NEWS 1:Rajya Sabha Polls in TN on March 16: Ahead of Assembly Elections

The Election Commission has notified the schedule for biennial elections to six Rajya Sabha seats from Tamil Nadu, with polling set for March 16, 2026. The timing, at least a month ahead of the Assembly elections, has intensified alliance negotiations, with both the ruling DMK and opposition AIADMK under pressure to accommodate smaller parties’ demands for Upper House berths as part of broader seat-sharing deals.

1. Preliminary Facts (For Mains Answer Introduction)

• Election Schedule: The Election Commission notified the biennial elections to fill six Rajya Sabha vacancies from Tamil Nadu on February 18, 2026. Polling will be held on March 16, 2026 .
• Vacant Seats: The six members whose tenures end in April 2026 are:
• Electoral Arithmetic: Based on the strength of parties in the outgoing Assembly, the DMK-led alliance can elect four candidates, while the AIADMK-led front can elect two .
• Political Significance: The Rajya Sabha polls are occurring just weeks before the Assembly elections, making them a crucial test of alliance cohesion and a bargaining chip in seat-sharing negotiations .

Prelims 360

Rajya Sabha Election (India) – Explained for UPSC

The Rajya Sabha (Council of States) is the Upper House of the Parliament of India. Its members are indirectly elected, not chosen directly by the people.

1️⃣ Constitutional Provisions

• Article 80 – Composition of Rajya Sabha
• Article 84 – Qualifications for membership
• Article 102 – Disqualifications
• Fourth Schedule – Allocation of seats to States and UTs

2️⃣ Composition

Total Strength: 250 members (maximum)

• 238 – Representatives of States and Union Territories (elected)
• 12 – Nominated by the President (from fields like literature, science, art, social service)

Present strength: 245 members

3️⃣ Who Elects Rajya Sabha Members?

• Elected by elected members of the State Legislative Assemblies (MLAs)
• UTs like Delhi and Puducherry also elect members through their Assemblies

Election is conducted by the Election Commission of India

4️⃣ Method of Election

📌 System Used:

• Proportional Representation
• Single Transferable Vote (STV)
• Voting is by open ballot system

📌 Open Ballot System

• MLAs must show their ballot to authorized party agents.
• Prevents cross-voting.
• Introduced through amendment to the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

5️⃣ Tenure

• Term: 6 years
• One-third members retire every 2 years
• Rajya Sabha is a permanent house (never dissolved)

6️⃣ Qualification for Membership

• Citizen of India
• Minimum 30 years of age
• Other qualifications under the Representation of the People Act

7️⃣ Disqualification

Under:

• Article 102
• Anti-Defection Law (Tenth Schedule)
• Office of profit
• Unsound mind / insolvency

Special Features

• Representation based on population of states (not equal representation like US Senate).
• Smaller states have fewer seats.
• President nominates 12 members for expertise contribution.

News 2:AI Impact Summit Day 3: Nvidia & OpenAI Forge Major India Partnerships; Sarvam AI Unveils ‘Vikram’ Foundational Models

The AI Impact Summit 2026 witnessed landmark announcements on February 18, with U.S. tech giants Nvidia and OpenAI revealing strategic partnerships with Indian industry and academia. Simultaneously, Bengaluru-based Sarvam AI unveiled ‘Vikram’—India’s first major indigenous large language models (LLMs)—marking a watershed moment for the country’s AI ambitions.

1. Preliminary Facts (For Mains Answer Introduction)

• Event Context: Day 3 of the five-day AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, hosted these announcements, with Prime Minister Modi scheduled to address the plenary session on February 19 [source article].
• Nvidia’s Partnerships:
  • Signed with Yotta, L&T, and E2E Networks to build advanced AI “factories” in India .
• OpenAI’s Academic Partnerships:
  • Signed with IIT-Delhi, IIM-Ahmedabad, AIIMS New Delhi, Manipal Academy, UPES, and Pearl Academy .
  • Will provide ChatGPT Edu access, structured training, and discipline-specific implementation guidance .
  • Over 1 lakh students and staff to benefit in the first year .
• Sarvam AI’s ‘Vikram’ Launch:
  • Unveiled two open-source foundational models: a 35-billion parameter model and a 105-billion parameter model .
  • Focused on supporting Indian languages, with demonstration of English-to-Indian-language translation .
  • Backed by Peak XV and Khosla Ventures ($50 million+ funding) and subsidized GPU access under IndiaAI Mission .

Prelims 360

What Are Foundational Models?

Foundational models are large AI models trained on vast datasets that can perform multiple tasks like:

• Translation
• Text generation
• Summarization
• Question answering

They are similar in concept to models like GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformers).

📌 Parameter Size Meaning

• 35B / 105B parameters → Indicates scale and learning capacity.
• Larger models generally:
  • Capture better contextual understanding
  • Handle multilingual tasks more effectively
  • Require massive compute power (GPUs)

What is a GPU?

A GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) is a specialized electronic processor designed to handle parallel processing — performing thousands of calculations simultaneously.

Originally developed for rendering graphics in video games, GPUs are now critical for:

• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Machine Learning (ML)
• Deep Learning
• Scientific simulations
• Cryptocurrency mining

1️⃣ Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence refers to the broader concept of machines being able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence.

📌 AI includes:

• Reasoning
• Problem-solving
• Language understanding
• Decision-making
• Perception (vision, speech)

AI can be:

• Rule-based (expert systems)
• Learning-based
• Hybrid systems

AI is the umbrella term.

🔹 2️⃣ Machine Learning (ML)

Machine Learning is a subset of AI that enables machines to learn from data and improve performance without being explicitly programmed.

Instead of fixed rules, ML:

• Identifies patterns in data
• Makes predictions
• Improves with experience

ML relies heavily on:

• Algorithms
• Statistical models
• Data training

NEWS 3:Climate Change’s Silent Assault: Loggerhead Turtles Shrinking, Breeding Less, and Nesting Earlier, Study Finds

A 17-year study of loggerhead turtles in Cabo Verde reveals a multi-pronged impact of climate change on the species: warming oceans and dwindling food supplies are causing them to nest earlier, breed less frequently (from every two years to a four-year gap), produce fewer eggs, and even shrink in body size. Scientists warn that conservation strategies must now extend beyond protecting nesting beaches to safeguarding rapidly degrading feeding and foraging grounds.

1. Preliminary Facts (For Mains Answer Introduction)

• Core Finding: A 17-year study published in the journal Animals reveals that loggerhead turtles are being impacted in at least four ways by climate change: earlier nesting, reduced egg production, longer gaps between breeding cycles (from 2 to 4 years), and decreasing body size .
• Study Location: The research was conducted in Cabo Verde, an island country off West Africa, where tens of thousands of female loggerheads nest annually .
• Mechanism: Loggerheads are “capital breeders” —they draw on energy stored from foraging at sea over years to reproduce. Warming oceans are reducing marine productivity (chlorophyll levels), depleting their energy reserves .
• Expert Voices: Lead researchers from Queen Mary University of London and Associação Projeto Biodiversidade warn that even seemingly thriving populations are being quietly eroded by climate change .
• Indian Context: Naveen Namboothri (Dakshin Foundation) notes that rising sea levels erode nesting beaches, and conservation must now extend to feeding grounds .

PRELIMS 360

Loggerhead Turtles

Loggerhead turtles are large marine turtles known for their massive heads and powerful jaws, which help them crush hard-shelled prey.

Scientific name:

• Caretta caretta

🌊 Habitat & Distribution

Loggerheads are found in:

• Atlantic Ocean
• Indian Ocean
• Pacific Ocean
• Mediterranean Sea

They prefer:

• Coastal bays
• Estuaries
• Open ocean (juveniles)

🧬 Key Features

Feature	Description
Shell color	Reddish-brown
Weight	70–180 kg
Lifespan	50+ years
Diet	Crabs, molluscs, jellyfish

They have strong jaws adapted to crush hard prey.

🐣 Reproduction

• Nest on sandy beaches
• Females return to the same beach where they were born (natal homing)
• Temperature determines sex of hatchlings
  • Warmer → More females
  • Cooler → More males

⚠ Conservation Status

According to:

• International Union for Conservation of Nature

Status: Vulnerable

🇮🇳 Indian Context

• Found along Indian coasts, especially:
  • Odisha
  • Tamil Nadu
  • Kerala

Protected under:

• Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (Schedule I species)

NEWS 4:SC Forms Expert Panel Led by Justice Bose to Draft Guidelines for Judicial Sensitivity in Sexual Offence Cases

Over a year after a controversial Allahabad High Court order sparked nationwide outrage, the Supreme Court has directed the Director of the National Judicial Academy, Justice Aniruddha Bose (retd), to constitute a committee of experts to draft comprehensive guidelines aimed at inculcating sensitivity and compassion in judges, particularly when dealing with sexual offences and other vulnerable cases. The court emphasized the need for simple, accessible language in judicial orders, steering clear of “Harvard-oriented” terminology.

1. Preliminary Facts (For Mains Answer Introduction)

• Core Directive: The Supreme Court has assigned Justice Aniruddha Bose (retd) , Director of the National Judicial Academy, Bhopal, to form a committee of experts to draft “Guidelines for the Approach of Judges and the Judicial System When Dealing with Cases of Sexual Offences and other Similarly Sensitive Occurrences Involving Vulnerable Victims, Complainants, and/or Witnesses” .
• Trigger: The order stems from a suo motu case initiated by the Supreme Court in response to a March 17, 2025, Allahabad High Court judgment that used explicit language and held that acts like grabbing a minor’s breasts and pulling her pyjama string did not amount to an “attempt to rape,” but only a lesser charge under Section 354B IPC .
• Supreme Court’s Intervention: The apex court set aside the High Court order, restored the trial court’s summons under POCSO, and criticized the judgment for its “patently erroneous application” of criminal law and its lack of sensitivity .
• Committee Composition: The committee will be chaired by Justice Bose and will include four domain experts—practitioners, academicians, and social workers. It is to submit its report preferably within three months .
• Key Objectives:
  • Review past judicial and administrative measures for inculcating sensitivity.
  • Compile offensive words/expressions in local dialects to empower victims.
  • Draft guidelines in simple language comprehensible to laypersons, not loaded with “heavy, complicated expressions borne from foreign languages and jurisdictions” .

NEWS 5 : DGCA Proposes Sweeping Reforms: Airlines to Get 30-Day Ban Powers for ‘Disruptive’ Passengers

India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has proposed a major overhaul of rules governing passenger misconduct, empowering airlines to directly impose a 30-day flying ban on ‘disruptive’ passengers without referral to an independent committee. The draft Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR), released for public consultation, introduces a new two-tier system distinguishing ‘disruptive’ from ‘unruly’ behaviour, creates a new ‘Level 4’ offence for cockpit intrusion, and mandates airline-wide compliance with the no-fly list.

1. Preliminary Facts (For Mains Answer Introduction)

• Core Proposal: The DGCA has issued a draft amendment to the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) governing unruly/disruptive passengers, proposing that airlines be authorised to impose a flying ban of up to 30 days on passengers found guilty of “disruptive behaviour” without referring the matter to an independent committee .
• New Distinction: The draft creates a clear distinction between “disruptive” passengers (subject to airline-imposed 30-day ban) and “unruly” passengers (subject to longer bans via committee process) .
• Expanded Scope: The proposed norms will apply to all Indian airlines, domestic and international, all airport operators within Indian territory, and all passengers during air travel to and from India .
• Stakeholder Consultation: The draft has been placed in the public domain for comments till March 16, 2026, after which the regulator will review feedback before finalising the rules .
• Timeline: If passed, the draft CAR will replace the 2017 rules and could take effect later in 2026 .