Prelims Current Affairs includes World Organ Donation Day 2026, Navya Programme, Tribunals Reforms Bill 2026 Passed In Parliament, Gujarat To Get Asia’s First Desert-Themed Night Safari, The Moon Base Programme, Russia Appoints D.Y. Chandrachud In Ukraine Arbitration & Pm Modi Releases Ram Nath Kovind’s Autobiography

IMPORTANT DAYS 

1. WORLD ORGAN DONATION DAY 2026

Current Context: World Organ Donation Day is observed on 13 August to raise awareness about organ donation and dispel misconceptions around transplantation.

ABOUT WORLD ORGAN DONATION DAY

• The observance emphasizes that organ donation can save or improve the lives of people suffering from organ failure.
• Key Milestone (World):1954 – First successful kidney transplant (Ronald Lee Herrick to twin brother Richard)

SCHEMES/PROGRAMMES

2. NAVYA PROGRAMME

Current Context: The Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship informed the Lok Sabha about the NAVYA initiative.

ABOUT NAVYA PROGRAMME

• NAVYA stands for Nurturing Aspirations through Vocational Training for Young Adolescent Girls.
• It is a joint initiative of:
  • Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE)
  • Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD)

Launched: 24 June 2025

• Launch location: Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
• The programme is aimed particularly at young adolescent girls aged 16-18 years in Aspirational and North-Eastern districts.
• Eligible girls should have at least a Class 10 qualification.
• Training is provided under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) 4.0.

Key Features:

• Industry-relevant skill courses with On-the-Job Training (OJT)
• Holistic Development Module: Digital literacy, financial literacy, career readiness, entrepreneurship orientation

POLITY 

3. TRIBUNALS REFORMS BILL 2026 PASSED IN PARLIAMENT

Current Context: Parliament has passed the Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2026, which seeks to overhaul India’s tribunal system by creating a National Tribunals Commission (NTC), reducing executive influence, standardising appointments and improving the efficiency, transparency and independence of tribunals.

ABOUT TRIBUNALS

• Tribunals are specialised quasi-judicial bodies created to decide disputes in particular fields such as taxation, administrative matters, company law, environment and financial recovery.
• Article 323A: Provides for Administrative Tribunals.
• Article 323B: Provides for tribunals dealing with other specified matters.
• The 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976 inserted Articles 323A and 323B into the Constitution.

WHY WAS THE BILL NEEDED?

• India’s tribunal system has faced problems such as vacancies, delays, inconsistent appointment procedures and concerns over executive control.
• The Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021 attempted to provide a common framework for appointments, tenure and service conditions.
• However, the Supreme Court struck down certain provisions of the 2021 framework, holding that they were inconsistent with judicial independence and separation of powers.
• The 2026 Bill therefore seeks to establish a more independent and institutionalised framework for tribunal administration.
• Establishes:National Tribunals Commission (NTC) – autonomous body in New Delhi

NTC Composition:

• Chairperson: A person who has been a Supreme Court Judge or Chief Justice of a High Court.
• Two Judicial Members: Persons who have been Chief Justices or Judges of High Courts.
• Two Technical Members: Persons having at least 25 years of experience in fields such as: public admin, finance, law, management, banking, IT, accountancy

Tenure:

• Chairpersons: 5 years or age 70 (whichever earlier)
• Members: 5 years or age 67 (whichever earlier)
• Tribunals Covered (16):
• CAT, NGT, ITAT, CESTAT, DRT, TDSAT

STATES IN NEWS 

4. GUJARAT TO GET ASIA’S FIRST DESERT-THEMED NIGHT SAFARI

Current Context: Gujarat has received approval from the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) for a desert-themed zoological park and drive-through night safari at Juna Deesa in Banaskantha district. The project is being described as Asia’s first desert-themed drive-through night safari and zoological park.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

• The project is designed around the desert ecosystem, rather than a conventional zoo model.
• Visitors will be able to experience wildlife during night-time hours, when many desert animals are naturally active.
• The drive-through safari format will allow visitors to observe animals from vehicles while moving through designated habitats.
• The project is planned to showcase native as well as selected desert wildlife from other parts of the world.

CENTRAL ZOO AUTHORITY

• The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) is a statutory body under India’s Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
• It was constituted under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, through an amendment made in 1991
• Constituted in 1992
• CZA regulates and monitors zoos and zoological parks in India.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

5. THE MOON BASE PROGRAMME

Current Context: NASA has invited the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to participate in its Moon Base Programme, expanding India-US cooperation in lunar exploration.

• The invitation was discussed during the 9th India-US Civil Space Joint Working Group (CSJWG) meeting held at ISRO headquarters in Bengaluru.
• The cooperation builds on the Artemis Accords.

ABOUT THE PROGRAMME

• Location: Lunar South Pole
• Strategic South Pole positioning (near-continuous sunlight + water ice in craters)
• Main objective: Establish a long-term human presence on the Moon.
• NASA describes the Moon Base as humanity’s planned first long-term outpost on another celestial world.
• The programme will use a combination of robotic missions, human missions, infrastructure, commercial partnerships and international cooperation.

WHEN WAS IT ANNOUNCED?

• NASA formally announced its new Moon Base initiative in 2026.
• The programme was unveiled during NASA’s “Ignition” event on 24 March 2026.
• It represents a shift towards establishing a sustained lunar presence, rather than conducting only short-duration lunar missions.

INTERNATIONAL

6. RUSSIA APPOINTS D.Y. CHANDRACHUD IN UKRAINE ARBITRATION

Current Context: Russia has appointed former Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud as its arbitrator in an international investment-treaty dispute brought by Ukraine’s state-owned Oschadbank. The dispute concerns losses suffered by the bank in Ukrainian territories affected by Russia’s annexation and military actions.

ABOUT THE Appointment

• He has now been appointed as an arbitrator nominated by Russia, not as Russia’s lawyer or representative.
• In international arbitration, each disputing party may nominate an arbitrator, while the tribunal’s members are expected to act independently and impartially.

ABOUT THE DISPUTE

• Oschadbank is a state-owned Ukrainian bank.
• The applicable legal framework is the 1998 Russia-Ukraine Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT).
• Investment treaty arbitration is a mechanism through which a foreign investor can bring a legal claim against a host state under an investment treaty.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

7. PM MODI RELEASES RAM NATH KOVIND’S AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Current Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the autobiography of former President Ram Nath Kovind at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi.

ABOUT THE BOOK

• Title: Triumph of the Indian Republic: My Life, My Struggles
• Author: Ram Nath Kovind, former President of India
• The book presents Kovind’s personal journey, struggles, public life and experiences in India’s constitutional institutions.

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