15 June 2025 UPSC Current Affairs

News from “The Hindu and

Indian Express”
Short notes to remember the core
content and Use it for Mains Exam
Answer Writing.​
​
KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS DOCUMENT:
❖​ Follow 80/20 Law → 80% Results come from 20% efforts in the proper direction of
preparation with clear focus on UPSC Exam Syllabus.
❖​ First 3 Pages Enough. DO NOT try to MEMORIZE this Content. Read 1st time with
Rough Glance. 2nd Time on Keywords and Sentence Formation.
❖​ Read for the 3rd time to observe “Repeated Themes in the News Cycle”. 4th time on
Revision with own QnA. Observe the Overlapping GS topics. Eg: GS 2 (IR) can also be
partly involved in terms of GS 3 (Economy) Angle as well.
❖​ Say NO to Content Overload. Don’t burden yourself with too much stuffs
❖​ Structured for UPSC preparation. Avoid Non-linearity and random things.
❖​ GS Mains Syllabus Point linkages → Get Clarity on which topic is related
❖​ Value additions for Answer Writing -> get extra marks. Maps and Laws referred.
❖​ PSIR relevance → Optional paper also covered. Dig deep if you like it
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Today's Top News: Summary

1.​ Israel Attacks Iran, Escalating Tensions: In a significant escalation, Israel has launched
attacks targeting Iran's nuclear facilities and ballistic missile sites, assassinating top
commanders. The attack puts Iran's 86-year-old Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei,
under immense pressure as his regime's regional influence wanes.

2.​ Indo-US Axiom-4 Space Mission Delayed Indefinitely: The Axiom-4 mission to the
International Space Station (ISS), which was set to carry India's astronaut-designate
Shubhanshu Shukla, has been postponed indefinitely. The delay was caused by a liquid
oxygen (LOX) leak in the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and an anomalous pressure reading on
an ISS service module.

3.​ Shipping Accidents Off Kerala Coast Raise Regulatory Questions: Two recent
incidents—a fire on MV Wan Hai 503 and the sinking of MSC ELSA 3 off the Kerala
coast—have highlighted concerns about maritime safety, environmental damage from
hazardous cargo, and the complexities of determining liability under international laws
governed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

4.​ Psychology Shows Signs of Recovery from 'Replication Crisis': A new study
analysing 2.4 million papers indicates that the field of psychology is becoming more
robust after the 'replication crisis' of the 2010s. Researchers are now using larger sample
sizes and more rigorous methods, leading to a decline in 'fragile' p-values, suggesting a
cultural shift towards sturdier scientific work.

5.​ Delhi High Court Issues Guidelines for MTP Cases of Sexual Assault Survivors: The
court has mandated streamlined procedures for hospitals to prevent delays and
administrative lapses in handling Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) cases for
sexual assault survivors, especially minors, ensuring timely care without rigid insistence
on identity proofs.

UPSC General Studies Analysis

GS Paper 1: Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and

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Society

●​ Indian Society: Vulnerable Sections & Social Justice

○​ Content: The Delhi High Court's intervention highlights the systemic hurdles sexual
assault survivors, particularly minors, face in accessing timely medical care like
MTP, pointing to deep-seated administrative apathy.
○​ Syllabus Link: Social empowerment, Role of women and women's organization,
Issues related to children.
○​ Mains Facts: Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma's guidelines emphasize that when a
police officer brings a survivor, separate ID verification can be dispensed with.
Hospitals must immediately form a medical board if gestation exceeds 24 weeks,
without waiting for court orders.
○​ Prelims Focus:
■​ Concept: The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, 1971, and its
amendments prescribe gestational limits for abortion. The Protection of
Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act provides legal safeguards for
children.
■​ PYQ Connection: Questions on the features of the POCSO Act and key
Supreme Court judgments related to women's rights have been asked.
■​ Potential Question: Consider the following statements regarding the MTP
Act: 1. It allows termination of pregnancy up to 24 weeks for specific
categories of women. 2. A court order is mandatory for any termination
beyond the statutory limit. Which of the above is/are correct?
●​ Modern Indian History: The Emergency
○​ Content: "Even before the Emergency proclamation was signed, electricity supply
to Delhi’s newspapers was shut off."
○​ Syllabus Link: The post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the
country.
○​ Mains Facts: The 50th anniversary of the Emergency (June 1975) serves as a
benchmark to evaluate press freedom. During the Emergency, severe censorship
was imposed, foreign correspondents were given an ultimatum, and police were
inducted into the Central Information Service to monitor journalists.
○​ Prelims Focus:
■​ Concept: The Emergency was proclaimed under Article 352 of the
Constitution. The 44th Amendment Act, 1978, introduced safeguards against
its misuse.
■​ PYQ Connection: Prelims have featured questions on the sequence of
Prime Ministers and major constitutional amendments.
■​ Potential Question: The term 'internal disturbance' was replaced by 'armed
rebellion' as a ground for proclaiming a National Emergency by which
Constitutional Amendment Act?
●​ Geography: Climatology & Human Geography
○​ Content: Extreme heat waves are posing severe health challenges, with a "real feel

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 of 50 degrees Celsius" causing dehydration, kidney injury, and even shock,
particularly affecting the elderly and children.
○​ Syllabus Link: Important Geophysical phenomena such as... cyclones etc.,
geographical features and their location-changes in critical geographical features
(including water-bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such
changes.
○​ Mains Facts: Dehydration in the elderly is dangerous as the thirst response can be
blunted with age. In children, fluid loss is proportionally greater due to lower body
weight. Experts recommend consuming 2.5 to 3 litres of fluids and avoiding
diuretics like caffeine and alcohol.
○​ Prelims Focus:
■​ Concept: Heatwave criteria as defined by the India Meteorological
Department (IMD). Blue Flag Certification for beaches (like Ghoghla Beach,
Diu) is an international eco-label awarded by the Foundation for
Environmental Education (FEE).
■​ PYQ Connection: Questions have appeared on international environmental
certifications and geographical locations in the news.
■​ Potential Question: The 'Blue Flag' certification, recently seen in the news,
is related to? (a) Sustainable fishing practices (b) Eco-friendly beaches and
marinas (c) Carbon neutral industries (d) Conservation of migratory birds.

GS Paper 2: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International

Relations

●​ Polity: Press Freedom & Fundamental Rights

○​ Content: "Today, no matter how powerful a government... the narrative cannot be
controlled if the facts do not match up."
○​ Syllabus Link: Indian Constitution—historical underpinnings, evolution, features,
amendments, significant provisions and basic structure; Functions and
responsibilities of the Union and the States.
○​ Mains Facts: India is ranked 151 on the World Press Freedom Index, a significant
drop from 80th in 2014. The columnists argue that while overt censorship of the
Emergency era is gone, more "subtle and sophisticated" methods are used, such
as financial pressure, use of laws against journalists, and the "chill factor" of
self-censorship.
○​ Prelims Focus:
■​ Concept: Freedom of the press is implicit in the Right to Freedom of
Speech and Expression under Article 19(1)(a) of the Indian Constitution,
subject to reasonable restrictions under Article 19(2).
■​ PYQ Connection: Questions on Fundamental Rights and their scope are a
staple of the Prelims exam.
■​ Potential Question: The World Press Freedom Index is published annually
by which organization?

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 ●​ Governance: E-governance, Transparency & Accountability
○​ Content: The Delhi HC has mandated the designation of a nodal officer in each
government hospital to oversee MTP cases, serving as a single point of contact to
improve coordination between the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), police, and
courts.
○​ Syllabus Link: Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability,
e-governance applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens
charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures.
○​ Mains Facts: The guidelines aim to fix accountability by mandating Standard
Operating Procedures (SOPs), regular training for doctors on medico-legal
procedures, and ensuring consent is taken in a language the survivor understands.
This institutional reform targets systemic inefficiency.
○​ Prelims Focus:
■​ Concept: Child Welfare Committee (CWC) is a statutory body constituted
under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act.
■​ PYQ Connection: Questions on the statutory vs. constitutional nature of
various bodies are common.
■​ Potential Question: Which of the following bodies in India is/are statutory?
1. National Commission for Women 2. Child Welfare Committee 3. Finance
Commission.
●​ International Relations: West Asian Geopolitics
○​ Content: "Set against Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, Ayatollah
Khamenei finds himself with few good options."
○​ Syllabus Link: India and its neighborhood- relations; Bilateral, regional and global
groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
○​ Mains Facts: Iran's 'axis of resistance' (its network of proxies in West Asia) is being
systematically degraded by Israel. The conflict has moved from proxy wars to direct
state-on-state attacks, with Israel targeting Iran's strategic nuclear and missile
assets. This severely challenges Iran's doctrine of "forward defense" and regional
deterrence.
○​ Prelims Focus:
■​ Concept: Vilayat-e-faqih (Guardianship of the Jurist) is the political and
religious system established by Ayatollah Khomeini in Iran, which gives a
cleric (the Supreme Leader) ultimate authority.
■​ PYQ Connection: Questions often test knowledge of geopolitical terms and
conflict zones.
■​ Potential Question: The term 'Axis of Resistance', often seen in news, refers
to a political and military alliance led by which country?

GS Paper 3: Technology, Economic Development, Bio diversity, Environment,

Security and Disaster Management

●​ Science & Technology: Developments and Applications

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 ○​ Content: A new cancer treatment, step-and-shoot spot-scanning proton arc
therapy (SPArc), has been successfully used to treat a head-and-neck cancer
patient, significantly reducing radiation damage to nearby healthy tissues compared
to the current standard of care (SFO-IMPT).
○​ Syllabus Link: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and
effects in everyday life; Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics,
nano-technology, bio-technology.
○​ Mains Facts: SPArc works by targeting tumours with protons. The study compared
three techniques: SFO-IMPT, step-and-shoot SPArc, and fully dynamic SPArc. The
SPArc methods reduced radiation to the brainstem by 10%, optical chiasm by 56%,
and oral cavity by 72%. It is valuable for tumours in anatomically complex areas like
the skull base.
○​ Prelims Focus:
■​ Concept: Proton Therapy is a type of particle therapy that uses a beam of
protons to irradiate diseased tissue. Its main advantage over X-ray radiation
is its ability to deposit maximum energy at a specific depth (the Bragg peak),
sparing surrounding tissue.
■​ PYQ Connection: Prelims have asked about technologies like
CRISPR-Cas9, mRNA vaccines, and Li-Fi.
■​ Potential Question: What is the primary advantage of proton therapy over
conventional radiation therapy? (a) It is less expensive. (b) It can treat a wider
range of cancers. (c) It delivers a more precise dose of radiation to the
tumour, minimizing damage to healthy tissue. (d) It does not require a large
facility.
●​ Economy: E-waste Management & Circular Economy
○​ Content: A new chemical method has been developed in Finland to efficiently
recycle silver from e-waste using organic fatty acids (like linolenic or oleic acid)
found in common cooking oils.
○​ Syllabus Link: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation,
environmental impact assessment. (Linked to resource management)
○​ Mains Facts: Silver is critical for the clean energy transition, used in solar panels
and electric vehicles. Demand is expected to increase by 170% by 2030. Currently,
only 15% of the 7,275 metric tonnes of silver used globally is recuperated. This new
method is recyclable, avoids toxic substances like strong acids and cyanide used in
traditional methods, and is applicable to "urban mining".
○​ Prelims Focus:
■​ Concept: Urban Mining refers to the process of reclaiming raw materials
from spent products, buildings, and waste. E-waste (Management) Rules in
India mandate Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).
■​ PYQ Connection: Questions related to e-waste, circular economy, and
critical minerals are increasingly common.
■​ Potential Question: The term 'Urban Mining' is best described as...?
●​ Internal Security: Insurgency in North-East & Extremism

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 ○​ Content: The radical Meitei group, Arambai Tenggol (AT), has emerged as a
prominent, organized, and armed force during the ethnic conflict in Manipur,
allegedly running a "parallel government" and challenging the state's authority.
○​ Syllabus Link: Linkages between development and spread of extremism; Role of
external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security.
○​ Mains Facts: Founded by Manipur's titular king, Leishemba Sanajaoba, AT uses
pre-Hindu Sanamahi faith rhetoric. It has been accused of violence, looting police
armouries, and hounding Kuki-Zo people. In a show of power, it summoned 37
MLAs and 2 MPs to take an oath to protect Manipur's integrity.
○​ Prelims Focus:
■​ Concept: Sanamahism is the traditional Meitei religion. The ethnic conflict in
Manipur involves the majority Meitei community, who are concentrated in the
Imphal Valley, and the Kuki-Zo tribal communities from the surrounding hills.
■​ PYQ Connection: Questions on ethnic groups, cultural practices, and conflict
zones in the North-East are frequently asked.
■​ Potential Question: 'Arambai Tenggol' and 'Meitei Leepun', recently in news,
are associated with which Indian state?

GS Paper 4: Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude

●​ Case Study: Ethical Governance & Administrative Apathy

○​ Content: "Miscommunication, and administrative lapses had resulted in the denial
of timely medical care to a minor rape survivor."
○​ Syllabus Link: Public/Civil service values and Ethics in Public administration:
Status and problems; ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and private
institutions.
○​ Analysis: This case exemplifies a lack of compassion, accountability, and
emotional intelligence in public service delivery. The hospital authorities rigidly
followed procedural safeguards (insisting on ID proof) at the cost of the survivor's
well-being, showcasing a classic conflict between rules-based and values-based
conduct. The HC's directive for a nodal officer is an attempt to enforce
accountability.
●​ Ethics Quote for Answers:
○​ "As long as there is no ill-motive, every point of view has some truth and must be
respected — a quality that the present government has not cultivated in the last 11
years." This line from P. Chidambaram's column can be used to argue for
tolerance, objectivity, and the importance of accommodating dissenting views in a
democracy.

Map-Based Pointers
●​ National (India):
1.​ Diu (Ghoghla Beach): Location of the inaugural Khelo India Beach Games,

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 highlighting the promotion of sports in Union Territories and the significance of 'Blue
Flag' certified beaches on India's west coast.
2.​ Beypore (Kerala Coast): Site of the MV Wan Hai 503 ship fire. Marks a critical
point on the maritime route off the Malabar Coast, prone to shipping incidents.
3.​ Kochi (Kerala Coast): Location where the MSC ELSA 3 sank. A major port city
and naval base, its coastal waters face risks from maritime traffic and potential
pollution from hazardous cargo.
4.​ Imphal (Manipur): The epicenter of the Meitei-Kuki-Zo conflict and the base of
operations for groups like Arambai Tenggol. Represents the geographical divide
between the valley and hill areas in the state.
5.​ Ahmedabad: A key location mentioned in the context of the bullet train project and
the tragic Air India crash, representing both modern infrastructure ambitions and
human tragedy.
●​ International:
1.​ Iran (Mashhad): The hometown of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and a holy city for Shia
Muslims. Its significance is both political and religious in the context of the Iranian
regime's identity.
2.​ Israel: The location from which attacks on Iran were launched, representing the
epicentre of the escalating direct conflict in West Asia, moving beyond proxy
warfare.
3.​ Mauritius: Referenced in the context of the Wakashio oil spill (2020), where a ship
ran aground while seeking mobile signals, illustrating the modern, sometimes trivial,
causes of major environmental disasters.
4.​ Istanbul (Turkey): Straddling Europe and Asia, its strategic location on the
Bosphorus Strait is highlighted. Mentioned culturally for its coffee tradition, it
remains a geopolitical crossroads.
5.​ Argentina: Noted for its cultural ritual of sharing Yerba Mate, it is also a gateway to
Antarctica, highlighting its unique geographical position in the Southern
Hemisphere.

Constitutional and Legal Frameworks

●​ Indian Constitution:
○​ Article 19(1)(a): Guarantees freedom of speech and expression, which implicitly
includes freedom of the press. This is central to the debate on media suppression
during the Emergency and in the present day.
○​ Article 352: Provision for the proclamation of a National Emergency. The 1975
Emergency was declared under this article, and its subsequent misuse led to
constitutional safeguards being added via the 44th Amendment.
●​ Bodies: Constitutional vs. Statutory
○​ Constitutional Bodies: These are bodies established by the Constitution of India
itself. Example from the text (implied): The IMF Executive Board has
representation from member countries based on quotas, a structure defined by its

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 articles of agreement, akin to a constitution for the institution. No domestic
constitutional body is detailed.
○​ Statutory Bodies: These are bodies created by an Act of Parliament or a State
Legislature. Examples from the text:
■​ Child Welfare Committee (CWC): Constituted under the Juvenile Justice
(Care and Protection of Children) Act.
■​ Directorate General (DG) of Shipping: An attached office under the Ministry
of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, it functions based on the Merchant
Shipping Act, 1958.
○​ Quasi-Judicial Bodies: These are non-judicial bodies that can interpret law, like a
tribunal or an administrative officer. Example from the text: The Delhi High Court
notes that medical boards in MTP cases, while technical, make assessments with
legal ramifications, acting in a quasi-judicial capacity by providing expert opinion
that heavily influences judicial outcomes.
●​ Acts and Legal Links:
○​ Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, 1971: The core legislation
governing abortion in India. The recent court directives aim to ensure its provisions
are implemented effectively and humanely for sexual assault survivors.
○​ Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act: A special law to
protect children from sexual abuse, which has stringent provisions and procedures
that hospitals and police must follow.
○​ Environment & International Law:
■​ Polluter Pays Principle: A key environmental law principle upheld by the
International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships
(MARPOL). It holds the party responsible for pollution liable for the damage.
■​ Nairobi Convention on the Removal of Wrecks, 2007: An international
convention (to which India is a signatory) that makes the ship owner
responsible for salvaging a sunken ship within a country's sovereign waters
(up to 200 nautical miles).
■​ SOLAS (Safety of Life At Sea) Convention: A critical IMO convention that
sets minimum safety standards for ships. It was famously created after the
sinking of the Titanic and is periodically revised.

Political Science & International Relations (PSIR) Highlights

1.​ Iran-Israel Direct Conflict - A Realist Conundrum: The shift from proxy war to direct
strikes on Iran's strategic assets by Israel exemplifies the security dilemma and the
primacy of national interest and survival in realist theory. Iran's weakened 'axis of
resistance' has forced a recalculation of its deterrence policy, pushing the region closer to
a full-scale war.
○​ Syllabus Keywords: Realism, National Interest, Security Dilemma, Balance of
Power, Conflict in West Asia.
2.​ The State of Democracy: Media Freedom as a Barometer: The comparison between

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 the overt censorship during the Emergency and the alleged "subtle" control mechanisms
today touches upon themes of democratic backsliding and the nature of the modern
authoritarian state. The state's use of lawfare and economic pressure on media reflects a
sophisticated form of political control.
○​ Syllabus Keywords: State theory, Democracy, Human Rights, Civil Society,
Accountability.
3.​ Global Governance & Maritime Security: The shipping accidents off the Kerala coast
highlight the role and limitations of international institutions like the International
Maritime Organization (IMO). The case brings forth issues of regulating the global
commons (high seas), the challenge of 'Flags of Convenience' that allow for less scrutiny,
and the enforcement of international conventions like SOLAS and MARPOL at the
national level.
○​ Syllabus Keywords: Global Governance, International Law, United Nations and its
specialized agencies, Globalization.

Government Schemes in Focus

1.​ Khelo India Scheme: The Khelo India Beach Games are an extension of this flagship
central government programme aimed at reviving the sports culture in India by building a
strong framework for all sports and establishing India as a great sporting nation.
2.​ Gaganyaan Mission: ISRO's human spaceflight mission, for which astronaut-designate
Shubhanshu Shukla was training. The mission aims to demonstrate indigenous capability
to send humans to low earth orbit and bring them back safely.
3.​ National Mental Health Programme (NMHP): Mentioned in the context of rising spousal
murders, the programme aims to ensure the availability and accessibility of minimum
mental healthcare for all, promoting mental health and preventing mental illness.

Important Profiles of the Day

●​ Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (Supreme Leader of Iran):
1.​ A "child of the revolution," he was imprisoned and tortured under the Shah's regime,
which burnished his credentials.
2.​ He became the Supreme Leader in 1989 after the death of Ayatollah Khomeini,
establishing his authority over Iran's unique theocratic system of vilayat-e-faqih.
3.​ He now faces the greatest test to his rule with Iran's regional influence waning and
Israel launching direct attacks on its strategic assets.
●​ Alexandr Wang (CEO, Scale AI):
1.​ A 28-year-old entrepreneur whose company, Scale AI, specializes in data curation
for AI models and is now partnering with Meta.
2.​ He is a vocal advocate for treating data as a strategic national resource, akin to a
petroleum reserve, to compete in the AI arms race, particularly against China.
3.​ He predicts AI will dominate warfare in the next decade and believes data will
become "a new kind of ammunition."

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●​ Arambai Tenggol (Radical Meitei Group):
1.​ A radical Meitei nationalist group in Manipur that derives its name from a traditional
weapon and a cavalry platoon.
2.​ It shot to prominence during the 2023 ethnic conflict, accused of violence, arms
looting, and running a "parallel government."
3.​ It espouses a nationalist outlook, invoking the pre-Hindu Sanamahi faith and
aiming to "defend and protect Manipur and India," distinguishing itself from
separatist outfits.

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