- IMD FORECASTS ABOVE NORMAL MONSOON
SUBJECT: GEOGRAPHY
- IMD projects“above normal” monsoon for 2025, with rainfall expected to be5% higher than the historical average of 87 cm.
- Would mark the second consecutive year of above-normal rainfall (previous year saw 8% surplus).
- Agricultural & Water Implications
- Could ensure sufficient water for kharif crops and enhance reservoir storage.
- However, potential intense rain episodes may lead to flooding risks.
- Scientific Parameters & Model
- Factors Driving Optimism
- Weak El Niño and warming of the central equatorial Pacific signal increased rainfall. • • Low Eurasian snow cover from Jan–Mar 2025 also correlates with higher monsoon activity (inverse relationship).
- IMD’s Dynamical Model
- IMD uses a dynamical coupled model simulating ocean-atmosphere interactions via supercomputers.
- 5 key parameters, including Eurasian snow cover, used for April forecast. Historical data shows 33% correlation with monsoon strength.
2. A PROCLAMATION OF DEMOCARACY IN LEGISLATIVE PROCESS
SUBJECT: POLITY
- In a landmark case (State of Tamil Nadu vs. Governor of Tamil Nadu), the Supreme Court invoked Article 142to deliver complete justice by fixing time limits for gubernatorial and presidential assent to State Bills.
- The Court ruled that Governors cannot indefinitely withhold assent to Bills passed by legislatures that reflect the people’s will.
- Relevance of Articles 200 & 201
- Article 200: Gives Governors options—assent, withhold, or reserve for President. Once a returned Bill is re-passed without amendment, the Governor must assent.
- Article 201: Specifies the President’s role on reserved Bills, including the ability to withhold or return a Bill for reconsideration, but not withhold indefinitely.
3. THE APPROACH TO REGULATING AI IN INDIA
SUBJECT: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
- India has no official AI policy or legislation yet, unlike several countries like the U.S., U.K., China, and EU nations.
- The NITI Aayog’s National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence (2018)remains a guidance document with no formal endorsement from the Government of India.
- Focus of India’s Efforts
- Efforts are focused on promoting AI development, but without binding governance frameworks.
- An advisory group is working on AI governance recommendations, though clarity is lacking on whether these will be formally adopted.
- Global Comparisons and Lessons
- The EU’s GDPR and China’s Personal Information Protection Law offer centralised and comprehensive frameworks.
- The U.S. follows a more sector-specific, decentralised approach.
- India must balance rapid AI adoption with safeguards against:
- Discrimination and exclusion
- Cybersecurity risks and privacy breaches
- Lack of algorithmic transparency
4. UNDERWATER HEAVYWATER MANTIS SHRIMP ALSO PACKS A NATURAL ENERGY SHIELD
SUBJECT: ENVIRONMENT
- Mantis shrimp uses a hammer-shaped dactyl club to strike prey at speeds of23 m/s, faster than a bullet from a gun.
- The strike causes cavitation, where water density drops, form slow-pressure bubbles, and creates shockwaves when they collapse
- Biological Shock Absorption Despite the impact, mantis shrimp remains unharmed due to a specialised microstructure in its club that exhibits phononic shielding—it blocks shockwaves and absorbs energy.
- This duo-mode of wave control and structural strength protects the shrimp while enhancing strike efficiency.
5. INDIA RISING POWER DEMAND AND THE HYDROGEN FACTOR
SUBJECT: NATIONAL
- Achieving a net-zero economy requires widespread electrification and transition from fossil-based molecules to cleaner options like hydrogen.
- Government has targeted100 GW nuclear power capacity by2047.
- Role of Nuclear Power
- Nuclear is crucial as solar, wind, hydro cannot alone meet future electricity demand.
- NPCIL has planned26 PHWRs(700 MW) with10 under construction, following earlier projects in Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Haryana.
- India is self-sufficient in PHWR technology and manufacturing capabilities
