(UPSC Syllabus: GS-III – Environment & Biodiversity | GS-I – Geography of India) Arunachal Pradesh has reported a major scientific breakthrough with the discovery of a new plant species, Hoya dawodiensis, in the remote Vijoynagar valley of Changlang district. A Landmark Discovery in India’s Biodiversity Hotspot Arunachal Pradesh—already known as one of India’s richest biodiversity frontiers—has added a new species to its…

Why in the News? The Assam Government has tabled The Assam Fixation of Ceiling on Land Holdings (Amendment) Act, 2025 in the Legislative Assembly to grant land rights to tea garden workers residing in labour lines across 825 tea estates. Background: Land, Labour Lines and Historical Injustice Tea plantations in Assam employ over 3.3 lakh worker families, predominantly from Tea Tribes and…

Syllabus: GS-II &V: Government Policies & Interventions Why in the News? During the ongoing Assam Assembly session, the State Government tabled the TP Tewary Commission Report and the TU Mehta Commission Report, both of which investigated the 1983 Assam violence, including the tragic Nellie massacre. Their conclusions sharply contradict each other, reopening debates on accountability, electoral processes, and security failures. Background: The…

Bnei Menashe: The ‘Lost Tribe’ Community Around 300 members of the Bnei Menashe community from Mizoram and Manipur are set to migrate to Israel by early 2026 under Israel’s Aliyah (Return to Zion) programme. Who Are the Bnei Menashe? The Bnei Menashe identify themselves as descendants of the Biblical Tribe of Manasseh, considered one of Israel’s “lost tribes.” Historically from Mizo and…

Assam has taken another significant step toward modernising its tea sector with Don Bosco University (ADBU) and the Assam Tea Planters Association (ATPA) signing a MoU to strengthen research, innovation and sustainable development. A new MoU aims to integrate advanced technologies like AI, quantum computing, GIS and drone systems into Assam’s tea sector to improve productivity, quality and welfare outcomes. Key Highlights…

Syllabus: GS-II &V: Government Policies & Interventions Why in the News? The Assam Government has tabled The Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill, 2025 in the State Assembly, seeking to criminalise polygamy, make it a cognizable offence, and bar convicted persons from government jobs and welfare benefits. Background and Context Polygamy is currently illegal for Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, and those married under…

Syllabus: GS-II &V: Government Policies & Interventions Why in the News? The Assam Government has introduced The Assam Satra Preservation and Development Commission Bill, 2025 in the State Assembly to create a specialised statutory mechanism for protecting Satras, their land, heritage structures and cultural legacy. Understanding Satras Satras are Vaishnavite monasteries established by Srimanta Sankardeva. They serve as centres of socio-religious reform,…