• 19 Feb 2026

IIT Bombay and Columbia University to Establish Centre of AI

Why in News? 

The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Columbia University, United States, to establish the Columbia–IIT Bombay Centre of AI for Manufacturing. 

Key Points: 

• Joint Centre: The Columbia–IIT Bombay Centre of AI for Manufacturing will function as a collaborative research and translation centre focused on developing robust, scalable, and human‑centric AI systems for real‑world manufacturing challenges. 
  • The centre will work on AI solutions for multiple segments such as semiconductors, robotics, industrial production, pharmaceuticals, food processing, petrochemicals, construction, infrastructure, and transport & logistics. 
• Expertise: The initiative will leverage complementary strengths in AI, optimisation, process engineering, and manufacturing systems from both IIT Bombay and Columbia University to develop end‑to‑end industrial AI infrastructure. 
• Focus: The centre aims to tackle operational challenges such as legacy equipment integration, variable data quality, real‑time decision‑making, and workforce diversity in industrial settings. 
  • Through research outputs, talent development initiatives, and accessible AI tools, the centre will support micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and startups working in AI and manufacturing. 
• Outcomes: Foundational datasets, AI models, and interfaces developed by the centre are expected to be released as public goods to benefit broader industrial and academic communities. 

Read More: AI, MSMEs, Semiconductors 

Henley Passport Index 2026

Why in News? 

India’s passport has climbed in the 2026 Henley Passport Index, a globally recognised ranking of passports based on visa-free travel access. The rise in rank reflects enhanced global mobility for Indian citizens and strengthened diplomatic relations. 

Key Points: 

• Global Ranking: India’s passport has moved to the 75th position in the 2026 Henley Passport Index, rising 10 places from 85th in 2025. 
  • Indian passport holders can now enter 56 countries without a prior visa, including those allowing visa-free entry, visa-on-arrival, or electronic travel authorisation (ETA), facilitating ease of international movement. 
• Methodology: The index, published by Henley & Partners, ranks 199 passports across 227 destinations using data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), based on ease of entry without prior visa approval. 
  • Top-Ranked Passports: Singapore retains the top position with 192 visa-free destinations, followed closely by Japan and South Korea. 
  • Bottom-Ranked Passports: Countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria remain at the bottom of the index, reflecting restricted international mobility due to geopolitical and security challenges. 
• Regional Comparison: India ranks above several South Asian peers such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nepal, while Maldives ranks substantially higher in the region. 
• Significance: The improved ranking indicates strengthened diplomatic ties, enhanced business and tourism opportunities, and better international recognition of Indian citizens’ travel freedom. 

Read More: Henley Passport Index 2025 

BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year 2025

Why in News? 

Indian women’s cricketer Smriti Mandhana has been named the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year for 2025 at a prestigious award ceremony in New Delhi, in recognition of her outstanding achievements in sport during the year. 

Key Points: 

• Recognition: Smriti Mandhana was honoured as the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year 2025 for her consistently brilliant performances. 
  • Especially in her pivotal role in India’s historic 2025 Women’s World Cup triumph and success in domestic leagues.  
• Sport Honourees: Chess prodigy Divya Deshmukh was named Emerging Player of the Year for her historic win at the FIDE Women’s World Cup. 
  • Preethi Pal received the Para‑Sportswoman of the Year title for her two bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Paralympics. 
• Lifetime Achievement: Veteran shooter Anjali Bhagwat was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award for her trailblazing career, including being the first Indian woman shooter to reach an Olympic final. 
• Selection Process: The winners were chosen by a distinguished jury comprising sports figures such as Leander Paes, Deepa Malik, and Anju Bobby George. 
• Promotion of Women’s Sport: The awards ceremony celebrates and spotlights excellence and impact of Indian women athletes, highlighting their contributions in international events and inspiring future generations. 

Read More: 2025 Women’s World Cup, Olympic, FIDE Women’s World Cup. 

India’s First National Cow Culture Museum in UP

Why in News? 

The Uttar Pradesh government has announced plans to establish India’s first National Cow Culture Museum in Mathura to showcase the country’s rich heritage and scientific understanding of cattle. 

Key Points: 

• Purpose and Vision: The National Cow Culture Museum aims to highlight the religious, cultural, spiritual, and scientific significance of cows in Indian society, blending tradition with modern scientific perspectives to educate visitors.  
  • The museum will be developed on the campus of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Veterinary Science University in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh.  
• Exhibits: The museum is expected to feature around 100 digital and physical models of Indian cattle breeds, including major indigenous and endangered breeds. 
  • A key attraction will be an exhibition on cow milk and dairy products such as curd, ghee, and cheese, explaining their nutritional, scientific, and Ayurvedic benefits using modern presentation techniques. 
• Tourism: The museum will include dairy parlours where visitors can purchase pure dairy products, positioning the museum as both an educational resource and tourist attraction.  
• Significance: The initiative seeks to strengthen the cultural identity of the Braj region, promote cow conservation, and foster a balanced understanding of cattle’s role in rural economy, agriculture, and heritage. 

International Conference on Dam Safety 2026 in Bengaluru

Why in News? 

The Government of India convened the International Conference on Dam Safety (ICDS 2026) in Bengaluru in February 2026 under the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) Phase II & III. 

Key Points: 

• Venue: The ICDS 2026 was organised at the J.N. Tata Auditorium, Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru. 
• Organisers: The event was jointly conducted by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Central Water Commission (CWC), Government of Karnataka’s Water Resources Department, IISc Bengaluru, and the World Bank, emphasising a multi-stakeholder approach to dam safety. 
  • The conference was inaugurated by Siddaramaiah, the Chief Minister of Karnataka. 
• Focus Areas: Discussions centred on ageing infrastructure, climate risks, scientific and collaborative dam management, and policy frameworks to ensure safe and resilient dam operations across India. 
  • The event featured the launch of DAMCHAT, an AI-powered platform developed by the International Center of Excellence for Dams (ICED), and the Jal Shakti Data Management Platform by the National Water Informatics Centre (NWIC) to strengthen dam monitoring and data-driven decision making.  
• Global Participation: More than 750 delegates from India and countries such as France, Japan, Australia, Canada, and others participated, showcasing international collaboration in dam safety research and practices.  

Read More: ICDS 2026, DRIP, Central Water Commission (CWC), World Bank 

Odisha Government’s Decision to Close FRA Support Cells

Why in News? 

The Odisha government’s directions to shut down Forest Rights Cells (FRCs) at district and sub-district levels have come under scrutiny from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA), citing concerns over the effective implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006. 

Key Points: 

• Forest Rights Cells (FRCs): Forest Rights Cells are dedicated administrative units created to support the implementation of the FRA, 2006. 
  • Functions: These specialized cells were instrumental in processing land claims and providing technical support to tribal communities. 
• Dissolution of Sub-divisional Cells: On February 17, 2026, the Odisha government ordered the closure of all 50 sub-divisional FRA Cells functioning under the Central Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DA-JGUA) scheme by the end of March. 
  • This follows the earlier discontinuation of district and tehsil-level cells under the State’s Mo Jungle Jami Yojana. 
• Mandate: The government has directed that all pending forest rights claims at these levels must be cleared before the March deadline. 
• Central Scrutiny: MoTA is inquiring into these decisions, emphasizing that support staff for FRA implementation must be ensured at all levels. 
• Status of FRA: Despite being a top performer in issuing forest rights titles, Odisha faces challenges, ranking sixth in the country for pending claims as of December 2025, with about 20% of cases unresolved.  
  • The data indicates significant pending Individual Forest Rights (IFR) and Community Rights (CR) claims, sparking concerns over the sudden push to clear them. 
• Significance: Potential impact on tribal rights recognition and may slow down recognition of community forest governance 
  • Legal Compliance: Critics raise questions regarding alignment with the Forest Rights Act, 2006, regarding the protection of tribal entitlements.

Read More: Forest Rights Act, 2006 

Maharashtra Revokes 5% Reservation for Muslims

Why in News?

The Maharashtra government, led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, revoked a decade-old 5% reservation for socially and educationally backward sections of the Muslim community.

Key Points: 

• Reservation: Maharashtra had earlier provided 5% reservation to Muslims by identifying certain Muslim communities as educationally and socially backward, not merely on the basis of religion. 
  • The policy was framed in the context of empirical findings indicating socio-economic deprivation among specific groups within the Muslim community. 
  • The reservation was originally introduced in July 2014 via an ordinance by the then Congress-NCP government. 
• Legal Standing: The quota had remained in a "legal limbo" for over a decade.  
  • The 2014 ordinance was never converted into law by the state legislature and had lapsed in December 2014. 
• Reasons Cited for Revocation: The state government has justified the withdrawal on multiple grounds: 
  • Constitutional Concerns: Articles 15(1) and 16(2) of the Constitution prohibit discrimination solely on the grounds of religion. 
    • Reservation policies must be based on social and educational backwardness, not religious identity per se. 
  • Judicial Scrutiny and Precedents: Courts, including the Supreme Court of India, have consistently held that religion cannot be the sole basis for affirmative action. 
• Immediate Impacts: Cessation of the issuance of Special Backward Category-A (SBC-A) caste and validity certificates for Muslims. 

Read More: Reservation 

Madhya Pradesh Budget 2026–27

Why in News? 

The Finance Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Jagdish Devda presented the Budget for FY 2026–27 in the State Legislative Assembly in Bhopal, outlining the government’s priorities in women empowerment, farmer welfare, infrastructure, health, and fiscal discipline. 

Key Points: 

• Record Budget Outlay: The total budget size for FY 2026–27 is ₹4.38 lakh crore, marking a substantial increase over the previous year and reflecting expansionary developmental spending. 
  • The government did not introduce any new taxes and kept existing tax rates unchanged, aiming to promote economic stability and ease the burden on citizens and businesses. 
• Budget Highlight (in ₹Crore):  
  • Total Receipts: 3,89,397 
  • Total Expenditure: 3,88,925 
  • Revenue Receipts: 3,08,703 
  • Revenue Expenditure: 3,08,659 
  • Capital Receipts: 80,694 
  • Capital Expenditure: 80,266 
  • Revenue Surplus: 44 
  • Fiscal Deficit: 3.87% of GSDP 
  • Appropriation Amount: 4,38,317  
  • GSDP-18,48,274  
  • Per Capita Income: ₹ 1,52,615 (2024-25) 
• Sector Wise Provision  (in ₹Crore): 
  • Agriculture Sector: 38,850 
  • Health and Women Welfare: 56,478 
  • Education: 45,358 
  • SC/ST/OBC: 24,024 
  • Infrastructure: 49,084 
  • Urban and Rural Development: 61,665 
  • Cultural Promotion: 2,069 
  • Employment: 6,104 
• Provision for Major Scheme (in ₹Crore): 
  • Mukhyamantri Ladli Behna Yojana: 23883 
  • Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar &Ajeevika Mission (Gramin): 10,428 
  • Atal Griha Jyoti Yojana: 6033 
  • National Health Mission (NUHM/NRHM): 4600 
  • Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana: 2000 
  • Ladli Laxmi Yojana: 1801 
• Women-Centric Allocation: Around ₹1.27 lakh crore has been earmarked for women-focused schemes, including continued support for flagship programmes such as Ladli Behna Yojana, strengthening financial inclusion and social security for women. 
  • The budget includes construction of 5,700 hostels for working women to support safety and employment access for female workers across the state. 
• ‘Farmers’ Welfare Year’ Declaration: The year 2026 has been declared as “Kisan Kalyan Varsh” (Farmers’ Welfare Year), with enhanced allocations for agriculture, irrigation, crop procurement, and allied sectors. 
• Agriculture and Irrigation Push: Significant investments have been proposed for irrigation expansion, solar pumps for farmers, and strengthening minimum support price (MSP) procurement mechanisms. 
• Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Focus: Increased allocations have been made for rural roads, drinking water supply under Jal Jeevan Mission, and strengthening Gram Panchayats to boost grassroots development. 
• Rural Employment Support: ₹10,428 crore has been allocated for the VB Gram RG scheme to enhance rural employment guarantee, with special provisions like ₹900 crore for PM Janman Scheme for vulnerable tribal groups.  
• Urban Infrastructure Expansion: The budget provides funds for metro rail expansion, urban housing, e-buses, and smart city initiatives to modernise urban centres. 
• Health Sector Strengthening: Approximately ₹23,000 crore has been allocated to health services, including the establishment of new hospitals and medical colleges, expansion of healthcare infrastructure, and improved public health delivery. 
• Education and Skill Development: Enhanced spending on school education, recruitment of teachers, upgradation of colleges, and skill development programmes to generate youth employment. 
  • Special provisions have been made to encourage entrepreneurship, self-employment schemes, and industrial growth for job creation. 
• Industrial and Employment Support: The budget also supports industrialisation and job creation through incentives and infrastructure provisioning for MSMEs, start-ups, and investment promotion to spur economic growth. 
• Inclusive Development Framework: The budget aligns with a six-point developmental framework known as GYANII (Garib, Yuva, Annadata, Nari, Infrastructure, Industry), which seeks to combine poverty alleviation, youth empowerment, agricultural support, women empowerment, infrastructure, and industrial growth. 
• Infrastructure and Economic Growth: Large sums are earmarked for infrastructure development including rural roads, connectivity, irrigation projects like the Ken–Betwa Link, and expansion of public services.  
  • Provisions are also made for capital investment exceeding ₹1 lakh crore in the state’s history. 
• Energy and Renewable Focus: Investments in renewable energy projects and rural electrification aim to improve energy security and sustainability. 
• Fiscal Discipline and Deficit Management: The government projected controlled fiscal deficit levels within FRBM limits and indicated a revenue surplus, signalling commitment to fiscal prudence. 
• Loan and Debt Management: The state sought a ₹5,600 crore loan prior to the budget session, while maintaining that debt levels remain within manageable limits. 
• Economic Growth Indicator: The state’s Economic Survey reported an estimated 8% growth rate, highlighting steady economic expansion. 
• Rolling Budget Innovation: For the first time, the state has adopted a rolling budget framework, a flexible financial planning approach that extends planning beyond a fixed 12-month period to add months or quarters as budgets progress.  
  • This is intended to improve fiscal responsiveness and planning.  
• Significance: Incorporates inclusive welfare priorities in budgetary planning, signalling a shift towards socio-economic support for women, farmers, and the poor. 

Adoption of New High-Density Apple Rootstocks in Kashmir

Why in News? 

Scientists and horticulture experts have introduced new high-density apple rootstocks in Kashmir Valley, promising early fruiting, higher productivity, and better farm incomes, especially for small and marginal orchardists. 

Key Points: 

• Apple Economy of Kashmir: Jammu & Kashmir is one of India’s leading apple-producing regions. 
  • Apple cultivation contributes ~8–9% to J&K’s GSDP and supports over 3.5 lakh families 
• Traditional Method: Traditional orchards in the region, which often rely on older seedling rootstocks, typically take up to 10 years to produce their first fruits.  
  • In contrast, new systems using dwarf rootstocks like M9 can yield fruit as early as the second year.  
• Rootstock: The root part of a grafted plant onto which a desired apple variety (scion) is grafted. 
  • It determines tree size, yield efficiency, disease resistance and adaptability to soil and climate 
• New Apple Rootstocks: It includes Dwarf and Semi-Dwarf Rootstocks which include M9, M26 and MM series. 
• Benefits:  Enable high-density plantation (HDP) 
  • Yield Increase: High-density orchards can produce 50–70 metric tonnes per hectare, compared to only 10–12 tonnes in conventional systems. 
  • Quality & Price: Fruit grown on these rootstocks often has better color, firmness, and size.  
    • These apples can fetch market prices of ₹100–140 per kg, nearly double the rate of traditional varieties. 
  • Labor Efficiency: Smaller trees simplify labor-intensive tasks like pruning and thinning. 
• Government Support: The Jammu and Kashmir Horticulture Department is actively supporting this shift through the High Density Apple Plantation Scheme, which offers a 50% subsidy to farmers switching to these modern systems.