💥Join UPSC 2027,2028 Mentorship (July Batch) + XFactor Notes & Microthemes PDF
Talk to Mentor

Civilsdaily

Login

Distribution: weekly

  • Removal of the Chief Election Commissioner: Constitutional Procedure

    Why in the News?

    West Bengal Chief Minister stated that the Trinamool Congress is open to working with the Indian National Congress and other Opposition parties to initiate impeachment proceedings against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

    Who is the Chief Election Commissioner?

    • Head of the Election Commission of India
    • Responsible for superintendence, direction and control of elections to Parliament, State Legislatures, President and Vice President
    • Constitutional authority under Article 324 of the Constitution of India

    Appointment of the CEC

    • Appointed by the President of India
    • As per the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023
    • Selected by a three member committee
      • Prime Minister
      • Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha
      • Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister
    • Tenure is 6 years or till 65 years of age, whichever is earlier

    Constitutional Basis for Removal

    • Article 324(5) governs removal of the CEC
    • CEC can be removed in the same manner and on the same grounds as a Judge of the Supreme Court
    • This links the process to Article 124(4) of the Constitution

    Grounds for Removal

    • Proved misbehaviour such as abuse of office, corruption or failure to discharge constitutional duties
    • Incapacity meaning physical or mental inability to perform official functions
    [2019] Consider the following statements: 

    1. The motion to impeach a Judge of the Supreme Court of India cannot be rejected by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha as per the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968. 

    2. The Constitution of India defines and gives details of what constitutes ‘incapacity and proved misbehaviour’ of the Judges of the Supreme Court of India. 

    3. The details of the process of impeachment of the Judges of the Supreme Court of India are given in the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968. 

    4. If the motion for the impeachment of a Judge is taken up for voting, the law requires the motion to be backed by each House of the Parliament and supported by a majority of total membership of that House and by not less than two-thirds of total members of that House present and voting. 

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 

    (a) 1 and 2 (b) 3 only (c) 3 and 4 only (d) 1, 3 and 4

  • Project Vault: US Critical Minerals Stockpiling Initiative

    Why in the News?

    Donald Trump announced Project Vault, a 12 billion dollar US initiative to stockpile critical minerals and rare earth elements to protect American industries from global supply disruptions and reduce dependence on China.

    What is Project Vault?

    • A public private partnership to buy and store critical minerals
    • Focuses on rare earths and key metals used in defence, technology and manufacturing
    • Combines 1.67 billion dollars private funding with 10 billion dollars from the Export Import Bank of the United States
    • Aims to shield US companies from supply chain shocks

    Key Minerals Covered

    • Cobalt used in rechargeable batteries and military jet engines
    • Gallium essential for semiconductors and advanced electronics
    • Other rare earths critical for EVs, aerospace, smartphones and energy systems

    How the Stockpiling System Works

    • Companies commit in advance to purchase minerals at a fixed inventory price
    • Project Vault procures and stores minerals on their behalf
    • Firms pay upfront fees and carrying costs including storage and interest
    • In emergencies, companies can access their full stockpile
    [2023] About three-fourths of world’s cobalt, a metal required for the manufacture of batteries for electric motor vehicles, is produced by: (a) Argentina 

    (b) Botswana 

    (c) the Democratic Republic of the Congo 

    (d) Kazakhstan

  • NAMASTE Scheme and Waste Pickers Enumeration Data 2026

    Why in the News?

    Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment tabled data in Parliament on February 03, 2026 revealing the social profile of 1.52 lakh waste pickers enumerated under the NAMASTE Scheme across 35 States and Union Territories.

    Social Category Breakup

    • Scheduled Castes: 60.3 percent or 92,089
    • Scheduled Tribes: 10.5 percent or 16,077
    • Other Backward Classes: 13.7 percent or 20,954
    • General category: 10.7% or 16,329 workers

    State and UT Level  

    • Delhi and Goa show majority of waste pickers from General category
    • In Delhi, 4,289 of over 6,500 workers were from General category (65.9%)
    • In Goa, 729 of 1,286 workers were from General category (56.6%)
    • West Bengal recorded 42.4 percent General category waste pickers

    Related Data on Sanitation Workers

    • About 89,000 sewer and septic tank workers enumerated so far
    • 95.8 percent of them are men
    • 859 deaths reported due to hazardous sewer and septic tank cleaning since 2014
    • 43 deaths recorded in 2025 alone

    About NAMASTE Scheme

    • Implemented by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
    • Focuses on enumeration and formal recognition of waste pickers, sewer and septic tank workers
    • Provides protective equipment and safety measures
    • Aims to eradicate deaths due to hazardous sewer and septic tank cleaning
    [2016] ‘Rashtriya Garima Abhiyaan’ is a national campaign to: (a) rehabilitate the homeless and destitute persons and provide them with suitable sources of livelihood 

    (b) release the sex workers from their practice and provide them with alternative sources of livelihood 

    (c) eradicate the practice of manual scavenging and rehabilitate the manual scavengers 

    (d) release the bonded labourers from their bondage and rehabilitate them

  • Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) Technology Test 2026

    Why in the News?

    Defence Research & Development Organisation successfully demonstrated Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) technology on February 03, 2026 from Integrated Test Range, marking India’s entry into an elite group of nations with this advanced missile propulsion capability.

    About Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR)

    • An advanced air breathing propulsion system for long range air to air missiles
    • Uses solid fuel with controlled airflow for sustained thrust
    • Allows missiles to maintain high speed during terminal phase
    • Significantly increases range and no escape zone

    Key Highlights of the Test

    • All subsystems including nozzle less booster, SFDR motor and fuel flow controller performed as expected
    • Missile was boosted to the required Mach number before ramjet ignition
    • Performance validated through tracking instruments along the coast of the Bay of Bengal
    • Successful data capture confirmed stable combustion and thrust control

    Strategic Significance

    • Enables development of next generation long range air to air missiles
    • Provides major tactical advantage against hostile aircraft
    • Strengthens indigenous defence research and manufacturing
    • Reduces dependence on imported propulsion technologies
    [2023] Consider the following statements: 1. Ballistic missiles are jet-propelled at subsonic speeds throughout their flights, while cruise missiles are rocket-powered only in the initial phase of flight

    2. Agni-V is a medium-range supersonic cruise missile, while BrahMos is a solid-fuelled intercontinental ballistic missile

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 

    (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2

  • [4th February 2026] The Hindu OpED: Has the 16th Finance Commission sidelines the States?

    Mentor’s Comment

    The Finance Commission is the institutional backbone of India’s fiscal federalism. The article examines whether the 16th Finance Commission (16th FC), despite formal continuity in States’ share, has substantively weakened State fiscal autonomy by expanding the Centre’s reliance on cesses and surcharges. The analysis is critical for understanding vertical devolution, fiscal centralisation, and cooperative federalism, recurring themes in GS-II and GS-III.

    Why in the News?

    The article gains salience as the 16th Finance Commission retained the States’ share at 41%, yet expanded the divisible pool only marginally while allowing a sharp rise in cesses and surcharges, which lie outside the pool. For the first time, States across political lines showed rare consensus that their effective share of central revenues is shrinking, even as headline devolution figures remain unchanged. The issue marks a structural shift from shared taxation to unilateral central levies, raising concerns over the erosion of fiscal federalism and States’ fiscal capacity.

    Has the divisible pool expanded meaningfully under the 16th Finance Commission?

    1. Marginal Expansion: Divisible pool revenues rose from 1.1% of GDP (2013-14) to 2.2% of GDP (2023-24), indicating limited expansion despite economic growth.
    2. Static Devolution Rate: States’ share remained at 41%, unchanged from the 15th FC, masking underlying revenue shifts.
    3. Exclusion Mechanism: Cesses and surcharges remain outside the divisible pool, structurally limiting States’ access to rising revenues.

    Cess and Surcharge?

    1. Cess and surcharge are additional, non-permanent levies imposed by the Indian central government to raise revenue, often added on top of existing taxes. 
    2. A cess (e.g., Health & Education Cess) is earmarked for specific purposes, while a surcharge is an extra tax on high-income earners for general revenue. 
    3. Both are not shared with state governments. 

    Key Differences and Details:

    1. Purpose: Cess is levied for a specific purpose (e.g., education, Swachh Bharat) and cannot be used otherwise. Surcharge is used for general government expenditure.
    2. Calculation: Cess is calculated as a percentage of the tax plus surcharge. Surcharge is calculated on the tax liability itself when income exceeds specific thresholds.
    3. Applicability: Cess applies to all taxpayers, while surcharge only targets individuals or entities with higher income brackets.
    4. Revenue Sharing: Proceeds from both cesses and surcharges are credited to the Consolidated Fund of India but are generally not shared with the state governments.

    Why are cesses and surcharges central to the controversy?

    1. Revenue Composition Shift: Cesses and surcharges increased from ₹44,688 crore (FY15) to ₹4,15,022 crore (FY22).
    2. Rising Share: For every ₹100 collected by the Centre, cesses and surcharges rose from ₹7 (2012-13) to ₹13.5 (2021-22).
    3. Budget Estimate 2025-26: Centre expects ₹8.89 lakh crore through cesses and surcharges, excluding GST compensation cess.
    4. Structural Impact: These levies bypass constitutional sharing, reducing States’ fiscal predictability.

    Has the States’ effective share in central revenues declined?

    1. Consistent Decline: Between FY13 and FY18, States’ share exceeded 93% of the divisible pool revenues.
    2. Post-2019 Reversal: Following GST implementation, States’ share fell as cesses surged.
    3. 2021-22 Data Point: Out of every ₹100 collected, ₹86.5 entered the divisible pool, down from ₹93.5 in 2012-13.
    4. Fiscal Asymmetry: Vertical devolution appears intact only in form, not in substance.

    Does the Finance Commission acknowledge this imbalance?

    1. Institutional Admission: The 16th FC recognises that long-term reliance on cesses is “undesirable.”
    2. Contradictory Position: Despite acknowledging distortion, the Commission refrains from imposing limits on such levies.
    3. Deference to Centre: FC cites defence and security spending as justification for higher cesses.
    4. Policy Gap: No binding mechanism introduced to curb revenue centralisation.

    What are the implications for State finances and governance?

    1. Reduced Fiscal Autonomy: States face constrained revenue capacity despite increased expenditure responsibilities.
    2. Infrastructure Stress: High-performing States bear the raw end of fiscal imbalance due to limited untied funds.
    3. Governance Asymmetry: Centralisation weakens States’ ability to tailor welfare and development spending.
    4. Political Neutrality Questioned: Uniform State dissatisfaction indicates systemic, not partisan, concern.

    Conclusion

    The article concludes that the 16th Finance Commission preserves the appearance of fiscal federalism while weakening its substance. By allowing unchecked expansion of cesses and surcharges, the Centre has effectively reduced States’ fiscal space without altering formal devolution ratios. The issue raises fundamental questions about the constitutional balance of power, revenue sovereignty, and cooperative federalism.

    PYQ Relevance

    [UPSC 2020] Explain the rationale behind the Goods and Services Tax (Compensation to States) Act of 2017. How has COVID-19 impacted the GST compensation fund and created new federal tensions?

    Linkage: This PYQ tests GST design, compensation to States, and fiscal federalism under GS-III, especially Centre-State revenue sharing during economic shocks. COVID-19 exposed GST revenue fragility, leading to delayed compensation and greater reliance on cesses and surcharges, echoing the article’s concern over shrinking effective State fiscal space.

  • To tackle India’s waste problem, new rules turn focus to source

    Why in the News

    The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has notified the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2026, superseding the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. The rules have been notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and will come into full effect from April 1, 2026. They mark the first comprehensive shift towards source-level segregation, bulk generator accountability, and lifecycle tracking of waste. The scale of the problem is significant: India generates 1.85 lakh tonnes of solid waste daily, of which 1.14 lakh tonnes is processed or treated, while 39,629 tonnes are landfilled. Despite past rules, poor segregation and mounting legacy landfills persist, making the new framework a corrective response to systemic failures in urban waste governance.

    Why Were the 2016 Rules Replaced?

    1. Implementation fatigue: Limited compliance despite statutory mandates.
    2. Segregation failure: Continued mixing of biodegradable, recyclable, and hazardous waste.
    3. Landfill expansion: Aging dumpsites posing environmental and public health risks.
    4. Accountability gaps: Weak enforcement on residential societies and institutions.

    What Structural Shift Do the SWM Rules, 2026 Introduce?

    1. Source-based governance: Ensures segregation and processing before disposal.
    2. Waste hierarchy: Prevention, reduction, reuse, recycling, recovery, disposal as last resort.
    3. Lifecycle approach: Tracks waste from generation to final treatment.

    How Is Four-Way Segregation Operationalised?

    1. Dry waste: Plastics, paper, metals and other recyclables.
    2. Wet waste: Biodegradable household and food waste.
    3. Sanitary waste: Diapers, sanitary napkins, condoms.
    4. Special-care waste: Medicines, paint containers, household hazardous waste.

    Who Qualifies as a Bulk Waste Generator?

    1. Large buildings: Floor area of 20,000 sq m or more.
    2. High resource use: Water consumption of 40,000 litres/day or more.
    3. Energy-intensive units: Electricity generation of 100 kW/day or more.
    4. Institutions: Residential societies, malls, colleges, hotels and hospitals with 5,000 sq m area.

    What Obligations Apply to Bulk Waste Generators?

    1. Extended responsibility: Aligns generators with EPR-like accountability.
    2. On-site processing: Mandates composting or decentralised treatment of wet waste.
    3. Certification compliance: Requires proof of segregation and processing.
    4. Digital registration: Mandatory enrolment on the centralised portal.
    5. Annual reporting: Submission of returns by June 30, detailing quantities and certificates.

    How Does the Polluter Pays Principle Operate?

    1. Environmental compensation: Imposes penalties for non-segregation.
    2. Landfill pricing: Charges for sending mixed waste to landfills.
    3. Behavioural correction: Makes segregation economically preferable.

    How Does Digital Governance Strengthen Waste Management?

    1. Centralised online portal: Tracks generation, collection, transportation, processing, disposal, biomining and bioremediation.
    2. Unified registration: Enables online authorisation of waste facilities with local bodies and SPCBs/PCCs.
    3. Audit integration: Mandates audits of all waste processing facilities with reports uploaded digitally.
    4. Regulatory simplification: Replaces multi-step physical reporting with single-window digital compliance.

    How Do the Rules Enable Faster Land Allocation for Waste Infrastructure?

    1. Graded land-use criteria: Facilitates siting of waste processing facilities.
    2. Buffer zone mandate: Applies to facilities exceeding 5 tonnes per day capacity.
    3. CPCB guidelines: Specify buffer size and permissible activities based on pollution load.
    4. Infrastructure acceleration: Expedites land allocation by States and Union Territories.

    What Are the Revised Duties of Local Bodies and MRFs?

    1. Municipal responsibility: Ensures collection, segregation and transportation of waste.
    2. MRF recognition: Formalises Material Recovery Facilities as sorting and aggregation hubs.
    3. Multi-waste handling: Allows MRFs to act as deposition points for e-waste, sanitary and special-care waste.
    4. Carbon finance: Encourages urban local bodies to generate carbon credits.
    5. Peri-urban focus: Mandates special attention to rural areas adjoining cities.

    How Is Industrial Energy Transition Linked to Waste Management?

    1. Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF): Fuel derived from non-recyclable plastic, paper and textiles.
    2. Mandatory substitution: Requires cement plants and waste-to-energy units to replace solid fuel with RDF.
    3. Phased targets: Increases fuel substitution from 5% to 15% over six years.
    4. Circular economy: Converts waste into industrial energy input.

    How Are Landfilling Practices Restricted?

    1. Disposal limits: Restricts landfills to inert and non-recoverable waste.
    2. Higher landfill fees: Penalises local bodies for dumping unsegregated waste.
    3. Cost rationalisation: Makes segregation and processing cheaper than landfilling.
    4. Regulatory oversight: Mandates annual landfill audits by SPCBs.
    5. District supervision: Assigns monitoring responsibility to District Collectors.

    How Are Legacy Waste Dumpsites Addressed?

    1. Mandatory mapping: Requires identification and assessment of all legacy dumpsites.
    2. Time-bound remediation: Enforces biomining and bioremediation.
    3. Quarterly reporting: Tracks progress through the online portal.
    4. Volume reduction: Recovers usable material and reduces landfill mass.

    What Special Provisions Apply to Hilly Areas and Islands?

    1. Tourist user fees: Enables cost recovery for waste management.
    2. Inflow regulation: Aligns tourist numbers with waste handling capacity.
    3. Designated collection points: Ensures safe disposal of non-biodegradable waste.
    4. Decentralised processing: Requires hotels and restaurants to process wet waste locally.
    5. Anti-littering norms: Encourages community responsibility.

    What Institutional Mechanisms Support Implementation?

    1. Central and State Committees: Ensure coordinated execution of the rules.
    2. State-level leadership: Committees chaired by Chief Secretaries or UT heads.
    3. Advisory role: Recommend measures to the CPCB for effective enforcement.

    Conclusion

    The SWM Rules, 2026 reconfigure India’s waste governance by integrating source segregation, land-use planning, industrial energy transition, and digital oversight. By shifting responsibility upstream and embedding enforcement mechanisms, the rules seek to arrest landfill growth and institutionalise circular economy practices. Their effectiveness will depend on municipal capacity, compliance enforcement, and intergovernmental coordination.

    PYQ Relevance

    [UPSC 2018] What are the impediments in disposing the huge quantities of discarded solid wastes which are continuously being generated? How do we remove safely the toxic wastes that have been accumulating in our habitable environment?

    Linkage: This question directly tests challenges in solid waste management, landfill overload, and environmental pollution, core themes under GS-III. The Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026 provide the policy linkage by addressing impediments through source segregation, bulk waste generator accountability, biomining, and bioremediation of legacy waste.

  • How did the space sector fare in the budget?

    Why in the News

    The Union Budget shows stable funding for the space sector after post-pandemic adjustments, following a 182% increase in allocations over the last decade. This reflects a shift from rapid expansion to fiscal consolidation. For the current year, the Budget has maintained broadly similar allocations for space activities, ensuring continuity for ISRO’s core programmes rather than announcing a major increase. However, industry bodies such as SatCom Industry Association (SIA)-India and Indian Space Association (ISpa) note that this stability has come without structural reforms, particularly in GST rationalisation, downstream enablement, and private sector incentives. The article highlights a gap between India’s space liberalisation framework, led by IN-SPACe, and the limited fiscal and regulatory support provided in the Budget.

    Has budgetary support for the space sector stabilised?

    1. Stabilised Allocations: Reflect a post-pandemic correction after a 182% increase in space spending over the past decade, signalling fiscal consolidation rather than retrenchment.
    2. Institutional Continuity: Ensures operational stability for ISRO, whose budget had earlier faced compression during COVID-19 years.
    3. Limited Expansion Signal: Indicates absence of new large-scale mission announcements or funding surges, reinforcing a maintenance-oriented fiscal posture.

    Does the Budget address structural reforms in the space ecosystem?

    1. Reform Gap: Ignores long-standing demands raised by SIA-India for taxation and policy rationalisation to support private and downstream firms.
    2. Public-sector Bias: Continues to prioritise ISRO’s upstream capabilities while underplaying ecosystem-wide enablement.
    3. Missed Alignment: Fails to integrate fiscal measures with the institutional role of IN-SPACe, which was created precisely to facilitate private participation.

    How does GST affect space industry competitiveness?

    1. GST Burden: High GST incidence on specialised inputs and imported components raises production costs for satellite and launch manufacturers.
    2. Cash-flow Stress: Refund delays under GST disproportionately affect private firms and startups operating under thin margins.
    3. Export Competitiveness: Weakens India’s cost advantage in global launch and satellite service markets, a concern explicitly flagged by industry bodies.

    What challenges exist for downstream space applications?

    1. Neglect of Applications: Budgetary focus remains skewed towards upstream launch and satellite programmes, with minimal fiscal support for applications.
    2. Commercial Bottlenecks: Affects communication, navigation, earth observation, and data analytics sectors that rely on satellite services.
    3. Innovation Constraints: Absence of PLI-type incentives for space manufacturing and services limits scale-up and market absorption.

    Is private participation adequately supported?

    1. Policy-Finance Disconnect: While liberalisation has been institutionalised through IN-SPACe, fiscal incentives remain absent.
    2. Investment Uncertainty: The Budget does not build upon the ₹1,000 crore venture capital fund announced in the previous Budget, offering no clarity on deployment or expansion.
    3. Ecosystem Imbalance: Growth remains anchored to state-led capabilities rather than a diversified commercial space economy.

    Conclusion

    The Budget secures stability for India’s space programme but does not translate liberalisation intent into fiscal or regulatory support. By overlooking GST reform, downstream incentives, and private investment facilitation, it risks slowing the transition from an ISRO-centric model to a competitive, market-driven space economy.

    PYQ Relevance

    [UPSC 2016] Discuss India’s achievements in the field of Space Science and Technology. How has the application of this technology helped India in its socio-economic development?

    Linkage: Space science and technology is a recurring GS-III theme, testing India’s indigenous technological capacity and its role in national development. The current Budget debate on space highlights the shift from mission achievements to ecosystem sustainability, making the socio-economic application and commercialisation of space technologies a critical evaluative dimension.

  • Pennaiyar River Inter State Water Dispute

    Why in the news?

    The Supreme Court of India has directed the Union Government to constitute an Inter State River Water Disputes Tribunal within one month to resolve the Pennaiyar water dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The case was filed by Tamil Nadu under Article 131 of the Constitution, invoking the Inter State River Water Disputes Act, 1956.

    About Pennaiyar River

    • Also known as Thenpennai / Ponnaiyar in Tamil and Dakshina Pinakini in Kannada
    • A major east flowing inter state river of southern India
    • Crucial for irrigation, drinking water, and water security

    Origin

    • Originates in the Nandi Hills, Chikkaballapura district, Karnataka
    • Part of the Eastern Ghats system

    States Through Which It Flows

    • Karnataka as the upper riparian state
    • Tamil Nadu as the lower riparian state
    • Tamil Nadu is more dependent on downstream flows, making the dispute politically and economically sensitive

    Major Tributaries

    • Markandeya River
    • Varaha Nadhi
    • Pambar River
    • Pampar River
    • Markandeya River is central to the present inter state dispute
    [2014] The power of the Supreme Court of India to decide disputes between the Centre and the States falls under its: (a) advisory jurisdiction 

    (b) appellate jurisdiction 

    (c) original jurisdiction 

    (d) writ jurisdiction

  • SBI launches CHAKRA for financing sunrise sectors

    Why in the News?

    The State Bank of India (SBI) has launched CHAKRA, a Centre of Excellence (CoE) to finance eight sunrise sectors critical for India’s sustainable and technology led growth.

    What is CHAKRA?

    • CHAKRA stands for Centre of Excellence for financing sunrise sectors
    • An institutional platform by SBI to build sector specific expertise
    • Aims to improve flow of capital, risk assessment, and innovative financing
    • Focus on capital intensive, future oriented industries

    Sunrise Sectors Covered

    • Renewable Energy (RE)
    • Advanced Cell Chemistry and Battery Storage
    • Data Centre Infrastructure
    • Smart Infrastructure
    • Electric Mobility
    • Green Hydrogen
    • Semiconductors
    • Decarbonisation

    Investment Significance

    • These sectors together require nearly Rs 100 lakh crore investment over five years
    • Expected to be key drivers of India’s economic future

    Key Features of CHAKRA

    • Supports specialised project financing structures
    • Strengthens risk evaluation for emerging technologies
    • Facilitates co financing and foreign capital inflows
    • Enables engagement with DFIs, multilateral agencies, banks, NBFCs, start ups, academia, and policy think tanks

    International and Institutional Partnerships

    • SBI has signed MoUs with around 21 financing institutions
    • Project finance teams to be co located at SBI CHAKRA
    • Major foreign partners include MUFG and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
    • Helps mobilise international debt capital and expertise
    [2023] With reference to green hydrogen, consider the following statements: 1. It can be used directly as a fuel for internal combustion. 

    2. It can be blended with natural gas and used as fuel for heat or power generation. 

    3. It can be used in the hydrogen fuel cell to run vehicles.

    How many of the above statements are correct? 

    (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All three (d) None

  • Indian Scientists Develop Single Unit Solar Energy Capture and Storage Device

    Why in the News?

    Indian scientists under the Department of Science and Technology (DST) have developed a photo rechargeable supercapacitor that can both capture and store solar energy in a single integrated unit, enabling low cost, self sustaining, and clean energy systems.

    About the Device

    • Known as a Photo Rechargeable Supercapacitor
    • Integrates solar energy harvesting and energy storage
    • Eliminates separate solar panels and batteries
    • Reduces energy loss, cost, and system complexity

    Developed By

    • Researchers at the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bengaluru
    • Developed under the Department of Science and Technology

    Key Technology Used

    • Binder free Nickel Cobalt Oxide (NiCo₂O₄) nanowires
    • Uniformly grown on nickel foam
    • Fabricated using in situ hydrothermal process
    • Forms a porous, conductive three dimensional network
    • Acts as both solar absorber and supercapacitor electrode
    [2014] With reference to technology for solar power production, consider the following statements: 

    1. ‘Photovoltaics’ is a technology that generates electricity by direct conversion of light into electricity, while ‘Solar Thermal’ is a technology that utilizes the Sun’s rays to generate heat which is further used in electricity generation process. 

    2. Photovoltaics generates Alternating Current (AC), while Solar Thermal generates Direct Current (DC). 

    3. India has manufacturing base for Solar Thermal technology, but not for photovoltaics. 

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 

    (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1, 2 and 3 only (d) None of the above