Current Context

Russia has decided to recruit 1 million Indian workers in 2025 to address acute labour shortages in construction, machinery, textiles, and electronics sectors.

ABOUT INDIA–RUSSIA MANPOWER PARTNERSHIP

• Reason: Labour shortages in Russia and tightening immigration in Western countries (UK, US, Canada).
• Recruitment Sectors:
  • Phase 1 → Construction and textiles
  • Expansion → High-end machinery and electronics
• Process: Hiring under Russian immigration quotas and local labour laws.
• Diplomatic Support: India’s Ambassador to Russia, Vinay Kumar, confirmed rising consular activities linked to this migration.

ABOUT RUSSIA

• Official Name: Russian Federation
• Location: Eastern Europe and Northern Asia (largest country in the world by area)
• Capital: Moscow
• President: Vladimir Putin
• Prime Minister: Mikhail Mishustin
• Currency: Russian Ruble (RUB)
• Official Language: Russian
• Political System: Federal semi-presidential republic
• Area: ~17.1 million sq. km (largest in the world)
• Borders: Shares land borders with 14 countries including China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Finland, and Norway.
• Major Rivers: Volga, Lena, Ob, Yenisei
• Parliament: Federal Assembly → two houses:
• State Duma (lower house)
• Federation Council (upper house)

Current Context : The President of India has appointed Justice Alok Aradhe (Chief Justice of Bombay High Court) and Justice Vipul Pancholi (Chief Justice of Patna High Court) as judges of the Supreme Court.

Sanctioned Strength: With these appointments, the Supreme Court reached its full sanctioned strength of 34 judges.

CONSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR APPOINTMENT

• Article 124(2)
  • Judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by the President of India.
  • The President acts after consultation with such Supreme Court and High Court judges as deemed necessary.
• Article 124(3): Qualifications

A person is eligible if:

• He/She is an Indian citizen; and
• Has served as a High Court judge for at least 5 years, OR
• Has been an advocate in a High Court (or multiple) for at least 10 years, OR
• Is recognized by the President as a distinguished jurist.

• Article 124(6): Oath
  • Before entering office, every judge must take an oath to:
    • Uphold the Constitution of India,
    • Protect the sovereignty and integrity of India, and
    • Perform duties impartially, without fear or favour.
  • Retirement Age
    • Judges of the Supreme Court retire at 65 years of age.
  • Article 124(4): Removal
    • Judges can be removed by the President only after an address by both Houses of Parliament,
    • Requires a two-thirds majority,
    • Grounds: Proven misbehaviour or incapacity.

Celebrated every year on 29 August in India

Aim : to honour the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand, one of the greatest field hockey players in history.

Honours: Major Dhyan Chand (1905–1979), legendary hockey player known as the “Wizard of Hockey”.

ABOUT MAJOR DHYAN CHAND

• Born: 29 August 1905, Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh).
• Represented India in 1928, 1932, and 1936 Olympics, winning three consecutive gold medals in hockey.
• Known for his extraordinary ball control and goal-scoring skills.
• Earned global fame and was admired by sporting legends worldwide.

Observed on August 27

Aim : to highlight the urgent need to protect global freshwater ecosystems.

Current Context: NotOnMap, a community-driven sustainable tourism initiative founded in Chamba, Himachal Pradesh, received international recognition at the Harvard-University of Tokyo Asia Conference (ACONF) 2025, held from 20–24 August 2025 in Tokyo.

ABOUT NOTONMAP

• Founded In: Chamba, Himachal Pradesh
• Model: Connects travellers with rural and heritage communities
• Focus Areas:
  • Preserving local culture
  • Promoting cultural exchange
  • Strengthening rural livelihoods

ABOUT HPAIR (Harvard Project for Asian & International Relations)

• Established: 1991
• Objective: Dialogue on major political, social, and economic issues in the Asia-Pacific
• Past Partners: World Bank, UNHCR, Schwarzman Scholars

2025 Partners: JR East (Japan Metro Operator), International Institute for Strategy & Information Analysis (IISIA)

Current Context: The Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education has selected 16 teachers from Higher Educational Institutions and Polytechnic Institutes for National Awards to Teachers 2024.

ABOUT NATIONAL AWARDS TO TEACHERS

• Established: 1958
• Purpose: To recognise meritorious teachers and headmasters for improving the quality of education and enriching learning experiences.
• Presented By: President of India / Vice-President of India on 5th September (Teachers’ Day) every year.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Education

ELIGIBILITY

• Teachers & Heads of Schools in:
  • State Govt./UT schools, local body schools, aided schools, and private schools affiliated to State/UT Boards
  • Central Govt. schools (KVs, JNVs, Sainik Schools, AEES, EMRS)
• Service Requirement: Minimum 10 years of service (only regular teachers)
• Exclusions: Retired teachers (except partial service till 30th April of the award year), educational administrators, inspectors, training institute staff, contractual teachers, Shiksha Mitras, and those engaged in private tuition.

Himachal Relevance : SOLAN TEACHER SELECTED FOR NAT 2025

• Awardee: Shashi Paul, teacher from Solan, Himachal Pradesh
• Experience: 14+ years in education
• Contributions:
  • Promoted inclusive education, digital innovations, and community-based school transformation
  • Provided free online classes during COVID-19, enabling 220+ students to secure admission in JNVs and reputed institutions
  • Established science & learning labs in rural schools

Contributed to curriculum design under SCERT Solan and Samagra Shiksha

Current Context: India will host the FIDE World Cup 2025 in Goa from 30 October to 27 November 2025.

ABOUT FIDE WORLD CUP 2025

• Organizer: International Chess Federation (FIDE)
• Participants: 206 top players from 90+ countries
• Prize Pool: $2 million
• Significance: Qualifier for 2026 Candidates Tournament

TOURNAMENT FORMAT

• Structure: 8-round knockout event
• Match Rules:
  • 2 classical games
  • Rapid & blitz tie-breakers if required
• Seeding: Top 50 players get byes into Round 2

Current Context: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has launched ‘Project Aarohan’ (2025–2026) to support education of toll plaza employees’ children.

ABOUT PROJECT AAROHAN

• Launched By: NHAI Chairman Shri Santosh Kumar Yadav at NHAI HQ, New Delhi.
• Implementation: By SMEC Trust’s Bharat Cares.
• Funding: ₹1 crore (Phase 1: July 2025 – March 2026).
• Focus Areas:
  • Girls from low-income households
  • First-generation learners
  • Students from SC, ST, OBC, minority communities

SCHOLARSHIP FEATURES

• 500 students (Class 11 to Graduation): ₹12,000 annually
• 50 meritorious students (Post-graduation & higher studies): ₹50,000 each
• Objective: To break financial barriers, ensure inclusive education, and nurture future contributors to India’s growth.

Current Context: The Government of India has constituted three high-level committees chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to commemorate:

• 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
• 150th birth anniversary of Birsa Munda
• Birth centenary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee

HONOURING SARDAR VALLABHBHAI PATEL

• Born: 31 October 1875, Nadiad, Gujarat
• Known As: “Iron Man of India”
• Contributions:
  • Integrated 565 princely states into the Indian Union
  • Strengthened India’s unity and administrative framework
  • Guided civil services and democratic institutions post-independence
• Committee Focus: National unity, integration campaigns, leadership awareness.

CELEBRATING BIRSA MUNDA’S TRIBAL LEGACY

• Born: 15 November 1875
• Role: Tribal freedom fighter, leader of Ulgulan (The Great Tumult) Movement
• Significance: Fought against British exploitation and land alienation; symbol of tribal identity.
• Committee Focus:
  • Celebrating tribal heritage and culture
  • Awareness of tribal resistance movements
  • Promoting Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas (already observed on 15th November).

MARKING ATAL BIHARI VAJPAYEE’S BIRTH CENTENARY

• Born: 25 December 1924
• Known For: Oratory, inclusive leadership, poet, and statesman
• Major Contributions:
  • Pokhran-II nuclear tests (1998)
  • Golden Quadrilateral project for infrastructure
  • Good Governance reforms
• Honours: Bharat Ratna (2015); his birthday observed as Good Governance Day.
• Committee Focus: Public campaigns, seminars, cultural events, publications, contests on Vajpayee’s vision and leadership.

Current Context:

The Lithuanian Parliament has officially approved Inga Ruginiene, a Social Democrat and former labour leader, as the new Prime Minister of Lithuania.

ABOUT INGA RUGINIENE

• Political Party: Social Democrat
• Previous Role: Minister of Social Security and Labour
• Significance: First time a former trade union and labour leader has risen to the post of Prime Minister in Lithuania.

ABOUT LITHUANIA

• Official Name: Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublika)
• Location: A country in the Baltic region of Europe, along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea.
• Borders: Latvia (north), Belarus (east and south), Poland (south), and Russia’s Kaliningrad Oblast (southwest).
• Capital: Vilnius
• Official Language: Lithuanian (one of the oldest Indo-European languages still spoken).
• Currency: Euro (€) (since 2015)