Kalam IAS Academy was founded by a team of committed individuals who believe that the traditional way of UPSC preparation needs to be changed.
Current Edge Daily Brief 24th October 2025
Quote of the Day
“The mind of man is capable of anything – Because everything is in it.” – JOSEPH CONRAD
What the Others Say
“It’s been said that Russians never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity. Thankfully for Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s shambolic autocracy has been doing its best to live up to the saying.” – THE WASHINGTON POST
Table of Contents
THE BIG PICTURE
- IE Explained: Remembering Sir Syed Ahmed Khan: He stood for diversity, fraternity. Aligarh Muslim University champions these values (Tariq Mansoor)
- TH Opinion: The UN matters, as a symbol of possibility (Shashi Tharoor)
- IE Explained: The private sector (lack of) investment problem (Udit Misra)
- TH Text & Context: Why cloud seeding is not a solution to Delhi’s air pollution crisis (Shahzad Gani, Krishna Achuta Rao)
The Big Picture
IE Explained: Remembering Sir Syed Ahmed Khan: He stood for diversity, fraternity. Aligarh Muslim University champions these values
Syllabus: Pre/Mains – History, Art & Culture
Why in News?
→ 207th birth anniversary of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan (1817–1898); reflection on his legacy of diversity, fraternity & inclusive education upheld by AMU.
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan: Visionary Reformer
- Roles & Impact → Educator, social reformer, biographer, political ideologue, institution builder.
- Post-1857 Context → Worked for Muslim upliftment after 1857 revolt → advocated modern education over confrontation.
- Institutions → Founded Madrasatul Uloom Musalmanan-e-Hind (1875) → evolved into MAO College (1877) → Aligarh Muslim University (1920).
- Educational Renaissance → Promoted scientific temper, rational thought, & English education → ↓ ignorance among Indians.
Concept of Nation & Inclusivity
- Meaning of “Quam” → Used for both nation & community → inclusive civic idea, not sectarian.
- Nationhood Vision → Hindus & Muslims = one nation → shared soil, governance, hardships, prosperity.
- Religious Harmony → Advocated Hindu–Muslim unity for national progress → rejected communal politics.
- Cultural Openness → Introduced comparative religious studies → wrote commentary on Bible → intellectual bridge-building.
Institutional Legacy: Aligarh Muslim University (AMU)
- Symbol of Pluralism → Students from 31 states & 26 nations → cultural microcosm of India.
- British Era Context → Despite divisive colonial policies, AMU promoted fraternity & coexistence.
- Cross-Community Bonds → Example: Bismillah ceremony of Ross Masood led by Hindu friend Raja Jai Kishan Das.
- Global Connect → AMU as academic link in India–Muslim world relations.
Contemporary Relevance
- Resonance with NEP 2020 → Focus on inclusivity, equity, & holistic education mirrors Sir Syed’s ideals.
- PM Modi’s Centenary Address (2020) → Called AMU “mini India” → highlighted Sir Syed’s dictum: “Welfare of all, irrespective of caste or creed.”
- Enduring Ideals → Diversity ✦ Fraternity ✦ National Integration ✦ Knowledge for all.
Conclusion
Sir Syed’s mission: Modern education + communal harmony = foundation for an inclusive, progressive India..
Test Your Knowledge 01
Q. The term “Quam” used by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan referred to:
(a) Only the Muslim community
(b) The British rulers in India
(c) Both Hindus and Muslims as one nation
(d) Religious minorities of India
Hint: Sir Syed used Quam to mean both nation & community → envisioned Hindus & Muslims as parts of one Indian nation.
TH Opinion: The UN matters, as a symbol of possibility
Syllabus: Pre/Mains – International Relations
Why in News?
UN marks 80 yrs (1945–2025) → moment of reflection & reform amid multipolar, crisis-prone world.
Evolution and Significance of UN
- Born post–WWII → aim: prevent war, uphold law, promote human dignity.
- Journey → Cold War battleground → post–Cold War cooperation forum.
- Mixed record → failures: Rwanda, Srebrenica ✦ successes: Namibia, East Timor.
- Core role → humanitarian relief (UNHCR, WFP, UNICEF), peacekeeping, global norms (HR, gender, SDGs 2015).
- Symbol of possibility → not perfect, but indispensable for multilateral dialogue & collective action.
UNSC Reform Imperative and Challenges
- Structure frozen in 1945 → reflects old power realities, not 21st-century multipolarity.
- P5 veto misuse → weakens collective security & accountability.
- Exclusion of key stakeholders (India, Japan, Germany, Brazil, South Africa) → ↓ legitimacy, ↓ efficacy.
- Multilateralism under strain → nationalism ↑, liberal order ↓.
- Funding crisis → defaults (esp. US) → budget cuts, staff freezes, ↓ operational capacity.
India’s Position
- Strong case for permanent seat → world’s largest democracy, major peacekeeper, 5th largest economy.
- Advocates → UNSC reform = equity + effectiveness.
- Foreign policy → “strategic autonomy” → balances US–China–Russia rivalries.
- Vision → plural, inclusive global order → dignity > dominance, cooperation > coercion.
- Seeks global governance reflecting diversity, not hierarchy.
Way Forward
- Reform UNSC → expand membership, reflect present power distribution.
- ↑ Agility → streamline decision-making, decentralise ops, adopt digital tools.
- Reclaim moral voice → truth to power, defend universal values amid misinformation.
- Recommitment by members → ensure funding, political will, institutional trust.
- Renewed UN ethos → more representative, responsive, resilient → symbol not of perfection, but of global possibility.
Test Your Knowledge 02
Q. With reference to the UN’s latest “UN80 Initiative”, consider the following statements:
- It aims at consolidation of overlapping UN bodies and streamlining mandates.
- One of its goals is to merge the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
- It is strictly limited to reform of the UN Secretariat and does not cover its agencies.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Hint: The initiative includes streamlining mandates and consolidation proposals (eg combining UNFCCC & UNEP) from reports. It is broader than just the Secretariat.
IE Explained: The private sector (lack of) investment problem
Syllabus: Pre/Mains – Economy
Why in News?
→ Despite ↑ Govt infra spend & policy incentives (tax cuts, PLI, etc.), private investment in India ↓, raising concern over growth sustainability.
Nature of the Problem
- GDP composition → Consumption (≈60%) + Investment (Gross Fixed Capital Formation, GFCF) + Govt spend + Net exports.
- GFCF ↓ since 2011–12 → <30% of GDP most yrs post-2014.
- FY24 → Nominal GDP ↑12%, yet private & household shares in investment ↓; Govt share ↑.
- Weak private investment persists despite policy push.
Why Investments Matter?
- Consumption boost (PFCE) → income tax reliefs, cash transfers, GST cuts.
- Aim → trigger demand → spur private capex → self-sustaining growth cycle.
- Govt infra push → intended “crowding-in” of private investment.
- Ideal model → Private sector leads; Govt reduces fiscal burden (“Min Govt, Max Governance”).
- FM Sitharaman (Sep’25) → urged industry to expand capacities & invest.
Evidence of Weak Private Capex
- GFCF components → Govt + Households + Pvt firms.
- Pvt share ↓ notably post-2019-20 (even after corporate tax cut).
- FY24 → Pvt & household shares ↓; Govt share ↑ → growth driven by public capex.
- FY25 (proj.) → Overall investment share ↓ further → Pvt role likely stagnating.
Causes (Implied/Underlying)
- Demand uncertainty → post-pandemic uneven recovery.
- High leverage & balance-sheet repair → corporate caution.
- Global slowdown → export & manufacturing demand weak.
- Capacity utilization only ~75–80% → limited incentive for new capex.
- Regulatory/institutional bottlenecks → land, clearances, financing.
Implications / Upshot
- Structural risk → Growth over-dependent on Govt spend.
- Fiscal stress ↑ → limits space for welfare/infra in future.
- Pvt capex lag → job creation ↓ → unemployment, inequality persist.
- Modi govt’s growth strategy (private-led expansion) faces credibility test.
- Need → restore business confidence, stable policy regime, real demand revival.
Conclusion
Despite headline GDP growth, India’s investment engine is Govt-driven; private sector still on investment pause, signaling structural fragility in the growth model.
Test Your Knowledge 03
Q. Consider the following about India’s Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF) trends:
- It has been on a declining trajectory since 2011–12.
- It has largely remained below 30% of GDP after 2014.
- The government’s share in total investment has consistently fallen post-2019.
Which of the above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 & 3 only
(c) 1 & 3 only
(d) 1, 2 & 3
Hint: Pvt & household share ↓; govt share ↑ → 3 is incorrect.
TH Text & Context: Why cloud seeding is not a solution to Delhi’s air pollution crisis
Syllabus: Pre/Mains – Science & Tech
Why in News?
Delhi govt exploring cloud seeding as emergency step to reduce toxic smog (AQI > severe).
Why Delhi’s Air Is Worse in Winter?
- Meteorological trap → Post-monsoon, dry NW winds + weak circulation → ↓ dispersion of pollutants.
- Stable high-pressure system → Prevents upward mixing, traps pollutants near surface.
- Cooler air → ↓ humidity → limited cloud formation, no vertical convection.
- Haze ≠ clouds → Visual opacity from fine PM2.5 & PM10, not moisture.
- Western Disturbances → Occasional Mediterranean-origin systems bring sporadic rain; unpredictable, short-lived.
- Result → Pollutants accumulate → AQI crosses “hazardous” (>400) levels.
About Cloud Seeding & Possibilities
- Concept → Artificially inducing rainfall by dispersing particles into clouds (Silver Iodide, Sodium Chloride, Dry Ice).
- Mechanism → Particles act as condensation nuclei → help water vapour condense/freeze → rain.
- Prerequisite → Presence of moisture-laden clouds (not haze or dry air).
- Use cases globally → China, UAE, US — mainly for drought mitigation, not pollution control.
- India trials → Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu (rain enhancement) → mixed outcomes, limited success.
- Scientific consensus → Effectiveness uncertain; depends on cloud type, microphysics, humidity & wind.
Cloud Seeding: Limitations, Risks & Concerns
- Dependence on clouds → Ineffective during Delhi’s dry winter; cannot create rain clouds.
- Weak empirical proof → Rain enhancement <15% on avg; inconsistent across studies.
- Short-lived benefit → Rain may temporarily wash pollutants, but levels rebound within 24–48 hrs.
- Environmental risk → Silver Iodide accumulation → potential soil & water contamination, eco-toxicity.
- Health risk → Long-term bioaccumulation effects poorly studied.
- Ethical issue → Manipulating weather without public consultation → governance, consent concerns.
- Accountability void → If flooding/crop loss coincides with seeding → unclear responsibility.
- Public perception risk → Mistrust in science if coincidental heavy rain/flood blamed on seeding.
- Diversionary politics → Shifts focus from emission control → optics of “visible action.”
Way Forward – Real Solutions
Address sources, not symptoms:
→ Transport → promote EVs, CNG, strict vehicular emission norms.
→ Industry → enforce stack monitoring, adopt cleaner fuels.
→ Construction → dust control, material recycling norms.
→ Agriculture → alternatives to stubble burning (Happy Seeder, bio-decomposers, MSP reform).
→ Waste → ban open burning, expand segregation & processing.
Policy & Governance:
→ Strengthen GRAP (Graded Response Action Plan).
→ Integrate NCR states in regional emission strategy.
→ Real-time monitoring, transparency, accountability.
Urban Planning & Public Behaviour:
→ ↑ Green cover, open spaces, non-motorized transport.
→ Awareness & citizen participation in pollution reduction.
Scientific approach:
→ Evidence-based policymaking, not headline-driven experiments.
→ Long-term emission inventory & meteorological modeling.
Test Your Knowledge 04
2025 Q. Artificial way of causing rainfall to reduce air pollution makes use of
(a) Silver iodide and potassium iodide
(b) Silver nitrate and potassium iodide
(c) Silver iodide and potassium nitrate
(d) Silver nitrate and potassium chloride.
Hint: Used in cloud seeding → both act as condensation nuclei; Silver iodide (AgI) & Potassium iodide (KI) mimic ice crystals → trigger rain formation.
