UPSC Current Affairs – 30 June 2025 | Sunlo UPSC

UPSC 2025: Current Affairs Analysis, June 30

UPSC 2025: Current Affairs Analysis, June 30

"Believe you can and you're halfway there." - A word of motivation for my fellow aspirants. Keep up the hard work. I believe in you.

Table of Contents

Part I: GS Paper 2 - Polity, Governance, Social Justice & International Relations

1.1 POLITY & GOVERNANCE

ONE YEAR OF NEW CRIMINAL LAWS: A REPORT CARD ON BNS, BNSS & BSA

A year after replacing colonial-era laws with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), the reforms show a mixed picture. The stated aim was to 'decolonise' the justice system, shifting focus from punishment to justice.

The Good: The new laws promote a 'digital push' with tools like the 'e-Sakshya' app for digital evidence collection and mandatory audio-video recording of procedures like search and seizure. This aims to increase transparency and accountability.

The Bad: Implementation is hampered by a significant digital infrastructure deficit. Many police forces lack government-issued devices, forcing them to use personal phones, which raises privacy and evidence security concerns. The digital chain is also incomplete, as courts are not fully integrated with the evidence cloud.

The Ugly: Critics argue the new laws retain a colonial spirit, enhancing state power. The period for police custody has been expanded, and a new provision (Section 150 BNS) replacing sedition is seen as vague and potentially misused to stifle dissent.

CLEANING THE SLATE: ECI'S CRACKDOWN ON UNRECOGNISED POLITICAL PARTIES (RUPPS)

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has initiated proceedings to delist 345 Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs). These parties were found to be non-functional, having not contested elections since 2019 and failing to comply with statutory requirements like filing financial reports. This move aims to curb the use of such parties as conduits for money laundering, as they enjoy 100% tax exemption on donations.

1.2 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

INDIA'S 'GLOBAL SOUTH' PUSH: PM'S VISIT TO GHANA AND TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

Prime Minister Modi's visit is part of India's outreach to the Global South. In Ghana, talks will focus on economic cooperation, defence, and critical minerals. In Trinidad & Tobago, the agenda includes pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, and diaspora connections. The visit showcases India's strategy of being a 'Leading Power' of the Global South, offering development partnerships as an alternative to debt-trap diplomacy.

1.3 SOCIAL JUSTICE & HEALTH

THE SILENT EPIDEMIC: WHO'S GLOBAL REPORT ON LONELINESS

A WHO report has declared loneliness a global public health threat, affecting 1 in 6 people worldwide. It is linked to severe health risks like stroke, heart disease, and depression. The report is a wake-up call for India, with its rapid urbanization and changing family structures, to integrate social and mental well-being into its public health agenda.

Part II: GS Paper 3 - Economy, S&T, Environment & Security

2.1 THE INDIAN ECONOMY

RBI'S FINANCIAL STABILITY REPORT (FSR): A HEALTH CHECK-UP

The RBI's latest Financial Stability Report (FSR) paints a picture of resilience for the Indian economy. The banking sector is robust, with the Gross Non-Performing Assets (GNPA) ratio at a multi-decadal low of 2.3%. Macro stress tests show that even under a severe adverse scenario, no bank would breach the minimum capital requirement, highlighting the system's capacity to absorb shocks.

EIGHT YEARS OF GST: HITS, MISSES, AND THE ROAD AHEAD

GST has been a structural success, doubling revenue collections and expanding the formal economy. However, challenges remain, including a complex multi-slab rate structure, the exclusion of key sectors like petroleum and electricity, and the non-functionality of the GST Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT).

2.2 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

THE QUANTUM LEAP: AMARAVATI'S QUANTUM VALLEY AND THE IBM-2 COMPUTER

Andhra Pradesh is establishing a "Quantum Valley" in Amaravati, a flagship initiative under the National Quantum Mission. The centerpiece will be an IBM Quantum System Two with a 156-qubit 'Heron' processor, the first of its kind in South Asia. This project represents India's strategic shift towards building sovereign capability in 'deep tech'.

2.3 ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY & DISASTER MANAGEMENT

MONSOON FURY: FLOODS AND LANDSLIDES IN KERALA

The early arrival of the southwest monsoon has caused devastation in Kerala. This recurring tragedy highlights the deadly interplay between natural hazards (intense rainfall) and human-induced vulnerability (unregulated quarrying, deforestation, and unscientific construction), underscoring the unheeded warnings of the Gadgil and Kasturirangan Committee reports.

Part III: GS Paper 1 - Heritage, Culture & Geography

3.1 CULTURE IN THE NEWS: THE MAHABODHI TEMPLE CASE

The Supreme Court declined to hear a plea seeking to transfer the management of the Mahabodhi Mahavira temple in Bodh Gaya (a UNESCO World Heritage site) to Buddhists. The Court directed the petitioner to the Patna High Court. The case touches upon the history of Buddhism and the legal frameworks governing major religious institutions in India.

Key Facts for Prelims

  • New Criminal Laws: Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA).
  • 'e-Sakshya' App: A mobile application for real-time digital evidence collection by police.
  • RUPPs: Registered Unrecognised Political Parties. The ECI is delisting 345 of them.
  • Mahabodhi Temple: A UNESCO World Heritage Site in Bodh Gaya, Bihar.
  • RBI's FSR Projections (FY26): Real GDP growth at 6.5%; CPI inflation at 3.7%.
  • Amaravati Quantum Valley: Will host an IBM Quantum System Two with a 156-qubit Heron processor.
  • Gp. Capt. Shubhanshu Shukla: Indian astronaut conducting experiments on the International Space Station (ISS).

PRELIMS READY QUIZ

1. What are the three new criminal laws that replaced the colonial-era codes?

2. What is the name of the mobile app launched for real-time digital evidence collection by police?

3. The Mahabodhi Temple, recently in news, is located in which state?

4. The Amaravati Quantum Valley will host a quantum computer with which processor?

5. What does RUPP stand for in the context of the Election Commission of India's recent actions?

Mains Practice Questions

  1. GS Paper 2 (Governance): The new criminal laws aim to modernise the justice system through technology but are also criticised for potentially enhancing state power. Critically analyse the successes and challenges of the BNS, BNSS, and BSA after one year of implementation.
  2. GS Paper 3 (Economy): While the Goods and Services Tax (GST) has been a structural success, several procedural and federal challenges persist. Discuss the key pending reforms required for 'GST 2.0' to realise its full potential.
  3. GS Paper 3 (Environment & Disaster Management): The recurring floods and landslides in Kerala are a tragic reminder of the consequences of unsustainable development in ecologically fragile zones. Suggest a multi-pronged strategy for disaster risk reduction in the Western Ghats.

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