The Supreme Court observed that women constitute the 'largest minority' in India, making up 48.44% of the population, yet their representation in Parliament is receding. A Bench led by Justice B.V. Nagarathna was hearing a petition challenging the implementation delay of the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam' (106th Amendment Act). The Act, which grants 33% reservation to women in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies, is tied to the conduct of the next Census and subsequent delimitation. The Court questioned the lack of a specific timeline for the Census, noting that a Constitutional amendment cannot be held back indefinitely.
Women form 48.44% of the total population but lack adequate political representation in Parliament and State legislatures.
The 106th Amendment Act provides 33% reservation, but its implementation is linked to the next Census and delimitation exercise.
Article 15(3) of the Constitution mandates the State to take affirmative action and make special provisions for the empowerment of women.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Bhutan highlights the deep-rooted friendship between the two nations, coinciding with the 70th birth anniversary of the former King, Jigme Singye Wangchuck (K4). A key highlight is the formal inauguration of the 1,020 MW Punatsangchhu II hydroelectric project. The visit underscores India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy and the strategic importance of Bhutan. The article also notes historical security cooperation, such as Operation All Clear in 2003, and future shifts towards involving private Indian firms in Bhutanese hydropower projects to tap into available capital.
The 1,020 MW Punatsangchhu II project is a major pillar of bilateral hydropower cooperation and economic development.
India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy prioritizes relations with Bhutan for regional stability and mutual growth.
Security cooperation remains vital, recalling the 2003 Operation All Clear where the Royal Bhutan Army drove out Indian insurgent groups.
Exam Points
1,020 MW Punatsangchhu II hydroelectric project.
Operation All Clear (December 2003).
King Jigme Singye Wangchuck is referred to as K4 in the Wangchuck line.
Scientists have identified 'altermagnetism' as a new class of magnetic order, joining the well-known categories of ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism. Formulated around 2019 and experimentally supported in 2024, altermagnetism features a crystal structure where rotating or mirror-flipping matches sites in cancelling pairs, resulting in zero net external magnetization. However, internally, it possesses electronic structures similar to ferromagnets, such as spin-splitting. This unique duality makes altermagnetic materials highly promising for developing smaller, faster, and more energy-efficient spintronic devices and quantum technologies by reducing interference from stray magnetic fields.
Altermagnetism bridges the gap between ferromagnetism (parallel spins) and antiferromagnetism (cancelling spins).
It produces no external magnetic field, making devices less susceptible to external disturbances and allowing tighter packing of components.
The internal electronic structure allows for spin-polarised currents, which is a key requirement for high-speed data storage and logic.
Exam Points
Manganese telluride (MnTe) and Ruthenium dioxide (RuO2) are primary altermagnetic materials.
Spintronics uses electron spin instead of just charge for information processing.
Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) is used to detect spin-splitting in these materials.
As the 30th edition of the Conference of Parties (COP30) begins in Belém, Brazil, there is a growing call for developing nations, particularly in South Asia, to take the lead in climate negotiations. With the U.S. potentially withdrawing from the Paris Agreement again, regional cooperation becomes crucial. South Asia faces severe risks from monsoon floods, heatwaves, and glacial melts. The region's priorities for COP30 include predictable climate finance, technology transfer, and the operationalization of the Global Goal on Adaptation. A 'South Asian resilience finance facility' is proposed to channel funds into nature-based solutions.
South Asia houses nearly two billion people facing extreme climate risks like glacial lake outbursts and heatwaves.
Only 5% of 203 initiatives launched since 2015 have achieved their stated climate goals, highlighting an implementation gap.
The 'Baku to Belém Roadmap' aims for $1.3 trillion in climate finance to support global transition efforts.
Exam Points
COP30 location: Belém, Brazil.
$300 billion adaptation target by 2035.
Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) study on climate initiatives.
The Union Government has officially constituted the 8th Central Pay Commission (CPC) to review the salary structures, retirement benefits, and service conditions of Central government employees and defense personnel. Chaired by retired Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, the commission includes Professor Pulak Ghosh and Pankaj Jain IAS. The commission is mandated to submit its report within 18 months. Key considerations for the 8th CPC include fiscal prudence, developmental expenditure needs, and the impact of non-contributory pension schemes on the exchequer, with the pension bill for 2025-26 estimated at ₹2.76 lakh crore.
The 8th CPC will examine salary structures for both civilian and defense personnel of the Central government.
The commission must balance employee compensation with the government's fiscal health and developmental spending needs.
Entry-level public sector posts often have higher salaries than private counterparts, while top positions lag behind, affecting talent retention.
The latest Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) for the July-September 2025 quarter reveals that the rural unemployment rate for persons aged 15 and above dropped to 4.4% from 4.8% in the previous quarter. Conversely, urban unemployment saw a slight increase, rising to 6.2% for males and 9.0% for females. The overall unemployment rate in India fell to 5.2% from 5.4%. The survey highlights that self-employment remains the dominant form of work in rural areas (62.8%), while regular wage or salaried employment is more common in urban centers (49.8%).
Rural unemployment decreased due to seasonal agricultural operations during the July-September period.
The overall Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) among females increased to 33.7%, driven largely by rural improvements.
Agriculture remains the primary employer for the rural workforce, accounting for 57.7% of jobs.
Exam Points
Rural unemployment rate (July-Sept 2025): 4.4%.
Overall unemployment rate: 5.2%.
Female Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR): 33.7%.
During the 15th India-Vietnam Defence Policy Dialogue in Hanoi, both nations reaffirmed their commitment to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Vietnam's Deputy Minister Hoang Xuan Chien oversaw the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) on Mutual Submarine Search and Rescue Support and Cooperation. Additionally, a letter of intent on Defence Industry Cooperation was signed. These agreements signify a deepening of security ties in the Indo-Pacific region, focusing on maritime safety, industrial synergy, and shared strategic interests.
The MoA on Submarine Search and Rescue is a significant step in enhancing maritime security and safety cooperation.
Both nations are exploring new areas of collaboration within their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to ensure regional stability.
The dialogue focused on strengthening the defense industrial base and exploring joint ventures in defense manufacturing.
Exam Points
15th India-Vietnam Defence Policy Dialogue held in Hanoi, Vietnam.
MoA on Mutual Submarine Search and Rescue Support and Cooperation signed.
Comprehensive Strategic Partnership status between India and Vietnam.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a petition warning against the indiscriminate use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) in judicial work. The petition highlights that GenAI can produce 'hallucinations,' resulting in fictitious judgments and research materials. It argues that opaque AI use could trigger constitutional and human rights concerns, potentially replicating or aggravating existing biases and discriminatory practices. The petitioner seeks strict guidelines or a policy for the regulated and transparent use of GenAI in courts and tribunals until a formal law is enacted to ensure stakeholder liability.
GenAI 'hallucinations' can lead to the citation of non-existent precedents and fake case laws in court proceedings.
The petition urges the judiciary to use only bias-free data with transparent ownership to protect human rights.
There is a risk of AI algorithms replicating and aggravating pre-existing social, legal, and stereotypical biases.
Exam Points
Bench led by Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai.
Concept of 'AI Hallucinations' refers to AI generating plausible but false information.
V. Rajaraman, a Padma Bhushan awardee and a key figure in India's IT revolution, passed away on November 8. He is credited with pioneering computer science education at IIT-Kanpur and IISc-Bengaluru. Rajaraman was instrumental in introducing the first B.Tech. and M.Tech. programs in computer science in India during the 1970s and 80s. He authored numerous textbooks, including a popular Fortran programming manual sold for just ₹15 to ensure affordability. His efforts laid the foundation for the rapid spread of programming skills that fueled India's global software services sector.
Rajaraman led the design of an early analogue computer at IISc in the 1950s and established the first academic computer center at IIT-Kanpur.
He lobbied for the introduction of formal B.Tech. degrees in computer science, which started with 20 seats in 1979.
His work as head of the computer manpower committee led to the creation of the Master of Computer Applications (MCA) course.
Exam Points
Padma Bhushan recipient (1998).
First B.Tech. Computer Science course introduced in 1979.
Author of 'The Outsourcer: The Story of India’s IT Revolution'.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully evacuated 197 Indian nationals from Thailand's Mae Sot after they were rescued from illegal cybercrime centers in southern Myanmar. These individuals were lured with fraudulent job offers but forced to work in scam centers in the Myawaddy region. The operation was a coordinated effort between the Indian Embassy in Bangkok, the Consulate in Chiang Mai, and the Royal Thai Government. This follows a previous evacuation of 270 nationals, highlighting a growing regional crisis of human trafficking for transnational cyber fraud and the need for strict travel vigilance.
Victims are often lured by fraudulent job offers in Southeast Asia and then trafficked into illegal scam operations.
The Myawaddy region in Myanmar is a known hub for illegal cyber-scam centers operated by transnational criminal groups.
Coordinated international efforts between India and Thailand are crucial to combat human trafficking and cyber fraud.
Exam Points
Location of rescue: Mae Sot, Thailand and Myawaddy, Myanmar.
Number of citizens evacuated in the latest batch: 197.
Involved agencies: IAF, Indian Embassy in Bangkok, and Royal Thai Government.
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