25 October 2026
The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court has held that compensation for child sexual assault survivors cannot be made to depend on the presence of physical injury.
The case is reported as X v. State of UP and the judgment is cited as 2026 AHC-LKO 2981.
The Court dealt with the requirement of an injury report under the Uttar Pradesh scheme that pays financial assistance to such survivors.
It held that a survivor cannot be denied assistance from the fund merely because no injury was recorded.
The Court's direction concerns the Rani Lakshmi Bai Mahila Samman Kosh Scheme, 2015, the Uttar Pradesh fund from which the assistance is paid.
Case:
X v. State of UP
Citation:
2026 AHC-LKO 2981
Bench:
Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court
Why it matters for exams: Victim compensation under POCSO and State women's funds is a recurring law and welfare topic.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
POCSO Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 — The central law that deals with sexual offences against children.
Mahila Samman Kosh Mahila Samman Kosh — The Uttar Pradesh fund from which financial assistance is paid to women and child survivors.
Background
UNESCO inscribed the Taj Mahal at Agra, Uttar Pradesh, on the World Heritage List in 1983 under criterion (i).
It was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as a memorial for his wife Mumtaz Mahal.
UNESCO says construction began in 1632 AD and was completed in 1648 AD, while the mosque, guest house, main gateway and outer courtyard were finished in 1653 AD.
Ustad-Ahmad Lahori was the main architect.
The monument stands in a Mughal garden that encompasses nearly 17 hectares.
An area of 10,400 sq km around the Taj Mahal is defined to protect the monument from pollution.
Inscribed:
1983
Criterion:
(i)
Garden area:
nearly 17 hectares
Protection area:
10,400 sq km
Why it matters for exams: The inscription year, the criterion, the builder and the architect of the Taj Mahal are standard questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSCBank
In plain words
UNESCO World Heritage List United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization World Heritage List — The list of places UNESCO recognises as having outstanding universal value.
Background
Agra Fort in Uttar Pradesh was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1983 under criterion (iii).
UNESCO describes it as a 16th-century Mughal monument known also as the Red Fort of Agra.
Its enclosure walls are 2.5-km-long.
The site includes the Jahangir Palace, the Khas Mahal built by Shah Jahan, the audience halls called Diwan-i-Khas, and two mosques.
It stands near the gardens of the Taj Mahal, the other World Heritage site in the same district.
Inscribed:
1983
Criterion:
(iii)
Enclosure walls:
2.5-km-long
Why it matters for exams: Agra district holding two World Heritage sites, and the year each was inscribed, are asked often.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Diwan-i-Khas Diwan-i-Khas — The hall where a Mughal emperor received select visitors.
Background
Fatehpur Sikri in Agra district, Uttar Pradesh, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1986 under criteria (ii), (iii) and (iv).
UNESCO says it was built by Emperor Akbar between 1571 and 1573, southeast of an artificial lake.
It was the capital of the Mughal Empire for only some 10 years, after which the capital moved to Lahore in 1585.
Its monuments include the Jama Masjid and the Buland Darwaza or Lofty Gate, which is 40 m high, besides the Panch Mahal, Diwan-i-Am, Diwan-i-Khas and the Jodha Bai palace.
The inscribed property covers 60.735 ha with a buffer zone of 475.542 ha.
Inscribed:
1986
Property area:
60.735 ha
Buffer zone:
475.542 ha
Height of Buland Darwaza:
40 m
Why it matters for exams: Akbar's short-lived capital, its monuments and its inscription year are repeat questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Buland Darwaza Buland Darwaza (Lofty Gate) — The tall gateway of Fatehpur Sikri, 40 m high.
Background
UNESCO inscribed Ramlila, the traditional performance of the Ramayana, on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008, as an element from India.
This staging of the Ramayana is based on the Ramacharitmanas.
That sacred text was composed by Tulsidas in the sixteenth century in a form of Hindi.
The performance runs over several nights, and some, such as Ramnagar's, may last an entire month.
Ramnagar and Ayodhya, two of the places UNESCO names as home to the most representative Ramlilas, both lie in Uttar Pradesh.
Inscribed:
2008
List:
Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
Base text:
Ramacharitmanas
Why it matters for exams: The year of inscription, the list it is on and the author of the Ramacharitmanas are all asked directly.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Intangible Cultural Heritage Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity — UNESCO's category for living traditions such as performance, craft and ritual.
Ramacharitmanas Ramacharitmanas — The retelling of the Ramayana that Ramlila is staged from.
Background
In its description of Ramlila, UNESCO states that the most representative Ramlilas are those of Ayodhya, Ramnagar and Benares, Vrindavan, Almora, Sattna and Madhubani.
Ayodhya, Ramnagar, Benares and Vrindavan are all in Uttar Pradesh, which makes the State the heartland of the tradition.
Benares is an older name of the city now called Varanasi, and Ramnagar lies across the Ganges from it.
The performance is a staging of the Ramayana based on the Ramacharitmanas.
Ramlila was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List in 2008.
Places named:
Ayodhya, Ramnagar, Benares, Vrindavan, Almora, Sattna, Madhubani
Inscribed:
2008
Why it matters for exams: Matching an intangible heritage element to the places UNESCO names for it is a standard culture question.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Benares Benares — An older name of the city now called Varanasi.
Background
UNESCO inscribed the Kumbh Mela on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2017, as an element from India.
UNESCO describes it as the largest peaceful congregation of pilgrims on earth.
The festival is held at Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik.
Allahabad, now Prayagraj, is the Uttar Pradesh host among those four, and bathing in the Ganges is central to the observance.
The inscription was made at the twelfth session of the Intergovernmental Committee, recorded as 12.COM.
Inscribed:
2017 (12.COM)
Host cities:
Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik
UNESCO's description:
the largest peaceful congregation of pilgrims on earth
Why it matters for exams: The four Kumbh Mela cities and the year of UNESCO inscription are among the most asked culture facts.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Kumbh Mela Kumbh Mela — The mass Hindu pilgrimage of faith held in rotation at four river cities.
Background
UNESCO's entry for the Kumbh Mela, an element of India inscribed in 2017, names Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik as the cities where the festival is held.
Allahabad is in Uttar Pradesh, Haridwar in Uttarakhand, Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh and Nasik in Maharashtra, so the festival moves across four States.
UNESCO calls it the largest peaceful congregation of pilgrims on earth.
Bathing in the Ganges is the act at the centre of the observance.
The element was inscribed at the twelfth session of the Intergovernmental Committee, recorded as 12.COM.
Host cities:
Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik
Session of inscription:
12.COM
Why it matters for exams: Matching each Kumbh Mela city to its State is a standard map-and-culture question.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Intergovernmental Committee Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage — The UNESCO committee that decides intangible heritage inscriptions.