Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 11th Nov 2026

Sindhudurg Fort:

A replica of Sindhudurg Fort built by inmates of Nagpur Central Prison is bringing Maharashtra’s maritime heritage into an unusual setting, as more than 125 fort models across the city await inspection in the second edition of the Shivvaibhav Fort Competition.

• Sindhudurg Fort is a historical fort that occupies an islet in the Arabian Sea, just off the coast of Maharashtra.
• The fort was built by Shivaji Maharaj between 1664 and 1667.
• The main objective was to counter the rising influence of foreign colonizers (English, Dutch, French, and Portuguese merchants) and to curb the rise of the Siddis of Janjira.
• It is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Maratha Military Landscapes of India.

Ranivas Mound:

Ranivas Mound has been declared an archaeological site of national importance through a central government notification.

• Ranivas Mound is located in Bihar
• It is situated near the ‘Kesariya stupa’.
• In 1861, Alexander Cunningham (Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) first director general), visited the site.
• He explored the mound and conducted some excavations. In his report, he mentioned the existence of an old Buddhist establishment with a temple enshrining a huge image of Buddha.
• Archaeological sites and ancient monuments of national importance are declared under The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 (AMASR Act).

Archaeological Survey of India (ASI):

• It was established in 1861 under Sir Alexander Cunningham.
• It works to protect India’s historical heritage, including ancient temples, forts, tombs, sculptures and archaeological remains.
• It conducts scientific excavations, studies inscriptions, maintains protected monuments and helps preserve evidence of India’s past.
• The headquarters of the Archaeological Survey of India is in New Delhi.
• Its work is governed by important laws, including the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, and the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972.

Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India:

According to the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India financial statements prepared as per Indian Accounting standards (IndAS) will be the basis for the Risk Based Capital (RBC) framework proposed for insurers in India.

• Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India is a statutory body formed under the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act, 1999 (IRDAI Act 1999), for the overall supervision and development of the insurance sector in India.
• It acts under the Ministry of Finance, Government of India.
• The main goals of IRDAI are:
  • To safeguard the interest of the policyholders by fair business conduct and settlement of claims within time.
  • Developing and nurturing the Indian insurance industry.
  • To regulate the business of insurance with transparency, fairness, and honest practice.
  • Facilitating financial prudence of the insurers through solvency and stability checks of insurers.
  • To regulate premium charges and policy terms for preventing unscrupulous pricing and unaffordability.
  • It is responsible for registering and/or licensing insurance, reinsurance companies, and intermediaries according to the regulations.
  • It sets the eligibility criteria, qualifications, and capital requirements for obtaining licenses in the insurance business.
  • It consists of a Chairman, five full-time members, and four part-time members, all appointed by the Government of India.
  • Head Office: Hyderabad.

Ease of Vehicle Ownership Index (EVOI), 2026:

Andhra Pradesh recently emerged as the country’s best-performing state in facilitating vehicle ownership transfers, topping the first Ease of Vehicle Ownership Index (EVOI) with a score of 5.91 out of 10.

• Ease of Vehicle Ownership Index (EVOI) is published by org in partnership with Consumer VOICE.
• The index ranks 15 States and Union Territories on how easily a citizen or dealer can buy, sell, and transfer a pre-owned vehicle.
• The EVOI scores each state on six pillars: policy and regulatory framework, digital infrastructure, process efficiency, transparency and accountability, institutional ecosystem and dealer support, and cost and affordability.
• The pillar scores are combined using a weighted geometric mean, so strength in one area cannot hide weakness in another.
• The findings draw on a pan-India survey of over 1,000 buyers and sellers, interviews with dealers, RTO agents, and sector experts, and a review of central and state motor vehicle rules.

EVOI 2026 Highlights:

• It is the first edition of the index.
• Andhra Pradesh scored 5.91 out of 10, followed by Kerala at 5.74.
• Uttar Pradesh came last at 2.47, just behind Bihar at 2.51 and West Bengal at 2.56.
• No state scored above 6.0, highlighting widespread administrative challenges.
• Together, the 15 states account for over 85% of India’s organised used-car market.

What is Safe Harbour?

India is considering scrapping safe harbour protections for social media platforms, potentially holding them accountable for user-generated content.

• A safe harbour provision is a legal provision that exempts an entity from legal liability in certain situations as long as certain conditions are met.
• It acts as a protective shield against any legal liability expected from the immoral acts of third parties.
• Safe harbour in the context of India’s IT landscape refers to legal immunities granted to online intermediaries, that is, platforms and services that merely transmit, store, or facilitate access to third-party content, shielding them from liability under certain conditions.
• Rooted in Section 79 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act), it forms a key safeguard in promoting innovation and shielding platforms from being punished for content they did not create.
• Intermediaries were permitted to use the safe harbour principle to safeguard themselves from being held liable for criminal actions of an external party that were carried out without the knowledge of the intermediary.
• It is meant to differentiate this distinction between the person who creates the content and the platform that hosts it.
• However, the safe harbour rule does not mean this immunity is conditional.
• Platforms must follow due diligence requirements under the IT Act and the IT Rules, 2021.
• They must also act on court orders and government notifications to remove unlawful material.
• Failure to comply with these can result in the loss of safe harbour protection.
• In a 2015 judgment, the Supreme Court also placed an important safeguard on the interpretation of these provisions.
• It said that an intermediary’s obligation to take down content on the basis of actual knowledge would generally be triggered by a court order or a notification from the government, not every private complaint.
• This was meant to prevent platforms from having to independently decide the legality of the posts.