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.