(FREE) UPSC Current Affairs 2025 PDF

NEW! The Gist (JUN-2025) | E-BOOKS

Gist of The Hindu : JULY-2025

Gist of The Hindu: JULY-2025

The Hindu Current Affairs Week-1 (Free Available)

The Hindu Current Affairs Week-2 (Only For The Subscribed Members)

The Hindu Current Affairs Week-3 (Only For The Subscribed Members)

The Hindu Current Affairs Week-4 (Only For The Subscribed Members)

National Institutional Ranking Framework

In a first, starting this year, the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) will award negative scores to higher educational institutions for papers that have been retracted from journals in the last three calendar years and their corresponding citations.

About National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF):

The NIRF is an initiative by the Indian government to assess and rank higher education institutions in the country.
It was launched in 2015 by the Ministry of Education.
It outlines a methodology to rank institutions across the country on the basis of defined parameters including:
Teaching, Learning, and Resources
Research and Professional Practices
Graduation Outcomes
Outreach and Inclusivity
Perception
Every year the Ministry releases NIRF rankings in different categories, including- Overall Ranking, University Ranking, Engineering Ranking, College Ranking, Management Ranking, Pharmacy Ranking, Law Ranking, Agriculture and Allied Sectors, Architecture Ranking, Medical Ranking, Dental and Research
Furthermore, for a simplified approach, the institutions are grouped as Category A (Institutions of National Importance, State Universities, Deemed-To-Be-Universities, Private Universities, and Autonomous institutions), and Category B (Institutions affiliated with a university).
It aims to facilitate students to make informed decisions about their education and encourages institutions to improve their standards and quality.
Each institute and university is evaluated and assessed every year, and the NIRF rank is updated annually.

Key highlights of NIRF 2024 Rankings:

MoE released the ninth edition of NIRF in August 2024.
The NIRF 2024 rankings have seen an increased participation of institutions over the years.
From 3,500 institutions in its inaugural year to over 6,500 unique institutions participating across 16 categories in 2024, there has been an impressive 86 percent increase in participation.
IIT Madras retains its 1st position in the Overall Category for the sixth consecutive year, i.e., 2019 to 2024, and in Engineering for the 9th consecutive year, , i.e. from 2016 to 2024.
Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru tops the Universities Category for the ninth consecutive year, i.e., from 2016 to 2024. It stood first in the Research Institutions Category for the fourth consecutive year, i.e., from 2021 to 2024.
IIM Ahmedabad tops in the Management subject retaining its first position for the fifth consecutive year, i.e., from 2020 to 2024.
AIIMS, New Delhi, occupies the top slot in Medical for the seventh consecutive year, i.e., from 2018 to 2024.
Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, tops the ranking in Pharmacy this year.
National Law School of India University, Bengaluru, retains its first position in Law.
The Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai, takes the top slot in Dental subject for the third consecutive year.
Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, takes the top slot in Agriculture and Allied Sectors for the second consecutive year.
IIT Roorkee retained its 1st position in Architecture and Planning for the fourth consecutive year.
IIT Kanpur tops in the Innovation category.

Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO)

Indian astronomers have successfully photographed the interstellar comet C/2025 N1 (ATLAS), also known as 3I/ATLAS, using the Himalayan Chandra Telescope (HCT) of the Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO) at Hanle, Ladakh.

About Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO):

The Indian Astronomical Observatory, also known as the Hanle Observatory, is located in the Hanle Valley, Ladakh.
It is situated at an altitude of 4500 metres above mean sea level to the north of Western Himalayas.
Inaugurated in 2001, the observatory is run by Bengaluru's Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA).
The site is a dry, cold desert with sparse human population and the ancient Hanle monastery as its nearest neighbour.
The cloudless skies and low atmospheric water vapour make it one of the best sites in the world for optical, infrared, sub-millimetre, and millimetre wavelengths.
It houses a 2-meter aperture Himalayan Chandra Telescope (HCT), which is remotely operated from the Centre for Research and Education in Science and Technology (CREST) in Bengaluru.
It also features a solar power plant, satellite-based communication systems, and a liquid nitrogen plant for cooling detectors.
Hanle is also home to a unique Dark Sky Reserve designated by the International Dark-Sky Association.
A Dark Sky Reserve is a designated area that aims to preserve and protect the quality of its night skies by minimising light pollution.
Dark Sky Reserves are typically located in areas with exceptional natural darkness and starry skies.
And Hanle, with less than 1000 people living in the village, is the perfect area.

Zimislecel Therapy

A small clinical trial, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, tested a therapy called zimislecel which can help in restoring insulin in people with type 1 diabetes.

About Zimislecel Therapy:

It is a new allogeneic stem cell-derived islet cell therapy in which islet cells are infused into the liver.
The pancreas contains clusters of cells that produce hormones. These clusters are known as islets.
Scientists made zimislecel by growing islets from pluripotent stem cells in the lab.
These are matured into functioning islets and infused into the hepatic portal vein.
The hope is that these cells will take root, survive, and begin producing insulin from within the body.
Zimislecel has the potential to restore the body’s ability to regulate glucose levels by restoring pancreatic islet cell function, including glucose-responsive insulin production
These lab-grown cells began producing insulin again, improving blood sugar control, preventing dangerous lows, and, in most cases, eliminating the need for insulin.

What is Type 1 Diabetes?

It is a condition in which your immune system destroys insulin-making cells in your pancreas. These are called beta cells.
When you have type 1 diabetes, your body produces very little or no insulin.
It requires daily administration of insulin to maintain blood glucose levels under control.
It is usually diagnosed in children and young people, so it used to be called juvenile diabetes.
Symptoms include excessive excretion of urine (polyuria), thirst (polydipsia), constant hunger, weight loss, vision changes, and fatigue.

Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 Awards

President of India recently conferred Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 Awards at Vigyan Bhagwan, New Delhi hosted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).

About Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 Awards:

Marking its 9th edition, Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 is the world's largest urban cleanliness survey and a key pillar of the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban.

Highlights:

In total, 78 awards were presented, recognising cities, cantonments, and institutions for their exemplary performance across a range of sanitation parameters.
Indore, Surat, and Navi Mumbai have once again secured the top spots in urban sanitation, emerging as the cleanest cities in the Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 rankings.
The three cities were ranked first, second, and third, respectively, in the newly introduced “Super Swachh League,” which recognises sustained excellence in cleanliness. Vijayawada followed closely, securing the fourth position.
This year’s Swachh Survekshan introduced a simplified and inclusive assessment framework, enabling smaller cities to compete on equal footing with larger counterparts under the principle of “One City, One Award.”
As a result, 34 cities from various States and Union Territories were declared Promising Swachh Shehars for their notable progress in sanitation and urban cleanliness.
Ahmedabad, Bhopal, and Lucknow were declared the new generation of top clean cities, emerging as India’s leading Swachh Shehars.
Prayagraj was honoured as the Best Ganga Town, while Secunderabad Cantonment Board was awarded for its strong sanitation efforts.
Visakhapatnam, Jabalpur, and Gorakhpur received recognition as the Best SafaiMitra Surakshit Shehars for prioritising the safety, dignity, and welfare of sanitation workers.
A special award was conferred upon the Government of Uttar Pradesh, the Prayagraj Mela Adhikari, and the Municipal Corporation of Prayagraj for successfully managing urban waste during the Mahakumbh, which saw a record footfall of approximately 66 crore people.

Three-Person In Vitro Fertilization Technique

Eight children in the UK have been spared from devastating genetic diseases thanks to a new three-person in vitro fertilization technique, scientists reported recently.

What is In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)?

It is a medical procedure used to assist individuals or couples who are facing fertility challenges in achieving pregnancy.
IVF is the most common and effective type of assisted reproductive technology (ART).

Process:

IVF is a complex process that involves retrieving eggs from ovaries and manually combining them with sperm in a lab for fertilization.
Several days after fertilization, the fertilized egg (now called an embryo) is placed inside a uterus.
Pregnancy occurs when this embryo implants itself into the uterine wall.
The procedure can be done using a couple’s own eggs and sperm. Or IVF may involve eggs, sperm or embryos from a known or anonymous donor.
The success rate of IVF depends on a number of factors, including reproductive history, maternal age, the cause of infertility, and lifestyle factors.

About Three-Person In Vitro Fertilization:

Most DNA is found in the nucleus of our cells, and it’s that genetic material—some inherited from mom, some from dad — that makes us who we are.
But there’s also some DNA outside of the cell’s nucleus, in structures called mitochondria.
Dangerous mutations there can cause a range of diseases in children that can lead to muscle weakness, seizures, developmental delays, major organ failure and death.
These disorders are inherited exclusively through the mother, as mitochondrial DNA is passed down maternally.
While men can suffer from mitochondrial disease, they do not transmit it to their children.
Currently, there is no cure for mitochondrial DNA disorders.

Slovenia

Recently, Slovenia approved a law to allow assisted dying, joining an increasing number of countries giving terminally-ill adults the right to end their lives if they face unbearable suffering.

About Slovenia:

It occupies the Central and South Eastern Europe
Bordering countries: It is bordered by 4 countries: Austria in the north; Hungary in the northeast; Italy in the west; and Croatia in the southeast. Slovenia also shares a small coastline along the Adriatic Sea in the southwest.
Slovenia has a highly elevated terrain with over 40% of the country being mountainous.
It is made up of portions of four major European geographic landscapes—the European Alps, the karstic Dinaric Alps, the Pannonian and Danubian lowlands and hills, and the Mediterranean coast.
Climate: Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate with mild to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and valleys to the east.
Highest point: Mount Triglav
Natural Resources: Lignite, lead, zinc, building stone, hydropower, forests
Economy: Slovenia has a developed market economy based primarily on services and trade. Its main industries include the manufacture of automotive parts, pharmaceuticals, and electrical appliances.
River: Major rivers include the Drava and Sava.
Capital City: Ljubljana.

Solar EruptioN Integral Field Spectrograph

NASA, along with a team of international solar physicists, will launch a sounding rocket Solar EruptioN Integral Field Spectrograph (SNIFS) experiment from New Mexico.

About Solar EruptioN Integral Field Spectrograph:

It is a sounding rocket designed to break new ground by using a unique set of capabilities to probe the most vexingly complex region of the solar atmosphere, the
The SNIFS rocket mission has a primary objective to explore the energetics and dynamics of the chromosphere using a next-generation solar spectral imager.
It is the first ever solar ultraviolet integral field spectrograph, an advanced technology combining an imager and a spectrograph.
Imagers capture photos and videos, which are good for seeing the combined light from a large field of view all at once.
Spectrographs dissect light into its various wavelengths, revealing which elements are present in the light source, their temperature, and how they’re moving — but only from a single location at a time.
The SNIFS mission combines these two technologies into one instrument.
It will observe a magnetically active region on the Sun and capture high-resolution spectroscopic data from both the chromosphere and the transition region — in real time
SNIFS will target the hydrogen Lyman-alpha line — the brightest line in the solar ultraviolet spectrum and one of the most powerful diagnostics for upper chromospheric conditions.

Pact for Future

India has reiterated its firm support for the Pact for the Future and its key annexes- the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations- during the third informal dialogue to review the agreement.

About Pact for Future:

It is the most wide-ranging international agreement covering entirely new areas and issues on which agreement has not been possible in decades.
Aim: It aims to strengthen global cooperation and accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
It ensures that international institutions can deliver in the face of a world that has changed dramatically since they were created.
Issues covered: The Pact covers a broad range of issues including peace and security, sustainable development, climate change, digital cooperation, human rights, gender, youth and future generations, and the transformation of global governance.
The Pact for the Future includes a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations.
It was adopted at the Summit of the Future held in New York in September 2024.
Its adoption demonstrates that countries are committed to an international system with the United Nations at its centre.

Gravitational Waves

Scientists working with a network of observatories located around the world recently reported that they had detected a powerful and unusual burst of gravitational waves, which they called GW231123.

About Gravitational Waves:

Gravitational waves are 'ripples' in space-time caused by some of the most violent and energetic processes in the Universe.
Albert Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves in 1916 in his general theory of relativity.
Einstein's mathematics showed that massive accelerating objects (things like neutron stars or black holes orbiting each other) would disrupt space-time in such a way that 'waves' of undulating space-time would propagate in all directions away from the source.
These cosmic ripples would travel at the speed of light, carrying with them information about their origins, as well as clues to the nature of gravity
These waves squeeze and stretch anything in their path as they pass by.
The frequency of the wave will depend on the masses of the objects, and the strength will depend on how far away the event occurs.
The strongest gravitational waves are produced by cataclysmic events such as colliding black holes, supernovae (massive stars exploding at the end of their lifetimes), and colliding neutron stars.
Other gravitational waves are predicted to be caused by the rotation of neutron stars that are not perfect spheres, and possibly even the remnants of gravitational radiation created by the Big Bang.

How do we know that gravitational waves exist?

In 2015, scientists detected gravitational waves for the very first time.
They used a very sensitive instrument called LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory).
These first gravitational waves happened when two black holes crashed into one another.
The collision happened 1.3 billion years ago. But the ripples didn’t make it to Earth until 2015.

Exercise SIMBEX

The Indian Navy will participate in the 32nd edition of exercise SIMBEX as part of its engagement with the Singapore Navy.

About Exercise SIMBEX:

The Singapore India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX) is conducted annually by the Indian Navy and the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN).
Background: SIMBEX, which began as 'Exercise Lion King' in 1994, has since evolved into one of the most significant bilateral maritime collaborations between the Indian Navy and the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN).
It holds the distinction of being the longest continuous naval exercise that the Indian Navy has with any other country.
The exercise supports India’s Vision SAGAR and Act East policy, focused on regional cooperation and maritime security.
The entire Indian Navy contingent comprising INS Delhi, Satpura, Shakti and Kiltan will participate in the exercise. These are indigenously built warships, equipped for modern naval operations.
The need for joint efforts is maritime safety, especially with rising threats like piracy and non-state actors.
Other Exercises with Singapore: Exercise AGNI WARRIOR (Military Exercise), Air Force Exercise Joint Military Training (JMT).

e-Truck Incentive Scheme

Recently, the Union Minister for Heavy Industries, Government of India, has launched a groundbreaking scheme to provide financial incentives for electric trucks (e-trucks) under the PM E-DRIVE initiative.

About e-Truck Incentive Scheme:

It aims to reduce operational costs for transporters, encourage clean energy adoption in the heavy vehicle segment, and enhance air quality in urban and industrial regions bringing India closer to a sustainable, low-carbon future.
It helps to accelerate India’s transition to clean, efficient, and sustainable freight mobility.
It is the first time the Government of India is extending direct support for electric trucks.

Features of the scheme

Under the scheme, demand incentives will be extended to N2 and N3 category electric trucks, as defined under the Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR).
The N2 category includes trucks with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) above 5 tonnes and up to 12 tonnes.
The N3 category covers trucks with GVW exceeding 12 tonnes and up to 55 tonnes.
In the case of articulated vehicles, incentives will apply only to the puller tractor of the N3 category.
To ensure reliability and performance, the scheme mandates comprehensive manufacturer-backed warranties.
The battery must be covered under a warranty for five years or 5 lakh kilometres, whichever is earlier.
The vehicle and motor must have a warranty of five years or 2.5 lakh kilometres, whichever is earlier.
To promote affordability, the incentive amount will depend on the GVW of the electric truck, with the maximum incentive set at ₹9.6 lakh per vehicle.
These incentives will be offered as an upfront reduction in the purchase price and reimbursed to OEMs via the PM E-DRIVE portal on a first-come, first-served basis.

Gini Index

India has emerged as the world’s fourth most equal society, with a Gini Index of 25.5, outpacing all G7 and G20 nations, according to the World Bank.

About Gini Index:

The Gini index, also called the Gini coefficient or Gini ratio, determines a nation's level of income inequality by measuring the income distribution or wealth distribution across its population.
The Gini index was developed in 1912 by Italian statistician Corrado Gini.
The coefficient of the Gini index ranges from 0 (or 0%) to 1 (or 100%), with 0 representing perfect equality and 1 representing perfect inequality.
To offer two hypothetical examples, if a nation were to have absolute income equality, with every person earning the same amount, its Gini score would be 0 (0%).
On the other hand, if one person earned all the income in a nation and the rest earned zero, the Gini coefficient would be 1 (100%).
Mathematically, the Gini coefficient is defined based on the Lorenz curve.
The Lorenz curve plots the percentiles of the population on the graph’s horizontal axis according to income or wealth, whichever is being measured.
The cumulative income or wealth of the population is plotted on the vertical axis.
The Gini index is not an absolute measure of a country’s income or wealth. The coefficient only measures the dispersion of income or wealth within a population.

India’s Gini Index:

According to the recent World Bank report, India’s Gini Index stands at 5, placing it as the fourth most equal country globally, behind only the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, and Belarus.
This performance not only surpasses regional peers like China, which holds a Gini score of 35.7, but also positions India ahead of every G7 and G20 nation in terms of income equality.
It marks a steady improvement from a Gini score of 8 in 2011 to 25.5 in 2022, signalling meaningful gains in bridging income gaps over the past decade.