Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for March 7, 2026. If you missed the March 6, 2026, UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here.Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.What’s the ongoing story: Karnataka has announced a ban on social media use by children under 16 in its latest Budget, and Andhra Pradesh is moving to introduce a measure that would prohibit those under 13 to use such services — a signal of the growing momentum in India to protect children from the various harms that social media platforms can cause.Key Points to Ponder:— What are the reasons for introducing a ban on social media for teenagers?— What are the pros and cons of social media?— How is social media impacting different sections of the society?— How does it typically impact the children?— What are the criticisms related to the ban?— The regulation of the internet comes under the domain of the centre or the state?Key Takeaways:Story continues below this ad— “With the objective of preventing adverse effects of increasing mobile usage in children, usage of social media will be banned for children under the age of 16,” Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Friday while presenting the state’s annual Budget.— He did not offer technical details of how such a ban would be implemented. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has said the state will introduce similar regulations within 90 days.— Calls for banning social media use for children are gaining traction across the world, with the precedent set by a landmark Australian legislation that went into effect last year.— Though India is yet to make a regulatory move at the central level, preliminary discussions around age-based social media restrictions are learnt to have begun at the IT Ministry. Last month, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had said the Centre was discussing age-based restrictions with social media companies.Story continues below this ad— Earlier this year, the Economic Survey 2025-26 also called on the government to implement age-based limits for social media usage for children and digital ads targeted at them. The Survey’s recommendation stemmed from larger concerns surrounding “digital addiction” among young users.— It also stated that simpler devices, such as basic phones or education-only tablets, should be promoted among children along with enforced usage limits and content filters. This could reduce their exposure to harmful material, including violent, sexual, or gambling-related content, the Survey said.— Last year, Australia became the first country in the world to enforce a minimum age for social media use, requiring platforms such as Instagram, YouTube and Snap to block over a million accounts of users below the age of 16. The Australian law, which has drawn criticism from tech companies but support from parents, is likely to set a template for a broader global push to tighten regulation of young users’ online safety.— Under Australia’s Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act, age-restricted platforms will be expected to take “reasonable” steps to find existing accounts held by under-16s, and deactivate or remove those accounts, prevent them from opening new accounts, including prohibiting any workarounds that may allow them to bypass the restrictions.Do You Know:Story continues below this ad— A report by cybersecurity firm McAfee Corp informs that as many as 85 per cent of children in India have been victims of cyberbullying. Given the lasting emotional harm caused by cyberbullying, coupled with the tender age of its victims, the world of social media becomes an exceptionally challenging turf for parents.— Films such as Logout (2025), Not Okay (2022), and War of Likes (2021), and web series such as Adolescence (2025), Clickbait (2021), and Black Mirror (2011), and documentaries like The Social Dilemma (2020), Childhood 2.0 (2020), and The Great Hack (2019) vividly illustrate how social media reshapes our subjectivities in profound ways.— Additionally, a recent study by Celia B. Fisher and others, Social media: A double-edged sword for LGBTQ+ youth, explores the double-edged nature of social media with respect to LGBTQ+ youth. It underlines how social media platforms are simultaneously safe and toxic for them.— On the one hand, these platforms offer opportunities to connect with others who share similar identities or who support them. On the other hand, social media platforms also remain active sites of brazen transphobic and homophobic cyberbullying.Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:Story continues below this adWhy social media governance demands balancing free speech with accountabilityPrevious year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:Social media is triggering ‘Fear of Missing Out’ amongst the youth, precipitating depression and loneliness. (UPSC CSE 2024)SECOND PAGEProtected under UN treaty, half of world’s migratory wildlife on decline: ReportSyllabus:Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importanceMains Examination: General Studies-III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.Story continues below this adWhat’s the ongoing story: A new global report on the health of migratory wildlife has warned that 49 per cent of the migratory species population protected by the UN’s Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) are declining, and 24 per cent of species are now facing extinction.Key Points to Ponder:— What is the role and function of the UN’s Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS)?— Is India a signatory to the UN’s Convention on the CMS?— What are the reasons for the decline in the population of migratory species?Story continues below this ad— Know about the IUCN status of Saiga Antelope, Scimitar-Horned Oryx, and Mediterranean Monk Seal— What are the categories of the IUCN Red List? What does it show?Key Takeaways:— The threat of population decline has risen 5 per cent in just two years, while the percentage of species facing extinction has risen by 2 per cent over the same period, as per the interim report updating the landmark State of World’s Migratory Species, which was first released in 2024.— This means that out of 1,189 total species listed under the global treaty, 582 migratory species face population decline challenges. The migratory species facing population declines and extinction risks range from many bird species, with bird flu recognised as a threat, including mass mortality; ungulates or hooved animals such as Wildebeest and Llama; freshwater fish; and marine species such as sharks, rays, and turtles.Story continues below this ad— The interim report tracked changes in conservation status of migratory species and highlighted emerging trends based on data from the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of threatened species, and population trends and changes in extinction risk documented in scientific literature.— The interim report highlighted that 26 species listed under the treaty have moved to a higher extinction risk category under IUCN’s list, and among these, 18 are migratory shorebirds.— There was also improvement in the status of seven CMS-listed species, such as Saiga Antelope, Scimitar-Horned Oryx, and Mediterranean Monk Seal.ALSO READ | From UPSC exam days to Naxal encounters and the horrors of 26/11: What former IPS officer K P Raghuvanshi’s 35-year-long career can teach aspirants— The IUCN Red List assigns species to broad categories of extinction risk, based on a standardised set of rigorous scientific criteria. The IUCN is a global body that comprises 160 member countries and hundreds of civil society groups that work together towards environment and biodiversity protection. It examines the health of species and their extinction risks.— The report noted that H5N1, the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), has been detected in an unusually broad host range of birds and mammals, and caused substantial mortality in many populations across multiple continents.— It has caused mass mortality events in a range of bird species accorded protection status under the global treaty. Critically endangered African Penguins, the vulnerable Humboldt Penguins, near-threatened Peruvian Pelicans, and Red-Crowned Cranes were affected.— The 2024 State of World’s Migratory Species was the first comprehensive global assessment of migratory animals covering 1,189 CMS-listed species, and its analysis linked to over 3,000 additional migratory species.Do You Know:— The interim report comes ahead of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP 15), to be held from March 23 in Campo Grande, Brazil.— The CMS is a legally binding global treaty, signed in 1979 under the United Nations Environment Programme, which aims to conserve migratory animals and their habitats across national habitats and across borders.— The CMS has two appendices, which list migratory species under categories of endangered migratory species and migratory species conserved through agreements. There are 188 species in Appendix I, including 28 terrestrial mammals, 23 aquatic mammals, 103 birds, eight reptiles and 26 fish.— Parties that are range states to the Appendix-I listed species are required to provide strict protection, including prohibition of hunting or capturing, habitat restoration and addressing migration challenges.— Species in India, such as the Great Indian Bustard, the Asian Elephant, the Bengal Florican, the Siberian Crane, the Hawksbill Sea Turtle, the Olive Ridley turtle and the Leatherback Sea Turtle are included in Appendix I of CMS.Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:Quick guide to birds that migrate to India every winterPrevious year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:(1) Consider the following pairs: (UPSC CSE 2020)International agreement/set-up Subject1. Alma-Ata Declaration Healthcare of the people2. Hague Convention Biological and chemical weapons3. Talanoa Dialogue Global climate change4. Under2 Coalition Child rightsWhich of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?(a) 1 and 2 only(b) 4 only(c) 1 and 3 only(d) 2, 3 and 4 only THE EDITORIAL PAGERecognising invisible labour of care is a national prioritySyllabus:Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importanceMains Examination: General Studies-I, III: Role of women and women’s organisation, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanisation, their problems and their remedies; Inclusive growth and issues arising from itWhat’s the ongoing story: Annpurna Devi writes: As we celebrate International Women’s Day, we honour not only the achievements of Bharat’s women but their indomitable spirit as well. Bharat’s story has been shaped by the strength of its women, not only in legislatures and boardrooms, but equally in homes, farms, classrooms and countless other spaces.Key Points to Ponder:— What is the care economy?— What is the status of the care economy in India?— What is the recent High Court observation on women being a homemaker?— What does the Union Budget 2026 say about the care economy?— Why is there a need for investing in the care economy?— Suggest measures to increase Female labour force participation— What are the major schemes of the government related to women welfare?— How will women empowerment lead to monetization of the care economy?Key Takeaways:— Today, Indian women are at the forefront of India’s transformation. From fighter pilots to grassroots leaders, they are driving inclusive and sustained national progress.— This strength has a historical legacy: From Savitribai Phule’s pioneering work in girls’ education to Ahilyabai Holkar’s compassionate governance, our civilisation reveres shakti, seeing in every woman the strength to nurture and lead.— Behind every visible achievement is a silent force: The care economy. The mother who rises before dawn to nurture her family before stepping into her workplace. The wife who holds her family together with resilience, even in the face of adversity. The daughter who balances a day’s work with tending to ageing parents.— India’s Female Labour Force Participation Rate has risen from 23.3 per cent in 2017-18 to 41.7 per cent in 2023-24. Greater workforce participation and stronger care services can unlock millions of opportunities for women. Budget 2026-27 has made historic investments to strengthen the care ecosystem.— The Gender Budget has crossed Rs 5 lakh crore for the first time, reflecting the Modi government’s unwavering commitment to women-led development. Initiatives are underway to skill 1.5 lakh caregivers, expand working women’s hostels, upgrade anganwadi centres for early childhood care, and strengthen convergence across health and nutrition systems.ALSO READ | International Women’s Day: Why housework demands redistribution, not just recognition— These measures reaffirm a clear national resolve: When women are supported, economies accelerate. Legal reforms such as the Code on Social Security and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code are strengthening crèche facilities and worker welfare.— Rapid urbanisation, migration and the rise of nuclear families are reshaping traditional support systems. The need for accessible, affordable and quality childcare and family services is becoming increasingly important. Investing in the care economy advances multiple national priorities.— In our journey towards Viksit Bharat, we recognise that sustainable growth must rest on strong social foundations. The care economy is one such foundation.Do You Know:— Housework, while often exhausting, exploitative, and precarious, remains a backbone of economic and social life. As such, it demands greater recognition through social, economic, and legal measures. In a recent case involving the grant of maintenance in a matrimonial dispute, the Delhi High Court observed that the assumption that a non-earning spouse is “idle” reflects a misunderstanding of domestic contribution.— The court’s observation that a homemaker’s work enables the earning spouse to function effectively offers a beacon of hope. In 2021, the Supreme Court made a similar observation in a motor accident claim case, and said household work is no mean feat and fixing notional income for a non-earning “homemaker… is a step towards the constitutional vision of social equality and ensuring dignity of life to all individuals.”— The International Labour Organisation (ILO) defines Care Economy as a “set of activities related to the provision of care and support to individuals, households, and communities, including both paid and unpaid work.” Care Economy encompasses a broad spectrum of labour and resources dedicated to meeting the care needs of individuals and families.— The 5R framework provided by the International Labour Organisation has often been suggested as a key to understanding and improving the efficiency, sustainability, and fairness of care work.— The framework includes – recognising the social and economic value of paid and unpaid care work; rewarding, remunerating, and representing care work and care workers with professionalised work and equal pay for work of equal value; reducing the burden of unpaid care work on women; redistributing care work within households among all workers and eliminating the sexual division of labour; and reclaiming the public nature of care services.Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:International Women’s Day 2026: Why housework demands redistribution, not just recognitionBalancing the care and monetised economies for India’s growthKnowledge Nugget: What is the relevance of ‘Time Use Survey’ for UPSC?Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:Distinguish between ‘care economy’ and ‘monetized economy’. How can the care economy be brought into monetized economy through women empowerment? (UPSC CSE 2023)NATIONTemperature shoots up to 10°C above normal, heatwave alert in HimachalSyllabus:Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importanceMains Examination: General Studies-III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.What’s the ongoing story: After a dry and brief winter, western Himayalan regions are already sweltering under heatwave conditions this March with day temperatures shooting up to 10 degrees Celsius above normal.Key Points to Ponder:— What are the conditions of declaring heatwave by the IMD?— What is the impact of heatwaves on human health?— Analyse the socio-economic and health impacts of extreme heat events.— Evaluate India’s preparedness in adapting to rising temperatures and extreme heat events.— Discuss the role of urban planning in mitigating heat stress and ensuring climate resilience.— What measures need to be taken to mitigate the impact of heatwaves? – Immediate and long-term.Key Takeaways:— The India Meteorological Department (IMD) Friday issued a heatwave alert for Himachal Pradesh, west Rajasthan and Gujarat (Kutch-Saurashtra) for March 7-10.— Due to the rising heat, Kullu, Mandi and Solan districts of Himachal Pradesh remain under ‘yellow’ alert till Saturday.— The IMD declares a heatwave when the maximum temperature recorded over the plains is over 40 degrees Celsius, along the coasts over 37 degrees Celsius, and over the hills more than 30 degrees Celsius.— “The maximum temperatures over these regions will remain significantly high and stay 8 to 10 degrees Celsius above normal for this time of the year,” an IMD official from New Delhi said.ALSO READ | Knowledge Nugget: Tarapur–Boisar gas leaks and key chemical disaster safeguards for your UPSC exam— On Friday, the maximum temperatures recorded in many places in Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan were abnormally high for early March. Jharsuguda in Odisha remained the hottest location in the country at 39.6 degrees Celsius.— Heatwave conditions over Himachal Pradesh will abate by Sunday. West Rajasthan will come under the heatwave cover on March 9 and 10 whereas Kutch in Gujarat will remain under the grip of the heatwave till March 10, the IMD has warned.Do You Know:— According to IMD, a heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature of a station reaches at least 40°C or more for plains, 37°C or more for coastal stations, and at least 30°C or more for hilly regions.— Based on departure from normal temperatures, the following criteria are used to declare a heatwave:(i) Heatwave: Departure from normal is 4.5°C to 6.4°C.(ii) Severe Heatwave: Departure from normal is 6.4°C.— Based on the actual maximum temperature in plains, the following criteria is considered:(i) Heatwave: When the actual maximum temperature ≥ 45°C(ii) Severe Heatwave: When actual maximum temperature ≥47°C— If the above criteria met at least in 2 stations in a Meteorological sub-division for at least two consecutive days and it was declared on the second day.— According to WHO– In India Heatwaves typically occur from March to June, and in some rare cases, even extend till July. On average, five-six heatwave events happen every year over the northern parts of the country. Single events can last weeks, occur consecutively, and can impact a large population.Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:UPSC Issue at a Glance | Heatwaves: 5 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and MainsPrevious year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:(2) What are the possible limitations of India in mitigating global warming at present and in the immediate future? (UPSC CSE 2010)1. Appropriate alternate technologies are not sufficiently available.2. India cannot invest huge funds in research and development.3. Many developed countries have already set up their polluting industries in India.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?(a) 1 and 2 only(b) 2 only(c) 1 and 3 only(d) 1, 2 and 3Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:Bring out the causes for the formation of heat islands in the urban habitat of the world. (UPSC CSE 2013)ECONOMYHow West Asia conflict may impact other core industries, beyond oil & gasSyllabus:Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diasporaWhat’s the ongoing story: The war in West Asia is not just roiling global oil and gas markets. The tensions are threatening to disrupt the flow of key industrial inputs from the region for several core Indian industries.Key Points to Ponder:— How does the conflict in West Asia impact the energy security in India?— How much energy dependency of India is from West Asia?— Read about India’s relationship with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries— The possibility of a closure of the Strait of Hormuz has heightened concerns of a global energy supply shock. Why?— Know about other crucial imports that India do from West Asia— Read about India’s LPG import dependence from Strait of HormuzKey Takeaways:— Sectors such as steel, fertilizers, cement and power transmission depend heavily on imports of essential raw materials from West Asia. These essential industrial inputs include limestone, sulphur, gypsum, direct reduced iron (DRI) and copper wires. Notably, more than half of India’s imports of these commodities had originated in the region.— The West Asia region broadly includes the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries — Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE — along with other regional economies such as Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen.— With the conflict continuing in the region, and missile and drone strikes hitting several energy and logistics facilities across the Gulf, fears of supply disruptions have intensified. The possibility of a closure of the Strait of Hormuz — one of the world’s most critical energy and trade routes — has heightened concerns of a global energy supply shock. The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)— For India, the region remains a crucial supplier of both energy and industrial inputs. According to a report by New Delhi-based trade think tank GTRI, India imported goods worth $98.7 billion from the region in 2025. So, any turbulence in the region or disruption to shipping routes such as the Strait of Hormuz could quickly impact multiple Indian industries beyond oil and gas.— As a major supplier of oil and gas to the world, any turbulence in West Asia tends to make global energy markets immediately vulnerable. India is no exception.— The impact of the war is already being felt. With crude oil stockpiles estimated to last only about a month, Indian refiners have begun increasing purchases of discounted Russian oil. Gas companies, too, are weighing the possibility of curbing industrial supplies if disruptions to LNG shipments from Qatar persist.— The fallout, however, may not remain confined to the energy sector if disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz continue for more than a week.— According to the GTRI report, the effect could be felt in fertilizer supplies, manufacturing inputs, construction materials and export industries such as diamonds.— The construction sector, which depends on mineral imports from the region, could be among the sectors that feel the impact if the conflict persists.— The GTRI report estimated that India imported $483 million worth of limestone from West Asia, accounting for 68.5% of its total imports, and $129 million worth of gypsum, representing 62.1% of imports.— Both minerals are crucial for the construction ecosystem. Limestone is a key input for cement production, while gypsum is widely used in cement and other construction materials. Any disruption in supplies could push up cement prices and delay infrastructure projects…— Industry experts say that while alternative sources for some raw materials exist, the bigger concern lies in rising energy costs.— A steel industry insider said that alternative sources are available for inputs such as limestone and DRI, but the real challenge is volatility in oil and gas prices.From the Economy page: Govt orders refiners to boost LPG output to meet cooking gas needs— In order to ensure continued availability of cooking gas to crores of Indian households amid the West Asia crisis, the government has invoked emergency powers derived from the Essential Commodities Act to direct Indian refiners to maximise liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) production and ensure that all the gas is supplied solely to domestic LPG consumers and not used to produce petrochemicals.— The bulk of India’s LPG demand is met through imports, and over 80% of these volumes come via the critical chokepoint of the Strait of Hormuz, where vessel movements have effectively come to a halt due to the West Asia conflict.— This order, applicable to public sector as well as private sector refiners, has been issued under specific clauses of the Petroleum Products (Maintenance of Production, Storage and Supply) Order, 1999, read with Section 3 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.— Although India has spare refining capacity, its own LPG production is limited with heavy reliance on imports. The country’s LPG consumption in 2024-25 was around 31 million tonnes of LPG, of which just about 13 million tonnes was the domestic production, which translates to import dependency of around 58%.— According to sources in the know, the government and Indian oil and gas companies are in touch with all international suppliers, including national oil companies and even large traders like Vitol, Trafigura, and ADNOC Trading, to source additional volumes of crude oil and LPG from their international portfolios in view of the West Asia conflict, even as the country is in a “comfortable” position to prevent any near-term shortage of major fuels like petrol, diesel, and LPG.— Some LPG volumes under the recently-inked import contract with the US have also started coming in. The sources also assured that there was no need at present to ration fuels, while also ruling out any increase in retail fuel prices for the time being.— While over 80% of India’s LPG imports come through the Strait of Hormuz—the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman that connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea—40% of India’s oil imports and over half of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports come through the chokepoint.— India’s cushion is thinner when it comes to LNG as additional LNG stockpiling is significantly more challenging than crude oil and petroleum fuels. India, the world’s fourth-largest LNG importer, is actively scouting for additional LNG cargoes from other source markets.— Some concern is already visible in the natural gas sector due to the West Asia conflict. India’s largest LNG importer Petronet LNG has issued force majeure notices to its key supplier QatarEnergy, and its off-takers in India. Moreover, QatarEnergy has also issued a notice indicating a potential force majeure due to the conflict, which has forced the LNG producer to halt production.Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:As oil flow through Strait of Hormuz comes to a halt, India may look at increasing Russian oil importsPrevious year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:(3) Which of the following is not a member of ‘Gulf Cooperation Council’? (UPSC CSE 2016)(a) Iran(b) Saudi Arabia(c) Oman(d) KuwaitEXPLAINEDProcess to outcome, how Bengal SIR was differentSyllabus:Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importanceMains Examination: General Studies-II: Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act, Constitution of India — features, significant provisions and basic structure.What’s the ongoing story: When the final electoral roll, after the four-month-long Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal, was published on February 28, it clearly showed that the total electorate in the state had decreased by 8% or around 61 lakh names. What it also showed was that the final electoral roll was not final.Key Points to Ponder:— What is the Special Intensive Revision?— What is the purpose of conducting the SIR?— What is the legal backing for conducting SIR?— What are the concerns related to SIR?— What is the role and function of Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Booth Level Officers (BLOs)?— Who has the power to delete the name of voters from the electoral roll?— What key reforms are implemented by the Election Commission to strengthen the electoral process?— Why are “micro-observers” appointed in Bengal SIR?Key Takeaways:— In fact, 60.06 lakh registered electors in the state found themselves on the roll but were stamped “under adjudication”, meaning they were on the rolls, but not quite. They will not be able to exercise their right to vote in the upcoming state Assembly elections till the 500-odd judicial officers appointed on orders of the Supreme Court review their cases and decide to keep them on the rolls in subsequent supplementary lists.— Those who are found ineligible on the basis of documents submitted during the SIR will be deleted from the rolls, losing the right to vote. This did not happen in the nine states and three Union Territories where the Election Commission has completed the SIR so far.— On June 24, 2025, the Election Commission announced its plan to conduct a Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls of the country. For the past 20 years, the EC has been updating the electoral rolls in all states annually and before each Lok Sabha and Assembly election by adding newly eligible electors and deleting deceased and other ineligible electors.— The SIR order of June 24, however, laid out an unprecedented new process. All those who were registered as electors would be required to submit enumeration forms in a one-month enumeration phase, either to their local Booth Level Officer (BLO), or online.— All those who were added after the last intensive revision, which took place in the early 2000s across the states, would be required to submit documents from a list of 11 documents identified by the EC to establish their eligibility, which includes proving their citizenship.— On October 27, 2025, the EC announced a tweaked process for SIR in nine states (Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Gujarat, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh) and three UTs (Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep and Puducherry). The SIR in Uttar Pradesh has been extended, with the final electoral roll scheduled to come out on April 10. The SIR for the remaining 22 states/UTs is likely to start in April this year.— For the second phase of SIR announced in October, the EC changed the enumeration form slightly. Now, all electors were required to “map” themselves with the electoral roll of the last intensive revision in any state or UT either through their own name on that roll or of a “relative” on that roll.— All those whose forms were not returned or who the BLO found to have been deceased, shifted/absent or enrolled elsewhere were marked as such and deleted from the draft roll, which was published in December. In the case of West Bengal, this number was 58 lakh, reducing the number of electors from 7.66 crore to 7.08 crore.— Speaking on condition of anonymity, officials involved in the process in West Bengal said the BLOs were strictly instructed not to collect documents along with the enumeration forms during the enumeration phase. They were also told that electors should only “map” themselves with their parents on grandparents on the enumeration form.— This was not the case in other states. In UP, for instance, BLOs collected documents from electors in the first phase itself, in order to upload them as proof in case the elector was issued a notice for hearing at the later stage. In Bihar, where the SIR was held from June to August last year, officials told The Indian Express that electors were linked with any adult relative who was on the previous roll, including uncles and aunts.— The EC also deployed its centralised software through the ERONET portal to flag “logical discrepancies”, including spelling mismatch, people mapped with six or more progeny and age gap between elector and parent being less than 15 years or more than 50 years. These “logical discrepancy” cases were also sent notices and asked to appear before the EROs for hearings.— This is where the process in West Bengal deviated from the rest of the states. Three days after the draft roll was published and the notice period began, the Election Commission wrote to the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer on December 19, 2025 appointing “micro-observers” to keep a watch on the EROs and Assistant EROs during the hearing phase.— A total of 8,100 micro-observers, who are Central government employees working in PSUs and banks, were deployed to check the documents being submitted by electors during hearings, among other things. Not only was the deployment of micro-observers for roll revision a first for the EC, the Commission only did so in West Bengal.— This led to the ruling-Trinamool Congress in the state accusing the EC of bias against West Bengal and the micro-observers of interfering in the work of the statutory authority, the ERO. As per the Representation of the People Act, 1951, it is the ERO who can add and delete from the electoral roll of a constituency. The ERO is usually a state government employee of Sub-Divisional Magistrate rank who is appointed by the EC in consultation with the state government.— EC officials in West Bengal alleged the need for deploying micro-observers was felt as the EROs were acting on orders of the ruling party. They alleged that the EROs were not deleting those electors who were ineligible and were uploading all manner of documents as proof, including fake ones.— As the last date for hearings, February 14, came closer, the tussle between the EROs and micro-observers increased. The Supreme Court, which is hearing a batch of petitions challenging the legality of the EC’s SIR process, noted the “trust deficit” between the state government and the EC. On February 20, the SC ordered judicial officers to decide the pending cases, relying on its Article 142 power to pass a decree or order in interest of complete justice. This, too, was only done for West Bengal.— EC officials in West Bengal admit that the deployment of micro-observers and judicial officers to decide on electors’ eligibility has diluted the powers of the EROs, which are provided for in the RP Act, 1950. However, they add that it was necessary as the state government was not cooperating fully with the EC. For instance, they say, the state bureaucracy was reluctant to take action against any errant BLOs and EROs.Do You Know:— The ECI conducts SIR with the objective of deleting duplicate and illegal registrations of voters. The exercise was first carried out in Bihar ahead of its Assembly elections in November this year, and now is being rolled out across the country, starting with nine states and three Union Territories.— Article 324(1) of the Constitution vests the ECI with the power of superintendence, direction, and control of the preparation of the electoral roll. Specifically, Section 21(2) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 provides that “the Election Commission may at any time, for reasons to be recorded, direct a special revision of the electoral roll for any constituency or part of a constituency in such manner as it may think fit.”— Section 13B of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, empowers the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) for each constituency to prepare and revise the electoral roll. In discharging this function, the ERO can employ persons deemed fit for the preparation and revision of the electoral roll. This statutory provision enables the appointment of BLOs.— A BLO serves as a representative of the Election Commission of India (ECI) at the grassroots level and is responsible for collecting authentic field information about the electoral roll. BLOs, who are familiar with local electors, act as guides for voters at their doorstep in matters of electoral enrolment, correction, and verification.— Special summary revisions take place every year, and the electoral roll is updated before each Lok Sabha and state Assembly election. Intensive revisions have been carried out in 1952-56, 1957, 1961, 1965, 1966, 1983-84, 1987-89, 1992, 1993, 1995, 2002, 2003 and 2004.Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:Special Intensive Revision (SIR): Why is it important?Significance of SIR and BLOs for free and fair electionsPrevious year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:(4) Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2017)1. The Election Commission of India is a five-member body.2. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs decides the election schedule for the conduct of both general elections and bye-elections.3. Election Commission resolves the disputes relating to splits/mergers of recognised political parties.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?(a) 1 and 2 only(b) 2 only(c) 2 and 3 only(d) 3 onlyPrevious year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:To enhance the quality of democracy in India the Election Commission of India has proposed electoral reforms in 2016. What are the suggested reforms and how far are they significant to make democracy successful? (UPSC CSE 2017)ALSO IN NEWSSinking of Dena opens new front in the war, disrupts hard-won regional peaceArun Prakash writes: The torpedoing of the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena, 40 miles off the coast of Galle, Sri Lanka, in the early hours of March 4, offered India a blinding flash of harsh reality: The conflict we thought was 3,000 km away in the Persian Gulf had arrived at our doorstep.The US rationale for dramatically shifting the theatre of war to the South Asian maritime domain is, perhaps, rooted in its 2026 doctrine of Deterrence by Denial. By targeting a ship returning from a high-profile diplomatic and military mission in India, the US may be signalling three objectives: (a) neutralising Iran’s naval reach in the eastern Indian Ocean; (b) demonstrating to Beijing that the US maintains total escalation dominance over critical sea lines of communication; and (c) signalling to regional powers that the era of comfortable maritime neutrality is ending as the Indian Ocean becomes a primary zone of kinetic enforcement.New GDP series: Distance to $5-tn target increasesLast week, India’s Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) came out with new estimates of Gross Domestic Product, or GDP. The GDP is essentially the market price of all “final” (as against intermediate) goods and services that are produced within the geographical boundaries of India.The new series takes a fresh guard from 2022-23 — that is, the financial year starting April 2022 and ending in March 2023. This now forms the new “base year” for GDP calculations. MoSPI has released the updated GDP for the years since and, in some time, it will release the GDP of the year before the new base year.Panel led by MoEF Secy ‘suppressed’ FSI view on Aravalli, amicus informs SCTHE SUPREME Court’s Amicus Curiae in the Aravalli definition case has submitted that the report by the court’s Aravalli committee led by the Environment secretary “completely suppressed” the views of the Forest Survey of India (FSI) while recommending a 100-metre height definition for the hills.The Amicus Curiae’s submission also pointed out that the “unsigned and undated” report of the Aravalli panel did not have the approval of the SC’s Central Empowered Committee (CEC) and its “exclusionary” definition did not “sufficiently include landforms that constitute the Aravalli hills in order to protect and conserve the same.”Nepal rejects old guard, Balen Shah, 35, is set to become PMIn the first election post the September 2025 Gen Z protests that forced out the K P Sharma Oli government, Nepal appeared to have rejected the old guard, voting overwhelmingly for the three-year-old Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and clearing the decks for its leader Balendra ‘Balen’ Shah to become Prime Minister. PRELIMS ANSWER KEY1. (c) 2. (a) 3. (a) 4. (d) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for February 2026. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com