is ecological authoritarianism. Gadgil’s legacy lies in redefining environmentalism as an ethical project of democracy, dignity, and decentralisation. He showed that saving nature and empowering people are not competing goals, but inseparable duties.
Relevance in UPSC examination syllabus
• GS Paper II (Governance, Constitution)
• Decentralisation, participatory governance, Panchayati Raj, role of communities in decision-making
• Decentralisation, participatory governance, Panchayati Raj, role of communities in decision-making
• GS Paper IV (Ethics)
• Environmental ethics, justice to indigenous communities Conflict between utilitarian development and rights-based approaches Moral responsibility of the State towards vulnerable ecosystems and people
• Environmental ethics, justice to indigenous communities
• Conflict between utilitarian development and rights-based approaches
• Moral responsibility of the State towards vulnerable ecosystems and people
• Development vs conservation, democracy and ecology, Gandhian and constitutional morality in environmental governance
• Development vs conservation, democracy and ecology, Gandhian and constitutional morality in environmental governance
#### UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 9 January 2026 Facts for Prelims (FFP)
UIDAI launches Aadhaar mascot Udai
Source: News on Air
Subject: Government Scheme
Context: The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has launched Aadhaar mascot ‘Udai (उदय)’ to make Aadhaar-related information more relatable and people-friendly.
About UIDAI launches Aadhaar mascot Udai:
What it is?
• A resident-facing communication companion (official mascot) designed to simplify public understanding of Aadhaar services such as updates, authentication, offline verification, selective data sharing, and responsible usage.
Organisation(s) involved: Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)
Aim: To simplify, humanise, and standardise Aadhaar communication, enhance citizen trust through participation, and improve accessibility for over a billion residents.
Key features:
• People-centric communication: Uses a friendly mascot to explain complex Aadhaar processes.
• Wide service coverage: Updates, authentication, offline verification, selective sharing, new tech adoption.
• Participatory creation: Selected via an open national contest (875 entries; multi-tier evaluation).
• Inclusive outreach: Designed to aid clarity across languages, literacy levels, and digital access.
Significance:
• Trust & acceptance: Reinforces Aadhaar’s core principle that participation builds trust.
• Better service delivery: Reduces information asymmetry and errors in Aadhaar usage.
• Digital public goods: Strengthens citizen engagement around a foundational DPI.
District-Led Textiles Transformation (DLTT) Plan
Source: PIB
Subject: Government Scheme
Context: The Ministry of Textiles has announced the District-Led Textiles Transformation (DLTT) plan to convert 100 high-potential districts into Global Export Champions and upgrade 100 Aspirational Districts into self-reliant textile hubs.
About District-Led Textiles Transformation (DLTT) Plan:
What it is?
• A sector-specific, district-level transformation strategy that uses data-driven categorisation to strengthen India’s textile ecosystem—ranging from advanced export clusters to foundation-stage districts—through tailored interventions.
Ministry involved: Ministry of Textiles
Aim: To drive inclusive, sustainable, and export-oriented growth in textiles by decentralising policy execution to districts, strengthening MSMEs, formalising the workforce, and creating globally competitive clusters.
Key features:
• Data-driven district scoring: Based on Export Performance, MSME ecosystem, and Workforce presence.
• Two-pronged district strategy: Champion Districts (Scale & Sophistication): Mega Common Facility Centres (CFCs), Industry 4.0 adoption, advanced logistics, and direct export market linkages. Aspirational Districts (Foundation & Formalisation): Basic skilling & certification, Raw Material Banks, promotion of SHGs, cooperatives, and micro-enterprises.
• Champion Districts (Scale & Sophistication): Mega Common Facility Centres (CFCs), Industry 4.0 adoption, advanced logistics, and direct export market linkages.
• Aspirational Districts (Foundation & Formalisation): Basic skilling & certification, Raw Material Banks, promotion of SHGs, cooperatives, and micro-enterprises.
• Purvodaya convergence: Special focus on Eastern & North-Eastern India—tribal belt development, connectivity, and GI tagging of unique handicrafts.
• Collaborative model: Convergence of government schemes with industry and academia to scale proven cluster models.
Significance:
• Moves India up the textile value chain and diversifies export baskets.
• Strengthens MSMEs, formalises labour, and boosts women- and SHG-led enterprises.
• Accelerates development in aspirational, eastern, and north-eastern districts.
Dust EXperiment (DEX)
Source: IE
Subject: Science and Technology
Context: ISRO has confirmed that an interplanetary dust particle (IDP) enters Earth’s atmosphere roughly every 16 minutes, based on measurements from India’s first cosmic dust detector Dust EXperiment (DEX).
About Dust EXperiment (DEX):
What it is?
• DEX is India’s first indigenously developed cosmic dust detector, designed to detect and measure high-speed interplanetary and orbital dust particles impacting Earth’s upper atmosphere.
Developed by:
• Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
• Developed by Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad
• Flown aboard PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM) of the PSLV-C58 XPoSat mission.
Aim: To directly measure cosmic dust flux in Earth’s atmosphere and generate mission-critical data for space environment monitoring, satellite safety, and future crewed deep-space missions.
Key features:
• Hypervelocity principle: Detects dust impacts travelling at >4 km/s, capable of melting or disintegrating on impact.
• Compact & efficient: 3 kg payload with ultra-low 4.5 W power consumption.
• Wide field of view: 140° detector for enhanced hit probability.
• Low-Earth orbit testing: Operated at ~350 km altitude with 9.5° inclination.
• High detection rate: Logged impacts at a rate of ~1 particle per 1,000 seconds.
• Measured dust flux: ~6.5 × 10⁻³ particles m⁻² s⁻¹, validating global dust models.
About Interplanetary Dust Particles (IDPs):
• What they are? IDPs are microscopic fragments of comets, asteroids, and meteoroids that constantly rain onto planetary atmospheres and produce the “meteor layer”, visible occasionally as shooting stars.
• IDPs are microscopic fragments of comets, asteroids, and meteoroids that constantly rain onto planetary atmospheres and produce the “meteor layer”, visible occasionally as shooting stars.
• How they are formed?
• Cometary debris: Released when comets heat up near the Sun. Asteroidal collisions: Generated from high-energy impacts in the asteroid belt. Cosmic erosion: Gradual breakdown of celestial bodies over millions of years.
• Cometary debris: Released when comets heat up near the Sun.
• Asteroidal collisions: Generated from high-energy impacts in the asteroid belt.
• Cosmic erosion: Gradual breakdown of celestial bodies over millions of years.
• Implications:
• Spacecraft safety: Even tiny particles at hypervelocity can cause catastrophic damage to satellites and crewed spacecraft. Space weather & environment: Influence orbital debris dynamics and near-Earth space conditions. Planetary science: Provide clues about early solar system evolution. Future missions: DEX-like instruments can enable first-ever dust measurements in Venusian and Martian atmospheres, and around the Moon—crucial for Moon-Mars human exploration.
• Spacecraft safety: Even tiny particles at hypervelocity can cause catastrophic damage to satellites and crewed spacecraft.
• Space weather & environment: Influence orbital debris dynamics and near-Earth space conditions.
• Planetary science: Provide clues about early solar system evolution.
• Future missions: DEX-like instruments can enable first-ever dust measurements in Venusian and Martian atmospheres, and around the Moon—crucial for Moon-Mars human exploration.
PANKHUDI portal
Source: DD News
Subject: Government Scheme
Context: Union Minister has launched PANKHUDI, an integrated digital portal to enhance ease of living for women and children by streamlining CSR partnerships and stakeholder collaboration.
About PANKHUDI portal:
What it is?
• A single-window, integrated digital platform that facilitates CSR and voluntary partnerships for women and child development, enabling transparent contributions, proposal tracking, and outcome monitoring across priority social sectors.
Ministry: Ministry of Women and Child Development
Aim: To strengthen coordination, transparency, and structured participation among government, citizens, NRIs, NGOs, and corporates, thereby improving service delivery and outcomes for women and children nationwide.
Key features:
• Unified CSR interface: One platform for individuals, NRIs, NGOs, corporates, and government agencies.
• Priority themes: Nutrition, health, Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), child welfare & protection, and women’s safety & empowerment.
• Flagship mission support: Digitally strengthens implementation of Mission Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0, Mission Vatsalya, and Mission Shakti through defined workflows.
• End-to-end transparency: Online registration, proposal submission, approvals, and real-time tracking; non-cash contributions only to ensure traceability.
• Scale of impact: Improves infrastructure and services across 14+ lakh Anganwadi Centres, ~5,000 Child Care Institutions, ~800 One Stop Centres, ~500 Shakhi Niwas, and ~400 Shakti Sadan.
Significance:
• Reduces friction for partnerships with government via a trusted, tech-enabled framework.
• Enhances monitoring, convergence, and measurable impact of social investments.
Child marriage and India
Source: News on Air
Subject: Miscellaneous
Context: The Government of India has intensified efforts to eliminate child marriage through the Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat (BVMB) campaign, aiming to reduce prevalence by 10% by 2026 and make India child marriage-free by 2030.
About Child marriage and India:
What it is?
• Child marriage refers to any marital union where the female is below 18 years or the male below 21 years of age.
History of child marriage laws in India:
• India’s fight against child marriage dates back to 19th-century social reform movements led by Raja Rammohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, and Jyotirao Phule.
• Age of Consent Act, 1891: First legal attempt to address early marriage.
• Child Marriage Restraint Act (Sarda Act), 1929: Set minimum marriage age at 14 for girls and 18 for boys.
• Amendments (1948 & 1978): Raised age to 18 for girls and 21 for boys.
• Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006: Shifted focus from restraint to prohibition, protection, and punishment.
Current laws governing child marriage:
• Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006: Declares child marriages voidable (and void in cases of force, trafficking, or deceit); provides for Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPOs).
• Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023: Sexual relations with a wife below 18 years constitute rape.
• POCSO Act, 2012: Treats sexual assault within child marriage as aggravated penetrative sexual assault.
India’s targets to eradicate child marriage:
• Reduce prevalence by 10% by 2026.
• Eliminate child marriage by 2030, in line with SDG 5.3.
• Achieve district- and panchayat-level “child marriage-free” status through community-driven enforcement and awareness.
Current trends in India:
• Prevalence: NFHS-5 (2019–21) shows 23% of women aged 20–24 were married before 18, a decline from previous decades but still significant.
• Regional concentration: Higher prevalence in states like West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and parts of central and eastern India.
Spina Bifida
Source: TH
Subject: Science and Technology
Context: India continues to report one of the highest global burdens of Spina Bifida, despite clear scientific evidence that pre-conception folic acid intake can prevent over 70% of cases.
About Spina Bifida:
What it is?
• Spina Bifida is a congenital neural tube defect in which the spinal cord and its protective coverings fail to develop properly during early pregnancy, leading to varying degrees of paralysis and lifelong disability.
Nature of condition:
• Non-communicable, non-infectious birth defect
• Occurs due to abnormal closure of the neural tube in the first 28 days after conception
• Strongly linked to maternal folate deficiency
Causes:
• Inadequate folic acid intake before and during early pregnancy (primary cause)
• Poor maternal nutrition and anaemia
• Unplanned pregnancies without micronutrient supplementation
• Possible genetic susceptibility combined with environmental factors
Key features of Spina Bifida:
• Visible swelling/lump on the back: In open spina bifida, the spinal cord or its coverings protrude through an opening in the spine, appearing as a sac-like swelling at birth.
• Paralysis or weakness of lower limbs: Damage to spinal nerves leads to partial or complete loss of movement and sensation in the legs, depending on the level of defect.
• Hydrocephalus: Abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain occurs due to impaired drainage, often requiring surgical shunt placement.
• Urinary and bowel incontinence: Nerve damage affects bladder and bowel control, causing lifelong difficulties in continence management.
• Orthopaedic deformities (club foot): Muscle imbalance and nerve dysfunction result in skeletal abnormalities such as club foot and joint contractures.
Treatment of Spina Bifida:
• Early surgical repair: Closure of the spinal defect soon after birth to prevent infection and further nerve damage.
• Hydrocephalus management: Placement of a ventriculo-peritoneal (VP) shunt to drain excess fluid from the brain.
• Rehabilitation care: Long-term physiotherapy and occupational therapy to maximise mobility and independence.
• Orthopaedic interventions: Corrective surgeries, braces, or casts for deformities such as club foot.
#### UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 9 January 2026 Mapping:
Greenland
Source: TOI
Subject: Mapping
Context: The proposal by US President Donald Trump to acquire Greenland has resurfaced, triggering strong opposition from Denmark and European allies, who cite sovereignty and international law constraints.
About Greenland:
What it is?
• Greenland (Kalaallit Nunaat) is the world’s largest island and a self-governing territory with extensive internal autonomy, while remaining within the Kingdom of Denmark.
Located in:
• North Atlantic Ocean and Arctic region
• Largely within the Arctic Circle, between North America and Europe
Key geological features:
• Greenland Ice Sheet: Covers about 80% of the island, second only to Antarctica, and a critical indicator of global climate change.
• Ancient shield rocks: Geologically part of the Canadian Shield, composed mainly of Precambrian rocks.
• Fjords and glaciers: Deeply indented coastlines with fast-moving outlet glaciers such as Jakobshavn Glacier.
• Resource potential: Significant deposits of rare earth elements, critical minerals, and hydrocarbons.
Currently governed by:
• Denmark retains control over defence, foreign affairs, and currency.
• Greenland’s elected government manages domestic affairs, under the Self-Rule Act (2009), which recognises the right to self-determination.
Limits under international law:
• UN Charter (Article 2(4)) prohibits acquisition of territory by threat or use of force.
• Any territorial transfer requires free, voluntary consent of the concerned sovereign state(s) and the people of Greenland.
• Annexation or coerced cession is considered illegal under modern international law.
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