GK One-Liners

What: The 58th Annual Meeting of the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Board of Governors was held from 4–7 May 2025 at Allianz MiCo, Milan, Italy, with the theme ‘Sharing Experience, Building Tomorrow.’ The meeting was inaugurated by ADB President Masato Kanda (Japan). India was represented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Key outcomes: ADB committed USD 5 billion to India in 2024, and the bank recorded a historic net income allocation of USD 1.54 billion — the highest in ADB’s approximately 60-year history. The ADB is headquartered in Manila, Philippines, has 69 members, and was established in 1966.

How: The ADB is a regional multilateral development bank focused on reducing poverty and promoting sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific. It provides sovereign and non-sovereign loans, grants, technical assistance, and equity investments. ADB’s USD 5 billion commitment to India in 2024 covers infrastructure, clean energy, urban development, and social sector projects. The record USD 1.54 billion net income allocation reflects strong loan repayment performance across its member portfolio and prudent financial management.

Why: ADB facts — HQ (Manila), founding year (1966), membership count (69), and current President (Masato Kanda) — are standard UPSC Prelims and banking exam questions. The USD 5 billion India commitment and record net income are current affairs data points. Distinguishing ADB (Asia-Pacific, Manila) from the World Bank (global, Washington DC) and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank or AIIB (China-led, Beijing) is a common three-institution question tested across competitive exams. The Milan meeting venue is also testable for banking GK rounds.

What: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved a one-year extension for Praveen Sood (1986-batch IPS, Karnataka cadre) as Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) till May 2026. The extension was granted on the recommendation of the high-powered appointment committee chaired by Prime Minister Modi, with Chief Justice of India Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi as members. Sood’s career highlights include serving as DGP Karnataka, Police Commissioner of Bengaluru and Mysuru, Police Advisor to Mauritius, and contributions to CCTNS (Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems) and ICJS (Interoperable Criminal Justice System).

How: The CBI Director’s appointment and extension follow a constitutionally mandated process under the Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act, 1946, as amended by the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013. The Director is appointed for a fixed two-year term (extendable up to five years total, in annual increments), and cannot be removed without prior approval of the same three-member committee. This process was strengthened after Supreme Court directives in the Vineet Narain case (1997) to insulate the CBI from political interference.

Why: CBI Director appointment mechanics — the three-member committee (PM + CJI + LoP), the DSPE Act, the Lokpal Act amendment, and the Vineet Narain case — are high-frequency UPSC Polity Prelims and GS-2 Mains topics. The two-year fixed term with annual extension provisions is a precise constitutional fact. Distinguishing CBI (DSPE Act, MHA/DoP&T) from NIA (NIA Act 2008, MHA) and ED (PMLA/FEMA, MoF) as separate investigative agencies with different parent laws is a common multi-choice format question in competitive exams.

What: Data released by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare (MoA&FW) in April 2025 shows that 97% of all claims filed under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and the Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS) have been settled — amounting to ₹1,34,353 crore out of ₹1,38,401 crore total claims. Four states have achieved 100% settlement: Goa, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu. Among states filing the highest claims (FY19–24), Maharashtra leads (₹33,259 crore, ~24% share), followed by Rajasthan (₹25,284 crore) and Madhya Pradesh (₹22,749 crore).

How: PMFBY (launched 2016) is India’s flagship crop insurance scheme, providing financial support to farmers whose crops are damaged due to natural calamities, pests, or diseases. It operates on an actuarial premium model with government subsidy sharing between the Centre and states. RWBCIS covers weather-parameter-linked payouts (temperature, rainfall, humidity) rather than actual crop loss assessment. Both schemes are administered through empanelled insurance companies with premium collection and claim settlement monitored by MoA&FW.

Why: PMFBY’s 97% settlement rate, total claim amount (₹1.34 lakh crore), 100%-settlement states, and the Maharashtra-Rajasthan-MP top-filer ranking are all Prelims-ready data points for UPSC, banking, and state PSC exams. Distinguishing PMFBY (crop damage, actual loss assessment) from RWBCIS (weather parameters, index-based) is a conceptual distinction that frequently appears as a two-option MCQ. PMFBY’s 2016 launch year, its actuarial premium structure, and its GS-3 relevance to agricultural risk management and farmer welfare are standard Mains content.

What: The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, expanded the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS) — established on 6 October 2022 — effective 8 May 2025. The per-borrower ceiling was doubled from ₹10 crore to ₹20 crore. The guarantee cover structure is: 85% for loans up to ₹10 crore and 75% for loans above ₹10 crore. The Annual Guarantee Fee (AGF) for 27 Champion Sectors under Make in India was reduced from 2% to 1% per annum. The scheme is managed by the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company (NCGTC) under the Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance.

How: CGSS provides collateral-free credit guarantees to lenders — including Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs), Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs), and Venture Debt Funds (VDFs, which are AIFs registered with SEBI) — for loans extended to DPIIT-recognised startups. By guaranteeing a large portion of the loan, the scheme reduces lender risk and encourages them to finance startups that lack traditional collateral. The doubling of the ceiling addresses the funding gap for growth-stage startups requiring larger ticket sizes.

Why: CGSS, NCGTC, and startup financing mechanisms are UPSC GS-3 (startups, innovation ecosystem) and banking exam (IBPS/RBI) topics. The scheme’s establishment date (6 Oct 2022), the new ceiling (₹20 crore), guarantee cover percentages (85%/75%), AGF reduction (2% → 1% for Champion Sectors), and NCGTC as manager are all testable specifics. The 27 Champion Sectors under Make in India is a connected static concept. CGSS sits within India’s broader Startup India ecosystem alongside SIDBI Fund of Funds, the Startup India Seed Fund, and DPIIT recognition benefits.

What: The Quad (comprising India, Australia, Japan, and the USA) conducted the Indo-Pacific Logistics Network (IPLN) Tabletop Exercise (TTX) at the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS), Honolulu, Hawaii (28 April – 2 May 2025). IPLN is a shared civilian disaster logistics framework designed to coordinate responses to natural disasters — cyclones, tsunamis — and health emergencies across the Indo-Pacific region. The exercise featured digital logistics mapping, real-time tracking systems, and shared resource planning simulations. The Quad was originally established in 2007 under Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and revived in 2017.

How: The IPLN TTX is part of a broader cluster of Quad humanitarian cooperation initiatives, which also includes the Quad Pandemic Preparedness Workshop held in New Delhi (17–19 March 2025) and the Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) programme — a separate initiative using satellite data to monitor sea lanes and counter illegal fishing. Together, these demonstrate the Quad’s evolution from a security-focused dialogue into a comprehensive regional public goods provider covering disaster response, health security, and maritime surveillance.

Why: Quad’s institutional architecture, its founding history (2007 by Shinzo Abe, revived 2017), and its specific initiatives (IPLN for disaster logistics, IPMDA for maritime surveillance, Pandemic Preparedness for health security) are high-priority UPSC GS-2 (multilateral groupings, India’s foreign policy) topics. Distinguishing IPLN from IPMDA — both Quad initiatives but covering different domains — is precisely the kind of nuanced question UPSC Prelims uses. APCSS (Honolulu) as the exercise venue is a testable geography-institution pairing for banking exam GK.

What: The City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) of Maharashtra signed agreements with the University of York (UK) and the University of Western Australia (UWA) for establishing campuses at Educity, Navi Mumbai. Each campus involves an investment of approximately ₹1,500 crore. The University of York campus is expected to start admissions in 2026, pending UGC approval. Proposed courses include Computer Science with AI, Cybersecurity, Business, Economics, and Creative Industries. Educity’s long-term vision is to host 10–12 universities from the global top-100.

How: The campuses will be established under the framework of the University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations for foreign universities operating in India — specifically the UGC (Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India) Regulations, 2023, notified after the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 opened the door for foreign university campuses. CIDCO’s Educity project at Navi Mumbai is positioned as India’s international education hub, complementing similar initiatives at GIFT City, Gandhinagar (IIFT campus) and the Wadhwani cluster.

Why: Foreign university campus regulations under UGC (2023), NEP 2020’s internationalisation goals, and specific university-India partnerships are UPSC GS-2 (education policy, governance) and state PSC current affairs topics. The University of York (UK) and UWA (Australia) are globally ranked institutions — the bilateral angle (India-UK FTA concluded May 2025 + York campus; India-Australia Quad partnership + UWA campus) makes these connections analytically rich for Mains answers on education diplomacy. CIDCO’s role as the nodal body and the ₹1,500 crore per campus investment are Prelims data points.