Rajasthan

Appearance

International Relations & Global Affairs ​

  • Iran and IAEA: Iran suspended cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) following parliamentary approval. The decision came after US attacks on its nuclear sites (Fordo, Natanz, Asfahan) in an operation reportedly named "Midnight Hammer." IAEA, established in 1957 with its headquarters in Vienna, Austria, monitors nuclear fuel and reactors, promoting "Atoms for Peace." Uranium ore (pitchblende), also known as yellowcake, is used in reactors (Uranium 235).
  • Kataragama Esala Festival: The Kataragama Esala Festival, dedicated to Skanda (a Hindu god of war, depicted with six heads and twelve arms), was held in Sri Lanka.
  • Bangladesh Political Update: On August 5, 2024, Sheikh Hasina departed Bangladesh. On August 8, 2024, Mohammad Yunus formed an interim government, which subsequently declared August 8 as the "New Bangladesh Day."

Science & Technology ​

  • Indian in Space: Group Commander Shubhanshu Shukla became the first Indian to reach the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom 04 mission. The mission launched on June 25 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center and docked with the ISS on June 26. Peggy Whitson is the mission commander. Shukla will conduct research for 14 days. The ISS was established in 1998 by the USA and Russia. Rakesh Sharma was the first Indian in space (1984). India aims for its Gaganyaan mission in 2025.
  • Genomics Surveillance: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Pune launched "Nakshtra," the first high-performance computing facility for genomics surveillance. It is housed in the National Institute of Virology building in Pune and aims to monitor genomic changes, such as those seen in COVID-19, to aid future pandemic responses.
  • AI Research: The "Eravat Project" for Artificial Intelligence (AI) research was mentioned. Eravat is India's fastest supercomputer, ranked 75th globally.

National Initiatives & Developments ​

  • Ancient Lamp Discovery: A rare 15th-century ancient lamp was discovered at the Pairdoor Anant Padmanabha Temple in Udupi district, Karnataka. The lamp features dual representations of Shaivism (Mahadev as Nataraja, Parvati, Ganesha) and Vaishnavism (Brahma, Indra with Vajra, and a scene in Baikunth Dham with Vishnu).
  • First Butterfly Sanctuary: India's first butterfly sanctuary was inaugurated in the Aralam Forest, Kerala, located in the Western Ghats (also known as Sahyadri). Conservation efforts for the Western Ghats have involved the Kasturirangan and Madhav Gadgil Committees. Anaimudi (2695 meters) is the highest peak in South India.
  • Indian Conservation Conference (ICCON 2025): The Indian Conservation Conference (ICCON 2025) was held in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, and inaugurated by Union Environment Minister Dr. Bhupender Yadav. The conference first started in 2023 to mark 50 years of Project Tiger (1973-2023). Project Elephant began in 1992, and Project Dolphin started on October 5, 2009 (celebrated as National Dolphin Day). Dehradun also houses the Forest Survey of India and the Indian Petroleum Institute.
  • Bihar's Vivah Mandap Yojana: The Bihar Cabinet approved the "Vivah Mandap Yojana" (Marriage Pavilion Scheme) with an allocation of ₹426 crore. The plan is to construct a community hall in each of Bihar's 8533 Gram Panchayats at a cost of ₹50 lakh per hall, for weddings and other community events. This initiative was part of Bihar's 2025-26 budget, which prioritizes education spending.
  • Brand Finance India Report 2025: According to the 2025 Brand Finance India Report, Tata Group is the first Indian brand to exceed $30 billion in value, securing the top position. Infosys ranks second.

Education Policy ​

  • CBSE Board Exams: Starting from 2026, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will conduct Class 10th board examinations twice a year. The first exam will be in February (compulsory) with results in April. An optional second exam will be held in May, allowing students to reappear in up to three subjects for score improvement. This move is based on recommendations from the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and aims to reduce exam stress and enhance learning.

Sports ​

  • Khelo India University Games: The fifth edition of the Khelo India University Games will be hosted by Rajasthan (Jaipur) in November 2025. It will take place at Rajasthan University and Poornima University. Participants must be under 25 years old. The fourth edition, held in North East India, saw Chandigarh University secure the top rank. Other Khelo India events include Youth Games (players under 19), Para Games, and Beach Games.