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  • PIB Backgrounder Charts India’s Electric Vehicle Ecosystem

    Why in the News

    A PIB Backgrounder has highlighted the rapid growth of India’s Electric Vehicle (EV) ecosystem, showcasing significant progress in EV adoption, charging infrastructure, battery manufacturing, and government support.

    What does the Backgrounder Highlight?

    • EV Penetration: Increased from 0.08% in 2016 to 8.26% in 2026.
    • EV Sales: Rose from about 50,000 units in 2016 to 2.3 million units in 2025.
    • Charging Infrastructure: India had 52,718 public charging stations by July 2026, with a target of about 1.32 million stations by 2030.
    • National Goal: Achieve a 30% share of electric vehicles in new vehicle sales by 2030 under the EV30@30 initiative.

    PM E-DRIVE Scheme

    • Full Form: PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE).
    • Launched: 2024, replacing the FAME scheme.
    • Outlay: ₹10,900 crore.
    • Coverage: Electric two-wheelers. Electric three wheelers. Electric trucks. Electric buses. Electric ambulances.
    • Objective: Accelerate EV adoption through demand incentives and supporting infrastructure.

    Battery Manufacturing Push

    Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC)

    • Outlay: ₹18,100 crore.
    • Manufacturing Target: 50 GWh of Advanced Chemistry Cell battery capacity.
    • Objective: Promote domestic battery manufacturing and reduce import dependence.

    Earlier Initiative: FAME Scheme

    • Full Form: Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (FAME).
    • Launched: 2015.
    • Phase II: Implemented until 2024.
    • Replaced by: PM E-DRIVE in 2024.

    [2025] In the context of electric vehicle batteries, consider the following elements:

    I. Cobalt

    II. Graphite

    III. Lithium

    IV. Nickel

    How many of the above usually make up battery cathodes?

    (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) All the four

  • BioE3 Policy Reports Early Biomanufacturing Gains

    Why in the News

    The Government has highlighted the early achievements of the Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment (BioE3) Policy, demonstrating growing investments and capacity in India’s biomanufacturing sector.

    What is the BioE3 Policy?

    • Full form: Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment (BioE3) Policy.
    • Approved: 2024 by the Union Cabinet.
    • Implementing Agency: Department of Biotechnology (DBT).
    • Objective: Promote high capacity biomanufacturing to drive economic growth, environmental sustainability, and employment generation.

    Key Features of the Policy

    • Focus Areas: The policy identifies six thematic sectors:
      • Bio based chemicals.
      • Smart proteins.
      • Precision biotherapeutics.
      • Climate resilient agriculture.
      • Biofuels and carbon capture.
      • Marine and space biotechnology.
    • Funding Pattern:
      • Government support of up to 70% of project cost.
      • Remaining contribution from the private sector.
    • Industry Participation:
      • Over 600 beneficiaries have utilised BioE3 facilities.
      • Private investment commitments have reached about ₹602 crore.
    • Long term Goal: Support India’s vision of a $300 billion bioeconomy by 2030.

    What is Biomanufacturing?

    • Definition: The production of chemicals, fuels, materials, pharmaceuticals and other products using biological systems such as microorganisms, enzymes or engineered cells.
    • Benefits:
      • Reduces dependence on fossil fuel based manufacturing.
      • Promotes sustainable industrial production.
      • Supports the circular bioeconomy.

    What is a Biofoundry?

    • A highly automated research facility that designs, builds, tests and analyses biological systems.
    • Accelerates the development of new biotechnology products through automation and artificial intelligence.

    [2026] Which of the following statements with regard to GenomeIndia Project is/are correct ?
    1. It is a part of the Human Genome Project.
    2. The project is funded by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India.
    3. Its primary aim is to build a catalogue of genetic diversity of the Indian population.
    Select the answer using the code given below:

    [A] 1 only

    [B] 2 and 3 only

    [C] 1 and 2 only

    [D] 1, 2 and 3

  • Indian Scientists Develop a Protocol to Densify Quantum Networks

    Why in the News

    Indian scientists have developed a new routing protocol called General Concurrence Percolation (GCP) to improve the efficiency and connectivity of quantum networks, marking a significant advance in quantum communication.

    What is the General Concurrence Percolation (GCP) Protocol?

    • Innovation: A routing protocol designed to strengthen quantum entanglement across a quantum network.
    • Approach: Uses localized geometric routing to identify the shortest communication paths.
    • Key feature: Preserves intermediate network nodes instead of disconnecting them, improving network stability.
    • Outcome: Simulations show the protocol reduces the minimum entanglement required to connect an entire quantum network.

    What is Quantum Entanglement?

    • Definition: A quantum phenomenon in which two or more particles remain correlated so that the state of one is intrinsically linked to the state of the other, regardless of distance.
    • Challenge: Entanglement weakens over long distances, making reliable quantum communication difficult.
    • Importance: It is the foundation of quantum communication, quantum cryptography, and quantum computing.

    Why is the Development Significant?

    • Improves the efficiency of long distance quantum communication.
    • Reduces the amount of entanglement needed for network connectivity.
    • Makes future quantum internet infrastructure more robust and scalable.
    • Supports secure communication through quantum encryption technologies.
    • Strengthens India’s capabilities in advanced quantum technologies.

    [2026] Which of the following statements with regard to the National Quantum Mission (NQM) is/are correct?
    1. It aims at developing intermediate-scale quantum computers with 50 – 1000 physical qubits.
    2. Its implementation includes setting up of four Thematic Hubs (T-Hubs) in academic and national R&D institutes across India.
    Select the answer using the code given below :

    [A] 1 only

    [B] 2 only

    [C] Both 1 and 2

    [D] Neither 1 nor 2

  • Government Strengthens Rules Against AI Generated Deepfakes

    Why in the News

    The Government has strengthened the regulatory framework against AI generated deepfakes by amending the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.

    What are the New Amendments?

    • Legal framework: Amendments have been made to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, framed under the Information Technology Act, 2000.
    • New definition: Introduces the concept of Synthetically Generated Information (SGI), covering deepfakes and other AI generated content.
    • Mandatory labelling: Platforms must clearly label synthetic content and embed traceable metadata to identify AI generated material.
    • User declaration: Significant Social Media Intermediaries (SSMIs) must obtain a declaration from users on whether uploaded content is synthetic.
    • Verification tools: SSMIs are required to deploy tools to verify user declarations.
    • Harmful content: The framework specifically targets:
      • Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM)
      • Non consensual intimate imagery
      • AI enabled impersonation and fraud

    What is a Deepfake?

    • Definition: Deepfakes are AI generated synthetic media in which a person’s face, voice, or likeness is created or manipulated using deep learning techniques.
    • Uses: Can be used for entertainment, education and content creation, but also for misinformation, identity theft, financial fraud and cybercrime.

    [2020] With the print state of development, Artificial Intelligence can effectively do which of the following?
    1. Bring down electricity consumption in industrial units
    2. Create meaningful short stories and songs
    3. Disease diagnosis
    4. Text -to -Speech Conversion
    5. Wireless transmission of electrical energy
    Select the correct answer using the code given below:

    [A] 1, 2, 3 and 5 only

    [B] 1, 3 and 4 only

    [C] 2, 4 and 5 only

    [D] 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

  • Cabinet Approves GOBARdhan as a National Unified Scheme for Compressed Biogas

    Why in the News

    The Union Cabinet has approved GOBARdhan as a National Unified Scheme for Compressed Biogas (CBG) to accelerate domestic biogas production, promote clean energy, and strengthen the circular economy.

    What is the GOBARdhan Scheme?

    • Full form: Galvanizing Organic Bio Agro Resources Dhan (GOBARdhan).
    • Launched: 2018 under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen).
    • Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
    • Objective: Promote production of Compressed Biogas (CBG) from organic waste while improving waste management, clean energy access, and farmers’ income.

    Key Features of the National Unified Scheme

    • Total Outlay: ₹23,731 crore.
    • Duration: FY 2027 to FY 2036 (10 years).
    • CBG Blending Obligation (CBGO):
      • 3% in the first year.
      • 4% in the second year.
      • 5% from the third year onwards in City Gas Distribution (CGD) networks.
    • Price Support: Administered price of about ₹2,110 per MMBTU for a minimum of 10 years.
    • Capital Assistance: Up to ₹2 crore per tonne per day of CBG production capacity for new projects.
    • Target: Achieve nearly a tenfold increase in domestic CBG production.

    What is Compressed Biogas (CBG)?

    • Definition: Purified biogas with more than 90% methane content.
    • Feedstock: Produced from agricultural residue, cattle dung, municipal solid waste, sewage, and other biodegradable waste.
    • Uses: Can replace Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) in transport, industry, and cooking.

    [2016] Which of the following are the key features of ‘National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA)?
    1. River basin is the unit of planning and management.
    2. It spearheads the river conservation efforts at the national level.
    3. One of the Chief Ministers of the States through which the Ganga flows becomes the Chairman of NGRBA on rotation basis.
    Select the correct answer using the code given Below.

    [A] 1 and 2 only

    [B] 2 and 3 only

    [C] 1 and 3 only

    [D] 1, 2 and 3

  • Glaw Lake becomes Arunachal Pradesh’s first Ramsar site

    Why in the News

    Glaw Lake has been designated as Arunachal Pradesh’s first Ramsar Site, making it the state’s first Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention.

    What is the Ramsar Convention?

    • International treaty: An intergovernmental treaty for the conservation and wise use of wetlands.
    • Adopted: 2 February 1971 at Ramsar, Iran.
    • Came into force: 1975.
    • Objective: Promote the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands through national action and international cooperation.
    • India: A Contracting Party to the Convention.

    What is a Ramsar Site?

    • A wetland designated under the Ramsar Convention for its international ecological importance.
    • Selected based on criteria such as:
      • Unique wetland ecosystems.
      • Biodiversity significance.
      • Habitat for threatened species.
      • Importance for migratory waterbirds.

    Why is Glaw Lake Significant?

    • Location: Arunachal Pradesh.
    • First Ramsar Site: It is the first Wetland of International Importance from the state.
    • Recognition: Enhances conservation of the Eastern Himalayan wetland ecosystem.
    • Implementation: Designated under the Ramsar Convention with the involvement of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and the Wetlands Division.

    [2019] With reference to Wetlands, consider the following statements:
    1. Under Ramsar Convention, it is mandatory on the part of the Government of India to protect and conserve all the wetlands in the territory of India.
    2. They are covered with hydric soils.
    3. Wetlands are often referred to as Kidneys of the Earth.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    [A] 1 and 2 only

    [B] 2 and 3 only

    [C] 1 and 3 only

    [D] 1, 2 and 3

  • Rising private R&D spending should be channelled into manufacturing

    Why in the News

    For the first time, private industry has overtaken the government as the largest source of Research and Development (R&D) spending in India, marking a significant shift in the country’s innovation ecosystem. However, India’s overall R&D investment remains low compared to major economies.

    What does the R&D data show?

    • Private sector leads: Private industry contributed 51.8% of India’s total R&D expenditure in 2023 to 2024.
    • Low R&D intensity: India’s Gross Expenditure on R&D (GERD) is only 0.84% of GDP.
      • Global comparison: China: 2.58%, United States: 3.45%, South Korea: 4.94%
    • Limited research workforce: India has only 354 researchers per million population, much lower than leading innovation economies.

    Why should R&D focus on manufacturing?

    • Higher value addition: Promotes movement from low-end assembly to high-technology manufacturing.
    • Import substitution: Reduces dependence on imported technologies and critical components.
    • Employment generation: Encourages advanced manufacturing, creating skilled jobs and strengthening industrial competitiveness.
    • Global competitiveness: Supports initiatives such as Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat.

    What institutional support exists?

    Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF)

    • Established under: ANRF Act, 2023.
    • Corpus: ₹50,000 crore over five years.
    • Objective: Promote research, innovation and collaboration among academia, industry and government.
    • Key role:
      • Mobilise private sector investment in research.
      • Coordinate research funding across institutions.
      • Strengthen India’s innovation ecosystem.

    Prelims Pointers

    • GERD (Gross Expenditure on Research and Development): Total national expenditure on R&D as a percentage of GDP.
    • Private industry is now India’s largest R&D spender.
    • ANRF replaced the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) as the apex research funding body.
    • India spends less than 1% of GDP on R&D.

    [2015] Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding National Innovation Foundation-India (NIF)?
    1. NIF is an autonomous body of the Department of Science and Technology under the Central Government
    2.NIF is an initiative to strengthen the highly advanced scientific research in India’s premier scientific institutions in collaboration with highly advanced foreign scientific institutions.
    Select the correct answer using the code given below.

    [A] 1 only

    [B] 2 only

    [C] Both 1 and 2

    [D] Neither 1 nor 2

  • How ‘ghost particles’ can point the way to spent nuclear fuel

    Why in the News

    Scientists have achieved the first high precision measurement of the neutrino signature from spent nuclear fuel, enabling remote monitoring of nuclear material and strengthening global nuclear non proliferation efforts.

    What is a neutrino?

    • Ghost particle: A neutrino is a nearly massless, electrically neutral subatomic particle that interacts only through the weak nuclear force and gravity.
    • Produced in nuclear reactions: They are emitted in large numbers during nuclear fission, radioactive decay, and reactions inside stars.
    • Highly penetrating: Since neutrinos rarely interact with matter, they can pass through the Earth almost unaffected, making them extremely difficult to detect.

    What did the study achieve?

    • First precise measurement: Researchers in France made the first high precision measurement of the neutrino emissions from spent nuclear fuel.
    • Remote monitoring: The neutrino signal can be measured without physically opening or handling the spent fuel.
    • Scientific validation: The findings were published in a leading peer reviewed physics journal.

    Why is this important for nuclear non proliferation?

    • Supports IAEA safeguards: Enables the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to verify spent nuclear fuel remotely.
    • Detects diversion: Changes in the neutrino signal can indicate diversion of plutonium or other fissile material for weapons.
    • Strengthens nuclear safeguards: Provides a non intrusive and tamper resistant method to improve verification of nuclear material.
    • Enhances transparency: Builds confidence in peaceful civilian nuclear programmes.

    Prelims Pointers

    • The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is the UN agency responsible for promoting peaceful uses of nuclear energy and implementing nuclear safeguards.
    • Neutrinos are electrically neutral, nearly massless particles that interact via the weak nuclear force.
    • Nuclear reactors and spent nuclear fuel continuously emit neutrinos.
    • Spent nuclear fuel contains plutonium that can potentially be separated for nuclear weapons, making its monitoring important.

    “[2020] In India, why are some nuclear reactors kept ‘IAEA Safeguards’ while others are not?
    (a) Some use uranium and others use thorium
    (b) Some use imported uranium and others use domestic supplies
    (c) Some are operated by foreign enterprises and others are operated by domestic
    (d) Some are State-owned and others are privately-owned

  • Why floods in Kerala are becoming more severe

    Why in the News

    Recurrent severe flooding in Kerala is traced to how the land and rivers have been altered, not rainfall alone. The tension is between treating floods as a natural disaster and recognising them as a man made outcome.

    What is driving the flood intensity?

    1. River siltation: Sediment build up reduces the carrying capacity of rivers.
    2. Dam storage loss: The extremely heavy rains have increased the water level in all dams, run by both the state electricity board and the irrigation department. A Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) audit found major storage loss at reservoirs due to sedimentation, including 47% at Kallarkutty.
    3. Wetland shrinkage: Paddy and wetland area fell from 7.93 lakh hectares in 1979 to 1980 to 1.80 lakh in 2023 to 2024.
    4. Concretisation: Hard surfaces from urbanisation alter natural drainage. During heavy rains, these impervious surfaces channel stormwater rapidly into nearby rivers and streams, causing water levels to rise within hours.

    Why do these factors worsen floods?

    1. Reduced buffer: Lost wetlands and paddy no longer absorb excess water. Paddy fields, marshlands and wetlands, are known for absorbing a huge volume of rainfall
    2. Faster runoff: Concrete surfaces speed runoff into swollen rivers.
    3. Lower channel capacity: Silted rivers overflow at lower volumes.

    What is the state’s response?

    1. Desilting: The government plans desilting of rivers and reservoirs.
    2. Asset register: An asset register will be prepared for rivers, streams and lakes and land auditing is proposed to prevent encroachment of rivers
    3. Land use: Restoration of paddy and wetland is under consideration.

    Conclusion

    Kerala’s floods are the product of altered hydrology as much as heavy rain. The unresolved task is reversing decades of wetland loss and unplanned construction.

    Back2Basics

    Manufactured sand

    Manufactured sand, or M-sand, is an artificial fine aggregate made by crushing hard rocks like granite, basalt, or gneiss into small, sharp grains. It serves as a strong, eco-friendly replacement for natural river sand in modern construction.

    How It Is Made

    1. Quarrying and Blasting: Hard rock is pulled out from quarries.
    2. Primary and Secondary Crushing: Large rocks go through jaw or cone crushers to break down into smaller pieces.
    3. Shaping and Sizing: Vertical Shaft Impact (VSI) crushers smash and shape the particles into angular, cubical forms.
    4. Screening and Washing: Sieves sort the grain sizes, and water washes away excess rock dust and micro-fines.

    Benefits of Manufactured Sand

    1. No Impurities: Free of clay, silt, and organic trash found in riverbeds.
    2. High Strength: Sharp, angular edges interlock tightly, giving concrete better bonding and compression strength.
    3. Eco-Friendly: Stops harmful river dredging that ruins water life and river banks.
    4. Consistent Quality: Made in factories with strict size controls instead of relying on nature.

    PYQ Relevance

    [UPSC 2024] Flooding in urban areas is an emerging climate-induced disaster. Discuss the causes of this disaster. Mention the features of two such major floods in the last two decades in India. Describe the policies and frameworks in India that aim at tackling such floods.

    Linkage: The PYQ examines the causes of urban flooding and India’s policy response to flood disasters. Kerala shows how wetland loss, river siltation, concretisation and altered land use intensify floods despite heavy rainfall, highlighting the need for ecosystem-based flood management.

  • The road ahead for the Asiatic lion as its range spreads

    Why in the News

    The Asiatic lion population has recovered strongly but is increasingly living outside protected areas. The tension is between a conservation success in numbers and the rising conflict and risk that dispersal brings.

    What is the Asiatic lion?

    1. Endemic species: The Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica) survives only in and around the Gir landscape of Gujarat.
    2. Status change: The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) moved it from Critically Endangered to Endangered.
    3. Single population: The entire wild population is concentrated in one region, making it vulnerable to a single event.

    How has the population and range changed?

    1. Recovery: Numbers grew from about 100 to 150 six decades ago to over 1,000 today.
    2. Dispersal: Nearly half the lions now live outside protected areas.
    3. Satellite groups: For the first time, data shows that more than half—497 lions—now live outside the core Gir protected areas in nine distinct satellite populations spread across 11 districts, spanning a territory of 35,000 square kilometers.

    Why does the spread create new risks?

    1. Habitat threat: A proposed limestone mine in the Babarkot corridor threatens a dispersal route.
    2. Disease risk: Past outbreaks of Canine Distemper Virus and babesiosis killed many lions.
    3. Green Status: The species remains assessed as “largely depleted” despite the numeric recovery.

    Back2Basics: Asiatic Lion (Gir)

    1. IUCN status: Endangered.
    2. Legal protection: Listed in Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
    3. Habitat: Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary and surrounding landscape in Gujarat.
    4. Significance: Gir is the only natural home of the wild Asiatic lion.

    “[2024] Consider the following statements:
    1. Lions do not have a particular breeding season.
    2. Unlike most other big cats, cheetahs do not roar.
    3. Unlike male lions, male leopards do not proclaim their territory by scent marking.
    Which of the statements given above are correct?
    (a) 1 and 2 only
    (b) 2 and 3 only
    (c) 1 and 3 only
    (d) 1, 2 and 3