by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).
By coordinating education with new technologies and industrial demands, it seeks to close the gap between academic knowledge and practical abilities.
To far, 21 Future Skills Centers have been created in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), and 33 multinational firms have cooperated.
Gyanesh Kumar is the new CEC.
The 26th Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, was named the next chief election commissioner.
Under a new statute pertaining to the selection of Election Commission (EC) members, he is the first CEC to be appointed.
As Election Commissioner, Vivek Joshi took over.
The government is authorized to appoint CECs under the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service, and Term of Office) Act, 2023.
Following a meeting of a three-member committee led by the prime minister, he was appointed.
The prime minister, the union home minister, and the Lok Sabha opposition leader make up the selection committee.
An EC or CEC may serve on the panel for up to six years, or they may retire at age 65.
Waterworth Project
Project Waterworth, Meta's internet subsea cable, was unveiled.
It would be 50,000 km long and provide better connection to places like the United States, India, Brazil, and South Africa.
This is becoming become the world's longest undersea cable project.
More than 95% of transcontinental traffic across the world's seas is carried out via subsea cable installations.
They facilitate online transactions, video experiences, digital communication, and more with ease.
Export of Akash Missiles
For the sale of Akash short-range surface-to-air missiles, India is expected to land a defense export deal with the Philippines valued at more than $200 million.
This would be India's second significant arms agreement with Manila if it were ratified.
The agreement is anticipated to surpass India's 2023 delivery of $230 million worth of Akash missiles to Armenia.
This agreement comes after India sold the Philippines BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles for $375 million in 2022.
Akash is intended to intercept airborne threats and has a 25-kilometer range.
Since 2020, the nation's defense exports have increased by about 150 percent, and in the fiscal year 2023–2024, they reached $2.4 billion.
India still sells less weapons than China, South Korea, and Australia, despite this increase.
2025 EPFO Updates
In 2025, the Employees' Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) plans to implement a number of important updates to its policies and services.
To make handling members easier, the revised procedure divides them into three groups:
Members having UANs based on Aadhaar (after October 2017): Online processing is used to handle requests.
Members whose Aadhaar-validated UANs were in effect prior to October 2017: Additionally, requests are handled online.
Members who are dead or lack UANs authenticated by Aadhaar: Physical submissions of requests are made.
Soon, pensioners would not need further verification to take their benefits from any bank in the nation.
Members of EPFO will soon be allowed to use ATMs to withdraw their provident fund balance.
Beyond ETFs, EPFO is thinking about allowing its members to make direct equity investments.