Current Affairs | National | International | SSC | UPSC 26th April 2025

 

1. IISc leads India in the Asia Rankings 2025, with 7 Indian universities featured in the list. 

•  The Times Higher Education (THE) released its Asia University Rankings 2025, recognizing top academic institutions across the continent. 
•  The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) is the highest-ranked Indian university, securing 38th position with a score of 65.2. 
•  A total of 7 Indian universities have been featured in the rankings this year. 
•  Anna University ranked second among Indian entries, securing the 111th position with a score of 52.3. 
•  IIT Indore is placed at 131st, followed by Mahatma Gandhi University at 140th. 
•  Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences and Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences were ranked 146 and 149 respectively. 
•  Jamia Millia Islamia is the seventh Indian university on the list, ranked at 161. 
•  China continues to dominate the rankings, with Tsinghua and Peking Universities holding the top two spots. 
•  The National University of Singapore secured 3rd place, while institutions from Japan and Hong Kong also featured in the top 

10. 2. On April 17, 2024, UNESCO added 16 new sites to its Global Geoparks Network.

•   These new sites are located in 11 countries: China, North Korea, Ecuador, Indonesia, Italy, Norway, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain, the UK, and Vietnam. 
•  North Korea was included in the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network for the first time. 
•  Saudi Arabia also made its debut, with two newly designated geoparks. 
• The Global Geoparks Network now has 229 sites in 50 countries. 
•  These sites span nearly 855,000 square kilometers, an area similar in size to Namibia.
•   As of July 26, 2024, India does not have any sites on the UNESCO Global Geoparks list. 
• The Global Geoparks Network celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2024. 
•  The Global Geopark designation was introduced in 2015 by UNESCO to recognize areas with internationally significant geological heritage. 3. DRDO achieved major success in scramjet engine development. 
•  A significant milestone in scramjet engine development has been achieved by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) through ground testing of the Actively Cooled Scramjet Subscale Combustor for over 1,000 seconds. 
•  The test marks a major milestone in the development of hypersonic technology. 
•  On 25 April, testing was carried out at the newly built state-of-the-art Scramjet Connect Test Facility by the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad. 
•  This test follows an earlier ground test conducted for 120 seconds in January 2025.
• With this success, the system is now ready for full-scale, flight-worthy combustor testing. 
•  Hypersonic cruise missiles travel at speeds over five times the speed of sound and are powered by air-breathing engines. 
•  Supersonic combustion plays a crucial role in enabling long-duration hypersonic cruise conditions. 
•  The successful 1,000-second test validates both the scramjet combustor design and the new test facility. 

4. India sent $2 million in medical aid to Nepal under its Neighborhood First policy. 

•  On 25 April, India reaffirmed its Neighborhood First Policy by sending USD 2 million worth of medical aid to Nepal. 
•  The aid includes medicines and vaccines for patients suffering from thalassemia and sickle cell disease. 
•  The first tranche consists of 17,030 vials of vaccines for the immunization of thalassemia patients. 
•  The medical assistance has been provided in response to a specific request from Nepal. 
•  India's Neighborhood First policy shapes the way it manages relations with its immediate neighbors, aiming to foster mutual benefits and people-centric cooperation. 
•  It emphasizes building regional frameworks for stability and prosperity through physical, digital, and people-to-people connectivity.
•  India works with these countries on a consultative, non-reciprocal, and result-oriented basis, guided by the principles of respect (Samman), dialogue (Samvad), peace (Shanti), and prosperity (Samriddhi). 
•  India has also been providing developmental assistance, infrastructure support, and capacity-building initiatives to neighboring countries. 

5. 16 out of 27 districts of Arunachal Pradesh have been officially declared malaria-free. 

•  The announcement was made during a function organized to mark World Malaria Day 2025 at Naharlagun on April 25. 
•  Dr. KT Mulung, Health Services Deputy Director and NCVBDC state program officer, praised health workers and volunteers. 
•  He reaffirmed the department’s goal of making Arunachal completely malaria-free by 2027. 
• The malaria-free districts are Tawang, West Kameng, East Kameng, Pakke-Kessang, Lower Subansiri, Kra Daadi, Kurung Kumey, Kamle, Upper Subansiri, Dibang Valley, Anjaw, East Siang, Siang, Namsai, Longding, and Lower Dibang Valley. 
•  A short film highlighting success stories in malaria control was screened during the event. 
•  Besides, the East Kameng district administration also organized a bike rally to create awareness about malaria at its district headquarters, Seppa. 
•  However, there has been no case of malaria in East Kameng district in the last three years. 

6. The tenth Memorial Day of the Gorkha earthquake observed in Nepal. 

•  On 25 April, Nepal observed the tenth Memorial Day of the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake with various programs. 
• Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli inaugurated a memorial program at Dharahara in Kathmandu. 
• The Memorial Day aims to raise awareness about earthquake safety and promote the development of earthquake-resistant infrastructure. 
•  A 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal on April 25, 2015, causing massive destruction and loss of life. 
•  At the time, the quake killed 9,079 people and injured more than 22,000, with more than 800,000 homes and 1,500 cultural sites damaged. 
•  Districts like Gorkha, Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Kavrepalanchok, Sindhupalchok, Dolakha, Ramechhap, Nuwakot, Dhading, Rasuwa, Makawanpur, Sindhuli and Okhaldhunga were most affected by the disaster. 
•  In Gorkha district, which was the epicentre of the 2015 earthquake, CPN (Maoist Centre) chairman and former prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal inaugurated a photo exhibition on the earthquake by photojournalist Prakash Timilsina. 
•  Meanwhile, different parts of Nepal were jolted by earthquakes over two days, including a 4.1 magnitude tremor recorded on 25 April, 2025, with its epicenter at Phulpingkot in Sindhupalchowk district. 

7. Dr. Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan, former chairman of ISRO, passed away in Bengaluru. 

• His mortal remains will be kept at the Raman Research Institute. 
•  He was a key figure behind India’s National Education Policy (NEP). 
•  He also served as the Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University. 
•  He was the Chairman of the Karnataka Knowledge Commission. 
•  Kasturirangan took over as ISRO chairman in 1992, after Dr. UR Rao. 
•  He led the space agency until August 27, 2003. 
•  He played a vital role in developing the ASLV and PSLV launch vehicles. 
•  He mentored many scientists, including current ISRO chief S Somanath. 
•  The Chandrayaan 1 project report was created during his tenure in 2003. 
•  It received government approval in 2004. 
•  He also held the roles of Space Commission Chairman and Secretary of the Department of Space. 
•  He shaped India's space program over nearly a decade. 

8. The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has approved its annual master plan under the River Cities Alliance (RCA). 

• This plan outlines key initiatives for the year. 
•  It focuses on integrating river-sensitive urban planning into India's growing cities. 
•  The plan includes capacity-building programs and knowledge-sharing platforms. 
•  It also aims to develop technical tools for better river management. 
•  Expert guidance will be provided to cities on river-sensitive planning. 
•  The plan will feature case studies on successful river-focused urban strategies. 
•  A major goal is to encourage cities to consider rivers in their master plans. 
•  Training programs for River-Sensitive Master Planning will be conducted across states. 
•  These sessions will help cities develop Urban River Management Plans. 
•  Onboarding programs will be held for RCA cities in Tamil Nadu. 
•  Additional training sessions are planned for other states as well. 

 River Cities Alliance: 

•  It is a collaborative initiative launched in 2021. 
•  It is aimed at fostering sustainable urban river management by connecting river cities. 
•  It's a joint effort of the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. 

9. Raja Iqbal Singh from the Bharatiya Janata Party has been elected as the new mayor of Delhi. 

•  He won the election by securing 133 out of 142 votes. 
•  The Congress candidate received only eight votes. 
• The Aam Aadmi Party chose to abstain from the mayoral election. 
•  Jai Bhagwan Yadav from the BJP was elected Deputy Mayor. 
•  He was elected unopposed after the Congress candidate withdrew. 
•  After his win, Raja Iqbal Singh said the Municipal Corporation of Delhi will focus on addressing waterlogging. 
•  Cleaning streets and clearing drains will be a major priority. 

 Mayor of Delhi: 

•  Mayor of Delhi heads Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). 
•  Mayor of Delhi presides over elected councillors from 250 wards. 
•  Mayor of Delhi is only municipality of Delhi which is directly elected by the people. 

10. World Intellectual Property Day: 26 April 

•  World Intellectual Property Day is celebrated annually on April 26. 
•  This day is celebrated to raise awareness about the value of intellectual property and its role in fostering innovation and creativity. 
•  The World Intellectual Property Day 2025 theme is “IP and Music: Feel the Beat of IP”. 
•  The theme emphasizes the connection between intellectual property and the music industry. 
•  The decision to mark this occasion on April 26 was made by WIPO member states in 2000. 
•  This date was chosen to commemorate the establishment of the WIPO Convention, which officially came into force in 1970. 

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO): 

•  It was established in 1967. 
•  It is one of the specialized agencies of the United Nations. 
•  It is responsible for promoting intellectual property across the globe. 
•  The headquarters is located in Geneva, Switzerland. 
•  Its Director General is Daren Tang. 

11. India, France to finalise ₹63,000-cr. deal for 26 Rafale-M jets on April 28 

•  India and France are set to formally announce the conclusion of the ₹63,000- crore deal for 26 Rafale-M fighter jets on Monday, official sources confirmed. With the French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu deferring his visit to India due to personal reasons, the government-to-government (G-to-G) deal is now being linked by the two Ministers remotely, sources in the know said. “The G-to-G agreement has been signed by the French Minister, and will be signed separately by the Indian Minister [Rajnath Singh]. 
•  A ceremony on Monday to announce this will be presided by the French Ambassador in India, Thierry Mathou, and Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh,” sources said. Some government-to business agreements will be signed at the ceremony, sources added. 
• The visit of the French Defence Minister was deferred a day before the Pahalgam terror attack and had nothing to do with the current situation, sources said. As reported by The Hindu earlier, delivery of the jets will start in three-and a-half years once the contract is signed, and will be completed in about six and-a-half years. 
•  The deal is for 22 single-seat jets that can operate on aircraft carriers and four twin-seat trainer jets that aren’t carrier compatible. The Indian Air Force already operates 36 Rafale jets acquired under a ₹60,000- crore deal signed in September 2016. 
• The Navy operates two aircraft carriers – INS Vikramaditya procured from Russia, and the indigenously built INS Vikrant, commissioned in September 2022. Indian aircraft carriers use a ski-jump to launch aircraft, and arrestor cables to recover aircraft that use a tail hook. 
•  The lifts (used to move aircraft) onboard Indian carriers were built to accommodate the in-service Russian MiG-29K jets. This would necessitate minor modifications to Rafales so that they can be accommodated on the lifts. 

12. DRDO makes headway in hypersonic technology 

•  The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Friday announced a significant milestone in the field of hypersonic weapon technology with the demonstration of long-duration Active Cooled Scramjet Subscale Combustor ground testing for more than 1,000 seconds. 
•  “The ground-test is in continuation of the earlier test reported for 120 seconds in January 2025.
• With the successful test, the system will be soon ready for full-scale fightworthy combustor testing,” the DRDO said in a statement. 
•  “This test validates the design of long duration scramjet combustor as well as test facility.” 

13. First HPV test kits for cervical cancer screening validated 

•  The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), through its Grand Challenges India (GCI) initiative at Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), has announced the successful scientific review and validation of India’s first indigenously developed Human Papillomavirus (HPV) test kits for cervical cancer screening. 
• These test kits developed by Molbio Diagnostics Limited, Bangalore, and Mylab Discovery Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Pune, are a significant leap forward in improving cancer diagnostics in the country. 
•  The validation process also included a partnership with the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).