General Studies Paper -2 Context: Recently, a delegation led by European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen is in India for a two-day visit exploring a ‘security and defence partnership’. About India-European Commission (EC) Partnership Historical Context: 1962: Diplomatic relations between India and the European Economic Community (EEC), the precursor to the European Union; 1994: Signing of the India-EU Cooperation Agreement; 2004: Strategic Partnership, a shift towards deeper collaboration in trade, security, and global governance. 2020: ‘India-EU Strategic Partnership: A Roadmap to 2025’, outlining ambitious goals for cooperation in various sectors, including digital innovation, climate action, multilateralism, and global....Read More

General Studies Paper -2 Context: The government’s lateral entry scheme was put on hold last year after the Opposition and allies objected to the absence of quotas. About 63 appointments have been made under it since 2019. In 2020 an Indian Forest Service officer challenged the Lateral Entry scheme on the ground that it lacked legal sanctity and procedural rigour. Lateral Entry Scheme in Bureaucracy It is a practice that involves recruiting individuals from outside the traditional government service cadres to fill mid and senior-level positions. Introduced: First set of vacancies announced in 2018. Eligibility: These people would be domain....Read More

Observed annually on November 21st . Aim : to promote peace and encourage open communication and conflicts should be resolved through communication rather than the use of force. The day was established in 1973 by Brian McCormack, a Ph.D. graduate, and Michael McCormack, in response to the Yom Kippur War to encourage dialogue as a means of conflict resolution.Read More

Current Context : Recently, the QS World University Rankings: Asia (2025) was released. Released by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS),global higher education think-tank. It ranked 984 universities from 25 Asian countries, assessing indicators like academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty-student ratio, and research networks. Key Indicators: Universities were ranked on criteria like academic and employer reputation, faculty-student ratio, research networks, and international diversity. India’s Performance: India leads with 161 universities ranked, the highest representation in Asia. This shows a 318% increase in Indian institutions since 2015. Top Institutions: IIT Delhi ranks highest for India at 44th, followed by IIT Bombay at 48th, and....Read More

National Wildlife Week 2024 was celebrated in India from October 2nd to 8th. Aim : to raise awareness about wildlife conservation, featuring educational events, community engagement, and activities in national parks to promote the protection of India's diverse ecosystems and endangered species. Theme : Wildlife Conservation Through Coexistence. It was established by the Indian Board of Wildlife in 1952. Wildlife Day was observed in 1955, but it was later expanded and renamed Wildlife Week in 1957.  Read More