SC Questions EC in Bihar | Govt's Pollution U-Turn | Dengue Vaccine | 13 July 2025
Daily Current Affairs Analysis: 13th July 2025
Presented by सुन लो यूपीएससी youtube channel
Sources of Information: PIB, The Hindu, The Indian Express and Credible Govt Websites.
Table of Contents
Part A: Polity, Governance, and Social Justice (GS Paper 2)
1. Electoral Integrity and Citizenship: The Bihar Electoral Roll Controversy
1.1. Context: Supreme Court's Hearing on Special Intensive Revision (SIR)
The Supreme Court of India is currently seized of a matter with profound implications for electoral democracy, hearing a series of petitions challenging the Election Commission of India's (ECI) decision to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. This exercise, which the ECI reports has already seen 80% of electors submit their enumeration forms, is the first comprehensive, door-to-door verification since 2004. The stated objective is to purify the electoral rolls by identifying and removing ineligible voters, including alleged illegal foreign migrants from neighbouring countries like Nepal, Bangladesh, and Myanmar.
The timing of the SIR, preceding the high-stakes Bihar assembly elections scheduled for the end of the year, has drawn sharp criticism and judicial scrutiny. The Supreme Court itself has questioned the timing, while opposition parties have voiced fears that the exercise could function as a "backdoor" National Register of Citizens (NRC), potentially leading to the disenfranchisement of genuine citizens. The ECI has clarified that this is the first phase of a nationwide programme.
1.2. Key Issues: ECI's Locus Standi & Aadhaar Exclusion
The controversy revolves around two central issues: the ECI's constitutional mandate and its chosen methodology.
First, the Supreme Court has raised fundamental questions about the ECI's jurisdiction to verify citizenship, a domain traditionally under the purview of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The bench pointedly asked the ECI, "Why are you getting into the citizenship issue...?". In its defence, the ECI has invoked Article 326 of the Constitution, which stipulates that a person must be a citizen of India to be eligible to vote, arguing that verifying this eligibility is intrinsic to its mandate of preparing accurate electoral rolls.
Second, the methodology of the SIR has become a major point of contention, specifically the ECI's exclusion of the Aadhaar card from its list of 11 acceptable documents for verification. This has created a paradoxical situation, as Aadhaar is widely used and accepted for initial voter registration via Form 6. The Supreme Court has suggested that the ECI, in the interest of justice, should consider including Aadhaar, the Elector's Photo Identity Card (EPIC) itself, and ration cards to prevent the mass exclusion of legitimate voters.
The core administrative vulnerability appears to be Form 6 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. This form allows an individual to register as a voter with a simple self-declaration of citizenship, supplemented by proof of age and residence, without demanding rigorous proof of nationality. This procedural loophole is seen as the primary mechanism through which non-citizens may have entered the electoral rolls over the years.
1.3. Constitutional and Legal Analysis
The issue sits at the intersection of several key legal provisions:
- Article 326 of the Constitution: This article is the bedrock of universal adult suffrage but explicitly predicates the right to vote on citizenship. While it provides the 'why' for the ECI's exercise, it does not detail the 'how', leaving the process open to interpretation and legal challenge.
- Representation of the People Act, 1950: This Act empowers the ECI to prepare and revise electoral rolls, and the SIR is a mechanism conducted under its provisions.
- Citizenship Act, 1955: This is the primary statute governing the determination of Indian citizenship. The petitioners' central argument is that the ECI, through an administrative process like the SIR, is making determinations on citizenship status—a complex legal and factual question that should be adjudicated under the framework of this Act.
- Separation of Powers: The Supreme Court's intervention highlights the delicate constitutional balance. By questioning the ECI's foray into citizenship verification, the judiciary is examining a potential blurring of lines between a constitutional body (ECI) and the executive's domain (MHA).
1.4. Significance and Broader Implications
The SIR controversy is far more than a procedural dispute. It represents a fundamental conflict between two constitutional imperatives: the ECI's mandate to ensure the purity of the electoral process and the democratic principle of preventing the disenfranchisement of legitimate citizens. The rigid application of a limited list of documents, while aimed at weeding out a relatively small number of ineligible voters, carries the significant risk of excluding a much larger number of poor, marginalized, or less-documented citizens who may rely on documents like Aadhaar. This transforms an administrative clean-up exercise into a potential crisis of democratic inclusion.
Furthermore, the ECI's insistence on proceeding with this form of verification, despite pointed questions from the judiciary about its domain, suggests a potential institutional overreach. The Commission is moving beyond its traditional role of conducting elections and into the quasi-judicial function of citizenship determination. This is not merely a revision of a list; it is the establishment of a new, de facto standard for validating citizenship for electoral purposes, a move with profound consequences that could set a precedent for the entire country. The controversy also starkly illuminates the legal and practical gap between Aadhaar's role as a proof of identity and its non-status as a proof of citizenship, a critical distinction that has significant policy implications.
2. Crisis in Higher Education: Addressing the Menace of Ragging
2.1. Context: Delhi High Court's Rebuke of UGC
In a scathing indictment of the nation's higher education regulator, the Delhi High Court has declared that the University Grants Commission's (UGC) anti-ragging framework has "utterly failed". The court's strong observations were made in light of a disturbing surge in ragging incidents and associated student deaths across the country. Signaling its grave concern, the court has indicated that it may initiate a suo motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL) to compel systemic reforms.
The judicial intervention is backed by alarming data. The UGC's own anti-ragging helpline registered 1,084 complaints in the previous year, the highest in nine years, and this upward trend has reportedly continued into 2025. Medical colleges have emerged as the worst-affected institutions, accounting for 40% of all complaints.
2.2. Analysis of Existing Framework and Implementation Gaps
India possesses a comprehensive anti-ragging framework on paper. This includes the UGC Regulations on Curbing the Menace of Ragging in Higher Educational Institutions, 2009, a 24x7 national helpline, the mandatory submission of anti-ragging affidavits by students and parents, and punitive provisions under the Indian Penal Code, such as Section 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and Section 506 (criminal intimidation).
However, the Delhi High Court's critique, and an earlier observation by the Supreme Court in March 2025 that the regulations remain "largely on paper," points to a catastrophic failure in implementation. This is evidenced by the fact that, according to an RTI disclosure, only a minuscule 4.49% of students actually comply with the requirement to submit the mandatory annual affidavit.
A critical point of failure identified in court is the National Ragging Prevention Programme's helpline. According to submissions by the Aman Satya Kachroo Trust (ASKT)—founded by the father of a student who died due to ragging in 2009—the helpline has degenerated into a mere "referral call centre". Key features that had previously made it effective, such as independent monitoring, the ability to lodge anonymous complaints, and the public reporting of data and compliance, were reportedly discontinued after the UGC handed over the programme's management to a new agency in 2022. This shift appears to have replaced a mission-driven, empathetic approach with a purely bureaucratic one, leading to a collapse in the system's efficacy and transparency.
2.3. The Role of Judiciary and Social Justice Implications
The Delhi High Court's threat of a suo motu PIL is a classic example of the judiciary stepping in to fill a governance vacuum created by regulatory failure. This follows a pattern of judicial activism on this issue, including a Supreme Court directive in early 2025 to establish a National Task Force to address the broader crisis of student mental health.
The link between ragging and mental health is stark. A 2024 National Medical Commission survey of postgraduate students revealed that 31% had experienced suicidal thoughts, while ragging-related deaths have more than doubled from an average of seven per year before 2022 to seventeen per year since. Ragging is not merely an issue of indiscipline; it is a profound social justice issue. It often targets and disproportionately harms students from rural, non-English speaking, and marginalized caste and class backgrounds, creating an environment of fear that can lead to dropouts and perpetuate deep-seated social inequalities. As the court observed, the true cost is borne by those who are forced to abandon their education and dreams.
The persistence of ragging is a symptom of a deeper institutional malaise. It reflects a culture of impunity, a breakdown of the student-faculty relationship, and an environment where perverse power hierarchies are expressed through violence and humiliation. The justification offered by some senior students—that they are "preparing" juniors for the pressures of professional life—reveals a shocking normalization of abuse within the educational system itself. This suggests that the problem is not just the actions of a few students, but the very institutional culture that creates the conditions for such behaviour to thrive. Therefore, any meaningful solution must go beyond punishing individual perpetrators and address the systemic failures of accountability within college administrations and the UGC itself.
Part B: International Relations (GS Paper 2)
3. India's Diplomatic Tightrope: EAM's Visit to Singapore and China
3.1. Context: EAM's Visit and SCO Meeting
India's External Affairs Minister (EAM), Dr. S. Jaishankar, is undertaking a significant three-day visit to Singapore and the People's Republic of China from July 13-15, 2025. The visit to Singapore involves bilateral discussions with the country's leadership, described as part of the "regular exchanges" between the two nations. The subsequent leg of the journey will take the EAM to Tianjin, China, for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers' Meeting. This marks the EAM's first visit to China in over five years, a period characterized by immense bilateral friction, and is seen as a preparatory engagement ahead of a potential visit by the Prime Minister for the SCO Summit later in the year.
3.2. India-Singapore Strategic Partnership: Pillar of 'Act East' Policy
The engagement in Singapore reaffirms a stable and robust relationship. Singapore stands as a cornerstone of India's 'Act East' Policy and its broader vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific. The partnership is multi-faceted, encompassing deep cooperation in defence, trade and investment, digitalization, education, and skills development. This visit serves to reinforce this strategic alignment, which provides India with a crucial anchor in the dynamic Southeast Asian region.
3.3. India-China Relations: Navigating 'Managed Contestations'
In stark contrast, the engagement in China occurs against a backdrop of what analysts term "managed contestations" or "tactical civility". While dialogue is being maintained, the core disputes that have frozen the relationship since the 2020 border clashes remain unresolved, despite a border agreement reported in October 2024. Key friction points persist, including the military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), China's use of economic levers like restricting rare earth magnet exports, its all-weather partnership with Pakistan, and the growing competition for influence across the Global South. The diplomatic interactions are thus seen less as a sign of a breakthrough and more as a performance of diplomacy to prevent further escalation while fundamental disagreements fester.
3.4. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)
The SCO presents a complex arena for Indian diplomacy. On one hand, it is an indispensable platform for engaging with Central Asian nations and for articulating India's core security concerns, most notably on the issue of cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan. On the other hand, it is a multilateral body where Chinese influence is predominant.
In recent years, India has demonstrated a clear shift in its approach within the SCO, moving from a consensus-oriented participant to a more assertive actor willing to register its dissent publicly. This has been evident in India's refusal to endorse joint communiques that either omit references to specific terror attacks of concern to India or include language it opposes. This strategy indicates that New Delhi is increasingly using the SCO not just for cooperation but as a stage to contest China's narrative and assert its own strategic autonomy, signaling that it will not accept consensus at the cost of its core principles.
The EAM's visit, therefore, perfectly encapsulates India's contemporary foreign policy of "multi-alignment". It is not a binary choice between geopolitical blocs but an active, issue-based engagement across competing platforms. The visit to a key partner like Singapore, which is aligned with the West and a fellow Quad invitee, immediately followed by participation in the China-led SCO, demonstrates a sophisticated diplomatic posture. India is embedding itself in multiple, often contradictory, forums to the extent that it serves its national interest, a clear evolution from non-alignment to a more proactive, multi-directional strategy. The SCO, in this context, has become a public barometer for the health of the India-China relationship, where the tactical manoeuvres, public statements, and points of disagreement often reveal more about their true strategic competition than the carefully worded bilateral readouts.
4. Global Security Watch: IS-Affiliated ADF Attack in DR Congo
4.1. Context: Massacre in Eastern DR Congo
A brutal attack in the Irumu area of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has resulted in the death of 66 civilians. The massacre, described as a "bloodbath" by a UN mission spokesperson, was carried out by militants from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). The victims were reportedly hacked to death with machetes. The attack is believed to be a retaliation for an ongoing, escalating military campaign against the group by a joint force of Congolese and Ugandan armies.
4.2. Profile of the ADF: From Local Insurgency to Global Terror Franchise
The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) represents a textbook case of the evolution of a local conflict into a component of the global jihadist movement. The group originated in the late 1990s as a Ugandan Islamist rebel faction, with its primary grievance against the Ugandan government. Over time, it established bases in the remote and poorly governed border regions of North Kivu in the DRC.
A pivotal moment in its evolution occurred in 2019, when the group was publicly embraced by the leadership of the Islamic State (IS) and rebranded as its Central African branch, often referred to as ISIS-DRC. This affiliation transformed the group's trajectory. It is now considered one of the most lethal militant organizations in the region, responsible for the deaths of thousands of civilians and known for tactics of indiscriminate killing, ambushes, kidnappings, and, more recently, the use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and suicide bombings.
4.3. Implications for Regional Stability and UN Peacekeeping
This violence is a symptom of the deeply interconnected "regional conflict system" in Africa's Great Lakes region. The area is plagued by a vicious cycle of instability fueled by porous borders, historical and ethnic grievances, competition over vast mineral resources, and the persistent presence of numerous domestic and foreign armed groups.
The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) has been deployed in the country for over two decades, tasked with protecting civilians and supporting the state. However, the ADF's lethality and the escalating violence highlight the immense challenges faced by the peacekeeping mission. A planned withdrawal of MONUSCO has been repeatedly delayed, underscoring the fragility of the security situation and the difficulty of transitioning security responsibilities to national forces that are still struggling to contain the threat.
This dynamic illustrates a classic "peacekeeping trap". The UN mission's presence is vital to prevent a complete security collapse and a larger humanitarian catastrophe. Yet, its long-term deployment has not resolved the underlying drivers of conflict and may create a state of dependency. The mission is caught in an impossible position: an indefinite stay is politically and financially unsustainable, but a premature departure could trigger even greater violence. This is a critical challenge for the future of UN peacekeeping in complex, asymmetric conflict environments.
For India, these developments are relevant on two fronts. As a nation that closely tracks the global spread of terrorist ideologies, the ADF's successful integration into the ISIS franchise model is a significant security concern. Secondly, as a major and consistent contributor of troops to UN peacekeeping operations, the operational and strategic dilemmas faced by MONUSCO in the DRC offer crucial lessons that inform India's own policies on international peace and security.
Part C: Economy, Environment, Science & Tech, and Security (GS Paper 3)
5. Environmental Governance Under Scrutiny: The FGD Exemption for Coal Power Plants
5.1. Context: Environment Ministry's Policy Shift
In a significant reversal of environmental policy, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has issued a notification that exempts a vast majority of India's coal-based thermal power plants from installing mandatory pollution-control equipment. The new rules fully exempt around 78% of the country's thermal power capacity—classified as 'Category C' plants located away from critically polluted areas—from the requirement to install Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) systems.
Furthermore, the deadline for 'Category A' plants, those situated in or near densely populated or critically polluted areas, has been extended yet again, from December 2024 to December 2027. This decision effectively dismantles the stringent emission standards for Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) that were first notified in December 2015 with a two-year compliance timeline.
5.2. Scientific and Environmental Impact
FGD technology is the primary method for capturing and removing SO2—a harmful pollutant—from the exhaust flue gases of power plants.
SO2 in the atmosphere contributes to the formation of secondary particulate matter, specifically PM2.5, which are microscopic particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream, causing a range of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. It is also a primary precursor to acid rain.
The government's decision is based on the recommendations of an expert committee which argued that the mandate was unnecessary due to three main factors: India's ambient SO2 levels are generally within national norms; Indian coal has a low sulphur content; and the contribution of SO2 to particulate matter formation is "insignificant".
However, this rationale is fiercely contested by independent environmental and energy experts. They argue that the committee's findings are flawed and ignore the fundamental science of air pollution. Power plants, with their tall chimneys, do not eliminate pollution but disperse it over vast distances. This transforms a localized SO2 issue into a regional PM2.5 crisis, as the gas converts into harmful sulphate particles in the atmosphere. This transboundary pollution can impact air quality and public health hundreds of kilometres downwind, making the location-based categorization of plants scientifically unsound. This policy essentially allows power plants to engage in a "pollution shell game," exporting their emissions and making it nearly impossible to hold any single source accountable for the resulting health crisis in downwind regions.
5.3. Policy Incoherence and Economic Considerations
This dilution of domestic pollution standards appears to be in direct contradiction with India's broader international commitments on climate and environment, including its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement and its long-term goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2070.
The policy shift is a clear outcome of a long-standing conflict between the MoEFCC and the Ministry of Power. The Power Ministry and thermal power producers have consistently lobbied for deadline extensions, citing the high capital costs of FGD installation, the limited number of technology vendors, and the potential for increased electricity tariffs. The new notification suggests that these economic arguments have prevailed over public health and environmental concerns, pointing towards a classic case of regulatory capture, where the interests of the regulated industry have heavily influenced the policy outcome.
6. Public Health Milestone: India's Indigenous Dengue Vaccine
6.1. Context: Phase-3 Trial Nears Completion
India is on the cusp of a major public health breakthrough as the Phase-3 clinical trial for its first indigenous dengue vaccine, named 'DengiAll', approaches the completion of its enrollment phase. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), approximately 8,000 of the targeted 10,000 to 10,335 healthy participants have already been enrolled in the trial.
This pivotal trial is a multi-center, double-blind, randomised, and placebo-controlled study—the gold standard for clinical research—being conducted across 20 sites in India. The vaccine has been developed through a collaboration between Panacea Biotec and the ICMR.
6.2. The Science and Significance of the Vaccine
'DengiAll' is a tetravalent vaccine, meaning it is engineered to provide protection against all four known serotypes of the dengue virus (DENV-1, 2, 3, and 4). This is critically important for India, where multiple serotypes often circulate simultaneously in the same regions. The vaccine is based on a live-attenuated viral strain (TV003/TV005) that was originally developed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States. Panacea Biotec has further developed this strain into a finished vaccine formulation.
A key strategic advantage of 'DengiAll' is its single-dose formulation. This is expected to significantly simplify the logistics and reduce the costs of mass immunization campaigns, offering a distinct edge over existing international dengue vaccines like Sanofi's Dengvaxia and Takeda's QDENGA, which require multiple doses.
The development timeline projects the completion of enrollment by October 2025. This will be followed by a mandatory two-year follow-up period for all participants to monitor long-term safety and efficacy. The final data is expected to be ready for submission to regulatory authorities for approval in late 2027.
6.3. The Burden of Dengue and 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'
Dengue represents a formidable public health challenge for India. The country bears a substantial portion of the global dengue burden, with official case numbers widely believed to be a dramatic underestimation of the true incidence. Currently, there is no specific antiviral treatment or a licensed vaccine available in India to combat the disease.
The successful development of 'DengiAll' is therefore a landmark achievement for India's 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' (self-reliant India) mission in the critical sectors of pharmaceuticals and biotechnology. Beyond its immediate public health impact, the vaccine is a powerful strategic asset for India's health diplomacy. Its single-dose, potentially lower-cost profile makes it an ideal candidate for a 'Vaccine Maitri' style initiative, allowing India to provide a home-grown, practical solution to a shared health threat across the dengue-endemic Global South, thereby enhancing its soft power and leadership in global health security. The entire journey of this vaccine—from lab to mass deployment—will also serve as a crucial litmus test for the capacity and efficiency of India's health ecosystem, including its research bodies, regulatory authorities, and public health delivery systems.
7. Integrating Medical Systems: The 'Shalyacon 2025' Initiative
7.1. Context: National Seminar 'Shalyacon 2025'
The All-India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) in New Delhi is hosting 'Shalyacon 2025', a three-day national seminar with the ambitious theme of "Innovation, Integration, and Inspiration". The event, organized in collaboration with the National Sushruta Association, aims to explore and promote the integration of Ayurvedic surgical practices (Shalya Tantra) with modern medical and surgical techniques. A key highlight of the seminar is the demonstration of live surgeries, including modern laparoscopic procedures alongside traditional anorectal and urosurgical techniques, showcasing a blend of ancient wisdom and contemporary technology.
7.2. Government Policy and Challenges
This initiative is a manifestation of the government's broader policy to mainstream traditional medicine under the National Ayush Mission (NAM). The mission seeks to increase public access to AYUSH services, upgrade educational institutions, and foster an environment of medical pluralism and integration.
However, the path to meaningful integration is fraught with significant challenges. There is a widely acknowledged lack of rigorous, evidence-based research on many Ayurvedic treatments that meets the standards of modern science. Issues of standardization of complex herbal formulations, quality control, and a coherent regulatory framework remain unresolved. Furthermore, fundamental differences in the philosophical underpinnings and terminologies of Ayurveda and modern medicine create cultural and practical barriers to seamless integration.
7.3. The Critical Debate: Integrate First or Reform First?
The government's strong push for integration has ignited a critical debate. Proponents envision a holistic healthcare system that leverages Ayurveda's strengths, particularly in preventive health and the management of chronic, lifestyle-related diseases.
Conversely, many in the scientific and medical community argue that this top-down push for integration is premature and potentially risky. They contend that Ayurveda must first undergo a process of internal reform and renewal. This would involve systematically validating its practices through modern research methodologies, sifting scientifically verifiable knowledge from obsolete or metaphysical concepts, and establishing stringent standards to ensure safety and efficacy. Critics warn that forcing a "melange" of the two systems without this foundational work could compromise the integrity and epistemic autonomy of both, ultimately undermining patient safety.
This policy push can be viewed through two lenses. On one hand, it reflects a form of "medical nationalism," a commendable effort to elevate and globalize India's rich heritage of traditional knowledge. However, this political and cultural project appears to be moving faster than the necessary scientific groundwork, creating a risk that ideology could outpace evidence. On the other hand, a more pragmatic driver may be the need to address India's massive healthcare provider deficit, especially in rural areas. By upskilling the large existing cadre of AYUSH practitioners with certain surgical and medical competencies, the government may be attempting to expand the healthcare workforce. This is a potential high-reward strategy to improve healthcare access, but it is also fraught with high risks if training, quality control, and a clear demarcation of roles are not rigorously defined and enforced.
8. Combating Narco-Trafficking: Diversifying Threats on the India-Nepal Border
8.1. Context: Major MDMA Seizure
In a significant operation, the Uttarakhand Police have arrested a woman near the India-Nepal border in the Champawat district and seized 5.688 kg of MDMA (Methylenedioxymethamphetamine), a potent synthetic psychoactive drug commonly known as ecstasy. The seized contraband is estimated to be worth over Rs 10 crore in the international market. The accused has been booked under the stringent provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and the investigation has pointed towards a wider network.
8.2. The India-Nepal Border: A Porous Frontier
The India-Nepal border is characterized by its length, porous nature, and a visa-free movement regime, which makes it a highly vulnerable corridor for a range of illicit activities, including narco-trafficking. Traditionally, this route has been notorious for a two-way smuggling trade: cannabis (marijuana) and hashish are trafficked from the hill districts of Nepal into India, while controlled pharmaceutical drugs and narcotic injections are smuggled from India into Nepal. Towns like Bardibas in Nepal have emerged as major transit hubs for this illicit trade.
8.3. A Strategic Shift in Trafficking Patterns
The seizure of a large, commercial quantity of a high-value synthetic "party drug" like MDMA on this border marks a significant and alarming evolution in trafficking patterns. It indicates that transnational criminal syndicates are diversifying their products and routes, moving beyond traditional plant-based or pharmaceutical drugs. This suggests that the India-Nepal border is now being exploited as a new, potentially less-monitored corridor for smuggling high-end narcotics from global production centers to meet the demand in India's urban markets.
This development can be seen as an example of the "balloon effect" in counter-narcotics. As enhanced surveillance and enforcement pressure increases on traditional trafficking routes—such as the western border with Pakistan or maritime channels—criminal networks are forced to seek paths of least resistance. The difficult terrain and open nature of the India-Nepal border present an attractive alternative. This strategic shift requires a commensurate adaptation in the intelligence and enforcement posture of Indian security agencies, who can no longer profile this border based on traditional threats alone and must be prepared to counter the influx of new and more dangerous synthetic drugs. The NDPS Act provides the legal framework for this fight, which is critical not only for public health but also for national security, given the well-established links between drug trafficking and the financing of terrorism.
Part D: Prelims-Oriented Facts
| Category | Key Information |
|---|---|
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | 'Maratha Military Landscapes of India' inscribed on the list. |
| Dengue Vaccine | Name: 'DengiAll'; Developed by: Panacea Biotec & ICMR; Type: Tetravalent, live-attenuated; Strain: TV003/TV005 (from NIH, U.S.). |
| Environmental Tech | Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD): Technology to remove Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) from the flue gas of coal-fired power plants. |
| International Terrorism | Allied Democratic Forces (ADF): IS-affiliated terror group (also called ISIS-DRC) active in DR Congo and Uganda. |
| Government Initiative | Shalyacon 2025: National seminar on Ayurvedic surgery, organized by All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA). Theme: "Innovation, Integration, and Inspiration". |
| International Forum | SCO Council of Foreign Ministers' Meeting (2025): Held in Tianjin, China. |
| Government Campaign | Fit India Sundays on Cycle: 31st edition features PSUs and The Great Khali to promote fitness and combat obesity. |
| Legal/Constitutional Term | Special Intensive Revision (SIR): A comprehensive, door-to-door exercise by the ECI to verify and purify electoral rolls. |
| Narcotics | MDMA (Methylenedioxymethamphetamine): A synthetic psychoactive drug, also known as ecstasy. Seized on the India-Nepal border. |
Part E: Mains Practice Question
The Environment Ministry's recent exemption of a majority of thermal power plants from installing Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) systems represents a significant policy shift. Critically analyze the scientific, economic, and public health implications of this decision. Does this move align with India's long-term environmental commitments and the principle of sustainable development? (250 words)
Part F: Motivation for Aspirants
The path to the Civil Services is a marathon, not a sprint. It demands not just intelligence but immense resilience and unwavering consistency. There will be days of doubt and moments of fatigue. In these times, remember the words of Swami Vivekananda:
"Arise, awake, and, stop not till the goal is reached."
Each day of preparation, each chapter read, and each answer written is a step closer to that goal. Your present circumstances do not define your destination; they only determine your starting point. The journey itself is transformative. Stay focused, stay determined, and believe in the power of your persistent hard work.
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