27 May 2026

UPSC GS 1

Pashupatinath Temple

1. News:    India recently gifted a special variety of sandalwood to the Government of Nepal for use at the Pashupatinath Temple situated on the outskirts of Kathmandu.

2. About Pashupatinath Temple:

a. Pashupatinath Temple is a prominent Hindu temple situated on both banks of the Bagmati River on the eastern outskirts of Kathmandu.

b. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva in his form as Pashupati, regarded as the protector of animals.

c. Religious activity at the site is believed to have existed since at least the 5th century BCE, while the oldest documented temple dates to around 400 CE.

d. The earlier temple structures, which were mainly wooden, were damaged by termites and later replaced by the existing stone and metal structures during the 15th century CE.

e. In 1979, the temple complex was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

3. Features of Pashupatinath Temple:

a. The main temple has been built in the traditional Nepalese pagoda architectural style featuring a tiered roof and raised plinth.

b. The structure is cubic in shape and contains four principal doors, each covered with silver sheets.

c. The temple’s two-storied roof is made of copper and plated with gold.

d. Inside the temple are two inner chambers where the idol of Pashupatinath is installed.

e. One of the major attractions of the temple is the massive golden statue of Nandi, the sacred bull associated with Lord Shiva.  

UPSC GS 2

 National Sports Governance Board Rules 2026

1. News:    The Union Government recently notified the National Sports Governance Board Rules 2026 and the National Sports Tribunal Rules 2026 under the National Sports Governance Act, 2025.

2.  Notified Under: The Rules were notified under the provisions of the National Sports Governance Act 2025.

3. Key Features of the National Sports Governance Board Rules, 2026:

a. Composition of the Board: The National Sports Board will consist of a Chairperson and two Members appointed by the Central Government.

b. Selection Process: The appointments will be made from a panel of names recommended by the Search-cum-Selection Committee constituted under the National Sports Board (Search-cum-Selection Committee) Rules, 2026.

c. Administrative Provisions: The Rules lay down provisions relating to the term of office, salary, allowances, service conditions, powers, and functions of the Board.

d. Recognition Function: The National Sports Board will serve as the central authority responsible for granting recognition to National Sports Bodies.

e. Compliance Function: The Board will monitor compliance with governance, financial, and ethical standards by National Sports Bodies.

4. Key Features of the National Sports Tribunal Rules, 2026:

a. Tribunal Administration: The Rules define provisions relating to the appointment, re-appointment, tenure, salary, allowances, and powers of the Tribunal.

b. Digital Measures: The Rules provide for a dedicated digital portal, virtual hearings, online publication of orders, and digital maintenance of records.

c. Dispute Resolution Role: The Tribunal will function as a specialised adjudicatory body for resolving sports-related disputes.

d. Single-Window Mechanism: The Tribunal is intended to provide faster, simpler, accessible, and cost-effective disposal of disputes.

UPSC GS 3

WTO Accession

1. News:    India and Ethiopia recently signed a bilateral accession protocol in Geneva in connection with Ethiopia’s accession to the World Trade Organization.

2. About WTO Accession: WTO accession refers to the process through which a non-member country becomes a member of the World Trade Organization.

3. Stages in the WTO Accession Process:

a. The process involves submission of an application to the WTO by the applicant country.

b. A Working Party is then formed to examine the country’s trade policies and economic framework.

c. The applicant country is required to align its domestic trade and economic laws with WTO rules and agreements.

d. It must also negotiate market-access commitments with existing WTO member countries.

e. After negotiations are completed, the accession terms are approved by WTO members and subsequently ratified by the applicant country.

4. About Ethiopia

· Ethiopia is a landlocked country located in East Africa.

· The country lies entirely within tropical latitudes.

· It shares borders with six countries, namely Eritrea to the north, Djibouti to the northeast, Somalia to the east, Kenya to the south, South Sudan to the west, and Sudan to the west.

· The capital city of Ethiopia is Addis Ababa. 

5.  Ethiopia’s WTO Membership Process:

a. Ethiopia applied for membership in the WTO in 2003.

b. The country is presently at an advanced stage of the WTO accession process.

Myopia

1. News:   Myopia has emerged as a major global public health concern, and studies estimate that nearly half of the world’s population could become myopic by 2050.

2.  About Myopia: Myopia, commonly known as nearsightedness, is a vision condition in which nearby objects appear clear while distant objects appear blurry.

3. How Myopia Occurs:

a. In normal vision, light passes through the transparent cornea at the front of the eye and is focused by the lens onto the retina.

b. In myopic individuals, the eyeball is usually elongated from front to back.

c. Due to this elongation, incoming light gets focused in front of the retina rather than directly on its surface.

d. This improper focusing causes distant objects to appear blurred.

e. The greater the elongation of the eyeball, the farther forward the light rays are focused and the more severe the nearsightedness becomes.

4. Causes of Myopia:

a. Eye specialists have not yet identified a single exact cause of myopia.

b. It is generally believed to result from a combination of hereditary and environmental factors.

5. Age of Onset and Progression:

a. Myopia usually begins during childhood or adolescence.

b. The condition often worsens with age until adulthood, after which it may stabilise.

c. In some individuals, nearsightedness may improve slightly during later adulthood.

6. Symptoms: Common symptoms associated with myopia include squinting, eyestrain, headaches, and significant visual impairment.

7. Treatment:

a. Glasses and contact lenses are commonly used to correct myopia in both children and adults.

b. For adults, and in rare cases for children, different types of refractive surgeries may also be used to correct the condition.

c. Negative or minus-powered lenses are used for correcting nearsightedness.

Actinarctus Odissi

1. News:    Scientists recently discovered a new species of tardigrade, popularly known as the marine water bear, named Actinarctus odissi off the northeastern coast of India.

2.  About Actinarctus Odissi:

a. Actinarctus odissi is a newly identified species of tardigrade.

b. The microscopic organism was discovered in the shallow marine waters of the Bay of Bengal near the coastal region of Markandi in Odisha.

c. The species name “odissi” was selected in honour of the classical Odissi dance tradition originating from Odisha.

d. The discovery is significant because it marks the first identification of a new member of this rare genus in the last 43 years.

3. Features Of Actinarctus Odissi:

a. The organism possesses a dome-shaped body surrounded by transparent wing-like structures known as alae, which are supported by translucent pillars.

b. Unlike other species of the same genus that have long wings and complex internal support structures, this species has comparatively shorter lateral wings.

c. Its hind legs contain simple and unbranched sensory organs that are significantly shorter than those found in related species.

d. The species also possesses blunt-ended sensory appendages instead of sharp ones.

e. Its dorsal surface is heavily sculptured with tiny pillar-like structures resembling the shape of trombones.

Facts for Prelims

2026 Taipei Capital Cup WorldSkills Invitational Tournament

1. News:    The 2026 Taipei Capital Cup WorldSkills Invitational Tournament and the 48th WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 are being recognised as major international platforms promoting vocational excellence and technical innovation.

2.  About the Tournament:

a. The tournament is being organised in Taipei from 26–28 May 2026.

b. A five-member Indian contingent will participate in the competition alongside participants from nearly 15 countries.

c. The Indian contingent consists of gold medal winners from the IndiaSkills National Competition 2025–26 along with candidates selected through the wildcard entry process.

d. The event aims to promote global skills development, technical excellence, international collaboration, and workforce innovation.

e. It will also help participants gain practical competitive exposure at the international level.

3.  Nodal Ministry from India: India’s participation is being coordinated by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

4.   Key Features of India’s Participation:

a. India will compete in five skill categories during the 2026 Taipei Capital Cup WorldSkills Competition.

b. Arjun Sumathi Vijayabashkar will represent India in Mobile Applications Development.

c. Mohamed Mafaz Poonaikannan Rabi Ahamed will participate in Software Applications Development.

d. Muskan will compete in Painting and Decorating.

e. Md Seraj will represent India in Automobile Technology.

f. Suresh Kumar Ganesan Meena will participate in Digital Construction.

5.  Competition Categories:

a. The 2026 edition of the competition includes 10 skill categories connected to smart manufacturing and digital transformation.

b. These categories include Industrial Mechanics, IT Network Systems Administration, Mobile Applications Development, Industry 4.0, Automobile Technology, and Digital Construction using Building Information Modelling (BIM).

6.  Significance:

a. India’s participation marks an important step in the country’s preparation for the 48th WorldSkills Shanghai 2026 competition.

b. The event will provide Team India with early exposure to international standards and function as a major preparatory platform ahead of the global competition.