Current Affairs | National | International | SSC | UPSC 21th April 2025

 1. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued a clarification.

•  There is no confirmed plan to launch a satellite-based tolling system across India on 1st May 2025
•  Reports suggesting that FASTag will be replaced by satellite tolling from that date are incorrect. 
•  A new toll collection system will be introduced at selected toll plazas instead.
• This system will use a combination of ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) and FASTag technology. 
•  It is designed to allow vehicles to pass through toll plazas without stopping. 
•  ANPR cameras will identify vehicle number plates.
•   FASTag readers will automatically deduct toll charges. 
•  This creates a seamless and barrier-free tolling experience. 
•  If a vehicle fails to comply, an electronic notice will be sent. 
•  Non-payment may result in suspension of the FASTag. 
•  It could also lead to penalties under the VAHAN system. 
•  NHAI has invited bids for installing the ANPR-FASTag-based Barrier-Less Tolling System at selected sites. 
• Nationwide rollout will depend on how the system performs. 
• Public feedback and operational efficiency will also be considered. 

2. India took part in GITEX Africa 2025, the largest tech and startup event in Africa. 

• The event was held in Marrakesh, Morocco. 
•  It brought together global policymakers, innovators, and leaders.
• The focus was on building partnerships for inclusive and equitable economic growth. 
• Minister of State Jayant Chaudhary led the Indian delegation.
•  He participated in bilateral meetings, panel discussions, and engaged with Indian startups. 
•  He highlighted India’s Digital Public Infrastructure, including Aadhaar, UPI, ONDC, and digital healthcare tools.
•  The Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) has registered over one crore users in just 18 months. 
•  Jayant Chaudhary pointed out India’s fast-growing AI talent base, with a 33.39% increase in hiring, according to the AI Stanford Index 2025. 
• India’s presence at GITEX reaffirmed its leadership in digital innovation and skill development. 
• Initiatives like Skill India, Digital India, Aadhaar, UPI, SIDH, DIKSHA, and DigiLocker are being seen as global benchmarks. 

3. India, EU can collaborate on space policy, says envoy 

•  India can be a very active player in developing an international framework for responsible behaviour in space, says Marjolijn van Deelen, European Union Special Envoy for Space, while flagging debris from Anti-Satellite (ASAT) weapon testing and Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) that threaten satellites as major concerns. As India and EU look to deepen strategic cooperation, they are also looking to hold a “space dialogue” as a first step for collaboration in the space sector. 
•  “I think it would be important to jointly look at how we would want to regulate, in a way, these RPOs... to have international agreements on what is okay and what is not okay. 
•  And for that, we are setting up this framework for norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviour and India and the EU could cooperate on setting out how we think they should be regulated in a way that does not pose a threat to us,” Ms. van Deelen said, while speaking to The Hindu. “RPOs in themselves are not necessarily a problem. 
• You don’t want a solution that also kills all the programmes and the civilian benefits we can have from them.” RPOs refer to a spacecraft intentionally manoeuvring to dock or operating close to another space object. 
•  Asked if India’s ASAT test was a matter of concern, the envoy said, “The creation of debris by ASAT is something that should concern all states and we’ve spoken about that and that’s why the EU has supported in the UN context a ban on destructive ASAT testing.
• The word ‘destructive’ is key here.” To a follow-up question on whether there had been a conversation with regard to India’s ASAT programme, she replied there have not been any discussions yet and her conversations here will be “about how we cooperate”.
•  In March 2019, India announced the successful demonstration of ASAT capability, after destroying a live-orbiting satellite in the Low Earth Orbit of around 300 km with a new three stage interceptor missile in a “hit to kill” mode. 
• Speaking of the top concerns, the envoy, whose visit followed the historic visit of the EU College of Commissioners led by President Ursula von der Leyen, noted that several countries had tested ASAT weapons. 
• “But we also see cyber jamming and spoofing in space, which are threats to delivering services to our citizens. 
• We also see RPOs, which basically involves having a satellite get very close to your satellite, and if that is without notification and if that is done by an actor with whom we do not have friendly relations, and especially if our satellite is a sensitive one... that’s something we need to talk about. So these are the threats that we see, maybe the key ones on the security side.” 
•  The EU is set to bring in a Space Act in the next few months, which the envoy termed is an instrument designed for European competitiveness. While reiterating that it does not regulate third parties, she said the Act tries to ensure EU companies cooperate more closely so that the bloc does not “get 27 individual space programmes, but do that more jointly”. 

4. Prime Minister presented Awards of Excellence at the 17th Civil Services Day event. 

•  On April 21, 2025, PM Narendra Modi addressed the public servants of the country on the 17th Civil Services Day. 
•  National Civil Service Day is observed every year on April 21.
•  On this occasion, the Prime Minister's Awards for Excellence in Public Administration were presented for effective implementation of identified priority programs and innovations in the districts and Central/State Governments. 
• The award was instituted in 2006. 
• The award has been launched to recognize exceptional and innovative work done by districts and organisations of the Central and State Governments for the welfare of the common citizens. 
• For the Prime Minister’s Awards Scheme 2024, the following priority programs have been identified for awards to be conferred on Public Service Day 2025: 

 Category 

1 - Holistic Development of Districts 

 Category 

2 - Aspirational Blocks Programme Category 3 – Innovation 

• After comprehensive evaluation, 14 awardees have been shortlisted from 1588 nominations. 
•  The Prime Minister's Award consists of: 
• (i) Trophy, 
• (ii) Scroll and 
• (iii) Incentive of Rs. 20 lakhs to the awarded district/organization.
•   Additionally, e-books on Holistic Development and on Innovations were released by PM Narendra Modi. 
•  These books contain success stories of the implementation of identified priority programs and innovations. 
•  This was the 7th occasion when Prime Minister Modi addressed the National Public Service Day celebrations. 
•  Civil Service Day is an occasion for public servants across the country to rededicate themselves to the cause of the citizens and to reaffirm their commitment to public service and excellence in their work. 
•  The date was chosen to commemorate the day when Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel addressed the probationers of Administrative Service Officers at Metcalfe House Delhi in 1947. 

5. On 19 April 2025, India's first satellite, Aryabhatta, completed its 50 years. 

•  In 1975, this satellite, launched on this day, was named after the ancient Indian mathematician and astronomer Aryabhata. 
•  Built by the ISRO, the satellite was launched from Kapustin Yar with the assistance of the USSR.
•   Aryabhatta's project director, Udupi Ramachandra Rao, who passed away in 2017, played a key role. 
• The satellite was intended to explore fields including solar physics, aeronomy, and X-ray astronomy. 
•  Aryabhata was designed as a 26-sided polyhedron, with a diameter of 1.4 meters and weighing 360 kilograms. 
• All the remaining 24 hours of the satellite, except the top and bottom, were covered with solar panels. 
• After spending five days in orbit, Aryabhata encountered electrical problems, due to which all experiments were stopped. 
• Despite this, valuable data was collected, and scientists were provided with important experience in satellite development. 
•  Aryabhata marked India's entry into space exploration and laid the foundation for the country's future space missions. 
•  With its successful launch, India became the 11th country in the world to send a satellite into orbit. 

6. Two cheetahs released in Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary by Madhya Pradesh CM. 

•  On 20 April, two cheetahs named “Prabash” and “Paavak” were released in the Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary in Mandsaur by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav. 
•  On this occasion, he said that PM Narendra Modi has also given the honour of turning Tiger State Madhya Pradesh into a Cheetah State. 
• These six-year-old male cheetahs are from a group of cheetahs brought to Kuno National Park from South Africa in February 2023. 
•  The cheetahs will now roam freely within their 64-sq. km enclosure in Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary, located between Mandsaur and Neemuch districts, with the Chambal River dividing the sanctuary into nearly two equal parts. 
• In September 2022, cheetahs were introduced to Kuno for the first time, with the aim of increasing the number of cheetahs in India and preserving the species. 
•  Four cheetahs are scheduled to be translocated from Botswana to Gandhi Sagar in May, while four more will arrive in the second phase later. 
• With the relocation of two cheetahs, there are now 24 cheetahs in Kuno — 14 in the wild and 10 in enclosures. 

7. India's foreign exchange market has grown significantly. 

•  It increased from 32 billion dollars in 2020 to 60 billion dollars in 2024, according to RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra. 
• Daily trading volumes in the overnight money market have also risen sharply. 
• They went from around ₹3 lakh crore to over ₹5.4 lakh crore in the same period. 
• The government securities market has seen a 40% increase in average daily volumes. 
• These volumes now stand at ₹66,000 crore. 
• Malhotra stated that India’s financial markets have become more robust and adaptive. 
•  He said they are now a strong driver of economic growth. 
•  He also noted that transparency in Indian markets has reached global standards. 
• Recent regulatory reforms have expanded the variety of financial products and market participants. 
•  The connection between domestic and international markets has become much stronger. 

8. ISRO has developed a locally-made nozzle divergent for the fourth stage of the PSLV. 

• It uses a material called Stellite, which replaces the previously imported Columbium. 
•  Stellite is a cobalt-based alloy that includes Chromium, Nickel, Tungsten, and Iron. 
• The new nozzle can withstand extremely high temperatures of up to 1150 degrees Celsius. 
•  ISRO tested the Stellite nozzle in a series of trials. 
• The final hot test was conducted on April 8 and lasted for 665 seconds. 
• This test was successfully carried out at the ISRO Propulsion Complex in Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu. 
•  By using Stellite, ISRO will reduce its import costs for the nozzle by nearly 90 percent. 
•  The Mahendragiri facility also tested the human-rated Vikas Engine for the Gaganyaan mission.
•   The Vikas Engine is designed and built in India. 
•  It is named after Vikram Sarabhai, the founder of India’s space program. 
• The Gaganyaan launch vehicle, LVM 3 G, will use two Vikas engines in a clustered arrangement. 
• These engines will help carry Indian astronauts into space. 

9. US Supreme Court has temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s use of an old law to deport Venezuelan migrants. 

• The law would have allowed deportations without court hearings. 
• It was the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, a statute not used since World War II. 
• Trump attempted to bring it back to speed up migrant removals. 
•  The Court issued its decision and put a pause on any deportations under that law for now. 
•  Justice Samuel Alito disagreed with the decision. He said the Court acted improperly by not hearing both sides. 
•  Democrats and civil rights groups say Trump is misusing his power and ignoring legal safeguards.

 10. Bangladesh's National Central Bureau has requested Interpol to issue a Red Notice for 12 individuals. 

•  This includes former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. 
•  The request also involves former transport minister Obaidul Quader and ex-home minister Asaduzzaman Khan. 
• Enamul Haque Sagor, Assistant Inspector General of Media at the Police Headquarters, confirmed the request. 
•  He explained that such requests are made following appeals from courts, prosecutors, or investigative agencies. 
•  The Red Notice request is still being processed. 
• In November of the previous year, the Chief Prosecutor’s Office of the International Crimes Tribunal in Dhaka made an official request.
•  They asked for Interpol’s help in capturing Sheikh Hasina and the others, who are considered fugitives.

  Red Notice: 

•  A Red Notice is a request to law enforcement around the world to find and detain an individual while they await extradition, surrender, or other legal action. An international arrest warrant is not the same as a Red Notice. 
• Member countries apply their own laws in deciding whether to arrest a person. 
• The majority of Red Notices are restricted to law enforcement use only. 

11. ‘Record representation of women in civil services

•  Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh on Sunday interacted with the Officer Trainees of the 2023 batch of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). 
•  He hailed the largest women’s representation in the history of the service, with 74 women officers making up 41% of the batch. 
•  “The interaction was part of the ongoing Assistant Secretary programme, wherein the IAS Officer Trainees are attached to 46 Central Ministries for a period of eight weeks from April 1 to May 30, giving them early exposure to policy formulation and the workings of the Central government,” a press note said. Mr. Singh attributed the landmark development to the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that, under his tenure, women-led initiatives had gained unprecedented momentum. 
•  “The Prime Minister has always been a champion of women’s empowerment. This record representation is a testament to his unwavering support for inclusive and progressive governance,” the Minister said. 

12. ISRO satellites forecast wheat production, assess crop condition 

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in a study using its satellites has estimated that the total wheat production from eight major wheat-growing States will be 122.724 million tonnes as on March 31, 2025.
•   According to the space agency, the Comprehensive Remote Sensing Observation on Crop Progress (CROP), a semi-automated and scalable framework, developed by the ISRO’s National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), enables the near real-time monitoring of crop sowing and harvesting during the Rabi season across India. 
• Systematic assessment The ISRO said that using this approach, the progress of wheat sown areas and the overall crop condition across the States were systematically assessed, using Optical and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) remote sensing datasets from EOS-04 (RISAT-1A), EOS-06 (Oceansat-3), and Resourcesat-2A, for the Rabi season, 2024-25. 
•  The eight major wheat growing States are Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Bihar, Gujarat and Maharashtra. 
•  It added that the spatial distribution of the wheat crop as of March 31 across the country is 330.8 lakh hectares. 
•  “The wheat sown area derived from satellite data by March 31 stands at 330.8 lakh hectares, which is close to the statistics generated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (324.38 lakh hectares) as on February 4, 2025,” it added. 
• Parameters The ISRO said that experimental assessment of wheat production, at the national scale, is done by assimilating satellite-derived parameters such as crop area, sowing date information, and in-season crop condition in a process-based crop growth simulation model at 5×5 km spatial resolution. 
•  “The multi-source data integration is expected to enhance the accuracy of production estimation at a ner spatial level, supporting precise and scalable estimation of wheat production. The total wheat production from eight major wheat-growing states of India as on March 31 is estimated to be 122.724 million tonnes,” the ISRO said. 

13. SSC aspirants can opt for Aadhaar-based verification 

• The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) has decided to implement Aadhaar-based biometric authentication in its all forthcoming examinations in order to verify candidates’ identity on a voluntary basis, officials said on Sunday. 
•  This new measure will take effect for recruitment tests conducted from May onwards. Aadhaar authentication is intended to make the examination process more convenient for candidates, the SSC clarified. 
•  Officials explained that Aadhaar-based authentication will help ensure that government job aspirants do not fake their identities or use fraudulent means to appear in SSC recruitment exams. 

14. Community radio launched in Himachal’s border district 

• The Indian Army on Sunday launched a community radio station, the ‘Voice of Kinnaur’, at Pooh in Himachal Pradesh’s Kinnaur district, bordering China. 
•  Established under the Army’s flagship Operation Sadbhavana, it is envisioned as a grassroots platform to deliver local news, promote regional culture, share educational and health-related content, and broadcast critical public interest information, the Army said in a statement. 
• The Principal of Army Tripeak Public School, where the radio station has been set up, inaugurated the Voice of Kinnaur service. Senior officers of the Indian Army’s Surya Command were also present. 

15. Andhra Pradesh Cabinet approves draft Ordinance on sub-categorisation of Scheduled Castes

•   The Andhra Pradesh State Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, approved the draft Ordinance to implement the sub-categorisation of the Scheduled Castes (SCs) in the State. 
•  Aimed at integrated and equitable development of the sub-castes, the Cabinet, following a proposal from the Social Welfare Department, approved the classification of the 59 SC communities in the State into three categories based on their population, backwardness, and social cohesion. 
• 12 castes were brought under Group-I, and 1% reservation was earmarked for them. Similarly, 18 castes that form part of Group-II would get 6.5% reservation. The third group comprised of 29 castes with 7.5% reservation. 
•  The Ordinance is aimed at ensuring equitable access to education and job opportunities among the SC communities, and will be implemented across all the 26 districts. 

About Andhra Pradesh 

•  Capital – Amaravati 
•  Chief Minister – N Chandrababu Naidu 
•  Deputy CM – Pawan Kalyan 
•  Governor – S. Abdul Nazeer
•  Legislative Assembly Seat – 175

 16. Chennai launches South India’s first AC EMU train on suburban route 

•  South India’s first AC EMU (Electric Multiple Unit) train was launched on the Chennai Beach–Chengalpattu corridor, offering Metro-like comfort, and marking a major advancement in the region’s suburban rail network. 
•  The 12-car train, manufactured by Integral Coach Factory, features modern amenities such as automatic sliding doors, air conditioning, GPS-based displays, CCTV, stainless steel seating, and an energy-saving regenerative braking system.
•  The service operates six days a week (except Sundays) with six total services daily: 4 between Chennai Beach–Chengalpattu and 2 between Chennai Beach–Tambaram, with fares ranging from Rs. 35 to Rs. 105 depending on distance. 
•  This initiative by Southern Railway’s Chennai division aims to provide a comfortable, safe, and efficient travel experience, especially beneficial during summer and for daily commuters, echoing the success of Mumbai’s AC EMU model. 

17. New York City declares April 14 as Dr B.R. Ambedkar Day 

•  New York City Mayor Eric Adams declared April 14, 2025, as Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Day, honouring the 135th birth anniversary of the Indian Constitution’s architect. 
•  Born in 1891, Dr. Ambedkar, known as Babasaheb, led the drafting of India’s Constitution, served as Minister of Law and Justice, advocated for Dalit rights, and earned a PhD from Columbia University in 1927, followed by an honorary degree in 1952. 

18. Government appoints Mangi Lal Jat as Director General of the ICAR 

•  Noted agronomist Dr Mangi Lal Jat has been appointed as the Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). 
• The appointment of Dr Mangi Lal Jat was approved by the Appointment Committee of the Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a meeting in New Delhi. 
•  Dr Mangi Lal Jat will take the place of Dr Himanshu Jain, who was earlier appointed as the Director General of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT). The government has appointed Mangi Lal Jat for three years, commencing from the date he assumes office. 
•  Dr Mangi Lal Jat will also be the Secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE). 

About Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) 

•  Established- 16 July 1929 
•  Headquarters- New Delhi 
•  Director General- Dr Mangi Lal Jat 

19. IndusInd Bank names Santosh Kumar as Deputy CFO 

•  Santosh Kumar, Chief Accountant at IndusInd Bank, has been elevated as Deputy CFO, Special Officer – Finance & Accounts, and designated as a Key Managerial Personnel. 
•  Arun Khurana, who was given the additional charge of CFO in January after the resignation of former CFO Gobind Jain, will now continue solely as the Deputy CEO of the bank. 
•  Santosh Kumar will lead the finance and accounts functions of the bank in his new role until a full-time CFO is appointed, as per the exchange filing. Recent Appointment in Banking & Insurance Sector 
• Vice President of Investment Solutions at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) – Ajay Bhushan Pandey 
•  Chairperson of Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) – Sivasubramanian Ramann (replace Deepak Mohanty) effect from May 2025 
• Deputy Governor of RBI – Poonam Gupta; for 3 years (replace Michael Patra) 
•  MD & CEO of SBI Card – Salila Pande (replace Abhijeet Chakravorty) 
• Whole-time Member (Life) of IRDAI – Swaminathan S. Iyers 

20. India’s first satellite, Aryabhata, completes 50 years

•   India’s first satellite, Aryabhata, completed 50 years 19 April 2025. Launched on this day in 1975, the satellite was named after the ancient Indian mathematician and astronomer, Aryabhata.
•  The satellite, built by the Indian Space Research Organisation, was launched from Kapustin Yar with the assistance of the USSR. The purpose of the satellite was defined to explore areas including Solar Physics, Aeronomy, and X-ray Astronomy. 
• Aryabhata was designed as a 26-sided polyhedron, measuring 1.4 metres in diameter and weighing 360 kilograms. Except for the top and bottom, all the remaining 24 faces of the satellite were covered with solar panels. 
•  Aryabhata marked India’s entry into space exploration and laid the foundation for the country’s future space missions. With its successful launch, India was recognized as the 11th country in the world to send a satellite into orbit. 

21. ISRO Develops Indigenous Stellite Nozzle Divergent for PSLV 

•  ISRO has indigenously developed a Stellite-based nozzle divergent as an alternative to the imported Columbium for the fourth stage of the PSLV, promoting self-reliance in space technology.
•   Stellite, a cobalt-based alloy with elements like Chromium, Nickel, Tungsten, and Iron, can withstand high temperatures up to 1150°C, proven through a successful hot test lasting 665 seconds on April 8 at the ISRO Propulsion Complex, Mahendragiri (Tamil Nadu).
•   Using the Stellite nozzle will help reduce costs by 90% compared to importing Columbium, boosting ISRO’s efficiency in future PSLV missions. 
•  The Mahendragiri facility has also successfully tested the human-rated Vikas Engine for the Gaganyaan mission; this engine, developed in India and named after Vikram Sarabhai, will be used in clustered form in LVM3-G to carry astronauts into space. 

22. Indian Air Force Joins Multinational ‘Desert Flag-10’ Exercise in UAE 

• A contingent of the Indian Air Force reached Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates to participate in Exercise Desert Flag-10. 
•  The exercise is being hosted by the UAE Air Force, with participating contingents from the air forces of Australia, Bahrain, France, Germany, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the Republic of Korea, Turkey, the UAE, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America in addition to the Indian Air Force. 
•  The primary aim of the exercise is to undertake complex and diverse fighter engagements, with the exchange of operational knowledge and best practices with some of the most capable air forces in the world. 

23. Rajnath Singh inaugurates 4-day Sansad Khel Mahakumbh in Lucknow 

•  The union Defence minister, Rajnath Singh, has inaugurated the 4-day Sansad Khel Mahakumbh at the K.D. Singh Babu Stadium in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
•   A demonstration of indigenous sports, Kalaripayattu, Yoga, and Mallakhamba, were also performed during the inaugural ceremony. 
•  During the inaugural ceremony, Rajnath Singh honoured 10 senior athletes and five coaches from the city who had represented the country in the Olympics and other international events. The minister also honoured five sports management professionals of the city.
•  Approximately 2,500 sportspeople are participating in the four-day sporting event. They will compete in eight events- Athletics, Kabaddi, Basketball, Volleyball, Football, Hockey, Boxing and Taekwondo. 
•  The events will be held in the junior and senior categories. Students of classes 9-12 are participating in the junior category, while the senior category is for students of degree colleges and universities. 
•  The winners will be honoured with a cash prize of Rs eight lakhs. 

24. 21 April – Civil Services Day 

• Civil Services Day in India is observed annually on 21st April to recognise and appreciate the contributions of civil servants in nation-building. 
• The day holds great significance as it honors the role of Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers and other civil services officers who play a crucial part in public administration and governance. 
•  21st April is celebrated as Civil Services Day because it marks the day in 1947 when Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel addressed the first batch of IAS officers at Metcalfe House, Delhi. 
•  On this day, the government honors civil servants through the Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration, which is given to officials and departments for exceptional work and innovative efforts in governance.