New Anti-Counterfeit Ink Developed by Indian Scientists
1. Security Printing & Counterfeiting
Governments and financial institutions employ security features in banknotes, cheques, and passports to prevent counterfeiting.
Counterfeiters constantly adapt, necessitating newer and more advanced security measures.
Security printing includes:
Visible features: Optically variable ink, watermarks, holograms, security threads.
Tactile features: Raised shapes, shifting textures.
Machine-readable features: RFID chips, invisible barcodes, digital watermarks.
2. Nanoparticle-Based Security Ink
Scientists from INST Mohali and BARC Mumbai have developed a novel ink using nanoparticles.
The ink is designed for security printing and is harder to counterfeit.
Current Indian banknotes: Have a fluorescent number panel visible only under ultraviolet light.
3. Composition & Production Process
The ink contains Sr₂BiF₇ (strontium bismuth fluoride) nanoparticles doped with lanthanide ions.
Doping: Adding specific elements to modify material properties.
Manufacturing method:
Dissolving metal salts in a solvent.
Adding a precipitation agent while stirring.
Using a centrifuge to separate materials.
The resulting nanocrystals are blended with PVC ink for screen printing.
4. Unique Optical Properties (Two-Light Trick)
When exposed to different light wavelengths, the ink fluoresces in different colors:
365 nm UV light → Cool blue glow.
395 nm UV light → Magenta glow.
980 nm infrared light → Orange-red glow.
Unlike existing fluorescent inks, this ink responds to both ultraviolet and infrared light, increasing security.
5. Practical Applications & Challenges
The ink remains effective under various brightness, temperature, and humidity conditions.
A major concern is quantum yield (efficiency of fluorescence), which is crucial for some applications but less critical for security printing.
Offset printing vs. Screen printing:
Offset printing is preferred for currency notes due to sharper images and finer details.
Screen printing is used in other security applications.
The researchers are working towards making the ink suitable for offset printing for wider adoption.
Women in Law: Progress and Challenges in India
1. Progress Over the Last Century
Cornelia Sorabji became the first woman lawyer in India in 1924.
Increase in the number of women lawyers, Senior Advocates, and judges in the lower judiciary.
2. Persistent Gender Inequality in the Higher Judiciary
Low Representation in High Courts
Women constitute only 14.27% (109 out of 764) judges in High Courts.
Eight High Courts have just one woman judge, while three High Courts (Uttarakhand, Meghalaya, Tripura) have none.
Allahabad High Court (largest in India) has only three women judges (2%) out of 79.
Women are appointed later than men:
Average appointment age for men: 51.8 years.
Average appointment age for women: 53 years.
Only one woman Chief Justice in 25 High Courts (Gujarat High Court).
Underrepresentation in the Supreme Court
Only two women judges in the Supreme Court: Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Justice Bela Trivedi.
Justice Trivedi retires in June 2025, leaving only one woman on the Bench.
Last woman appointed in 2021; since then, 28 male judges have been appointed.
Over 75 years, the Supreme Court has elevated nine men directly from the Bar, but only one woman.
Systemic Barriers to Women’s Appointment
Excuses for not appointing women include:
Lack of eligible or senior women candidates.
Women’s reluctance to become judges.
Reality: Deep-rooted gender bias in the legal profession.
Women face higher scrutiny and must prove merit more than men.
Opaque collegium system with no clear criteria for appointments.
Male-dominated collegiums rarely recommend meritorious women candidates.
Even when recommended, women are disproportionately not confirmed by the government:
Since 2020: Nine women were recommended for High Court appointments.
Five were the only ones rejected.
3. Steps Towards Gender Equality in the Judiciary
Importance of Women's Representation
Ensures courts are representative of citizens.
Increases legitimacy and public trust in the judiciary.
Encourages impartial and inclusive decision-making.
Proposed Reforms
Transparent Collegium Process
Clearly define criteria for selection and merit standards.
Allow lawyers to apply for consideration.
Implement a time frame for recommendations.
Focus on Gender Diversity
Gender diversity must be as important as caste, religion, and state representation.
At least one-third, if not half, of judges should be women.
Stating Gender Balance as an Official Objective
Ensure gender parity is a stated goal in judicial appointments.
Appointing women should become so normalized that it is no longer seen as exceptional.
Conclusion
Justice Indira Banerjee emphasized that women's appointments should not be seen as extraordinary.
The judiciary must ensure merit-based, diverse, and inclusive selections to uphold constitutional values and public confidence.
Map of the Day - Mauritius
NEP 2020 and the Languages
NEP 2020 on Language Instruction
Medium of Instruction:
Until at least Grade 5 (preferably till Grade 8 and beyond), instruction should be in the home language/mother tongue/local/regional language.
The home/local language should continue to be taught even after that.
Justification:
Young children learn concepts better in their mother tongue.
Multilingualism has cognitive benefits, so children should be exposed to different languages early.
Bilingualism (mother tongue + English) is encouraged.
Example:
Haryana uses bilingual Hindi-English textbooks in anganwadis for preschoolers.
Findings from AISES on Language in Schools
Eighth All India School Education Survey (AISES) (NCERT):
Decline in schools using mother tongue as the medium of instruction.
2002-2009 trend:
Primary stage: 86.62% schools used the mother tongue (down from 92.07%).
Urban-rural divide:
Rural schools: 87.56% (down from 92.39%).
Urban schools: 80.99% (down from 90.39%).
The Three-Language Formula
Previous Policy (1968):
Hindi-speaking states: Hindi, English, and a modern Indian language (preferably from the south).
Non-Hindi-speaking states: Hindi, English, and a regional language.
NEP 2020 Changes:
More flexibility, no language is imposed on any state.
Promotes Sanskrit and other classical languages (Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Odia, Pali, Persian, Prakrit).
Regional language textbooks in Science and other subjects to be made available.
NCERT’s 2024 initiative: Digital books in 104 regional languages/dialects (e.g., Bengali, Tulu, Ladakhi, Pashto, Dogri)
State examples:
Assam (2023): Bilingual Science & Maths textbooks (English, Assamese, Bodo, Bengali).
Andhra Pradesh (2023): Bilingual Telugu-English textbooks.
Challenges in Implementation:
Haryana removed Tamil as a second language in 2010 due to lack of Tamil speakers.
Himachal Pradesh struggled to introduce Tamil and Telugu due to lack of teachers.
Foreign Languages in NEP 2020
Offered at the secondary level: Korean, Japanese, Thai, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian.
CBSE Plan:
Till Class 10: Two Indian languages.
Class 11-12: One Indian language + One foreign language (optional).
Conclusion
Tamil Nadu’s resistance to the three-language policy brings the language debate back into focus.
NEP 2020 aims for flexibility but implementation challenges persist due to lack of teachers and regional language preference differences.
Paris’s Pompidou Centre Closes for Five-Year Renovation
Last Chance for Visitors
Tourists and French art lovers flocked to the Pompidou Centre over the weekend to see its collection before a five-year closure.
The museum will close entirely on September 22, 2025, for major renovations.
The 2,000-piece collection will be temporarily displayed in museums across France and abroad.
Reasons for Renovation
The €262 million project aims to:
Remove asbestos from the structure.
Modernize the 48-year-old building while preserving its iconic architecture.
The museum, known for its exposed pipes and colorful façade, is undergoing its first major refurbishment since its 1977 opening.
Public Response and Popularity
Visitors enjoyed free entry, workshops, performances, and DJ sets on the final weekend.
Many were emotional about the closure, with some seeing the modern art collection in person for the first time.
In 2023, the Pompidou Centre welcomed 3.2 million visitors, making it one of Paris’s most-visited museums, after the Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay.
Key Facts About Greenland's Inuit:
Language & Culture
Language: They primarily speak Greenlandic (Kalaallisut), an Inuit language closely related to Inuktitut in Canada. Danish is also widely spoken due to Greenland’s colonial history with Denmark.
Traditions: Many Inuit still practice traditional hunting and fishing, relying on seal, whale, fish, and reindeer.
Art & Music: Inuit culture includes drum dancing, throat singing, and storytelling.
History & Colonization
Greenland was colonized by Denmark in the 18th century.
The Inuit faced forced assimilation, including Danish-language education and settlement policies that disrupted their nomadic lifestyle.
Greenland gained self-rule in 1979 and greater autonomy in 2009, but it remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
Jalanatheswarar Temple, Thakkolam: A Historical Treasure in Ruins
Historical Significance
Located in Thakkolam, Ranipet district, the Jalanatheswarar temple dates back to the 6th century, built by the Pallavas.
The temple is associated with Chola history, particularly the Battle of Thakkolam (949 CE), where Rajaditya Chola was killed fighting the Rashtrakutas.
Inscriptions in the temple mention Pallava king Aparajita and refer to Thakkolam’s original name, Thiruvural.
Current State of Neglect
The outer wall on the northern side has collapsed due to rain damage.
The temple tank is derelict, overgrown with vegetation and filled with debris.
The last kumbabishekam (consecration) was conducted more than 15 years ago.
Restoration Efforts
The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR & CE) Department is yet to approve restoration efforts.
S. Nagarajan, chairman of Thakkolam town panchayat, has confirmed steps are being taken for the temple’s renovation.
Recent Recognition
The CISF Recruits Training Centre (RTC) in Arakkonam was renamed Rajaditya Chola RTC, Thakkolam, in honor of Chola prince Rajaditya.
The renaming ceremony was attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on March 7, 2025.
Madhav National Park Declared India’s 58th Tiger Reserve
Announcement and Significance
The Centre declared Madhav National Park as the 58th Tiger Reserve of India.
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav made the announcement on March 10, 2025, via social media.
Madhya Pradesh now has nine tiger reserves, maintaining its title as the "Tiger State of India."
Location and Ecology
Situated in Shivpuri district, Chambal region, Madhav National Park is a historic and ecologically diverse area.
The park covers 375 square kilometers and is home to grasslands, dry deciduous forests, and water bodies like Sakhya Sagar Lake.
Tiger Population and Reintroduction Efforts
Currently, the reserve has five tigers, including two cubs.
Three tigers, including two females, were introduced in 2023 under the tiger reintroduction project.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav is expected to release two more tigers into the reserve soon.
Paris’s Pompidou Centre Closes for Five-Year Renovation
Last Chance for Visitors
Tourists and French art lovers flocked to the Pompidou Centre over the
weekend to see its collection before a five-year closure.
The museum will close entirely on September 22, 2025, for major renovations.
The 2,000-piece collection will be temporarily displayed in museums across France and abroad.
Reasons for Renovation
The €262 million project aims to:
Remove asbestos from the structure.
Modernize the 48-year-old building while preserving its iconic architecture.
The museum, known for its exposed pipes and colorful façade, is undergoing its first major refurbishment since its 1977 opening.
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