NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. IndiaAI Launches ₹2.5 Crore Face Authentication Challenge to Strengthen Exam Integrity and Promote Ethical AI Innovation: IndiaAI, under the Digital India Corporation, launched the Face Authentication Challenge on 14 October 2025, inviting startups to create secure and scalable AI-based facial verification systems to prevent impersonation and duplicate entries in public exams.
The challenge carries a ₹2.5 crore prize pool, with the top two teams eligible for a two-year contract and up to ₹1 crore for final deployment of their solutions.The initiative builds on the success of the AI-based facial recognition pilot conducted by UPSC and NeGD during NDA and CDS exams in September, which reduced verification time to 8–10 seconds per candidate.Applications remain open till 25 October 2025 on indiaai.gov.in, aligning with the ₹10,372 crore IndiaAI Mission aimed at promoting ethical, responsible, and inclusive AI innovation across sectors.
2. India Showcases Global Leadership in Spice Standards at 8th Codex Committee Session Held in Guwahati: The 8th Session of the Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH) began in Guwahati, Assam, reinforcing India’s leadership in global spice standardisation.The event, organised by the Spices Board under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, brought together 81 delegates from 27 countries to discuss harmonised international standards for spices and culinary herbs.Established in 2013 at India’s initiative, the Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs operates under the Codex Alimentarius Commission of FAO and WHO, with India (through the Spices Board) serving as its Secretariat.
3. National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM): Launch: India launched the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) in January 2023 with the budget outlay of Rs. 19,744 crore.Ministry: The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) is tasked with implementing the scheme.Objective: The mission’s primary aim is to establish India as a global hub for the production, utilisation, and export of green hydrogen and its derivatives. The main target of the scheme to achieve a production capacity of 5 million tonnes per annum of Green Hydrogen in the country by the year 2030.Major components of the scheme:
4. Strategic Interventions for the Green Hydrogen Transition Programme (SIGHT): SIGHT will incentivise the domestic manufacturing of electrolysers and the production of green hydrogen.Green Hydrogen Hubs: The mission will identify and develop states and regions into Green Hydrogen Hubs, fostering large-scale production and utilization.Hydrogen Valley Innovation Cluster (HVIC): The Department of Science and Technology has initiated Hydrogen Valley Innovation Clusters to foster innovation and promote the green hydrogen ecosystem in India.Dedicated portal: Under NGHM a dedicated portal was launched to provide information on the mission and steps for developing the green hydrogen ecosystem in India.Guidelines: India has also released scheme guidelines for the use of Green Hydrogen in steel, transport, and shipping sectors.
5. Archaeological Survey of India (ASI): Nature: ASI is the premier organization for the archaeological research and protection of the cultural heritage of the nation.Foundation: ASI was founded in 1861 by Alexander Cunningham (the first Director-General of ASI). He is also known as the “Father of Indian Archaeology.”Statutory body: After independence, it was established as a statutory body under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 (AMASR Act).Ministry: It works under the Ministry of Culture.Coverage: It administers more than 3650 ancient monuments, archaeological sites and remains of national importance.Works: Its activities include carrying out surveys of antiquarian remains, exploration and excavation of archaeological sites, conservation and maintenance of protected monuments etc.ASI Circles:For the maintenance of ancient monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance the entire country is divided into 36 Circles.These carry out archaeological fieldwork, research activities and implement the various provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act, 1958 and Antiquities and Art Treasures Act 1972.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. 16th WHO–IRCH Annual Meeting Commences in Jakarta to Boost Global Collaboration on Herbal Medicine Regulation: The 16th WHO–IRCH Annual Meeting is being held in Jakarta, Indonesia, from 14–16 October 2025, to strengthen global cooperation on herbal medicine regulation.The meeting focuses on harmonising regulatory frameworks and enhancing international collaboration to ensure the safety, quality, and efficacy of herbal medicines.India’s delegation, led by Dr. Raghu Arackal (Advisor, Ayurveda, Ministry of Ayush), includes Dr. Raman Mohan Singh (DDG & Director, PCIM&H) and Dr. Mahesh Dadhich (CEO, NMPB), showcasing India’s leadership in traditional medicine integration.A major highlight was the release of the Proceedings of the WHO–IRCH Workshops on “Safety and Regulation” and “Efficacy and Intended Use of Herbal Medicines”, organised by WHO and the Ministry of Ayush in Ghaziabad, India (6–8 August 2025).
2. H-1B Visa: Nature: The H-1B is a non-immigrant visa which allows temporary entry to the US for purposes like tourism, business, work, study, or medical treatment. Objective: It allows US-based companies to hire and employ foreign workers for specialty jobs like science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), and IT (High skills and at least a bachelor’s degree).Introduction: It was introduced in 1990 to help US employers address skill shortages when qualified US workers are unavailable.Duration: The H-1B visa is valid for three years and can be extended one time for an additional three years. In general, the H-1B is valid for a maximum of six years. There is no limit to the number of H1-B Visas that an individual can have in his or her lifetime.Buffer period for reapplication: After this period, the visa holder must either leave the US for at least 12 months before reapplying for another H-1B visa or apply for a Green Card (Lawful Permanent Residency for themselves and their family).Eligibility:A valid job offer from a U.S. employer for a role that requires specialty knowledge Proof of a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in that fieldThe US employer must show that there is a lack of qualified U.S. applicants for the role.Limit: Currently, there is a regular annual cap of 65,000 new H-1B visas each fiscal year. An additional 20,000 visas are available for applicants who hold a master’s degree or higher from a US university. Exemptions: Petitions for H-1B visa holders seeking continued employment and those seeking employment at higher education institutions, affiliated nonprofits, or government research organizations are eligible for cap exemption.Dominance of Indians: People born in India are the largest beneficiaries accounting for more than 70% of all approved H-1B petitions annually since 2015. People born in China rank second, consistently making up 12-13% of petitions since 2018.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. India–South Korea Inaugural Naval Bilateral Exercise Kicks Off at Busan to Strengthen Strategic Maritime Partnership: The inaugural India–South Korea naval bilateral exercise began at Busan Naval Base, with INS Sahyadri participating to strengthen navy-to-navy cooperation and deepen the strategic partnership between the two countries.The exercise includes harbour and sea phases, featuring cross-deck visits, professional exchanges, sports fixtures, cross-training, and complex joint manoeuvres between INS Sahyadri and ROKS Gyeongnam to enhance interoperability and operational synergy.The exercise reflects India’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific as a responsible maritime stakeholder, promoting shared interests, common values, and laying the foundation for future larger-scale naval engagements with South Korea.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Cell2Sentence-Scale 27B (C2S-Scale): Nature: The Cell2Sentence-Scale 27B (C2S-Scale) is a 27-billion-parameter foundation model designed to understand the language of individual cells within the body. This enables it to simulate and predict cellular behaviour under various conditions, such as in diseases like cancer.Significance: C2S-Scale can generate insights that were previously unrecognized by understanding how individual cells react and interact. This allows researchers to explore new pathways in drug discovery and disease treatment. Development: The C2S-Scale is an advanced artificial intelligence (AI) model developed by Google DeepMind and Google Research in collaboration with Yale University and based on the Gemma framework.
Changes course of medical research: This development marks a significant milestone in medical research by generating new scientific hypotheses, bridging computational predictions with experimental validation.Working mechanism:The model was trained using large data sets to identify patterns in cell behavior, especially under conditions where immune system responses are low (low levels of interferons), such as in early-stage cancer.By analyzing this data, C2S-Scale can generate hypotheses about cellular behavior and suggest potential drug combinations that could trigger immune responses in tumors that are typically hidden from the immune system.
2. Rotavirus: Family: Rotavirus is a double-stranded RNA virus genus in the Reoviridae family.Contagious: Rotavirus is a contagious disease that spreads easily from child to child.Mortality: Rotavirus is a leading cause of severe diarrhoea and death among children less than five years of age. It is responsible for around 10% of total child mortality every year.Mode of spread: Rotavirus spreads easily through the fecal-oral route )when a person comes in contact with the feces of someone who has rotavirus and then touches their own mouth). For example, rotavirus can spread when a child with rotavirus doesn’t wash their hands properly after going to the bathroom and then touches food or other objects.SymptomsSevere diarrheaThrowing up DehydrationFeverStomach painDosage: World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that the first dose of rotavirus vaccine be administered as soon as possible after 6 weeks of age, along with DTP vaccination (diptheria, tetanus and pertussis).Inclusion in National Schedules: WHO has recommended the inclusion of rotavirus vaccine in the National Schedules of the countries where under five mortality due to diarrhoeal diseases is more than 10%.Vaccines available: Currently, two vaccines are available against rotavirus:Rotarix (GlaxoSmithKline): is a monovalent vaccine recommended to be orally administered in two doses at 6-12 weeks.Rota Teq (Merck) is a pentavalent vaccine recommended to be orally administered in three doses starting at 6-12 weeks of age.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. IMF Raises India’s FY26 GDP Growth Forecast to 6.6%: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has raised India’s GDP growth forecast for FY26 by 20 basis points to 6.6%, citing a strong first quarter that offset the impact of the US rate hike, and also revised FY27 growth to 6.2%.The World Bank recently revised India’s FY26 GDP forecast to 6.5% (up from 6.3%) while slightly lowering FY27 growth to 6.3%, noting that India is expected to remain the world’s fastest-growing major economy driven by strong consumption growth. The Economic Survey projects FY26 GDP growth between 6.3% and 6.8%, while the IMF also raised global growth for 2025 to 3.2%, keeping the 2026 global growth forecast unchanged at 3.1%.
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