Context
China’s coast guard reportedly patrolled islands administered by Japan almost daily during the previous year, reflecting heightened maritime tensions in the East China Sea and reinforcing territorial contestations.
Context
January 2026 recorded ₹35,962 crore in foreign portfolio investment (FPI) outflows, the highest in five months, driven by weak corporate earnings and rupee depreciation.
Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI)
• Foreign investment in Indian financial assets such as stocks, bonds and mutual funds without managerial control
• 10% rule:
• <10% equity holding → treated as FPI
• ≥10% equity holding → treated as FDI
Participatory Notes (P-Notes)
• Offshore derivative instruments issued by SEBI-registered FPIs
• Allow foreign investors to invest indirectly without registering with SEBI
• Often criticised due to opaque ownership
Reasons for FPI Outflows
• Weak quarterly earnings of Indian companies
• Rupee depreciation reducing dollar-denominated returns
• Cautious global sentiment amid mixed emerging-market performance
Jal Jeevan Mission
• Launch: 2019
• Ministry: Ministry of Jal Shakti
• Objective: Provide Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC) to every rural household
• Water norm: 55 litres per capita per day (LPCD) of potable water
Key Economic Survey Data
• Rural households with tap water in Aug 2019: 16.8%
• Rural households with tap water as of Feb 2024: ~74%
• Household coverage increase:
• 3.23 crore (2019) → 12+ crore (2024)
States with 100% coverage
• Goa
• Telangana
• Gujarat
• Haryana
• Punjab
• Andaman & Nicobar Islands
• Puducherry
• Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu
• Ladakh
Coverage highlights
• Districts with 100% coverage: ~150+
• Villages with 100% tap-water coverage: 2.1 lakh+ villages
Context
The Supreme Court ruled that stem cell “therapies” for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) cannot be offered as a clinical treatment due to the absence of established scientific evidence regarding their safety and efficacy.
What are Stem Cells?
• Special cells capable of self-renewal and differentiation into specialised cells (blood, muscle, nerve cells, etc.)
• Found mainly in:
• Embryos
• Bone marrow
• Umbilical cord blood
• Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) created in laboratories
What is Stem Cell Therapy?
• A medical approach using stem cells to repair, replace or regenerate damaged tissues or cells
• Valid only in approved clinical trials with proper scientific monitoring
• For ASD, no proven scientific evidence of therapeutic benefit exists
Accepted Applications of Stem Cell Therapy
Context
The Supreme Court has held that menstrual health and menstrual hygiene management (MHM) in schools is an essential part of the fundamental right to life and dignity under Article 21.
Directions issued by the Supreme Court
• States and Union Territories must ensure:
• Functional toilets in all schools
• Free sanitary napkins
• Installation of sanitary napkin vending machines
Other Rights Recognised Under Article 21 (with case laws)
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