08 December, 2025
GK Update
Sun 19 Jan, 2025
National News
Internet Governance Internship

- The National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) has announced the launch of the Internet Governance Internship and Capacity Building scheme.
| A fixed stipend of 20 thousand rupees per month will be provided to interns along with support to conduct mandatory outreach programs. |
International News
World Economic Forum (WEF) 2025

- Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw will participate in the Annual Meeting of World Economic Forum (WEF) 2025 at Davos.
WEF
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Reports: Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report, Global Competitiveness Report, Global Environment Performance Index, World Power Language Index, Inclusive Development Index, Global Information Technology Report, Human Capital Index, Global Gender Gap Index |
Nigeria: Partner Country of the BRICS

- Nigeria has been admitted as a “partner country” of the BRICS bloc.
BRICS
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Economy and Banking
Nominations in new and all existing customers

- The Reserve Bank of India has directed banks to ensure nominations in new and all existing customers’ deposit accounts and safety lockers.
RBI
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OMSS(D) Policy for 2024-25

- The Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and New & Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi announced the Open Market Sale Scheme (Domestic) [OMSS(D)] Policy for the year 2024-25, to enhance food security and ensure efficient distribution of rice to various stakeholders.
Key decisions under the revised policy
| Fixation of Reserve Price for Rice: Reserve price of rice has been fixed at ₹2,250 per quintal (Pan-India) for sale | Ethanol Production Support: Reserve price of rice for sale to ethanol distilleries fixed at ₹2,250 per quintal (Pan-India). |
JVA between IREDA and SJVN Ltd., GMR Energy Ltd., NEA

- Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. (IREDA) signed a Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) with SJVN Ltd., GMR Energy Ltd., and Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) for the development of the 900 MW Upper Karnali Hydro-electric Project in Nepal, under a Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) model.
BOOT
| It is a model where a private company builds, owns, and operates a facility for a set period of time then transfers the facility back to the public sector at the end of the contract. |
Environment and Biodiversity
24 new species in Munnar Wildlife Division

- Faunal survey in the Munnar Wildlife Division has added 24 new species of birds, butterflies, and odonates to its checklist.
Science and Tech
MoU between Indian and USA

- India and the United States have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and exchange information on cyber threat intelligence and digital forensics for criminal investigations.
United States of America
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Restarting of Vikas liquid engine

- The Indian Space Research Organisation has successfully carried out a demonstration of restarting its Vikas liquid engine at a test facility at Propulsion Complex in Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu.
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Vikas engine is the workhorse engine that powers the liquid stages of all the launch vehicles. |
National Science Drama Festival 2024-25

- National Science Drama Festival 2024-25, an event of National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) was organised at the National Science Centre, Delhi.
Defence
Exercise La Perouse 2025

- Missile destroyer Indian Naval Ship (INS) Mumbai participated in the 4th edition of the multinational naval exercise La Perouse 2025 in the eastern Indian Ocean.
| The 2025 edition of the La Perouse exercise is being headed by France with eight other countries - India, the US, Canada, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, the UK and Singapore- participating as well. |
Sports
ICC Under 19 Women’s Cricket T20 World Cup 2025

- The second edition of ICC Under 19 Women’s Cricket T20 World Cup has begun in Malaysia.
- India had won the inaugural title in South Africa in 2023.
International Cricket Council (ICC)
| Estb: 1909 | HQ: Dubai, UAE | Chairman: Jay Shah |
Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25

- Karnataka won the Vijay Hazare Trophy title 2024-25 edition by defeating Vidarbha in the final at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara.
Vijay Hazare Trophy
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ITF W50 Event

- India's tennis player Ankita Raina won her first doubles, triumphing in the final of the ITF W50 event with British partner Naiktha Bains.
Grand Slams of Tennis
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Awards and Honours
RK Srikantan Trust Award

- Mridangist TV Gopalakrishnan will be honoured by the RK Srikantan Trust Award during the Sankranti Music Fest.
Appointments
Gyanendra Pratap Singh

- Assam DGP (Director General of Police) Gyanendra Pratap Singh has been appointed as the Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
CRPF
| Estb: 1939 | HQ: New Delhi |
Important Days
NDRF Day

- Union Home Minister Amit Shah participated in the 20th Foundation Day Celebrations of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) on 19th January, in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh.
- He also laid the foundation of the new ‘Integrated Indoor Shooting Range’ at the National Police Academy (NPA) in Hyderabad.
NDRF
| Founded: 2006 | Motto: "आपदा सेवा सदैव सर्वत्र" | Director General: Piyush Anand |









