- GYANESH KUMAR NAMED CEC AFTER PANEL MEETING
SUBJECT: NATIONAL
- Based on the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service, and Term of Office) Act, 2023.
- Selection Panel:PM, Home Minister, Leader of Opposition(earlier, the CJI was part of the selection).
- Congress opposes new selection mechanism, citing violation of SC ruling in Anoop Baranwal Case (2023).
- Key Issues: The Supreme Court to hear the challenge to the2023 Act.
- NRIs and remote voting–highlighted by outgoing CEC Rajiv Kumar.
- Relevance: Election Commission of India (ECI) –Article324.
- Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) –Tenure, Functions, Independence.
- Separation of Powers, Judicial Review.
2. CHINA’S EAST REACTOR KEEPS THE FIRE OF MAGNETIC FUSION BURINING
SUBJECT: INTERNATIONAL
- Fusion vs. Fission
- Fission: Splitting of heavy atomic nuclei (e.g., uranium), used in nuclear reactors and weapons.
- Fusion: Merging of light atomic nuclei (e.g., hydrogen isotopes deuterium & tritium), producing high energy with no radioactive waste.
- EAST (Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak)
- China’s EAST reactor maintained plasma at 100 million°C for 1,066 seconds.
- It is a test bed for ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor).
- Uses magnetic confinement via toroidal and poloidal fields.
- Challenges: Requires very high temperatures(100M°C) to overcome nuclear repulsion.
- Tritium is scarce and needs alternative production methods.
- ITER faces cost overruns & delays.
- Alternatives:
- Stellarators: More complex design, but removes need for poloidal fields.
- Laser Fusion (NIF, USA): Achieved fusion breakeven in 2022
3. CONSTITUTIONAL MORALITY : THE ORIGINS AND NUANCES OF THE CONCEPT
SUBJECT: POLITY
- Coined by George Grote (History of Greece).
- Emphasizes “reverence for constitutional processes” over public morality.
- B.R. Ambedkar’s interpretation
- Democracy needs to be “established and diffused”.
- Constitution can be perverted without changing its form.
- Judicial Use
- Used in Navtej Singh Johar v. UOI (LGBT Rights, 2018).
- Used in Joseph Shine v. UOI (Decriminalizing Adultery, 2018)
4. DELHI ROCKED BY SECOND STRONGEST EARTHQUAKE IN THREE DECADES
SUBJECT: GEOGRAPHY
- Magnitude4.0, epicenter Jheel Park, Delhi.
- Caused by hydrofracturing(underground water channel shifts).
- Similar patterns observed in Sohana Fault & Mahendranagar Fault.
- Earthquake Risk in Delhi
- Seismic Zone IV (High Risk).
- Frequent tremors due to Delhi Ridge & Himalayan proximity
5. CITIZEN SCIENCE PLAYS BIG ROLE IN COLLATING DATA ON PVAC REGION
SUBJECT: ENVIRONMENT
- Citizen Science for Biodiversity in PVAC Region
- Concept: Public participation in data collection and conservation.
- ‘Know Your Bioregion’ Project:
- Covers Puducherry-Villupuram-Auroville-Cuddalore (PVAC) bioregion.
- Uses iNaturalist app for citizen-contributed biodiversity data.
- Smooth-coated otter(Vulnerable species) found in Nallavadu lagoon.
- Importance: Helps document aquatic & terrestrial biodiversity.
- Supports conservation policies.
- Relevance: Citizen Science Initiatives(such as eBird, Indian Biodiversity Portal).
- Environmental Conservation.
- Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 14 -Life Below Water).
