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Anusandhan NRF Powers Innovation ANRF-supported digital portal was announced to facilitate training in patent filing support and research paper writing assistance for researchers, students and innovators across the country. Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) » Genesis: Established under the Anusandhan National Research Foundation Act, 2023. o The Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) was subsumed into ANRF. » Function: Serves as India''s apex body to provide high-level strategic direction of scientific research as per recommendations of the National Education Policy. o It promotes industry–academia collaboration, supports competitive research grants, develops research infrastructure and encourages private-sector participation in R&D. » Major initiatives: Mission for Advancement in High-impact Areas (MAHA) covering sectors such as Electric Vehicles, MedTech, 2D Materials and AI for Science and Engineering; Partnerships for Accelerated Innovation and Research (PAIR); Ramanujan Fellowship etc. |
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C-SAFE: Shielding Data in Quantum Age Fortytwo Labs'' (an Indian deep-tech cybersecurity company) domestically built Quantum-Safe Algorithm gets India’s first C-SAFE recognition by the Data Security Council of India (DSCI). » C-SAFE (Cryptographic Security Assessment and Functional Evaluation) is India''s first independent cryptographic evaluation programme, built by DSCI. » DSCI is a private, not-for-profit industry body, established by NASSCOM. Quantum Safe Algorithm » Also known as post-quantum cryptography is a cryptographic method designed to withstand cyberattacks from future quantum computers. » These algorithms protect digital data by relying on complex math problems that remain difficult for both classical and quantum machines to solve. » Cryptographic Sovereignty: It reduces India’s dependency on foreign-designed and foreign-controlled cryptographic primitives for critical infrastructure |
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Driving Sustainability: Climate Finance in India India requires adequate climate financing for energy transition, emissions reduction, climate adaptation and sustainable development. Government Initiatives » National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC): To support adaptation activities in the States and Union Territories (UTs) vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. » National Clean Energy and Environment Fund (NCEEF): Finances and promotes clean energy, renewable energy technologies and related research and innovation in India. » Sovereign Green Bonds (SGBs): Issuance of ₹477 billion SGBs to finance green projects. » Priority Sector Lending (PSL) framework: Includes Green activities and sovereign green bonds. » Others: Climate Finance Taxonomy and Green Steel Taxonomy; RBI''s Climate Finance and Climate Risk Management Directions (2025) etc. Challenges » Massive financing gap and inadequate international climate finance commitments. » Lack of a comprehensive climate finance architecture and clear green classification. » Limited private-sector participation due to high risks and low profitability of green technologies. » Inadequate integration of climate risks into financial decision-making. » Other challenges: Risk of greenwashing; limited borrowing capacity and access to states; etc. Conclusion India can bridge its climate finance gap by swiftly implementing a robust Climate Finance Taxonomy, strengthening RBI''s green finance regulations, expanding support for climate adaptation through PSL, establishing a dedicated State Climate Finance Facility and scaling up sovereign green bonds. Major Global Climate Finance Mechanisms » Green Climate Fund (GCF): Funds climate mitigation and adaptation projects. » Global Environment Facility (GEF): Supports climate, biodiversity, and environmental projects. » New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG): Commits $300 billion by 2035. » Others: Adaptation Fund (AF); Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF); Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF) etc. |
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India and Venezuela Deepen Cooperation Indian Prime Minister held talks with the Acting President of Venezuela in New Delhi and reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral relations and emphasizing cooperation within the Global South. About India- Venezuela Relations » Bilateral trade: US$ 678.94 million (FY 2025-26) with Indian exports of US$ 210 million o India’s exports: Mineral fuels & oils, pharmaceuticals, cotton, and nuclear reactors/machinery. o India’s imports: Crude oil, mineral waxes, iron & steel, aluminium, vegetables, copper, lead, and zinc. » Energy Partnership: Venezuela possesses one of the world’s largest proven oil reserves, and has emerged as the 3rd largest oil supplier to India in May 2026. » Cultural & People-to-People Ties: Several spiritual organizations such as Sathya Sai Organization, Brahma Kumaris, and Radha Soami Satsang have established centres in Venezuela. |
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India–UK Partnership on Critical Minerals The India–UK Critical Minerals Global Supply Chain Observatory (GSCO) was formally launched. » It was announced during the India–UK Prime Ministers'' bilateral engagement in 2025 and formalized through a Research Collaboration Agreement signed in March 2026. Critical Minerals GSCO » It is a joint initiative of TEXMiN (TTRP, DST), IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, and the University of Cambridge. » Aim: To create a data-driven platform for monitoring and analysing global critical mineral supply chains. » Significance: Identify supply risks and disruptions; generate market intelligence; support informed decision-making; and advance the goals of the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM). |
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Indus Water Treaty in Focus Pakistan has accused India of violating the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) as India plans to divert Chenab river water to the Beas river. » India put the IWT in "abeyance" after the Pahalgam terror attack. IWT » Origin: Signed in 1960 between India and Pakistan mediated by the World Bank. » Governs sharing of Indus Basin rivers: Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi (Eastern Rivers), and Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab (Western Rivers). o India has unrestricted rights over the Eastern Rivers, while the Western Rivers are largely reserved for Pakistan, subject to limited uses by India. » Three-tier mechanism for Dispute resolution: Permanent Indus Commission (PIC), Neutral Expert, and Court of Arbitration for unresolved disputes. |
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Kerala Highlights Fiscal Concerns in White Paper Kerala faces an outstanding liability of ₹5.07 lakh crore (35.5% of GSDP) with committed expenditures (salaries, pensions, interest) absorbing 77% of revenue expenditure, compressing capital expenditure to just 1.3% of GSDP. Debt Crisis of Indian States » State debt now accounts for nearly one-third of India''s general government debt (NITI Aayog’s Fiscal Health Index). o States like Punjab, West Bengal, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh face persistent revenue and fiscal deficits, elevated debt levels (35–45% of GSDP), and high interest burdens. » According to RBI, Indian States’ consolidated gross fiscal deficit increased to 3.3% of GDP (2024-25) and the outstanding liabilities to ~28% of GDP (March 2024). Key Drivers of Rising State Debt » Populist measures: High spending on subsidies, welfare, and freebies strains budgets. » Committed expenditure: Salaries, pensions, and interest consume 50–60%+ of revenue receipts (e.g., over 70–80% in Punjab/Kerala), crowding out capital investment. o States like Kerala face ageing populations (>15% over 60), raising pension and healthcare costs. » Revenue weaknesses: Heavy reliance on central GST devolution; sluggish growth in own-tax revenues. » Other factors: Off-budget borrowings to bypass FRBM limits, COVID-era emergency loans, and escalating borrowing costs (higher premiums) Way Forward » Enforcing Macro-Prudential Caps: Stricter enforcement of FRBM targets and state-specific debt ceilings linked closely to realistic GSDP metrics. » Broadening Own Revenue Streams: Expanding local tax bases, ensuring higher GST compliance, and optimizing non-tax revenue collections. » Rationalizing Public Utility Tariffs: Imposing user charges on state utilities like electricity and water to fully recover operation and maintenance expenses. » Refining Welfare Delivery: Utilizing advanced Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) models to tightly target beneficiaries, erase identity duplication, and minimize leakage. |
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National Awards for e-Governance Announced A total of 17 projects or initiatives have been selected for the National Awards for e-Governance 2026. National Awards for e-Governance (NAeG) » Aim: To recognize and promote excellence in implementation of e-Governance initiatives. » Instituted by: Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) in 2003. » Eligibility: All Central Ministries/Departments, State/UT Governments, Districts, Local Bodies, Central & State Government Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), Academic/Research Institutions (Government and Non –Government) » The awards consist of a trophy, certificate and an incentive of Rs 10 lakh for gold awardees and Rs 5 lakh for silver awardees. |
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Nature’s Blueprint: Biomimicry Explained Biomimicry offers a framework to shift from replication to innovation using natural principles. Biomimicry » It is the practice of learning from and emulating nature’s designs, processes and systems to solve human problems and create sustainable innovations. » Application: o Transportation & Engineering: Japan''s Shinkansen trains adopted the kingfisher''s beak design, reducing tunnel noise and improving speed. o Architecture & Energy: Zimbabwe''s Eastgate Centre mimics termite mounds for natural cooling and energy efficiency. o Materials Science: Lotus leaves inspired self-cleaning, water-repellent paints and fabrics. |
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Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana in Focus The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) pulled up the government over PMKVY mismatch between training and demand. Key Issues raised by the PAC » Demand-Training Mismatch: disproportionately focused on sectors with lower employment demand, such as apparel, electronics, and retail. » Certification Gap: Against a set target of training and certifying 1.32 crore candidates, 1.10 crore candidates were certified. PMKVY: » It is a flagship scheme for skill certification to help Indian youth take up industry-relevant skill training to get better livelihoods. » Launched: In 2015 by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. » Implementing Agency: National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).
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SC Drafts AI Rules for Judiciary Prepared by the Supreme Court AI committee, ‘Draft Regulations for Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Courts, 2026’ outlines the framework for the responsible adoption of AI in the Indian judiciary. » Application: All judicial, adjudicatory, and administrative functions of the Supreme Court, High Courts, other courts, tribunals, and statutory commissions performing adjudicatory roles in India. Key Highlights of Draft » Objectives: To demonstrably improve access to justice, reduce delays, and enhance administrative efficiency. » Guiding Principles: AI deployment must strictly adhere to human primacy, fairness, transparency, and data privacy (under Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023) and Indian Constitution. o Judicial officers remain entirely accountable for all decisions. » Permitted Uses: AI is strictly an assistive tool allowed for administrative tasks, scheduling, legal research, translation, transcription, and accessibility services, subject to human verification. » Absolute Bans: AI is strictly prohibited from deciding verdicts, evaluating bail or recidivism (risk scoring), predicting human behavior and surveillance (of judges, lawyers, litigants, or stakeholders, unless legally authorized). » Administration: AI adoption, standards, and policy development will be regulated by a permanent national Apex Body, a research center (CoRE-AI), and dedicated AI Committees at every High Court. » Compliance&Oversight:AItoolsrequire pre-deploymentimpact assessments and annual internal audits. o Furthermore, lawyers and litigants must explicitly disclose any use of AI in preparing court documents. » Digital Inclusion: AI tools must be accessible and should not widen digital divides. AI Adoption in Indian Judiciary » Courtroom Transcription: AI-enabled Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) provides near real-time transcription of court proceedings. » Multilingual Justice: AI-based SUVAS translates Supreme Court judgments into 18 Indian languages. » Filing & Registry Operations: AI tools using Machine Learning and Optical Character Recognition automatically detect defects in e-filings. » Legal Research Assistance: o LegRAA (Legal Research Analysis Assistant) analyzes documents and extracts relevant legal references. o SUPACE (Supreme Court Portal for Assistance in Court Efficiency) identifies precedents and clarifies case facts. » Voice-to-Text Dictation: ASR-SHRUTI converts judges’ speech into text for drafting orders and judgments. |
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University of Liverpool Cleared to Open Bengaluru Campus This is a significant step toward internationalisation of higher education under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Need for Internationalisation of Higher Education » Brain Drain: India hosted only 46,878 inbound international students, while 11.59 lakh students went abroad for education in 2021-22. » Outward remittances: Surged by over 2,000% from USD 0.16 billion in 2013–14 to USD 3.4 billion in 2023–24. » Globalised Education for Indian Students: 97% of Indian students in domestic institutions can avail high-quality, world-class education that aligns with global standards. » Others: Enhanced Research and development Collaboration, soft power projection (India as a global knowledge hub), harnessing the diaspora, Interconnection Between Global Rankings and International Perception etc. Challenges » Regulatory complexity: Multiple overlapping bodies (such as UGC, AICTE) creating compliance hurdles. » Credit transfer gaps: Lack of a universal credit recognition framework equivalent to Europe''s European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System. » Funding constraints: Internationalisation activities are resource intensive. » Quality perception: Indian institutions are still perceived as lower quality by many foreign partners. Initiatives for Internationalisation of Higher Education » NEP 2020: Laid out a comprehensive framework designed to integrate international knowledge, skills, and pedagogy into Indian learning environments. » Academic Collaboration Regulations of UGC (2022): permitted Indian institutions to offer twinning, joint, and dual degree programmes with foreign universities. » Foreign Higher Educational Institutions (FHEI) Regulations: Provides a legal and regulatory foundation for foreign universities to operate in India. » Expansion of Indian institutions: E.g., IITs establishing campuses in Abu Dhabi and Tanzania. Conclusion » As the branch campus model matures, balancing regulatory autonomy with strong credit portability and deep industrial research links can transform India into an integrated, globally competitive knowledge economy. |
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Webb Reveals Deep Space Wonders NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has detected methane on interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS for the first time. About James Webb Space Telescope » It is the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope, designed to explore the Universe''s origins by studying the formation of stars, planets, and the earliest galaxies. » It is an international partnership between NASA, ESA (European Space Agency) and CSA (Canadian Space Agency). » It observes the universe in the infrared spectrum. » Launch: In 2021, aboard Ariane from Europe''s Spaceport in French Guiana » Orbit: Lagrange point 2, 1.5 million km from Earth |
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Zimbabwe Steps Into Focus » Zimbabwe (Capital: Harare) India and Zimbabwe reaffirm commitment to deepen bilateral defence cooperation during the inaugural Joint Defence Committee (JDC) meeting. Political Features » Landlocked country of southern Africa. » Boundaries: South Africa (South), Botswana (west and south-west), Zambia (North), Mozambique (east and north-east). Geographical Features » Veld grasslands (open woodland tropical savannah) found here. » Major Rivers: Zambezi, Limpopo, Sabi. » Lakes: Lake Kariba (world''s largest artificial lake and reservoir by volume) located on the Zambia-Zimbabwe border. » Natural resources: Coal, chromium ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum etc. » Highest peak: Mount Inyangani |
