Category: INTERNATIONAL
Context: Due to increased restrictions on H-1B and student visas under U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, more Indians are turning to the EB-5 investment visa route.
The new “Gold Card” program, requiring a $5 million investment for U.S. residency, is drawing attention though details are pending.
Key data:
Learning Corner:
Non-Immigrant Visas
For temporary stay in the U.S.
Immigrant Visas
For permanent residency (Green Card pathway)
Source: THE INDIAN EXPRESS
Category: INTERNATIONAL
Context : OPEC+ has agreed to significantly increase oil production by 547,000 barrels per day (bpd) starting September 2025
Key highlights:
Learning Corner:
OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries)
Objectives:
OPEC+
Purpose:
Key Differences:
| Feature | OPEC | OPEC+ |
|---|---|---|
| Members | 13 (Only OPEC countries) | 23 (OPEC + 10 non-OPEC countries) |
| Formation Year | 1960 | 2016 (as a coordinated alliance) |
| Main Driver | Long-term oil policy coordination | Short-term cooperation on production levels |
Source: THE INDIAN EXPRESS
Category: AGRICULTURE
Context: The International Potato Center (CIP), based in Peru, is introducing bio-fortified potatoes enriched with iron to Indian markets, aiming to combat malnutrition and improve farmer livelihoods.
Key Points:
Learning Corner:
International Potato Center (CIP)
Primary Objectives:
Key Functions:
🇮🇳 In India:
Bio-fortification
Bio-fortification is the process of increasing the nutrient content of crops through biological means, such as conventional breeding, genetic engineering, or agronomic practices.
Objective:
To improve the micronutrient levels (e.g., iron, zinc, vitamin A) in staple food crops to combat malnutrition and hidden hunger, especially in low-income populations that rely on cereals and tubers.
Key Features:
Examples of Bio-fortified Crops:
| Crop | Nutrient Enhanced |
|---|---|
| Rice | Iron, Zinc |
| Wheat | Zinc |
| Sweet Potato | Vitamin A (Beta-carotene) |
| Potato | Iron |
| Pearl Millet | Iron, Zinc |
| Maize | Vitamin A |
Initiatives & Organizations Involved:
Different Methods to Enrich Nutrients in Food Crops
Nutrient enrichment aims to increase the content of essential vitamins and minerals in staple foods to combat micronutrient malnutrition (hidden hunger). There are three major methods to achieve this:
Food Fortification
Definition: Addition of nutrients to food during processing or manufacturing.
How it’s done:
Nutrient Supplementation
Definition: Direct provision of nutrients via pills, syrups, or tablets to individuals.
How it’s done:
Summary Table:
| Method | Stage | Approach | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bio-fortification | Pre-harvest | Crop improvement | Zinc wheat, Golden Rice |
| Food Fortification | Post-harvest | Processing addition | Iodized salt, fortified oil |
| Supplementation | Clinical | Direct administration | Iron tablets, Vitamin A drops |
Source: THE HINDU
Category: HISTORY
Context: Pingali Venkayya 149th birth anniversary
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Pingali Venkayya on his birth anniversary, lauding his significant role in designing India’s national flag, the Tricolour. In a social media message, the Prime Minister highlighted that Pingali Venkayya is remembered for giving India its Tricolour, which stands as a symbol of the country’s pride and unity. The tribute underscores Venkayya’s invaluable contribution to India’s freedom movement and his lasting legacy in the nation’s history.
Learning Corner:
Brief Note on Pingali Venkayya
Key Contribution:
Background:
Source: PIB
Category: INTERNATIONAL
Context: Fresh clashes erupted in Syria, threatening a fragile ceasefire and highlighting the transitional government’s inability to assert control nationwide.
Key issues:
Source: THE INDIAN EXPRESS
The northeastern floods, Wayanad landslides, and rising sea levels are no longer isolated disasters, they are warning signs of a deeper, structural climate crisis that affects national stability, economic security, and ecological survival.
As per a report by the UN office for Disaster Risk Reduction, India suffered an economic loss of a whopping $79.5 billion due to climate-related disasters in the past 20 years from 1998 to 2017.
These are not just seasonal events, but clear signs of worsening climate change.
Such erratic climatic behaviour is threatening livelihoods, infrastructure, and long-term sustainability in the region.
According to a report by the Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP), State-wise Submergence Risks (CSTEP Report)
This decline in agricultural output can fuel price inflation and deepen reliance on non-local food sources, thereby undermining national food security.
A survey warns that the Sunderbans, the world’s largest contiguous mangrove forest could lose up to 80% of its area by 2100.
The destruction of these habitats by warming waters and rising sea level could trigger species extinction and disrupt food chains, with consequences that ripple far beyond borders.
Around the world, many countries now see climate change as a serious security threat. For example, the U.S. military calls it a “threat multiplier” because it makes conflicts worse and affects their defence readiness. The U.K. has also started including climate protection in its foreign policy.
In India also, government should see environmental problems like a national security issue.
In the 2025-26 Union Budget:
This shows that climate action is not yet a top priority in India’s spending plans.
With environmental degradation impacting lives, livelihoods, and sovereignty, India must shift from reactive relief to proactive resilience. Events like Assam floods, Kerala landslides, and coastal submergence must be seen as national emergencies, not seasonal accidents.
Q Rising sea levels pose a serious threat to India’s economic and ecological security. Discuss with examples and suggest policy interventions. (250 words, 15 marks)
In May 2025, the Indian government the Repairability Index for mobile phones and appliances, ranking products based on ease of repair, spare part access, and software support.
But repair is not just about fixing things or managing e-waste it’s also about protecting the skills and knowledge of local repair workers, many of whom work in the informal sector.
As India moves forward in areas like Artificial Intelligence (AI), digital infrastructure, and environmental goals, it’s important to treat repair not just as a service, but as a valuable tradition, skill, and eco-friendly practice that deserves respect and support.
Right to Repair refers to the legal right of consumers to repair and modify their own consumer products, especially electronics and appliances, without relying solely on the manufacturer.
It includes access to:
Significance
Yet, this ecosystem is gradually eroding. Reasons are: Product designs become less repairable and Consumer habits shift toward disposability.
Government should recognise repair not just as a service, but as valuable knowledge work and should support the people behind it through policies, training, and recognition.
The Right to Repair must expand beyond product access to include the right to remember, to value, and to integrate centuries-old knowledge systems into modern policy. To build a truly repair-ready and just technological future, India must redesign not only its devices but its governance frameworks — with repairers at the centre, not the periphery.
Q Informal repairers form the invisible backbone of India’s material resilience. Examine the challenges they face and suggest measures to integrate them into formal digital and policy frameworks. (250 words, 15 marks)
Source: The ‘right to repair’ must include the ‘right to remember’ – The Hindu
