Brief Summary
This session covers a range of general knowledge and current affairs questions relevant to upcoming entrance exams. Key topics include the strategic importance of the Siliguri Corridor, recent developments in Bangladesh, court orders related to personality rights, industrial growth rates in India, and various geopolitical events and economic indicators.
- The Siliguri Corridor's strategic importance and recent security concerns.
- Legal actions and ministry directives regarding the misuse of personality rights.
- India's industrial growth rate and sector contractions.
- Political and economic updates from Bangladesh.
- Key economic indicators and international exercises involving India.
Siliguri Corridor: Strategic Importance
The Siliguri Corridor, also known as the "chicken neck," is a critical area because it connects India's northeast region to the mainland. This narrow strip of land, approximately 20-22 kilometres wide in West Bengal, is the only land link to the northeastern states. Disruption here could isolate the northeast from the rest of India. Recent strategic concerns have arisen due to Bangladesh's revival of the Lal Moner Hut air base, allegedly with Chinese assistance, increasing India's security concerns in the region.
Sadhguru's Personality Rights and Ministry Directives
The Delhi High Court passed a dynamic plus injection order to protect Sadhguru's personality rights, addressing ongoing and future digital misuse, especially involving AI-generated impersonation. A John Doe order was also issued, allowing legal restraint against unknown parties infringing upon Sadhguru's voice, image, videos, or name. The court directed the Department of Telecommunications (DOT) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to assist in taking down infringing content by blocking or suspending websites and social media accounts misusing Sadhguru's personality.
India's Industrial Growth Rate and Sector Contraction
In April 2025, India's industrial growth rate slowed to 2.7%, marking an eight-month low, according to IIP data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI). This slowdown was attributed to weak performance in mining, electricity, and consumer non-durables. Specifically, the mining sector experienced a contraction of 0.2%, its first decline since August 2024, due to operational bottlenecks and regulatory issues.
Bangladesh Political Updates
Sheikh Hasina has been charged by Bangladesh's ICT for events linked to the suppression of student-led protests in July-August 2024, where she allegedly violently cracked down on students demanding public sector reforms, leading to mass casualties and human rights violations. Following Sheikh Hasina's resignation, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was appointed as the interim leader of Bangladesh. His administration subsequently banned the Awami League and revived legal proceedings under the ICT.
National Defence Academy and Thermal Power Projects
The first female batch of cadets joined the National Defence Academy (NDA) in 2022, following a Supreme Court directive allowing women to appear for the NDA exam. The Gautamur thermal power project in Uttar Pradesh has a total installed capacity of 1980 megawatts. This project is a joint venture between NLC India Limited and Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited, designed as a super-critical thermal power facility consisting of three units, each with a capacity of 660 megawatts.
Parliamentary Nominations and Power Allocation
In May 2025, Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla nominated several members to the Press Council of India. Shri Brij Lal was not among those nominated by the Lok Sabha speaker; he was nominated by the Rajya Sabha chairman. Under the power purchase agreement for the Gautamur thermal power project, 75.12% of the generated power, equivalent to 1487.28 megawatts, has been allocated to Uttar Pradesh, with the remaining designated for Assam contingent upon a state transfer agreement.
RBI Guidelines and Surplus Transfer
According to the RBI's draft guidelines issued in April 2025, the proposed loan-to-value ratio cap for gold loans intended for consumption purposes is 75%. This move is intended to reduce risk exposure and ensure more responsible lending, especially given the recent rise in defaults and NPAs in the gold loan sector. The RBI transferred a surplus of ₹2.69 lakh crore to the central government in the 2024 fiscal year, driven by a rise in net income from forex transactions and interest income.
Digital Rupee and Military Exercises
The RBI reported a 334% increase in the transaction value of the digital rupee in the financial year 2024-25, reaching ₹1016.5K. This increase is attributed to the expansion of both retail and wholesale pilot programs. The Indian unit that participated in the 17th Nomadic Elephant exercise held in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, in 2025 was the Arunachal Scouts. The Indian Army was represented by 45 personnel from the Arunachal Scouts, a unit specialised in operating in mountainous terrain.
Operation Spider's Web and Strategic Tactics
According to Ukrainian sources, Operation Spider's Web caused an estimated $7 billion in financial damage to Russia. This operation involved unconventional tactics where drones were smuggled into Russia concealed in wooden truck structures and launched near air bases. This allowed Ukraine to bypass Russia's traditional air defence systems and strike deep targets with surprise precision.
Rajya Sabha Nomination and Cave Temples
Nargis Dutt was the first woman film star nominated to the Rajya Sabha. In the early 1970s, her work as a social worker led to her nomination. The Badami cave temples, known for their rock-cut architecture, are located in Bagalkot district in Karnataka. These temples are Hindu and Jain cave temples from the Badami Chalukya period in South India.
Ladakh Land and Job Regulations
Under the Ladakh Land and Job Regulations of 2025, a person who has studied in Ladakh for seven years and appeared in the class 10th or 12th examination is eligible to be considered a domicile of Ladakh for government employment purposes. This is according to the Ladakh civil services decentralisation and recruitment rules.
