Category: CULTURE

Context:  Goa’s traditional bullfighting, and recent demands by MLAs across party lines to legalise it.

Key Points:

• Historical & Cultural Significance:
  • Traced back to the Harappan civilisation and Portuguese era.
  • Traditionally held after harvest season as community entertainment.
  • Bulls fight until one falls or flees, sometimes causing serious injuries.
  • Events attract large crowds, including politicians and dignitaries.
• Current Ban:
  • Prohibited under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 after a fatal 1996 incident.
  • High Court banned all animal fights, but events still occur clandestinely, often publicised through private channels.
  • Popular for betting, including among the Goan diaspora.
• Legalisation Debate:
  • Proponents: Claim no cruelty, compare it to regulated sports like boxing, argue it boosts tourism and rural economy.
  • Opponents (animal rights activists): Call it violent, cruel, and primarily for gambling; oppose exceptions for dhirio.
• Government Response:
  • Goa CM Pramod Sawant has promised to examine the issue.
  • Previous attempts to legalise under regulated frameworks have been discussed but not implemented.

Learning Corner:

Traditional Bullfighting in India:

• Jallikattu (Tamil Nadu): Bull-taming sport held during Pongal festival; participants attempt to grab a bull’s hump and hold on.
• Dhirio (Goa): Bull-versus-bull fights, banned under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960; proponents seek regulated revival.
• Kambala (Karnataka): Though not bullfighting, involves buffalo races in waterlogged fields during the harvest season.

Traditional Sports in India:

• Mallakhamba (Maharashtra & MP): Gymnastics and wrestling techniques performed on a wooden pole or rope.
• Thang-ta (Manipur): Martial art combining armed combat with sword and spear.
• Vallam Kali (Kerala): Snake boat races during Onam.
• Silambam (Tamil Nadu): Weapon-based martial art using bamboo staffs.
• Mukna (Manipur): Indigenous form of wrestling.
• Gatka (Punjab): Sikh martial art involving swords and sticks.
• Kho-Kho & Kabaddi: Tag-based team sports with deep rural roots, now professional leagues.

Source: THE INDIAN EXPRESS

Category: GEOGRAPHY

Context : This can directly be asked in prelims

Scientific Significance:

• Originated along the boundary between the Indian and Eurasian Plates.
• This region, especially the Eastern Himalayas, is highly seismically active, with plate convergence rates varying from 10 to 38 mm/year.
• The earthquake’s mixed thrust and strike-slip motion made it unique compared to typical Himalayan quakes.
• Caused major surface ruptures, mountain collapses, and altered landscapes permanently.

Geological Context:

• The Great Assam Earthquake was caused by collision of continental plates, creating a complex tectonic zone.
• The Eastern Himalayas differ from the central arc, as structures here involve multiple faults linked to the Assam syntaxis.
• Past data shows large quakes in the area in 1548, 1596, 1697, and medieval events between 1262–1635.

Implications for the Future:

• The region remains the most seismically active in the Himalayas and could generate another 1950-scale quake.
• Predicting timing, location, and magnitude remains impossible with current knowledge.
• Urban expansion, infrastructure, and population density make a future quake potentially more devastating.

Learning Corner:

Plate Tectonics 

Plate tectonics is the scientific theory that the Earth’s outer shell (lithosphere) is divided into large, rigid plates that float on the semi-molten asthenosphere beneath. These plates move slowly due to convection currents in the mantle caused by heat from Earth’s interior.

Key Points:

• Major Plates: Pacific, Eurasian, African, Indo-Australian, North American, South American, and Antarctic, along with smaller plates.
• Plate Boundaries:
  1. Convergent: Plates move towards each other → mountain building, subduction zones, volcanoes.
  2. Divergent: Plates move apart → mid-ocean ridges, seafloor spreading.
  3. Transform: Plates slide past each other → earthquakes.
• Geological Impact: Explains distribution of earthquakes, volcanoes, mountain ranges, ocean trenches, and continental drift.
• Driving Forces: Mantle convection, slab pull, and ridge push.

Source:  THE HINDU

Category: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Context: India is set to launch its first private Earth Observation (EO) satellite constellation under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, announced by IN-SPACe

Key Details:

• Lead & Partners: Led by Bengaluru-based PixxelSpace India with Piersight Space, Satsure Analytics India, and Dhruva Space.
• Investment: ₹1,200 crore over five years; zero cost to the government, with private sector fully funding the project.
• Constellation: 12 advanced EO satellites with panchromatic, multispectral, hyperspectral, and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) sensors.
• Timeline: Phased deployment over 4–5 years.
• Government Role: Strategic, technical, and policy support; all satellites to be built, launched, and operated in India to ensure data sovereignty.

Strategic Importance:

• Applications: Climate change monitoring, disaster management, precision agriculture, urban planning, marine surveillance, national security, and water quality monitoring.
• Global Reach: Aims to supply high-quality EO data for domestic and international markets.
• Economic Impact: Boost to private space industry, projected to grow from $8.4 billion (2022) to $44 billion (2033).

Source: THE HINDU

Category: POLITY

Context: The Union Health Ministry launched SHRESTH as India’s first national framework to benchmark and strengthen state drug regulatory systems

Objectives:

• Evaluate, rank, and guide improvement of state drug regulators.
• Align with global standards like WHO ML3 for vaccine regulation.
• Ensure uniform quality and safety of medicines nationwide.

Framework:

• Developed by CDSCO.
• Manufacturing States: 27 indices under five themes — Human Resources, Infrastructure, Licensing, Surveillance, and Responsiveness.
• Distribution States/UTs: 23 indices under similar themes.
• Monthly data submission and scoring; rankings shared for transparency and cross-learning.
• Capacity building via workshops, joint audits, and training.

Significance:

• Promotes consistent drug safety and regulatory maturity.
• Encourages sharing of best practices.
• Strengthens public trust in medicines.
• Supports India’s pharmaceutical leadership globally.

Learning Corner:

Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO)

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) is India’s national regulatory authority for drugs and medical devices, functioning under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. It operates under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and its rules.

Key Functions:

• Approval of New Drugs & Clinical Trials – Ensures safety, efficacy, and quality before market entry.
• Regulation of Medical Devices – Oversees standards, licensing, and post-market surveillance.
• Licensing Authority – Issues licenses for import of drugs, medical devices, and cosmetics.
• Coordination with State Authorities – Works with State Drug Control Departments to maintain uniform drug quality across India.
• Pharmacovigilance – Monitors adverse drug reactions to enhance drug safety.
• Standard Setting – Frames guidelines and standards for manufacturing, labelling, and distribution.

Structure:

• Headed by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI).
• Functions through zonal, sub-zonal, port, and central laboratories across India.

Source: PIB

Category: ENERGY

Context The Union government launched the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission (NSCAEM) in July 2023 to eliminate sickle cell genetic transmission by 2047, aiming to screen 70 million people under 40 by FY26

Key Points:

• Impact: Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) disproportionately affects India’s tribal population, impairing oxygen transport in blood and causing severe health issues.
• Progress: By July 2024, over 60.7 million screened in 17 high-prevalence states; 216,000 diagnosed with SCD and 1.69 million identified as carriers.
• Geographic Concentration: 95% of cases in Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, and Maharashtra.
• Interventions:
  • Free healthcare, essential medicines (e.g., hydroxyurea), and diagnostics.
  • Genetic counselling, public awareness, and distribution of genetic status cards.
  • Establishment of Centres of Excellence in 15 institutions for diagnosis and management.
  • Training of Trainers (ToT) for health workers.
  • Deployment of cost-effective PoC diagnostic devices.
• Approach: Whole-of-government strategy with multiple ministries, tribal affairs involvement, and community-based success stories like Meena from Chhattisgarh.
• Future Focus: Expand genetic counselling, awareness campaigns, and use of digital tools to reach every carrier and patient.

Learning Corner:

Sickle Cell Anaemia (SCA) 

• Definition: A hereditary blood disorder caused by a mutation in the HBB gene leading to abnormal haemoglobin (HbS).
• Mechanism: Red blood cells (RBCs) take a rigid, sickle-like shape → reduced oxygen-carrying capacity → blockage of blood flow → tissue damage.
• Inheritance: Autosomal recessive (disease occurs when both parents pass on the defective gene).
• Symptoms: Anaemia, fatigue, pain episodes, swelling in hands/feet, frequent infections, delayed growth, vision problems.
• Complications: Stroke, organ damage, pulmonary hypertension, leg ulcers.
• Prevalence in India: Common in tribal communities of central, western, and southern states (e.g., Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Gujarat).
• Diagnosis: Blood test for Hb electrophoresis or HPLC, newborn screening, genetic testing.
• Treatment:
  • Medicines: Hydroxyurea, pain relievers, antibiotics, folic acid supplements.
  • Procedures: Blood transfusion, bone marrow transplant (curative in some cases).
  • Supportive Care: Adequate hydration, infection prevention, oxygen therapy.
• Prevention: Premarital counselling, carrier screening, genetic counselling to avoid high-risk marriages.
• Government Initiatives:
  • National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission (2023) – screening, genetic counselling, free treatment, elimination target by 2047.
  • Inclusion of hydroxyurea in National Essential Drug List.

Source: PIB

Introduction (Context)

Stray-dog bites in Delhi-NCR are a critical public health concern—evidenced by tens of thousands of bites annually and rising rabies cases. The Supreme Court directed municipal authorities to house stray dogs in shelters, highlighting urgent legal and humanitarian dimensions of this issue.

Problems & Challenges

1. Public Health Crisis
   • Delhi records over 68,000 dog-bite cases in 2024, with 49 recorded human rabies deaths by July 2025.
   • Human rabies remains nearly 100% fatal—prompt and effective animal and human interventions are urgent.
2. Infrastructure & Institutional Gaps
   • Municipal capacities are severely overstretched; NCR-wide dog populations run into tens of thousands, but shelter infrastructure is grossly inadequate.
   • Financial resources, skilled personnel (veterinarians, handlers), and land for humane shelters are lacking.
3. Urban Drivers Sustaining Stray Populations
   • Open garbage, wet-waste mismanagement, offal from slaughterhouses, construction waste, and irresponsible pet abandonment create feeding grounds that support and sustain the stray dog population.
4. Policy–Operational Disconnect
   • The Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, mandate catch–neuter–vaccinate–return-to-locality (CNVR), whereas the recent SC order urges detention in shelters. This conflict threatens implementation.
5. Data and Coordination Deficits
   • No comprehensive dog census or microchipping system exists; bite and rabies case reporting is patchy; coordination between health, municipal, and animal welfare departments is weak.

Supreme Court Judgments & Legal Context

1. Supreme Court Principles
   • In A. Nagaraja (2014), the SC affirmed animals’ dignity, and under Articles 51A(g),(h), upheld citizens’ and the State’s duty to practice compassion and scientific temper in animal management.
2. Recent SC Direction (Aug 2025)
   • A Bench ordered authorities to pick up stray dogs and house them in shelters, addressing public safety imperatives.

Implementation Challenges

1. Resource Constraints: Significant capital and operational investments required for building and maintaining humane shelters.
2. Policy Tensions: CNVR vs. sheltering debate; need clarity on handling aggressive or unfit-to-release dogs.
3. Welfare Risks: Overcrowding and disease outbreaks in shelters pose animal welfare risks—defeat cruelty objective.
4. Community Conflicts: Neighbourhoods vs. feeders; risks of vigilantism; slack grievance redress systems.
5. Fragmented Governance: Lack of unified command between departments—health, municipal, environment, NGOs.
6. Data Scarcity: Planning is hampered without reliable data on dog numbers, bites, or vaccination status.

Way Forward (Reforms & Actions)

1. Mass Vaccination & Targeted CNVR
   • Achieve >70% dog vaccination (WHO benchmark) combined with behaviour-based release; unadoptable or aggressive dogs to humane shelters.
2. Sacrificial Infrastructure—Shelters with Standards
   • Modular, sanitary shelters with capacity for quarantine, veterinary care, behavioural assessment, and adoption programs.
   • Build through PPPs/NGOs under service-level agreements for sustainability.
3. Waste & Environmental Management
   • Enforce wet-waste segregation and manage offal; clamp down on illegal dumping; regulate pet-living areas and pet-food waste.
4. Pet Ownership Regulations
   • Mandatory pet registration and microchipping; licensing for breeders and pet shops; enforce anti-abandonment fines.
5. Bite-Response & Human Health Protocols
   • Ensure steady ARV/HRIG supply; train healthcare staff in bite management; conduct awareness drives in schools and communities.
6. Data-Driven Governance
   • Implement a dog census with microchipping, vaccination records, bite/rabies case tracking; transparent dashboards for public tracking.
7. Community Engagement & Social Harmony
   • Designate feeder points; burnish feeder-community agreements; mediate conflicts; encourage adoption; train municipal and police staff on humane management.
8. One Health Coordination
   • Create inter-departmental Task Forces combining health, veterinary, municipal, education, and NGOs to drive integrated interventions.

Conclusion

The issue of dog bites in NCR demands a balanced One Health approach—one that ensures public safety without compromising animal dignity. Ethics demands that India treat even its stray dogs with compassion and scientific rationality—reflecting both constitutional duty and public health necessity.

Value addition:

Ethical Dimension on Stray Dog Issue

Core Ethical Principles Involved

• Utilitarianism (Greatest Good for Greatest Number): Balancing public safety (prevention of dog bites, rabies control) with animal welfare.
• Deontological Ethics (Duty-Based): Duty to protect vulnerable beings — both humans and animals — without resorting to cruelty.
• Ahimsa & Gandhian Ethics: Non-violence towards all living beings, reflecting constitutional values under Article 51A(g) (duty to have compassion for living creatures).
• Justice & Equity: Ensuring that marginalised groups (often children, waste-pickers, rural poor) are not disproportionately exposed to stray dog attacks.

Ethical Dilemmas

• Human Safety vs. Animal Rights: Removing or euthanising stray dogs may reduce attacks but could be seen as unethical cruelty.
• Individual Rights vs. Collective Welfare: Protecting individual animals vs. safeguarding the health of entire communities.
• State Responsibility vs. Public Apathy: The ethical failure when governance inaction leads to avoidable deaths of both humans and animals.

Case Studies

1. ABC Programme – Jaipur Model (Rajasthan)
   • NGO Help in Suffering (HIS) partnered with Jaipur Municipal Corporation in the 1990s.
   • Sterilised over 80% of stray dogs within a decade → sharp decline in dog bites and zero rabies deaths reported.
2. Sikkim (SARAH programme): 
   • state-wide CNVR + vaccination + humane education; dramatic fall in human rabies and bites; strong inter-departmental coordination.
3. Kerala’s ‘Kozhikode ABC-R Programme’
   • Combined Animal Birth Control (ABC) with Rabies vaccination (R).
   • Reduced dog-bite incidents by 40% in 3 years.
4. Chennai’s Blue Cross of India Initiative
   • Set up designated feeding points for strays while keeping residential areas safer.
5. Goa’s Rabies-Free Target (Mission Rabies)
   • Collaboration between Goa Government and UK-based Mission Rabies NGO.
   • Vaccinated over 1 lakh dogs annually; targeted zero human rabies deaths.
6. Mumbai RWA–BMC Partnership
   • Resident Welfare Associations coordinate with Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation for sterilisation and vaccination drives.
7. International Example – Bhutan’s Nationwide Sterilisation Drive
   • Bhutan implemented 100% sterilisation coverage in urban centres with help from Humane Society International.
   • Rabies eliminated in key cities; humane treatment became a public value.

In light of rising stray dog attacks and associated rabies deaths in urban India, discuss the ethical dilemmas in balancing public safety with animal rights. How can administrators ensure humane yet effective solutions in line with constitutional values and judicial directions? Support your answer with suitable case studies.

Introduction (Context)

The Alaska summit between the US and Russia, without Ukraine’s participation, reflects shifting geopolitical equations in the post-Cold War order. It takes place amid deep-rooted mistrust, NATO–Russia tensions, and the ongoing Russia–Ukraine conflict, with implications for India’s strategic autonomy and multipolarity in the evolving global order.

Strategic Context

• First visit of a Russian President to the US in over a decade, signalling a tentative thaw in Washington–Moscow relations.
• Russia–US relations deteriorated post–Crimea annexation (2014) and Ukraine invasion (2022).
• Talks occur amid great power rivalry between the US, Russia, and China.

US–Russia Agenda & Divergent Positions

• Peace-for-profit approach: Linking political de-escalation to commercial cooperation (energy, LNG, Arctic resources).
• US seeking structural arms control, Russia aiming for security guarantees and NATO rollback.
• Ukraine excluded from the negotiation table—raises questions on legitimacy and durability of peace.

Structural Challenges

• Deep political mistrust in the US over Russia’s alleged interference in domestic politics.
• Political resistance from Europe and Kyiv to any settlement rewarding aggression.
• Divergence over conflict resolution models—US favoring quick ceasefire, Russia aiming for frozen conflict to maintain strategic leverage.

Implications for India

• Strategic balancing: India seeks reconciliation between US and Russia to maintain ties with both, crucial for energy security and defense cooperation.
• Reduced hostilities could free Russian bandwidth for Indo–Pacific engagement, counterbalancing China.
• Breakdown of talks risks prolonging instability, impacting food, energy, and arms trade flows critical to India.
• The Alaska talks, despite contradictions, represent an opportunity for incremental peace-building in Eurasia. For India, a balanced outcome could safeguard its strategic partnerships, uphold multipolarity, and mitigate disruptions to its economic and security interests. However, without Ukraine’s participation, any settlement risks being temporary—a reminder that inclusive diplomacy remains the cornerstone of sustainable peace.

“In great power politics, bilateral engagement without involving directly affected stakeholders risks producing an unstable peace.” In the context of the recent US–Russia talks in Alaska, critically examine the implications for the global order and India’s strategic interests. (250 words)