National Affairs
📘 CDS Current Affairs · CFC01
🎯 CDS Level : High Priority
National Affairs carries the highest intra-section weight in CDS GK Current Affairs. Questions test not just recall of scheme names but the ability to link a policy to its ministry, objective, beneficiary, and constitutional basis. CDS also tests new laws, Supreme Court judgments, and economic indicators. Treat every scheme as a 5-point entity: (1) Name, (2) Ministry, (3) Beneficiary, (4) Key feature, (5) Launched / modified year.
📌 CDS Exam Pattern — National Affairs (2022–2025 trend):
• Government schemes: objective & implementing ministry | • New criminal laws: what replaced what
• Supreme Court judgments linked to constitutional articles | • Budget highlights: allocations & fiscal targets
• Economic indicators: GDP, inflation, repo rate | • India’s rank in global indices
1. Government Schemes & Policies
🏠 PM-Gati Shakti & Infrastructure Schemes
- PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan (Oct 2021): Integrated multi-modal connectivity platform. Brings 16 ministries together on a digital GIS map. Goal: cut logistics cost from ~14% of GDP to <8%. Ministry: Commerce & Industry.
- National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP): Rs 111 lakh crore investment over 2020–2025. Sectors: energy, roads, urban, railways. 70% funded by government (Centre + States); 30% private.
- Make in India 2.0: 27 champion sectors (15 manufacturing + 12 services). Overlaps with PLI scheme implementation.
- PLI (Production Linked Incentive): 14 sectors including mobile phones, semiconductors, solar PV, pharma, drones, food processing, textiles. Financial outlay Rs 1.97 lakh crore. First successful sectors: mobile manufacturing (Apple, Samsung moved to India).
- Sela Tunnel (Arunachal Pradesh): World’s longest bi-lane tunnel above 13,000 ft. Commissioned March 2024. Ensures all-weather access to Tawang. BRO project. Strategically crucial for India-China border logistics.
- Atal Tunnel (Rohtang): World’s longest highway tunnel (9.02 km) above 10,000 ft. Connects Manali to Lahaul-Spiti (Himachal Pradesh). Inaugurated 2020.
🏠 Social Welfare Schemes
- PM Awas Yojana (PMAY-G & U): “Housing for All” by 2024 extended to 2026. PMAY-Gramin: unit cost Rs 1.2 lakh (plains) / Rs 1.3 lakh (hills). Ministry: Rural Development (G) & Housing and Urban Affairs (U).
- Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY: Health cover Rs 5 lakh per family per year. Covers 40% of India’s population (poorest). No premium from beneficiaries. Ministry: Health & Family Welfare. Extended to all citizens 70+ (2024).
- Jal Jeevan Mission: “Har Ghar Jal” — functional household tap connections (FHTC) to all rural households. As of 2024: 15+ crore connections. Ministry: Jal Shakti. Deadline extended to 2028.
- PM-KISAN: Rs 6,000/year to small & marginal farmers (≤2 ha). 3 instalments of Rs 2,000 via Direct Benefit Transfer. Ministry: Agriculture. 11+ crore beneficiaries.
- PM SVANidhi: Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi. Collateral-free working capital loans: Rs 10,000 → Rs 20,000 → Rs 50,000 (graduated). 60+ lakh vendors benefited.
- Project NAMASTE: National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem. Aims to eliminate manual scavenging; provide mechanised cleaning equipment; social security to workers. Ministry: Housing and Urban Affairs.
- One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC): Portable ration card usable across states. Covers 80 crore beneficiaries under National Food Security Act (NFSA).
- e-SHRAM Portal: National database of unorganised workers. Registration gives Rs 2 lakh accident insurance. 30+ crore registered. Ministry: Labour & Employment.
📚 Education & Skill Development
- NEP 2020 Implementation: 5+3+3+4 curricular structure replaces 10+2. Foundational (3–8 yrs), Preparatory (8–11), Middle (11–14), Secondary (14–18). Mother-tongue medium recommended till Grade 5. No hard arts/science stream separation at school.
- PM SHRI Schools: PM Schools for Rising India. 14,500 selected schools upgraded as model National Education Policy schools. Ministry: Education.
- Skill India Mission / PM Kaushal Vikas Yojana 4.0: Short-duration skill training; Industry 4.0 skills (coding, AI, robotics, drones, 3D printing added). 1.4 crore youth trained under PMKVY 1–3.
- National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS): Govt shares 25% of stipend. Registered apprentices: 35+ lakh.
2. Constitutional & Legal Developments
⚖ New Criminal Laws (Effective 1 July 2024)
Replaces IPC 1860
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)
Crimes & punishments; added organised crime, terrorism chapter; sedition replaced with broader Section 152
Replaces CrPC 1973
Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS)
Criminal procedure; trials within 45 days; zero FIR; 90-day police custody (terrorism); mandatory video recording of crime scenes
Replaces Evidence Act 1872
Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA)
Electronic records now primary evidence; digital/electronic documents same status as paper
- Key change — Sedition: IPC Section 124A (sedition) repealed. BNS Section 152 introduced — broader: “acts endangering sovereignty, unity, integrity of India.”
- Key change — Community Service: For first time in Indian law, community service added as a form of punishment (for minor offences).
- Key change — Organised Crime: First time dedicated chapter on organised crime and terrorism in the main criminal code.
- Zero FIR: Can file FIR at any police station irrespective of jurisdiction; must be transferred within 15 days.
⚖ Supreme Court Landmark Judgments (2022–2024)
- Article 370 Abrogation (Dec 2023): SC upheld abrogation of special status of J&K (2019). 5-judge Constitutional Bench; Chief Justice DY Chandrachud. Ruled President’s proclamation valid. J&K statehood restoration ordered “at earliest.”
- Electoral Bonds (Feb 2024): SC unanimously struck down Electoral Bond Scheme as unconstitutional. Violated voter’s right to information (Article 19(1)(a)). SBI directed to stop issuing bonds; data disclosed to EC.
- Same-Sex Marriage (Oct 2023): SC declined to legalise same-sex marriage (5-judge bench). Ruled it’s a matter for Parliament. However, affirmed right to cohabit and form relationships (Article 21).
- Right to Privacy as FR (2017): Landmark Puttaswamy judgment; Privacy now Fundamental Right under Article 21. Basis for Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023.
- Reservation in Promotions (2022): SC upheld states’ right to grant reservations in promotions to SCs/STs; states must collect quantifiable data on inadequate representation first.
- Demonetisation (Jan 2023): SC (4:1) upheld demonetisation of Rs 500 & Rs 1,000 notes (Nov 2016). Held decision-making process was valid; minor dissent by Justice Nagarathna.
3. Economic Indicators & Budget
GDP Growth (FY 2024–25 Advance Estimate)
6.4% (First Advance Estimate, NSO)
India fastest growing major economy; FY26 target: 6.5–7% (IMF/World Bank)
RBI Repo Rate (Feb 2025 MPC)
6.25% (cut by 25 bps)
First rate cut since May 2020; signals shift to growth-supportive policy; inflation target 4% (±2%)
Union Budget FY 2025–26
Total Outlay: Rs 50.65 lakh crore
Defence: Rs 6.81 lakh crore (highest ever); Capital outlay Rs 1.80 lakh crore; Fiscal deficit target 4.4% of GDP
Foreign Exchange Reserves
USD 620–640 billion range (2024)
4th largest globally; declined from peak USD 704 billion (Sep 2021); buffer for currency stability
📈 Key Global Indices — India’s Rankings
- Global Innovation Index 2024 (WIPO): India ranked 39th (up from 81st in 2015; consistent annual improvement). Strength areas: IT services, software exports, scientific publications.
- Human Development Index 2023/24 (UNDP): India ranked 134th (out of 193 nations). Medium human development category. Concerns: maternal mortality, education access.
- Global Hunger Index 2024 (Welthungerhilfe): India ranked 105th (out of 127 nations). India disputes methodology — sample size of phone survey too small, questions not comprehensive. Government rejects report.
- Corruption Perception Index 2023 (Transparency International): India ranked 93rd (out of 180). Score: 39/100.
- World Press Freedom Index 2024 (RSF): India ranked 159th (out of 180).
- Global Competitiveness Report (WEF 2024): India ranked 40th.
- Ease of Doing Business: World Bank discontinued annual EDB rankings post-2020 audit issues. India’s last published rank was 63rd (2020).
4. Important Days, Laws & Reports
📋 Key Laws Passed (2023–2024)
- Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023: India’s first comprehensive data privacy law. Data Fiduciaries (processors) must get consent; Data Principals (individuals) have right to correction/erasure. Penalty up to Rs 250 crore. Ministry: MeitY.
- Telecommunication Act 2023: Replaced Indian Telegraph Act 1885. Covers spectrum assignment, licensing, biometric verification for SIM cards. Ministry: Telecom.
- Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) Act 2023: Replaced Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB). Budget Rs 50,000 crore over 5 years. Apex body for research funding across sciences & humanities.
- Chief Election Commissioner & Other Election Commissioners Act 2023: CEC and ECs now appointed by a panel (PM, Leader of Opposition, Cabinet Minister nominated by PM). Previous process: President on advice of PM. Controversy: SC had ordered PM, Opposition Leader, CJI on panel; new law excluded CJI.
- Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act 2023: Denotifies forests within 100 km of international borders for strategic projects; exempts plantations on private land from permission requirement. Green groups criticised weakening protections.
- Women’s Reservation Act (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam 2023): 33% reservation for women in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. Effective after next delimitation exercise (expected after 2026 census). Constitutional amendment (106th).
📌 CDS Syllabus Alignment: CDS GK covers “Current Events of National Importance” under the UPSC-prescribed syllabus. Top coaching institutes (Plutus IAS, StudyIQ, Drishti IAS) consistently identify the five areas above as core. SC judgments are asked in relation to constitutional provisions — always memorise the Article number alongside the case.
Q1. Which law was replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and what was the key change regarding sedition? (CDS I 2025 pattern)
(a) Indian Evidence Act — added electronic records (b) CrPC — introduced zero FIR (c) Indian Penal Code — sedition replaced by Section 152 (d) CrPC — added community service punishment
Answer: (c) Indian Penal Code — sedition replaced by Section 152
BNS replaced IPC 1860. Old IPC Section 124A (sedition — “exciting disaffection towards Government”) was repealed. BNS Section 152 introduced (“acts endangering sovereignty, unity, integrity or security of India”) — deliberately broader to cover digital-era threats. Community service is a BNS feature, but refers to new punishment, not replacement of sedition. Electronic records — covered by BSA (replaced Evidence Act).
Q2. The Supreme Court’s 5-judge bench struck down the Electoral Bond Scheme in February 2024 on the basis of which constitutional provision? (CDS I 2024 pattern)
(a) Article 14 (b) Article 19(1)(a) (c) Article 21 (d) Article 32
Answer: (b) Article 19(1)(a) — Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression (including right to information)
SC held that anonymous electoral bonds violated voters’ right to know the source of political funding, which is covered under Article 19(1)(a) (freedom of expression includes right to receive information). The court unanimously (5:0) struck down the scheme. SBI was ordered to submit data on bonds to Election Commission; EC published the data on its website.
Q3. Under PM-KISAN scheme, how much financial assistance is provided and in how many installments? (CDS II 2023)
(a) Rs 4,000/year in 2 installments (b) Rs 6,000/year in 3 installments (c) Rs 6,000/year in 6 installments (d) Rs 12,000/year in 4 installments
Answer: (b) Rs 6,000 per year in 3 installments of Rs 2,000 each
PM-KISAN (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi) was launched in 2019. Benefits farmers with cultivable land up to 2 hectares. Amount transferred via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) directly to bank account. 11+ crore beneficiaries. Ministry: Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare. CDS often asks: amount + installments + ministry + eligibility criteria together.
Q4. The Women’s Reservation Act 2023 (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam) provides for reservation of what percentage of seats in Lok Sabha and state assemblies, and when will it come into effect? (CDS I 2024 pattern)
(a) 33% — immediately from 2024 elections (b) 50% — after 2026 census (c) 33% — after next delimitation exercise (post-2026 census) (d) 25% — from 2029
Answer: (c) 33% after next delimitation exercise (post-2026 census)
106th Constitutional Amendment. Reservation applies to Lok Sabha + State Assemblies (including Delhi). Reserved seats will rotate after each delimitation. Effective only after delimitation, which requires census data (2026 census). Rajya Sabha and state councils excluded. SC/ST seats within the 33% will also be reserved for women. Key controversy: no exact date guaranteed as delimitation timeline uncertain.
Q5. India’s Global Innovation Index 2024 rank is 39th. In which year was India ranked 81st? (CDS pattern)
(a) 2019 (b) 2017 (c) 2015 (d) 2021
Answer: (c) 2015
India’s GII journey: 81st (2015) → 60th (2019) → 46th (2021) → 40th (2022) → 40th (2023) → 39th (2024). Consistent 10-year improvement trajectory. Key driver: growth in IT services, scientific publications, innovation clusters (Bengaluru, Mumbai). WIPO publishes GII annually. CDS links this to India’s Make in India and Startup India performance.
Q6. The Sela Tunnel inaugurated in March 2024 is strategically important for which reason? (CDS Defence-linked GK)
(a) Connects Ladakh to Himachal Pradesh (b) Provides all-weather access to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh (c) Links Jammu to Srinagar (d) Connects Sikkim to North Bengal
Answer: (b) Provides all-weather access to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh
Sela Tunnel (13,000+ ft altitude, 1,555 m long main tube + 725 m escape tunnel) is the world’s longest bi-lane tunnel above 13,000 ft. Built by BRO (Border Roads Organisation). Strategically vital: Tawang is India’s only Buddhist-majority district sharing a border with China. Previously, Sela Pass was often snow-blocked from Oct–May, cutting off 40,000+ people and limiting military logistics. CDS combines infrastructure + defence strategy in this question type.
🤯 T1. The Chief Election Commissioner Appointment Act 2023 was challenged because it removed the CJI from the selection panel. The SC had specifically included the CJI in its earlier order. What is the constitutional principle at stake, and what does this illustrate about separation of powers?
Constitutional Principle: Independence of Election Commission (Article 324) & Separation of Powers.
SC’s 2023 ruling (Anoop Baranwal case) ordered CEC/EC selection by a panel of PM + Leader of Opposition + CJI, citing the need for independent constitutional body. New law replaced CJI with a Cabinet Minister nominated by PM — effectively giving ruling party 2 of 3 votes.
What this illustrates: Parliament can override SC’s interpretation of a constitutional provision through legislation, as long as it doesn’t violate the Basic Structure doctrine. CDS asks: Is ECI independence part of Basic Structure? Courts have held EC’s independence is a fundamental constitutional value — legal challenge to the new Act is pending before SC.
CDS exam angle: Links Article 324 (ECI) + Basic Structure doctrine + separation of powers — a favourite CDS analytical combination.
🤯 T2. India’s PLI scheme is described as “supply-side” policy. How does it differ from “demand-side” welfare schemes like PM-KISAN? Why is this distinction important for CDS GK analytical questions?
PLI (Supply-side): Incentivises manufacturers to increase production in India by giving them cash incentives linked to incremental sales. Benefits flow to corporations first → then to workers/economy. Focus: building manufacturing capacity, exports, import substitution. Example: Apple manufacturing in India (PLI mobile phones) = export revenue + jobs.
PM-KISAN (Demand-side/welfare): Transfers money directly to farmer households → increases their purchasing power → stimulates local consumption. Immediate effect on poverty alleviation; slower structural change.
Why CDS tests this: UPSC CDS GK includes “Indian Economy and Polity” as a cross-cutting theme. Questions often ask: “Which scheme would stimulate FDI?” (PLI — supply-side) vs “Which increases rural consumption?” (PM-KISAN — demand-side). Understanding the economic logic behind a policy, not just its name, is the CDS differentiator.
📝 Rapid Revision Sheet — CFC01 National Affairs
🏠 Welfare Schemes (Ministry)
- PM-KISAN → Agriculture; Rs 6,000; 3 instalments; DBT
- Jal Jeevan Mission → Jal Shakti; Har Ghar Jal; 2028
- Ayushman Bharat → Health; Rs 5 lakh cover; 70+ extended
- PMAY → Rural Dev (G) & Housing (U)
- SVANidhi → Housing & Urban Affairs; street vendors
- NAMASTE → Housing & Urban Affairs; manual scavenging
⚖ New Laws (July 2024)
- BNS → replaced IPC 1860
- BNSS → replaced CrPC 1973
- BSA → replaced Evidence Act 1872
- BNS: sedition removed; community service added
- BNSS: Zero FIR; 45-day trial mandate
- BSA: electronic records = primary evidence
⚖ SC Judgments
- Article 370 upheld (Dec 2023); statehood promised
- Electoral Bonds struck down (Feb 2024); Art 19(1)(a)
- Same-sex marriage → SC declined; Parliament to decide
- Privacy = FR under Article 21 (2017 Puttaswamy)
- Demonetisation upheld 4:1 (Jan 2023)
📈 Economic Indicators
- GDP FY25: ~6.4%; fastest growing major economy
- Repo Rate: 6.25% (cut Feb 2025; first since May 2020)
- GII 2024: India rank 39 (from 81 in 2015)
- HDI: rank 134; GHI: rank 105 (disputed)
- Women’s Reservation: 33%; post-delimitation (106th Amend)
- Forex Reserves: USD 620–640 billion (4th largest)
⚡ Quick Booster — CFC01 National Affairs
🏠 Scheme → Ministry
- PMAY (G) → Rural Development
- PMAY (U) → Housing & Urban Affairs
- JJM → Jal Shakti
- PM-KISAN → Agriculture
- Ayushman → Health & Family Welfare
- PLI → Commerce (lead; varies by sector)
⚖ Legal Quick-Fire
- BNS replaced → IPC
- BNSS replaced → CrPC
- BSA replaced → Evidence Act
- 106th Amendment → Women’s Reservation 33%
- Digital PDP Act 2023 → first data law
- Telecom Act 2023 → replaced Telegraph Act 1885
📈 Numbers to Remember
- PM-KISAN: Rs 6,000/yr, 3 parts, 2 hectares max
- Ayushman: Rs 5 lakh/family/year
- GII 2024: India Rank 39
- HDI: Rank 134 (medium category)
- Forex: ~USD 620–640 bn (4th largest)
- Women Res: 33%; effective post-delimitation
This material is for personal CDS exam preparation only.
Unauthorised reproduction or distribution is prohibited.
All rights reserved. ·
ODEA.Classes@gmail.com