Source: TOI Context: The Union Budget 2026–27, presented by Nirmala Sitharaman, announced a major structural and financial push to education, skilling, and employability, recognising that human capital quality—not merely capital expenditure—will determine India’s growth trajectory. The reforms are aligned with: What Is the Core Idea of Education & Skill Reforms in Budget 2026–27? The Budget adopts an “Education → Skills → Employment → Enterprise” continuum, shifting away from siloed education and training schemes towards: I. Structural Reforms & Governance Architecture 1. High-Powered ‘Education to Employment and Enterprise’ Standing Committee Announcement Key Mandate 2. AI Integration in Education 3. University Townships Components II. Skilling for the Future & the Orange Economy 1. AVGC Content Creator Labs Sector Focus 2. Corporate Mitras Programme Objective 3. Samarth 2.0 (Textile Skilling) 4. Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue III. Specialised Training & Health Education 1. Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) 2. Caregiver Training 3. AYUSH Excellence 4. Veterinary Professionals IV. Infrastructure, Inclusion & Equity 1. Girls’ Hostels in Every District 2. National Institute of Design (NID) – Eastern India 3. Hospitality & Tourism Education 4. Divyangjan Kaushal Yojana V. Scientific Research & Learning Infrastructure Astrophysics & Science Outreach

Source: PIB Context: The Union Budget 2026–27 announced the establishment of dedicated Rare Earth Corridors in four coastal states to strengthen India’s critical minerals ecosystem, reduce import dependence, and support clean-energy and high-technology manufacturing. What Are Rare Earth Corridors? Rare Earth Corridors are integrated, state-anchored industrial value chains that geographically co-locate: The corridor approach minimizes logistics costs, closes technology gaps, and accelerates time-to-market by creating clustered ecosystems rather than isolated projects. States Involved (Coastal Focus) The corridors will be established in four mineral-rich coastal states with significant Beach Sand Mineral (BSM) deposits containing monazite—India’s principal source of REEs: Why coastal states?India’s most accessible and commercially viable REE resources are in beach placer sands, especially monazite, which is rich in Light REEs such as Neodymium (Nd) and Praseodymium (Pr)—critical for magnets. Aim of the Initiative Key Features of the Rare Earth Corridor Initiative 1. Integrated Corridor Approach 2. Linkage with Magnet Manufacturing Scheme 3. State-Led Execution 4. Incentive-Backed Manufacturing 5. Strategic Supply-Chain Resilience 6. Support for High-Tech Sectors Major Coastal Potential: Beach Sand Monazite (State-wise) Odisha Kerala Andhra Pradesh Tamil Nadu Emerging Inland Rare Earth Mineral Potential (New Geography Focus) Recent exploration by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) indicates significant inland REE potential, particularly for Heavy REEs, which are scarcer and more valuable.

Source: PIB Context: In the Union Budget 2026–27, Nirmala Sitharaman announced a record defence allocation of ₹7.85 lakh crore, the highest ever for India.The Budget signals a decisive shift towards modernisation, post-operation preparedness, and accelerated indigenisation under Aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence manufacturing, amid a challenging security environment. What Is the Defence Push in Budget 2026–27? The defence allocation represents a strategic fiscal intervention aimed at: Key Defence Budget Parameters (2026–27) Parameter Budget 2026–27 Total Defence Outlay ₹7.85 lakh crore (↑ 15.19% YoY), ~2% of GDP Share in Union Expenditure 14.67% (highest among all Ministries) Capital Expenditure ₹2.19 lakh crore (↑ ~22%) Capital Acquisitions ₹1.85 lakh crore (↑ ~24%) Domestic Procurement ₹1.39 lakh crore (≈ 75% of capital acquisitions) I. Manufacturing & Technology Indigenisation 1. Aviation Manufacturing & MRO Ecosystem Customs Duty Exemptions 2. Capital Goods & Strategic Infrastructure CIE Manufacturing Scheme II. Strategic Technology, Energy & Materials Security 1. Nuclear Power Projects (Extended to 2035) Budget Provision 2. Critical Minerals for Defence Manufacturing 3. Rare Earth Corridors Announcement Defence Relevance III. Welfare & Social Security for Armed Forces Disability Pension Tax Exemption Key Provision

Source: TH Context: In the Union Budget 2026–27, Nirmala Sitharaman announced a new scheme to develop a Buddhist Circuit in the Northeast, aimed at preserving Buddhist heritage while leveraging tourism as a tool for regional development, livelihood creation, and cultural diplomacy. What is the Buddhist Circuit (Northeast)? The Buddhist Circuit (Northeast) is a heritage–tourism initiative that seeks to: The scheme aligns with India’s broader objectives of: Key Budget Announcements Related to the Buddhist Circuit 1. Buddhist Circuit (Northeast) Scheme 2. Tourism Infrastructure Push 3. Regional Growth & Urban Ecosystems 4. Connectivity & Logistics Major Buddhist Monasteries in the Northeast (State-wise Mapping) Arunachal Pradesh Arunachal Pradesh hosts India’s largest concentration of Mahayana Buddhist sites, especially in Tawang and West Kameng. Sikkim Sikkim follows Nyingma and Kagyu schools of Tibetan Buddhism.

Source: Press Information Bureau Context: The Union Budget 2026–27 accords a major policy and fiscal push to livestock and fisheries, with allocations rising by 26.7%, recognising these allied sectors as the primary drivers of agricultural growth.While crop agriculture grew at ~3.5%, livestock and fisheries expanded at ~7.1%, contributing nearly 16% of total farm income and sustaining overall agricultural growth of 4.6% in FY 2025–26. What Is the Budgetary Shift? This approach aligns with: I. Livestock Sector: From Subsistence to Professional Value Chains The Budget emphasises “Saturation + Professionalisation” to improve animal health, productivity, and farmer incomes. 1. Veterinary Workforce Expansion Loan-Linked Capital Subsidy (New) 2. Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM) 3. Entrepreneurship & Livestock FPOs 4. Tax Relief for Cooperatives II. Fisheries Sector: Blue Economy and Export Orientation The fisheries sector receives its highest-ever allocation of ₹2,761.80 crore, positioning it as a key pillar of the Blue Economy. 1. Inland & Coastal Fisheries Infrastructure Reservoir and Amrit Sarovar Development 2. Empowerment through FPOs & Startups III. Radical Export Reforms: Making Indian Seafood Globally Competitive To counter global trade headwinds and enhance export competitiveness, the Budget introduces transformational tax and logistics reforms. Key Export Reforms and Their Impact Reform Impact Duty-Free Input Imports Limit raised from 1% → 3% of export turnover for seafood processing EEZ Catch Exemption Fish caught in Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) or high seas made duty-free Foreign Port Landings Fish landed at foreign ports treated as exports, easing deep-sea operations Courier Export Cap Removed Removal of ₹10 lakh cap, enabling fisheries startups to access global e-commerce

Context: The Union Budget 2026–27, presented by Nirmala Sitharaman, announced a decisive push to scale up manufacturing in seven strategic and frontier sectors under the First Kartavya—accelerating and sustaining economic growth.This marks a shift from assembly-led growth to deep manufacturing, emphasising technology depth, supply-chain resilience, and global competitiveness. What is the Manufacturing Strategy in Budget 2026–27? The Budget outlines a comprehensive industrial strategy to strengthen India’s manufacturing ecosystem across seven high-impact sectors, chosen for their role in: The seven sectors are: Sector-Wise Budget Announcements and Analysis 1. Biopharma – Biopharma SHAKTI Budget Provision 2. Semiconductors – India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) 2.0 Budget Provision 3. Electronics Components Manufacturing Budget Provision 4. Rare Earth Corridors Budget Provision 5. Chemicals – Plug-and-Play Chemical Parks Budget Provision 6. Capital Goods & Containers Budget Provision 7. Textiles & Sports Goods Budget Provision

What is the issue? Several States have witnessed disputes over the Governor’s Address to the State Legislature, raising concerns about constitutional propriety, the limits of gubernatorial discretion, and adherence to the principle of responsible government. What is the Governor’s Address? Constitutional Provisions Involved Nature of the Governor’s Powers

Source: The Times of India (TOI) What is the news? Operation Megaburu, a major anti-Maoist counter-insurgency operation in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district, led to the killing of 16 Maoists, including senior CPI (Maoist) leader Anal alias Patiram Manjhi. The operation marks one of the most significant blows to Maoist leadership in the State in recent years. What is Operation Megaburu? Key Details