Tamil Nadu (Unit V)  

Mr. Anthony Albanese was elected again  as the Prime Minister of Australia.

Singapore held its 14th Parliamentary General Election on May 3, 2025. The ruling People's Action Party (PAP), led by Prime Minister Thiru Lawrence Wong, secured a landslide victory by winning 87 out of 97 parliamentary seats.  

A high level Indian delegation is set to present its transformative SVAMITVA Scheme and Gram Manchitra platform at the World Bank Land Conference 2025, taking place from 5th to 8th May at the World Bank Headquarters,  Washington, D.C. in the United States of America. Led by Shri Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR). The delegation will present its flagship SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) Scheme at two key sessions during the upcoming international forum on land governance.

This year’s World Bank Land Conference, themed “Securing Land Tenure and Access for Climate Action: Moving from Awareness to Action”

This year’s World Bank Land Conference, themed “Securing Land Tenure and Access for Climate Action: Moving from Awareness to Action”

World Press Freedom Day is observed on May 4. In the 2025 World Press Freedom Index released by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), India is ranked 151st, which is a slight improvement compared to the previous year’s position (159th).

The government of India’s Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has terminated the services of K.V. Subramanian as the Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) . He had six more months to complete his 3-year tenure.  The Executive Board of the IMF is composed of 25 EDs elected by the member countries or groups of countries. India is in a four-country constituency, with Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Bhutan as members.

Objectives and Implications of the Caste Survey

The key objective of collecting caste data is to support policy making, social justice initiatives, and to ensure equitable reservation policies. The current 27% OBC quota is based on projections from the 1931 data. Updated data could justify raising reservation limits. For example, Karnataka is now pushing to increase its OBC quota from 32% to 51%. This may lead to a direct challenge to the Supreme Court’s 50% ceiling on reservations, especially as more states present caste-based demands backed by new evidence.

Background

• India last officially collected full caste data during the 1931 Census under British rule, identifying 4,147 castes and sub-castes. 
• Though the 1941 Census gathered caste data again, it was never released due to the impact of World War II. After Independence, Indian governments chose not to collect caste details in the national Census, except for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). 
• The 1931 data later became foundational for the Mandal Commission, which recommended 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs). Census Commissioner J.H. Hutton at the time defended the collection of caste data as a necessary documentation of social reality. 

 Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011

In 2011, the Government of India initiated the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC), conducted by the Ministry of Rural Development. This was different from a traditional Census as it focused on welfare-related metrics and caste enumeration was open-ended, allowing people to self-identify. The result was over 46 lakh distinct caste entries, mainly due to inconsistencies such as respondents entering surnames instead of official caste names. Although some SECC data was released in 2016, the detailed caste-specific figures were never published.

State-Level Caste Surveys

Several Indian states have independently conducted caste surveys. In Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar led a detailed caste survey in 2023, revealing that OBCs and Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs) form over 63% of the population. In Telangana, the Congress fulfilled its promise and released caste survey results in 2024, showing that backward classes account for over 56% of the population. In Karnataka, a caste survey initiated during Siddaramaiah’s first term in 2015 was only made public in 2025, and it showed that OBCs make up nearly 70% of the state’s population.

INS Sharda is conducting a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise at Maafilaafushi Atoll, Maldives from May 4-10, 2025, strengthening India-Maldives defense cooperation.

• The exercise aligns with India's "MAHASAGAR" vision for collaborative security and growth across the Indian Ocean Region.

• It aims to enhance interoperability between the Indian Navy and Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) through disaster response coordination and search and rescue operations.

• Activities include medical assistance, logistical support, joint drills, training sessions, and community engagement to improve disaster response readiness.

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj’s  “Alhua Vikas”, the third and final film of the three-part extension series “Phulera Ka Panchayati Raj”, is enthusing digital audiences widely and sensitising them about the issues that affect gram panchayats across India. The third and final episode was released earlier on the occasion of the  National Panchayati Raj Day (24th April, 2025) and has since then received  a phenomenal response on Youtube with over 6M+ views so far.

“Alhua Vikas” highlights the critical importance of generating  Own Sources of Revenue (OSR) by Rural Local Bodies that helps in strengthening the self-reliance of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) across rural India. This film promotes citizen awareness on timely payment of local taxes, highlighting how such contributions enable improved service delivery and sustained village development. The film features renowned actors including Neena Gupta, Faisal Malik, Chandan Roy, Durgesh Kumar, and others 

Victims of Terrorism Associations Network (VoTAN)

The UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) launched VoTAN, a global network to support victims and survivors of terrorism. The network is a key outcome of the 2022 UN Global Congress on Victims of Terrorism and aims to provide a safe space for victims and survivors to support each other, build resilience, and engage as advocates, educators, and peacebuilders.

Polity (Unit IV)

Digital Access as Fundamental Right: In Amar Jain v. Union of India, the Supreme Court ruled that inclusive digital access to e-governance and welfare systems is part of the fundamental right to life and liberty under Article 21. The judgment directed revision of digital KYC norms to accommodate persons with facial disfiguration or visual impairment, invoking the principle of substantive equality.

Right to Internet Access Evolution: The Supreme Court has progressively strengthened the right to internet access through landmark judgments. In Sabu Mathew George v. Union of India (2017), it directed blocking sex determination advertisements while preserving information access rights. In Anuradha Bhasin v. Union of India (2020), it recognized internet access for speech and trade as protected under Articles 19(1)(a) and 19(1)(g).

Science  & Technology (Unit I)

Indian Scientists Develop Novel Metal-Free Catalyst for Green Hydrogen Production

In a significant breakthrough for India's clean energy sector, researchers led by Professor Tapas K. Maji at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) in Bengaluru have developed an innovative metal-free catalyst for efficient hydrogen production. The team created a covalent-organic framework (COF) using organic donor and acceptor molecules that can split water into hydrogen through piezocatalysis—harvesting mechanical energy to generate charge carriers. This cost-effective innovation outperforms conventional metal-based catalysts and aligns perfectly with India's National Green Hydrogen Mission, potentially revolutionizing sustainable energy production with its ultra-high hydrogen yields and minimal environmental impact.

Bay of Bengal Marine Crisis: A recent study reveals climate change-induced monsoon variability has caused a 50% drop in food availability for marine life in the Bay of Bengal, disrupting the vertical movement of nutrient-rich waters essential for plankton growth. This threatens marine biodiversity and food security as planktons form the base of the marine food chain.

Marine Ecosystem Protection Initiatives: Several frameworks exist to protect marine ecosystems, including global initiatives like UNCLOS and MARPOL, alongside Indian measures such as the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and the National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Eco-systems. These aim to combat declining ocean health due to climate change impacts.

Phthalates Health Hazard: Recent research links daily exposure to phthalates—chemicals used to soften plastic products—to approximately 350,000 deaths (13% globally) from heart disease. These colorless, odorless "plasticizers" are commonly found in polyvinyl chloride, pharmaceutical products, medical devices, and food packaging.

Cosmic Clumpiness Measure: Scientists are using S8 (Sigma 8) to determine the fundamental nature of the universe by measuring its inhomogeneity. S8 calculates matter distribution by counting galaxies and cosmic structures across different regions; higher values indicate more clustering while lower values suggest uniform distribution. Different measurement methods yielding different S8 values create what scientists call "S8 Tension."

ITER Fusion Project Milestone: The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor project has completed its main magnet system with significant Indian contributions to critical infrastructure, including massive cryostat cooling systems and heating technologies. This project aims to harness fusion energy—the power of the sun and stars—as an abundant, safe, carbon-free energy source.

ITER Collaborative Framework: The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor represents a massive scientific collaboration between China, European Union, India, Japan, Korea, Russia, and the United States. While the EU contributes 45% as the host party, each remaining member, including India, contributes 9% toward developing fusion as a viable energy source.

Biological Diversity Rules, 2025 Notified

On May 4, 2025, the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) notified the Biological Diversity Rules, 2025, replacing the 2014 rules under the Biodiversity Act, 2002. These regulate Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) of biological resources, including Digital Sequence Information (DSI). Companies with turnover above ₹1 crore must report resource use. High-value resources like red sanders and agarwood require benefit sharing of 5% to 20%. The rules align with the Nagoya Protocol and CBD COP16 (2024).

Sports

In the women’s singles final of the Madrid Open tennis tournament held in Spain, Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus won the championship by defeating Coco Gauff of the USA 6-3, 7-6(3) on May 3, 2025.