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UPSC current affairs · Sunday

Current Affairs, 28 June 2026

7 issues picked from 19 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

  1. Anemia Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan. Anemia Mukt Bharat becomes an Abhiyaan: 7x7x7 strategy, T4 approach, digital tracking, IV iron.
  2. Project Cheetah and Kuno National Park. Alwar tiger workshop marks Sariska's 18 years; Project Cheetah annual report released.
  3. Samagra Shishu Bal Swasthya Karyakram (SSBSK). SSBSK merges HBNC and HBYC into one home-based care programme for children up to 36 months.
  4. Medical Devices Rules, 2017. Draft amendments cut manufacturing licence timelines for Class B, C and D medical devices.
  5. DIKSHA (PM e-Vidya). DIKSHA, NCERT's open-source school learning platform, reports 2.25 crore registered users and 135 languages.
  6. India-Seychelles Relations. Modi's Seychelles visit: MoUs, INR 1250 crore credit line, Seychelles joins CDRI, historic Assembly address.
  7. PM Family Care Tracker. Pilot PM Family Care Tracker in Gujarat gives children unique IDs to deliver scheme benefits automatically.
1

Scheme

Anemia Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan

GS2 Health - Welfare schemesGS2 Poshan and nutritionPrelims and Mains

Why in news
On 28 June 2026 the Health Ministry announced that Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda will release the Anemia Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan Operational Guidelines at the 16th CCHFW meeting on 29 June 2026 in New Delhi.
What it is
Anemia Mukt Bharat is a Health Ministry programme to cut anemia among women, children and adolescents. It uses testing, iron-folic acid supplementation, deworming and diet promotion. The earlier version ran on a 6X6X6 strategy, with six beneficiary groups, six interventions and six institutional mechanisms.
Strategy change
The guidelines move from the 6X6X6 strategy to 7X7X7: seven beneficiary groups, seven interventions and seven institutional mechanisms.
T4 approach
The earlier T3 approach (Test, Treat, Talk) now becomes T4 by adding Track.
Digital portals
Pregnant and lactating mothers are registered on the JANANI Portal, school children on the RBSK portal and children for vaccination on U-WIN.
Institutional mechanisms
These include a National Centre of Excellence and Advanced Research on Anemia and a National AMB Abhiyaan Unit.
New framework
The 6x6x6 strategy is expanded to 7x7x7, with a seventh beneficiary group, intervention and institutional mechanism.
Seventh beneficiary group
Low Birth Weight babies aged 0-6 months are added as the seventh beneficiary group.
Seventh intervention
'Eating Right' (iron-rich, diversified diets as a daily habit) is the seventh intervention.
Digital tracking
Pregnant women's haemoglobin records go through the JANANI portal, children's through RBSK and U-WIN, all feeding a unified Abhiyaan Portal.
IV iron
Intravenous iron therapy (FCM and iron sucrose) is a clinical intervention for severe cases and non-responders among pregnant and lactating women.
New strategy
The 6x6x6 strategy expands to 7x7x7 with a seventh beneficiary group, a seventh intervention and a seventh institutional mechanism.
T3 to T4
The approach moves from T3 (Test, Treat, Talk) to T4 (Test, Treat, Talk and Track).
IV iron therapy
Ferric Carboxymaltose and Iron Sucrose will be used for severe anemia and non-responders among pregnant and lactating women.
Digital ecosystem
Records feed from JANANI (pregnant women), RBSK and U-WIN (children) into a unified AMB Abhiyaan Portal.
Launch venue
The guidelines will be released at the 16th Central Council of Health and Family Welfare meeting on 29 June 2026 at Vigyan Bhawan.

Don’t confuse with JANANI vs U-WIN vs RBSK portals: JANANI tracks pregnant and lactating mothers, RBSK portal tracks school-going children, and U-WIN tracks children for vaccination.

Don’t confuse with Anemia Mukt Bharat vs POSHAN Abhiyaan: Anemia Mukt Bharat is a Health Ministry programme focused on anemia. POSHAN Abhiyaan is a broader nutrition mission run by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.

Don’t confuse with T3 vs T4: T3 is Test, Treat, Talk. T4 adds Track.

Don’t confuse with 6x6x6 vs 7x7x7: 6x6x6 is the earlier strategy; 7x7x7 adds LBW babies, Eating Right and a strengthened digital Monitoring and Evaluation mechanism.

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 yourselfMains

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

2

Species and protected area

Project Cheetah and Kuno National Park

GS3 Environment · ConservationPrelims and Mains

Why in news
On 28 June 2026, Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav inaugurated a national workshop on tiger re-introduction at Alwar, Rajasthan. He also released the Annual Report of Project Cheetah (September 2024–December 2025).
What it is
Project Cheetah is India's programme to reintroduce the cheetah, which became extinct in the country. It is run by the Environment Ministry and led by the National Tiger Conservation Authority. Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh was the first release site, with cheetahs brought from Namibia and South Africa.
Cheetah report
The Annual Report of Project Cheetah covers September 2024 to December 2025. It covers translocations, habitat management, veterinary care, community engagement and future priorities.
Organiser
The NTCA organised the workshop with the Rajasthan Government. NTCA is the body under the Environment Ministry that also leads Project Cheetah.
Sariska recovery
Sariska went from local extinction of tigers in 2005 to 56 tigers now.
Tiger reserves
The number of tiger reserves rose from 46 to 58 over the past decade.
Community role
Reintroduction succeeded in Panna and Sariska with local support, but not in Satkosia (Odisha) because community support was lacking.
Kuno
Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh was the first site for the African cheetah introduction in 2022.
Launch
Project Cheetah was launched on September 17, 2022.
Who runs it
The Environment Ministry oversees it. The National Tiger Conservation Authority leads it.
First site
Kuno National Park is India's first cheetah reintroduction site. It offers suitable habitat, abundant prey and little human disturbance.
Source countries
Cheetahs came from Namibia in September 2022, South Africa in February 2023 and Botswana in February 2026.
Botswana batch
Eight cheetahs were donated by Botswana and reached Kuno in February 2026.

Don’t confuse with Reintroduction vs supplementation: Reintroduction restores a species where it went locally extinct (Sariska). Supplementation adds animals to an existing low population.

Don’t confuse with Source vs sink areas: Source areas have surplus animals that disperse. Sink areas lose more animals than they produce.

Don’t confuse with Asiatic vs African cheetah: The cheetah that went extinct in India was the Asiatic subspecies. The animals brought to Kuno are African cheetahs, from Namibia, South Africa and Botswana.

Species and protected areas: 12 Prelims questions since 2013; they test legal status, location and the year of designation.

Test yourself

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

3

Scheme

Samagra Shishu Bal Swasthya Karyakram (SSBSK)

GS2 Health schemesPrelims and Mains

Why in news
On 28 June 2026, the Health Ministry announced that Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda will launch the Samagra Shishu Bal Swasthya Karyakram (SSBSK) at the 16th CCHFW Conference in New Delhi.
What it is
SSBSK is a unified national programme for home and community-based care of newborns and young children from birth to 36 months. It merges two existing programmes, Home-Based Newborn Care (HBNC) and Home-Based Care for Young Child (HBYC). It is delivered through frontline workers under the National Health Mission.
Age covered
Continuum of home and community care from birth to 36 months.
Programmes merged
HBNC and HBYC are integrated into a single framework.
At-risk home visits
At-risk newborns get up to nine visits in the first 42 days; at-risk children get up to eight visits up to 36 months.
Community platforms
Well-Baby Sessions at every VHSND and a monthly Shishu Shivir at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs.
Maternal mental health
ASHAs screen mothers for post-partum mental health problems and refer them.
Merged programmes
SSBSK consolidates HBNC and HBYC into a single framework.
Age coverage
It gives a continuum of home and community-based care from birth to 36 months.
Risk-stratified visits
At-risk newborns get up to nine home visits in the first 42 days; at-risk children get up to eight visits up to 36 months.
Delivery workers
Joint home visits by ASHAs, ANMs, CHOs and Anganwadi Workers.
Community sessions
Well-Baby Sessions at every VHSND and a monthly Shishu Shivir at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs.
Digital links
Systems are aligned with JANANI, U-WIN, MPCDSR, RBSK 2.0 and POSHAN Tracker, with data exchange through ABHA and Baal-ABHA IDs.

Don’t confuse with HBNC vs HBYC: HBNC covers home visits for newborns; HBYC covers home visits for young children. SSBSK merges both.

Don’t confuse with ABHA vs Baal-ABHA: ABHA is the health ID for individuals; Baal-ABHA is used for children. Both enable data exchange under SSBSK.

Don’t confuse with VHSND vs Shishu Shivir: VHSND hosts Well-Baby Sessions; Shishu Shivir is a monthly session at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs.

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

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

4

Law and statutory body

Medical Devices Rules, 2017

GS2 Health regulationGS3 Ease of doing businessPrelims and Mains

Why in news
On 28 June 2026 the Health Ministry published draft amendments to the Medical Devices Rules, 2017 in the Official Gazette. They propose shorter timelines for manufacturing licences and are open for stakeholder comments.
What it is
The Medical Devices Rules, 2017 regulate the manufacture, import, sale and testing of medical devices in India. They are made under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and are administered by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO). Devices are classified by risk and licensed accordingly.
Rule 44 change
Manufacturers using an outsourced sterilization facility no longer need a separate loan licence under Rule 25, if the facility holds a valid licence under the Rules.
Ninth Schedule
A new Ninth Schedule sets uniform fees for testing of medical devices by Medical Device Testing Laboratories.
Rule 63 and the EU
Rule 63 now includes the European Union among recognized stringent regulatory jurisdictions for waiver of clinical investigation for devices without predicate devices.
Earlier recognized jurisdictions
The provision already recognized the USA, UK, Australia, Canada and Japan.
Parent law and regulator
The Rules are framed under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and enforced by CDSCO under the Drugs Controller General of India.
Risk classes
Devices fall into Class A, B, C and D, with Class D the highest risk.
Class B timeline
Proposed cut in the manufacturing licence timeline for Class B from 140 to 115 days. Examples are BP monitors and pulse oximeters.
Class C and D timeline
Proposed cut from 105 to 90 days for high-risk devices such as cardiac stents and orthopaedic implants.
Stage-wise timelines
The draft sets defined timelines for scrutiny, audit by notified bodies, compliance verification and licence issue.
Legal basis
The Rules are made under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and administered by the CDSCO.

Don’t confuse with Medical Devices Rules, 2017 vs a separate Medical Devices Act: India has no standalone medical devices Act. The Rules operate under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.

Don’t confuse with Loan licence vs manufacturing licence: A loan licence lets a manufacturer use another licensed firm's facilities. The amendment removes it only for outsourced sterilization.

Don’t confuse with Medical Devices Rules, 2017 vs Drugs Rules, 1945: Devices have had their own rules since 2017 (in force from January 2018). Drugs continue under the Drugs Rules, 1945.

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 rule with risk classes A-D, but this is a draft timeline cut; laws/rules are 23 of 327 Prelims questions, and facts are thin.

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

5

Scheme

DIKSHA (PM e-Vidya)

GS2 EducationGS3 Digital platformsPrelims and Mains

Why in news
On 28 June 2026, PIB published a explainer on DIKSHA, the national digital school-education platform under PM e-Vidya, with usage figures as on 27 June 2026.
What it is
DIKSHA (Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing) is an open-source national platform for school education, run under the Ministry of Education's PM e-Vidya programme. It offers curriculum-linked content for K-12, including QR-coded energised textbooks and teacher training courses. States, UTs and boards use it and add content in their own languages.
Parent programme
DIKSHA is a key component of PM e-Vidya of the Ministry of Education, aimed at continuity of learning through online means.
Launch and lead agency
Launched in 2017, it is spearheaded by NCERT together with CIET.
Architecture and validation
It works on a federated architecture, so each participant uploads and manages its own content. CIET-NCERT periodically validates participant content.
Languages
The platform supports 135 languages: 128 Indian and seven foreign.
Offline access
Learners can download content in advance and use it without internet.
Teacher training
It supports teacher professional development through NISHTHA and state-specific modules.

Don’t confuse with DIKSHA vs SWAYAM: DIKSHA is for school education (K-12) and teachers. SWAYAM is the MOOC platform mainly for higher education.

Don’t confuse with NCERT vs CIET: NCERT leads DIKSHA; CIET is its constituent institute that validates content and handles ed-tech.

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: Lasting platform with standing facts (launched 2017, NCERT, CIET), but this is a backgrounder, not a fresh decision; schemes are 52 of 327 Prelims questions.

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

6

International relations

India-Seychelles Relations

GS2 International relationsPrelims and Mains

Why in news
On 28 June 2026, PM Modi and Seychelles President Patrick Herminie held talks in Victoria during his 27-29 June state visit. MoUs were exchanged, including a INR 1250 crore Line of Credit, and Seychelles said it will join CDRI.
What it is
Seychelles is an Indian Ocean island nation off East Africa. It sits in waters India treats as a core maritime neighbourhood. India's ties with it cover development aid, maritime security, defence and capacity building, and 2026 marks 50 years of diplomatic relations.
Line of Credit
India extended a Line of Credit of INR 1250 crore to Seychelles, announced alongside the MoUs.
CDRI membership
Seychelles announced it is joining the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, an India-led global coalition.
Sectors of MoUs
MoUs covered capacity building, UPI, health, agriculture, shipping, space, extradition and the Line of Credit.
Parliamentary first
Modi became the first Indian PM to address an Extraordinary Sitting of Seychelles' National Assembly.
Indian Ocean concerns
Leaders discussed illegal fishing, drug trafficking and piracy as regional challenges.
Diplomatic anniversary
A joint logo marked 50 years of diplomatic relations.

Don’t confuse with CDRI vs ISA: CDRI is about disaster-resilient infrastructure; the International Solar Alliance is about solar energy. Both are India-led.

International bodies and relations: the largest group of news questions in Prelims (61 since 2013), often about background, members and location. In Mains, 27 news-triggered questions, mostly on India's interests.

No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Bilateral outcomes: INR 1250 crore line of credit, UPI, extradition, CDRI membership; lasting topic but bilateral visits rarely yield a question.

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

7

Scheme

PM Family Care Tracker

GS2 Governance and welfare deliveryGS3 TechnologyPrelims and Mains

Why in news
On 28 June 2026, Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the 'PM Family Care Tracker' pilot project in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. It links child records to birth and death registration data to deliver welfare schemes.
What it is
The PM Family Care Tracker is an integrated monitoring platform that links a family's and child's records with birth and death registration data. It aims to identify beneficiaries and deliver government scheme benefits without separate applications. It is at pilot stage in Gujarat.
Data link
The tracker is integrated with birth and death registration data.
Unique ID
Every child gets a unique ID and number, so scheme benefits can reach them automatically.
Monitoring
It creates an integrated monitoring system to identify needy individuals and give them special attention.

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: Pilot linking birth and death registration to unique child ID for scheme delivery; a lasting topic but pilot-stage with few testable facts.

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

Quick facts

  • Ministry of Rural Development launched an AI-enabled Rural Internal Audit Portal, built by the Office of the CCA with NIC.
  • Seychelles gave PM Modi the 'Guardian of the Blue Horizon' Presidential Distinction, conferred for the first time.

Source: PIB, 28 Jun

What we left out: 10 of 19 releases
  • Ceremonies and tributes (1)
  • Speeches without a decision (4)
  • Same issue as another release (2)
  • Visit schedules (2)
  • Ceremonies and campaigns (1)

Practise the day’s news

Mains question of the day

15 marks · 250 words

The Health Ministry is set to release operational guidelines that expand the Anemia Mukt Bharat strategy from 6x6x6 to 7x7x7 and move from the T3 to the T4 approach. In this context, discuss the main provisions of the Anemia Mukt Bharat programme and critically examine the challenges in reducing anemia among women and children in India. Suggest a way forward.

From: Anemia Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan

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