Editorials

GS3 – Environment Context India’s growing emphasis on biofuels is raising alarm over the diversion of food grains and subsidies for energy production, potentially undermining food security and equity in the green transition. Understanding Biofuels Biofuels are renewable energy sources derived from organic material such as crops, algae, and agricultural …

GS3 – Science & Technology Context The Indian Army has successfully tested the Rudrastra, a domestically developed vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drone designed for precision strike missions. About Rudrastra UAV Type: A hybrid VTOL Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) combining rotary-wing lift with fixed-wing flight, allowing both vertical take-off and …

Prelims Bits Context The Kerala government is evaluating a proposal to declare the Indian Rat Snake—locally called Chera—as the state’s official reptile. General Information Common Names: Also referred to as the Oriental Rat Snake, this species is non-venomous. Geographic Range: Found across a broad region including India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, …

Context: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is emerging as a powerful tool to address climate change by improving energy efficiency, reducing emissions, and advancing environmental monitoring and sustainability. How AI Contributes to Climate Action Climate Forecasting & Disaster Preparedness AI strengthens the accuracy of climate models and extreme weather predictions, enabling early …

Context: The Union Government has officially notified 34 biostimulants to promote indigenous bio-input manufacturing and support sustainable agriculture. What are Biostimulants? Biostimulants are naturally derived substances (biological, organic, or biochemical) that enhance plant growth, improve resilience, and boost nutrient uptake—especially under stress conditions like drought, heat, or pest attacks. Unlike …

Context: India participated as Vice President in the 2nd IALA Council session held in Nice, France. India will also host: The 3rd IALA General Assembly in 2025, and The 21st IALA Conference in 2027, both in Mumbai. About IALA Full Name: International Organization for Marine Aids to Navigation Type: Intergovernmental …

Context: The Montreal Convention, 1999 governs the insurance claims for passengers aboard the Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner that recently crashed, determining compensation for death or injury. What is the Montreal Convention, 1999 (MC99)? An international treaty that sets a modern liability framework for compensating passengers in the event of …

Context: The Commission of Railway Safety (CRS) has approved the final Hortoki–Sairang section, marking the first-ever rail connectivity to Aizawl, the capital of Mizoram. About the Project The Bairabi–Sairang rail line spans 51.38 km and is a major infrastructure milestone in Mizoram. Key Engineering Features: 48 tunnels, with a total …

Context The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has unveiled its first-ever Asset Monetisation Strategy, aimed at systematically unlocking value from operational highway assets and enhancing private sector participation in infrastructure development. Asset Monetisation Asset monetisation refers to the process of converting existing government-owned infrastructure assets into revenue-generating instruments by …

Context: The World Economic Forum (WEF) has published the 19th edition of the Global Gender Gap Index for 2025, assessing 148 countries. About the Global Gender Gap Index Published by: World Economic Forum (since 2006). Objective: Evaluates gender-based disparities in access to resources and opportunities globally. Scoring System: Countries are …

Context: Published in Down to Earth (DTE) – AviList is the world’s first standardized, unified global bird species checklist. Overview: What is AviList? A comprehensive and authoritative global checklist of birds that consolidates multiple taxonomies into a single standard. Coverage: Species: 11,131 Subspecies: 19,879 Genera: 2,376 Families: 252 Orders: 46 …

Context: The 3rd UN Ocean Conference, co-hosted by France and Costa Rica in Nice, France, aimed to spotlight growing challenges facing the world’s oceans and mobilize global action. Theme: “Accelerating Action and Engaging All Stakeholders for Ocean Conservation and Sustainable Use” Key Objectives: Strengthen SDG 14 (Life Below Water) Promote …

Context The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has successfully radio-collared three Fishing Cats in Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary, Andhra Pradesh, as part of the Fishing Cat Collaring Project to study their behaviour and ecology. Fishing Cat Feature Description Common Name Tiger Fish / Kla Trey Scientific Name Prionailurus viverrinus Size & …

Context The Karlsruhe Tritium Neutrino (KATRIN) Experiment, a major international collaboration in astroparticle physics, has released a new result setting the most precise upper limit yet on the mass of neutrinos. About KATRIN Experiment Objective: To determine the mass of the neutrino by studying the beta decay of molecular tritium. …

Context According to recent data from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), India has witnessed a sharp decline in net Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows in FY 2024–25, despite a moderate rise in gross inflows. Key Highlights from RBI Data Gross vs Net FDI Inflows Gross FDI Inflows: India attracted …

Context : The 22nd edition of Exercise Khaan Quest was recently held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Overview Type: Multinational UN-mandated peacekeeping exercise Inception: Initiated in 2003 as a bilateral exercise between the U.S. and Mongolia Multinational Format: Became a multinational drill in 2006, now involving multiple nations under the UN framework …

Context: India is preparing to conduct tests for the ET‑LDHCM, an indigenously developed hypersonic cruise missile, under DRDO’s classified Project Vishnu.   Key Features of ET-LDHCM Feature Description Developing Agency Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) under Project Vishnu, a strategic initiative for next-gen missile systems. Propulsion System Powered by …

Context: The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has initiated the process to revise the base year for India’s GDP calculations from 2011–12 to 2022–23. Key economic indicators like the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Index of Industrial Production (IIP) will also be rebased accordingly. What is a Base …

 Context A new species of regenerative freshwater flatworm, Dugesia punensis, has been discovered in Pashan Lake, Pune, Maharashtra. This marks the first such identification in India since 1983. About Dugesia punensis Taxonomic Group: Belongs to the genus Dugesia under the phylum Platyhelminthes (flatworms). Type: A free-living, non-parasitic flatworm, known for …

 Context: The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has reported the first flowering and seed development of Heeng at Palampur, confirming the crop’s successful adaptability to Indian conditions. About Heeng Botanical Name: Ferula assa-foetida Common Name: Asafoetida Nature: Pungent-smelling spice used extensively in Indian culinary traditions and Ayurvedic medicine. …