Current Affairs – May 31, 2025

{GS2 – IR – Groupings} 16^th BRICS Summit *

• Context (IE): 16^th BRICS Summit concluded with the adoption of the ‘Kazan Declaration’.

• The 16^th BRICS Summit was held from October 22 to 24, 2024, in Kazan, Russia, under the theme “Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security”.
• On 1 January 2024, Russia took over the rotating BRICS presidency from South Africa.

Key Highlights of the Kazan Declaration

• Multilateralism & Global Governance: The BRICS nations reiterated their pledge to improve global governance by advocating for a more agile, responsive, and representative multilateral system.
  • The declaration reaffirmed support for UN reforms and inclusive global institutions. It emphasised the G20‘s role, advocated restructuring financial systems.
• Peaceful Resolution of Geopolitical Conflicts: The declaration emphasised the need for peaceful resolution of international conflicts like Ukraine conflict and Middle East Crisis through diplomacy.
• Introduction of BRICS Pay: It is a payment system designed to facilitate transactions and the interchange of financial information between central banks of member nations.
  • This system aims to serve as an alternative to the Western-dominated SWIFT system, promoting financial sovereignty among BRICS countries.
• Cross-Border Payment Systems: The declaration welcomed the use of local currencies in BRICS financial transactions and supported the exploration of an independent cross-border settlement infrastructure.
• Financial Innovation: The BRICS leaders highlighted the role of the BRICS Interbank Cooperation Mechanism (ICM) in expanding collaborative and forward-looking financial solutions to strengthen economic resilience and integration.
• BRICS Plus Partnership: With growing interest from nations in the Global South, the leaders endorsed the creation of a BRICS Partner Country category, welcoming new member countries, including Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.

Read More> BRICS and Indonesia’s Full Membership in BRICS

{GS2 – MoF – Schemes} Centrally Sponsored Schemes | Central Sector Schemes

• Context (PIB): The Department of Expenditure kickstarts the 5-yearly process of appraisal and approval of Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSSs) and Central Sector Schemes (CSs).

• The new 5 year cycle will start on 1^st April 2026 and is aligned with the 16^th Finance Commission cycle.
• The Development Monitoring Evaluation Organisation (DMEO) in NITI Aayog is conducting evaluations of the CSSs while the evaluation of the CSs is being conducted by third-party agencies selected by the Ministries concerned.

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Central Sector Schemes

• The Centre Sector (CS) Schemes are those which deal with the subjects in the Union List and are funded and implemented by Central Ministry / Department or its agency.
• Examples: Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), Ayushman Bharat Yojana, Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme etc.
• The budget or financing needed for the scheme is entirely sourced by the central government.

Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS)

• Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) are those schemes which do not pertain to the subjects in the Union List but which are funded directly by Central Ministries/Departments and are implemented by States or their agencies, irrespective of their pattern of financing.
• At present, there are 75 centrally-sponsored schemes. These schemes are sponsored by the central government with a defined shareholding.
  • The funding is borne by the states in the ratio of 50:50 or 90:10 or 75:25 or 70:30.
• Currently, CSS account for about 10% of the Centre’s annual budget outlay.

Categorizations of Centrally Sponsored Schemes

{GS2 – MoR – Schemes} Amrit Bharat Station Scheme *

• Context (IE): Over 100 redeveloped railway stations will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.

• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Railways
• Type of Scheme: Central Sector Scheme, launched in 2023.

• Objective: To redevelop and modernize over 1275 railway stations across India.
• Implementation: Executed by Indian Railways. PPP option can be explored.

Key Features

• Phased implementation based on detailed master plans, ensuring long-term development.
• Cleaner, more comfortable, and easier to use stations.
• Facilities like lifts, escalators, and free Wi-Fi.
• Full accessibility for Specially abled persons, designated parking, and accessible toilets.
• Station architecture inspired by local heritage and culture, preserving regional identity.
• Promote local products through kiosks under the One District One Product (ODOP) Scheme, supporting regional artisans and MSMEs.
• Adoption of green building principles — energy-efficient systems, rainwater harvesting, and effective waste management.
• Innovative design elements like Roof Plazas for enhanced passenger movement and additional usable space. Use of ballastless tracks to reduce noise pollution and improve track durability.
• Seamless integration with city transport systems facilitates multimodal connectivity, including buses, metro, and auto-rickshaws.
• AI-based surveillance for enhanced security, smart ticketing, IoT-enabled infrastructure monitoring, and centralized control dashboards for efficient station management.

Significance

• Supports PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multimodal connectivity.
• Aligns with SDG 9 (Infrastructure) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities).
• Enhances passenger experience, promotes tourism, and stimulates local economies through regional product promotion and improved station facilities.

Also Read > PM GATI Shakti, One District One Product (ODOP) Scheme

{GS2 – Social Sector – Health – Diseases} NAMS Report on Breast Cancer in India

• Context (TH): One of the critical gaps in cancer care in India is the lack of adequate diagnostic services, finds the latest report by the National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS).

Key Findings

• Asia accounts for 50% of cancer cases and 58% of cancer-related deaths.
• India is recording nearly 200,000 new cancer cases each year. India ranks 3^rd in accounting for cancer cases, following China and the USA.
• Patients in India tend to present with later stage disease compared to the West. In India, breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women, and a leading cause of cancer-related deaths.
• The projected cancer burden in India is estimated to reach 2.08 million by 2040, representing a 57.5% increase from 2020.
• In India the survival rate for patients with breast cancer is lower compared to Western countries due to several factors, like the late-stage presentation, delayed initiation of definitive management, and inadequate or fragmented treatment.

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About NAMS

• It is a non-constitutional, non-statutory advisory body to the Government in matters related to National Health Policy and Planning
• Genesis: It was registered as the ‘Indian Academy of Medical Sciences’ on 21st April, 1961 under Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860.
• Objective: To foster and utilize academic excellence as its resource to meet medical and social goals.
• Nodal Agency: For continuing education for medical and allied health professionals. It also bestows prestigious fellowships and awards upon eminent biomedical scientists in recognition of their outstanding contributions.
• Governance: Governed by a council that is made up of 22 Indian medical professionals.

{GS3 – IE – Banking} India’s Crypto Crossroads

• Context (IE): A disruptive crypto collaboration between Pakistan and a Trump-linked US firm, World Liberty Financial Inc (WLFI), has been signed.

Pakistan–WLFI Crypto Deal

• MoU Signed: Pakistan’s newly-formed Crypto Council signed a pact with WLFI to build a crypto-based financial ecosystem.
• Objectives: Introduce stablecoins, monetise rare earth assets & make Pakistan a regional crypto hub.
• Diaspora-Driven Outreach: Pakistan is mobilising its US-based tech diaspora to connect with Trump-linked investors. Pakistan’s diaspora events now target crypto diplomacy.

US Crypto Shift Under Trump

• Trump’s Executive Orders (2025):
  • National Blockchain Innovation Strategy and ban on US CBDC development.
  • Bitcoin Reserve & Digital Asset Stockpile to convert seized crypto into sovereign digital reserves.
• Policy Leadership: Formation of President’s Working Group on Digital Asset Markets, chaired by pro-crypto tech leaders like David Sacks and Elon Musk.
• Enforcement Rollback: SEC lawsuits paused, Justice Department crypto unit disbanded, signaling a pro-market stance.
• Market Surge: Bitcoin crossed $100,000 (May 2025), boosted by Trump’s public support and launch of meme coin $TRUMP.

Strategic and Security Concerns for India

• Terror Financing Risk: Cryptocurrencies’ decentralised, pseudo-anonymous nature is ideal for illicit flows (similar to hawala channels) highlighted by FATF.
• Cross-Border Laundering: Crypto bypasses formal banking, enabling money laundering across jurisdictions, a major national security red flag.
• Tech Diplomacy Shift: Pakistan is leveraging blockchain to gain geopolitical currency and rebuild US ties, eroding India’s strategic tech edge.
• Underestimated Threats: Like India’s misreading of Pakistan’s nuclear program in the 1970s, crypto could become a financial equalizer if ignored.

A Vacuum in India’s Crypto Policy

• Tax Without Regulation: India imposes 30% capital gains tax and 1% TDS, yet lacks any legal framework or regulatory authority.
• SC Concern: SC flagged policy inconsistency, calling it a threat to economic & legal stability.
• Explosive User Growth: >100 million Indian crypto users (Triple-A), with no regulatory protection or systemic oversight.
• Major Scams & Cyber Gaps: ₹900 crore GainBitcoin scam exposed widespread fraud due to weak cyber norms; No grievance redressal, unlike SEBI or RBI-regulated markets.

Way Ahead for India

• National Crypto Strategy: Align monetary policy, cybersecurity, and national security under a unified digital asset vision.
• Establish Digital Asset Regulatory Authority: Centralized compliance, licensing, and fraud prevention mechanism akin to SEBI for securities.
• Enhance FIU Monitoring: Strengthen Financial Intelligence Unit to trace crypto-linked transactions, particularly terror finance and laundering risks.
• Accelerate e₹ (CBDC) Rollout: Integrate RBI’s e₹ pilot with retail infrastructure to assert digital currency sovereignty.
• Global Coordination: Collaborate with FATF, G20, IMF on cross-border crypto regulation and data-sharing frameworks.
• Public Awareness & Investor Literacy: National campaigns on crypto risks, legal grey zones, and fraud prevention to protect retail investors.

{GS3 – S&T – Bio} Circadian Rhythm: Body’s 24-Hour Internal Clock *

• Context (TH): Circadian rhythms are biological processes aligned with the Earth’s 24-hour day-night cycle, regulating critical functions like sleep, metabolism and hormone release.

Current Affairs

Discovery

• Originated from Latin circa (about) and dies (day); “Circadian” is a 24 h self-sustained biological cycles in virtually all organisms.
• First observation by Jean-Jacques d’Ortous de Mairan (1729): Mimosa plant leaf movements persisted in constant darkness.
• Genetic Basis: Ronald Konopka & Seymour Benzer (1960s) identified period (per) gene in Drosophila (IUCN: EX); variants altered clock length or abolished rhythm.
• Molecular Feedback: Jeffrey Hall Michael Rosbash Michael Young (1980s–90s) uncovered cycling of PER protein and light-sensitive genes (timeless, cryptochrome) in Suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) neurons; earned 2017 Nobel Prize.
• Conservation Across Species: Joseph Takahashi’s mice studies confirmed analogous clock genes and light-dependent feedback in mammals.

Mechanisms & Entrainment

• Master Clock: SCN in hypothalamus drives peripheral clocks in heart liver skin muscles GI tract etc.
• Zeitgebers (time-givers):
  • Primary: light via retinal ganglion cells;
  • Secondary: meal timing exercise noise stress social cues temperature.

• Entrainment: Dawn light advances clock and releases cortisol for wakefulness; dusk light delays clock and suppresses melatonin from pineal gland for sleep onset.
• Feedback Outputs: Rhythmic hormones (cortisol, melatonin) regulate activity patterns feeding behaviour, blood pressure, body temperature.

Physiological & Health Impacts

• Sleep Regulation: Morning sunlight exposure resets clock; evening blue-light from screens delays melatonin release and disrupts sleep onset.
• Metabolism & Nutrition:
  • Meal timing entrains secondary clocks in liver, pancreas, GI tract.
  • Mistimed feeding in flies, mice altered reproduction, obesity, diabetes risk.
  • Ghrelin and leptin rhythms regulate hunger and satiety; peaks just before regular meals.
  • High-fat alcohol intake and sleep loss spike fasting glucose and impair insulin sensitivity.
• Exercise Timing: Non-photic zeitgeber; evening aerobic exercise improves blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein and reduces cardiovascular risk more than morning workouts.
• Medication Chronotherapy: Statins taken at bedtime match peak nocturnal cholesterol synthesis for maximal efficacy; immune responses and drug metabolism vary by time of day.

{GS3 – S&T – Bio} Decoding Mendel’s Pea Plant Genetics

• Context (TH): A study finally identified the genetic basis of all seven traits Gregor Mendel studied in pea plants, solving a historic 160-year mystery and advancing modern agricultural genetics.

  

Mendel’s Experiments

• Inheritance is the process by which characters are passed on from parent to progeny; it is the basis of heredity. Variation is the degree to which progeny differ from their parents.
• He conducted hybridisation experiments on garden peas for seven years (1856-1863) and proposed the laws of inheritance in living organisms.
  • Studied seven traits over 8 years using 10,000+ plants; traits included seed shape, seed colour, flower colour, pod shape, pod colour, flower position, and plant height.
  • Established concepts of dominant and recessive traits, genes, and alleles; inheritance follows predictable patterns.
  • Ignored, Then Rediscovered: Published in 1866 but rediscovered in 1900 by Hugo de Vries, Carl Correns, and Erich von Tschermak.
• Mendel conducted such artificial pollination/cross-pollination experiments using several true-breeding pea lines. (Truebreeding line: A truebreeding line is one that, having undergone continuous self-pollination, shows the stable trait inheritance and expression for several generations).
• Mendel investigated characters in the garden pea plant that were manifested as two opposing traits, e.g., tall or dwarf plants, yellow or green seeds etc.

Key Observations and Findings

• No Blending of Traits: The F1 plants only showed the tall trait (dominant), while the dwarf trait (recessive) reappeared in the F2 generation, proving that traits don’t blend.
• Genes and Alleles: Mendel proposed that traits are passed through factors (now known as genes). Each gene has two versions, called alleles. For height, the alleles are “T” (tall) and “t” (dwarf).
• Genotype vs. Phenotype: Genotype refers to genetic makeup (TT, Tt, or tt). Phenotype refers to the visible trait (tall or dwarf).
• Dominant and Recessive Traits: Although F1 plants have both alleles (T and t), they appear tall, indicating that tallness is dominant.
• Segregation of Alleles: During reproduction, alleles (T and t) separate randomly, with each gamete receiving one allele. This led to F2 generation plants having genotypes in a 1:2:1 ratio (1 TT: 2 Tt: 1tt), producing a 3:1 phenotypic ratio of tall to dwarf.

Factors (Genes)

• Based on these observations, Mendel proposed that something was being stably passed down, unchanged, from parent to offspring through the gametes, over successive generations. He called these things ‘factors’.
• Now we refer to these factors as “genes”. Genes, therefore, are the units of inheritance. They contain the information that is required to express a particular trait in an organism.

Breakthrough Findings (2025)

• Scale of Research: Analyzed 697 pea variants using next-generation sequencing, yielding 60 terabases of DNA (≈14 billion pages).
• Unresolved Traits Explained:
  • Pod Color: Linked to a DNA deletion before ChlG gene disrupting chlorophyll synthesis.
  • Pod Shape: Controlled by interactions between MYB gene and CLE-peptide genes.
  • Flower Position: Influenced by changes in CIK-like coreceptor kinase gene and a modifier locus.

• Updated Understanding of Known Traits: Identified new alleles for traits like flower color and plant height, indicating deeper genetic complexity than initially observed.

Genomic Complexity in Peas

• Expanded Genetic Map: Found 8 genetic groups in the genus Pisum, despite only 4 recognized species, due to admixtures and crossbreeding.
• Beyond Mendel’s Traits:
  • Discovered 72 additional agriculturally significant traits related to seed, leaf, flower, pod, root, and plant architecture.
  • New allelic combinations show inheritance patterns more intricate than Mendelian models.

Agricultural Implications and Applications

• Enables breeding of high-yield, disease-resistant and climate-resilient crop varieties.
• Aids development of stress-tolerant legumes with better nitrogen fixation and root systems.
• Highlights the importance of germplasm conservation for genetic diversity and sustainability.
• Facilitates gene editing and marker-assisted selection using refined haplotype maps.
• Guides policy and research toward sustainable, climate-smart and food-secure agriculture.

{GS3 – S&T – Space} World’s Most Powerful Rocket ‘Starship’

• Context (DG): Launched from Texas; planned 66-minute flight of SpaceX’s Starship ended prematurely over the Indian Ocean with a mid-air explosion.
• Reached farther than prior attempts but encountered multiple technical failures, notably in Super Heavy booster splashdown and payload deployment.

Starship

• Starship is a two-stage heavy lift-off vehicle World’s tallest and most powerful rocket at 403 ft (123 m), designed for orbital and interplanetary missions including Mars colonization.
• The Super Heavy booster consists of 33 Raptor engines that can produce 74 meganewtons of thrust.
  • NASA’s biggest currently-operational rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), generates 39 meganewtons off the pad.
• These Raptor engines use a 3.6:1 ratio of liquid oxygen (the oxidiser, a chemical that reacts with the fuel to cause combustion) and liquid methane (the fuel).
• According to SpaceX, the Super Heavy will be fully reusable and capable of re-entering Earth’s atmosphere after a mission to land at the launch site.

Significance

• Reducing The Cost Of Space Travel: More payload carrying capacity per trip will lower the costs.
  • With the refuelling capacity of Starship’s upper stage, spacecraft can instead be furtherdesigned for increased payload capacity, thereby fundamentally increasing their value-generating potential.
• The Starship rocket system comprising 6 Raptor engines and 4 landing fins, is designed to be entirely and rapidly reusable.
  • Even NASA’s reusable Space Shuttle spacecraft used a disposable external fuel tank and reusable thrusters, which had to be recovered from the sea, examined, and refurbished, causing delays.

{Species – Plants – Discovery} Pedicularis rajeshiana

• Context (ToI): The discovery of Pedicularis rajeshiana enriches the botanical diversity of the western Himalayas and highlights the ecological importance of high-altitude ecosystems.
• This discovery was made as part of the “Flora of India” project of the MoEFCC.

  

  Credit : ToI

• Pedicularis rajeshiana is a plant from the family Orobanchaceae (“Louseworts“), discovered at an altitude of 4,390 metres in the shaded rocky slopes of Rohtang Pass, Himachal Pradesh.
  • Louseworts are hemiparasitic, i.e., they derive some nutrients from other plants while still performing photosynthesis.
• Its pollen grains have a distinct croton-like surface texture and shape, confirmed through light and scanning electron microscopy.
• Two flowers displayed a rare twin “galea” (hood-like floral structure), likely an evolutionary adaptation to improve pollination efficiency.
• The plant grows in small, scattered patches in specific microhabitats of the Pir Panjal range, enduring extreme conditions like heavy snowfall and storms.
• Pedicularis rajeshiana adds to India’s 83 known Pedicularis species (36 in western Himalayas), many endemic due to their parasitic nature and habitat specificity, highlighting the ecological importance and sensitivity of high-altitude Himalayan biodiversity.