| Category | Headline News | Key Exam Fact (Prelims/One-Liners) |
| National Policy | Census 2027 Notified | First Phase (Houselisting) to run from April 1 to Sept 30, 2026. It will be India's first fully Digital Census. |
| Agriculture/Health | Draft Pesticides Bill 2025 | Released to replace the Insecticides Act, 1968. Focuses on safety, traceability, and decriminalizing minor procedural lapses. |
| Judiciary | Justice Sahoo Elevated | Justice Sangam Kumar Sahoo (formerly Odisha HC) takes oath as the Chief Justice of Patna High Court. |
| Science & Tech | ISRO's DEX Findings | Indigenous Dust Experiment (DEX) confirms one interplanetary dust particle hits Earth's atmosphere every 1,000 seconds. |
| Environment | Bio-Bitumen Production | India becomes the first country to commercially produce Bio-Bitumen (from biomass) for eco-friendly road construction. |
| Global Crisis | Thwaites Glacier Alert | New study on Antarctica's "Doomsday Glacier" warns of accelerated melting, posing a threat to coastal populations (Climate Migration). |
| Youth & Culture | VBYLD 2026 | National Youth Festival rebranded as Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue, to be held in New Delhi (Jan 11-12). |
1. Lead Story: India’s First Digital Census (Census 2027)
Why is this in News? The Registrar General of India (RGI) officially announced on January 8 that the first phase of the decennial Census, known as Houselisting & Housing Census, will be conducted from April 1 to September 30, 2026.
Key Features for Social Work/UPSC:
Digital Transformation: This will be the first census to allow Self-Enumeration via a mobile portal, reducing the burden on enumerators.
Social Indicators: New data points will include Digital Literacy (access to internet/gadgets), Disaster Risk (climate migration history), and expanded options for Gender Identity.
Significance: The data collected will form the baseline for the Delimitation Commission (reshaping Lok Sabha constituencies) and future Welfare Schemes (DBT targets).
2. Policy Watch: Draft Pesticides Management Bill, 2025
Context: The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has released this draft bill to replace the outdated Insecticides Act, 1968.
Social & Health Impact:
Worker Safety: The bill mandates stricter Occupational Health Safety (OHS) standards for farm laborers who spray chemicals, a key area of concern for Rural Social Workers.
Decriminalization: It proposes to decriminalize minor administrative lapses (like licensing errors) to promote "Ease of Doing Business," but retains strict criminal penalties for selling Spurious (Fake) Pesticides.
Central Pesticides Board: A new apex body will be formed to review the safety of chemicals every few years.
3. Science & Environment: Two Major Indian Milestones
A. ISRO’s Dust Experiment (DEX)
ISRO released groundbreaking data from its DEX payload (launched aboard PSLV-C58).
The Finding: Interplanetary dust particles (micrometeoroids) bombard Earth’s atmosphere roughly every 1,000 seconds.
Why it matters: This data is crucial for the safety of the Gaganyaan Mission (Human Spaceflight), ensuring astronaut safety from micro-debris.
B. India Leads in Bio-Bitumen
India has become the first country to commercially produce Bio-Bitumen, a sustainable alternative to fossil-fuel-based bitumen used in road construction.
Source: It is derived from biomass and agricultural waste (solving the stubble burning issue).
SDG Link: Connects SDG 9 (Innovation/Infrastructure) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
4. Persons & Places in News
Persons in Focus
Justice Sangam Kumar Sahoo:
News: Sworn in as the Chief Justice of Patna High Court.
Background: Previously a senior judge at the Orissa High Court. His elevation is a key topic for OPSC/Bihar Judiciary exams.
Nayab Singh Saini (CM, Haryana):
News: Flagged off the state contingent for the National Youth Festival, emphasizing the new "VBYLD" format.
Places in Focus
Thwaites Glacier (Antarctica):
News: New research indicates it is melting faster than predicted. Known as the "Doomsday Glacier" because its collapse could raise global sea levels by several feet, creating millions of Climate Refugees.
New Delhi (Bharat Mandapam):
News: The venue for the upcoming Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue (VBYLD), replacing the traditional National Youth Festival format to focus more on policy-making by youth.
5. International Perspective
US-UN Relations: Reports from Jan 8 indicate the US is reviewing its participation in 66 international bodies (including UN entities) under a new "America First" framework. This impacts Global Social Policy funding, specifically for reproductive health (UNFPA) and refugees (UNHCR).
Bangladesh Minority Rights: New incidents of violence against minorities were reported, triggering discussions on Human Rights advocacy and cross-border social work interventions.
6. Exam Corner (High-Yield Facts)
For UGC NET Social Work:
Unit 10 (Social Policy): Study the Pesticides Management Bill 2025. Focus on the "Occupational Health" clauses.
Unit 9 (Community Development): The Bio-Bitumen initiative is a prime example of "Sustainable Rural Development" (converting agri-waste to wealth).
For UPSC / OPSC:
Polity: Census 2027 is a central subject (Union List).
Geography: Thwaites Glacier is in West Antarctica.
Current Affairs (Odisha): Justice Sahoo's appointment is a direct question candidate for Odisha exams.
7. FAQ Section
Q1: When will the Census 2027 start?
The first phase (Houselisting) begins on April 1, 2026.
Q2: Who acts as the Chief Justice of a High Court?
The Chief Justice is the "Master of the Roster" and administrative head of the High Court. Justice Sangam Kumar Sahoo now holds this post for Patna HC.
Q3: What is VBYLD 2026?
It stands for Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue. It is the new, policy-centric format of the National Youth Festival (Jan 12), focusing on youth ideas for a developed India by 2047.
Q4: Why is Bio-Bitumen important?
It reduces dependency on imported crude oil and lowers carbon emissions in road construction, while providing farmers income for agricultural waste.
Comments