National Affairs & Governance

📘 AFCAT GK Section · CFA02 ✈️ AFCAT Level : High Priority

National Affairs for AFCAT tests government schemes, new laws, constitutional developments, and economic indicators. Questions are direct. AFCAT places particular emphasis on defence-linked policies (defence budget, Aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence, Agniveer), schemes affecting armed forces families, and laws that impact the services.

📌 AFCAT Pattern — National Affairs:
• Scheme name → ministry → key benefit | • New laws: BNS/BNSS/BSA — which replaced which
• Defence budget allocation | • Economic numbers (repo rate, GDP, deficit)
• Constitutional developments & SC judgments | • India’s global rankings

1. Key Government Schemes

🏠 Defence & Veteran-Related Schemes

Agniveer (Agnipath Scheme, Jun 2022): Short-service military recruitment. 4-year service (ages 17.5–21). Up to 25% retained permanently. Separate for Army (Agniveer), Navy (Agniveer Vayu Sainik), IAF (Agniveer Vayu). Skill Certificate, Rs 11.71 lakh Seva Nidhi (tax-free) on exit. Controversy: protests; SC upheld scheme.
One Rank One Pension (OROP): Veterans with same rank and service period receive equal pension irrespective of retirement date. Fully implemented after 2015 Supreme Court direction. Periodically revised (2022 revision).
Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS): Cashless medical treatment to veterans and dependents at empanelled hospitals. Administered by Adjutant General’s branch, Army HQ. IAF veterans also covered.
PM Awas Yojana — Defence Housing: Cantonments come under Housing & Urban Affairs; serving personnel housing under respective service HQ allotment. Centrally administered housing for defence families.

🏠 Social Welfare & Infrastructure Schemes

PM Gati Shakti: National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity. 16 ministries on a GIS platform. Cuts logistics cost. Includes strategic roads, military logistics corridors. Ministry: Commerce & Industry.
Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY: Rs 5 lakh health cover per family per year. Extended to all citizens 70+ in 2024. Ministry: Health & Family Welfare.
Jal Jeevan Mission: “Har Ghar Jal” — tap water to every rural household. 15+ crore connections (2024). Ministry: Jal Shakti. Extended to 2028.
PM-KISAN: Rs 6,000/year to farmers (3 instalments; DBT). Ministry: Agriculture. 11+ crore beneficiaries.
PLI Schemes (14 sectors): Mobile phones (Rs 1.2 lakh crore exports), defence manufacturing (corridors in UP and Tamil Nadu), semiconductors (Micron fab at Sanand), solar modules. Total outlay Rs 1.97 lakh crore.
National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: 5+3+3+4 structure. Mother-tongue medium till Grade 5. Military kids in Kendriya Vidyalayas (KV) benefit from uniform national curriculum.

2. New Laws & Constitutional Developments

⚖ Three New Criminal Laws (1 July 2024)

Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS): Replaces IPC 1860. Community service as new punishment. Sedition (S.124A IPC) removed; BNS S.152 introduced. Organised crime chapter. Zero FIR provision.
Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS): Replaces CrPC 1973. Trials in 45 days. Video recording of crime scenes mandatory. 90-day custody for terrorism cases.
Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA): Replaces Indian Evidence Act 1872. Electronic records = primary evidence (same as paper).

⚖ Key SC Judgments & Constitutional Acts

Article 370 (Dec 2023): SC upheld abrogation. J&K statehood restoration ordered “at earliest.” Ladakh remains UT without legislature.
Electoral Bonds (Feb 2024): SC struck down scheme; violated Article 19(1)(a) (right to information about political funding). Unanimous 5:0 decision.
Women’s Reservation Act 2023 (106th Amendment): 33% seats for women in Lok Sabha + State Assemblies. Effective only after delimitation (post-2026 census).
CAA Rules (March 2024): Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 rules notified. Grants citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan who entered India before Dec 31, 2014.
DPDP Act 2023: India’s first data privacy law. Data Fiduciary (collector) obligations + Data Principal (individual) rights. Penalty up to Rs 250 crore. Ministry: MeitY.

3. Budget & Economy

💳 Key Economic Numbers

Defence Budget FY26: Rs 6.81 lakh crore (highest ever). Capital outlay Rs 1.80 lakh crore (equipment, aircraft, ships). Revenue expenditure Rs 2.77 lakh crore (salaries, maintenance). Defence = ~13.4% of Union Budget.
Total Union Budget FY26: Rs 50.65 lakh crore. Capital Expenditure: Rs 11.21 lakh crore (infrastructure push).
Fiscal Deficit: FY26 target 4.4% of GDP. Consolidation path.
GDP (FY25): ~6.4% growth. India = world’s fastest-growing major economy. India = 5th largest economy (nominal GDP); 3rd by PPP.
Repo Rate (Feb 2025): 6.25% (cut by 25 bps; first cut since May 2020). RBI Governor: Sanjay Malhotra (Dec 2024). CRR: 4.0% (cut Dec 2024).
Aatmanirbhar Bharat in Defence: India’s defence exports reached Rs 21,083 crore in FY24 (target: Rs 35,000 crore by FY25). Positive indigenisation lists (PIL) issued — items can only be procured domestically after notified dates.
Global Innovation Index 2024: India rank 39 (from 81 in 2015). WIPO. Growth driven by IT services, patent filings, scientific publications.

📝 AFCAT PYQ

National Affairs — AFCAT Pattern Questions

Q1. The Agnipath scheme was launched for short-service recruitment into the armed forces. What is the duration of service for an Agniveer? (AFCAT 2023)

(a) 3 years (b) 4 years (c) 5 years (d) 7 years

Answer: (b) 4 years
Agnipath scheme (launched Jun 2022): 4-year service. Age: 17.5–21 years (later extended to 23 for some cycles). Up to 25% retained permanently. On exit: Rs 11.71 lakh tax-free Seva Nidhi fund + skill certificate. For IAF: called “Agniveer Vayu.” Replaces earlier rallies/AFCAT for airmen (not officers; AFCAT is for officers).

Q2. Which law replaced the Indian Penal Code (IPC) 1860, effective July 2024? (AFCAT 2024)

(a) Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (b) Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (c) Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (d) Bharatiya Vidhi Sanhita

Answer: (c) Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)
Three new criminal laws replaced three old ones on 1 July 2024: BNS replaced IPC; BNSS replaced CrPC; BSA replaced Indian Evidence Act. Key BNS changes: community service added as punishment; sedition section removed; organised crime chapter added; Zero FIR provision. Option (a) BNSS replaced CrPC; option (b) BSA replaced Evidence Act.

Q3. What is India’s defence budget allocation in the Union Budget FY 2025–26? (AFCAT 2025 pattern)

(a) Rs 4.55 lakh crore (b) Rs 5.94 lakh crore (c) Rs 6.21 lakh crore (d) Rs 6.81 lakh crore

Answer: (d) Rs 6.81 lakh crore
India’s FY26 defence allocation of Rs 6.81 lakh crore is the highest ever. Capital outlay (equipment procurement) = Rs 1.80 lakh crore. This represents ~13.4% of the total Union Budget. India is the world’s 3rd largest defence spender. AFCAT consistently asks about the current defence budget.

Q4. The Supreme Court struck down the Electoral Bonds Scheme in February 2024. What was the key constitutional ground? (AFCAT 2024)

(a) It violated Article 14 (equality) (b) It violated Article 19(1)(a) (right to information about political funding) (c) It violated Article 21 (right to life) (d) It violated Article 12 (definition of State)

Answer: (b) Article 19(1)(a) — voters’ right to information about source of political funding
SC held that anonymous electoral bonds violated the fundamental right to know who is funding political parties. This is part of freedom of speech and expression (Article 19(1)(a)), which includes the right to receive information. Decision was unanimous (5:0). SBI was directed to disclose data to Election Commission.

📝 Rapid Revision — CFA02 National Affairs

🏠 Defence Schemes

Agniveer Vayu = IAF; 4 years; 25% retained
OROP = equal pension; same rank & service
Defence exports FY24: Rs 21,083 crore
Defence budget FY26: Rs 6.81L crore (highest)
PIL (Positive Indigenisation List): domestic-only items

⚖ Laws (July 2024)

BNS → IPC 1860 (community service added)
BNSS → CrPC 1973 (45-day trial; video recording)
BSA → Evidence Act 1872 (e-records = primary)
CAA rules: March 2024 (non-Muslim minorities)
DPDP Act 2023: data privacy; penalty Rs 250 crore

⚖ SC Judgments

Art 370 upheld (Dec 2023); statehood promised
Electoral Bonds struck down (Art 19(1)(a))
Women 33% reservation (106th Amend; post-delimitation)
Agnipath upheld by SC despite protests

💳 Economy

Repo Rate: 6.25% (Feb 2025 cut; 1st since May 2020)
GDP FY25: ~6.4%; fastest major economy
Fiscal deficit FY26: 4.4% of GDP target
GII 2024: India rank 39 (from 81 in 2015)
UPI: 10B+ tx/month; 7+ nations

⚡ Quick Booster — CFA02

Defence Schemes

Agnipath = 4 years; Agniveer Vayu = IAF
OROP = equal pension; same rank & time
PIL = domestic procurement mandate
Defence corridors: UP + Tamil Nadu
C-295 at Vadodara = Make in India aircraft

Laws Quick

BNS = IPC replacement (community service)
BNSS = CrPC replacement (45-day trial)
BSA = Evidence Act replacement
All effective: 1 July 2024
CAA rules: March 2024

AFCAT Traps

Agniveer duration = 4 years (NOT 3 or 5)
BNS replaced IPC (NOT CrPC)
Electoral Bonds = Art 19(1)(a) (NOT Art 14)
PMAY-G = Rural Dev; PMAY-U = Housing
JJM = Jal Shakti (NOT Rural Development)

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