NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. India Post Launches Kerala’s First Gen-Z Post Office
at CMS College, Kottayam: India
Post unveiled Kerala’s first Gen-Z Post Office extension
counter at CMS College, Kottayam, introducing a youth-centric approach to
postal services.The facility was inaugurated by N.R. Giri, Director Postal
Services (Kerala Central Region), and is designed around the theme: “of the
students, by the students, for the students.”The new centre was conceptualised
and co-created by CMS College students in collaboration with India Post,
resulting in a modern and vibrant postal space tailored to young users.
2. Nationwide ‘Prashasan Gaon Ki Ore’ Campaign to Run
from 19–25 December: Prashasan
Gaon Ki Ore campaign will be conducted nationwide from 19 to 25
December, covering all districts, states, and Union Territories, with
participation from over 700 District Collectors who will visit Tehsils and
Panchayat Samiti Headquarters.The campaign aims to strengthen grassroots
governance, improve administrative outreach, and ensure efficient delivery of
government services in rural areas.On the final day, Minister Dr. Jitendra
Singh will inaugurate a one-day workshop focusing on digital transformation innovations
and digital empowerment of citizens, as informed by the Ministry of Personnel,
Public Grievances and Pensions.
3. Madhya Pradesh Approves Veerangana Durgavati Tiger
Reserve as State’s Third Cheetah Habitat: The Mohan Yadav cabinet has approved the development
of Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve (Nauradehi) in Sagar district as Madhya
Pradesh’s third cheetah habitat, after Kuno National Park and Gandhi Sagar
Wildlife Sanctuary.Madhya Pradesh currently has 31 cheetahs, with 28 in Kuno
and 3 in Gandhi Sagar, all originally translocated from Kuno; the third habitat
is needed due to the upcoming translocation of 8 cheetahs from Botswana by
January 2026.The 8 Botswana cheetahs have already been identified and are kept
in quarantine enclosures in a reserve forest in Botswana, awaiting their
transfer to India.The cabinet also approved several infrastructure projects,
including the long-awaited Bhopal Metro, which is expected to be inaugurated on
December 21, despite some stations still nearing completio
4. Rajasthan Becomes First State in India to Achieve 100%
Digitisation of Electoral Roll under Special Intensive Revision: Rajasthan has become the first state in
India to achieve 100% digitisation of its electoral roll under the
Special Intensive Revision (SIR), thanks to coordinated efforts by BLOs,
supervisors, district election officers, and other staff.The state now leads
the country in voter mapping, with over 97% of mapping completed, meaning only
3% of voters will need to submit documents during the claims-objections phase,
averaging about 30 voters per booth.High-quality voter mapping has made the SIR
process simpler, more transparent, and greatly reduced repeated verification,
highlighting the dedication of field staff, especially BLOs and panchayat-level
employees.The draft electoral roll will be published on 16 December 2025, with
claims and objections from 16 December to 15 January 2026, hearings and
verification until 7 February 2026, and the final roll on 14 February 2026.
5. Maharashtra Launches Mahadeva Football Initiative to
Train 60 Rural U-13 Players with World-Class Facilities: The Maharashtra Government launched
the Mahadeva Football Initiative (Project Mahadeva) to provide
world-class training facilities for 60 young football players from rural and
remote areas.The programme specifically targets Under-13 (U-13) boys and girls,
aiming to create a long-term pathway for football development in the state.A
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the School Education,
Sports and Youth Welfare Department, MITRA, WIFA, and VSTF, with support from
CM Devendra Fadnavis and announced by Sports Minister Manikrao Kokate.
6. Bhartiya
Bhasha Utsav 2025 Celebrates India’s Linguistic Diversity: The Ministry of Education
marked the birth anniversary of Mahakavi Subramania Bharati by hosting Bhartiya
Bhasha Utsav 2025 in New Delhi under the theme “Many Languages, One Emotion.”
The event showcased the richness of India’s multilingual heritage, with the
Ministry of Tribal Affairs playing a prominent role in highlighting tribal
languages and cultural traditions. An exclusive exhibition stall by the
Ministry of Tribal Affairs featured publications from Tribal Research
Institutes of Jharkhand, Odisha and Gujarat. The display included dictionaries,
primers, storybooks and research works that reflected the linguistic diversity
and oral traditions of tribal communities. The curated collection emphasised
the role of documentation in preserving endangered languages. A key attraction
was the live demonstration of Adi Vaani, the country’s first AI-driven tribal language
translator developed in collaboration with IIT Delhi. The tool enables
real-time text and speech translation between major Indian and tribal languages
and supports interactive learning features. Its initial rollout covers Santali,
Kui, Bhili, Mundari, Gondi and Garo, with scope for future expansion based on
community needs.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. India’s Kirti Vardhan Singh to Represent Nation at
UNEA-7 in Nairobi: Union MoS for External
Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh will represent India at the 7th session
of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) in Nairobi, Kenya, the
UN’s highest-level decision-making body on environmental
matters.Theme: Advancing sustainable solutions for a resilient planetHe
highlighted that UNEA includes all 193 UN member countries, which meet every
two years to deliberate on major global environmental challenges such as
climate change and biodiversity loss.Singh emphasized global cooperation and
India’s leadership through initiatives like Mission LiFE, Ganga Rejuvenation,
Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam, and Swachh Bharat Mission, showcasing India’s commitment to
sustainability.UNEA-7, held from December 8 to 12 at the UNEP headquarters,
sets the global environmental agenda, provides policy direction, reviews
emerging challenges, and promotes partnerships for environmental goals.
2. Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo Re-elected Unopposed as
NRAI President: Kalikesh
Narayan Singh Deo was elected unopposed as President of the National
Rifle Association of India (NRAI), beginning his first full four-year
term, while Pawan Singh became the new Secretary General during the elections
conducted by Justice (Retd.) Nirmaljit Kaur.The elections formed a new
executive committee and governing body, including senior vice president Amit
Sanghi, vice presidents Kanwar Sultan Singh and Sushma Singh, and four
sportsperson members such as Gagan Narang and Elavenil Valarivan.
3. 9 December – International Anti-Corruption Day (IACD): International Anti-Corruption Day (IACD) is
observed every year on 9 December to raise global awareness about the
harmful effects of corruption and promote efforts to combat it.Theme 2025–
Uniting with Youth Against CorruptionThe day marks the adoption of the United
Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) in 2003, the world’s first
legally binding anti-corruption treaty.It highlights the role of governments,
civil society, private sector, and citizens in promoting integrity,
transparency, accountability, and good governance.
4. 9 December – International Day of Commemoration and
Dignity of the Victims of Genocide: The International Day of Commemoration and Dignity
of the Victims of Genocide is observed every year on 9 December, as
designated by the United Nations.The day aims to honour and remember the
victims of all genocides worldwide, acknowledging their suffering and
preserving their dignity.It also serves to promote awareness about the Genocide
Convention of 1948, which defines and criminalises genocide under international
law.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. Indian
Navy To Commission Indigenous Diving Support Craft DSC A20: The Indian Navy will
induct DSC A20, the first vessel of the indigenously designed Diving Support
Craft series, at Kochi on 16 December 2025. The commissioning under Southern
Naval Command marks a major boost to underwater operations and highlights
growing self-reliance in naval shipbuilding. DSC A20 is the lead ship in a
five-vessel series being built by Titagarh Rail Systems Limited in Kolkata. The
craft is purpose-designed for a wide range of diving and underwater missions in
coastal waters. Its design meets Indian Naval Rules and Indian Register of
Shipping standards, with extensive model testing conducted at NSTL
Visakhapatnam. The vessel incorporates state-of-the-art diving systems to
support inspection, salvage and underwater maintenance tasks. Built on a
catamaran hull form, it offers enhanced stability, greater deck space and
improved seakeeping. With a displacement of about 390 tons, it delivers
reliable performance across varied operational conditions.
SPORTS
1. Fifth Khelo India University Games Conclude in Jaipur;
Chandigarh University Emerges Overall Champion: The fifth edition of the Khelo India
University Games concluded with a grand ceremony held in Jaipur.
Chandigarh University from Punjab topped the medal tally.Lovely Professional
University, also from Punjab, secured second place, while Guru Nanak Dev
University stood third. During the closing ceremony, the champion university,
along with the first and second runner-up universities, were felicitated with
trophies.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Gujarat Launches ‘Operation Mule Hunt’ to Dismantle
Cyber Fraud Networks Using Advanced Tech and Statewide Coordination: Gujarat Police’s Cyber Centre of
Excellence has launched ‘Operation Mule Hunt’, a coordinated statewide
crackdown targeting mule bank accounts used by cybercriminals, with Deputy CM
Harsh Sanghavi directing police units to intensify verification and trace
networks up to the masterminds.The state is strengthening its cybercrime
response through advanced data analytics, AI-based monitoring, digital
forensics labs, dedicated cyber police stations, and enhanced inter-department
coordination to accelerate both prevention and detection of cyber fraud.Gujarat
is also boosting public awareness through statewide cyber safety campaigns,
workshops in schools and colleges, and promoting the national 1930 cyber-fraud
helpline, while improving interstate coordination via integration with the
Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C).
2. Chandrayaan-3
Reveals Energetic Plasma Environment Near Lunar South Pole: India’s Chandrayaan-3
mission has uncovered surprising details about the electrically active region
just above the Moon’s south-polar surface. Direct measurements from the Vikram
lander show that the near-surface plasma is far denser and more energetic than
earlier remote estimates, offering new insights into the lunar ionosphere. The
Moon’s plasma environment arises from solar wind particles, photoelectric charging
caused by sunlight and occasional entry into Earth’s magnetotail. These
processes create a thin but dynamic ionised layer above the surface. Although
electrically neutral overall, plasma responds strongly to electromagnetic
forces, making it distinct from ordinary gases. Chandrayaan-3’s Langmuir Probe
at Shiv Shakti Point recorded electron densities ranging between 380 and 600
particles per cubic centimetre—significantly higher than values inferred from
radio-occultation studies. The electrons also exhibited kinetic temperatures of
roughly 3,000 to 8,000 Kelvin, indicating an unexpectedly energised plasma
layer in the Moon’s southern high latitudes.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. Deloitte Launches AI-Powered Tax Platform ‘Tax Pragya’
to Revolutionize Tax Research and Insights: Deloitte launches ‘Tax Pragya’, an AI-powered tax
research and insights platform, leveraging data from over one million court
cases and Deloitte’s internal knowledge papers to accelerate tax analysis.The
platform reduces research time from hours to minutes, providing solutions from Deloitte’s
privately curated database rather than open-source data.Tax Pragya is a B2B
subscription-based tool that supports, but does not replace, tax consultants;
future upgrades aim to enable legal/tax opinion drafting and predictive
analysis of tax notices.The rollout is phased: first to 500 clients on December
9, then 5,000 clients in January, and by June next year, it will expand
pan-India to MSMEs and SMEs.
2. India’s UPI Becomes World’s Largest Real-Time Payment
System, Handling 49% of Global Transactions: The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has
been recognised by the IMF as the largest real-time payment system
globally, accounting for 49% of total global real-time retail payment
volumes with 129.3 billion transactions.India’s rapid digital payment adoption
is supported by government initiatives, RBI, and NPCI, including the ₹
incentive scheme for low-value BHIM-UPI transactions and the Payments
Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF).Widespread merchant integration and QR
code deployment—56.86 crore QR codes across ~6.5 crore merchants—have
strengthened UPI’s reach in urban and rural sectors, including transport,
e-commerce, and public services.Global comparisons show Brazil (14%),
Thailand (8%), China (6%), and South Korea (3%) lagging behind India, highlighting
the success of coordinated digital payment initiatives and broad merchant
adoption in driving UPI’s dominance.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. CRPF Officer Dinesh Khatak Awarded Union Home Minister’s Medal: Dinesh Khatak, a senior Central Reserve Police Force officer from Jind district in Haryana, has been honoured with the Union Home Minister’s Efficiency Medal for exemplary service. The recognition highlights his strong leadership record, operational achievements, and long-standing contribution to national security across challenging regions. Khatak joined the CRPF as a Gazetted Officer in 2005 after clearing the UPSC examination. Educated in Jind, he built a reputation for academic discipline and focus. His rise through the force reflects consistent professional growth rooted in training, field-hardening, and instructional excellence. He served multiple tenures in Jammu and Kashmir, notably from 2008 to 2013 and again from 2017 to 2021. His responsibilities included maintaining security during the Amarnath Yatra, handling law-and-order situations, and contributing to operations around significant phases such as the abrogation of Article 370 and the COVID-19 period. His performance during these demanding assignments earned commendation from seniors and colleagues.
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