Category: POLITY

Context:  Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT) launched on 24 September 2025. 

Highlights

• Statutory appellate body under GST laws to hear appeals against orders of GST Appellate Authorities.
• Aims to clear over 4.8 lakh pending appeals, ensuring faster and consistent dispute resolution.
• Structure: Principal Bench in New Delhi and 31 State Benches across 45 locations.
• Each Bench: 2 Judicial Members + 1 Technical (Centre) + 1 Technical (State) for balanced decisions.
• Hearings to begin December 2025, starting with legacy appeals.
• From April 2026, Principal Bench will also serve as the National Appellate Authority for Advance Ruling.
• Digital platform for filing appeals, tracking, and virtual hearings.

Significance

• Provides one-stop, independent, and transparent forum for GST disputes.
• Reduces compliance burden, boosts certainty in legal outcomes, and supports business growth.
• Symbol of cooperative federalism and institutional strengthening in India’s GST regime.

Learning Corner:

Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT)

The GSTAT is a statutory appellate body established under the GST laws to provide an independent forum for resolving disputes arising under India’s indirect tax regime. 

• Purpose: To hear appeals against orders passed by GST Appellate Authorities and ensure quicker, consistent, and fair resolution of tax disputes.
• Structure:
  • Principal Bench in New Delhi and 31 State Benches across 45 locations.
  • Each Bench consists of two Judicial Members, one Technical Member (Centre), and one Technical Member (State).
• Functioning:
  • Will begin hearings from December 2025, prioritising pending (“legacy”) appeals.
  • From April 2026, the Principal Bench will also act as the National Appellate Authority for Advance Ruling (NAAAR).
• Digital Interface: Taxpayers can file appeals, track progress, and attend hearings online, enhancing transparency and ease of compliance.
• Significance:
  • Reduces backlog of appeals (over 4.8 lakh cases pending).
  • Promotes certainty, fairness, and cooperative federalism in GST administration.
  • Strengthens India’s institutional framework for tax dispute resolution.

Source: PIB

Category: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Context : The Indian Navy will commission INS Androth, the second Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC).

Key Highlights

• Built by GRSE, Kolkata, with over 80% indigenous components, showcasing Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
• Named after Androth Island (Lakshadweep), continuing the legacy of its predecessor INS Androth (P69).
• Equipped with advanced weapons, sensors, waterjet propulsion, and modern communication systems.
• Multi-role platform for ASW, maritime surveillance, search & rescue, and coastal defence.
• Enhances India’s anti-submarine warfare capability and strengthens security in the Indian Ocean.

Learning Corner:

Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC)

Definition:
Small, fast naval vessels designed for detecting, tracking, and neutralising submarines in coastal and shallow waters where larger ASW platforms are less effective.

Key Features:

• Mobility: Compact, waterjet-propelled, highly manoeuvrable.
• Sensors & Weapons: Hull/towed sonars, lightweight torpedoes, depth charges, small guns.
• Uses: Littoral ASW patrols, coastal surveillance, convoy escort, SAR.
• Strengths: Cost-effective, ideal for choke-points/islands, quick deployment.
• Limitations: Limited endurance, smaller payload, challenges in shallow-water sonar detection.

Strategic Role:
Boosts coastal defence and layered ASW capability, vital for India’s maritime security and Aatmanirbhar shipbuilding drive.

Source:  PIB

Category: ENVIRONMENT

Context: Global rhino populations, though stable at around 27,000, remain dangerously low compared to over 500,000 a century ago, raising concerns of “shifting baseline syndrome.”

Context

Key Highlights

• Population trends: Black rhinos have recovered to ~6,800 (from 100,000 in 1960); white rhinos continue to decline (~15,700); Asian rhinos vary—greater one-horned (~4,000) are stable, while Sumatran (34–47) and Javan (~50) remain critically endangered.
• Threats: Poaching for horns, illegal trafficking, habitat loss, and inbreeding in small, fenced reserves.
• Shifting baseline danger: Treating low populations as “normal” risks complacency and undermines long-term recovery.
• Way forward: Disrupt horn trade, reduce demand, expand genetic diversity, engage local communities, and restore habitats.

Learning Corner:

Greater One-Horned Rhino / Indian Rhino

• Habitat & Range: Found mainly in the terai grasslands and riverine forests of India and Nepal. Strongholds include Kaziranga, Orang, and Pobitora (Assam, India) and Chitwan National Park (Nepal).
• Population: Around 4,000+ individuals today, up from fewer than 200 in the early 20th century, making it a conservation success story.
• Appearance: Known for its single black horn (20–60 cm long) and thick, grey-brown skin with folds, giving an ‘armour-plated’ look.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN: Vulnerable
  • CITES: Appendix I (highest protection)
  • Protected under Schedule I of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 (India).
• Threats: Poaching for horn, habitat loss due to floods and encroachment, human–wildlife conflict, and small isolated populations.
• Conservation Measures:
  • Project Rhino initiatives in Assam.
  • Translocation programmes under Indian Rhino Vision 2020 (e.g., Kaziranga to Manas).
  • Strict patrolling, use of drones, and community involvement in conservation.

Global Rhino Species and Their Status

1. White Rhino (Ceratotherium simum)
   • Largest rhino species, native to Africa.
   • Two subspecies: Southern white rhino (~15,700) and Northern white rhino (functionally extinct, only 2 females left).
   • Status: Near Threatened, but facing decline due to poaching.
2. Black Rhino (Diceros bicornis)
   • Smaller than white rhino, native to eastern and southern Africa.
   • Population: ~6,800 (up from 2,500 in the 1990s, but far below 100,000 in 1960).
   • Status: Critically Endangered, recovering slowly under conservation.
3. Greater One-Horned Rhino / Indian Rhino (Rhinoceros unicornis)
   • Found mainly in India and Nepal (Kaziranga, Pobitora, Chitwan).
   • Population: ~4,075.
   • Status: Vulnerable, but a conservation success story with steady growth.
4. Javan Rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus)
   • Found only in Ujung Kulon National Park, Indonesia.
   • Population: ~50 individuals.
   • Status: Critically Endangered, most threatened of all rhino species.
5. Sumatran Rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis)
   • Smallest rhino species, covered with reddish-brown hair.
   • Found in small, fragmented populations in Sumatra and Borneo.
   • Population: Only 34–47 left.
   • Status: Critically Endangered, on the brink of extinction.

Source: DTE

Category: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Context AI-driven data centres are projected to massively increase global and India’s energy demand, raising questions about whether AI will help optimize energy use or worsen the crisis.

• Global data centre capacity demand may rise 19–22% annually (2023–2030), potentially reaching 171–219 GW, with AI being the main driver.
• India’s data centre demand may grow from 1.2 GW (2024) to 4.5 GW (2030), led by AI and digital adoption; Mumbai, Chennai, and Hyderabad are major hubs.
• AI could both worsen energy pressure and help improve efficiency through smart grids, renewable forecasting, hybrid energy systems, and predictive analytics.
• Challenges: Meeting demand solely from renewables is impractical; reliance on coal and natural gas remains likely.
• Solutions: Green-certified buildings, demand management, real estate retrofits, hybrid renewable-storage projects, and government nudges under the National Smart Grid Mission.
• The debate: AI may be part of the energy crisis but also offers tools to optimize consumption, reduce wastage, and integrate renewables if deployed responsibly.

Learning Corner:

AI in Energy Optimization

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is emerging as a key tool to make energy systems smarter, more efficient, and sustainable. It can analyse massive datasets, forecast demand, and optimise energy generation, distribution, and consumption in real time.

1. Smart Grids & Demand Forecasting

• AI predicts electricity demand patterns with high accuracy, reducing wastage and preventing blackouts.
• Example: Google DeepMind’s AI helped the UK’s National Grid forecast energy demand and balance supply more effectively.

2. Renewable Energy Integration

• AI improves forecasting of solar and wind power output, which are variable in nature.
• Example: Microsoft’s AI-enabled systems in Ireland’s wind farms improved prediction accuracy of power generation by 20–30%.

3. Energy Efficiency in Data Centres

• AI adjusts cooling systems and workloads dynamically to reduce power use.
• Example: Google’s data centres cut cooling energy consumption by 40% using DeepMind AI.

4. Smart Buildings & Appliances

• AI-powered systems manage heating, ventilation, and lighting for optimal efficiency.
• Example: Nest smart thermostats learn user behaviour and adjust temperature, reducing household energy consumption.

5. Grid Stability & Storage Management

• AI optimises battery storage, deciding when to store or release energy for grid stability.
• Example: Tesla Powerwall & Powerpack systems use AI to manage renewable energy storage and demand response.

Significance

• Reduces carbon emissions by cutting energy wastage.
• Enables greater renewable adoption by balancing variability.
• Enhances reliability, resilience, and cost-efficiency in power systems.

Source: THE HINDU

Category: POLITY

Context: Delhi may witness its first artificial rain through cloud seeding trials in October–November 2025 to tackle pollution and smog.

• The method involves adding silver iodide to clouds to induce rain, aimed at reducing smog during winter.
• Aircraft will remain on standby, and operations will follow Visual Flight Rules (VFR) with necessary ATC and DGCA approvals.
• Trials depend on favourable weather conditions and will be executed with inter-agency coordination.
• Seen as part of Delhi’s 24×7 year-round clean air strategy, the move intends to provide relief from pollution peaks in winter.

Learning Corner:

Cloud Seeding

Definition:
Cloud seeding is a weather modification technique that aims to enhance rainfall or snowfall by dispersing substances into clouds to encourage precipitation.

Process & Method:

• Uses silver iodide, potassium iodide, or dry ice particles, sometimes even salts.
• These act as condensation nuclei, around which moisture condenses to form raindrops or snowflakes.
• Dispersal is done using aircraft, rockets, or ground-based generators.

Types:

1. Static cloud seeding – particles provide nuclei for moisture condensation.
2. Dynamic cloud seeding – enhances vertical air currents, boosting cloud growth.
3. Hygroscopic seeding – uses salts to encourage droplet coalescence in warm clouds.

Applications:

• Increase rainfall in drought-prone regions.
• Mitigate air pollution and smog (e.g., Delhi trials).
• Reduce hailstorm damage.
• Enhance snowfall in ski resorts.

Source: THE INDIAN EXPRESS

Introduction (Context) 

In Subramanian Swamy v. Union of India (2016), the Supreme Court upheld criminal defamation under Sections 499–500 IPC, stating that reputation is part of the Right to Life under Article 21. 

• Yet, recent instances—such as the conviction of politicians and journalists for remarks against public figures—show how these provisions are increasingly used to intimidate critics and shrink democratic debate, raising concerns over free speech under Article 19(1)(a).

What is Defamation?

• Defamation is any false statement that lowers a person’s reputation.
• Civil Defamation: Handled under tort law, resolved through damages, apology, or injunction.
• Criminal Defamation: Offence under IPC Sections 499–500, punishable by up to 2 years’ imprisonment or fine.
• Exceptions: Fair comment, truth, and statements in public interest (e.g., investigative reports exposing corruption).

Recent Misuse and Concerns

• Politicians using law against critics: In 2023, Rahul Gandhi was convicted in a criminal defamation case over remarks about a surname, highlighting its political weaponization.
• Targeting journalists: Reporters exposing scams often face multiple defamation cases across states, leading to harassment and litigation burden.
• Chilling effect on free speech: Editors Guild of India flagged that criminal defamation creates self-censorship among media houses.
• Judicial backlog: NCRB data (2023) shows over 20,000 pending cases, with low conviction rates but high harassment value.
• Lower courts’ easy summons: Ordinary criticism of government policies is sometimes dragged into criminal trials until higher courts intervene.

Global Perspective

• Democracies like the U.K. (2009), Ghana, and Sri Lanka have abolished criminal defamation.
• The U.S. Supreme Court (New York Times v. Sullivan, 1964) elevated protection for speech against public officials.
• UN Human Rights Committee has repeatedly urged countries to remove imprisonment as a punishment for defamation.

Critical Analysis

• Supporters argue that Indian society lacks robust civil law enforcement, making criminal defamation necessary to deter malicious attacks.
• However, experience shows that it disproportionately benefits powerful actors while discouraging investigative journalism, satire, and political critique.
• A balance must be struck where reputation is protected through civil remedies, not jail terms.

Steps Needed

• Decriminalize defamation: Repeal prison terms under IPC Sections 499–500, retain civil remedies like damages and injunctions.
• Fast-track civil defamation courts: Ensure timely justice to aggrieved citizens.
• Stricter judicial filters: SC/HC should set higher thresholds for lower courts before issuing summons.
• Awareness of exceptions: Promote legal education on public good and fair comment defences to safeguard legitimate criticism.
• Legislative review: Law Commission and Parliament should revisit defamation law to align with constitutional morality and global practices.

Conclusion
Recent cases show that criminal defamation is often wielded less as a protector of reputation and more as a weapon against dissent. India’s democratic maturity requires a shift to civil remedies, which sufficiently uphold reputation without chilling free speech. Decriminalizing defamation will strengthen democratic accountability and protect individual dignity simultaneously.

Mains Practice Question

1. Criminal defamation law in India, though constitutionally upheld, is increasingly criticized for its chilling effect on free speech. Examine with recent examples. (250 words, 15 marks)

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/penalty-in-proportion-on-growing-use-of-criminal-defamation-proceedings/article70084730.ece

Introduction

India’s transgender population—4.87 lakh in Census 2011—continues to face deep-rooted exclusion in education, healthcare, and livelihoods. Despite legal advances, their lived realities expose the gap between formal recognition and substantive equality.

Constitutional and Legal Framework

• The Constitution’s vision of equality (Articles 14, 15, 21) is inclusive of all persons, yet enforcement remains uneven.
• Judicial interventions like NALSA (2014) recognized self-identification, but state-level rules often dilute this by demanding medical proof.
• The 2019 Act prohibits discrimination but has been criticized for weak penalties, lack of clarity on reservations, and over-centralization, raising questions about real empowerment.
• While Navtej Singh Johar (2018) decriminalized same-sex relations, social stigma continues to criminalize transgender existence informally, showing how law alone cannot alter entrenched social norms.

Key Challenges

• Identity recognition: Administrative processes contradict the principle of self-identification, forcing humiliating medical verification, which discourages access to welfare schemes.
• Family and community rejection: Rejection is not just emotional but pushes individuals into unsafe spaces, increasing vulnerability to trafficking and exploitation.
• Educational exclusion: High dropout rates reflect not just bullying but the absence of gender-neutral facilities and safe environments, leading to a vicious cycle of low skills and poor employability.
• Economic marginalization: Reservations remain unclear; private sector hiring is minimal. Many are forced into informal or stigmatized occupations, reflecting how economic structures reproduce social exclusion.
• Healthcare neglect: Beyond transition care, basic health services remain inaccessible due to prejudice among medical professionals. Lack of insurance coverage aggravates this exclusion.
• Housing discrimination: Landlords’ refusal to rent reflects deep cultural bias. Without stable housing, access to jobs and social security collapses, reinforcing marginalization.
• Political invisibility: Absence in legislatures leads to “policy about them without them.” The symbolic election of a few representatives is insufficient without institutionalized participation.

Priorities for Reform

• Education: Inclusion must go beyond access to address retention—through gender-sensitive teacher training, curriculum reform, and scholarships to break cycles of exclusion.
• Healthcare: Gender-affirmative care should be part of Ayushman Bharat, while medical education must embed gender sensitivity as a core competency.
• Employment: Enforcing workplace diversity policies, providing skill development, and extending reservations into higher education and government jobs can shift economic mobility.
• Housing: Anti-discrimination rental laws, coupled with state-supported hostels, can ensure stability and dignity in urban as well as rural spaces.
• Political empowerment: Reserved seats in local bodies and legislatures would institutionalize representation, making transgender voices central to policymaking rather than peripheral.
• Social awareness: Law enforcement, education systems, and media must collectively normalize gender diversity, challenging entrenched stereotypes that perpetuate exclusion.

Social Insights

• Structural exclusion: Institutions like family, school, and workplace perpetuate discrimination, showing that legal rights cannot operate in isolation.
• Intersectionality: Many transgender persons face overlapping vulnerabilities of caste, poverty, and rural disadvantage, making targeted interventions essential.
• Governance gaps: Policy remains largely top-down, treating transgender persons as beneficiaries rather than stakeholders, weakening ownership and effectiveness.

Conclusion

The struggle of transgender persons is not for welfare but for justice and dignity. Bridging the gap between law and lived reality requires moving beyond tokenism to genuine empowerment through education, healthcare, employment, and political participation. Only then will India’s democracy fulfill its promise of equality for all identities.

Mains Practice Question

1. Despite progressive judgments and the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, the transgender community in India continues to face systemic exclusion. Discuss. (250 words, 15 marks)

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/trans-people-deserve-better/article70080940.ece