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15 topicsGS-1: 1GS-2: 7GS-3: 7
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GS-2Polity

1.Rising Judicial Pendency in India (Judiciary Pendency)

The Hindu

What & Where

Judicial pendency – unresolved caseload in Supreme Court, 25 High Courts, and subordinate judiciary across India

Core processes – case filing, hearing, disposal, plus alternative dispute resolution routes like mediation and arbitration

Geography – apex court in Delhi; High Courts and 18,000-plus district courts nationwide

Quick Facts for MCQs

Backlog Drivers

  • Low Ratio: 15 judges per million markedly below recommended 50
  • Govt Litigation: ministries generate almost half of all pending suits
  • Vacancies: 5,600 unfilled posts; High Courts face 33 % shortfall

Reform Agenda

  • Appointments: 120th Commission backs 50 judges/million and creation of AIJS
  • ADR: Scale mediation, arbitration, conciliation to divert fit disputes
  • Digitalisation: Expand e-Courts, AI tools like FASTER for automated notices

Comparative Metrics

  • USA: 150 judges per million, tenfold Indian ratio
  • Europe: 220 judges per million average in 2022
  • Disposal: Despite 80 % clearance, SC backlog still climbs to record high

Infrastructure & Tech

  • Courtrooms: Limited halls restrict concurrent benches, slowing trials
  • ICT: Patchy connectivity and obsolete hardware hamper virtual hearing efficiency
  • Authority: Proposed National Judicial Infrastructure Authority to unify standards and funding

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
SC sanctioned strength34 judges
SC pending cases (Aug 2025)88,417
SC disposal rate (Aug 2025)80.04 %
HC pending cases63.3 lakh
District & subordinate pending4.6 crore
Total national pendency5 crore +
Judge-population ratio (India)15 per million
Law Commission 1987 norm50 per million
Judicial vacancies (all courts)5,600
HC vacancy rate 202533 %
Govt share in suits~50 %
GS-2Polity

2.SC DNA Evidence Guidelines (DNA Evidence)

The Hindu

What & Where

DNA evidence: biological samples analysed for identity or relationship in criminal probes across India

Supreme Court, Kattavellai @ Devakar v. State of Tamil Nadu 2025: first uniform protocol on DNA handling

Geography core: all Indian police, Forensic Science Laboratories, trial courts

Quick Facts for MCQs

Legal & Policy

  • Guideline requirement: FIR details, IO name, med-officer & independent witness signatures on collection document
  • Privacy risk flagged: potential surveillance, genetic discrimination from expanding databases
  • Opinion evidence tag: court must assess probative weight case-wise

Technical Protocols

  • Preservation focus: avoid heat, moisture, quantity loss, contamination during collection
  • Transport mandate: investigating officer personally delivers to FSL within 48 hours
  • No resealing: sample cannot be reopened, altered, resealed without court order

Case Law Tracker

  • Sharda v. Dharmpal 2003: DNA testing upheld, not violative of Art 20(3)/21
  • Rahul case 2022: chain breach led to evidentiary rejection
  • Devakar 2025: uniform handling norms, DNA as opinion evidence

Oversight & Accountability

  • Chain of Custody Register to be part of trial court record for transparency
  • Independent witness signatures ensure credibility at collection stage

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Maximum transit time to FSL≤ 48 hours from collection
Mandatory recordChain of Custody Register till case closure
Re-opening of sealed sampleOnly on trial-court authorisation
Legal status of DNA opinionSection 39, Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023
First DNA use in IndiaKunhiraman v. Manoj 1991 (paternity)
Civil liberty articles discussedArt 20(3), Art 21
Law enabling DNA profiling of arresteesBharatiya Nagarik Surakhsha Sanhita 2023 §51
Recent rejection reasonRahul v. State of Delhi 2022—2-month police custody of sample

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

GS1 2000PYQ 1

Assertion (A): “DNA Finger-printing” has become a powerful tool to establish paternity and identity of criminals in rape and assault cases.

GS-2PolityQuick Bite

3.Opium Cultivation Licensing Policy 2025-26 (Opium Policy)

PIB

What & Where

Opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) annual medicinal herb yielding gum rich in morphine, codeine, thebaine.

Licit gum-opium cultivation confined to notified tracts in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh under Central Bureau of Narcotics.

Annual Licensing Policy 2025-26 targets 1.21 lakh farmers, securing domestic alkaloid supply for medical & palliative use.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Legal & Policy

  • Licensing conditional on minimum yield; sub-par farmers face licence suspension or reduction.
  • India sole UN-authorised gum-opium producer; strict adherence to convention quotas and reporting.
  • Policy supports Make-for-World vision, aiming self-reliance plus export-ready quality.

Agronomic Conditions

  • Requires temperate winter climate, well-drained light black/loamy soil.
  • Frost, high humidity, persistent rain drastically cut gum quantity and quality.
  • Harvest involves capsule lancing and latex collection before full ripening.

Industrial & Pharma Angle

  • Alkaloids processed into painkillers, cough suppressants, antispasmodics; critical for oncology and palliative care.
  • WHO-GMP certification enables Neemuch outputs to enter regulated global pharma supply chains.
  • Modernisation of govt factories expected to reduce costly opioid imports.

Historical Context

  • Cultivation recorded in India since 10th century; Mughal federal monopoly, British control from 1773.
  • Post-independence nationalisation retained monopoly to curb diversion and meet medical demand.
  • Traditional tri-state belt continues due to agro-climatic suitability and legacy infrastructure.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Governing ActNarcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances Act 1985
Licensing authorityCentral Bureau of Narcotics, Gwalior
Policy year2025-26 season
Eligible cultivators1.21 lakh farmers
Permitted Indian statesMP, Rajasthan, UP
UN frameworkSingle Convention on Narcotic Drugs 1961
Sale requirementEntire crop sold to Government at fixed price
Govt alkaloid factory with WHO-GMPNeemuch, Madhya Pradesh
Key alkaloids extractedMorphine, Codeine, Thebaine
Optimal soil pHAround 7.0
GS-3Economy

4.Economic Involution Concept (Market Overcompetition)

The Hindu

What & Where

Definition – Involution (nèijuǎn): inward-looking hyper-competition yielding diminishing returns, now plaguing China’s EV industry

Process – Deep price wars push retail below production cost, eroding profits and threatening firm survival

Geography – Centred in mainland China’s 120-130 EV makers; surplus units spill toward overseas emerging markets

Quick Facts for MCQs

Economic Angle

  • Hyper-competition – Multiple makers slash prices unsustainably, initiating destructive race to the bottom
  • Excess-capacity – Domestic demand lags output, inflating inventories and financial stress
  • Profit-erosion – Reduced margins curb R&D, threatening long-term technological edge

Policy Response

  • Government-concern – Involution viewed as economic drag, prompting contemplated interventions and industry guidelines
  • Consolidation-push – Authorities favour mergers, scaling down weaker firms for healthier market structure
  • Stability-goal – Aim to protect employment, maintain R&D investment, avert systemic financial strain

Global Spillover

  • Export-surge – Surplus EVs redirected to Asia, Africa, Latin America at bargain rates
  • Local-industry-shock – Indigenous automakers face price undercutting, potential plant closures
  • Trade-tensions – Receiving nations may impose safeguards, amplifying existing tariff wars

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Term originLatin “involūtiōn-em” = turn inwards
Academic populariserClifford Geertz, Agricultural Involution (1969)
Active EV makers~120–130 in China
Key triggerUS/EU tariff barriers rerouting exports home
Selling patternRetail prices < unit production cost
Main falloutBankruptcy & mergers among small players
Employment riskLayoffs as weak firms exit
Global effectCheap Chinese EVs undercut foreign producers
GS-3Economy

5.Indian Dairy Sector Overview (Dairy Sector)

LiveMint
Illustration for Indian Dairy Sector Overview (Dairy Sector)

What & Where

Dairy sector = India’s largest agri-enterprise; transformed by Operation Flood (1970-96) into world’s No. 1 milk producer.

Core model: 80 mn smallholders, 3–4-cow herds; 70 % milk flows through unorganised village collectors.

High-output belts: Gujarat, Karnataka, Punjab co-operative clusters; pan-India self-sufficiency with 248 MMT milk (2024-25).

Quick Facts for MCQs

Economic Angle

  • Livelihood backbone; steady cash even during crop failures, strong vote-bank via co-ops Amul, Nandini, Verka.
  • Multiplier jobs in transport, retail, processing; second-largest rural employer after cropping.
  • Nutrition; affordable protein & calcium for largely vegetarian populace.

Trade & Tariff

  • High tariffs shield farmers; core sticking point in India–US FTA.
  • US/EU/NZ surplus eye India’s 1.4 bn consumer base; MNCs can undercut with scale.
  • Export surge in ghee, butter, SMP; Bangladesh, UAE top buyers.

Constraints & Reforms

  • Low productivity from poor feed, heat stress, limited AI; 25 % cows infertile.
  • Only 4 % agri budget; need IVF, sex-sorted semen, cluster-based dairy parks, FPO aggregation.
  • Value-addition push: cheese, whey, global “A2” & organic branding for premium margins.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Global rank1st, 26 % of world milk
2024-25 production248 MMT
2024-25 domestic use243 MMT
Agri-GDP share31 % (highest among sub-sectors)
Rural households engaged80 million
Average herd size3–4 cattle
Yield gap1/8th of US/NZ cow yield
Marketed milk split70 % unorganised : 30 % organised
Dairy export growth2× in last 3 yrs
Budget share in agri outlay~4 %

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

GEO_GS 2024PYQ 1

Which of the following statements with respect to milk production in India is/are not correct?

GS-1MappingQuick Bite

6.Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC Geography)

The Hindu
Illustration for Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC Geography)

What & Where

Eastern DRC conflict: M23 insurgency; recent U.S.-brokered Rwanda-DRC pact and Qatar-mediated ceasefire attempt.

Theatre: North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri within Democratic Republic of Congo—Africa’s 2nd-largest country in central-east Africa.

Key geography: mineral-rich Katanga Plateau, equatorial Congo Basin, Congo River through capital Kinshasa, small Atlantic coastline SW.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Security Dimension

  • Mediations: USA sealed Rwanda-DRC agreement; Qatar brokered DRC-M23 ceasefire.
  • Reversal: M23 quickly relaunched offensives, imperilling negotiated peace.
  • Hotspots: Fighting concentrates around Goma, Rutshuru, Bunia corridors.

Geographical Highlights

  • Congo Basin hosts world’s second-largest rainforest after Amazon.
  • Congo River provides hydropower, transport; only African river crossing equator twice.
  • Lakes chain fosters fisheries, cross-border trade, strategic choke-points.

Mineral Wealth

  • Katanga Plateau supplies over half global cobalt, critical for EV batteries.
  • Volcanic terrain enriches copper, tin, diamond lodes yet raises seismic hazard.

Border Interface

  • Neighbours: Angola, Rep. of Congo, CAR, South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia.
  • Atlantic outlet: 40 km coastline ensures maritime access via Matadi-Banana corridor.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Continental size rank2nd-largest in Africa
Capital cityKinshasa on Congo River
Main riverCongo; crosses equator twice
Conflict provincesNorth Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri
Rebel groupM23 (March 23 Movement)
Recent mediatorsUSA, Qatar
Active volcanoMount Nyiragongo, Virunga
Mineral beltKatanga Plateau—cobalt, copper, tin, uranium, diamonds
Eastern lakesTanganyika, Albert, Edward, Kivu
Ocean frontageAtlantic coast in southwest

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

GS1 2004PYQ 1

In which one of the following countries, did an ethnic violence between the communities of Hema and Lendu result in the death of hundreds of people?

GS1 2023PYQ 2

About three-fourths of world's cobalt, a metal required for the manufacture of batteries for electric motor vehicles, is produced by

GS-3Environment

7.Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary (Wildlife Sanctuary)

Times of India
Illustration for Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary (Wildlife Sanctuary)

What & Where

Protected wildlife sanctuary + tiger reserve, Pandarkawada region, Yavatmal district, Maharashtra

Spans 148.63 sq km; named after Goddess Tipai of Tipeshwar village

Noted for high tiger density and intact dry-deciduous forest mosaic

Quick Facts for MCQs

Biodiversity

  • Flora Teak, Red Sandalwood, Mahua, Achar, Lendia, Tiwas, ~250 bamboo species
  • Fauna Tigers, leopards, sloth bears, hyenas, chital, sambar, wild boar, Indian pangolin, 26 reptile species
  • Avifauna 256 bird species; highlights Painted Francolin, Rain Quail, Lesser Whistling Duck, Eurasian Wryneck; rare butterflies Black Rajah, Peacock Royal

Conservation & History

  • Declaration Wildlife Sanctuary notified under WPA 1972, focus intensified post-2010
  • Population Tiger numbers rose from 3 to ~20 via waterholes, prey restoration, anti-poaching squads
  • Pop-culture Tigress Avni controversy spurred national debate; story loosely adapted in Vidya Balan’s “Sherni”

Ecotourism

  • Safaris Quieter alternative to Tadoba; jeep safaris through three tourism gates
  • Activities Nature trails, birdwatching, village stays boosting local incomes
  • Access Nearest town Pandarkawada; connected by NH-44 and Nagpur-Adilabad rail corridor

Security Dimension

  • Incident May 2024 five arrested for poaching protected Indian pangolin inside sanctuary
  • Regulation Pangolin listed in Schedule I, WPA 1972; offences attract up to 7-year imprisonment
  • Measures Sanctuary employs camera traps, foot patrols, local informant networks to curb wildlife crime

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
StateMaharashtra
DistrictYavatmal
Legal statusWildlife Sanctuary under WPA 1972
Area148.63 sq km
Dominant floraTeak ~60 %, Red Sandalwood ~15 %
Tiger count3 (2010) → ~20 (2023)
Bird species256 recorded
Butterfly species97 recorded
Rare mammalsRusty Spotted Cat, False Vampire Bat
Notable individualTigress Avni (film “Sherni”)
GS-3EnvironmentQuick Bite

9.Project Cheetah at Gandhi Sagar (Project Cheetah)

Indian Express

What & Where

Project Cheetah (2022): re-introduces extinct cheetahs via world’s 1st inter-continental large-carnivore translocation.

Target sites: Kuno National Park (current) + Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, NW Madhya Pradesh.

Gandhi Sagar: savanna–dry deciduous mosaic, bisected by Chambal River, bordering Rajasthan.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Governance & Policy

  • NTCA statutory mandate extends beyond tigers to oversee cheetah reintroduction and monitoring.
  • Steering Committee evaluates progress, advises on mortality, health, release strategy.
  • Eco-development & tourism explicitly built into scheme for local livelihood uplift.

Site Suitability

  • Savanna grasslands & open scrub mimic cheetah historic range, offer optimal visibility for hunting.
  • Low human density on MP side eases conflict mitigation measures.
  • Existing prey base (Chinkara, Nilgai juveniles) considered sufficient after minor supplementation.

Species Biology

  • Speed peak ≈ 100–120 km/h; fastest land mammal.
  • Social unit: males form lifelong coalitions; females solitary barring 90-95 day gestation & cub rearing.
  • Apex diurnal predator; hunting success heavily sight-dependent—hence need for open landscapes.

Community Involvement

  • ‘Cheetah Mitras’ conduct door-to-door awareness, report sightings, reinforce cattle-protection methods.
  • Compensation & rapid-response protocols drafted to curb retaliatory killings.
  • Ecotourism training programs planned for local youth at Gandhi Sagar.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Implementing bodyNational Tiger Conservation Authority (MoEF&CC)
Partner agenciesMP Forest Dept + Wildlife Institute of India
Launch year2022
Guiding documentCheetah Action Plan
Parent umbrellaProject Tiger
Steering Committee set-up2023
Translocated cheetahs8 (Namibia) + 12 (South Africa)
First wild cubs born2023, Namibian female
Cheetah Mitras engaged350 +
Gandhi Sagar ecoregionKhathiar-Gir dry deciduous forests
Main riverChambal (Yamuna tributary)
Dominant floraKhair, Salai, Tendu
Key faunaChinkara, Nilgai, Leopard, Hyena
Nearby damGandhi Sagar Dam
Comparative habitatSimilar to Kenya’s Maasai Mara

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-3S&T

10.AI for Viksit Bharat Roadmap (AI Roadmap)

PIB
Illustration for AI for Viksit Bharat Roadmap (AI Roadmap)

What & Where

National ‘AI for Viksit Bharat’ blueprint by NITI Aayog to harness AI for rapid, inclusive growth

Frontier Tech Repository: online bank of 200+ frontier-technology case studies across sectors

Both launched from NITI Aayog’s Frontier Tech Hub; pan-India applicability

Quick Facts for MCQs

Tech & Schemes

  • AI Kosh data grids plus federated 38 000+ GPU compute network envisaged
  • Frontier 50 handholds 50 aspirational districts for frontier-tech service saturation
  • Impact Awards will honour three best-performing states in tech-led governance

Economic Angle

  • AI may add USD 500–600 bn to GDP by 2035
  • Banking & manufacturing could gain 20–25 % of sectoral GDP through AI productivity
  • AI-enabled exports expected to raise India’s global value-chain share

Challenges & Risks

  • GPU scarcity and weak edge-cloud networks hamper rollout
  • Fragmented, non-standard data raises privacy and interoperability issues
  • Unclear IP and cybersecurity norms deter high-end AI R&D

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Releasing bodyNITI Aayog Frontier Tech Hub
GDP addition potentialUSD 500–600 bn by 2035
Growth gap addressed30–35 %
Target GDP growthSustained 8 %+
Priority sectorsBanking, Manufacturing, Pharma, Auto
Frontier Tech Repository size200+ case studies
Frontier 50 coverage50 aspirational districts
Planned GPU backbone38 000+ GPUs (AI Kosh)
Drug discovery saving60–80 % faster via Gen-AI

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

GS1, NDA_GAT 2025PYQ 1

Under which one of the following initiatives does the NITI Aayog support interested States to establish a State Institution for Transformation (SIT)?

GS1, NDA_GAT 2025PYQ 2

ग्रैण्ड पैलै (Grand Palais) पेरिस में नवम्बर 2025 में आयोजित होने वाले AI शिखर सम्मेलन के सन्दर्भ में, निम्नलिखित कथनों पर विचार कीजिए :

GS-2Editorial

11.India’s Global Power Aspirations (Global Power Aspirations)

The Hindu

What & Where

Concept: India’s Great-Power Aspiration—balancing economic rise with strategic, technological, social capacities

Arena: Indo-Pacific, Quad, SCO, BRICS; hinges on Indian Ocean choke-points and South Asian leadership

Focus: Domestic capacity building plus multi-alignment to shape emerging multipolar order

Quick Facts for MCQs

Constraints

  • Capability gap: heavy defence imports, limited R&D restrict credible hard-power projection
  • Development lag: low HDI, sharp inter-state disparities weaken national cohesion
  • Strategic ambiguity: multi-alignment sometimes questions reliability among partners

Strength Foundations

  • Rapid GDP rise: poised for 3rd-largest economy by 2030 with 6-7 % growth
  • Digital leadership: UPI, 100+ unicorns, Chandrayaan-3, Arihant class showcase tech prowess
  • Soft-power tools: Bollywood, yoga, 30 mn diaspora, climate advocacy earn goodwill

Policy Prescriptions

  • Prioritise basics: health, education, skilling, judicial and policing reforms for rule-based growth
  • Communicate narrative: democracy with diversity, civilisational ethos projected on global platforms
  • Pursue coalitions: tech diplomacy, data governance, AI ethics to amplify influence beyond military metrics

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
India military spend 2024USD 86 bn (China USD 314 bn)
Share of global arms imports9.5 % (2016-20)
HDI rank 2023130 / 193
IHDI value0.475
Per-capita GDP 2024USD 2,711; rank 144 /196
Global Innovation Index 202439th (China 11th, US 3rd)
Press Freedom Index 2024159 /180
Avg GDP growth projection6–7 % until 2030
Median age28.2 years
Indian diaspora size>30 million

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

CDS_GK, NDA_GAT 2025PYQ 1

S1. Liberalisation and globalisation freed India's economy from the low GDP trap that had impeded India's progress

CDS_GK, NDA_GAT 2024PYQ 2

BRICS देशों की UNDP द्वारा जारी मानव विकास रिपोर्ट, 2023-24 में उनकी रैंक के आरोही क्रम में व्यवस्थित कीजिए:

GS-2Economy

12.WTO Fisheries Subsidies Agreement (Fisheries Subsidies)

WTO

What & Where

Agreement: WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies; first WTO pact centred on environmental sustainability

Process: Negotiated at 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12), Geneva, June 2022; entered into force after two-thirds ratifications

Geography: Applies to all WTO members’ marine fishing activities, incl. high seas

Quick Facts for MCQs

Legal & Policy

  • Prohibition scope covers fuel, vessel, gear and other government aids enabling banned activities
  • Dispute Settlement understanding applies, allowing members to litigate non-compliance
  • Transitional flexibilities available for developing countries & LDCs under Art 3 and Art 4

Environmental Impact

  • Target curbs on harmful subsidies aim to slow depletion of marine stocks and restore ecosystems
  • Focus on eliminating incentives for illegal, unreported, unregulated fishing activity
  • Supports SDG 14.6 commitment to discipline fisheries subsidies

Economic Angle

  • Levels playing field by reducing advantage of heavily subsidised industrial fleets
  • Secures livelihoods of hundreds of millions reliant on small-scale fisheries for income and protein
  • Addresses market distortions estimated at USD 22 billion annual harmful subsidies

Implementation Support

  • Fish Fund provides technical assistance, compliance training, data-collection upgrades
  • Regular notification cycles enable peer review and capacity-building interventions
  • Developing members may request phased implementation tied to fund assistance

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Legal natureBinding multilateral WTO agreement
Acceptance thresholdTwo-thirds of 166 WTO members
Entry into force13 Mar 2024 after Brazil, Kenya, Viet Nam, Tonga deposits
Core subsidy bansIUU fishing; overfished stocks; high-seas fishing outside RFMO control
Global overfished stocks35.5 % (FAO)
Transparency toolMandatory subsidy & fishing activity notifications
Support facilityWTO Fish Fund; USD 18 + million pledged
Oversight bodyWTO Committee on Fisheries Subsidies

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

GS1 2015PYQ 1

The terms ‘Agreement on Agriculture’, ‘Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures’ and ‘Peace Clause’ appear in the news frequently in the context of the affairs of the

GS-3Security

13.Coast Guard Global Summit 2027 (Coast Guard Summit)

PIB

What & Where

Coast Guard Global Summit (CGGS): premier multilateral meet of Coast Guards, maritime agencies, international bodies

5th edition slated 2027, venue Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Timed with Indian Coast Guard Golden Jubilee celebrations

Quick Facts for MCQs

Security Dimension

  • Cooperation focus: trust-building, information exchange, collective response to piracy, smuggling, marine pollution
  • SAGAR alignment: Security and Growth for All in the Region guiding summit agenda
  • Offshore protection: ICG secures critical assets like Mumbai High platforms

Institutional History

  • Genesis: Need identified early 1970s for dedicated maritime law-enforcement separate from Navy
  • Evolution: Started with 2 frigates, 5 patrol boats transferred from Indian Navy
  • Milestone: Golden Jubilee in 2027 marks 50 years of operational growth

Functional Mandate

  • Law-enforcement: Anti-smuggling, anti-poaching, Maritime Zones of India Act enforcement
  • Search & Rescue: Dedicated SAR for fishermen and seafarers, coordinates with global agencies
  • Environment: Pollution control measures, marine ecosystem protection within Indian EEZ

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Summit edition5th
Summit year2027
Host cityChennai
Host nationIndia
Linked initiativeSAGAR vision
Fleet ReviewInternational Coast Guard Fleet Review planned
ICG parent ministryDefence
ICG statusFourth Armed Force of India
ICG raising date1 Feb 1977
ICG inauguration19 Aug 1978 at Mumbai Dockyard
First ICG DGVice Admiral V A Kamath
Foundational committeesNag Committee 1970, K F Rustamji Committee 1974
EEZ patrolled by ICG2.01 million sq km

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

CAPF_GAI, GEO_GS 2024PYQ 1

Which one among the following statements with regard to India’s maritime initiative, SAGAR, is correct?

CAPF_GAI, GEO_GS 2021PYQ 2

The inaugural edition of the coastal defence exercise ‘Sea Vigil’ was conducted in the year:

GS-2Scheme

14.Frontier 50 Tech Initiative (Frontier Tech Deployment)

PIB

What & Where

Flagship NITI Aayog programme deploying frontier tech to enhance public services

Technologies: AI, IoT, drones, blockchain, other emerging tools

Coverage: 50 Aspirational Districts/Blocks nation-wide under ADP/ABP

Quick Facts for MCQs

Tech & Schemes

  • Repository based approach accelerates field deployment of already validated use cases
  • Each selected district chooses priority sectors: agriculture, health, education, livelihoods
  • IoT sensors, AI analytics, drone mapping envisaged for productivity and last-mile reach

Governance & Delivery

  • KPI framework measures service efficiency, citizen satisfaction, scalability potential
  • Aim to bridge digital and development divide in under-served geographies
  • Local officials receive structured capacity building for sustained tech adoption

Public-Private Model

  • Start-ups co-create solutions under supervised pilots with district administrations
  • Industry provides hardware, cloud, analytics; academia supplies research and evaluation
  • PPP layout expected to lower costs and quicken replication across states

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Launching agencyNITI Aayog Frontier Tech Hub
Initiative nameFrontier 50
Launch contextMarch toward Viksit Bharat 2047
Target units50 Aspirational Districts/Blocks
Linked programmesADP, ABP
Core tech basketAI, IoT, drones, blockchain
Goal year for impact2047
Primary objectiveSaturation of health, education, skilling, welfare services
Implementation styleProven use-case replication from Frontier Tech Repository
Partnership modeStart-ups, industry, academia with local administration
Monitoring toolKPI-based outcome tracking

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

NDA_GAT 2025PYQ 1

Under which one of the following initiatives does the NITI Aayog support interested States to establish a State Institution for Transformation (SIT)?

GS-2SchemeQuick Bite

15.Sex Sorted Semen Facility (Rashtriya Gokul Mission)

PIB

What & Where

Sex-sorted semen: lab-processed semen enriched to 90 % X-chromosome, boosting female calf births.

New facility: Gausort-based unit at Purnea, Bihar; capacity 5 lakh doses/year.

Coverage focus: Eastern & North-Eastern dairy belts under Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM).

Quick Facts for MCQs

Tech & Schemes

  • Gausort technology: indigenous flow-cytometry sorting, reduces Y-bearing sperm to <10 %.
  • Sex-sorted semen use complements AI drive, raising genetic merit without increasing herd size.
  • RGM funding merged into Rashtriya Pashudhan Vikas Yojana for 2021-26 continuity.

Economic Angle

  • Female-biased births cut non-lactating male maintenance costs, raising net returns per litre.
  • Higher heifer ratio enables faster replacement of low-yielders, boosting per-animal productivity.
  • Focus on smallholders aligns with 75 % of India’s dairy households owning ≤2 animals.

Achievements

  • Milk production jump of 93 MT in a decade underscores RGM impact on yield.
  • AI scale-up to 14 crore procedures expands genetic reach to 42 % bovine population.
  • Gokul Gram & National Kamdhenu Breeding Centres complement semen stations for breed conservation.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Inauguration authorityPrime Minister of India
Scheme umbrellaRashtriya Pashudhan Vikas Yojana 2021-26
Parent mission startRGM launched 2014
Implementing agencyDept. of Animal Husbandry & Dairying
Facility locationPurnea, Bihar
Annual dose capacity5 lakh
Indigenous tech nameGausort
Sorting accuracyUp to 90 % female
Target beneficiariesSmall, marginal & landless dairy farmers
National milk output 2014-15146.31 MT
National milk output 2023-24239.30 MT
Milk growth (10 yrs)63.55 %
Animals covered under AI9.16 crore
AI procedures done14.12 crore
Farmers benefited5.54 crore

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