Prelims Current Affairs includes Vir Vikram Yadav Appointed As Dgca Chief, President’s Colour Awarded To Odisha Police, Zafar Iqbal Honoured With Major Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award, Tak-003 Dengue Vaccine (Qdenga), Solid Waste Management (Swm) Rules, 2026, E20 Fuel Mandate, Samrat Samprati Museum, Sudarshan Pattnaik – Brand Ambassador For Census 2027, Lakhpati Bitiya Yojana & Himachal Pradesh Legislative (Allowances And Pension) Amendment Bill, 2024

APPOINTMENTS

1.  VIR VIKRAM YADAV APPOINTED AS DGCA CHIEF

Current Context: Senior bureaucrat Vir Vikram Yadav has been appointed as the chief of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

ABOUT THE APPOINTMENT

• Batch:1996 batch IAS officer (Odisha cadre)
• Succeeds:Faiz Ahmed Kidwai (now Additional Secretary, DoPT)

ABOUT DGCA

• Role:Regulatory body for civil aviation in India
• Functions:Ensures aviation safety, sets standards, regulates airlines and airports
• Ministry:Ministry of Civil Aviation
• Headquarters:New Delhi

AWARDS

2.  PRESIDENT’S COLOUR AWARDED TO ODISHA POLICE

Current Context: Odisha Police has been conferred the prestigious President’s Police Colour, the highest honour granted to a police force or military unit in India.

ABOUT PRESIDENT’S POLICE COLOUR

• Awarded by:President of India
• Recommended by:Ministry of Home Affairs
• Criteria for Award:
  • Discipline
  • Bravery
  • Professionalism
  • Notable contributions to public safety
• About Odisha Police:
  • Established in 1936
  • Marked 90 years in 2026

SPORTS

3.  ZAFAR IQBAL HONOURED WITH MAJOR DHYAN CHAND LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Current Context: Zafar Iqbal, a key member of India’s Moscow 1980 Olympic gold-winning hockey team, was honoured with the Major Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award at the Hockey India Annual Awards 2025 in New Delhi.

ABOUT THE AWARDS

• Event:Hockey India Annual Awards 2025
• Venue:New Delhi
• Major Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award:Zafar Iqbal (Moscow 1980 Olympic gold-winning team member)
• Balbir Singh Sr Award – Player of the Year (Men):Hardik Singh (two-time Olympic medallist; won for third time)
• Balbir Singh Sr Award – Player of the Year (Women):Navneet Kaur

HEALTH

4.  TAK-003 DENGUE VACCINE (QDENGA)

Current Context: India’s dengue vaccination journey has reached a significant milestone with the approval of Takeda’s tetravalent dengue vaccine, TAK-003 (Qdenga), for individuals aged 4 to 60 years.

ABOUT TAK-003 DENGUE VACCINE

• Global Status:Approved in over 40 countries
• Clinical Trials:Evaluated in trials involving over 28,000 participants
• Advantages:
  • No requirement for pre-vaccination screening for prior dengue infection
  • Demonstrates good safety and strong protection against severe dengue and hospitalization
• Challenges & Limitations:
  • Strong performance against DENV-2, but lower effectiveness against DENV-3 and DENV-4
  • India’s evolving dengue epidemiology shows increasing cases of DENV-3
• Likely to reduce disease severity rather than prevent infection

ENVIRONMENT

5.  SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT (SWM) RULES, 2026

Current Context: The Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2026 have come into effect from 1st April 2026, superseding the SWM Rules, 2016.

ABOUT SWM RULES, 2026

• Notified by:Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
• Legal Framework:Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
• Key Provisions:
• Mandatory Four-Stream Segregation:Wet waste (kitchen/organic), dry waste (plastic, paper, metal), sanitary waste (diapers, tampons), special care waste (paints, medicines, bulbs)
• Bulk Waste Generators (BWG) Accountability:Under Extended Bulk Waste Generator Responsibility (EBWGR), BWGs defined as entities with floor area of 20,000 sq. meters, water consumption of 40,000 litres/day, or generating over 100 kg daily waste
• Polluter Pays Principlefor non-compliance
• Centralised Online Portalto track waste management process
• Industrial Use of Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF):Industrial units (e.g., cement industry) mandated to substitute solid fuel with RDF
• Landfills restrictedto non-recyclable, non-energy recoverable waste and inert material
• Special provisions for hilly areas and islands(e.g., user fees on tourists)
• Solid Waste Generation in India (2023-24):
• Total solid waste: ~1.85 lakh TPD (Tonnes per day)
• ~61% processed or treated, rest ends up in landfills

 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

6. E20 FUEL MANDATE

Current Context: The Central Government has introduced a new mandate requiring petrol pumps to supply E20 fuel with a minimum octane rating of 95 Research Octane Number (RON) for cleaner mobility.

ABOUT E20 FUEL

• Composition: 20% ethanol + 80% petrol
• Ethanol Chemical Formula:C₂H₅OH
• Advantages:
  • Better combustion and improved engine efficiency
  • Reduced knocking
  • Lower greenhouse gas emissions
  • Reduces reliance on imported crude oil
  • Strengthens energy security
• Sources of Ethanol:Sugarcane, maize, barley, wheat, cellulosic materials (agricultural residues, wood)

HISTORY

7.      SAMRAT SAMPRATI MUSEUM

Current Context: The Prime Minister of India recently inaugurated the Samrat Samprati Museum in Gujarat, highlighting the legacy of an important yet lesser-known Mauryan ruler.

ABOUT SAMRAT SAMPRATI

• Reign Period:224-215 BC
• Relation to Ashoka:Grandson of Samrat Ashoka
• Other Names:Indrapalit, Sangat, Vigatashok
• Title:‘Jain Ashoka’ (for promoting Jainism and non-violence)
• Contributions:
  • Propagated Jainism beyond Indian subcontinent
  • Established Jain culture centres in Iran and Arab countries
  • Constructed thousands of Jain temples across western and southern India
• Sources:Jain texts – ‘Sampratikatha’, ‘Parishistaparva’, ‘Prabhavakcharita’

KEY FACTS ABOUT JAINISM

• Type:Sramanic religion (ascetic traditions)
• Tirthankaras:24 (Vardhamana Mahavira – 24th and last)
• Three Principles:Samyakdarshana (right faith), Samyakjnana (right knowledge), Samyakcharita (right conduct)
• Panchamahavratas (Five Vows):Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Aparigraha, Brahmacharya

APPOINTMENTS

8. SUDARSHAN PATTNAIK – BRAND AMBASSADOR FOR CENSUS 2027

Current Context: The Government of India has appointed Sudarshan Pattnaik as the brand ambassador for Census 2027.

ABOUT SUDARSHAN PATTNAIK

• Profession:Sand artist from Odisha
• Honour:Padma Shri (2014)
• Guinness World Record:World’s largest sandcastle (48 feet 8 inches) at Puri beach (2017)
• Known for:Blending art with social awareness (climate change, COVID-19 awareness)

ABOUT CENSUS 2027

• Type:India’s first-ever digital census
• Launch by:Ministry of Home Affairs
• Key Features:
  • Smartphone-based mobile applications instead of traditional paperwork
  • Self-enumeration portal (first time in India’s census history)
• Two Phases:
• Phase I (Houselisting and Housing Census):April to September 2026 – focuses on housing conditions, amenities, household assets
• Phase II (Population Enumeration):February 2027 – collects demographic, education, migration, fertility data

SCHEME

9. LAKHPATI BITIYA YOJANA

Current Context: The Delhi state government has introduced the ‘Lakhpati Bitiya Yojana’ to support girls’ education and financial security from birth to higher studies.

ABOUT LAKHPATI BITIYA YOJANA

• Replaces:Earlier Ladli Scheme
• Total Benefit:Up to ₹1.20 lakh (with interest)
• Objectives:
  • Promoting girls’ education from school to higher studies
  • Preventing early marriage of girls
  • Ensuring financial independence and empowerment
  • Supporting families from economically weaker sections
• Financial Assistance Breakdown:
  • ₹11,000 at birth
  • ₹5,000 each at Classes 1, 6, 9, 11, and 12
  • ₹10,000 for 1-year diploma
  • ₹20,000 for 2-3 year diploma courses
  • Up to ₹25,000 for 4-year graduation course
  • Total ₹61,000 (matures to ~₹1.20 lakh with interest)
• Eligibility Criteria:
  • Girl must be born in Delhi State
  • Resident for at least 3 years
  • Annual family income not exceeding ₹1.20 lakh
  • Limited to two girl children per family
  • Must study in a recognized school in Delhi

HIMACHAL NEWS

10. HIMACHAL PRADESH LEGISLATIVE (ALLOWANCES AND PENSION) AMENDMENT BILL, 2024

Current Context: The Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha has passed the Himachal Pradesh Legislative (Allowances and Pension) Amendment Bill, 2026, to deprive MLAs disqualified under the anti-defection law of pension benefits and other allowances.

Key Provisions:

• MLAs disqualified under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution will lose pension benefits and other allowances
• Provision to recover pension already drawn by a disqualified MLA

Context for the Amendment:

• During Rajya Sabha election, six Congress MLAs cross-voted
• Despite issuing a whip, they remained absent during the passing of the Budget, attracting disqualification
• Described as the first time in Himachal’s history that such an event occurred

WHAT IS ANTI-DEFECTION LAW?

• Governed by:Tenth Schedule of the Constitution
• Added by:52nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1985
• Purpose:To prevent political defections by legislators

DISQUALIFICATION PROVISIONS UNDER THE TENTH SCHEDULE

Grounds for Disqualification:

• Voluntary giving up membership:If a member voluntarily gives up membership of their political party
• Voting against party whip:If a member votes or abstains from voting contrary to the direction issued by their political party (whip), without prior permission
• Independent candidates:If an independent member joins any political party after election
• Nominated members:If a nominated member joins any political party after six months of assuming office

Exceptions (No Disqualification):

• Merger of original political party with another party with at least two-thirds of its members agreeing to the merger
• Presiding officer (Speaker/Chairman) resigns from party after assuming office

Deciding Authority:

• Chairmanfor Rajya Sabha
• Speakerfor Lok Sabha and state Assemblies
• The decision is subject to judicial review

Important Amendment: 91st Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003

• Removed the exception for split (one-third split no longer protects from disqualification)
• Limited size of Council of Ministers

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