{"id":83081,"date":"2026-08-25T18:20:57","date_gmt":"2026-08-25T12:50:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=83081"},"modified":"2026-08-25T18:26:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-25T12:56:11","slug":"news-in-short-25-08-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/25-08-2026\/news-in-short-25-08-2026","title":{"rendered":"News In Short 25-08-2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Vaishya Tekri<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS1\/History<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Madhya Pradesh government has begun restoring Buddhist monuments linked to the Mauryan emperor Ashoka, starting with a <strong>fresh excavation at Vaishya Tekri in Ujjain.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The largest stupa, popularly called <strong>Vaisya Tekri,<\/strong> is about 350 feet at its base and 100 feet high. Nearby is a smaller stupa, called Kumbhar (or Kumhar) Tekri.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Initial excavations by the Department of Archaeology of the erstwhile Gwalior State in 1938\u201339 unveiled <strong>large bricks and punch-marked coins,<\/strong> prompting archaeologists to <strong>date the structures to the Mauryan period.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>A stupa is a dome-shaped structure<\/strong> traditionally used as a Buddhist religious monument, symbolizing the burial mound of the Buddha.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The term &#8220;stupa&#8221; originates from Sanskrit,<\/strong> meaning &#8220;to heap&#8221; or &#8220;pile up,&#8221; reflecting the mounded design of these monuments.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Ashoka\u2019s years in Ujjain<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Ujjayini <\/strong>(modern Ujjain), on the banks of the <strong>Sipra<\/strong>, a tributary of the Chambal, was the <strong>capital of Avanti <\/strong>and an important commercial centre.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Historians note that Ujjain was a major crossroads, linking trade routes to western coastal ports such as Broach and Sopir\u00e0, as well as to Pataliputra.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ashoka was sent to Avanti as viceroy by his father, Bindusara.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>He is believed to have spent about a decade in Avanti, with Ujjain as his headquarters.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>He was then appointed to the viceroyalty at Ujjain in recognition of his work.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: IE&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Right to Walk: Strengthening Pedestrian Safety in India<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/Governance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>After the Supreme Court\u2019s order recognising the right to walk on footpaths as a fundamental right, Andhra Pradesh became the first state in the country to <strong>formulate a dedicated Pedestrian Safety &amp; Universal Accessibility Policy in 2026.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About the Policy<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The policy mandates a <strong>three-step system <\/strong>to address the issue \u2014 road safety audits, fixing footpath infrastructure (including removal of encroachments) and behavioural change.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Footpath Audits: <\/strong>At least 15\u201320 pedestrian black spots with frequent injuries or deaths during the previous 2\u20133 years will be prioritised.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Authorities must survey <strong>20% of roads<\/strong> within <strong>one year<\/strong> to identify additional pedestrian-crossing requirements.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The policy will <strong>apply to all local body areas,<\/strong> including urban fringes, peri-urban areas, satellite towns and rural areas.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The policy invokes <strong>section 198A of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988,<\/strong> under which officials, contractors, and consultants can be fined<strong> Rs 1 lakh<\/strong> if infrastructural or design failures cause pedestrian death or disability.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Status of Pedestrian Safety in India<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In 2024, pedestrians accounted for 36,526 of the <strong>1.77 lakh road accident<\/strong> deaths in India, constituting around <strong>one-fifth <\/strong>of all road fatalities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Around 31% <\/strong>of pedestrian deaths occur on National Highways, highlighting the risks associated with high-speed corridors and inadequate pedestrian infrastructure.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Two-wheelers accounted for more than<strong> 28%<\/strong> of pedestrian fatalities, followed by cars and taxis at around <strong>25%<\/strong>, while trucks\/lorries and buses also contributed significantly.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ebecf0\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Right To Walk<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Supreme Court of India formally declared the &#8220;right to walk&#8221; on safe, well-maintained, and demarcated footpaths a fundamental right in the case of <strong>Maniyar Iliyaz @ Shaik Riyaz v. P. Ayyappan &amp; Ors.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The right to walk flows from <strong>Article 19(1)(d) (freedom of movement) <\/strong>and <strong>Article 21 (right to life and personal liberty).<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/andhra-pradesh-pedestrian-safety-policy-right-to-walk-explained-10844698\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>IE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Garbhini Mitra Course<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/Governance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>In News<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) has introduced the <strong>Garbhini Mitra Course<\/strong> for the 2026\u20132027 academic session.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Garbhini Mitra Course<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is a structured healthcare skill-development programme aimed to create trained personnel to provide appropriate health education, lifestyle guidance, and community-level support to women during pregnancy and the postnatal period.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It admits 20 students per batch.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is rooted in the traditional Ayurvedic concepts of <strong>Garbhini Paricharya (antenatal care), Sutika Paricharya (postnatal care), and Garbhadhana Vidhi (pre-conceptional care).<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It equips participants with practical skills in trimester-specific dietetics, lifestyle modifications, pregnancy-safe yoga, emotional support during labour, newborn massage, and basic life support protocols.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is offered at the AIIA campus in Sarita Vihar, New Delhi<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Eligibility<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Candidates who have passed the Senior Secondary (10+2) examination from any recognized board in India and are at least 18 years of age are eligible to apply.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Candidates currently awaiting their 12th-grade results may also submit provisional applications.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source:<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pib.gov.in\/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2302658&amp;reg=1&amp;lang=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>PIB<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Polysilicon Manufacturing in India<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Science &amp; Technology<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The government is considering a new Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for polysilicon manufacturing to develop an integrated domestic solar PV supply chain.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>India\u2019s Solar Manufacturing Position<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India has around <strong>163 GW<\/strong> of installed solar power capacity, making solar the country\u2019s largest source of renewable energy.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India has developed substantial downstream manufacturing capacity, with around <strong>173 GW<\/strong> of solar module capacity and <strong>25\u201330 GW <\/strong>of cell manufacturing capacity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>However, domestic manufacturing remains incomplete because producers largely depend on imported polysilicon, ingots and wafers.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>China accounts for more than 85% of global PV supply capacity <\/strong>and has an integrated presence across the entire solar manufacturing chain.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is Polysilicon?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Polysilicon is a highly <strong>purified form of silicon<\/strong> used as the basic material for manufacturing <strong>crystalline silicon solar cells.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is produced from <strong>silicon-bearing raw materials<\/strong> such as <strong>quartz\/silica<\/strong> through energy-intensive purification processes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Solar-grade polysilicon<\/strong> requires very high purity, as impurities can affect the performance of solar cells.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"181818\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-232.png\" alt=\"from silicon to solar panel\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-83082\" style=\"--dominant-color: #181818; aspect-ratio:1.7756118950809217;width:526px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-232.png 696w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-232-300x169.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"d4cabf\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-233-819x1024.png\" alt=\"india\u2019s solar manufacturing position\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-83083\" style=\"--dominant-color: #d4cabf; aspect-ratio:0.7998138370921964;width:415px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-233-819x1024.png 819w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-233-240x300.png 240w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-233-768x960.png 768w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-233.png 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/theprint.in\/feature\/india-polysilicon-manufacturing-solar-supply-chain\/3020708\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>The Print<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>INS Mangrol<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Defence<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u2018<strong>Mangrol\u2019,<\/strong> the <strong>third Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft<\/strong> built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Kochi, was delivered to the Indian Navy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Mangrol <\/strong>derives its name from the <strong>coastal town and minor port of \u2018Mangrol\u2019, <\/strong>located in Gujarat, which is a prominent harbour for the marine fishing industry.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The ship also encapsulates the <strong>legacy of erstwhile INS Mangrol,<\/strong> an Indian Naval Minesweeper which remained in service till 2004.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The ship comprises <strong>over 80% indigenous content <\/strong>and is equipped for underwater surveillance, Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) operations in coastal waters, Low-Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO), along with mine warfare capabilities.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The ship is propelled by waterjets and equipped with state-of-the-art Torpedoes, Anti-Submarine rockets, along with advanced radars and sonars.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The delivery of Mangrol is yet another milestone in the Indian Navy\u2019s indigenous shipbuilding journey and a reaffirmation of the Government\u2019s vision of \u2018Aatmanirbhar Bharat\u2019.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pib.gov.in\/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2302253&amp;reg=3&amp;lang=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>PIB<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong> Context <\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> The Madhya Pradesh government has begun restoring Buddhist monuments linked to the Mauryan emperor Ashoka, starting with a fresh excavation at Vaishya Tekri in Ujjain. <\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><strong> About <\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> The largest stupa, popularly called Vaisya Tekri, is about 350 feet at its base and 100 feet high. Nearby is a smaller stupa, called Kumbhar (or Kumhar) Tekri.\u00a0 <\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> Initial excavations by the Department of Archaeology of the erstwhile Gwalior State in 1938\u201339 unveiled large bricks and punch-marked coins, prompting archaeologists to date the structures to the Mauryan period. <\/li>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/25-08-2026\/news-in-short-25-08-2026\" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-sm float-end\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-83081","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83081","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=83081"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83081\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":83087,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83081\/revisions\/83087"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=83081"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=83081"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=83081"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}