26 March 2026 Current Affairs (With PDF)

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Scheduled Caste (SC) Status After Religious Conversion

Why in News

The Supreme Court of India reaffirmed that only individuals professing Hinduism, Sikhism, or Buddhism are eligible for Scheduled Caste (SC) status. Conversion to other religions leads to automatic loss of SC status.

Legal Basis

1. Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950

• Issued under Article 341(1)
• Defines which castes, races, or tribes qualify as SC
• Religion-based restriction: Only Hinduism, Sikhism, or Buddhism
• Clause 3: “No person who professes a religion different from Hinduism, Sikhism, or Buddhism shall be deemed to be a member of a Scheduled Caste.”

2. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989

• Protection applies only if SC status exists
• Converts to other religions lose PoA protection

3. Constitutional Amendments

• 1956: SC status extended to Sikhs
• 1990: SC status extended to Buddhists

Key Principles

1. Conversion Effect

• Conversion to Islam, Christianity, or any other religion → immediate and complete loss of SC status
• No retrospective protection

2. Doctrine of Eclipse

• SC status is suspended (eclipsed), not permanently extinguished
• Re-conversion to Hinduism, Sikhism, or Buddhism restores SC status
• Conditions for revival:  Proof of original caste, Genuine re-conversion, Evidence of community re-acceptance
• Benefits cannot be claimed for the period when SC status was lost

3. Scheduled Tribe (ST) Comparison

• No religion-based bar for ST status
• ST eligibility depends on Community customs, Community acceptance, Continued adherence to tribal practices

4. ‘Profess’ Explained

• Means publicly declaring and actively practising the customs and rituals of the religion

State-Specific SC Lists

• SC recognition varies by State/UT
• A caste may be SC in one state but not recognised in another
• President can notify SCs after consulting the Governor
• Only Parliament can amend the SC list

Converted Dalits

• Dalits converting to Islam/Christianity:
• Typically listed under OBC or state-specific Backward Class (BC) lists
• Retains SC identity only if reconverted and community accepts

Significance

• Ensures SC benefits reach intended communities
• Maintains legal clarity on religion-caste linkage
• Protects against misuse of affirmative action benefits

Permanent Commission (PC) for Women in the Armed Forces

Context

• Supreme Court of India directed armed forces to grant Permanent Commission (PC) to eligible women officers.
• Court ensured full pension and consequential benefits, invoking Article 142 for complete justice.
• Effective Date for Pension: November 1, 2025.

Key Court Directions

1. Deemed Service for Pension

• Women SSC officers are treated as having completed 20 years of service.
• Pension calculated based on this 20-year deemed service.

2. Pensionary Benefits

• Eligible officers receive full pension and associated benefits.

3. No Reinstatement or Notional Promotions

• Court denied reinstatement & promotions, citing operational effectiveness concerns.

4. Article 142 Application

• Supreme Court used Article 142 to ensure complete justice, allowing one-off remedies.

Key Findings

1. Systemic Discrimination

• Denial of PC was due to institutional bias against women officers.

2. Biased Evaluation

• Performance reports were casually graded, assuming women would not pursue career progression.

3. Lack of Transparency

• Evaluation criteria were unclear, undermining fair selection.

4. Violation of Equality

• Process compromised equal opportunity, violating constitutional values.

Evolution of PC for Women

• 1992: Women allowed in Army, only via SSC in select cadres (tenure 10+4 years).
• Pre-2020: Women ineligible for PC, limited to SSC tenure.
• Babita Puniya Case (2020): SC ordered PC for women officers, eligibility for command posts.

Significance

• Eliminates gender-based career barriers.
• Ensures long-term career growth and pension rights.
• Strengthens constitutional equality and fairness in armed forces.

WMO: State of the Global Climate 2025

Context

• World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), a UN specialised agency based in Geneva (est. 1950), released State of the Global Climate 2025, its annual flagship climate assessment.
• The report highlights accelerating global warming trends and emerging climate risks.

Key Findings

1. Global Temperature

• 2015–2025: Hottest 11-year period on record.
• 2025 ranks among the top three warmest years, ~1.43°C above pre-industrial baseline.

2. Energy Imbalance (EEI)

• First WMO report to include Earth’s Energy Imbalance.
• EEI = Incoming solar energy − Outgoing radiation.
• Indicates rapid heat accumulation in the Earth system.

3. Ocean Heat Content

• Reached record levels in 2025.
• ~90% of the ocean surface experienced marine heatwaves.

4. Glacier Melt & Sea-Level Rise

• Arctic sea ice remained near record lows.
• Global sea-level rise rate doubled compared to 1993–2002.

5. Irreversible Changes

• Ocean warming and acidification are now permanent over centennial to millennial timescales due to accumulated heat and greenhouse gases.

6. Health Impacts

• Climate change accelerates disease spread (dengue at record levels).
• Heat stress affects over one-third of the global workforce.

GlobE Network – 12th Steering Committee Meeting

Context

• India hosted the 12th Steering Committee Meeting of the GlobE Network in New Delhi.
• Hosts: Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
• Participants: Representatives from 15 member nations of the Steering Committee.
• Focus: Strengthening informal cooperation tools to accelerate transnational corruption investigations, bypassing slower formal legal assistance channels.

About GlobE Network

1. Origin & Launch

• Concept emerged from the Riyadh Initiative during Saudi Arabia’s G20 Presidency (2020).
• Formally launched in 2021.

2. Objective

• Facilitate swift international cooperation among law enforcement agencies.
• Combat transnational corruption and recover illicit assets.

3. Legal Basis & Secretariat

• Operates under United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC).
• UNODC, Vienna, serves as the permanent secretariat.

4. Membership

• 250 specialised authorities from 135 countries.

5. India’s Role

• Joined the Network in 2022.
• Elected to the Steering Committee in 2024.

World Air Quality Report 2025

Context

• Published by IQAir, a Swiss air quality monitoring company.
• Highlights global deterioration in air quality and regional pollution trends.

Key Findings

1. WHO Compliance

• Only 14% of cities complied with the WHO PM2.5 annual guideline (5 µg/m³) in 2025.
• Decline from 17% in 2024, indicating worsening air quality.

2. Most Polluted Country

• Pakistan: PM2.5 levels over 13 times WHO limit.

3. Most Polluted City

• Loni, Uttar Pradesh: PM2.5 levels about 22 times higher than WHO guidelines.

4. Regional Pollution Trends

• 25 of the most polluted cities are in India, Pakistan, and China.
• Central and South Asia remain the most polluted regions globally.

5. India’s Position

• Ranked as the 6th most polluted country in 2025, improving from 5th in 2024.
• New Delhi: Continues as the world’s most polluted capital for the 8th consecutive year.

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