Daily Briefing Current Affairs

GS-3SEMICONDUCTOR DESIGN

Not a Rival to Global AI Chips and That Is the Point: What IIT Delhi's Micro-GPU Changes

IIT Delhi announced the micro-GPU on September 25, 2026. The project was led by M.Tech students Nammi Akash and M. Ravi Teja under Professors Jayadeva and Kaushik Saha. The researchers stressed that India currently imports all its GPUs. Researchers at IIT Delhi have designed India's first programmable micro-GPU aimed at providing affordable graphics processing for low-cost embedded devices. This is highly relevant for UPSC…

Sub TopicIIT DELHI'S INDIGENOUS MICRO-GPU, FPGA-TO-ASIC PATHWAY…SourceIIT DELHI, INDIAN EXPRESS, INDIA…
UPSC Relevance8/10
Time to Read3 min read
Total Views42,808
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GS-3HYDROPOWER AND COMPENSATORY AFFORESTATION

Replacing the Area, Not the Forest: What the Subansiri Upper Clearance Shows About Compensatory Afforestation

The minutes of the EAC meeting show the recommendation for environmental clearance, the concern about impacts on habitat and wildlife movement and the advice to NHPC to prepare a site-specific, time-bound Ecosystem Restoration and Biodiversity Management Plan. The committee also assessed scenarios of glacial lake outburst floods and dam breach affecting the downstream Subansiri Lower project.

Sub TopicSUBANSIRI UPPER HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT, FOREST CLEARANCE…SourceMINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST…
UPSC Relevance8/10
Time to Read3 min read
Total Views31,328
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GS-3ENERGY SECURITY

Coal Rich, Coal Short Again: How a 5% Import Mandate Passes a Logistics Failure On to Power Bills

On September 25, 2026, three government sources told Reuters that Power Ministry officials are discussing a mandatory blending directive of up to 5% imported coal. Spot power prices averaged ₹7.71 per unit in September 2026 and weak hydropower generation during the monsoon has added to the pressure on thermal plants.

Sub TopicPROPOSED IMPORTED-COAL BLENDING MANDATE, SPOT POWER…SourceTHE HINDU, ECONOMIC TIMES
UPSC Relevance8/10
Time to Read3 min read
Total Views46,708
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GS-3AGRICULTURAL TRADE POLICY AND FOOD SECURITY

Exporting a Harvest Not Yet Sown: Why India's Wheat Policy Needs Export Windows, Not On-Off Switches

A column in The Indian Express on September 26, 2026, by analysts at Arcus Policy Research, questioned the full opening of wheat exports. It cited NOAA's September 14 El Niño update, the rainfall shortfall across the wheat belt and India's past reversals: the wheat export ban in May 2022 and the 2026 switch from allowing more sugar exports to allowing duty-free raw sugar imports.

Sub TopicWHEAT EXPORT LIBERALISATION, CLIMATE RISK TO THE RABI…SourceMINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND…
UPSC Relevance9/10
Time to Read3 min read
Total Views43,819
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GS-3DIGITAL PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCING

₹47.20 on a ₹10,000 Sale: How UPI's New Charges Test Who Really Pays for Digital Public Infrastructure

With the MDR start date of October 15 approaching, Finance Ministry officials confirmed on September 25, 2026 that the date will not be delayed. They said talks will be held with the Indian Banks' Association on the subsidy and on preventing merchants from passing the charge on to customers and with traders' bodies on reassuring merchants. The GST Council meets on October 7, but officials said that meeting is about process…

Sub TopicUPI MERCHANT DISCOUNT RATE, THE INCENTIVE SUBSIDY AND…SourceTHE HINDU, MINT, ECONOMIC TIMES…
UPSC Relevance9/10
Time to Read3 min read
Total Views23,165
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