UPSC Prelims Current Affairs for 16 June 2025

by Vajiram & Ravi - 16 June 2025

Vajiram & Ravi provides Daily UPSC Prelims Current Affairs for 16 June 2025, tailored for aspirants. We cover all relevant news and events crucial for the exam, ensuring you stay updated & well-prepared.

Global Education Monitoring Report

June 16, 2025
Global Education Monitoring

Global Education Monitoring Report Latest News

According to the Global Education Monitoring Team (GEM) report the global out-of-school population is now estimated to be 272 million, over 21 million more than the last estimate. 

About Global Education Monitoring Report

  • It is an annual publication produced by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).
  • It is an authoritative and evidence-based assessment of progress, challenges, and trends in education worldwide. 
  • The GEM Report was launched in 2002 as the Education for All Global Monitoring Report and transitioned to its current name in 2016.
  • Its primary purpose is to monitor and analyze global education trends and provide policy recommendations to governments and stakeholders to improve education systems and outcomes.

Highlights of the Report

  • It has pointed out that by 2025, countries will be off-track by 75 million relative to their national targets.
  • The out-of-school model estimates assume stable patterns of school-age population progression through the education system. 
  • The model used multiple data sources ( administrative, survey and census) to generate internally consistent trends of regional and global averages.

Source: TH

Global Education Monitoring Report

Q1: Who releases the Global education Monitoring Report?

Ans: UNESCO

Q2: What is the United Nations Economic and Social Council?

Ans: The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN) responsible for promoting international economic and social cooperation and development.

UNESCO Creative Cities Network

June 16, 2025
UNESCO Creative Cities Network

UNESCO Creative Cities Network Latest News

Recently, Lucknow has officially submitted its nominations for inclusion in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) to be titled “City of Gastronomy”.

About UNESCO Creative Cities Network

  • It was created in 2004 to promote cooperation among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development.
  • It was launched to promote UNESCO’s goals of cultural diversity and strengthen resilience to threats such as climate change, rising inequality, and rapid urbanisation.

Aim of UCCN

  • The network is aimed at leveraging the creative, social, and economic potential of cultural industries.
  • It encourages a culture of creativity in urban planning and solutions to urban problems.

Objectives of the UCCN

  • It allows member cities to recognise creativity as an essential component of urban development, notably through partnerships involving the public and private sectors and civil society.
  • It envisages developing hubs of creativity, innovation and broadening opportunities for creators and professionals in the cultural sector.
  • These cities have to achieve the UN agenda of sustainable development.

Indian Cities in the UCCN

Ten Indian cities are a part of the network. Kozhikode (Literature) and Gwalior (Music) feature in this list. Earlier, Jaipur (Crafts and Folk Arts), Varanasi (Music), Chennai (Music), Mumbai (Film), Hyderabad (Gastronomy), and Srinagar (Crafts and Folk Arts) have also held the spot.

Source: FE

UNESCO Creative Cities Network FAQs

Q1: What is the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Program?

Ans: UCCN brings together cities that have identified culture and creativity as strategic agents in building the sustainable cities of tomorrow, contributing to achievement of the SDGs.

Q2: What is the purpose of UNESCO?

Ans: UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, is a specialized agency dedicated to strengthening our shared humanity through the promotion of education, science, culture, and communication.

Cyprus

June 16, 2025
Cyprus

Cyprus Latest News

The Prime Minister recently began his five-day, three-nation visit with a stop in Cyprus, marking the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the island nation in over two decades.

About Cyprus

  • Cyprus is a Eurasian island country located in the extreme northeastern corner of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Anatolian peninsula (Asia Minor) or modern-day Turkey.
  • With an area of 9,251 sq. km, Cyprus is the third largest Mediterranean island after Sicily and Sardinia.
  • Capital: Nicosia  
  • Major Cities: Limassol, Larnaca, Famagusta, and Paphos.
  • Cyprus belongs geographically to Western Asia (Middle East) and politically to Europe.
  • Cyprus is positioned both in the Northern and Eastern hemispheres of the earth.
  • Across the sea, it is located to the southeast of Greece, to the south of Turkey, to the west of Lebanon and Syria, and to the north of Egypt, Israel, and the Palestinian Gaza Strip. 
  • The culture of Cyprus is divided between the northern Turkish and the southern Greek sections of the country.
  • Climate: Temperate and Mediterranean with dry summers and variably rainy winters. 
  • Highest Point: Mount Olympus (1,952 m) 
  • History: 
    • In 1960 Cyprus became independent of Britain as the Republic of Cyprus. 
    • Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded the north in response to a military coup on the island which was backed by the Greek government.
    • The island was effectively partitioned, with the northern third run by a Turkish Cypriot government and the southern two-thirds by the internationally recognised government led by Greek Cypriots. 
    • The status of Northern Cyprus as a separate political entity is recognised only by Turkey.
    • United Nations troops patrol the "Green Line" dividing the two parts, and reunification talks have made slow progress. 
  • Political System: Cyprus is a presidential republic. The president is both head of state and government.
  • Official languages: Greek and Turkish.
  • It is a developed country and a member of the European Union since May 1, 2004.

Source: IT

Cyprus FAQs

Q1: What is the capital of Cyprus?

Ans: Nicosia

Q2: Cyprus is located in which sea?

Ans: Mediterranean Sea

Q3: Which country is located directly north of Cyprus?

Ans: Turkey

Special Economic Zones (SEZs)

June 16, 2025
Special Economic Zones

Special Economic Zones Latest News

The government recently relaxed key rules related to Special Economic Zones (SEZs) to further encourage the domestic manufacture of semiconductors and electronics.

About Special Economic Zones 

  • SEZs are special areas within a country that offer incentives to business and trade regulations operating in those areas. 
  • SEZs typically offer competitive infrastructure, duty-free exports, tax incentives, and other measures designed to make it easier to conduct business.
  • The main objectives of the SEZ are generating additional economic activity, promoting exports of goods and services from the country, promoting foreign and domestic investment, and creating more employment opportunities besides the development of infrastructure facilities. 
  • The category ‘SEZ’ covers a broad range of zone types, few of which are free zones (FZs), industrial estates (IEs), free ports, free trade zones (FTZs), and export processing zones (EPZs). 

SEZs in India

  • Asia’s first EPZ was set up in Kandla, Gujarat, in 1965, followed by seven more EPZs in the country. 
  • The SEZ policy was introduced in April 2000, and it is envisioned to make SEZs a driver for economic growth supported by quality infrastructure and accompanied by an attractive incentives package, at the centre and state levels in the country. 
  • The eight pre-existing EPZs located at Kandla and Surat (Gujarat), Mumbai (Maharashtra), Cochin (Kerala), Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), Falta (West Bengal), and Noida (Uttar Pradesh) were converted into SEZs under this scheme. 
  • Later, the SEZ Act, 2005 was passed by the Indian Parliament in May 2005, and the act, supported by SEZ Rules, came into effect on February 10, 2006. 
  • As of March 31, 2024, there are 280 operational SEZs in India.

Rules Pertaining to SEZs in India

  • A designated duty-free enclave is considered as a territory outside the customs jurisdiction of India for authorized operations within the Special Economic Zone (SEZ). 
  • Duty free import and domestic procurement of goods for the development, operation, and maintenance of your company/SEZ unit.
  • No import license is necessary, and both manufacturing and service activities are permitted. 
  • 100 percent income tax exemption on export income for SEZ units under Section 10AA of the Income Tax Act for the first five years, 50 percent for the next five years thereafter and 50 percent of the ploughed back export profit for the next five years.
  • Exemption from the Goods and Service Tax (GST) and levies imposed by the state government (supplies to SEZs are zero rated under the IGST Act, 2017, meaning they are not taxed).
  • Units within the SEZ must demonstrate Positive Net Foreign Exchange over a cumulative period of five years from the start of production. 
  • Domestic sales are subject to full customs duty and adhere to the current import policy. 
  • Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT) must be paid by SEZ units.
  • Single window clearances for all state and federal government approvals.
  • SEZ units have the liberty to engage in subcontracting. 
  • Routine inspections of export/import cargo by customs authorities are not required. 
  • SEZ Developers/Co-Developers and Units are entitled to direct and indirect tax benefits as stipulated in the SEZs Act of 2005.
  • On June 9, 2025, India announced a series of regulatory amendments aimed at promoting SEZs focused on semiconductor and electronic component manufacturing.
    • One of the major revisions is the amendment to Rule 5 of SEZ Rules, 2006, which reduces the minimum land requirement for SEZs dedicated exclusively to semiconductors or electronic components from 50 hectares to 10 hectares. 
    • Additionally, Rule 18 has been amended to allow these SEZ units to sell their products in the domestic market, subject to payment of applicable duties.
    • Further, an amendment to Rule 7 empowers the SEZ Board of Approval to waive the requirement for land to be encumbrance-free in specific cases. This provision applies when the land is mortgaged or leased to central or state governments or their authorized agencies, offering greater flexibility in land acquisition and development.

Source: TH

Special Economic Zones (SEZs) FAQs

Q1: Which was the first Export Processing Zone (EPZ) in Asia?

Ans: Kandla

Q2: As per the SEZ Rules, how is a designated SEZ area treated for customs purposes?

Ans: As territory outside the customs jurisdiction of India.

Q3: When was the SEZ Act passed by the Indian Parliament?

Ans: 2005

AviList

June 16, 2025
AviList

AviList Latest News

Recently, the AviList became live after four years of work by the Working Group on Avian Checklists.

About AviList

  • It is the first-ever unified global checklist of bird species.
  • The new checklist will replace the International Ornithological Committee (IOC) and Clements lists and will be updated annually.
  • Launched by:  Under the Working Group on Avian Checklists included representatives from BirdLife International, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the American Ornithologists Society, the International Ornithologists’ Union, and Avibase.
  • The list contains 11,131 species, 19,879 subspecies, 2,376 genera, 252 families and 46 orders. It has thus brought together global thinking on what constitutes a species and shakes up humanity’s understanding of the avian world.

Benefits of new AviList

  • The new list will especially help scientists get clarity on conservation priorities.
  • It will benefit conservation, removing the current confusion and uncertainty resulting from the existence of multiple lists.
  • It will make it easier for birders, scientists, policymakers and conservationists to share information, use and link different online platforms, and share a common understanding of avian distribution, ecology and conservation priorities.

 Source: DTE

AviList FAQs

Q1: What is BirdLife International?

Ans: It is a global Partnership of over 100 national conservation organisations with a focus on birds and working together on shared priorities, policies and programmes of conservation exchanging skills, achievements and information, and so growing in ability, authority and influence.

Q2: Where is the headquarters of BirdLife International?

Ans: Cambridge, United Kingdom

Q3: What does ornithology mean?

Ans: Ornithology is the scientific study of birds, a field that combines elements of natural history and biology.

Goan Feni

June 16, 2025
Goan Feni

Goan Feni Latest News

Goan Feni, popularly known as Ozzo Feni, has also received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag. 

About Goan Feni

  • It is a traditional Indian spirit native to Goa, and is made from the fermentation and double distillation of either cashew apples or coconut sap.
  • It's strong, clear liquor with a unique flavour.
  • History: Feni was introduced to India by the Portuguese missionaries in the 1600s when they came to trade. They brought with them cashew plant trees and also the method of distillation, which was then passed on to the locals. 
  • The people who made feni were called bhatikars, who used earthen pots or bhatis under a fire. Today, copper pots under the coil method are used to make Feni.

How is it prepared?

  • As per a study, cashew feni production is a relatively laborious and lengthy process that does not require specialized equipment.
  • It is a four-step process consisting of the harvesting of cashew apples, juice extraction through stomping with feet, natural fermentation in earthen pots, and subsequent distillation and condensation in a clay still over a low wood fire.
  • The distilled Feni is then aged for a couple of months and bottled.

Source: TOI

Goan Feni FAQs

Q1: What is goan Feni made of?

Ans: Feni is a traditional Indian spirit, well-known in Goa, made from the fermentation and double distillation of either cashew apples or coconut sap.

Q2: What are the two types of feni?

Ans: Cashew feni and coconut feni

Indian Rat Snake

June 16, 2025
Indian Rat Snake

Indian Rat Snake Latest News

The State Board for Wildlife, which will meet next week, will consider a proposal for notifying the snake as the official reptile. 

About Indian Rat Snake

  • It is a non-venomous commonly seen snake which is famous for its fast crawling speed and much larger size than most of the widely distributed species found in India. 
  • It is also known as Manja Chera and Karinchera in Kerala.
  • Rat Snakes are carnivorous; also consume the hatchlings of venomous and dangerous snakes, such as cobras.
  • Behaviour: It is a diurnal species which shows both arboreal and terrestrial activity depending upon foraging and resting needs.
  • Habitat: The snake is found in diverse habitats, including forests, forest clearings and edges, open tropical dry forests, savannas, scrublands, plantations, villages and cultivated areas.

Distribution of Indian Rat Snake

  • India, throughout South and Southeast Asia, China, Pakistan, Turkmenistan
  • The species is found in most parts of the country including Andaman Island.

Ecological Significance of Indian Rat Snake

  • The species is commonly found in human habitations, plays a major role in controlling the rodent population that damages agricultural crops including grains and tubers in fields and farmlands that spread infectious diseases.
  • Rat snakes, also known as friends of farmers, have great conservation value.

Conservation status of Indian Rat Snake

  • IUCN: Least Concern  
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act: Schedule One

Source:  TH

Indian Rat Snake FAQs

Q1: Is Indian rat snake poisonous?

Ans: It is non-venomous

Q2: What is another name for the Indian rat snake?

Ans: Oriental rat snake and dhaman

Narmada River

June 16, 2025
Narmada River

Narmada River Latest News

Since the launch of the Madhya Pradesh government’s Jal Ganga Sanvardhan Abhiyan, the Ghoda Pachhad River-a tributary of the Narmada-has been revived in Khandwa district.

About Narmada River

  • It is the largest west-flowing river in peninsular India.
  • Of the major rivers of peninsular India, only the Narmada, the Tapti, and the Mahirun from east to west.
  • It has long been an important route between the Arabian Sea and the Ganges (Ganga) River valley. 
  • The Narmada was called Namade by the 2nd-century-ce Greek geographer Ptolemy.
  • Course:
    • The origin of the river is a tiny reservoir named Narmada Kund, which is situated on the Amarkantak Hill in East Madhya Pradesh at an elevation of 1,057 m on the border with Chhattisgarh.
    • The river flows through Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat between Vindhya and Satpura hill ranges before falling into the Gulf of Cambay in the Arabian Sea about 10 km north of Bharuch, Gujarat.
  • Length: The total length of the river is 1312 kilometres (815 miles). It is the fifth longest river of India.
  • The Narmada basin extends over an area of 98,796 sq. km., and includes a portion of Chhattisgarh state.
  • Narmada flows through the Hoshangabad plains, the Dhar upland, the Mahishmati plains, and the gorges at Mandhata and Murakta.
  • The basin is bounded on the north by the Vindhyas, on the east by the Maikala range, on the south by the Satpuras, and on the west by the Arabian Sea.
  • The Tropic of Cancer crosses the Narmada basin in the upper plains area, and a major part of the basin lies just below this line.
  • It is one of the rivers that flow in a rift valley and acts as a divider between north India and south India.
    • These rift valleys are the result of the faulting that took place when the northern flank of the Peninsula suffered subsidence.
  • The river has numerous waterfalls, notably the Dhuandhar Falls, southwest of Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. 
  • Tributaries:
    • The main tributaries of Narmada River are, namely, Hallon River, Banjar River, Barna River, and Tawa River.
    • The Tawa River is the longest tributary of the Narmada River.
  • There are also numerous pilgrimage spots on the banks of the river, the most important among them are Mahewswar and Omkareshwar temples.
  • There are several dams along the course of the river, including major hydroelectric projects, such as the Sardar Sarovar Dam, the Indira Sagar Dam, the Omkareshwar Dam, the Bargi Dam, and the Maheshwar Dam.

Source: TWEEK

Narmada River FAQs

Q1: Where does the Narmada River start and end?

Ans: The Narmada River rises in Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh, and empties into the Arabian Sea via the Gulf of Khambhat.

Q2: Which is the 5th longest river in India?

Ans: Narmada River

Q3: Which river is twin of Narmada?

Ans: The Tapi (or Tapti) River is often referred to as the twin of the Narmada River.

SCORES Portal

June 16, 2025
SCORES Portal

SCORES Portal Latest News

Capital markets regulator Sebi resolved 4,493 investor complaints through its online grievance redressal platform SCORES last month.

About SCORES Portal

  • SCORES, or the SEBI Complaints Redress System, is an online platform launched in 2011 that enables investors to file and track complaints against listed entities and SEBI-registered market intermediaries. 
  • As per the upgraded SCORES 2.0 framework, complaints are automatically directed to the concerned entities, which are mandated to respond with an Action Taken Report (ATR) within 21 days.
  • If the investor is dissatisfied with the response, they may seek a First Level Review within 15 days.
    • During this review period, complaints remain classified as pending, even if an ATR has already been submitted. 
    • In cases where the grievance remains unresolved following the First Level Review, investors have the option to escalate the matter to SEBI for a Second Level Review. 
    • The complaints may be closed if the investor opts for resolution through the Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) mechanism. 
  • Thus, the SCORES Portal enables market intermediaries and listed companies to receive complaints online from investors, redress such complaints, and report redressal online.
  • An investor who is not familiar with SCORES or does not have access to SCORES can lodge complaints in physical form at any of the offices of SEBI.
    • Such complaints would be scanned and also uploaded in SCORES for processing.

Source: BS

SCORES Portal FAQs

Q1: Who launched scores portal?

Ans: Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)

Q2: SCORES is meant to redress complaints against which of the following?

Ans: Listed entities and SEBI-registered market intermediaries.

Q3: In which year was the SCORES portal launched?

Ans: 2011

G7 Grouping

June 16, 2025
G7

G7 Grouping Latest News

The Prime Minister recently headed to Canada to attend the G7 summit on the invitation of his counterpart, Mark Carney.

About G7 Grouping

  • The Group of Seven (G7) is an informal grouping of seven of the world’s advanced economies, including Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
  • The European Union (EU) also participates in the Group and is represented at the summits by the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission.
  • G7 was founded in 1975 in response to the oil crisis. 
  • With the inclusion of Russia in 1998, the group temporarily became the G8. In 2014, the group returned to the G7 format. 
  • The G7 originally dealt exclusively with issues related to the development of the global economy. 
  • Over the years, it has broadened its agenda. It now covers the entire spectrum of global issues, such as foreign and security policy, trade, climate, and development.

G7 Grouping Governance Structure

  • There is no firmly established secretariat, procedural guidelines, or administrative structures. 
  • The G7 presidency rotates each calendar year among the member states. The EU does not hold the rotating presidency of the G7.
  • The Summit, the G7 Presidency’s centerpiece, is attended by the Heads of State and Government of the seven Member States, representatives of the European Union, and States and International Organizations invited by the Presidency.
  • The changing agenda and thematic priorities of the G7 are determined by the respective presidency. 
  • Decisions are usually taken by consensus.
  • The G7 Summit concludes with the adoption of a communiqué outlining important political commitments. 
  • These communiques–and more broadly the G7 decisions–have a significant influence on global governance and decision-making processes.

Source: FP

G7 Grouping FAQs

Q1: What are the 7 countries in the G7?

Ans: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Q2: When was the G7 founded?

Ans: G7 was founded in 1975 in response to the oil crisis. 

Q3: Why was Russia removed from the G8, reverting the group to the G7?

Ans: Annexation of Crimea.

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