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India enters Top 100 in Global SDG Rankings 2025

Context: India improves its position in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals Index ranking 99th in the 2025 edition of the Sustainable Development Report. 

India has been ranked among the top 100 countries in the Index for the first time since this data began to be published from 2016.

Relevance of the Topic : Prelims: Key Highlights of Sustainable Development Report (SDR).

About Sustainable Development Report (SDR)

  • Released by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN). SDSN is an independent body under the aegis of the UN, whose publications are tracked by policymakers and governments. 
  • The index measures overall progress toward achieving the 17 SDGs adopted by United Nations member states in 2015.
  • Countries are ranked by their overall score. A score of 100 indicates that all SDGs have been achieved.

17 Sustainable Development Goals are: 

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Key Highlights of the Report:  

India's Performance:  

  • India is ranked 99th with a score of 67 on the SDG Index, a significant improvement from its 109th rank in 2024.
  • The report noted that since the adoption of the SDGs, India has steadily improved its standing: it ranked 112th in 2023, 121st in 2022, and 120th in 2021.
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Global Performance: 

  • European countries continue to lead the SDG Index- 19 of the top 20 countries are from Europe. 
  • Finland, Sweden, and Denmark are the top three countries on the SDG Index.
  • East and South Asia have outperformed all other global regions in terms of SDG progress - demonstrating the fastest progress since 2015 largely due to socio-economic development. 
  • Among India’s neighbours, Bhutan ranks 74th (70.5), Nepal 85th (68.6), Bangladesh 114th (63.9), and Pakistan 140th (57). Maritime neighbours Maldives and Sri Lanka stand at 53rd and 93rd places respectively.
  • China is ranked 49th with a score of 74.4.
  • The United States stands at 44th with 75.2 points.

The report flagged that global progress on the SDGs has largely stalled.

  • Only 17% of the SDG targets are on track to be achieved by 2030. Main reasons for slow progress are conflicts, structural weaknesses, and limited government finances.
  • Even the top performing European countries are facing challenges like climate change and biodiversity loss, mostly due to unsustainable consumption patterns.

India state of Sustainable Development: Hits & Misses: 

  • SDSN ranks India as having fared better in poverty reduction (SDG 1). However, some issues persist like- lack of publicly available consumption expenditure data since 2018, non-updation of the poverty line (Rangarajan line ~₹33/day rural, ₹47/day urban). 
  • Zero hunger (SDG 2) reveals the wide disparity between income groups and rural and urban areas on access to a nutritious diet.
    • National Family Health Survey (NFHS) estimates that over a third of Indians (35.5%) were stunted (NFHS-5, 2019-21). Wasting (low weight for height) exists at 19.3%. 
    • Obesity in the working age population (15-49 years) has almost doubled between 2006 and 2021, and concentrated in wealthier urban areas.
  • Electricity access (SDG 7)- India has achieved near universal household electrification in the past two decades, but the quality of power and duration vary vastly based on regions and urban/rural fault lines. India ranks as the fourth largest renewables capacity deployer, mainly solar and wind. 
  • Infrastructure provision (SDG 9)- India has bettered its score in infrastructure with noteworthy additions being rapid mobile penetration and financial inclusion through UPI-linked digital payments gateways. However, stark differences exist between rural and urban Internet penetration, which must be addressed to achieve even higher educational outcomes (SDG 4). 
  • India’s performance in governance, the rule of law, press freedom and strong and independent institutions (SDG 16) has been lagging.

Cabinet approves Global Potato Research Center in Agra 

Context: The Union Cabinet approved a proposal to set up a regional wing of the Peru-based International Potato Center (CIP) in Agra district, Uttar Pradesh. 

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: About International Potato Center, CIP-South Asia Regional Centre (CSARC), India’s position in global potato production.

About International Potato Center (CIP)

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CIP-South Asia Regional Centre: 

  • The proposed CIP-South Asia Regional Centre (CSARC) will be set up at Singna in Agra district, Uttar Pradesh. 
  • Purpose: To strengthen India’s research and productivity in potatoes and sweet potatoes.
  • The project costs Rs 171 crore, with India contributing Rs 111.5 crore and the remaining Rs 60 crore funded by the CIP. The UP government has provided 10 hectares of land for it.
  • It will cater not only to farmers in India’s potato belt states, like Uttar Pradesh,  Bihar and West Bengal, but also to South Asian countries.

Objective of CSARC:

  • To increase food and nutrition security, farmers income, and job creation by improving potato and sweet potato productivity, post-harvest management and value-addition. 

Functions of CSARC: 

  • To develop climate-resilient, disease-free, and processing-suitable potato & sweet potato varieties.
  • It will bring global science expertise, an extensive global innovation network and global genetic resources.

Significance of CSARC: 

  • Boost Productivity:  
    • Though India is the second largest potato producer in the world, followed by China, its average yield is 25 tonnes per hectare, about half of its potential of over 50 tonnes per hectare. 
    • India’s sweet potato yield is just 11.5 tonnes per hectare, which is much less than the potential of 30 tonnes per hectare. 
    • A major reason for these low numbers is a lack of availability of high-quality seeds. With the establishment of the CSARC, India will have access to the largest global collection of germplasm (the cells or tissues from which a new organism can be generated) available with the CIP.
  • Boost Domestic Seed Production: Establishment of this center will boost domestic potato seed production, thereby reducing India’s dependence on seed imports from neighbouring countries.
  • Increase in Export Potential: It will also help increase the potential for exporting the potato and sweet potato products from India to international markets.
  • Aid Food Processing: It will aid local food processing industries in increasing investments in processing and value addition.

The proposed CSARC will be the second major international agricultural research institution to set up operations in India. In 2017, the Agriculture Ministry supported the establishment of a regional centre of the Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). The IRRI-SARC is established in Varanasi. 

QR Codes on roads built under PM Gram Sadak Yojana

Context: The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) has directed all states and UTs to install QR codes on maintenance display boards of roads built under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).

Relevance of the Topic : Prelims: Key facts about PMGSY, QR Code Initiative.Mains: E-governance initiatives 

QR Code Initiative

  • All states and UTs are required to install QR codes on maintenance display boards of roads built under the PMGSY.
  • Aim: To get public feedback about the quality and maintenance of roads using QR codes.
  • Each road will have a QR code on a maintenance information board. Anyone can scan the code using a smartphone to view road details, submit feedback and photographs about poor maintenance or road damage.
  • Integrated with the existing e-MARG system (used for routine maintenance monitoring).
  • Photos submitted by citizens will be reviewed by engineers and will be analysed using AI/ML tools to assign Performance Evaluation (PE) marks.
  • Trials were carried out in various states, including a pilot project in Himachal Pradesh. After this, the new facility was made fully functional. 
  • Substandard work under the scheme has been previously flagged through existing mechanisms. The QR Code Initiative provides a mechanism for citizens’ feedback.

Prime Minister Gram Sadak Yojana

  • Launched: December 25, 2000 (PHASE - I) 
  • Aim: To improve rural infrastructure through road construction.
  • Phases: 
    • The second phase was launched in 2013.
    • Another component, called the Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremism Affected Areas (RCPLWEA), was launched in 2016 for the construction of rural roads in LWE-affected areas.
    • The third phase was launched in 2019.
    • The fourth phase was approved in 2024 to provide all-weather road connectivity to 25,000 unconnected habitations of population size 500+ in plains, 250+ in northeastern and hill states/UTs, special category areas (Tribal Schedule V, Aspirational Districts/Blocks, Desert areas) and 100+ in LWE-affected areas.
  • Funding Mechanism: Starting as a totally Centrally Sponsored Scheme, the funding pattern was modified to 60:40 between the Centre and states (except for northeastern and Himalayan states).
  • Implementing Agency: National Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (NRIDA), under MoRD.
  • Since the scheme was launched, a total road length of 8,36,850 km has been sanctioned, of which 7,81,209 km has been completed.
  • Under the PMGSY, all roads after the completion of construction are maintained by the contractor for five years. This is done using a mobile-cum-web-based e-MARG (electronic Maintenance of Rural Roads) system. It is an e-governance solution for managing and monitoring rural road maintenance.
  • As a whole, maintenance comes under the ambit of state governments, with rural roads being a state subject. 

Tribal Welfare Outreach Campaign Launched Across 500+ Districts in India

Context: Recently, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs launched the Tribal Welfare Outreach Campaign to implement tribal welfare schemes across over 500 districts in India.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: About outreach campaign for the implementation of its welfare schemes, PM JANMAN, Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan.

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Tribal Welfare Outreach Campaign:

  • The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has rolled out a large-scale outreach campaign for the implementation of its welfare schemes in over 500 districts of the country, aiming to cover 1 lakh tribal dominated villages and habitations.
  • The outreach is a part of the Centre’s ongoing year-long celebration of the Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh. The Centre began this celebration on November 15, 2024, the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda.
  • Objective: The campaign is centered around ‘benefit saturation’ camps aimed at  last mile doorstep delivery of two key flagship schemes:
    • Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN)
    • Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan.

Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN):

  • Launched in 2023
  • Objective: Address socio-economic challenges faced by Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)
  • Focus: Basic facilities and welfare services to PVTGs, including- housing, water, sanitation, education, health, connectivity, and livelihood opportunities.
  • Delivery Mechanism: Localised camps offering documentation, health cards, financial inclusion, and welfare enrolment.

Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan:

  • Launched in 2024. Named after Birsa Munda, revered tribal freedom fighter also known as Dharti Aaba (Father of the Earth)
  • Objective: Comprehensive development of tribal areas and communities by addressing critical gaps in infrastructure, healthcare, education, and livelihoods. 
  • Enabling infrastructure and enhancing socio-economic conditions in selected tribal-majority villages (with a population of 500 or more, and at least 50% tribal residents as well as villages in Aspirational Districts with a tribal population of 50 or more). 
  • 17 Ministries of the Government of India will unite for the welfare of tribal communities through 25 focus interventions. Each line ministry has been allocated budget and targets under the scheme. Construction of hostels, rural electrification, building of homes under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, livestock support and fisheries support etc.
  • Nodal Agency: Ministry of Tribal Affairs 
  • The Mission will span a period of 5 years, from 2024-25 to 2028-29. 

The outreach campaign will run for a fortnight. Among its focal points are providing basic documentation to tribal communities in the form of Aadhaar cards, Ayushman Bharat cards through enrolment, grant of titles under the Forest Rights Act, and opening of pension accounts as well as Jan Dhan accounts. 

FASTag Annual Pass Scheme

Context: The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has announced a FASTag-based annual pass for hassle-free-highway travel for a given duration. 

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key facts about FASTag; How does the FASTag system work?

FASTag Annual Pass Scheme: 

  • The annual pass would cost Rs 3000 and will allow free passage of non-commercial private vehicles- car, jeep or van at National Highway (NH) and National Expressway (NE) fee plazas for the given duration, without per-trip user fee charges.
  • FASTag-based passes will be effective from August 15, 2025 and valid for one year or 200 trips or crossings, whichever comes earlier. 
  • The user may re-purchase the Annual Pass once the 200-trip limit is exhausted, even if the one-year validity period has not yet ended.
  • The pass is non-transferable and is valid only for the vehicle on which the FASTag is affixed and registered.
  • Valid only at National Highway and National Expressway fee plazas. At plazas on Expressways, State Highways managed by state governments or local bodies, the FASTag will operate as a regular FASTag.
  • Key Benefits: Address the long-standing concerns regarding toll plazas; Economical as the average cost of crossing one toll plaza will be only Rs 15.

What is FASTag? 

  • FASTag is an electronic toll collection system.
  • Launched in 2014 as a pilot project and made mandatory at every toll plaza in the country in 2021. 
  • Managed by: National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). 

How does the FASTag system work?

  • The FASTag uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) to collect toll tax payments on the road. 
  • A FASTag sticker is usually pasted on the windscreen of a car.  When a FASTag-attached vehicle approaches a toll plaza, a scanner at the plaza identifies the tag via RFID, and deducts tax from the linked bank account or the prepaid card. 

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Technology

  • RFID technology refers to a wireless system comprising two components: tags and readers.
  • Reader is a device that has one or more antennas that emit radio waves and receive signals back from the RFID tag. Readers can be mobile so that they can be carried by hand, or they can be mounted on a post or overhead.
  • RFID Tag is embedded on the windscreens of the vehicles for transporters. It can store a range of information from one serial number to several pages of data. The tags use radio waves to communicate their identity and other information to nearby readers.
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The new FASTag annual pass is a strategic step toward modernising India’s highway toll system with smarter mobility and efficient toll management. It enhances user experience, promotes digital infrastructure, reduces environmental impact, and provides a cost-effective solution for frequent travelers.  

Also Read: Satellite-based toll collection 

Transgender Couple to be listed as Gender-Neutral Parents: Kerala HC

Context: The Kerala High Court has allowed a transgender couple to be officially recognised as the ‘legal parents’ of their child on the birth certificate. 

Relevance of the Topic:Mains: Evolution of Rights of Transgender People. 

Background

  • The petitioners (Zahhad, a trans man, and Ziya, a trans woman) were a transgender couple with their biological child (Zahhad gave birth). 
  • Initially, the Kozhikode civic body issued a birth certificate listing Zahhad as the “mother” and Ziya as the “father,” ignoring their self-identified genders, even though the couple had updated identity documents. 
  • Challenging this in the HC, the couple argued that the registration process violated their fundamental rights, including dignity, privacy, and equality. They also cited the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, which upholds the right to self-perceived gender identity.

Ruling by the Kerala HC

In the landmark judgement- ‘Zahhad v. State of Kerala 2025’, a single-bench of Kerala High Court: 

  • Allowed the use of gender-neutral terminology, "parent" instead of assigning mother or father roles based on birth-assigned sex.
  • The HC ruled that the law must evolve in tandem with new concepts of human life and societal changes. When a statutory provision on a particular point is not in line with such societal changes, the Court must intervene to address the genuine grievances of the parties concerned.

Landmark Cases Cited: 

In its reasoning, the Court relied on certain landmark judgements, such as:

  • Deepika Singh v. Central Administrative Tribunal: guardians or caretakers of the child may change with remarriage, adoption, or fostering. The legal understanding of “family” may include manifestations like queer families as well as single parents.
  • NALSA v. Union of India: Recognised the right of transgender persons to self-identify their gender, affirming their inclusion within the constitutional guarantee of dignity and autonomy.
  • Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India: Decriminalised same-sex relationships and upheld the rights of LGBTQIA+ persons right to life and personal liberty.
  • Badshah v. Urmila Godse: Emphasised the doctrine of “social justice adjudication,” urging the courts to bridge the gap between law and evolving societal needs.

Also Read: Embracing Diversity: Paving the Way for Transgender Inclusivity and Equality 

The verdict is being hailed as a milestone for LGBTQIA+ rights in India, setting a precedent for inclusive documentation practices that respect diverse family structures.

Reframing Religious Freedom: USCIRF Annual Report 

Context: The recently released USCIRF annual report has placed India on its list of “Countries of Particular Concern (CPC)” which highlights a Eurocentric bias.

Relevance of the Topic: Mains: Religious Freedom.  

United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Controversial Annual Report:

  • USCIRF's annual report recently placed India on its list of “Countries of Particular Concern (CPC)”.
  • The commission was created under the International Religious Freedom Act passed by US Congress in 1998. It monitors, analyses,and reports on violations of religious freedom worldwide.
  • India strongly rejected this, calling the body an “entity of concern” and refusing to acknowledge its findings.

Freedom of Religion in India

  • Freedom of Religion is a Fundamental Right enshrined in Articles 25 to 28 of the Indian Constitution.
  • Articles 25 to 30 of the Indian Constitution offer various freedoms to religions including the freedom of conscience, the right to freely profess, practice, and propagate, and the freedom to manage their affairs without state intervention.
  • India ensures religious freedom while allowing the state to impose reasonable restrictions to protect public order, health, and morality.
  • Minority religions enjoy positive discrimination by way of special rights to run educational and cultural institutions. The same rights are not available to the majority Hindu religion.
  • India is the only country where people of all religions, including several Christian denominations and Muslim sects, coexist in harmony.
  • Despite its vast diversity and historical religious strife, India has largely succeeded in maintaining religious harmony, showcasing its strong commitment to religious freedom.  

Freedom of Religion in India

  • Article 25: Grants all individuals the right to freely profess, practice, and propagate their religion, subject to public order, morality, and health.
    • However forced religious conversions are not allowed. 
    • In a landmark judgment in Rev. Stainislaus vs State of Madhya Pradesh (1977), the Supreme Court held that the right to “propagate” does not include the right to proselytise, and hence there is no fundamental right to convert another person.
  • Article 26: Allows every religious group to establish and manage religious institutions, own property, and handle religious affairs independently.
  • Article 27: No person can be forced to pay taxes that are used specifically for the promotion of any religion.
  • Article 28: Prohibits religious teaching in state-funded educational institutions, but allows it in privately managed or trust-based institutions, with certain conditions.
  • Article 29: Protects the right of any group with a distinct language, script, or culture to conserve it; also prohibits discrimination in state-funded educational institutions.
  • Article 30: Gives religious and linguistic minorities the right to establish and administer their own educational institutions, with protection from state discrimination in aid.

India’s Response: 

  • Despite India's constitutional commitment to religious freedom, it continues to face criticism from USCIRF due to its Eurocentric lens and reliance on allegedly biased scholars, ignoring India’s unique cultural and societal context.
  • Global bodies like USCIRF need to reassess their approach to religious freedom by moving beyond Eurocentric frameworks and embracing culturally rooted models like the concept of Integral Humanism. USCIRF must adopt a more nuanced, locally sensitive perspective when evaluating religious freedom in a pluralistic democracy like India.

Integral Humanism: 

  • Inspired by thinkers like Jacques Maritain and Deendayal Upadhyaya. It emphasises rising above religious divisions to ensure the material, ethical, moral, and spiritual well-being of all, rooted in India’s pluralistic and civilisational ethos.

India’s next Population Census

Context: India’s long-postponed decadal census exercise will be conducted in two phases in 2026 and 2027. The Census paves the way to update the National Population Register (NPR) and for the establishment of the National Register of Indian Citizens (NRIC).

Relevance of the topic:

Prelims: Key facts and provisions about the Census, NPR, NRIC.

Mains: Importance of Census Exercise. 

India’s next Population Census

  • The next census - the exhaustive count of the population of the country and critical socio-economic details - will be conducted in two phases: 
    • Beginning in October 2026 - in snow-bound states and union territories, such as Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
    • Beginning on March 1, 2027 for the rest of the Indian states.
  • The census will also have questions on caste - i.e., an enumeration of the various castes and sub-castes and associated population. 
  • For the first time, Census data will be collected digitally, using mobile phone apps in 16 languages (Hindi, English and 14 regional languages). These apps are designed to be simple and user-friendly for both the enumerators and citizens, since the latter will also have the option to self-enumerate.
  • Census management and monitoring system (CMMS) portal has been developed by the Office of RGI (Registrar General of India) for smooth conduct, management and monitoring of the exercise.
  • Final population data will be available at the end of 2027 due to the digital mode.

What is the Census?

  • Census is an official enumeration of the entire population of any country, done periodically by the government. It provides information on the size, distribution, socio-economic characteristics, demographics etc. of a country's population.
  • The first Census exercise in India was started in 1881 during the British period with W. C. Plowden being the first Census Commissioner of India. 
  • The Census is a Union list subject (as entry 69). Only the Central government is empowered to undertake the exercise. 
  • There is a Constitutional mandate to carry out a Census. The Census of India Act, 1948 provides the legal framework for carrying out the Census.
  • The responsibility of conducting the Census rests with the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
  • Neither Indian Constitution nor the Census of India Act, 1948 specifies the timing or periodicity of this exercise. 

Significance of upcoming Census: 

  • Enumerate Caste data: The government has decided to conduct caste enumeration in the upcoming Census. Previously, all Censuses after Independence have captured only SC and ST details. It could inform disaggregated budgeting and track how welfare schemes like PM Awas Yojana or Skill India etc. are reaching caste groups, ensuring that the most marginalised are not left out. 
  • Data for Electoral Planning: This Census data would be used for the delimitation exercise for determining the revised number of seats in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies. The Census would also form the basis for reserving one-third of seats for women in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.
  • Mapping Population Transition: The past decade has seen significant changes in population dynamics, not only in numbers with change in demographic patterns, like increased urbanisation, urban migration and increased ageing population. The Census will assist in interpreting fertility rate, migration rates and distribution of population which will assist in tracking resource distribution.
  • Update NPR & NRC: The Census date will be used for the updation of the National Population Register (NPR) and for the establishment of the National Register of Indian Citizens (NRC).
  • Reliable benchmark for Alternative Surveys: Alternative surveys, such as NFHS or NSSO while insightful, lack the comprehensiveness of the Census. Only the Census provides comprehensive, accurate data crucial for national planning, and without it, evaluations of government programs lack a reliable denominator, making policy assessments misleading. 
  • Tracking progress towards SDGs: Census data contributes to global demographic studies and aids India in fulfilling its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by providing accurate metrics on poverty, health, and education. 

National People Register (NPR) vs Census:

  • Resident: Any person who has been living in an area or locality for six months or more or intends to live in an area/locality for the next six months at the time of a survey is considered a resident.
  • The NPR is a register of all ‘residents’ of the country, prepared at several levels- local (village/sub-town), subdistrict, district, state and national, under the provisions of the Citizenship Act, 1955, and the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003. 
  • Aim: To create a comprehensive database of residents of the nation including their demographic particulars. The exercise is carried out under the supervision of Registrar General and ex-Officio Census Commissioner, India. 
  • Detailed inquiries into citizenship status are conducted to finalise the National Register of Citizens (NRC), which distinguishes citizens from non-citizens.

 National Register of Citizens (NRC): 

  • The NRIC draws its mandate from the Citizenship Act 1955. Initially conceptualised after the 1951 Census, the NRIC gained renewed significance following recommendations by the Subrahmanyam Committee in the aftermath of the Kargil war (1999). 
  • Aim: To enhance national security by maintaining a verified citizen registry. 
  • Benefits: Streamlining identity verification, reducing identity fraud and duplication, and enabling targeted welfare programmes that ensure benefits reach only eligible recipients.
  • The NPR serves as the initial step in achieving these objectives by differentiating citizens from non-citizens through a multi-phase process that collects demographic and biometric data on all usual residents.

National People Register (NPR) vs National Register of Citizens (NRC)

National Population Register (NPR)National Register of Citizens (NRC)
All people staying in India 6 months and above and who intend to reside for 6 months or more, including foreigners.Indian-born or Indian parents or staying in India for 11 years are eligible for Indian Citizenship.
Prepared with Census 2011 and updated in 2015. The next update was scheduled during the next Census from April 1, 2020, to September 30, 2020. Only Assam would not participate in this activity.First prepared during the 1951 Census and it is not updated regularly. Assam is the only state in the country where the NRC is updated.
NPR is not a citizenship enumeration drive as it includes foreigners as well.NRC is a citizenship enumeration drive as it includes Indian citizens only.
It is compulsory for all Indian residents to register with NPR. The main purpose of the NPR is to identify illegal migrants and identify them as foreign nationals.NRC is a subset of NPR where only the citizens of India are taken into account.

Hence, the Census data will form the bedrock for evidence-based Policy making at National and State level.

DIGIPIN: India's new Digital Address System

Context: The Department of Posts has unveiled a novel digital addressing system called DIGIPIN. This new system is set to revolutionise how locations are identified across the country.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key facts about DigiPIN. 

About DIGIPIN

  • DIGIPIN stands for Digital Postal Index Number. 
  • It is a unique 10-digit alphanumeric code that precisely indicates the location of a property, contrasting to the existing six-digit PIN code system that covers larger areas. 
  • Aim: To enhance service delivery, particularly in remote and underserved areas, by providing accurate geographic coordinates essential for various services.
  • Developed in collaboration with: IIT Hyderabad and the National Remote Sensing Centre, ISRO. 
  • It is part of a broader push under the National Geospatial Policy 2022 to enable digital-first governance, accurate last-mile delivery, and efficient emergency response systems. 
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Key Features: 

  • Each unique Digipin corresponds to a 4x4 square metre grid on the Indian landmass, based on its exact latitude and longitude coordinates.
  • It is a geospatial reference system which is geo-coded and grid-based. DIGIPIN is directly tied to the precise geographic coordinates of a location on a map.

Key Benefits:

  • Precision: Exact location identification within a 4-metre square.
  • Open-source and privacy-centric: Encodes only location, with no personal data stored.
  • Nationwide coverage: Applies to urban, rural, remote, and even maritime areas.
  • Streamline services such as last-mile delivery for e-commerce. Aid police, ambulance, and fire services in improving their emergency response times owing to geographical accuracy.

How is it different from the traditional postal address or pin code?

  • While a regular postal address depends on locality, street, and house numbers, DIGIPIN points to the exact coordinates of a location using the 10-character alphanumeric code.
  • DIGIPIN will not replace the existing PIN code system. Instead, two systems will coexist with DIGIPIN enhancing the accuracy and functionality of traditional addresses, especially in use cases that demand high spatial precision.

Designed to function as a foundational component of Address-as-a-Service (AaaS), Digipin can be integrated into the operations of government agencies, private organisations, and other institutions. 

Assam to follow 1950 Law to Expel Illegal Immigrants without Trial

Context: The Chief Minister of Assam has said that the state was actively considering using the Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950 to directly expel illegal migrants without going through the courts.

The Act empowers even a district commissioner to issue an order for the immediate removal of a person identified as an illegal immigrant. 

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key facts about Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act 1950. 

Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act 1950

Following the Partition in 1947, Assam witnessed a massive influx of immigrants from East Bengal, which later became East Pakistan and then Bangladesh. The migration was largely driven by communal violence, displacement and the open border.

  • The Parliament enacted the Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act in 1950 to address the pressing crisis of illegal immigration in Assam. 
  • It gave the Central Government the power to remove any person or group from Assam if their presence harmed public interest or affected the rights of Scheduled Tribes. 
  • It allowed the government to give these powers to local officers, such as district commissioners, so they could issue expulsion orders directly, without going through the courts.
  • The Act predates several key legislations that are currently used to deal with immigration issues in India, such as:
    • Foreigners Act 1946
    • Section 6A of the Citizenship Act
    • Foreigners (Tribunals) Order 1964
    • Passport (Entry into India) Act 1920
    • Passport Act 1967
  • The law was applicable across India but tailored to Assam. Over time, the law was mostly ignored.

Is the Act still valid?

  • In 2024, the Supreme Court of India upheld Section 6A of the Citizenship Act and clearly said that the 1950 Act was still valid. 
  • A Constitution Bench of five judges pointed out that the law allowed even a district commissioner to order the removal of illegal immigrants. 
  • The court said this Act can work alongside the Citizenship Act and the Foreigners Act to detect and deport illegal migrants.

When the Assam Movement started in 1979, led by the All Assam Students' Union (AASU), people again raised strong concerns about illegal migration. This led to the Assam Accord in 1985, which decided that anyone who came into Assam after March 24, 1971, would be treated as a foreigner.

The process of identifying foreigners which had slowed down due to complications around the National Register of Citizens (NRC) will now be sped up by using the legal powers available under the 1950 Act. 

Also Read: Foreigners Tribunals: Detaining Non-Citizens and Rule of Law 

UMEED Portal for Waqf Property Management 

Context: Recently, the government has launched the UMEED portal to create a digital inventory after geo-tagging all Waqf properties. 

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key facts about UMEED portal; Waqf Act. 

About UMEED Portal

  • UMEED is a centralised digital platform for real-time uploading, verification, and monitoring of Waqf properties.
  • UMEED is short for Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act, 1995. 
  • Initiative of: Ministry of Minority Affairs. 

Key Features of the UMEED Portal:

  • Creation of a digital inventory with geo-tagging of all Waqf properties. It generates a 17-digit unique identification number for each property.
  • Online grievance redressal system for better responsiveness
  • Transparent leasing and usage tracking
  • Integration with GIS mapping and other e-Governance tools
  • Public access to verified records and reports

Mandatory Registration in the UMEED Portal

  • All Waqf properties across the country are required to be registered on the portal within 6 months from the date of launch (June 2025).
  • Registrations will be carried out by the respective state Waqf boards. 
  • Properties that remain unregistered beyond the deadline, and extension (if any) will be classified as disputed and referred to the Waqf tribunal.
  • The portal will mandate submission of official documents for registering a Waqf property aiming to prevent the inclusion of illegal or encroached land. 
  • For properties lacking such documentation, the mutawalli (manager or caretaker of a waqf) will be required to approach the waqf tribunal for verification. 
  • The portal also includes a field that asks whether the waqf property is located on government land. Since land is a state subject, it will ultimately be up to the state government to confirm or deny whether the land in question is indeed waqf.

The portal launch comes in the backdrop of the enactment of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, in April 2025. 

Also Read: Waqf Amendment Act 2025 

Significance: 

  • Introduces greater transparency, accountability, and public participation in the administration of Waqf assets.
  • Ensures that every Waqf property is accounted for and used effectively for the endowed purpose, and in the benefit of poor Muslims. 

UMEED Portal is expected to become the backbone of digital Waqf governance, ensuring that the Waqf assets contribute meaningfully to education, healthcare, livelihood generation and social welfare, especially for underprivileged sections within Muslim community.

Govt. eases procurement norms for Research Labs

Context: The government has relaxed procurement rules for scientific institutions, allowing faster and more flexible access to high-quality research equipment.

Relevance of the Topic: Mains: Supporting R&D in India: significance of new procurement reforms.

Amid complaints from scientists on sub-standard equipment affecting their research, the Finance Ministry issued a circular allowing select institutions to buy equipment outside the GEM portal.

Key Reforms

Bypassing GEM Portal: 

  • Existing rules required all government purchases- from laptops to furniture to be made with the cheapest vendor identified through the Government e-marketplace (GEM) portal. GEM is an initiative of the Ministry of Commerce to prioritise made-in-India equipment.
  • Updated rules allow Directors of select institutes and Vice-Chancellors or Chancellors of universities to procure equipment outside the GEM portal, as it was unable to meet the requirement of high quality customised equipment needed by scientists.

Autonomy in Global Tenders:  

  • Updated rules allow the heads of scientific institutions to approve global tender enquiry up to ₹200 crore. 
  • Earlier, departmental Secretaries  were required to issue such clearances. This usually led to a pile-up of requests and concomitant procurement delays.

Increased Purchase Limits: 

  • Updated rules have doubled the ceiling on goods that can be procured by scientific departments without quotations from ₹1 lakh to ₹2 lakh.

However, all of these concessions are strictly for scientific equipment and consumables, and meant only for: Organisations affiliated to the Ministry of Science and Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Department of Atomic Energy and Space, Indian Council of Medical Research, Indian Council for Agricultural Research and educational institutions conducting postgraduate research under various Ministries.

Significance of easing the rules for procurement: 

The reforms are being hailed as a landmark decision as reforms would: 

  • Enhance autonomy and flexibility for research institutions empowering them to innovate faster.
  • Speeds up procurement for time-sensitive research.
  • Ensures quality by allowing global sourcing.
  • Reduces bureaucratic delays and red tape.

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