Current Affairs – November 20, 2025

{GS2 – Polity} SC Strikes Down Provisions of Tribunals Reforms Act 2021 **

• Context (IE): The Supreme Court has struck down key provisions of the Tribunal Reforms Act, 2021, relating to the appointment, tenure, and service conditions of tribunal members.

• Legislative Override: The court held that the government had re-enacted, with minor changes, provisions already nullified in Madras Bar Association cases.
• Executive Dominance: Since the executive is often a litigant before tribunals, it cannot also control the appointment process for members adjudicating those disputes.
• NTC Direction: The Bench directed the Centre to establish the National Tribunal Commission within four months to ensure independent, transparent, and uniform tribunal governance.

About the Struck-Down Provisions

• Tenure Limit: The act fixed a four-year tenure for tribunal members and chairpersons.
• Age Condition: A minimum age of 50 years was prescribed for appointments.
• Panel Requirement: It required the Search-cum-Selection Committee (SCSC) to recommend a two-name panel for every vacancy.
• Parity: Allowances and service conditions of tribunal members were aligned with those of civil servants.

Issues with Specific Provisions

• Short Tenure: A four-year term increased dependence on the government for reappointment, despite the Court mandating a minimum five-year tenure.
• Age Limit: The minimum age limit was deemed discriminatory against competent younger advocates.
• Dual Names: Requiring two names per vacancy gave the executive the decisive choice, undermining judicial primacy in appointments.
• Service Parity: Aligning service conditions with those of civil servants expanded executive authority and diluted the tribunals’ distinct judicial character.

About Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021

• The Tribunals Reforms Act sought to streamline the tribunal system by abolishing multiple appellate bodies and standardising appointment and service conditions.
• Body Dissolution: Several appellate bodies were dissolved, and their functions were transferred to existing judicial forums, mainly the High Courts.
• Tenure Structure: It mandated a four-year term for the chairperson and members, with an upper age limit of 70 years for the chairperson and 67 years for other members.
  • Age Requirement: A minimum age of 50 years was set for appointments.
• Appointment: The Central Government was authorised to appoint members based on recommendations of a Search-cum-Selection Committee (SCSC).
  • Panel Provision: The SCSC was required to recommend a panel of two names for each vacancy.
• Removal Process: Members could be removed by the government following an inquiry by a Supreme Court judge on grounds of proven misbehaviour or incapacity.
• Rule-Making Power: The Act empowered the Central Government to frame rules on salaries, allowances, and other service conditions of tribunal members.

Read More> Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021 | Tribunals in India

{GS2 – Governance} Government Revokes QCO for Viscose Staple Fibre

• Context (NIE): The government has revoked the Quality Control Order (QCO) for Viscose Staple Fibre (VSF) to improve raw material availability for the textile industry.
• The decision supports the textile sector’s Vision 2030, which aims to increase domestic consumption and achieve $100 billion in exports.

About Quality Control Order (QCO)

• It is a regulatory measure issued by the Indian government requiring compliance with specific Indian Standards of quality and safety for certain products.
• Objective: To ensure consumer safety and prevent sub-standard imports from entering Indian markets.
• Certification: The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certifies products from both domestic and international manufacturers that meet established standards.
• Significance: QCOs improve product reliability and strengthen the global competitiveness of Indian goods, aligning with the Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives.

About Viscose Staple Fibre (VSF)

• VSF is a man-made, biodegradable fibre derived from natural, renewable materials like wood pulp or cotton fibres.
• It offers an affordable, sustainable alternative to cotton or polyester, appreciated for its comfort and silk-like qualities.
• Applications: It is used in clothing, home textiles, healthcare, and hygiene sectors due to its softness, absorbency, and safety.

Read More > India’s Textile Industry

{GS2 – Governance} Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi **

• Context (DDN): Prime Minister Narendra Modi has released the 21^st instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme in Tamil Nadu.

About PM-KISAN Scheme

• The PM-KISAN scheme, launched in 2019 (effective retrospectively from 2018), provides income support to farmers across the country.
• Objective: To offer financial assistance to farmers for agricultural inputs and domestic necessities, reducing reliance on moneylenders.
• Nodal Agency: The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
• Financial Aid: ₹6,000 annually per family through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), in three equal instalments of ₹2,000 every four months.
• Eligibility: The scheme covers all landholding farmers but excludes institutional landholders, legislators, taxpayers, etc., to ensure benefits reach those in need.

• Beneficiary Identification: The respective State and Union Territory governments are responsible for identifying eligible farmer families.
• Technology Integration: The scheme utilises Aadhaar-based e-KYC, PM-KISAN Portal and Mobile App, along with an AI chatbot called “Kisan-eMitra” to improve accessibility and grievance redressal.

Key Achievements

• Scale: The scheme has disbursed over ₹3.70 lakh crore to more than 11 crore farming families.
• Inclusive Reach: Over 85% of small and marginal farmers are enrolled, with women making up more than 25% of beneficiaries.
• Coverage Expansion: Saturation drives, such as Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra, have brought 1 crore new eligible farm households into coverage.

Read More on PM-KISAN

{GS3 – IE} Services–Manufacturing Linkage in India **

• Context (IE): At the Delhi Public Policy Conference, EAC-PM Chairman S. Mahendra Dev said India’s services-led growth cannot be sustained without a strong manufacturing base.

Need for Manufacturing in India’s Services Sector

• Linkage Effects: Manufacturing drives logistics, design, IT, finance and repair services. E.g. Electronics manufacturing boosts IT-R&D services (PLI electronics exports ↑ 22% in 2024).
• Job Multiplier: Manufacturing generates mass employment that fuels demand for services. E.g. Sector employs ~72 million workers (PLFS 2023-24), supporting retail and transport services.
• Scale Support: Large-scale manufacturing enables efficient service ecosystems (ports, warehousing, finance). E.g. India’s factory output grew 75% (₹17T → ₹30T in 10 years), expanding demand for logistics.
• Export Synergy: Value-added services (engineering, design, IT) depend on industrial production. E.g. Auto manufacturing supports $25B worth of engineering and IT exports.
• Balanced Growth: Manufacturing stabilises GDP cycles, complementing high-growth but volatile services. E.g. Services grew 9% in Q1 FY26, but manufacturing’s 7.7% ensured broad-based growth.
• Viksit Bharat 2047: India’s development goal requires both mass jobs (industry) and high-skill jobs (services). E.g. Manufacturing share target: 25% of GDP by 2035.

Challenges Faced in Boosting Manufacturing

• Low Share: Manufacturing stuck at ~16% of GDP, far below China’s ~27% and South Korea’s ~25%.
• Skill Mismatch: The Workforce lacks mid-level technical skills needed for modern factories. E.g. Only 4.7% of India’s workforce is formally skilled (NSDC).
• High Logistics Cost: Freight and warehousing costs remain high, reducing competitiveness. E.g. India’s logistics cost ~13–14% of GDP vs China’s ~8%.
• Compliance Burden: Small manufacturers face complex regulations and high entry barriers. E.g. India ranked 63rd in Ease of Doing Business (2020), below manufacturing giants.
• Technology Gap: Low adoption of automation, robotics and Industry 4.0 slows productivity. E.g. India has fewer than 5 robots per 10,000 workers vs the global average of 126.

Way Forward

• Logistics Reform: Integrate ports, highways, rail and digital systems to cut logistics cost to 8% of GDP. E.g. PM Gati Shakti multimodal network mapping.
• MSME Boost: Expand digital credit, tax relief and tech-upgradation funds for small manufacturers. E.g. CLCSS scheme for tech modernisation in MSME.
• Cluster Development: Promote sectoral clusters (textiles, electronics, pharma) for scale efficiencies. E.g. Delhi–Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC).
• Services–Manufacturing Fusion: Promote India as a design-plus-manufacturing hub in EVs, semiconductors and electronics. E.g. Taiwan’s integrated manufacturing–design model.
• Skill Acceleration: Boost technical institutes and industry-led skilling clusters. E.g. Germany’s Dual Vocational System as a model for implementing Skill India Mission 4.0.
• R&D Push: Raise R&D spending from 0.7% to 2% of GDP for advanced manufacturing. E.g. Korea spends 4.8% on R&D.

{GS3 – Envi} Retrospective Environmental Clearances

• Context (TH | IE): On 18 November 2025, the Supreme Court (2:1 majority) recalled its Vanashakti judgment had previously barred the granting of ex-post-facto environmental clearances (EC).

Grounds for Recalling the Vanashakti Judgment

• Legal Consistency: Earlier SC judgments, Pahwa Plastics Private Ltd. Case (2022) and D Swamy vs Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (2021) permitted post-facto ECs in exceptional cases.
• Economic Impact: The May 2025 ruling would force the demolition of projects worth ~₹20,000 crore.
• Public Interest: Hospitals, airports and medical colleges would stall, harming public welfare.

Justice Bhuyan’s Critique of the Recall Decision

• Legal Inconsistency: Earlier rulings permitting retrospective ECs were per incuriam, as they ignored binding precedents like Common Cause Case (2017) and Alembic Pharmaceuticals Ltd (2020).
• Environmental Primacy: He argued that ex post facto ECs violate the precautionary principle, a core part of India’s environmental jurisprudence.

About Environment Clearances in India

• Legal Basis: Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006, issued under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, governs prior environmental clearance (EC).
• Mandatory Prior-EC: EIA Notification, 2006 lists over 39 types of activities (mining, infrastructure, industry, thermal power, river valley).
• Two-Level Clearance:
  • Category A: Appraised by MoEFCC (Central level).
  • Category B: Appraised by State Environment Impact Assessment Authorities (SEIAA).
• EAC/SEAC Role: Expert Appraisal Committees (Central) and State Expert Appraisal Committees evaluate EIA reports before recommending EC.
• Public Hearing: Mandatory for Category A & B1 projects, except strategic, defence, and small projects.
• Validity: EC validity varies for mining (30 years), river valley (10 years), industry/infrastructure (7 years).

{GS3 – Envi} Cold Wave in India **

• Context (TH): The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a cold wave warning for several districts in Telangana.

About Cold Wave

• Definition: A cold wave is a sudden and substantial drop in temperature below the normal average for a region during winter.
• IMD Role: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) defines, monitors, and issues colour-coded warnings (Green, Yellow, Orange and Red) for cold waves.
• Declaration Basis: It declares a cold wave using both minimum temperature thresholds and deviations from long-term normal values.
  • Baseline: Normal temperature values are determined using climatology data from 1981-2010.
• Core Zone: IMD identified 17 states and UTs as highly prone to severe cold waves from November to March. Telangana is the only South Indian state included in the core cold-wave zone.

Criteria to Declare Cold Waves

• Plains Regions: Declared when either: (a) the minimum temperature is 4°C or lower, or (b) when it is 10°C or lower and 4.5°C-6.4°C below normal.
• Hilly Regions: When the minimum temperature is 0°C or lower and 4.5°-6.4°C below normal.
• Coastal Regions: When the minimum temperature is 15°C or lower and at least 4.5°C below normal.

Factors for Cold Waves in India

• Western Disturbances: Their eastward movement brings cold, dry north-westerly winds from the Himalayas and Central Asia.
• High-Pressure Systems: The intensification and southward shift of the Siberian High push cold air masses into India.
• Himalayan Snowfall: Heavy snowfall amplifies the advection (horizontal transport) of cold air into the northern plains.
• Cloud Cover: Clear, Cloud-free skies accelerate nighttime heat loss through radiative cooling.
• Dense Fog: Persistent fog blocks incoming solar radiation and intensifies cold-wave conditions.
• La Niña: La Niña events increase the frequency, duration, and severity of cold waves in India.
• Continental Climate: Interior regions experience harsher cold due to the lack of maritime moderation.

Consequences of Cold Waves

• Health Impact: Cold waves increase cases of hypothermia, frostbite, vasoconstriction, asthma, and COPD; India records about 824 annual deaths from cold exposure.
• Agricultural Loss: Frost damages crops during flowering and fruiting stages, while cold stress reduces livestock productivity and overall farm yield.
• Infrastructure Disruption: Thick fog reduces visibility, causing transport delays and accidents. Increased heating demand leads to power outages and electrical system failures.

{Prelims – Envi} Climate Change Performance Index 2026 *

• Context (ET): Environmental think tank Germanwatch released the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2026 on the sidelines of COP30 in Belém, Brazil.

Key Findings of Climate Change Performance Index 2026

• Top Ranks: The first three ranks are vacant because no country achieved an “overall very high” rating.
• Best Performers: Denmark is the highest-ranked country at 4^th, followed by the United Kingdom (5^th) and Morocco (6^th).
• India’s Rank: India fell 13 places to 23^rd, moving into the “medium performer” category, mainly due to the absence of a coal phase-out timeline and continued auctioning of coal blocks.
• Worst Performers: Iran (66^th) and Saudi Arabia (67^th) are the lowest-ranked countries.
• G20 Performance: The UK is the only ‘high performer’ G20 country, while Russia (64^th), the U.S. (65^th), and Saudi Arabia (67^th) are the worst performers in the group.

{Prelims – Envi} India to Host Global Big Cats Summit *

• Context (IE): India announced at COP30 in Belém that it will host the Global Big Cats Summit in New Delhi in 2026.
• The summit will be organised under the broader framework of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA).

India’s Big Cat Landscape

• Species Diversity: India is home to five of the seven big cat species recognised by the IBCA: the tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, and cheetah; the Jaguar and Puma are not native to India.
• Tigers: With an estimated 3,682 tigers, India holds 75% of the world’s wild tiger population. Madhya Pradesh has the highest number (785), followed by Karnataka and Uttarakhand.
  • Milestone: India doubled its tiger population by 2018, achieving its Tx2 target four years ahead of the 2022 deadline.
• Asiatic Lions: India is the only country with wild Asiatic lions. Their population increased by 172% over 25 years: from 327 in 2001 to 891 in 2025.
• Leopards: The leopard population stands at 13,874, with Madhya Pradesh hosting the highest numbers, followed by Maharashtra and Karnataka.
• Snow Leopards: India recorded 718 snow leopards in 2024, with Ladakh, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh being the top three states.
• Cheetah: It currently has 27 cheetahs under Project Cheetah, including 16 cubs born in India.
  • Cheetah Translocation: India has translocated 20 adult cheetahs from Africa: 8 from Namibia and 12 from South Africa. Eight additional cheetahs are scheduled to arrive from Botswana.

Read More> International Big Cat Alliance

{Prelims – Species} Ginkgo-Toothed Beaked Whales

• Context (IE): Scientists have documented the first-ever live sightings of the rare ginkgo-toothed beaked whales along the Baja California coast in Mexico.

• Until now, nearly all information about this species has come from stranded carcasses.

About Ginkgo-Toothed Beaked Whale (Mesoplodon ginkgodens)

• The ginkgo-toothed beaked whale is an elusive, deep-diving cetacean recognised for the distinctive, leaf-shaped teeth found in adult males.
  • It is one of 24 beaked whale species, the second-most diverse cetacean group after dolphins.
• Appearance: Males are dark grey to blue-black, while females are a lighter grey. Unlike many beaked whales, males display fewer scars.
• Teeth: Adult males have one pair of large teeth in the lower jaw that are shaped like a ginkgo leaf.
• Distribution: They inhabit warm, deep, offshore tropical and temperate waters across the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
  • Strandings have been reported from Japan, Sri Lanka, Australia, California, and New Zealand.
• Behaviour: The whales are highly elusive, spending most of their lives in the deep ocean and surfacing only briefly.
• Key Threats: Anthropogenic noise, fishing gear entanglement, plastic ingestion, marine pollution, etc.
• Conservation Status: IUCN: Data Deficient; CITES: Appendix II.

{Prelims – Awards} Indira Gandhi Peace Prize *

• Context (TIE | TIE): Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for 2024 was awarded to former Chile President Michelle Bachelet.

• Michelle Bachelet has served as the first and only woman president of Chile, the first woman director of the UN Women Agency and as the chief of UN Human Rights.

About Indira Gandhi Peace Prize

• Overview: Established in 1986 by the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust to honour notable contributions to peace, development, and scientific discoveries used for larger good of humanity.
• Award: ₹25 lakh in cash, a citation, and a trophy traditionally featuring Indira Gandhi’s profile.
• Scope of recognition: Honours individuals, institutions, and organisations working on disarmament, human rights, climate action, poverty reduction, and scientific advancement.
• Notable laureates: Mikhail Gorbachev (former Soviet Union leader), Jimmy Carter (39^th President of the US), ISRO, Sheikh Hasina (Former Prime Minister of Bangladesh) and UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency).

Read More About India-Chile Bilateral Relations