- Context (RE): Karnataka became the first Indian state to announce a complete ban on social media use for children under 16.
- Andhra Pradesh and Goa are contemplating similar restrictions on children’s access to social media.
- Federal Issue: Union List Entry 31 assigns telecommunications and the internet to the Union government, potentially overriding conflicting state bans.
- Global Precedent: Australia became the first country to enforce a nationwide social media ban for children under 16 years.
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- Algorithmic Addiction: Infinite-scrolling algorithms trigger dopamine reinforcement loops, reducing attention spans and fuelling addiction among children.
- Cyberbullying Harm: Cyberbullying on anonymous online platforms increases paediatric depression and self-harm among teenagers.
- Sleep Disruption: Late-night screen exposure disrupts children’s circadian rhythms, causing chronic sleep deprivation and impaired development.
- Privacy Risk: Enforcing age limits requires platforms to collect biometric and ID verification data, creating a new risk of privacy breaches and surveillance.
- Platform Accountability: Social media bans allow platforms to evade responsibility for safer algorithms, shifting digital oversight to parents and authorities.
- Digital Divide: A blanket ban unfairly punishes marginalised students who rely on free social platforms for peer-to-peer learning.
Regulatory Framework for Children’s Social Media Use
- Definition: Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, defines a child as any individual below 18 years of age.
- Consent Requirement: Section 9 requires platforms to obtain verifiable parental consent before processing minors’ personal data.
- Platform Restrictions: The Act prohibits data fiduciaries from behavioural monitoring, tracking, or targeted advertising directed at minors.
- Penalty Provision: It imposes financial penalties up to ₹200 crore on platforms that violate child data protection rules.
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Read More > Social Media Ban: Need & Challenges
{GS2 – Governance} Seven Years of SWAYATT Initiative *
- Context (PIB): Government e-Marketplace (GeM) celebrated seven years of the SWAYATT initiative, highlighting its role in promoting inclusive public procurement for underrepresented sellers.
About SWAYATT (Startups, Women and Youth Advantage Through e-Transactions)
- SWAYATT is a flagship initiative under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI), launched in 2019 to democratise public procurement.
- Nodal Agency: The Government e-Marketplace (GeM) under MoCI administers the initiative.
- Objective: It improves access to markets, finance, and value addition for smaller local sellers to participate in GeM procurement.
- Beneficiaries: SWAYATT targets start-ups, women entrepreneurs, youth, Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs), and Self-Help Groups (SHGs).
- Storefronts: Dedicated storefronts like “Womaniya” for women-led enterprises and “Startup Runway” for innovative start-ups enhance visibility for smaller sellers on GeM.
About Government e-Marketplace (GeM)
- GeM is India’s national procurement portal for common-use goods and services used by government departments, organisations, and PSUs.
- Launch: The portal was launched in 2016, replacing the Directorate General of Supplies and Disposals (DGS&D) procurement system.
- Operator: The GeM Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) under the MoCI operates the platform.
- Nature: It functions as a completely cashless, paperless, and contactless e-marketplace with minimal human interface.
- Mandate: Rule 149 of the General Financial Rules (GFR), 2017 mandates central ministries and departments to procure available goods and services through GeM.
- Transparency: Seller identities remain hidden until bid opening to prevent collusion.
- Registration: Any legally registered business possessing GST registration and PAN can register to sell on GeM.
{GS2 – MoIB} TRP Reporting for TV News Channels Halted
- Context (TH): Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MoIB) directed the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) to temporarily halt TRP publication for TV news channels.
About TRP (Television Rating Point)
- Television Rating Point (TRP) is used to measure the viewership and popularity of television programmes and channels in India.
- TRP guides advertising budget allocation within the broadcasting sector, influencing programme scheduling and content strategies.
- Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) is the only authorised agency that reports and releases TRP ratings once every week.
- Measurement Method: BAR-O-meters (electronic devices) installed in TVs of selected sample households measure viewership using audio watermarking technology.
- Audio Watermarking: Broadcasters embed inaudible codes in programme audio; BAR-O-meters detect these to identify the channel being watched.
- BARC was founded in 2010 and is based in Mumbai; it comprises three industry bodies — Indian Broadcasting & Digital Foundation (IBDF), Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA), and Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI).
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{GS2 – MoYAS} ASMITA Athletics League
- Context (DD): Raksha Khadse, Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, launched the nationwide ASMITA Athletics League across 250 locations in India.
- Organised By: Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports under the ASMITA programme (Achieving Sports Milestone by Inspiring Women Through Action), linked with the Khelo India initiative.
- Objective: Increase women’s participation in sports and grassroots competitions.
- Identify talent from rural, tribal, & school levels for future national and international competitions.
- Occasion: Conducted nationwide on 8 March (International Women’s Day) to promote women’s participation in sports.
- Participation: Around 2 lakh girls and women participated in the one-day nationwide athletics competitions.
- Age categories: Competitions were held for Under-13, 13–18 years, and 18+ age groups.
ASMITA Initiative (Achieving Sports Milestone by Inspiring Women Through Action)
- Launch: ASMITA Initiative was launched in 2021 by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to promote women’s participation in sports across India.
- It was formerly known as the Khelo India Women’s League.
- Objective: To increase participation of girls and women in sports at grassroots levels and to identify and nurture sporting talent from rural, tribal and school backgrounds.
- Implementation: Implemented through sports leagues and conducted with support from the Sports Authority of India, national sports federations and state sports bodies.
- Participation: Around 2,600 ASMITA leagues have been organised across 33 sports disciplines amnd saw participation of nearly 3 lakh women athletes.
- Significance: Encourages gender inclusion in sports and builds a strong grassroots sports ecosystem.
Read More> Khelo Bharat Niti 2025
{GS2 – IR} Three Seas Initiative (3SI) *
- Context (NOA): Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs met Croatia’s Special Envoy for the Three Seas Initiative (3SI) to discuss trade and investment.
- The Three Seas Initiative (3SI) is a regional forum comprising 13 European Union member states located between the Baltic Sea, Adriatic Sea, and Black Sea.
- It was launched in 2016 by Poland and Croatia during the Dubrovnik Summit.
- Objective: Improve north–south connectivity for economic development in Central and Eastern Europe.
- Members: Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia.
- India’s Interest: India views it as a northern extension of the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) to secure trade and supply chain resilience.
- Baltic Sea: It is a branch of the North Atlantic Ocean in Northern Europe, bordered by several NATO member countries.
- Adriatic Sea: It is the northern arm of the Mediterranean Sea, separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan Peninsula.
- Black Sea: It is a large inland sea at Europe’s southeastern edge, connecting Europe with Western Asia.
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{GS3 – Envi} State of India’s Environment 2026 Report **
- Context (TH): Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has released its annual State of India’s Environment 2026 report.
- CSE is a non-government organisation working on environmental and sustainable development issues in India.
- Established in 1980, it is headquartered in New Delhi.
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About the State of India’s Environment 2026 Report
- Publisher: Published by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) annually since 1982.
- Objective: To provide a comprehensive assessment of India’s environmental status and highlight emerging ecological and climate challenges.
- Coverage: Covers issues such as climate change, extreme weather events, biodiversity, pollution, disasters, and environmental governance.
- Significance: Serves as an important reference for policymakers, researchers, and civil society to support sustainable development and environmental planning.
Key Highlights of the State of India’s Environment 2026 Report
- Extreme Weather Events: 2025 experienced extreme weather on 99% of days, the highest in the past four years.
- Events included heatwaves, cold waves, heavy rainfall and floods, showing the growing impact of climate change.
- Human and Agricultural Losses: Extreme weather caused 4,419 deaths in 2025.
- Regional Vulnerability: Himachal Pradesh recorded the highest number of extreme weather days.
- Other highly affected states include Kerala and Madhya Pradesh.
- Rising Flood Risks: Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of floods.
- Nature-Based Solutions: Emphasis on wetland restoration, reconnecting rivers with floodplains, groundwater recharge, rainwater harvesting, and lake restoration to improve climate resilience.
- Human–Tiger Conflict: Increasing tiger attacks on humans due to habitat pressure and human expansion near forests.
- Air Pollution Monitoring: Only 15% of India’s population lives within 10 km of an air-quality monitoring station.
- 85% of people remain outside measurable monitoring zones, especially in small towns and industrial belts.
- Urgent Climate Action: The report warns that global warming may breach the 1.5°C threshold, highlighting the urgency of stronger climate mitigation and adaptation strategies.
{Prelims – IR} 70th Session of Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) *
- Context (PIB): Union Minister for Women and Child Development will represent India at the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW-70) in New York.
- India will promote women-led development and outcomes of Global South cooperation initiatives like the IBSA (India–Brazil–South Africa) Fund.
About Commission on the Status of Women (CSW)
- CSW serves as the United Nations’ principal intergovernmental body advocating for gender equality and women’s empowerment.
- It was established in 1946 and functions under the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
- It is headquartered in New York, with UN Women serving as its Secretariat.
- Members: ECOSOC elects 45 states for four-year terms, ensuring equitable geographical representation.
- Key Role: Facilitated drafting of the Convention on the Political Rights of Women (1953) and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), 1979.
- Monitoring: CSW monitors the progress of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995).
- India’s Role: India was elected for the 2021–2025 term and was re-elected for the 2025–2029 term.
- The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action acts as the most comprehensive framework for gender equality, adopted at the UN Fourth World Conference on Women.
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{Prelims – Species} Two New Fruit Fly Species Discovered from Himachal Pradesh
- Context (RM): Entomologists identified two new fruit fly species, Acidoxantha paratotoflava and Hemilea suneriae, in the Himalayan foothills of the Solan region, Himachal Pradesh.
- Sampling Tool: Researchers used Solan Bait – a patented female-attractant developed to lure elusive fruit flies.
- First Record: The fruit-crop pest genus Rhagoletis was recorded in India for the first time
- Breakthrough: Scientists captured the male of the Euphranta nigripeda fruit fly, resolving a century-old mystery as only the female had been identified earlier.
Acidoxantha paratotoflava
- Appearance: It is a medium-sized fruit fly with a greenish-yellow body.
- Markings: Its thorax has four black stripes, and the abdomen displays large black spots.
- Unique Trait: Males possess distinctive hook-like anatomical structures
Hemilea suneriae
- Appearance: It is a reddish-brown fruit fly marked by numerous black dots across its body.
- Wing Pattern: It has a single clear patch within a dark wing region, unlike its closest relatives with two such patches.
{Prelims – S&T} Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) *
- Context (PIB): Union Minister for Earth Science reviewed the functioning of the Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) plant at Kavaratti, Lakshadweep.
- LTTD is a desalination technology that converts seawater into potable water using the temperature difference between warm surface water and cold deep-sea water.
- Developed By: National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
- Scientific Principle: Based on the principle of evaporation at low pressure.
- Warm surface seawater evaporates under a vacuum, and the vapour is condensed using cold deep-sea water, producing fresh water.
- Temperature Gradient: Requires a temperature difference of about 15–20°C between warm surface water and cold deep water.
- Energy Efficient: Uses natural ocean temperature differences, so it requires very little external energy, making it suitable for islands and coastal regions.
- The first LTTD plant was commissioned in 2005 at Kavaratti, and later expanded to other islands.
National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT)
- NIOT is an autonomous research institute under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, established in 1993 and headquartered in Chennai.
- Mandate: Develop indigenous ocean technologies for exploration, resource utilisation, and ocean observation.
- NIOT also plays a key role in implementing technologies under India’s Deep Ocean Mission.
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{Prelims – S&T} Dark Oxygen Discovery in the Pacific Ocean
- Context (TOI): A study published in the journal Nature Geoscience reported the presence of “dark oxygen” on the Pacific Ocean seafloor.
- Dark oxygen refers to oxygen produced in deep-sea environments without sunlight, unlike conventional oxygen generated through photosynthesis.
- Discovery: Identified during deep-sea research in the Clarion–Clipperton Zone of the Pacific Ocean.
- Associated Feature: Found near polymetallic nodules, mineral-rich deposits containing metals like nickel, cobalt, and manganese.
- Possible Mechanism: Nodules may trigger electrochemical reactions that split seawater into hydrogen and oxygen even in complete darkness.
- Significance: Challenges the traditional view that oxygen production requires sunlight and has implications for deep-sea ecology and the search for life beyond Earth.
Clarion–Clipperton Zone
- Location: A vast deep-sea region in the central Pacific Ocean, lying between Hawaii and Mexico.
- Rich in Polymetallic Nodules: Contains large deposits of polymetallic nodules rich in metals like nickel, cobalt, manganese and copper, making it a major target for deep-sea mining.
- Ecological Importance: Home to unique deep-sea ecosystems and biodiversity; the area is regulated for exploration by the International Seabed Authority (ISA).
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{Prelims – Disease} Denmark Eliminates Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV and Syphilis *
- Context (NDTV): World Health Organisation (WHO) certified Denmark as the first European Union country to eliminate mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV and syphilis.
- Denmark’s success strengthens global efforts towards WHO’s target of triple elimination (HIV, syphilis, Hepatitis B) by 2030.
- Certification Criteria: Requires MTCT rates below 50 per 100,000 live births and over 95% of pregnant women tested and treated.
- Global Status: Over 20 countries have received this certification, with Cuba being the first.
- Maldives was the first country to achieve “triple elimination” of MTCT in 2025.
About HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)
- HIV is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system, specifically T-lymphocytes (white blood cells).
- It causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), which has no cure; Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) reduces viral load and prevents transmission.
- Transmission: HIV spreads through infected bodily fluids—blood, semen, vaginal or rectal fluids, breast milk—via sexual contact, contaminated needles, transfusion, or childbirth.
- India’s Burden: India has the second-largest HIV population after South Africa, with the highest prevalence in Mizoram and Nagaland.
Read More > AIDS
About Syphilis
- Syphilis is a contagious but curable bacterial infection caused by Treponema pallidum.
- Transmission: Mainly through sexual contact, but it can also be transmitted from mother to child during pregnancy or childbirth, causing congenital syphilis.
- Congenital syphilis can cause neonatal deaths, stillbirth, deafness and developmental delays.
- Symptoms: Primary stage shows painless sores; secondary stage causes skin rashes and swollen lymph nodes. If untreated, it can damage the brain, nerves, eyes, and heart.
- Treatment: Injection of Benzathine Penicillin-G is the standard and effective treatment.
- India’s Initiative: National AIDS and STD Control Programme (NACP) Phase-V (2021–2026) integrates HIV and syphilis control, targeting their dual elimination by 2030.
