Current Affairs – November 24, 2025

{GS1 – Geo} Surge in Quarrying After Sand Mining Ban

Context (TH): Researchers found that stone quarries located near protected areas expanded significantly after Kerala’s 2016 river-sand mining ban, driven by rising demand for M-sand.

India’s Sand Mining Landscape

National Demand: India requires ~1 billion tonnes of sand annually, with demand projected to reach 1.77 billion tonnes by 2034.
Minor Mineral: Sand is classified as a “minor mineral” under Section 3(e) of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act).
State Powers: The MMDR Act authorises state governments to frame rules for granting mining concessions, regulating extraction, and curbing illegal mining.
SC Mandate: The Supreme Court ruled that prior environmental clearance (EC) is mandatory for all minor mineral mining, including sand. (2012)
No National Ban: India has no nationwide ban on river sand mining; restrictions are state-specific.

Consequences of the Ban on River Sand Mining

Positive Consequences

Habitat Recovery: Restored riverbeds stabilise aquatic habitats, including spawning and breeding zones.
Groundwater Recharge: The sand layer acts as an aquifer and improves groundwater recharge in surrounding areas.
Turbidity: Lower turbidity improves aquatic health and reduces downstream water-treatment costs.
Freshwater Source: Higher riverbed elevation in coastal regions limits saltwater intrusion into freshwater sources.
Sediment Balance: Restored sediment flow reduces riverbank erosion and helps mitigate flood risks.

Negative Consequences

Project Costs: Supply shortages increase construction costs, raise property prices, and delay projects.
Employment Losses: A ban can trigger widespread job losses among daily wage earners across the sand supply chain.
Illegal Mining: Restrictions often push the sector underground, driving the rapid growth of illicit sand-mining networks.
Revenue and Governance: The ban reduces government revenue, fosters corruption, and lowers the quality of materials.
Environmental Damage: Increased quarrying near protected areas causes habitat loss, alters terrain, disrupts watersheds, and increases pollution and soil erosion.

About Manufactured Sand (M-Sand)

Manufactured sand, or M-sand, is a finely graded artificial aggregate produced by crushing hard crystalline rocks to replicate the characteristics of natural river sand.
Purpose: It offers a sustainable, cost-effective, and legally compliant alternative to natural river sand.
Particle Shape: M-sand grains are angular and rough-textured, whereas river sands are rounded and smooth due to prolonged erosion.
Advantage: Controlled crushing and screening provide uniform particle-size distribution and remove organic impurities, excess silt, clay, etc.
Limitation: The angular shape can reduce concrete workability, often requiring higher water or cement content to achieve the desired mix.

Context (IE): The Union Government will introduce the HECI Bill 2025 to create a single higher-education regulator, in line with the NEP 2020 vision.

About the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI)

A unified regulator proposed under NEP 2020 to replace UGC, AICTE and NCTE and ensure coherent standards across general, technical, and teacher education.

Four Verticals of HECI

National Higher Education Regulatory Council (NHERC): A single regulator for all higher education (except medical and legal), responsible for setting standards and enforcing compliance.
National Accreditation Council (NAC): An independent accreditation body that evaluates on quality benchmarks like teaching, governance, and infrastructure through a transparent grading system.
General Education Council (GEC): Defines academic standards, learning outcomes, and curricular frameworks to ensure coherence, flexibility, and multidisciplinary learning across institutions.
Higher Education Grants Council (HEGC): Oversees grant-related rules and funding criteria, ensuring transparent and performance-linked financial support.

Key Provisions of the HECI Bill 2025

Single Regulator: Merges UGC, AICTE, and NCTE to reduce overlap and create a unified decision-making system across higher education.
Four Verticals: Independent bodies for regulation, accreditation, learning outcomes, and funding alignment ensure functional separation and avoid conflicts of interest.
Expert-Led Bodies: Each vertical will comprise experts with proven academic/research integrity to improve professionalism and transparency.
Autonomy Promotion: Encourages universities to become self-governing through tiered autonomy, outcome-based accreditation, and academic flexibility.
Reduced Red Tape: Aims to end “heavy-handed regulation” (NEP 2020), by shifting from input-based approvals to performance-based oversight.
Funding Clarity: Funding decisions may remain with the government, but HEGC will guide grant norms to align quality with financial incentives.

Significance of the HECI Bill 2025

Regulatory Streamlining: Eliminates fragmented oversight by three bodies, creating uniform standards across higher education. E.g. India currently has 55+ regulators across education sectors (AISHE).
Quality Enhancement: Accreditation under NAC promotes rigorous benchmarking and outcome-based evaluation. E.g. Only 17% of colleges have NAAC accreditation (NAAC 2023).
Autonomy Boost: HECI’s autonomy framework encourages innovation, flexible curricula, and multidisciplinary learning. E.g. NEP targets 100% GER expansion through flexible degree pathways.
Global Alignment: Brings India closer to unified regulatory models used in countries like the UK and Australia. E.g. UK’s Office for Students integrates oversight of all higher-education providers.

Criticism Against the HECI Bill 2025

Excess Centralisation: Fear that HECI may give disproportionate control to the Centre over appointments & standards. E.g. 2018 HECI draft had all 12 members appointed by Centre.
State Marginalisation: States worry about reduced say, creating conflict between state and national regulatory frameworks. E.g. 70% of India’s universities are state universities (AISHE).
Representation Gaps: Concerns about limited inclusion of SC/ST, OBC, women, minorities in regulatory bodies. E.g. CPI(M) highlighted “no representation” for disadvantaged groups in 2018 draft.
Funding Concerns: Fear that grants may shift from UGC’s system to a 60:40 Centre–State pattern. E.g. Tamil Nadu objected, citing past bias in central fund allocation.
Autonomy Paradox: Institutions fear “light-but-tight” may become centralised, compliance-heavy regulation. E.g. India already faces a high regulatory compliance burden (NITI Aayog BRAP report).

Way Forward

Balanced Federalism: Ensure state representation in HECI verticals to protect federal autonomy. E.g. Australia’s Tertiary Education Quality Agency includes state nominees.
Inclusive Governance: Mandate representation of women, SC/ST, OBC, minorities, persons with disabilities to ensure inclusive and participative governance.
Funding Reform: Create transparent grant norms under HEGC while maintaining full support for state universities. E.g., RUSA follows performance-linked funding for quality improvement.
Capacity Strengthening: Provide training, digital tools, and compliance simplification for smaller institutions. E.g. NEAT and SWAYAM for academic capacity-building and governance support.
Gradual Transition: Phased rollout to avoid disruptive overlap norms and accreditation cycles. E.g. EU Bologna reforms (coherence to education systems across Europe) adopted a multi-phase transition.

Rashtriya Uchchatar Shikha Abhiyan (RUSA) was launched in 2013 as a central sponsor scheme with an aim to provide funding to state higher educational institutions.

{GS2 – IR} India and Georgia Strengthen Sericulture Cooperation

Context (DDN): The Indian delegation from the Ministry of Textiles has completed a multi-sectoral engagement in Georgia to enhance cooperation in sericulture, textiles, apparel, and carpet trade.

The delegation attended the 11^th BACSA International Conference, CULTUSERI 2025,
Key Outcomes: It strengthened India–Georgia sericulture and textile ties, showcased India’s 5-in-1 Silk Stole, and expanded diversified trade roles via the BACSA platform.
Significance: The engagement enhanced India’s textile diplomacy and reinforced its position in the global sericulture sector.

Sericulture

Sericulture is an agro-based industry involving silkworm cultivation and silk production. It generates sustained employment for rural households, particularly women, across India.
India is the second-largest silk producer in the world, with Karnataka contributing 32% of the country’s total production.
India is the only country to produce all five commercial types of silk—mulberry, tropical tasar, oak tasar, eri, and muga.
The Central Silk Board (CSB), a statutory body established in 1948 under the Ministry of Textiles, oversees sericulture development and implements schemes like ‘Silk Samagra’.

Read more > Textile Industry

{GS3 – IE} India’s Trade Deficit Surge **

Context (TH): India’s trade deficit widened sharply by 141% to $21.8 billion in October 2025, driven by a marginal contraction in merchandise exports, even as services exports remained strong.

Key Highlights of the Trade Report

India’s trade deficit rose to $21.8 bn, up from $9.05 bn last year, due to rising imports.
Merchandise exports fell 11.8%, while services exports grew 11.9%, cushioning overall performance.
Over April–October 2025, total exports grew 4.8%, reflecting long-term resilience.
India recorded its highest-ever exports in Q1 & Q2, led by strong IT and global capability centre exports.

Drivers Behind Rising Trade Deficit

Tariff Shock: U.S. 50% tariffs sharply reduced India’s merchandise exports. E.g. Exports to the U.S. declined by 20.4% in Sept 2025.
Festive Metals: Gold & silver imports spiked due to festive buying during Dhanteras–Diwali. E.g., Gold spiked by 200% and Silver spiked by 530% in Oct 2025.
Merchandise Slump: Labour-intensive sectors saw severe contraction due to weak global demand. E.g. Gems & jewellery declined by 29.5% and Leather by 15.7%.
Services–Goods Gap: Services remained strong while merchandise remained weak, widening the imbalance. E.g. Services ↑ 11.9%, Merchandise ↓ 11.8%.
Currency Hedge: Investors increased gold buying as a hedge against rupee fluctuations. E.g. October’s gold demand reversed a 6-month declining trend.

Way Forward

Tariff Resolution: Resolve U.S.–India tariff tensions to restore merchandise export momentum. E.g. BTA negotiations similar to the U.K.–EU early harvest agreements.
Market Diversification: Expand exports to ASEAN, Africa, and Latin America to reduce U.S. dependence. E.g. the TIES Scheme supports diversification logistics.
Sector Cushion: Provide targeted support to labour-intensive sectors hit by tariffs. E.g. Enhance RoDTEP rates for leather, textiles, and chemicals.
Import Moderation: Manage festive-period gold/silver surges via calibrated duty/quantity norms. E.g. Turkey’s gold-quota model to smooth import spikes.

TIES scheme supports central and state agencies in developing export-linked infrastructure, such as border haats and testing facilities, from 2021–22 to 2025–26.

{GS3 – IE} India Implements Four New Labour Codes **

Context (IE | TH): The four labour codes enacted in 2020 have been implemented nationwide.

They replace 29 central labour laws to simplify employer compliance, ensure uniform wages, and expand social security coverage for India’s workforce.

About the Four Labour Codes

Code on Wages, 2019

Unified Definition: Consolidates four laws to establish a single definition of wages, reducing litigation and compliance burdens.
- Wage includes basic pay, dearness allowance, and retaining allowance, which form the basis for benefits and social security contributions.
Minimum wage: Extends statutory minimum wage entitlement to all workers across sectors, replacing the earlier limit to scheduled employment only.
Wage Floor: Introduces a National Floor Wage that states must follow to ensure uniform living standards and reduce regional wage gaps.
Payment Rules: Standardises payment deadlines for wages and mandates issuing physical or digital wage slips to improve accountability.
Gender Equality: Prohibits gender-based wage discrimination to promote “equal pay for equal work“.

Code on Social Security, 2020

Legal Recognition: Amalgamates nine social security laws and, for the first time, legally defines ‘gig workers’ and ‘platform workers’.
Unified Access: Mandates social security funds and creates a national portal with Aadhaar-linked identification for unorganised, gig, and platform workers.
Expanded Coverage: Expands EPFO and ESIC coverage to more establishments, regions, and includes compulsory coverage for hazardous jobs.

Industrial Relations Code, 2020

Worker Definition: Replaces three previous laws and broadens the definition of worker to include employees earning less than ₹18,000.
Layoff Threshold: Raises prior-approval requirements for layoffs, retrenchments, and closures from 100 to 300 workers to enhance operational flexibility.
Fixed‑Term Employment: Introduces fixed-term employment with wage and benefit parity and ensures gratuity after a year of continuous service.
Strike Regulation: Expands strike-notice requirements and widens the definition of strike to include mass casual leave by more than half the workforce.

Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH) Code, 2020

Safety Expansion: Consolidates 13 laws to expand safety, health, and welfare regulations to all workplaces with over 10 workers, and to all mines and docks.
Health Provision: Requires free annual health check-ups for workers aged 40 or older and mandates safety committees in large workplaces.
Night-Shift: Permits women to work night shifts with their consent and with safety measures in place.
Migrant Redefinition: Expands the definition of inter‑state migrant workers to cover directly hired and self‑migrating workers.
Transparency: Mandates written appointment letters for all employees to ensure clarity on job roles and social security entitlements.

{GS3 – Envi} UNFCCC COP 30 Climate Summit **

Context (IE): The 30^th Conference of the Parties (COP30) under the UNFCCC in Belém, Brazil, has concluded with the adoption of the ‘Belém Political Package’.

Key Outcomes of COP30

Belém Political Package: The outcome document reflected the mutirão (“coming together”) spirit, emphasising collective effort and stronger multilateral climate action.
Tripling Adaptation Finance: Countries agreed to work toward at least tripling adaptation finance and mobilising a minimum of USD 1.3 trillion annually for climate action by 2035.
Climate Finance Work Programme: A two-year programme was created to examine and implement Article 9.1 obligations requiring mandatory financial support from developed countries.
Loss and Damage Fund: The fund was further operationalised to ensure timely financial assistance for climate-vulnerable nations.
Belém Action Mechanism (BAM): A new Just Transition Mechanism was adopted to support a fair and equitable global transition to a green economy for workers and communities.
GGA Indicators: Countries endorsed a voluntary framework of 60 indicators across seven thematic and four-dimensional targets to track progress under the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA).
Indigenous Rights: The Belém Political Package reaffirmed the need to uphold Indigenous Peoples’ rights, including land rights and traditional knowledge, in climate action.
Climate Disinformation Acknowledgement: It formally acknowledged the harmful impact of climate disinformation and called for information integrity in science-based policymaking.

Sideline Outcomes of COP30

Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF): A Brazil-led blended-finance mechanism offering long-term performance-based payments to tropical forest countries for conservation efforts.
Global Ethical Stocktake (GES): Complements the technical Global Stocktake by examining the moral and ethical dimensions of climate action and required behavioural changes.
FINI Initiative: Fostering Investible National Implementation (FINI) platform aims to make National Adaptation Plans more investible and unlock USD 1 trillion in adaptation pipelines by 2028.
Belém Declaration on Fertilisers: Seeks to reduce global GHG emissions from fertiliser production by 5% while improving nutrient-use efficiency and soil health.
Global Implementation Accelerator: Established to bridge the gap between current national climate plans and the trajectory needed to meet the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C temperature-rise target.
Unilateral Trade Measures Dialogue: Launched to address developing-country concerns that unilateral measures like CBAM act as reverse finance flows and undermine CBDR-RC principles.
Blue NDC Challenge: Seventeen countries committed to integrating ambitious and quantifiable ocean-related measures in their 2025 NDC updates.
Super Pollutant Country Action Accelerator: Provides targeted support to developing nations for rapid reduction of short-lived climate pollutants such as methane, black carbon, HFCs, & tropospheric ozone.

Challenges and Shortcomings of COP30

Fossil Fuel Phase-out: The final Belém Political Package lacked a clear, time-bound roadmap for “transitioning away” from fossil fuels.
US Absence: The United States did not send an official delegation, weakening the bargaining power of developed countries and creating a leadership vacuum.
Non-Binding Commitments: Key commitments on fossil-fuel and deforestation were moved to voluntary, non-binding roadmaps outside the formal UNFCCC framework.
Deforestation Gaps: Despite being held in the Amazon region, COP30 delivered only limited concrete actions to halt deforestation, relying largely on non-binding commitments.
Adaptation Deadline: The pledge to triple adaptation finance was deferred to 2035, instead of the 2030 deadline demanded by climate-vulnerable nations.
Loans vs Grants: Developed countries failed to shift away from loan-based climate finance, increasing debt burdens and deepening mistrust among vulnerable nations.
NDC Shortfalls: Many countries did not submit updated national climate plans (NDCs) aligned with the 1.5°C target pathway.

{Prelims – Diseases} Acanthosis Nigricans

Context (TH): Recent clinical observations highlight that Acanthosis Nigricans is emerging as an early visible warning sign of insulin resistance, especially in Indian children and young adults.

About Acanthosis Nigricans

Acanthosis Nigricans is a skin condition characterised by dark, thick, velvety patches that appear gradually in body folds such as the neck, underarms, groin, elbows, and under the breasts.
It is most commonly associated with insulin resistance, obesity, metabolic syndrome, and prediabetes, and serves as an early external warning sign of internal metabolic dysfunction.
AN is not contagious, not caused by poor hygiene, and can occur across all skin types; misconceptions often delay medical attention.
AN improves or reverses when the underlying cause, usually insulin resistance or obesity, is treated.
Lifestyle changes (weight loss, diet, exercise), insulin-sensitising drugs (metformin), and dermatological treatments (topical retinoids, exfoliants, laser therapy) help lighten patches over time.

About Insulin

Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that helps cells absorb glucose for energy; without enough insulin, blood sugar levels rise.
It regulates the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins by promoting the absorption of glucose from the blood into the liver, fat and skeletal muscle cells.
Persistent insulin resistance increases the risk of prediabetes, type-2 diabetes, fatty liver, PCOS, and cardiovascular disease, making Acanthosis Nigricans an important early external red flag.

{Prelims – Defence} ITBP to Establish 10 All-Women Border Outposts *

Context (IE | HT): Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) announced the establishment of 10 all-women forward posts along the 3,488–km India–China Line of Actual Control (LAC).

About the Announcement

All–women posts: ITBP will operationalise 10 all-women Border Outposts (BOPs), starting with Lukung (Ladakh) and Thangi (Himachal Pradesh).
Forwardisation expansion: Number of forward-deployed ITBP posts has risen from 180 to 215 post-2020 Ladakh crisis, with 41 additional posts approved for upcoming deployment.
Force augmentation: Centre sanctioned 7 new battalions + 1 sector HQ in 2023 (≈9,400 personnel) to reinforce supervision and reach across the LAC.
Modernisation drive: ITBP is upgrading posts with logistics drones, sustainable infrastructure, and smart-border technologies to support operations at 9,000–14,000 ft altitudes.

2020 Ladakh Crisis: India-China military standoff triggered by Chinese army intrusions and clashes along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh, including the Galwan Valley incident.

About ITBP

Mandate: ITBP is a Central Armed Police Force under the Ministry of Home Affairs (1962), guarding the India–China LAC from the Karakoram Pass (Ladakh) to Jachep La (Arunachal).
Area of operation: Covers a 3,488–km high–altitude frontier, with posts located between 9,000 ft and 14,000+ ft, facing extreme cold, hypoxia and rugged terrain.
Primary Roles: Border vigilance, intelligence gathering, mountain warfare, convoy protection, disaster response, and securing vital installations in high-altitude sectors.
- Also supports counter-Naxal operations; in 2024, ITBP killed 4 Naxals, captured 52, and secured 206 surrenders as part of the 2026 Naxalism–eradication target.

Read More > Naxalism

{Prelims – PIN} Curaçao

Context: (IE): Curaçao has qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, making it the smallest nation by population to do so.

About Curaçao

Curaçao is an island in the Southern Caribbean Sea, approximately 60 km north of the Venezuelan coast; it is part of the “ABC” islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao).
It functions as an autonomous constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Capital: Willemstad, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its historic districts and pastel-coloured waterfront buildings.
Heritage: It is home to the oldest continuously inhabited Jewish community in the Western Hemisphere.
Languages: Dutch, Papiamentu (a local Creole language), and English are official languages.
Currency: The official currency is the Netherlands Antillean guilder (NAf.).
Economy: Relies on petroleum refining, tourism, & financial services; it is renowned for Curaçao liqueur.

{Prelims – In News} Justice Surya Kant Appointed as 53^rd CJI *

Context (TH): Justice Surya Kant was sworn in as India’s 53^rd Chief Justice of India (CJI), succeeding Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai.

He was Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court before joining the Supreme Court; he is the first judge from Haryana to serve as a CJI.
Key Judgments: Includes rulings on the abrogation of Article 370, allegations of Pegasus spyware, and the One Rank-One Pension scheme.

About the CJI

The CJI is the head of the Supreme Court and the Indian judiciary. Article 124(2) empowers the President to appoint the CJI and other judges of the Supreme Court.
Appointment: The outgoing CJI recommends the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court as the successor. The Union Minister of Law recommends him to the PM, who then advises the President.
Tenure: The Constitution states judges serve until the age of 65, but does not specify a fixed tenure.
Removal: A CJI can only be removed by the President for proven misbehaviour or incapacity through impeachment supported by a special parliamentary majority.