Current Affairs – March 03, 2026

{GS1 – IS} Homemaking Recognised as a Legally Relevant Role with Significant Economic Value

Context (IE): The Delhi High Court ruled that homemaking is a legally relevant role whose economic value must be considered in maintenance decisions.

Earning Capacity: Educational qualifications or the ability to work alone cannot justify denying maintenance, as earning capacity differs from actual income.
Joint Property: Property acquired during marriage qualifies as a joint contribution because a homemaker’s labour builds the savings that fund such purchases.

Status of Homemaking in India

Notional Income: The Supreme Court ruled that a homemaker’s notional income in motor accident claims must not be lower than the minimum wage for skilled workers.
Time Poverty: 2^nd All-India Time Use Survey found women aged 15-59 spend 305 minutes daily on unpaid domestic work, 3.5 times that of men.
SNA Exclusion: Standard System of National Accounts (SNA) excludes homemaking from formal GDP calculations as these services involve no market transaction.
GDP Share: Women’s unpaid domestic work is estimated at 15-17% of India’s GDP.
Legal Gap: Labour Codes do not recognise homemakers as workers and provide no statutory social security coverage.

Economic Gender Inequality in India

Indices: India ranks 102^ndout of 193 countries on the UNDP Gender Inequality Index (GII) and 131^st out of 148 countries in the WEF Global Gender Gap Report (GGR).
Income Gap: Women earn only 18% of national labour income in India and 30-40% less than men in comparable urban roles.
STEM Gap: Despite comprising the world’s highest share of female STEM graduates at 40%, women make up only 27% of India’s STEM workforce.
FLFPR: Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) stands at ~40%, leaving over half of working-age women outside the labour force.
Digital Gap: India has one of the highest digital gender gaps, with only ~40% of women using mobile internet regularly.

Read More> Gender Inequality in India

Context (TH): Amid rising global cancer incidence, India’s large patient base, genetic diversity, and cost-efficient ecosystem position it as a future leader in global cancer research.

India’s Competitive Advantage for Cancer Research

Genomic Diversity: India’s 4,600+ distinct ethnic groups yield a massive library of unique genetic variants for identifying population-specific cancer biomarkers.
Patient Pool: Its massive, treatment-naïve patient pool ensures high-quality data and rapid recruitment for oncology trials.
Cost Advantage: India offers 40%-70% lower costs for clinical trials and drug development than Western countries.
AI Training: The country’s diverse clinical caseload gives hospitals high-density datasets for training AI-driven diagnostic tools.
Strategic Appeal: Rising Western costs and China tensions position India as a stable, neutral destination for global biomedical investment.

Government Initiatives for Cancer Prevention and Treatment

NP-NCD: National Programme for Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD) delivers screening, treatment, and palliative care for cancer and other NCDs at primary and district levels.
Tertiary Expansion: State Cancer Institutes and Tertiary Care Centres decentralise advanced oncology treatment beyond metropolitan cities.
PM-JAY: Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY provides ₹5 lakh annual hospitalisation cover per family, including chemotherapy and cancer surgeries.
BPL Support: The Health Minister’s Cancer Patient Fund grants up to ₹5 lakh in direct assistance to Below Poverty Line patients; special cases receive up to ₹15 lakh.
Protocol Standardisation: National Cancer Grid links 280+ medical centres to standardise oncology protocols nationwide.
Cancer Surveillance: ICMR’s National Cancer Registry Programme monitors cancer incidence and mortality trends to guide evidence-based cancer policy.
Quad Moonshot: Under the Quad Cancer Moonshot, India partners with Indo-Pacific countries to eliminate cervical cancer.

Cancer Statistics in India

Burden: India records over 1.5 million new cancer cases annually, with 2.5 million projected by 2045.
Risk: One in every nine Indians faces a lifetime cancer risk.
Male Cancers: Lung cancer is the most prevalent, followed by mouth and prostate cancers.
Female Cancers: Breast cancer leads both in incidence and mortality, followed by cervical cancer.
Hotspot: Northeast India carries the highest cancer burden.
- Aizawl (Mizoram) leads in male cancer incidence, and Papumpare (Arunachal Pradesh) in female.
Diagnosis: Nearly 80% of patients are diagnosed at advanced stages, resulting in a high mortality-to-incidence ratio of ~0.57.

Read More> Cancer as Notifiable Disease

{GS2 – IR} India-Canada Formally Resume CEPA Negotiations **

Context (PIB): Canadian PM Mark Carney concluded his state visit to India, signalling a reset in bilateral diplomatic relations.

Key Outcome of PM Carney’s Visit to India

Fuel Security: Canada’s Cameco will supply uranium ore concentrates from 2027 to 2035 to support India’s nuclear energy expansion.
Trade Talks: Negotiations for the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) formally resumed, with a target to conclude by end-2026.
Trade Target: A $50 billion bilateral trade target was set for 2030.
Climate Entry: Canada announced its intent to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and upgrade to full membership in the Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA).
Tech Partnership: The trilateral Australia-Canada-India Technology and Innovation (ACITI) Partnership will advance cooperation in emerging technologies.
Agri Centre: The India-Canada Pulse Protein Centre of Excellence was announced at NIFTEM-Kundli, Haryana, with a focus on fortified pulse products.
Student Mobility: Canada will offer fully funded research internships to 300 Indian students each year.
Mineral MoU: A MoU on Critical Minerals Cooperation was signed to build secure and resilient mineral supply chains.

Overview of India-Canada Bilateral Relations

India and Canada are celebrating 79 years of diplomatic relations in 2026 under a Renewed Strategic Partnership following a period of diplomatic strain.
Trade Volume: Total bilateral merchandise trade reached ~$9 billion in FY 2024-25.
Trade Balance: Both merchandise and services trade remain in Canada’s favour.
- Export Basket: Pharmaceuticals, iron and steel, jewellery, textiles, organic chemicals, etc.
- Import Basket: Pulses (lentils), coal, fertilisers, wood pulp, newsprint, etc.
Defence: An India-Canada Defence Dialogue was formalised during PM Carney’s 2026 visit.
Diaspora: Persons of Indian origin constitute around 5% of Canada’s population (~2 million).
- India remains the largest source of international students in Canada, with nearly 4 lakh enrolled.
Key Divergences: Khalistani extremism, free speech interpretation, selective human rights criticism, and extradition delays.

{GS3 – S&T} Space Re-entry and Gaganyaan Return System *

Context (TH): Space re-entry is a crucial aspect of India’s Gaganyaan Mission to ensure the safe return of astronauts to Earth.

About Space Re-entry

Space re-entry describes the process by which a spacecraft or crew capsule returns from orbit and safely passes through Earth’s atmosphere to land on the surface.
De-orbit Burn: The spacecraft reverses direction and activates engines before re-entry to reduce orbital speed (~28,000 km/h). This enables gravity to pull it into the atmosphere.
Re-entry Corridor: It is a narrow, specific angle at which a spacecraft must enter Earth’s atmosphere to avoid burning up or bouncing back into space.
Aerodynamic Deceleration: As the spacecraft enters denser air, atmospheric drag reduces nearly 98% of its speed.
Compression Heating: The spacecraft’s high speed compresses air, generating intense heat and raising temperatures up to 1,650°C (for re-entry from LEO).
Communication Blackout: The intense heat ionises the surrounding air, forming a plasma layer that blocks radio signals for several minutes.
Parachute Deployment: As the craft slows to near terminal velocity, drogue parachutes deploy first, followed by main parachutes to ensure a safe landing.
Thermal Protection: Capsules use ablative heat shields that burn away to carry heat with them; the Space Shuttle used ceramic tiles and a blunt shape to deflect heat.
Impact on Astronauts: During rapid deceleration, astronauts experience 4–8 times Earth’s gravity, making breathing hard and causing brief blackouts.

Re-entry Mechanism of Gaganyaan Mission

Gaganyaan Orbital Module consists of a Crew Module (CM) and a Service Module (SM).
Module Separation: Before re-entry, the SM detaches and burns up, while the heat-shielded CM continues its descent as a semi-ballistic body within the re-entry corridor.
Parachute System: A series of 10 parachutes deploy sequentially to quickly reduce descent speed.
Splashdown: The mission concludes with the CM making a controlled splashdown in the Arabian Sea.

Semi-ballistic Body: A re-entry vehicle that follows a largely ballistic path but generates limited aerodynamic lift for controlled steering during descent.
CM: It is a double-walled, pressurised structure designed by ISRO to accommodate three astronauts under Earth-like atmospheric conditions.

Read More > Gaganyaan Mission

{Prelims – Species} Forest Owlet (Heteroglaux blewitti) *

Context (TOI): A rare Forest Owlet (Heteroglaux blewitti) was sighted for the first time at Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh.

About Forest Owlet (Heteroglaux blewitti)

Forest Owlet is an endemic owl species rediscovered in 1997 after being presumed extinct for over 100 years.
Appearance: It is a small owl with an unspotted crown, white throat collar, and heavily banded wings and tail.
Behaviour: Unlike most owls, it is diurnal and shows rapid side-to-side tail flicking while hunting.
Habitat Preference: The species inhabits dry deciduous forests dominated by teak with an open canopy and dense undergrowth.
Distribution: The owl is restricted to central India with fragmented populations in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat.
Ecological Role: As an understory predator, it regulates populations of small mammals, reptiles, and large insects.
Key Threats: Habitat degradation from illegal logging, forest fires, and agricultural expansion.
Conservation Status: IUCN: Endangered; CITES: Appendix I; WPA: Schedule I

{Prelims – PAN} Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary to Host Second ‘Indian Bison Fest’

Context (TNE): Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary is hosting the second edition of the Indian Bison Fest to promote conservation of the Indian Bison (Gaur) through community-led eco-tourism.

About Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary

Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary is a dry deciduous forest in western Odisha, popularly known as the “Land of Bisons.”
Boundary: The sanctuary is bound on the east and north by the Hirakud Reservoir, formed by the Hirakud Dam on the Mahanadi River.
Historical Significance: Debrigarh served as an operational base for Veer Surendra Sai during his 19^th-century armed resistance against British colonial rule.
Floral Diversity: Mixed and dry deciduous trees like Sal, Bija, Amla, Dhaura, and Sissoo.
Faunal Diversity: Gaur, leopard, sloth bear, Chousingha, sambar deer, dhole, etc.
Astro Tourism: Debrigarh is famous for Dark Sky Tourism with unique glass-roofed stargazing facilities.
Sacred Site: Bara Bakra Caves and Waterfall are Hindu pilgrimage sites located within the sanctuary.

Read More> Indian Bison (Bos gaurus)

{Prelims – S&T} ALMA Telescope *

Context (PO): Astronomers recently captured a detailed image of the Central Molecular Zone (CMZ) using the Atacama Large Millimetre/Submillimetre Array (ALMA) telescope.

CMZ: It is a large, dense collection of gas and dust, holding nearly 10% of the galaxy’s molecular gas, located at the centre of the Milky Way.

ALMA is a state-of-the-art radio telescope that detects electromagnetic radiation at millimetre and submillimetre wavelengths (between infrared light and radio waves).
Location: It is situated at 5,050 metres on the Chajnantor Plateau in the Atacama Desert, Chile.
- The region’s extreme dryness and high altitude reduce atmospheric water vapour, allowing for clearer observations.
Global Partnership: It is an international collaboration involving Europe, North America, East Asia (Japan, Taiwan, South Korea), and Chile. India is not a direct partner.
Design: It includes 66 high-precision antennas that can be repositioned from 150 m to 16 km, to enable exceptionally high-resolution imaging.
Major Discoveries: ALMA identified early starburst galaxies (2013), imaged the protoplanetary disc of HL Tauri (2014), and observed an Einstein ring (2015).

{Prelims – S&T} New Study on Bacterial Gene Regulation

Context (DDN): A recent study by the Bose Institute and Rutgers University challenged the “sigma (σ) cycle” model of bacterial gene regulation.

About Sigma Cycle

Old Model: The sigma cycle was considered the universal mechanism for bacterial gene transcription, based on studies in Escherichia coli.
- Transcription is the process by which a specific DNA segment is copied into a complementary RNA strand by the enzyme RNA polymerase (RNAP).
Mechanism: A sigma factor (helper protein) binds to RNAP to initiate transcription and detaches during DNA-to-RNA copying.

More About the New Study

Key Finding: In Bacillus subtilis, the principal sigma factor (σA) remains attached to RNA polymerase throughout the transcription process.
Model Challenged: This persistence proved that the sigma cycle is not a universal rule for bacterial gene regulation.
Key Implications: The finding can aid targeted antibiotic design and improve microbial engineering for efficient biofuel, bioplastic, and therapeutic production.

{Prelims – In News} GI-tagged Karbi Anglong Ginger

Context (DDN): The first export consignment of GI-tagged Karbi Anglong Ginger was officially flagged off for London.

Karbi Anglong Ginger is an organically cultivated spice from the hill district of Karbi Anglong in Assam.
Cultivation: Tribal communities grow it using traditional Jhum and Tila methods.
Qualities: It is known for its strong aroma, high pungency, medicinal benefits and longer shelf life.
GI Status: It received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2015.

Varieties: Two main varieties are grown in the region —
- Aizol: It is low in fibre and is primarily exported.
- Nadia: It is high in fibre and mainly sold in the domestic market.

About Geographical Indication (GI) Tag

A Geographical Indication is a legal recognition for products from a specific territory with qualities, reputation, or characteristics tied to that origin.
Legal Basis: In India, GIs are regulated by the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, which came into effect in 2003.
International Alignment: The law was enacted to comply with the TRIPS Agreement under the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
Nodal Authority: Geographical Indications Registry in Chennai issues GI tags under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry.