Daily Current Affairs | UPSC CSE | 27 Oct

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Daily Current Affairs 27 October 2025: Index

1. National Crisis Management Committee
2. Krishi Vigyan Kendra
3. National Biodiversity Authority
4. National Critical Mineral Mission
5. Anusandhan National Research Foundation
6. Left Wing Extremism – Naxalism
7. Scheduled Languages
8. Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
9. India – Singapore
10. India – Mauritius Joint Hydrographic Survey

Note: The topics in the index are clickable, and the notes can be read separately.

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National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC)

Why in News: Cabinet Secretary, Dr. T. V. Somanathan, recently chaired a meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) to review preparedness for the impending cyclone in the Bay of Bengal. This highlights the NCMC’s core function as the apex coordination body for high-level, real-time administrative response during major natural calamities.

National Crisis Management Committee: Key Facts

Feature	Detail (Prelims Focus)
Chairperson	Cabinet Secretary (The highest-ranking civil servant)
Nodal Ministry	Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)
Legal Status	Statutory Body (Formally constituted under Section 8A of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, as amended in 2025).
Objective	To act as the nodal body for major disasters with serious or national ramifications.

Composition and Structure

The NCMC’s composition is fixed to ensure the involvement of the most senior administrative officials, enabling swift and unified action.

• Chairman: The Cabinet Secretary.
• Core Members (Secretarial Rank):
  1. Union Home Secretary
  2. Defence Secretary
  3. Secretary (Co-ordination), Cabinet Secretariat
  4. Member and Head of Department, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
• Co-option Power: The NCMC Chairperson can co-opt any expert or officer from Central/State Governments or any organization, depending on the specific nature of the crisis (e.g., a chemical expert during an industrial accident).

Functions and Authority

The NCMC’s authority is binding, enabling it to cut across bureaucratic lines during an emergency.

• Operational Focus: The NCMC evaluates preparedness and coordinates the actions of all concerned Central Ministries/Departments, State Governments, and national disaster agencies.
• Binding Directions: It is empowered to give binding directions for the proper coordination and monitoring of the disaster response in the country, ensuring immediate compliance from all stakeholders including Union Ministries and State Governments.
• Apex Decision-Making: It is the highest-level administrative body responsible for real-time operational decisions during the crisis phase of a disaster.

NCMC vs. NDMA (Core Distinction)

Feature	NCMC (National Crisis Management Committee)	NDMA (National Disaster Management Authority)
Head	Cabinet Secretary	Prime Minister
Primary Role	Response & Coordination (Administrative implementation during a crisis)	Policy & Planning (Laying down national guidelines and policies)
Level	Administrative Apex	Political/Policy Apex

Source: PIB

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Krishi Vigyan Kendra

Why in News: Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan recently visited the ICAR–Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, highlighting its role as the crucial link between agricultural research and the farming community.

Krishi Vigyan Kendra : Key Facts and Status

KVKs, often referred to as ‘Farm Science Centres’, are integral to India’s agricultural extension system, operating at the grassroots level.

Feature	Detail
Nodal Body	ICAR
Establishment Year	1974
First KVK	Established in Puducherry (then Pondicherry)
Affiliation	Operates under the administrative control of Agricultural Universities, ICAR Institutes, Government Departments, or NGOs
Funding	100% financed by the Government of India
Current Number	Approximately 731 KVKs functioning across India in 2025

National Agricultural Research System (NARS):

The KVKs are an integral part of the National Agricultural Research System (NARS), serving as the decentralized component for technology application.

The NARS operates at three main levels:

• National Level: Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
• State Level: State Agricultural Universities (SAUs)
• District Level: Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs)

KVKs fall under the jurisdiction of one of the 11 Agricultural Technology Application Research Institutes (ATARIs) across India for monitoring and coordination.

Source: PIB

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National Biodiversity Authority (NBA)

Why in News: The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) released ₹18.3 lakh to Biodiversity Management Committees in UP and Sikkim. This is Access and Benefit Sharing amount operating under the framework of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.

National Biodiversity Authority: Establishment and Legal Framework

• Established under: Biological Diversity Act, 2002
• Formally set up: 2003
• Headquarters: Chennai, Tamil Nadu
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC)
• Objective: To ensure conservation, sustainable use, and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use of India’s biological resources and associated traditional knowledge.

Three-Tier Institutional Framework under the BDA

Level	Institution	Primary Function
National	National Biodiversity Authority (NBA)	Regulates access to biological resources and associated knowledge for research, commercial use, and bio-survey/bioutilization by foreign entities.
State	State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs)	Advise the state governments on biodiversity conservation and regulate commercial use by Indian entities.
Local	Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs)	Prepare People’s Biodiversity Registers (PBRs) to document local biological resources and traditional knowledge.

Composition of the National Biodiversity Authority

• Chairperson:
  • An eminent person with experience in biodiversity conservation, sustainable use, and equitable benefit sharing.
• 10 Ex-Officio Members:
  • 1 from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs,
  • 2 from the MoEFCC,
  • 7 from other key ministries
• 5 Non-Official Members:
  • Experts from fields related to biodiversity management.

Functions of the NBA

1. Regulation and Approval
   • Grant approvals for access to biological resources and traditional knowledge by foreign individuals, companies, or organizations.
   • Oversee the transfer of research results related to biological resources.
2. Conservation and Sustainable Use
   • Advise the Central Government on measures for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.
   • Identify and notify threatened species to regulate or prohibit their collection & use.
3. Benefit Sharing Mechanism
   • Traders/manufacturers of biodiversity-based products must share benefits with local communities and collectors.
   • Benefit sharing structure:
     • 1–5% of purchase price (or) 0.1–0.5% of sale price depending on business scale.
     • Of this, 95% goes to BMCs or benefit claimers, and 5% is retained by national or state biodiversity boards for administrative purposes.
4. Repository Designation
   • Designate institutions as repositories for different categories of biological resources (e.g., botanical gardens, zoological collections, seed banks, gene banks).
5. Advisory and Monitoring
   • Recommend policy measures for bio-piracy prevention and for safeguarding traditional knowledge.

Key Legal Provisions under the Biological Diversity Act

• Cognizable and Non-Bailable Offences:
  • All offences under the Act are classified as cognizable and non-bailable, signifying the seriousness of biodiversity violations.
• Dispute Redressal:
  • Grievances regarding benefit-sharing determination or orders of the NBA or State Boards can be appealed before the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

Source: PIB

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National Critical Mineral Mission

Why in News: The Ministry of Mines recently recognized two additional institutes—the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, and the Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET), Hyderabad—as Centres of Excellence (CoE) under the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM). This brings the total number of recognized CoEs under the mission to nine.

National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM):

The National Critical Mineral Mission is a key part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, launched in January 2025.

• Objective: To secure a long-term, sustainable supply of critical minerals and strengthen India’s entire value chain (from exploration to recycling). The ultimate goal is to secure India’s position as a global player in the emerging green economy, supporting high-tech industries, clean energy, and defence.
• Outlay and Investment: The mission has a government outlay of ₹16,300 crore, with an expected additional investment of ₹18,000 crore by Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and private enterprises.
• Key Target: To catalyse innovation by supporting and monitoring the filing of 1,000 patents across the critical minerals value chain by FY 2030–31.

Legal Framework and Critical Minerals

• Definition of Critical Minerals: Minerals that are essential for economic development and national security, indispensable for clean energy technologies, high-tech electronics, and defence.
• India’s List: In 2023, the Ministry of Mines released a list of 30 critical minerals for India.
• Legal Amendment: The legal and policy framework is grounded in the 2023 amendment of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act (MMDR Act), under which the Central Government has the exclusive power to auction 24 of the 30 identified critical minerals.

Centres of Excellence (CoEs)

The CoEs are mandated to undertake innovative and transformational research to strengthen the nation’s science and technology capability in critical minerals, typically operating on a Hub and Spoke model. The total list of 9 recognized CoEs is:

Category	Earlier Recognized CoEs (7)	Newly Recognized CoEs (2)
IITs	1. IIT Bombay 2. IIT Hyderabad 3. IIT – ISM Dhanbad 4. IIT Roorkee	–
R&D Labs/Institutes	5. CSIR – IMMT, Bhubaneswar 6. CSIR – NML, Jamshedpur 7. NFTDC, Hyderabad	8. Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore 9. Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET), Hyderabad

Source: PIB

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Anusandhan National Research Foundation

Why in News: The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Gates Foundation, has launched the Mission for Advancement in High – Impact Areas (MAHA) – Medical Technology (महा MedTech).

The MAHA-MedTech Mission:

The MAHA-MedTech is a landmark initiative designed to accelerate innovation in India’s medical technology sector.

• Primary Goal: To promote self-reliance by reducing India’s heavy dependence on high-cost imports and ensuring equitable access to affordable, high-quality medical technologies.
• Funding: The mission provides substantial, milestone-linked funding of ₹5–25 crore per project, with provisions for up to ₹50 crore in exceptional cases, to bring impactful MedTech solutions to market.

Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF)

The ANRF is an apex body established to provide high-level strategic direction for scientific research in India, as per the recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP).

Aspect	Details
Funding Target	Seeks to set up a total fund of ₹50,000 crore to “seed, grow and promote” R&D.
Funding Source	Over 70% (an estimated ₹36,000 crore) is expected to come from non-government sources (industry and philanthropists, both domestic and foreign).
Capacity Building	11% of its budget is specifically earmarked for Capacity Building in Tier 2 & Tier 3 institutions.
Administrative Dept.	The Department of Science and Technology (DST) will serve as the administrative department of the ANRF.

ANRF Composition:

• President: The Prime Minister will serve as the ex-officio president.
• Vice Presidents: The Education Minister and the Science and Technology Minister will be the vice presidents.
• Governing Body: Will be led by the Prime Minister and will include 15 to 25 eminent researchers, including experts and industry representatives.
• Executive Council: The foundation will also have an Executive Council under the Principal Scientific Adviser.

Key Functions: The ANRF will perform the critical function of forging collaborations among industry, academia, government departments, and research institutions to create a strong R&D interface. Its main focus is on creating a policy framework and regulatory processes that encourage increased spending by the industry on R&D.

Funds Established by ANRF

The ANRF seeks to set up several distinct funds:

• Anusandhan National Research Foundation Fund: For the financing of activities under the Act.
• Innovation Fund: For supporting outstanding creativity in the areas supported by the foundation.
• Science and Engineering Research Fund: For the continuation of projects initiated under the Science and Engineering Research Board Act, 2008.
• One or more special-purpose funds for any specific project or research.

Source: PIB

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Naxalism

I. Naxalism: Comprehensive Strategy and Operational Success

The central government moved beyond the “fragmented responses of the past” to adopt a unified, multi-pronged strategy rooted in Dialogue, Security, and Coordination.

A. Security Operations

• Approach: The “Trace, Target, Neutralise” approach has been central, successfully identifying and eliminating key Naxal leaders and disrupting their command structure.
• Key Operations: Operations like Octopus, Double Bull, and Chakrabandha have achieved remarkable success, leading to the establishment of security camps deep within previously remote Naxal strongholds.
• Operational Success (2025 YTD):
  • Neutralised: 270 Naxals
  • Arrested: 680 Naxals
  • Surrendered: 1,225 Naxals

B. Shrinking Red Corridor

The geographical spread of LWE has been drastically curtailed, reflecting the operational success:

• Affected Districts: The total number of Naxal-affected districts reduced from 126 in 2014 to 11 in 2024.
• Most-Affected: Only 6 districts are now categorised as most-affected.
• Red Corridor: The Red Corridor, which once stretched across 10 states, is now largely confined to a few areas, predominantly in Chhattisgarh.
• Earlier Coverage (Red Corridor): Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, West Bengal, and Kerala.

II. Rehabilitation and Financial Support

The government’s policy complements security action with strong development and rehabilitation incentives to encourage insurgents to surrender and facilitate social re-integration.

A. Rehabilitation Package for Surrendered Cadres

Rehabilitated Naxal cadres receive financial assistance to rebuild their lives with dignity and stability:

• Financial Assistance:
  • High-rank cadres: ₹5 lakh
  • Mid/Low-rank cadres: ₹2.5 lakh
• Vocational Training: A monthly stipend of ₹10,000 is provided for vocational training for 36 months.

B. Special Central Assistance (SCA) for Development

The SCA scheme provides dedicated financial support to bridge infrastructure gaps and fund district-specific development projects in the affected regions.

• Most Affected Districts: ₹30 crore each.
• Districts of Concern: ₹10 crore each.

III. About Left-Wing Extremism (Naxalism)

• Origin: The movement traces its roots to Naxalbari, West Bengal, in 1967, where peasants revolted against landlords.
• Leadership: The revolt was led by Charu Majumdar and Kanu Sanyal.
• Nomenclature: The term “Naxalism” is derived from the village of Naxalbari.
• Goal: The movement aims at establishing a Communist state through armed revolution.

Source: PIB

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Scheduled Languages

Why In News: The government has recently acknowledged that as digital transformation accelerates, the need to embed our linguistic diversity into digital infrastructure has become critical. Technology is no longer just a medium of communication; it is the backbone of inclusion.

India’s linguistic landscape is among the most diverse in the world, with 22 Scheduled Languages and hundreds of tribal and regional dialects spoken across its vast geography.

Eighth Schedule to the Indian Constitution:

The Eighth Schedule to the Indian Constitution lists the languages that are officially recognized by the Government of India.

• The Eighth Schedule is governed by Part XVII of the Indian Constitution, specifically Articles 344(1) & 351.
• The Schedule currently recognizes 22 languages.
• English is not part of the Eighth Schedule, despite its widespread use and role in official spheres.
• All Indian Classical Languages are listed in the Eighth Schedule, with the exceptions of Pali and Prakrit.

Additions to the Schedule

The current 22 languages were not all part of the original list. They were added over time through constitutional amendments:

• Originally Listed (14 Languages): Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Malayalam, Marathi, Oria (renamed to Odiya in 2011), Punjabi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.
• Languages Added by Amendment:
  • Sindhi was added by the 21st Amendment Act of 1967.
  • Konkani, Manipuri, and Nepali were included by the 71^st Amendment Act of 1992.
  • Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, and Santhali were added by the 92nd Amendment Act of 2003.

Why inclusion matters (constitutional + administrative relevance):

The perceived benefits of being listed in the Eighth Schedule are both symbolic and practical.

• Eligible for translation in Parliament if any MP speaks in that language.
• Automatically recognised by Sahitya Akademi for literary promotion.
• Included in UPSC language paper & official exams.
• Eligible for central development funds (language is a Concurrent List subject).
• Supported by Official Language Commission (Article 344).

Source: PIB

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Association of Southeast Asian Nations

Why in News: Prime Minister congratulated Timor Leste on becoming the 11th Member of ASEAN, welcomed the delegation at its first ASEAN-India Summit as a full member of ASEAN, and conveyed India’s continued support for its human development.

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN):

• Full Form: Association of Southeast Asian Nations
• Established: 1967, via Bangkok Declaration (Bangkok, Thailand)
• Founding Members: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand
• Total Members: 11 (Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia joined later. Recently in Oct 2025, Timor Leste joined)
• India is NOT a member (but is a Strategic Partner)
• Motto: “One Vision, One Identity, One Community”
• Headquarters: Jakarta, Indonesia
• ASEAN Day: 8 August every year

ASEAN Summit:

• Highest decision-making body of ASEAN
• Attended by Heads of State / Government
• Held twice every year (since 2001)
• 1st Summit:1976, Bali (Indonesia)

Source: PIB

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India – Mauritius

Why in News: The successful completion of the joint hydrographic survey by INS Sutlej and the Mauritius Hydrographic Service over approximately 35,000 square nautical miles is a significant milestone that underpins the strong maritime and strategic partnership between India and Mauritius.

The mission, which is the 18^th joint hydrographic mission between the two nations, aligns with India’s vision of MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across the Regions) and holds multi-faceted importance

Key Facts about Mauritius

Mauritius is a strategically located island nation in the Indian Ocean, off the eastern coast of Africa, known for its stable democracy and volcanic origin.

Category	Details
Location	Island country in the Indian Ocean, off the eastern coast of Africa.
Capital	Port Louis.
Geography	Total area of $2,040sq. km}; consists of the main island of Mauritius and outlying islands (e.g., Ambre, Est, Cerfs, Benitiers). The main island is a volcanic island formed about 8 million years ago.
History	Gained independence from the UK in 1968 as a Parliamentary Republic. The first Indians arrived during French colonial rule (1700s) as artisans and masons from Puducherry.
Regional Groups	Member of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Global Role	Headquarters of both the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) are located in Mauritius.

Recent India–Mauritius developments:

• First Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Kendra outside India launched in Mauritius
• India to help establish AYUSH Centre of Excellence
• Civil service capacity-building via India’s Mission Karmayogi platform

Source: PIB