UPSC Civil Services Current Affairs Articles

Summary of River Pollution Report (CPCB)

• Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB):

  • Reports on the health of Indian rivers, focusing on Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD).
  • A BOD greater than 3 mg/L indicates that a river is unfit for bathing.

• Current Statistics (2023):

  • Unfit bathing locations: Decreased from 815 locations (2022) to 807 locations (2023).

Summary of the MSC ELSA 3 Incident and Its Ecological Impact

• Incident Overview:

  • The Liberian-flagged container vessel MSC ELSA 3 capsized off the Kerala coast on May 25.
  • It was en route from Vizhinjam Port (Thiruvananthapuram) to Kochi when it sank approximately 25 km southwest of Alappuzha.

• Ecological Impact:

  • Investigations by the **Ministry of Earth

Summary of Perplexity’s AI Browser Launch: Comet

• Product Launch: Perplexity announced its AI browser, Comet, targeted primarily at professionals using the internet for work and research.
• Availability:
  • Initially launched in July 2025.
  • Currently available for Pro subscribers on Mac and Windows platforms.
  • Android versions are available for pre-order on the Google Play St

• Supreme Court Proceedings: The Supreme Court is set to hear pleas regarding Karnataka's decision to withdraw consent for the CBI to investigate a disproportionate assets case against Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.

• Bench Composition: The case will be heard by a Bench led by Justice Surya Kant, which previously dealt with the matter.

• Background of the Case:

  • The CBI

• Judicial Proceedings: The Supreme Court of India will hear pleas challenging Karnataka's decision to withdraw consent for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe against Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar concerning alleged disproportionate assets.

• Bench Composition: The hearing will be led by Justice Surya Kant, who had previously dealt with this case.

• Case Background

• British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Visit: Expected around October 7-9, 2025, coinciding with the Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai.

• Summit-Level Talks: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and PM Starmer to engage in discussions focusing on trade, technology security, and cooperation in education.

• U.K.-India Free Trade Agreement:

  • Signed during Modi's visit to the U.K. in 2023.

• Event Overview:

  • Inauguration of AIIFA STEELEX-2025 and the 37th National Conference on Sustainable Steel in Mumbai.

• Key Speakers:

  • Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries, Prahlad Joshi, emphasized green steel's strategic importance for India’s sustainable growth.

• Government Initiatives:

  • PM-KUSUM Scheme: Recognized as "Maharashtra Model," supports the tra

Summary Notes on Chiral Perovskite Films Research

• Topic: Development of chiral perovskite films for next-generation optoelectronic devices.
• Key Properties: Chirality (non-superimposable on its mirror image) that enables unique light-matter interactions, crucial for advanced technology applications like circularly polarized light (CPL) detectors and spintronic devices.
• **Material

Summary of Electoral System Cleanup by ECI

• Objective: Continuous cleaning of the electoral system in India by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
• Legal Framework:
  • Political parties in India register under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
  • Registered political parties gain certain privileges such as symbols and tax exemptions.
  • Parties mu

• Incident: A first-year law student at South Calcutta Law College was gang-raped on campus on June 25, involving an alumnus and two current students.
• The affected student has opted not to continue studies at the college and is seeking a transfer to another institution within the city.
• Calcutta University confirmed receipt of the student's application for transfer and for a no-objection certif

• Bilateral Relations: Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed bilateral ties, focusing on trade, investment, and defence cooperation.

• India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA): Mitsotakis expressed Greece's support for the early conclusion of a mutually beneficial India-EU FTA during a phone call with Modi.

• Negotiation Status: The

• Commissioning Details:

  • ICGS Adamya, the first ship of the Adamya-class Fast Patrol Vessels, was commissioned on September 19, 2025, at Paradip Port, Odisha.
  • Commissioned by Joint Secretary (AF & Policy), Ministry of Defence Shri Satyajit Mohanty.

• Vessel Specifications:

  • Length: 51 meters.
  • Displacement: Approximately 320 tons.
  • Maximum Speed: 28 knots.
  • Endurance:

• New National Policy on Geothermal Energy: India's recent policy announced by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) aims to enhance geothermal energy utilization, leveraging international collaboration for commercial viability.

• International Collaborations: Research firms from the US, Iceland, and Norway are interested in pilot projects in regions like the Gulf of Cambay, Aru

Summary of India’s Sovereign Rating Upgrade

• Rating Upgrade: India’s sovereign credit rating has been upgraded to BBB+ (Stable) by Rating and Investment Information, Inc. (R&I), Japan.

• Context of Upgrade: This marks the third credit rating upgrade for India within five months, following:

  • S&P: Upgraded from BBB- to BBB in August 2025.
  • Morningstar DBRS: Upgraded fr

• Incident Overview:

  • On September 19, 2025, three Russian MiG-31 fighters violated Estonian airspace over the Gulf of Finland for approximately 12 minutes.
  • The jets did not have flight plans, their transponders were switched off, and they lacked two-way radio communication with Estonian air traffic control.

• NATO Response:

  • Italian F-35 fighters, part of NATO's Baltic Air Defe

Summary of Extreme Rainfall and Its Impact in Uttarakhand

• Heavy Rainfall and Landslides:

  • Recent heavy rainfall in Dehradun and other districts of Uttarakhand has triggered landslides, resulting in at least 15 reported deaths.
  • The region has experienced successive extreme weather events over the past month, with significant mudslides and flash floods.

• Rainfall Statistics

• Incident Overview: Tyler Robinson charged with seven counts, including aggravated murder, following the fatal shooting of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk at a college event in Utah.

• Transgender Context: Alleged motivation speculated to be connected to comments made by Kirk regarding transgender individuals and violent incidents.

• Transgender Definition: According to the A

Summary of Key Points on Chabahar Port and US Sanctions Waiver Withdrawal

• Chabahar Port Development:
  • Located at the mouth of the Gulf of Oman, Chabahar is Iran’s first deepwater port.
  • It offers Iran an opportunity to engage in global trade and potentially mitigate Western sanctions.
  • Strategic for India as it provides a trade route to Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing

Summary of Workshop on Agricultural Disaster Resilience

• Event: National workshop organized by the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
• Purpose: Enhance agricultural disaster preparedness in response to climate-induced hazards in India.
• Key Statistics: Over 68% of India's cropped area is drought-prone, indicatin

Summary of Content Moderation Issues for Tamil Speakers on Social Media

• Content Moderation Challenges:

  • Content moderation refers to the enforcement of platform policies, local laws, and user safety on social media.
  • It is more complex for languages other than English, leading to inequitable outcomes.

• Survey Findings:

  • Over 100 Tamil-speaking users reported inconsisten

Exam-Focused Notes on Cheetah Reintroduction in India

• Cheetah Reintroduction Programme:

  • Named "Project Cheetah."
  • Initiated to reintroduce cheetahs into India after they were declared extinct in 1952.
  • The project was officially launched on September 17, 2022, with the translocation of eight cheetahs from Namibia to Kuno National Park.

• Recent Developments:

  • On Septe

• The European Union (EU) is facing a challenge in balancing its climate policy frameworks with the economic needs of member states, particularly Sweden and Finland, concerning forestry regulations.

• Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF): Under this regulation, member states must ensure forests act as carbon sinks, absorbing more carbon than they emit.

• **Targets for Sweden and

• EU-India Strategic Relations: The European Union has proposed a new agenda, termed ‘A New Strategic EU-India Agenda’, aiming to enhance ties with India, focusing on trade, technology, security, defense, and climate.

  • Key Person: EU's chief diplomat Kaja Kallas labeled India as a “crucial” partner.

• Tax Updates in India:

  • Central GST Rates: The Union Finance Ministry w

• Climate Talks Overview: The 30th edition of climate talks (COP30) is scheduled in Belem, Brazil, in November 2025.

• Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC):

  • Only 29 out of 195 countries have submitted updated NDCs, voluntary emissions targets updated every five years.
  • All signatory countries to the UN climate convention have made commitments detailing emissions targets up to