April 2023

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INDEX
TOPIC Page Number
1) Environment 2
2) Schemes 9
3) International Relations 16
4) S&T 19
5) Polity and Governance 26
6) Economy 32
7) Defence 33
8) Health 34
9) Indices and Reports 36
10) Art and Culture 39
11) Miscellaneous 41
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1) ENVIRONMENT
Ø Asian Elephant = There are three subspecies of Asian elephant which are the Indian, Sumatran
and Sri Lankan + The Indian subspecies has the widest range and accounts for the majority of
the remaining elephants on the continent + Global Population: Estimated 20,000 to 40,000 +
IUCN Red List: Endangered + Wildlife Act, 1972: Schedule I + CITES: Appendix I + Elephant
Census (2017): Karnataka(6,049) > Assam (5,719) > Kerala + (African Elephants = There are
two subspecies of African elephants, the Savanna (or bush) elephant and the Forest elephant +
IUCN of African Savanna Elephant: Endangered + IUCN of African Forest Elephant: Critically
Endangered + CITES: Appendix II)
Ø Black Leopard = or Black Panther (Ghost of the Forest) is a melanistic colour variant of
spotted any Panthera, particularly of the leopard in Asia and Africa, and the jaguar in the
Americas + Found mainly in Southwestern China, Burma, Nepal, Southern India, Indonesia,
and the southern part of Malaysia(i.e mainly in the regions with the highest rainfall and dense
foliage) + Most of the records about the existence of black leopards in India has been from
North East India and Western Ghats + IUCN Status: Vulnerable.
Ø Toque Macaques = The Sri Lankan Toque Macaques (Macaca sinica) are the smallest species
of Macaca, a golden-brown coloured monkey, endemic to Sri Lanka + They are native and
endemic exclusively to Sri Lanka + IUCN- Endangered + CITES - Appendix II + Recently, Sri
Lanka is planning to export 1,00,000 toque macaques to China, and this step is being criticized
by many environmentalists.
Ø Sloth Bear = Sloth bears are one of the eight bear species found across the world + Their range
includes India, Sri Lanka and southern Nepal. 90% of the global Sloth Bear population is found
in India + They live in a variety of dry and moist forests and in some tall grasslands, where
boulders, scattered shrubs and trees provide shelter + IUCN: Vulnerable + Wildlife Protection
Act, 1972: Schedule I + They have long, shaggy dark brown or black fur and curved claws,
which are the longest out of any of the bear species. They use their claws to excavate termites
and ants.
Ø Greater One-Horned Rhinos = Also known as Indian rhino, it is the largest of the rhino
species + Vulnerable + The species is restricted to small habitats in Indo-Nepal terai and
northern West Bengal and Assam + In India, rhinos are mainly found in Assam, West Bengal
and Uttar Pradesh + Assam has an estimated 2,640 rhinos in four protected areas, i.e. Pabitora
Wildlife Reserve, Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park, Kaziranga National Park, and Manas
National Park + Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary has the highest density of one-horned rhinos in
the world and second highest number of Rhinos in Assam after Kaziranga National Park.
Ø Mexican Giant Turtle = also called the Red Eared Slider + Invasive turtle species + Native
Indian turtles face U.S. slider threat across Northeast + It derives its name from red stripes
around part where its ears would be and from its ability to slide quickly off any surface into
the water + Native to the U.S. and northern Mexico + these turtles can impact human health as
they may accumulate toxins in their tissues which pass on with the food chain upto humans +
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) releases the world’s 100 most invasive
species, and the Red-Eared Slider Turtle is included in this list+ IUCN: Least Concern.
Ø Asiatic Water Snake = Species is endemic to Asia + It is non-venomous + It is primarily found
in freshwater bodies like rivers, lakes, and ponds + The species is endemic to Asia and found
in countries like Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India, Myanmar, Nepal,
Thailand, Laos, Cambodia etc + IUCN: Least concern + CITES: Appendix III + WPA:
Schedule II.
Ø Lesser Flamingo = It is the smallest of all flamingos but has the largest population + It
possesses the "hallux" or hind toe that some other flamingos do not have + Males are a little
taller than females + It inhabits coastal and inland wetlands + Geographical distribution:
Africa, Asia continents and in that especially Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, North Africa +

IUCN: Near Threatened + Recently, after a six-year absence, the lesser flamingos have finally
found their way back to Pulicat Lake.
Ø Spot Billed Pelican = The Spot-billed Pelican or Grey Pelican is a large water bird found in
India and other parts of Southeast Asia + It is a bird of large inland and coastal waters,
especially large lakes. The main habitat is in shallow lowland freshwaters + The species is
found to breed only in peninsular India, Sri Lanka and in Cambodia + The best places to spot
the Spot-billed Pelican in India are the Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan, Pulicat Lake,
Andhra Pradesh, the Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, Chilika Lake in Odisha,
Kokkare Bellur and Karanji Lake in Karnataka + IUCN - Near Threatened.
Ø Short-beaked Echidnas = It is one of four living species of echidna. It is covered in fur and
spines and has a distinctive snout and a specialized tongue, which it uses to catch its insect
prey (ant and termite) at a great speed + According to researchers from Curtin University,
Short-beaked echidnas in Western Australia beat the heat by blowing mucus bubbles
Ø Mangrove Pitta = species of Bird + The mangrove pitta (Pitta megarhyncha) belongs to the
family of pittas, the Pittidae + Distribution: Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar,
Singapore, and Thailand (primarily the west coast of the southern Thai peninsula) + It is found
in mangrove and nipa palm forests where it feeds on crustaceans, mollusks and insects + IUCN:
Near Threatened + WPA: Schedule IV + A census of mangrove pitta birds was conducted in
two coastal districts of Odisha, India, where the nearly threatened species is found. A total of
179 individual mangrove pitta birds were counted, with the highest concentration found in the
mangroves near the Mahipura river mouth inside the Bhitarkanika National Park.
Ø Helopeltis Theivora = also known as Tea Mosquito Bug + It is considered to be a serious pest
of tea + The damage is more in most shaded areas + The tea mosquito bug is affecting tea
production in both low and high elevation plantations as per the United Planters Association
of Southern India (UPASI) + UPASI is the apex body of planters in south India.
Ø Cycas Pectinata = Cycas pectinata, listed as vulnerable in the International Union for
Conservation of Nature’s Red List, is the only cycad species found in Bhutan + It is an
evergreen, palm-like plant + Recently, a new study by five botanists has revealed that the
Cycas pectinata plant’s existence in the Himalayan country of Bhutan is threatened by
overcollection as an ornamental plant and habitat destruction.
Ø Caltoris Bromus Sadasiva = A group of lepidopterists has discovered a butterfly subspecies
from the fringes of Akkulam and Vembanad lakes in Kerala + Caltoris bromus sadasiva is the
first Bromus swift butterfly to be documented in the Western Ghats + (Vembanad Lake =
Vembanad is the largest lake in Kerala and the longest Lake in India + The lake has its source
in four rivers, Meenachil, Achankovil, Pampa and Manimala + Vallam Kali (Nehru Trophy
Boat Race) is a Snake Boat Race held every year in August in Vembanad Lake)
Ø Piarosoma Arunachalensis = Recently, researchers from Titli Trust, National Centre for
Biological Sciences and others have discovered a new moth from Talle Wildlife Sanctuary in
Arunachal Pradesh + It belongs to the family Zygaenidae, which includes Forester and Burnet
moths + (Talle Wildlife Sanctuary = Arunachal Pradesh + Rivers like Pange, Sipu, Karing
and Subansiri flow through this sanctuary + It comprises sub-tropical and alpine forests)
Ø Garra Laishrami = Researchers from Central University of Odisha (CUO), Koraput and
Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have recently discovered a rare freshwater edible fish from
Kolab river in Koraput, Odisha + The cyprinid fish species which can be consumed have been
seen so far in Kolab river, one of the major tributaries of Godavari.
Ø Amolops Siju = Recently, researchers from the Zoological Survey of India have discovered a
new species of frogs from deep within the Siju cave system in the South Garo Hills district of
Meghalaya + This is the second cave-dwelling species of frog recorded from India after
Micrixalus spelunca in Tamil Nadu nine years ago + It has been named after the Suji cave
where it was discovered + It belongs to the cascade Ranidae family and genus Amolops + (Siju

Cave = The cave is a natural limestone cave located in the South Garo Hills District of
Meghalaya, Northeast India + It is a 4 km long natural limestone cave).
Ø Tyrannosaurus Rex = It is considered the most fearsome eating machine to have evolved on
Earth + It lived toward the end of the Cretaceous period, around 66 million to 68 million years
ago + It is believed that an adult member of the species stood 12 feet tall and 40 feet long, and
weighed between 5,000 to 7,000 kg + The habitat of the T. Rex could have extended from as
far as Alaska in North America up until Mexico in the south.
Ø Prosopis Chilensis = Prosopis chilensis, an alien invasive plant, is threatening to pulverize
native vegetation across 21 islands in the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve (GoMBR), Tamil
Nadu, an avian distribution study has revealed + Prosopis Chilensis is a drought-resistant plant.
It is native to the arid regions of four South American countries such as Argentina, Bolivia,
Chile, and Peru + It is also known as Chilean mesquite.
Ø Madh Island = Located in the western suburbs of Mumbai, Maharashtra + The area is bounded
by the Arabian Sea to the west, and the Malad creek on the east + It is primarily inhabited by
Kolis, Marathis, and Roman Catholics + There are few beaches like Erangal Beach, Dana Pani
Beach, Silver Beach, Aksa Beach.
Ø Nathu- La = Sikkim + It is one of the three open trading border posts between China and
India; the others being Shipkila in Himachal Pradesh and Lipulekh at the trisection point of
Uttarakhand–India, Nepal and China + It is also one of the five officially agreed Border
Personnel Meeting points between the Indian and China for regular consultations and
interactions between the two armies to improve relations + The other passes located in the state
of Sikkim are Jelep La Pass, Donkia Pass, Chiwabhanjang Pass.
Ø Pulicat Lake = Andhra Pradesh – Tamil Nadu Border + Recently, Increase in numbers of
migratory birds visiting the Pulicat Lake was noticed + It is the second largest brackish water
lake in the country; next only to Chilika lake + Greater flamingos and pelicans are some of the
famous migratory birds that visit this place + The region in which Pulicat lake is situated
receives rainfall from both South- West as well as North-East monsoon winds + Nelapattu Bird
Sanctuary(Andhra Pradesh) is a famous bird sanctuary located near this lake + The lake is also
home for black-headed ibis, Asian openbill, black-crowned night heron, and little cormorant.
Other migratory birds that visit the sanctuary include northern pintail, common teal, little
grebe, northern shoveler, Eurasian coot, Indian spot-billed duck, grey heron, Oriental darter,
black-winged stilt, garganey and gadwall + The presence of Barringtonia and Acacia nilotica
plant species near the Pulicat lake region provides an ideal breeding site for spot-billed pelicans
+ Flamingo Festival is held every year to promote tourism in Pulicat and Nelapattu.
Ø Kuttamperoor River = Located in Alappuzha, Kerala + Kuttamperoor is a west-flowing river
originating in the western ghats + It is a tributary of both the Pamba and the Achankovil rivers
in Kerala. It forms a link between the two rivers.
Ø Hindon River = It is a tributary of the Yamuna, stretches of which rank as among the most
polluted in the country + This river is sand-witch between two major rivers: Ganga on the left
and Yamuna on the right + Hindon originates from upper Shiwalik (Lower Himalayas). It is a
purely rain-fed river.
Ø Konda Reddy Tribe = Konda Reddis are Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) and
one of the most backward tribes mostly living in the Godavari gorges of Andhra Pradesh and
Telangana + Their mother tongue is Telugu with a unique accent + The Konda Reddis are
known for their eco-friendly practices such as use of household articles made of bamboo, bottle
gourd, and seed.
Ø Hakki-Pikki Tribes = literally bird hunters + Scheduled Tribes in Karnataka + semi-nomadic
tribe who have travelled and lived in various parts of the country + speak Indo Aryan language
called ‘Vaagri’. UNESCO has listed 'Vaagri' as one of the endangered languages + follow a
curious naming practice, where the parents named their new born child after the 1st word that

came to their mind + They are known for knowledge of traditional and herbal medicine that is
in high demand in African countries + Hakki-Pikkis are said to be a matriarchal group.
Ø Nagarjunasagar - Srisailam Tiger Reserve = The Tiger reserve is spread over 5 districts in
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The area consists mostly of the Nallamala Hills + This is the
largest tiger reserve in the country spreading over an area of 5937 Sq. Km + The multipurpose
reservoirs: Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar are located in the reserve + The Krishna river cuts
the basin of this reserve + According to the 5th cycle of Management Effectiveness Evaluation
(MEE) carried out by the Centre the MEE rating of Nagarjunasagar- Srisailam Tiger Reserve
improves from ‘Good’ to ‘Very Good’
Ø Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary = Goa + one of the vital corridors of the Western Ghats +
Netravali or Neturli is an important tributary of River Zuari, which originates in the sanctuary
+ Forests mostly consist of moist deciduous vegetation interspersed with evergreen and semi-
evergreen habitat; there are also two all-season waterfalls in the sanctuary + Netravali WLS
has two all-season waterfalls, namely Savri and Mainapi.
Ø Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary = situated on the banks of the Mahanadi River in the state of
Odisha + The sanctuary has been recognized as a critical tiger habitat by the National Tiger
Conservation Authority (NTCA) + Recently, breeding of Indian Skimmers has been recorded
for the first time at Satkosia wildlife sanctuary + (Indian Skimmer = Indian Skimmer
(Rynchops albicollis) is a waterbird species + It occurs primarily on larger, sandy, lowland
rivers, around lakes and adjacent marshes and, in the non-breeding season, in estuaries and
coasts + In India, the species can be sighted near the Chambal river in Central India, in a few
parts of Odisha and in Andhra Pradesh + IUCN: Endangered)
Ø Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary = It is situated in northwestern Madhya Pradesh, with one
of its boundaries running along the border of Rajasthan + River Chambal flows through the
sanctuary, dividing it into two parts + Vegetation: Northern tropical dry deciduous forest,
Northern tropical dry mixed deciduous forest and Dry deciduous scrub + The sanctuary has
many places of historical, archeological and religious importance such as Chaurasigarh,
Chaturbhujnath temple, Bhadkaji rock paintings, Narsinghjhar Hinglajgarh fort, Taxakeshwar
temple.
Ø Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary = Chandigarh + It forms the part of Sukhna Lake catchment area
falling in Shivalik hills.
Ø Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary = Arunachal Pradesh + It is set to become a tiger reserve,
according to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) + The announcement has
caused concern among the Idu Mishmi people who believe that the reserve would restrict their
access to the forest + Idu Mishmis are a sub-tribe of the Mishmi group (the other two Mishmi
groups are Digaru and Miju) in Arunachal Pradesh and have a strong connection to the region’s
flora and fauna.
Ø Parambikulam Tiger Reserve = It also includes erstwhile Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary.
It is a protected area in Palakkad district of Kerala. It was established in 1973 + The sanctuary
lies in Sungam range of hills in between Anaimalai Hills and Nelliampathy Hills +
Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuarywas declared a part of Parambikulam Tiger Reserve in 2010
+ The reserve is credited with the first scientifically managed teak plantation in the world
which was later merged with the forest land + It has the world’s largest and oldest teak tree
named “Kannimara” + It is the home of four different tribes of indigenous peoples including
the Kadar, Malasar, Muduvar and Mala Malasar + The Western Ghats, Anamalai Sub-Cluster,
including all of Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, has been declared by the UNESCO World
Heritage Committee as a World Heritage Site.
Ø Eravikulam National Park = It is located in the High Ranges (Kannan Devan Hills) of the
Southern Western Ghats in Kerala + It hosts South India's highest peak, Anamudi (2695 m) +
Three major types of plant communities found in the park are: Grasslands, Shrub Land and

Shola Forests + It houses the special Neelakurinji flowers (Strobilantheskunthianam) that

bloom once every 12 years and the next sighting is expected to be in 2030 + The park holds
the largest viable population of the endangered Nilgiri Tahr.
• Fernarium = Recently, Fernarium was set up inside the park + A fernarium is a type of
botanical garden or greenhouse that specializes in cultivating and displaying various
species of ferns + Ferns are part of the Epiphytic family. They grow naturally in a soilless
condition. The plants obtain water and nutrients through leaching from trees + Ferns are a
diverse group of plants that do not produce flowers or seeds but instead reproduce through
spores.
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Ø 5 cycle of the All India Tiger Estimation = The process of estimating the number of tigers
in a given area is called ‘Tiger estimation.’ The census estimates are done every four years by
the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) with technical help from the Wildlife
Institute of India + The first countrywide assessment was done in 2006, followed by 2010,
2014, 2018, and the latest 2022 + India’s tiger population rose by 200 from 2,967 in 2018 to
3,167 in 2022 + As many as 1,161 of India’s tigers are now in Central India, 824 in the Western
Ghats, 804 in the Shivalik Range, 194 in the North-eastern states and 100 in the Sunderbans +
Tiger occupancy has also declined in the states of Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and
Telangana + There has been local extinction of tigers in some areas such as Kawal Tiger
Reserve in Telangana.
• Project Tiger = first initiated in 1973 (recently completed 50 years) at Jim Corbett
National Park, Uttarakhand + Centrally Sponsored Scheme under the Ministry of
Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) + National Tiger Conservation
Authority (NTCA) is the implementing authority + States covered - 18 States in India with
54 Tiger Reserves (Guru Ghasidas National Park and the Tamor Pingla Wildlife Sanctuary
in Chhattisgarh being the latest).
• National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) = NTCA is a statutory body under the
Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change + It was established in 2005
following the recommendations of the Tiger Task Force + It was constituted under enabling
provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
• Wildlife Institute of India(WII) = It is an autonomous institution under the Ministry of
Environment, Forest, and Climate Change + Established– In 1982, in Dehradun
(Uttarakhand) + It offers training programs, academic courses, and advisory in wildlife
research and management.
Ø State of India’s Environment Report, 2023 = Report was unveiled recently at India Habitat
Centre (IHC), Delhi + It is the annual publication, focusing on climate change, migration,
health and food systems + It also covers biodiversity, forest and wildlife, energy, industry,
habitat, pollution, waste, agriculture and rural development + The SoE report is published by
Down To Earth, the fortnightly magazine and Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) +
CSE is a public interest research and advocacy organization based in New Delhi.
Ø Environment Statistics 2023 = Recently, Volume 1 of Environment statistics 2023 was
released by Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) + In 2022, annual
rainfall measured in India has increased in comparison to 2021 + In 2022, maximum heatwave
days were reported in Rajasthan, followed by Punjab and Haryana, Jharkhand, and Delhi.
Ø 1st Census of Water Bodies = Ministry of Jal Shakti + Objective is to develop a national
database for all water bodies by collecting information on subject including their size,
condition, status of encroachments, use, storage capacity, status of filling up of storage etc +
Census was launched in convergence with 6th Minor Irrigation Census under Centrally
Sponsored Scheme “Irrigation Census” + 24.24 lakh water bodies have been enumerated, out
of which 97.1% are in rural areas and only 2.9% are in urban areas + Top 3 states with most

water bodies: West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh + States/UTs with least water
bodies: Sikkim, Chandigarh, Delhi.
Ø Mission Arikomban =‘Mission Arikomban’ is a mission by the Kerala forest department to
capture a wild elephant called ‘Arikomban’ posing threats to human habitations in Idukki
district + The forest department has initiated ‘Mission Arikomban’, an operation to capture the
rogue tusker.
Ø Project Elephant = centrally sponsored scheme launched in 1992 + Aim: To provide financial
and technical support to major elephant bearing States in the country for protection of
elephants, their habitats and corridors + Other goals: supporting the research of the ecology
and management of elephants, creating awareness of conservation among local people,
providing improved veterinary care for captive elephants + Project is being implemented in 16
States / UTs + The project seeks to ensure the long-term survival to the populations of elephants
in their natural habitats by protecting the elephants, their habitats and migration corridors +
Project Elephant has been formally implementing MIKE (Monitoring of Illegal Killing of
Elephants) programme of CITES in 10 ERs (Elephant Reserve) since January 2004. It is
mandated by COP resolution of CITES.
Ø Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023 = Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying
has notified the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023 under Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act,
1960 + As per rules: Animal Birth Control (ABC) programmes for the sterilisation and
immunisation of stray dogs are to be carried out by the respective local bodies/municipalities
etc + Animal birth control programme should be run by an Animal Welfare Board accredited
organization + Municipal Corporations need to implement the ABC and Anti Rabies Program
jointly.
Ø Amrit Sarovar Mission = Launched with a view to conserve water for the future + The
Mission is aimed at developing and rejuvenating 75 water bodies in each district of the country
as a part of celebration of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav + The Mission encourages mobilisation
of citizen and non-govt resources for supplementing these efforts + This Mission has been
launched with a whole Government Approach with 6 Ministries/Department namely:
Department of Rural Development Department of land resources Department of Drinking
Water and Sanitation Department of Water resources Ministry of Panchayati Raj Ministry of
Forest, Environment and Climate Changes + Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space
Application and Geo-informatics (BISAG-N) has been engaged as technical partner for the
Mission.
Ø 1st ever International Day of Zero Waste = The first-ever International Day of Zero Waste
was celebrated on March 30, 2023, to encourage people to prevent and minimize waste and
promote a circular economy and help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (11 and 12)
+ Established by: The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and UN Human
Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) + Objective: To raise awareness about zero-waste
initiatives and their importance in tackling the global waste crisis.
Ø International Big Cats Alliance (IBCA) = It was first proposed by India at an international
group against poaching and illegal wildlife trade in 2019 + IBCA has been launched for the
conservation of seven big cats namely Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar
and Puma + It aims to reach out to 97 range countries covering the natural habitats of the
aforementioned species + It will provide assured support over five years with guaranteed
funding of over Rs. 800 crores.
Ø Safety Across Asia for the Global Environment (SAFE) = The Safety across Asia for the
global Environment (SAFE) project, funded by the European Union and implemented in
cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) + Funded by the European Union + Four

Asian countries – China, Thailand, Vietnam and Laos – were initially selected for the survey
under the project.
Ø Belfast Agreement or Good Friday Agreement = also known as Good Friday Peace Accord
+ it is a political deal signed in 1998 designed to bring an end to 30 years of violent conflict in Northern
Ireland, known as “the Troubles” + Agreement between the British and Irish governments.
Ø W12+ Blueprint = The W12+ Blueprint is one of the W12+ programs for urban water
challenges + The W12+ Blueprint is an online information tool for urban water solutions + It
was launched by two NGOs (SOS and ECOCIV) in partnership with UNESCO IHP + Two
cities from India are listed in this Blueprint: Bengaluru and Chennai.
Ø Hydro- SOS = Hydrological Status and Outlook System (HydroSOS) is an initiative
envisioned by the Commission for Hydrology and overseen by the WMO Hydrological
Assembly + Its aim is to provide crucial global scale information needed to help water users
understand the current status of the world’s freshwater systems + HydroSOS is an operational
global system capable of assessing the current status of surface and groundwater hydrological
systems, or for predicting how they will change in the near future.
Ø Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) = European Union (EU) pushing for the
world’s first carbon border tax on imported goods- Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism
(CBAM) from 2026 + A carbon border tax is a tax on carbon emissions imposed on imported
goods from countries with less strict climate policies + Developing countries, including India,
have opposed CBAM calling it ‘discriminatory’ as it will ramp up prices of their goods in
Europe + EU is the third largest trading partner of India + Recently, India opposed CBAM or
carbon border tax proposed by European Union (EU) in 27th edition of Conference of Parties
(COP) in Sharm El Sheikh.
Ø Great Pacific Garbage Patch = The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a collection of marine
debris in the North Pacific Ocean + Great Pacific Garbage Patch is the largest accumulation of
ocean plastic in the world and is located between Hawaii and California + This is formed by
following currents- Kuroshio, North Pacific, California, and North Equatorial currents, moving
in a clockwise direction + The term “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” was coined by Charles J.
Moore in 1997 + Recently researchers from Canada, the Netherlands, and the U.S. have
reported that coastal lifeforms have colonized plastic items in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
Ø Sea Surface Temperature (SST) = The global average Sea Surface Temperature (SST)
reached 21.1° Celsius (C), highest in recorded history, according to data released by Climate
Change Institute at University of Maine + SST is the water temperature close to the ocean's
surface + In the Indian Ocean, it was 29 to 31° C on April 16 - which is 1-2° C above normal
+ Due to this, there are patches of strong marine heat waves over the south Arabian Sea and
Bay of Bengal + Reasons Behind SST Rise: Global Warming (Climate Change), high solar.
Ø Ice Memory = Scientists are planning to assess deep frozen ice to know more about the past
environmental conditions + Analysis of chemicals in deep "ice cores" provides scientists with
valuable data about past environmental conditions + Arctic scientists are set to start drilling to save
samples of ancient ice for analysis before the frozen layers melt away due to climate change.
Ø Bioluminescence = It is the property of a living organism to produce and emit light through
chemical reactions in proteins + Bioluminescence occurs when the oxidation of a small-
molecule luciferin is catalysed by an enzyme luciferase to form an excited-state species that
emits light + It is generally higher in deep-living and planktonic organisms than in shallow
species + Waves disturb the unicellular microorganisms, commonly known as dinoflagellates,
and make them release blue light + Bioluminescence may occur as an anti-predatory response
that may startle predators, causing them to hesitate, in a form of intimidation + Recently, A
stretch of the beach at Bheemili near Visakhapatnam glows due to bioluminescence. In
Visakhapatnam, this phenomenon is most likely the result of an algal bloom of the
dinoflagellate species of noctiluca and ceratium.

2) SCHEMES
Ø Stand Up India Scheme = Ministry of Finance + Launched in 2016, the government has
extended the Stand Up India (SUI) Scheme, up to the year 2025 + SUI Scheme seeks to
leverage the institutional credit structure to reach out to the underserved sector of people (refer
infographic) + Aims to facilitate bank loans between Rs. 10 lakh and Rs. 1 Crore to at least
one SC or ST borrower and at least one woman borrower per bank branch + SC / ST and / or
women entrepreneurs, above 18 years of age are eligible + Loans under the scheme is available
only for green field projects + In case of non - individual enterprises, 51% of the shareholding
and controlling stake should be held by either SC/ST and /or Women entrepreneur + Borrower
should not be default to any bank / financial institution + The SUI portal (designed by Small
Industries Development Bank of India) provides a digital platform to support enterprises
promotion among SC, ST and women entrepreneurs through handholding support, providing
information on financing and credit guarantee + Government does not allocate funds for loans
under the Scheme. Loans under the scheme are extended by the Scheduled Commercial Banks
(SCBs) and can be accessed in three potential ways: Directly at the bank branch or SUI portal
or Lead District Manager (LDM) + Recently margin money requirement for loans under the
Scheme has been reduced from 'upto 25%' to `upto 15% + Also, activities allied to agriculture
have been included in the Scheme.
Ø Festival of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (FINE) 2023 = Festival of Innovation and
Entrepreneurship (FINE) 2023, organized by the National Innovation Foundation, discussed
ways to raise the profile of India’s innovation and entrepreneurship eco-system, which is
inclusive, the third largest in the world, and an inspiration to many countries + National
Innovation Foundation (founded 2000; HQ: Ahmedabad (Gujarat)) – is an autonomous body
of the Department of Science and Technology. It is India’s national initiative to strengthen
grassroots technological innovations and outstanding traditional knowledge.
Ø National Logistics Portal Marine = Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways + NLPM is
a national maritime single window platform encompassing complete end-to-end logistics
solutions + It helps exporters, importers, and service providers exchange documents
seamlessly and transact business + It has the capability to integrate with various Port Operating
Systems/ Terminal Operating Systems and other stakeholder(s) systems in the ecosystem +
Recently, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways launched the Sagar Setu Mobile App of
National Logistics Portal Marine (NLPM)
Ø Export Promotion Capital Goods (EPCG) Scheme = 2015 + It is a trade promotion scheme
implemented by the Indian government + It allows the duty-free import of capital goods for
the purpose of export production in India + The EPCG scheme is administered by the
Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and is governed by the Foreign Trade Policy of
India + EPCG Scheme allows import of capital goods for pre-production, production and post-
production at zero customs duty + It covers manufacturer exporters with or without supporting
manufacturer(s), merchant exporters tied to supporting manufacturer(s) and service providers.
Second-hand goods of any nature will not be permitted under the EPCG scheme.
Ø Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) = The Department for Promotion of Industry
and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry has issued orders appointing an
advisory committee for its Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) project that is aimed
at curbing “digital monopolies” + This is in the direction of making e-commerce processes
open source, thus creating a platform that can be utilised by all online retailers + The ONDC
aims at promoting open networks developed on open-sourced methodology, using open
specifications and open network protocols, independent on any specific platform + The project
to integrate e-commerce platforms through a network based on open-source technology has
been tasked to the Quality Council of India + Making a software or a process open-source
means that the code or the steps of that process is made available freely for others to use,

redistribute and modify it. Example: Apple’s iPhones (iOS) is closed source, meaning it cannot
be legally modified or reverse engineered while Google’s Android operating system is open-
source, and therefore it is possible by smartphone manufacturers such as Samsung, Xiaomi,
OnePlus, etc to modify it for their hardware + Sharing of any transaction-level data by
participants with ONDC will not be mandatory + It will be compliant with the Information
Technology Act, 2000 and designed for compliance with the emerging Personal Data
Protection Bill.
Ø One Indian Audit & Accounts Department One System (OIOS) = Recently activated by
Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) + It is a web-enabled IT application with
support for multiple languages, offline functionality and a mobile app, for complete
digitalisation of the audit process + All new audit work in offices under the CAG will take
place only through OIOS.
Ø cVIGIL App = The cVIGIL App facilitates citizens to report MCC violations such as bribery,
gifts, liquor distribution, and use of loudspeakers beyond the permissible time during the
elections + cVIGIL App has been designed and developed by the Election Commission of India
(ECI) + The cVIGIL App was used for the first time during the five states’ Assembly General
elections between October to December 2018 + In cVIGIL, citizens by using a simple mobile
app can capture live photos and videos + Also, cVIGIL Monitor App provides access to all
cases filed in the jurisdiction to Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) and ECI Officials.
Ø SATHI Portal = Recently, the Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister launched the
SATHI Portal and Mobile App + The Seed Traceability, Authentication and Holistic Inventory
(SATHI) portal is a Centralized Online System designed to deal with the challenges of seed
production, quality seed identification and seed certification + It has been developed by the
National Informatics Centre (NIC) in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Agriculture and
Farmers Welfare on the theme of ‘Uttam Beej – Samriddh Kisan + There will be a QR code
under this system, through which the seeds can be traced + It will ensure a quality assurance
system, and identify the source of seed in the seed production chain.
Ø Unique Land Parcel Identification Number (ULPIN) or Bhu-Aadhar = Launched last year
by Department of Land Resources + Centre plans to issue a 14-digit identification number to
every plot of land in the country within a year + It will subsequently integrate its land records
database with revenue court records and bank records, as well as Aadhaar numbers on a
voluntary basis + This is the next step in the Digital India Land Records Modernisation
Programme (DILRMP), which began in 2008.
Ø Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP) = 2008 +Ministry of
Rural Development + Formed by merger of two centrally sponsored schemes namely:
Computerization of Land Records (CLR), Strengthening of Revenue Administration and
Updating of Land Records (SRA&ULR) + It has 3 components: Computerization of land
record, Survey/re-survey & Computerization of Registration + The State Governments/UT
Administrations will implement it with financial and technical supports from the Dept. of Land

Resources + Recently, Union Ministry of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj has released
a booklet on “Best Practices in Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme
(DILRMP)”
Ø Abhilekh Patal = It is a full-featured web-portal to access National Archives of India’s (NAI)
reference media and its digitized collections through internet + It is an initiative of NAI to
make its Indian Archival Records available to all + NAI is an Attached Office of the Ministry
of Culture and act as repository of non-current records of Government of India.
Ø National Generic Document Registration System (NGDRS) = Ministry of Rural
Development + National Generic Document Registration System is a ‘One Nation One
Software’ for registration of documents & properties + It is an in-house advanced software
application developed by NIC + This software is scalable, flexible, configurable and
compatible with the state-specific needs in the country.
Ø Survey of Villages Abadi and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas
(SVAMITVA) Scheme = Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) + SVAMITVA (Survey of
Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) scheme is a collaborative
effort of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, State Panchayati Raj Departments, State Revenue
Departments and Survey of India + Central Sector Scheme + Aim: To provide an integrated
property validation solution for rural India + It is a scheme for mapping the land parcels in
rural inhabited areas using drone technology and Continuously Operating Reference Station
(CORS) + The mapping will be done across the country in a phase-wise manner over a period
of four years - from 2020 to 2024 + Scheme involves mapping of land parcels using drone
technology and Establishment of Continuous Operating Reference System (CORS). [Question
can be directly asked in the exam as -> CORS is related to which scheme?] + SVAMITVA
provides a “Record-of- Rights” to facilitate availing of loans on the security of such lands +
MoPR has introduced Rural Area Development Formulation and Plan (RADPFI) Guidelines
in 2022. RADPFI will guide in the preparation of a Master Plan for a Village. SVAMITVA,
along with RADPFI can enable Spatial Budgeting by unlocking the land use made available
through Drone surveys and feature extraction.
Ø PTP-NER Scheme = Marketing and Logistics Development for Promotion of Tribal Products
from North Eastern Region (PTP-NER) + Ministry of Tribal Affairs + Central Sector Scheme
+ It will assist tribal craftsmen through backward and forward linkages via. incubation support,
aggregation, skill and entrepreneurial development, marketing, transportation, etc + The
empanelment of tribal artisans will be done directly or through Tribal Artisan Melas (TAMs).
Ø MAHARISHI Initiative = related to Millets + Supported by Participants of G20 Meeting of
Agriculture Chief Scientists on “Sustainable Agriculture and Food System for Healthy People
and Planet” + Its secretariat will be housed at Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR),
Hyderabad with technical support from ICRISAT, One CGIAR Centres and other International
organisations + It will focus on Research and Awareness about agro-biodiversity, food security,
and nutrition aligning with International Year of Millets 2023.
Ø PRAYAG Platform = Launched by: Ministry of Jal Shakti, Under the ambit of Namami Gange
Programme (NGP) + PRAYAG stands for Platform for Real-time Analysis of Yamuna, Ganga
and their Tributaries + Prayag is a real time monitoring centre for planning and monitoring of
projects, river water quality, etc. through various online dashboards such as Ganga Tarang
Portal, Ganga Districts Performance Monitoring System, etc.
Ø PTP-NER Scheme = Marketing and Logistics Development for Promotion of Tribal Products
from North Eastern Region (PTP-NER) + Ministry of Tribal Affairs + Central Sector Scheme
+ It will assist tribal craftsmen through backward and forward linkages via. incubation support,
aggregation, skill and entrepreneurial development, marketing, transportation, etc + The
empanelment of tribal artisans will be done directly or through Tribal Artisan Melas (TAMs).

Ø MAHARISHI Initiative = related to Millets + Supported by Participants of G20 Meeting of

Agriculture Chief Scientists on “Sustainable Agriculture and Food System for Healthy People
and Planet” + Its secretariat will be housed at Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR),
Hyderabad with technical support from ICRISAT, One CGIAR Centres and other International
organisations + It will focus on Research and Awareness about agro-biodiversity, food security,
and nutrition aligning with International Year of Millets 2023.
Ø PRAYAG Platform = Launched by: Ministry of Jal Shakti, Under the ambit of Namami Gange
Programme (NGP) + PRAYAG stands for Platform for Real-time Analysis of Yamuna, Ganga
and their Tributaries + Prayag is a real time monitoring centre for planning and monitoring of
projects, river water quality, etc. through various online dashboards such as Ganga Tarang
Portal, Ganga Districts Performance Monitoring System, etc.
Ø PM-POSHAN = Centrally Sponsored Scheme + earlier known as National Scheme for Mid-
Day meal in Schools or simply Mid-Day Meal Scheme + Mid-Day Meal Scheme was launched
in 1995 to meet twin objectives of: Enhancing the enrollment, retention and attendance of
students, and Improve nutritional levels among school going children + It will provide one hot
cooked meal in Government and Government-aided schools from 2021-22 to 2025- 26.
Ø Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) Initiative = IKS is an innovative cell under Ministry of
Education at All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) + Established to promote
interdisciplinary research on all aspects of IKS, preserve and disseminate IKS for further
research and societal applications + Recently, University Grants Commission (UGC) has
released draft guidelines for the incorporation of the Indian knowledge systems (IKS) in higher
education for undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) courses.
Ø e-Court Project = The eCourts Project was conceptualised on the basis of the “National Policy
and Action Plan for Implementation of ICT in the Indian Judiciary – 2005” submitted by
eCommittee, Supreme Court of India with a vision to transform the Indian Judiciary by ICT
enablement of Courts + E-committee is a body constituted by the Government of India in
pursuance of a proposal received from Hon'ble the Chief Justice of India to constitute a
eCommittee to assist him in formulating a National policy on computerization of Indian
Judiciary and advise on technological communication and management related changes + The
eCourts Mission Mode Project, is a Pan-India Project, monitored and funded by Department
of Justice, Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India for the District Courts across the
country.
Ø Fast and Secure Transmission of Electronic Records (FASTER) = by Supreme Court(SC)
+ a software to transmit Court Orders swiftly, securely through electronic mode.
• SUVAS (Supreme Court Vidhik Anuvaad Software) to translate English judgments into
regional language.
Ø Mission 50K-EV4ECO = The Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has
launched Mission 50K-EV4ECO, the initiative will fund the purchase of 50,000 EVs in the
country to spur the local ecosystem + Under this mission, SIDBI will directly provide loans to
eligible small and medium enterprises (SMEs) for the purchase of EVs and developing
charging infrastructure, including battery swapping + The Indian automobile industry ranked
fifth largest globally and is expected to become the third largest by 2030. However, the sale of
electric vehicles accounts for just 1% of total sales, currently + (SIDBI = It was established
under an Act of Parliament in 1990 + The Shares of SIDBI are held by the Government of
India and twenty-two other institutions / public sector banks / insurance companies owned or
controlled by the Central Government including SBI, LIC, NABARD etc + Headquarter-
Lucknow + It is the Principal Financial Institution engaged in the promotion, financing &
development of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sector and coordination
of the functions of the various institutions engaged in similar activities)

Ø India's first Underwater Metro = India's first underwater metro recently conducted it's trial
run under the Hooghly river, Kolkata + It is a part of Kolkata Metro’s East-West Corridor + It
passes under the Hooghly River in the city's northeast, with the tunnel 13 meter below the
riverbed and 33 meter below ground level.
Ø Kochi Water Metro = Recently, India's first water-based metro, Kochi Water Metro (KWM),
was formally inaugurated by Prime Minister + The project aims to reduce traffic congestion
and improve the connectivity of the city while promoting eco-friendly means of transportation
+ KWM's boats are being built by Cochin Shipyard.
Ø UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) Scheme = UDAN is a Regional Connectivity Scheme
(RCS) to stimulate regional air connectivity and making air travel affordable to masses + It
was formulated based on review of National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP), 2016 + Airports
Authority of India is designated as implementing agency + Regional Connectivity Fund (RCF)
funds Viability Gap Funding (VGF) requirements of scheme through a levy on certain domestic
flights + Recently, Ministry of Civil Aviation launched Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS)-
UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) 5.0 + Key features of UDAN 5.0: Focuses on Category-2
(20-80 seats) and Category3 (>80 seats); Length cap of 600 km is waived off; No
predetermined routes would be offered; Viability gap funding (VGF) increased to 600 km from
500 km earlier.
Ø National Gas Grid = It is a 33,764 Kms long, Natural Gas pipeline network that the Centre
has started to connect all major supply and demand centres in the country under the purview
of Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) + The Grid when fully established
will ensure easy availability of Natural Gas across all regions of the country and reduce our
reliance on Crude oil.
• Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) = It was established under
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board Act, 2006 + It aims to protect the
interests of consumers and entities engaged in specified activities relating to petroleum,
petroleum products and natural gas and to promote competitive markets + It also oversees
Petroleum Products Pipelines construction and also a Gas Exchange for the trading of
Natural Gas in India + It is the authority to grant authorization to the entities for the
development of City Gas Distribution (CGD) network in Geographical Areas (GAs) + It is
under Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas.
• Pradan Mantri Urja Ganga project (2016) = It is a gas pipeline project that aims to
provide uninterrupted cooking gas to households in U.P, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal
and Odisha + It is also known as Jagdishpur- Haldia & BokaroDhamra pipeline project +
The 2,655 km long pipeline project connects the eastern states to the National Gas Grid.
• North East Gas Grid (2020) = It is a 1,656 km long pipeline, which aims to connect the
eight north eastern states to the National Gas Grid.
• City Gas Distribution Network = The Network Currently covers more than 400 districts
in 27 States/UTs + It consists of four distinct segments namely delivery of CNG for
automobile usage in cities, delivery of PNG for domestic, commercial and industrial usage.
Ø Bharat Gaurav Scheme = Ministry of Railways + To tap the huge potential of tourism, the
Railways announced the ‘Bharat Gaurav’ scheme, under which theme-based tourist circuit
trains, on the lines of the Ramayana Express, can be run + These trains will be run by both
private players and IRCTC + Service providers, who can be an individual, company, society,
trust, joint venture or consortium, will be free to decide themes and circuits such as Guru Kripa
trains for covering important places of Sikh culture or the Ramayana Express for places
connected with Lord Ram.
Ø Language Friendship Bridge Project = The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR)
has envisaged a project called ‘The Language Friendship Bridge’, which aims to expand
cultural footprint in neighborhoods with whom India has historical ties + The Project will

create a pool of experts in languages spoken in countries like Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan
and Indonesia to facilitate better people-to-people exchanges + It will train five to 10 people
in the official languages of each of these countries.
Ø National Mission on Cultural Mapping (NMCM) = Ministry of Culture + 2017 + The
NMCM aims to develop a comprehensive database of art forms, artists and other resources
across the country + NMCM has now been handed over to Indira Gandhi National Centre for
the Arts (IGNCA) in 2021 + Three important objectives of NMCM are: National Cultural
Awareness Abhiyan, Nationwide Artist Talent Hunt/Scouting Programme, National Cultural
Workplace.
• Some Examples of Villages include
o Sinauli = Uttar Pradesh + Known for artefacts associated with the bronze age
civilizations. E.g, solid-disk wheel carts, found in 2018, which were interpreted by
some as chariots.
o Raini = Uttarakhand + known for Chipko movement
o Suketi Fossil Park = Himachal Pradesh + contains 2.5 million years old vertebrate
fossils.
o Pandrethan = Jammu & Kashmir + Village of 14th century Kashmiri saint and mystic
poet Lal ded. Also known as Lalla or Lalleshwari. Her writing are called “vakhs” + also
home to an 8th century shiva temple.
o Bishnoi = Rajasthan + case study for living in harmony with nature.
• Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts(IGNCA) = New Delhi is a premier
government-funded arts organization in India + It is an autonomous institute under the
Union Ministry of Culture.
• My Village My Heritage Programme = Programme under NMCM + also known as Mera
Gaon meri Dharohar Programme + Recently, In a bid to harness the unique cultural heritage
of rural India, the government has identified and documented distinctive features of more
than one lakh villages across the country under the ‘Mera Gaon meri Dharohar’
programme.
Ø Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) = In order to improve India’s performance at
Olympics and Paralympics, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) started the Target
Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) in 2014 + Launched by Ministry of Sports within the ambit
of National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) + It aims at identifying and supporting potential
medal prospects for upcoming Olympic Games + Mission Olympic Cell is a special
organization established to support the athletes chosen under the TOP Scheme. The head of the
MOC is the director general of the Sports Authority (DG, SAI).
Ø Genome India Project = The Genome India Project, a Centre-backed initiative to sequence
10,000 Indian human genomes and create a database + It is almost 2/3rd completed now +
Central Sector Project + This is a mission-mode, multi-institution consortium project, first of
its kind in India supported by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India + About
20 institutions across India are involved in the project though the analysis and coordination is
done out of the Centre for Brain Research, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore.
• Genome = Every organism’s genetic code is contained in its Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid
(DNA), the building blocks of life + A genome, simply put, is all the genetic matter in an
organism + It is defined as “an organism’s complete set of DNA, including all of its genes
+ Each genome contains all of the information needed to build and maintain that organism
+ In humans, a copy of the entire genome — more than 3 billion DNA base pairs — is
contained in all cells that have a nucleus”.
• Human Genome Project (HGP) = It was the international research effort to determine the
DNA sequence of the entire human genome + It began in 1990 and completed in 2003 +
The HGP gave us the ability, for the first time, to read nature's complete genetic blueprint

for building a human being + It was coordinated by the National Institutes of Health, USA
and the Department of Energy, USA.
Ø National Quantum Mission = Recently, the union cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister has
approved the National Quantum Mission (NQM) to aid scientific and industrial research and
development in quantum technology + It’ll be implemented by the Department of Science &
Technology (DST) under the Ministry of Science & Technology + The mission planned for
2023-2031 aims to seed, nurture, and scale up scientific and industrial R&D and create a
vibrant & innovative ecosystem in Quantum Technology (QT) + With the launch of this
mission, India will be the seventh country to have a dedicated quantum mission after the US,
Austria, Finland, France, Canada and China + It will target developing intermediate scale
quantum computers with 50-100 physical qubits in 5 years and 50-1000 physical qubits in 8
years. The mission will help develop magnetometers with high sensitivity for precision timing
(atomic clocks), communications, and navigation. t will also support design and synthesis of
quantum materials such as superconductors, novel semiconductor structures and topological
materials for fabrication of quantum devices + Four Thematic Hubs (T-Hubs) will be set up in
top academic and National R&D institutes on the domains - Quantum Computing, Quantum
Communication, Quantum Sensing & Metrology and Quantum Materials & Devices.
Ø Garbh-Ini Programme = It is an initiative under the Department of Biotechnology of the
Union Ministry of Science and Technology as a collaborative interdisciplinary programme +
It is part of the Atal JaiAnusandhan Biotech Mission - Undertaking Nationally Relevant
Technology Innovation (UNaTI) + It promotes Maternal and Child Health and develops
prediction tools for preterm birth + Recently, the Indian scientists working in the Garbh-Ini
programme have identified 19 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), or genetic markers,
that are associated with preterm or premature birth.
Ø SUPREME Initiative = Recently launched by Ministry of Science and Technology + Support
for Up-gradation Preventive Repair and Maintenance of Equipment (SUPREME), is a first-of-
its-kind programme by the government + It extends financial support for repair, upgradation,
maintenance, retrofitting, or acquiring additional attachments to increase the functional
capabilities of existing analytical instrumentation facilities + Different facilities created under
the projects/ Analytical instrumentation facilities (AIFs) created earlier from the support of
DST, only will be considered for the funding support under this Scheme + Such facilities at
institutions recognised by the University Grants Commission (UGC) are eligible to apply for
grants under this initiative.
Ø Indian DefSpace Symposium = Indian Space Association (ISpA) has organized the “Indian
DefSpace Symposium 2023” in association with Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO) + The Symposium is intended to create a platform for all stakeholders
who have a keen interest in boosting India’s military space capability and plans + Indian
DefSpace Symposium 2023 is organized as a part of deliberations under “Mission Def-Space”,
under which 75 challenges have been identified for development by the industry + (Indian
Space Association (ISpA) = ISpA is an apex, non-profit industry body exclusively working
towards the successful exploration, collaboration, and development of the private and public
Space Industry in India + It was set up in 2021).
Ø Know Your Medicine App = Developed by National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) + It aim
to create a clean sporting environment in India + Available in Hindi and English, the users can
search by image and text options and search by medicines and ingredient options + App will
enable the sports ecosystem to: Check if any prohibited substance is present in medicines and
would help to make informed choices about use of medicines.
Ø Mahila Samman Savings Certificates (MSSC) = Announced in recent Budget + a one-time
new small savings scheme, Mahila Samman Savings Certificate, will be made available for a
two-year period up to March 2025. This will offer deposit facility upto ` 2 lakh in the name of

women or girls for a tenor of 2 years at fixed interest rate of 7.5 per cent with partial withdrawal
option + Ministry of Finance.
3) INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Ø UN Statistical Commission = 1947 + Highest body of the global statistical system bringing
together the Chief Statisticians from member states from around the world + Statistical
Commission oversees the work of the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), and it is a
Functional Commission of the UN Economic and Social Council + The Commission consists
of 24 member countries of the United Nations elected by the United Nations Economic and
Social Council on the basis of an equitable geographical distribution + The term of office of
members is four years + The officers of the Commission, also referred to as the Bureau, are
the Chairman, 3 Vice-chairmen and the Rapporteur + Recently, India has been elected to the
highest statistical body of the United Nations for a four year term beginning January 1, 2024.
Ø UN Democracy Fund (UNDEF) = UNDEF was created by UN Secretary-General Kofi A.
Annan in 2005 as a United Nations General Trust Fund to support democratization efforts
around the world + India is a founding member of UNDEF + Funding: It subsists entirely on
voluntary contributions from Governments + UNDEF funds projects that empower civil
society, promote human rights, and encourage the participation of all groups in democratic
processes. The large majority of UNDEF funds go to local civil society organizations + The
fund is overseen by an Advisory Board (19 members), which includes representatives from
various countries (including India) and civil society organizations + As per recent reports, India
is the fourth highest donor to the UN Democracy Fund, which funds at least 68 projects
worldwide linked to the Open Society Foundation.
Ø United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) = 1966 + It is the United Nations'
flagship catalytic financing entity for the world's 46 Least Developed Countries (LDCs) + It is
an autonomous, voluntarily funded UN organization, affiliated with the UN Development
Programme (UNDP) + It is the only UN agency mandated to focus primarily on the least
developed countries (LDCs), It works to invest and catalyse capital to support to LDCs in
achieving the sustainable growth and inclusiveness envisioned by the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development and the Doha Programme of Action for the least developed
countries, 2022–2031 + It provides investment capital and technical support to both the public
and the private sectors.
Ø PRET Initiative = Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) has launched the PRET
initiative to be better prepared for future outbreaks of a similar scale and devastation as the
COVID-19 pandemic + The Preparedness and Resilience for Emerging Threats (PRET)
Initiative is aimed at providing “guidance on integrated planning for responding to any
respiratory pathogen such as influenza or coronaviruses + It was announced at the Global
Meeting for Future Respiratory Pathogen Pandemics held on 24-26 April 2023 in Geneva,
Switzerland + PRET operate under the aegis of the International Health Regulations (IHR).
IHR 2005 are a legally binding agreement of 196 States Parties, including all 194 Member
States of WHO to build the capability to detect and report potential public health emergencies
worldwide.
Ø International funds for Agricultural Development(IFAD) = Specialized United Nations
Agency + Formed in 1977 + India is a founder member of IFAD + HQ: Rome, Italy + It works
with marginalized and vulnerable groups such as farmers with small holdings, foresters,
Pastoralists, Fishermen and small scale entrepreneurs by giving them disaster preparedness,
access to weather information, technology transfer and social learning + Managed by
Governing Council and the Executive Board. The Governing Council is the highest decision-
making body + Objectives: To increase the productive capacity of poor people; To increase

benefits for them from market participation and to strengthen the environmental sustainability
& climate resilience of their economic activities.
• Enhanced Linkages between Private Sector and Small-scale Producers Initiative
(ELPS) = IFAD and Japan announced the launch of this scheme + Aim: To make small-
scale producers and local food systems around the world more resilient and sustainable
together with the enhanced engagement of private sector companies.
Ø Group of Seven (G7) = G7 is an inter-governmental political forum consisting of Canada,
France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States + In addition, the
European Union is a 'nonenumerated member' + As of 2020, the collective group accounts for
a little over 50% of global net wealth, 32-46% of global GDP and 10% of the world's
population + Originating from an ad hoc gathering of finance ministers in 1973, the G7 has
since become a formal, high-profile venue for discussing and coordinating solutions to major
global issues, especially in the areas of trade, security, economics, and climate change + Russia
has been a formal member (as part of the Group of Eight/G8) from 1997 to 2014 + The G7 is
not based on a treaty and has no permanent secretariat or office + Its presidency rotates
annually among the member states, with the presiding state setting the group's priorities, and
hosting and organising its summit + France hosted first summit in 1975, inviting the Group of
Five plus Italy, forming the "Group of Six" (G6)
Ø OPEC+ = also known as Vienna group + OPEC Plus was created in 2016 when OPEC
countries decided to ally with other oil-producing countries outside the group to cut down the
global output of oil + Under the pact, called the Declaration of Cooperation (DoC), the
countries have worked together to influence global energy prices + The non-OPEC countries
which export crude oil along with the 14 OPECs are termed as OPEC plus countries. OPEC
plus countries include Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brunei, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman,
Russia, South Sudan and Sudan.
• OPEC = OPEC stands for Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries + It is a
permanent, intergovernmental organization, created at the Baghdad Conference in 1960,
by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela + It aims to manage the supply of oil
in an effort to set the price of oil in the world market, in order to avoid fluctuations that
might affect the economies of both producing and purchasing countries + It is
headquartered in Vienna, Austria + OPEC membership is open to any country that is a
substantial exporter of oil and which shares the ideals of the organization + OPEC has a
total of 13 Member Countries viz. Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates(UAE), Saudi
Arabia, Algeria, Libya, Nigeria, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Congo, Angola
and Venezuela are members of OPEC + Indonesia, Ecuador and Qatar were members
earlier but they are no longer members of OPEC.
• Output Pact = OPEC+ group of countries had, in April 2020, entered into a two-year
agreement (Output Pact), which entailed steep cuts in crude production to deal with a sharp
fall in the price of oil as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ø CARICOM = It is a grouping of twenty countries: fifteen member States and five associate
members. It came into being on 4 July 1973 with the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas by
Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago.The Treaty was later revised in 2002 to
allow for the eventual establishment of a single market and a single economy + The five
associate members are: Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands and Turks
& Caicos Islands + The secretariat headquarters is in Georgetown, Guyana.
Ø International Finance Corporation (IFC) = It is an international financial institution that
offers investment, advisory, and asset management services to encourage private sector
development in developing countries + It is a member of the World Bank Group and is
headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States + It was established in 1956 as the private
sector arm of the World Bank Group to advance economic development by investing in strictly

for-profit and commercial projects that purport to reduce poverty and promote development +
The IFC is owned and governed by its member countries, but has its own executive leadership
and staff that conduct its normal business operations + Recently, International Finance
Corporation (IFC) has said it will not support investments in new coal related projects.
Ø North Atlantic Treaty (NATO) = It is a military alliance established by the North Atlantic
Treaty (also called the Washington Treaty) of April, 1949, by the United States, Canada, and
several Western European nations to provide collective security against the Soviet Union + A
key provision of the treaty, the so-called Article 5, states that if one member of the alliance is
attacked in Europe or North America, it is to be considered an attack on all members. That
effectively put Western Europe under the "nuclear umbrella" of the US + As of 2023, there are
31 member states, with Finland becoming the latest member to join the alliance recently in
2023 + alliance had 12 founding members in 1949, it now has 31 members, including the three
Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania — all sharing borders with Russia — and
Hungary, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria, all members of the former Soviet-led Warsaw Pact.
• Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status: It is a designation under U.S. law that provides
foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defence trade and security cooperation.
Ø Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) =
CPTPP is a free trade agreement (FTA) that was agreed in 2018 between 11 countries –
Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and
Vietnam + Recently, Britain agreed to join CPTPP as the 12th member + In 2005, a trade
agreement between a small group of Pacific Rim countries comprising Brunei, Chile, New
Zealand, and Singapore led to the formation of Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) consisting of
12 nation-states. After the withdrawal of the US, the remaining eleven signatories, known as
the TPP-11, continued talks and their efforts led to the formation of CPTPP + India did not join
CPTPP as it seeks to place greater labor and environmental standards on its other partners and
CPTPP draft includes narrowly detailed qualifications on standards for investment protection,
provisions to protect the host state’s right to regulate, and the imposition of detailed
transparency requirements + Please Note: All 11 countries of CPTPP are also members of the
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
Ø Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA) = The GPA is a plurilateral agreement
within the framework of the WTO. (The agreement is binding on its members) + Aim: To
mutually open government procurement markets among its parties + GPA is administered by
the Committee on Government Procurement which is composed of representatives of all its
parties + It has 21 parties (covering 48 WTO members, counting the European Union and its
27 member states as one party) + Another 36 WTO members/observers and several
international organizations participate in the Committee on Government Procurement as
observers + India is not a member of GPAs (It is one of the observers).
Ø Chabahar Port = Chabahar Port is located in Sistan and Baluchestan province in the South-
eastern part of Iran, on the Gulf of Oman + It is the only deep-sea port in Iran with direct ocean
access + Its geographic proximity to countries such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India, as well
as its status as a key transit center on the burgeoning International North-South Transport
Corridor(INSTC), gives it the potential to develop into one of the most important commercial
hubs in the region + India, Afghanistan and Iran signed a deal to establish the International
Transport and Transit Corridor (Chabahar Agreement) in 2016. This involved construction of
a rail line from Chabahar port to Zahedan along the border with Afghanistan and linking it to
the Zaranj-Delaram Highway, as an alternate trade route to Afghanistan and Central Asia.
Ø India-Latin America = Indian External Affairs Minister is the first Indian foreign minister to
have made a bilateral visit to 4 Latin America countries: Panama, Guyana, Colombia and
Dominican Republic + Trade between India and LAC was at an all-time high of US$50 billion
in 2022. Overall, if Latin America were a country, it would be India’s fifth largest trade partner

in 2022-23 + With war in Ukraine, which has been the largest supplier of sunflower oil to India,
India’s imports of edible oil from Latin America have increased.
• Guyana: Guyana is home to one of the world’s largest oil reserves. Important for India to
diversify its oil sources + Commissioned an India-made ferry MV Ma Lisha to improve
connectivity and mobility within Guyana
• Panama: India’s largest Central American trade partner + Has significant Indian Diaspora
presence.
• Colombia: Signed the Cultural Exchange Program for 2023-26 + Supplies crude oil, coal
to India.
• Dominican Republic: Recently, Inaugurated the Embassy of India in the Dominican
Republic + India’s automobile dealers, like Bajaj, Hero and Royal Enfield have established
local dealerships in the Dominican Republic
• Central American Integration System (SICA) = It is the institutional framework of
Regional Integration in Central America, created by the States of Costa Rica, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama + Subsequently, Belize and Dominican
Republic joined as a full members.
Ø North Sea Summit 2023 = It is the second summit which was held in the city of Ostend,
Belgium + Objective: To make the North Sea the largest green energy centre in Europe by
accelerating the deployment of offshore wind turbines + Participant countries: Belgium,
Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands Norway, and the United
Kingdom + The first summit in 2022 had Esbjerg Declaration which was held in Denmark.
4) S&T
Ø YZ Ceti b = YZ Ceti b is a rocky, earth-sized exoplanet (a planet that orbits a star other than
our sun) rotating around a small red dwarf star, YZ Ceti, barely 12 light-years from Earth, a
handshake distance in astronomical terms + Astronomers are excited because they have
detected a repeating radio signal from this exoplanet that suggests the presence of a magnetic
field – one of the prerequisites for a habitable planet – around it.
Ø 3200 Phaethon = It is classified as an asteroid - the first to be discovered via satellite in 1983
+ A new study conducted using NASA’s heliophysics observatories recently revealed that the
tail of the 3200 Phaethon asteroid is not made of dust at all, but is instead composed of sodium
gas.
Ø Fast Radio Bursts (FRBS) = FRBs are bright bursts of radio waves whose durations lie in the
millisecondscale, because of which it is difficult to detect them and determine their position in
the sky + First FRB was discovered in 2007 + Recently, Scientists may have finally discovered
what causes mysterious fast radio bursts. The merging of two neutron stars colliding and
turning into a black hole may have caused the fast radio bursts.
Ø Upward Lightning OR Upward Flashes = Upward lightning is a phenomenon whereby a
selfinitiated lightning streak develops from a tall object that travels upward toward an
overlaying electrified storm cloud + For this to happen, storm electrification and the resulting
presence of a cloud charge region are enabling factors + Brazilian researchers recently
succeeded in taking pictures of upward lightning.
Ø SNAP-10A = Launched in 1965, SNAP-10A was the world’s first operational nuclear reactor
in space. While it still remains in orbit, it was operational for just 43 days + The U.S.’ first and
only known space nuclear reactor, the SNAP-10A was the result of the government-sponsored
System for Nuclear Auxiliary Power (SNAP) programme, also known as SNAPSHOT for
Space Nuclear Auxiliary Power Shot.
Ø Lucy Mission = NASA + It is a solar-powered mission + It will be the first space mission to
study Jupiter's Trojan asteroids to gain new insights into the solar system's formation 4.5 billion
years ago + Eurybates is one of a handful of asteroids that Lucy will visit over the next 12

years. As Eurybates eclipsed the star, a phenomenon scientists call an “occultation,” a 40-mile-
(64-kilometer-) wide shadow the size of the asteroid passed over the region + An occultation
is any event where one celestial object passes in front of another, blocking the latter object
from an observer’s view. The best-known example is a solar eclipse, which occurs when the
Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, blocking the Sun from our view.
Ø Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO) Mission = Recently, NASA’s
high-resolution air pollution monitoring instrument TEMPO lifted atop a SpaceX Falcon 9
rocket + It will measure atmospheric pollution covering most of North America, from Mexico
City to the Canadian tar/oil sands, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific hourly and at high spatial
resolution + TEMPO’s measurements from geostationary orbit (GEO) of tropospheric ozone,
ozone precursors, aerosols, and clouds will create a revolutionary dataset that provides
understanding and improves prediction of air quality (AQ) and climate forcing + Existing
pollution-monitoring satellites are in low Earth orbit (LEO), but TEMPO will be hosted in
geostationary orbit + A geostationary orbit is 36,000 kilometers above the equator, where the
orbiting satellite will match the rotation of the Earth (meaning it will stay over the same
location).
Ø DAGGER Model = Deep Learning Geomagnetic Perturbation (DAGGER) Model + NASA +
This model will help to forecast geomagnetic disturbances and provide a warning for solar
storms + This system can provide a lead time of 30 minutes for an impending storm anywhere
on earth, enough to protect the critical systems from solar storms.
Ø NISAR Mission = NASA-ISRO-SAR + It is jointly developed by the Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) +
NISAR Mission will measure Earth’s changing ecosystems, dynamic surfaces, and ice masses
providing information about biomass, natural hazards, sea level rise, and groundwater, and will
support a host of other applications. NISAR will observe Earth’s land and ice-covered surfaces
globally with 12-day regularity on ascending and descending passes, sampling Earth on
average every 6 days for a baseline 3-year mission + It will use two frequency bands: the L-
band and S-band to image the seismically active Himalayan region every 12 days and create a
“deformation map” + These two frequency bands will together provide high-resolution, all-
weather data from the satellite that is expected to follow a sun-synchronous orbit and will be
launched in January 2024.
Ø PSLV Orbital Experimental Module-2 (POEM-2) = ISRO carried out scientific experiment
using POEM-2 in PSLV-C55 mission + PSLV-C55 is a dedicated mission of NewSpace India
Limited (NSIL), for the international satellite customer from Singapore + PSLV is a four-stage
launch vehicle (1st & 3rd stage: Solid; 2nd & 4th: Liquid) + Mission, for the first time, will
see solar panels powering PSLV’s fourth (final) stage for conducting month-long experiments
+ Usually, fourth and final stage of a rocket remains in space for only a couple of days before
dropping back into the atmosphere and burning up + PSLV includes PSLV Orbital
Experimental Module-2 (POEM-2) platform to perform in-orbit experiments using the final
stage of PSLV.
Ø Reusable Launch Vehicle Autonomous Landing Mission (RLV LEX) = The Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully conducted the Reusable Launch Vehicle
Autonomous Landing Mission (RLV LEX) + Reusable launch vehicle (RLV) means a launch
vehicle that is designed to return to Earth substantially intact and therefore may be launched
more than one time + A Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) was flown by a Chinook Helicopter
of the Indian Air Force as an underslung load to a height of 4.5 km from the mean seal level.
This is the first time in the world that a launch vehicle has been carried to an altitude of 4.5 km
by a helicopter and released for carrying out an autonomous landing on a runway. With the
successful landing of RLV LEX, the dream of an Indian Reusable Launch Vehicle arrives one
step closer to reality.

Ø LIGO India Project = LIGO is an international network of laboratories that detect the ripples
in spacetime produced by the movement of large celestial objects like stars and planets +
LIGO-India will be located in Hingoli district of Maharashtra, about 450 km east of Mumbai,
and is scheduled to begin scientific runs from 2030 + It will be built by the Department of
Atomic Energy (DAE), Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India,
with an MoU with the National Science Foundation (NSF), USA, etc + Four comparable
detectors need to be operating simultaneously around the globe to localize a source of
gravitational waves anywhere in the sky and LIGO India will be one of them.
• LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) = It is an international
network of laboratories meant to detect gravitational waves + Under this, two large
observatories (~ 3000 Km apart) were built in the US (Hanford Site, Washington and
Livingston, Louisiana) with the aim of detecting gravitational waves by laser
interferometry + Interferometry is a technique which uses the interference of superimposed
waves to extract information + Besides the US, such gravitational wave observatories are
currently operational in Europe and Japan + IGO-India will be the fifth, and possibly the
final node of the planned network.
• Gravitational Waves = These are the ripples in space-time produced by the movement of
large celestial bodies like stars and planets + These were postulated over 100 years ago in
Albert Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity that encapsulates the current understanding
of how gravitation works + However, they were first discovered in 2015 by two LIGOs
based in the United States + In 2017, this experimental verification of the century-old
theory received the Nobel Prize in Physics (to Rainer Weiss, Barry C. Barish and Kip S.
Thorne) + Until now, at least 10 events producing gravitational waves have been detected.
• Gravitational Lensing = Gravitational lensing is the name given to the phenomenon
where a foreground object—a galaxy or a black hole—bends the light from a more distant
object behind it, magnifying it in the process.
• Kagra = Japan Gravitational Wave Detector
• Virgo Inferometer = European Gravitational Wave Detector + Located at Itlay.
• GEO600 = It is a 0.6 km (600 m) interferometer located near Hannover, Germany, funded
by both the German and British government
Ø Square Kilometer Array = The Square Kilometer Array (SKA) will be the largest radio
telescope in the world when completed in 2028 + The Square Kilometer Array (SKA) project
is an international effort to build the world’s largest radio telescope, with eventually over a
square kilometer (one million square meters) of collecting area + It is being built in Australia
(low-frequency) and South Africa (mid-frequency) + The SKA cores are being built in the
southern hemisphere, where the view of the Milky Way galaxy is the best and radio interference
at its least + The SKA will give astronomers insight into the formation and evolution of the
first stars and galaxies after the Big Bang, the role of cosmic magnetism, the nature of gravity.
• Square Kilometer Array Observatory = The SKA Observatory (SKAO) is an
intergovernmental organization established in early 2021 + The SKAO dedicated to radio
astronomy, is headquartered in the UK + It will undertake the construction, operation and
maintenance of the SKA telescopes + Organizations from 16 member countries take part
in the SKA project + National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA) represents
participation from India).
• MeerKAT Telescope = Recently, astronomers used machine learning to mine data from
South Africa’s MeerKAT telescope + MeerKAT, originally the Karoo Array Telescope, is
a radio telescope consisting of 64 antennas in the Meerkat National Park, in the Northern
Cape of South Africa + MeerKAT was launched in 2018 + In 2003, South Africa submitted
an expression of interest to host the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Radio Telescope in

Africa, and the locally designed and built MeerKAT was incorporated into the first phase
of the SKA.
Ø JUICE Mission = European Space Agency (ESA) + It will make detailed observations about
Jupiter and its three large ocean-bearing moons – Ganymede, Callisto and Europa. It will
inspect and analyse the moons' weather, magnetic field, gravitational pull and other elements
+ It will spend at least three years studying the gas giant and its moons + Payload: It includes
GALA (GAnymede Laser Altimeter), MAJIS (Moons and Jupiter Imaging Spectrometer),
UVS (UV imaging Spectrograph) etc + Recently, European Space Agency (ESA) has launched
JUICE from Europe's spaceport French Guiana on an eight-year-long voyage to Jupiter and its
moons through Ariane-5. It is the first large-class mission in ESA's Cosmic Vision 2015-2025
programme. For the first time that the ESA has sent a spacecraft beyond the asteroid belt.
• Jupiter = 5th from Sun + Largest planet in solar system + It has highest number of moons,
followed by Saturn + It is one of the Jovian planets (others are Saturn, Uranus and Neptune)
+ It has a faint ring system + Great red spot is a giant storm bigger than earth that has raged
for hundreds of years.
• Ganymede = only known moon to have its own magnetic field + Due to icy and rocky sea
bottom, it has potential for supporting life.
• Callisto = 2nd largest moon of Jupiter and the third largest moon in our solar system +
evidence of sub surface ocean.
• Europa = has a layer of ice and water on top + has only a tenuous atmosphere of oxygen
+ has the smoothest surface of any known solid object.
Ø Copernicus Programme = Copernicus is the Earth observation component of the European
Union’s Space programme, looking at our planet and its environment to benefit all European
citizens + It offers information services that draw from satellite Earth Observation and in-situ
(non-space) data + This initiative is headed by the European Commission (EC) in partnership
with the European Space Agency (ESA).
Ø Time Dissemination Project = The Time Dissemination Project by ISRO and NPL aims to
reduce India’s dependence on Western Time Accuracy. [Only this information is available as
of now]
Ø Blockchain Project = Government launched Blockchain Project to explore potential of Web3
+ It is a part of government's effort towards realizing Web3, as blockchain plays a crucial role
in it + It will facilitate the creation of Open Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) for
smooth integration and provision of blockchain-as-aservice (BaaS) over distributed
infrastructure + BaaS refers to third-party cloud-based infrastructure and management for
companies. It allows Government Departments to leverage Blockchain services to build, host
and use their own blockchain apps, smart contracts and functions on blockchain.
Ø Raccoon Stealer = It is a kind of malware that steals various data from an infected computer
+ National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO), a specialized intelligence agency, has
informed government entities, that they were targeted by the Raccoon Stealer malware.
Ø LockBit Ransomware = It is malicious software designed to block user access to computer
systems in exchange for a ransom payment + It was formerly known as “ABCD” ransomware,
but it has since grown into a unique threat within the scope of extortion tool + It is a subclass
of ransomware known as a ‘crypto virus’ due to forming its ransom requests around financial
payment in exchange for decryption + It focuses mostly on enterprises and government
organizations rather than individuals + It functions as ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS). Willing
parties put a deposit down for the use of custom for-hire attacks, and profit under an affiliate
framework + Recent reports emerged that for the first time, the LockBit Ransomware was
found to be targeting Mac devices.
• Ransomware Report-2022 = Released by Indian Computer Emergency Response Team
(CERT-In) + Ransomware incidents have gone up by 53% in 2022 over 2021 + Lockbit

was the most prevalent ransomware variant in India, followed by Makop and DJVU/Stop
ransomware. New variants such as Vice Society and BlueSky were noticed in 2022 +
Makop and Phobos Ransomware families mainly targeted medium and small
organizations, while Djvu/Stop variants used for attacks on individuals + Lockbit was the
most prevalent ransomware variant in India, followed by Makop and DJVU/Stop
ransomware.
Ø Zero Click Spyware = It is a no-interaction-needed hacking tool, known as “Zero-Click”,
which can remotely compromise devices without an owner needing to open a malicious link
or download a tainted attachment + Zero-click attacks are a type of cyber-attack where a device
or system is compromised without any interaction or action from the user. Zero-click attacks
often rely on zero-days, which are vulnerabilities that are unknown to the software maker and
for which no fix is presently available.
Ø First-Ever Anti-Spyware Declaration = The US and 10 other nations (India is not part of it)
issued the first-ever significant anti-spyware declaration + The declaration seeks to realize the
importance of stringent domestic and international controls on the proliferation and use of this
technology + Spyware is software with malicious behaviour that aims to gather information
about a person or organization and send it to another entity in a way that harms the user—for
example, by violating their privacy or endangering their device’s security.
Ø Antineutrino = Antineutrinos are the antimatter of neutrinos + They have an almost non-
existent mass and charge and they rarely if ever interact with other particles + This makes them
especially difficult to detect + They are produced as a byproduct when neutrons separate into
protons and electrons in nuclear reactors + Usually, in order to detect antineutrinos, “liquid
scintillators” scientists need to use a method called liquid scintillation. Typically, this involves
the use of chemicals like linear alkybenzene +Recently, In a lab buried around 2000 kilometers
under the ground in Canada, scientists accidentally discovered antineutrinos using extremely
pure water for the first time. This new discovery suggests that it would be possible to build
neutrino detectors using ultrapure water, which is non-toxic, relatively inexpensive and easy
to handle.
Ø Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron (EMIC) Waves = They are the discreet electromagnetic
emissions (transverse plasma waves) observed in the Earth's inner magnetosphere + These
waves are generated in the equatorial latitudes and propagate along magnetic field lines to its
footprint in the high latitude ionosphere + They can be recorded in both space as well as ground
based magnetometers + Magnetosphere is the region around a planet dominated by the planet's
magnetic field, rather than the magnetic field of interplanetary space + Recently, Indian
Scientists identified EMIC waves in the Indian Antarctic station, Maitri, and studied its
characteristics.
• Plasma = Plasma is the ‘fourth state of matter’ along with solid, liquid and gas Plasma is
a superheated matter, i.e. a gas with sufficient energy that the electrons are ripped away
from the atoms to form an ionized gas.
Ø Magnetoresistance = Researchers in the UK, led by Nobel laureate Andre Geim, have
discovered that graphene displays an anomalous giant magnetoresistance (GMR) at room
temperature + GMR is the result of the electrical resistance of a conductor being affected by
magnetic fields in adjacent materials. It is used in harddisk drives and magnetoresistive RAM
in computers, biosensors, automotive sensors, microelectromechanical systems, and medical
imagers + The magnetoresistance observed in the graphene-based device was “almost 100
times higher than that observed in other known semimetals in this magnetic field range.”
• Graphene = Graphene is ‘a two-dimensional single-atom-thick layer of carbon atoms
bonded in a hexagonal honeycomb lattice structure + It is extracted from graphite +
Properties are High surface area, good biocompatibility, strong mechanical strength,
excellent thermal conductivity, and fast electron transportation + Application: Energy

(Solar cell, Fuel cell, Super computers etc); Sensor, Bio-sensor; Biomedical (diagnostic,
drug delivery etc); Environment treatment etc.
Ø Raman Spectroscopy = It is a scientific technique that helps to identify and study the
properties of different materials + It works by shining a laser beam on a sample and measuring
the scattered light that comes back + This scattered light contains information about the
chemical composition and structure of the material being studied, which can be used to identify
different molecules and compounds + Sir C.V. Raman was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics
in 1930 for his work on Raman spectroscopy.
Ø ‘The hat’ = A group of scientists have discovered a new shape with 13 sides, named ‘the hat’,
It is the first ‘einstein’ tile (‘ no relation to Albert Einstein’ ) to have been found: a shape that
can cover a plane without overlapping, leaving gaps, or repeating patterns.
Ø Rare Earth Metals = The rare earth elements (REE) are a set of seventeen metallic elements.
These include the fifteen lanthanides on the periodic table plus scandium and yttrium + Rare
earth elements are an essential part of many high-tech devices + They have a wide range of
applications, especially high-tech consumer products, such as cellular telephones, computer
hard drives, electric and hybrid vehicles, and flat-screen monitors and televisions + Significant
defence applications include electronic displays, guidance systems, lasers, and radar and sonar
systems + Rare earth minerals, with names like neodymium, praseodymium, and dysprosium,
are crucial to the manufacture of magnets used in industries of the future, such as wind turbines
and electric cars + Recently, Hyderabad-based National Geophysical Research Institute has
found large deposits of 15 Rare Earth Elements (REE) in Andhra Pradesh's Anantapur district.
• National Geophysical Research Institute = Hyderabad + It is a geoscientific research
organization established in 1961 under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research,
India's largest Research and Development organization.
Ø New Uranium Isotope = A previously unknown isotope of uranium, with atomic number 92
and mass number 241, i.e., uranium-241 discovered + New isotope was found during a process
called multinucleon transfer in which two isotopes exchanged protons and neutrons +
Theoretical calculations suggest it could have a halflife of 40 minutes.
• Uranium = Uranium is a naturally occurring radioactive element + Naturally, 99.27% of
Uranium exists in form of U238 while rest in other isotopes as: U-235 (0.72%), and U-234
(0.006%) etc.
Ø Lithium = Lithium is a soft, silvery-white metal. Under standard conditions, it is the lightest
metal and the lightest solid element. It is highly reactive and flammable, and must be stored in
mineral oil. It is an alkali metal and a rare metal + Countries with Largest Reserves: Chile;
Australia; Argentina + Three nations of South America: Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina have
rich resources of lithium. They are collectively referred to as the ‘Lithium Triangle’ + Australia

is the world’s biggest exporter of lithium with most of it going to China, which dominates the
lithium ion battery pro-duction market. China controls 77% of global lithium-ion battery
manufacturing currently + Recently, Months after India found its first ever lithium reserve in
Jammu and Kashmir, another reserve of the crucial mineral has been found in Rajasthan's
Degana (Nagaur). The new lithium reserve is much bigger than the one found in Jammu and
Kashmir + Currently India imports all its lithium needs, with China and Hong Kong biggest
suppliers.
Ø Calcium Carbide = It is a compound with the chemical formula CaC2 + It is also known as
‘masala’ which is used as a fruit ripening agent + It is manufactured by heating a lime and
carbon mixture to 2000 to 2100°C (3632 to 3812°F) in an electric arc furnace + It has been
prohibited as per the provision in the sub-regulation of Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition
and Restriction on Sales) Regulation, 2011 + It is used in mining and metal industries as well
as in the production of acetylene gas + It is a highly reactive compound and releases acetylene
gas which is used to artificially ripen fruits.
Ø Sodium Cyanide = It is white crystalline or granular powder + It releases hydrogen cyanide
gas, a highly toxic chemical asphyxiant that interferes with the body’s ability to use oxygen +
Exposure to sodium cyanide can be rapidly fatal + It is used for extraction of gold and silver
from their respective ores, manufacturing insecticides, dyes, pigments, and bulk drugs +
Recently, India has initiated an anti-dumping probe into imports of sodium cyanide from
China, the European Union, Japan, and Korea following a complaint by domestic players +
Please Note: Anti-dumping duties are conducted by countries to determine whether domestic
industries have been hurt because of a surge in cheap imports. As a countermeasure, they
impose these duties under the multilateral regime of Geneva-based World Trade Organization
(WTO). The duty is aimed at ensuring fair trading practices and creating a level-playing field
for domestic producer's vis-a-vis foreign producers and exporters. India has already imposed
anti-dumping duty on several products to tackle cheap imports from various countries,
including China.
Ø N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) = It is a volatile organic chemical that occurs widely in
the environment due to its ready formation from commonly found precursors + It is classified
as a probable human carcinogen (a substance that could cause cancer) on the basis of animal
studies + It is a yellow, odourless liquid chemical once used to make rocket fuel + It is also a
byproduct of several manufacturing processes and water chlorination + NDMA breaks down
when sunlight hits it + Chemicals found in food and water, such as nitrosamines or alkylamines,
can turn into NDMA in the stomach. NDMA is also created when food or drink is processed.
Foods such as cured meats (particularly bacon), beer, fish, cheese and even vegetables may
contain NDMA. Some people may have had exposure to NDMA through the use of
contaminated medications.
Ø Ethylene Oxide = The European Commission has classified ethylene oxide as carcinogenic,
mutagenic and toxic for reproduction (previously it was classified as a fumigant) + Agricultural
products being exported to European Union will now be mandatorily tested + At room
temperature, ethylene oxide is a flammable colourless gas with a sweet odour. It is used
primarily to produce other chemicals, including antifreeze. In smaller amounts, ethylene oxide
is used as a pesticide and a sterilizing agent. The ability of ethylene oxide to damage DNA
makes it an effective sterilizing agent but also accounts for its cancer-causing activity.
Ø Gum Arabic = It is the natural gum exuded by various species of Acacia trees + The main
source of commercial gum Arabic is Acacia Senegal L.willd. and Acacia seyal trees + The trees
are native to North Africa and grow mainly in the sub-Saharan or Sahel zone of Africa and also
in Australia, India and South America + It is found in some parts of India mainly in the dry
rocky hills of southeast Punjab, in the northern Aravalli hills and other drier parts of Rajasthan
and Gujarat + Major producing countries: Cameroon, Chad, Mali, Nigeria and Sudan (market

share of about 70%) + key ingredient in everything from fizzy drinks to candy and cosmetics
+ Gum Arabic is a neutral or slightly acidic salt of a complex polysaccharide containing
calcium, magnesium, and potassium cations. It is non-toxic, odourless, and has a bland taste
and it does not affect the odour, colour or taste of the system in which it is used It is somewhat
yellowish in colour. It is insoluble in oils and in most organic solvents, but usually dissolves
completely in hot or cold water forming a clear, mucilaginous solution. It yields L-arabinose,
L-rhamnose, D-galactose and D-glucuronic acid after hydrolysis. It is used in many industries
like Food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics
5) POLITY & GOVERNANCE

Ø Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill 2023 = Recently got the nod from the cabinet + It has
provisions to curb the transmission of pirated film content on internet + It has provisions to
classify films based on age group, instead of current practice of ‘U’, ‘A’, and ‘UA’ + It seeks
to add new classification – "UA-7+", "UA13+" and "UA-16+" in place for 12 years.
Ø Point of Order = A Member can raise a point of order when the proceedings of the House do
not follow the normal rules of procedure + A point of order should relate to the interpretation
or enforcement of the Rules of the House or such articles of the Constitution that regulate the
business of the House and should raise a question that is within the cognizance of the Speaker
+ It is usually raised by an opposition member in order to control the government + It is an
extraordinary device as it suspends the proceedings before the House. No debate is allowed on
a point of order + A member should not raise a point of order: to request information; or to
explain his position; or when a question on any motion is being put to the House; or which
could be speculative + Speaker/Chairman is the final decision making authority.
Ø Article 371 F = Sikkim finally opted to become a full-fledged 22nd State of the Indian Union
with effect from 26 April 1975 vide the Constitution 36th Amendment Act 1975 with special
provision laid for the State under article 371(F) of the Constitution of India + According to
Article 371F, The members of the Legislative Assembly of Sikkim shall elect the representative
of Sikkim in the House of the People + To protect the rights and interests of various sections
of the population of Sikkim, Parliament may provide for the number of seats in the Assembly,
which may be filled only by candidates from those sections + Only the descendants of Sikkim
subjects (those who lived in the state before its merger with India) whose names were
mentioned in the 1961 register are Sikkimese with rights to own land and get State government
jobs + They were also exempted from paying income tax.
Ø Doctrine of Promissory Estoppel = Promissory estoppel is a concept developed in contractual
laws + It essentially prevents a “promisor” from backing out of an agreement on the grounds
that there is no “consideration.” + It is invoked by a plaintiff to ensure execution of a contract
or seek compensation for failure to perform the contract + In Chhaganlal Keshavalal Mehta v.
Patel Narandas Haribhai case (1981), Supreme Court listed out a checklist for when the
doctrine can be applied.
Ø National Party Status = Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has qualified to become India’s ninth
national party, with its performance in the Gujarat elections + To obtain a national status,
political parties have to fulfill any of the three conditions: Winning 2% seats or 11 seats in the
Lok Sabha from at least three different states in the latest general election; Recognition as a
state party in at least four states OR Polling 6% of the total valid votes in at least four states,
in addition to winning four Lok Sabha seats + The National Party is entitled to a reserved
symbol for its candidates contesting from across the country + Candidates from a national party
require only one proposer to file their nominations and are entitled to two sets of electoral rolls
free of cost + National parties get dedicated broadcast slots on public broadcasters Doordarshan
and All India Radio during the general elections + A national party can have a maximum of 40
‘star campaigners’ while a registered unrecognized party can nominate a maximum of 20 ‘star

campaigners’, whose travel expenses are not accounted for in the election expense accounts of
candidates + It also means a government bungalow in New Delhi for its national president and
office space at a subsidized rate in the national capital + The other National Parties in India:
BJP, Congress, CPI(M), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Meghalaya’s National People’s Party
(NPP) (recognised in 2019) + Please Note: Recently, The Trinamool Congress (TMC),
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Communist Party of India (CPI), however, lost their
national party status.
Ø Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) = Intellectual property (IP) refers to creations of the mind,
such as inventions; literary and artistic works; designs; and symbols, names and images + IPR
are the rights given to persons over the creations of their minds which usually give the creator
an exclusive right over the use of his/her creation for a certain period of time. Such protection
is provided in the form of Copyright, Geographical Indications (GI), Patents, Registered
designs ,Trademarks etc + Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) is
the most comprehensive multilateral agreement on IPR. It is in sync with the Paris Convention
for the Protection of Industrial Property (patents, industrial designs, etc.) and the Berne
Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (copyright).+ A GI TAG is
registered for an initial period of ten years, which may be renewed from time to time.
Ø Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) = An EVM consists of a "control unit" and a "balloting
unit". The control unit is with the Election Commission-appointed polling officer; the balloting
unit is in the voting compartment into where voter casts her vote in secret + It runs on a single
alkaline battery fitted in the control unit, and can even be used in areas that have no electricity
+ manufactured by Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) and Bharat Electronics
Limited (BEL) + EVMs were 1st used in 1982 Kerala Assembly elections (by-election) + RP
Act 1951 was amended in 1988 to allow usage of EVMs + In 1999, they were used for the 1st
time in the entire state for Goa Legislative Assembly elections + In 2004, EVMs were used for
the 1st time in Lok Sabha elections + An EVM used by the Election Commission of India can
record a maximum of 2,000 votes +
Ø Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) = independent verification system designed to
allow voters to verify that their votes were cast correctly + a paper slip is generated bearing

name and symbol of the candidate along with recording of vote in CU + The printed slip is
visible (for 7 seconds) in a viewing window attached to BU in voting compartment +
Subramaniam Swamy vs ECI (2014)(SC said VVPAT is necessary for transparency in voting
and must be implemented by ECI. In General Elections 2019, VVPATs was used in all the
constituencies)
Ø National Party Status = To obtain a national status, political parties have to fulfill any of the
three conditions: Winning 2% seats or 11 seats in the Lok Sabha from at least three different
states in the latest general election; Recognition as a state party in at least four states OR Polling
6% of the total valid votes in at least four states, in addition to winning four Lok Sabha seats
+ The National Party is entitled to a reserved symbol for its candidates contesting from across
the country + Candidates from a national party require only one proposer to file their
nominations and are entitled to two sets of electoral rolls free of cost + National parties get
dedicated broadcast slots on public broadcasters Doordarshan and All India Radio during the
general elections + A national party can have a maximum of 40 ‘star campaigners’ while a
registered unrecognized party can nominate a maximum of 20 ‘star campaigners’, whose travel
expenses are not accounted for in the election expense accounts of candidates + It also means
a government bungalow in New Delhi for its national president and office space at a subsidized
rate in the national capital + As of now, Election Commission of India (ECI) recognises six
national parties: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Indian National Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party
(BSP), Communist Party of India (CPI) (Marxist), National People’s Party (NPP) and Aam
Aadmi Party (AAP) + Recently, Trinamool Congress (TMC), Nationalist Congress Party
(NCP) and CPI lost their national party status.
Ø Definition of Rural-Urban areas in India = As of 2017, any settlement that is not considered
‘urban’ is automatically considered ‘rural’ + Two types of urban settlements: Administratively
urban settlements: They are those that are governed by an Urban Local Body (ULB) and
Census Urban Settlements: They are those that have a population greater than 5000, 75% of
the male population working in non-agriculture, and a density of 400 people per sq. Km +
Recently, Economic Advisory Council to the PM has suggested tweaking the definition of
rural-urban area.
Ø Exemption under RTI = Right to Information Act or RTI is a central legislation, which
enables the citizens to procure information from a public authority + Right to information
under RTI Act 2005 is not absolute, it can be legitimately restricted in exceptional
circumstances + Section 8 and 9 of the Act enumerate the categories of information which are
exempt from disclosure + Recently, In a rare order, the Central Information Commission (CIC)
has overruled the decision of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) claiming exemption
from disclosure of information sought under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005.
Ø Ranganath Mishra Commission = It is the name of the National Commission for Religious
and Linguistic Minorities that was constituted by the Government of India in 2004 + It was
constituted to look into various issues related to the linguistic and religious minorities in the
country + Chaired by former CJI Ranganath Misra, the Commission submitted its report in
2007 + The report recommended that SC status be completely delinked from religion and be
made religion-neutral like STs + It had recommended permitting Dalits who converted into
Islam and Christianity to avail Scheduled Caste status.
Ø Kirit Parikh Committee = Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas accepted recommendations
by Kirit Parikh committee formed to review the current gas pricing formula + The committee
was constituted last year (2022) to review the existing pricing formula for domestically
produced natural gas in India + Recently, Revised guidelines for pricing of domestically
produced natural gas from specific nomination fields have been approved by the Cabinet
Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister. This is done on the committee
recommendations + The approved revised domestic natural gas pricing guidelines are

applicable to the nomination fields of ONGC/OIL, NELP blocks, and pre-NELP blocks, where
the prices are subject to the Government’s approval as per the Production Sharing Contract
(PSC).
• Administered Price Mechanism (APM) Price = Under the APM, the Indian government
sets the price of natural gas produced by oil and gas companies + The price of APM gas,
which accounts for about two-thirds of India’s natural gas production, has been determined
as per the ‘modified’ Rangarajan formula since November 1, 2014 + These changes will
mainly apply to gas produced by legacy fields, or nomination fields, of national oil
companies Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) Ltd and Oil India Ltd (OIL) +
Nomination fields are acreages that the government awarded to ONGC and OIL before
1999, after which auctions became the basis of awarding oil and gas blocks.
• Domestic Gas Pricing Guidelines, 2014 = At present, the pricing of domestic gas is
determined according to the Domestic Gas Pricing Guidelines of 2014, which received
Government approval in the same year + These guidelines dictate the declaration of
domestic gas prices for a period of six months, based on the volume-weighted prices
prevailing at four gas trading hubs, namely Henry Hub (USA), Albena (Canada), National
Balancing Point (UK), and Russia + The prices are based on the preceding 12 months with
a time lag of one quarter.
Ø Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN) = Unified Portal of Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN)
was launched to facilitate a balance between narcotics substance availability for
medical/scientific/industrial use and law compliance + CBN is a subordinate office under
Department of Revenue of Ministry of Finance + It deals with international trade of narcotic
drugs, under ambit of various United Nations Conventions and provisions of Narcotics Drugs
& Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 + Composition: Narcotics Commissioner is
assisted by three Deputy Narcotics Commissioners.
Ø Central Administrative Tribunal(CAT) = Established under Administrative Tribunal Act,
1985 in 1985 under Article 323 A of the constitution + Headquartered at New Delhi + Objective
is to adjudicate disputes and complaint with respect to persons appointed to pubic
services/posts in connection with the affairs of Union and other authorities + It is guided by
Principle of Natural justice + There are 19 benches and 19 circuit benches in the CAT all over
India + Appeals against the orders of CAT lie before concerned High Court (Concerned High
Course).
Ø Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) = Statutory under Aadhaar Act, 2016 +
established under MEiTY + It has regional offices including Data center and Tech centers in
different parts of the country + UIDAI has been created to issue Unique Identification
numbers(UID), named as “Aadhaar”, to all residents of India.
Ø Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) = quasi-judicial institution set up in 1941 + It
specializes in dealing with appeals under the Direct Taxes Acts + The orders passed by the
ITAT are final, an appeal lies to the High Court only if a substantial question of law arises for
determination + Starting with three Benches at Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai, the numbers of
Benches have progressively increased and presently ITAT has 63 Benches in 27 different
stations.
Ø Coastal Aquaculture Authority (CAA) = Statutory body under Coastal Aquaculture
Authority Act, 2005 + It functions under Ministry of fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying
+ Aim to regulate coastal aquaculture activities + It comprises of 11 members including the
chairperson, who is, or has been, a judge of a High court.
Ø CERT-in = It is an office within the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information
Technology (MeitY) established in 2004 under the IT Act 2000 + It is the nodal agency to deal
with cyber security threats; To strengthen the security-related defence of the Indian Internet
domain; Coordinate with public and private organisations in India when cyber incidents like

data breaches and ransomware attacks are reported and; To issue advisories for software
vulnerabilities as guidance for organisations.
Ø National Technical Research Organisation(NTRO) = The NTRO was created after the 1999
Kargil conflict as a dedicated technical intelligence agency + It reports directly to the PMO
and National Security Advisor(NSA) + It has the right to lawfully intercept and monitor
communications externally + It has been brought under The Intelligence Organisations
(Restriction of Rights) Act, 1985 + Function: The agency develops technology capabilities in
aviation and remote sensing, data gathering and processing, cyber security, cryptology systems,
strategic monitoring.
Ø Raman Research Institute (RRI) = The Raman Research Institute is an autonomous research
institute engaged in research in basic sciences + Location: Bangalore + The institute was
founded in 1948 by the Indian physicist and Nobel Laureate Sir C V Raman + It was
restructured in 1972 to become an aided autonomous institute receiving funds from the
Department of Science and Technology of the Government of India + The Raman Research
Institute (RRI) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian
Navy’s research and development establishment to develop secure maritime communications
using quantum technology.
Ø Foreign Trade Policy 2023 = Recently, Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry notified
the Foreign Trade Policy 2023 + FTP 2023 is notified by Central Government, in the exercise
of powers conferred under Section 5 of the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act,
1992 + India's export target: 2 Trillion dollars for goods and services by 2030.
• India’s top Import source nations: China > UAE > USA > Russia
• India’s top Export destinations: USA > UAE > Netherlands > China
Ø National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) = Recently, The Ministry
of Education (MoE) released the pre-draft of the National Curriculum Framework for School
Education (NCFSE) for public feedback + NCFSE is intended to guide the development of
textbooks and curriculum in accordance with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 +
NCFSE was last revised in 2005 and the existing sets of NCERT text books were prepared
using it + Proposed NCFSE is for the age group 3 to 18 years + The NCFSE, after its adoption
by the CBSE and other state boards, will also restructure various other aspects of the classroom,
including choice of subjects, pattern of teaching, and assessment of students.
Ø National Credit Framework (NCrF) = The University Grants Commission (UGC) has
recently released the National Credit Framework (NCrF) + To realise objectives of NEP 2020,
Government of India has approved a High-Level Committee (2021) to develop a National
Credit Accumulation and Transfer Framework for both General and Vocational Education and
Training/ skilling + NCrF has been jointly developed by a High-Level Committee with
members from UGC, AICTE, CBSE, NCERT, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Skill
Development etc + NCrF, proposed as part of NEP 2022, is an umbrella framework for skilling,
re-skilling, up-skilling, accreditation and evaluation in educational and skilling institutions and
workforce + NCrF seeks to integrate the credits earned through school education, higher
education and vocational & skill education to ensure flexibility and mobility among them +
NCrF will enable learners to earn credits not just through classroom learning but through co-
curriculars, extracurriculars, vocational, online or distance learning, recognition of prior
learning etc + Framework enables seamless integration and coordination across regulators and
institutions to enable broad based, multi-disciplinary, holistic education across sciences, social
sciences, arts, humanities and sports + NCrF would be only one credit framework for higher
education, school education and skill education.
Ø Quality Control Orders = QCOs are issued by various Line Ministries (Regulators) under the
Central Government depending upon the product(s)/ product categories being regulated
through the Order, after having stakeholder consultations + BIS implements Quality Control

Orders (QCOs) issued by the Government which ensure that the notified products conform to
the requirements of the relevant Indian Standard(s) + India has been issuing quality control
orders (QCO) for products of mass consumption, including machinery safety equipment,
pressure cookers, toys and air conditioners, to curb Chinese imports and boost exports +
However, several WTO members have objected to this move and say that India’s QCOs are
protectionist and may not be compliant with the WTO’s Agreement on Technical Barriers.
Ø Food Safety and Compliance System (FOSCOS) = Launched by FSSAI + It is an enhanced
version of the Food Licensing and Registration System (FLRS) which was launched in 2012
for the issuance of pan-India FSSAI Licenses and Registration + It is a comprehensive system
for registration and licensing for Food Business Operators (FBOs) + It is a one-point stop for
FBOs for their interface with the food safety regulator for all types of compliances + (Food
Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) = It is a statutory body established under
the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (FSS Act) + FSS Act, of 2006 consolidated various
acts & orders that had earlier handled food-related issues in various Ministries and
Departments + Nodal ministry: Ministry of Health & Family Welfare)
Ø National Electricity Plan for 2022-27 = The 1st National Electricity Plan was published in
2007, the 2nd in 2013, and the third (2018) includes the detailed Plan for 2017–22 and the
perspective Plan for 2022–27 + The fresh draft notes the need for an additional coal-based
capacity of 28 GW by 2031-32, in addition to the 25 GW of coal-based capacity that is
currently being built + A predicted 51 GW to 84 GW battery storage need with a daily usage
rate of 5 hours in a push for renewable energy by 2031-32.
Ø Indian Space Policy 2023 = Recently, Indian Space Policy-2023 was approved by the
Government + The Space policy underlines the growing importance of Private Sector
participation in Space + Government of India had started reforms in space domain in 2020,
opening the doors for enhanced participation of Non-Government Entities (NGEs) with an aim
to provide them a level playing field + Department of Space (DOS): Nodal department for
implementation of the Indian Space Policy-2023 + IN-SPACeIndian National Space Promotion
& Authorisation Centre: Act as the single window agency for the authorisation of space
activities by govt entities and NGEs + New Space India Limited (NSIL): Responsible for
commercialising space technologies and platforms created through public expenditure +
private participation in space:
• IN-SPACe: Set up to provide a level playing field for private companies to use Indian
space infrastructure + IN-SPACe will also hand-hold, promote and guide the private
industries in space activities through encouraging policies and a friendly regulatory
environment + (NSIL was incorporated to carry forward the industry production of space
systems and the ISRO’s efforts in realising Polar Satellite Launch Vehicles (PSLV) from
industry + Recently, headquarters of the Indian National Space Promotion and
Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) was inaugurated at Bopal, Ahmedabad.
• New Space India Limited (NSIL): Responsible for commercialising space technologies
and platforms created through public expenditure Indian Space Association (ISpA)
• Antrix Corporation Limited: Incorporated as a marketing arm of ISRO. It handles
ISRO’s commercial deals for satellites and launch vehicles with foreign customers
• Space Entrepreneurship & Enterprise Development (SEED): Conceived as a
competitive early-stage encouragement programme to startups and MSMEs in focus areas
of interest to ISRO.
Ø Namsai Declaration = which aims to reduce the inter-State border dispute affecting 123
villages, was recently signed by Assam and Arunachal Pradesh + Recently, Assam and
Arunachal Pradesh signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to end a decades-long
inter-state border dispute + Other Border disputes across Indian states are:
• Sarchu Region: Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh

• Parwanoo Region: Haryana and Himachal Pradesh

• Mangadh Hill: Gujarat-Rajasthan
• Kanika Sands Island: Odisha – West Bengal
• Kasaragod: Karanataka-Kerala
• Belgaum: Maharashtra - Karnataka
6) ECONOMICS
Ø Dabba (Box) Trading = Dabba trading is informal trading that takes place outside the purview
of stock exchanges + Since there are no proper records of income or gain, it helps dabba traders
escape taxation + It is recognised as an offence under Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act
(SCRA), 1956.
Ø Transfer Pricing = A party may transfer goods or services to another party for a price, which
is known as a “transfer price” + According to the I-T Department, “transfer pricing generally
refers to prices of transactions between associated enterprises which may take place under
conditions differing from those taking place between independent enterprises” + Transfer
pricing refers to the “value attached to transfers of goods, services, and technology between
related entities, and between unrelated parties that are controlled by a common entity” +
(“Arm’s Length Arrangement” = Section 92F(ii) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 defines arm’s
length price as “a price which is applied or proposed to be applied in a transaction between
persons other than associated enterprises, in uncontrolled conditions” + In other words, Arm’s
Length Price demonstrates the price that should have been charged between related parties had
those parties were not related to each other)
Ø Advance Pricing Agreements (APA) = Advance Pricing Agreement (APA) programme in
India was launched in 2012 vide the Finance Act, 2012 through the insertion of Sections 92CC
and 92CD in the Income-tax Act, 1961 + APA is an agreement between a taxpayer and tax
authority determining the transfer pricing methodology, for pricing the taxpayer’s international
transactions for future years + Once the APA is sealed, the methodology is to be applied for a
certain period of time based on the fulfilment of certain terms and conditions + An APA can be
unilateral, bilateral, or multilateral + Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has entered into a
record 95 Advance Pricing Agreements in FY 2022-23 with Indian taxpayers
Ø Green Deposits = Green deposit means an interest-bearing deposit, received by regulated
entities (REs) for a fixed period and proceeds of which are earmarked for being allocated
towards green finance + Recently, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued framework for
acceptance of ‘green deposits’, with features like
• Applicability: Scheduled Commercial Banks including Small Finance Banks (excluding
Regional Rural Banks, Local Area Banks and Payments Banks), and All Deposit taking
Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) registered with RBI including Housing
Finance Companies (HFCs)
• Green deposits shall be denominated in Indian Rupees only
• Sectors/projects included for allocation of proceeds raised through green deposits includes
Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, Clean Transportation, Climate Change Adaptation,
Sustainable Water and Waste management, Green Buildings etc.
• Excluded projects include Projects involving new or existing extraction, production and
distribution of fossil fuels; Nuclear power generation; Direct waste incineration; Landfill
projects; Hydropower plants larger than 25 MW etc
Ø REITs and InvITs Index = NSE Indices Ltd, subsidiary of National Stock Exchange (NSE),
has launched India’s first ever REITs and InvITs Index to track performance of REITs and
InvITs that are publicly listed and traded on NSE

• Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) = They are institutions similar to mutual

funds, which pool investment from various categories of investors and invest them into
completed and revenue-generating infrastructure projects, thereby creating returns for the
investor + They are regulated under the SEBI (Infrastructure Investment Trusts)
Regulations, 2014 and the Indian Trust Act , 1882 + At present, 15 InvITs are registered
with SEBI, and seven are listed on the stock exchanges. The market cap of the listed InvITs
is over $10 billion.
• Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) = listed entities which owns and manages
buildings/properties + functions like mutual fund + bound by norms of SEBI and RERA +
to facilitate more domestic and foreign investment in real estate.
7) DEFENCE
Ø Dhawan II Engine = Recently, a private space vehicle company Skyroot Aerospace test-fired
its 3D-printed Dhawan II engine + It is a 3D-printed cryogenic engine developed by the
Skyroot Aerospace for its heavier vehicle, the Vikram II rocket + 3D printing or additive
manufacturing is a process of making three-dimensional solid objects from a digital file. The
creation of a 3D-printed object is achieved using additive processes.
Ø Pralay Missile = Pralay Ballistic Missile is a Surface-to-Surface missile, developed by the
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) + It has a range of 150 to 500
kilometres and is propelled by a solid-propellant rocket motor + Its missile guidance system
includes state-of-the-art navigation and integrated avionics + Recently, Indian Armed Forces
plans to acquire around 250 more units of Pralay ballistic missiles.
Ø Sukhoi 30 MKI Aircraft = Sukhoi 30 MKI is a Twin-seater, Multi-role, Long range Fighter /
Bomber / Air Superiority Aircraft + It was developed by Russia’s Sukhoi Aviation Center and
built under license by India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air Force
(IAF) + There are many variants of Sukhoi-30 aircraft, and the variant used by Indian Air Force
is Sukhoi 30 MkI + Range – 3000 km + Maximum Speed – Mach 2 + Apart from the Russian
and Indian Air Force, the other users of Sukhoi-30 aircraft are Algeria, China, Vietnam,
Venezuela, Malaysia.
Ø Operation Kaveri = India recently launched ‘Operation Kaveri’ to evacuate its nationals from
conflict-torn Sudan + It is a rescue operation being carried out by the Indian Government to
bring back Indian citizens stranded in Sudan + (Sudan = It is located in northeastern Africa +
It is bounded on the north by Egypt, on the east by the Red Sea, Eritrea, and Ethiopia, on the
south by South Sudan, on the west by the Central African Republic and Chad, and on the
northwest by Libya + Capital: Khartoum + Sudan is mainly composed of vast plains and
plateaus that are drained by the Nile River and its tributaries + The country is dominated by
Muslims, most of whom speak Arabic and identify themselves as “Arabs” + Arabic is the
primary language of much of the population and is the most common medium for the conduct
of government, commerce, and urban life throughout the country)
Ø Exercise Kavach = Joint Military exercise involving assets of Indian Army, Indian Navy,
Indian Air Force and Indian Coast Guard + being conducted under aegis of Andaman and
Nicobar Command (ANC), only Joint Forces Command of the country + aims to fine tune joint
war-fighting capabilities and SOPs towards enhancing operational synergy.
Ø Cope India Exercise = It is a bilateral joint exercise between Indian Air Force (IAF) and the
United States Air Force (USAF) + Cope India began in 2004 as a fighter training exercise +
The last edition of the exercise was held in 2019 + Air Forces of India and the U.S. are set to
conduct the Cope India exercise at the Kalaikunda airbase in West Bengal, with Japan as an
observer.

Ø Exercise Ajeya Warrior 2023 = It is a bilateral training exercise between the armies of India
and the UK + This is the 7th edition of the exercise + It aims to improve interoperability between
the two forces while carrying out operations in accordance with UN mandates.
Ø Exercise INIOCHOS-23 = Exercise INIOCHOS is an annual multi-national air exercise
hosted by the Hellenic Air Force, the air force of Greece + It is based on the Single Base
Concept, which means the entire exercise takes place from a single air base + It will be
conducted at the Andravida Air Base in Greece + IAF will be participating with four Su-30
MKI and two C-17 aircraft.
Ø SLINEX-23 = The 10th edition of IN-SLN bilateral maritime exercise SLINEX-23 took place
at Colombo + Between India and Sri Lanka.
Ø Exercise Orion = It is a multinational exercise hosted by the French government + It is
reportedly the largest ever multinational exercise being carried out by the French defence
forces which have involved their Army, Navy and Air Force + Indian air force also participated
in this, where Rafale aircraft participated for the very first time in overseas exercise.
Ø Command Cyber Operations and Support Wings (CCOSW) = CCOSWs are a specialized
unit of the Indian Army that will assist the formations in undertaking mandated cyber security
functions + The unit will be responsible for safeguarding the networks and enhancing the
cybersecurity posture of the Indian Army + They will also facilitate better utilization of modern
communication systems and networks within the Indian Army + The CCOSWs will ensure that
the Indian Army's communication networks are secure from cyber-attacks.
8) HEALTH
Ø Dengue Virus = Dengue is a mosquito-borne tropical disease caused by the dengue virus
(Genus Flavivirus), transmitted by several species of female mosquito within the genus Aedes,
principally Aedes aegypti. This mosquito also transmits chikungunya, yellow fever and Zika
infection + There are 4 distinct, but closely related, serotypes (separate groups within a species
of microorganisms that all share a similar characteristic) of the virus that cause dengue (DEN-
1, DEN-2, DEN-3 and DEN-4) + There is no specific medicine to treat dengue infection +
Reecntly, The IISc has carried out a detailed investigation of the Dengue virus diversity and
evolutionary dynamics of the virus in India.
• Platelets: Platelets are pieces of very large cells in the bone marrow called megakaryocytes
+ They help form blood clots to slow or stop bleeding and to help wounds heal + Having
too many or too few platelets or having platelets that don't work as they should can cause
problems + Normal platelet count in a body: In the normal human body, the platelet count
in dengue ranges from 1.5 lakh to 4 lakh.
• CYD-TDV or Dengvaxia: The dengue vaccine CYD-TDV or Dengvaxia was approved
by the US Food & Drug Administration in 2019, the first dengue vaccine to get the
regulatory nod in the US + Dengvaxia is basically a live, attenuated dengue virus which
has to be administered in people of ages 9 to 16 who have laboratory-confirmed previous
dengue infection and who live in endemic areas + Vaccine manufacturer Indian
Immunologicals Limited (IIL) is developing India's first Dengue vaccine and has received
permission for a Phase-1 trial + The vaccine is being produced in collaboration with the
National Institutes of Health in the US.
Ø Kala Azar = Known as Black fever, or Visceral Leishmaniasis a neglected tropical disease +
is a protozoan parasitic disease caused by called ‘leishmania donovani’ + spread by sandfly
bites + Disease is linked to malnutrition, population displacement, poor housing, a weak
immune system and environmental changes + is a treatable and curable disease + three types
of leishmaniasis - Visceral leishmaniasis, which affects multiple organs and is the most serious
form of the disease , Cutaneous leishmaniasis, which causes skin sores and is the most common
form and Mucocutaneous leishmaniasis, which causes skin and mucosal lesions + endemic in

Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal + National Kala-Azar Elimination
Programme with an aim to eliminate this disease by 2015 but the deadline is missed + National
Centre for Cell Science (NCCS), Pune have found new biomolecules to fight drug resistance
in Kala- azar.
Ø Chagas Disease = It is also called American trypanosomiasis and is a communicable parasitic
disease + It is caused by the parasite protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi + The Chagas disease, also
known as "silent or silenced disease", affects mainly poor people without access to health care
or people without a political voice + The disease progresses slowly and often shows an
asymptomatic clinical course. Without treatment, Chagas disease can lead to severe cardiac
and digestive alterations and become fatal + The disease is named after physician Carlos
Chagas who first detected it in a Brazillian child in 1909 + A parasitic protozoan called
Trypanosoma cruzi that causes this vector-borne disease is usually transmitted by feces and
urine of triatomine bugs or kissing bugs, which belongs to the family of assassin bugs + The
disease can also be transmitted by contaminated food, organ transplantations, blood or blood
products transfusion, and infected mothers to newborns + There are currently no vaccines
available for Chagas disease + The disease can be treated with antiparasitic medicines
Benznidazole and Nifurtimox.
Ø Fabry Disease = It is a rare inherited disorder of glycosphingolipid (fat) metabolism resulting
from the absent or markedly deficient activity of the lysosomal enzyme, alpha-galactosidase A
(α-Gal A) + It belongs to a group of diseases known as lysosomal storage disorders + This
enzymatic deficiency is caused by alterations (mutations) in the α-galactosidase A (GLA) gene
that instructs cells to make the α-galactosidase A (α-Gal A) enzyme + The patients are treated
by intravenously administered enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) or Oral Chaperone Therapy.
Ø Blastomycosis = Blastomycosis is a rare fungal infection caused by the Blastomyces fungus
that is found in the midwestern, south-central, and southeastern states of the US + The fungus
is typically present in moist soil and decomposing wood and leaves. The fungus is endemic to
Michigan state, US + The disease is contracted by inhaling the spores of the fungus, which can
be dispersed in the air if the soil is disturbed.
Ø Magnaporthe Oryzae Fungus = Recently, scientists have warned that the fungus
Magnaporthe oryzae, which is destroying South American wheat crops, could spread
worldwide + Magnaporthe oryzae originated in South America, but cases of infection have
also been reported in Asia in 2016 and Africa in 2018 + The pathogen affects the crop in a
disease known as ‘wheat blast’ + The pathogen is also resistant to fungicides + It spreads
through infected seeds, and crop residues as well as by spores that can travel long distances in
the air.
Ø White Spot Disease = It is a highly contagious viral infection that affects crustaceans such as
prawns, yabbies and crabs + When found in high-intensity production areas, such as prawn
farms, white spot disease results in the rapid mortality of prawns + It is primarily spread
through the movement of infected animals or contaminated water.
Ø Chondrostereum Purpureum = The first case of a plant fungus called Chondrostereum
purpureum infecting human beings has been reported from Kolkata + The fungus is known to
cause Silver leaf disease in plants, especially in species of rose families + However, Earlier,
there were no reported instances of this fungus infecting human beings from any part of the
world. Rising temperature due to global warming is thought of as one of the major reasons for
this new threat to human beings.
Ø Lumpy Skin Disease = It is caused by infection of cattle or buffalo with the poxvirus Lumpy
skin disease virus (LSDV) + The virus is one of three closely related species within the genus
capripoxvirus, the other two species being Sheeppox virus and Goatpox virus + The LSD virus
easily spreads by blood-sucking insects like mosquitoes, flies and ticks + LSD was first
reported in Asia and the Pacific region in 2019 in north west China, Bangladesh and

India(Odisha) + The disease is characterized by the eruption of nodules in the skin, which may
cover the whole of the animal’s body + Vaccination against these diseases is covered under the
Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme of India. There are no specific antiviral
drugs available for the treatment of lumpy skin disease. The only treatment available is
supportive care of cattle.
Ø Shingrix = Recently, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals (GSK India) announced the much-
awaited launch of its globally top-selling shingles vaccine Shingrix in India + It is the world’s
first non-live, recombinant subunit vaccine to be given intramuscularly in two doses + Shingrix
aims to prevent shingles (herpes zoster) and post-herpetic neuralgia in adults aged 50 years or
more + (Shingles Disease = It is caused by the varicella-zoster virus the same virus that causes
chickenpox + It can occur anywhere in the human body + It typically looks like a single stripe
of blisters that wraps around the left side or the right side of your torso + It is not contagious
means it can’t be spread from one person to another +The risk of shingles goes up as you get
older and it is most common in people over age 50 + There is a vaccine called Shingrix
available which helps in preventing shingles and its complications.)
Ø R21 vaccine = World Health Organization’s (WHO) approved RTS, S/AS01 (Mosquirix) in
2021 developed by GlaxoSmithKline for immunizing children against malaria was a big
milestone after decades of gradual progress + RTS,S/AS01, trade name Mosquirix, is an
injectable vaccine targeting P. falciparum, the most prevalent malaria strain in Africa + It is the
first and only vaccine to show partial protection in young children + Vaccine has received its
first approval in Ghana as the African country intensifies its fight against the disease that claims
a child’s life every minute.
Ø Psychedelics = These are a group of drugs that alter perception, mood, and thought processing
while a person is still clearly conscious + These are non-addictive and non-toxic + The two
most commonly used psychedelics are d-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin + In
India, the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act 1985 prohibit the use of
psychedelic substances + Ketamine a dissociative anaesthetic with psychedelic properties is
used under strict medical supervision for anaesthesia and to treat treatment-resistant
depression.
Ø Pseudomonas aeruginosa = Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common encapsulated, gram-
negative, aerobic–facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacterium that can cause disease in
plants and animals, including humans + It is “extensively” antibiotic-resistant.
9) INDICES & REPORTS

Ø State of World Population Report 2023 = Recently, the United Nations Population Fund
(UNFPA) has released the State of World Population report 2023, which states that India will
overtake China to become the world’s most populous country by the middle of 2023 + The
State of World Population is published annually which covers and analyses developments and
trends in world population and demographics + India’s population is pegged to reach 142.86
crore against China’s 142.57 crore by July 2023. The United States is a third populated country,
with a population of 340 million + India’s total Fertility Rate, was estimated at 2, lower than
the world average of 2.3 + (UNFPA = 1969 + Headquarters: New York, USA + It is a subsidiary
organ of the UN General Assembly and works as a sexual and reproductive health agency +
The UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) establishes its mandate + UNFPA is not
supported by the UN budget, instead, it is entirely supported by voluntary contributions of
donor governments, intergovernmental organizations, the private sector, foundations and
individuals)
Ø State of the World’s Children (SOWC) 2023 Report = Released by UNICEF + Building on
global strategies outlined in Immunization Agenda 2030 and Gavi Strategy 5.0 to promote
equity and sustainably scale up immunization coverage, report presents an agenda to put

childhood vaccination first + United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) (est. 1946; became a
part of UN in 1953; HQ: New York) is an agency of the United Nations (UN) devoted to aiding
national efforts to improve the health, nutrition, education, and general welfare of children. It
is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989.
• Immunization Agenda 2030 = IA2030 envisions a world where everyone, everywhere, at
every age, fully benefits from vaccines to improve health and well-being + Launched by
the United Nations and other agencies.
• Global Alliance for Vaccine Initiative (GAVI) = GAVI is a global health partnership of
public and private sector organizations dedicated to “immunisation for all” + It is backed
by several global organisation, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the WHO,
the World Bank and the UNICEF, which arranges bulk buys to lower vaccine costs for poor
countries.
Ø Global Food Policy Report 2023 = Recently, the International Food Policy Research Institute
(IFPRI) published Global Food Policy Report, 2023 which said that investing in early warning
systems is essential to save lives, livelihoods and money + International Food Policy Research
Institute (IFPRI), a CGIAR research center established in 1975, provides research-based policy
solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition + CGIAR
(Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research) is a global partnership established
in 1971 as a unified international organization engaged in research for a food secured future.
Ø Status of women in Agrifood Systems Report = released by Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations (FAO) + FAO defines agrifood systems as: entire range of
actors, and their interlinked value-adding activities, engaged in the primary production of food
and nonfood agricultural products, as well as in storage, aggregation, post-harvest handling,
transportation, processing, distribution, marketing, disposal and consumption of all food
products including those of non-agricultural origin + Globally, 36% of working women are
employed in agrifood systems, along with 38% of working men.
Ø World Energy Transitions Outlook 2023 Report = Recently, the International Renewable
Energy Agency (IRENA) released the World Energy Transitions Outlook report + The global
energy transition is still “off-track” and falls short of the 1.5 degrees Celsius pathway +
(IRENA = It is an intergovernmental organisation, it was officially founded in Bonn, Germany,
in January 2009 + It was founded in 2009 and its statute entered into force in 2010 + IRENA
now has 168 members, (including India is the 77th Founding Member)+ It has its headquarters
in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates + IRENA is an official United Nations observer + IRENA
supports countries in their transition to a sustainable energy future. It promotes the widespread
adoption and sustainable use of all forms of renewable energy)
Ø World Development Report 2023 = Recently, World Bank released the World Development
Report 2023: Migrants, Refugees, and Societies + About 2.3 per cent of the world’s population
live outside their country of nationality + India-US, India-Bangladesh and India- Gulf
Cooperation Council have been considered among the top migrant corridors.
Ø World Economic Outlook (WEO): A Rocky Recovery Report = It is a report by the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) that analyzes key parts of the IMF's surveillance of
economic developments and policies in its member countries + The WEO is released in April
and September/October each year + The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has projected that
India’s economy will grow by 5.9% for FY 2023-24. Further, the IMF has estimated a 6.3%
economic growth rate for India for the next fiscal year.
Ø Global Trade Outlook and Statistics = released by WTO + World merchandise trade will
grow slower ( 1.7% in 2023) before picking up to 3.2% in 2024 + World Trade Organization
(est. 1995; HQ: Geneva, Switzerland) is an intergovernmental organization that regulates and
facilitates international trade. With effective cooperation in the United Nations System,

governments use the organization to establish, revise, and enforce the rules that govern
international trade.
Ø Logistics Performance Index (LPI) 2023 = India's rank in the recently released World Bank's
Logistics Performance Index 2023 has improved by six places + It is an interactive
benchmarking tool created to help countries identify the challenges and opportunities they face
in their performance on trade logistics and what they can do to improve their performance + It
measures the ease of establishing reliable supply chain connections and structural factors that
make it possible, such as the quality of logistics services, trade and transport-related
infrastructure, as well as border controls.
Ø Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2022 Report = released by SIPRI + Stockholm
International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) is a Sweden-based independent international
institute dedicated to research into conflict, armaments, arms control, and disarmament +
• 5 Biggest Spenders: United States, China, Russia, India and Saudi Arabia
• World military expenditure rose by 3.7% in real terms in 2022
• Personnel expenses (salaries and pensions) remained the largest expenditure category
(around 50%) in Indian military budget.
Ø Business Environment Rankings = Released by Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) + It
measures the attractiveness of the business environment in 82 countries on a quarterly basis
across 91 indicators + Singapore topped the latest rankings + India improved its ranking by six
spots due to its improved score in parameters like technological readiness, political
environment, and foreign investment among others.
Ø State Energy Efficiency Index (SEEI) 2021-22 = Ministry of Power + Index has been
developed by Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) in collaboration with Alliance for an Energy
Efficient Economy (AEEE) + SEEI assesses the annual progress of states and UTs in energy
efficiency (EE) implementation + It improves data collection, enables cross-state
collaboration, and develops EE program ideas + Index uses 51 indicators across seven sectors:
buildings, industry, municipality, transport, agriculture, distribution companies (DISCOMs),
and cross-sectoral initiatives.
• Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (AEEE) = AEEE is an industry led,
membership based not-forprofit organization that drives EE markets and policies in India.
• Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) = Statutory body + under Ministry of Power + setup
under the provisions of the Energy Conservation Act, 2001 + Its mission is to assist in
developing policies with a thrust on self-regulation and market principles, within the
overall framework of the Energy Conservation Act, 2001 with the primary objective of
reducing energy intensity of the Indian economy + Energy Intensity is measured by the
quantity of energy required per unit output or activity (or GDP).
th
Ø 7 National Health Accounts (NHA) Estimates (for 2019-20) = Released by: the Ministry
of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW) + Prepared by: National Health Accounts Technical
Secretariat (NHATS) with guidance and support from NHA Steering Committee and the NHA
Expert Group for India + NHA for India was envisaged in the National Health Policy, 2002
and is based on the framework of System of Health Accounts, 2011 + Out-of-Pocket
Expenditure (OOPE) has declined from 64.2% to 47.1% + Total Health Expenditure (THE) as
a percent of GDP has declined from 4% to 3.3%.
Ø System of Health Accounts (SHA) 2011 = It provides a standard for classifying health
expenditures according to the three axes of consumption, provision, and financing + This
framework is drafted by an intense collaboration between Organisation for Economic Co-
operation and Development (OECD), EUROSTAT, and World Health Organisation (WHO),
and supported by a wide-world consultation process + It gives guidance and methodological
support in compiling health accounts.

Ø India Justice Report 2022 = India Justice Report is an initiative undertaken by Tata Trusts in
2019 in partnership with the Centre for Social Justice, Common Cause, Commonwealth
Human Rights Initiative, DAKSH, TISS–Prayas, Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy and How India
Lives + The report compiles and categorizes data of states and UTs, based on “four pillars” of
justice delivery: the police, judiciary, prisons and legal aid + According to the India Justice
Report (IJR) 2022, Karnataka has achieved the top rank among the 18 large and mid-sized
states in delivery of justice with populations over one crore.
Ø Triple Threat Report = released by UNICEF + It examine triple burden of Water, sanitation
and Hygiene + Less than 50 percent access to at least basic water or sanitation services.
10) ART & CULTURE

Ø Raja Ravi Varma = Also known as “The Father of Modern Indian Art” + Proponent of
Lithography: He was one of the earliest proponents of lithography in India. Lithography refers
to art of producing a work on a flat stone or metal plate + He is one of the few painters who
managed to accomplish a beautiful union of Indian tradition with the techniques of European
academic art + Through his paintings, he gave an insight of the famous mythological stories.
o The most popular paintings under this category include the ones depicting episodes from the
story of Dushyanta and Shakuntala, story of Nala and Damayanti, Lord Rama’s triumph over
Varuna etc.
Ø Pushkaralu or Pushkaram Festival = Pushkaram is a festival celebrated in India once every
12 years, dedicated to worshipping the 12 sacred rivers. Each river is associated with a zodiac
sign, and the festival is based on the position of Jupiter at the time + Celebrated almost once
in 12 years + Recently, 12-day Pushkaralu festival of Telugu-speaking people commenced in
Varanasi along river Ganga + Rivers are: Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, Bhima,
Tapti, Narmada, Saraswati, Tungbhadra, Sindhu, and Pranhita + The celebration happens
annually, once in 12 years along each river which are associated with a zodiac sign.
Ø Puthandu = Puthandu, also known as Puthuvarudam or simply, Tamil New Year, is the first
day of Chithirai (Tamil month) in the Tamil calendar + It is also commonly known as Varsha
Pirappu.
Ø Mahavir Jayanti = This day marks the birth of Vardhamana Mahavira, who was the 24th and
the last Tirthankara and who succeeded the 23rd Tirthankara, Parshvanatha + According to Jain
texts, Lord Mahavira was born on the 13th day of the bright half of the moon in the month of
Chaitra. As per the Gregorian calendar, it is usually celebrated in the month of March or April
+ (Lord Mahavira = Mahavira was born to King Siddhartha of Kundagrama and Queen
Trishala, a Lichchhavi princess in the year 540 BC in the Vajji kingdom, identical with modern
day Vaishali in Bihar + Mahavira belonged to the Ikshvaku dynasty + He abandoned worldly
life at the age of 30 and attained ‘kaivalya’ or omniscience at the age of 42 + Mahavira taught
ahimsa (non-violence), Satya (truth), asteya (non-stealing), brahmacharya (chastity) and
aparigraha (non-attachment) to his disciples and his teachings were called Jain Agamas +
Ordinary people were able to understand the teachings of Mahavira and his followers because
they used Prakrit + It is believed that the Mahavira passed away and attained moksha
(liberation from the cycle of birth and death) at the age of 72 in 468 BC at a place called
Pavapuri near modern Rajgir in Bihar)
Ø Hemis Monastery = Buddhist monastery located in Leh City, Ladakh + It belongs to the
Drukpa lineage of Buddhism + It is also famous for its 2-day religious ceremony known as the
Hemis Festival.
Ø Sanchi Town = Sanchi (Madhya Pradesh) is all set to become the country’s first solar city +
Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi is a UNESCO world heritage site + Place is related to
Buddhism but not directly to life of Buddha. It is more related to Ashoka than to Buddha + It
comprises various Buddhist monuments dating back to 1st and 2nd C.E, famous one being the

Sanchi Stupa. Sanchi stupa houses 4 gateways that showcase Buddha’s life through intricate
carvings + It is also home to Gupta temple, one of the earliest example of temple architecture.
Ø Bihu Dance = Bihu is the main festival of Assam + It is celebrated three times a year + The
festival of Bihu has three forms: Bohag Bihu, Kati Bihu and Magh Bihu, each of which
coincides with crucial events in the agricultural calendar of the region + Rongali or Bohag
Bihu is the Assamese new year and spring festival. The Rongali Bihu coincides with Sikh New
Year- Baisakhi. Bohag Bihu (celebrated in mid-April) signals the onset of spring and the
beginning of the crop-planting cycle + Recently, Assam’s Bihu dance has made history by
breaking two world records with 11,304 dancers and musicians performing at Sarusajai
Stadium in Guwahati.
Ø Nagaraja Thira Dance = Thirra or Theyyam thira is a ritual dance performed in
"Kaavu"(grove) & temples of the Malabar region in Kerala State, South India + This art form
is performed by the artists of malaya (the artist who recognised for performing the art form
called as a "perumalayan") community. This art is performed during Utsavam (annual temple
festival).
Ø Basohli Painting = Recently got GI Tag + It is the first independent GI-tagged product from
the Jammu region + It is considered the first school of Pahari paintings + These are painted on
paper, cloth, or wood using natural pigments and dyes.
Ø Khayal = Khayal is a genre of Hindustani classical music, which originated in the late 16th
century in Sufi communities in the region between Delhi and Jaunpur + Origin in Persia (now
Iran) + The word “khayal” comes from Persian and means “imagination” or “idea“. It is also
known as Bandish + Founder: Amir Khusrau + Composed in Specific raga and tala + Major
Gharanas: Gwalior (Oldest), Kirana, Patiala, Agra, Bhendibazaar + The khayal is related to the
longer melodic form known as the dhrupad but has fewer restrictions.
Ø Nagri Dubraj Rice = Chhattisgarh + recently got GI Tag + It is an indigenous variety and has
small grains, is very soft to eat after cooking, and is known as the Basmati of Chhattisgarh
because of its fragrance + Previously, Jeeraphool rice (also from Chhattisgarh) was granted a
GI tag in 2019, Dubraj is the second brand to get the GI tag + Grain finds refrence in Valmiki
Ramayana.
Ø Mircha Rice = Mircha’ rice of Bihar’s West Champaran has been awarded the GI tag + The
size and shape of the grain appear like that of black pepper, hence it is known as Mircha or
Marcha Rice + Mircha rice is grown in West Champaran District, Bihar + The grains and flakes
of this rice have a unique aroma that makes it different + The cooked rice is fluffy, non-sticky,
sweet and easily digestible with a popcorn- like aroma.
Ø Manamadurai Pottery = Tamil Nadu + Recentlly got GI Tag + Vaigai River which runs
through the Manamadurai village enriches the clay used for the pottery + A unique type of clay
is sourced from water bodieslike Nedunkulam, Nathapurakki, Sundaranadappu, Seikalathur to
make these pots.
Ø Gamosa = It is a symbol of the culture and identity of Assam + Got GI tag in 2022 + It is
generally a white rectangular piece of cloth with primarily a red border on two sides and red
woven motifs on the other two sides.
Ø Cumbum Grapes = Recently got GI tag + Cumbum Panneer Thratchai, also known as
Cumbum grapes, is a variety of grapes grown in the Cumbum Valley located at the Western
Ghats in Tamil Nadu, India + Introduced in Tamil Nadu in 1832 by a French priest, these grapes
are rich in vitamins, tartaric acid, and antioxidants, and reduce the risk of some chronic
diseases.
Ø Ladakh's Wood Carving = Got GI Tag + Wood carving of Ladakh has been an aesthetically
vibrant art form in Ladakh region.
Ø Uttaramerur Inscription = Uttaramerur lies in present-day Kanchipuram district,
approximately 90 km southeast of Chennai, Tamil Nadu + It is known for its historic temples

built during Pallava and Chola rule + The Uttaramerur inscription is dated around 920 A.D. in
the reign of Parantaka Chola + It testifies to the historical fact that nearly 1,100 years ago, a
village had an elaborate and highly refined electoral system and even a written constitution
prescribing the mode of elections + The details of this system of elective village democracy
are inscribed on the walls of the village assembly (grama sabha mandapa) + The famous
inscription from Parantaka I’s reign is found on the walls of the Vaikunda Perumal Temple.
Ø Pattanam = village in central Kerala + Pattanam is a part of Muziris which is called the ‘first
emporium’ of the Indian Ocean + It is said to be the only multicultural archaeological site on
the southwestern coast of the Indian subcontinent.
Ø Global Buddhist Summit 2023 = Summit was organised by Ministry of culture, in
collaboration with Delhi-based International Buddhist Confederation, to engage global
Buddhist dhamma leadership and scholars on matters of Buddhist and universal concerns +
Global Buddhist Summit 2023 concluded with New Delhi Declaration + Summit highlighted
the rising role of Buddhism in India’s soft power strategy.
11) MISCELLANEOUS
Ø Olkiluoto 3 Nuclear Reactor = Finland + It is the first new-generation EPR, or European
Pressurized Reactor, plant to have gone online in Europe + It was developed in a joint venture
between France's Areva and Germany's Siemens + It is now the largest Nuclear reactor in
Europe.
Ø International Prize in Statistics = It was established in 2016 and is awarded once every two
years to an individual or team “for major achievements using statistics” + The award is
managed by a foundation that consists of representatives of the five major statistical
organizations namely the American Statistical Association, the Institute of Mathematical
Statistics, the International Biometric Society, the International Statistical Institute, and the
Royal Statistical Society + It carries an $80,000 monetary award + Recently, The Indian-
American statistician C Radhakrishna Rao has been awarded the 2023 International Prize in
Statistics, which is statistics’ equivalent of the Nobel Prize + Please Note: International Prize
in Statistics and the COPSS Presidents' Award are the two top honors in statistics.
Ø World Earth Day = It is an annual event celebrated on April 22 to raise awareness about
environmental issues and promote global efforts to protect the Earth's natural resources + The
Earth Day 2023 theme: " Invest In Our Planet", is a continuation of the 2022 theme + The first
World Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970, in the United States. It was organized by a group
of environmental activists led by US Senator Gaylord Nelson, who was concerned about the
negative impact of industrialization and pollution on the environment. Since then, it has
become a global movement that encourages individuals and communities to take action
towards protecting our planet.
Ø Earth Hour = It is a global grassroots movement uniting people to take action on
environmental issues and protect the planet + It is organized by World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
+ It was started by WWF and partners as a symbolic lights-out event in Sydney in 2007 + It
takes place on the last Saturday of March every year + “Earth Hour” encourages people to
switch off all lights for an hour, from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm local time to promote awareness of
climate change challenges and energy conservation + This symbolic act, known as the ‘lights
off’ moment, unites people worldwide in a show of support for the planet and serves as a
reminder of the environmental issues facing us.
Ø Editors Guild of India (EGI) = Editors Guild of India (EGI) is a non-profit organisation of
journalists, particularly the Editors, based in India + It was founded in 1978 + EGI has
represented Indian newspapers in communications to the government.
Ø Indian History Congress = Founded in 1935, the Indian History Congress(IHC) is the largest
association of professional historians in South Asia + It has about 35000 members of which

over 2000 delegates participate in its session every year + Its main objective is to promote
secular and scientific writing of history + The Bharata Itihasa Samshodhaka Mandala
organized an All India Congress in 1935 to celebrate its silver jubilee in Pune. As an outcome,
the Indian History Congress (IHC) was thus born with about 50 delegates + The Bharata Itihasa
Samshodhaka Mandala (BISM) was founded by Vishwanath Kashinath Rajwade in 1910 in
Pune with the support of K C Mehendale.
Ø Exit Engagement Evenings (E-3) = The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) will
start E-3 or Exit Engagement Evenings with foreign students + Aim: To make more than 48,000
foreign students brand ambassadors of India’s heritage, tourist destinations, textiles, yoga,
ayurveda, and craft + E-3 will begin three or four months before foreign students finish their
courses in various Central and State universities + It is meant to spread the India story when
students go back to their home countries.
Ø Big Catch-Up = WHO, UNICEF, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation, along with Immunization Agenda 2030 and other health partners, are
implementing the “The Big Catch-up” + It is a targeted global effort to boost vaccination
among children aiming to reverse the declines in childhood vaccinations driven by COVID-19
pandemic.
Ø Dakar Declaration = Related to road safety + has been adopted by 21 African countries after
the first African sub-regional conference on implementing Global Plan for Road Safety + It is
a guiding document to support the implementation of Decade of Action for road safety 2021–
2030 + It sets the ambitious target of preventing at least 50% of road traffic deaths and injuries
by 2030.
Ø Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) Legislation = European Parliament has recently passed
the Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) legislation, which is expected to regulate the Crypto
industry + It is considered as the first set of regulations in the world establishing a legal
framework for crypto-asset services providers as well as consumer protection + MiCA will
apply directly across the European Union (EU) without any need for national implementation
laws + MiCA regulation focuses on certain categories of crypto-assets which are currently out
of scope of existing regulations - i.e. it does not apply to non-fungible tokens (NFTs), DeFi
(Decentralized Finance) & Central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) + MiCA is part of the
European Commission's digital finance strategy, which also includes the DLT Pilot Regime
and the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA).


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Shola Forests + It houses the special Neelakurinji flowers (Strobilantheskunthianam) that

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Ø MAHARISHI Initiative = related to Millets + Supported by Participants of G20 Meeting of

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5) POLITY & GOVERNANCE

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• Parwanoo Region: Haryana and Himachal Pradesh

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• Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) = They are institutions similar to mutual

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9) INDICES & REPORTS

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10) ART & CULTURE

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