Blog

Tuvalu

Miscellaneous / Place in News

Context

• Tuvalu is facing a combination of sea-level rise, marine heatwaves and declining fisheries, highlighting the disproportionate climate vulnerability of small island developing states (SIDS).

Tuvalu

• Location: Small island country in the South Pacific Ocean, between Hawaii and Australia.
• Composition: 9 islands/atolls.
• Former name: Ellice Islands.
• Independence: Gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1978.
• Capital: Funafuti.
• Topography: Extremely low-lying; average elevation is only about 1–3 m above sea level.
• Climate vulnerability: Highly exposed to:

• Sea-level rise

1. 1. Coastal erosion

• Saltwater intrusion

1. Storm surges

• Significance: Tuvalu is frequently cited as one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change and sea-level rise.

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2026

Science & Technology

Context

• The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (2026) was awarded for discoveries that enabled optogenetics, a technique that uses light to precisely control selected nerve cells.

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

• Awarded to: Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann & Georg Nagel.
• Discovery: Scientific foundations of optogenetics.
• Optogenetics: Combines genetic engineering + light to control specific neurons.
• Mechanism: Opsins (light-sensitive proteins) regulate ion movement, switching neuronal activity on/off.
• Key breakthrough: Hegemann and Nagel identified channelrhodopsins; ChR2 enables rapid light-controlled electrical signals.
• Deisseroth: Developed the approach of combining light-sensitive proteins with genetic targeting of specific neurons.
• Applications: Research on pain, memory, sleep, epilepsy, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, depression and restoration of vision/hearing.

Nobel Prize 

• Established: Through the will of Alfred Nobel; Nobel died in 1896.
• First awarded: 1901.
• Original 5 prizes: Physics, Chemistry, Physiology/Medicine, Literature and Peace.
• Economic Sciences: Established by Swedish National Bank (1968); first awarded 1969 — not an original Nobel Prize.

Awarding Institutions

• Physics & Chemistry: Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

• Medicine: Nobel Assembly, Karolinska Institutet

• Literature: Swedish Academy

• Peace: Norwegian Nobel Committee

• Economic Sciences: Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

Key Fact

• Peace Prize: Awarded in Oslo, Norway.

• All other prizes: Awarded in Stockholm, Sweden.

• Prize:

  Medal + Diploma + Monetary Award.

Five New Centres of Excellence for Studies in Classical Languages

History & Culture

Context

• The Ministry of Education has approved five Centres of Excellence (CoE) for the study of classical languages.

Classical Languages 

• India has 11 Classical Languages:
  Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Odia, Marathi, Assamese, Bengali, Pali and Prakrit.

5 New Centres of Excellence

• Objective – For advanced research, preservation and digitisation of classical linguistic heritage:

Recognition Timeline

• Tamil — 2004

• Sanskrit — 2005

• Kannada & Telugu — 2008

• Malayalam — 2013

• Odia — 2014

Criteria for Classical Language

• Antiquity: Early texts/recorded history of 1,500–2,000 years.

• Ancient literature: Rich body of ancient texts regarded as heritage.

• Knowledge tradition: Includes prose, poetry, epigraphic and inscriptional evidence.

• Discontinuity:

  Classical form/literature may be distinct from its modern form or show discontinuity with later forms.

Russia Plague Outbreak

Health

Context

• A suspected outbreak of pneumonic plague in Siberia, Russia, has triggered quarantine and precautionary measures after a laboratory worker at an anti-plague research institute died.

Cause: Bacterial disease caused by Yersinia pestis.

• • Reservoir: Mainly small mammals and their fleas.

• Transmission:

1. Bite of infected fleas
2. Contact with infected body fluids/materials
3. Inhalation of respiratory droplets in pneumonic plague

• Three clinical forms:

1. Bubonic: Swollen, painful lymph nodes (buboes); usually flea-borne.
2. Septicemic: Infection spreads into the bloodstream.
3. Pneumonic: Infection of the lungs; can spread person-to-person via respiratory droplets.

• Symptoms: High fever, chills, headache, weakness; pneumonic form may cause cough, chest pain and breathing difficulty.
• Fatality: 30–100% if untreated.
• Treatment: Antibiotics such as gentamicin, ciprofloxacin and doxycycline; early treatment is crucial.
• Distribution: Occurs on all continents except Oceania.

Desert National Park

Environment

Context

• The Union Environment Minister and Wildlife Institute of India (WII) released two great Indian bustards (GIB) in Rajasthan’s Desert National Park.

About Desert National Park

• Location: Jaisalmer & Barmer, Rajasthan — Thar Desert.
• Established: 1980 under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
• Purpose: Conservation of the Thar’s fragile desert ecosystem.
• Climate: Extremely hot & arid; rainfall <100 mm/year in parts.
• Landscape: Barchan & longitudinal dunes, gravel plains, rocky areas, interdunal depressions.
• Vegetation: Sparse grasslands, thorny bushes & desert-adapted plants.
• Khejri: Prosopis cineraria; important Thar tree, traditionally protected by the Bishnoi community.
• Key Species: Great Indian Bustard (Godawan) — Critically Endangered.
• Other Fauna: Chinkara, desert cat, desert hare, long-eared hedgehog, saw-scaled viper, Persian gecko & toad-headed agama.

Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Growth Fund

Economy

Context

• The Union Cabinet approved the proposal by the Ministry of Finance to commit ₹10,000 crore of central government funding for the setting up of a Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Growth Fund.

About SME Growth Fund (SGF)

• Announced: Union Budget 2026.
• Nature: Direct equity fund structured as an AIF.
• Aim: Provide patient capital to high-potential SMEs for scaling and expansion.
• Focus: Manufacturing, technology, innovation, strategic sectors and Tier-II/III industrial clusters.
• Purpose: Boost technology adoption, exports, global value-chain integration and employment.
• Need: Fill the growth-equity gap faced by Small & Medium enterprises.

Ramappa Temple

Art and Culture

News

• Heritage conservationists in Telangana are apprehensive about an impending threat to Ramappa temple from the proposed deep opencast coal mining project.

Ramappa Temple

• Official name: Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple
• Location: Palampet, Telangana, about 200 km northeast of Hyderabad.
• Dedicated to: Lord Shiva — presiding deity Ramalingeswara Swamy.
• Built: 1213 AD, during the reign of Kakatiya King Ganapati Deva.
• Builder: Recharla Rudra, a Kakatiya general.
• Name: Called Ramappa Temple after Ramappa, the sculptor associated with its construction.
• UNESCO World Heritage Site: 2021.

Architectural Features

• Built on a 6-foot-high star-shaped platform.
• Intricate carvings on walls, pillars and ceilings.
• Constructed mainly using sandstone, with carved granite and dolerite elements.
• Distinctive pyramidal Vimana made using lightweight porous bricks, popularly called “floating bricks.”
• Famous bracket figures and sculptures carved from hard dolerite, displaying exceptional Kakatiya craftsmanship.

Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)

Polity

News

• An Indian Parliamentary Delegation, led by the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha, Harivansh, has departed for Tanzania, to participate in the 153rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)

• • Global organisation of national parliaments promoting parliamentary diplomacy, democracy, human rights and international cooperation.
  • Established: 1889, Paris.
  • Founders: William Randal Cremer (UK) and Frédéric Passy (France).
  • Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.
  • Membership: 183 Member Parliaments + 15 Associate Members.
  • India: Member of the IPU and uses it as a platform for parliamentary diplomacy.

• Key functions:

1. Promotes dialogue among parliamentarians.
2. Builds international consensus.
3. Strengthens democratic institutions and human rights.
4. Facilitates discussion on peace, terrorism, climate change and governance.

• 153rd IPU Assembly: Held in Tanzania, with an Indian delegation led by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh.

PM-SETU- One Year of Transforming India’s ITIs

Government Schemes

Context

• The PM-SETU (Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs) scheme marks one year of implementation.

PM-SETU

• Launched: 2025
• Full form: Prime Minister’s Scheme for Upgradation of ITIs
• Type: Centrally Sponsored Scheme
• Ministry: Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship
• Aim: Transform 1,000 Government ITIs into modern, industry-aligned skill-training institutions.
• Focus: Modern infrastructure, smart classrooms, advanced labs, digital content and new-age industry-oriented courses.
• Industry participation: Anchor Industry Partners through Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) for industry-led governance.
• Centres of Excellence: 5 National Skill Training Institutes at Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kanpur and Ludhiana.

AI Accord of the U.S

Science and Tech

News

• U.S. President Donald Trump announced the “White House Accord on Super Intelligence: Joint Commitment on Frontier Responsibilities,” 

AI Accord 

• Nature: Voluntary agreement among major US-based AI/technology companies to promote safe AI development and public trust.
• Key participants: Leaders associated with Google, Anthropic, Meta, OpenAI, xAI and Nvidia.
• Objective: Strengthen AI safety, corporate accountability and public trust.

Four Key Measures

1. Robust internal controls to prevent unintended AI-related hacking/security incidents.

2. Create an internal AI safety team to manage safety operations and resolve concerns.

3. Engage an independent external auditor for safety assessments.

4. Establish an independent board committee to address safety reports.

Significance

• Addresses concerns over:

  • AI safety and alignment

  • Privacy risks

  • Child safety

  • AI agents attempting unauthorised/harmful actions

  • Need for greater corporate accountability.

Key Limitation

• Voluntary and non-legally binding.

• No penalties

  for violations.

Rabies

Science and Tech

In News

• An ICMR-led study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases estimated that India has about 5,726 human rabies deaths every year.

Rabies

• • It is a zoonotic viral disease (Disease Transmitted from Animals to Humans).
  • Pathogen – It is caused by the Rabies virus, of the Lyssavirus genus, within the family Rhabdoviridae.

• It is a Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) virus that is present in the saliva of a rabid animal (dog, cat, monkey, etc).

• Rabies is 100% fatal but 100% vaccine-preventable. 

• 33% of global rabies deaths are recorded in India.

Common Vectors/ Reservoirs of Virus

• Most mammals can carry the virus and hence can cause the disease.

• In South Asia and Africa, the most common reservoir of the virus is the domestic/street dog.

• In developed nations like the USA, animals that transmit rabies are bats, foxes, raccoons, and skunks.

Symptoms

• Anxiety, Confusion, salivation, seizures, hallucinations and paralysis.

National Action Plan for dog Mediated Rabies Elimination by 2030 (NAPRE)

• Under this, the union will encourage all the States and UTs to make Rabies a notifiable Disease. 

• A notifiable disease is any disease that is required by law to be reported to government authorities. 

• “Joint Inter-Ministerial Declaration Support Statement” for Elimination of Dog mediated Rabies from India by 2030 was also launched.

World Rabies Day

• Celebrated on 28 September which marks the anniversary of Louis Pasteur’s death.

• Louis Pasteur was a French chemist and microbiologist, who developed the first rabies vaccine.
• He also discovered Pasteurisation, Vaccines for Anthrax and Cholera and Chamberland filters.

Agnipath Scheme

Government Scheme

Context

• The first batch of Agniveers is approaching the completion of its four-year service tenure. 
• In this backdrop, the Army, Navy and Air Force have submitted their feedback and recommendations on the implementation of the Agnipath Scheme to the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) .

Agnipath Scheme

• • Introduced: 2022
  • Also known as: Tour of Duty scheme.
  • Nature: Short-term recruitment scheme for the Indian Armed Forces.
  • Recruits: Called Agniveers.
  • Service tenure: 4 years.
  • Retention: Up to 25% of each batch can be selected for regular service of 15 years.
  • Exit: The remaining 75% exit after four years with a Seva Nidhi package.
  • Age: 17.5–21 years (subject to applicable recruitment notifications).

• Objective:

1. Provide youth an opportunity to serve in the Armed Forces.
2. Create a younger and more technologically skilled force.
3. Reduce the average age profile of the Armed Forces.

Buxa Tiger Reserve

Environment

Context

• A three-year-old tigress, T138, has been released into West Bengal’s Buxa Tiger Reserve, marking the beginning of a phased tiger reintroduction programme to establish a self-sustaining tiger population.

Buxa Tiger Reserve

• • Location: Alipurduar district, northern West Bengal, along the India–Bhutan border.
  • Established: Declared a Tiger Reserve in 1983 under Project Tiger.

• Ecological significance:

1. Located in the Eastern Himalayan foothills.
2. Provides ecological linkages with forests of Assam and Bhutan.

• • Important fauna: Asian elephant, gaur, sambar, clouded leopard, Indian leopard and Asian golden cat.
  • Tiger status: Historically faced a prolonged absence of a stable resident tiger population due to habitat degradation, fragmentation and reduced prey availability.

• Rivers:

1. Sankosh River: Forms part of the eastern boundary along the Assam border.
2. Jayanti River: Important seasonal river flowing through the Buxa landscape.

Additional Information – Project Tiger 

• Launched in 1973 with 9 tiger reserves.
• Legal basis: Tiger Reserves are constituted under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, particularly after the 2006 amendment.
• NTCA: Established in 2006 as a statutory body for tiger conservation.
• Core area: Legally designated as Critical Tiger Habitat (CTH); receives the highest protection.
• Buffer area: Peripheral area adjoining the core, aimed at promoting coexistence and reducing pressure on the core.
• Tiger Census: Conducted every 4 years under the All India Tiger Estimation (AITE).
• Latest national tiger estimate: 3,682 tigers (2022).
• Highest tiger population: Madhya Pradesh, followed by Karnataka and Uttarakhand (2022 estimate).
• Largest Tiger Reserve by area: Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam (Andhra Pradesh–Telangana landscape).
• Smallest Tiger Reserve: Bor Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra.
• First Tiger Reserve: Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve, Uttarakhand.
• Newest tiger reserves: India has continued adding reserves under Project Tiger; the exact total changes with new notifications.
• Tiger reserves are not necessarily National Parks: A tiger reserve can include National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries and other forest areas.
• Global significance: India contains the largest share of the world’s wild tiger population.

G7 Nations to Release 100 Million Barrels of Oil

International

Context

• The Group of Seven (G7) nations have agreed to release 100 million barrels of oil over four months to ease soaring fuel prices, with a substantial release of diesel planned in the first 20 days.

Group of Seven (G7)

• G7: Informal grouping of 7 major advanced economies.
• Members: France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK, USA and Canada.
• Origin: Emerged from the 1973 oil crisis.
• Initial Group of Five (G5): France, West Germany, USA, UK and Japan.
• Canada joined: 1976 → G7.
• EU: Began participating in 1977; EU is not a G7 member, but participates in meetings.
• G8 phase: Russia joined in 1997, making it G8.
• Back to G7: Russia ceased to be part of the group in 2014 following the annexation of Crimea.
• Nature: Informal grouping, not a treaty-based international organisation.
• Presidency: Rotates annually among member countries.
• Key areas: Global economy, trade, security, climate change, energy, development and geopolitical issues

Additional Information – International Energy Agency (IEA)

• Established: 1974, in response to the 1973–74 oil crisis.
• Headquarters: Paris, France.
• Parent framework: Operates within the framework of the OECD.
• Members: 32 member countries.
• India: Association country, not a full IEA member.
• Other Association countries: China, Indonesia, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand etc.
• Main objective: Ensure energy security and coordinate responses to major disruptions in oil supply.

GOBARdhan Scheme

Environment  

News

• The Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas launched the GOBARdhan Scheme for development of the Compressed Biogas (CBG) sector.

The GOBARdhan (National Circular Bioenergy Scheme) 

• It is a 10-year initiative (FY 2026–27 to 2035–36)
• Implementation – Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas

Key Objectives & Components

• Target: Boost Compressed Biogas (CBG) production tenfold to 5 MMSCMD.
• Unified Framework: Consolidates previous initiatives like SATAT, Market Development Assistance (MDA), and Biomass Aggregation Machinery (BAM).

Additional Information – Biofuels

• • Definition – Biofuels are alternative fuels made from plant and plant-derived resources.

• Example: Bioethanol, Biodiesel, Green diesel, Biogas etc.

National Policy on Biofuels, 2018

• The National Policy on Biofuels 2018 (amended in 2022) provides a framework for increasing the use of biofuels in India to enhance energy security.

Government Efforts for Biofuel Expansion

• Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana (Jaiv Indhan – Vatavaran Anukool fasal awashesh Nivaran Yojana): It promotes 2G ethanol production from agricultural waste and residues.
• SATAT Scheme (Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation): It promotes Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) production as a fuel alternative.

Great Indian Bustards

Environment 

News

• Ten captive-bred Great Indian Bustards (GIBs) are set to be released into their natural habitat in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer as part of an effort to rebuild the species’ wild population.

Great Indian Bustard (GIB)

• Scientific name: Ardeotis nigriceps
• Size: Large ground bird; about 1 m tall and 15–18 kg.
• Ecological significance: Keystone species of arid and semi-arid open ecosystems.
• Population: Critically low; latest estimates indicate about 130 ± 20 in Rajasthan, with only 5–6 individuals across Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka.
• State bird: Rajasthan.

Conservation Status

• IUCN: Critically Endangered

• Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I

• CITES: Appendix I

• CMS: Listed under the Convention on Migratory Species.

Major Threats

• Habitat loss and fragmentation

• Poaching

• Predation of birds and eggs

• Collision with overhead power transmission lines, particularly those associated with renewable-energy projects.

Power Lines & Supreme Court

• Power-line collisions have emerged as a major conservation challenge in GIB habitats.

• The Supreme Court has directed that renewable-energy project power lines in specified GIB areas outside the Desert National Park (DNP) be shifted underground, with implementation targeted by December 2027

  .

India-specific tool to predict Sickle Cell Anaemia severity

Science and Tech 

News

• Scientists at the CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) have developed an India-specific disease severity score for sickle cell anaemia (SCA).

Sickle cell anaemia

• • Disease – It is an inherited group of blood disorders that is genetic in nature.
  • Cause – It is caused by a mutation in the hemoglobin-β gene found on chromosome 11. This mutation results in defective haemoglobin (Hb).
  • Characteristics – After giving up oxygen, these defective Hb molecules cluster together resulting in formation of rod like structures.
  • The red blood cells become stiff and assume sickle shape. (Haemoglobin (Hb) is a protein found in the red blood cells that carries oxygen in your body and gives blood its red colour)
  • Transmission – It is usually transferred from the parents to the child during birth i.e. both parents can be carriers of SCDs.
  • Symptoms – Babies who are born with sickle cell anaemia might not show symptoms for many months.

• Extreme tiredness, fussiness and painfully swollen hands and feet and jaundice.

• Effects – The misshapen cells lack plasticity and can block small blood vessels, impairing blood flow.
• The sickle cells die prematurely, resulting in a chronic lack of red blood cells (anaemia), often called sickle-cell anaemia.
• Treatment – Medication, blood transfusions and rarely a bone-marrow transplant are done.

Southwest Monsoon Ends with 12% Deficit

Geography

Context

• As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD) India’s 2026 southwest monsoon ended with 759.4 mm of rain, 12.6% below the 868.6 mm normal.

Southwest Monsoon

• Onset and Retreat: The monsoon season in India generally starts in early June and lasts until September.
• The onset of the monsoon is marked by the arrival of the southwest monsoon winds, which bring moisture-laden air from the Indian Ocean.
• The withdrawal or retreat of the monsoon typically begins in October.
• The northeast monsoon, occurring from October to December, brings rainfall to parts of southern India.
• Monsoon Dynamics: Factors such as the El Niño and La Niña phenomena can influence the strength and distribution of the monsoon.
• Agricultural Impact: The success of the monsoon directly influences crop yields and, consequently, the overall economy of the country.

Connect with the basics- Difference between El Niño and La Niña 

Sengol

History

News

• The newly released NCERT Class 9 Social Science textbook, Understanding Society and Beyond – Part 2, shows the Sengol as a symbol of righteous governance. 

Sengol (or Chenkol) 

• Sengol/Chenkol: Traditional Tamil royal sceptre, symbolising righteousness (dharma), justice, legitimate authority and accountable governance.
• Origin: Tamil Nadu; associated with the ceremonial traditions of Tamil rulers.
• Historical associations: Linked with the Cholas, Madurai Nayakas (including the Meenakshi tradition) and the Sethupatis of Ramnad, who received ritually sanctified sceptres from Rameswaram temple priests.
• Symbolism: Represents the ruler’s duty, service, ethical conduct and responsibility towards the people.
• 1947 association: According to the NCERT/Union Ministry of Culture account, Shaivite Adheenam saints presented a Sengol to Jawaharlal Nehru around Independence as a symbol of the transfer of authority from British rule to independent India.
• Historical debate: Historians, including Rajmohan Gandhi, have questioned whether the Sengol was formally recognised as the official symbol of the transfer of power, noting the absence of such a record in Nehru’s and C. Rajagopalachari’s papers/writings.
• Significance: Illustrates the idea of ethical and dharmic kingship in Tamil political-cultural traditions.

Rebate of State and Central Taxes and Levies (RoSCTL) Scheme

Economy

News

• The Ministry of Textiles has extended the RoSCTL Scheme for exports of apparel/garments and made-ups for a further term of three months, from 1st October to 31st December 2026.

Rebate of State and Central Taxes and Levies (RoSCTL) Scheme

• Launched: 2019, Ministry of Textiles.
• Objective: Rebates embedded/unrefunded State and Central taxes & levies on exported textile products that are not covered under other schemes.
• Principle: Zero-rating of exports → ensures taxes embedded in exported products are remitted/refunded.
• Focus: Supports apparel and made-up exports, particularly MSME exporters.

Importance:

• Enhances global competitiveness of India’s labour-intensive textile sector.
• Supports MSME participation in global markets.
• Promotes a dispersed manufacturing ecosystem across regions.
• Provides policy continuity and predictability to exporters.

ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise (AIME-2026)

Defence

News

• The Second Edition of the ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise (AIME-2026) commenced at Subic Bay, Philippines.

ASEAN–India Maritime Exercise 

• AIME: ASEAN–India Maritime Exercise; brings together Indian Navy and ASEAN maritime forces.
• Theme: “Anchored in Trust, United at Sea.”
• Objective: Enhance mutual understanding, cooperation, operational coordination and interoperability.
• India’s Participation – INS Sahyadri and INS Kulish participated in AIME-2026.

Significance:

• Strengthens India–ASEAN maritime cooperation.
• Supports India’s Act East Policy.
• Advances MAHASAGAR — Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions.
• Promotes a free, open and cooperative maritime environment in the Indo-Pacific.

Increase in the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for all mandated Rabi crops