The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 6-3 ruling, has struck down President Donald Trump's 'reciprocal' tariffs imposed on various countries, including India. The court ruled that the President exceeded his authority under the 1977 emergency powers law, asserting that the constitutional power to impose taxes and tariffs resides solely with Congress. The ruling nullifies billions in collected import taxes and opens the door for companies to seek refunds. While the decision limits executive overreach in trade policy, the administration may still seek to maintain the tariff framework under different legal authorities.
The 6-3 decision emphasizes that the U.S. Constitution vests the power of taxation in the Legislative Branch, not the Executive.
The ruling specifically targets tariffs imposed under a national emergency declaration intended to address trade deficits.
Major companies like Costco are now expected to seek refunds for billions of dollars paid in tariffs since 2025.
A high-level committee appointed by the Tamil Nadu government, chaired by former Supreme Court Justice Kurian Joseph, has released a report mapping the pattern of centralisation in India. The report argues that federal democracy has weakened over decades and calls for a 'structural reset' similar to the 1991 economic reforms. It critiques the dismantling of Jammu and Kashmir, the GST regime's impact on state finances, and the overreach of Governors. The committee emphasizes that federated governance is essential for India's diversity and warns against the 'misplaced idea' of a single national language.
The report identifies a dangerous trend of centralisation that weakens the authority of States and threatens India's progress.
It highlights specific issues like the inter-State delimitation of Lok Sabha constituencies and the centralisation of sectors like education and health.
The committee suggests that the Constitution is currently too easy to amend for a federal polity, leading to a cycle of centralisation.
On International Mother Language Day, UNESCO released the 'Bhasha Matters' report, highlighting the critical role of mother-tongue-based multilingual education (MTB-MLE) in India. The report notes that nearly 44% of Indian children enter school speaking a language different from the medium of instruction, leading to learning gaps and higher dropout rates. It aligns with India's National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which places the child's home language at the center of early education. The report showcases successful digital initiatives like DIKSHA and Bhashini that support multilingual learning through AI and community-developed resources.
MTB-MLE is described as not only pedagogically sound but also transformative for inclusive and equitable education.
The report provides 10 policy recommendations to guide India toward a more effective multilingual education system.
Digital tools and AI are identified as key assets for creating local-language content and supporting teachers in multilingual classrooms.
The AI Impact Summit held in India concluded with landmark investment commitments totaling $250 billion for AI infrastructure. IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that the summit also secured $20 billion in deep tech venture commitments. A key outcome was the 'Delhi Declaration' for AI, signed by over 70 countries, including the U.S. and China, establishing a global framework for AI cooperation and safety. The summit marks a significant step for the IndiaAI Mission, aiming to elevate the country's capabilities in large language models and common compute infrastructure.
The summit attracted over five lakh visitors and 400 exhibitors, demonstrating India's growing leadership in the global AI landscape.
The Delhi Declaration signifies a rare consensus among major powers like the U.S. and China on AI governance.
The investments will be directed toward building robust AI infrastructure and fostering a new level of safety in AI applications.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament, led by K.C. Venugopal, has criticized the government for the 'lackadaisical' implementation of the SANKALP scheme. SANKALP (Skill Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion) is a flagship program of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, partially funded by a World Bank loan. The PAC highlighted significant delays, with only 44% of the budgeted provision disbursed between 2017 and 2023. The committee questioned the absence of a central monitoring mechanism and noted gaps in due diligence and financial progress flagged by the CAG.
SANKALP aims to strengthen short-term skill training through better institutional frameworks and industry linkages.
The scheme's completion deadline was extended from March 2023 to March 2024 due to slow progress.
The CAG report pointed to 'non-preparedness' within the Ministry as a primary reason for the delay in utilizing World Bank funds.
Exam Points
SANKALP (Skill Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion)
India's maiden solar mission, Aditya-L1, has provided crucial data to help scientists understand unusual geomagnetic disturbances during strong solar storms. By measuring changes in the solar wind—a continuous flow of charged particles from the Sun—the spacecraft has decoded how these events trigger sharp changes in Earth's magnetic field. These observations are vital because extreme solar wind conditions can disrupt technological systems such as satellites, navigation systems, and power grids. The combined data from Aditya-L1 and ground-based magnetometers offer new insights into Solar Cycle 25's peak phase.
Geomagnetic storms are large disturbances in Earth's magnetic field caused by solar wind variations.
Aditya-L1's observations during the intense storms of May and October 2024 have been particularly significant for space weather research.
Understanding these patterns helps in protecting critical infrastructure from the adverse effects of solar activity.
Exam Points
Aditya-L1 (India's first solar mission)
Solar Cycle 25
Lagrange Point 1 (L1)
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