14 August 2025 - Daily Current Affairs Updates

GS 2 – Governance, Law, Health, Education

1. Topic: Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) Registration

Subtopic: Revocation Conditions & Governance Implications

Value Addition:

• MHA notification specifies revocation if:

  • Prison sentence ≥2 years.

  • Chargesheet for offence with sentence ≥7 years.

  • Fraudulent registration, acts against Constitution, or threat to sovereignty/security/friendly relations/public interest.

• Introduced in 2005 (Citizenship Act amendment); PIO merged into OCI in 2015.

• OCI ≠ dual citizenship—no political rights.

• Benefits: Lifelong multi-entry visa, FRRO exemption, parity with NRIs (except agricultural/plantation land ownership).

Subject Analysis:

• GS 2: Citizenship provisions, diaspora engagement.

• Prelims: OCI vs PIO, grounds for cancellation, benefits.

2. Topic: CATCH Grant Program

Subtopic: AI-Driven Cancer Solutions

Value Addition:

• IndiaAI + National Cancer Grid collaboration.

• Funding: ₹50 lakh pilot grant; ₹1 crore scale-up grant for successful projects.

• Focus: AI in screening, diagnostics, treatment, operations, data management.

• Encourages joint applications by clinical & technical leads; emphasis on responsible AI & clinical validation.

Subject Analysis:

• GS 2: Digital health governance, public–private innovation.

• GS 3: AI in health sector.

• Prelims: IndiaAI divisions, NCG role.

3. Topic: APAAR ID

Subtopic: One Nation, One Student ID

Value Addition:

• Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry under NEP 2020.

• Unique 12-digit lifelong ID linked to Aadhaar; stores academic records in DigiLocker.

• Generated via UDISE+; tracks student journey from pre-primary to higher education.

Subject Analysis:

• GS 2: Education reforms, digital governance.

• Prelims: APAAR features, UDISE+ role.

4. Topic: SHRESTH Initiative

Subtopic: State Drug Regulatory Benchmarking

Value Addition:

• CDSCO’s first national index to rate state drug regulators.

• Manufacturing states: 27 parameters; distribution states: 23 parameters.

• Monthly data scoring to identify gaps; aims for maturity certification.

Subject Analysis:

• GS 2: Health regulation & policy.

• GS 3: Quality control in pharma supply chain.

• Prelims: CDSCO role, SHRESTH themes.

GS 3 – Economy, S&T, Environment, Infrastructure

5. Topic: Push & Pull Transactions in UPI

Subtopic: Fraud Prevention in Digital Payments

Value Addition:

• NPCI may discontinue pull transactions (P2P collect requests) to curb fraud.

• Push: payer-initiated; Pull: beneficiary-initiated (e.g., cheque, debit card).

Subject Analysis:

• GS 3: Digital economy, payment security.

• Prelims: Push vs pull transaction examples.

6. Topic: Ideonella sakaiensis

Subtopic: Microbial PET Plastic Degradation

Value Addition:

• PET-degrading bacterium discovered in Japan.

• Uses PET as carbon & energy source; breaks it into harmless building blocks.

• Found in oxygen-rich, PET-contaminated moist soils.

Subject Analysis:

• GS 3: Waste management, biotech solutions.

• Prelims: PET polymer chemistry, step-growth polymerisation.

7. Topic: Bharat Forecast System (BFS)

Subtopic: High-Resolution Indigenous Weather Model

Value Addition:

• 6 km resolution (vs 12 km earlier); powered by supercomputers Arka & Arunika.

• Panchayat-level forecasts; 30% higher accuracy for extreme rainfall prediction.

• Developed by IITM Pune + NCMRWF + IMD.

Subject Analysis:

• GS 3: S&T in disaster management, climate resilience.

• Prelims: BFS resolution, institutions involved.

8. Topic: Tato-II Hydro Electric Project

Subtopic: Renewable Energy & Regional Development

Value Addition:

• 700 MW project on Siyom River, Arunachal Pradesh; ₹8,146 crore investment.

• Run-of-the-river design; 2,738 MU annual output.

• State gets 12% free power + 1% for Local Area Development Fund.

• Enhances NE power supply & grid balancing.

Subject Analysis:

• GS 3: Energy infrastructure, hydropower policy.

• Prelims: Siyom River origin, Mouling NP location.