Current Affairs – February 26, 2026

{GS2 – Polity} Supreme Court Bans NCERT Textbook for Contempt of Court **

Context (TH): Supreme Court ordered a blanket ban on a new Class 8 NCERT Social Science textbook over a section titled “corruption in the judiciary.”

Chapter Content: The chapter included references to judicial corruption, case backlogs, and complaints against judges, along with a quote from an ex-CJI acknowledging systemic flaws.
Court’s Finding: A three-judge bench led by CJI Surya Kant described the chapter’s inclusion as a “calculated move to undermine” the institution, amounting prima facie to criminal contempt.
Bench Order: The bench ordered immediate seizure of all physical copies and removal of all digital versions. It issued show-cause notices to the NCERT Director and the Education Secretary.
Contempt Case: The Court registered a suo motu case in this matter as a Criminal Contempt under Section 2(c) of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971.
Constitutional Basis: The Supreme Court exercised its inherent authority as a Court of Record under Article 129 to punish for contempt.

Supreme Court’s Rationale for the Ban

Basic Structure: The textbook content directly undermines judicial independence, a core component of the Basic Structure Doctrine.
Impressionable Minds: Young students must be protected from material that could distort their perception of the justice system.
Selective Framing: The chapter’s selective reference to corruption, while omitting the judiciary’s role in upholding democracy, scandalises the institution.
Public Trust: Such content constitutes interference with the administration of justice by eroding public trust in the judiciary.

About Contempt of Court

Contempt of court refers to any act that disrespects the dignity, defies the authority, or obstructs the administration of justice.
Constitutional Power: The Supreme Court and the High Courts have the power to punish for contempt under Article 129 and Article 215 of the Constitution, respectively.
Classification: Under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, contempt is classified into two types
1. Civil Contempt: Wilful disobedience to any judgment or order of a court.
2. Criminal Contempt: Acts or publications that scandalise, lower the authority of, or obstruct the administration of justice.

Read More > Contempt of Court

{GS2 – Polity} Eastern Nagaland Autonomy

Context (TH): Centre signed a tripartite agreement with the Government of Nagaland and the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) to establish the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority.

Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) grants enhanced administrative and financial autonomy to six eastern districts — Kiphire, Longleng, Mon, Noklak, Shamator, and Tuensang.

Background of the ENPO Demand

Separate Statehood Aspiration: The ENPO consistently demanded the creation of a separate ‘Frontier Nagaland’ State, citing decades-long perceptions of administrative and developmental neglect.
Political Escalation: ENPO called for a Lok Sabha election boycott (2024) to press the demand.
Core Grievance: Perceived development gap (connectivity, services, institutions) vis-à-vis western Nagaland (widely reported in analyses).

Why did the Centre Accept the Autonomy Demand?

Strategic Frontier Stability: Eastern Nagaland’s proximity to the India–Myanmar border, marked by cross-border vulnerabilities, elevated the urgency of political accommodation.
Political Signalling Pressure: The ENPO’s Lok Sabha election boycott call (2024) underscored the depth of regional discontent and its potential implications for democratic legitimacy.
Insufficient Financial Packages: Earlier confidence-building measures, including special packages, proved inadequate in addressing core political and autonomy-driven aspirations.

About Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA)

Devolutionary Autonomy Mechanism: FNTA represents an institutional experiment in asymmetric federal governance, granting autonomy without altering state boundaries.
Regional Administrative Decentralisation: Establishment of a mini-secretariat framework aims to bring governance structures closer to remote tribal populations.
Legislative & Executive Jurisdiction: The Authority exercises powers across 46 identified subjects, enabling context-specific policy responses in land use, development, and livelihoods.
Financial Resource Allocation: Developmental outlays are structured around population and area-based metrics, with the Ministry of Home Affairs providing financial support for initial requirements.
Constitutional Safeguard Continuity: FNTA operates without disturbing protections under Article 371(A), preserving customary laws and traditional Naga institutional frameworks.

{GS2 – MoPNG} MoPNG Directs Nationwide Sale of E20 Ethanol-Blended Petrol **

Context (TH): Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) has directed oil marketing companies to sell petrol blended with up to 20% ethanol (E20) from April 1, 2026.

Legal Basis: The directive was issued under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, in conjunction with the Motor Spirit and High-Speed Diesel Order, 2005.
Fuel Standard: E20 petrol must meet Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) specifications, with a minimum Research Octane Number (RON) of 95.
Exceptions: Central Government may grant exemptions for specific regions and for limited periods under special circumstances.
Objective: The mandate aims to standardise high-octane fuel across all States and Union Territories for modern engine requirements and environmental goals.
Revised Deadline: The 2022 amendment to the National Policy on Biofuels 2018 advanced the 20% ethanol blending target deadline from 2030 to Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2025-26.

About Research Octane Number (RON)

RON is a standardised measure of a fuel’s ability to resist engine knocking (premature detonation). A higher RON indicates greater resistance to pre-ignition.
Ethanol RON: Ethanol possesses a naturally high-octane value of approximately 108 RON, well above the mandated 95 RON threshold for E20.
Engine Protection: A minimum 95 RON standard protects modern high-compression engines from long-term mechanical damage and improves combustion efficiency.

Significance of the Directive

Energy Security: The mandate advances the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme to reduce India’s crude oil import bill by an estimated ₹40,000 crore annually.
Agricultural Growth: The policy creates a guaranteed, high-volume market for ethanol derived from sugarcane and surplus food grains.
Climate Commitments: The adoption of E20 fuel reduces tailpipe carbon monoxide emissions, advancing India’s ‘Panchamrit‘ goal of net-zero emissions by 2070.
Circular Bioeconomy: This transition promotes a circular bioeconomy by incentivising the conversion of agricultural waste and damaged food grains into sustainable fuel.

Read More> Ethanol Blending | India’s Biofuel Push

Context (TH): Recent tragedies and clinical trends highlight a growing but under-recognised burden of child and adolescent mental health challenges in a rapidly expanding digital environment.

Adolescent Mental Health Burden in India

Early Onset Disorders: Emotional and behavioural conditions are now observed in younger children, often emerging by ages 4–5, signalling early developmental stress exposures.
Rising Prevalence: Population studies estimate that nearly 7–10% of Indian adolescents live with diagnosable mental health conditions (National Mental Health Survey).
Neurodevelopmental Load: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affects roughly 5–7% of school-aged children, with long-term academic and social implications.

Drivers of the Quiet Crisis

Digital Immersion: Over 800 million Indians use smartphones and low-cost Internet, significantly increasing adolescent exposure to digital ecosystems.
Comorbidity Expansion: Increasing overlap of anxiety, depression, ADHD, and compulsive digital behaviours complicates diagnosis, delaying recognition and intervention.
Stigma Persistence: Deep-rooted social stigma surrounding mental health suppresses early help-seeking, leading to crisis-driven rather than preventive care pathways.

Constraints in Tackling Quiet Crisis

Workforce Deficit: India has fewer than 10,000 psychiatrists for over 1.4 billion people, translating to nearly 0.75 psychiatrists per 100,000 population, far below WHO adequacy thresholds.
Specialisation Gap: Only a small fraction of mental-health professionals specialise in child and adolescent psychiatry, intensifying early diagnosis and care-access bottlenecks.
School-Level Blind Spot: Nearly 70% of adolescents with mental health needs remain undiagnosed, partly due to the absence of structured screening systems (NMHS).
Delayed Treatment Window: Studies indicate an average delay of 2–5 years between symptom onset and clinical intervention for mental-health conditions in India.

Way Forward

Early Screening Integration: Institutionalise routine mental-health assessments across youth ecosystems; E.g., school health services under Ayushman Bharat – Health & Wellness Centres.
Accessible Crisis Support: Expand low-friction mental-health access channels; E.g., Tele-MANAS (14416) providing 24/7 digital addiction support.
Digital Risk Regulation: Strengthen behavioural-risk governance frameworks; E.g., Online Gaming (Regulation) Act, 2025, targeting addiction and compulsive engagement patterns.
Age-Sensitive Platform Controls: Develop adolescent digital-exposure safeguards; E.g., ongoing consultations on Australia-style age-based social media restrictions for users under 16.

Context (PIB | DDN): Ministry of Health and Family Welfare recently launched the indigenous Tetanus and Adult Diphtheria (Td) vaccine.

This new vaccine officially replaces the traditional Tetanus Toxoid (TT) vaccine in India’s Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP). The vaccine was developed by Central Research Institute (CRI), Kasauli.
Dual Protection: The Td vaccine offers protection against both Tetanus and Diphtheria, unlike the TT vaccine, which only targets tetanus.

About Tetanus

Tetanus, commonly known as lockjaw, is a life-threatening, non-communicable disease caused by the bacterium Clostridium tetani.
The infection occurs when bacterial spores enter the body through contaminated wounds from soil, dust, or animal faeces.
The bacteria produce a neurotoxin that blocks inhibitory signals in the central nervous system.
Symptoms: Painful, involuntary muscle spasms that typically begin with a locked jaw.

About Diphtheria

Diphtheria is an acute, highly contagious bacterial infection caused by the respiratory pathogen Corynebacterium diphtheriae.
Transmission: Mainly through respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing, or direct contact with infected skin lesions.
Symptoms: It forms a pseudomembrane of dead tissue in the nose or throat, causing respiratory obstruction; it also causes sore throat, mild fever, and “bull neck” (swollen lymph nodes).

{GS2 – MoD} Defence Budget as Deterrence Consolidation

Context (IE): Union Budget 2026–27 recorded a major rise in defence allocation, marking a significant shift toward capability-driven national security planning.

Key Budgetary Shifts in the Defence Sector

Overall Allocation: Outlay increased by 15.19%, rising from ₹6.81 lakh crore to ₹7.85 lakh crore.
Capital Expansion: Capital outlay surged by 21.8%, reaching ₹2.19 lakh crore, accelerating the acquisition of advanced fighter aircraft, submarines, drones, and next-generation platforms.
Aatmanirbhar Bharat: ~ 75% of modernisation expenditure earmarked for indigenous procurement.

Strategic Rationale Behind Spending Surge

Deterrence Credibility: Investments enhance deterrence stability by strengthening capability depth.
Capability Restoration: Budgetary expansion addresses force-level shortfalls; E.g., fighter squadron strength remains near 30–32 squadrons vs sanctioned 42, highlighting structural gaps.
Modernisation Imperative: Rising allocation reflects technological transition needs.
China’s Capability Expansion: Decades of PLA modernisation, naval expansion, and border infrastructure development reshape regional deterrence equations.
Two-Front Dynamics: Deepening China–Pakistan military coordination intensifies multi-domain preparedness and rapid mobilisation requirements.
Maritime Security Demands: Expanding Indo-Pacific theatre responsibilities increase naval asset stretch and force projection pressures.

Criticism Faced by India’s Defence Expansion

Arms Race Narrative: Rising defence expenditure is sometimes framed internationally as contributing to regional militarisation, particularly within the Indo-Pacific security landscape.
Developmental Trade-Offs: Critics argue that higher military allocations may constrain fiscal space for welfare spending in health, education, and social protection sectors.
Security Dilemma Risks: Defence modernisation is occasionally interpreted by adversaries as escalatory signalling, potentially triggering reciprocal capability build-ups.

{GS2 – IR} U.S. Imposes 125.87% Preliminary Countervailing Duty on Indian Solar Imports *

Context (IE): U.S. Department of Commerce imposed a preliminary countervailing duty (CVD) of 125.87% on Indian solar cells and modules, following an investigation into unfair trade practices.

Subsidy Allegation: The U.S. alleges that Indian exporters benefit from ‘Actionable Subsidies’, which allow them to undercut U.S. domestic producers on price.
Hidden Subsidy: The duties also target ‘Cross-Border Input Subsidies,’ where subsidised Chinese inputs allegedly give Indian manufacturers artificially lower production costs.
Circumvention Claim: The investigation alleges that Chinese manufacturers are relocating assembly to India to bypass direct trade barriers on Chinese goods.
Duty Calculation: The duty was calculated using the ‘Facts Available’ provision under Article 12.7 of the WTO SCM Agreement, after Indian firms failed to provide the required data.
- Adverse Inferences: The provision allows the investigating country to apply ‘Adverse Inferences’ to set maximum duty rates when exporting firms fail to fully cooperate.

Under the WTO SCM Agreement, an actionable or “yellow light” subsidy is a government financial contribution that is permitted but can be challenged if it harms another country’s trade interests.
A countervailing duty (CVD) is a trade tariff imposed to offset the cost advantage that imported goods gain from government subsidies in their country of origin.

Key Subsidy Schemes Under Investigation

AAP: Advance Authorisation Programme (AAP) allows duty-free import of raw materials specifically for use in exported goods.
EPCG: Export Promotion of Capital Goods (EPCG) scheme allows manufacturers to import factory machinery at 0% duty, subject to a specific export obligation.
DBK: Duty Drawback (DBK) Programme refunds customs and excise duties paid on inputs used in the manufacture of export goods.
PLI: Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme provides direct cash transfers to eligible manufacturers based on their incremental sales and domestic value addition.
RoDTEP: Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) refunds embedded duties and taxes that are not otherwise credited to exporters.
State Subsidies: State-level industrial subsidies include the provision of land at below-market rates and subsidised electricity and water.

India’s Solar Export to the U.S.

Export Growth: India’s solar module exports to the U.S. rose ninefold, from $83.86 million in 2022 to $792.6 million in 2024.
Export Dependence: U.S. accounted for over 90-95% of India’s total solar module exports from FY 2023 to FY 2025.
Market Share: India’s share of the U.S. solar market rose from 3% in 2022 to 11% in 2024-25. Vietnam leads at 36%.

Read More > India’s Solar Energy Indigenisation

{GS3 – Infra} Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) *

Context (TOI | TH): The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is investigating the crash of a Redbird Airways air ambulance in Jharkhand.

The AAIB Investigators confirmed that the aircraft was not equipped with black boxes.

About Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB)

The AAIB is an independent statutory body, established in 2012, to investigate aircraft accidents and serious incidents in Indian airspace.
Objective: To identify systemic failures and prevent recurrence through safety recommendations.
Nodal Ministry: AAIB functions under the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
Statutory Basis: It is governed by the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024, and operates under the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017, as amended in 2021.
International Obligation: It aligns with Annex 13 of the Chicago Convention, under the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

ICAO is a specialised United Nations agency established in 1944 under the Chicago Convention (Convention on International Civil Aviation). India is a founding member of ICAO.

Punitive Limits: Unlike the DGCA, the bureau lacks punitive powers and cannot suspend licences, ground airlines, or impose fines.

About Black Box

A black box is an electronic flight recording system installed in commercial aircraft to facilitate post-accident investigations.
It is orange in colour to ensure high visibility and is made of titanium or steel to withstand heat and high-impact conditions.
Components: It comprises two recording devices: Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR).
1. FDR: Continuously logs hundreds of technical flight parameters per second, including aircraft altitude, airspeed, heading, and engine performance.
2. CVR: Records the flight deck’s audio environment, documenting pilot conversations, air traffic control communications, and ambient operational noises.
Regulatory Mandate: Under DGCA Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR), these devices are mandatory for aircraft with a Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) exceeding 5,700 kg.

{GS3 – Envi} Unpackaging the Illusion of Safe Bottled Water

Context (TH): Growing dependence on packaged drinking water reflects declining public trust in municipal supplies, even as emerging research highlights less visible contamination risks.

Reasons for Dependence on Bottled Water

Trust Deficit: NSSO surveys indicate that nearly 35–40% of urban households report concerns over municipal drinking-water quality.
Safety Perception: Packaged water is widely equated with purity despite evolving contamination risks; E.g., India’s bottled-water market has crossed ₹20,000 crore.
Convenience Economy: Expanding retail penetration reinforces habitual consumption patterns.

Emerging Contamination Concerns on Bottled Water

Microplastic Exposure: Studies across cities consistently detect microplastics in bottled water; E.g., Nagpur-based research found 72–212 particles per litre.
Nanoplastic Blind Spot: Global estimates suggest nanoplastic may constitute a significant fraction of ingested particulate contaminants (OECD).
Chemical Leaching: Plastic additives such as phthalates and antimony migrate into water under heat exposure, common during storage and transport in India.

Regulatory Gaps Faced in the Bottled Water Industry

Testing Limitations: FSSAI regulations do not prescribe permissible limits for microplastics.
Enforcement Variability: State-level surveys periodically detect substandard samples; E.g., Karnataka inspections have identified bottled-water non-compliance rates exceeding 20% in certain audits.
Fragmented Industry: Thousands of small bottling units complicate oversight; for example, India hosts an estimated 4,000+ packaged-water units, many of which operate at local scales.
Groundwater Stress: Bottled-water extraction intensifies aquifer depletion; E.g., NITI Aayog warns that nearly 60% of Indian districts face groundwater stress.

Way Forward

Regulatory Modernisation: Update safety standards to include microplastic monitoring; E.g., aligning with WHO-led emerging contaminant frameworks.
Municipal System Strengthening: Improve reliability and transparency of public water systems; E.g., Jal Jeevan Mission quality-monitoring expansion.
Refill Infrastructure: Expand monitored public water-dispensing networks; E.g., Railways’ ‘Rail Neer’ plants, reducing single-use plastic dependence.

{Prelims – S&T} SUJVIKA Portal

Context (PIB): Ministry of Science and Technology launched the SUJVIKA portal to mark the 40^th Foundation Day of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT).

SUJVIKA is an AI-driven biotech product data portal. It was developed by the DBT in collaboration with its industry partner, the ABLE (Association of Biotechnology-Led Enterprises).
It presents structured biotechnology import statistics, enabling researchers to identify priority areas.
The platform guides evidence-based local manufacturing planning and promotes public-private partnerships to strengthen the national bioeconomy.
Strategic Role: It supports India’s roadmap to achieve a $1 trillion bioeconomy by 2047.

India’s Bioeconomy Landscape

India’s bioeconomy expanded from $10 billion in 2014 to $165.7 billion in 2026. The sector currently contributes nearly 4.25% to India’s GDP.
Biotechnology startups increased significantly from roughly 50 in 2014 to over 13,000 in 2025.
Policy Framework: India is implementing the BioE3 Policy (Economy, Employment, and Environment) to achieve a $300 billion bioeconomy by 2030.

{Prelims – S&T} Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO India) *

Context (ET): Larsen & Toubro (L&T) secured the contract to set up the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO India) in Maharashtra.

About LIGO India

LIGO India is a scientific project to establish an interferometer-based observatory for detecting gravitational waves.
- LIGO uses two long, L-shaped vacuum tubes and laser beams to detect the minuscule stretching and squeezing of space caused by passing gravitational waves.
The initiative is a joint effort between the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), the Department of Science and Technology (DST), and the US National Science Foundation (NSF).
Leader Institutes: Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Institute for Plasma Research (IPR), & the Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT).
Global Network: LIGO India will augment the existing network of gravitational-wave detectors, joining the two observatories in the USA, Virgo in Italy, and KAGRA in Japan.
Significance: The facility will elevate India’s leadership in astrophysics and strengthen high-precision manufacturing of technology.

About Gravitational Waves

Gravitational waves are ripples in the fabric of spacetime caused by violent cosmic processes like colliding black holes or neutron stars.
These waves carry unique, uncorrupted information about their cosmic origins and the fundamental nature of gravity.
Albert Einstein predicted these waves in 1916 through his General Theory of Relativity.

Read More > How LIGO Detects Gravitational Waves

{Prelims – Exercise} Exercise Dharma Guardian

Context (DDN): The 7^th edition of the India-Japan joint military exercise, ‘Dharma Guardian’, began at the Foreign Training Node in Chaubattia, Uttarakhand.

It is an annual bilateral military exercise held alternately in India and Japan.
Objective: Enhance interoperability for counter-terrorism operations under a United Nations mandate.
Key Activities: Establishing an Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) grid, heliborne missions, and house-intervention drills in realistic, challenging terrain.
Technological Integration: The 2026 edition showcases AI-enabled sensors that transmit real-time battlefield data for the first time.
Significance: The drill reinforces the India–Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership and reaffirms their commitment to a rules-based order in Indo-Pacific.

{Prelims – Exercise} Exercise Agni Varsha

Context (TH): The Southern Command of the Indian Army conducted Exercise Agni Varsha at the Pokhran Field Firing Ranges in Rajasthan.

It is a large-scale, fire-and-manoeuvre military drill to validate operational readiness and integrated combat capabilities in a desert environment.
Technological Integration: The exercise incorporated unmanned aerial systems (UAS), counter-drone solutions, modern artillery, and networked surveillance assets.
Asset Showcased: Included T-90 battle tanks, infantry combat vehicles, K-9 Vajra, and Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) Dhruv.

{Prelims – PIN World} Jeju Island *

Context (IE | LM): India issued a travel advisory clarifying Jeju Island’s visa-free entry rules after a reported detention of an Indian traveller under the Republic of Korea’s visa waiver scheme.

The advisory emphasised that visa-free eligibility does not guarantee entry, which remains subject to immigration clearance under Korean law.

About Jeju Island

Geographic Type: Jeju is South Korea’s largest and southernmost volcanic island.
Location: Jeju lies near the Korean Strait, separating South Korea from Japan (Tsushima Islands).
Administrative Status: Jeju is formally designated as the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, enjoying enhanced administrative autonomy within the Republic of Korea since 1 July 2006.
Highest Peak: Mount Hallasan (1,950 m), a dormant volcano, is the tallest mountain in South Korea.
UNESCO Status: Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes were designated a UNESCO WHS (2007).
Climate Character: Warm ocean currents give an oceanic climate supporting subtropical vegetation.