24th MARCH 2026 ENGLISH TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS PDF TNPSC SHOUTERS
Goldman Sachs Lowers India's FY2026-27 GDP Growth Forecast to 5.9%
- Citing increased global inflation risks stemming from the conflict in the Middle East, Goldman Sachs has lowered its GDP growth forecast for India for the 2026-27 fiscal year to 5.9%.
- This marks a further downward revision; just last week, the growth forecast was lowered from 7% to 6.5%, and it has now been reduced to 5.9%. The firm also indicated that the Reserve Bank of India may be compelled to raise interest rates.
- The petitioner, Chintada Ananda Paul, had converted to Christianity several years ago and has since been practicing the faith. Furthermore, he served as a pastor, conducting Christian worship services every Sunday.
- At the same time, there is no evidence to suggest that the petitioner ever reconverted from Christianity back to his native religion, or that he was ever readmitted into his original community.
- On the contrary, the evidence demonstrates that the individual in question continued to practice Christianity, acting as a pastor and regularly conducting Sunday prayers in various households within the village for over a decade. Consequently, having converted to Christianity, he can no longer be considered a member of the Scheduled Caste community.
- Furthermore, the Supreme Court Justices have clarified that under Section 3 of the Scheduled Castes Order of 1950, any individual not deemed to belong to a Scheduled Caste cannot claim any statutory benefit, protection, reservation, or right under the Constitution; specifically, one cannot simultaneously adhere to a religion other than those specified in Section 3 while claiming to belong to a Scheduled Caste.
- In this regard, the Justices affirmed that anyone practicing a religion other than Hinduism, Sikhism, or Buddhism cannot be considered a member of a Scheduled Caste, and that conversion to any other religion results in the forfeiture of the concerned individual's Scheduled Caste status.
- It is noteworthy that, in this specific case, the Andhra Pradesh High Court had ruled that Chintada Anand Paul had misused the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act by filing a false complaint.
- The Court held that the mere fact that an individual's caste certificate had not been formally cancelled following their conversion to Christianity does not entitle them to the protections afforded under the SC/ST Protection Act; this is because, on the very day of their conversion to Christianity, the individual forfeits their status as a member of the Scheduled Caste community.
