1. State Mining Readiness Index (SMRI) 2025

On 16th October 2025, the Ministry of Mines released the State Mining Readiness Index (SMRI) and corresponding State rankings, marking a major step towards promoting mining sector reforms at the State level.

Key Points

• Objective of the Index: The SMRI aims to evaluate and benchmark the performance of States in the mining sector. It measures their readiness, efficiency, and reform implementation capacity, helping drive competitiveness and transparency in non-coal mineral mining.
• Evaluation Parameters:
  States were assessed on multiple parameters, including:
  • Auction Performance – Efficiency in conducting mineral block auctions.
  • Early Mine Operationalisation – Speed in making auctioned mines operational.
  • Exploration Focus – Initiatives and investments in mineral exploration.
  • Sustainable Mining Practices – Adoption of environmentally responsible mining methods.
• Categorisation of States: Under the SMRI framework, States were divided into three categories based on their mineral endowment:
  • Category A (Mineral-Rich States): Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat secured the top three positions.
  • Category B: Goa, Uttar Pradesh, and Assam emerged as top performers.
  • Category C: Punjab, Uttarakhand, and Tripura claimed the leading ranks.
• Purpose and Impact: According to the Ministry, the index will act as a benchmarking tool to measure State performance and promote healthy competition.

2. Nobel Laureate Physicist Chen Ning Yang Passes Away

On 18th October 2025, world-renowned physicist and Nobel Prize winner Chen Ning Yang passed away in Beijing at the age of 103 following an illness.

• Born in 1922 in Hefei, Anhui Province, China, Chen Ning Yang was a pioneering Chinese-American physicist whose groundbreaking contributions reshaped the understanding of particle physics and symmetry principles.
• He is best known for his work in statistical mechanics and the theory of fundamental symmetries in subatomic particles, which had a profound impact on modern physics.
• In 1957, Mr. Yang, along with fellow physicist Tsung-Dao Lee, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for their revolutionary discovery that parity is not conserved in weak nuclear interactions, overturning a long-held scientific assumption.

3. DGCA’s Auto-Generated Computer Numbers for Flight Crew

On 16th October 2025, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) announced the auto-generation of Computer Numbers for Flight Crew (FC) candidates applying through the Pariksha portal, marking a key step toward digital transformation in India’s aviation sector.

• The new system automates the generation of Computer Numbers, eliminating the need for manual document submission and verification, thereby enhancing efficiency and transparency in the application process.
• According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the initiative aims to leverage DigiLocker integration, enabling secure digital access to verified academic credentials and simplifying administrative formalities for candidates.
• Initially, the facility will be available to candidates who have completed their 10th and 12th examinations from the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), ensuring smooth authentication of academic records.

4. India and FAO Mark 80 Years of Partnership

On 16th October 2025, India and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations celebrated 80 years of partnership on the occasion of World Food Day 2025, reaffirming their shared commitment to food security, sustainable agriculture, and nutrition for all.

• The event, held in New Delhi, highlighted India’s transformation from a nation once facing food scarcity to a global agricultural powerhouse, contributing significantly to international food security.
• A founding member of FAO since 1945, India has demonstrated how a combination of progressive policies, efficient food delivery mechanisms, and resilient production systems can successfully address hunger and malnutrition at scale.
• Reiterating India’s commitment to sustainability, he emphasized national programs in micro-irrigation, natural farming, organic agriculture, and the development of digital public infrastructure like AgriStack, which enables farmers to access real-time data and technology for improved decision-making.

5. Google’s AI Model Discovers New Cancer Drug Combination

On 16th October 2025, Google unveiled a family of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools that proposed a previously unknown drug combination for detecting cancer, which proved effective in laboratory conditions.

Key Points

• Introduction of C2S-Scale Model: Google introduced the Cell2Sentence-Scale 27B (C2S-Scale) — a 27-billion-parameter foundation model developed to understand the language of individual cells.
• AI-Led Scientific Discovery: The model generated a novel hypothesis about cancer cell behaviour that was later experimentally validated in living cells.
• Scientific Objective: The AI was tasked to detect nascent tumours that the immune system fails to recognize, by identifying a drug that boosts immune signals when interferon levels are low — a condition often seen in early-stage, undetected tumours.
• Discovery of Silmitasertib: The AI identified silmitasertib, a chemical drug that enhances immune response when a tumour is suspected.
• Significance of Results: The findings demonstrate that the AI’s in silico (computer-based) predictions were successfully validated in vitro (lab-based), offering a new pathway for developing combination cancer therapies.