Current affairs for UPSC
Daily notes mapped to syllabus topics, with “Asked before” PYQs and original practice MCQs.
GS2 · WelfareIn his Independence Day address on 15 August 2026, the Prime Minister said social security coverage rose from 25 crore people before 2014 to 100 crore within a decade. He also cited free treatment up to ₹5 lakh for people above 70 under Ayushman Bharat and more than 2.5 lakh registered startups.
UPSC angle: Mains: Social protection floor.
15 Aug 2026GS2 · Tribal welfareOn 15 August 2026 the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and NITI Aayog released the National Framework and the Operational Guidelines for Strengthening of ITDAs and ITDPs. They come from a nationwide consultation and score each agency on 15 parameters. Each ITDA will prepare its own Performance Improvement Roadmap, with quarterly monitoring by States.
UPSC angle: Prelims: Tribal Sub-Plan.
15 Aug 2026GS3 · Rural development, S&TOn 15 August 2026 the Principal Scientific Adviser launched the RSVC-AMRIT platform, developed by NABARD with his office. AMRIT is the digital backbone of RuTAGe Smart Village Centres (RSVCs). It links innovators, startups, funders and rural communities to take affordable technologies to villages. NABARD now supports eight RSVCs.
UPSC angle: Prelims: NABARD.
15 Aug 2026GS2/GS3 · PolicyIn his 80th Independence Day address on 15 August 2026, the Prime Minister announced AI training for one crore youth in a year, a free online coaching network for exams, a sports talent hunt for children aged five to 15, a modern Civil Defence network, five new nuclear reactors this decade and a new target of six crore Lakhpati Didis.
UPSC angle: Prelims: targets announced.
15 Aug 2026GS3 · SemiconductorsAheesa Digital Innovations, a Chennai fabless chip startup backed by the Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme, achieved first-pass silicon success with VIHAAN on Independence Day 2026. VIHAAN is a networking System-on-Chip for fibre broadband built on the indigenous VEGA microprocessor. Production tape-out is targeted for 2027.
UPSC angle: Prelims: DLI; RISC-V.
15 Aug 2026GS3 · InflationWholesale Price Index inflation for July 2026 was 9.78 per cent, slightly below 9.87 per cent in June, the Commerce Ministry said on 14 August 2026. Fuel and power inflation cooled to 20.05 per cent from 27.41 per cent, but primary articles rose to 8.52 per cent and manufactured products to 8.29 per cent.
UPSC angle: Prelims: WPI vs CPI.
14 Aug 2026GS3 · Services sectorNITI Aayog has released "India's Services Sector: Insights on Regulatory Regime in Professional Services", the third report in its Services Thematic Series, launched on 10 August 2026. It benchmarks India's rules for professions against select foreign jurisdictions. Professional services make up nearly a quarter of India's services exports.
UPSC angle: Mains: Services-led growth.
14 Aug 2026GS3 · MiningParliament passed the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 on 13 August 2026. It amends the MMDR Act, 1957 to bring stability to the major minerals sector. The Mines Ministry says States keep their rights on land, minerals and minor minerals, and will still get about 90 per cent of mining revenue.
UPSC angle: Prelims: MMDR; DMF.
14 Aug 2026GS3 · Food security, digital currencyOn 14 August 2026 the Centre launched Central Bank Digital Currency-based Direct Benefit Transfer under PMGKAY in Chandigarh and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. The food subsidy now goes into each beneficiary's Digital Rupee wallet as purpose-bound tokens, usable only for foodgrains at empanelled shops. It follows pilots in Gujarat and Puducherry in February 2026.
UPSC angle: Prelims: e-rupee.
14 Aug 2026GS2 · Media regulationOn 14 August 2026 the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting decided to remove the 12-minute advertisement duration cap for television channels. The cap came in 2006 under the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994. The Ministry said 900-plus channels, fully digital platforms and uncapped digital media now give enough competition.
UPSC angle: Prelims: Cable TV Networks Act/Rules.
14 Aug 2026