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Current affairsMahatma Ayyankali's 163rd Birth Anniversary: The Social Revolutionary Who Gave Kerala's Dalits the Right to Walk on Public RoadsAugust 28, 2026 marks the 163rd birth anniversary of Mahatma Ayyankali (1863–1941), the pioneering social reformer and Dalit rights leader from Travancore (present-day Kerala) who led mass campaigns for freedom of movement on public roads, access to education for Dalit children, and labour rights for agricultural workers — transforming Kerala's caste-ridden social landscape. Current affairsSupreme Court Reduces Judicial Service Practice Requirement to 1 Year: Bhumika Trust Case 2026 — Complete UPSC GuideIn Bhumika Trust v. Union of India (August 21, 2026), a three-judge Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant reduced the mandatory law practice requirement for Civil Judge (Junior Division) recruitment from three years to one year, introduced a transitional waiver for notifications issued up to March 31, 2027, and mandated structured Academy training plus a two-year clerkship for all fresh appointees. Current affairsNTA Overhaul 2026: Four-Tier Paper Checking, 600 Expert Replacement, CISF Security — Restoring Exam Integrity After NEET and UGC-NET ScandalsThe Ministry of Education announced a sweeping overhaul of the National Testing Agency (NTA) in August 2026 — replacing 600 subject-matter experts, introducing a four-tier question-paper checking system, deploying CISF security at NTA offices, and filling ten new leadership roles (CTO, CFO, CISO, GM Test Security, GM R&D). The reforms follow prolonged controversy over paper leaks in NEET-UG and UGC-NET and the enactment of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.