GK One-Liners

What: The Centre has accepted the recommendations of the 16th Finance Commission (FC-XVI), chaired by Dr. Arvind Panagariya. The commission retained states’ share in the divisible pool at 41% and introduced a new 10% weightage for states’ Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contribution in the devolution formula. Total grants recommended stand at Rs 9.47 lakh crore over five years.

How: Finance Commissions are constituted under Article 280 of the Constitution every five years to determine the distribution of tax revenues between the Centre and states. FC-XVI has set a fiscal deficit target of 3.5% of GDP for the Centre and 3% of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) for states, to be achieved by 2030–31. The GDP contribution criterion is a new addition aimed at incentivising economic performance.

Why: Finance Commission recommendations are a recurring theme in UPSC Prelims (Polity & Economy) and Mains (GS-II, GS-III). Key figures to remember: 41% states’ share, Rs 9.47 lakh crore total grants, and the new GDP criterion. The fiscal deficit targets are also relevant for Economy questions on fiscal federalism.

What: A major gubernatorial reshuffle has taken place across nine states and Union Territories (UTs). Key appointments include: C.V. Ananda Bose resigned as West Bengal (WB) Governor; R.N. Ravi (former Tamil Nadu Governor) shifted to WB; Taranjit Singh Sandhu (former Indian Ambassador to the USA) appointed as Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG); and Lt. Gen. Syed Ata Hasnain appointed as Bihar Governor.

How: Governors are appointed by the President of India under Article 155 of the Constitution on the advice of the Union Cabinet. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), headed by the Prime Minister, approves such postings. A sitting Governor can be transferred to another state or asked to resign, as their tenure is at the pleasure of the President (Article 156).

Why: Gubernatorial appointments and the constitutional provisions governing them are frequently asked in UPSC Prelims (Polity). Note the articles: 155 (appointment), 156 (term), 157–158 (qualifications). The appointment of a former diplomat (Sandhu) as Delhi LG is also significant for current affairs on Centre–state relations.

What: Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched two mascots for Census 2027 — ‘Pragati’ (female) and ‘Vikas’ (male) — along with four digital tools: the House Listing and Block-wise Count (HLBC) Web App, House Listing Operation (HLO) Mobile App, Self-Enumeration Portal, and Census Management & Monitoring System (CMMS) Portal. All tools were developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).

How: Census 2027 will be India’s first fully digital census. The self-enumeration portal allows citizens to fill in their own data online, reducing the load on enumerators. The CMMS portal enables real-time monitoring of field operations. C-DAC, an autonomous R&D body under MeitY, developed the entire digital infrastructure for the exercise.

Why: The census is a critical topic for UPSC Prelims (governance, demographics) and Mains GS-II. The fact that this is India’s first fully digital census is a high-yield fact. C-DAC’s role and the names of the four digital tools may appear in competitive exams. The previous census was conducted in 2011; the 2021 census was postponed due to COVID-19.

What: On World Wildlife Day (March 3, 2026), a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Indian Army’s 14 Corps (Fire and Fury Corps) and the Ladakh Forest Department for Snow Leopard conservation. The MoU also covers protection of associated species including the Himalayan Wolf, Bharal (blue sheep), and Ibex. A joint Snow Leopard Conservation Committee (SLCC) will be established.

How: The initiative operates under the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection (GSLEP) Programme, a 12-country international partnership. The Indian Army’s involvement is significant given its extensive presence across high-altitude areas of Ladakh that overlap with snow leopard habitat. The joint committee will coordinate anti-poaching patrols, habitat monitoring, and conflict mitigation between wildlife and local communities.

Why: Snow leopard conservation is relevant for UPSC Environment & Ecology (Prelims GS-I) and Mains GS-III (environment, biodiversity). Key facts: Snow Leopard is listed as ‘Vulnerable’ on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List; GSLEP covers 12 countries; Project Snow Leopard is India’s dedicated conservation programme. The Army–civilian collaboration model is a notable governance angle.

What: Chile has become the first country in the Americas to be verified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as having eliminated leprosy as a public health problem. The WHO threshold for elimination is fewer than 1 case per 10,000 population. Leprosy is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae and has been curable since 1981 using Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT).

How: Elimination (as distinct from eradication) means reducing disease prevalence below a defined threshold, not achieving zero cases. Chile achieved this through sustained MDT programmes, early detection, and public health infrastructure. WHO verification involves an independent assessment of national disease registries and treatment completion rates.

Why: This is relevant for UPSC Prelims (Health & Science) and Mains GS-II (health governance, international organisations). India–angle: India eliminated leprosy at the national level in December 2005 but still accounts for more than 50% of global leprosy cases, making sub-national elimination an ongoing challenge. WHO verification criteria and MDT are high-yield factual points.

What: The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has deployed an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based surveillance system named ‘Sudarshan’ to monitor financial influencer (finfluencer) content across digital platforms. The system scans audio, video, and text, and has already resulted in the removal of 1.2 lakh misleading posts. It detects unregistered investment advisory activity — a violation of SEBI’s Investment Adviser Regulations.

How: Sudarshan uses Natural Language Processing (NLP) and audio-visual analysis to identify content that mimics regulated investment advice without proper registration. When such content is detected, SEBI can direct platforms to remove it and initiate enforcement action. The system is named after the Sudarshana Chakra, the spinning discus weapon of Lord Vishnu — symbolising swift, precise regulatory action.

Why: This topic connects SEBI’s regulatory mandate with emerging technology — relevant for UPSC Mains GS-II (regulatory bodies) and GS-III (technology in governance). Key facts: SEBI is a statutory body under the SEBI Act, 1992; ‘finfluencer’ regulation has been a focus area since 2023; the use of AI in financial surveillance is a global trend. The naming convention (Sudarshan) is also a potential quiz/interview fact.