Current Context : A rise in HFMD cases has been reported in New Delhi, particularly among children.

ABOUT HFMD

• Nature: Common viral illness, mostly affecting children (can affect adults with weak immunity).
• Cause: Mainly by Coxsackievirus A16.
• Symptoms:
  • Sores in the mouth.
  • Rash on hands and feet.
  • Fever and general weakness.
• Spread: Highly contagious in schools/daycare centres.
• Treatment: No specific treatment; recovery usually in 7–10 days.
• Complications: Rare; can cause viral meningitis in severe cases.
• Not Related To: Foot-and-Mouth disease (affects cattle).

Current Context : The Government of India launched a 15-day Entrepreneurship Development Programme under SMILE Scheme to empower transgender persons.

ABOUT SMILE SCHEME

• Type: Central Sector Scheme under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment.
• Sub-Schemes:
  1. Welfare of Transgender Persons.
  2. Welfare of Persons Engaged in Begging.
• Key Features:
  1. Scholarships: For transgender students (Class IX to post-graduation).
  2. Skill Development: Under PM-DAKSH scheme.
  3. Healthcare: Gender-reaffirmation surgeries supported under PM-JAY.
  4. Housing: Garima Greh with food, clothing, medical support, and training.
  5. Transgender Protection Cells in every state for timely redressal of offences.
  6. National Portal & Helpline for grievance support.

Current Context : A 7.5 magnitude earthquake recently hit the Drake Passage, triggering a brief tsunami alert.

ABOUT DRAKE PASSAGE

• Location: Between Cape Horn (South America) and South Shetland Islands (Antarctica).
• Width: Narrowest stretch of the Southern Ocean, ~800 km
• Named After: Sir Francis Drake, first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe.
• Ocean Link: Connects Southwestern Atlantic Ocean with Southeastern Pacific Ocean.
• Climatic Role: Acts as a transition zone between subpolar Tierra del Fuego and polar Antarctica.
• Navigation: Known as one of the roughest waterways in the world due to collision of cold and warm seawater, eddies, storms, and strong winds.

History: Important for 19th–20th century trade routes, until Panama Canal reduced dependency.

Current Context : Kerala has become the first fully digitally literate state in India, marking the successful completion of the first phase of the Digi Kerala Project.

ABOUT DIGI KERALA PROJECT

• Survey Coverage:
  • Covered 5 crore people from 83.46 lakh families.
  • Identified 88 lakh digitally illiterate persons.
  • Trained 87 lakh (99.98%), who cleared digital literacy evaluation.
• Inclusivity:
  • Training included all age groups, even senior citizens (e.g., 104-year-old M.A. Abdullah Moulavi Baqavi from Ernakulam participated).
  • Delivered through local bodies, reflecting Kerala’s decentralised governance
• Purpose: To bridge the digital divide and empower citizens with basic digital skills.

SIGNIFICANCE

• Governance: Enables citizens to access e-governance services (Ayushman Bharat, PM-Kisan, Jan Dhan, etc.) without intermediaries.
• Digital Democracy: Citizens can file grievances, RTI requests, and participate in online civic activities → promotes transparency and accountability.
• Financial Inclusion: Promotes use of digital transactions and benefits for marginalised groups and women.

Current Context: NATO is considering establishing a logistics base in Sweden after Sweden’s accession as the 32^nd member (2024).

ABOUT NATO

• Nature: A political and military alliance of countries from Europe and North America.
• Founded: April 1949, with the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty.
• Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium.
• Membership: 32 members (latest: Sweden, 2024).

OBJECTIVES

• Cold War era: To provide collective security against the Soviet Union.
• Presently: Ensures members protect each other from threats, including cyber, terrorism, and hybrid warfare.

KEY PRINCIPLE

• Article 5: An armed attack against one or more members is considered an attack against all members.
• Invoked only once: after 9/11 terrorist attacks (2001).

Current Context : Dal Lake in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir is hosting the first-ever Khelo India Water Games.

ABOUT DAL LAKE

• Location: Eastern part of Srinagar city, Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, on the right bank of Jhelum river.
• Area: Covers 18 sq. km; part of a 1 sq. km wetland, including floating gardens.
• Inflow: Fed by the Arrah river.
• Outflow: Flows out through a deep channel called Tel Bal.
• Basins: Divided by causeways into four basins –
  • Gagribal, Lokut Dal, Bod Dal, Nagin
• Significance:
  • Known as the “Jewel of Srinagar” or “Srinagar’s Jewel”.
  • Important for tourism, fisheries, horticulture, and water sports.
  • Houses the famous Shikaras (houseboats) and floating vegetable markets.

Current Context : Satish Golcha, a 1992-batch IPS officer of the AGMUT cadre, has been appointed as the 26th Commissioner of Police, Delhi.

• He assumed office on 22 August 2025, succeeding Shashi Bhushan Kumar Singh, who served temporarily after the retirement of Sanjay Arora on 31 July 2025.

CURRENT CONTEXT : India resumed border trade with China through Lipulekh Pass (Uttarakhand).

• Nepal strongly objected, claiming the area as its territory.
• India rejected Nepal’s claims, citing historical evidence and long-standing trade practices (since 1954).

ABOUT LIPULEKH PASS

• Location: A Himalayan mountain pass in Pithoragarh district, Uttarakhand, India.
• Altitude: Around 5,000 meters above sea level.
• Connectivity: Links India with Tibet (China) through the ancient trade and pilgrimage route.

SIGNIFICANCE

• Strategic Pass: Connects India and China.
• Religious Importance: Route for Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.
• Infrastructure: India upgraded road to Lipulekh in 2020 for pilgrims and traders.
• Enhances strategic presence near Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

• 1816 Sugauli Treaty: Set the Kali River as the India–Nepal boundary.
• Nepal’s Claim: Source of Kali River lies at Limpiyadhura, hence Kalapani, Lipulekh belong to Nepal.
• India’s Claim: River originates further downstream, so territory is part of Uttarakhand.
• Dispute has persisted since 1960s.

CURRENT CONTEXT : Uttarakhand Assembly passed the Uttarakhand Minority Education Bill 2025, abolishing the Madrasa Boardand creating the Uttarakhand Minority Education Authority.

CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS

• Article 29(1): Right of any section of citizens to conserve their language, script, or culture.
• Article 29(2): Prohibits discrimination in admission to state-aided educational institutions.
• Article 30(1): Minorities (religious or linguistic) have right to establish and administer institutions of their choice.
• Article 30(2): State cannot discriminate in granting aid to minority-managed institutions.

CURRENT CONTEXT : The International Solar Alliance (ISA) announced plans to set up a Global Capability Centre in India, referred to as a “Silicon Valley for solar”.

ABOUT GCCs

• Definition: Strategic units that support an organisation’s global operations through technology, talent, and innovation.
• Objective: To leverage global talent and advanced technology for business transformation.
• Drivers in India:
  • Cost efficiency.
  • Skilled workforce (especially in IT, engineering, English proficiency).
  • Strong startup and innovation ecosystem.