Current Context: UNICEF has released the Child Nutrition Report 2025, warning of a sharp global rise in unhealthy diets and childhood obesity, largely due to ultra-processed foods (UPF) and aggressive marketing. Relevant data : Overweight & Obesity: 5% children under 5 years overweight. 20% children and adolescents (5–19 years) overweight (double since 2000). In 2025 → Obesity prevalence: 9.4%, Underweight: 9.2% (school-age children & adolescents). Regional Concentration: More than half of affected children are in East Asia & Pacific, Latin America & Caribbean, South Asia. In South Asia, overweight among 5–19 years increased fivefold since 2000. Key Drivers: Availability &....Read More

Current Context: On International Literacy Day 2025, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced that India’s literacy rate rose from 74% in 2011 to 80.9% in 2023–24 driven by ULLAS-Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram. About ULLAS – NAV BHARAT SAAKSHARTA KARYAKRAM Enrolled: 3 crore+ learners. Volunteers Mobilized: 42 lakh+. Assessment: 1.83 crore learners tested in basic literacy & numeracy. Pass Rate: 90%. Languages: Learning content in 26 Indian languages for inclusivity. FULL LITERACY REGIONS Union Territory: Ladakh (declared fully literate on 24 June 2024). States: Mizoram, Goa, Tripura, Himachal Pradesh. ABOUT ULLAS Full Form: Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society. Launched....Read More

Current Context : The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) released a report analyzing the criminal background of ministers across India. KEY FINDINGS Ministers Analyzed: 643 (27 States + 3 UTs + Union Council) Criminal Cases: 47% declared criminal cases Serious Criminal Cases: 27% declared cases like murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping, crimes against women CAUSES OF CRIMINALIZATION Muscle Power: Criminal nexus used to influence elections (noted in Dharam Vira Commission, 1977) Money Power: High election spending, corruption, illegal funding Identity Politics: Caste/religion overshadowing criminal records Weak Laws & Delays: Slow judicial process, poor enforcement IMPACTS Weakening of democracy and rule....Read More

Current Context : Iceland has again been ranked as the most peaceful country in the world in the 2025 Global Peace Index (GPI). ABOUT GLOBAL PEACE INDEX (GPI) Published By: Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) Coverage: 163 independent states and territories (99.7% of world population) Indicators Used: 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators Main Domains: Societal Safety and Security Ongoing Domestic and International Conflict Degree of Militarisation HIGHLIGHTS OF GLOBAL PEACE INDEX 2025 Edition: 19th Global Trend: Peacefulness continues to decline. Conflicts: 59 active state-based conflicts – highest since World War II. Deaths: 17 countries recorded over 1,000 conflict deaths....Read More

Current Context : The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2025 was released by the Ministry of Education on 4 September 2025. IIT-Madras has secured the 1st position in the Overall category for the 7th consecutive year, followed by IISc Bengaluru and IIT-Mumbai. ABOUT NIRF Launched: 2015 by Ministry of Human Resource Development (now Ministry of Education). Purpose: Provides a ranking framework for Indian higher education institutions. 2025: Marks the 10th edition with evaluation across 17 categories. HIGHLIGHTS OF 2025 RANKINGS Top Overall Institutions: 1st IIT-Madras, 2nd IISc Bengaluru, 3rd IIT-Mumbai. Engineering: IIT-Madras (1st), IIT-Delhi (2nd). Innovation: IIT-Madras (1st). Research Institutions:....Read More

Current Context : The Energy Policy Institute (EPIC), University of Chicago, released the AQLI 2025 Report. Finding: Air pollution is India’s most severe health threat, cutting average life expectancy by 3.5 years. About AQLI Developed by Michael Greenstone & EPIC. Measures particulate pollution (PM2.5) impact on life expectancy. Combines global pollution data with long-term health impact research. Relevant Data – India (2025 Report) Average loss: 3.5 years of life expectancy. Comparison: Nearly 2× impact of malnutrition. 5× impact of unsafe water and sanitation. Population exposure: 100% of Indians live in areas above WHO safe limit (5 µg/m³). 46% Indians live....Read More

CURRENT CONTEXT : The National Annual Report & Index on Women’s Safety (NARI) 2025, released by the National Commission for Women (NCW), highlights the safety conditions of women across 31 cities in India, based on a large-scale survey. ABOUT NARI 2025 Released by: National Commission for Women (NCW) Collaborators: Group of Intellectuals and Academicians (GIA), Pvalue Analytics, The NorthCap University, Jindal Global Law School Survey base: 12,770 women across 31 Indian cities Benchmark: National safety score at 65% SAFEST CITIES Kohima, Visakhapatnam, Bhubaneswar, Aizawl, Gangtok, Itanagar, Mumbai Key factors: Gender equity, civic participation, women-friendly policing, strong urban infrastructure LEAST SAFE....Read More

CURRENT CONTEXT : The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) released the 6th edition of the State Energy Efficiency Index (SEEI) 2024, prepared with the Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (AEEE). ABOUT SEEI Objective: Track and compare energy efficiency progress of 36 States & UTs Indicators: 66 across sectors – Buildings, Industry, Transport, Agriculture, DISCOMs, Municipal services, Cross-sector initiatives Framework: New implementation-focused model CLASSIFICATION Front Runners: >60% Achievers: 50–60% Contenders: 30–50% Aspirants: <30% TOP PERFORMERS (2024) Maharashtra (Group 1: >15 MToE) Andhra Pradesh (Group 2: 5–15 MToE) Assam (Group 3: 1–5 MToE) Tripura (Group 4: <1 MToE) KEY FINDINGS 24....Read More

Current Context : The World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) released a joint report assessing global and national progress on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) between 2000–2024, highlighting persistent inequalities that threaten the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG-6). Key Findings Global Findings Open Defecation: In low-income countries, rates remain 4 times higher than the global average. Safe Sanitation Access: Improved to 58% worldwide. Drinking Water: Safely managed drinking water coverage rose from 68% (2015) to 74% (2024). Gendered Burden: Women spend disproportionate time fetching water. Menstrual Health: Data from 70 countries reveal widespread access....Read More

Current Context : The Union Health Secretary launched the State Health Regulatory Excellence Index to benchmark and improve state drug regulatory systems. ABOUT SHRESTH Developer: Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO). Coverage: 27 indices for manufacturing states. 23 indices for distribution-focused states. Themes: Human Resources, Infrastructure, Licensing, Surveillance, Responsiveness. Significance: Data-driven monthly scoring. Helps states achieve drug safety and quality assurance.Read More