Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 29th August 2025

Guillain-Barré syndrome:

Gaza has recently seen a surge in Guillain-Barre syndrome, which can cause full-body paralysis in extreme cases.

• Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rare autoimmune condition in which the body’s immune system attacks the peripheral nervous system.
• This is the part of the nervous system outside the brain and spinal cord.
• It controls muscle movement, pain signals, and temperature and touch sensations.
• GBS is also called acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (AIDP).
• It can occur at any age, but it most commonly affects people between 30 and 50.
• The exact cause of the disease remains unclear, but it is often observed following a viral or bacterial infection, vaccination, or major surgery.
• At such times, the immune system becomes hyperactive, leading to this rare condition.
• Symptoms:
  • Patients often begin with an unknown fever, followed by weakness and other nervous system-related symptoms.
  • It can increase in intensity over a period of hours, days, or weeks until certain muscles cannot be used at all.
  • Some cases of GBS are very mild and only marked by brief weakness. Others cause nearly devastating paralysis, leaving the person unable to breathe on their own.
• Treatment:
  • There’s no known cure for GBS.
  • Several treatment options can ease symptoms and help speed recovery.
  • Most people recover completely from GBS, but some serious illnesses can be fatal.
  • While recovery may take up to several years, most people are able to walk again six months after symptoms first began.

Pong Dam:

The water level breached the danger mark at Pong Dam recently.

• The Pong Dam, also known as the Beas Dam, is an earth-fill embankment dam constructed on the river Beas in the wetland of Shivalik hills in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh.
• The purpose of the dam is water storage for irrigation and hydroelectric power generation.
• The construction of the dam began in the year 1961 and was completed in 1974, and at that time it was known as the tallest of its type in the country.
• The raised water level thus invariably created an artificial lake called the Maharana Pratap Sagar, after the great ruler of Mewar.
• It was declared a bird sanctuary in 1983 due to its waterfowl diversity.
• Over time, the reservoir emerged as a sanctuary for migratory birds, leading to its designation as a Ramsar Wetland Site in 2002.
• It is home to several species of avifauna, some of which include Barheaded Geese, Red-neck Grebe, northern lapwing, common teal, spot-billed duck, Eurasian coot, black stork, egrests, etc.
• It is the most important fish reservoir in the foothills of the Himalayas in Himachal Pradesh.
• Features of Dam:
  • The Pong Dam is a 133 m tall and 1,951 m long earth-fill embankment dam with a gravel shell.
  • It is 13.72 m wide at its crest, which sits at an elevation of about 435.86 m above sea level.
  • The base of the Pong Dam is about 610 m wide and has a total volume of 35,500,000 metre cube.

Gorumara National Park:

The population of one-horned rhinos has risen at the Gorumara National Park in Jalpaiguri with the birth of two rhinos recently.

• Gorumara National Park is located in the Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal.
• It was declared a national park in 1992 and covers an area of approx 79.45 sq.km.
• It is situated on the bank of the Murti and Raidak rivers in the Terai region of Dooars on the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas.
• The park is known for its rich diversity of flora and fauna and is home to many endangered species, especially the one-horned rhinoceros.
• The greater one-horned rhino, also known as the Indian rhinoceros, is the largest of the three Asian rhinos and, together with African white rhinos, is the largest of all rhino species.
• Scientific Name: Rhinoceros unicornis
• It can be found in India and Nepal, particularly in the foothills of the Himalayas.
• In the past, Greater one-horned rhinos roamed freely in the floodplains and forests alongside the Brahmaputra, Ganges, and Indus River valley.
• Kaziranga National Park in Assam, India, contains the largest population (2,401).
• The rhino is primarily a grazer. Its diet consists almost entirely of grasses, but it also eats leaves, branches, fruit, and aquatic plants.
• Conservation Status: IUCN Red List: Vulnerable.

PM SVANidhi Scheme : In News

The Union Cabinet has approved the “Restructuring and extension of the lending period beyond 31.12.2024 of Prime Minister Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) Scheme”.

• It was initially launched on 1st June 2020 to support street vendors who faced unprecedented hardships during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• It is implemented jointly by the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and Department of Financial Services (DFS), with DFS being responsible for facilitating access to loan/ credit cards through banks/financial institutions and their ground level functionaries.
• PM SVANidhi Scheme coverage is being expanded beyond statutory towns to census towns, peri-urban areas
• The enhanced loan structure includes first tranche loans increased up to ₹15,000 (from ₹10,000) and second tranche loans increased up to ₹25,000 (from ₹20,000), while the third tranche remains unchanged at ₹50,000.
• The introduction of UPI-linked RUPAY Credit Card would provide immediate access of credit to the street vendors in order to meet any emergent business and personal requirements.
• In order to give boost to digital adoption, the street vendors can avail cashback incentives up to ₹1,600 on making retail & wholesale transactions.
• The scheme also focuses on building the capacity of the street vendors with a focus on entrepreneurship, financial literacy, digital skills, and marketing through convergence.
• Standard hygiene and food safety training would be conducted for street food vendors, in partnership with FSSAI.
• In order to ensure holistic welfare & development of the street vendors and their families, the ‘SVANidhi se Samriddhi’ component will be further strengthened, through monthly Lok Kalyan Melas.
• It envisages the holistic development of street vendors by offering a reliable source of finance to support business expansion and opportunities for sustainable growth.
• This will not only empower street vendors but will also foster inclusive economic growth, socio-economic upliftment of street vendors and their families.

Glanders Disease : Action Plan

The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD) under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying has issued the Revised National Action Plan on Glanders.

• Glanders is caused by the bacterium Burkholderia mallei.
• It primarily affects equines such as horses, mules, and donkeys, and poses risks to other animals as well as humans.
• The disease causes nodules and ulcerations in the respiratory tract and lungs in animals. A skin form, known as ‘farcy’, also occurs.
• Glanders is commonly contracted via the following routes:
  • Ingestion of food or water contaminated with nasal discharge from infected (carrier) animals
  • Contact with contaminated harness components
  • Ingestion of infected horse meat
• Glanders has traditionally been clinically categorized into nasal, pulmonary and cutaneous forms based on the most commonly affected organ systems in equines.
• It remains sporadically reported in a number of Asian, African, Middle Eastern, and South American countries.
• Glanders is an WOAH-listed disease as described in the Terrestrial Animal Health Code of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). As indicated in the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code any occurrence of glanders must be notified to the WOAH.
• The disease is notifiable under the Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animals (PCICDA) Act, 2009.
• Revised National Action Plan Rolled Out to Eradicate Glanders; Govt Steps Up Equine Disease Control Measures

Matsya Shakti Project:

The ‘Matsya Shakti’ project will be launched by the Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying.

• Matsya Shakti Project is designed to empower minority fishing communities.
• It aims to equip participants with comprehensive skills for improved livelihoods and community welfare.
• The initiative will be implemented by the Vizhinjam Regional Centre of the ICAR–Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare.
• It is conceived under the Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) scheme.
• Matsya Shakti Project seeks to enhance the socio-economic well-being of minority fisherfolk families in the district.
• It promises a year-long, phased training programme for members of the community, focusing on sustainable livelihood practices and modern skill development.
• Through hands-on training in areas such as integrated aquaculture, seed production, and advanced fisheries technologies.
• Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) scheme launched under the Ministry of Minority Affairs is a central sector scheme.
• It provides skill development, leadership training and entrepreneurship to minorities and artisan communities all over India.
• The scheme is divided into four components and is expected to benefit around 9 lakh candidates during the 15th Finance Commission Cycle (2025-26).

Exercise Bright Star:

Personnel from the Armed Forces & Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff are set to participate in the Multilateral Exercise ‘BRIGHT STAR 2025’.

• Exercise Bright Star is a multilateral exercise hosted by Egypt in conjunction with the US since 1980.
• It is amongst the largest Tri-Service multilateral exercises in the region.
• The exercise is held biennially, with the last edition having taken place in 2023, which witnessed the participation of a host of nations including India along with troops.
• The upcoming edition will feature a comprehensive spectrum of military activities, including:
  • Live Firing by the three Services showcasing the operational capabilities of the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force.
  • Command Post Exercise to enhance joint planning, decision-making and operational coordination.
  • Short Training Exercises by all three Services focusing on varied aspects of modern warfare.
  • Subject Matter Expert Interactions on multiple domains of contemporary military operations.
• Participation of the Indian Armed Forces in this exercise underscores India’s commitment to regional peace, stability, and security while enhancing Jointness, interoperability and cooperation with friendly foreign countries.

“Regulating Coal Operations: Environmental and Social Impacts through the Lens of the NGT” : Report

A new report titled “Regulating Coal Operations: Environmental and Social Impacts through the Lens of the NGT” was released on 26 August 2025 in New Delhi.

• It highlights that coal will remain central to India’s energy system for decades, making environmental and health challenges inevitable, and stresses the need to involve local communities and conduct health impact assessments in coal-bearing regions.

Recommendations from Report:

• Must accompany Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) in coal regions.
• Local committees of villagers, NGOs, and experts to oversee restoration and monitoring.
• Independent audits of air, water, soil, and health indicators.
• Mandate MoEFCC and states to treat clean-up as priority.
• Incorporate social equity, livelihood diversification, and skill training into coal-phase-out plans.

Shadow schooling:

A government report from the Comprehensive Modular Survey (CMS) on education revealed that 33% of school students in India take private coaching, showing rising dependence on “shadow schooling.”

• Shadow Schooling is the practice where students supplement regular school education with private coaching or tutoring outside the formal system.
• It is Called “shadow” because it mirrors school subjects but is offered privately, often for a fee.
• Features:
  • Parallel system alongside formal schooling.
  • Covers the same syllabus but provides extra practice, exam strategies, and individual attention.
  • Driven by competitive exams, parental aspirations, and quality concerns in schools.

2025 CMS report:

• National average: 27% students take coaching → rises to 30.7% in urban areas and 25.5% in rural.
• Spending gap: Urban families spend nearly ₹3,988 annually per child, rural families ₹1,793.
• Higher secondary: Urban households spend ₹9,950 per student, almost double rural levels (₹4,548).
• Growth with age: Coaching expenses rise from ₹525 (pre-primary) to ₹6,384 (higher secondary).
• Funding: 95% of students rely on household resources, only 1.2% benefit from government scholarships.

Additional module on the UMEED Portal:

The Ministry of Minority Affairs has launched an additional module on the UMEED Portal to allow widows, divorced women, and orphans to apply for maintenance support from Waqf-alal-aulad properties.

• UMEED stands for Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development. It is a centralized digital platformfor registering and regulating Waqf properties across India.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Minority Affairs, in coordination with State Waqf Boards and judicial authorities.
• Objectives of the Portal:
  • Ensure transparent and time-bound registration of Waqf properties.
  • Empower beneficiaries with digital access to rights, obligations, and legal safeguards.
  • Resolve long-standing property disputes and enhance accountability.
  • Facilitate policy-level insights through real-time data and geotagged mapping.

Integrated Air Drop Test for Gaganyaan Mission:

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully conducted its first Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-1) for the Gaganyaan mission.

• IADT-1 aimed to validate the performance of the parachute-based deceleration system for the Crew Module (CM) of the Gaganyaan mission in a real-world scenario.
• The test involved collaborations between ISRO, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Indian Air Force, Indian Navy, and Indian Coast Guard.
• Gaganyaan Mission is India’s first human spaceflight program, aiming to send a crew of 3 astronauts to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at 400 km for 3 days and return them safely to Earth.
• Mission Phases: Includes unmanned test missions followed by the first manned mission expected to happen in early 2027.
• Gaganyaan success will place India among the elite group of nations (US, Russia, China) with human spaceflight capability.
• Crew training for Gaganyaan: Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, Group Captain Angad Pratap, and Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla are India’s astronauts-designated for Gaganyaan.

India launched its first National Biofoundry Network under the BioE3 Policy:

India launched its first National Biofoundry Network under the BioE3 Policy, marking a step towards indigenous biomanufacturing and a projected bioeconomy target of $300 billion by 2030.It is A national-level collaborative platform of six premier institutions. Designed to scale up biotechnology research into deployable solutions. Functions as an ecosystem for advanced biomanufacturing, synthetic biology, and product prototyping.
Established in 2025, launched by the Union Minister of Science & Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh.

Neeraj Chopra Secures Top-Two Finish in Zurich Diamond league:

Neeraj Chopra, India’s Olympic gold medallist in javelin, delivered yet another memorable performance at the 2025 Zurich Diamond League Final, securing second place with a dramatic final throw of 85.01m. Despite not breaching the elusive 90m mark, the 27-year-old extended his remarkable streak to 26 consecutive top-two finishes in international competitions, reinforcing his dominance in world athletics.

Google Launches ‘Nano Banana’ AI Photo Editing Tool:

Google officially unveiled its next-generation AI image editing tool, originally codenamed “Nano Banana” and now released as Gemini 2.5 Flash Image. Developed by Google DeepMind, the tool brings unprecedented ease and creativity to image editing, enabling users to transform, remix, and merge photos using just natural language prompts. Google CEO Sundar Pichai hinted at the launch on social platform X with a quirky post featuring banana emojis and fun AI-edited images of his dog, Jeffree, in celebration of International Dog Day.

Dinesh K Patnaik Appointed India’s Envoy to Canada:

Government of India appointed Dinesh K Patnaik as its next High Commissioner to Canada, signaling a major diplomatic shift aimed at restoring ties between the two countries. This appointment comes in parallel with Canada naming Christopher Cooter as its envoy to India, indicating a joint thaw in relations that had been strained since 2023.

Delhi CM Launches ‘U-Special’ Buses for College Students:

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta flagged off a new fleet of ‘U-Special’ buses aimed at improving daily commute for Delhi University students. The initiative revives the long-defunct U-Special service and introduces a modern, electric, and student-friendly public transport system, combining environmental consciousness with enhanced safety.The U-Special bus service, once a staple for Delhi University students, had been non-operational for years. CM Rekha Gupta, in her address, pointed out that previous administrations—whether under AAP or Congress—neglected this service.

Urjit Patel Appointed IMF Executive Director for 3-Year Term:

Former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Urjit Patel has been appointed as an Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The appointment, formalized on August 28, 2025, marks Patel’s return to the international financial stage, now with greater responsibility and experience. This article explores his professional journey, key contributions, and the broader implications of his new role.

India’s IIP (Index of Industrial Production) Grows 3.5% in July 2025:

India’s Index of Industrial Production (IIP) recorded a 3.5% year-on-year growth in July 2025, showing a significant improvement from 1.5% in June 2025. This performance was mainly driven by the 5.4% growth in the manufacturing sector, despite a sharp contraction in mining. The IIP is a key indicator used to measure the performance of various sectors of the economy, offering a snapshot of industrial health.

The IIP figure for July 2025 stands at 155.0 compared to 149.8 in July 2024, reflecting an overall expansion in industrial output.

Manufacturing: Grew by 5.4%, emerging as the primary driver.
Electricity: Registered a modest 0.6% growth.
Mining: Declined sharply by -7.2%, weighing down the overall index.

Sanjay Seth Inaugurates MILMEDICON 2025 in New Delhi:

Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth inaugurated MILMEDICON 2025, an international conference centred on physical and mental trauma in military settings, at the Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi. Organised by the Directorate General of Medical Services (Army), the two-day event underscores India’s push for innovation, resilience, and reform in military medicine. The event reflects both a tribute to India’s warriors and a vision for building future-ready medical capabilities.

OpenAI names ex-Coursera chief Raghav Gupta as Education Head for India and APAC:

OpenAI has appointed Raghav Gupta—former Coursera Asia-Pacific Managing Director—as the head of its education initiatives across India and the broader Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. This announcement, made during the OpenAI Education Summit in New Delhi, marks a significant step in aligning artificial intelligence (AI) with digital education transformation. With plans to launch local AI programmes, research collaborations, and developer engagement, OpenAI is setting the stage to support India’s growing ambition to lead in AI-driven learning.

Major Dhyan Chand’s Birth Anniversary 2025:

On 29 August 2025, India celebrates the 120th birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand, the legendary hockey player known as the “Wizard of Hockey.” Famous for his extraordinary ball control and goal-scoring skills, he won three Olympic gold medals in 1928, 1932, and 1936, making India a hockey superpower. His birthday is observed as National Sports Day, honouring his unmatched contribution to Indian sports and inspiring generations of athletes.

India’s bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games:

The Union Cabinet has approved India’s bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, naming Ahmedabad as the proposed host city with world-class stadiums and infrastructure. India is also positioning Ahmedabad as a frontrunner for the 2036 Olympics. Commonwealth Games is an international multi-sport event held every four years, featuring athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations (72 nations and territories). Often seen as a platform to promote friendship, cultural ties, and sporting excellence among member countries. First held in 1930 at Hamilton, Canada, known then as the British Empire Games. Renamed British Empire and Commonwealth Games (1954), British Commonwealth Games (1970), and finally Commonwealth Games (from 1978).