March 28, 2026 - Current Affairs

World Buddhist Peace Conference 2026

Context

Hyderabad hosted the inaugural of the World Buddhist Peace Conference 2026.

It is organised by Buddhavanam and Telangana Tourism Development Corporation, in association with Vietnam Buddhist Sangha.

It brings together ministers, monks, scholars and delegates from over 20 countries in a bid to advance dialogue on peace, reconciliation and ethical leadership.

Aim: To showcase Buddhavanam as a Buddhist Heritage Theme Park to world Buddhist countries, and to encourage them to have their monasteries and educational institutions at Buddhavanam to attract maximum footfalls from India.

How Persian became the ‘English of the era’

Context

Persian has deeply influenced India’s language and literature for centuries, and everyday speech, shaping administration, poetry, and vocabulary in Hindi, Urdu, and regional cultures.

Origin of Persian Language

The origin of the Persian language lies in ancient Iran and spans over 2,500 years of linguistic evolution.

It belongs to the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European language family.

It became the language of the Persian Empire and was widely spoken in the ancient days ranging from the borders of India in the east, Russian in the north, the southern shores of the Persian Gulf to Egypt and the Mediterranean in the west.

Global Out-of-School Population Climbs to 273 Million

Context

According to the latest report by UNESCO, titled “2026 GEM Report — Access and Equity: Countdown to 2030”, the global out-of-school population has reached 273 million in 2024.

Key Highlights of Report

Low Retention and Completion: The report states that only two-thirds of students globally complete secondary education.

One in six school-age children remains excluded from education globally, indicating a major challenge to achieving universal education.

Access Does Not Ensure Learning: The report emphasises that increased enrolment in schools does not necessarily translate into meaningful learning outcomes.

Saudi Arabia’s Land Restoration Model

Context

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification reported that Saudi Arabia has restored nearly one million hectares of degraded land and is being seen as a model for large-scale land reclamation in water-scarce and desertified regions.

Extent of Global Land Degradation

Land degradation refers to the decline in land productivity due to factors such as soil erosion, salinisation, deforestation, and unsustainable land use.

Approximately 40% of the global land surface is degraded, with the majority located in dryland regions and affecting nearly three billion people globally by undermining food security, water availability, and livelihoods.

According to the Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas 2021, approximately 97.85 million hectares, roughly 29.77% of India’s total geographical area, underwent land degradation during 2018-19.

News In Short 28-03-2026

Context

The Union Cabinet approved India’s updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) for 2031–2035 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement.

Updated NDCs

Emissions Intensity Reduction: India has committed to reducing the emissions intensity (CO₂ per unit of GDP) of its GDP by 47% by 2035 from 2005 levels.

India has already reduced its emissions intensity by about 36% between 2005 and 2020.

Expansion of Non-Fossil Fuel Capacity: India has committed to achieving 60% of its installed electric power capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2035.