Concepts

Directive Principles of State Policy

Non-justiciable guidelines in Part IV that the State should apply in making laws to secure social and economic justice.

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Study materialConstituent Assembly of IndiaThe Constituent Assembly of India, convened in 1946, was responsible for drafting the Constitution, marking a significant moment of Indian self-determination and democratic governance. Study materialPanchayati Raj System — Historical DevelopmentThe Panchayati Raj system in India has evolved over two millennia, culminating in the 73rd Constitutional Amendment of 1992, which established a three-tier local self-government structure with mandatory democratic elections and reservations for marginalized groups. Study materialUPSC History Master TimelineA master timeline of Indian and world history serves as a crucial study tool for UPSC aspirants, helping them connect events, recognize cause-and-effect relationships, and prepare effectively for both Prelims and Mains. Study materialThe Constituent Assembly: Drafting the Indian Constitution, B.R. Ambedkar and Key DebatesThe Constituent Assembly of India, established in 1946, was responsible for drafting the Indian Constitution, with Dr. B.R. Ambedkar as its principal architect, and it engaged in significant debates on rights, representation, and the structure of governance. 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 affairsGender Snapshot 2026 (UN Women & UN DESA): 1 in 3 Gender Equality Institutions Weakened, SDG 5 Off Track by 171 YearsUN Women and UN DESA jointly released the Gender Snapshot 2026 on September 17, 2026, revealing that 1 in 3 national gender equality institutions lost institutional power in just two years, while bilateral aid for gender equality fell 13% between 2023 and 2024. Not a single SDG 5 (Gender Equality) indicator is on track by 2030, and gender equality globally is 171 years away at the current pace of progress. Current affairs40th Anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development: UN High-Level Meeting at UNGA 81, September 23, 2026A UN High-Level Meeting to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development was held on September 23, 2026, at UN Headquarters, New York, authorised by UNGA Resolutions 79/170 and 80/207. The Declaration — adopted on December 4, 1986, under UNGA Resolution 41/128 — proclaims development as an inalienable human right. Not a single SDG indicator aligned with the Declaration's vision is on track globally, highlighting persistent implementation gaps four decades on. Current affairsAsian Games 2026 Aichi-Nagoya: India's First MMA Medal — Suchika Tariyal Bronze, Shooting Dominates Day 2On Day 2 of the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan (21 September), India's Suchika Tariyal (36, Haryana) won bronze in women's traditional MMA (-60 kg) — India's first-ever medal in mixed martial arts at the Asian Games, which is also MMA's debut edition. Indian shooters dominated with three medals: men's 10m air rifle team silver, and individual silver (Himanshu Dhillon) plus individual bronze (Rudrankksh Patil). India's Day 2 tally stands at 6 medals (4 silver, 2 bronze). Current affairsProject Cheetah: India-Born Cheetah KGP12 Delivers Four Cubs at Kuno National Park — Population Reaches 56On September 18, 2026 — one day after Project Cheetah completed four years — KGP12, an India-born female cheetah and daughter of South African cheetah Gamini, delivered four cubs at Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh. Confirmed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change via PIB, this brings India's total cheetah population to 56, marking continued second-generation breeding success in the world's only cheetah reintroduction programme. Current affairs9th India International Water Week 2026: VP Radhakrishnan Inaugurates at New Delhi, Theme 'Climate Resilient Water Management'Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan on 22 September 2026 inaugurated the 9th India International Water Week (IIWW) at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, themed 'Climate Resilient Water Management'. This is the first edition under the 'International' rebranding — elevating India's flagship water policy platform to global stature, with partner countries Netherlands and Germany and over 5,000 delegates from 100+ nations expected over the five-day event (September 22–26). Current affairsIIT Bombay, Sahil Wakode, and the SC/ST Act: Caste Discrimination in Higher Education, Dean Suspended, Crime Branch ProbeSahil Ravindra Wakode, a 22-year-old second-year B.Tech student at IIT Bombay from Yavatmal, Maharashtra, was found dead in his hostel room on 18 September 2026 following allegations of caste-based harassment. IIT Bombay on 21 September suspended the deanship of Prof. Suryanarayana Doolla (Dean of Administrative Affairs). Mumbai Crime Branch registered an FIR under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (abetment of suicide) and the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989. The case raises urgent questions about caste discrimination in premier educational institutions. Current affairsIndia's First Soil Carbon Payments: Aadi Programme Disburses ₹2.9 Crore to 2,550 Farmers in Punjab and HaryanaIndia launched its first direct-benefit-transfer soil carbon payments on September 17, 2026 at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. Under the Aadi farmer carbon programme, 2,550 smallholder farmers in Punjab and Haryana received more than ₹2.9 crore for adopting regenerative agriculture practices — direct seeded rice, reduced tillage, and crop residue management — between 2019 and 2022, marking a landmark convergence of climate finance and agricultural welfare. Current affairsUS Lindsey Graham Russia Sanctions Act 2026: India's Energy Security and the 100% Tariff Threat on Russian Oil ImportsThe US President signed the "Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026" on September 18, 2026, authorising tariffs of up to 100% on countries among the five largest purchasers of Russian crude oil and gas. India, which imports approximately 2.08 million barrels per day from Russia (≈45% of its total crude imports), faces potential designation — raising fundamental questions about India's energy security architecture and strategic autonomy doctrine. Current affairsBadri Cattle Conservation: First OPU-IVF Calf Born at GBPUAT Pantnagar — Indigenous Breed MilestoneA healthy female calf of the indigenous Badri cattle breed was born on September 11, 2026 at G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology (GBPUAT), Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, through OPU-IVF (Ovum Pick-Up In Vitro Fertilisation) — a first for this rare Himalayan breed. The milestone, achieved jointly by GBPUAT and ICAR-NDRI Karnal, marks a significant advance in conservation biotechnology for India's indigenous mountain cattle. Current affairsPMAY-U 2.0: Original Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Urban Concludes September 2026, Successor Targets 1 Crore More FamiliesAs the original Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) concludes in September 2026 after completing approximately 1 crore houses in over 11 years, its successor — PMAY-U 2.0, approved by the Union Cabinet on August 9, 2024 — is now in full implementation. The new phase targets 1 crore additional urban families with a total investment of ₹10 lakh crore over five years, prioritising women's homeownership and affordable rental housing. Current affairsJames Dyson Award 2026: India's Himaja Lingampalli Wins for 'Rudhra' — Assistive Tech for Visually Impaired StudentsIndian engineer-innovator Himaja Lingampalli won the James Dyson Award 2026 for 'Rudhra' — a tactile and audio-based learning device designed to assist visually impaired students with STEM education. The award, given by the James Dyson Foundation, recognises engineering innovation that solves real-world problems.

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