State PCS - Jharkhand (JPSC)

• 24 Mar 2026

Sarhul Festival 2026

Why in News?

Sarhul is an ancient tribal festival celebrated principally in Jharkhand, marking the worship of nature and the beginning of the spring season. The word Sarhul literally means worship of the Sal tree, which is central to tribal belief as the abode of the deity Sarna Maa. 

Key Points

• Cultural Significance: The festival marks the tribal New Year for communities such as the Oraon, Munda, and Ho, symbolising renewal, prosperity, and the bond between people and nature. 
  • Sarhul was celebrated in March 2026 (regional holiday spanning March 21 and 22), coinciding with the third day of the waxing moon in the Hindu month of Chaitra.
• Ritual Practices: Traditional rituals involve the village priest (Pahan) performing nature worship, offering Saal flowers, fruits, roosters, and rice beer (Handia) to deities and ancestors. 
  • It honours the Sal (Sakhuwa) tree, central to tribal belief systems. 
  • Observations of water levels in earthen pots are used to predict rainfall for the coming year. 
  • Local people worship Dhartimata (Mother Earth) as Sita and offer prayers for a good harvest, prosperity, and protection from natural disasters. 
• Significance: Sarhul embodies the tribal ethos of harmony with nature, celebrates the onset of spring, and serves as a platform for cultural expression, unity, and environmental reverence in Jharkhand.

Read More: Sal Tree

World TB Day 2026

Why in News?

World TB Day is observed on 24th March 2026 to raise awareness about tuberculosis (TB) and to strengthen global efforts to eliminate the disease. 

Key Points

• Historical Background: World TB Day is observed annually on 24 March to commemorate the discovery of the tuberculosis bacterium by Robert Koch in 1882, which enabled the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
• Theme 2026: “Yes! We Can End TB: Led by countries, powered by people.”
• Global Burden: Tuberculosis remains one of the world’s leading infectious diseases. 
  • In 2024, around 10.7 million people fell ill with TB and about 1.23 million deaths were reported globally.
• About Tuberculosis (TB):
  • Causative Agent: Tuberculosis is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which mainly affects the lungs but can also damage other organs.
  • Transmission: TB spreads through airborne droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or speaks, making early diagnosis and treatment critical.
  • High-Burden Countries: Countries such as India, Indonesia, China, Philippines, and Pakistan account for a large share of global TB cases.
  • Prevention and Treatment: TB is preventable and curable with early diagnosis, antibiotic treatment, vaccination (BCG vaccine), and improved public health systems.
    • Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) is caused by bacteria resistant to key first-line drugs like rifampicin and isoniazid. MDR-TB can still be treated with alternative drugs, though these are costlier and have more side effects. 
    • In severe cases, extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) develops, leaving very limited treatment options. 
    • WHO recommends shorter 6-month all-oral regimens (BPaLM/BPaL) for eligible patients (including for MDR-TB patients), which are more effective and reduce treatment burden.
• Global Strategy: WHO’s End TB Strategy aims to reduce TB deaths by 95% and TB incidence by 90% by 2035 compared with 2015 levels.
  • The World Health Organization and the Stop TB Partnership lead international campaigns and programs to control and eliminate tuberculosis.
  • SDGs: Ending TB is part of Sustainable Development Goal 3, which aims to eliminate the TB epidemic by 2030.
• India Initiatives:
  • Nikshay Portal: A digital platform for tracking TB patients, treatment, and case management across the country.
  • Nikshay Poshan Yojana: Provides ₹500 per month nutritional support to TB patients during treatment.
  • Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan: A national initiative launched to accelerate India’s goal of TB elimination by 2025 (not yet fully eliminated).

Read More: WHO, SDGs