1 . India Electric Mobility Index (IEMI)
Syllabus Mapping: GS-III: Electric Vehicles | Energy Security | Clean Energy Transition | Infrastructure | Environmental Pollution | Manufacturing
- India Electric Mobility Index (IEMI) is composite index developed by NITI Aayog in collaboration with WRI India that tracks the progress of States and Union Territories in electric mobility, enabling evidence-based policy and identification of areas requiring improvement.
- The 2nd edition shows improvement in State performance: the highest score rose from 77 to 84, while the median score increased from 36 to 40. 29 of 36 States/UTs have notified EV policies.
- Nearly 89% of India’s crude-oil requirement is imported; electrification of transport can reduce petroleum dependence, improve energy security and lower exposure to global oil-price volatility.
- EV transition is also an urban environmental issue as vehicle electrification can reduce tailpipe emissions and associated air-pollution exposure, particularly in cities. Its overall climate benefit, however, depends partly on the electricity-generation mix.
- Government support for EV transition exceeds ₹92,000 crore, covering FAME, PM E-DRIVE and PM-eBus Sewa, along with PLI schemes for Automobiles & Auto Components and Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) battery storage.
- Charging infrastructure remains crucial for EV adoption. The Unified Bharat e-Charge app is intended to improve access to charging infrastructure, while oil marketing companies and private players are expanding charging networks.
- Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC): ACC batteries are high-performance rechargeable battery technologies used for applications such as electric vehicles and energy storage; domestic manufacturing reduces dependence on imported battery cells and strengthens the EV supply chain.
2. World Ozone Day 2026
Syllabus Mapping: GS-III: Environment | Ozone Layer | Climate Change | International Environmental Conventions | Sustainable Cooling
- World Ozone Day 2026 was observed with the theme “Global Action for a Cooler Planet”, highlighting the link between ozone protection, climate action and sustainable cooling.
- Vienna Convention (1985) provides the international framework for cooperation on ozone-layer protection, while the Montreal Protocol (1987) provides legally binding controls for the phase-out of ozone-depleting substances (ODS).
- India has been a Party to the Vienna Convention and Montreal Protocol since 1992 and has met its scheduled commitments for different ODS, demonstrating compliance with the Protocol.
- India has already phased out CFCs (Chlorofluorocarbons), CTC (Carbon Tetrachloride) and Halons for controlled applications, while HCFCs (Hydrochlorofluorocarbons) are being phased out under the accelerated Montreal Protocol schedule.
- Kigali Amendment (2016) expanded the Montreal Protocol’s climate relevance by providing for the phase-down of HFCs (Hydrofluorocarbons). HFCs generally do not deplete the ozone layer but many have high Global Warming Potential (GWP).
- India ratified the Kigali Amendment in September 2021, which entered into force for India on 26 December 2021. India’s HFC phase-down is scheduled to begin in 2032, followed by reductions of 10% (2032), 20% (2037), 30% (2042) and 85% (2047) against the baseline.
- Important distinction: CFCs and HCFCs → ozone-depleting substances, whereas HFCs → generally non-ozone-depleting but climate-warming gases. Thus, the Kigali Amendment creates a direct ozone–climate linkage.
- The India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP) provides the domestic framework for sustainable cooling by promoting energy-efficient cooling, climate-friendly refrigerants, reduced cooling demand and development of skilled manpower in the refrigeration and air-conditioning sector.
- Under HCFC Phase-out Management Plan (HPMP) Stage III India is working towards further HCFC phase-out, particularly in the refrigeration and air-conditioning servicing sector, with emphasis on lower-impact alternatives and technician training.
- 248 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) have been adopted by 12 refrigeration and air-conditioning manufacturers to align technician training with industry standards and develop skills for low-GWP, climate-friendly cooling technologies.
3. India’s Net Zero Portal & NAPCC Dashboard
Syllabus Mapping: GS-III: Climate Change | Environmental Governance | Net Zero | Technology-enabled governance | Climate-resilient development
- India’s Net Zero Portal is a centralised digital platform for voluntary registration and disclosure of Net Zero commitments by Indian entities across sectors.
- Entities can disclose GHG (Greenhouse Gas) emissions, declare Net Zero targets and submit annual progress updates; Scope 1 and Scope 2 reporting is encouraged, while Scope 3 reporting remains voluntary.
- GHG emission scopes: Scope 1 = direct emissions from sources owned/controlled by an entity; Scope 2 = indirect emissions from purchased electricity/energy; Scope 3 = other indirect value-chain emissions.
- Entities can also disclose their Net Zero pathways, including clean-energy transition, energy efficiency, technological interventions and carbon removals.
- The Portal creates a common repository of voluntary climate commitments, improving transparency, disclosure and long-term climate planning; entities declaring targets receive acknowledgement from MoEFCC.
- The NAPCC Dashboard provides a consolidated digital platform to monitor implementation and progress across India’s National Missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).
- The Dashboard enables inter-ministerial monitoring, evidence-based assessment of climate action, identification of implementation gaps and consolidation of inputs from different Ministries and Departments.
- NAPCC: Launched in 2008, NAPCC is India’s overarching framework for climate action and comprises eight National Missions, covering areas such as solar energy, energy efficiency, sustainable habitat, water, Himalayan ecosystems, Green India, sustainable agriculture and strategic climate knowledge.
4. Babu Jagjivan Ram
Syllabus Mapping: GS-II: Social Justice | Social Empowerment | Vulnerable Sections | Social Reform | Equality & Dignity
- Babu Jagjivan Ram (1908–1986) was a prominent freedom fighter, social reformer and political leader who worked extensively for the rights and empowerment of Scheduled Castes and weaker sections.
- Born in Chandwa, Bihar, he faced caste discrimination from an early age, which influenced his lifelong commitment to social equality and eradication of untouchability.
- He became associated with the Indian National Congress and participated in the freedom movement, emerging as an important leader representing the interests of historically marginalised communities.
- He served in several important Union ministries after Independence, including Labour, Communications, Railways, Food & Agriculture and Defence, reflecting his long public career.
- As Union Minister for Food & Agriculture (1967–1970), he was associated with India’s efforts towards agricultural transformation during the period of the Green Revolution.
- As Defence Minister (1970–1974 and 1977–1979), he served during the 1971 India–Pakistan War, when the Bangladesh Liberation War culminated in the creation of Bangladesh.
- He later became Deputy Prime Minister of India (1977–1979) and remained an important figure in national politics during the post-Emergency period.
- His social philosophy emphasised equality, dignity, fraternity and equal opportunity, with the objective of creating a casteless and classless society.
- His approach to social justice went beyond legal equality towards political representation, economic empowerment and participation of marginalised communities in public life.
- Babu Jagjivan Ram National Foundation (BJRNF) was established in 2008 under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment to propagate his ideals of social reform and empowerment.
- His legacy connects closely with the constitutional commitment to equality under Articles 14, 15 and 17, particularly the prohibition of untouchability under Article 17.
5. Special Campaign 6.0: e-Waste Management
Syllabus Mapping: GS-III: Environmental Pollution | e-Waste Management | Circular Economy | Critical Minerals | Resource Efficiency | Sustainable Development
- Special Campaign 6.0 will be conducted from 2–31 October 2026, with the Ministry of Mines focusing on “Effective Collection, Segregation and Disposal of e-Waste.”
- The Preparatory Phase (15–30 September 2026) will identify targets for pending references, public grievances, Parliamentary assurances and record management, followed by the Implementation Phase (2–31 October).
- The Ministry has nominated JNARDDC (Jawaharlal Nehru Aluminium Research Development and Design Centre), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Mines, to facilitate e-Waste collection booths in government offices.
- The initiative aims at recycling and recovery of critical minerals from e-Waste, linking e-Waste management with the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM).
- E-waste contains valuable materials including metals and critical minerals, making recycling and urban mining important for resource efficiency and reducing dependence on primary extraction.
- Special Campaign 6.0 builds on Special Campaign 5.0, which helped improve grievance disposal, file management, office-space utilisation and scrap disposal across the Ministry and its organisations.
- The campaign reflects the principles of circular economy, where waste is treated as a resource through collection → segregation → recycling → material recovery.
