GK One-Liners

What: The Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), or VB-G RAM G, is a new rural employment guarantee scheme set to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) from 1 July 2026. It expands the employment guarantee from 100 to 125 days per year and covers 2.8 lakh Gram Panchayats across India. The central allocation for FY 2026-27 stands at Rs 95,692.31 crore — the highest-ever for any rural employment scheme.

How: MGNREGA (enacted in 2005) will remain operative until 30 June 2026, with an allocation of Rs 30,000 crore for that transitional period. VB-G RAM G absorbs MGNREGA’s framework but upgrades entitlements, targeting livelihood security (Ajeevika) alongside employment (Rozgar). Total outlay including state contributions is expected to exceed Rs 1.51 lakh crore.

Why: This is extremely high-yield for UPSC Prelims and Mains (GS-II: Government Policies; GS-III: Rural Development). Expect questions on the number of guaranteed days, the replacing scheme, the allocation amount, and the nodal ministry. The “Viksit Bharat” branding also links to India’s 2047 vision framework.

What: The National Family Health Survey – 6 (NFHS-6) was released in May 2026 by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW). The nodal agency is the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai. It surveyed 6.79 lakh households across 715 districts and measured 101 health and demographic indicators. All States and Union Territories except Manipur were covered.

How: NFHS is conducted periodically to provide data on population, health, nutrition, and gender-related indicators at the national and state levels. Each round tracks changes from the previous survey — NFHS-5 was released in 2021. The data informs government policies on maternal health, child nutrition, immunisation, and family planning.

Why: NFHS data is frequently tested in UPSC, State PSCs, and SSC exams — especially facts about the nodal agency (IIPS, Mumbai), ministry (MoHFW), number of districts and households, and the exclusion of Manipur. GS-II (Health) and GS-I (Social Issues) are the most relevant Mains sections.

What: West Bengal has become the 36th State/Union Territory to join Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), completing the scheme’s nationwide implementation. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on 8 June 2026 with the National Health Authority (NHA). The scheme will cover 6 crore families in West Bengal, with Rs 3,505 crore allocated via the National Health Mission (NHM).

How: West Bengal previously ran its own state health insurance scheme — Swasthya Sathi — which will now be merged into AB PM-JAY. The rollout is scheduled from July 2026. AB PM-JAY provides health coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation.

Why: This is important for Prelims (scheme facts, 36th State/UT, nodal body NHA) and Mains GS-II (Health Policy). The merger of Swasthya Sathi signals a shift towards centrally-sponsored health coverage. The NHA’s role as the implementing agency is a recurring exam point.

What: The Defence Investiture Ceremony 2026 was held on 8 June 2026 at Rashtrapati Bhavan, where 51 gallantry awards were conferred: 7 Kirti Chakra, 15 Vir Chakra, and 29 Shaurya Chakra. Six of these were awarded posthumously. Notably, Air Commodore Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair — a Gaganyaan astronaut-designate — received the Kirti Chakra. Several Vir Chakra recipients were veterans of Operation Sindoor.

How: Gallantry awards are classified by context: wartime awards (Param Vir Chakra, Maha Vir Chakra, Vir Chakra) and peacetime awards (Ashoka Chakra, Kirti Chakra, Shaurya Chakra). The Kirti Chakra is the 2nd highest peacetime gallantry award, while the Vir Chakra is the 3rd highest wartime award. The President of India confers these awards at investiture ceremonies.

Why: Gallantry award rankings, their wartime vs peacetime classification, and recent recipients are standard Prelims questions. The Gaganyaan connection to Kirti Chakra, and the link of Vir Chakra to Operation Sindoor veterans, adds both current affairs and science/defence depth — relevant across GS-III (Defence), GS-II, and CSAT context questions.

What: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan issued Letters of Approval (LoA) to three global universities under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 framework: the University of Bristol (UoB) in Mumbai, the University of York (UoY) in Mumbai, and the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Bengaluru (at Manyata Business Park). UNSW Bengaluru is scheduled to open in August 2026.

How: NEP 2020 allows top-ranked foreign universities to set up campuses in India — a provision aimed at making India a global education hub. The LoA is the formal regulatory clearance that precedes campus establishment. This follows earlier approvals for institutions like Deakin University and the University of Southampton under the same framework.

Why: NEP 2020’s foreign university provisions are regularly tested in UPSC and State PSC exams (GS-II: Education). Key facts to remember: the ministry (MoE), the minister (Dharmendra Pradhan), the three universities, their locations, and the distinction that UNSW opens first (August 2026). This also links to India’s ambition in the Global South education narrative.

What: The Sitapur Solar-Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Project is a 250 MW Solar Photovoltaic (PV) + BESS facility being set up at Sitapur (Ex-Cantonment), Uttar Pradesh. It is the first project of its kind to be implemented on defence land in India, covering approximately 850 acres. The project is implemented by NTPC Limited (formerly National Thermal Power Corporation) and was approved by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. It is supervised by the Directorate General of Defence Estates (DGDE).

How: The project combines solar generation (250 MW) with battery storage technology, allowing energy to be stored and dispatched on demand — addressing the intermittency limitation of solar power. Using ex-cantonment land (surplus/unused defence land) optimises idle government assets while contributing to India’s renewable energy targets.

Why: This is significant for UPSC GS-III (Energy, Environment, and Economy) as it combines three high-yield themes: renewable energy targets, NTPC’s expanding role in clean energy, and repurposing of defence land. The “first-of-its-kind on defence land” tag makes it an easy Prelims question. BESS as a technology is also emerging as a recurring exam concept.