On 23 January 2026, the United States formally withdrew from the World Health Organization after Donald Trump restarted the exit process at the beginning of his second term.
Background
US announced withdrawal on Day 1 of Trump’s second term in 2025 through an executive order
Decision based on allegations that WHO failed in handling COVID 19
US confirmed it will not rejoin or participate even as an observer
Financial Dimension
US was WHO’s largest single contributor
Outstanding unpaid dues around 260 million dollars
All US funding to WHO has been stopped
Under US law, one year notice is required, but payment obligation is legally disputed
WHO’s Response
WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged the US to reconsider
Warned of global public health fallout
WHO may cut up to 25 percent of its workforce due to funding gap
[2022] In the context of WHO Air Quality Guidelines, Consider the following statements:
1. The 24-hour mean of PM 2.5 should not exceed 15 μg/m³ and annual mean of PM 2.5 should not exceed 5 μg/m³
2. In a year, the highest levels of ozone pollution occur during the periods of inclement weather
3. PM 10 can penetrate the long barrier and enter the bloodstream
4. Excessive ozone in the air can trigger asthma
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1, 3 and 4 (b) 1 and 4 only (c) 2, 3 and 4 (d) 1 and 2 only
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan, released the Military Quantum Mission Policy Framework to integrate quantum technologies into the Indian Armed Forces.
What is the Military Quantum Mission Policy Framework?
A strategic vision and roadmap document
Guides systematic adoption and operationalisation of quantum technologies
Applies across Army, Navy and Air Force
Focused on achieving future battlefield superiority
Note: Quantum refers to quantum science and quantum technologies based on the principles of quantum mechanics, which govern the behaviour of matter and energy at atomic and sub atomic scales.
Aim
Tri services integration through jointness and interoperability
Alignment of defence requirements with the National Quantum Mission
Adoption of a civil military fusion approach
Key Features
Four Pillars of Quantum Integration: Quantum communication, Quantum computing, Quantum sensing and metrology, and Quantum materials and devices.
Tri Services Jointness: Unified implementation across Army, Navy and Air Force. Avoids silo based development.
Civil Military Fusion Model: Collaboration with academia, startups, industry and government sectors. Dedicated governing and coordinating bodies.
Future Battlefield Orientation: Secure communications, Superior sensing and navigation, Faster decision making, Resilience against cyber and electronic warfare threats
[2022] Which one of the following is the context in which the term “qubit” is mentioned?
A recent UN report titled Global Water Bankruptcy: Living Beyond Our Hydrological Means in the Post Crisis Era, released by United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health on 20 January 2026, warns that the world has entered a phase of global water bankruptcy, severely impacting agriculture and food security.
What is Water Bankruptcy?
A condition where long term water use exceeds renewable inflows and safe depletion limits
Agriculture is no longer facing a temporary water crisis but operating beyond hydrological sustainability
Agriculture and Water Use: ~70 percent of global freshwater withdrawals used for agriculture.Expansion of agricultural land is no longer viable
Scale of Exposure:~3 billion people live in areas with declining or unstable water storage. More than half of global food production located in water stressed regions. 170 million hectares of irrigated cropland under high or very high water stress.
Land and Soil Degradation: Over 50 percent of global agricultural land moderately or severely degraded. Global salinisation has degraded. 82 million hectares of rainfed cropland. 24 million hectares of irrigated cropland. Accelerates desertification and reduces soil moisture retention.
[2021] Among the following, which one is the least water efficient crop?
Most aspirants don’t miss Prelims because they don’t study enough. They miss it because they don’t think like UPSC, don’t eliminate smartly, and study far more than what the exam actually demands.
In this webinar, I’ll break down a 100+ Prelims system, not a list of tips, not motivational talk, but a clear way of thinking, eliminating, and studying that consistently works in the Prelims hall.
Sreejay Sir, Civilsdaily IAS
What this session is really about:
1. How UPSC actually expects you to THINK in Prelims Why Prelims is less about recall and more about pattern recognition, logic, and intelligent guessing.
2. A practical elimination framework that works under pressure I’ll show how to eliminate options even when you don’t know the answer outright, and how toppers convert partial knowledge into marks.
3. What to study (and what to strictly avoid) Why over reading kills accuracy, and how to align your material with UPSC’s evolving paper design.
4. How Microthemes fit into a 100+ score strategy How microtheme-based prep improves recall, reduces overload, and strengthens elimination across subjects.
5. How to bring consistency in attempts, not just mock scores Turning your preparation into a repeatable system that performs on exam day.
Who should attend:
• Aspirants stuck in the 80–90 range • 2026–27 Prelims-focused candidates • Anyone confused about how much is enough • Aspirants who want clarity, not more material
It will be a 45 minute session, post which we will open up the floor for all kinds of queries which a beginner must have. No questions are taboo and Sreejay sir is known to be patiently solving all your doubts.
Join us for a Zoom session on 24th Jan at 7 PM. This session is a must attend for you If you are attempting UPSC for the first time or have attempted earlier and now preparing for 2026/2027, then it is going to be a valuable session for you too.
See you in the session”
Register for the session for a complete in-depth UPSC Prep
(Don’t wait—the next webinar/session won’t be until End Jan’26)
These masterclasses are packed with value. They are conducted in private with a closed community. We rarely open these webinars for everyone for free. This time we are keeping it for 300 seats only.
[UPSC 2019] Vulnerability is an essential element for defining disaster impact and its threat to people. How and why can vulnerability to disasters be characterized? Discuss different type of vulnerability with reference to disasters.
Linkage: This PYQ tests conceptual clarity on disaster vulnerability under GS-III (Disaster Management), especially the classification of physical, environmental, social, and institutional vulnerabilities. The article demonstrates how institutional and environmental vulnerabilities amplify natural hazards into recurring disasters.
Mentor’s Comment
This article analyses the growing ecological and governance crisis in the Indian Himalayas, reflected in frequent disasters and infrastructure decisions that ignore scientific and policy safeguards. Using the Char Dham road-widening project as an example, it shows how unsafe land use, poor engineering choices, and weak policy coordination are increasing disaster risks in a highly fragile mountain region.
Why in the news?
The Himalayas experienced nearly 331 days of climate impacts in 2025, resulting in over 4,000 deaths, with Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand bearing the heaviest toll. Despite repeated disasters from cloudbursts, landslides, avalanches, and flash floods, the government has approved large-scale infrastructure expansion in disaster-prone zones. This includes the felling of nearly 7,000 Deodar trees for the Char Dham road-widening project.
Why is the Himalayan disaster risk escalating?
Climate intensification: High-altitude regions have warmed 50% faster than the global average since 1950, increasing extreme rainfall, glacial melt, and flash floods.
Near-continuous exposure: 2025 recorded 331 days of climate impacts, indicating a permanent hazard regime rather than seasonal extremes.
Hazard convergence: Cloudbursts, landslides, avalanches, and land subsidence increasingly interact to produce compound disasters.
Why is infrastructure expansion central to the crisis?
Unsafe land use: Cutting unstable slopes for wide highways, drilling tunnels without adequate geological surveys, and large hydropower construction directly destabilise fragile terrain.
Slope destabilisation: Excessively steep hill-cutting violates the natural angle of repose of Himalayan geology, creating permanent instability.
Muck dumping: Indiscriminate disposal of excavated debris into rivers and slopes accelerates erosion and flood risk.
What makes the Char Dham road-widening project problematic?
Incorrect road standard: Adoption of the DL-PS (12-metre paved surface) standard in a disaster-prone region contradicts ecological and geological constraints.
Project fragmentation: Bypassing a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment through artificial project segmentation.
Scale of impact: Nearly 700 km of widened roads have generated over 800 active landslide zones, frequently closing strategic border routes.
Delayed remedies: Retrofitting slopes with fibreglass bolts and wire mesh comes eight years after large-scale destabilisation, limiting effectiveness.
Why are Deodar forests ecologically irreplaceable?
Slope stabilisation: Extensive root systems bind fragile soils, reducing landslides and debris flows.
Avalanche buffering: Forest cover acts as a natural barrier against glacial debris and snow avalanches.
River health: Deodar forests regulate water temperature, sustain dissolved oxygen, and maintain water quality in snowmelt-fed streams.
Microbial regulation: Antimicrobial compounds from leaf litter suppress harmful bacteria while promoting beneficial microbial communities.
Legal recognition: Located within the Bhagirathi Eco-Sensitive Zone (≈4,000 sq km), established in 2012 to protect the Ganga’s last pristine stretch.
Why is ‘tree translocation’ scientifically flawed?
Ecological specificity: Centuries-old Deodars perform site-specific functions that cannot be replicated elsewhere.
Absence of alternatives: No suitable terrain exists to recreate identical ecological conditions.
How does governance failure amplify disaster risk?
Policy contradiction: Current development initiatives violate the National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE).
Mandate dilution: NMSHE prioritises glacier monitoring, biodiversity protection, hazard mitigation, and sustainable livelihoods, but lacks implementation authority.
Short-termism: Persistent prioritisation of immediate economic gains over long-term disaster resilience.
Regulatory erosion: Repeated warnings by the National Green Tribunal remain weakly enforced.
Why is climate change a ‘risk multiplier’ in the Himalayas?
Erratic rainfall: Intensifies cloudbursts and flash floods.
Glacial melt acceleration: Creates a dangerous ‘water-peak phase’ of high runoff and catastrophic floods.
Future scarcity: Post-glacier retreat phase leads to prolonged water scarcity and drought.
What human behaviours worsen ecological stress?
Unregulated tourism: Exceeds carrying capacity in fragile zones.
Vehicular pressure: Heavy traffic on unstable mountain roads increases slope stress.
Waste mismanagement: Absence of functional solid-waste systems contaminates water sources.
Conclusion
Disaster resilience in the Himalayas is no longer optional but foundational to national security, ecological stability, and economic sustainability. Infrastructure decisions that ignore geological reality and ecological limits convert development into systemic risk. Scientific planning, policy coherence, and accountability must precede expansion in one of India’s most climate-sensitive landscapes.
The United States has launched a new Board of Peace initiative at the World Economic Forum in Davos, projecting it as a global peace-making body that could rival or even replace the United Nations in the long term.The move is significant because many traditional U.S. allies declined participation, revealing skepticism about its mandate and legitimacy.
What is the Board of Peace?
Origin and Initial Mandate
Conceptualisation: Conceived by Donald Trump as part of the second phase of a U.S.-brokered 20-point Gaza ceasefire plan announced in September.
Original Scope: Oversight of demilitarisation, reconstruction, and governance of the Gaza Strip, following devastation caused by Israel’s two-year war.
International Backing: Received formal legitimacy when the United Nations Security Council endorsed the ceasefire plan in November.
Mandate Expansion and Charter Design
Mandate Expansion: Expanded from a Gaza-specific reconstruction body to a global institution addressing conflicts worldwide.
Charter Language: Defines the Board as an “international organization” promoting stability, peace, and governance in areas affected or threatened by conflict.
Notable Omission: The draft charter circulated with invitations does not reference Gaza, despite Gaza being the original trigger.
Leadership and Governance Structure
Chairmanship: Trump designated as indefinite chairman, potentially extending beyond his second presidential term.
Institutional Hierarchy: Board positioned above a Founding Executive Board.
Executive Composition: Includes Jared Kushner, Marco Rubio, Steve Witkoff, andTony Blair, indicating executive-driven rather than multilateral governance.
Membership Model and Access Rules
Term Structure: Standard membership for three-year terms.
Permanent Seats: Available upon payment of USD 1 billion to a peace-building fund.
Governance Implication: Introduces a financial criterion for institutional permanence, distinct from norm-based multilateral systems.
Why is participation in the Board of Peace contested?
Limited Attendance: Heads of state or senior officials from only 19 countries, plus the U.S., were physically present.
Ally Skepticism: Several close U.S. allies opted out due to uncertainty over mandate, authority, and overlap with existing institutions.
Legislative Constraints: Some countries indicated interest but require parliamentary approval before formal participation.
How does the Board of Peace relate to the United Nations?
Institutional Overlap: The Board’s functions closely resemble UN peacekeeping and mediation roles.
U.S. Positioning: The President indicated cooperation with the UN while simultaneously questioning its effectiveness.
Long-term Implication: The Board was described as potentially making the UN obsolete, signaling a challenge to the post-1945 multilateral order.
What role does the Gaza conflict play in this initiative?
Ceasefire Focus: The Board was presented as a mechanism to manage and sustain ceasefires, with Gaza cited as a test case.
Border Opening: Announcement that the Rafah crossing would reopen in both directions after Israeli approval.
Governance Proposal: Oversight of Gaza by a Palestinian committee under U.S. supervision was mentioned as part of post-conflict planning.
How have major global powers responded?
Russia’s Position: Indicated ongoing consultations and refrained from immediate commitment.
Engagement with Palestine: Russia hosted Palestinian leadership, highlighting parallel diplomatic tracks.
Global Fragmentation: Divergent responses reflect declining consensus on U.S.-led peace initiatives.
Conclusion
The launch of the Board of Peace reflects dissatisfaction with existing global peace mechanisms and highlights the limits of unilateral institution-building. The gap between claimed support and actual participation raises questions about its legitimacy and effectiveness, even as ongoing conflicts like Gaza underline the urgency of peace efforts.
PYQ Relevance
[UPSC 2024] Terrorism has become a significant threat to global peace and security’. Evaluate the effectiveness of the United Nations Security Council’s Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) and its associated bodies in addressing and mitigating this threat at the international level.
Linkage: The question tests how far UN bodies like the Security Council and its counter-terrorism mechanisms have been effective in maintaining global peace and security. The Board of Peace has been launched because existing UN mechanisms are seen as slow and ineffective.
India’s macroeconomic stability is being questioned as RBI data show rising household debt, weaker financial buffers, and greater dependence on credit to support consumption. For the first time, household debt has crossed 41.3% of GDP (March 2025), while net financial savings have become volatile and reduced. This is a clear break from the post-pandemic period, when growth was backed by higher savings and fiscal support. The concern is serious because private consumption accounts for nearly 60% of GDP, and the current model shifts economic risk from the State to households without sufficient income growth or social protection.
Is household debt still low or structurally rising?
Household debt ratio: Increased steadily to 41.3% of GDP (March 2025), up from ~36% in mid-2021, reflecting sustained reliance on borrowing.
Nature of increase: Gradual but persistent rise rather than abrupt spikes, indicating structural rather than cyclical borrowing.
Comparative position: Remains lower than advanced economies but comparable to several emerging market peers.
Recent data: Net financial savings declined sharply during 2023-24, with marginal recovery in late 2024-25.
Balance sheet stress: Asset growth no longer outpaces liabilities, reducing net financial buffers.
Are household balance sheets still stable in aggregate?
Asset-liability position: Financial assets stood at ~106.6% of GDP, while liabilities reached 41.3% of GDP (March 2025).
Headline stability: Aggregate balance sheets appear stable due to asset size.
Underlying fragility: Stability masks declining insurance against income shocks, job losses, and interest rate volatility.
Distributional gap: Vulnerability concentrated among low- and middle-income households.
Why is consumption becoming a macro risk?
Consumption share: Nearly 60% of GDP, making household demand the primary growth stabiliser.
Risk concentration: Sustained consumption increasingly depends on unsecured retail credit.
Buffer erosion: Thin financial cushions reduce capacity to absorb unemployment or growth shocks.
Systemic implication: A slowdown in income growth directly transmits into macro instability.
How is fiscal policy shifting risk onto households?
Public expenditure composition: Capital expenditure prioritised, while revenue expenditure growth constrained.
Committed liabilities: Interest payments, pensions, and salaries absorb ~32% of net revenue receipts.
Reduced countercyclicality: Limited fiscal space weakens the State’s ability to stabilise household income shocks.
Risk transfer: Households increasingly act as de facto shock absorbers.
Why does Budget 2026 matter for household stability?
Policy framing: Budget 2026 expected to continue macro stability through fiscal discipline and investment-led growth.
Demand reliance: Strategy implicitly assumes households will sustain consumption through borrowing.
Missing lever: Limited focus on disposable income expansion and social risk-sharing mechanisms.
Fiscal inflection point: Restoring balance between growth, investment, and household resilience is central.
Conclusion
India’s household sector no longer acts as a passive beneficiary of macroeconomic stability but as an active shock absorber. Rising debt, volatile savings, and credit-dependent consumption expose a hidden fragility beneath stable aggregates. Without restoring income growth, risk-sharing mechanisms, and financial buffers, household stability may become the weakest link in India’s growth trajectory ahead of Budget 2026.
PYQ Relevance
[UPSC 2017] Among several factors for India’s potential growth, savings rate is the most effective one. Do you agree? What are the other factors available for growth potential?
Linkage: This PYQ directly links to the article’s core concern that household financial savings have turned volatile and are being offset by rising debt, weakening India’s savings-led growth model. It highlights how debt-financed consumption is replacing savings as a growth driver, raising risks to long-term growth potential and macroeconomic stability.
Authorities and fishing communities have reported unusual churning and bubbling of seawater off the Gujarat coast in the Arabian Sea, prompting disaster management agencies to issue alerts and advise vessels to exercise extreme caution.
What is Being Observed?
Large patches of seawater showing continuous bubbling and turbulence, resembling surface boiling
Phenomenon captured in videos by fishermen
Observed close to fishing grounds and sea transport routes
Possible Causes
Natural causes
Methane or natural gas seepage from seabed
Underwater tectonic activity
Activity along nearby submarine ridges like the Murray Ridge or Carlsberg Ridge
Hydrothermal or volcanic processes
Anthropogenic causes
Leakage from undersea gas or oil pipelines
Industrial accidents linked to offshore installations
Disturbances caused by heavy maritime traffic
Prelims Pointers
Bubbling seas can indicate methane hydrate release
Arabian Sea hosts active submarine ridges, unlike the Bay of Bengal
Such phenomena do not automatically imply tsunamis, but signal seabed processes
[2019] Which of the following statements are correct about the deposits of ‘methane hydrate’?
1. Global warming might trigger the release of methane gas from these deposits
2. Large deposits of ‘methane hydrate’ are found in Arctic Tundra and under the seafloor
3. Methane in atmosphere oxidizes to carbon dioxide after a decade or two
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
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