01 Dec 2025 Daily Current Affairs for UPSC, IAS, CDS, CAPF AC
CBIC award, NPC verdict, rare rustic bunting sighting, Samudrayaan delay, Lake Biwa relic, IPC MoUs, IIGF 2025, Golden Jackal scheme, MH-60R deal & NMM updates.
1. Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC)
The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) recently won the Gold Prize in the Public Outreach and Communication category for its ‘GST & Customs Pavilion’ at the India International Trade Fair (IITF) 2025 held in New Delhi.
About CBIC
- The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (formerly CBEC) was established under the Central Boards of Revenue Act, 1963. It is the apex authority under the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, responsible for administering indirect taxes across India.
Key Functions
- Formulating policies related to the levy and collection of Customs, Central Excise, CGST, and IGST.
- Preventing smuggling and managing all matters connected with Customs, Central Excise, GST, IGST, and Narcotics within its jurisdiction.
- Overseeing subordinate organizations such as Custom Houses, Central Excise, Central GST Commissionerates, and the Central Revenues Control Laboratory.
Governance
- The CBIC is headed by a Chairman and includes six additional members.
2. National Productivity Council (NPC)
The Delhi High Court recently set aside the Lokpal’s proceedings against the Defence Secretary and other officials in a case related to alleged irregularities in promotions at the National Productivity Council (NPC).
About NPC
- Established in 1958, the NPC is an autonomous body under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry. It functions as a non-profit organization with balanced representation from employers, workers, government bodies, and technical institutions.
- Headquarters: New Delhi
Objectives
- Promote awareness on productivity tools and concepts that support economic development.
- Act as a government think tank for productivity-related policy measures.
- Become a leading consultancy and training organization in India and eventually in South and Southeast Asia.
- Generate its own financial resources to sustain long-term operations.
Functions
- Providing productivity improvement consultancy.
- Conducting training across various organizational levels.
- Organizing seminars, conferences, and workshops.
- Maintaining productivity-related databases and conducting research.
- Publishing productivity literature and conferring awards.
- NPC is also a member of the Asian Productivity Organisation (APO), an inter-governmental body based in Tokyo.
Source : Delhi HC quashes Lokpal proceedings against Defence Secretary R K Singh in NPC promotion case
3. Rustic Bunting – Key Facts
A rare rustic bunting (Emberiza rustica) was recently sighted at Najafgarh Jheel, marking its first recorded presence in the Delhi–Gurugram NCR region.
About Rustic Bunting
- A passerine bird belonging to the family Emberizidae.
- Scientific Name: Emberiza rustica
Distribution
- Breeds from Nordic regions to eastern Siberia.
- Winters in Southeast Asia, Japan, Korea, and eastern China.
- Only a few sightings have been recorded in India, mainly in the Northeast and Himalayan regions.
Conservation Status
- IUCN Red List: Near Threatened
Source : Rustic bunting spotted in NCR for the first time
4. Syntactic Foam
India’s first manned submersible mission, Samudrayaan, has been delayed due to procurement issues involving syntactic foam cladding from France.
What is Syntactic Foam?
A composite material formed by embedding hollow inorganic microspheres (microballoons) into a metal, polymer, or ceramic matrix.
Properties
- Lightweight yet strong, with excellent compressive strength.
- Provides high buoyancy due to its low density.
- Offers thermal and acoustic insulation.
- Highly resistant to corrosion and water absorption.
Applications
- Marine & Offshore: ROVs, AUVs, subsea pipeline insulation.
- Aerospace: Lightweight structural components.
- Defense: Sonar domes, buoyancy modules, lightweight armor.
- Automotive & Sports: Crash protection and performance equipment.
Samudrayaan Project
- India’s first attempt at manned deep-sea exploration.
- Aims to deploy a submersible capable of carrying three people to 6,000 meters depth.
- Supports the Deep Ocean Mission under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).
MATSYA 6000
- A manned submersible built by NIOT, Chennai, under the Samudrayaan mission to explore deep-sea mineral resources.
Source : Delay in getting syntactic foam from France hits India’s Samudrayaan mission
5. Lake Biwa – Key Facts
Researchers in Japan discovered a remarkably preserved 10,000-year-old pottery vessel near Lake Biwa.
About Lake Biwa
- Japan’s largest freshwater lake.
- Named after the biwa, a traditional Japanese lute due to its shape.
- One of the oldest lakes in the world, estimated to be at least 4 million years old.
- Supports trout breeding and a pearl culture industry.
- Declared a Ramsar site in 1993.
Source : One of the World’s Oldest Relics Discovered in Lake Biwa, Japan, Stuns Scientists
6. Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC)
The Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission recently signed three MoUs with Nagaland’s medical and pharmaceutical authorities.
About IPC
An autonomous body under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, responsible for setting drug standards in India.
Functions
- Regularly updates standards of commonly used medicines.
- Publishes the Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP) and the National Formulary of India.
- Ensures standards for identity, purity, and strength of drugs for human and veterinary use.
- Provides IP Reference Substances (IPRS) for drug identification and purity testing.
Pharmacopoeia – Definition
- An official collection of quality standards for drugs manufactured, sold, or distributed within a country.
7. India Internet Governance Forum (IIGF)
The fifth edition of the India Internet Governance Forum (IIGF 2025) concluded with a strong push for digital inclusion, robust infrastructure, and responsible AI.
About IIGF
- India's national chapter of the UN Internet Governance Forum (UN IGF), launched in 2021.
- A platform enabling dialogue on Internet-related public policy issues.
- Encourages collaboration among government, civil society, academia, industry, and technical communities.
- Guided by a 14-member multi-stakeholder committee.
- Role
IIGF helps shape policies concerning:
- Cybersecurity
- Digital inclusion
- Data privacy
- Emerging technologies
- Open and secure internet systems
Theme (2025)
- "Advancing Internet Governance for an Inclusive and Sustainable Viksit Bharat."
Internet Governance – Meaning
The development of norms, regulations, and frameworks that guide how the Internet operates, addressing technical, security, economic, and social challenges.
8. Golden Jackal
The Tenkasi Forest Division in Tamil Nadu is set to launch the Golden Jackal Ambassadors programme to conserve declining jackal populations.
About Golden Jackal
- Also called the common jackal or reed wolf.
- Medium-sized, wolf-like canid.
- Mostly nocturnal in human-populated regions.
- Lives in caverns, rocky crevices, or burrows dug by other animals.
Habitat & Distribution
- Common near river valleys, lakes, canals, and seashores.
- Found across North & East Africa, Southeast Europe, South Asia to Myanmar, and widely distributed across India.
Diet
- Opportunistic omnivores with a varied diet.
- Conservation Status
- IUCN: Least Concern
- CITES: Appendix III
- Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I
Source : ‘Golden Jackal Ambassadors’ scheme to be launched in schools, colleges of Tenkasi district
9. MH-60R Seahawk Helicopter
India recently signed a ₹7,995-crore follow-on support package with the U.S. for the Navy’s fleet of 24 MH-60R Seahawk helicopters.
About MH-60R (“Romeo”)
A modern, multi-role naval helicopter manufactured by Lockheed Martin.
Key Features
- All-weather capability with advanced avionics.
Designed for:
- Anti-submarine warfare (ASW)
- Anti-surface warfare (ASuW)
- Maritime surveillance
- Search & rescue
- Medical evacuation
- Ship-based missions
Equipped with:
- AN/AQS-22 ALFS dipping sonar
- Sonobuoys
- Multi-mode radar
- Mk-54 torpedoes
- AGM-114 Hellfire missiles
Machine guns
Advanced sensors enable precise identification and engagement of underwater and surface threats.
Source : India seals ₹7,995 crore deal with the U.S. for Navy’s MH-60R helicopter fleet support
10. National Mission for Mentoring (NMM)
The UGC has urged all higher education institutions to nominate faculty members for the National Mission for Mentoring (NMM).
About NMM
A flagship initiative under the Department of School Education & Literacy, aligned with the NEP 2020, launched in 2022 across 30 Central Schools.
Purpose
To create a structured platform where experienced professionals guide teachers (mentees) to improve teaching competency.
Lead Body
The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) develops and oversees mission strategy and implementation, outlined in its document “NMM – The Blue Book.”
Key Stakeholders
Mentors
- Mentees
- Nodal officers/administration
Implementation Strategy
- Capacity Building: Workshops and seminars to train “Master Mentors.”
Incentives: Certificates, credits, and other voluntary participation benefits.
Source : National Mission for Mentoring: How UGC wants college professors to train school teachers