General Awareness

NATIONAL AFFAIRS - January 2016

Jan 2016

Oct 22, 2025

Bathou Religion Gets Separate Census Code in Assam

In a move ahead of the upcoming national census, the Bathou religion, practiced by the Bodo community of Assam, was granted a separate code—a first-time recognition of its religious identity at the national level. This official acknowledgment marks a significant step toward preserving and promoting the cultural and spiritual heritage of one of Northeast India's most prominent indigenous groups.
The announcement of a distinct census code for Bathou religion has been welcomed as a historic and long-overdue recognition.
Previously, followers of Bathou were often grouped under the umbrella of 'Others' in census records, which led to a lack of visibility for their distinct identity.
Promod Boro, leader of the United Peoples' Party-Liberal (UPPL) and former Chief Executive Member of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), expressed gratitude to Union Home Minister Amit Shah for fulfilling a long-standing demand.

India Formally Upgrades Its 'Technical Mission' in Kabul to Embassy

India announced the upgrading of its diplomatic presence in Afghanistan from the status of a technical mission in Kabul to a full-fledged embassy as part of its engagement with the Taliban while stopping short of a formal recognition of the regime that came to power in August 2021.
The formal announcement from the external affairs ministry came less than a week after Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi concluded his visit to India, the first by a senior member of the group. Following talks with Muttaqi, external affairs minister S. Jaishankar had said India would upgrade its diplomatic role in Kabul.
India withdrew its officials from and shuttered all its missions in Afghanistan after the Taliban seized power in 2021. India re-established its diplomatic presence in Kabul in June 2022 by deploying a "technical team" headed by a middle-ranking diplomat.

CPSEs and Autonomous Bodies under Ministry of Heavy Industries Participates Special Campaign 5.0

Inspired by the Prime Minister's vision to institutionalise Swachhata and reduce pending matters in government, the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI), along with its Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) and Autonomous Bodies (ABs), is actively participating in the 5th consecutive year of the Special Campaign for Disposal of Pending Matters (SCDPM) 5.0 till October31, 2025.
Implementation of cleanliness activities identified during the Preparatory phase of Special campaign 5.0, wasn inspected by Secretary, MHI along with senior officers of the Ministry. A report of the daily progress is being monitored by a dedicated team and uploaded in the SCDPM portal hosted by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances.

Oct 20, 2025

UIDAI Launches Aadhaar Mascot Design Contest �" Win ₹1 Lakh

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) announced a nationwide Mascot Design Contest aimed at finding an official visual ambassador for Aadhaar. The competition is being hosted on the MyGov platform and is open until October 31, 2025. Participants — either individuals or teams — can submit original mascot designs along with a concept note explaining how their creation embodies Aadhaar's spirit. The winning designs will receive cash awards totaling up to ₹1 lakh, plus certificates of recognition.
The mascot is intended to,
Serve as UIDAI's visual ambassador, making its communication more accessible and engaging across all age groups
Reflect the core values of Aadhaar: trust, inclusivity, empowerment, and digital innovation
Convey Aadhaar's attributes of service, security, and accessibility in its design and persona

Oct 19, 2025

Department of Posts Launches Medicine Delivery Service for ECHS Beneficiaries

The Department of Posts launched a dedicated service to facilitate the pick-up, booking, transmission, and door-step delivery of medicines that are not available at ECHS polyclinics under Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme.
Under the initiative launched in collaboration with the Department of Ex-servicemen (DESW), medicines will be procured and packaged through Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) Common Service Centre (CSC) stationed at ECHS polyclinics, while logistics and delivery will be managed by India Post's trusted delivery network.
The service was first piloted in Delhi in July, where it received an encouraging response and subsequently expanded to the NCR region, covering Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

Harsh Sanghavi New Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat

Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister in a major cabinet rejig by CM Bhupendra Patel. Governor Acharya Devvrat administered the oath of office to new ministers.
Of the 16 ministers in the outgoing council of ministers, only six, including Sanghavi, were retained. Besides, the new Gujarat Cabinet has 25 ministers in place of 16 in the previous council.
CM Patel also inducted cricketer Ravinder Jadeja's wife Rivaba Jadeja and former Gujarat Congress president Arjun Modhwadia into the Cabinet. The six ministers who were retained include Cabinet ministers Kanubhai Patel, Rushikesh Patel and Kunvarji Bavalia and MoS Sanghavi, Praful Pansheriya and Purshottam Solanki.

Oct 18, 2025

NDTV World Summit 2025

The 2025 edition of the NDTV World Summit - NDTV's flagship event held in New Delhi–featured a host of leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, former Australian PM Tony Abbott, and former G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant.

Oct 17, 2025

National Health Authority Hosts 2-Day PM-JAY & ABDM National Review Meeting in Bhopal, Madhya Pra...

The National Health Authority (NHA) convened a two-day national review meeting in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, which served as a major platform for strategic alignment and knowledge exchange as well as to evaluate progress and chart the future course for two of India's flagship health initiatives – Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) and Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM). The event brought together Dr. Sunil Kumar Barnwal, CEO of the National Health Authority; Anurag Jain, Chief Secretary, Government of Madhya Pradesh; Kiran Gopal Vaska, JS and Mission Director, ABDM); Smt. Jyoti Yadav, JS (PMJAY); J Satyanarayan, other senior officials, dignitaries, experts, and stakeholders from across the country for a comprehensive dialogue on digital healthcare transformation.

HM Shah Inaugurates 'Extradition of Fugitives: Challenges and Strategies' Conference

Home Minister Amit Shah reiterated that the government has adopted a zero-tolerance policy against corruption, crime, and terrorism. He was addressing the gathering after inaugurating the Extradition of Fugitives-Challenges and Strategies conference in New Delhi. Shah said that a robust mechanism is being developed to ensure bringing all offenders under the ambit of law.

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