Daily Current Affairs 2025  

28/01/2026

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CA-28/01/2026

• Facilitate smooth implementation of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
• Engage private enterprises to reduce bureaucratic hurdles.
• Strengthen India-EU ties as a “double engine of global growth.”

• Scope: Covers trade in goods, services, and investments across a market of nearly 2 billion people.
• Implementation Timeline: Expected to be fully operational by early 2027.
• Tariff Reductions: India will slash tariffs on 97% of goods imported from Europe, including cars, wines, and chocolates.
• Protected Sectors: Dairy and agriculture remain safeguarded for India.

• Banking & Finance: Easier capital flows and investment opportunities.
• Shipping & Logistics: Improved trade routes and reduced costs.
• Food & Beverage: Expanded access to European markets.
• Technology & Services: Boost in IT, digital trade, and innovation partnerships.

• Security & Defence Partnership (SDP): Signed alongside the FTA to deepen cooperation in global security.
• Global Stability: India-EU ties positioned as stabilizing forces amid global trade volatility.
• Whole-of-Society Partnership: PM Modi emphasized inclusive participation from businesses, governments, and civil society.

• Agriculture Protection: India’s insistence on shielding dairy and farming may limit EU’s market access.
• Regulatory Alignment: Harmonizing standards across diverse sectors could slow implementation.
• Geopolitical Pressures: Ongoing global conflicts may test the resilience of the partnership.

• Fund Utilization: States and UTs were urged to accelerate spending of central allocations before the end of the Finance Commission cycle.
• Infrastructure Push: Emphasis on modernizing dairy infrastructure and scaling up digital livestock management systems.
• Animal Health: Strengthening animal health services to reduce disease burden and improve productivity.
• Farmer Incomes: Strategies to increase farmer earnings through better milk procurement, processing, and marketing.
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): Strict adherence to SOPs was highlighted as critical for effective implementation.

• Objective: To replicate and expand India’s earlier dairy revolution by focusing on quality, sustainability, and inclusivity.
• Key Components:
  • Dairy infrastructure modernization
  • Digital livestock tracking
  • Veterinary health and vaccination programs
  • Farmer-centric schemes for income enhancement

• Slow Fund Utilization: Some states lagged in deploying funds, risking delays in project outcomes.
• Execution Gaps: On-ground implementation inconsistencies were flagged.
• Need for Coordination: Stronger collaboration between central and state agencies was stressed to avoid bottlenecks.

Scheme	Focus Area	Key Benefits
Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM)	Genetic improvement of indigenous cattle breeds	Training AI technicians (MAITRIs), breed conservation
National Livestock Mission (NLM)	Feed, fodder, and poultry development	Improves productivity and reduces input costs
Livestock Health & Disease Control (LHDCP)	Disease prevention & vaccination	Controls foot-and-mouth disease, brucellosis
National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD)	Dairy cooperative strengthening	Grants for training, hygienic practices, quality management
Dairy Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF)	Modernization of dairy plants	Loans for chilling, processing, and packaging units
Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF)	Private sector investment	Credit support for dairy, meat, feed plants
Supporting Dairy Cooperatives & FPOs (SDCFPO)	Farmer Producer Organizations	Enhances market access and cooperative viability
Livestock Census & Integrated Sample Survey (LC&ISS)	Data collection	Provides baseline for policy planning

• Origin: First identified in Malaysia in 1998 among pig farmers.
• Natural Reservoir: Fruit bats (Pteropus species, also called flying foxes).
• Transmission:
  • From bats or pigs to humans.
  • Through contaminated food (e.g., fruit partially eaten by bats).
  • Human-to-human via close contact.

• Early signs: Fever, cough, headache, sore throat, muscle pain.
• Severe progression:
  • Acute respiratory distress.
  • Neurological issues: confusion, seizures, encephalitis (brain inflammation).
• Onset: Usually 5–14 days after exposure.

• Estimated: 40%–75% depending on outbreak conditions.
• Reason for high lethality: Rapid progression to brain and lung involvement, limited treatment options.

• No vaccine or antiviral treatment available.
• Supportive care only (hydration, oxygen therapy, seizure management).
• Preventive measures:
  • Avoid contact with bats, pigs, and sick individuals.
  • Do not consume fruits potentially contaminated by bats.
  • Strict infection control in hospitals (PPE, isolation).

• High fatality rate makes even a single case a public health emergency.
• Potential for cross-border spread due to human travel.
• Limited medical infrastructure in outbreak zones increases risk.
• Psychological impact: Fear and stigma in affected communities.

• Launch Date: February 2026
• Conducted By: National Statistics Office (NSO), MoSPI
• Coverage: Pan-India, across urban and rural households
• Duration: One full year of fieldwork (April 2026 – March 2027)

• Income Distribution: First comprehensive dataset on household income across India.
• Living Conditions: Capture expenditure, consumption, and hardship indicators.
• Policy Support: Provide evidence for poverty analysis, welfare schemes, and inequality studies.
• Economic Indicators: Aid in rebasing the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and preparing National Accounts.

• Digital Data Collection: Surveys will be conducted digitally for efficiency and accuracy.
• Workshops & Training: An All-India Workshop of Trainers (AIWOT) is scheduled in Chennai (Jan 28–29, 2026) to prepare field staff.
• Sample Size: Large-scale, representative sample covering diverse socio-economic groups.
• Integration: Linked with other surveys like the Annual Survey of Incorporated Service Sector Enterprises (ASISSE).

• First of Its Kind: India has never had a nationwide income distribution survey before. Past NSS surveys focused on consumption, employment, and health but not direct income.
• Policy Impact: Will help design targeted welfare programs, measure inequality, and track structural changes in the economy.
• Global Benchmarking: Aligns India’s statistical system with international practices on income measurement.

• Accuracy of Income Reporting: Households may underreport or misreport income, requiring careful survey design.
• Regional Variations: Income sources differ widely between rural and urban areas, and across states.
• Implementation Scale: Training and digital rollout across India’s vast geography is complex.

• Date: January 28 (celebrated worldwide).
• Purpose: Raise awareness about the importance of protecting personal information online and offline.
• Origin: Data Privacy Day originated from the signing of Convention 108 on January 28, 1981, but was first officially observed in 2007. It was initiated by the Council of Europe to commemorate the 1981 treaty, which was the first legally binding international law on data protection.
• Global Reach: Recognized in North America, Europe, and increasingly across Asia, including India.

• “Prioritize Privacy by Design” – encouraging companies, governments, and individuals to integrate privacy safeguards into systems and processes from the start, rather than as an afterthought.
• Focus areas:
  • Embedding privacy into AI systems and digital platforms.
  • Ensuring trust and transparency in data collection.
  • Promoting user empowerment through awareness and control of personal data.

• Compliance vs. practice: Many organizations treat privacy as a checkbox exercise rather than a continuous discipline.
• AI governance gaps: Rapid adoption of AI without robust privacy frameworks.
• User awareness: Individuals often underestimate how much personal data they expose daily.

• Genus: Hemileccinum (boletes – mushrooms with pores instead of gills)
• Cap & Stem: Typical bolete structure with a fleshy cap and pores underneath.
• Identification Method:
  • Multigene molecular phylogenetic analysis (genetic sequencing)
  • Electron microscopy to study spore structure
• Unique Trait: Pitted spores, distinguishing it from related North American and Chinese species

• First Record in India: Expands fungal biodiversity documentation in the Himalayas.
• Ecological Role: Likely forms mycorrhizal associations with oak trees, aiding forest health.
• Scientific Importance: Highlights the underexplored fungal diversity of Himalayan ecosystems.
• Conservation Value: Adds urgency to protect fragile high-altitude forests where undiscovered species may thrive

• Edibility: No confirmation yet; Hemileccinum indicum is not classified as edible.
• Research Stage: Still under scientific study; caution advised against foraging.
• Conservation Challenge: Climate change and deforestation in Himalayan oak forests may threaten its habitat.

• Shape & Structure: Rod-shaped, Gram-positive, motile, spore-forming.
• Metabolism: Facultative aerobe (can survive with or without oxygen).
• Habitat: Found in soil, vegetation, gastrointestinal tracts of humans and animals, and fermented foods.
• Growth Temperature: Optimal between 25–35°C.
• Special Features:
  • Produces enzymes like amylase.
  • Forms biofilms with extracellular polymeric matrices.
  • Capable of secreting antibiotics.

• Model organism for studying bacterial chromosome replication, cell differentiation, and genetic transformation.
• Extensively used in biotechnology for genetic engineering and protein production.

• Produces enzymes (e.g., proteases, amylases) used in detergents, food processing, and textiles.
• Applied in biocontrol as a natural pesticide against plant pathogens.

• Acts as a probiotic (“good bacteria”) supporting gut health.
• Found in fermented foods like natto (Japanese fermented soybeans).
• Studied for its ability to produce antimicrobial compounds.

• Generally safe and non-pathogenic, but rare cases of opportunistic infections have been reported in immunocompromised individuals.
• Industrial strains are carefully selected to avoid harmful variants.
• Overuse in agriculture could potentially disrupt natural microbial ecosystems.

• Founded in 1779 as the Stud Department in Bengal.
• Officially became the Army Veterinary Corps in 1920.
• After Partition in 1947, assets were divided between India and Pakistan.
• In 1960, the Remount, Veterinary, and Military Farms were reorganized into independent corps.

• Breeding, rearing, and training of Army animals:
  • Horses for ceremonial and equestrian duties.
  • Mules and ponies for transport in mountainous terrain.
  • Dogs for security, detection, and patrol.
  • Camels for desert and high-altitude logistics.
  • Birds of prey (raptors) for surveillance and symbolic representation.
• Provides veterinary care, animal husbandry, and public health expertise.
• Supports Tri-Service needs (Army, Navy, Air Force) in animal sciences.

• Motto: “Pashu Seva Asmakam Dharma” (Service to animals is our duty).
• Headquarters: Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.
• Vision: To be India’s center of excellence in veterinary sciences and animal resources for national security.

• Founded: 2008, initiated by the Indian Navy.
• Membership: 25 permanent members (Indian Ocean littoral states) + 8 observers.
• Nature: Voluntary, inclusive, non-binding forum.
• Objective: Enhance maritime cooperation, build mutual trust, and address shared challenges like piracy, terrorism, and disaster relief.

• Biennial Meetings: Rotating chairmanship among member states; India hosted the inaugural session in 2008.
• Activities: Workshops, essay competitions, lectures, and naval exercises under the IONS umbrella.
• Security Construct: Comparable to the Western Pacific Naval Symposium, but focused on the Indian Ocean region.

• Maritime Security: Addresses piracy in the Gulf of Aden, illegal fishing, trafficking, and freedom of navigation.
• Disaster Response: Promotes cooperation in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR).
• Regional Stability: Builds bridges among diverse nations (South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Africa, Middle East, Australia).

• Date of Notification: 13 January 2026
• Coverage: Applies to all higher education institutions (HEIs) — universities, colleges, deemed universities.
• Protected Groups: Expanded to include caste, tribe, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, and socio-economic background.
• Mandatory Structures:
  • Equal Opportunity Centre (EOC): To promote inclusion and monitor equity measures.
  • Equity Committee: To review campus practices and ensure compliance.
  • Ombudsperson: Independent authority to handle complaints of discrimination.
• Grievance Redressal: Institutions must provide 24/7 helplines and online portals with time-bound resolution.
• Accountability: Vice-Chancellors, Principals, and Heads of Institutions are directly responsible for enforcement.
• Penalties: Non-compliance can lead to withdrawal of grants, accreditation downgrades, or legal action.

• Triggered by Supreme Court intervention after petitions related to the deaths of Rohith Vemula (2016) and Payal Tadvi (2019), both linked to caste-based discrimination.
• The Court found earlier UGC guidelines (2012) weak and unenforceable, demanding stronger legal backing.
• Aligned with National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasizes “full equity and inclusion” in higher education.

• Admissions & Hostels: Institutions must ensure non-discriminatory practices in allocation.
• Classrooms: Faculty must undergo sensitization training; discriminatory remarks are punishable.
• Campus Life: Student unions and clubs must adopt inclusive charters.
• Monitoring: Annual equity audits and mandatory reporting to UGC.

• Protests: Student groups in several states argue the regulations may marginalize non-reserved category students.
• Legal Challenge: A petition in the Supreme Court claims the definition of caste-based discrimination is non-inclusive, excluding some categories.
• Political Debate: Critics say the rules impose excessive bureaucracy; supporters argue they are essential for justice and dignity.

Aspect 2012 Guidelines 2026 Regulations Legal Status Advisory, non-binding Legally binding, Gazette notified Coverage Focused mainly on caste Expanded to multiple identities Structures Complaint cells (optional) Mandatory EOC, Equity Committee, Ombudsperson Accountability Limited Direct responsibility of institutional heads Grievance Redressal No timelines Time-bound, online portal + helpline Penalties None Grants withdrawal, accreditation downgrade

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