Rajasthan marked the 12th International Day of Yoga on Sunday, June 21, 2026, with the state’s main event led by CM Bhajan Lal Sharma at Mount Abu, Deputy CMs anchoring district celebrations, and BSF jawans performing yoga on the Thar’s sand dunes. The weekend also saw the Bhajan Lal Sharma government order its largest administrative reshuffle yet and reaffirm its drive towards power self-reliance. Every item below is web-verified and mapped to the RPSC syllabus.
1. CM Bhajan Lal Sharma Leads State Yoga Day at Mount Abu
Why in News: On June 21, 2026, CM Bhajan Lal Sharma led Rajasthan’s main International Yoga Day celebration near Nakki Lake at Mount Abu, performing asanas and pranayama with hundreds of participants on the 12th International Day of Yoga.
Background: International Yoga Day has been observed on June 21 since 2015, following a United Nations resolution piloted by India in 2014. The 2026 theme is “Yoga for Healthy Ageing”, with the national main event led by the Prime Minister from Kolkata’s Red Road. Mount Abu, in Sirohi district, is Rajasthan’s only hill station and lies in the Aravalli range, making it a fitting setting. The CM said yoga is India’s ancient system for physical and mental health and urged citizens to make it a daily habit rather than a one-day observance. This connects to Rajasthan geography, culture and public health policy.
RPSC Relevance: Prelims (International Yoga Day, Mount Abu, Nakki Lake) and Mains GS1/GS2 (heritage, culture, health initiatives).
| Prelims Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date | June 21, 2026 (12th International Day of Yoga) |
| State venue | Nakki Lake, Mount Abu, Sirohi district |
| Led by | CM Bhajan Lal Sharma |
| Theme 2026 | Yoga for Healthy Ageing |
| National venue | Red Road, Kolkata (PM-led) |
2. Deputy CMs Anchor District Yoga Day Events
Why in News: On June 21, 2026, Deputy CM Diya Kumari joined the Yoga Day celebrations at Jaipur’s Albert Hall Museum, while Deputy CM and Ayush Minister Dr. Premchand Bairwa led the event in Bhilwara, as the government spread the observance across all districts.
Background: Rajasthan has two Deputy Chief Ministers, Diya Kumari and Premchand Bairwa, both sworn in with CM Bhajan Lal Sharma in December 2023. The government directed district in-charge ministers and board chairpersons to reach their assigned districts a day in advance, with sessions beginning at 6:00 AM at gram panchayat, block and district level. The Albert Hall Museum, also called the Government Central Museum, is the oldest museum in Rajasthan, built in the Indo-Saracenic style and set in Jaipur’s Ram Niwas Garden. This links to Rajasthan polity, district administration and art and architecture.
RPSC Relevance: Prelims (Deputy CMs, Albert Hall Museum, Ayush portfolio) and Mains GS1/GS2 (administration, cultural heritage).
| Prelims Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Diya Kumari venue | Albert Hall Museum, Jaipur |
| Premchand Bairwa venue | Bhilwara |
| Bairwa’s portfolio | Ayush |
| Session start time | 6:00 AM |
3. BSF Jawans Perform Yoga on the Thar’s Sand Dunes
Why in News: On June 21, 2026, around 1,500 Border Security Force personnel performed yoga on the Sam Sand Dunes and at Indo-Pakistan border outposts in Jaisalmer to mark International Yoga Day.
Background: The Border Security Force, India’s first line of defence on the international border, guards roughly 1,070 km of the India-Pakistan boundary that falls in Rajasthan. Soldiers of the BSF’s 154th Battalion practised yoga at forward posts and on the famous Sam Sand Dunes near Jaisalmer, with commanders highlighting yoga’s role in keeping troops fit and mentally resilient in extreme desert conditions. The event combined the wellness theme with border security visibility. This connects to Rajasthan geography (Thar, Jaisalmer) and internal security.
RPSC Relevance: Prelims (BSF, Sam Sand Dunes, Thar Desert) and Mains GS3 (border management, internal security).
| Prelims Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Force | Border Security Force (BSF) |
| Venue | Sam Sand Dunes and border posts, Jaisalmer |
| Participants | About 1,500 |
| Unit cited | BSF 154th Battalion |
| Rajasthan Indo-Pak border | About 1,070 km |
4. Rajasthan Orders Biggest Reshuffle: 178 RAS Officers Transferred
Why in News: On the night of June 19, 2026, the Department of Personnel transferred 178 Rajasthan Administrative Service (RAS) officers in the largest administrative reshuffle of the Bhajan Lal Sharma government to date.
Background: The RAS is the premier state civil service of Rajasthan, recruited through the RPSC, with officers staffing the secretariat and field posts up to the SDM and ADM levels. The late-night order also issued postings for 12 officers awaiting posting (APO) and cancelled five earlier transfer orders, with all officers directed to take charge immediately without joining leave. Large-cadre reshuffles are commonly read as a governance reset and pre-monsoon, pre-administrative-season realignment. This links to Rajasthan polity, the state civil services and district administration structure.
RPSC Relevance: Prelims (RAS, Department of Personnel, ADM/SDM) and Mains GS2 (state administration, bureaucracy).
| Prelims Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Officers transferred | 178 RAS officers |
| Issued by | Department of Personnel (Karmik Vibhag) |
| Date | Night of June 19, 2026 |
| Additional orders | 12 APO postings, 5 cancellations |
5. Rajasthan Reaffirms Power Self-Reliance Drive
Why in News: In a power-sector review in June 2026, CM Bhajan Lal Sharma said Rajasthan’s dependence on external power had been cut from 8 percent to 2 percent in a year and reaffirmed the target of power self-reliance by 2027.
Background: Rajasthan is India’s leader in solar power, with the highest installed solar capacity in the country, anchored by the Bhadla Solar Park in Jodhpur district, one of the world’s largest. The CM noted record thermal generation of 7,171 MW and directed officials to extend daytime power supply for farmers, currently available in 26 districts, to the entire state, while maximising the benefits of PM-KUSUM and PM Surya Ghar. The push combines renewable leadership with grid reliability for agriculture. This connects to Rajasthan economy, energy and renewable resources.
RPSC Relevance: Prelims (Bhadla Solar Park, PM-KUSUM, PM Surya Ghar) and Mains GS3 (energy, renewables, state economy).
| Prelims Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| External power dependence | Cut from 8 percent to 2 percent |
| Record thermal generation | 7,171 MW |
| Daytime farm power | Currently in 26 districts |
| Self-reliance target | 2027 |
| Solar leadership | Highest installed solar capacity in India |
Practice MCQs for RPSC
Q1. CM Bhajan Lal Sharma led Rajasthan’s main International Yoga Day 2026 event on June 21 at which location, the state’s only hill station?
- A) Pushkar
- B) Mount Abu (Nakki Lake)
- C) Ranakpur
- D) Kumbhalgarh
Show Answer
Answer: B) Mount Abu (Nakki Lake). Mount Abu, in Sirohi district within the Aravalli range, is Rajasthan’s only hill station. The 2026 theme was "Yoga for Healthy Ageing" and the national event was led by the PM from Kolkata’s Red Road.
Q2. On Yoga Day 2026, Deputy CM Diya Kumari attended the celebration at which Jaipur landmark, the oldest museum in Rajasthan?
- A) Hawa Mahal
- B) Jantar Mantar
- C) Albert Hall Museum
- D) City Palace
Show Answer
Answer: C) Albert Hall Museum. The Albert Hall, also called the Government Central Museum, is built in Indo-Saracenic style in Ram Niwas Garden. Deputy CM Premchand Bairwa, who holds the Ayush portfolio, led the Bhilwara event.
Q3. About 1,500 BSF personnel performed yoga on June 21, 2026 at which iconic location near Jaisalmer?
- A) Lake Pichola
- B) Sam Sand Dunes
- C) Ranthambore
- D) Keoladeo
Show Answer
Answer: B) Sam Sand Dunes. The BSF’s 154th Battalion practised yoga on the Sam Sand Dunes and at Indo-Pakistan border posts. Rajasthan shares roughly 1,070 km of the India-Pakistan international border.
Q4. On June 19, 2026, the Rajasthan Department of Personnel transferred how many RAS officers in the biggest reshuffle of the Bhajan Lal Sharma government?
- A) 78
- B) 128
- C) 178
- D) 218
Show Answer
Answer: C) 178. The late-night order also issued 12 APO postings and cancelled five earlier transfers, with officers directed to take charge immediately. RAS is Rajasthan’s premier state civil service, recruited through the RPSC.
Q5. In its June 2026 power review, the Rajasthan government said external power dependence had fallen to what level, with a self-reliance target by 2027?
- A) From 20 percent to 10 percent
- B) From 8 percent to 2 percent
- C) From 15 percent to 5 percent
- D) From 12 percent to 6 percent
Show Answer
Answer: B) From 8 percent to 2 percent. Rajasthan, India’s solar leader anchored by the Bhadla Solar Park, reported record thermal generation of 7,171 MW and is extending daytime farm power statewide via PM-KUSUM and PM Surya Ghar.
Rajasthan Fact File (Facts Corner)
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Chief Minister | Bhajan Lal Sharma (BJP) |
| Deputy Chief Ministers | Diya Kumari, Dr. Premchand Bairwa |
| Governor | Haribhau Bagde |
| Yoga Day 2026 state venue | Nakki Lake, Mount Abu (Sirohi) |
| Yoga Day theme 2026 | Yoga for Healthy Ageing |
| RAS reshuffle | 178 officers transferred (June 19, 2026) |
| Power self-reliance target | 2027 (external dependence cut to 2 percent) |
| Solar leadership | Highest installed solar capacity in India |