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Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for October 25, 2025. If you missed the October 24, 2025, UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here.
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate
What’s the ongoing story: Underlining that “victims and perpetrators of terrorism” were being equated “in the name of global strategy”, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday targeted Pakistan and China, saying “a sitting Security Council member” was openly protecting the very organisation which claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam terror attack.
Key Points to Ponder:
— What was the objective behind the formation of the United Nations (UN)?
— Why is the need for reforming the UN?
— Analyse the working of the UN in the past 80 years.
— What are the key reforms suggested in the UN?
— What is UN summit of the Future?
— What is the role and composition of the UN Security Council?
— The US State Department designated The Resistance Front (TRF) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). What are its implications?
Key Takeaways:
— Speaking at an event in Delhi to mark the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, Jaishankar also questioned “the sincerity of those involved” in shielding the “self-proclaimed terrorists” from the sanctioning process.
— The references were to Pakistan, currently a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, and China which has been blocking Indian efforts to put on the global sanctions list Pakistani proxies of the terror outfits Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.
— The Resistance Front, a shadow outfit of Lashkar-e-Taiba, had claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack in April. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar told his country’s National Assembly about forcing the removal of references to the TRF in the UNSC press statement condemning the Pahalgam attack.
— Questioning the decision-making process in the UN, Jaishankar called for its reform. “We must also recognise that all is not well with the United Nations. Its decision-making neither reflects its membership nor addresses global priorities.”
— Few examples are more telling about the challenges facing the UN than its response to terrorism. When a sitting Security Council member openly protects the very organisation that claims responsibility for the barbaric terror attack such as at Pahalgam, what does it do to the credibility of multilateralism?” he said.
— “If the maintenance of international peace and security has become lip service, the predicament of development and socio-economic progress is even more serious. The slowing down of the SDG Agenda 2030 is a significant metric to measure the distress of the Global South. There are many more, whether it is trade measures, supply chain dependence or political domination.”
— “Yet, on such a notable anniversary, we cannot abandon hope. However difficult, the commitment to multilateralism must remain strong. However flawed, the United Nations must be supported in this time of crisis. Our faith in international cooperation must be reiterated and indeed renewed. It is in that spirit that we all meet to mark this occasion and seek to build a better world,” he said.
— On the occasion, he unveiled the commemorative postage stamp celebrating UN@80. The Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications, organised an open competition on MyGov portal, to design the commemorative postage stamp celebrating UN@80.
Do You Know:
— The United Nations (UN) came into existence on 24 October 1945, after being ratified by 51 nations, which included five permanent members or P5 (France, the Republic of China, the Soviet Union, the UK and the US) and 46 other signatories. The first meeting of the General Assembly took place on January 10, 1946. At present, 193 countries are members of the United Nations.
— The UNSC is composed of 15 members: five permanent members — China, France, Russian Federation, the United States, and the United Kingdom — and 10 non-permanent members who are elected by the General Assembly. The non-permanent members are elected for two-year terms — so every year, the General Assembly elects five non-permanent members out of the total 10.
— From G20 countries pledging to reform the United Nations Security Council through a transformative reform that aligns it with the realities and demands of the 21st century to BRICS nations calling for making global governance more inclusive by reforming the major multilateral institutions such as the UN Security Council.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
(1) The Security Council of UN consists of 5 permanent members, and the remaining 10 members are elected by the General Assembly for a term of ( UPSC CSE 2009)
(a) 1 year
(b) 2 years
(c) 3 years
(d) 5 years
Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:
Discuss the impediments India is facing in its pursuit of a permanent seat in the UN Security Council (UPSC CSE 2015)
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Structure, organisation and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary—Ministries and Departments of the Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity.
What’s the ongoing story: Last week, the Supreme Court described the state of affairs in the country’s lower courts as “highly disappointing”, referring to numerous cases where litigants, despite having won court cases, are still awaiting the receipt of what the court awarded them.
Key Points to Ponder:
— What are the issues facing the judiciary system in India?
— What are the specific problems faced by the lower judiciary?
— What is an executive petition?
— What are undertrials?
— What is the decree?
— What are the reasons for the huge pendency of cases?
— How are regional disparities responsible for the pendency of cases?
— What steps need to be taken to address it?
Key Takeaways:
— In an order dated October 16, a bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and Pankaj Mithal reviewed nationwide data collected on its direction and found the figures to be “alarming” — over 8.82 lakh execution petitions are pending across district courts.
— This situation, the order noted, rendered justice futile. “After the decree is passed, if it is going to take years and years to execute the decree, then it makes no sense and would be nothing short of a travesty of justice,” it said.
— At the conclusion of a civil lawsuit, the court delivers an order — formally a “decree” — that declares the rights and liabilities of the parties involved. But winning a lawsuit and getting a favourable decree from a court is only the first step.
— An execution petition is the legal tool used to implement a decree. It is the final and most crucial stage of a lawsuit, in which the winner formally requests the court to enforce its decision against the losing party, be it, for instance, the payment of a sum of money or the vacation of a property.
— Data from the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) shows that while an average civil suit takes about 4.91 years for disposal, an execution petition takes an additional 3.97 years to conclude. Around 47.2% of all pending execution petitions across civil courts were filed before 2020.
— The database also lists reasons for the delay in the disposal of execution petitions. Chief among these are legal counsel not being available (which accounted for delay in 38.9% of all pending execution petitions), a stay on the proceedings by a court (17%) and awaiting documents (12%).
— Procedurally, the law itself provides multiple stages where delays can creep in. The Civil Procedure Code requires the court to issue notice to the losing party even at the execution stage, giving them a chance to raise objections.
— Experts also point to significant regional disparities, with states like Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu showing disproportionately high pendency, suggesting that local factors, from judicial infrastructure to the volume of commercial disputes, also play a crucial role.
— This is not the first time the apex court has intervened to address delays in execution. In a 2021 judgment, a three-judge bench led by then Chief Justice of India SA Bobde had laid down a comprehensive set of 14 mandatory directions for all trial courts, including a six-month deadline for disposing of execution proceedings.
— To remedy this, the court in its March judgment issued a sweeping, pan-India directive. It ordered all High Courts to collect data from their respective district courts on pending execution petitions, and directed them to ensure their disposal within six months.
— The Supreme Court has now granted an additional six months to all High Courts to follow up with their district courts and expedite the disposals.
— The bench also took a stern view of the non-compliance by the Karnataka High Court with its order. It directed the Registrar General of the High Court to explain the failure to submit the data within two weeks. The Supreme Court will hear the matter again on April 10, 2026, to monitor progress.
Do You Know:
— The goals of justice require a balance between the speedy disposal of cases and ensuring that the pursuit of truth and adherence to legal procedure are not hampered. This requires a coordinated, systemic approach to judicial remedies, with each stakeholder taking responsibility to avoid clogging the machinery of justice delivery.
— Extrapolating the views of the Supreme Court, it is evident that every stakeholder, including lawyers, corporate entities and individual citizens as well as judges and courts, must reassess their approach and introspect on their role in reducing delay. Particularly in commercial matters, where the time value of money is significant, delay from any stakeholder can have enormous economic ramifications.
— International jurisdictions, such as Hong Kong, Singapore and the USA have evolved such mechanisms to address this issue. The US, for example, has 28 USC § 1927, which provides for sanctions in case of vexatious litigation.
— Legislative enactments focusing on judicial efficiency, such as Ireland’s Court Proceedings (Delays) Act 2024, are other avenues that help to decongest and make the delivery of justice more efficient.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Who is responsible for the pendency in Indian courts?
Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
(2) Which one of the following in Indian polity is an essential feature that indicates that it is federal in character? (UPSC CSE 2021)
(a) The independence of judiciary is safeguarded.
(b) The Union Legislature has elected representatives from constituent units.
(c) The Union Cabinet can have elected representatives from regional parties.
(d) The Fundamental Rights are enforceable by Courts of Law.
Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:
Discuss the desirability of greater representation to women in the higher judiciary to ensure diversity, equity and inclusiveness. (UPSC CSE 2021)
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilisation, of resources, growth, development and employment; Government Budgeting
What’s the ongoing story: According to the International Monetary Fund’s latest Fiscal Monitor report, global public debt is projected to rise above 100 per cent of GDP by 2029.
Key Points to Ponder:
— What is public debt?
— What is the status of public debts of states?
— What is the relationship between increasing public debt and Budget deficit?
— A higher debt-to-GDP ratio shows that governments are inadequately prepared to deal with the next economic shock. Elaborate.
Key Takeaways:
— Simply, when governments borrow to cover the gap between what they spend and what they raise in revenues, it is called a deficit. Each year’s deficit adds to the mountain of public debt, or the gross debt of the general government (that is, not just the central government but also the state governments). Typically, this debt is expressed as a percentage of a country’s total GDP.
— The IMF finds that at the current rate, global public debt would reach its highest level since 1948. This year is significant because it marks a time when countries across the world, especially in Europe, were borrowing heavily to rebuild their economies after the massive destruction in the wake of the Second World War.
— Higher public debt has many adverse consequences. For one, it increases the interest payments that governments (read taxpayers) have to make. That, in turn, forces governments to curtail their spending while raising taxes.
— Overall, a higher debt-to-GDP ratio shows that governments are inadequately prepared to deal with the next economic shock, which may require them to spend more or tax less.
— The so-called Advanced Economies are the most stretched in terms of public debt. For instance, Japan’s public debt is 230% of its GDP. What’s worse, across the board, these numbers are likely to get worse by 2030.
— The situation is slightly better when one looks at the data from the so-called Emerging Economies as well as Low-income Developing Countries. However, in most cases, the debt levels are pegged to rise in the coming year.
— The size of the debt is going up for a variety of reasons, ranging from increasing demands for government expenditure on defence, climate change-related activities, dealing with disruptive technologies like AI and their impact on jobs, and the need for governments to bolster social safety nets, not to mention calls for higher wages and higher pensions.
— More often than not, governments simply roll over their debt. In other words, they pay back their old debt by raising new debt. But there was a crucial shift in the interest rate regime over the past five years.
— While interest rates were very close to zero in the developed countries between the Global Financial Crisis of 2008-09 and the Covid-19 pandemic, they have gone up sharply since then.
— That’s because central banks across the board have raised interest rates to contain inflation. The net result is that governments have had to borrow at higher interest rates, thus putting a greater burden on their finances
Do You Know:
— A recent CAG report on state finances finds that whenever fiscal revenues fall short, Indian states tend to bridge the deficit gap with enhanced loans and utilised bonds, steadily adding to their public debt.
— India’s fiscal map reveals a stark contrast between its larger and smaller states. At one end are the big states, defined by vast geographies and wide responsibilities.
— Maharashtra generated nearly 70 per cent of its receipts internally in 2022–23, signalling strong revenue mobilisation, while other states depend on more volatile sources. Kerala’s lottery receipts approached Rs 12,000 crore. Economists warn that such tactics are like “paying rent by selling family heirlooms,” highlighting the limits of one-off revenues.
— In 2022–23, Uttarakhand reported an own-tax share of 34.8 per cent of receipts while Arunachal managed only 9.4 per cent; most northeastern states remain below 20 per cent, confirming reliance on Union transfers.
— With narrow tax bases and high delivery costs, modest increases in borrowing can push the debt-to-GSDP ratios of smaller states to levels that would be unremarkable in larger states but alarming here.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Across India, state finances tell the same story: Fiscal fragility, ever-expanding welfare state
📍Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4)
Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
(3) With reference to the expenditure made by an organisation or a company, which of the following statements is/are correct? (UPSC CSE 2022)
1. Acquiring new technology is capital expenditure.
2. Debt financing is considered capital expenditure, while equity financing is considered revenue expenditure.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
(4) Consider the following statements : (UPSC CSE 2019)
1. Most of India’s external debt is owed by governmental entities.
2. All of India’s external debt is denominated in US dollars.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilisation, of resources, growth, development and employment.
What’s the ongoing story: Speaking at a poll rally in Samastipur, Bihar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (October 24) referred to the recently-inaugurated National Makhana Board as a “revolution”.
Key Points to Ponder:
— What is the purpose of the National Makhana Board?
— Why is Bihar favourable for Makhana production?
— What is the suitable condition for Makhana production?
— What is superfood?
— What are the benefits of makhana?
— Which state is the largest producer and exporter of Makhana?
Key Takeaways:
— The state of Bihar contributes to roughly 90% of India’s makhana (foxnut) production. In recent months, members of the ruling party, including the Prime Minister himself, have repeatedly spoken about the government’s efforts to support the makhana industry.
— Makhana is the dried edible seed of the prickly water lily or gorgon plant (Euryale ferox), a species which grows in freshwater ponds across South and East Asia. The plant is known for its violet and white flowers, and massive, round and prickly leaves — often stretching more than a meter across.
— Most of the makhana grown in India comes from Bihar, where production is concentrated in the nine districts of northern and eastern Bihar — Darbhanga, Madhubani, Purnea, Katihar, Saharsa, Supoul, Araria, Kishanganj and Sitamarhi — which fall in the so-called Mithilanchal region. Of these, the first four districts mentioned contribute to 80% of Bihar’s makhana production.
— While makhana has been consumed, often in ritual settings, for centuries, of late it has gained popularity as a “superfood” due to its nutritional benefits — experts say that makhana is nutrient-dense and low-fat, making it an ideal “healthy snack”.
— This has prompted the government to make efforts to harness its commercial potential, including through concerted marketing campaigns and the creation of stronger industrial infrastructure and linkages. The establishment of the Makhana Board is a part of this push.
— The global makhana market was valued at $43.56 million in 2023, and expected to touch the $100 million-mark by 2033, according to the market research firm Spherical Insights.
— Despite being the largest producer, Bihar has not been able to harness makhana’s growing market. Indeed, the largest makhana exporters in India are Punjab and Assam; the former does not even grow its own makhana.
— Bihar neither has a developed food processing industry, nor required export infrastructure. “Thus, Bihar ends up selling all its fox nuts as raw material to FPUs (food processing units) outside the state at cheap prices.
— Low productivity is another major problem in makhana cultivation in Bihar. Currently, cultivating makhana is an extremely arduous and labour heavy process, which pushes up the overall input costs.
— Seeds are sown in standing water bodies and harvesting is carried out manually by diving to the bottom of the water body. Subsequent processing of makhana, from cleaning and sun drying the seeds to roasting and finally “popping”, is also all manual.
— Moreover, farmers have been slow to adopt high yield varieties of fox nut seeds developed by agricultural institutes, such as Swarna Vaidehi and Sabour Makhana-1. According to the 2020 ICAR paper, traditional farming practices have a production capacity of 1.7-1.9 tonnes per hectare, far lower than the 3-3.5 tonnes per hectare from the HYV seeds.
— Ahead of this year’s state Assembly polls, the makhananomics push is a part of the ruling coalition’s larger economic imagination for the state, especially at a time when unemployment and migration have emerged as key poll issues.
— With some 10 lakh families in Bihar involved in the cultivation and processing of makhana, supporting the industry can benefit millions in the electorate, especially those belonging to the impoverished Mallah community.
— The farming and harvesting of Makhana is almost entirely done by the Mallahs. Although accounting for only 2.6% of Bihar’s population, Mallahs are concentrated in the riverine belts of North Bihar, where they can command a voteshare of more than 6%.
— Last year, the Bihar government had asked for an MSP for makhana from the Centre. In 2022, ‘Mithila Makhana’ was conferred a Geographical Indication (GI) tag, a certification that signifies that a product can only be grown in a particular geographical location, and as a result, has unique characteristics (like Darjeeling’s tea or Mysore sandal soap).
Do You Know:
— Makhana (Gorgon Nut or Foxnut) is an aquatic crop and is mainly grown in tropical and subtropical regions. It is traditionally cultivated in stagnant water bodies such as ponds, land depressions, lakes, ditches, or wetlands with shallow water depths of up to 4-6 feet.
— For optimal growth and development, Makhana requires a temperature range of 20-35°C, relative humidity of 50-90%, and annual rainfall between 100-250 cm.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Knowledge Nugget: National Makhana board — A must-know for UPSC exam
Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
(5) Consider the following statements:
1. The National Makhana Board is launched in Bihar.
2. Mithila Makhana was conferred a Geographical Indication tag in 2022.
3. Makhana is an aquatic crop and is mainly grown in tropical and subtropical regions.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.
Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.
What’s the ongoing story: On January 26, 1950, with adoption of the Constitution, India ended many millennia of monarchical rule to become a democratic republic. The Constitution formally did away with regnal titles like raja, nawab, and nizam, and introduced new positions of authority — President, Prime Minister, Member of Parliament, etc. — effectively open to any citizen of the country.
Key Points to Ponder:
— What is dynastic politics?
— What does the constitution say about dynastic politics?
— What are the issues related to dynastic politics?
— What is the Representative of the People’s Act? How does it regulate dynastic politics?
Key Takeaways:
— The rajas of the past were now ordinary citizens, their princely states territory of the Indian republic, and their dynasties a relic of the bygone past. Except not quite.
— The monarchs of the old became political dynasts of modern India, even as electoral politics gave birth to new dynasties. While often critiqued by parties across the political spectrum, dynasties today are a central feature of Indian politics, one that is unlikely to go away any time soon.
— A recent investigation by The Indian Express revealed that, as of September 20, at least 1,174 of India’s 5,294 legislators in Parliament and state Assemblies — MPs, MLAs, and MLCs — have links to current or former legislators. This amounts to more than 22% of all legislators in the country.
— Among these 1,174 who belonged to 989 families, there are at least 337 legislators from 149 families that have more than one member in Parliament or the state legislatures, or both. Twenty-three families have more than two members in the legislatures.
— With nearly 19% of its legislators coming from political dynasties, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party fares slightly better than the likes of Congress (33%) or Samajwadi Party (almost 35%). But individuals from established political families of other parties are increasingly securing tickets within the BJP, the data show
— The shadow of the freedom struggle loomed large over the first three general elections. Many candidates had actively taken part in the movement to end British rule, and as such were highly conscious of their conduct, often going out of their way to ensure that members of their family did not exploit their political power.
— In the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, weakened, regional satraps kept emerging. Leaders like Biju Patnaik in Odisha, Charan Singh and Mulayam Singh Yadav in UP, Lalu Prasad in Bihar, the Karunanidhi family in Tamil Nadu… would all form parties that were (and are) tightly controlled by their families and kin.
— While these parties also provided opportunities for several first-generation leaders from marginalised communities, most became family fiefdoms. Often, rival groups within a party are floated to claim tickets so that dynasts can be brought in later as “consensus” candidates.
— While these parties also provided opportunities for several first-generation leaders from marginalised communities, most became family fiefdoms.
— In his 2024 Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised to bring one lakh first-generation youth into politics. However, the question remains: what role will they play?
— If they are to simply strengthen party organisations, such workers already exist. If they aspire to contest in Assembly and Parliament elections, the challenge is significant.
— What this has done is create a cycle that has entrenched dynastic politics: once a family amasses significant power (and as a result wealth), it is better poised than a newcomer to win elections. And winning elections, in turn, allows the family to amass even more power and influence.
— The Constitution does not prohibit dynastic politics or family dominance within political parties, despite enshrining principles like democratic socialism and the fundamental right to equality. But these principles are undermined when a handful of parivars hold so much sway over a country of more than a billion people.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Too much or too little — how politics has been hollowed out from governance
Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilisation of resources, growth, development and employment.
What’s the ongoing story: The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has announced that it will deploy Network Survey Vehicles (NSVs) in 23 states, covering 20,933 km of National Highways (NHs), for the collection, processing, and analysis of road inventory and pavement condition data.
Key Points to Ponder:
— What are the Network Survey Vehicles (NSVs)?
— What are issues related to road infrastructure in India?
— What is the Road Asset Management System (RAMS)?
— What is the role and function of the NHAI?
Key Takeaways:
— The agency has said that these specialised vehicles will enable it to collect necessary data related to road and pavement condition, including all relevant road defects such as surface cracking, potholes, and patches.
— The NHAI has faced criticism regarding the poor condition of NHs, which leads to accidents and fatalities if it is not maintained properly. There are existing policy guidelines on surveying with NSV, which have been in place since 2019, mandating that the authority’s engineer and an independent engineer conduct surveys with NSV before issuing completion certificates for newly built highway stretches.
— Now, with this new assignment, NHAI aims to collect all necessary data by conducting various surveys and accessing available data from concerned agencies, processing and analysing the same and uploading it on the Road Asset Management System (RAMS) in the prescribed format.
— Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has developed RAMS (also called Datalake) to create a single road database for planning, budgeting, managing and maintaining the entire NH network in India through a systematic and scientific life cycle analysis.
— An NSV is usually a specialised van or SUV equipped with multiple sensors and instruments, such as Laser, Global Positioning System (GPS), Video image processing tools, High-resolution cameras, Inertial Measurement Units (IMU), and DMI (Distance Measuring Indicator).
— These vehicles will collect data on the condition of NHs. The collected data will be further used to make decisions for pavement maintenance, asset management, and infrastructure planning.
— Officials said that the data will be collected for all projects involving 2/4/6 and 8 lanes with NSV before the start of work and thereafter at regular intervals of six months.
— The pavement condition surveys will be carried out using a 3D laser-based NSV system, which is capable of capturing and reporting road defects automatically without any human intervention, with the help of high-resolution 360-degree cameras and other tools.
— NHAI has invited bids this month from qualified companies to implement this initiative. According to the terms of reference (TOR), the survey will capture 13 types of defects, including crack measurement, ravelling, patch area, potholes, edge break, roughness, rutting, lane marking, etc.
— The total length of NHs in India is 1.46 lakh km. Out of this, over 50,000 km stretch is managed by NHAI. According to the bid document, a total of 20,933 km stretch, covering 91,280 km lane length, has been identified for this special survey. It has been divided into five packages: north (2,687km), west (3,915km), centre (4,616km), south (4,537km), and east (5,179km).
Do You Know:
— The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is an autonomous agency of the Indian Government tasked with the development, maintenance, and management of National Highways and expressways in the country, along with Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).
— The NHAI is responsible for ensuring that National Highways and expressways remain pothole-free. However, State Highways and District Roads are constructed and maintained by state governments, with their Public Works Departments (PWDs) tasked with the repair and upkeep of these roads.
— NHAI plays a crucial role beyond managing and developing the country’s highway system. It is authorised to levy fees on National Highways and regulate vehicle movement, ensuring efficient management and development of the road network.
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍Road accidents in Jharkhand, Punjab, Bihar & UP caused more deaths than injuries: NCRB report
Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
(6) Which one among the following statements about National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is not correct? (CDS 2023)
(a) NHAI collects fees on the National Highway.
(b) NHAI conducts training of Highway Engineers at entry level and in -service.
(c) NHAI provides consultancy and construction services in India and abroad.
(d) NHAI regulates and controls the plying of vehicles for its proper management.
| ALSO IN NEWS | |
| Please mind the gap | A recent newspaper report (IE, October 22, ) mentions that the government is considering a scheme to attract “Indian-origin star faculty” in STEM areas to come and work in Indian institutions. The idea is to capitalise on the Donald Trump administration’s recent policies of squeezing higher education and research in the US, and strengthen the research ecosystem in our country.
The idea of harnessing NRI talent is not a new one — previous schemes offered them short-term positions for collaborative research. On the face of it, the scheme sounds like a win-win for all. The researchers will get to work in a relatively benign environment, be closer to their roots, and possibly feel a sense of pride in contributing to the motherland while we would gain from their experience and competence. However, as they say, the devil is in the details. Read more. |
| PRELIMS ANSWER KEY |
| 1. (b) 2. (a) 3. (a) 4. (d) 5. (c) 6. (b) |
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