Category: ENVIRONMENT
Context: Golden jackals in Kerala have shown remarkable adaptability to human-dominated landscapes, thriving beyond traditional forests in areas like agricultural lands, village edges, and peri-urban zones
They exploit food sources from human activities, such as waste and livestock carrion, demonstrating a flexible diet and strong scavenging ability. This ecological plasticity allows them to survive habitat fragmentation and loss. However, their growing presence near human settlements raises concerns about potential conflicts and disease transmission, highlighting the need for effective management of human-wildlife interactions.
Learning Corner:
Golden Jackal (Canis aureus)
IUCN Status:
Distribution:
Habitats:
Golden jackals occupy a diverse range of habitats, including:
Key Features:
Conservation Concerns:
Source: THE HINDU
Category: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Context: India has inaugurated its first private test facility for upgrading depleted heavy water (D₂O), a critical component for nuclear reactors. Located in Palghar, Maharashtra
Key highlights:
Learning Corner:
Heavy Water (D₂O)
Definition:
Heavy water is a form of water in which the hydrogen atoms are replaced with deuterium (²H or D), a stable isotope of hydrogen that has one neutron in addition to the proton.
Key Features:
Uses:
Importance in Nuclear Power:
Purity Requirement:
India’s Context:
Safety:
Source: THE INDIAN EXPRESS
Category: GEOGRAPHY
Context : Monsoon at Mid-Season – India Records 8% Above-Normal Rainfall
As of July 28, 2025, India’s southwest monsoon has performed well, with 8% above-normal rainfall (440.1 mm) from June 1 to July 28. Most regions recorded normal or above-normal rainfall, except east and northeast India, which saw a deficit of 23%.
Regional Rainfall (June 1–July 28):
Key Points:
Learning Corner:
Monsoon
Definition:
Monsoon refers to the seasonal reversal of winds accompanied by changes in precipitation. In South Asia, it primarily denotes the Southwest Monsoon, which brings the majority of India’s annual rainfall.
Types of Monsoon in India:
Importance of Monsoon:
Factors Influencing Monsoon:
Challenges:
Source : THE INDIAN EXPRESS
Category: POLITY
Context Five Years of NEP
What Has Worked
What’s In Progress
What’s Stuck and Why
Learning Corner:
The National Education Policy (NEP) is India’s vision document for guiding the development of the education system. Since independence, India has had three major NEPs:
National Education Policy 1968
National Education Policy 1986 (Modified in 1992)
Source: THE INDIAN EXPRESS
Category: ECONOMICS
Context: Govt working on ‘living wage’
Key Points:
Learning Corner:
Types of Wages in India
Source: THE INDIAN EXPRESS
Introduction (Context)
India’s judicial system is facing a severe backlog, with over 5 crore pending cases across the Supreme Court, High Courts, and subordinate courts, raising concerns over timely justice delivery.
Despite reforms, structural bottlenecks, human resource shortages, and inefficient case management continue to delay justice, undermining public trust and access to speedy justice.
Data:
India’s judicial system is plagued by massive pendency due to multiple structural, procedural, and administrative factors. The major causes are as follows:
Shortage of Judges and Court Infrastructure
Administrative and Procedural Inefficiencies
High Volume of Cases and Low Disposal Rates
Frequent Adjournments and Litigation Misuse
Legal and Social Factors
Lack of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Promotion
Judicial reforms are imperative to ensure timely, affordable, and accessible justice in India. Persistent pendency and delays have eroded public trust in the legal system and undermined the principle of speedy justice enshrined in the Constitution.
A multi-pronged approach—strengthening court infrastructure, appointing adequate judges, enforcing strict timelines, integrating technology, and institutionalizing case management—can drastically improve judicial efficiency.
Q “Despite several reforms, judicial pendency continues to hamper access to timely justice in India.” Critically analyse the causes and suggest measures to overcome the delays in India’s judicial system. (250 words, 15 marks)
As per the Financial Inclusion Index (FI-Index) released by the RBI, financial inclusion across the country improved to 67 in March 2025, up from 64.2 in March 2024.
Hence, in this article we are analysing the concepts associated with financial inclusion.
What is Financial Inclusion?
Financial inclusion index 2025: Data
Government flagship initiatives for financial inclusion
Financial inclusion has been a key tool used by policymakers and governments globally to reduce inequalities, strengthen livelihoods of people at the bottom of the pyramid, and spur growth.
Some of the important schemes are:
Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY):
Digital India Programme
Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY):
Aadhar inclusion:
Atal Pension Yojna:
Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY):
Key Challenges to Financial Inclusion in India
These barriers highlight the need for holistic solutions—combining better infrastructure, education, trust-building, gender inclusion, and simpler digital tools—to make financial inclusion truly meaningful across India.
Q “Financial Inclusion is not just about opening bank accounts but about meaningful participation in the economy.” Elaborate. (250 words, 15 marks)