2 Minute Series_29 January 2026

29^th January 2026

1.  AYUSHEXCIL: Recently, in a significant step towards digitising India’s traditional healthcare ecosystem, the Ministry of Ayush facilitated a landmark MoU between Ayush Export Promotion Council (AYUSHEXCIL) and Zepto.

• Key Highlights: The partnership aims to expand nationwide digital access to verified AYUSH medicines and wellness products, while reinforcing quality assurance, regulatory compliance, and consumer trust.

• About AYUSHEXCIL: Established by the Ministry of Ayush, supported by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry
  - Launch: Global Ayush Investment & Innovation Summit, Gandhinagar (April 2022)
  - Mandate: Promote exports of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Homoeopathy, and Sowa-Rigpa
• Significance of the MoU: Enables structured online discovery of verified AYUSH medicines and wellness products nationwide.
  - Promotes adoption of AYUSH Quality Mark (AQM) for standardisation, safety, and authenticity.
  - Facilitates market expansion without compromising product quality or authenticity.
  - Aligns with Digital India, Ease of Doing Business, Make in India, and integration of traditional knowledge with modern technology.

2. New Aadhaar App: Recently, in a major step towards resident-centric digital governance, India has launched a next-generation Aadhaar App, reinforcing the principles of privacy, consent, and ease of living.

• About New Aadhaar App: A privacy-first mobile identity platform developed by Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). It enables Aadhaar Number Holders (ANH) to carry, show, share, and verify identity digitally, while keeping control and consent firmly with the resident.

• Key Features: Enables selective sharing of only required identity attributes instead of the full Aadhaar profile.
  - Uses customised, purpose-specific QR codes for controlled verification.
  - Prevents storage of Aadhaar numbers by requesting entities through consent-based sharing.
  - Fully aligned with the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023.
  - Face verification ensures proof of presence during authentication.
  - Single-click biometric lock and unlock improves user control and security.
  - Enables Aadhaar address updates directly through the app.
  - Mobile number update facility available via the app.
  - Additional self-service Aadhaar update features planned in future.

3. India–EU Financial Regulatory Cooperation: Recently, in a significant step towards deepening India–EU financial regulatory cooperation, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA).

• Key Highlights: Primary objective is to enable formal recognition of Clearing Corporation of India Ltd. (CCIL) and other RBI-regulated Central Counterparties (CCPs) by ESMA. The MoU establishes a framework for regulatory and supervisory cooperation between RBI and ESMA.

• RBI and ESMA will consult, cooperate, and exchange information regarding covered Central Counterparties.
• Cooperation includes monitoring compliance of covered CCPs with ESMA’s recognition conditions.
• ESMA will rely, where appropriate, on RBI’s regulatory framework and supervisory oversight.
• RBI will continue to remain accountable for the resilience and supervision of CCPs in India.
• The MoU is a statement of intent and does not create legally binding obligations.
• It does not confer rights, override domestic laws, or impose enforceable commitments.
• The MoU becomes effective from the date of signing and it will remain operative for an unlimited duration.

4. Airborne Desert Dust–Associated Bacteria: Recently, a new study identified airborne desert dust–associated bacteria travelling from western India to the Eastern Himalayas.

• Key Findings: These airborne pathogens are linked to respiratory, skin, and gastrointestinal diseases in high-altitude Himalayan regions.

• Himalayan hill-top air, traditionally considered health-beneficial, shows heightened vulnerability due to cold climate and hypoxia.
• Researchers highlight limited prior evidence linking airborne microbial exposure to respiratory diseases in Himalayan populations.
• The study addresses a major knowledge gap on the microbiological impact of transboundary dust transport. Dust plumes travel hundreds of kilometres, crossing the polluted Indo-Gangetic Plain before reaching Himalayan hilltops.
• Dust storms carry airborne bacteria, including human pathogens, to high-altitude regions.
• Vertical uplift of polluted foothill air injects locally sourced pathogens into the high-altitude atmosphere.
• Mixing of long-range desert pathogens and locally uplifted microbes reshapes the Himalayan atmospheric bacterial community. The combined process contributes to multiple health impacts, including gastrointestinal infections.
• This is a first-of-its-kind quantitative study demonstrating microbial perturbation of Himalayan atmosphere. Research has direct public health implications for Himalayan populations.

5. Porous Graphene Carbon Nanocomposite (PGCN) Electrodes: Recently, Indian researchers developed a high-voltage supercapacitor using dual-functional porous graphene carbon nanocomposite (PGCN) electrodes, capable of delivering higher energy density, faster acceleration for electric vehicles (EVs), and improved system stability.

• Key Highlights: Innovation enables higher operating voltage of 3.4 V, surpassing the conventional 2.5–3.0 V limit of commercial supercapacitors. Developed by International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI).

• Addresses electrolyte instability and safety issues such as decomposition and flammability at higher voltages.
• Energy density doubled, providing electric vehicles with increased driving range and faster acceleration. Enhanced performance due to engineered PGCN surface that is water-repellent and compatible with organic electrolytes.
• Dual functionality suppresses water-induced degradation and improves ion transport and electrochemical efficiency.
• Delivers 33% higher energy storage, high power output, and excellent long-term stability.
• PGCN electrodes produced via eco-friendly hydrothermal carbonization using 1,2-propanediol.
• Process eliminates harsh chemicals, minimizes environmental impact, and is scalable for industrial production.
• Outperforms commercial carbon-based electrodes by enhancing both operating voltage and power output.
• Supports clean energy goals and Aatma Nirbhar Bharat through indigenous energy-storage innovation.

6. Sampoornata Abhiyan 2.0.: Recently, to accelerate last-mile governance and outcome-based development, NITI Aayog launched Sampoornata Abhiyan 2.0.

• Key Highlights: The three-month saturation campaign aims to fast-track critical social and economic indicators across 112 Aspirational Districts and 513 Aspirational Blocks, reinforcing India’s data-driven development model.

• About Sampoornata Abhiyan 2.0 is a focused implementation drive to achieve saturation of select Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) by building on the strong results of Sampoornata Abhiyan 2024.
• Objectives of the Campaign: Achieve universal coverage (saturation) of selected indicators
  - Improve service delivery quality at district and block levels
  - Strengthen cooperative federalism through Centre–State–District coordination
  - Institutionalise monitoring, behaviour change, and accountability

7. Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT): Recently, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) annual report 2024–25 revealed that over 66% of Group C safai karmacharis in the Central government belong to SC, ST, or OBC categories.

• Key Findings: Representation in Group A posts across Union Ministries and Departments remains limited: SCs account for 20%; STs for 6.54% and OBCs for 19.14%

• The share of SC, ST, and OBC officers in top administrative positions falls short of prescribed reservation benchmarks, pointing to under-representation at higher levels.
• Reservation norms for direct recruitment under DoPT rules mandate: 15% for SCs; 5% for STs; 27% for OBCs and 10% for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS).
• A key data gap persists as the report does not disclose EWS representation, despite a constitutionally mandated 10% reservation.
• In Group C posts (excluding safai karmacharis), representation broadly aligns with reservation norms: SCs: 75%; STs: 8.94% and OBCs: 27.29%
• In Group B posts, representation stands at: SCs: 20%; STs: 7.63% and OBCs: 21.95%
• Overall trends suggest improved representation of OBCs, while SC and ST representation has remained relatively stable, especially at higher service levels.

8. Helium Leak Sensor: Recently, researchers from Nanjing University developed a novel helium leak sensor that uses sound waves instead of chemical reactions.

• Key Highlights: Helium is chemically inert, making it difficult to detect using conventional gas sensors that rely on chemical reactivity. Existing helium detection methods like mass spectrometry are accurate but bulky, costly, and impractical for widespread use.

• The new sensor is based on acoustic topological materials, which trap sound using a special geometric structure. The design uses a Kagome lattice (interlaced triangles and hexagons) that creates topological corner states.
• Sound waves introduced into the structure become trapped at the corners of a triangular device.
• When helium enters the device, it changes the speed of sound inside the structure.
• This change alters the frequency (pitch) of the trapped sound, allowing precise calculation of helium concentration.
• The sensor works across a wide temperature range (26°C to –34°C) and is insensitive to humidity.
• Unlike chemical sensors, it does not require frequent recalibration and is highly durable.
• The triangular geometry allows the sensor to identify the direction of the helium leak through signal timing differences.
• The technology enables faster, cheaper, and more robust helium leak detection. Potential applications include medical imaging (MRI), aerospace engineering, and space exploration.

9. Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO): Recently, the Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO) is strengthening space science and radio astronomy capacity across Africa.

• Key Highlights: Jointly hosted by South Africa and Australia, SKAO is the largest radio telescope project in the world.

• South Africa hosts the mid-frequency telescope (SKA-Mid), operated through South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO). Astronomy specialists in South Africa increased from fewer than 5 to over 200 since 2017 due to SKA-led capacity building.
• Over 1,700 scholarships awarded in space science disciplines, with 80–90% completion rates.
• South Africa collaborates with eight African partner countries: Kenya, Ghana, Madagascar, Mauritius, Zambia, Botswana, Mozambique, and Namibia.
• Partner countries benefit from skills development in radio astronomy, including through the Transient Array Radio Telescope (TART).
• SKA research led to the discovery of a giant radio galaxy, 32 times larger than the Milky Way.
• SKA-Mid achieved “first fringes”, proving multiple dishes can function together as an interferometer.
• The telescope uses optical fibre–linked antennas to function as a single giant telescope.
• SKAO involves 16 international partner countries, including India, China, Japan, Canada, and several European nations.