CURRENT AFFAIRS
28 January, 2025
1. RAT-HOLE MINING –
• The rat-hole mining tragedy in Assam’s Dima Hasao district, where nine miners were trapped after a flood in an illegal coal mine, highlights the persistent dangers of unregulated mining despite existing bans.
• Also, biomining is being conducted at the Koottupatha trenching ground in Palakkad, Kerala.
• Rat-hole mining is a primitive, crude, labor-intensive and hazardous method of coal mining.
• It involves digging of very small tunnels, usually only 3-4 feet deep and 2 to 3 feet wide into the ground, in which workers, more often children, enter and extract coal.
• It is typically practiced in northeastern India, particularly in Meghalaya and Assam.
Methods of Extraction-
• Side-Cutting Procedure: This involves digging narrow tunnels into hill slopes to access thin coal seams, usually less than 2 meters in height, found in the region’s hilly terrain.
• Box-Cutting: In this method, a rectangular opening is first created, followed by digging a vertical pit.
2. SUPREME COURT OF INDIA FOUNDATION DAY –
• The Supreme Court (SC) of India, established on 26th January 1950 under Article 124, was inaugurated on 28th January 1950 and began operations from the old Parliament House. It moved to its current building in 1958, inaugurated by President Dr. Rajendra Prasad.
• SC initially envisioned with a Chief Justice of India (CJI) and 7 puisne judges, its strength has since expanded to a CJI and 33 judges as of 2024, appointed by the President and retiring at 65.
• Eligibility includes being an Indian citizen with 5 years as a High Court judge, 10 years as an advocate, or is in the opinion of the President a distinguished jurist.
• In 2024, a new “Lady Justice” statue was unveiled at the SC, replacing the original. Dressed in a saree and without a blindfold, it holds scales and the Indian Constitution.
• Unlike the original, based on Justitia (Roman goddess) with a blindfold, scales, and a sword, the new statue’s open eyes signify that the law is not blind and sees everyone equally.
• The Indian Constitution replaces the sword, emphasizing its supremacy in justice.
• In 2024, the new flag and insignia of the SC are unveiled to mark its 75th year. The flag features the Ashok Chakra, the SC building, and the Book of Constitution, with the insignia inscribed with “Yato Dharmastato Jayah,” meaning “Where there is Dharma, there is victory.”
3. ICC AWARDS- JASPRIT BUMRAH NAMED ICC CRICKETER OF THE YEAR 2024 –
• Indian pace sensation Jasprit Bumrah was awarded the prestigious Sir Garfield Sobers Award for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year 2024.
• The award recognizes his extraordinary performances across all formats, solidifying his reputation as one of the greatest fast bowlers of the modern era. Bumrah’s achievements in 2024, including record-breaking feats and consistent dominance, showcased his unmatched skill and resilience.
4. WAQF AMENDMENT BILL CLEARED BY JOINT PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE: KEY CHANGES AND IMPLICATIONS –
• The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) approved the Waqf Amendment Bill, a significant legislative reform aimed at restructuring the management of Muslim charitable properties in India. The bill proposes 44 amendments to the existing framework, with the JPC approving 14 key alterations. This article delves into the specifics of the bill, its proposed changes, and the political dynamics that shaped its approval.
• The Waqf Amendment Bill seeks to overhaul the administration of Waqf properties across the country by introducing 44 changes to the current system. These changes were drafted and tabled in the Lok Sabha in August 2024.
• The bill aims to bring about greater inclusivity and transparency in the functioning of Waqf boards and the Central Waqf Council.
• Key Objective: Improve the governance of Waqf properties to benefit marginalized communities, including the Pasmanda Muslims.
• Amendments Proposed: A total of 66 amendments were suggested—23 by MPs from the ruling BJP and 44 by opposition members.
5. DEEPSEEK AI SURPASSES CHATGPT ON US APP STORE –
• Chinese AI startup DeepSeek has made headlines by surpassing OpenAI’s ChatGPT as the most-downloaded free app in the U.S. on Apple’s App Store. Founded in 2023, DeepSeek has quickly gained prominence with its advanced AI models, particularly R1, a reasoning model that rivals OpenAI’s technology.
• This development underscores the competitive landscape of the generative AI market, projected to reach $1 trillion in revenue within a decade. However, challenges like cybersecurity threats and regulatory scrutiny also loom large.
MCQ QUIZ
Q1. Which institution has published the Fiscal Health Index 2025 ?
a) Reserve Bank of India
b) Securities and Exchange Board of India
c) NITI Aayog
d) World Bank
Q2. What is the target set by the Government of India for Geographical Indication (GI) tags by 2030 ?
a) 5,000 GI tags
b) 18,000 GI tags
c) 12,000 GI tags
d) 10,000 GI tags
Q3. Which of the following correctly describes the distribution of Padma Awards in 2025 ?
a) 10 Padma Vibhushan, 20 Padma Bhushan, and 109 Padma Shri Awards
b) 7 Padma Vibhushan, 19 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri Awards
c) 5 Padma Vibhushan, 15 Padma Bhushan, and 119 Padma Shri Awards
d) 9 Padma Vibhushan, 18 Padma Bhushan, and 112 Padma Shri Awards
Q4. Which of the following statements about birthright citizenship in India is correct ?
1. Birthright citizenship was initially supported by leaders like B R Ambedkar and Sardar Patel.
2. Article 5 of the Indian Constitution directly enshrines birthright citizenship.
3. The Citizenship Act, 1955, was first amended in 1986 to grant citizenship to all children born in India, irrespective of their parents’ status.
4. The 2003 amendment to the Citizenship Act stated that a child would not become a citizen if one parent was an illegal immigrant at the time of the child’s birth.
Choose the correct answer using the codes below:
a) 1 and 4 only
b) 1, 2, and 4 only
c) 1, 3, and 4 only
d) 2 and 3 only
Explanation-
Statement 1 is correct: Leaders like B R Ambedkar and Sardar Patel supported birthright citizenship during India’s independence debates.
Statement 2 is incorrect: Article 5 of the Indian Constitution deals with the rights of citizenship, but it does not directly enshrine birthright citizenship. Birthright citizenship was codified through the Citizenship Act, 1955.
Statement 3 is incorrect: The 1986 amendment to the Citizenship Act restricted birthright citizenship, requiring at least one parent to be an Indian citizen for the child to gain citizenship.
Statement 4 is correct: The 2003 amendment clarified that a child born in India would not be a citizen if one of the parents was an illegal immigrant at the time of birth.
Q5. Assertion (A): Under Trump 2.0, the U.S. will focus on strengthening defense and security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific to counter China’s influence.
Reason (R): Trump’s first term emphasized hard power dynamics and defense cooperation, with strategic shifts like renaming the Pacific Command to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and revitalizing the Quad.
Choose the correct answer using the codes below:
a) Both assertion and reason are correct, and the reason correctly explains the assertion.
b) Both assertion and reason are correct, but the reason does not explain the assertion.
c) The assertion is correct, but the reason is incorrect.
d) The assertion is incorrect, but the reason is correct.
Explanation-
Assertion (A) is correct: Trump 2.0’s strategy for the Indo-Pacific will indeed focus on strengthening defense and security cooperation, particularly to address the growing influence of China in the region. This aligns with Trump’s first-term approach of using military power and strategic alliances to secure regional stability.
Reason (R) is correct: Trump’s first term saw significant strategic shifts, such as renaming the Pacific Command to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, which highlighted the importance of the region. Additionally, the revitalization of the Quad and an emphasis on defense and maritime security were key elements of his strategy, reinforcing the continued focus on military power and defense cooperation.
However, Both assertion and reason are correct, but the reason does not explain the assertion.
Answer Key
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
C | D | B | A | B |