Key Current Affairs: March 24-30, 2025

Context:

This detailed summary covers significant events from March 24-30, 2025, as reported by The Indian Express, focusing on national policies, international collaborations, economic projections, and historical developments. These topics are crucial for understanding contemporary issues and their broader implications, making them essential for competitive exam preparation.

Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)

• Definition and Design: Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) are advanced nuclear reactors with a power capacity ranging from 30 megawatts electrical (MWe) to 300 MWe per unit, significantly smaller than conventional nuclear reactors, which typically exceed 500 MW. Their modular design allows components to be manufactured in factories and assembled on-site, contrasting with the on-site construction of traditional reactors.
• Advantages: The simpler, factory-assembled design reduces construction costs and time, making SMRs a cost-effective option. Their smaller size enables flexible deployment in diverse locations, including remote areas or regions with lower energy demands, enhancing accessibility to nuclear power.
• Union Budget 2025 Announcement: In the Union Budget 2025, the Indian government introduced the "New Nuclear Mission," a strategic initiative to develop and deploy SMR technology. This move reflects India’s commitment to expanding its nuclear energy portfolio with innovative, scalable solutions.
• Objective: The mission aims to bolster India’s sustainable energy framework by leveraging SMRs to meet growing electricity demands while reducing reliance on fossil fuels. It aligns with global efforts toward cleaner energy and India’s climate goals, emphasizing cost-efficiency and scalability.
• Contextual Relevance: SMRs represent a shift in nuclear energy strategy, offering a practical alternative to large-scale reactors, and their inclusion in the budget underscores India’s focus on technological innovation in the energy sector.

India-France Maritime Exercise

• Event Details: A bilateral joint maritime exercise between the Indian Navy and the French Navy took place from March 19-22, 2025, off the coast of Goa in the Arabian Sea. This exercise involved coordinated naval operations to enhance interoperability and strengthen maritime cooperation.
• Significance: The exercise symbolizes the deepening strategic partnership between India and France, emphasizing their shared commitment to maintaining peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region. It fosters mutual understanding of operational tactics, improves joint response capabilities, and reinforces maritime domain awareness.
• Activities: The exercise likely included simulations of anti-submarine warfare, search and rescue operations, and tactical maneuvers, showcasing the navies’ ability to collaborate effectively in complex scenarios.
• Historical Context: Military exercises have been a recurring theme in past competitive exams, such as the 2014 Prelims question on the India-Sri Lanka exercise "Mitra Shakti." This highlights their importance in understanding defense collaborations and regional security dynamics.
• Broader Implications: The India-France exercise strengthens bilateral ties amid growing geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific, positioning both nations as key players in ensuring a rules-based maritime order.

India BioEconomy Report

• Release and Source: The Department of Biotechnology, under the Ministry of Science and Technology, released the India BioEconomy Report in March 2025, providing a comprehensive assessment of India’s bioeconomy landscape.
• Economic Projections: The report forecasts that India’s bioeconomy could reach a valuation of $300 billion by 2030 and escalate to $1 trillion by 2047, coinciding with the centenary of India’s independence. These projections reflect optimism about the sector’s growth potential.
• Definition: Bioeconomy refers to the economic activities derived from the industrial use of biological resources—such as plants, animals, and microorganisms—and the replication of natural biological processes to produce goods and services. It encompasses sectors like biotechnology, agriculture, healthcare, and bio-based industries.
• Key Drivers: The growth is attributed to advancements in biotechnology, increasing demand for sustainable products, and government initiatives promoting research and innovation. The report highlights India’s potential to become a global leader in bio-based solutions.
• Significance: This projection underscores the bioeconomy’s role in driving sustainable development, creating jobs, and addressing environmental challenges, making it a critical area for policy focus and investment.

Vikramshila Central University

• Location and Land Allocation: In March 2025, the Bihar government allocated 202.14 acres of land in Antichak village, Bhagalpur district, for the establishment of Vikramshila Central University. This site is historically significant due to its proximity to the ancient Vikramshila University ruins.
• Historical Background: The original Vikramshila University was founded by Pala king Dharmapala (reigned 770–810 CE) in the late 8th to early 9th century CE, during the Pala dynasty’s rule in eastern India. Alongside Sompura University (also established by Dharmapala), it flourished as a major center of learning during the Pala period.
• Academic Excellence: At its peak, Vikramshila offered a diverse curriculum, including theology (Buddhist and Hindu studies), philosophy, grammar, metaphysics, logic, and tantras (occult sciences). The emphasis on tantras reflects the era’s prominence of tantricism in both Buddhist and Hindu traditions, making it a hub for advanced scholarly pursuits.
• Revival Initiative: The new university follows the model of Nalanda University’s revival, aiming to restore India’s historical legacy as a global educational powerhouse. It seeks to blend modern education with the region’s rich intellectual heritage.
• Cultural and Educational Impact: The establishment of Vikramshila Central University is a step toward reviving Bihar’s historical significance in education, fostering research, and boosting regional development.

Census and Caste Census Demand

• Demand by Congress: On March 24-30, 2025, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge publicly urged the central government to conduct the decadal census and a caste census without further delay. This call was made to address the lack of updated demographic data critical for governance.
• Criticism of Delay: Kharge criticized the government for indefinitely postponing the census, originally due in 2021 but delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent administrative challenges. He emphasized that the absence of current data hampers effective policy-making and resource allocation.
• Importance of Census: The decadal census, conducted every ten years since 1872, provides comprehensive data on population, literacy, employment, and housing, forming the backbone of national planning. A caste census, last fully conducted in 1931, would offer detailed insights into caste demographics, aiding in targeted welfare schemes and social justice initiatives.
• Political Context: The demand reflects ongoing debates about caste-based policies and representation, with opposition parties pushing for data to support affirmative action and address inequalities.
• Implications: Timely census data is vital for evidence-based governance, economic planning, and ensuring equitable development, making this a pressing issue in India’s socio-political landscape.

Key Terms:

• Small Modular Reactors (SMRs): Compact nuclear reactors with a capacity of 30-300 MWe, designed for cost-effective and flexible energy production.
• New Nuclear Mission: A 2025 Union Budget initiative to develop SMR technology for sustainable energy in India.
• Bioeconomy: Economic activity based on biological resources and processes, projected to grow significantly in India.
• Vikramshila University: An ancient center of learning founded by the Pala dynasty, now being revived as a modern central university in Bihar.
• Caste Census: A survey to collect caste-specific demographic data, last comprehensively done in 1931, demanded for better policy-making.
• Maritime Exercise: Joint naval operations, like the India-France exercise, to enhance security and cooperation in strategic regions.

Link To The Original Article – https://indianexpress.com/article/upsc-current-affairs/upsc-essentials/upsc-current-affairs-pointers-past-week-march-24-30-2025-prelims-9915075/