Daily Current Affairs 21 September 2026 – IAS Current Affairs

Current Affairs 21 September 2026 focuses on the Prelims-Mains perspective. Major events are :

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Right To Internet Access And Fundamental Rights In India

Source: Indian Express
GS II: Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure

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Why in the News?

The Supreme Court, in a ruling delivered on October 15, recognized access to and use of the internet as a fundamental right under Articles 19 and 21 of the Constitution.

News in Brief

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• The Supreme Court linked internet access to the fundamental rights to freedom of speech and expression and to life and personal liberty.
• It emphasized stronger action against online child sexual exploitation and abuse material, including the creation of a national database of digital identifiers.
• The ruling raises concerns about the responsibility of online platforms to remove harmful content and the risks of excessive or unverified content removal.
• Its effectiveness will depend on implementation, safeguards against arbitrary internet restrictions and judicial oversight of government action.

Recognition of Internet Access as a Fundamental Right

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• Recognizing internet access as a fundamental right strengthens the constitutional basis for challenging unreasonable restrictions on internet use.
• The right to internet access is closely linked to Article 19(1)(a), which guarantees freedom of speech and expression, as the internet enables citizens to access information, express opinions and participate in public debate.
• It also supports Article 21, which protects life and personal liberty, by facilitating access to education, healthcare, public services and livelihood opportunities.
• However, the recognition of internet access as a fundamental right does not mean that every form of internet use is an absolute or unrestricted right.
• Restrictions must satisfy applicable constitutional requirements.

Measures against online child sexual exploitation

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• The Court highlighted gaps in compliance with existing statutory requirements under the Information Technology Rules.
• It directed the government to develop a national database of digital identifiers associated with child sexual exploitation and abuse material.
• Online platforms were required to remove known matches identified through the database, even without independently verifying each match.
• Intermediaries were also expected to assess content based on its potential to facilitate exploitation, even when the material is not explicitly abusive.
• The Court indicated that substantial penalties could be imposed on intermediaries that fail to comply with applicable requirements.

These measures seek to improve child protection online.

• However, they also raise concerns about erroneous content removal, accountability, transparency and the need for effective saffeguards.

Constitutional and Legal framework

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Article 19(1)(a)- Freedom of Speech and Expression

• Protects the right to express opinions and communicate information.
• Internet access has become an important means of exercising this freeodom.
• Restrictions on online expression must be assessed the constitutional framework, including the permissible grounds for restricting speech under Article 19(2).

Article 21- Right to Life and Personal Liberty

• Protects life and personal liberty.
• Its judicial interpretation has expanded to include several dimensions of a dignified life.
• Internet access can support the effective exercise of these rights by enabling access to essential services, information and opportunities.

Information Technology Act, 2000 and IT Rules

• The Information Technology Act provides the principal statutory framework for electronic transactions and several aspects of cyber regulation.
• The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, as amended, prescribe due diligence obligations for intermediaries.
• Effective enforcement requires clear responsibilities, proportionate compliance measures and safeguards against arbitrary decisions.

Major Concerns and Challenges

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Fundamental Rights versus State Restrictions

• Internet shutdowns can disrupt education, business, healthcare, communication and access to government services.
• Although restrictions may be imposed for legitimate purposes under applicable law, they must satisfy constitutional requirements.
• The Supreme Court’s decision in Anuradha Bhasin v. Union of India (2020) emphasized that restrictions on internet services must comply with constitutional standards, including proportionality, and that indefinite suspension of internet services is impermissible.

Child Safety versus Freedom of Expression

• Preventing online child sexual exploitation is an important responsibility of the state and digital platforms.
• However, broad content-removal requirements may result in the removal of lawful material if the identification process is inaccurate.
• Clear standards, reliable verification mechanisms and effective grievance redressal are necessary to prevent over-removal.

Accountability of Digital Platforms

• Online intermediaries play a crucial role in identifying and removing harmful content.
• However, placing excessive responsibility on platforms without clear legal standards may encourage precautionary censorship.
• A balanced framework should combine platform accountability with transparency, due process and protection of legitimate expression.

Information Gap

• The recognition of a fundamental right is only the first step.
• The actual protection of internet access depends on effective institutions, enforceable safeguards and judicial intervention when constitutional rights are violated.
• The challenge is to ensure that rights recognized by the judiciary are translated into meaningful protection in everyday life.

Digital Divide

• Unequal access to devices, affordable connectivity, electricity and digital literacy prevents many citizens from fully benefiting from internet access.
• Therefore, recognizing internet access as a fundamental right must be accompanied by measures to improve affordability and digital inclusion.

Way Forward and Conclusion

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The government should ensure proportionate internet restrictions, transparent content moderation, independent oversight and effective grievance redressal. Affordable connectivity, digital literacy and stronger child-protection measures are equally important.

The ruling strengthens digital freedoms, but its success depends on balancing freedom of expression, privacy and child safety through effective implementation.

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Kullu Dussehra – A Unique Cultural Festival Of Himachal Pradesh

Source: Indian Express
GS I- Indian Heritage and Culture

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Why in the News?

Kullu Duddehra in Himachal Pradesh is distinctive because of its celebrations begin on Vijayadashami, when Dussehra festivities conclude in many other parts of India.

News in Brief

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• The festival reflects the distinctive religious customs and social organization of the Kullu valley.
• Traditional deity institutions maintain links between village communities and their cultural practices.
• The festival provides a platform for folk music, traditional arts and regional cultural exchange.
• Growing tourism highlights the need to balance cultural authenticity with economic opportunities.

Historical Background

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• Kullu Dussehra is an annual cultural and religious festival celebrated in the Kullu valley of Himachal Pradesh.
• Unlike many other Dussehra celebrations, which culminate on Vijayadashami, Kullu’s festivities begin on that day.
• The festival’s origins are traced to the seventeenth century, during the reign of Raja Jagat Singh, who ruled kullu from 1637 to 1662.
• According to local tradition, the king installed an idol of Lord Raghunath brought from Ayodhya and accepted the deity as the presiding lord of the kingdom.
• The annual congregation of local deities subsequently became a central feature of Kullu Dussehra.

The Congregation of Deities

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• The festival brings together hundreds of devtas (local deities), traditionally carried in decorated palanquins.
• The deities arrive from different parts of the Kullu valley, including regions such as Banjar, Anni, Nirmand and Manikaran.
• The main procession takes place at Dhalpur ground, where the deities gather to pay obeisance to Lord Raghunath.
• Drums, trumpets and traditional music accompany the procession, reflecting the region’s living cultural traditions.

Traditional Institutions and Local Governance

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• The Kullu Dussehra Committee (IKDC) coordinates the festival and invites participating deities.
• Local deity institutions, known as kardars, represent the interests of the deities and their associated communities.
• The Wajib-ul-Arz, a historical village record, documents customary practices, rights and responsibilities associated with village institutions and deities.
• Recognition of local deities depends on established traditions and administrative procedures.

Challenges in Preserving Traditions

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• The number of participating deities has increased over time, creating pressure on the limited space available at Dhalpur ground.
• Organizers face challenges in providing accommodation, sanitation, food and other facilities for deity representatives and devotees.
• Some deities are not formally recognized, raising questions about the preservation of customary rights and traditional institutions.
• Balancing administrative requirements with local religious practices remains important for the festival’s continued success.

Tourism and Economic Importance

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• Kullu Dussehra attracts domestic and international visitors, supporting hotels, transport services, handicrafts and local businesses.
• Cultural performances and international participation can improve the festival’s visibility.
• Tourism provides opportunities for local communities but requires effective crowd management, waste disposal and environmental protection.

Political and Social Connections

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• Local deities hold an important place in the social and cultural life of Himachal Pradesh.
• Traditional representatives perform ceremonial duties associated with Lord Raghunath’s chariot procession.
• The relationship between deity institutions, local communities and elected representatives illustrates the interaction between customary traditions and modern democratic institutions.
• The festival demonstrates how religious institutions can influence community identity and local social relations.

Significance

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Cultural Significance

• Demonstrates the diversity of Hindu religious practices across India.
• Highlights the coexistence of regional traditions with broader religious narratives.
• Shows the importance of community participation in preserving living heritage.

Governance significance

• Raises questions about the documentation and recognition of customary institutions.
• Highlights the need to balance heritage conservation with administrative regulation.
• Demonstrates the importance of involving local communities in cultural management.

Economic Significance

• Promotes cultural tourism and supports local livelihoods.
• Creates opportunities for traditional artisans and small businesses.
• Highlights the need to balance tourism development with environmental sustainability.

Conservation Challenges

• Increasing visitor numbers can place pressure on local infrastructure
• Commercialization may weaken the traditional character of festivals.
• Effective waste management and responsible tourism are essential to preserve the cultural and ecological setting.

Intangible Cultural Heritage

• Intangible cultural heritage includes practices, rituals, festivals, performing arts, traditional knowledge and skills passed from one generation to another.
• Kullu Dussehra illustrates how living traditions can sustain community identity and cultural continuity.

Way Forward and Conclusion

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Preserving Kullu Dussehra requires community participation, documentation of traditional practices and sustainable tourism through effective waste management and crowd control. Promoting local handicrafts while respecting customary traditions can support livelihoods and ensure that the festival remains a vibrant part of India’s cultural heritage.

 

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Agrivoltaics  For Renewable Energy And Rural Development

Source: Indian Express
GS III: Major crops and cropping patterns in various parts of the country, different types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, Infrastructure- Energy

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Why in the News?

Agrivoltaics is gaining importance in the context of the World Conference on Agrivoltaics at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, which discussed the potential of combining solar power generation with agricultural activities.

News in Brief

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• Agrivoltaics combines solar photovoltaic (PV) installations with agricultural activities on the same land, enabling farmers to generate electricity while continuing cultivation.
• The PM-KUSUM scheme has already demonstrated the potential of decentralised solar energy in agriculture.
• Agrivoltaics can provide farmers with an additional source of income while improving resilience against heat stress, drought and other weather-related challenges.
• The technology requires suitable crop selection, efficient irrigation, appropriate solar panel spacing and coordination among farmers, researchers and government institutions.

What is Agrivoltaics?

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• Agrivoltaics refers to the simultaneous use of land for agriculture and solar photovoltaic power generation.
• Solar panels are installed above or alongside crops, allowing agricultural activities to continue beneath or between them.
• The system can support crop cultivation, livestock grazing and electricity generation, depending on the design.
• It offers an opportunity to improve land-use efficiency by combining food production with renewable energy generation.
• Agrivoltaics can help address the competing demands for agricultural land and renewable energy infrastructure.

Economic benefits for farmers

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Agrivoltaics can diversify rural incomes and reduce farmers’ dependence on agricultural returns alone.

• Additional income: Farmers can earn revenue by selling surplus electricity or leasing land for suitable solar installations.
• Reduced input costs: Solar power can reduce expenditure on electricity and irrigation, depending on the system and its financing.
• Income stability: Revenue from electricity generation may help offset fluctuations in crop prices, weather conditions and agricultural production.
• Rural employment: Installation, maintenance and operation of solar systems can create employment opportunities in rural areas.

However, the benefits depend on installation costs, financing arrangements, electricity purchase agreements and the distribution of revenue between farmers and developers.

Environmental and Agricultural Benefits

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• Agrivoltaics can support both climate adaptation and mitigation.
  • Microclimate regulation: Partial shade can reduce excessive solar radiation and heat stress for suitable crops.
  • Water Conservation: Reduced evaporation may lower irrigation requirements under appropriate conditions.
  • Renewable energy: Solar power reduces dependence on fossil fuels and can lower greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Land-use efficiency: The same land supports agricultural production and electricity generation.
• Limitations;
  • Excessive shading can reduce crop yields.
  • The impact varies with crop type, panel height, spacing, climatic conditions and agricultural practices.
  • Agrivoltaics is therefore not equally suitable for every crop or region.

Importance of Crop Selection and Technology

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• Successful implementation requires scientific planning rather than simply installing solar panels over farmland.
• Key considerations include:
  • Crop selection: Shade-tolerant crops may be more suitable than crops requiring high levels of direct sunlight.
  • Solar panel configuration: Panel height, spacing and orientation should balance electricity generation with sunlight requirements for crops.
  • Irrigation and nutrients: Efficient irrigation and appropriate nutrient management are essential for maintaining productivity.
  • Technological innovation: Improved solar designs, monitoring systems and agricultural research can help optimize land productivity.
• Research institutions such as the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) can support the identification of suitable crops and region-specific agrivoltaic models.

PM-KUSUM and Agrivoltaics

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• The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) promotes solar energy adoption in the agricultural sector.
• Its major components include:
  • Component A: Decentralized, grid-connected renewable power plants, including solar power plants.
  • Component B: Stand-alone solar agricultural pumps.
  • Component C: Solarization of grid-connected agricultural pumps, including feeder-level solarization.
• PM-KUSUM can support the broader transition towards solar-powered agriculture.
• However, the scheme and agrivoltaics are not identical.
• Agrivoltaics specifically focuses on combining agricultural production with solar power generation on the same land.

Institutional and Research Support

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• The development of agrivoltaics requires cooperation between agricultural scientists, renewable energy institutions, governments and private enterprises.
  • ICAR: Supports agricultural research, crop suitability assessments and region-specific farming practices.
  • National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE): Contributes to solar energy research and technology development.
  • Government institutions: Can facilitate pilot projects, standards, financing and policy support.
  • Private sector: Can contribute investment, technology, installation and maintenance services.
  • Farmers and local institutions: Help assess practical outcomes and ensure that project designs meet local needs.
• Field trials and long-term assessments are essential to determine the effects on crop yields, soil conditions, water use and farmers’ incomes.

Challenges in adopting agrivoltaics

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• Despite its potential, agrivoltaics faces several challenges.
• High initial investment in solar installations and supporting infrastructure can make adoption difficult for small and marginal farmers.
• Crop yield uncertainty remains a concern, as poorly designed systems may reduce sunlight availability and agricultural productivity.
• The unequal distribution of benefits may limit farmers’ returns when project agreements favor developers.
• Technical constraints require solar panel designs to account for local crops, soil conditions, rainfall and irrigation needs.
• Inadequate maintenance facilities, technical expertise and grid connectivity can also affect implementation.
• Further, projects must ensure that solar energy generation does not displace agricultural activities or compromise food security and long-term land productivity.

Way Forward and Conclusion

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Agrivoltaics should be promoted through region-specific models, affordable financing, farmer participation and research on suitable crops. Better grid connectivity and pilot projects can help assess its impact on agricultural productivity and farmers’ incomes.

Agrivoltaics can support India’s renewable energy transition while diversifying rural incomes. Its success depends on balancing solar power generation with food security, sustainable agriculture and farmers’ interests.

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How AI Can Help Combat Antibiotic Resistance

Source:Indian Express
GS III: Science and Technology

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Why in the News?

Researchers have reportedly used an artificial intelligence (AI) model called Omni to design bacteriophages to treat a patient suffering from a drug-resistant bacterial infection.

News in Brief

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• Researchers used an AI model, Omnii-1, to design bacteriophages targeting a drug-resistant bacterial infection in a human patient.
• The AI-generated designs introduced genetic changes intended to improve the phages’ ability to recognise and infect the targeted bacteria.
• Laboratory tests showed that some engineered phages could infect and kill the resistant bacteria before the treatment was administered under regulatory authorisation.
• The approach could advance personalized treatment for antimicrobial resistance, but its clinical effectiveness, safety and wider applicability require further evaluation. The company’s report remains preliminary, and the patient’s treatment outcome has not been disclosed.

What are Bacteriophages?

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• Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that infect specific bacteria and can destroy them.
• They are found naturally in the environment and are being studied as an alternative or complement to antibiotics.
• Unlike conventional antibiotics, which may affect a range of bacteria, many phages target particular bacterial strains.

How phage therapy works;

• The phage recognizes and attaches to a susceptible bacterium.
• It introduces its genetic material into the bacterial cell.
• The virus replicates inside the bacterium.
• In the case of a lytic phage, the bacterial cell breaks open, releasing new phages that can infect other susceptible bacteria.

How is AI used in Phage Therapy?

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• The biotechnology start-up Radical Numerics developed an AI model called Omnii-1 to help design phages against antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
• The process involves;
  • Identifying the target: Researchers study the bacterial strain responsible for the patient’s infection.
  • AI-assisted design: The model analyses biological data and proposes genetic changes that could help a phage recognise the target bacteria.
  • Laboratory testing: Researchers synthesise the designed DNA and test whether viable phages can be produced and whether they can infect the targeted bacteria.
  • Clinical application: Following safety assessments and regulatory authorisation, the investigational phages were administered to a patient under a compassionate-use pathway.
• The researches reported that the engineered phages killed the patient’s resistant bacterial strain in laboratory tests.
• However, the patient’s clinical outcome has not been publicly established, and the findings have not yet been peer-reviewed.

Why is this development significant?

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• Combating antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
  • Antimicrobial resistance occurs when microorganisms evolve mechanisms that make medicines less effective against them.
  • AI-assisted phage design could provide additional treatment options when conventional antibiotics fail.
• Personalized medicine
  • Phages could be designed to target the particular bacterial strain causing an individual’s infection, supporting more precise treatment.
• Faster therapeutic development
  • Finding a suitable phage through conventional methods can be time-consuming.
  • AI could help researchers identify promising candidates and reduce the time required to develop personalised treatments.
• Reducing dependence on conventional antibiotics
  • Phage therapy could complement existing antimicrobial treatments and potentially help reduce reliance on antibiotics in selected cases.
• Advancing biotechnology
  • The development demonstrates how AI can move beyond analyzing biological data to helping scientists design biological systems for potential medical applications.

Relevance to India

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• India faces a significant public health challenge from antimicrobial resistance, making the development of new treatment strategies particularly relevant.
  • National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance: AI-assisted phage therapy could complement broader efforts to improve antimicrobial stewardship, infection prevention and surveillance.
  • Biotechnology research: Indian research institutions can explore the application of AI in genomics, microbiology and therapeutic development.
  • Healthcare preparedness: Stronger diagnostic capabilities and laboratory infrastructure would help identify suitable patients and evaluate emerging therapies.
  • Biosecurity governance: India needs appropriate oversight of AI-enabled biological research to balance scientific innovation with public safety.
• Phage therapy should be viewed as a potential addition to India’s antimicrobial resistance response, not as an established replacement for antibiotics.

Challenges and Concerns

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• Despite its potential, AI-assisted phage therapy faces several challenges.
• Phages are often specific to particular bacterial strains, limiting their effectiveness against other strains.
• Bacteria may also develop resistance to phages over time.
• Further, successful laboratory results do not guarantee the same outcomes in human patients, and possible immune reactions and unintended effects require careful assessment.
• Regulatory approval, specialised production and the high cost of developing personalised treatments may also limit wider use.
• In addition, AI systems capable of designing biological sequences raise biosecurity concerns if misused.

Way Forward and Conclusion

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AI-assisted phage therapy requires further clinical trials to establish its safety and effectiveness. Strengthening rapid diagnostics, promoting collaboration among AI researchers and medical experts, and developing strategies to address bacterial resistance can improve its potential. At the same time, responsible AI governance, strong biosecurity safeguards and affordable access must remain priorities.

With scientific validation and appropriate regulation, AI-designed phages could become a valuable addition to the fight against antimicrobial resistance, complementing rather than conventional antibiotics.

 

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