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Current Edge Daily Brief 10th October 2025
Quote of the Day
“When a man is in despair, it means that he still believes in something.” – DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH
What the Others Say
“Mr Trump ran for President promising to reduce the cost of living, and of energy prices in particular. He has failed so far.” – THE NEW YORK TIMES
Table of Contents
THE BIG PICTURE
- TH TEXT & CONTEXT: What are the various electoral forms? (Rangarajan R.)
- IE Explained: Israel, Hamas agree to 1st phase of Gaza peace plan: Trump on brink of major diplomatic accomplishment
- IE Opinion: Compete or cooperate? India’s delicate dance with China (N Manoharan, Mandhara Bilagi and Avishka Ashok)
- TH Science: Why we need to change the way we talk about antibiotic resistance (Abdul Ghafur)
- IE Explained: State of the soil: How have floods affected farm productivity in Punjab? (Anju Agnihotri Chaba)
NEWS IN SHORT
- National Red List Roadmap
The Big Picture
TH TEXT & CONTEXT: What are the various electoral forms?
Syllabus: Pre/Mains – Polity & Governance
Why in News?
EC concluded Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar → plans to extend to other States in phases.
Electoral Roll Revision Framework
- Legal Basis → Sec.21, Representation of People Act (RPA) 1950 → preparation & revision of rolls.
- Types of Revision →
- Summary Revision → before each election.
- Special Revision (SIR) → anytime, by EC order.
- Bihar SIR (2025) → July 1 qualifying date; draft roll, claims/objections, verification → final roll on Sept 30.
- SC Role → Allowed Aadhaar as valid ID proof (interim order).
Key Electoral Forms (as per RER, 1960)
- Form 6 → New voter registration / inclusion in roll (↑ age 18+, ordinary resident).
- Form 6A → Overseas Elector registration (Indian citizen residing abroad).
- Form 7 → Objection → name inclusion/deletion in roll.
- Form 8 → Correction of entries (spelling, address, etc.).
- Form 8A → Transposition of entry → voter shifted within same constituency.
- Enumeration Form → For all registered voters during SIR → verify citizenship, residence, age.
Overseas Electors Registration
- Form → 6A (online/offline).
- Proof → Valid Indian passport, residence abroad address, declaration not acquired foreign citizenship.
- Submission → To Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) of constituency of residence in India.
Ensuring Correct Electoral Inclusion
- Step 1 → Check draft roll publication (online/booth).
- Step 2 → Fill correct form → 6 (new), 8 (correction), 7 (objection), 8A (shift).
- Step 3 → Submit valid proof (citizenship, age, residence, Aadhaar accepted per SC).
- Step 4 → Verify final roll publication before election.
- Support → Political parties/CSOs to aid marginalised & migrants.
Significance
- Clean rolls → free & fair elections ✦ voter confidence ↑
- SIR → ensures authenticity, prevents duplication/fraud ✦ strengthens democracy.
Test Your Knowledge 01
Q. Under the Representation of the People Act, 1950, which of the following statements correctly describes the powers of the Election Commission (EC) regarding electoral roll revision?
- EC can carry out only one summary revision of rolls in a year.
- EC may conduct a special revision of the electoral rolls at any time it deems fit.
- The qualifying date for inclusion in the roll is fixed by the President of India.
Select the correct answer using the code below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 2 and 3 only
Hint: Sec. 21, RPA 1950 → EC may conduct special revision any time. Qualifying date fixed by EC (not President).
Q. Regarding Overseas Electors in India, consider the following statements:
- They are enrolled in a separate overseas electoral roll maintained by the Ministry of External Affairs.
- They can register using Form 6A under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.
- They must not have acquired citizenship of another country.
- They are entitled to vote only in person in their home constituency.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 2, 3 and 4 only
(c) 1, 3 and 4 only
(d) 2 and 4 only
Hint: No separate roll by MEA; Form 6A used; dual citizenship barred; voting in person only.
IE Explained: Israel, Hamas agree to 1st phase of Gaza peace plan: Trump on brink of major diplomatic accomplishment
Syllabus: Pre/Mains – International Relations
Why in News?
Israel & Hamas agree to 1st phase of Gaza peace plan brokered by US President Donald Trump — potential major diplomatic win amid long-running conflict.
Trump’s Diplomatic Breakthrough
- Ceasefire + hostage release → 1st tangible step toward Gaza peace.
- 20-step plan → Initial phase: swap of 20 living hostages ↔ Israeli withdrawal from Gaza City.
- Trump aims for Nobel Peace Prize → timing aligns with 2025 announcement.
- Seen as continuation of Abraham Accords legacy (UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan).
- Trump pressured Netanyahu → rare U.S. hard stance on Israel.
Context: Israel-Hamas War 2023–25
- Started after Hamas’ Oct 7, 2023 attack → worst since Holocaust for Jews.
- Israeli retaliation → 60,000+ Palestinians killed, 90% Gaza homes destroyed.
- Global backlash → calls for Palestinian state ↑, Israel’s moral isolation ↑.
- Netanyahu’s overreach → bombing in Qatar, Iran strikes, Syrian collapse, Hezbollah hits.
Shifts in Regional Politics
- Arab states + Turkey forced Hamas to accept ceasefire → loss of legitimacy.
- Saudi Arabia’s potential normalization → trigger for Hamas 2023 attack.
- Israel’s standing ↓ internationally despite military dominance ↑.
- New geopolitical equation → Trump as peace broker, Netanyahu weakened.
Fragile Peace & Next Steps
- Phase 1 = ceasefire + troop pullback → but long-term peace uncertain.
- Phase 2 challenges → Hamas disarmament, Gaza governance, PA role unclear.
- Interim technocratic leadership planned → implementation doubts.
- Netanyahu insists on total Hamas elimination → risk of deal collapse.
- Historical pattern → peace in ME = cyclical, often temporary (1948–present).
Significance
- Potentially Trump’s biggest 2nd-term achievement.
- Could reshape Israel’s regional role & U.S. diplomacy image.
- But sustainability hinges on mutual compliance + credible postwar governance in Gaza.
Test Your Knowledge 02
Q. Under international law, Israel’s continued military presence in Gaza post-2023 war would primarily raise issues under which legal regime?
(a) UN Charter, Article 51 – Right to self-defence
(b) Geneva Conventions – Law of Occupation
(c) Rome Statute – Jus ad bellum provisions
(d) Responsibility to Protect (R2P) doctrine
Hint: Occupation law under the 4th Geneva Convention governs duties of occupying powers vis-à-vis civilian populations.
IE Opinion: Compete or cooperate? India’s delicate dance with China
Syllabus: Pre/Mains – International Relations
Why in News?
Evolving India–China engagement post-SCO détente & regional recalibration amid shifting global power balance.
Global Context → Compete or Cooperate?
- Geo-shift: Rise of East (India–China) ↔ West’s “secular stagnation” (Larry Summers).
- New world order: Multipolarity ↑ → fluid, fragmented interdependence; weaponisation of trade/tech.
- India’s stance: Strategic ambivalence → cooperation in economy, competition in security.
- Supply chains: Global diversification away from China → “Make in India” opportunity.
- Complementarity view: Ratan Tata → “China = factory; India = knowledge hub.”
- Strategic model: Nixon’s China playbook → engage + fallback plan (Lee Kuan Yew insight).
Regional Dynamics → China’s Twin Strategy
- “Envelopment” → Deep economic penetration in S. Asia via BRI, loans, trade dominance.
- “Encirclement” / “String of Pearls” → Strategic presence in Pak, SL, Nepal, Maldives, Bangladesh, Myanmar, IOR.
- Pakistan link: “Iron brothers” narrative → joint military + CPEC.
- India’s counter:
- Neighbourhood First & SAGAR vision → aid, infrastructure, energy, digital links.
- Soft power → culture, disaster relief, democracy appeal.
- People-centric diplomacy → goodwill in crises = “good pangs of proximity.”
Bilateral Engagement → 3 Domains
a) Military
- Threats → Kinetic (border, LAC), Non-kinetic (cyber, space).
- Priorities → Defence modernisation, A2/AD capabilities, infra in border belts, ISR tech.
b) Economic
- Trade asymmetry → India’s imports from China ↑ (3/4th in 327 key items – RIS study).
- Import substitution → mobiles, telecom, solar, APIs, electronics.
- Leverage → India = major consumer market; China can’t afford decoupling.
- Goal → Self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat) + selective engagement.
c) Diplomatic
- China’s line → “Elephant–Dragon dance” (Wang Yi): cooperation > confrontation.
- India’s calculus → Avoid being cornered into US bloc; maintain autonomy.
- Mechanism → Dialogue, border management, strategic trust building.
Policy Imperative → The Balancing Act
- Engage where beneficial ↔ Compete where necessary.
- Adopt Nixonian realism: Engage–hedge–prepare fallback.
- Outcome: Strategic equilibrium → cooperation in economy, deterrence in security, assertion in neighbourhood.
Test Your Knowledge 03
Q. Waldo Tobler’s First Law of Geography, used in India’s neighbourhood context, underscores that:
(a) Physical proximity alone determines foreign policy behaviour.
(b) Regional cooperation should be prioritised over global alliances.
(c) Spatial closeness increases mutual relevance and interdependence.
(d) Geographical proximity automatically ensures political stability.
Hint: “Near things are more related than distant things” → basis for stronger neighbourhood engagement..
TH Science: Why we need to change the way we talk about antibiotic resistance
Syllabus: Pre/Mains – Science & Tech
Why in News?
AMR (Antimicrobial Resistance) communication needs reframing → from fear-based, distant crisis narrative → to personal, biological, and hopeful storytelling.
Evolution of AMR Discourse
- 2010 NDM discovery → Lancet paper on New Delhi Metallo-beta-lactamase → India’s political-scientific controversy → led to Chennai Declaration.
- Fear narrative phase → “10 mn deaths by 2050,” “$100 tn loss” (O’Neill Report) → triggered global policy (G7/G20).
- Habituation effect → Repeated doomsday messaging ↓ public & media engagement → “psychic numbing” (Slovic).
- Current status → AMR threat ↑ but attention ↓ → communication fatigue → policy inertia.
From Catastrophe to Connection
- Shift focus → From future system collapse → to current body impact.
- Microbiome awareness → Human body = ecosystem of trillions of microbes → crucial for digestion, immunity, mood, metabolism.
- Antibiotic fallout → Even 1 dose → disrupts microbiome for months → ↑ anxiety, asthma, obesity, eczema, autoimmune diseases.
- Real-time crisis → AMR affects health now, not 2050.
Reframing the Narrative
- Language shift → From “bad bugs killing us” → to “good bugs protecting us.”
- Positive biology stories → Skin microbes + perfume chemistry → individuality & microbial beauty.
- Communication pivot → Replace fear with personal responsibility → “Protect your good bugs — they protect you.”
- Tone → From war rhetoric → to harmony, balance, and biological resilience.
Strategic Takeaways
- Message redesign → Focus on body resilience, not global catastrophe.
- Public connect → Personal, relatable, science-backed stories → ↑ engagement.
- Goal → Keep AMR on agenda via hope, biology & human link, not fear statistics.
Conclusion →
AMR = not just microbial war but communication failure → Success lies in humanizing microbes, personalizing risk, and inspiring protection through connection.
Test Your Knowledge 04
Q. The Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) is coordinated by:
(a) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
(b) World Health Organization (WHO)
(c) World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH/OIE)
(d) United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Hint: WHO-led framework for global AMR data collection & standardization (since 2015).
IE Explained: State of the soil: How have floods affected farm productivity in Punjab?
Syllabus: Pre/Mains – Environment
Why in News?
~2 lakh ha of cultivable land in Punjab flooded/waterlogged (2025 monsoon) → Concerns over soil fertility & rabi crop prep.
Impact on Soil Health
- Erosion of topsoil → Loss of nutrient-rich layer (N, P, C ↓) → ↓ fertility
- Silt deposition (±) → Fertile alluvial silt (beneficial) vs. thick sand layers (harmful)
- Waterlogging → Soil compaction, ↓ aeration, nutrient leaching (esp. N)
- pH imbalance → Temporary acidity/alkalinity variations → Affects nutrient uptake
- Microbial activity ↓ → Anaerobic conditions hamper decomposition & soil respiration
Soil Test Findings (PAU, 2025)
- Districts surveyed → 6+ flood-hit zones
- Results → Nutrient loss (mainly N), pH imbalance manageable
- Topsoil erosion zones → Nutrient ↓ but restorable via targeted fertilisation
- Key advice → Soil testing before rabi sowing, organic amendments, deep ploughing
- PAU stance → “Setback but reversible” → Proper management = fertility retention
Recovery & Management Strategy
- Silt depth-based approach →
• ≤3″ → Normal ploughing
• 3–9″ → Deep chiselling
• >9″/heavy soil → Manual/mechanical removal - Soil restoration tools → Compost, green manure, organic matter ↑ soil texture
- Field levelling → Early levelling ensures timely rabi prep
- Weed control → Flood-introduced weeds → Vigilance & timely removal
- Govt policy (✦Jisda Khet Usdi Ret✦) → Farmers can sell deposited sand/silt → Income recovery + field clearance
Outlook for Rabi 2025–26
- Normal sowing likely → In moderate-silt areas; heavy-silt zones need quick action
- Wheat window → Late Oct–Nov 20 → Moisture from floods may aid sowing
- Alternative short crops → Toria, potato, maize → Use lost time effectively
- Fodder combos → Maize+cowpea / Sorghum+cowpea → Maintain livestock feed
- Long-term resilience → Timely intervention + scientific & govt support → No lasting fertility loss
Conclusion →
Floods caused short-term nutrient loss & siltation, but not irreversible fertility damage. With soil testing, organic enrichment & policy support, Punjab’s farmlands likely to recover fully by rabi 2025.
Test Your Knowledge 05
Q. Which of the following processes is most likely to occur under prolonged waterlogging conditions?
(a) Increased oxidation of soil minerals
(b) Enhanced aerobic microbial activity
(c) Nitrogen leaching and soil compaction
(d) Decrease in soil moisture retention capacity.
Hint: Waterlogging → anaerobic conditions → compaction & leaching of soluble nutrients (esp. N).
Q. Consider the following effects of floods on soil systems:
- Leaching of nitrates to groundwater
- Accumulation of heavy metals from floodwater sediments
- Increased microbial diversity due to anaerobic conditions
Which of the above are plausible impacts?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Hint: Anaerobic → microbial reduction, not diversity ↑. Heavy metals can deposit with flood silt.
News in Short
National Red List Roadmap
Why in News?
India unveiled National Red List Roadmap and Vision 2025-2030 at IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025, Abu Dhabi on October 8, 2025
Key Highlights:
- Launched by Union MoS Environment, Forest & Climate Change Kirti Vardhan Singh
- First-of-its-kind comprehensive national initiative for species assessment and conservation
- Aims to assess extinction risk of 11,000 species (7,000 flora + 4,000 fauna) by 2030
- Aligned with IUCN global standards to fulfill CBD and Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework commitments
- Nodal agencies: Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and Botanical Survey of India (BSI) under MoEFCC
- Goal: Publish National Red Data Books for flora and fauna by 2030
- Will create nationally coordinated, participatory red-listing system for accurate conservation status assessment
- Plans to train 300 qualified Red List assessors and certify 5 national-level trainers
- Will establish National Species Specialist Groups for assessment oversight
- India hosts 8% of global plant species and 7.5% of animal species despite 2.4% land area
- India is one of 17 megadiverse countries with 4 global biodiversity hotspots
- Initiative supports evidence-based conservation planning and informed policy development
