Daily Current Affairs (28/27/26 – May – 26)

Daily Current Affairs (28/27/26 – May – 26)

1. Sikkim Becomes India’s Fifth Fully Literate State  –

• Sikkim was declared a fully literate state on 27 May 2026 under the ULLAS – Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram. The state recorded a literacy rate of 99.82 per cent, which is above the Ministry of Education benchmark of 95 per cent for full literacy.

ULLAS Framework

• ULLAS stands for Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society. The programme was launched in Sikkim on 14 November 2022 and was implemented across all six districts, 34 blocks, Gram Panchayat units, and wards.

Declaration and Ceremony

• Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang made the declaration during the 7th convocation ceremony of Sikkim University in Gangtok. President Droupadi Murmu and Governor Om Prakash Mathur were present at the ceremony held at Manan Kendra in Gangtok.

2. Cabinet Approves SARTHAK-PDS Scheme for Public Distribution System –

• The Union Cabinet approved the Scheme for Assistance in Ration Transport and Handling–Income with Automation in PDS (SARTHAK-PDS) on 27 May 2026. The scheme has a central outlay of ₹25,530 crore and will run from April 2026 to March 2031.

Public Distribution System and NFSA

• The Public Distribution System is India’s food subsidy delivery network for essential commodities, especially food grains. The National Food Security Act, 2013 covers nearly 80 crore beneficiaries through subsidised food grain distribution.

Scheme Components and Merged Programmes

• SARTHAK-PDS combines two existing schemes into one framework. These are Assistance to State Agencies for intra-State movement of foodgrains and FPS dealers’ margin under NFSA, and the Scheme for Modernisation and Reforms through Technology in Public Distribution System (SMART PDS). The scheme provides financial support for intra-State transportation and handling of food grains. It also provides enhanced margins for Fair Price Shop dealers, who operate the last-mile distribution network under the PDS.

3. Supreme Court Upholds 28% GST on Online Gaming –

• The Supreme Court of India upheld the retrospective levy of 28% Goods and Services Tax on online gaming companies on 27 May 2026. The bench of Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice R. Mahadevan held that online gaming platforms fall within the GST framework as taxable actionable claims when a stake is placed.

GST on Online Gaming

• Goods and Services Tax is an indirect tax levied under the Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, and it applies to the supply of goods and services in India. The 28% GST slab for online money gaming was introduced through amendments in August 2023 and was treated by the Court as clarificatory in nature.

4. Assam Assembly Passes Uniform Civil Code Bill –

• The Assam Assembly passed the Uniform Civil Code Bill by voice vote on 27 May 2026. The Bill was introduced in the state assembly on 25 May 2026 and was moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Atul Bora on behalf of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Uniform Civil Code

• A Uniform Civil Code is a common set of civil laws for marriage, divorce, succession, and related family matters. Article 44 of the Constitution of India places the Uniform Civil Code among the Directive Principles of State Policy.

Key Provisions of the Assam Bill

• The Bill applies to marriage, divorce, succession, and live-in relationships for citizens in Assam irrespective of religion. It bans polygamy, requires mandatory registration of marriages and divorces, and makes registration of live-in relationships compulsory within one month. The legislation excludes Scheduled Tribes residing in Assam from its purview. It also includes a savings clause for existing polygamous marriages solemnised before the enforcement of the Uniform Civil Code.

5. India Tests Systems Against Mythos Cyber Threat –

• India is testing financial and government digital systems, including the Aadhaar national identity system and government login platforms, against vulnerabilities linked to Anthropic’s next-generation AI model, Mythos. The tests involve Indian technology firms, the national cybersecurity agency CERT-In, and critical digital infrastructure used by public institutions and banks.

Mythos and Frontier AI Security

• Anthropic unveiled Claude Mythos Preview on 7 April 2026. The model has been associated with autonomous discovery and exploitation of zero-day vulnerabilities in operating systems and web browsers. Zero-day vulnerabilities are software flaws that are unknown to the vendor or remain unpatched at the time of discovery.

MCQ Quiz

Q1. Recently, the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting was hosted by India in New Delhi. Which of the following countries is NOT a member of the Quad ?

1. a) India
2. b) Japan
3. c) Australia
4. d) South Korea

Q2. Recently, Major Abhilasha Barak was honoured by the United Nations with which of the following awards ?

1. a) United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award
2. b) UN Peacekeeping Leadership Award
3. c) Dag Hammarskjöld Medal
4. d) UN Women in Security Award

Q3. Recently, Myopia was in the news as a growing global health concern. Myopia is a condition in which:

1. a) Nearby objects appear blurred while distant objects appear clear
2. b) Both near and distant objects appear equally blurred
3. c) Distant objects appear blurred while nearby objects appear clear
4. d) A person loses the ability to distinguish colours

Q4. Consider the following statements:

Statement-I: The Ministry of Home Affairs recently constituted a High-Level Committee to study demographic changes arising from illegal immigration and other abnormal reasons.

Statement-II: The committee has been tasked with conducting a scientific assessment of demographic changes and analysing population fluctuations among specific religious and social communities in certain regions.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements ?

1. a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
2. b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
3. c) Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
4. d) Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

Explanation-

• Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I

Q5. Consider the following statements regarding the Smart Border Project and India’s border management:

• The Smart Border Project specifically aims to make India’s borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh completely technology-driven.
• The Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS) is a component of border modernization that utilizes underground sensors, thermal imaging, and radars.
• The Border Infrastructure and Management (BIM) Scheme focuses solely on security fencing and overlooks border road connectivity.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

1. a) 1 and 2 only
2. b) 1 and 3 only
3. c) 2 and 3 only
4. d) 1, 2, and 3

Explanation-

• Statement 1 is correct: The Union Home Minister announced the launch of the Smart Border Project to upgrade and secure the borders specifically with Pakistan and Bangladesh, leveraging advanced technologies to reduce the reliance on manpower-intensive patrolling.
• Statement 2 is correct: The Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS) serves as the technological core of smart border modernization. It integrates multiple surveillance technologies, such as underground sensors, thermal imaging, radars, and optical fiber-based communication networks, to create an impenetrable security grid.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: The Border Infrastructure and Management (BIM) Scheme is a holistic border modernization initiative. Along with strengthening physical fencing and building forward posts, it emphasizes the funding and development of critical border road infrastructure to ensure rapid mobility for security forces.