Stubble burning in Punjab is a major contributor to air pollution in Delhi. The smoke from the burning stubble travels hundreds of kilometres to Delhi, where it mixes with other pollutants to create severe air quality episodes. The burning of crop stubble releases harmful pollutants into the air, including …

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has introduced the “Women for Water, Water for Women Campaign” under its flagship schemes, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM). It aims to inculcate women in water governance by providing first-hand knowledge about water …

India and Bhutan share a unique and strong bilateral relationship marked by mutual trust, friendship, and cooperation. This special bond has been fostered over decades through regular high-level exchanges, cultural interactions, and a shared commitment to regional peace and stability. Foundation of the Relationship With the opening of India’s special …

The ‘Loss and Damage’ fund was formally agreed to be established in 2013 at 19th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. It was created to provide financial and technical assistance to economically developing nations to mitigate the loss and damage they incur due …

The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas is an indigenously developed multirole fighter aircraft designed and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Indian Navy (IN). The Tejas is a single-engine, lightweight fighter aircraft that can be used for a variety of missions, including …

  Deepavali is the festival of lights and remarkably celebrated with a variety of crackers. But the traditional crackers pose challenges such as air pollution, noise pollution and health hazard. Amongst the ill effects discussed, exposure to toxic chemicals is the least discussed health problem of traditional crackers. Toxic metals …

The Governor is the constitutional head of the state who is appointed by the President and holds office during the pleasure of the President. He serves as a crucial conduit between the State and Union governments. The Articles 153 to 162 of the Indian Constitution address the appointment, authority and …

Livestock refers to the animals domesticated and raised in an agricultural set-up to procure products for consumption (meat, milk, wool, egg) and labour to supplement the farmer’s income. The livestock sector contributes 4.11% to India’s GDP and 25.6% of total agriculture GDP. It also provides employment to about 8.8% of …

The Parliament Ethics Committee is a grouping in the Parliament of India that is responsible for overseeing the moral and ethical conduct of its members. It was constituted in 1997, following the Presiding Officers Conference held in New Delhi in October 1996, which desired the legislatures to explore the possibility …

  Biodiversity refers to the variety of living species on Earth, including plants, animals, bacteria, and fungi. While Earth’s biodiversity is so rich that many species have yet to be discovered, many species are being threatened with extinction due to human activities, putting the Earth’s magnificent biodiversity at risk. Biosphere …

India’s Deep Ocean Mission (DOM) is an initiative to explore and harness the resources of the deep ocean. The mission was launched in 2021 with a budget of ₹4077 crore over 5 years. This topic covers the Civil Services exam syllabus of GS3 – Science and Technology- developments and their applications and …

The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 defines a manual scavenger as: “Manual scavenger” means a person engaged or employed, at the commencement of this Act or at any time thereafter, by an individual or a local authority or an agency or a contractor, for …

There is still a military and political war between Israel and the Palestinians. Commencing in the middle of the 20th century, it is one of the longest-running hostilities in history. Alongside various attempts to end the larger Arab-Israeli conflict, a number of attempts have been made to resolve the issue …

India and China share a long and complex history. Their over 4,000 km shared border has been a source of much conflict, including the humiliating Sino-Indian War of 1962 along the LAC. Despite the tensions, India and China have also sought to cooperate on a number of issues. In the …

Human Rights during the war Most of the gravest human rights violations are committed during war including the use of rape and starvation as a weapon of war, recruiting children to serve on the frontlines, launching direct attacks on civilians, etc. Some of the most serious crimes under international law …

  India is the world’s third-largest consumer of electricity and the third-largest producer of renewable energy. As of July 2023, renewable energy sources have a combined installed capacity of 179.322 GW, which accounts for 43% of India’s total energy capacity. Renewable energy in India Solar power is the largest source …

  The Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act 2022  authorizes law enforcement agencies to Collect, Store, and Analyse Physical and Biological samples of convicts and other persons to identify and investigate criminal matters. The Act was passed by Parliament in April 2022. It replaces the Identification of Prisoners Act, 1920, a colonial-era law. …

Introduction Microfinance is a method of lending very small sums to individuals to start or expand a small business. These borrowers tend to be low-income individuals. Features of Microfinance in India The principal amount borrowed is less than Rs 1 lakh Interest rates are lower than normal banks Does not …

India is the world’s second most polluted country. Fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) in comparison to WHO guidelines shortens an average Indian’s life expectancy by 5.3 years. Records show that in 2019 over 1.6 million deaths were attributed to poor air quality. This ranged from strokes, diabetes, lung cancer and …

The term “Vienna Convention” can refer to any of a number of treaties signed in Vienna, most of which are related to the harmonisation or formalisation of the procedures of International Diplomacy. The treaty being referred to by the MEA in this instance is the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations …