Physiography of India India can be divided into following physical divisions viz. The Northern Mountains The North Indian Plain The Peninsular Plateau Great Indian Desert The coastal Regions Islands The Northern Mountains / Himalayan Mountains Young and structurally fold mountains stretch over thenorthern borders of India Run in a west-east direction fromthe Indus to the… Continue reading [Prelims Spotlight] Indian Geography- Physiography

1.Hornbill Festival 2018 The Hornbill Festival is a celebration held every year from 1 – 10 December, in Kohima, Nagaland. The first festival was held in the year 2000. The festival is named after the Indian hornbill, the large and colourful forest bird which is displayed in the folklore of most of the state’s tribes.… Continue reading [Prelims Spotlight] Theatre, Literature, Art, Dance in news

Dear students, We understand that the UPSC exam is a generalist exam. It’s more important to cover more issues than to cover one issue in more depth. Hence, through Samachar Manthan, we are trying to maintain a fine balance of covering many important news items and having a detailed discussion on selected topics which require… Continue reading Gear up for This week’s Samachar Manthan lecture on 21st April Sunday

1.Economics Global Economy 1.Report name – Asian Development Outlook Issuing agency – Asian Development Bank   2.Report name – World Economic Outlook Issuing agency – International Monetary Fund   3.Report name – Global Economic Prospects Issuing agency – World Bank    2.Development 1.Report name – World Development Report Issuing agency – IBRD (World Bank)  … Continue reading [Prelims Spotlight] Important reports and indexes ( Part 1 )

1.Atmospheric Water Generator (AWG) A Navratna PSU Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) has unveiled the Atmospheric Water Generator (AWG). It can be used to provide drinking water in community centres and public places. Atmospheric Water Generator The AWG is being manufactured by BEL in collaboration with CSIR-IICT and MAITHRI, a start-up company based in Hyderabad. It… Continue reading [Prelims Spotlight] Innovations in Sciences, IT, Computers, Robotics and Nanotechnology

1.SARVA SHIKSHA ABHIYAAN Salient Features – Universalizing elementary education across the countryRashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan, Vidhyanjali, PBBB. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan is implemented as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme in partnership with State Governments for universalizing elementary education across the country. Its overall goals include universal access and retention, bridging of gender and social category gaps in education… Continue reading [Prelims Spotlight] Acts & Schemes Related to Education

Agency for Non-conventional Energy and Rural Technology (ANERT) Established When and by Whom: It is an autonomous organisation established during 1986 under Societies Act by the Government of Kerala, now functioning under power dept. Headquarter: Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala Objective: To gather and disseminate useful knowledge in various fields of Non-Conventional Energy, Energy Conservation, and Rural Technology.… Continue reading [Prelims Spotlight] NGOs, Institutions, and Summits related to environment conservation in India

A strait is a naturally formed, narrow, typically navigable waterway that connects two larger bodies of water. Most commonly it is a channel of water that lies between two land masses. Some straits are not navigable, for example because they are too shallow, or because of an unnavigable reef or archipelago. 1.Sunda Strait    Joining seas/… Continue reading [Prelims Spotlight] Important Straits

1. Gonds Known for their valor, the Gond tribes are mostly found in Central India in the Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh. They are also spotted in the Bastar district of Chhattisgarh, parts of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Orissa. The Gond tribes have a good command over Telgu, Hindi, Marathi, Parsi and many other Dravadian… Continue reading [Prelims Spotlight] Tribes in news

1.Convention on biological diversity The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), a legally binding treaty to conserve biodiversity has been in force since 1993. Objectives- It has 3 main objectives: The conservation of biological diversity. The sustainable use of the components of biological diversity.,fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use of genetic… Continue reading [Prelims Spotlight] Important summits, conventions and Declarations (Part 2)

1.PM conferred with Seoul Peace Prize About the Seoul Peace Prize The prize has been awarded to those who have made their mark through contributions to the harmony of mankind, reconciliation between nations and to world peace. Established in 1990, the Seoul Peace Prize was an effort to crystallise the Korean people’s yearning for peace… Continue reading [Prelims Spotlight]Nobel and other Prizes