Economic Survey and Budget:
- A 60-page economic survey and budget document is crucial for exam preparation.
- Key points from the document will be covered in a future lecture.
Quiz Answers:
- Corruption Perception Index: Option C
- Dubai Global Best M-Governance Award: Option C (Medal)
- Biolamp Vaccine Certification: Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation
- India Tax Center Location: Noida (Option C)
- 38th National Games Organizer: Services Sports Control Board (Option A)
- Bombay Blood Group Kidney Transplant Location: Mumbai (Option D)
- Swami Dayanand Saraswati Association: Gujarat (Option A)
- Khurja Super Thermal Power Plant Location: Uttar Pradesh (Option B)
- Gaya Telescope Developer: JAXA (specific telescope name not provided)
- Gaya B-3 Developer: European Space Agency (Option D)
- Skill Uday Tong Location: Tripura (Option A)
- 33rd Santosh Trophy Winner: Bengal (Option B)
ICC Player of the Month (January): Shamarh Brooks (West Indies) and Beth Mooney (Australia) named ICC Players of the Month for January.
Satellite Launch: Dhruv Space launched the Thai Volt satellite, completing 15,000 orbits of Earth.
Skin Bank: Army hospitals started the first skin bank facility for the armed forces in Delhi.
World Economic Forum Ranking: India received 63rd rank in the World Economic Forum's Global Energy Transition Index.
National Billiards Championship: Pankaj Advani won the national billiards championship for the 36th time.
India's First Multilateral Air Exercise: India hosted the "Tarang Shakti" exercise in Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu.
West Bengal Rape Case Media Coverage: Criticism of inconsistent media coverage contrasting initial coverage with subsequent lack of attention, attributed to the pursuit of TRP (Television Rating Points).
National School of Drama (NSD):
- Rajpal Yadav appointed as Brand Ambassador.
- Bharat Rang Mahotsav 2025 held in New Delhi.
- "Ek Abhyavyakti, Sarvottam Sarjan" is the slogan of Bharat Rang Mahotsav.
Awards and Honors:
- Niman Sanstha and V. Ganaath: Nansen Mandela Lifetime Achievement Award.
- R Ashwin: Padma Shri Award.
- Smriti Van earthquake memorial (Gujarat): UNESCO's Prix Versailles Award.
- Subbiah Nallamuthu: Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award.
- Vinod Ganat: Nelson Mandela Lifetime Achievement Award.
Books:
- "I AM" by Gopichand Hinduja: Launched by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar; covers spiritual dimensions.
Constitutional Provision:
- Article 64: The Vice President of India is the ex-officio Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.
Environmental Performance:
- India ranked 176th in the Yale and Columbia Center's Environmental Performance Index.
State Schemes:
- Nan Mandai Van Yojana: A scheme from Tamil Nadu.
Space Missions:
- China's CHASE mission: Study solar rotation patterns.
- China's JUNO mission: Study neutrinos.
Defense:
- Nagastra First: First indigenous suicide drone.
- Gaurav: Glide bomb.
SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India):
- Established: 1988 (Act passed in 1992).
- Headquarters: Mumbai.
- Role: Regulates the stock and share market.
- Current Chairperson: Madhavi Puri Buch.
- Mitra portal: Track inactive mutual funds.
- Sarathi and Seva mobile apps.
South Africa's Presidential Election: Cyril Ramaphosa elected as President of South Africa.
MITRA Platform Launch:
- The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) launched the MITRA platform to track inactive mutual fund folios.
- MITRA stands for Mutual Fund Investment Tracing and Retrieval Assessment.
- The platform aims to identify and track inactive mutual funds and locate their rightful owners.
SEBI Details:
- SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) was established in 1988, with the act passed in 1992.
- Its headquarters are in Mumbai.
- SEBI regulates the stock and share market.
- Madhabi Puri Buch is the current chairperson, the first woman to hold the position.
Champions Trophy:
- Hosted by Pakistan.
- Brand ambassadors: Shikhar Dhawan (India), Steve Watson (Australia), Tim Southee (New Zealand), and Sarfaraz (Pakistan).
- Shikhar Dhawan selected for scoring the most runs for India in the Champions Trophy.
- Steve Watson's book: The Winner's Mindset.
- Shikhar Dhawan received the Golden Bat award twice, the first person to achieve this in the Champions Trophy.
Current Affairs:
- Moina Yojana scheme launched in Assam.
- G20 Summit held in Puglia, Italy.
- Rathyatra festival held in Odisha.
- Cyril Ramaphosa elected as President of South Africa.
- MITRA platform launched by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to track inactive mutual fund folios. MITRA stands for Mutual Fund Investment Tracing and Retrieval Assessment. The platform aims to locate and track inactive mutual funds and identify their rightful owners.
GAIL Project: GAIL has established India's largest ethane cracker project in Madhya Pradesh with an investment of ₹0000 crore (the specific amount is missing from the provided text).
Deceased Artist: Internationally acclaimed artist Rajiv Tarana, a Sarod player, recently passed away.
Local Currency Settlement System: India and the UAE have implemented a local currency settlement system.
PM SHRI Tourism Air Service: Madhya Pradesh inaugurated the PM SHRI tourism air service.
ICC Champions Trophy:
- The ICC Champions Trophy was initially known as the Wills International Cup (1998).
- Renamed to Champions Trophy in 2002.
- Hosted by Pakistan this year.
- Brand ambassadors: Shikhar Dhawan (India), Shane Watson (Australia), Tim Southee (New Zealand), and Sarfaraz (Pakistan).
- Shikhar Dhawan was chosen due to scoring the most runs for India in previous Champions Trophy tournaments.
- Shane Watson's book is titled "The Winner's Mindset".
Next AI Summit: Will be held in India. Previous summits were held in Bletchley, Seoul, and Paris.
Gifts Exchanged During Macron Visit:
- Prime Minister Modi gifted Emmanuel Macron a Dokra artifact from Chhattisgarh.
- The artifact depicts musicians playing musical instruments.
- It's made using wax, clay, and melted metal.
- Four types of figurines are commonly depicted in Dokra art: dancers, musicians, animals, and deities.
Gift for Macron's Wife:
- Modi gifted Macron's wife a silver mirror made in Rajasthan.
- The mirror features peacock artwork.
Gifts and Summits:
- Dokra Artifact: PM Modi gifted a Dokra artifact from Chhattisgarh to French President Emmanuel Macron. The artifact depicts musicians and is made using wax, clay, and molten metal.
- AI Summit: The Artificial Intelligence Summit took place in Paris, co-hosted by Emmanuel Macron and PM Modi.
Indian Parliament:
- Translation Services: The Lok Sabha Speaker announced the addition of translation services for Bodo, Dongri, Maithili, Manipuri, Sanskrit, and Urdu, bringing the total languages offered to 16.
Odisha Politics:
- Chief Minister: Mohan Charan Majhi, MLA from Kyonjhar, is the new Chief Minister of Odisha.
Indian Navy:
- First Woman Helicopter Pilot: Anamika B Rajeev is the first woman helicopter pilot in the Indian Navy.
Global Rankings:
- Gender Gap Index: India ranked 129th in the Global Gender Gap Index 2024, released by the World Economic Forum.
Indian Army:
- Chief of Army Staff: General Upendra Dwivedi is the new Chief of Army Staff.
Indian Classical Languages:
- New Additions: The number of classical languages in India increased from 6 to 11 with the addition of Assamese, Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, and Bengali.
- Original Six: Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Odia.
Scheduled Languages (Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution):
- Languages: Increased from 14 to 22.
- Sindhi (21st Constitutional Amendment, 1967).
- Nepali, Manipuri, and Konkani (71st Constitutional Amendment, 1992).
- Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, and Santhali (92nd Constitutional Amendment, 2003).
- Languages: Increased from 14 to 22.
Official Language Details:
- Part 17 (Articles 343-351) of the Indian Constitution.
- Rajbhasha Ayog (Official Language Commission) formed under the chairmanship of B.G. Khare.
Sports and Literature:
- French Open: Carlos Alcaraz (Spain) won the men's singles title.
- Bill Gates Autobiography: The book Source Code is by Bill Gates.
- International Sports Day: Celebrated on June 11th.
- Football Day: Celebrated on May 25th.
markdown
### Sarojini Naidu
* First Indian woman president of the Congress (1925 Kanpur Session).
* First woman governor of Uttar Pradesh.
* Author of "Golden Threshold."
### Recent Appointments and Events
* Rajnath Singh: Defense Minister in Modi cabinet 3.0.
* Carlos Alcaraz: Won the men's singles title at the French Open.
* Bill Gates' autobiography: "Source Code".
* International Sports Day: June 11th.
* Football Day: May 25th.
* 79th UN General Assembly President: Filimon Yang (Cameroon).
* EY World Entrepreneur of the Year Award: Velan Subbiah.
### Lok Sabha
* Added new languages to its translation services (specific languages not mentioned).
### World Radio Day (February 13th)
* Theme (2024): Radio and Climate Change.
* Origin: Idea from Spain.
* Commemorates: Founding of United Nations Radio on February 13th, 1946.
* First Indian radio station: Bombay (Mumbai), 1927.
* Inventor of radio: Guglielmo Marconi.
### National Women's Day (February 13th - India)
* Celebrated on Sarojini Naidu's birthday.
### ISRO/RBI
* ISRO: Launched the Prabha software.
* RBI: Launched the Prabha app.
### Ultimate Fighting Championship
* Pooja Tomar: First Indian female fighter to win an Ultimate Fighting Championship in Las Vegas.
### Nepal
* Capital: Kathmandu
* SAARC Headquarters: Located in Kathmandu.
* Mount Everest: Located in Nepal.
* **Bel Vivah Ceremony:**
* Symbolic marriage ceremony in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, involving girls aged 5-9 years old.
* The marriage is to the Bel fruit, symbolizing Lord Vishnu.
* The purpose is to ensure the girls are not considered widows even if their future husbands die, representing a form of women's empowerment.
* The Bel fruit is used because it never rots, signifying enduring protection.
### Sri Lanka
* **Navam Perahera Festival:** A cultural procession showcasing Sri Lankan culture, customs, food, and attire.
```* **Volcanoes:**
* Kilauea volcano in Hawaii, USA, has reactivated. The area also contains the Mauna Loa volcano.
* **Astro-Tourism:**
* Nakshatra Sabha, India's first astro-tourism initiative, was launched in Uttarakhand.
* **Ramsar Sites:**
* Nagi and Nakti bird sanctuaries in Bihar have been added to the Ramsar list, bringing India's total to 89. Tamil Nadu has the most Ramsar sites.
* **Indian General Elections 2024:**
* Election turnout was 65.6%.
* **Bel Bibaha Ceremony:**
* The Bel Bibaha ceremony, a symbolic marriage of young girls (aged 5-9) to the Bel fruit (a symbol of Lord Vishnu), takes place in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal.
* **Manipur President's Rule:**
* President's Rule imposed in Manipur due to failure of the state's constitutional machinery; Kuki-Meitei conflict cited. Chief Minister N. Biren Singh resigned. Article 356 was invoked.
* Requires parliamentary approval within two months using a simple majority.
* Initially lasts six months, renewable up to a maximum of three years with repeated parliamentary approvals.
* Manipur and Uttar Pradesh have seen the most instances of President's Rule; Jammu and Kashmir experienced the longest single instance.
* Manipur's establishment date is January 21, 1972.
* Manipur's capital is Imphal.
* Notable features of Manipur include the Lai Haroba festival and Loktak Lake (the largest freshwater lake in Northeast India, home to Keibul Lamjao National Park, the only floating national park, and the Sangai deer).
* **National Emergency (Article 352):**
* Requires parliamentary approval within one month using a special majority.
* **Awards:**
* Sanya Malhotra won Best Actress at the New York Indian Film Festival.
* **Space Exploration:**
* Sunita Williams piloted Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, launched by Space X and NASA, scheduled to return in March 2025.
* Oleg Kononenko is the first person to complete 1000 days in space. He is a Russian cosmonaut.
* **China's South China Sea Claim:** China asserts control over areas within its self-declared "Nine-Dash Line" in the South China Sea, despite overlapping claims from countries like the Philippines and Vietnam.
* **18th Lok Sabha Elections:** 64.2 crore voters participated. Voter participation was 65.6%.
* **New York Indian Film Festival:** Sanya Malhotra won Best Actress.
* **Boeing Starliner Spacecraft:** Sunita Williams piloted the Boeing Starliner spacecraft. She is scheduled to return in March 2025. The Crew-9 mission was launched by SpaceX and NASA.
* **Record Time in Space:** Oleg Kononenko spent 1000 days in space.
* **President's Rule in Manipur:** President Droupadi Murmu imposed President's Rule in Manipur.
* **China's Cold Ship Project:**
* Construction of an underwater space station, "Cold Ship," in the South China Sea at a depth of 2200 meters.
* The primary purpose is to research methane hydrates.
* **Methane Hydrates:**
* Also known as "flammable ice."
* Found at great depths in the ocean.
* **South China Sea:**
* The location of the Cold Ship project and the Nine-Dash Line dispute.
* The Nine-Dash Line is a demarcation line claimed by China, despite overlapping claims by neighboring countries like the Philippines and Vietnam.
* **Geographic Features:**
* Yangtze River: Asia's longest river, flowing past Shanghai.
* Huaihe River: Known as the "China's Sorrow."
* **Oceanographic Equipment:**
* Fathometer: Used for measuring ocean depth.
* **Women's Empowerment in Nepal:** A "Bell Marriage" ceremony took place in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, symbolizing women's empowerment.
* **World Radio Day:** World Radio Day was observed on February 13th, 2025.
* **Lok Sabha Language Inclusion:** The Lok Sabha included six new languages in its translation services.
* **PM Modi's Gift to Macron:** PM Modi gifted French President Emmanuel Macron Dokra handicrafts from Chhattisgarh.
* **Shikhar Dhawan as Brand Ambassador:** Shikhar Dhawan became the brand ambassador for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
* **SEBI's Mitra Platform:** SEBI launched the Mitra platform to track inactive mutual fund folios.
* **Vice President's Book Launch:** India's Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar launched Gopi Chand Hinduja's book, "IM."
* **National School of Drama's Festival:** The National School of Drama organized the Bharat Rang Mahotsav 2025.
* **Pankaj Advani's Billiards Victory:** Pankaj Advani won the national billiards championship for the 66th time.
* **ICC Player of the Month:** Wakene and Muni were named ICC Players of the Month for January.
* **Pulwama Remembrance:** February 14th is the anniversary of the Pulwama attack.
* **Indian Constitution Articles:**
* Article 263: Interstate Council, headed by the Prime Minister.
* Article 266: Consolidated Fund of India.
* Article 267: Contingency Fund, controlled by the Parliament.
* Article 280: Finance Commission.
* Article 300: Right to property (previously a fundamental right, now a legal right).
* Article 315: Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
* Article 324: Election Commission of India.
* Article 338: National Commission for Scheduled Castes.
* Article 338A: National Commission for Scheduled Tribes.
* Article 343: Official language (Hindi).
* Article 352: National Emergency.
* Article 356: President's Rule.
* Article 360: Financial Emergency.
* Article 368: Amendment of the Constitution.
* Article 370: Jammu and Kashmir (partially revoked).
* **Current Events (brief mentions):**
* 15th Finance Commission (mentioned in relation to Article 280).
* 89th Constitutional Amendment (mentioned in relation to Article 338).
* Revocation of parts of Article 370 (mentioned in relation to Jammu and Kashmir).
* **Supreme Court:** Article 124 details the number of judges, their tenure, appointment process, and removal. The Supreme Court is a court of record (Article 129). The President can consult with, and the Supreme Court can advise, the President (Article 143).
* **CAG:** The Comptroller and Auditor General is mentioned in Article 148.
* **Governors:** Article 153 pertains to Governors. Governors have pardon powers, excluding death penalty and martial law (Article 161).
* **Attorney General & Advocate General:** The Attorney General (Article 76) is at the center, and the Advocate General (Article 165) at the state level. Attorney General of India, Current Attorney General mentioned (R Venkataramani).
* **High Courts:** Article 214 mentions High Courts, which are courts of record (Article 215). High Courts have the power to issue writs (Article 226).
* **73rd Constitutional Amendment & Panchayati Raj:** Articles 243 to 243O relate to the 73rd Constitutional Amendment concerning Panchayati Raj. Implemented April 24, 1993, with 29 subjects.
* **Delhi:** Article 239A and the 69th Constitutional Amendment concern Delhi.
* **GST:** Article 246A mentions GST, a tax on the concurrent list (101st Constitutional Amendment).
* **Inter-State Council:** The Inter-State Council, headed by the Prime Minister, is detailed in Article 263.
* **Consolidated Fund & Contingency Fund:** Article 266 details the Consolidated Fund, while the Contingency Fund is under the President's control (Article 267) and used for natural calamities.
* **Finance Commission:** Article 280 mentions the Finance Commission (15th Finance Commission: N.K. Singh).
* **Right to Property:** The right to property, formerly a fundamental right, became a legal right after the 44th Constitutional Amendment and is included in Article 300.
* **UPSC:** The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is mentioned in Article 315.
* **Election Commission:** The Election Commission is mentioned in Article 324.
* **National Commission for Scheduled Castes:** Article 338 pertains to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (89th Constitutional Amendment); Article 338A deals with the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes.
* **Official Language (Hindi):** Article 343 mentions Hindi as the official language.
* **National Emergency, President's Rule, Financial Emergency:** Articles 352 (National Emergency), 356 (President's Rule), and 360 (Financial Emergency) are mentioned.
* **Constitutional Amendment:** Article 368 details constitutional amendments.
* **Jammu & Kashmir:** Article 370 (partially revoked).
* **President of India:**
* Article 52: India shall have a President. Executive power vested in the President (Article 53).
* Article 54: Election by Electoral College.
* Article 55: Election method (single transferable vote).
* Article 56: Five-year term.
* Article 60: Oath.
* Article 261: Impeachment.
* Chief Justice of India administers the oath.
* Article 72: Pardon power (including death penalty).
* **Vice President of India:**
* Article 63: India shall have a Vice President.
* Article 64: Ex-officio Chairman of Rajya Sabha.
* Article 71: Supreme Court resolves disputes in Presidential and Vice Presidential elections.
* **Joint Sitting of Parliament:**
* Article 108: Joint sitting of Parliament.
* **Finance Bills and Budget:**
* Article 110: Finance Bills.
* Article 112: Annual Financial Statement (Budget).
* **Ordinances:**
* Article 123: Presidential Ordinances.
* Article 213: Governor's Ordinances.
* **Fundamental Rights:**
* Article 19(1)(a): Freedom of speech and expression.
* Article 21: Right to life and personal liberty.
* Article 21A (86th Constitutional Amendment): Right to education as a fundamental right.
* Article 24: Prohibition of child labor.
* Article 25: Freedom of conscience and free profession, practice, and propagation of religion.
* Article 32: Right to constitutional remedies.
* **Constitutional Amendments and Provisions:**
* Article 44: Uniform Civil Code.
* Article 47: Duty of the State to raise the level of nutrition and the standard of living and to improve public health.
* Article 50: Separation of judiciary from the executive.
* Article 51: Promotion of international peace and security.
* **Indian Constitution Schedules:**
* **First Schedule:** Lists 28 states and 8 Union Territories in India.
* **Fourth Schedule:** Specifies the allocation of seats in the Rajya Sabha (Council of States).
* **Fifth Schedule:** Addresses the administration of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes areas.
* **Sixth Schedule:** Concerns the administration of tribal areas in Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, and Mizoram.
* **Seventh Schedule:** Outlines the distribution of powers between the Union and States (Union List, Concurrent List, State List).
* **Eighth Schedule:** Lists 22 languages (initially 14, expanded through constitutional amendments: 21st Amendment added Sindhi; 71st Amendment added Nepali, Manipuri, and Konkani; 92nd Amendment added Bodo, Dogri, Santhali, and Maithili).
* **Ninth Schedule:** Added by the First Constitutional Amendment (1951), related to land reforms.
* **Tenth Schedule:** Introduced by the 52nd Constitutional Amendment, dealing with anti-defection provisions.
* **Eleventh Schedule:** Added by the 73rd Constitutional Amendment (effective April 24, 1993), concerning Panchayats (local governance); includes 29 subjects.
* **Twelfth Schedule:** Added by the 74th Constitutional Amendment, concerning Municipalities.