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Algoza: Rajasthan’s celebrated folk artist Taga Ram Bheel received the Padma Shri in Art for preserving and promoting the traditional music of the Thar Desert through the rare folk instrument, the Algoza. Algoza is a traditional pair of woodwind instruments, widely associated with Rajasthan, Punjab, Sindh, and parts of western India and Pakistan. It is one of India’s oldest surviving folk wind instruments. Its name comes from the idea of “two flutes” because it is played using two wooden pipes simultaneously. One flute plays the melody, the other provides a continuous drone or rhythmic base. Together, they create a hypnotic, layered sound unique to desert folk music. For playing the Algoza, musicians must master circular breathing (a demanding technique that allows them to blow continuously without stopping for breath). Sound is generated by breathing into it rapidly; the quick recapturing of breath on each beat creates a bouncing, swing rhythm. This creates the instrument’s signature uninterrupted flow, making performances sound seamless and meditative.

Supreme Court’s Revival of Sedition Trials: The Supreme Court of India, in its May 2026 clarification in Kamran v. State of Madhya Pradesh, held that lower courts are permitted to proceed with trials and appeals under Section 124A (Sedition) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), on the condition that the accused persons explicitly consent to the proceedings. The clarification has reignited discussions over the colonial-era sedition law, even as its constitutional validity remains under challenge before the Supreme Court. A Colonial Relic: Section 124A was drafted by Thomas Babington Macaulay in 1837 but was omitted when the IPC was first enacted in 1860. In 1890, sedition was included as an offence under section 124A IPC through the Special Act XVII to suppress the rising nationalist dissent. It carries harsh penalties, including life imprisonment. Use Against Freedom Fighters: The law was extensively used as a weapon against prominent Indian independence leaders, most notably Bal Gangadhar Tilak (tried three times for his writings in Kesari) and Mahatma Gandhi (for his articles in Young India in 1922). Gandhi famously described Section 124A as “the prince among the political sections of the Indian Penal Code designed to suppress the liberty of the citizen.” Judicial Pronouncements: Romesh Thapar v. State of Madras (1950): The Supreme Court held that mere criticism of the government or creation of disaffection against it cannot justify restrictions on free speech unless it threatens the security of the State or seeks to overthrow it. Subsequently, the Punjab and Haryana High Court in Tara Singh Gopi Chand v. The State (1951), and the Allahabad High Court in Ram Nandan v. State of Uttar Pradesh (1959) declared that Section 124A of the IPC was primarily a tool for colonial masters to quell discontent in the country and declared the provision unconstitutional. Kedar Nath Singh v. State of Bihar (1962): The Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of Section 124A but severely restricted its application. The Court ruled that mere strong criticism of the government is not sedition unless it is accompanied by an incitement to violence or an intention to create public disorder. Balwant Singh v. State of Punjab (1995): The Supreme Court held that the mere casual raising of anti-national slogans a few times by a couple of individuals, which did not lead to any public response or violence, does not amount to sedition. The S.G. Vombatkere Freeze (2022): In S.G. Vombatkere v. Union of India (2022), the Supreme Court placed Section 124A in complete abeyance. The Court observed that the law was engineered for a colonial regime and was entirely out of sync with the modern democratic social milieu. The Court directed that no fresh First Information Reports (FIRs) were to be registered, no investigations were to continue, and no coercive measures taken under Section 124A. If a fresh case was erroneously registered, affected citizens were granted the liberty to directly approach the appropriate courts for immediate relief. All pending trials, appeals, and proceedings across the country concerning sedition were to be kept strictly in abeyance. The Court echoed the doctrine from I.R. Coelho versus State of Tamil Nadu (2007) that laws must be in step with the “march of time.” Transition: With the repeal of the IPC, the sedition framework has transitioned into the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. Removal of the Word “Sedition”: The term sedition (Rajdroh) has been consciously dropped from the new legal lexicon. Section 152 of BNS: The BNS introduces a provision penalizing acts that endanger the “sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India.” Shift in Focus: While Section 124A of the IPC penalized disaffection towards the Government, Section 152 of the BNS shifts the focus to penalizing acts that threaten the State (India) itself specifically criminalizing secessionist activities, armed rebellion, or subversive activities, with punishment up to life imprisonment or seven years with fine.

How to be consistent in UPSC or LIFE https://youtube.com/shorts/DJZARreVd5E?si=Fhz5Z6TerU_AY_qw

Ras update https://t.me/ras_prelims_26/14848

RAS prelims 29 November Join https://t.me/ras_prelims_26

Kashmir Flycatcher: The rare Kashmir Flycatcher, a migratory bird species, has been recently spotted at the Chemmattamavayal wetlands in Kasaragod district, Kerala. Kashmir Flycatcher is a small passerine bird in the flycatcher family Muscicapidae. Scientific Name: Ficedula subrubra It is endemic to the Indian Subcontinent. It makes its home in the northwest Himalayas. It breeds in the Kashmir region. It is a migratory bird. It winters largely in the high altitudes of the Nilgiris in the Western Ghats and in Sri Lanka. Conservation Status: IUCN Red List: Vulnerable

To everyone who appeared for UPSC Prelims 2026 today — Whatever the outcome of the paper, take a moment to appreciate how far you’ve come. Months, even years, of discipline, sacrifice, uncertainty, and quiet hard work brought you to that examination hall. Perhaps one of the most meaningful things in life is pushing yourself to discover your highest potential — intellectually, mentally, and emotionally. For many of you, this journey became that opportunity. Maybe the exam went exactly as planned. Maybe it didn’t. But no single examination can define your capability, your worth, or the courage it took to sit there and give your best. Take some rest today. You took on one of the toughest journeys out there, and that itself deserves respect.

Genomic Mapping of Pangolin Trafficking: A study published in PLoS Biology has developed a DNA-based “genetic map” that can accurately trace the origin and trafficking routes of illegally traded pangolins, strengthening efforts to combat global wildlife crime. The genomic map pinpointed three primary transnational extraction zones: Southwestern Cameroon (white-bellied), Southwestern Borneo (Sunda), and the border region surrounding Myanmar (Chinese pangolin). Northeast India-China Illicit Axis: The genomic data revealed an active illicit wildlife network originating from northeastern India (around Arunachal Pradesh and Assam) and potentially Bhutan, directly supplying Yunnan province in China. The study disproved the assumption that local and international pangolin trafficking operate separately, showing that domestic supply hubs overlap with global trafficking networks linked to China and Vietnam. Pangolin are shy, solitary, and mostly nocturnal mammals that feed exclusively on ants and termites (myrmecophagy). They play an important ecological role by aerating and enriching the soil through digging. Due to their secretive behaviour and slow reproduction rate, with females usually giving birth to a single young, their populations recover very slowly after decline. It is adaptable to a wide range of habitats including primary and secondary tropical forests, limestone and bamboo forests, grasslands and agricultural fields. There are eight distinct species globally, evenly split between Africa (Black-bellied, White-bellied, Giant Ground, and Temminck’s Ground) and Asia (Indian, Philippine, Sunda, and Chinese pangolins). They possess unique, overlapping scales made of keratin covering their bodies and exhibit volvation (rolling into a tight ball) as an evolutionary defense mechanism against predators. Pangolins have zero teeth. Instead, they catch prey using an extremely long, muscular, and sticky tongue that is uniquely anchored near their pelvis and the last pair of ribs rather than the jaw. While the Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) is found across the broader Indian subcontinent. In India, the Chinese Pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) is mainly restricted to the Northeast and is extremely rare. Conservation Classifications: All eight species of pangolins are strictly regulated under Appendix I of CITES. On the IUCN Red List, the Indian Pangolin is classified as Endangered (EN), while the Chinese Pangolin is categorized as Critically Endangered (CR). Within India, both the Indian and Chinese pangolins are afforded the highest level of legal immunity under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. World Pangolin Day is observed on the third Saturday of February