UniFocus IAS ( UNIFOCUS UNIVERSAL )

WHO prequalifies the first two rapid antigen detection tests for COVID-19 DRDO Successfully Completes User Evaluation Trials of Akash-NG New BIS Standard for Incense Sticks Released to Enhance Consumer Safety and Product Quality

On 17 December 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced the prequalification of two rapid antigen diagnostic tests (Ag-RDT) for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The two tests are the SD Biosensor STANDARD Q COVID-19 Ag Test and the ACON Biotech Flowflex SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test (Self-Testing). This marks the first time that rapid antigen tests for SARS-CoV-2 have achieved WHO prequalification. Rapid antigen-detection tests provide results in 15–30 minutes, are affordable, and can be used outside centralized laboratories – in clinics, community sites and mobile settings – making them critical for timely detection of infectious cases and targeted public-health action. They are a vital complement to molecular (polymerase-chain reaction or PCR) tests, particularly in resource-limited settings with limited laboratory capacity. Rapid antigen testing remains essential for: detecting and controlling local outbreaks protecting vulnerable populations and health-care wo...

  Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)  has successfully completed the User Evaluation Trials (UET) of Next Generation Akash missile (Akash-NG) system. During the trials, the missiles successfully intercepted aerial targets at different range & altitude including the near-boundary-low-altitude and Long Range, high altitude scenarios. Akash-NG, equipped with indigenous RF seeker and propelled by solid rocket motor, is a potent system for ensuring air defense against different types of aerial threats. All the systems & sub-systems including the Multi Function Radar (MFR), Command and Control Unit, Missile Launch vehicle (MLV) etc. have been designed by various laboratories of DRDO with the help of Indian industries. The trials were witnessed by Senior Scientists of DRDO & User Reps from the Indian Air Force (IAF). Akash-NG will be more resilient to saturation attacks and have a quicker reaction time. The second stage's dual-pulse solid rocket mot...

The Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Shri Pralhad Joshi, released   IS 19412:2025 – Incense Sticks (Agarbatti) —  Specification, an Indian Standard developed by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). The standard was released on the occasion of National Consumer Day 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The newly notified standard specifies  prohibited use of certain insecticidal chemicals and synthetic fragrance substances  in agarbattis that may pose risks to human health, indoor air quality and the environment. To address these issues, IS 19412:2025 specifies a list of substances prohibited for use in agarbattis. This includes certain insecticidal chemicals such as  alethrin, permethrin, cypermethrin, deltamethrin,  and  fipronil , as well as synthetic fragrance intermediates like  benzyl cyanide, ethyl acrylate,  and  diphenylamine . Many of these substances are restricted or banned internationally du...

Santali Language India to assume prestigious Chairpersonship of Kimberly Process from Jan 1 2026 Indian Coast Guard inducts its first pollution control vessel – Yard 1267 Samudra Pratap - constructed at Goa Shipyard Ltd

Santali is a Kherwarian Munda language spoken natively by the Santal people of South Asia. It is the most widely-spoken language of the Munda subfamily of the Austroasiatic languages, related to Ho and Mundari, spoken mainly in the Indian states of Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Mizoram, Odisha, Tripura and West Bengal. It is one of the constitutionally scheduled official languages of the Indian Republic and the additional official language of Jharkhand and West Bengal per the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. It is spoken by around 7.6 million people in India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal, making it the third most-spoken Austroasiatic language after Vietnamese and Khmer. Santali is characterised by a split into at least a northern and southern dialect sphere, with slightly different sets of phonemes: Southern Santali has six phonemic vowels, in contrast with eight or nine in Northern Santali, different lexical items, and to a certain degree, variable morphology. Santali is recogni...

The Kimberley Process (KP) Plenary has selected India to assume the chairpersonship of the Kimberley Process from 1 January 2026. The Kimberley Process is a tripartite initiative involving governments, the international diamond industry and civil society, aimed at preventing the trade in “conflict diamonds”—rough diamonds used by rebel groups or their allies to finance conflicts that undermine legitimate governments, as defined in United Nations Security Council resolutions. India will take over as KP Vice Chair from 25 December 2025, before assuming the chairpersonship in the new year. This will be the third time India has been entrusted with the chair of the Kimberley Process. Welcoming the decision, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal, said that India’s selection reflects global trust in the Modi government’s commitment to promoting integrity and transparency in international trade. The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS), established pursuant to a UN reso...

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) inducted the first in-built Pollution Control Vessel (PCV), SAMUDRA PRATAP (Yard 1267) on 23 Dec 2025 under the 02 PCV project of Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL). With over 60% indigenous content, the induction of this ship reinforces the vision of Government’s   Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives. ‘Samudra Pratap’ is the first indigenously designed and built Pollution Control Vessel of the Indian Coast Guard. It is the largest ship in the ICG fleet, significantly enhancing the Coast Guard’s operational reach and capability. Measuring 114.5 metres in length and 16.5 metres in breadth, with a displacement of 4,170 tonnes, the vessel is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including a 30mm CRN-91 gun, two 12.7mm stabilised remote-controlled guns with integrated fire control systems, an indigenously developed Integrated Bridge System, Integrated Platform Management System, Automated Power Management System, and a high-capacity external...

Capacity Building Commission QCI Announces Next-Generation Quality Reforms to Strengthen India’s Quality Ecosystem FAQs on Draft ISI Bill, 2025

1. Government of India has approved the National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB) - Mission Karmayogi to enhance governance in the country through transformational change in the Civil Service Capacity Building. A key component of the National Programme is the Capacity Building Commission. Accordingly, the Capacity Building Commission (hereinafter referred to as ‘The Commission’) is hereby constituted with the following compositions, functions and responsibilities.  2. Composition of the Commission        2.1 The Commission will comprise of a Chairperson and two Members.        2.2 The terms and conditions of service of Chairperson and Members shall be as notified from time to time.  3. Secretariat The Secretariat of the Commission will be headed by a Secretary (in the grade of Joint Secretary to Government of India) with otherrequisite staff as approved from time to time.  4. Functions and Responsibilities The...

  The Quality Council of India (QCI) today announced a comprehensive set of next-generation quality reforms on the eve of Sushasan Divas 2025, aimed at strengthening India’s quality ecosystem and advancing the national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. Inspired by the vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and honouring the legacy of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the reforms are being implemented under the guidance of the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal. Drawing from operational experience and evolving stakeholder needs, the reforms are aimed at having a transformative impact across sectors such as healthcare, laboratories, MSMEs and manufacturing. System-wide reforms to power the quality ecosystem include the unveiling of the Q Mark – Desh ka Haq, a QR-coded Mark of Quality to enable citizens to know their laboratory, hospital and MSME, ensuring full disclosure and eliminating fake certificates. The reforms mark a shift from inspection to trust through red...

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has released a draft ‘The Indian Statistical Institute Bill, 2025’ to elevate its institutional status by converting it from a registered society to a statutory body corporate and upscaling its governance framework, thereby aligning it with peer Institutions of National Importance (INIs). Once enacted, the Bill shall replace the Indian Statistical Institute Act, 1959. The draft Bill is founded upon following guiding principles: (a)       Excellence: promoting academic rigour, global competitiveness, and innovation; (b)       Effective Governance: establishing clear institutional structures, streamlining decision-making, and upholding integrity in leadership and administration; (c)        Autonomy: granting the Institute greater decision-making powers in its day-to-day functioning and planning; (d)       Accou...

India and New Zealand conclude Free Trade Agreement Negotiations on Financial Services, a part of Annex to the Trade in Services Chapter INDIAN NAVY’S PIONEERING STITCHED SAILING VESSEL – INSV KAUNDINYA TO EMBARK ON HER MAIDEN VOYAGE National Consumer Day - 24 December Commercial Operation of the first Unit of Country's Largest Hydropower Project inagurated Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar 2025 The Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, 2025 The Ocean’s Carbon Balance, Global Warming and Human Activities

For years, the world’s oceans have been sucking carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and releasing it again in a steady inhale and exhale. The ocean takes up carbon dioxide through photosynthesis by plant-like organisms (phytoplankton), as well as by simple chemistry: carbon dioxide dissolves in water. It reacts with seawater, creating carbonic acid. Carbonic acid releases hydrogen ions, which combine with carbonate in seawater to form bicarbonate, a form of carbon that doesn’t escape the ocean easily. As we burn fossil fuels and atmospheric carbon dioxide levels go up, the ocean absorbs more carbon dioxide to stay in balance. But this absorption has a price: these reactions lower the water’s pH, meaning it’s more acidic. And the ocean has its limits. As temperatures rise, carbon dioxide leaks out of the ocean like a glass of root beer going flat on a warm day. Carbonate gets used up and has to be re-stocked by upwelling of deeper waters, which are rich in carbonate dissolved from lime...

  Key Takeaways ·          The Bill  consolidates and modernises  India’s nuclear legal framework. ·          It  enables limited private participation  in the nuclear sector under regulatory oversight. ·          It strengthens statutory regulation by granting statutory recognition to the  Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) . ·          It supports India’s clean-energy transition and the long-term objective of  achieving 100 GW nuclear energy capacity  by 2047. Introduction   What is Nuclear Energy? Nuclear energy is the use of controlled atomic reactions to produce power. At its core, it relies on splitting atoms in a process called fission, which releases large amounts of heat. This heat is then used to gene...