State PCS - JAMMU & KASHMIR (JKAS)

• 30 Jan 2026

First Aadhaar‑Integrated PATHIK System Launched by Ahmedabad Crime Branch

Why in News? 

The Ahmedabad Crime Branch of the Gujarat Police has become the first law enforcement agency in the country to officially integrate Aadhaar‑based verification with its PATHIK software. 

Key Points 

• First‑of‑its‑kind integration: The Ahmedabad Crime Branch has signed a pact with UIDAI to integrate Aadhaar verification into PATHIK software. 
  • Making it the first law enforcement body to be recognised as an Offline Verification Seeking Entity (OVSE) for Aadhaar in India. 
• PATHIK software: PATHIK stands for Programme for Analysis of Traveller and Hotel Informatics. 
  • It is an application used by Gujarat Police to track travellers, guests and residents in hotels, PGs and homestays for security purposes.  
• Objective: The integration aims to enable instant, paperless and consent‑based verification of individuals by simply scanning their Aadhaar QR code. 
  • Privacy and data security: The system does not store Aadhaar numbers but uses digitally signed demographic details and photos for verification. 
• Wide implementation: Over 9,000 hotels across Gujarat are already connected to the PATHIK system, helping police to trace more than 50 missing persons and identify individuals for law enforcement purposes. 
• Government recognition: The PATHIK project is one of 11 projects selected at the national level by the Government of India for its technological utility.

Read More:  UIDAI , 

Novak Djokovic Secures 400th Grand Slam Match Win

Why in News? 

Serbian tennis legend Novak Djokovic became the first player in tennis history to secure 400 match wins in Grand Slam singles, a landmark reached at the Australian Open 2026.

Key Points: 

• Unique Record: He is the only male player in tennis history to reach this landmark, surpassing other notable players like Roger Federer (369 wins) and Rafael Nadal (314 wins). 
• Record at Australian Open:He achieved this feat by defeating Botic van de Zandschulp in straight sets in the third round, marking another chapter in his storied career. 
• Equalling Federer’s Australian Wins:With this win, Djokovic also tied Roger Federer’s record of 102 match wins at the Australian Open, underscoring his longevity at the event. 
• Grand Slam Legacy:Already a 24-time major champion, Djokovic continues to extend his records in the Open Era, showcasing exceptional consistency and dominance. 
• Significance in Tennis:The 400-win milestone reflects sustained excellence across all four majors, reinforcing Djokovic’s place among the greatest players of all time.  
• Surface Versatility: With this victory, he became the first man to register 100 or more match wins on all three Grand Slam surfaces: hard courts (Australian Open, US Open), grass courts (Wimbledon), and clay courts (French Open). 
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Microsoft Rolls Out Maia 200 AI Chips

Why in News? 

Microsoft has launched its second-generation AI chip, the Maia 200, marking a significant step in the company’s strategy to develop custom AI silicon for large-scale AI workloads.

Key Points: 

• Fabrication: Manufactured using TSMC’s 3nm process technology, featuring over 140 billion transistors. 
• Performance: Delivers 10+ petaFLOPS in 4-bit precision (FP4) and ~5 petaFLOPS in 8-bit precision (FP8). 
• Memory Architecture: Equipped with 216GB of HBM3e (High Bandwidth Memory) with 7 TB/s bandwidth and 272MB of on-die SRAM to eliminate data movement bottlenecks. 
• Networking: Uses a two-tier scale-up design based on standard Ethernet instead of proprietary fabrics, supporting clusters of up to 6,144 accelerators. 
• Vertical Integration: Microsoft joins Google (TPU) and Amazon (Trainium) in designing custom hardware to reduce dependence on Nvidia and lower operational costs. 
• Economic Efficiency: The chip offers a 30% improvement in performance-per-dollar compared to current systems. 
• Software Ecosystem (The "Triton" Advantage): Microsoft released the Triton compiler (developed with OpenAI) as an open-source alternative to Nvidia's proprietary CUDA software, aiming to lower the barrier for developer adoption. 
• Strategic Significance:Represents Microsoft’s push to reduce reliance on third-party silicon providers and manage AI operating costs.

National Model Youth Gram Sabha Awards 2025-26

Why in News?

Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj, S. P. Singh Baghel, conferred the National Model Youth Gram Sabha (MYGS) Awards at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, to nurture future leaders by connecting students with grassroots democratic processes.

Key Points: 

• Objective: To provide students with experiential learning of the three-tier Panchayati Raj system as envisaged under the 73rd Constitutional Amendment. 
• Collaborating Ministries: The ceremony was a joint effort by theMinistry of Panchayati Raj, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. 
• Participation: Over 28,000 students from 619 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) and 200 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) participated in simulated Gram Sabha proceedings. 
• Major Awardees:The awards were divided into two main categories: JNVs and EMRSs.  
  • JNV Una, Himachal Pradesh: Won the top prize in the JNV category, receiving a cheque for ₹1 crore for development activities. 
  • EMRS Kosambuda, Chhattisgarh: Won the top prize in the EMRS category, also receiving ₹1 crore. 
  • Runners-up: Schools ranked second and third were awarded ₹75 lakhs and ₹50 lakhs respectively. 
• Documentation: A comprehensive compendium was released, documenting the journey and impact of the MYGS initiative.  
• Significance:The initiative aligns with efforts under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 to integrate experiential learning with democratic values. 
  • Grassroots Democracy: Strengthening the foundation of local self-governance through youth engagement. 
• Civic Education: Integrating democratic values into the formal school curriculum through "Loktantra Ki Pathshala" (School of Democracy). 

Read More: National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, Panchayati Raj system, 73rd Constitutional Amendment 

PM SVANidhi Credit Card Launch in Kerala

Why in News? 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the PM SVANidhi Credit Card for street vendors during an event in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. 

Key Points 

• PM SVANidhi Scheme: Pradhan Mantri Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) scheme is a micro‑credit programme launched in June 2020 to support street vendors with collateral‑free loans and promote digital financial inclusion. 
• Objective: The credit card is designed to provide instant access to affordable working capital for street vendors. 
  • This helps them to meet business expenses, reduce dependence on informal lenders and build a formal credit track record.  
• Financial Features: The PM SVANidhi Credit Card is expected to be UPI‑linked and can offer a revolving credit facility. 
  • They are often interest‑free or at subsidized terms, enabling easy access to working capital up to predetermined limits. 
• Target Beneficiaries: The scheme targets street vendors, hawkers, roadside sellers, cart vendors and other informal urban workers, helping integrate them into the formal banking system.  
• Digital Inclusion: Besides credit access, the initiative promotes digital payments and financial literacy, strengthening the participation of small vendors in the formal economy. 
• Wider Outreach: Around 1 lakh street vendors were reported to have received PM SVANidhi loans or credit cards in Kerala during the launch, and similar implementation is underway nationwide. 

Read More: PM SVANidhi Scheme,  UPI,  Digital payments, Financial literacy