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Type: Prelims Only

  • INS Mahendragiri (Project 17A Stealth Frigate)

    Why in News?

    The Indian Navy will commission INS Mahendragiri (F38), the sixth Project 17A indigenous stealth frigate, at Visakhapatnam on 11 July 2026.

    Note: Project 17A is a ₹45,000-crore Indian Navy initiative to build seven advanced Nilgiri-class stealth frigates.

    Key Highlights

    • Named after the Mahendragiri Hills in the Eastern Ghats.
    • Designed by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau (WDB).
    • Built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai.
    • Features over 75% indigenous content, supporting Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
    • Powered by Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion for high speed and long endurance.

    Features

    • Advanced stealth design with reduced radar signature.
    • Equipped with:
      • Surface-to-Surface Missiles (SSM)
      • Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAM)
      • Electronic Warfare (EW) systems
      • Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) systems
      • Integrated Combat Management System (CMS)
    • High degree of automation and enhanced survivability.

    Operational Roles

    • Anti-air warfare, Anti-surface warfare, Anti-submarine warfare, Maritime security, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), Search and Rescue (SAR), and Indo-Pacific presence missions

    Significance

    • Strengthens India’s indigenous warship-building capability.
    • Enhances the Indian Navy’s blue-water combat capability.
    • Boosts the domestic defence ecosystem, including MSMEs.
    • Reinforces India’s role as the Preferred Security Partner in the Indian Ocean Region.

    [2026] Which of the following statements with regard to stealth technology is/are correct ?
    1. Stealth objects have a very small radar cross-section and are coated with Radar Absorbing Material.
    2. Stealth objects can be detected using specific frequencies.
    3. Stealth objects are coated with metamaterials to increase the scattering of electromagnetic radiation.
    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

  • India’s Steel Sector Records Growth in Q1 FY 2026

    Why in News?

    India’s steel sector recorded steady growth in Q1 FY 2026-27 with higher production, strong demand, and continued policy support.

    Key Highlights

    • Crude steel production: 42.1 Mt (+3.0% YoY)
    • Finished steel production: 41.0 Mt (+5.9% YoY)
    • Finished steel consumption: 41.6 Mt (+8.3% YoY)
    • Installed steel capacity: 221.9 MTPA (Target: 300 MTPA by 2030 under National Steel Policy 2017)
    • India remained a net importer of finished steel despite export growth.

    Major Developments

    • DGTR launched an anti-dumping probe into hot-rolled steel imports from China, Japan, and Russia.
    • Ministry of Steel promoted AI, automation, predictive maintenance, digital mining, and smart manufacturing.
    • SAIL supplied 5,700 tonnes of special steel for three Indian Navy ships.
    • JSW Group began construction of a 2 MTPA integrated steel plant in Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh.

    Green Steel

    • SAIL Rourkela launched India’s first CO₂ Dashboard for digital carbon monitoring.
    • Plantation drives and decarbonisation initiatives continued under Van Mahotsav 2026.

    [2023]Consider the following heavy industries:
    1. Fertilizer plants
    2. Oil refineries
    3. Steel plants
    Green hydrogen is expected to play a significant role in decarbonizing how many of the above industries?

    [A] Only one

    [B] Only two

    [C] All three

    [D] None

  • Oldest Quasars Ever Discovered by Euclid Telescope

    Why in News?

    The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Euclid Space Telescope has discovered 31 ancient quasars, including the oldest ever observed, dating back to when the Universe was about 670 million years old.

    Key Highlights

    • Quasars are the extremely bright cores of distant galaxies powered by supermassive black holes.
    • The newly discovered quasars belong to the Epoch of Reionisation, when the first stars and galaxies formed.
    • Euclid has doubled the number of known ancient quasars within two years.
    • The findings deepen the mystery of how supermassive black holes grew to billions of solar masses so soon after the Big Bang.
    • The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will further study these quasars to understand the early Universe.

    Significance

    • Helps trace the reionisation of the Universe.
    • Improves understanding of the formation of early galaxies and black holes.
    • Challenges existing models of cosmic evolution.

    UPSC Prelims Value Addition

    • Quasar: The highly luminous active galactic nucleus (AGN) of a distant galaxy, powered by matter falling into a supermassive black hole.
    • Epoch of Reionisation: The period (about 400 million to 1 billion years after the Big Bang) when the first stars and galaxies ionised neutral hydrogen, ending the Cosmic Dark Ages.

    [2017] The terms ‘Event Horizon’, ‘Singularity’, ‘String Theory’ and ‘Standard Model’ are sometimes seen in the news in the context of:

    (a) Observation and understanding of the Universe

    (b) Study of the solar and the lunar eclipses

    (c) Placing satellites in the orbit of the Earth

    (d) Origin and evolution of living organisms on the Earth

  • Vikram-1 to Carry Six Payloads in Maiden Orbital Mission

    Why in News?

    Skyroot Aerospace announced that its Vikram-1, India’s first privately developed orbital-class launch vehicle, will carry six payloads during its maiden mission, Mission Aagaman, expected between July 12 and August 4, 2026.

    Key Highlights

    • Vikram-1 is India’s first privately built orbital-class rocket.
    • It will carry six payloads, including technology demonstrations and cultural artefacts.
    • Technology payloads include:
      • SOLARAS nano-satellite (Grahaa Space)
      • SCOPE (Skyroot Aerospace)
      • Embrace robotic arm (Cosmoserve Space) for space debris capture technology
      • One international payload from Dcubed GmbH (Germany).
    • Cultural payloads:
      • Cosmic Bloom: Diamond jewellery mounted on an aluminium plate.
      • Microart: An 18K gold rocket featuring micro-sculptures of Sir C.V. Raman, Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, and Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.

    Significance

    • Marks a major milestone for India’s private space sector.
    • Demonstrates indigenous launch capability for commercial and technology missions.
    • Supports innovation in satellite technologies and space debris removal.

    Orbital-class Launch Vehicle

    • A rocket capable of placing satellites into Earth’s orbit, unlike sub-orbital rockets that follow a ballistic trajectory without completing an orbit.

    [2026] Consider the following statements with regard to involvement of private entities in India’s space programme :
    1. The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) is an autonomous agency formed to facilitate participation of private entities.
    2. Agnikul Cosmos launched the world’s first flight using 3D-printed rocket engine.
    3. Skyroot Aerospace has developed liquid fuel for GSLV.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    [A] 1 only

    [B] 2 and 3 only

    [C] 1 and 2 only

    [D] 1, 2 and 3

  • El Niño to Dent India’s Wind & Hydropower Output

    Why in the News?

    The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) projects an 18 TWh clean-power shortfall for India by June 2027, driven by El Niño-linked weakness in wind and hydropower output and rising cooling demand. The finding exposes a gap between the record renewable capacity India has installed and the storage needed to actually deliver that capacity as power, forcing the shortfall to be filled by coal.

    What has changed in India’s exposure to this El Niño cycle?

    1. Monsoon deficit: June rainfall closed with an all-India deficit of about 40%, the fifth-lowest June since 1901, with the cumulative shortfall at 20% below normal by July 6.
    2. IMD forecast: The India Meteorological Department has forecast below-normal southwest monsoon rainfall at 90% of the long-period average, with a 60% chance of a deficient season.
    3. Generation gap: CREA projects a median shortfall of 17.7 TWh and a severe-case shortfall of 24 TWh, against India’s total 2025-26 generation of about 1,846 billion units.
    4. Emissions cost: A coal-led response to the gap would release an estimated 17 million tonnes of additional carbon dioxide.

    Is this a capacity shortfall or a utilisation shortfall?

    1. Record capacity base: Non-fossil installed capacity reached 283.46 GW by March 31, including 150.26 GW of solar and 56.09 GW of wind.
    2. Record additions: India added 44.6 GW of solar and 6 GW of wind capacity in 2025-26 alone.
    3. Curtailment: Grid operators curtailed about 2.1 TWh of solar and wind generation last year to keep coal plants running.
    4. Storage gap: CREA estimates roughly 10 GWh of battery storage could have averted this curtailment.

    Why does the response default to coal rather than storage?

    1. Coal’s continuing weight: Coal remains about 42% of installed capacity even as coal generation fell 3.69% over the year.
    2. New coal pipeline: India is adding around 130 GW of new coal capacity to buffer peak demand, such as the 270.82 GW peak recorded on May 21.
    3. Policy diagnosis: CREA director Nandikesh Sivalingam states India must move faster on batteries and grid upgrades to meet future demand surges.
    4. Dispatch logic: Coal capacity can be dispatched on demand without storage investment, making it the default buffer despite its emissions cost.

    Conclusion

    India’s projected clean-power shortfall is a storage and grid-integration deficit, not a generation deficit. The 130 GW of new coal capacity being planned addresses the symptom of demand variability, not the missing battery and transmission investment needed to convert installed renewable capacity into reliable output. Without storage scaling alongside capacity addition, each future El Niño cycle will repeat the same coal fallback and its emissions cost.

  • Gaganyaan: ISRO Conducts First SOLVE Ground Test

    Why in News?

    ISRO successfully conducted the first ground test of the Sub-Orbital Launch Vehicle for Experiments (SOLVE) solid motor at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, for the Gaganyaan Mission.

    What is SOLVE?

    • SOLVE (Sub-Orbital Launch Vehicle for Experiments) is a solid motor-based test vehicle developed by ISRO.
    • It is designed to validate the Crew Module’s parachute-based deceleration system under different mission conditions.
    • A key component for future Gaganyaan Test Missions.

    Key Features

    • Carries the Crew Module to an altitude of 10 to 17 km.
    • After separation, a series of 10 parachutes slows the Crew Module before sea splashdown.
    • Solid motor derived from the PSLV Strap-on Motor with modifications such as:
      • Slow burn-rate propellant.
      • Straight nozzle with Secondary Injection Thrust Vector Control (SITVC).

    Significance

    • Validates the Crew Module recovery system.
    • Provides flexibility to simulate different mission scenarios.
    • Supports upcoming uncrewed and crewed Gaganyaan missions.

    About Gaganyaan Mission

    • India’s first human spaceflight mission.
    • Objective: Demonstrate the capability to send three astronauts to a 400 km Low Earth Orbit (LEO) for about three days and safely recover them in Indian waters.
    • Implemented by ISRO.

    [2025] Consider the following space missions:
    I. Axiom-4
    II. SpaDeX
    III. Gaganyaan
    How many of the space missions given above encourage and support microgravity research?

    [A] Only one

    [B] Only two

    [C] All the three

    [D] None

  • LokOS: Digital Backbone for Rural Livelihoods

    Why in News?

    The Government highlighted LokOS, the digital platform under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), for strengthening governance, transparency, and financial inclusion of Self-Help Groups (SHGs).

    What is LokOS?

    • LokOS (Lok = People, OS = Operating System) is a web and mobile platform for end-to-end digitisation of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and their federations.
    • Implemented under DAY-NRLM of the Ministry of Rural Development.
    • Digitises member records, savings, loans, repayments, livelihoods, and convergence with government schemes.

    Key Features

    • End-to-end digital management of SHGs, Village Organizations (VOs), and Cluster Level Federations (CLFs).
    • Aadhaar and bank-linked digital IDs for members.
    • Real-time recording of savings, loans, and repayments.
    • Livelihood profiling and scheme convergence.
    • Role-based administration and real-time dashboards.
    • Digitally tracks nearly ₹2 lakh crore worth of SHG financial transactions annually.

    SHE-LEAPS

    • Self-Help Entrepreneur Livelihoods and Enterprise Application for Prosperity and Sustainability (SHE-LEAPS) launched on 29 June 2026.
    • Operates under LokOS.
    • Supports women SHG members in enterprise creation, business management, and performance tracking.

    Coverage

    • Covers 34 States/UTs, 762 districts, 7,241 blocks, 2.57 lakh Gram Panchayats, and 5.92 lakh villages.
    • Digitally integrates: 94.16 lakh SHGs, 5.62 lakh Village Organizations, 34,314 Cluster Level Federations, and 10.03 crore SHG members

    [2023] Consider the following statements:
    1. The Self-Help Group (SHG) programme was originally initiated by the State Bank of India by providing microcredit to the financially deprived.
    2. In an SHG, all members of a group take responsibility for a loan that an individual member takes.
    3. The Regional Rural Banks and Scheduled Commercial Banks support SHGs.
    How many of the above statements are correct?

    [A] Only one

    [B] Only two

    [C] All three

    [D] None

  • Modified UDAN Scheme (Viksit UDAN)

    Why in News?

    The Prime Minister launched the Modified UDAN Scheme (Viksit UDAN) and inaugurated the New Terminal Building at Jodhpur Airport, marking the next phase of India’s regional aviation expansion.

    About UDAN

    • UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) was launched in October 2016 under the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
    • Objective: Make air travel affordable, accessible, and widespread by improving regional connectivity through the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS).

    Achievements of UDAN

    • 669 regional routes operationalised.
    • 95 airports, heliports, and water aerodromes connected.
    • Over 1.66 crore passengers benefited.

    Key Features of Modified UDAN (2026)

    • Approved: 25 March 2026.
    • Outlay: Nearly ₹29,000 crore over 10 years.
    • Develop 100 new aerodromes from unserved airstrips.
      • Note: An aerodrome is any defined location on land or water used for the arrival, departure, and movement of aircraft
    • Develop 200 modern helipads.
    • Continued Viability Gap Funding (VGF) for regional airlines.
    • Operations and Maintenance support for regional airports.
    • Promotes indigenous aircraft such as HAL Dhruv and Dornier under Atmanirbhar Bharat.

    New Terminal Building, Jodhpur Airport

    • Built by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) at a cost of ₹480 crore.
    • Area: 23,342 sq. m.
    • Capacity: 20 lakh passengers annually and 1,500 passengers during peak hours.
    • Features 20 check-in counters, 6 aerobridges, advanced baggage handling, and sustainable design targeting a 5-Star GRIHA rating.

    Significance

    • Improves connectivity to Tier-2, Tier-3, and remote regions.
    • Boosts tourism, trade, employment, and regional economic growth.
    • Strengthens last-mile air connectivity.
    • Supports the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

    [2024] Consider the following airports:
    1. Donyi Polo Airport
    2. Kushinagar International Airport
    3. Vijayawada International Airport In the recent past,
    which of the above have been constructed as Greenfield project?

    [A] 1 and 2 only

    [B] 2 and 3 only

    [C] 1 and 3 only

    [D] 1, 2 and 3

  • MY Bharat (Mera Yuva Bharat)

    Why in News?

    The Government highlighted the achievements of MY Bharat (Mera Yuva Bharat) as India’s digital platform for youth engagement, volunteering, leadership, and nation-building.

    What is MY Bharat?

    • Launched in October 2023 under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
    • A Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) platform connecting youth with government, educational institutions, NGOs, and industry.
    • Aims to empower Amrit Peedhi through volunteering, skill development, experiential learning, and civic participation.

    Key Features

    • Digital Volunteerism: Over 1.52 lakh volunteering opportunities (June 2026). Supports online registration, geo-tagging, attendance, certificates, and impact tracking.
    • Experiential Learning: More than 24,900 Experiential Learning Programmes (ELPs). Offers internships, apprenticeships, industry exposure, quizzes, and competitions.
    • Leadership & Career Support: Viksit Bharat Youth Parliament for leadership development. AI-powered resume builder and mentoring. Multilingual quizzes on governance, Constitution, and public policy.

    Major Initiatives

    • MY Bharat MY Vote campaign for voter awareness.
    • Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2026 with over 50.42 lakh participants.
    • Nari Shakti Youth Parliament engaging 7,000+ young women.
    • Supports NSS, Nasha Mukt Bharat, Yoga Day, cleanliness drives, and padyatras.
    • Facilitated youth participation at the ECOSOC Youth Forum 2026.

    Digital Achievements

    • Guinness World Record (2026): Most users taking an online quiz in one week (390,812 participants).
    • Mobile app available in 22 Indian languages.
    • Over 1 lakh app downloads (July 2026).
    • Provides digital badges, certificates, and verified participation records.

    Future Roadmap

    • MY Bharat 2.0 will leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI), multilingual technology, open APIs, and digital credentials.
    • Targets empowering 100 million youth in line with Viksit Bharat@2047.

    [2016] Regarding DigiLocker’, sometimes seen in the news, which of the following statements is/are correct?
    1. It is a digital locker system offered by the Government under Digital India Programme.
    2. It allows you to access your e-documents irrespective of your physical location.
    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

  • Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme

    Why in News?

    The Government highlighted the achievements of the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme, its policy evolution, and clarified common misconceptions regarding E20 fuel.

    What is the EBP Programme?

    • The EBP Programme promotes blending ethanol with petrol to:
    • Reduce crude oil imports and improve energy security.
    • Lower greenhouse gas emissions.
    • Increase farmers’ income.
    • Promote renewable transport fuel.
    • India achieved 20% ethanol blending (E20) in 2025-26, five years ahead of the target.

    Policy Evolution

    • 2003: EBP Programme launched.
    • 2018: National Policy on Biofuels notified.
    • 2021: E20 target advanced from 2030 to 2025-26.
    • 2025-26: 20% blending achieved.

    Key Achievements

    • Ethanol blending: <1.5% (2013-14) → 20% (2025-26)
    • Ethanol production capacity: 421 crore L → ~2,000 crore L
    • Foreign exchange saved: ₹1.90 lakh crore+
    • Crude oil substituted: 310 lakh MT
    • CO₂ emissions reduced: 930 lakh MT
    • Additional farmer income: ₹1.60 lakh crore+

    Feedstocks

    • Sugarcane juice, Molasses, Maize, Surplus rice, and Other approved agricultural biomass

    Key Facts on E20

    • Does not reduce mileage by 30%; actual impact is marginal.
    • No evidence of widespread engine damage after extensive testing.
    • Higher octane fuel improves combustion and lowers emissions.
    • Does not affect vehicle warranty or insurance.
    • Raw sugarcane juice is not mixed with petrol; ethanol is produced through fermentation and distillation.
    • Modern distilleries use Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) systems.
    • Fuel-grade ethanol contains no sugar and does not attract insects.

    [2025] Consider the following statements:
    Statement I: Of the two major ethanol producers in the world, i.e., Brazil and the United States of America, the former produces more ethanol than the latter.
    Statement II: Unlike in the United States of America where corn is the principal feedstock for ethanol production, sugarcane is the principal feedstock for ethanol production in Brazil.
    Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

    [A] Both Statement I and Statement II are correct and Statement II explains Statement I

    [B] Both Statement I and Statement II are correct but Statement II does not explain Statement I

    [C] Statement I is correct but Statement II is not correct

    [D] Statement I is not correct but Statement II is correct