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The Hindu Editorial Analysis
We understand the significance of reading The Hindu newspaper for enhancing reading skills, improving comprehension of passages, staying informed about current events, enhancing essay writing, and more, especially for banking aspirants who need to focus on editorials for vocabulary building. This article will explore today’s editorial points, along with practice questions and key vocabulary.
U.P. CM declares age relaxation and reservation for Agniveers in police recruitment
- The Uttar Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has decided to give 20% horizontal reservation to ex-“Agnipath Scheme” soldiers (Agniveers) in direct recruitment for different police and security jobs in the state.
- The posts covered under this rule include Constables in the Uttar Pradesh Police, members of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), Mounted Police Constables, and Firemen.
- This reservation is horizontal, which means if an Agniveer belongs to any category — like SC, ST, OBC, or General — their 20% reservation will apply within that same category.
- Along with the reservation, eligible Agniveers will get a relaxation of up to three years in the age limit for these recruitments.
- Only those Agniveers who are permanent residents of Uttar Pradesh can get this benefit.
- With this move, Uttar Pradesh has become the first state in India to give a 20% reservation to Agniveers in its police force.
- The first batch of Agniveers who can benefit from this rule will be in 2026, when the first group of four-year Agniveer recruits complete their service.
- The government said this step aims to provide good job opportunities for young people who have served in the armed forces under the Agnipath scheme. It will also make use of their training, discipline, and dedication in state services.
- While a few other states have also announced reservations for Agniveers, their quotas were lower (around 10%).
- This decision will make it easier for ex-Agniveers to join the police and security services after completing their military service, helping them move smoothly from military to civil-security jobs.
Eight core sectors’ growth slows to 3% in September 2025, a three-month low
- The combined output of India’s eight main industries — coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilisers, steel, cement, and electricity — grew by 3% in September 2025, compared to the same month last year. This is a big drop from 6.5% growth in August 2025.
- For comparison, in September 2024, the growth was 4%, so this year’s number is slightly better than last year but weaker than recent months.
- Between April and September 2025-26, the overall growth of these eight sectors was 9%, lower than 4.3% during the same period last year.
Some sectors showed poor or negative growth in September:
- Coal production fell by 2% compared to last year.
- Crude oil output dropped by 3%.
- Natural gas production went down by 8%.
- Refinery products fell by 7%, after showing growth in earlier months.
However, a few sectors still did well:
- Steel output rose sharply by 1%, slightly higher than August’s 13.6%.
- Cement production grew by 3%, almost the same as August’s 5.4%.
- Electricity generation went up by 1%, slower than 4.1% in August.
- Fertiliser production increased by 6%, down from 4.6% in August.
- These eight core industries together make up about 40% of India’s Index of Industrial Production (IIP), so their slowdown gives an important signal about the country’s overall industrial health.
- Experts say that while growth is still positive, the pace has slowed down, mainly because of weak performance in mining and energy sectors.
The reasons include:
- A high base effect (especially for coal),
- Lower global demand,
- Monsoon-related disruptions, and
- Sector-specific problems like issues in refining and natural gas.
- This slowdown shows that India’s industrial momentum may be weakening, which could affect manufacturing, construction, and overall economic growth in the coming months.
Rare Malabar Gliding Frog spotted near Belagavi’s Hirebagewadi
- A rare Malabar Gliding Frog (scientific name Rhacophorus malabaricus) has been seen in the forests of Hirebagewadi, near Belagavi.
- This frog is known for its bright green body, red feet, and yellow webbing between its toes, which makes it look very colorful.
- It has a special ability to glide in the air — by stretching the webbing between its toes, it can jump and glide between trees.
- The frog usually lives in forested areas with lots of trees, especially near ponds or streams, where it breeds.
- During breeding, it makes a foam nest from a frothy substance above water. The eggs hatch inside the foam, and when the tadpoles are ready, they fall into the water below.
- Seeing this frog in the Hirebagewadi area is unusual, which suggests that it might have moved from nearby hilly or forested regions where it normally lives.
- Researcher Manjunath Nayak said that such frogs are signs of a healthy forest and clean water environment, but their numbers are threatened by pollution, rising temperatures, and forest fires.
- Although the Malabar Gliding Frog is listed as “Least Concern” on the IUCN Red List, it still faces local population decline if forests and water sources are damaged.
- The Western Ghats, where this frog is found, is one of the most biodiverse regions in the world, making this sighting an important reminder of the need for conservation.
Important Questions
- What percentage of horizontal reservation has the Uttar Pradesh government approved for former Agniveers in state police recruitment?
- In which year will the first batch of Agniveers become eligible for the 20 percent reservation in Uttar Pradesh police jobs?
- Which core industry among the eight sectors showed the highest growth rate in September 2025?
- What main reasons were mentioned for the slowdown in growth of the eight core industries in September 2025?
- What special ability allows the Malabar Gliding Frog to move between trees?
- Why is the sighting of the Malabar Gliding Frog near Hirebagewadi considered unusual?
Important Vocabulary
- Horizontal reservation – A type of reservation that cuts across all main categories like SC, ST, OBC, and General.
- Eligible – Qualified or meeting the required conditions for something.
- Permanent resident – A person who officially lives in a particular place or state.
- Transition – The process of changing from one condition or stage to another.
- Cumulative – Total growth or change measured over a period of time.
- Contracted – Became smaller or declined in size or quantity.
- Momentum – The strength or speed gained by something moving forward.
- Infrastructure – The basic physical systems like transport, power, and buildings that support an economy.
- Species – A group of similar living organisms capable of reproducing together.
- Foam nest – A frothy mass created by frogs above water to hold and protect eggs.
- Indicator – Something that shows or signals the state or condition of something else.
- Biodiversity – The variety of different living species in a particular region or ecosystem.
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