2 Minute Series_24th December 2025

24^th December 2025

1. Holy City: Recently, the Punjab government officially accorded “Holy City” status to Amritsar, Anandpur Sahib, and Talwandi Sabo, three cities deeply rooted in Sikh religious history.

Key Highlights: The three cities host three of the five Sikh Takhts, the highest seats of temporal and spiritual authority in Sikhism:
Amritsar – Akal Takht (Supreme among the five)
Anandpur Sahib – Takht Keshgarh Sahib
Talwandi Sabo – Takht Damdama Sahib
The remaining Takhts are: Takht Patna Sahib (Bihar) and Takht Hazur Sahib (Nanded, Maharashtra)
Akal Takht, Amritsar: Established in 1606 by Guru Hargobind, the sixth Sikh Guru.
Symbolises the fusion of miri (temporal authority) and piri (spiritual authority).
Serves as the highest body for issuing hukumnamas on matters affecting the Sikh community.
Takht Keshgarh Sahib, Anandpur Sahib: Site where Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa in 1699.
Central to Sikh identity, discipline, and collective responsibility.
Takht Damdama Sahib, Talwandi Sabo: Associated with Guru Gobind Singh’s revision of the Guru Granth Sahib.
Known as the “Guru Ki Kashi” for Sikh learning and scholarship.

2. Anti-Terror Policy: Recently, the Union government is set to release India’s first-ever Anti-Terror Policy, aimed at providing a unified operational framework for States.

Key Highlights: National Investigation Agency (NIA), comes amid rising concerns over digital radicalization, cross-border vulnerabilities, and foreign-funded terror networks.
Digital Radicalisation: Online platforms and encrypted messaging apps are increasingly being used to radicalise youth.
Misuse of Open Borders: The open India–Nepal border has been flagged as a security vulnerability.
Terror operatives, including those linked to Khalistani networks, reportedly enter India after discarding foreign passports in Nepal.
The P.–Bihar–Nepal corridor has been identified as a sensitive transit route.
Foreign-Funded Conversion and Radicalisation Networks: Intelligence agencies have flagged organised foreign funding for religious conversion and extremist indoctrination.
A religious centre in Canada, allegedly linked to Pakistan’s ISI, has emerged as a key suspect in online radicalisation campaigns.
Such networks exploit social media and diaspora funding channels.

3. User Evaluation Trials (UET): Recently, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully completed the User Evaluation Trials (UET) of the Next Generation Akash missile (Akash-NG).

Key Highlights: Akash-NG missiles successfully intercepted aerial targets under diverse operational conditions.
Targets were neutralised across: Different ranges and altitudes
- Near-boundary, low-altitude scenarios
- Long-range, high-altitude engagements
About Akash-NG Missile System: Next-generation version of the Akash surface-to-air missile system.
Equipped with an indigenous Radio Frequency (RF) seeker for enhanced accuracy.
Powered by a solid rocket motor, ensuring improved speed and response time.
Designed to counter: Fighter aircraft, Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), Cruise missiles and other aerial threats

4. Circular Stone Labyrinth: Recently, archaeologists uncovered an exceptional circular stone labyrinth in the Boramani grasslands of Solapur district, Maharashtra, now recognised as the largest circular labyrinth ever documented in India.

Key Highlights: Measures about 50 feet × 50 feet in area.
Consists of 15 concentric circular rings constructed using small stone blocks.
The circular paths guide movement inward, ending in a tight central spiral, indicating careful planning and symbolic intent.
Dated to nearly 2,000 years ago, belonging to the Satavahana dynasty period.
Associated with Indo-Roman trade links, reflecting cross-cultural interactions of the time.
Soil accumulation between the stone rings suggests the structure remained undisturbed for centuries.
Design closely resembles classical Mediterranean labyrinths, including motifs seen on Roman-era coins.
The central spiral reflects the Indian concept of the Chakravyuh, a complex military formation described in the Mahabharata.
Earlier, the largest known circular labyrinth in India had 11 circuits, making this find unprecedented in circular complexity.
Although a larger square labyrinth exists at Gedimedu, Tamil Nadu, the Solapur site remains India’s largest circular stone labyrinth.

5. AILA: Recently, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi has developed an advanced AI-powered laboratory agent, AILA that can independently conduct real-world scientific experiments.

About AILA (Artificially Intelligent Laboratory Agent): An in-house AI system developed at IIT Delhi.
Unlike conversational AI tools such as large language models, AILA can:
- Control complex laboratory instruments
- Make real-time experimental decisions
- Analyse experimental outcomes autonomously
Developed through international collaboration, including researchers from Germany and Denmark.
AILA was tested on Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), a highly sophisticated nanoscale imaging technique.
AILA autonomously: Designs experimental parameters, operates physical equipment and optimises outputs based on live data

6. WhatsApp “ghost pairing”: Recently, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has issued an advisory cautioning users about WhatsApp “ghost pairing”, an emerging social-engineering-driven cyber fraud technique.

About Ghost Pairing: A covert cyberattacks where fraudsters link a victim’s WhatsApp account to their own device by exploiting the app’s multi-device feature. This allows attackers to access chats, media, and contacts without hacking the phone or SIM card.
Objective of the Attack: Obtain unauthorised access to WhatsApp conversations
Steal sensitive data such as photos, documents, and OTP clues
Carry out extortion, identity theft, or financial fraud
How the Scam Operates: The attacker pretends to be a known contact or poses as a bank, tax authority, or government official.
The victim receives messages like “Check this photo” or “Your account will be blocked”, often containing a malicious link.
Fear and panic are induced through threats such as account suspension or number deactivation.
The victim is tricked into approving a WhatsApp device-linking request or sharing a pairing/verification code.
The attacker’s device is added as a linked device, enabling real-time monitoring of the victim’s WhatsApp activity.

7. SHAKTI Scholars: Recently, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has introduced ‘SHAKTI Scholars’ – the NCW Young Research Fellowship to strengthen policy-oriented research on women-centric issues in India.

About SHAKTI Scholars: A six-month, grant-supported research fellowship aimed at encouraging young scholars and independent researchers to undertake policy-relevant, multidisciplinary research on challenges faced by women in India.
Objectives: Promote evidence-based research on key women’s issues
Create a pipeline of young researchers supporting gender-responsive governance
Generate research inputs to inform laws, government schemes, and institutional reforms
Eligibility Criteria: Nationality: Indian citizens; Age limit: 21–30 years
Educational qualification: Minimum graduation from a recognised institution
Preference given to: Candidates pursuing or having completed post-graduation, M.Phil., or PhD
Key Features: Research grant: ₹1 lakh to support data collection, fieldwork, analysis, and documentation
Duration: 6 months, ensuring timely and policy-relevant research output
Broad Research Themes: Women’s safety and dignity
Gender-based violence and implementation of POSH laws
Cyber safety
Women’s health, nutrition, education, and skill development
Women’s leadership, political participation, and work-life balance

8. Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR): Recently, Union Health Minister announced a significant decline in India’s Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR), largely attributing it to the rise in institutional deliveries to 89%.

Key Highlight:
Impact on Maternal Mortality Rate: Improved access to hospitals, skilled birth attendants, and emergency obstetric care has led to a substantial fall in MMR.
Target Achieved: India has successfully achieved the MMR target of 100 deaths per lakh live births, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals.
Wide Coverage: Over 1.81 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs operational across the country.
Focus Areas: Maternal care, child health, non-communicable diseases, and preventive healthcare.
Preventive Approach: Emphasis on keeping citizens healthy rather than treating illness after onset.
Universal Immunisation: Administration of 12 essential vaccines to protect children from life-threatening diseases.
Ayushman Bharat Yojana: Financial protection for secondary and tertiary healthcare, reducing out-of-pocket expenditure for families.

9. Unutilised Defence Land: Recently, India’s Armed Forces are planning to utilise large tracts of unutilised defence land for green energy and environmental projects over the next three to five years.

Key Highlights: Green energy–led approach: Emphasis on solar and biogas energy projects, along with afforestation and floriculture, to promote sustainability.
Carbon revenue opportunities: Environmental projects will help generate carbon credits, creating an additional revenue stream.
Pilot solar project rollout: A pilot solar power plant will be developed on defence land in one State in partnership with NTPC Green.
Non-permanent, reversible infrastructure: Projects will avoid permanent constructions, ensuring future defence requirements remain uncompromised.
Potential reinvestment in defence infrastructure: Part of the revenue generated may be channelled towards upgrading Defence Forces’ infrastructure.
Aligned with defence land policy: Initiative adheres to the 2020 Defence Land Policy, requiring equal-value infrastructure for any public use.