Current Affairs – December 21, 2025

{GS1 – IS} Live-in Relations in India **

• Context (IE): Recently, the Allahabad High Court ruled that couples in live-in relationships cannot be denied state protection due to their unmarried status.

Status of Live-in Relationships in India

• Legal Position: Live-in relationships are legally recognised by courts but remain uncodified under any specific statute.
• Article 21: The Supreme Court recognises adult choice of partner and cohabitation as part of the Fundamental Right to Life and Personal Liberty.
• Criminal Law: Consensual cohabitation between unmarried adults does not constitute any criminal offence in India.

Statutory Framework

• Legal Recognition: The Domestic Violence Act, 2005, grants legal status to relationships “in the nature of marriage.”
  • Available Remedies: Women in such relationships can seek protection orders, residence rights, and maintenance.
• Marriage Presumption: The Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023, presumes long-term cohabitation as a valid marriage, unless disproved.
• Maintenance Protection: Section 125 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita is judicially interpreted to include women in long-term live-in relationships.

Rights of Children and Inheritance

• Child Legitimacy: Courts treat children born from long-term live-in relationships as legitimate.
• Property Rights: Such children can inherit their parents’ self-acquired property under succession laws.
• Partner Rights: Live-in partners have no automatic inheritance rights without a will or joint ownership.

{GS2 – Governance} From Licence Raj to Jan Vishwas Siddhant

• Context (IE): The proposed ‘Jan Vishwas’ framework signals a shift from control-oriented regulation to trust-based governance to promote entrepreneurship and create mass employment.

Structural Constraints of India’s Regulatory Framework

• Prior Approvals: The need for several discretionary permissions, NOCs, and licenses, as a legacy of License Raj, encouraging corruption and suppressing innovation.
• Instrument Proliferation: Multiple circulars, guidelines, SOPs, FAQs, and office orders beyond Acts and Rules prolong delay and create uncertainty.
• Compliance Blind Spot: Policymakers overlook cumulative compliance burden; India had over 69,000 compliances in early 2025, though labour codes showed up to 75% rationalisation is possible.
• Over-Enforcement: Regulatory ambition often exceeds state capacity, resulting in selective enforcement and rent-seeking.
• Process as Punishment: Criminal penalties for minor technical errors clog courts; cheque-bounce cases alone form nearly 10% of pendency.
• Fragmented Information: Absence of a single, unified compliance database creates opacity and compliance anxiety for businesses.

Reform Proposals of Jan Vishwas Siddhant

• Trust-Based Regulation: Adopt an “everything permitted unless prohibited” approach with perpetual self-registration except in security, safety, health, and environment.
• Decriminalisation: Replace imprisonment for minor, non-fraudulent offences with proportionate civil penalties across central Acts.
• Predictable Rules: Mandate public consultations and transition periods for new rules and eliminate compliance with non-law instruments.
• Digital Compliance: Promote digital-first processes, unified business identity, and a single legal repository for all rules through the IndiaCode platform.
• Regulatory Review: Introduce annual regulatory impact assessments by ministries, reporting compliance and punishment outcomes.

{GS3 – Envi} BS-VI Enforcement amid Severe AQI

• Context (IE): The Delhi government restricted the entry of private and commercial vehicles registered outside Delhi that do not meet BS-VI emission standards.

• The measure followed “Severe Plus” air quality levels under Stage IV of Graded Response Action Plan.

About Bharat Stage VI

• Emission Standard: Bharat Stage VI is India’s current vehicle emission norm, modelled on European Euro 6 standards.
• Implementation: India skipped BS-V and implemented BS-VI for all new vehicles from 1 April 2020.

Emission Reduction

• Sulphur: BS-VI fuel mandates a sulphur content of 10 ppm, compared to 50 ppm under BS-IV.
• NOx: It sets nitrogen oxide ceilings of 60 mg/km for petrol engines and 80 mg/km for diesel.
• PM: Particulate matter emissions from diesel vehicles are restricted to 4.5 mg/km.

Mandatory Technologies

• SCR System: Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) converts diesel nitrogen oxides into nitrogen and water using aqueous urea solution AdBlue.
• DPF Filter: Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) traps soot particles and periodically oxidises them to control exhaust particulate emissions.
• OBD System: On-Board Diagnostics II continuously monitors emission performance and alerts drivers about system malfunctions.
• Fuel Injection: Two-wheelers shifted to Electronic Fuel Injection for better fuel efficiency.

Achievements of Bharat Stage VI

• Tailpipe Emission: BS-VI norms reduced NOx emissions by 70% and particulate matter by 80%.
• Fuel Purity: It achieved an immediate 80% reduction in sulphur content in the fuel supply chain.
• Air Quality: Indian cities recorded a 25% reduction in particulate matter levels during 2019-2024.
• Compliance: Vehicles now follow a tighter conformity factor, limiting real-world exceedance above laboratory values.
• Decoupling: Pollution growth remained contained despite passenger vehicle sales reaching a record 4.3 million units in 2024-25.

Challenges with Bharat Stage VI

• Cost Impact: Stage-II transition increased vehicle prices by ₹30,000 for petrol & ₹1 lakh for diesel.
• Diesel Decline: High compliance costs pushed manufacturers to exit small diesel engines; diesel share in passenger vehicles fell from 58% in 2012 to 19% by 2025.
• DPF Issues: Diesel owners frequently report DPF clogging, which increases maintenance frequency and ownership costs.
• E20 Concerns: Mandatory 20% ethanol blending raises durability concerns, as nearly 95% of pre-2020 vehicles lack full compatibility.
• Supply Gaps: Limited rural availability of AdBlue & ultra-low-sulphur fuel creates logistical challenges.

Read More> Controlling Air Pollution

{Prelims – A&C} Project Mausam *

• Context (PIB): The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) organised a National Workshop on Project Mausam in New Delhi to gather stakeholder inputs.

• Project Mausam is a cultural and maritime heritage initiative of the Government of India, launched in 2014 under the Ministry of Culture.
• Nodal Agencies: The ASI leads the project with research support from the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) and the National Museum.
• Objective: To revive historic maritime and economic ties among 39 Indian Ocean rim countries that were once linked by monsoon-enabled trade routes.
• Scope: It documents cultural, commercial, and religious interactions of the Indian Ocean world using archaeological and historical research.
• Major Goal: To inscribe places and sites identified under the project as a transnational mixed Route for the UNESCO World Heritage List.

{Prelims – Eco} Anti-Dumping Duty on Chinese Steel Imports

• Context (RE): India imposed anti-dumping duties on cold-rolled steel from China for five years.

Reasons for Imposing Anti-Dumping Duty on China

• Unfair Pricing Practices: Chinese producers were found exporting cold-rolled steel to India at prices significantly below normal value, constituting dumping and distorting fair competition.
• Injury to Domestic Industry: Persistent low-priced imports led to declining capacity utilisation, suppressed prices, and reduced profitability for Indian steel manufacturers.
• Strategic Sector Protection: Steel is a core infrastructure and manufacturing input; safeguarding it is essential for construction, automobiles, defence, and capital goods.

{Prelims – Agri} National Digital Livestock Mission

• Context (PIB): The National Digital Livestock Mission (NDLM) was launched by Government of India.

About National Digital Livestock Mission

• It is a digital ecosystem launched by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying to create a national database of livestock and related services.
• Bharat Pashudhan is the technology platform under NDLM, consisting of an Android mobile application and web interface, and is used by field workers to digitally record livestock-related activities.
• Livestock animals are provided a 12-digit Pashu Aadhaar through bar-coded ear tags, for recording breeding, vaccination, disease, and ownership data.
• The 1962 Livestock Owner App replaces e-Gopala, to enable livestock owners access to their animals’ digital records and information on government schemes and services.
• Implemented across all States integrating programmes like the Rashtriya Gokul Mission, it covers about 9.5 crore livestock owners and 35.96 crore animals.

Read More > India’s Dairy Sector

{Prelims – Species} Freshwater Sponges *

• Context (PIB): A recent study on freshwater sponges shows they act as both bioindicators and absorbents of toxic metals.

About Freshwater Sponges

• Freshwater sponges are multicellular, immobile aquatic animals forming colonies in non-saline freshwater ecosystems.
• Appearance: They appear as mossy mats or branched structures attached to submerged rocks or logs.
• Colour: Body colour varies from grey to bright green due to symbiosis with zoochlorellae (green algae).
• Habitat: They thrive in clear, calm or slow-moving freshwater bodies with stable rigid substrates.
• Distribution: The sponges occur globally except Antarctica, with India recording 31 of 250 species.
• Feeding: They are active filter feeders, pumping water through pores to consume microbes and detritus.
• Dormant Survival: They survive harsh conditions by producing dormant, seed-like asexual structures called gemmules.
• Major Threats: Water pollution, sedimentation, microplastic pollution, heatwaves, etc.

Key Roles Played by Freshwater Sponges

• Active Purifiers: Freshwater sponges pump and filter large water volumes, removing bacteria, viruses, plankton, and organic detritus
• Water Clarity: By removing suspended particles, sponges improve water transparency and allow deeper sunlight penetration.
• Metal Sentinels: Sponges and associated microbial communities detoxify water by accumulating arsenic, lead, and cadmium.
• Silicon Recycling: Decomposition of sponge skeletons releases silicon essential for diatom growth.
• Microhabitat: Porous sponge structures provide microhabitats for worms, crustaceans, insect larvae, and zoochlorellae.
• Water Indicators: As highly pollution-sensitive organisms, freshwater sponges reliably indicate contamination levels.

{Prelims – S&T} Artemisinin *

• Context (TH): Emergence of Artemisinin resistance in parts of Africa, mirroring earlier patterns seen in Southeast Asia, is raising concerns for global malaria control.

About Artemisinin

• It is a fast-acting antimalarial compound derived from Artemisia annua (wormwood plant), extracted using low-temperature solvent methods to preserve its active ingredient.
• Discovered in the 1970s, it revolutionised malaria treatment by being effective against parasites resistant to established remedies like chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine.
• It is effective against all Plasmodium species, targeting their ability to replicate within red blood cells.
• It has a very short half-life and is rapidly eliminated, making monotherapy ineffective and necessitating combination with longer-acting partner drugs.
• WHO recommends artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) for Plasmodium falciparum malaria, with intravenous artesunate (artemisinin derivative) used for severe malaria.

Read More > Malaria Vaccine R21/Matrix-M

{Prelims – Tribes} Dandami Madia Tribe

• Context (TH): The Bison Horn Maria dance of the Dandami Madia tribe in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, has drawn attention as a living expression of the Gond tribal culture.

About Dandami Madia Tribe

• The Dandami Madia, also called Bison-Horn Maria or Khalpati Maria, are a tribal community of southern Bastar in Chhattisgarh known for their distinctive bison-horn ceremonial headgear.
• They identify with the broader Gond tradition, and their settlements in Darbha, Tokapal, Lohandiguda and Dantewada are closely tied to dense forest life.
• The main language spoken by the tribe is Dandami Maria, a variety of the Maria (Dravidian) language; some also speak Gondi dialects.
• Their economy is primarily agricultural, supplemented by hunting and fishing, reflecting their forest-linked subsistence patterns.
• Their society features the ghotul youth dormitory system, permits divorce and widow remarriage, and follows a belief system combining Hindu practices with animistic traditions.

Read More > Tribal Contributions to Indian Culture

{Prelims – In News} Coal India Limited

• Context (TH): B. Sairam takes over as new Chairman & Managing Director of Coal India Limited (CIL).

About Coal India Limited

• It is a Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) of Maharatna status under the Ministry of Coal, with its headquarters at Kolkata, West Bengal.
• Incorporated in 1975 following coal nationalisation, CIL is the world’s largest coal-producing company, accounting for about 82-83% of India’s domestic coal production.
• It functions as a holding company with eight Indian subsidiaries, operates a subsidiary in Mozambique, and its mining operations span around 84-85 mining areas across eight states.
• Its key initiatives include First Mile Connectivity (FMC) for mechanised evacuation, the UTTAM portal for coal quality transparency, and diversification into renewable energy and critical minerals.

Read More > Coal Sector in India

{Prelims – In News} Jan Aushadhi Kendras Expansion

• Context (DD): The Union Government announced a target to expand Jan Aushadhi Kendras to 25,000 by March 2027.

About Jan Aushadhi Kendras

• They are retail outlets set up under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) to provide quality generic medicines at affordable prices.
• The scheme is administered by the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers (Department of Pharmaceuticals) and implemented by the Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI).
• Medicines sold are WHO-GMP certified and priced at least 50%-90% cheaper than leading branded equivalents.
• As of Nov 2025, 17,610 Kendras operate nationwide, offering ~2,110 drugs and 315 surgical items; expansion targets aim for 20,000 Kendras by March 2026 and 25,000 by March 2027.
• They follow a franchisee model, supported by financial incentives, digital tools like the Jan Aushadhi Sugam App, and awareness drives such as Jan Aushadhi Diwas (7 March).

Read More > India’s Pharmaceutical Industry