News Summary · 4 minutes read
Stay ahead in your UPSC CSE preparation with our daily News Summary. Designed to save time, it highlights key national and international events from leading newspapers and government websites.
No plans to classify denotified tribes, says Govt
- Recently, the Union Govt clarified that it is not considering any proposal to classify 268 Denotified, Nomadic, and Semi-nomadic tribes (DNT/NT/SNT) into SC, ST, and OBC categories.
- DNT/NT/SNT representatives demand recognition as a separate scheduled category akin to SCs, STs, and OBCs → can increase their access to the Govt welfare schemes.
Background
- 1st commission for DNT/NT/SNT was set up in 2003 → couldn’t function.
- Renke Commission for DNT/NT/SNT was constituted in 2005 → submitted report in 2008.
- Idate Commission: appointed in 2015 as a National Commission for DNT/NT/SNT → submitted the final report in 2018.
- Development Welfare Board for Denotified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Communities (DWBDNC) was constituted in 2019, following Idate Commission’s report.
- A NITI Aayog panel was tasked with classifying DNT. It commissioned the Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI) in 2019 to conduct an ethnographic study of these communities.
- AnSI submitted DNT’s ethnographic report in 2023 and recommended their reclassification.
Denotified Tribes (DNTs)
- The communities that were notified as “criminal tribes” under the Criminal Tribes Act of 1871.
- The Criminal Tribes Act of 1871 was finally repealed in 1952, leading to the denotification of these tribes.
Scheme for Economic Empowerment of Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (SEED)
- Launched by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment in 2022 for five years (2021-22 to 2025-26).
- Aims to reduce poverty and social exclusion among DNT. 4 Major components of SEED are:
- Free coaching for exams
- Health insurance
- Livelihood support
- Housing support
- Implemented through the DWBDNC.
Indian Statistical Institute (ISI)
- Founded by P. C. Mahalanobis in 1931.
- HQ: Kolkata
- The Indian Statistical Institute Act (1959) accorded it the status of Institution of National Importance.
- Notably, it is NOT a statutory body → operates as a society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
- A draft Indian Statistical Institute Bill, 2025, proposes to grant it a statutory body corporate status.
Supreme Court (SC) looks into plight of acid attack victims
- Recently, Acid Survivors Saahas Foundation filed a petition in the SC regarding issues with compensation and free medical care for acid attack victims → SC has issued notices to States and NALSA in this regard.
Supreme Court guidelines
- In Laxmi v. Union of India (2013), the Supreme Court:
- Mandated a minimum ₹3 lakh compensation for acid attack survivors, with ₹1 lakh payable within 15 days and the balance within 2 months.
- Banned the over-the-counter sale of acid.
- Declared that private hospitals would be criminally liable for refusing free medical treatment to victims before referring them to a specialised facility → free treatment includes medicines, bed and food besides physical treatment.
- In 2015, SC directed that district legal services authorities would function as criminal injuries compensation boards.
- In March 2025, SC gave acid attack victims the liberty to approach the State or district legal services authorities or the legal services committee in case there was a delay in payment of compensation.
Implementation Challenges
- Incomplete Payments: Survivors receive initial ₹1 lakh but not the full ₹3 lakh.
- Hospital Non-Compliance: Private facilities refuse free treatment until full payment, defeating immediate care mandates.
- Systemic Delays: Despite repeated orders, States fail to make timely disbursement.
Gyanesh Kumar becomes International IDEA head
- Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar has assumed charge as Chairman of the Council of Member States of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) for 2026.
- International IDEA
- Established in 1995.
- HQ: Stockholm (Sweden).
- Members: 37 countries → India is a founding member.
- Holds an observer status in the UNGA.
Quick Picks for Prelims and Mains (QPPM)
- Govt has withdrawn its order requiring mobile manufacturers to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi App. Related: Sanchar Saathi Initiative.
- Three education sector initiatives:
- Samagra Shiksha Scheme – launched in 2018
- Latest education policy – National Education Policy 2020
- PM-SHRI Scheme – 2022. Related: PM SHRI scheme and disputes around it
- Govt has informed the Parliament that 15 individuals have been declared fugitive economic offenders (FEOs) so far under the FEO Act, 2018 → they owe nearly ₹39,000 crore to India’s public sector banks.
- Nearly 64% of Indian citizens receive at least one form of social security, making India the world’s 2nd-largest provider of social security benefits.
- Lok Sabha has passed the Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025 → aims to amend the Central Excise Act, 1944, specifically to raise excise duties and cess on tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars, hookah tobacco, chewing tobacco, zarda and scented tobacco.
- Hayli Gubbi volcano: Ethiopia
- MH370: a Boeing 777 aircraft that was lost in 2014 while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing → Malaysia has decided to resume the search for this aircraft.