News at a glance
| Topic | GS Paper | Why in News / Context |
| Reproductive Agency & India’s Fertility Challenges | GS1 – IS – Population | India’s TFR has fallen below replacement; issues in urban-rural fertility gap, autonomy, and demographic prospects. |
| India’s Role in Ending Global Hunger | GS2 – Social Sector – Health (Issues) | UN report shows undernourishment fell; India’s progress driven by PDS, digital tools, nutrition schemes & policy reforms. |
| Lead Poisoning from Cookware | GS2 – Social Sector – Health (Issues) | Research flags old/unregulated pressure cookers as lead sources, causing health and economic damage in India. |
| Centre to Ban Money-Based Online Games | GS2 – Governance – Laws | Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025 to regulate money-based online games for consumer safety. |
| Five Years of Taliban Rule in Afghanistan | GS2 – IR – Issues | Taliban’s regime marks 5 years; regional impact, Afghan security, opportunity, and challenges for India. |
| Africa’s Objection to the Mercator Map | GS2 – IR – Africa | African Union pushes to replace Mercator map due to area distortion, eurocentrism, and colonial history. |
| Uneven Industrial Distribution in India | GS3 – IE – Industry | Standing Committee urges reforms for equitable industry across states ending regional concentration. |
| Soybean in India | GS3 – Agri – Crops | Sector faces stagnation; push for 2026 as “Year of Soy” for farmer support, processing hubs and national awareness. |
| Golden Dome Missile Defence Shield (US) | GS3 – S&T – Defence | US formalizes Golden Dome missile defence to intercept ICBMs; highlights arms race and space militarization worries. |
| Private Sector Share in Defence Production (India) | GS3 – S&T – Defence | Record 22.56% private share in defence production, driven by Make in India, exports, and support schemes. |
| Agni-5 Ballistic Missile | Prelims – S&T – Defence | India successfully test-fired Agni-5 with MIRV capability; enhances nuclear deterrence and strategic reach. |
| Brain-Eating Amoeba Cases in Kerala | Prelims – Bio – Diseases | Kerala reports new cases of PAM caused by Naegleria fowleri; disease is rare, rapidly fatal, and lacks a cure. |
| Operation Sindoor in NCERT Curriculum | Prelims – In News | NCERT introduces Operation Sindoor counter-terror & unity lessons in school curriculum (Classes 3–12). |
Reproductive Agency & India’s Fertility Challenges (GS1 – IS – Population)
Context:
India’s total fertility rate (TFR) has fallen below replacement level (NFHS-5: 2.0), sparking debate about demographic sustainability and highlighting gaps in reproductive autonomy, family structure, and state support.
Key Facts:
- Sub-replacement fertility nationally; urban TFR = 1.6, rural = 2.1, with South India much lower than the North.
- Desired children per woman remain slightly higher (2.2 rural, 2 urban) than achieved, indicating “unmet aspirations.”
- Family nuclearization and high urban housing/childcare costs discourage large families; patriarchal norms and son preference still influence fertility decisions.
- Policy challenges: fragmented family planning, lack of affordable fertility/health services, and low FLFP restrict parental choices.
- Way Forward: Strengthen child/parent support, facilitate gender justice (reduce unpaid work, enable female work), ensure access to reproductive health, shift policy focus to autonomy/rights, and target region-specific interventions.
India’s Role in Ending Global Hunger (GS2 – Social Sector – Health)
Context:
UN’s State of Food Security and Nutrition Report 2025 shows undernourishment globally has declined, with India’s policy reforms reducing undernourishment from 14.3% to 12% (2020–24).
Key Facts:
- Efficient Public Distribution System (Aadhaar-linked, ONORC, e-PoS) serves over 800 million, reducing exclusion.
- PM POSHAN, ICDS, and AgriStack initiatives have improved dietary diversity, maternal and child nutrition, and market access.
- Malnutrition and cost of healthy diets remain concerns over 60% of Indians still cannot afford a healthy diet; 13% food loss farm-to-market.
- India’s digital food model supports SDG 2, inspiring Global South food security strategies; more investment needed in logistics, Farmer-Producer Organizations, and affordable nutrition.
Lead Poisoning from Cookware (GS2 – Social Sector – Health)
Context:
Studies highlight how old/unregulated aluminium pressure cookers leach lead into food, creating a serious health burden in India.
Key Facts:
- Lead is a toxic heavy metal (WHO: top public health concern); above 5 µg/dL blood leads to severe harm.
- 1/3 of world’s children, and most in India, have high lead levels affecting brain, development, kidneys; 5% GDP lost.
- Regulatory steps: Ban on leaded petrol (2000), paint standards (90 ppm cap), food limits (FSSAI: 10 ppm in packaged food), and rules for pipes, insecticides.
- Enforce compliance, expand awareness, and accelerate phase-out in traditional/illegal utensils for meaningful change.
Centre to Ban Money-Based Online Games (GS2 – Governance – Laws)
Context:
The Union Cabinet cleared the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025 to crack down on money-based gaming and regulate this sector nationally.
Key Facts:
- Bans offering, advertising, or transferring funds for online games of skill/chance with stakes; eSports and casual games excluded.
- Penal provisions: Up to three years’ imprisonment or ₹1 cr fine for violators (promoters/enablers, not mere players).
- Appoints central body for classification, empowers officials for warrantless searches; creates India’s first national legal framework on gaming.
- Expected outcomes: reduce financial/fraud risk, support innovation/youth development, and position India for digital economy leadership.
Five Years of Taliban Rule in Afghanistan (GS2 – IR – Issues)
Context:
Afghanistan under the Taliban is marked by ideological rule, weak governance, and ongoing security/humanitarian concerns, entering its fifth year.
Key Facts:
- Taliban shuns electoral system, bases governance on Sharia law, tightly restricts women/minority rights (undercutting Indian diplomatic values).
- Gains: Taliban government’s autonomy is curtailing Pakistan’s leverage; assurances on Afghan soil not being used against India; opium ban reduces drug flows regionally.
- Challenges: Sanctuary for terror, institutional collapse, human rights abuses, emerging Chinese influence, and project discontinuity for India; India engages pragmatically via humanitarian aid/multilats.
- Diplomatic approach: Act West policy, leveraging SAARC/SCO/UN, educational/cultural outreach, and support for inclusive Afghan development.
Africa’s Objection to the Mercator Map (GS2 – IR – Africa)
Context:
AU-backed “Correct the Map” campaign demands moving away from Mercator projection, raising global debates on map bias and post-colonial worldviews.
Key Facts:
- Mercator map distorts land area, exaggerating Europe/North America and shrinking Africa, perpetuating eurocentrism and affected colonial attitudes.
- Advocates for size-accurate alternatives (Gall-Peters, Equal Earth, Winkel Tripel) to promote global equity; important for education, policy, and cultural confidence.
Uneven Industrial Distribution in India (GS3 – IE – Industry)
Context:
Parliamentary panel calls for action to address severe regional disparities just 5 states account for 53% of manufacturing GVA and employment.
Key Facts:
- West/south India (e.g., TN, Gujarat) have strong manufacturing clusters; east/north lag due to legacy biases, poor infrastructure, logistics challenges, low skill base.
- Suggested policy: incentivize investment, accelerate privatisation or closure of loss-making PSUs, expand plug-and-play parks, improve power/logistics, and upgrade vocational/engineering institutes.
Soybean in India (GS3 – Agri – Crops)
Context:
India’s soybean sector faces stagnation; “2026 as Year of Soy” is proposed to raise public/market focus and support farmers.
Key Facts:
- Fifth in world output, India cultivates 13 mn ha (34% of oilseed area).
- Mostly grown in MP, Maharashtra, Rajasthan; MACS 1407 is ICAR’s top-yielding variety.
- Issues: low farmer profitability, climate/pest shocks, poor nutrition awareness, and under-consumption.
- Proposed fixes: MSP and price reforms, promote consumption, set up processing hubs, and diversify food uses beyond feed (e.g., soy protein).
Golden Dome Missile Defence Shield (US) (GS3 – S&T – Defence)
Context:
US officially commissions Golden Dome its first multi-tiered missile defence shield designed to intercept ICBMs.
Key Facts:
- Four defensive layers (space and ground), integrates lasers, interceptors, satellites, and Patriots.
- Differs from Israel’s Iron Dome (targets short-range rockets); Golden Dome intercepts ICBMs at multiple points.
- Raises questions over international security, space militarization, and Outer Space Treaty compliance.
Private Sector Share in Defence Production (India) (GS3 – S&T – Defence)
Context:
Private sector’s share in Indian defence output hit a record 22.56% in FY25 due to Make in India, export incentives, and indigenisation.
Key Facts:
- Defence production tripled to ₹1.5 lakh cr since 2014-15; exports up 34x in a decade.
- Government boost via iDEX, ADITI, TDF, Defence Acquisition reforms, and indigenisation lists.
- Significance: enhances Atmanirbhar Bharat, job creation, and global competitiveness in defence industry.
Agni-5 Ballistic Missile (Prelims – S&T – Defence)
Context:
India test-fired nuclear-capable Agni-5 IRBM (range 5,000 km) from Odisha with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) tech.
Key Facts:
- Enhances India’s credible minimum deterrence and second-strike capacity under nuclear doctrine; MIRV enables targeting of multiple locations per missile.
Brain-Eating Amoeba Cases in Kerala (Prelims – Bio – Diseases)
Context:
Three cases of Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM) a rare, often fatal brain infection from Naegleria fowleri reported in Kerala.
Key Facts:
- Disease enters via nose during swimming; 97% mortality; no person-to-person transmission; early symptoms are non-specific, making detection difficult.
Operation Sindoor in NCERT Curriculum (Prelims – In News)
Context:
NCERT includes modules on Operation Sindoor, India’s air defence operation, in Civics and Social Science curriculum (Class 3-12).
Key Facts:
- Uses age-appropriate pedagogy stories for primary, analysis for senior classes to foster unity and civic awareness, and sensitize students to counter-terror operations.