UPSC current affairs · Friday

Current Affairs, 26 June 2026

6 issues picked from 26 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

National Biodiversity Authority and Access and Benefit Sharing. NBA issues SOP guiding States and UTs to notify threatened species under Section 38.
Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) and Three-Stage Nuclear Programme. DAE opens world's first nuclear-heated copper–chlorine hydrogen demonstrator at IGCAR Kalpakkam, using FBTR heat.
Drugs Rules, 1945. Draft rule would cut imported drugs' shelf-life requirement from over 60 per cent to 12 months.
Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act and Clinical Establishments Act, 2010. Health ministry notifies Jan Vishwas changes: minor drug, cosmetic and food offences get administrative penalties.
Hub-and-Spoke International Aviation Strategy (Easy Connect). India starts hub-and-spoke international flights, with passengers clearing departure formalities at Varanasi before connecting via Delhi.
Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) and Vision Document on Drug Control 2026-2029. MHA's NCORD meeting launched a four-pillar 2026-29 drug control roadmap and a drug destruction fortnight.

Science and technology

Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) and Three-Stage Nuclear Programme

GS3 Science and Technology - Nuclear EnergyPrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 26 June 2026, the Department of Atomic Energy inaugurated at IGCAR, Kalpakkam, the world's first Cu–Cl thermochemical hydrogen plant powered by nuclear heat from the Fast Breeder Test Reactor.
What it is: The Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor is a 500 MW sodium-cooled fast reactor at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu. It was designed by IGCAR and is built by BHAVINI. It uses Uranium-Plutonium MOX fuel and breeds Pu-239 from a U-238 blanket, which links India's PHWR stage to the thorium stage.

Criticality date and place: PFBR, built at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu, attained first criticality on 6 April 2026.
Fuel and breeding: PFBR uses MOX fuel and a U-238 blanket to breed Pu-239, producing more fuel than it consumes.
Stage one: Stage one uses natural uranium in PHWRs, followed by reprocessing of spent fuel to recover plutonium.
Stage three: Thorium-232 is converted into fissile U-233, which fuels the third stage. This follows only after adequate FBR capacity exists.
Uranium resources: AMD has established 4,42,800 tonne in situ U3O8, and uses AI/ML for mineral potential mapping.
Thorium role: Thorium-232 is fertile, not fissile. It must be converted to U-233 in a breeder reactor using plutonium before it can be used as fuel.
Hydrogen first: On 26 June 2026 IGCAR produced hydrogen using nuclear heat. It coupled a BARC-developed Cu-Cl thermochemical cycle to the sodium loop of FBTR.
Fuel and coolant: PFBR is a 500 MWe sodium-cooled reactor using U-Pu MOX fuel, at Kalpakkam. It is built by BHAVINI.
Heat source: The plant uses nuclear process heat from the Fast Breeder Test Reactor at IGCAR, Kalpakkam.
Technology developer: The Cu–Cl process was developed indigenously by BARC, Mumbai. BARC and IGCAR built the plant jointly.
Why Cu–Cl: It is considered promising for its relatively lower operating temperatures and higher thermodynamic efficiency.
IGCAR: IGCAR has led India's Fast Breeder Reactor programme since its establishment in 1971.
PFBR: The 500 MWe PFBR is the flagship of the second stage of the three-stage programme.
Three stages: Stage 1: PHWRs on natural uranium. Stage 2: fast breeder reactors using plutonium. Stage 3: thorium-based reactors using U-233.
What was commissioned: A 24 kA Prototype Sodium Cell at HWBF, Vadodara, a step towards industrial-scale indigenous nuclear-grade sodium production.
Link to the three stages: Nuclear-grade sodium is a critical material for the second stage of India's three-stage nuclear power programme.
Deuterated compounds plant: The Versatile Deuterated compounds Production Plant is meant for indigenous production of high-purity deuterated solvents.
Coolant in fast reactors: Fast breeder reactors such as PFBR use liquid sodium as coolant, since water would slow the neutrons.
Capacity and place: The PFBR is an indigenously designed 500 MWe reactor at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu. It achieved first criticality on 6 April 2026.
Who built it: IGCAR developed the reactor and BHAVINI built it. It uses uranium-plutonium mixed oxide fuel to produce more fuel than it consumes.
Global position: Russia is the only country operating commercial fast breeder reactors now. India is in the advanced stage of commissioning its own.
Stage link: The PFBR marks the second stage and paves the way for use of India's thorium reserves in the third stage.
Coolant and breeding: The PFBR uses liquid sodium as coolant. It breeds plutonium-239 from a uranium-238 blanket.
Nuclear Mission and SMRs: The Nuclear Mission has an allocation of Rs 20,000 crore. Five SMRs are planned by 2033.
Criticality: First criticality means the start of a controlled fission chain reaction. PFBR reached it on 6 April 2026.
Who designed and built it: IGCAR, an R&D centre of DAE, did the design. BHAVINI, a DAE PSU, built and commissioned it.
Thorium link: The blanket is designed to later hold Thorium-232, which transmutes into Uranium-233 to fuel the third stage.
Regulator: AERB cleared the reactor after reviewing plant safety systems before criticality.
Milestone: The PFBR at Kalpakkam attained criticality, meaning a self-sustaining chain reaction was achieved.
Breeding capability: The reactor can generate more fuel than it consumes.
Link to thorium: The achievement paves the way for using India's thorium reserves in the third stage.
Who designs and builds: PFBR was designed by IGCAR and is built by BHAVINI.
Reactor type and fuel: It is a 500 MW sodium-cooled fast reactor using Uranium-Plutonium MOX fuel with a U-238 blanket that breeds Pu-239.

Don’t confuse with PFBR vs PHWR: PFBR is a fast breeder (stage two, sodium-cooled, MOX fuel). PHWRs are stage one, use natural uranium and heavy water.

Don’t confuse with Fertile vs fissile: U-238 and Th-232 are fertile and become fissile Pu-239 and U-233. These fissile isotopes sustain the chain reaction.

Don’t confuse with FBTR vs PFBR: FBTR is the small test fast reactor at Kalpakkam. PFBR is the 500 MWe prototype power reactor.

Don’t confuse with BARC vs IGCAR: BARC (Mumbai) developed the Cu–Cl process. IGCAR (Kalpakkam) runs FBTR and leads the fast reactor programme.

Don’t confuse with Heavy water vs deuterated compounds: Heavy water (D2O) is the moderator and coolant in PHWRs. Deuterated compounds, such as deuterated solvents, are used in research and specialised applications.

Don’t confuse with Moderator vs coolant: PHWRs use heavy water as moderator. Fast reactors use no moderator and use liquid sodium as coolant.

Don’t confuse with Criticality vs commercial operation: First criticality means the chain reaction is self-sustaining. Grid power and commercial operation come later.

Don’t confuse with First criticality vs grid connection: Criticality is the start of a self-sustaining chain reaction. Power generation and grid supply come later, after power-raising tests.

Don’t confuse with Fast breeder vs thermal reactor: A thermal reactor slows neutrons with a moderator. A fast reactor uses fast neutrons with no moderator and can breed fuel.

Don’t confuse with Criticality vs power generation: Criticality means a sustained chain reaction begins. Grid power supply comes later, after further tests and power raising.

Don’t confuse with Fast breeder vs PHWR: PHWRs are heavy water moderated and use natural uranium. Fast reactors use fast neutrons, no moderator, and a liquid metal coolant.

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.

Why it matters

Starts the second stage, moving India toward using its large thorium reserves for long-term energy security.
Builds indigenous capacity, with nearly 90% domestic manufacturing of PFBR equipment.
Reduces dependence on imported uranium and improves energy security.
Opens the route to using India's large thorium reserves.
Shows nuclear heat can serve non-electric uses such as clean hydrogen, supporting decarbonisation and energy security.
Links the fast reactor stage of the three-stage programme to the National Green Hydrogen Mission goals.
Domestic nuclear-grade sodium cuts import dependence for the second stage of the programme.
Supports strategic self-reliance in critical materials.
Starts stage two of the three-stage programme, a step to thorium use.
Helps the 100 GW nuclear target by 2047 and clean energy goals.
Closes the gap between the PHWR stage and thorium use, bringing India closer to using its large thorium reserves.
Gets more energy from limited uranium and gives low-carbon base-load power.
Builds indigenous capability in fuel cycle, materials and reactor engineering, supporting self-reliance.
Advances India's closed fuel cycle by reusing plutonium and breeding fuel.
Opens the route to using vast thorium reserves, aiding energy security.
Shows indigenous design and engineering capability in advanced nuclear technology.

Problems

The third stage depends on adequate FBR capacity being installed first, which is slow.
Sodium coolant handling and strict safety standards raise complexity.
Thorium use at scale needs enough plutonium as driver fuel, which takes time.
Sodium coolant needs careful handling, and FBRs need advanced materials and strict regulatory clearances.
It is only a technology demonstrator. Scale-up and cost competitiveness with electrolysis are unproven.
Handling sodium-cooled fast reactor heat and corrosive Cu–Cl chemistry needs advanced materials and safety systems.
Sodium reacts violently with water and air, so handling needs strict safety measures.
Scaling up from a prototype cell to industrial output must keep the purity nuclear use requires.
High capital cost and long construction delays of fast reactors.
Sodium coolant is hazardous because it reacts with water and air, so safety needs are high.
Sodium coolant reacts with air and water, so safety and leak control are demanding.
Fast reactors cost more and the project ran far beyond its original schedule.
Closed fuel cycle needs reprocessing, plutonium handling and waste management, with proliferation and public concerns.
High cost and long delays in building the prototype.
Sodium coolant is highly reactive, which raises safety and engineering concerns.
Reprocessing and fuel fabrication for closed cycle are complex.

Way forward

Scale up FBR capacity and reprocessing in step with the fleet-mode PHWR build-out.
Continue uranium exploration with AI/ML and advanced surveys to support early stages.
Complete low power physics experiments, obtain step-wise regulatory clearance, and raise power to grid synchronisation.
Continue R&D on molten salt reactors and thorium fuel cycles before large-scale deployment.
Use the plant's operating data to optimise the process, then build pilot-scale units coupled to larger reactors.
Expand fast reactor capacity, including PFBR, to supply high-temperature heat.
Scale the prototype to industrial production with quality assurance.
Build up fast reactor capacity so the second stage can lead to the thorium stage.
Move from the prototype to commercial fast reactors while keeping safety standards high.
Develop the thorium stage and the fuel cycle, with SMRs and private participation under the SHANTI Act.
Run power-raising tests and grid synchronisation under AERB oversight, with transparent safety reporting.
Scale to commercial fast breeder reactors only after cost, safety and performance are proven.
Build reprocessing and fuel fabrication capacity and move toward thorium use.
Move from prototype to commercial fast reactors after proven operation.
Strengthen reprocessing capacity and independent safety oversight.
Build thorium-stage research and fuel cycle step by step.

Put in your answer

Domestic content: IGCAR helped achieve nearly 90% domestic manufacturing of PFBR equipment and systems.

Capacity target: Installed nuclear capacity is to rise from 8780 MW to 22480 MW by 2031/32.

Domestic manufacturing: Nearly 90% of PFBR's equipment and systems were made domestically.

Nuclear hydrogen: Nuclear-heat hydrogen supports decarbonisation of fertilisers, refineries, transport and steel, and the National Green Hydrogen Mission.

FBTR experience: FBTR has served for more than four decades as a platform for fuels, materials and sodium technology, laying the base for PFBR.

Three-stage nuclear programme: Use it as an example of indigenous supply chain building for the second stage, from PHWRs through fast breeders to thorium.

Nuclear power target: India aims for 100 GW of nuclear capacity by 2047.

SMR plan: Five SMRs are planned by 2033 under the Nuclear Mission, with SHANTI Act enabling private participation.

Closed fuel cycle: The reactor uses a closed fuel cycle that recycles nuclear materials, improving sustainability and reducing waste.

Three-stage programme: Use the stage-wise link: PHWR, then fast breeders, then thorium reactors, to explain India's long-term energy strategy.

Institutions: IGCAR designed the PFBR and BHAVINI builds it, an example of indigenous capacity in a public-sector model.

Test yourself

True or false?

1 of 42

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

1.The first stage of India's three-stage programme uses Fast Breeder Reactors with thorium as fuel.
2.In the third stage, Uranium-233 bred from Thorium-232 is the intended fuel.
3.The PFBR at Kalpakkam is a 500 MW reactor implemented by NPCIL.
4.The three-stage programme is based on a closed fuel cycle involving reprocessing of spent fuel.
5.Fast breeder reactors use a moderator such as heavy water to slow neutrons for breeding.
6.The Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research is a unit of the Department of Atomic Energy.
7.In India's three-stage nuclear programme, the second stage uses plutonium from reprocessed PHWR spent fuel in Fast Breeder Reactors.
8.Thorium-232 is a fissile material that can be used directly as reactor fuel.
9.The third stage of the programme relies on Uranium-233 bred from Thorium-232.
10.PFBR uses water as its primary coolant.
11.PFBR was designed by the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research.
12.Uranium-233 fabricated as fuel for the KAMINI reactor was obtained from irradiated thoria pins.
13.PFBR is being built by NPCIL.
14.The newly inaugurated hydrogen facility at Kalpakkam draws process heat from the Fast Breeder Test Reactor.
15.The Copper–Chlorine thermochemical process used in the facility was developed indigenously by BARC.
16.The Cu–Cl cycle is regarded as promising mainly because it needs extremely high operating temperatures compared with other cycles.
17.IGCAR was established in 1971 and has been at the forefront of India's Fast Breeder Reactor programme.
18.The 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor is the flagship of the first stage of India's three-stage nuclear power programme.
19.The third stage of India's nuclear programme is based on thorium, with U-233 as the fissile material.
20.In the Cu–Cl cycle, the hydrogen is produced by chemical reactions that split water, with heat supplied by the reactor.
21.The first stage of India's three-stage programme uses fast breeder reactors fuelled with plutonium.
22.The Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam is a 500 MWe reactor designed indigenously.
23.The PFBR is built by the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, which also designed it.
24.The PFBR uses uranium-plutonium mixed oxide fuel and produces more fissile fuel than it consumes.
25.The PFBR is the third stage of India's three-stage nuclear programme and runs mainly on thorium.
26.In the PFBR, fertile uranium-238 in a blanket is converted into fissile plutonium-239.
27.The PFBR uses heavy water as both moderator and coolant.
28.Russia is currently the only country operating commercial fast breeder reactors.
29.The PFBR uses Uranium-Plutonium Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuel in its core.
30.In the PFBR, fertile Uranium-238 in the blanket is converted into fissile Plutonium-239 by fast neutrons.
31.The PFBR was built and commissioned by the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research.
32.The blanket of the PFBR is designed to eventually use Thorium-232, which is transmuted into Uranium-233.
33.The PFBR uses heavy water as moderator and coolant.
34.In India's three-stage nuclear programme, the first stage uses pressurised heavy water reactors fuelled by natural uranium.
35.The third stage of India's nuclear programme is based on Plutonium-239 fuel.
36.The PFBR at Kalpakkam has attained criticality, which marks progress in the second stage of India's nuclear programme.
37.The PFBR is capable of producing more fissile fuel than it consumes.
38.The PFBR directly uses thorium as its main fuel, making it a third-stage reactor.
39.The PFBR uses sodium as coolant.
40.The PFBR is built by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL).
41.In the fast breeder reactor, a U-238 blanket is converted to Pu-239.
42.The first stage of India's nuclear programme uses fast breeder reactors with plutonium fuel.

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

Source: PIB, Department of Atomic Energy, 26 Jun, 21:14 IST · Release 290554

Issue page →

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

Law and statutory body

Drugs Rules, 1945: Rule 31 Residual Shelf Life of Imported Drugs

GS3 Economy · Regulation of pharmaceutical sectorGS2 HealthPrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 26 June 2026 the Health Ministry invited public comments on a draft amendment to Rule 31 of the Drugs Rules, 1945, published as G.S.R. 505 (E) dated 22 June 2026. It would change the residual shelf-life rule for imported drugs.
What it is: The Drugs Rules, 1945 are rules made under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. They govern the import, manufacture, sale and distribution of drugs in India. Rule 31 deals with the conditions for imported drugs, including how much shelf life must remain at the time of import.

Parent law: The draft amends the Drugs Rules, 1945. These rules flow from the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, and the draft leaves quality, safety and efficacy requirements under them unchanged.
Proposed change: The present requirement is a residual shelf life of more than 60 per cent. The draft replaces it with a minimum of 12 months at the time of import.
Exemption: Biological products and radiopharmaceuticals will stay under the more than 60 per cent rule, because of their specialised nature and public health considerations.
Stage of process: This is a draft open to public comment. Objections and suggestions go to the Under Secretary (Drugs) in the Health Ministry. It is not yet in force.
Stated aim: The aim is ease of doing business, less wastage of medicines and better use of inventories in the supply chain.

Don’t confuse with Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 vs Drugs Rules, 1945: The Act is the parent law passed by Parliament. The Rules are subordinate legislation framed under it by the executive, and they can be amended by a notification such as this one.

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: Draft rule change with numbers (60 per cent to 12 months) but only a consultation draft; laws and rules are 23 of 327 Prelims news questions, and this is minor.

Source: PIB, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 26 Jun, 10:22 IST · Release 290527

Issue page →

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

Law and statutory body

Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act and Clinical Establishments Act, 2010

GS2 Governance, laws and regulationGS3 Ease of doing businessPrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 26 June 2026, the Health Ministry said it has operationalised Jan Vishwas Act, 2026 reforms in the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Minor offences move from criminal to administrative penalties.
What it is: The Legal Metrology Act, 2009 regulates weights, measures and packaged commodities to protect consumers and ensure fair trade. It requires registration, model approval and standard units, and penalises violations. The Jan Vishwas approach amends many Central Acts together to decriminalise or soften minor, procedural offences and promote ease of doing business.

Mechanism: A Legal Metrology Officer can issue an Improvement Notice that names the deficiency and gives reasonable time to rectify it.
Legal route: The notice was brought in through the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026, which amends the Legal Metrology Act, 2009.
Who it covers: It applies to manufacturers, importers, packers, dealers, repairers, traders, MSMEs and other regulated entities.
Limits: Fraud, repeated violations and tampering still face strict action, and the notice covers only specified first-time procedural lapses.
Failure to comply: Not complying with the notice, or repeating the lapse, still attracts action under the Act.
Drugs and Cosmetics Act, Section 29: The penalty of up to ₹1 lakh for using a Government Analyst's report in advertising a drug or cosmetic has been omitted.
Section 28A: Violations of procedural duties, such as keeping records and submitting information, now attract administrative penalties.
Low-risk cosmetics: Minor quality lapses and labelling errors in low-risk cosmetics fall under an administrative penalty framework. Spurious or adulterated cosmetics still face strict penal provisions.
Adjudication and appeal: Provisions for Adjudicating Authorities and an Appeal Mechanism have been introduced to dispose of such cases.
Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006: Interfering with seized items now carries up to three months' imprisonment instead of six.
Obstructing a Food Safety Officer: This offence is omitted from the FSS Act because the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita already covers it.
Notification date: The amendments under the Clinical Establishments Act were notified on 22 June 2026.
Scope of the Jan Vishwas Act, 2026: It covers 79 Central Acts run by 23 Ministries and Departments.
Health sector share: 35 provisions across five Acts of the Health Ministry were amended.
Fine to penalty: In Sections 40, 43 and 46, 'fine' is replaced by 'penalty', shifting from criminal prosecution to administrative adjudication.
Adjudicating authority: The Section 41 adjudicating authority is strengthened and now covers proceedings under Sections 40, 43 and 44.
Basis of reform: The notification implements recommendations of the High-Level Committee on Regulatory Reforms.
Scale of amendment: 784 provisions in 79 Central Acts, administered by 23 Ministries, are amended.
Split of changes: 717 provisions are decriminalised for ease of doing business and 67 are amended for ease of living.
Earlier law: The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023 was the first such law, amending 42 Central Acts.
Scale of the 2026 Bill: It amends 784 provisions of 79 Central Acts run by 23 Ministries.
Jan Vishwas Act, 2023: The first law in this series decriminalised 183 provisions in 42 Central Acts.

Don’t confuse with Improvement Notice vs penalty: The notice is a chance to correct a first-time procedural lapse before penal proceedings begin. It is not a waiver of the offence for repeat or fraudulent acts.

Don’t confuse with Legal Metrology Act, 2009 vs Consumer Protection Act, 2019: The first regulates standards of weights, measures and packaged goods. The second gives consumers remedies for defective goods, deficient services and unfair trade practices.

Don’t confuse with Decriminalisation vs. legalisation: Jan Vishwas replaces jail or court fines with administrative penalties for minor lapses. The acts are still violations. Serious offences stay criminal.

Don’t confuse with Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 vs. Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006: The first governs the quality and sale of drugs and cosmetics. The second governs food safety and standards. Both were amended here.

Don’t confuse with Jan Vishwas Act 2023 vs 2026: The 2023 Act was the first round of decriminalisation; the 2026 Act is a later amendment covering 79 Central Acts.

Don’t confuse with Fine vs penalty: A fine is imposed by a court after criminal prosecution; a penalty here is imposed by an adjudicating authority after a hearing.

Don’t confuse with Jan Vishwas Act, 2023 vs Bill 2025 vs Bill 2026: 2023 Act: 183 provisions, 42 Acts. 2025 Bill: 355 provisions, 16 Acts, withdrawn. 2026 Bill: 784 provisions, 79 Acts.

Why it matters

Reduces compliance burden and litigation for honest businesses, especially MSMEs, supporting ease of doing business.
Lets enforcement officers focus on deliberate and repeat violations that harm consumers.
Reduces the compliance burden and the fear of prosecution for businesses, supporting ease of doing business.
Separates technical lapses from serious public health offences, so enforcement is proportionate and courts are less burdened.
Decriminalising procedural lapses eases doing business and reduces fear of prosecution for clinics and hospitals.
Administrative adjudication with hearing and appeal reduces court burden and litigation.
Reduces compliance burden and fear of prosecution for businesses and citizens.
Supports trust-based governance and proportionate regulation.
Frees courts and enforcement from minor cases, so they can focus on serious offences.
Replaces jail terms for minor defaults with penalties, easing compliance and the business climate.
Reduces litigation load on courts through adjudication and appeal mechanisms.
Supports proportionate, trust-based regulation.

Problems

Officers' discretion in deciding what is a genuine first-time lapse may cause inconsistency or misuse.
Weaker deterrence could let some traders treat violations as costless until noticed.
Administrative penalties may weaken deterrence if adjudicators are weak or penalties are low.
Adjudicating authorities and appeal bodies need capacity and independence to avoid delays and arbitrariness.
Weaker deterrence may hurt patient safety if penalties are too low or poorly enforced.
Adjudicating authorities need capacity, independence and uniform implementation across States, many of which have not adopted the Act.
Weaker deterrence where minor offences affect public safety, health or the environment.
Penalties may be too low or poorly enforced, and states must amend their own laws too.
Omnibus amendments across many Acts get limited scrutiny.
Weaker penalties may reduce deterrence where offences affect safety, health or environment.
Adjudicating Officers and Appellate Authorities need capacity and independence to avoid delays.
Amending 79 Acts in one Bill may limit detailed scrutiny of each change.

Way forward

Set clear rules and timelines for issuing notices, and keep a record to detect repeat offenders.
Publish data on notices issued and complied with, and keep consumer complaint channels strong.
Set up and staff adjudication and appeal bodies quickly, with published orders for transparency.
Keep strict criminal penalties for spurious, adulterated and unsafe products, and monitor outcomes.
Build adjudication capacity and publish penalty orders for transparency.
Monitor outcomes on patient safety and quality, and review penalty levels periodically.
Keep criminal liability for offences that cause real harm; use graded penalties.
Extend reforms to State laws and review the Acts the Select Committee flagged.
Build strong adjudication and appeal mechanisms for penalties.
Keep criminal liability for offences that cause harm or are repeated, and graduate penalties by risk.
Staff and train adjudicating and appellate bodies and set time limits.
Review state laws too, since many compliance burdens arise there.

Put in your answer

Trust-based governance: The Department describes the reform as part of 'Minimum Government, Maximum Governance', shifting from punishment to facilitation without dropping enforcement.

Proportionate enforcement example: Minor cosmetic labelling errors get administrative penalties, while spurious or adulterated cosmetics stay criminal. This shows the trust-based yet safeguarded approach.

Avoiding duplication: Obstructing a Food Safety Officer was dropped from the FSS Act because the BNS already covers it.

Principle: Trust-based governance: replace criminal penalties for procedural lapses with proportionate administrative penalties, while preserving oversight.

Due process safeguards: The amendments provide hearing, penalty recovery and an appeal framework.

Jan Vishwas Act, 2023: It decriminalised 183 provisions in 42 Central Acts, the base for the current reform.

Test yourself

True or false?

1 of 11

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

1.The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026 amends provisions in 79 Central Acts administered by 23 Ministries and Departments.
2.Section 44 of the Clinical Establishments Act has been amended to provide graded and proportionate penalties for contraventions by companies.
3.The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026 was published in the Official Gazette on 22 June 2026.
4.Of the provisions amended, 717 have been decriminalised to promote Ease of Doing Business.
5.The Bill was first introduced in the Rajya Sabha in August 2025.
6.The Select Committee on the Bill was chaired by Tejasvi Surya.
7.The Jan Vishwas approach generally replaces imprisonment for minor offences with monetary penalties in several cases.
8.The Select Committee recommended decriminalisation in 62 additional Central Acts.
9.The Bill's amended Acts are administered by a single Ministry.
10.The Jan Vishwas Act, 2023 decriminalised 183 provisions in 42 Central Acts.
11.The 2025 Jan Vishwas Bill was passed by Parliament and the 2026 Bill is a separate follow-up law.

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

Source: PIB, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 26 Jun, 12:39 IST · Release 290534

Issue page →

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

Economy

Hub-and-Spoke International Aviation Strategy (Easy Connect)

GS3 Infrastructure · AviationPrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 26 June 2026, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu launched the first 'Easy Connect' hub-and-spoke international flight from Varanasi. More such operations are planned from Tier-II and Tier-III city airports.
What it is: Easy Connect is the Civil Aviation Ministry's hub-and-spoke model for international flights. A passenger completes check-in, immigration and customs at a smaller spoke airport. The passenger then flies to a major Indian hub and boards the onward international flight. The aim is to keep international traffic on Indian airports and carriers.

How it works: Passengers finish check-in, immigration and customs at the spoke airport, which becomes the first point of departure.
First route: Varanasi is the first spoke airport. Delhi is cited as an example of a designated hub.
Security safeguard: Both legs of a domestic-international journey are treated as international operations.
Boarding cards: Separate boarding cards marked D (domestic) and I (international) prevent passengers intermixing.
Targets: The goal is for India to be the hub of choice for Indian passengers by 2030 and for the world by 2047.
Projected impact: The Ministry's studies estimate about 0.4 million jobs and an extra USD 30 billion of GDP by 2030.

Don’t confuse with Hub-and-spoke vs point-to-point: Hub-and-spoke routes traffic from many smaller airports through a central hub. Point-to-point flies directly between two cities without a connecting hub.

Don’t confuse with Easy Connect vs UDAN: UDAN is a regional connectivity scheme for mainly domestic flights to underserved airports. Easy Connect gives international connectivity from smaller airports via a hub.

Economy terms and data: 42 Prelims questions since 2013, rising in recent years; they test what a term or instrument means. In Mains, 12 news-triggered questions.

No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Lasting aviation policy with targets (hub of choice by 2030, 2047) but no firm facts for statements; schemes asked 52 times in Prelims, mostly established ones.

Source: PIB, Ministry of Civil Aviation, 26 Jun, 16:01 IST · Release 290545

Issue page →

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

Law and statutory body

Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) and Vision Document on Drug Control 2026-2029

GS3 Internal security · Drug traffickingGS2 GovernancePrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 26 June 2026, Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the 10th apex-level NCORD meeting in New Delhi. He released the Vision Document on Drug Control (2026-2029) and the NCB Annual Report-2025.
What it is: NCORD is the Narco-Coordination Centre, a multi-level mechanism for coordinating drug law enforcement and demand reduction between the Centre and states. It meets at apex, executive committee, state and district levels. The Narcotics Control Bureau is the national agency that works under the Ministry of Home Affairs and enforces the NDPS Act.

Meeting level: This was the 10th apex-level NCORD meeting, chaired by the Union Home Minister. Lower tiers have met many more times.
Four pillars of the Vision Document: The 2026-2029 roadmap rests on four pillars: enforcement and intelligence; precursor and synthetic drug control; demand and harm reduction; and capacity building, coordination and monitoring.
Strategy in three words: The approach is Detect, Disrupt and Destroy, using human intelligence, technical intelligence and community policing.
New NCB zonal offices: NCB zonal offices at Jammu and Guwahati were e-inaugurated, and the NCB Annual Report-2025 was released.
Review: The plan will be reviewed after one year and redefined if needed.

Don’t confuse with NCORD vs NCB: NCORD is a coordination mechanism with national, state and district tiers. NCB is the enforcement agency under MHA.

Don’t confuse with Detect-Disrupt-Destroy vs Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan: The first is the enforcement strategy of this roadmap. Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan is the Social Justice Ministry's awareness and rehabilitation campaign.

No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Apex body and new vision document with a lasting security topic; related drug issues already on file, and Mains security questions are few (5 of 161 news-linked).

Source: PIB, Ministry of Home Affairs, 26 Jun, 16:41 IST · Release 290546

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

What we left out: 20 of 26 releases

Speeches without a decision (2)
General feature articles (2)
Promotional events (1)
Tributes and greetings (4)
Same issue as another release (4)
Visit schedules (1)
Ceremonies and campaigns (3)
Routine seizures (2)
Greetings and congratulations (1)

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

1National Biodiversity Authority and Access and Benefit SharingMCQ · 53 true or false · Mains
2Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) and Three-Stage Nuclear ProgrammeMCQ · 42 true or false · Mains
3Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act and Clinical Establishments Act, 2010MCQ · 11 true or false · Mains

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