Current Affairs 27 May 2026

Maithili Language Included in CBSE Curriculum

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has decided to include the Maithili language in its curriculum up to the secondary level from the next academic session.

About Mithila Region

Mithila (Mithilanchal) is spread across northern Bihar and parts of Nepal. Important districts include Darbhanga, Madhubani, and Sitamarhi. The region is traditionally regarded as the birthplace of Sita.

Global Semiconductor ‘Memflation’ Impacts India’s Smartphone Market

The global semiconductor industry is facing a severe phase of “Memflation” — inflation caused by shortages and rising prices of memory chips — affecting India’s mobile phone and electronics market.

• India has a shortage of entry-level smartphones priced below ₹10,000–₹15,000.
• Major semiconductor manufacturers are diverting production capacity toward:
  • High Bandwidth Memory (HBM),
  • AI infrastructure chips,
  • Advanced semiconductor packaging.
• This has reduced the supply of conventional memory chips used in consumer electronics.

What is Memflation?

Memflation refers to rising prices caused by shortages of memory chips such as NAND flash memory and DRAM (Dynamic Random-Access Memory).

• DRAM: Temporary memory used in Smartphones, Computers, and Laptops that stores data actively used by the processor.
• NAND Flash Memory: Permanent storage memory used in smartphones and electronic devices. These can retain data even without power.

Why is the shortage happening?

• AI applications require massive amounts of High Bandwidth Memory (HBM).
• HBM consumes memory that is 3 times DRAM’s capacity
• Semiconductor companies are prioritising premium devices and AI infrastructure over budget smartphones.

Impact on India

• Rising smartphone prices by nearly 15–20%.
• Shortage of affordable mobile phones.
• Pressure on electronics manufacturing and supply chains.
• India remains vulnerable due to heavy dependence on semiconductor imports.

Scientists Develop “CLEAR” Technology for Advanced Protein Imaging

Researchers at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology, have developed a novel imaging platform called CLEAR (Cleavable Light-Erased Antibody Reporter).

Highlights

• CLEAR technology enables scientists to visualize a very large number of proteins within the same biological sample using a single fluorescent marker (fluorophore).
• The technology can improve high-resolution protein mapping in cancer diagnosis, immunology, and precision medicine.

Water Governance Challenges in India’s Peri-Urban Areas

Experts have highlighted growing concerns over water governance and sanitation challenges in India’s rapidly expanding peri-urban regions — transitional zones between rural villages and urban cities.

What are Peri-Urban Areas?

Peri-urban areas are regions where farmland and rural settlements gradually transform into industrial zones, dense residential settlements, and expanding urban clusters. These areas are neither fully rural nor officially urban, creating governance and infrastructure gaps.

Highlights

• The number of Census towns in India increased from 1,362 to 3,784 over the last two decades.
• Many peri-urban regions are facing irregular water supply, groundwater contamination, poor sanitation infrastructure, and unregulated waste disposal.

Suggested Solutions

• Creation of Nagar Panchayats for Census towns,
• Swachh Bharat Mission 3.0 focused on peri-urban sanitation,
• Decentralised wastewater treatment systems,
• GPS-based monitoring of desludging vehicles,
• Sustainable financing for peri-urban water infrastructure.

Lightning Emerges as India’s Most Fatal Natural Hazard

According to data analysed from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), lightning has become the most lethal natural hazard in India, with fatalities steadily increasing over the past several decades.

Report

• India recorded 1,02,263 deaths due to lightning between 1975 and 2024.
• More than half of these deaths occurred between 2005 and 2024,
• Average annual lightning deaths increased significantly.
• In 2016, 3,315 deaths due to lightning were reported, which is the highest since 1974.
• Major affected states are Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh.

Causes of Increased Lightning

• Rising temperatures,
• Increased atmospheric moisture,
• Higher Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE),
• Changes in land use and land cover (LULC).

Safety Measures

• The India Meteorological Department provides thunderstorm forecasts.
• IITM’s Damini offers real-time lighting alerts and safety guidelines in 23 regional languages.

Centre Constitutes High-Level Committee on Demographic Change

The Government of India has constituted a High-Level Committee on Demographic Change to study demographic changes arising due to illegal immigration and other abnormal reasons, and to recommend policy and administrative measures.

Highlights

• The proposal for the “High-powered Demography Mission” was announced by Narendra Modi on 15 August 2025.
• The Union Cabinet approved the proposal on 11 September 2025.
• The Committee will submit its report within one year.

Chairman and Members

• Chairman: Justice Prakash Prabhakar Navlekar
• Members:Durga Shankar Mishra, Balaji Srivatsava, Shamika Ravi, and Census Commissioner of India.
• Member Secretary: Joint Secretary (Foreigners-I), Ministry of Home Affairs

Objectives of the Committee

• Study demographic changes caused by illegal immigration and abnormal settlement patterns.
• Analyse structural population changes among religious and social communities.
• Recommend mechanisms for identification, detention, and deportation of illegal immigrants.
• Suggest measures for strengthening border management and population monitoring systems.
• Improve coordination between Central and State Governments on demographic issues.

Kimi Antonelli Wins Canadian Grand Prix 2026

Italian teenager Kimi Antonelli won the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix for Mercedes, registering his fourth consecutive Formula One victory of the season. Antonelli became the first driver in Formula One history to secure his first four wins consecutively.

Q1. Recently, CBSE decided to include which language in its curriculum up to the secondary level from the next academic session?
A. Bhojpuri
B. Maithili
C. Magahi
D. Dogri

Q2. Which mobile application provides real-time lightning alerts and safety guidelines in multiple regional languages in India?
A. Mausam
B. Meghdoot
C. Damini
D. Suraksha

Q3. Which of the following natural hazards has emerged as the most fatal natural hazard in India according to recent NCRB data?
A. Floods
B. Cyclones
C. Earthquakes
D. Lightning

Q4. What does the term “peri-urban area” refer to?
A. Fully developed metropolitan cities
B. Coastal urban settlements
C. Transitional zones between rural and urban areas
D. Protected forest regions near cities

Q5. What does the term “Memflation” refer to:
A. Inflation caused by rising fuel prices
B. Inflation caused by shortages and rising prices of memory chips
C. Decline in smartphone demand due to AI
D. Increase in internet bandwidth costs

Q6. Which Formula One driver won the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix and became the first driver in F1 history to secure his first four victories consecutively?
A. Max Verstappen
B. Lewis Hamilton
C. Kimi Antonelli
D. Charles Leclerc

Q7. Who has been appointed as the Chairman of the High-Level Committee on Demographic Change constituted by the Government of India?
A. Durga Shankar Mishra
B. Balaji Srivastava
C. Justice Prakash Prabhakar Navlekar
D. Shamika Ravi

Q8. What is the primary purpose of the newly developed “CLEAR” technology by JNCASR researchers?
A. Enhancing satellite communication systems
B. Mapping proteins within biological samples using a single fluorophore
C. Producing renewable biofuels from algae
D. Detecting underground mineral deposits