💥UPSC 2026, 2027, 2028 UAP Mentorship (March Batch) + Access XFactor Notes & Microthemes PDF

Type: Prelims Only

  • Climate Change Impact on India and World – International Reports, Key Observations, etc.

    Bioluminescence observed at Visakhapatnam beach

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Bioluminiscence

    Mains level: NA

    bio

    The blooms of Noctiluca Scintillans, commonly known as “sea sparkle or bioluminescence” are being witnessed along the coasts of Visakhapatnam, AP.

    Noctiluca Scintillans

    • Scintillans is a bioluminescent specie that brightens the seawater during the night.
    • It grazes on other micro-organisms such as larvae, fish eggs, and diatoms. But the unicellular phytoplankton that lives inside it can photosynthesize, turning sunlight into energy.
    • They help their host cell survive even when food was scarce.
    • Thus, N. Scintillans acts as both a plant and an animal

    Threats posed

    • According to marine experts, the phenomenon is an indicator of climate change.
    • While smaller blooms may be harmless, slow-moving larger blooms may have an impact on deep-sea fishes.
    • The toxic blooms of N. Scintillans were linked to massive fish and marine invertebrate kills.
    • Though the species does not produce a toxin, it was found to accumulate toxic levels of ammonia, which is then excreted into the surrounding waters, possibly acting as the killing agent in blooms.
    • They have displaced microscopic algae called diatoms, which form the basis of the marine food chain. This has deprived food for the planktivorous fish.

    Back2Basics: Bioluminescence

    • It is the property of a living organism to produce and emit light.
    • Animals, plants, fungi and bacteria show bioluminescence. A remarkable diversity of marine animals and microbes are able to produce their own light.
    • It is found in many marine organisms such as bacteria, algae, jellyfish, worms, crustaceans, sea stars, fish and sharks.
    • Luminescence is generally higher in deep-living and planktonic organisms than in shallow species.

     

  • GI(Geographical Indicator) Tags

    Madhya Pradesh’s Gond Painting gets GI Tag

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Gond Painting

    Mains level: Contribution of GI tags in tribal economy

    gond

    The Gond painting of Madhya Pradesh has received the prestigious Geographical Indication (GI) tag.

    Other recent GI tags awarded in UP

    10 products from UP got GI Tag on March 31:

    • Aligarh Tala
    • Bakharia Brassware
    • Banda Shazar Patthar Craft
    • Pratapgarh Aonla (Amla)
    • Ramnagar Bhanta (Brinjal)
    • Muzaffarnagar Gur (jaggery)
    • Banarasi Pan
    • Nagina Wood Craft
    • Hathras Hing
    • Banaras Langda Aam

     

    Gond Art

    • Gond painting is a traditional art of Madhya Pradesh and belongs to the Gond tribe.
    • Patangarh village of Dindori district is famous for Gond paintings, where there is an artist in every house.
    • Their work is famous in the state and abroad for its unique style, theme, and motifs.
    • Gond art has been passed down through generations, traditionally adorning the walls of each artist’s home in Patangarh.

    Features of Gond Painting

    • Gond paintings showcase the beauty of nature, including trees, plants, animals, the moon, sun, river, drains, God, and Goddesses.
    • The paintings also portray daily life activities such as food, plough making, and even how the king used to fight.

    Back2Basics: Geographical Indication (GI)

    • A GI is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.
    • Nodal Agency: Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry
    • India, as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 w.e.f. September 2003.
    • GIs have been defined under Article 22 (1) of the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement.
    • The tag stands valid for 10 years.

     


  • Capital Markets: Challenges and Developments

    Dabba Trading and its impact on the Economy

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Dabba Trading

    Mains level: Read the attached story

    dabba

    Central idea

    • The National Stock Exchange (NSE) has issued a series of notices warning retail investors about entities involved in ‘dabba trading’.
    • The NSE cautioned investors not to subscribe or invest using these products offering indicative, assured or guaranteed returns in the stock market as they are prohibited by law.
    • The entities involved in dabba trading are not recognized as authorized members by the exchange.

    What is Dabba Trading?

    • Dabba (Box) trading refers to informal trading that takes place outside the purview of the stock exchanges.
    • It involves betting on stock price movements without incurring a real transaction to take physical ownership of a particular stock as is done in an exchange.
    • In simple words, it is gambling centred around stock price movements.

    How does it work?

    • In dabba trading, investors place bets on stock price movements at a certain price point.
    • If the price point rises, they make a gain, and if it falls, they have to pay the difference to the dabba broker.
    • The broker’s profit from the investor’s loss, and vice versa.
    • Transactions are facilitated using cash and unrecognised software terminals or informal records, which helps traders stay outside the regulatory mechanism.

    What are the problems with dabba trading?

    • Since dabba traders do not maintain proper records of income or gain, they are able to escape taxation, which results in a loss to the government exchequer.
    • The use of cash also means that they are outside the purview of the formal banking system.
    • Investors in dabba trading do not have formal provisions for investor protection or grievance redressal mechanisms available within an exchange, which exposes them to the risk of broker defaults or insolvency.
    • Dabba trading also perpetuates a parallel economy, potentially encouraging the growth of black money and criminal activities.

    What is the current scenario?

    • Industry observers have reported that dabba brokers harass clients for default payments and refuse payments upon profit.
    • Potential investors are lured by aggressive marketing, ease of trading using apps with quality interfaces, and lack of identity verification.
    • Brokers keep their fees and margins open to negotiation depending on an individual’s trading profile.
    • The mechanism could potentially induce volatility and cause losses for the regulated bourse when dabba brokers look to hedge their exposures.

    What are the legal implications?

    • Dabba trading is recognised as an offence under Section 23(1) of the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act (SCRA), 1956.
    • Upon conviction, it can invite imprisonment for a term extending up to 10 years or a fine up to ₹25 crore, or both.

     

  • Microfinance Story of India

    What is MUDRA Scheme?

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: MUDRA Scheme

    Mains level: Read the attached story

    mudra

    PM hit out at people ridiculing the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) and said those who gave loans to big businessmen “over phone” never understood the power of microfinance.

    MUDRA Scheme

    • MUDRA (Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency) Scheme is a financial initiative launched by the Government of India in April 2015 to provide financial support to micro-enterprises in India.
    • The scheme is designed to cater to the financial needs of the non-corporate, non-farm sector enterprises in the country.
    • The objective of the scheme is to promote entrepreneurship, employment generation, and to provide access to finance to small and micro-businesses in India.

    Range of loans

    • The MUDRA scheme provides loans ranging from Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 10 lakhs to small and micro-businesses.
    • These loans are provided through various financial institutions such as banks, microfinance institutions, and non-banking financial companies (NBFCs).
    • The scheme also offers refinance support to these institutions.
    Category Loan Amount
    Shishu Up to Rs. 50,000
    Kishore Rs. 50,001 to Rs. 5 lakhs
    Tarun Rs. 5 lakhs to Rs. 10 lakhs

    Key features of the MUDRA scheme

    • Refinance support: The scheme offers refinance support to various financial institutions, such as banks, microfinance institutions, and non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), to provide loans to small and micro-businesses.
    • Employment generation: The scheme aims to promote entrepreneurship and employment generation in the country.
    • Digitalization of financial transactions: The scheme has helped in promoting the digitalization of financial transactions.
    • Focus on underprivileged and marginalized sections: The scheme aims to provide financial assistance to underprivileged and marginalized sections of the society, especially those belonging to the non-corporate, non-farm sector enterprises in the country.
    • Simplified loan processing: The loan processing under the scheme is simplified and requires minimal documentation.
    • No collateral requirement: The loans provided under the scheme do not require any collateral or security.
    • Competitive Interest rate: The interest rate for the loans provided under the scheme is competitive and affordable.

     


  • Historical and Archaeological Findings in News

    Uthirameur Inscription: Ancient Tamil proof of Democratic Provisions

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Uthiramerur inscriptions

    Mains level: Democracy since Indian Civilizations

    uthirameur

    PM Modi referred to an over 1,100-year-old inscription found in Uthirameur, Tamil Nadu, which talks about rules for a local body, including provisions for disqualifying a member.

    What are Uthiramerur inscriptions?

    • Uthiramerur inscriptions are a set of ancient Tamil inscriptions found in Uthiramerur, a town in the Kanchipuram district of Tamil Nadu.
    • These inscriptions date back to the 10th century CE and were created during the reign of the Chola dynasty, which ruled over a large part of South India.
    • It was crafted under the rule of Parantaka Chola I (907 – 956 AD.)

    What does the inscription say?

    The temple inscriptions of Uthiramerur provide historical descriptions of rural self-governance.

    (1) Sabha and Ur

    • Uthiramerur had two village assemblies: Gram Sabha and Ur.
    • Sabha was exclusively a Brahmin assembly, while the Ur was made up of people belonging to all classes.
    • Sabha managed land sales, endowment fund for dredging a tank, and assigned duties to the Ur for managing deserted land.
    • Sabha assembled in the hall of the local temple and was summoned through beating of the drums.
    • The inscriptions contained references to variyars, the executive officers subordinate to the Sabha.

    (2) Administrative System

    • The executive powers were given to committees called Variyams during the Chola king Parantaka I’s reign (907–955).
    • Each variyam constituted 6 to 12 members, depending on the importance of its functions.
    • The first inscription (dated 919 CE) described the rules for electing committee members.
    • The second inscription (dated 921 CE) described some amendments to these rules to make them more practical.

    (3) Committees and Qualifications

    • The village had 30 kudumbus or wards, from which the members of various committees were selected annually.
    • The inscription lays down the qualifications for a nominee, including ownership of tax-paying land, residence on self-owned land, age between 35 and 70 years, knowledge of mantras and the Brahmanas, and not being associated with certain offenses or activities.
    • The candidates were selected via Kudavoloi (pot of palm leaf tickets) system.
    • The tenure of a committee member was 360 days.
    • Anyone found guilty of an offense was immediately removed from the office.

    (4) Punishments

    • The Uthiramerur inscriptions indicate that parading on a donkey was a punishment for offenses such as incest, adultery, theft, and forgery.

  • Parliament – Sessions, Procedures, Motions, Committees etc

    Role of Parliamentary Committees

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Parliamentary Committees

    Mains level: Legislative consultation

    Central idea: This article discusses the importance and functions of parliamentary committees in India.

    Why in news?

    • As little as 25% of the Bills introduced were referred to committees in the 16th Lok Sabha, as compared to 71% and 60% in the 15th and 14th Lok Sabha respectively.
    • This represents a declining trend of national legislation being subjected to expert scrutiny.

    What is a Parliamentary Committee?

    • A committee appointed or elected by the House or nominated by the Speaker that works under the direction of the Speaker and presents its report to the House or the Speaker.
    • Two kinds of committees: Standing Committees and Ad hoc Committees.

    (1) Standing Committees

    • Permanent and regular committees constituted from time to time in pursuance of the provisions of an Act of Parliament or Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha.
    • The work of these Committees is of continuous nature.
    • Examples include the Financial Committees and DRSCs.

    (2) Ad hoc Committees

    • Appointed for a specific purpose and cease to exist when they finish the task assigned to them and submit a report.
    • The principal Ad hoc Committees are the Select and Joint Committees on Bills.
    • Examples include the Railway Convention Committee and Joint Committee on Food Management in Parliament House Complex.

    Why need Parliamentary Committee?

    • Parliament scrutinizes legislative proposals (Bills) in two ways: discussion on the floor of the two Houses and referring the Bill to a parliamentary committee.
    • Since Parliament meets for 70 to 80 days in a year, there is not enough time to discuss every Bill in detail on the floor of the House.

    Role of the committee in the passage of a Bill

    • The debate in the house is mostly political and does not go into the technical details of a legislative proposal.
    • Referring a Bill to a parliamentary committee takes care of the legislative infirmity of debate on the floor of the House.
    • However, referring Bills to parliamentary committees is not mandatory.

    What is a Select Committee?

    • India’s Parliament has multiple types of committees.
    • Departmentally related Standing Committees focus on the working of different ministries.
    • Each committee has 31 MPs, 21 from Lok Sabha and 10 from Rajya Sabha.
    • The main purpose is to ensure the accountability of Government to Parliament through a more detailed consideration of measures in these committees.

    When does a committee examine a Bill?

    • Bills can reach a committee through a recommendation by the minister piloting the Bill or the presiding officer of the House.

    What happens when a Bill goes to a Committee?

    • The committee undertakes a detailed examination of the Bill, inviting comments and suggestions from experts, stakeholders and citizens.
    • The government also appears before the committee to present its viewpoint.
    • The committee’s report makes suggestions for strengthening the Bill.
    • While the committee is deliberating on a Bill, there is a pause in its legislative journey.
    • The Bill can only progress in Parliament after the committee has submitted its report.

    What happens after the report?

    • The report of the committee is of a recommendatory nature.
    • The government can choose to accept or reject its recommendations.
    • Select Committees and JPCs have an added advantage of including their version of the Bill in the report.
    • The minister in charge of that particular Bill can move for the committee’s version of the Bill to be discussed and passed in the House.

    Importance of these Committees

    • Parliamentary committees analyze the impact that a specific piece of legislation may have on governance indicators.
    • It recommends the government to take an ‘Action Taken’ report for the House to judge the progress made on the suggestions of the committee.
    • Though committee reports aren’t binding on the government, it helps the legislature ensure oversight of the executive.

     

  • Innovations in Sciences, IT, Computers, Robotics and Nanotechnology

    What is Large Hadron Collider (LHC)?

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Large Hadron Collider (LHC)

    Mains level: Not Much

    hadron

    Central idea: The article provides an overview of the LHC, its construction, how it works, and what it has discovered. It also discusses the future of the LHC, including plans to upgrade it and build a bigger version.

    Large Hadron Collider (LHC)

    • The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is the world’s largest science experiment built by the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN).
    • It is a collider that smashes two beams of particles in opposite directions and these particles are hadrons.
    • The LHC is on the energy frontier of physics research, conducting experiments with highly energized particles.
    • Currently, the LHC is being warmed up for its third season of operations following upgrades that have made it more sensitive and accurate.

    How does the LHC work?

    • Hadrons are subatomic particles made up of smaller particles, and the LHC typically uses protons.
    • Protons are energized by accelerating them through a narrow circular pipe that is 27 km long.
    • The pipe encircles two D-shaped magnetic fields created by almost 9,600 magnets.
    • Protons are accelerated through the beam pipe by rapidly switching the direction of the magnetic field.
    • Eventually, protons move at 99.999999% of the speed of light, according to the special theory of relativity.

    What happens when particles are smashed?

    • When two antiparallel beams of energized protons collide head-on, the energy at the point of collision is equal to the sum of the energy carried by the two beams.
    • The highest centre-of-mass collision energy the LHC has achieved so far is 13.6 TeV.
    • At the moment of collision, there is chaos, and energy coalesces into different subatomic particles under the guidance of the fundamental forces of nature.
    • Different particles take shape depending on the amount and flavour of energy available.

    What has the LHC found so far?

    • The LHC consists of nine detectors, and they study particle interactions in different ways.
    • The ATLAS and CMS detectors discovered the Higgs boson in 2012 and confirmed their findings in 2013.
    • Using the data from collisions, scientists have tested the predictions of the Standard Model of particle physics, observed exotic particles, and pieced together information about extreme natural conditions.

    What is the LHC’s future?

    • The LHC has not been able to find ‘new physics’ that can explain the nature of dark matter or why gravity is such a weak force.
    • One way forward is to improve the LHC’s luminosity by 10x by 2027 through upgrades.
    • Another idea is to build a bigger and more powerful version of the LHC, based on the hypothesis that it can find ‘new physics’ at even higher energies.
    • Physicists are divided on whether to invest in building a bigger machine or less expensive experiments with guaranteed results.

    B2BASICS

    What is Hadron?

    • Hadron is any member of a class of subatomic particles that are built from quarks and thus react through the agency of the strong force. The hadrons embrace mesons, baryons (e.g., protons, neutrons, and sigma particles), and their many resonances.

    CERN

    • European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) is the world’s largest nuclear and particle physics laboratory.
    • CERN is based in Geneva on the French-Swiss border. It has 23 member states.
    • India in 2016 became an associate member of the CERN. Indian scientists have played a significant role in the ALICE experiment, which is a dedicated experiment for search and study of Quark Gluon Plasma (QGP).

    Try this MCQ

    Which of the following is a subatomic particle made up of smaller particles and is commonly used in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC)?

    (a) Protons

    (b) Electrons

    (c) Neutrons

    (d) Photons

     

    Post your answers here.

     


  • Modern Indian History-Events and Personalities

    Teja Singh Sutantar: Remembering the revolutionary leader

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Teja Singh Sutantar

    Mains level: NA

    teja

    Punjab Chief Minister unveiled a statue of Teja Singh Sutantar, a former MP and revolutionary leader.

    Teja Singh Sutantar

    • Teja Singh was born as Samund Singh in 1901 in Aluna village of Gurdaspur district.
    • After completing his schooling, he joined Khalsa College in Amritsar.
    • Following the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919, he joined the Akali Dal to participate in the movement to liberate gurdwaras from degenerate mahants.
    • However, in September 1921, he formed his own squad called the Sutantar Jatha, which successfully liberated a gurdwara in a village called Teja in Gurdaspur district from the mahants.
    • He later freed another gurdwara in Othian village from mahants.

    Early life and revolutionary activities

    • In early 1923, Teja Singh went to Kabul as a Sikh missionary and there he came into contact with a few leaders of the Ghadar Party, who were preparing for their second attempt to overthrow the British government.
    • They persuaded Teja Singh to undergo military training, so he joined the Turkish military academy in 1925 under the pseudonym Azad Beg.
    • He later moved to Berlin and then to Canada and the United States, where he addressed congregations of Indians, mainly Punjabi Sikh immigrants.

    Political Career

    • After visiting several countries, Teja Singh returned to India and became a prominent leader of the communist party (CPI).
    • He contributed revolutionary articles to the party journal, the Kirti, frequently writing about issues that plagued peasants.
    • In May 1937, he was elected unopposed to the Punjab Legislative Assembly as a nominee of the Indian National Congress while he was still in prison.
    • He continued to remain a member of the Punjab Legislative Assembly till 1945.
    • He was also the secretary of the Communist Party (Punjab) from 1944 to 1947.

     

  • Indian Air Force Updates

    Exercise Cope India 23

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Exercise Cope India 23

    Mains level: NA

    The Indian Air Force (IAF) fighters, including Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Rafale, SU-30MKI, and Jaguars, are set to participate in bilateral air Exercise Cope India 23 with US Air Force (USAF) F-15 fighters and B-1B long-range bombers.

    Exercise Cope India

    • Cope India began in 2004 as a fighter training exercise held at Air Station Gwalior.
    • The exercise has evolved to incorporate subject matter expert exchanges, air mobility training, airdrop training and large-force exercises, in addition to fighter-training exercises.
    • The exercise was last held in 2009.
    • The exercise showcases US and India’s efforts and commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

    Highlights of the 2023 version

    • The exercise will be conducted in two phases, with the first phase practicing the air-mobility component involving transport aircraft of both countries.
    • The IAF element will include the Su-30MKI, Rafale, Tejas, and Jaguar fighter aircraft, while Japan is taking part in the exercise as an observer.
    • The second phase of the exercise will witness the participation of B-1B bombers of USAF, and F-15 fighter aircraft of the USAF will join the exercise subsequently, according to an IAF statement.
    • The exercise will be supported by aerial refuellers, Airborne Warning and Control System, and Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft of the IAF.

     

  • International Space Agencies – Missions and Discoveries

    ESA to launch Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) Mission

    Note4Students

    From UPSC perspective, the following things are important:

    Prelims level: Juice Mission

    Mains level: Not Much

    juice

    The European Space Agency (ESA) is all set to launch the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, or Juice, mission from its spaceport in French Guiana on an Ariane 5 launcher.

    What is the Juice Mission?

    • Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) mission is a project by the European Space Agency (ESA) to explore the Solar System’s largest planet Jupiter and its three largest moons, Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa.
    • Juice is constructed by an industrial consortium led by Airbus Defence and Space and is planned to reach Jupiter in 2031 using remote sensing, geophysical, and in situ instruments.

    Goals of the Juice mission

    • Juice aims to create a detailed map of the surfaces of Jupiter’s moons and to look beneath them to probe their potential habitability by creating a comprehensive picture of Jupiter.
    • One of the primary goals of the Juice mission is to gain insight into how planetary systems form and evolve over time and how possibly habitable environments can arise in Jupiter-like systems around other stars.
    • Juice will also analyze the chemistry, structure, dynamics, weather, and climate of Jupiter and its ever-changing atmosphere.

    Ganymede: Focus of the Juice mission

    • Ganymede is the largest moon in the Solar System and the only one to generate its magnetic field.
    • Juice will move into Ganymede’s orbit after approximately four of arriving at Jupiter.
    • Juice will use its suite of ten sophisticated instruments to measure how Ganymede rotates, its gravity, its shape and interior structure, its magnetic field, its composition, and to penetrate its icy crust using radar down to a depth of about nine km.

    Can Juice detect life?

    • Juice is not equipped to detect life on Jupiter or its moons.
    • It is, however, capable of finding out whether there could be places around Jupiter, inside the icy moons, where the necessary conditions, such as water, biological essential elements, energy, and stability, to sustain life are present.
    • Scientists believe that there is a possibility that life is present on Jupiter’s moons, in the form of microbes or more advanced species, such as those found in deep-sea trenches and at hydrothermal vents on Earth.