The Prime Minister announced fast-track courts (FTC) to ensure speedy trials in exam paper leak cases.

About FTC

• They are special courts established to ensure the speedy disposal of specific categories of cases.
• There is no single central legislation governing FTCs.
• They are created through government schemes and judicial/administrative decisions.
• Evolution:
  • The 14th Finance Commission (2015–20) recommended establishing 1,800 Fast-Track Courts to expedite trials of heinous crimes, long-pending cases.
  • In 2019, the Centre launched the Fast-Track Special Courts (FTSC) Scheme, funded partly by the Nirbhaya Fund, to exclusively handle rape and POCSO cases.

Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance report on Securities Market Code (SMC) has called for comprehensive examination and an appropriate regulatory framework for Virtual Digital Assets (VDAs) such as cryptocurrencies.

Key Provisions of Securities Markets Code Bill, 2025

• Expanded SEBI Board: Increased from 9 to 15 members, with at least 5 whole-time members.
• Delegation of Functions: SEBI can delegate registration functions to Market Infrastructure Institutions (MIIs) and Self-Regulatory Organisations (SROs).
• Simplified Law: Removes obsolete provisions, avoids duplication, ensures uniform regulation.
• Broader Definition of Securities: Includes hybrid instruments, electronic gold receipts, zero coupon zero principal instruments, and onshore rupee bonds of multilateral institutions.
• Conflict of Interest: Mandatory disclosure and recusal; Government can remove members with prejudicial financial interests.
• Arm's Length Separation: Statutory separation of investigation and adjudication functions.
• Decriminalisation: Market abuse retains criminal liability; minor violations attract civil penalties.

India develops the First Indigenous Expendable Turbo Jet Engine in the 350 kg thrust class.

• Jet Engine Technology is one of the most advanced and complex engineering disciplines in the world.

About Turbo Jet Engine

• Developed By: DRDO’s Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE).
• Manufactured by: Azad Engineering, Hyderabad 
• Purpose: Designed to power cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), drones, and other turbojet-powered platforms.
• Significance: Enhances Aatmanirbhar Bharat by strengthening India's indigenous aerospace propulsion capabilities, a technology mastered by only a few countries.

DRDO conducts successful maiden flight-test of ‘Kusha’ Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missile from the APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha.

About Project Kusha

• Kusha is an indigenous, long-range Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) defence system being developed by the DRDO. 
• Capable of neutralising a wide variety of aerial threats including fighter jets, missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles and large enemy aircraft within a wide range & altitude envelope. 
• Kusha will form a key element of India’s planned air defense umbrella called Sudarshan Chakra.
• Designed to complement Russia's S-400, it features three interceptor variants (150 km, 250 km, and 350-400 km ranges). 

Other Defence Systems: THAAD (United States); Patriot PAC-3 (United States); Iron Dome (Israel).

Odisha proposes radical reform in policy “Nutan Sakala” to curb trafficking of women, girls.

• Odisha recorded highest number of human trafficking victims in India for four consecutive years. (NCRB)

About Nutan Sakala

• It is Odisha’s unified policy framework for addressing all forms of trafficking relating to women and girls. 
• Four pillars: prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnership to ensure a comprehensive and coordinated response.
• Key Proposals:
  • Prevent trafficking through life-skills education, safe migration, and community vigilance.
  • Establish Integrated Victim Support Centres (IVSCs).
  • Ensure survivor rehabilitation through livelihood, healthcare, education, housing, and repatriation.
  • Strengthen prosecution, asset confiscation under Prevention of Money Laundering Act, and create a non-lapsable Nutana Sakala Corpus Fund

The Delhi Lieutenant Governor has authorized the Delhi Commissioner of Police to exercise powers under the NSA, 1980 for three months.

About NSA, 1980

• Enacted: 1980, to provide for preventive detention in matters affecting national security, public order, and the maintenance of essential supplies and services.
• Detention: Allows preventive detention for up to 12 months (under a single order) without formal criminal charges.
• Authority: Detention orders can be issued by the Central/State Governments, District Magistrates, or Police Commissioners (where empowered).
• Review Mechanism: Every detention order must be referred to an Advisory Board (comprising persons qualified to be High Court judges) within three weeks. 
  • If the Board finds no sufficient cause, the detention must be revoked.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar recently represented India at the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit in Philippines.

About ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) 

• Establishment: Agreed at the 26th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (1993); inaugural meeting held in Bangkok (25 July 1994).
• Objectives: Promote political-security dialogue, confidence-building, and preventive diplomacy in the Asia-Pacific.
• Guiding Principles: Consensus-based, non-interference, multilateral & bilateral dialogue, and incremental progress.
• Membership: 27 participants, all ASEAN members plus partners including India, China, US, Russia, and the EU.
• Chairmanship: ASEAN Chair

The prolonged anchorage of vessels in the Persian Gulf increases biofouling, enabling the spread of invasive marine species.

About Biofouling

• Biofouling is the accumulation of aquatic organisms such as microorganisms, plants and animals on surfaces and structures immersed in or exposed to the aquatic environment.
• Biofouling can include pathogens. 
• Biofouling leads to the spread of non-native species to new environments.

The Prime Minister paid homage to Chandra Shekhar Azad on his birth anniversary.

About Chandrashekhar Azad 

• Born on: July 23, 1906, Bhavra village (MP)
• Became known as "Azad" (Free) after his arrest during the Non-Cooperation Movement (1921).

Revolutionary Activities

• Participated in the Kakori Train Robbery (9 August 1925), planned to seize the government treasury for revolutionary activities.
• Joined the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA) with Ram Prasad Bismil.
• Reorganizing into HSRA: Along with Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru, he reorganized the HRA and renamed it the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA)
• Assassination of Saunders: Seeking revenge for the death of Lala Lajpat Rai following a police lathi charge, Azad and his peers plotted to assassinate Police Superintendent James Scott. However, a case of mistaken identity led them to kill John P. Saunders.
• On 27 February 1931, Azad was surrounded by police at Alfred Park, Allahabad (Prayagraj) where he shot himself.

Ethical values: Courage, leadership, nationalism, equality, patriotism etc.