Legal Current Affairs for 31 December 2025

It is modeled primarily on ships depicted in the Ajanta cave paintings (cave no 17) as no original blueprints survive for such vessels.
It has been built under a tripartite agreement project (2023) between Ministry of Culture, Indian Navy and Hodi Innovations (funded by the Ministry of Culture).
Unlike modern naval vessels, Kaundinya has no engine, relying entirely on wind power through sails.
Nature and Purpose of the Vessel: Although owned and operated by the Indian Navy, It is not a combat ship.

A NBFC is a company registered under the Companies Act, 1956 or Companies Act, 2013.
NBFCs are engaged primarily in lending, investment in securities, and leasing or hire-purchase activities.
Difference between functions of NBFC and Banks:
NBFCs cannot accept demand deposits.
NBFCs do not form part of the payment and settlement system and cannot issue cheques drawn on itself;
Deposit insurance facility of Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC) is not available to depositors of deposit taking NBFCs.

Built on Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service and Microsoft Foundry, integrating AI assistants, automated workflows, and cloud infrastructure.
It has built-in access to India’s criminal laws through integrated AI RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) and open-source intelligence.
It helps investigators link cases, analyse digital evidence, and respond to threats faster and more effectively.
It is capable of carrying out “suspect profiling in real time”.

Launched by: National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) in 2022 under its existing watershed and wadi programmes.
Aim: To ensure using the principles of agroecology long-term sustainability and transform the pre-existing social and natural capital, and nudge the farming community towards natural farming.

It is a Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) system used for: long-range artillery bombardment and softening enemy positions before close combat.
It has been designed by the Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) in association with the High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL).
The project was developed with support from the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) and the Research Centre Imarat (RCI).

Historical Background: Previously, it was the British Somaliland Protectorate, and it formally became a British colony in 1920. Gained independence as the State of Somaliland in 1960 before voluntarily merging with Italian Somaliland to form Somalia.
It declared independence in 1991 after the fall of Siad Barre’s regime, following large-scale human rights abuses against the Isaaq clan, which is dominant in Somaliland.
Operates with de facto autonomy, having its own currency, passports, police, and capital (Hargeisa), but lacks international recognition until now.
Strategic Location: Somaliland lies in the Horn of Africa, an East African peninsula extending into the Gulf of Aden, Somali Sea, and Guardafui Channel, comprising Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia.
The region overlooks critical global shipping routes, with the Bab el-Mandeb Strait located near Djibouti and Eritrea, linking the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean.
Security & Military Dimensions: Somaliland presents Israel with a strategic opportunity, offering a potential forward base for intelligence, logistics, and counter-Houthi operations, as well as a possible location for resettling Palestinians. The UAE operates a military port and airstrip in Berbera (port city).

About: It is a proposed new law to create a unified regulatory architecture for higher education in India, framed under Entry 66 (determination of standards for higher education) of the Union List of the Constitution.
Its core purpose is to empower Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) to achieve excellence through effective coordination and the determination of standards.
Need of the Bill: To overhaul the higher education regulatory framework in line with NEP 2020 by eliminating overlapping authorities, simplifying regulation, and reducing compliance burdens so institutions can focus on academic excellence.
Proposed Major Changes:
Establishes a New Apex Body: The Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan will be set up as the overarching authority. The Council of Architecture (CoA) will function as a Professional Standard Setting Body (PSSB), as envisaged in NEP 2020.
Creates Three Specialized Councils:
Viksit Bharat Shiksha Viniyaman Parishad: The Regulatory Council for coordination and maintenance of standards.
Viksit Bharat Shiksha Gunvatta Parishad: The independent Accreditation Council.
Viksit Bharat Shiksha Manak Parishad: The Standards Council for specifying minimum academic standards.

About: He was a 15th–16th century Bhakti saint who holds a high position in Assam’s history, society, culture, and religious beliefs. His diverse contributions led to a new phase of Assamese literature and culture, making him an important figure in the Indian Bhakti movement.
Early Life and Background: Born in October 1449 to a family of Siromani Bhuyans (landed gentry), he undertook a transformative pilgrimage across North India in 1481 and composed his first Borgeet (devotional songs) at Badarikashrama (Badrinath).
He faced opposition from kings and orthodox sections, shifted locations frequently, and passed away in 1568.