Malayalam Language Bill, 2025

Why in News?

The passage of the Malayalam Language Bill, 2025 by the Kerala Legislative Assembly has reopened debates on linguistic policy, minority rights and Centre–State relations in India.

What is the Malayalam Language Bill, 2025?

• Recognition of state language – The Malayalam Language Bill, 2025 seeks to formally declare Malayalam as the sole official language of the State of Kerala.
• Wider use of malayalam – It mandates the use of Malayalam across a wide spectrum of domains, including:
  • Government administration
  • Education
  • Judiciary
  • Public communication
  • Commerce and business
  • Digital and information technology platforms
• At present, Kerala recognises both Malayalam and English as official languages.
• The Bill proposes a decisive shift towards Malayalam, while stating that all provisions will operate subject to the Constitution of India.

What are the key provisions of the bill?

• Education – Malayalam will be the compulsory first language in all government and aided schools in Kerala up to Class 10.
• Provisions exist for linguistic minority students to continue studying their mother tongue where such options are available, in line with the National Education Curriculum.
• Judiciary and legislature – All Bills and Ordinances will be introduced in Malayalam.
• Judgments and court proceedings will be translated into Malayalam in a phased manner.
• Important Central and State Acts published in English will be translated into Malayalam.
• Administration and governance – Malayalam will be used for official correspondence and public communication.
• Linguistic minorities will be allowed to use their mother tongues for correspondence with the Secretariat, Heads of Departments and local government offices in designated areas.
• Digital and technological domain – The Information Technology Department will develop open-source software and digital tools to facilitate the effective use of Malayalam in IT and e-governance.
• Institutional framework – The existing Personnel and Administrative Reforms (Official Language) Department will be renamed as the Malayalam Language Development Department.
• A Malayalam Language Development Directorate will be established to oversee policy implementation.

Why was the bill introduced?

• Extensive effort – The Bill is rooted in Kerala’s long-standing effort to strengthen Malayalam as the principal language of governance.
• 2015 Bill – The State had passed the Malayalam Language (Dissemination and Enrichment) Bill with similar objectives.
• However, that Bill was reserved for the President’s consideration and assent was withheld.
• The earlier Bill faced objections on multiple grounds:
  • Conflict with the Official Language Act, 1963
  • Concerns over the protection of linguistic minorities
  • Alleged violation of the Three Language Formula under the National Education Curriculum
  • Inconsistencies with provisions of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009
• 2025 Bill – It was introduced after removing or modifying the contentious provisions, with the State government claiming that constitutional safeguards and minority protections have been adequately addressed.

What has triggered the opposition outside kerala?

• Karnataka’s opposition – The strongest opposition has emerged from the Karnataka government, which has termed the Bill “unconstitutional” and contrary to the interests of Kannada-speaking linguistic minorities in Kerala, especially in the border district of Kasaragod.
• Key concerns raised:
  • The provision making Malayalam the compulsory first language in all schools, which Karnataka argues undermines the rights of Kannada-speaking students who currently study Kannada as their first language.
  • Fears that the implementation of the Bill in Kasaragod could weaken the Kannada language and cultural identity in the region.
• A delegation from the Karnataka Border Area Development Authority submitted a memorandum to the Kerala Governor, urging him to withhold assent to the Bill.
• Kerala government’s defence – The Kerala government has rejected the charge that the Bill infringes minority rights.
• Kerala government has emphasised that the Bill contains explicit safeguards for linguistic minorities, including speakers of Tamil, Kannada, Tulu and Konkani.
• According to the State:
• Linguistic minorities will be permitted to use their own languages for official correspondence with government authorities in relevant areas.
• Students whose mother tongue is not Malayalam can continue education in their preferred languages where such options exist, in accordance with national education policy.
• Students from other States and foreign countries will be exempted from writing Malayalam language examinations in Classes 9, 10 and higher secondary levels.
• The government argues that the Bill balances the promotion of Malayalam with constitutional guarantees under Articles 29 and 30, which protect the cultural and educational rights of minorities.
• Constitutional and federal dimensions – Language is a sensitive subject in India’s federal structure.
• While States have the power to adopt official languages for their administration, such measures must comply with:
  • Fundamental rights
  • Minority protections
  • Central laws such as the Official Language Act
• The controversy highlights the tension between linguistic assertion by States and the need to accommodate diversity in border regions. The Governor’s decision on assent may therefore have broader implications for language policy and Centre–State relations.

What lies ahead?

• The Malayalam Language Bill, 2025 represents Kerala’s attempt to assert its linguistic identity and strengthen the role of Malayalam in governance, education and technology.
• At the same time, opposition from Karnataka underscores the challenges of implementing language policy in a multilingual and federal polity.
• The final outcome will depend on constitutional scrutiny and political accommodation, making the Bill an important case study for understanding language, federalism and minority rights in India.

Reference

The Hindu| Malayalam Language Bill, 2025

Climate Targets and India’s Progress

Why in News?

There has been a lot of focus on the recent Aravalli judgment and its implications for mining operations across the green belt as well as the government’s commitments regarding environmental standards and regulatory protection for ecologically sensitive areas.

What are India’s Paris climate commitments (2015)?

• Paris summit – India had committed to four quantified climate targets, grounded in the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities”.
• It reflects how, historically, India’s per capita emissions were low compared to emissions of other major countries like the U.S.

However, currently India is the world’s 3^rd largest absolute emitter.

What are India’s four quantified targets & its achievements?

• Emissions Intensity Reduction
  • Target – 33–35% reduction by 2030 (baseline 2005).
  • Achieved – ~36% reduction by 2020, a decade early.
• Non-Fossil Fuel Capacity
  • Target – India set renewable targets of 40% non-fossil capacity by 2030, later raised to 50%.
  • Achieved – By June 2025, non-fossil fuel sources made up 51% of installed capacity (495 GW), achieving the commitment early.
• Renewable energy capacity
  • Target – 175 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2022
  • Solar capacity surged from 2.8 GW (2014) to ~110.9 GW (2025).
  • Wind power increased more modestly from 21 GW to ~51.3 GW.
• Carbon Sequestration
  • Target - India pledged 2.5–3 billion tonnes by 2030,
  • Achieved - ~2.29 billion tonnes additional sequestration since 2005, leaving only ~0.2 billion tonnes to meet target (as per India State of Forest Report 2023).

What are the key structural factors enabling India’s trajectory of emission intensity reduction?

• Rapid expansion of non-fossil power capacity – Solar, wind, hydro, and nuclear has lowered carbon intensity.
• By 2023, non-fossil capacity exceeded by approximately 43%, and it reached roughly 50% by mid-2025.
• Economic shift – India’s economic composition shifted toward lower-carbon services and digital sectors, resulting in a reduction in emissions per unit of GDP.
• Efficiency programmes – Like Perform, Achieve and Trade (PAT), UJALA curbed demand growth in industry and households.
• National assessments record measurable electricity savings and avoided emissions in FY2020-21.
• Government driven programs – Such as the National Solar Mission, Solar Parks Scheme, UDAY, PM-KUSUM, and rooftop solar have successfully added 25 GW of renewable energy every year.

What are the challenges that persist?

• Persistent absolute emission – Although India has reduced emissions intensity, its total greenhouse gas output remains high, around 2,959 MtCO₂e in 2020, and has continued at elevated levels since.
• India’s GDP has grown faster than its emissions, leading to a drop in emissions intensity but no overall decline in absolute greenhouse gas output.
• Sectoral divergence – National averages on emissions intensity mask sectoral divergence, while the power sector’s CO₂ growth slowed in 2024–25, emissions from cement, steel, and transport continued to rise.

Comparative Insights – Analyses by Climate Transparency & IEA show that India’s rate of intensity decline exceeds that of many G-20 peers, but coal’s large share keeps absolute per-kWh emissions high.

• Renewable Integration Gap – Renewables supplied only ~22% of electricity in 2024–25 due to intermittency and lack of storage, despite greater than 50% installed non-fossil capacity.
• Missed Targets & Future Ambitions – The 175 GW renewables target for 2022 was missed, and although a 500 GW 2030 ambition is technically possible.
• Storage bottleneck – The Central Electricity Authority has forecast a demand of 336 GWh of energy storage for the 2029-30 period. However, as of September 2025, only 500 MWh of battery energy storage capacity is operational.
• Execution bottlenecks – Delays in grid connectivity and limited land acquisition in the power sector for projects.
• Coal Dependence – Despite rapid renewable growth, the backbone remains coal, with ~253 GW coal-based capacity continuing to dominate baseload supply.
• Policy Mechanisms & Implementation Gaps – Under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act (2016) the implementation of afforestation funds uneven across states (Delhi utilised only 23% (2019–20 to 2023–24)).
• Green India Mission - Regenerating 5 million hectares through regional projects in the Aravallis, Western Ghats, and Himalayas.
• Climate change – Satellite data shows leaf index “greening”, but actual carbon assimilation and productivity are weakened by warming and water stress, particularly in the Western Ghats and Northeast India.
• Domination of plantations – India will likely meet its 2030 forest sink target numerically, but plantation-heavy, governance-limited mechanisms, prioritises carbon accounting over ecological restoration and biodiversity health.

What lies ahead?

• Policy Imperatives for Net-Zero 2070 – For India’s 2070 net-zero pledge to be credible, remaining intensity gains must be translated into absolute emissions reductions through a transparent coal phase-down timetable and industrial decarbonisation roadmaps.
• India’s transition path – That lies ahead demands storage scaling, coal phase-down, forest governance reform, and transparent data tracking — governance, not just capital, will drive success.
• Critical Five-Year Window – The next five years are crucial to accelerate renewables, fix storage gaps, and strengthen government coordination on grid connectivity and land acquisition.
• India has largely met its quantified commitments, but the real challenge lies in turning installed renewable capacity into sustained generation and translating intensity gains into actual moderation of absolute emissions.

Reference

The Hindu | India’s progress on its climate targets

Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas

Why in News?

The Prime Minister of India extended greetings to the global Indian community on the occasion of the 18^th Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas.

• Aim – To recognise and honour the contribution of the Indian diaspora to India’s development and to strengthen their engagement with the motherland.
• Organized by -Ministry of External Affairs.
• Commemoration – Observed on 9 January, marking the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to India in 1915.
• Historical Milestone – Celebration started in 2003. 
• Symbolises the historic and emotional bond between India and its overseas community.
• Event Frequency – Initially held annually. Since 2015, organised once every 2 years.
• Key Highlights, 2026 – As the event follows a biennial format, no large-scale convention was held this year.
• 18 Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas have been held so far.
• The 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas (2025) was held in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, with the theme “Diaspora’s Contribution to a Viksit Bharat”
• The 19th Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas convention is expected in 2027.
• Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA) – Highest honour for Non-Resident Indians, Person of Indian Origins, or organisations run by them.
• Recognises contributions in -
  • Enhancing India’s image abroad
  • Supporting India’s causes
  • Welfare of Indian communities overseas
• Awarded by - The Hon’ble President of India.

References

1. PIB | Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas
2. Pravasi Bharatiya Divas

Turkman Gate

Why in News?

The Turkman Gate area in Old Delhi has come into focus after violence erupted during an anti-encroachment demolition drive carried out by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

• Turkman Gate was one of the 14 gates of Shahjahanabad,
• Shahjahanabad built by - Mughal emperor Shahjahan when he shifted his capital from Agra to Delhi in 1683 CE.
• Shahjahanabad was a planned imperial capital that incorporated older settlements, shrines and road networks.
• The gate is called Turkman gate because it lies near the tomb of Shah Turkman bayabani, a saint of Mughal era.
• Architectural style - The gateway is rectangular in plan.
• It is two bays deep, with a flat roof on the first bay while a domed roof on the second bay.
• The southernmost opening is flanked by semi octagonal double storey bastions on its either side.
• The gate has 3 arched openings, with those at the outer ends having double arches.
• There are no remains of the city wall at present.

• Shah Commission (1977) Report – It examined excesses during the National Emergency (1975–77).
• It reported the illegal demolitions, such as those at Turkman Gate, though its findings did not result in significant prosecutions.

References

1. The Hindu | Turkman Gate
2. The Deccan Herald | Tale of Shah Turkman Bayabani

Kathputli Puppetry

Why in News?

Families in Kathputli Nagar of Jaipur preserve Kathputli, one of Rajasthan’s oldest folk-art forms.

• Puppet – A puppet is an inanimate or representational figure, animated or manipulated by a puppeteer.
• Origin of puppetry – The origins of puppetry date back to the Indus Valley Civilisation around 2500 B.C., where archaeologists discovered a terracotta doll with a detachable head.
• The earliest evidence of puppets has also been traced to Egypt, dating to around 2000 B.C.
• Kathputli Nomenclature – The name Kathputli comes from kath (wood) and putli (doll). It is one of Rajasthan’s oldest folk-art forms.
• It is a type of string puppet carved from wood and dressed in bright, colourful costumes.
• Manufactured in – Kathputli Nagar in Jaipur’s ‘Pink City’.
• Type -String puppetry (marionettes).
• Themes -Folk tales, epics (Ramayana, Mahabharata), heroic ballads, social messages.
• Cultural Significance – Performances are accompanied by dholak, harmonium, folk music, and narration.
• Shows include humour, music, satire, and social reflection.
• Kathputli performances continue to carry Rajasthan’s cultural identity across generations.

References

1. The Hindu | Kathputli puppetry
2. Egyankosh | Performative art forms

Smooth-coated Otter  

Why in News?

A rare sighting of an otter was recently recorded in the Adyar River at Chennai’s Tholkappia Poonga eco-park.

• Smooth-coated otter – It is a sleek, medium-sized otter with short limbs, webbed paws, and a flattened tail.
• Scientific name – Lutrogale perspicillata.
• Habitat – Found in freshwater-rich areas such as rivers, wetlands, lakes, swamps, and rice paddies.
• Prefer shallow and placid waters.
• Though found near coastal saltwater, they require nearby freshwater sources.
• Distribution – It is found across India from the Himalayas to southern India. Also, found in the Western Ghats and northeast India, along with other otter species.
• India is home to 3 types of otters out of the 13 species of otters found worldwide.
  • Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra);
  • Smooth-coated Otter (Lutra perspicillata)
  • Small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus).
• Characteristics – They are strong swimmers and fish specialists.
• Hunt in groups and often move in a V-formation while fishing.
• Diet – They mainly feed on fish.
• Behavior – They are shy and sensitive, hence difficult to spot.
• Live in family groups; usually seen in groups of 3 to 15 individuals.
• Conservation Status –
  • Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 – Schedule I.
  • IUCN Red List -Vulnerable.
• Threats – Loss of wetland habitats due to large infrastructure projects.
• Conversion of wetlands for agriculture and settlements.
• Reduction in fish stocks.
• Water pollution, poaching, and contamination by pesticides.
• Ecological importance – Apex predator in riverine ecosystems.
• Helps regulate populations of other aquatic species.
• Presence indicates clean rivers free from heavy pollution.

References

1. The Hindu | Smooth-coated Otter in Adyar River
2. WWWIndia | Smooth-coated Otter

International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)

Why in News?

India reaffirmed its commitment to a just and inclusive global energy transition at the 16^th annual IRENA Assembly (2026).

• It is an intergovernmental organization, founded in 2009, supports countries in their transition to a sustainable energy future.
• It serves as the principal platform for international cooperation, a centre of excellence, and a repository of policy, technology, resource and financial knowledge on renewable energy.
• Headquarters - Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
• Membership – Presently, IRENA has 171 Members (170 Countries and the European Union).
• India is also one of the founder members of IRENA.
• Objectives - Promote the adoption and sustainable use of renewable energy worldwide.
• Support countries in energy transition, climate mitigation, and energy security.
• Provide policy advice, technology analysis, and capacity building.
• Key Areas of Work
  • Renewable energy policy frameworks
  • Energy transition roadmaps
  • Climate change and sustainable development
  • Investment and finance in renewables
  • Data, statistics, and global renewable energy outlooks
• India & IRENA
  • India is an active member and collaborates on renewable energy deployment and policy support
  • IRENA complements India’s leadership in global renewable initiatives like the International Solar Alliance (ISA).
• Key highlights of IRENA Assembly (2026) – It is presided over by the Dominican Republic, Vice Presidents from Kenya, Solomon Islands, Spain, and Antigua and Barbuda.
  • Held in – Abu Dhabi, UAE.
  • Theme – “Powering Humanity: Renewable Energy for Shared Prosperity.”
• India reaffirmed its strong commitment to a just, equitable, affordable and sustainable global energy transition.

Reference

PIB | India’s Energy Transition