Current Affairs

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18 August 2026

GS-2News & Analysis18 Aug 2026thehindu.com

Over 2.07 crore voter enumeration forms remain uncollected in Maharashtra

Over 2.07 crore voter enumeration forms remain uncollected in Maharashtra during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, leading to the deletion of 21.25% of the state's electorate. The State Election Commission (SEC) data indicates deletions due to deceased, untraceable, or permanently shifted voters. The Election Commission of India (ECI) initiated this nationwide exercise due to rapid urbanization and internal migration causing cluttered electoral rolls. Allegations of political interference in the verification process have been raised.

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GS-2News & Analysis18 Aug 2026thehindu.com

Trump’s envoy says Hamas disarmament could begin within 30 days

The article details a US-led initiative for a Gaza peace plan, focusing on the disarmament of Hamas. US envoy Jared Kushner met with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas officials to discuss the decommissioning of weapons under the supervision of an American general. The plan aims to end the Gaza war, with Israel insisting on disarmament before any pullout or reconstruction. Hamas has reportedly committed to the plan, which includes handing over weapons to a new Palestinian governing body, though Israel retains the right to self-defense if Hamas re-arms.

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GS-2News & Analysis18 Aug 2026thehindu.com

Left parties renew call to scrap NTA, NEP after UGC-NET paper errors

Left parties have renewed their demand to scrap the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, following errors in UGC-NET June 2026 examination papers. They allege 'entrenched rot' and 'abject incompetence' in the NTA, and criticize the NEP for promoting 'centralisation, commercialisation and communalisation' of education. Political leaders from CPI(M), CPI, and CPI (ML) Liberation have called for a comprehensive overhaul of the education system, reiterating the Kothari Commission's recommendation for increased public expenditure on education and emphasizing the role of State Governments.

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GS-3News & Analysis18 Aug 2026thehindu.com

Farmers’ outfits urge MPs, MLAs to speak out against trade deals; seek scrapping of all FTAs

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), a collective of farmers' organizations, has urged MPs and MLAs to oppose proposed trade deals, specifically the India-United States Free Trade Agreement (FTA), and demand the repeal of all existing FTAs. Citing deep agrarian distress, the SKM's memorandum also calls for an Act guaranteeing Minimum Support Price (MSP) as recommended by the M. S. Swaminathan Commission, a comprehensive loan waiver, compensation for farmer suicides, scrapping of Labour Codes, reforms in MGNREGA, and withdrawal of the draft Electricity Bill, Seeds Bill 2025, and draft National Food Security Act. The farmers allege that FTAs lead to economic colonization and threaten India's food self-reliance, further expressing concern over a corporate duopoly in FCI grain silos.

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GS-2News & Analysis18 Aug 2026thehindu.com

Indian sailors’ SOS: ‘Company asking us to risk lives, cross Strait of Hormuz’

Indian sailors aboard the Marshall Islands-flagged vessel AM Pioneer have issued an SOS, alleging their Mumbai-based employer is forcing them to transit the high-risk Strait of Hormuz despite escalating US-Iran tensions. The Forward Seamen’s Union of India (FSUI) has highlighted the crew's refusal to sail under dangerous conditions, emphasizing the threat to their lives due to the geopolitical conflict impacting this critical maritime chokepoint.

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GS-2Editorials18 Aug 2026thehindu.com

On dignity in political discourse

The article analyzes the controversy surrounding a remark by Tamil Nadu's Leader of Opposition, Udhayanidhi Stalin, during a rally, leading to his arrest. It uses this incident to highlight a broader shift in Tamil Nadu politics towards personality-driven discourse, amplified by social media, replacing ideological debates with personal attacks. The author criticizes the erosion of dignity and the resurgence of misogyny, contrasting it with the foundational ideals of self-respect and social justice of the Dravidian movement and the DMK. The article calls for accountability from the leader and the party to uphold political ethics and dignity in public life.

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GS-2Editorials18 Aug 2026thehindu.com

The ‘proud Assamese’ from other States

The article discusses Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's appeal to non-native residents to identify as 'Assamese' in the ongoing Census exercise. This appeal aims to counter the declining share of Assamese speakers and address the state's changing ethno-religious demographics. The article delves into historical migration patterns, the assimilation of Bengali-origin Muslims (Na-Axomiyas), and the political motivations behind such demographic appeals, particularly concerning the protection of 'indigenous Assamese' and electoral calculus.

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GS-2Editorials18 Aug 2026thehindu.com

Awaiting answers: On the student protests in Jharkhand

Students in Jharkhand are protesting against alleged irregularities in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) examinations, demanding cancellation of disputed exams, a CBI investigation, and reconstitution of commissions. The protests highlight deep-rooted issues of transparency, delayed results, and lack of accountability in public sector recruitment in the state, leading to a loss of trust among aspirants. The state government has responded with investigations, arrests, and the cancellation of some exams conducted by a blacklisted agency, but faces pressure to ensure a fair and predictable recruitment system.

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GS-3Editorials18 Aug 2026thehindu.com

Taxing ‘frivolous’ industries will not fund India’s science

The article critiques the flawed proposition of taxing 'frivolous' industries to fund science, arguing against a zero-sum economic view and highlighting the positive economic cascade effects of such industries. It then delves into significant issues with India's current science funding mechanisms, including rigid government earmarking, cumbersome procurement rules (e.g., GeM), archaic recruitment policies (UGC Act), and crippling restrictions on private and foreign investment (CSR rules, FCRA). The author advocates for liberalizing these bottlenecks, reducing dependence on government, and removing taxes/duties on scientific equipment to foster better scientific research and funding.

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GS-3Editorials18 Aug 2026thehindu.com

Losing forest for trees: On the CAG’s audit of the Green India Mission

A performance audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) revealed that the Green India Mission (GIM), conceived to improve India's forest quality and expand forest cover, has largely failed to meet its targets over a decade. The mission achieved less than a tenth of its forest quality target and only four percent of its forest cover expansion goal. Intended convergence with schemes like CAMPA and MGNREGS did not materialize. GIM, a pillar of the National Action Plan on Climate Change and crucial for India's Paris Agreement carbon sink commitments, appears to be replaced by a tree plantation drive 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam'. The audit highlights a critical distinction between planting trees and true forest restoration, as evidenced by the India State of Forest Report 2023, which shows a gain in 'tree cover outside recorded forests' but thinning dense canopy within recorded forests. The article uses the example of the Aravallis to illustrate that mere tree planting cannot undo complex ecological damage.

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17 August 2026

GS-2News & Analysis17 Aug 2026thehindu.com

Kushner has rare meeting with Hamas chief on Gaza road map; to meet Netanyahu next

The article details a diplomatic push by U.S. negotiator Jared Kushner, including a rare meeting with Hamas chief Khalil al-Hayya, to advance a stalled Gaza ceasefire and a U.S.-backed 15-point road map. The plan involves Hamas disarming and Israel withdrawing from Palestinian territory. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the plan, facing pressure from regional powers and an upcoming election. Mediating countries like Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey are also involved, while several regional powers accuse Israel of obstructing peace efforts.

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