- Patharughat Uprising
- Urbanization plan
- Bodoland Happiness Mission
- 8th Continent
- Etikopakka Toys
- Earths magnetic Pole
- Bordoloi Trophy
- Search Panel CEC
- India China recent update
- UCC Uttarakhand
- Prelims Factual
Patharughat Uprising
On January 28, 1894, many local peasants gathered in a protest meeting at Patharughat (also known as Patharighat), condemning the increasing land tax levied by the British. Thousands of people from various villages came forward to take part in this meeting. The frequently increasing tax rates left the poor farmers in a state of despair. As a result, a rebellion brewed in the hearts of the peasants against the British. After much discussion amongst themselves, it was decided that no taxes would be paid to the British, until a proper solution was found to the problem. They were even willing to revolt against the British for the cause.
While the protest meeting was going on, Deputy Commissioner of Darrang district, JD Anderson, Mr Barrington, SP and Mr Remington, SDO, arrived at the venue along with full police force. When the British officials announced that under no circumstances will the taxes be reduced, the peasants present in the meeting protested against it. On the orders of Barrington, the police opened fire on the gathering present there. Even though the farmers tried to fight back with the sticks they had with them, they were no match for the sudden firing. On that fateful day, hundreds of people were injured and around 140 of them were killed on spot.
Doli-Puran is a historical ballad in Assamese. Composed by Narrottam Das, it narrates events related to the Patharughat Peasant Resistance of 1894 that took place in Assam’s Darrang district. On 28 January 1894, more than a hundred peasants fell to the bullets of the British army in Darrang. The unarmed peasants were peacefully protesting against the increase in land revenue levied by the British when the military opened fire. The book, Doli Puran, was recovered at Tangla in Udalguri district and was first published in 1949. Narottam was an eyewitness to the uprising and described the events in his songs Doli (earth/soil). The unarmed peasants are said to have thrown clods of soil at the British police who were firing at them.
1957, Dineswar Sarma, a freedom fighter and historian, is said to have collected and published in Assamese, the songs in Pothorughator Ron (Battle of Pothorughat), which is a historical account of the events that took place
Patharughat
Bakul Koch was born in the village of Sareberi, located in the Darrang district of Assam. As a dedicated farmer, he became deeply involved in the local agrarian issues that plagued his community. During a period of intense British colonial oppression, the people of Assam were subjected to heavy taxation and exploitation, leading to widespread discontent among the rural populace.
In 1894, this growing unrest culminated in a significant event known as the Patharughat revolt. The people, primarily farmers, gathered to peacefully protest against the unjust taxes imposed by the British authorities.
The peaceful assembly at Patharughat, however, was met with brutal force. British troops, intent on quelling the dissent, opened fire on the unarmed protesters. In the ensuing chaos, many lives were lost, including that of Bakul Koch. His death, along with those of his compatriots, marked a poignant moment in the struggle against colonial rule in Assam.
His sacrifice is remembered as a symbol of resistance and courage. His participation in the Patharughat revolt underscores the critical role that ordinary citizens played in challenging oppressive regimes. The story of Bakul Koch and the Patharughat revolt remains a significant chapter in the history of Assam’s resistance to British colonialism.
Urbanization plan
- Assam is set to have two more capitals—Dibrugarh with the setting up of another state assembly there and Tezpur as the cultural capital with another Raj Bhawan there. Silchar, where the work of a mini secretariat is underway, will have another chief secretary office.
- Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “Urbanization plays a key role in the state’s transformation. So, after Guwahati, we are trying to move forward with fast urbanization in Dibrugarh, Tezpur, and Silchar. We’re developing infrastructure to turn these three towns into cities.”
- Assam has the largest urban population of 4.3 million (Census 2011) amongst the North-eastern States. Guwahati has about 0.9 million urban population, while the other large cities of the state are Nagaon (population 116,355), Dibrugarh (population 138,661) and Silchar (population 172,709). This indicates that other than the concentration of more than 25% urban population of Assam in Guwahati and surrounding urban agglomeration, Assam has a well distributed urban population across the state. The state’s level of urbanization is 14 per cent in the Census 2011, which is a 1.2 percentage point increase over the Census 2001 urbanization level of 12.9 per cent.
Assam Urban Knowledge Hub (AUKH) at the Directorate of T&CP, Assam
- The Department of Housing and Urban Affairs Assam proposed for setting up Assam Urban Knowledge Hub (AUKH) with a team of urban planners with varied experience to guide and implement the urban innovations and reforms envisaged by DoHUA. The Knowledge Hub was envisaged as the ‘Think tank and Centre of Excellence’ for urban reforms in Assam. In February 2024, the AUKH was started its operations with the appointment of 18 urban planners as the implementation team along with a fixed-period Core Team of five Experts from CRDF-CEPT University.
Bodoland Happiness Mission
- The BTC government is set to launch its Mission Happiness across the 9,000 sq. km Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) comprising four districts – Baksa, Chirang, Kokrajhar and Udalgiri. The Bodoland Happiness Mission was launched a year ago to train community leaders to ensure happiness through conflict resolution and peace.
- The school of happiness had its genesis in a pilot project called Bodoland Happiness Mission introduced almost a year ago. Some 400 youth and community leaders were chosen to become peace and happiness volunteers after undergoing a few weeks of training at the Bodoland Community Counselling Centres.
About the mission
- Happiness will soon be an academic subject in Assam’s Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC).
- Introducing peace and happiness as an interlinked subjects will be taught in all mainstream subjects
- The reign of peace in BTR since the signing of the Bodo Accord in January 2020 helped conceive the idea of teaching happiness by first understanding the reasons that make different categories of people unhappy.
- The objective is to instil in youth and community leaders the human values for co-existence in a region and country inhabited by people of diverse faiths, cultures, languages, and ethnicity — all interdependent.
- The BTC government is set to launch its Mission Happiness across the 9,000 sq. km Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) comprising four districts – Baksa, Chirang, Kokrajhar and Udalgiri. The Bodoland Happiness Mission was launched a year ago to train community leaders to ensure happiness through conflict resolution and peace.
- The school of happiness had its genesis in a pilot project called Bodoland Happiness Mission introduced almost a year ago. Some 400 youth and community leaders were chosen to become peace and happiness volunteers after undergoing a few weeks of training at the Bodoland Community Counselling Centres.
About the mission
- Happiness will soon be an academic subject in Assam’s Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC).
- Introducing peace and happiness as an interlinked subjects will be taught in all mainstream subjects
- The reign of peace in BTR since the signing of the Bodo Accord in January 2020 helped conceive the idea of teaching happiness by first understanding the reasons that make different categories of people unhappy.
- The objective is to instil in youth and community leaders the human values for co-existence in a region and country inhabited by people of diverse faiths, cultures, languages, and ethnicity — all interdependent.
Etikopakka Toys
The craft originates from Etikoppaka, a small village in Andhra Pradesh, renowned for its 400-year-old wooden toy-making tradition.
The name “Etikoppaka” is synonymous with eco-friendly wooden toys, which reflect a seamless blend of art and sustainability.
The toys are made from the wood of the Ankudu tree (Wrightia tinctoria), known for its lightweight and malleable properties, allowing intricate carvings.
Artisans use natural dyes derived from plant-based sources like seeds, leaves, and bark, ensuring non-toxic and child-safe finishes.
The lacquer-turning technique gives the toys a lustrous finish, sealing the natural colors while enhancing durability.
The toys often depict mythological characters, animals, and musical instruments, connecting them to India’s rich cultural heritage.
Many designs reflect motifs from ancient civilizations such as Mohenjo Daro and Harappa.
The crafts include spinning tops, household decorations, musical instruments, and Raja-Rani figurines, showcasing a timeless aesthetic.
In 2017, Etikoppaka Bommalu received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, ensuring their authenticity and preserving their cultural significance.
Earths magnetic Pole
Earth’s magnetic north pole, a critical point where the planet’s magnetic field lines converge, is in constant motion due to changes in the Earth’s molten core. Currently located in the Arctic Ocean above Canada, the magnetic north pole has been moving towards Siberia at an accelerated pace.
World Magnetic Model (WMM)?
- The WMM is the standard model used for navigation, attitude, and heading referencing systems that rely on Earth’s geomagnetic field.
- It is widely used in civilian applications, including navigation and heading systems, as well as in military operations.
- The WMM provides accurate data on the Earth’s magnetic field and the location of the magnetic North Pole, combining measurements from ground stations and satellites.
The WMM is jointly developed by the United States’ National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and the United Kingdom’s Defence Geographic Centre (DGC), with technical support from NCEI and the British Geological Survey (BGS).
Why is the Magnetic North Pole Moving?
- The magnetic North Pole moves due to the dynamic flow of molten iron and other metals in Earth’s outer core, which generates the planet’s magnetic field.
- These movements cause shifts in magnetic field lines, leading to the pole’s drift over time.
- The pole was first identified in Canada in 1831 and has since moved over 400 km toward Russia.
Bordoloi Trophy
- Bordoloi Trophy, one of independent India’s oldest premier football tournaments, has been rebooted as a 608-match event spread across three months from January 2025.
- According to the new format, each of Assam’s 35 revenue districts would select its top eight clubs, which would be required to register 18-30 players by December 2024. These districts have been divided unequally into six clusters, keeping the State’s geography in mind.
- Apart from the 12 qualifying teams from the cluster round, four prominent teams will be invited to play in the final round. Two of these will be the champion and runners-up of the Guwahati Premier League and two will be top clubs from other States or abroad
- At least 5,600 players from 284 clubs and 1,120 officials will participate in the tournament spanning 45 days and 608 matches.
- The Bharat Ratna Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi Trophy, commonly known as Bordoloi Trophy, is a premier annual Indian football tournament held in Guwahati and organized by the Guwahati Sports Association. The tournament was founded in 1952 by Gauhati Town Club
- It is named after Assam’s first chief minister Gopinath Bordoloi.
- The prestigious tournament comprises some top clubs from the northeast and rest of India. Clubs from Bangladesh, Nepal,[4] Thailand, Iran and Uzbekistan have also participated in this major championship. Abahani Limited of Bangladesh lifted the 2010 edition trophy.
- Kolkata based Mohun Bagan has won the Bordoloi Trophy title for record seven times
Search Panel CEC
Constitutional Provisions
Article 324(2):
- Election Commission shall consist of the Chief Election Commissioner and such number of Election Commissioners, as the President may fix from time-to-time.
- Appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners are made by the President, subject to the law enacted by the Parliament.
- Dec 2023: The parliament enacted the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023.
Appointment Process: The Commission will be appointed by the President, upon the recommendation of the Selection Committee.
- A Search Committee headed by the Minister of Law and Justice will suggest five names to the Selection Committee for appointment as Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners.
- Selection Committee: Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners will be appointed by the President on the recommendation of a Selection Committee consisting of
- Prime Minister (Chairperson).
- Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha (or leader of the single largest opposition party).
- Union Cabinet Minister appointed by Prime Minister.
- The Selection Committee may also consider any other person than those included in the panel by the Search Committee.
Eligibility criteria: The CEC and ECs must:
- be persons of integrity,
- have knowledge and experience in the management and conduct of elections, and
- be or have been Secretary (or equivalent) to the government.
Search Panel CEC
Term and reappointment:
- Members of the Election Commission will hold office for six years, or until they attain the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.
- Members of the Commission cannot be re-appointed.
- If an EC is appointed as a CEC, the overall period of the term may not be more than six years.
- Salary and pension: The salary, allowances, and other conditions of service of the CEC and ECs will be equivalent to that of the Cabinet Secretary.
- Removal: The CEC may be removed in the same manner and on the same grounds as a Supreme Court Judge. ECs may be removed only upon the recommendation of the CEC.
CEC from Assam
- Harishankar Brahma served as 19th Chief Election Commissioner of India. He is a retired I.A.S. officer of the 1975 batch of the Andhra Pradesh cadre.
From NE India
- James Michael Lyngdoh (born 8 February 1939) is an Indian civil servant and was 12th Chief Election Commissioner of India from 14 June 2001 to 7 February 2004. He was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service in 2003.
India China recent update
India and China have agreed to resume direct air services after nearly five years, India’s foreign ministry said on Monday, signalling a thaw in relations between the neighbours after a deadly 2020 military clash on their disputed Himalayan border.
Other Key announcements
- Resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in the summer of 2025.
- Resumption of provision of hydrological data and other cooperation pertaining to trans-border rivers.
- Agreement to resume direct air services between the two countries.
- Others: People-to-people exchanges, media and think-tank interactions, etc.
Key areas of concern in India-China Relations
China’s Assertiveness: Particularly in South Asia through strategies like String of Pearls, presence in Maldives, Sri Lanka, assertion over South China Sea, etc. create insecurities in Indo-Pacific.
Unsettled Borders: No mutual agreement over Line of Actual Control (LAC), dispute over Aksai Chin, etc.
Recent episodes of conflicts were witnessed in Galwan Valley (Ladakh, 2020), Tawang (Arunachal Pradesh, 2022), etc.
Unequal Trade: India’s trade deficit with China rose to USD 85 billion (2023-24) against USD 83.2 billion (2022-23).
China-Pakistan Nexus: China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), particularly the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), passes through Indian territory claimed by Pakistan.
UCC Uttarakhand
- The Uttarakhand State Legislative Assembly passed the Uniform Civil Code, Uttarakhand, 2024 Bill. And now in 2025, it is getting implemented.
More about the news
- With this, Uttarakhand became the first State in the country to pass a law on Uniform Civil Code.
- Also, Assam and Gujarat are the other states working on the implementation of UCC.
- Goa is the only place in India where a form of common civil code is in practice, the Portuguese Civil Code of 1867.
A UCC provides for the formulation of one law for the entire country, which would apply to all religious communities in their personal matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, adoption, and succession.
- Currently, Indian personal law is complex, with each religion adhering to its specific laws.
- Personal Laws in India:
- Hindu Succession Act 1956 governs Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists
- Muslim Personal Law governs Muslims
- Indian Succession Act 1925 applies to Christians, Parsis, and Jews
- The Special Marriage Act provides for the solemnization of interfaith marriage as well as registration by a Marriage Officer.
Important Judgements and committees recommending UCC
- Shah Bano Case (1985): SC Highlighted need for UCC, especially in maintenance matters.
- Sarla Mudgal Case (1995): SC Urged UCC for gender equality among religions.
- Paulo Coutinho vs Maria Luiza Valentina Pereira (2019): SC Highlights need for uniform laws for consistency.
- Law Commission (2018): No UCC needed now, amend existing laws.
- Law Commission of India (2022): It seeks public and religious input on UCC.
