1. The Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025
- Syllabus: GS Paper II: Government Policies and Interventions; GS Paper III: Inclusive Growth and issues arising from it, Rural Employment.
- Context: On December 18, 2025, the Lok Sabha passed the VB-G RAM G Bill, which officially replaces the MGNREGA Act, 2005, marking the most significant shift in India’s rural employment policy in two decades.
Multi-Dimensional Analysis
- Welfare Philosophy Shift: The Bill marks a transition from a rights-based, demand-driven model (MGNREGA) to a performance-linked, asset-driven mission. The focus has shifted from merely providing work as a safety net to using labor for building high-value rural infrastructure.
- Economic Strategy (The Agricultural Pause): For the first time, the law allows a 60-day pause in work during peak sowing and harvesting seasons. This is designed to address the “crowding out” effect where MGNREGA created labor shortages for farmers, thereby supporting agricultural productivity.
- Fiscal Federalism: The funding pattern has changed from the Center bearing nearly the entire wage burden to a 60:40 (Center:State) ratio. This compels states to be more fiscally accountable but also puts a strain on the budgets of poorer, labor-surplus states.
- Governance & Accountability: The introduction of “Normative Allocation” replaces the open-ended budget. This means funds are allocated based on objective parameters like poverty indices and past performance, aiming to reduce fiscal leakage and ensure “Viksit Bharat” targets are met.
- Social Empowerment: By increasing the guarantee to 125 days, it provides 25% more income potential to rural households, particularly benefiting women who make up more than 50% of the rural workforce.
Comparative Analysis Table
| Aspect | Analysis |
| Positives | Increased Security: 125 days of guaranteed work vs 100 days; Durable Assets: Integration with Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans; Tech Integration: Use of AI-based ‘Face-Auth’ to prevent corruption. |
| Negatives | Budgetary Cap: “Normative allocation” might lead to work denial once state funds are exhausted; State Burden: 60:40 ratio may lead to implementation delays in fiscally weak states; Right to Work: Dilutes the “legal entitlement” aspect. |
| Govt. Schemes | Convergence with Lakhpati Didi, PM Awas Yojana (Gramin), and Jal Jeevan Mission. |
- Example: In a pilot project in Odisha, work was paused during the Kharif harvest, leading to a 15% increase in local farm labor availability and preventing wage inflation for small farmers.
- Way Forward: The Center should create a “Distress Fund” to provide additional 100% funding during natural disasters. Furthermore, the 60:40 ratio should be phased in over 3 years to allow states to adjust their fiscal planning.
- Conclusion: While the VB-G RAM G Bill modernizes the labor framework, its success depends on ensuring that fiscal discipline does not override the fundamental social security of the rural poor.
Mains Practice Question: “The transition from MGNREGA to VB-G RAM G signals a move from ‘relief-centric’ governance to ‘productivity-led’ development.” Critically analyze the implications for rural inclusive growth. (250 Words)
2. India-Oman Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA)
- Syllabus: GS Paper II: Bilateral Agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests; GS Paper III: Effects of Liberalization on the economy, Changes in Industrial Policy.
- Context: Signed on December 18, 2025, in Muscat, this is India’s first major trade deal with a Gulf nation after the UAE (2022) and the first since the recent UK FTA.
Multi-Dimensional Analysis
- Strategic Geopolitics: Oman is located at the Strait of Hormuz, a vital choke point for global energy. This CEPA anchors India’s “Act West” policy and provides a strategic counter-balance in the Arabian Sea, complementing the use of Duqm Port.
- Export Potential & Tariff Dynamics: Oman has provided duty-free access to 98% of its tariff lines, covering nearly 99.4% of Indian exports by value. This is a massive boost for MSMEs in sectors like engineering, textiles, and gems.
- Services & Labor Mobility: The deal includes an unprecedented “Mode 4” commitment, allowing Indian professionals (IT, doctors, nurses) easier visas and longer stays. This secures the interests of the 7-lakh-strong Indian diaspora in Oman.
- Energy and Food Security: The CEPA facilitates smoother imports of Omani LNG and fertilizers, which are critical for India’s energy transition and agricultural health. In return, India becomes the “Food Security Partner” for Oman.
- AYUSH & Wellness Diplomacy: In a global first for an FTA, Oman has formally recognized AYUSH (Ayurveda) products and services, opening a multi-billion dollar wellness market for Indian traditional medicine.
Comparative Analysis Table
| Aspect | Analysis |
| Positives | Zero Duty: Immediate gains for textiles, leather, and pharma; Strategic Access: Use of Oman as a gateway to African and GCC markets; Investment Protection: Robust framework for Omani Sovereign Wealth Funds. |
| Negatives | Trade Deficit: Potential increase in imports of plastics and chemicals may hurt domestic manufacturers; Rules of Origin: Risk of Chinese goods being routed through Oman (circumvention). |
| Govt. Schemes | Aligns with ‘Districts as Export Hubs’, ‘Make in India’, and the National Logistics Policy. |
- Example: The Duqm Special Economic Zone in Oman will now offer “priority plots” for Indian manufacturing units, creating an “India-Industrial Hub” outside Indian soil.
- Way Forward: Indian exporters must now focus on SPS (Sanitary and Phytosanitary) standards to ensure Omani markets are not closed due to quality issues. A joint monitoring committee should be established to prevent “third-country dumping.”
- Conclusion: The India-Oman CEPA is a blueprint for “Value-based FTAs,” where economic integration serves as a pillar for long-term maritime and energy security.
Mains Practice Question: “Beyond trade, the India-Oman CEPA serves as a strategic maritime anchor in the Western Indian Ocean.” Evaluate. (250 Words)
3. Dynamic Ground Water Resources Assessment Report 2025
- Syllabus: GS Paper I: Distribution of key natural resources; GS Paper III: Conservation, environmental pollution, and degradation.
- Context: The Ministry of Jal Shakti released the 2025 Assessment on December 18, reporting a total annual recharge of 448.52 BCM, showing stabilization but highlighting critical regional vulnerabilities.
Multi-Dimensional Analysis
- Environmental Sustainability: While 73% of assessment units are now “Safe,” the report highlights a “quality crisis.” Even where water levels are rising, the presence of Arsenic and Fluoride in 22 states makes the water unusable without expensive treatment.
- Agricultural-Water Nexus: Agriculture continues to consume 87% of extracted groundwater. The report notes that in states like Punjab and Haryana, the “Stage of Extraction” is still over 120%, meaning we are “mining” fossil water that cannot be replenished in our lifetime.
- Urban Challenges: Rapid urbanization is leading to “concrete capping,” preventing natural recharge. Cities like Bengaluru and Chennai are identified as “Groundwater Stress Hotspots” due to the destruction of traditional tank systems.
- Technological Shift (NAQUIM 2.0): The transition to High-Resolution Aquifer Mapping using Heliborne surveys allows the government to identify “paleo-channels” (ancient dried-up rivers) that can serve as massive natural underground reservoirs.
Comparative Analysis Table
| Aspect | Analysis |
| Positives | Recharge Growth: 54% of wells show rising levels due to good monsoons and Jal Shakti Abhiyan; Decline in Over-exploitation: Units decreased from 17% (2017) to 10.8% (2025). |
| Negatives | Quality Deterioration: Rising salinity in coastal areas and heavy metal contamination in the Gangetic plain; Irrigation Inefficiency: Low adoption of micro-irrigation in water-stressed blocks. |
| Govt. Schemes | Atal Bhujal Yojana, PM Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (Per Drop More Crop), and Mission Amrit Sarovar. |
- Example: In Rajasthan, the Mukhya Mantri Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan has turned “Over-exploited” blocks into “Safe” ones by creating 4 lakh water harvesting structures using community participation.
- Way Forward: Implementing Water Accounting at the Panchayat level and making “Rainwater Harvesting” a mandatory building code in all 4,000+ urban local bodies.
- Conclusion: India’s groundwater management is at a crossroads; we must move from “Supply-side engineering” (dams) to “Demand-side behavior change” (cropping patterns).
Mains Practice Question: “India’s groundwater crisis is no longer just a problem of quantity, but increasingly one of quality and regional inequity.” Examine. (250 Words)
4. MadhuNetrAI: AI-Driven Community Screening for Diabetic Retinopathy
- Syllabus: GS II (Health/Government Policies); GS III (Science & Technology – AI in Healthcare).
- Context: On December 18, 2025, the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS), in collaboration with AIIMS New Delhi and the MoHFW, highlighted the pilot rollout of MadhuNetrAI, India’s first AI-driven tool for automated diabetic eye screening.
Multi-Dimensional Analysis
- Technological Dimension: MadhuNetrAI utilizes deep-learning algorithms to analyze retinal images captured via handheld fundus cameras. It automates screening, grading, and triaging, allowing non-specialists (nursing staff) to identify vision-threatening Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) with high sensitivity.
- Socio-Health Dimension: Diabetes is a “silent epidemic” in India. DR is a leading cause of preventable blindness. By decentralizing diagnostics from tertiary hospitals (AIIMS) to primary/secondary levels (AFMS clinics), it addresses the chronic shortage of ophthalmologists in rural and remote areas.
- Administrative Synergy: This marks a unique “Triple-Helix” collaboration between the Military (AFMS) for logistics, Academia (AIIMS) for AI development, and Executive (MoHFW) for policy scaling.
- Economic Dimension: Early detection reduces the future economic burden of blindness-related disability and high-cost vitreo-retinal surgeries, making it a highly cost-effective public health intervention.
Analysis Table: Positives, Negatives, and Schemes
| Feature | Analysis |
| Positives | Scalability: Can be deployed in hilly (Dharamshala) or coastal (Kochi) areas; Speed: Real-time diagnostics for rapid intervention; Data Sovereignty: Builds a national health intelligence framework on DR. |
| Negatives | Digital Divide: Dependence on reliable internet for cloud-based AI processing; Diagnostic Bias: Risks of “False Positives” without human oversight; Cost: Initial high cost of handheld fundus cameras. |
| Govt. Schemes | Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM); National Programme for Control of Blindness (NPCBVI); Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) Portal. |
- Example: The pilot deployment in Jorhat (Assam) and Gaya (Bihar) demonstrates the tool’s effectiveness in reaching “last-mile” diabetic patients who have never had an eye check-up.
- Way Forward: Integration with the U-WIN/CoWIN like platforms for a centralized diabetic registry and providing subsidies to private clinics for adopting AI-screening to ensure universal eye care.
- Conclusion: MadhuNetrAI is a pioneer for “Agentic AI” in Indian healthcare, shifting the focus from curative to preventive ophthalmology.
Mains Question: “Artificial Intelligence has the potential to bridge the urban-rural divide in specialist medical care in India.” Discuss with reference to the MadhuNetrAI initiative.
5. NH-45: India’s First ‘Wildlife-Safe’ National Highway (MP)
- Syllabus: GS III (Infrastructure; Environment & Biodiversity; Disaster Management).
- Context: The NHAI operationalized a critical stretch of NH-45 in Madhya Pradesh on December 18, 2025, featuring India’s first ‘Table-Top Red Markings’ to protect the Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve corridor.
Multi-Dimensional Analysis
- Environmental Dimensions: Linear infrastructure (roads/rails) is the primary cause of habitat fragmentation. NH-45 uses 25 underpasses and continuous chain-link fencing to restore genetic connectivity for tigers moving between Nauradehi and Veerangana Durgavati sanctuaries.
- Psychological Engineering: The Table-Top Red Markings (inspired by Dubai) are not just physical barriers; they use the red spectrum (highest visibility) and tactile feedback (vibration) to subconsciously force drivers to slow down to 40 kmph in sensitive zones.
- Economic-Infrastructure Paradox: While the project cost ₹122 Crore, it proves that “Green Infrastructure” is cheaper in the long run than “Alternative Alignments,” which often destroy more forest or cost 5x more in land acquisition.
Analysis Table: Positives, Negatives, and Schemes
| Feature | Analysis |
| Positives | Zero Collision Goal: Effectively ends roadkill of apex predators; Tourism Boost: Safe passage enhances the eco-tourism profile of the Bhopal-Jabalpur corridor. |
| Negatives | Predator Trap: Concern that predators might learn to hunt at the restricted exits of underpasses; Noise Pollution: Higher traffic speed still creates acoustic barriers for birds. |
| Govt. Schemes | Green Highways Policy 2015; Bharatmala Pariyojana; Wildlife Protection Act (Amendment) 2022. |
- Example: Similar to the A303 Stonehenge Tunnel (UK), NH-45 uses “Mitigation Engineering” to ensure that an ancient forest corridor remains functional despite a modern highway passing through it.
- Way Forward: The National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) should make ‘Table-Top Red Markings’ a mandatory design standard for all highways passing within 5km of a National Park.
- Conclusion: NH-45 represents a shift from “Grey Infrastructure” to “Green Infrastructure,” where development and conservation are no longer a zero-sum game.
Mains Question: “Linear infrastructure fragmentation is a major threat to India’s Tiger conservation success.” Evaluate how ‘Wildlife-Safe Roads’ can mitigate this threat.
6. WHO Global TB Report 2025 & India’s Elimination Strategy
- Syllabus: GS II (Issues relating to Health; Social Justice).
- Context: On December 18, 2025, the Ministry of Health released a status update following the WHO Global TB Report 2025, highlighting India’s 21% reduction in TB incidence—double the global average.
Multi-Dimensional Analysis
- Social Dimension: TB remains a “social disease” linked to poverty and malnutrition. The Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana (disbursing ₹4,400+ Cr) recognizes that medicine alone cannot cure TB without “Poshan” (nutrition).
- Technological Dimension: India has deployed the world’s largest molecular diagnostic network (9,300+ NAAT machines). The shift from sputum microscopy to NAAT (Nucleic Acid Amplification Test) for all presumptive cases has slashed the “missing cases” from 15 lakhs to under 1 lakh.
- Governance Dimension: The “Jan Bhagidari” (People’s Participation) through Ni-kshay Mitras—where citizens adopt TB patients—has turned a medical mission into a social movement.
- Global Leadership: India is the sole supplier of Pretomanid (part of the revolutionary BPaL regimen), making India the “Pharmacy of the World” for TB elimination.
Analysis Table: Positives, Negatives, and Schemes
| Feature | Analysis |
| Positives | Incidence Drop: 21% decline since 2015; Treatment Success: 90% rate (higher than 88% global avg); Universal Coverage: 92% treatment reach. |
| Negatives | MDR-TB Burden: One-third of global drug-resistant cases are still in India; Private Sector Gaps: Under-reporting by private clinics remains a bottleneck. |
| Govt. Schemes | Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan; Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana; Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. |
- Example: The use of handheld AI-X-rays in the tribal belts of Jharkhand has detected thousands of “asymptomatic” cases that would have otherwise spread the infection.
- Way Forward: Mandatory Notification 2.0 for the private sector with stricter penalties and scaling up the Indigenious TB Vaccine trials to provide long-term immunity.
- Conclusion: India’s TB strategy is a model of how “Political Will” plus “Community Participation” can bend the curve of a centuries-old pandemic.
Mains Question: “India’s fight against Tuberculosis has moved from a clinical approach to a socio-economic mission.” Critically examine.
7. SC on SIR 2026: Balancing Electoral Integrity & Voter Rights
- Syllabus: GS II (Polity – Elections; Judiciary; Fundamental Rights).
- Context: On December 18, 2025, the Supreme Court asked the ECI to take a “sympathetic view” on extending the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) 2026 deadlines, following reports of massive voter deletions in Kerala, UP, and Gujarat.
Multi-Dimensional Analysis
- Constitutional Dimension: Under Article 324, the ECI has the power of superintendence. However, the SC’s intervention highlights that administrative efficiency (cleaning the rolls) cannot override the Fundamental Right to Vote (Art 326).
- Administrative Dimension: SIR 2026 is a “deep clean” of electoral rolls using AI and door-to-door verification. The shrinking of the electorate in Gujarat (74 lakh) and Kerala (25 lakh) raises questions about whether “purging” is being done without adequate “Natural Justice” (notice to voters).
- Social Dimension: The digital divide impacts enumeration. Many senior citizens and migrant workers are unable to submit Form-6 or Form-8 electronically, leading to accidental exclusion.
- Judicial Review: The court’s directive for a “sympathetic view” balances the ECI’s autonomy with the citizen’s right to be heard before being “deleted” from the democratic process.
Analysis Table: Positives, Negatives, and Schemes
| Feature | Analysis |
| Positives | Integrity: Removes deceased and “ghost” voters; Accuracy: Ensures “One Nation, One E-Roll” ready for future simultaneous polls. |
| Negatives | Exclusion Error: Mass deletions without physical verification; Privacy: Risks of sensitive voter data being handled by “private volunteers.” |
| Govt. Schemes | SVEEP (Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation); E-VIGIL; Garuda App. |
- Example: In Coimbatore, over 6.5 lakh names were removed in a single draft, leading to panic and political outcries, necessitating the SC’s call for an extension.
- Way Forward: ECI must implement a “De-registration Notice” via SMS and post 30 days prior to deletion and hold “Special Camps” on weekends for physical verification.
- Conclusion: A clean electoral roll is the bedrock of democracy, but the process of cleaning must be as transparent and inclusive as the election itself.
Mains Question: “The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is a double-edged sword for democratic inclusion.” Discuss in the light of recent judicial observations.
8. Lieutenant Sai Jadhav: Shattering the Glass Ceiling at IMA
- Syllabus: GS II (Social Justice – Women Empowerment); GS III (Defense & Internal Security).
- Context: On December 18, 2025, national media celebrated Lieutenant Sai Jadhav (Kolhapur) as the first woman officer to pass out from the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun, in its 93-year history.
Multi-Dimensional Analysis
- Institutional Transformation: Since 1932, IMA was a male bastion. Sai Jadhav’s commissioning marks the final collapse of gender-segregated training in the Indian Army. She trained alongside 300+ male cadets, meeting identical physical and tactical standards.
- Sociological Perspective: As a 4th generation soldier, her story emphasizes that “legacy” is no longer gender-restricted. This shifts the patriarchal narrative of the “Martial Races” or “Army Families” towards merit-based inclusion.
- Strategic Dimension: Commissioned into the Territorial Army (Ecological), she represents the evolving role of the TA in climate defense and territorial security. Her presence in the Kumaon Regiment at the Pithoragarh border adds a symbolic layer to border management.
- Policy Evolution: This follows the 2020 SC judgment on Permanent Commission and the 2022 induction of women into the NDA, proving that the “combat-ready” status of women is now an institutional reality, not an experiment.
Analysis Table: Positives, Negatives, and Schemes
| Feature | Analysis |
| Positives | Gender Parity: Sets a precedent for IMA-based training; Inspiration: High “Role Model” effect for 1.8 crore girl students in NCC/Sainik schools. |
| Negatives | Infrastructure Lag: Many field units still lack gender-neutral living facilities; Cultural Resistance: Deep-seated “old boys club” mentalities in mid-level leadership. |
| Govt. Schemes | Mission Shakti; Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam; Agnipath Scheme (Women recruitment). |
- Example: The viral image of her parents pinning stars on her shoulders at the Chetwode Building is being compared to the historic “Tenzing Norgay” moment for women in Indian defense.
- Way Forward: Institutionalizing Gender Sensitization for male officers at IMA and creating a clear career progression roadmap for women in “Combat Arms” (Infantry/Armoured).
- Conclusion: Lieutenant Sai Jadhav is not just a “Woman Officer”; she is the harbinger of a “Gender-Neutral Indian Army” where the color of the uniform is the only identity that matters.
Mains Question: “The induction of women into the Indian Military Academy (IMA) is not just a social victory but a strategic necessity for a modern 21st-century force.” Comment.
