Current Affairs – April 13-14, 2025

{GS1 – MH – Personalities} Birth anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar

Context (PIB): The President extended her greetings on Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s birth anniversary.

Early Life and Education

Birth: 14 April 1891, Mhow (now Ambedkar Nagar), Madhya Pradesh, into a “Dalit” Mahar family.
Education: One of the first “Dalit” students at the Elphinstone High School (Mumbai); Columbia University, London School of Economics; Pursued advanced studies at Gray’s Inn (London).
Challenges: Caste-based discrimination ignited his lifelong fight against social inequality.
Influence: Exposure to liberty, equality, and fraternity shaped his inclusive vision for India.

Bahishkrit Hitkarini Sabha (1924): Founded to promote education, culture, and economic empowerment for downtrodden communities.
Mahad March (1927): Led the Mahad Satyagraha to challenge caste discrimination and priestly dominance, advocating for untouchables’ access to public water sources.
Temple Entry Movement (1930): Led the movement at Kalaram temple in Nasik to demand temple entry for lower-caste individuals, fighting for equal status within Hindu society.
Round Table Conferences (1930-32): Represented the rights of untouchables in London, advocating for their inclusion through separate electorates.
Poona Pact (1932): A critical compromise following Gandhi’s fast, leading to reserved seats for Dalits in legislatures rather than separate electorates.
Independent Labour Party (1936): Founded to represent Dalit and working-class interests, winning seats in the Bombay Presidency elections.
Second World War (1939): Encouraged Indians to join the Army to fight Nazism, paralleling it with fascism’s threat to democratic values.
Scheduled Castes Federation (1942): Established to mobilise “Dalit” political power and representation.
Republican Party of India (1956): Formed as his final political venture, focusing on “Dalit” rights.
RBI: Instrumental in establishing the RBI, advocating for a central banking system for economic stability.

Dr. Ambedkar’s Constitutional Contributions

Chairman of Drafting Committee: Led the formulation of the Indian Constitution as the head of its Drafting Committee.
Fundamental Constitutional Values: Institutionalized the principles of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity into the Constitution’s core.
Safeguards Against Untouchability and Discrimination: Introduced provisions abolishing untouchability and enabling reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes.
Article 32, as the Soul of the Constitution: Declared the right to constitutional remedies as the most crucial right for enforcing fundamental rights through the Supreme Court.
Advocacy for Strong Central Govt: Promoted centralised authority to protect weaker sections from local caste-based discrimination and to ensure national unity.
Protection of Minority Rights: Emphasized structural safeguards beyond mere electoral equality to secure the rights of religious and social minorities.
Support for Parliamentary Democracy: Favored a parliamentary system for its inclusive representation and democratic accountability, extending its values to social and economic life.
Democratic Way of Life: Advocated democracy as governance and a social ethic promoting dignity, equality and human rights.
Legacy of Social Reform: Converted to Buddhism in 1956 to reject caste hierarchy, initiating the “Dalit Buddhist movement” and reinforcing the spirit of constitutional equality.

Achievements and Legacy

Architect of Modern India: His vision for a just and equal society is embedded in the Indian Constitution.
Women’s Rights: Advocated for women’s rights through reforms like inheritance, marriage, and divorce under the Hindu Code Bill.
Labor Reforms: Played a pivotal role in shaping India’s labor laws and advocating for workers’ rights.
Education Reforms: Promoted higher education to break caste barriers.

{GS2 – MoRD – Schemes} Revising NREGA Wage Rates **

Context (IE): The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development recommended revising wage rates under MGNREGA to match the rising living costs and improve inflation indexation.

How NREGA Wage Rates are Decided?

Section 6(1): The centre can notify independent wage rates for NREGA, overriding the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, but these wages must not fall below ₹60.
Section 6(2): The state’s minimum agricultural wage is applied if the Centre does not notify a wage.
Historical Cap (2009): 2009 the Centre capped NREGA wages at ₹100 to reduce the fiscal burden, despite rising state wages.
Indexation to CPI-AL (since 2011): NREGA wages are revised annually based on the Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labourers (CPI-AL), using 2009 as the base year.
State Variations: States may top up wages above the Centre’s notified rate, but few states, like Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Odisha, have done so.

Issues with NREGA Wage Rates

Divergence from Minimum Wage: NREGA wages are increasingly lower than state minimum agricultural wages. E.g., in FY 2025-26, the gap in Sikkim is ₹241.
Outdated Base Year: CPI-AL indexation base year remains 2009. It undervalues current living costs.
Inflation Indexation Issues: CPI-AL, used for indexation, is less representative than CPI-Rural (CPI-R), which covers all rural laborers, not just agricultural ones.
State Disparities: Eg- in FY 2025-26, wages in Haryana- ₹374, Nagaland- ₹234.
Delayed Wage Payments: Wage payments are often delayed, causing hardship for workers.

Earlier Recommendations Ignored

Sanjit Roy vs. State of Rajasthan, 1983: Align NREGA wages with Minimum Wages Act, ensuring legal compliance & fairness. SC has ruled that paying less than minimum wage constitutes forced labour.
Mahendra Dev Committee (2014): Recommended that NREGA wages be no less than state minimum wages and be indexed to CPI-Rural. The Ministry of Finance rejected these due to fiscal concerns.
Nagesh Singh Committee (2017): Shifting from CPI-AL to CPI-R was suggested, but this was not adopted despite being agreed upon by the Ministry of Rural Development.
Anoop Satpathy Committee (2019): Recommended a National Floor Wage of ₹375 per day. Only Goa and Haryana currently exceed this amount; adjusting for inflation, this wage should be higher.

{GS2 – Polity – IC} Deadline for Presidential Assent on State Bills **

Context (IE): SC has set 3-month deadline for President to decide on State Bills referred under Art. 201.

Constitutional Provision and Concern

Article 201: Provides for the President’s role in granting or withholding assent to State Bills reserved by the Governor but sets no specific timeline.
Constitutional Gap Identified: The absence of a timeline causes legislative limbo, delays bills, weakens governance, and undermines federal and democratic principles.

SC Ruling

Three-Month Deadline: SC mandated that the President must decide within 3 months of receiving a Bill from the Governor.
President’s Decision Requires Justification: Withholding assent beyond the deadline must be accompanied by clear, specific, and sound reasons. No absolute veto is allowed.
Applicability of the Standard: SC clarified that just as Governors cannot exercise an ‘absolute veto,’ the same applies to the President under Article 201.
Court’s Authority to Intervene: SC held that courts are empowered to act if constitutional functions under Article 201 are not exercised within a reasonable time.
States must cooperate fully, respond promptly to queries, and constructively consider the suggestions.

Legal Interpretation and Reasoning

Role of the President is Not Ceremonial: The President must act with due diligence and within a constitutionally reasonable timeframe.
Delays Without Grounds Violate Constitutional Morality: Inaction without necessity or justification is against the spirit of responsible governance.
Extraordinary Power, Not Ordinary Route: SC noted that Article 201 is meant for exceptional circumstances, not to obstruct regular legislative processes.

Commissions Favouring the Move in the Pasts

Sarkaria Commission (1983): Recommended adopting definite timelines to streamline Centre-State legislative coordination under Article 201.
Punchhi Commission (2007): Supported reading a reasonable timeline into Article 201 to avoid delays in presidential decisions on State Bills.
- Both raised issue of absence of a timeframe, which weakens federalism and encourages arbitrariness.

Also refer to SC’s Stand on Governor’s Discretition on State Laws.

Context (TH): Using the CRISPR technology, researchers have developed a RAPID (Redefined Apl Identification)-CRISPR test, which can quickly and accurately diagnose Acute promyelocytic leukemia.

The currently available tests to diagnose APL take a long time, which delays life-saving treatment.
APL is a rare and aggressive form of leukemia, a cancer that affects blood cells. APL is a subtype of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and accounts for about 10-15% of newly diagnosed AML cases.
Caused by: A genetic mutation where two genes, PML and RARA, mistakenly fuse together.
- The fusion of the two genes leads to fewer white blood cells and platelets, which reduces the body’s ability to fight infections and control bleeding.
Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC): APL is often associated with this severe clotting and bleeding disorder, making early diagnosis and treatment crucial.
Symptoms: Sudden bleeding from multiple sites, especially from gums and nose, fatigue, fever without focus, and bone pain.
Treatment: All-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) medication, Chemotherapy, etc.

{GS3 – Envi – Conservation} Net-Zero Framework for Global Shipping *

Context (TH): The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) approved the Net-Zero Framework for Global Shipping, the world’s 1^st ever global carbon tax imposed on the shipping industry.

India and 62 other countries voted in favour of it.

Key Highlights

The policy will be incorporated under Annex VI (Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships) of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL).
Objective: Achieve net-zero GHG emissions from international shipping by or around 2050.
Compliance Requirements for Ships:
- Global Fuel Standard: Ships must progressively reduce their annual GHG fuel intensity (GFI).
- Global Economic Measure:
  - Ships exceeding GFI thresholds must purchase remedial units to offset excess emissions.
  - Ships utilising zero or near-zero emission technologies will be rewarded financially for outperforming the standards.
IMO Net-Zero Fund: A dedicated fund will be established to collect emissions-based contributions, which will be used to support decarbonization efforts across the shipping industry.
Implementation Timeline: The framework is expected to be formally adopted in October 2025.
- It will come into effect in 2027, becoming mandatory for large ocean-going ships over 5,000 gross tonnages, accounting for 85% of international shipping’s CO₂ emissions.

GHG fuel intensity (GFI) means the amount of greenhouse gases emitted per unit of energy consumed.

Significance

Shipping contributes 3% of global emissions and is not covered under the Paris Agreement. A legally binding global carbon tax on the sector is a significant step toward achieving net-zero targets.
It is estimated that the carbon tax could generate up to $40 billion by 2030. The funds will be used exclusively to decarbonise the shipping industry.

Concerns

Oil-rich nations like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Russia and Venezuela opposed it. The U.S. abstained.
Speaking on behalf of the Pacific Island nations, Tuvalu criticised the lack of transparency in the negotiations. The current design fails to promote a fundamental shift to cleaner fuels.
The agreement is expected to cut shipping emissions by only 10% by 2030—falling short of the IMO’s 2023 target of at least 20%, with a stretch goal of 30%.

About MARPOL

International convention to prevent pollution from ships caused by operational or accidental causes.
It was adopted at the IMO in 1973 and entered into force in 1983. In 1997, a Protocol was adopted to amend the Convention, and a new Annex VI was added, which came into force in 2005.
The technical requirements of MARPOL are included in 6 separate Annexes:
1. Annex I: Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by Oil.
2. Annex II: Regulations for the Control of Pollution by Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk.
3. Annex III: Prevention of Pollution by Harmful Substances Carried by Sea in Packaged Form.
4. Annex IV: Prevention of Pollution by Sewage from Ships.
5. Annex V: Prevention of Pollution by Garbage from Ships.
6. Annex VI: Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships.
Periodic Amendments are made through the Marine Environment Protection Committee of IMO.

{GS3 – S&T – BioTech} GenomeIndia Project *

Context (TH): Preliminary findings of the GenomeIndia Project were published in Nature Genetics.

About the Project

Started in January 2020 with funding from the Department of Biotechnology.
Objective: To sequence whole genomes of 10,000 healthy and unrelated Indians to better understand genetic diversity and health policy planning.
Institutions Involved: 20 institutions collaborated; sequencing by IISc Bengaluru, CCMB Hyderabad, IGIB Delhi, NIBMG Kolkata, GBRC Gandhinagar.

Genome Sequencing Details

Total DNA Samples Sequenced: Data from 9,772 individuals (both men and women) analysed.
Genetic Output: Identified 180 million genetic variants, both in autosomes & sex chromosomes (X & Y).

Linguistic and Cultural Representation

Language Families Covered: Indo-European, Dravidian, Austro-Asiatic, and Tibeto-Burman.
- Groups Sequenced:
- Tribal: Tibeto-Burman, Indo-European, Dravidian, Austro-Asiatic, admixed outgroup.
- Non-Tribal: Same four language groups.
Unrepresented Groups: Ancient Andamanese groups (~65,000 years ago) and two later groups (~5,500 years ago) are not included.

Key Genetic Findings

Mutation Distribution: Most of the 180 mn mutations found in non-coding regions (98% of genome).
Polymorphisms in Non-Coding DNA: Crucial for tracing evolutionary history and gene regulation.
High Endogamy Impact: India’s endogamous groups show unique mutations, some associated with population-specific diseases.
Genetic Isolation: Prolonged endogamy in Indian groups has led to distinct mutation patterns.

{GS3 – S&T – Physics} KATRIN Experiment *

Context (SN): KATRIN (Karlsruhe Tritium Neutrino) experiment sets a new upper limit on neutrino mass, nearly halving its previous estimate.

About the KATRIN Experiment

Objective: Precisely measure the mass of electron antineutrinos via tritium beta decay.
Working Principle: Tritium decay emits an electron and an electron antineutrino. The neutrino’s mass slightly reduces the maximum energy of the electron.
Independent Validation: KATRIN’s results do not rely on cosmological models, making them free from theoretical uncertainties of universe evolution assumptions.

Electron Antineutrino: Antimatter counterpart of the electron neutrino, emitted during tritium beta decay; Studying its influence on emitted electron energy helps infer neutrino mass.

Recent Breakthrough Findings

New Mass Limit: Neutrino mass has been capped at less than 0.45 electron volts (eV).
Improved Precision: Nearly a 50% reduction from KATRIN’s previous upper mass limit.
Large Data Set: Based on energy readings from 36 million electrons emitted during tritium decay.

Scientific Importance of Neutrino Mass

Particle Physics Puzzle: Neutrinos are the only fundamental particles whose mass remains uncertain.
Impact on the Universe’s Evolution: Neutrino mass influences large-scale cosmic structures, early universe dynamics, and dark matter studies.
Gateway to Beyond Standard Model Theories: Accurate mass measurement can offer clues toward new physics beyond the current theoretical framework.

Also refer to KM3NeT Project.

{Prelims – Festivals} Climate Change Endangers Agriculture Festivals in India

Context (IE): Agriculture festivals in India that mark the rhythms of sowing, harvesting, and seasonal change are threatened due to climate change. As it disrupts traditional weather patterns, it also transforms celebrations of agricultural festivals.

According to data from the National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture, out of India’s 573 agriculturally relevant rural districts, 310 (54%) districts face “very high” risk.

Major Agriculture Festivals in India

Pongal

Pongal is a harvest festival celebrated by the Tamil community. It is a celebration to thank the Sun, Mother Nature, and the various farm animals contributing to a bountiful harvest.
Celebrated over 4 days, Pongal also marks the beginning of the Tamil month called Thai, which is considered an auspicious month. It usually falls on the 14^th or 15^th of January (Sankranti) each year.
Pongal is also the name of the dish made and eaten during this festival. It is a mixture of boiled sweet rice. It is derived from the Tamil word pongu, which means “to boil over”.
Pongal coincides with the summer equinox. Pongal heralds the new year in Tamil.

Makar Sankranti

Makar Sankranti is one of the few Indian festivals based on the solar calendar. It marks the beginning of Uttarayana, which is considered an auspicious period in Hinduism.
It also marks the beginning of the harvest season, especially for rabi crops, which include wheat, barley, and mustard. Farmers celebrate the festival to show gratitude for a bountiful harvest.
In many parts of India, particularly in the Deccan, it is associated with til (sesame seeds), which are eaten in sweets prepared with jaggery (a type of sugar).

Lohri

In Punjab, the festival of Lohri is celebrated the day before Makar Sankranti.
Bonfires are lit, and people sing and dance around them while offering food items such as rewri (another sweet made with til and jaggery) and peanuts (groundnuts) to the fire as offerings to gods.

Bihu

Bihu is a set of 3 important Assamese festivals in the Assam – ‘Rongali‘ or ‘Bohag Bihu’ observed in April, ‘Kongali‘ or ‘Kati Bihu’ followed in October, and ‘Bhogali‘ or ‘Magh Bihu’ observed in January.
The Rongali Bihu commemorates the Assamese New Year, celebrating the spring festival.
Bohag Bihu is a sowing festival. Kati Bihu is associated with crop protection and worship of plants and crops and is an animistic form of the festival. At the same time, Bhogali Bihu is a harvest festival.

Onam

The Onam is a harvest festival that celebrates the Malayali New Year and is observed in Kerala.
The legend behind the festival tells the story of King Mahabali and his devotion to the Hindu god Vishnu.
The celebrations for Onam are held for ten days, beginning with the atham asterism in the month of Chingam (August / September), as per the local calendar.
Onam Sadya: A grand vegetarian feast served on banana leaves, often consisting of 26+ traditional dishes like avial, sambhar, olan, payasam (dessert), and banana chips.
Folk dances like Thiruvathirakali, Pulikali (tiger dance), and Kathakali are held.

Other Festivals

Festivals	Features
Wangala Festival	Post-harvest festival of the Garo Tribe celebrated mainly in the Meghalaya.
Nuakhai	It is observed to welcome the new rice of the season in Odisha.
Dree Festivals	Harvest festival of Arunachal, is celebrated in July by the Apatani tribe.
Ka-Pomblang Nongkrem	Harvest festival celebrated by the Khasi people of Meghalaya.
Gudi Padwa	The Marathi New Year, Gudi Padwa, signifies the arrival of spring and the reaping of Rabi crops.

Also Read > Nyokum Yullo Festival.

{Prelims – In News} Student Visas in the US

Context (IE): Indian Students in the US Face Visa Revocation over minor infractions, dismissed legal charges, or political expression (like pro-Palestine writing).

Types of Student Visas in US

F-1 Visa: It allows a student to live temporarily in the US for a defined period while studying at a school, college, seminary, or conservatory.
M-1 Visa: Includes students in vocational/non-academic programs other than language training.
J-1 Visa: This non-immigrant visa category allows individuals approved to participate in work-and study-based exchange visitor programs.

Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS)

SEVIS is a US government database maintained by the Department of Homeland Security. Universities are required to update any change in an international student’s legal or enrollment status on SEVIS.
A terminated SEVIS record means the student cannot re-enter the US.

{Prelims – PIN World – Europe} Ballistic Missile Attack on Sumy

Context (EN): Russia launched two ballistic missiles on Sumy, Ukraine, on Palm Sunday.

Palm Sunday, celebrated the Sunday before Easter, is a Christian holiday that marks the beginning of Holy Week and commemorates Jesus Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Palm branches, a symbol of honour and victory, mark it.

Sumy

North-eastern Ukrainian city, capital of Sumy Oblast (Province/State).
Located around 350 km east of Kyiv and 180 km northwest of Kharkiv, on the banks of the Psel River.

{Prelims – PIN World – NA} Mount Spurr Volcano in Alaska

Context (ToI): Alaska’s Mount Spurr volcano shows signs of an imminent eruption due to increased seismic activity and gas emissions.

About Mount Spurr Volcano

Location: Situated at the southern edge of a fault break in the Alaska Range in the US. It is an andesitic Stratovolcano, ice- and snow-covered.
Geological Setting: Part of the Aleutian Arc and located on the Pacific Ring of Fire.
Crater Peak Activity: Most active site; last erupted in 1992 with three explosive events.
Lake Formation: Chakachamna Lake emerged post-caldera collapse ~10,000 years ago.
Glaciated Terrain: Caldera contains a live icefield and multiple glaciers.