Daily Current Affairs
To The Point Notes
Education
1.QS World University Ranking 2025
- QS Ranking: Established in 2004, most reputed global university ranking. Evaluates nearly 1,500 universities across 104 locations.
- Top Global Institutions:
- 1st: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (13th consecutive year)
- 2nd: Imperial College London (up from 6th)
- 3rd (Joint): Harvard University & University of Oxford
- Performance of Indian Universities:
- 7 out of Top 10 Indian ranks held by IITs (Bombay, Delhi, Kharagpur, Madras, Kanpur, Guwahati)
- IIT Bombay: Most Improved (149 in 2024 to 118 in 2025)
- University of Delhi: Significant Improvement (407 in 2024 to 328 in 2025), 7th among Indian universities
IR
2.China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)
- Launched in 2015, CPEC is a 3,000 km network of infrastructure projects connecting China’s Xinjiang to Pakistan’s Gwadar Port.
- Estimated cost: $62 billion.
- Part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) – a strategy to expand its global influence through infrastructure investment.
- BRI aims to connect Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Middle East, Africa, and Europe.
- CPEC’s route through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) violates India’s sovereignty as India claims PoK.
IR
3.India-Norway Cooperation
- Strong political ties and institutional mechanisms between India and Norway.
- Collaboration in the Blue Economy (marine & maritime development) a key focus.
- Recent trade deal with EFTA (European Free Trade Association) including Norway a major boost.
- EFTA: Intergovernmental organization of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway & Switzerland promoting free trade.
- EFTA-India trade exceeded $6.1 billion in 2022.
- India imports chemicals from EFTA, while exporting machinery & pharmaceuticals.
- Norway expects India-Norway cooperation to significantly increase in the next decade.
Health
4.Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)
- Caused by Influenza A viruses, classified by origin host (e.g., H5N1 – bird flu, H1N1 – swine flu).
- Primarily infects birds but can spread to humans (zoonotic disease).
- H5N1 subtype particularly concerning due to past human outbreaks.
- Symptoms: fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches, severe respiratory distress (advanced cases).
- Prevention:
- Avoid contact with sick/dead birds.
- Thoroughly cook poultry products.
- Implement strong surveillance for early detection and response.
- Recent Case: WHO confirmed death in Mexico from H5N2 strain (not previously seen in humans).
Source : https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-sci-tech/human-death-h5n2-bird-mexico-9378612/
Science and Technology
5.TRISHNA Mission (ISRO-French Collaboration)
Mission Goal: High-resolution monitoring of Earth’s surface for resource assessment.
Space Agencies Involved: ISRO (India) & CNES (France)
Key Features:
- High spatial & temporal resolution data on Earth’s surface temperature, emissivity, and radiation.
- Monitors energy & water budgets of continental biospheres.
- Observes water quality & dynamics in coastal & inland waters.
Objectives:
- Address water & food security challenges:
- Quantify terrestrial water stress & use.
- Monitor evapotranspiration for efficient water management.
- Track impacts of climate change.
- Assess urban heat islands & thermal anomalies (volcanic activity, geothermal resources).
- Monitor snowmelt runoff, glacier dynamics, and ice cover.
- Provide data on:
- Aerosol optical depth
- Atmospheric water vapor
- Cloud cover
- Climate monitoring: Track droughts, permafrost changes, and evapotranspiration rates.
Economy
6.Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) 2022-23 (MoSPI)
Key Findings:
- Food Expenditure: Highest share in both rural (~46%) and urban (~39%) areas.
- Rural: Highest spending on “milk & milk products” in Haryana (41.7% of food expenditure).
- Urban: Highest spending on “milk & milk products” in Rajasthan (33.2% of food expenditure).
- Kerala has the most significant spending on “egg, fish & meat” in rural areas (23.5% of food expenditure).
- Non-food Expenditure: Increased significantly over the years (now >50%).
- Top category: “conveyance” in both rural & urban areas across most states.
- Followed by:
- Durable goods
- Miscellaneous goods
- Entertainment
- Medical expenses and fuel & light are also significant non-food expense categories.
Science and Technology
7.Milgromian Dynamics (MOND) Theory
Proposed by: Mordehai Milgrom (1982)
Objective: Explain galactic rotation curves without dark matter by modifying Newtonian dynamics at low accelerations (weak gravity).
Successes:
- Predicts galaxy rotation curves well.
- Explains some other astrophysical phenomena.
Limitations:
- Fails to explain motions within galaxy clusters (lacks gravity on large scales).
- Inaccurate for small bodies in the distant solar system (MOND doesn’t apply at specific distances).
- Newtonian gravity prevails at scales below a light-year.
Dark Matter (Context):
- Proposed to explain galactic motions requiring more gravity than visible mass allows.
- Invisible matter with gravitational influence.
Geography
8.Onge Tribe
- Population: 136 (recent birth brings a hopeful sign)
- Location: Little Andaman Island, India (isolated island life)
- Ancestry: Negrito (ancient lineage with unique characteristics)
- Lifestyle: Semi-nomadic (traditionally move within their territory) – They rely on hunting, fishing, and gathering for food (deep connection to their environment).
- Religion: Animistic (believe spirits inhabit nature) – Their reverence for the natural world is central to their way of life.
- Customs:
- Redden teeth (symbolic practice, white teeth associated with death)
- Body ornamentation (decorative clay paint used for ceremonies and social gatherings)
- Challenges:
- Resettlement (forced relocation in the 1970s) – This resulted in loss of ancestral lands, impacting their traditional way of life.
- Fertility issues (over 40% struggle to conceive) – This low fertility rate threatens the long-term survival of the tribe.
Economy
9.India’s Booming High Net-Worth Individuals (HNWIs) (Capgemini Report)
Surge in High Net-Worth Individuals (HNWIs):
- India’s HNWI population is on a tear, with a 12.2% increase in 2023 compared to 2022. This translates to a total of 3.589 million HNWIs – a significant rise.
- Their financial wealth is keeping pace, with a remarkable 12.4% growth in 2023. The collective wealth of Indian HNWIs now stands at a staggering $1.445 trillion.
India Leads APAC Growth:
- The Asia-Pacific region is experiencing HNWI growth, but India stands out as a leader.
- Compared to Australia (the other top performer), India boasts a higher growth rate in both HNWI wealth (12.4% vs 7.9%) and population (12.2% vs 7.8%).
Strong Economic Tailwinds:
- India’s robust economic performance is a key driver of HNWI growth.
- The unemployment rate has nearly halved (3.1% in 2023 vs 7% in 2022), and the economy continues to expand (7.3% growth in 2023).
- A surging stock market (29% increase in market cap) and a healthy national savings rate (33.4% of GDP) further support this positive economic climate.
HNWI Wealth Management in Demand:
- Capgemini’s Wealth Management division highlights the evolving needs of HNWIs.
- With a dynamic economic landscape, effective wealth management strategies are becoming increasingly crucial.
Source : The Hindu
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