Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary, which had its Eco-Sensitive Zone notified in January 2026, is located in which district of Rajasthan?
Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Rajsamand district of Rajasthan. It covers 610.5 sq. km in the Aravalli Range and was established in 1971. The Centre notified a 0-1 km Eco-Sensitive Zone buffer around it in January 2026.
💡 Concept Note
ESZs are notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 based on the Supreme Court’s T.N. Godavarman ruling (2006). Kumbhalgarh hosts one of India’s largest Indian wolf populations. The adjacent Kumbhalgarh Fort (UNESCO WHS 2013) has a 36 km wall — called the Great Wall of India.
The Indian Skimmer (Rynchops albicollis), for which BNHS launched a conservation project in January 2026, is classified as which IUCN status?
The Indian Skimmer (Rynchops albicollis) is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Its primary habitat is the Chambal River. The BNHS launched a conservation project under the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).
💡 Concept Note
The Indian Skimmer has a distinctive lower mandible longer than upper, allowing it to skim the water surface to catch fish. Key threats include sand mining, unplanned dam water releases, and riverbank disturbance. It is a Schedule I species under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
India recorded a historic decline in coal-fired electricity generation in 2025. By approximately what percentage did coal generation fall, and what was the previous comparable structural decline?
India’s coal-fired electricity generation fell approximately 3% in 2025 — from 1,322 to 1,283 billion units (CREA data). According to Carbon Brief analysis, this was the first structural decline in 52 years (since 1973), as the 2020 drop was COVID-driven rather than structural. Renewable generation rose 22% to 270 billion units in the same period, reflecting a genuine energy transition shift.
💡 Concept Note
India’s non-fossil fuel installed capacity reached 46.8% by 2025, ahead of the 40% NDC target for 2030. India’s net-zero target is 2070. The Panchamrit pledges (COP26, Glasgow) include 500 GW non-fossil capacity and 50% renewable electricity by 2030. Business Standard cited IEA calling it the third coal-power dip in 50 years; Carbon Brief described it as the first structural one in 52 years — both framings are relevant for exams.
According to demographic projections, India's working-age population (15-59 years) will peak in which year, and at what level?
India’s working-age population (15-59 years) is projected to peak at 1.01 billion in 2041, after which it will decline. India’s total population will reach 1.59 billion by 2051 with an annual growth rate of 0.5%, and population stabilisation is now expected by 2065.
💡 Concept Note
The demographic dividend requires harnessing the large working-age cohort through education, skilling, and job creation. Northern states (UP, Bihar) still have 15-20 years of dividend potential; Southern states (Kerala, Tamil Nadu) have already reached sub-replacement TFR and are ageing rapidly.
The State of India's Environment 2026 report by CSE states that how many of the 9 planetary boundaries have been breached?
According to the SOE 2026 report by CSE/Down to Earth, 7 of the 9 planetary boundaries have been breached. Ocean acidification is the newly breached 7th boundary. Extreme weather events occurred on 99% of days in 2025, causing 4,419 deaths and affecting 17.41 million hectares of crop area.
💡 Concept Note
The 9 planetary boundaries framework (Rockstrom et al., 2009) defines a safe operating space for humanity. Still within safe limits: Stratospheric ozone, Atmospheric aerosols. Breached: Climate change, Biosphere integrity, Land system change, Freshwater depletion, Biogeochemical flows, Novel entities, Ocean acidification.
Central Silk Board (CSB), whose financial approval limit was raised to Rs 1 crore in January 2026, is headquartered in which city?
The Central Silk Board is headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka. Established in 1948, it functions under the Ministry of Textiles. India is the world’s second-largest silk producer, with Karnataka contributing ~60% of national silk output.
💡 Concept Note
India produces four main types of silk: Mulberry (Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh), Tasar (Jharkhand, Odisha), Eri (Assam), and Muga (Assam — holds GI tag; golden silk, produced only in Assam). India’s total silk production reached 38,913 MT in 2023-24.
The Supreme Court ruled in January 2026 that the right to menstrual health falls under which constitutional provision?
The Supreme Court ruled that inaccessibility of menstrual hygiene management measures undermines the dignity of a girl child, and that Article 21 (Right to Life and Personal Dignity) includes the right to menstrual health.
💡 Concept Note
Article 21 has been progressively interpreted by the Supreme Court to include a wide range of rights: right to education, right to health, right to privacy (Puttaswamy 2017), right to livelihood, right to a clean environment, and right to die with dignity. This expansion is called the ‘living tree’ or ‘expansive interpretation’ doctrine.
India launched the Responsible Nations Index (RNI) in January 2026. India ranked which position out of 154 countries?
India ranked 16th (score 0.551513) out of 154 countries on the Responsible Nations Index (RNI). The index was developed by the World Intellectual Foundation (WIF) in collaboration with JNU, IIM Mumbai, and the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre. Singapore ranked 1st (0.619).
💡 Concept Note
The RNI covers three pillars: Internal Responsibility (dignity, justice, rule of law), Environmental Responsibility (climate action, sustainability), and External Responsibility (peace, international cooperation). Top 3: Singapore, Switzerland, Denmark.
India won its sixth U-19 Cricket World Cup title in January 2026 by defeating which country?
India won the Men’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup by defeating England by 100 runs, claiming their sixth U-19 World Cup title — the most by any nation.
💡 Concept Note
India’s U-19 World Cup wins: 2000, 2008, 2012, 2018, 2022, and 2026. The ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup is held every two years. India’s senior men’s team won the T20 World Cup in 2024 (West Indies/USA), ending an 11-year ICC title drought.
The Banas River, which originates in the Kumbhalgarh region of the Aravallis, ultimately drains into which sea/ocean?
The Banas River originates from the Kumbhalgarh region in the Aravallis, flows northeast, joins the Chambal River, which joins the Yamuna, which joins the Ganga — and drains into the Bay of Bengal. The Luni River from the same region flows westward to the Rann of Kutch/Arabian Sea.
💡 Concept Note
The Aravalli Range thus forms a drainage divide between two major river systems: (1) The Banas-Chambal-Yamuna-Ganga system (Bay of Bengal) on the east; (2) The Luni and its tributaries (Arabian Sea/Rann of Kutch) on the west. This makes the Aravallis a critical water tower for western and central India.
