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15 topicsGS-1: 4GS-2: 4GS-3: 7
0/15 done
GS-3Economy

1.Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code Nine-Year Review (Insolvency Reforms)

SSTV

What & Where

Framework: Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016, India’s unified, time-bound insolvency resolution law.

Process: Creditor-in-control, NCLT-adjudicated CIRP; supersedes SARFAESI, DRT, SICA regimes.

Geography: Applicable pan-India; nine years of operation till FY 2024-25.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Legal & Policy

  • Amendment-2017 introduced Section 29A, enforcing promoter accountability.
  • Amendment-2024 mandates digital filings, tighter admission timelines.
  • PUF transaction scrutiny strengthens transparency, creditor recoveries.

Economic Angle

  • Liquidity improvement 80 % underscores restored cash flows.
  • Revived companies attract fresh investment, driving capex 130 %.
  • Steel, power, infrastructure sectors witnessed notable job retention.

Institutional Challenges

  • Infrastructure deficit causes half-day NCLT sittings, case pile-ups.
  • Manpower gaps due to reliance on deputation staff hamper continuity.
  • Need for dedicated IBC vertical and National Court Management System flagged.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Launch year2016
Debt resolved (FY17-25)₹26 lakh crore
Pre-admission settlements30,310 cases; ₹13.78 lakh crore defaults
Post-admission resolutions1,314 cases
Withdrawals u/s 12A1,919 cases
Gross NPA ratio drop10.9 % (FY18) → 2.3 % (FY25)
Net NPA ratio FY250.5 %
Average overdue days248–344 → 30–87
Section 29A purposeBars defaulting promoters from bidding
Section 32 focusNo immunity for pre-insolvency crimes
Resolution time cap330 days (2019 amend.)
Homebuyers statusFinancial creditors since 2018
COVID suspension windowDefaults after 25 Mar 2020 excluded
MSME pre-pack start2021
Market cap revival₹2 lakh cr → ₹6 lakh cr
Sales growth post-resolution76 %
Capex rise post-resolution130 %
Employment & wages rise50 %

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

CDS_GK, GS1 2019PYQ 1

हाल ही में, भारतीय बैंकों और वित्तीय संस्थाओं द्वारा ‘इंटर-क्रेडिटर एग्रीमेंट’ (Inter-Creditor Agreement) पर हस्ताक्षर करने का क्या उद्देश्य था?

CDS_GK, GS1 2022PYQ 2

भारतीय दिवाला और शोधन-अक्षम बोर्ड (IBBI) किस वर्ष में स्थापित किया गया था?

GS-1History

2.UNESCO Virtual Museum of Stolen Objects (Heritage Restitution)

Indian Express

What & Where

Definition: UNESCO’s first global digital museum displaying, documenting, tracing stolen or trafficked cultural objects

Launch venue: MONDIACULT 2025 Conference, Barcelona, Spain

Scope: 240+ missing artefacts from 46 nations shown via 3D, AI, VR tech

Quick Facts for MCQs

Tech & Schemes

  • 3D-scans and AI-generated models enable 360° rotation, study of items lacking photographs
  • Virtual rooms allow interactive talks, awareness drives, restitution success stories
  • Platform doubles as open educational resource on restoration, anti-trafficking tools

Legal & Policy

  • Initiative aligns with 1970 UNESCO Convention against illicit import, export, transfer of cultural property
  • Digital visibility pressures markets, aids provenance verification, facilitates legal restitution claims

International Examples

  • Artefacts span Africa to Latin America, symbolically reuniting source nations with heritage
  • Museum documents colonial-era, conflict-era and clandestine dig loot cases for global awareness

Indian Angle

  • Two sandstone sculptures stolen in colonial era spotlighted, stressing India’s ongoing repatriation drives
  • Inclusion showcases South Asian heritage vulnerability and restitution diplomacy

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Launching bodyUNESCO
FormatVirtual-only digital museum
Primary aimCombat illicit trafficking of cultural heritage
Core tech3D modelling + AI + VR
Artefacts showcased≈ 240 items
Countries represented46
Key roomsGallery / Auditorium / Return-&-Restitution
Indian entriesNataraja & Brahma, 9th C, Mahadev Temple (Pali, Chhattisgarh)
Launch eventWorld Conference on Cultural Policies & Sustainable Development (MONDIACULT 2025)
Host cityBarcelona, Spain
GS-1Mapping

3.Durand Line Border Demarcation (Afghan-Pak Border)

Times of India
Illustration for Durand Line Border Demarcation (Afghan-Pak Border)

What & Where

Durand Line = ~2,600 km land border Afghanistan–Pakistan, drawn 1893 by British-Afghan accord.

Runs NE–SW: Karakoram Range (near China) → Registan Desert (near Iran); crosses Khyber Pass, Spīn Ghar.

Cuts 12 Afghan provinces; 3 Pakistani—Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Historical Background

  • Agreement; 1893 fixed British India–Afghan influence limits, not sovereign boundary.
  • Post-1947; Afghanistan opposed Pakistan’s UN entry citing illegitimacy of line.
  • Pashtunistan; border split Pashtuns, spawning autonomy/secession movements.

Ethno-Social Issues

  • Pashtun tribes; kinship networks straddle line, resisting rigid border control.
  • Tribal unrest; periodic protests against fencing, checkpoints.
  • Demography; Pashtun majority along frontier complicates national identity narratives.

Security Dimension

  • Clashes 2024; >80 soldiers dead, tensions reignited.
  • Terrain; high peaks, deserts enable militant transit, smuggling routes.
  • Pakistan fencing; barbed-wire project to curb infiltration contested by Kabul.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Total length≈2,600 km (1,600 mi)
Demarcation year1893
SignatoriesSir Henry M. Durand & Emir Abdur Rahman Khan
Afghan legal stanceNever formally recognised
Pakistani provinces crossedKP, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan
Major strategic passKhyber Pass
Eastern terminusKarakoram Range, near China
Western terminusRegistan Desert, near Iran

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

CDS_GK, GS1 1996PYQ 1

Consider the map given below:

CDS_GK, GS1 2025PYQ 2

The 'Durand Line' is a boundary line separating which of the following pairs of countries?

GS-3Environment

4.IUCN Kenton Miller Award 2025 (Protected Areas Management)

Hindustan Times

What & Where

International accolade recognising innovative, sustainable management of protected areas worldwide

Conferred by IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas; announced during IUCN World Conservation Congress, Abu Dhabi

2025 award bagged by Dr Sonali Ghosh, Kaziranga National Park & Tiger Reserve, Assam, India

Quick Facts for MCQs

Award Objectives

  • Promote innovation in planning, monitoring, capacity-building, financing of protected areas
  • Recognize tangible improvements to natural and cultural heritage sustainability
  • Showcase leadership in protected-area governance globally

Winner Contributions

  • Integrated local communities into Kaziranga stewardship via co-management committees
  • Developed eco-friendly tourism generating livelihoods while reducing wildlife disturbance
  • Strengthened anti-poaching patrols and ensured Kaziranga–Orang–Manas habitat connectivity

Social & Gender

  • Promoted gender inclusion by recruiting and training women in frontline conservation teams
  • Enhanced community trust through livelihood security initiatives
  • Positioned India as exemplar of grassroots biodiversity governance

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Award nameIUCN WCPA Kenton Miller Award
Launch year1999
Named afterKenton R. Miller, ex-IUCN Director-General
Administered byIUCN World Commission on Protected Areas
Grant amountUSD 5,000 + funded Congress attendance
Eligibility sectorsGovt, community, indigenous, private PA managers, researchers, educators
Preference ruleApplicants without prior international awards
2025 laureateDr Sonali Ghosh, Field Director, Kaziranga NP & TR
Announcement venueIUCN World Conservation Congress, Abu Dhabi

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

GEO_GS 2025PYQ 1

The Species Survival Commission of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) conferred the 'Harry Messel Award (2024)' upon

GS-3Environment

5.Armenia Accedes to IUCN (IUCN Membership)

News on Air

What & Where

Armenia; landlocked transcontinental South Caucasus state; joined IUCN 2025 World Conservation Congress Abu Dhabi

Borders Georgia Azerbaijan Nakhchivan exclave Iran Turkey; capital Yerevan

Predominantly mountainous; average elevation 1,800 m; highest Mount Aragats 4,090 m; key freshwater Lake Sevan basin

Quick Facts for MCQs

IUCN Membership

  • Accession confirms participation in International Union for Conservation of Nature global biodiversity coalition
  • Formalised during World Conservation Congress 2025 Abu Dhabi

Terrain & Soils

  • Terrain rugged volcanic highlands lacking true lowlands
  • Volcanic soils rich in nitrogen potash phosphates support agriculture despite rocky landscapes

Water Resources

  • Lake Sevan ranks among Eurasia’s largest alpine freshwater basins
  • Rivers Aras Hrazdan Arpa Vorotan provide hydropower and irrigation

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
IUCN entry year2025
IUCN Congress venueAbu Dhabi
Capital cityYerevan
Highest peakMount Aragats 4,090 m
Average elevation1,800 m
Major alpine lakeLake Sevan
Principal riversAras; Hrazdan; Arpa; Vorotan
Terrain typePredominantly mountainous
Fertile mineralsNitrogen; potash; phosphates
Neighbouring entitiesGeorgia; Azerbaijan; Iran; Turkey; Nakhchivan
GS-3Environment

6.IUCN World Heritage Outlook 4 (World Heritage Monitoring)

IUCN
Illustration for IUCN World Heritage Outlook 4 (World Heritage Monitoring)

What & Where

Assessment tool; IUCN World Heritage Outlook reviews all UNESCO natural & mixed sites every 3–5 yrs, edition 4 due 2025 Abu Dhabi

Scope √: 257 natural + 39 mixed sites across 115 nations, including 7 Indian sites

Process √: desk reviews, expert missions, threat mapping, management effectiveness scoring (Good; Good w Concerns; Significant Concern; Critical)

Quick Facts for MCQs

Global Trends

  • Improvement ≈65 % driven by better governance, restoration, sustainable tourism
  • Climate-linked bleaching, glacier melt, wildfires threaten over four-fifths of sites
  • Fifteen new entries on UNESCO In Danger list, many conflict or pollution affected

India Specifics

  • Enhancement Kaziranga & Manas via anti-poaching patrols, habitat restoration, community ecotourism
  • Vulnerability Sundarbans to salinity, cyclones, sea-level rise; Western Ghats to mining, linear projects
  • Funding gap 30–40 % recurrent shortfall, especially marine and transboundary monitoring

Key Threats

  • Climate change accelerating coral bleaching, glacier retreat, desertification
  • Unsustainable development mining, hydropower, tourism fragmentation reducing ecological connectivity
  • Governance overlap plus limited data hampers adaptive management in ~40 % sites

Technology & Innovation

  • Adoption AI monitoring, satellite mapping, eDNA sampling boosting forecasting accuracy
  • UNESCO–IUCN AI pilot Okavango tracks wildlife migration real-time
  • Global Ecosystem Atlas remote sensing harmonises cross-site threat detection

Policy & Finance

  • Integration LiFE Mission, Wildlife (Protection) Amendment 2022 align with Kunming–Montreal GBF targets
  • Green finance options public–private funds, carbon credits, UNDP–GEF Biofin mobilising biodiversity money
  • Community partnership Eg Eco-Development Committees Manas, Periyar linking livelihoods with conservation

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
PublisherIUCN World Heritage Programme + WCPA
First release2014
Current cycleOutlook 4, launch at IUCN Congress 2025 Abu Dhabi
Global status 2025≈65 % sites stable/improving since 2020
Sites facing climate risk>80 %
Sites with invasive‐species pressure≈60 %
New “In Danger” additions15 sites
Indian natural/mixed sites7 (1.5 % global area)
Indian improved sitesKaziranga, Manas
Key Indian at-risk siteSundarbans mangroves

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

CDS_GK, GS1 2024PYQ 1

यूनेस्को (UNESCO) द्वारा जारी विश्व धरोहर सूची में शामिल की गई निम्नलिखित संपदाओं पर विचार कीजिए :

CDS_GK, GS1 2024PYQ 2

Which organisation publishes worldwide list of endangered species?

GS-3Infrastructure

7.Maitri II Antarctic Research Station (Antarctic Research Base)

Indian Express

What & Where

Maitri II – India’s 4th Antarctic research station, planned in Schirmacher Oasis, East Antarctica, completion target January 2029

Replaces Maitri (1989) whose 10-year design life is long exhausted, under Indian Antarctic Programme led by NCPOR

Operates within the Antarctic Treaty System (1959) ensuring peaceful, scientific use of the continent

Quick Facts for MCQs

Tech & Design

  • Building: larger, modular, green architecture with automated instruments transmitting to mainland when unmanned
  • Infrastructure: upgraded living quarters, improved toilets, rectified waste management flaws of old Maitri
  • Energy: hybrid renewable setup exploiting strong katabatic winds and 24-hour summer sunlight

Climate Significance

  • Ice-sheet: continuous data enhance accuracy of global sea-level rise projections
  • Biodiversity: long-term monitoring sets baseline for Antarctic marine ecosystem changes
  • Minerals: geological surveys aid assessment of sub-ice mineral deposits without exploitation rights violation

Governance & Treaties

  • Presence: permanent station sustains India’s consultative voice in ATS deliberations and SCAR science forums
  • Law: activities now covered under Indian Antarctic Act 2022 mandating strict environmental safeguards
  • Cooperation: facilities enable joint projects with other nations, bolstering polar diplomacy and soft power

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Station number for India4th permanent base
Target completionJanuary 2029
LocationSchirmacher Oasis, East Antarctica
Nodal agencyNCPOR, Min of Earth Sciences
Power planSolar in summer + Wind year-round
Treaty frameworkAntarctic Treaty System 1959
Antarctica freshwater share≈ 75 % of world total
Decommissioned Indian stationDakshin Gangotri (1990)
GS-3S&TQuick Bite

8.Government Email Migration to Zoho Platform (Indigenous SaaS Platform)

The Hindu

What & Where

What: Govt shifted ≈12 lakh official email IDs (incl. PMO) from NIC servers to a Zoho-built cloud platform

Where: Data now hosted on Zoho infrastructure; core operations run from rural Tamil Nadu, India

Purpose: Strengthen data sovereignty, promote Swadeshi SaaS under Atmanirbhar Bharat vision

Quick Facts for MCQs

Tech & Schemes

  • SaaS migration aligns with Digital India, reduces foreign software dependence
  • Native cloud stack bolsters Make-in-India software narrative

Security Dimension

  • Regular SQS audits ensure ISO-grade controls
  • CERT-In & NIC vetted platform before mass onboarding

Economic Angle

  • Lower licence costs save exchequer, aid MSME adoption of domestic SaaS
  • Success story may spur VC interest in Indian enterprise tech

Self-Reliance

  • Rural-based R&D showcases talent decentralisation beyond metros
  • Supports Atmanirbhar Bharat by scaling indigenous IP globally

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Govt IDs migrated≈12 lakh (incl. PMO)
Old hostNational Informatics Centre (NIC)
New hostZoho-developed email platform
Zoho founded1996, India
HQChennai, Tamil Nadu
Global users100 million +
Countries served150 +
App portfolio55 + cloud tools
Flagship suitesZoho Workplace, Zoho Office
Key rivalsMicrosoft 365, Google Workspace
Security auditorSoftware Quality Systems (SQS)
Govt clearancesNIC, CERT-In, other agencies
Revenue modelNo ads; privacy-first
Cost traitCheaper for SMEs vs rivals
Rural ops centreTenkasi district, TN
GS-2Misc

9.Sharm El-Sheikh Gaza Peace Summit (West Asia Ceasefire)

New Indian Express
Illustration for Sharm El-Sheikh Gaza Peace Summit (West Asia Ceasefire)

What & Where

Peace summit at Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, to operationalise Israel-Hamas October 2025 ceasefire and design lasting Gaza peace.

Jointly hosted by Egypt & USA; co-chaired by Presidents Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Donald Trump.

India represented by Union Minister Kirti Vardhan Singh as Prime Minister’s special envoy.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Diplomatic Agenda

  • Ceasefire implementation monitored by multilateral mechanism led by Egypt-US mediators.
  • Regional dialogue mechanism proposed to involve wider Arab participation.
  • Summit targets prevention of broader West Asian escalation.

Humanitarian Measures

  • Safe corridors sought for food, medical supplies, fuel into Gaza.
  • International agencies urged to coordinate delivery under UN oversight.
  • Reconstruction fund mooted to repair housing, power, health infrastructure.

Security Dimension

  • Hostage-prisoner exchange structured under US mediation and summit verification.
  • Commitment to curb arms flow to non-state actors in Gaza.
  • Proposal to establish monitoring cell in Sinai for ceasefire breaches.

India’s Role

  • India reiterated two-state solution, condemned civilian casualties on all sides.
  • Offered medical supplies, disaster relief material via UN channels.
  • Expressed readiness to join Gaza infrastructure rebuilding consortia.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Host nationsEgypt, United States
Joint chairsDonald Trump (USA), Abdel Fattah el-Sisi (Egypt)
VenueSharm El-Sheikh, Red Sea resort
Ceasefire referencedEarly Oct 2025 Israel-Hamas truce
Core aimsCeasefire execution, humanitarian aid, hostage swap, regional stability
Planned hostage swapHamas to free hostages; Israel to release ≈250 prisoners + 1,700 detainees
Reconstruction planInternational consortium for post-war Gaza rebuilding
Participation20 + world leaders; UN SG António Guterres present
Notable absenteesIsraeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu uncertain; Hamas refused
Indian stanceDialogue-led resolution, humanitarian assistance, reconstruction partnership
Indian envoyKirti Vardhan Singh, Union Minister of State
GS-2Misc

10.Nobel Peace Prize 2025 Machado (Democracy Advocacy)

The Hindu

What & Where

Definition Nobel Peace Prize – annual award honouring outstanding work for peace, democracy, human rights, arms-control

Process Norwegian Nobel Committee (5 members) selects laureate; ceremony held 10 December at Oslo City Hall, Norway

Geography Prize money from Alfred Nobel’s endowment administered by Nobel Foundation, Stockholm, Sweden

Quick Facts for MCQs

Laureate Profile

  • Background Industrial-engineer turned opposition leader, remained in Venezuela despite arrest threats and travel bans
  • Advocacy Unites civil society, opposition parties, diaspora for free elections, non-violent resistance
  • Recognition Prize underscores individual leadership in dismantling entrenched authoritarianism

Prize Evolution

  • Early phase Pre-WWI awards favoured pacifist activists and arbitration advocates
  • Post-1945 focus Arms control, negotiated settlements, democracy, human rights
  • 21st-century shift Inclusion of climate and environmental peace efforts alongside traditional themes

Indian Angle

  • Statistic India counts two Peace laureates, both non-politicians, gap of 35 years between awards
  • Mother Teresa legacy Missionaries of Charity outreach became global humanitarian template
  • Kailash Satyarthi impact ILO conventions on child labour, global 100-million campaign for child freedom

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Nobel Peace Prize 2025 laureateMaría Corina Machado
NationalityVenezuelan
NicknameIron Lady of Venezuela
Core citationPeaceful struggle for democratic transition from dictatorship
Key NGOs foundedAtenea Foundation (1992); Súmate (election monitoring)
Signature sloganBallots over Bullets
Venezuela regime shiftDemocracy → Authoritarianism since 1999
Nobel Peace Prize first year1901
Awarding bodyNorwegian Nobel Committee
Usual award date10 December (Alfred Nobel’s death anniversary)
Indian Peace laureatesMother Teresa 1979; Kailash Satyarthi 2014
Mother Teresa focusAid to suffering humanity
Kailash Satyarthi focusChild rights; founder Bachpan Bachao Andolan

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

CAPF_GAI, GEO_GS 2024PYQ 1

Which of the following statements about the Nobel Peace Prize for 2023 is/are correct?

CAPF_GAI, GEO_GS 2025PYQ 2

Which/Who among the following has been selected for the Nobel Peace Prize, 2024?

GS-3SecurityQuick Bite

11.AUSTRAHIND 2025 India-Australia Exercise (Bilateral Military Exercise)

PIB

What & Where

AUSTRAHIND: annual India–Australia joint Army exercise, instituted 2022.

Conducted alternately in India & Australia; 4th edition (2025) hosted in Australia.

Focus: multi-domain urban/semi-urban ops under UN Charter Chapter VII peace-keeping mandate.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Security Dimension

  • Interoperability drills span infantry, logistics, communications and joint command.
  • Scenarios simulate peace enforcement in dense urban clusters.
  • Enhances readiness for Indo-Pacific contingencies.

Bilateral Defence Ties

  • CSP 2020 upgraded strategic dialogue and defence cooperation channels.
  • Logistics pact 2021 enables reciprocal basing, fuel, spares access.
  • Growing maritime & cyber collaboration complements AUSTRAHIND.

Multilateral Engagements

  • Both armies/navies co-train in MALABAR, TALISMAN SABRE, COPE INDIA.
  • Combined exercises reinforce Quad-aligned Indo-Pacific security network.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Participating forcesIndian Army & Australian Army
First edition venueMahajan Field Firing Range, Rajasthan
First edition year2022
Current edition4th, 2025
2025 host countryAustralia
FrequencyAnnual, alternate locations
Core mandateInteroperability & best-practice sharing
UN Charter referenceChapter VII (peacekeeping)
India–Australia defence tierComprehensive Strategic Partnership (2020)
Logistics pact signedMutual Logistics Support Agreement, 2021

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

CAPF_GAI, CDS_GK 2023PYQ 1

Exercise Ajeya Warrior is a biennial training event between the Indian Army and the army of:

CAPF_GAI, CDS_GK 2023PYQ 2

The 16th edition of Indo-Nepal annual joint training exercise in jungle warfare and counter-terrorism operations was held in December 2022 at Nepal Army Battle School, Saljhandi. What is the name of this exercise?

GS-2Scheme

12.Mission Aatmanirbharta in Pulses (Pulses Self-Reliance)

PIB
Illustration for Mission Aatmanirbharta in Pulses (Pulses Self-Reliance)

What & Where

National Dalhan Aatmanirbharta Mission aiming at full self-sufficiency in pulses by December 2027.

Integrates production-to-marketing chain across India; led by Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare.

Implemented 2025-26 to 2030-31 through ICAR, KVKs, NAFED-NCCF, NITI Aayog, NIC.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Legal & Policy

  • PM-AASHA linked for assured procurement, price stability under existing legal MSP framework.
  • Rolling five-year state seed plans monitored by ICAR ensure compliance and accountability.
  • NITI Aayog recommends cluster demarcation; NIC provides real-time data via SATHI portal.

Tech & Schemes

  • ICAR breeding programmes deliver high-yield, pest & climate-resilient pulse varieties.
  • SATHI enables QR-based traceability from breeder to farmer, curbing spurious seed trade.
  • KVKs spearhead on-farm demonstrations, input distribution and training.

Economic Angle

  • 1,000 new processing/packaging units expected to boost rural jobs and value addition.
  • 100 % MSP procurement cushions price risk, raising predictable farm incomes.
  • FPO-led clusters aggregate produce, lowering marketing costs.

Social Dimension

  • Pulses integrated into PDS, ICDS, Mid-Day Meal to address protein deficiency.
  • Nearly 2 crore farmers gain from assured market and input support.
  • Mission aligns with nutrition security goals under Poshan 2.0.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Total outlay₹11,440 crore
Stated self-reliance deadlineDec 2027
Overall mission span2025-26 → 2030-31
Production target 2030-31350 lakh tonnes
Area expansion goal310 lakh ha (incl. 35 lakh ha rice fallows)
Free seed kits88 lakh
Certified seed distribution126 lakh quintals
Guaranteed MSP cropsTur, Urad, Masoor (4 yrs, 100 % procurement)
SATHI portal purposeSeed authentication & digital inventory
Processing units planned1,000; subsidy ₹25 lakh/unit
Farmers to benefit≈2 crore
Cluster model“One Block – One Seed Village”

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

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?

GS1 2019PYQ 2

अटल नवाचार (Innovation) मिशन किसके अधीन स्थापित किया गया है?

GS-2SchemeQuick Bite

13.DRAVYA Portal for Ayurvedic Ingredients (Ayush Digital Repository)

PIB

What & Where

DRAVYA Portal: AI-ready digital repository of Ayurvedic ingredients & formulations.

Built by CCRAS under Ministry of Ayush; launched in Goa, India.

Phase-1 to catalogue 100 priority medicinal substances via dedicated data-entry software.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Tech & Schemes

  • AI backbone allows intelligent analytics, interoperability with Ayush Grid, other e-health initiatives.
  • Standardised data-entry software ensures authenticity, traceability of every listed substance.

Research & Regulation

  • Multi-domain profiles aid pharmacopoeial harmonisation, drug validation, evidence-based policymaking.
  • Safety and efficacy data streamline regulatory review and future clinical research.

User & Impact

  • One-stop access accelerates study, formulation development, and heritage documentation.
  • Portal seeks global recognition of Indian traditional medicine through open, credible digital access.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Full formDigitised Retrieval Application for Versatile Yardstick of Ayush
Launch venue & dateGoa, 13 Oct 2025
Parent ministryMinistry of Ayush
DeveloperCentral Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences
Phase-1 goalList 100 medicinal substances
Platform natureAI-ready; integrates with Ayush Grid & health databases
Data coveragePharmacotherapeutics, botany, chemistry, pharmacology, safety
Key beneficiariesResearchers, practitioners, students, policymakers

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

CDS_GK 2022PYQ 1

Recently launched ‘Jan Samarth’ portal

GS-1Editorial

14.Strengthening Labour Rights in India (Industrial Safety)

The Hindu

What & Where

Industrial accidents: unexpected factory events causing injury/death; spotlight on 2025 Sigachi Industries reactor blast, Telangana.

Key processes: outdated machinery, over-temperature reactors, missing alarms, fatigue-driven human error.

Geography: Incidents cluster across Indian industrial belts; recent high-profile case in Telangana.

Quick Facts for MCQs

Causes

  • Negligence: employers underinvest in maintenance, safety checks; ILO notes accidents seldom random.
  • Training gap: workers lack skills; sites miss alarms, gear, emergency systems.
  • Overwork: long shifts, high pressure increase mistakes in hazardous settings.

Legal & Policy

  • Statutes: Factories Act 1948, Compensation 1923, ESI 1948, Industrial Disputes 1947 remain core safeguards.
  • Update: OSHWC Code 2020 awaits full rollout; promises unified safety framework.
  • Inspection trend: self-certification like Maharashtra 2015 dilutes external oversight.

Reform Measures

  • Digitalisation: Shram Suvidha Portal, Mission Digital Shram Setu to register informal labour.
  • Tech monitor: AI-driven tools under #AIforAll proposed for real-time hazard tracking.
  • Inclusion: expand PM-SYM pensions, childcare, maternity benefits to boost female participation.

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Year of Sigachi blast2025
State of incidentTelangana
Reactor temperature at blast2 × permissible limit
Labour code consolidationsOSHWC Code, 2020 merges 13 laws
Post-Bhopal safety amendmentFactories Act, 1987
Self-certification rule introducedMaharashtra, 2015
Informal trade wageUSD 5/hour
National average wageUSD 11/hour

Related UPSC Prelims PYQs

CDS_GK, ESE_GS 2022PYQ 1

भारत सरकार द्वारा अधिसूचित निम्नलिखित श्रम संहिताओं में से किसमें केंद्रीय श्रम अधिनियमों, यथा कारखाना अधिनियम, 1948 और खदान श्रम अधिनियम, 1951 के विशेष उपबंध को शामिल किया गया है?

CDS_GK, ESE_GS 2025PYQ 2

Which one of the following is correct with respect to the Industrial Relations Bill?

GS-1Misc

15.International Purple Fest 2025 Goa (Disability Inclusion)

DD News

What & Where

International Purple Fest 2025 – global inclusion festival for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs)

Held 9–12 Oct 2025, Goa; theme: “Inclusion as a Movement”

Platform for policy dialogue, cultural expression, universal-design advocacy

Quick Facts for MCQs

Organisers & Partners

  • DEPwD hosts; Goa State Commissioner office executes, backed by MoSJE & UN India
  • Multilevel collaboration ensures policy-to-practice linkages across Union, State, UN

Skill & Training Initiatives

  • IELTS manual offers ISL videos, accessible drills for visual, hearing, locomotor disabilities
  • RPL in ISL formalises skills of SODA/CODA, widening interpreter pool
  • ASL/BSL course equips Indian ISL professionals for global communication roles

Aims & Objectives

  • Mainstream inclusion through governance reforms, inclusive education, equitable jobs
  • Promote universal design; shift public perception from welfare to empowerment

Key Dates & Observances

  • Festival: 9–12 Oct 2025; certificates: 3 Dec 2025 (Intl Day of PwDs)
  • Reinforces calendar-based advocacy for sustained awareness

Key Data Points

FeatureData-Point
Host departmentDEPwD, Govt. of India
Key organiserState Commissioner for PwDs, Goa
CollaboratorsMinistry of Social Justice & Empowerment; United Nations India
Core aimMainstream disability inclusion in governance, education, employment
Awareness focusEmpathy-based sensitisation; universal design in public spaces
Major handbookInclusive IELTS Training Handbook by BITI + DEPwD
RPL certifierISLRTC for SODA & CODA interpreters
RPL first batchTrained Aug 2025; certificates on 3 Dec 2025
New trainingASL & BSL Basic Programme by ISLRTC
International Day3 Dec – certificates coincide with PwDs Day

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