Article 15
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Current affairsGender Snapshot 2026 (UN Women & UN DESA): 1 in 3 Gender Equality Institutions Weakened, SDG 5 Off Track by 171 YearsUN Women and UN DESA jointly released the Gender Snapshot 2026 on September 17, 2026, revealing that 1 in 3 national gender equality institutions lost institutional power in just two years, while bilateral aid for gender equality fell 13% between 2023 and 2024. Not a single SDG 5 (Gender Equality) indicator is on track by 2030, and gender equality globally is 171 years away at the current pace of progress. Current affairsIIT Bombay, Sahil Wakode, and the SC/ST Act: Caste Discrimination in Higher Education, Dean Suspended, Crime Branch ProbeSahil Ravindra Wakode, a 22-year-old second-year B.Tech student at IIT Bombay from Yavatmal, Maharashtra, was found dead in his hostel room on 18 September 2026 following allegations of caste-based harassment. IIT Bombay on 21 September suspended the deanship of Prof. Suryanarayana Doolla (Dean of Administrative Affairs). Mumbai Crime Branch registered an FIR under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (abetment of suicide) and the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989. The case raises urgent questions about caste discrimination in premier educational institutions. Current affairsGlobal Gender Gap Index 2026: India Ranks 131st with 64.5% Parity — Gaps in Economic Participation and Political EmpowermentIndia ranked 131st out of countries surveyed in the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Index 2026, with an overall gender parity score of 64.5%. While India performs relatively better on health and survival, it continues to lag significantly on economic participation and opportunity, and political empowerment — dimensions critical for UPSC Social Justice and Governance papers. Current affairsUNGA Declares November 27 as International Day Against Child, Early and Forced Marriage: India's Role, Legal Framework, and SDG 5.3The 193-member United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted by consensus on September 4–5, 2026, a landmark resolution designating November 27 every year as the International Day for the Elimination of Child, Early and Forced Marriage. India co-sponsored the resolution, which carries special national significance — November 27, 2024 was the launch date of India's 'Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat' campaign. Current affairsMahatma Ayyankali's 163rd Birth Anniversary: The Social Revolutionary Who Gave Kerala's Dalits the Right to Walk on Public RoadsAugust 28, 2026 marks the 163rd birth anniversary of Mahatma Ayyankali (1863–1941), the pioneering social reformer and Dalit rights leader from Travancore (present-day Kerala) who led mass campaigns for freedom of movement on public roads, access to education for Dalit children, and labour rights for agricultural workers — transforming Kerala's caste-ridden social landscape. Current affairsSupreme Court "Judgments and Gender" Handbook 2026: Gender-Sensitive, Trauma-Informed Guidelines for All Indian CourtsSC approved "Judgments and Gender" handbook (July 14, 2026; released Aug 3–4). CJI Surya Kant's bench directed all courts to replace "prosecutrix" with "victim/survivor/complainant", ban patriarchal phrases, and apply trauma-informed adjudication. Triggered by Allahabad HC mischaracterising sexual assault of a 14-year-old as "rape preparation" (2026 SCC OnLine SC 207). NJA committee chaired by Justice Aniruddha Bose. DGPs and Directors of Prosecution also directed. Current affairsDelhi Lakshmi Yojana 2026: ₹2,500 Monthly Cash Transfer for Women and the Unconditional Cash Transfer Policy DebateThe Delhi Government approved the Lakshmi Yojana on 28 July 2026, providing ₹2,500 per month to women aged 21–60 from households with annual income up to ₹2.5 lakh. With a budget of ₹5,110 crore in 2026-27, the scheme is expected to benefit over 17 lakh women. It has reignited India's national debate on the fiscal sustainability, design, and empowerment effectiveness of Unconditional Cash Transfer (UCT) schemes for women.
In previous-year questions
- Which constitutional provision explicitly permits state governments to make special provisions for women and children, providing the primary basis for schemes like Delhi's Lakshmi Yojana?UPSC · Current Affairs
- Which article of the Indian Constitution provides the constitutional basis for making special provisions for women, such as the 33% reservation under the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023?UPSC · Current Affairs