Daily Current Affairs 2025  

28/10/2025

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CA-28/10/2025

The recent updates on the PM-SHRI (Schools for Rising India) scheme in Kerala indicate significant political and administrative developments. Initially, Kerala signed an MoU with the central government to implement the scheme, which aims to develop 14,500 exemplar schools across the country to showcase aspects of the NEP 2020. However, amidst growing political controversy and pressure from coalition partner CPI, the Kerala government has decided to put the scheme on hold and set up a seven-member cabinet sub-committee to review its implementation.??
Key Points:

• Kerala government, citing concerns over the scheme’s implications, has paused its implementation until the review is complete.?
• The move follows objections from CPI, which argued that the scheme could undermine federalism and push a centralised education agenda, leading to coalition tensions within the LDF.??
• The government’s decision to review coincides with prior resistance to the NEP 2020, highlighting ongoing debates about centralisation in education policy.??
• The scheme aims at enhancing existing government and local body schools at various levels, adopting innovative and vocational learning methods.??

Political Ramifications:

• Kerala’s coalition partner CPI has strongly opposed the scheme, demanding its complete withdrawal, with protests and street-level opposition from student groups.?
• The government’s action reflects the broader political debate about federalism and educational control between state and central authorities.??
• Kerala now plans to communicate its concerns to the Centre, seeking relaxation of some scheme provisions.?

Overall, Kerala's government has temporarily halted the PM-SHRI scheme’s rollout in response to political pressures, with ongoing reviews and negotiations expected to shape its future course.

About PM- SHRI school

• The PM SHRI (Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India) scheme is a centrally sponsored initiative launched by the Government of India on September 7, 2022.
• Its aim is to qualitatively strengthen and upgrade over 14,500 existing schools across the country into model institutions that exemplify the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
• These schools, known as PM SHRI Schools, focus on holistic education, modern infrastructure, innovative teaching methods, and overall student development, including cognitive, physical, emotional, and social skills.?

Key features of PM SHRI Schools include:

• Modern infrastructure such as smart classrooms, digital labs, integrated science labs, Atal Tinkering Labs, and sports facilities.
• Emphasis on competency-based, experiential, inquiry-driven, and learner-centered pedagogy.
• Integration of green initiatives like solar panels, rainwater harvesting, waste management, and nutrition gardens.
• Focus on inclusivity, equitable access for underprivileged and differently-abled students, and multilingual education.
• Teacher training and continuous professional development to improve pedagogy.
• Community engagement fostering parental involvement and linkages with local industries for skill development.?

The scheme runs from 2022-23 to 2026-27, with shared funding between the central government and states. The selection of schools is competitive, based on a "Challenge Mode" process, ensuring only schools meeting certain quality benchmarks are chosen. As of late 2025, over 7,500 schools have already been upgraded under PM SHRI, with the goal to complete the transformation of 14,500 schools by 2027.?
Thus, PM SHRI schools serve as model institutions demonstrating excellence in education, aligned fully with the NEP 2020 vision of equity, inclusivity, pluralism, and preparing students for holistic development and future-ready skills.

  The Indian government has launched several key schemes to boost Electronics Components Manufacturing and strengthen the domestic electronics ecosystem.
The most prominent current schemes are the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme and the Scheme for Promotion of Manufacturing of Electronic Components and Semiconductors (SPECS).
 
1. Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme
The PLI scheme for Large Scale Electronics Manufacturing aims to attract large investments in the electronics value chain and incentivize substantial production growth.
Key Features:

• Incentive Type: Offers a financial incentive as a percentage of the incremental sales of manufactured goods (over a base year).

Target Segments: 

• The scheme specifically targets the manufacturing of mobile phones and specified electronic components, including:
• Passive components (resistors, capacitors, etc.).
• Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) and materials (laminates, prepregs).
• Sensors, transducers, and actuators.
• Assembly, Testing, Marking, and Packaging (ATMP) units.

Objective: To position India as a global hub for Electronics System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM) by encouraging large-scale, high-value manufacturing and exports.

2. Scheme for Promotion of Manufacturing of Electronic Components and Semiconductors (SPECS)
SPECS aims to offset the disabilities faced by domestic manufacturers by providing financial support for capital expenditure.

Key Features:

• Incentive Type: Provides a financial incentive of 25% on capital expenditure (on a reimbursement basis).
• Scope: Applicable to investments in new units, as well as the expansion, modernization, or diversification of existing units.

Target Segments: Specifically focuses on the downstream value chain of electronic products, including:

• Electronic components.
• Semiconductor/display fabrication units.
• ATMP (Assembly, Testing, Marking, and Packaging) units.
• Specialized sub-assemblies and capital goods.

Objective: To create a robust, deep, and sustainable supply chain for the electronics manufacturing ecosystem in India.

Other Related Initiatives
The government also supports electronics manufacturing through other related programs:

• Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS): This is a key initiative under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) that specifically focuses on core components and materials like multi-layer PCBs, camera modules, copper clad laminates, and polypropylene films to reduce import dependence.
• Modified Electronics Manufacturing Clusters (EMC 2.0) Scheme: Provides financial assistance for the development of world-class infrastructure and common facilities in Electronics Manufacturing Clusters (EMCs) to attract new investments.
• Modified Special Incentive Package Scheme (M-SIPS): An older scheme (applications closed on July 27, 2020) that offered a capital subsidy (20% for SEZ and 25% for non-SEZ investments) and reimbursement of central taxes and duties for investments in the ESDM sector. Projects approved under this scheme continue to receive incentives.

Cyclone Montha was a severe cyclonic storm that developed in the Bay of Bengal in October 2025 and primarily impacted the east coast of India.
Here are the key details about the cyclone:

Overview and Name Origin

• Classification: It intensified into a Severe Cyclonic Storm.
• Landfall: It made landfall on the coast of Andhra Pradesh (India), crossing between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, near Kakinada, on the night of October 28, 2025.
• Name: The name Montha was provided by Thailand, and it means a "fragrant flower" or "beautiful flower" in Thai.

Impact and Aftermath

• Affected Areas: The storm caused heavy to very heavy rainfall, strong winds (gusting up to 110 km/h at landfall), and coastal flooding in coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh, with impacts also felt in parts of Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana.
• Damage: Preliminary reports indicated damage to crops (paddy, maize, cotton, etc.) spread over a large area, as well as damage to infrastructure like roads, bridges, and electric poles. Fatalities were also reported.
• Weakening: After making landfall, the storm gradually weakened into a Cyclonic Storm and then a Deep Depression as it moved inland.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) was the regional specialized meteorological center responsible for tracking and issuing warnings for the cyclone. Extensive preparations, including evacuations and the deployment of rescue teams, were carried out by state governments in the affected regions. The Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses is a landmark initiative approved by the Union Cabinet and launched by the Government of India with the goal of achieving self-sufficiency in pulse production by 2030-31. It was announced in the FY 2025-26 Budget with a financial outlay of ?11,440 crore and will be implemented over six years from 2025-26 to 2030-31.

Key Objectives and Focus Areas

• To increase pulse production by 45%, from 242 lakh metric tonnes in 2023-24 to 350 lakh metric tonnes by 2030-31.
• To expand the area under pulse cultivation by 13%, from 275 lakh hectares to 310 lakh hectares.
• To improve yield by 28%, from 881 kg/ha to 1,130 kg/ha.
• Development and promotion of climate-resilient, high-protein pulse varieties through research and multi-location trials for regional suitability.
• Strengthening seed systems with the production and distribution of high-yielding, pest-resistant, and climate-resilient seeds.
• Enhancing post-harvest storage and management to reduce losses.
• Ensuring fair and remunerative prices for pulse farmers to incentivize production.
• Focus on sustainable growth, diversified cropping patterns, and empowering farmers with advanced technologies.

Strategic Importance
India is the largest producer and consumer of pulses globally, but domestic production has not kept pace with rising demand, leading to a 15-20% increase in imports. The Mission aims to reduce dependency on imports by maximizing production and increasing farmers' income sustainably.
Implementation Highlights

• Expansion of pulses cultivation into rice fallows and other suitable lands.
• Promotion of intercropping and crop diversification.
• Production and free distribution of seed kits to farmers.
• Adoption of climate adaptation measures and data-led monitoring systems to support decision-making.
• The mission aligns with Vision 2047 for sustainable agricultural growth.

This initiative represents a comprehensive approach to ensuring pulse self-reliance (Aatmanirbharta) in India, addressing production, technology, supply chain, and economic incentives comprehensively. The Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025 is India's largest-ever school hackathon (or nationwide innovation movement) organized by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, and AICTE.
Its main purpose is to foster a culture of innovation, creativity, and problem-solving among school students from Classes 6 to 12 by encouraging them to ideate and build prototypes for real-world challenges. The initiative aligns with the national vision of Viksit Bharat @2047 (Developed India by 2047).

Key Features and Themes

Feature	Detail
Target Participants	Over 1 crore students from more than 1.5 lakh schools across India.
Mode	Students form teams (typically 3-7 members) and submit their entries (ideas or prototypes) in the form of short videos via an online portal.
Learning Approach	Focuses on hands-on, experiential learning in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Award Pool	An award pool of ?1 crore is allocated for the top national, state, and district-level winners, who also receive long-term support and mentorship.

 
The innovation work is centered around four national themes:

• Atmanirbhar Bharat: Building self-reliant systems, tools, and technological solutions.
• Swadeshi: Fostering indigenous ideas, knowledge systems, and innovation.
• Vocal for Local: Promoting local products, crafts, and resources.
• Samriddh Bharat: Creating pathways to prosperity and sustainable development.

The Hindu festival of Chhath Puja in 2025 will be celebrated for four days, starting on Saturday, October 25, 2025, and concluding on Tuesday, October 28, 2025.
The festival is dedicated to Lord Surya (the Sun God) and Chhathi Maiya and is primarily celebrated in the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh. It is known for its extreme rigor, discipline, and profound connection to nature.

Chhath Puja 2025 Schedule
The four-day festival follows a strict schedule of rituals, each with its own spiritual significance.

Day	Date (2025)	Event	Significance
Day 1	October 25 (Saturday)	Nahay Khay	Devotees take a holy dip (often in the Ganga river) and prepare and eat a single, pure, satvik meal to cleanse the body and mind.
Day 2	October 26 (Sunday)	Kharna or Lohanda	A day-long fast without water is observed. The fast is broken in the evening after offering a special prasad (typically kheer and roti) to the Sun God. This marks the beginning of the 36-hour Nirjala Vrat (fast without food or water).
Day 3	October 27 (Monday)	Sandhya Arghya (Main Day)	Devotees maintain the 36-hour waterless fast. They gather at the banks of a river, pond, or water body to offer the evening Arghya (offerings) to the setting Sun (Pratyusha).
Day 4	October 28 (Tuesday)	Usha Arghya and Parana	Devotees return to the water body before dawn to offer the morning Arghya to the rising Sun (Usha). After this final offering, the 36-hour fast is broken (Parana).

The main day of the festival, when the evening offerings are made, is on the Shashthi Tithi of the bright fortnight in the Hindu month of Kartika, which is October 27, 2025.
Key Rituals

• Rigorous Fasting: The main phase is the 36-hour Nirjala Vrat, where the main devotee abstains from both food and water.
• Worship in Water: Devotees stand waist-deep in water (at rivers, lakes, or ghats) to offer the Arghya to the Sun during both sunset and sunrise.
• Offerings (Prasad): Offerings are prepared with utmost purity and traditionally include seasonal fruits, sugarcane, coconuts, and a sweet made from wheat flour and jaggery called Thekua.
• Purity and Simplicity: The festival emphasizes a high degree of cleanliness and purity in everything from the food preparation to the clothes worn. Worshippers typically use bamboo baskets (soops) to hold the offerings.

The festival is one of the few major Hindu festivals where worship is performed without a priest, symbolizing a direct and humble connection with the life-giving energy of the sun and the natural world. The latest archaeological news regarding the Dilmun Civilization is the discovery of a 4,000-year-old Bronze Age temple on Failaka Island, Kuwait.

Key Details of the Discovery

• Location: Failaka Island, Kuwait, specifically at the mound known as Tell F6, east of the Dilmun palace and temple area.
• Time Period: The temple dates back to the early Dilmun period (Bronze Age), specifically between 1900 and 1800 BCE.
• Discovery Team: The finding was made by a joint Kuwaiti–Danish archaeological team from the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL) and the Moesgaard Museum.

Significance:

• The complete layout of the temple was found situated directly beneath another Dilmun temple that had been uncovered in the previous year's excavation. This confirms the rare architectural phenomenon of two temples built sequentially on the exact same site.
• The discovery reinforces the theory that Failaka Island was not just a temporary trading post but a major administrative and ritual center for the Dilmun Kingdom.
• The temple features stone foundation walls, a multi-room structure, and a central chamber that aligns with ritual buildings found in Bahrain and Eastern Arabia.

Artifacts Recovered: 
The excavation yielded early Dilmun craftsmanship, including pottery sherds, seals and seal impressions (used in trade and administration), beads, and carved fragments.
Dilmun was a powerful Bronze Age trading hub centered in the Persian Gulf, primarily on the islands of Bahrain and Failaka in Kuwait, which acted as a critical intermediary in long-distance trade between Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) and the Indus Valley Civilization. The most significant and recurring recent news regarding the Dogri language centers on the growing concern over its decline and various efforts aimed at its preservation and promotion, particularly in the Jammu region.

The key points from recent discussions include:

• Decline in Usage: Recent sociolinguistic studies highlight a sharp decline in the use and literacy of Dogri, especially among the younger, urban populations. Some surveys indicate near-zero proficiency in reading or writing Dogri among the youth.
• Official Status vs. Practical Use: Despite its recognition as one of the 22 Scheduled Languages of India (since 2003) and one of the five official languages of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir (since 2020), this official status has not fully translated into widespread use in education, administration, or daily life.
• Policy and Institutional Gaps: A significant factor cited for the decline is the lack of adequate and sustained government support, including delayed institutional recognition compared to languages like Urdu and Hindi, and insufficient funding for teacher training, textbooks, and cultural programming.

Revival Efforts: 
Initiatives for revival include:

• Educational Integration: Efforts to introduce Dogri as a "third major language" in government schools at the primary level in the Jammu region, with ongoing work on developing syllabi and textbooks.
• Cultural Promotion: Events like the annual 'Dogri Manyata Diwas' (Dogri Recognition Day) and seminars by bodies like the Sahitya Akademi (e.g., a recent symposium on "Dogri Language Issues and Solutions").
• Digital and Media Presence: Calls for increasing Dogri content on digital platforms, social media, radio, and television to attract younger audiences.
• Political Visibility: Dogri has been in the news due to instances like newly-elected Members of Parliament taking their oaths in Dogri during the Lok Sabha oath ceremony.

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