CURRENT AFFAIRS | 11 MAY 2026
CLAT GK + GOVERNMENT SCHEMES & CHILD RIGHTS LAW
On Mother’s Day, Sunday May 10, 2026, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta visited the Village Cottage Home in Lajpat Nagar and announced the ‘Aftercare Scheme for Young Persons’ — a structured rehabilitation programme for the 150-200 youth who exit Delhi’s 88 Child Care Institutions (CCIs) on turning 18 each year. Anchored under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2015 §46, the scheme provides monthly stipends, counselling, mentoring, rehabilitation, skill development, internships, and rental assistance — all designed to bridge the perilous transition from institutional care to independent adulthood.
The Delhi Budget 2026-27 has marked Rs 3.5 crore for the scheme, with implementation oversight via a State Aftercare Committee chaired by the Secretary, Department of Women and Child Development, and district-level committees under DMs. Eligible beneficiaries will be assessed individually with care plans formulated for each. In parallel, 19 vehicles have been deployed for a destitute-rescue drive (May 11-15). The announcement is significant because §46 of the JJ Act, while statutorily on the books since 2015, has been historically under-implemented across most states — Delhi’s operational rollout sets a template for sister jurisdictions.
Constitutional / Legal Framework
The scheme draws from JJ Act 2015 §2(5) defining ‘aftercare’ and §46 mandating support up to age 21 (extendable to 23). Constitutional anchors include Article 39(f) DPSP (children given opportunities to develop in conditions of freedom and dignity), Article 21A (RTE 6-14 years), Article 24 (no child below 14 in hazardous employment), and Article 23 (bonded labour ban). India ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) 1989 in 1992 with a reservation on Art 32(2). Domestic statutes that interlock with the JJ Act include POCSO 2012 (amended 2019 introducing death penalty for aggravated offences), and Mission Vatsalya (2021-22 umbrella scheme). Adoption is regulated by the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) under JJ Act §§56-73.
Why This Matters for CLAT 2027
Child rights and government schemes are top-3 CLAT GK categories. Aspirants must distinguish foster care (§44), adoption (§§56-73 via CARA), and aftercare (§46) — each with different age limits and procedural triggers. Quasi-judicial bodies under the JJ Act — the Child Welfare Committee (§27, 1 Chair + 4 members) and the Juvenile Justice Board (§4) — are recurrent comprehension-passage anchors. Article 39(f) DPSP linkages with statutory schemes are favourite Legal Reasoning principles. Delhi’s announcement is also an inflection point in cooperative federalism: the Centre’s framework, the State’s funding, and grassroots NGO delivery.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Announced by | Delhi CM Rekha Gupta, 10 May 2026 |
| Statutory anchor | JJ Act 2015 §46 |
| Age coverage | 18-21 (extendable to 23) |
| Delhi CCIs | 88 (govt + NGO operated) |
| Budget 2026-27 outlay | Rs 3.5 crore |
| Apex body | State Aftercare Committee (chair: W&CD Secretary) |
Mnemonic
ARMSR = Aftercare Rehabilitation Mentoring Stipend Rental — five pillars of Delhi’s §46 rollout.
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