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What is the Tea Horse Road?

Why in the News? Recently, China’s Ambassador to India highlighted the historical significance of ‘Tea Horse Road’ in fostering Sino-Indian ties. About the Tea Horse Road The Tea Horse Road originated during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE). Buddhist monk Yijing (635-713 CE) recorded early trade between China, Tibet, and India, mentioning exchanges of sugar, textiles,… Continue reading

Ultra-Conserved Elements (UCEs) in DNA

Why in the News? Researchers have discovered a reason why certain segments of the human and mouse genomes (Tra2b gene) have remained unchanged for 80 million years. These segments, known as ultra-conserved elements (UCEs), play a vital role in regulating protein production What are Ultra-Conserved Elements (UCEs) in DNA? Ultra-Conserved Elements (UCEs) are long, highly… Continue reading

SPHEREx Telescope

Why in the News? NASA is set to launch its latest space telescope, SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from California. What is the SPHEREx Telescope? SPHEREx is a new space telescope developed by NASA. It is designed to map the… Continue reading

Veer Savarkar and His Contributions

Why in the News? Prime Minister paid tribute to Veer Savarkar on his death anniversary (26th February), acknowledging his contributions to India’s freedom movement. About Veer Savarkar: Life, Contributions, and Legacy Details Who was Veer Savarkar? • Born on May 28, 1883, in Bhagur, Maharashtra. • Founded Abhinav Bharat Society (1904) for armed resistance. •… Continue reading

[26th February 2025] The Hindu Op-ed: The right’s rise, Europe’s state of denial

PYQ Relevance: Q) What is the significance of Indo-US defence deals over Indo-Russian defence deals? Discuss with reference to stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (UPSC CSE 2020) Mentor’s Comment: UPSC mains have always focused on “ Indo-US defence deals over Indo-Russian defence deals” (2020), and the “Russia and Ukraine war” (2022). In February 2025, the… Continue reading

India sole nation to curb Internet over communal unrest in 2023-24

Why in the News? According to the report, there were 296 Internet shutdowns worldwide in 2024, and India accounted for 84 of them, making up 28% of the total. What percentage of global Internet shutdowns due to communal violence occurred in India? High Proportion of Global Communal Violence Shutdowns: 56% of global Internet shutdowns due… Continue reading

Should a third language be compulsory?

Why in the News? The Central government and the Tamil Nadu government are disagreeing over the three-language rule in schools under the New Education Policy (NEP), 2020. Why is the Union government withholding funds under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan from Tamil Nadu? Non-compliance with the three-language formula: The Union government has linked the release of… Continue reading

‘Cali Fund’ launched at CBD COP16

Why in the News? A new international biodiversity fund, the ‘Cali Fund’, was launched at the 16th Conference of Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Rome. What is the Cali Fund? The Cali Fund is an international biodiversity financing mechanism launched on February 25, 2025, at COP16 of the… Continue reading

Species in news: Gharials

Why in the News? Madhya Pradesh CM released 10 gharials into the Chambal River at the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary in Morena. About Gharial The gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) is a unique species of crocodilian, characterized by its long, slender snout, which is perfectly adapted for catching fish. The species derives its name from the “ghara”,… Continue reading

What is Black Plastic?

Why in the News? A recent study suggested that black plastic contains harmful flame retardants, which may leach into food at hazardous levels. What is Black Plastic? Black plastic is often made from recycled electronic waste like old computers, TVs, and appliances. These electronics contain flame retardants (such as bromine-based compounds), heavy metals (lead, cadmium,… Continue reading

New Experiment to Test Quantum Gravity

Why in the News? A new proposal published on October 29, 2024, suggests an experiment that could provide direct evidence for quantum gravity, unifying general relativity and quantum mechanics. A new experiment proposes testing weak gravitational fields at the quantum level, a historic breakthrough in physics if successful. What is Quantum Gravity? Quantum Gravity is… Continue reading

Natural Farming in India: Revolution or Just a Trend?

Note4Students: For UPSC aspirants, Integrated Farming Systems (IFS) and Natural Farming are not just buzzwords but critical tools for sustainable agricultural development. Many candidates focus narrowly on the definition and benefits of IFS or Natural Farming but miss the systemic challenges—like scalability, scientific validation, and policy gaps. This article delves into the ground realities of… Continue reading

[25th February 2025] The Hindu Op-ed: Surveillance capitalism: the power to control personal data

PYQ Relevance: Q) Data security has assumed significant importance in the digitized world due to rising cyber-crimes. The Justice B. N. Srikrishna Committee Report addresses issues related to data security. What, in your view, are the strengths and weaknesses of the Report relating to protection of personal data in cyber space? (UPSC CSE 2018) … Continue reading

Not business as usual: On upholding India’s reputation for quality drugs

Why in the News? The pharmacy of the Global South is facing a reputation crisis after cough syrups made by Indian pharmaceutical companies were found to contain harmful levels of diethylene glycol and/or ethylene glycol. Why is the pharmacy of the Global South facing a reputation crisis? Quality Control Failures and Contaminated Products: Gambia (2022):… Continue reading

The RTI is now the ‘Right to Deny Information’

Why in the News? The RTI Act allowed people to question the government, but the government soon tried to weaken it. Why is the RTI now being viewed as the ‘right to deny information’? Judicial Interpretations Diluting the Scope of RTI: Key court judgments, like Girish Ramchandra Deshpande vs. CIC (2012), have expanded the definition… Continue reading

Battle of Karnal (1739)

Why in the News? On February 24, 1739, the Battle of Karnal marked a turning point in the history of Mughal empire. About Battle of Karnal The Battle of Karnal on February 24, 1739, saw Nadir Shah’s Persian army defeat Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah ‘Rangila’ in under three hours. Despite having 300,000 soldiers, the Mughal… Continue reading

What is the ‘Quality of Public Expenditure’ Index?

Why in the News? The Quality of Public Expenditure (QPE) Index, developed by the RBI, evaluates how efficiently government funds are used, focusing on expenditure composition and its long-term impact on economic growth. About the QPE Index The QPE Index by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) measures how effectively government funds are utilized. It… Continue reading

Rupee-Dollar Swap Auction

Why in the News? The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will conduct a $10 billion dollar-rupee swap auction on February 28, 2025, aimed at injecting durable rupee liquidity into the banking system. This 3-year forex swap is expected to inject ₹86,000 crore into the banking system at a time when there is a liquidity deficit… Continue reading

[pib] Bay of Bengal (BOB) Inter-Governmental Organisation

Why in the News? India has taken over the Chairmanship of the Bay of Bengal (BOB) Inter-Governmental Organisation from Bangladesh at the 13th Governing Council Meeting in Male, Maldives. What is BOBP-IGO? BOBP-IGO is a regional fisheries body promoting sustainable fisheries management and improving the livelihoods of small-scale fishers in the Bay of Bengal region.… Continue reading

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