News In Short 21-August-2025

Vice-President of India

Syllabus: GS2/Polity and Governance

Context

• The BJP-led NDA and the Congress-led Opposition parties have announced their respective candidates for the post of the Vice-President of India.

About

• Article 66 of the Indian Constitution deals with the election of the Vice-President  overseen by the Election Commission. 
• The Vice-President is elected by an Electoral College comprising members of both Houses of Parliament, including nominated members. State legislatures play no role in this election.
• Procedure: The election is conducted by secret ballot, using the single transferable vote (STV) system of proportional representation. Each MP ranks the candidates in order of preference (1, 2, 3, etc).
  • A candidate must secure a majority quota (more than half the total valid votes) to win. 
  • If no candidate achieves this on first preferences, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and their votes transferred based on next preferences. This continues until one candidate crosses the threshold. 
• Term of Office (Article 67): 
  • 5 years from the date he enters office.
  • Eligible for re-election any number of times.
  • Continues to hold office until successor enters office.

Source: TH

Pseudomonas Aeruginosa

Syllabus :GS2/Health 

Context 

• Researchers from Germany found that the deadly bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa shows bistable expression of the glpD gene .

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

• Pseudomonas is a group of bacteria commonly found in the environment, like in soil and water. 
• The most common type causing infections among humans is Pseudomonas aeruginosa which is a gram-negative, aerobic, non-spore forming rod that is capable of causing a variety of infections.
  • P. aeruginosa can cause infections in the blood, lungs (pneumonia), urinary tract, or other parts of the body after surgery.

Outcomes of Recent Research 

• Pseudomonas aeruginosa exhibits bistable expression—meaning its activity varies significantly among genetically identical cells.
• This variation affects the bacterium’s ability to cause infections, shown by tests on moth larvae and mouse immune cells. 
• The study suggests targeting this gene’s variable expression could help combat P. aeruginosa infections, a major concern in hospitals.

Source : TH

37 supercomputers with 40 Petaflops Computing Power installed Under NSM

Syllabus: GS3/ Science and Technology

Context

• National Supercomputing Mission Powers India’s Research Ecosystem with 37 supercomputers with a total computing power of 40 Petaflops.

National Supercomputing Mission (NSM)

• The National Supercomputing Mission (NSM) was initiated in April 2015 with a budget outlay of Rs.4,500 crore. 
• Its vision is to achieve self-reliance and global leadership in supercomputing by giving access to state-of-the-art supercomputing facilities to researchers, and enhancing global competitiveness in key areas of supercomputing technologies.
• The NSM is being jointly implemented by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST) through Centre for Development of Advanced Computing(C-DAC), Pune and Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru. 

Indigenous Technological Achievements

• India has developed end-to-end capabilities in designing, developing, and manufacturing HPC hardware and software stacks.
• PARAM Rudra: Deployed at GMRT Pune, IUAC Delhi, and S.N. Bose Centre Kolkata.
  • Built with Rudra servers, the first indigenously designed HPC-class servers at par with global standards.
  • Strengthens local electronics manufacturing under Atmanirbhar Bharat.
• Trinetra Network: High-speed interconnect achieving 40–100 Gbps, enabling faster communication between computing nodes.
• PARAM Shavak: A compact desktop supercomputer designed for educational and research institutions.

Source: PIB

International Solar Alliance (ISA) 

Syllabus :GS3/Environment 

In News

• The International Solar Alliance (ISA) will establish 17 centres of excellence globally and a Global Capability Centre in India to serve as a “Silicon Valley for solar” by the end of 2025.
  • These centres will offer training, testing, and startup support, with potential expansion to 50. 

International Solar Alliance

• It is a global initiative launched in 2015 by India and France at COP21 in Paris. 
• It has 123 Member and Signatory Countries. 
• It is headquartered at Gurugram in India.
• It partners with global institutions to deploy solar solutions, especially in Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States, aiming to provide clean, affordable energy and drive sustainable development.
  •  India has installed 119 GW of solar capacity as of July 2025.

Objectives 

• It  aims to boost solar energy adoption globally by 2030, reduce technology and financing costs, and promote solar use across sectors like agriculture, health, transport, and power. 
• It supports solar-friendly policies, standardisation, investment mobilization, and training. 

Source : TH

India Successfully Test-Fires Agni-5 Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile

Syllabus: GS3/ Defence

Context

• India recently carried out a successful launch of the Agni-5 ballistic missile under the command of the Strategic Forces Command (SFC). 
  • Strategic Forces Command (SFC) is a part of India’s Nuclear Command Authority (NCA) responsible for the management, training, and operational deployment of India’s tactical and strategic nuclear weapons arsenal.

About Agni-5 Missile

• Type: Nuclear-capable Surface-to-Surface Ballistic Missile (SSBM).
  • SSBM Powered by rockets initially, but follow an unpowered ballistic trajectory after burnout, arching upwards before descending onto the target.
• Range: Over 5,000 km, placing it in the category of Intermediate Range Ballistic Missiles (IRBM).
• Propulsion: Three-stage solid-fuel engine.
• Developer: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
• Programme Link: Part of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP), under which other missiles like Prithvi, Trishul, Nag, and Akash were also developed.
• MIRV Capability: Can be equipped with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicles (MIRVs), enabling a single missile to carry and deliver multiple warheads at different targets.
• Strategic Status: Puts India in the elite club of nations like the US, Russia, China, and France, which possess similar missile technology.

Source: TH

Exercise Samanvay Shakti 2025

Syllabus :GS3/Defence

In News

• Indian Army has initiated Exercise Samanvay Shakti 2025  in Tinsukia district of Assam.

Exercise Samanvay Shakti 2025

• It is  a landmark collaboration with state officials of Assam & Manipur to foster efficient cooperation, cohesion and mutual understanding.
• It is a 10 day  Military-Civil Integration Exercise which aims at fostering synergy between security forces, government departments and civil institutions to address the region’s complex challenges through a unified and coordinated approach.
• Participation:   The Indian Army, Indian Air Force, District Administration, Police, Intelligence Agencies, NDRF, SDRF, Medical Officials, BRO & GREF, Railways, educational institutions and security officials from OIL India, IOCL and Coal India alongwith representatives of the local media.

Source :Air

Rugby-centric Bronco Test

Syllabus: Miscellaneous

Context

• The BCCI has reportedly introduced a rugby-centric Bronco fitness test for Indian players in an effort to ensure consistently high fitness standards.

About

• It will now be used alongside the established Yo-Yo test and 2-kilometer time trial to assess players’ readiness for international competition.
• The Bronco Test is a high-intensity aerobic running drill designed to measure a player’s stamina, speed, and cardiovascular conditioning.
  • It involves shuttle runs of 20, 40, and 60 meters, the goal is to finish the test within six minutes.
• The Yo-Yo Test has been a key component of India’s fitness regime since 2017, it involves running between two cones placed 20 metres apart, with the pace increasing at each level.
  • Players are allowed a 10-second recovery period after every 40-metre run. To pass, a minimum score of 17.1 is required.
• While the Yo-Yo Test focuses on interval recovery and agility, the Bronco Test is designed to assess continuous aerobic endurance.
  • Together, the two tests offer a more comprehensive assessment of a player’s overall fitness.
• 2 KM Time Trial: The BCCI also continues to utilise a 2-kilometre time trial, with specific benchmarks set for different roles: fast bowlers must complete it in 8 minutes 15 seconds. 

Source: IE