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5 topicsGS-2: 3GS-3: 2
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GS-3S&T

1.DigiLocker Secure Document Wallet (Digital Governance)

New Indian Express

What & Where

DigiLocker: cloud‐based document wallet under Digital India, developed by MeitY, accessible across India

UPSC: will e-verify candidates’ caste, income, disability certificates through DigiLocker for upcoming recruitments

My UPSC Interview portal: nationwide platform inviting serving/retired civil servants to submit interview anecdotes

Quick Facts for MCQs

Tech & Schemes

  • Storage: Aadhaar, PAN, driving licence, educational, caste certificates held in encrypted cloud wallet
  • Real-time-check: Issuing authority APIs allow instant authenticity validation, cutting manual workflow
  • Access: Citizens retrieve and share documents anytime with consent via web or mobile apps

Governance & Transparency

  • UPSC-move: Digital verification curbs forged submissions, speeds candidate processing
  • Interview-portal: Crowdsourced anecdotes boost transparency, guide aspirants, capture organisational memory
  • Centenary-plan: Selected stories to feature in 2026 commemorative release

Legal & Policy

  • Equivalence: Rule 9A grants DigiLocker files same evidentiary value as physical originals
  • Consent-driven: User approval mandatory for document sharing, aligning with privacy principles
  • Paperless-push: Initiative furthers Digital India aim of eco-friendly, efficient governance

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Implementing ministryMeitY
Legal backingIT Rules 2016 Rule 9A
Document statusDigital copy equals original
UPSC verification targetsCaste, income, disability certificates
Verification mediumDigiLocker API real-time pull
Interview portal occasionUPSC centenary year 2024
Anecdote publication year2026 compilation volume
Governance goalPaperless, fraud-free scrutiny

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

GS1 2016PYQ 1

Regarding ‘DigiLocker’, sometimes seen in the news, which of the following statements is/are correct?

GS1 2022PYQ 2

Consider the following :

GS-3S&T

2.Environmental Surveillance for Disease Monitoring (Wastewater Surveillance)

The Hindu
Illustration for Environmental Surveillance for Disease Monitoring (Wastewater Surveillance)

What & Where

Environmental surveillance: community pathogen monitoring via sewage, wastewater, soil, air

ICMR plan: wastewater tracking of 10 viruses across 50 Indian cities

Collection sites: sewage plants, hospitals, airports, public spaces nationwide

Quick Facts for MCQs

Operational Steps

  • Collection: composite samples from sewage lines, treatment plants, high-footfall sites
  • Detection: RT-PCR or antigen assays identify viruses, bacteria, parasites shed by carriers
  • Sequencing: whole genomes reveal mutations, variant emergence, transmission chains

Distinct Features

  • Non-invasive: monitors entire population privacy intact, no individual testing
  • Economical: single wastewater test represents health status of thousands, scalable nationwide
  • Time-sensitive: signals infection spikes 7–10 days before clinical surge allowing proactive measures

Public Health Impact

  • Early-warning: enables vaccine allocation, medicine stockpile, hospital bed planning
  • Complements: augments clinical surveillance uncovering asymptomatic or under-reported cases
  • Multipurpose: applicable to cholera, polio, SARS-CoV-2, other emerging pathogens

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Lead agencyICMR
Surveillance mediumWastewater / sewage
Initial coverage50 Indian cities
Pathogen focus10 viruses
Early detection window7–10 days pre-clinical rise
Variant tracking toolWhole-genome sequencing

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

GS1 2023PYQ 1

'Aerial metagenomics' best refers to which one of the following situations?

GS1 2021PYQ 2

The term 'ACE2' is talked about in the context of

GS-2Polity

3.IHR Pandemic Emergency Definition (Global Health Governance)

The Hindu

What & Where

Pandemic emergency: new sub-category under WHO’s International Health Regulations (IHR) for severe, globally spreading communicable diseases.

Applies only after a PHEIC is declared, signalling higher alert needing rapid, coordinated international action.

Geography: All 196 IHR States Parties; amendments adopted at 77th World Health Assembly, Geneva, June 2024.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Legal & Policy

  • Clarification: Amendments add duties but keep States’ legislative sovereignty intact.
  • Integration: Pandemic emergency builds on existing PHEIC, avoiding parallel procedures.
  • Requirement: Countries must coordinate multi-ministry response through National IHR Authority.

Equity & Finance

  • Solidarity: Amendments stress fair access to vaccines, diagnostics, therapeutics.
  • Mechanism: Coordinating Financial Mechanism channels funds for preparedness, esp. to LMICs.

Alert Architecture

  • Tiering: Pandemic emergency = higher, rarer category demanding whole-of-society response.
  • Decision path: DG first declares PHEIC, then may elevate to pandemic emergency if criteria met.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Legal basis amendedIHR (2005) via Resolution WHA77.17
Adoption methodConsensus at 77th WHA, June 2024
Formal entry into force19 Sept 2025 (for accepting States)
Declaring authorityWHO Director-General (Art 12)
Additional alert tier“Pandemic emergency” above PHEIC
Core triggersWide spread, health-system overload, socio-economic disruption
National obligationDesignate National IHR Authority
Financing toolCoordinating Financial Mechanism for developing nations
Oversight bodyStates Parties Committee (non-punitive)
Sovereignty clauseWHO cannot impose domestic measures
GS-2Scheme

4.National Pulses Mission for Self-Reliance (Agricultural Scheme)

PIB

What & Where

National Pulses Mission: six-year (2025-26→2030-31) central scheme to make India self-reliant in pulses.

Executing arm: Union Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare; coverage: all major pulse-growing states.

Focus: raise production, assure MSP procurement, strengthen post-harvest chain for food-nutritional security.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Targets & Metrics

  • Production: incremental 108 lakh tonnes, cutting 15–20 % import dependency.
  • Area: expansion aligned with rain-fed, rice-fallow, and irrigated zones.
  • Yield: lift national average by ~200 kg/ha.

Support Measures

  • Seed: massive certified supply plus free kits to quick-start varietal replacement.
  • Procurement: four-year assured MSP buys to stabilise farmer income.
  • Research: multi-location trials for climate-resilient, pest-tolerant cultivars.

Financials

  • Funding pattern: 60:40 Centre-State; 90:10 for NE & Himalayan states; 100% UTs.
  • Capital assistance: post-harvest units get 40 % subsidy, ceiling ₹25 lakh.
  • Cost saving: forex outgo reduction via lower pulse imports.

Implementation Tools

  • Digital: SATHI portal tracks seed distribution and field performance.
  • Capacity: farmer trainings on mechanisation, water-smart practices, bio-fertilisers.
  • Convergence: links with PM-KISAN, Agri-Infrastructure Fund for holistic support.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Total outlay₹11,440 crore
Duration2025-26 to 2030-31
Baseline production (2024-25)242 lakh tonnes
Target production (2030-31)350 lakh tonnes
Target cultivated area310 lakh hectares
Target yield1,130 kg/ha
Certified seed distribution126 lakh quintals
Free seed kits88 lakh
MSP procurement coverageTur, Urad, Masoor (100% for 4 years)
Processing-unit subsidyUp to ₹25 lakh for 1,000 units
Monitoring portalSATHI

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

CAPF_GAI, GS1 2010PYQ 1

An objective of the National Food Security Mission is to increase the production of certain crops through area expansion and productivity enhancement in a sustainable manner in the identified districts of the country. What are those crops?

CAPF_GAI, GS1 2025PYQ 2

Which one among the following schemes focuses on developing modern infrastructure and optimizing supply chain from farm to retail in Indian agriculture sector?

GS-2Scheme

5.Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Decadal Impact (Girl Child Education)

The Hindu
Illustration for Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Decadal Impact (Girl Child Education)

What & Where

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) 2015 scheme preventing female foeticide and promoting girls’ education

Tri-ministerial execution by Women & Child Development, Health, Education via district convergence and mass IEC drives

Monitors Sex Ratio at Birth across 30 States/UTs; focus districts span rural and urban India

Quick Facts for MCQs

Policy & Implementation

  • Convergence model; WCD anchors funding while Health & Education supply medical, schooling services
  • District collectors act as nodal leaders organising rallies, pledge drives, community monitoring

Socio-Demographic Impact

  • Fertility drop; female literacy linked to national TFR 2.0, delaying marriage and births
  • Infant mortality declined to 33 per 1000 (2020) as institutional deliveries rise among educated mothers
  • Female graduates increasingly enter STEM, healthcare, entrepreneurship, diversifying economic base

Behavioural Change

  • Mindset shift; phrase “Beti padhegi toh kya karegi?” replaced by aspiration viewing daughters as assets
  • Symbolic auctions of leaders’ gifts publicly fund girls’ education, signalling societal responsibility
  • Village rallies and women’s conferences normalise regular school attendance for girls across communities

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Launch year2015
Sex Ratio at Birth (NFHS-4)919 girls per 1000 boys
Sex Ratio at Birth (NFHS-5)929 girls per 1000 boys
States/UTs above national SRB average20 of 30 units
Public awareness in Madhya Pradesh89.5 % population
Families motivated to school daughters63.2 % respondents
National Total Fertility Rate2.0 (NFHS-5)
Infant Mortality Rate49 → 33 (2014-2020)

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

CDS_GK, GS1 2023PYQ 1

जननी सुरक्षा योजना के संबंध में, निम्नलिखित कथनों पर विचार कीजिए :

CDS_GK, GS1 2025PYQ 2

NEP 2020 के दिशा-निर्देश के अनुसार, 'पोषण और पढ़ाई पूर्व' (PPBP), निम्नलिखित में से किस कार्यक्रम के अंतर्गत प्रारंभ की गई है?

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