Why in news?

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has released a revised draft of the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (Bharat NCAP), updating the 2023 version that is valid until September 2027.

The new draft significantly broadens the programme’s scope by adding new mandatory crash tests, revised scoring criteria, and expanded assessment verticals.

A major shift in the draft is the inclusion of vulnerable road user (VRU) protection tests, especially for pedestrians, who make up over 20% of road accident fatalities in India. For the first time, vehicles will be evaluated on pedestrian safety features such as impact protection, braking systems, and design elements that reduce injury risks.

Overall, the revised Bharat NCAP aims to enhance road safety by encouraging manufacturers to produce vehicles with higher crashworthiness and better protection for both occupants and pedestrians.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Bharat NCAP: India’s Vehicle Crashworthiness Rating System
• Key Changes Proposed in Bharat NCAP 2.0
• Vulnerable Road User Protection: Key Safety Measures in Bharat NCAP 2.0
• Revised Star Rating System Under Bharat NCAP 2.0

Bharat NCAP: India’s Vehicle Crashworthiness Rating System

• Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (Bharat NCAP) is a voluntary vehicle safety rating system that evaluates cars based on crashworthiness, going beyond basic roadworthiness requirements.
• Cars are tested using India-specific crash protocols, and those performing best receive a five-star safety rating.
• Designed to give Indian consumers clearer safety information, Bharat NCAP aligns with global NCAP models but adapts them to Indian conditions and technologies.
• Manufacturers can voluntarily submit vehicles for testing and use the ratings in marketing.
• The Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT), Pune, is the authorised agency for issuing Bharat NCAP ratings.

Key Changes Proposed in Bharat NCAP 2.0

• Expanded Safety Assessment Framework
  • Bharat NCAP 2025 broadens its evaluation method.
  • Instead of the earlier three verticals — AOP (Adult Occupant Protection), COP (Child Occupant Protection), and SAT (Safety Assist Technologies) — the new programme rates vehicles across five assessment areas:
    • Safe Driving – 10%
    • Accident Avoidance – 10%
    • Crash Protection – 55%
    • Vulnerable Road User Protection – 20%
    • Post-Crash Safety – 5%
  • This gives a more holistic picture of a vehicle’s overall safety performance.
• More Comprehensive Crash Tests
  • The earlier version required three crash tests.
  • Bharat NCAP 2.0 increases this to five mandatory crash tests:
    • 64 km/h frontal impact against a deformable barrier
    • 50 km/h lateral impact with a mobile deformable barrier
    • 32 km/h oblique side impact against a rigid pole
    • 50 km/h frontal impact against a full-width rigid barrier
    • 50 km/h rear impact against a mobile rigid barrier
  • These tests help assess injury risk in real-world crash scenarios.
• Enhanced Injury Assessment
  • Using Anthropomorphic Test Devices (ATDs) (crash-test dummies), the new draft evaluates injury risk for:
    • Adult occupants
    • Driver, front passenger and rear-seat occupants
    • Child occupants
  • This ensures a more precise measurement of protection across all seating positions.
• Protection for Vulnerable Road Users
  • For the first time, Bharat NCAP incorporates tests to assess:
    • Pedestrian injury risk
    • Cyclist safety measures
  • This addresses India’s high share of pedestrian fatalities.

Vulnerable Road User Protection: Key Safety Measures in Bharat NCAP 2.0

• Bharat NCAP 2025 introduces a dedicated Vulnerable Road User Protection vertical with 20% weightage, assessing how well vehicles protect pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists during crashes.
• Mandatory Impact Tests
  • Pedestrian legform impact on the vehicle bumper
  • Adult headform impact on the bonnet/windshield
  • Child headform impact on the bonnet/windshield
  • These tests evaluate how vehicle design minimizes injury during collisions.
• Optional AEBS Assessments
  • Performance of Autonomous Emergency Braking Systems (AEBS) is assessed for:
    • Child pedestrian detection
    • Adult pedestrian detection
    • Car-to-motorcyclist rear-end scenarios
• Accident-Avoidance Technologies
  • This new vertical focuses on driver-assist technologies that help prevent crashes before they occur.
  • Key Requirements
    • Electronic Stability Control (ESC): Mandatory for eligibility under Bharat NCAP 2.0
      • ESC helps maintain vehicle stability, especially during skids or sudden manoeuvres.
    • AEBS: Optional but encouraged to enhance star ratings
• Post-Crash Safety Measures
  • A new vertical ensures vehicles help protect occupants after a crash.
  • Mandatory Evaluations
    • Energy Management for Fire & Electrical Hazards - Ensures protection from electric shocks, especially in EVs
    • Occupant Extrication Assessment - Checks ease of door opening; Evaluates seatbelt buckle release after collision.
  • These measures ensure emergency responders can rescue occupants quickly.

Revised Star Rating System Under Bharat NCAP 2.0

• Bharat NCAP 2.0 introduces a stricter star-rating structure to enhance vehicle safety standards.
• The thresholds for 4-star and 5-star ratings have been raised to 65 and 80 points, up from 60 and 70 in the 2023 framework.
  • The thresholds for 1-star, 2-star, and 3-star ratings are fixed at 30, 40, and 50 points, respectively.
• A minimum Adult Occupant Protection (AOP) score of 55% within the Crash Protection vertical is mandatory to qualify for 3 stars or above. Falling short results in a 1-star penalty.
• Additional safeguards include:
  • A 5-star vehicle cannot score zero in any assessment vertical; otherwise, its rating is capped at 4 stars.
  • No injury values in the red zone for adult or child ATDs (Anthropomorphic Test Device — commonly known as a crash test dummy) are permitted in a 5-star rating before modifiers are applied.

Why in news?

Sirpur, a 5th–12th Century archaeological site in Chhattisgarh, is undergoing a major upgrade as the government seeks UNESCO World Heritage status. A recent joint inspection by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the Sirpur Special Area Development Authority (SADA) marks a significant step in advancing its nomination.

Located two hours from Raipur on the banks of the Mahanadi, Sirpur hosts 34 Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist monuments.

The planned facelift includes battery-operated golf carts, digital exhibits, and immersive storytelling modules to enhance visitor experience and strengthen the site’s UNESCO credentials.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• UNESCO World Heritage Tag
• Sirpur’s Historical Significance
• What the govt plans to do?

UNESCO World Heritage Tag

• The UNESCO World Heritage tag is an international recognition awarded to cultural or natural sites of “outstanding universal value” — places considered important for all humankind, transcending national boundaries.
• Sites may include ancient monuments, historic cities, natural landscapes, ecosystems, or mixed cultural-natural heritage.
• The designation is given by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, which evaluates nominations submitted by member countries.
• Once inscribed, a site gains global visibility, higher tourism potential, and improved opportunities for funding and technical assistance.
• Importantly, the tag also obligates governments to ensure stronger protection, conservation, and sustainable management of the site.
• Overall, the UNESCO tag serves as a powerful tool for safeguarding heritage while boosting international prestige, research interest, and local development.

Sirpur’s Historical Significance

• Sirpur — also known as Shripur or Sripura — was a vibrant multi-religious urban centre first documented in 1882 by Alexander Cunningham, ASI’s first Director-General.
• Excavations from the 1950s to the 2000s uncovered a rich tapestry of monuments dating back to the 5th Century AD, showcasing the city’s cultural and architectural splendour.
• A Multi-Religious Heritage Hub
  • The site contains 22 Shiva temples, five Vishnu temples, 10 Buddhist viharas, and three Jain viharas.
  • It flourished as the capital of Dakshina Kosala under the Panduvanshi and Somavamshi
  • Archaeological remains include palace complexes, markets, residences, stupas, brick temples, meditation cells, and ancient water systems.
• Remarkable Monuments and Architecture
  • Lakshmana Temple (7th Century) is one of India’s finest brick temples, dedicated to Vishnu.
  • Surang Tila stands on a high terrace with a steep staircase of 37 steps and features a dramatic panchayatana layout
    • The Panchayatana layout is a temple architectural style featuring a central shrine surrounded by four smaller subsidiary shrines at each corner of a square, making a total of five shrines
  • Large Buddhist viharas and stupas point to Sirpur’s role as a major Buddhist centre, including the Tivaradeva Mahavihara with its notable Buddha statue.
• A Sacred Riverine Cultural Landscape
  • Sirpur’s location along the Mahanadi River enhances its spiritual and cultural significance.
  • The presence of ghats, temples, and ancient settlements forms a rich riverine landscape that aligns with UNESCO’s vision of combined natural and cultural heritage — strengthening Sirpur’s case for World Heritage status.

What the Govt Plans To Do?

• Tourists currently spend nearly three hours navigating scattered village tracks to see Sirpur’s monuments.
• The Chhattisgarh government plans to reduce this by an hour through paved heritage pathways and battery-operated vehicles, enabling smoother and eco-friendly movement across the site.
• Thematic Clusters and Integrated Pathways
  • Sirpur naturally divides into four heritage zones:
    • Buddhist Monastic Cluster
    • Hindu Temple Cluster
    • Civic–Administrative Zone
    • Riverine Sacred Landscape
  • A primary pathway will link all four thematic clusters, while a secondary pathway will provide last-mile access to each monument, ensuring a coherent visitor experience.
• Land Transfer for Unified Site Management
  • To strengthen conservation and streamline administration, the ASI has requested 30 hectares of state land around the site.
  • This includes land near major monuments, approach routes, buffer zones, and areas needed for heritage management infrastructure.
  • Identified archaeological mounds and zones with high potential will undergo fresh surveys and excavations, allowing ASI to uncover more structures and strengthen Sirpur’s bid for UNESCO World Heritage status.

About Arunachalesvara Temple:

• It is located at the base of Arunachala Hill in Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu.
• It is dedicated to Lord Arunachalesvara, a form of Lord Shiva.
• The temple’s origin dates back thousands of years, with references in ancient scriptures and Tamil Saiva texts.
• The current structure, however, was built during the period of the early Chola kings (9th century AD), expanded during the period of the later Cholas, Hoysala (Bhosala) kings, and Vijayanagarar Nayakar kings,
• Architecture:
  • The temple is a fine example of Dravidian architecture.
  • The temple complex is among the largest in the country.
  • The Rajagopuram is regarded as among the tallest temple towers in the country built by the Nayaka kings.
  • There are nine lofty gopurams, intricately carved with mythological figures and deities.
  • It has a massive thousand-pillar hall built by the ancient kings.

About Chanakya Defence Dialogue 2025 (CDD 2025):

• CDD is an annual platform that encourages discussion on contemporary security issues, technological advancements in defense, and strategic partnerships.
• It is organised by the Indian Army, in collaboration with the Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS).
• It is the third edition of the dialogue.
• Scheduled as a two-day conference, the gathering will feature military leaders, global strategic experts, diplomats, industry leaders, and young scholars.
• The 'Chanakya Defence Dialogue', named after the ancient Indian strategist Chanakya, aims to create a comprehensive platform for strategic deliberation on India’s future security architecture.
• It examines India’s security challenges and technological frontiers in an increasingly contested global landscape.
• The dialogue’s outcomes are expected to inform future military policies and enhance cooperative security arrangements, potentially influencing regional peace and stability.

About Vitamin B12:

• It is a water-soluble vitamin. 
• It is also called cobalamin.
• It is a vitamin the body uses to make and support healthy nerve cells.
• It's also used to make healthy red blood cells and the genetic material inside cells called DNA.
• Human body cannot produce B12 on its own, so it must be obtained through foods high in vitamin B12 or supplements.
  • It is naturally found in animal foods such as fish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk, and milk products.
• It is not present in plant foods unless fortified.
• The body stores vitamin B12 in the liver.
• The body can store vitamin B12 for 2 to 5 years, and it can get rid of any excess or unwanted vitamin B12 in the urine.
• Vitamin B12 Deficiency:
  • People who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet can sometimes have low levels of Vitamin B12. This is because plant foods don't have vitamin B-12.
  • Older adults and people who have had stomach surgery also are at risk because they may not absorb the vitamin as well.
  • People with digestive conditions such as celiac disease and Crohn's disease also are at risk of low vitamin B-12 levels.
  • People with very low vitamin B-12 levels can have symptoms such as fatigue, muscle weakness, stomach problems, nerve damage, vision problems, and mood changes.
  • They also may have low iron, called anemia, or low blood counts.

About Etalin Hydroelectric Project:

• It is a 3,097 MW hydropower project planned on Dri and Talo rivers (tributaries of the Dibang river) in Arunachal Pradesh’s Dibang Valley.
• It is one of the largest hydropower projects proposed in the country in terms of installed capacity.
• EHEP is proposed to be developed as a combination of two run-of-the-river schemes.
• The project is being executed by NHPC Limited (formerly known as the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation).
• The project will feature two concrete gravity dams.
• The project area falls under the “richest bio-geographical province of the Himalayan zone” and “one of the mega biodiversity hotspots of the world”.
• The project area is dominated by indigenous populations belonging to Idu-Mishmi tribes.

About Aloe Vera:

• It is a succulent plant belonging to the Aloaceae family, known for its medicinal and therapeutic properties.
• Scientific Name: Aloe barbadensis Mill
• Distribution:
  • It is native to the arid, desert regions of the Arabian Peninsula, particularly in Oman, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia.
  • It thrives in hot, dry climates with well-drained, sandy, or rocky soils.
  • It is widely cultivated in various warm regions around the world, including parts of North Africa, the Canary Islands, India, and the southwestern United States.
• It is a thick, short-stemmed plant that stores water in its leaves.
• It is known for its thick, pointed, and fleshy green leaves.
  • Each leaf contains a slimy tissue that stores water, making the leaves thick.
  • This water-filled tissue is the “gel” that people associate with aloe vera products.
  • The gel contains beneficial bioactive compounds, including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
• Uses:
  • Aloe vera is known for its antibacterial, antiviral, and antiseptic properties.
  • It is best known for treating skin injuries.
  • It inhibits the growth of different types of bacteria.
  • It is used in arid regions for erosion control due to its shallow root system and ability to stabilize soil.

About Tex-RAMPS Scheme:

• It will be implemented as a Central Sector Scheme, fully funded by the Ministry of Textiles.
• It is designed to address critical gaps in research, data systems, and innovation support and capacity development.
• Components of Tex-RAMPS Scheme:
  • Research & Innovation: It promotes advanced research in smart textiles, sustainability, process efficiency, and emerging technologies.
  • Data, Analytics & Diagnostics: It creates robust data systems including employment assessments, supply chain mapping, and the India-Size study.
  • Integrated Textiles Statistical System (ITSS): A real-time, integrated data and analytics platform to support structured monitoring and strategic decision-making.
  • Capacity Development & Knowledge Ecosystem: It strengthens State-level planning, dissemination of best practices, capacity building workshops, and organisation of sectoral events.
  • Start-up & Innovation Support: It supports for incubators, hackathons, and academia-industry collaborations to nurture high-value textile start-ups and entrepreneurship.

About International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance:

• It is an inter-governmental organisation established in 1995.
• It works to strengthen democratic institutions and electoral processes worldwide.
  • International IDEA has been granted UN observer status.
• Objective: To support stronger democratic institutions and processes, and more sustainable, effective and legitimate democracy.
• India is a founding member of International IDEA.
• Governance: The Institute's governance consists of a Council of Member States, a Steering Committee, a Finance and Audit Committee, a Board of Advisers and a Secretariat, led by the Secretary-General.
  • Each year, the Council elects a Chair and two Vice Chairs among its Members States. 
• Core Functions: Its working modalities includes four elements: knowledge production, capacity development, advocacy as well as convening of dialogues.
• It focuses on six work streams namely:
  • Electoral Processes
  • Constitution-Building 
  • Democracy Assessment
  • Political Participation and Representation
  • Climate Change and Democracy
  • Digitalization and Democracy
• Secretariat: Stockholm, Sweden