The value of Current Affairs in Civil Service Examinations is enormous. This is the most critical part of both Prelims and Mains Exam. Aspirants should study in depth to understand the significance of current affairs for the Union Public Service Commission. In fact, all the questions in Civil Service Exams are framed around current affairs. Questions are not asked directly for current news and information in the exam. Questions are framed by combining current affairs with practical knowledge. The primary motive behind this type of strategy is to check the ability of correlation a candidate can make to the fact.
Current Affairs
India-US armies to Begin war game in Alaska
Sep 25, 2023
The 19th edition of “EXERCISE YUDH ABHYAS” will be conducted from 25th September to 8th October 2023 in Fort Wainwright, Alaska, USA.
EXERCISE YUDH ABHYAS is an annual exercise conducted jointly by the Indian Army and the United States Army. The previous edition of the Exercise was conducted in Auli, Uttarakhand, India in November 2022.
Indian Army contingent comprising of 350 personnel will participate in this edition of the Exercise. The lead battalion from Indian side is affiliated to MARATHA Light Infantry Regiment. 1-24 Infantry Battalion of 1st Brigade Combat Team will participate from the US side. Both sides will practice a series of tactical drills to enhance interoperability in conducting UN peacekeeping operations. Personnel from both sides will also hold detailed discussions to share their experiences and best practices. The theme of the Exercise is ‘Employment of an Integrated Battle Group in Mountain/ Extreme Climatic Conditions’ under Chapter VII of United Nations mandate.
A Command Post Exercise and Expert Academic Discussions on selected topics will also form part of the schedule. The scope of the Field Training Exercise includes validation of Integrated Battle Groups against hostile forces at the Brigade level, Integrated Surveillance Grid at the Brigade/ Battalion level, employment of Heliborne/ Airborne elements and Force Multipliers, validation of logistics and casualty management during operations, evacuation and combat medical aid and other aspects as applicable to High Altitude Areas and Extreme Climatic Conditions.
The Exercise will also involve exchange of views and best practices in drills on a wide spectrum of combat skills including combat engineering, obstruction clearance, mine and Improvised Explosive Devices warfare. “EX YUDH ABHYAS-23” will facilitate both Armies to mutually learn from each other and further strengthen the bonds between the two armies.
Chief of Defence Staff visits Karwar Naval Base
Sep 25, 2023
Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan visited the Naval Base at Karwar in Karnataka and aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya on September 23, 2023.
He assessed the progress of critical infrastructure, accommodation and other strategic initiatives at the Naval Base.
INS Kadamba or Naval Base Karwar or Project Seabird is an Indian Navy base located near Karwar in Karnataka.
The Navy's aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya is based at Karwar. The Indian Navy is expanding the strategically crucial naval base in Karnataka's Karwar as part of project 'Seabird'.
Karwar is the home base of the only aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya
Key Takeaways
- Karwar Naval Base is also known as Project Seabird
- Karwar is a premier base of Indian Navy on the western seaboard.
Indian Standards on Biofuel to Aid GBA’s Clean Energy Goals
Sep 26, 2023
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) commits to complement the green initiatives of the country through development of relevant standards.
BIS is the National Standards Body of India.
BIS also announced that the Indian Standards will significantly complement the objectives of Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA), the multilateral forum announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during G20 leaders’ summit held recently in New Delhi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA) on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in New Delhi.
The Global Biofuels Alliance (GBA) is an India-led initiative to develop an alliance of Governments, International organizations and Industry to facilitate adoption of biofuels.
Aims of the GBA
- The GBA aims to position biofuels as a key to energy transition and contribute to jobs and economic growth.
- It aims to bring together the biggest consumers and producers of biofuels to drive biofuels development and deployment,
- This new initiative will support worldwide development and deployment of sustainable biofuels by offering capacity-building exercises across the value chain, technical support for national programs and promoting policy lessons-sharing.
GBA will help accelerate India's existing biofuels programs such as PM-JIVANYojna, SATAT, and GOBARdhan scheme, thereby contributing to increased farmers' income, creating jobs and overall development of the Indian ecosystem.
The GBA will also help strengthen India's position globally as the GBA will focus on collaboration and will provide additional opportunities to Indian industries in the form of exporting technology and exporting equipment.
India Smart Cities Conclave 2023 Underway In Indore
Sep 26, 2023
India Smart Cities Conclave 2023 is being held at the Brilliant Convention Centre, Indore, Madhya Pradesh on 26-27th September 2023.
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Government of India is organizing the India Smart Cities Conclave 2023
The Conclave is witnessing participation of all 100 smart cities who are leading a paradigm shift in the practice of city development by being at the forefront of urban innovation.
The event will provide a platform for the cities to showcase their exemplary work done under the Mission to help crystallize roadmap for future of urban transformation in the country.
The President, Smt. DroupadiMurmu will be felicitating the winners of the fourth edition of the India Smart Cities Award Contest (ISAC) 2022 on 27th September 2023.
The ISAC is being organized under the Smart Cities Mission, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India since 2018. This is one of the important activities initiated under the Mission, where pioneering city strategies, projects and ideas are recognized to award exemplary performance, enable peer-peer learning and disseminate best practices.
Smart Cities Mission was launched in 2015. It is aimed at providing core infrastructure, clean and sustainable environment and a decent quality of life to their citizens through the application of ‘smart solutions’.
It is a transformational mission aimed to bring about a paradigm shift in the practice of urban development in the country.
As on date, 6,000+ projects worth more than Rs.1 lakh crore have been completed and the remaining projects will be completed by 30 June 2024.
MS Swaminathan, Father Of India's Green Revolution, Passes Away
Sep 29, 2023
M.S. Swaminathan, the renowned Indian agricultural scientist and the driving force behind India's Green Revolution, passed away on Thursday, at the age of 98.
Known as the "Father of Economic Ecology" by the United Nations Environment Programme, Swaminathan's groundbreaking work in the 1960s and 1970s revolutionised Indian agriculture, helping the country to stave off widespread famine and achieve self-sufficiency in food production.
Swaminathan's pioneering efforts involved the development and introduction of high-yielding varieties of wheat and rice, which significantly increased food grain production across India.
Swaminathan's pioneering efforts involved the development and introduction of high-yielding varieties of wheat and rice, which significantly increased food grain production across India.
His innovative approach to agriculture, combining modern scientific techniques with a deep understanding of local conditions and needs, transformed the lives of countless low-income farmers and contributed to the nation's economic growth.
In recognition of his monumental contributions, Swaminathan was awarded the first World Food Prize in 1987. He used the prize money to establish the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation in Chennai, further cementing his commitment to sustainable and inclusive agricultural practices.
His other notable accolades include the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1971 and the Albert Einstein World Science Award in 1986. He was honored with the Padma Shri in 1967, Padma Bhushan in 1972, and Padma Vibhushan in 1989.
M.S. Swaminathan was nominated to the Rajya Sabha as MP between 2007 and 2013.
He served as the director general of Indian Council of Agricultural Research and later International Rice Research Institute. He also served as the principal secretary of the ministry of agriculture in 1979.
Sports
Asian Games 2023: India’s Equestrian Dressage team clinches gold
Sep 27, 2023
India won its gold medal in Equestrian, with the dressage team securing a historic top-podium finish, beating the likes of China and Hong Kong, China. In dressage, the horse and rider are judged on how they perform a series of movements.
The quartet of Sudipti Hajela, Divyakriti Singh, Hriday Vipul Chheda, and Anush Agarwalla scored a total of 209.205 to win gold.
It was India's third gold medal of the Asian Games 2023.
It is the first time in 41 years that the India won a medal in equestrian.
It last happened in 1982, when India topped the equestrian podiums in not one but three events - -individual eventing, team eventing and individual tent pegging.
In the 1982 edition in New Delhi, the Indian team had grabbed three gold medals in Eventing and Tent Pegging competitions.
Raghubir Singh had won a gold in individual Eventing in 1982 and then added another yellow metal in Team Eventing alongside Ghulam Mohammed Khan, Bishal Singh and Milkha Singh.
Rupinder Singh Brar won the third gold medal in individual tent pegging.
Economic
India Keen to Increase Share of Manufacturing in GDP from 17% to 25%
Sep 30, 2023
Manufacturing sector currently comprises 17% of the nation’s GDP and over 27.3 million workers.
According to Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Housing & Urban Affairs, India is ready and keen to increase the share of manufacturing to 25% by 2025.
Referring to the strong industrial base of India, the Union Minister highlighted that India is
- Second-largest producer of steel
- Second-largest producer of cement
- Second-largest producer of coal.
Talking about the infrastructure, the country has
- Second-largest construction of built environment
- Fourth-largest railway network
- Second-largest road network.
Noting about the automobile industry the Minister said that India is
- Largest producer of two-wheelers
- Fourth-largest producer of four-wheelers.
Science & Technology
India’s NavIC will now be supported by ‘Made in India’ chipsets
Sep 30, 2023
For the first time the chipsets or microchips which are capable of receiving and processing the signals of the indigenous navigational system NavIC will be designed and manufactured in India by an Indian company.
Ministry of Science & Technology and Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, the two ministries of the Government of India, are jointly collaborating with a Hyderabad based firm, - Manjeera Digital Systems Private Limited, to facilitate the designing and commercial production of these chips in India.
NavIC is a satellite based navigational system, developed by Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)
This navigational system,which enables users to determine their precise geographic location and track their movements anywhere in India and 1500 kms beyond India’s territorial boundary.
Not all smartphones and navigational gadgets (or navigators) are compatible with NavIC. To use and decode NavIC signals, a navigating gadget should have a NavIC compatible chipset or microchip incorporated inside it. The receivers of NavIC signals such as NavIC compatible smartphones and other navigators, typically incorporate these chipsets or microchips which are designed to decode and process the signals coming from the seven Indian satellites. Currently, they have been using chipsets made by foreign companies such as Qualcomm Technologies of USA and Mediatek Inc. of Taiwan.
Manjeera Digital Systems Private Limited has designed baseband processor chip that uses indigenously developed Universal Multifunctional Accelerator (UMA) processor IP, which has ability to receive, read and process the NavIC signals. These chipsets will soon go into large-scale commercial production.
Manjeera Digital Systems is a fabless semiconductor company with a patented High Performance Computing (HPC) processor called UMA.
This home-grown product enables navigation as well as tracking and can be used for both commercial and civilian purposes. In the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, the initiative is supported by the Technology Development Board.
NavIC, or the Navigation with Indian Constellation, is a magnificent gem in the crown of India's technological prowess. With celestial grace and precision, NavIC illuminates our skies and will soon guide travelers and explorers with unwavering accuracy. It comprises a constellation of seven satellites orbiting high above, weaving a celestial tapestry of signals that empower navigation, positioning and timing across the vast Indian subcontinent and beyond. NavIC system primarily uses IRNSS (Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System) signals for navigation and positioning. These signals are transmitted by a constellation of satellites in geostationary and geosynchronous orbits. NavIC is like GPS in its functioning and operational principles. The only difference being GPS is owned and operated by United States government while NavIC is owned and operated by India. NavIC covers all of Indian subcontinent and offers a positional accuracy of 5 mtrs compared to 15-20 mtrs of GPS.
NavIC is India's beacon of self-reliance, shining brightly in the world of satellite navigation, and now the indigenously built NavIC enabled chipsets will make it a truly ‘Made in India’ marvel.
Art and Culture
Waheeda Rehman to be conferred with Dadasaheb Phalke Award
Sep 27, 2023
One of India's finest actors, Waheeda Rehman will be honoured with this year's Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest recognition in the field of cinema in India.
The veteran actor is best known for her roles in films like "Pyaasa", "CID", "Guide", "Kaagaz Ke Phool", “Chaudhvin Ka Chand”,” Neel Kamal”, Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam”, "Khamoshi" and "Trishul".
-Waheeda Rehman made her acting debut with the 1955 Telugu films "Rojulu Maraayi" and "Jayasimha".
-She made her Hindi cinema debut with "CID", the 1956 film headlined by Dev Anand.
-In a career spanning over five decades, the legendary actor has worked in more than 90 films across languages.
-Earlier, she has also received National Film Award for her role as a clanswoman in "Reshma and Shera" (1971).
-She has been conferred with Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan award.
India retains 40th rank in the Global Innovation Index 2023
Sep 28, 2023
India retains 40th rank out of 132 economies in the Global Innovation Index 2023 rankings published by the World Intellectual Property Organization.
India has been on a rising trajectory, over the past several years in the Global Innovation Index (GII), from a rank of 81 in 2015 to 40 in 2023.
Innovation has been at the forefront of our battle against the unprecedented crisis created by the pandemic and will be pivotal in driving the country’s resilience.
The consistent improvement in the GII ranking is owing to the immense knowledge capital, the vibrant start-up ecosystem, and the amazing work done by the public and private research organizations. All Departments of the Government, including Scientific Departments such as the Department of Science and Technology; the Department of Biotechnology; the Department of Space; and the Department of Atomic Energy and also departments such as Ministry of Electronics and IT, Department of Telecommunications, Department of Agricultural Research & Education and the Department of Health Research have played a pivotal role in enriching the National Innovation Ecosystem. Most importantly, the Atal Innovation Mission has played a major role in expanding the Innovation ecosystem.
NITI Aayog has been working tirelessly to ensure the optimization of the national efforts for bringing policy-led innovation in different areas such as electric vehicles, biotechnology, nanotechnology, space, alternative energy sources, etc. It has also played a role in expanding the innovation eco-system in states and districts. A constant thrust in monitoring and evaluating India’s position in the global rankings has been provided by the NITI Aayog, including in the GII.
The GII is a reliable tool for governments across the world to assess the innovation-led social and economic changes in their respective countries. Over the years, the GII has established itself as a policy tool for various governments and helped them to reflect upon the existing status quo.
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has also been collaborating in India's journey towards an innovation-driven economy. This year, the NITI Aayog, in partnership with the CII and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), is hosting, virtually, the India Launch of the GII 2023 on 29th September 2023.
