In News:

Scientists have recently recorded the presence of the rare moth species Antitrisuloides catocalina at the Choolannur Peafowl Sanctuary in Palakkad district, Kerala, marking its first documented occurrence in the Western Ghats.

About Antitrisuloides catocalina

• Belongs to the Noctuidae family and genus Antitrisuloides, which has only two known species worldwide.
• It is a rare nocturnal moth, earlier reported only from Northeast India.
• The specimen identified in Kerala has been confirmed as the subspecies Antitrisuloides catocalina cyclica.
• Its discovery extends the known range of the species and highlights the hidden diversity of moth fauna in the Western Ghats.

About Choolannur Peafowl Sanctuary

• Popularly known as Mayiladumpara.
• Located in Palakkad district, Kerala.
• Established in 1996, it is the only peacock sanctuary in Kerala and the first of its kind in India.
• Dedicated exclusively to the breeding and conservation of peafowls.
• Named in memory of K.K. Neelakantan (Induchoodan), renowned ornithologist and nature writer, who hailed from the nearby village of Kavassery.

Significance of the Discovery

• Expands the documented geographical distribution of A. catocalina.
• Reinforces the role of the Western Ghats as a biodiversity hotspot with high levels of endemism and undocumented species.
• Highlights the importance of systematic surveys in lesser-studied taxa like moths, which can act as indicators of ecosystem health.

In News:

Researchers have discovered two new species of damselflies in the Western Ghats—Konkan Shadowdamsel from Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg district and Crimson Shadowdamsel (Protosticta sanguinithorax) from Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram district. The findings were published in the international journal Zootaxa.

About the New Species

• Group: Both belong to the genus Protosticta, commonly called Shadowdamsels, which prefer shaded forest habitats and pristine streams.
• Physical Traits:
  • Crimson Shadowdamsel → reddish body.
  • Konkan Shadowdamsel → coffee-brown ground colouration.
  • Previously, these were mistaken for the Red-spot Shadowdamsel (Protosticta sanguinostigma), described over a century ago from the Nilgiris, which is jet black in colour.
• Identification: Differentiation was confirmed using high-resolution microscopy and molecular analysis of the COI gene, a standard marker for species classification.
• Distribution: Both species are endemics with very restricted microhabitats in the Western Ghats, often outside protected areas.

Ecological Importance

• Shadowdamsels are considered bioindicators:
  • Found only in pristine forests with good canopy cover and unpolluted streams.
  • Their presence reflects the ecological health of habitats.
• Many species are microendemics, restricted to small hill ranges, making them highly vulnerable to habitat disturbance.
• Current threats include expansion of plantations, deforestation of shade trees, and loss of natural streams.

Damselflies: A Brief Overview

• Belong to the order Odonata, along with dragonflies.
• Characteristics: slender body, delicate net-veined wings, weak flight.
• Habitat: shallow freshwater ecosystems.
• Difference from dragonflies: generally smaller, more fragile, and weaker fliers.

In News:

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has made it mandatory for students to submit their APAAR ID during board exam registration, beginning with the 2026 board examinations. This marks a major step in integrating India’s education system under the Digital Public Infrastructure for Education (DPIE).

What is APAAR ID?

• Full Form: Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry.
• Origin: Envisioned under the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020.
• Nature: A unique, permanent 12-digit identification number assigned to every student from pre-primary to higher education.
• Function: Tracks a student’s entire academic journey, consolidating degrees, report cards, scholarships, awards, and credits.
• Integration:
  • Linked to Aadhaar for authentication.
  • Records stored in DigiLocker for easy and secure access.
  • Generated through the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+).
• Vision: Embodies the principle of “One Nation, One Student ID”, serving as a lifelong academic passport.

Objectives of APAAR

1. Unified Academic Record – Create a lifelong, universally accessible digital database of academic achievements.
2. Seamless Transfers – Facilitate smooth migration of students across schools and institutions.
3. Transparency & Verification – Eliminate fake certificates and duplication through verifiable digital records.
4. Policy Support – Aid educational policymaking and data-driven governance by maintaining standardized records.
5. Student Empowerment – Provide students easy access to academic documents via DigiLocker.

Why is CBSE Making APAAR Mandatory?

• Until now, CBSE schools submitted student lists for Class 10 and 12 exams with registration details in Classes 9 and 11.
• There was no standardised identity system, causing inconsistencies and lack of verifiability.
• Linking APAAR ID with registration ensures accuracy, transparency, and elimination of duplication in student records.
• The Ministry of Education has mandated APAAR adoption as part of DPIE for improved data management and transparency.

Concerns and Safeguards

• Concerns Raised: Parents have expressed fears of misuse of personal data and privacy breaches.
• Government’s Assurance: Information will only be accessible to authorized educational entities—such as UDISE+, scholarship agencies, recruitment boards, and institutions—and strictly for academic purposes.

Significance

• APAAR will transform academic governance by creating a single, verifiable, lifelong academic identity.
• It will help students, institutions, and policymakers by streamlining record-keeping, enabling mobility, and ensuring trust in credentials.
• In the long term, it could become the backbone of India’s digital education ecosystem, aligned with NEP 2020’s vision of inclusivity, efficiency, and accountability.

In News:

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released the Framework for Responsible and Ethical Enablement of Artificial Intelligence (FREE-AI) Committee Report, marking a major step in shaping ethical, transparent, and sustainable AI adoption in India’s financial sector. The framework seeks to balance innovation with risk mitigation, ensuring that the transformative power of AI is harnessed without compromising trust, fairness, or safety.

RBI’s 7 Sutras for Responsible AI in Finance

The FREE-AI framework is built on seven guiding principles (Sutras):

1. Trust is the Foundation – AI must be reliable, transparent, and inspire public confidence.
2. People First – AI should empower human decision-making while safeguarding dignity, inclusion, and citizen interest.
3. Innovation over Restraint – Encourage responsible innovation without excessive restrictions.
4. Fairness and Equity – AI outcomes must be unbiased and equitable.
5. Accountability – Responsibility for AI decisions rests with deploying entities, with clear lines of answerability.
6. Understandable by Design – Systems must be interpretable and explainable to users, auditors, and regulators.
7. Safety, Resilience, and Sustainability – AI must be secure, adaptable, and capable of delivering long-term benefits.

India’s Policy Developments

• MuleHunter AI – Developed by RBI Innovation Hub to detect mule accounts and curb digital frauds.
• Digital Lending Rules – Mandate auditable AI-driven credit assessments with human oversight and grievance redressal.
• SEBI’s 2025 Guidelines – Propose responsible AI use in Indian securities markets.
• IndiaAI Mission – Aims to boost AI innovation, research, and computational infrastructure.

RBI’s Recommendations under FREE-AI

The Committee laid down 26 recommendations across six pillars:

1. Infrastructure – Establish high-quality financial data infrastructure, integrated with AI Kosh.
2. Innovation Enablement – Create an AI Innovation Sandbox for testing models with anonymised data, ensuring compliance with AML, KYC, and consumer protection norms.
3. Consumer Protection & Security – Periodic AI red-teaming, incident reporting frameworks, and good-faith disclosures.
4. Capacity Building – Structured AI governance training at all institutional levels; knowledge sharing across REs (regulated entities).
5. Governance – Oversight frameworks ensuring accountability and transparency in AI deployments.
6. Assurance Mechanisms – Standards and audit processes for AI-based systems.

In News:

India’s higher education system is poised for its most significant transformation since independence with the establishment of the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI), a unified regulatory body that will replace the fragmented oversight of University Grants Commission (UGC), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), and National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE).

Background & Genesis

• The HECI is a proposed unified regulator intended to replace the existing oversight bodies: UGC, AICTE, and NCTE—tasked with regulating non-technical, technical, and teacher-education domains respectively.
• The concept originates from NEP 2020, which advocates for a "light but tight" regulatory framework governed by one umbrella institution with four independent verticals.
• Originally floated in a 2018 draft bill, the idea regained momentum in 2021 and is currently under drafting, with status updates as recent as July–August 2025.

Objectives & Rationale

• Streamline governance: HECI aims to eliminate overlapping jurisdictions, reduce bureaucratic delays, and improve accountability across higher education institutions.
• Enhance autonomy and innovation: Under NEP 2020’s vision, it seeks to foster institutional independence coupled with data-driven oversight.
• Align with global best practices: The vertical structure (regulation, accreditation, funding, standards) mirrors international examples like the UK's Office for Students and Australia’s TEQSA.

Structural Framework: Four Vertical Councils

As per NEP 2020, HECI will function through four independent verticals:

• National Higher Education Regulatory Council (NHERC): Responsible for regulatory oversight, excluding medical and legal education.
• National Accreditation Council (NAC): Acts as a meta-accrediting body, setting phased benchmarks and ensuring quality across institutions.
• Higher Education Grants Council (HEGC): Will manage funding based on transparent, performance-linked criteria, replacing UGC’s funding role.
• General Education Council (GEC): Tasked with developing the National Higher Education Qualification Framework (NHEQF), defining graduate learning outcomes. It will subsume the NCTE and liaise with other professional standard-setting bodies.

Some sources also mention integration of accreditation entities such as NAAC and NBA into HECI’s accreditation wing, adopting peer-review models.

Legislative Journey & Current Status

• The HECI bill is being prepared following NEP 2020, specifically underwritten by Minister Sukanta Majumdar in July 2025. A Cabinet note is anticipated before formal introduction.
• Finalisation is pending, with no clear date as of mid-2025.

Expected Benefits

• Simplified administration—one regulator instead of multiple authorities.
• Improved transparency and efficiency, eliminating redundancy.
• Promoting global standards, quality enhancements, and integration of interdisciplinary and digital learning.