Current Affairs 20 February, 2025

Daily Current Affairs Quiz
20 February, 2025

International Affairs

1. Political Tensions Rise Between Trump and Zelenskyy Amid Ukraine Conflict

Context:

The former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks out against the President of Ukraine, calling him “a dictator without elections.” Trump asserted that without an immediate resolution from Zelenskyy, Ukraine might not be a country, reiterating some of the controversial remarks he made, blaming Ukraine for the incitement of Russia’s invasion against it.

Ukraine’s Response: ‘We Will Defend Our Right to Exist’

• Zelenskyy rejected Trump’s comments, maintaining the idea originated in a Russian disinformation campaign.
• Andrii Sybiha, the Ukrainian foreign minister, backed Ukraine’s resistance, stating, “No one can force us to surrender.”
• Despite the backlash, Zelenskyy conversed with Trump’s envoy Keith Kellogg in hopes of strengthening Ukraine’s case in Trump’s inner circle.

A Roller Coaster Path of Elections: Democracy vs. Martial Law

• While Ukraine’s military has four years left in Zelenskyy’s term, he can’t hold an election because of martial law, declared after the Russian invasion in 2022.
• Amid this mounting debate over governance in wartime, widely declared a dictatorship by the one time president, Trump contended that Ukraine could not hold elections but could only postpone them for security reasons.

Will Trump Hold Possible Talks with Putin?

• Trump hinted at an ability to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, thereby raising the stakes as to what he will do in relation to the war.
• The Kremlin had confirmed the possibility but insisted that a little more time will be needed to prepare for the summit.
• Meanwhile, President Putin has kept Ukraine’s doors open for peace talks but emphasized that rebuilding trust between Moscow and Washington is important in preceding such talks.

Altered Power Configurations and High Stake Diplomacy

• Trump’s condemnations of Zelenskyy, calls for bargaining with Putin, and Ukraine’s stance are a portrait of the war and its diplomatic consequences.
• We will wait and see in 2025 whether Trump’s actions directly shape the U.S. change on Ukraine and embolden Russia or perhaps not.

2. Tariffs on Automobiles, Pharmaceuticals, and Semiconductors

Context:

In an announcement made by President Donald Trump, plans to impose a 25% tariff on imported automobiles, pharmaceuticals, and semiconductors would take effect by April 2,2025.
It is part of a larger shifting American trade policy that attempts to incentivize companies to relocate operations into the United States.

Expected Effects on India

• Pharmaceutical sector
  • India supplies nearly 47% of US generic medicines, and industry experts warn of potential drug shortages and increased costs if tariffs are applied.
• Automobile sector
  • This is expected to be largely negligible, mainly because India exports very few vehicles to the US, though auto component exporters are worried.
• Semiconductors
  • Its effect on India is uncertain, as India has a nascent chip manufacturing industry, but it may pose some problems for companies that heavily rely on US bound exports.

Trump’s Hostile Remarks about Tesla’s Expansion Plans for India

• In an interview with Fox News, Trump opposed Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk’s proposed factory project for India, describing it as “unfair for the USA”.
• Proper wording for this observation might influence sentiments toward foreign investment and thus India’s electric vehicle (EV) market strategy.

Economic and Policy Countermeasures

• Analysts assert that the proposed US tariffs could reduce the GDP growth of India by 60 basis points ( bps).
• The Indian Air Force(IAF) may address the government on possible purchases for stealth aircraft as able to suit the changing geopolitical tensions.
• Henceforth in India, charging infrastructure in the EV sector could qualify for investment mandates, thereby enhancing home production.

The Beginning of a Shift in Global Trade Dynamics

• US tariff policy, which directly affects supply chains, likely leads to higher costs and possible realignment of trade flows.
• The pharmaceutical and manufacturing sectors of India will need to stay alert to the dynamics to reduce economic risks.
• The coming months will be very crucial in establishing the full extent of these tariffs’ effects on global commerce.

3. Trump’s Trade War

Context:

Trump sets 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, and an additional 10% on Chinese goods, with the threat of measures for Canada, Mexico, India, and the EU. Retaliatory tariffs by other nations are deemed ineffective as they may hurt their citizens and firms more than the retaliating country.

Economic Harms Caused by Trade War

• US tariffs are likely to increase consumer prices, but decrease the trade deficit for goods from China.
• Either the Federal Reserve may postpone cuts to interest rates or increase them. The unrelated interest hike would be a measure against inflation, strengthening the dollar.
• Higher US interest rates could trigger a global liquidity squeeze, making it difficult for firms and governments with dollar denominated debts to repay.

Countermeasures to Offset the Impact of Trade War

• Retaliatory Measures That Would NOT Directly Harm the Global West
  • The EU could use its Anti Coercion Instrument to restrict US financial services and intellectual property protections.
  • China could play the card of rare earth mineral export limitation considering such commodities as political control.
• Trying to Deal with the Financial Market Volatility
  • Emerging markets should cushion their currency to minimize short term foreign debt to help stave off liquidity crises.
  • Companies must ensure preparedness for high rates for quite a long stretch.
• Strengthening Alliances for Trade
  • Deepen regional economic integration by removing barriers to trade among current trade conglomerates.
  • Fast track new trade deals, such as the one between the EU and MERCOSUR, to lessen reliance on US markets.

This world should build strategic partnerships and undertake policy measures against reactive tariffs. Regional trade agreements and stabilization of the financial markets will enable countries to weather the economic storm unleashed by Trump’s trade war.

National Affairs

1. African Cheetah Translocation to India

Context:

An analysis conducted by the Centre for Wildlife Studies (CWS) showed that the initial phase translocation project witnessed a mortality rate recorded at 40% to 50%, which is far less than the expected survival rate of 85%.

Key Highlights:

• Health and Stress Concerns
  • The cheetahs have had to undergo much more than 90 chemical immobilizations followed by repeated veterinary intervention.
• Ethical and Ecological Issues
  • This study concludes that continually supplying cheetahs to be released in India from Africa is not sustainable and not ethical.

Challenges with the Project

• Limited Wild Population
  • Cheetahs in Africa face even greater pressures with 6,500 mature individuals remaining alive in the wild.
• Captivity and Conservation Risks
  • As high mortality rates have left all the introduced cheetahs in India now kept inside enclosures.
• Annual Imports
  • The projected annual importation into the country of 12 individuals to establish a robust population would not over the long term be financially sustainable for the country.

Recommendations for Justice based Approaches

• Participatory Conservation
  • This study suggested that conservation decisions should be participatory processes, respecting diverse systems of knowledge and local voices.
• Sustainable Coexistence
  • Instead of advancing translocation of the species, conservation should look at maintaining shared spaces between humanity and wildlife.

Study questions scientific and ethical validity for the overall concept Plan Cheetah, referring to broader concerns about human impact and more inclusive approaches to conservation.

Project Cheetah

2. Manipur Under President’s Rule

Context:

After months of unrest and four days following Chief Minister N. Biren Singh’s resignation, the government at the Centre imposed President’s Rule over Manipur on February 13, 2025.
This was the last effort to prevent the government from full blind failure followed by a constitutional crisis due to the expired deadline for the assembly session.

Erosion of State Legitimacy

• Failure of the `’Double engine Sarkar’ Story
  • The imposition of President’s Rule is contrary to claim that it brought efficiency in governance as far as central and state governments are convened.
• Trust Deficit
  • More than 21 months of violence coupled with charges of complicity of the state and partiality have left the public trust in institutions diminished.
• Biren Singh’s Contribution in the Conflict
  • A forensic report submitted to the Supreme Court suggesting that Singh contributed to the ethnic conflict further debunked the credibility of the former government.

Restore Institutional Trust and Rule of Law

• Not just Symbolic
  • President’s Rule wise development is essential ground but cannot stop without solid action in the direction of restoring state legitimacy.
• Ending Partisan Politics
  • It should contest from aligning with popular majoritarian ultra nationalistic propensities which incite ethnic divisions.
• Addressing Structural Problems
  • Structural inclusiveness and sufficient representation levels have worsened the legitimacy crisis; hence, the introduction of reform is inevitable.

Constructing Legitimacy and Justice

• Law and Order Cannot Be Outsourced
  • This has to be put to an end with regard to vigilante and arms groups acting as tools for political or ethnic agendas.
• Demobilizing Armed Groups
  • Perpetrators must be disarmed and held accountable for violence to pave the way toward reconciliation.
• Justice and Reconciliation
  • Adjudication should prioritize ensuring fair trials and reparations for victims.

Political Solutions and Not Law and Order Solutions

• Big Requirement for Negotiated Settlement
  • History of insurgency in the State dictates that not purely administrative measure but rather political resolution should solve the issue.
• Tackling Autonomy Demands
  • Proposals to declare Manipur a ‘hill state’ in order to neutralize the Kuki Zomi Hmar demands have to be weighed very carefully as they may create further divisions.
• Balancing Interests at the Regional Level
  • Would only incite separatism rather than securing territorial integrity by any move towards centralization of power and abolition of existing Article 371C tribal protections.

The Future Is Decentralization

• Power Redistribution
  • Instead of centralizing authority, President’s Rule is for dispersing power and enhancing the power of the communities that have suffered marginalization.
• Institutional Reforms
  • Empirical strengthening of sub State constitutional asymmetry, with equal resource and representation distributions, can help in some mitigation of glaring grievances.
• Not Majoritarian Rule
  • Any attempt to use the present crisis to promote the rule of a dominant community would deepen the conflicts and weaken Manipur’s fragile peace.

3. Tamil Nadu’s Iron Age Discovery

Context:

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin cited a recent archaeological report claiming that Iron Age began on Tamil soil as long ago as 5,300 years (4th millennium BCE). This contravenes existing narratives and emphasizes Tamil Nadu’s role in history; it is a central element in the history of the Indian subcontinent.

Earlier Views on Iron in India

• Theories
  • Iron began to be used in India from the 700-600 BCE. Some others hinted it brought by the Western immigrants.
• New Proves
  • Radiocarbon dating pushed further this. Research said Uttar Pradesh had excellent iron smelting by 13th century BCE.
• Findings in the Ganga Plain
  • Excavations at the Raja Nala ka tila, Malhar, and Dadupur (1996-2001) yielded evidence of iron smelting between 1800 and 1000 BCE.

Iron in the Archaeological Record of Tamil Nadu

• Mayiladumparai Excavation (2022)
  • In an earlier study, Iron Age was placed at a Tamil Nadu date of 4,200 years (third millennium BCE), coinciding with the Bronze Age in North India.
• New Report
  • As per the latest study, Antiquity of Iron: Recent Radiometric Dates from Tamil Nadu, iron use in Tamil Nadu was as early as 3,345-2,953 BCE.
• Key Finding
  • Areas under direct Copper Age in the northern regions seem to have moved directly from the Copper Age into Iron Age in Tamil Nadu, as not much copper was available.

Implications and Future Research

• Broadening Tamil History
  • This research opens a window for further studies on technological advancement and cultural evolution in Tamil civilization.

The new discovery alters perspectives regarding the historical use of iron in India. There is still a lot to learn about how much further reaching this could be; for now, however, Tamil Nadu’s role in early metallurgy can be considered settled, warranting additional investigations into the ancient heritage in terms of technology and culture.

4. Heavy Activities Discovered by Just around the Black Hole of Milky Way

Flickering Light and Very Intense Flares Observed According to which James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) of the best and most detailed observations of the Sagittarius A supermassive black hole, located 26000 light years far from the earth. It claimed that the area was undergoing constant considerable dynamic phenomenon with continued flickery lights by the ambient accretion disk, complemented by one to three major flares in a 24 hour cycle.

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a space telescope that orbits the sun, studying infrared light from distant objects. It’s the largest telescope in space and is designed to make discoveries about the universe’s origins. 

What is a Black Hole?

A black hole is a massive, compact astronomical object so dense that its gravity prevents prevents anything from escaping, even light. 

The Accretion Disk Is Understood

• The accretion disk comprised of swirling gas is heavy turbulence and compresses highly due to gravity and extreme magnetic fields.
• The creation mechanism for flares would be like solar flares where blobs interact, pushing against and compressing one another. The black hole itself consumes about 90% of the disk material, with the remainder blasted into outer space.
• Actually The black hole Sgr A was observed by the JWST at times for a little under 48 hours throughout the year, having undertaken seven observations, ranging between 6 to 9.5 hours in duration. This observing made it possible to capture the intensity fluctuations of the black hole continuously.

Comparison to Other Black Holes

• Although agitated activity so dramatic, it is true that Sgr A is “quieter” than the other turbulent and active black holes in other galaxies. Accretion disk is probably built with stellar winds from nearby stars, not through the disruption of a star that came too close.

An Understanding of Black Hole Environments

• This research will come up with new ideas about how black holes will affect evolution through surrounding material. Future observations will certainly lay more decodings about such extreme physics next to the supermassive black holes.

5. Rising Snow Line in Everest Region

Context:

Snow line around Mt. Everest rose by 490 feet in less than two months. It rose from 20,000 ft on Dec 11, 2024, to 19,510 ft on Jan 28, 2025. Sublimation with assistance of extremely fast winds, low humidity, and warm temperatures.
The source: Nasa Earth Observatory and a glaciologist Mauri Pelto who performed evaluations based on satellite imagery and local weather stations.

Key Highlights:

• Long Term Climate Changes
  • Himalayan winters are getting drier and warmer, with farther and farther seasonal snowlines.
  • Again, Nasa’s Landsat 9 satellite imagery (Jan 20, 2025) shows that the snowline rose in altitude compared to Jan 2022.
• Historical Trends
  • Only 2022 had normal January snow levels.
  • 2021, 2023, 2024, and 2025 had higher snow lines, suggesting a new normal for the region.

Impacts on Glaciers & Water Security

• While North American and European glaciers gain mass in winter, Himalayan glaciers depend on the monsoon snow occurring in summer (June Sept).
• Dry winters decrease accumulation of snow, therefore, diminishing glacier health and water supply in the long run.
• Possible Consequences
  • Water scarcity for communities living downstream and relying on glacial melt.
  • Worsening wildfire risks, as seen during Nepal’s early fire season in 2025.

What is Next?

Himalayan rapidly changing snow patterns call for climate adaptation strategies right away. Scientists warn that the shift might disrupt water availability in South Asia for millions relying on glacial melt for agriculture and drinking water.

Banking/Finance

1. RBI Bulletin

Strengthening Growth Momentum

• Economic recovery picks up speed with India’s GDP growth momentum gathering pace in the second half of FY25.
• Push through fiscal policies and rural demand driving such expansion will enhance India’s fastest growing major economy status.
• Domestic consumption and investment will receive a boost with the reduction of the repo rate to 6.25 percent in February 2025.

Inflation Trends & Major Risks

• In January, retail inflation dipped to a five month low, with easing food prices mainly behind it.
• Strong rabi sowing and good kharif production will help control food inflation.
• Global economic instability, energy price fluctuations, and even disruptions due to changes in the weather pose risks to inflation.

Increase in Consumption across the Rural and Urban Landscape

• Rural demand to be buoyed even more by healthy agriculture production.
• Urban consumption is picking up again due to lower inflation and more disposable income.
• This Union Budget 2025-26 tax relief can provide an additional boost for household spending.

Fiscal Policy Related Investment Trends

• The Union Budget is focused primarily on agriculture, MSMEs, investment, and exports, and such aspects will drive the Indian economy toward medium term growth.
• While keeping the liquidity intact, the Reserve Bank of India injects money through open market operations (OMO) for a total of 117,875 crores.
• Foreign portfolio investment (FPI) revives with 1.7 billion dollars inflows into India’s debt market. Indeed, India’s inclusion in the Bloomberg Emerging Markets Local Currency Index has attracted global investors.

Steady Bond Market and Liquidity Management

• The yield on India’s 10 year government bond softened by 6 bps during the month in January because it also testifies the confidence of investors in the economy.
• Stabilization of borrowing costs ensures financial stability with RBI’s liquidity mechanisms.
• Interventions in the government securities market help maintain liquidity, preventing volatility.

What appears favorable toward India’s economic growth is now underwritten by monetary easing and fiscal restraint. Like in most cases, inflationary pressures and uncertain global conditions remain among the concerns that will be eyed closely.

2. Sebi’s Information Ratio (IR)

Context:

Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has taken a significant step toward enhancing mutual fund (MF) transparency by introducing the daily disclosure of the Information Ratio (IR) for all MFs. The regulation is prescribed in a circular and shall come into effect three months from the date of issuance.

Purpose

The purpose of this regulation is to assist DIY (do it yourself) investors in making informed decisions by using a transparent system to measure risk adjusted returns (RAR). However, it has still raised some fundamental questions about whether the IR is of practical use to individual investors.

What actually is the Information Ratio (IR)?

The IR measures the excess return of a fund with respect to its benchmark through the lens of volatility.

The formula:

IR = (Portfolio Return – Benchmark Return) / Tracking Error

Higher IR → A fund manager is delivering more consistent excess returns relative to the benchmark.

Sebi has assigned the Association of Mutual Funds of India (Amfi) the task of collecting the IRs published by all Asset Management Companies (AMCs) after standardizing them and providing them in a downloadable format.

Key Advantages of IR Disclosure

• Comparability Is Enhanced
  • Investors can rank mutual funds according to their respective risks and returns.
• Transparency
  • Allows investors to see which fund managers generate excess returns on a consistent basis.
• Decision Enhancement
  • Provides a standardized measure for quantifying funds beyond simple returns.

Limitations & Challenges

• Is Meaningless in Isolation
  • IR makes sense only in comparison to that of other funds. It does not say much to the investor about whether a fund is good or bad when taken on its own.
• Indeterminate from a Time Perspective
  • IR is subject to variable fluctuation over time, thus rendering it unfit for comparisons in a long run.
• Sensitivity to Benchmark Change
  • Funds following different benchmarks cannot be compared with respect to their IR, and thus IR cannot be the sole measure.
• May Have a Positive IR Even in a Down Market
  • A positive IR may occur when the fund outperforms a benchmark in decline, despite declining returns.
• Negative IR Contradiction
  • One of the primary problems of the IR is that it treats negative excess returns in such a way as to obtain results that could be very misleading when it comes to ranking.

• Example from Sebi’s Consultation Paper
  • Fund K:
    • Excess Return: 1.11%
    • Tracking Error: 4.08%
    • IR: 0.27
  • Fund L:
    • Excess Return: 1.49%
    • Tracking Error: 15.95%
    • IR: 0.09

• Misleading Ranking:
• Judging by the IR alone, Fund L (0.09 IR) appears better than Fund K (0.27 IR); however, Fund K delivered higher returns with correspondingly much less risk, making it the better choice.

Suggested Solutions

• Ignoring the Negative Sign in IR (This will create inconsistencies for comparing positive IRs and negative ones).
• Considering the Multiplication of Excess Return & Tracking Error Instead of Its Division
  Adjusted IR rankings would better reflect actual fund performance.

In light of the existence of negative IR distortions in several other risk adjusted return (RAR) measures, Sebi may need to step in and standardize the treatment of any such issues.

Agriculture

1. Soil Health Card Scheme

Context:

On February 19, 2015, the Prime Minister Sri. Narendra Modi launched the Soil Health Card Scheme in Suratgarh, Rajasthan. Its primary purpose is to aid the governments to issue the Soil Health Cards (SHC) to all farmers in the country for knowing and understanding the states of nutrient availability and recommendation of appropriate dosage of fertilizers to improve soil health and fertility.

Soil Health Card Features

• The Soil Health Card consists of a data base of 12 parameters as follows:
  • Macro nutrients: Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), Sulfur (S)
  • Micro nutrients: Zinc (Zn), Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), Manganese (Mn), Boron (Bo)
  • Other Indicators: pH (Acidity/Basicity), Electrical Conductivity (EC), Organic Carbon (OC)

Along with this, it gives fertilizer recommendations and soil amendment recommendations. The soil samples are usually collected twice during the years after harvesting of Rabi and Kharif crops or when there is no crop standing in the field.

Technological Advances

Soil Health Card Portal & Mobile Application

• To make the service accessible, a Soil Health Card Portal (www.soilhealth.dac.gov.in) was activated. In 2023, the government enlarged the portal by integrating it with Geographic Information System (GIS) for better results visualization after a sample is tested. The SHC mobile application also enriched with added features such as:
  • Geo tagging of soil sample collection points.
  • Auto selection of latitude & longitude.
  • QR code linking for seamless tracking.
  • Graphical representation of soil health data.

Soil sample collection has been made fast and transparent through the use of the mobile application since April, 2023.

Village Level Soil Testing Labs (VLSTLs)

• The government established VLSTLs in June 2023 for decentralized soil testing. A VLSTL can take form in the following ways:
  • By individual entrepreneurs going in the age group 18-27 years.
  • By Self Help Groups (SHGs).
  • By Farmers Producer Organizations (FPOs).
  • By Agricultural Universities & Schools.

As of February 2025, a total of 665 VLSTLs were commissioned across 17 states, thus empowering communities locally to conduct soil testing.

School Soil Health Programme

• It aims to attract students towards awareness regarding sustainable agricultural practices. Below are its contributions:
  • 1020 schools taking part
  • 1000 soil testing laboratories set up
  • 12,59,72 students registered
  • Practical training in soil testing and data analysis

Integrated with Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY)

• Since 2022-23, the Soil Health Card Scheme is merged into the RKVY scheme under the component “Soil Health & Fertility” for better implementation throughout the country.

Facts To Remember

1. Rekha Gupta, first-time MLA, named as Delhi CM

Rekha Gupta, a first-time MLA from Shalimar Bagh, has been chosen as the new Delhi Chief Minister, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said after its legislature party meeting at its national headquarters.

2. Google opens new campus in Bengaluru

Tech major Google opened its new campus at Mahadevapura, in the outskirts of Bengaluru. The campus, named Ananta, is touted to be among its largest offices globally.

3. Vietnam Parliament approves $8-billion railway link to China

Vietnam’s Parliament has approved an $8 billion rail link to China, designed to boost trade and connectivity between the two countries. The 390-km line will connect Haiphong to Lao Cai, running through key manufacturing hubs and the capital, Hanoi. It is part of Vietnam’s “Two Corridors, One Belt” initiative. 

4. Former Mumbai captain and selector Rege passes away

Former Mumbai captain Milind Rege – renowned as Mumbai cricket’s encyclopedia – passed away at a hospital due to a cardiac arrest.

5. The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe)

The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN SPACe) unveiled the Technology Adoption Fund (TAF) for promoting India in advancing its space technology. The erstwhile Indian startup is going to support early stage space technologies developing in the country by moving them toward commercially viable products.

6. Rekha Gupta Takes Charge as Delhi CM, Becomes BJP’s 2nd Woman Leader to Hold Office

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta today assumed charge at the Delhi Secretariat. She was welcomed by Chief Secretary Dharmendra Kumar and other senior officials. The MPs and MLA of the national capital met Mrs Gupta and congratulated her on assuming charge.

7. EAM Jaishankar in Johannesburg for G20 FMM, Holds Talks with Brazilian & Singaporean Counterparts

External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar has reached Johannesburg in South Africa to take part in the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (FMM). Dr. Jaishankar’s participation in the G20 FMM will strengthen India’s engagement with G20 countries and bolster the voice of the Global South in this important forum.

8. Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat Inaugurates SWARBICA Meeting in New Delhi

Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat inaugurated the meeting of the South And West Asian Regional Branch of the International Council of Archives (SWARBICA) in New Delhi today.

9. Gyanesh Kumar assumes charge as new Chief Election Commissioner

Chief Election Commissioner of India, Gyanesh Kumar today called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Mr Kumar assumed charge as the new Chief Election Commissioner at Nirvachan Sadan in New Delhi yesterday.

10. India showcases labour reforms, e-Shram success at G20 employment meet in South Africa

Labour and Employment Secretary Sumita Dawra led the Indian delegation at the first G20 Employment Working Group (EWG) meeting under the South African Presidency which began on Tuesday at Port Elizabeth in South Africa. 

11. PM Internship Scheme Opens Round 2: 1 Lakh Paid Internships in Top Companies

Prime Minister Internship Scheme (PMIS) has once again opened for applications with the launch of round two of the pilot phase. After more than six lakh applications in round one, the second round offers more than one lakh internship opportunities in top companies across the country.