Category: ENVIRONMENT
Context: India is actively moving toward ratification of the High Seas Treaty (formally the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction – BBNJ – Agreement), contrary to any suggestion of reluctance.
Decoding Context:
Key Highlights:
India’s Commitments:
India also endorsed the ‘Nice Ocean Action Plan’, emphasizing finance, partnerships, and actionable steps toward achieving SDG-14 (Life Below Water).
Global Status:
Conclusion:
India is firmly aligned with the objectives of the High Seas Treaty and is progressing toward formal ratification. Its current stance reflects a deliberate, policy-driven approach consistent with its broader marine conservation strategy.
Learning Corner:
High Seas Treaty (BBNJ Agreement)
Full Name: Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ)
Adopted: June 2023 at the United Nations
Purpose:
To conserve and sustainably use marine biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ), i.e., the high seas which cover nearly two-thirds of the ocean and nearly half of the Earth’s surface.
Key Features:
Significance:
Global Treaties that India has ratified and not ratified:
Category | Ratified by India | Not Ratified by India |
---|---|---|
Nuclear Treaties | CWC, BWC | NPT, CTBT, ATT |
Environmental Treaties | UNFCCC, CBD, Paris Agreement, Basel, Stockholm | BBNJ (in process), some UN water conventions |
Human Rights Treaties | ICCPR, ICESCR, CRC, CEDAW | Migrant Workers’ Convention, Enforced Disappearances |
Labour Treaties | Some ILO conventions | ILO 87, 98, partially delayed ratification of 138 |
Maritime Treaties | UNCLOS, CITES, WTO-related | None major |
Source : THE HINDU
Category: HISTORY
Key Aspects of His Legacy
Conclusion
Sankaran Nair’s life embodied contradiction and courage—an elite fighting for the marginalized, a loyal servant of law who challenged empire, and a moderate voice amid radical upheaval. His legacy is essential to understanding the complexities of India’s freedom struggle.
Learning Corner:
Lawyer | Jurist | Nationalist | Social Reformer
Source: THE HINDU
Category: INTERNATIONAL
Context : Egypt’s Crackdown Forces Sudanese Refugees Toward Libya and Europe
Decoding Context:
Following the 2023 civil war in Sudan, millions fled the country—many initially seeking safety in Egypt due to its proximity and historic ties. However, Egypt’s increasingly restrictive refugee policies have made it harder for Sudanese to remain. Stricter visa rules, costly residency requirements, and a shift from UNHCR to government-controlled refugee registration have led to widespread detentions and deportations, even for registered asylum seekers.
Facing harassment, fear of arrest, and poor living conditions, many Sudanese are now fleeing from Egypt through Libya in hopes of reaching Europe. Libya, though deeply unstable, has become a major transit route despite being extremely dangerous. Refugees face abuse, extortion, sexual violence, and repeated detentions by militias and smugglers. Women and children are especially vulnerable, and many endure brutal treatment before attempting perilous sea crossings to Europe.
The humanitarian response is overwhelmed, with aid agencies warning of dire shortages and funding gaps as refugee numbers climb. Meanwhile, rights groups argue Egypt’s actions violate international obligations, and concerns have been raised over European complicity in funding Egypt’s border control efforts.
Learning Corner:
Sudan War
The Sudan War that began in April 2023 is a devastating internal armed conflict between two powerful military factions in Sudan:
Key Actors:
Cause of the Conflict:
Consequences:
Humanitarian Catastrophe:
Health and Infrastructure Collapse:
Regional Destabilization:
Global Response:
Current Status (as of 2025):
Source : THE HINDU
Category: POLITY
Context : On June 12, 1975, the Allahabad High Court found Prime Minister Indira Gandhi guilty of electoral malpractice for misusing government resources during her 1971 election campaign.
Decoding Context
The court declared her election to the Lok Sabha invalid and barred her from holding elected office for six years. This judgment posed a serious threat to her political future and triggered a major constitutional crisis.
Gandhi’s Response and the Emergency
Instead of resigning, Indira Gandhi appealed to the Supreme Court, which granted a conditional stay allowing her to remain Prime Minister but barred her from voting as an MP. As public protests grew and opposition intensified, she advised the President to declare a national Emergency on June 25, 1975, under Article 352 of the Constitution.
The Emergency led to the suspension of civil liberties, press censorship, and the arrest of thousands of opposition leaders and activists. The government acquired sweeping powers and curtailed judicial independence.
Aftermath and Legacy
The Emergency lasted 21 months and ended in March 1977. It is remembered as a dark chapter marked by authoritarian rule, forced sterilizations, suppression of dissent, and democratic backsliding. Constitutional amendments during this time further shielded the Prime Minister from legal scrutiny.
Learning Corner:
Brief Note on Emergency Provisions in the Indian Constitution
The Emergency provisions in the Indian Constitution allow the central government to assume greater powers to deal with extraordinary situations that threaten the security, unity, or integrity of the nation. These are covered under Part XVIII (Articles 352 to 360).
Types of Emergencies:
Key Safeguards (Post 44th Amendment, 1978):
Important Case laws:
Case | Year | Key Issue | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|
A.K. Gopalan v. State of Madras | 1950 | Preventive detention legality | Validated; Fundamental Rights seen in isolation |
ADM Jabalpur v. Shivkant Shukla | 1976 | Right to life during Emergency | Denied; overruled later |
Minerva Mills v. Union of India | 1980 | Limits on amending power during Emergency | Asserted Basic Structure doctrine |
Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala | 1973 | Scope of constitutional amendments | Basic Structure doctrine established |
Waman Rao v. Union of India | 1981 | Post-Emergency judicial review | Affirmed Basic Structure and limits on Parliament’s power |
Source: THE INDIAN EXPRESS
Category: ECONOMICS
Context : India’s CPI Inflation Falls Below 3% in May 2025 — First Time in 6 Years
Decoding Context:
India’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation for May 2025 is estimated to have dropped below 3%, the lowest since April 2019. Projections suggest it may be around 2.7%, following April’s already low 3.16%.
Key Drivers of the Decline
Policy and Economic Implications
Learning Corner:
Types of Inflation – Based on Causes
Types of Inflation – Based on Rate of Increase
Type | Inflation Rate (approx.) | Nature/Impact |
---|---|---|
Creeping/Mild | < 3% | Slow and manageable; often considered healthy. |
Walking | 3–10% | Noticeable rise in prices; may need policy action. |
Running | 10–20% | Hurts purchasing power significantly. |
Galloping | > 20% | Very high and dangerous; affects economic stability. |
Hyperinflation | > 100% | Prices rise uncontrollably (e.g., Zimbabwe, 2008). |
Types of Inflation – Based on Scope
Other Forms of Inflation
Source : THE INDIAN EXPRESS
June 12 is observed globally as the World Day Against Child Labour (WDACL) by the International Labour Organization (ILO) to bring attention to the persistent issue of child labour and brings together governments, employers and workers’ organisations as well as civil society to work towards ending child labour.
However, child labour is prevalent all over the world and we are far from achieving Sustainable Development Goal Target 8.7 that calls on the global community to take effective measures to end child labour in all its forms by 2025.
The Velpur Mandal of Telangana presents a rare, replicable model of eliminating child labour through a community-driven movement.
Child labour refers to the exploitation of children through any form of work that deprives them of their childhood, interferes with their education, and is harmful to their physical and mental development. It is distinct from permissible light work done in safe environments and outside school hours.
Way Forward
Community Forest Rights (CFRs) are legal rights granted to forest-dwelling communities under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006 in India. These rights recognize the traditional and customary ownership, use, and management of forest resources by communities.
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