News In Short 26-12-2025

Constitution of India Released in Santhali Language

Syllabus: GS1/Culture

Context

• President Droupadi Murmu released the Constitution of India in the Santhali language.

About

• The Constitution of India is now available in the Santhali language, written in the Ol Chiki script.
• The Santhali language was included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution through the 92nd Amendment Act, 2003.
• It is spoken by a significant number of tribal people in Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal and Bihar.

Eighth Schedule

• The Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India lists the official languages of the Republic of India.
• Part XVII of the Indian Constitution deals with the official languages in Articles 343 to 351.
• The Eighth Schedule includes the recognition of the following 22 languages:
  • Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Bodo, Santhali, Maithili and Dogri.
  • Of these languages, 14 were initially included in the Constitution. Subsequently, Sindhi was added in 1967; Konkani, Manipuri and Nepali were added in 1992; and Bodo, Dogri, Maithili and Santhali were added by the 92nd Amendment Act of 2003.
• English is absent from the list of 22 languages in the Eighth Schedule. It is one of the 99 non-scheduled languages of India.

Source: TH

Dhanu Yatra

Syllabus: GS1/Culture

In News

• Recently, ‘Dhanu Yatra’ was inaugurated at Bargarh in Odisha. 

Dhanu Yatra

• It is the largest open-air theatre in the world and  It attracts thousands of visitors from across Odisha and beyond.
• It is the eleven-day annual cultural spectacle that brings mythology, tradition and performance together in a unique celebration .
• It transforms the entire town into the mythical city of Mathura and dramatizes episodes from Lord Krishna’s life, from his birth to the death of King Kansa. 
• The Central Government has accorded National Festival status to ‘Dhanu Yatra’.

Source: Air

National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) linked to the National Population Register (NPR)

Syllabus: GS3/ Internal Security

Context

• The National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID), has been linked to the National Population Register (NPR), aimed at strengthening intelligence gathering and expediting criminal investigations.

What is the National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID)?

• NATGRID is a real-time intelligence and data-access platform developed after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks (2008) to enable seamless information-sharing across agencies.
• It functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and consolidates over 20 categories of civil and commercial data, such as bank transactions, telecom usage, passport/immigration records, tax IDs, police FIRs (CCTNS), and other e-governance sources.
• Data accessibility: Initially restricted to;
  • Intelligence Bureau (IB), the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), and the National Investigation Agency (NIA), 
  • The Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) etc.
• Access to NATGRID is now available to Superintendent of Police (SP) rank officers.

Gandiva: The Analytical Backbone of NATGRID

• Gandiva’ is an upgraded analytical tool deployed on the NATGRID platform.
• It supports multi-source data collection, facial recognition, and entity resolution.
  • If an image of a suspect is available, Gandiva can match it with Telecom KYC databases, Driving licences, Vehicle registration records and Other photo identity documents.

Significance of Linking NATGRID with NPR

• The integration allows agencies to access verified family-linked demographic information of suspects or persons of interest.
  • Access to NPR data through Gandiva allows retrieval of details of all family members linked to a suspect, if available.
• Family linkage enables network analysis, helping investigators identify associates, safe houses, and movement patterns.

Source: TH

Rabies

Syllabus: GS2/Health

Context

• India accounts for about one-third of the world’s 59,000 annual rabies deaths, nearly 20,000 cases, the highest for any country.

About

• Rabies is a serious public health problem in over 150 countries and territories, mainly in Asia and Africa. 
• It is a viral, zoonotic, neglected tropical disease affecting the central nervous system.
• Caused by the Rabies virus (genus Lyssavirus, family Rhabdoviridae).
• Transmission: In up to 99% of the human rabies cases, dogs are responsible for virus transmission.
  • Rabies spreads to people and animals via saliva, usually through bites, scratches, or direct contact with mucosa (e.g. eyes, mouth, or open wounds). 
• Fatality: Once clinical symptoms appear, rabies is virtually 100% fatal.
• There is no cure after symptom onset.
• In India, the National Action Plan for Dog-Mediated Rabies Elimination (NAPRE) aims for zero human deaths by 2030.

Source: TH

New Entrants in India’s Domestic Aviation Market

Syllabus: GS3/ Infrastructure

Context

• The Ministry of Civil Aviation has granted No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to two new airlines, Al Hind Air and FlyExpress, clearing the way for their launch next year.
  • In 2026, apart from these two carriers, Uttar Pradesh-based Shankh Air, which already has a No Objection Certificate (NOC), is likely to start operations.

India’s Aviation Industry Scenario

• India has emerged as the world’s third-largest domestic aviation market. 
• India currently has nine scheduled domestic airlines in operation.
• IndiGo and the Air India Group (Air India and Air India Express) together account for over 90 per cent of the domestic market.
• IndiGo alone holds more than 65 percent market share, intensifying concerns over a de facto duopoly.
• Other scheduled carriers include Akasa Air, SpiceJet, Star Air, Fly91, and IndiaOne Air.
• Systemic Concerns: The dominance of IndiGo was highlighted when about 4,500 flights were cancelled recently.
  • It has intensified concerns over systemic risks and limited resilience arising from heavy dependence on a single carrier in India’s domestic aviation market.

Source: TH

Samudra Pratap’

Syllabus: GS3/Defence; Environment 

In News

• The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) inducted the first in-built Pollution Control Vessel (PCV), SAMUDRA PRATAP (Yard 1267) under the 02 PCV project of Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL). 

‘Samudra Pratap’ 

• It is the first indigenously designed and built Pollution Control Vessel of the Indian Coast Guard. 
• It is the largest ship in the ICG fleet, significantly enhancing the Coast Guard’s operational reach and capability.
• It is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including a 30mm CRN-91 gun, two 12.7mm stabilised remote-controlled guns with integrated fire control systems, an indigenously developed Integrated Bridge System, Integrated Platform Management System, Automated Power Management System, and a high-capacity external firefighting system.
• With over 60% indigenous content, the induction of this ship reinforces the vision of Government’s  Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives.

Source :PIB