26 December 2023

• Veer Bal Diwas: 26 December is Veer Bal Diwas, marking the martyrdom of the two younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh.
• Jobs data: Analysis of India's unemployment trend showed it rising from 2 per cent in 2010 to above 7 per cent in recent years, with 42 per cent of graduates under 25 unemployed in 2021-22.
• Rare earths: China formally banned the export of rare earth extraction and separation technologies, tightening its grip on the supply chain.
• INS Imphal: Commissioned on 26 December, the ship is India's third Project 15B destroyer.

GS area: History, Society

26 December is observed as Veer Bal Diwas to commemorate the martyrdom of Guru Gobind Singh's two younger sons:

• Sahibzada Zorawar Singh: Aged 9, was bricked into a wall and martyred on approximately 26 December 1705 at Sirhind (then under Mughal governors) for refusing to convert to Islam.
• Sahibzada Fateh Singh: Aged 7, was martyred alongside his brother.
• Mata Gujari: Grandmother of the two boys who also died at Sirhind following their martyrdom.
• Official designation: The Veer Bal Diwas observance was designated by PM Modi in 2022 to fall on 26 December, the date of the boys' martyrdom.
• Context: The martyrdom occurred during the time of Mughal governor Wazir Khan of Sirhind. Guru Gobind Singh lost all four sons: the two older sons (Sahibzada Ajit Singh and Sahibzada Jujhar Singh) died in the Battle of Chamkaur on December 7, 1705.

Static linkage: Sikh history, modern Indian history, national observances.

GS area: Economy, Society

Analysis of India's employment data showed a structural shift in unemployment:

• Unemployment trend: Rose from about 2 per cent in 2010 to 5 per cent by 2015, 6.1 per cent by 2018, and above 7 per cent in recent years.
• Graduate unemployment: Over 42 per cent of India's graduates under 25 were unemployed in 2021-22. This mismatch between education output and labour market demand is a distinctive structural problem.
• Young population: Over 50 per cent of India's population is below age 25. The demographic dividend is only realised if this cohort finds productive employment.
• Root causes: Structural shift from agriculture to construction (low skill) rather than manufacturing or high-value services. Education-skill mismatch. Poor rural-urban infrastructure connection limiting job geography.
• Policy gaps: There is no National Employment Policy. Urban MGNREGA equivalents have been proposed but not enacted.

Static linkage: Economy, demography, social policy.

GS area: Economy, International Relations, Science and Technology

China formally banned the export of technologies for rare earth extraction and separation:

• China's dominance: China controls about 60 per cent of global rare earth mining and about 90 per cent of refining and processing capacity.
• The extraction-separation barrier: Rare earth mining is one challenge; separating individual elements from ore is a complex chemical process that China has mastered at industrial scale.
• Why it matters for India: Rare earths are essential inputs for EV motors, wind turbines, electronics, and defence systems. India has significant rare earth reserves (about 6 per cent of world reserves) but negligible processing capacity.
• India's response: India has sought to develop domestic processing through the Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL) and by attracting private investment into the sector.

Static linkage: Economy, critical minerals, science and technology.

GS area: Security, Defence

INS Imphal was formally commissioned into the Indian Navy on 26 December 2023:

• Class: Third ship of the Visakhapatnam class (Project 15B). Ships in the class: Visakhapatnam, Mormugao, Imphal (and a fourth under construction).
• Armament: BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles with a range of about 290 km, Barak-8 long-range surface-to-air missiles (range about 70 km), torpedo launchers, and close-in weapon systems.
• Displacement: About 7,400 tonnes, making it India's largest destroyer.
• Northeast naming: The tradition of naming Project 15B ships after state capitals was extended to the northeast with Imphal. This is the first major Indian warship named after a northeastern city.

Static linkage: India's defence, naval modernisation, northeast India.

GS area: International Relations, Security

The Colombo Security Conclave was discussed in regional security analysis:

• Members: India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Mauritius. Bangladesh and Seychelles are observers.
• Founded: 2011 initially as a trilateral of India, Sri Lanka, and Maldives.
• Focus areas: Maritime security, counter-terrorism, human trafficking, cybersecurity, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
• Relevance: The Maldives under the new Muizzu government had pressed for Indian military withdrawal, creating uncertainty about its engagement in the Conclave.

Static linkage: India's foreign policy, Indian Ocean, regional security.

GS area: Science and Technology, Environment

Research found that Viola arvensis (field pansy) in parts of France was adapting to declining pollinator populations through increased self-pollination:

• Change observed: Flowers producing less nectar and smaller petals. This adaptation reduces energy invested in attracting pollinators.
• Mechanism: Plants that self-pollinate can set seed reliably even without insect visitors.
• Broader concern: Pollinator declines (bees, butterflies, hoverflies) threaten the reproduction of roughly 75 per cent of flowering plants and about one-third of food crops globally.
• India's context: Pollinator decline is a growing agricultural concern. Indigenous bee species are under pressure from habitat loss, pesticide use, and the spread of European honey bees into new areas.

Static linkage: Ecology, biodiversity, agriculture.

• RoDTEP scheme: Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products. A scheme replacing the earlier MEIS (Merchandise Exports from India Scheme) that provides rebates on embedded taxes in export goods. Sugar was excluded from RoDTEP benefits in June 2022 when prices were high; the government was exploring reinstatement.
• Konsachem, Goa: A traditional Goan harvest festival observed in August, coinciding with the feast of Saint Bartholomew (24 August). Both Hindu and Catholic communities participate, reflecting Goa's syncretic cultural heritage.