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13 topicsGS-1: 4GS-2: 4GS-3: 5
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GS-2Editorial

1.Pre-1950 constitutional draft visions (Pre-1950 Drafts)

The Hindu
Illustration for Pre-1950 constitutional draft visions (Pre-1950 Drafts)

What & Where

Pre-1950 Indian constitutional drafts proposing alternate post-colonial governance models

Five key texts: 1895 Constitution Bill, 1944 Roy Draft, 1944 Hindusthan Free State Act, 1946 Gandhian Constitution, 1948 Socialist Party Draft

All India centric; visions span Dominion liberalism, participatory radicalism, cultural nationalism, village swaraj, Marxist socialism

Quick Facts for MCQs

Ideological Spectrum

  • Liberal-legal to Marxist; five drafts cover widest ideological arc in nationalist debate
  • Each linked to specific party: early Congress, Radical Democratic Party, Hindu Mahasabha, Gandhians, Socialist Party
  • Showcased constitutional imagination before Constituent Assembly

Sovereignty Placement

  • Legislature centric: 1895, Socialist Party drafts emphasised parliamentary supremacy
  • People centric: Roy Draft empowered citizens committees, right to revolt
  • Moral-community centric: Gandhian text derived authority from village ethics

Rights Architecture

  • Civil-liberty heavy: 1895, Roy; latter added justiciable socio-economic rights
  • Class-justice lens: Socialist Draft prioritised material equity over procedure
  • Duty first: Gandhian model stressed communal obligations, spiritual values

Economic Vision

  • Minimalist agrarian: Gandhian trusteeship, khadi, anti-industrial stance
  • Democratic socialism: Roy backed public control with enforceable welfare rights
  • Marxist planning: Socialist Draft sought worker-peasant control, land redistribution

Influence on 1950 Constitution

  • 1895 informed parliamentary form, rule of law
  • Roy inspired Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles, linguistic federal hints
  • Gandhian ideals echoed in Panchayati Raj and ethical state discourse

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Earliest draftConstitution of India Bill 1895
Articles in 1895 Bill110
Roy Draft ideologyRadical humanism, participatory democracy
Hindusthan Free State modelUnitary structure; provinces could secede
Gandhian core unitSelf-reliant village republic
Socialist Draft economyNationalisation of land & industry
Common legacyRights chapter, DPSP, Panchayati Raj ideas

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

GS1 1996PYQ 1

Which one of the following first mooted the idea of a constituent assembly to frame a constitution for India?

GS1 2012PYQ 2

The distribution of powers between the Centre and the States in the Indian Constitution is based on the scheme provided in the:

GS-2Polity

2.Vice-President re-election constitutional process (Vice-President Election)

Indian Express

What & Where

Vice-President of India: second constitutional post under Article 63, ex-officio Rajya Sabha Chairman.

Chosen by an electoral college of both Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha members via secret STV ballot.

Vacancy election guided by Presidential & Vice-Presidential Elections Act 1952; Constitution sets no deadline.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Legal & Policy

  • Article 68(2) silent on timeline, giving executive scheduling flexibility for by-election.
  • 104th Amendment scrapped Anglo-Indian LS nominations, marginally shrinking voter pool.
  • State legislatures constitutionally barred from Vice-Presidential election participation.

Electoral Timeline

  • Sequence: Notification → 14-day nominations → 1-day scrutiny → 2-day withdrawal → ≥15-day prep → Poll.
  • Ballot papers printed colour-coded for each House, counted immediately after polling.
  • Tight parliamentary sessions make 32-day statutory minimum hard within same sitting.

Institutional Role

  • VP presides over Rajya Sabha, decides points of order, maintains decorum.
  • Serves as Acting President during vacancy, absence or incapacity of President.
  • Expected neutrality separates office from daily executive politics.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Constitutional Articles63, 64, 65, 66(1), 68(2)
Governing ActPresidential & Vice-Presidential Elections Act 1952
Election Rules1974 Rules framed under the Act
Conducting AuthorityElection Commission of India
Electoral CollegeElected LS + Elected & Nominated RS members; States excluded
LS nominated seatsNil after 104th Amendment
Voting methodProportional Representation, Single Transferable Vote, secret ballot
Nomination backing≥ 20 proposers + 20 seconders (MPs)
Nomination window14 days from notification
Minimum poll gap post-withdrawal15 days
Statutory minimum process length32 days (notification → polling)
Vacancy deadlineNone; President election must be within 6 months
VP’s standby roleActs President under Article 65

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

CDS_GK, GEO_GS 2021PYQ 1

Which one of the following statements about the Vice-President of India is not correct?

CDS_GK, GEO_GS 2025PYQ 2

The Vice President of India, who is also the ex-officio Chairman of the Council of States, is elected by the Members of an Electoral College consisting of the Members of

GS-1History

3.Legacy of Indian radio broadcasting (Indian Radio History)

News on Air
Illustration for Legacy of Indian radio broadcasting (Indian Radio History)

What & Where

National Broadcasting Day: commemorates India’s first formal radio broadcast, 23 July 1927, Bombay station of Indian Broadcasting Company.

Marks origin of public radio that evolved into All India Radio (Akashvani) spanning domestic and external services.

Celebrated country-wide; core geography: Mumbai genesis, later pan-India network.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Institutional Evolution

  • Transition: IBC → ISBS (1930) → All India Radio (1936) → Akashvani brand (1956).
  • Addition: Vividh Bharati (1957) for film music, popular entertainment.

Coverage & Reach

  • Expansion: 6 stations (1947) to nationwide grid, sharply boosting rural signal penetration.
  • Metric: initial 2.5 % area now near-universal; exact current data not in article.

Nation-Building Role

  • Campaigns: literacy, health, farm advisories targeting remote listeners, aiding developmental communication.
  • Freedom struggle: counter-propaganda broadcasts sowed unity against British narratives.

International Outreach

  • Counter-Axis start 1939; Pashto focus for Afghan front.
  • Today: programmes in 27 languages beamed to over 100 countries, projecting soft power.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
First formal broadcast23 July 1927, Bombay, IBC
Amateur precursorsCalcutta 1923; Madras 1924
IBC takeover by Raj1930; renamed Indian State Broadcasting Service
ISBS renamed AIR1936; under Labour & Industries Dept
Akashvani name adopted1956
Vividh Bharati launch1957
AIR stations at Independence6
Area & population reach 19472.5 % land; 11 % people
External Service start1939; Pashto & Afghan
Present External outreach11 Indian + 16 foreign languages; 100+ countries
GS-1History

4.Ashokan pillar symbolism and features (Mauryan Architecture)

PTI
Illustration for Ashokan pillar symbolism and features (Mauryan Architecture)

What & Where

Ashokan Pillars: monolithic sandstone columns erected by Mauryan Emperor Ashoka after Kalinga war to broadcast Dhamma

Geography: originally across North-Central India; 2024 replica installed Waskaduwa Sri Subhuthi Viharaya, Western Province, Sri Lanka

Key type: 40–50 ft shafts with polished surface, lotus base and animal capitals, chiefly four-lion group

Quick Facts for MCQs

Structural & Artistic

  • Monolith sandstone quarried at Chunar or Mathura, lathe-turned, high gloss Mauryan polish
  • Lotus bell base supports abacus with dharma-chakra motifs under animal capital
  • Persian Achaemenid column style adapted into Buddhist symbolism, capitals carved completely in the round

Edicts & Messaging

  • Inscriptions in Brahmi, Kharosthi, Greek, Aramaic preach Ahimsa, public welfare, equal justice
  • Text placed 5-7 ft high for readability by pedestrians and mounted officials
  • Sites selected along trade routes, pilgrimage centres, provincial capitals to maximise moral outreach

Symbolic Legacy

  • Sarnath Lion Capital adopted 1950 as India’s State Emblem and appears on currency
  • Pillars viewed as earliest Indian public art integrating governance with spirituality
  • Replicas worldwide, reinforcing shared Buddhist identity across South, Southeast and Central Asia

International Outreach

  • Ashoka dispatched son Mahinda and daughter Sanghamitta to Sri Lanka propagating Theravada Buddhism
  • Current replica gifted through Indian High Commission, marking 75 years diplomatic relations
  • Pillar iconography later influenced stupas and columns in Myanmar, Thailand, Afghanistan

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Era3rd century BCE (Mauryan)
BuilderEmperor Ashoka
Avg height40–50 feet
Quarry sourceChunar & Mathura sandstone
Languages on edictsBrahmi, Kharosthi, Greek, Aramaic
Iconic capital siteSarnath, Uttar Pradesh
Artistic influencePersian-Achaemenid column style
Present national emblemFour-lion capital of Sarnath

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

GS1 1997PYQ 1

Which one of the following statements regarding Asokan stone pillars is incorrect?

GS1 2006PYQ 2

The Allahabad Pillar inscription is associated with which one of the following?

GS-1HistoryQuick Bite

5.Hatti tribe polyandry tradition (Himalayan Tribes)

The Hindu

What & Where

Hatti tribe: agrarian-trading community straddling Himachal Pradesh–Uttarakhand border, two clans—Trans-Giri and Jaunsar-Bawar.

Polyandry: “Jodidara/Jajda” custom where brothers jointly marry one woman, rooted in land-holding logic.

Core area: Sirmaur district (HP) and Jaunsar-Bawar (Uttarakhand); recognised as Scheduled Tribe in Aug 2023.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Legal & Policy

  • Recognition: Constitution Order 2023 added Hatti to ST list, enabling FRA, reservation benefits.
  • Exception: Himachal revenue law validates community polyandry despite Hindu Marriage Act prohibition.
  • Governance: Khumbli resolves disputes, enforces customary norms outside formal courts.

Social Structure

  • Kinship: Brothers share wife, children deemed common, ensuring undivided inheritance.
  • Frequency: Practice declining with education, migration, alternative livelihoods.
  • Identity: Polyandry still symbolises cultural distinctiveness, celebrated in local rituals and folklore.

Economic Angle

  • Livelihood: Seasonal crop trading and meat vending at weekly markets sustains cash needs in hill terrain.
  • Landholdings: Scarce terraced plots make division uneconomical, driving preference for joint marriage.
  • Market link: Name “Hatti” derived from haat participation, reinforcing mercantile reputation.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Community nameHatti
Traditional jobSelling crops & meat at village haats
Main clansTrans-Giri (HP), Jaunsar-Bawar (UK)
Key customPolyandry called Jodidara/Jajda
Legal positionPolyandry illegal nationally, but upheld under HP revenue customary law
Tribal statusScheduled Tribe since Aug 2023
Governing councilKhumbli
Polyandry purposePrevent land fragmentation, maintain family unity
GS-1MappingQuick Bite

6.Bitra Island strategic acquisition in Lakshadweep (Lakshadweep Islands)

Hindustan Times

What & Where

Definition Smallest inhabited island of Lakshadweep UT, recently notified for defence acquisition

Location 11°36′N 72°11′E in Aminidivi subgroup, 483 km west of Kochi

Size Land strip 0.57 km long, 0.28 km wide, ringed by 45.61 sq km lagoon

Quick Facts for MCQs

Physical Geography

  • Coordinates 11°36′N 72°11′E place island in Arabian Sea shipping corridor
  • Dimensions 0.57 km × 0.28 km render limited land availability
  • Lagoon 45.61 sq km offers ample anchorage and coral habitat

Climate & Ecology

  • Temperature 25-35 °C during March-May hot period reflecting equatorial maritime climate
  • Rainfall 1600 mm annually supports coconut groves and sparse vegetation
  • Marine biodiversity enriched by coral reefs encircling lagoon

Security Dimension

  • Acquisition aims creation of defence post enhancing surveillance over western Indian Ocean lanes
  • Facility will complement INS Dweeprakshak Kavaratti and upcoming INS Jatayu Minicoy
  • Strategic location midway between mainland India and Gulf routes aids anti-piracy operations

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Coordinates11°36′N, 72°11′E
Distance from Kochi483 km / 261 nautical miles
Island subgroupAminidivi
Land length0.57 km
Land width0.28 km
Lagoon area45.61 sq km
Hot period monthsMarch-May
Temperature range25 °C – 35 °C
Annual rainfall1600 mm
Census 2011 population271
Primary livelihoodsFishing, coconut cultivation
Planned facilityDefence establishment complementing INS bases
GS-3Environment

7.Karenia mikimotoi toxic algal bloom disaster (Harmful Algal Bloom)

DD News

What & Where

Karenia mikimotoi: toxic, athecate dinoflagellate forming harmful algal bloom (HAB) deadly to marine fauna.

Current bloom: ~4,500 sq km in Great Australian Bight, declared natural disaster by South Australia.

Outcome: >400 marine species killed, fisheries & coastal tourism disrupted.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Environmental Impact

  • Hypoxia creation; decomposing bloom strips dissolved oxygen, causing fish, shellfish, echinoderm deaths.
  • Ecosystem loss cascades into food-web collapse, seabird starvation likely.
  • Fisheries closures and tourist beach advisories issued along Eyre & Yorke Peninsulas.

Biological Traits

  • Fragile cell; rupture releases toxins directly on fish gills causing stress, disorientation, mortality.
  • Genus relatives include K. brevis (Florida red tide) but K. mikimotoi less human-toxic.
  • Bloom frequency rises with warmer, nutrient-rich, stratified waters.

Climate Change Angle

  • Marine heatwave raises SST, accelerates dinoflagellate growth rates and stratification stability.
  • Drought-driven reduced river flow lowers turbidity, increasing light penetration for bloom expansion.
  • Event referenced by authorities as climate-aggravated natural disaster, prompting adaptation review.

Regional Geography

  • Eyre Peninsula & Nullarbor Plain flank the bloom-affected coast.
  • Great Australian Bight’s open-ocean mixing usually limits HABs; current anomaly highlights climatic shifts.
  • Arid inland limits freshwater nutrient runoff; oceanic upwelling suspected primary nutrient source.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Taxon typeDinoflagellate (athecate)
Toxin outputReactive oxygen species, ichthyotoxins
Human illness riskNone recorded
Bloom size (2024)~4,500 sq km
Reported mortalities400+ marine species
Trigger factorMarine heat-wave, climate change
Affected stateSouth Australia
Capital cityAdelaide
Coastline seaGreat Australian Bight
State highest peakMount Woodroffe 1,435 m
Lowest pointLake Eyre ≈ –15 m
Main riverMurray (only perennial)
State climate tagDriest Australian state
GS-3SpeciesQuick Bite

8.Cheetah mortality in Kuno National Park (Cheetah Reintroduction)

The Hindu

What & Where

Project Cheetah: national programme to re-establish cheetahs, declared extinct in India in 1952

Core release sites: Kuno National Park & planned Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, both in Madhya Pradesh

Source landscapes: Namibia, South Africa (Phase-1) and proposed Kenya (Phase-2) with comparable savanna-woodland habitat

Quick Facts for MCQs

Implementing Agencies

  • NTCA overall coordination; funds via MoEF&CC Centrally Sponsored Scheme
  • MP Forest Department ground execution including prey management, protection, community liaison
  • Wildlife Institute of India scientific advice on health, radio-collaring, post-release monitoring

Translocation Phases

  • Phase-1 completed: 20 cheetahs flown from Namibia & South Africa to Kuno by 2023
  • Phase-2 planning: additional import from Kenya to diversify gene pool, occupy Gandhi Sagar WLS
  • Long-term target: self-sustaining meta-population across 5–6 Indian landscapes

Mortalities

  • Nabha death due to hunting-related injuries indicates adaptation challenges for imported adults
  • Previous mortalities prompted review of enclosure size, prey availability, veterinary response
  • Adaptive management includes radio-telemetry, early intervention protocols, seasonal health checks

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Launch year2022
Extinction year (India)1952
Nodal authorityNational Tiger Conservation Authority
Technical partnerWildlife Institute of India
State partnerMadhya Pradesh Forest Department
Phase-1 donor nationsNamibia (2022), South Africa (2023)
Proposed Phase-2 donorKenya
Present release parkKuno National Park, MP
Planned additional siteGandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, MP
Latest mortality8-yr Namibian female ‘Nabha’, Jul 2025

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

CDS_GK, GEO_GS 2023PYQ 1

Cheetahs, brought from Namibia, were introduced in India to which one of the following National Parks?

CDS_GK, GEO_GS 2022PYQ 2

Which one of the following was recently considered to be a suitable site for introducing African cheetah in India?

GS-3Editorial

9.India’s nuclear power expansion targets (Nuclear Energy)

The Hindu
Illustration for India’s nuclear power expansion targets (Nuclear Energy)

What & Where

Civil nuclear programme: mainly Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors; Union Budget target 100 GW capacity by 2047.

Landmark sites: Apsara research reactor 1956 (Trombay), Tarapur power station 1963; future Small Modular Reactor clusters nationwide.

Legal frame: Atomic Energy Act 1962 and CLNDA 2010 govern ownership, regulation and supplier liability.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Legal & Policy

  • Restrictive: Atomic Energy Act 1962 limits reactor ownership to government, blocking private or foreign majority entry.
  • Liability: CLNDA 2010 assigns post-incident responsibility to suppliers, discouraging global vendors from Indian projects.
  • Regulator: Nuclear Safety Regulatory Authority Bill, pending, aims statutory independence now lacking in AERB.

Finance & Economics

  • Costly: Nuclear build cost twice new coal; absence from green-finance taxonomy raises borrowing rates.
  • Incentives: Proposed tax holidays, viability-gap funds and long-term PPAs to improve project bankability.
  • Security: 24×7 nuclear base-load cuts fossil-fuel import bill and underpins $35 trillion Viksit Bharat ambition.

Technology & Schemes

  • SMR push: Budgeted ₹20,000 crore to develop modular 220 MW PHWR-derived reactors for captive industrial use.
  • Density advantage: Kilograms of uranium yield gigawatt-hours, saving land compared with solar or wind.
  • Standardisation: Replicable designs envisioned to quicken deployment en route to 100 GW goal.

International Cooperation

  • Post-2008 NSG waiver reopened fuel trade, yet US AP1000 and French EPR negotiations languish over 15 years.
  • Fast-track: Government urges NPCIL-led JVs with PSUs (NTPC) and majors (Adani, Tata) to revive stalled deals.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
2047 capacity target100 GW
SMR Budget 2025-26₹20,000 crore
First research reactorApsara, 1956
First power plantTarapur, 1963
Indigenous standard unit220 MW PHWR
PHWR capital cost≈ $2 million/MW
Restrictive ownership lawAtomic Energy Act 1962
Supplier liability lawCLNDA 2010

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

GS1, NDA_GAT 2025PYQ 1

The Joint Venture named ‘ASHVINI’ to develop nuclear power facility in India is between

GS1, NDA_GAT 2016PYQ 2

India is an important member of the ‘International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor’. If this experiment succeeds, what is the immediate advantage for India?

GS-3S&T

10.GM pineapple resists Fusariosis fungus (GM Crops)

PIB
Illustration for GM pineapple resists Fusariosis fungus (GM Crops)

What & Where

GMO pineapple overexpressing AcSERK3 gene confers resistance to Fusarium-induced Fusariosis

Created through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of pineapple explants

Developed at Bose Institute, Kolkata (DST), for tropical pineapple-growing zones

Quick Facts for MCQs

Biotechnology Process

  • Overexpression boosts innate defence pathways instead of inserting foreign genes
  • Agrobacterium vector delivers AcSERK3 into meristematic leaf explants
  • Transgenics validated by elevated chitinase glucanase enzyme assays

Agricultural Impact

  • Resistance prevents stem warp leaf blackening internal fruit rot yield loss
  • Fungicide reduction lowers input cost and chemical residue in fields
  • Potential scalability to multi-fungal resistance post field trials

Research Bodies

  • Project funded by DST under SERB scheme
  • Bose Institute houses Plant Biology department pioneering this work
  • Findings published peer-reviewed indicating reproducible transformation protocol

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Target diseaseFusariosis by Fusarium moniliforme
Resistance geneAcSERK3 (somatic embryogenesis receptor kinase-3)
Transformation methodAgrobacterium-mediated transfer into explants
Origin instituteBose Institute, Kolkata (DST)
Lead scientistsProf Gaurab Gangopadhyay; Dr Soumili Pal
Notable first1st inherent gene overexpression for pineapple antifungal
Field benefitCuts chemical fungicide dependence
Trait stabilityLow risk of gene loss over generations
Added toleranceHigher stress-responsive enzyme activity

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

GS1 2010PYQ 1

Mon 863 is a variety of maize. It was in the news for the following reason

GS1 2011PYQ 2

A genetically engineered form of brinjal, known as the Bt-brinjal, has been developed. The objective of this is

GS-2SecurityQuick Bite

11.UK sanctions global migrant smuggling networks (Migrant Smuggling)

Times of India

What & Where

Migrant smuggling = facilitating non-resident’s illegal border entry for profit, defined by UN Protocol against Smuggling of Migrants

United Kingdom launches first ever global sanctions regime targeting smuggling gangs, middlemen, enablers

Measures apply worldwide across land, sea, air routes; tools include asset freezes, travel bans, UK-finance cutoff

Quick Facts for MCQs

Legal & Policy

  • Sanctions aim to disrupt revenue streams but need multistate coordination for full impact
  • Regime underscores state sovereignty over borders as key legal concern
  • UK model could influence future UN or EU frameworks

Security Dimension

  • Smuggling networks treated as organised crime threatening border integrity
  • Financial isolation intended to deter investment in boats, documents, safe houses
  • Skepticism persists on enforcement without shared intelligence and extradition agreements

Comparison with Trafficking

  • Exploitation distinguishes trafficking; smuggling centres on voluntary yet illegal passage
  • Smuggled migrants can later become trafficking victims if deceived post-crossing

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Launching stateUnited Kingdom
Global precedenceFirst dedicated sanctions regime on migrant smuggling
Sanction toolsAsset freeze, travel ban, denial of UK financial system
Covered actorsGangs, middlemen, logistical enablers
Governing definitionUN Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants, 2000
Crime focusProfit from illegal crossing, not exploitation
Border elementAlways transnational; trafficking may stay within one country
GS-2Misc

12.US withdrawal from UNESCO 2026 (UNESCO Withdrawal)

The Hindu

What & Where

UNESCO: UN’s specialised agency for education, science, culture, information; Constitution effective 1946.

HQ: Paris, France; operates via General Conference, Executive Board, Secretariat.

USA plans second exit, effective Dec 2026, citing alleged anti-Israel bias.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Legal & Policy

  • US cites anti-Israel bias, Palestine’s 2011 admission, heritage site designations as withdrawal grounds.
  • Withdrawal notice must be given at least a year before fiscal year start, per UNESCO Constitution Art II. 6.
  • Financial arrears: US owes >$600 mn after 2011 funding freeze.

Governance & Finance

  • Budget funded by assessed & voluntary contributions; US share once ~22 %.
  • Loss of US funds earlier forced program cuts, staffing freezes.
  • Voting rights suspended for members two years in arrears.

Programmes & Impact

  • World Heritage List: 1 157 sites across 167 countries; legal protection, tourism boost.
  • Man & Biosphere: 748 reserves in 134 countries; promotes human-nature balance.
  • Tsunami Early-Warning Systems, Literacy Initiatives aid disaster risk reduction, SDG-4 progress.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Full formUnited Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
Establishment date16 Nov 1945 (Constitution in force 1946)
Current HQ cityParis
Present DGAudrey Azoulay
US UNESCO historyLeft 1984–2003; suspended funding 2011; left 2018; rejoined 2022; exit planned 2026
Palestine admission year2011 (triggered US funding halt)
Core mandatesEducation, Science, Culture, Communication & Information
Flagship conventionsWorld Heritage 1972; Intangible Heritage 2003; Man & Biosphere 1971
AI ethics instrument2021 Recommendation on Artificial Intelligence
Recent education driveGlobal Education Coalition, 2020 (COVID-19 response)
GS-3Security

13.MiG-21 retirement from Indian Air Force (Fighter Aircraft)

NDTV

What & Where

MiG-21: Soviet single-engine supersonic fighter, licence-produced by HAL, backbone of Indian Air Force (IAF) for decades.

First IAF induction 1963; last two MiG-21 Bison squadrons scheduled retirement September 2025.

Operated across Indian airbases; saw combat in 1965 & 1971 Indo-Pak wars.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Tech & Specs

  • Supersonic capability Mach 2+, compact delta wing, all-weather multirole loadout (AAMs, bombs, cannon).
  • Bison upgrade added pulse-Doppler radar, modern avionics, R-73 missiles.
  • Six-decade service underscores design longevity despite dated safety standards.

Security Dimension

  • Crucial air-combat asset in 1965 & 1971 wars; India’s first non-Western frontline fighter.
  • Delayed retirement linked to squadron strength gaps, maintaining minimal deterrence.
  • Phase-out dovetails with indigenous Tejas scale-up to restore 42-squadron target.

Social Concerns

  • High accident rate spurred “Flying Coffin” epithet, fueling public scrutiny over pilot safety.
  • 400+ crashes caused >250 fatalities, including civilians near crash sites.
  • Pressure from media, Parliament accelerated definitive retirement date.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
DesignerMikoyan-Gurevich Bureau, USSR
Indian makerHindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL)
IAF induction year1963
Planned phase-outSept 2025
Peak speedMach 2+
Current variantMiG-21 Bison
Total crashes (≈)>400 since 1970s
Pilot deaths>200
Civilian deaths~50
Nickname“Flying Coffin”
ReplacementTejas Mk-1A squadrons
IAF fighter units29 vs sanctioned 42.5

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

GS1 2024PYQ 1

Consider the following aircraft:

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