Daily Current Affairs 19 June 2026 – IAS Current Affairs

Current Affairs 19 June 2026 focuses on the Prelims-Mains perspective. Major events are :

The First Constitutional Amendment

Source: Indian Express
GS II: Indian Constitution – Amendments

Overview

1. News in Brief
2. Supreme Court Judgment That Led To The Amendment
3. Major Changes introduced by the First Amendment
4. Criticisms of the First Amendment
5. Impact on Indian Democracy

Why in the News?

June 18, 2026, marks 75 years of the First Constitutional Amendment Act, 1951.

News in Brief

• The Constitution came into force on 26 January 1950, guaranteeing extensive Fundamental Rights and is viewed as a strong safeguard for individual liberty and democratic governance.
• By 1951, the Nehru government felt that certain constitutional provisions were hindering its socio-economic reform agenda.
• These developments prompted the Nehru government to introduce the First Constitutional Amendment in 1951, which significantly altered India’s constitutional framework and the relationship between the State and Fundamental Rights.

Supreme Court Judgments That Led To The Amendment

Freedom of Speech Cases

• The government tried to ban, censor, or control publications such as Organiser and Cross Roads.
• The Supreme Court ruled that these restrictions were unconstitutional because they violated the Fundamental Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression.

Champakam Dorairajan Case (1951)

• The Madras reservation policy based on caste and community was invalidated.
• The judgment held that admissions cannot be based solely on religion, race, or caste.
  • Reservation beyond that provided to the Scheduled Castes and Tribes was in violation of the right to freedom from discrimination.

Bihar Land Reforms Case

• The Patna High Court questioned aspects of land reform legislation.
• The judgment raised questions about the constitutional validity of Bihar land reform laws under the provisions relating to property rights and equality.

Major Changes Introduced by the First Amendment

• Restrictions on Freedom of Speech
  • Added new grounds for imposing reasonable restrictions under Article 19(2)
    • Public order
    • Security interests of the State
    • Friendly Relations with Foreign States
    • Incitement to an Offence
• Reservation for Backward Classes
  • Enabled special provisions for the advancement of socially and educationally backward classes.
  • Laid the foundation for future reservation policies.
• Protection of Land Reforms
  • Introduced Article 31A and Article 31B.
  • Crested the Ninth Schedule to protect certain laws from judicial review.

Impact on Freedom of Speech

• Shifted India away from an almost absolute conception of free speech.
• Empowered the state to regulate expression in the interests of public order and security.
• Continues to influence debates on sedition, hate speech, and media regulation.

Link to  Sedition debate

• Critics argue that broader speech restrictions enabled the misuse of laws such as sedition.
• Supporters argue that reasonable restrictions are necessary to maintain social harmony and national security.
• The issue continues to shape discussions on free speech and democratic rights in India.

Criticisms of the First Amendment

Arguments in favour

• Protected public order
• Enabled agrarian reforms and social transformation.
• Clarified the scope of Fundamental Rights.
• Balanced individual freedoms with collective welfare.

Arguments against

• Increased the state’s power to regulate expression.
• Opened the door to potential misuse of restrictive laws against critics.
• Raised concerns about excessive concentration of power in the executive.
• Narrowed the scope of free speech protections envisioned in the original Constitution.

Impact on Indian Democracy

• Strengthened the government’s ability to pursue socio-economic reforms.
• Influenced the future trajectory of reservation policies.
• Reshaped the balance between Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles.
• Continues to influence debates on
  • Free Speech
  • Judicial Review
  • Constitutional Amendments
  • State authority versus individual liberty

Conclusion

• The First Amendment fundamentally reshaped India’s constitutional order by expanding state powers, facilitating social reforms, and redefining the balance between liberty and governance.
• Its legacy continues to shape contemporary debates on rights, democracy and constitutionalism.

UPSC Prelims Practice Question

Consider the following statements regarding the First Constitutional Amendment Act, 1951

1. 1. The Supreme Court’s judgment in the  Champakam Dorairajan Case (1951) was one of the factors that led to the enactment of the First Constitutional Amendment.
   2. It created the Ninth Schedule to protect certain laws from judicial review.
   3. It expanded the grounds for imposing reasonable restrictions on freedom of speech.
   4. It introduced provisions enabling special measures for socially and educationally backward classes.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

a) 1 and 2 only

b) 1,2, and 3 only

c) 2,3,and 4 only

d) 1,2,3 and 4

Answer: d) 1,2,3, and 4

A Decade Of Employment Reforms

Source: Indian Express
GS II: Government policies and interventions, Welfare Schemes GS III: Employment, Inclusive Growth

Overview

1. News in Brief
2. Key Highlights
3. Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PMVBRY)
4. Way Forward

Why in the News?

Union Minister of Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports highlighted India’s employment and social security achievements over the last decade.

News in Brief

• The Minister emphasized the role of government reforms in boosting job creation, skill development, and workforce participation.
• The government showcased significant progress in expanding social security and formal employment opportunities.
• The launch of the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PMVBRY) was highlighted as a major employment-generation initiative.

Key Highlights

India’s Transformation Over The Last Decade

• India moved from being among the fragile five economies in 2013 to one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies.
• Built a large start-up ecosystem and strengthened digital public infrastructure.
• Improved its global economic standing through governance and inclusive development.

Youth-Centric Development Initiatives

Major initiatives launched to harness India’s demographic dividend

• • Make In India
  • Digital India
  • Startup India
  • Skill India
  • PM Mudra Yojana
  • National Career Service (NCS) Portal

Employment Growth Trends

• Employment elasticity increased to 1.11 during 2017-18 to 2023-24.
• Indicates that every 1% increase in Gross Value Added (GVA) was associated with a 1.11% rise in employment.
• Significant improvement from 0.008 during 2011-12 to 2017-18.

Job Creation in India

According to the RBI KLEMS data

• More than 17 crore jobs were created between 2014 and 2024.
• Employment rate increased from 46.8% (2017-18) to 57.4% (2025).
• Unemployment rate declined to around 3.1%, below the global average of 4.8%.
• EPFO payroll data indicates over 8 crore formal-sector jobs added between 2017 and 2025.

Expansion of Social Security Coverage

• Social Security coverage increased from 25 crore people (19%) in 2015 to over 94 crore people (64.3%) in 2025.
• India received the International Social Security Association (ISSA) Award for Outstanding Achievement in Social  Security 2025.

Pradhan Mantri VIksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PMVBRY)

• Introduced in the first budget of the Government’s third term.
• Largest employment-linked incentive scheme in independent India.
• Total outlay: Nearly rupees 1 lakh crore
• Aims to create over 3.5 crore employment opportunities over two years.

Key Features

Part A, Incentive for First-Time Employers

• Financial assistance of up to rupees 15,000.
• Paid in two instalments.

Part B, Incentive for Employers

• An incentive of up to rupees 3,000 per employee per month.
• Available for every additional worker employed.
• Incentives up to
  • 4 years for eligible manufacturing employers.
  • 2 years for employers in other sectors.

Benefits

• Encourages formal employment
• Increases workforce participation
• Direct financial support to workers
• Makes jobs more attractive
• Supports industrial growth through employer incentives.
• Strengthens employer-employee partnership.

Significance of PMVBRY

• Promotes employment generation at scale.
• Encourages labour-intensive industries.
• Enhances income security for workers.
• Supports India’s goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047.
• Reinforces inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

Challenges and Concerns

• Ensuring quality and sustainable employment.
• Monitoring actual job creation outcomes
• Addressing informal sector employment gaps.
• Effective implementation across states and industries.
• Preventing misuse of employment-linked incentives.

Way Forward

• Strengthen skilling and reskilling programmes.
• Improve labour market data systems.
• Expand social security to informal workers.
• Enhance industry-academia collaboration.
• Ensure regular monitoring and evaluation of employment schemes.
• Promote labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, food processing and MSMEs.
• Enhance women’s access to formal employment.
• Focus on quality jobs rather than merely employment numbers.

Conclusion

• India’s employment-focused reforms recognise employees and employers as equal partners in nation-building.
• It reflects that the government seeks to ensure that workers are protected, enterprises are empowered, and the benefits of growth are widely shared as India advances towards Viksit Bharat 2047.

UPSC Prelims Practice Question

Consider the following Statements regarding PM Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PMVBRY)

1. 1. It aims to promote formal employment through incentive-based support.
   2. It is exclusively targeted at government sector employment.
   3. It is the largest employment-linked incentive scheme in independent India.

Which of the above statements are correct?

a) 1 and 2 only

b) 2and3 only

c)1and 3 only

d)1,2, and 3

Answer: c) 1 and 3

Unpaid Domestic Work In India

Source: Indian Express
GS I: Role of Women, GS II: Government policies and interventions, Welfare Schemes, GS III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, Growth, development and  Employment, Inclusive Growth, 

Overview

1. News in Brief
2. What is Unpaid Domestic Work?
3. Economic Significance
4. Issues Associated with Domestic Work
5. Significance of the Supreme Court Verdict

Why in the News?

Recently, the Supreme Court recognised the economic value of unpaid domestic work while deciding a motor accident compensation case.

News in Brief

• The Supreme Court fixed a notional income of rupees 30,000 per month for a homemaker to calculate compensation.
• The judgment acknowledges that household and caregiving work contribute significantly to family welfare and the economy.
• The ruling has revived discussions on the need for greater recognition, economic rights, and social security for homemakers.

What is Unpaid Domestic Work?

• Includes cooking, cleaning, childcare, elderly care, household management, and emotional support.
• Performed largely by women without monetary compensation.
• Essential for sustaining families, communities, and the paid workforce.

Economic Significance

• Women aged 15-59 spend over seven hours daily on unpaid domestic work, compared to less than three hours for men.
• Women perform 2.6 times more unpaid caregiving work than men.
• Women’s unpaid care work is estimated to contribute 15-17% of India’s GDP, though it remains unrecognised in national accounts.
• Around 16 billion hours globally are devoted to unpaid care and domestic work every day.
• Reduces the state’s welfare burden.

Issues Associated with Unpaid Domestic Work

• Excluded from GDP and conventional economic measurements.
• Reinforces gender inequality and the unequal division of labour.
• Contributes to low female labour force participation.
• Lack of social security, pension, and insurance coverage.
• Limited legal recognition and policy support.

Significance of the Supreme Court Judgment

• Recognises homemakers’ contribution to nation-building.
• Brings visibility to unpaid care and domestic work.
• Established a benchmark for compensation in legal cases.
• Strengthens the case for gender-responsive economic policies.
• Encourages greater social recognition of care work.

Concerns

• Focuses mainly on compensation after death rather than broader economic rights.
• Risk of glorifying homemaking without addressing the unequal distribution of care responsibilities.
• Unequal burden of care work restricts women’s workforce participation.
  • Urban female labour force participation remains significantly lower than that of men.
  • In 2024-25, as per PLFS data, the male-female difference was about 47%, with male participation rates at 73%.
• Fails to address minimum wages and labour protections for domestic workers.
• Does not address the structural undervaluation of unpaid domestic work.

Way Forward

• Expand social security coverage for homemakers and domestic workers.
• Improve the valuation of unpaid care work through surveys.
• Strengthen legal protections and labour standards for domestic workers.
• Promote equal sharing of household responsibilities.
• Integrate unpaid care work considerations into policymaking and gender budgeting.
• Improve women’s labour force participation through childcare support and flexible work arrangements.

Conclusion

Recognising unpaid domestic work as productive economic activity is essential for achieving gender equality, enhancing women’s economic empowerment, and building a more inclusive and equitable society.

UPSC Prelims Practice Question

Consider the following statements regarding unpaid domestic work in India

1. 1. Unpaid domestic and caregiving work is fully accounted for in India’s GDP calculations.
   2. Unpaid domestic work is recognised as formal employment under Indian Labour Laws.
   3. The Supreme Court recently recognised unpaid domestic work and fixed a notional monthly income of rupees 30,000 for homemakers for compensation purposes.

Which of the above statements are incorrect?

a) 1 and 2 only

b) 2and 3 only

c) 1and 3

d) 1,2 and 3

Answer: a) 1 and 2 only

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