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📝 Revision Notes
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Health & Disease
World TB Day 2026 — 24 March
World TB Day 2026 theme: ‘Yes! We Can End TB: Led by Countries, Powered by People’ (Stop TB Partnership, 2 Feb 2026). Date commemorates Dr. Robert Koch’s discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis on 24 March 1882. India’s programme: NTEP (National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme, renamed from RNTCP in 2020); target: TB-free India by 2027.
Health & Policy
Nikshay Poshan Yojana & TB Stats
Nikshay Poshan Yojana provides nutritional support (Rs 500/month) to TB patients. Global stats (2024): 10.7 million fell ill; 1.23 million deaths; 83 million lives saved since 2000. Coordinated by WHO and the Stop TB Partnership (Geneva).
Finance & Banking
CGSMFI-2.0 — Microfinance Credit Guarantee
CGSMFI-2.0 managed by NCGTC (National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company), under the Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance. Effective: 20 March 2026 to 30 June 2026 (or Rs 20,000 crore in guarantees). Expected to benefit ~36 lakh borrowers through NBFC-MFIs.
Security & Geopolitics
Global Terrorism Index 2026 — IEP
GTI 2026 released by Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP), Australia. Pakistan topped for the first time (score 8.574; 1,139 deaths; 1,045 incidents). Top 5: Pakistan, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Mali. India: 13th (score 6.428; 43% decline). Global terrorism deaths fell 28% to 5,582 in 2025 — lowest since 2007.
Appointments
Jose Joseph Kattoor — South Indian Bank
Jose Joseph Kattoor appointed Non-Executive Part-Time Chairman of South Indian Bank (SIB) on 23 March 2026 (3-year term). Former Executive Director (ED) of RBI (1991–2023); led Enforcement, Currency Management, Human Resources departments. SIB HQ: Thrissur, Kerala. Appointment under Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
Defence & Naval
Exercise KAKADU 2026 — Royal Australian Navy
Exercise KAKADU is a biennial multinational naval exercise hosted by Royal Australian Navy (RAN); 17th edition (2026) held off Darwin & Jervis Bay. Over 19 nations, 6,000 personnel. INS Nilgiri participated; crew won the Kakadu Shield Trophy. Fleet Review in Sydney on 21 March — RAN’s 125th anniversary.
Energy & Climate
Bharat Electricity Summit 2026 & Indian Carbon Market Portal
BES 2026 (19–22 March, Yashobhoomi, New Delhi) organised by Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) under the Ministry of Power. Key launch: Indian Carbon Market Portal (indiancarbonmarket.gov.in). BEE is a statutory body under the Energy Conservation Act, 2001. Next edition: BES 2028, Gandhinagar.
Technology & Geospatial
BISAG-N — FSI MoU for Forestry Geospatial
BISAG-N = Bhaskarcharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics, HQ: Gandhinagar, Gujarat (under MeitY). MoU with FSI (Forest Survey of India, under MoEFCC) for remote sensing, AI/ML tools in forest management. Signed at 90th SC-NBWL meeting (Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav), Dehradun.
Science & Technology
ARCI & Nd-Fe-B Rare Earth Magnet Plant
ARCI = International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials, Hyderabad; under DST (MoS&T). Pilot plant for Neodymium-Iron-Boron (Nd-Fe-B) permanent magnets — critical for EVs, renewable energy, electronics. Reduces India’s dependence on China-dominated rare earth magnet imports.
International & Digital
India-Bhutan Postal MoU — UPU–UPI Remittance
India-Bhutan MoU (signed Thimphu, 19–22 March 2026) launches UPU–UPI cross-border digital remittance system. UPU (Universal Postal Union) = UN specialised agency for postal policies; UPI = India’s real-time payment system managed by NPCI. Signed by Vandita Kaul, Secretary (Posts), Ministry of Communications.
🎴 Revision Flashcards
Click each card to flip and test your recall
Tap to Reveal
What is the World TB Day 2026 theme?
‘Yes! We Can End TB: Led by Countries, Powered by People’
Announced by Stop TB Partnership on 2 February 2026
Tap to Reveal
Which body manages CGSMFI-2.0?
NCGTC (National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company)
Under Dept. of Financial Services, MoF; valid till 30 June 2026
Tap to Reveal
Which country topped GTI 2026 for the first time?
Pakistan (score 8.574)
1,139 deaths; 1,045 incidents in 2025; released by IEP (Australia)
Tap to Reveal
What was Jose Joseph Kattoor’s role at RBI before joining South Indian Bank?
Executive Director (ED) of RBI
Served 1991–2023; appointed SIB Non-Executive Part-Time Chairman on 23 March 2026
Tap to Reveal
Which trophy did INS Nilgiri’s crew win at Exercise KAKADU 2026?
Kakadu Shield Trophy
17th edition; Darwin & Jervis Bay; RAN’s 125th anniversary
Tap to Reveal
What does BISAG-N stand for and where is it headquartered?
Bhaskarcharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics; Gandhinagar, Gujarat
Under MeitY; signed MoU with FSI (MoEFCC) for forest geospatial work
Tap to Reveal
What does ARCI stand for and which ministry oversees it?
International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials; DST (MoS&T)
Hyderabad; inaugurated Nd-Fe-B magnet pilot plant for EVs & renewables
Tap to Reveal
What digital initiative was launched under the India-Bhutan postal MoU in March 2026?
UPU–UPI cross-border digital remittance system
Signed in Thimphu; UPI managed by NPCI; Secretary Vandita Kaul represented India
Think & Discuss
India’s Rare Earth Dependency: Strategic Risk or Strategic Opportunity?
Context from today’s quiz: India’s ARCI in Hyderabad has established a pilot plant to manufacture Neodymium-Iron-Boron (Nd-Fe-B) rare earth permanent magnets — a critical component in electric vehicles, wind turbines, and advanced defence electronics. Currently, China controls over 80% of global rare earth magnet production, giving it significant leverage in the global clean energy transition supply chain.
🤔 Your Perspective Matters
India’s push to develop domestic rare earth manufacturing through institutions like ARCI is being hailed as a step toward strategic self-reliance — but critics ask whether a single pilot plant is enough when China has decades of infrastructure, subsidised production, and export restriction leverage.
Can India realistically build a competitive rare earth supply chain, or is diversifying import sources a more pragmatic short-term strategy?
Can India realistically build a competitive rare earth supply chain, or is diversifying import sources a more pragmatic short-term strategy?
- India has significant rare earth reserves (5th largest globally) but negligible processing capacity — what policy, infrastructure, and regulatory changes are needed to close this gap?
- China has previously restricted rare earth exports to Japan and the US during geopolitical disputes. How should India’s trade and defence policy prepare for a similar scenario?
- The Nd-Fe-B pilot plant targets EVs and renewables — but India’s defence sector also critically needs rare earth magnets. Should India prioritise civilian or strategic-military applications in its rare earth development roadmap?
We’d love to hear your thoughts! Share your perspective in the comments.
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