Integrated Government Online Training (iGOT) Karmayogi platform crosses landmark of 1 Crore Registered Users.

About iGOT Karmayogi (2022)

• It provides a comprehensive learning ecosystem accessible to civil servants across India. 
  • It hosts a range of self-paced courses, webinars, and peer-learning opportunities that cover a variety of governance, policy, management, and technical skills.
• It is a core component of Mission Karmayogi (National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building).
  • Mission Karmayogi focuses on empowering the civil service through capacity building.
• It is implemented by the Karmayogi Bharat, a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV)
• It is developed as an integral part of the Digital India stack. 

Indian Navy inducted traditionally-built stitched Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Kaundinya at Naval Base, Karwar (Karnataka).

• Traditional stitched shipbuilding method in India is known as Tankai Method.

About INSV Kaundinya

• It is based on a 5th century CE ship depicted in the paintings of Ajanta Caves.
• It is named after Kaundinya (legendary Indian mariner who sailed across the Indian Ocean to Southeast Asia).
• Wooden planks on the ship’s hull are stitched using coir rope, coconut fibre and natural resin.        

Tankai Method

• It is 2000-year-old technique.
• In this, ship is constructed by stitching wooden planks together rather than using nails.
• It offers flexibility and durability, making them less susceptible to damage from shoals and sandbars.

Tripura’s Kamalpur introduced compostable bags made from Polybutylene Adipate Terephthalate (PBAT) as an alternative to Single-use Plastics.

About PBAT

• It is a biodegradable, chemical-free thermoplastic copolymer.

• Thermoplastics are polymers that can be softened through heating before being processed and then left to cool and harden

• It is made from renewable resources, such as corn starch and sugarcane.

Indian researchers studied Jarosite samples from Kachchh, Gujarat, whose arid, salty terrain resembles Martian conditions.

About Jarosite

• It is a yellow-brown mineral containing potassium, iron, and sulphate.
  • It is found both on Earth and Mars.
• It is a member of alunite supergroup.
• Significance of Studying Jarosite
  • Jarosite needs water and acidic conditions to form, so finding it on Mars is strong evidence that water was present there in the past. 
  • It can also trap organic molecules like glycine within its structure, making it interesting for the search for past life on Mars.

Civil Society Organizations have called for reforms to the Plant Treaty and its Multilateral System (MLS) to ensure equitable benefit-sharing.

• MLS is the largest global exchange mechanism for plant genetic resources for food and agriculture including 64 most important crops.

About Plant Treaty

• Adopted by the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UN in 2001 (into force in 2004).
  • India is a member.
• Objective
  • To establish a global system to provide farmers, plant breeders and scientists with access to plant genetic materials;
  • Ensuring recipients share benefits derived from use of genetic materials.

Recently, the Union Government told the Supreme Court that Waqf is not an essential part of Islam. 

About Doctrine of Essentiality

• It is a jurisprudential principle formulated by the Supreme Court of India to determine which religious practices qualify as essential and are thereby protected under Article 25 of the Indian Constitution.
• It aims to strike a balance between the freedom of religion and other fundamental rights.
• It ensures that religious practices do not infringe upon the rights to equality, dignity and liberty.

India has formally assumed the Chairmanship of the Asian Productivity Organization for 2025-26.

About Asian Productivity Organization (APO)

• Genesis: It is an intergovernmental organization established in 1961 by 8 founding members.

• India is one of the founding members.

• Objective: To increase productivity in the Asia-Pacific region through mutual cooperation.
• Members: Comprises 21 economies in the Asia-Pacific region. 
• Key roles: Conducts research on emerging needs of members for their follow-up, promotes bilateral and multilateral alliances among members, surveys the economic and development policies and performance of each member, etc.

A documentary on saving the Asian giant softshell turtle in Kasargod, Kerala has won the Dadasaheb Phalke award.

• Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival (DPIFF) awards celebrate the legacy of the ‘Father of Indian Cinema’ Dadasaheb Phalke. 
  • He created India’s first feature film, Raja Harishchandra, in 1913.

About Asian giant softshell turtle (Pelochelys cantorii)

• Called Cantor’s giant softshell turtle, it is a long freshwater turtle found in South and South-east Asia.
• In Kerala, it is called Bhimanama (bhiman means giant and aama is turtle).
• Habitat: Large lowland rivers, lakes, reservoirs and estuarine areas including mangrove channels and coastal mudflats near river mouths.
• IUCN Status: Critically Endangered.
• Protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
• Characteristics: 
  • Flattened head and widely spaced eyes,
  • Ambush predators with aggressive behaviour, a lightning speed strike and a powerful jaw.