Ayushman Bharat
The national health-protection scheme offering ₹5 lakh annual hospitalisation cover to poor and vulnerable families.
Verified references:Wikipedia
On UPSC.wiki
Current affairsNational Social Security Board Notified for Gig and Platform Workers: Code on Social Security, 2020 ActivatedThe Ministry of Labour and Employment on 30 October 2026 notified the constitution of the National Social Security Board (NSSB) for Unorganised Workers and Gig & Platform Workers under the Code on Social Security, 2020 (Act No. 36 of 2020), formally bringing India's estimated 77 lakh gig workers — projected to reach 235 lakh by 2029–30 — into the statutory welfare architecture for the first time. Current affairsWorld Bank Poverty and Equity Brief October 2026: India Lifted 496 Million from Poverty — One of the Fastest Declines GloballyThe World Bank's October 2026 Poverty and Equity Brief reports that India lifted an estimated 496 million people out of poverty between 2011 and 2023, with the share living in extreme poverty falling from 27.1% to 2.6% — described as one of the fastest poverty declines in the world. The Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) fell from 53.8% (2005–06) to 16.4% (2019–21), though wage stagnation and geographic concentration of poverty in eastern India remain key challenges. Current affairsPM Samajik Sahayata Yojana: Cabinet Renames NSAP, Expands Disability Coverage — ₹53,428 Crore for 2026–31The Union Cabinet approved on October 14, 2026 (PIB PRID: 2323264) the continuation and restructuring of NSAP as Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana for FY 2026-27 to 2030-31, with ₹53,428 crore outlay. The key substantive change is a major disability pension reform: eligibility threshold reduced from 80% to 40% benchmark disability (aligning with RPwD Act 2016), age floor removed from 18 years to birth, and pension amounts increased by 25%. Old-age and widow pension rates remain unchanged. Current affairsNSAP Renamed Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana: Cabinet Approves ₹53,428 Crore Social Assistance Extension for 2026–31The Union Cabinet on 14 October 2026 approved the continuation of the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) under the new name Pradhan Mantri Samajik Sahayata Yojana (PMSSY) with a ₹53,428 crore outlay for five years (FY2026–27 to FY2030–31). All four Indira Gandhi-branded sub-schemes were renamed with Pradhan Mantri prefix, and the disability pension eligibility threshold was reduced from 80% to 40%, extending coverage to approximately 3.20 crore beneficiaries across all states and UTs. Current affairsCERVAVAC Receives WHO Prequalification: India's Indigenous Quadrivalent HPV Vaccine Cleared for Global DistributionCERVAVAC, India's first indigenously developed quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII), received World Health Organization (WHO) prequalification effective September 25, 2026. The milestone makes CERVAVAC eligible for procurement by UN agencies for global distribution, represents the 32nd WHO prequalification for a biological product from SII, and reinforces India's Atmanirbhar Bharat objective in vaccine development while advancing global cervical cancer prevention efforts. Current affairsWorld Development Report 2026: 'The Promise of Artificial Intelligence' — Key Findings for India and Developing EconomiesUnion Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw launched the World Bank's flagship World Development Report 2026 — titled 'The Promise of Artificial Intelligence' — in New Delhi on 9 October 2026. The report finds that only ~4% of Indian jobs face immediate automation risk (vs one-third in advanced economies), recommends developing nations adopt open-source AI models for local needs, and positions AI as a productivity lever for healthcare, agriculture, and education in low- and middle-income countries. Current affairsWorld Bank India Development Update October 2026: GDP Growth Forecast Raised to 7.1% for FY27, India Among Top 10 in AI ReadinessThe World Bank's India Development Update (October 2026) has raised India's GDP growth forecast for FY2026–27 to 7.1% (from 6.6% in April), citing robust domestic demand and export performance. The report's special focus — "India and Artificial Intelligence: Seizing the Development Opportunity" — ranks India among the top 10 emerging markets in AI readiness and notes that private AI investment in India tripled to USD 4.1 billion in 2025 from USD 1.2 billion in 2024. Current affairsUPSC at 100: Centenary Celebrations Mark a Century of Constitutional Civil Service Recruitment in IndiaThe Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) completed 100 years on October 1, 2026 — exactly a century after the first Public Service Commission convened on October 1, 1926 under the Government of India Act, 1919. Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked the milestone at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, releasing a commemorative coin, postage stamp, and a volume of 100 landmark judgements that shaped UPSC jurisprudence. Current affairsAyushman Bharat PM-JAY at 8: 48.5 Crore Cards, ₹2.03 Lakh Crore Healthcare DisbursedAyushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) completed 8 years of operation in September 2026, having issued over 48.51 crore health cards, funded 13.25 crore hospital admissions worth ₹2.03 lakh crore, and expanded coverage to 60 crore people including senior citizens aged 70 and above through the Ayushman Vay Vandana Card. Current affairs11th National Ayurveda Day 2026: Theme 'Ayurveda for a Healthier Tomorrow', Key Initiatives and India's AYUSH ExpansionIndia observed the 11th National Ayurveda Day on September 23, 2026 — permanently fixed on the autumnal equinox by a Gazette Notification of March 2025 — with the theme "Ayurveda for a Healthier Tomorrow." The Ministry of Ayush launched the Ayush Vision 2030 strategic document and conferred the National Dhanwantari Ayurveda Awards 2026 at the main national celebration in Nagpur, Maharashtra. Current affairsIndia's Real GDP Grows 7.8% in Q1 FY2026-27: MoSPI Data, Sectoral Drivers, and Exam SignificanceIndia's real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew at 7.8% in the first quarter of FY2026-27 (April–June 2026), up from 6.9% in Q1 FY2025-26, as per MoSPI's Quarterly Estimates released on August 31, 2026. Real GDP at constant 2011-12 prices reached ₹81.36 lakh crore, reaffirming India's position as the world's fastest-growing major economy. The services sector and manufacturing are the primary drivers. Current affairsChandler Good Government Index 2026: India Rises to 76th Among 133 Nations — Second Consecutive Year of Governance Score Improvement After Three-Year DeclineIndia ranked 76th out of 133 countries in the Chandler Good Government Index (CGGI) 2026, released on August 18–19, 2026 by the Chandler Institute of Governance, Singapore. India's overall governance score rose for the second consecutive year — reversing a three-year decline from 2021 to 2024 — driven primarily by improvement in Financial Stewardship. India leads all South Asian nations across five of the index's seven governance pillars.
In previous-year questions
- Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) was launched on 23 September 2018. As of its 8th anniversary in September 2026, which of the following statistics is correct?UPSC · Current Affairs
- The Ayushman Vay Vandana Card, introduced in September 2024 under PM-JAY, provides health coverage for which specific beneficiary group?UPSC · Current Affairs
- Under PM-JAY, the beneficiary families are identified using which database?UPSC · Current Affairs
- Which body implements Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY at the national level, and under which ministry does it function?UPSC · Current Affairs
- The Directive Principle of State Policy under which Article of the Indian Constitution most directly mandates the State to raise the level of nutrition and improve public health — the constitutional basis for schemes like PM-JAY?UPSC · Current Affairs
- The e-Shram portal, launched by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, primarily serves which of the following purposes?UPSC · Current Affairs