Current Affairs 24 December 2025
Table of Contents
National Current Affairs
NITI Aayog Roadmap to “Globalise” Higher Education
- Report released: NITI Aayog published “Internationalisation of Higher Education in India: prospects, potential, and policy recommendations” with 22 interventions to strengthen India’s global education footprint.
- Key concern: A major inbound–outbound imbalance — in 2024, for every 1 international student coming to India, about 28 Indian students went abroad for higher education.
- Big funding proposal: Creation of “Bharat Vidya Kosh” — a $10 billion national research sovereign wealth fund; suggested model: 50% from diaspora/philanthropy + 50% matching support by the Centre.
- Scholarships & fellowships: Proposal for Vishwa Bandhu Scholarships (to attract foreign students) and Vishwa Bandhu Fellowships (to attract foreign research talent/faculty).
- Ecosystem reforms suggested: An Erasmus+ like exchange programme, updated curricula, expanded NIRF criteria, stronger branding/outreach, and easier regulatory frameworks for more international campuses in India.
- Long-term projection: India could host ~7.89 lakh to 11 lakh international students by 2047 (versus about 47,000 international students hosted in 2022).
- Policy context: The recommendations come alongside the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025, where the proposed Standards Council (Manak Parishad) is tasked to design non-binding frameworks for higher-education internationalisation.
Sanatan Sanskriti Ki Atal Drishti Book Authored by Vasudev Devnani
‘Sanatan Sansriti Ki Atal Drishti Book’ authored by Vasudev Devnani, Speaker of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly was released by the Vice President of India.
Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar Winners List 2025
- The second Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar ceremony was held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
- The Rashtriya Vigyan Ratna Puraskar 2025 (Lifetime Achievement) was awarded posthumously to Late Prof. Jayant Vishnu Narlikar (IUCAA, Pune).
- The awards included Vigyan Shri, Vigyan Yuva, and Vigyan Team categories across multiple disciplines.
Rashtriya Vigyan Praskar Winners List 2025
Vigyan Ratna Award (Lifetime Achievement)
| Award | Awardee | Institute |
|---|---|---|
| Vigyan Ratna | Late Prof. Jayant Vishnu Narlikar (Posthumous) | IUCAA, Pune |
Vigyan Shri Awards Winners List
| Field | Awardee | Institute |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Science | Dr Gyanendra Pratap Singh | ICAR–NBPGR, New Delhi |
| Atomic Energy | Dr Yusuf Mohammad Seikh | BARC, Mumbai |
| Biological Sciences | Dr Kumarasamy Thangaraj | CSIR–CCMB, Hyderabad |
| Chemistry | Prof Thalappil Pradeep | IIT Madras, Chennai |
| Engineering Sciences | Prof Aniruddha Bhalchandra Pandit | (Affiliation as per official list) |
| Environmental Science | Dr S. Venkata Mohan | CSIR–NEERI, Nagpur |
| Earth & Atmospheric Science | Dr Varun M. Dutt | IIT Mandi, Himachal Pradesh |
| Medical Science | Dr Gagandeep Kang | CMC, Vellore |
| Social Science | Prof S. VijayRaghavan | NCBS, Bengaluru |
Vigyan Yuva Winners List
| Discipline | Awardee | Institute |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Science | Dr Prashant | ICAR–IIWBR, Karnal |
| Atomic Energy | Dr Prabhjot Kaur | BARC, Mumbai |
| Biological Science | Dr Ankur Gupta | IIT Bombay, Mumbai |
| Chemistry | Dr Arnab Mukherjee | IIT Kanpur |
| Earth & Atmospheric Science | Dr Nitin Madhusudanan | IISER Pune |
| Engineering Sciences | Dr Sumit Chattopadhyay | DRDO, Hyderabad |
| Environmental Science | Dr Vimal Mishra | IIT Gandhinagar |
| Mathematical Sciences | Dr Ritabrata Dutta | IIT Kanpur |
| Medical Sciences | Dr Pratip Bhattacharya | RG Kar Medical College & Hospital, Kolkata |
| Physical Sciences | Dr Sandeep Kumar | BARC, Mumbai |
| Social Sciences | Dr Bala Govindasamy | ISRO, Bengaluru |
| Technology & Innovation | Dr Rajiv Mani | Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru |
Vigyan Team
| Award | Team | Theme/Area |
|---|---|---|
| Vigyan Team | Team – Aroma Mission (CSIR-led) | Agricultural Science |
Chhattisgarh Writer Vinod Kumar Shukla passed away
Renowned Hindi writer Vinod Kumar Shukla passed away at the age of 89 due to age-related ailments. Shukla was the 59th Jnanpith Award (2024) recipient and the first writer from Chhattisgarh to receive this honour. He was widely known for his simple, deeply humane writing style, and for landmark works such as “Naukar Ki Kameez” and “Deewar Mein Ek Khidki Rehti Thi.”
Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project — Unit Commissioned
- Union Minister Shri Manohar Lal inaugurated the commercial operation of Unit–2 (250 MW) of the 2000 MW (8×250 MW) Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project through virtual mode.
- Subansiri Lower hydroelectric Project was constructed on Subansiri river, a tributary of Brahmaputra river located on the Arunachal Pradesh-Assam border.
- The project is a Run-of-the-River hydropower scheme with small pondage and is designed to generate 7,422 million units (MU) of renewable electricity annually.
- It features a 116-metre-high concrete gravity dam (largest dam in North-East India) and provides flood moderation with a 442 million cubic metre flood cushion; gross reservoir storage is 1,365 million cubic metres at FRL.
- Power benefits include supply to 16 beneficiary States, free power allocations to Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, and 1,000 MW earmarked for the North-East region.
National Consumer Day 2025
- National Consumer Day is observed in India on 24 December every year to promote awareness of consumer rights and consumer protection.
- The day marks 24 December 1986, when the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 received the President’s assent, strengthening the legal framework for consumer welfare.
- Key consumer rights highlighted include: Right to Safety (protection), Right to be Informed, Right to Choose (assured), Right to be Heard, Right to Seek Redressal, and Right to Consumer Education/Awareness.
- Theme for 2025: “Efficient and Speedy Disposal through Digital Justice” — focusing on technology-enabled, accessible and faster grievance redressal.
Consumer Redressal Framework
- e-Jagriti
- National Consumer Helpline 2.0
- Jago Grahak Jago Portal and Mobile App
- Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)
- National Test House
- The Legal Metrology Rules
🚨 Previously Asked Question (Rajasthan PSC)
Which of the following is NOT included in consumer rights?
A) Right to safety
B) Right to choose
C) Right to be informed
D) Right to speak
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Answer: D) Right to speak
Explanation: Standard consumer rights include the right to safety, the right to be informed, the right to choose, the right to be heard, the right to seek redressal, and the right to consumer awareness. “Right to speak” is not listed as a formal consumer right. The correct concept is “Right to be heard”, which ensures consumers can raise grievances and be considered by authorities. Hence, option D is the correct answer.
A) Right to safety
B) Right to choose
C) Right to be informed
D) Right to speak
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Answer: D) Right to speak
Explanation: Standard consumer rights include the right to safety, the right to be informed, the right to choose, the right to be heard, the right to seek redressal, and the right to consumer awareness. “Right to speak” is not listed as a formal consumer right. The correct concept is “Right to be heard”, which ensures consumers can raise grievances and be considered by authorities. Hence, option D is the correct answer.
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