Your College Notes

Blinking Text
Blinking Text

📞 011-69270320

Menu
start learning

Current Affairs 04 January 2026

Adult Skill Assessment Survey

  • Conducting Body: The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) will conduct the survey using the Comprehensive Modular Survey (CMS) framework, at the request of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE).
  • CMS enables the conduct of targeted, short-duration household surveys on specific topics (narrower in scope and shorter in duration) to address immediate policy needs of ministries and departments.
  • Scope & Objective: It will cover the population aged 18 years and above (3-month survey), categorising their abilities into basic, intermediate, and advanced skill levels.
  • Need of the Survey: The need is urgent as India’s working-age population (15-59 year) is projected to reach 68.9% by 2030. Presently, there is no dedicated data on overall skill levels in India. 
  • Data Gaps in Existing Surveys: The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) only records whether individuals have received vocational or technical training, not the quality or level of skills acquired. This limits the ability to assess workforce readiness accurately. 
  • Skill–Employability Mismatch: Nearly three-fourths of the employed population possess only basic education. Employability among graduates is just 54.8%, highlighting a serious mismatch between education outcomes and labour market needs.
  • Trends in Vocational Training: The share of those aged 15–59 receiving vocational/technical training rose to 34.7% in 2023–24, up from 27.4% in 2022–23.
  • However, rising participation has not translated proportionately into employability, reinforcing the need for skill-quality assessment.

National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID)

  • NATGRID: It is a secure, integrated intelligence-sharing platform designed to help law enforcement and security agencies access multiple databases in real time for counter-terrorism and criminal investigations.
  • NATGRID was conceived in 2009, in the aftermath of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks (2008), to overcome information silos among security agencies and enable faster, intelligence-led responses. 
  • It became operational in 2023 and currently processes around 45,000 data access requests per month from authorised agencies.
  • Initially limited to 10 central agencies (IB, RAW, NIA, ED, FIU, NCB, DRI, etc.) had access. It has now been expanded to SP-rank officers of State police, strengthening Centre–State coordination.

Amazonian Stingless Bees

  • About: They are native stingless pollinators of the Amazon rainforest, traditionally protected and cultivated by Indigenous communities.
  • They are among the oldest bee species on Earth, responsible for pollinating over 80% of Amazonian flora.
  • They are not completely devoid of a stinger; rather they possess a vestigial stinger that is too small to be used for defense. Hence, they defend their hives by biting or secreting irritating resins.

Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE)

  • The BEE under the Ministry of Power, was established in 2002 under the Energy Conservation Act, 2001
  • BEE’s vision is to drive accelerated and sustained adoption of energy efficiency across sectors, contributing to India’s sustainable development.
  • The BEE performs key regulatory functions that include developing minimum energy performance standards and star labelling for appliances, formulating Energy Conservation Building Codes, and prescribing energy consumption norms for designated consumers. 
  • It also certifies and accredits Energy Managers and Energy Auditors, defines the manner and periodicity of mandatory energy audits  for tracking energy use and implementation of audit recommendations.

Bulgaria officially adopted the euro, becoming the 21st member of the Eurozone, nearly 20 years after joining the European Union, a move with major economic, political, and geopolitical implications.

  • Bulgaria gave up the lev, in circulation since the late 19th century, marking a full transition to the euro.
  • Rationale: Euro adoption aims to boost trade, improve market transparency, and attract investment in Bulgaria (EU’s poorest member state).
  • It will deepen Bulgaria’s integration with the European Union, reinforcing its Western alignment and reducing Russian economic influence.
  • Eurozone: The Maastricht Treaty (1992) (also known as the Treaty on European Union) laid the foundation for the European Union by paving the way for a common Economic and Monetary Union, the adoption of the euro as a single legal tender, the creation of a unified central banking system through the European Central Bank (ECB), and the establishment of a common economic region (Eurozone).
  • The Eurozone comprises European Union Member States that have adopted the euro as their common currency. 
  • The eurozone was established with the official launch of the euro on 1st January 1999, in 11 countries.  With Croatia joining in 2023 and Bulgaria’s adoption, the euro is now used by over 350 million people across Europe.

National Investigation Agency (NIA)

  • Status & Mandate: The NIA is India’s federal counter-terror agency responsible for investigating and prosecuting terrorism, insurgency and national security crimes of pan-India impact.
  • Legal Powers: Established in 2009 under the NIA Act, 2008  and strengthened by the NIA (Amendment) Act, 2019, it can take over cases from States, investigate across State boundaries without prior consent, and exercise extra-territorial jurisdiction.
  • Core Functions: The NIA collects, analyses and disseminates counter-terror intelligence, coordinates with domestic and international law-enforcement agencies, and conducts capacity-building programmes to strengthen national security enforcement.
  • Taking Up a Probe: Under Section 6 of the NIA Act, 2008, cases can be referred by States or taken up suo motu by the Centre, including for offences committed outside India, with Central Government sanction required for prosecution under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 and other scheduled offences.
  • Specialised Focus & Trial: The NIA has dedicated mechanisms for Left Wing Extremism (LWE) terror-financing investigations, can probe connected offences during investigation, and presents cases before designated NIA Special Courts for trial.