1. Live-in relationships protected: The Allahabad High Court ruled that live-in relationships are not illegal and directed the state to protect women in such unions. It ordered police protection for 12 women in live-in relationships who had been threatened.
2. Electoral roll revision: BJP national chief J.P. Nadda held talks in Lucknow with UP CM Yogi Adityanath on conducting a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls ahead of upcoming elections. They also prepared for PM Modi’s Dec 25 visit to inaugurate the new “Rashtra Prerna Sthal” memorial in Lucknow.
3. West Bengal poll campaign: Prime Minister Modi addressed a public rally in West Bengal via video conference, calling for an end to the ruling TMC’s “jungle raj” and urging voters to install a “double-engine” BJP government (Centre and state). He accused the TMC of opposing SIR in order to protect “infiltrators”.
4. Legislative controversy: Congress leaders alleged that Parliament “bulldozed” through the new SHANTI Bill, which they say removes key liability safeguards from India’s nuclear liability law. They noted the Bill was fast-tracked at the behest of the US, mirroring provisions in the US’s defense act.
1. US-Venezuela standoff: U.S. forces intercepted a Venezuelan oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela. This was the second such interception in two weeks, part of U.S. pressure on Venezuela’s oil exports under sanctions against President Maduro.
2. Ukraine peace talks: Top U.S. and Russian envoys met in Miami for “productive” talks on a U.S.-brokered Ukraine peace proposal. Moscow publicly criticized Europe’s attempts to amend that proposal, with Kremlin officials saying alterations by Europe and Ukraine were “not helpful”.
1. India–New Zealand FTA: India and New Zealand concluded a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, aiming to double bilateral trade in five years. The deal (to be signed in early 2026) will eliminate tariffs on about 95% of NZ exports to India and provide duty-free access for many Indian goods. (It is India’s third trade pact of 2025, after ones with Oman and the UK.)
2. RBI rate cut: India’s central bank (RBI) cut its repo rate by 25 basis points to 5.25% in early December. The Monetary Policy Committee cited easing inflation and a need to support slowing growth, noting that inflation was comfortably within target, allowing accommodation to spur the economy.
1. Space surveillance: Bengaluru-based start-up Digantara announced expansion of its space-based surveillance to missile tracking. Its SCOUT satellites (Space Domain Awareness) and new ground sensors will help India detect and track ballistic missile launches from space.
2. Defence tech innovation: India’s DRDO has integrated an indigenous geospatial information system (INDIGIS) into the new Pralay missile platform. The INDIGIS GIS software from MicroGenesis will provide real-time mission planning and launcher visualization, boosting India’s use of homegrown defence technology.
1. Delhi pollution crackdown: Delhi’s government has begun enforcing strict vehicular pollution measures. From Dec 18, non-Delhi private vehicles not meeting BS-VI emission standards or lacking valid pollution certificates (PUCC) were barred entry into the city. In a wider GRAP-IV anti-smog drive over Dec 18–21, 2.12 lakh vehicles obtained pollution certificates under the crackdown, while violators faced fines of ₹10,000–₹20,000 and vehicle impoundmen.
2. Antarctic climate mission: A team of French explorers will cross Antarctica by kite skis this winter to drill and retrieve ice over 130,000 years old. The expedition (UNESCO-backed) aims to study past warm-climate ice to understand how ice sheets responded to higher temperatures, offering clues on future sea-level rise under climate change.
1. Ex‑Agniveer quota raised: India’s Home Ministry has increased the quota for ex-Agniveers (retired soldiers from the Agnipath scheme) in Border Security Force constable recruitment from 10% to 50%. This means half the new BSF constables will come from these trained ex-servicemen.
2. US‑India defence pact: The U.S. and India signed a new 10-year defense framework agreement. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called it “a cornerstone for regional stability”, enhancing coordination, information sharing and tech cooperation between the two militaries.
1. Mamata Banerjee: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee sharply attacked the Election Commission and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in a Dec 22 speech. She accused the EC of acting as an “agent of the BJP” and lambasted the Home Minister (unnamed) for allegedly trying to control the country in an authoritarian wayuniindia.comuniindia.com.
2. Sonia & Rahul Gandhi: The Delhi High Court on Dec 22 issued notices to Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald money-laundering case. The court asked them to respond to an Enforcement Directorate petition challenging a lower-court order that had stayed prosecution in the case.
1. Freestyle skiing: At the FIS World Cup stop in Chongli, China’s teams won both gold and silver in the mixed team aerials event on Dec 21. The Chinese squad took first and second in the mixed aerials final (from Ursa Minor, peaking at 10 meteors/hour), as reported by Chinese media.
2. Hockey coach resigns: Indian women’s hockey coach Harendra Singh resigned in December amid reported discord with players. (The resignation followed poor results on tour and was widely reported in Indian media.)
3. Athletics milestone: Javelin champion Neeraj Chopra became the first Indian to throw over 90 meters, achieving 90.23 m in a Diamond League meet in Doha (May 2025).
Nobel Prizes 2025: The Nobel Prizes honored global leaders in science and peace. In Physiology or Medicine, Mary Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi won for discovering regulatory T cells that suppress immune reactions. Physics laureates John Clarke, Michel Devoret and John Martinis were cited for observing quantum tunneling and energy quantization in an electrical circuit. Chemistry laureates Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar Yaghi won for creating porous metal-organic frameworks. The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize went to Venezuelan opposition politician María Corina Machado for her work on democracy and human rights. The Nobel in Economic Sciences was shared by Joel Mokyr, Philippe Aghion and Peter Howitt for pioneering the theory that long-term growth is driven by innovation.
Winter Solstice / World Meditation Day: Dec 21 is the Northern Hemisphere’s winter solstice (the year’s shortest day). It has also been declared “World Meditation Day” by the UN (in 2024), a global observance encouraging collective guided meditation for peace as the solstice marks a transition from darkness to light.
1. Shashwat Sharma: Indian telecom firm Bharti Airtel announced Shashwat Sharma as its new MD & CEO, effective Jan 1, 2026. (Longtime CEO Gopal Vittal will become Executive Vice Chairman).
2. Chief Information Commissioner: Shri Raj Kumar Goyal took over as India’s Chief Information Commissioner on Dec 15, 2025, and administered oaths to eight new Information Commissioners at the CIC office.
3. Press Club of India: Journalist Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty was appointed the first woman President of the Press Club of India, a historic milestone for the media body.
4. Chile President-elect: José Antonio Kast won Chile’s presidential election (Dec 19) and will assume office in 2026, marking a shift towards right-wing leadership amid security and migration concerns.
SCO Summit (Tianjin 2025): China hosted the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit (Aug 31 – Sept 1, 2025) in Tianjin. The meeting produced a “Tianjin Declaration” and adopted a new SCO development strategy through 2035, strengthening cooperation on security, trade, energy and culture.
1. Andhra Pradesh (Bandlapalli village): Bandlapalli – the Telangana village where India’s flagship rural employment scheme was first launched in 2006 – welcomed reforms to the scheme (now called VB-Garuntee Rozgar). Villagers said they look forward to more guaranteed workdays (up to 125 per year) and faster payment cycles under the new guidelines.
2. Odisha (Jagatsinghpur district): A woman accused Jagatsinghpur police of assaulting her and her 8th-grade son to extort information on her fugitive husband. She lodged a complaint with the Odisha Human Rights Commission, alleging police brutality and threats against her family.
3. Madhya Pradesh (Bhopal): Bhopal became the 26th Indian city with a metro rail when Prime Minister Modi inaugurated its new Orange Line metro on Dec 20. The 6.22 km Subhash Nagar–AIIMS corridor will begin commercial operations on Dec 21.
4. Kerala: The Kerala High Court granted bail to two Tanzanian students (one the son of a Tanzanian high court judge) who had been jailed for 270 days in a drug case. The court found “no material evidence” linking them to drug offenses beyond some financial transactions.
5. Arunachal Pradesh: In local body elections held Dec 15, the ruling BJP won a sweeping victory. It captured the majority of Zilla Parishad and Gram Panchayat seats across the state, including 14 of 20 wards in Itanagar’s municipal polls, leaving opposition parties (including Congress) with virtually no wins.
Sreenivasan (1947–2025): Veteran Malayalam actor, screenwriter and director Sreenivasan died Dec 20 in Kochi at age 69. He was known for sharp social satire and memorable performances in over 225 films. His award-winning work blended humor with incisive commentary and was hugely influential in Malayalam cinema.
1. Commitment to Development Index: In the 2025 index by the Centre for Global Development, India ranked 36th overall. India scored well on environmental stewardship (8th place, due to low per-capita emissions), but lagged in trade, development finance and migration support, where it ranked in the bottom country group.
2. Global Innovation Index: India was ranked 38th in the 2025 GII (World Intellectual Property Organization). This maintained its position as Asia’s top innovation performer relative to its income level. India also led globally in ICT services exports (ranked 1st) and had high rankings in late-stage VC deals and unicorn valuations.
3. Global Hunger Index: India ranked 102nd out of 123 countries in the 2025 Global Hunger Index with a score of 25.8, placing it in the “serious” hunger category. Despite being a major agricultural producer, India still faces challenges of malnutrition, unequal food distribution and sanitation that contribute to high levels of undernourishment and child stunting.
Amitav Ghosh – Ghost-Eye (2025): Renowned novelist Amitav Ghosh released Ghost-Eye on Dec 15 in India (with UK/US publication to follow). This new novel, billed as a “masterpiece,” mixes memory and mystery across two timelines and explores themes of rebirth and environmental crisis. Ghosh will tour India in Jan 2026 to promote the book.
Astronomy – Ursid meteor shower: The Ursid meteor shower will peak on Dec 21, 2025 (the northern winter solstice night). Favorable viewing conditions were noted: the nearly new moon (about 6% illuminated on Dec 20) will not brighten the sky, allowing observers in the Northern Hemisphere to see roughly 10 meteors per hour from Ursa Minor.
📝 Explanation: The Allahabad High Court ruled that live-in relationships are not illegal under Indian law and directed authorities to provide police protection to women facing threats in such relationships. The judgment reinforced the constitutional right to life and personal liberty under Article 21, emphasizing that social disapproval cannot override individual freedoms guaranteed by law.
📝Explanation: BJP leaders discussed conducting a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh to ensure accuracy and removal of illegal or duplicate entries. The issue gained political significance as it relates to election transparency, voter eligibility, and allegations of demographic manipulation ahead of major elections.
📝 Explanation: U.S. forces intercepted Venezuelan oil tankers as part of sanctions enforcement against President Nicolás Maduro’s regime. The action aimed to restrict Venezuela’s oil exports, which the U.S. claims are used to bypass international sanctions. This move reflects continued geopolitical tension and economic pressure on Venezuela.
📝 Explanation: Senior envoys from the United States and Russia met in Miami to discuss a U.S.-brokered peace proposal aimed at ending the Ukraine conflict. Russia criticized attempts by European countries to modify the proposal, highlighting differing geopolitical interests and the complexity of achieving a negotiated settlement.
📝 Explanation: India and New Zealand concluded a Free Trade Agreement in December 2025 aimed at doubling bilateral trade within five years. The deal will reduce tariffs on a large percentage of goods and enhance cooperation in agriculture, dairy, education, and services, marking India’s third major trade pact of 2025.
📝 Explanation: The Reserve Bank of India reduced the repo rate by 25 basis points to support economic growth as inflation had eased within the target range. The decision reflected the Monetary Policy Committee’s focus on stimulating investment and consumption amid signs of economic slowdown.
📝 Explanation: Bengaluru-based startup Digantara expanded its space domain awareness capabilities by deploying satellites and ground sensors capable of missile tracking. This marks a significant step in India’s private-sector participation in space security and enhances the nation’s ability to monitor threats in near-Earth orbit.
📝 Explanation: INDIGIS, an indigenous geospatial information system developed by MicroGenesis, was integrated into the Pralay missile platform. It enables real-time mission planning and visualization, highlighting India’s push toward self-reliance in defense technology under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
📝 Explanation: Delhi enforced restrictions on non-BS-VI vehicles and those without valid pollution certificates to combat severe air pollution. The move was part of GRAP-IV measures and aimed to reduce vehicular emissions, which are a major contributor to winter smog in the national capital.
📝 Explanation: The Antarctic expedition aims to drill ice older than 130,000 years to study past climate conditions. By analyzing ancient ice, scientists can understand how ice sheets responded to warmer climates, providing valuable insights into future sea-level rise due to global warming.
📝 Explanation: The Home Ministry raised the quota for ex-Agniveers in BSF constable recruitment from 10% to 50%. This ensures continued employment for trained soldiers and strengthens border forces by utilizing experienced personnel, aligning with the objectives of the Agnipath scheme.
📝 Explanation: India and the United States signed a new 10-year defense framework agreement to deepen military cooperation. The pact focuses on joint exercises, technology sharing, intelligence cooperation, and strengthening regional security in the Indo-Pacific region.
📝 Explanation: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the Election Commission of acting in favor of the BJP. Her remarks came amid debates over electoral roll revisions and alleged central interference, highlighting ongoing tensions between opposition-ruled states and the central government.
📝 Explanation: Chongli, a winter sports hub in China, hosted the FIS World Cup mixed team aerials event. Chinese teams dominated the competition, reinforcing China’s growing strength in winter sports following its infrastructure investments after the Beijing Winter Olympics.
📝 Explanation: Harendra Singh resigned as the Indian women’s hockey coach amid reported differences with players and disappointing performances. His resignation highlighted challenges in team management and performance pressure as India prepares for upcoming international tournaments.
📝 Explanation: December 21, coinciding with the winter solstice, is observed as World Meditation Day. The UN encourages collective meditation to promote peace, mental well-being, and global harmony, symbolizing the transition from darkness to light.
📝 Explanation: Bharti Airtel appointed Shashwat Sharma as its new Managing Director and CEO, effective January 2026. The leadership change aims to steer the company through rapid digital expansion, 5G rollout, and intense competition in India’s telecom sector.
📝 Explanation: Sreenivasan, a legendary actor, writer, and director, passed away at age 69. Known for his sharp satire and socially conscious storytelling, he profoundly influenced Malayalam cinema and inspired generations of filmmakers and actors.
📝 Explanation: India ranked 36th in the 2025 Commitment to Development Index, which evaluates countries on contributions to global development beyond borders. India performed well environmentally but lagged in trade openness and migration policies, reflecting mixed global development engagement.
📝 Explanation: The Ursid meteor shower peaked on December 21, 2025, coinciding with the winter solstice. With minimal moonlight, viewing conditions were favorable in the Northern Hemisphere, offering stargazers a chance to observe meteors originating from the constellation Ursa Minor.
We are MindSet Competitive Education Team/ Family. We are currently uploading our course contents continuously to complete and to lunch the website for you all as soon as possible. But we are continuously update course contents/topics from START, so you can stat your Competitive Preparation Journey from start to end step by step.
