BPSC Bihar Special • Current Affairs10 September 2026
Bihar Current Affairs: 18th BRICS Summit 2026, ULLAS Literate States & SHANTI Bill 2025
Source: Information & Public Relations Department (IPRD Bihar) / Official Gazettes•Exam Target: BPSC 71st & 72nd CCE Prelims
BPSC 72nd Core Foundation Dossier — Module 1
1. 18th BRICS Summit (India 2026)
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India's Chairmanship: India assumed the BRICS Chairmanship on 1 January 2026 and will host the landmark 18th BRICS Summit.
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Four Guiding Pillars: India has structured its BRICS presidency around four foundational pillars:
1.
Resilience (समुत्थानशीलता)
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Innovation (नवाचार)
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Cooperation (सहयोग)
4.
Sustainability (संधारणीयता)
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Summit Theme: “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”.
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Historical Genesis:
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The acronym BRIC was coined in 2001 by British economist Jim O'Neill (Goldman Sachs) to identify high-growth emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, and China.
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Formed as a diplomatic dialogue in 2006 during the G8 Outreach Summit; the first formal summit took place in Yekaterinburg, Russia (2009).
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South Africa was inducted in 2010, transforming the bloc into BRICS.
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BRICS+ Expansion: Key additions include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
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Global Economic Weight: Post-expansion, BRICS represents approximately 49.5% of world population, 40% of global GDP (PPP terms), and 26% of global merchandise trade.
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New Development Bank (NDB): Headquartered in Shanghai, China, functioning as a multilateral development bank for emerging markets.
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Official Summit Logo: Inspired by India's national flower, the Lotus, enclosing the sacred gesture of “Namaste” at its core, symbolizing inclusivity, respectful dialogue, and shared prosperity.
2. Cyclone Montha (Bay of Bengal, 2025)
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Meteorological Context: Cyclone Montha was a severe cyclonic storm originating in the Bay of Bengal in late 2025, triggering heavy precipitation and storm surges across Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and coastal Tamil Nadu.
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Nomenclature: Named by Thailand; the name Montha translates to a fragrant, delicate flower.
3. ULLAS: Nav Bharat Saksharta Karyakram (2022–2027)
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Nodal Ministry & Policy Anchor: Ministry of Education, aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
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Target Demographic: Non-literate citizens aged 15 years and above, imparting foundational literacy, numeracy, critical life skills, and digital literacy.
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Historic Milestone: As per the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023–24, Mizoram was declared India's first fully literate state under ULLAS with an outstanding 98.20% literacy rate.
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Top Performing States:
1.
Mizoram (#1, 98.20%)
2.
Goa (#2)
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Tripura (#3)
4. SHANTI Bill, 2025 (Nuclear Energy Reforms)
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Full Title: Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, 2025.
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Legislative Overhaul: Amends the archaic Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and replaces the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage (CLND) Act, 2010.
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Private and Foreign Participation: Allows up to 49% equity participation for private and foreign entities in nuclear power generation, exploration of atomic minerals, component fabrication, and Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) R&D.
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Ending Monopoly: Eliminates the statutory operational monopoly of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL).
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Statutory Status for AERB: Conveys full statutory authority to the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) for safety, security, and emergency compliance.
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