UPSC Prelims Current Affairs for 17 September 2025

by Vajiram & Ravi - 17 September 2025

Vajiram & Ravi provides Daily UPSC Prelims Current Affairs for 17 September 2025, tailored for aspirants. We cover all relevant news and events crucial for the exam, ensuring you stay updated & well-prepared.

Frontier 50 Initiative

September 17, 2025
Frontier 50 Initiative

Frontier 50 Initiative Latest News

Recently, the NITI Aayog launched the Frontier 50 Initiative to amplify grassroots adoption of technology and scale impact creation.

About Frontier 50 Initiative

  • It will support 50 Aspirational Districts / Blocks to pick use cases from the Repository and deploy those frontier technologies that have potential to accelerate saturation of services across ADP/ABP themes.
  • Launched by: NITI Aayog under its Frontier Tech Hub.
  • The Frontier Tech Repository showcases 200+ impact stories from across India in four sectors – Agriculture, Healthcare, Education, and National Security. 
  • It brings to life how states and startups are deploying technology with the purpose to transform livelihoods.

What is NITI Frontier Tech Hub?

  • It has been established to anticipate mega technology shifts and chart India’s readiness to unlock their potential for inclusive growth, supply chain resilience, and national security.
  • It convenes leading experts across government, industry, and academia to assess frontier technologies—such as AI, quantum, and biotechnology.
  • It evaluates AI, quantum, and biotechnology opportunities and risks for India, and designs strategies to harness them for Viksit Bharat@2047.

Source: PIB

Frontier 50 Initiative FAQs

Q1: What does NITI Aayog stand for?

Ans: National Institution for Transforming India

Q2: What is the aspirational district program?

Ans: The Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP) was launched in 2018 to uplift 112 underdeveloped districts through data-driven, inclusive governance.

Almatti Dam

September 17, 2025
Almatti Dam

Almatti Dam Latest News

To set the stage for the implementation of the languishing Upper Krishna Project (UKP) phase III, the Karnataka Cabinet recently gave clearance for the acquisition of 1,33,867 lakh acres of land to facilitate the increase of Almatti dam’s height from the present 519.16 metres to 524.256 metres.

About Almatti Dam

  • It is a hydroelectric project on the Krishna River in North Karnataka. 
  • The dam was completed in July 2005. 
  • It was built with the primary objectives of supplying irrigation and potable water to adjacent regions, generating hydroelectric energy, and managing flood risks in the area. 
  • The annual electric output of the dam is 713,000,000 kilowatts (KW). 
  • The dam holds a gross water storage capacity of 123.08 TMC at 519 meters MSL.
  • Standing at a height of 52.5 meters and extending 3.5 kilometers in length, Almatti Dam serves as the principal reservoir of the Upper Krishna Irrigation Project; the 290 MW power station is located on the right side of the Almatti Dam.
    • The facility uses vertical Kaplan turbines: five 55 MW generators and one 15 MW generator.
    • Two separate facilities, namely, Almatti 1 Powerhouse and Almatti II Powerhouse, each separated by distance, do provide power generation capabilities.
    • After generating power, water is released into the Narayanpur reservoir to meet the irrigation requirements downstream.
  • 77 acres surrounding Almatti Dam have been developed into meticulously maintained gardens, including the Japanese Garden, Rock Garden, Mughal Garden, Gopal Krishna Garden, and Lavakush Garden.

Source: TH

Almatti Dam FAQ's

Q1: Where is Almatti Dam situated?

Ans: It is located on the Krishna River in North Karnataka.

Q2: Which type of turbines are used in the Almatti Hydroelectric Project?

Ans: Kaplan turbines

Q3: The Almatti Dam is a key component of which major irrigation project?

Ans: Almatti Dam serves as the principal reservoir of the Upper Krishna Irrigation Project.

WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies

September 17, 2025
WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies

WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies Latest News

Recently, the World Trade Organisation’s agreement on Fisheries Subsidies came into force.

About WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies

  • The Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies is the WTO's first multilateral agreement with environmental sustainability at its core.
  • It prohibits government support to illegal fishing activities and overexploitation of stocks, contributing to the protection of marine life.
  • It was adopted at the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) in 2022, in Geneva.
  • The agreement establishes
    • The first global trade rules designed to curb harmful fisheries subsidies.
    • Prohibits subsidies that support illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, fishing activities targeting overfished stocks
    • It also covers fishing in areas of the high seas that are not covered by a regional fisheries management organisation.

Implementation of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies

  • WTO Fish Fund: Ministers have established this fund to provide developing economies and least-developed countries (LDCs) with technical assistance and capacity-building needed to implement the new obligations and manage their own fisheries more sustainably.
  • Seventeen members have pledged the equivalent of more than USD 18 million to the WTO Fish Fund.
  • Following its entry into force this month, a Committee on Fisheries Subsidies will be created to monitor compliance, review members’ notifications on their subsidy programmes.
  • WTO members will be required to report details of their fishing subsidies, as well as data such as fish stock levels and conservation measures in place.

Source: WTO

WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies FAQs

Q1: WTO Headquarter is located in which city?

Ans: Geneva, Switzerland

Q2: When World Trade Organisatio was established?

Ans: 1 January 1995

Penna River

September 17, 2025
Penna River

Penna River Latest News

Eighteen youngsters stranded in the floodwaters of the Penna River in the Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh recently were rescued after a seven-hour operation.

About Penna River

  • The Penna River, also known as Pennar, Pinakini, or Penneru, is a river in southern India that flows through the states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. 
  • Course:
    • Origin: It rises in the Nandi Hills, an upland region on the Deccan plateau, in Karnataka’s Chikkaballapur district.
    • It flows north into Andhra Pradesh state and turns east and then southeast. 
    • After passage through a gap in the Eastern Ghats range, it again bends east toward the Coromandel Coast, emptying into the Bay of Bengal near the Nellore district. 
  • It has a total length of about 597 km.
  • The river basin lies in the rain shadow region of the Eastern Ghats.
  • The river is seasonal, becoming a torrent after the rains and a thin stream during dry periods.
  • Tributaries: 
    • The Penna River has several tributaries, most of which are seasonal. 
    • Major ones include the Chitravati, Papagni, Cheyyeru, and Kunderu rivers. 
  • The Penna River is crucial to agriculture in parts of Andhra Pradesh, particularly the drought-stricken Rayalaseema region.
  • Several irrigation projects, such as the Somasila, Mylavaram, and Gandikota projects, have been constructed to use the river’s waters for farming and drinking purposes.

Source: TH

Penna River FAQs

Q1: The Penna River originates from which region?

Ans: It rises in the Nandi Hills, an upland region on the Deccan plateau, in Karnataka.

Q2: The Penna River flows through which Indian states?

Ans: It flows through the states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

Q3: The Penna River empties into which water body?

Ans: Bay of Bengal

Q4: Which are the major tributaries of the Penna River?

Ans: Chitravati, Papagni, Cheyyeru, and Kunderu rivers.

Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease

September 17, 2025
Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease

Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease Latest News

A viral infection known as Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD) is spreading rapidly among children across Delhi and neighbouring Haryana, prompting health experts and schools to issue advisories.

About Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease 

  • It is a very contagious illness caused by a virus. 
  • The disease gets its name from the blister-like rash that forms on your child’s hands and feet and painful sores that develop in their mouth. 
  • The rash can actually appear anywhere on their body, including their chest, back, arms, legs, genitals, and buttocks.
  • Infants and children younger than 5 are most likely to get HFMD. It is extremely uncommon in adults; however, it is still a possibility. 
  • It tends to spread quickly among children in daycare and schools. 
  • Because several viruses can cause the disease, it’s possible to get HFMD multiple times.
  • It is often confused with foot-and-mouth (also called hoof-and-mouth) disease, a disease of cattle, sheep, and swine; however, the two diseases are not related—they are caused by different viruses. 
    • Humans do not get the animal disease, and animals do not get the human disease.
  • Transmission: It easily spreads through contact with unwashed hands, feces, saliva , mucus from the nose, or fluid from the blisters. 

Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease Symptoms

  • Fever
  • Sore throat
  • Painful mouth sores that blister
  • Rash commonly found on the hands and feet
  • Complications from HFMD are rare.

Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease Treatment

  • There's no cure for HFM and no vaccine to prevent it.
  • Most people get better on their own in 7 to 10 days with minimal or no medical treatment. 
  • However, it can take children younger than 2 years old a little longer for their bodies to clear the virus.

Source: N18

Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease FAQs

Q1: What is the causative agent of Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD)?

Ans: Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease is caused by a virus.

Q2: Which age group is most vulnerable to Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD)?

Ans: Infants and children younger than 5 are most likely to get HFMD.

Q3: Is there any specific cure or vaccine available for Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD)?

Ans: There's no cure for HFMD and no vaccine to prevent it.

Saunders’s Tern

September 17, 2025
Saunders’s Tern

Saunders’s Tern Latest News

Recently, Saunders’s Tern was sighted at Adyar Estuary in Chennai.

About Saunders’s Tern

  • Saunders’s terns (Sternula saundersi) are a small, ground-nesting marine bird species.
  • It is a species of bird in the family Laridae.
  •  It is sparsely resident along the shores of the north-western Indian Ocean.
  • Geographical Range of Saunders’s terns : Saunders’s terns  breeds in Red Sea and Persian Gulf to islands between India and Sri Lanka; apparently winters mainly Seychelles to Maldives and Cocos (Keeling) Island.
  • Habitat: This species occupies a variety of coastal areas: estuaries, shallow tropical and subtropical inshore waters, tidal lagoons, and harbors.
  • Food: Its diet comprises many kinds of marine animals, such as small fish, crustaceans, and mollusks.
  • It nests on the ground up to 2 km inland on uncovered sandy sites, shingles, or dried mud.
  • Breeding Season: The breeding season for the Saunders’s tern is between March and June.
  • Conservation Status of Saunders’s terns : Least Concern ( IUCN Red List).

Key Facts about the Adyar Estuary

  • It is formed by the Adyar River at the point at which the river meets the Bay of Bengal.
  • It lies between Santhome beach in the north and Elliots Beach in the south.

Source: TH

Saunders’s Tern FAQs

Q1: What is the largest tern species in the world?

Ans: The regal Caspian Tern

Q2: Which country borders the Red Sea?

Ans: Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Sudan, Eritrea and Djibouti

Bureau of Indian Standards

September 17, 2025
Bureau of Indian Standards

Bureau of Indian Standards Latest News

In recent years, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has issued as many as 84 Quality Control Orders (QCOs) based on the recommendations of various ministries and departments.

About Bureau of Indian Standards

  • It is the National Standard Body of India established under the BIS Act 2016.
  • Objective: It was established for the harmonious development of the activities of standardization, marking, and quality certification of goods and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
  • It is the successor of the Indian Standards Institution (ISI), which was created in 1947 to ensure quality control and competitive efficiency in the rapid industrialization era.
  • BIS represents India in International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
  • Nodal Ministry: It is functioning under the administrative control of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.
  • Headquarter: It is headquartered in New Delhi and maintains regional and branch offices throughout the country.

Functions of Bureau of Indian Standards

  • BIS has been providing traceability and tangibility benefits to the national economy in a number of ways by
    • Providing safe, reliable quality goods; 
    • Minimizing health hazards to consumers; 
    • Promoting exports and imports substitute; control over proliferation of varieties etc. through standardization, certification, and testing.
  • It operates product certification schemes through which it grants licenses to manufacturers covering practically every industrial discipline, from agriculture and textiles to electronics.

Bureau of Indian Standards FAQs

Q1: What is the International Organization for Standardization?

Ans: ISO is an independent, non-governmental international organization. It brings global experts together to agree on the best ways of doing things.

Q2: What does the International Electrotechnical Commission do?

Ans: It prepares and publishes international standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies.

Ion Chromatography

September 17, 2025
Ion Chromatography

Ion Chromatography Latest News

Scientists recently devised a way to perform ion chromatography in the field.

About Ion Chromatography

  • Ion chromatography (IC), or ion exchange chromatography, is a powerful analytical technique used to separate and quantify ions in a sample. 
  • It separates charged molecules based on their affinity to the ion-exchange resin. 
  • Ion chromatography techniques of various types enable scientists to target specific ions or classes of ions, providing precise and sensitive analysis.
  • It is of two types: cation exchange and anion exchange.
    • Ion chromatographs are able to measure concentrations of major anions, such as fluoride, chloride, nitrate, nitrite, and sulfate, as well as major cations, such as lithium, sodium, ammonium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium, in the parts-per-billion (ppb) range. 
  • Concentrations of organic acids can also be measured through ion chromatography.

How Does Ion Chromatography Work?

  • Ion chromatography, a form of liquid chromatography, measures concentrations of ionic species by separating them based on their interaction with a resin. 
  • Ionic species separate differently depending on species type and size. 
  • Sample solutions pass through a pressurized chromatographic column where ions are absorbed by column constituents. 
  • As an ion extraction liquid, known as eluent, runs through the column, the absorbed ions begin separating from the column. 
  • The retention time of different species determines the ionic concentrations in the sample.

Ion Chromatography Applications

  • Drinking water analysis for pollution and other constituents.
  • Determination of water chemistries in aquatic ecosystems.
  • Determination of sugar and salt content in foods.
  • Isolation of select proteins.

Source: TH

Ion Chromatography FAQs

Q1: What does ion chromatography (IC) measure?

Ans: Ion chromatography (IC) measures the concentration of ions (both anions and cations) in a sample.

Q2: On what principle does ion chromatography separate ions?

Ans: Ion chromatography separates ions on the principle of ion-exchange, where charged molecules are separated based on their affinity to the ion-exchange resin in the chromatographic column.

Q3: Which major anions can be detected using ion chromatography?

Ans: Fluoride, chloride, nitrate, nitrite, and sulfate.

Q4: Which major cations can be detected using ion chromatography?

Ans: Lithium, sodium, ammonium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium.

Q5: Can ion chromatography be used to measure organic acids?

Ans: Concentrations of organic acids can also be measured through ion chromatography.

International Labour Organisation

September 17, 2025
International Labour Organisation

International Labour Organisation Latest News

Recently, the Union Minister for Labour & Employment signed the Memorandum of Understanding between Government of India and International Labour Organisation (ILO) for collaboration to develop ‘International Reference Classification of Occupations’. 

About International Labour Organisation

  • It is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) dedicated to improving labour conditions and living standards throughout the world.
  • It is the only tripartite U.N. agency that brings together governments, employers and workers’ representatives of 187-member States.
  • Member countries: It has 187 member states: 186 out of 193 UN member states plus the Cook Islands.
  • In recognition of its activities, the ILO was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1969.
  • Headquarter: Geneva, Switzerland.

History of International Labour Organisation

  • It was created in 1919, as part of the Treaty of Versailles that ended World War I
  • In 1946, the ILO became a specialized agency of the newly formed UN.
  • It is also a member of the United Nations Development Group (UNDP), a coalition of UN organization aimed at helping meet the Sustainable Development Goals.

Functions of International Labour Organisation

  • Policy Formulation: It forms international policies and programmes to promote basic human rights, improve working and living conditions, and enhance employment opportunities
  • Creation of international labour standards backed by a unique system to supervise their application
  • An extensive programme of international technical cooperation formulated and implemented in an active partnership with constituents, to help countries put these policies into practice in an effective manner
  • Training, education, and research activities to help advance all of these efforts.

Source: PIB

International Labour Organisation FAQs

Q1: What is the purpose of the ILO?

Ans: The International Labour Organization (ILO) is devoted to promoting social justice and internationally recognized human and labour rights.

Q2: Which organisation publishes World Employment and Social Outlook report?

Ans: International Labour Organization

Birhor Tribe

September 17, 2025
Birhor Tribe

Birhor Tribe Latest News

Around 550 residents, mostly belonging to the Birhor tribe, of Fulwariya hamlet in Koderma district would soon receive electricity supply, ending nearly eight decades of darkness.

About Birhor Tribe

  • The Birhor are a forest-dependent semi-nomadic tribal community concentrated in the eastern central Indian state of Jharkhand.
  • Some of them are also found in Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and West Bengal.
  • The Birhor community is one of eight Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) identified in Jharkhand.
  • The term "Birhor" is derived from the words “Bi”, meaning “Jungle”, and “hor”, meaning “man”; thus, it means “the man living in Jungle” or “people of Jungle”.
  • They belong to the Porto-Australoid stock.
  • Religion: The Birhor follow a mixture of animism and Hinduism.

Birhor Tribe Language 

  • The Birhor tribes have their own language, known as Birhor, which belongs to the Munda group of languages of the Austroasiatic language family.  
  • Their language has similarities with the Santali, Mundari, and Ho languages. 
  • However, due to increased contact with other communities and the influence of mainstream languages, many Birhor people are bilingual or trilingual, with proficiency in Hindi, Bengali, or other regional languages. 

Birhor Tribe Ethnology

  • The Birhors are of short stature, with long heads, wavy hair, and broad nose.
  • They claim they have descended from the Sun and believe that the Kharwars, who also trace their descent from the Sun, are their brothers. 
  • Ethnologically, they are akin to the Santals, Mundas, and Hos.

Birhor Tribe Society

  • They typically live in small, close-knit communities, and their social organization is primarily based on kinship ties. 
  • The tribe is divided into several clans, and each clan has its own leader who plays a crucial role in resolving disputes and maintaining social harmony within the community.
  • They live in small settlements in the forest or on the outskirts of villages.
  • The temporary Birhor settlements are known as tandas or bands. 
  • These consist of at least half a dozen huts of conical shape, erected with leaves and branches.
  • Birhor society is characterized by a strong sense of community, cooperation, and mutual support. 

Birhor Tribe Economy

  • The “primitive subsistence economy” of the Birhors has been based on nomadic gathering and hunting, particularly for monkeys.
  • They make ropes out of the fibres of a particular species of vine, which they sell in the markets of the nearby agricultural people.
  • Some of them have settled into stable agriculture.
  • According to socio-economic standing, the Birhors are classified into two groups. While the wandering Birhors are called Uthlus, the settled Birhors are called Janghis.
  • The Birhor tribe has a rich knowledge of traditional medicine and uses various medicinal plants found in the forest for treating common ailments.

Source: TOI

Birhor Tribe FAQs

Q1: The Birhor tribe is primarily concentrated in which Indian state?

Ans: Jharkhand

Q2: What are the temporary Birhor settlements called?

Ans: The temporary Birhor settlements are known as tandas or bands.

Q3: The Birhor tribe belongs to which racial/ethnic stock?

Ans: Birhor tribe belong to the Porto-Australoid stock.

Q4: What is the religious belief of Birhor tribe?

Ans: The Birhor follow a mixture of animism and Hinduism.

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