Polity: the government announced Bharat Ratna for Karpoori Thakur (posthumous) on his centenary, the first in six years.
Governance: the Supreme Court clarified that BSF's expanded operational jurisdiction in border states grants concurrent authority but does not diminish state police powers.
Economy: India became the world's fourth-largest equity market at $4.33 trillion, surpassing Hong Kong.
Technology: dynamic wireless charging technology for EVs was proposed for the Golden Quadrilateral highway network.
1. Bharat Ratna for Karpoori Thakur (posthumous)
GS area: Modern History, Governance (awards)
The government announced the Bharat Ratna for former Bihar Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur on the occasion of his centenary (24 January 2024 was his birth date).
Karpoori Thakur: known as "Jannayak" (People's Hero). Chief Minister of Bihar twice (1970 and 1977-79). Implemented a reservation system for backward classes in Bihar before the Mandal Commission. Also imposed alcohol prohibition.
Bharat Ratna: established on 2 January 1954. India's highest civilian honour. Maximum three recipients per year. The honour is not a title under Article 18 of the Constitution and hence cannot be used as a prefix.
Posthumous award: Bharat Ratna can be awarded posthumously. The current announcement was made ahead of Republic Day 2024.
Static linkage: civilian awards, backward class reservation history.
The Supreme Court clarified a dispute over the expansion of the Border Security Force's operational jurisdiction. The Centre had expanded BSF powers from 15 km to 50 km from international borders in Punjab, Bengal, and Assam.
BSF: established in 1965, the BSF is India's primary border guarding force operating under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Jurisdiction expansion: the 2021 amendment to BSF rules extended the force's powers to conduct searches, arrest, and seizure up to 50 km from the border in three states.
States' challenge: Punjab and West Bengal challenged the expansion at the Supreme Court under Article 131 (original jurisdiction in inter-state disputes).
Court's ruling: the expansion provides concurrent authority (both BSF and state police can act) but does not override state police investigative powers. BSF must hand over suspects within 24 hours.
Constitutional tension: law and order is a state subject under the Seventh Schedule. Border security is a central subject. The overlap created the dispute.
Static linkage: federalism, central armed police forces, Seventh Schedule.
3. India's equity market: fourth largest globally
GS area: Economy (capital markets)
India became the world's fourth-largest equity market at $4.33 trillion, surpassing Hong Kong at $4.29 trillion.
Rankings: USA (1st), China (2nd), Japan (3rd), India (4th).
Growth drivers: strong GDP growth, political stability, increased foreign portfolio investment, and India being seen as an alternative to China.
VAIBHAV Fellowship Scheme: simultaneously, India announced 22 recipients of the VAIBHAV fellowship, which attracts Indian-origin diaspora scientists to work at IISc and IITs for research collaboration.
Static linkage: capital markets, economic data, investment policy.
4. Dynamic wireless charging for EVs
GS area: Science and Technology (transport)
A proposal was made to deploy dynamic wireless charging technology along the Golden Quadrilateral, India's 5,846-km highway network connecting Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata.
Technology: base pads embedded under the road surface transmit inductive energy to compatible EVs while they are moving. The vehicle does not stop to charge.
Benefit: reduces the need for large onboard batteries, potentially lowering EV purchase costs and extending range.
Golden Quadrilateral: the highway network connecting India's four largest metropolitan cities, built primarily under the National Highways Development Project (NHDP) launched in 1999.
Challenge: the technology is expensive to deploy at scale and requires EVs with compatible receiver systems. Standard EVs cannot use it without modification.
Static linkage: transport infrastructure, electric vehicles, technology policy.
5. Free Movement Regime with Myanmar: under review
GS area: International Relations, Internal Security
The Centre confirmed it was reconsidering the Free Movement Regime that permits residents of border villages to cross into Myanmar up to 16 km without a visa.
FMR details: implemented in 2018. A border pass with one-year validity and two-week stay permission was issued to eligible residents.
Border extent: India shares a 1,643 km border with Myanmar across Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh.
Security concern: the FMR had been used by militants, arms and drug traffickers, and those fleeing ethnic violence in Manipur to cross freely. The 2023 Manipur ethnic conflict accelerated the review.
Static linkage: north-east India, border management, internal security.
6. Briefly noted
SMART standards (BIS): the Bureau of Indian Standards promoted SMART (Standards Machine Applicable, Readable, and Transferable) standards, machine-interpretable versions of technical standards targeting the 80-plus per cent of BIS licensees that are small enterprises.
Evolution of the universe: astrophysics courses highlighted the standard cosmological timeline: initial singularity, inflationary epoch, quark/hadron/lepton epochs, photon epoch, matter-dominated era, stellar and galaxy formation, and present dark-energy-dominated acceleration.
Practice MCQs
Check yourself
With reference to the Bharat Ratna award, consider the following statements: 1. It was established on 2 January 1954. 2. A maximum of three awards may be given in a single year. 3. It is a title under Article 18 of the Constitution and may be used as a prefix. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Check yourself
The BSF's expanded operational jurisdiction from 15 km to 50 km from international borders applies to which states?
Check yourself
The Golden Quadrilateral highway network connects which four cities?
Check yourself
The Free Movement Regime (FMR) with Myanmar permits border residents to cross without a visa for travel up to how many kilometres into Myanmar?