UPSC Prelims Current Affairs for 26 March 2026

Immigration, Visa, Foreigners Registration & Tracking (lVFRT) Scheme

March 26, 2026

Immigration, Visa, Foreigners Registration & Tracking (lVFRT) Scheme Latest News

Recently, the Union cabinet approved the continuation of the Immigration, Visa, Foreigners Registration & Tracking (lVFRT) Scheme.

About Immigration, Visa, Foreigners Registration & Tracking (lVFRT) Scheme

The IVFRT platform is aimed at integrating and streamlining immigration, visa issuance, and foreign registration processes in India through a secure, technology-driven framework.
It was approved for a period of five years from 01 April, 2026 to 31 March, 2031.
It was originally approved in 2010; the project has undergone multiple phases of expansion and extension.
The latest approval comes in the backdrop of the recently enacted Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025,
Features of lVFRT Scheme

- The scheme will concentrate on three broad areas —
  - Emerging technology innovations, transformation of core infrastructure and optimisation of technology-enabled service delivery
- The scheme will modernize the immigration and visa ecosystem through adoption of emerging technologies, including mobile-based services and self-service kiosks for seamless and secure passenger movement.
- It will upgrade and expand core infrastructure across Immigration Posts, FRROs, and Data Centres to build a resilient and scalable system nationwide.
- It will optimize technology and service delivery by introducing unified digital platforms, revamping core application architecture, and strengthening network and deployment frameworks for improved efficiency and user experience.

Source: PIB

Immigration, Visa, Foreigners Registration & Tracking (lVFRT) Scheme FAQs

Q1: What is the objective of the IVFRT Scheme?

Ans: It is to modernization and up-gradation of Immigration and Visa services.

Q2: Which organization handles immigration in India?

Ans: Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of External Affairs

PRISM-SG Portal

March 26, 2026

PRISM-SG Portal Latest News

Recently, the Minister for Road Transport and Highways launched the PRISM-SG Portal in New Delhi.

About PRISM-SG Portal

PRISM-SG (Portal for Rail-Road Inspection & Stages Management – Steel Girders) Portal aimed at enhancing efficiency, transparency, and inter-agency coordination in infrastructure development.
Features
- It has been developed to digitise key approval and inspection processes related to the construction of
- Road Over Bridges (ROBs) and also includes Quality Assurance Plan (QAP), Welding Procedure Specification Sheet (WPSS) and fabrication stage inspection of steel girders.
- The portal enables end-to-end online submission of documents, scrutiny, raising and resolution of queries, approvals, scheduling of inspections, and uploading of inspection reports, photographs, test results, supported by a complete audit trail and real-time monitoring capabilities.
- It addresses challenges by providing an integrated digital platform that brings together all key stakeholders, including Road Owning Departments, Indian Railways, contractors, fabricators, and inspection agencies.
Significance
- It will help to reduce the approval and inspection timeline from approximately 12 months to about 3 to 4 months.
- It will play a critical role in ensuring timely completion of RoBs and Railway Bridges, strengthening infrastructure delivery and enhancing connectivity across the country.

Source: PIB

PRISM-SG Portal FAQs

Q1: What does PRISM-SG stand for?

Ans: Portal for Rail-Road Inspection & Stages Management – Steel Girders

Q2: What is the purpose of the PRISM-SG Portal?

Ans: To monitor and manage steel girder inspections for rail-road projects

QS World University Rankings

March 26, 2026

QS World University Rankings Latest News

The Indian Institute of Management-Kozhikode (IIM-K) has achieved a global milestone by breaking into the Top 100 of the prestigious QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026 for the first time.

About QS World University Rankings

It is published annually by global higher education consultancy Quacquarelli Symonds.
The QS rankings evaluate universities on several parameters, including academic reputation, overall score, employer reputation, and employment outcomes.
It uses a structured approach to assess institutions across the globe. Each ranking is built on a set of measurements that help evaluate different aspects of university performance. These measurements are grouped as follows:
- Lens: A collection of indicators linked by a common theme, such as research or employability.
- Five Lenses: Research and Discovery, Employability and Outcomes, Global Engagement, Learning Experience, Sustainability.
- Indicator: A specific area of performance, such as Citations per Faculty or Employer Reputation. Institutions are scored and ranked on each indicator, which contributes to their overall rank.
- Metric: A detailed calculation within an indicator, used to generate precise scores.

Key Highlights of QS World University Rankings

India recorded 120 new entries this year, placing it fourth globally for fresh appearances, behind only the US (287), China (181), and the UK (159).
The country now holds the fourth-largest presence in these rankings by institution count, after the US, China, and the UK.
Six Indian institutions now feature in the global top 100 for computer science, all improving from last year.
The Indian Institute of Technology (ISM) Dhanbad and the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, both securing the country's highest global rank of 21.
IIT-ISM Dhanbad has retained its stronghold in mineral and mining engineering.
IIM Ahmedabad has broken into the top 25 globally in business and management studies as well as marketing.

Source: TH

QS World University Rankings FAQs

Q1: What percentage of the QS World University Rankings is based on Academic Reputation?

Ans: 40%

Q2: What is the weightage given to Sustainability in the QS World University Rankings?

Ans: 5%