Constitutional Amendments

• Constitutional Basis:
  • Part 20 of the Constitution.
  • Article 368.
  • Borrowed from the South African Constitution.
• Status:
  • 106 constitutional amendment acts have been passed to date.
  • The 129th Constitutional Amendment Bill, related to 'One Nation One Election', was recently introduced.

Key Constitutional Amendments

• 1st Amendment (1951): Added the 9th Schedule (land reforms). Jawaharlal Nehru was PM.
• 7th Amendment (1956): Related to the State Reorganization Commission.
• 21st Amendment (1967): Added Sindhi as the 15th language to the 8th Schedule.
• 26th Amendment (1971): Abolished Privy Purses for former royals. Indira Gandhi was PM.
• 36th Amendment (1975): Sikkim became a full state of India.
• 42nd Amendment (1976) (Mini Constitution): Indira Gandhi was PM.
  • Preamble: Added three words – Socialist, Secular (पंथनिरपेक्षता), and Integrity (अखंडता).
  • Fundamental Duties: Added Part IVA (Article 51A) based on the Sardar Swaran Singh Committee recommendations.
  • Directive Principles: Added Article 39A (free legal aid) and Article 48A (environmental and forest protection).
  • Tribunals: Added Part XIVA (Articles 323A, 323B).
  • Legislative Lists: Transferred 5 subjects from the State List to the Concurrent List: Education, Forests, Wildlife, Weights & Measures, and Administration of Justice.
• 44th Amendment (1978): Removed the Right to Property from Fundamental Rights (Article 31) and made it a legal right under Article 300A.
• 52nd Amendment (1985): Added the 10th Schedule (Anti-defection law). Rajiv Gandhi was PM.
• 61st Amendment (1989): Reduced the voting age from 21 to 18 years. Rajiv Gandhi was PM.
• 69th Amendment (1991): Granted special status to Delhi, designating it as the National Capital Territory (NCT). Article 239AA. Also limited the number of ministers in the Delhi Assembly to 10% of its total strength.
• 70th Amendment (1992): Included elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of Delhi and Puducherry in the Electoral College for the Presidential election.
• 71st Amendment (1992): Added three languages to the 8th Schedule: Nepali, Manipuri, and Konkani, increasing the total to 18.
• 73rd Amendment (1992): Granted constitutional status to Panchayati Raj Institutions. Added Part IX, Articles 243-243O, and the 11th Schedule (containing 29 subjects). Implemented on April 24, 1993.
• 74th Amendment (1992): Granted constitutional status to Urban Local Bodies (Municipalities). Added Part IXA and the 12th Schedule.
• 86th Amendment (2002): Made education a Fundamental Right (Article 21A) for children aged 6-14 years. Also added the 11th Fundamental Duty (Article 51A(k)).
• 89th Amendment (2003): Bifurcated the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (Article 338) into two separate bodies: National Commission for Scheduled Castes and National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (Article 338A).
• 91st Amendment (2003): Limited the size of the Council of Ministers at the Centre and in states to 15% of the total strength of the Lok Sabha and the respective State Legislative Assembly (10% for Delhi Assembly).
• 92nd Amendment (2003): Added four languages to the 8th Schedule: Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, and Santhali, increasing the total to 22.
• 97th Amendment (2011): Added Part IXB (Cooperative Societies) and Article 43B.
• 99th Amendment (2014): Established the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) to replace the collegium system for judicial appointments. It was later declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
• 100th Amendment (2015): Related to the Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh (Tin Bigha Corridor).
• 101st Amendment (2016): Introduced the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Implemented on July 1, 2017.
• 102nd Amendment (2018): Granted constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) and added Article 338B.
• 103rd Amendment (2019): Provided 10% reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in government jobs and educational institutions. Added Article 15(6) and Article 16(6).
• 104th Amendment (2020): Extended the reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies by 10 years. Also abolished the reservation for Anglo-Indians.
• 105th Amendment (2021): Restored the power of state governments to identify and specify socially and educationally backward classes for their own lists, clarifying the role of states in maintaining the OBC list.
• 106th Amendment (2023): Enacted the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam', providing 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies (to be implemented after delimitation and census).
• 129th Constitutional Amendment Bill (Proposed): Related to 'One Nation One Election', a committee headed by Ramnath Kovind was formed.

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Current Affairs - Daily Updates

International Rankings & Reports

• Digital Nomad Report 2025:
  • India ranked 38th.
  • Spain secured the top position.
  • Issued by Global Solution Network.
  • Digital nomad lifestyle involves working remotely from distant locations, seeking new experiences, and is influenced by factors like visa, transport, and accommodation.
• India's Sovereign Rating:
  • Rating & Investment Information Company Inc. upgraded India's sovereign rating to 'BBB+' stable from 'BBB'.
  • This upgrade is attributed to strong domestic demand and demographic dividend.
  • S&P and Morningstar previously rated India as 'BBB' (in August and May 2025, respectively).
• World's Top 10 Happiest Cities 2025:
  • Copenhagen, Denmark, ranked first.
  • Zurich, Switzerland, ranked second.
  • Singapore ranked third globally and first in Asia.
  • No Indian city featured in the top 10.
• Global Peace Index: India ranked 115th.
• Energy Transition Index 2025: India ranked 71st.
• Performance Grade Index 2.0 (Education Ministry, 2023-24): Chandigarh topped among states/UTs.

National Initiatives & Achievements

• Zero Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR): Puducherry became the first Union Territory to achieve zero MMR, receiving a Platinum Certificate from the Indian government.
  • MMR is calculated as the number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.
  • India's average MMR is 93 per 100,000 live births.
  • Puducherry has four districts: Yanam (Andhra Pradesh), Puducherry (Tamil Nadu), Karaikal (Tamil Nadu), and Mahe (Kerala).
  • Puducherry was a French colony until 1954 and has 30 Legislative Assembly seats (the lowest in India).
  • Aurobindo Ashram and Auroville are located in Puducherry.
• Beema Sugam Portal:
  • Launched in Hyderabad by IRDAI (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India), which is headquartered in Hyderabad.
  • Aims to create a single digital market for all types of insurance (life, health, travel, property, vehicle, agriculture).
  • Part of the 'Beema Trinity' initiative, which includes Beema Sugam, Beema Vistaar, and Beema Vaahak.
• ULLAS Program for Functional Literacy: Mizoram, Goa, and Tripura are the first three states to achieve full functional literacy under this program.
• First SMR (Small Modular Reactor) Nuclear Power Plant: To be established in Bihar.
• International Potato Center - South Asia Regional Center: Established in Singhana, Uttar Pradesh.
• India's First Butterfly Sanctuary: Established in Aralam Forest, Kerala.
• 5th Khelo India University Games: Hosted by Jaipur, Rajasthan.
• CM Nishchay Swayam Sahayata Bhatta Yojana: Launched in Bihar for graduate youth.
• Namo Garden: Launched by the Maharashtra government on PM Modi's 75th birthday.
• India's First Private Sector Strategic Petroleum Reserve: To be started in Karnataka.

Science & Technology

• IIT Kanpur & Vietnam National University Agreement: Signed an MoU for research cooperation and academic exchange, focusing on Research and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
  • Vietnam's capital is Hanoi, and its currency is Dong.
• ISRO Model Rocket Launch: Successful test in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh.
• First High-Performance Computing Facility for Genomic Surveillance: Started by ICMR Pune, named 'Nakshatra'.
• India's First AI-Powered Traffic System: Located on the Delhi-Dwarka Road.

Defence & Security

• Operation Sindhu: Launched by the Indian government to evacuate Indians from Iran.
• INS Nilgiri (Project 17A Stealth Frigate): Deployed in Visakhapatnam.
• ConVEX 2025 (Nuclear Emergency Exercise): Held in Romania.
• Operation Bihali: Launched by the Indian Army in Jammu & Kashmir.
• Fast Patrol Vessel (FPB) 'Adamya': First of eight FPBs commissioned into the Indian Coast Guard in Goa.

Awards & Personalities

• Busan Film Festival - Face of Asia Award: Awarded to Bollywood actress Huma Qureshi for her role in the film "Bayan" (a Rajasthani narrative about a father-son relationship) at the 30th Busan Film Festival.
• Dr. Sima Bahous: Reappointed for a second term as Executive Director of UN Women by UN Secretary-General António Guterres (from Portugal). Dr. Bahous is from Jordan (capital Amman, known for the Dead Sea).
• Bloomberg Philanthropy Award 2025: India received this award for tobacco control efforts.
• Golden Spike Award (Ostrava): Neeraj Chopra won gold in javelin throw.
• World Sportsman of the Year: Modo Doplanitis (Pole Vault).

Books & Publications

• "Democracies' Heartland: Inside the Battle for Power in South Asia":
  • Authored by S.Y. Quraishi, former Chief Election Commissioner of India.
  • Explores the state of democracy in South Asian countries, including India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Myanmar, and Bangladesh, highlighting India's democratic stability.
  • First CEC of India: Sukumar Sen. First female CEC: Rama Devi. Current (26th) CEC: Gyanesh Kumar.
• "The One": Book by cricketer Shikhar Dhawan.

Sports

• Zubeen Garg's Demise: Bollywood singer Zubeen Garg, known as the voice of Northeast India/Assam and for the song "Ya Ali" from the movie Gangster, passed away in a scuba diving accident in Singapore. He had sung in over 40 languages.
• Lionel Messi's Gift to PM Modi: Messi sent an autographed World Cup jersey (number 10) to PM Modi on his 75th birthday. Argentina won the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
• Thailand Asian Para Badminton Championship: The Indian team won a total of 27 medals.
• U23 and U17 Asian Wrestling Championship 2025: The Indian team won 35 medals in Vietnam.
• T20 World's No.1 Bowler: Varun Chakravarthy.
• First Indian and Second Global Wicket-keeper to Score Centuries in Both Test Innings: Rishabh Pant.

Miscellaneous

• Mobile-based e-voting system for urban elections: Bihar is implementing this.
• Desi Oon Film: An Indian film won an award at the International Animation Festival in France.
• Helley Comet Archival Proof: Found in the Mallikarjun Swami Temple, Andhra Pradesh.
• Operation Midnight Hammer: USA's airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
• Operation Basayat Al-Fateh: Iran's missile attack on the US airbase in Qatar.
• First All-India Domestic Income Survey: A panel was formed under the chairmanship of Surjit Bhalla.
• Lenacapavir Drug (FDA Approved): Approved for HIV/AIDS treatment.
• Digital Payment Award 2024-25 (Finance Ministry, Financial Services Dept.): Awarded to Indian Post Payment Bank.
• Indian Conservation Conference (ICON): Held in Dehradun.
• Talent Bridge Portal: Launched by UPSC.
• World Teak Conference: The first-ever conference was held in Kochi.
• World Bamboo Day: Celebrated on September 18.
• International Animation Festival: The film Desi Oon from India received an award at this festival in France.
• ISSA J1 Satellite: Belongs to Japan.
• Atlantic Partnership Declaration (Nuclear Energy): An agreement between Britain and the USA.
• World-Class Blue Ports for Sustainable Fishing: India and FAO are collaborating to develop these in Vanakbara, Jakhaud, and Karaikal.
• Defense Agreement ("Attack on one is attack on all"): Signed between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
• Mazagon Dock Limited: Acquired a controlling stake (52.96 million USD) in Colombo Dockyard.
• Panel for Entrance Exam Coaching Dependence: Headed by Vineet Joshi.
• Presidential Tapovan and Niketan: Launched in Dehradun by President Droupadi Murmu.
• Reliance Infrastructure: Will build the Falcon 2000 jet in Maharashtra.