Category: INTERNATIONAL

Context:  U.S. President Donald Trump is set to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, in a high-stakes attempt to negotiate an end to the Ukraine war.

This is the first U.S.-Russia leaders’ meeting since June 2021. Europe sees the summit as crucial with Ukraine’s fate and continental security at stake.

What Trump Wants:

• A ceasefire and a “win” that boosts his global image.
• To showcase himself as a deal-maker capable of ending conflicts.
• Recognition through a peace achievement, possibly even linked to a Nobel Peace Prize narrative.

What Putin Wants:

• Recognition of Russia’s annexations and security buffer in Ukraine.
• A halt to NATO’s eastward expansion and security guarantees.
• Western sanctions relief, while keeping occupied territories under Russian control.

What Zelenskyy Wants:

• No compromise on Ukraine’s sovereignty or territorial integrity.
• Continued Western military and financial support.
• A durable peace deal that does not force Ukraine to give up territory.

European Stake:

• EU leaders (France, Germany, UK) emphasize unity against Russia.
• Europe fears that U.S.-Russia talks may sideline European interests, just like in 1945 when post-war Europe was decided without French input.

India’s Concerns:

• India is indirectly impacted by U.S. sanctions on Russia, particularly affecting energy imports and fertilizer supplies.
• U.S. has imposed a 25% tariff penalty on India for Russian oil purchases and a 25% tariff on Indian exports to the U.S.
• New Delhi hopes Trump emerges with a “win” that stabilizes the situation, as prolonged instability hurts its economy and geopolitical balancing.

Source: THE INDIAN EXPRESS

Category: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Context : Two Indian aquanauts — Cdr (Retd) Jatinder Pal Singh and R. Ramesh (scientists at NIOT) — undertook deep-sea dives in the Atlantic Ocean from the French vessel Nautile.

• They reached depths of 5,002 metres and 4,025 metres, setting new records for Indian deep-sea missions.
• Earlier Indian submarine dives were limited to 500 metres, with the deepest being 670 metres.
• This marks a significant step in preparations for India’s Samudrayaan Mission (2027), aimed at exploring deep-sea resources and technologies.
• The Indian flag was unfurled underwater alongside the French flag, symbolizing international collaboration.

Learning Corner:

Samudrayaan Mission – India’s Deep Ocean Mission

Introduction

• Samudrayaan is India’s first manned deep-ocean mission, launched under the Deep Ocean Mission (DOM) by the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
• It aims to send aquanauts up to 6,000 metres into the ocean in a submersible vehicle named MATSYA 6000.

Objectives

• Exploration of polymetallic nodules and mineral resources like nickel, cobalt, copper, and manganese in the Central Indian Ocean Basin.
• Development of deep-sea technologies: submersibles, mining systems, sensors, and underwater robotics.
• Understanding deep-sea biodiversity, ecosystems, and climate interactions.
• Strengthening India’s role in the Blue Economy and energy security.

Source:  THE INDIAN EXPRESS

Category: HISTORY

Context: Union Home Minister Amit Shah will participate in the 350th martyrdom anniversary celebrations of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib 

The event is being organized by the Maharashtra Government with support from the Sikh Coordination Committee of Maharashtra and other Sikh groups.

The commemoration aims to honor Guru Tegh Bahadur’s supreme sacrifice, upholding religious freedom, unity, and human dignity. Sikh leaders and communities such as Sikligar, Banjara-Labana, Mosial-Sindhi, and Sanatani saints will join the celebrations, which will include religious gatherings, cultural events, and distribution of Sikh history books.

In addition to Navi Mumbai, related events are scheduled across India—such as in Nanded Sahib, Nagpur, and through Panthic Nagar Kirtans traveling across 20 states, culminating at Sri Anandpur Sahib. These celebrations highlight the national significance of Guru Tegh Bahadur’s legacy of peace, selfless service, and unity.

Learning Corner:

Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621–1675)

• • Ninth Sikh Guru: Youngest son of Guru Hargobind; became Guru in 1665.
  • Teachings: Advocated courage, humility, equality, compassion, and devotion to God. Emphasized protection of human rights, religious freedom, and dignity of life.

• Contributions:

• • • Founded Anandpur Sahib (1665), which later became a Sikh religious and political center.
    • Composed hymns (116 shabads) later included in the Guru Granth Sahib.
    • Traveled extensively to spread Sikh teachings across North India.

• Martyrdom (1675):

• • Opposed forced conversions under the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.
  • Publicly defended the right of Kashmiri Pandits and others to practice their faith.
  • Executed in Delhi, earning him the title “Hind di Chadar” (Shield of India).
• Legacy:
  • Symbol of religious freedom, pluralism, and resistance against tyranny.
  • His sacrifice laid foundations for Guru Gobind Singh’s later creation of the Khalsa.
  • Remembered through Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib in Delhi and commemorative events worldwide.

Source: THE TIMES OF INDIA

Category: POLITY

Context: Announced on 15th August 2025, the scheme aims to generate 3.5 crore new jobs between August 2025 and July 2027 with an outlay of ₹1 lakh crore.

Key Features:

• Eligibility: Youth entering their first private sector job (salary up to ₹1 lakh/month) in firms registered with EPFO.
• Incentives for Youth: ₹15,000 financial support in two installments—after 6 months of service and after 1 year along with a financial literacy program.
• Incentives for Employers: Up to ₹3,000/month per eligible employee for two years (extendable to four years for sustained jobs), with a focus on manufacturing and MSMEs.
• Application Process: Registration through EPFO, generation of UAN, face authentication, and minimum 6 months EPF contribution.
• Special Focus: Promotes financial literacy, savings, job creation in manufacturing, services, and technology sectors.

Learning Corner:

Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Protsahan Yojana (PMRPY) – 2016

• Launched to incentivize employers to generate new employment.
• Government paid the full employer’s contribution (12% of wages) towards EPF and EPS for new employees.
• Targeted at workers earning less than ₹15,000 per month.
• Helped formalize the workforce and increase social security coverage.

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) – 2005

• Provides at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to rural households.
• Focuses on unskilled manual work linked to asset creation (roads, water conservation, afforestation).
• Plays a strong role as a social safety net and in reducing rural distress.

National Career Service (NCS) – 2015

• Digital platform under the Ministry of Labour & Employment.
• Connects job seekers with employers, provides career counseling, skill training, and apprenticeship opportunities.
• Focuses on bridging the information gap in the labor market.

Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana (ABRY) – 2020

• Announced during COVID-19 recovery phase to encourage job creation.
• Government contributed both employer’s and employee’s share of EPF (24% of wages) for new employees earning less than ₹15,000/month.
• Focused on boosting formal sector employment after pandemic disruptions.

Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) – 2008

• Credit-linked subsidy program implemented by KVIC.
• Supports micro-enterprises and entrepreneurship in manufacturing and service sectors.
• Subsidy of 15–35% depending on location (urban/rural, general/SC/ST/women).

Source: PIB

Category: POLITY

Context: Aims to provide skill training, upskilling, and entrepreneurship support to marginalized groups like SCs, OBCs, EBCs, DNTs, sanitation workers, waste pickers, artisans, persons with disabilities, and their dependents

Key Features:

• Training Types: Short-term/long-term training, reskilling, Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), and entrepreneurial development.
• Curriculum: Based on NSQF standards, covering trades like tailoring, food processing, carpentry, digital literacy, and financial literacy.
• Artisan Support: Upskilling of traditional artisans with modern techniques and designs.
• Training Institutes: Empanelled centres with biometric attendance, placement tie-ups, and strict monitoring.
• Placement Benchmark: At least 70% of trainees must be employed or self-employed.
• Online Access: Registration and course selection via PM-DAKSH portal and app.

Impact:

• Over 1.8 lakh individuals trained so far, with significant employment/self-employment outcomes.
• Helps in socio-economic empowerment of disadvantaged communities through wage employment and entrepreneurship.

Learning Corner:

Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY)

• Launched: 2015 under Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE).
• Provides short-term training (3–6 months) aligned with NSQF.
• Focus: industry-relevant skills, certification, placement.
• Training through National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).

Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY)

• Target group: Rural poor youth (15–35 years).
• Part of National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM).
• Focus: wage employment through skill training with placement linkages.

National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS)

• Incentivizes industries to engage apprentices.
• Government shares 25% of prescribed stipend (up to ₹1,500 per month) with employers.
• Encourages “earn while you learn” model.

Skill India Mission

• Umbrella mission launched in 2015 to train over 40 crore youth by 2022.
• Brings multiple schemes like PMKVY, NAPS, NSDC initiatives under one framework.

Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS)

• Community-based skill development programme.
• Focuses on non-literate, neo-literate, school dropouts, and women in rural areas.
• Provides life-enrichment and vocational skills at minimal cost.

National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) Initiatives

• PPP model to promote sector skill councils (SSCs).
• Supports private training providers, vocational training, digital skilling.

SANKALP (Skill Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion)

• World Bank-supported project.
• Focus: institutional reforms, quality improvement, and skilling convergence.
• Strengthens State Skill Missions & District Skill Committees.

STRIVE (Skill Strengthening for Industrial Value Enhancement)

• World Bank-assisted scheme.
• Strengthens Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), promotes industry-institute partnerships.

Other Targeted Programs

• UDAAN: For youth of Jammu & Kashmir (special employment-linked skill scheme).
• Nai Manzil: For minority youth (bridging education + skill training).
• Seekho aur Kamao: Skill development for minority youth with placement assistance.
• Vocationalization of School Education: Integrating skills into school curriculum under Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan and NEP 2020.

Source: PIB

Introduction

“Freedom is not the absence of restraints, but the presence of opportunities to question, reason, and dissent.”Independence is not merely the absence of external domination but the presence of civic liberty, democratic participation, and constitutional values.

The true test of freedom lies not only in sovereignty or military power but in ensuring that citizens can exercise reason, dissent, and choice without fear.

Freedom and Democracy

• Democracy thrives on critical citizenship—citizens actively questioning authority, engaging in debate, and holding institutions accountable.
• Without space for dissent, protest, and alternative viewpoints, democracy risks degenerating into mere electoral ritual.
• As the article argues, the erosion of critical spaces—through delegitimization of protests or overemphasis on loyalty to authority—weakens democratic vitality.

2. Freedom and the Constitution

• The Constitution of India enshrines freedoms under Part III (Fundamental Rights), especially Article 19, guaranteeing freedom of speech, association, and movement.
• It balances sovereignty with civic liberty by mandating a system of checks and balances—executive, legislature, judiciary, and media as watchdogs.
• Constitutional morality, as Dr. B.R. Ambedkar emphasised, is essential to sustain freedom—citizens must respect institutions but also question them.

3. Freedom and its Values

• Freedom is not just political independence but a culture of public reasoning.
• Civic freedom means citizens are not passive subjects but participants in shaping policies and challenging state excesses.
• A truly free society recognises pluralism, tolerance, and constructive dissent as strengths rather than threats.

Conclusion

The quality of freedom in India must be measured not only by military sovereignty or economic power but by how well it protects constitutional values, democratic dissent, and the autonomy of its citizens. True independence is realised when citizens move beyond passive obedience to become critical participants in a vibrant democracy, ensuring that freedom remains living, not ornamental.

Q. “The quality of a nation’s freedom is measured not only by its sovereignty but also by the vibrancy of its civic freedoms.” In the light of this statement, critically examine the challenges to civic freedom in India today. How can constitutional values ensure a balance between authority and critical citizenship? (Answer in 250 words, 15 marks)

Introduction 

Left Wing Extremism (LWE) has shrunk dramatically: affected districts have reduced from 126 (2013) to ~38 (2024); incidents are down ~70%+ since 2010; security-force/civilian fatalities are at multi-decade lows; police stations reporting LWE incidents fell from ~330 to ~100.

Current trends in Naxalism

• From movement to fragments: A once pan-India, ideology-heavy insurgency has splintered into regional, tactically violent cells with weakened political messaging.
• Security dominance + governance entry: Forward operating bases, road opening, and grid-based policing are enabling civil administration, welfare outreach and market access.
• Leadership attrition & surrenders: Continuous decapitation, better incentives for surrender/rehabilitation, and reduced recruitment pools.
• Tech creep at the margins: Persistent use of IEDs, occasional drones/encrypted comms, and financial dispersal through informal channels.
• Narrative contestation: Mislabelling (“urban Naxal”) risks chilling legitimate dissent, harming community intelligence flows.

Challenges 

Existing challenges

• Governance deficits in tribal/forest belts: land/forest rights pending, slow justice delivery, weak last-mile services 
• Resource conflicts: mining, land acquisition, displacement without genuine consent/benefit-sharing. 
• Inter-state seams: insurgent mobility across borders; patchy coordination. (
• Cadre sustenance through levies/extortion on local contractors/transporters.

Emerging challenges

• Technology diffusion: better IED design, commercial drones, encrypted apps, digital/hawala finance. 
• Micro-cells & urban facilitators: small, autonomous units; limited but potent urban logistics/intel support.
• Perception & rights risks: heavy-handed ops or wrongful labelling can erode legitimacy, fuel grievance cycles. 
• Post-clear vacuum: “clear” not followed by durable hold-build, causing reversion in remote pockets.

Way forward 

Security (Clear → Hold → Build) 

• Expand specialised, small-team units (Greyhounds/CoBRA model), night-ops, long-range patrols; strengthen IED forensics, counter-drone, SIGINT.
• Seam-management: joint commands, shared ISR, common case databases, synchronized operations calendars.
• Targeted finance choke: map extortion chains, contractor audits, trade-route checks, aggressive follow-the-money with FIU/PMLA tools.

Governance & Rights 

• Fast-track FRA title settlements; community forest produce value chains (MSP, processing, logistics).
• Benefit-sharing in extractives: District Mineral Foundation (DMF) transparency, social impact assessments, consent-based acquisition, time-bound R&R with independent audits.
• Last-mile state capacity: guaranteed road maintenance, telecom uptime, banking/PDS reliability; track with dashboards/KPIs at district level.
• Justice & accountability: mobile courts, time-bound disposal of petty cases; SOP-driven operations with body-cam/forensic documentation to prevent excesses.

Socio-economic & Youth Diversion 

• Scale residential schooling, hostels, skill centres, sports/culture programs, Tribal Youth Exchanges; link surrenderers to jobs via credit + market mentors.

Narrative & Legal Clarity 

• Draw a bright line between lawful dissent and unlawful facilitation; protect civil society space to sustain community intelligence & trust.
• Proactive communication: post-operation disclosures, grievance redressal, and social audit of development funds.

Conclusion

India’s LWE fight has moved into a terminal-shrink phase—from a mass ideological insurgency to isolated, tech-aided micro-violence in difficult terrain. Security primacy must continue, but decisive victory depends on rights-anchored development, clean resource governance, precision policing with accountability, and interstate seam management. 

Value-addition

• Greyhounds (AP/Telangana): Deep-penetration jungle ops dismantled southern strongholds; set best-practice template for small, agile units.
• SAMADHAN doctrine (2017→): Smart leadership, Aggressive ops, Motivation & training, Actionable intel, Dashboards/tech, Home-grown capacity, Alleviation of grievances, No financial access—linked to sustained decline in incidents/fatalities.

Q. Left Wing Extremism has declined sharply in India over the last decade, yet new challenges threaten to prolong its tail-risk. Discuss the factors behind the decline of Naxalism in India, examine the persisting and emerging challenges, and suggest a holistic strategy to achieve durable peace in the affected regions. (15 marks, 250 words)