Prelims Current Affairs includes Performance Grading Index (PGI) 2.0 Released, Pragati Project Launched For Agricultural Transformation, Tamil Nadu Becomes India’s Fastest-Growing Merchandise Exporting State, Prayagraj And Patna Record Highest Unemployment Among Million-Plus Cities, Geneva To Host Global Ai Summit In 2027, The Himalayan Yak, Pm Modi Visits Prambanan Temple In Indonesia & Ustad Bismiliah Khan Yuva Puraskar Recognises Haveli Sangeet

REPORTS

1. PERFORMANCE GRADING INDEX (PGI) 2.0 RELEASED

Current Context: Union Ministry of Education released the Report on Performance Grading Index 2.0 for States/UTs (PGI-S) and Performance Grading Index for Districts (PGI-D) for 2025-26.

ABOUT PERFORMANCE GRADING INDEX

• Performance Grading Index (PGI) is an evidence-based assessment framework developed by the Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education.
• It evaluates the performance of States/UTs (PGI-S) and Districts (PGI-D) in school education.
• PGI was first introduced for 2017-18, while PGI 2.0 is the revised framework aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
• It aims to encourage healthy competition, cooperative federalism, and continuous improvement in school education.
  • Utkarsh:The highest achievable grade (for scores exceeding 90%).
  • Uttam (Tiers 1–3):For scores ranging from 61% to 90%.
  • Prachesta (Tiers 1–3):For scores ranging from 31% to 60%.
  • Akanshi (Tiers 1–3):The base tier for scores under 40%.

Highlights of PGI 2025-26

• Chandigarh became the first State/UT in the PGI 2.0 series to enter the “Uttam-3” category, scoring 766 out of 1,000.
• Punjab, Kerala, Delhi, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu were placed in the next performance band.
• No State or UT achieved the Utkarsh, Uttam-1, or Uttam-2
• No State/UT achieved the highest possible score of 1,000.
• While governance, infrastructure, and teacher-related indicators improved, learning outcomes remained largely unchanged, highlighting the need to improve foundational learning

POLITY & E-GOVERNANCE

2. PRAGATI PROJECT LAUNCHED FOR AGRICULTURAL TRANSFORMATION

Current Context: Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched PRAGATI initiative to empower agri-entrepreneurs and benefit small farmers.

ABOUT PRAGATI PROJECT

• PRAGATI is a multi-stakeholder agricultural transformation initiative designed to strengthen rural entrepreneurship and improve farmers’ incomes.
• Full Form:Promoting Regenerative Agriculture, Growth, Agri-Entrepreneurship and Transformative Innovation.
• It seeks to build a nationwide network of 20,000 new agri-entrepreneurs, complementing the existing network of over 26,000 agri-entrepreneurs.
• The programme focuses on promoting regenerative agriculture, climate-resilient farming, and improved access to technology, finance, and markets.
• Launched by:Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare

Key Objectives:

• Increase farmers’ income via value addition and crop diversification
• Promote climate-resilient and regenerative agricultural practices

States Covered:

• Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Assam, Jharkhand 

ECONOMY

3. TAMIL NADU BECOMES INDIA’S FASTEST-GROWING MERCHANDISE EXPORTING STATE

Current Context: Tamil Nadu emerged as India’s fastest-growing merchandise exporting State in FY 2025-26, with merchandise exports rising 13.7% year-on-year to a record US$59.3 billion, driven primarily by strong growth in electronics (especially smartphones), automobiles, engineering goods, textiles, and leather products.

ABOUT TAMIL NADU’S EXPORT PERFORMANCE

• Tamil Nadu has consistently been one of India’s leading manufacturing and export hubs due to its strong industrial ecosystem, skilled workforce, and port connectivity.
• Electronics Exports: $19.9 billion (36% YoY growth)
• Share in India’s Electronics Exports:42%
• Position:India’s largest exporter of electronic goods

Key Drivers:

• Strong growth in smartphone and telecom equipment exports
• Major export destination: United States

ECONOMY

4. PRAYAGRAJ AND PATNA RECORD HIGHEST UNEMPLOYMENT AMONG MILLION-PLUS CITIES

Current Context: MoSPI released “Labour Market Dynamics in Million-plus Cities” report based on PLFS 2025.

ABOUT THE REPORT

• Released by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
• Based on data collected through the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) (Launched: April 2017)
• Covers 46 cities with a population of 10 lakh (1 million) or more.

Key Findings:

• Prayagraj and Patna recorded unemployment rates above 20%, the highest among all million-plus cities.
• Ahmedabad and Kolkata recorded the lowest unemployment rates, at less than 2.5%.
• The average unemployment rate across the 46 million-plus cities stood at 8%.
• Female Unemployment:Significantly higher than male in worst-performing cities
• Regular Wage Employment:5% in million-plus cities vs 47.6% urban India average
• Male LFPR:3%; Female LFPR:25.8%

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

5. GENEVA TO HOST GLOBAL AI SUMMIT IN 2027

Current Context: Switzerland will host a global AI summit in Geneva in 2027.

ABOUT THE SUMMIT

• The Global AI Summit is a high-level international forum dedicated to promoting the safe, secure, trustworthy, and inclusive development of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
• It is part of the global AI Summit (formerly AI Safety Summit/AI Impact Summit) process launched in 2023.
• The summit provides a platform for governments, technology companies, researchers, and international organizations to discuss AI governance, innovation, safety, and international cooperation
• Themes:Responsible, safe, and human-centred use of AI; prosperity, progress, and public welfare

Previous AI Summit Venues:

• 2025: Paris
• 2026: New Delhi (AI Impact Summit)

SPECIES IN NEWS

6. THE HIMALAYAN YAK

Current Context: The Himalayan Yak was recently in the news after scientists from the ICAR-National Research Centre on Yak (NRCY), Dirang, and Assam Don Bosco University developed an Internet of Things (IoT)-based smart collar system to monitor yak health, movement, and grazing patterns in high-altitude Himalayan regions.

ABOUT HIMALAYAN YAK

• The Himalayan Yak is a long-haired, high-altitude bovine belonging to the family Bovidae.
• It is popularly known as the “Ship of the Himalayas” because it serves as the primary means of transport and livelihood in high-altitude regions.
• Habitat:Above 8,000 feet (up to 18,000 feet) in trans-Himalayan landscapes
• Population in India:~58,000 (Ladakh – 50%, Arunachal, Sikkim, HP, Uttarakhand)
• IUCN Conservation Status:Vulnerable (VU)

ART & CULTURE

7. PM MODI VISITS PRAMBANAN TEMPLE IN INDONESIA

Current Context: PM Modi visited Prambanan Temple Complex in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

ABOUT PRAMBANAN TEMPLE

• Prambanan is the largest Hindu temple complex in Indonesia and one of the largest in Southeast Asia.
• It was built in the 9th century CE during the Mataram Kingdom under the Sanjaya Dynasty.
• Dedicated to:Hindu Trimurti (Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, Lord Brahma)
• It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 1991.
• Locally, the temple complex is also known as Candi Prambanan or Loro Jonggrang
• Location:Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia

Architectural Significance:

• Reflects native Javanese and Indian architectural styles
• Originally 240 temples, central zone has 8 principal temples
• Walls decorated with scenes from Ramayana

ART & CULTURE

8. USTAD BISMILIAH KHAN YUVA PURASKAR RECOGNISES HAVELI SANGEET

Current Context: Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar-2025 announced for 2024-25 by Sangeet Natak Akademi.

ABOUT THE AWARD

• For:Outstanding young performers under 40 years in Indian performing arts
• Prize:₹25,000, plaque, and angavastram
• 2024-25 Recipient:

Acharya Shri Ranchhodlalji Goswami (Ahmedabad)

• For:Haveli Sangeet (Pushtimarg tradition)

About Haveli Sangeet:

• Devotional music tradition linked with Pushtimarg sect
• Associated with temple culture of Gujarat and Rajasthan
• Founded by Vallabhacharya

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