Published on August 20, 2025 · 4 minutes read
Stay updated with the latest current affairs crucial for UPSC CSE preparation. This post presents a concise news summary of 19 August 2025, covering key national and international developments.
📝 INDIA bloc considers moving a motion to remove Chief Election Commissioner (CEC)
✅ The CEC and Other ECs (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, states that the CEC can only be removed in the same manner and on the same grounds (proven misbehaviour or incapacity) as a Supreme Court judge.
✅ A motion for removal, signed by at least 50 MPs, must be passed by a two-thirds majority in both houses of Parliament, with a majority of members present and voting.
✅ The 2023 Act also grants immunity to CEC from civil and criminal proceedings for any act done in the past or present in an official capacity.
📝 POCSO Act is gender-neutral, clarifies Karnataka HC
✅ Sections 4 and 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 make it clear that anyone who compels a minor child to do penetrative or other sexual acts is an offender ⇒ Women can also be charged with sexual assault and punished upon conviction under the POCSO Act, 2012.
📝 Alert issued against primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) in Kozhikode
✅ PAM is caused by Naegleria fowleri, a free-living amoeba ⇒ People get infected when they swim or take a bath in stagnant waters.
✅ The amoeba enters the body through the nose and eardrum and reaches the brain ⇒ Children could be more vulnerable as their cribriform plate, which separates the nasal cavity and the skull, has more porous openings compared with adults.
💡 Amoeba: A single-celled organism that belongs to the group of protozoans ⇒ Characterized by its ability to change shape through extensions of its cytoplasm called pseudopodia (“false feet”), which it uses for movement and to capture food.
💡 Meningoencephalitis: Simultaneous inflammation of both the meninges (protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord) and the brain tissue, caused by various infectious agents, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and parasites ⇒ Meningitis refers to inflammation of the meninges, while Encephalitis refers to inflammation of the brain tissue.
📝 Rajya Sabha passes Indian Ports Bill, 2025
✅ Replaces the Indian Ports Act of 1908.
✅ Provides for the establishment of the Maritime State Development Council by the Union government ⇒ Will be responsible for making recommendations to the govt for the growth of the port sector and to promote competition and efficiency in the operation of ports.
✅ Empowers the govt to notify a new port or to alter the limits of any port and to formulate a national perspective plan for maritime trade.
📝 PM Viksit Bharat Rojgar Yojana portal launched
✅ Union Cabinet approved the Employment Linked Incentive Scheme, named as Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana in July 2025 with an outlay of ₹99,446 Crore.
✅ Aims to generate 3.5 Crore plus jobs over a period of two years (1st August 2025 to 31st July, 2027), enhance employability and social security, across all sectors, with special focus on the manufacturing sector.
✅ All employers and first-time employees are covered under the scheme ⇒ Provides an incentive of up to ₹15,000 in two instalments to new employees and up to 3000 per month per new employee to employers for the creation of new job opportunities.
✅ To be implemented by the Ministry of Labour & Employment through EPFO (statutory body).
📝 Upcoming space missions of India
✅ 2026: An uncrewed space mission involving a robot, Vyommitra.
✅ 2027: Maiden human spaceflight, Gaganyaan.
✅ 2035: Bharat Antariksh Station
✅ 2040: An Indian astronaut is expected to land on the moon
💡 The space sector of India was opened for private players in 2020.
💡 India’s space economy is valued at more than $8 billion (2022) and expected to touch $44 billion by 2033.
📝 Miscellaneous
✅ 23% of the total 56.04 crore Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) accounts are inoperative (as of July 2025) ⇒ Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of inoperative accounts, followed by Bihar and Madhya Pradesh.
💡 PMJDY was launched in 2014.
✅ Ulchi Freedom Shield: Joint military exercise of the US and South Korea.
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