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Type: Prelims Only

  • Operation Sagar Bandhu

    Why in the news

    The Indian Navy has deployed four more warships carrying 1000 tons of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief stores to cyclone hit regions of Sri Lanka under Operation Sagar Bandhu.

    About the Operation

    • An ongoing Indian Navy initiative to provide urgent assistance to Sri Lanka in the aftermath of a severe cyclone.
       • Focus includes Search and Rescue and supply of essential relief material.

    Indian Ocean Region Significance

    • Reinforces India’s role as a reliable first responder in the region.
       • Strengthens India Sri Lanka people level relations.
       • Showcases India’s naval capability in disaster response and logistics.

    Associated Vision

    • Aligned with India’s commitment to Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) and cooperative maritime outreach in the Indian Ocean Region.
    Consider the following pairs: Country – Important reason for being in the news recently (2022)

    1. Chad — Setting up of permanent military base by China 

    2. Guinea — Suspension of Constitution and Government by military 

    3. Lebanon — Severe and prolonged economic depression 

    4. Tunisia — Suspension of Parliament by President 

    How many pairs given above are correctly matched? 

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

  • Technology Development Fund (TDF) Scheme

    Why in the news?

    DRDO has handed over seven indigenous defence technologies developed under the Technology Development Fund (TDF) scheme to the three Armed Services.

    Technologies Transferred

    1. High-Voltage Power Supply for Airborne Self-Protection Jammers
       Enhances protection of aircraft from radar guided threats
    2. Tide-Efficient Gangway for Naval Jetties
       Assists safe crew movement in high tidal variation zones
    3. Advanced VLF-HF Switching Matrix System
       Efficient communication routing in naval platforms
    4. VLF Loop Aerials for Underwater Platforms
       Underwater long-range communication support
    5. Indigenous Waterjet Propulsion System for Fast Interceptor Craft
       Marine propulsion technology aiding coastal security
    6. Process for Recovery of Lithium Precursors from Used Lithium-ion Batteries
       Supports strategic material recycling and energy security
    7. Long-Life Seawater Battery System
       Provides sustained power for underwater surveillance

    About the TDF Scheme

    • Implemented by DRDO
    • Objective:
      • Support MSMEs and startups in defence innovation
      • Promote import substitution of critical technologies
    • Funding support up to 90 percent of development cost
    • Aligned with Aatmanirbhar Bharat and defence indigenisation push
    Consider the following statements: (2023)

    1. Ballistic missiles are jet-propelled at sub-sonic 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

  • Shingles Disease 

    Why in the news?

    A recent large study shows that shingles vaccination can reduce the risk of death from dementia and may help slow disease progression.

    What is Shingles

    • A viral infection characterized by a painful rash
    • Causative agent: Varicella zoster virus (VZV)
      • Same virus responsible for chickenpox
      • Remains latent in nerve cells after recovery from chickenpox
      • Can reactivate later in life

    Transmission

    • Shingles itself is not contagious
    • But the virus can spread to people without prior immunity, causing chickenpox (not shingles)

    Symptoms

    • Cluster of blisters appearing in a band-like pattern on one side of the body (typically torso, neck, or face)
    • Pain, burning, tingling sensation
    • Fever, fatigue, headache
    • Can lead to post-herpetic neuralgia (long-term nerve pain)
    HINI virus is sometimes mentioned in the news with reference to which one of the following diseases? (2015)

    (a) AIDS 

    (b) Bird flu 

    (c) Dengue 

    (d) Swine flu

  • Raajmarg Infra Investment Trust (RIIT) – NHAI Public InvIT

    Why in the news?

    SEBI has granted in-principle approval to National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for registering Raajmarg Infra Investment Trust (RIIT) as an Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvIT) under SEBI (InvIT) Regulations, 2014. It will support asset monetisation of national highways.

    What is an InvIT

    • A collective investment structure similar to REITs but for infrastructure
    • Allows ownership of income-generating infrastructure assets
    • Investors receive regular returns from toll/usage revenues
    • Regulated by SEBI

    About RIIT

    • Sponsored by NHAI
    • Part of NHAI’s Public InvIT strategy to attract wider retail and domestic participation
    • Operated through Raajmarg Infra Investment Managers Pvt Ltd (RIIMPL)
    • RIIMPL ownership: SBI, PNB, NaBFID, Axis Bank, Bajaj Finserv Ventures, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, IDBI Bank, IndusInd Bank, Yes Bank

    InvITs and SARFAESI Act, 2002

    Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) are considered borrowers under the Securitization and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002.

    What this means

    • When InvITs raise debt from banks or financial institutions, the lenders receive enforceable security
    • If InvITs default on repayment, lenders can:
      • Take over the secured assets
      • Manage or sell the assets to recover dues
      • Enforce security interest without court intervention

    SEBI (Infrastructure Investment Trusts) Regulations, 2014

    Objective
     To provide a regulated framework for pooling funds from investors into revenue-generating infrastructure assets and ensure transparency, investor protection, and efficient monetization.

    Key Features

    • Sponsors, Trust, Trustee, Investment Manager as major participants
    • InvITs can own completed or under-construction infrastructure projects
    • Public InvITs must be listed on stock exchanges
    • Mandatory regular distribution of income to unit holders (at least 90 percent of net distributable cash flow)
    • Minimum 80 percent of the value of assets must be in completed and operational projects for publicly listed InvITs
    • Leverage limits specified to maintain financial stability
    Consider the following statements : (2023)

    Statement-I : Interest income from the deposits in Infra-structure Investment Trusts (InvITs) distributed to their investors is exempted from tax, but the dividend is taxable. 

    Statement-II : InvITs are recognized as borrowers under the ‘Securitization and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002’. 

    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 is the correct explanation for Statement-I 

    (b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I 

    (c) Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect 

    (d) Statement-I is incorrect but State-ment-II is correct

  • IndiGo Flight Disruptions and DGCA Temporary FDTL Exemptions

    Why in the news?

    India’s largest airline IndiGo faced severe flight disruptions in early December 2025 due to shortage of flight crew under revised Flight Duty Time Limitation rules, prompting regulatory intervention.

    What is FDTL?

    Rules that regulate pilot duty hours, night operations, number of landings, and mandatory rest periods to manage pilot fatigue and ensure safety.

    New FDTL Norms

    Implemented in two stages:

    1. July 1 — Extended weekly rest for pilots to 48 hours from 36
    2. November 1 — Major changes for night operations
      • Extended definition of night hours
      • Capped night landings to two

    Restricted consecutive night duties to two days a week

    Why IndiGo was hit hardest

    • Very large scale of operations with lean staffing
    • High proportion of night and early morning flights

    Temporary Relief by DGCA (till February 10, 2026)

    • Night defined as midnight to 5 am instead of midnight to 6 am for IndiGo A320 pilots
    • Night landings allowed up to six instead of two
    • Clause restricting substitution of mandatory weekly rest withdrawn
    • 12 DGCA-deputed flight operations inspectors allowed to fly for IndiGo temporarily
    • Exemption reviewed every two weeks with progress report requirements

    UPSC Prelims Pointers

    • DGCA functions: regulatory oversight of civil aviation safety including FDTL norms
    • Pilot fatigue: identified by ICAO as a significant aviation safety hazard
    • IndiGo market share: over 60 percent in domestic aviation

  • Predation by Horn-Eyed Ghost Crab: New Ecological Observation on India’s East Coast

    Why in the news?

    Researchers from GITAM School of Science, Visakhapatnam, have documented the first confirmed instance of a horn-eyed ghost crab preying on a mottled lightfoot crab at Rushikonda Beach, Andhra Pradesh.
     Published in: Journal of Threatened Taxa (November edition).

    Significance of the Finding

    • Demonstrates unusual predator-prey interaction not recorded earlier in India
     • Indicates behavioural extension of the horn-eyed ghost crab into rocky intertidal zones
     • Suggests flexible foraging strategies in shifting coastal environments

    About Horn-Eyed Ghost Crab

    • Belongs to genus Ocypode and IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List
     • Keystone species and ecological indicator of coastal health
     • Known for sandy intertidal habitat
     • Roles in ecosystem: Regulates populations of smaller fauna and Burrowing influences sand structure and aeration
     • Known predators of clams, snails, worms, insects, shrimps and even turtle/bird hatchlings
     • India records six ghost crab species; Rushikonda hosts at least three (O. brevicornis, O. macrocera, O. cordimanus)
    With reference to ‘dugong’ a mammal found in India, which of the following statements is/are correct? (2015)

    (1) It is a herbivorous marine animal.

    (2) It is found along the entire coast of India.

    (3) It is given legal protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972.

    Select the correct answer using the code given below.

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

  • ICGS Vigraha Visit to Indonesia 

    Why in the news?

    Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Vigraha is on an overseas deployment to ASEAN countries. It is making an operational visit to Jakarta, Indonesia from 2 to 5 December 2025.

    Purpose of Visit

    • Strengthen Coast Guard cooperation between India and Indonesia
     • Enhance interoperability in maritime safety and security
     • Joint professional interactions, shipboard drills, tabletop exercises, PASSEX (Passage Exercise)

    Diplomatic and Operational Significance

    • Reinforces cooperation for Rules-Based International Order (RBIO) in the Indo-Pacific
     • Supports coordinated surveillance of sea lanes and marine domain awareness
     • Includes cultural and people-to-people engagements

    India is a member of which among the following? (2015)

    (1) Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation 

    (2) Association of South-East Asian Nations 

    (3) East Asia Summit Select the correct answer using the code given below. 

    (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 3 only (c) 1, 2 and 3 (d) India is a member of none of them

  • World Soil Day 2025 

    Why in the news?

    Observed on 5 December each year, World Soil Day 2025 highlights the need to protect soil health amid rapid urbanization. Theme: Healthy Soils for Healthy Cities.

    Objective

    • Raise global awareness on soil degradation
     • Promote sustainable soil management
     • Highlight soil’s significance for food security, water regulation, biodiversity, and climate resilience

    History

    • Proposed by the International Union of Soil Sciences in 2002
     • Supported by FAO and led by the Kingdom of Thailand
     • UN General Assembly declared December 5 as World Soil Day in 2013
     • First official observance: 2014

    Why Focus on Urban Soil

    • Important for stormwater absorption and flood control
     • Helps in temperature regulation in cities (reduces heat island effect)
     • Filters air and water pollutants
     • Supports urban biodiversity
     • Currently threatened by concretization, pollution, and shrinking green spaces

    Global Concerns

    • Takes up to 1,000 years to form a few centimeters of fertile soil

    The black cotton soil of India has been formed due to the weathering of (2021)

    (a) brown forest soil 

    (b) fissure volcanic rock 

    (c) granite and schist 

    (d) shale and limestone

  • Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) 

    Why in the news?

    Meta is in advanced talks with Google to use its Tensor Processing Units for large scale AI workloads, indicating a major shift in the AI chip ecosystem. This led to a drop in Nvidia’s stock due to concerns over market share loss.

    What is a TPU

    • A specialized hardware chip designed to accelerate artificial intelligence and machine learning processing
     • Developed by Google in 2016
     • Optimized for tensor computations used in deep learning
     • Widely deployed in data centers and cloud platforms

    Why TPUs are Important

    • Deep learning models require high-speed matrix and tensor calculations
     • CPUs are optimized for general-purpose tasks
     • GPUs are effective for parallel graphics and AI workloads
     • TPUs surpass them in efficiency for specific deep learning operations

    How TPUs Work

    • Built to handle large scale tensor and matrix computations
     • Use massive parallelism to execute numerous operations simultaneously
     • Consume less energy while delivering high throughput
     • Include specialized circuits to avoid unnecessary general-purpose processing overhead

    What are GPU and TPU? 

    ​​GPU: general-purpose parallel compute processor (Used by Navidia)

    TPU: AI-specific chip optimised for deep learning tensor operations
    With the present state of development, Artificial Intelligence can effectively do which of the following? (2020)

    (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

  • Assam Accord 

    Why in the news?

    The Supreme Court recently questioned whether a new order enabling entry of persecuted minorities into India violates the Assam Accord’s cut-off date of 24 March 1971 for detecting illegal immigrants.

    Background

    • Signed on 15 August 1985
     • Parties: Union of India, Government of Assam, All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), All Assam Gana Sangram Parishad
     • Ended the Assam Movement (1979 to 1985) against illegal immigration
     • Aim: Detect and expel persons entering Assam illegally after 24 March 1971 (midnight)

    Cut-off Dates and Citizenship Provisions

    • 1 January 1966 fixed as the base cut-off for detection and deletion of foreigners
     • Persons entering Assam from the “Specified Territory” before 1 January 1966 deemed Indian citizens
     • Migrants entering from 1 January 1966 to 24 March 1971:
     To be detected as per Foreigners Act 1946 and Foreigners Tribunals Order 1939
     Names deleted from electoral rolls
      Must register under the Registration of Foreigners Act 1939
     Voting rights only after 10 years from date of detection
     • Migrants entering on or after 25 March 1971: To be detected, deleted from rolls, and expelled as per law

    Clause 6

    • Mandates safeguards to protect the cultural, social, and linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people
     • Constitutional, legislative, and administrative measures envisaged

    Significance

    • Central to demographic and cultural protection concerns in Assam
     • Continues to influence citizenship policies including NRC and related legal debates

    With reference to India, consider the following statements: (2021)

    1. There is only one citizenship and one domicile. 

    2. A citizen by birth only can become the Head of State. 

    3. A foreigner, once granted citizenship, cannot be deprived of it under any circumstances. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 

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