• Constitutional basis: The court referred to Article 18(1), which prohibits all 'titles' except military or academic ones.
• Basis of decision: The Bombay High Court cited the famous 1995 case of Balaji Raghavan vs. Union of India. At that time, a five-judge constitutional bench of the Supreme Court had clarified that these awards recognize 'merit', but using them as part of one's 'name' is incorrect.
• Note: Under Article 18, the State shall not confer any titles except military (such as General, Colonel) and academic (such as Doctor, Professor) ones. These titles are granted to maintain the principle of equality, whereas the use of 'civilian honors' (such as Padma Awards) along with one’s name is considered against 'democratic equality'.

• It is built using an ancient stitched-ship technique, where wooden planks are sewn together with coconut fiber ropes, without a keel or engine.
• Inspired by paintings from the Ajanta Caves, this 1,400 km journey will be powered by wind and paddles.
• It will sail using wind, modeled after a fifth-century ship, inspired by a painting from Cave 17 of the Ajanta Caves.
• The 65-foot-long vessel has been constructed using traditional sewing techniques, employing natural materials and centuries-old methods.
• The ship is named after the navigator Kaundinya, who is believed to have traveled from India to Southeast Asia in ancient times.

• Range: Its range has now increased to 120 kilometers. The original Pinaka (Mark‑I) had a range of only 38–40 km.
• It is a guided rocket, meaning it is equipped with a navigation and control system. It can destroy enemy targets with pin‑point accuracy.
• It has been developed by DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) and is fully part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
• The range of the original Pinaka Mk‑I was 38–40 km.

• For the Indian Army, the approvals include Loiter Munition Systems, Low-Level Lightweight Radars, Long-Range Guided Rockets for Pinaka MR LS, and Integrated Drone Detection System Mk-II.
• For the Indian Air Force, Astra Mk-2 missiles have been approved.
• For the Indian Navy, equipment such as Bollard Pull Tugs and HALE drones will be procured.

• Official Name: People’s Republic of China
• Capital: Beijing
• Continent: Asia
• System of Government: Socialist republic (one-party system)
• Ruling Party: Communist Party of China (CPC)
• Head of State: President

• Bordering Countries: India, Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan, Russia, Mongolia, etc.
• Major Rivers: Yangtze, Yellow River
• Famous Plateau: Tibetan Plateau (world’s highest plateau)
• Official Language: Mandarin
• Currency: Yuan

This video-conferencing based platform is held twice a week (Tuesday and Thursday) in two phases:

• First, senior officials (principals, superintendents) participate at 5 PM.
• Then, faculty, doctors, students, and the public join at 6 PM.

Rajasthan:

• State Formation: 30 March 1949
• Capital: Jaipur (known as the ‘Pink City’)
• Bordering States/Country: Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Pakistan
• State Bird: Great Indian Bustard (Godawan)
• State Tree: Khejri (also called ‘Rajasthan’s wish-fulfilling tree’)
• State Flower: Rohida
• State Dance: Ghoomar
• State Sport: Basketball
• Thar Desert: Covers about 60% of the state
• Aravalli Range: One of the world’s oldest mountain ranges, with the highest peak, Guru Shikhar (1722 meters), in Mount Abu
• Major Rivers: Chambal (longest), Banas, Luni, and Mahi
• Famous Lakes: Sambhar Lake (India’s largest inland saltwater lake), Nakki Lake, and Pichola Lake

Reserve Bank of India (RBI):

• Established: 1 April 1935
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
• Nationalization: 1 January 1949
• Legal Basis: Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934

Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC):

• An NBFC is a company that provides financial services similar to banks but does not have a full banking license and cannot accept demand deposits (like savings accounts).
• Registration: Under Companies Act, 1956/2013

Main Types of NBFC:

• Loan Companies: Provide loans to small businesses or individuals.
• Asset Finance Companies (AFC): Finance physical assets like tractors, machinery, or vehicles.
• Infrastructure Finance Companies (IFC): Provide loans for infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges, and power.
• Microfinance Institutions (NBFC-MFI): Provide very small loans to low-income groups.
• Investment Companies: Primarily invest in shares and securities.

• During this period, India surpassed Japan to become the fourth-largest economy in the world.
• In the second quarter of the current financial year, India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 8.2%, driven mainly by strong domestic demand.
• The unemployment rate fell to 4.7% in November 2025, largely due to a sharp decline in female unemployment.
• Exports in November 2025 rose to over USD 38 billion.

Index of Industrial Production (IIP):

• It is an important economic indicator that measures changes in the production of industrial goods in mining, manufacturing, and electricity sectors over a given period.
• The National Statistical Office (NSO) under MoSPI releases it monthly.
• The base year is 2011-12, and it is used for policy-making, GDP estimation, and economic analysis.

• Launch: The app was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 30 December 2016, in the name of Babasaheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, with the aim of making digital payments simple and accessible for every Indian.
• Development: By the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
• Purpose: To build a digitally empowered society in India and promote cashless transactions.
• Usage Statistics: As of 28 December 2025, over ₹64,000 crore worth of more than 66.3 crore transactions were recorded through the BHIM app.
• Monthly Transactions: Over ₹25 lakh crore worth of 1.95 crore transactions were conducted through the BHIM app.

Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa):

• Scientific Name: Neofelis nebulosa
• Family: Felidae
• Conservation Status (IUCN): Vulnerable
• CITES Status: Appendix I
• Geographical Distribution: Southeast Asia and the Himalayan region; in India: Northeastern states (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, etc.)
• Physical Features: Large, irregular cloud-like spots on the body, giving it the name ‘clouded leopard’. They possess the longest canines relative to body size among big cats.
• State Symbol: Meghalaya has declared the clouded leopard as its state animal.

Kakoie Reserve Forest:

• Location: Assam, India
• District: Lakhimpur
• River System: Situated near the Subansiri River
• Nature: Tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen forest
• Water Bodies: Rivers like Gumnodi, Dirgha, Bokanala, Hukunola, and a natural lake called Kachobeel
• Declared as Reserve Forest: 29 April 1966