Legal Current Affairs for 15 January 2026

Definition of Corruption: Acceptance or solicitation of gratification (other than legal remuneration) by a public servant for performing or not performing an official act.
Penalties: Maximum imprisonment of 5 years.
Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018
To ensure that the public servants can discharge their public duty without fear of harassment and prosecution.
Criminalizes the act of offering bribes to foreign public officials.

UCBs are a co-operative society registered under any State Co-operative Societies Act or under the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act that has been given a banking license as a primary co-operative bank under the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
Current status of UCBs in India:
Total UCBs: 1457 (as of March 31, 2025).
Regulatory Framework (Dual Control)
Reserve Bank of India (RBI): Since 1966, RBI regulates banking functions including licensing, capital adequacy, loan policies, prudential norms and financial stability.
Registrar of Co-operative Societies (RCS): State or Central Governments regulate administrative and management aspects through the RCS.
Tiered Regulatory Structure: UCBs are classified by the RBI into four tiers based on deposit size, enabling proportionate regulation and supervision.

Constitutional Provisions related to Right to Education
Fundamental Right: Article 21A provides right to free and compulsory education of all children (6 -14 years).
Fundamental Duty: Article 51A(k) specifies duty of parents to provide opportunities for education to child (6-14 years)
Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP): Article 45 directs the state to provide early childhood care and education to children below 6 years.
Enacted to give effect to Article 21A of the Constitution.
Section 3 grants right of every child (6–14 years) to free and compulsory education in a neighbourhood school till completion of elementary education.
Duty of appropriate Government and local authority to establish neighbourhood schools.
Duty of Government and Local Authorities to provide schools, infrastructure, teachers and learning facilities.
Schools are entitled to reimbursement of per-child expenditure by the State.

It is an intergovernmental organization that supports countries in their transition to renewable energy for sustainable development, energy access, and climate action.
Genesis: 2009, while its statute entered into force in 2010.
Headquarters: Masdar City, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Membership: 170+ countries and the EU (India is a founding member)
Key Functions:
Promotes renewable energy adoption, provides policy advice, capacity building, and technical assistance.
Official custodian to track progress on “UAE Consensus,” goals adopted at COP28.
Reports: World Energy Transitions Outlook

The US and its regional partners have opened a new combined air and missile defence coordination cell at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
Location: Situated in West Asia on the west coast of the Persian Gulf.
Neighboring countries: Land Border with Saudi Arabia and Maritime Border with UAE, Bahrain and Iran.
Bordering water bodies: Persian Gulf, Gulf of Bahrain.

Nodal Ministry: Union Ministry of Finance.
Regulator: Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA).
Core Objective: To inculcate a habit of early and disciplined long-term savings among children, ensuring financial security and pension preparedness from a young age.
Key Features
Eligibility: Open to all Indian citizens, including NRI/OCI, below 18 years of age.
Beneficiary: The minor is the sole beneficiary under the scheme.
Account Operation: Account is opened in the name of the minor and operated by the parent or legal guardian.
Minimum Contribution: Minimum initial and annual contribution of ₹250 and no maximum limit on contributions.

It is the original, authoritative ranking of all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa.
The index is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
In 2026 edition, Singapore has retained its position as the world’s most powerful passport.

Location: Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.
It forms one of 2 core zones (the other being the Nanda Devi National Park) of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve which is part of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB).
Both encompass a unique transition zone between the mountain ranges of Zanskar and Great Himalaya.
Forest Type: Sub-alpine forests birch
Flora: Rhododendron, Brahma Kamal, blue poppy, cobra lily, saxifrages etc.
Fauna: Snow leopard, Asiatic black bear, Himalayan musk deer, brown bear, blue sheep.