Current Affairs 08 May 2026

When Does a Chief Minister Cease to Hold Office?

• Under Article 164(1) of the Constitution, the Chief Minister is appointed by the Governor and holds office “during the pleasure of the Governor.” However, in practice, the CM can remain in office only as long as they enjoy the confidence of the Legislative Assembly.
• The Supreme Court has clarified that the Governor generally acts on the “aid and advice” of the Council of Ministers and cannot arbitrarily remove a Chief Minister.
• If doubts arise regarding the government’s majority, a floor test is conducted in the Legislative Assembly to determine whether the Chief Minister still enjoys majority backing.
• Under Article 172, a State Legislative Assembly normally continues for five years from its first meeting unless dissolved earlier. Once the Assembly’s term ends, the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers automatically cease to hold office.
• Election results can be challenged in the High Court under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, on grounds such as corrupt practices, electoral irregularities, or violation of statutory provisions.

Hantavirus Infection

Why in the News?

The MV Hondius cruise ship, carrying around 150 people, remained stranded off the coast of Cape Verde following an outbreak of Hantavirus Infection that reportedly claimed three lives.

Hantavirus Infection is a zoonotic viral disease primarily transmitted to humans through contact with infected rodents, their urine, droppings, or saliva. In rare cases, certain strains, such as the Andes hantavirus, can spread from person to person.

Key Facts about Hantavirus

• Caused by viruses belonging to the Hantavirus genus
• Spread mainly through:
  • Inhalation of contaminated rodent particles
  • Contact with rodent waste
  • Rodent bites (rare)

NITI Aayog Report: School Education System in India

NITI Aayog released a policy report titled “School Education System in India: Temporal Analysis and Policy Roadmap for Quality Enhancement” on 6 May 2026.

Key Highlights

• India’s school education system currently covers 14.71 lakh schools and 24.69 crore students, making it the largest school education system in the world.
• The report presents a decade-long analysis of school education based on:
  • UDISE+ 2024-25
  • PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024
  • National Achievement Survey 2017
  • National Achievement Survey 2021

Major Findings

• Improvement in electricity, sanitation facilities, and inclusive infrastructure
• Expansion of digital learning through computers, internet access, and smart classrooms
• Better girls’ participation and increased SC/ST enrolment
• Recovery in foundational literacy and numeracy after the pandemic

Andhra Pradesh Specific Highlights

• Strong improvement in transition rates: The transition rate from primary to upper primary increased sharply from 52% in 2014 to 94.5% in 2024.
• Sharp fall in secondary school dropouts: Secondary school dropout rates declined from 52.8% to 15.5%.
• Major infrastructure gains: Internet availability in schools rose from 12.3% to 99%, indicating near-universal digital connectivity.
• Learning outcomes remain a challenge: Despite improved access, learning levels declined between 2017 and 2021. The PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024 placed Andhra Pradesh among the lower-performing States in preparatory grades.
• Single-teacher schools continue: The State still has more than 12,900 single-teacher schools.

Notable Initiative

To improve foundational literacy, We Love Reading was launched. This programme groups students according to reading skill level rather than grade, and strengthens school library usage.

JANANI Portal

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched JANANI at the National Summit on Innovation and Inclusivity – Best Practices Shaping India’s Health Future on 7 May 2026.

JANANI stands for Journey of Antenatal, Natal and Neonatal Integrated Care.

It is a service-oriented digital platform designed to monitor and maintain digital health records of women during their reproductive age.

Key Features

• Developed as an upgraded version of the RCH Portal
• Creates a longitudinal health record across the continuum of care

Important Features of JANANI

• QR-enabled digital Mother and Child Health (MCH) Cards
• Automated alerts for high-risk pregnancies
• Real-time dashboards for monitoring
• Due-list generation for timely interventions