Lecture Notes

Important Topics

1. Demand for Special Category State Status for Bihar

   • Concept of Special Category State Status
   • Recommendation by the Fifth Finance Commission
   • Special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, and Nagaland in 1969
   • Bihar's request for Special Category State Status

2. NOTA (None Of The Above) in Indian Elections

   • Allowed by the Supreme Court in 2013
   • First used in the 2013 state assembly elections
   • Current status of NOTA and various state policies

3. IPEF (Indo-Pacific Economic Framework) Ministerial Meeting, 2024

   • Importance of the Indo-Pacific region
   • Participation of 14 countries
   • Four main pillars of IPEF

4. Global Gender Gap Report 2024

   • Four categories of the report: Economic Participation, Educational Attainment, Health, and Political Empowerment
   • India's global ranking
   • Iceland's consistent top ranking

5. Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Against Malaria

   • Use of genetically modified mosquitoes
   • Benefits of gene editing in mosquitoes

6. World Environment Day 2024

   • Observed on June 5th
   • 2024 host: Saudi Arabia
   • Theme: Land Restoration, Desertification, and Drought Resilience

7. QS World University Rankings 2025

   • MIT, USA in the top position
   • Participation of 46 universities from India
   • Leading rank of IIT Bombay

8. India's First 3D Printed Space Rocket Launch

   • Agni Baan: World's first fully 3D printed rocket
   • Launched by Chennai-based Agni Kul Cosmos
   • Use of private launch pad 'Dhanush'