GK One-Liners

What: BSE Index Services introduced the BSE India Defence Index to track the performance of listed defence-sector companies in India. The index selects constituents from the BSE 1000 universe and is rebalanced twice a year in June and December to reflect market changes and sectoral developments.

How: Sectoral indices help investors track specific industry segments and benchmark portfolio performance. The Defence Index includes companies engaged in defence manufacturing, equipment supply, and related services. As India’s defence production grows under Aatmanirbhar Bharat—crossing ₹1.27 lakh crore in FY24—investor interest in the sector has increased significantly.

Why: Stock market indices, their methodology, and sectoral tracking are important topics for banking exams and UPSC GS-III (Economy). Understanding BSE (established 1875, Asia’s oldest stock exchange), NSE, and index construction provides foundational knowledge of capital markets. The defence index reflects India’s growing defence manufacturing ecosystem and indigenisation push.

What: Unified Payments Interface (UPI) achieved a new monthly high of 19.46 billion transactions in July 2025, valued at approximately ₹25.08 lakh crore—up from roughly ₹24.04 lakh crore in June. PhonePe led the market with 8.93 billion transactions (45.88% share), followed by Google Pay with 6.92 billion transactions, together commanding over 81% market share.

How: UPI’s exponential growth is driven by merchant adoption, peer-to-peer transfers, bill payments, and integration with government services. NPCI’s infrastructure supports this scale through continuous capacity upgrades. The concentration among top apps (PhonePe, Google Pay, Paytm) reflects network effects in digital payments, though NPCI’s 30% market share cap aims to promote competition.

Why: UPI statistics, NPCI’s role, and digital payment ecosystem dynamics are high-frequency topics in banking exams and UPSC GS-III. Understanding transaction volumes, market share distribution, and regulatory measures like the 30% cap demonstrates awareness of India’s fintech landscape. UPI’s international expansion (to UAE, Singapore, France) adds to its strategic importance.

What: ICICI Bank was selected to handle digital payments for India’s first barrier-free toll project at Choryasi Toll Plaza on National Highway 48. The Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) system uses RFID technology combined with AI-based Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) to enable seamless, boothless toll collection without vehicles needing to stop.

How: MLFF systems eliminate physical toll barriers, allowing vehicles to pass at highway speeds while tolls are automatically deducted from linked FASTag accounts. ANPR cameras capture number plates as backup for vehicles without valid FASTags, enabling enforcement through challan generation. This reduces congestion, fuel wastage, and travel time on busy highway corridors.

Why: FASTag, electronic toll collection, and highway infrastructure modernisation are important topics for UPSC GS-III (Infrastructure) and banking exams. Understanding NHAI’s toll policies, GPS-based tolling pilots, and the evolution from manual to ETC to MLFF systems demonstrates awareness of India’s transportation infrastructure development and digital integration in logistics.

What: Parliament cleared the National Sports Governance Bill 2025 along with the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill 2025 to tighten sports governance, align with global norms, and strengthen athlete protection and fair play. The legislation aims to bring transparency, accountability, and professionalism to the administration of sports in India.

How: The Bills introduce provisions for a sports dispute tribunal, better women’s representation in sports bodies, term limits for officials, and enhanced anti-doping mechanisms aligned with World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) standards. The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) will receive expanded powers for testing, investigation, and enforcement.

Why: Sports governance, NADA’s role, and India’s compliance with international sports bodies are relevant for UPSC GS-II (Governance) and sports-related current affairs. Understanding the Sports Code, autonomy of National Sports Federations, and government intervention in sports administration provides context for questions on sports policy and institutional reforms.

What: Telangana was recognised as India’s top state for organ donation with a 2024 donation rate of 4.88 per 10 lakh population—significantly above the national average. This achievement is driven by the Jeevandan programme (state organ procurement network) and free transplants under the Aarogyasri health insurance scheme.

How: Jeevandan coordinates organ retrieval from brain-dead donors, maintains waiting lists, and facilitates transplantation across Telangana’s hospitals. Aarogyasri covers transplant costs for Below Poverty Line families, removing financial barriers. The state has invested in transplant coordinator training, public awareness campaigns, and streamlined consent processes to improve donation rates.

Why: Organ donation policies, NOTTO’s role, and state-level health initiatives are relevant for UPSC GS-II (Social Issues, Governance). Understanding best practices in organ procurement, the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, and successful state models provides insights into healthcare governance. Telangana’s model demonstrates how political will, institutional capacity, and financial support can improve health outcomes.

What: Veteran astronaut and Apollo 13 commander James (Jim) Lovell passed away at age 97. He flew four space missions—Gemini VII, Gemini XII, Apollo 8, and Apollo 13—logging over 700 hours in space. Apollo 13 (1970) became known as the “successful failure” when an oxygen tank explosion forced the crew to abort their lunar landing and return safely to Earth.

How: Lovell was part of the Apollo 8 crew that first orbited the Moon in December 1968, reading from Genesis on Christmas Eve in a historic broadcast. During Apollo 13’s crisis, Lovell and his crew used the Lunar Module as a “lifeboat” and executed critical course corrections to return home. His calm leadership under pressure became legendary in space exploration history.

Why: Space exploration history, Apollo programme milestones, and notable astronauts are relevant for UPSC Science & Technology and general awareness sections. Understanding the significance of Apollo 8 (first lunar orbit), Apollo 11 (first Moon landing), and Apollo 13 (survival against odds) provides context for questions on space exploration achievements and human spaceflight challenges.