Current Affairs – December 01, 2025

{GS1 – A&C} Sirpur Archaeological Site *

Context (IE): The government is preparing Chhattisgarh’s Sirpur archaeological site for a UNESCO World Heritage Site (WHS) nomination.

About Sirpur Archaeological Site

The site is located on the banks of the Mahanadi River in the Mahasamund district of Chhattisgarh; it flourished between the 5^th and 12^th centuries CE.
It was first discovered in 1882 by Alexander Cunningham, the first Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
It was historically known as Shripura or Sripura, meaning ‘city of auspiciousness’ or ‘city of Lakshmi’.
Sirpur was the capital of the Dakshina Kosala kingdom under the Panduvanshi and Somavamshis.
Multi-Religious Hub: It evolved into a major urban and religious centre supporting Buddhism, Shaivism, Vaishnavism, and Jainism.
Historic Accounts: The 7th-century Chinese traveller Xuanzang mentioned Sirpur in his memoirs.

Key Architectural Highlights

Lakshmana Temple: It is a 7^th-century brick temple dedicated to Vishnu. It features a brick shikhara (tower) and intricate carvings on the stone door jambs.
Surang Tila Complex: It is a large Panchayatana-style temple complex built on a high terrace with five shrines, four dedicated to Shiva and one to Ganesha.
- Its Shiva lingams are crafted in four different colours, each reflecting unique ritual symbolism.
Ananda Prabhu Kuti: It’s a Buddhist Vihara known for its monolithic Buddha statue and the fusion of Buddhist and Hindu iconography. An inscription references the Hindu king Shivagupta Balarjuna.
Other Structures: Ruins of a 6th-century market complex, palaces, residences, water systems, and a public bathhouse highlight its role as a key commercial and urban centre.

{GS2 – Governance} Mandatory SIM Binding Made

Context (IE): The Department of Telecommunications has mandated SIM-binding for all app-based communication platforms under the Telecommunication Cybersecurity Amendment Rules, 2025.

Platforms must ensure compliance within 90 days and submit reports to DoT within 4 months.

SIM binding means the messaging service can function only if the registered mobile number’s SIM card is physically present in the device. If the SIM is removed, replaced, or inactive, access must be blocked.

Need for SIM Binding

Rising Cyber-Frauds: SIM binding is needed to curb cyber-frauds executed using Indian numbers from abroad. E.g. India reported over 1.1 lakh cyber-fraud cases in 2024, with 70% linked to messaging apps.
Fake KYC SIM Cards: Large volumes of SIMs activated with forged/mule IDs make account misuse easier. E.g. more than 6.3 lakh fraudulent SIMs were detected by DoT’s Sanchar Saathi portal in 2023–24.
Functioning After SIM Removal: Current app systems allow running even if the SIM is removed. E.g. DoT audit found over 45% of scam-linked accounts operated without the original SIM in the device.
Cross-Border Fraud Networks: Karnataka cyber police traced ₹850+ crore frauds (2023–25) to handlers operating outside India via unbound messaging accounts.
Growing Telecom Identifier User Entity (TIUE): Apps using mobile numbers as identifiers are vulnerable without SIM-device pairing. E.g. TIUE audit shows 12+ major messaging apps lacked SIM verification.

Impacts of Mandatory Sim Binding

Impact on Users

Users travelling abroad who change SIMs cannot continue using apps linked to their Indian SIM unless the original SIM remains active in the device.
6-hour logout for WhatsApp Web disrupts office workflows relying on computer-based messaging.
Users will face more frequent re-verification and tighter account-SIM synchronisation requirements.

Impact on Platforms

Need to redesign backend systems to ensure continuous SIM presence checks.
Platforms must now continuously verify SIM–account linkage, maintain logs, and send compliance reports, significantly increasing their operational workload under TIUE rules.
Messaging apps using end-to-end encryption cannot access user content and rely only on minimal metadata, making real-time SIM verification and fraud detection technically more difficult.

{GS2 – IR} India Re-Elected to International Maritime Organisation Council **

Context (PIB): India was re-elected to Category B of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council for the 2026-2027 biennium.

This marks the second consecutive time that India has received the most votes.
Significance: This re-election strengthens India’s global maritime influence and advances the Amrit Kaal Maritime Vision 2047.

Category B comprises 10 states with the largest interest in international seaborne trade.

About International Maritime Organisation (IMO)

IMO is the specialised agency of the United Nations (UN) responsible for maritime safety, security, and environmental performance.
Established in 1948 as the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation (IMCO), it was renamed the International Maritime Organisation in 1982. It became a UN agency in 1959.
Mandate: To develop international standards for safe, secure, and eco-friendly shipping.
Headquarters: The IMO is headquartered in London, United Kingdom.
Membership: 175 Member States and 3 associate members. India joined as a member in 1959.

Structure of IMO

Assembly: It is the highest governing body, composed of all Member States; it meets biennially to approve the budget and elect the IMO Council.
Council: It is the executive body that supervises IMO’s work between Assembly sessions and makes decisions on administrative and budgetary issues.
Committees: There are five main technical committees that meet regularly to discuss specific issues.
Secretariat: The UN Secretary-General leads the Secretariat, which implements decisions and manages the daily operations of IMO.

Key IMO Conventions and Strategies

SOLAS: The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea 1974 establishes minimum safety standards for ships, including requirements for fire protection and navigation.
MARPOL: The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, is a key environmental treaty that regulates pollution from ships.
STCW: The International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, sets minimum qualification standards globally.
BWM Convention: The Ballast Water Management 2004 tackles the spread of invasive aquatic species.
GHG Strategy: The IMO Greenhouse Gas Strategy, adopted in 2023, aims for net-zero GHG emissions from international shipping by or around 2050.

{GS3 – IE} Two Central Bills to Raise Sin Tax on Tobacco and Pan Masala

Context (IE): The Centre will introduce two Bills to raise excise duty on tobacco products and impose a new ‘Health Security se National Security Cess’ on pan masala.

Objective: The Bills aim to replace the expiring GST compensation cess and maintain the existing overall tax burden on sin goods.

About GST Compensation Cess

The GST compensation cess was an additional levy under the GST (Compensation to States) Act, 2017, to compensate for state revenue loss following GST implementation.
Annual Growth: It assured states a 14% annual revenue growth, with the cess financing any shortfall.
Revenue source: The cess was levied on luxury cars, aerated drinks, tobacco products, and coal to build a dedicated compensation fund.
Timeframe: It was initially implemented from July 2017 to June 2022 and was later extended to 31 March 2026 to repay central loans taken for pandemic-related compensation.
Recent Change: Following the 56^th GST Council meeting in September 2025, the cess was largely discontinued and absorbed into new GST rate structures.
- Tobacco Exception: It continues on tobacco products until all compensation-related loans are fully repaid.

Health Security se National Security Cess

The Health Security se National Security Cess is a proposed levy to replace the GST compensation cess on specified “sin goods“.
Tax Neutrality: It keeps the overall tax burden on demerit goods unchanged after the GST compensation cess ends.
Twin Objectives: The cess aims to mobilise resources for (1) public health programmes and (2) national security-related expenditures.
Target Goods: The levy initially applies to pan masala manufacturers and may extend to other notified sin goods.
Levy Method: It is calculated on the production capacity of manufacturing machines, rather than on actual output volume.
Fund Channel: The proceeds are credited to the Consolidated Fund of India and are not shared with state governments.

The Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025

The Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025, replaces the outgoing GST compensation cess on tobacco products with a permanent central excise duty.
Tax Objective: It maintains the existing high tax burden on tobacco and other sin goods after the cess regime ends.
Fiscal Space: The Bill empowers the Union government to revise tobacco excise duty rates without needing GST Council approval.
Product Scope: The duty applies to cigarettes, cigars, cheroots, chewing tobacco, hookah tobacco, zarda, scented tobacco, and pipe-smoking mixtures.
GST Position: Tobacco products are expected to fall under the 40% GST slab, with new excise filling the gap to preserve the overall taxation.

Feature	Health Security se National Security Cess	Central Excise (Amendment) Bill	GST Compensation Cess
Nature of Levy	New cess on specified sin goods	Permanent central excise duty on tobacco	Additional cess under the GST Act, 2017
Purpose	Mobilise funds for health + national security	Maintain a high tax burden on tobacco after the cess ends	Compensate states for GST revenue loss
Tax Base	Production capacity of machines	Specific excise duty on tobacco items	Applied on the consumption of luxury/demerit goods
Covered Goods	Initially pan masala, expandable to others	Cigarettes, cigars, cheroots, chewing/ hookah/ scented tobacco, zarda	Luxury cars, aerated drinks, tobacco, coal
Revenue Destination	Consolidated Fund of India (no state share)	Consolidated Fund of India	Compensation Fund for states
Timeframe	New, permanent policy measure	Permanent duty structure	July 2017-June 2022; extended to March 2026
State Involvement	No revenue sharing	No GST Council approval needed for rate changes	Directly compensates states for revenue loss
Policy Goal	Maintain tax neutrality + fund health/security	Preserve tobacco tax levels post-GST cess	Guarantee 14% annual revenue growth to states

{GS3 – Agri} India’s Shift from GM to Genome-Edited Crops **

Context (IE): India’s progress in GM crops stalled after Bt cotton (approved in 2006), but genome-edited (GE) crops have rapidly advanced due to regulatory relaxation and scientific breakthroughs.

About Gene Editing

Gene editing modifies the plant’s existing native genes by making precise cuts at targeted DNA sites using a protein (scissors) and a guide RNA (navigator).
It does not introduce foreign DNA; instead, it creates mutations similar to natural variations, making the technology more precise, faster, and easier to regulate.

Key Differences with Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)

Foreign vs Native DNA: GMOs introduce foreign genes from other species; gene editing modifies only the plant’s own genes without adding external DNA.
Regulatory Burden: GMOs face stringent, expensive regulation; gene-edited crops often pass through simpler, faster approval pathways.
Technology Approach: GMOs rely on transgenic insertion; gene editing uses CRISPR/TnpB to achieve precise site-specific edits.
Commercial Landscape: GMO deployment dominated by large corporations; gene editing enables public-sector and small research institutions to create new varieties.

India’s Progress in Genome Editing (GE)

GE Rice Lines: GE Samba Mahsuri for higher yield, GE MTU-1010 for alkalinity tolerance.
GE Mustard Line: Low-pungency, canola-quality mustard developed by gene editing.
Technologies Used:
- CRISPR–Cas9: Editing drought- & salinity-tolerance genes.
- CRISPR–Cas12a: Editing Gn1a gene for spikelet proliferation and higher yields.
- Indigenous GE Tool: TnpB-based miniature editor, which is cheaper, patent-free and highly precise.

Reasons for the Success of Genome Editing (GE) in India

Regulatory Simplicity: GE crops skip GEAC and need only IBC approval, making clearances faster.
High Public Acceptability: GE crops carry no foreign DNA, reducing GMO-related opposition.
Low R&D Costs: CRISPR tools make edits quick, cheap, and efficient for Indian labs.
Indigenous Innovation: Indian tools like the TnpB-based editor cut import dependence.
Government Funding Push: ₹500 crore (2023–24) earmarked explicitly for GE research.
Export-Friendly: Japan and Australia already allow the import of GE foods without GM labelling.

Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC): GEAC is the apex body under the MoEFCC responsible for approving the environmental release and commercialisation of GM organisms in India.
Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC): IBC, constituted under the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) ensures biosafety compliance and certifies that genome-edited crops contain no foreign DNA.

{GS3 – Envi} Heat Stress Threatens India’s Food Security

Context (DTE): A new UN ESCAP Asia-Pacific Disaster Report 2025 warns that India is among the five highest-risk countries where agriculture faces severe heat stress, threatening food security.

UN ESCAP: The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific is the UN’s regional development arm for the Asia-Pacific. Founded in 1947, it is based in Bangkok, Thailand.

Key Findings of the UN ESCAP Report

India is among the top 5 high-risk nations where agriculture faces consistently high heat stress alongside Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh.
Heat stress persists under both low-emission (SSP1-2.6) and high-emission (SSP5-8.5) climate scenarios.
Agriculture absorbed 25% of global climate disaster losses (2008–2018), highlighting systemic fragility.
Farm labour productivity may drop by up to 27% threatening rural livelihoods.

ESCAP Recommendations Against Heat Stress in Agriculture

Heat Planning: Integrate heat-stress risk into cropping calendars to avoid peak-heat sowing windows. E.g. Australia’s Heat-Ready Cropping Guides align sowing dates with heatwave forecasts.
Early Warnings: Deploy micro-climate heat alerts for farmers, livestock managers, and extension workers. E.g. Japan’s Heat Alert System issues granular farm-level warnings.
Climate-Smart Practices: Promote heat-tolerant varieties, mulching, micro-irrigation, and shade-nets. E.g. Israel’s precision irrigation and shade-net farming in arid zones.
Labour Protocols: Enforce water–shade–rest cycles and safe working-hour norms during extreme heat. E.g. Thailand’s Heat Stress Prevention Guidelines mandate rest breaks for farm labourers.

{Prelims – Geo} World Summit on Disaster Management

Context (PIB | WSDM): At the World Summit on Disaster Management in Dehradun, Union Minister Shri Jitendra Singh announced the expansion of meteorological systems in Uttarakhand.

About World Summit on Disaster Management

A global dialogue platform organised by Uttarakhand State Council for Science and Technology (UCOST) in collaboration with National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
- Theme for 2025 is “Strengthening International Cooperation for Building Resilient Communities”.
Purpose: Bringing together diverse stakeholders from over 50 countries to facilitate dialogue, knowledge sharing, capacity building, foster collaboration and showcasing innovation.
Structure: Built around a five-pillar framework known as the “5Es“: Engage, Educate, Enable, Empower, and Excel. Workshops delve into five themes related to Earth, Water, Air, Fire, and Space.
Bhagirath Awards: Presented at the summit recognising exceptional leadership & innovation in climate action and disaster risk reduction.

Read More > Cloudbursts

{Prelims – Species} Short-Necked Clam (Paphia malabarica)

Context (TH): The short-neck clam population in Ashtamudi Lake is showing early signs of recovery after ICAR-CMFRI implemented a stock enhancement programme.

About Short-Neck Clam (Paphia malabarica)

The short-neck clam is a commercially important bivalve mollusc native to the Indo-Pacific region.
Appearance: It has a triangular-to-oval glossy outer shell with a variable yellowish-brown colour often marked by darker radial bands.
Life Span: The species grows rapidly and typically survives for up to three years.
Habitat: It inhabits shallow marine and estuarine sandy–mud flats at depths reaching four metres.
Distribution: Its range spans from the Gulf of Oman to Japan, including India, China, Sumatra, and the Philippines.
- Indian Range: Populations occur along both coasts, with dense clusters in Ashtamudi Lake, Kerala.
Bioindicator: The species serves as a bioindicator of heavy-metal and petroleum–hydrocarbon pollution due to high accumulation and low detoxification.
Diet: As a benthic filter feeder, it consumes phytoplankton and partially degraded organic matter.
Major threats: Pollution, invasive Charru mussels, over-exploitation, and shifts in salinity or temperature.
Human Use: It is harvested for food and to manufacture cement, calcium carbide, and sand-lime bricks.

About Ashtamudi Lake

Ashtamudi Lake is a large palm-shaped wetland in Kerala’s Kollam district, often called the “gateway to the backwaters of Kerala.”
Etymology: Its Malayalam name, meaning “eight braids”, refers to its octopus-shaped topography with eight major branches.
Hydrology: It is a brackish-water estuary fed by the Kallada and Pallichal rivers. It connects to the Arabian Sea through the Neendakara estuary.
Historical Role: The lake served as a major trading port in the 14^th century and appears in the travel accounts of Moroccan explorer Ibn Battuta.
Ramsar Site: Ashtamudi Lake was designated a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance in 2002.
Clam Fishery: The short-neck clam fishery in the lake is India’s first Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified sustainable fishery.
- Marine Stewardship Council: The MSC is an international non-profit organisation that certifies sustainable wild-capture fisheries and verifies traceable seafood supply chains.

{Prelims – Species} African Forest Elephant Count Higher Than Earlier Estimated

Context (RE): A recent study using DNA extracted from elephant dung found the African forest elephant population to be larger than earlier estimates.

Updated Estimate: The new DNA-based method estimated the 2024 population at around 1,35,690, representing a 16% increase since 2016.

About African Forest Elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis)

The African forest elephant is the smallest living elephant species native to West and Central Africa.
Appearance: It has a nearly straight back, rounder ears, and thin, straight tusks that point downward.
- Ivory: The ivory has a pinkish hue and is denser and harder than the savanna elephant ivory.
Habitat Range: It primarily inhabits dense tropical rainforests across West and Central Africa.
- Population Share: Central Africa contains about 95% of forest elephants, while Gabon has the largest population.
Social Structure: They form small, highly social family groups of up to 20 individuals led by a matriarch.
- Adult males remain mostly solitary and join family groups only during mating periods.
Ecological Role: They serve as keystone species and ecosystem engineers by dispersing seeds over long distances.
Major Threats: Poaching, habitat loss, fragmentation, human-elephant conflict, slow reproduction, climate change, etc.
Conservation Status: IUCN: Critically Endangered; CITES: Appendix I.

{Prelims – S&T} Hansa-3 (NG) Trainer Aircraft *

Context (NOA): Union Minister for Science and Technology unveiled the Hansa-3 (NG) aircraft at the CSIR – National Aerospace Laboratories (CSIR–NAL) in Bengaluru.

He also inaugurated the SARAS Mk II Iron Bird Test Facility, the High-Altitude Platform (HAP) Airframe Fabrication Facility, and the NaviMet aviation weather system.

CSIR–NAL: It is India’s only civilian aerospace R&D laboratory under the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), Ministry of Science and Technology. It is based in Bengaluru.
SARAS Mk II: India’s first indigenous multipurpose Light Transport Aircraft (LTA), currently under development. It is designed as a cost-effective aircraft to enhance regional air connectivity under the UDAN scheme.
HAPs: They are solar-powered Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) designed to operate in the stratosphere (above 20 km altitude) for extended durations.

About Hansa-3 (NG)

Hansa-3 (Next Generation) is India’s first fully indigenous, two-seater, all-composite trainer aircraft developed by CSIR–NAL.
It addresses India’s increasing pilot-training needs and reduces reliance on imported trainer platforms.
Engine: It is powered by the Rotax 912 iSc3 Sport engine (fuel-efficient), equipped with an advanced electronic fuel-injection system.
Design: Its lightweight composite airframe and bubble canopy provide wide panoramic visibility and excellent resistance to corrosion.
Cost Advantage: The platform is nearly 50% cheaper than the currently imported trainer aircraft.

Read More > Hansa-3 NG

{Prelims – Diseases} World AIDS Day

Context (PIB): World AIDS Day is observed on December 1, and the theme for 2025 is “Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response.”

About World AIDS Day

Origin: Established in 1988 by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and later guided by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) as the first global health awareness day.
Objective: Raise awareness, promote testing and treatment, and combat stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV.
Alignment: Linked to the UNAIDS 95-95-95 goal and the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.3 target to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

UNAIDS 95-95-95 Goal: Target to ensure 95% of people with HIV-AIDS are diagnosed, 95% of those diagnosed receive antiretroviral therapy, and 95% of those on treatment achieve viral suppression.

India’s AIDS Response

Framework: Led by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), established in 1992 under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Programme: Implemented through the National AIDS and STD Control Programme (NACP) phases I-V, shifting from awareness to prevention, testing and antiretroviral therapy (ART) expansion.
Legal: HIV & AIDS (Prevention and Control) Act 2017 prohibits discrimination, ensures confidentiality and mandates informed consent.
Policy Measures: Includes Test & Treat policy, Mission Sampark to re-engage patients lost to follow-up, and increased access to testing and treatment services nationwide.
Impact: Annual new HIV infections in India dropped about 46% between 2010 and 2021; AIDS-related deaths fell ~77% between 2010 and 2021, showing significant progress in prevention and treatment.

About HIV-AIDS

Cause: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) attacks CD4+ T-cells, weakening immunity & leading to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) if untreated.
Transmission: Spread through unprotected sex, contaminated needles, unsafe transfusion and mother-to-child transmission.
Treatment: Managed using Antiretroviral Therapy (ART), which suppresses viral load; viral suppression prevents progression to AIDS and reduces transmission (treatment-as-prevention model).
India Status: India has an estimated 2.4 million people living with HIV (NACO estimates); the epidemic is concentrated among high-risk groups and urban clusters.
- High-risk groups in India include sex workers, homosexual men, people who inject drugs, transgenders, migrant workers and truckers