Context<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- India has retained its 131st rank<\/strong> on the Global Gender Gap Index 2026<\/strong> released by the World Economic Forum, with only 14 economies ranking below it.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
About<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- Since its inception in 2006<\/strong>, the index benchmarks progress towards gender parity across four dimensions<\/strong>: Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival, and Political Empowerment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The Index uses a 0 to 1 scale, where 1 represents full parity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Key Findings<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- Iceland has topped<\/strong> the ranking, followed by Finland and Norway. In fact, four economies, Iceland, Finland, Norway and Sweden, have appeared in the top 10 in every edition since 2006.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The last 3 places <\/strong>are occupied by- Pakistan (143rd); Iran (144th), and Chad (145th).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- At the current pace, the world is estimated to be 120 years <\/strong>away from achieving full gender parity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
India\u2019s Performance<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- India\u2019s overall gender parity score stands at 64.5%<\/strong>, with Educational Attainment <\/strong>recording the highest parity score at 96.6%<\/strong>, despite a marginal decline of 0.5 percentage points<\/strong> from the previous edition.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Health and Survival<\/strong> stands at 95.6%<\/strong>, while parity remains lower in Economic Participation and Opportunity <\/strong>at 41.2%<\/strong> and Political Empowerment <\/strong>at 24.5%<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Source: <\/strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nSohar Port<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Syllabus: GS1\/Places in News<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nContext<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- With the Strait of Hormuz in a chokehold due to Iran-U.S. hostilities, Oman has pitched investment opportunities to India in Sohar Port of Oman.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
About<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The Sohar port could provide uninterrupted access to energy resources from the Persian Gulf.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The port is located on the Omani coast on the Gulf of Oman,<\/strong> and ships can access hubs in the Gulf through this port as it sits far from the Strait of Hormuz.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Earlier, Oman had offered Duqm and Salalah ports to India<\/strong>, but the Sohar Port has the advantage of being located in the northeast of Oman,<\/strong> close to vital energy pipelines of the United Arab Emirates and eastern Saudi Arabia.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-129-937x1024.png\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nAbout Gulf of Oman<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The Gulf of Oman is the northwest arm of the Arabian Sea<\/strong>, between the eastern portion (Oman) of the Arabian Peninsula to the southwest and Iran to the north.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The gulf is 200 miles (320 km) wide between Cape al-\u1e24add in Oman and Gw\u0101dar Bay on the Pakistan\u2013Iran border.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- It is 350 miles (560 km) long and connects with the Persian Gulf to the northwest through the Strait of Hormuz.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The small ports along the gulf include <\/strong>\u1e62u\u1e25\u0101r, al-Kh\u0101b\u016brah, Muscat, and \u1e62\u016br, in Oman, and J\u0101sk and Bandar Behesht\u012b (formerly Ch\u0101h Bah\u0101r), in Iran.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Source: <\/strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nCensus Town<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Syllabus: GS2\/ Governance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nContext<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has told a Parliamentary Standing Committee that the 1981 criteria for identifying Census Towns<\/strong> no longer capture the actual scale and spatial diversity of India\u2019s urbanisation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
What is a Census Town?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- A Census Town is a settlement that continues to have a statutory rural status but satisfies demographic and occupational conditions indicating an urban character.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Under the criteria unchanged since 1981,<\/strong> a settlement must satisfy all three conditions:\n
\n- It must have a minimum population of 5,000.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- At least 75%<\/strong> of the male main working population must be engaged in non-agricultural activities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- It must have a population density of at least 400 persons per sq. km.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Scale of India\u2019s Urbanisation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- According to the 2011 Census,<\/strong> India had a population of about 121 crore<\/strong>, of which around 37.7 crore (31.2%)<\/strong> lived in urban areas and about 83.3 crore (68.8%) lived in rural areas.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- However, the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM)<\/strong> has estimated that India’s urbanisation level could have been as high as 63% in 2015.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Source: <\/strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nConstitutional Structure of the UK and the Independence Debate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Syllabus: GS2\/International Relations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nContext<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The Cardiff Agreement<\/strong>, signed by the leaders of pro-independence political parties in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland<\/strong>, has renewed debate over the future of the United Kingdom.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
About<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The British Isles, a group of over 6,000 islands <\/strong>located in northwestern Europe, comprises the two major islands of Great Britain and Ireland, besides several smaller islands.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Great Britain consists of three nations \u2014 England, Scotland, and Wales <\/strong>\u2014 whereas Ireland is made up of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- United Kingdom is the sovereign state<\/strong> consisting of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
How was the United Kingdom formed? <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- Wales and England:<\/strong> Wales was brought constitutionally into the Kingdom of England through the Laws in Wales Acts of 1535 and 1542.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- England and Scotland: <\/strong>The Acts of Union 1707 united the Kingdoms of England and Scotland, creating the Kingdom of Great Britain.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Great Britain and Ireland:<\/strong> The Acts of Union 1800 <\/strong>incorporated the Kingdom of Ireland into the United Kingdom, known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Creation of present-day UK:<\/strong> Following the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921,<\/strong> most of Ireland became independent as the Irish Free State in 1922<\/strong>, while Northern Ireland remained within the UK.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Source: <\/strong>IE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nCabinet Approves Enhancement of EPFO Wage Ceiling<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nSyllabus: GS2\/Governance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn News<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved raising the EPFO wage ceiling for mandatory coverage from \u20b915,000 to \u20b925,000 per month.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
More About News<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The move is expected to bring over 51 lakh additional employees <\/strong>under mandatory social security coverage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The wage ceiling was last revised from \u20b96,500 to \u20b915,000 in 2014<\/strong> and has remained unchanged for over a decade<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
About EPFO<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The Employees\u2019 Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO)<\/strong>, established in 1952<\/strong>, functions under the Ministry of Labour & Employment<\/strong> and provides provident fund, pension and insurance benefits<\/strong> to eligible employees.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- It administers three major schemes<\/strong>:\n
\n- The Employees\u2019 Provident Funds Scheme, 1952 (EPF),\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The Employees\u2019 Pension Scheme, 1995 (EPS),\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The Employees\u2019 Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme 1976 (EDLI).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Source: <\/strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nVariable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR) Auctions <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Syllabus: GS3\/Economy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn News<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) absorbed almost \u20b92.9 lakh crore from the banking system through overnight Variable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR) auctions as part of its efforts to absorb excess liquidity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Variable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- VRRR is a monetary-policy tool used by the RBI to absorb surplus liquidity from the banking system.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Banks park their excess funds with the central bank for a specified period in exchange for interest.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/09\/image-128.png\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
About<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- Since its inception in 2006<\/strong>, the index benchmarks progress towards gender parity across four dimensions<\/strong>: Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival, and Political Empowerment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The Index uses a 0 to 1 scale, where 1 represents full parity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Key Findings<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- Iceland has topped<\/strong> the ranking, followed by Finland and Norway. In fact, four economies, Iceland, Finland, Norway and Sweden, have appeared in the top 10 in every edition since 2006.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The last 3 places <\/strong>are occupied by- Pakistan (143rd); Iran (144th), and Chad (145th).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- At the current pace, the world is estimated to be 120 years <\/strong>away from achieving full gender parity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
India\u2019s Performance<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- India\u2019s overall gender parity score stands at 64.5%<\/strong>, with Educational Attainment <\/strong>recording the highest parity score at 96.6%<\/strong>, despite a marginal decline of 0.5 percentage points<\/strong> from the previous edition.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Health and Survival<\/strong> stands at 95.6%<\/strong>, while parity remains lower in Economic Participation and Opportunity <\/strong>at 41.2%<\/strong> and Political Empowerment <\/strong>at 24.5%<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Source: <\/strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nSohar Port<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Syllabus: GS1\/Places in News<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nContext<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- With the Strait of Hormuz in a chokehold due to Iran-U.S. hostilities, Oman has pitched investment opportunities to India in Sohar Port of Oman.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
About<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The Sohar port could provide uninterrupted access to energy resources from the Persian Gulf.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The port is located on the Omani coast on the Gulf of Oman,<\/strong> and ships can access hubs in the Gulf through this port as it sits far from the Strait of Hormuz.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Earlier, Oman had offered Duqm and Salalah ports to India<\/strong>, but the Sohar Port has the advantage of being located in the northeast of Oman,<\/strong> close to vital energy pipelines of the United Arab Emirates and eastern Saudi Arabia.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
About Gulf of Oman<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The Gulf of Oman is the northwest arm of the Arabian Sea<\/strong>, between the eastern portion (Oman) of the Arabian Peninsula to the southwest and Iran to the north.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The gulf is 200 miles (320 km) wide between Cape al-\u1e24add in Oman and Gw\u0101dar Bay on the Pakistan\u2013Iran border.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- It is 350 miles (560 km) long and connects with the Persian Gulf to the northwest through the Strait of Hormuz.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The small ports along the gulf include <\/strong>\u1e62u\u1e25\u0101r, al-Kh\u0101b\u016brah, Muscat, and \u1e62\u016br, in Oman, and J\u0101sk and Bandar Behesht\u012b (formerly Ch\u0101h Bah\u0101r), in Iran.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Source: <\/strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nCensus Town<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Syllabus: GS2\/ Governance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nContext<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has told a Parliamentary Standing Committee that the 1981 criteria for identifying Census Towns<\/strong> no longer capture the actual scale and spatial diversity of India\u2019s urbanisation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
What is a Census Town?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- A Census Town is a settlement that continues to have a statutory rural status but satisfies demographic and occupational conditions indicating an urban character.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Under the criteria unchanged since 1981,<\/strong> a settlement must satisfy all three conditions:\n
\n- It must have a minimum population of 5,000.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- At least 75%<\/strong> of the male main working population must be engaged in non-agricultural activities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- It must have a population density of at least 400 persons per sq. km.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Scale of India\u2019s Urbanisation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- According to the 2011 Census,<\/strong> India had a population of about 121 crore<\/strong>, of which around 37.7 crore (31.2%)<\/strong> lived in urban areas and about 83.3 crore (68.8%) lived in rural areas.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- However, the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM)<\/strong> has estimated that India’s urbanisation level could have been as high as 63% in 2015.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Source: <\/strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nConstitutional Structure of the UK and the Independence Debate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Syllabus: GS2\/International Relations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nContext<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The Cardiff Agreement<\/strong>, signed by the leaders of pro-independence political parties in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland<\/strong>, has renewed debate over the future of the United Kingdom.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
About<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The British Isles, a group of over 6,000 islands <\/strong>located in northwestern Europe, comprises the two major islands of Great Britain and Ireland, besides several smaller islands.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Great Britain consists of three nations \u2014 England, Scotland, and Wales <\/strong>\u2014 whereas Ireland is made up of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- United Kingdom is the sovereign state<\/strong> consisting of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
How was the United Kingdom formed? <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- Wales and England:<\/strong> Wales was brought constitutionally into the Kingdom of England through the Laws in Wales Acts of 1535 and 1542.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- England and Scotland: <\/strong>The Acts of Union 1707 united the Kingdoms of England and Scotland, creating the Kingdom of Great Britain.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Great Britain and Ireland:<\/strong> The Acts of Union 1800 <\/strong>incorporated the Kingdom of Ireland into the United Kingdom, known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Creation of present-day UK:<\/strong> Following the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921,<\/strong> most of Ireland became independent as the Irish Free State in 1922<\/strong>, while Northern Ireland remained within the UK.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Source: <\/strong>IE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nCabinet Approves Enhancement of EPFO Wage Ceiling<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nSyllabus: GS2\/Governance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn News<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved raising the EPFO wage ceiling for mandatory coverage from \u20b915,000 to \u20b925,000 per month.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
More About News<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The move is expected to bring over 51 lakh additional employees <\/strong>under mandatory social security coverage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The wage ceiling was last revised from \u20b96,500 to \u20b915,000 in 2014<\/strong> and has remained unchanged for over a decade<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
About EPFO<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The Employees\u2019 Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO)<\/strong>, established in 1952<\/strong>, functions under the Ministry of Labour & Employment<\/strong> and provides provident fund, pension and insurance benefits<\/strong> to eligible employees.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- It administers three major schemes<\/strong>:\n
\n- The Employees\u2019 Provident Funds Scheme, 1952 (EPF),\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The Employees\u2019 Pension Scheme, 1995 (EPS),\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The Employees\u2019 Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme 1976 (EDLI).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Source: <\/strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nVariable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR) Auctions <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Syllabus: GS3\/Economy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn News<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) absorbed almost \u20b92.9 lakh crore from the banking system through overnight Variable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR) auctions as part of its efforts to absorb excess liquidity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Variable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- VRRR is a monetary-policy tool used by the RBI to absorb surplus liquidity from the banking system.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Banks park their excess funds with the central bank for a specified period in exchange for interest.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
Key Findings<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- Iceland has topped<\/strong> the ranking, followed by Finland and Norway. In fact, four economies, Iceland, Finland, Norway and Sweden, have appeared in the top 10 in every edition since 2006.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The last 3 places <\/strong>are occupied by- Pakistan (143rd); Iran (144th), and Chad (145th).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- At the current pace, the world is estimated to be 120 years <\/strong>away from achieving full gender parity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
India\u2019s Performance<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- India\u2019s overall gender parity score stands at 64.5%<\/strong>, with Educational Attainment <\/strong>recording the highest parity score at 96.6%<\/strong>, despite a marginal decline of 0.5 percentage points<\/strong> from the previous edition.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Health and Survival<\/strong> stands at 95.6%<\/strong>, while parity remains lower in Economic Participation and Opportunity <\/strong>at 41.2%<\/strong> and Political Empowerment <\/strong>at 24.5%<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Source: <\/strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nSohar Port<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Syllabus: GS1\/Places in News<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nContext<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- With the Strait of Hormuz in a chokehold due to Iran-U.S. hostilities, Oman has pitched investment opportunities to India in Sohar Port of Oman.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
About<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The Sohar port could provide uninterrupted access to energy resources from the Persian Gulf.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The port is located on the Omani coast on the Gulf of Oman,<\/strong> and ships can access hubs in the Gulf through this port as it sits far from the Strait of Hormuz.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Earlier, Oman had offered Duqm and Salalah ports to India<\/strong>, but the Sohar Port has the advantage of being located in the northeast of Oman,<\/strong> close to vital energy pipelines of the United Arab Emirates and eastern Saudi Arabia.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
About Gulf of Oman<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The Gulf of Oman is the northwest arm of the Arabian Sea<\/strong>, between the eastern portion (Oman) of the Arabian Peninsula to the southwest and Iran to the north.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The gulf is 200 miles (320 km) wide between Cape al-\u1e24add in Oman and Gw\u0101dar Bay on the Pakistan\u2013Iran border.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- It is 350 miles (560 km) long and connects with the Persian Gulf to the northwest through the Strait of Hormuz.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The small ports along the gulf include <\/strong>\u1e62u\u1e25\u0101r, al-Kh\u0101b\u016brah, Muscat, and \u1e62\u016br, in Oman, and J\u0101sk and Bandar Behesht\u012b (formerly Ch\u0101h Bah\u0101r), in Iran.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Source: <\/strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nCensus Town<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Syllabus: GS2\/ Governance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nContext<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has told a Parliamentary Standing Committee that the 1981 criteria for identifying Census Towns<\/strong> no longer capture the actual scale and spatial diversity of India\u2019s urbanisation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
What is a Census Town?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- A Census Town is a settlement that continues to have a statutory rural status but satisfies demographic and occupational conditions indicating an urban character.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Under the criteria unchanged since 1981,<\/strong> a settlement must satisfy all three conditions:\n
\n- It must have a minimum population of 5,000.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- At least 75%<\/strong> of the male main working population must be engaged in non-agricultural activities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- It must have a population density of at least 400 persons per sq. km.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Scale of India\u2019s Urbanisation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- According to the 2011 Census,<\/strong> India had a population of about 121 crore<\/strong>, of which around 37.7 crore (31.2%)<\/strong> lived in urban areas and about 83.3 crore (68.8%) lived in rural areas.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- However, the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM)<\/strong> has estimated that India’s urbanisation level could have been as high as 63% in 2015.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Source: <\/strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nConstitutional Structure of the UK and the Independence Debate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Syllabus: GS2\/International Relations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nContext<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The Cardiff Agreement<\/strong>, signed by the leaders of pro-independence political parties in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland<\/strong>, has renewed debate over the future of the United Kingdom.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
About<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The British Isles, a group of over 6,000 islands <\/strong>located in northwestern Europe, comprises the two major islands of Great Britain and Ireland, besides several smaller islands.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Great Britain consists of three nations \u2014 England, Scotland, and Wales <\/strong>\u2014 whereas Ireland is made up of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- United Kingdom is the sovereign state<\/strong> consisting of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
How was the United Kingdom formed? <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- Wales and England:<\/strong> Wales was brought constitutionally into the Kingdom of England through the Laws in Wales Acts of 1535 and 1542.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- England and Scotland: <\/strong>The Acts of Union 1707 united the Kingdoms of England and Scotland, creating the Kingdom of Great Britain.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Great Britain and Ireland:<\/strong> The Acts of Union 1800 <\/strong>incorporated the Kingdom of Ireland into the United Kingdom, known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Creation of present-day UK:<\/strong> Following the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921,<\/strong> most of Ireland became independent as the Irish Free State in 1922<\/strong>, while Northern Ireland remained within the UK.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Source: <\/strong>IE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nCabinet Approves Enhancement of EPFO Wage Ceiling<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nSyllabus: GS2\/Governance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn News<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved raising the EPFO wage ceiling for mandatory coverage from \u20b915,000 to \u20b925,000 per month.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
More About News<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The move is expected to bring over 51 lakh additional employees <\/strong>under mandatory social security coverage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The wage ceiling was last revised from \u20b96,500 to \u20b915,000 in 2014<\/strong> and has remained unchanged for over a decade<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
About EPFO<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The Employees\u2019 Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO)<\/strong>, established in 1952<\/strong>, functions under the Ministry of Labour & Employment<\/strong> and provides provident fund, pension and insurance benefits<\/strong> to eligible employees.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- It administers three major schemes<\/strong>:\n
\n- The Employees\u2019 Provident Funds Scheme, 1952 (EPF),\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The Employees\u2019 Pension Scheme, 1995 (EPS),\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The Employees\u2019 Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme 1976 (EDLI).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Source: <\/strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nVariable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR) Auctions <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Syllabus: GS3\/Economy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn News<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) absorbed almost \u20b92.9 lakh crore from the banking system through overnight Variable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR) auctions as part of its efforts to absorb excess liquidity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Variable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- VRRR is a monetary-policy tool used by the RBI to absorb surplus liquidity from the banking system.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Banks park their excess funds with the central bank for a specified period in exchange for interest.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
India\u2019s Performance<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- India\u2019s overall gender parity score stands at 64.5%<\/strong>, with Educational Attainment <\/strong>recording the highest parity score at 96.6%<\/strong>, despite a marginal decline of 0.5 percentage points<\/strong> from the previous edition.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Health and Survival<\/strong> stands at 95.6%<\/strong>, while parity remains lower in Economic Participation and Opportunity <\/strong>at 41.2%<\/strong> and Political Empowerment <\/strong>at 24.5%<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Source: <\/strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nSohar Port<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Syllabus: GS1\/Places in News<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nContext<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- With the Strait of Hormuz in a chokehold due to Iran-U.S. hostilities, Oman has pitched investment opportunities to India in Sohar Port of Oman.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
About<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The Sohar port could provide uninterrupted access to energy resources from the Persian Gulf.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The port is located on the Omani coast on the Gulf of Oman,<\/strong> and ships can access hubs in the Gulf through this port as it sits far from the Strait of Hormuz.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Earlier, Oman had offered Duqm and Salalah ports to India<\/strong>, but the Sohar Port has the advantage of being located in the northeast of Oman,<\/strong> close to vital energy pipelines of the United Arab Emirates and eastern Saudi Arabia.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
About Gulf of Oman<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The Gulf of Oman is the northwest arm of the Arabian Sea<\/strong>, between the eastern portion (Oman) of the Arabian Peninsula to the southwest and Iran to the north.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The gulf is 200 miles (320 km) wide between Cape al-\u1e24add in Oman and Gw\u0101dar Bay on the Pakistan\u2013Iran border.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- It is 350 miles (560 km) long and connects with the Persian Gulf to the northwest through the Strait of Hormuz.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The small ports along the gulf include <\/strong>\u1e62u\u1e25\u0101r, al-Kh\u0101b\u016brah, Muscat, and \u1e62\u016br, in Oman, and J\u0101sk and Bandar Behesht\u012b (formerly Ch\u0101h Bah\u0101r), in Iran.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Source: <\/strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nCensus Town<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Syllabus: GS2\/ Governance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nContext<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has told a Parliamentary Standing Committee that the 1981 criteria for identifying Census Towns<\/strong> no longer capture the actual scale and spatial diversity of India\u2019s urbanisation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
What is a Census Town?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- A Census Town is a settlement that continues to have a statutory rural status but satisfies demographic and occupational conditions indicating an urban character.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Under the criteria unchanged since 1981,<\/strong> a settlement must satisfy all three conditions:\n
\n- It must have a minimum population of 5,000.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- At least 75%<\/strong> of the male main working population must be engaged in non-agricultural activities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- It must have a population density of at least 400 persons per sq. km.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Scale of India\u2019s Urbanisation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- According to the 2011 Census,<\/strong> India had a population of about 121 crore<\/strong>, of which around 37.7 crore (31.2%)<\/strong> lived in urban areas and about 83.3 crore (68.8%) lived in rural areas.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- However, the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM)<\/strong> has estimated that India’s urbanisation level could have been as high as 63% in 2015.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Source: <\/strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nConstitutional Structure of the UK and the Independence Debate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Syllabus: GS2\/International Relations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nContext<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The Cardiff Agreement<\/strong>, signed by the leaders of pro-independence political parties in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland<\/strong>, has renewed debate over the future of the United Kingdom.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
About<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The British Isles, a group of over 6,000 islands <\/strong>located in northwestern Europe, comprises the two major islands of Great Britain and Ireland, besides several smaller islands.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Great Britain consists of three nations \u2014 England, Scotland, and Wales <\/strong>\u2014 whereas Ireland is made up of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- United Kingdom is the sovereign state<\/strong> consisting of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
How was the United Kingdom formed? <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- Wales and England:<\/strong> Wales was brought constitutionally into the Kingdom of England through the Laws in Wales Acts of 1535 and 1542.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- England and Scotland: <\/strong>The Acts of Union 1707 united the Kingdoms of England and Scotland, creating the Kingdom of Great Britain.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Great Britain and Ireland:<\/strong> The Acts of Union 1800 <\/strong>incorporated the Kingdom of Ireland into the United Kingdom, known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Creation of present-day UK:<\/strong> Following the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921,<\/strong> most of Ireland became independent as the Irish Free State in 1922<\/strong>, while Northern Ireland remained within the UK.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Source: <\/strong>IE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nCabinet Approves Enhancement of EPFO Wage Ceiling<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nSyllabus: GS2\/Governance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn News<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved raising the EPFO wage ceiling for mandatory coverage from \u20b915,000 to \u20b925,000 per month.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
More About News<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The move is expected to bring over 51 lakh additional employees <\/strong>under mandatory social security coverage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The wage ceiling was last revised from \u20b96,500 to \u20b915,000 in 2014<\/strong> and has remained unchanged for over a decade<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
About EPFO<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The Employees\u2019 Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO)<\/strong>, established in 1952<\/strong>, functions under the Ministry of Labour & Employment<\/strong> and provides provident fund, pension and insurance benefits<\/strong> to eligible employees.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- It administers three major schemes<\/strong>:\n
\n- The Employees\u2019 Provident Funds Scheme, 1952 (EPF),\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The Employees\u2019 Pension Scheme, 1995 (EPS),\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The Employees\u2019 Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme 1976 (EDLI).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Source: <\/strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nVariable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR) Auctions <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Syllabus: GS3\/Economy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn News<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) absorbed almost \u20b92.9 lakh crore from the banking system through overnight Variable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR) auctions as part of its efforts to absorb excess liquidity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Variable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- VRRR is a monetary-policy tool used by the RBI to absorb surplus liquidity from the banking system.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Banks park their excess funds with the central bank for a specified period in exchange for interest.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
Source: <\/strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Syllabus: GS1\/Places in News<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Source: <\/strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Syllabus: GS2\/ Governance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Source: <\/strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Syllabus: GS2\/International Relations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Source: <\/strong>IE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Syllabus: GS2\/Governance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Source: <\/strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Syllabus: GS3\/Economy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nSohar Port<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Context<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
About<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nAbout Gulf of Oman<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Census Town<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Context<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
What is a Census Town?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
Scale of India\u2019s Urbanisation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Constitutional Structure of the UK and the Independence Debate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Context<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
About<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
How was the United Kingdom formed? <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Cabinet Approves Enhancement of EPFO Wage Ceiling<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
In News<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
More About News<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
About EPFO<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
Variable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR) Auctions <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
In News<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Variable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n