NEXT IAS Current Affairs Team - Current Affairs

Context

The Union Finance Minister introduced the Securities Markets Code Bill 2025 in the Lok Sabha.

About

The Bill proposes to consolidate the;

Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956,

Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Act, 1992, and

Goa Liberation Day

Context

December 19 marks the day Goa was liberated from Portuguese rule and formally integrated into India in 1961.

Course of the Invasion

First capture (1510): Albuquerque seized Goa with help from the local chieftain Timoji.

Loss of Goa: Adil Shah’s forces recaptured Goa during the monsoon.

Final conquest (November 1510): Albuquerque returned with reinforcements and decisively defeated Bijapur forces.

Sabka Bima Sabki Raksha (Amendment of Insurance Laws) Bill

Published on: 19th December, 2025

The Sabka Bima Sabki Raksha (Amendment of Insurance Laws) Bill, 2025 allows 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the insurance sector, marking a major liberalisation reform.

संक्षिप्त समाचार 19-12-2025

संदर्भ

प्रसार भारती ने सांस्कृतिक पहुँच को बढ़ावा देने और सामग्री का मुद्रीकरण करने के लिए मसौदा सामग्री प्रसारण नीति, 2025 तैयार की है।

परिचय

इस नीति का उद्देश्य दूरदर्शन और आकाशवाणी द्वारा निर्मित सामग्री, राष्ट्रीय एवं क्षेत्रीय अभिलेखीय सामग्री, तथा लाइव कवरेज (सरकारी कार्यक्रम, त्यौहार, खेल आदि) का मुद्रीकरण करना है।

इसमें प्रसार भारती के OTT प्लेटफ़ॉर्म पर प्रकाशित डिजिटल-प्रथम सामग्री को भी शामिल किया गया है।

Headlines of the Day 19-December-2025

Consider ‘ground realities’ in various States, SC tells EC

News In Short 18-12-2025

Context

Ice cores from the Pamir Mountains are being studied to understand why its glaciers have resisted melting despite global warming.

What is the Pamir–Karakoram Anomaly?

It refers to the unusual behaviour of glaciers in parts of the Pamir and Karakoram ranges.

Unlike most glaciers worldwide, these glaciers have:

Shown resistance to melting, and

How India’s Science and Technology Ecosystem Strengthened in 2025

Context

India’s science and technology (S&T) landscape witnessed significant momentum in 2025, marked by improved global rankings, large-scale funding for research and innovation, and advances in frontier technologies.

Rising global standing in science and innovation

It secured the 38th position in the Global Innovation Index 2025, reflecting steady progress among the world’s most innovative economies.

The country ranked 6th globally in intellectual property filings, underlining growing innovation output, and improved sharply in the Network Readiness Index, rising from 79th in 2019 to 49th in 2024.

India also placed third globally in research publications, reinforcing its expanding academic and scientific footprint.

India Tops Global Doping Violations: WADA Report 2024

In News

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Report 2024 has ranked India as the worst doping offender globally for the third consecutive year, recording 260 Adverse Analytical Findings (AAFs) with a positivity rate of 3.6%.

About

In contrast, countries such as China (0.2%), France (0.8%), Russia (0.7%) and the US (1.1%) recorded far lower positivity rates despite wider testing programs.

This comes at a crucial time when India is preparing to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games and bidding for the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has expressed concerns over India’s doping record, flagging it as a reputational and governance risk.

Supreme Court Clarifies Aravalli Boundaries, Regulates Mining

Context

The Supreme Court, in a recent order, settled on a uniform definition of the Aravalli hills and ranges, and paused the grant of fresh mining leases across Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat.

Significance of the Aravalli Range

The Aravalli Range, stretching over approximately 692 kilometres (430 miles) in a northeastern direction, traverses the Indian states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Haryana before culminating in Delhi, is the oldest mountain range in India.

Rajasthan accounts for nearly two-thirds of the mountain range.

It acts as a critical ecological barrier preventing the eastward expansion of the Thar Desert into Haryana, Rajasthan, and western Uttar Pradesh.