GK One-Liners

What: India’s Intellectual Property (IP) filings increased by 44% over the last five years, driven by comprehensive reforms including reduced fees for startups and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), digitization of IP registration services, and faster examination processes. Geographical Indication (GI) applications showed particularly dramatic growth, surging 380% due to increased awareness about protecting traditional products and government support through tools like the National Intellectual Property Awareness Mission (NIPAM) and Scheme for IP Protection and Promotion (SIPP).

How: The growth reflects multiple interventions: the National IPR Policy 2016 established a unified framework, the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM) implemented online filing and tracking systems, startup India initiatives provided 80% fee rebates for patent applications, and expedited examination options were introduced. GI registrations protect region-specific products like Darjeeling tea, Kanchipuram silk, and Kashmir saffron from imitation, benefiting local artisans and farmers. The Intellectual Property Office conducts awareness campaigns through universities and industry associations to encourage innovation protection.

Why: This is crucial for UPSC Mains GS III (Innovation, Intellectual Property Rights) and questions on India’s knowledge economy transition. Topics include the relationship between IP protection and research ecosystem development, India’s position in the Global Innovation Index rankings, how GI tags preserve cultural heritage while creating market differentiation, challenges in balancing patent protection with affordable access (especially for pharmaceuticals), and the role of strong IP frameworks in attracting foreign direct investment and technology transfer partnerships.

What: The Indian Cabinet approved the India-UK Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) 2025, setting an ambitious target of $120 billion in bilateral trade by 2030, nearly doubling from current levels of approximately $60-65 billion. The agreement includes substantial tariff reductions on goods trade, liberalization of services sectors including finance, IT, and professional services, and eased mobility provisions for skilled workers and students. This represents one of India’s most significant post-Brexit trade agreements with a major developed economy.

How: CETA operates through phased tariff elimination across priority sectors: India gains preferential access for textiles, leather goods, jewelry, automotive components, and pharmaceuticals into the UK market, while the UK secures reduced duties on machinery, chemicals, and premium consumer goods. Services provisions allow easier recognition of professional qualifications for Indian IT professionals, chartered accountants, and doctors, while UK financial services firms get better market access in India. The mobility chapter facilitates temporary work visas for intra-company transfers and independent professionals, addressing a key Indian negotiating priority.

Why: This is relevant for UPSC Mains GS II (International Relations, Trade Agreements) covering India’s trade strategy. Questions focus on how FTAs complement India’s multilateral trade approach versus concerns about domestic industry protection, the significance of services and mobility provisions given India’s comparative advantage in IT and healthcare professionals, the strategic dimension of deepening UK ties post-Brexit as Britain seeks new partnerships, and balancing trade liberalization with protecting sensitive sectors like agriculture and dairy where India maintains defensive interests.

What: Under the National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission launched to target India’s high sickle cell disease burden in tribal populations, authorities screened 6 crore (60 million) people using Point of Care Testing (POCT) kits that provide rapid results. The screening identified 2.15 lakh (215,000) confirmed cases while issuing 2.6 crore health cards for tracking and follow-up care. Sickle cell disease is a genetic blood disorder particularly prevalent among Scheduled Tribes in central India, causing severe anemia, pain episodes, and reduced life expectancy without proper management.

How: The mission operates through a three-pronged approach: universal screening of vulnerable populations (ages 0-40 years) in high-prevalence districts across states like Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Gujarat, and Maharashtra using portable POCT devices that detect abnormal hemoglobin; genetic counseling for carriers and patients to prevent disease transmission; and comprehensive care including hydroxyurea medication, blood transfusions, and pain management at designated sickle cell treatment centers. Health cards enable longitudinal tracking of patients, vaccination schedules, and crisis intervention protocols.

Why: This is important for UPSC Mains GS II (Health, Tribal Welfare) and questions on public health interventions. Topics include the mission’s alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 3 on health and wellbeing, how genetic screening combined with counseling can prevent disease propagation across generations, challenges of healthcare delivery in remote tribal areas with limited infrastructure, the ethical dimensions of genetic testing and counseling in communities with varying health literacy, and the mission’s integration with broader tribal development programs under Ministry of Tribal Affairs initiatives.

What: Public Sector Banks (PSBs) wrote off ₹12.08 lakh crore in Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) between Financial Year 2016 and FY 2025, representing a massive balance sheet cleanup following India’s banking crisis that peaked around 2017-18. Simultaneously, India’s gross NPA ratio declined dramatically from 9.11% in 2021 to 2.58% in 2025, the lowest in over a decade. Banks continued recovery efforts, including collecting over ₹25,000 crore from wilful defaulters through legal proceedings under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) and the SARFAESI Act.

How: Write-offs are accounting measures where banks remove bad loans from their balance sheets to reflect realistic asset quality, but this doesn’t mean debt forgiveness—recovery efforts continue through legal channels. The NPA reduction reflects multiple reforms: the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (2016) expedited resolution of stressed assets, the Prompt Corrective Action framework imposed restrictions on weak banks forcing corrective measures, asset quality reviews mandated transparent NPA recognition ending evergreening practices, and recapitalization of PSBs with ₹3+ lakh crore government infusion strengthened capital adequacy to absorb losses.

Why: This is critical for UPSC Prelims (Banking Sector) and Banking exams covering NPA resolution mechanisms. Questions focus on the distinction between write-offs and loan waivers (write-offs are accounting adjustments while waivers forgive debt completely), how IBC transformed creditor rights by prioritizing resolution over prolonged litigation, the role of Asset Reconstruction Companies (ARCs) in acquiring and recovering stressed assets, challenges in recovering from wilful defaulters who deliberately siphon funds, and how improved bank health enables credit growth supporting economic recovery and government priorities like MSME lending.

What: The National Sports Governance Bill 2025 was introduced to comprehensively reform sports administration in India, with its most significant provision bringing the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and other national sports federations under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005. The legislation aims to align sports body governance with Olympic Charter principles of transparency, democratic elections, and autonomy while ensuring accountability for public funds received through government grants, tax exemptions, and infrastructure support.

How: The Bill mandates that all National Sports Federations (NSFs) registered with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports must conduct regular elections with term limits for office-bearers, maintain transparent financial records subject to RTI disclosure, ensure athlete representation in decision-making bodies, adopt anti-doping protocols aligned with World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) standards, and implement conflict of interest policies. BCCI’s inclusion is particularly significant as it has historically resisted RTI coverage, arguing its status as a private society exempts it despite receiving indirect public benefits like tax exemptions and government land for stadiums.

Why: This is relevant for UPSC Mains GS II (Governance, Sports Administration) and questions on transparency in autonomous bodies. Topics include the constitutional validity of imposing RTI on private bodies performing public functions (following Supreme Court jurisprudence on BCCI’s obligations), the tension between government oversight and sporting autonomy (excessive government control can trigger Olympic Charter violations leading to international bans), how the Bill addresses corruption and nepotism in sports administration that has hindered athlete development, and whether mandatory governance reforms can improve India’s Olympic medal performance by ensuring merit-based selection and resource allocation.

What: The Indian Air Force (IAF) will retire its fleet of MiG-21 fighter jets by September 2025, ending a 60-year operational history with the iconic Soviet-era aircraft that served as the backbone of India’s air defense from the 1960s through conflicts including the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War and the 1999 Kargil War. The retirement comes as the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk 1A induction accelerates, with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited ramping up production to fill squadron strength gaps caused by aging aircraft retirement.

How: MiG-21s, despite modernization attempts including the Bison upgrade providing beyond-visual-range missile capability and improved avionics, have become increasingly difficult to maintain due to obsolete spare parts, outdated airframe designs from 1950s technology, and concerning safety records with numerous crashes earning the aircraft the unfortunate nickname “flying coffin.” The phased retirement reduces IAF’s authorized squadron strength gap (currently operating ~30 squadrons against sanctioned 42) temporarily, but LCA Tejas Mk 1A production at 16-24 aircraft annually is gradually filling these numbers. The Tejas brings modern capabilities including advanced radar, electronic warfare suites, and indigenous weapon integration.

Why: This is crucial for UPSC Mains GS III (Defence Modernization, Indigenous Manufacturing) covering military capabilities. Questions focus on India’s transition from import-dependent to indigenous defense production under Atmanirbhar Bharat, the strategic implications of squadron shortfalls when facing two-front security challenges from Pakistan and China, why defense manufacturing programs like LCA face delays despite decades-long development (technology absorption challenges, changing operational requirements, certification complexities), and the broader imperative to modernize IAF’s fleet mix with fifth-generation capabilities like the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft program addressing future air superiority requirements.