Current Affairs – December 02, 2025

{GS2 – Polity – IC – Parliament} Parliamentary Deadlock and Declining Legislative Effectiveness **

• Context (IE | IE): As Parliament enters yet another session overshadowed by deadlock fears and routine walkouts, raising serious concerns that India’s highest democratic forum is losing its voice.

Current Status of Parliamentary Functioning

• Lok Sabha functioned 29% and Rajya Sabha 34% of the scheduled time in the Monsoon Session 2025.
• Annual sittings declined from 121 days (1952-70) to ~68 days since 2000.
• Question Hour performance fell to 23% in LS, 6% in RS in Monsoon 2025.
• Only 20% referred to Parliamentary Committees in 16^th & 17^th Lok Sabhas, down from 60%.
• No Deputy Speaker in the 17^th Lok Sabha and still none in the 18^th.

Reforms Required for Smooth Parliamentary Functioning

• Institutional Dialogue: Reinstate structured, periodic meetings between the Leader of the House, Prime Minister, and Leader of Opposition, similar to the UK’s parliamentary management conventions.
• Anti-Defection Reform: Limit the whip only to confidence motions & money bills, restoring MP autonomy modelled on UK/Canada practice.
• Revive Committee System: Mandate 75% Bills to be referred to Standing Committees and also introduce public consultations and expert hearings.
• Guaranteed Sitting Days: Introduce a statutory minimum of 100–120 days of sittings annually, on lines of the Australian fixed parliamentary calendar.

Summoning of the Houses of Parliament Article 85(1) of IC empowers the President to summon each House of Parliament to meet. But the maximum gap between two sessions cannot be more than six months. It is not necessary that the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha should be summoned simultaneously or on the same date. The Parliament has no fixed calendar for sittings. Normally, three sessions are held in a calendar year, namely: Budget Sessions, Monsoon Sessions and Winter Sessions

{GS2 – Polity – IC – Reservation} ST Status for Six Communities in Assam

• Context (IE): A Group of Ministers in Assam has submitted an interim report recommending Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for six communities.

• Six Communities: The proposed beneficiary communities are (1) Ahom, (2) Chutia, (3) Moran, (4) Matak, (5) Koch-Rajbongshi, and (6) the Tea Tribes.
• New Classification: The report also recommends a three-tier ST framework to safeguard the existing rights of recognised tribal communities.

Key Recommendations by the Interim Report

Structural & Reservation Framework

• New Structure: The report proposes a three-tier Scheduled Tribe framework for Assam comprising ST (Plains), ST (Hills), and a newly created ST (Valley).
  • Valley Inclusion: The ST (Valley) category will include Tai Ahom, Chutia, Tea Tribes, and Koch-Rajbongshi (excluding those in undivided Goalpara).
• Quota Protection: Existing reservation quotas for ST (Plains) and ST (Hills) must remain fully protected under the new system.
  • Separate Roster: The new ST (Valley) category must have an independent reservation roster, quota, and vacancy register for state-level recruitment and admissions.
  • Central Pool: All notified ST communities should compete within a single, common ST pool for central government reservation benefits.

Cultural and Political Safeguards

• Interim Privileges: All land-related protections currently enjoyed by existing STs must be immediately extended to the six communities until their statutory inclusion is completed.
• Cultural Oversight: The cultural practices, languages, and customs of the six communities should come under the Department of Indigenous and Tribal Faith and Culture.
• LS Reservation: The two Lok Sabha constituencies covering the Sixth Schedule areas should be permanently reserved for existing STs through a constitutional amendment.

Procedure for Inclusion in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) List State Proposal: The process begins when a State or UT government submits a formal proposal to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) to add, remove, or modify a community in the ST list. MoTA Review: The Ministry of Tribal Affairs reviews the proposal and verifies all supporting evidence and documentation. RGI Examination: MoTA forwards the proposal to the Office of the Registrar General of India (RGI) for ethnographic assessment and formal approval. NCST Scrutiny: After RGI clearance, the proposal is referred to the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) for its recommendations. Cabinet Approval: Once the NCST recommends the proposal, MoTA prepares a Cabinet note and seeks approval from the Union Cabinet. Parliament & Notification: After Cabinet approval, the proposal is introduced in Parliament and must be passed by a simple majority. Presidential Notification: Once Parliament enacts the amendment, the President issues a notification updating the ST list.

{GS2 – MoA&FW – Schemes} National Beekeeping and Honey Mission **

• Context (DDN): India has increased honey production from 76,000 MT to over 1.5 lakh MT in the last decade and has tripled its exports recently.

• The achievement is attributed to the government’s “Sweet Revolution” initiative, carried out through the National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM).

About NBHM

• The NBHM is a Central Sector Scheme under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare to promote and develop quality honey and beehive products.
• Launched under Atmanirbhar Bharat for FY 2020–21 to 2022–23; it has been extended to FY 2025–26.
• Objective: Enhance honey production, increase crop yields through scientific beekeeping and pollination, and raise beekeepers’ incomes.
• Implementing Body: The National Bee Board (NBB) implements the mission.
• Mission Structure: NBHM operates through three sub-missions covering production, post-harvest management, and research.
  • Mini Mission-I: Increases honey and hive-product yield by encouraging scientific beekeeping and the adoption of modern equipment.
  • Mini Mission-II: Develops infrastructure for honey testing, processing, storage, value addition, and organised market access.
  • Mini Mission-III: Supports region-specific research and development to address diverse agro-climatic and socio-economic conditions across states.

Key initiatives under the NBHM

• Digital Support: The Madhukranti Portal facilitates honey registration and traceability to prevent adulteration and promote transparency for consumers.
• Institutional Support: Beekeeper collectives through Farmer-Producer Organisations (FPOs), Self-Help Groups (SHGs), and cooperatives promote women-focused capacity building.
• Skill Development: Training programs, exposure visits, and technology dissemination to promote high-value hive products such as royal jelly and beeswax.
• Research Facility: The National Centre of Excellence in Beekeeping at IIT, Roorkee, was established for scientific innovation and advanced sectoral training.

Other Initiatives for Honey Production KVIC’s Honey Mission: The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) offers training, bee boxes, and toolkits to rural youth and farmers to promote sustainable livelihoods. Export Support: The APEDA strengthens export readiness through quality certification, laboratory testing, and enforcement of a Minimum Export Price mechanism. GI Tags Support: Geographical Indication tags for unique regional honeys, such as Ramban Sulai Honey (J&K) and Sundarban Mouban Honey (WB), boost branding and market access.

{GS2 – Governance – Scheme} 10 Years of Atal Pension Yojana

• Context (DDN): The Atal Pension Yojana (APY) has completed 10 years of providing social security.

• The APY, launched in 2015, is a Central Sector Scheme providing guaranteed monthly pensions for workers in the unorganised sector.
• Objective: To develop a universal, inclusive social security system for the unorganised sector through voluntary retirement savings.
• Implementation: By the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) under the National Pension System (NPS) framework.
• Eligibility: Open to non-income-tax payers aged 18 to 40 years with a valid bank account.
• Contributions: Age-based fixed contributions with a 20-year minimum payment, collected via auto-debit (monthly, quarterly, or half-yearly).
• Pension Benefit: Monthly pension of ₹1,000 to ₹5,000 from age 60.
• Family Benefits: The spouse receives the pension when the subscriber dies, and the nominee gets the accumulated corpus after both have passed.
• Exit Conditions: Voluntary exit permitted with certain deductions; spouse may continue contributions in case of premature death.
• Key Achievements: The scheme has surpassed 8.11 crore total enrolments (August 2025), with women constituting approximately 48% of enrolments.

Read More > India’s Pension System

{GS2 – Governance – Initiatives} Animal Welfare Board Releases SOP for Managing Stray Dogs

• Context (HT): The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) has issued a standard operating procedure (SOP) for municipal authorities to remove stray dogs from public institutional premises.

• It follows the Supreme Court’s recent directive to establish SOPs for managing stray dogs on public institutional premises.

Key SOP Provisions

Shelter and Care Standards

• Sterilisation Protocol: Captured dogs must be sterilised and vaccinated before permanent relocation to municipal or NGO shelters.
• Shelter Dimension: The SOP prescribes a minimum shelter area to prevent overcrowding, e.g. 70×40 feet for every 100 dogs.
• Facility Standards: Shelters must maintain adequate staff, veterinary care, isolation wards, CCTV monitoring, and six-foot perimeter fencing.
• Feeding Norms: Adult dogs must be fed two to three times daily with weight-based quantities, e.g., 100-150 g for 5 kg dogs and 400-600 g for 20 kg dogs.

Operational Standards

• Institutional Shelters: Institutions with over two acres of land and at least 6,000 sq ft free space may establish shelters on their premises at their own expense.
• 24×7 Helpline: A dedicated helpline is mandated to address complaints and capture reported dogs within four hours.
• Waste Management: Civic bodies to create closed waste pits for street vendors and maintain helplines for efficient waste management.

Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) Statutory Body: The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) is a statutory advisory body that promotes compliance with animal-welfare laws. Legal Basis: Established in 1962 under Section 4 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, it functions under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying. Core Mandate: Its mandate is to prevent unnecessary pain or suffering to animals and advise central and state governments on animal-welfare matters. Inspection Powers: It is empowered to authorise individuals to inspect premises and seize animals where cruelty is suspected. Composition: The board consists of 28 members, with a three-year term of office. Headquarters: Ballabhgarh, Haryana. First Chairperson: The Board’s first chairperson was the renowned dancer and philanthropist Smt. Rukmini Devi Arundale.

Read More > Stray Dogs Management in India

{GS2 – IR – Groupings} India Warns of Growing Bioterrorism Threat

• Context (TOI): At a conference marking 50 years of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), India’s External Affairs Minister warned that bioterrorism is no longer a distant threat.

• He called for stronger global governance, verification systems, and compliance mechanisms to prevent misuse of biological agents by non-state actors.

Bioterrorism refers to the deliberate release or misuse of biological agents (bacteria, viruses, toxins, or engineered pathogens) to cause mass illness, death, economic disruption, or fear.

About the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC)

• The Biological Weapons Convention (also called the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, BTWC) is a global disarmament treaty that prohibits biological and toxin weapons.
• It was negotiated in Geneva between 1969 – 1971, and opened for signature in 1972.
• It came into force in 1975. It is the world’s first multilateral disarmament treaty to eliminate an entire category of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
• The BWC complements the 1925 Geneva Protocol, which restricted only the use of biological weapons but did not ban their creation or possession.
• The Convention has 188 States Parties (India ratified in 1974) and 4 Signatories yet to ratify: Egypt, Haiti, Somalia, and Syria.
• Five countries, Israel, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, and Kiribati, have neither signed nor acceded.
• Review Conferences occur every five years to evaluate implementation and improve transparency.

Why Bioterrorism is a Serious Concern?

• Easy Tech: CRISPR gene-editing kits cost under ₹50,000 online, making biological tools easier to misuse.
• Terror Procurement: 2024 UNSC study found 35+ terror groups attempted to acquire biological agents.
• Pandemic Gaps: 191 countries reported surveillance failures during the pandemic (2020–22).
• Dual-Use Risk: WHO reports that 42% of high-risk labs lack oversight to prevent legitimate research from being diverted for harmful use.
• Synthetic Biology Surge: The global synthetic biology market is projected to hit $30–35 billion by 2030, raising concerns of weaponised biotech.

Issues within the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC)

• No Verification: BWC has no independent compliance system to inspect laboratories or monitor threats.
• No Technical Body: Lacks a permanent scientific institution to track emerging bio-risks.
• No Reporting Norms: Countries are not required to submit transparent research logs or lab inventories.
• Limited Enforcement: Violations are hard to investigate; only 19% of member states submit confidence-building reports regularly.

India’s Measures to Strengthen BWC Compliance National Biosecurity Rules, 1989: Regulates the manufacture, use, import, export and storage of hazardous microorganisms and genetically engineered organisms to safeguard the environment. WMD Prohibition Act, 2005: Criminalises illegal manufacture, transport, financing and transfer of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems. SCOMET Export Controls: India’s national export control list for dual-use items; Category-2 specifically monitors microorganisms, toxins and high-risk biological agents. India–France Support Database: Proposal to create an assistance-tracking database under BWC Article VII, enabling rapid support to States affected by biological incidents. Training & Diplomacy: Annual ITEC capacity-building programmes on UNSC 1540 and strategic trade controls to enhance global non-proliferation cooperation.

Way Forward

• Verification Protocol: Develop an inspection-based global compliance system similar to IAEA nuclear safeguards and OPCW inspections for chemical weapons, and provide a template.
• Permanent Secretariat: Create a full-time BWC technical body to track emerging gene-editing risks and dual-use technologies. E.g. WHO R&D Blueprint surveillance model.
• Data-Sharing Network: Enable secure global reporting of outbreaks, unusual lab activity, and synthetic pathogen signatures. E.g. EU Early Warning System for cross-border biological threats.
• Legal Harmonisation: Enact a comprehensive Biosecurity Act integrating 1989 Rules, SCOMET, NDMA guidelines and disaster response. E.g., Australia’s Biosecurity Act 2015.

{GS3 – Envi– Pollution} Northern Cities Are More Polluted Than Southern and Western Cities

• Context (IE | IE): Analysis of CPCB data (2015–2025) from 11 urban centres shows persistent nationwide air pollution, with northern cities being more affected than southern and western ones.

CPCB: The Central Pollution Control Board, established in 1974 under the MoEFCC, is India’s apex body for setting, monitoring, and enforcing standards to prevent and control air and water pollution.

Key Findings

• Unsafe Air: None of the major Indian cities achieved ‘good’ or safe AQI (0–50) during the decade.
• Most Polluted: Delhi remained the most polluted city over the decade, with annual mean AQI above 250 during peak years like 2016.
• Least Polluted: Bengaluru had the lowest AQI (65–90), indicating cleaner but still unhealthy air.
• Regional Disparities: Northern cities like Lucknow, Varanasi, & Ahmedabad had prolonged high AQI readings, unlike southern and western cities like Chennai, Mumbai, & Visakhapatnam (AQI 80–140).

Major Causes of Regional Disparity in Air Pollution

Geographical and Meteorological Factors

• Landlocked Geography: Northern cities are in the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP), where the flat, landlocked region and Himalayan barrier trap pollutants, preventing their dispersion.
• Winter Temperature Inversion: Cold, dense winter air in North India gets trapped beneath warmer air, creating an “atmospheric lid” that prevents vertical mixing and intensifies smog buildup.
• Coastal Advantage: Southern and western cities benefit from sea breezes and maritime winds that effectively disperse pollutants, ensuring better air circulation throughout the year.
• Seasonal Wind Pattern: Prevailing winter winds in North India carry industrial and agricultural emissions towards urban centres like Delhi, contributing to the haze.

Anthropogenic and Regional Factors

• Stubble Burning: Smoke from post-monsoon crop residue burning in Punjab and Haryana is carried by prevailing winds into major northern cities, causing a severe seasonal pollution spike.
• Industrial Concentration: The IGP hosts dense industry, many thermal plants, and heavy vehicular loads, with frequent non-compliance worsening regional air quality.
  • Transportation accounts for 39% of Delhi’s PM2.5 pollution; thermal plants contribute 11%, and industries account for 3%.
• Dust Contribution: Poorly regulated construction and demolition activities sustain road dust, which accounts for about 18% of Delhi’s PM2.5 levels.

Read More > Combating Air Pollution

{Prelims – Polity} Renaming Raj Bhavans

• Context (TH): The Union Home Ministry has written to all States & Union Territories proposing renaming Raj Bhavans as Lok Bhavans and Raj Niwas as Lok Niwas to remove colonial connotation.

• West Bengal and Ladakh accepted the proposal and changed names accordingly.

About Raj Bhavan

• Role: Official residence & office of the Governor, the constitutional head of the State under Article 153.
  • Raj Niwas is the Raj Bhavan equivalent at the Union Territory level, serving the Lieutenant Governors and Administrators of Union Territories.
• Protocol: Comparable to Rashtrapati Bhavan at the Union level; hosts swearing-in ceremonies, official meetings and visiting dignitaries.
• Constitutional Basis: Article 158 entitles the Governor to a rent-free official residence; if one Governor is appointed to more than one State, one Raj Bhavan is designated as the principal official residence.
• Colonial Origin: Most Raj Bhavans trace their origin to British-era government houses used by Governors or Lieutenant-Governors in provinces.
  • Kolkata Raj Bhavan was built in 1803 as the Governor-General’s house.
• Symbolism: The transition from ‘Raj’ to ‘Lok’ seeks to replace colonial ways of authority and hierarchy with people-centric governance.

Read More > Governor’s Role in Indian Federalism

{Prelims – IR} India Re-elected to UNESCO Executive Board

• Context (NOA): India has been re-elected to the UNESCO Executive Board for the 2025-29 term.

About UNESCO

• UN specialised agency (est. 1945) promoting cooperation in education, science, and culture; headquartered in Paris, with 194 members (India a founding member) and 12 associate members.
• Mandate: Leads SDG-4 (Education 2030 Agenda), implements World Heritage and Intangible Cultural Heritage Conventions, and runs flagship science-based programmes like Man and the Biosphere (MAB).
• Governance: Operates through the General Conference and a 58-member Executive Board (4-year terms), with the Secretariat headed by the Director-General (4-year term).
• Key Reports: Issues the Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report (annual), UNESCO Science Report, McBride Report (1980) and World Water Development Report.

Read More > UNESCO World Heritage Sites

{Prelims – Species} Bamboo Shrimp (Atyopsis spinipes)

• Context (IE): Scientists have rediscovered the bamboo shrimp (Atyopsis spinipes) in Karnataka and Odisha after a 72-year absence, confirming its presence in mainland India.

About the Bamboo Shrimp (Atyopsis spinipes)

• The bamboo shrimp, also known as the Soldier Brush Shrimp, is a filter-feeding freshwater shrimp native to Southeast Asia.
• Appearance: Its colour ranges from brown to reddish-brown, often with a light longitudinal stripe along the back.
  • Colour Change: The body colour varies with environmental conditions; brighter hues signify good health, while fading colouration indicates physiological stress.
• Habitat Preference: The species prefers clean, well-oxygenated, fast-flowing freshwater streams and rivers with a coarse, rocky substrate.
• Global Distribution: It is widely distributed across Southeast Asia and the Pacific islands, including Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Samoa.
• Diet: The shrimp is a detritivore that feeds on drifting organic detritus, microorganisms, and algae.
  • Feeding Adaptation: It uses unique fan-like appendages to capture tiny food particles from fast-flowing water.
• Life Cycle: The species is amphidromous, with larvae developing in brackish or marine water before returning to freshwater as juveniles.
• Ecological Role: It supports nutrient cycling by filtering detrital particles and microorganisms from the water column.
• Major Threats: Habitat degradation, water pollution, overexploitation for aquarium trade, etc.
• Conservation Status: IUCN: Least Concerned.

{Prelims – Defence} Heron Mk II UAV *

• Context (TH): After operational lessons from Operation Sindoor, India is procuring additional Heron Mk II Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) from Israel under emergency procurement.

About Heron Mk II UAV

• Category: A Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) platform capable of 24+ hours continuous flight for persistent surveillance.
• SATCOM Control: Equipped with Satellite Communication (SATCOM) links to conduct missions beyond line-of-sight without ground radio dependence.
• ELINT Systems: Carries Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) payloads to detect, analyse and geolocate enemy radar and electronic emissions at stand-off distances.
• COMINT Capability: Features Communications Intelligence (COMINT) receivers to intercept and collect radio communications for actionable intelligence.
• SAR Imaging: Uses Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) to generate high-resolution ground imagery even in fog, rain or night conditions.
• Automated Flight: Fully automatic take-off and landing (ATOL) system boosts safety and reduces manpower at forward operating bases.
• Heavy Payload: Can carry ~500 kg of mission equipment, including electro-optical cameras.

Role of UAV in National Security

• Persistent Surveillance: Drones provide real-time reconnaissance across border regions and infiltration routes where foot patrols are risky; e.g. Herons monitor Line of Actual Control (LAC) and desert sectors.
• Precision Strike: Armed UAVs can neutralise terror hideouts with minimum collateral risk.
• Logistics Lifeline: The Indian Army is testing drone convoys to replace mules and helicopters for ammunition, rations and fuel delivery at high-altitude posts.

{Prelims – Festivals} Hornbill Festival

• Context (IE): Nagaland has opposed the re-imposed Protected Area Permit regime, arguing it restricts foreign tourism during the Hornbill Festival despite temporary relaxation by the Centre.

About Hornbill Festival

• Origin: Initiated in 2000 to preserve Naga culture and inter-tribal unity, this ‘Festival of Festivals’ is celebrated annually from Dec 1 to 10, coinciding with Nagaland Statehood Day (1^st Dec).
  • The festival is named after the Hornbill bird, revered in Naga culture as a symbol of continuity, identity and ancestral tradition.
• Venue: Organised by the Government of Nagaland at Naga Heritage Village in Kisama (≈12 km from Kohima). Nagaland is known as the ‘Land of Festivals’.
• Events: Morung exhibitions, warrior dances, indigenous sports (wrestling, archery), traditional crafts, cuisine, and contemporary events like concerts, fashion shows and contests.
• Significance: Largest tourism and cultural event of Nagaland, attracting >1.5 lakh visitors in recent editions, including foreign delegates, artists and cultural researchers.

Read More > Pakke Paga Hornbill Festival

{Prelims – S&T} Software Defined Radios *

• Context (DD): The Indian Army has signed a contract to procure its first indigenously designed and manufactured Software Defined Radios (SDRs) developed by DRDO and produced by BEL.

About Software Defined Radios

• Software-defined radios replace fixed hardware components with software-based signal processing, enabling rapid reconfiguration for secure, multi-band, multi-mode communication.
• Features: High data rates, encryption capability, and Mobile Ad hoc Network (MANET) support for resilient, self-healing communication links in battlefield environments.
• Interoperability: Standardised through the Indian Radio Software Architecture (IRSA) framework, enabling waveform portability and seamless communication among tri-services.
• Applications: Defence communication, tactical data links, radar, electronic warfare, telecom networks and emerging Internet of Things (IoT) architectures.

MANET: A Mobile Ad-hoc Network where devices connect directly without towers or fixed infrastructure; each unit acts as a node, allowing communication to continue even if some links fail. IRSA: The Indian Radio Software Architecture is a national standard that ensures interoperability among SDRs by using common software interfaces, enabling waveform sharing.

Read More > Revamping DRDO

{Prelims – Tribes} Khiamniungan Tribe *

• Context (NOA): PM Modi recently highlighted the Khiamniungan tribe in the Mann Ki Baat program.

• They are a major Naga community inhabiting eastern Nagaland and north-western Myanmar.
• Their name means “source of great water,” derived from ‘khiam’ (water), ‘niu’ (great), and ‘ngan’ (source).
• Livelihood: Agriculture, specifically jhum (shifting cultivation), is the primary activity, complemented by livestock rearing across hilly terrains.
• Honey Cultivation: They practise the unique cliff honey hunting methods, where they speak to the bees to show respect.
• Cultural Identity: They are known for their vibrant traditional attire, elaborate headgear, and unique folk dances performed during festivals.
• Language: Patsho Khiamniungan is the primary language.
• Musical Instrument: Large log drums are used as primary instruments.

Festivals of the Khiamniungan Tribe

• Tsokum Festival: A week-long harvest festival held in September or October to seek blessings for agricultural prosperity.
• Miu Festival: Celebrated in April/May during sowing season to pray for a successful crop cycle.
• Khaotzao Sey Hok-ah: Marks the completion of all agricultural activity, observed in January.