1. AADHARSHILA (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 –Education)

Context: For the first time ever, the Central government has released curriculum advisable National Curriculum for Early Childhood Care and Education 2024 titled ‘Aadharshila,’ to be taught to children aged three to six-years-old, thus giving an impetus to pre-school learning in 14 lakh anganwadis across the country.

Aadharshila

• About: The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) has released the National Curriculum for Early Childhood Care and Education 2024 titled ‘Aadharshila,’ on the lines of the National Education Policy 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework.
• Meaning of Aadharshila: As foundation stone is a detailed 48-week curriculum meant for learning in the age-group of three to six-year-olds in anganwadis.
• Role of Anganwadis: There are 14 lakh anganwadis in India which serve as nodal points in villages for health and nutrition needs of pregnant mothers and children. 

o The MWCD, along with the Ministry of Education, has envisioned that these anganwadis should double up as pre-schools which impart basic learning to children, thus strengthening their foundational literacy and numeracy concepts.

• Development Committee: Ministry of Women and Child Development, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Department of School Education and Literacy, the Ministry of Education, the National Council of Educational Research & Training, the Institute of Home Economics, Delhi University, and civil society organizations.

Features of Adharshila

• Initiation Phase: The curriculum includes a weekly-based play calendar with four weeks of initiation, integrating academic activities to help children transition from home to the anganwadi centre by engaging them in fun and free play.
• Learning Phase: The next 36 weeks are spent in exploring, free play, conversation, creation, and appreciation, involving various activities such as storytelling, singing rhymes, art and craft, etc. Storytelling themes focus on conflict resolution, taking responsibility, and working with and helping others.
• Age-Segregated Activities: These are segregated age-wise, with detailed material requirements, age-appropriate specifications, variation, notes for the teacher, targeted curricular goals, and competency that children achieve, observing children’s interest.
• Base for States: The national framework for three to six years will serve as a base for States to develop their own culturally appropriate curriculums, seen as a solution to tackle later school challenges of children.

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2. NATIONAL CYBERCRIME REPORTING PORTAL (Syllabus GS Paper 3 – Cyber Security)

Context: Recently, banks have proposed integrating their systems with the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP), an arm of the Ministry of Home Affairs, which could pave the way for a faster freeze on fraudsters' accounts in case of a cyberattack.

National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP)

• About: The portal serves as an initiative by the Government of India to enable victims/complainants to report cybercrime complaints online.
• Coverage: It caters to all types of cybercrime complaints, encompassing a wide range of offenses such as online Child Pornography (CP), Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), Rape/Gang Rape (CP/RGR) content, mobile crimes, online and social media crimes, online financial frauds, ransomware, hacking, cryptocurrency crimes, and online cyber trafficking.
• Purpose: Aimed at restraining perpetrators of digital crimes and phishing attacks.
• Objective: Prevent quick movement of money from a target’s bank account to accounts with multiple banks.
• Anonymous Reporting Option: The portal offers the option of reporting anonymously, particularly for sensitive cases involving online Child Pornography (CP) or sexually explicit content like Rape/Gang Rape (RGR) content.
• Two options for reporting cybercrimes on the portal:

o Report Crime related to Women/ Child: Under this section, you can report complaints pertaining to online Child Pornography (CP), Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) or sexually explicit content such as Rape/Gang Rape (CP/RGR) content.

o Report Other Cybercrimes: Under this option, you can report complaints pertaining to cybercrimes such as mobile crimes, online and social media crimes, online financial frauds, ransomware, hacking, cryptocurrency crimes and online cyber trafficking.

Child Sexually Abusive Material (CSAM)

• About: It  refers to material containing sexual image in any form, of a child who is abused or sexually exploited. Section 67 (B) of IT Act states that “it is punishable for publishing or transmitting of material depicting children in sexually explicit act, etc. in electronic form”.

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3. VASUKI INDICUS (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: Paleontologists in India have unearthed a fearsome relic from the past a giant predator snake estimated to be as large as the longest snake ever discovered.

Vasuki Indicus

• New Species: The new species, named Vasuki indicus after the mythical serpent associated with Lord Shiva, belonged to the now-extinct Madtsoiidae snake family.

o The fossilised remains, measuring 10-15 metres long, were found in Gujarat’s Panandhro Lignite Mine in Kutch and date back a staggering 47 million years.

oDiscovered by: IIT-Roorkee paleontology professor Sunil Bajpai in 2005. He found the remains in a coal mine in Kutch.

• Madtsoiidae Family: Madtsoiidae are Gondwanan terrestrial snakes that lived between the Upper Cretaceous (100.5 million to 66 million years ago) and the Late Pleistocene (0.126 million years ago to 0.012 million years ago).
• Importance of Madtsoiidae; This family of snakes is considered a pivotal group for our understanding of snake origins and evolution.
• Comparison with Titanoboa: The researchers believe Vasuki indicus rivalled the infamous Titanoboa. 

o The monstrous snake was one of the largest known predators in the period between the extinction of dinosaurs 65 million years ago and the first appearance of Megalodon roughly 23 million years ago.

• Vasuki's Predatory Behavior: They also speculate that Vasuki was perhaps too large to be an active forager and was more likely to have behaved like modern anacondas and large-bodied pythonids by ambushing and subduing its prey.

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4. IRAN-ISRAEL CONFLICT (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – IR)

Context: Tensions in the Middle East deepened recently as Iran fired its air defense batteries at a major air base and a nuclear site near Isfahan after drones were spotted.

Isfahan

• About: It is the central city in Iran, hosts Iran’s major airbase and a nuclear site, as reported by the news agency AP.
• Population: Isfahan, with a population of over 2 million, is a cultural and historical centre. 
• Situated: Halfway between the Zagros Mountains and the Iranian desert, it historically served as a crossroads for trade routes.
• Nuclear Facilities in Isfahan: The Isfahan facility operates three small Chinese-supplied research reactors and handles fuel production and other activities for Iran’s civilian nuclear program.
• Expansion of Nuclear Research: Iran has recently announced the construction of a fourth nuclear research reactor in Isfahan, alongside a new nuclear power plant complex in the south of the country.

Iran-Israel Conflict

• Pre-1979 Iran-Israel Relations: Iran recognized Israel after its formation in 1948, maintaining diplomatic ties and shared interests, opposing Arab hostility.

o Israel pursued a "periphery doctrine" to counter Arab hostility by forming alliances with non-Arab, mostly Muslim countries like Iran and Turkey.

• 1979 Islamic Revolution: After this Revolution, Iran's view of Israel changed, considering it an occupier of Palestinian land. Ayatollah Khomeini termed Israel as "Little Satan".
• Israel-Iran Issues:
• Israel’s Strong Alliance with the US: It increases Iran's insecurity due to Western interference in the Middle East, posing a direct threat to its security and interests.
• US Sanctions on Iran: Iran has been under various degrees of US sanctions since 1979, aiming to censure Iran and prevent its progress in prohibited nuclear activities.
• Proxy Conflicts and Covert Operations: Both countries have engineered proxy conflicts and covert operations against each other, involved in proxy wars in Syria, Yemen, etc.
• Iranian Nuclear Program: Israel considers the Iranian nuclear program an existential threat. The Bushehr I reactor, operational since September 2011, marked Iran's entry into nuclear power with Russia's assistance.

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5. GAIA (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Environment)

Context: The Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) Asia Pacific has urged the ASEAN to take decisive action in addressing plastic pollution.

Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA)

• About: GAIA is a worldwide alliance of more than 1,000 grassroots groups, non-governmental organizations, and individuals.
• Objective: It aims to power a transition away from our current linear and extractive economy and towards a circular system that supports people’s right to a safe and healthy environment.
• Vision: GAIA envisions a just, zero-waste world built on respect for ecological limits and community rights, where people are free from the burden of toxic pollution and resources are sustainably conserved, not burned or dumped.
• Areas of Focus: This entails fighting pollution and building regenerative solutions in cities through local campaigns, shifts in policy and finance, research and communication initiatives, and movement building.
• Primary Points of Intervention: They work on four primary points of intervention: incineration, zero waste, plastic, and climate.

Incineration

• About: It  is the process of burning hazardous materials at temperatures high enough to destroy contaminants.
• Materials Treated: Many different types of hazardous materials can be treated by incineration, including soil, sludge, liquids, and gases.
• Limitations: Although it destroys many kinds of harmful chemicals, such as solvents, PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), and pesticides, incineration does not destroy metals, such as lead and chromium.
• Pollution Control: Modern incinerators include air pollution control equipment (e.g., fabric filters, scrubbers, and electrostatic precipitators) to remove fly ash and gaseous contaminants.

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6. NPCI (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) will review its decision to implement a 30% cap on the market share of payment players offering Unified Payments Interface (UPI) services by the end of 2024, said two people close to the development.

National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)

• About: It is an umbrella organization for operating retail payments and settlement systems in India.
• Established:  As an initiative of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA), the NPCI operates under the provisions of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, to create a robust Payment & Settlement Infrastructure in India.
• Not-for-Profit Company: Incorporated as a “Not for Profit” Company under Section 25 of the Companies Act 1956, the NPCI focuses on bringing innovations in retail payment systems through technology for greater operational efficiency and wider payment reach.
• Innovation in Retail Payment Systems: The company is dedicated to bringing innovation to retail payment systems by leveraging technology to enhance operational efficiency and expand the reach of payments.
• Promoted by: NPCI is promoted by ten major banks, including the State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, Citibank, Bank of Baroda, and HSBC.
• Regulatory Board Composition: The regulatory board of the NPCI, headquartered in Mumbai, includes nominees from the RBI and ten core promoter banks.
• Payment Systems: NPCI operates various payment systems, including National Financial Switch (NFS), Immediate Payment System (IMPS), Aadhaar-enabled Payments System (AEPS), and National Automated Clearing House (NACH).

Unified Payments Interface (UPI)

• About: A system that powers multiple bank accounts into a single mobile application (of any participating bank), merging several banking features, seamless fund routing & merchant payments into one hood. 

o It also caters to the “Peer to Peer” collect request which can be scheduled and paid as per requirement and convenience.

• Developed by: National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
• Benefits of UPI

o Single-click Two Factor authentication

o Universal Application for transaction

o No risk of storing customer’s virtual address like in Cards.

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7. GLOBAL FINANCIAL STABILITY REPORT (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: Private credit has recently become so substantial globally that the International Monetary Fund has dedicated an entire chapter in its latest Global Financial Stability Report to its "rise and risks," released last week.

oThough India is still a relatively small market for private credit, there are important pointers in the report that our policymakers and regulators should take note of.

Global Financial Stability Report

• About: It assesses the global financial system and markets, focusing on emerging market financing within a global context.
• Examination of Market Conditions: It provides an evaluation of current market conditions, identifying systemic issues that could threaten financial stability and the sustained market access of emerging market borrowers.
• IMF's World Economic Outlook: The report draws out the financial implications of economic imbalances highlighted by the IMF's World Economic Outlook.
• Features: The report includes special features, such as analytical chapters or essays, addressing structural or systemic issues relevant to international financial stability.

Private Credit

• About: It encompasses diverse strategies spanning borrower types and capital structures.
• Range of Borrower and Asset Types: From senior secured loans for established corporations to junior unsecured credit for new construction, private credit extends to loans against specialized assets and contractual revenue streams.
• Risk and Return Dynamics: Different loan types entail varying levels of risk, offering a spectrum of returns. Senior secured loans provide stability with lower risk, while unsecured and mezzanine strategies offer higher yields with increased credit risk.
• Yield vs. Capital Appreciation: Returns in private credit can stem from both yield and potential capital appreciation, with senior secured loans typically emphasizing stable yield.
• Specialized and Alternative Opportunities: Specialty credit options, including distressed situations, offer unique cash yields and varied risk/return profiles, catering to specific investment goals.
• Tailored Investment Strategies: Private credit portfolios can be customized to meet individual investor objectives, leveraging the diverse array of strategies available.

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8. DISINFLATION (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: "The gains in disinflation achieved over the last two years have to be preserved and taken forward recently towards aligning the headline inflation to the 4 per cent target on a durable basis," the RBI Governor wrote in the minutes of the MPC.

Inflation

• About: Inflation happens when the cost of things goes up in an economy, which makes it harder for people to buy stuff and reduces the value of the money they have.
• Inflation tracks how the prices of a collection of goods and services change on average as time passes.
• Two main sets of inflation indices: The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) and the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

Disinflation

• About: It refers to a temporary deceleration in price inflation, indicating a slight decrease in the inflation rate over a brief timeframe.
• Measuring Disinflation: Unlike inflation and deflation, which signify the direction of prices, disinflation focuses on the rate of change in the inflation rate.
• Economic Stability: A controlled level of disinflation is essential to prevent the economy from overheating, ensuring a moderate and sustainable economic environment.
• Causes of Disinflation: Increases in the supply of money available for use in a nation's economy. 
• Response from Central Banks: Central banks frequently utilize monetary policy tools to address disinflation. 

Deflation and  Skewflation

• Deflation: It is the opposite of inflation: it's when prices fall instead of rise. In the U.S., deflation is happening across categories like food, energy and household goods, according to consumer price index data.
• Skewflation: It is a type of inflation in which the prices of a single commodity or a set of commodities rise while the overall price level remains stable.

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9. TIGER CAT (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: The recently discovered clouded tiger cat, a new species found in Brazil, faces threats from deforestation and illegal hunting.

Tiger Cat

• About: Also known as the oncilla, cats are small spotted cats that quietly stalk Central and South America, perfectly adapted for clambering in trees and hunting small prey.
• Size and Shyness: They are among the shyest and smallest wild cats in the Americas and much smaller than most domestic house cats.
• Classification: Until recently, they were split into two species: the northern tiger cat (Leopardus tigrinus), and the Atlantic Forest tiger cat (Leopardus guttulus).
• Habitat: The northern tiger cat is native to the savanna and shrublands of the Guiana Shield and central Brazil.
• Habitat of Atlantic Tiger Cat: These cat lives further south in forested areas of central to southern Brazil, down through Paraguay and northeastern Argentina.
• New Species: Researchers recently concluded that the family includes a third species: the clouded tiger cat (Leopardus pardinoides).

Clouded Tiger Cat

• About: It is a new species of forest-dwelling tiger cat.
• Scientific name:  Leopardus pardinoides.
• Geographic Distribution: Found in the cloud forests of the southern Central American and Andean Mountain chains. Ranges from Costa Rica through Panama, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, to Argentina.
• Features: A long-tailed cat with short, round ears, weighing around 2.27 kg.

o The head resembles that of a margay, covered in dense, soft fur.

o The fur has a rich reddish/orangish/grayish-yellow background color.

o Adorned with irregularly shaped medium-large ‘cloudy’ rosettes that are strongly marked and often coalesce.

o Distinctively, it has only one pair of mammae/teats.

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10. SHOMPEN TRIBE (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Vulnerable Section)

Context: Recently, members of the Shompen, one of the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in the country, participated in the election process for the first time by casting their votes in the Andaman and Nicobar Lok Sabha constituency.

Shompen Tribe

• About: These are one of the most isolated tribes on Earth, residing in the dense tropical rainforest of Great Nicobar Island in the Andaman and Nicobar group of Islands.
• Limited Study and Census Data: They are one of the least studied Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in India, with only limited information available despite a census conducted in 2011 estimating their population at 229.
• Refusal of Outside Contact: Most Shompen individuals remain uncontacted, displaying a reluctance to interact with outsiders and preferring to maintain their isolation.
• Territorial Identification: Living in small groups, Shompen territories are identified by the rivers that weave through the rainforest, marking boundaries.
• Traditional Livelihood Practices: As semi-nomadic hunter-gatherers, their livelihood revolves around hunting, gathering, fishing, and rudimentary horticultural activities.
• Language: Shompen speak their own language with multiple dialects, often unintelligible between bands.
• Physical Characteristics: Shompen individuals typically exhibit features such as short to medium stature, round or broad head shape, narrow nose, light brown to yellow-brown skin, and oblique eye features, reflecting Mongoloid ancestry.
• Family Structure: Shompen families consist of nuclear units, typically comprising a husband, wife, and unmarried children. 

o The eldest male member holds authority over family affairs, with monogamy being prevalent but polygamy also permitted.

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