Daily Current Affairs โ 21 May 2026
Daily Current Affairs ยท 21 May 2026
10 fully-analysed topics ยท 30 bilingual MCQs ยท 3 embedded videos ยท built for UPSC Prelims & Mains
๐ 10 Topics
๐ฏ 30 MCQs
๐ฌ 3 Videos
๐ฎ๐ณ Hindi + English
๐ฏ 30 MCQs
๐ฌ 3 Videos
๐ฎ๐ณ Hindi + English
Polity: 4 ยท History: 3 ยท Economy: 3
โถ Start Here โ UPSC-Standard Quiz
UPSC Current Affairs MCQ โ 21 May 2026
10 UPSC-standard bilingual MCQs covering today's top stories ยท 10-sec timer per question
Score yourself as you go. Get a feel for how UPSC-level questions are framed around the day's news.
๐ฐ Today’s Top 5 Current Affairs
#01
History
History
Brain-Eating Amoeba
๐ฐ Why in News
The death of an elderly 73-year-old woman in Ernakulam
โ
Quick Facts
- Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis: The infection is caused by Naegleria fowleri
- Habitat: This pathogen thrives naturally in warm freshwater environments such as lakes
- Mode of Transmission: The amoeba typically infects humans when contaminated water enters the body through the nose (often during bathing
- A person cannot get infected by drinking contaminated water. PAM does not spread from one person to another.
- Mortality is extremely high (>95%), with most patients dying within 118 days, often within 5 days of onset.
#02
History
History
Amoebic Meningoencephalitis, Brain-Eating Amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM), Granulomatous Amoebic Encephalitis (GAE), UPSC, CSE, PYQ
๐ฐ Why in News
Kerala has reported several cases of Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM), a brain infection caused by "brain-eating amoeba" .
โ
Quick Facts
- About: PAM is a rare and often fatal brain infection caused by Naegleria fowleri amoeba or brain-eating amoeba
- Transmission: Naegleria fowleri enters the body through the nose during swimming or bathing in contaminated freshwater
- Mortality is extremely high (>95%) , with most patients dying within 118 days , often within 5 days of onset.
#03
Polity
Polity
Indian Federalism Under Stress
๐ฐ Why in News
Indian federalism is facing growing strain due to demographic shifts, changing fiscal devolution, and increasing centralisation.
โ
Quick Facts
- Indian federalism is facing growing strain due to delimitation concerns
- Strengthening cooperative and quasi-federal governance requires consensus-building
- Demographic Penalty and the Delimitation Crisis: The most existential structural challenge lies in the impending readjustment of politicalโฆ
- The "Democratic Deficit": A return to purely population-proportionate representation exposes a massive North-South fault line
- Political Marginalization: Projections indicate that without a weighted formula
- The Centre increasingly relies on cesses and surcharges , which fall entirely outside the divisible pool under Article 270
- Consequently, while the statutory vertical devolution remains at 41%, the effective share of tax revenue reaching the states is significantly lower.
- The 16 th Finance Commission Devolution (202631): Introduced a 10% weight for 'Contribution to GDP' , replacing older tax effort criteria
- This has sparked intense friction, as poorer states argue it erodes fiscal equity, while contributor states argue they still subsidize theโฆ
- The sweeping replacement of the Indian Penal Code
๐ Key Numbers & Data
- Currently, these levies account for nearly 20% of Gross Tax Revenue (GTR) . Consequently
- statutory vertical devolution remains at 41%, the effective share of tax revenue
- Devolution (202631): Introduced a 10% weight for 'Contribution to GDP'
- metrics like Income Distance (from 45% to 42.5%) and Area (from 15% to 10%) . This
- metrics like Income Distance (from 45% to 42.5%) and Area (from 15% to 10%) . This has
- Distance (from 45% to 42.5%) and Area (from 15% to 10%) . This has sparked intense
๐๏ธ Key Stakeholders
Supreme CourtParliamentRajya SabhaFinance CommissionCBI
#04
Economy
Economy
Cess and its Role in Union Finance
๐ฐ Why in News
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has flagged a Rs 3.69 lakh crore shortfall in transferring cess collections to their intended funds, bringing into focus the purpose and proper utilisation of such levies.
โ
Quick Facts
- About: A cess, recognized under Article 270 is an additional tax levied by the Government of India for a specific purpose
- Purpose: Cess is distinct from regular taxes as it is earmarked for a designated purpose
- About: Article 271 of the Indian Constitution empowers Parliament to impose a surcharge on certain taxes and duties for Union purposes
- The rate varies based on income level and type of income.
- Increases total tax liability for high-income taxpayers.
- Surcharge is spent like other taxes, while cess must be allocated separately and used only for its specific purpose.
๐๏ธ Key Stakeholders
CAGParliament
#05
Economy
Economy
16th Finance Commission Report
๐ฐ Why in News
The 16 th Finance Commission (16th FC) , chaired by Arvind Panagariya , has submitted its report for the award period 2026-31 .
โ
Quick Facts
- The 16th FC retains states' tax share at 41% and shifts fiscal transfers toward performance- and compliance-based criteria
- It emphasises fiscal discipline by capping state deficits at 3% of GSDP
- While strengthening efficiency and transparency
- Vertical Devolution: This is the percentage of the Central Government's Divisible Pool of taxes that is given to the States
- The divisible pool excludes cesses, surcharges , and cost of collection from gross central tax revenue.
- The 16 th FC has introduced a major shift toward rewarding economic performance.
- Distribution among states is based on a revised devolution formula with weights for income distance (42.5%)
- Per Capita GSDP Distance (Income Distance): Defined as the gap between a state's per capita GSDP and the average per capita GSDP of the top threeโฆ
- States with lower population growth during this period receive a higher share , rewarding effective population control.
- It rewards states contributing more to national economic output .
๐ Key Numbers & Data
- in Parliament alongside the Union Budget 2026-27, signal a significant shift from
- The 16th FC retains states' tax share at 41% and shifts fiscal transfers toward
- discipline by capping state deficits at 3% of GSDP , ending off-budget borrowings
- pool of central taxes was retained at 41% , unchanged from the 15 th Finance
- how many rupees each state gets from that 41% pot. The 16 th FC has introduced a major
- formula with weights for income distance (42.5%) , population as per the 2011 Census
๐๏ธ Key Stakeholders
CAGParliamentFinance Commission
๐ ๐บ๏ธ Core Subject Drill โ Indian Geography
๐บ๏ธ Indian Geography MCQ Quiz ยท เคญเคพเคฐเคคเฅเคฏ เคญเฅเคเฅเคฒ
10 bilingual MCQs ยท Indian Geography ยท Members Only on YouTube
Today's rotation: Indian Geography. Take this break between news topics to sharpen the core concept.
๐ More Current Affairs Coverage
#06
Polity
Polity
Inter-State Council
๐ฐ Why in News
The Indian government has recently reconstituted the Inter-State Council (ISC) after two years
โ
Quick Facts
- Establishment: The ISC was constituted to facilitate Centre-State and Inter-State cooperation in India
- The Sarkaria Commission (1988) recommended making the ISC a permanent body, leading to its formal establishment in 1990 through a Presidential Order .
- The ISC also investigates issues affecting Centre-State and Inter-State relations to ensure seamless governance.
- The Presidential Order of 1990 has been amended twice
- In the second meeting of the ISC held in 1996
- The secretarial functions of the Zonal Councils have been transferred to the ISCS since 2011.
- The ISC maintains the balance of power between the Union and states, preventing dominance by either side
- Zonal Councils: These are statutory bodies established under the States Reorganisation Act of 1956
- The North Eastern region has a separate council, the North Eastern Council, created in 1972, set up under the North Eastern Council Act, 1972.
- Article 262 provides that Parliament may by law provide for the adjudication of any dispute or complaint with respect to the use
๐๏ธ Key Stakeholders
ParliamentRajya SabhaUnion CabinetPresident of IndiaPrime Minister
๐ฏ UPSC Relevance
Discuss the role and significance of the Inter-State Council in maintaining cooperative federalism in India.
#07
Polity
Polity
Defeat of the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026
๐ฐ Why in News
The Lok Sabha failed to pass the Constitution (131 st Amendment) Bill
โ
Quick Facts
- Withdrawal of Allied Bills: The collapse of the constitutional amendment bill necessitated the immediate withdrawal of dependent statutory legislation
- Failure of Special Majority: As per Article 368 of the Indian Constitution
- This was intended to restore the democratic principle of "one person
- The freeze, originally meant to continue until the first Census after 2000, was later extended by the 84 th Constitutional Amendment (2001) until theโฆ
- Opposition members argued that population-based delimitation would penalize Southern states for effective population control
- However, its actual implementatio n is deferred because Article 334A links it to a delimitation exercise after the next Census (post โ 2027), makingโฆ
- To address this delay, the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, along with allied legislation, was introduced in the Lok Sabha to advance theโฆ
๐ Key Numbers & Data
- aimed to fast-track the implementation of 33% reservation for women in legislatures
- Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam): Providing 33% reservation for women in Lok Sabha and
๐๏ธ Key Stakeholders
ParliamentLok Sabha
#08
Polity
Polity
Delimitation
๐ฐ Why in News
The Delimitation of constituencies for the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies is to be carried out on the basis of the First Census after 2026.
โ
Quick Facts
- The 2021 Census was originally postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequently due to delays on the part of the Central government.
- About: Delimitation means the process of fixing the number of seats and boundaries of territorial constituencies in each State for the Lok Sabha andโฆ
- Delimitation Commissions have been set up four times 1952, 1963, 1973 and 2002 under the Acts of 1952, 1962, 1972 and 2002
- The last delimitation exercise that changed the state-wise composition of the Lok Sabha was completed in 1976 and done on the basis of the 1971โฆ
- The Constitution of India mandates that the allocation of seats in the Lok Sabha should be based on the population of each state so that the ratio ofโฆ
- However, this can be done without altering the number of seats allotted to each state in the Lok Sabha.
- Under Article 82, the Parliament enacts a Delimitation Act after every Census.
- Under Article 170, States also get divided into territorial constituencies as per Delimitation Act after every Census.
- Representation: Delimitation ensures fair representation in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies by adjusting the number of seats based onโฆ
- This is crucial for upholding the democratic principle of "one citizen-one vote-one value."
๐ Key Numbers & Data
- the help of the Election Commission) in 1950-51. History: The last delimitation exercise
- the federal structure. Despite having only 18% of the country's population, the southern
- population, the southern states contribute 35% to the country's GDP. The northern states
๐๏ธ Key Stakeholders
Supreme CourtParliamentLok SabhaElection CommissionFinance CommissionPresident of India
#09
History
History
Replacement Level Fertility
๐ฐ Why in News
Recently, the Government of India reported that India has achieved replacement level fertility , with as many as 31 States/Union Territories reaching a Total Fertility Rate of 2.1 or less.
โ
Quick Facts
- Between 2012 and 2020, India added more than 1.5 crore additional users for modern contraceptives thereby increasing their use substantially.
- Government also unveiled the India Family Planning 2030 vision document.
- Total Fertility Rate of about 2.1 children per woman is called Replacement-level fertility
- Total fertility rate (TFR) in simple terms refers to the total number of children born or likely to be born to a woman in her lifetime if she wereโฆ
- Focus Areas: Strategies to overcome teenage childbearing
- Modern contraceptive prevalence Rate: Women with Migrant Husband: 35% in Bihar and 24% in UP
- It is mostly driven by lack of contraceptive preparedness before husband's arrival
- Married adolescent girls and young women reported high unmet need for contraception.
- The districts are located in Bihar (17), West Bengal (8), Jharkhand (7), Assam (4) and two each in UP, Rajasthan and Maharashtra.
- The same districts have seen low use of modern contraceptives.
๐ Key Numbers & Data
- rate (TFR) has declined from 2.2 in 2015-16 to 2.0 in 2019-21, indicating the
- has declined from 2.2 in 2015-16 to 2.0 in 2019-21, indicating the significant progress of
- Rate: Women with Migrant Husband: 35% in Bihar and 24% in UP It is mostly driven
- with Migrant Husband: 35% in Bihar and 24% in UP It is mostly driven by lack of
- was away. Women with Resident Husband: 47% in Bihar and 36% in UP Although modern
- with Resident Husband: 47% in Bihar and 36% in UP Although modern contraceptive use
#10
Economy
Economy
Off-Budget Liabilities
๐ฐ Why in News
The Indian government ended its practice of off-budget borrowings in FY2022 to increase fiscal transparency. And it is planning to pre-pay the remaining such Off-Budget liabilities.
โ
Quick Facts
- The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India and the 15 th Finance Commission had red-flagged the off-Budget funding of welfare schemes throughโฆ
- Off-Budget liabilities refer to debts taken by state-run agencies to finance government programs and subsidies outside the traditional budget.
- These agencies raise funds through bonds that offer higher interest rates than government securities (G-secs).
- But since the liability of the loan is not formally on the Centre, the loan is not included in the national fiscal deficit
- By end-FY21, the Centre had off-budget liabilities close to Rs 6.7 trillion.
- The outstanding off-budget liabilities of the Centre include about Rs 49,000 crore for the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Rural
- Efforts: The Indian government took a significant step towards fiscal transparency by ending its practice of off-budget borrowings through state-runโฆ
- The government also took over Rs 5 trillion or 75% of its off-Budget liabilities from the National Small Saving Fund (NSSF) in FY21-FY22.
- However, the remaining off-Budget liabilities of Rs 1.7 trillion are proving challenging to eliminate due to bondholders' reluctance to foregoโฆ
- Bondholders are unwilling to give up their high-yield bonds and lose interest income for the remaining period of the bonds
๐ Key Numbers & Data
- Centre had off-budget liabilities close to Rs 6.7 trillion. The outstanding off-budget
- FY22 budget. The government also took over Rs 5 trillion or 75% of its off-Budget
- government also took over Rs 5 trillion or 75% of its off-Budget liabilities from the
- the remaining off-Budget liabilities of Rs 1.7 trillion are proving challenging to
- debt-to-GDP to a 15-year high of about 61.6% in FY21. Hindering the government's efforts
๐๏ธ Key Stakeholders
CAGFinance Commission
๐๏ธ Wrap Up โ Simple CA Quiz
Simple Current Affairs MCQ โ 21 May 2026
10 accessible MCQs covering the same topics ยท great for quick revision
End your study session with these simpler MCQs to lock in recall of today's current affairs.
