National Events in 2024
🏛️ Government & Policy Initiatives
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Union Budget 2024: The Union Budget presented in February 2024 prioritized a green economy by allocating substantial funds to renewable energy projects including solar and wind power. Digital infrastructure saw a record ₹1.5 lakh crore investment focusing on AI, 5G rollout, and cybersecurity. Additionally, schemes promoting rural employment were enhanced under the expanded MGNREGA program.
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Digital India 2.0: Launched in April 2024, this ambitious program aims to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy by 2030. The government allocated ₹30,000 crore to accelerate AI research, upgrade digital infrastructure, and improve governance through e-services, including digital identity verification and online grievance redressal systems.
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Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam: Passed in late 2023 and implemented fully in 2024, this landmark legislation reserves 33% seats for women candidates in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies starting with the 2024 elections. This historic reform aims to empower women politically and ensure greater representation in policymaking.
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One Nation One Election: The committee formed to explore simultaneous elections for Lok Sabha and State Assemblies submitted its final report in December 2024. The report recommended a phased implementation with constitutional amendments and highlighted logistical, security, and financial benefits.
🏥 Health & Education Developments
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Ayushman Bharat 2.0: Expanding the flagship health insurance scheme, the government extended coverage to transgender individuals and persons with disabilities. Special focus was given to non-communicable diseases and preventive health screenings.
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PM-SHRI Schools Network: The Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India initiative was bolstered by adding 9,000 new model schools across rural and urban areas. These schools focus on digital learning, physical infrastructure, and quality teacher training to bridge educational inequality.
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National Exit Test (NEXT): A unified exit exam replacing NEET-PG for all MBBS graduates was implemented from January 2024. This move aimed to streamline medical education assessment, ensuring uniform standards for post-graduate admissions and licensing.
⚖️ Judiciary & Social Justice
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Same-Sex Civil Unions: The Supreme Court delivered a landmark judgment recognizing same-sex civil unions and granting limited rights such as inheritance and adoption. However, it deferred full legal recognition of same-sex marriages pending legislative action.
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Fast-Track Courts for Crimes Against Women: The government established special fast-track courts in all districts to expedite trials related to crimes against women, aiming to reduce pendency and improve conviction rates.
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Caste Census 2024: Bihar became the first state to publish detailed caste census data since independence, reigniting national debates on reservations and social justice. Discussions around a pan-India caste census gained momentum, but political and logistical challenges remain.
🌏 International Events of 2024
🌐 Major Global Summits & Agreements
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COP29 Climate Summit (Azerbaijan): India announced a reaffirmation of its pledge to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2070, along with ambitious interim targets for renewable energy capacity and electric vehicle adoption. India also pledged $10 billion to the global Green Climate Fund.
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G20 Summit in Brazil: One of the landmark outcomes was a global framework agreement on cryptocurrency regulations, aiming to curb money laundering and protect investors. India, as a member, contributed actively to the consensus, promoting fintech innovations balanced with security.
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India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC): Work began on this multi-national infrastructure corridor linking India to Europe via the Middle East, designed to boost trade, energy security, and geopolitical ties. The corridor is expected to reshape regional economic dynamics and enhance India’s connectivity.
⚔️ Geopolitical Conflicts & Diplomacy
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Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Entering its third year, the conflict saw new peace negotiations brokered in Geneva in December 2024 involving the UN, Turkey, and other stakeholders. While a ceasefire was tentatively agreed upon, clashes continue in eastern regions.
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Israel–Hamas Ceasefire: Mid-2024 witnessed escalated violence between Israel and Hamas, with significant casualties. An Egypt-mediated ceasefire restored relative calm, but underlying tensions remain high.
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BRICS+ Expansion: BRICS welcomed Egypt, Ethiopia, and Argentina as new members in 2024, expanding the bloc’s global economic and political influence. This expansion signifies a shift toward greater South-South cooperation.
🌐 Diplomatic Milestones
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India signed a landmark Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the European Union, enhancing trade relations, technology exchange, and investment flows.
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India secured a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for 2025–26, reflecting its growing global stature and enabling greater influence on international peace and security matters.
🔬 Advances in Science & Technology
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Chandrayaan-4 Mission: Launched in August 2024, the Chandrayaan-4 orbiter is equipped with advanced sensors for high-resolution mineral mapping of the Moon’s south pole. The mission aims to identify resources critical for future lunar habitation.
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Quantum Supercomputer QSim-1: India unveiled its first indigenous quantum supercomputer at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru. This breakthrough is expected to propel India’s quantum computing research, with applications in cryptography, drug discovery, and climate modeling.
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mRNA Dengue Vaccine Approval: The World Health Organization approved India’s indigenous mRNA-based Dengue vaccine, making it the first country to achieve this milestone. The vaccine promises to significantly reduce the global burden of Dengue fever, especially in tropical regions.
🌳 Environment & Disaster Management
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India experienced record-breaking heatwaves in northern and central regions during the summer of 2024. According to meteorological data, 2024 was the hottest year globally since records began, intensifying calls for climate action.
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Cyclone Midhila made landfall on the eastern coast in June 2024, causing widespread damage in Odisha and West Bengal. The disaster resulted in over ₹10,000 crore in losses and triggered nationwide discussions on disaster preparedness and climate resilience.
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The government unveiled a revamped National Climate Action Plan focusing on expanding solar power capacity to 500 GW by 2030, incentivizing electric vehicles, and enhancing forest cover to meet carbon sequestration targets.
🏆 Sports, Awards & Cultural Highlights
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India secured an impressive haul of 9 medals at the Paris Olympics 2024, including historic gold medals in shooting and wrestling, marking the country’s best-ever performance.
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The Nobel Peace Prize 2024 was awarded to an Afghan women-led education network, recognizing its efforts to provide education amid conflict and oppression.
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Indian documentary “River of Resilience” won the Best Short Documentary category at the Oscars 2024, bringing international attention to India’s environmental challenges.
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India successfully hosted the Miss World 2024 pageant in Mumbai, which significantly boosted tourism and showcased the country’s rich cultural heritage.
