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Type: Prelims Only

  • AI tool can shrink and rewrite proteins

    Why in the News

    A university team has developed Raygun, an AI tool that can redesign and miniaturise proteins while retaining their function. This could improve the delivery of protein-based therapies and accelerate drug development.

    What is AI-based Protein Engineering?

    1. Protein engineering: Designing or modifying proteins to obtain desired properties such as smaller size, stability or specific biological functions.
    2. AI-based design: AI models trained on protein sequences can predict and generate redesigned protein structures.
    3. Raygun: The tool can shrink proteins while attempting to preserve their function, potentially making them easier to deliver.

    Why does it matter?

    • Gene therapy: Delivery vectors have limited cargo capacity. Smaller functional proteins can make therapeutic delivery easier.
    • Drug development: AI can reduce dependence on lengthy trial-and-error approaches in protein design.
    • Precision medicine: Engineered proteins could potentially be tailored for specific therapeutic functions.
    • Biosafety: Powerful AI-enabled biological design raises concerns regarding misuse, unintended effects and governance.

    Protein engineering ≠ gene editing

    • Protein engineering: Modifies/designs the protein to alter its properties.
    • Gene editing: Directly modifies DNA sequences.
    • AI protein design: Uses computational models to predict or generate useful protein sequences/structures.
    • Gene therapy: Uses genetic material or biological mechanisms to treat disease.

    [2026] Which of the following statements with regard to genetic medicine is/are correct ?
    1. Genetic medicines correct/compensate for the faulty genes responsible for disease.
    2. Engineered viruses and lipid nanoparticles are used as carriers of the genetic medicine.
    3. Genetic medicines alter the entire DNA sequence.
    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

  • Assam floods linked to rat-hole and riverbed mining

    Why in the News

    Localised floods in Sivasagar, Charaideo and Jorhat districts of Assam have drawn attention to the role of rat-hole coal mining and riverbed mining in altering local drainage and aggravating flood impacts.

    What is Rat-Hole Mining?

    1. Method: A hazardous form of coal extraction through narrow horizontal tunnels, often too small for mechanised mining.
    2. Region: Historically prevalent in Meghalaya and other parts of Northeast India.
    3. NGT Ban: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) banned rat-hole coal mining in Meghalaya in 2014, citing environmental degradation and safety concerns.
    4. Environmental impact: Unregulated mining can disturb soil, drainage channels and river systems.

    How Can Mining Aggravate Floods?

    • Altered drainage: Mining and riverbed extraction can modify natural water-flow pathways.
    • Siltation: Mining activities can increase sediment entering waterways, reducing effective channel capacity.
    • Loss of natural buffers: Landscape disturbance can reduce the ability of terrain to absorb and retain water.
    • Compounded disaster: Heavy rainfall combined with degraded drainage can intensify flooding and displacement.

    Governance Issue

    • NGT ban → weak enforcement → continued illegal mining → environmental degradation → greater disaster vulnerability

    [2018] Which of the following is/are the possible consequence/s of heavy sand mining in riverbeds ?

    1. Decreased salinity in the river
    2.Pollution of groundwater
    3.Lowering of the water-table
    Select the correct answer using the code given below :

    (a) 1 only

    (b) 2 and 3 only

    (c) 1 and 3 only

    (d) 1, 2 and 3

  • India’s first open-access ecoacoustic biodiversity dataset

    Why in the News

    Researchers have released India’s first open-access, crowdsourced ecoacoustic biodiversity dataset, capturing 518 species across 5,815 minutes of recordings from 25 states and union territories.

    What is ecoacoustics?

    1. Ecoacoustics is the study of sounds produced by organisms and the surrounding environment to understand ecosystems, biodiversity and ecological change.
    2. Instead of relying only on visual surveys, passive acoustic recorders can continuously capture:
      • Bird calls, Insect sounds, Frog and bat calls, Reptile and mammal vocalisations, Marine animal sounds, Background environmental sounds such as rain, wind and human activity

    Why does it matter?

    1. Non-invasive monitoring: Sound-based surveys track biodiversity cheaply and continuously across large areas.
    2. Open science: An open-access, crowdsourced dataset lets any researcher reuse the data for conservation.
    3. Baseline data: It creates a reference against which future biodiversity loss can be measured.

    [2023] Which of the following organisms perform waggle dance for others of their kin to indicate the direction and the distance to a source of their food?

    [A] Butterflies

    [B] )Dragonflies

    [C] Honeybees

    [D] Wasps

  • BNHS launches India’s first invasive-fish removal programme

    Why in the News

    The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) has launched India’s first community-driven removal programme for the invasive suckermouth catfish in Ujani Reservoir, Maharashtra.

    Suckermouth Catfish: Key Facts

    • Origin: Amazon River basin, South America.
    • Entry into India: Introduced through the aquarium trade and later released into natural waterways.
    • Local name: “Helicopter fish”.
    • Why invasive?
      • Feeds on fish eggs.
      • Competes with native bottom-feeding fish.
      • Burrows into riverbanks and can weaken earthen structures.
      • Adapts to adverse conditions.

    Scale of the Invasion

    • Around 97% of fish in Ujani are alien species including suckermouth catfish, Tilapia and African catfish.
    • Native fish account for only 3%.
    • Suckermouth catfish alone constitute around 30 to 40% of the total fish population.

    Impact on Fishermen

    • Around 20,000 people including fishermen, traders, transporters and labourers depend on the reservoir.
    • Invasive fish damage fishing nets and reduce the catch of economically valuable Rohu, Catla and Mrigal.
    • Fishermen may need to replace nets every 15 to 20 days, adding to costs.

    BNHS Removal Model

    • Collection centre established at Bhigwan fish market.
    • Fishermen receive financial incentives for collecting the invasive fish.
    • 36+ tonnes have already been removed.
    • Fish is processed into molasses used as fertiliser.
    • Creates a removal + livelihood + waste-utilisation model.

    “[2023] Invasive Species Specialist Group (that develops Global Invasive Species Database) belongs to which one of the following organizations?

    (a) The International Union for Conservation of Nature

    (b) The United Nations Environment Programme

    (c) The United Nations World Commission for Environment and Development

    (d) The World Wide Fund for Nature.

  • FCRA Amendment Bill, 2026 faces demand for JPC scrutiny

    Why in the News

    The Opposition, the Mizoram Chief Minister, and Christian bodies are pressing for the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 to be referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) before the coming session.

    What is the FCRA?

    1. Definition: The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 (FCRA) governs the receipt and use of foreign funds by individuals, associations, and NGOs in India.
    2. Registration regime: Organisations need FCRA registration or prior permission to receive foreign donations, with periodic renewal.

    Why is the amendment contested?

    1. Compliance burden: Critics argue tighter conditions could choke funding for civil society and faith-based organisations.
    2. Federal and minority concern: State governments and church bodies see the changes as targeting specific organisations.
    3. Scrutiny demand: Referral to a JPC is sought to allow detailed clause-by-clause examination before passage.

    Requirement for JPC Referral

    A Bill can be referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) when:

    1. Either House proposes referral: The Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha may move a motion to refer the Bill to a JPC.
    2. House approval: The motion must be approved by the concerned House.
    3. Agreement of both Houses: Since a JPC includes members from both Houses, the other House must also agree to the referral.
    4. Government or Opposition request: Referral can be proposed by the government or opposition, but Parliament decides.
    5. No constitutional compulsion: There is no mandatory constitutional requirement that a Bill must be sent to a JPC.

    Note: A Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) is not a constitutional body, as the Constitution of India does not explicitly provide for or mandate its creation. Instead, a JPC is an ad-hoc (temporary) parliamentary committee established by the Parliament of India under the Rules of Procedure of the houses for a specific purpose, duration, and mandate

    [2025, GS2, 10 marks] Civil Society Organizations are often perceived as being anti-State actors rather than non-State actors. Do you agree? Justify.”

    [2014] Which one of the following is the largest Committee of the Parliament?

    [A] The Committee on Public Accounts

    [B] The Committee on Estimates

    [C] The Committee on Public Undertakings

    [D] The Committee on Petitions.

  • VB-GRAM G rural jobs fall in its first month

    Why in the News

    After replacing MGNREGS on 1 July 2026, the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) [VB-GRAM G] recorded nearly a 50% year-on-year decline in rural employment generated during its first month.

    What is VB-GRAM G?

    1. New framework: Replaced MGNREGS from 1 July 2026.
    2. Employment guarantee: Increased from 100 to 125 days per rural household.
    3. Digital monitoring: Retains face-authentication-based attendance.

    Why did employment fall?

    1. Transition friction: Migration of registrations, job cards and payment systems disrupted work allocation.
    2. Sowing season: Provision for pausing employment demand during peak agricultural operations reduced July person-days.
    3. Comparability issue: Comparing July 2026 with July 2025 may exaggerate the decline because the institutional framework has changed.
    4. Implementation lag: Initial administrative bottlenecks may have temporarily reduced employment generation.

    MGNREGS: Back to Basics

    • Ministry: Ministry of Rural Development.
    • Legal basis: MGNREGA, 2005.
    • Guarantee: At least 100 days of wage employment per rural household.
    • Nature: Demand-driven, rights-based employment programme.
    • Eligibility: Rural households whose adult members volunteer for unskilled manual work.

    [2011] Among the following who are eligible to benefit from the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act?

    (a) Adult members of only the scheduled caste and scheduled tribe households

    (b) Adult members of below poverty line (BPL) households

    (c) Adult members of households of all backward communities

    (d) Adult members of any household.

  • Gujarat port concessions near expiry, reopening the BOOT debate

    Why in the News

    Concessions for Gujarat’s Pipavav and Mundra ports near expiry, reopening the debate on the Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) model and how India structures private port infrastructure.

    What is the BOOT model?

    1. Definition: Under Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT), a private operator finances, builds, and runs an asset for a fixed concession period, then transfers it back to the public authority.
    2. Application: Gujarat’s 1997 BOOT framework let private players develop ports like Mundra and Pipavav on state maritime board land.

    What is at stake as concessions expire?

    1. Asset transfer terms: Expiry forces a decision on renewal, renegotiation, or transfer of high-value operating ports.
    2. Investment signal: The treatment of expiring concessions shapes confidence for greenfield private ports such as Vizhinjam and Dhamra.
    3. Federal split: Major ports fall under the Centre while non-major ports like Gujarat’s fall under state maritime boards, complicating policy.

    “[2026] Consider the following statements with reference to the Sagarmala Programme of the Government of India :
    I. The Sagarmala Programme seeks to achieve port-led economic growth through cost-effective and sustainable coastal infrastructure.
    II. The success of the Sagarmala Programme is reflected in significant growth in coastal and inland waterway shipping, along with improved global port rankings.
    III. Sagarmala 2.0 aims to position India as global maritime innovation hub aligned with Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat 2047 visions.
    Which of the following relationships among the above statements is/are correct?
    1. Statement II validates the effectiveness of the strategies envisioned in statement I.
    2. Statement III extends the objectives of statement I by embedding them into a future-oriented innovation framework.
    3. Statement I contradicts statement III by focusing only on traditional infrastructure instead of modern innovation.
    Select the answer using the code given below:

    [A] 1 only

    [B] 1 and 2

    [C] 2 and 3

    [D] 3 only

  • India crosses 300 GW of non-fossil power capacity

    Why in the News

    India’s non-fossil fuel capacity has crossed 300 GW, achieving about 60% of the 500 GW target for 2030. The key challenge is converting installed capacity into actual electricity generation.

    What is the 500 GW Target?

    1. Panchamrit pledge: India committed at COP26, Glasgow (2021) to achieve 500 GW of non-fossil electricity capacity by 2030.
    2. Coverage: Includes solar, wind, hydro and nuclear capacity.
    3. Not total capacity: It excludes fossil-fuel capacity such as coal and gas.

    Why Capacity ≠ Generation?

    1. Capacity factors: Solar and wind are intermittent, so installed capacity does not translate proportionately into electricity generated.
    2. Storage gap: Batteries and pumped-storage hydropower are needed to provide reliable renewable power.
    3. Grid constraints: Transmission and grid-balancing infrastructure must expand alongside renewable capacity.
    4. Peak demand mismatch: Renewable generation may not coincide with periods of highest electricity demand.

    Value Addition

    • Panchamrit: 500 GW non-fossil capacity by 2030; 50% energy requirements from renewables; reduce projected carbon emissions by 1 billion tonnes; reduce emissions intensity by 45%; achieve net zero by 2070.
    • Key challenge: Shift from capacity addition → reliable, dispatchable clean power.

    “[2022, GS3, 15 marks] Do you think India will meet 50 percent of its energy needs from renewable energy by 2030? Justify your answer. How will the shift of subsidies from fossil fuels to renewables help achieve the above objective? Explain.”

    [2026] Consider the following statements with reference to India’s response to climate change:
    I. India’s Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS) is a crucial tool for achieving net-zero emissions by 2070
    II. India’s 4th Biennial Update Report (BUR-4) submitted in December, 2024 recorded around 8% decrease in Greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 over 2019.
    III. Climate-resilient development necessarily depends on quick and short-term achievement of emission reduction targets.
    Which of the following relationships among the above statements is/are correct?
    1. Statement I is empirically supported by statement II.
    2. Statement III contradicts the approach implicit in statement I.
    3. Statement I and statement III together establish the premise of long-term sustainability.
    Select the answer using the code given below:

    [A] 1 only

    [B] 1 and 2

    [C] 2 and 3

    [D] 3 only

  • India’s Lepidoptera Diversity

    Why in the News?

    The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has published the Catalogue of Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths) of India in the peer-reviewed journal Zootaxa. The catalogue, prepared over nearly 12 years, provides an updated national inventory of India’s butterfly and moth diversity.

    Key Findings

    • India has 13,703 species of Lepidoptera.
    • This represents about 8.25% of the world’s known Lepidoptera.
    • Butterflies: 1,417 species
    • Moths: 12,286 species
    • These are distributed across: 3,705 genera, 240 subfamilies, 102 families, 31 superfamilies

    Geometroidea

    • 2,205 species of Geometroidea have been catalogued in India.
    • They belong to: 479 genera, 13 subfamilies, and 4 families
    • They constitute around 8.8% of the world’s known Geometroidea.
    • Many are nocturnal pollinators, complementing daytime pollinators such as butterflies.
    • Note: Geometridae is a very large family of slender-bodied, broad-winged moths.

  • Phoenix Species Project

    Why in the News

    The Phoenix Species Project, led by Re:wild and the Bezos Earth Fund with the IUCN Species Survival Commission, has launched a $200 million global initiative to recover 100 of the world’s most threatened species.

    What is the Phoenix Species Project?

    • Target: 100 species classified as Critically Endangered (CR) or Extinct in the Wild (EW) on the IUCN Red List.
    • Geographical spread: 30 countries.
    • Species covered: Mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, invertebrates and plants.
    • Funding: $200 million
      • $100 million from Bezos Earth Fund
      • $100 million from Re:wild and supporting foundations.
    • Approach: Long-term, locally led species recovery rather than short-term conservation grants.

    Important species under the project

    • Bowmouth guitarfish: Threatened by the shark-fin trade; found in shallow waters from South Africa to Japan and Australia.
    • Hickory Nut Gorge green salamander: Restricted to a small canyon in North Carolina.
    • Charco Azul pupfish: Extinct in the wild; freshwater habitat was lost due to drought and water extraction.
    • Night parrot: Rare, nocturnal ground-dwelling bird of Australia’s arid regions.