UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 28 August 2025

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 28 August 2025 covers important current affairs of the day, their backward linkages, their relevance for Prelims exam and MCQs on main articles

InstaLinks : Insta Links help you think beyond the current affairs issue and help you think multidimensionally to develop depth in your understanding of these issues. These linkages provided in this ‘hint’ format help you frame possible questions in your mind that might arise(or an examiner might imagine) from each current event. InstaLinks also connect every issue to their static or theoretical background.

Table of Contents

GS Paper 3 : (UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 28 August (2025)

• Regulating Coal Operations

Regulating Coal Operations

• From 2017 to 2025: India’s GST Journey

From 2017 to 2025: India’s GST Journey

Content for Mains Enrichment (CME):

• Shadow schooling

Shadow schooling

Facts for Prelims (FFP):

• Commonwealth Games

Commonwealth Games

• Exercise Bright Star 2025

Exercise Bright Star 2025

• Revised National Action Plan on Glanders

Revised National Action Plan on Glanders

• UMEED Portal

UMEED Portal

• National Biofoundry Network

National Biofoundry Network

Mapping:

• Gangotri Glacier

Gangotri Glacier

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 28 August 2025

#### GS Paper 3:

Regulating Coal Operations

Syllabus: Energy

Source: DTE

Context: A new report titled “Regulating Coal Operations: Environmental and Social Impacts through the Lens of the NGT” was released on 26 August 2025 in New Delhi.

• It highlights that coal will remain central to India’s energy system for decades, making environmental and health challenges inevitable, and stresses the need to involve local communities and conduct health impact assessments in coal-bearing regions.

About India’s reliance on Coal

Why India Relies Heavily on Coal

• Energy Security Imperative: Coal constitutes over 70% of India’s power generation capacity (2022–23). Unlike imported oil and gas, coal provides relative energy sovereignty due to large domestic reserves (~350 billion tonnes).

• Industrial Backbone: Thermal power supports steel, cement, aluminium, fertiliser and railways. The cost-competitiveness of coal-based power keeps industry running amidst global energy volatility.

• Affordability & Infrastructure Lock-In: Coal-fired plants are cheaper to build and have long operational lifespans. Existing investments in railway transport, coal-handling infrastructure, and state utilities create “path dependency”.

• Employment Dependence: Coal mining sustains livelihoods for millions of workers in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and West Bengal. Political economy considerations make sudden exits difficult.

• Intermittency of Renewables: Solar and wind, while growing, face issues of grid integration, storage, and round-the-clock reliability. Coal continues as the “baseload” provider.

• Transition Challenges: Lack of adequate financing, technology transfer, and adaptation plans for workers and communities hinders rapid decarbonisation.

Environmental & Health Impacts

• Air Pollution: PM10 levels five times above permissible limit (e.g., Jharia, Ennore).

• Water Contamination: Fly ash leaks poison rivers and soil fertility.

• Biodiversity Loss: Mining destroys forests and wildlife corridors.

• Public Health Burden: Cases of silicosis, respiratory disorders, neurological damage linked to fly ash and heavy metals.

• Livelihood Disruptions: Agriculture, fisheries, and cattle grazing severely impacted, leading to poverty and out-migration.

Governance & Regulatory Concerns

• Weak Enforcement: Emission manipulation (e.g., Ennore plant).

• Inconsistent Compensation: Farmers in Mejia and Chandrapur received inadequate or delayed payouts.

• Neglect of FRA Rights: Tribal and forest dwellers often excluded from consent processes under Forest Rights Act (2006).

• Tokenistic Participation: Communities rarely represented in decision-making bodies.

Recommendations from Report

• Health Impact Assessments (HIAs): Must accompany Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) in coal regions.

• Community Participation: Local committees of villagers, NGOs, and experts to oversee restoration and monitoring.

• Continuous Monitoring: Independent audits of air, water, soil, and health indicators.

• Mission-Mode Restoration: Mandate MoEFCC and states to treat clean-up as priority.

• Just Transition Strategy: Incorporate social equity, livelihood diversification, and skill training into coal-phase-out plans.

Way Forward

• Diversify Energy Mix: Aggressive push for solar, offshore wind, and green hydrogen to reduce baseload coal reliance.

• Just Transition Fund: Dedicated financing to rehabilitate coal workers and support alternative livelihoods in mining states.

• Health-Centric Planning: Institutionalise Health Impact Assessments in project approvals.

• Stronger Accountability: Empower NGT and Pollution Control Boards with community oversight powers.

• Circular Economy of Coal Waste: Promote fly ash utilisation in cement, bricks, and road construction.

• International Climate Finance: Leverage G-20, Green Climate Fund, and Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETP) to fund India’s transition.

Conclusion

Coal will remain a pillar of India’s energy architecture for the coming decades, but without community involvement, strict enforcement, and a just transition framework, its environmental and human costs will outweigh economic benefits. India must craft a strategy that simultaneously ensures energy security, social justice, and climate responsibility.

From 2017 to 2025: India’s GST Journey

Syllabus: Economy

Source: BS

Context: The Government has announced “next-generation GST reforms” to be rolled out by Diwali 2025, focusing on simplifying tax slabs, reducing burden on households, and easing compliance for MSMEs.

About From 2017 to 2025: India’s GST Journey:

What it is?

• The Goods and Services Tax (GST), introduced on 1st July 2017 through the 101st Constitutional Amendment, is a destination-based indirect tax.

• It replaced multiple central and state-level indirect taxes like excise, VAT, service tax, entry tax, luxury tax etc.

• GST is administered in a dual structure: CGST (Central GST) SGST (State GST) IGST (Integrated GST) for interstate trade.

• CGST (Central GST)

• SGST (State GST)

• IGST (Integrated GST) for interstate trade.

• The system is guided by the GST Council (Art. 279A), ensuring cooperative federalism in tax decisions.

Evolution of GST (2017–2025):

• 2017 Launch: GST introduced with 7 slabs (0.25%, 3%, 5%, 12%, 18%, 28% + cess); a 5-year compensation law assured states 14% annual revenue growth.

• 2017–2019: Rates on over 200 items reduced; FMCG products and restaurants shifted to lower brackets to reduce consumer burden.

• 2020–22: Compliance improved with e-way bills, e-invoicing, analytics; however, the state compensation scheme ended in June 2022, creating fiscal stress.

• 2023–24: Group of Ministers on rate rationalisation set up; discussions on reducing slabs intensified.

• 2025: Proposed reforms → move to 4 slabs (special <1%, 5%, 18%, 40% for sin goods), focusing on simplification and lower burden on essentials.

Rationale Behind GST:

• Simplification: GST replaced the complex web of central and state indirect taxes with one uniform tax, making compliance easier.

• Eliminate cascading: By allowing seamless input tax credit, GST prevents “tax on tax,” lowering overall costs.

• Efficiency: It created a unified national market, reducing barriers in interstate trade and boosting competitiveness.

• Digital governance: Online return filing, e-way bills, and e-invoicing have reduced corruption and improved accountability.

• Equity: Since GST is consumption-based, states with higher consumption contribute more, ensuring fairness across regions.

Achievements:

• Revenue Mobilisation: GST consistently generates robust revenues, with average monthly collections reaching ₹1.84 lakh crore in FY25.

• Market Integration: Interstate check-posts were abolished, reducing transport delays and cutting logistics costs.

• Transparency: Digital tools like e-invoicing and data analytics have curbed fake billing and improved compliance.

• Consumer Relief: Rates on many daily-use goods were slashed, directly lowering costs for households.

• Federal Cooperation: The GST Council has become a model of cooperative federalism, where states and the Centre jointly decide.

Challenges:

• Complexity: Too many slabs and frequent changes create confusion and disputes among taxpayers.

• State Finances: With the end of compensation in 2022, many states face fiscal stress and demand new revenue safeguards.

• Compliance Burden: MSMEs struggle with filing multiple returns, refund delays, and classification issues.

• Exclusions: Petroleum and alcohol remain outside GST, leading to continued cascading of taxes in these sectors.

• Revenue Sustainability: The effective tax rate has steadily declined, threatening fiscal stability unless the base is widened.

Way Ahead:

• Rationalisation: Moving to fewer slabs will make GST simpler, predictable, and business-friendly.

• Expand Base: Including petroleum and alcohol will enhance revenues and reduce cascading in critical sectors.

• Support States: A new stabilisation fund is needed to protect states’ finances and maintain federal trust.

• Ease Compliance: MSMEs need simplified filing, faster refunds, and reduced litigation to improve ease of doing business.

• Equity Focus: Essentials should remain in lower slabs, while luxury and sin goods should bear higher taxes for fairness.

• Technology: AI-driven monitoring and data integration can further reduce tax evasion and improve collections.

Conclusion:

The GST journey from 2017 to 2025 reflects both transformative success and structural challenges. It unified India’s tax market, boosted transparency, and simplified the system to an extent, but multiple slabs, state revenue concerns, and compliance burdens remain bottlenecks.

#### UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 28 August 2025 Content for Mains Enrichment (CME)

Shadow schooling

Context: A government report from the Comprehensive Modular Survey (CMS) on education revealed that 33% of school students in India take private coaching, showing rising dependence on “shadow schooling.”

About Shadow Schooling:

What it is?

• The practice where students supplement regular school education with private coaching or tutoring outside the formal system.

• Called “shadow” because it mirrors school subjects but is offered privately, often for a fee.

Features:

• Parallel system alongside formal schooling.

• Covers the same syllabus but provides extra practice, exam strategies, and individual attention.

• Driven by competitive exams, parental aspirations, and quality concerns in schools.

Trends (as per 2025 CMS report):

• National average: 27% students take coaching → rises to 30.7% in urban areas and 25.5% in rural.

• Spending gap: Urban families spend nearly ₹3,988 annually per child, rural families ₹1,793.

• Higher secondary: Urban households spend ₹9,950 per student, almost double rural levels (₹4,548).

• Growth with age: Coaching expenses rise from ₹525 (pre-primary) to ₹6,384 (higher secondary).

• Funding: 95% of students rely on household resources, only 1.2% benefit from government scholarships.

Relevance in UPSC Exam:

• GS II (Governance & Social Justice): Issues of equity, access, affordability in education. Impact on Right to Education, NEP 2020 goals, and social justice.

• Issues of equity, access, affordability in education.

• Impact on Right to Education, NEP 2020 goals, and social justice.

• GS III (Indian Economy): Household expenditure patterns, rising private education costs, link to inequalities.

• GS IV (Ethics): Ethical dilemma of privatisation vs equitable education.

#### UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 28 August 2025 Facts for Prelims (FFP):

Commonwealth Games

Source: NIE

Context: The Union Cabinet has approved India’s bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, naming Ahmedabad as the proposed host city with world-class stadiums and infrastructure. India is also positioning Ahmedabad as a frontrunner for the 2036 Olympics.

About Commonwealth Games:

What it is?

• An international multi-sport event held every four years, featuring athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations (72 nations and territories).

• Often seen as a platform to promote friendship, cultural ties, and sporting excellence among member countries.

Origin:

• First held in 1930 at Hamilton, Canada, known then as the British Empire Games.

• Renamed British Empire and Commonwealth Games (1954), British Commonwealth Games (1970), and finally Commonwealth Games (from 1978).

History:

• Includes a wide range of Olympic-style sports, along with traditional Commonwealth sports like lawn bowls, squash, netball.

• Unique feature → inclusion of para-sports events integrated into the main program.

India & the Commonwealth Games:

• First participated in 1934 London Games; wrestler Rashid Anwar won India’s first medal (bronze in wrestling).

• Milestones: Milkha Singh (first Indian gold, Cardiff 1958), rise of wrestling, shooting, weightlifting and badminton in later decades.

• Best performance: 2010 Delhi Games → India won 101 medals (39 golds), finishing 2nd overall.

• Till date, India has won 564 medals (203 golds) at the Commonwealth Games.

India as Host:

• Hosted once in 2010, New Delhi — remembered for India’s historic medal tally and large-scale organisation.

• Now bidding for 2030 Games with Ahmedabad as the proposed venue (Narendra Modi Stadium, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave).

• Plan includes inclusion of all major sports, along with traditional Indian games like kabaddi and kho-kho.

Exercise Bright Star 2025

Source: PIB

Context: Over 700 Indian Armed Forces personnel will participate in Exercise Bright Star 2025 in Egypt, showcasing tri-service operational capabilities.

About Exercise Bright Star 2025:

What it is?

• A multilateral military exercise, one of the largest tri-service drills in the Middle East–North Africa (MENA) region.

• Conducted biennially since 1980.

Nations Involved:

• Primarily hosted by Egypt and the United States.

• Participation from India and several friendly foreign nations across Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.

Host: Egypt, in partnership with the United States.

• To enhance jointness and interoperability among participating nations.

• To promote regional peace, security, and stability.

• To prepare forces for modern, multi-domain warfare through joint training.

Key Features of 2025 Edition:

• Live Firing by Army, Navy, and Air Force to showcase combat capabilities.

• Command Post Exercise → strengthening joint planning and operational coordination.

• Short Training Exercises covering varied aspects of modern warfare.

• Subject Matter Expert Interactions on contemporary military domains.

• Focus on tri-service synergy and international military cooperation.

Revised National Action Plan on Glanders

Source: PIB

Context: The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD) has rolled out a Revised National Action Plan on Glanders to strengthen surveillance, prevention, control, and eradication of the equine disease.

About Revised National Action Plan (2025) on Glanders

• Zoning & Surveillance

• Infected zone reduced from 5 km → 2 km.

• Surveillance zone redefined as 2–10 km (earlier 5–25 km).

• Restrictions apply only up to 10 km.

• Enhanced Surveillance & Reporting

• Mandatory equine testing in endemic/high-risk areas.

• Use of advanced lab diagnostics and frequent field inspections.

• Quarantine & Movement Control

• Rigorous quarantine measures in affected areas.

• Certification for movement in fairs, yatras, and interstate transport.

• Rapid Response

• SOPs for containment, isolation, and humane handling of positive cases.

• Coordination with State Animal Husbandry Departments.

• Capacity Building

• Training for veterinarians, para-vets, and field staff on recognition, reporting, and biosafety.

• Public Awareness

• Outreach for horse owners, breeders, and communities for cooperation in surveillance.

• Research & Laboratory Support

• Collaboration with ICAR–National Research Centre on Equines (NRCE), Hisar for diagnostics and epidemiology.

About Glanders

• Cause: Bacterial infection caused by Burkholderia mallei.

• Host animals: Primarily affects horses, mules, and donkeys; can infect other animals and humans (zoonotic disease).

• Transmission: Spread through direct contact with nasal discharge, contaminated feed, water, or equipment.

• Risks: High fatality if untreated; a notifiable disease under the Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animals (PCICDA) Act, 2009.

• Global context: Eradicated in many countries, but still reported sporadically in parts of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

UMEED Portal

Source: PIB

Context: The Ministry of Minority Affairs has launched an additional module on the UMEED Portal to allow widows, divorced women, and orphans to apply for maintenance support from Waqf-alal-aulad properties.

About UMEED Portal

What it is ?

• UMEED stands for Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development. It is a centralized digital platformfor registering and regulating Waqf properties across India.

• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Minority Affairs, in coordination with State Waqf Boards and judicial authorities.

• Objectives of the Portal: Ensure transparent and time-bound registration of Waqf properties. Empower beneficiaries with digital access to rights, obligations, and legal safeguards. Resolve long-standing property disputes and enhance accountability. Facilitate policy-level insights through real-time data and geotagged mapping.

• Ensure transparent and time-bound registration of Waqf properties.

• Empower beneficiaries with digital access to rights, obligations, and legal safeguards.

• Resolve long-standing property disputes and enhance accountability.

• Facilitate policy-level insights through real-time data and geotagged mapping.

• Key Features of UMEED Portal: Time-Bound Registration: All Waqf properties must be registered within 6 months of launch. Geotagging and Digitization: Properties must include precise measurements and geolocation data during registration. Dispute Resolution Trigger: Unregistered properties after deadline will be declared disputed and sent to Waqf Tribunal. User Support Services: Provides legal awareness tools and clarifies rights under amended law. Women-Centric Provision: Properties under women’s names cannot be designated as Waqf, but women, children, and EWS will remain eligible beneficiaries.

• Time-Bound Registration: All Waqf properties must be registered within 6 months of launch.

• Geotagging and Digitization: Properties must include precise measurements and geolocation data during registration.

• Dispute Resolution Trigger: Unregistered properties after deadline will be declared disputed and sent to Waqf Tribunal.

• User Support Services: Provides legal awareness tools and clarifies rights under amended law.

• Women-Centric Provision: Properties under women’s names cannot be designated as Waqf, but women, children, and EWS will remain eligible beneficiaries.

• Legal Basis: Rule 8(2) of the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Rules, 2025. Section 3(r)(iv) of the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act, 1995.

• Rule 8(2) of the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Rules, 2025.

• Section 3(r)(iv) of the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act, 1995.

• Waqf-alal-aulad: A special category of Waqf endowment created primarily for the benefit of family members and other deserving individuals. Income generated is used for maintenance of widows, divorced women, and orphans.

• A special category of Waqf endowment created primarily for the benefit of family members and other deserving individuals.

• Income generated is used for maintenance of widows, divorced women, and orphans.

Key Features of the New Module

• Aadhaar-based authentication – ensures beneficiary verification.

• Online application & approval process – managed by State/UT Waqf Boards.

• Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) – financial support directly into beneficiaries’ bank accounts.

• Transparency & Accountability – reduces administrative delays and leakages.

National Biofoundry Network

Source: TH

Context: India launched its first National Biofoundry Network under the BioE3 Policy, marking a step towards indigenous biomanufacturing and a projected bioeconomy target of $300 billion by 2030.

About India’s First National Biofoundry Network

What it is?

• A national-level collaborative platform of six premier institutions.

• Designed to scale up biotechnology research into deployable solutions.

• Functions as an ecosystem for advanced biomanufacturing, synthetic biology, and product prototyping.

Established in

• 2025, launched by the Union Minister of Science & Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh.

Nodal Ministry

• Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science & Technology.

Aims and Objectives

• Strengthen indigenous biomanufacturing capacity.

• Support BioE3 Policy goals of economy, environment, and employment.

• Enable research-to-market translation for biotech solutions.

• Promote youth innovation, start-ups, and entrepreneurship.

• Position India as a global hub in sustainable biotechnology.

Features of the National Biofoundry Network

• Integrated Network: Six institutions working as a single national platform.

• End-to-End Facility: Covers design, prototyping, testing, and scaling up of biotech solutions.

• Cutting-Edge Focus: Works on synthetic biology, gene editing, climate-smart agriculture, and green biotech.

• Innovation Funding: Linked to BioE3 Challenge to support youth-led biotech innovations.

• Global Linkages: Collaborates with international biofoundry networks for knowledge exchange.

• Employment & Start-up Boost: Creates biotech jobs and supports start-up incubation.

• Sustainability Lens: Focuses on climate resilience, waste reduction, and bio-based economy.

• Open Access Ecosystem: Provides infrastructure access to researchers, academia, and industry.

About BioE3 Challenge for Youth

• Theme: “Design Microbes, Molecules & More”.

• Open to: School students (Classes 6–12), university students, researchers, startups, Indian nationals.

• Awards: ₹1 lakh cash award to top 10 monthly winners. Funding up to ₹25 lakh for 100 selected innovators via BIRAC.

• ₹1 lakh cash award to top 10 monthly winners.

• Funding up to ₹25 lakh for 100 selected innovators via BIRAC.

• DESIGN framework: Define needs → Evidence-first → Sustainability → Integration → Go-to-market → Net-positive impact.

#### UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 28 August 2025 Mapping:

Gangotri Glacier

Source: DTE

Context: A new study by IIT Indore, ICIMOD (Nepal), and U.S. researchers has found that the Gangotri Glacier system has lost about 10% of its snowmelt flow in the last four decades (1980–2020).

About Gangotri Glacier

What it is?

• The largest glacier in the Garhwal Himalayas, source of the Bhagirathi river (headstream of the Ganga).

• Length ~30 km, covering an area of ~143 sq. km.

• Considered sacred in Hinduism, with its snout at Gaumukh cave revered as the origin of the Ganga.

Location

• Situated in Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand, within Gangotri National Park.

• Lies in the central Himalaya, part of the Greater Himalayan ranges.

• Surrounded by peaks like Shivling, Thalay Sagar, Meru, and Bhagirathi group.

Key Features

• Fed by snowmelt, glacier melt, rainfall, and base flow.

• Supplies ~25% of Ganga’s water in non-monsoon months.

• Flow composition (1980–2020): Snowmelt – 64% Glacier melt – 21% Rainfall-runoff – 11% Base flow – 4%

• Snowmelt – 64%

• Glacier melt – 21%

• Rainfall-runoff – 11%

• Base flow – 4%

Climate Change Impact

• Snowmelt share declining: from 73% (1980–90) to 63% (2010–20).

• Temperature rise: +0.5°C in 2001–2020 vs. 1980–2000.

• Peak flow shift: from August → July, due to earlier summer melting.

• Increased role of rainfall-runoff and base flow, showing warming-induced hydrological changes.

• Glacier snout retreating steadily — corroborated by other Himalayan studies showing 46 cm annual thickness loss on average.

Strategic Importance

• Water security: Vital for millions dependent on Ganga basin.

• Hydropower: Changes in seasonal discharge affect electricity generation.

• Agriculture: Altered flow patterns risk irrigation shortages.

• Cultural significance: Sacred river source, central to Hindu faith.

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