UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 2 October 2025

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 2 October 2025 covers important current affairs of the day, their backward linkages, their relevance for Prelims exam and MCQs on main articles

InstaLinks :  Insta Links help you think beyond the  current affairs issue and help you think multidimensionally to develop depth in your understanding of these issues. These linkages provided in this ‘hint’ format help you frame possible questions in your mind that might arise(or an examiner might imagine) from each current event. InstaLinks also connect every issue to their static or theoretical background.

Table of Contents 

GS Paper 2 : (UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 2 October (2025)

1. The Transformation of Girls’ Education

 Content for Mains Enrichment (CME):

1. Jane Goodall

Facts for Prelims (FFP):

1. New Definition of Pandemic Emergency

2. Environmental surveillance

3. DigiLocker

4. National Pulses Mission

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 2 October 2025

GS Paper 2:

The Transformation of Girls’ Education

Syllabus: Women and Education

Source:  TH

Context: The Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme has completed a decade, showing measurable progress in improving the sex ratio at birth and girls’ education outcomes across India.

About The Transformation of Girls’ Education:

Changing Mindset on Girl Education:

• From Neglect to Aspiration: The shift from “Beti padhegi toh kya karegi?” to valuing education shows society recognising daughters as assets.
• Leadership Influence: Campaigns like Kanya Kelavani and BBBP turned girls’ education into a mass movement backed by political will.
• Community Awareness: Awareness drives, village rallies, and women’s conferences have normalised girls attending school.
• Symbolic Actions: Leaders auctioning gifts or contributing funds signalled that educating girls is a public priority, not a private burden.
• Cultural Change: Education now equated with dignity, safety, and empowerment, influencing parental choices across rural and urban India.

About Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (BBBP):

• Objective: To prevent female foeticide and promote education of the girl child through a multi-ministerial effort (WCD, Health, HRD).
• Impact:
  • Sex ratio at birth improved from 919 (2015–16) to 929 (2019–21).
  • 20 out of 30 States/UTs now perform above the national average.
  • Enhanced awareness: surveys in MP show 89.5% people aware of BBBP, with 63.2% motivated to send daughters to school.

Societal and Demographic Ripple Effect:

• Fertility Transition: With education, women delay marriage and childbirth, lowering India’s TFR to 2.0 (NFHS-5).
• Health Outcomes: Educated women access institutional deliveries and healthcare, reducing IMR from 49 (2014) to 33 (2020).
• Workforce Entry: Higher literacy enables women’s participation in STEM, healthcare, and entrepreneurship, diversifying the economy.
• Breaking Patriarchy: Visible success stories—fighter pilots, CEOs, ISRO scientists—reshape gender roles for future generations.
• Demographic Dividend: Female education aligns with demographic stability, creating healthier families and controlled population growth.

Long-Term Transformation & Multiplier Effect:

• Educated Mothers’ Advantage: Mothers with schooling ensure better nutrition, learning, and health outcomes for children.
• Generational Change: One educated girl influences her siblings and children, creating an intergenerational cycle of progress.
• Economic Multiplier: Women in the workforce contribute to household income and national GDP growth simultaneously.
• Community Leadership: Educated women take leadership roles in Panchayats, SHGs, and civil society, ensuring inclusive development.
• Positive Feedback Loop: Education → empowerment → healthier families → stronger economy → progressive society ensures sustainable reform.

Conclusion:

The transformation of girls’ education marks a deep social reform, going beyond enrolment numbers to reshape mindsets. It drives healthier families, stronger economies, and a more participatory democracy by unlocking women’s potential. Truly, educating a girl is educating an entire society, securing a just and progressive future.

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 2 October 2025 Content for Mains Enrichment (CME)

Jane Goodall

Anecdote: In the 1960s, a young Jane Goodall, with no formal scientific degree, entered the dense forests of Gombe, Tanzania, to study chimpanzees. Amid skepticism from the academic world and doubts about her frail appearance, she persevered. One day, she observed a chimp using a twig to fish termites from a mound—shattering the long-held belief that tool-making was a uniquely human trait. Her discovery, initially dismissed by experts, compelled science to redefine the boundary between humans and animals.

Goodall’s journey embodies resilience, humility before nature, and the courage to challenge orthodoxy. From being an outsider without credentials, she emerged as one of the most influential conservationists, proving that conviction and persistence can transform global understanding.

Relevance in UPSC Exam Syllabus:

• Ethics (GS-IV): Reflects integrity, courage, and moral duty towards nature (environmental ethics).
• Essay: Inspires themes on gender, perseverance, and transformative leadership.
• GS-III (Environment & Ecology): Shows individual contributions to conservation, biodiversity, and sustainable coexistence.

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 2 October 2025 Facts for Prelims (FFP)

New Definition of Pandemic Emergency

Source:  TH

Context: The amended International Health Regulations (IHR) entered into force, bringing in a new legal category — pandemic emergency.

About New Definition of Pandemic Emergency:

What it is?

• A pandemic emergency is a newly defined sub-category under IHR that applies to public health emergencies of international concern (PHEIC) but with a heightened threshold — when a communicable disease has broad geographic spread, strains health systems, causes major social and economic disruption, and requires rapid, coordinated global action.

2024 Amendments & Changes Made:

• Adopted by consensus at the 77th World Health Assembly through Resolution WHA77.17 in June 2024.
• Entry into force was set for 19 September 2025 for States Parties that accept the amendments.
• The amendments introduced new legal obligations:
  1. The Director-General (DG) of WHO may decide if a PHEIC amounts to a pandemic emergency (via Article 12).
  2. National IHR Authorities must be designated in each country to coordinate implementation across ministries.
  3. Introduction of a Coordinating Financial Mechanism to assist developing nations in pandemic preparedness.
  4. Establishment of a States Parties Committee to facilitate implementation (non-punitive oversight).

Key Features:

• Tiered Alert System: Pandemic emergency is a higher tier beyond PHEIC, but built on top of it — the event must already meet PHEIC criteria.
• Broader Triggers: Requires wide geographic spread, health system overload, socioeconomic disruption, and need for whole-of-society/whole-of-government response.
• Equity & Solidarity: Emphasis on fairness in access to medical products, financing support, and collaborative global response.
• No New Authority Over Sovereignty: The amendments clarify that WHO cannot mandate domestic policies (lockdowns, etc.) — countries retain legislative control.
• Seamless Integration: It does not replace PHEIC but enriches it; avoids duplicative procedures by integrating decision-making.

Significance:

• Legal Certainty: Provides a clearer legal framework for when and how a global pandemic can be declared.
• Faster Response: Enables earlier mobilization of global resources and coordinated interventions.
• Support for Developing Nations: The financial mechanism and obligations facilitate equity in capacity building.

Environmental surveillance

Source:  TH

Context: ICMR announced a plan to start wastewater surveillance for 10 viruses across 50 Indian cities, expanding India’s disease monitoring system.

About Environmental surveillance:

What It Is?

• Environmental surveillance is the monitoring of pathogens (viruses, bacteria, parasites) in environmental samples like sewage, wastewater, soil, and air.
• It supplements traditional clinical case detection by identifying hidden and asymptomatic infections in communities.

How It Works?

• Sample Collection: Samples are drawn from sewage plants, hospitals, airports, and public spaces, ensuring wide coverage of community health indicators.
• Pathogen Detection: Tests identify viruses, bacteria, and parasites shed in stools, urine, or respiratory secretions, revealing hidden infections.
• Genome Sequencing: Whole-genome sequencing helps track mutations and emerging variants, crucial for pandemic preparedness.
• Comparison Over Time: Daily pathogen load analysis provides trends of spread, offering advance notice of rising infections in populations.

Features:

• Non-invasive: Monitors entire communities without testing individuals, ensuring privacy and broad inclusivity.
• Cost-effective: Single wastewater tests reflect thousands of people’s health status, making it low-cost and scalable.
• Time-sensitive: Detects infection surges 7–10 days before clinical cases rise, enabling early interventions.
• Scalable: Applicable to multiple diseases — from cholera and polio to COVID-19, enhancing surveillance reach.
• Tech-enabled: AI/ML tools analyse patterns, and smart sensors/cough-audio monitoring extend surveillance beyond wastewater.

Significance:

• Early Warning System: Allows governments to prepare healthcare response in advance.
• Better Public Health Planning: Helps allocate vaccines, medicines, and hospital capacity.

DigiLocker

Source:  NIE

Context: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) announced that it will verify candidates’ caste, income, and disability certificates through DigiLocker to prevent forged submissions.

• As part of its centenary celebrations, UPSC also launched the “My UPSC Interview” anecdote portal for serving and retired officers.

About DigiLocker:

• What it is?
  • A flagship initiative under Digital India providing citizens with a secure cloud-based platform to access and share authentic digital documents.
• Ministry: Developed by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
• Aim: To achieve digital empowerment, paperless governance, and faster service delivery by ensuring access to legally valid digital documents.

Key Features:

1. Digital Document Wallet: Stores Aadhaar, PAN, driving license, educational and caste certificates securely in digital form.
2. Legally Recognised: Documents are considered equivalent to originals under Rule 9A of IT Rules, 2016.
3. Citizen-Centric: Provides access to documents anytime, anywhere with user consent for sharing.
4. Efficiency: Enables real-time verification directly from issuing authorities, cutting delays and reducing fraud.
5. Paperless Governance: Lowers administrative overheads and promotes sustainable, eco-friendly record-keeping.

About My UPSC Interview Portal:

• What it is?
  • A new initiative launched during UPSC’s centenary year inviting serving and retired civil servants to share their interview experiences.
• Aim: To build a repository of real-life anecdotes for aspirants, enhance transparency in recruitment, and preserve institutional memory. Selected entries will be published in 2026 as part of the centenary celebrations.

National Pulses Mission

Source:  PIB

Context: The Union Cabinet approved the National Pulses Mission (2025–31) with an outlay of ₹11,440 crore to boost pulse production and reduce import dependency.

About National Pulses Mission:

• What it is?

• • A six-year central programme (2025–31) under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare.
  • Designed to achieve Aatmanirbharta in pulses, ensuring food and nutritional security.

• Aim:

• • Raise domestic pulse production from 242 lakh tonnes (2024–25) to 350 lakh tonnes by 2030–31.

• Nodal Ministry: Union Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare.
• Term: 2025–26 to 2030–31 (six years).
• Budget allocation: ₹11,440 crore.
• Key Features:

• • Production Boost: Expand area to 310 lakh hectares, with yield target of 1,130 kg/ha.
  • Seed Security: Distribution of 126 lakh quintals of certified seeds and 88 lakh free seed kits; monitored through SATHI portal.
  • Assured Procurement: 100% procurement of Tur, Urad, and Masoor at MSP for four years.
  • Infrastructure Support: 1,000 post-harvest processing units with subsidy up to ₹25 lakh each.
  • Research & Innovation: Multi-location trials for climate-resilient and pest-resistant pulse varieties.
  • Farmer Training: Capacity-building programmes for adoption of modern techniques.

• Significance:

• • Food & Nutritional Security: Pulses are a vital protein source in Indian diets.
  • Import Reduction: Cuts 15–20% import dependency, saving forex.
  • Farmer Welfare: Ensures MSP-based income stability and value-chain strengthening.

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