Current Affairs Summary

Recent Constitutional Amendments & Bills

• 106 Constitutional Amendment Acts have been passed to date.
• The 129th Constitution Amendment Bill, related to 'One Nation One Election', was recently introduced.
• 99th Amendment (2014): Established the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) but was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
• 100th Amendment (2015): Pertained to the Tin Bigha Corridor agreement between India and Bangladesh.
• 101st Amendment (2016): Introduced the Goods and Services Tax (GST), implemented on July 1, 2017.
• 103rd Amendment (2019): Provided 10% reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), introducing Articles 15(6) and 16(6).
• 104th Amendment (2020): Extended the reservation for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies by 10 years, and abolished the reservation for Anglo-Indians.
• 105th Amendment (2021): Reinstated the power of state governments to identify and specify socially and educationally backward classes, in the context of the 102nd Amendment which established the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) under Article 338B.
• 106th Amendment (2023): Known as the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam', it reserves 33% of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies, to be implemented after delimitation and census.

International Affairs

• UN Global Greenhouse Gas Emission Report 2024:
  • The 16th edition of the report indicated India had the highest growth in emissions in 2024, with a 2.3% increase, reaching 57.7 Gigatons of CO2 equivalent.
  • Global emission leaders: China (1st), USA (2nd), India (3rd).
  • The European Union (EU) was the only entity to show a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions in 2024.
  • Related: Kyoto Protocol (COP3, 1997) aimed to control GHG. Recent COPs include COP21 (Paris, 2015), COP29 (Baku, Azerbaijan), and upcoming COP30 (Brazil, 2025).
• Sweden Becomes First Cashless Society:
  • Sweden is the first country to become fully cashless, where transactions primarily use phone-tap and cards, replacing physical currency. The "Swish" (SIS) app is commonly used for transactions.
  • Sweden's capital is Stockholm.
• President Droupadi Murmu's Africa Visit:
  • President Murmu began a visit to Angola and Botswana on November 8.
  • Botswana's capital is Gaborone; Angola's capital is Luanda.
• UPI Adoption: Qatar became the 8th country to adopt India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI).

National Developments

• India's Largest Geothermal Energy Project in Andhra Pradesh:
  • Energy Efficiency Service Limited (EESL) is establishing India's largest geothermal energy project in Araku Valley and Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
  • Geothermal energy is a clean, renewable source. Puga Valley in Ladakh is another notable geothermal site in India.
  • EESL was also involved in the "Ujala Yojana" for LED bulb distribution.
• Supreme Court Mandates Written Reasons for Arrest:
  • In the "Mihir Rajesh Shah" case, the Supreme Court ruled that police or investigative agencies must provide a written reason for any arrest.
  • This ruling emphasizes Article 22(1) of the Constitution, which grants individuals the fundamental right to be informed of the grounds of their arrest and to consult a legal practitioner. This mandate applies to all offenses.
• Indian Wildlife Institute Report on Vultures:
  • The Indian Wildlife Institute released its first All-India Assessment and Monitoring Report for Vultures.
  • The report states that 63% of vulture nests in India are found in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, with a 70% decline in vulture habitats due to human intervention.
  • Vultures, known as "Earth's sanitation workers," have faced a significant population decrease due to the veterinary drug Diclofenac.
  • A vulture conservation center is located in Maharajganj, Uttar Pradesh.
• India's First Electric Rocket "Vayaputra":
  • Space Kids India, a Chennai-based startup, developed "Vayaputra," India's first electric rocket.
  • It is battery-powered, uses clean energy, requires no combustion, and does not need a launchpad. It is lightweight and strong, built using carbon fiber.
• Indian Air Force 93rd Anniversary Celebration:
  • The Indian Air Force was established on October 8, 1932.
  • Its 93rd anniversary celebration (2025) will be held on November 9 in Guwahati, Assam, at Lachit Ghat on the Brahmaputra River.
  • The previous (92nd) anniversary celebration in 2024 was held at Marine Beach, Chennai.
  • The IAF's motto is "Nabh Sparsham Deeptam" (Touch the Sky with Glory). During the 1999 Kargil War, the IAF launched "Operation Safed Sagar."
  • Related: NHPC (National Hydro Power Corporation) completed 50 years in 2025, with a ₹50 commemorative coin issued.
• National Cancer Awareness Day:
  • Celebrated annually on November 7, coinciding with the birth anniversary of Marie Curie.
  • World Cancer Day is observed on February 4, with the theme "United by Unique" for 2025-2027.
  • IIT Bombay and Tata Memorial Hospital recently developed a cancer drug called NEX CAR19.
• Manohar Parrikar Youth Scientist Award 2025:
  • Awarded to Dr. Sai Gautam, a professor at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru.
  • The award, initiated by the Goa government in 2022, recognizes young scientists under 35 years of age.
• Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Memorial and Tribal Freedom Fighter Museum:
  • India's first digital museum dedicated to tribal freedom fighters was inaugurated by the Prime Minister in Nava Raipur, Atal Nagar, Chhattisgarh.
  • Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh led the "Anaj Bhandaran Vidroha" (grain storage rebellion) against the British in 1856-57.

Other Brief Mentions

• BCCI New President: Mithun Manhas.
• Women's Ballon d'Or 2025: Aitana Bonmatí.
• Living Bridge Award (India-UK FTA): Keir Starmer.
• National e-Governance Award (Gram Panchayat): Rohini, Maharashtra.
• "Draupadi Portal": Launched to provide authentic knowledge on Ayurveda.
• Jinali Modi: From Maharashtra, received the UNEP Young Champion of the Earth Award.
• DRDO's Rail-Based Mobile Launcher System: Successfully tested the Agni Prime missile.
• GST Appellate Tribunal First Chairman: Sanjay Kumar Mishra.
• Himanshi Tokas: First Indian female judoka to reach the top spot in junior world rankings.
• Agnikul's 3D Printed Rocket Facility: Started in Chennai.
• Junior World Cup Shooting 2025 (11th edition): Hosted by India, with India securing the first position.
• Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Term Extension: General Anil Chauhan.
• Sixth River Festival: Held in Delhi.
• Dugong Conservation Reserve: Recognized by IUCN, located in Tamil Nadu.
• UN AI Center of Excellence: IIT Madras nominated for this.
• MIG-21 Retirement Ceremony: Held in Chandigarh; the Tejas aircraft will replace it.
• "Prayas" Integrated Neuro-Rehabilitation Center: Inaugurated in Goa by the AYUSH Ministry.
• First Indian in Big Bash League: R Ashwin.
• Natural Gas Discovery: Announced by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas in the Andaman Basin.
• Second National Mediation Conference: Held in Bhubaneswar.
• World Tourism Day: Celebrated on September 27.
• Asia Cup (9th Title): India defeated Pakistan.
• Mahi Banswara Atomic Energy Project: Features four units, each with a capacity of 700 MW.
• New RBI Deputy Governor: Shish Chandra Murmu.
• First Captive-Born Female Cheetah at Kuno National Park: Named Mukhi (daughter of Jwala).
• Changemaker of the Year Award: Received by DRDO.
• Project Ocean Catcher (AI data center in space): Launched by Google.
• World Peace and Security Leadership Award: Awarded to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar by the Boston Global Forum and AI.
• Maharashtra's Agreement with Starlink: For satellite-based internet services.
• Operation White Coldron: Conducted by the Directorate Revenue Intelligence (DRI).
• First South Asian Country in UN Water Conference: Bangladesh.
• Bali Yatra: Celebrated in Odisha.
• 17th India Game Developers Conference: Held in Chennai.
• 100 Years of Hockey: Celebrated the period from 1925 to 2025.
• UBS Global Wealth Report: India ranked 14th.
• Net Polrex: The location of the event was not provided.