Current Affairs – September 07-08, 2025

{GS1 – MIH – Personalities} Savitribai Phule and Women’s Education

Context (TP): Building on Savitribai Phule’s reforms, women’s education remains key to India’s vision of Viksit Bharat@2047.

Savitribai Phule, India’s first female teacher, founded the first girls’ school in Pune in 1848 along with her husband Jyotirao Phule.

Why Educating Women Matters

Economic Impact: India could add $700 billion to its GDP from higher female participation. [McKinsey]
Income Gains: Each additional schooling year increases girls’ lifetime earnings by 10–20%. [UNECO}
Health Benefit: Educated women reduce infant mortality and promote better family nutrition.
Democratic Deepening: Women’s education enhances democracy and promotes SDGs 4 & SDG 5.
Role Models: Women teachers in rural schools raise girls’ enrolment, retention, and aspirations.

SDG 4 seeks inclusive quality education, while SDG 5 targets gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Progress So Far

Bridging Gaps: Female literacy increased from 8.86% in 1951 to 70.3% in 2021.
Expanding Access: Girls’ secondary enrolment rose from 75.5% (2014–15) to 78% (2023–24) [UDISE+].
Gender Parity: Women now make up 54.2% of teachers, with 61% of recruits since 2014 being female.
Advancing Equity: Female university enrolment rose 26% in 2023–24, men’s grew only 3.6%.
Retention: Achieved 98.9% at Foundational and 92.4% at Preparatory levels [UDISE+ 2024–25].

Persistent Barriers to Women’s Education

Early Marriage: Child marriage continues to be a major reason for secondary school dropouts.
Safety Concerns: Harassment risks during travel discourage girls from pursuing higher schooling.
Economic Barriers: Poverty and household labour often limit girls’ regular school attendance.
Digital Divide: Rural girls face limited access to the internet and digital learning devices.
Social Norms: Rural Scheduled Tribe girls have the lowest literacy rates due to patriarchal norms.

Pathways to Viksit Bharat 2047

Adolescent Retention: Expand scholarships, hostels, & menstrual hygiene programs for adolescent girls.
Digital Inclusion: Provide affordable devices and internet access to rural girls through PPP models.
Safety Assurance: Improve transport, surveillance, and grievance redressal to address mobility concerns.
Teacher Training: Improve gender-sensitive teaching and leadership for women educators.
Community Mobilisation: Adopt Rajasthan’s Educate Girls–Team Balika model to boost girls’ enrollment.

Read More > Government schemes for female education

{GS1 – Geo – Solar System} Blood Moon *

Context (IE | TH): On September 7-8, 2025, India witnessed a total lunar eclipse popularly called a “Blood Moon.”

Key Highlights

Lunar Eclipse: Occurs when the Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon, casting its shadow on the lunar surface. Depending on alignment, it can be total or partial.
- Unlike solar eclipses, it is safe to view with the naked eye.
Blood Moon Effect: During totality, the Moon turns coppery-red due to Rayleigh scattering; the same phenomenon responsible for blue skies and red-orange sunsets.

Earth’s atmosphere scatters shorter blue wavelengths more strongly, while longer red/orange wavelengths bend and reach the Moon, giving it a reddish glow.

Significance: Beyond its cultural and aesthetic appeal, such celestial events promote astronomy outreach, STEM education, and astro-tourism, fostering greater public interest in science.

Read More > Solar Eclipse | Blue Ghost Lunar Mission

{GS2 – Polity – IC – Elections} Criminalisation of Politics in India **

Context (TH | IE | SCO | ET | IE): As per the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), 31% of MPs and 29% of MLAs face serious criminal charges, with MPs’ share rising from 14% in 2009 to 31% in 2024.

Key Drivers

Electoral Winnability: Parties choose ‘winnable’ candidates, ignoring criminal records.
Money & Muscle Power: Candidates with criminal backgrounds often have unaccounted wealth and musclemen networks to finance expensive elections.
- Link with political funding opacity (cash donations, misuse of electoral bonds).
Vote Bank Politics: Candidates with a criminal background are perceived as “Robin Hood figures,” providing protection, patronage, or caste-based mobilisation that leads to identity-based voting.
Media Complicity: Political control over media narratives, under-reporting of cases, and favourable coverage generate public tolerance or admiration for criminal leaders.
State-Crime Nexus: Criminals use politics to gain immunity and legitimacy, while parties use them to intimidate opponents and secure votes.
Structural Loopholes: First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) system allows candidates with low vote share but solid caste/community support to win.
- Lack of inner-party democracy in candidate selection.

Impact of Criminalisation of Politics

Erosion of Rule of Law: Legislators facing charges directly undermines the constitutional principle of equality before law. It blurs the line between law-makers and law-breakers.
Policy Capture: Politico-criminal nexus ensures that laws and regulations are shaped to protect vested interests rather than public welfare (e.g., mining contracts, liquor mafias in Bihar and UP).
Weakening of Institutions: Criminalised leaders often interfere in police postings, bureaucratic transfers, and investigations, reducing institutional autonomy (Second Administrative Reforms Commission).
Corruption & Black Money: Criminal politicians fuel increased circulation of illicit money and corruption in elections.
Governance Deficit: Focus on protecting personal cases and networks diverts attention from developmental governance. E.g., states with high criminal representation (Bihar, UP) often lag in HDI indicators.
Electoral Distortions: Intimidation, booth capturing, and vote-buying distort elections. The Dinesh Goswami Committee (1990) highlighted the role of musclemen in skewing voter choice.
Democratic Trust: The entry of criminals into legislatures undermines public trust and normalises the “bahubali culture,” where muscle power is considered essential in politics.

Judicial & Electoral Reforms

Key Judgments

ADR vs Union of India (2002): Mandatory disclosure of criminal cases, assets, and educational qualifications.
PUCL vs Union of India (2004): Upheld voters’ right to know candidate background as part of Article 19(1)(a).
Lily Thomas (2013): Immediate disqualification of convicted MPs/MLAs, striking down the earlier 3-month buffer.
Public Interest Foundation (2018): Directed political parties to publicise criminal records of candidates on websites, newspapers, and TV.

Election Commission of India (ECI) Measures

Affidavit disclosures made mandatory before elections.
Enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) to curb the use of muscle/money.
Bans on carrying arms near polling booths.
Power to cancel polls in cases of booth capturing and malpractice.

Law Commission (2015)

Recommendation: Disqualification based on framing of charges for serious offences (punishable with 5 or more years).
Suggested Time Limit: Charges framed at least 1 year before nomination scrutiny.

Recent Initiatives

Lifetime Ban: The Supreme Court of India is hearing a PIL seeking a lifetime disqualification for convicted MPs and MLAs from contesting elections.
Mandatory Disclosure: ECI requires political parties to publicly disclose details of candidates with criminal records and the reasons for their selection in polls.
- This is mandatory at both the central and state levels.

Representation of the People Act, 1951 disqualifies convicted MPs/MLAs for specific offences (Sections 8-10A) and punishes electoral malpractices like hate speech or bribery (Section 125).

Way Forward

Legal Reforms: Amend the RPA, 1951, to bar candidates from contesting once charges are framed in serious offences (as suggested by the Law Commission, 2015).
Lifetime Ban: Extend disqualification beyond six years post-conviction to a permanent bar, ensuring long-term deterrence.
Judicial Reforms: Expand Fast-Track Courts and strictly monitor the 12 existing special courts for MPs/MLAs to reduce case pendency.
Electoral Reforms: Make access to state subsidies, bonds, and media slots conditional on candidates’ clean records (ECI proposal, 2022).
Institutional Reforms: Ensure political party accountability, mandate internal disciplinary committees to screen candidates and publish reasons for giving tickets to tainted ones.
Voter-centric Reforms: Nationwide campaigns (in local languages) to highlight the cost of electing tainted candidates.

{GS2 – Governance – Reforms} Innovation Corridors for Viksit Bharat **

Context (BL): Innovation corridors can realise India’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, reiterated by the Prime Minister in his Independence Day speech.

Innovation corridors are integrated clusters of research, design, manufacturing, and talent that accelerate breakthrough technologies in strategic sectors.

Need for Innovation Corridors

Pandemic Lesson: COVID-19 vaccines show that interdisciplinary collaboration speeds up innovation.
Dependency Risk: Reliance on imported technologies makes India vulnerable to tariffs and disruptions.
Historical Pattern: Scientific breakthroughs like the Webb Telescope arise at intersections.
Demographic Dividend: India’s large youth population needs corridors to harness its potential fully.

Advantages of Innovation Corridors

Value Chains: Domestic semiconductor packaging hubs anchor ecosystems and reduce import reliance.
High-Skill Jobs: Corridors boost employment in semiconductors, defence, energy, and space sectors.
Economic Multipliers: EV battery breakthroughs stimulate mining, power grid, and recycling industries.

Challenges in India’s Adoption

Institutional Silos: Weak industry–academia patent transfers restrict effective innovation collaboration.
Funding Gaps: Shallow venture ecosystem limits investment in semiconductor and biotech research.
Infrastructure Deficit: The absence of shared fabrication labs limits start-up prototyping capacity.
Regulatory Constraints: Limited sandbox frameworks restrict innovations in fintech and biotech.
Regional Imbalance: Metro-centric clusters marginalise innovation growth in non-metropolitan regions.

Way Forward

University–Industry Linkage: ANRF partnerships can replicate Stanford–Silicon Valley linkages.
Infrastructure: Domestic fabrication labs reduce reliance on overseas semiconductor prototyping.
Corporate Convergence: Cascadia Corridor model shows cross-industry innovation benefits for India.
Cluster Integration: China’s G60 hubs illustrate scaling manufacturing through multi-city integration.
Regional Decentralisation: Kochi–Palakkad industrial corridor as a model for decentralised innovation.

{GS2 – IR – Groupings} India at the SCO Summit 2025

Context (TH): PM’s participation in the SCO Summit 2025, alongside Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, sparked debate over whether India is shifting its foreign policy.

Key Developments

Outcomes: India backed “civilisational dialogue” as the declaration criticised unilateral sanctions, hinting at U.S. tariffs.
India-China Ties: First Modi-Xi bilateral since Galwan (2020) agreed on border talks, flight revival, visa easing, and Kailash Yatra.
U.S. Concerns: Modi-Xi-Putin images drew U.S. criticism of India “switching sides,” though later remarks reaffirmed India-U.S. ties.

Strategic Implications

India-China: Gradual normalisation of ties without resolution of border disputes.
India-Russia: Continued engagement through energy trade and SCO/BRICS forums.
India-U.S.: Tensions over tariffs, Russian oil imports, and market access persist, though defence cooperation and Quad remain intact.
Strategic Autonomy: India continues its long-standing policy of strategic autonomy, balancing between global powers.

{GS2 – IR – Groupings} Shift in OPEC+ Production Strategy

Context (TOI): The ‘Voluntary Eight’ of OPEC+ will raise oil production to 137,000 barrels per day from October 2025, focusing on market share over price support.

Voluntary Eight is a core OPEC+ group including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, UAE, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria, and Oman that makes coordinated output adjustments.

Factors Influencing the Shift

Market Share: OPEC+ seeks to regain market share from non-OPEC producers like Brazil and Guyana.
Quota Breaches: Members such as Iraq and Kazakhstan exceeded limits, weakening collective credibility.
Uneven Recovery: Post-COVID K-shaped demand and non-OPEC supply limited price support.
Geopolitical Pressures: US sanctions and broader geopolitical frictions shaped compliance and strategy.
Dominance: Saudi Arabia revived its swing producer role, prioritising dominance over price stability.

OPEC+

Also known as the Vienna Group, it was created in 2016 by OPEC and 10 non-OPEC countries.
Non-OPEC countries: Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brunei, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman, Russia, South Sudan and Sudan.
Market Share: The coalition supplies roughly 40% of total global crude production.
Objective: Coordinates production shifts to balance oil market revenues, demand, and price stability.

{GS3 – IE – Taxes} GST Exemption on Insurance Premiums

Context (IE): The government removed GST on individual health and term insurance premiums as part of the next-generation GST reform.

About the GST Reform in Insurance

GST Removal: Individual term and health insurance premiums are fully exempt from GST.
Group Plans: Employer-sponsored group insurance schemes remain taxed at the standard 18% rate.
ITC Blockage: Full exemption prevents insurers from utilising Input Tax Credit (ITC) on services.

Positive Outcome

Household Relief: Reduced premiums improve disposable income and lessen medical vulnerability.
Coverage Gains: Affordable policies expand insurance access to previously underserved households.
Sector Growth: Rising demand accelerates premium collections, reinforcing insurance sector expansion.

Operational Challenges

Credit Blockage: Zero GST disallows input tax credits, increasing operational costs by ~3%.
Profit Pressure: Unused tax credits strain margins, potentially forcing insurers to raise premiums.
Institutional Exclusion: Group insurance exclusion limits employer-driven coverage expansion.

Way Forward

Transitional Clarity: Government should clarify mechanisms for addressing blocked Input Tax Credit.
Duty Reform: Rationalise the GST framework to resolve the inverted duty structure and credit mismatch.
Consumer Protection: Strengthen oversight to ensure premium savings fully reach policyholders.

Read More > Insurance Sector

{GS3 – Envi – Species} Tiger Population Growth in Ramnagar Division

Context (IE): A special annual survey in Uttarakhand’s Ramnagar division adjoining Corbett Tiger Reserve showed sharp tiger growth in three years.

The number of tigers increased from 67 in 2022 to 96 in July 2025, driven by higher prey density.
The survey under Phase 4 of All India Tiger Estimation assessed Forest Landscape Restoration outcomes.

All India Tiger Estimation: It is a quadrennial survey by NTCA and WII to estimate tiger populations.
Phase 4: Provides annual regional monitoring to validate and complement quadrennial estimates.
Forest Landscape Restoration: Restores degraded forests, strengthening ecology & human well-being.

Read More > Tiger Census

{GS3 – S&T – Tech} Indian Army’s Advanced Air Defence Radars *

Context (IE): The Indian Army will enhance the Akashteer air defence network with advanced radar to detect, track, and engage low radar cross-section (RCS) aerial objects that are harder to spot.

About the Radar Systems

LLLR-I Radar: A 3D AESA system with a Commander’s Display Unit, 50 km range, and capable of tracking 100 targets; operational across mountains, deserts, coasts, and high altitudes.
LLLR-E Radar: Features an Electro-Optical Tracking System (EOTS) and passive radio frequency detection to identify camouflaged or swarm drones day and night.
ADFCR-DD System: A mobile platform integrating search, track, and fire-control radars with Identification Friend or Foe (IFF), while providing target data to VSHORADS.

LLR: Low-Level Light Weight Radar is a compact ground system for detecting low-flying aerial threats.
AESA: Active Electronically Scanned Array is a radar system that uses electronically steered beams for quicker, more accurate target detection and tracking.
VSHORADS: Very Short-Range Air Defence Systems of Man-portable missile systems designed to intercept hostile aerial targets within short ranges.

{Prelims – In News} India at International Earth Science Olympiad 2025

Context (PIB): Team India bagged 7 medals, including 1 Gold and 4 Silver, at the International Earth Sciences Olympiad (IESO) 2025 held in Jining, China.

The IESO, founded in 2003 by the International Geoscience Education Organisation (IGEO), is an annual global contest for secondary school students of Classes IX-XII.
The Ministry of Earth Sciences conducts the Indian National Earth Science Olympiad (INESO) each year to select and support students for IESO.

{Prelims} One Liners

In News – Infant & Neonatal Mortality (TOI): Kerala has achieved a remarkable decline with Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) at 5 (National 25) & Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR) below 4 (National 18), while Manipur emerges as best performer recording India’s lowest IMR (3) & NMR (2) per 1,000 live births.
Sports – Hockey Asia Cup (HT): India won their fourth Hockey Asia Cup crown with a 4-1 victory over Korea, thereby securing qualification for the 2026 FIH World Cup.