Constitutional Amendments

• Process Overview:
  • Described in Part XX, Article 368 of the Constitution.
  • Borrowed from the South African Constitution.
  • 106 Constitutional Amendment Acts have been passed to date.
  • The 129th Constitutional Amendment Bill, proposing 'One Nation One Election', was introduced.
• Key Amendments:
  • 1st Amendment (1951): Added the 9th Schedule, primarily for land reforms.
  • 7th Amendment (1956): Related to the State Reorganisation Commission.
  • 21st Amendment (1967): Added Sindhi as the 15th language to the 8th Schedule.
  • 26th Amendment (1971): Abolished the Privy Purse system.
  • 36th Amendment (1975): Granted full statehood to Sikkim.
  • 42nd Amendment (1976) (Mini Constitution):
    • Amended the Preamble to add 'Socialist', 'Secular', and 'Integrity'.
    • Added Part IV A, introducing Fundamental Duties (Article 51A), based on the Sardar Swaran Singh Committee recommendations.
    • Added Article 39A for Free Legal Aid.
    • Added Article 48A for Environmental and Forest Protection.
    • Added Part XIV A for Tribunals (Articles 323A, 323B).
    • Transferred five subjects (Education, Forest, Wild Life, Weights & Measures, Administration of Justice) from the State List to the Concurrent List.
  • 44th Amendment (1978): Removed the Right to Property from Fundamental Rights, making it a legal right under Article 300A.
  • 52nd Amendment (1985): Added the 10th Schedule, introducing the Anti-defection Law.
  • 61st Amendment (1989): Reduced the voting age from 21 to 18 years.
  • 69th Amendment (1991): Granted special status to Delhi as the National Capital Territory (NCT), adding Article 239AA; capped the Delhi cabinet size at 10% of the assembly.
  • 70th Amendment (1992): Included elected MLAs of Delhi and Puducherry in the Electoral College for Presidential elections.
  • 71st Amendment (1992): Added three languages (Nepali, Manipuri, Konkani) to the 8th Schedule, bringing the total to 18.
  • 73rd Amendment (1992): Added Part IX (Panchayati Raj), Articles 243-243O, and the 11th Schedule (29 subjects). Implemented on April 24, 1993.
  • 74th Amendment (1992): Added Part IX A (Urban Local Bodies) and the 12th Schedule.
  • 86th Amendment (2002): Added Article 21A, making Right to Education a Fundamental Right, and introduced the 11th Fundamental Duty (Article 51A(k)).
  • 89th Amendment (2003): Established the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) by adding Article 338A.
  • 91st Amendment (2003): Limited the size of the Council of Ministers to 15% of the total members in the Lok Sabha (Centre) and State Assemblies (States).
  • 92nd Amendment (2003): Added four languages (Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, Santhali) to the 8th Schedule, raising the total to 22 languages.
  • 97th Amendment (2011): Added Part IX B (Cooperative Societies) and Article 43B.
  • 99th Amendment (2014): Established the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC), which was later declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
  • 100th Amendment (2015): Pertained to the Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh (Teen Bigha Corridor).
  • 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), adding Articles 15(6) and 16(6).
  • 104th Amendment (2020): Extended the reservation of seats for SC/ST in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies for another 10 years; abolished reserved seats for Anglo-Indians.
  • 102nd Amendment (2018): Established the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) by adding Article 338B.
  • 105th Amendment (2021): Empowered states to identify and specify socially and educationally backward classes for the OBC list.
  • 106th Amendment (2023): Enacted the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam' (Women's Reservation Bill), which is to be implemented after delimitation and census.

International Current Affairs

• China's K-Visa:
  • China launched 'K-Visa' to attract global talent in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
  • This initiative responds to tightened US H1B visa regulations.
  • The K-Visa program is effective from October 1, 2025.
  • China: Capital: Beijing; Asia's longest river: Yangtze; Huang He (Yellow River) is known as "China's Sorrow"; Currency: Renminbi/Yuan.
• Living Bridge Award:
  • Awarded to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer by the India Business Group in London (House of Lords).
  • Recognizes his role in facilitating the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
  • Free Trade Agreement (FTA): Aims to reduce tariffs on goods traded between two countries.
  • European Union (EU): Comprises 27 member states; Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. Bulgaria is the 21st and latest country to adopt the Euro.
  • Historical Note: Clement Attlee was the Prime Minister of the UK when India gained independence.
• Global Plastic Treaty Negotiations: The fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5.2) on plastic pollution was held in Geneva, Switzerland.
• Deep Ocean Mission: India, in collaboration with France, conducted a record 5000-meter human dive in the North Atlantic as part of the Deep Ocean Mission.
• International Criminal Court (ICC) Withdrawals: Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have withdrawn their membership from the ICC.
• World Humanoid Robot Games: The inaugural World Humanoid Robot Games were launched in China.
• AI-Powered Immigration: Dubai International Airport in the UAE implemented the world's first AI-powered immigration system.
• Chinese Spy Ship in Indian Ocean: China's spy ship Yuan Wang 5 was observed in the Indian Ocean, amidst speculation of an upcoming Indian missile test.
• UN General Assembly: The 80th session of the UN General Assembly is underway.
• India-Brazil Cooperation: The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Brazil launched the 'Maitri 2.0 Cross Incubation Program'.
• Jupiter Supercomputer: Germany launched 'Jupiter', which is the world's fourth fastest supercomputer.

National Current Affairs

• National E-Governance Awards 2025:
  • 28th E-Governance Conference: Hosted in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
  • Theme: "Viksit Bharat, Civil Service, and Digital Transformation."
  • Knowledge Partner: IIM Visakhapatnam.
  • Gold Award (₹1 lakh): Awarded to Rohini Gram Panchayat (Dhule District, Maharashtra) for excellence in digital service delivery.
  • Silver Award (₹5 lakh): Awarded to Paschimi Majlishpur (Tripura) for digital service delivery.
• 19th National Jamboreee of Bharat Scouts and Guides:
  • Scheduled to be hosted by Uttar Pradesh in November 2025.
  • The 18th National Jamboreee (2024) was held in Rohat, Pali District, Rajasthan, with the theme "Progress with Peace."
  • The first National Jamboreee took place in 1953 in Hyderabad.
  • Uttar Pradesh Initiatives (Recent): Ceramic Park (Khurja), BrahMos Unit (Lucknow), Asian Vulture Conservation Center (Maharajganj), Sansad Khel Mahakumbh (Lucknow), ISRO model rocket testing (Kushinagar), Tapered Glass manufacturing (Noida), Prachand Shakti exercise (Meerut).
• Asia's Largest Rail Operation Command Center:
  • Unveiled in Sabarmati, Gujarat.
  • It is a part of the Dedicated Freight Corridor Project (DFCP).
  • DFCP Total Length: 2843 km.
    • Eastern Corridor: Spans Ludhiana (Punjab) to Sonnagar (Bihar) – 1337 km.
    • Western Corridor: Connects Dadri (Uttar Pradesh) to Mumbai (Maharashtra) – 1506 km.
• WhatsApp Governance Model 'Manmitra':
  • Launched by the Andhra Pradesh government.
  • It is India's first WhatsApp Governance Model.
  • Offers 738 government services from 36 departments through WhatsApp, featuring a chatbot and real-time updates.
• Child Marriage Free Gram Panchayats:
  • 75 Gram Panchayats in Surajpur district, Chhattisgarh, have been declared 'child marriage free'.
  • This initiative is part of the "Healthy Woman, Strong India" campaign.
  • Chhattisgarh Chief Minister: Vishnu Deo Sai.
  • Legal Framework: The Child Marriage Prohibition Act, 2006, sets the legal marriage age at 21 for males and 18 for females.
• LEAP Program:
  • The 'Local Economy Accelerator Program' (LEAP) was launched by the Karnataka government.
  • Budget: ₹1000 crore allocated to promote local industries, employment, technology, and startups.
  • Key Centers: An agricultural technology accelerator center in Kalaburagi and an Electric Vehicle center in Belagavi were also launched.
• Oju Hydroelectric Project:
  • The 2200 MW 'Oju Hydroelectric Project' has been approved in Taksing District, Arunachal Pradesh.
  • It is located in the India-China border region, on the Subansiri River (a tributary of the Brahmaputra).
  • Subansiri River: Also known as the "Golden River" due to the presence of gold dust in its waters.
  • Brahmaputra River System: Originates in Tibet (where it is called Sangpo); enters India via the Yangyap Pass in Arunachal Pradesh; flows through Assam (forming Majuli Island); enters Bangladesh (called Jamuna); and merges with the Ganga (Padma) to form the Sundarbans Delta.
  • Brahmaputra Tributaries: Subansiri, Lohit, Dhansiri, Teesta, and Kameng.
  • Related Project: The Sawalkot Hydro Project is located in Jammu & Kashmir on the Chenab River.
• Dravya Portal:
  • Launched by the AYUSH Ministry (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, Homoeopathy).
  • Objective: To create a digital repository and reference library for authentic information on AYUSH medicinal substances and their uses.
  • Launched on September 23, coinciding with Ayurveda Day.
• Miscellaneous National Developments:
  • AU Small Finance Bank: Received RBI approval to transition into a universal bank.
  • Sikkim Initiatives: Launched Ama Samman Divas, Nari Adalat, Ama Suvidha Ghar, and Ama Sashaktikaran Yojana. (Sikkim completed 50 years of statehood in 2025).
  • Semiconductor Projects: The Central government approved four new semiconductor projects (₹4594 crore) across Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Punjab.
  • AI-Based Artificial Rain: India's first experiment with AI-based artificial rain was conducted in Ramgarh, Jaipur, Rajasthan.
  • International Architecture Award 2025: Awarded to Gopinath Bardoloi International Airport in Assam.
  • Satellite Connectivity: Tata Group's nCore partnered with France's Eutelsat to provide OneWeb LEO satellite connectivity in India.
  • Judicial Probe: The Lok Sabha Speaker formed a three-member committee to investigate corruption allegations against Justice Yashwant Varma.
  • New Income Tax Bill: Set to become effective from April 1, 2026.
  • PM Vikasit Bharat Rozgar Yojana: Allocated approximately ₹99,446 crore (about ₹1 lakh crore).
  • India's Credit Rating: S&P upgraded India's credit rating from BBB- to BBB.
  • Sudarshan Chakra Mission: Launched by the Prime Minister for the security of key installations using indigenous technology.
  • Governor's Passing: Nagaland Governor La Ganesan passed away.
  • Space Lab: ISRO's space laboratory "Pasang Wangchuk Sona" is located in Arunachal Pradesh.
  • Sholay Film Golden Jubilee: The Maharashtra Postal Circle launched special picture postcards to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the film Sholay.
  • Speed Skating Trophy: India is set to host the first Asian Open Short Track Speed Skating Trophy in Uttarakhand.
  • Higher Education Commission: The Central government merged the University Grants Commission (UGC), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), and National Teaching Examinations into the Indian Higher Education Commission.
  • Varanasi Initiatives: Varanasi locomotive factory produced India's first removable solar power system for railway tracks; Varanasi also introduced an urban ropeway service.
  • Faceless GST Adjudication: Kerala adopted a faceless system for GST adjudication.

Awards & Sports

• Asian Surfing Championship: Ramesh Budiyal won a medal in the Open Men's category at the event in Tamil Nadu.
• Chess Grandmaster: Rohit Krishna became India's 89th Chess Grandmaster.
• ICC Men's Player of the Month (July 2025): Shubman Gill.
• Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2025: "Homebound" received the Best Film Award and is also India's official entry for the upcoming Oscar Awards.
• Miss Universe India 2025: Monika Vishwakarma from Rajasthan won the title.
• Cincinnati Open 2025 (Men's Singles): Carlos Alcaraz won the title.
• World Para Championship: Bhavina Patel (table tennis player) won Gold and Silver at the Spoken ITTF World Para Championship in the USA.
• BCCI President: Mithun Manhas was selected as the new president.
• Women's Ballon d'Or 2025: Aitana Bonmatí received the award.

Books

• "Why the Constitution Matters" by former Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud.

Festivals/Events

• Independence Day: India celebrated its 79th Independence Day on August 15, 2025.
• Rosh Hashanah: A festival observed by the Jewish community.
• Ayurveda Day: Celebrated on September 23.

Other

• Barren Island Volcano: Experienced low-intensity eruptions.