YUVA AI For ALL

Context: The Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY), under the IndiaAI Mission, has launched ‘YUVA AI for ALL’, a free national-level course aimed at building foundational Artificial Intelligence (AI) literacy among all citizens, especially youth.

About the ‘YUVA AI for ALL’ Initiative

• First-of-its-Kind: A 4.5-hour, self-paced online course designed to introduce basic AI concepts to students, professionals, and general learners.
• Accessible Learning: Available at free of cost on platforms like FutureSkills Prime, iGOT Karmayogi, and multiple ed-tech portals.
• Certification: Learners receive a Government of India certificate on course completion.
• Key Learning Modules:
• • Understanding AI: Introduces what AI is, how it works, and the concepts behind modern AI systems.
  • AI in Daily Life: Explains how AI is transforming education, creativity, workplaces, and public services.
  • Safe and Responsible Use: Covers ethical principles, safe use of AI tools, and responsible AI behaviour.
• Target: MeitY aims to train 10 million Indians in basic AI skills to bridge the digital divide and encourage ethical AI adoption.
• Institutional Partnerships: Organisations, schools, and universities can partner with IndiaAI to promote, integrate, and co-brand the course for widespread outreach.

Significance

• Free and Inclusive Access: Open to all Indian citizens with no cost or prerequisites, supporting broad digital inclusion.
• Flexible Learning: Self-paced format enables learning anytime, anywhere, suitable for students and working professionals.
• Future-Readiness: Helps learners acquire foundational skills required for participation in an AI-driven economy.

Codex Executive Committee

Context: India was unanimously re-elected to the Codex Executive Committee at its 48th session CAC48 reaffirming its leadership in shaping global food safety and trade standards.

About the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC)

• Introduction: The Codex Alimentarius Commission is an international food standards-setting body jointly established by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization(WHO) in 1963 to develop globally harmonized food safety and quality norms.
• Members: The Commission consists of 189 members, comprising 188 countries including India and European Union.
• Headquarters: The Secretariat of the Codex Alimentarius Commission is located in Rome, Italy, with annual sessions alternating between Rome and Geneva.
  • CAC48 was held in Rome at FAO Headquarters.

Codex Executive Committee (Role and Composition)

• Composition: The Committee comprises the Chairperson, Vice-Chairpersons, regional representatives from Codex regions including Asia and representatives of the FAO and the WHO.
• Role: The Committee functions as the executive arm of the Commission, reviewing standards before adoption, guiding inter-committee coordination, and ensuring strategic and scientific coherence across Codex work.

Sixteenth Finance Commission

Context: The Sixteenth Finance Commission recently submitted its report to President Droupadi Murmu, outlining fiscal recommendations for Union–State resource sharing  for 2026–31.

About Finance Commission

• A constitutional body constituted every five years to recommend financial resource distribution between the Union and States.
  • It ensures fiscal balance, stability, and equitable growth.
• Constitutional Provisions
  • Article 280(1): Mandates the President to establish a Finance Commission.
  • Article 280(3): Defines its duties regarding tax devolution and grants-in-aid.
  • Article 281: Requires the report to be laid before Parliament with an explanatory memorandum.
• Role and Functions
  • Recommends vertical (Union–States) and horizontal (among States) tax devolution.
  • Reviews fiscal situations of Centre and States.
  • Suggests grants-in-aid, fiscal consolidation paths, and measures to enhance financial stability.

Composition of the 16th Finance Commission

• Chairman: Dr Arvind Panagariya – Economist and former Vice-Chairman, NITI Aayog.
• Full-Time Members:
• • A.N. Jha – Former Expenditure Secretary and member of 15th FC.
  • Annie George Mathew – Former Special Secretary, Department of Expenditure.
  • Niranjan Rajadhyaksha – Executive Director, Artha Global.
• Part-Time Member: Soumya Kanti Ghosh – Group Chief Economic Adviser, SBI.

Earth System Sciences Council (ESSC)

Context: Recently, the first General Body meeting of the Earth System Sciences Council reviewed governance integration across five merged Earth Sciences institutes.

About Earth System Sciences Council (ESSC)

• ESSC is a unified governance body formed by merging five autonomous institutes under the Ministry of Earth Sciences into a single institutional framework.
• Institutes under ESSC:
  • Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune
  • National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) in Goa
  • National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) in Chennai,
  • National Centre for Earth Science Studies (NCESS) in Thiruvananthapuram
  • Indian National Centre for Ocean Information and Services (INCOIS), Hyderabad.
• Objective: To integrate governance, improve coordination, reduce administrative duplication and strengthen India’s earth system science capabilities under a consolidated institutional mechanism.
• President: The Union Minister of Earth Sciences, Dr. Jitendra Singh, serves as President of the ESSC and chairs its General Body.

Significance of ESSC

• Unified Governance: Replaces siloed functioning with coordinated oversight, improving efficiency and aligning with “minimum government, maximum governance.”
• Institutional Identity: Ensures uniform structures, common committees and standardised documentation, strengthening visibility and coherence across Earth Sciences institutions.
• Outreach & Communication: Promotes theme-based public outreach to showcase achievements in ocean, cryosphere, atmospheric and climate research.
• Strategic Integration: Enables consolidated reporting and supports major missions like Deep Ocean Mission, Blue Economy and climate-resilience initiatives.

Rani Lakshmibai

Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several leaders paid tributes to Rani Lakshmibai on her birth anniversary.

About Rani Lakshmibai

• Early Life: Rani Lakshmibai, born Manikarnika Tambe in 1828 in Varanasi, became the queen of Jhansi after her marriage to Maharaja Gangadhar Rao.
• Adoption and Doctrine of Lapse:
  • After the death of her infant son and husband, she adopted Anand Rao, later renamed Damodar Rao, as the heir to Jhansi.
  • The Doctrine of Lapse, introduced by Lord Dalhousie, mandated annexation of states without a natural male heir.
  • “The British refused to recognize Damodar Rao as the legal successor, applied the Doctrine of Lapse to annex Jhansi, and this act was strongly opposed by Rani Lakshmibai.
• Role in the Revolt of 1857:
  • During the 1857 Revolt, when Sir Hugh Rose demanded the surrender of Jhansi, Rani Lakshmibai refused and mobilized an army, including women, to defend the fort.
  • She received support from Nana Sahib, fought fiercely, and after Jhansi’s fall in April 1858, she joined Tantia Tope in Kalpi and later to Gwalior to continue resistance.
  • A major battle took place in Gwalior, where she led her forces with exceptional bravery against the British.
• Martyrdom and Legacy:
  • Rani Lakshmibai attained martyrdom on June 17, 1858, while fighting British troops.
  • General Hugh Rose remarked that “here lay the woman who was the only man among the rebels,” highlighting her unmatched courage and leadership.

6th National Water Awards

Context: The President of India conferred the 6th National Water Awards and Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari Awards, celebrating nationwide achievements in water conservation and large-scale groundwater recharge efforts.

About the National Water Awards

• The National Water Awards, instituted by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, honour exemplary contributions in water conservation, sustainable management, and community-driven initiatives.
• Aim: To create awareness among the people about the importance of water and motivate them to adopt the best water usage practices.
• Top Performers State: Maharashtra ranked first, Gujarat second, and Haryana third.
• Best Individual: 
• • Shri Kishore Jaiswal; Bihar(East Zone)
  • Shri Bajrang Lal Jaithu; Rajasthan (West Zone) 
  • Shri Mohan Chandra Kandpal;Uttarakhand(North Zone)
  • Shri Podili Rajasekhara Raju; Andhra Pradesh (South Zone)
• Other Categories include: Best District, Best Village Panchayat, Best Urban Local Body, Best School or College, Best Industry, Best Water User Association, Best Institution (other than school or college) and Best Civil Society.

About Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari

• The Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari initiative fosters participatory water stewardship through community action, CSR partnerships and cost-effective groundwater recharge efforts.
  • Under the Jal Sanchay-Jan Bhagidari initiative launched in 2024 , more than 35 lakh groundwater recharge structures have been constructed.

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