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Daily News & Current Affairs - 30-08-2025
| S.No | News Headline | Page Number | Subject | Syllabus (Prelims & Mains GS) | Beginner Must Know | Source (NCERT/GoI*) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GDP growth quickens to five-quarter high of 7.8%; momentum led by manufacturing, construction & services | 1 | Economy (National Accounts; Growth) | Prelims: National Income (GDP/GVA), MOSPI, base year, sectoral composition. Mains GS-III: Growth & development, sectors (manufacturing, construction, services), investment & demand drivers. | Q1 FY26 GDP grew 7.8% (a five‑quarter high), with manufacturing, construction and services driving growth. GDP ≠ GVA; sectors contribute differently. Outlook depends on domestic demand, capex, monsoon & global cues. | NCERT Class XII Macroeconomics – Ch. 2: National Income Accounting; Ch. 5: Government Budget & the Economy. |
| 2 | India to be 3rd largest economy: PM; Japan sets a ¥10 trillion private investment target for India over the next decade | 1 | Economy & International Relations (India–Japan) | Prelims: FDI/FDI policy basics, India–Japan ties, production-linked investment themes. Mains GS-II: India’s foreign policy & partnerships; GS-III: Investment climate, manufacturing, supply chains. | At the India–Japan Economic Forum (Tokyo), Japan set a ¥10 trillion private investment target for India over 10 years. Focus areas include semiconductors, AI, green energy & supply-chain resilience; supports India’s growth ambitions. | NCERT Political Science Class XII – Politics in India Since Independence, Ch. 7: India’s Foreign Policy; NCERT Class XII Macroeconomics – Ch. 6: Open Economy Macroeconomics. |
| 3 | Eight States propose a cess on sin & luxury goods above the proposed GST rate of 40% | 3 | Polity & Economy (GST; Federalism & Public Finance) | Prelims: GST basics, rate structure, GST Council, compensation cess. Mains GS-III: Resource mobilisation & tax reforms; GS-II: Federalism & Centre–State fiscal relations. | Eight states seek an additional levy on sin/luxury goods to offset revenue risks from rate rationalisation. Current law provides a 40% ceiling (20% CGST + 20% SGST/UTGST / 40% IGST); proposal aims to protect state revenues. | NCERT Class XII Macroeconomics – Ch. 5: Government Budget & the Economy; NCERT Political Science Class XI – Indian Constitution at Work, Ch. 2: Federalism. |
| 4 | Detoxifying India’s entrance examination system | 6 | Governance, Society & Ethics (Higher Education; Exams; Coaching) | Prelims: Education policy basics; international examples (Netherlands lottery, China’s tutoring rules). Mains GS-II: Issues in higher education, access & equity, regulation of coaching; GS-I: Youth & society; GS-IV: Merit vs fairness, role of luck/privilege. | High‑stakes exams (JEE/NEET/CUET/CLAT) fuel coaching dependence, stress & inequity. Alternatives discussed include weighted lotteries (Netherlands, reinstated 2023 for medical admissions) and tutoring regulation (China, 2021). Reforms should balance merit, fairness and mental health while improving school & university capacity. | NCERT Sociology Class XII – Social Change & Development in India, ‘Education and Social Change’; NCERT Psychology Class XII – Ch. 3: Meeting Life Challenges (stress & coping). |
| 5 | In an unstable world, energy sovereignty is the new oil | 6 | Economy & Energy Security (Resources; Technology; IR) | Prelims: Energy mix, import dependence (oil & gas), renewables, hydrogen basics. Mains GS-III: Energy security, diversification, green hydrogen, renewables, storage & nuclear; GS-II: Geopolitics of energy; GS-I/Geography: Resources & sustainable development. | India imports ~85% of crude oil and ~47–50% of natural gas, making the economy vulnerable to external shocks. Events like the 1973 oil embargo, 2011 Fukushima and the 2022 Russia–Ukraine war show why domestic capacity matters. Energy sovereignty means scaling solar/wind, storage, green hydrogen & biofuels, and reliable baseload (including nuclear) for resilience. | NCERT Geography Class XII – India: People & Economy, ‘Mineral and Energy Resources’; NCERT Geography Class X – Contemporary India II, Ch. 5: Minerals & Energy Resources; NCERT Indian Economic Development Class XI – Ch. 8: Infrastructure (Power & Energy). |
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