UPSC current affairs · Monday

Current Affairs, 13 April 2026

6 issues picked from 31 PIB releases · about 2 minutes each · written by UPSC Grade, each fact checked against its PIB release or by a second model

How to readRead “Why in news” and “What it is” for every issue. Open For Prelims or For Mains for the exam you’re preparing for, then Test yourself at the foot of each card. Half the news questions in Prelims are answered from background, not the news itself.

In 60 seconds

Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0. Centre notifies ₹10,000 crore Startup India FoF 2.0 to fund startups through AIFs.
National Agriculture Market (e-NAM). e-NAM now links 1,656 mandis; ₹4.84 lakh crore traded since 2016.
Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (Women's Reservation Act), 2023. PM links a special Parliament session from 16 April to timely women's reservation implementation.
Wildlife Underpasses on Delhi–Dehradun Economic Corridor. Delhi–Dehradun corridor opens with a 12 km elevated wildlife stretch and animal underpasses.
IMD Long Range Forecast for Southwest Monsoon. IMD forecasts below-normal 2026 monsoon: 92% of LPA, with El Niño possibly developing.
PM E-DRIVE Scheme. PM E-DRIVE extended: e-2W to 31 July 2026, e-3W to 31 March 2028.

Scheme

Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0

GS3 Economy · Startups and venture capitalGS2 Government schemesPrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 13 April 2026 the Government notified Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 with a corpus of ₹10,000 crore to mobilise venture and growth capital for startups.
What it is: Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 is a government fund that does not invest in startups directly. It commits money to SEBI-registered AIFs, which invest in DPIIT-recognised startups. It follows FFS 1.0, launched in 2016 under the Startup India Action Plan, and aims to fill funding gaps and draw in private capital.

Corpus: The scheme has a corpus of ₹10,000 crore.
Route of funding: Money goes as commitments to SEBI-registered Category I and II AIFs, which invest in DPIIT-recognised startups.
Implementation Agency: SIDBI is the initial Implementation Agency. DPIIT will onboard one more agency.
AIF segments: AIFs are grouped into deep tech funds, micro VC funds for early-growth startups, funds for innovative and technology-led manufacturing, and sector- and stage-agnostic funds.
Selection process: Selection has two stages: screening and due diligence by the Implementation Agency, then evaluation by a Venture Capital Investment Committee.
Returns for ecosystem: A portion of returns can go to capacity-building such as mentorship and shared infrastructure.
Predecessor: FFS 1.0 was launched in 2016 under the Startup India Action Plan.
Implementing agency: SIDBI starts operating the scheme as Implementation Agency from the date of notification. One more domestic agency will be selected.
Priority segments: Focus is on AIFs backing deep tech, early growth stage startups supported by smaller AIFs, technology-driven and innovative manufacturing startups, and sector or stage agnostic startups.
Governance: A Venture Capital Investment Committee screens AIFs. An Empowered Committee monitors implementation. DPIIT will issue the guidelines and the VCIC composition.
FFS 1.0 outcome: The whole Rs. 10,000 crore of FFS 1.0 was committed to 145 AIFs.
Startup base: DPIIT-recognised startups grew from fewer than 500 in 2016 to over 2 lakh now.
Mode of investment: A fund of funds invests via SEBI-registered AIFs, not directly in startups.

Don’t confuse with FoF vs direct startup investment: A Fund of Funds invests in AIFs. The AIFs then invest in startups. Do not treat it as a government venture fund buying startup equity.

Don’t confuse with FFS 1.0 vs FoF 2.0: FFS 1.0 was launched in 2016. FoF 2.0 is the new ₹10,000 crore scheme with segmented AIFs and guidelines issued in April 2026.

Don’t confuse with FoF 2.0 vs FFS 1.0: FFS 1.0 was launched in 2016. FoF 2.0 was notified in April 2026 with a ₹10,000 crore corpus and priority segments such as deep tech.

Don’t confuse with Fund of Funds vs venture fund: A Fund of Funds invests in other funds (AIFs). A venture fund invests directly in startups.

Don’t confuse with Fund of Funds vs direct venture fund: A fund of funds invests in other funds (AIFs). A venture fund invests directly in startups.

Don’t confuse with FoF 2.0 vs Startup India Seed Fund Scheme: The Seed Fund Scheme gives early grants and investment via incubators. FoF 2.0 gives capital to AIFs.

Schemes: 52 Prelims questions since 2013, 10 in Prelims 2026 alone. They test features, the period and who funds it. In Mains, 33 news-triggered questions, mostly GS3.

Why it matters

Crowds in private capital and deepens domestic venture capital.
Targets deep tech, early-stage and manufacturing startups where funding gaps exist.
Gives long-term domestic capital to deep tech and early-stage startups, where private funding is thin.
Supports manufacturing and innovation, and so jobs and economic resilience.
Gives long-term domestic capital to deep tech and manufacturing, which need patient funding.
Crowds in private capital and reduces dependence on foreign venture funds.
Spreads funding beyond metros and supports jobs and self-reliance.

Problems

Funds may still flow to a few cities and sectors despite the aim of wider access.
Success depends on the quality of AIF selection and monitoring.
Smaller AIFs may find it hard to raise matching private capital.
Returns are slow and uncertain, so fund selection and monitoring must be strong.
Returns and risk: deep tech has long gestation and high failure rates.
Fund managers may still favour metro-based startups, limiting regional spread.
Public money could crowd out private funds if not well targeted.

Way forward

Monitor outcomes by sector, stage and geography, and adjust the framework as experience builds.
Build capacity of the Implementation Agencies and strengthen the ecosystem through mentorship and shared infrastructure.
Issue DPIIT guidelines and the VCIC composition quickly, with clear and transparent selection criteria.
Track outcomes such as jobs and follow-on funding, and review them regularly.
Monitor AIF investments with clear outcome metrics, including regional spread.
Ease regulation and tax for domestic funds and pension and insurance money to join.

Put in your answer

FoF 2.0 corpus: ₹10,000 crore corpus, deployed through SEBI-registered AIFs.

Catalytic design: The scheme is a catalyst, not a direct investor, and mandates minimum private capital mobilisation.

Startup India FoF 2.0: A ₹10,000 crore corpus for AIFs, focused on deep tech, early growth stage and manufacturing startups.

FFS 1.0 (2016): The earlier Fund of Funds, launched under the Startup India Action Plan, is an example of state-backed catalysing of domestic capital.

Startup growth: DPIIT-recognised startups rose from under 500 in 2016 to over 2 lakh.

Test yourselfMains

True or false?

1 of 18

Statements the way Prelims prints them. Say first, then see the fact.

1.Startup India FoF 2.0 invests directly in startups through equity purchases made by DPIIT.
2.The scheme works through commitments to SEBI-registered Category I and II Alternative Investment Funds.
3.SIDBI is the initial Implementation Agency, and DPIIT will onboard an additional agency.
4.The guidelines set minimum private capital mobilisation ratios for the AIF segments.
5.The first Fund of Funds for Startups was launched in 2016 under the Startup India Action Plan.
6.AIF proposals under the scheme are assessed only by the Implementation Agency, with no separate committee.
7.Startup India FoF 2.0 invests money directly in startups as equity.
8.The scheme has a total corpus of ₹10,000 crore.
9.NABARD has been named the Implementation Agency for the scheme.
10.The operational guidelines of the scheme will be issued by DPIIT.
11.Alternative Investment Funds are registered and regulated by the RBI.
12.Under the scheme, AIFs are screened by a Venture Capital Investment Committee, while an Empowered Committee monitors implementation.
13.Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 has a total corpus of Rs. 10,000 crore.
14.The Fund of Funds for Startups 1.0 was launched in 2016 to address funding gaps and catalyse the domestic venture capital market.
15.Under FFS 1.0, the corpus was committed to 145 Alternative Investment Funds.
16.Under FFS 1.0, only about half of the Rs. 10,000 crore corpus has so far been committed to AIFs.
17.The Fund of Funds invests directly in startups through equity purchases.
18.The Startup India initiative was launched in 2016.

Written by us from the release, not by UPSC; checked by a second model.

Source: PIB, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, 13 Apr, 18:50 IST · Release 287810

Issue page →

Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.

Scheme

National Agriculture Market (e-NAM)

GS3 Agriculture · MarketingGS2 Welfare schemesPrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 13 April 2026, PIB released a explainer on e-NAM, reporting 1,656 mandis integrated and cumulative trade of ₹4.84 lakh crore by March 2026.
What it is: e-NAM is a pan-India electronic trading platform for agricultural commodities. It links existing APMC mandis into one national market to enable online trading and transparent price discovery. It was launched in April 2016 to overcome weak inter-state market integration.

Launch: Launched in April 2016 as a pan-India electronic trading platform linking mandis.
Coverage: 1,656 mandis in 23 States and 4 UTs by March 2026, up from 1,389 in 2024.
Infrastructure aid: Government gives up to ₹75 lakh per mandi for infrastructure to integrate with e-NAM.
Platform of Platforms: PoP was introduced on 14 July 2022 and offers logistics, warehousing, inputs, finance and advisory services through the app.
e-NWR link: e-NWR, issued under the Warehousing (Development and Regulation) Act, 2007 for WDRA-accredited warehouses, is integrated with e-NAM.
Payments: Sale proceeds go directly to farmers' bank accounts through NEFT, RTGS, internet banking and UPI.

Don’t confuse with e-NAM vs APMC: APMC mandis are State-regulated physical markets; e-NAM is a central electronic platform linking them.

Don’t confuse with NWR vs e-NWR: NWR is the traditional paper receipt; e-NWR is its electronic form, with WDRA-accredited warehouses.

Schemes: 52 Prelims questions since 2013, 10 in Prelims 2026 alone. They test features, the period and who funds it. In Mains, 33 news-triggered questions, mostly GS3.

Test yourself

Source: PIB Headquarters, 13 Apr, 16:32 IST · Release 287799

Issue page →

Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.

Law and statutory body

Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (Women's Reservation Act), 2023

GS2 Polity and GovernancePrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 13 April 2026, PM Modi addressed the Nari Shakti Vandan Sammelan in Vigyan Bhawan and said a special session of Parliament's Budget Session begins on 16 April to implement the women's reservation law on time.
What it is: The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023 is the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act. It reserves one-third of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies. It adds Articles 330A, 332A and 334A, and ties the reservation to the first census and delimitation held after the Act commenced.

Special session: The PM said a special session of Parliament's Budget Session will begin on 16 April to take the implementation forward.
Passage in 2023: The Act was passed in the new Parliament building in 2023, unanimously, with all parties agreeing it should be implemented by 2029 in any case.
Panchayat women: The PM cited over 14 lakh women working in local government bodies as the base for the move from panchayat to Parliament.
Constitutional basis: The Act is the 106th Constitution Amendment. It inserts Articles 330A (Lok Sabha), 332A (State Assemblies) and 334A (commencement and timing of reservation).
Trigger for effect: The reservation takes effect after the first census and delimitation following the Act's commencement. It lasts 15 years from commencement, subject to extension by Parliament.
Reservation share: One-third of seats are reserved for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies.
Year of passage: Parliament passed the Act in September 2023.
Constitutional status: It is the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023.
New Articles: It inserted Articles 330A (Lok Sabha), 332A (State Assemblies) and 334A (start and duration of reservation).
Commencement condition: Reservation takes effect after delimitation based on the first census held after the Act commenced. It lasts 15 years, extendable by Parliament.

Don’t confuse with Article 243D vs Articles 330A/332A: Article 243D reserves one-third of panchayat seats for women. Articles 330A and 332A reserve seats in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.

Don’t confuse with 106th vs 73rd Amendment: The 73rd Amendment (1992) created Panchayati Raj with women's reservation locally. The 106th (2023) covers Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.

Don’t confuse with Lok Sabha/Assemblies vs Panchayats: The 2023 Act covers the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. Women's reservation in Panchayats comes from the 73rd Amendment (Article 243D), and in Municipalities from the 74th (Article 243T).

Don’t confuse with Rajya Sabha: The Act does not reserve seats in the Rajya Sabha or State Legislative Councils.

Laws, judgments and statutory bodies: 30 Prelims questions since 2013 (what the law says, who chairs, legal basis). In Mains, 44 news-triggered questions, most in GS2, asking for provisions and challenges.

No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Lasting law on file; Parliament discussion on implementation from 16 April. The release is a speech with no provisions to test, so no question yet.

Source: PIB, Prime Minister's Office, 13 Apr, 13:28 IST · Release 287793

Issue page →

Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.

Report or index

Wildlife Underpasses on Delhi–Dehradun Economic Corridor

GS3 Environment, infrastructurePrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 14 April 2026 the Prime Minister is to review the wildlife corridor on the elevated section near Saharanpur and inaugurate the Delhi–Dehradun Economic Corridor in Dehradun (release dated 13 April 2026).
What it is: 'Landscapes Reconnected' is a Wildlife Institute of India report done with NHAI. It assesses how animals use underpasses and elevated stretches built on the Ganeshpur–Asharodi section of the Delhi–Dehradun Economic Corridor, which passes through Shivalik forest. It is a case study of wildlife mitigation measures on a national highway.

Length and cost: The corridor is 213 km long, six-lane and access-controlled, built at over ₹12,000 crore.
States covered: It passes through Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Elevated wildlife corridor: A 12 km elevated wildlife corridor is described as one of the longest in Asia.
Other wildlife features: Eight animal passes, two elephant underpasses of 200 m each, and a 370 m tunnel near the Daat Kali temple.
Traffic management: The corridor has an Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS).
Publishers: The report was released by NHAI in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India.
Study area: The study covered an 18 km stretch between Ganeshpur and Asharodi, split into three zones.
Method: A 40-day monitoring used 150 camera traps and 29 AudioMoth acoustic recorders.
Noise effect: Generalists like golden jackal and wild boar tolerate traffic noise; elephants and spotted deer prefer quieter segments.

Don’t confuse with Elevated corridor vs underpass: An elevated stretch lets animals pass beneath a raised road; an underpass is a tunnel-like passage under a road at ground level. Both are wildlife crossing structures.

Don’t confuse with Underpass vs overpass: An underpass lets animals pass beneath the road, often under an elevated section; an overpass (green bridge) carries them over it.

Don’t confuse with WII vs NHAI: WII is the research body that did the study; NHAI is the highway builder that commissioned and released it.

Reports and indices: 14 Prelims questions since 2013; they test who publishes a report and what it measures.

No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Same lasting issue on file: wildlife elevated corridor on the Delhi-Dehradun corridor. Places and infrastructure rarely reach Mains; a visit schedule offers few testable facts.

Source: PIB, Prime Minister's Office, 13 Apr, 16:11 IST · Release 287797

Issue page →

Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.

Science and technology

IMD Long Range Forecast for Southwest Monsoon

GS1 Geography · MonsoonGS3 AgriculturePrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 13 April 2026, IMD issued its first-stage long range forecast for the 2026 southwest monsoon. It expects below-normal rainfall at 92% of the Long Period Average (LPA).
What it is: The IMD issues two-stage long range forecasts for the southwest monsoon (June-September), the first in April and the update at the end of May. Since 2021 it has used a Multi-Model Ensemble system that combines coupled global climate models, including IMD's own Monsoon Mission Climate Forecasting System (MMCFS). Forecasts are given as a percentage of the Long Period Average (LPA) and as probabilities for rainfall categories.

Forecast value: Seasonal rainfall for India is forecast at 90% of the LPA, with a model error of plus or minus 4%.
LPA base: The LPA of seasonal rainfall is 87 cm, based on 1971-2020 data.
Forecast system: IMD uses a Multi-Model Ensemble built from coupled global climate models, including its own MMCFS, for monthly and seasonal forecasts.
ENSO and IOD: ENSO is moving from neutral towards El Nino, while the Indian Ocean Dipole is expected to stay neutral through the monsoon.
Regions covered: Forecasts cover four homogeneous regions (northwest, central, south Peninsula, northeast India) and the Monsoon Core Zone of rainfed agriculture areas.
Forecast: Seasonal rainfall is forecast at 92% of LPA, with a model error of ±5%. This falls in the below-normal band.
Ocean signals: MMCFS suggests El Niño conditions may develop during the monsoon season. Positive IOD is likely towards the end of the season.
Snow cover link: Northern Hemisphere winter and spring snow cover has a general inverse relationship with monsoon rainfall.

Don’t confuse with ENSO vs IOD: ENSO is the Pacific ocean-atmosphere cycle (El Nino and La Nina). The IOD is the sea surface temperature difference across the Indian Ocean. Both affect the monsoon.

Don’t confuse with Extended range vs long range forecast: Long range forecasts cover a month or a season. Extended range forecasts are weekly averages for the next four weeks. Short to medium range forecasts are issued daily.

Don’t confuse with Seasonal vs monthly forecast: The seasonal forecast covers June-September for the whole country. Monthly forecasts are issued at the end of June, July and August for the next month.

Science and technology: 57 Prelims questions since 2013; most test the concept behind the news, not the news itself. In Mains, 12 news-triggered questions.

No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Same issue on file; 2026 forecast of 92% of LPA is below normal, with El Niño possible. Annual forecasts are not usually asked directly.

Source: PIB, Ministry of Earth Science, 13 Apr, 17:41 IST · Release 287804

Issue page →

Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.

Scheme

PM E-DRIVE Scheme

GS3 IndustryGS3 EnvironmentPrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 13 April 2026, at an inter-ministerial briefing on West Asia, the Ministry of Heavy Industries said it has extended the ₹10,900 crore PM E-DRIVE scheme. The aim is to cut oil dependence and sustain EV adoption.
What it is: PM E-DRIVE is a Ministry of Heavy Industries scheme with a ₹10,900 crore outlay. It gives demand incentives for electric vehicles and funds public charging stations and e-buses. It took over the Electric Mobility Promotion Scheme (EMPS) 2024 and builds on the FAME schemes.

Objective: Faster EV adoption, charging infrastructure and an EV manufacturing ecosystem.
Outlay: The total outlay is ₹10,900 crore.
No impact assessment: The government says no formal impact assessment has been done. EV penetration rose from 0.7% in FY 2019-20 to 8.2% in FY 2025-26.
Charging allocation: ₹2,000 crore is earmarked for public EV charging infrastructure.
Approvals so far: Proposals worth ₹503.86 crore are approved for 4,874 chargers across States and CPSEs such as HPCL, IOCL and BPCL.
Karnataka approval: 1,243 chargers with an outlay of ₹123.26 crore were approved for Karnataka.
FAME-II chargers: Under FAME-II, oil marketing companies installed 8,932 chargers with ₹873.5 crore subsidy.
Unified charging app: The Ministry is developing Unified Bharat e-Charge (UBC), a single app to discover, access and pay across multiple charging networks.
e-2W extension: The electric two-wheeler segment is extended by three months, to 31 July 2026.
e-3W extension: The e-3W segment, including e-rickshaws and e-carts, is extended by two years, to 31 March 2028.
Role in the EV value chain: PM E-DRIVE gives demand-side support. The REPM scheme handles supply-side constraints, and the Phased Manufacturing Programme (PMP) localises EV sub-systems in phases.
Nodal ministry: The scheme is run by the Ministry of Heavy Industries.

Don’t confuse with PM E-DRIVE vs PLI-ACC: PM E-DRIVE gives demand incentives and funds chargers and buses. The PLI scheme for Advanced Chemistry Cell batteries (₹18,100 crore, 50 GWh, from 12 May 2021) supports battery manufacturing.

Don’t confuse with PM E-DRIVE vs EMPS 2024: EMPS 2024 was the earlier scheme for e-2W and e-3W. It was subsumed into PM E-DRIVE.

Don’t confuse with PM E-DRIVE vs FAME-II: FAME-II was the earlier Ministry of Heavy Industries EV subsidy scheme under which OMCs installed chargers. PM E-DRIVE is the later scheme, with ₹10,900 crore outlay.

Don’t confuse with PLI ACC vs PLI Auto vs REPM: PLI ACC (₹18,100 crore) is for battery cells. PLI Auto (₹25,938 crore) is for cleaner vehicles. REPM (₹7,280 crore) is for rare earth magnets.

Don’t confuse with PM E-DRIVE vs FAME: FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles) was the earlier series of incentive schemes. PM E-DRIVE is the later scheme that builds on it.

Don’t confuse with PM E-DRIVE vs REPM scheme: PM E-DRIVE gives demand-side incentives. The ₹7,280 crore REPM scheme supports domestic making of sintered rare earth permanent magnets, a supply-side step.

Schemes: 52 Prelims questions since 2013, 10 in Prelims 2026 alone. They test features, the period and who funds it. In Mains, 33 news-triggered questions, mostly GS3.

No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Scheme on file; the briefing says PM E-DRIVE was extended. Schemes are 52 of 327 news-linked Prelims questions, but the release gives no scheme details.

Source: PIB, Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, 13 Apr, 18:08 IST · Release 287808

Issue page →

Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.

What we left out: 25 of 31 releases

Speeches without a decision (1)
Routine grants and MoUs (1)
Condolence messages (1)
Hackathons and campaigns (2)
Greetings and congratulations (1)
Same issue as another release (3)
Routine data releases (2)
Routine MoUs and training (2)
App launches (1)
Ceremonies and campaigns (8)
Greetings and messages (2)
Exam administration notices (1)

Practise the day’s news

In UPSC’s formats, inside each issue. The answer and why come after you choose.

1Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0MCQ · 18 true or false · Mains
2National Agriculture Market (e-NAM)MCQ · 6 true or false

Mains question of the day

15 marks · 250 words

The Government has notified Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 with a corpus of ₹10,000 crore. Examine the main provisions of the scheme and discuss its significance and the challenges in achieving its objectives for India's startup ecosystem.

From: Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0

Write and get it marked

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