Daily Current Affairs - 20th November 2025
- TPP
- Nov 20
- 15 min read
Updated: Nov 21
Comprehensive UPSC Current Affairs Summary | Indira Gandhi Peace Prize, World Urbanisation Prospects 2025, Water Budgeting, Global Methane Status Report, TnpB, CE20 Cryogenic Engine and more.
If you missed Monthly Current Affairs Pointers (CAP) | Sept - Oct 2025, read it here.
Table of Content
Indira Gandhi Peace Prize 2024
Former President of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, was conferred with the Indira Gandhi Peace Prize 2024.
She received the award from Sonia Gandhi, who is the chairperson of the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust.
Bachelet is the first and only woman President of Chile.
She is also a former Chief of the UN Human Rights Office.
In 2006, Bachelet became Chile’s first woman president.
She served two non-consecutive terms as president, from 2006–2010 and 2014–2018.
Bachelet was critical of India’s Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
She stated that activists and human rights defenders came under mounting pressure during protests against the CAA in 2019–20.
She also criticized the Indian government for using provisions under the UAPA against activists.
The Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development is awarded annually.
It was instituted by the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust.
The award can be given to a person or organization.
There is no distinction based on nationality, race, or religion for eligibility.
It recognizes creative efforts towards promoting racial equality.
It also honors efforts aimed at fostering goodwill and harmony among nations.
World Urbanisation Prospects 2025
The World Urbanisation Prospects 2025 Report has been released by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA).
Key Highlights of the Report
The report states that urbanization is one of the most significant demographic shifts in human history.
Urbanization refers to the movement of people from rural areas to cities, which transforms settlement patterns and community structures.
The 2025 edition presents population estimates using the Degree of Urbanization methodology for the first time.
The Degree of Urbanization is a harmonized global framework for classifying settlements.
This methodology categorizes areas into cities, towns, and rural areas along a continuous scale.
The new framework shows that urbanization is more widespread than what national statistics typically indicate.
The methodology provides comparable estimates and projections across countries.
It offers a new lens for understanding settlement patterns worldwide.
It helps policymakers craft integrated policies for sustainable development in an increasingly urban world.
Global Urbanization Trends
The report highlights that cities now house 45 percent of the world's population.
The global population is approximately 8.2 billion people in 2025.
The number of megacities has increased significantly since 1975.
A megacity is defined as a city with a population exceeding ten million people.
The number of megacities increased from eight in 1975 to 33 in 2025.
The number of megacities is projected to reach 37 by 2050.
Out of the existing megacities, 19 are located in Asia.
Jakarta in Indonesia is now the world’s most populous city.
Dhaka in Bangladesh is the second most populous city.
Tokyo in Japan is the third most populous city.
New Delhi in India is also among the world’s most populous cities.
Countries Driving Urban Growth
The report states that India and six other countries will drive global city population growth between 2025 and 2050.
These seven countries will add more than 500 million urban residents during this period.
The seven countries include India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Bangladesh, and Ethiopia.
These seven countries will contribute over half of the projected increase in city dwellers worldwide.
India and China together account for nearly 1.2 billion city residents.
The UN emphasizes that sustainable urban planning in these countries is critical for global development.
The UN also stresses that sustainable city planning is essential for achieving climate goals.
India-Specific Findings
The report states that 44 percent of India’s population lives in towns.
The report confirms that India will add a major share of the 500 million new urban residents between 2025 and 2050.
Report on Water Budgeting
NITI Aayog has released a report on Water Budgeting for Aspiration Blocks.
NITI Aayog prepared this report in collaboration with GIZ India, a German development agency.
About Water Budgeting
Water budgeting is a planning exercise used to assess the availability and use of water resources in a region.
The water budgeting process uses a web-based platform called Varuni.
The Varuni platform enhances block-level water security planning.
Varuni supports integrated water management, which combines management of surface water, groundwater, and demand-side efficiency.
Water budgeting provides a structured method for estimating water demand across various sectors.
It estimates water demand for:
human population
livestock
agriculture sector
industrial sector
Water budgeting also accounts for water supplies from runoff, which refers to rainfall flowing over land into streams.
It accounts for water supplies from surface water, such as rivers, ponds, and reservoirs.
It accounts for water supplies from groundwater, which is water stored below the earth’s surface.
It accounts for water supplies from water transfers, which involve transporting water from one region to another.
Purpose and Benefits
Water budgeting provides a comprehensive view of water availability from different sources.
It shows how available water is being utilized across sectors.
It helps identify potential shortages in a region and potential surpluses in water supply.
Water budgeting helps identify the demand–supply gap in water resources.
It supports water security, which ensures reliable access to sufficient and safe water.
It supports Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), a coordinated planning approach for water, land, and ecosystems.
Water budgeting is one of the key activities under the Atal Bhujal Yojana, a groundwater management scheme.
Global Methane Status Report 2025
The Global Methane Status Report 2025 is produced by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC).
The report highlights global progress made since the launch of the Global Methane Pledge (GMP).
Methane’s atmospheric concentration has more than doubled since pre-industrial times.
Methane emissions reached approximately 352 million tonnes per year in 2020.
Methane emissions are expected to rise further by 5% by 2030.
Rising global methane emissions are projected to cause 24,000 additional premature deaths annually by 2030.
Rising methane emissions are also expected to cause 2.5 million tonnes of crop losses every year by 2030.
India is the world’s third-largest methane emitter, after China and the United States.
India produces around 31 million tonnes of methane per year.
Stubble burning is a major driver of India's methane emissions.
Methane as a Greenhouse Gas
Methane (CH₄) is a greenhouse gas (GHG), which means it traps heat in the Earth’s atmosphere.
Methane is also a short-lived climate pollutant (SLCP), meaning it remains in the atmosphere for a shorter duration but has strong warming effects.
Methane has a global warming potential (GWP) that is 86 times stronger than carbon dioxide (CO₂) over a 20-year period.
Methane has an atmospheric lifetime of around 12 years, which is relatively short compared to CO₂.
Over 60% of global methane emissions come from human activities.
Agriculture contributes 40% of human-driven methane emissions, making it the largest source.
Global Initiatives to Reduce Methane
The Global Methane Pledge (GMP) is a voluntary international framework.
The GMP aims to reduce methane emissions by 30% from 2020 levels by 2030.
The GMP was launched on the sidelines of COP26 in Glasgow in 2021.
The pledge was launched by the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC).
India has not signed the Global Methane Pledge.
The International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) is a monitoring initiative led by UNEP.
India’s National Measures
India promotes methane reduction through the National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA).
India supports methane-reducing rice cultivation through the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), which reduces water usage and methane formation.
India promotes Direct Seeded Rice (DSR), which avoids continuous standing water and therefore reduces methane emissions.
India runs a Crop Diversification Programme to reduce methane-intensive paddy cultivation.
India 1st Indigenous CRISPR-Based Gene Therapy for Sickle Cell Disease
India has launched its first indigenous CRISPR-based gene therapy for Sickle Cell Disease (SCD).
The therapy is named BIRSA 101.
The therapy is dedicated to Bhagwan Birsa Munda, a renowned tribal freedom fighter.
BIRSA 101 has been developed by the CSIR–Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB).
About Gene Therapy
Gene therapy is a medical technique that uses genes to treat, prevent, or cure diseases.
Gene therapy works by adding new copies of a broken gene in patient cells.
Gene therapy also works by replacing a defective or missing gene with a healthy therapeutic gene.
About CRISPR Technology
CRISPR stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats.
CRISPR is a genome-editing tool, which means it allows precise modification of DNA sequences.
CRISPR uses a Guide RNA to locate specific DNA segments in the genome.
Guide RNA is designed to bind only to the target genetic sequence.
CRISPR uses the Cas9 protein as a molecular cutting tool.
Cas9 acts like molecular scissors that cut both strands of DNA at the desired location.
About Sickle Cell Disease (SCD)
Sickle Cell Disease is a genetic disorder, meaning it is inherited through genes.
SCD affects haemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen.
The disease causes red blood cells to become rigid and sickle-shaped.
Sickle-shaped cells lead to blockages in blood flow inside blood vessels.
SCD has a high prevalence among India’s tribal population.
The incidence of SCD is 1 in 86 births among Scheduled Tribes (STs) in India.
Related News: enFnCas9 Platform
An agreement has been signed between CSIR-IGIB and Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd..
The agreement aims to develop scalable and affordable therapies for genetic disorders.
These therapies will be based on the enFnCas9 genome-editing platform.
enFnCas9 refers to the engineered Francisella novicida Cas9 (FnCas9) protein.
enFnCas9 is a high-fidelity CRISPR-Cas9 system, which means it has higher accuracy and fewer off-target effects.
The enFnCas9 platform has been developed by CSIR-IGIB.
Transposon-Associated Proteins (TnpB)
ICAR has patented a Transposon-associated proteins (TnpB)-based genome editing technology.
Transposons, also known as jumping genes, are DNA sequences that can move from one position to another within the genome.
Transposons move within the genome of a single cell.
About Transposon-Associated Protein (TnpB)
TnpB is a protein associated with transposons.
TnpB functions as a molecular scissor, meaning it can cut DNA at specific locations.
TnpB cleaves DNA at a predetermined target site.
TnpB can alter the sequence of a gene after cutting the DNA.
This action is similar to the role of CRISPR-associated proteins Cas9 and Cas12a.
TnpB-based editing aims to create desirable changes in gene expression.
TnpB-based editing also aims to modify gene function.
Significance of TnpB
TnpB proteins are compact in size.
Each TnpB molecule contains 400 to 500 amino acids, making it much smaller than Cas9 proteins.
The compact structure makes TnpB easier to deliver into cells.
TnpB proteins can be transferred using viral vectors, which are engineered viruses used to deliver genetic material into cells.
ISRO Conducts Boot-Strap Mode Start Test on CE20 Cryogenic Engine
ISRO has conducted the boot-strap mode start test on the CE20 cryogenic engine under vacuum conditions.
This test marks the first-ever boot-strap mode start of a gas-generator cycle cryogenic engine without any auxiliary start-up system.
The absence of an auxiliary start-up system enhances the restart capability of the engine.
The absence of an auxiliary system also increases the mission flexibility of future LVM3 flights.
Earlier, the engine required an additional start-up gas bottle for ignition.
The additional start-up bottle previously caused a reduction in vehicle payload capability.
About Cryogenic Engines
A cryogenic engine forms the last stage of space launch vehicles.
Cryogenic engines use cryogenics, which is the study of materials at extremely low temperatures below –150°C.
Cryogenic engines use Liquid Hydrogen (fuel) as a propellant.
Cryogenic engines use Liquid Oxygen (oxidizer) as a propellant.
Cryogenic engines are more efficient than other propulsion systems.
Cryogenic engines provide higher thrust per kilogram of propellant burned.
Earth-storable liquid and solid propellants are less efficient than cryogenic propellants.
Earth-storable propellants offer only a small payload advantage compared to cryogenic systems.
CE20 is India’s largest cryogenic engine.
CE20 has been developed by the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) at Valiamala, Kerala.
The CE20 engine powers the upper stage of LVM3.
The CE20 engine has been qualified for Gaganyaan missions.
About LVM3 (Launch Vehicle Mark-III)
LVM3 is ISRO’s new heavy-lift launch vehicle.
LVM3 enables India to launch 4000-kg class spacecraft to Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).
LVM3 operates using three stages.
Stage 1: Solid Stage
The first stage consists of two S200 solid-propellant strap-ons.
Stage 2: Liquid Stage
The second stage is the L110 liquid stage.
The L110 stage is the largest liquid stage developed by ISRO.
The L110 stage forms the core stage of the GSLV Mk-III.
The L110 stage uses two high-thrust Vikas engines.
Godrej Enterprises recently delivered the first human-rated L110 Vikas engine for the Gaganyaan project to ISRO.
Stage 3: Cryogenic Stage
The third stage is the C25 cryogenic stage.
The C25 stage is powered by the CE20 cryogenic engine.
Kodaikanal Solar Observatory
Researchers from Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) used century-old data from the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory.
They analyzed this data to reconstruct the Sun’s past polar magnetic behaviour.
About Kodaikanal Solar Observatory
The observatory is operated by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
It is located in the Palani Range of hills in Southern India.
The observatory was established in 1899.
Its telescopes include WARM (White light Active Region Monitor).
It also houses the H-alpha telescope, which observes the Sun in hydrogen-alpha light.
The observatory has a Twin Telescope system for detailed solar observations.
The Kodaikanal Solar Observatory is known for the discovery of the Evershed Effect in 1909.
The Evershed Effect is a nearly horizontal outflow of material seen in the penumbrae of sunspots in the photospheric layer of the Sun.
The photosphere is the visible surface layer of the Sun.
The penumbra is the lighter, outer region of a sunspot surrounding the darker core called the umbra.
Supreme Court Strikes Down Provisions of the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021
The Supreme Court has struck down certain provisions of the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021.
These provisions were struck down because they were reproduced from the Tribunals Reforms Ordinance, 2021.
The Tribunals Reforms Ordinance, 2021 had earlier been declared unconstitutional by the Court in the Madras Bar Association case.
Concerns Identified by the Court
The struck-down provisions mainly related to the appointment of tribunal members.
The provisions also related to the tenure of tribunal members.
The provisions further related to the service conditions of tribunal members.
The Court held that these provisions violated the principle of separation of powers, which divides authority among the Legislature, Executive and Judiciary.
The Court also held that they violated judicial independence, which prevents undue interference in adjudicatory bodies.
The Supreme Court emphasized that the Executive is often a litigating party before tribunals.
The Court therefore held that the Executive cannot be given a dominant role in appointing tribunal members.
Key Highlights of the Judgement
The Court struck down the provision prescribing a minimum age of 50 years for tribunal appointments.
The Court held that the age limit of 50 years was arbitrary.
The Court held that this age limit violated Article 14, which guarantees equality, by excluding younger qualified professionals.
The Court invalidated the provision setting a four-year tenure for chairpersons and members.
The Court reinstated the five-year tenure, considering it essential for security of service and independence.
Direction to the Government
The Supreme Court reiterated its earlier order to the Centre to establish a National Tribunals Commission.
The Court directed that the Commission must be formed within four months.
The proposed Commission is intended to act as an independent body.
The Commission will supervise the appointment process of tribunal members.
The Commission will also supervise the overall functioning of tribunals.
The Commission will address the administrative needs of tribunals.
The Commission will also address the infrastructural requirements of tribunals.
About Tribunals
Tribunals are quasi-judicial bodies created for specialised and efficient adjudication.
Tribunals were created to ensure speedy resolution of specific categories of disputes.
Part XIV-A was added to the Constitution through the Forty-Second Amendment Act, 1976 to provide constitutional backing to tribunals.
Article 323-A empowers Parliament to establish administrative tribunals for service-related matters.
Article 323-B empowers the appropriate Legislature to set up tribunals for other specified subjects, such as taxation, labour, and land reforms.
Protected Area Permit (PAP)
The Nagaland Chief Minister urged the Union Home Minister to urgently review the re-imposition of the Protected Area Permit (PAP) regime.
About Protected Area Permit (PAP)
A Protected Area Permit (PAP) is a special permit required for foreign nationals to visit certain sensitive areas in India.
The legal framework for PAP is provided under the Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order, 1958.
PAP is required for all areas lying between the ‘Inner Line’ and the International Border of a state.
The Inner Line refers to a demarcated boundary within a state beyond which Indian citizens require an Inner Line Permit (ILP) to enter.
PAP is mandatory in several states and Union Territories, including Mizoram and Manipur.
The issuing authority for PAP is the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
Related Note
The Inner Line Permit (ILP) is issued by the Government of India to allow Indian citizens to travel inward into protected areas for a limited period.
Humpback Dolphins
A study was conducted to understand behavioural mechanisms observed between wild dolphins and traditional fishers in Ashtamudi Lake, Kerala.
About Humpback Dolphins
Humpback dolphins inhabit relatively shallow nearshore waters along many coastlines.
Their geographical distribution includes Australia, Africa, and Asia.
Along the Indian coastline, there are two genetic variations of humpback dolphins.
The Indian Ocean humpback dolphin (Sousa plumbea) is classified as Endangered by the IUCN.
The Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis) is classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN.
River Dolphins in India
The Gangetic River dolphin is classified as Endangered by the IUCN.
Gangetic River dolphins are freshwater species.
They are found in the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna river system.
They are also found in the Karnaphuli-Sangu river system.
The Indus River dolphin is classified as Endangered by the IUCN.
Indus River dolphins are found in the Indus River system in Pakistan.
A small population of Indus River dolphins exists in the Beas River, Punjab.
Goldilocks Environment
Morgan Stanley has projected a “Goldilocks Environment” for India in its 2026 India Economics Outlook.
Morgan Stanley expects real GDP growth of 6.8% in FY26 for India.
About the Goldilocks Environment
A Goldilocks Environment refers to an ideal macroeconomic situation.
The term describes a phase where an economy experiences steady economic growth.
In this situation, economic growth is not too high, which means it does not trigger inflation.
In this situation, economic growth is not too low, which means it does not cause an economic slowdown.
A Goldilocks scenario ensures that the economy is not expanding excessively with rising inflation.
A Goldilocks scenario also ensures that the economy is not shrinking into a recession.
This environment provides a favourable setting for stable policymaking.
This environment supports the achievement of price stability, which refers to maintaining inflation at manageable levels.
Himalayan Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus)
Experts have linked recent Himalayan Black Bear attacks in Uttarakhand to climate change.
About the Himalayan Black Bear
The Himalayan Black Bear is also known as the Asiatic Black Bear.
It is also called the Moon Bear due to the crescent-shaped white mark on its chest.
The bear is largely nocturnal, meaning it is most active during the night.
The bear is solitary in nature, which means it usually lives alone.
It is occasionally sighted during the day despite being nocturnal.
The Himalayan Black Bear has a life span of 15 to 25 years.
The bear has a gestation period of 200 to 240 days.
Its habitat consists of heavily forested broad-leaved forests.
Its habitat also includes coniferous forests, which are forests dominated by cone-bearing trees.
The species is distributed across the Himalayan region of Tibet.
It is also distributed in the Himalayan region of India.
It is found in the Himalayan region of China.
It is found in the Himalayan region of Bhutan.
Conservation Status
The Himalayan Black Bear is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, meaning it faces a high risk of extinction in the wild.
It is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, which provides the highest level of legal protection in India.
Threats
The species is poached for its bile, which is illegally used in traditional medicine.
Supreme Court Directs Centre to Frame a Uniform National Policy for Organ Transplantation
The Supreme Court has directed the Centre to frame a Uniform National Policy for Organ Transplantation.
The Court issued this direction because the lack of a consolidated national database for organ donors and recipients was slowing down the process across states.
Organ transplantation is a surgical procedure in which a failing or damaged organ is replaced with a healthy organ from a donor.
Key Supreme Court Directives
The Court ordered the Centre to frame a uniform national policy for organ transplantation.
The uniform policy must include a model allocation criterion for organ distribution.
The allocation model must address gender bias in organ allocation.
The allocation model must address caste bias in organ allocation.
The allocation model must also eliminate state-wise discrepancies in organ allocation.
The Court noted that several regions lack a State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTO).
The regions without SOTO include Manipur, Nagaland, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep.
The Court directed the Centre to establish SOTO bodies under the National Organ Transplantation Programme after consultation with the concerned states.
The Court directed the Centre to evolve guidelines for the welfare of live donors.
The guidelines must ensure post-donation care for live donors.
The guidelines must prevent the commercialisation of live organ donations.
The guidelines must prevent the exploitation of live donors.
The Court directed the Centre to amend death registration forms.
These amendments must be made in consultation with the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO).
The amended forms must specify whether families of the deceased were offered the option to donate organs.
Organ Transplant Framework in India
Organ transplantation in India is governed by the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994.
This Act was later amended in 2011 to strengthen regulatory mechanisms.
NOTTO is the national-level coordinating organisation for organ transplantation.
NOTTO functions under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
NOTTO coordinates the procurement and distribution of organs and tissues across India.
The National Organ Transplant Programme (NOTP) is a government scheme for strengthening the organ transplantation ecosystem.
NOTP aims to create an efficient system for organ procurement.
NOTP also promotes efficient organ retrieval, especially from deceased donors.
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