Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG)
Syllabus: GS2/ Polity
In News
- The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has granted in-principle approval for setting up two new specialised cadres within the Indian Audit and Accounts Department (IA&AD).
Background
- At present, audits of Central receipts and expenditure are handled by different state-based offices, leading to duplication and uneven quality.
- The new structure aims to mirror international practices where revenue and expenditure audits are handled by specialised verticals, enhancing accountability and fiscal transparency.
About Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) (Articles 148 to 151)
- The CAG is the constitutional body responsible for auditing the accounts of the Union and States, ensuring accountability in the use of public funds.
- The CAG is appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal and functions as the guardian of the public purse.
- The salary and office expenses are charged on the Consolidated Fund of India, ensuring financial autonomy.
- The tenure of CAG is of 6 years or up to 65 years of age, whichever is earlier.
- CAG can be removed in the same manner and on the same grounds as a Supreme Court judge (proven misbehaviour or incapacity).
Duties and Powers (Article 149 & CAG’s Act, 1971)
- Audits all receipts and expenditures of the Centre and States.
- Examines accounts of government companies, corporations, and bodies substantially financed by government funds.
- Audits accounts of the Consolidated Fund, Contingency Fund, and Public Account of both Centre and States.
- Submits audit reports to the President (for Union accounts) and Governors (for State accounts), which are then laid before the Parliament or State Legislature.
Source: TH
Written Grounds Of Arrest Must Be Furnished In Language Arrestee Understands: SC
Syllabus: GS2/ Polity
In News
- The Supreme Court observed that failure to supply the written grounds of arrest to an arrestee in the language in which he/she understands renders the arrest and subsequent remand illegal.
About
- The Court stated that the genesis of informing the grounds of arrest to a person flows from the Constitutional safeguard provided in Article 21 of the Constitution.
- Article 22 of the Constitution further strengthens the protection of personal liberty of a person by providing that a person arrested must be informed of the grounds of his arrest at the earliest and should not be detained without informing him of such grounds.
- The SC cited that the arrest of an individual invariably impacts not only the person arrested himself, but also the persons associated with him, i.e. family, friends, relatives, etc., affecting their psychological balance and overall social well-being.
Source: TH
Abraham Accords
Syllabus: GS2/IR
Context
- The US President confirmed Kazakhstan has formally joined the Abraham Accords.
About Abraham Accords
- The Abraham Accords refer to a series of normalisation agreements signed in 2020 between Israel and several Arab countries, brokered by the United States under the Trump administration.
- For decades, most Arab nations refused to recognise Israel until the Palestinian issue was resolved.
- The Abraham Accords marked a major shift in Middle East diplomacy by establishing open relations between Israel and certain Arab states without prior resolution of the Israel–Palestine conflict.
- UAE became the first Gulf country to normalise relations with Israel in 2020 as part of the Abraham Accords.
- Countries: Israel, UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, Morocco and Kazakhstan.
Significance
- Marked a breakthrough in Arab–Israeli relations after decades of hostility.
- Reduced Israel’s regional isolation and expanded its diplomatic presence in the Arab world.
- Strengthened U.S. strategic influence in the Middle East.
- Created new economic and technological partnerships across the region.
Source: LM
GPS Spoofing
Syllabus: GS3/ Science & Technology
In News
- The IGI Airport has for the first time witnessed GPS spoofing.
About
- GPS spoofing happens when counterfeit satellite signals are broadcast to deceive GPS receivers, causing them to compute false position, navigation, and timing data.
- GPS spoofing can severely disrupt critical infrastructure across the aviation, logistics, telecommunications, energy, and defense sectors.
- GPS jamming is blocking of signals, spoofing feeds incorrect coordinates, making navigation systems misread the aircraft’s real location.
Source: TOI
India Unveils Its First Indigenous CAR-T Cell Therapy
Syllabus: GS2/Health; GS3/ S&T
In News
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched NexCAR19 for cancer care.
NexCAR19
- NexCAR19 is India’s first indigenous CAR T-cell therapy, developed collaboratively by ImmunoACT (incubated under IIT Bombay and Tata Memorial Hospital), with support from DBT and BIRAC.
- CAR (Chimeric Antigen Receptor) T-cell therapy works by genetically modifying a patient’s T-cells—a type of white blood cell with cytotoxic functions—into CAR T-cells that can specifically target and destroy cancer cells.
- NexCAR19 is designed for treating B-cell blood cancers, particularly leukemia and lymphoma, especially in patients whose cancer has relapsed or not responded to first-line therapies.
Relevence
- NexCAR19 marks India’s entry into the global league of advanced cell and gene therapy innovators, reinforcing its commitment to affordable, cutting-edge healthcare and biotech self-reliance.
Source: ET
State of the Climate Update for COP30
Syllabus: GS3/ Environment
In News
- The World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) “State of the Climate Update for COP30” report reveals that 2025 is projected to be the 2nd or 3rd warmest year on record.
Key Highlights
- The period from 2015 to 2025 marks the warmest 11 years in recorded history, with the last three years ranking as the hottest ever observed.
- The average global surface temperature between January and August stood 1.42°C (±0.12) above pre-industrial levels. This is slightly lower than 2024’s record figure of 1.55°C (±0.13), when the world recorded its first full year above 1.5°C.
- The report highlights that El Niño conditions—which drove record heat in 2023–24—eased into neutral or La Niña patterns in 2025.
- Atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O) hit record levels in 2024 and continue to rise into 2025.
Source: TOI
Khangchendzonga National Park Rated “Good” By IUCN
Syllabus: GS3/Environment
In News
- The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recently rated Khangchendzonga National Park as “good” in its latest global review of natural World Heritage sites.
Khangchendzonga National Park
- It is located at the heart of the Himalayan range in northern India (State of Sikkim).
- It is a part of Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve .
- It is the only Indian park to receive a “good” rating, while other important areas like the Western Ghats and Sundarbans are facing serious concerns.
- It is India’s first “mixed” UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognised in 2016 for its combination of natural beauty and cultural importance.
- It stretches from misty subtropical forests at lower altitudes to the icy summit of Mount Khangchendzonga at 8,586 metres, the world’s third-highest peak.
- The larger Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve, expanded in 2018, links core protected areas with buffer zones where villagers practice sustainable farming and harvesting.
- It also holds deep spiritual value for the Lepcha and Tibetan Buddhist communities
Source :Air
India Navy Commissions INS Ikshak
Syllabus: GS3/Defence
Context
- The Indian Navy has commissioned INS Ikshak, the third vessel of the Survey Vessel Large class, into active service during a ceremony held at the Naval Base in Kochi.
About INS Ikshak
- Meaning: Ikshak means “Guide” in Sanskrit — symbolizing its role in hydrographic precision.
- Built by: Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata.
- Indigenous Content: Over 80%, showcasing India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative and MSME collaboration.
- Purpose:
- Conducts coastal and deep-water hydrographic surveys of ports, harbours, and sea routes.
- Supports coastal defence, disaster relief, and medical missions.
Source: PIB
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