Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 16th May 2025

Mera Yuva Bharat:

As part of empowering young men and women to play a crucial role in disaster management, Mera Yuva Bharat is selecting civil defence volunteers.

• It is an autonomous body under the Department of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sport.
• MY Bharat, supported by a technology platform, would help to increase the youth outreach efforts of the Department of Youth Affairs.
• It has been set up to serve as an overarching enabling mechanism powered by technology for youth development and youth-led development and provide equitable access to youth to actualize their aspirations and build Viksit Bharat across the entire spectrum of the Government.
• MY Bharat will benefit the youth in the age group of 15-29 years, in line with the definition of ‘Youth’ in the National Youth Policy.
• In the case of program components specifically meant for adolescents, the beneficiaries will be in the age group of 10-19 years.
• It will help set the focus of the Government on youth-led development and make the youth “active drivers” of development and not merely “passive recipients”.
• MY Bharat Portal is a ‘Phygital Platform’ (physical + digital) comprising physical activity along with an opportunity to connect digitally.
• The fusion of physical activities and digital connectivity reflects the modern, dynamic nature of the platform.
• Youth across the country can register on the MY Bharat portal and sign up for various opportunities and events available on the portal.
• MY Bharat has rapidly emerged as a pivotal tool for youth development, offering a diverse array of opportunities, events and volunteering activities with Police, Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), and various Ministries.

SAMRIDH Scheme : Two Person Arrested For Cheating

Two persons, including a chartered accountant, have been arrested for allegedly cheating the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) of over Rs 3 crore under the pretext of the government-run SAMRIDH scheme for startups.

• SAMRIDH Scheme is a flagship programme of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) for startup acceleration under the National Policy on Software Products–2019.
• It aims to support existing and upcoming Accelerators to select and accelerate potential IT-based startups to scale.
• Among others, the program focuses on accelerating the startups by providing customer connect, investors connect and connect to international markets.
• An investment of up to Rs 40 lakh to the start-up based on the current valuation and growth stage of the Start-Up will be provided through selected accelerators. It will also facilitate equal matching investment by the accelerator.
• The scheme is being implemented by MeitY Start-up Hub (MSH), Digital India Corporation (DIC).
• In the first round of the cohort, 22 Accelerators spread across 12 states are supporting 175 startups, selected through a multilevel screening process.
• List of accelerators comprises government supported organizations, academic institutions, the private sector, and early-stage start-up funding platforms.
• These accelerators then select 5-10 startups each in the focused areas of health-tech, ed-tech, agri-tech, consumer-tech, fin-tech, Software as a Service (SaaS), and sustainability through a multi-level screening process.

Centralised Information Management System : RBI

Regulated entities (REs) will now be required to report details of their digital lending apps (DLAs) through the Centralised Information Management System (CIMS) portal of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

• It was introduced by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to handle the massive data flow, aggregation, analysis, public dissemination, and data governance.
• CIMS is a warehouse of data.
• This system uses state-of-the-art technology to manage Big data and will serve as a platform for power users to carry out data mining, text mining, visual analytics, and advanced statistical analysis, connecting data from multiple domains, such as, financial, external, fiscal, corporate, and real sectors, as well as prices.
• It enhances the efficacy and efficiency of RBI’s regulatory reporting system.
• Banks and other regulated entities can submit their regulatory reports electronically using the cloud-based CIMS technology.
• Banks and other regulated firms will have less work to do as a result, and the RBI will benefit from improved timeliness and quality of its regulatory data.
• The RBI will be better able to keep an eye on the financial system and respond quickly to any new dangers.
• The RBI will benefit from improved communication with banks and other regulated companies due to CIMS.

Active Galactic Nuclei:

Astronomers from the Russian Academy of Sciences, using the Spektr-RG (SRG) space observatory, have detected 11 new Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs) during their all-sky X-ray surveys.

• Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs) are compact regions at the centers of galaxies that emit exceptionally high levels of electromagnetic radiation, often outshining the rest of the galaxy.
• This intense emission arises from either accretion of matter by a supermassive black hole or intense star formation activity.
• AGNs are among the most luminous and persistent energy sources in the universe and are critical to understanding galaxy formation and evolution.
• The newly detected AGNs were identified during an optical and X-ray inspection of sources listed in the ARTSS1-5 catalog, using SRG’s ART-XC telescope.
• The team has also previously identified more than 50 AGNs and several cataclysmic variable stars.
• All 11 AGNs are located at redshifts ranging from 0.028 to 0.258, indicating they are relatively nearby in cosmic terms.
• Their X-ray luminosities fall within the typical range of 2 to 300 × 10³⁹ erg/s, which is consistent with known AGN profiles.

Ayurveda Day:

The Government of India has declared that Ayurveda Day will now be observed annually on 23rd September, starting from 2025.

• The date 23rd September coincides with the autumnal equinox, when day and night are nearly equal.
• This event represents balance in nature, aligning with the Ayurvedic principle of equilibrium among body, mind, and spirit.
• The symbolism of cosmic balance supports the holistic philosophy of Ayurveda, making the equinox a powerful metaphor for natural harmony and health.
• The term ‘Ayurveda’ is derived from ‘Ayu’ (life) and ‘Veda’ (knowledge), meaning the “science of life.”
• Ayurveda deals with all forms of life and is divided into:
  • Nara Ayurveda – focused on human life and health,
  • Satva Ayurveda – deals with animal health and diseases,
  • Vriksha Ayurveda – focused on plant growth, health, and diseases.
• Ayurveda is not just a system of medicine but also a philosophy of living aimed at positive health and spiritual growth.
• Ayurveda is based on the concept of the tridosha theory: Vata (air & space), Pitta (fire & water), and Kapha (water & earth).
• The seven body tissues (dhatus) are: Rasa, Rakta, Mamsa, Meda, Asthi, Majja, and Shukra.
• Waste products (malas) include: Mala (feces), Mutra (urine), and Sweda (sweat).
• Health is defined as the balanced state of these doshas, dhatus, and malas.

Semi Cryogenic Engine:

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully conducted a short-duration hot test of its semi cryogenic engine at the ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri.

• A short-duration hot test involves briefly firing the engine using actual fuel to verify its ignition and performance under real operating conditions.
• This test marks the 2nd milestone, following the first successful hot test conducted in March 2025.
• Semi Cryogenic Engine is a liquid rocket engine that uses liquid oxygen (LOX) as an oxidizer and refined kerosene (RP-1) as fuel.
• Designed to power the booster stages of future heavy-lift launch vehicles, semi-cryogenic engine’s LOX-kerosene combination offers higher density impulse than cryogenic systems, enhancing propulsion performance.
• Additionally, kerosene is cheaper and easier to handle than liquid hydrogen, reducing costs and simplifying operations.
• The successful development of this semi-cryogenic engine will boost ISRO’s payload capacity and support future launch vehicles like the Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV).
• NGLV : It is a cost-efficient, reusable heavy-lift rocket being developed by ISRO, designed to carry up to 30 tonnes to Low Earth Orbit, with a reusable first stage.

Gamburtsev Subglacial Mountains:

New data published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters reveals the Gamburtsev Subglacial Mountains (GSM) were formed over 500 million years ago, during the assembly of the Gondwana supercontinent.

• The Gamburtsev Subglacial Mountains are a completely buried mountain range beneath the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, located at its highest point.
• These mountains were first discovered in 1958 by a Soviet seismic expedition.
• Unlike the Transantarctic Mountains, which are partially visible above the ice, the Gamburtsev Mountains remain entirely buried, concealed under several kilometres of ice.
• Typically, mountains form at tectonic plate boundaries due to collision or subduction, but East Antarctica has remained tectonically stable for hundreds of millions of years.
• The existence of such a massive mountain range within a stable craton posed a major puzzle for geologists.
• Scientists analysed zircon grains from sandstones deposited by ancient rivers flowing from the mountains, collected from the Prince Charles Mountains.
• Zircons contain trace uranium, which decays at a known radioactive rate, enabling accurate age determination.
• Findings show: Uplift began ~650 million years ago, Himalayan-scale peaks reached ~580 million years ago, Crustal melting and flow ceased ~500 million years ago.

Oxygen Electrocatalysis : Study

Researchers from the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), have developed a novel iron-doped catalyst aimed at improving oxygen-related electrocatalytic reactions.

• Oxygen electrocatalysis is a fundamental process in clean energy technologies such as:
  • Water splitting for hydrogen production,
  • Generation of clean fuels,
  • Synthesis of Hydrogen Peroxide (H₂O₂).
• These technologies face major challenges like slow reaction kinetics, high energy consumption, and high material costs due to reliance on precious metals like platinum (Pt) and ruthenium Ru).
• After selenium (Se) incorporation, the researchers created two main catalyst variants: NixFe₁−xSe₂–NC, Ni₃−xFexSe₄–NC
• The most efficient variant, NixFe₁−xSe₂–NC@400, showed outstanding bifunctional catalytic performance for:
  • Oxygen Evolution Reaction (OER) – production of oxygen gas,
  • Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR) – conversion of oxygen into useful chemicals like hydrogen peroxide.
• For OER, this catalyst exhibited lower overpotential and high durability over 70 hours, surpassing conventional ruthenium-based catalysts.
• For ORR, especially for H₂O₂ production, it outperformed platinum-based catalysts in terms of reaction speed, efficiency, and stability.

India recently extended financial support to the Maldives:

India recently extended financial support to the Maldives by renewing a USD 50 million Treasury Bill for another year through the State Bank of India (SBI).A T-Bill is a short-term debt instrument issued by the Indian government through the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).The primary objective of a T-Bill is to meet the short-term financial requirements of the central government.
RBI also issues such treasury bills under its open market operations (OMO) strategy to regulate its inflation level and spending/borrowing habits of individuals. For investors, they present one of the safest investments with the highest liquidity among government securities.T-bills are issued through an auction conducted by the RBI at regular intervals. The auctions are held at RBI’s electronic platform called E-Kuber.

Wadge Bank:

Fishermen in Kanyakumari oppose the Union government’s proposed hydrocarbon exploration project at Wadge Bank under Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP), fearing it will harm their livelihoods and the ecologically sensitive marine area.Wadge Bank is a submarine plateau in the Indian Ocean, located 80 km off Kanyakumari (Cape Comorin), lying in India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). A bank is a shallow elevation on the continental shelf, usually less than 200 meters deep, formed of continental origin. It is known for its rich marine biodiversity and abundant fishery resources.

Afrikaners – Africa’s White Tribe:

The U.S. Deputy Secretary of State welcomed the first group of Afrikaner refugees to the United States.Afrikaners are a white ethnic group native to South Africa, shaped through ethnogenesis on African soil, and are often referred to as “Africa’s White Tribe” due to their deep-rooted historical presence since the 17th century. The Afrikaner community originated in 1652, when Jan van Riebeeck, under the Dutch East India Company (VOC), established a resupply station at the Cape of Good Hope, initially settled by Dutch Protestants. Over time, the settlers included French Huguenots fleeing persecution after the Edict of Fontainebleau (1685), along with Germans and enslaved people from India, Indonesia, Madagascar, and East Africa, contributing to the ethnic mix. A unique Afrikaner identity developed through interactions among Europeans, slaves, and the indigenous Khoikhoi, marked by paternalistic household systems, strict social hierarchies, and the development of Afrikaans as a distinct language.

India’s e-waste surged by over 150% in six years:

India’s e-waste surged by over 150% in six years, prompting experts like to advocate for a stable EPR floor price to formalise recycling and curb environmental and economic losses. E-waste refers to discarded electronic products (mobiles, laptops, TVs, etc.) containing toxic and precious metals. India generated 17.78 lakh metric tonnes of e-waste in 2023–24, rising from 7.08 lakh metric tonnes in 2017–18 — a 151% increase in six years.India is one of the top five global e-waste producers, alongside China, USA, Japan, and Germany.

India-EU Launch ₹391 Crore Joint Research Initiative on Marine Pollution and Green Hydrogen:

step toward sustainable development and technological innovation, India and the European Union (EU) have jointly launched two major research initiatives under the India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC). With a joint funding of approximately ₹391 crore (~€41 million), the two coordinated research calls aim to address Marine Plastic Litter (MPL) and Waste to Green Hydrogen (W2GH) through collaborative innovation between Indian and European researchers. The initiatives signal growing cooperation in critical sectors of environmental protection and clean energy.the Government of India and the European Commission officially launched two major collaborative research calls under the TTC framework. The calls aim to combat marine pollution and promote waste-to-hydrogen technology. These joint initiatives reflect the growing momentum of India-EU partnership in addressing global environmental challenges and promoting sustainable energy transitions.

Bureau of Civil Aviation Security has withdrawn the security clearance of Celebi and its affiliate companies:

The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has revoked the security clearance of M/s Celebi and its associated companies. The decision, announced by Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, reflects the government’s unwavering stance that public safety and national interest take precedence over all other considerations.The security clearance of M/s Celebi, a key player in airport ground handling services, has been revoked by BCAS due to concerns related to national security. This decision has significant implications for airport operations, employee welfare, and the government’s commitment to both safety and service continuity.

Anurag Bhushan Appointed as India’s Ambassador to Sweden:

India has appointed Anurag Bhushan, a seasoned Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer of the 1995 batch, as the next Ambassador to the Kingdom of Sweden. The appointment signals India’s strategic commitment to strengthening diplomatic and economic relations with Sweden—a key partner in areas like clean energy, technology, and sustainable development.The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) officially announced the appointment of Anurag Bhushan as India’s Ambassador to Sweden. His posting comes at a time when India-Sweden ties are witnessing significant growth, particularly in innovation, climate action, and trade, making the appointment geopolitically significant.

Srihari LR Becomes India’s 86th Chess Grandmaster:

India has earned its 86th chess Grandmaster, as 19-year-old Srihari LR from Chennai secured his third and final Grandmaster norm at the Asian Individual Men’s Chess Championship held in Al-Ain, UAE. With this feat, India continues to solidify its status as a rising chess powerhouse.Srihari LR’s confirmation as a Grandmaster comes 368 days after India’s 85th GM title was achieved by Shyaamnikhil P. His achievement marks a significant milestone in Indian chess and reflects the consistent grooming of young talent in the country.

Bhawna Agarwal Appointed as Senior Vice President and MD of HPE India:

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) has appointed Bhawna Agarwal as the new Senior Vice President (SVP) and Managing Director (MD) for its India operations. The transition is effective immediately, according to a statement released by the company on Wednesday.Agarwal will report directly to Heiko Meyer, Executive Vice President and Chief Sales Officer at HPE, and will be responsible for leading HPE’s business strategy and operations across one of its most critical international markets.

Exercise Raahat:

The Indian Army and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) conducted Exercise Raahat—a large-scale joint humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) simulation. The drill, held in Assam, was aimed at improving coordination between civil and military agencies during natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes, especially in vulnerable northeastern regions.Exercise Raahat was conducted recently as a full-scale disaster simulation involving real-time deployment of troops, medical units, and rescue teams across a simulated flood-hit scenario. The exercise comes in the wake of growing climate-induced disasters and is seen as a benchmark effort to boost India’s preparedness and inter-agency synergy in HADR operations.

National Dengue Day 2025:

National Dengue Day is observed every year on May 16 across India to raise awareness about the prevention and control of dengue fever — a mosquito-borne viral disease that poses a serious public health threat, especially during the monsoon season. Organised by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, this day highlights the need for public education, early diagnosis, community engagement, and strong healthcare responses to reduce the incidence and mortality of dengue.

International Day of Light Date:

The International Day of Light, celebrated every year on May 16, recognizes the importance of light and light-based technologies in science, culture, education, sustainable development, and various sectors such as energy, medicine, communications, and art. It is organized by UNESCO to encourage international cooperation in science and technology and to highlight light’s role in achieving peace and sustainable development.The International Day of Light 2025 is observed globally on May 16, with a central forum themed “Light, Innovation, Society.” Events were organized at UNESCO Headquarters and worldwide, promoting awareness of light’s crucial role in scientific advancement and sustainability.

Pankaj Advani Clinches 2025 CCI Billiards Classic Title in Mumbai:

Pankaj Advani, India’s most decorated cueist, won the 2025 CCI Billiards Classic title, held at the Cricket Club of India (CCI), Mumbai, by defeating Dhruv Sitwala 5-2 in the final match. The win marks Advani’s third title at the CCI Billiards Classic and adds to his astonishing tally of 28 world championships across billiards, snooker, and pool.