GK One-Liners

What: AU Small Finance Bank became the first Small Finance Bank (SFB) to receive the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) in-principle approval to convert into a Universal Bank. This marks a significant milestone in India’s banking sector evolution, demonstrating that differentiated banks can graduate to full-service banking based on performance and compliance.

How: RBI’s guidelines for SFB-to-Universal Bank transition require minimum 5 years of operations, satisfactory track record, net worth of ₹1,000 crore, and meeting other prudential norms. Universal Banks can offer comprehensive banking services including forex, large corporate lending, and treasury operations without the priority sector lending mandates that constrain SFBs.

Why: Small Finance Banks were introduced in 2015 to promote financial inclusion by serving unserved and underserved sections. Questions on SFBs, their licensing criteria, differences from Universal Banks and Payments Banks, and RBI’s differentiated banking framework are frequently asked in banking exams (IBPS, SBI PO, RBI Grade B) and UPSC GS-III. AU SFB, headquartered in Jaipur, began operations in 2017.

What: The World Health Organization (WHO) classified Hepatitis D virus (HDV) as a carcinogenic virus due to its strong association with liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma) when combined with Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. This classification underscores the importance of HBV vaccination to prevent HDV spread and related complications.

How: Hepatitis D is a “satellite virus” that can only infect individuals already carrying Hepatitis B, as it requires HBV’s surface antigen to replicate. Co-infection or superinfection with HDV significantly accelerates liver damage progression, leading to cirrhosis and liver cancer at higher rates than HBV alone. Vaccination against Hepatitis B effectively prevents Hepatitis D infection as well.

Why: WHO classifications and disease categorisations are relevant for UPSC Science & Technology and health-related questions. India has a significant Hepatitis B burden, making HBV vaccination programmes (included in Universal Immunisation Programme since 2011) crucial. Understanding viral hepatitis types (A, B, C, D, E), transmission routes, and prevention strategies is essential for comprehensive health awareness.

What: The government announced that BharatGen AI will support all 22 languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution by June 2026. This initiative is being implemented under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS), ensuring linguistic inclusivity in India’s digital transformation and AI ecosystem.

How: BharatGen is India’s indigenous multimodal AI foundation model capable of understanding and generating content in Indian languages. By training on diverse linguistic datasets, it enables AI applications like translation, content creation, voice assistants, and information access in regional languages, bridging the digital divide for non-English speaking populations.

Why: The Eighth Schedule currently lists 22 languages: Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu. Questions on Scheduled Languages, constitutional provisions (Articles 343-351), and government AI initiatives are relevant for UPSC Polity and Science & Technology sections.

What: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the M.S. Swaminathan Global Award for Food and Peace to honour scientists combating hunger in developing countries. The first recipient was Nigerian researcher Dr. Arenare for his work on food security. The award commemorates Dr. M.S. Swaminathan (1925–2023), the father of India’s Green Revolution.

How: Dr. Swaminathan’s pioneering work in developing high-yielding wheat and rice varieties transformed India from a food-deficit nation to a self-sufficient agricultural economy. The award recognises scientists who continue this legacy by addressing global hunger through research, innovation, and sustainable agricultural practices in developing nations.

Why: Dr. Swaminathan received numerous honours including the World Food Prize (1987), Padma Vibhushan, and was known as the “Father of Economic Ecology.” Questions on Green Revolution, its architects (Norman Borlaug, M.S. Swaminathan), high-yielding variety seeds, and their impact on Indian agriculture are essential for UPSC GS-III (Agriculture) and general awareness sections.

What: Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Bhashini to promote language inclusivity in India’s startup ecosystem. The partnership will integrate vernacular language technologies into AIM programmes and translate World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Academy resources into Indian languages.

How: Bhashini is the government’s AI-powered language translation platform under the National Language Translation Mission (NLTM). By integrating Bhashini’s capabilities, AIM’s incubators, Atal Tinkering Labs, and startup mentorship programmes can reach entrepreneurs in regional languages, removing English-language barriers that limit participation from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.

Why: AIM, under NITI Aayog, promotes innovation and entrepreneurship through initiatives like Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) in schools and Atal Incubation Centres (AICs). Questions on AIM’s programmes, NITI Aayog’s role, and government initiatives for startup ecosystem development are relevant for UPSC GS-II (Governance) and GS-III (Economy). Bhashini’s role in Digital India adds contemporary relevance.

What: August 8, 2025 marked the 83rd anniversary of the Quit India Movement, launched on 8 August 1942. Led by Mahatma Gandhi’s historic ‘Do or Die’ (Karenge ya Marenge) call at the All India Congress Committee session in Bombay (now Mumbai), the movement mobilised millions of Indians in the final phase of the independence struggle.

How: The movement was a mass civil disobedience demanding an immediate end to British rule in India during World War II. The British responded with severe repression, arresting Congress leaders including Gandhi, Nehru, and Patel within hours. Despite the crackdown, spontaneous protests, strikes, and underground resistance continued, demonstrating India’s resolve for freedom.

Why: The Quit India Movement is a crucial topic in UPSC GS-I (Modern Indian History). Understanding its context (failure of Cripps Mission, World War II pressures), key leaders, slogans, and consequences (parallel governments in Satara, Midnapore; Aruna Asaf Ali’s role) is essential. The movement is also remembered as August Kranti (August Revolution) and marked a decisive shift toward inevitable independence.