Current Context: The Chief Minister of Sikkim has requested the central government to ban climbing on Mt. Khangchendzonga, citing its sacred status among local communities.

About Mt. Khangchendzonga:

• Location: Situated on the border between Sikkim, India, and Nepal.
• Elevation: 8,586 meters, making it the third-highest mountain in the world.
• Cultural Significance: Considered sacred by the people of Sikkim, who believe it is the abode of their guardian deity, Dzö-nga.
• Conservation Status: The Indian side of the mountain is part of the Khangchendzonga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Legal Status: Climbing banned on Indian side under Places of Worship Act, 1991.

Current Context: Researchers from Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, have developed India’s first gene-edited sheep using CRISPR-Cas9 technology.

About the Research:

• Technology Used: CRISPR-Cas9, a gene-editing tool that allows for precise modifications to DNA.
• Target Gene: Myostatin, a gene that regulates muscle growth. Editing this gene resulted in a 30% increase in muscle mass, a trait found in some European breeds but absent in Indian breeds.
• Significance: No foreign DNA was introduced, distinguishing it from transgenic organisms and potentially easing regulatory approvals.

Current Context: The Union government is set to introduce an impeachment motion in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament against former Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma, following a Supreme Court in-house panel’s findings in the “cash-at-home” scandal and a recommendation from CJI Sanjiv Khanna.

Impeachment Process:

• Initiation: A motion must be signed by at least 100 members of the Lok Sabha or 50 members of the Rajya Sabha.
• Grounds for removal: Proved misbehaviour or incapacity (Article 124(4), 217).
• Investigation: A three-member committee, including the Chief Justice of India or a Supreme Court judge, a Chief Justice of a High Court, and a distinguished jurist, investigates the charges.
• Parliamentary Approval: Both Houses must pass the motion with a two-thirds majority of members present and voting, and a majority of the total membership.
• Presidential Action: If both Houses pass the motion, the President issues an order for the judge’s removal.

Current Context: Sudan’s Ministry of Health reported a severe cholera outbreak from 20–27 May 2025, with 2,729 infections and 172 deaths in one week, predominantly in Khartoum State.

ABOUT CHOLERA OUTBREAK

• Cause: Infection by Vibrio cholerae through contaminated water/food.
• Symptoms: Acute watery diarrhea, vomiting, leading to rapid dehydration and death if untreated.
• Prevention & Treatment: Requires access to clean water, sanitation, Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS), and prompt antibiotic therapy.

ABOUT SUDAN

• Located in Northeast Africa.
• Lies within the Nile River basin.
• The third-largest country in Africa by area.
• Capital: Khartoum (situated at the confluence of the Blue and White Nile).
• Rivers: The Nile River is Sudan’s most significant water source.
• Climate: Predominantly arid and semi-arid with desert and savannah zones.

Bordering Countries

Sudan shares borders with:

• Egypt to the north, Libya to the northwest, Chad to the west, Central African Republic (CAR) to the southwest, South Sudan to the south, Ethiopia to the southeast, Eritrea to the east.

Current Context: The ‘Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan’ was launched from Puri, Odisha, by Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, aiming to bridge the gap between agricultural research and farming practices across India

ABOUT VIKSIT KRISHI SANKALP ABHIYAN

• Objectives
  • Educate farmers on modern agricultural technologies.
  • Promote effective use of Soil Health Cards for crop selection and balanced fertilizer application.
  • Raise awareness about government schemes (e.g., Operation Greens).
  • Enhance farmer incomes and recognise them as nutrition providers.
• Coverage & Stakeholders
  • Districts Covered: Over 700 districts nationwide.
  • Villages Engaged: >65,000 villages.
  • Farmers Targeted: 1.5 crore.
• Participating Agencies:
  • 731 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs)
  • 113 ICAR institutes
  • State Departments of Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries
  • Progressive farmers and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs)
• Focus Areas:
  • Early-maturing, disease-resistant crop varieties.
  • Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
  • Post-harvest loss reduction via low-cost technologies.
  • Water conservation and kitchen gardening.

Current Context: President Droupadi Murmu presented the Padma Awards 2025 at the Civil Investiture Ceremony-II held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi.

ABOUT PADMA AWARDS 2025

The awards are announced on the occasion of Republic Day every year.

Categories & Criteria

• Padma Vibhushan: For Exceptional and distinguished service.
• Padma Bhushan: For distinguished service of high order.
• Padma Shri: Distinguished service in any field.
• Fields Covered: Art, Social Work, Public Affairs, Science & Engineering, Trade & Industry, Medicine, Literature & Education, Sports, Civil Service, Others.

2025 Statistics

• Total Awards: 139
• Padma Vibhushan: 7
• Padma Bhushan: 19
• Padma Shri: 113
• Posthumous Recipients: 13
• Foreign/NRI/PIO/OCI: 10
• Women Awardees: 23

❖ Padma Vibhushan (7 Awardees)

Celebrated annually on 29 May.

• Aim : This day honors the service and sacrifice of United Nations peacekeepers.
• History: Established to commemorate the creation of the UN’s first peacekeeping mission, the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO), in 1948.

Current Context: Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh launched the Bharat Forecast System, an indigenously developed high-resolution weather forecasting model, marking a significant advancement in India’s meteorological capabilities.

ABOUT:

Bharat Forecast System:

• Developed by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune.
• One of the world’s first indigenous high-resolution weather forecast models.
• Uses the ‘Triangular Cubic Octahedral Grid model’ for real-time weather modelling.

Technological Advances:

• Improves weather forecast resolution to 6 km from the earlier 12 km.
• Provides more precise village-level weather predictions.
• Demonstrated a 30% improvement in forecasting extreme rainfall events.
• Shows a 64% enhancement in prediction accuracy in core monsoon zones.

Current Context: The University of Liverpool has received formal approval from the University Grants Commission (UGC) to establish its first overseas campus in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

This campus will be the second from the prestigious Russell Group of UK universities to set up in India, following the University of Southampton’s campus in Gurugram. 

ABOUT:

• University of Liverpool:
  • A member of the UK’s Russell Group, representing 24 leading UK universities committed to maintaining the highest research and teaching standards.
  • Offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs across various disciplines.
• India Campus:
  • Will offer degrees equivalent to those awarded in the UK, ensuring international recognition.
  • Plans to offer programs in Business, Computing, Engineering, Economics, Law, Art and Design, with potential future expansions into Biomedicine and Biotechnology.
• Strategic Importance:
  • Aligns with India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which encourages the establishment of foreign university campuses in India.

Current Context: Major Rohit Kadian of the Indian Army clinched four medals at the 11^th World Masters Games held in Taiwan from May 17 to 30, 2025, showcasing exceptional athletic prowess.

Major Kadian secured a gold medal in the 1500m race (40–45 age category), silver medals in the 800m and 5000m races, and a bronze in the 400m event.

About World Masters Games:

• Held in Taiwan from May 17 to 30, 2025.
• An international multi-sport event for athletes aged 35 and above.
• Held every four years, recognized by the International Olympic Committee.
• Promotes lifelong fitness and sportsmanship among veteran athletes.

About Major Rohit Kadian:

• Indian Army officer and accomplished athlete.
• Won gold in 1500m (40-45 age group), becoming world champion in this category.
• Secured silver medals in 800m and 5000m races, and bronze in 400m.