POCSO Act
▪ It is the first comprehensive law in India dealing specifically with the sexual abuse of children, enacted in 2012.
▪ It is administered by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD).
▪ The Act was designed to protect children aged less than 18 from sexual assault, sexual harassment and pornography offences and provide for the establishment of Special Courts for the trial of such offences and related matters and incidents.
▪ The Act was amended for the first time in 2019 to enhance the punishments for specific offences in order to deter abusers and ensure a dignified childhood.
▪ This amendment enhanced the punishment to include the death penalty for aggravated penetrative sexual assault of the child.
National Sports Policy (NSP) 2025
About
▪ The new policy supersedes the existing
▪ National Sports Policy, 2001
▪ It lays out a visionary and strategic roadmap to establish India as a global sporting powerhouse and a strong contender for excellence at international sporting eventa, including the 2036 Olympic Games.
▪ Key Features of NSP 2025
▪ The policy is anchored on five key pillars.
▪ Excellence on the Global Stage: To build India
▪ as a global leader in sports by nurturing talent and improving sports infrastructure.
▪ Grassroots Development: Establish a robust
▪ system for identifying and nurturing young talent.
▪ Sports Infrastructure: Develop world-class sports facilities in rural and urban areas.
▪ Sports Science & Technology: Integrate
▪ sports science, medicine, and technology to enhance athlete performance.
▪ Capacity Building of Sports Federations:
▪ Improve governance and operational capabilities of National Sports Federationa (NSF).
National Commission for Minorities (NCM)
▪ Five members of the commission, including the Chairperson, have retired since December 2024, with no new appointments made so far.
▪ The NCM, which works under the Ministry of Minority Affairs and has quasi-judicial powers, should have seven members, including the Chairperson and the Vice-Chairperson.
▪ The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) is a statutory body established in India under the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992.
▪ Initially, five religious communities, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Zoroastrians (Parsis), were notified as minority communities by the Union Government.
▪ Further, with the 2014 notification, Jains were also notified as another minority community.
▪ As per the 2011 Census, The Six religious minority communities constitute around 20% of the country’s population
▪ The delayed appointments at the NCM have impacted the National Commission for Minority
Educational Institutions (NCMEI), a quasi-judicial body that aims to safeguard the educational rights of minorities.
▪ The NCMEI is also an advisory body to the Union government on minority educational institutions.
▪ The NCMEI, which works under the Ministry of Education, should have three members, and a Chairperson of at least the rank of a retired judge from a High Court.
