Current Context : India’s External Affairs Minister joined Europe Day celebrations in New Delhi, marking the 75th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration (9 May 1950).

• About the Schuman Declaration
  • Proposed by: French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman on 9 May 1950.
  • Core Idea: Pool Franco-German coal & steel production under a supranational authority—the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) —to make war “not merely unthinkable, but materially impossible.”
  • Legacy: Laid the institutional groundwork that evolved into today’s EU.
• Significance
  • Europe Day: Celebrated on 9 May by the EU as a symbol of peace & integration.
  • Global Impact: Inspired creation of common markets, EU institutions, and the ethos of “ever closer union.”

Current Context : Defence Minister inaugurated the BrahMos Aerospace Testing Facility in Lucknow, part of the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor.

• About the Facility
  • Investment: ₹300 crore; capacity for integration, testing, and quality assurance of BrahMos missiles.
  • Strategic Aim: Enhance indigenous production and Atmanirbhar Bharat
• About BrahMos Missile
  • Type: Two-stage supersonic cruise missile (Mach 2.8–3).
  • Range: 290 km (land/sea/air-launched variants).
  • Propulsion: Solid booster + liquid ramjet.
  • Features: Fire-and-forget capability, low radar signature, GPS/INS + terminal seeker guidance.
  • Export: First delivery to Philippines (2024); export potential underscores India’s role in global arms market.
• Defence Corridor Context
  • UP Defence Corridor includes six nodal points (Agra, Aligarh, Chitrakoot, Jhansi, Kanpur, Lucknow).
  • Objective: Attract ₹50 000 crore investment, create 1 00 000 jobs in defence manufacturing.

Current Context : The Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner released the SRS Statistical Report 2021, presenting demographic indicators for 2019–21.

• Key Findings
  • Maternal Mortality Ratio decreased from 130 to 93 per 100 000 live births (target ≤ 70 by 2030).
  • Infant Mortality Rate decreased from 39 to 27 per 1 000 live births (target ≤ 12).
  • Neonatal Mortality Rate decreased from 26 to 19 per 1 000.
  • Under-Five Mortality Rate decreased from 45 to 31 per 1 000 (target ≤ 25).
  • Sex Ratio at Birth improved from 899 to 913 girls per 1 000 boys.
  • Total Fertility Rate fell from 2.3 to 2.0; Bihar highest at 3.0.
  • Life Expectancy at birth was 69.8 years (males 68.2, females 71.6).
• About SRS Methodology
  • Sampling: Large-scale annual survey across all States/UTs using continuous enumeration in sample units.
  • Usage: Monitors progress toward Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 3).

Current Context : In the early hours of 13 May 2025, the Indian Army launched Operation Keller, a high-intensity counter-terror operation in the dense Keller forests of Shopian, South Kashmir, acting on credible Rashtriya Rifles intelligence about Lashkar-e-Taiba militants.

• Relation to Operation Sindoor
  • Operation Keller followed Operation Sindoor (7 May 2025 airstrikes on terror launch pads in Pakistan/PoK), forming a two-pronged response: air strikes abroad and ground action at home.
• Objectives & Outcome
  • Prevent Planned Attacks: Disrupt LeT operatives plotting new strikes.
  • Neutralise Key Figures: Eliminated LeT/TRE Resistance Front chief Shahid Kuttay and two associates.
  • Secure the Valley: Deter future infiltration via the Shopian–Kulgam corridor.
• Terrain & Challenges
  • Keller Region: Rugged, dense deodar forests; favored militant hideouts.
  • Operational Complexity: Steep slopes, limited visibility, risk of civilian presence.

Current Context : Pallavi Sharma, vocational instructor at Government Senior Secondary School Nagwain, won the Best Vocational Trainer Award at the State Conference on Skill Development, Financial Inclusion & Social Entrepreneurship (AISECT) in Palampur.

About the Award

• Organiser: AISECT’s Annual State Conference, Palampur.
• Criteria: Excellence in curriculum innovation, student outcomes, and linkages with local industries.
• Impact: Recognition highlights Nagwain’s role in nurturing employable skills among rural youth.

Current Context : Recently, the President of India directed the Himachal Pradesh Chief Secretary to address a citizen petitionchallenging the Forest Department’s entry fee for devotees visiting Churdhar Temple.

About Churdhar Temple

• Location & Elevation: Highest peak (11,965 ft) in Sirmaur district; tallest in the Outer Himalayas.
• Deity: Dedicated to Lord Shiva and local god Shirgul Maharaj, revered as the kuldevta by tribal communities of Sirmaur, Shimla, Solan (HP) and Jaunsar-Bawar (UK).
• Access & Sanctuary: Situated within Churdhar Wildlife Sanctuary, enveloped by deodar forests; pilgrimage (“Churdhar Yatra”) draws thousands annually from HP, Uttarakhand, and beyond.
• Issue: Nominal fee introduced for “maintenance and conservation,” opposed by petitioners as a barrier to worship.

Current Context : Delhi’s Directorate of Education mandated all schools to screen students for 21 disabilities using the new PRASHAST mobile app, developed by NCERT/CIET and rolled out under the Samagra Shiksha programme.

• About PRASHAST
  • Full Form: Pre-Assessment Holistic Screening Tool
  • Developer: Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET), NCERT
  • Coverage: Aligns with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, covering all 21 recognized disabilities.
  • Objective: Enable school-level early identification, leading to timely referrals for expert diagnosis and support.
• About Neurodivergence
  • Encompasses ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and related cognitive variations.
  • Recognizes that students may excel in some domains (e.g., public speaking) but struggle in others, necessitating holistic evaluation.
  • Early detection ensures individualized learning plans under Samagra Shiksha.

Current Context : Recently, Indore District Magistrate Ashish Singh announced that Indore had become the country’s first beggar-free city after rehabilitating ~5,000 beggars through employment and education initiatives.

Campaign Details

• Launch: February 2024 under the Union Ministry of Social Justice’s SMILE pilot (10 cities).
• Phases:
  1. Awareness: Public education on organized begging syndicates.
  2. Rehabilitation: Skill training, job placement for adults; school enrolment for children.
  3. Enforcement: Ban on giving alms/buying; ₹1,000 reward for reporting violations; FIRs registered.

Outcomes & Recognition

• Model Initiative: Praised by the Union Ministry and a World Bank team.
• Social Impact: Addressed root causes of begging—poverty, trafficking, addiction—while upholding human dignity.

Current Context : On 8 May 2025, around 50 Jenu Kuruba families re-entered Nagarhole Tiger Reserve in Karnataka to rebuild homes on their ancestral lands, evicted nearly 40 years ago under wildlife-protection policies.

About the Jenu Kuruba

• Classification: Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) in Kodagu & Mysore districts.
• Livelihood & Culture: “Jenu” = honey; traditionally foragers and honey-collectors; semi-nomadic; reside in small hamlets (haadis).
• Belief System: Deep spiritual ties to forests and wildlife (tigers, elephants as deities) guiding sustainable resource use.
• Social Structure: Led by a Yajamana (leader) and ritual head (Gudda); self-governance on communal matters.

Significance

• Forest Rights Act (2006): Legal framework intended to restore tribal land rights; implementation delays sparked reoccupation.
• Conservation Debate: Highlights conflict between “Fortress Conservation” and Indigenous stewardship, with evidence that tribal presence can bolster biodiversity.

Current Context : Recently, the IMF Executive Board completed the first review of Pakistan’s 37-month Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and approved an immediate $1 billion disbursement, despite India’s formal objection over terrorism financing risks.

About the IMF & EFF

• IMF Overview: Established 1944 at Bretton Woods to ensure monetary cooperation and financial stability; 190 members; governed by a Board of Governors and a 24-member Executive Board headquartered in Washington, D.C.

Membership and Voting Power

• The IMF has 190 member countries.
• Each member contributes a quota, based on its economic size and performance, which determines its voting power and access to funding.
• Voting is determined by a formula: 1 vote per 100,000 SDRs of quota + basic votes.
• SDRs (Special Drawing Rights) are an IMF-created international reserve asset, not a currency, but can be exchanged among members for freely usable currencies.
• EFF Arrangement: A 37-month program approved Sept 2024, totalling $7 billion to stabilize Pakistan’s economy via fiscal consolidation, SOE reforms, and reserve rebuilding.
• Controversy: India abstained and protested, citing potential misuse of funds for cross-border terrorism.