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Daily Current Affairs — 24 August 2026

📅 Published 24 August 2026 · Current affairs compiled for 24 August 2026

Daily Current Affairs · 24 August 2026

10 fully-analysed topics · 30 bilingual MCQs · 3 embedded videos · built for UPSC Prelims & Mains

📚 10 Topics
🎯 30 MCQs
🎬 3 Videos
🇮🇳 Hindi + English
Polity: 3 · History: 3 · S&T: 2 · Economy: 2

▶ Start Here — Today's Full Current Affairs

Current Affairs 24 August 2026 — Full Video (Hinglish)

Every major story of the day explained in Hinglish · by Current Affair Daily

Watch the full day's current affairs explained end to end, then test yourself on the topics below.

📰 Today’s Top 5 Current Affairs
#01
Polity

The ‘Perfect Victim’ Myth: Gender Sensitivity in Judicial Reasoning

📰 Why in News

The Bombay High Court's judgment in the Tarun Tejpal Case (2026) has revived concerns over the "perfect victim" myth

✅ Quick Facts
  • Nils Christie's 'Ideal Victim' Theory (1986): A criminological concept outlining that society grants sympathy only to victims who fit specific…
  • This creates a distinction between "deserving" and "undeserving" victims
  • The High Court criticized the lower court for heavily relying on the complainant's post-assault demeanor (like smiling on CCTV) rather than material…
  • In 2025, former CJI B.R. Gavai described the episode as a "moment of institutional embarrassment" for the judiciary.
Show 3 more facts
  • This case served as the direct catalyst for the formulation of the Vishakha Guidelines and the subsequent enactment of the Sexual Harassment of Women…
  • Cases like the Jindal Global Law School gang-rape (2017) highlight how lower courts sometimes focus on a survivor's alleged "promiscuous attitude,"…
  • It explicitly cautioned judges against drawing adverse conclusions from delayed FIRs
🏛️ Key Stakeholders
Supreme CourtHigh Court
📝 Quick Check

Which statement correctly describes The ‘Perfect Victim’ Myth: Gender Sensitivity…?

✅ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.

❌ Not quite — that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.

#02
Polity

Protection of Women from Sexual Harassment Act, 2013

📰 Why in News

In a recent judgment, the Supreme Court expressed concerns about the implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) (PoSH) Act, 2013.

✅ Quick Facts
  • The court emphasized the serious lapses and uncertainties surrounding the Act, leading to many working women feeling compelled to leave their jobs.
  • Concern: There were serious lapses and uncertainties in the implementation of the PoSH Act
  • If the working environment remains hostile, insensitive, and unresponsive, the Act will remain a mere formality
  • There is a need to undertake a time-bound exercise to verify whether relevant bodies have constituted ICCs
Show 6 more facts
  • About: The POSH Act is a legislation enacted by the Government of India in 2013 to address the issue of sexual harassment faced by women in the…
  • These guidelines formed the basis for the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.
  • The SC also drew its strength from several provisions of the Constitution including Article 15 (against discrimination on grounds only of religion
  • Prevention and Prohibition: The Act places a legal obligation on employers to prevent and prohibit sexual harassment in the workplace.
  • Internal Complaints Committee (ICC): Employers are required to constitute an ICC at each workplace with 10 or more employees to receive and address…
  • Domestic workers should be included within the purview of the PoSH Act.
📝 Quick Check

Which statement correctly describes Protection of Women from Sexual Harassment…?

✅ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.

❌ Not quite — that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.

#03
Polity

Supreme Court’s New Handbook on Gender Sensitivity

📰 Why in News

The Supreme Court of India released a new report titled 'Judgments and Gender: Sensitivity and Compassion in Writing Judgments'.

✅ Quick Facts
  • The 2026 report builds upon the Supreme Court's 2023 Handbook on Combating Gender Stereotypes
  • Evolution of Gender Jurisprudence in India: The report traces the evolution of gender-sensitive judicial jurisprudence
  • Rule Against Stereotyping: Building on Aparna Bhat v
  • It also recommends inclusive terminology for LGBTQIA+ persons
Show 6 more facts
  • Victim and Witness Protection: Strengthen the Witness Protection Scheme, 2018, upheld in Mahender Chawla v
  • In-Camera Trials: Conduct rape and POCSO-related trials in-camera under Section 366(2) of the BNSS, 2023.
  • Child-Sensitive Procedures: Use video-link/screen-based testimony (Sakshi v
  • "Witness as Guest" Approach: Treat witnesses with dignity and respect
  • Pre-Trial Counselling: Provide appropriate counselling to reduce anxiety and prevent secondary victimisation.
  • Constitutional: Advances Article 21 (dignity, fair trial) and Articles 14 & 15 (substantive equality), and aligns with India's obligations under…
🎯 UPSC Relevance

3. What is the significance of the Witness Protection Scheme

📝 Quick Check

Which statement correctly describes Supreme Court’s New Handbook on Gender…?

✅ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.

❌ Not quite — that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.

#04
S&T

Generative AI in Synthetic Biology

📰 Why in News

Researchers from Stanford University and the Arc Institute used generative AI models (Evo 1 and Evo 2) to design complete, functional genomes of bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria).

✅ Quick Facts
  • Out of 285 AI-designed genomes physically synthesised and tested in a laboratory, 16 successfully produced viable phages capable of infecting E
  • This marks a paradigm shift where artificial intelligence is moving beyond analyzing biological data to generating functional biological designs.
  • X174 is particularly significant as it became the first complete DNA genome to be sequenced in 1977.
  • Bacteriophages have gained renewed importance as a potential tool against antibiotic-resistant bacteria
Show 6 more facts
  • However, their therapeutic application is constrained by their high specificity, as a phage effective against one bacterial strain may not work…
  • Definition: Generative biology is the intersection of artificial intelligence and synthetic biology where machine learning models (such as biological…
  • The Genomic Evolution: Reading (1970s): Sequencing natural genomes (e.g., phi X 174 (or X174) bacteriophage in 1977).
  • Writing (2000s): Chemically synthesising known sequences into physical DNA.
  • Modifying (2010s): Gain-of-function and targeted gene edits.
  • Designing (Present): AI models independently proposing coherent genetic blueprints for specific biological functions.
📝 Quick Check

Which statement correctly describes Generative AI in Synthetic Biology?

✅ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.

❌ Not quite — that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.

#05
S&T

AI-designed Proteins to Generate Immune Cells

📰 Why in News

Harvard scientists have used AI-designed proteins to generate large numbers of immune cells, boosting immunity against diseases like cancer and viral infections.

✅ Quick Facts
  • They engineered a synthetic activator for the Notch signalling pathway, which is crucial for transforming immune progenitors into T cells.
  • Notch signalling helps maintain tissue balance and stability in the body.
  • Progenitor cells are intermediate cells between stem cells and mature cells that divide and differentiate into specific cell types
  • Mechanism: Using AI-based protein design techniques
Show 4 more facts
  • Enabled large-scale T cell production in lab bioreactors, aiding CAR-T therapies.
  • In animal trials, these proteins enhanced T cell response and promoted long-lasting Memory T cells, boosting vaccine efficacy.
  • Potential for future therapies, targeted protein designs could connect T cells to cancer cells, enhance anti-tumor immunity, and counter…
  • T cells are a type of white blood cell (WBC) essential to the immune system, responsible for identifying and responding to pathogens.
📝 Quick Check

Which statement correctly describes AI-designed Proteins to Generate Immune Cells?

✅ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.

❌ Not quite — that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.

📚 ⚖️ Core Subject Drill — Indian Polity

⚖️ Indian Polity MCQ Quiz · भारतीय राजव्यवस्था

10 bilingual MCQs · Indian Polity · Members Only on YouTube

Today's rotation: Indian Polity. Take this break between news topics to sharpen the core concept.

📖 More Current Affairs Coverage
#06
History

Genome Sequencing

📰 Why in News

Recently, a report published in the journal Nature revealed that a team of archaeologists and scientists from Germany, Mexico, Spain, the U.K.

✅ Quick Facts
  • About: Genome sequencing is a process of determining the complete DNA sequence of an organism's genome
  • Gene editing, also known as genome editing, is a technology that allows for the precise modification of the genetic material (DNA or RNA) of an…
  • It involves the use of specialised tools to add, remove, or alter specific DNA sequences within a genome.
  • Methods: CRISPR-Cas9 (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats): It is the most widely used and versatile gene editing tool.
Show 6 more facts
  • It uses a guide RNA (gRNA) to direct the Cas9 enzyme to the target DNA sequence, where it can make a double-strand break
  • ZFNs are composed of a DNA-binding domain (zinc finger proteins) and a DNA-cleaving domain (FokI endonuclease).
  • The zinc finger proteins are designed to recognize and bind to specific DNA sequences, and the FokI domain then cleaves the DNA
  • Methods of Genome Sequencing: Clone-by-Clone Approach: In this approach
  • Finally, the individual sequenced pieces are assembled using the overlapping regions to reconstruct the complete sequence of the entire clone.
  • This method involves randomly fragmenting the entire genome into small pieces
📝 Quick Check

Which statement correctly describes Genome Sequencing?

✅ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.

❌ Not quite — that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.

#07
History

RNA Editing

📰 Why in News

Recently, Wave Life Sciences, a biotechnology company in the US, became the first company to treat a genetic condition by editing Ribonucleic acid (RNA) at the clinical level.

✅ Quick Facts
  • About: RNA editing is the process of modifying Messenger RNA (mRNA) nucleotides
  • Addition is when a nucleotide is inserted. Deletion is when one is removed while substitution refers to the replacement of one nucleotide with…
  • Scientists pair ADAR's effects with a guide RNA (or gRNA) that guides ADAR to a specific part of the mRNA, where the ADAR does the designated job.
  • RNA editing shows promise for treating Huntington's disease
Show 6 more facts
  • Challenges persist due to its temporary nature requiring repeated treatments
  • Definition and Structure: RNA is a nucleic acid present in all living cells. It is structurally similar to DNA but typically single-stranded.
  • Its backbone consists of alternating phosphate groups and ribose sugars, with bases adenine (A), uracil (U), cytosine (C), and guanine (G).
  • Messenger RNA (mRNA): Carries genetic information from DNA to ribosomes for protein synthesis.
  • Ribosomal RNA (rRNA): Forms the core of the ribosome's structure and catalyses protein synthesis.
  • Transfer RNA (tRNA): Transfers amino acids to ribosomes during protein synthesis.
📝 Quick Check

Which statement correctly describes RNA Editing?

✅ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.

❌ Not quite — that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.

#08
History

CRISPR Technology for Climate-Resilient Crops

📰 Why in News

Scientists from the Bose Institute, under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), have developed a novel CR-9ISPR-dCas9-based molecular tool that enhances plant resistance to heat stress and pathogen attacks.

✅ Quick Facts
  • CRISPR-dCas9: It is a modified version of the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing tool
  • This makes it useful for safely controlling when certain genes
  • CRISPR-dCas9 helps plants respond only when under stress using a transmembrane (TM) domain from a tomato protein (NACMTF3) to keep a modified protein
  • During stress (like heat or pathogen attack), the TM domain releases dCas9, which then enters the nucleus and activates specific defense genes
📝 Quick Check

Which statement correctly describes CRISPR Technology for Climate-Resilient Crops?

✅ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.

❌ Not quite — that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.

#09
Economy

Biological Weapons Convention and Bioterrorism

📰 Why in News

At the 50-year commemoration of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) in New Delhi

✅ Quick Facts
  • About: The BWC, formally titled "The Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and…
  • BWC opened for signature in 1972 and entered into force in 1975 (India ratified in 1974)
  • It is the first multilateral disarmament treaty banning an entire category of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD).
  • It prohibits development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, transfer, and use of biological and toxin weapons.
Show 6 more facts
  • The BWC's Implementation Support Unit, was set up to handle administrative and coordination tasks, has no verification powers, leaving the Convention…
  • No structured system to track emerging scientific and technological developments.
  • These gaps weaken global confidence in the treaty and reduce collective preparedness against bioweapons.
  • About: According to the INTERPOL, Bioterrorism is the deliberate release of harmful biological agents or toxins to cause disease and fear, aiming to…
  • High Casualty Potential: Biological agents can spread rapidly, cause mass infections, and overwhelm public health systems
  • National Implementation Framework: India has proposed a comprehensive framework covering high-risk biological agents
📝 Quick Check

Which statement correctly describes Biological Weapons Convention and Bioterrorism?

✅ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.

❌ Not quite — that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.

#10
Economy

IndiaAI Mission

📰 Why in News

The Indian government's commitment to advancing artificial intelligence (AI) technology is evident with its new budgetary allocation for the IndiaAI Mission.

✅ Quick Facts
  • The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has been allocated Rs 551.75 crore in the Union Budget 2024-25 to enhance AI infrastructure
  • This move aims to support domestic AI development and reduce reliance on expensive foreign hardware.
  • Objective: The mission aims to establish a robust AI computing infrastructure in India to support the development and testing of AI systems
  • Data centre GPUs are crucial for parallel operations
Show 6 more facts
  • The procurement will provide Indian startups with essential computing power, addressing a gap in the current market.
  • IndiaAI Compute Capacity: Creation of a high-end AI computing ecosystem with over 10,000 Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) to support AI startups and…
  • IndiaAI Innovation Centre: Development of indigenous Large Multimodal Models (LMMs) and foundational models for various sectors
  • IndiaAI Datasets Platform: A unified platform to provide seamless access to quality non-personal datasets for startups and researchers.
  • IndiaAI Application Development Initiative: Promotion of AI applications targeting problem statements from various governmental sectors
  • IndiaAI FutureSkills: Expansion of AI education through undergraduate, master's, and Ph.D
🎯 UPSC Relevance

AI Applications for Societal Impact: Identify key societal challenges and develop AI-driven solutions.

📝 Quick Check

Which statement correctly describes IndiaAI Mission?

✅ Correct! That fact belongs to this topic.

❌ Not quite — that fact is from another headline. The green option is right.

🗞️ Wrap Up — Simple CA Quiz

Simple Current Affairs MCQ — 24 August 2026

10 accessible MCQs covering the same topics · great for quick revision

End your study session with these simpler MCQs to lock in recall of today's current affairs.

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