Daily Current Affairs and GK | 14 and 15 December 2025

Topic: Important Days

1. National Energy Conservation Day 2025 was observed on December 14 across India.

• This day is observed to raise awareness about the great value of energy conservation.
• The day also emphasises India's achievements in the area of energy efficiency, especially so that people give it more attention.
• National Energy Conservation Day is being celebrated on December 14 since 1991.
• President Droupadi Murmu was the chief guest of the event held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, on December 14, 2025.
• President felicitated the winners of the National Energy Conservation Awards 2025 and National Painting Competition on Energy Conservation 2025.
• On the occasion of National Energy Conservation Day, Bureau of Energy Efficiency felicitates industrial units, institutions, and establishments with Energy Conservation Awards to recognize and encourage their efforts in lowering energy consumption.
• The National Energy Conservation Awards have 28 subsectors under 7 broad categories.
• Social Media Influencers and Digital Content Creators is the new category introduced this year to recognize role of influencers in spreading awareness on energy conservation.
• National Painting Competition on Energy Conservation is being organised by Bureau of Energy Efficiency, under the guidance of the Ministry of Power, since 2005.
• The competition has three levels: school, state/UT, and national.
• Bureau of Energy Efficiency was established on March 1, 2002, under the Energy Conservation Act, 2001.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/Meetings

2. The first meeting of the National Makhana Board held and a scheme worth ₹476 crore was launched.

• On 12 December, the first meeting of the National Makhana Board has been held at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi.
• The meeting was chaired by Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
• Implementation of both the National Makhana Board and the Central Sector Scheme was initiated through this meeting.
• Annual Action Plans submitted by States and research institutions were reviewed and approved.
• Budget allocations were made for components aimed at holistic development of the makhana sector.
• The Board meeting emphasized that SAU Sabour and CAU Samastipur, Bihar will be required to supply seeds this year and next year to meet the states' seed needs.
• The State Agricultural University, Central Agricultural University, Bihar and NRC Makhana Darbhanga will train trainers from different states on cutting-edge technological aspects of the Makhana value chain to facilitate Makhana cultivation in traditional and non-traditional areas.
• The Board also stressed the need for research, technology development, infrastructure creation, improved cultivation methods, value addition, branding, market linkage, and export preparation.
• The central government has established the National Makhana Board, fulfilling its announcement in the Union Budget 2025-26.
• The Prime Minister officially launched the Board in Bihar on September 15, 2025.
• To support this initiative, the government has approved a Central Sector Scheme for Development of Makhana with an outlay of ₹476.03 crore for the period 2025-26 to 2030-31.
• The scheme focuses on research and innovation, quality seed production, farmer capacity building, improved harvesting and post-harvest practices, value addition, branding and marketing, export promotion, and quality control.

Topic: National Appointments

3. Nitin Nabin appointed as BJP National Working President.

• Nitin Nabin has been appointed as the National Working President of the Bharatiya Janata Party by the BJP Parliamentary Board with immediate effect.
• The appointment has been made recognising his organisational strength and long-standing association with the party structure.
• He is currently serving as a Bihar minister and holds the Road Construction portfolio in the Nitish Kumar-led state government.
• He represents the Bankipur Assembly constituency in Patna district and is a five-time Member of the Legislative Assembly.
• Mr Nabin is the son of late Nabin Kishore Prasad Sinha, a veteran BJP leader and former MLA.
• At 45 years of age, he has become the youngest National Working President in the history of the BJP.
• He is also the first BJP leader from Bihar to be appointed to this national organisational post.
• Nearly two decades of experience within the party organisation has shaped his political career.
• He has earlier served as the Bihar President of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM).

Topic: Awards and Prizes

4. Winners of NECA 2025 felicitated by President Droupadi Murmu.

• On 14 December, the winners of the National Energy Conservation Awards 2025 were felicitated by President Droupadi Murmu in New Delhi.
• The felicitation ceremony was organised on the occasion of National Energy Conservation Day.
• Awards under the National Painting Competition on Energy Conservation 2025 were also presented during the event.
• The occasion was marked to promote awareness about the importance of energy conservation across the country.
• It was emphasised by the President that energy conservation is no longer an option but a necessity in the present time.
• Every unit of energy saved was described as a reflection of responsibility towards nature and future generations.
• In the National Painting Competition on Energy Conservation 2025, Anuj Prince from Ambala won the first prize in Group A category, while Soumya Jeet Malik from Odisha was the winner in Group B category.
• NECA 2025 – Institutions (State Performance Award)

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

5. Quality control orders implemented with relaxations for MSMEs.

• Quality control orders have been implemented by the government in a phased manner to safeguard domestic production.
• Exemptions and relaxations have been provided specifically to micro, small and medium enterprises.
• The enforcement of QCOs is being carried out by the Bureau of Indian Standards under the Department of Consumer Affairs.
• Micro enterprises have been granted a six-month extension, while small enterprises have received a three-month extension to meet QCO requirements.
• Imports made by domestic manufacturers for the production of export-orientated goods have also been exempted, and imports of up to 200 units have been permitted for research and development purposes.
• Clearance of legacy stock manufactured or imported before QCO implementation has been allowed within six months.
• To provide further support to MSMEs, BIS has introduced financial and technical concessions in its certification process.
• The annual minimum marking fee has been reduced by 80% for micro-enterprises, 50% for small enterprises, and 20% for medium enterprises.
• An additional 10% discount is also available for MSMEs located in the Northeastern region and for enterprises owned by women.
• RBI has advised banks to link MSME loans to external benchmarks and reduce the reset period to three months.

Topic: Sports

6. India won its first-ever Squash World Cup gold medal with a spectacular victory in the final.

• On 14 December, India’s first-ever Squash World Cup gold medal was secured with a 3–0 victory over Hong Kong in the final.
• The historic final was contested between two Asian nations for the first time in the tournament’s history.
• The title wins marked India’s best-ever performance at the Squash World Cup.
• Joshna Chinappa set the momentum by defeating Ka Yi Lee in a four-game contest.
• Abhay Singh followed with a commanding straight-games win over reigning Asian champion Alex Lau.
• Anahat Singh sealed the title by defeating Tomato Ho in just 16 minutes.
• The victory was described by coach Harinder Singh as a high-pressure performance delivered successfully.
• The Squash World Cup was held for the third consecutive time in India, at the SDAT Stadium in Chennai, from December 9th to December 14th.
• The Squash World Cup is an international mixed team squash tournament hosted by World Squash.
• Its first edition was held in 1996.

Topic: Personality in News

7. 75^th death anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel: 15 December.

• PM Modi paid tributes Iron Man, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, on 75th death anniversary.
• Sardar Patel served as first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of independent India.
• He was born on 31 October 1875. He is regarded the architect of India’s national integration.
• He is also rgearded as a key force behind the establishment of modern civil services, including the Indian Administrative Service (IAS).
• The Centre has announced year long celebrations in his honour to mark 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Patel.
• His birth anniversary (31 October) is observed as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas.
• He was given the title of Sardar by women of Bardoli for leading Bardoli Satyagraha of 1928.
• He successfully worked for integration of 565 princely states into India.
• Popularly known as Iron Man of India, patron saint of India's civil servants, Unifier of India, and Bismarck of India, Sardar Patel was posthumously awarded Bharat Ratna in 1991.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

8. A two-day Principals’ Conclave will be organised by the National Education Society for Tribal Students.

• The conclave will be organised on  the 16th  and 17th December in New Delhi.
• The conclave is a major capacity-building initiative.
• It is aimed at strengthening the academic, administrative, financial and leadership capabilities of Principals of Eklavya Model Residential Schools across India.
• Its central theme is to orient Principals on the ongoing projects, flagship initiatives and partner-supported programmes that are being implemented in Eklavya Model Residential Schools.
• The conclave will bring together 499 principals from Eklavya Model Residential Schools nationwide.

Topic: Biotechnology and Diseases

9. India’s first clinical trial of Supernova stent for stroke has been conducted by All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi.

• India’s first clinical trial of Supernova Stent has been conducted by All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi.
• Supernova Stent is the name of a new and advanced stroke treatment device.
• As per All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi,  Supernova is planned for the India's diverse patient population.
• The institute noted that strokes in India often occur at a younger age than in the Western countries.
• It is India's first stroke device cleared based on a domestic clinical trial.
• The device has already been used to treat over 3 hundred patients in Southeast Asia.
• All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi said Supernova Stent will now be manufactured in the country.
• This will offer hope to more than  17 lakhs citizens who suffer strokes each year.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

10. A proposed free trade agreement between India and Oman has been approved by the Union Cabinet.

• The approval clears the way for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.
• The Cabinet meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• The approval has come ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit to Oman.
• PM Modi is on a three-nation tour to Jordan, Ethiopia and Oman from December 15 to 18.
• The Prime Minister will visit Oman on December 17 and 18.
• This will be his second official visit to Oman and coincides with 70 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
• India and Oman share a strategic partnership with ties based on trade cooperation.
• The Cabinet decision followed approval by Oman’s Shura Council clearing the proposal a day earlier.
• Negotiations for the agreement formally began in November 2023.
• Bilateral trade between India and Oman stood at 8.947 billion US dollars in 2023–24. It rose to 10.613 billion US dollars in 2024–25.
• More than 6,000 India–Oman joint ventures operate in Oman, accounting for about 7.5 billion US dollars in capital over time.
• Oman’s cumulative FDI equity inflows into India reached 605.57 million US dollars between April 2000 and March 2025.
• Oman is an active member of the Indian Ocean Rim Association.
• India–Oman ties date back centuries, historical exchanges spanning nearly 5,000 years.
• Formal diplomatic relations were established in 1955 and upgraded to a strategic partnership in 2008.