Daily Current Affairs - 27th November 2025
- TPP
- 4 days ago
- 13 min read
Comprehensive UPSC Current Affairs Summary | NJAC Revival Plea, Collegium Concerns, Fundamental Duties, Article 141 Consistency, REPM Manufacturing Scheme, Livestock Statistics 2025, JUNO Neutrino Observatory, Finn’s Weaver Decline, PM1 Air Quality Gap, PMJVK Review, LEAP Engine MRO Facility, India in International IDEA, Commonwealth Games 2030 and more.
If you missed Monthly Current Affairs Pointers (CAP) | Sept - Oct 2025, read it here.
Table of Content
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Sintered Rare Earth Permanent Magnets (REPMs)
The Union Cabinet has approved a scheme to promote manufacturing of Sintered Rare Earth Permanent Magnets (REPMs) in India.
The scheme aims to secure India’s long-term supply of rare earth magnets and reduce dependence on foreign imports.
Sintering is a process in which magnet materials are heated at high temperatures without melting.
Sintering strengthens the magnet’s structure and enhances its magnetic performance.
Sintering also makes the magnets more resistant to corrosion.
Key Features of the Scheme
The scheme has a financial outlay of ₹7,280 crore.
It includes ₹6,450 crore as sales-linked incentives for five years.
It includes ₹750 crore as capital subsidy for setting up manufacturing facilities.
The objective is to establish 6,000 Metric Tons per Annum (MTPA) of integrated REPMs manufacturing capacity in India.
The total capacity of 6,000 MTPA will be allocated to five beneficiaries through global competitive bidding.
Each selected beneficiary can receive up to 1,200 MTPA manufacturing capacity.
The scheme promotes end-to-end manufacturing integration.
End-to-end integration covers the processing chain from rare earth oxides → metals → alloys → finished REPMs.
The scheme will operate for 7 years in total.
The first 2 years will be used for facility setup as the gestation period.
The next 5 years will involve incentive disbursement based on sales.
Rare Earth Permanent Magnets (REPMs)
Rare Earth Permanent Magnets are made from alloys of rare earth elements.
Rare Earth Elements consist of 17 elements, including the 15 lanthanides, along with scandium and yttrium.
REPMs have exceptional magnetic strength compared to conventional magnets.
They possess high energy density, making them efficient for advanced technological uses.
They deliver superior performance in high-precision and high-power applications.
REPMs are used in electric vehicles (EVs) due to their strong and compact magnetic properties.
They are used in renewable energy technologies, especially wind turbines and solar tracking systems.
They are crucial for electronics, including smartphones, computers, and audio systems.
They are used in the aerospace sector for navigation and control systems.
They are vital for the defence sector, including missiles, radars, and advanced communication devices.
Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics 2025
The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying released the Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics 2025.
The report highlights a robust livestock sector that is an increasingly vital engine of India’s agricultural economy.
The sector is marked by significant production growth, widespread digital transformation, and a strong position in the global market.
Key Production Estimates
Milk
India ranks 1st globally in milk production.
Total milk production is estimated at 247.87 million tonnes.
Per capita availability of milk reached 485 grams per day in 2024-25, up from 319 grams per day in 2014-15.
Top producing states are Uttar Pradesh (15.66%), Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.
India produced approximately 25% of the world’s total milk.
Eggs
India ranks 2nd globally in egg production.
Total egg production is estimated at 149.11 billion numbers.
Per capita availability of eggs reached 106 eggs per annum.
Commercial poultry contributes 84.49% of national egg output.
Top producing states are Andhra Pradesh (18.37%), Tamil Nadu, Telangana, West Bengal, and Karnataka.
Meat
India ranks 4th globally in meat production.
Total meat production is estimated at 10.50 million tonnes.
Meat from poultry contributes about 5.18 million tonnes, nearly half of the total meat production.
Top producing states are West Bengal (12.46%), Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana.
Wool
Total wool production is estimated at 34.57 million kg.
Top producing states are Rajasthan (47.85%), Jammu & Kashmir, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Himachal Pradesh.
Supreme Court’s Consideration of Plea to Revive NJAC
The Supreme Court has recently agreed to consider a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) questioning the Collegium system for judicial appointments.
A PIL (Public Interest Litigation) is a legal petition filed for public interest rather than personal interest.
The PIL also seeks revival of the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) which was previously struck down.
The NJAC Act, 2014 was established through the 99th Constitutional Amendment.
A Constitutional Amendment is a formal change to the Constitution made by Parliament.
The purpose of the NJAC was to replace the existing Collegium system for appointments in the higher judiciary.
The NJAC consisted of a six-member commission responsible for recommending appointments.
These six members were the Chief Justice of India (CJI), two senior-most Supreme Court judges, the Union Law Minister, and two eminent persons.
Eminent persons refer to individuals of high public standing selected for their integrity and contribution to public life.
The NJAC was struck down in the Fourth Judges Case (2015) by the Supreme Court.
The Fourth Judges Case (2015) held that NJAC violated the Basic Structure of the Constitution.
The Basic Structure Doctrine protects fundamental constitutional principles such as Judicial Independence.
The Supreme Court ruled that NJAC threatened Judicial Independence, making it unconstitutional.
Concerns With the Collegium System
A key concern with the Collegium is its opaqueness, meaning lack of transparency in decision-making.
Another concern is its accountability deficit, because no external authority can question or review Collegium decisions.
The Collegium is not answerable to Parliament, which is the legislative body.
The Collegium is also not answerable to the Executive, which is the administrative branch of government.
Critics argue that the system is exclusionary because it has historically under-represented women judges.
The Collegium has also shown inadequate representation from marginalized communities.
There is constitutional ambiguity because the Collegium evolved from judicial interpretation rather than formal legislation.
This evolution occurred through the Three Judges Cases, which judicially created the appointment mechanism.
Critics say this undermines the principle that Parliament should define institutional frameworks under the Constitution.
There are persistent vacancies in the higher judiciary due to disagreements between the Collegium and the Executive.
Such disagreements lead to delays in appointments, affecting judicial efficiency.
Conclusion and Reform Perspective
The Collegium system helps safeguard judicial independence, which is a cornerstone of democracy.
However, its limitations indicate the need for structural reforms.
One reform option is creating a restructured NJAC with stronger safeguards for independence.
Another option is adopting a Collegium-plus model that incorporates transparency.
A Collegium-plus model can also enhance accountability in judicial appointments.
This model may further ensure greater diversity among judges.
Existing System of Appointments in the Higher Judiciary
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Article 141 and the Importance of Legal Consistency in Supreme Court Judgments
The Supreme Court recently expressed concern about benches overturning earlier coordinate-bench orders.
A coordinate bench refers to a bench of judges having equal strength to another bench.
Such overturning raises issues regarding legal consistency in judicial interpretation.
Legal consistency is essential to maintain certainty and predictability in the justice system.
About Article 141
Article 141 states that the law declared by the Supreme Court is binding on all courts in India.
This provision ensures that lower courts follow uniform legal principles across the country.
Uniformity helps maintain consistent interpretation of law across different states.
Article 141 gives final legal authority to Supreme Court rulings on statutory matters.
It also gives final authority to Supreme Court rulings on constitutional matters.
The scope of Article 141 covers only the binding part of a judgment.
This binding part is known as the ratio decidendi, which means the core reasoning supporting the decision.
Only the ratio decidendi must be followed by all courts.
Obiter dicta—which are comments or observations made “by the way”—do not have binding force.
Obiter dicta are persuasive in nature but not mandatory for courts to follow.
Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO)
China has recently completed the construction of the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO).
JUNO is an underground neutrino detector located in Guangdong province.
A neutrino detector is a scientific instrument designed to observe neutrinos, which are extremely tiny and neutral subatomic particles.
JUNO aims to study neutrino oscillations, which refer to the phenomenon where neutrinos change from one type to another.
The observatory also aims to determine the neutrino mass ordering, which means identifying whether neutrinos follow a normal or inverted mass hierarchy.
This determination is essential for understanding the fundamental structure of matter in particle physics.
It is important to note that China’s JUNO is different from Japan’s Juno mission.
The Japanese Juno mission focuses on studying Jupiter, which is unrelated to neutrino research.
Finn’s Weaver: Decline, Habitat, and Conservation Concerns
Finn’s Weaver is silently disappearing from the marshy lowlands of the Terai.
The Terai region is a belt of marshy grasslands along the foothills of the Himalayas in India and Nepal.
These lowlands currently serve as the species’ last remaining stronghold.
About Finn’s Weaver
Finn’s Weaver (Ploceus megarhynchus) is a bird associated with grassland and wetland ecosystems.
The species is found mainly in the Terai lowlands of India and Nepal.
Finn’s Weaver is also called the Yellow Weaver.
It is additionally known as the Himalayan Weaver.
In Uttarakhand, the bird is locally referred to as Pahari Baya.
The species is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
The IUCN Red List is a global system that evaluates the extinction risk of species.
Habitat Requirements
Finn’s Weaver typically inhabits marshy ground.
It also occupies water-edge vegetation, which includes plants growing along wetland boundaries.
The species depends on tall grasses for feeding and nesting.
Threats to Finn’s Weaver
The bird faces severe decline due to habitat loss.
It is threatened by agricultural expansion, which converts natural grasslands into farmland.
Grassland reclamation further reduces its breeding and feeding spaces.
The species also suffers from nest predation, where predators destroy or consume eggs and chicks.
PM1: Health Risks, Sources, and India’s Regulatory Gap
PM1 is emerging as a major air-quality concern because it poses greater health risks than PM2.5.
India currently does not monitor or regulate PM1, making its health impact largely unassessed.
About PM1
PM1 refers to particulate matter with a diameter of less than one micron.
A micron is one-millionth of a metre, indicating that PM1 particles are extremely fine.
PM1 primarily originates from vehicle exhaust emissions.
It also comes from industrial emissions, especially from factories using high-temperature processes.
Another major source is combustion activities, such as burning fossil fuels or biomass.
Smoke from wood burning and open fires further contributes to PM1 levels.
PM1 can easily penetrate deep into lung tissue due to its small size.
These particles can enter the bloodstream, which increases systemic health risks.
Once in the bloodstream, PM1 can reach internal organs, causing long-term damage.
PM1 often carries heavy metals, which are toxic elements harmful even at low concentrations.
It also carries chemicals and volatile compounds, which can cause inflammation and disease.
Regulation and Monitoring Gap
India does not regulate PM1 under its existing National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).
The country also has very limited monitoring infrastructure to measure PM1 levels.
This lack of monitoring makes it difficult to assess public-health exposure accurately.
Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK)
The government recently reviewed the implementation of PMJVK.
Officials emphasized better use of the PMJVK portal and the SNA-SPARSH system for efficient monitoring and fund management.
About PMJVK
Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
It is implemented by the Ministry of Minority Affairs.
The scheme aims to provide basic amenities in Minority Concentrated Areas (MCAs).
These amenities include schools, health centers, hostels, and community halls.
PMJVK also provides access to drinking water, sanitation, and skill development facilities.
The scheme is open to all districts meeting the minority population criteria.
A district is eligible if the minority population exceeds 25% of the total population in the catchment area.
The catchment area is defined as a 15 km radius around the project location.
Single Nodal Agency – SNA-SPARSH
SNA-SPARSH stands for Systematic Progressive Accounting Resource for State Harmonisation.
It is a system designed to improve cash management for PMJVK and similar schemes.
SNA-SPARSH enables just-in-time fund flow from the Centre to the States.
The system works by integrating State IFMIS with the RBI’s e-Kuber platform.
IFMIS (Integrated Financial Management Information System) helps states track expenditure and fund utilization.
e-Kuber is the RBI’s electronic core banking platform for government transactions.
Prime Minister’s Call to Uphold Fundamental Duties and Their Constitutional-Ethical Significance
On Constitution Day, the Prime Minister urged citizens to uphold their Fundamental Duties.
Constitution Day is celebrated on 26 November to mark the adoption of the Indian Constitution.
The Prime Minister also encouraged citizens to contribute actively to strengthening India’s democratic framework.
Constitutional Status of Fundamental Duties
Fundamental Duties are enshrined in Article 51A of the Constitution.
Article 51A is located in Part IVA, which deals specifically with citizens’ duties.
Part IVA was inserted by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976.
A Constitutional Amendment is a formal change made to the Constitution by the Parliament.
The inclusion of Fundamental Duties was recommended by the Swaran Singh Committee (1976).
The original list of Fundamental Duties consisted of ten duties.
The 86th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2002 added the eleventh duty.
The eleventh duty requires parents or guardians to provide opportunities for education to children aged 6–14 years.
The purpose of Fundamental Duties is to outline the moral obligations of citizens.
These duties aim to promote patriotism, which means love and devotion towards the nation.
These duties also aim to foster unity and integrity within the country.
Fundamental Duties are non-justiciable, meaning courts cannot legally enforce them.
Although non-enforceable, they remain essential for governance and responsible citizenship.
Relationship Between Rights and Duties
Rights and duties are complementary because each sustains the other.
Rights cannot be exercised meaningfully without the fulfilment of corresponding duties.
Duties help maintain balance in a democracy by ensuring responsible use of rights.
Duties prevent misuse of rights that may violate the rights of others.
Duties also prevent actions that may harm social harmony.
The relationship between rights and duties reflects moral linkage rooted in discipline.
This moral linkage promotes respect for institutions such as Parliament, Judiciary, and Executive.
It also reinforces constitutional values like justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity.
Duties help build the ethical framework within which rights are exercised.
Sustainable rights depend on citizens fulfilling their duties consistently.
Duties create the foundation necessary for the long-term survival of rights.
Philosophical Support for Duty-Centric Ethics
Mahatma Gandhi emphasized that the true source of rights is duty.
Gandhi believed that rights naturally arise when citizens sincerely perform their obligations.
He also argued that only those rights are genuine that emerge from the faithful performance of duties.
Plato, the Greek philosopher, argued that a just state is built upon individuals performing their assigned duties.
Plato believed that social harmony emerges when each class and citizen fulfils their specific obligations.
He held that duty-based functioning leads to a well-ordered society.
Immanuel Kant, the German philosopher, grounded morality in the idea of duty.
Kant explained duty through the Categorical Imperative, which commands actions based on moral obligation.
The Categorical Imperative means one should act only according to principles that can be universally accepted.
Kant believed that ethical conduct must be guided by obligation, not by pursuit of personal rights or outcomes.
Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) Facility for LEAP Engines
The Prime Minister inaugurated Safran’s Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility in Hyderabad.
The facility is specifically for LEAP aircraft engines.
The LEAP engine is a next-generation commercial aircraft engine.
It is designed to be fuel-efficient, reducing operational costs and emissions.
The LEAP engine is developed by CFM International, a leading aerospace manufacturer.
About MRO
MRO stands for Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul.
MRO refers to industrial and technical processes that keep aircraft engines, components, and systems airworthy and operational.
Airworthy means the aircraft or its components are safe and fit for flight.
MRO activities include routine maintenance, which is regular servicing to prevent malfunctions.
It also involves repairs to fix damaged or malfunctioning parts.
Inspections are conducted to assess the condition of components and detect potential issues.
Overhauls involve comprehensive disassembly, repair, and reassembly of components.
MRO also covers the replacement of worn or outdated parts to ensure reliability.
India’s Leadership Role in International IDEA
India’s Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) is set to assume the chairship of International IDEA.
This appointment enhances India’s leadership role in global electoral governance.
International IDEA stands for the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance.
It is an intergovernmental organisation, meaning it is formed by cooperation between multiple governments.
The organisation works to advance democracy worldwide.
Its main objectives include supporting electoral processes, which cover free and fair elections.
It also assists in constitution-building, helping countries draft or reform their constitutions.
International IDEA conducts democratic assessments to evaluate the quality of democracy in countries.
It promotes citizen participation in governance and decision-making.
The organisation also supports governance reforms to improve transparency, accountability, and efficiency.
International IDEA currently has 35 member countries.
Some countries, such as the USA and Japan, participate as Observers, meaning they engage without full membership rights.
India is a member of International IDEA, actively participating in its initiatives and decision-making processes.
India to Host the Centenary Commonwealth Games 2030
India has successfully secured the hosting rights for the Centenary Commonwealth Games in 2030.
The host city for the 2030 Games has been formally declared as Ahmedabad.
About the Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is a quadrennial multi-sport event, meaning it is held every four years.
It involves participation from Commonwealth nations.
The Games were first inaugurated in 1930.
India previously hosted the XIX (19th) Commonwealth Games in 2010.
About the Commonwealth
The Commonwealth originated during the 1926 Imperial Conference.
At this conference, Britain and the Dominions agreed that all members were equal members of a community within the British Empire.
The London Declaration of 1949 laid the foundation for the modern Commonwealth.
The declaration stated that republics and other countries could also be part of the Commonwealth.
Today, the Commonwealth has a membership of 56 countries.
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