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JHARKHAND PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION (JPSC) 

🏛️ POLITY & GOVERNANCE

1. DMK Lays Down Conditions to Support Delimitation Bill

News Context: DMK may extend support to Centre’s delimitation Bill if three conditions are met.

Key Conditions:

• Freeze on Lok Sabha seats (based on 1971 Census) to continue for another 25 years
• 50% blanket increase in Lok Sabha seats for all States (verbally promised by Amit Shah)
• A Schedule specifying number of seats per State to be part of the legislative package

Numbers Game:

Static Link:

• Delimitation freeze: 42nd Amendment (1976), 84th Amendment (2001), 87th Amendment (2003)
• Current freeze based on 1971 Census; next delimitation to be based on 2026 Census
• Women’s reservation (33%) implementation tied to delimitation (106th Amendment, 2023)

2. FCRA (Amendment) Bill 2026 – Shah Assures Christian Bodies

News Context: Amit Shah met Christian delegations, calling the Bill “religion-neutral.”

Key Provision Flagged:

• Appointment of a “designated authority” to manage/dispose of assets of NGOs whose FCRA registration is suspended/cancelled/not renewed
• “Deemed cessation” of assets clause raised as a concern
• Bill likely to be taken up in Parliament on August 12, 2026

Static Link:

• FCRA, 2010 regulates receipt of foreign contributions by individuals/associations/companies in India
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Home Affairs

3. SC to Consider Congress MP’s Plea on ‘Targeted’ Voter Deletions in U.P.

News Context: SC agreed to hear Barabanki MP Tanuj Punia’s plea alleging misuse of Form 7 during SIR in U.P.

Key Facts:

• Form 7: Statutory mechanism under Registration of Electors Rules, 1960 for objections/deletions from electoral rolls
• U.P. SIR (April 2026) result: electorate rose to 13.39 crore (+84 lakh)
• Plea seeks action under Section 31, Representation of the People Act, 1950 (false declarations)

Static Link:

• SIR = Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, conducted by Election Commission of India
• Booth Level Officers (BLOs) assist in roll revision

4. Govt. Opposes Income-Based “Creamy Layer” in SC/ST Quotas

News Context: Centre told SC that “creamy layer” concept, applicable to OBCs, does not apply to SCs/STs.

Key Facts:

• Issue arose after 2024 SC verdict (7-judge Bench) in State of Punjab vs Davinder Singh permitting sub-categorisation of SC/ST quotas
• Justice B.R. Gavai’s opinion had suggested government “must” find a way to identify creamy layer among SC/STs

Static Link:

• Original creamy layer concept: Indra Sawhney case (1992) – applicable to OBCs only
• Reservation basis: Articles 15(4), 16(4) of the Constitution

5. How Will SC Order Impact Mining Around Ramsar Wetland Sites?

News Context: SC clarified its Feb 2024 Asan Wetland order (10-km no-mining-without-approval zone) applies to all notified wetland conservation reserves in India, not just Uttarakhand’s Asan site.

Key Facts:

Static Link:

• Ramsar Convention, 1971 – India a Contracting Party since 1982
• Ramsar designation does not itself create statutory protection under Indian law
• Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 – decentralised system under State Wetland Authorities (constitutional validity under challenge)

6. Bombay HC Convicts Tarun Tejpal in 2013 Sexual Assault Case

News Context: Goa Division Bench convicted former Tehelka editor, sentencing him to 10 years RI, setting aside 2021 acquittal.

Key Legal Point:

• Bench rejected the “perfect victim“/”ideal victim” concept in assessing credibility of sexual assault complainants
• Convicted under Sections 376(2)(f), 376(2)(k), 354A, 354B IPC

Static Link: Case tried under IPC (pre-BNS offence, 2013); illustrates transition-period jurisprudence.

7. J&K Police Register FIR Over PDP Protests (Article 370 Anniversary)

News Context: FIR against PDP leaders Mehbooba Mufti and Iltija Mufti on 7th anniversary of Article 370 abrogation.

Key Provisions (BNS):

• Section 132: Assault on public servant
• Section 121: Voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from duty
• Section 191(2): Political rallies/mob violence

Static Link: BNS = Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 – replaced IPC, 1860.

8. Kerala’s ‘My Police Station’ Initiative

News Context: Kerala launching police reform from August 15, shifting SHO responsibility to Sub-Inspectors in 419 of 484 stations.

Key Facts:

• Women Sub-Inspectors will become SHOs in 63 stations
• Circle Inspectors continue as SHOs in 64 stations of strategic significance
• Mullaperiyar Dam police station SHO post remains with a DySP

Static Link: Police is a State subject (Schedule VII, List II).

9. RS Chairman Asks Rijiju to “Echo Sentiments” of Opposition to Shah

News Context: Parliamentary procedural standoff over Home Minister’s absence during Monsoon Session debates.

Static Link:

• Zero Hour – not mentioned in Rules of Procedure; an Indian parliamentary innovation
• Question Hour – governed by Rules of Procedure of each House
• Presiding Officer: Rajya Sabha Chairman is the Vice-President of India (ex officio)

10. RJD Dissolves All Organisational Units After Bankipur Bypoll Defeat

News Context: RJD dissolved district/block/panchayat committees after JSP’s Prashant Kishor-backed candidate won Bankipur.

Static Link: Relevant ahead of Bihar factor in Delimitation and 73rd/74th Amendment (panchayat/urban local body) discourse.

11. PAC Grills Defence Ministry on CAG Report – Payment Delays

Key Facts:

• CAG examined ₹3,09,975.07 crore in payments/allowances (2020-23)
• Average payment processing delay: 68-80 days
• PAC chaired by K.C. Venugopal

Static Link: CAG derives authority from Article 148; PAC is a Parliamentary Committee scrutinising CAG reports.

💰 ECONOMY

12. Cabinet Approves ₹23,731 Crore GOBARdhan Scheme

News Context: Unified circular bioenergy scheme approved to boost Compressed Biogas (CBG) production.

Key Facts:

Static Link:

• GOBARdhan = Galvanising Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan
• CBG can be blended into CNG and PNG

13. RBI Tags Tata Sons as NBFC-Upper Layer; Listing Pressure Mounts

News Context: RBI released its 2026-27 list of 17 Upper Layer NBFCs, including Tata Sons.

Key Facts:

• NBFC-UL entities face enhanced regulatory norms and mandatory listing within 3 years
• Tata Sons had applied for de-registration as NBFC (pending)
• Tata Sons is a Core Investment Company (CIC)

Static Link: RBI’s Scale Based Regulation framework categorises NBFCs into Base, Middle, Upper, and Top Layers.

14. Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 Passed in Lok Sabha

News Context: Bill replaces the June 5 Ordinance; enables legal backing for modifying the zero-MDR framework on UPI/RuPay transactions.

Key Facts:

• May allow merchant charges on select UPI transactions
• Also provides I-T exemption on interest/capital gains for FPIs investing in G-Secs

Static Link: MDR = Merchant Discount Rate; UPI is regulated by NPCI, under RBI’s oversight.

15. Why Are Households Pledging Gold Instead of Selling It?

Key Data:

Static Link:

• Gold Monetisation Scheme, 2015 – underused due to taxation/procedural issues
• World Gold Council (WGC) tracks global gold demand trends

16. National Handloom Day (August 7)

Key Facts:

• Handloom sector supports 35 lakh+ weavers, ~72% women
• 797 handloom clusters; National Handloom & Handicraft Programme to cover 1,800 clusters, 500+ districts
• Handloom 4.0 initiative uses AI/digital tools for productivity monitoring

Static Link:

• National Handloom Day observed since 2015, commemorates Swadeshi Movement launch (Aug 7, 1905)
• 11 Indian Institutes of Handloom Technology

17. Guwahati-Tezpur NH-15 Corridor Approved

Key Facts:

• Cost: ₹8,970 crore; 135.871 km, 4-lane
• Mode: Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) toll model
• Includes emergency landing facility for IAF near Tezpur

Static Link: BOT is a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model under NHAI.

🌐 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

18. Strait of Hormuz – Proposed Iran-Oman Traffic Control Deal

News Context: Proposed deal would let Tehran control inbound Hormuz traffic (outbound via Oman route).

Key Facts:

• Iran seeking transit fees of 5-7% of cargo value; Oman ~3%
• U.S. sanctions on Persian Gulf Strait Authority complicate the arrangement
• ~20-30% of global seaborne crude oil transits Hormuz (context from Iran war coverage)

Static Link: Strait of Hormuz connects Persian Gulf to Arabian Sea/Gulf of Oman; lies between Iran and Oman.

19. Trump and the “Persian Labyrinth” – Iran War Status

Key Facts:

• War began February 28, 2026, after US-Israel killed Iran’s Supreme Leader
• Ceasefire announced April 8, 2026, after 40 days of bombing
• Strait of Hormuz closure was a key turning point in the conflict

Static Link: Iran’s non-state allies referred to as the “axis of resistance” — Hamas, Houthis, Hezbollah, Hashd (Iraq).

20. China Lodges Protest Over Japan’s Defence White Paper

News Context: China objects to Japan’s white paper naming Beijing its “greatest strategic challenge.”

Key Facts:

• Dispute involves Senkaku (Diaoyu) Islands in East China Sea
• Japan’s white paper flags Taiwan issue and calls for allied cooperation

Static Link: Senkaku/Diaoyu dispute is a long-standing China-Japan territorial issue in the East China Sea.

21. Bangladesh to Hold Presidential Election on August 20

News Context: Election Commission announced date after President Mohammed Shahabuddin’s resignation on health grounds.

Static Link: Bangladesh has a parliamentary system; the President is largely a ceremonial head, elected indirectly by Parliament (Jatiya Sangsad).

22. Ukraine Strikes Russian Oil Refineries Far from Frontline

Key Facts:

• Targets in Bashkortostan and Yaroslavl regions (1,300 km & 700 km from front)
• Part of Ukraine’s long-range drone strategy amid stalled Hormuz-style shipping disruptions elsewhere

Static Link: Illustrates evolving nature of asymmetric/drone warfare in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

🔬 SCIENCE, ENVIRONMENT & MISC. STATIC

23. Digital Arrest Scam – SC Order and Data

Key Data:

Static Link:

• CPGRAMS and National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal are key grievance/complaint platforms
• MuleHunter.AI – RBI-backed detection tool for mule accounts

24. Access Paradox – Medical Education Expansion

Key Facts:

• MBBS seats nearly tripled in 12 years
• 79% of ~10,000 new seats added recently are in private institutions
• NMC rule: half of private college seats (in government quota) must be charged at government rates

Static Link: National Medical Commission (NMC) replaced the Medical Council of India via the NMC Act, 2019.

🏅 SPORTS (Current Affairs)

25. Chess Olympiad 2026 – Indian Teams Seeded Top

Key Facts:

• Venue: Samarkand, Uzbekistan (Sept 15-28, 2026)
• Indian women’s team seeded 1st; men’s team seeded 2nd (behind USA)
• India is defending champion in both sections (46th edition)

Static Link: Chess Olympiad is organised by FIDE (Fédération Internationale des Échecs).

📌 STATIC CORNER – ESSENTIAL ARTICLES & DATA

🎯 PRELIMS PRACTICE MCQs

Q1. The current Lok Sabha delimitation freeze is based on which Census, and is extendable under which Constitutional Amendment(s)?

(a) 1971 Census; 42nd, 84th, 87th Amendments

(b) 1981 Census; 73rd, 74th Amendments

(c) 1991 Census; 61st Amendment

(d) 2001 Census; 52nd Amendment

✅ Answer: (a)

Q2. The “creamy layer” concept, as originally laid down by the Supreme Court, was applicable to:

(a) Scheduled Castes only

(b) Scheduled Tribes only

(c) Other Backward Classes

(d) Economically Weaker Sections

✅ Answer: (c) – Indra Sawhney case, 1992.

Q3. Consider the following statements about Ramsar sites in India:

1. A Ramsar designation automatically creates a separate statutory protection regime under Indian law
2. India is a Contracting Party to the Ramsar Convention since 1982
3. India currently has 101 Ramsar sites

Which of the above are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3

✅ Answer: (b)

Q4. GOBARdhan scheme primarily promotes production of:

(a) Ethanol

(b) Compressed Biogas (CBG)

(c) Green Hydrogen

(d) Solar power

✅ Answer: (b)

Q5. Under RBI’s Scale Based Regulation framework for NBFCs, which layer requires mandatory listing within a specified period? (a) Base Layer (b) Middle Layer (c) Upper Layer (d) Top Layer

✅ Answer: (c)

Q6. The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf to: (a) Red Sea (b) Gulf of Aden (c) Arabian Sea (via Gulf of Oman) (d) Mediterranean Sea

✅ Answer: (c)

Q7. The National Medical Commission replaced which earlier regulatory body? (a) All India Institute of Medical Sciences (b) Medical Council of India (c) Indian Medical Association (d) Dental Council of India

✅ Answer: (b)

Q8. BNS Section 121 pertains to: (a) Assault on a public servant (b) Voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from duty (c) Political rallies and mob violence (d) Sedition

✅ Answer: (b)

Q9. National Handloom Day is observed on August 7 to commemorate: (a) Independence of India (b) Launch of the Swadeshi Movement (1905) (c) Formation of the Handloom Board (d) Dandi March anniversary

✅ Answer: (b)

Q10. The 46th Chess Olympiad (2026) is being held in: (a) Budapest (b) Samarkand (c) Chennai (d) Baku

✅ Answer: (b)

📌 Contact For JHARKHAND PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION (JPSC) Notes : Polity , Economics,History, Geography Science & Technology, Public Administration