The government’s fresh GST 2.0 rules rolled out on 22 September 2025. The GST Reforms for a New Generation brought in a lot of changes that have turned the school supply market upside down. Some items are now completely tax-free, while others have slipped into the expensive bracket with 18% GST. For students, parents, and teachers, this update changes the way we shop for essentials like notebooks, pens, school bags, and even art materials. The Junior Age has a breakdown list that will help you know and understand the updated price better.
Know what’s cheaper and what’s not under the new GST rates 2025:
New GST rates 2025 – what’s cheaper now
All the basic school supplies are now under the cheaper category of the new GST reforms for a new generation.
For families with younger children, baby essentials such as feeding bottles, napkins, and nappies have been reduced to 5% GST, making childcare slightly less expensive.
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What’s costlier now, as per the new GST rates 2025
On the other hand, some school supplies that parents purchase every year have become more expensive. Pens, fountain pens, markers, and stylus pens have been shifted to the 18% GST bracket, up from the earlier 5 to 12%.
School bags, satchels, and backpacks also now carry 18% GST, which is bad news for families buying new bags at the start of the school year. Printed books that do not fall into the notebook or exercise book category are also taxed at 18%, which could affect the cost of textbooks and storybooks.
Dussehra is more than just a festival of lights, colours, and fireworks. It’s a celebration packed with magic, stories, and science! From the towering effigies of Ravana to sparkling fireworks, glowing diyas, vibrant rangoli designs, and colourful Navratri outfits, every part of the festival has a special meaning and a fascinating reason behind it. The Junior Age is here to explore the spiritual significance and the science behind each Dussehra tradition, so you can see just how magical and logical this festival really is.
From Burning Ravan Effigies to Navratri Colours: Cultural Significance and Science of Dussehra Explained –
1. Burning of Ravana’s Effigy
Spiritual and Cultural Significance:
The burning of the Ravana effigy represents the victory of good over evil, reminding us that courage and righteousness prevail. It’s also a way to symbolically destroy negativity in our lives.
The Physics Aspect Behind Burning an Effigy:
Effigies are made of straw, hay, bamboo, and paper. These materials are highly flammable. When ignited, they undergo combustion, a reaction between fuel and oxygen that produces heat, light, and smoke. Hollow spaces inside the effigy allow air to circulate, helping the fire spread quickly and dramatically.
The bright explosions in the sky are a symbol of joy, victory, and celebration. During Dussehra, fireworks celebrate the triumph of good over evil and mark a joyous victory. The bright lights are believed to ward off evil spirits and bring happiness.
The Physics Aspect Behind The Colourful Fireworks:
Fireworks work because of chemical reactions. They contain metal salts that produce colours when heated:
Strontium = red
Copper = blue
Sodium = yellow
Barium = green
The loud sounds are caused by the rapid expansion of gases, while sparkles come from tiny burning metal particles.
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3. Lighting Diyas on Dussehra
Spiritual and Cultural Significance:
Lighting diyas symbolises driving away darkness and welcoming light, wisdom, and positivity into our homes.
The Physics Aspect of How Does a Diya Actually Light:
The cotton wick draws oil upward by capillary action. As the oil burns, chemical energy is converted into heat and light, producing a steady glow. The steady flame is a simple and beautiful example of controlled energy transfer.
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4. Navratri Colours And The Science Behind It
Spiritual and Cultural Significance:
Each day of Navratri is associated with a specific colour, representing energy, peace, happiness, or courage. It’s meant to influence mood, behaviour, and positivity during the festival.
Why Wear Colours During Navratri:
Colours affect humans psychologically through the perception of light wavelengths. For example: Red energises, yellow inspires joy, and blue promotes calmness. Combining cultural tradition with human biology shows science and spirituality together.
Poojn
5. Rangoli Patterns Used for All Festivals
Spiritual and Cultural Significance:
Rangoli decorates homes to welcome gods and goddesses, particularly Goddess Lakshmi, symbolising prosperity and happiness.
The Science Behind Rangoli Patterns
Rangoli powders are made from minerals, rice flour, and flowers, demonstrating chemistry in pigments. Creating symmetrical designs engages geometry and spatial reasoning, stimulating creativity and motor skills.
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6. Decorative Flowers and Leaves in Torans
Spiritual and Cultural Significance:
Marigold flowers, mango leaves, and banana stems decorate spaces to invite positivity and ward off negativity.
The Scientific Logic:
Marigolds repel insects naturally
Mango leaves have antimicrobial properties
Banana stems are flexible and strong
These natural materials combine biology and sustainability in practical use.
7. Smoke And Aroma from Incense Sticks
Spiritual and Cultural Significance:
Incense sticks, effigies, and diyas release pleasant aromas that are believed to purify the space and enhance spiritual focus.
The Physical Aspects:
Burning produces aromatic compounds and tiny particles that scatter light. Humans perceive these through olfactory receptors, demonstrating chemistry and physics at play.
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8. Storytelling and Reciting Ramayana
Spiritual and Cultural Significance:
Reciting the Ramayana reinforces moral lessons and cultural values, connecting generations through storytelling.
The Logical Aspect:
Hearing stories with visuals, actions, and music improves memory retention, attention, and cognitive development, combining tradition with neuroscience.
There is a new record break in the cricket world for India! Smriti Mandhana has set the cricketing world alight with a breathtaking display of batting brilliance. In the third ODI against Australia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, Smriti shattered records! She smashed her way to a century in just 50 balls, creating history as the fastest Indian (male or female) to reach an ODI hundred. The Junior Age has more details for you.
Smriti Mandhana Shatters Record with Fastest Indian ODI Hundred in 50 Balls:
Smriti Mandhana has just set the cricketing world on fire. In a high-voltage clash against Australia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, the Indian opener smashed her way to a breathtaking hundred in only 50 balls. With this, she has become the fastest Indian (man or woman) to score a century in One Day Internationals.
Her innings wasn’t just fast, it was explosive. She struck 17 fours and 5 sixes, racing to three figures with a mix of precision and sheer power. It came while chasing a mammoth target of 413, adding even more weight to her performance.
Cricbuzz
Why This Century Matters
A Historic First for India No Indian before Smriti has ever scored an ODI hundred this quickly. For years, Virat Kohli held the record with his 52-ball ton against Australia back in 2013.
Boost for Women’s Cricket This isn’t just a personal record. It shifts perception. Smriti Mandhana now holds the fastest Indian ODI hundred across genders, showing the growing firepower and confidence of women’s cricket.
Cricbuzz
Globally, Mandhana’s effort now stands as the second fastest century in women’s ODI cricket history, just behind Meg Lanning’s 45-ball whirlwind against New Zealand in 2012.
Cricket history has witnessed many iconic knocks, but this one is set apart by the barriers it breaks and the doors it opens. India didn’t just see a century. It saw the future of cricket unfold.
US President Donald Trump recently visited the United Kingdom for a State Visit. This was his first time a foreign leader had been accorded this honour twice. From 16 to 18 September 2025, Donald Trump saw a mix of royal ceremonies, business agreements, and public demonstrations. The Junior Age has all the details below!
Check Out All the Details About Donald Trump and His Visit to the United Kingdom:
Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were welcomed by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosting key meetings. The visit included a state banquet, military procession, and discussions on trade, technology, and diplomacy.
All About the Key Agreements – Business Deals and Investment
One of the major highlights was that the two nations signed a massive £31 billion (US$42 billion) Tech Prosperity Deal by bringing US tech giants, such as Microsoft, Google, and Nvidia, to the UK. This sets the stage for UK-US collaboration on AI, quantum computing, nuclear energy, and faster technology licensing procedures.
Credits: Reuters
The investment is expected to support sectors such as clean energy, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing, creating approximately 7,600 new jobs. Along with this, Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President Donald Trump also discussed trade and world issues.
The State Visit showcased the ‘special relationship’ between the UK and the US, combining royal tradition with business diplomacy.
Credits: Evan VucciCredits: Evan Vucci
What Is a State Visit? How Is It Different from a Meeting?
A state visit is a very special type of visit by a foreign leader, like a president or prime minister, to another country. It is not just about talking or signing deals; it is official, ceremonial, and often involves the country’s head of state, like a king or queen. During a state visit, there are usually grand welcomes, parades, banquets, and official speeches, showing respect and friendship between countries.
Credits: Kirsty Wigglesworth
In contrast, a meeting is usually simpler. Leaders might sit together, discuss business or politics, and make agreements, but it doesn’t involve royal ceremonies, big parades, or fancy banquets. Think of a state visit as a ‘special event’ version of a meeting, where business, friendship, and pageantry all come together!
India has been creating buzz about a Boxing Championship, all for the right reason. The Junior Age brings you the inspiring story of Nupur Sheoran, India’s new boxing star, who fought her way to a Silver medal at the World Boxing Championships 2025. Nupur’s journey is packed with grit, comebacks, and powerful punches.
Know all about Nupur Sheoran and her story shows how determination can turn challenges into Boxing Championship triumphs:
When you grow up in the family of boxing royalty, expectations are heavy. Born on 26 September 1998 in Haryana, for Nupur Sheoran, though, that weight has turned into power. With a strong legacy, it was only a matter of time before Nupur stepped into the ring herself.
Haryana has long been India’s boxing heartland, producing names like Vijender Singh and Mary Kom’s fiercest sparring partners. Nupur grew up surrounded by gloves, bags, and ringside stories. Her father, Sanjay Singh Sheoran, is also a former boxer and today runs the Captain Hawa Singh Boxing Academy in Bhiwani. That gym became her playground, and later, her battlefield.
By 2015, she had chosen boxing as her path. Training was never easy. Hours of drills, bruised knuckles, and the shadow of her grandfather’s reputation followed her. But rather than being crushed by that pressure, Nupur used it as motivation.
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National Dominance & Turning Point for Nupur Sheoran
In India, she quickly rose to the top. Nupur became a five-time national champion, dominating her weight category. Coaches admired her tall frame, sharp jab, and mental toughness. But her real test was yet to come, proving herself on the world stage.
In 2023, Nupur suffered a serious foot injury that could have ended her career. Instead, she came back stronger, switching to the +80 kg heavyweight division, a category where India has rarely won medals. Her height of 1.83 metres gave her a natural reach advantage, but it also meant fewer sparring partners of her size in India. Finding balance in this new category was a fresh challenge.
Silver Medal for India In World Boxing Championships 2025
In 2025, at the World Boxing Championships in Liverpool, Nupur delivered one of the finest performances of her career. She battled past Uzbekistan’s Oltinoy Sotimboeva with a convincing 4-1 win in the quarterfinals, securing at least a bronze medal for India. She didn’t stop there. With grit and power, she reached the final, where she fought Poland’s Agata Kaczmarska.
The match was tough and went down to the wire. In the end, Nupur lost 2–3, but her silver medal was historic. It marked a breakthrough for Indian women in the heavyweight category, shining a spotlight on a division often overlooked.
NDTV Sports
For Nupur Sheoran, silver is not the end. It is the beginning of a bigger journey. Her story is proof that legacies are not just inherited, they are built, one fight at a time.
