Prelims Current Affairs includes World AIDS Day, Cyclone Ditwah, Indian of the Year Award 2025, Asia Power Index 2025, National Mission for Mentoring (NMM), Annual Groundwater Quality Report 2025, India Re-elected to IMO Council (2026–27), Femicide, First IIT Campus in West Africa — Nigeria.

IMPORTANT DAYS

1. WORLD AIDS DAY

Observed every year on 1 December
Aim: Spread awareness about HIV/AIDS, remember those who lost their lives, and acknowledge progress in treatment & prevention.
Origin: First global health day declared by WHO (1988).
Purpose: Encourage prevention, care, testing & support for people living with HIV.

GEOGRAPHY

2. CYCLONE DITWAH

Current Context: India launched Operation Sagar Bandhu to help Sri Lanka after Cyclone Ditwah.

ABOUT CYCLONE DITWAH

Nature: Tropical cyclone causing heavy rainfall over Sri Lanka & South India.
Naming: Suggested by Yemen.
WMO Guideline: A system becomes a tropical cyclone when winds exceed 63 km/h.
Formation: Forms around low-pressure with fast rotating winds.
Wind Direction:
1. Northern Hemisphere – anticlockwise
2. Southern Hemisphere – clockwise

AWARD

3. INDIAN OF THE YEAR AWARD 2025

Current Context: ICC Chairman Jay Shah received CNN-News18’s Indian of the Year 2025 award in Outstanding Achievement category.

ABOUT THE AWARD

• Recognises individuals creating major national/global impact.
• Category honours exceptional leadership, innovation & contribution.

WHY JAY SHAH WAS HONOURED

• Introduced Women’s Premier League
• Ensured equal pay for men’s & women’s national teams
• Secured major media rights & modernised cricket facilities
• Promoted cricket’s inclusion in the Olympics
• Boosted global fan engagement
• Ceremony also honoured India’s ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 Champions

REPORT

4. ASIA POWER INDEX 2025

Current Context: India ranked 3rd in Asia Power Index 2025; US ranked 1st, China 2nd.

ABOUT ASIA POWER INDEX

• Published By: Lowy Institute
• Purpose: Measures nations’ ability to shape regional/global environment
• Assesses 27 countries across 131 indicators in 8 themes

HIGHLIGHTS FOR INDIA

• 3rd in economic capability & future resources
• Growth in military capability & influence
• Weakest in defence networks (rank 11th)
• Stronger geopolitical relevance

5. ANNUAL GROUNDWATER QUALITY REPORT 2025

Current Context: Released by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB).

KEY FINDINGS

71.7% samples meet BIS standards
Nitrate: 20% exceed limits
Uranium: 6.71% (pre-monsoon), 7.91% (post-monsoon) — highest in Punjab
Salinity: High in Rajasthan & Delhi
Fluoride: 8.05% exceed limits (highest in Rajasthan)
Lead: Highest in Delhi
Irrigation: 94.3% samples excellent
Other contaminants: Arsenic (Ganga/Brahmaputra basin), manganese

ABOUT CGWB

Formed: 1970
Ministry: Jal Shakti
Role: Groundwater exploration, monitoring, regulation
HQ: Faridabad

SCHEME

6. NATIONAL MISSION FOR MENTORING (NMM)

Current Context: UGC directed higher education institutions to nominate faculty for NMM.

ABOUT NMM

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Education
Aligned With: NEP 2020
Purpose: Improve teacher quality via guided mentorship
Launch: 2022 (pilot in 30 Central Schools)
Designed By: NCTE (released NMM – The Blue Book)

IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY

Pilot: 60 mentors (including Padma awardees)
Capacity Building: Workshops & seminars
Incentives: Certificates, credits, recognition

ORGANISATION

7. INDIA RE-ELECTED TO IMO COUNCIL (2026–27)

Current Context: India re-elected with highest votes to Category-B of IMO Council.

ABOUT IMO COUNCIL

• 40 members under Categories A, B, C
• Executive body of IMO

ABOUT IMO

• Created in 1948 (IMCO; renamed in 1982)
• UN specialised agency for safe, secure & eco-friendly shipping
• HQ: London

IMO’s KEY WORK

• MARPOL – prevents pollution
• Ballast Water Convention
• SOLAS – safety at sea
• STCW – training standards
• 2023 GHG Strategy — net-zero emissions by 2050

GOVERNANCE

8. FEMICIDE

Current Context: Italy officially recognised femicide as a specific crime category.

ABOUT FEMICIDE

• Meaning: Gender-based killing of women
• UN Framework (2022):
  1. Intimate partner
  2. Family member
  3. Others/strangers

INTERNATIONAL

9. FIRST IIT CAMPUS IN WEST AFRICA — NIGERIA

Current Context: Nigeria to host first IIT campus in West Africa; classes begin 2026.

ABOUT THE NEW CAMPUS

Focus: Engineering, technology, innovation, research
Policy Link: NEP 2020 (promotes global expansion of Indian institutions)

MODEL

• IIT Madras–Zanzibar (2023)
• IIT Delhi–Abu Dhabi (2024)
• Nigeria campus follows similar model

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