GK One-Liners

What: C.P. Radhakrishnan was elected as India’s 15th Vice President, defeating candidate B. Sudershan Reddy in the election held after the position fell vacant on July 21, 2025, following former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s resignation on health grounds. As Vice President, Radhakrishnan assumes the constitutional role of ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha (Council of States), the upper house of India’s Parliament, and serves as the second-highest constitutional authority in the country after the President.

How: The Vice President of India is elected through an electoral college consisting of members of both Houses of Parliament—the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha—following a system of proportional representation by means of single transferable vote. The election is conducted by the Election Commission of India. The Vice President’s term is five years from the date of assuming office, though they can resign earlier or be removed by a resolution of the Rajya Sabha passed by a majority and agreed to by the Lok Sabha. As Rajya Sabha Chairman, the Vice President presides over sessions, maintains order, decides on points of procedure, and has a casting vote in case of ties.

Why: The office of Vice President and constitutional provisions are fundamental topics in Indian polity. Questions on Article 63-73 (provisions related to Vice President), election process, powers and functions, historical Vice Presidents, and parliamentary procedures appear in UPSC Prelims (Polity) and Mains GS2 (Constitution, Governance). This topic connects to the bicameral structure of Indian Parliament, the Vice President’s role in case of Presidential vacancy (acting as President until a new election), convention of appointing senior political figures to the position, and the balance between ceremonial and functional responsibilities in India’s constitutional framework.

What: India’s overall literacy rate increased to 80.9% in 2023-24, reflecting steady progress in educational attainment and adult literacy programs. The improvement is attributed to the ULLAS (Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society) scheme, previously known as Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram (New India Literacy Programme), which has enrolled over 3 crore (30 million) learners. The program delivers educational materials in 26 languages to ensure inclusivity across India’s diverse linguistic landscape.

How: ULLAS operates through a multi-pronged approach involving volunteer teachers (often from educational institutions and NGOs), community learning centers called “Lok Vidyalayas,” use of technology including mobile apps and e-learning platforms for flexible learning, and partnerships with corporate entities under CSR initiatives. The program targets not just basic literacy (reading, writing, numeracy) but also foundational education, critical life skills, vocational training, digital literacy, and financial literacy. It focuses on marginalized groups including women (who have historically lower literacy rates), scheduled castes and tribes, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

Why: Literacy and adult education are crucial social development indicators. Questions on literacy rates, state-wise disparities, ULLAS scheme, constitutional provisions (Article 21A on Right to Education), and education programs appear in UPSC Prelims (Social Issues) and Mains GS2 (Education, Social Justice). This topic connects to Census data on literacy, gender gap in education (female literacy historically lagging behind male literacy by 15-20%), Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education), correlation between literacy and economic development, and challenges in achieving universal literacy including dropout rates, quality of education, and rural-urban divides.

What: Andhra Pradesh announced a ₹3,400 crore aerospace and defence manufacturing initiative, comprising a ₹400 crore ‘Space City’ in Tirupati developed in partnership with Skyroot Aerospace (India’s first private space launch company) and two defence manufacturing hubs worth ₹3,000 crore at Madakasira. This ambitious project aims to position Andhra Pradesh as a leading destination for high-technology manufacturing, create thousands of skilled jobs, and leverage India’s growing space and defence sectors.

How: The Space City in Tirupati will house facilities for satellite manufacturing, rocket engine testing, spacecraft assembly, research and development centers, and startup incubation spaces. Skyroot Aerospace, which successfully launched India’s first private rocket Vikram-S, will anchor the ecosystem along with other private space companies. The defence hubs at Madakasira will focus on manufacturing defence equipment, ammunition, aerospace components, and dual-use technologies. The project leverages Andhra Pradesh’s strategic location, educational institutions like IIT Tirupati providing skilled workforce, existing aerospace presence in cities like Vijayawada, and state government incentives including land allocation, tax benefits, and single-window clearances.

Why: State-level aerospace and defence manufacturing initiatives are important economic development topics. Questions on space sector reforms, private participation in defence production, state industrial policies, and India’s aerospace ecosystem appear in UPSC Prelims (Economy, Science & Tech) and Mains GS3 (Industrial Development, Space Technology). This topic connects to India’s Space Policy 2023 enabling private sector participation, IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre) as the regulatory body, defence manufacturing under Atmanirbhar Bharat with negative indigenization lists, and states competing to attract high-tech investments through specialized clusters and policy incentives.

What: India and Israel signed a new Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) to strengthen investor safeguards, enhance regulatory transparency, and establish robust dispute settlement mechanisms through independent international arbitration. The agreement aims to expand bilateral economic cooperation in high-technology sectors including cybersecurity, defence manufacturing, fintech, agricultural technology, water management, and pharmaceutical research. India-Israel bilateral trade exceeded USD 10 billion in recent years, with significant Israeli investments in Indian startups and infrastructure.

How: BITs provide legal protections for foreign investors including guarantees against expropriation without fair compensation, assurance of fair and equitable treatment, free transfer of profits and dividends, national treatment (treating foreign investors equally with domestic investors), and access to international arbitration for resolving investment disputes. The India-Israel BIT replaces an older agreement from 1996, incorporating modern provisions aligned with India’s revised Model BIT that balances investor protection with the government’s right to regulate for public interest. The treaty facilitates Israeli companies investing in India’s technology parks, defence corridors, and R&D centers, while enabling Indian pharmaceutical and IT companies to expand in Israel.

Why: Bilateral investment treaties and India-Israel relations are important foreign policy topics. Questions on BITs, investment protection mechanisms, India’s economic diplomacy, and strategic partnerships appear in UPSC Prelims (International Relations, Economy) and Mains GS2 (Foreign Policy, Economic Diplomacy). This topic connects to India’s cautious approach to BITs following disputes under older treaties, government efforts to attract foreign investment while protecting regulatory sovereignty, Israel as a key technology and defence partner, and India’s strategic balancing act maintaining strong ties with Israel while preserving traditional support for Palestinian causes in multilateral forums.

What: At the 28th Universal Postal Union (UPU) Congress held in Dubai, India endorsed the UPU 2026-2029 strategic roadmap and showcased its achievements including integration of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) with UPU systems for facilitating cross-border remittances. India highlighted its ambitions to transform India Post from a traditional postal service into a comprehensive logistics and digital services hub, leveraging its vast network of over 1.5 lakh post offices reaching every corner of the country, including remote rural areas.

How: The UPI-UPU integration enables Indian diaspora worldwide to send money to India through postal networks in their host countries, with recipients collecting cash at Indian post offices or receiving direct bank transfers. This system provides an alternative to traditional money transfer operators, particularly benefiting low-income migrants. India Post is diversifying into e-commerce logistics through tie-ups with online retailers, financial services including banking, insurance, and pension distribution (especially in rural areas), digital payments and India Post Payments Bank, passport and government document services, and acting as a common service center for government schemes under Digital India.

Why: Postal services modernization and digital financial inclusion are relevant economic topics. Questions on India Post transformation, UPI expansion, digital payments, and financial inclusion appear in UPSC Prelims (Economy) and Mains GS3 (Digital Economy, Financial Inclusion). This topic connects to the Universal Postal Union (a UN specialized agency established 1874, one of the oldest international organizations), India’s digital payments revolution with UPI processing billions of monthly transactions, government efforts to leverage existing infrastructure for service delivery, and the challenge of making postal services financially sustainable while fulfilling social obligations in remote areas where commercial services are unviable.

What: Sixteen-year-old Indian-American Grandmaster Abhimanyu Mishra defeated reigning World Chess Champion D. Gukesh at the FIDE Grand Swiss 2025, becoming the youngest player in chess history to defeat a sitting world champion in classical (standard time control) chess. This achievement is particularly remarkable given that Gukesh himself made history in 2024 by becoming the youngest-ever World Chess Champion at age 17, breaking Garry Kasparov’s 40-year-old record.

How: Mishra, who became the youngest Grandmaster in history at age 12 years and 4 months in 2021 (breaking Sergey Karjakin’s previous record), demonstrated superior preparation, tactical sharpness, and composure in a high-pressure encounter at the Grand Swiss, an elite tournament that serves as a qualifier for the FIDE Candidates Tournament (which determines challengers for the World Championship). The victory showcases the depth of young Indian and Indian-origin chess talent globally, following India’s emergence as a chess superpower with multiple world champions, Olympiad victories, and a pipeline of teenage prodigies competing at the highest level.

Why: Chess achievements and India’s sporting success are important current affairs topics. Questions on India’s chess revolution, Grandmasters, FIDE tournaments, and youth sports development appear in UPSC Prelims (Sports, Current Affairs) and Mains GS1 (Society, Youth Achievement). This topic connects to the legacy of Viswanathan Anand (India’s first World Champion who inspired a generation), government support through schemes like Khelo India and Target Olympic Podium Scheme, the role of online platforms democratizing chess training, India’s chess infrastructure including academies and titled coaches, and the broader phenomenon of Indian youth excelling in intellectual sports and competitive examinations globally.