UPSC Prelims Current Affairs for 25 March 2026

Assam Rifles

March 25, 2026

Assam Rifles Latest News

Recently, the Union Home Minister has extended Raising Day greetings to the courageous personnel of the Assam Rifles.

About Assam Rifles

It is one of the six Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) that come under the MHA’s administrative control.
Function: It conducts counterinsurgency operations in north-eastern India and other areas where deemed necessary.
Headquarter: The headquarters of the Director-General of Assam Rifles (DGAR) is in Shillong

Assam Rifles History and Major Roles Played

Assam Rifles has its origins in 1835 as a militia called the ‘Cachar Levy’ to protect British tea estates and their settlements against tribal raids.
It later became the ‘Frontier Force’ conducting punitive expeditions across the borders of Assam.
In 1870, the existing elements were merged into three Assam Military Police Battalions, sending over 3,000 men as part of the British Army to Europe and West Asia.
In 1917, the name was changed to Assam Rifles.
The force has evolved post-Independence, from combat roles during the Sino-India War 1962 to being a part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in Sri Lanka in 1987, besides performing peacekeeping roles in north-eastern India.

Source: PIB

Assam Rifles FAQs

Q1: What is the motto of the Assam Rifles?

Ans: Service, Security, Friendship

Q2: Which ministry does the Assam Rifles come under?

Ans: Ministry of Home Affairs

Beaver

March 25, 2026

Beaver Latest News

According to a new international study led by researchers at the University of Birmingham, Beavers can engineer riverbeds into promising ways to prevent carbon dioxide release into the air.

About Beaver

The beaver, from the genus Castor, includes two amphibious rodent species.
They are semi-aquatic species.
Habitat: They live in streams, marshes, rivers, and ponds, and along the shorelines of large lakes
Distribution: They are native to North America, Europe, and Asia.
Characteristics
- Beavers have long, orange, visible front teeth, called incisors. These teeth grow continuously throughout its life and are worn down through daily use.
- Lifespan: They typically live 10 to 12 years.
- Communication: One important communication signal among beavers is a tail slap on the surface of the water, indicating danger. Typically performed by an adult
- They are known as "ecosystem engineers" because they construct dams of branches, stones, and mud in streams, rivers, marshes, and ponds.
- These beaver ponds which the animals use as sources of food, as well as protection from predators.
Conservation Status: IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Source: DTE

Beaver FAQs

Q1: What do beavers use to build their homes?

Ans: Mud and stones and Sticks and branches

Q2: What is unique about beaver teeth?

Ans: They continuously grow

Districts as Export Hubs (DEH) Initiative

March 25, 2026

Districts as Export Hubs (DEH) Initiative Latest News

Recently, the Minister of State for Ministry of Commerce & Industry informed the Lok Sabha about the Districts as Export Hubs (DEH) Initiative.

About Districts as Export Hubs (DEH) Initiative

It was launched in August 2019 to foster balanced regional development across all districts of the country.
The objective of DEH is to identify, brand, and promote products from each district, encouraging their sale in both domestic and international markets.
It is an initiative of the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Department of Commerce.
Under this initiative, the export promotion activities are being decentralised to make the districts active stakeholders in boosting export growth of the identified products and services from the districts.
Institutional mechanism

- An institutional mechanism has been set up in all States/UTs by forming the State Export Promotion Committee (SEPC) and District Export Promotion Committee (DEPC) at the district level.
- The initiative has identified export potential in 734 districts across the country, spanning critical sectors like agriculture, toys, and GI products.
  - District Export Action Plans (DEAP) detailing the existing bottlenecks in the supply chain and identifying possible interventions to mitigate the existing gaps for export of the above identified products.
- It is supporting local exporters/manufacturers to scale and find potential buyers outside India.
- Coverage: The DEH initiative has identified products and services with export potential in all districts across the country, including GI products, agricultural clusters, and toy clusters.

Source: PIB

Districts as Export Hubs (DEH) Initiative FAQs

Q1: What is DEAP in the DEH Initiative?

Ans: District Export Action Plan

Q2: How many districts have export potential identified?

Ans: 734

Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) Scheme

March 25, 2026

Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) Scheme Latest News

The Government of India has decided to restore the rates and value caps under the Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) Scheme for all eligible export products.

About Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) Scheme

It was introduced through an amendment to the Foreign Trade Policy 2015-20, and it became effective for exports starting January 1, 2021.
The primary aim of this scheme is to offset the taxes and duties incurred on exported goods that wouldn’t otherwise be credited, reimbursed, or refunded in any way, and are integrated into the exported goods.
It is compliant with World Trade Organization (WTO) norms and is implemented via a comprehensive end-to-end digital platform to ensure transparency and efficiency.
Objective: It was enforced to repeal and reduce taxes on exported products, thereby encouraging exports and increasing the number of exports in the country.
The scheme is administered by the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance.
It replaced the Merchandise Export Incentive Scheme (MEIS).

RoDTEP Scheme Eligibility Criteria

All sectors are covered under the scheme.
Labor-intensive sectors will be accorded priority.
Both manufacturer exporters and merchant exporters (traders) are eligible for the scheme.
The exported products should have India as their country of origin to be eligible for benefits under the scheme.
Special Economic Zone Units and Export Oriented Units are also eligible.
The scheme also applies to goods that have been exported via courier through e-commerce platforms.
Re-exported products are not eligible under this scheme.

Source: PIB

Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) Scheme FAQs

Q1: What is the form of RoDTEP benefits?

Ans: Transferable duty credit/electronic scrip

Q2: When was the RoDTEP Scheme launched?

Ans: January 1, 2021

Tonga

March 25, 2026

Tonga Latest News

Recently, a strong preliminary magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck near Tonga in the South Pacific Ocean.

About Tonga

Location: It is a sovereign country in Polynesia, composed of an archipelago of 169 islands located in the South Pacific Ocean.
Neighbouring countries include Fiji to the west, Cook Islands to the east and Samoa north.
These islands are divided into three main groups: Tongatapu in the south, Ha‘apai in the center, and Vava‘u in the north.
The western islands (making up the Tongan Volcanic Arch) are all of volcanic origin; the eastern islands are nonvolcanic and are composed of coral limestone and sand
Capital City: The capital city of Tonga is Nukuʻalofa, situated on the northern shore of Tongatapu Island.

Geographical Features of Tonga

Terrain: It features flat terrain with limestone and coral formations.
- Mostly flat islands with limestone bedrock formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic rock.
Highest Point: The highest point in this region is Kao Island in the Haʻapai group.
Tonga is a member of the Commonwealth Clean Ocean Alliance and Marine Protected Areas Action Groups.

Source: TH

Tonga FAQs

Q1: What is the capital of Tonga?

Ans: Nuku'alofa

Q2: Where is Tonga located?

Ans: Pacific Ocean

Great Salt Lake

March 25, 2026

Great Salt Lake Latest News

Researchers at the University of Utah have found that freshwater saturates the rock and sediment beneath the Great Salt Lake to depths of up to 13,000 feet.

About Great Salt Lake

Location: It is a saline lake located in northern Utah, United States.
It is the largest inland body of salt water in the Western Hemisphere and one of the most saline inland bodies of water in the world.
Water Source: The lake is fed by the Bear, Weber, and Jordan rivers and has no outlet.
The lake has fluctuated greatly in size, depending on the rates of evaporation and the flow of the rivers that feed it.
Like the Dead Sea, the Great Salt Lake exists within an arid environment and has chemical characteristics similar to that of the oceans.
Formation and Salinity: It has a much greater salinity than the oceans, however, since natural evaporation exceeds the supply of water from the rivers feeding the lake.
Surrounded by great stretches of sand, salt land, and marsh, the Great Salt Lake remains eerily isolated from the nearby cities, towns, and other human habitations.
Fauna: Some notable avian species that are found here include American avocet, Wilson’s phalarope, California gull, black-necked stilt, American white pelican, peregrine falcon, marbled godwit, etc.

Source: IT

Great Salt Lake FAQs

Q1: Where is the Great Salt Lake located?

Ans: Utah, USA

Q2: What is unique about the Great Salt Lake?

Ans: It's a saltwater lake with no outlet

Sperm Whale

March 25, 2026

Sperm Whale Latest News

According to a statement by the University of St Andrews in the United Kingdom, Sperm whales have been caught headbutting on camera for the first time.

About Sperm Whale

It is the largest of the toothed whales, easily recognized by its enormous square head and narrow lower jaw.
It has the largest head and the largest brain of any animal on the planet.
They are named after the waxy substance—spermaceti—found in their heads.
The spermaceti is an oil sac that helps the whales focus sound. Spermaceti was used in oil lamps, lubricants, and candles.
Appearance
- The sperm whale is dark blue-gray or brownish, with white patches on the belly.
- It has small paddle-like flippers and a series of rounded humps on its back.
Distribution
- They have one of the widest global distributions of any marine mammal species.
- They are found in all deep oceans, from the equator to the edge of the pack ice in the Arctic and Antarctic.
Features of Sperm Whale

- Lifespan: Up to 60 years
- They are highly social mammals that communicate with one another using a series of clicks called codas, and that each coda has a distinct purpose.
- Ambergris, a material sometimes found floating in the sea, is formed in the sperm whale’s intestines around a core of undigested solid matter such as squid breaks.

Conservation Status of Sperm Whale

IUCN: Vulnerable
CITES: Appendix I

Source: DTE

Sperm Whale FAQs

Q1: What do Sperm Whales primarily feed on?

Ans: Squid

Q2: What is the scientific name of the Sperm Whale?

Ans: Physeter macrocephalus

GlobE Network

March 25, 2026

GlobE Network Latest News

Recently, India hosted the 12th Steering Committee Meeting of the Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities (GlobE Network) in New Delhi.

About GlobE Network

The GlobE Network is a global platform of specialised anti-corruption law enforcement authorities.
It was established under the Riyadh Initiative during Saudi Arabia's G20 Presidency.
It is operating under the framework of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC)
Members: The Network comprises 135 member countries and 250 member authorities, along with 18 observers including EUROPOL, the World Bank, and the International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities.
Governance: The steering committee, consisting of one chair, one vice-chair, and 13 members, provides leadership and direction for the organisation.
- The Ministry of Home Affairs is the central authority for GloBE Network, while the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate are its member authorities from India.
Functions:

- The GlobE Network complements formal legal assistance mechanisms by enabling faster, more flexible, and direct agency-to-agency engagement.
- It enables direct, practitioner-level cooperation among member agencies for the investigation, prosecution, and recovery of proceeds of corruption.
- The Network is governed by its members and is supported by the United Nations Office against Drugs and Crime (UNODC) which provides the Network’s secretariat.

Source: News On Air

GlobE Network FAQs

Q1: What does GlobE stand for in GlobE Network?

Ans: Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities

Q2: What is the primary focus of the GlobE Network?

Ans: Combat corruption