March 2026 (1st Week) Current affairs Practice Questions

The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill 2026, introduced in March 2026, proposes key changes to the 2019 Act, including removing the right to self-identification, replacing it with mandatory medical certification by a District Medical Board. It narrows the definition of transgender persons and introduces stricter penalties for forcing transgender identities

The Fiscal Health Index (FHI) 2026, released by NITI Aayog in March 2026, assesses the fiscal performance of Indian states for the financial year 2023–24.

• The index evaluates states across five core pillars: Quality of Expenditure, Revenue Mobilisation, Fiscal Prudence, Debt Index, and Debt Sustainability.
• Top Performers (Achievers): Odisha secured the top spot for the second year (73.1), followed by Goa (Rank 2) and Jharkhand (Rank 3).
• North-Eastern/Himalayan States: In a new separate ranking, Arunachal Pradesh led, followed by Uttarakhand.
• Fiscal Stress (Aspirational): Punjab was ranked lowest, with West Bengal, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh also facing high debt-to-GSDP ratios

High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) is a type of nuclear fuel enriched between 5% and 20% in the isotope U-235, higher than the ~5% used in current reactors. Essential for most advanced nuclear reactors and SMRs, it allows for smaller designs, longer operating cycles, and higher efficiency. Commercial production is currently limited, with Russia being the primary supplier

The United Nations declared 2026 the International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF 2026). The Year spotlights the essential roles women play across agrifood systems, from production to trade, while often going unrecognized.

The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) is a flagship government of India scheme launched in September 2020 for the sustainable and responsible development of the fisheries sector.

• It aims to revolutionize fisheries through the Blue Revolution, focusing on enhancing production, boosting exports, and improving the livelihoods of fishermen

As of March 2026, women constitute approximately 18% to 18.6% of the Research and Development (R&D) workforce in India. Despite India boasting the world’s highest percentage of female Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) graduates (43%), a significant “leaky pipeline” exists where these graduates do not translate into equivalent R&D workforce participation

The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) is a mobile U.S. Army anti-ballistic missile system designed to intercept and destroy short-, medium-, and intermediate-range missiles during their terminal phase

India’s carbon credit debate centers on balancing economic growth with climate commitments, primarily through the operationalisation of its Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS).

The debate focuses on moving from the Perform, Achieve, and Trade (PAT) scheme, which targeted energy efficiency, to the CCTS, which focuses on direct GHG emissions intensity.

14.8% youth unemployment, 40% graduate unemployment. Structural mismatch, need for skill-based reforms, apprenticeships. Highlights challenges despite demographic dividend.

The CAPF (General Administration) Act, 2026 (formerly the Bill) acts as an “umbrella law” to create a unified administrative framework for the five major Central Armed Police Forces (CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP, SSB). It regulates recruitment, promotions, and deputation, specifically reserving senior leadership posts—50% of IGs, 67% of ADGs, and 100% of DG/Special DG posts—for IPS officers

The Silverpit crater is a 20-kilometre-wide, multi-ringed structure buried deep beneath the North Sea, approximately 130 kilometres off the Yorkshire coast. Once a major geological mystery, researchers in late 2025 and early 2026 confirmed it was formed by a hypervelocity asteroid impact during the Eocene epoch, roughly 43 to 46 million years ago