Welcome to the Ujiyari Bihar Current Affairs notes for 24 August 2026, prepared for BPSC and other State PCS aspirants. The Ganga and Kosi rivers surged above their danger and warning marks in Bhagalpur district, with officials calling the next 48 hours critical. Separately, a PhD holders’ protest at Gardanibagh entered its second week ahead of a planned August 25 march, and the Patna High Court upheld restrictions on a religious procession in Siwan district, ruling that religious freedom is subject to public-order considerations. Each item below carries a Prelims fact table and a Mains angle, followed by five practice MCQs.

1. Ganga and Kosi Rivers Surge Above Danger Mark in Bhagalpur

Why in News: The Ganga and Kosi rivers crossed their warning and danger levels in Bhagalpur district, with officials on 23-24 August 2026 calling the next 48 hours critical for the Navgachiya subdivision.

What happened: Ganga at Ismailpur-Bind Toli stood at 31.66 m, 6 cm above the danger mark of 31.60 m, with a 24-hour rise of 25-26 cm. Kosi at Madhraini stood at 30.65 m, 17 cm above the warning level, with water touching embankment “toe” points at multiple locations.

Bihar Relevance:

  • Prelims: Ganga danger mark at Ismailpur-Bind Toli: 31.60 m; Kosi warning level at Madhraini: 30.48 m.
  • Mains: Discuss embankment engineering and Bihar’s Kosi-Ganga riverine flood cycle as a recurring disaster-management challenge (GS1 geography, GS3 disaster management).

2. PhD Holders’ Protest at Gardanibagh Enters Second Week

Why in News: The All PhD Holders and Research Scholars Association of Bihar, led by convener Kumud Patel, saw its Gardanibagh protest enter its second week, with a march toward Lok Bhawan on 22 August 2026 halted by police using barricades and water cannons.

What happened: Protesters demand implementation of UGC Regulation 2018, raising the Assistant Professor age cap from 43 to 55, a domicile policy, and guest-faculty regularisation, warning of an August 25 gherao of the CM’s residence if dialogue does not occur.

Bihar Relevance:

  • Prelims: Demanded age-cap revision: 43 to 55 years; protest venue Gardanibagh, Patna.
  • Mains: Discuss UGC regulations versus state recruitment rules, and the right to peaceful assembly under Article 19 (GS2 governance).

3. Patna High Court: Religious Freedom Not Absolute, Upholds Siwan Procession Restrictions

Why in News: A single-judge Bench of Justice Alok Kumar at the Patna High Court dismissed a plea seeking restoration of an unrestricted Mahabiri Julus procession route and a 300-person cap in Hathaura village, Siwan district, background: order issued 22 August 2026.

What happened: The Court invoked Articles 19(1)(b), 25 and 26, citing a history of law-and-order incidents and past over-participation (1,700-2,000 against sanctioned limits between 2015-2022), holding that religious freedom is subject to public-order considerations and that each year’s procession permission requires a fresh security assessment.

Bihar Relevance:

  • Prelims: Constitutional articles invoked: 19(1)(b), 25, 26; permitted procession numbers shrank from ~200 (2012-13) to just 5 (2023 onward).
  • Mains: Discuss the judicial balancing test between religious freedom (Articles 25-26) and public order (Article 19(2)/(4)) as a recurring constitutional-law theme (GS2 polity).

Practice MCQs

1. The Ganga river at Ismailpur-Bind Toli in Bhagalpur district crossed its danger mark of 31.60 m, reaching what level around 23-24 August 2026?

a) 30.90 m b) 32.60 m c) 31.66 m d) 33.00 m

Answer: c Explanation: The Ganga at Ismailpur-Bind Toli reached 31.66 m, 6 cm above the danger mark of 31.60 m, with a 24-hour rise of 25-26 cm, prompting officials to call the following 48 hours critical for Bhagalpur’s Navgachiya subdivision.

2. The PhD Holders and Research Scholars Association of Bihar’s Gardanibagh protest, entering its second week around 24 August 2026, demands raising the Assistant Professor age cap from 43 to what age?

a) 50 b) 60 c) 45 d) 55

Answer: d Explanation: The protesting association, led by convener Kumud Patel, demands raising the Assistant Professor recruitment age cap from 43 to 55 years, alongside implementation of UGC Regulation 2018, a domicile policy, and guest-faculty regularisation.

3. The Patna High Court’s ruling on the Siwan Mahabiri Julus procession, dated around 22 August 2026, invoked which set of constitutional articles?

a) Articles 14, 15 and 16 b) Articles 19(1)(b), 25 and 26 c) Articles 32, 136 and 226 d) Articles 21 and 22

Answer: b Explanation: Justice Alok Kumar’s Bench invoked Articles 19(1)(b), 25 and 26, holding that religious freedom is not absolute and is subject to public-order considerations, given a history of law-and-order incidents at the procession.

4. The PhD holders’ protest at Gardanibagh warned of a gherao of the CM’s residence on which date if dialogue did not occur?

a) August 25, 2026 b) September 1, 2026 c) August 28, 2026 d) August 30, 2026

Answer: a Explanation: Protesters warned of an August 25, 2026 gherao of the Chief Minister’s residence if the state government did not initiate dialogue by August 24, following a police-halted march to Lok Bhawan on August 22.

5. The Siwan procession’s permitted participant numbers, per the Patna High Court ruling, had shrunk to how many by 2023 onward, from around 200 in 2012-13?

a) 100 b) 50 c) 5 d) 25

Answer: c Explanation: The Patna High Court noted that permitted procession numbers had steadily shrunk from around 200 in 2012-13 to just 5 from 2023 onward, reflecting escalating security concerns cited in successive annual permission decisions.