Untitled

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Table of Contents
1. BIOTECHNOLOGY .................................... 4 3.6. Private Sector in Space Programme of
1.1. Genetic Modification (GM) technology ... 4 India .......................................................... 37
1.2. Genome Editing ..................................... 4 3.7. Space Sustainability ............................. 38
1.2.1. Genetically Modified (GM) Crops.............. 4 3.8. Space Tourism ..................................... 39
1.2.2. Site-Directed Nuclease (SDN) technology . 6 3.9. Black Holes .......................................... 40
1.2.3. CRISPR-Cas 9 ............................................. 7 3.10. Dark Matter....................................... 42
1.2.4. Chimeric Antigen Receptor T (CAR-T) cell 3.11. Earth Records Shortest Day ................ 43
therapy ................................................................ 8
3.12. Space Organisations Related
Developments............................................ 43
1.3. Genome Sequencing .............................. 9
3.12.1. NASA ...................................................... 43
1.4. Genomic Surveillance........................... 10
3.12.2. Indian Space Research
1.5. Cloning ................................................ 11
Organisation (ISRO) ........................................... 44
1.6. Indian Biological Data Center ............... 11
1.7. Other Important News ......................... 12 3.13. Other Important News ....................... 45
3.13.1. Space Phenomenon and Experiments ... 45
2. IT AND COMPUTER ............................... 13
3.13.2. Space Objects ........................................ 47
2.1. National Geospatial Policy ................... 13
3.13.3. Miscellaneous ........................................ 47
2.2. Draft National Data Governance
Framework Policy ....................................... 14 4. HEALTH ................................................ 49
2.3. Fifth Generation (5G) ........................... 16 4.1. Traditional Medicine............................ 49
2.3.1. 5G Spectrum Auction .............................. 17 4.2. Tuberculosis ........................................ 50
2.3.2. 5G Open Radio Access Network (RAN) ... 17 4.3. Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) ........... 51
2.4. Satellite Communication ...................... 18 4.4. Self-amplifying Messenger RNA (mRNA)
2.4.1. Other Communication networks............. 19 Vaccine ...................................................... 52
2.5. Virtual Private Network (VPN) .............. 19 4.5. One Health .......................................... 53
2.6. DarkNet ............................................... 21 4.6. First-Ever Fungal Priority Pathogens List
2.7. Artificial Intelligence ............................ 22 (FPPL) ........................................................ 53
2.7.1. Generative Artificial Intelligence ............. 22 4.7. Food Safety ......................................... 54
2.7.2. Global Partnership on AI (GPAI) .............. 23 4.8. Rice Fortification ................................. 55
4.9. Oral Rehydration Solution.................... 56
2.8. 4 D printing.......................................... 23
4.10. Diseases in News ............................... 57
2.9. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD).......... 23
4.10.1. Viral Diseases ......................................... 57
2.10. Proof-of-Stake Technology ................. 25
4.10.2. Other Diseases....................................... 59
2.11. Facial Recognition System (FRS).......... 26
2.12. Extended Reality ................................ 26 4.11. Other Important News ....................... 59
2.13. Radio frequency Identification (RFID) . 27 5. DEFENCE ............................................... 61
2.14. IndiaStack .......................................... 27 5.1. Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR)
2.15. Other Important News ....................... 27 Technology ................................................ 61
2.15.1. Initiatives/Guidelines/Programs/Forums 5.2. Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) ................. 62
.......................................................................... 27 5.3. GSAT 7 series satellites ........................ 62
2.15.2. Technologies/Concepts ......................... 29 5.4. BRAHMos ............................................ 62
2.15.3. Cybersecurity ........................................ 29 5.4.1. Other Missiles in News ............................ 64
2.15.4. Others ................................................... 30 5.5. Submarines ......................................... 65
3. SPACE TECHNOLOGY ............................. 31 5.6. Other Important News ......................... 65
5.6.1. Submarines, Ships and Aircraft Carriers .. 65
3.1. Mars Orbiter Mission ........................... 31
5.6.2. Aircrafts, Drones and Helicopters ........... 66
3.2. Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) .... 32
5.6.3. Miscellaneous .......................................... 67
3.3. NavIC (Navigation with Indian
Constellation)............................................. 33 6. ALTERNATIVE ENERGY .......................... 69
3.4. Artemis I .............................................. 34 6.1. Nuclear Fusion ..................................... 69
3.5. James Webb Space Telescope .............. 35 6.2. Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) ........... 70
3.5.1 Observations made by JWST .................... 36 6.3. Hyperloop System ............................... 71
6.4. Lithium-Ion Battery.............................. 72
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DELHI | JAIPUR | PUNE | HYDERABAD | AHMEDABAD | LUCKNOW | CHANDIGARH | GUWAHATI © Vision IAS
6.5. Flex Fuel .............................................. 73 8.1. European Organization for Nuclear
6.6. Fuel Cell ............................................... 74 Research (CERN)......................................... 79
6.7. Other Important News ......................... 75 8.2. Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose (J.C. Bose)
7. AWARDS AND PRIZES ........................... 76 .................................................................. 80
7.1. Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2022 .............. 76 8.3. The "Mystery" Particle Finding ............. 81
7.2. Nobel Prize in Physics 2022 .................. 76 8.4. Other Important News ......................... 81
7.3. Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 8.4.1. Research and Development .................... 81
2022........................................................... 77 8.4.2. Miscellaneous .......................................... 82
8. MISCELLANEOUS .................................. 79
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© Vision IAS DELHI | JAIPUR | PUNE | HYDERABAD | AHMEDABAD | LUCKNOW | CHANDIGARH | GUWAHATI
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1. BIOTECHNOLOGY
1.1. GENETIC MODIFICATION (GM) TECHNOLOGY
1.2. GENOME EDITING

1.2.1. GENETICALLY MODIFIED (GM) CROPS
Why in news?
Recently the Department of
Biotechnology (DBT) issued
Guidelines for Safety
Assessment of Genome
Edited Plants, 2022 easing
norms for research into
genetically modified (GM)
crops.
More on News
• Guidelines exempts
Genome Edited plants
falling under the categories of Site directed nuclease (SDN)1 and SDN2, from Manufacture, Use, Import,
Export and Storage of hazardous Microorganisms/ Genetically Engineered Organisms or Cells, Rules, 1989,
under the Environment (Protection) Act (1986).
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o It is based on an earlier exemption by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to
avoid a long process for approval of GM crops through GEAC.
Guidelines for Safety Assessment of Genome
Edited Plants, 2022
• Aim: Provides regulatory framework and
scientific guidance on data requirement in
context of research & development of
Genome Edited Plant.
• Scope of Guidelines: Limited to plants and
products thereof developed using genome
editing techniques employing site-directed
nucleases (SDN).
• Guidelines Notified by: Ministry of
Environment, Forest and Climate Change
under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
• Exemption: Researchers who use gene-
editing technology to modify plant genome
from seeking approvals from Genetic
Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC).
o All requirements to develop transgenic
seeds will apply to gene-edited seeds
except clauses requiring GEAC permission.
• Significance of guidelines: Accelerate genetic
improvement of crops, increasing farmer’s
income, roadmap for sustainable use of
genome editing.
• Manufacture, Use, Import, Export and Storage
of Hazardous Microorganisms/ Genetically
Engineered Organisms or Cells, Rules, 1989:
Regulates all activities related to Genetically
Engineered organisms or cells and hazardous
microorganisms and products thereof.
About GM Crops
• Genetic modification in plants: Cells are grown in tissue culture which develop into plants and seeds
produced by these plants will inherit the new DNA.
• Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) promotes the science-based innovative technology
including research on GM crops.
o Network Project on Functional Genomics and Genetic Modification in Crops was launched by ICAR in
2005.
Genome editing technology and Transgenic Technology
• Both can alter the genome of an organism. However, there is a difference between the two as:
o Genome editing is manipulation of genome of organism itself by knocking out or replacing targeted gene
which resulting in individuals with intentionally selected and desired traits.
o In Transgenic technology genome of an organism is altered by introduction of one or more foreign DNA
sequences from another species by artificial means.
Various bodies on GM crop regulation

• Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee (RDAC): Monitors the developments in biotechnology at national
and international levels. It functions in DBT.
• Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBSC): Approves low-risk experiments and ensures adherence to
prescribed safety guidelines. It functions from DBT.
• Review Committee on Genetic Manipulation (RCGM): Reviews all ongoing projects involving high-risk and
controlled field experiments. It functions from DBT.
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• State Biotechnology
Coordination Committee
(SBCC): Acts as State level
nodal agency to assess the
damage due to release of
GMOs and to take on-site
control measures.
• District Level Committee
(DLC): Acts as nodal agency
at District level to reports to
SBCC or the GEAC about
compliance or non-
compliance of regulatory
guidelines.
Related News
GEAC has recommended the environmental release of transgenic hybrid mustard Dhara Mustard Hybrid-11 (DMH-11).
• Commercial use: under Indian Council of
Agriculture Research (ICAR) supervision and will
be subject to Seed Act, 1966.
• About DMH-11
o Developed by: Delhi University’s Centre for
Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants.
o Process used: Crossing Indian mustard
variety ‘Varuna’ (barnase line) with an East
European ‘Early Heera-2’ mutant (barstar)
o Contains two alien genes isolated from a soil
bacterium called Bacillus amyloliquefaciens.
✓ First gene (‘barnase’) codes for a protein that impairs pollen production and renders the plant into
incorporated male sterile.
✓ Second is the ‘barstar’ gene that blocks the action of the barnase gene.
✓ Resultant progeny is both high-yielding and capable of producing seed/ grain.
Related News
• Haryana government issued NOC to conduct field trials on BG-2 RRF, herbicide-tolerant and insect resistant
variety of BT cotton.
o So far, India has allowed commercial use of BG-1 and BG-2 GM cotton while BG-2 RRF approval is pending at
various stages.
o BG-2 RRF can provide protection against pest attack such as American Bollworm.
1.2.2. SITE-DIRECTED NUCLEASE (SDN) TECHNOLOGY

Why in news?
Department of Biotechnology
revised guidelines for plants and
products thereof developed
using genome editing
techniques employing site-
directed nucleases (SDN).
About site-directed nucleases
(SDN)
• SDN or sequence specific
nuclease (SSN) refers to the
practice of cleaving DNA
strands to affect the subsequent genome editing.
o SDN technology takes advantage of targeted DNA break and host’s natural repair mechanisms to
introduce specific small changes at the site of the DNA break.
• Main SDN technologies: Zinc-Finger Nucleases (ZFNs) and Transcription Activator Like Effector Nucleases
(TALENs).
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• Depending on the nature of the edit, the process is divided into three categories — SDN 1, SDN 2 and SDN
3 (refer infographic).
o Both SDN1 and SDN 2 do not involve alien genetic material and the result is indistinguishable from
conventionally bred crop varieties.
o SDN3 process involves genes of foreign origin.
• SDN-1 and SDN-2 do not produce new plant varieties that fall under the scope of the GMO legislation.
• In SDN-3, the newly developed plant falls under GMO legislation only if foreign DNA exceeding 20 base
pairs is inserted.
1.2.3. CRISPR-CAS 9
Why in the news?
It’s been ten years since microbiologist
Emmanuelle Charpentier and biochemist
Jennifer Doudna published research that
paved way for CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing
(Both awarded Nobel Prize for the same in
2022).
About Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short
Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)-Cas 9
• CRISPR is a genetic code or sequence
found in bacteria.
o Formed due to the activity of the
previous bacteriophages that had
infected them.
• Bacteria uses CRISPR sequence to
remember each specific virus that
attacks them by incorporating virus
DNA into their own bacterial
genome.
• This gives the bacteria protection
when a specific virus tries to attack
again.
• CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9): A
bacterial RNA-guided endonuclease
that once activated will make special
enzymes that seem to have co-
evolved with CRISPR.
How does CRISPR work?
• There are the 3 key elements of
CRISPR-Cas9 work:
o Guide RNA: A piece of RNA that
locates the targeted gene. This is
engineered in a lab.
o Cas9: The “scissors” that snip the
undesired DNA out.
o DNA: The desired piece of
DNA that is inserted after the
break.
• Challenges: Ethical challenges
(concerns over ‘Designer Babies’),
ecological impacts (genes with
negative traits throughout a
population).
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• Advancement in India: study for treating sickle cell
anemia, researchers at National agri-food
biotechnology edited the banana genome to improve
its nutritional quality and pathogen resistance etc.
1.2.4. CHIMERIC ANTIGEN RECEPTOR T (CAR-T) CELL THERAPY

Why in the news?
This is the first time that CAR-T therapy,
indigenously developed by IIT Bombay and Tata
Memorial Centre, was tested on patients in India.
More about the news
• Research is funded under National
Biopharma Mission (NBM) by Biotechnology
Industry Research Assistance Council
(BIRAC).
o BIRAC is a Public Sector Enterprise, set
up by Department of Biotechnology
(DBT) as an Interface Agency to
strengthen emerging Biotech
enterprise.
About CAR-T therapy
• It is a way to get immune cells called T cells to
fight cancer by editing them in the lab.
o T cells are a type of white blood cell that
attacks foreign pathogens.
• T cells are taken from patient’s blood and are
edited by adding a gene for a man-made
receptor (called CAR).
o CAR is special receptor,
created in the laboratory, that
is designed to bind to certain
proteins on cancer cells.
o CAR is then added to T cells.
This helps them better
identify specific cancer cell
antigens.
o These changed T cells called
CAR- T cells.
• CAR-T cells are then given back to
the patient.
• Benefits of CAR-T therapy
o While existing treatments
work towards increasing life
of patients, CAR-T technology
holds promise of curing
certain types of cancers.
o Unlike chemotherapy, CAR-T is administered only once to a patient.
o Short treatment time needed and more rapid recovery.
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Related Concept
T and B Cells
• Immune system cells: innate and acquired.
• Innate immune cells: Body's first line of defense that quickly respond to fight infection.
• Acquired immunity: Also called adaptive immunity—uses T-cells and B-cells when invading organisms slip
through first line of defence.
o T-cells and B-cells evolve from learned experiences so take longer to develop.
o Tend to live longer than innate cells.
• B-cells and T-cells are also called lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell that is part of the immune
system).
o B cells produce antibodies that are used to attack invading bacteria, viruses, and toxins.
✓ These antibodies are Y-shaped proteins that are specific to each pathogen.
o T cells are direct fighters of foreign invaders and also produced cytokines, which are biological
substances that help activate other parts of the immune system.
✓ T cells destroy body's own cells that have been taken over by viruses or become cancerous.
1.3. GENOME SEQUENCING

Why in News?
In a recently published research, an international team described the first-ever sequencing of a complete
human genome.
More about News
• Previous effort of sequencing was incomplete as DNA sequencing technologies couldn’t read about 8% of
the genome.
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Various Initiatives taken for Genome Sequencing
• IndiGen programme
o Aims to undertake whole genome sequencing of 1000 Indian individuals representing diverse ethnic groups
from India.
o Funded by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
• Genome India Project
o Aims to collect 10000 genetic samples from citizens across India to build a reference genome.
o By Department of Biotechnology.
• Human Genome Project
o International research effort to determine the DNA sequence of the entire human genome.
o It began in 1990 and completed in 2003.
o It was coordinated by National Institutes of Health, USA and Department of Energy, USA.
1.4. GENOMIC SURVEILLANCE

Why in News?
With outbreaks of several pathogens and their variants,

including COVID-19, monkeypox, etc, in recent years, the
need to build a sustainable system for genomic
surveillance is felt.
Related News
• WHO’s Science Council (SC) issued its first report on accelerating access to genomics for global health, arguing
that it is not justifiable ethically or scientifically for less-resourced countries to gain access to such technologies
long after rich countries do.
o SC was established (2021) by the Director General of WHO to provide guidance on the science and research
strategy of the organization.
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1.5. CLONING
Why in news?
Recently, China has successfully
cloned a wild Arctic wolf for the
first time in the world.
About Cloning
• Clone: Copied material, which
has the same genetic makeup
as the original, is referred to as
a clone.
• Cloning: Process of producing
genetically identical copies of
a biological entity (genes, cells,
tissues, and even entire
organisms), either by natural or
artificial means.
• Not identical: Despite having
the same genetic material
clones do not always look
identical as environment also plays a role
in deciding the physical feature of an
organism.
• In mammals including humans, identical
twins (monozygotic twins) are natural
clones.
o These twins are produced when a
fertilized egg splits, creating two or
more embryos that carry almost
identical genetic material.
Three different types of artificial cloning
• Gene/DNA cloning: Transfer of a DNA fragment from one organism to a self-replicating genetic element, such as
a bacterial plasmid.
• Reproductive cloning: Transferring nuclear material isolated from a somatic cell into an enucleated oocyte (egg
cell).
o Then this oocyte is stimulated to divide, forming an embryo with the same genome as the nuclear donor. This
process is called Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT).
o This process was used to create Dolly sheep, the first mammal cloned.
• Therapeutic cloning is like reproductive cloning till the production of the embryo. The produced embryo is then
grown in the laboratory.
1.6. INDIAN BIOLOGICAL DATA

CENTER
Why in news?
Recently, Indian Biological Data Center (IBDC) was
inaugurated at Faridabad, Haryana.
About IBDC
• First national repository for life science data in India.
o Also, as per the Biotech-PRIDE guidelines,
released last year, IBDC is mandated to archive
all life science data generated from publicly-
funded research in India.
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• Established at: Regional Centre of Biotechnology, Faridabad in collaboration with National Informatics
Centre (NIC).
• Storage: Digitised data will be stored on a four-petabyte supercomputer ‘Brahm’.
• Supported by: Department of Biotechnology (DBT).
• Data sharing: As per FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable) principle.
o FAIR Data Principles were proposed by a consortium of scientists and organizations to support the
reusability of digital assets.
• Also contains genomes sequenced by the Biotech PRIDE (Biotech Promotion of Research and Innovation
through Data Exchange) Guidelines 2021
Indian Sars-CoV-2 Genomic Consortium
• Released by: Department of Biotechnology (DBT)
(INSACOG).
• These guidelines enable exchange of information to
• Under IBDC, currently, two sections have promote research and innovation in different research
been developed. These include: groups across the country.
o Indian Nucleotide Data Archive • These Guidelines are applicable for all biological data
(INDA) shall archive data generated generated through research conducted within the country.
from publicly funded research
projects in India and provide internationally accepted data accession numbers (digitised genetic
makeup of humans, plants, animals, and microbes).
o Indian Nucleotide Data Archive – Controlled Access (INDA-CA).
• Data access types of IBDC: Open access/time-release access and Restricted access.
Related News
Maharashtra Cabinet approved the Gene Bank Project
• It is a type of biorepository to preserve plants (by collecting seeds, plants, tissue cultures) and animals (by
collecting sperm and eggs).
• At National level, several such facilities are established such as:
o National Gene Bank at National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, Pusa (It is world’s 2nd largest refurbished
gene bank).
o National Animal Gene Bank at National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources, Karnal.
o Indian Seed Vault at Chang La (Ladakh).
1.7. OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS

Biological • Department of Biotechnology has developed BioRRAP to track the regulatory approvals for a
Research research proposal on a single portal.
Regulatory • BioRRAP provides a single route to direct the applicant to regulatory agencies providing
Approval requisite approval relevant to the biological research.
Portal o BioRRAP ID generated through this portal is linked with the portals of various regulatory
(BioRRAP) agencies.
• This will provide more credibility to such biological research and will strengthen
interdepartmental synergies and increase efficacy in functioning of agencies regulating various
aspect of biological research.
Molecular • Scientists have built a molecular-scale motor using the DNA origami method (involves folding
motor of DNA to create 2D and 3D objects at nanoscale).
• Molecular motors are a class of proteins that drive intracellular movement by converting
chemical energy to mechanical work.
• Some of the examples of molecular motor’s role in our bodies are muscle contraction, mitosis
(cell division) etc.
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2. IT AND COMPUTER
2.1. NATIONAL GEOSPATIAL POLICY

Why in news?
The Ministry of Science and Technology has
notified a citizen-centric National Geospatial Policy
(NGP) 2022.
Vision and Goals
• To make India a World Leader in Global
Geospatial space.
• Integrated Policy to move towards a digital
economy and improve services to citizens.
• Better utilization of data.
• Encouraging participation of the private sector
Institutional framework
• Geospatial Data Promotion and Development
Committee (GDPDC): At national level, an apex
body for formulating and implementing appropriate guidelines, strategies, and programs.
o GDPDC would replace National Spatial Data Committee (NSDC) and Geospatial Data Promotion and
Development Committee.
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• Role of Department of Science & Technology (DST): Continue to be nodal Department and GDPDC shall
make suitable recommendations to DST.
Strengthening Geospatial Infrastructure
• Geospatial Data Infrastructure
o GDPDC will develop 14 global geospatial data
themes recognized by United Nations
Statistics Division.
✓ It will also develop Sectoral Geospatial Data Themes for various sectors.
o National Geospatial Data Registry (NGDR): Accessible by all stakeholders.
o Unified Geospatial Interface (UGI): To provide consumer-oriented products and solutions using
Geospatial data.
o Survey of India (SoI): Will help in developing NGDR and UGI in collaboration with Bhaskaracharya
National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG-N)-under MeitY, private sector
etc.
• Mapping infrastructure: Policy shall replace the National Map Policy, 2005.
• Geospatial Knowledge Infrastructure (GKI): Will be enabled by the integration of Geospatial data with
Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies and the growing digital infrastructure.
• Geospatial Education and Skill Development: National Institute for Geo-informatics Science and
Technology (NIGST), Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS), and/or any suitable institute(s), public or
private, will be developed into Centre(s) of Excellence.
• Geospatial Industrial Development Board (GIDB): Advisory body under GDPDC.
2.2. DRAFT NATIONAL DATA GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK POLICY

Why in news?
The Ministry of
Electronics and
Information
Technology
released a
revised Draft
National Data
Governance
Framework
Policy (NDGFP).
About National
Data
Governance
Framework
Policy
It is the revised
version of Draft India Data Accessibility and Use Policy, 2022.
• Aim: To enhance access,
quality, and use of data,
in line with the current
and emerging
technology needs.
• Objectives: To
accelerate Digital
Governance, have
standardized data
management and
security standards.
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• Applicability: All Government departments and entities; all non-personal datasets and data and platform;
rules, standards governing its access and use by researchers and Start-ups.
Components under NDGFP
• Indian Datasets Platform: Consisting of anonymized non-personal datasets from Government entities
collected from Indian citizens or those in India.
o It will provide datasets access to Indian researchers and startups.
o NDGFP does not apply to the private players, but they can voluntarily contribute their datasets.
o No provision
for
monetization
of such data.
• Indian Data
Management
Office (IDMO)
(refer
infographic).
• India Data
Management
Office (IDMO):
Will be set up
under Digital India
Corporation (DIC), under MeitY.
o Data Management Units (DMUs): In every Ministry/Department to work closely with IDMO for
ensuring implementation of the Policy.
Related News
NITI Aayog launched the
National Data & Analytics
Platform (NDAP) for open
public use
• About NDAP: A user-
friendly web platform
accessible to all users.
• Function: Hosts
foundational datasets
from various government
agencies, presents them
coherently, and provides
tools for analytics and
visualization.
Related News
Bank for International Settlements (BIS) has endorsed India’s Data Empowerment Protection Architecture (DEPA)
• About DEPA: A joint public-private effort for an improved data governance approach.
o DEPA forms the final layer of India Stack, a set of APIs that allows various stakeholders to utilise a unique
digital infrastructure aimed at presence-less, paperless, and cashless service delivery.
• Function: Creates a digital framework that allows users to share their data on their own terms through a third-
party entity, Consent Managers.
• Application: DEPA’s first application has been in the financial sector. It is being tested in the health sector, as well
as others.
Yotta D1
• It is country’s biggest and North India’s first hyperscale data centre that was recently inaugurated in Greater
Noida Uttar Pradesh.
• About Data Centre: Dedicated secure space within a centralized location where computing and networking
equipment is concentrated for collecting, storing and processing large amounts of data.
• Components: Network infrastructure (connects servers etc. to end-user locations); Storage infrastructure; and
Computing resources (provide processing, memory, etc. that drive applications).
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2.3. FIFTH GENERATION (5G)
Why in news?
Recently, Prime Minister inaugurated the country's first 5G testbed.
More about news
• The 5G testbed has been developed as a multi-institute collaborative project by eight institutes led by IIT
Madras.
• It is the Country’s first 5G testbed to enable startups and industry players to test and validate their
products locally.
About 5G technologies
• 5G is an amalgamation of various
technologies such as:
o Massive multi-user MIMO (Multiple input
multiple output) enabled network.
o Small cell stations to connect the base
stations and users seamlessly.
o Mobile Edge Computing that brings cloud
computing closer to the user.
o Beamforcing a laser beam between
transmitting entity and the user.
• 5G operates at higher frequencies and is
designed to connect virtually everyone and
everything together including machines,
objects, and devices.
• Have an enhanced throughput to handle more
simultaneous connections at a time.
Other Steps taken by Government to boost 5G
Tech
• Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI)
has formed the 5G India Forum (5GIF).
• National Digital Communication Policy-2018
lays out the objectives with respect to 5G
services in India.
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• 5G Vertical Engagement and Partnership Program (VEPP) initiative: Department of Telecommunications
(DoT) has invited Expression of Interest for initiative to enable close collaboration between User verticals
and 5G Tech stakeholders.
Related News
5G Airwave Interference
• Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) flagged concerns over likely interference of 5G C-Band spectrum with
aircraft radio altimeters as both operate in mid C-Band frequency range.
o A radio altimeter provides direct height-above-terrain information to various aircraft systems and use of
altimeters in C- band ensures highly precise measurements of plane’s altitude.
o For telecom service providers, C-Band ensures coverage as well as high bandwidth, resulting in faster
internet speeds, for rolling out 5G services.
Private captive 5G networks
• Union Cabinet has allowed private captive 5G telecom network in India.
• A private captive 5G network is a network set up by a private entity for the use of enterprise concerned, and no
one else.
2.3.1. 5G SPECTRUM AUCTION

Why in News?
A record over ₹1.5 lakh crore worth
of 5G telecom spectrum was sold
in recently held auction.
About 5G spectrum
• Spectrum relates to the radio
frequencies allocated to the
mobile industry and other
sectors for communication
over the airwaves.
• Spectrum is a sovereign asset.
• Operators are most likely
going to use a mix of low-band, mid-band, and high-band spectrum to deliver the type of 5G experience
that their customers demand.
Related Information
E-Band
• Broadband and WiFi players opposes giving E band exclusively to Telcos.
• E band is the range of radio frequencies from 60 GHz to 90 GHz in the electromagnetic spectrum.
• E-band is a major solution of 5G's microwave transmission.
2.3.2. 5G OPEN RADIO ACCESS NETWORK (RAN)

Why in News?
Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), WiSig
Networks Private Limited and VVDN Technologies Private
Limited have signed an agreement for developing 5G
Open RAN and other products together.
About RAN
• RAN is part of network that connects the main
network infrastructure to end-users.
o It connects individual devices to other parts of a
network through radio connections.
• It provides the critical technology to connect users
to the mobile network over radio waves.
It acts as a bridge to access all the key applications on the web.
o Current RAN technology is provided as an integrated platform of both hardware and software.
o Therefore, it is difficult to mix vendors for its different units.
17
• Idea of Open RAN is to enable operators to mix and match components from different vendors.
o Open RAN will create a multi-supplier RAN solution that allows for the separation between hardware
and software with open interfaces.
Related Information
• Standalone (SA) 5G: A telecom network where both core network and radio access network (RAN) are upgraded
to 5G.
o It replaces the LTE network 4G wireless communications standard and allows completely independent
operation of a 5G service without any interaction with an existing 4G core.
• Non-standalone 5G: In this, only RAN part of the network is upgraded.
o It is built over an existing 4G network.
• Advantage of SA over NSA: superior voice quality, significantly more speed, lower latency etc.
• Challenges of SA 5G: not all phones will have support for SA 5G, will cost more etc.
2.4. SATELLITE COMMUNICATION

Why in News?
Recently TRAI releases recommendations on ‘Licensing framework for Establishing and Operating for Satellite
Earth Station Gateway (SESG).
More about the news
• SESG, also known as Gateway Hub, acts as a bridge between space-based communication network and
terrestrial communication network.
o It houses the equipment that convert Radio Frequency (RF) signal to an Internet Protocol (IP) signal
for terrestrial connectivity.
18
2.4.1. OTHER COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
Wi-Fi • RailTel, a mini Ratna PSU under Ministry of Railways, has launched PM-WANI scheme based
access to its Public Wi-Fi services across 100 railway stations.
o Wi-Fi network can also be accessed through Mobile App ‘Wi-DOT’, built by RailTel and
C-DOT.
o PM-WANI, by Department of Telecommunications, aims to elevate wireless internet
connectivity in the country through Public Wi-Fi Hotspot providers.
• Wi-Fi, or Wireless Fidelity, is a wireless networking technology that gives internet access
to devices like desktop computers, laptops, mobile phones, smart TVs etc.
• It uses radio frequencies, or radio waves, in frequency bands 2.4GHz to 5GHz to
communicate between devices.
Splinternet • Russia-Ukraine war has threatened to splinter the internet.
• Splinternet refers to ‘Internet that is increasingly fragmented due to nations filtering
content or blocking it entirely for political purposes’. For Example:
o China’s ‘Great Firewall’ keeps American tech giants out while pushing online services
developed indigenously.
• Russia, in 2019, passed the sovereign internet law — or the online Iron Curtain — that
enabled the country to disconnect its internet from the rest of the world.
GigaMesh • GigaMesh is an innovative wireless network solution that can give fibre-like bandwidth
internet services to suburban and rural areas.
o It aims to address congestion issues in 4G infrastructure and provide high-tech and
affordable internet connectivity.
• Developed by: Astrome, a deep-tech startup.
o Astrome is supported by Technology Innovation Hub at the Indian Institute of Science.
2.5. VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORK (VPN)

Why in news?
Recently, the Central government has asked virtual private network (VPN) companies to keep a record of
their logs of customer information as directed by Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In).
About CERT-In guidelines
• New directives by CERT-In under Information Technology Act, 2000 state that:
o All cloud service and VPN providers to maintain a series of extensive customer information for at
least five years, even after cancellation or withdrawal of the registration.
o Data centre companies and cryptocurrency exchanges are also asked to collect and store user data.
19
20
2.6. DARKNET
Why in News?
Germany has shut down
Russia-linked ‘Hydra
Market’- considered as
world's biggest and
oldest DarkNet
marketplace of illegal
items and services.
About DarkNet
• Also known as Dark
Web, it is that part of
the Internet which
cannot be accessed
through traditional
search engines like
Google nor is it
accessible by normal
browsers like Chrome
or Safari.
o It generally uses
non-standard
communication
protocols which
make it
inaccessible to
internet service
providers (ISPs)
or government
authorities.
o Content on Dark Net is encrypted and requires a specific browser such as TOR (The Onion Ring) to
access those pages.
• Dark Net itself is only a part of the Deep Web, which includes sites that are protected by passwords.
o Part of the internet that is readily available and searchable on standard search engines is called as
Surface Web.
• Application: Used by journalists and citizens working in oppressive regimes (to communicate without
any government censorship), researchers and students to do research on sensitive topics, law
enforcement agencies, etc.
• Concerns over its use: Anonymity, Haven for illicit activity, Privacy and ethical concerns, drug dealing,
communication by terrorists, etc.
21
2.7. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
2.7.1. GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Why in News? Related News
Recently, Tech companies around the world LaMDA (Language Models for Dialog Applications)
are harnessing Generative AI for various use • LaMDA is a machine-learning language model created by
Google as a chatbot that is supposed to mimic humans in
cases.
conversation.
More about News o Like BERT, GPT-3 and other language models, LaMDA is
built on Transformer, a neural network architecture
• There has been increasing popularity of that Google invented and open-sourced in 2017.
generative AI programs, such as o It is designed to be able to engage in free-flowing
OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google’s BARD AI, conversations about virtually endless number of topics.
DALL-E, Codex, GPT-3 etc.
• These programs are a conversational AI language based on deep learning model built on the transformer
architecture.
o It uses a deep neural network and is trained on corpus of text data from the internet, allowing it to
generate human-like text and to perform various tasks like question answering, and conversation.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI)

• Describes algorithms that can be used to create new content like audio, code, images, text, simulations,
and videos.
• Achieved by training machine learning models on large amounts of data using neural networks and then
using these models to generate new, synthetic data, like already existing data.
• Prominent frameworks or models of generative AI like Generative adversarial networks (GANs),
Transformer-Based Models (TBMs) and Variational AutoEncoders (VAEs).
22
2.7.2. GLOBAL
PARTNERSHIP
ON AI (GPAI)
Why in News?
India took over the Chair
of Global Partnership on
AI (GPAI) from France.
Related News
Responsible AI for Youth 2022
• National E-Governance Division of Ministry of Electronics & IT in collaboration with Intel India launched
‘Responsible AI for Youth 2022’ program.
• Program is aimed at enabling school students with Artificial intelligence (AI) skills in an inclusive manner through
exclusive hands-on learning and mentorship opportunities.
o It is open to all school students studying in classes 8-12 across India.
2.8. 4 D PRINTING
Why in news?
In recent years, 4D printing technology has enhanced
the potential of cancer therapeutics such as surgery,
hyperthermia, chemotherapy, therapeutic devices etc.
About 4-D printing
• A renovation of 3D printing wherein special
materials is used to print objects that change shape
post-production.
• Need Stimuli or triggers to start transformation: Such as moisture, temperature, light, electrical current,
stress, pH etc.
• Materials used: Hydrogels, Thermo-responsive, Photo and magneto responsive, Piezoelectric materials,
pH-responsive etc.
• Properties: Self-assembly, self-adaptability, self-healing, shape memory, self-capability etc.
• Printing techniques: Similar to ones used in 3D such as fused deposition modelling (FDM), jet 3D printing
(3DP), selective laser melting (SLM), direct ink writing (DIW), electron beam melting (EBM), etc.
• Applications: Medical, biotechnology, robotics, automobiles, aerospace, textiles, flexible electronics,
construction etc.
Related Concept
Additive manufacturing or 3D printing
• Technology that constructs a three-dimensional object from a digital 3D model or a Computer-aided design
(CAD) model by adding material layer by layer.
o 3D printing is the opposite of subtractive (traditional) manufacturing which is cutting out / hollowing out a
piece of metal or plastic with for instance a milling machine.
• It allows creation of lighter, more complex designs that are too difficult or too expensive to build using
traditional dies, milling and machining.
2.9. QUANTUM KEY DISTRIBUTION (QKD)

Why in News?
Bengaluru-based start-up QNu labs recently innovated advanced secured communication through quantum
key distribution (QKD) systems.
More about News
• Developed By: QNu Labs under aegis of Innovation for Defence Excellence (iDEX).
o iDEX is operational framework of Defence Innovation Organization (DIO), a special purpose vehicle
under Ministry of Defence.
23
o Objective of iDEX: To create an ecosystem to foster innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology
development, specifically in Defence and Aerospace sector.
About quantum key distribution (QKD)

• QKD is a secure communication technology
that uses quantum physics to construct a
cryptographic protocol.
o It allows two parties to generate a shared
secret key that can be used to encrypt
and decrypt messages.
• In traditional cryptography, security is usually
because an adversary is unable to solve a
certain mathematical problem while in QKD,
security is achieved through laws of quantum
physics.
• Two such laws are Superposition and Entanglement.
Related News
Quantum Internet
• Researchers have
successfully teleported
quantum information across
a basic network.
• Quantum internet: Based on
the theoretical use of
quantum computers to
construct a new kind of
network.
• In contrast to traditional
internet which operates
through the use of binary
signals (represented by 0’s or
1’s) in data packets, quantum
internet would utilize
quantum bits, or qubits, to
encode information as 0’s, 1’s,
or both at same time.
24
2.10. PROOF-OF-STAKE TECHNOLOGY
Why in News?
Ethereum blockchain platform switched to Merge
software mechanism that uses ‘proof-of-stake’ (PoS)
mechanism.
About Merge and Proof-of-Stake
• Ethereum is a decentralised blockchain platform
used to build decentralised apps (dApps) and smart
contracts among others.
• Merge is a software, aimed at slashing energy
consumption, to the way transactions are validated
on Ethereum blockchain.
o Blockchain is a distributed or
decentralised ledger technology
which was first introduced in the
design and development of
cryptocurrency.
• Merge uses the process of shifting the
consensus mechanism of the blockchain
from proof-of-work (PoW) to proof-of-
stake (PoS).
• Importance of new consensus
mechanism: Less impact of crypto mining
on local communities: Environmentally
conscious move, better security, Ripple
effect on the direction in which the
crypto and broader Web3 industry
contribute to positive climate action.
Related Concept
Non-fungible tokens (NFT)
• NFT is a digital object that can be a
drawing, animation, piece of music,
photo, or video with a certificate of
authenticity created by blockchain
technology.
o Tokenizing these assets allows
them to be bought, sold, and traded
more efficiently while reducing the
probability of fraud.
o Fungibility refers to an asset's
ability to be exchanged with a
similar asset without sacrificing its
value (For ex: 100 rupee note is
fungible).
• Characteristics of NFT
o All NFTs have a unique quality and a
distinct value from any other similar
token.
o They are digitally rare.
o Must be sold or purchased as a
whole as they cannot be divided
unlike fungible tokens.
25
2.11. FACIAL RECOGNITION SYSTEM (FRS)
Why in news?
First phase of Facial Recognition System (FRS) is planned at
Kolkata, Varanasi, Pune, Vijayawada, Bangalore, Delhi and
Hyderabad Airports by March 2023.
More on News
• FRS is part of the Digi Yatra initiative (Ministry of Civil
Aviation) to promote seamless and hassle-free experience
at airports and simultaneously improving the security.
o Government is looking to make ticket booking, airport
entry and boarding pass security check-in digital.
• Digi Yatra Foundation (DYF) has been set up as a joint
venture company for creating the Digi Yatra Central
Ecosystem.
About Facial Recognition System
• FRS is a way of identifying or confirming an individual’s
identity using their face. It can be used to identify people
in photos, videos, or in real-time.
o Computer algorithms map unique facial-
landmarks such as shape of cheekbones, contours
of lips etc. and convert these into a numerical
code— termed a faceprint.
o For verification or identification, system compares
faceprint generated with a large existing
database of faceprints.
2.12. EXTENDED REALITY

Why in news?
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
(MeitY) Startup Hub and Meta collaborate to accelerate XR
technology start-ups in India.
26
2.13. RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION (RFID)
Why in News?
Delhi airport has become the first Indian airport to introduce Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-enabled
tag to track check-in luggage.
Various Types of Wireless Technologies
Radiofrequency Identification Quick Response (QR) Near Field Communication Technology
(RFID) code (NFCT)
About • A wireless system comprised • A two- • A short-range wireless connectivity

of two components: tags and dimensional technology that allows NFC-enabled
readers. version of a devices to communicate with each
barcode that can other and transfer information
be read easily by quickly and easily with a single touch
a digital device
Working • Read distance depends upon • Ideal scanning • NFC-enabled devices must be either
Range the frequency (Ranging from size to distance physically touching or within a few
300 gigahertz to as low as 9 ratio is 1:10. centimeters from each other for data
kilohertz) used transfer.
Other Key • Do not require a direct line of • Require a line of • Transfer information quickly and
Information sight to be read. sight to scan. easily with a single touch.
• Data stored in an RFID tag • No real-time
can be updated in real-time. tracking.
2.14. INDIASTACK
Why in News?
IndiaStack Knowledge Exchange 2022 held
recently.
More on News
• Earlier, India also launched Indiastack.
global - a single repository of all major
projects on IndiaStack.
o Indiastack. global allows to contribute
towards the Global Digital Public
Goods repository.
About IndiaStack
• A collection of open APIs and digital public
goods.
o API stands for Application Programming Interface. It allows two applications to talk to each other.
o IndiaStack includes APIs of Aadhaar, Unified Payment Interface (UPI), Co-Win, DigiLocker, Aarogya
Setu, eSanjeevani, UMANG, DIKSHA, etc.
• Aim: To unlock the economic opportunities of identity, data, and payments at population scale.

2.15.1. INITIATIVES/GUIDELINES/PROGRAMS/FORUMS
Global • India stays out of global declaration on future on Internet.
Declaration on • It is a political commitment that aims to keep Internet open, free, and neutral.
o US, European Union, UK, Canada etc signed the declaration.
27
future on o India, China, and Russia are not part of this declaration.
internet • India also did not sign the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime, 2001.
o Data sharing provisions of Budapest Convention infringes on national sovereignty.
o Presently, it is the only legally binding multilateral convention on cybercrime and
electronic evidence.
Internet • India Internet Governance Forum (IGF) 2022 was held recently.
Governance o It is an initiative associated with UN Internet Governance Forum, a multi-stakeholder
platform to discuss public policy issues related to Internet.
• Internet Governance is development and application by Governments, private sector, and civil
society, of decision-making procedures and programs that shapes use of Internet.
o It includes Physical Infrastructure layer, Code or Logical layer, Content layer and Security.
o It involves IP Addressing, Domain Name System (DNS), Routing, Technical Innovations,
Standardization, Security, Privacy etc.
• No single organization in charge of Internet.
• Major actors: Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), IGF, Internet
companies, NGOs etc.
• India also supports a multi-stakeholder approach in matters on Internet Governance.
National • NIXI has established two new Internet Exchange Points (IXP) in West Bengal under Digital
Internet India Vision.
Exchange of o IXP is a physical network access point through which primary network providers connect
India (NIXI) their networks and exchange traffic.
• About NIXI: A not-for-profit organization, established in 2003, that facilitates exchange of
domestic internet traffic between peering ISPs (internet service providers) members.
• It also functions as:
o .in registry (India’s Country Code Top Level Domain), and
• Indian Registry for Internet Names and Numbers: allocating and registering Internet Protocol
Addresses (IPv4 and IPv6).
2Africa Pearls • Facebook parent Meta will partner with Bharti Airtel to expand 2Africa Pearls to India.
• 2Africa Pearls is one of world’s longest subsea cable systems that will ultimately interconnect
countries in Africa, Asia, and Europe.
• 2Africa Pearls will improve connectivity of fixed-line broadband internet in India.
Global • Recently, World Economic Forum announced addition of three Indian factories to its GLN.
Lighthouse • GLN is a World Economic Forum initiative in collaboration with McKinsey & Company.
Network (GLN) o It is a community of over 100 manufacturers that are showing leadership in applying
Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies such as artificial intelligence, 3D-printing and
big data analytics.
ITU’s- Regional • Ministry of
Standardization Communications hosted
Forum (RSF) the International
Telecommunication
Union’s (ITU) RSF for Asia
and Oceania region.
• RSF is a platform for
exchange of ideas,
discussing standardization
topics like Sustainable
Digital Transformation and Role of ITU Standards, evolving Data Value Chain etc.
DigiLocker • Ministry of Electronics & IT (MeitY) has enabled DigiLocker to store and access health records
of individuals pertaining to Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission.
• DigiLocker is a flagship initiative of MeitY under Digital India program.
o It is a platform to issue/store and digitally verify government documents and certificates.
o Documents in DigiLocker system are deemed to be at par with original physical
documents under Information Technology Rules, 2016.
o Digital Locker is aimed at minimising the usage of physical documents and enable sharing
of e-documents across agencies.
Roadmap to • Department of Telecommunications (DoT) debates a strategy roadmap to promote IPR in the
promote IPR in telecom sector.
telecom sector • Road map proposed
o Sovereign Patent Fund: To aggregate patents from home-grown firms and offer them as
a bouquet abroad and procuring patented licensing for key technologies such as 5G and
6G, etc.
28
o Bharat Technology Bank: To offer Indian patents to needy countries at nominal fee for
creating diplomatic goodwill and helping Indian companies access new markets.
o Digicom Intellectual Property Management Board: To facilitate IPR licensing, IP
management and arbitrate on issues related to standard essential patent (SEP) in India.
✓ SEPs protect the telecom industry’s core technology like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, etc.
2.15.2. TECHNOLOGIES/CONCEPTS
Frequency • Government has approved amendments in FM Radio Phase-III policy guidelines to simplify
Modulation (FM) eligibility criteria.
• FM, (88 to 108 MHz), refers to modulation process in which frequency of carrier wave
(radio wave) is modulated while keeping phase and amplitude constant.
o In Amplitude Modulation (AM) (535 to 1700 KHz), carrier wave amplitude is altered,
keeping others constant.
o In Phase Modulation (PM), carrier phase angle is altered.
• Advantages of FM: Resilience to interference, Easy to Modulate etc.
• Disadvantages: Poor spectral efficiency, requires more complicated demodulator.
• Uses: Broadcasting, Audio Transmission on TV.
Embedded SIM (e- • Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released consultation paper on e-SIM for
SIM) M2M (machine-to-machine) Communications.
• e-SIM is a form factor that is physically integrated into device, mostly by soldering to
device printed circuit board (PCB).
o It cannot be easily removed in the field.
o It requires remote provisioning which is ability to remotely select SIM profile
deployed on a SIM without physically changing SIM card.
• It supports multiple applications unlike regular SIMs and can be modified (as per
requirements) remotely.
ARYABHAT-1 • Indian Institute of Science have built a prototype of an analog chipset called ARYABHAT-1
(Analog Reconfigurable Technology and Bias-scalable Hardware for AI Tasks).
• It will be faster and require less power than the digital chips found in most electronic
devices.
• It would be helpful for Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based applications like object or speech
recognition e.g., Alexa or Siri.
• Different machine learning architectures can be programmed on it and operate across a
wide range of temperatures.
2.15.3. CYBERSECURITY
Cybersecurity • Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has issued directions relating to
Guidelines information security practices and reporting of cyber incidents.
o These are released under provisions of Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000.
• Key guidelines
o All government and private agencies will mandatorily have to report all cyber breach
incidents to CERT-In within six hours.
o All service providers, intermediaries, data centres, and government organisations shall
mandatorily enable logs of all their ICT systems and maintain them securely for a rolling
period of 180 days and same shall be maintained within Indian jurisdiction.
o Virtual private server (VPS) providers, cloud service providers need to register accurate
information related to subscriber names, customer hiring services, etc and maintain them
for five years or longer duration as mandated by law.
Cryptojacking • Cryptojacking is a cyber-attack that is hard to detect, wherein a computing device is hacked
by the attacker, and its resources are used to illicitly coin mining of cryptocurrency.
• Coin mining is a legitimate, competitive process used to release new crypto coins into
circulation or to verify new transactions.
o It involves solving complex computational problems to generate blocks of verified
transactions that get added to the blockchain.
Bluebugging • It is a form of hacking that lets attackers access a device through its discoverable Bluetooth
connection.
• Once a Bluetooth connection is established, hackers use brute force attacks to bypass
authentication.
• Once a device is blue bugged, a hacker can listen to the calls, read and send messages and
steal and modify contacts.
29
• To prevent: Turning off Bluetooth when not in use, updating the device, limited use of
public Wi-Fi, etc.
Hermit • Hermit is a new spyware with capability to affect both Android and iOS devices.
• Hermit is a commercial spyware known to be used by governments with victims in
Kazakhstan, Italy and northern Syria.
• Spyware is a malicious software or malware installed on a computing device to steal
sensitive information through covert data transmission.
2.15.4. OTHERS
PARAM PORUL • PARAM PORUL is a state-of-the-art Supercomputer at NIT Tiruchirappalli under Phase 2 of
the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM).
• Majority of the components used to build PARAM PORUL have been manufactured and
assembled within the country.
• It is based on Direct Contact Liquid Cooling technology to obtain a high-power usage
effectiveness and thereby reducing the operational cost.
• Under NSM, till date 15 supercomputers have been installed across the nation with a
computing capacity of 24 petaflops.
o PARAM Shivay was the first Supercomputer assembled indigenously.
True Random • Indian Institute of Science has developed a TRNG that can improve data encryption and
Number Generator provide improved security for sensitive digital data (credit card details, passwords, etc.).
(TRNG) • Encrypted information can be decoded only by authorised users who have access to a
cryptographic ‘key’ (unpredictable and randomly generated to resist hacking).
o ‘Key’ generated by computers using pseudorandom number generators (rely on re-
programmed tables to produce numbers) appear random but are not.
o A TRNG extracts random numbers from inherently random physical processes (using
the random motion of electrons), making it more secure.
TiHAN • TiHAN, India’s first Autonomous Navigation facility (for both ground and aerial vehicle
(Technology testing), was inaugurated at IIT Hyderabad.
Innovation Hub on • TiHAN (by Ministry of Science & Technology) is a multidisciplinary initiative to make India a
Autonomous global player in futuristic and next generation ‘smart mobility’ technology.
Navigation) • It will provide industries, research and development labs, and academia a platform for
research in autonomous navigation.
• It is one of the 25 technology innovation hubs under National Mission on Interdisciplinary
Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS).
30
3. SPACE TECHNOLOGY
3.1. MARS ORBITER MISSION
Why in news?
India's Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) spacecraft has lost communication with the ground stations, bringing an
end to its life after eight long years.
31
Related News
NASA’s Perseverance Rover
• Perseverance rover mission is part of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program, a long-term effort of robotic
exploration of Mars.
• Recently, it placed a titanium tube containing a rock sample on the surface of Mars.
o Igneous rock sample was collected from Mars Jezero Crater called South Séítah.
o Samples are being placed at a location called “Three Forks,” first such sample depot on another world.
o Depot will serve as a backup if Perseverance can’t deliver its samples and subsequent NASA missions would
return these samples to Earth.
• Recently, it also captured the solar eclipse on Mars featuring Phobos, one of Mars' two moons (other is Deimos).
• In a related news, Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment (MOXIE) has produced oxygen at Mars
with components from the planet’s atmosphere.
o MOXIE was sent (by Massachusetts Institute of Technology) with NASA’s Perseverence rover.
3.2. POLAR SATELLITE LAUNCH VEHICLE (PSLV)

Why in News?
PSLV on its 55th mission (PSLV-
C53) successfully launched three
Singaporean satellites in the
second commercial mission of
New Space India Limited (NSIL).
More about News
• Besides placing satellites in
orbit, ISRO also achieved
successful launch of PSLV
Orbital Experimental Module
(POEM),
o About POEM: A platform which allows in-orbit scientific experiments using the final (fourth) stage
of PSLV.
o Dedicated Navigation Guidance and Control system: Act as platform’s brain to stabilize it with
specified accuracy.
o Power source: Mounted solar panels and a Li-Ion battery.
ISRO’s Launch Vehicles
Launch Vehicle Stages Payload capacity and Orbits
Small Satellite Launch 3 stage Launch Vehicle Mini, Micro, or Nanosatellites (10 to 500
Vehicle (SSLV) (Three Solid Propulsion Stages and liquid kg mass) to a 500 km orbit.
propulsion-based Velocity Trimming
Module as a terminal stage.)
Polar Satellite Launch Four-stage launch vehicle (1st & 3rd stage: Up to 1,750 kg to Sun-Synchronous Polar
Vehicle (PSLV) Solid; 2nd & 4th: Liquid) Orbits,
1,425 into Geosynchronous and
Geostationary orbits
Geosynchronous Satellite Three-stage launch vehicle (1st: Solid, Up to 2,250 into Geosynchronous
Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mark 2nd: Liquid; 3rd: Cryogenic Upper Stage) Transfer Orbits, up to 6 tonne in Low
II Earth Orbits
Geosynchronous Satellite Three-stage launch vehicle (1st: Liquid, Up to 4 tonne into Geosynchronous
Launch Vehicle Mk-III 2nd: Solid; 3rd: Cryogenic Upper Stage) Transfer Orbits, 8 tonne into Low Earth
(LVM3) Orbits
32
3.3. NAVIC (NAVIGATION WITH INDIAN CONSTELLATION)
Why in News?
Centre is pushing smartphone makers to enable
support for its NavIC navigation system in new devices
from next year.
About NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation)
• Independent stand-alone navigation satellite
system developed by Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO).
o Earlier known as IRNSS (Indian Regional
Navigation Satellite System).
• Coverage: It consists of 7 satellites and covers the
whole of India's landmass and up to 1,500 km from
its boundaries.
• Forthcoming change: To add the L1 Spectrum band
into NavIC which is part of GPS and is the most used
for civilian navigational use.
o Expansion will help to increase its use in civilian
sector and ships, aircraft travelling far from the
country's borders.
• Application: Public vehicle tracking in India, providing emergency warning alerts to fishermen, tracking,
and providing information related to natural disasters.
• Other Global Navigation satellite systems: GPS from U.S., GLONASS from Russia, Galileo from European
Union, and BeiDou from China.
o In addition, there are 2 regional systems viz., NavIC from India and QZSS from Japan.
33
Related News
Airports Authority of India (AAI) successfully conducted flight trials using GAGAN based LPV approach procedure.
• India is the first country in the Asia Pacific Region to achieve such a landmark in field of Air Navigation Services
(ANS).
o LPV (Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance) permits aircraft guided approaches that are operationally
nearly equivalent to Category 1- Instrument Landing System (Cat-1 ILS), without the need for ground-based
navigational infrastructure.
• About GAGAN (GPS Aided GEO Augmented Navigation)
o GAGAN is an Indian Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS) jointly developed by AAI and ISRO for India
and neighbouring countries in the equatorial region.
o It is one among the only four Space-Based augmentation systems available in the world which also includes
US(WAAS) Europe (EGNOS) and Japan (MSAS).
• Benefits of GAGAN: Air traffic control, manage road and railways transport, help farmers in crop spraying etc.
3.4. ARTEMIS I
Why in news?
Recently, NASA’s
Artemis 1 mission
successfully lifted off
from the Kennedy Space
Centre.
About Artemis I mission
• Aim: To build a long-
term human
presence at the
Moon.
• Mission
specifications: An
uncrewed flight test that will provide a foundation for human
deep space exploration.
o With Artemis, NASA is planning to land the first woman on
the Moon.
• First integrated test of NASA’s deep space exploration systems,
which include (refer image).
• Future Missions: Artemis I will be followed by Artemis II
(Planned for 2024) and Artemis III (Planned for 2026)
34
Related Information: Retrograde orbit
• After getting closer to the moon, the Orion spacecraft used the gravitational kick it receives to enter a so-called
"distant retrograde orbit."
o Retrograde means that it will orbit the moon in the opposite direction to the one in which the moon spins.
• Orion will stay in that orbit for some days. Then it will swing back down toward the moon for another kick to help
power its journey back to Earth.
3.5. JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE

Why in news?
James Webb Space Telescope has provided astronomers
with a glimpse of the early universe in a new image.
More about news
• Telescope captured an image of a galaxy cluster
called MACS0647, as well as distant galaxy
MACS0647-JD.
o Scientists believe that this might be an event
of a galaxy merger in the early universe.
• The distant galaxy is visible
because of gravitational
lensing.
About James Webb Space
Telescope
• Also called JWST or Webb, it is
NASA’s largest and most
powerful space science
telescope.
o It was formerly known as
the "Next Generation Space
Telescope" (NGST).
• International collaboration:
between NASA, European
Space Agency (ESA), and
Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
Key features of Webb
• Visibility Spectrum: Webb views
the universe in infrared.
o It will be the only infrared-
specialized telescope in
space that can see long
distances.
• Mirrors: Its primary mirror is 6.5 metres in diameter.
o Larger the mirror area collecting light, more details it
can capture of a star or galaxy.
o Recently, a secondary mirror was also deployed,
reflecting light from primary mirror to the
instruments.
• Location/Orbit: It will not be in orbit around Earth but will
orbit Sun, 1.5 million kilometers away from the Earth at
second Lagrange point or L2.
o L2 lets telescope stay in line with Earth as it moves around Sun.
o This allows satellite's large sunshield to protect telescope from light and heat of Sun and Earth (and
Moon).
35
• Major instruments: Contained
within the Integrated Science
Instrument Module (ISIM) which
is one of three major elements
that comprise JWST.
o The others are Optical
Telescope Element (OTE)
and Spacecraft Element
(Spacecraft Bus and
Sunshield).
• Main instruments: ISIM is main
payload. It houses four main
instruments:
o Near-Infrared Camera
(NIRCam),
o Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec),
o Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) and
o Fine Guidance Sensor/ Near InfraRed Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (FGS/NIRISS).
Comparison between Hubble vs. Webb vs. Herschel
Hubble Webb Herschel Space Observatory
Distance from 507 Km 1.5 million Km at Second Sun-Earth Second Sun-Earth Lagrange
Earth Lagrange point (L2) point (L2)
Primary Mirror 2.4 meter 6.5 meter 3.5 meter
Diameter
Searching for Young Galaxies (12.5 Newborn Galaxies (13.5 billion years Most actively star-forming
billion years ago) ago) galaxies
Serviceable Yes No No
Wavelengths Visible, UV, Part of Near and mid infrared Far infrared and submillimeter
near infrared
3.5.1 OBSERVATIONS MADE BY JWST

New images of Jupiter
• New images of Jupiter presented its massive storms, colourful auroras, faint rings and two small moons
— Amalthea and Adrastea (Nearer to Jupiter).
36
Pillars of Creation (PoC) – Formation of new stars
• James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has captured the iconic PoC where new stars are forming within
dense clouds of gas and dust.
o The three-dimensional pillars are made up
of cool interstellar gas and dust that
appear – at times – semi-transparent in
near-infrared light.
• PoC are located 6,500 light years from Earth, in
the Eagle Nebula of our Milky Way galaxy.
• It will help researchers revamp their models of
star formation by identifying far more precise
counts of newly formed stars, along with the
quantities of gas and dust in the region.
Exo-Moons
• Scientists at Indian Institute of Astrophysics
have developed a model to trace habitable exo-
moons with the help of the James Webb Space
Telescope (JWST).
• About Exo-Moons
o They are natural satellites that revolve
around exoplanets (planets orbiting stars
other than the Sun).
o So far, 5000 exoplanets have been
discovered by using several telescopes (Kepler Hubble space telescopes etc).
o However, the natural satellites or exo-moons around any of these planets still remain untraced.
Other observations made from images revealed by Webb
• SMACS 0723 (Called Webb’s First Deep Field): It is a cluster teeming with thousands of galaxies, including the
faintest objects ever observed in the infrared.
• WASP-96b (spectrum): Hot, puffy planet outside our solar system reveals clear signature of water, along with
evidence of haze and clouds.
• Southern Ring Nebula: This planetary nebula is approximately 2,000 light-years away.
• Stephan’s Quintet: Group of galaxies, located in constellation Pegasus. Webb revealed velocity and composition
of gas near its supermassive black hole.
• Carina Nebula: Webb’s look at “Cosmic Cliffs” in the Carina Nebula unveils the earliest, rapid phases of star
formation that were previously hidden.
• Einstein Ring: Einstein Ring is visible when light from a star or a galaxy passes another galaxy or a massive object
on its way towards Earth.
3.6. PRIVATE SECTOR IN SPACE PROGRAMME OF INDIA

Why in news?
Prime Minister recently
called for higher
participation of the
private sector in the
space programme at
inauguration event of
the headquarters of the
Indian National Space
Promotion and
Authorisation Centre
(IN-SPACe) in
Ahmedabad.
37
Recent initiatives by Private Sector
• Hyderabad's Dhruva Space and Bengaluru's Digantara were authorized by IN-SPACe for launch of
payloads onboard PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM) of PSLV-C53.
• Mission Prarambh: Involved launch of Vikram-S (VKS), India’s first privately built rocket by Hyderabad-
based Skyroot Aerospace.
o VKS is a single-stage spin-stabilized (using 3-D printed solid thrusters) solid propellant rocket.
o Payload Capacity: 290 kg- 560 kg payloads into sun-synchronous polar orbits.
o Launched with support from ISRO and IN-SPACe.
• India’s first private launch pad unveiled at Sriharikota
o Designed by Agnikul (a startup) and executed in support of ISRO and IN-SPACe.
o It is specifically built to support liquid-stage controlled launches.
Reforms taken to promote private players in space sector
• New Space India Limited (NSIL)
o It is country's first public sector undertaking in the space sector and commercial arm of ISRO aimed
at production and marketing of space-based services, also empowered to own the operational launch
vehicles and space assets of ISRO.
• Indian Space Association (ISpA): Launched in 2021, it is the apex, non-profit industry body exclusively
working towards development of private and public Space Industry in India.
• Antrix Corporation Limited: Marketing arm of ISRO to handle ISRO’s commercial deals for satellites and
launch vehicles with foreign customers.
• Space Entrepreneurship & Enterprise Development (SEED): A competitive early-stage encouragement
programme to startups and MSMEs in focus areas of interest to ISRO.
3.7. SPACE SUSTAINABILITY

Why in news?
United Nations Office of Outer SPACE Affairs and government of AUSTRIA organized World Space Forum
(WSF) 2022 under theme “Sustainability in Space for sustainability on Earth”.
More about news
• World Space Forum is a platform, including governmental institutions, international organizations etc., to
promote discussions on the role of space science and technology in global sustainable development.
About Space sustainability
• Space sustainability refers to
ensuring that all humanity can
continue to use outer space for
peaceful purposes and
socioeconomic benefit now and in
the long term.
Threats to space sustainability
• Orbital crowding and Space
Debris: It poses a direct threat to
operations and safety. Physical
crowding of orbits can lead to a
chain reaction called Kessler
syndrome.
• Militarisation and weaponisation
of the space: Development and
testing of destructive anti-
satellite (ASAT) weapons by
countries like US, Russia, China,
and India.
38
• Rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO): It involves altering the trajectory of one or more space
objects to bring them into proximity to each other.
• Space weather can impact satellites by damaging onboard electronics and disrupting communications or
navigation signals.
Initiatives taken towards space
sustainability
Global Initiatives
• U.N. Office for Outer Space
Affairs (UNOOSA): It supports
governments in global space
activities.
• Conference on Disarmament
(CD): It is the international forum
with one of its core focus areas is
the prevention of an arms race in
outer space (PAROS).
• Guidelines on space sustainability: Adopted by U.N. Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space
(COPUOS) in 2019.
• Space Sustainability Rating (SSR): By World Economic Forum to implement sustainable and responsible
space missions.
• ASAT test-ban resolution: A non-binding resolution (India abstained) passed by United Nations General
Assembly (UNGA) calling for a ban on kinetic About Space Situational Awareness
ASAT tests. • SSA refers to knowledge of space environment,
Indian Initiatives assessment of any threats to space activities and
implementation of necessary mitigation measures to
• Project NETRA: Initiated by ISRO to provide safeguard space assets.
first-hand information on the status of debris. • SSA covers three main areas
• Space Situational Awareness: IIIT Delhi is o Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST) of man-
currently working on a research project on SSA. made objects.
o Digantara, a space sector start-up of India, o Space Weather (SWE) monitoring and forecast.
o Near-Earth Objects (NEO) monitoring (only
is going to set-up India's first commercial
natural space objects)
SSA observatory in Garhwal region of
Uttarakhand.
o Further, India and US have also signed a bilateral SSA arrangement.
• SPADEX: To provide in-orbit servicing, ISRO is developing a space docking experiment called ‘SPADEX’.
3.8. SPACE TOURISM

Why in News?
ISRO is developing capabilities towards space tourism
through the demonstration of human space flight
capability to Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
About Space Tourism
• A segment of space travel that allows people to
travel to space for recreational, leisure or business
purposes.
o Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic and Elon Musk’s
SpaceX — are some of the companies that
have entered space tourism.
• Types: Orbital, suborbital, and lunar (moon)
tourism.
39
• Definition of Space
Tourists: No
international space
law has defined.
Existing space
treaties such are only
applicable to
astronauts, envoys
of mankind, or
personnel of a
spacecraft.
• Concerns related to
space tourism:
Impact on human
health, Impact on the
environment,
Passenger Liability
(International
treaties are bereft of
the provisions to
handle the liability of
private entities in space) and High cost.
3.9. BLACK HOLES

Why in News?
The black hole at the centre of the Milky Way
galaxy was photographed for the first time.
More on News
• The first photograph of Sagittarius A*, a
supermassive black hole situated at the
center of the Milky Way, was revealed by
astronomers of the Event Horizon
Telescope (EHT). 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics
• One half was awarded to Roger Penrose for the discovery that
o EHT is an international
black hole formation is a robust prediction of the general
collaboration (of observatories) theory of relativity.
capturing images of black holes • And the other half was awarded jointly to Reinhard Genzel and
using a virtual Earth-sized Andrea Ghez for the discovery of a supermassive compact
telescope. object at the center of our galaxy. A supermassive black hole is
• In 2019, astronomers captured the the only currently known explanation.
first ever photograph of a black hole o They focused on a region called Sagittarius A* at the center
M87 in a distant galaxy called Messier of our galaxy.
87.
General Theory of Relativity
• This theory was proposed by Albert Einstein in 1915.
• Essentially, it’s a theory of gravity whose basic idea is that instead of being an invisible force that attracts objects
to one another, gravity is a curving or warping of space. The more massive an object, the more it warps the space
around it.
o In the first major test of general relativity, astronomers in 1919 measured the deflection of light from distant
stars as the starlight passed by our sun, proving that gravity does, in fact, distort or curve space.
• In 2016, the discovery of gravitational waves (subtle ripples in the fabric of spacetime) was another confirmation
of general relativity.
40
Related news
Tidal Disruption Events (TDEs)
• In 2018, scientists observed a black hole ripping a star into shreds because it got too
close.
• TDE refers to an event when a black hole violently rips apart stars that gets too close.
o When a star comes close to a black hole, gravitational forces will stretch or
“spaghettify” star (see image)
o Then, elongated material spirals around black hole, gets heated up, and creates a
flash that can be detected by us millions of light years away.
41
Binary super massive black hole (SMBH)
• About: Binary SMBH system (system consisting of two black holes in close orbit) was discovered in gravitationally
lensed blazar.
o Blazars are among the most
luminous and energetic
objects in Universe.
• Significance: Help in the future
detection of Gravitational Waves
(GW).
• GW are 'ripples' in space-time
traveling at the speed of light
caused by some of most violent
and energetic processes in
Universe.
o This effect was first
predicted by Einstein’s general theory of relativity.
o GW were first detected in 2015 by Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO).
3.10. DARK MATTER

Why in News? About LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) detector
A test run of LZ detector in U.S. has shown it to be the most • It is designed (underground) to capture dark
sensitive dark matter detector yet created. matter in the form of weakly interacting
massive particles (WIMPs).
About Dark Matter • It consists of a huge titanium tank filled with
extremely pure liquid xenon.
• Visible universe—including Earth, sun, other stars, • Centre of LZ is one of the purest places on
and galaxies—is made of protons, neutrons, and Earth (free of radiation and dust).
electrons bundled together into atoms. • Collaboration of scientists/institutions from
o This ordinary matter, also called baryonic, makes U.S., U.K., Portugal, and Korea.
up less than 5 percent of the mass of universe.
o Rest of the universe appears to be made of a
mysterious, invisible substance called dark matter
(~25 percent) and a force that repels gravity known
as dark energy (~70 percent).
✓ Dark energy is the name given to the mysterious
force that’s causing the rate of expansion of our
universe to accelerate over time, rather than to
slow down.
• Unlike normal matter, dark matter does not interact with
electromagnetic force. This means it does not absorb,
reflect, or emit light, making it extremely hard to spot.
o Scientists study dark matter by
looking at the effects it has on visible
objects.
o It is believed that dark matter is what
gives galaxies extra mass,
generating extra gravity they need
to stay intact.
About Dark Energy

• Universe has been known to be expanding
as a consequence of the Big Bang about 14
billion years ago.
• Dark Energy was first hypothesized by Albert Einstein in 1917 and was represented by a term, the
“cosmological constant”. However, he later rejected the idea of a cosmological constant.
o Subsequently, direct evidence for the existence of this component, which was dubbed dark energy,
was first presented in 1998.
42
• It was discovered that this expansion is accelerating (Nobel Prize in Physics 2011 was awarded to Saul
Perlmutter, Brian Schmidt and Adam Riess for this discovery).
• Dark energy is the name given to the mysterious force that’s causing the rate of expansion of universe
to accelerate over time.
3.11. EARTH RECORDS SHORTEST DAY

Why in News?
According to a report, 29 July 2022 has set the record for the shortest day as Earth completed a full spin in
1.59 milliseconds less than its standard 24 hours.
About Earth’s Spin and Rotation
• Possible reason for increased speed: Changes in the processes in the inner or outer layers of the core,
oceans, tides, or even changes in climate. (Including phenomenon like Chandler Wobble)
• Earth’s spin dynamics: Earth’s spin is About Chandler Wobble
slowing down but the last few years, • It is change in the spin of Earth as it rotates on its axis,
Earth’s spin has been slightly fastened. much as a toy top wobble as it spins.
o To combat the long-term slowdown in • Discovered by: Seth Carlo Chandler in 1890’s.
the Earth’s rotation which is caused by • Time Period to complete one wobble: Around 433 days.
the constant melting and refreezing of Wobble amounts to about 20 feet at the North Pole.
ice caps, leap second to our calendars • Possible Cause: Fluctuating pressure on the bottom of the
were added occasionally. ocean, caused by temperature and salinity changes and
o Leap second was first introduced in wind-driven changes in circulation of the oceans.
1972 by the International Earth
Rotation and Reference Systems Service.
o 27 leap seconds have been added since 1972.The last leap second added was on December 31, 2016.
• Negative leap seconds: If Earth continues to rotate at an increasing rate, negative leap seconds would
need to be introduced to keep the rate of the planet orbiting the Sun consistent with the measurement
from atomic clocks.
o Atomic clocks are designed to measure the precise length of a second, the base unit of modern
timekeeping.
o With an error of only 1 second in up to 100 million years, atomic clocks are among the most accurate
timekeeping devices in history.
• Issues with introduction of Negative leap seconds: Can confuse smartphones, computers, and
communications systems.
3.12. SPACE ORGANISATIONS RELATED DEVELOPMENTS

3.12.1. NASA
Double Asteroid • Recently, NASA crashed DART
Redirection Test mission on binary asteroid system
(DART) Mission Didymos and moonlet to test a
kinetic impactor technology.
o Binary asteroid system is
made up by asteroid
Didymos and its small
moonlet called Dimorphos
and the small moon
(Dimorphos) orbits the
larger body (Didymos).
• DART is a first-of-its-kind
spacecraft, which has been
designed to test a unique method
to deflect an asteroid to change
its motion in space through kinetic impact and save the Earth from an incoming asteroid.
• James Webb Space Telescope and the Hubble telescope were used to track the spacecraft
and keep an eye on the asteroid to see the impact.
43
Stratospheric • NASA is planning to shut down SOFIA telescope that found water on Moon.
Observatory for • SOFIA is an infrared telescope inside Boeing airplane, flying at an altitude around 40k feet
Infrared above the surface.
Astronomy o SOFIA is collaboration between NASA and German Space Agency (DLR).
(SOFIA) mission o It has been collecting data to understand star birth and death and formation of new
solar systems.
o It is designed to observe cosmic objects in far-infrared wavelengths.
• In 2019, SOFIA discovered helium hydride — first molecule formed in Universe almost 14
billion years ago.
3.12.2. INDIAN SPACE RESEARCH ORGANISATION (ISRO)

Hybrid • ISRO has tested hybrid propulsion system for the forthcoming launch vehicles.
propulsion o The motor used Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) as fuel and liquid oxygen
system (LOX) as the oxidizer.
o Unlike solid-solid or liquid-liquid combinations, a hybrid motor uses solid fuel and a
liquid oxidizer.
o The use of liquids facilitates throttling, and the control over the flow rate of LOX
enables the re-start capability.
• Benefits: more efficient, greener and safer to handle.
Successful test of • It is the world’s second largest operational booster using solid propellants
HS200 booster • It is the 'human-rated' version of the S200 rocket boosters used on Geosynchronous Satellite
for Gaganyaan Launch Vehicle Mk-III (GSLV Mk-III), also called the LVM3.
Programme • Gaganyaan envisages undertaking the demonstration of indigenous capability to undertake
human spaceflight to Low Earth Orbit (an orbit of 2,000km or less).
o Until now only US, Russia and China have managed to send manned missions to outer
space.
Inflatable • ISRO has successfully tested IAD technology to land missions on Venus & Mars.
Aerodynamic • IAD is used for aerodynamically decelerating an object descending through the atmosphere.
Decelerator (IAD) • IAD has huge potential in variety of space applications like recovery of spent stages of rocket,
for landing payloads on to Mars or Venus and in making space habitat for human space flight
missions.
• IAD is made of Kevlar fabric coated with polychloroprene.
o Kevlar has properties like high tensile strength, toughness, thermal stability etc.
Rohini Sounding • ISRO launched Rohini RH-200 sounding rocket.
Rockets • Sounding rockets are one or two stage solid propellant rockets used for probing the upper
atmospheric regions and for space research.
o Rohini Sounding Rockets is a two-stage rocket capable of climbing to a height of 70 km
bearing scientific payloads.
• The 1st sounding rocket was launched in 1963 from Thumba (beginning of Indian Space
Programme).
o ISRO started to launch indigenous sounding rockets in 1965.
o First sounding rocket to be launched from India was American Nike-Apache in 1963.
RISAT-2 satellite • ISRO’s RISAT-2 satellite, has made an uncontrolled re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere.
• RISAT 2 is a radar-imaging satellite which was part of RISAT programme of ISRO.
o It weighs only about 300 kg and was launched by the PSLV-C12 launch vehicle in 2009.
• The RISAT satellites are equipped with a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) that can take
pictures of the earth during day and night, and also under cloudy conditions.
• It helps round-the-clock border surveillance along with checking infiltration and keeping an
eye on terror or anti-national activities across the borders.
Aditya L1 mission • It will study about Sun’s corona, solar emissions, solar winds and flares, and Coronal Mass
Ejections (CMEs), and will carry out round-the-clock imaging of Sun.
• Aditya 1 (meant to observe only solar corona) was renamed as Aditya-L1 (Lagrangian Point 1).
• Other solar missions: European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe.
SpaceTech • ISRO has signed an MoU with Social Alpha to launch SpIN.
Innovation • SpIN is India’s first dedicated platform for innovation, curation, and venture development
Network (SpIN) for the space entrepreneurial ecosystem.
o It has launched its first innovation challenge.
o Selected start-ups and innovators will be able to access both Social Alpha’s and ISRO’s
infrastructure and resources.
44
3.13.1. SPACE PHENOMENON AND EXPERIMENTS
Solar Eclipse • A solar eclipse occurs when Moon gets between
Earth and Sun, and moon casts a shadow over
Earth.
o Solar eclipses happen only at the new moon
phase.
• Different types of solar eclipses are:
o Total solar eclipse: When moon passes
between Sun and Earth, completely blocking
face of Sun. It is only visible from a small area
on Earth.
o Partial solar eclipse: When sun, moon and
Earth are not exactly lined up. Only a part of
the Sun will appear to be covered, giving it a
crescent shape.
o Annular solar eclipse: When moon is farthest
from Earth. It does not block entire view of
the sun. This looks like a ring
around the moon.
o Hybrid solar eclipse: Because
Earth's surface is curved,
sometimes an eclipse can shift
between annular and total as
Moon’s shadow moves across
the globe.
Blood Moon • Blood Moon was witnessed in parts of India.

• Blood Moon, commonly known as total lunar eclipse, occurs when moon passes through
darkest part of Earth's
shadow, known as the umbra.
o It is called blood moon
because of reddish hue.
• Other Types of Lunar Eclipse:
o Partial Lunar Eclipse:
When only a part of moon
enters earth’s shadow.
o Penumbral Lunar Eclipse:
When the moon enters
the Earth’s penumbra.
Geomagnetic • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued two geomagnetic storm
Storm (GMS) watches.
• GMS is a disturbance in the earth’s magnetosphere, which is the area around the planet
controlled by its magnetic field.
o When Coronal Mass Ejections (CME) collide with the Earth, it causes GMS.
o CME is a large expulsion of plasma and magnetic field from the sun’s corona, or upper
atmosphere.
• Impact of geomagnetic storms: Disrupt high-frequency radio broadcasts and global
positioning system (GPS) devices, damage satellite electronics, can affect power supply on
earth.
Coronal Holes • NASA’s Solar Dynamics observatory observed the phenomenon of coronal holes in ultraviolet
light as these are typically invisible to our eyes.
• About Coronal holes
45
o Coronal holes are regions on the sun’s surface from where fast solar wind gushes out
into space.
o Because they contain little solar material, they have lower temperatures and thus appear
much darker than their surroundings.
o The holes are not a unique phenomenon, appearing throughout the sun’s approximately
11-year solar cycle.
o These coronal holes can cause a solar storm on Earth as they release a complex stream
of solar winds.
Sunspots • A sunspot, called AR3038, grew to almost twice its size in the span of 24 hours.
• Sunspots are areas that appear dark on the surface of the Sun. They appear dark because they
are cooler than other parts of the Sun’s surface.
• Sunspots are relatively cool as they form at areas where magnetic fields are particularly
strong thus keeping some of the heat within Sun from reaching the surface.
o Magnetic field lines near sunspots can cause a sudden explosion of energy called a solar
flare.
Fast Radio Bursts • Astronomers have reported a FRB whose characteristics are different from almost all other
(FRBs) FRBs previously detected.
• FRBs are bright bursts of radio waves whose durations lie in the millisecond-scale, because
of which it is difficult to detect them and determine their position in the sky.
o Radio waves can be produced by astronomical objects with changing magnetic fields.
• Origins of FRBs are unknown, and their appearance is unpredictable.
Gamma Ray • In a first-of-its-kind detection,
Bursts (GRBs) astronomers recorded binary
merger emitting long GRB
twinned with a kilonova
emissions.
o Traditionally associated
with short GRB, Kilonovae
occur when two compact
objects, like binary neutron
stars or a neutron star and
a black hole, collide.
• GRBs are flashes of high-energy radiation arising from energetic cosmic explosions.
• GRBs are the most powerful explosions universe has seen since the Big Bang.
o They are brief, but intense, flashes of gamma radiation.
• They produce as much energy as Sun will emit during its entire 10-billion-year existence.
Betelgeuse • It is the bright red supergiant
on the shoulder of Orion.
o A red giant is a dying star
in the final stages of
stellar evolution.
• In late 2019, Betelgeuse star
got fainter than ever before.
• Now the researchers believe
that in 2019 Betelgeuse likely
underwent an enormous
surface mass ejection (SME)
where it ejected 400 billion
times more mass than a
typical event on other stars.
o An SME happens when a star expels large amounts of plasma and magnetic flux into the
surrounding space. However, the exact cause behind this SME is unclear.
White dwarfs • According to a recent study by Indian scientists study of cosmic dust from a white dwarf and
companion star could unravel mysteries behind start of life.
• White dwarfs are stars that have burned up all of hydrogen they once used as nuclear fuel.
• Cosmic dust is made of various elements, such as carbon, oxygen, iron and other atoms
heavier than hydrogen and helium.
o It is the stuff of which planets and people are made, and it is essential for star formation.
Saturn • A new study has suggested that a pre-existing moon of Saturn, named Chrysalis, left it with
Mysterious Rings its bright rings and extreme tilt.
and Tilt • Saturn is the 6th planet from the Sun and 2nd largest planet of our solar system.
46
o Saturn has an axial tilt of 26.73 degrees
o Saturn has 7 rings and are composed of water ice particles ranging from microns to tens
of meters in size.
o Other planets with rings include Jupiter, Neptune and Uranus.
Plants in Moon • Scientists have for the first time successfully grown plants in the Moon's soil.
soil • This lunar soil, also called regolith, was brought to Earth from the Moon by the Apollo-era
astronauts.
• Researchers have grown the hardy and well-studied Arabidopsis thaliana in the nutrient-poor
lunar regolith.
o Arabidopsis thaliana, native to Eurasia and Africa, is a relative of mustard greens and
other cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts.
3.13.2. SPACE OBJECTS

New asteroid • Astronomers discovered new PHA named 2022 AP7.
2022 AP7 o It is the largest object that is potentially hazardous to Earth to be discovered in the last
discovered eight years.
o It was 1.5 kilometer wide. Any asteroid over 1km in size is considered a planet killer.
• It will cross Earth's orbit, which makes it potentially hazardous asteroid (PHA).
• PHA are defined based on parameters that measure the asteroid’s potential to make
threatening close approaches to the Earth.
Exoplanets • Scientists have now detected barium in the upper atmosphere of two giant exoplanet (WASP-
76b and WASP-121b) for the first time.
o WASP-76b and WASP-121b are Ultra-hot Jupiters, a class of hot gaseous planets that
matches the size of Jupiter.
o But they have short orbital periods, unlike Jupiter.
• Most of the exoplanets discovered so far are in a relatively small region of Milky Way galaxy.
Bernardinelli- • NASA has confirmed that Bernardinelli-Bernstein comet is indeed the largest icy comet
Bernstein comet nucleus ever seen by astronomers.
o Comets are large objects made of dust and ice that orbit the Sun.
• About Bernardinelli-Berstein comet:
o Officially called C/2014 UN271, it has an estimated diameter of almost 129 kilometres.
o Mass is estimated to be around 500 trillion tonnes.
• It is believed to have originated in the Oort cloud (only a theoretical concept), a distant region
of the solar system that is predicted to be the source of most comets.
3.13.3. MISCELLANEOUS
Dark SKY Reserve • Department of Science & Technology has announced setting up of India’s first dark sky
reserve at Hanle in Ladakh as a part of Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary.
o It will be one of the world’s highest-located sites for optical, infra-red, and gamma-ray
telescopes.
• Dark Sky Reserve is a place that has policies to ensure that a tract of land or region has
minimal artificial light interference.
o International Dark Sky Association, a U.S.-based non-profit, designates places as
International Dark Sky Places, parks, sanctuaries and reserves, depending on criteria
they meet.
• Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO), high-altitude station of Indian Institute of
Astrophysics, is also located atop Mt. Saraswati in Nilamkhul Plain in the Hanle Valley.
o Other Prominent telescopes at IAO: Himalayan Chandra Telescope, High Energy Gamma
Ray telescope (HAGAR), Major Atmospheric Cherenkov Experiment Telescope (MACE),
GROWTH etc.
Sampurnanand • SOT, located at ARIES, Manora Peak, Nainital (Uttarakhand), completed 50 years of
Optical Telescope operations.
(SOT) o Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) specializes in
observational Astronomy & Astrophysics and Atmospheric Sciences.
• SOT’s major instruments: Cassegrain plate holder, Meinel camera, photoelectric photometer,
polarimeter etc.
• SOT has been used for optical observations of comets, occultation by planets and asteroids,
star forming regions and star clusters, active galactic nuclei, etc.
• Important discovery made: discovery of rings of Neptune; contributed to detection of rings
around Uranus and additional rings around Saturn; first detection of optical afterglows of
47
Gamma-ray-bursts (GRBs); micro-lensing event; discovery of quakes in various stars (under
Nainital-Cape Survey program) etc.
Shaped Antenna • SARAS 3 has helped determine properties of the earliest radio luminous galaxies formed 200
measurement of million years after the Big Bang, a period known as the Cosmic Dawn.
the background • SARAS 3 is a precision radio telescope to detect extremely faint radio wave signals from
Radio Spectrum Cosmic Dawn.
(SARAS 3) o It is the first telescope worldwide to reach the required sensitivity.
Telescope • It is indigenously designed and built at Raman Research Institute (an autonomous institute
of the Department of Science & Technology).
• It is deployed over Dandiganahalli Lake and Sharavati backwaters, in Karnataka.
Liquid-Mirror • LMT, India’s first and Asia’s largest liquid-mirror telescope, is commissioned at the Devasthal
Telescope (LMT) Observatory of Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) in Nainital
(Uttarakhand).
o ARIES is an autonomous institute under Department of Science and Technology.
• LMT will observe asteroids, supernovae, space debris and all other celestial objects.
• Built by astronomers from India, Belgium and Canada, LMT employs a rotating mirror made
up of a thin film of liquid mercury (a reflective liquid) to collect and focus light.
• LMT, having a primary mirror that is liquid, cannot be turned and pointed in any direction and
watches the sky as the Earth rotates.
Space Bricks • Researchers from ISRO and Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have developed a way to make
bricks of complex shapes from Martian soil with the help of bacteria and urea.
• First slurry was made by mixing Martian soil with guar gum, a bacterium called Sporosarcina
pasteurii, urea and nickel chloride (NiCl2).
o Bacteria convert the urea into crystals of calcium carbonate.
o These crystals, along with biopolymers secreted by microbes, act as cement holding soil
particles together.
• In the past, the team had made bricks out of lunar soil using a similar method.
Tiangong • China successfully launched final module for Tiangong, a space station that Chinese Manned
Space Agency (CMSA) is building in low Earth orbit.
• It is set to be the second permanently inhabited outpost in low-Earth orbit after the NASA-
led International Space Station (ISS).
o Chinese astronauts are currently excluded from ISS because US law bans NASA from
sharing its data with China.
• Tiangong will be much smaller and lighter than ISS.
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4. HEALTH
4.1. TRADITIONAL MEDICINE
Why in News? Initiatives by India to Promote its T&CM i.e. AYUSH system
Recently, WHO Director-General laid • National AYUSH Mission (NAM): to promote AYUSH medical
the foundation stone for world's first systems.
• Champion Services Sector Scheme for Medical value Travel: To
and only Global Centre for Traditional
amplify medical tourism in the field of Ayush.
Medicine (GCTM) at Jamnagar in
• Ayush Export Promotion Council (AEPC).
Gujarat.
• The AYURSWASTHYA YOJANA: To roll out authentic and classical
About Traditional Medicine Ayush Interventions.
• AYUSH Information Cell in several countries to disseminate
• According to WTO, Traditional authentic information about AYUSH systems.
medicine (TM) is the sum of the
knowledge, skill, and practices based on the
theories, beliefs, and experiences
indigenous to different cultures, for
treatment of physical and mental illness.
o Complementary medicine (CM) or
alternative medicine refers to health
care practices that are not part of that
country’s own tradition or conventional
medicine and are not fully integrated
into the dominant health-care system.
✓ They are used interchangeably with
traditional medicine in some
countries.
• India’s traditional and complementary
medicines (T&CM) consists of AYUSH
(Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and
Homeopathy) and Sowa Rigpa.
o It is regulated by the Ministry of AYUSH.
• According to WHO, 170 WHO member countries have acknowledged their use of T&CM since 2018.
Related News
Ministry of Ayush and Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) formulated regulations for ‘Ayurveda
Aahara’ products.
• Regulations have been framed to ensure the manufacturing of quality Ayurveda food products and to help in
expanding the international market for Make-In-India products.
• Key highlights of the regulations
o Manufacturing and marketing of ‘Ayurveda Aahara’ products will now adhere to strict Food Safety and
Standards (Ayurveda Aahara) Regulations, 2022 rules.
o Prior approval for ‘Ayurveda Aahara’ shall be in accordance with Food Safety and Standards (Approval for
Non-Specific Food and Food Ingredients) Regulation, 2017.
o A special logo has been created for “Ayurveda Aahara” category, which will enable easier identification and
reinforce quality in Ayurveda food products.
o ‘Ayurveda Aahara’ will not include Ayurvedic drugs or proprietary Ayurvedic medicines and medicinal
products, cosmetics, narcotic or psychotropic substances and herbs.
Cabinet approved widening access to Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL)
• Until now, access to complete TKDL database is restricted to 14 Patent Offices worldwide for purposes of search
and examination.
• About TKDL
o TKDL, first of its kind globally, is a database of Indian traditional knowledge established in 2001, by Council
of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Ministry of AYUSH.
o It contains information related to Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa, and Yoga in five international
languages (English, German, French, Japanese and Spanish).
o It seeks to prevent misappropriation of country's traditional medicinal knowledge through patenting
worldwide.
49
4.2. TUBERCULOSIS
Why in news?
Recently, World Health Organization (WHO) released new guidance to support National Strategic Planning
(NSP) for the tuberculosis (TB).
More on news
• NSP for TB guides how to comprehensively address TB epidemic through goal(s), strategies, priority
interventions within health and across other sectors.
o Each goal must be defined in line with SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-
bound) criteria.
o Current document is an update to 2015 Toolkit to develop a NSP for TB prevention, care, and control.
50
Steps taken to eliminate Tuberculosis Related News
• India’s efforts: Short anti-TB regimen ‘BPaL’ gets global nod as trials
‘positive’
o National Strategic Plan (NSP), 2017-2025:
• BPaL has shown favourable outcomes in TB patients.
To eliminate TB by 2025, five years ahead o BPaL is a 6-month, all-oral, three-drug regimen
of the SDG 2030 target. that is used to treat people with highly drug-
o National Tuberculosis Elimination resistant forms of TB.
Program (NTEP): Has expanded o BPaL is a combination of three newer antibiotics,
laboratory network as well as diagnostic namely bedaquiline, pretomanid and linezolid.
facilities to cover the entire country. o TB Alliance's BPaL regimen to reduce TB treatment
✓ Earlier, it was known as Revised time from 18 months to 6 months.
National Tuberculosis Control o TB Alliance is not-for-profit organization.
Program (RNTCP).
o NIKSHAY Portal: It is the National TB information system to manage patient information and monitor
program activity throughout the country.
✓ It provides a National Data repository of TB information for advanced analytics.
o NIKSHAY Poshan Yojana: Provides DBT to all TB patients towards nutritional support.
✓ Scheme, by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, is financed by Government of India, with partial
financing provided through World Bank.
o TB Free India Campaign launched by Prime Minister to eliminate TB by 2025.
o ‘PathoDetect™ kit’, by Pune based Mylab: India’s first indigenous TB Detection kit-Single test can
detect tuberculosis and MDR TB.
• Global commitments and efforts taken to eliminate TB
o Moscow Declaration, 2017: To increase multisectoral action and enhance accountability towards
ending TB by 2030
o WHO End TB Strategy: To reduce TB incidence by 80%, TB deaths by 90%, and to eliminate catastrophic
costs for TB-affected households by 2030.
o Find. Treat. All. #EndTB: It is the joint Initiative of WHO, Stop TB Partnership, and Global Fund to
diagnose treat and report 40 million people with TB.
4.3. ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE (AMR)

Why in News? About GLASS
• Aim: To provide a standardized approach to the collection, analysis and
Recently, WHO released Global
sharing of AMR data by countries.
Antimicrobial Resistance and o 2022 GLASS Report, for the first time, included data on antibiotic
Use Surveillance System consumption at the national level.
(GLASS) report. • Types of infection and pathogens covered in GLASS:
About Antimicrobial Resistance • Pathogens included in GLASS are: Acinetobacter spp., E. coli, Klebsiella
pneumoniae, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Salmonella spp., Shigella spp.,
(AMR)
Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pneumoniae.
• AMR is the ability of a
microorganism (like bacteria, viruses, and some
parasites) to stop an antimicrobial (such as
antibiotics, antivirals and antimalarials) from
working against it.
o WHO has declared AMR as one of the top 10
global public health threats facing humanity.
o Antibiotic resistance has been found in all
regions of the world.
• Impacts of AMR: Inability to treat common
infections, increased threat to medical procedures
such as organ transplantation, adverse impact on
animal health, Endangers SDGs etc.
51
Initiatives taken for tackling AMR
• Global
o Global Action Plan on AMR during the 2015 World Health Assembly.
o WHO is working closely with Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Organisation for
Animal Health in a ‘One Health’ approach to tackle AMR.
o Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership, a joint initiative of WHO and the Drugs for
Neglected Diseases Initiative.
• By India
o National programme on AMR containment (2012-17)
o National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance
o Red Line campaign to discourage the over the-counter sale of antibiotics.
o FSSAI guidelines limiting the antibiotics in food products.
o A separate Schedule H-1 incorporated in Drug and Cosmetic rules to regulate sale of antimicrobials.
Related News
• WHO released the first-ever report on the pipeline of the vaccines to prevent infections by AMR bacterial
pathogens.
• Vaccines are available against four priority bacterial pathogens: Pneumococcal disease (Streptococcus
pneumonia), Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b), Tuberculosis (mycobacterium tuberculosis), and Typhoid fever
(Salmonella Typhi).
o Current BCG vaccines do not adequately protect against TB.
o Remaining three vaccines are effective.
4.4. SELF-AMPLIFYING MESSENGER RNA (MRNA) VACCINE

Why in News?
A Self-amplifying messenger RNA
(mRNA) vaccine, ARCT-154, developed
by Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings (US),
showed promising results against Covid-
19 .
About mRNA Vaccine
• Unlike conventional vaccines that
inject a weakened form of a virus or
bacteria into the body, RNA vaccines
use part of virus’ own genes to
stimulate an immune response.
• A conventional mRNA vaccine, such as those from Pfizer and Moderna, uses mRNA that encodes the spike
protein of the coronavirus.
o mRNA vaccines teach cells how to make copies of the spike protein that triggers an immune response
inside human bodies, when actual infection takes place.
• A self-amplifying mRNA vaccine is an improvement over the traditional mRNA as it encodes four extra
proteins in addition to the vaccine antigen, and these enable amplification of original strand of RNA once
inside the cell.
• Advantage of self-amplifying mRNA vaccine over conventional mRNA vaccine: making storage easy,
minimizing dose of RNA, and lowering the cost of vaccines.
Related Information
DNA and RNA Vaccines
• In DNA vaccines, a piece of DNA encoding the antigen is first inserted into a bacterial plasmid and then these DNA
plasmids are usually injected into muscles and then enabled to reach cells.
o Plasmid is a circular piece of DNA used by a bacterium to store and share genes which may benefit its survival.
• Whereas, RNA vaccine uses a copy of a natural chemical called messenger RNA (mRNA) to produce an immune
response in humans.
✓ mRNA teaches cells how to make a protein that triggers an immune response.
• DNA vaccine is more stable than RNA vaccine.
• Unlike RNA vaccine, DNA vaccines have potential to integrate into host cell genome.
52
4.5. ONE HEALTH
Why in news?
Recently, four multilateral agencies have
launched a One Health Joint Plan of
Action (2022-2026) (OH JPA).
About One Health Joint Plan of Action
(2022-2026) (OH JPA)
• Launched by: the ‘Quadripartite’
comprising:
o United Nations (UN) Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO),
o UN Environment Programme
(UNEP),
o World Health Organization
(WHO)
o World Organisation for Animal
Health.
• Aim: Mitigating the health challenges at global, regional, and country levels by creating a framework and
integrating systems and capacity to collectively prevent health threats.
• Implementation: 2022-2026 Other Global initiatives
Steps taken in India to implement One • The Pilanesberg Resolution, 2001: For donors and governmental
authorities to consider potential wildlife health impacts in
health approach
development projects.
• One Health Support Unit (OHSU) by • One World-One Health: Introduced by The Wildlife Conservation
Department of Animal Husbandry Society in 2007 along with 12 recommendations (Manhattan
and Dairying, to develop a national Principles) to prevent epidemic disease and maintaining
One Health Framework. ecosystem integrity.
• National Framework for One Health, 2021 by FAO guides towards
o The framework is aimed at
overcoming the systemic barriers to implement the One Health
improving national and State- approach.
level resource allocation and
policy ecosystem of zoonotic diseases.
o Under it, the pilot project are being implemented in states like Uttarakhand and Karnataka.
• National Mission on Biodiversity and Human Well-being: Launched by Prime Minister’s Science,
Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC).
• ‘One Health’ project: By Department of Biotechnology to carry out surveillance of zoonotic as well as
transboundary pathogens in India.
4.6. FIRST-EVER FUNGAL PRIORITY PATHOGENS LIST (FPPL)

Why in News?
World Health Organisation
(WHO) has released the first-
ever fungal priority pathogens
list (FPPL).
About Fungal pathogens
• Fungal pathogens are a
major threat to public
health as:
o Most fungal pathogens
lack rapid, sensitive, and
affordable diagnostics.
53
o Only four classes of antifungal medicines (azoles,
echinocandins, pyrimidines and polyenes) currently available.
o Incidence and geographic range of fungal diseases are
expanding worldwide due to global warming and increase of
international travel and trade.
o Fungi that cause common infections become increasingly
resistant to treatment.
About Fungal Priority Pathogens List
• FPPL includes 19 fungi categorised as critical, high, and medium
priority.
4.7. FOOD SAFETY

Why in news?
Food Safety and Standards
Authority of India (FSSAI)
released the State Food Safety
Index (SFSI) 2021-22.
About State Food Safety Index
(SFSI)
• Released annually since its
inception in 2018-19.
54
• Aim: Encouraging states and UTs to establish a proper food safety ecosystem in their jurisdiction.
• Findings of State Food Safety Index 2021-2022
o Top-Ranking Large States: Tamil Nadu followed by Gujarat and Maharashtra.
o Top-Ranking Small states: Goa followed by Manipur and Sikkim.
o Top-Ranking UTs: Jammu & Kashmir followed by Delhi and Chandigarh.
4.8. RICE FORTIFICATION

Why in news?
Recently, the Department of Food and
Public Distribution has issued Standard
Operating Procedure (SOP) to maintain
desired quality standards for
implementation of ‘Rice Fortification’.
About Standard Operating Procedure
(SOP)
• Aim: To address malnutrition, anaemia
and micronutrient deficiencies.
• SOP in brief
o Rice Specification: Milled rice in
which Fortified Rice Kernels (FRK) will be blended should comply with rice specification as per Food
Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011.
o Packaging of fortified food: Takes into consideration the nature of the fortificant added and its effect
on the shelf life of such
food. About food fortification
✓ Fortified food package • Deliberately increasing the content of essential micronutrients in a
food to improve the nutritional quality of food and to provide public
shall contain,
health benefit with minimal risk to health.
“Fortified with (name
• Regulation: Under Food Safety Standards (Fortification of Foods)
of the fortificant)” Regulation, 2018.
and the +F logo on its • Fortified food means a food, as specified under the FSSAI Regulation,
label. It may also carry 2011 that has undergone the process of fortification as per the
a tagline “Sampoorna provisions of these regulations.
Poshan Swasth • In India, wheat flour and rice are fortified with Iron, Vitamin B12 and
Jeevan” under the Folic Acid, Milk and Edible Oil with Vitamins A and D and Double
logo. Fortified Salt with Iodine and Iron.
✓ Food fortified with
Iron shall carry a warning statement for People with Thalassemia.
55
About Rice Fortification
• It is a process of adding micronutrients to rice.
o Rice, when fortified, shall contain mandatory micronutrients (Iron, Folic Acid, and Vitamin B12), or
optional (Zinc, Vitamin A, Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin, and Pyridoxine) as per levels given by Food
Safety and Standards (Fortification of Foods) Regulations, 2018.
• According to the FSSAI norms, fortified rice shall contain iron, folic acid and Vitamin B-12.
o In addition, rice may also be fortified with micronutrients such as zinc, Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Vitamin
B2, Vitamin B3 and Vitamin
B6.
• Technologies to add
micronutrients to regular rice:
o Dusting: Adds
micronutrients onto the
surface of the rice grains
using electrostatic force.
✓ This technology
provides limited
nutrient protection
when rice is washed,
soaked or cooked in
excess water, which is then discarded.
o Coating and extrusion: It is two-step process. First, coating or extrusion technology is used to
produce fortified kernels and second the fortified kernels are blended with non-fortified rice at a
ratio of 0.5% to 2%.
• In India, rice is fortified using extrusion technology in which milled rice is pulverized and mixed with a
premix containing vitamins and minerals.
o FRK is added to traditional rice in ratio ranging from 1:50 to 1: 200.
4.9. ORAL REHYDRATION SOLUTION

Why in News?
Dr Dilip Mahalanabis who pioneered the proper practical, emergency use of oral rehydration solution,
commonly known by its abbreviation “ORS,” for diarrhoeal diseases passed away recently.
More on News
• Dr Dilip Mahalanabis was working in refugee camps during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation war when he
came up with ORS.
• In 2002, Dr Dilip Mahalanabis along with Dr Nathaniel F Pierce was awarded the Pollin Prize by Columbia
University (considered the equivalent of Nobel in peadiatrics).
About Oral rehydration salts (ORS)
• ORS are a mixture of electrolytes (salts) and carbohydrates (in the form of sugar) dissolved in water.
o They are used to replace salts and water that the body loses during dehydration caused by
gastroenteritis, diarrhoea or vomiting.
o The electrolytes are potassium and sodium.
• These components maximize fluid absorption in the gastrointestinal tract.
o The gastrointestinal tract relies on sodium-glucose cotransporters (SGLTs), which are carrier proteins
in the intestinal cells.
✓ Cotransporters help move substances across membranes.
o Specifically, SGLTs pair together sodium and glucose transport in the small intestine. This allows
glucose to increase the absorption of fluids.
o Additionally, sodium needs glucose to be properly absorbed. Therefore, ORS contains both glucose
and sodium.
• Since 1975, the WHO and UNICEF have used ORS to treat dehydration due to diarrhea.
o It’s commonly used in countries with limited access to clean water or other hydration options.
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4.10. DISEASES IN NEWS
4.10.1. VIRAL DISEASES
Monkeypox • Monkeypox satisfied the
• According to IHR, an outbreak qualifies as a
requirement of a public health
PHEIC if it’s unusual or unexpected, has
emergency of international
potential for international spread, and requires
concern (PHEIC) under the
an immediate international response.
WHO's International Health
o Once it spreads internationally, it is
Regulations (IHR),2005.
declared as a Pandemic.
o WHO recently
recommended new name • IHR, 2005 is a binding international legal
“mpox” for monkeypox agreement involving 196 countries across the
disease as the current globe, including all the Member States of WHO.
name was perceived to be
racist and stigmatising.
• Monkeypox is zoonotic disease caused by the virus belonging to the Orthopoxvirus genus.
o The Orthopoxvirus genus also includes variola virus (which causes smallpox), vaccinia virus
(used in the smallpox vaccine), and cowpox virus.
• It was first discovered in 1958, largely occurring close to tropical rainforests of Central and West
Africa.
• Animal-to-human transmission can occur from direct contact with the blood, bodily fluids, or
cutaneous or mucosal lesions of infected animals.
Human • Cervavac’, the country’s first quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine (qHPV) approved for
Papilloma market authorization.
Virus (HPV) o Manufactured by: Serum Institute of India.
• HPV is a sexually transmitted virus that may cause cervical cancer.
• Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer of women in India despite being largely
preventable.
• Cervical cancer can be eliminated if all prepubertal girls are given HPV vaccination globally.
Epstein Barr • As per a recent study, Cancer-causing EBV can infect the neuronal cells leading to diseases of
Virus (EBV) the central nervous system and brain cancer.
o Conducted by: IIT Indore under the ‘Fund for Improvement of S&T Infrastructure (FIST)
scheme’
• EBV viruses are widely present in the human population.
• They are usually harmless, but the virus gets reactivated inside the body in some unusual
conditions like immunological stress or immunocompetent.
Zombie Virus • Zombie virus is virus emerged due to thawing of permafrost as global temperature is rising.
o Researchers examined ancient viruses samples collected from permafrost in the Siberia
region of Russia.
• The oldest virus is 48,500 years old, called Pandoravirus yedoma.
o Pandoravirus was discovered below the bottom of a lake in Yukechi Alas in Yakutia, Russia.
• It has the potential to be infectious and hence pose a "health danger" after researching live
cultures.
Marburg virus • Ghana has reported first-ever suspected cases of MVD.
disease (MVD) • It’s a highly infectious viral hemorrhagic fever with a fatality ratio of up to 88 percent.
o It was first identified in 1967 in Germany’s Marburg and Frankfurt.
• It belongs to same family as Ebola.
• Fruit bats of Pteropodidae Family are key carriers of the disease.
• It is transmitted to people from fruit bats and spreads among humans through human-to-
human transmission.
• Currently there are no vaccines or antiviral treatments approved for MVD.
African Swine • Recently, ASF cases have been reported from Bihar.
Fever (ASF) • ASF is a highly contagious and deadly viral disease affecting pigs and wild boar with up to 100%
case fatality rate.
o ASF is not a threat to human health and cannot be transmitted from pigs to humans.
o Currently, there is no effective vaccine against ASF.
o It was first reported in India in 2019.
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Tomato Flu • Tomato flu has been reported from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, and Odisha.
(Tomato • It is characterised by fever, joint pain, and red, tomato-like rashes usually seen in children below
Fever) age of five years and adults with weaker immunity.
o It is caused by a virus and shows symptoms similar to those of COVID-19 but is not related
to SARS COV-2.
o There is no specific treatment or vaccine available for disease.
Lumpy Skin • Recently, Lumpi-ProVacInd vaccine has been developed by Indian Council of Agricultural
Disease (LSD) Research (ICAR).
o It is a homologous, live attenuated vaccine specifically targeted to protect cattle against
LSD virus.
• LSD is a vector-borne pox disease that is caused by Capripoxvirus and is an emerging threat to
livestock worldwide.
o It is genetically related to the goat pox and sheep pox virus family.
• LSD infects cattle and water buffalo mainly through vectors such as blood-feeding insects.
• The disease has been endemic in most African countries, and since 2012 it has spread rapidly
through the Middle East, Southeast Europe and West and Central Asia.
o LSD was reported for the first time in India in 2019 from Odisha.
• The disease is not zoonotic, meaning it does not spread from animals to humans.
White spot • Scientists from Agharkar Research Institute (ARI) have developed and patented a diagnostic
syndrome tool that detects WSSV.
virus (WSSV) o ASI is an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology.
• About WSSV
o It as DNA based highly contagious viral infection of crustaceans that can cause high levels
of mortality in cultured shrimp.
o The virus infects only crustaceans (prawns, lobsters and crabs etc.) and appears not to be
related to any other known viruses.
o At present there is no treatment available to interfere with the unrestrained occurrence and
spread of the disease.
Porcine Virus • Porcine virus is identified as the possible reason for death of the first patient to have
xenotransplantation (animal to human transplants).
• Porcine Virus is a herpes virus found in the tissues throughout the body including the nose of
newborn piglets where it causes inflammation (rhinitis).
• It is common among pigs across the world while similar infections with related viruses occur in
many other species.
• Eight Herpes Viruses routinely infect only humans such as Herpes Simplex Virus types 1 and 2
Canine • The Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre completed the first trials of the Canine Distemper
Distemper Virus (CDV) vaccine for the Asiatic lion.
• Canine distemper is caused by the paramyxovirus virus and it spreads through body fluids like
infected urine, blood and saliva.
o The virus attacks the respiratory, gastrointestinal and nervous systems of puppies and dogs
and can be transmitted to lions, tigers, leopards and other wild cats as well as seals.
o There is no known cure for CDV.
Acute • AES is characterized as acute-onset of fever and a change in mental status and/or new-onset of
Encephalitis seizures in a person of any age at any time of the year.
Syndrome • It most commonly affects children and young adults and can lead to considerable morbidity and
(AES) mortality.
• Viruses are the main causative agents in AES cases, although other sources such as bacteria,
fungus, parasites, spirochetes, chemicals, toxins and non-infectious agents have also been
reported.
Avian • Centre has deployed a high-level team to Kerala to investigate Avian Influenza Outbreak.
Influenza or • About Avian Influenza
Bird flu o It is a viral disease which is contagious and can spread from one bird to other birds and
animals.
o It is caused by Influenza Type A viruses which generally affect poultry birds such as
chickens and turkeys.
o Depending on the origin host, influenza A viruses can be classified as avian influenza (H5N1,
H9N2 etc.), swine influenza (H1N1 and H3N2), etc.
• It also effects humans through direct contact with infected animals or contaminated
environments.
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4.10.2. OTHER DISEASES
Africa's 1st • Gavi, the global vaccine alliance, announced support for the rollout of the first malaria vaccine in
Malaria Africa (starting with Ghana, Kenya and Malawi) from 2022-2025.
Vaccine • Malaria is caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through infected female Anopheles
mosquitoes.
o 5 parasite species cause malaria in humans, and 2 of this:
✓ P. falciparum (most prevalent on African continent) and P. vivax (prevalent outside of sub-
Saharan Africa)– pose greatest threat.
Kala Azar • Also known as Black fever, or Visceral Leishmaniasis it is a protozoan parasitic disease, spread by
sandfly bites.
o Flies are infected with the parasite called ‘leishmania donovani’.
• Disease is linked to malnutrition, poor housing, a weak immune system etc.
o It is a treatable and curable disease.
o It is the second deadliest parasitic disease in the world after malaria
• In India, the disease is endemic in Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
o National Kala-Azar Elimination Programme was launched to control this disease.
o India missed the 2015 deadline to eliminate kala azar.
Trachoma • Malawi became the first country in southern Africa to eliminate trachoma.
o In 2017, India eliminated trachoma.
o According to the WHO, active trachoma is considered eliminated if the prevalence of active
infection among children below 10 years is less than 5%.
• Trachoma is an infection of the eye caused by bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis.
• It is contagious and is responsible for the blindness or visual impairment of about 1.9 million
people.
Diabetes • After U.S. and Canada, first case of infection from diabetes medication in India reported.
• Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when pancreas does not produce enough insulin, hormone
that regulates blood sugar.
o Type 1 diabetes (insulin-dependent, juvenile or childhood-onset) is characterized by deficient
insulin production and requires daily administration of insulin.
o Type 2 diabetes (non-insulin-dependent, or adult-onset) results from the body’s ineffective use
of insulin.
✓ More than 95% of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes.
Shigella • Kerala seeks to contain Shigella spread.
bacteria • Shigella is a genus of bacteria that causes an infection called shigellosis.
o Shigellosis is a gastrointestinal infection caused by one of four species of Shigella bacteria,
including S. sonnei.
o It is second leading cause of bacterial diarrhea worldwide and third leading cause of death in
children less than 5 years old.
o Transmitted through contaminated food or water, or through person-to-person contact.
o Endemic in most low- or middle-income countries (LMICs).
• No vaccines available for shigellosis.
Sickle cell • Researchers at Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru have designed a low-cost method to detect
anaemia sickle cell anemia.
• About Sickle cell anemia:
o Occurs due to a genetic mutation that causes hemoglobin in red blood cells (RBCs) to clump
together.
o Affects the shape of RBCs. RBCs are usually round and flexible, so they move easily through
blood vessels.
o In sickle cell anemia, some RBCs are shaped like sickles or crescent moons (Refer image).
o They become rigid and sticky, which can slow or block blood flow.

PEN Plus strategy • Africa has adopted the PEN Plus strategy to tackle severe non-communicable diseases
(NCD) such as type 1 diabetes (T1D), rheumatic heart disease (RHD) and sickle cell disease.
• Package of Essential NCD Interventions (PEN) was adopted by the WHO in 2010 to support
the decentralization of services to the primary care level.
• “PEN-Plus” refers to the approach to address severe NCDs through an integrated
outpatient service at first-level hospitals
59
Angiotensin • According to a recent study the membrane-
converting enzyme 2 bound form of ACE2 is essential for enabling
(ACE2) infection with SARS-CoV-2. Soluble ACE2 lacks
the ability to anchor to the cell membrane.
• ACE2 is a “receptor,” protein that provides the
entry point for the coronavirus into human cells.
• It is of two types:
o A full-length form that can bind to the cell
membrane of healthy host cells
o A shorter, soluble form that circulates in the
blood in small amounts.
iNCOVACC • Bharat Biotech's iNCOVACC, the world's first intranasal vaccine for COVID-19 received
approval for emergency use in India.
• It is a recombinant replication deficient adenovirus vectored vaccine with a pre- fusion
stabilized spike protein.
• Benefits
o It produces antibodies as well as reduce risk of transmission, while other vaccines
only produce antibodies.
o Additional immune response- addition to immunity in blood, it activates immunity of
cells found in tissues lining nose, mouth and lungs.
o Easy delivery – cut down syringe, needles etc
o High compliance (Ideally suits for children’s and adults).
International • Amid shortage of cholera vaccines ICG decided to temporary suspend standard two-dose
Coordinating Group vaccination regimen, using instead a single-dose approach.
(ICG) on Vaccine o Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection in the small intestine causing sometimes fatal
provisions dehydration.
• ICG was established in 1997 to manage and coordinate provision of emergency vaccine
supplies and antibiotics to countries during major outbreaks.
• ICG monitors its vaccine security global stock levels for several vaccines including
cholera, meningitis and yellow fever to ensure availability of sufficient supply.
• ICG is made up of members from WHO, UNICEF, Médecins Sans Frontières, and
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
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5. DEFENCE
5.1. SOLID FUEL DUCTED RAMJET (SFDR) TECHNOLOGY
Why in news?
Recently, Defence Research
and Development Organisation
(DRDO) successfully flight
tested SFDR booster.
About SFDR
• It is a missile propulsion
system that includes a
thrust modulated ducted
rocket with a reduced
smoke nozzle-less missile booster.
o First flight of SFDR, developed under a
joint Indo-Russian R&D project, was
tested in 2018. It had achieved the
speed of Mach 3.
• The system utilises a solid fuelled air-
breathing Ramjet Engine.
o Unlike solid-propellant rockets, the
Ramjet takes up oxygen from the
atmosphere during flight. Thus, it is
light in weight and can carry more fuel.
• Range: Air targets in the ranges from 70 - 340 km.
Difference between Ramjet, Scramjet and Dual Mode Ramjet (DMRJ)
• Ramjet, Scramjet and DMRJ are the three concepts of air-breathing engines which are being developed
by various space agencies.
61
5.2. CHIEF OF DEFENCE STAFF (CDS)
Why in News?
Lt General Anil Chauhan appointed next Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).
5.3. GSAT 7 SERIES SATELLITES

Why in News?
Indian Army reportedly tested the operational readiness of its satellite-based systems deployed across the
country under operation ‘Skylight’.
More on News
• Unlike the Indian Air Force and the Navy, the army currently does not have a dedicated satellite.
o Currently, the Army is using 30% of the communication capabilities of the GSAT 7A.
o Defence Acquisition Council has cleared an army proposal for a GSAT-7B satellite.
About GSAT 7 series satellites
• GSAT 7 series satellites are advanced satellites developed by ISRO to meet the communication needs of
the defence services.
o GSAT 7 satellite (launched in 2013) is mainly used by the Indian Navy for its communication needs.
✓ It helps the Navy to have a secure, real time communication link.
o GSAT 7A (launched in 2018) helps in boosting the connectivity between the ground radar stations,
airbases and the airborne early warning and control aircraft (AEW&C) of the IAF (Indian Air Force).
o GSAT 7B will primarily fulfil the communication needs of the Army.
✓ It will help the Army enhance its surveillance in border areas.
5.4. BRAHMOS
Why in News?
Recently, Philippines signed a deal for purchase of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles.
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About BrahMos
• BrahMos is a universal long range supersonic cruise missile system that can be launched from land, sea
and air against surface and sea-based targets.
o BrahMos is a collaboration between India (Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO))
and Russia (NPO Mashinostoyenia).
o Name represents Brahmaputra and Moskva rivers.
• It is a two-stage missile with a solid propellant booster engine as first stage and liquid ramjet as second
stage.
o It operates at fire and forget principle
• The range of the missile was originally capped at 290 km as per obligations of the Missile Technology
Control Regime (MTCR)
o Following India’s entry in MTCR in 2016, it was decided to extend the range to 450 km and to 600 km
at a later stage.
Other similar missile systems
• Chinese HD-1 supersonic missile is a comprehensive weapon system consisting of missile, launch, command and
control, target indication and comprehensive support systems.
• Tomahawk (used by U.S and its allies) is a long-range, all-weather, subsonic cruise missile that launches from
ships and submarines and can strike targets precisely from 1,000 miles away.
• Israel’s Sea Breaker, the 5th generation long range, autonomous, precision-guided missile system, is meant to hit
high-value maritime and land target.
• P-800 Oniks/Yakhont is a Russian supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles that has an effective guidance system and is
a fire-and-forget missile.
Cruise Missile Ballistic Missile

About • An unmanned self-propelled (till the • Has a ballistic trajectory over most of its
time of impact) guided vehicle that flight path, regardless of whether it is a
sustains flight through aerodynamic lift weapon-delivery vehicle.
for most of its flight path. • Powered by rockets initially but then they
• They fly within the earth’s atmosphere follow an unpowered, free-falling
and use jet engine technology. trajectory toward their targets
• Example: BrahMos, Harpoon (USA), • Example: Prithvi I, Prithvi II, Agni I, Agni II
Exocet (France) and Dhanush ballistic missiles
Classification • Subsonic (around 0.8 Mach speed), • Based on launch mode, range, propulsion
Supersonic (around 2-3 Mach speed), system.
Hypersonic (More than 5 Mach speed)
63
5.4.1. OTHER MISSILES IN NEWS
Agni missile • A successful training launch of Agni-3 Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile was
carried out.
• Agni-3 has a range of over 3000 kilometers and can carry a payload of over 1.5
tonnes.
o Agni series of missiles constitute the backbone of India’s nuclear weapons
delivery.
o It was conceived under Integrated Guided Missile Development Program.
S-400 • India on track for sanctions waiver from US for buying Russian S-400 missile
system.
• S-400 is a mobile long-range surface-to-air missile (LR-SAM) system.
o Equipped with four different missiles, it can engage enemy aircraft,
ballistic missiles, and Airborne Warning And Control System (AWACS)
planes at 400km, 250km, medium-range 120km and short-range 40km.
o It has the capability to engage 80 targets at one time with a response time
of 9-10 seconds.
Anti-Tank Guided Missiles • DRDO successfully test fires indigenously developed laser-guided ATGMs from
(ATGM) Main Battle Tank (MBT) Arjun.
• ATGM employs a tandem high explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead to defeat
explosive reactive armour (ERA) protected armoured vehicles.
o Also, it has multi-platform launch capability.
Man Portable Anti-Tank • DRDO successfully flight tested the final deliverable configuration of
Guided Missile (MPATGM) MPATGM.
• The indigenously developed anti-tank missile is a low weight, fire & forget
missile and is launched from a man portable launcher, integrated with
thermal sight.
• Missile has miniaturized infrared imaging seeker and advanced avionics for
on-board control and guidance.
Vertical Launch Short Range • DRDO successfully flight tested indigenously designed and developed VL-
Surface-to-Air Missile (VL- SRSAM.
SRSAM) • VL-SRSAM, a ship-borne weapon system, is to strike aerial threats at close
ranges (40 to 50 km at an altitude of around 15 km), including sea-skimming
targets.
o Its design is based on Astra missile, which is a Beyond Visual Range Air to Air
missile.
Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air • DRDO successfully completed six flight-tests of QRSAM system.
Missile (QRSAM) • QRSAM is a short-range surface-to-air missile system, indigenously designed
and developed by the DRDO.
• It provides a protective shield to moving armoured columns of the Army from
enemy aerial attacks.
• It has a range of 25 to 30 km.
Very Short Range Air Defence • DRDO conducted a successful test flight of VSHORADS missile.
System (VSHORADS) missile • VSHORADS is a Man Portable Air Defence System (MANPAD) designed and
developed indigenously by the DRDO.
o It can neutralise low altitude aerial threats at short ranges.
o It is propelled by a dual thrust solid motor and incorporates miniaturized
Reaction Control System and integrated avionics.
HELINA • Indigenously developed (by DRDO) helicopter launched Anti-Tank Guided

Missile (ATGM) ‘HELINA’ was successfully flight tested.
• About HELINA (Helicopter based NAG):
o It is third generation fire and forget class ATGM system mounted on the
Advanced Light Helicopter.
o The system has all weather day and night capability.
Astra Mk-I beyond visual • Ministry of Defence signed a contract with Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL) for Astra
range (BVR) air-to-air Mk-I missiles.
missiles
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o DRDO has transferred technology to BDL to produce these missiles and
associated systems.
• BVR missiles can engage beyond the visual range of 37 kilometers.
• Air-to-Air missiles are fired from an airborne asset to destroy an airborne target.
• Missile has been designed for deployment on fighter jets like Sukhoi-30 MKI and
Tejas of the IAF and the Mig-29K of Navy.
Pralay Missile • Maiden flight test of Pralay missile was successfully conducted by DRDO.
• About Pralay
o Indigenously developed surface-to-surface missile.
o Has a range of 150-500 kilometres with an accuracy of less than 10 metres.
o Has a guidance system that includes state-of-the-art navigation mechanisms
and integrated avionics.
5.5. SUBMARINES
Why in News?
Fifth Scorpène-class submarine Vagir was delivered to Navy.
More on News
• Built under: Six Scorpene submarines are being built indigenously under Project-75 by Mazagon Dock
Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) under technology transfer from Naval Group of France.
o Other 5 are: Kalvari, Khanderi, Karanj, Vela, Vagsheer.
• Operating Range: anti-warship and anti-submarine operations, intelligence gathering and surveillance and
naval mines laying.
Various classification of submarines
Submersible Ship Ballistic Nuclear-Power attack Submarines (SSNs) Diesel-electric attack submarines
Nuclear (SSBNs) (SSKs)
• Serve as an undetectable • Nuclear-powered attack submarine • They have diesel engines.
launch platform for armed with non-nuclear weapons. • Battery capacity constrain
intercontinental missiles. • Designed to engage in mine warfare, amount of time a diesel sub can
• Designed specifically for seek out and destroy enemy ships, stay underwater, leading to
stealth and precise delivery and support battle group operations. frequent resurfacing.
of nuclear warheads. • Countries currently have nuclear- • India’s SSKs include Shishumar
• INS Arihant is India’s SSBN. powered submarines- UK, US, China, Class (from Germany); Kilo Class
Russia, India and France or Sindhughosh Class (from
Russia); Kalvari Class Scorpene.

5.6.1. SUBMARINES, SHIPS AND AIRCRAFT CARRIERS
INS Vikrant • PM commissioned India’s first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier INS (Indian Naval Ship)
Vikrant.
• INS Vikrant has been designed by Indian Navy’s Directorate of Naval Design, and
built at Cochin Shipyard Limited, a public sector shipyard under Ministry of
Shipping.
• India has had aircraft carriers earlier too — but those were built either by British
(INS Vikrant and Viraat) or Russians (INS Vikramaditya).
• Details about INS Vikrant
o Over 76% of material and equipment on board is indigenous.
o Uses Short Take Off But Assisted Recovery (STOBAR) aircraft-operation
mode that uses a ski-jump for launching aircrafts.
Project 15 B • Mormugao and Surat ship of Project 15B launched recently.
• Project 15B
o This project is a continuation of Kolkata class destroyers, which were part of
Project 15A commissioned in the previous decade.
o Being built at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited.
65
o Four ships under Project 15 B are viz. Visakhapatnam, Mormugao, Imphal and
Surat.
o These are stealth guided missile destroyers.
Project 17A • Taragiri and Udaygiri ship of Project 17A Frigates were launched.
o These ships are advanced version of P17 Frigates (Shivalik Class).
• P17A ships have been designed in-house by Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau.
o 75% of the orders for equipment & system of Project 17A ships are being
placed on indigenous firms including MSMEs.
Project 75(I) • Ministry of Defence extended the proposal deadline for six advanced submarines
under Project75(I).
• Project 75(I) envisages indigenous construction of six modern conventional
submarines with contemporary equipment, advanced torpedoes etc.
• It has been cleared under the strategic partnership model under overall arch of
‘Make in India’.
Indian Naval Ship • Vagsheer, sixth and last submarine of Project 75, has been launched.
(INS) Vagsheer o Vagsheer is a diesel attack submarine, designed to perform sea denial as well
as access denial warfare.
• P 75 is one of two lines of submarines, other being P75I, as part of a plan for
indigenous submarine construction with technology taken from overseas firms.
o Under P75, Kalvari, Khanderi, Karanj and Vela have been commissioned. Sea
trials are on for Vagir.
o Constructed by: Mazagon Dock Ltd
5.6.2. AIRCRAFTS, DRONES AND HELICOPTERS

Dornier (Do-228) • Ministry of Civil Aviation has announced the launch of first commercial flight of the
Aircraft flight made-in-India Dornier-228.
o Do-228 has been made by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and delivered to
Alliance Air.
✓ Alliance Air will be India’s first commercial airline to fly an India- made aircraft
for civil operations.
o Aircraft will link five remote towns of Arunachal Pradesh to Assam’s Dibrugarh.
• It is part of government’s UdeDeshkaAamNaagrik (UDAN) regional connectivity
scheme.
Light Combat Helicopter • Indian Air Force inducted the indigenously developed (by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.)
(LCH) multi-role LCH-Prachand.
o India has become the seventh country to make attack helicopters.
• Key features
o Range: 550 km; Endurance: Over 3 hrs; Service ceiling (the maximum density
altitude to which it can fly): 6.5 kilometres.
o Only combat helicopter in the world which can land and takeoff at an altitude of
5,000 meter.
• Equipped with a countermeasure dispensing system that protects it from enemy
radars or infrared seekers of the enemy missiles.
Indigenous stealth • Indigenous stealth drone, also referred to as an Unmanned Combat Airborne Vehicle
drone (UCAV), makes maiden flight.
o The UCAV is a precursor to the Ghatak armed stealth drone programme called
AURA (Autonomous Unmanned Research Aircraft).
✓ AURA is described as a self-defending, high-speed, reconnaissance UAV with
a weapon firing capability.
• It has been designed and developed by the Aeronautical Development Establishment.
Chinook helicopters • US Army has grounded its fleet of CH-47 Chinook helicopters after finding the
helicopter to be at risk of engine fires.
• About Chinook Helicopter
o Chinook is a multi-role, vertical-lift platform, which is used for transporting
troops, artillery, equipment, and fuel even over difficult terrains.
o It is also used for humanitarian and disaster relief operations.
• It was inducted into the Indian Air Force in 2019.
66
Tejas Mark-2 • Cabinet Committee on Security has cleared Tejas Mark-2 project — a more capable
version of indigenous Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA).
o Tejas is a single engined, light weight, highly agile, multi-role supersonic fighter
jet.
o Designed by Aeronautical Development Agency under DRDO and Hindustan
Aeronautics Limited.
• Tejas Mark-2 has been described as a 4.5-generation machine that will have 70 per
cent indigenisation.
• It will be fitted with more powerful GE-414 engines, giving it a longer combat range
and greater capacity to carry weapons than existing Tejas Mark-1.
Kamikaze Drones • Army to induct kamikaze drones in eastern Ladakh.
• Kamikaze Drones are small, unmanned aircraft that are packed with explosives that
can be flown directly at a tank or a group of troops that are destroyed when it hits the
target and explodes.
o Also called Switchblade drones as their bladelike wings spring out on launch.
Hermes Starliner • Israel becomes first country to allow drones (Hermes Starliner) in civilian airspace.
unmanned system • It will allow Hermes Starliner drone to fly in civilian airspace rather than being
restricted to unsegregated airspace.
Dirty bomb • Russia claimed that Ukraine is planning to use a dirty bomb.
• Dirty Bomb is a bomb that contains radioactive material, such as uranium, which is
scattered through the air when its conventional explosive detonates.
• It doesn't need to contain highly refined radioactive material, as is used in a nuclear
bomb.
• Instead, it uses radioactive materials from hospitals, nuclear power stations or
research laboratories.
• This makes them much cheaper and quicker to make than nuclear weapons.
Indigenous defence • Minister of Defence handed over several IDE to Indian Army:
equipment (IDE) o Future Infantry Soldier as a System (F-INSAS): A programme for infantry
handed to Indian Army modernisation to equip soldiers with modern assault rifle, helmet and a bullet proof
jacket, communication and surveillance system.
o Anti-Personnel mine ‘Nipun’: Also known as soft target blast munition, it replaces
the vintage NMM 14 mines.
o Landing Craft Assault: To serve as a replacement for the boats currently in use in
the Pangong Tso lake.
Carl-Gustaf M4 • Sweden has announced plans to manufacture its Carl-Gustaf M4 weapon system in
India.
o The Army has been using the Carl-Gustaf since 1976 and currently operates the Mk2
and Mk3 versions.
• The Carl-Gustaf recoilless rifle is a man-portable, multi-role weapon system.
o M4 weapon system is capable of firing a variety of ammunition, including anti-
armour and illumination rounds, with the maximum range being 1,500 metre.
Pinaka Multi-Barrel • Armenia has placed the first export order for India’s Pinaka MBRL.
Rocket Launcher • Pinaka MBRL Sysytem is an indigenous rocket system designed and developed by
(MBRL) System Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) of DRDO.
• It is a mobile rocket launching system (mounted on a Tatra truck) with maximum range
varying from around 40 km (Pinaka Mk-1) to 75 km (Pinaka-ER or Extended Range).
Submersible Platform • It is a state-of-the-art testing and evaluation facility (launched by DRDO) for sonar
for Acoustic systems developed for use by Indian navy.
Characterization & o Sonar (Sound Navigation and Ranging) is helpful for exploring and mapping ocean
Evaluation (SPACE) because sound waves travel farther in water than do radar and light waves.
67
• SPACE is one-of-a-kind facility in the world with specially designed submersible
platform, which can be lowered up to depths of 100 meters.
• SPACE will be mainly utilized for evaluating Sonar systems, allowing for quick
deployment and easy recovery of scientific packages such as sensors and transducers.
ABHYAS • ABHYAS - High speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) was successfully flight-tested
from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha.
• It consists of twin under-slung boosters which provide the initial acceleration to the
vehicle.
• ABHYAS is an indigenous unmanned aerial target system to meet the requirement of
Indian Armed Forces to eliminate air-borne threats.
• Designed by: Aeronautical Development Establishment of DRDO.
High-Energy Laser • SFO Technologies partners with DRDO’s Center for High Energy Systems and
System (HELS) Sciences (CHESS) lab to develop HELS.
• HELS weapons emit enough thermal energy to directly render a target ineffective
without using a conventional munition.
• They could affect targets across air, ground, sea, and space.
• HELS is a laser weapon belonging to Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) Category.
o DEW covers technologies that produce a beam of concentrated electromagnetic
energy or atomic or subatomic particles.
o India’s Project: Directionally Unrestricted Ray-Gun Array (DURGA II), Kilo Ampere
Linear Injector (KALI), Project Aditya etc.
o Countries like China, Russia, UK, Israel etc. have programs to develop DEW.
Butterfly Mines • Russia is accused of using PFM-1, known as butterfly mines, which look like toys and
are therefore dangerous for children.
o PFM-1 and PFM-1S are two kinds of anti-personnel landmines that are commonly
referred to as ‘Butterfly mines’ or ‘Green Parrots.
o These mines can be deployed by being dropped from helicopters or through
ballistic dispersion.
• Anti- personal mines are banned by international convention on land mines, but
Russia and Ukraine are not signatories to it.
68
6. ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
6.1. NUCLEAR FUSION
Why in news?
In a fusion experiment using lasers, the scientists at Lawrence
Livermore National Laboratory in California achieved a net energy
gain for the first time.
More about news
• Achieving Ignition: Scientists for the first time ever, were able
to achieve ignition in nuclear fusion i.e., creating a nuclear
reaction that generates more energy than it consumes.
• Execution: Used powerful lasers to heat and compress
hydrogen nuclei. When the nuclei fuse, they release heat.
When this heat is equal to or greater than the heat delivered
to the container, the event is called ignition.
About Nuclear Fusion
• Process by which two light atomic nuclei (for
example tritium and deuterium) combine to
form a single heavier (Helium) one while
releasing massive amounts of energy.
• Fusion reactions take place in a state of matter
called plasma a hot, charged gas made of
positive ions and free-moving electrons with
unique properties distinct from solids, liquids, or
gases.
• Challenge to fusion: Strong repulsive
electrostatic forces between the positively
charged nuclei prevent them from getting close
enough together to collide and for fusion to
occur.
• When does it happen: If the attractive nuclear
force (which binds protons and neutrons
together in atomic nuclei) between the nuclei
outweighs the repulsive (electrostatic) force,
then a fusion reaction can occur.
o Such conditions can occur when the temperature increases, causing the ions to move faster and
eventually reach speeds high enough to bring the ions close enough together.
• Conditions required to achieve fusion
o Temperature of more than 100 million degrees Celsius.
o Maintaining a high enough density for a long enough time so that the rate of fusion reactions will be
large enough to generate the desired power.
Types of Nuclear Fusion: Inertial and Magnetic
• In an inertial fusion (used in the present experiment), laser or ion beams are focused very precisely onto the
surface of a target. This results in very high temperatures.
• In Magnetic fusion, hundreds of cubic meters of plasma at a density of less than a milligram per cubic meter are
confined by a magnetic field at high pressure and heated to fusion temperature.
• It is relatively easier to attain break-even energy levels through inertial fusion compared to magnetic fusion.
• Advantages of fusion: abundant energy, fuels are widely available, don’t emit harmful gases like CO2,
much less radioactive waste compared to fission etc.
• Challenges in fusion process
o At such high temperatures, matter exists only in plasma state, which is extremely difficult to work
with.
69
o Fusion reactions are not easily controlled due to high temperatures.
Similar initiatives across the world Related News
• International Thermonuclear Experimental • India has supplied Cryolines for ITER project in France.
Reactor (ITER) Assembly. • Institute for Plasma Research (IPR), an aided institute of
• China’s Artificial Sun: The Experimental Department of Atomic Energy, is India's collaborating
agency.
Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST)
o Other than supplying cryolines, IPR has also
device replicates the nuclear fusion.
supplied ITER about six km of return lines for warm
• SST-2 tokamak: India’s experimental fusion gases, manufactured in India.
reactor at the Institute of Plasma Research
in Gujarat.
• The Joint European Torus (JET): project for opening the way to future nuclear fusion grid energy.
6.2. SMALL MODULAR REACTORS (SMRS)

Why in news?
Recently, Niti
Aayog member
suggested for
focusing on
setting up small
modular
reactors as it
would help meet
the country’s
energy needs
and also in
replacing aging
thermal power
plants.
70
About Small modular reactors (SMRs)
• SMRs are advanced nuclear reactors that have a power capacity of up to 300 MW(e) per unit.
o According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), more than 70 SMR concepts are
currently under development in 18 countries.
• Advantages of SMRs
o Smaller footprint: SMRs can be sited on locations not suitable for larger nuclear power plants.
o Affordable: Prefabricated units of SMRs can be manufactured and then shipped and installed on site.
o Savings: SMRs
offer savings
in cost and
construction
time.
• IAEA has
established the
Platform on SMRs
and their
Applications, a
one-stop shop for countries to coordinate support related to all aspects of SMR development.
6.3. HYPERLOOP SYSTEM

Why in news?
Indian railways is collaborating with IIT Madras for the development of ‘indigenous’ Hyperloop system.
More about news
• Team named ‘Avishkar Hyperloop’, formed by IIT Madras has been working on the development of
Hyperloop-based system for transportation.
• IIT Madras has also proposed to set up a ‘Centre of Excellence for Hyperloop Technologies’.
71
6.4. LITHIUM-ION BATTERY
Why in news?
Recently Union Government
constituted an expert panel to
probe the recent series of battery
explosions in electric vehicles
(EVs).
Steps taken for Lithium-ion
batteries in India
• National Mission on
Transformative Mobility: To
encourage domestic Lithium-
Ion Cell manufacturing and
EV components.
• ISRO and BHEL agreement: to
develop low-cost lithium-ion
batteries.
• India’s first lithium cell plant
manufacturing facility will be
launched in Tirupati, Andhra
Pradesh.
• Lithium triangle nations:
India is focusing on 'Lithium
Triangle' nations Argentina,
Bolivia and Chile for joint
About Lithium
• Lithium is lightest solid metal. It is currently produced
from hard rock or brine mines.
• Australia is the world's biggest supplier, with production
of Lithium from hard rock mines, while Argentina, Chile
and China are producing it from salt lakes.
Lithium in India
• In India first traces of Lithium ever to be discovered in the
ancient igneous rock of Karnataka’s Mandya district.
o Recently Lithium reserves were also discovered in
J&K.
• Currently India imports all its lithium needs, with China
and Hong Kong biggest suppliers.
Comparison of various battery types

Type Advantage Disadvantage
Lead Acid Mature technology, low cost and ruggedness Heavy and bulky, do not cycle well.
batteries compared with other battery technologies.
Nickel-cadmium Availability in all sizes, can be moved around easily, Environmental concerns related to
batteries can be stored, or used for up to 5 years, offer more cadmium.
than 1,000 charge and discharge cycles. Prone to memory effect that can cause a
battery to lose electrical storage area.
Higher self-discharge rate than Lithium-ion.
Nickel metal Widely used in consumer electronics, addresses the Not considered for large stationary
hydride issues arising from the environmental effects of applications because of high cost of Nickel,
batteries cadmium. also have a high self-discharge rate and
generally take a long time to charge.
All solid-state High energy densities and charge/discharge current Challenges in both manufacturing and
batteries limits, a higher life even in harsh conditions, lower fundamental technology understanding.
charging time.
72
Metal air High energy density than lithium-ion batteries, only Not electrically rechargeable, lower
anode replacement needed, comparatively longer charge/discharge rates compared with
shelf life than lithium-ion. Lithium-ion batteries
Sodium ion Wider operational temperature range and are safer. Lower energy density than lithium-ion
batteries Cheaper than Lithium-ion. batteries.
Related Concept
Battery Energy Storage
• Energy storage is the capture of energy produced for
later use to reduce imbalances between energy
demand and energy production.
• Based on the application, battery energy storage can be
classified into three categories:
o Consumer electronics applications (for mobile
phones, tablets, laptops, cameras, etc.)
o Stationary applications (such as for commercial
and industrial applications).
o Transportation applications.
Related News
Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) formulates performance standards for Electric Vehicle (EV) Batteries
• BIS has published standards for Test Specifications for Lithium-ion (Li-ion) Traction Battery Packs and Systems
(Performance Testing) for Electrically Propelled Road Vehicles.
o IS 17855:2022 standards are formulated considering real life scenarios such as parked vehicles (no battery use
for a longer period), battery running at high and low temperatures etc.
Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) mandated New Safety tests for electric vehicles (EVs) receiving subsidies
• MHI announced a list of safety tests that will be mandatory for EVs manufacturers from April 2023 to receive
subsidies under following EV promotion schemes:
o Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Automobiles and Auto Components.
o PLI Scheme for Advance Chemistry Cell (ACC).
o FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles) II.
• These tests, carried at 3 levels (Battery Pack, Battery Management System (BMS) and Cell Level), are accepted
internationally for safeguarding Human Safety.
o Currently, there are no centralised testing facilities for EVs in India and manufacturers have their own
benchmarks.
6.5. FLEX FUEL

Why in news?
Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has launched first of its kind pilot project on Flexi-Fuel Strong Hybrid
Electric Vehicles (FFV-SHEV) in India.
About Flex Fuel vehicles (FFV)
• Like traditional vehicles, flex fuel vehicles have an internal combustion engine, but instead of regular
petrol, it can run on blended fuel — petrol with ethanol or methanol.
o The ethanol mix can vary between 20% and 85%.
• Unlike electric hybrid vehicles, no bulky parts need to be added to the basic gasoline vehicle architecture.
• Upgrading existing vehicles is possible but expensive and not considered feasible.
• An FFV-SHEV possesses a flex-fuel engine and an electric powertrain.
o This setup extends dual advantages of higher ethanol use and greater fuel efficiency, as it can run on
its EV mode for a good amount of time, while the engine stands shut off.
• Significance of FFV: Less polluting, check on diversion of sugar used in ethanol blending, burn with
whatever proportion of mixture is in its combustion chamber, reduced import bill etc.
• Challenges of FFV: lack of adequate infrastructure, issue with ethanol supply since this largely comes from
sugarcane in India, less mileage etc.
73
6.6. FUEL CELL
Why in News?
India’s first indigenously
developed hydrogen fuel cell
bus, jointly developed by
Council of Scientific and
Industrial Research (CSIR)
and private firm KPIT
Technologies Ltd, was
launched recently.
About Fuel Cell
• Electrochemical devices
to convert chemical
energy into electrical
energy.
• Fuel cells do not need to
be periodically
recharged like batteries,
but instead continue to
produce electricity as long as it is supplied with a source of hydrogen and a source of oxygen (usually
air).
• Source of hydrogen is generally referred to as the fuel and this gives the fuel cell its name.
• Applications: Transport, Portable (military applications, Auxiliary Power Units, laptops etc.), Stationary
(power to industrial/commercial/residential buildings etc.),
• Benefits: Lower operational costs due to higher efficiency and high energy density of hydrogen, Noise-
free operation, operating times are much longer.
• Challenges: Transportation, flammability and storage of hydrogen gas, High cost, Technological
challenges like system size, management of air, heat and water etc.
74
Steps taken by government
• India is aiming to achieve
E10 by 2022 and E20 by
(20% ethanol blend) by
2025.
• Bharat Stage Norms:
India directly shifted
from BS-IV to BS-VI
norms.
• Government has
included automobile &
auto components of flex-
fuel engines into the
Production Linked
Incentive (PLI) scheme.
Related News
In a first, Rolls-Royce successfully tests hydrogen-powered jet engine.
About Hydrogen-powered Engine
• A hydrogen internal combustion engine (ICE) works on the same principles as a traditional ICE, except that it uses
hydrogen in place of a petroleum-based fuel.
o Burning the hydrogen fuel produces the energy needed to drive the engine.
• A hydrogen ICE is not the same as a hydrogen fuel cell, which has been used in some electric vehicles.
o In hydrogen fuel cell, hydrogen powers the cells leading to creation of electricity that will drive the vehicle’s
engine.

Roshini • It is India’s first Saline Water Lantern which uses sea water as electrolyte between specially
designed electrodes to power the LED lamps.
o Developed by: National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai.
o Technology can also be used in hinterlands, as any saline/normal water mixed with
common salt can be used to power the lantern.
Mission • Mission Innovation launched Integrated Bio-refineries Mission (IBM) to accelerate Clean
Innovation Energy solutions through Public-Private Alliances.
• Mission Innovation is a global initiative to catalyze action and investment in research,
development and demonstration to make clean energy affordable, attractive and accessible
to all this decade.
o It consists of 22 countries and EU. India is a founding member.
o 1st phase of the mission was launched alongside the Paris Agreement in 2015 and 2nd phase
of MI, was launched in 2021.
• About IBM
o It is launched with the goal of replacing 10% of fossil-based fuels, chemicals, and materials
with bio-based alternatives by 2030.
o This is the 6th Mission launched by Mission Innovation.
o Other 5 missions includes Clean Hydrogen, Green Powered Future, Zero-Emission
Shipping, Carbon Dioxide Removal, and Urban Transitions.
UK-NITI Aayog • In the backdrop of COP 26 President visit to India, NITI Aayog launched two initiatives namely,
collaborative o E-AMRIT (Accelerated e-Mobility Revolution for India's Transportation) mobile
initiatives on application to raise awareness on electric mobility.
electric mobility o Report on Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) Battery Reuse supported by UK’s Green Growth
Fund Technical Cooperation Facility.
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7. AWARDS AND PRIZES
7.1. NOBEL PRIZE IN CHEMISTRY 2022
Prize awarded for: the development of click chemistry and bioorthogonal chemistry.
Awardees: The prize was given to Carolyn R. Bertozzi (USA), Morten Meldal (Denmark) and K. Barry Sharpless
(USA).
Related Facts
• It was 2nd Nobel Prize in Chemistry for K Barry Sharpless, who won his first prize in 2001 for his work on chirally
catalyzed oxidation reactions.
• He is the fifth person to receive Nobel Prize twice after Madam Curie, Linus Pauling, John Bardeen and Fredrick
Sanger.
o The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has won it three times while UNHCR, the UN Refugee
Agency, has won it twice.
About Click Chemistry and Bioorthogonal Chemistry

• K. Barry Sharpless and Morten Meldal have laid the
foundation of click chemistry- a branch of science in
which molecular building blocks snap together
quickly and efficiently.
o Instead of trying to make carbon atoms react
with each other, click chemistry focuses on
using smaller molecules that already have a
complete carbon frame.
o One such reaction is copper-catalysed azide-
alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) that is now widely
used medicinal chemistry (refer image).
• Carolyn Bertozzi developed click reactions that
work inside living organisms to map important but
elusive biomolecules on the surface of cells called
glycans.
o Also known as Bioorthogonal reactions, these
reactions take place without disrupting the
normal chemistry of the cell.
Significance of the Work
• Development of enzyme inhibitors and receptor
ligands, pharmaceuticals (anticancer agents,
antimicrobials etc.), herbicides, photostabilizers,
etc.
• Mapping of complex biological
processes like DNA and creating
unique materials.
• Bioorthogonal Reactions are used to
explore how cells function and track
biological processes.
o This has helped in improved
targeting of cancer
pharmaceuticals.
7.2. NOBEL PRIZE IN PHYSICS 2022

Prize awarded for: experiments with entangled photons, establishing the violation of Bell inequalities and
pioneering quantum information science.
Awardees: The prize was given to Alain Aspect (France), John F. Clauser (USA) and Anton Zeilinger (Austria).
76
About Quantum experiments and Bell inequalities
• They demonstrated the potential to investigate and control
particles that are in entangled states.
○ Entanglement is when multiple objects – such as a pair of
electrons or photons – share a single quantum state.
○ By measuring the property of one particle we can
immediately determine the result of an equivalent
measurement on the other particle, without any check
(see image).
• They also demonstrated a phenomenon called Quantum
Teleportation – a way of transferring an unknown quantum
state from one particle to
another.
○ It uses features of
entanglement which can
be used to transport
information, carried by the
object, to another place
where the object is then
reconstituted.
○ Anton Zeilinger group also
demonstrated
entanglement swapping,
i.e., two pairs of entangled
particles that never met
(see image).
• Another important part of
their research was theoretical
insight on Bell inequalities.
○ Bell inequalities make it
possible to differentiate between quantum mechanics’ indeterminacy and an alternative description
using secret instructions, or hidden variables.
Significance of the Work
• Will have implications in quantum computers, quantum networks, and secure quantum cryptography.
• Lay the foundation for research in Quantum Information Science (QIS).
○ QIS is an interdisciplinary field that seeks to understand information using quantum mechanics
principles.
7.3. NOBEL PRIZE IN PHYSIOLOGY OR MEDICINE 2022

Prize awarded for:
discoveries concerning
the genomes of extinct
hominins and human
evolution.
Awardee: Prize was given
to Swedish geneticist
Svante Pääbo.
About his discoveries on
human evolution
• He sequenced the
genome of the
Neanderthal, an
extinct relative of present-day humans.
77
o Neanderthals developed outside Africa and populated Europe and Western Asia from around 400,000
years. They went extinct around 30,000 years ago.
o He analyzed and sequenced the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of Neanderthals – demonstrating that
Neanderthals were genetically distinct.
✓ Though the mtDNA is small and contains only a fraction of genetic information, it is present in
thousands of copies for sequencing.
✓ In comparison, the Nuclear DNA (nDNA) tends to degrade and modify chemically over time,
making it difficult to sequence them.
• He made the discovery of a previously unknown hominin Denisova, discovered in 2008 from southern part
of Siberia.
• He also found
that gene
transfer had
occurred from
these now
extinct hominins
to Homo sapiens
following the
migration out of
Africa around
70,000 years ago.
o Homo
sapiens, or
anatomically
modern
human, first appeared in Africa approximately 300,000 years ago.
o About 70,000 years ago, groups of Homo sapiens migrated from Africa to the Middle East and, from
there they spread to the rest of the world (refer image).
Significance of his work
• Gave rise to a new scientific discipline called paleogenomics, i.e. the study and analysis of genes of ancient
or extinct organisms.
• His work on differences between living humans from extinct hominins is useful for:
o Better understanding of human evolution and migration.
o Understanding how the ancient flow of genes influences humans today. E.g.
✓ Neanderthal genes affect our immune response to different infections, and
✓ Denisovan version of the gene EPAS1 confers an advantage for survival at high altitude
(commonly found among Tibetans).
78
8. MISCELLANEOUS
8.1. EUROPEAN ORGANIZATION FOR NUCLEAR RESEARCH (CERN)
Why in news?
Large Hadron Collider (LHC) was
restarted after a 3-year shutdown.
79
Related News
Pentaquarks and Tetraquarks
• Large Hadron Collider beauty (LHCb) experiment has observed three new particles at European Organisation for
Nuclear Research (CERN).
o Pentaquark and first-ever pair of tetraquarks are three members to list of new hadrons.
o They will help physicists better understand how quarks bind together into composite particles.
• Quarks are elementary particles that usually combine in groups of twos and threes to form hadrons such as
protons and neutrons that make up atomic nuclei.
o They can also combine into four-quark and five-quark particles, called tetraquarks and pentaquarks.
8.2. ACHARYA JAGADISH CHANDRA BOSE (J.C. BOSE)

Why in News?
Ministry of Culture organized an
international conference on the occasion of
164th birth anniversary of the Indian
scientist Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose
(J.C. Bose)
About J.C. Bose (1858-1937)
• He was an Indian Physicist and plant
physiologist.
• He founded the Bose Institute in 1917,
Asia’s first modern research centre which focused on interdisciplinary research.
o It became an autonomous grant-in-aid institution of the Department of Science and Technology
• He was the first Asian to be awarded a US patent in in 1904 and first Asian along with Srinivasa Ramanujan
to become the fellows of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1920.
• He was the president of the 14th session of the Indian Science Congress in 1927.
Contributions of Acharya J C Bose
• Contributions in Physics:
o Researched on millimeter waves
(spectrum band with wavelengths
between 10 mm and 1 mm) and in the
arena of microwave devices.
✓ Presently millimeter wave is
used for a variety of services
on mobile and wireless
networks, as it enables higher
data rates.
o Developed World’s first wireless
communication link at 5-mm
wavelength using a spark transmitter
(generates radio waves by means of
electric spark) and a spiral ‘coherer’ (an
instrument that detects radio waves) as
the receiver.
✓ Bose’s coherer was used by
Guglielmo Marconi to build an operational two-way radio.
o Called ‘Father of Radio Science’ as he first explained science behind radio technology.
• Contribution in Biology:
o He researched the seasonal effect on plants and the effect of chemical inhibitors (substances which
slow down chemical reactions) and temperature on plants.
✓ He invented Crescograph to study plants.
o Proved that plants have life and a sensitive nervous system.
o Biophysics and cybernetics: His measurements of the effect of electromagnetic radiation on plant
growth is becoming an important area of plant biophysics and cybernetics.
80
o He showed that the living cells of the innermost layer of the cortex (an outer layer of a stem or root
in a vascular plant) were in a state of pulsatory motion (like rhythmic beating of the heart).
✓ This pulsation caused the pumping of water from cell to cell in an upward direction.
o In this field, his two major works include ‘Response in the Living and Non-Living’ and ‘The Nervous
Mechanism of Plants.’
8.3. THE "MYSTERY" PARTICLE FINDING

Why in the news?
Recently scientists have found out that a
fundamental particle ‘W boson’ (refer to the
infographics)
More about the news
• It has a significantly greater mass than
theorized by the Standard Model.
• This recent discovery indicates there may be
a new fundamental ingredient to our
universe.
• About the Standard Model
o It is a set of mathematical formulae and
measurements describing elementary
or fundamental particles and their
interactions.
o It contains 12 fundamental matter
particles categorized as quarks and
leptons and three forces that govern the
behavior of matter: electromagnetism,
the strong and weak nuclear forces.
✓ The force of gravity is currently not
included in the standard model.
o This model was developed in the early 1970s and is still considered to be the most accurate theory
covering the foundations of particle physics.
o It predicted the existence of yet-to-be discovered particles, such as the Higgs boson.
o However, this model is yet incomplete and falls short of in explaining:
✓ General relativity's description of gravity?
✓ Why is the Universe expanding ever faster?
✓ Why is there more matter than antimatter?

8.4.1. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Manthan • Launched by: Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA).
platform • Objective is to promote collaboration between industry and scientific research and
development ecosystem to help meet India’s sustainability goals in alignment with UN SDG
charter.
• Platform aims to enable and empower all spheres of science and technology within the
country.
State University • SERB-SURE is a new innovative scheme for high-end research at state and private
Research universities and colleges.
Excellence (SERB- • Launched by: Science and Engineering Research Board, statutory body of Department of
SURE) Science and Technology
• It will provide research support to active researchers to undertake research in frontier areas
of science, engineering, and quantitative social science.
Vritika Research • VRITIKA’ is the call for initiation and practice in science through Training and Skill Internship.
Internship o Sponsored by Science & Engineering Research Board (SERB), Department of Science
and Technology (DST).
81
• It aims to provide opportunities to promising PG students from universities and colleges to
get exposure and hands-on research skill development experience.
• These internships will primarily be facilitated by organizations / institutions / laboratories of
national importance such as IITs, IISc, IISERs, NITs, CSIR, ICAR, ICMR etc.
Studentship • SPARK aims to support the research ideas of young undergraduate students.
Program for o The Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) will offer research
Ayurveda fellowships to young undergraduate students enrolled in Ayurveda colleges across the
Research Ken country.
(SPARK) program • CCRAS is the apex body, Under Ministry of AYUSH, for research in Ayurveda on scientific
lines.
Scientific • The SRIMAN Guidelines are released by the Department of Science and Technology for
Research better access and sharing of publicly funded Scientific Research and Development
Infrastructure Infrastructure.
Sharing o It includes Networking and Cluster Approach, creating Cluster Central Instrumentation
Maintenance and Facility (CCIF) to reduce redundancy and acquire more variety of equipment.
Networks o CCIF will also tie up with industries, especially MSMEs and startups.AI-based iRASTE to
(SRIMAN) make roads in India safer to drive.
Guidelines, 2022 • ‘Intelligent Solutions for Road Safety through Technology and Engineering’ (iRASTE)
project is being implemented in Nagpur to tackle problem of road accidents.
o It is undertaken by IIIT Hyderabad and supported by the Department of Science and
Technology (DST).
o It is under DST’s National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-
ICPS)
✓ NM-ICPS aims to create a strong foundation and a seamless ecosystem for CPS
technologies by coordinating and integrating nationwide efforts encompassing
knowledge generation, human resource development, research, etc.
NIDHI Prayas • M/s TGP Bioplastics was provided assistance to mitigate usage of Single Use Plastics (SUP).
o This project has received seed funding under NIDHI Prayas (DST), Niti Aayog and UNIDO
for the prototype development.
• Department of Science & Technology has launched a NIDHI program (National Initiative for
Developing and Harnessing Innovations)
o Under NIDHI programs for setting up of incubators, seed fund, accelerators etc. have
been launched.
• Under NIDHI, PRAYAS (Promoting and Accelerating Young and Aspiring innovators &
Startups) programme has been initiated in which established Technology Business
Incubators are supported with PRAYAS grant.
Scientific Social • Department of Science and Technology (DST) released SSR Guidelines 2022.
Responsibility (SSR) • About SSR: Ethical obligation of knowledge workers in all fields of science and
technology to voluntarily contribute to the widest spectrum of stakeholders in society.
• Key highlights:
o Every knowledge institution would prepare its implementation plan in consultation
with Anchor Scientific Institution (ASI) for achieving its SSR goals and prepare its
SSR code of conduct.
o There should be an SSR assessment cell in each institution including ASI.
o SSR activities and projects of a knowledge institution would not be outsourced or
subcontracted.
Graphene • A Centre for Nano and Soft Sciences (CeNS) team has developed Graphene-stabilised
tunable photonic crystal that can make more durable & better reflective display and
lasers devices.
o Photonic crystals are optical nanostructures in which refractive index changes
periodically (such as in butterfly wings, peacock feathers).
• Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms, tightly bound in a hexagonal honeycomb
lattice.
o It is an allotrope of carbon.
• Characteristics: Thinnest compound at one atom thick, lightest material known,
strongest compound discovered, good conductor of heat and electricity etc.
• Applications: Energy, telecommunications, electronics, sensors and imaging, biomedical
technologies etc.
82
Ethylene Glycol • Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals issued a gazette notification titled
Ethylene Glycol (Quality Control) Order, 2022.
• Ethylene glycol is a colorless and odorless alcoholic compound that can be fatal if
consumed.
o It is a syrupy or viscous liquid at room temperature.
• It is mostly used as an automotive antifreeze and for manufacturing polyester fibres.
• Also found in hydraulic brake fluids, stamp pad inks, ballpoint pens, solvents, paints,
cosmetics and plastics etc.
• Diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol are adulterants that are sometimes illegally used
as solvents in liquid drugs to cut costs.
Single-crystalline • Department of Science and Technology (DST) have discovered a novel material called
scandium nitride Single-crystalline ScN that can convert infrared light to renewable energy.
(ScN) • ScN can emit, detect, and modulate infrared light with high efficiencies.
• It belongs to same family of materials as gallium nitride (GaN).
• ScN is compatible with modern complementary-metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) or
Si-chip technology and, therefore, could be easily integrated for on-chip optical
communication devices.
Cordy gold • It has been developed to make drug delivery in the human body faster and surer.
nanoparticles (Cor- • These nanoparticles have been derived from the synthesis of the extracts of Cordyceps
AuNPs) militaris (a high value parasitic fungus) and gold salts.
• It is the outcome of a collaborative experiment by scientists from four Indian
institutions.
Nixtamalisation • A study has thrown light on how Maya people fortified their maize with chemical
process known as ‘nixtamalisation.
• Nixtamalisation is a method by which the ancient peoples of Mesoamerica (a term used
to describe Mexico and Central America) like the Maya used to soak and cook their
maize in an alkaline solution and make it more palatable, nutritious and non-toxic.
o Process ensures that maize contains amino acids, calcium and Vitamin B2, which can
be utilised by the human body.
o It also eliminates certain mycotoxins present in maize.
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Table of Contents
1. BIOTECHNOLOGY .................................... 3 5.2. Antimicrobial Resistance...................... 55
1.1. Genome Editing ..................................... 3 5.2.1. One Health .............................................. 57
1.1.1. Genetically Modified Crops ....................... 5 5.3. Neglected Tropical Diseases ................. 57
1.2. Genome Sequencing .............................. 7 5.4. Mucormycosis ..................................... 59
1.3. Biotech-PRIDE Guidelines ....................... 8 5.5. Coronavirus Mutation .......................... 60
1.4. Ribonucleic Acid Interference ................. 8 5.5.1. Other COVID related developments in
1.5. Other Important news ........................... 9 News .................................................................. 61
2. NANO TECHNOLOGY ............................. 11 5.6. Anti-Doping Bill ................................... 64
5.7. World Malaria Report 2021 .................. 65
2.1. Nano technology.................................. 11
5.8. Trans Fats ............................................ 67
2.2. Other Important News ......................... 12
5.9. Foodborne Diseases ............................. 69
3. IT & COMPUTER ................................... 13
5.10. Food Fortification .............................. 69
3.1. National Strategy on Blockchain ........... 13 5.11. Diseases ............................................ 71
3.2. 5G Technology ..................................... 15 5.11.1. Viral Diseases ......................................... 71
3.3. Light Fidelity (LiFi) technology .............. 17 5.11.2. Other Diseases....................................... 72
3.4. Internet of Things ................................ 17
5.12. Other Important News ....................... 73
3.5. Metaverse ........................................... 19
6. DEFENCE ............................................... 75
3.6. Drone Regulations in India ................... 20
3.6.1. Drone Technology in Agriculture ............ 21 6.1. Hypersonic Missile Technology ............ 75
3.7. Satellite Internet Services..................... 23 6.2. Other Important News ......................... 76
6.2.1. Missiles .................................................... 76
3.8. Facial recognition Technology .............. 24
6.2.2. Submarines, Ships and Aircraft Carrier.... 77
3.9. Geospatial Data ................................... 26
3.10. Other Important News ....................... 27 6.2.3. Aircrafts, Drones and Helicopters ........... 78
4. SPACE TECHNOLOGY ............................. 31 6.2.4. Defence Systems ..................................... 79
6.2.5. Miscellaneous .......................................... 80
4.1. Gaganyaan .......................................... 31
4.2. Space Debris ........................................ 33 7. ALTERNATIVE ENERGY .......................... 82
4.3. Private Sector Participation in Space .... 35 7.1. Coal Based Hydrogen ........................... 82
4.4. Black Hole............................................ 36 7.2. Solid State lithium-metal battery (SSLMB)
4.5. James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) ... 38 .................................................................. 83
4.6. Parker Mission ..................................... 39 7.3. Other Important News ......................... 85
4.7. Nuclear Technology in Space Missions .. 41 8. IPR ....................................................... 86
4.8. Artemis Accords ................................... 43 8.1. IPRs (Intellectual Property Rights) ........ 86
4.9. Positron Excess .................................... 43 9. AWARDS .............................................. 88
4.10. Missions in News ............................... 44 9.1. Nobel Prizes ........................................ 88
4.10.1. NASA ..................................................... 44 9.1.1. The Nobel Prize in Physics 2021 .............. 88
4.10.2. China National Space Administration ... 46 9.1.2. Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine .... 89
4.10.3. Others Developments ........................... 46 9.1.3. Nobel Prize in Chemistry ......................... 90
4.11. Other Important News ....................... 47 9.2. Other Awards in News ......................... 91
4.11.1. Space Phenomenon & Experiments ...... 47
10. MISCELLENAOUS ................................. 93
4.11.2. Space Objects ........................................ 49
10.1. Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave
5. HEALTH ................................................ 52
Observatory (LIGO) Project ......................... 93
5.1. Vaccines .............................................. 52 10.2. Lidar Survey Reports .......................... 94
5.1.1. Nucleic Acid Vaccines .............................. 52 10.3. Flex-fuel Engines ................................ 95
5.1.2. Pneumococcal Vaccine ............................ 54 10.4. Muon g-2 ........................................... 95
5.1.3. BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guerin) Vaccine . 54 10.5. Other Important News ....................... 96
1
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Note:
PT 365 documents comprehensively cover the important current affairs of last 1 year (365days) in a
consolidated manner to aid Prelims preparation.
In our endeavour to further enhance the document in the interest of the aspirants, following additions
have been incorporated:
1. Different colours have been used in the document for easy classification and recollection of a
variety of information.
2. QR based Smart quiz has been added to test the aspirant’s learnings and understanding.
3. Infographics have been added to ease understanding, provide for smoother learning experience
and ensure enhanced retention of the content.
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2
1. BIOTECHNOLOGY
1.1. GENOME EDITING
Why in News?
Recently, Department of Biotechnology
(DBT) supported First Chimeric Antigen
Receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy was
conducted.
About CAR-T therapy
• It is a way to get immune cells
called T cells (a type of white blood
cell) to fight cancer by editing
them in the lab so they can find and
destroy cancer cells.
o T cells are taken from the
patient's blood and are
changed in the lab by adding a
gene for a man-made receptor
(called CAR).
o This helps them better identify
specific cancer cell antigens.
The CAR T cells are then given Situation in India
back to the patient. • Several rules, guidelines, and policies backed by the “Rules for the
• It is also sometimes talked about Manufacture, Use, Import, Export and Storage of Hazardous
Microorganisms/Genetically Engineered Organisms or Cells, 1989”
as a type of cell-based gene
notified under the Environment Protection Act, 1986, regulate
editing, because it involves
genetically modified organisms.
altering the genes inside T cells to • National Ethical Guidelines for Biomedical and Health Research
help them attack the cancer. involving human participants, 2017, by the Indian Council of Medical
• In order to promote and support Research (ICMR), and the Biomedical and Health Research
development of CAR-T cell Regulation Bill implies regulation of the gene-editing process.
technology, Biotechnology
Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) and
DBT have taken initiatives in the last 2 years.
o Development of CAR-T cell technology for
diseases including acute lymphocytic
leukemia, multiple myeloma, glioblastoma,
hepatocellular carcinoma, and type-2 diabetes
is supported through DBT.
What is gene editing?
• Genome (or gene) editing is a way of making
specific changes to the DNA of a cell or organism.
This allows genetic material to be added, removed,
or altered at particular locations in the genome.
• It is a three-stage complex mechanism of
unwinding, cleaving (cut paste) and rewinding of
DNA.
• By editing the genome the characteristics of a cell
or an organism can be changed.
o Germline gene therapy targets the
reproductive cells, meaning any changes
made to the DNA will be passed on to the next
generation.
3
• Advantage of Genome Editing: For research, to treat disease (including Leukemia & AIDS), For
biotechnology (genetically modifying crops/cattle), Therapeutic cloning etc.
How does it work?
• Genome editing uses a type of enzyme called an
‘engineered nuclease’ which cuts the genome
in a specific place.
o Engineered nucleases are made up of two
parts:
✓ A nuclease part that cuts the DNA and
✓ A DNA-targeting part to guide the
nuclease to a specific sequence of DNA.
• After cutting the DNA in a specific place, the cell
will naturally repair the cut.
• This repair process can be manipulated to make
changes (or ‘edits’) to the DNA in that location
in the genome.
• Types of Genome editing includes: Small DNA
Changes, Removal of a section of DNA, insertion of section of DNA.
Techniques used for Genome editing
• They mainly differ in how they recognise the DNA to cut.
o Protein based: contain a protein that recognises and binds to the target DNA to be cut.
o RNAbased: contain a short sequence of RNA that binds to the target DNA to be cut.
Related News
• Recently, CRISPR-based system was developed to safely restrain mosquito vectors via sterilization.
• precision-guided sterile insect technique (pgSIT) was used to alter genes in Aedes aegypti, the species
responsible for spreading malaria, dengue, chikungunya and Zika.
o pgSIT uses CRISPR to sterilise male mosquitoes and render female mosquitoes (which spread disease)
flightless.
• Unlike ‘gene drive’ the pgSITsystem is self-limiting and is not predicted to persist or spread in the environment.
o "Gene drive" systems could suppress disease vectors by passing desired genetic alterations indefinitely from
one generation to the next.
• In a related development, A Bill Gates-funded biotech firm (Oxitec) released genetically modified male Aedes
aegypti mosquitoes to combat insect-borne diseases like dengue fever and Zika virus.
4
1.1.1. GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS
Why in news?
India will import genetically
modified (GM) soyameal for the
first time to be used as livestock
feed.
More on news
• Ministry of Environment,
Forest, and Climate Change
(MoEFCC) cleared the proposal,
on the grounds that material
was non-living.
o Genetic Engineering
Appraisal Committee
(GEAC), a special
committee under
MoEFCC
entrusted to
govern matters
related to GM
crops, was
bypassed, given
the non-living
nature of the
material.
• Soyameal is a protein-
rich solid leftover raw
material after
extracting oil from
soyabean seed. It is a
major ingredient of
poultry feed.
o Poultry feed makes up 65% of the
cost of production for the
farmer and poor harvest of soy
has led to high prices of soymeal.
What are GM Food crops?
• According to WHO, genetically
modified organisms (GMOs) are
organisms in which the genetic
material (DNA) has been altered in a
way that does not occur naturally by
mating and/or natural
recombination.
o Foods produced from or using
GM organisms are referred to as
GM foods.
o GM crops carry genes of other
species artificially inserted into
them.
• Globally GM crops were
commercially introduced in 1996. Crops such as corn, cotton, and soybean have been engineered to resist
insect pests and herbicides and are now planted widely in many parts of the world.
5
o USA, Brazil, Argentina, India and Canada are top GM crops growing countries, together accounting
for approx. 90% area of the GM
cultivation.
• Bt cotton is the only genetically modified
(GM) crop that has been approved for
commercial cultivation in 2002 in India.
o GM mustard Dhara Mustard Hybrid 11
(DMH 11) developed by Delhi University is
pending for commercial release as GEAC
has advised to generate complete safety
assessment data on environmental
biosafety.
✓ GM mustard uses a system of genes
from soil bacterium that makes the
plant better suited to hybridisation than current methods.
o GEAC has allowed biosafety research field trials of two new transgenic varieties of indigenously
developed Bt Brinjal – namely Janak and BSS-793, containing Bt Cry1Fa1 gene (Event 142) – in eight
states during 2020-23 only after taking no-objection certificate (NOC) from states concerned and
confirmation of availability of isolated stretch of land for this purpose.
✓ These indigenous transgenic varieties of are developed by the National Institute for Plant
Biotechnology, (NIPB, erstwhile National Research Centre on Plant Biotechnology, New Delhi),
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
Regulatory Procedure involved in the development and approval of GM crops in India
• The rules governing the handling of GMOs and products thereof were notified in 1989 under Environment
Protection Act 1986 and guidelines issued later.
• Two government agencies, MoEFCC and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) are responsible for
implementation of the regulations.
• There are various authorities to handle different aspects of the regulation.
o These are Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee, Institutional Bio Safety Committee, Review
Committee on Genetic Manipulation, GEAC, State Biotechnology Coordination Committee and
District level Committee.
• A series of guidelines for safety assessment proceduresto be followed at various stages of development
of GMOs have been adopted from time to time.
• GEAC shall have powers to revoke approvals in case of:
o Any new information on harmful effects of GMOs.
o GMOs cause such damage to the environment as could not be envisaged when approval was given.
o Non-compliance of any conditions stipulated by GEAC.
Related News
Draft Notification on Food Safety & Standards (Genetically Modified or Genetically Engineered Foods) Regulations,
2021
• New regulations are proposed by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) under the Food Safety
and Standards Act (2006) and will apply to:
o Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) or Genetically Engineered Organisms (GEOs) or Living Modified
Organisms (LMOs) intended for direct use as food or for processing;
✓ GMOs/GEOs/LMOs mean any living organism that possesses a novel combination of genetic material
obtained through use of modern biotechnology.
o Food or Processed food containing Genetically Modified ingredients (GEI) produced from but not containing
LMOs or GEOs or GMOs.
• Key provisions of draft regulations
o Prior Approval from FSSAI for manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import etc. of any food or food
ingredient derived from GMOs.
o If GMOs or GEOs contain LMOs, it requires prior approval from GEAC to get FSSAI approval and direct
approval from FSSAI if no LMOs.
o Specifies the requirements for Food Laboratories to be designated for GM foods testing.
o Labelling Standards for GM foods if GEI is 1% or more.
6
Genetically Modified (GM) Rubber
• Recently, world’s first GM rubber plant was planted in Assam.
• GM rubber plant, which is the first of its kind developed specifically for the northeast and is expected to
flourish in the region’s climatic conditions.
• With additional copies of the gene MnSOD(manganese-containing superoxide dismutase) inserted in it, GM
rubber plant is expected to tide over the severe cold conditions during winter which is a major factor
affecting the growth of young rubber plants.
o Natural rubber is a native of warm humid Amazon forests and is not naturally suited for the colder
conditions.
• It is developed by the Kerala-based Rubber Research Institute of India.
1.2. GENOME SEQUENCING

Why in News?
Researchers at the Telomere-to-Telomere
consortium, an international
collaboration, have sequenced the first
complete human reference genome.
About Genome sequencing
• Genome sequencing means
deciphering the exact order of base
pairs (refer infographic) in an
individual.
• A genome is anorganism’s complete
set of DNA. It includes all
chromosomes, which houses DNA, and
genes (specific sections of DNA).
• Human genome contains about 3
billion base pairs that spell out the
instructions for making and
maintaining a human being.
Related News
Nanopore gene sequencing
• It enables direct, real-time analysis of long DNA or RNA fragments at a faster and cheaper rate than previously
possible with older technologies.
• It works by monitoring changes to an electrical current as nucleic acids are passed through a protein nanopore.
o Nucleic acids are essential for all forms of life and are found in all cells and viruses. Nucleic acids come in two
natural forms called DNA and RNA.
• Resulting signal is decoded to provide specific DNA or RNA sequence.
7
1.3. BIOTECH-PRIDE GUIDELINES
Why in news?
“Biotech-PRIDE (Promotion of Research and Innovation through Data Exchange) Guidelines” developed by
Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology were released recently.
About Guidelines
• Biotech-PRIDE guidelines have been
formulated in conformity with the principles
of NDSAP (National Data Sharing and
Accessibility Policy) 2012, for enabling the
sharing, access and storage of biological data.
o At present, biological data in India is
deposited in International Repositories
and there are no guidelines for sharing it.
• Under the guidelines, it is the responsibility of
the data-generator/ producer/submitter to
deposit data in an appropriate database in the
notified Data Repository.
• Data withdrawal may be granted if the
individual or the organization, whose data
have been placed on a publicly accessible
database, make a justified request either
directly or through the submitter, with valid
claims to the data.
• These Guidelines will be implemented
through Indian Biological Data Centre (IBDC) at Regional Center for Biotechnology supported by DBT.
Other datasets/
data centres will be
bridged to the IBDC
which will be called
Bio-Grid.
o The Bio-Grid will
be a National
Repository for
all biological
knowledge,
information
and data
generated
through
research within
the country and
will be
responsible for:
✓ Enabling its exchange to facilitate the Research and Innovation,
✓ Developing measures for safety, standards and quality for datasets and
✓ Establishing detailed modalities for accessing data.
1.4. RIBONUCLEIC ACID INTERFERENCE

Why in News?
Recently RNA interference (RNAi) technology has been suggested for manufacturing pesticides.
Procedure for RNAi use in pesticides
• Scientists first identified proteins necessary for survival of pests at cellular level.
8
• Using RNAi technology, they
created a specific RNA to prevent
those proteins from being formed
in the pest.
o This can help in targeting only
specific pests and avoid
damage to friendly insects
such as bees, earthworms etc.
• RNA molecules can be externally
delivered to plants,
through applications like spray,
stem injection, root drenching, or
seed treatment.
• Thus, by “vaccinating” plants, i.e.,
delivering the specific RNA
molecule to pests from plants, they
are protected from infestation.
About RNA interference (RNAi)
• Cell produces molecules it needs by reading the genetic code written in the DNA. This is known as gene
expression.
• RNA interference regulates gene expression by a highly precise mechanism called sequence-
directed gene silencing by degrading specific messenger RNAs (mRNAs) or by blocking its translation into
protein.
o mRNA is a single-stranded molecule that carries genetic code from DNA in a cell's nucleus to
ribosomes, the cell's protein-making machinery.
• Under RNAi, special enzymes known as ‘Dicer’ are used to cleave (split) ‘double stranded RNA’ (dsRNA)
into small fragments known as ‘small interfering RNA’ (siRNA).
• The siRNA is deployed to ‘interfere’ in gene expression and manipulate function of genes.
• RNAi occurs naturally in almost all eukaryotes (organisms whose cells contain a nucleus and other
membrane-bound organelles) such as animals, insects, fungi etc.
• Benefits of RNAi:can be used in developing therapies for the treatment of cancer, to produce crop plants
that are resistant to viral pathogens.

Dark genome • Scientists investigating the DNA outside our genes (the 'dark genome) have discovered recently
evolved regions that generate proteins associated with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
• Dark genome refers to ‘DNA outside of the regions of the human genome that are not usually
recognized as genes but can still code for proteins.
o They are genes/proteins for which there is minimal knowledge on biological function and,
allied to this, limited tools for their analysis (such as antibodies).
o Thus, it adversely affects the precision medicine initiative.
Borg DNA • Scientists analysing samples in the western United States have found novel DNA structures,
much like the fictional Star Trek ‘Borg’ aliens who assimilate the knowledge and technology of
other species.
• Borgs are DNA structures (not like any that’s been seen before), that seem to scavenge and
‘assimilate’ genes from microorganisms in their environment.
• Borgs seem to house many genes needed for entire metabolic processes, including digesting
methane.
• One potential application that the researchers see for Borgs could be as an aid in the fight
against climate change.
• Borgs are extrachromosomal elements, meaning that these DNA sequences are found outside
the chromosomes that lie within nucleus of most cells and that contain majority of an organism’s
genetic material.
National Gene • Refurbished NGB at National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), Pusa was inaugurated
Bank (NGB) recently.
9
o NBPGR is the nodal institute at national level for acquisition & management of indigenous &
exotic plant genetic resources for food and agriculture in India.
• Established in 1996, NGB works towards preserving the seeds of Plant Genetic Resources (PGR)
for future generations.
• Refurbished NGB is the 2nd largest Gene Bank of the world with capacity to preserve 1 million
germplasm.
o Presently, the bank is protecting 4.52 lakh accessions, of which 2.7 lakh are Indian germplasm
and the rest have been imported from other nations.
• Primarily, NGB has four kinds of facilities, namely, Seed Genebank (- 18°C), Cryogenebank (-170°C
to -196°C), In vitro Genebank (25°C), and Field Genebank.
• Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway houses the world’s largest collection of seeds.
o India’s seed vault is at Chang La (Ladakh) in the Himalayas.
10
2. NANO TECHNOLOGY
2.1. NANO TECHNOLOGY
Why in News?
National Fertilisers Limited (NFL) and Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilisers Ltd (RCF) signed MoU with IFFCO for
‘transfer of technology’ of Nano Urea Liquid (NUL) fertiliser.
About Nano Urea Liquid (NUL)
• NUL contains nano-scale nitrogen particles which have more surface area and number of particles
making it more impactful.
• India has become the first country globally to start commercial production of NUL.
• Significance
o Reduces the requirement of conventional Urea by 50% or more.
o Improves Soil, Air & Water quality.
o Cheaper than conventional urea.
About Nanotechnology
• Nanotechnology is science, engineering, and technology conducted at the nanoscale, which is about 1 to
100 nanometers.
o A nanometer (nm) is one thousand millionth of a meter. A single human hair is about 80,000 nm wide,
a red blood cell is approximately 7,000 nm wide.
• The properties of materials can be different on a nanoscale for two main reasons.
o First, nanomaterials have, relatively, a larger surface area than the same mass of material produced
in a larger form.
✓ This can make materials more chemically reactive and affect their strength or electrical
properties.
o Second, below 50 nm, the laws of classical physics give way to quantum effects, provoking optical,
electrical and magnetic behaviours different from those of the same material at a larger scale.
✓ These effects can give materials very useful physical properties such as exceptional electrical
conduction or resistance, or a high capacity for storing or transferring heat, and can even modify
biological properties.
11
Triboelectric • Scientists from the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CNSMS) have fabricated a cost-
Nanogenerators effective, bio-compatible nanogenerator that can generate electricity from mechanical
(TENG) energy in the form of vibrations present everywhere.
o CNSMS is an autonomous institute under the Department of Science & Technology.
• The energy harvesting TENG works on the principle of creation of electrostatic charges
(deficiency or excess of electrons which occurs on ungrounded or insulating surfaces).
• Applications include optoelectronics, self-powered devices, and other biomedical
applications.
12
3. IT & COMPUTER
3.1. NATIONAL STRATEGY ON BLOCKCHAIN
Why in news?
National Strategy on
Blockchain has been
formulated by the
Ministry of Electronics &
Information Technology
(MeitY).
Blockchain Technology
Overview
• Blockchain is a
distributed or
decentralised ledger
technology which
was first introduced
in the design and
development of cryptocurrency, Bitcoin in Potential Blockchain Applications
2009. • Transfer of Land • Duty payments;
• Blockchain technology is an amalgamation of Records (Property • Agriculture and other
various technologies such as distributed Record supply chains;
systems, cryptography, etc Management); • eVoting;
• Blockchain is a series of blocks, where each • Digital Certificates • Electronic Health Record
block contains details of transactions Management Management;
executed over the network, hash(address) of
(Education, Death, • Digital Evidence
Birth, agreements, Management System;
the previous block, timestamp etc. etc); • Public Service Delivery;
• Data and transactions stored in blocks are • Pharmaceutical
• IoT Device Management
secured against tampering using supply chain; and Security;
cryptographic hash algorithms and are • e-Notary Service • Vehicle lifecycle
validated and verified through consensus (Blockchain enabled e- management;
(consensus protocols) across nodes of the Sign Solution); • Chit fund operations
Blockchain network. • Farm Insurance; administration;
• Blockchain platforms are being developed to • Identity management; Microfinance for Self-
offer Blockchain based digital transaction • Power distribution; Help Groups (SHG)
platforms. Popular blockchain platforms include Hyperledger, Cosmos, Polkadot, Redbelly, Ethereum etc.
Strategies and Outcomes targeted for next 5 years: National Blockchain Framework (NBF)
• Need: Reports predicts that by 2030, Blockchain would be used as a foundational technology for 30% of
the global customer base.
• Plan: MeitY has initiated a
project on design and
development of a NBF for
creation of a shared
Blockchain infrastructure
and offering Blockchain
as-a-Service (BaaS).
Initially, NBF would be
used for e-governance
domain transitioning to
incorporate various use
cases over time.
13
This framework comprises following Other prominent efforts in this direction
components for a multi-pronged strategy: • Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Blockchain technology was
• Geographically distributed nodes established by NIC in association with National Informatics
Centre Services Inc. (NICSI) to accelerate adoption &
across the country, to enable citizen
deployment of Blockchain technology in Government.
services at large scale and enable cross
• NITI Aayog in collaboration with Gujarat Narmada Valley
domain (such as health, agriculture, Fertilizers & Chemicals Limited (GNFC) has developed a
education, finance, etc.) application Blockchain based system for fertilizer subsidy.
development. • State Level efforts: Blockchain technology based solution for
• R&D for Blockchain Challenges and property registration has been developed and is piloted at
detection of vulnerabilities in Blockchain Shamshabad District, Telangana.
technology based solutions.
• To design and develop an indigenous Blockchain platform.
• Integration with important National Level Services such as online Electronic Signatures (e-Sign),
ePramaan and Digilocker.
Blockchain Models
• Awareness Creation: to sensitize the
Public/Permissionless Private/Permissioned
MSME/ Government departments/
1. Anyone can join, read, 1. Only authorized
judiciary and law enforcement write and commit participants can write and
agencies (LEAs), to boost the 2. All are allowed to commit
adoption. participate in consensus 2. Authorized nodes only can
• Others: updated Policies & and anonymous participate in consensus
Regulations, fiscal and non-fiscal resilient 3. Partially decentralized
incentives to enable large scale 3. Truly decentralized because of participation of
adoption, multi-Institutional because of participation known actors
Approach to plan and implement NBF, of unknown actors. 4. Finality of transactions
4. Finality of transaction could be better in this
Human Resource Development etc.
could take longer time model due to less number
o Government has already started due to more number of of participants.
the Future Skills Prime program participants
for upskilling and reskilling in
emerging technologies including Blockchain in association with NASSCOM.
o Further, Blockchain Advisory Council and Steering Committee shall be constituted to provide overall
guidance and for regular review and monitoring of the implementation of the Strategy respectively.
• Challenges in Blockchain adoption: Inefficient technology design, scalability as it is still unable to
accommodate large-scale users, high power consumption, lack of regulation, lack of adequate skill set,
lack of adequate security/privacy etc.
Related News
Presidio Principles: Foundational Values for a decentralised future
• Presidio Principles were released by World Economic Forum’s Global Blockchain Council.
• The document calls on all actors to uphold these tenets as they build blockchain applications – and to self-direct
their ecosystems in using these principles as a foundational vision for how users can and should be protected.
• The Presidio Principles are grouped into four broad pillars: Transparency & Accessibility, Privacy & Security,
Accountability & Governance, and Agency & Interoperability.
• The principles are not legally binding.
Decentralised applications (dApps)
• dApps are programmes that allow people to interact with one another without the need for third parties thereby
obviating the need for a middleman and their commissions.
• Characteristics of dApps:Exist and run on a blockchain network, Higher computing power than regular apps, Less
vulnerable to cyber-attacks.
El Salvador has become the first country in the world to grant legal tender status to bitcoin.
• Bitcoin is a digital or virtual currency.
• It uses peer-to-peer technology, with no central authority, to facilitate instant payments.
• Bitcoins are created through a complex process known as "mining", and then monitored by a network of
computers across the world.
14
3.2. 5G TECHNOLOGY
Why in News?
Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone
Idea received a six-month extension from
the Department of Telecommunications
(DoT) to conduct 5G trials till May 2022.
About 5G technologies
• 5G (the fifth generation of cellular
networks) is designed to improve
network connections by addressing
the legacy issues of speed, latency and utility, which
the earlier/ current generation of mobile networks
could not address.
• 5G operates at higher frequencies to offer a new kind
of network that is designed to connect virtually
everyone and everything together including
machines, objects, and devices.
• It will also have an enhanced throughput to handle
more simultaneous connections at a time than
current-generation networks.
• 5G mainly works in 3 bands, namely low, mid and high
frequency spectrum.
Spectrum Uses/Advantage Limitations
Low band • Great promise in terms of coverage and speed of internet • May not be optimal for
and data exchange, the maximum speed is limited to 100 specialised needs of the industry.
Mbps (Megabits per second).
• For commercial cellphone users who may not have specific
demands for very high speed internet.
Mid-band • Higher speeds compared to the low band. • In terms of coverage area and
• May be used by industries and specialised factory units for penetration of signals.
building captive networks.
High-band • Offers the highest speed (as high as 20 Gbps (giga bits per • Extremely limited coverage and
second)) of all the three bands. signal penetration strength.
15
Steps taken by Government
• A 5G High Level Forum was set up in 2017 to articulate the Vision for 5G in India and to recommend policy initiatives
and action plans to realize this vision.
• Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has formed the 5G India Forum (5GIF) that is expected to serve as
a national initiative where all stakeholderscan meet and discuss the challenges of making 5G a reality in India.
• ‘Building an End-to-End 5G Test Bed’programme that envisages close collaboration between the universities and
startups and create an ecosystem that closely resembles a real-world 5G deployment.
• National Digital Communication Policy-2018 (NDCP-2018) also lays out the following objectives with respect to 5G
services in India:
o Enabling Hi-speed internet, Internet of Things and M2M (Machine to machine) by rollout of several 5G
technologies.
o Enhancing the backhaul capacity to support the development of next generation networks.
Related News
LTE (Long-Term Evolution) and VoLTE (Voice over Long-Term Evolution)
• VoLTE is a technology update to the LTE protocol used by mobile phone networks.
o Under LTE, the infrastructure of telecom players only allows transmission of data while voice calls are
routed to their older 2G or 3G networks.
✓ This is why, under LTE, you cannot access your 4G data services while on a call. This leads to problems
such as slow internet speeds and poor voice clarity.
✓ LTE is commonly marketed as 4G LTE.
✓ VoLTE allows voice calls to be ‘packaged’ and carried through LTE networks. This would mean 4G data
accessibility even during calls.
Innovation Group for 6G
• Department of Telecommunications (DoT) formed a technology innovation group on 6G headed by K Rajaraman.
• It will create a roadmap for Research and Development and an action plan for 6G technology .
Related News
5G technology poses a serious threat to the airline safety
• About the concern
o US auctioned mid-range 5G bandwidth to mobile phone companies in the 3.7-3.98 GHz range on the spectrum.
o This bandwidth is close to the airwaves the altimeters use, giving rise to concerns about potential interference
of 5G with sensitive aircraft electronics like radio altimeters.
16
o Interference can prevent engine and braking systems from transitioning to landing mode and in the event of
bad weather, cloud cover or even heavy smog pilots will be left with visual approaches only.
• Potential solutions for this technological concern:
o Set lower frequency standards for 5G services. E.g. EU has a 5G range of 3.4-3.8 GHz.
o Including a buffer band to separate the new 5G signals from those used by radar altimeters.
mmWave or Millimeter Band or Extremely High Frequency Band
• Recently, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) sought information on the quantum of mmWave band
spectrum to be available for 5G services to reach its base price
• mmWaveis the band spectrum with usual wavelengths between 10 millimeters (30 GHz) and 1 millimeter (300
GHz).
• In India, Telecom companies want inclusion of 26-28Ghz spectrum bands in National Frequency Allocation Plan
(NFAP), 2018 along with existing mid-band spectrum of 3.3-3.6 Ghz for 5G services.
• Critical for 5G and satellite broadband services due to their capacity to carry enormous data, it will reduce the 5G
cost significantly.
3.3. LIGHT FIDELITY (LIFI) TECHNOLOGY

Why in News?
Recently, Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) institute got LiFi network.
About Light Fidelity (Lifi) Technology
• LiFi is a wireless optical networking technology, which uses light emitting diodes (LEDs) to transmit data.
o It makes a LED light bulb emit pulses of light
that are undetectable to human eye and
within those emitted pulses, data can travel
to and from receivers.
• LiFi is not strictly a line-of-sight technology i.e.
data rate is not dependent on the line of sight
but on the signal quality at the device
• Advantages of LiFi systems: Provide ultra-fast
data connections, Useful in urban areas where
radio spectra are congested and also in rural
areas wherein Fiber Optic Cables or networks
are not reachable etc
• Unlike Wi-Fi that uses radio waves for data
transmission, LiFi uses light.
Difference between Wifi and Lifi
Feature LiFi WiFi
Operation LiFi transmits data using light with the WiFi transmits data using radio waves with the
help of LED bulbs. help of WiFi router.
Interference Do not have any intereference issues Will have intereference issues from nearby access
similar to radio frequency waves. points (routers).
Privacy In LiFi, light does not pass thorugh the In WiFi, Radio frequencies signal passess thorugh
walls and hence will provide a much the walls and hence there is a need to employ
secure data transfer techniques to achieve secure data transfer.
Data transfer speed About 1 Gbps About 150Mbps.
Frequency of 10 thousand times frequency spectrum of 2.4GHz, 4.9GHz and 5GHz
operation the radio
Coverage distance About 10 meters About 32 meters (vary based on transmit power
and antenna type)
Data density work with high dense environment work in less dense environment due to
interference related issues
3.4. INTERNET OF THINGS

Why in news?
Recently, Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC) released ‘Code of Practice for securing consumer
Internet of Things (IoT)'.
17
About Internet of Things (IoT)
• It is a seamless connected network of embedded objects/ devices, with identifiers, in which Machine to
Machine (M2M) communication without any human intervention is possible using standard and
interoperable communication Guidelines for securing consumer IoT
protocols. • All IoT device default passwords shall be unique per device.
o In general terms, it includes • Disclosed vulnerabilities should be acted on in a timely manner
any object or thing that can • Software components should be securely updateable.
be connected to an Internet • Unused functionality should be disabled; hardware should not
network, from factory unnecessarily expose access (e.g. unrequired ports both network and
equipment and cars to logical should be closed).
mobile devices and smart • Security-sensitive data should be encrypted in transit.
watches. • In case the device collects or transmits personal data, such data
✓ Phones, Tablets and PCs should be securely stored.
are not included as part of IoT.
o It specifically comes to mean connected things that are equipped with sensors, software, and other
technologies that allow them to transmit and receive data.
✓ Traditionally, connectivity was achieved mainly via Wi-Fi, whereas today 5G and other types of
network platforms are increasingly able to handle large data sets with speed and reliability.
• It is widely being used to create smart infrastructure in various verticals such as Power, Automotive,
Safety and
Surveillance,
Remote Health
Management,
Agriculture,
Smart Homes
and Smart Cities
etc, using
connected
devices.
How does IoT work?
• An IoT ecosystem
consists of web-
enabled smart
devices use embedded systems, such as processors, sensors and communication hardware, to collect,
send and act on data they acquire from their environments.
• These share the sensor data they collect by connecting to an IoT gateway or other edge device where
data is sent to the cloud to be analyzed locally.
• Sometimes, these devices communicate with other related devices and act on the information they get
from one another.
• The devices do most of the work without human intervention, although people can interact with the
devices for instance, to set them up, give them instructions or access the data.
Significance of IoT
• IoT encourages the communication between devices, also known as M2M communication.
• M2M communication helps to maintain transparency in the processes. It leads to uniformity in the tasks
and maintain the quality of service.
• M2M interaction provides better efficiency, hence, accurate results can be obtained fast.
• Applications of IoT in increased convenience, better management, thereby improving the quality of life.
• Challenges of IoT: Data Breach, increased dependence on Technology, Complexity in operation, issue of
compatibility in tagging and monitoring, lesser Employment of Menial Staff etc.
Measures taken by the government to promote IoT
• In 2015, Draft IoT Policy was formulated with a vision to develop connected and smart IoT based system for our
country's economy, society, environment and global needs.
• Centre of Excellence for IoT was set up in Bangalore by GOI and NASSCOM. Also, Andhra Pradesh will become an
IoT hub with first-of-its-kind policy
18
• The government came up with the National Digital Communications Policy (NDCP) 2018, released by Department
of Telecommunications (DoT), to satisfy the modern realities of the telecom such as 5G technology, IoT, M2M
communication, etc.
o As per the NDCP, an eco-system is to be created for 5 billion connected devices by 2022.
• In October 2021, the Government notified 100% FDI via the automatic route from previous 49% in the
telecommunications sector.
3.5. METAVERSE
Why in News?
A recent study ranked India among top 5 countries in terms of interest in metaverse projects.
More on News
• Metaverse projects refer to blockchain-based games and applications that are set in virtual worlds.
• Such games follow a play-to-earn model, where gamers are rewarded for being invested in the game.
What is Metaverse?
• Metaverse can be understood as a combination of multiple elements of technology, including virtual
reality, augmented reality and video where users "live" within a digitally enhanced surrounding.
• These technologies are currently being developed by Apple, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft in addition
to Facebook.
• To understand how it works and the impact that it may create, it is important to have clarity on following
ideas and technologies:
o Virtual Reality (VR): VR can be understood as the use of computer modelling and simulation that
enables a person to interact with an artificial three-dimensional (3-D) visual or other sensory
environment. E.g., games like World of Warcraft.
✓ VR closes the world, and transposes an individual, providing complete immersion experience.
o Augmented Reality (AR): It is an enhanced version of the real physical world that is achieved through
the use of digital visual elements, sound, or other sensory stimuli delivered via technology. E.g., games
like Pokémon Go.
o Hologram: Holograms are virtual three-dimensional images created by the interference of light beams
that reflect real physical objects.
o Avatar: An avatar in the metaverse is a representation of an individual in the virtual world, this digital
avatar enables the person to function like an actual human being in a digitally created world.
o Platform/Developer/User distinction: In metaverse, digital engagement will get very personal and
tailormade for the user. In this context, it is important that role played by the platform, the developers
and the users is clearly understood.
How it works?
Using the aforementioned digital
tools, the idea of metaverse aims to
connect people, places and things in
multiple environments.
The metaverse enables this by merging
virtual, augmented, and physical
reality, and blurs the line between
your interactions online and in real
life. It would enhance our abilities to
express pieces of ourselves through
avatars in ways that we may not have
been able to test out before.
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3.6. DRONE REGULATIONS IN INDIA
Why in News?
Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA)
has released the updated – The
Drone Rules, 2021.
About Drones
• Drone is a layman terminology
for Unmanned Aircraft (UA),
an aircraft, which is intended
to operate with no
pilot on board.
• An aircraft and its
associated
elements, which
are operated with
no pilot on board is
called as
Unmanned Aircraft
System (UAS).
Draft Drone Rules, 2021
• Drone Rules, 2021
will replace the
Unmanned
Aircraft Systems
(UAS) Rules 2021
(released on 12
March 2021).
• Objective is to
enable more types
of unmanned
aircraft operational scenarios, increase the ease of compliance for the unmanned aviation industry, and
ensure safety and security.
Key provisions
Rules will • A person owning or possessing or engaged in exporting, importing, manufacturing, trading,
apply to leasing, operating, transferring, or maintaining a drone in India.
• All drones that are being operated for the time being, in or over India.
• These shall not apply to drones used by the naval, military or air force.
Eligibility • Following natural persons shall be eligible for a remote pilot license:
conditions for o Not less than eighteen years of age and not more than sixty-five years of age.
authorization o Have passed class tenth or its equivalent examination from a recognised Board.
o Have completed the training prescribed by the Director General for the applicable class of
remote pilot licence from an authorised remote pilot training organisation.
• No licence shall be required for a person operating
o A nano drone.
o A micro drone for non-commercial purposes
o For research and development (R&D) organizations operating such drones.
Classification • Will be based upon the maximum all-up weight including payload:
of drones Classification of UAS
Nano <= 250g.
Micro 250g - 2kg
Small 2 kg - 25 kg
Medium 25 kg - 150 kg
Large >150 kg
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Drone • Drone operators will have to generate a unique identification number of a drone by providing
Registration requisite details on the digital sky platform (DSP).
o DSP is an initiative by MoCA to provide a secure and a scalable platform that supports drone
technology frameworks, such as NPNT (no permission, no take-off), designed to enable
flight permission digitally and managing unmanned aircraft operations and traffic efficiently.
Drone • Central Government may publish on DSP, an airspace map for drone operations segregating the
Operations entire airspace of India into red, yellow, and green zones.
Green Zone Yellow Zone Red Zone
• Airspace from the ground up to a • Controlled airspace • Airspace of defined
vertical distance of 400 feet (120 of defined dimensions, above the
metre) above ground level (AGL) dimensions above land areas or territorial
that has not been designated as a the land areas or waters of India, or any
red zone or yellow zone in the territorial waters of installation or notified
airspace map. India within which port limits specified by
• Airspace from the ground up to a drone operations are the Central Government
vertical distance of 200 feet (60 restricted and shall beyond the territorial
metre) AGL in the area located require permission waters of India; within
between a lateral distance of 8 from the concerned which drone operations
kilometre and 12 kilometre from air traffic control shall be permitted only
the perimeter of an operational authority. under exceptional
airport. circumstances by the
Central Government;
• No person shall operate a drone in a red zone or yellow zone without prior permission.
• In the airspace above 400 feet AGL in a designated green zone and the airspace above 200 feet
AGL in the area located between the lateral distance of 8 kilometre and 12 kilometre from the
perimeter of an operational airport, the provisions of yellow zone shall apply;
• State Government, UT or law enforcement agency may declare a temporary red zone for a
period not exceeding 48 hours at a time.
o Declaration shall be done by an officer not below the rank of Superintendent of Police or
its equivalent.
Drone • Following persons shall not require a certificate of airworthiness, unique identification number,
operations for prior permission, and remote pilot licence for operating drones:
research and o R&D entities and Educational institutions under the administrative control of, or recognised
development by Central Government, State Governments or UT.
(R&D) o Startups recognised by Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade.
o Any drone manufacturer having a Goods and Service Tax Identification Number.
• But such drone operations must take place within a green zone and within the premises of the
person where such R&D is being carried out; or within an open area in a green zone under such
person’s control.
Other key • In case of a drone with maximum all-up-weight more than 500 kilogram, the provisions of the
highlights Aircraft Rules, 1937 shall apply.
• Import of drones and drone components shall be regulated by the Directorate General of
Foreign Trade.
• No security clearance required before any registration or licence issuance.
• Approvals abolished: unique authorisation number, unique prototype identification number,
certificate of conformance, certificate of maintenance, import clearance, acceptance of existing
drones, operator permit, authorisation of R&D organisation, student remote pilot licence,
remote pilot instructor authorisation, drone port authorisation etc.
• Safety features like ‘No permission – no take-off’ (NPNT), real-time tracking beacon, geo-fencing
etc. to be notified in future.
• Digital sky platform shall be developed as a business-friendly single-window online system.
• Issuance of Certificate of Airworthiness delegated to Quality Council of India and certification
entities authorised by it.
3.6.1. DRONE TECHNOLOGY IN AGRICULTURE

Why in News?
Recently, the Union Agriculture Minister released the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for use of Drone
in Pesticide Application for Crop Protection and for spraying Soil and Crop Nutrients.
21
Major Provisions of the SOPs
• It covers instructions on pre, post and during operation, emergency handling plan for effective and safe
operations of drones.
• The SOP covers important aspects of Pesticide application and drones can be used in Agricultural,
Forestry, Non-Cropped Areas, etc.
Potential of Drone Technology use in Agriculture
“Drone” means an unmanned aircraft
system, i.e., an aircraft that can operate
autonomously or can be operated
remotely without a pilot on board
(Drone Rules, 2021).
• Finding use in many fields, it holds
potential to modernize the routine
manual agriculture activities as well
by linking with artificial intelligence
(AI), machine learning (ML) etc.
○ This includes mining,
infrastructure, surveillance,
emergency response,
transportation, geo-spatial
mapping, defence, and law
enforcement etc.
• It will also help in finding solutions
to:
○ Addressing Increasing food
demand with world population Why use drones for spraying pesticides?
predicted to reach 9 billion by 2050; • Being toxic in nature (Biocides), the Conventional pesticide
○ React faster to pest invasions. E.g. in use methods carry issues like:
2020, drones were used in fight o High Labor Cost, Lower spray uniformity and
against the attack on crops by swarms excessive application.
of locusts in India. o Health and environment risks on Oral, respiratory or
dermal (by skin) contact; pollution of soil and water.
○ Help in future needs of agriculture
• Drones use can help address most of these issues.
through micro level resource
management to overcome unsuitable farming methods. E.g. In an experiment, drones helped in
reducing herbicide use by 52% in a Brazilian soybean field.
○ Help in Smart Agriculture through direct communication between drones and other agricultural
equipment. It involves processing of drone inputs to create field maps and sending it to farm
equipment.
Challenges
• Unviable Commercial Operation due to small and scattered landholding. E.g. According to the Agriculture
Census (2015-16), around 86% farmers in India hold land less than 5 acres.
• Limited Flight time and range of Drones due to relatively high payloads (20-60 minutes).
• High Initial costs of drones with maintenance issues.
• Connectivity issues in rural areas for online coverage.
• Knowledge and skill issues as it needs specialized skills and knowledge from farmer to utilize drone inputs,
• Concerns over misuse of drones to infringe privacy and security (especially in border areas).
• Weather dependence with difficulties to operate in windy or rainy weather.
Modern Technology in Agriculture
• Agricultural Drone: By using the correct sensors, drones can provide farmers with realtime information regarding
crops, soil deterioration, dry regions, fungal infections, spraying etc.
• Satellite images to keep an eye on crops without being present on the farm.
• Artificial Intelligence to reach solutions based data that indicates weather conditions, type of harvest a crop would
need, and the type of soil most suitable, etc.
22
• Soil and Water sensors: can detect moisture and nitrogen levels.
• RFID Technology: Can be used for traceability of particular crops and to provide information that can be associated
with farming yields.
• Vertical Farming: Provides farmers with a wonderful possibility to increase crop yields while overcoming the
problems related to a limited land area.
• Internet of Things (IoT): can be used to monitor soil moisture, water meters, rainfall, weather stations, irrigation
pumps, and cattle biometrics.
• Robotics: could positively impact the production of food, in particular high value crops that require intensive labor.
• Advantage of using technology in agriculture: Improved water use efficiency, better crop varieties,
climate/weather prediction, reduces farmer’s efforts, lower cost of production etc.
3.7. SATELLITE INTERNET SERVICES

Why in News?
Recently, government issued a public
advisory to stop Starlink Internet Services
from offering satellite-based services in
India and asked citizens not to subscribe
to it as it is not licensed in India.
More on News
• For commercial launch of Satellite
Internet Services a company needs
GMPCS (global mobile personal communication by satellite) license, with Department of
Telecommunications, as the licensor under Section 4 of the Indian Telegraph Act of 1885.
• GMPCS is a personal communication system providing transnational, regional or global coverage from a
constellation of satellites accessible with small and easily transportable terminals.
What is Satellite Internet Service?
• Satellite Internet Services is a wireless internet connection which uses satellites in space to get an internet
signal from the Internet Service Provider (ISP) to users.
• It operates using two way satellites like VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) or telecommunication
satellites to liaison between Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and Users with satellite dishes.
• These can be the geostationary satellites or satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO); in 500-2000 km by Starlink
(SpaceX), Kupier(Amazon)and OneWeb.
o Advantages of Space-based internet systems using satellites in LEO compared to GEO: low Latency in
signal transmission.
o Advantages of Space-based internet systems using satellites in GEO compared to LEO: Serviceable
area on Earth by each satellite is more, easier to establish a transmission link with a satellite.
23
• It is different from satellite television as Internet signals have to go both ways with a much greater
amount of bandwidth to move all that data.
• The other types of internet services in India includes-
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), fixed wireless
internet, wireless cellular networks (e.g. 4G, 5G),
Fiber optic cables etc.
Models for satellite-based connectivity include:
• Hybrid (LPWAN + Satellite) or Indirect Model: In
this, each sensor and actuator in a network may
communicate with the satellite through an
intermediate sink node, i.e., Low Power Wide-Area
Network (LPWAN) gateway.
• Direct to Satellite Model: allows devices to directly
communicate with the satellite without the need of any intermediate ground gateway.
Benefits of Satellite Internet Services Challenges in Satellite Internet Services
• Cheap and easy internet option for rural • Low Speed and High Latency* in comparison to fiber optic cables,
areas, hilly terrains, and islands for Last • High Cost as compared to wireless cellular networks and others,
Mile connectivity. • Limitations of Bandwidth with high impact of weather
• Faster than DSL connection with aberrations,
continuously improving technology with • Potential to damage spacecrafts/satellites or interrupt higher
present speeds reaching around 100 satellites frequency because of its large satellite network need,
mbps. • Potential to increase space junk
• Can play a significant role in emergency • Not compatible for virtual private network (VPN) Services.
or disaster recovery due to limited o A VPN gives online privacy and anonymity by creating a private
ground infrastructure. network from a public internet connection
*- Latency, also known as ping time, refers to how long it takes a single piece of information to make a round trip
back and forth over a satellite connection.
Related news
Indian Satellite Navigation Policy – 2021 (SATNAV Policy – 2021)
• SATNAV Policy has been proposed by the Department of Space (DOS).
o Satellite based Navigation is a constellation of navigation satellites with global or regional coverage and its
supporting infrastructure designed to provide all weather, passive, three-dimensional position, velocity and
timing data.
• Major Objectives of the Policy
o Ensuring guaranteed and continuous availability of free-to-air navigation signals for civilian uses and secured
navigation signals for strategic uses.
o Working towards compatibility and interoperability of Indian satellite navigation and augmentation signals
with other Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) and Satellite based Augmentation Systems (SBAS)
signals.
o To provide Position, Velocity and Time (PVT) based services.
o To continue and upgrade Space based navigation services (SBNS) and SBAS as part of government’s
Atmanirbhar Bharat.
✓ Secured SBNS exclusively for the Indian strategic community is provided through Navigation with Indian
Constellation (NavIC).
➢ NavIC or Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) is an independent regional navigation
satellite system developed by ISRO.
➢ IRNSS is a constellation of seven satellites -three in geostationary orbit and four in geosynchronous
orbits.
✓ SBAS services via GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) for the Indian airspace.
➢ GAGAN is jointly developed by ISRO and AAI to provide navigational services and position accuracy
for Aviation.
3.8. FACIAL RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY

Why in News?
Recently, NITI Aayog okayed study on facial recognition technology (FRT) in India
24
About Facial recognition technology (FRT)
• It is a way of identifying or confirming an individual’s identity using their face. It can be used to identify
people in photos, videos,
or in real-time.
o Computer algorithms
map unique facial-
landmarks such as
shape of cheekbones,
contours of lips etc.
and convert these into
a numerical code—
termed a faceprint.
✓ It relies on many of
the processes and
techniques
associated with
artificial
intelligence (AI)
o For the purposes of
‘verification’ or ‘identification’, system compares the faceprint generated with a large existing
database of faceprints.
• Recently, Government has approved implementation of National Automated Facial Recognition System
(NAFRS).
o NAFRS, to be used by police pan-India, will be issued by NCRB.
Mechanisms of some of the methods

• Fingerprint: Fingerprints are easy to capture, and can verified by comparing the unique loops, arches,
and whorls in each pattern.
25
• Voice Recognition: Physically, the shape of a person’s vocal tract, including the nose, mouth, and
larynx determines the sound produced. Behaviorally, the way a person says something – movement
variations, tone, pace, accent, and so on – is also unique to each individual.
• Retina Scan: Retinal scans capture capillaries deep within the eye (unique to each person) by using
unique near-infrared cameras.
• Keystroke dynamics: Keystroke dynamics leverage the fact that people follow a definite pattern while
typing on a keyboard or keypad.
Apart from the aforementioned indicators, other biometrics are also emerging like ear authentication,
footprint and foot dynamics and gait recognition (style of walking).
3.9. GEOSPATIAL DATA

Why in News?
Ministry of Science and Technology launched three web portals to offer geospatial data collected by Survey
of India and National Atlas and Thematic Mapping Organization either free or at a nominal cost for the first
time.
Applications launched
• Survey of India (SOI) Geo Spatial Data Dissemination Portal provides in various downloadable formats
4,000 maps with national, state, district, and tehsil level data.
• SOI’s WEB Geographic Information System, SARTHI, help users in creating applications for geospatial
data visualisation, manipulation, and analysis without a lot of resources at their end.
o Geospatial information
systems (GIS) is the physical
mapping of data within a visual
representation. For example,
when hurricane map is overlaid
with another layer showing
potential areas for lightning
strikes.
• MANCHITRAN Enterprise
Geoportal of National Atlas &
Thematic Mapping Organisation
(NATMO) makes available thematic
maps such as the cultural map of
India, the climactic map, or the
economic map.
About Geo-Spatial Data
• Geospatial data (also known as
“spatial data”) is used to describe
data about objects, events, or
phenomena (man-made or natural)
that have a location on the surface
of the earth. At present, 80% of any data has a geo spatial component.
o Examples include the location of a road, an earthquake event, malnutrition among children, or
dynamic like a moving vehicle or pedestrian, the spread of an infectious disease etc.
• The two main types of geospatial data are vector data and raster data.
o Vector Data: It uses geometric shapes to show the location and shape of geographic features. Points,
lines and polygons can represent things like cities, roads and waterways. Vector data is scalable, has
small file sizes and ideal for depicting boundaries.
o Raster Data: It represents data through a digital image such a scanned map or photograph. It also
includes aerial and satellite imagery. Raster data uses a cell-based format called stair-stepping to
record data as pixels or grids with an image. Spatial analysis depends heavily on raster datasets.
26
About Geospatial Technology
Other application of geospatial Technology
• It includes Geographic • Disaster risk reduction and resilience (early warning systems, detection,
Information System (GIS), vulnerability mapping and for taking preventive measures).
Remote Sensing (RS) and • Social Development (agriculture, satellite-based fishing, precision
Global Positioning System agriculture, monitoring and modelling of crop conditions, insurance
(GPS). monitoring, forestry monitoring).
• Energy (determine the suitability of a location for generating solar
• Geospatial Technologies helps
energy).
to collect data about assets • Connectivity (Road Asset Management system, land management,
and resources, enables scientific maintenance planning, enhance road safety measures etc.)
analysis and interpretation, • Natural Resource Management
reporting and monitoring, • Politics (Public Administration for election data, property records and
planning and decision making zoning/management etc.)
and to take informed action. • Public Work and Utilities, Public Safety Operations including virus
o Various missions such as outbreaks, Public Economic Development etc.
Jal Jeevan Mission, Atal
BhujalYojna, have set up projects using these technologies.
• Several GIS based initiatives are being implemented in India, such as:
o Natural Resource Information System (NRIS) under National Natural Resources Management System
(NNRMS),
o National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DST),
o National Urban Information System (NUIS) of Ministry of Urban Development (MUD).

Sophisticated • The Department of Science & Technology (DST) has launched a scheme called SATHI.
Analytical & • DST is planned to set up five SATHI Centers every year for the next four years. 3 centers are
Technical Help already present at IIT Kharagpur, IIT Delhi and BHU Varanasi.
Institutes o They will provide common services of high-end analytical testing, thus avoiding duplication
(SATHI) and reduced dependency on foreign sources.
scheme by DST o The aim is to provide professionally managed services with efficiency, accessibility and
transparency of highest order.
Internet • Recently, DoT fixed 30 June 2022 as deadline for complete transition to IPv6 for government
Protocol organisationsand December 2022 for internet service providers.
Version 6 • An IP stands for internet protocol. An IP address is assigned to each device connected to a
(IPv6) network. Each device uses an IP address for communication.
o An IP address
consists of two
parts, i.e., the
first one is a
network
address, and the
other one is a
host address.
• IPv6 is the most
recent version of the
Internet Protocol
(IP) to provide an
identification and
location system for
computers on
networks and routes
traffic across the
Internet known as IP
address.
• As compared to IPv4, it is fast and more secure.
In-flight Wi-Fi • Telecom Commission had given its green signal to in-flight connectivity of Internet and mobile
communications on aircraft in Indian airspace in 2018.
o However, there has been a muted response for in-flight Wi-Fi.
27
• Broadly, in-flight connectivity systems use two kinds of technologies: Air-to-ground WiFi and
Satellite WiFi (refer to the infographics).
• Main reasons of failure of
uptake
o Retrofitting antennas for
Wi-fi is extremely costly.
o Difficult to pass on the
costs to the customers in
an extremely competitive
market.
o Low passenger demand
due to COVID-19.
• Wi-Fi stands for wireless
fidelity.
o It is a radio transmission
technology and is built
upon a set of standards
that allow high-speed and
secure communications
between a wide variety of
digital devices, access
points, and hardware.
o The typical range of a
standard Wi-Fi network can reach up to 100 meters in the open air.
Pegasus’s • It has been reported that a spyware tool called Pegasus, developed by an Israeli firm, the NSO
spyware Group, was used to spy on journalists and human rights activists in India.
• The NSO Group is a Tel Aviv-based cyber-security company that specialises in “surveillance
technology”.
• Pegasus delivers “a chain of zero-day exploits to penetrate security features on the
phone/other devices.
o A “zero-day exploit” is a completely unknown vulnerability and there is no patch or fix
available for it.
Eutelsat • Eutelsat Quantum, the world's first commercial fully re-programmable satellite lifted off from
Quantum French Guiana.
Satellite o Unlike conventional models that are designed and “hard-wired” on Earth and cannot be
repurposed once in orbit, Eutelsat Quantum allows users to tailor it almost in real-time.
o This means the satellite can be used to provide mobile coverage for moving objects such
as aircraft and oceangoing vessels, or coverage after a natural disaster or for one-off
events.
• It has been developed under an ESA (European Space Agency) partnership project with Airbus.
IndiGau • It is India’s first Cattle
Genomic Chip for the
conservation of pure
varieties of indigenous
cattle breeds and helps
towards doubling farmers'
income by 2022.
o It is the largest cattle
chip in the world with
11,496 markers.
• Till now India’s dairy
development program has
been referring to chips
which are developed for
foreign western breeds of
cattle.
o This indigenous chip
was developed by the
National Institute of
Animal Biotechnology
(Hyderabad), an
autonomous institution under the aegis of the Department of Biotechnology.
28
Fakebuster to • IIT, Ropar with Monash University, Australia have developed a unique detector named
identify ‘FakeBuster’, a deepfake identification tool for virtual conference.
Deepfakes • About Deepfakes
o Deepfakes, i.e. ‘Deep’ from deep learning and ‘fakes’ or forged, are the fake video, audio or
other digitally altered media to appear someone else or spread false information
Public and • Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is a technology for authenticating users and devices in the digital
Private Key in world.
Public Key • It is used to manage security through encryption, using a pair of keys for this as:
Infrastructure o Public Key which can be used by anyone as it is in open domain and seen as public pieces of
data
o Private Key or Secret Key which is used for digitally signing documents, with owner and
authorizer as only knowing entity
• It is commonly used in issuance and management of Digital Certificates
Software • Recently, STPI decided to establish 12 Centres of Excellence in healthcare, Internet of Things
Technology and SmartAgri etc.
Park of India • STPI was set up in 1991 as a premier S&T organization under the Ministry of Electronics and
(STPI) Information Technology (MeitY) with the objective of promoting the development and export
of software and software services including Information Technology (I.T.) Enabled Services / Bio-
IT.
o It works on a collaborative model to transform the country into a software product nation
as envisaged in National Policy on Software Products (NPSP) 2019
Artificial • Intel, in collaboration with Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and Ministry of
intelligence Education, launched this initiative to create basic understanding of AI for everyone in India.
(AI) for All o It is a 4-hour, self-paced learning programme that describes AI in an inclusive manner and
initiative aims to introduce AI to one million citizens.
• India’s National Education Policy 2020 emphasizes preparing students for an AI driven economy.
• NITI Aayog's National Strategy for AI is built on philosophy of 'AI for All' and focuses on
leveraging AI for inclusive growth.
Delphi • It is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system, built by researchers in Seattle, designed to make moral
judgments.
• It hopes to build an ethical framework that could be installed in any online service, robot or
vehicle.
• Such a technology can help in addressing problems in modern AI systems such as:
o Facial recognition systems and digital assistants that show bias against women and people
of colour.
o Controlling hate speech on social networks like Facebook, Twitter etc.
o Arbitrary parole orders by courts, police departments etc.
Global • Indian Railways will provide GPS clocks (replacing the analog mechanism) for control offices
Positioning to enable section controllers coordinate with station masters, loco pilots and other staff directly
System (GPS) involved in train operations and avoid accidents.
clocks • GPS Clock is a satellite system that uses atomic clocks to provide everyone on Earth with low-
cost access to international atomic time standards.
• Atomic clock, type of clock that uses certain resonance frequencies of atoms (usually cesium or
rubidium) to keep time with extreme accuracy.
India Internet • First Internet Governance Forum was held in India in November 2021.
Governance • IIGF has been constituted in conformance to the Tunis Agenda of UN Internet Governance
Forum (IIGF) Forum (IGF).
o IGF is a UN-based multi-stakeholder platform bringing representatives together from
various groups to discuss public policy issues related to the Internet.
• IIGF facilitates discussion between intergovernmental organisations, private companies, civil
society organisations etc. who all deal with or are involved in Internet governance related
public policy issues.
Radio • To enable tracking of real time data of commercial movements on highways, GST authorities
Frequency have integrated e-way bill (EWB) system with FASTag and RFID.
Identification • RFID is the use of radio waves to read and capture information stored on a tag attached to an
(RFID) object.
o A tag can be read from up to several feet away and does not need to be within direct line-
of-sight of the reader to be tracked.
Digital • This technology is being used for high-speed production of the maps and to produce Braille
embossing maps that can be used for a longer period.
• About DET
29
technology o It is a digital printing technology that eliminates the need for printing plates, moulds,
(DET) chemicals, and solvents, besides releasing no pollutants or waste and reducing overall
energy usage.
o This technology is designed and implemented for the first time in India by the National
Atlas and Thematic Mapping Organisation (NATMO) under Department of Science &
Technology.
Global • India is ranked 10th (among 194 countries) in the GCI 2020 ahead of China and Pakistan.
Cybersecurity • GCI is released by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations (UN)
index (GCI) agency for information and communication technologies (ICT).
o The ranking is based on five pillars: legal measures, technical measures, capacity building
measures, organisational measures and cooperation.
o In the Asia-Pacific region India secured the 4th spot.
• US is ranked first, followed by UK.
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4. SPACE TECHNOLOGY
4.1. GAGANYAAN
Why in news? Current status of Gaganyaan programme:
ISRO is planning the first unmanned mission of • The astronaut training facility is getting established at
Gaganyaan. Bengaluru and in advanced stage of completion.
• ISRO successfully carried out the third long duration hot
About Gaganyaan test of the liquid propellant Vikas Engine.
o Vikas Engine is a high thrust engine to enhance
• The word ‘Gaganyaan’ is derived from lifting power of various Indian Launch Vehicles.
Sanskrit, meaning ‘sky-vehicle’.
• The Gaganyaan Programme
envisages undertaking the About GSLV Mark III
• It is a three-stage heavy lift launch vehicle developed by ISRO.
demonstration of indigeneous
o The vehicle has two solid strap-ons, a core liquid booster and a
capability to undertake human
cryogenic upper stage.
spaceflight to Low Earth Orbit • It is designed to carry 4 ton class of satellites into Geosynchronous
(LEO). Transfer Orbit (GTO) or about 10 tons to Low Earth Orbit (LEO),
• As part of this programme, two which is about twice the capability of the GSLV Mk II.
unmanned missions and one
manned mission will be carried
out.
o ISRO is planning to launch
the first uncrewed mission
under Gaganyaan in 2022,
following which the second
unmanned mission
“Vyommitra” will carry a
robot and this will then be
followed by the manned
mission.
✓ The uncrewed missions
are for technology
demonstration, safety
and reliability
verification and will
aim to study the
performance of
systems before
crewed flight.
✓ The robot will mimic
the space crew activities set for the human
flight mission in order to assess all the possible
challenges prior to the final mission.
• The overall programme co-ordination, systems
engineering and implementation will be carried out by
ISRO.
• The major new technologies required for Gaganyaan
programme are as follows:
o Human rated launch vehicle
o Crew escape systems
o Habitable orbital module
o Life support system
o Crew selection and training and associated crew
management activities
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• The Gaganyaan orbital module has two parts the Crew Module (CM) and the Service Module (SM) and
weighs about 8000 kg.
o The Crew Module (CM) is a
double walled system and a
habitat of astronauts. It has an
ablative thermal protection
system (TPS) to protect it
during the intense
aerodynamic heating during
the flight.
• The Orbital module (OM) will be
launched by a human-rated GSLV
MK-III vehicle and will orbit the
Earth with a velocity of about
7,800 metre/second.
• For the first crewed mission of
Gaganyaan programme, astronaut trainees are selected, based on selection criterion jointly defined by
ISRO and Indian air force which comprises of: flying experience, fitness, psychological and aeromedical
evaluation.
• Gaganyaan would be smaller in size than the current manned missions of Russian Soyuz, Chinese
Shenzhou and NASA's planned Orion spacecraft.
Upcoming Key features
Space Missions
Small Satellite • It would help to meet the
Launch Vehicle demand of the global launch
(SSLV) services market for small
satellites (nano, micro etc).
• New Space India Limited
(NSIL), a PSU, will be the sole
nodal agency responsible for
providing end-to-end SSLV
Launch services.
Chandrayaan 3 • The space agency is aiming to achieve a soft landing on the south pole of the lunar surface,
which is the least explored region of the Moon to date.
• Unlike its predecessor, Chandrayaan 3 will not carry an orbiter—but will include a lander and a
rover to study the lunar surface
NASA-ISRO • It is optimised for studying hazards and global environmental change and can help manage
Synthetic natural resources better.
Aperture Radar • It will provide information to scientists to better understand the effects and pace of climate
(NISAR) mission change.
Shukrayaan-1 • It is a proposed orbiter to Venus.
Related News
GISAT-1
• ISRO’s Geo-Imaging Satellite GISAT-1 launch failed recently.
• Launch was supposed to place EOS-03, an earth observation satellite, into a geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO)
ultimately reaching Geostationary Orbit (GEO) via GSLV-F10 rocket.
• Mission failed due to the Cryogenic Upper Stage (3rd Stage of GSLV) ignition did not happen due to technical
anomaly.
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o Cryogenic stage is the last stage of space launch vehicles
which makes use of Liquid Oxygen (LOX) and Liquid
Hydrogen (LH2) as propellants.
o Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) is a 3-stage
expendable space launch vehicle designed, developed, and
operated by ISRO to launch satellites and other space
objects into GTO.
• About GTO and GEO
o Satellites in GEO circle Earth above the equator from west
to east following Earth’s rotation by travelling at exactly the
same rate as Earth.
o Transfer orbits are a special kind of orbit used to get from
one orbit to another (using relatively little energy from built-
in motors).
o This allows a satellite to reach a high-altitude orbit like GEO
without actually needing the launch vehicle to go all the way
to this altitude, which would require more effort.
o Reaching GEO in this way is an example of one of the most
common transfer orbits, called the geostationary transfer
orbit (GTO).
Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT)-1A (EOS-4)
• It is the sixth in the series of RISAT satellites developed by ISRO.
• It is a remote sensing satellite has been built to map terrains and
study Earth’s different land areas and oceans.
4.2. SPACE DEBRIS

Why in News?
China rocket debris fell in Indian Ocean near
Maldives.
More on news
• Parts of Long March 5B re-entered the
atmosphere and landed in the Indian Ocean,
with the bulk of its components destroyed upon
re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere.
o Long March 5B was carrying components
for the construction of China’s space
station, which will be completed by the end
of next year.
• Last year, debris from another Chinese Long
March rocket fell on Ivory Coast, damaging
several buildings.
About Space Debris
• Space debris encompasses both natural
The Kessler Syndrome
(meteoroid) and artificial (man-made) particles.
• Also called the Kessler effect, is a scenario in
Meteoroids are in orbit about the sun, while most
which the density of objects in Low Earth
artificial debris is in orbit about the Earth which is Orbit (LEO) is high enough that collisions
commonly referred to as orbital debris. between objects could cause a cascade where
• Orbital debris is any man-made object in orbit about each collision generates space debris that
the Earth which no longer serves a useful function. increases the likelihood of further collisions.
Such debris includes non-functional spacecraft, • It may lead to a situation in which orbit would
abandoned launch vehicle stages, mission-related become impassable in the long run.
debris and fragmentation debris.
• Much of the debris is in low Earth orbit (LEO), though some debris can be found in geostationary orbit.
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• There are about 500,000 pieces of debris the size of a marble or larger orbiting the Earth, travelling at
speeds up to 17,500 mph.
• International guidelines suggest removing space crafts from LEO within 25 years of the end of their
mission. However, only 60 percent of missions follow the guidelines.
Strategies to Tackle Space Debris
• Mitigating Damage: Space debris is tracked by a number of countries, including Germany, France, UK and
USA.
o ISRO has come up with ‘Project NETRA’ - an early warning system in space to detect debris and other
hazards to Indian satellites.
o Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology Delhi is working on a project titled “Orbit
computation of Resident Space Objects for Space Situational Awareness” to predict collision from
space debris.
• Avoiding future debris: by adopting better designs of rockets and other objects. For example, making
rockets reusable could vastly cut down waste.
o UK’s TechDemoSat-1 (TDS-1), was designed in such a way that once its mission is over, a system, would
drag the satellite to re-enter the atmosphere and burn up.
• Removal of the debris:
o End-of-Life Services by Astroscale Demonstration (Elsa-D) was launched to locate and retrieve used
satellites and other space junk.
RemoveDebris is an EU research project to give in orbit demonstrations of cost-effective
technologies that can be used to observe, capture and dispose of space debris. It has performed key
technology demonstrations including:
International efforts to tackle Space debris

• Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines (2002) that
focuses on limitation of debris, post-mission disposal, prevention of on-orbit collisions etc.
o IADC is an international governmental forum for the worldwide coordination of activities related to the issues
of man-made and natural debris in space.
o ISRO is one among 13 member agencies of IADC.
• Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) concluded various international treaties (like Outer
Space Treaty, Liability Convention etc.) which deal with issues like liability for damage caused by space objects,
Prevention of harmful interference with space activities and registration of space activities etc.
o COPUOS was set up by UN General Assembly in 1959 to govern the exploration and use of space for the benefit
of all humanity.
Self-Eating-Rockets & Vanishing Satellites
• ISRO has been focusing on new technologies, from self-eating rockets to self-vanishing satellites and from make-
in-space concepts to quantum communication and radars.
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o It is being pursued through Directorate of Technology Development and Innovation (DTDI), a futuristic and
innovative technology development wing at ISRO headquarters.
• About Self-Eating-Rockets & Vanishing Satellites
o ISRO is working on a Self-Eating rocket based on materials for casings of Rockets that can burn up along with
motors at final stage, helping in mitigating the problem of space debris.
o Self-vanishing satellite technology would enable spacecraft to be destroyed after its lifetime through a 'kill-
button', or a process that will burn it up.
4.3. PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION IN SPACE

Why in news?
The Prime Minister recently launched
the Indian Space Association (ISpA),
an industry body consisting of various
stakeholders of the Indian space
domain.
About ISpA
• The industry association will act as
an independent and a “single-
window” agency for enabling the
opening up of the space sector to
start-ups and the private sector.
• ISpA will also work towards
building global linkages for the Indian space Some Private Ventures in Space
industry to bring in critical technology and • Virgin Galactic, a company founded by Richard
Branson, to take tourists to suborbital space.
investments into the country to create more
• Blue Origin, controlled by Amazon Chief Jeff Bezos,
high-skill jobs.
is building a shepard rocket and capsule combo.
Status of India’s Space industry • SpaceX, by Tesla founder Elon Musk, is using its
reusable falcon rocket for space trips.
• The current global space economy is estimated
at US$ 360 billion, with India accounting for ~2% (US$ 7 billion).
• In the global space market, rocket and satellite launch services, an area
in which ISRO specialises, amount to only 5% share.Satellite-based
services and ground-based systems account for the remaining 95%.
• Several private companies are developing plans to take paying
customers to space on a regular basis leading to a rapid growth in space
tourism industry.
About Space Tourism
• Space tourism is space travel for recreational, leisure or business
purposes. There are several different types of space tourism, including
orbital, suborbital and lunar space tourism.
• To date, orbital space tourism has been performed only by the Russian
Aviation and Space Agency- Roscosmos.
• Several private spaceflight companies are now working towards
developing suborbital space tourism vehicles to take paying customers
to space.
• No international space law has defined space tourists.
Existing space treaties such as Outer Space Treaty,
Rescue Agreement etc. are only applicable to astronauts,
envoys of mankind, or personnel of a spacecraft.
• To send a vehicle to space, it is compulsory for the
national and international space law to authorize it
according to Article VI of the Outer Space Treaty.
However, there is lack of clarity on authorization of space
travel with tourists aboard.
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• According to Article VII of the Montreal convention, the international liability for any damage incurred by
a space object is imposed on the launching State, regardless of the space object being a public or a private
entity.
Space and space travel
• According to the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (world
governing body for aeronautic and astronautic records), space
starts at an altitude of 100 km (62 miles) above the surface of the
earth.
• This is the Karman line where atmospheric lift no longer supports
a flying object and the object would need to reach orbital velocity
or risk falling back to Earth.
• Space travel is referred to as any flight operation that takes one
or more passengers beyond the altitude of 100 km and thus into
space.
• The main difference between orbital and suborbital flight is the
speed at which a vehicle is traveling.
• An orbital spacecraft must achieve orbital velocity i.e. the speed
that an object must maintain to remain in orbit around a planet.
To orbit 125 miles (200 kilometers) above Earth for instance, a
spacecraft must travel at a screaming 17,400 mph (28,000 km/h).
• Suborbital flight, in contrast, requires much lower speeds and
doesn't have the power to achieve orbit. Instead, it will fly up to
a certain height that depends on its speed, and then come back
down once its engines are shut off.
• At the top of their flight arc in a suborbital flight, when the object is falling back toward Earth, passengers achieve
a few minutes of weightlessness under zero gravity.
Related information
Inspiration4
• It is the first orbital trip where none of the people aboard is a professional astronaut.
o The crew used a Dragon capsule provided by SpaceX rocket company.
• Apart from fundraising for charity, the mission aims to study the biological effects of deep space on the
astronauts' bodies.
4.4. BLACK HOLE

Why in News?
A new study confirmed that Black Holes do not shrink over time.
More on News
• Black hole area theorem, by physicist Stephen Hawking, which states that it is impossible for the surface
area of a black hole to decrease over time has been proven right.
• Black hole area theorem was derived in 1971 from Einstein's theory of general relativity that defines
gravitational waves and black hole.
What are black holes?
• A black hole is a place in space where gravity pulls so much that even light cannot get out. The gravity is
so strong because matter has been squeezed into a tiny space.
o This can happen when a big star is dying (our sun will never turn into a black hole as it is not big enough
to make a black hole).
o Because no light can get out, so they are invisible.
o In the center of a black hole is a gravitational singularity, a one-dimensional point which contains a
huge mass in an infinitely small space, where density and gravity become infinite and space-time
curves infinitely, and the laws of physics as we know them cease to operate.
• In 2019 scientists got the first optical image of a black hole through Event Horizon Telescope.
o It has captured the just outside region of a black hole, located 55 million light-years from Earth, at
the centre of a galaxy named Messier 87.The image shows a photon (light quantum) can orbit the
black hole without falling in. This is called the ‘last photon ring’
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o Sagittarius A* is
the second black
hole whose
photographs
have been
captured by
the Event
Horizon
Telescope
project.
• On the basis of size
black holes can be
divided into
following
categories (refer
image).
• Detection of Black Holes:
o They cannot be
directly observed
because they
themselves do not
emit or radiate light,
or any other
electromagnetic
waves that can be
detected by
instruments built by
human beings.
o But the area just
outside the boundary
of the black hole (Event Horizon), which has vast amounts of gas, clouds and plasma swirling violently,
emit all kinds of radiations, including even visible light.
o Hence, the presence of black holes can be inferred by detecting their effect on other matter nearby
them.
Significance of black hole in space research
• Evolution of galaxy: Astrophysicists have gained new insights by calculating how black holes influence the
distribution of dark matter, how heavy elements are produced and distributed throughout the cosmos,
and where magnetic fields originate.
• Star formation: In particular, Supermassive black holes play an important role in star formation within
galaxies.
• Gravitational waves: Scientists have detected that gravitational waves are generated when two black
holes collide, and found that ringing pattern of the wave predicts the cosmic body’s mass and spin.
• General theory of relativity: The discovery of black hole has opened the door to several new lines of
scientific investigation, enabling quantitative estimates of black hole related parameters. It has provided
another laboratory to test the predictions of the Einstein’s general theory of relativity.
• Bending of light: The bending of light around a black hole is very significant because of its extremely large
mass. Because of this bending, one can see light from material that is behind the black hole, which would
not be seen if light were traveling in straight lines.
• Essentially, it’s a theory of gravity whose basic idea is that instead of being an invisible force that attracts objects
to one another, gravity is a curving or warping of space. The more massive an object, the more it warps the space
around it.
o For example, the sun is massive enough to warp space across our solar system (a bit like the way a heavy ball
resting on a rubber sheet warps the sheet). As a result, Earth and the other planets move in curved paths
(orbits) around it.
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• This warping also affects measurements of time. We tend to think of time as ticking away at a steady rate. But
just as gravity can stretch or warp space, it can also dilate time.
• Confirmation:
o In the first major test of general relativity, astronomers in 1919 measured the deflection of light from distant
stars as the starlight passed by our sun, proving that gravity does, in fact, distort or curve space.
o In 2016, the discovery of gravitational waves (subtle ripples in the fabric of spacetime) was another
confirmation of general relativity.
✓ Gravitational waves are produced by cataclysmic events such as colliding black holes, supernovae
(massive stars exploding at the end of their lifetimes), and colliding neutron stars.
✓ They travel at speed of light, squeezing and stretching anything in their path.
Related News
X-ray radiation originating from behind a black hole
• For the first time astronomers directly witnessed flares of X-ray radiation originating from behind a black hole
deep in space.
o This light behind black hole shows it as a warping space, bending light and twisting magnetic fields around
itself.
o Besides proving Einstein’s predictions of how gravity bends light around black holes, the X-ray echoes contain
information about what is happening around a black hole.
Tsunami in Space
• Recently, NASA used simulations to show that deep in space, gas escaping the gravitational pull of a supermassive
black hole may form tsunami-like structures.
• Waves are formed at a relatively cool atmosphere that exists at a distance where the supermassive black hole
loses its grip on the surrounding matter.
• Black hole is a place in space where gravity pulls so much that even light cannot get out.
• There are four types of black holes: stellar, intermediate, supermassive, and miniature.
4.5. JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE (JWST)

Why in news?
Recently, the James Webb Space Telescope,
NASA’s most powerful telescope, is rocketed
into orbit.
More on news
• The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is
NASA’s infrared flagship observatory.
• It is an international collaboration between
NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA),
and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
• Mission goals are
o Search for first galaxies or luminous
objects formed after Big Bang.
✓ Big Bang is also called expanding
universe hypothesis.
✓ It states that all of the current and
past matter in the Universe came
into existence at the same time,
roughly 13.8 billion years ago.
o Determine how galaxies evolved.
o Observe stars formation from the first
stages to formation of planetary
systems
o Measure physical and chemical
properties of planetary systems,
including our own Solar System,
and investigate potential for life in
those systems.
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• JWST is headed for Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 2 (L2).
• Scientific instruments on JWST: Near Infrared Camera, Near
Infrared Spectrograph, Mid Infrared Instrument and Fine
Guidance Sensors/Near Infrared Imager and Slitless
Spectrograph.
• The JWST is being considered as the successor of the
Hubble Space Telescope (HST).
Hubble Webb Herschel Space Observatory

Distance from 507 Km 1.5 million Km at Second Sun-Earth Second Sun-Earth Lagrange
Earth Lagrange point point
Primary Mirror 2.4 meter 6.5 meter 3.5 meter
Diameter
Searching for Young Galaxies (12.5 New Born Galaxies (13.5 Billion Most actively star-forming
Billion years ago) years ago) galaxies
Serviceable Yes No No
Wavelengths Visible, UV, Part of Near and mid infrared Far-infrared and submillimetre
near-infrared
4.6. PARKER MISSION

Why in news?
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe (PSP) has now flown
through the Sun’s upper atmosphere – the
corona – and sampled particles and magnetic
fields there.
About PSP
• Launched in 2018, the PSP is part of NASA's
Living with a Star program to explore
aspects of the Sun-Earth system that directly
affect life and society.
• It is named after Eugene Newman Parker, a
physicist who proposed concepts about how
stars give off energy.
• It uses a carbon-composite shield, to
withstand temperatures nearly 2,500 F
(1,377 C), to protect itself from Sun’s heat.
• It became the first spacecraft in history to touch the Sun.
• It uses a series of gravitational encounters with the planet Venus to gradually lower the orbit of the
spacecraft until it enters the outer
atmosphere, or corona, of the Sun.
Relevance of the PSP mission
• Deeper insights into sun's evolution.
• Predicting extreme weather events by
helping in forecasting solar storms(or
Geomagnetic storm).
o Solar storms are the biggest
outbursts from the Sun can rattle
Earth’s magnetic field.
o In the process, communications
may be disrupted, satellites can be
knocked offline, and power grids will be vulnerable to electrical surges.
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• Unravelling secrets in Corona: In Corona some key processes take place that currently defy explanation.
For example
o The temperature of the Sun at its photosphere is roughly 6,000 degree C but within the corona it can
reach a staggering million degrees or more.
o It's also within this region that the outward flow of charged particles - electrons, protons and heavy
ions - suddenly gets accelerated into a supersonic wind.
Achievements Some other solar missions
• NASA’s Heliophysics Missions: NASA’s contribution to the
• In 2019, Parker discovered that
magnetic zig-zag structures in the Extreme Ultraviolet High-Throughput Spectroscopic
solar wind, called switchbacks, are Telescope Epsilon Mission (EUVST) and the Electrojet
plentiful close to the Sun. But how and Zeeman Imaging Explorer (EZIE) will help us understand
where they form remained a mystery. the Sun and Earth as an interconnected system.
• European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter
Halving the distance to the Sun since
• ISRO’s Aditya-L1 mission
then, PSP has now passed close
o ISRO plans to launch it by the middle of 2022.
enough to identify one place where o This is the first mission designated by ISRO to study the
they originate: the solar surface. Sun’s atmosphere.
• In April, 2021, the PSP crossed the o ISRO has selected L1, or Lagrangian point 1, between the
outer edge of the corona termed the Earth and the Sun to place the Aditya satellite.
Alfvén critical boundary, a point that o The spacecraft will travel a long journey of 1.5 million km
marks the end of solar atmosphere from the Earth for this task.
and beginning of the solar wind. o It will conduct comprehensive research on the processes
that occur in the Sun’s atmosphere, which would enable
• It should eventually get to within 7
us to decipher the outstanding problems in solar physics.
million km (4 million miles) of the
photosphere in 2025.
Related News
About Solar Cycle
• Solar flares recently caused radio blackout over Indian
• Sun's magnetic field goes through a cycle, called
Ocean.
solar cycle and every 11 years or so, Sun's
o Recently, sun emitted a large solar flare that was
magnetic field completely flips. This means that
observed by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory
Sun's north and south poles switch places.
(SDO).
o Scientists track a solar cycle by using
o SDO studies how Sun creates solar activity and
sunspots, an area on the Sun that appears
drives space weather.
dark on the surface as they are relatively
About Solar flares
cooler than surrounding parts.
• Solar flares are a sudden explosion of energy caused o Beginning of a solar cycle is a solar
by reorganizing of magnetic field lines near sunspots. minimum, or when the Sun has the least
o Solar magnetic cycle that works in deep interior of sunspots.
Sun creates regions that rise to surface and
appear like dark spots. These are sunspots.
o They appear dark because they are cooler than
other parts of Sun’s surface.
• In a solar flare, energy stored in sun’s magnetic
structures is converted into light and heat energy.
This causes emission of high energy x-ray radiation
and highly accelerated charged particles to leave
the sun’s surface.
• Sometimes solar flares also cause hot plasma to be
ejected from Sun, causing a solar storm, and this is
called Coronal Mass Ejection (CME).
• Energy, radiation and high energy particles emitted
bysolar flares can trigger intense lights in the sky,
called Auroras (for other possible effects refer
image).
o Auroras are caused by the interaction of energetic particles (electrons and protons) of the solar wind with
atoms of the upper atmosphere occurring primarily in high latitudes of both hemispheres.
o Auroras in the Northern Hemisphere are called aurora borealis, aurora polaris, or northern lights, and in the
Southern Hemisphere aurora australis, or southern lights.
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Related News
Heliosphere
• Recently, scientists mapped the boundary of the
heliosphere for the first time.
o Scientists used data from NASA’s Earth-orbiting
Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) satellite,
which detects particles that come from
Heliosheath - boundary layer between solar
system and interstellar space.
• Developed map shows that the minimum distance
from the Sun to the heliopause is about 120
Astronomical Units (AU) in the direction facing the
interstellar wind, and in the opposite direction, it
extends at least 350 AU. (1 AU = Distance between Earth and Sun).
• About Heliosphere
o The sun sends out a constant flow of charged particles (protons, electrons, alpha particles etc.) called the
solar wind, which ultimately travels past all the planets to some three times the distance to Pluto before being
impeded by the interstellar medium.
o This forms a giant bubble around the Sun and its planets called the heliosphere.
Sun Halo
• Recently a sun halo was witnessed in different parts of Karnataka.
• Sun halo is an optical phenomenon that occurs due
to refraction of sunlight by hexagonal ice-crystals
suspended in the atmosphere.
• It is also called ‘22-degree halo’ because the light is
refracted by 22 degrees from its original direction.
• Circular halos specifically are produced by cirrus
clouds, which are formed at a height of over 20000
feet.
• Sun halos are also indicative of rainfall as cirrus clouds are usually precursor to development of cyclonic warm
front.
4.7. NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY IN SPACE MISSIONS

Why in News?
Recently, the UR Rao Satellite Centre (URSC)
of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
invited proposals for the three-phase
development of a 100-Watt Radioisotope
Thermoelectric Generator (RTG).
More on the News
• The centre envisions using Radioisotope
Thermoelectric Generator (RTG) for
power generation and thermal
management of ISRO’s deep space
missions.
• RTG is a type of Nuclear-based power
system that is generally used for power
generation and thermal management of
space missions.
Types of Nuclear Power Systems (NPS) with application in Space missions
• Radioisotope power systems (RPSs): They are a type of nuclear energy technology that uses heat
(produced by the natural radioactive decay of plutonium-238) to produce electric power for operating
spacecraft systems and science instruments. There are two types of radioisotope power systems:
o Radioisotope Heater Units (RHU): Small devices that provide heat to keep a spacecraft’s electronic
instruments and mechanical systems operational in the cold temperatures of our solar system.
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o Radioisotope Thermoelectric
Generator (RTG): Flight-proven
systems that provide power and
heat to a spacecraft (see
infographic). RTGs were first
used in space during the Cold
War in 1961 for the US’s Transit-
4A Mission.
• Nuclear Propulsion Systems: Nuclear
power can be used for a rocket
propulsion system. NASA is currently
working on development of nuclear
thermal propulsion (NTP) systems,
which are powered by Nuclear
Fission.
o NTP systems work by pumping a
liquid propellant, most likely
hydrogen, through a reactor
core. Uranium atoms split apart
inside the core and release heat
through fission.
o This physical process heats up
the propellant and converts it to
a gas, which is expanded through
a nozzle to produce thrust.
o NTP systems are not designed to
produce the amount of thrust
needed to leave the Earth's
surface. Instead, they will be
launched into space by chemical
rockets before they are turned
on.
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4.8. ARTEMIS ACCORDS
Why in news
Singapore has become the latest nation and joins 17 other countries (as on 30th March 2022) to sign the
Artemis Accords.
About the Artemis Accords
• It was announced by NASA, the U.S. civil space agency, in 2020.
• It is a set of guidelines surrounding the Artemis Program for crewed exploration of the Moon. This
agreement is for lunar
exploration and
beyond, with
participation of both
international partners
and commercial
players.
• The accords describe a
shared vision for principles, grounded in the
Outer Space Treaty of 1967 to create a safe Factors that may prompt India to sign the Artemis Accords
and transparent environment. • Enhanced space cooperation among Quad countries:
• Major Signatories: US, New Zealand, as US, Japan and Australia are already signatories of the
Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, accords.
the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom, o India is also collaborating with Japan on a future
the United Arab Emirates, and Ukraine. lunar mission, called LUPEX.
• Major space players like India, Russia, China, • By being a part of the accords, India’s space companies
could become part of a global supply chain.
France and Germany are not a signatory of
• Opportunities to learn about interplanetary missions
the accord. The European Space Agency
and human spaceflight.
(ESA) as an organisation has not signed on to
the accords either, but a number of ESA member states have.
4.9. POSITRON EXCESS

Why in News?
Researchers from Raman Research Institute (RRI), Bengaluru, an autonomous institution of Department of
Science and Technology have resolved mystery of ‘positron excess’ phenomenon.
About Positron Excess About Positron
• Over the years, astronomers have observed an excess • Positron is the anti-particle of the
electron.
of positrons having energy of more than 10 giga-
• Also known as anti-electron, it has the
electronvolts, or 10 GeV. Positrons with energy more
same properties as the electron with the
than 300 GeV, however, are lower in comparison to exception of electric charge.
what astronomers expect. o Electron has a negative charge while
o This behaviour of positrons between 10 and 300 the positron has a positive charge.
GeV is what astronomers call the ‘positron excess’.
• Now the researchers from RRI proposed that cosmic rays while propagating through the Milky Way
galaxy interact with matter producing other cosmic rays, primarily electrons and positrons.
o Cosmic rays are high energy particles that move through space at nearly the speed of light. They
provide one of our few direct samples of matter from outside the solar system.
o Cosmic rays interact with molecular hydrogen and can give rise to other cosmic rays.
• Researchers argue that these new cosmic rays are the origin of the ‘positron excess’ phenomenon.
Related information
Matter Antimatter asymmetry
• For each basic particle of matter, there exists an anti-particle with the same mass but the opposite electric charge.
o For example, the negatively charged electron has a positively charged anti-particle called the positron.
• But when a particle and its anti-particle collide, they are "annihilated" in a flash of energy, yielding new particles
and anti-particles.
43
• Physicists think that the Big Bang should have created equal amounts of matter and antimatter.
• Yet, paradoxically, today we live in a
Universe made up overwhelmingly
of matter.
• Anti-matter is rare today. It can be
produced in "atom smashers", in
nuclear reactions or by cosmic rays.
• What happened to all the anti-matter
is regarded by many researchers as
one of the biggest mysteries in
cosmology
• Physicists believe that the dominance
of matter in the Universe is possible
only if there are differences in the
behaviour of particles and anti-particles.
• At CERN (a European research organization) near Geneva, physicists make antimatter to study in experiments.
o India is also an associate member to CERN
4.10. MISSIONS IN NEWS

4.10.1. NASA
New Missions to • NASA has announced two missions to Venus, Earth’s closest planetary neighbour, as part of its
Venus ‘Discovery Program’ that aims to explore and study the solar system.
o Discovery Program, which began in 1992, gives scientists the chance to launch some
missions that use fewer resources and have shorter developmental times.
• About new missions:
o DAVINCI+ (Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of Noble gases, Chemistry, and
Imaging) mission
✓ It will try to understand Venus‘ composition to see how the planet formed and
evolved.
o VERITAS (Venus Emissivity, Radio Science, InSAR, Topography, and Spectroscopy)
✓ It will map the planet‘s surface to determine its geologic history and understand
the reasons why it developed so differently from Earth.
• The last US probe to visit the planet was the Magellan orbiter in 1990.
• Venus is the hottest planet in the solar system because of the heat that is trapped by its thick
cloud cover.
o Venus spins on its axis from east to west. Venus also does not have a moon and no rings.
o It is called the Earth’s twin because of their similar sizes.
• A recent study concluded that a single Venusian rotation takes 243.0226 Earth days.
Perseverance • Recently, NASA’s Perseverance Rover, part of Mars 2020 Mission, drilled the first hole on the
Rover of NASA Martian Surface but failed to lift samples.
• Landed at Jezero Crater of Mars in February, the rover is on an astrobiology mission to
o Seek signs of ancient life and
o Collect samples of rock and regolith (broken rock and soil) for possible return to Earth.
• Earlier, Ingenuity, a small robotic helicopter sent with perseverance, completed the first
powered controlled flight by an aircraft outside earth.
Volatiles • It is NASA’s mission that will explore the extreme environment of the Moon in search of water
Investigating ice and other potential resources.
Polar • VIPER is a mobile robot that will roam around the Moon‘s south pole looking for water ice.
Exploration • It is the first-ever resource mapping mission on another celestial body.
Rover (VIPER) • The data which will be transmitted back to Earth will be used to create resource maps, helping
Mission scientists determine the location and concentration of water ice on the Moon and the forms
it‘s in.
Lucy Mission • It is NASA’s first mission to study Jupiter's Trojan asteroids to gain new insights into the solar
system's formation 4.5 billion years ago.
o Trojans orbit the Sun in two loose groups, with one group leading ahead of Jupiter in its
path, the other trailing behind.
• Asteroids and Comets
o Asteroids, sometimes called minor planets, are rocky, airless remnants left over from the
early formation of our solar system about 4.6 billion years ago.
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✓ Comets are cosmic snowballs of frozen gases, rock, and dust that orbit the Sun.
o Most of the asteroids can be found orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter within the
main asteroid belt.
✓ There are likely billions of comets orbiting our Sun in the Kuiper Belt.
• Comets show a perceptible glowing tail, while asteroids don’t.
• Asteroids can be divided into following categories
o Those found in the main asteroid belt, between Mars and Jupiter.
o Trojans asteroids that share an orbit with a larger planet.
o Near-Earth Asteroids, which has orbits that pass close to the Earth.
Near-Earth • NASA’s new spacecraft NEA Scout has been safely tucked inside the Space Launch System
Asteroid (NEA) (SLS) rocket.
Scout • It is a miniaturized spacecraft, known as CubeSat. Its main mission is to fly by and collect data
from a near-Earth asteroid.
o It will be America’s first interplanetary mission using special solar sail propulsion.
• It will provide critical information on asteroid’s physical properties such as orbit, shape,
volume, rotation, the dust and debris field surrounding it, plus its surface properties.
Origins, Spectral • NASA’s OSIRIS-Rex, first mission to visit a near-Earth asteroid, begin journey back to earth.
Interpretation, • In October 2020 OSIRIS-REx spacecraft collected samples of dust and pebbles from the
Resource asteroid Bennu.
Identification, • About Asteroid Bennu
Security, o Bennu believed to have been born in the Main Asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
Regolith o Bennu is a B-type asteroid i.e. it contains significant amounts of carbon and various other
Explorer minerals. Hence, it reflects about 4% of the light that hits it (Earth reflects about 30%).
(OSIRIS-REx) o It was formed in the first 10 million years of the solar system’s creation and has not gone
through a lot of composition-altering change through billions of years.
Double Asteroid • It is NASA’s first planetary defense test mission to be launched.
Redirection Test • Aim of the mission is to test the newly developed technology that would allow a spacecraft
(DART) Mission to crash into an asteroid and change its course.
o Mission will test the new technology to be prepared in case an asteroid heads towards
Earth in the future.
• The target of the
spacecraft is a small
moonlet called
Dimorphos (that orbits a
larger asteroid named
Didymos).
o Moonlet is a small
natural or artificial
satellite.
• The asteroid and the
moonlet do not pose any
threat to Earth and the
mission is to test the new
technology.
Imaging X-ray • IXPE observatory is a joint effort of NASA and the Italian Space Agency.
Polarimetry • Mission will study the most extreme and mysterious objects in the universe – supernova
Explorer (IXPE) remnants, supermassive black holes, and dozens of other high-energy objects.
• Mission’s primary length is two years and the observatory will be at 600 kilometers altitude,
orbiting around Earth’s equator.
• It will help in answering questions like How do black holes spin, How do pulsars shine so
brightly etc.
Transiting • TESS mission has spotted three
Exoplanet planets that are orbiting
Survey Satellite dangerously close to their stars.
(TESS) • TESS is a Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT) led NASA mission
designed to discover thousands of
exoplanets around nearby bright
stars.
o An exoplanet is any planet
beyond our solar system.
45
o Most orbit other stars, but free-floating exoplanets, called rogue planets, orbit the
galactic center and are untethered to any star.
• Prime mission (a two-year survey of the solar neighborhood) ended in July 2020 and TESS is
now in an extended mission.
Laser • NASA has launched its first-ever laser communications system i.e LCRD.
Communications o Currently, most NASA spacecraft use radio frequency communications.
Relay • Advantages of Laser communication:
Demonstration o It uses infrared light and has a shorter wavelength than radio waves which helps in the
(LCRD) transmission of more data in a short time.
o With current radio frequency systems, it takes roughly nine weeks to transmit a
completed map of Mars back to Earth. Lasers can accelerate it to about nine days.
4.10.2. CHINA NATIONAL SPACE ADMINISTRATION

Zhurong rover • An un-crewed Chinese spacecraft, Tianwen-1, successfully landed on the surface of Mars,
making China the second space-faring nation after the United States to land on Mars.
• Zhurong rover (part of the Tianwen-1 mission) landed on a site on a vast plain known as Utopia
Planitiaie more than 2,000 km away from Jezero Crater where US rover Perseverance landed.
o Zhurong rover, Powered by solar panels, will probe the surface and subsurface of the
planet, performing in-situ chemical analysis on soil composition.
Shenzhou-12 • Shenzhou-12 spacecraft: China launched Shenzhou-12 spacecraft carrying 3 astronauts to dock
spacecraft with the Tiangong space station.
o China has already sent 11 astronauts into space since becoming the third country to do so
on its own in 2003.
• US legislation bars Chinese astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS), a collaboration
between US, Russia, Canada, Europe and Japan.
Fine-grained • A satellite imaging database containing detailed information of millions of locations has been
object launched in China to help reduce errors made by artificial intelligence (AI) when identifying
recognition in objects from space.
the high • The database called ‘fine-grained object recognition in the high resolution remote sensing
resolution imagery’ (FAIR1M) is going to tens or even a hundred times larger than similar data sets used in
remote sensing other countries.
imagery’ • With more information on the images, the database would train AI to become smarter by
(FAIR1M) enabling it to distinguish different objects and accurately identify them from orbit.
• The whole Chinese database will be open to the international community.
• Its real-life applications include tracking the speed of urban expansion, infrastructure
development, wild animal movements etc
4.10.3. OTHERS DEVELOPMENTS

Tundra satellite • Russia placed a military satellite (believed to be Tundra satellite) into the orbit.
• Tundra, also known as Unified Space System (USS), is a constellation of Missile Early Warning
Satellites established by Russiabetween 2015 and 2020 to close a gap in space-based missile
tracking capabilities.
• Tundra satellites are equipped with next-generation infrared surveillance devices that make it
possible to register with high precision the launches of missiles.
• The satellites are also capable of tracking the trajectory of the flight of ballistic missiles.
Plasma Kristall • It is a Russian-European experiment running on International Space Station since 2001.
Investigation • It focuses on formation of materials on an atomic scale and will help understand unique
phenomena on Earth, like how an object melts, waves form in fluids and currents change at
atomic level.
o Plasma Kristall models atomic interactions on a larger scale (not possible on Earth), making
their motion visible.
• Research is offering knowledge about use of Plasma (an electrically charged gas) in various
sectors including healthcare.
EnVision • It is an European Space Agency led mission to planet Venus, with contributions from NASA. It
is likely to be launched sometime in the 2030s.
• It will study the planet’s atmosphere and surface, monitor trace gases in the atmosphere and
analyse its surface composition.
46
Hope Probe's • United Arab Emirates' (UAE) Hope Mars mission is designed to study Mars' atmosphere across
first image of all its layers and at a global scale throughout the course of the year.
Mars Aurora • First image shows Aurora on Mars are seen all around the planet at night time unlike auroras
on Earth, which are seen only near north and south poles.
Beresheet 2 • Expected to be launched in 2024, Beresheet 2 Project is the second lunar mission from SpaceIL
Project organization and Israel Aerospace Industries.
o The Beresheet 1 spacecraft crash landed on the moon after its launch in February 2019 on
a used SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
• Beresheet 2 Project will include three spacecraft- an orbiter and two landers- to the moon, to
conduct experiments and collect data.
• Presently, United States, the Soviet Union and China had successful spacecraft landing on
moon.
Polar-Areas • It is an international collaborative sky surveying project.
Stellar-Imaging • Aim to study the polarisation in the light coming from millions of stars. It can help to determine
in Polarisation a star’s location.
High-Accuracy • A novel instrument, Wide Area Linear Optical Polarimeter (WALOP) will be used to detect
Experiment polarised light signals emerging from the stars along high galactic latitudes.
(PASIPHAE) • India is a part of this project.

4.11.1. SPACE PHENOMENON & EXPERIMENTS
Lunar Eclipse • A Lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth and the Moon are in Straight line in the plane of the
and Super ecliptic and Earth lies between the Sun and the Moon.
Moon o The Lunar Eclipse can be of three types:
✓ Total Lunar Eclipse: When Moon is
exactly in the plane of ecliptic with
Umbra or inner part of earth shadow
falling on Lunar Surface
✓ Partial Lunar Eclipse: When Moon is
close to the plane of ecliptic with
Umbra covering only a part of Lunar
Surface
✓ Penumbral
Lunar Eclipse:
When moon
passes through
the partial
shadow of the
Earth, i.e.
Penumbra
• Super Moon occurs when
during the Full Moon or
New Moon, it is closest to
the Earth in its perigee.
Summer • It occurs when the sun is

Solstice directly over Tropic of Cancer
(between June 20-22),
resulting in longest day of the
year in Northern Hemisphere.
• During this, the Earth’s axis is
tilted in a way that the North
Pole is tipped towards the sun
and the South Pole is away
from it.
• Amount of incoming energy
from the sun on this day is 30
per cent higher at the North
Pole than at the Equator.
47
XENON1T • It is the world’s most sensitive dark matter experiment and was operated deep underground at
the INFN Laboratori Nazionali del Gran
Sasso in Italy.
• Everything we see – the planets, moons,
massive galaxies etc – makes up less than 5%
of the universe. About 27% is dark matter
and 68% is dark energy.
• While dark matter attracts and holds
galaxies together, dark energy repels and
causes the expansion of our universe.
o Some other evidence of expansion are
detection of microwave in space, observation of redshift phenomenon in space etc.
Gamma Ray • Recently, energy afterglow of GRB detected in space may help in probing stellar evolution.
Burst (GRB) • GRBs are short-lived explosions of highly energetic gamma rays lasting from less than a second
to several minutes.
• GRB are thought to be generated during the formation of black holes. They shine about a million
trillion times as bright as the Sun.
• They are known to occur at huge distances from Earth, towards the limits of the observable
Universe.
Enceladus • NASA’s Cassini spacecraft has detected methane (CH4), along with other compounds like
dihydrogen (H2) and carbon dioxide during flybys of Saturn's moon Enceladus.
o This suggests that the moon has deep-sea hydrothermal vents producing these compounds-
the same environment that may have been life's cradle here on Earth.
o Saturn’s other moon Titan, also has methane in its atmosphere.
• Earlier in 2005, Cassini had discovered geysers blasting particles of water ice into space from
fractures near Enceladus' south pole that feeds Saturn's ring.
International • Recently, Nauka (meaning science in Russian) a space module, is launched by Russia to replace
Space Station its existing module at ISS to serve as a research facility.
(ISS) • About ISS
o ISS is a low-earth orbit space station, launched in 1998, with five participating space
agencies as- NASA (United States), Roscosmos (Russia), JAXA (Japan), ESA (Europe) and CSA
(Canada).
o It helps in carrying long-term research on human health under microgravity along with
physical, material and space science.
o The ownership and use of the space station is established by intergovernmental treaties
and agreements.
o The space station orbits in Low Earth Orbit at an average altitude of 227 nautical miles/420
kilometers above Earth.
o ISS orbits the Earth every 90 minutes.
Doppler • Recently, the Indian Meteorological
Radar (DR) Organisation’s (IMD) only DR in
Mumbai, which surveys weather
patterns and forecasts, had stopped
working.
• Working procedure:
o Observing the time required for
the beam to be transmitted and
returned to the radar allows
weather forecasting
departments to “see” raindrops
in the atmosphere, and measure their distance from the radar.
• Doppler radar is special as it can provide information on both the position of targets as well as
their movement.
o This makes it possible to tell whether the precipitation is moving toward or away from the
radar.
Space Rice • China harvested its first batch of “space rice” from seeds that returned from a lunar voyage
(Chang’e-5 lunar probe) last year.
o The country has been taking seeds of rice and other crops to space since 1987.
• Significance of farming in space
o After being exposed to cosmic radiation and zero gravity, some seeds can mutate and
produce higher yields when planted back on Earth.
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o contribute to China's hybrid rice breeding by providing more and better genetic sources to
expand the seed bank.
Cryogenic- • With ongoing development of four new Cryo-EM facilities, India aims to take lead instructural
Electron biology, enzymology, ligand/drug discovery.
microscopy • Cryogenics is the science that addresses the production and effects of very low temperatures.
(Cryo-EM) • Apart from its use in Cryo-EM for high-resolution structure determination of biomolecules in
facilities to solution, it is commonly used:
boost o To understand materials behaviourat low temperatures (e.g. reduction in resistance);
research o In Space technology (use liquid oxygen and Hydrogen);
o Preservation of foods, human bodies for restoration (cryonics) or livestock semen, tissues
etc.
4.11.2. SPACE OBJECTS

Blue straggler • Indian researchers have carried out the first-ever comprehensive analysis of blue stragglers.
• Blue stragglers are bigger and bluer star formed when one star eats up another.
o These stars are primarily present in the older and massive star clusters.
• More than 54% of blue stragglers are formed through mass transfer from a close binary
companion star, 30% are likely formed through collisions of 2 stars, and 10-16% are formed
through interactions of more than 2 stars.
Magnetars • Scientists traced first clue to understand transient high energy pulses from magnetars.
• A magnetar is a type of neutron star. In a typical neutron star, magnetic field is trillions of times
that of the Earth’s magnetic field; however, in a magnetar, magnetic field is another 1000 times
stronger.
o Neutron stars are formed when a massive star (with a core between 1 and 3 solar masses)
runs out of fuel and collapses, crushing together every proton and electron into a neutron.
o Stars with higher masses will continue to collapse into stellar-mass black holes.
• Magnetars suffer violent eruptions that are still little known due to their unexpected nature and
short duration, of barely tenths of a second.
• It is believed that eruptions in magnetars may be due to instabilities in their magnetosphere or
to a kind of earthquakes (starquakes) produced in their crust.
o These triggers create waves (called Alfvén waves) in magnetosphere of the magnetars and
while interacting with each other wavesdissipate energy
Wolf-Rayet • Massive stars which are at an advanced stage of stellar evolution and losing mass at a very high
stars rate are known as Wolf-Rayet stars.
• With masses typically greater than 25 times that of the Sun, they have brief lifetimes and are
therefore quite rare objects.
• Wolf-Rayet stars are hot (25-50,000+ degrees K).
• These are divided into 3 classes based on their spectra: WN stars (nitrogen dominant, some
carbon), WC stars (carbon dominant, no nitrogen), and the rare WO stars with C/O < 1.
White dwarf • A white dwarf star, named LAMOST J024048.51+195226.9 — or J0240+1952, that completes a full
Star rotation once every 25 seconds is the fastest spinning confirmed white dwarf, according to a
team of astronomers.
• A white dwarf is a star that has burnt up all of its fuel and shed its outer layers, now undergoing
a process of shrinking and cooling over millions of years.
Asteroid • Recently, NASA received its first sample of asteroid Ryugu, which was returned to Earth last
Ryugu December by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA) Hayabusa2 spacecraft.
• Ryugu, diamond-shaped space rock, is orbiting the sun between Earth and Mars and occasionally
crosses Earth's orbit (therefore classified as potentially hazardous).
• Ryugu is classified as a carbonaceous, or C-type asteroid, which means it contains a lot of carbon
and water.
• Studying asteroids like Ryugu could help in answering questions about origins of solar system
and where molecules like water came from.
Ganymede • Using datasets from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope (Collaboration of NASA and European
Space Agency), scientists for the first time have discovered evidence of water vapour in the
atmosphere of Jupiter's moon Ganymede.
• Ganymede, the largest moon in the solar system, contains more water than all of Earth's oceans.
However, temperatures there are so cold that water on the surface is frozen solid.
• Right now, NASA's Juno mission is taking a close look at Ganymede and Jupiter.
'Hycean' • According to researchers, extra-terrestrial life could thrive on major Hycean exoplanets.
planets
49
• Hycean planets are up to 2.6 times bigger than Earth, with large oceans and hydrogen rich
atmosphere.
o Hycean planets aren’t rocky like Earth.
o They appears to be incredibly abundant throughout the Milky Way galaxy.
Magnetic • Researchers have identified the first signature of a magnetic field surrounding an Exoplanet
field on an HAT-P-11b (123 light-years from Earth).
Exoplanet • Earth’s magnetic field acts as a shield against energetic particles from the sun known as the
solar wind.
o Magnetic fields could play similar roles on other planets.
New • Ahmedabad-based Physical Research Laboratory (PRL),
Exoplanet-TOI has discovered a new exoplanet with a mass of 1.5 times
1789b or HD that of Sun and located 725 light years away.
82139 o This is second such exoplanet known as TOI 1789b or
HD 82139b.
o The first such exoplanetK2-236b, was discovered in
2018.
• Such close-in exoplanets around stars with masses
between 0.25 to a few Jupiter mass are called "Hot-
Jupiters".
Planet Nine • It is a massive, hypothetical object in an elliptical orbit far beyond Pluto.
• It is believed that Planet Nine has a mass of 6.2 (+2.2/-1.3) Earth masses.
• A study published in 2018 in The Astronomical Journal, on the other hand, cited fresh evidence
for the existence of Planet Nine.
o It noted that a trans-Neptunian object called 2015 BP519 had an unusual trajectory because
it was affected by Planet Nine’s strong gravity.
Atacama • Using the ALMA, scientists for the first time have spotted a moon-forming region around the
Large exoplanet.
Milimeter • ALMA is a radio telescope system located on the Chajnantor plateau in Chile’s Atacama Desert.
Array (ALMA) o The radio telescope is an international partnership operated by the U.S. National Radio
Astronomy Observatory, the European Southern Observatory, and the National
Astronomical Observatory of Japan.
Kamo’oalewa • It is a quasi-satellite- a near-Earth object that orbits the Sun and yet remains close to the Earth.
o It was discovered in 2016 by Hawaii’s Pan-STARRS 1 telescope.
• Because of its small size (about 50 metres wide), Kamo’oalewa has been difficult for scientists
to study.
• Recently, scientists offered insights into where this satellite could have come from.
Active • Researchers from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics have observed three supermassive black
Galactic holes from three galaxies merging to form a triple AGN.
Nuclei (AGN) • About AGN:
o Many galaxies have very bright nuclei, so bright that the central region can be more
luminous than the remaining galaxy light. These nuclei are called AGN.
o Based on X-ray (and other) observations, a good guess is that the power source in AGN is a
supermassive black hole.
o Much of the energy output of AGNs is of a non-thermal (non-stellar) type of emission, with
many AGN being strong emitters of X-rays, radio and ultraviolet radiation, as well as optical
radiation.
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51
5. HEALTH
5.1. VACCINES
5.1.1. NUCLEIC ACID VACCINES
Why in News?
Recently, Zydus Cadilla, a pharmaceutical company, received
emergency use approval for ZyCov-D, its plasmid DNA vaccine
against COVID-19
More on News
• This would be the world’s first DNA vaccine against
COVID-19.
• Both DNA and RNA are types of Nucleic acid vaccines (also
known as gene-based vaccines).
About Nucleic Acid vaccines
• Instead of injecting a weakened form of a virus or bacteria
into the body, Nucleic acid vaccines use genetic material
from a disease-causing virus or bacterium (a pathogen) to
stimulate an immune response against it.
o That immune response, which produces antibodies, is
what protects us from getting infected if the real virus
enters our bodies.
• Depending on the vaccine, the genetic About Zycov-D
material could be DNA or RNA. • It is the first indigenously developed COVID vaccine.
• It has been developed in partnership with the Department
o DNA and RNA are the instructions our
of Biotechnology under the ‘Mission COVID Suraksha'.
cells use to make proteins. In our cells,
• This DNA-based vaccine in can be administered without a
DNA is first turned into messenger needle.
RNA (m RNA), which is then used as • It can be administered to adults as well as those 12 and
the blueprint to make specific above.
proteins.
o mRNA teaches cells how to make a protein that triggers an immune response inside human bodies.
✓ Transcriptome refers to the full range of mRNA molecules expressed from the genes of an
organism.
• In the case of DNA vaccines, a piece of DNA encoding the antigen is first inserted into a bacterial plasmid.
o A plasmid is a small, often circular DNA molecule found in bacteria and other cells. They generally
carry only a small number of genes, notably some associated with antibiotic resistance.
• DNA plasmids carrying the antigen are usually injected into the muscle and then driven into cells with the
help of technologies like electroporation (short pulses of electric current are used to create temporary
pores in patients’ cell membranes).
• RNA vaccines encode the antigen of interest in mRNA.
• The RNA can be injected by itself,
encapsulated within nanoparticles (as
Pfizer’s mRNA-based Covid vaccine is), or
driven into cells using some of the same
techniques being developed for DNA
vaccines.
• Unlike mRNA vaccines, DNA based
vaccines don’t require ultra-cold storage
systems and are said to be more cost
effective.
52
Other approaches to make a Vaccine
Whole- • Inactivated vaccine by taking the disease- • This is the way the flu and polio vaccines are
microbe carrying virus or bacterium, or one very similar made – and vaccines can be manufactured
approach to it, and inactivating or killing it using on a reasonable scale.
chemicals, heat, or radiation. • Requires special laboratory facilities to
grow the virus or bacterium safely, can have
a relatively long production time, and will
likely require two or three doses to be
administered
• Live-attenuated vaccine uses a living but • Examples are measles, mumps and rubella
weakened version of the virus or one that’s (MMR) vaccine and the chickenpox and
very similar. shingles vaccine.
• Vaccines like this may not be suitable for
people with compromised immune systems.
• Viral vector vaccine uses a safe virus to deliver • Ebola vaccine is a viral vector vaccine and
specific sub-parts – called proteins – of the this type can be developed rapidly.
germ of interest so that it can trigger an
immune response without causing disease.
o This has the advantage of triggering a
strong cellular immune response by T
cells as well the production of antibodies
by B cells.
Subunit • Only uses the very specific parts (the • Most of the vaccines on the childhood
approach subunits) of a virus or bacterium that the schedule are subunit vaccines, protecting
immune system needs to recognize. people from diseases such as whooping
o The subunits may be proteins or sugars. cough, tetanus, diphtheria and
meningococcal meningitis.
Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) & Ribonucleic

Acid (RNA)
• They are two main types of nucleic acids
responsible for the storage and reading
of genetic information that underpins
all life.
• Three types of RNA
o Messenger RNA (mRNA) copies
portions of genetic code, a process
called transcription, and transports
these copies to ribosomes, which
are the cellular factories that
facilitate the production of proteins
from this code.
o Transfer RNA (tRNA) is responsible
for bringing amino acids, basic
protein building blocks, to these
protein factories, in response to the
coded instructions introduced by the mRNA. This protein-building process is called translation.
o Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) is a component of the ribosome factory itself without which protein
production would not occur.
Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)
RNA converts the genetic information contained within DNA replicates and stores genetic information. It is a
DNA to a format used to build proteins, and then moves it blueprint for all genetic information contained within an
to ribosomal protein factories. organism
RNA only has one strand, but like DNA, is made up of DNA consists of two strands, arranged in a double helix.
nucleotides.
RNA contains ribose sugar molecules, without the The sugar in DNA is deoxyribose, which contains one less
hydroxyl modifications of deoxyribose. hydroxyl group than RNA’s ribose.
RNA shares Adenine (‘A’), Guanine (‘G’) and Cytosine (‘C’) The bases in DNA are Adenine (‘A’), Thymine (‘T’), Guanine
with DNA, but contains Uracil (‘U’) rather than Thymine. (‘G’) and Cytosine (‘C’).
53
RNA forms in the nucleolus, and then moves to specialised DNA is found in the nucleus, with a small amount of DNA
regions of the cytoplasm depending on the type of RNA also present in mitochondria.
formed.
RNA is more resistant to damage from UV light than DNA. DNA is vulnerable to damage by ultraviolet light.
5.1.2. PNEUMOCOCCAL VACCINE

Why in News? About UIP
• It is one of the largest public health programmes
Recently, Union Minister for Health and Family
targeting close to 26.7 million newborns and 29 million
Welfare launched the nationwide expansion of pregnant women annually.
Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) under • Under UIP, immunization is being provided free of cost
the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP). against 12 vaccine preventable diseases:
About Pneumococcal disease o Nationally against 10 diseases: Diphtheria,
Pertussis, Tetanus, Polio, Measles, Rubella, severe
• It is the name given to a group of diseases form of Childhood Tuberculosis, Rotavirus diarrhea,
caused by a bacterium called Streptococcus Hepatitis B and Meningitis & Pneumonia caused by
pneumoniae (also known as pneumo- Haemophilus Influenzae type B;
coccus). o Sub-nationally against 2 diseases - Pneumococcal
o Pneumococcal disease can occur in Pneumonia and Japanese Encephalitis; of which
Pneumococcal Conjugate vaccine is nationally
multiple organ systems, causing
expanded today (earlier in select districts of Bihar,
pneumonia, meningitis, Himachal and to be expanded in phases), while JE
bacteraemia/sepsis, sinusitis, bronchitis vaccine is provided only in endemic districts.
and middle ear infection.
• Pneumococcal infection is
transmitted by direct contact with
respiratory secretions from patients
and healthy carriers.
o Children under 5 years of age
and especially those under 2
years of age are the most at risk
of developing and dying from
the disease.
o Elderly and
immunocompromised people
are also at risk.
• PCV gives prevention against
pneumococcal diseases and can
potentially reduce the dependence on antibiotics.
o PCV can have side effects ranging from fever, loss of appetite to headache, fussiness
Types of Pneumococcal Vaccines
• Pneumococcal vaccines are derived from sugars (polysaccharides) from the capsule of the bacterium
Streptococcus pneumoniae.
• They may or may not be attached to the carrier protein (proteins that carry substances from one side of
a biological membrane to the other).
• Based on the presence of carrier protein, two broad categories of pneumococcal vaccines are available
in market:
o Polysaccharide vaccines (with no carrier) and
o Conjugate vaccines (with protein carrier)
✓ A conjugate vaccine is a type of vaccine which combines a weak antigen with a strong antigen ( a
substance that causes immune system to produce antibodies against it) as a carrier so that the
immune system has a stronger response to the weak antigen.
5.1.3. BCG (BACILLUS CALMETTE-GUERIN) VACCINE

Why in News?
It has been 100 years since the BCG vaccine was first used in humans in 1921 against tuberculosis (TB).
54
More on News
• It was developed by two Frenchmen, Albert Calmette and Camille Guerin, by modifying a strain of
Mycobacterium bovis that causes TB in
About Tuberculosis (TB)
cattle.
• TB is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium
• In India, BCG was first introduced in a
tuberculosis, belonging to the Mycobacteriaceae family
limited scale in 1948 and became a part of consisting of about 200 members, some of which cause
the National TB Control Programme in diseases like TB and leprosy in humans and others infect
1962. a wide range of animals.
About BCG • According to the WHO’s Global TB Report, 10 million
people developed TB in 2019 with 1.4 million deaths. India
• Currently, BCG is the only licensed vaccine accounts for 27% of these cases.
available for the prevention of TB. • India is committed to eliminate TB as a public health
• The efficacy of BCG is higher in geographic problem by 2025.
locations farther from the equator. • Indian Council of Medical Research is undertaking clinical
o This may be because regions near the trial of two vaccines against TB- a recombinant BCG called
equator also have a higher prevalence VPM 1002 and Mycobacterium indicus pranii (MIP).
of environmental mycobacteria which may interfere with the protective effect against TB.
• The protective effect of the vaccine against severe forms of TB appears to wane with age.
• BCG is also used against respiratory and bacterial infections of the newborns, and other mycobacterial
diseases like leprosy and Buruli’s ulcer and as an immunotherapy agent in cancer of the urinary bladder
and malignant melanoma.
Related News
Recently, the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare notified the draft order on ‘Prohibition of
Streptomycin and Tetracycline in Agriculture’.
• The antibodies, Streptomycin and Tetracycline are important medicines used in the treatment of tuberculosis in
human beings.
o The use of antibiotics leads directly to the development and spread of resistance.
o It was also observed that the overutilization of the TB antibodies on crops is not healthy for human beings,
plants, and the soil.
• According to the draft Order
o No person shall import, manufacture, or formulate Streptomycin and Tetracycline for use in agriculture in
India with effect from February 1, 2022.
o There will be a complete ban on the use of Streptomycin and Tetracycline in agriculture from January 1, 2024.
• The draft Order also stated that every State government shall take all steps necessary for the execution of the
Order in their State, under the provisions of the Insecticides Act, 1968 and rules framed there under.
o The Insecticides Act, 1968 is to regulate the import, manufacture, sale, transport, distribution and use of
insecticide with a view to prevent risk to human beings or animals and for matters connected therewith.
5.2. ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE

Why in news?
According to a study by
Lancet, Antimicrobial
resistance (AMR) is now the
leading cause of death
across the world.
Key Facts/Findings
regarding AMR
• Young children were
found to be particularly
affected by AMR. In
2019, 1 in 5 deaths
attributable to AMR occurred in children under the age of five.
• While resistance levels continue to grow, antibiotic development has not.
o While 63 new antibiotics were approved between 1980 and 2000, only 15 new drugs have been
approved between 2000 and 2018.
55
o Out of the seven deadliest drug-resistant bacteria, vaccines are only available against bacteria causing
pneumonia and tuberculosis.
About Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)
• AMR is the ability of a microorganism (like bacteria, viruses, and some parasites) to stop an antimicrobial
(such as antibiotics, antivirals and antimalarials) from working against it.
• WHO has declared that AMR is one of the top 10 global public health threats facing humanity.
• Antibiotic resistance has been found in
all regions of the world. Global efforts
• Global Action Plan (GAP) 2015 on AMR during the 2015 World
Causes of AMR Health Assembly and committed to the development and
implementation of multisectoral national action plans.
• Poor hygiene and infection prevention
• WHO launched the Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use
and control. Surveillance System (GLASS) in 2015 to continue filling
• Overuse of antimicrobials knowledge gaps and to inform strategies at all levels.
• Over prescription by doctors and Non- • WHO is working closely with Food and Agriculture
prescription purchase in many Organization (FAO) and World Organisation for Animal
countries. Health (OIE) in a ‘One Health’ approach to promote best
• If a person does not complete a course practices to reduce the levels of AMR and slow its
of antimicrobial drugs, some microbes development.
o An international ‘Go Blue for AMR’ colour campaign has
may survive and develop resistance to
been launched this year by the AMR tripartite
the drug.
organisations(WHO, FAO and OIE) to help spread
• Practice of adding antibiotics to awareness about antimicrobial resistance.
agricultural feed promotes drug • Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership
resistance. (GARDP), a joint initiative of WHO and the Drugs for Neglected
• Environment plays a significant role Diseases INITIATIVE (DNDI), to encourage research and
wherein waste from farms, factories, development through public-private partnerships.
community (such as mass bathing) and o By 2025, the partnership aims to develop and deliver five
healthcare settings can contribute to new treatments that target drug-resistant bacteria
identified by WHO as posing the greatest threat.
AMR through environmental routes.
Impacts of AMR: Inability to treat common infections, increased threat to medical procedures such as organ
transplantation, adverse impact on animal health, Endangers SDGs etc.
Initiative taken in India
• National programme on AMR containment was launched during 12th FYP in 2012-17. Under this
programme, AMR Surveillance Network has been strengthened by establishing labs in State Medical
Colleges.
• National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Related development
Resistance (NAP-AMR) to establish and Researchers from Indian Institute of Science (IISc) are working
on two approaches to tackle AMR -
strengthen governance mechanisms,
• Use bacteriophages, or ‘phages’, to kill bacterial cells.
change prescription practices and
o Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria.
consumer behaviour and to scale up • Block the transporters that ‘throw out’ antibiotics from
infection control and antimicrobial bacterial cells.
surveillance. o Transporters help move nutrients from the
• Red Line campaign demands that environment into cells and remove toxic metabolites.
prescription-only antibiotics be marked o Multi-drug resistant pathogens have evolved
with a red line, to discourage the over- transporters that are capable of moving out (or
the-counter sale of antibiotics. ‘effluxing’) antibacterial compounds from bacterial
cells and membranes, thereby protecting pathogens
• National Health Policy, 2017 terms
(bacteria).
antimicrobial resistance as one of the
o Researchers are developing certain type of antibody
key healthcare issues and prioritizes the that could inhibit the transporters in bacteria.
development of guidelines regarding
antibiotic use and check on restricting the growth of antibiotics.
• ICMR has undertaken a project on an “Integrated One Health Surveillance Network for Antimicrobial
Resistance” in collaboration with Indian Council of Agriculture research (ICAR) to assess the preparedness
of Indian Veterinary laboratories to participate in integrated AMR surveillance network.
56
o ICMR has also created veterinary standard operating procedure (Vet-SOPs) for enabling comparison
of antimicrobial resistance patterns in animals and humans.
• FSSAI has set certain guidelines limiting the antibiotics in food products such as fish and honey.
• In 2012, India’s medical societies adopted the Chennai Declaration, a set of national recommendations to
promote antibiotic stewardship.
• A separate Schedule H-1 has been incorporated in Drug and Cosmetic rules to regulate the sale of
antimicrobials in the country.
Related News
Report finds positive associations between antimicrobial use in animals and AMR in humans
• The report by EU Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and others, analysed six classes of antibiotics-
cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, polymyxins, aminopenicillins, macrolides and tetracyclines.
o These are part of WHO’s AWaRe (Access, Watch, Reserve) classification.
o Data on AMR in E. coli, K. pneumoniae,S. aureus and C. jejuni were included in report.
✓ While E. coli and K. pneumonia are common infection causing bacteria, S. aureus and C. jejuniarefood-
borne bacteria.
5.2.1. ONE HEALTH

Why in News?
FAO, the World
Organisation for
Animal Health (OIE),
WHO and UNEP
welcomed the newly
formed operational
definition of
"OneHealth" by One
Health High Level
Expert Panel (OHHLEP).
About OHHLEP
• OHHLEP is made up
of 26 independent
experts selected by these four international organisations.
• These 4 organizations are working together to mainstream One Health so that they are better prepared
to prevent, predict, detect, and respond to global health threats and promote sustainable development.
About One Health
• One Health is an integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimise the health
of people, animals and ecosystems.
Benefits of One Health:
• It recognizes the health of humans, domestic and • Promote coherence in action across sectors and
wild animals, plants, and wider environment areas of expertise in health sector.
(including ecosystems) are closely linked and • Address the full spectrum of disease control - from
interdependent. disease prevention to detection, preparedness,
• The approach mobilises multiple sectors, response, and management.
disciplines and communities at varying levels of
society to work together to foster well-being and tackle threats to health and ecosystems.
• It addresses the collective need for clean water, energy and air, safe and nutritious food, taking action
on climate change, and contributing to sustainable development.
5.3. NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES

Why in News?
Accepting the proposal of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), 74th World Health Assembly declared January 30
as ‘World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Day’
57
About Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD)
• NTD are communicable diseases
that prevail in tropical and
subtropical countries and affect
more than one billion people.
• Populations living in poverty,
without adequate sanitation
and in close contact with
infectious vectors and domestic
animals and livestock are those
worst affected.
o Worldwide, around 149
countries and territories are
affected by at least one
NTD.
o India experiences the
world’s largest
absolute burden
of several major
NTDs, though
India has already
eliminated
several NTDs,
including guinea
worm, trachoma,
and yaws.
Impact of NTDs
• NTDs overload
already stretched
health systems in
developing countries.
• Some disease impair
physical and
cognitive
development
amongst children as
infection leads to
malnutrition, cognitive impairment, stunted growth, and the inability to attend school.
• Some diseases with cutaneous manifestations are disfiguring, particularly for women, because they
delay health-seeking behaviour, diagnosis and treatment.
• Challenges in tackling NTD: little attention from policy-makers, lack of priority within health strategies,
inadequate research, limited resource allocation and few interventions etc.
Related News
Lymphatic filariasis or elephantiasis
• Maharashtra government has flagged off its mass drug administration drive for the elimination of lymphatic
filariasis.
o Mass drug administration is one of the two pillars of the National Programme for Elimination of Lymphatic
Filariasis, under which anti-filaria drugs are administered to the eligible population once a year.
• Lymphatic filariasis is a neglected tropical disease that occurs when filarial parasites are transmitted to humans
through mosquitoes.
• Symptoms include swelling of legs, and hydrocele and can cause a raft of societal stigma.
Visceral Leishmaniasis/Kala- Azar
• Indian researchers have developed a non-invasive, easy to administer, cost-effective, and patient compliant
potential therapeutic strategy against Visceral Leishmaniasis.
58
• The conventional treatment therapy of VL mainly involves painful intravenous administration, which imposes
many treatment complications, including prolonged hospitalization, high cost, and high risk of infection.
• About Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL):
o It is a complex infectious disease transmitted by the bite of female PHLEBOTOMINE sandflies.
o Leishmaniasis is a disease caused by protozoan parasites of the Leishmania genus.
o It is a vector-borne disease and transmitted through sand flies
o It is a neglected tropical disease that affects millions annually, making it the second most common parasitic
killer after malaria.
o It is endemic to the Indian subcontinent (in Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and India). India accounts for half the
global burden of the disease.
National Action Plan for dog mediated Rabies Elimination (NAPRE) launched
• Prepared by National Centre for Disease Control, in association with the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry,
and Dairying, NAPRE targets to end rabies by 2030 through One health Approach.
o Earlier, a National Rabies Control Program was launched during 12th Five-year Plan
• Rabies is a vaccine-preventable, zoonotic, viral disease. Once clinical symptoms appear, rabies is virtually 100%
fatal.
o Rabies is one of the NTD that predominantly affects poor and vulnerable populations who live in remote rural
locations.
o In up to 99% of cases, domestic dogs are responsible for rabies virus transmission to humans.
o Rabies is present on all continents, except Antarctica.
5.4. MUCORMYCOSIS
Why in News? Other types of Fungal Infection
• White Fungus or Candidiasis (caused by fungus called
As cases of Mucormycosis or Black Fungus cases
Candida).
had started rising some states declared it as
• When fungus attacks private parts, there is white colour
epidemic under Epidemic Diseases Act 1897. discharge, thus the name white fungus.
About Mucormycosis • Yellow Fungus (caused by moulds (a type of fungi) in
the environment).
• Mucormycosis is a fungal infection that • Because of Yellow colour pus that is formed in the area
mainly affects people who are on medication wounded by the fungus, it has been called Yellow
for other health problems that reduces their Fungus.
ability to fight pathogens. • Aspergillosis (caused by a common mould, Aspergillus)
• It has been commonly called as black fungus
because it causes the tissue affected to necrose and turn into black.
• Previously called zygomycosis, it is a serious but rare fungal infection caused by a group of molds called
mucormycetes.
o These molds live throughout the environment, particularly in soil and in decaying organic matter, such
as leaves, compost piles, or rotten wood.
• Examples of fungi that most commonly cause mucormycosis are: Rhizopus species, Mucor species,
Rhizomucor species, Syncephalastrum species etc.
• Most people come in contact with microscopic fungal spores every day but it mainly affects people with
weakened immune system. Person can get infected through inhalation, inoculation or ingestion of fungal
spores.
• Mucormycosis isn’t contagious, so one can’t get it from an infected person. It can’t spread between
people and animals.
• Symptoms include: Sinusitis, nasal blockade, blackish or bloody nasal discharge, blackish discolouration
over bridge of nose or palate, blurred vision, etc.
• Prevention: Maintaining personal hygiene, Aggressive monitoring of blood sugar etc.
• Treatment: Mucormycosisneeds to be treated with prescription antifungal medicine, usually
amphotericin B, posaconazole, or isavuconazole. Often, mucormycosis requires surgery to cut away the
infected tissue.
59
Fungi
• Fungi (singular: Fungus) are eukaryotes which are
responsible for decomposition and nutrient
cycling through the environment.
o Eukaryote refers to any of the single-celled or
multicellular organisms whose cell contains a
distinct, membrane-bound nucleus.
o Fungi are classified as a separate kingdom,
along with other eukaryotic kingdoms like
Plantae, Animalia and Protista (see
infographic).
• Common examples of fungi are: yeasts, rusts,
truffles, moulds, mildews and mushrooms.
5.5. CORONAVIRUS MUTATION

Why in News?
WHO designated New Coronavirus Strain as ‘variant
of concern’ and named it ‘Omicron’.
More on News
• This Variant, B.1.1.529 was first reported from
South Africa and is being considered potentially
more dangerous than the Delta variant.
o It comes with a “very unusual constellation”
of mutation and can even infect fully vaccinated people.
60
About virus mutations
• Viruses, like all living things, go through mutations throughout their lifespan.
o A mutation is a subtle change in the genes of the virus using host body itself.
o This may make the virus more unstable and more vulnerable.
• At times mutation may result in major changes in the structure of a virus.
o In this case, virus could be difficult to detect with existing tests, respond differently to treatments and
become unrecognizable to antibodies developed after an infection or vaccination.
• When a new variant shows functional properties different from the original virus and becomes
established in a population, it is referred to as a new strain of the virus. A strain behaves differently from
its parent virus.
o All strains are variants but not all variants are strains.
WHO Classification of COVID-19 variants
Variant of • It is a variant that results in rise in transmissibility, increase in fatality and a significant
Concern decrease in effectiveness of vaccines, therapy and other health measures.
• The Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta variants fall under it.
Variant of • It is a variant with a genetic capability that affects characteristics of virus such as disease
Interest severity, immune escape, transmissibility and diagnostic escape, and causes a consequential
volume of community transmission.
• The Eta, Iota, Kappa and Lambda fall under it.
Variants Under • It is a variant with genetic changes that are suspected to affect virus characteristics but
Monitoring evidence of phenotypic or epidemiological impact is currently unclear.
(VUM) • It may pose a future risk.
WHO announced labels of SARS-CoV-2 variants:

• WHO has assigned simple, easy to remember and non-stigmatising labels for key variants of SARS-CoV-2 using
letters of the Greek alphabet:
SARS-CoV-2 Variants WHO label Earliest documented samples
B.1.1.7 Alpha United Kingdom
B.1.351 Beta South Africa
P.1 Gamma Brazil
B.1.617.2 Delta India
B.1.1.529 Omicron South Africa
5.5.1. OTHER COVID RELATED DEVELOPMENTS IN NEWS

Global Initiative • A research team that found a new strain of Covid-19 Deltacron (that combines Delta
on Sharing Avian and Omicron) in Cyprus has shared findings with GISAID.
Influenza Data • About GISAID:
(GISAID) o Launched in 2008, Initiative promotes the rapid sharing of data from all influenza
viruses and the coronavirus causing COVID-19.
o Data includes:
✓ Genetic sequence and related clinical and epidemiological data associated with
human viruses, and
✓ Geographical as well as species-specific data associated with avian and other animal
viruses.
Global COVAX • Recently, Punjab Cabinet decided to join the Global COVAX Alliance, as first Indian state to
Alliance do so because of vaccine shortage
About COVAX Alliance
• COVAX, short for COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access, is a worldwide initiative co-led by
Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi and the World Health
Organization (WHO), alongside key delivery partner UNICEF
• It coordinates international resources to enable equitable access to COVID-19 tests,
treatments, and vaccines
COVAX No-Fault Compensation Program
• No Fault compensation program is the world’s first and only international vaccine injury
compensation mechanism.
o It provides fair, no-fault, lump sum compensation to eligible individuals who suffer
certain serious adverse events after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine distributed through
the COVAX Facility.
61
o It helps to deliver safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines to the high-risk and vulnerable
populations in 92 low- and middle-income countries including India.
Global Hub for • WHO and Germany will establish a new global hub for pandemic and epidemic intelligence
Pandemic and as part of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme (HEP).
Epidemic o HEP was established in 2016 to deal with emergency health needs related to disease
Intelligence outbreaks, disasters and conflicts.
• The hub will create a shared network access to vital multi-sectoral data that will drive
innovations in data analytics to predict, prevent, detect, prepare and respond to worldwide
health threats.
o It will strengthen the global early warning surveillance system to identify pandemic and
epidemic risks.
o It will help in developing tools and models for risk analysis and monitor disease control
measures and infodemics.
WHO’S • India was rolled out the next phase of World Health Organization's Solidarity trial - Solidarity
“Solidarity” PLUS - which aims to assess the effectiveness of new drugs in treating hospitalised Covid-19
Clinical Trial for patients.
COVID-19 o India is among the 52 countries taking part in WHO's Solidarity PLUS trial.
o In 2020 WHO initiated the Solidarity trial.
• India trial will study two drugs - Imatinib and Infliximab.
o Imatinib is used for treating certain cancers while infliximab is used for diseases of the
immune system, including Crohn's disease and rheumatoid arthritis.
India SarsCov2 • After steady decline in new Covid-19 infections, INSACOG has prioritized developing and
Genome expanding a SARS CoV2 sewage surveillance program.
Consortium • INSACOG is jointly initiated by the Union Health Ministry of Health, and Department of
(INSACOG) Biotechnology with Council for Scientific & Industrial Research and Indian Council of Medical
Research.
o It is a consortium of National Laboratories to monitor the genomic variations in the
SARS-CoV-2.
o The network carries out whole genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 virus across the
nation, aiding the understanding of how the virus spreads and evolves, and provides
information to aid public health response.
Neo Cov • A new kind of coronavirus, NeoCov, is found among bats in South Africa.
• NeoCov virus shares 85% similarity to Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-
CoV) in genome sequence which enters cells via DPP4 receptors.
o MERS-CoV is a viral disease that was first identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012.
• NeoCov is not SARS-CoV-2.
o NeoCoV is a bat coronavirus that was first identified in 2011.
o It was identified in a species of bats known as Neoromicia.
o NeoCov can use ACE2 receptors of bats but they can’t use human ACE2 receptor unless
a new mutation occurs.
Monoclonal Anti- • Monoclonal antibody therapy is the use of monoclonal antibodies to specifically target cells.
Body Therapy It has been suggested for treating COVID-19 in ‘high-risk’ patients.
• Monoclonal antibodies are artificially created in the lab and are similar to antibodies
naturally created by immune system of humans.
o Antibody, also called immunoglobulin, is a protective protein produced by the immune
system in response to the presence of a foreign substance, called an antigen.
• Casirivimab and Imdevimab are monoclonal antibodies that are specifically directed against
the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, designed to block the virus' attachment and entry into
human cells.
• Earlier also, monoclonal antibodies have been used to treat other viral infections such
as Ebola and HIV.
2-deoxy-D- • Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has approved anti-COVID oral drug2-DG developed
glucose (2-DG) by the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), a leading laboratory of
DRDO, in collaboration with Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL) in Hyderabad.
o It accumulates in the virus-infected cells and prevents virus growth by stopping viral
synthesis and energy production. Its selective accumulation in virally infected cells
makes this drug unique.
o The basic mechanism of the drug involves inhibiting glycolysis, or one of the way in
which cells break down glucose from energy.
o It helps in faster recovery of hospitalised patients and reduces supplemental oxygen
dependence.
62
Corbevax Vaccine • Corbevax Vaccine is based on recombinant protein platform, based on Recombinant DNA
technology, in which cloned spike proteins are created in a lab setting through bioprocessing.
o For example, use of E. coli as host for recombinant proteins offers benefits of low cost,
well-known biochemistry and genetics, rapid growth, and good productivity.
• It offers benefits like low price and easy to scale up production as compared to other
vaccines which instructs human body cells to create spike proteins.
• Recombinant DNA technology allows genes to be transferredacross different species of
plants, from animals to plants, from microorganisms to higher organisms.
o Recombinant subunit vaccine causes the immune response of the human body by
directly injecting the subunit of the pathogen into the body.
✓ Genetic engineering is applied in the development of these vaccines.
✓ It exposes the body to proteins made by a virus or bacteria, are often made by
using weakened or inactive versions of that virus or bacteria.
Intranasal Covid • It is developed by Bharat BioTech.
vaccine- BBV154 o It is a novel adenovirus vectored vaccine.
✓ Adenoviruses are common viruses that cause a range of illness. They can cause
cold-like symptoms, fever, sore throat, bronchitis, pneumonia, diarrhea, and pink
eye (conjunctivitis).
✓ Adenoviruses have double stranded DNA genomes. Viruses of the family
Adenoviridae infect vertebrates, including humans
• Benefits
o Other vaccines only produce antibodies, Intranasal vaccine produce antibodies as well
as reduce risk of transmission.
o Easy delivery – cut down syringe, needles etc.
o Additional immune response- addition to the immunity in blood, it activates immunity
of the cells founds in the tissues lining the nose and mouth and lungs.
o Only small volume typically 0.1 ml will be required.
ACE2 protein • The ACE2 protein in humans is where the coronavirus latches on to, in order to enter the cell.
o However, it is a plant-grown protein and can be manufactured using a patented plant-
based production system.
• Researchers are working on creating a chewing gum laced with ACE2 protein which can
serve as a “trap” for the virus and ultimately reduce transmission load.
SPOT (Scalable • The US scientists have developed a new SPOT system to detect COVID-19 easily from saliva
and Portable samples.
Testing) • It uses Reverse Transcriptase-Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification (RT- LAMP), a one-
step nucleic acid amplification method.
o It does not need complex machinery or expertise.
o It can be completed more quickly and is more accurate than most antigen tests.
o The only difference between RT-PCR and RT-LAMP is that RT-LAMP uses four LAMP
Primers. Primers are short fragments of nucleic acids.
Enzyme-linked • ELSA is a labeled immunoassay that is considered the gold standard of immunoassays.
immunosorbent • This immunological test is very sensitive and is used to detect and quantify substances,
assay (ELISA) including antibodies, antigens, proteins, glycoproteins, and hormones in the blood sample.
Test • Recently, a start-up funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) has
developed first of its kind, semi-quantitative Electrochemical ELISA test that would help
rapid & accurate estimation of total antibody concentration of COVID-19.
Jivan Vayu • It is India’s low-cost first of its kind CPAP device developed by IIT Ropar.
o CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) is a treatment method used for patients
having breathing problemslike sleep apnea or other lung limitations like lack of full
development or lung damage like Covid-19.
• It functions even without electricity and is adapted to both kinds of oxygen generation units,
i.e. O2 cylinders and oxygen pipelines in hospitals.
Project O2 for • It is to enable stakeholders working to augment the country’s ability to meet this rise in
India demand for medical oxygen.
• Under this, a National Consortium of Oxygen is enabling the national level supply of critical
raw materials such as zeolites, setting up of small oxygen plants, manufacturing
compressors, final products, i.e. concentrators, and ventilators.
• It is launched by Office of Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA).
o PSA was set up (1999) to advice PM and cabinet on matters related to science,
technology and innovation
63
Liquid Medical • Medical oxygen means high-purity oxygen, which is used by hospitals and clinics in the
Oxygen (LMO) treatment of various illnesses that cause oxygen saturation levels in the body to drop.
o It generally comprises of minimum 90% oxygen (O2) with 5% nitrogen and 5% argon.
• One of the ways how this oxygen can be supplied is through Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO).
o Liquification enables storage in larger volumes and easier transportation.
• Most common method to produce LMO is separation of oxygen in what are known as Air
Separation Units or ASUs.
• ASUs use a method called Fractional Distillation Method to produce pure oxygen from
atmospheric air.
o In this method, gases from the air are separated into various components after cooling
them into a liquid state and then liquid oxygen is extracted from it.
Pressure Swing • Recently, PM dedicated 35 PSA Oxygen Plants, established under PM CARES, across 35
Adsorption (PSA) States/UTs.
Oxygen Plants o PM also stated that all districts now have commissioned PSA Oxygen Plants.
• PSA refers to an adsorption–desorption cycle that is driven by drop in sorbent carrying
capacity with decreasing pressure.
• PSA oxygen generating plants are a source of medical-grade oxygen.
o In these plants. ambient air passes through an internal filtration system, which has a
large enough total surface area to separate nitrogen from air, concentrating the
remaining oxygen to a known purity.
National Oxygen • Union government has launched an initiative to train health care workers in rational
Stewardship utilisation of medical oxygen to prevent wastage.
Programme • About National Oxygen Stewardship Programme
o As part of the programme, at least one oxygen steward will be identified and trained in
each district across the country.
o These trained professionals would be responsible for leading the training on oxygen
therapy and management in their respective districts.
o They will also support audit of oxygen delivery and preparedness for a surge scenario.
i-Drone (ICMR's • It is a delivery model, launched by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, to facilitate vaccine
Drone Response delivery to hard-to-reach terrains of India.
and Outreach for • i-Drone will overcome these challenges by deploying Unmanned Aerial vehicles (UAV) /
North East) drones to remote areas.
o Currently, the project has been granted permission for implementation in Manipur and
Nagaland, as well as Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
5.6. ANTI-DOPING BILL

Why in News?
Recently, the government introduced National Anti-Doping Bill, 2021 in Lok Sabha.
About doping
• Doping is the consumption of certain prohibited substances by athletes to enhance performance.
o When the drug is consumed by the athlete, he gets an unfair advantage over the clean athlete, thereby
banning such drugs shall propagate level playing field and equality among the athletes.
• World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) monitors doping in all kinds of competitive sports.
o WADA was established in 1999 as an international independent agency (under Lausanne Declaration
in Switzerland) composed and funded equally by the sport movement and governments of the world.
o Its key activities include Scientific research, Education, Development of anti-doping capacities,
and Monitoring of the World Anti-Doping Code– the document harmonizing anti-doping policies in
all sports and all countries.
o The WADA periodically updates its list of Prohibited Substances and Methods. This includes steroids,
anabolic agents, stimulants, and gene doping.
✓ Some components such as narcotics are permanently banned.
✓ Some, like alcohol, are banned only in-competition.
o At the national level, there is the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), an independent body under
Union Ministry of Sports.
• WADA monitors doping in sport based on the World Anti-Doping Code. The Code provides a framework
for anti-doping policies, rules, and regulations for sport organizations and public authorities.
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o Any sportsperson competing in national or international events can be asked to give his/her blood
and/or urine samples at any point of time by anti-doping agency or sports events committee during
the event. Testing can be conducted in-competition and out-of-competition.
• The WADA doesn't directly conduct tests. It gives accreditation to laboratories which adheres to the
mandatory International Standard for Laboratories.
• In the latest report published by the World Anti-Doping Agency, 152 (17% of the world total) Anti-doping
Rule Violations (ADRVs) were reported in India in 2019.
o India ranks third in the list with the maximum dope offenders (Russia topped the list followed by Italy)
coming from bodybuilding (57). National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL)
Key features of the Bill • NDTL has regained the WADA accreditation.
o The restoration of accreditation is a boost
• Bill prohibits athletes, athlete support personnel and to India’s efforts to achieve the highest
other persons from engaging in doping in sport. global standards of excellence in sport.
✓ Anti-doping rule violation may result in • NDTL was established with an aim to get
disqualification of results, Ineligibility to permanently accredited by International
participate for a prescribed period, financial Olympic Committee (IOC) and WADA to do the
testing for the banned drugs in human sports.
sanctions etc.
✓ Exemptions: If any athlete requires a prohibited substance or method due to a medical condition,
they may apply to the NADA for a therapeutic use exemption.
• National Anti-Doping Agency: Bill seeks to provide statutory framework for the functioning of NADA,
empowering it to conduct raids besides
Significance of the Bill
strengthening measures to tackle drug abuse in
• It will strengthen doping control programme as
Indian sports.
currently NADA had no authority to conduct
o NADA established as societies under Societies raids.
Registration Act, will be dissolved and • It will also give effect to UNESCO’s International
reconstituted. It will be headed by a Director Convention against Doping in Sport.
General appointed by the central government. o India ratified the convention in 2007.
• National Board for Anti-Doping in Sports: to make
recommendations to the government on anti-doping regulation and compliance of international
commitments on anti-doping.
o The Board will consist of a Chairperson and two members appointed by the central government.
• Disciplinary and Appeal Panels: The Board will constitute a National Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel for
determining consequences of Anti-Doping Rule Violations.
o This Panel will consist of a Chairperson and four Vice-Chairpersons (all legal experts), and ten
members (medical practitioners and retired eminent athletes).
• Dope Testing Laboratories: The existing National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) will be deemed to be
the principal dope testing laboratory. The Union Government may establish more NDTL.
o Recently, NDTL has regained the WADA accreditation which was suspended in 2019, based on non-
compliances which were observed during on-site assessment of the Laboratory.
Related News
WADA approved dried blood spot (DBS) testing technique for the Tokyo Olympics.
• DBS is an innovative method of screening for banned substances in which few drops of blood is taken and put on
a kind of blotting paper (dry matrix).
• The sample is analysed using an appropriate solvent which extracts the biological material that is required for the
test.
• It is less invasive method than current urine and blood collection and therefore, a better athlete experience.
5.7. WORLD MALARIA REPORT 2021

Why in news?
Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) has released the World Malaria Report 2021 edition that
assesses the actions taken by states in response to Malaria in the backdrop of COVID 19 pandemic.
Key findings of the report
• Malaria cases and deaths
o An estimated 241 million malaria cases were reported in 2020 in 85 malaria-endemic countries,
increasing from 227 million in 2019.
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o Sub-Saharan Africa continues to carry the heaviest malaria burden, accounting for about 95% of all
cases and 96% of deaths in 2020. About Malaria
o Malaria deaths increased by 12% • It is a life-threatening mosquito borne blood disease caused by
globally in 2020 compared with plasmodium parasites, and spread through the bites of infected
2019. female Anopheles mosquitoes.
• India related findings • There are 5 parasite species that cause malaria in humans, and 2
o India accounted for 83% of cases of these species – P. falciparum (African continent) and P. vivax
in the WHO South-East Asia (outside of sub-Saharan Africa) – pose the greatest threat.
Region. • It is preventable as well as curable.
o India was the only high-burden • Malaria Vaccine
o WHO has recommended broad use of the RTS,S/AS01
country to record progress by
(RTS,S) malaria vaccine among children living in regions
sustaining a reduction in malaria
with moderate to high P. falciparum malaria transmission.
burden between 2019 and 2020. o Known by its brand name Mosquirix, this recombinant
• Globally, 40 countries and territories protein vaccine has been shown to significantly reduce
have now been granted a malaria- malaria, and deadly severe malaria among young children,
free certification from WHO – and also reduced the overall hospital admissions.
including, most recently, China, El
Salvador, Argentina and Uzbekistan.
o Certification of malaria elimination is granted by WHO when a country has proven, beyond reasonable
doubt, that the chain of indigenous transmission has been interrupted nationwide for at least the
previous three consecutive years
Measures taken to eliminate Malaria
• WHO Global Malaria Programme (GMP): Its work is guided by the Global technical strategy (GTS) for
malaria 2016–2030 adopted by the World Health Assembly in May 2015 and updated in 2021.
• Malaria Elimination Research Alliance

(MERA)- India: Its purpose is to identify,
articulate, prioritise and respond to the
research needs of the country to eliminate
malaria from India by 2030.
• E-2025 initiative: Under this, WHO has
identified group of 25 countries with the
potential to eradicate malaria by 2025.
• High Burden to High Impact (HBHI)
initiative: In 2019,WHO has initiated the
HBHI initiative in 11 high malaria burden
countries, including India (West Bengal and
Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Madhya
Pradesh).
• National Strategic Plan for Malaria
Elimination (2017-22): It gives year wise
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elimination targets in various parts of the country depending upon the endemicity of malaria in the next 5
years.
• Ministerial Declaration on Accelerating and Sustaining Malaria Elimination in South-East Asia Region
(SEAR): India is a signatory to it.
• National Task Force on Malaria Elimination: to promote inter sectoral cooperation and engagement of all
stakeholders.
• Parliamentary and Legislative Forum on Malaria Elimination was formed.
5.8. TRANS FATS

Why in news?
World Health Organisation
(WHO) released the third
progress report on Global
trans-fat elimination 2021
titled ‘Countdown to 2023’.
Key highlights of the report
• Progress in efforts
worldwide: Since May
2020, there has been
significant progress in
TFA elimination around
the world.
o Mandatory Trans
Fatty Acids (TFA)
elimination policies
are currently in
effect in 57
countries.
• Best performers: India
and the Philippines
became the first and
second lower-middle-
income countries to
pass a best-practice
policy.
About Trans Fatty Acid (TFA)
• Trans fat, or trans-fatty acids, are unsaturated fatty acids that come from either natural or industrial
sources:
o Naturally occurring trans-fat come from ruminants (cows and sheep).
o Industrially produced trans-fat are found in hardened vegetable fats such as margarine and are often
present in snack foods, baked goods and fried foods.
✓ Industrially produced trans-fats are formed in a process that adds hydrogen to vegetable oil
converting the liquid into a solid, resulting in “partially hydrogenated” oil (PHO).
✓ Manufacturers often use them as they have a longer shelf life and are cheaper than other fats.
• Health Impacts: Intake of TFA is associated with increased risk of heart attacks and death from coronary
heart disease.
o Approximately 540,000 deaths each year globally and 60,000 in India can be attributed to intake of
industrially produced TFA.
Steps taken by WHO to eliminate Trans Fats from food supplies
WHO identified TFA elimination as one of the priority targets in its 13th General Programme of Work (GPW13). In 2018,
WHO called for the global elimination of industrially produced TFA by 2023.
• REPLACE action framework: It provides a roadmap for countries to eliminate industrially produced TFA from their
food supplies.
67
o WHO recommends that trans-fat intake be limited to less than 1% of total energy intake i.e., less than 2.2 g/day
with a 2,000-calorie diet.
• Additional resources to support country actions: This includes six REPLACE implementation modules and a live
policy tracking map – the
TFA Country Score
Card– to monitor global
progress towards the
2023 target.
• TFA indicator that
records whether
countries have adopted
WHO best-practice
policies for eliminating
industrially produced
TFA.
o This is one of the
indicators in the
WHO Triple Billion
Indicators, an
ambitious initiative
to improve the
health of billions of
people by 2023.
• WHO Certification Programme for Trans Fat Elimination: The programme aims to accelerate progress towards
the 2023 goal for global elimination by recognizing countries that have eliminated industrially produced TFA from
their national food supplies. It also establishes country accountability.
o To qualify for certification, countries must demonstrate that a best- practice TFA policy has been
implemented.
Following steps have been taken by India in recent times for TFA elimination:
• In 2018, India called for action to make the country TFA free by 2022, a year ahead of the WHO global
target of 2023.
o Target is to reduce TFA in all food products containing oils and fats to less than 2% in a phased manner:
to not more than 3% from 1 January 2021 and not more than 2% from 1 January 2022.
• Food establishments can display the “Trans Fat Free” logo in their outlets and on their food products if
the food contains less than 0.2 g of TFA per 100 g or 100 mL and if edible oils or fats contain less than 1 g
of TFA per 100 g or 100 mL.
• Multilingual Mass media campaign, “Heart Attack Rewind” was launched to create a demand for healthier
alternatives to Partially hydrogenated oils.
What are fats and fatty acids?
• Fats are a group of chemical compounds that contain fatty acids.
• Fats are the sources of energy and also act as main constituents of cellular membranes assuring the fluidity,
flexibility, permeability of the membrane.
• The terms fat and fatty acids are frequently used interchangeably.
What are the different types of fatty acid?
• All fatty acids are chains of carbon atoms with hydrogen atoms attached to the carbon atoms.
• There are two main types of fatty acids: saturated and unsaturated.
o Saturated fatty acid has the maximum possible number
of hydrogen atoms attached to every carbon atom. It is
therefore said to be "saturated" with hydrogen atoms,
and all of the carbons are attached to each other with
single bonds.
o Unsaturated fatty acid: If the carbon chain has fewer
hydrogen atoms, it is said to be unsaturated. These are
further divided into
monounsaturated and polyunsaturated depending on
the nature and number of bonds between carbon atoms.
o Omega 3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids (also termed as essential fatty acid) with a double bond
at the third carbon atom from the end of the carbon chain.Marine algae and phytoplankton are primary
sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
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Are all food fats bad for the body?
• The fat in foods contains a mixture of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. In foods of
animal origin, a large proportion of fatty acids are saturated. In contrast, in foods of plant origin and some seafood,
a large proportion of the fatty acids are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated.
• Saturated and Trans fats raise LDL (or "bad") cholesterol levels in the blood, thereby increasing the risk of heart
disease.Unsaturated fats, such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated, do not raise LDL cholesterol and are
beneficial when consumed in moderation.
5.9. FOODBORNE DISEASES

Why in News? Classification of food-borne diseases
• Food-borne infections – caused by consuming foods or
World Health Organization (WHO) calls for
liquids contaminated with bacteria, viruses, or parasites.
intensified efforts to prevent food-borne These pathogens cause infection by:
diseases (FBD). o Invading and multiplying in the lining of the intestines
More on News and/or other tissues
o Invading and multiplying in the intestinal tract and
• On World Food Safety Day (June 7), WHO releasing a toxin (bacteria only)
South-East Asia Region has called for an • Food-borne intoxications – caused by consuming foods or
intensified whole-of-society effort to beverages already contaminated with a toxin. Sources of
prevent, detect, and manage the risk of toxins are as follows:
FBD, which affects 600 million people o Certain bacteria (pre-formed toxins)
o Poisonous chemicals
globally.
o Natural toxins found in animals, plants, and fungi.
o Region contributes a quarter of the
global burden of FBD morbidity and nearly
42% of FBD mortality.
o FBD are costing India almost 15 billion USD
annually.
About FBD
• FBD are caused by contamination of food and
occur at any stage of the food production, delivery
and consumption chain.
o Factors responsible for FBD include
environmental contamination, unsafe food
storage and processing, complex food chains etc.
o FBD encompass a wide range of illnesses from diarrhoea to cancers.
Steps taken by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)for food safety:
• Eat Right Movement to cut down negative nutritional trends.
• Blissful Hygienic Offering to God (BHOG) to encourage food safety and hygiene at Places of Worship.
• Hygiene Rating Scheme to allow consumers to make informed choices about the places where they eat
out.
• Food Safety Compliance System (FoSCoS), one-stop point for all regulatory and compliance engagements
of FSSAI.
5.10. FOOD FORTIFICATION

Why in News?
Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD), under the Consumer Affairs Ministry had issued
uniformspecifications for fortified rice kernels (FRK) for Grade A and common rice for procurement of
fortified rice stocks, wherein 1% of FRK should be blended with normal rice.
More on News
• Fortified rice is to be distributed under various government schemes including public distribution system
and midday meals in schools by 2024.
• According to the FSSAI norms, 1 kg fortified rice shall contain iron (28mg-42.5mg), folic acid (75-125
microgram) and Vitamin B-12 (0.75-1.25 microgram).
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o In addition, rice may also be Concerns raised over Food fortification
fortified with micronutrients • Can do more harm: A group of health experts have recently argued
such as zinc, Vitamin A, that India’s programme on fortification of rice to address chronic
Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, anaemia and micro-nutrient deficiency ignores the central role of
Vitamin B3 and Vitamin B6. balanced and diverse diet.
o They have cautioned specifically against iron supplementation.
About Fortification Consumption of excess iron by pregnant women can adversely
• WHO defines Fortification as affect foetal development and birth outcomes.
the practice of deliberately • Difficult to withdraw: Mandatory fortification will create markets
that will be hard to withdraw when we have achieved the target of
increasing the content of
reduced micronutrient deficiency. These foods can contribute to
an essential micronutrient, nutrient overdoses.
i.e. vitamins and • May be misused to promote junk food: It may be applied to junk
minerals (including trace foods, effectively making unhealthy foods look better than they are.
elements) in a food, so as to
improve the nutritional quality of the food supply and provide a public health benefit with minimal risk to
health.
• Fortification has been particularly successful for iodized salt: 71 percent of the world’s population has
access to iodized salt and the number of Iodine-deficient countries has decreased from 54 to 32 since
2003.
• Other common examples of fortification include adding B Vitamins, Iron, and/or Zinc to wheat flour and
adding Vitamin A to cooking oil and sugar.
• Food fortification can take several forms like:
Mass fortification: Addition of Targeted fortification: Foods aimed Market-driven fortification: Situations
one or more micronutrients to at specific subgroups of the whereby a food manufacturer takes a
foods commonly consumed by population are fortified, thereby business-oriented initiative to add
the general public, such as increasing the intake of that specific amounts of one or more
cereals, condiments and milk. particular group rather than that of micronutrients to processed foods.
the population as a whole.
Benefits of food fortification

• Addressing Hidden hunger: WHO defines ‘hidden hunger’ as a
lack of vitamins and minerals. Over 70% of the Indian
population consumes less than half the daily recommended
dietary allowance of micronutrients a day.
o It helps in providing better immunity, growth and
development, better eyesight etc.
• Safe method: The addition of micronutrients to food does not
pose a health risk to people.
• Other Benefits:
o It does not require any changes in food habits of people. It
is a socio-culturally acceptable way to deliver nutrients to
people.
o It does not alter the characteristics of the food—the taste, the feel, the look.
Steps towards fortification in India
• The journey with food fortification in India began in the 1950s with vegetable oil fortification and salt iodization.
Other commodities such as rice and wheat flour were finally introduced in the 2000s.
• India’s 10th, 11th ,12th Five Year Plans, POSHAN Abhiyan (National Nutrition Mission) and Anaemia-Mukt Bharat
Mission recommend food fortification as an important strategy to tackle micronutrient malnutrition.
• In 2016, FSSAI had come out with regulations on fortification for staples like wheat flour, maida, rice, double
fortified salt, milk and oil.
• Other Steps taken by FSSAI include:
o A dedicated unit called the Food Fortification Resource Centre has been set up for all end-to-end technical
and advocacy support to both States/UTs as well as the open market.
o Contributed towards various capacity building trainings and developed Information Education &
Communication (IEC) material specifically for POSHAN Maah.
o Further, one of the key messages in the Eat Right India movement is consumption of fortified foods.
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• In 2019, Centrally Sponsored Pilot Scheme on ‘Fortification of Rice and its Distribution under Public Distribution
System’ was approved for a period of three years with focus on 15 districts.
o Government has also decided to scale up the scheme to cover the Integrated Child Development Scheme
(ICDS) and Mid-Day Meal (MDM) scheme in 'aspirational districts'.
• Food Corporation of India (FCI) has made it mandatory for the rice millers in all states to install blending
infrastructure for the production of fortified rice.
5.11. DISEASES
5.11.1. VIRAL DISEASES
Zika Virus • Kerala has reported cases of Zika virus
(ZV) for the first time.
• ZV spreads mostly by the bite of an
infected Aedes mosquito, which bites
during the day (the same mosquito that
transmits dengue, chikungunya and
yellow fever).
o The virus can be passed from a
pregnant woman to her fetus and
can cause infants to be born with
microcephaly (birth defect where a
baby's head is smaller than
expected), congenital
malformations, etc.
o It can also be sexually transmitted as
well.
• Presently, there is no specific treatment
or vaccine for the ZV
Nipah Virus • Recently, Kerala reported the death of a child due to Nipah Virus.
• Nipah Virus (NiV), a zoonotic virus, is a type of RNA virus transmitted in humans through its
natural hosts- fruit bats (Pteropodidae Family), or through direct contact with infected people
or contaminated food.
o Presently, it lacks any treatment or vaccine with support care as only primary treatment.
Marburg Virus • MVD is a highly virulent disease that causes haemorrhagic fever, with a fatality ratio of up to
Disease (MVD) 88%.
• Marburg and Ebola viruses are both members of the Filoviridae family (filovirus). Though
caused by different viruses, the two diseases are clinically similar.
o Virus family Filoviridae includes three genera: Cuevavirus, Marburgvirus, and Ebolavirus.
o MVD can spread through human-to-human transmission.
• MVD was initially detected in 1967 in Marburg and Frankfurt (Germany); and in Belgrade
(Serbia).
o Recently, MVD was confirmed in Guinea (West Africa’s first ever case).
• Humans catch this infection through prolonged exposure to mines or caves inhabited by
Rousettus bats.
• It can spread through human-to-human transmission via direct contact of infected people, and
with contaminated surfaces and materials.
Ebola Virus • Recently, Ivory Coast recorded its first Ebola Virus case in nearly 3 decades.
• Ebola Virus Diseases, also known as Ebola Haemorrhagic fever, is a severe, often fatal illness
affecting humans and primates.
• First discovered in 1976, Ebola is a zoonotic disease spreading from wild animals to human and
through direct human population contact.
Monkey B virus • China has reported the first human infection case with Monkey BV.
(BV) • About Monkey B virus (BV)
o The virus, initially isolated in 1932, is an alphaherpes virus in macaques of the genus
Macaca.
✓ Alphaherpes viruses are pathogens that invade the nervous systems of their
mammalian hosts.
o The infection can be transmitted via direct contact and exchange of bodily secretions of
monkeys.
o Currently, there are no vaccines that can protect against Monkey B virus infection.
71
Avian flu • India has reported possibly the first case of human death due to bird flu, the strain of influenza
virus that primarily affects birds.
• Bird flu or avian influenza is a disease caused by avian influenza Type A viruses found naturally
in wild birds worldwide.
o This year, H5N8 and H5N1 avian influenza have been reported in birds from across India
• Person-to-person spread of bird flu is not common. Those who work in close contact with
infected birds, dead or alive, or eat uncooked or half-cooked poultry products are at risk.
Norovirus • As per reports, several people have been found infected with Norovirus in Kerala’s Wayanad
district.
• Norovirus is a highly contagious animal-borne disease that can be transmitted through
contaminated water and food.
• Norovirus causes gastrointestinal illness, including inflammation of the lining of the stomach
and intestines, severe vomiting and diarrhea.
Canine • Pet and stray dogs in Amravati city were affected by CPV.
Parvovirus • It is a highly contagious viral disease that can also be life-threatening in puppies and dogs.
(CPV) • It spreads through direct contact with an infected dog or by indirect contact with a
contaminated object.
• Parvovirus has no cure and inoculating a puppy or a dog gives them a fighting chance against
the infection.
• Parvovirus B19 infects only humans.
Dengue • Dengue is a mosquito-borne tropical disease caused by the dengue virus (Genus Flavivirus)
and spread to people through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito.
o These mosquitoes also spread Zika, chikungunya, and other viruses.
• The first dengue vaccine Dengvaxia was approved by the US Food & Drug Administration in
2019.
o Dengvaxia is a live, attenuated virus vaccine.
• Recently, Researchers at IIT Delhi have developed a handheld Surface Enhanced Raman
Spectroscopy (SERS)-based platform for early diagnosis of dengue.
• SERS is a technique for molecular detection and characterization that relies on the enhanced
Raman scattering of molecules that are adsorbed on, or near, SERS-active surfaces, such as
nanostructured gold or silver.
• Sir C.V. Raman discovered 'Raman Effect' for which he was awarded Nobel Prize in 1930.
Scrub typhus • Recently, a mystery fever was reported from parts of Uttar Pradesh. This viral fever was
identified as Scrub typhus.
• Scrub typhus also known as bush typhus is an infectious disease with symptoms similar to any
viral fever.
• It is caused by a mite-borne bacterium called Orientia tsutsugamushi, which is transmitted by
the bite of infected mite larvae in soil containing scrub vegetation.
• It can also be transmitted by lice, ticks and fleas. It can impact everyone from infants to adults.
HIV (human • According to research, Increased Hydrogen sulphide was found to have a direct effect on
immunodeficie reducing the rate at which virus multiplies in HIV-infected human immune cells.
ncy virus) o HIV is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system. If HIV is not treated, it can lead to
AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).
✓ HIV is called a retrovirus because it works in a back-to-front way.
✓ Unlike other viruses, retroviruses store their genetic information using RNA instead
of DNA, meaning they need to ‘make’ DNA when they enter a human cell in order to
make new copies of themselves.
• Presently, current state-of-the-art combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) is used as a therapy,
but it has the following disadvantages.
o Build-up of toxic molecules leading to ‘oxidative stress’ and loss of function in the
mitochondria.
o Can fail even when patients fully follow their drug regimen.
• Recently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the world’s first injectable
medication for reducing the risk of acquiring HIV. The name of the drug is Apretude.
5.11.2. OTHER DISEASES

Dementia • As per a Lancet report, number of dementia cases in India is expected to almost double by
2050.
o The study attributes the increase of dementia cases to three risk factors: high body-mass
index, high fasting plasma glucose, and smoking.
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• Dementia is a general term for loss of memory, language, problem-solving and other thinking
abilities that are severe enough to interfere with daily life.
o Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia.
• WHO has brought a Global Action Planon the Public Health Response to Dementia 2017-2025
that aims to improve the lives of people with dementia.
Havana • A US intelligence officer reported symptoms of Havana syndrome while he was in India.
Syndrome • Havana Syndrome refers to a set of mental health symptoms that typically involves hearing
certain sounds without any outside noise being present, nausea, vertigo and headaches,
memory loss and issues with balance.
o It was first reported by officials based in the U.S. embassy in Cuba in 2016.
• A US National Academy of Sciences panel found that the most plausible theory is that
"directed, pulsed radio frequency energy" causes the syndrome.
Asperger’s • Tech billionaire Elon Musk announced that he has Asperger’s syndrome.
syndrome o It is a disorder where people have trouble in social relationships.
o It belongs to the autism spectrum which can severely inhibit aperson’s mental and social
development.
o The disorder is named after German doctor Hans Asperger, who first described it in 1944.
• In 2013, it became part of one umbrella diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5 (DSM-5).
Gestational • GDM is defined as any degree of glucose intolerance with onset or first recognition during
diabetes pregnancy.
mellitus(GDM) • Government has Guidelines on Diagnosis and Management of GDM in pregnant women as per
which testing has been included in essential ante natal care package for all pregnant women.

SWASTIIK’ • Developed by: CSIR-NCL Pune, with support from the Water Technology Initiative of the
technology for Department of Science and Technology (DST)
disinfecting • SWASTIIK (Safe Water and Sustainable Technology Initiative from Indian Knowledgebase) is a
water hybrid technology that combines Modern technology and Indian traditional knowledge to
bring safe & healthy drinking water.
• The technique used ---hydrodynamic cavitation combines chemistry, biology, and chemical
engineering along with natural resources in the form of natural oils and plant extracts.
• Disinfection of water is essential for removing pathogenic microorganisms that are responsible
for causing a number of water-borne diseases.
o However, the common drawbacks of chemical methods such as chlorination include
formation of harmful/ carcinogenic disinfection by-products.
Wolbachia • Recently, an Indonesian research showed reduction in dengue cases (as much as 77%) after
Bacteria breeding dengue mosquitoes with Wolbachia Bacteria.
• Wolbachia are common bacteria that occur naturally in almost 60% of insect species, including
some mosquitoes, fruit flies, moths, dragonflies and butterflies. Wolbachia are safe for
humans.
• Wolbachia does not occur naturally in Aedes aegypti mosquito species that spreads dengue
and other diseases such as chikungunya, Zika and yellow fever.
o When Aedes aegypti mosquitoes carry Wolbachia, bacteria compete with viruses like
dengue, Zika etc and make it harder for viruses to reproduce inside the mosquitoes.
AmbiTag • IIT Ropar developed a device - AmbiTag that records real-time ambient temperature during
the transportation of perishable products, vaccines and even body organs and blood.
• This device will help to know that the item transported from anywhere in the world is still
usable or perished because of temperature variation
Protein– • This approach combines concepts of biologics and antibody–drug conjugates to produce PACs
antibody that can be used for targeted drug delivery.
conjugates o Biologics approach of drug delivery targets a defective protein in the system by delivering
(PACs) proteins to it.
o The other concept is of using antibodies for drug delivery. Drug molecules can be attached
to the antibody, forming drug–antibody conjugates.
• However there are diseases where researchers know what to target but do not know how to
design drugs that will bind.
• PACs is like an addressed envelope containing the drug. The antibody plays the role of the
address and indicates the cell where the drug should precisely be delivered.
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WHO BioHub • WHO and Switzerland signed a MoU to launch a BioHub facility to allow rapid sharing of
Initiative pathogens between laboratories and partners to facilitate safe storage, better analysis,
sequencing and preparedness against them.
• Presently, pathogens are shared bilaterally between countries.
• The initiative will enable member states to share biological materials with and via the BioHub
under pre-agreed conditions, including biosafety, biosecurity, and other applicable regulations.
• The move would further contribute to the establishment of an international exchange system
for novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and other emerging pathogens.
Global Sodium • WHO has established global benchmarks for sodium levels in foods across different food
Benchmarks for categories.
Different Food • WHO recommended daily intake of salt or sodium is 5 gm, but most people around the world
Categories consume more than double this amount.
• Sodium is necessary to maintain normal cell metabolism, healthy plasma, and improves the
health of the nervous system.
o It is found naturally in a range of foods like meat and dairy.
o However, it is present in very high amounts in processed foods, like snacks, bread, or
condiments.
• Excess dietary sodium intake increases blood pressure and consequently increases the risk of
cardiovascular diseases.
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6. DEFENCE
6.1. HYPERSONIC MISSILE TECHNOLOGY
Why in News? Mach Number
India is expected to have Hypersonic weapon systems (HWS) • Mach number expresses the speed of an
object in air relative to the speed of sound.
within four years, with medium- to long-range capabilities.
For example, Mach number 6 here implies
More on News that the vehicle was moving at six times the
speed of sound.
• DRDO has successfully tested a Hypersonic Technology • Velocity zones according to Mach numbers:
Demonstrated Vehicle (HSTDV) in September 2020, and Velocity Zone Mach number
demonstrated its hypersonic air-breathing scramjet Subsonic Mach < 1.0
technology. Transonic Mach ~ 1.0
o The significance of developing the technology has Supersonic Mach > 1.0
come in the backdrop of development strides made Hypersonic Mach > 5.0
by China, Russia and US in the domain.
About Hypersonic missile technology
• Hypersonic defines speed of about Mach 5 or at least at 1.6 km per second.
• Ballistic missiles, though
much faster, follow a fixed
trajectory and travel
outside the atmosphere to
re-enter only near impact.
o For ex: Prithvi I, Prithvi
II, Agni I, Agni II are
some operational
ballistic missiles in
Indian defence forces.
• On the contrary,
hypersonic weapons travel
within the atmosphere and
can manoeuvre midway
which combined with their
high speeds makes their
detection and interception
extremely difficult.
o This means that radars and air
defences cannot detect them till
they are very close and little time
to react.
• They use scramjet technology, which
is a type of Air Breathing propulsion
System.
• 2 Types of hypersonic platforms:
o Hypersonic cruise missiles: Use
rocket or jet propellant through
their flight and are regarded as
being faster versions of existing
cruise missiles.
o Hypersonic Glide Vehicle (HGV):
These missiles first go up into the atmosphere on a conventional rocket before being launched
towards their target.
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Air-breathing engines: How they work?
• The basic difference between air-breathing systems and others is the material that plays the role of oxidiser (used
to support the combustion of a rocket propellant).
• Generally, launch vehicles use combustion of propellants consisting of oxidiser and fuel for deriving the energy.
• Air breathing propulsion systems use atmospheric oxygen, which is available up to about 50 km of earth’s surface
to burn the fuel stored on-board thereby making the system much lighter, more efficient and cost effective.
Types of air-breathing systems: Ramjet, Scramjet and Dual Mode Ramjet
• Ramjet Engine: A ramjet is a form of air-breathing jet engine that uses the vehicle’s forward motion to compress
incoming air for combustion without a rotating compressor. Fuel is injected in the combustion chamber where it
mixes with the hot compressed air and ignites.
o A ramjet-powered vehicle requires an assisted take-off like a rocket assist to accelerate it to a speed where it
begins to produce thrust.
o Ramjets work most efficiently at supersonic speeds around Mach 3. However, the ramjet efficiency starts to
drop when the vehicle reaches hypersonic speeds.
• Scramjet Engine: A scramjet engine is an improvement over the ramjet engine as it efficiently operates at
hypersonic speeds and allows supersonic combustion. Thus it is known as Supersonic Combustion Ramjet, or
Scramjet.
o The Scramjet engine designed by ISRO uses Hydrogen as fuel and the Oxygen from the atmospheric air as the
oxidiser.
• Dual mode ramjet: It is a type of jet engine where a ramjet transforms into scramjet over Mach 4-8 range, which
means it can efficiently operate both in subsonic and supersonic combustor modes.

6.2.1. MISSILES
Agni Prime • DRDO successfully tested the new missile Agni Prime, advanced version of the ‘Agni-1’
missile.
• Agni Prime’ is a short-range (surface to a surface) ballistic missile that will have a range of
1000 km to 1500 km and will have advanced features in agility and road mobility.
o It can carry a payload of around 1,000 Kg or a nuclear warhead.
• It is a two-stage canisterised solid propellant ballistic missile with dual redundant
navigation and guidance system.
o Since the missile is canisterised, it can be launched from rail and road and stored for
a longer period and transported all across the country as per operational
requirements.
• The double stage missile will be lighter and much sleeker than its predecessor ‘Agni-1’.
o Agni-1 is a short-range (surface to a surface) nuclear capable ballistic missile.
Agni-5 • Recently, a successful launch of the Surface to Surface Ballistic Missile, Agni-5, was carried
out.
• The missile, which uses a three-stage solid fuelled engine, is capable of striking targets at
ranges up to 5,000 kilometres with a very high degree of accuracy.
• It is a “canisterised” missile.
• Other missiles in Agni series:Agni-1 (700 km range), Agni-2 (2,000 km range), Agni-3 and
Agni-4 (2,500 km to more than 3500 km range).
HELINA (Helicopter • HELINA has completed all the trials.
based NAG) • It is a third-generation fire and forget class anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) system
mounted on the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH).
• It is being inducted into the Indian Army and its variant called DHRUVASTRA is being
inducted into theIndian Air Force.
• Features: All weather day and night capability. It can defeat battle tanks with conventional
armour as well as explosive reactive armour.
• A minimum range of 500 m and a maximum range of 7 km.
Stand-off Anti-tank • DRDO and Indian Air Force (IAF) flight-tested the indigenously designed and developed
(SANT) Helicopter launched SANT Missile.
• The missile is equipped with a state-of-the-art MMW seeker which provides high precision
strike capability from a safe distance.
o Millimetre-Wave Seeker (MMW) is capable of working under all weather conditions,
day and night, and has attracted increasing popularity
o The weapon can neutralizetargets in a range of up to 10 km.
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New Generation • DRDO tested two missile systems- MPATGM and a new variant of the Akash Surface-to-Air
Akash Missile Missile called Akash-NG.
(Akash-NG) and o MPATGM is an indigenously developed low-weight, fire-and-forget missile
Man Portable incorporated with state-of-the-art miniaturized infrared seeker with advanced
Antitank Guided avionics.
Missile (MPATGM) o Akash-NG is a medium-range mobile surface-to-air missiledefense system. It has a
range of 60 km and speed of 2.5 Mach.
✓ Improvements over Akash Missile: two-pulse, solid rocket motor and new seeker
head that locks onto the enemy aircraft and continuously guides the Akash-NG.
Akash Prime Missile • A new version of the Surface to Air Akash Missile – ‘Akash Prime’ has been successfully
flight tested from Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, Odisha.
• In comparison to existing Akash System, Akash Prime is equipped with an indigenous
active Radio Frequency (RF) seeker for improved accuracy.
o Other improvements include more reliable performance under low temperature
environments at higher altitudes.
• Akash missile is India’s first indigenously produced medium range Surface to Air missile
that can engage multiple targets from multiple directions.
• It can be launched from mobile platforms like battle tanks or wheeled trucks.
Vertical Launch • India successfully test-fired the missiles for the second time from Chandipur off the coast
Short Range of Odisha.
Surface to Air o Launches were carried out for demonstration of vertical launch capability.
Missile (VL-SRSAM) • It is meant for neutralising aerial threats at close ranges, including sea-skimming targets.
o Sea skimming targets are those assets that fly as close as possible to sea surface to
avoid being detected by the radarsonboard warships.
• It is indigenously designed and developed by DRDO for the Indian Navy.
S-400 Triumf • Russia started delivery of S-400 missile system to India.
surface-to-air • S-400 is among the most advanced air-defence systems in the world.
missile system o Equipped with four different missiles, it can engage enemy aircraft, ballistic missiles,
and Airborne Warning And Control System (AWACS) planes at 400km, 250km,
medium-range 120km and short-range 40km.
• It has the capability to engage 80 targets at one time with a response time of 9-10 seconds.
‘Pralay’ missile • Launched by DRDO, maiden flight test of Pralay missile was successfully conducted.
• About Pralay
o Indigenously developed surface-to-surface missile.
o Has a range of 150-500 kilometres with an accuracy of less than 10 metres.
o Has a guidance system that includes state-of-the-art navigation mechanisms and
integrated avionics.
Supersonic Missile • Recently, DRDO tested a long-range SMART from Wheeler Island in Odisha.
Assisted Torpedo • SMART is a next-generation missile-based standoff torpedo delivery system.
(SMART) • It has been designed to enhance anti-submarine warfare capability far beyond the
conventional range of the torpedo.
6.2.2. SUBMARINES, SHIPS AND AIRCRAFT CARRIER

Project 75 (India) [P- • India’s Defense Ministry issued First P-75(I) Submarine Tender.
75(I)] • Project-75(I) envisages indigenous construction of six modern conventional
submarines with contemporary equipment, weapons &sensors including Fuel-Cell based
AIP (Air Independent Propulsion Plant) etc.
o AIP technology allows conventional diesel-electric submarines to remain
underwater for longer, enhancing its lethality.
o Other countries to have an AIP system include China, Germany, Sweden, France,
Spain and Russia.
• P-75(I) submarine project is the first acquisition India has undertaken through its
Strategic Partnership procurement model.
Vela • It is the fourth submarine (Kalvari, Khanderi, and Karanja are other three) of the Project-
75 that was delivered to the Indian Navy recently.
• Project-75 includes construction of six submarines of Scorpene design.
o Scorpene submarines can undertake multifarious types of missionsi.e Anti-Surface
warfare, Anti-Submarine warfare, Intelligence gathering, Mine Laying, Area
Surveillance etc.
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• These submarines are being constructed at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL)
Mumbai.
Y 12704 • It is the lead ship of the Project-15B state-of-the-art stealth guided missile destroyers.
(Visakhapatnam) o It is equipped with BrahMossupersonic cruise missiles and medium range Surface-
to-Air missiles.
• Contract for four ships of Project 15B was signed in 2011.
• Four ships are christened after major cities viz. Visakhapatnam, Mormugao, Imphal and
Surat.
• India’s indigenous Destroyer construction programme commenced in the late 1990s
with the three Delhi class (P-15 class) warships and this was followed by three Kolkata
class (P-15A) destroyers commissioned a decade later.
INS Vikrant- First • INS Vikrant is likely to be commissioned in 2022.
Indigenous Aircraft o India currently operates a solitary aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya.
Carrier (IAC) • Vikrant, a STOBAR (short take-off but arrested landing) aircraft carrier, has an
indigenous content of 76%.
o Designed by the Indian Navy’s Directorate of Naval Design, Vikrant has been built at
the state-owned Cochin Shipyard Limited.
• Apart from India, only US, UK, Russia, France and China have the capability to build
aircraft carriers.
• It will operate MiG-29K fighter aircraft, Kamov-31 Air Early Warning Helicopters, the
soon-to-be-inducted MH-60R multi-role helicopter, and the indigenously manufactured
Advanced Light Helicopters.
o It will provide the ability to project air power over long distances, airborne anti-
submarine warfare and airborne early warning etc.
Sarthak • Recently, Indigenously built Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Sarthak was dedicated to
the nation.
o ICGS Sarthak will be based at Porbandar (Gujarat) and operate on India’s Western
Seaboard.
• ICGS Sarthak is 4th in the series of five offshore patrol vessel (OPVs) being built by Goa
Shipyard Limited.
Tushil • It is a Krivak or Talwar-class stealth frigates, being built in Russia, which was launched
recently.
• It is part of four frigates contracted by India from Russia, of which two are being built
by Russia and two are under construction in India through technology transfer.
o These feature stealth technology in terms of low radar and underwater noise
signatures.
o These ships are being equipped with major Indian supplied equipment such as
Surface to Surface Missiles, Sonar system, Surface Surveillance Radar etc.
6.2.3. AIRCRAFTS, DRONES AND HELICOPTERS

P-8I patrol aircraft • Recently, US Approved Proposed Sale Of Six P-8I Patrol Aircraft To India.
• P-8I is a long-range, multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft offered by Boeing for the
Indian Navy.
• P-8I replaced the ageing fleet of the Indian Navy’s Tupolev Tu-142 aircraft.
• It can conduct anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (AsuW),
intelligence, maritime patrol, and surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
Light Combat Aircraft • It is half-indigenous, single engine, multi-role fighter jet designed by Aeronautical
(LCA)Tejas Development Agency (ADA) and produced by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
• It was conceptualised in the year 1984.
• Its reach is up to 400-km and will be mainly used for close air-to-ground operations.
• It is pegged as the world's smallest and lightest supersonic fighter aircraft in its class.
• It is equipped with state-of-the-art Satellite aided Inertial Navigation System
• Variety of LCA larger aircraft LCA MK-2 to roll out by year end or early 2023.
DRDO’s Abhyas • ABHYAS- High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) was successfully flight-tested by
DRDO.
o It is a drone that will be used as a target for various missile systems.
o Designed and developed by DRDO’s Aeronautical Development Establishment
(ADE), Bengaluru for autonomous flying.
• Performance of target aircraft was monitored through telemetry and various tracking
sensors including Radars and Electro Optical Tracking System (EOTS).
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• Powered by a small gas turbine engine and has MEMS (Micro-electromechanical) based
Inertial Navigation System (INS).
Controlled Aerial • DRDO’s Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE) in Agra
Delivery System-500 conducted a flight demonstration of its CADS-500.
(CADS-500) • CADS-500 can be used for precise delivery of payloads up to 500 kilograms at a
predetermined location by making use of manoeuvrable capabilities of Ram Air
Parachute (RAP).
• It autonomously steers its flight path using waypoint navigation towards target location
by operating controls.
MQ-9 Reaper or • Recently, India moved a step ahead on the acquisition of 30 predator drones from the
Predator B armed USA.
drones • Developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) of USA, these are
turboprop, multi-mission drones with long-endurance
• It can remain in the air for over 27 hours at a maximum altitude of 50,000 feet and is
armed with AGM-114 Hellfire missiles for armed reconnaissance.
• It will add the ability to carry out long-range precision air strikes by Armed forces.
Heron-I Unmanned • In a boost to Army surveillance in eastern sector, the Army Aviation Brigade (raised in
Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) March 2021 at Missamari in Assam) has taken control of the Heron-I UAVs from Artillery.
• Heron-I UAVs are developed by Israel Aerospace Industries with a Medium Altitude Long
Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aerial System for all weather strategic missions.
6.2.4. DEFENCE SYSTEMS

Smart anti-airfield • Indian Air Force and DRDO successfully tested SAAW.
weapon (SAAW) • SAAW is indigenously designed smart weapon, with 100 km range, that can target
enemy airfield assets such as radars, bunkers, taxiways and runways.
o Electro optical seeker based flight test of this class of bomb has been conducted
for the first time in the country.
• It has been equipped with Imaging Infra-Red Seeker technology to enhance precision
strike capability.
Long Range • It is being reported that to prevent frequent security breaches, India will further
Reconnaissance and enhance LORROS along borders with China and Pakistan.
Observation System • LORROS is a sensor system which provides long-range day-time and night-time
(LORROS) surveillance.
o It has been found to be very effective in countering infiltration.
• Earlier, DRDO handed Border Surveillance System (BOSS), an all-weather electronic
surveillance system to Indian Army.
Indrajaal • It is an autonomous defence weapon system, developed by Hyderabad-based Grene
Robotics company, that uses technologies such as AI and robotics to identify and
counter threats.
o It is capable of protecting a large area of 1,000-2,000 sq km per system against
threats such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), incoming weapons (missiles),
loitering munitions and Low-Radar Cross Section (low flying) targets.
• Indrajaal came in the backdrop of possible use of drones in recent attack in J&K.
Advanced chaff • DRDO has developed an ACT to safeguard fighter aircraft from enemy radar threats.
Technology (ACT) • About Chaff Technology:
o It is primarily an electronic counter-measure technology used to protect high-value
targets such as fighter jets or naval ships from radars and radio frequency (RF)
guiding mechanisms of the enemy missiles.
o The chaff deployed in the air reflects as multiple targets for the missile guidance
systems, thus misleading the enemy radars or deflecting adversary missiles.
Iron Dome aerial • This ADS of Israel intercepted a Hamas Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) that crossed
defence system (ADS) from Gaza.
• It is a multi-mission system capable of intercepting rockets, artillery, mortars and
Precision Guided Munitions like very short range air defence (V-SHORAD), aircraft,
helicopters and UAV over short ranges of up to 70 km.
• It is an all-weather system and can engage multiple targets simultaneously. It can be
deployed over land and sea.
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Army Secure • Launched by: Indian Army.
IndiGeneous Messaging • Developed entirely in-house by a team of officers of the Corps of Signals of the Army
Application(ASIGMA) • It is an in-house messaging service to meet real time data transfer and messaging
requirements of the Army.
o It is being deployed on the Army’s internal network as a replacement of Army Wide Area
Network (AWAN) messaging application.
• It has a variety of contemporary features including multi-level security, message
prioritisation and tracking, dynamic global address book and various options to meet the
Army’s requirements.
Operation • It is launched by Indian Navy to augment ongoing national mission to meet the country's
SamudraSetu-II oxygen requirements.
• Warships have been deployed to carry liquid oxygen-filled cryogenic containers and
associated medical equipment to India amid its worsening COVID-19 pandemic.
o All such containers carried on aircraft around country are empty because oxygen-filled
tanks cannot be transported by air.
Stockholm • As per report,3 Indian companies (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Indian Ordnance Factories,
International Peace and Bharat Electronics Limited)has1.2% share of global arms sale in 2020.
Research Institute o USA companies top at $285 billion or 54%, followed by China (13%) and UK (7.1%).
(SIPRI) Arms Sales • In 2020, India announced a phased ban on imports of more than a hundred different types of
Report military equipment to support domestic companies and enhance self-reliance in arms
production
• SIPRI is an independent international institute dedicated to research into conflict,
armaments, arms control and disarmament.
Defence India Startup • Launched under Innovations for Defence Excellence - Defence Innovation Organisation
Challenge 5.0 (iDEX-DIO)
• iDEX aims to achieve self - reliance and foster innovation and technology development in
Defence and Aerospace by engaging Industries including MSMEs, start-ups, individual
innovators, R&D institutes and academia.
o DIO is a “not for profit‟ company to administer the iDEX framework.
o Department of Defence Production (DDP) will release funds to DIO for setting up and
managing the iDEX network.
Project Seabird • Defence Minister reviewed the progress of ongoing infrastructure development under
‘Project Seabird’.
• The largest naval infrastructure project for India, Project Seabird involves creation of a naval
base at Karwar (Karnataka) on the west coast of India.
• Upon completion, this will provide the Indian Navy with its largest naval base on the west
coast and also the largest naval base east of the Suez Canal.
Indian Ocean Naval • 7th edition of IONS Conclave of Chiefs was hosted by French Navy at Paris.
Symposium (IONS) • IONS was conceived by the Indian Navy in 2008 as a forum which seeks to enhance maritime
co-operation among Navies of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region.
• It provides an open and inclusive platform for discussions on regionally relevant maritime
issues.
National Maritime • Two decades after the recommendation by the Kargil Review Committee, the government is
Security Coordinator set to appoint a NMSC with the objective of enhancing India’s security architecture and
(NMSC) energy security.
• About NMSC
o Interface between the civilian and military maritime domains.
o Will work under the National Security Adviser (NSA).
o It will be the principal advisor to the government on maritime security domain.
✓ Maritime security is a general term for the protection of vessels both internally and
externally.
• The areas from which ships and maritime operations need protecting include terrorism,
piracy, robbery, illegal trafficking of goods and people, illegal fishing and pollution.
Direct-Ascent Anti- • As per reports Russia has carried out DA-ASAT test by shooting down an old satellite which
Satellite (DA-ASAT) test has created huge debris in the low earth orbit.
o While Russia has previously tested ASAT weapons, the DA-ASAT is more advanced.
• ASAT weapon gives the capability to destroy satellites in orbit disrupting the
communications and surveillance capabilities of adversaries.
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• So far only China, India (under Mission Shakti), Russia and U.S have successfully
demonstrated ASAT capability.
Laser weapons • U.S. Navy tested a laser weapon in Gulf of Aden (separates East Africa from the Arabian
Peninsula).
• By focusing a powerful beam of light steadily on an object, the laser can burn through and
destroy a range of objects, from small drones to flying missiles.
o Such weapons are also known as Directed energy weapons that travel at the speed of
light with unprecedented accuracy
• DRDO has also developed a vehicle-mounted high-power laser-directed energy system for
use against drones.
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7.1. COAL BASED HYDROGEN
Why in news?
Recently, the Ministry of Coal constituted a Task Force and Expert Committee to prepare the roadmap for
Coal based Hydrogen production.
Global status of Hydrogen
• At present, the current global demand for hydrogen is 70 million metric tons, most of which is being
produced from fossil fuels– 76% from natural gas and 23% from coal and remaining from the electrolysis
of water.
• Much of the hydrogen produced is used for oil refining,ammonia,methanol production, steel production.
What is Coal based
Hydrogen?
• Hydrogen is considered
a secondary source of
energy, commonly
referred to as an energy
carrier. It can be stored physically as a gas or liquid.
• Coal is a mixture of two components i.e., Carbon-
based matter (the decayed remains of prehistoric
vegetation), and Mineral matter (which comes
from the ground from which the coal is dug).
o The carbon-based matter is composed of five
main elements i.e., carbon, hydrogen, oxygen,
nitrogen, and sulfur.
o Among Black Coal, Brown coal and Biomass,
Black Coal has the highest carbon content and
Biomass has the highest sulfur content
• Coal is one of the important sources of hydrogen
making (Brown Hydrogen) apart from Natural Gas
(Grey hydrogen) and renewable energy (Green
Hydrogen)through electrolysis. In case of
renewable energy (Green Hydrogen) surplus solar
power is used to electrolyze water into hydrogen
and oxygen.
• The global emphasis is on substituting liquid fuels
with hydrogen (as fuel in vehicles), storage of
surplus renewable power as hydrogen (as power
cannot be stored at a cost effective price), and
cutting down emission.
How is Coal based Oxygen produced?
The partial oxidation process is used to produce
hydrogen from coal, which means some air is added to
the coal, which generates carbon dioxide gas through
traditional combustion. (refer infographic for the
process of coal based hydrogen)
• The partial oxidation also makes its own gasification agent, carbon dioxide.
• Carbon dioxide reacts with the rest of the carbon in the coal to form carbon monoxide (this is the
endothermic gasification reaction, which needs heat input).
• Carbon monoxide in the gas stream is now further reacted with steam, generating hydrogen and carbon
dioxide.
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How does the picture look for India in this
sector?
• In industry, steel and ammonia will drive
growth in hydrogen demand, followed by
refineries and methanol.
• Almost 100% of Hydrogen produced in India
is through Natural Gas (Grey Hydrogen).
In this context, pursuing Coal based hydrogen
could enable following for India-
Benefits of Coal Based Challenges of Coal

Hydrogen Based Hydrogen
• Since India has the • Higher rate of
world’s fourth- carbon dioxide
largest coal emissions.
reserves, Cost of • Safety and
Hydrogen produced storage
from coal can be problem.
cheaper and less • Issue of
sensitive to building much-
production through needed
electrolysis and infrastructure
Natural Gas and developing
respectively. consumer
• Effective way to markets (that is,
develop clean hydrogen fuel
energy. cell vehicles).
Related News
Reactors for green hydrogen
• If India is to achieve ‘net-zero’ emissions by 2070, many more nuclear plants would be needed to increase the
capacity from 15,000 MW at present to 22,480 MW by 2031.
o Heating water using high-temperature reactors (HTRs) and then splitting the water into hydrogen and
oxygen in an electrolyser is a cost effective way to provide energy.
• Indian HTR development programmehad two elements:
o A 100 kW (thermal), 1,000 degrees C portable ‘compact high-temperature reactor’ (CHTR) for technology
demonstration; and,
o A 600 MW (thermal), 1,000 degrees C ‘Indian high-temperature reactor-hydrogen’, or IHTR-H.
7.2. SOLID STATE LITHIUM-METAL

BATTERY (SSLMB)
Why in News?
Volkswagen (in partnership with QuantumScape) is aiming for
production of Solid State lithium-metal battery (SSLMB) by
2025.
About SSLMB
• A solid-state battery replaces polymer separator used in
conventional lithium-ion batteries with a solid-state
separator.
o Lithium-ion batteries use aqueous electrolyte
solutions to keep anode (negative electrode generally
made of graphite) and cathode (positive electrode
made of lithium) apart.
o On the other hand, solid-state battery uses solid electrolyte that plays the role of a separator as well.
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• Replacement of the separator
enables carbon or silicon anode used
in conventional lithium-ion batteries
to be replaced with a lithium-metal
anode.
o Lithium metal anode is more
energy dense than conventional
anodes, allowing battery to store
a greater amount of energy in the
same volume.
Advantages of SSLMB
• Higher cell energy density (by eliminating the carbon anode);
• Lower charging time and Ability to undertake more charging cycles and thereby a longer life;
• Improved safety.
Related Concepts
Metal-air battery (MAB)
• International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and
New Materials (ARCI) developed a cost effective catalysis for MAB.
o ARCI is an autonomous R&D Centre of Department of Science and
Technology.
• MAB is an electrochemical cell that has a metal negative electrode,
an air positive electrode, and an electrolyte.
o Metal used include sodium (Na), potassium (K), zinc (Zn),
magnesium (Mg) and aluminium (Al).
• Advantage of MAB: high energy density, expected to offer much
greater range of 400 km or more per battery, metals used can be
recycled and traded directly for industrial uses etc.
• Potential applications: power sources for portable
electronics and electric vehicles, energy storage devices
to manage energy flow among renewable energy
generators etc.
Iron-Air battery
• In July 2021, American company Form Energy Inc.
announced a rechargeable iron-air battery capable of
delivering electricity for 100 hours.
• The Iron-Air battery leverages the concept of ‘reversible
rusting’.
o It uses oxygen from the air and converts iron metal
to rust while discharging, and while charging, the
application of an electrical current transforms the
rust back to iron and the battery releases oxygen
back into the air.
• Active components of the iron-air battery system are
some of the safest, cheapest, and most abundant
materials on the planet — low-cost iron, water, and air.
• It uses a water-based, non-flammable electrolyte, similar to the electrolyte used in AA batteries.
Related News
ARCI signed an agreement with a private firm to set up
Lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries fabrication lab in Bangalore.
• About Lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries
o A lithium-ion battery is a type of rechargeable
battery that is charged and discharged by lithium
ions moving between the negative (anode) and
positive (cathode) electrodes.
o Applications: consumer electronics such as
smartphones and PCs, industrial robots, production
equipment and automobiles.
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o Advantages of Li-ion batteries over other batteries include higher energy densities of any battery technology
today, higher voltage, long life cycle, low self-discharge rate, low maintenance and environment friendly as
they do not contain toxic cadmium.
o Disadvantages include tendency to overheat, and can be damaged at high voltages, and are costlier in
comparison to other batteries.

Perovskite- • Recently, IIT Guwahati has found a way to make solar panels more efficient, cheaper and
based devices recyclable — by stabilising hybrid perovskite-based solar or photovoltaic devices to produce
electricity.
• Perovskite-based devices are considered heavily used semiconductor materials as they are
affordable and easy to manufacture.
o The perovskite materials are extremely unstable towards ambient (humidity and oxygen)
conditions that restrict their commercialisation.
Bio-Jet Fuel • CSIR-IIP Dehradun’s home-grown technology to produce bio-jet fuel, formally approved for
Technology use on military aircraft of the Indian Air Force.
o Bio-jet fuel can be produced from used cooking oil, tree-borne oils, short gestation
oilseed crops, and waste extracts from edible oil processing units.
• Earlier, AN 32 (transportation plan) and commercial plan (Spice jet) was flown in 2018 using
the bio-jet fuel.
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8. IPR
8.1. IPRS (INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS)
Why in News? Office of Controller General of Patents,
Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM)
Recently, Patent for black pepper micronutrient foliar
• CGPDTM supervises the working of the
formulation and Trademark for Tumor Antigen SPAG9 were
Patents Act, 1970, Designs Act, 2000 and
awarded. Trade Marks Act, 1999.
More on News • It functions under the Department of
Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade
• The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-Indian (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
Institute of Spices Research (IISR) has received
a patent for black pepper micronutrient foliar
formulation.
o The micronutrient mixture for black pepper
maintains an optimal ratio of secondary
micronutrients like magnesium, zinc and
boron in the leaf.
• TheSPAG9 antigen has received the trademark
ASPAGNII. This antigen was developed in 1998
by the National Institute of Immunology, the
Department of Biotechnology (DBT).
o Currently, ASPAGNIITM is being used in
dendritic cell (DC) based immunotherapy
in cervical, ovarian cancer and will also be
used in breast cancer.
What are IPRs (Intellectual Property Rights)?
• IPRs are the rights given to persons over the
creations of their minds. They usually give the
creator an exclusive right over the use of
his/her creation for a certain period of time.
• It can include creations such as a newdrug composition, business module, product, software and so on.
Types of Definition Works Covered Validity in India
Intellectual
Property
Copyright • Copyright is a legal term used • Range from books, music, • The general rule is that
to describe the rights that paintings, sculpture and copyright lasts for 60
creators have over their films, to computer years. In the case of
literary and artistic works. programs, databases, original literary,
advertisements, maps and dramatic, musical and
technical drawings. artistic works the 60-
year period is counted
from the year following
the death of the author.
Patents • A patent is an exclusive right • The product or process • The term of every
granted for an invention. should provide in general, a patent in India is twenty
• It provides the patent owner new technical solution to a years from the date of
with the right to decide how - problem of any field. filing the patent
or whether - the invention • An invention relating either application.
can be used by others. to a product or process that
• Patents should be obtained in is new, involving an inventive
each country where the step and capable of
applicant requires protection industrial application can be
of his invention. patented.
Utility Model • A Utility Model just like a • A product or process which • The term of protection
Patent also protects is Novel and Industrial for utility models
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inventions/innovations but applicable passes for Utility is shorter than for
for a shorter period. Model, inventive step is not patents,(usually
• The main difference between a requirement. between 6 and 15
a Patent and Utility Model is years).
that the requirements for
granting a Utility Model are
less stringent than for
Patents.
Trademarks • A trademark is a sign capable • A trademark can be any • The trademark is
of distinguishing the goods distinctive word, symbol, initially registered for a
or services of one enterprise slogan, logo, brand label, period of 10 years,
from those of other name, signature, letter, which is calculated from
enterprises. numeral or any combination the date of filing of the
of them. application.
Industrial • An industrial design • A design may consist of • In India the maximum
Design constitutes the ornamental three-dimensional features, validity of a registration
or aesthetic aspect of an such as the shape or surface under the (Indian)
article. of an article, or of two- Designs Act, 2000 can
dimensional features, such be 15 years.
as patterns, lines or color.
Geographical • Signs used on goods that • Most commonly, a • It is registered for a
Indications have a specific geographical geographical indication period of 10 years and
origin and possess qualities, a includes the name of the the registration may be
reputation or characteristics place of origin of the goods. renewed from time to
that are essentially time for a period of 10
attributable to that place of years at a time.
origin.
Trade • Trade secrets are IP rights on • Examples include formulae, • Trade secret remains
secrets confidential information recipes, pattern, technique, valid as long as one
which may be sold or compilation, method, does not discover it
licensed. program, process, device or independently.
product mechanism.
Some terms associated with IPRs

Related Info
• Ever-greening of patent: Section 3(d) Indian Patent Act • As per the Patents Act, 1970 - "plants and
doesn’t allow the renewal of patent over a product by animals in whole or any part thereof
introducing minor changes to it. It has been an issue of other than microorganisms but including
seeds, varieties and species and
concern for pharmaceutical companies (Ex: Novartis issue
essentially biological processes for
on the issue of patent of cancer drug Glivec). production or propagation of plants and
• Compulsory Licensing (CL): It enables a competent animals" are inventions not patentable.
government authority to license the use of a patented
invention to a third party or government agency without the consent of the patentholder.
o Section 92 of the Patent Act, 1970, provides for issuing CL by the central government (permitted
under the WTO’s TRIPS (IPR) Agreement) in circumstances of “national emergency or in
circumstances of extreme urgency or in case of public non-commercial use”.
Related News
India records 572% growth in grants for patents in last 7 years
• A total of 28,391 patents were granted in 2020-21 as compared to 4,227 grants during 2013-14.
• Measures taken by government to encourage innovation.
o 80% fee reduction to all Recognized Educational Institutions (Govt/Aided/Pvt) applying for patents, whether
in India or abroad.
✓ Earlier it was available only to recognised educational institutions owned by the government.
o Expedited Examination System of patents
o Improved access and transparency for dissemination of information through real-time basis status of IP
applications, Indian Patent Advanced Search System (InPASS), SMS Alert etc.
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9. AWARDS
9.1. NOBEL PRIZES
Why in news?
The Nobel Assembly and the Royal Swedish
Academy of Science have announced the
winners of Medicine, Physics and Chemistry
Nobel for the year 2021.
About Nobel Prize
• The Nobel Prize is an international award
administered by the Nobel Foundation in
Stockholm, Sweden, awarded to people
"who have conferred the greatest benefit to
humankind" in the previous 12 months.
• They are awarded annually from a fund that
Alfred Nobel (Swedish inventor and
entrepreneur) set aside in his 1895 will for
this purpose.
o Alfred Nobel is known for inventing
dynamite and is holder of 355 patents.
• Categories: Instituted in 1901, Prizes were
initially awarded in five categories: Physics,
Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine,
Literature and Peace. A sixth award,
the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences was
instituted in 1968 by the Royal Bank of
Sweden and was first awarded in 1969.
o Since the start, in 1901, there are some
years when the Nobel Prizes have not
been awarded.
• What do the winners receive? The recipient
of each prize receives three things:
o A Nobel diploma, each of which is a
unique work of art;
o A Nobel medal;
o A cash prize of 10m Swedish krona
(£836,000; $1.1m). They have to deliver a
lecture to receive the money.
✓ In no case may a prize amount be
divided between more than three persons.
• Who awards the prizes? The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awards the Nobel Prize in
Physics&Chemistry and the Nobel prize in Medicine is awarded by Nobel Assembly at Karolinska
Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
• Prize winners are called laureates, to signify the laurel wreath given to victors of contests in ancient
Greece. More than one, but no more than three, people can win each prize.
o Malala Yousafzai (Peace)is the youngest and John B. Goodenough (Chemistry) is the oldest laureate.
9.1.1. THE NOBEL PRIZE IN PHYSICS 2021

Prize awarded for: Ground-breaking contributions to our understanding of complex physical systems.
Awardees
• One half of the prize was awarded to Syukuro Manabe and Klaus Hasselmann for their work in the
physical modeling of Earth’s climate, quantifying variability and reliably predicting global warming.
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• Second half was awarded to Giorgio Parisi for
the discovery of the interplay of disorder and
fluctuations in physical systems from atomic
to planetary scales.
About complex physical systems and the work of
Nobel laurates
• Complex systems are characterised by
randomness and disorder and are difficult to
understand. They can be difficult to describe
mathematically – they may have an enormous
number of components or be governed by
chance. The Prize recognizes new methods
for describing them and predicting their long-
term behaviour. The Earth’s climate is one of
many examples of complex systems.
• Syukuro Manabe demonstrated how
increased levels of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere lead to increased temperatures
at the surface of the
Earth.
• Giorgio
Parisi discovered
hidden patterns in
disordered complex
materials with his spin
glass experiments
(refer infographic).
With this, he
discovered hidden
structures within the
systems and
represented them
mathematically.
9.1.2. NOBEL PRIZE IN PHYSIOLOGY OR MEDICINE

Prize awarded for: discoveries of receptors for temperature and touch.
Awardees
The 2021 Nobel Prize in Physiology or
Medicine was jointly awarded to David
Julius and ArdemPatapoutian.
About the receptors and work of
Nobel laurates
• In the human body, all the
molecules are not sensitive to
heat or mechanical pressure. Only
very specific are, and it is their job
to relay this signal to the nervous
system, which then triggers an appropriate response.
• David Julius utilized capsaicin, a pungent compound from chili peppers that induces a burning sensation,
to identify a sensor in the nerveendings of the skin that responds to heat.
• He and his team looked for a gene that could induce a response to capsaicin in cells that usually wouldn’t
react to it. They found one in a novel ion channel protein, later called TRPV1, where TRP stands for
transient receptor potential, and VR1 is vanilloid receptor1.
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o They were part of a super family of TRP, and it was found that TRPV1 was activated when
temperatures were greater than 40 degrees Celsius, which is close to the body’s pain threshold.
• ArdemPatapoutian used pressure-sensitive cells to discover a novel class of sensors that respond to
mechanical stimuli in the skin and internal organs.
• Patapoutian and his colleagues identified 72 potential genes that could encode an ion channel receptor
and trigger sensitivity to
mechanical force, and it emerged
that one of them coded for a novel
ion channel protein, called Piezo1.
o Via Piezo1, a second gene was
discovered and named Piezo2.
Sensory neurons were found
to express high levels of
Piezo2 and further studies
firmly established that Piezo1
and Piezo2 are ion channels
that are directly activated by
the exertion of pressure on cell membranes.
o Later it was demonstrated that the Piezo2 ion channel is essential for the sense of touch. Moreover,
Piezo2 was shown to play a key role in proprioception as well as regulate blood pressure, respiration,
and urinary bladder control.
• Both David Julius and ArdemPatapoutian also identified another new receptor called TRPM8, a receptor
that is activated by cold.
9.1.3. NOBEL PRIZE IN CHEMISTRY

Prize awarded for: development of a precise new
tool for molecular construction: organocatalysis.
Awardees
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2021 was awarded to
Benjamin List and David MacMillan.
About Catalysts, catalysis and organocatalysis and
the work ofNobel laurates
• Catalysts are substances that control and
accelerate chemical reactions, without
becoming part of the final product.
o For example, catalysts in catalytic
converters of cars transform toxic
substances in exhaust fumes to
harmless molecules.
• Researchers long believed that there were,
in principle, just two types of catalysts
available:metals, mainly heavier metals;
and enzymes, naturally occurring heavy
molecules that facilitate all life-supporting
biochemical processes. Both these had
limitations:
o Heavier metals are expensive and
toxic to humans and the
environment. Also, metals required an
environment free of water and
oxygen, which was difficult to ensure
on an industrial scale.
o Enzymes on the other hand, work best when water is used as a medium for the chemical reaction. But
that is not an environment suitable for all kinds of chemical reactions.
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Benjamin List and David MacMillan, independent of each other, developed a third type of catalysis. It is
called asymmetric organo catalysis and builds upon small organic molecules.
Asymmetric Catalysis
During chemical construction a situation often arises in which
two molecules can form, which – just like our hands – are each
other’s mirror image. Chemists often just want one of these
mirror images, particularly when producing pharmaceuticals,
but it has been difficult to find efficient methods for doing
this.
• List and MacMillan discovered that by using a natural
compound like an amino acid as a catalyst, they were
obtaining only one specific mirror image of the end-
product. This was later named asymmetric catalysis.
• They experimented with simple organic compounds. Organic compounds are mostly naturally-occurring
substances, built around a framework of carbon atoms and usually containing hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen,
sulphur, or phosphorus.
o Life-supporting chemicals like proteins, which are long chains of amino acids (carbon compounds containing
nitrogen and oxygen) are organic.
9.2. OTHER AWARDS IN NEWS

International Eni • Bharat Ratna Professor C.N.R. Rao has
Award 2020 received the International Eni Award 2020
also called the Energy Frontier award.
o Eni Award is considered to be the Nobel
Prize in Energy Research.
o It has got recognition by the President
of the Italian Republic.
• The Energy Frontiers award has been
conferred for his work on metal oxides,
carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and other
materials and two-dimensional systems,
including graphene, boron-nitrogen-carbon
hybrid materials, and molybdenum sulfide
(Molybdenite - MoS2) for energy
applications and green hydrogen production.
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Shanti Swarup • SSB Prizes are awarded annually for outstanding research, applied or fundamental, in
Bhatnagar (SSB) following disciplines: Biological Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and
Prize Planetary Sciences, Engineering Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Medical Sciences and
Physical Sciences.
• Eligibility: Any Citizen of India, Overseas citizen of India working in India (up to the age of 45
years).
• Dr Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar was the Founder Director of Council of Scientific & Industrial
Research (CSIR).
o He was the first Chairman of University Grants Commission (UGC).
o He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1954.
Ramanujan Prize • Professor Neena Gupta has been awarded the 2021 Ramanujan Prize for her outstanding work
for Young in affine algebraic geometry and commutative algebra.
Mathematician • AWard is administeredby the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP)
jointly with the Department of Science and Technology (DST) Government of India and the
International Mathematical Union (IMU).
• Award is given annually to an eminent Mathematician who is less than 45 years of age on 31
December of the year of the award.
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10. MISCELLENAOUS
10.1. LASER INTERFEROMETER GRAVITATIONAL -WAVE
OBSERVATORY (LIGO) PROJECT
Why in News?
Hingoli revenue department (Maharashtra) has handed over land for Laser Interferometer Gravitational-
Wave Observatory (LIGO) project for setting up a laboratory along with some other related infrastructure.
More on News
• In 2016, central government had given approval to LIGO-India (a Joint India-US detector) for research on
gravitational waves.
o It is collaboration between the LIGO Laboratory (operated by Caltech and MIT) and three Institutes
in India:the Raja Ramanna Center for Advanced Technology (Indore), the Institute for Plasma
Research (Ahmedabad), and the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (Pune).
• Technology being developed includes design and fabrication of ultra stable laser, quantum measurement
techniques, handling of complex control system for enforcing precision control, large-scale ultra-high
vacuum technology, data analysis and machine learning.
• Project will be built by Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and Department of Science and Technology
(DST).
About LIGO
• It was designed for direct
detection of gravitational
waves predicted by
Einstein’s General Theory of
Relativity.
• It is being operated at two
sites in US (Washington and
Louisiana).
o Also, there are 3 LIGO’s
sisters’ facilities: Virgo
in Italy, GEO600 in
Germany and KAGRA
(Kamioka Gravitational-wave Detector) in Japan and LIGO- India.
• Data LIGO collects may have far-reaching effects on many areas of physics including gravitation,
relativity, astrophysics, cosmology, particle physics, and nuclear physics.
• LIGO use laser interferometry to measure the minute ripples in space-time caused by passing gravitational
waves from cataclysmic cosmic events such as colliding neutron stars or black holes, or by supernovae.
o Interferometers are investigative tools that work by merging two or more sources of light to create
an interference pattern, which can be measured and analyzed.
o They are often used to make very small measurements that are not achievable any other way.
• It is different from other observatories as
o LIGO is blind: Unlike optical or radio telescopes, LIGO does not see electromagnetic radiation (e.g.,
visible light, radio waves, microwaves) as gravitational waves are not part of the electromagnetic
spectrum.
o LIGO isn't round and can't point to specific locations in space: Since LIGO doesn’t need to collect light
from stars, it doesn't need to be round or dish-shaped.
Significance of detection of Gravitational Waves by LIGO
• Test of Einstein's theory of general relativity under extreme conditions of gravity where it has never
before been tested.
• Information about the unimaginably dense form of matter that makes up neutron stars.
• Tell us about how many objects like black holes and neutron stars exist in the Universe.
• Insight into what happens during some of the Universe's most violent explosions.
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About Gravitational Waves
• They are 'ripples' in space-
time travelling at speed of
light caused by some of most
violent and energetic
processes in Universe.
• They carry with them
information about their
cataclysmic origins, as well as
invaluable clues to nature of
gravity itself.
• Different types of
gravitational waves are
o Continuous gravitational waves: thought to be produced by a single spinning massive object like a neutron
star.
o Compact binary inspiral gravitational waves: produced by orbiting pairs of massive and dense ("compact")
objects like white dwarf stars, black holes, and neutron stars.
o Stochastic Gravitational Waves: are smallest and most difficult gravitational waves to detect and are passing
by from all over the Universe all the time and are mixed together at random.
10.2. LIDAR SURVEY REPORTS

Why in News?
Recently, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate
Change released LiDAR (light detection and ranging)
based reports mapping out the water requirement
within forest areas in 10 states.
More on News
• Project was awarded to WAPCOS, a public sector
unit under the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
o Surveys were carried out at forest areas in
Assam, Bihar, Chhatisgarh, Goa, Jharkhand,
Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur,
Nagaland, and Tripura.
• WAPCOS followed the Ridge to Valley approach of watershed management for this survey.
• LiDAR technology was used to create 3-D images of the project areas to recommend soil and water
conservation structures.
• State forest departments will use Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning
Authority (CAMPA) funds towards implementation of these projects.
• The survey would help in:
o Identifying areas which need groundwater recharge.
o Reducing human-animal conflict by reducing water scarcity.
About LiDAR technology
• LiDAR is a remote sensing technology that uses light in the form of a pulsed laser to measure ranges
(distances) to a target.
o These light pulses—combined with other data recorded by the airborne system— generate precise,
three-dimensional information about the shape of the Earth and its surface characteristics.
o It is similar to radar and sonar (that use radio and sound waves, respectively).
• A LiDAR instrument principally consists of a laser, a scanner, and a specialized GPS receiver.
o Airplanes and helicopters are the most commonly used platforms for acquiring lidar data over broad
areas.
• There are following two types of LiDAR:
o Topographic: typically uses a near-infrared laser to map the land.
o Bathymetric: uses water-penetrating green light to also measure seafloor and riverbed elevations.
• Applications: Land management and planning efforts, including hazard assessment, forestry, agriculture,
geologic mapping, and watershed and river surveys etc.
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10.3. FLEX-FUEL ENGINES
Why in News?
Government issued advisory to carmakers to introduce flex-fuel engines in vehicles.
About Flex Fuel Vehicle (FFV)
• It is a modified version of vehicles that could run both on gasoline and blended petrol with different levels
of ethanol blends.
o These are currently being used successfully in Brazil, giving people the option to switch fuel (gasoline
and ethanol).
o Flex-fuel, or flexible fuel, is an alternative fuel made of a combination of gasoline and methanol or
ethanol.
Advantage of FFV
• Provides option for using bio-fuels, which are better than petrol (are import substitute, cost effective,
pollution-free and indigenous).
o Target date for achieving 20% ethanol-blending with petrol has been advanced by five years to 2025.
o Flex-fuel engines are capable of running on 100 percent petrol or ethanol.
• Help in addressing the problems of surplus food grains (can be used in making ethanol).
• Reduce dependence on oil imports.
Challenges in adopting FFV
• Require additional investment from auto companies in production lines and technology transfers.
• Ethanol can also cause corrosion and damage to the engine.
• Ethanol is also not as economical as gasoline as it does not provide the same level of fuel efficiency.
10.4. MUON G-2

Why in News?
Fermilab, which houses the American
particle accelerator, has released the first
results from its ‘muon g-2’ (pronounced gee
minus two)experiment.
More on News
• Muon g-2 experimenters examine the
precession of muons that are subjected
to a magnetic field.
• The main goal is to test the Standard
Model's predictions of this value and if
there is an inconsistency, it could
indicate the Standard Model is
incomplete and in need of revision.
About Muon
• Muon is sub atomic particle and is classified as one of the leptons
(elementary particles).
• It is about 200 times more massive than electron and much more
unstable, surviving for a fraction of a second.
• Muon, like its relative the electron, is a point-like particle, meaning
that it has no composite parts.
o the energy of a composite particle, such as a proton, is really the
sum of the energies of its constituent parts, the energy of the
simple muon is all its own.
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• Muon g-2 experiment showed that behaviour of
muons is different from what is predicated in the
Standard Model of particle physics.
• The Standard Model is a rigorous theory that lays
out the rules for six types of quarks, six leptons,
the Higgs boson, three fundamental forces, and
how the subatomic particles behave under the
influence of electromagnetic forces.
o Quarks are elementary subatomic particles that
interact by means of the strong force and are
believed to be among the fundamental
constituents of matter.
o There are six types of quarks that differ from one
another in their mass and charge characteristics
that are grouped in three pairs: up and down,
charm and strange, and top and bottom.

Xenobots • Recently, Scientists developed first living robots that can reproduce.
• World’s first living robots, called Xenobots, were formed from the stem cells of the African
clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) from which it takes its name.
o Xenobots are less than a millimeter wide and could move, work together in groups and
self-heal.
o Stem cells are unspecialized cells that have the ability to develop into different cell types.
• Now, scientists have discovered an entirely new form of biological reproduction(using
Artificial Intelligence) different from any animal or plant to create first-ever, self-replicating
living robots.
o Unlike in cloning, where DNA from one individual is used to grow identical copies of that
individual, these cells are harvested from different embryos, and used to create
organisms that don’t resemble their parent species.
• Potential Applications of Xenobots
o Could be organized to form lenses to restore vision.
o To clean up plaque that causes heart blocks or brain damage.
o Could be programmed to attack/remove cancer cells,
o To clean up plastic pollution etc.
Bose Einstein • Recently physicists observed a new phase in BEC of light particles.
condensation • Sometimes referred to as the 'fifth state of matter' (other four are solids, liquids, gases and
(BEC) plasma), a BEC is a state of matter created when particles, called bosons, are cooled to near
absolute zero (-273.15 degrees Celsius).
o At such low temperatures there is insufficient energy for the particles to move into
positions that might cause their distinct quantum characteristics to interfere with one
another.
o Hence, these particles in this state behave like a single giant superparticle.
• Existence of BEC was predicted by Albert Einstein and Indian mathematician Satyendra Nath
Bose in early 1920s.
• BECs are extremely fragile and the slightest interaction with the external world is enough to
warm them past their condensation threshold.
• Nobel Prize in Physics 2001 was awarded jointly to Eric A. Cornell, Wolfgang Ketterle and Carl
E. Wieman for their BEC related achievement.
India Innovation • India’s first graphene innovation center to be established in Thrissur, Kerala.
Graphene • Graphene is the thinnest and strongest material in the world and has good chemical stability,
Centre (IIGC) high electrical conductivity and a large surface area while being transparent and lightweight.
o It is two-dimensional form of crystalline carbon.
• Applications: Anti-corrosion coatings and paints, efficient and precise sensors, faster and
efficient electronics, flexible displays, efficient solar panels, faster DNA sequencing, drug
delivery, conducting electrode for touch screen, LCDs etc and more.
UNESCO Science • Report monitors trends in science governance worldwide and explores how countries are
Report 2021 using science to realize a digitally and ecologically smart future.
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• Key highlights
o Countries of all income levels are prioritizing their transition to digital and green
economies.
• India specific Findings
o Average gross domestic expenditure on research and development (GERD) over past two
decades is 0.75% of GDP, lowest among BRICS (Brazil, Russian Federation, India, China and
South Africa).
o Number of start-ups is almost doubling each year since 2016 (17,390 start-ups in 2019),
however most are in the services sector.
o Employability increased from 34% in 2014 to almost 47% in 2019, meaning that one out of
two graduates is still not employable.
o As a share of total installed capacity for electricity generation, green energy sources
(wind, solar, biofuels and small hydro-electricity generators) rose from 13% in 2015 to 22%
in 2018.
Science and • It is a research initiative launched by SERB (statutory body of Department of Science and
Engineering Technology) in collaboration with Intel India.
Research Board- • FIRE is a joint government-and-industry initiative with a co-funding mechanism to promote
Fund for innovative technology solutions and strengthen academic research through collaboration
Industrial with key research and development (R&D) organisations in India.
Research o The new initiative aims to utilize the expertise available in academic institutions and
Engagement national laboratories to solve industry-specific problems for the larger benefit of society.
(SERB-FIRE)
Indian Science • I-STEM is the national web portal for sharing R&D facilities.
Technology and • It was launched in 2020 as an initiative of Office of Principal Scientific Adviser to Govt. of India
Engineering under aegis of Prime Minister Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council mission.
Facilities Map (I- o Its goal is to strengthen R&D ecosystem by connecting researchers with resources and by
STEM) Enters supporting researchers by enabling them access to existing publicly funded R&D facilities.
Phase-II • Under Phase II, portal will host indigenous technology products and will also provide
platform for City Knowledge and Innovation Clusters.
• Also, in a related development, I-STEM portal will now help users to access COMSOL
Multiphysics software.
o COSMOL group (in Sweden), is used as a tool for computer simulations for R&D, learning
and instruction.
DRDO develops • Isothermal forging is a hot working process to work on super alloys that have low forge
critical near ability. Here the workpiece is maintained at its maximum elevated temperature throughout
isothermal the entire operation.
forging o This technological breakthrough involves developing complex titanium and nickel based
technology for alloys that can withstand temperatures exceeding 1000 degrees Celsius.
Aeroengines o It would help in India in developing jet engines with thrust to power a combat fighter.
Artificial Snow • For the first time in the history of the Winter Olympics, athletes will compete on 100% artificial
snow in Beijing.
• Artificial snow is small particles of ice that are used to increase the amount of snow available
for winter sports such as skiing or snowboarding.
o It is produced by a machine that uses a high-pressure pump to spray a mist of water into
the cold air. The water droplets subsequently crystallize to form fake snow.
Magnetic • After successful trials, China rolled out its high speed Maglev train with a top speed of 600
Levitation kmph.
Technology • Maglev, short for Magnetic Levitation, is a system in which the vehicle runs levitated from the
guide way (corresponding to the rail tracks of conventional railways) by using electromagnetic
forces between superconducting magnets onboard the vehicle and coils on the ground.
• Because of no contact (or friction) between vehicle and guideway, it can reach high speeds
along with other benefits such as higher efficiency and low noise.
Artificial Moon • China has built an artificial moon facility that will simulate lunar conditions to train astronauts,
test new rovers and technologies for future missions.
o Facility has been made with rocks and dust that are as light as those on moon.
o It will use powerful magnetic field to make gravity disappear.
• China has already developed an artificial sun to replicate nuclear fusion process that occurs
naturally in the sun and stars to provide almost infinite clean energy.
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97
Table of Contents
6.1.5. Earth Observation Satellite (EOS-01) ...... 30
1. BIOTECHNOLOGY ................................... 3
6.2. Other Developments Related to India .. 31
1.1. DNA Technology (Use and Application) 6.2.1. Space Based Remote Sensing .................. 31
Regulation Bill, 2019 ..................................... 3 6.2.2. Indian National Space Promotion and
1.2. mRNA Vaccine ........................................ 4 Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) ...................... 32
1.3. GM Crops ............................................... 5 6.2.3. India’s First In-orbit Space Debris
1.4. Genome Sequencing ............................... 5
Monitoring and Tracking System ...................... 32
1.5. Other Important News ........................... 6
6.2.4. Miscellaneous ......................................... 33
1.5.1. Biopesticides .............................................. 6
1.5.2. National Biomedical Resource 6.3. NASA .................................................... 34
6.3.1. NASA’s Heliophysics Missions ................. 34
Indigenization Consortium (NBRIC) ..................... 7
6.3.2. Fifth State of Matter ............................... 35
1.5.3. Miscellaneous ............................................ 8
6.4. Annular Solar Eclipse ............................ 35
2. NANO TECHNOLOGY............................... 9 6.5. Magnetic field of Sun’s corona ............. 36
2.1. Nano Technology in Agriculture .............. 9 6.6. Discovery of Pulsars ............................. 37
2.2. Gold Nanoparticles (GNPs) ................... 10 6.7. First Potential Radio Signal from
2.3. Other Important News ......................... 10 Exoplanet .................................................... 38
6.8. Dark Matter Not ‘Super Heavy’ or ‘Super
3. IPR ........................................................11 Light’........................................................... 38
3.1. Intellectual Property Rights .................. 11 6.9. Saturn's Tilt Caused by its Moons ......... 38
3.2. Patent Pools ......................................... 12 6.10. Recent Space Related Phenomenon and
4. IT & COMPUTER ....................................14 Findings ...................................................... 39
6.11. Other Space Missions ......................... 41
4.1. 5G ........................................................ 14
4.2. Narrow Band-Internet of Things ........... 14 7. HEALTH ................................................ 44
4.3. PRIME Minister Wi-Fi Access Network 7.1. Food and Health ................................... 44
Interface (PM-WANI) .................................. 15 7.1.1. Trans Fats ................................................ 44
4.4. Dark Net ............................................... 16 7.1.2. State Food Safety Index 2019-20 ............ 45
4.5. SuperComputer .................................... 16 7.1.3. Food Adulteration ................................... 46
4.6. Quantum Key Distribution .................... 17 7.1.4. Draft Food Safety and Standards
4.7. 3D Printing Policy ................................. 18 (Amendment) Bill 2020 ..................................... 47
4.8. Data Empowerment and Protection 7.2. Bacterial Diseases................................. 47
Architecture ................................................ 19 7.2.1. India Tuberculosis Report 2020............... 47
4.9. Non-Personal Data ............................... 20 7.3. Viral Diseases ....................................... 49
4.10. AarogyaSetu Data Access and 7.3.1. Polio ........................................................ 49
Knowledge Sharing Protocol, 2020 .............. 20 7.3.2. Avian Influenza (Bird flu) ......................... 49
4.11. Other Important News ....................... 21 7.3.3. AIDS ......................................................... 50
5. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT .............24 7.3.4. Other Important News ............................ 51
5.1. Accelerate Vigyan ................................. 24 7.4. Other Diseases ..................................... 51
5.2. Draft National Science Technology and 7.4.1. World Malaria Report 2020 Released by
Innovation Policy ........................................ 24 World Health Organisation (WHO) ................... 51
5.3. Superconductivity at Room Temperature 7.4.2. Non-Communicable Diseases .................. 52
................................................................... 25 7.4.3. Other important News ............................ 53
7.5. Pharmaceuticals ................................... 53
6. SPACE TECHNOLOGY .............................27
7.5.1. COVID-19 Therapies and Antimicrobial
6.1. ISRO ..................................................... 27 Resistance (AMR) .............................................. 53
6.1.1. Joint Lunar Polar Exploration Mission ..... 27
7.5.2. Plasma Bank ............................................ 54
6.1.2. Mars Orbiter Mission ............................... 27
7.5.3. Other Important News ............................ 55
6.1.3. Chandrayaan 2 ......................................... 28
7.6. Covid-19 Related Inventions/
6.1.4. Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System
Developments............................................. 55
........................................................................... 30
1
7.7. Alternative Medicines .......................... 57 9.4. Other Important News ......................... 72
7.7.1 The National Commission for Indian System
10. ALTERNATIVE ENERGY ........................ 73
of Medicine Act (NCISM), 2020 ......................... 58
7.7.2. The National Commission for 10.1. India’s first Lithium Refinery ............... 73
Homoeopathy (NCH) Act, 2020 ......................... 59
10.2. Other Important News ....................... 74
7.7.3. The Institute of Teaching and Research in 11. MISCELLANEOUS ................................. 75
Ayurveda (ITRA) Act, 2020 ................................. 59 11.1. International Thermonuclear
7.8. Other News .......................................... 60 Experimental Reactor (ITER)........................ 75
7.8.1. Assisted Reproductive Technology .......... 60 11.2. Third unit at Kakrapar Atomic Power
7.8.2. Human Monoclonal Antibodies (hmAbs) 61 Plant (KAPP-3) Achieves Criticality .............. 76
7.8.3. Other Important News............................. 62 11.3. Hyperloop .......................................... 77
11.4. Chemosynthesis Aids Microbes Survival
8. DEFENCE ...............................................64
................................................................... 78
8.1. Coastal Radar Network ......................... 64 11.5. India’s Traditional Knowledge Digital
8.2. Digital Ocean ........................................ 64 Library ........................................................ 78
8.3. Missiles, Submarine and Ships .............. 65 11.6. Indian personalities in News ............... 79
8.4. Bio-Terrorism ....................................... 67 11.6.1. C.V. Raman ............................................ 79
9. AWARDS ...............................................69 11.6.2. Dr Vikram Sarabhai ............................... 79
11.6.3. Srinivasa Ramanujan ............................. 80
9.1. Nobel Prize in Chemistry ...................... 69
9.2. Nobel Prize in Medicine ........................ 70 11.7. Other Important News ....................... 81
9.3. Nobel Prize in Physics ........................... 71
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Note:
PT 365 documents comprehensively cover the important current affairs of last 1 year (365days) in a
consolidated manner to aid Prelims preparation.
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2
1. BIOTECHNOLOGY
1.1. DNA TECHNOLOGY (USE AND APPLICATION) REGULATION BILL,
2019
Why in News?
Parliamentary Standing
Committee on Science
and Technology has
expressed concerns
over some of the
provisions of The DNA
Technology (Use and
Application)
Regulation Bill, 2019.
About
Deoxyribonucleic Acid
(DNA) & Ribonucleic
Acid (RNA)
They are two main
types of nucleic acids
responsible for the
storage and reading of
genetic information.
• Three types of RNA
o Messenger
RNA (mRNA)
copies
portions of genetic code, a process called transcription, and transports these copies to ribosomes,
which are the cellular factories that facilitate the production of proteins from this code.
o Transfer RNA (tRNA) is responsible for bringing amino acids, basic protein building blocks, to these
protein factories, in response to the coded instructions introduced by the mRNA. This protein-
building process is called translation.
o Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) is a component of the ribosome factory itself without which protein
production would not occur.
Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)
• RNA converts the genetic information contained within • DNA replicates and stores genetic information.
DNA to a format used to build proteins, and then moves it It is a blueprint for all genetic information
to ribosomal protein factories. contained within an organism.
• It is a hereditary material in human and almost all
other organisms.
• RNA only has one strand, but like DNA, is made up of • DNA consists of two strands, arranged in a
nucleotides. double helix.
• RNA contains ribose sugar molecules, without the • The sugar in DNA is deoxyribose, which contains
hydroxyl modifications of deoxyribose. one less hydroxyl group than RNA’s ribose.
• RNA shares Adenine (‘A’), Guanine (‘G’) and Cytosine (‘C’) • The bases in DNA are Adenine (‘A’), Thymine
with DNA, but contains Uracil (‘U’) rather than Thymine. (‘T’), Guanine (‘G’) and Cytosine (‘C’).
• RNA forms in the nucleolus, and then moves to specialised • DNA is found in the nucleus, with a small amount
regions of the cytoplasm depending on the type of RNA of DNA also present in mitochondria.
formed.
• RNA is more resistant to damage from UV light than DNA. • DNA is vulnerable to damage by ultraviolet light.
Key provisions of the Bill
• Regulation of use of DNA technology for establishing the identity of certain persons including offenders, victims,
suspects and undertrials.
3
• DNA testing is allowed only in respect of matters listed in the Schedule to the Bill like offences under Indian Penal
Code 1860, civil matters such as paternity suits, for establishment of individual identity etc.
• Consent for collection of DNA will be required as per provisions of the bill.
• Establishment of a National DNA Data Bank, Regional DNA Data Banks and also a DNA regulatory board.
1.2. MRNA VACCINE

Why in news?
Recently, India's first
indigenous mRNA vaccine got
Drugs Controller General of
India (DCGI) nod for human trial
About mRNA vaccine
• Unlike a normal vaccine,

RNA vaccines work by
introducing an mRNA
sequence which is coded
for a disease specific
antigen. Once produced
within the body, the antigen
is recognised by the immune system, preparing it to fight the real thing.
• mRNA vaccines teach our cells how to make a protein that triggers an immune response inside our bodies.
That immune response, which produces antibodies, is what protects us from getting infected if the real
virus enters our bodies.
• mRNA vaccines can be delivered using a number of methods, via needle-syringe injections or needle-free
into the skin, injection into the blood, muscle, lymph node or directly into organs; or via a nasal spray.
• There are different types of mRNA vaccine like Non-replicating mRNA, In vivo self-replicating mRNA, In
vitro dendritic cell non-replicating mRNA vaccine etc.
Conventional Vaccines Gene based Vaccines
• Includes live attenuated vaccines, • They contain two types of Vaccine: DNA and RNA vaccines.
inactivated pathogens (also known as • Instead of injecting a weakened form of a virus or bacteria into the
"killed vaccines"), viral-vectored body, DNA and RNA vaccines use part of the virus’ own genes to
vaccines, and other types known as stimulate an immune response. In other words, they carry the
subunit, toxoid and conjugate vaccines. genetic instructions for the host’s cells to make antigens
• It exposes the body to proteins made by • Both DNA and RNA vaccines deliver the message to the cell to
a virus or bacteria, are often made by create the desired protein so the immune system creates a
using weakened or inactive versions of response against this protein.
that virus or bacteria. • They can be stored at room temperature and are more stable than
• Traditional vaccines require conventional vaccines in warm climates "if kept dry and/or sterile
refrigeration. at pH8’.
4
1.3. GM CROPS
Why in News?
Related News
Recently, Pune based Agharkar Research Mandatory ‘No- genetically-modified (GM)’ certificate for food
Institute, an autonomous institute of imports
Department of Science and Technology, • As per an order of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
mapped two genes Rht14 and Rht18 in (FSSAI), from January 1, 2021 importers of 24 identified food
products will have tomandatorily declare that products are not
wheat.
GM and that they also have a non-GM origin
About Rht14 and Rht18 o 24 food crops include apple, eggplant, maize, wheat,
• These are two alternative dwarfing melon, pineapple, papaya, plum, potato, rice, soyabean,
sugarbeet, sugarcane, tomato, sweet pepper, squash, flax
genes in wheat, associated with
seed, bean plum, and chicory.
better seedling vigour and longer • GM food imports require approvals under two laws:
coleoptiles (sheath protecting young Environment Protection Act, 1986 (covers environmental
shoot tip). impacts) and Food Safety and Standards Act,2006 (assesses
• Wheat lines with these genes can impact on human health).
reduce crop residue burning and can • After GEAC approval, FSSAI does the risk assessment before
allow deeper sowing of wheat seeds clearing it for consumption.
to avail advantage of residual moisture • Recently GEAC — giving its greenlight for biosafety research-
in soil under dry environments. level-II (BRL-II) field trials for Event 142, a new variety of
Btbrinjal.
About GM crops
• A GM crop has a gene artificially inserted into it from another species to give it some desired properties
like – pest resistance, herbicide-tolerance, drought resistance etc.
• Currently, only GM crop permitted for cultivation in India is Bt Cotton. But cultivation of illegal GM crops
(Brinjal, Soyabean etc) has been reported from across states.
• There is a well established regulatory framework for approval of GM Crops as per “Rules for the
Manufacture/Use/Import/Export and Storage of Hazardous Microorganisms, Genetically Engineered
Organisms or Cells, 1989” under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
o There are certain concerns regarding GM crops for Human health (like allergic reaction, gene transfer
etc.), Environment (like introduction of engineered genes into wild populations, loss of biodiversity
etc).
• GEAC is the apex body that allows for commercial release of GM crops.
About Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC)
• GEAC established under Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is the apex body for approval
of activities involving large scale use of hazardous microorganisms and recombinants in research and
industrial production from the environmental angle.
• The GEAC is also responsible for approval of proposals relating to release of genetically engineered
organisms and products into the environment including experimental field trials.
1.4. GENOME SEQUENCING Related News

• PAN-India 1000 Genome sequencing of SARS-
Why in News? CoV-2 completed successfully
• Department of Biotechnology had launched
Results of IndiGen programme, the Council of Scientific this project in May 2020.
and Industrial Research’s (CSIR) resource, were recently • Sequence data will be released in Global
published. Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID)
for use by researchers across the Globe.
About IndiGen programme
• This will improve understanding on how virus is
• It aims to undertake whole genome sequencing of a spreading, helping to interrupt transmission
thousand Indian individuals representing diverse chains, prevent new cases of infection, and
ethnic groups from India. provide impetus to research on intervention
• It is funded by the CSIR India (autonomous body). measures.
o CSIR is the largest research and development
(R&D) organization in India under Ministry of Science and Technology.
• Its objective is to create a pilot dataset to enable genetic epidemiology of carrier genetic diseases
towards enabling affordable carrier screening approaches in India.
5
• It is also seen as a precursor to a much About Genome sequencing
larger exercise to map a larger swathe of • A genome is an organism’s complete set of DNA. It includes
the population in the country. all chromosomes, which houses the DNA, and genes.
• Now, CSIR has announced the conclusion • Each genome contains all of the information needed to build
of ‘Whole Genome Sequencing” of 1,008 and maintain that organism.
Indians from different populations across • The genome can be understood through the process
the country. It was found that: described as sequencing.
o 32% of genetic variations in Indian • Genome sequencing means deciphering the exact order of
genome sequences are unique as base pairs in an individual.
compared to global genomes.
o The computational analysis led to the
identification of 55,898,122 single
nucleotide variants in the India
genome dataset.
Significance of the ‘Indigen Project’
• Understanding the Indian genome

variation: This could help in:
o Understanding the epidemiology of
genetic diseases to enable cost
effective genetic tests.
o Carrier screening Related information
(determining chances of Human Genome Project (HGP)
having a child with genetic • It was the international research effort to determine the DNA
disorders) applications for sequence of the entire human genome.
expectant couples. • It began in 1990 and completed in 2003.
o Pharmacogenetic (study of • The HGP gave us the ability, for the first time, to read nature's
complete genetic blueprint for building a human being.
how genes affect a person's
• It was coordinated by the National Institutes of Health, USA and the
response to drugs) tests to
Department of Energy, USA.
prevent adverse drug Genome India Project
reactions. • It is India’s gene-mapping project that is being described as the
o Understanding the genetic “first scratching of the surface of the vast genetic diversity of India”.
diversity on a population o A genome sequence spells out the order of each
scale. base/nucleotide of the DNA, while genome mapping simply
o Making genetic variant identifies a series of landmarks in the DNA.
frequencies available for • It hopes to form a grid after collecting 10,000 samples in the first
clinical applications. phase from across India, to arrive at a representative Indian genome
• Understanding genomes: Study of • It was cleared by the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of
Science and Technology in Jan, 2020.
the entire genome sequence will
• It involves 20 leading institutions including the Indian Institute of
help scientists understand how
Science in Bengaluru and a few IITs.
the genome as a whole works.

1.5.1. BIOPESTICIDES
Why in News?
Recently, Institute of Pesticide Formulation Technology, under Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers has
developed Bio-Pesticide Formulation for insect control in seed spice crops.
More on News
• The formulation has good shelf life, safe to user & environment and it may be effectively used for
controlling different agricultural insects.
o For controlling losses from the insects, large amounts of synthetic chemical pesticides are used in
seeds crops, resulting in higher levels of pesticide residues in seed spices which leads to risks for
human health and environment.
• It is based on entomo-pathogenic fungus Verticillium lecanii.
6
About Biopesticides
• Biopesticides are the formulated form of active ingredients based on microorganisms such as bacteria,
viruses, fungi, nematodes or naturally-occurring substances, including plant extracts and semiochemicals
(e.g. insect pheromones).
• Advantages of using Biopesticides: less toxic than conventional pesticides, affect only the target pest and
closely related organisms (not overall ecosystem), effective in very small quantities and often decompose
quickly etc.
1.5.2. NATIONAL BIOMEDICAL RESOURCE INDIGENIZATION CONSORTIUM

(NBRIC)
Why in News?
Recently, NBRIC was constituted by Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology.
About NBRIC
• It is hosted and led by Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms.
• NBRIC aims to be a nation-wide Public Private Partnership for convergence of research, product resources
and services towards developing reagents, diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics for COVID-19 across
India.
• NBRIC is a ‘Make in India’ initiative for Biomedical research and innovative products, to promote import
substitution and exports.
7
BBX11 • It is a newly identified gene that facilitates in greening of plants by regulating levels of
protochlorophyllide — an intermediate in the biosynthesis of chlorophyll.
• Synthesis of chlorophyll in plants is a lengthy, multi-step process. It is required for growth of
plants.
• In order to facilitate the quick synthesis of chlorophyll, plants make a precursor of chlorophyll
called ‘protochlorophyllide‘ in the dark, which glows red when blue light is shone on the plant.
o As soon as the plant comes out into the light from under the soil, light-dependent enzymes
convert protochlorophyllide to chlorophyll.
Centre for • It was launched by Department of Biotechnology (DBT) to provide high-quality analytical services
Biopharma for biopharmaceutical developers and manufacturers.
Analysis • It is designed to cater to all academics, medicine developers across India to fast track the
(CBA)at Pune development of vaccines, drugs, diagnostic and other bio-pharma products
• It is funded by DBT under the National Biopharma Mission (NBM).
o NBM aims to make India a hub for design and development of novel, affordable and effective
biopharmaceutical products.
o It is jointly funded by the Government of India and the World Bank in equal measure.
o BIRAC under DBT is the implementation partner.
8
2. NANO TECHNOLOGY
2.1. NANO TECHNOLOGY IN AGRICULTURE
Why in News?
Recently centre has released
‘Guidelines for Evaluation of Nano-
based Agri-input and food
products’ in India.
Nanotechnology in Agriculture
• Nanotechnology refers to a
field of applied science and
technology whose unifying
theme is the control of matter
on the molecular level in scales
smaller than 1 micrometre,
normally 1 to 100 nanometres,
and the fabrication of devices within that
Definitions given in Guidelines
size range.
• Nanomaterial (NM): These are material that ranges in
• Government launched a National Nano
size from 1 to 100 nm at least in one dimension or any
Mission in 2007.
materials that possess improved properties or
o The mission looks at the uses of phenomena because of the effect of dimension(s), even
nanotechnology for safe drinking if these dimension(s) fall outside the nanoscale range, up
water, materials development, to 1000 nm.
sensors development, drug delivery, • Nano-Agri-Input Products (NAIPs): They are agricultural
etc. input preparation containing NMs in any of the three
o Department of Science and dimensions i.e. zero, one or two on the nanoscale or with
Technology (DST) is the nodal agency an internal or surface structure, intended for applications
for implementing the nano mission. on crop for the purpose of farming through soil, seed,
foliar and drip and other means.
Highlights of the guidelines
• Nano-Agri Products (NAPs): They are agricultural
• Guidelines apply to Nano-Agri-Input preparation containing NMs in any of the three
Products (NAIPs), Nano-Agri Products dimensions i.e. zero, one or two on the nanoscale or with
(NAPs) and nano composites, sensors an internal or surface structure, intended for
made from Nanomaterials that require consumption or application in food/feed and their
direct contact with crops, food and feed for supplements as well as nutraceutical delivery.
data acquisitions.
o Theydo not apply to the conventional products or formulations with incidental presence of natural
nanomaterials.
• Objectives
o To help researchers in development of products for agriculture and human consumption.
o To help regulators to assess quality and safety of nano based agriculture and food products.
o To encourage Indian innovators and industries to develop new nano-based formulations and
products in these sectors.
• Guideline provides for regulation of NAIPs and NAPs.
o Safety, efficacy, functionality, toxicity and other quality data for proposed NAIPs and NAPs should be
conducted under:
ü Fertiliser (Control) Order, 1985, the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, Insecticides Act 1968,
ü Food and Drug Administration guidelines, Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006,
ü Cattle Feed (Regulation of Manufacture and Sale) Order, 2009
ü Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
o Implementation of standards should be conducted as per Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).
ü BIS is a national standards body working under the aegis of Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food &
Public Distribution.
9
2.2. GOLD NANOPARTICLES (GNPS)
Why in News?
National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research and the Goa University has successfully synthesized GNPs using
psychrotolerant Antarctic bacteria.
About GNP
• GNP’s are biocompatible, have high surface area, more stability, and are non-toxic. GNPs are melted at
much lower temperatures (300 °C) than bulk gold (1064 °C).
Advantages of GNPs Application
Greater solar radiation absorbing ability • A better candidate for use in the photovoltaic cell manufacturing
industry.
Unique optical properties • Can be used in therapeutic imaging for detection and diagnosis of
diseases, bio-labelling, and targeted drug delivery.
Useful in the electronics industry • Scientists have constructed a transistor known as NOMFET
(Nanoparticle Organic Memory Field-Effect Transistor) using GNPs.
o NOMFETs can mimic the feature of the human synapse known as
plasticity, or the variation of the speed and strength of the signal
going from neuron to neuron.

Nanomicelles • Recently, Researchers have found that Nanomicelles can be used for Cancer treatment.
• Nanomicelles are globe-like structures with a hydrophilic outer shell and a hydrophobic
interior. This dual property makes them a perfect carrier for delivering drug molecules.
• Advantage: Low toxicity, ability to minimize drug degradation, ability to permeate tissues easily
for drug delivery, and lower adverse drug side effects.
10
3. IPR
3.1. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
Why in News?
Central government recently published the Patent (Amendment) Rules, 2020.
About Patent (Amendment) Rules, 2020
• Amendment provides new format for patentees and licensees to disclose the extent to which they have
commercially worked or made the patented inventions available to the public in the country.
• By way of the Amended Rules,
IPR at multilateral level
certain amendments have
• IPRs at a multilateral level have their genesis in
been made to Form 27 (“New
o Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property in 1883
Form 27”). which protected industrial property.
o Form 27 is the form o Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic
prescribed for patentees Works in 1886 for copyrights and related rights.
and licensees to furnish • World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is the international
statements regarding agency under the United Nations that administers the work of these
working of their patent in conventions.
India. It is mandatory under • Substantive trade related disciplines on IPRs under these international
the (Indian) Patents Act, conventions have been adopted by reference into the WTO through
1970 for every patentee and the TRIPS Agreement.
o IPRs covered by the TRIPS Agreement are: Copyright and related
every licensee to file a
rights; Trademarks, including service marks; Geographical
statement as to the extent indications; Industrial designs; Patents; Layout-designs
of commercial working of a (topographies) of integrated circuits; Undisclosed information,
granted patent in the including trade secrets and test data.
Indian territory. • India is a member of WIPO as well as committed to TRIPS agreement.
o Form 27 must now be
furnished in respect of every financial year within six months from the expiry of every financial year.
(Earlier, it was within three months)
o There will be one form for multiple patents.
What are IPRs (Intellectual Property Rights)?
• IPRs are the rights given to persons over the creations of their minds. They usually give the creator an
exclusive right over the use of his/her creation for a certain period of time.
• It can include creations such as a new drug composition, business module, product, software and so on.
Types of Definition Works Covered Validity in India
Intellectual
Property
Copyright • Copyright is a legal term • Range from books, music, • The general rule is that
used to describe the paintings, sculpture and copyright lasts for 60 years.
rights that creators have films, to computer In the case of original
over their literary and programs, databases, literary, dramatic, musical
artistic works. advertisements, maps and and artistic works the 60-
technical drawings. year period is counted from
the year following the death
of the author.
Patents • A patent is an exclusive • The product or process • The term of every patent in
right granted for an should provide in general, a India is twenty years from
invention. new technical solution to a the date of filing the patent
• It provides the patent problem of any field. application.
owner with the right to • An invention relating either
decide how - or whether - to a product or process that
the invention can be used is new, involving an
by others. inventive step and capable
• Patents should be of industrial application can
obtained in each country be patented.
11
where the applicant
requires protection of his
invention.
Utility Model • A Utility Model just like a • A product or process which • The term of protection for
Patent also protects is Novel and Industrial utility models
inventions/innovations applicable passes for Utility is shorter than for patents,
but for a shorter period. Model, inventive step is not (usually between 6 and 15
• The main difference a requirement. years).
between a Patent and
Utility Model is that the
requirements for granting
a Utility Model are less
stringent than for Patents.
Trademarks • A trademark is a sign • A trademark can be any • The trademark is initially
capable of distinguishing distinctive word, symbol, registered for a period of 10
the goods or services of slogan, logo, brand label, years, which is calculated
one enterprise from name, signature, letter, from the date of filing of the
those of other numeral or any application.
enterprises. combination of them.
Industrial • An industrial design • A design may consist of • In India the maximum
Design constitutes the three-dimensional features, validity of a registration
ornamental or aesthetic such as the shape or surface under the (Indian) Designs
aspect of an article. of an article, or of two- Act, 2000 can be 15 years.
dimensional features, such
as patterns, lines or color.
Geographical • Signs used on goods that • Most commonly, a • It is registered for a period
Indications have a specific geographical indication of 10 years and the
geographical origin and includes the name of the registration may be
possess qualities, a place of origin of the goods. renewed from time to time
reputation or for a period of 10 years at a
characteristics that are time.
essentially attributable to
that place of origin.
Trade • Trade secrets are IP rights • Examples include formulae, • Trade secret remains valid
secrets on confidential recipes, pattern, technique, as long as one does not
information which may compilation, method, discover it independently.
be sold or licensed. program, process, device or
product mechanism.
Some terms associated with IPRs
• Ever-greening of patent: Section 3(d) Indian Patent Act doesn’t allow the renewal of patent over a product
by introducing minor changes to it. It has been an issue of concern for pharmaceutical companies (Ex:
Novartis issue on the issue of patent of cancer drug Glivec).
• Compulsory Licensing: It enables a competent government authority to license the use of a patented
invention to a third party or government agency without the consent of the patent holder.
3.2. PATENT POOLS

Why in news?
International science collaborations on COVID-19 started a discussion on patent pooling.
More on news
• Recently, Costa Rica suggested pooling of rights to deal with the pandemic through free or minimal,
affordable licensing to ensure that the outcomes of efforts can be used by countries with limited economic
resources to deal with the problem.
Patent Pooling
• According to World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), patent pools are defined as an agreement
made between two or more patent holders for licensing their patents to one another or any third party
for the purpose of sharing their intellectual property rights.
12
• Generally, patents pools India and Patent Pooling:
are made for complex • The concept of ‘patent pooling’ is new in India and has been primarily
technologies which focused to have solutions for the affordable health care.
necessitate • Indian Patents Act (IPA), 1970does not render for any provisions related
complementary patents to formation of patent pools or any guidelines for the same but at the same
for providing productive time it neither restrain for creation or formation of patent pools.
technical solutions such as o Under IPA, Central Government can set up patent pool by acquiring
vaccines in the present inventions and patents which are required in the public interest.
COVID-19 crisis. • However, in India, patent pooling is viewed as restrictive practice by
• 'Sewing Machine Competition Act, 2002, which are anticompetitive in nature.
Combination" of 1856 is
considered as the first modern patent pool in the United States.
• Patent pooling structures were discussed and considered in response to the SARS outbreak of 2002-03,
the H5N1 influenza outbreak of 2005, and the H1N1 influenza pandemic of 2009.
• Patent pooling ensures:
o Innovation between companies while minimizing potential legal issues.
o Lower transaction costs and better process efficiencies as businesses that hold complementary
patents can effectively agree not to sue each other for infringement.
International steps towards patent pooling: About GISAID
• C-TAP: The COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C- • GISAID is a collaboration involving representatives
of Member States, scientists of the Global Influenza
TAP) (hosted by WHO) compiles pledges of
Surveillance and Response System (GISRS) and
commitment made under the Solidarity Call to Global Influenza Programme (GIP) of the WHO, and
Action to voluntarily share COVID-19 health experts in licensing intellectual property.
technology related knowledge, intellectual • The data is provided free-of-charge to all individuals
property and data. that agreed to identify themselves and agreed to
• Global Initiative to Sharing of All Influenza Data uphold the GISAID sharing mechanism
(GISAID): It promotes rapid sharing of data from
all influenza viruses and the coronavirus causing COVID-19.
o This includes genetic sequence and related clinical and epidemiological data associated with human
viruses, and geographical as well as species-specific data.
• Medicines Patent Pool (MPP): It has facilitated the development of generic drugs for HIV, tuberculosis,
and hepatitis C, allowing them to be sold at an affordable price.
o MPP is a United Nations-backed public health organisation working to increase access and facilitate
development of life-saving medicines for low- and middle-income countries.
• Trade Related Intellectual Property Regime (TRIPS): It allows countries to grant compulsory licences to
companies to produce a patented product at times of emergencies.
• Nagoya Protocol under Convention on Biodiversity (CBD): Article 2 (e) of the protocol can be interpreted
as including the genetic sequence information that forms the basis for all ongoing research and
development on Covid treatment and prevention.
o Protocol provides for access and benefit sharing when genetic resources are used for commercial
purposes, which indirectly provides a scope for patent pooling.
13
4. IT & COMPUTER
4.1. 5G
Why in News?
Recently, Reliance industry
announced that it has designed and
developed a complete 5G solution
from scratch. This is the first time an
Indian company is venturing into
mobile technology.
What is 5G?
• 5G is a wireless communication
technology using radio waves or
radio frequency (RF) energy to transmit and receive data.
Related News
• D10 Club
o UK government has approached the US with the prospect of creating a 5G club of 10 democracies.
o “D10" club of democratic partners, including G7 countries – UK, US, Italy, Germany, France, Japan and Canada
– plus Australia, South Korea and India will aim to create alternative suppliers of 5G equipment and other
technologies to avoid relying on China.
4.2. NARROW BAND-

INTERNET OF THINGS
Why in news?
BSNL, in partnership with Skylotech India,
announced worlds' first satellite-based
narrowband-IoT (NB-IoT) network in India.
More about news
• It will provide affordable, innovative

telecom services and products across
customers segments.
• With this solution, India will now have access
to a ubiquitous fabric of connectivity for
millions of yet unconnected machines, sensors and industrial
IoT devices.
• This new ‘Made in India’ solution will connect with BSNLs
satellite- ground infrastructure and provide PAN-India
coverage.
• NB-IoT supports the Department of Telecom and NITI Aayog’s
plan of bringing indigenous IoT connectivity to India’s core
sectors and already been tested successfully in Indian Railways,
fishing vessels and enabling connected vehicles across India.
About Narrow Band-Internet of Things (NB-IoT)
• NB-IoT is a wireless communication standard for the Internet

of Things (IoT) belonging to the category of low-power wide-
area networks (LPWAN).
o IoT refers to the billions of physical devices around the
world that are now connected to the internet, all collecting and sharing data. Ex: A light bulb that can
be switched on using a smartphone app is an IoT device.
14
o However, it doesn’t necessarily have to be connected to the internet, it can also be a network of
things.
• It enables to connect devices that need small amounts of data, low bandwidth, and long battery life.
• NB-IoT can co-exist with 2G, 3G, and 4G mobile networks.
• It doesn’t operate in the licensed LTE construct, Instead, it works in one of three ways:
o Independently
o In unused 200-kHz bands that have previously been used for GSM (Global System for Mobile
Communications).
o On LTE base stations allocating a resource block to NB-IoT operations or in their guard bands.
4.3. PRIME MINISTER WI-FI ACCESS NETWORK INTERFACE (PM-

WANI)
Why in News? What is Wi-Fi?
• Wi-Fi is a wireless networking technology that allows devices such as
Union Cabinet recently approved a
computers (laptops and desktops), mobile devices (smart phones and
framework for the proliferation of
wearables), and other equipment (printers and video cameras) to
public Wi-Fi networks through PM interface with the Internet.
WANI scheme. o It is commonly called a wireless LAN (local area network).
About PM-WANI • It allows these devices--and many more--to exchange information with
one another, creating a network.
• It aims to elevate wireless • The wireless network is operating three essential elements that are
internet connectivity in the radio signals, antenna, and router. The radio waves are keys that make
country. Wi-Fi networking possible.
• Mobile data works essentially the same way as Wi-Fi. The biggest
• PM-WANI eco-system will be
difference is that the signal comes through your mobile service provider
operated by different players
rather than ISP (Internet service provider).
such as Public Data Office • Also, both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are used for providing wireless
(PDO); Public Data Office communication through radio signals.
Aggregator (PDOA); App
Provider; Central Registry.
o The public network will
be set up by the PDOAs to
provide Wi-Fi service
through the PDOs spread
throughout the country.
§ A PDOA buys bulk
bandwidth from
licenced telcos/ISPs,
and re-sells it to
multiple PDOs to
ensure the latter can
offer Wi-Fi connectivity to customers.
§ This nationwide network of public Wi-Fi hotspots is termed PDOs after the public call office (PCO)
concept rolled out by government to set up a nationwide network of landline public pay-phones.
o The government will develop an app to register users and discover the WANI-compliant Wi-Fi
hotspots in the nearby area and display them for accessing internet service.
§ The App provider works closely with the PDOA.
o Central Registry will maintain the details of App Providers, PDOAs, and PDOs. To begin with, the
Central Registry will be maintained by Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT).
o PDOA shall make necessary provisions for storage of user data for one year to ensure compliance
with legal provisions, as required.
o The user data privacy will be ensured by App Providers and PDOAs. Complete user data and usage
logs will be stored within India.
• There shall be no license fee for providing Broadband Internet through these public Wi-Fi networks. A
customer wanting to access the network from a PDO’s premise can do so only after an eKYC
authentication.
15
4.4. DARK NET
Why in News?
Recently, records of 20 million
Bigbasket users were made
available on the dark net.
What is Dark Net?
• Also known as Dark Web, it is
that part of the Internet which
is neither accessible through
traditional search engines like
Google nor is it accessible by
normal browsers like Chrome
or Safari.
• It generally uses non-standard
communication protocols
which make it inaccessible to
internet service providers
(ISPs) or government
authorities.
• The content on Dark Net is
encrypted and requires
specific browser such as TOR
(The Onion Ring) browser to
access those pages.
• Dark Net itself is only a part of
the Deep Web that is a broader
concept, which includes sites that are protected by passwords. For e.g.- A person’s bank statements which
are available online but will not be pulled up in generalised Internet searches. Only difference is that while
the Deep Web is accessible, the Dark Net is deliberately hidden.
o The part of internet that is readily available
TOR (The Onion Ring)
to general public and searchable on
• TOR browser was developed in the mid-1990s by the
standard search engines is called as Surface United States Naval Research laboratory employees
Web. to protect US intelligence communications online.
• It is used by journalists and citizens working in • It is termed so as the traffic from the browser creates
oppressive regimes (to communicate without several layers like those of an Onion before reaching
any government censorship), researchers and the destination site. In other words, unlike normal
students to do research on sensitive topics, law surfing, the computer does not connect directly to
enforcement agencies etc. the server where the website is located. Instead, a
whole series of servers are involved in the
• However, it is surrounded by concerns over
connection in order to create the greatest possible
Anonymity, Haven for illicit activity, Privacy anonymity.
and ethical concerns, use of crypto currencies,
drug dealing, arms trafficking, communication by terrorists etc.
4.5. SUPERCOMPUTER
Why in News?
Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) to commission PARAM Siddhi – India’s Fastest AI
Super Computer.
More on News
• PARAM Siddhi will be India’s largest High-Performance Computing and Artificial Intelligence (HPC-AI)
supercomputer.
o The supercomputer will have speed of210 AI Petaflops
16
• It will be established under National About Supercomputers
Supercomputing Mission (NSM) at • A supercomputer is a computer with a high level of performance
C-DAC with support from NITI as compared to a general-purpose computer. The performance of
Aayog, Ministry of Electronics and IT a supercomputer is commonly measured in floating-point
(MeitY), Department of Science and operations per second (FLOPS).
Technology (DST). • Memory of a supercomputer is averaged around 250000 times of
the usual computer.
About National Supercomputing • Application areas: Climate Modelling, Computational Biology,
Mission Atomic Energy Simulations, National Security/ Defence
Applications, Disaster Simulations and Management,
• NSM was launched in 2015 to
Computational Material Science and Nanomaterials, Cyber
empower national academic and
Physical Systems, Big Data Analytics etc.
R&D institutions by installing a vast • Other Indian Super Computers
supercomputing grid comprising of o Param Shiva- India’s first supercomputer.
more than 70 high-performance o Pratyush located in Indian Institute of Meteorology.
computing facilities. o Mihirlocated in National Centre for Medium Range Weather
• NSM is jointly implemented by Forecasting.
MeitY and DST along with C-DAC • World Fastest Super Computer is Fugaku of Japan with speed of
and IISc as executing agencies. 415 petaFlops.
• NSM envisages:
o Installing network of supercomputers with FLOPS (FLoating-point OPerations per Second )
cumulative capacity of 45 PF, ranging from • It is a common benchmark measurement for rating
few Tera Flops (TF) to Hundreds of TF and the speed of microprocessors.
three systems with greater than or equal to o A MegaFLOPSis equal to one million FLOPS and
a GigaFLOPSis equal to one billion FLOPS.
3 Peta Flops (PF) in academic and research
o A TeraFLOPS is equal to one trillion FLOPS.
institutions of National importance by 2022. o A PetaFLOPS can be measured as one thousand
o Connecting these supercomputers on teraflops.
National Supercomputing grid over
National Knowledge Network – which connects academic institutions and R&D labs over a high-speed
network.
o Development of highly professional High Performance Computing aware human resource.
• Under NSM, ParamShivay – first supercomputer was assembled indigenously and is installed in IIT (BHU).
Param Shakti and Param Brahma were installed at IIT-Kharagpur and IISER, Pune.
4.6. QUANTUM KEY DISTRIBUTION

Why in News?
Recently, a satellite-based communication between two
ground stations was activated by entangled-based
quantum key distribution (QKD).
More on news
• This was achieved by Micius (also known as the
Quantum Experiments at Space Scale), World's first
quantum-enabled satellite. Micius was launched by
China in 2016.
About Quantum Key Distribution
• QKD is a technique that allows for secure distribution
of keys to be used for encrypting and
decrypting messages. Related term: Quantum Supremacy
• It’s the point at which a quantum computer can
• In traditional cryptography, the security is
complete a mathematical calculation that is beyond
usually based on the fact that an adversary is the reach of even the most powerful supercomputer.
unable to solve a certain mathematical • Recently, Sycamore (Google’s quantum computer)
problem. took 200 seconds to perform a calculation that the
• In QKD, security is achieved through the laws of world’s fastest supercomputer, Summit, would have
quantum physics. taken 10,000 years to accomplish.
17
• Two such most important laws are Related News
Superposition and Entanglement. • Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY),
o Superposition means that each Amazon Web Services (AWS) to establish Quantum
quantum bit (basic unit of Computing Applications Lab.
information in a quantum computer) • Lab will
can represent both a 1 and a 0 at the o Provide quantum computing as a service to
same time. government ministries and departments, scientists etc.
o In quantum entanglement, o Enable advances in areas such as manufacturing,
subatomic particles become healthcare, agriculture, and aerospace engineering.
o Help identify problems and opportunities rapidly, and
“entangled” (linked) in such a way
test real-world challenges in a low risk environment.
that any change in one disturbs the
other even if both are at
opposite ends of the
universe.
• Quantum Satellite serves as
source of pairs of entangled
photons, twinned light particles
whose properties remain
intertwined no matter how far
apart they are.
About Quantum Technology
• Quantum technology seeks to
harness laws of quantum physics,
which describe the behaviour of
matter and energy at the atomic
and subatomic level.
• This is unlike classical physics, in
which an object can exist in one place at one time. E.g. classical computers operate using binary physical
state, meaning its operations are based on one of two positions (1 or 0).
• Quantum principles will be used for engineering solutions to extremely complex problems in computing,
communications, sensing, chemistry, cryptography, imaging and mechanics.
4.7. 3D PRINTING POLICY

Why in News?
Ministry of Electronics and
Information Technology
(MeitY) is planning a 3D
printing policy.
More on News
• Policy will help develop a
conducive ecosystem for
design, development and
deployment of 3D
printing and additive
manufacturing.
• The policy would promote 3D printing on an industrial scale and will help domestic companies overcome
technical and economic barriers.
About 3D Printing
• Additive manufacturing or 3D printing is defined as the technology that constructs a three-dimensional
object from a digital 3D model or a Computer-aided design (CAD) model by adding material layer by layer.
• The addition of material can happen in multiple ways, namely power deposition, resin curing, filament
fusing.
18
o The deposition and solidification
Related News
are controlled by computer to
• Recently, MeitY prepared a strategy paper titled “National
create a three-dimensional object.
Strategy on Additive manufacturing (AM).
o These objects can be of almost any • Strategy aims to promote various verticals of the AM sector,
shape or geometry. including machines, materials, software and designs to
• 3D printing is the opposite of leverage the untapped business opportunities that will
subtractive (traditional) unfold in the near future.
manufacturing which is cutting out / • This will further accelerate execution of recommendations
hollowing out a piece of metal or as laid out in the National Electronics Policy, 2019.
plastic with for instance a milling • Its objectives include
machine o Ensure creation of a sustainable ecosystem for the AM
industry to compete globally.
• It allows the creation of lighter, more
o Position India as a global Innovation and Research hub
complex designs that are too difficult
for Additive Manufacturing.
or too expensive to build using o Promote creation of Indian IPR.
traditional dies, molds, milling and
machining.
4.8. DATA EMPOWERMENT AND PROTECTION ARCHITECTURE

Why in news?
Recently, NITI Aayog sought suggestions and comments on the ‘Data Empowerment and Protection
Architecture (DEPA)’ draft.
More on news
• Along with NITI Aayog, the policy involves four regulators across banking, securities, insurance, and
pensions - RBI, SEBI, IRDAI, PFRDA - and the Ministry of Finance coming together to implement this model.
• It has been prepared by iSPIRT, not-for-profit think tank.
What is the current framework for Data Protection in India?
• Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices and Sensitive Personal Data or Information) Rules,
2011for general application with regard to privacy laws.
• Collection of Government Data is governed by Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and other Subsidies,
Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 and Aadhaar (Data Security) Regulations, 2016.
• Data related to the Banking Sector is regulated under Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act, 2005, Credit
Information Companies Regulations, 2006, circulars of Reserve Bank of India including KYC circulars, Master
Circulars on credit cards and Customer Services and Code of Bank's commitment to Customers.
• Data related to the healthcare sector is regulated by Clinical Establishments (Central Government) Rules, 2012 and
Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002.
• As part of potential reforms with regard to the Data Protection regime, Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019
(currently referred to the standing committee), Non-Personal Data Governance Framework and National Digital
Health Mission among others have been envisaged.
19
4.9. NON-PERSONAL DATA
Why in news?
Some key stakeholders mentioned in draft report
The draft report on Non-Personal Data (NPD) • Data principals: natural persons, entities and
Governance Framework was released recently for communities to whom non-personal data (prior to
inviting feedbacks by the committee headed by Kris anonymization or aggregation) relates.
Gopalakrishnan. • Data custodians: entities which undertake collection,
storage and processing of non-personal data.
What is Non-Personal Data? • Data businesses: Horizontal category of businesses
involved in data collection and processing.
• The draft report defines non-personal data as
any set of data which does not contain personally identifiable information, in essence means that no
individual or living person can be identified by looking at such data.
o It includes data sets aggregated and collected by various mobile apps, websites and devices.
• Difference from personal data:
o Unlike personal data, which contains explicit information about a person’s name, age, gender, sexual
orientation, biometrics and other genetic details, non-personal data is more likely to be in an
anonymised form.
o Anonymous data is a data that is initially personal data but is later made anonymous using certain
data transformation techniques, to the extent that individual specific events are no longer
identifiable.
• Classifications of non-personal data: The draft report classifies NPD as:
o Public non-personal data: All the data collected by government and its agencies such as census, data
collected on the total tax receipts or any information collected during execution of all publicly funded
works has been kept under the umbrella of public non-personal data.
§ All Non-Personal Data collected or generated by the Government where such data is explicitly
afforded confidential treatment under a law, like data of land records, public health information,
vehicle registration data shall not constitute Public Non-Personal Data.
o Community non-personal data: Any data identifiers about a set of people who have either the same
geographic location, religion, job, or other common social interests will form the community non-
personal data.
§ E.g. the metadata (set of data that describes and gives information about other data) collected by
ride-hailing apps, telecom companies, electricity distribution companies.
o Private non-personal data: It can be defined as those which are produced by individuals which can be
derived from application of proprietary software or knowledge. Private non-personal data is further
sub-classified into ‘sensitive non-personal data’ & ‘critical non-personal data’.
4.10. AAROGYASETU DATA ACCESS AND KNOWLEDGE SHARING

PROTOCOL, 2020
Why in news?
Recently, Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) had notified Aarogya Setu Data Access and Knowledge Sharing
Protocol, 2020 to address privacy and security concerns with the Aarogya Setu app.
About Aarogya Setu Data Access and Knowledge Sharing Protocol, 2020
• Implementation of the Protocol: MeitY is designated as the agency responsible for the implementation of
this Protocol and its developer, the National Informatics Centre (NIC) shall be responsible for collection,
processing and managing response data collected by the Aarogya Setu.
• Collection and processing of response data: Any response data and the purpose for which it is collected
by NIC shall be clearly specified in the Privacy Policy of the Aarogya Setu mobile application.
o NIC shall collect only such response data as is necessary and proportionate to formulate or implement
appropriate health responses.
o Demographic data will be retained for as long as Protocol remains in force or if individual requests
that it be deleted, for a maximum of 30 days from such request, whichever is earlier.
• Sharing of response data: Data can be shared with other government agencies and third parties as long
as it is for critical health purposes.
20
o Any entity with whom response
data has been shared shall use such
data strictly for the purpose for
which it is shared.
o In any circumstance, such data shall
not ordinarily be retained beyond
180 days from the date on which it
was accessed, after which such data
shall be permanently deleted.
• Response data may be made available
for research purposes to Indian
universities and research institutions/
research entities registered in India by
NIC.
o Recently, Government has made the
Aarogya Setu app open source,
which means developers will be able
to inspect the source code of the
app and modify for changes. The
process of supporting the open-
source development will be
managed by NIC.
• Any violation of these directions may lead to penalties as per Disaster Management Act, 2005 and other
legal provisions as may be applicable.
• The Empowered Group shall review this Protocol after a period of 6 months from the date of this
notification or may do so, at such earlier time as it deems fit.

National Startup • Government nominated 28 non-official members to NSAC
Advisory Council • NSAC is setup to advise the Government on measures needed to build a strong ecosystem
(NSAC) for nurturing innovation and startups in the country to drive sustainable economic growth
and generate large scale employment opportunities.
• Composition
o Chairman: Union Minster for Commerce & Industry.
o Ex-officio members: Nominees of the concerned Ministries/Departments/ Organisations,
not below the rank of Joint Secretary
o Non-official members: nominated by Central government from various categories like
founders of successful start-ups for a period of two years.
EventBot Mobile • Recently, Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) issued an advisory against
Banking Trojan a Trojan called EventBot.
• The EventBot is a mobile Banking Trojan and information stealer that specifically targets the
financial apps on the phone and the financial data of its victim.
• Viruses, worms and Trojan Horses
o A computer virus attaches itself to a program or file so it can spread from one computer
to another, leaving infections as it travels.
o A worm is considered to be a sub-class of a virus. Worms spread from computer to
computer, but unlike a virus, it has the capability to travel without any help from a
person.
o A Trojan horse or Trojan is atype of malware that is often disguised as legitimate
software.
BlackRock • It is a new malware which can steal information like passwords and credit card information
Android Malware from smartphone applications, including Amazon, Facebook, Gmail etc.
• Malware is collective name for a number of malicious software variants, including viruses,
ransomware and spyware.
Data Lake and • It is a cloud based and Artificial Intelligence powered Big Data Analytics platform launched
Project by National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).
Management o With launch of this, NHAI becomes first construction sector organisation to go ‘Fully
Software Digital’
21
• All project documentation, contractual decisions and approvals are now being done through
portal only.
• It will bring benefits like No delays, Quick decision making, No question of missing records,
Work from anywhere/anytime, enhance transparency etc.
DigiBoxx • It is India's first digital asset management platform launched by NITI Aayog. It provides an
easy and secure way to store all the files in one centralised location.
• It is a digital file storage, sharing, and management SaaS (Software as a Service) product
that provides storage options for business as well as individual users.
• It can act as a potential alternative to Google Drive, Dropbox, and Microsoft OneDrive.
• A free account on DigiBoxx gives up to 20 GB of storage space.
Project Loon • It is a network of
stratospheric
balloons
designed to
bring Internet
connectivity to
rural and remote
communities
worldwide.
• It is a project
under a Google
subsidiary.
• Huge helium
filled balloons
are launched at altitudes of 20 km above the earth, above the zone where airplanes fly.
o The balloons can then act as cell towers to receive and transmit signals.
• Recently, Loon set a new record for the longest stratospheric flight by staying in air for 312
days.
Satellite internet • Instead of connecting through copper wires and fiber optic cables, satellite internet entails
use of satellites in space to beam the internet down to an area through satellite dishes.
• It is primarily used to bring connectivity in areas where laying cables is difficult or impossible
such as hilly terrains, remote areas and islands.
• It has bandwidth limitations, gets severely impacted by aberrations in weather, and can be
expensive too.
Super apps • Tata Group is planning to launch an all-in-one super app by the end of this year.
• Super app is a platform developed by a company offering various services under one
umbrella.
o E.g. China’s WeChat started out as a messaging app, expanded into payments, cabs,
shopping, food ordering, etc.
• A country or a region becomes super app-ready when its large base of population has
smartphone first instead of desktop and ecosystem of apps customised to local needs is not
evolved.
National Payment • Pai is an artificial intelligence (AI) based chatbot, to create awareness around NPCI’s
Corporation of products like FASTag, RuPay, UPI, AePS on a real time basis.
India (NPCI) o It was developed by Bengaluru based startup CoRover Private Limited
Launches Pai • NPCI is umbrella organisation for operating retail payments and settlement systems in India.
o It is an initiative of RBI and Indian Banks’ Association under Payment and Settlement
Systems Act, 2007.
Swadeshi • It seeks to invite innovators, startups and students to use these microprocessors to develop
Microprocessor various technology products.
Challenge- • It is aimed at meeting India’s future requirements of strategic and industrial sectors and
Innovate mitigate the issues of security, licensing, technology obsolescence and cutting dependency
Solutions for on imports.
Aatmanirbhar • It was launched by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
Bharat
Bandicoot robots • Recently, Greater Mohali Area Development Authority introduced bandicoot robots that will
clean the sewer manholes in the city.
• Bandicoot is engineered for cleaning any type of sewer manholes.
• It is developed by Genrobotics, a leading private Robotics company in India.
22
2d-Electron • 2DEG is an electron gas with ultra-high mobility, which can speed up transfer of quantum
Gas(2DEG) information and signal from one part of a device to another and increase data storage and
memory.
• Strong spin-orbit coupling and relativistic nature of the electrons in the 2DEG resulted in
Rashba field.
o Rashba effect consists of splitting of spin-bands in an electronic system, might play a
key role in spintronic devices.
• Produced by: Institute of Nano Science and Technology, an autonomous institution of
Department of Science and Technology.
Global Initiative • China has launched this initiative to address global data security issues, a countermove to
on Data Security the US “clean network” programme that is aimed at discouraging other countries from using
Chinese technology.
• Under the initiative, China would call on all countries to handle data security in a
“comprehensive, objective and evidence-based manner” and maintain an open, secure and
stable supply chain for information and communications technology and services.
• It opposes undermining key infrastructure or data theft by using information technology
and forcing firms to store data generated overseas in their home country.

23
5. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
5.1. ACCELERATE VIGYAN
Why in news?
Recently, Science and Engineering
Research Board (SERB) launched
‘Accelerate Vigyan’ scheme to push
scientific research.
About ‘Accelerate Vigyan’ scheme
• The scheme is to boost high-end
scientific research and prepare
scientific manpower that can venture
into research careers by identifying
research potential, mentoring,
training and giving hands-on
workshops on a national scale.
• Components of AV scheme:
o ABHYAAS: To enable and groom
potential PG/PhD students by
developing their research skills in
selected areas across different
disciplines or fields. Scientific and Useful Profound Research Advancement
§ It has two components: High-End (SUPRA) Scheme
Workshops (KARYASHALA) and • It seeks to explore new scientific breakthroughs, with long-
term impact on fundamental scientific understanding, and
Research Internships (VRITIKA).
offer disruptive technologies at the cutting edge.
o SAMMOHAN programme: To
• Important measures of the scheme are: Quantum of
encourage, aggregate and advances, Ability of research outcomes in enhancing
consolidate all scientific interactions scientific knowledge, Global impact, outstanding
in the country under one common publications etc.
roof. • It is designed by Science and Engineering Research Board
§ It has two parts: ‘SAYONJIKA’ to (SERB).
catalogue capacity building o SERB is a statutory body under the Department of
activities in science and Science and Technology.
technology supported by all • The submissions under SERB-SUPRA can only be made
government funding agencies against call for proposals, with public announcement
through SERB online portal and social media.
and ‘SANGOSHTI’ to facilitate the
• The funding will be provided normally for a period of three
scientific community to establish
years, which could be extended to 2 years (5 years total).
an interaction with other
individuals and research groups to enhance knowledge exchange.
• It will seek to garner the social responsibility of the scientific community in the country and is expected
to promote R&D in India.
5.2. DRAFT NATIONAL SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

POLICY
Why in News?
Recently, the draft of 5th National Science Technology and Innovation Policy (STIP) was released by
the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
About STIP
Objective • To identify and address strengths and weaknesses of the Indian Science, Technology, and
Innovation (STI) ecosystem.
• To catalyse socio-economic development of the country.
• Make the Indian STI ecosystem globally competitive.
24
Vision • To achieve technological self-reliance and
position India among the top three scientific
superpowers in the decade to come.
• To focus on critical human capital through a
‘people centric’ STI ecosystem.
• Build individual and institutional excellence
in STI.
• To double the number of Full-Time
Equivalent researchers, Gross Domestic
Expenditure on R&D (GERD) and private
sector contribution to the GERD every 5
years;
Recently, R&D Statistics and Indicators 2019-20
was released by National Science and
Technology Management Information under
DST.
• Key Findings
Features • National STI Observatory will be established as a central repository for all kinds of data from the STI
ecosystem.
• Indian Science and Technology Archive of Research (INDSTA) to provide access to the outputs of
all publicly-funded research.
• Higher Education Research Centres (HERC) and Collaborative Research Centres (CRC) to provide
research inputs to policymakers and bring together stakeholders.
• Research in innovation practices will be made a mandatory component of university/college
teachers’ professional development programmes.
• Advanced Missions in Innovative Research Ecosystem (ADMIRE) initiative for creating hybrid
funding models.
• Research and Innovation Excellence Frameworks (RIEF) will be developed to enhance the quality
of research.
• An institutional architecture to integrate Traditional Knowledge Systems (TKS) and grassroots
innovation into the overall education, research and innovation system.
• An India-centric Equity & Inclusion (E&I) charter will be developed for tackling all forms of
discrimination. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ+) community will be included in
gender equity conversations.
About STIP 2013

• It aimed at promoting a science and technology-led innovation ecosystem in the country and broadly linking
science, technology and innovation to socio-economic priorities.
• This policy also resulted in India’s increased participation in global mega-science initiatives such as the Laser
Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), the Large Hadron Collider (LHC — CERN), the
International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) among others.
5.3. SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AT ROOM TEMPERATURE

Why in news?
For the First Time, Physicists Have Achieved Superconductivity at
Room Temperature.
More on news
• For the first time, physicists have achieved the resistance-free
flow of an electrical current in a material at room
temperature - 15 degrees Celsius (59 degrees Fahrenheit).
o The material used is a combination of carbon, sulphur and
hydrogen.
• Although, the sample sizes used were microscopic and the
pressure at which superconductivity emerged are still rather
impractical. This achievement will pave the way forward for
generation of superconductivity in atmospheric conditions.
25
o Till now, scientists have been able to make materials superconduct only at temperatures much below
zero degree C and hence making practical utility very
difficult, as maintaining such low temperatures are
energy intensive and, thus, expensive.
About Superconductivity
Superconductivity consists of two key elements:
• Zero electrical resistance: Usually, the flow of electrical
current encounters some degree of resistance - a bit like
how air resistance pushes back on a moving object, for
example. The higher the conductivity of a material, the
less electrical resistance it has, and the current can flow
more freely.
• Meissner effect: It is the expulsion of a magnetic field
from interior of a material during its transition to the superconducting state when it is cooled below the
critical temperature.
26
6. SPACE TECHNOLOGY
6.1. ISRO
6.1.1. JOINT LUNAR POLAR EXPLORATION MISSION
Why in News? Details of the mission
Recently, details of Joint Lunar Polar Exploration Launch Year After 2023
(LPE) mission were released by Japan Aerospace Launch Vehicle H3 Rocket
Exploration Agency (JAXA). Launch Mass 6 tonne+
Details of the Mission Payload Mass 350kg+ (including rover)
Operating Period More than 3 months
• It was conceptualized as joint mission Landing Point South pole region of the Moon
between JAXA and Indian Space Research Major Missions Water Detector
Organisation (ISRO) in 2017 which aims to Science instrument
put a lander and a rover on the Moon's Environment Measuring Instrument
surface.
• As per details shared by JAXA (see infographic), it will be launched after 2023.
• The mission would last for about six months and will target a constantly sunlit region near the Moon's
South Pole.
Related News
• JAXA would be building the overall landing module and • Finding, by NASA’s Stratospheric
rover and ISRO would develop lander system. Observatory for Infrared Astronomy
• Rover will conduct an observation of the areas where water (SOFIA), indicates that water may be
may be presently distributed. If it detects hydrogen, the distributed across the lunar surface, and
rover will then mine the surface to collect samples. not limited to cold, shadowed places.
• Objectives of LPE mission o SOFIA, an airborne observatory, is a
o Obtain actual data regarding quantity of water of joint project of NASA and German
areas where water is anticipated to exist. Aerospace Center.
• SOFIA has detected water molecules
o Understand distribution, conditions, form and other
(H2O) in Clavius Crater located in the
parameters of lunar water resources at the moon's Moon’s southern hemisphere.
South Pole.
o Improve technology needed to explore surface of low-gravity celestial bodies in order to support
future lunar activities.
o Determine feasibility of utilizing such resources for sustainable space exploration activities in future.
Why Moon’s South Pole is special?
• Its craters have been untouched by sunlight for billions
of years — offering an undisturbed record of the solar
system's origins.
• Its permanently shadowed craters are estimated to
hold nearly 100 million tons of water.
• Its elemental and positional advantages make it a
suitable pit stop for future space exploration.
• It has traces of hydrogen, ammonia, methane, sodium,
mercury, and silver — making it an untapped source of
essential resources.
6.1.2. MARS ORBITER MISSION

Why in news?
Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Mars Orbiter Mission completed six years of orbiting Mars.
About Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM)
• MOM (also known as Mangalyan) was the first interplanetary mission of ISRO, launched in 2013 by PSLV-
C25 and put into Martian orbit in 2014 in its first attempt.
27
• Its objectives include Other Mars mission in news
o Scientific: exploration of Mars • ExoMars 2022: joint programme of European Space
surface features, morphology, Agency (ESA) and the Russian space agency. It comprises
mineralogy and Martian atmosphere two missions: First, Trace Gas Orbiter – launched in 2016 and,
by indigenous scientific instruments. second, comprising a rover and surface platform, is planned
o Technological: deep space for 2022.
communication, navigation, mission • Mars 2020 Rover: Under this, NASA’s Perseverance rover
will seek signs of ancient life and collect rock and soil
planning and management.
samples for possible return to Earth. It was launched in 2020.
• Mars Orbiter Mission carried five • Hope (Amal) Mission: Launched by UAE in 2020, it is Arab
payloads to accomplish its scientific world’s first mission to Mars.
objectives (refer infographic). • Tianwen-1: It is China’s first Mars exploration mission,
How MOM has helped so far? launched in 2020.
• Helped prepare a Martian Atlas based on the images provided by the orbiter.
• It made a finding that dust storms on the Mars can rise up to hundreds of kilometres.
• Albedo map of Mars has been prepared using MOM will be useful to study the surface properties of Mars.
o Albedo is the fraction of solar energy reflected from planetary surface back into space.
• Recently, Mars Colour Camera (MCC) has captured the image of Phobos, the closest and biggest moon of
Mars.
o Mars has two moons, the other being Deimos.
o Images highlighted craters on Phobos named- Stickney, Shklovsky, Roche&Grildrig.
6.1.3. CHANDRAYAAN 2
Why in News?
Recently, Chandrayaan 2 mission completed 1 year.
About Mission
• Chandrayaan-2, a completely indigenous mission, is India’s second lunar exploration mission with
following basic components:
o Orbiter- will observe the lunar surface and relay communication between Earth and Chandrayaan 2's
Lander.
o Lander (called Vikram)- Designed to execute India's first soft landing on the lunar surface.
o Rover (called Pragyan)- A 6-wheeled, AIpowered vehicle, which will move on the lunar surface and
perform on-site chemical analysis.
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• Launcher- It was launched by Geosynchronous
Mission Payloads
Satellite Launch Vehicle GSLV MkIII-M1. It is
Orbiter payloads
India's most powerful launcher to date, and has
• Terrain Mapping Camera-2 (TMC-2),
been completely designed and fabricated from
• Chandrayaan-2 Large Area Soft X-ray Spectrometer
within the country. (CLASS),
• Some notable features of Chandrayaan 2 • Solar X-ray monitor (XSM),
Mission: • Orbiter High Resolution camera (OHRC)
o Would have been the 1st space mission to • Dual Frequency L and S band Synthetic Aperture
conduct a soft landing on the Moon's South Radar (DFSAR),
Polar Region. • Imaging IR Spectrometer (IIRS),
o 1st Indian expedition to attempt a soft • Chandrayaan-2 Atmospheric Compositional Explorer
landing on the lunar surface with 2 (ChACE-2),
homegrown technology. • Dual Frequency Radio Science (DFRS) experiment.
o 1st Indian mission to explore the lunar Vikram payloads
terrain with home-grown technology. • Radio Anatomy of Moon Bound Hypersensitive
Ionosphere and Atmosphere (RAMBHA),
o Would have been the 4th country ever to
• Chandra's Surface Thermo-physical Experiment
soft land on the lunar surface after the (ChaSTE),
United States, the U.S.S.R. and China. • Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA)
• Primary Objective: To demonstrate the ability Pragyan payloads
to soft-land on the lunar surface and operate a • Alpha Particle Induced X-ray Spectroscope (APXS),
robotic rover on the surface. It seeks to • Laser induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS)
o stimulate the advancement of technology, • Passive Experiment- Laser Retroreflector array (LRA)
o promote global alliances.
• Scientific Objectives Related News
o Moon provides the best linkage to Earth’s • Recently, First set of data from Chandrayaan-2
early history. mission was released for wider public use through
the PRADAN portal hosted by Indian Space Science
o Evidence for water molecules discovered by
Data Centre (ISSDC).
Chandrayaan-1 requires further studies. o ISSDC is the nodal centre of planetary data
o It will also study new rock types with unique archive for planetary missions of ISRO.
chemical composition
Related News
• Recently, Images sent by Chandrayaan-1 indicate
possible impact of Earth's atmosphere on Moon.
More on News
• Images show that Moon may be rusting at poles.
Also, Chandrayaan-1 data indicates that Moon's poles
are home to water.
o Since surface of Moon is known to have iron-rich
rocks, and not water and oxygen, NASA believes
that atmosphere might be partly responsible for
the same.
About Chandrayaan-1
• Launched in 2008. It carried 11 scientific instruments
built in India, USA, UK, Germany, Sweden and
Bulgaria.
o Payloads from India: Terrain Mapping Camera,
Hyper Spectral Imager, Lunar Laser Ranging
Instrument, High Energy X - ray Spectrometer,
Moon Impact Probe.
o Payloads from abroad: Chandrayaan-I X-ray Spectrometer, Near Infrared Spectrometer, Sub keV Atom
Reflecting Analyzer, Miniature Synthetic Aperature Radar, Moon Mineralogy Mapper, Radiation Dose
Monitor.
• It aimed at conducting chemical and mineralogical mapping of the entire lunar surface for distribution of mineral
and chemical elements
• Key findings: Detected water in vapour form in trace amounts, confirmed Ocean Magma Hypothesis, detected x-
ray signals during weak solar flares thus indicating presence of magnesium, aluminum, silicon and calcium on lunar
surface, New spinel-rich rocks.
29
6.1.4. INDIAN REGIONAL NAVIGATION SATELLITE SYSTEM
Why in News?
India’s IRNSS is now part of World Wide Radio
Navigation System (WWRNS)
More on News
• India became the fourth country in the
world to have its independent regional
navigation satellite system recognised by
International Maritime Organisation (IMO)
as a part of WWRNS.
o Other three are US’s GPS, Russia’s
GLONASS and China’s BeiDou.
o IMO is a United Nations agency
responsible for safety and security of
shipping.
o WWRNS is an IMO process whereby
navigation system providers submit
their systems for recognition.
About IRNSS
• IRNSS is designed to provide geospatial
positioning information in the region
extending up to 1500 km from Indian
boundary.
o A constellation of seven satellites - three
in geostationary orbit and four in
geosynchronous orbits.
o It was developed by ISRO to cut down
India's dependency on foreign
navigation satellite systems.
Benefit of being part of WWRNS
• Merchant vessels can use IRNSS for
obtaining position information to assist in
navigation of ships in ocean waters within
the defined area.
• Lessen overdependence on any single GPS
system.
6.1.5. EARTH OBSERVATION SATELLITE (EOS-01)

Why in News?
• Recently, Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, in its fifty first flight (PSLV-C49), successfully launched EOS-01
along with nine international customer satellites from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR,
Sriharikota.
o The nine customer satellites are from Lithuania (1), Luxembourg (4) and USA (4).
About EOS-01
• It is another Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT) that will work together with RISAT-2B and RISAT-2BR1
launched last year.
• It will operate in Low-earth orbit. A low Earth orbit (LEO) is relatively close to Earth's surface. It is normally
at an altitude of less than 1000 km but could be as low as 160 km above Earth.
30
• With EOS-01, ISRO is moving to a new nomenclature
for its earth observation satellites according to the
purpose they are meant for. They were named
thematically till now.
o Cartosat series of satellites were meant to
provide data for land topography and mapping
o Oceansat satellites were meant for
observations over sea.
o Some INSAT-series, Resourcesat series, GISAT,
Scatsat are all earth observation satellites,
named differently for the specific jobs or the
different instruments that they use.
• EOS01 uses synthetic aperture radars to produce
high-resolution images of the land.
o Advantage of radar imaging over optical
instruments is that it is unaffected by weather,
cloud or fog, or the lack of sunlight. It can
produce high-quality images in all conditions
and at all times.
o EOS-01, and its sister RISATs, uses X-band radars
that operate at low wavelengths and are considered best for monitoring of urban landscape, and
imaging of agricultural or forest land.
New PSLV designed for EOS-01
• ISRO used a new variant of its PSLV rocket that has been flown only once before.
• This variant of PSLV does not become waste after depositing its satellite in the orbit.
• Instead, the last stage of the rocket which remains after the satellite is separated can acquire its own orbit and
be used as an orbital platform for other on-board instruments to perform experiments.
6.2. OTHER DEVELOPMENTS RELATED TO INDIA

6.2.1. SPACE BASED REMOTE SENSING
Why in news? About Space Remote Sensing Policy - 2020' (SpaceRS Policy - 2020)
Recently, Department of Space • Policy aims at encouraging various stakeholders in the country to actively
has published a draft ‘Space participate in space based remote sensing activities to enhance
commercialization of space technology.
based Remote Sensing Policy’
• Policy states that Government of India shall:
of India (SpaceRS Policy 2020).
o Promote Indian Industries to carry out space based remote sensing
About Remote Sensing activities within and outside India.
o Enable easy access to space based remote sensing data.
• Remote sensing is the o Concentrate on realisation of space based remote sensing systems to
process of detecting and cater to the country's needs.
monitoring the physical o Provide a timely and responsive regulatory environment for the
characteristics of an commercial Indian industry.
area/object by measuring • Earlier Remote sensing data policy (RSDP) 2011 is said to be more restrictive
its reflected and emitted and provides less opportunities to service providers.
radiation at a distance
(typically from satellite or aircraft).
• Some examples are:
o Cameras on satellites and airplanes take images of large areas on the Earth's surface.
o Sonar systems on ships can be used to create images of the ocean floor without needing to travel to
the bottom of the ocean.
• Remote Sensing data have ability to detect changes, observations at different resolutions due to
characteristics like synoptic view, repetitive coverage with calibrated sensors etc.
• Space based remote sensing is the process of detecting and monitoring the physical characteristics of an
area from satellite, aircraft and Unmanned Arial Vehicle (UAV).
31
• Spectral, spatial, temporal and
polarization signatures are
major characteristics of the
remote sensing, which facilitate
target recognition and
classification.
• Application of the space based
remote sensing includes
identifying and mapping natural
resources, Disaster
management, Agriculture, Rural
and urban development,
Weather and climate,
Governance etc.
6.2.2. INDIAN NATIONAL SPACE PROMOTION AND AUTHORIZATION CENTRE

(IN-SPACE)
Why in news?
About New Space India Limited
Government has created Indian National • It was founded in 2019, by Department of Space (DOS) to
Space Promotion and Authorization bridge gap between ISRO and private sector and facilitates
Centre (IN-SPACe) to boost private sector transfer of ISRO technologies to industry.
participation in entire range of space • It is a wholly-owned Government of India company, under
the administrative control of DOS.
activities.
• It will not replace ANTRIX, a private limited company owned
About IN-SPACe by Government of India in 1992 as a Marketing arm of ISRO.
• It is the new entity of the Department of Space which will have its own chairperson and board.
o It will regulate and promote building of routine satellites, rockets and commercial launch services
through Indian industry and startups.
o It will have its own directorates for technical, legal, safety and security, monitoring and activities
promotion.
• It will act as an interface between ISRO and private parties, and assess how best to utilise India’s space
resources and increase space-based activities.
o It will function autonomously and parallel to ISRO.
o ISRO will remain the basic body that decides what missions are to be undertaken but IN-SPACe will
help fill the gaps.
• It is the second space organisation created by the government in the last two years. The first one was New
Space India Limited (NSIL).
6.2.3. INDIA’S FIRST IN-ORBIT SPACE DEBRIS MONITORING AND TRACKING

SYSTEM
Why in News? About Space Debris
Recently, Digantara, India’s first air • Space debris encompasses both natural (meteoroid) and artificial
(man-made) particles. Meteoroids are in orbit about the sun, while
and space surveillance company, has
most artificial debris is in orbit about the Earth.
developed India’s first in-orbit o Hence, the latter is more commonly referred to as orbital debris.
Space debris monitoring and • There are more than 20,000 pieces of debris orbiting the Earth
tracking system. traveling at speeds up to 17,500 mph, fast enough to damage a satellite
About the Debris monitoring and or a spacecraft.
tracking system • There are no international space laws to clean up debris in LEO.
• System will provide global real-time earth coverage by deploying a constellation of cost-efficient nano
satellites in LEO (Low Earth Orbit) and a space-based air surveillance payload for accurate tracking of
both aircraft and space objects.
32
How will it work?
• Team developed an Orbit space debris Monitor using LiDAR (light detection and ranging) technology
which detects and maps any space debris less than 5 cm in size.
• LiDAR is a remote sensing technology that uses light in the form of a pulsed laser to measure ranges
(distances) to a target.
o A LiDAR instrument principally consists of a laser, a scanner, and a specialized GPS receiver.
CMS- 01 • Recently, ISRO launched the country’s 42nd communication satellite CMS-01.
• CMS-01 is envisaged to provide services in the Extended-C Band of the frequency spectrum
whose coverage will include the Indian mainland, Andaman-Nicobar and Lakshadweep
Islands.
• Satellite will be the first in a new series of communication satellites by India after the
GSAT and INSAT series.
ASTROSAT • Recently, Scientists discovered one of the earliest galaxies using India’s ASTROSAT.
• Also, AstroSat’s Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope spotted rare ultraviolet-bright stars in a
massive intriguing cosmic dinosaur (globular cluster NGC 2808) in the Milky Way.
• ASTROSAT is India’s first dedicated multi wavelength space observatory.
o It observes universe in optical, Ultraviolet, low and high energy X-ray regions of the
electromagnetic spectrum.
§ Light waves with shorter wavelengths (and higher frequencies) have more energy
so types of light like gamma rays, X-rays, and ultraviolet light are more energetic than
visible light
o It was launched in a 650-km, near-equatorial orbit.
Himalayan • Recently, HCT completed 20 years of its operation.
Chandra • It is an optical-infrared telescope that aims to study solar system bodies and star formation in
Telescope (HCT) external galaxies.
o The telescope has been used in many coordinated international campaigns.
• It is installed at Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO), Ladakh.
• It is remotely operated from the Centre for Research & Education in Science &Technology,
Indian Institute of Astrophysics.
• It is named after India-born Nobel laureate Subrahmanyam Chandrasekhar.
o He was one of the first scientists to couple the study of physics with the study of
astronomy.
o He proved that there was an upper limit to the mass of a white dwarf. This limit, known as
the Chandra limit, showed that stars more massive than the Sun would explode or form
black holes as they died.
o In 1983 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on the physical processes
involved in the structure and evolution of stars.
India’s Second • It is being setup in Thoothukudi (formerly known as Tuticorin) district in Tamil Nadu.
Rocket Launch • The project will house one launch pad exclusively for small satellite launch vehicles (SSLV).
Pad • India presently has one rocket port at Sriharikota in AndhraPradesh with two launch pads.
• Why was Thoothukudi chosen?
o Geostrategic Location: In polar missions, the PSLV from Sriharikota must perform a dogleg
manoeuvre (deviation of rocket from straight flight path) to avoid flying over Sri Lanka, to
protect it from rocket debris.
§ Rockets launched from Thoothukudi don’t require this manoeuvre as there is no
landmass along the flight path in the southward direction. It will also improve the
payload capability.
o Proximity to critical infrastructure: Thoothukudi is around 70-100 kms away from ISRO’s
Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) in Tirunelveli.
o Proximity to Earth’s equator: India prefers its spaceports as close to the equator as
possible and located on the east coast for two reasons:
§ Earth’s rotation provides a speed boost to rockets launched and strength of the boost
is higher closer to the equator.
§ In the event of a failure, debris from an explosion would fall into the Bay of Bengal
instead of land.
33
Lithium in Stars • Stars, as per known mechanisms of evolution, destroy lithium as they evolve into red giants.
Planets were known to have more lithium than their stars — as is the case with the Earth-Sun
pair.
• However, some
stars were found
that were lithium-
rich leading to a
contradiction in the
earlier
understanding.
• According to
research by Indian
scientists, when
stars grow beyond
their Red Giant stage into the Red Clump stage, they produce lithium in what is known as a
Helium Flash and this is what enriches them with lithium.
Sonic boom • It is a thunder-like noise heard on ground when an aircraft or other type of aerospace vehicle
flies overhead faster than the speed of sound, or “supersonic.”
o As long as the source of the sound keeps moving slower than the speed of sound itself,
this source– say a truck or a plane – remains nested within the sound waves that are
travelling in all directions.
o When an aircraft travels at supersonic speed, field of sound waves moves to the rear of
the craft.
• Recently, it was heard in Bengaluru, emanating from an Indian Air Force test flight.
Space bricks • Researchers from ISRO and the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru has developed a
sustainable process to make space bricks on the lunar surface.
o It uses urea sourced from human urine, which could be mixed with lunar soil to build
structures on the moon.
6.3. NASA
6.3.1. NASA’S HELIOPHYSICS MISSIONS
Why in News?
Recently, NASA approved two Heliophysics Missions to Explore Sun, Earth’s Aurora.
About missions
• Missions will explore the Sun and the system that
drives space weather near Earth. This will help
scientists understand the Sun and Earth as an
interconnected system.
• Extreme Ultraviolet High-Throughput Spectroscopic
Telescope (EUVST) mission
o EUVST is a solar telescope that will study how the
sun's atmosphere releases solar wind and drives
eruptions of solar material. Mission, also known as
Solar-C, is led by Japan Aerospace Exploration
Agency.
§ Solar wind is created by the outward expansion of plasma (a collection of charged particles) from
the Sun's corona (outermost atmosphere).
§ Solar winds can disrupt About Auroras
communications, navigation systems, • Auroras are caused by the interaction of energetic
and satellites. particles (electrons and protons) of the solar wind
• Electrojet Zeeman Imaging Explorer (EZIE) with atoms of the upper atmosphere. Aurora occurs
Mission primarily in high latitudes of both hemispheres.
o EZIE mission will study electric currents in • Auroras in the Northern Hemisphere are called
Earth's atmosphere linking aurora to the aurora borealis, aurora polaris, or northern lights,
Earth's magnetosphere. and in the Southern Hemisphere aurora australis, or
southern lights.
34
§ Magnetosphere is the region of space surrounding Earth where the dominant magnetic field is
the magnetic field of Earth, rather than of interplanetary space.
§ Magnetosphere is formed by the interaction of solar wind with Earth's magnetic field.
• Some other solar missions: European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter, Nasa’s Parker Solar Probe, India’s
Aditya-L1 mission.
About Plasma – Fourth state of matter
6.3.2. FIFTH STATE OF MATTER • Plasma is like a gas, but comprised of positive ions and free
electrons with little or no overall electric charge.
Why in news? • Because of presence of charged ions, plasma is highly
electrically conductive and responds strongly to magnetic
NASA Scientists recently observed the fifth
and electric fields (unlike gas).
state of matter in space for the first time as • Plasmas have no fixed shape or volume, and are less dense
part of Bose Einstein Condensates (BEC) than solids or liquids.
Experiments aboard the International Space • Plasma is the most common state of matter in the Universe
Station (ISS). comprising more than 99% of our visible universe.
• Plasma occurs naturally in sun, the core of stars, quasars,
Fifth state of matter
X-ray beam emitting pulsars and supernovas.
• The existence of BEC, also known as the • On Earth, plasma naturally occurs in flames, lightening and
fifth state of matter was predicted by the auroras.
Albert Einstein and Indian mathematician • Plasmas can be formed by heating a gas to high
Satyendra Nath Bose in early 1920s. temperatures, as, when heated, the atoms in the gas either
gain or lose electrons (ionization).
o Solids, liquids, gases and plasma are
the other four states of matter.
• BEC is a super cooled gas that no longer behaves as
individual atoms and particles, but rather an entity
in a single quantum state.
• BECs are formed when atoms of certain elements
are cooled to near absolute zero (0 Kelvin, minus
273.15 Celsius).
• When they reach that temperature, the atoms
become a single entity with quantum properties,
wherein each particle also functions as a wave of
matter.
• BECs are extremely fragile and the slightest
interaction with the external world is enough to
warm them past their condensation threshold.
• This makes it nearly impossible for scientists to
study them on Earth, where gravity interferes with
the magnetic fields required to hold them in place
for observation.
6.4. ANNULAR SOLAR ECLIPSE

Why in news? Lunar nodes
Recently, the annular solar eclipse and summer solstice • The Moon’s orbit around the Earth is tilted
occurred on the same day for the first time in 19 years. with relation to the Earth’s orbital plane by 5
degrees with two intersecting points –
About Solar eclipse
‘Ascending Node’ and ‘Descending Node.’
A solar eclipse occurs at New Moon, when the moon • Thus, despite the Moon being between the
moves between the Sun and the Earth. Solar eclipses Earth and Sun on every new Moon, the three
happen once every 18 months. Unlike lunar eclipses, solar do not always come on a straight line or cause
eclipses only last for a few minutes. an eclipse.
There are four types of eclipses: • These nodes also rotate around the Earth once
in 18 years.
• Total solar eclipse: Total solar eclipses are rare at any • In this way, if a new Moon takes place when a
particular location because totality exists only along a node is also between the Earth and Sun, the
narrow path on the Earth's surface traced by the three come in a straight line and an eclipse
Moon's full shadow or umbra. takes place.
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o It happens when:
§ it is New Moon.
§ the Moon is near perigee (the
closest point of the Moon from
Earth).
§ the Moon is at (or very near) a
lunar node, so the Earth, the
Moon, and the Sun are aligned in
a straight (or nearly straight) line.
o It is visible only from a small area on
Earth.
o People who are able to view the total
solar eclipse are in the centre of the
moon’s shadow as and when it hits
the Earth.
• Partial solar eclipse: This happens when the sun, moon and Earth are
not exactly lined up. The sun appears to have a dark shadow on only a
small part of its surface.
• Annular solar eclipse (ASE):
o It occurs when the angular diameter of the Moon falls short of
that of the Sun so that it cannot cover up the latter completely.
o Since the moon does not block the sun completely, it looks like a
“dark disk on top of a larger sun-colored disk” forming a “ring of
fire” (or annulus).
o For an ASE to take place, three things need to happen-
§ there should be a New Moon
§ the Moon should be at or very near a lunar node so that the
Sun, Moon and the Earth all are in a straight line
§ the Moon should be near the apogee (the farthest point of the
Moon from Earth) so that the outer edge of the Sun is visible.
o During one of the phases of the ASE a phenomena called Bailey’s
Beads’ are visible. This is a thin fragmented ring caused by passage of sunlight through the rough edge
of the Moon.
o This is the only time when one can find two shadows for everything in all the sides under the sunlight
because the light source during Annularity is a giant illuminating ring.
o During partial and annular solar eclipses, it is dangerous to view sun without proper equipment and
techniques. Not using proper methods and equipment for viewing can cause permanent eye damage
or severe visual loss.
• Hybrid Eclipse: This is a very rare eclipse where the eclipse will only be annular for the first few seconds.
For the rest it will be a total eclipse.
6.5. MAGNETIC FIELD OF SUN’S CORONA

Why in News?
Global magnetic field of Sun’s corona was measured for the first time.
More on News
• Corona is the outermost layer of the Sun's atmosphere, consisting of hot, diffuse, and highly ionized
plasma.
• Sun’s magnetic field governs many aspects of the Sun's behavior such as 11-year solar cycle, solar
eruptions etc.
• Till now, solar magnetic fields were measured only at Sun’s surface (photosphere).
o Magnetic field information of whole atmosphere of sun is required to understand the interplay
between solar plasma and magnetic field.
• Researchers used a technique known as coronal seismology or magneto seismology to measure the
coronal magnetic field.
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o This method uses magnetic waves, known as
Alfvénwaves, that are observed to travel along
with the magnetic fields.
o This study is first time that a global map of the
coronal magnetic field has been obtained
• Study will help in understanding
o Reasons which causes corona to heat up, though
the photosphere is cooler than the interior.
§ Core of the Sun is at about 15 million degrees,
photosphere is a mere 5700 degrees hot and
corona is at one million degrees or more.
o Mechanisms of eruptions of the Sun, such as
solar flares and coronal mass ejections.
Related News
• Solar Cycle 25 started in December 2019.
o Sun is a huge ball of electrically-charged hot gas. This charged gas moves, generating a powerful magnetic
field.
o Sun's magnetic field goes through a cycle, called solar cycle.
§ Every 11 years or so, Sun's magnetic field completely flips. This means that the Sun's north and south poles
switch places.
o Scientists track a solar cycle by using sunspots, an area on the Sun that appears dark on the surface as they
are relatively cooler than surrounding parts.
§ Beginning of a solar cycle is a solar minimum, or when the Sun has the least sunspots. Over time, solar
activity, and the number of sunspots, increases
o During a solar cycle, giant eruptions on the Sun can have a major effect on radio communications, Global
Positioning Systems (GPS) connectivity, power grids, and satellites
6.6. DISCOVERY OF PULSARS Neutron stars, Pulsars and Magnetars

• Neutron stars are formed when a massive star runs
Why in News? out of fuel and collapses.
o Core of the star collapses, crushing together
• Recently, The Royal Society unveiled a new every proton and electron into a neutron.
portrait of astrophysicist Dame Jocelyn Bell • If the core of the collapsing star is between about 1
Burnell, who is credited with discovering and 3 solar masses, these newly-created neutrons can
pulsars in 1967. stop the collapse, leaving behind a neutron star.
o Discovery was recognised by a Nobel Prize o Stars with higher masses will continue to
in physics in 1974 that was shared by two collapse into stellar-mass black holes.
professors, Antony Hewish (Burnell’s • Magnetar is another type of neutron star.
o In a typical neutron star, the magnetic field is
supervisor) and Martin Ryle.
trillions of times that of the Earth's magnetic field;
What are Pulsars? o However, in a magnetar, the magnetic field
is another 1000 times stronger.
• Pulsars are rapidly rotating neutron stars that
emit radio-frequency pulses.
• Pulsars are highly magnetic. Pulsars
have magnetic fields that range
from 100 million times to 1
quadrillion (a million billion) times
stronger than Earth's.
• Pulsars can radiate light in multiple
wavelengths, from radio waves all
the way up to gamma-rays, the most
energetic form of light in the
universe.
o Also, the beam of radio waves
emitted by a pulsar may not
pass through the field of view of an Earth-based telescope, preventing astronomers from seeing it.
• Scientists use pulsars to study extreme states of matter, gravitational waves, search for planets beyond
Earth's solar system and measure cosmic distances.
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6.7. FIRST POTENTIAL RADIO SIGNAL FROM EXOPLANET
Why in News? About Exoplanets
• Recently, a potential radio • Exoplanets are the planets that orbit around stars other than the Sun.
signal was collected for the They are very hard to see directly with telescopes as they are hidden by
the bright glare of the stars they orbit.
first time from an exoplanet
• Some of the exoplanets discovered so far:
system about 51 light-years
o Super earth: It is an exoplanet that is similar to size of Earth but with
away from our solar system. more mass than Earth and less than a larger planet like Uranus or
More on News Neptune.
o Kepler-1649c: It is Earth-size exoplanet300 light-years away which
• The emission bursts were was recently discovered from data of NASA’s Kepler space
uncovered from the Tau telescope (retired in 2018).
Bootes star-system which o K2-18b: It is more than eight times the mass of Earth and orbits a red
contains a binary star system dwarf star 124 light-years away from Earth in the Leo constellation.
and an exoplanet. o WASP-76b: It is 640 light-years from earth.
• Fomalhaut B, one of the first exoplanets ever discovered, was recently
• Observing an exoplanet's
confirmed a cloud of dust and not an exoplanet.
magnetic field helps
astronomers decipher a planet's interior and atmospheric properties, as well as the physics of star-planet
interactions.
o The magnetic field of Earth-like exoplanets may contribute to their possible habitability by shielding
their own atmospheres from solar wind and cosmic rays, and protecting the planet from atmospheric
loss.
o Earth's magnetic field protects it from solar wind dangers, keeping the planet habitable.
6.8. DARK MATTER NOT ‘SUPER HEAVY’ OR ‘SUPER LIGHT’

Why in News?
• Scientists have narrowed down the range of masses within which particles that could make up dark
matter may lie using Quantum gravity.
o Quantum gravity is a combination of Einstein’s concepts of quantum physics and general relativity and
it attempts to explain how gravity works on the universe's smallest particles.
More on News
• Research shows that the dark matter particles can neither be super light nor super heavy unless there is a
‘force acting on it that is yet unknown’.
• Dark matter and dark energy constitute 95% of the Universe.
o Roughly 27% is dark matter which is considered to be responsible for holding the galaxies together.
o Another 68% of the Universe is believed to be made up of dark energy which is responsible for the
accelerated expansion of the Universe.
• Dark matter is completely invisible to light and other forms of electromagnetic radiation, making it
impossible to detect with current instruments.
• However, its gravitational effects are necessary to explain the motions of clusters of galaxies and the
structure of the entire Universe at the largest scale.
6.9. SATURN'S TILT CAUSED BY ITS MOONS

Why in News? Missions to Saturn:
• A team of researcher • Pioneer 11, launched by NASA, was the first spacecraft to study Saturn up
close. The mission ended in 1995.
reported that Saturn’s axial
• Voyager 1 and 2, launched by NASA, to conduct close-up studies of Jupiter
tilt is caused by the
and Saturn, Saturn’s rings, and the larger moons of the two planets.
gravitational pull of • Cassini probe to explore Saturn’s atmosphere, rings, magnetosphere, and
Saturn’s moons as they moons.
migrate away from their o It has successfully found geysers on Saturn’s moon Eneladus, evidence
host planet. that its moon Titan is Earth-like, and Saturn’s rings are active and
dynamic.
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o They also predict that the planet will keep tilting in the future for a few billion years.
About Saturn
• Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second
largest planet in our solar system and is made mostly of
hydrogen and helium.
o Saturn's rings are thought to be pieces of comets,
asteroids or shattered moons that broke up before they
reached the planet, torn apart by Saturn's powerful
gravity.
o Saturn is the planet with most moons. Titan is the
largest moon of Saturn and the second-largest natural
satellite in the Solar System.
ü Jupiter's moon Ganymede is largest.
About Saturn’s Tilt
• Its axis is tilted by 26.73 degrees with respect to its orbit around the Sun, which is similar to Earth's 23.5-
degree tilt. This means that, like Earth, Saturn experiences seasons.
o Astronomers propose that earth’s tilt is due to energetic collisions between the ‘planetessimals’
which eventually coalesced to form the planets.
ü Planetesimal, one of a class of bodies that are theorized to have coalesced to form Earth and the
other planets after condensing from concentrations of diffuse matter early in the history of the
solar system.
6.10. RECENT SPACE RELATED PHENOMENON AND FINDINGS

Asteroid 16 Psyche • Asteroid 16 Psyche, which orbits between Mars and Jupiter, is one of the most massive
objects in the asteroid belt in our solar system.
o Asteroids, sometimes called minor planets, are rocky, airless remnants left over
from the early formation of solar system.
• A recent study has found that asteroid 16 Psyche could be made entirely of metal and
is worth an estimated $10,000 quadrillion, more than the entire economy of Earth.
Asteroid 2020 ND • Recently, Asteroid 2020 ND made a fly-past the Earth.
• NASA classified it as the Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) and also as a Near
Earth Object (NEO).
o NEOs are comets and asteroids moved by the gravitational attraction of nearby
planets into orbits which allow them to enter the Earth’s neighborhood. These
objects are composed mostly of water ice with embedded dust particles.
o Asteroids with a minimum orbit intersection distance (MOID) of about 0.05 AU,
and bigger than150 meters in diameter are considered PHAs.
§ MOID is the distance between the closest points of the overlapping orbits of
two bodies.
§ AU is the distance between Earth and Sun and is roughly 150 million km.
• NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Study (CNEOS) determines the times and
distances of these objects as and when their approach to the Earth is close.
• Scientists have suggested different ways to ward off such threats, such as blowing up
the asteroid before it reaches Earth, or deflecting it off its Earth-bound course by
hitting it with a spacecraft.
o One such project is, Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment (AIDA), which
includes NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission and the
European Space Agency’s (ESA) Hera.
Geminid Meteor • Geminid Meteor showers occur every year around the second week of December.
Shower o A meteor is a meteoroid that enters Earth's atmosphere.
o Meteoroids are objects in space that range in size from dust grains to small
asteroids.
• Geminid meteors are created by tiny bits of rocky debris shed from a small asteroid
named 3200 Phaethon, which was discovered in 1983.
o Phaethon loops around the Sun every 1.4 years in an orbit that approaches the
Sun closer than any other known asteroid.
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Comet NEOWISE • It was spotted for the first time by NASA in March 2020 with the help of its Near-Earth
(C/2020 F3) Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE) telescope.
• Comets are dusty snowballs which orbit the Sun. They are made of ices, such as water,
carbon dioxide, ammonia and methane, mixed with dust.
o These materials came from the time when the Solar System was formed.
Milky Way look alike • An extremely distant look-alike galaxy (named SPT0418-47)of Milky Way was found,
Galaxy found which is 12 billion light-years away from Earth.
• A galaxy is a large group of stars, gas, and dust bound together by gravity.
o Sun (a star) and all the planets around it are part of a galaxy known as the Milky
Way Galaxy.
• Andromeda Galaxy, also known as Messier 31, M31, or NGC 224 is the nearest major
galaxy to the Milky Way.
o It is spiral in shape, visible with naked eye from earth and is having same
magnitude of virial mass as Milky way.
Proxima Centauri • Astronomers looking for alien life have recently picked up an intriguing radio wave
emission from the direction of Proxima Centauri.
• Proxima Centauri is nearest star to the Sun. It is 4.2 light-years away from the Sun.
• Its mass is about an eighth of the Sun’s, and it is too dim to be seen with the naked eye
from Earth.
Extreme Helium Star • Recently, presence of singly ionised ﬂuorine was detected in the atmosphere, that
(EHe) makes a strong case that the main formation of EHe involves a merger of a carbon-
oxygen and a Helium (He) white dwarf.
• EHe is low-mass super giant star that is almost devoid of hydrogen, and has abundance
of surface helium.
o This is in contrast to majority of Stars (including Sun) which contain some 70%
hydrogen (by mass) throughout their lives.
• EHe stars are much larger and hotter than Sun despite being less massive.
Dwarf Planet Ceres • This status was given as scientists have determined that Ceres has a brine (solution of
given status of an salt in water) reservoir, making it “water rich”.
“ocean world” • Ceres is a dwarf planet which lies in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
o There are officially five dwarf planets in our Solar System. The other four, in order
of size, are Eris, Makemake, Haumea and Ceres.
• Criteria for dwarf planet are
o Body orbits around the Sun.
o Not a satellite of any planet.
o Has not cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit.
o Has enough mass for its gravity to pull it into a roughly spherical shape.
Venusian Atmosphere • Venus takes 243 Earth days to rotate once around its axis. Despite this very slow
Rotates Faster than the rotation, Venus’s atmosphere rotates westward 60 times faster than its planetary
Planet Itself rotation. This phenomenon, called super rotation, was first discovered in the 1960s.
• Venus atmosphere is thick and full of clouds of sulfuric acid. Its atmosphere heats so
much making it hottest planet in solar system.
• Sun heats planet’s dayside, creating atmospheric tidal waves due to temperature
difference with night side. These thermal tides push atmosphere around planet,
making it rotate quickly.
Opposition event • Opposition is the event when sun, Earth and an outer planet (Mars in this case) are
lined up, with the Earth in the middle.
• The time of opposition is the point when the outer planet is typically also at its closest
distance to the Earth for a given year. And because it is close, the planet appears
brighter in the sky.
• Due to opposition event, Mars will outshine Jupiter, becoming the third brightest
object (moon and Venus are first and second, respectively) in the night sky during the
month of October.
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6.11. OTHER SPACE MISSIONS
NASA
Mars 2020 • Under this, NASA’s Perseverance rover will seek signs of ancient life and collect rock
and soil samples for possible return to Earth.
• The rover is equipped with specialized equipment to collect data, analyse weather
conditions that can help plan for future human missions, and produce oxygen from the
carbon-dioxide rich atmosphere.
• The mission also includes the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter. Ingenuity will be the first
aircraft to attempt controlled flight on another planet.
Artemis Accords'' for • Artemis Accord are a series of bilateral agreements between NASA and its
Responsible Space international partners that want to cooperate on Artemis program
Exploration o Artemis is NASA’s moon mission under which it will land the first woman and the
next man on Moon by 2024.
• It has been established to create common set of principles to govern the civil
exploration and use of outer space at times when numerous countries and private
sector players conducting missions and operations in cislunar space (space between
earth and moon).
• The agreement includes various norms such as transparency, peaceful exploration,
Interoperability of systems, Registration of Space Objects, Orbital Debris & Spacecraft
Disposal etc.
• Accord is based on the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 that was created to ensure fairness
and peaceful relationships at a time when humans were first exploring the final
frontier.
• France, Japan, Australia and Canada have already shown their support. India has not
clarified its stand yet.
OSIRIS-Rex (Origins • It is a NASA spacecraft, that will travel to near-Earth asteroid, called Bennu and bring
Spectral Interpretation sample back to Earth for study.
Resource Identification • It was launched in 2016, and first sample collection attempt was scheduled for October
Security - Regolith 2020, during which spacecraft descended to Bennu’s surface and collect material.
Explorer) • It is scheduled to depart Bennu in 2021 and will return sample to Earth in 2023.
• It will help scientists investigate how planets formed and how life began, and improve
understanding of asteroids.
Astrophysics • It is NASA’s new mission to send a telescope, on a football stadium-sized balloon, high
Stratospheric into the stratosphere to observe wavelengths of light invisible from the Earth.
Telescope for High • The mission will try to find answers about formation of giant stars in the galaxy.
Spectral Resolution • It is to be launched in December 2023 from Antarctica.
Observations at
Submillimeter-
wavelengths
(ASTHROS)
Antarctic Impulsive • ANITA instrument is a radio telescope to detect ultra-high energy cosmic-ray neutrinos
Transient Antenna from a scientific balloon flying over the continent of Antarctica.
(ANITA) o A neutrino is a subatomic particle that is very similar to an electron, but has no
electrical charge and a very small mass.
o They are one of the most abundant particles in the universe.
• ANITA is the first NASA observatory for neutrinos of any kind.
SpaceX Demo-2 Mission • It is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program (CCP) to certify if SpaceX’s crew
transportation system can be used to ferry crew to and from International Space
Station(ISS) regularly.
o CCP has worked with several American aerospace industry companies with aim of
developing reliable and cost-effective access to and from ISS.
CHINA
Chang’e 5 • China’s Chang’e 5 mission recently returned to Earth, loaded with moon rocks – the
first since the Soviet Union’s Luna 24 mission in 1976.
o China is the third country to have retrieved lunar samples after U.S and Russia.
• The Chang'e-5 mission collected material in an area north of the Mons Rumker known
as Oceanus Procellarum or "Ocean of Storms" which is a vast, unexplored lava plain.
BeiDou • It is China’s navigation satellite system to provide global services which became
operational recently.
41
• BeiDou provides positioning accuracy of up to 10cm. Global Positioning System (GPS),
owned by the US is accurate to about 30cm.
• More than 100 countries including Pakistan and countries part of the Belt and Road
Initiative (BRI) are already using the system.
• Other Navigation Satellite Systems: GLONASS (Russia), Galileo (EU), GPS (US), QZSS
(Japan) and IRNSS (India).
European Space Agency (ESA)
Ariel (Atmospheric • It is a space telescope planned for launch in 2029 under European Space Agency's
Remote-sensing Cosmic Vision programme.
Infrared Exoplanet o The consortium comprises more than 50 institutes from 17 European countries.
Large-survey)Space • It will perform a large-scale survey of over a thousand exoplanets over a period of four
Mission years and will study the nature, formation and evolution of exoplanets.
JAPAN
Hayabusa 2 • Hayabusa 2 is a Japanese mission launched in 2014 on a six-year mission to study
asteroid Ryugu and to collect samples to bring to Earth for analysis.
o Recently, it landed safely in Australia.
o Ryugu is a carbonaceous near-Earth asteroid.
• Mission seeks to answer some fundamental questions about the origins of the solar
system and where molecules like water came from.
UAE
Hope Mission • UAE spacecraft Amal (Hope) has been launched which is the Arab world’s first mission
to Mars. Hope is the UAE’s fourth space mission and first interplanetary mission.
• It will orbit Mars to study the Martian atmosphere and its interaction with outer space
and solar winds.
Joint Collaboration
Solar Orbiter • It is an international collaboration between the ESA and NASA, to study the Sun.
• It was launched in February 2020, and completed its first close pass of the Sun in mid-
June.
• It is the nearest probe with sensors facing Sun(77 million kms away from Sun)and the
closest with cameras that can capture our closest star at extreme proximity.
• Recently, first images from Solar Orbiter have revealed omnipresent miniature solar
flares, dubbed ‘campfires’, near the surface of sun.
BepiColombo • It is a joint endeavor between the ESA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
(JAXA).
• It is first European mission to Mercury and is the first to send two spacecraft to make
complementary measurements of Mercury and its dynamic environment at same time.
• It consists of two individual orbiters: ESA’s Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) and
JAXA’s Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO, or ‘Mio’).
• Recently, it successfully completed its first flyby of Venus.
Other important developments
Starlink • Starlink is a network of satellites being built by SpaceX, an aerospace company.
• It will deliver high speed broadband internet to locations where access has been
unreliable, expensive, or completely unavailable.
• The satellite network operates at 550km above the Earth’s surface in low Earth orbit
(LEO), unlike conventional internet satellites that are positioned much higher, at over
35,000km.
• At end of life, the satellites will utilize their on-board propulsion system to deorbit
over the course of a few months.
Stardust 1.0 • Stardust 1.0 was launched from Loring Commerce Centre, US, becoming the first
commercial space launch powered by biofuel, which is non-toxic for the environment
as opposed to traditionally used rocket fuels.
• The rocket is manufactured by bluShift, an aerospace company based in Maine. These
rockets will help to launch small satellites called cubesats into space.
• Biofuels are obtained from biomass, which can be converted directly into liquid fuels
that can be used as transportation fuels.
• The two most common kinds of biofuels in use today are ethanol and biodiesel and
they both represent the first generation of biofuel technology.
New Shepard • It is reusable suborbital rocket system designed to take astronauts and research
payloads past the Karman line (the internationally recognized boundary of space).
• It was launched by US based space company Blue Origin.
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• It is named after astronaut Alan Shepard, the first American to go to space.
Thirty Meter Telescope • Indian astronomers collaborated with 2020 Physics Nobel Laureate Prof. Andrea Ghez
(TMT) project on TMT project.
• TMT is a proposed new class of extremely large telescopes that will allow seeing
deeper into space and observing cosmic objects with unprecedented sensitivity.
o It is a joint venture of five countries-India (Department of Science and
Technology), Canada, US, China and Japan.
o It is being installed at Mauna Kea in Hawaii.
• The level of contribution determines the amount of viewing time, or slots, that the
member-countries’ scientists get on the machine.
• TMT would be more than 200 times more sensitive than current telescopes and would
be able to resolve objects 12 times better than the Hubble Space Telescope.
US Spacecraft to be • Next spacecraft carrying supplies to International Space Station will be called SS
named after Kalpana Kalpana Chawla.
Chawla • Kalpana Chawla was born in Karnal, Haryana on March 17, 1962. She began her career
at NASA in 1988.
o Her work concentrated on the simulation of complex air flows encountered by
aircraft flying in ground-effect.
o She became the first woman of Indian descent to go to space.
• She lost her life during the STS-107 mission (2003) when Space Shuttle Columbia
disintegrated upon reentering the Earth’s atmosphere.
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7. HEALTH
7.1. FOOD AND HEALTH
7.1.1. TRANS FATS
Why in news?
About Trans fat
World Health Organization • Trans fat, or trans-fatty acids, are unsaturated fatty acids that come from
(WHO) released progress either natural or industrial sources:
report on trans-fat elimination o Naturally occurring trans-fat occurs naturally in some dairy and meat
titled “Countdown to products.
o Industrially produced trans-fat are formed in an industrial process that
2023: Global Trans Fats
adds hydrogen to vegetable oil converting the liquid into a solid,
Elimination 2020”. resulting in “partially hydrogenated” oil (PHO).
Background • Industrially produced trans-fats are found in hardened vegetable fats such
as margarine and ghee (clarified butter) and are often present in snack
• In May 2018, WHO called foods, baked goods and fried foods.
for the global elimination • Manufacturers often use them as they have a longer shelf life and are
of industrially produced cheaper than other fats.
trans-fatty acids (TFA) by • In India, vanaspati, desi ghee, butter and margarine are the main sources of
2023. Trans fat.
• In May 2019, WHO • They are more unhealthy than Saturated fats as they increases LDL (“bad”)
released REPLACE action cholesterol levels while lowering HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels.
framework which is a • They are supposed to be the main cause ofType-2 Diabetes and linked to
insulin resistance.
roadmap for countries to
• WHO recommends that trans-fat intake be limited to less than 1% of total
implement the prompt, energy intake i.e. less than2.2 g/day with a 2,000-calorie diet.
complete and sustained
elimination of industrially
produced TFA from the food supply.
• Under REPLACE framework, the six areas of action include:
Steps taken by India against Trans fats

• India has set targets to reduce the industrially produced trans-fat to less than 2% by the year 2022 in a
phased manner, a year ahead of the WHO target.
44
o Currently, FSSAI limits
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
trans-fat content in fats
and oils to 5 per cent. • It has been established under Food Safety and Standards, 2006 which
consolidates various acts & orders that have hitherto handled food
• Also, FSSAI has capped the
related issues in various Ministries and Departments.
amount of TFA in ‘oils and o Various central Acts like Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954,
fats’ to 3% for 2021 and 2% by Fruit Products Order, 1955, Meat Food Products Order, 1973,
2022 from the current Vegetable Oil Products (Control) Order, 1947, Edible Oils Packaging
permissible limit of 5% (Regulation)Order 1988, Solvent Extracted Oil, De- Oiled Meal and
• To achieve the target, FSSAI Edible Flour (Control) Order, 1967, Milk and Milk Products Order,
launched two initiatives: 1992 etc. were repealed after commencement of FSS Act, 2006.
o Eat Right Movement • FSSAI has been created for laying down science-based standards for
aims to cut down on salt, articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution,
sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for
sugar and oil
human consumption.
consumption by 30% in
• The Act also aims to establish a single reference point for all matters
three years by educating relating to food safety and standards, by moving from multi- level, multi-
customers. departmental control to a single line of command
o Heart Attack Rewind • Ministry of Health & Family Welfare is the Administrative Ministry for the
campaign to warn implementation of FSSAI.
citizens about the health
hazards of consuming trans fats and offer strategies to avoid them through healthier alternatives.
• Trans Fat Free logo: Food establishments which use trans-fat free fats/oil and do not have industrial trans-
fat more than 0.2g/100g of food, can display "Trans-fat free" logo in their outlets and on their food
products.
7.1.2. STATE FOOD SAFETY INDEX 2019-20

Why in news? FSSAI Initiative
• Eat Right Movement: It is to improve public health in India and combat
Recently Food Safety and
negative nutritional trends to fight lifestyle diseases
Standards Authority of India
• "Blissful Hygienic Offering to God" (BHOG): To encourage Places of
(FSSAI) released the results of Worship (POW) to adopt and maintain food safety and hygiene as well as
second State Food Safety Index convey food safety messages through such places to the people to follow
on World Food Safety Day (June as responsible citizens.
7). • Hygiene Rating Scheme is an online, transparent scoring and rating
process which aims to allow consumers to make informed choices about
About Index
the places where they eat out & through these choices, encourage
• The Index is a dynamic businesses to improve their hygiene standards & thus reduce the
quantitative and qualitative incidence of food-borne illness.
benchmarking model that • Heart Attack Rewind: It is the first mass media campaign of its kind – will
support FSSAI’s global target of eliminating trans-fat in India by the year
provides an objective
2022.
framework for evaluating
• FSSAI-CHIFSS: FSSAI has joined hands with CHIFSS (CII-HUL Initiative on
food safety across all Food Safety Sciences) with the purpose of driving activities related to
States/UTs. It is an incentive science-based food safety in the country, to strengthen protection of
to create a sense of consumers and create an innovative environment for the industry.
competition among states to • Food Safety Compliance System (FoSCoS):FoSCoS is cloud based,
improve food safety. upgraded food safety compliance online platform that will act as one-stop
• To ensure comparison point for all regulatory and compliance engagements of FSSAI with Food
among similar entities, index Business Operators.
is divided in 3 categories. o It will replace existing Food Licensing and Registration System.
o It will enable pan India integrated response system to any food fraud
State/UTs topped in 2019-20
and ensure an advanced risk based, data driven regulatory approach.
Index
o To eliminate errors and grant licences quicker, licensing process for
o Large state: Gujarat food manufactures will be based on a standardised food product list
followed by Tamil Nadu on FoSCoS.
and Maharashtra.
o Small state: Goa followed by Manipur and Meghalaya.
o UT: Chandigarh followed by Delhi and Andaman Islands.
45
7.1.3. FOOD ADULTERATION About Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy
• It is an analytical chemistry technique used in quality
Why in news? control and research for determining the content and
Recently, Honey sold by several major brands in purity of a sample as well as its molecular structure.
India was found adulterated with sugar syrup. • This technique allows for non-destructive screening and
quantification of both known ingredients and
More about news unanticipated contaminants and adulterants.
• It was found that

golden syrup, invert
sugar syrup and rice
syrup are used for
adulteration in honey,
which are being
procured from China
and also manufactured
in India.
o Findings were part
of an investigation
by Centre for
Science and
Environment
(CSE), a public
interest research
and advocacy
organisation based
in New Delhi.
• Such adulteration in honey is traced by tests like Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR), Trace
Marker for Rice (TMR), Specific Marker for Rice syrup test (SMR), C3-C4 and oligosaccharides sugar tests.
• Still such sugar syrups used for adulteration of honey pass all the adulteration tests listed in the 2020
standards by Food Safety Standards Authority of India.
46
About food adulteration Regulations and steps taken to check food adulteration in India
• Food adulteration is an • Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
o It imposes a penalty under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
act of adding or mixing
o FSSAI has released a manual ‘Detect Adulteration with Rapid Test
of poor quality, inferior, (DART)’ for quick detection of adulterants in everyday food items.
harmful, substandard, o FSSAI released directives on import of golden syrup, invert sugar syrup
useless or unnecessary and rice syrup used for adulteration in honey.
substances to food • Consumer Protection Act, 2019: It provides for a three tier quasi-judicial
(added substances may machinery at national, state and district level to provide simple and speedy
be food or non-food redressal to consumer disputes.
item). • Codex Alimentarius commission: It adopts international food standards,
• Food items, medicines, guidelines and codes of practice which contribute to the safety, quality and
vegetables, paste, fairness of this international food trade.
• Harmonised system (HS) code: It describes the type of good that is shipped,
creams, products of
so certain items that are used for adulteration can be scrutinized well during
famous brands etc. are custom clearance.
adulterated.
7.1.4. DRAFT FOOD SAFETY AND

STANDARDS (AMENDMENT)
BILL 2020
Why in news?
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
released the draft bill that seeks to amend
Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 to
revamp Food Safety and Standards
Authority of India (FSSAI’s) functioning by
giving it more powers, enhancing penalties
imposed for violations and simplifying
processes.
Key amendments
• Jurisdiction of FSSAI extended to include
animal feed. So far, FSSI had powers on
food industry.
o Feed means any substance that
satisfies nutritional requirements of
animals.
• Enhanced penalties for violations,
including manufacture and sale of unsafe
food, adulteration of food causing
death, carrying out business without
licence and repeat offences.
• It would specify standards for food contact material, which would mean specifying standards for food
packaging material.
• Proposal to appoint a chief executive officer at FSSAI as member secretary to oversee functions. So far,
the role had not been defined.
• Changes in definition of proprietary food, which means an article of food for which standards have not
been specified but is not unsafe.
7.2. BACTERIAL DISEASES

7.2.1. INDIA TUBERCULOSIS REPORT 2020
Why in news?
Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare released the annual India Tuberculosis Report 2020.
47
Key statistics in report
Key initiatives and achievements

Related News
• National Strategic Plan (2017-2025): to • Global TB report 2020 released by WHO
eliminate TB by 2025, 5 years ahead of • Key Findings
Sustainable Development Goal-3, 2030. o Globally, an estimated 10.0 million people fell ill with TB
• Revised National Tuberculosis Control in 2019, slowly declining in recent years.
Program (RNTCP): It has been renamed o India, Indonesia, the Philippines and South Africa account
as “National Tuberculosis Elimination of 44% of global TB cases and these countries would bear
Program (NTEP)” to accelerate the maximum brunt of COVID-19- induced TB problems.
momentum towards eliminating o Drug-resistant TB continues to be a public health threat
and 3 countries that had the largest burden of these cases
Tuberculosis in the country by 2025.
include India, China and Russia.
• Early accurate diagnosis being done. o World is not close to meeting the targets of the 2020
o Ziehl-Neelsen acid-fast staining milestones of the ‘End TB Strategy’. Actual reduction was
/Fluorescence Microscopy are the 9% as against aim of 20% between 2015- 19.
primary tools for diagnosis of Global commitments and efforts
patients with Pulmonary • WHO End TB Strategy:
Tuberculosis presumed to be drug o 80% reduction in the TB incidence rate (new and relapse
sensitive. cases per 100 000 population per year) by 2030, compared
o Patients at risk of Multi-Drug with 2015
Resistant TB (MDR-TB)are § 2020 milestone: 20% reduction; 2025 milestone: 50%
reduction
diagnosed using WHO endorsed
o 90% reduction in the annual number of TB deaths by 2030,
rapid diagnostics (WRD) like compared with 2015
Cartridge Based Nucleic Acid § 2020 milestone: 35% reduction; 2025 milestone: 75%
Amplification Test (CBNAAT) / Line reduction
Probe Assay (LPA)/ TrueNAT. o No households affected by TB face catastrophic costs by
• On-line notification of TB patients 2020.
through the NIKSHAY portal. • SDG Target 3.3: By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, TB,
• India is one of the first countries to malaria and neglected tropical diseases, and combat hepatitis,
water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases
adopt the Communities, Rights and
• Moscow Declaration to End TB: It is commitment to increase
Gender Tools developed by the Stop TB
multi-sectoral action and enhance accountability in the global
Partnership. TB response towards ending tuberculosis (TB) by 2030.
o Stop TB Partnership aims to ensure
that every TB patient has access to effective diagnosis, treatment and cure. It was founded in 2001 and
has its secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland.
• TB Sample Transport Network has been widened through support from Department of Post’s services for
specimen transportation from peripheral health facilities to TB diagnostic laboratories.
48
About Tuberculosis (TB)
• TB is caused by bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) that most often affect the lungs.
• It spreads from person to person through cough, sneeze or spit.
• It typically affects the lungs (pulmonary TB) but can also affect other organs (extrapulmonary TB).
• Drug Resistant TB
o Multidrug Resistance TB (MDR): It is TB that does not respond to at least isoniazid and rifampicin (2 of the most
powerful first line drugs).
o Extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB): It is resistant to at least four of the core anti-TB drugs. It
involves multidrug-resistance (MDR-TB), in addition to resistance to any of the fluoroquinolones (such as
levofloxacin or moxifloxacin) and to at least one of the three injectable second-line drugs (amikacin, capreomycin
or kanamycin).
o Totally drug-resistant tuberculosis (TDR-TB): TB which is resistant to all the first- and second-line TB drugs
• India being the country with highest TB burden (Global TB report 2019, World Health Organization).
7.3. VIRAL DISEASES

7.3.1. POLIO Region Year certified polio-free
WHO African Region 2020
Why in News?
WHO Region of the Americans 1994
• Recently, World Health Organization WHO South-East Asia Region 2014
(WHO) certified African region free WHO European Region 2002
of wild polio. WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region
WHO Western Pacific Region 2000
More on News
• For certification, all countries in WHO Region need to have no case of wild polio for 3 consecutive years.
No single country can be certified as polio-free. Related News
o Now, five of six WHO regions, except WHO Emergency Use Listing (EUL)
Eastern Mediterranean which includes • WHO has added novel oral polio vaccine type 2
Afghanistan and Pakistan, are certified (nOPV2), useful in treatment of Vaccine derived polio
free of wild poliovirus. virus (VDPV) strain to its EUL.
o India is in South-East Asia Region of WHO • EUL is a risk based procedure to assess and list
and received polio-free certification in unlicensed vaccines during public health emergencies,
2014. such as polio and COVID.
o Its objective is to make these medicines, vaccines
About Polio and diagnostics available faster.
o It was introduced during the West Africa Ebola
• Poliomyelitis (polio) is a highly infectious viral outbreak of 2014-2016.
disease that invades nervous system. There
are 3 types of wild polio virus – type 1, type 2, and type 3. Only type 1 wild poliovirus remains in circulation.
• There is no cure for polio, it can only be prevented through immunization.
• Two types of vaccinations against poliovirus:
o Inactivated polio vaccine is made up of inactivated (killed) polio virus and will provide immunity from
all strains of polio.
o Oral polio vaccine contains a live, attenuated (weakened) vaccine-virus. When a child is vaccinated,
the weakened vaccine-virus replicates, triggering a protective immune response.
• However, in some cases, vaccine-virus is genetically altered during replication. This is called a vaccine-
derived poliovirus (VDPV).
• VDPVs are extremely rare and found in children with immune-deficiency and among populations with low
immunity levels.
o Recently, WHO report flagged spike in cases of VDPV.
• Diseases eradicated from India: Yaws, Polio, Guinea worm, smallpox, Maternal and neonatal tetanus.
7.3.2. AVIAN INFLUENZA (BIRD FLU)

Why in News?
• Central teams were deployed to visit the affected states of Kerala, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh for
monitoring and for epidemiological investigation.
49
About Bird Flu
Related News
• Bird flu, also called avian influenza, is a viral G4 Virus
disease which is contagious and can spread • It is recently emerged strain of H1N1 influenza virus
from one bird to other birds and animals. that is infecting Chinese pigs and that has the
o Migratory birds have been assumed to be potential of triggering a pandemic.
largely responsible for long-distance • G4 is swine flu strain having genes similar to those in
the virus that caused the 2009 flu pandemic.
transmission of the virus into India.
• G4 strain has the capability of binding to human-
o It also spreads through local movement of
type receptors (like, the SARS-CoV-2 virus binds to
residential birds and poultry. ACE2 receptors in humans).
• It is caused by Influenza Type A viruses which
generally affect poultry birds such as chickens and turkeys. Aquatic birds are primary natural reservoir for
most subtypes of influenza A viruses.
o Depending on the origin host, influenza A viruses can be classified as avian influenza (H5N1, H9N2
etc.), swine influenza (H1N1 and H3N2), or other types of animal influenza viruses.
• Influenza type A viruses are classified into subtypes according to the combinations of different virus
surface proteins, hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA).
o For example, a virus that has an HA 7 protein and NA 9 protein is designated as subtype H7N9.
• Human infections are primarily acquired through direct contact with infected animals or contaminated
environments.
About Influenza viruses
• Influenza viruses belong to the family Orthomyxoviridae and have a single-stranded segmented RNA genome.
• Influenza virus is transmitted primarily by droplets or respiratory secretions of infected persons.
• There are four types of influenza viruses: types A, B, C and D:
o Influenza A viruses infect humans and many different animals. The emergence of a new and very different
influenza A virus with the ability infect people and have sustained human to human transmission, can cause
an influenza pandemic.
o Influenza B viruses circulates among humans and cause seasonal epidemics. Recent data showed seals also
can be infected.
o Influenza C viruses can infect both humans and pigs but infections are generally mild and are rarely reported.
o Influenza D viruses primarily affect cattle and are not known to infect or cause illness in people.
7.3.3. AIDS
Why in News?
According to Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Study, India is likely to Miss Target of Eradicating
AIDS by 2030.
Background
• In 2016, at the UNs’ High-Level Meeting on AIDS, India committed towards the goal of ‘ending the AIDS
epidemic as a public health threat by 2030’.
o SDG 3.3 aims to End AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
• Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic, life-threatening condition caused by the
human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).HIV interferes with body's ability to fight infection and disease, by
damaging immune system.
Related News
Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare
addresses Global Prevention Coalition (GPC) for HIV
Prevention
• GPC, formed in 2017, is a coalition of United Nations
Member States, donors, civil society organizations
and implementers to support global efforts to
accelerate HIV prevention.
• It seeks to ensure accountability for delivering
prevention services at scale in order to achieve the
targets of the 2016 Political Declaration on Ending
AIDS, including a 75% reduction in HIV infections by
2020, and to ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030.
50
7.3.4. OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS
Yellow • According to recent study, burden and geography of yellow fever is projected to shift to Central and
Fever East Africa from West Africa by 2050.
o Climate change-related factors, including temperature and rainfall, would lead to this.
• Yellow fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease transmitted by mosquitoes, belonging to the Aedes
and Haemogogus species.
o The "yellow" in the name refers to the jaundice that affects some patients.
• Symptoms of yellow fever include fever, headache, jaundice, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting and
fatigue.
• Virus is endemic in tropical areas of Africa and Central and South America.
• Vaccine for this disease is available and a single dose of yellow fever vaccine is sufficient to grant
sustained immunity and life-long protection.
• WHO launched Eliminate Yellow Fever Epidemics strategy in 2017.
7.4. OTHER DISEASES

7.4.1. WORLD MALARIA REPORT 2020 RELEASED BY WORLD HEALTH
ORGANISATION (WHO)
• Report tracks investments in malaria High burden to high impact (HBHI) country-led approach
programmes and research, as well as includes the four key response elements:
progress across all intervention areas:
prevention, diagnosis, treatment and
surveillance.
o Malaria is caused by parasites that are
transmitted to people through
infected female Anopheles
mosquitoes.
o Out of 5 malaria causing parasite
species, Plasmodium falciparum and
Plasmodium vivax pose greatest
threat.
• Key findings
o Malaria case incidence (cases per
1000 population at risk) reduced from
80 in 2000 to 57 in 2019 globally.
o WHO African Region accounted for
about 94% of cases.
o India is the only high endemic country
which has reported a decline of 17.6% in 2019 as compared to 2018.
• Steps to eradicate Malaria:
o WHO had initiated the High Burden to High Impact (HBHI) initiative in 11 high malaria burden
countries, including India.
51
o Global technical strategy for malaria 2016-2030 which aimed for a reduction in malaria case incidence
and mortality rate of at least 40% by 2020, 75% by 2025 and 90% by 2030 from a 2015 baseline.
o In India, National Framework for Malaria Elimination in 2016 & National Strategic Plan for Malaria
Elimination in 2017.
Some programs to control NCDs
7.4.2. NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES • National Programme for Control of Blindness &
Visual Impairment (NPCBVI)
Why in News? • National Mental Health Programme (NMHP)
• National Programme for healthcare of Elderly
Global Health Estimates (GHE) released by World Health (NPHCE)
Organization (WHO) estimates that all non-communicable • National Programme for the Prevention &
diseases (NCDs) together accounted for 74% of deaths Control of Deafness (NPPCD)
globally in 2019. • National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP)
• National Oral Health Programme (NOHP)
Key findings of GHE 2019 report
• National Iodine Deficiency Disorders Control
• NCDs make up 7 of the world’s top 10 causes of death, Programme
an increase from 4 of the 10 leading causes in 2000.
o The new data cover the
period from 2000 to
2019.
• Heart disease now
represents 16% of total
deaths from all causes.
• Lifespan has increased over
the years, with a global
average of more than 73
years (in 2019) compared to
nearly 67 (in 2000).
Non-Communicable Diseases
• NCDs are medical conditions or diseases that are not caused by infectious agents. These are chronic
diseases of long duration, and generally slow progression.
• Main types of NCDs are cardiovascular diseases (like heart attacks and stroke), cancers, chronic
respiratory diseases (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma), Chronic neurologic
disorders (Alzheimer’s, dementias), diabetes etc.
Global Measures to control NCDs
• NCDs are recognized as a major global challenge in the United Nation’s 2030 Agenda for sustainable
development.
o It aims to reduce by one-third premature mortality from NCDs through prevention and treatment (SDG
target 3.4).
• WHO has developed a Global action plan for the prevention and control of NCDs 2013-2020, which
includes nine global targets. It recognizes role of governments in responding to challenges of NCDs.
o India is the first country to develop specific national targets and indicators aimed at reducing the
number of global premature deaths from NCDs by 25% by 2025.
Measures taken by India to control NCDs
• National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke
(NPCDCS) was launched in 2010.
o It focuses on strengthening infrastructure, human resource development, health promotion, early
diagnosis, management and referral.
• Ayushman Bharat which would help to deal with NCDs and injuries along with communicable diseases.
• Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) proposed a tax and advertisement ban on unhealthy
foods.
o FSSAI has launched ‘Eat Right India’ movement and a mass media campaign ‘Heart Attack Rewind’
for the elimination of industrially produced trans-fat in the food supply.
• Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana scheme helps to reduce indoor air pollution.
52
Glucose-6- • It is a genetic abnormality (more prevalent in males) that results in an inadequate amount of
Phosphate G6PD in the blood.
Dehydrogenase o This is a very important enzyme (or protein) that regulates various biochemical reactions in
(G6PD) the body.
Deficiency o G6PD is also responsible for keeping red blood cells healthy.
• Recently, Surat Municipal Corporation raised a specific COVID-19 alert for Vataliya Prajapati
community whose 25% population suffers from G6PD deficiency.
Lead Poisoning • According to a new report launched by UNICEF and Pure Earth (Non-Profit Organization),
in Children around one third i.e.800 million children globally, are affected by lead poisoning.
• Lead is a cumulative toxicant (increasing in quantity in the body over many years) that affects
multiple body systems.
• Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) Drinking Water Specifications prescribed lead content in water
not to exceed 50 parts per billion (ppb).
o World Health Organisation (WHO) limit for lead in drinking water is 5 ppb.
Kala-azar or • It is a tropical disease characterised by irregular fever, weight loss, anaemia and swelling of
Visceral the spleen and liver.
Leishmaniasis • It is caused by a protozoan Leishmania parasite and is transmitted to humans by the bite of
(VL) infected female sandflies.
• According to WHO, globally, about 7 to 10 lakh new cases occur annually.
o India accounts for about two-thirds of the total global cases, and the disease is endemic to
Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
• An initiative was launched by WHO to eliminate VL as a public health problem from the South
East Asia region by 2020. The deadline has now been extended to 2023.
Neglected • Recently, UP and West Bengal have achieved their elimination target of the deadly Kalaazar a
tropical NTDs while only four blocks in Bihar and 12 in Jharkhand have reported more than one case per
diseases 10,000 population.
(NTDs) • NTDs such as dengue, rabies, leprosy, lymphatic filariasis, trachoma, and leishmaniasis, are
called "neglected," because they generally afflict the world's poor and historically have not
received as much attention as other diseases.
7.5. PHARMACEUTICALS Related News

• One Health Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial
7.5.1. COVID-19 THERAPIES AND Resistance (AMR)
ANTIMICROBIAL o This Group was recently launched by Food and
Agriculture Organization, World Organisation for
RESISTANCE (AMR) Animal Health and World Health Organization.
Why in News? o It was created in response to a recommendation from
There are concerns that potentially fatal the Interagency Coordination Group on AMR (IACG).
o It will elevate the need to prioritize best practices to
bacterial respiratory infections may arise
address AMR at global, regional, and national levels.
during hospital stays and because of therapies o It will work for polices and legislation to govern the
given to COVID-19 patients. importation, manufacture, distribution and use of
What is AMR? quality antimicrobial drugs across all sectors.
• AMR happens when microorganisms (such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites) change when they
are exposed to antimicrobial drugs (such as antibiotics, antifungals, antivirals, antimalarials, and
anthelmintics).
o Microorganisms that develop AMR are sometimes referred to as superbugs.
• As a result, the medicines become ineffective and infections persist in the body, increasing the risk of
spread to others.
o AMR occurs naturally over time, usually through genetic changes. However, misuse and overuse of
antimicrobials is accelerating this process.
53
Initiatives by World Health Organisation (WHO) to address AMR
• Global Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (GLASS): supports a standardized approach to the
collection, analysis and sharing of data related to antimicrobial resistance at a global level.
• AWaRE tool: aimed at guiding policy-makers and health workers to use antibiotics safely and more
effectively. It classifies antibiotics into three groups:
o Access — antibiotics used to treat the most common and serious infections
o Watch — antibiotics available at all times in the healthcare system
o Reserve — antibiotics to be used sparingly or preserved and used only as a last resort
• Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP): encourages research and
development through public-private partnerships.
• Interagency Coordination Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (IACG): established by United Nations
Secretary-General to improve coordination between international organizations and to ensure effective
global action.
• Global Action Plan aims to ensure prevention and treatment of infectious diseases with safe and effective
medicines.
• One Health approach to promote best practices to avoid the emergence and spread of antibiotic
resistance, including optimal use of antibiotics in both humans and animals.
AMR Situation in India
• A study published by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has found antibiotic resistant organisms in the
digestive tracts of two out of every three healthy persons that it tested.
• AMR bacteria and their genes have been reported from different water sources. The major sources are the
pharmaceutical waste waters and hospital effluents that are released into the nearby water bodies without adequate
treatment.
• Antimicrobial agents are being used in abundance to increase the productivity in Animal husbandry.
Steps taken
• National Anti-Microbial Resistance Research and Surveillance Network to strengthen the surveillance of AMR by
compilation of National Data of AMR at different levels of Health Care.
• National Action Plan to combat Antimicrobial Resistance that aims to understand emergence, spread and factors
influencing AMR.
• Red Line Campaign’ for antibiotics packaging to curb their over-the-counter sale.
• Drugs and Cosmetics Rule, 1945 were amended in 2013 to incorporate a new schedule H1. Such drugs will be sold on
prescription only and are also marked with Red line (Red Line campaign).
7.5.2. PLASMA BANK About Convalescent plasma therapy

• It seeks to make use of the antibodies developed in the recovered
Why in news? patient against the coronavirus.
• The whole or plasma from such people is taken, and the plasma is
In a first in India, Delhi government
then injected in critically ill patients so that the antibodies are
has launched a plasma bank for transferred and boost their fight against the virus.
treating covid-19 patients. • Either a blood fractionation process is used to separate the plasma
About Plasma Bank from the donated blood or a special machine called aphaeresis
machine can be used to extract the plasma directly from the donor.
• The facility is to be set up at the
Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS),
and will be made available to government
and private hospitals.
• Plasma Bank functions like a blood bank,
and has been created specifically for those
who are suffering from COVID-19, and have
been advised for plasma therapy by doctors.
• Idea is to extract and store plasma from
people who have recovered from COVID-
19 and give it to someone suffering from the
disease.
• Delhi has been using Convalescent Plasma
Therapy, an experimental treatment that
doctors are using for people with severe
coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
54
Anti- • In a recent study it is found that triclosan can cause neurotoxic effects and damage the neurons.
microbial • Triclosan is used as antimicrobial chemicals to increase the shelf life of consumer products.
chemical • It is added to personal care products, such as hand soaps and cosmetics, and materials ranging from
Triclosan athletic clothing to food packaging.
• US Food and Drug Administration have imposed a partial ban on its use. However, India lacks any
such regulation so far on the use of triclosan-based products.
7.6. COVID-19 RELATED INVENTIONS/ DEVELOPMENTS

Antisera • Biological E, in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research, has developed
highly purified antisera that can be used in prevention and treatment of COVID-19.
• Antisera are blood sera that contain antibodies against a specific viral toxin or antigen.
Therapy works similar to plasma therapy, but here plasma is obtained from horses that
have recovered from viral infection.
AarogyaPath • It is CSIR National Healthcare Supply Chain Portal that aims to provide real-time
availability of critical healthcare supplies.
• It would serve manufacturers, suppliers and customers.
• AarogyaPath is expected to become the national healthcare information platform,
thereby filling a critical gap in last-mile delivery of patient care within India through
improved availability and affordability of healthcare supplies.
CovidKavach Elisa • It is India's first indigenous antibody detection test for COVID-19, developed by National
Institute of Virology, Pune.
o Test will detect the Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies in blood samples and has
advantage of testing 90 samples together in two-and-a-half hours.
• Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is routinely used for detecting HIV
infection.
o ELISA measures antibodies in blood.
COVIRAP • It is a COVID-19 diagnostic machine developed by IIT Kharagpur.
• Unlike real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT -PCR) machine,
which could cost up to ₹25 lakh, and needed to be operated by a molecular biologist, the
COVIRAP machine cost less than ₹5,000 to make and the test kits would each cost about
₹500.
• COVIRAP method requires very little equipment, and is ideal for use in rural areas with
limited facilities.
eCovSens • It is a biosensor developed by National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Hyderabad
that can detect the novel coronavirus in saliva samples.
o Biosensor is a device which uses a living organism or biological molecules,
especially enzymes or antibodies, to detect presence of chemicals.
Project CARD • It was launched by NITI Aayog and Department of Biotechnology to scale up India’s
(Consortium for capacity to make coronavirus testing kits.
Affordable & Rapid • Under this, private companies working on antibody test kits in India will get initial
Diagnostics) support in terms of procurement and availability of testing facilities to manufacture
kits.
COBAS 6800 Testing • It is a fully automated, high end machine for performing RT-PCR testing for COVID-19.
Machine • Machine minimizes chance of contamination as well as risk of infection since it can be
operated remotely with limited human intervention.
• COBAS 6800 can also detect other pathogens like Viral Hepatitis B & C, HIV etc.
Compendium of • It carries information about 200 COVID-19-related Indian technologies, research
Indian Technologies activities and efforts by Government, categorised under 3Ts of Tracking, Testing
for Combating COVID- and Treating.
19 (Tracing, Testing • It has been prepared by National Research Development Corporation (NRDC).
and Treating) o NRDC was established in 1953, with objective to promote, develop and
commercialise the technologies, inventions, patents etc. emanating from various
national R&D institutions.
o It is working under Department of Scientific & Industrial Research.
55
Defence Research • It is an automated, contactless UV cabinet system to sanitise electronic gadgets, papers
Ultraviolet Sanitiser and currency notes.
(DRUVS) • Developed by: Hyderabad based DRDO’s lab, Research Centre Imarat.
Microwave sterilizer • It is developed by Defence Institute of Advanced Technology, Pune, a deemed university
(‘ATULYA’) supported by Defence Research and Development Organisation to disintegrate COVID-
19 virus.
• Virus gets disintegrated by differential heating in the range of 560 to 600 Celsius
temperatures.
• It can be used for non-metallic objects only.
Next Generation • Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is working on developing “mega labs”
Sequencing (NGS) where NGS machines will be used for detecting SARS-CoV-2 novel coronavirus.
machines • NGS is a DNA sequencing technology which can sequence entire human genome in a
single day.
• NGS machines can:
o Detect the possible presence of the virus even in several instances where the
traditional RT-PCR misses out on them.
o Trace the evolutionary history of the virus and track mutations more reliably.
Portable UV Light • A recent research has reported the feasibility of making an Ultraviolet (UV) light
Device to Kill Corona emitting, hand held and portable device that can kill Corona virus.
Virus • UV radiation in the 200-300 nanometer range is known to destroy the virus, making it
incapable of reproducing and infecting.
o UV radiation covers the wavelength range of 100–400 nm, which is a higher
frequency and lower wavelength than visible light.
• However, currently such devices require expensive mercury-containing gas discharge
lamp, which requires high power, has a relatively short lifetime, and is bulky.
• The recently discovered device use a material called strontium niobate, that can help
develop UV light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which would be portable and energy-efficient.
• However, it can be used to disinfect public spaces only, not human skin as UV exposure
can cause skin cancers, cataracts and immune system damage.
RT-LAMP (Reverse • LAMP technology has been recently validated by the Indian Council of Medical Research
Transcriptase loop- with sensitivity 98.7% and specificity 100%.
mediated isothermal • It is a new technology for detecting COVID-19 involving one-step nucleic acid
amplification) amplification method to multiply specific sequences of RNA of the coronavirus.
technology • LAMP technology has advantage over RT-PCR technology.
o RT-PCR test needs different temperatures in one cycle while RT-LAMP technology is
done at 65 degrees Celsius, where the DNA amplification is done at a constant
temperature (isothermal).
TataMD CHECK • It is a low-cost, paper-based test strip for detecting COVID-19.
• Developed by : Council of Scientific and Industrial Research - Institute of Genomics and
Integrative Biology and Tata Group.
• It is world’s first viral diagnostic kit based on FELUDA CRISPR Cas-9 platform.
o Feluda test uses CRISPR gene-editing technology to identify and target the genetic
material of SARS-CoV2, the virus that causes Covid-19.
COVID-19 • Department of Biotechnology established five dedicated COVID-19 Biorepositories.
Biorepositories • These are at Translational Health Science and Technology Institute Faridabad, Institute
of Life Science Bhubaneshwar, Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences New Delhi, National
Centre for Cell Science Pune and Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative
Medicine Bangalore.
• Main purpose of biorepositories are archival of inactivated virus and clinical samples,
including naso-oropharyngeal swabs, stool, urine, saliva, serum, plasma, PBMC and
Serum.
COVID Vaccine • It has been developed by Ministry of Health to monitor inoculation drive and track the
Intelligence Network listed beneficiaries for COVID-19 vaccination on a real-time basis.
or Co-WIN app • Co-WIN will also facilitate real time information of vaccine stocks, storage temperature
etc.
• There are five modules in Co-WIN app - administrator, registration, vaccination,
beneficiary acknowledgment and report.
India COVID-19 • It is project financed by World Bank (WB) and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
Emergency Response (AIIB) to help India’s healthcare system tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.
and Health System • Both WB and AIIB will give about $1.5 billion in the next 4 years to finance a range of
activities.
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Strengthening Project • Key implementing entities for the project: Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, National
(ESMF) Centre for Disease Control, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Ministry of
Railways.
Integrated • It is a training module for management of COVID-19 on Ministry of Education’s DIKSHA
Government Online platform for the capacity building of frontline workers to handle the pandemic
training (iGOT) efficiently.
platform • Platform provides the training module on flexitime and on-site basis.
Latent viral Infection • It is an infection that is inactive or dormant. Latent infections last the life of the host and
(LVI) occur when the primary infection is not cleared by the adaptive immune response.
• These are opposed to active infections, where a virus is actively replicating and
potentially causing symptoms.
• Examples of LVI: Herpes simplex viruses type 1 and 2, HIV, cytomegalovirus etc.
Sero-survey • A sero-survey involves testing of blood serum of a group of individuals.
• It will help in monitoring Covid-19 trends and also check for community transmission.
• It was conducted by Indian Council of Medical Research and National Centre for Disease
Control in collaboration with key stakeholders and state health departments.
• Agencies used a combination of RT-PCR and Elisa antibody kits for these surveys.
• Some other tests for testing COVID-19: Rapid Antigen Test (RAT), CB-NAAT or Cartridge
Based Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (also known as Genexpert test), TrueNAT.
WHO Solidarity trial • FOUR COVID-19 treatment centres, in Jodhpur, Ahmedabad, Chennai and Bhopal, have
received regulatory approvals for taking part in “Solidarity trial” of World Health
Organisation’s (WHO).
• Solidarity trial is a multi-country clinical study for potential treatments for COVID-19,
launched by WHO on March 20, 2020.
• By enrolling patients in multiple countries, it aims to rapidly discover whether any of the
drugs slow disease progression or improve survival.
• Solidarity trial will test four different drugs or combinations: Remdesivir, Lopinavir and
Ritonavir, Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine, Same combination plus interferon-
beta.
GAVI Alliance (Global • Recently, Union Health Minister of India has been nominated to the Board of GAVI.
Alliance for Vaccines • GAVI is an international public–private global health partnership with the shared goal
and Immunisation) of creating equal access to new and underused vaccines for children living in the world's
poorest countries.
• It helps vaccinate half the world’s children against deadly and debilitating diseases.
• GAVI Alliance partners include UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, and Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation.
• India has pledged $ 15-millionto GAVI at the 2020 Global Vaccine Summit.
Operation Warp • It is a public-private partnership, launched by U.S., to facilitate and accelerate
Speed development of COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics.
Team Halo Initiative • United Nations (UN) in collaboration with The Vaccine Confidence Project at the
University of London has launched Team Halo initiative.
• It aims to use social media to counter the misinformation around COVID-19 vaccines and
build confidence by busting myths and sharing information on the safety and
effectiveness of vaccines.
• In India over 22 scientists have joined the initiative.
United Nations • UNICEF will lead this effort on behalf of COVAX Facility for 92 low- and lower middle-
Children’s Fund income countries. It will also serve as procurement coordinator to support 80 higher-
(UNICEF) to lead income economies.
global procurement, o COVAX is a global initiative to ensure COVID-19 vaccines are available worldwide to
supply of COVID both higher-income and lower-income countries.
vaccines
7.7. ALTERNATIVE MEDICINES

Why in news?
Recently, Parliament passed three Bills related to alternative medicine viz. The National Commission for
Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) Act, 2020, The National Commission for Homoeopathy (NCH) Act, 2020
and The Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda (ITRA) Act, 2020.
57
Alternative Medicine System in India Other Steps taken by the Government to promote Indian system
• Alternative medicine is any practice that of medicine
• Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National AYUSH Mission and
aims to achieve the healing effects
the strategy of mainstreaming of AYUSH under National
of medicine, but which lacks biological Health Mission and National Health Policy-2017 are
plausibility and implemented for promoting and strengthening AYUSH sector.
is untested, untestable or proven • Ministry of AYUSH has signed Country to Country MoUs for
ineffective. cooperation in field of Traditional Medicine and Homeopathy,
• It is also known by different names such Collaborative Research/ Academic collaboration and for
as Traditional Medicine, Complementary setting up AYUSH Academic Chairs in foreign Universities.
medicine (CM), integrated • Under Ayushman Bharat,10% of the Sub- centres are to be
medicine or integrative medicine (IM). upgraded as Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) which will
be developed by the Ministry of AYUSH to provide
In India, it is known by the name Indian
comprehensive Health care to the needy community.
System of Medicine (ISM).
• ISM mainly comprises the AYUSH streams (Ayurveda, Unani, Yoga, Naturopathy, Siddha, and
Homeopathy).
• The Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) was formed
in November 2014 to ensure the optimal development and propagation of AYUSH systems of healthcare.
7.7.1 THE NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR INDIAN SYSTEM OF MEDICINE ACT

(NCISM), 2020
Key provisions of the act
• The Act seeks to repeal the Indian Medicine Central Council Act, 1970 and to provide for a medical
education system which ensures:
o availability of adequate and high-quality medical professionals of Indian System of Medicine
o adoption of the latest medical research by medical professionals
o periodic assessment of medical institutions and an effective grievance redressal mechanism.
• Constitution of National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) and State Medical Councils.
• Autonomous boards: Under the supervision of the NCISM. These boards are:
• Advisory Council for Indian System of Medicine: will be constituted by the central government and will
be the primary platform through which the states/union territories can put forth their views and
concerns before the NCISM.
o Further, the Council will advise the NCISM on measures to determine and maintain the minimum
standards of medical education.
• Entrance examinations: uniform National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for admission to under-graduate
education in each of the disciplines of the Indian System of Medicine in all medical institutions regulated
by the Act.
o A common final year National Exit Test for the students graduating from medical institutions to obtain
the license for practice.
o Further, there will be a uniform post-graduate National Entrance Test for admission into post-
graduate courses in each of the disciplines of the Indian System of Medicine in all medical institutions.
58
• National Teachers’ Eligibility Test for postgraduates of each discipline of Indian System of Medicine who
wish to take up teaching that particular discipline as a profession.
7.7.2. THE NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR HOMOEOPATHY (NCH) ACT, 2020

Key Provisions
• The Act seeks to repeal the Homoeopathy Central Council Act, 1973 and provide for a medical education
system which ensures availability of adequate and high quality homoeopathic medical professionals, etc.
• Constitution of the National Commission
for Homoeopathy(NCH) and State
Medical Councils for Homoeopathy
• Functions of (NCH): same as of NCISM
but with regards to homeopathy
• Autonomous boards: The Act sets up
certain autonomous boards under the
supervision of the NCH. These are:
o Advisory Council for Homoeopathy
o Entrance examinations for UG, PG and license for practice.
o National Teachers’ Eligibility Test
• Appeal on matters related to professional and ethical misconduct: The State Medical Councils and the
Board of Ethics and Medical Registration for Homoeopathy have the power to take disciplinary action
against the medical practitioner including imposing a monetary penalty. If the medical practitioner is
aggrieved of the decision of the Board, he can approach the NCH to appeal against the decision. Appeal
of the decision of the NCH lies with the central government.
7.7.3. THE INSTITUTE Institute of National Importance (INI)

OF TEACHING AND • As per Ministry of Education, INI is a status that may be conferred on a
premier public higher education institution in India which serves as a
RESEARCH IN
pivotal player in developing highly skilled personnel within the specified
AYURVEDA (ITRA) ACT, region of the country/state’.
2020 • The status is granted by an act of Parliament.
Key Provisions • As of 2020, there are 159 institutes, declared as Institutes of National
Importance under a distinct Act of Parliament that includes IITs,
• It seeks to merge three AIIMSs, IIMs, NITs, IIITs, Indian Institutes of Science Education and
Ayurveda institutes into one Research (IISER), Schools of Planning and Architecture (SPA), National
institution by the name of Institutes of Design (NID) etc.
Institute of Teaching and • ITRA will be the first institution with INI status in the AYUSH Sector, and
Research in Ayurveda will enable the institution to be independent and innovative in the matter
deciding course content and pedagogy.
(ITRA). The proposed
Institute will be situated in the campus of
Gujarat Ayurveda University, Jamnagar and
will be an institution of National Importance.
o The existing institutes which will be
merged into the Institute are: (i) the
Institute of Post Graduate Teaching and
Research in Ayurveda, Jamnagar, (ii)
Shree Gulabkunverba Ayurveda
Mahavidyalaya, Jamnagar, and, (iii) the
Indian Institute of Ayurvedic
Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jamnagar.
• Composition of Institute: Institute will
consist of 15 members including the Minister
of AYUSH, Director-General, Central Council
for Research in Ayurveda, three experts in
Ayurveda with expertise in education,
industry and research, and three Members of
Parliament.
59
7.8. OTHER NEWS
7.8.1. ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGY
Why in news?
Recently, Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) (Regulation) Bill, 2020, was introduced in the LokSabha.
More on news
• Objective of the bill is to standardise protocols of the growing fertility industry and to provide for the
regulation of ART services in the country.
• This is the third proposed legislation to protect the reproductive rights of women after the Surrogacy
Regulation Bill, 2019, and the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Amendment Bill, 2020.
Key provisions of the bill
• Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART): Will include all techniques that seek to obtain a pregnancy by
handling the sperm or the oocyte (immature egg cell) outside the human body and transferring the
gamete or the embryo into the reproductive system of a woman.
o Examples of ART services include gamete (sperm or oocyte) donation, in-vitro-fertilisation (fertilising
an egg in the lab), and gestational surrogacy (the child is not biologically related to surrogate
mother). ART services will be provided through:
§ ART clinics, which offer ART related treatments and procedures, and
§ ART banks, which store and supply gametes.
• Regulation of ART clinics and banks: Every ART clinic and bank must be registered under the National
Registry of Banks and Clinics of India.
• Conditions for gamete donation and supply, offering ART services have also been prescribed.
• Rights of a child born through ART: A child born through ART will be deemed to be a biological child of
the commissioning couple and will be entitled to the rights and privileges available to a natural child of the
commissioning couple. A donor will not have any parental rights over the child.
• National and State Boards: To regulate ART services. The State Boards will coordinate enforcement of the
policies and guidelines for ART as per the recommendations, policies, and regulations of the National
Board.
• Offences and penalties: for (i) abandoning, or exploiting children born through ART, (ii) selling,
purchasing, trading, or importing human embryos or gametes, (iii) using intermediates to obtain donors,
(iv) exploiting commissioning couple, woman, or the gamete donor in any form, and (v) transferring the
human embryo into a male or an animal.
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7.8.2. HUMAN MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES (HMABS)
Why in News?
About NMITLI
Council of Scientific & Industrial Research • It is largest public-private-partnership effort within R&D domain
(CSIR) through its New Millennium Indian in the country.
Technology Leadership Initiative • It seeks to build, capture and retain for India a leadership position
(NMITLI) program approved a multi by synergising the best competencies of publicly funded R&D
institutional project to develop hmAbs institutions, academia and private industry.
that can neutralize SARS-CoV-2 in • CSIR implements it.
patients. • NMITLI has so far evolved 60 largely networked projects in
diverse areas viz. Agriculture & Plant Biotechnology,
More on News Bioinformatics, Drugs & Pharmaceuticals, Chemicals, Information
and Communication Technology and Energy etc.
• Project aims to
• Strategy adopted for NMITLI is to obtain an inverse risk-
o Generate hmAbs to SARS-CoV-2 investment profile i.e. low investment - high-risk technology
from convalescent phase of areas with investments increasing as developments take place.
COVID-19 patients and select
high affinity and neutralizing antibodies.
o Anticipate future adaptation of the virus and generate hmAbs clones that can neutralize the mutated
virus.
About Monoclonal Antibodies (mAbs) Related News
• Biocon’s (Bangalore based pharma company) Itolizumab drug
• mABs are man-made proteins that got approval byDrugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for
act like human antibodies in the restricted emergency use in treating moderate to severe COVID-
immune system. 19 patients.
• Antibodies are proteins that are • Itolizumab, a monoclonal antibody was already approved for
released naturally by body’s immune severe chronic plaque psoriasis.
system to fight pathogens. They are • Other approved drugs for Covid-19 treatment in India- Antivirals
called mAbs when produced by such as Remdesivir, and immunosuppressant tocilizumab,
identical immune cells that are all steroid dexamethasone, and anti-malarial hydroxychloroquine.
clones of a unique parent cell.
o Unlike a vaccine, that protects a person from future infection, antibodies helps in treating infected
patients by providing passive immunization.
• There are 4 different ways to make MAbs and they are named based on what they are made of:
o Murine: Made from mouse proteins and names of the treatments end in -omab.
o Chimeric: A combination of part mouse and part human protein and names of the treatments end in -
ximab.
o Humanized: Made from small parts of mouse proteins attached to human proteins and the names of
the treatments end in -zumab
o Human: Fully human proteins and the names of the treatments end in -umab.
• mABs have more potential, as they are derived from a single recovered cell and have a targeted response.
They can either be used alone or in combination with other therapies to neutralize virus in body.
o In case of covid-19, mABs target specific spike proteins on virus surface, which facilitates entry into
host cells.
• Apart from therapeutics, mABs could also be useful for antigen-detection tests and serological assays
targeting.
• It is a natural extension of convalescent plasma therapy (CPT) and in future can replace CPT.
• Normally, scientists develop monoclonal antibodies by using mouse cells in culture and then ‘humanize’
them by using human-hybrid cells in the cell-culture.
61
Global Center for • World Health Organisation announced that it will set up a Global Centre for
Traditional Medicine Traditional Medicine in India to strengthen the evidence, research, training and
awareness of traditional and complementary medicine.
• This new centre will support WHO's efforts to implement the WHO traditional
medicine strategy 2014-2023 which aims to support countries in developing policies
and action plans to strengthen the role of traditional medicine as part of their
journey to universal health coverage and a healthier, fairer and safer world.
Human Growth Hormone • Recently, Pardeep Singh (2018 Commonwealth Games silver medallist), has been
(hGH) suspended provisionally after his blood sample tested positive for hGH.
• hGH is produced in the body and secreted by the pituitary gland near the base of
the brain.
• hGH helps in bone, organ and cartilage growth and also helps in repairing damaged
muscles.
• It is banned both in-competition as well as out-of-competition by World Anti-Doping
Agency.
Pharmacopoeia • Cabinet has approved re-establishment of PCIM&H as Subordinate Office under
Commission for Indian Ministry of AYUSH (MoA) by merging into it Pharmacopoeia Laboratory for Indian
Medicine & Medicine and Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia Laboratory.
Homoeopathy (PCIM&H) o PCIM&H is an autonomous body under aegis of MoA established since 2010.
• Merger is aimed at optimizing use of infrastructural facilities, technical manpower
and financial resources of three organizations for enhancing standardization
outcomes of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy drugs towards their
effective regulation and quality control.
N-nitrosodimethylamine • NDMA and NDEA are carcinogenic or mutagenic compound sometimes found in
(NDMA) and N- food items like cured meat, bacon, some cheese, and low-fat milk.
nitrosodiethanolamine • It was achieved by developing a modified electrode by immobilizing carbon
(NDEA) nanomaterials (carbon dots) in DNA.
• Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology, Guwahati, has developed
an electrochemical sensing platform for detecting these compounds.
Nanoparticle to reduce • Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder that primarily affects joints in feet
severity of rheumatoid and hands. Zinc levels are reported to get reduced in such patients.
arthritis • Scientists have formulated nanoparticles with chitosan and loaded these with zinc
gluconate for reducing the severity of rheumatoid arthritis.
o Chitosan is a natural polysaccharide obtained from the exoskeleton of
crustaceans and is biodegradable, biocompatible, non-toxic, and mucoadhesive
in nature.
• Developed by: Institute of Nano Science & Technology, Mohali, an autonomous
institute of Department of Science and Technology.
Pneumosil • It is India’s first pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) developed recently by
Serum Institute of India in collaboration with partners like the Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation.
• Pneumosil targets the pneumococcal bacterium, which causes pneumonia and
other serious life-threatening diseases such as meningitis and sepsis.
o Pneumococcal disease is a significant contributor under-five mortality rate
worldwide and cause nearly four lakh deaths in children each year worldwide
Plant Based Vaccine • It is emerging as an affordable and efficient alternative for vaccination against
(PBV) diseases.
• PBV are a kind of recombinant vaccines that introduce antigens against particular
pathogens into the selected plant.
o Rather than replicating a virus, it aims to engineer a virus-like protein (VLP) in
living plants.
o When administered, a VLP mimics a virus and is recognised by the immune
system, thus eliciting a protective response.
Scientists discover new • New organ is a set of salivary glands set deep in the upper part of the throat.
organ in the throat o It is about 1.5 inches (3.9 centimeters) in length on average and are located over
a piece of cartilage called the torus tubarius.
o So far, this nasopharynx region — behind the nose — was not thought to host
anything but microscopic, diffuse, salivary glands.
• The discovery may be important for cancer treatment.
62
The Cancer Genome Atlas • TCGA is a cancer genomics program of the US-India which began in 2006 bringing
Program (TGCA) together researchers from diverse disciplines and multiple institutions.
• Over the years, TCGA generated over 2.5 petabytes of genomic, epigenomic,
transcriptomic, and proteomic data. These data led to improvements in the ability
to diagnose, treat, and prevent cancer.
• On similar lines, the establishment of an ‘Indian Cancer Genomics Atlas (ICGA)’ has
been initiated by a consortium of key stakeholders in India led by CSIR.
73rd World Health • WHA had unanimously adopted a resolution that seeks to-
Assembly (WHA) o Establish the origins of the novel coronavirus
o Impartial, independent and comprehensive evaluation on the response of the
World Health Organisation (WHO) to the coronavirus crisis.
About WHA
• It is the decision-making body of WHO.
• It is attended by delegations from all WHO Member States and focuses on a specific
health agenda prepared by the Executive Board.
• Main functions: to determine policies of Organization, appoint Director-General,
supervise financial policies, and review and approve the proposed programme
budget.
• It is held annually in Geneva, Switzerland.
Toxin in Hand sanitizer • United States Food and Drug Administration announced presence of 1-propanol in
hand sanitisers.
• 1-propanol is toxin that can depress the central nervous system and can be life-
threatening if ingested.
• 1-propanol is a primary alcohol and is used in the manufacture of products including
pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, rubbing alcohols, and other chemicals and commercial
goods.
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8. DEFENCE
8.1. COASTAL RADAR NETWORK
Why in News?
India is planning at integrating more countries into coastal radar network.
More on News
• Efforts are in advanced stages to set up coastal radar stations in Maldives, Myanmar, Thailand and
Bangladesh
o Mauritius, Seychelles and Sri Lanka have already been integrated into the country’s coastal radar
chain network.
• Integration is being done on mainly two platforms:
Indian Navy’s • IMAC, located in Gurugram, was set up after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and is the
Information nodal agency for maritime data fusion.
Management and • IMAC is jointly operated by the Navy and Coast Guard and is the cornerstone of the
Analysis Centre National Command Control Communication and Intelligence Network for monitoring
(IMAC) maritime traffic in India’s area of interest.
o It focuses on ships passing through Indian Ocean Region.
o IMAC tracks only non-military or commercial ships, known as white shipping.
Military ships, or grey hull ships, are tracked by the Directorate of Naval Operations.
• Navy has been authorised to conclude white shipping agreements with 36 countries and
three multilateral constructs.
Navy’s Information • IFC-IOR is meant to promote Maritime Domain Awareness. It has been established at
Fusion Centre for the Gurugram.
Indian Ocean Region • IFC-IOR had established itself as the hub of maritime security information in the IOR
(IFC-IOR) through white shipping exchange agreements with 21 countries and 20 maritime security
centres.
• IFC is jointly administered by the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard.
8.2. DIGITAL OCEAN

Why in News?
Recently, web-based application Digital Ocean was
launched.
About Digital Ocean
• Digital Ocean is a state of the art data platform to
provide ocean data related services at one place.
o It includes a set of applications developed to
organize and present heterogeneous
oceanographic data by adopting rapid advancements in geospatial technology.
• It has been developed by the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) of the
Ministry of Earth Science.
o INCOIS provides ocean information and advisory services to various stakeholders, including Potential
Fishing Zone advisories, Ocean State Forecast, high wave alerts, tsunami early warnings, etc.
o It is a unit of the Earth System Science Organization (ESSO), an executive arm of the Ministry of Earth
Science to develop and improve capability to forecast, weather, climate and hazard related
phenomena.
• Significance of the ‘Digital Ocean’
o It will serve as a one stop-solution for all the data related needs of a wide range of users.
§ Data from various projects like Deep Ocean Mission, 'Samudrayaan' project, research on
alternative sources of energy, etc would be included.
o It will help to assess the evolution of oceanographic features through 3D and 4D data visualization.
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8.3. MISSILES, SUBMARINE AND SHIPS
Missiles
Akash Missile system • Cabinet approved export of indigenously developed Akash missile systems to friendly
countries.
• It is a mid-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system built by DRDO.
• It was developed under the integrated guided-missile development programme
(IGMDP).
o The programme also involved the development of the Nag, Agni and Trishul missiles,
as well as the Prithvi ballistic missile.
• Two versions of the missile have been built for the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army.
Akash-NG Missile • Recently, DRDO successfully conducted the maiden test of the New Generation Akash
missile (Akash-NG).
• Akash-NG is a new generation Surface to Air Missile meant for use by Indian Air Force
with an aim of intercepting high manoeuvring low RCS (Radar Cross Section) aerial
threats.
NAG Missile • The final user trial of Nag was successfully carried at the Pokhran range in Rajasthan.
• It is India’s third-generation, anti-tank guided missile.
• Features: All-weather, fire-and-forget, lock-on after launch, with an operational range of
500 m to 20 km. It has a single-shot hit probability of 90%.
Anti-radiation • It is first indigenous anti-radiation missile developed by DRDO.
missile- Rudram • Anti-radiation missiles are designed to detect, track and neutralise the adversary’s radar,
communication assets and other radio frequency sources, which are generally part of
their air defence systems.
• It can be launched from a height ranging from 500 metres to 15 km.
• With this, IAF now has the capability to perform SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air
Defence) operations deep into enemy territory to destroy enemy air defence setup.
Brahmos Supersonic • India successfully test-fired land-attack version of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile.
Cruise Missile o Supersonic includes speeds up to five times faster than the speed of sound.
o Cruise missiles are Self-propelled till the end of flights and are used to deliver large
warhead over long distance with high precision.
• The range of the new land-attack version has been extended to 400 km from 290 km but
speed has been maintained at 2.8 Mach.
• BrahMos Aerospace, is an India-Russian joint venture to produce lethal weapons that can
be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft and land platforms.
• Air-launched version and Naval version of the BrahMos missile were also successfully test
fired.
Medium-Range • MRSAM, developed by the DRDO in collaboration with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI)
Surface-to-Air for Army has been tested successfully
(MRSAM) Missile • The propulsion system, coupled with a thrust vector control system, allows the missile to
move at a maximum speed of Mach 2.
• The weapon has the ability to engage multiple targets simultaneously at ranges of 70km.
• In May 2019, Indian Navy, DRDO and IAI successfully tested Naval version of MRSAM.
Dhruvastra anti-tank • It is a helicopter-launched Nag Missile (HELINA), also known as ‘Dhruvastra’.
guided missile • It is a third-generation fire-and-forget-class missile and uses an imaging infrared seeker
in lock-on-before-launch mode.
• It is indigenously developed byDRDO.
Prithvi-II missile • Recently India conducted a successful night test fire of its indigenously developed nuclear
capable surface-to-surface Prithvi-II missile.
o Prithvi-II is capable of carrying 500 to 1,000 kg of warheads.
Quick Reaction • QRSAM is a short-range surface-to-air missile system, indigenously designed and
Surface-to-Air Missile developed.
(QRSAM) System • It provides a protective shield to moving armoured columns of the Army from enemy
aerial attacks. It has a range of 25 to 30 km.
Shaurya Missile • India successfully test fired its indigenously developed nuclear capable hypersonic
missile ‘Shaurya’ with a strike range of around 1,000 km.
• Shaurya is a canister-based system, which means that it is stored and operated from
specially designed compartments.
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• Shaurya is a land-based parallel of the submarine launched K-15 missile.
o The K family of missiles are primarily Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles, which
have been indigenously developed by DRDO and are named after DrKalam.
S-400 • India is set to get S-400 air defence missile system from Russia.
o It is Russia’s fourth generation of long-range surface-to-air missile system capable
of firing three types of missiles to create a layered defence.
o The system can engage all types of aerial targets including aircraft, unmanned aerial
vehicles (UAV),ballistic and cruise missiles within the range of 400km, at an altitude
of up to 30km.
Stand-off Anti-tank • India has successfully test-fired air-to-surface SANT missile from a roof-top launcher at
(SANT) Missile the Integrated Test Range (ITR).
• SANT missile is an upgraded version of the Helicopter Launched Nag (HeliNa) missile,
equipped with an advanced node-mounted seeker.
• It is developed by DRDO for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
• It will have both Lock-on After Launch and Lock-on Before Launch capability.
Submarines
P-75 I • Indian Navy is set to acquire 24 new submarines under the Mega Project which has been
named P-75 I.
• Presently the Indian Navy is operating two different types of submarines — Russian Kilo-
class and German Type 209 conventional submarines.
• And one ‘Scorpene’ class submarine is the new one inducted in the Indian Navy.
Scorpene Class • It is the fifth among the six Kalvari-class submarines being constructed by Mazagon Dock
Submarine Vagir Ltd.
• Other vessels in the class are INS Kalvari, INS Khanderi, INS Karanj, INS Vela and INS
Vagsheer (under construction).
• Design of Kalvari class of submarines, a class of diesel-electric attack submarines, is based
on Scorpene class of submarines with technology transfer from France.
Ships and Other Vessels
INS Vikrant • It is India’s first domestically built aircraft carrier.
• It is lead ship of the Indian Navy’s Vikrant-class, to be designed and built in India under
Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) program.
• It operates a ski-jump assisted Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) launch
systems for launching aircraft and is capable of accommodating MiG 29K fighter jets and
helicopters.
• INS Vishal, also known as Indigenous Aircraft Carrier 2 (IAC-2), is to be the second aircraft
carrier to be built in India after INS Vikrant (IAC-1).
• INS Vikramaditya (India’s only active aircraft carrier) is Indian Navy's largest short take-
off, but assisted recovery (STOBAR) aircraft carrier, converted from the Russian Navy's
decommissioned vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) missile cruiser carrier.
Indian Naval Ship • To be scrapped at ship breaking yard at Alang in Gujarat.
(INS) Viraat o Alang in Gujarat is the world's biggest ship breaking yard
• It was decommissioned in 2017 after 30 years of service with Indian Navy and around 27
years prior to that in British Royal Navy.
• Used in Op Parakram, post terrorist attack on Parliament (2001-02)
Fast Patrol Vessel • It is the fifth and last in a series of FPV built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers
(FPV)ICGS Kanaklata Ltd.
Barua o Other four are ICGS Priyadarshini (named after Indira Gandhi), ICGS Annie Besant,
ICGS Kamala Devi (after Kamala Devi Chattopadhyay), and ICGS AmritKaur.
o It is named after a teenage freedom fighter who was shot dead in Assam during the
Quit India Movement.
• These FPVs are upgraded versions of the inshore patrol vessels.
• These are suited for patrolling, maritime surveillance, anti-smuggling, anti-poaching
operations and also for fishery protection, and rescue and search missions.
Project 17A • Under Project 17A program, a total of seven ships (guided missile frigates) are being built
with enhanced stealth features, advanced indigenous weapon and sensor fit along with
several other improvements.
• Recently, Indian Navy’s 2nd Project 17A Frigate ‘Himgiri’ was launched by India's
shipbuilder Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited.
INS Kavaratti • INS Kavaratti has been commissioned in the Indian Navy.
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• It is the last of the 4 indigenously built Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) stealth corvettes
built under Project 28 (Kamorta class) by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE),
Kolkata.
o It joins 3 other ships of the same class namely- INS Kamorta, INS Kadmatt and INS Kiltan.
• It is named after the capital of the Lakshadweep group of islands.
• It has 90% indigenous content with the state-of-the-art equipment and systems to fight in
Nuclear, Biological and Chemical warfare conditions.
Others
Rafale fighter jets • Rafale is a French twin-engine multi-role fighter jet designed and built by Dassault
Aviation.
o It can carry out all combat aviation missions: air superiority and air defence, close air
support, in-depth strikes, reconnaissance, anti-ship strikes and nuclear deterrence.
• India France signed agreement in 2016 for supply of 36 Rafale multi-role fighter jets.
Light Combat • Cabinet approved procurement of 83 LCA Tejas from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
Aircrafts (LCA) Tejas (HAL) for IAF.
o It is the first Buy (Indian-Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured)
category procurement of combat aircrafts with an indigenous content of 50%.
• Tejas is an indigenously designed, developed and manufactured state-of-the-art modern
4+ generation fighter aircraft.
• It is equipped with operational capabilities like Active Electronically Scanned Array Radar,
Beyond Visual Range Missile, Electronic Warfare Suite and Air to Air Refuelling.
Pinaka • Recently the first ever pinaka rockets fully manufactured by the private sector have been
successfully test fired by the army.
• Pinaka is indigenous multi barrel rocket launch system developed by DRDO.
• Each Pinaka rocket is capable of carrying a 100kg payload for a range of 40km.
ABHYAS • Abhyas is a High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) which is designed and
developed by DRDO.
• It is an unmanned aerial vehicle based on indigenously developed micro
electromechanical systems (MEMS) navigation system.
Smart Anti-Airfield • DRDO successfully test fired SAAW from Hawk-1 jet of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
Weapon (SAAW) (HAL).
• SAAW is indigenously designed stand-off weapon developed capable of engaging ground
enemy airfield assets such as radars, bunkers, taxi tracks, and runways etc. up to a range
of 100 kms.
Supersonic Missile • DRDO has successfully flight-tested SMART. It will have a range of over 600 km.
Assisted Release of • SMART is a Torpedo System for Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) operations far beyond
Torpedo (SMART) Torpedo range.
• Torpedo is a weapon consisting of a self-propelled, self-guided, cigar-shaped underwater
projectile that carries a conventional or nuclear warhead.
Varunastra • Varunastra is a ship launched, heavy weight, electrically-propelled anti-submarine
torpedo which is capable of targeting quiet submarines, both in deep and shallow waters.
• The weapon has a range of 40 kilometers, can travel at a speed of up to 70 kilometers
per hour and dive to a maximum depth of 400 meters.
• It is developed by DRDO.
8.4. BIO-TERRORISM
Why in news?
Parliamentary panel has highlighted the need for the government to have laws to counter bio-terrorism in its
report ‘The Outbreak of Pandemic COVID-19 and its Management’.
About bio-terrorism
• Bioterrorism is a planned and deliberate use of pathogenic strains of microorganisms such as bacteria,
viruses, or their toxins to spread life-threatening diseases on a mass scale in order to devastate the
population of an area.
• Bioterrorism agents are classified as categories A, B, and C.
o Category A: High-priority agents that pose a risk to national security because they can be easily
disseminated or transmitted from person to person, result in high mortality rates. Eg. Anthrax by
Bacillus anthracis, botulism by Clostridium botulinum toxin, plague by Yersinia pestis etc.
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o Category B: The second Existing measures to counter bio-terrorism in India
highest priority agents • Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897.
include brucellosis (Brucella • National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA): Half of the
species), glanders existing force is specifically trained to deal with chemical, biological,
(Burkholderia mallei), radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats.
melioidosis • Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP): It was initiated in
(Burkholderiapseudomallei), assistance with World bank, to strengthen/maintain decentralized
psittacosis (Chlamydia laboratory-based IT enabled disease surveillance system for epidemic-
psittaci) etc. prone diseases.
o Category C: This includes • International Health Regulations: Revised International Health
Regulations came into force in India in June 2007 to ensure that
emerging pathogens that
outbreaks and other public health emergencies of international
could be engineered for
concern are detected and investigated more rapidly.
mass dissemination in the Initiatives at international level
future. Eg. Emerging • Biological Weapons Convention: It is first multilateral disarmament
infectious diseases such as treaty banning the development, production and stockpiling of
Nipah virus and Hanta virus Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons.
etc. • INTERPOL Bioterrorism Prevention Unit: Enable law enforcement
• These agents are delivered by agencies against deliberate use of bacteria, viruses or biological
Scud missiles, motor vehicles toxins.
with spray, hand pump sprayers, • Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety: to ensure the safe handling,
book or letter, guns, remote transport and use of living modified organisms (LMOs) resulting from
modern biotechnology.
control, robots etc.
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9. AWARDS
9.1. NOBEL PRIZE IN CHEMISTRY
Why in News? Clusters of Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)
It was awarded jointly to • CRISPR: They are specific segments in the bacterial DNA that contain
palindromic repeats inter spaced with pieces of DNA (called spacer) that
Emmanuelle Charpentier and
bacteria snip off from attacking viruses.
Jennifer A. Doudna for o Rodolphe Barrangou discovered that CRISPR is the natural defence
discovering the CRISPR-Cas9 mechanism of Bacteria against virus attack.
genetic scissors, which allows • Cas9: It is a CRISPR-associated (Cas) endonuclease, or enzyme, that acts as
scientists to ‘cut-paste’ inside a "molecular scissors" to cut DNA at a location specified by a guide RNA.
genetic sequence. • CRISPR-Cas9: It is a unique genome editing technology that enables
geneticists and medical researchers to edit parts of the genome by
About the discovery
removing, adding or altering sections of the DNA sequence.
• TRACRRNA: During
Emmanuelle studies
of streptococcus
pyogenes, one of
the bacteria that
cause the most harm
to humanity, she
discovered a
previously unknown
molecule, tracrRNA.
O Further studies
revealed that
this tracrRNA
was part of the
bacteria’s
immune system
and it helps the
bacteria destroy
viral DNA.
• REPROGRAMMED
CRISPR-CAS9: Both
succeeded in
recreating the bacteria’s scissors and reprogramming it and then proved that they can now use these
scissors to cut any dna molecule at a required site.
Genome editing
Significance of the discovery
• Genome editing is a technology that gives • CRISPER cas9 tool is easier to adapt and genes
scientists the ability to change an organism's could be edited within few weeks with this tool.
DNA. • It has contributed to discoveries in basic research,
• This allows genetic material to be added, and plant researchers have been able to develop
removed, or altered at particular locations in the crops that withstand mould, pests and drought.
genome. • In medicine, clinical trials of new cancer therapies
• It is a three-stage complex mechanism of are underway, and it can help cure inherited
unwinding, cleaving and rewinding of DNA to diseases.
bring desirable changes in the genome of any • These genetic scissors have taken the life sciences
into a new epoch and, in many ways, are bringing
living beings.
the greatest benefit to humankind.
o Cleaving of the DNA includes editing of genes
(cut paste of the DNA).
• Other genome editing systems include TALENs and Zinc-Finger Nucleases.
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9.2. NOBEL PRIZE IN MEDICINE
Why in News? Hepatitis
It was awarded to Harvey Alter, Charles Rice, and Michael • Hepatitis is inflammatory disease of the liver.
Houghton for discovering the Hepatitis C virus (HCV). • Hepatitis viruses are the most common cause of
hepatitis in the world but other infections, toxic
About the discovery substances (e.g. alcohol, certain drugs), and
autoimmune diseases can also cause hepatitis.
• Clue of the existence of the HCV: In the 1970s, Dr.
Harvey Alter led a team of scientists in discovering that most cases of post-transfusion hepatitis couldn’t
be linked to Type A or B viruses. This discovery provided a hint to the existence of a pathogen that had not
yet been described.
• Identification and Naming of the HCV: In the 1980s, Dr. Houghton and his colleagues became the first to
identify and formally name the hepatitis C virus as the infectious culprit.
o Their work led to the development of a diagnostic test to identify the virus in blood, enabling doctors
and researchers for the first time to screen patients and donors.
• Confirmation of HCV being the sole cause for “non-A, non-B” cases of hepatitis: Dr. Rice showed that HCV
could be isolated in the lab and cause disease in an animal host, the chimpanzee.
o These studies confirmed the HCV as the sole infectious agent responsible for the mysterious “non-A,
non-B” cases of hepatitis and set up a crucial animal model for future studies.
About Hepatitis C virus (HCV)
• It is a blood-borne virus and causes Hepatitis C disease which affects the liver.
o It happens through transfusions of HCV-contaminated blood and blood products, contaminated
injections during medical procedures, and through injection drug use.
o Sexual transmission is also possible, but is much less common.
o According to WHO, there about 71 million people (6-11 million of them in India) who are suffering from
chronic infection caused by HCV.
o It is also a major cause of liver cancer.
o No vaccine is available for HCV yet.
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9.3. NOBEL PRIZE IN PHYSICS
Why in News?
It was awarded to Roger Penrose, Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez for furthering the understanding of black
holes, the most “enigmatic” objects in the universe.
More about their discovery
• Black hole formation is a robust prediction of the general theory of relativity: In January 1965, Roger
Penrose proved that black holes really can form and described them in detail, black holes hide a singularity
in which all the known laws of nature cease.
o Penrose used ingenious
mathematical methods in his
proof that black holes are a
• Essentially, it’s a theory of gravity whose basic idea is that instead
direct consequence of Albert of being an invisible force that attracts objects to one another,
Einstein’s general theory of gravity is a curving or warping of space. The more massive an
relativity. object, the more it warps the space around it.
• Discovery of a supermassive black o For example, the sun is massive enough to warp space across
hole (Sagittarius A*) at the centre our solar system (a bit like the way a heavy ball resting on a
of our galaxy: All the stars in the rubber sheet warps the sheet). As a result, Earth and the
Milky Way orbit the centre other planets move in curved paths (orbits) around it.
Sagittarius A* (the Sun orbits • This warping also affects measurements of time. We tend to
think of time as ticking away at a steady rate. But just as gravity
Sagittarius A* in more than 200
can stretch or warp space, it can also dilate time.
million years).
• Confirmation:
o For nearly three decades, the o In the first major test of general relativity, astronomers in
team led by Genzel and Ghez 1919 measured the deflection of light from distant stars as
observed some thirty stars. the starlight passed by our sun, proving that gravity does, in
o They found that the stars move fact, distort or curve space.
in perfect elliptical orbits, just as o In 2016, the discovery of gravitational waves (subtle ripples
if the object about which they in the fabric of spacetime) was another confirmation of
were orbiting (Sagittarius A*) is general relativity.
a concentrated mass and not § Gravitational waves are produced by cataclysmic events
such as colliding black holes, supernovae (massive stars
diffused or scattered.
exploding at the end of their lifetimes), and colliding
o Given its calculated mass of neutron stars.
about four million solar masses, § They travel at speed of light, squeezing and stretching
and its invisibility, this could anything in their path.
only be a supermassive black
hole, they deduced. Basic parts of black hole:
What are black holes? • Singularity: It is the one-dimensional point in the centre
of a black hole which contains a huge mass in an infinitely
• A black hole is a place in space where small space, where density and gravity become infinite
gravity pulls so much that even light cannot and space-time curves infinitely. It is a tiny volume with
get out. The gravity is so strong because very big density.
matter has been squeezed into a tiny space. • The event horizon: It is the "point of no return" around
the black hole. It is not a physical surface, but a sphere
o This can happen when a big star is dying
surrounding the black hole that marks where the escape
(our sun will never turn into a black hole velocity is equal to the speed of light.
as it is not big enough to make a black • The Schwarzschild Radius: This is the event horizon's
hole). radius. It is the radius at which the escape velocity is equal
o Because no light can get out they are to the speed of light.
invisible. • The Ergosphere: If the black hole is rotating, then as it
o In the center of a black hole is a spins, its mass causes the space time around the black
gravitational singularity. hole to rotate as well. This region is called the ergosphere.
• In 2019 scientists got the first optical image • The Accretion Disk: This is a disk composed of stellar
of a black hole through Event Horizon material that is spiraling towards that black hole.
Telescope.
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o It has captured the just outside region of a black hole, located 55 million light-years from Earth, at
the centre of a galaxy named Messier 87.The image shows a photon (light quantum) can orbit the
black hole without falling in. This is called the ‘last photon ring’
o Sagittarius A* is the second black hole whose photographs have been captured by the Event
Horizon Telescope project.
• On the basis of size black holes can be divided in the 3 categories:
• Detection of Black Holes:

o They cannot be directly observed because they themselves do not emit or radiate light, or any other
electromagnetic waves that can be detected by instruments built by human beings.
o But the area just outside the boundary of the black hole (Event Horizon), which has vast amounts of
gas, clouds and plasma swirling violently, emit all kinds of radiations, including even visible light.
o Hence, the presence of black holes can be inferred by detecting their effect on other matter nearby
them.
• Importance:
o Their detection can provide a test for existing theories of the universe, and lead to a better
understanding of black holes and the nature of the universe itself.
o Enhances the understanding of gravitational force- which can be useful for the Global Positioning
Satellites in order to make them accurate to more than a few metres.

Shanti • It is given each year for outstanding contributions to science and technology.
SwarupBhatnagar(SSB) • Disciplines covered are Biological Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Earth, Atmosphere,
Prize Ocean and Planetary Sciences, Engineering Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Medical
Sciences and Physical Sciences.
• Eligibility: Any citizen of India up to the age of 45 years. Overseas citizen of India and
Persons of Indian Origin working in India are also eligible.
• The award is named after the founder Director of the Council of Scientific & Industrial
Research .
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10.1. INDIA’S FIRST LITHIUM REFINERY
Why in News? Related News
India’s first Lithium refinery which will • Preliminary surveys, by Department of Atomic Energy, have
shown presence of Lithium resources in igneous rocks of
process Lithium ore to produce battery-
Marlagalla-Allapatna region of Mandya (Karnataka).
grade material will be set up in Gujarat. o Other Potential Sites: mica belts in Rajasthan, Bihar, and
About Lithium Andhra Pradesh; Pegmatite (igneous rocks) belts in
Odisha and Chhattisgarh; Brines of Sambhar and
• Lithium an alkali metal is the lightest of Pachpadra in Rajasthan, and Rann of Kachchh in Gujarat.
the solid elements. It is soft, white,
and lustrous.
• It is found in brine deposits and as
salts in mineral springs; its
concentration in seawater is 0.1 part
per million.
• It constitutes about 0.002 percent of
Earth’s crust.
• It is also found in minerals and ores
like: petalite, lepidolite amblygonite
etc.
• A significant proportion of lithium
reserves are located in South
America’s “lithium triangle” – an
area encompassing parts of Chile,
Argentina and Bolivia (largest
reserves of lithium in the world).
• Australia is largest producer of
lithium in the world.
About Lithium-ion battery
• Lithium-ion batteries are
rechargeable batteries having high
voltage capacity, high energy
density, long life cycle and high
storage characteristics.
o Rechargeable lithium-ion
batteries cycle 5000 times or
more compared to just 400-500
cycles in lead acid.
• Lithium-ion batteries are smaller and
lighter than a NiCad (Nickel Cadmium)
battery. Lithium-ion also two to three
times more expensive than NiCad. On
the other hand, Lithium-ion has
virtually no self-discharge.
• It finds wide applications in electronic
gadgets, tele-communications and
Industrial applications as well as in
aerospace.
• Recent progress in Lithium-ion
battery technology has made it a
favourite power source for electric
and hybrid electric vehicles.
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• Also, Graphine based super capacitors are being produced by using discareded/waste lithium ion
batteries.
• Super capacitor are now being used explicitly, in wind turbine pitch control, rail, automobile, heavy
industry, telecom system and memory backup.

India's first 100 • Recently, Indian Oil has launched world-class premium grade Petrol (Octane 100) in the
Octane petrol: country. Branded as XP100, the premium grade petrol was launched across ten cities.
XP100 • Octane number is a measure of the resistance of fuels to knock or to ignite prematurely.
• The higher an octane number, more stable the fuel.
World’s Largest • Solar tree is made of metal structure and have solar panels at the top instead of branches
Solar Tree of real tree.
o One solar tree can reduce ten to twelve tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.
• Developed by CSIR-Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute, it is installed in
Durgapur.
• Its installed capacity is above 11.5 kWp.
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11. MISCELLANEOUS
11.1. INTERNATIONAL THERMONUCLEAR EXPERIMENTAL REACTOR
(ITER)
Why in news? Tokamak
India has recently competed 50 per • The tokamak is an experimental magnetic fusion device designed to
harness the energy of fusion.
cent of the work assigned to it under
• Inside a tokamak, the energy produced through the fusion is
the ITER project.
absorbed as heat in the walls of the vessel, which will be used by a
About ITER Project fusion power plant to produce steam and then electricity by way of
turbines and generators.
• Launched in 1985, ITER is an • The device uses magnetic fields to contain and control the hot
experimental fusion reactor plasma, which enables the fusion between deuterium and tritium
facility currently under nuclei to produce great amounts of energy.
construction in Cadarache, south • The machine has been designed specifically to:
of France. o Produce 500 MW of fusion power
• It aims to prove the feasibility of o Demonstrate the integrated operation of technologies for a
nuclear fusion as a future source fusion power plant such as heating, control, diagnostics,
cryogenics and remote maintenance.
of energy and build the world's
o Achieve a deuterium-tritium plasma in which the reaction is
largest tokamak through an sustained for a long duration through internal heating
international collaboration. o Test tritium breeding: Since the world supply of tritium is not
• Once complete, ITER will be the sufficient to cover the needs of future power plants
first fusion device to produce net o Demonstrate the safety characteristics of a fusion device: such
energy. as the control of the plasma and the fusion reactions with
• ITER Members: Signatories to the negligible consequences to the environment.
ITER Agreement include China,
the European Union, India, Japan, Korea, Russia and the United States (35 nations).
o These countries share the cost of project construction, operation and decommissioning, and will also
share in the experimental results and any intellectual
property generated by the project. Related News
• Recently, China successfully powered
o European Union being the host party contributes 45%
up its HL-2M Tokamak nuclear fusion
while the rest of the parties contribute 9% each. Most of
reactor, often called an artificial sun
these contributions (around nine-tenths) are through ‘in- on account of enormous heat and
kind’ procurement of ITER components. power it produces.
o Each Member has created a Domestic Agency to fulfill its
procurement responsibilities to ITER.
• India’s contribution: India which formally joined the ITER project in 2005, is responsible for delivery of
cryostat, in-wall shielding, cooling water system, cryogenic system, heating systems, Diagnostic Neutral
Beam System, power supplies and some diagnostics.
o India is contributing resources worth about $2.2 billion to this effort.
o ITER-India is the Indian domestic agency, a specially empowered project of the Institute for Plasma
Research (IPR), an aided organization under Dept. of Atomic Energy.
o Larsen & Toubro Ltd (L&T) has worked and supplied all the parts for Cryostat.
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Differences between Nuclear Fission and Fusion
Nuclear Fission Nuclear Fusion
Fission is the splitting of a heavy, unstable nucleus into Fusion is the process where two light nuclei combine
two lighter nuclei, which releases a tremendous amount together releasing vast amounts of energy.
of energy.
Uranium and plutonium are most commonly used for Atoms of Tritium and Deuterium (isotopes of hydrogen)
fission reactors. are used in fusion reactors.
Energy produced is lesser than that in nuclear fusion. Energy released is several times greater than fission.
Fission reactors produce highly radioactive fission Fusion reactors produce no high activity/long-lived
products. radioactive waste. The burnt fuel in a fusion reactor is
helium, an inert gas.
Additional neutrons released in the fission reaction can Due to the tremendous amount of pressure and
initiate a chain reaction which sustains fission reactions temperature needed to join the nuclei together, fusion
for longer durations. reactions are difficult to sustain for long periods of time.
Advantages of fusion energy
Issues related to India’s participation
in ITER
• Delays in in-cash contribution:
Since 2017, India has not fulfilled
its in-cash contribution.
• Low allocation of human
resources at the ITER site: Only 25
Indians are currently working
there, as against 100 engineers/
scientists allowed as per the
agreement. This gives
opportunity to countries like
China to have excess staffing.
• India deputed a rather junior
person to represent the country
in comparison to heads of states
by other nations at the recent
high profile global virtual event.
11.2. THIRD UNIT AT KAKRAPAR ATOMIC POWER PLANT (KAPP-3)

ACHIEVES CRITICALITY
Why in News?
Recently, third unit at Kakrapar Atomic Power Plant (KAPP-3) achieved criticality.
More on News
• KAPP-3 isIndia’s first700 MWe (megawatt electric) unit, and biggest indigenously developed variant of
Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR). Until now, biggest reactor size of indigenous design was 540
MWe PHWR (Tarapur).
o First two units at Kakrapar were based on Canadian technology.
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o PHWR is a nuclear power reactor commonly using un enriched natural uranium as its fuel, that
uses heavy water (deuterium oxide) as its coolant and moderator.
• A reactor achieves criticality (and is said to be critical) when each fission event releases a sufficient
number of neutrons to sustain an ongoing series of reactions.
• India has current installed nuclear
power capacity of 6780 MW.
• Indian Nuclear Power Generation
envisages a Three Stage Programme.
Related Info
• Nuclear reactors in India are placed under IAEA safeguards only if they are fuelled by uranium procured from
abroad.
• There are at present (2020) 22 operational reactors, of which 14 are under the International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA) safeguards as these use imported fuel.
• India currently imports uranium from Russia, Kazakhstan and Canada.
11.3. HYPERLOOP
Why in News?
Recently, Virgin hyperloop became the first company to conduct a human test of the technology.
More on News
• Hyperloop is a high-speed train that travels in a near-vacuum tube. It is considered 5th mode of
transportation (other 4 includes railways, roadways, airways, waterways).
o It is among 6 new proposals for the Public Transportation System, cleared by NITI Aayog. Other five
include metrino, stadler buses, pod taxis, hybrid buses and freight rail road.
• Hyperloop aims to remove the two things that slow down regular vehicles: friction and air resistance.
o For Friction, the pod hovers above its track, like a magnetic levitation train and tube is used to reduce
air resistance.
• The reduced air resistance allows the capsule inside the tube to reach speeds of more than 1000 km/h,
thereby drastically reducing travel times.
• Hyperloop is environment friendly and doesn't call for much maintenance too.
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• IIT Madras Avishkar’ project team has been working on developing India’s first self-propelled Hyperloop
Pod.
11.4. CHEMOSYNTHESIS AIDS MICROBES SURVIVAL

Why in News?
Recently, scientists have discovered that microbes across globe could live on air — by feeding off the
hydrogen, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide to survive extreme conditions.
More on News
• In 2017, the phenomenon was observed in Antarctica but researchers have now discovered that the
phenomenon is global, and occurs in soils across the world’s three poles (Antarctic, Arctic and Tibetan
Plateau in the Hindu Kush-Himalayas).
• The findings mean that microbes use trace gases (gases in the atmosphere other than nitrogen, oxygen
and argon) as energy and carbon source to grow.
• This is possible by process called Chemosynthesis, which helps microbes grow in areas of low
photosynthetic capacity (low or absence of sunlight).
About Chemosynthesis
• It is the process through which bacteria or other living organisms derive energy — from reactions
involving inorganic chemicals — typically in the absence of sunlight.
• The process is also called carbon fixation, through which inorganic carbon is converted to organic
compounds by living organisms and stored as form of energy.
• Chemosynthesis has profound impact on the production and cycling of greenhouse gases such as carbon
dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide.
Photosynthesis vs Chemosynthesis
• Photosynthesis – occurs in plants and some bacteria, wherever there is enough sunlight.
• Photosynthetic organisms use the sun’s energy to turn carbon dioxide and water into sugar and oxygen.
• Chemosynthesis – is the use of the energy released by chemical reactions (instead of the sun’s energy) to produce
food.
11.5. INDIA’S TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE DIGITAL LIBRARY

Why in News?
Recently, India’s Traditional Knowledge Digital Library completed 20 years of functioning.
About Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL)
• TKDL is an Indian digital knowledge repository of traditional knowledge (TK), especially about medicinal
plants and formulations used in Indian systems of medicine.
o TK is knowledge, know-how, skills and practices that are developed, sustained and passed on from
generation to generation within a community, often forming part of its cultural or spiritual identity.
• TKDL was initiated in 2001, as collaboration between the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research
(CSIR), Ministry of S&T, and Department AYUSH, Ministry of Health.
o TKDL database contains more than 3.9 lakh formulations/ practices from the Indian systems of
medicine (Ayurveda, Yoga, Siddha, Unani and Sowa Rigpa) in digitized format in five languages:
English, German, French, Japanese and Spanish.
• It seeks to prevent misappropriation of the country's traditional medicinal knowledge at International
Patent Offices by preventing the granting of patents for products developed utilizing Indian TK.
• The database is available to only patent examiners through TKDL Access (Non-disclosure) Agreement.
78
11.6. INDIAN PERSONALITIES IN NEWS
11.6.1. C.V. RAMAN
Why in news?
Recently Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman was remembered on his 50th death anniversary (21st November
2020).
More about C. V Raman
• He was born at Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu and worked as a civil servant in the Indian Finance Department
in Calcutta.
• He founded the Indian Journal of Physics in 1926, Indian Academy of Sciences in 1933 and established
Raman Institute of Research at Bangalore in 1948.
• He was awarded with the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1930 for the discovery of the Raman effect and Bharat
Ratna in 1954.
• India celebrates National Science Day on 28 February of every year to commemorate the discovery of the
Raman effect in 1928.
Contributions to physics by C. V. Raman
• Raman effect/ Raman scattering: In 1922 he published his work on the ‘Molecular Diffraction of Light’,
which ultimately led to his discovery of ‘Raman Effect’ in 1928.
o Light consists of particles called photons; whose energy is directly proportional to the frequency with
which they travel.
o When they strike molecules in a medium at high speeds, they bounce back and scatter in different
directions depending on the angle with which they hit the molecules, is known as Raman effect.
o Daylight interacts with the gases in Earth’s atmosphere and scatters, instead of coming back straight
to our eyes from the sun.
§ Blue light is scattered most, which means that it involves our eyes from all over within the sky,
thus the sky appearance blue.
§ Yellow and red light are scattered least, thus we tend to typically see a yellow sun, and generally
a red sun.
• Raman spectroscopy: It is used to better understand the composition of the structures, crystallographic
orientation of the sample and the change in vibrational frequency for chemical bond in Raman effect.
o It is used in many varied fields where non-destructive, microscopic, chemical analysis and imaging is
required.
o It can provide key information easily and quickly.
o It can be used to rapidly characterise the chemical composition and structure of a sample, whether
solid, liquid, gas, gel, slurry or powder.
o Raman spectroscopy has been used to monitor manufacturing processes in the petrochemical and
pharmaceutical industries.
o It is additionally utilized in medication to research living cells, tissues and even in detection of cancers
- while not inflicting damage.
• Scattering by ocean: He used a prism, miniature optical instrument and optical device to review the sky
and therefore the ocean and found that the ocean was scattering light.
o This, led to oppose the view of Lord Rayleigh, who said sea’s colour is solely a mirrored image of the
sky’s colour.
11.6.2. DR VIKRAM SARABHAI

Why in News?
Recently, Moon Crater Captured by Chandrayaan-2 was named After Vikram Sarabhai called "Sarabhai"
Crater.
About Dr Vikram Sarabhai
• Born in Ahmedabad in 1919, Dr. Vikram Sarabhai is considered as the father of India's space program.
79
• After the death of physicist HomiBhabha in 1966, Sarabhai was appointed chairman of the Atomic Energy
Commission of India.
• Carrying forward Bhabha’s work in the field of nuclear research, Sarabhai was largely responsible for the
establishment and development of India’s nuclear power plants. He laid the foundations for the
indigenous development of nuclear technology for defense purposes
• Awards conferred on him
o Shanti SwarupBhatnagar Award (1962)
o Padma Bhushan (1966)
o Padma Vibhushan, posthumous (after-death) (1972)
o In 1973, a crater on the moon was named after him.
o Lander of Chandrayaan 2, India’s 2nd mission to moon is named ‘Vikram’ to honour late Dr.Vikram
Sarabhai.
11.6.3. SRINIVASA RAMANUJAN Ramanujan’s Work

• Ramanujan made priceless contributions to several
Why in News? mathematical concepts like infinite series, continued
The year 2020 marks 100th death fractions, number theory and mathematical analysis. He also
made notable contributions like the hypergeometric series,
anniversary of Srinivasa Ramanujan.
the Riemann series, the elliptic integrals, the theory of
About Ramanujan divergent series, and the functional equations of the zeta
function.
• Srinivasa Ramanujan was born on • Heintroduced a summation in 1918, now known as the
December 22, 1887 in the town of Erode, Ramanujan sum which is currently used in signal processing,
Tamil Nadu. i.e., analysing, modifying and synthesising periodically
o His birth anniversary on 22 repetitive signals such as speech, music, DNA sequences etc.
December is celebrated as National • In hisfamousletter to Hardy in 1919, he introduced the “mock
Mathematics Day to honour the theta functions” which are used today in ‘String Theory’ in
achievements of the legendary theoretical physics.
mathematician. • He is also credited for his work in ‘Modular functions’ which
are used to reveal properties of Black Holes by
• He received his degree from Cambridge astrophysicists.
in 1916 and went on to publish several • He discovered Hardy Ramanujan number i.e. 1729 which is the
brilliant papers on his subject with the smallest number which can be expressed as the sum of two
help of his professor GH Hardy of cubes in two different ways- 1729 = 13 + 123 = 93 + 103.
Trinity College, Cambridge University.
80
• Ramanujan was elected to the London Mathematical Society in 1917 and was elected a Fellow of the Royal
Society for his excellent work on Elliptic Functions and the theory of numbers.
• He was also the first Indian to be elected a Fellow of the Trinity College.
• Ramanujandied at the young age of 32 owing to deteriorating health on April 26, 1920.
• In 1976 George E. Andrews found Ramanujan’s notes written during his last few years in England. Prof.
Andrews, along with Bruce C. Berndt went on to compile the contents of this lost notebook into a five-
volume book entitled Ramanujan’s Lost Notebook.
• Robert Kanigel also wrote a book about him called ‘The Man Who Knew Infinity’ and a movie of the same
name premiered in 2015.

Winter Diesel • Winter diesel is a specialised fuel that was introduced by Indian Oil CorporationLimited
specifically for high altitude regions and low-temperature regions such as Ladakh,
where ordinary diesel can become unusable.
• Benefits of winter diesel
o Contains additives to maintain lower viscosity can be used in temperatures as low
as -30°C
o Higher cetane rating-an indicator of combustion speed of diesel and compression
needed for ignition.
o Lower sulphur content, which would lead to lower deposits in engines and better
performance.
o It has a low pour point (the temperature below which the liquid loses its flow
characteristics) of -33° Celsius.
o Unlike regular diesel, it is free from paraffin wax.
Green crackers • Green crackers don't contain banned chemicals such as lithium, arsenic, barium and
lead.
• They are called Safe Water Releaser (SWAS), Safe Thermite Cracker (STAR) and Safe
Minimal Aluminium (SAFAL) crackers.
• Green crackers release water vapour and don't allow the dust particles to rise. They are
designed to have 30% less particulate matter pollution.
• While regular crackers emit about 160 decibels of sound, green crackers’ emission rate
is limited to 110-125 decibels.
• They have been developed by National Environmental and Engineering Research
Institute (NEERI), a Council of Scientific and Industrial Research lab.
o QR codes on green cracker packages help consumers scan and identify
counterfeits.
Vanadium • An exploration carried out by Geological Survey of India has found promising
concentration of Vanadium metal in Arunachal Pradesh.
• Vanadium in its pure form is a soft, grey and ductile element primarily derived from
mined iron ore, carbonaceous shale or phyllites and steel slag.
• It is a ductile transition metal with a natural resistance to corrosion and stability against
alkalis, acids and salt water.
• Vanadium has an atomic number of 23. Its atomic symbol is V.
• India is a significant consumer of vanadium but is not a primary producer of the
strategic metal. China is the largest producer and consumer.
• In India, the largest reserves of Vanadium are found in the state of Karnataka followed
by Maharashtra and Odisha.
Emerging • Aim of ETI is to assist in recommending appropriate policy choices and help inform
Technologies Initiative negotiating capacities vis-a-vis global technology governance rules, and standards,
(ETI) keeping in mind India’s development and national security priorities.
o Emerging technologies have the potential to disrupt many existing industries and
significantly impact employment, security, social equity, and global relations. For
ex: AI, Blockchain, Quantum Technology etc.
• Partners of ETI:Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser, New Emerging & Strategic
Technologies Division in the Ministry of External Affairs, Science Policy Forum.
Global Innovation & • GITA is a not–for–profit Section-8 Public-Private Partnership (PPP) company promoted
Technology Alliance jointly by the Technology Development Board (TDB), Department of Science &
(GITA) Technology (DST) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
81
• GITA has served as a catalyst for nurturing innovation and industrial R&D by fostering
bilateral academic industry and government collaborations.
Vaishvik Bhartiya • It is aimed at developing mechanisms for involving Indian Diaspora working in top
Vaigyanik (VAIBHAV) universities and R&D organisations across the world, to further enhance the
summit knowledge-base of Indian Research and Academic Institutions.
• It will be organized by Department of Science and Technology and Defence Research
and Development Organisation.
National Mission on • A Technology Innovation Hub at IIT Delhi under (NM-ICPS) was established.
Interdisciplinary Cyber • NM-ICPS aims to create a strong foundation and a seamless ecosystem for CPS
Physical Systems (NM- technologies by coordinating and integrating nationwide efforts encompassing
ICPS) knowledge generation, human resource development, research, technology and
product development, innovation and commercialization.
• It is implemented by the Department of Science & Technology.
Lab-grown meat • Recently, the Singapore Food Agency approved the sale of a lab-grown meat product.
This is the first-time a cultured meat has been cleared for sale anywhere in the world.
• In lab-grown or cultured meat scientists use the animal’s stem cells to create meat
rather than slaughtering animals.
o Stem cells are the building blocks of cells and tissues, and by feeding them amino
acids and carbohydrates, the muscle cells will be multiplied and grown in the lab.
o Once muscle fibers start growing, the result is an artificially created meat that
resembles actual meat in terms of appearance, texture, and nutrient profile.
• Lab-grown meat is different from plant-based meat as latter is made from plant sources
such as soy or pea protein, while cultured meat is grown directly from cells in a
laboratory.
Nerve agent Novichok • As per German government, Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny was poisoned
with a variant of Novichok, a Soviet-era nerve agent.
o Novichok means newcomer in Russian, and applies to a group of advanced nerve
agents developed by Soviet Union in 1970s and 1980s.
• Nerve agents cause their toxic effects by preventing the proper operation of an
enzyme that acts as the body’s off switch for glands and muscles.
o Without an off switch, glands and muscles are constantly being stimulated.
Styrene Gas • Styrene gas leak
at LG Polymers'
Vizag plant killed
11 people.
• Styrene is a
poisonous
volatile organic
compound
(derivative of
benzene).
• It is stored in
factories as a
liquid, but
evaporates
easily, and has to
be kept at
temperatures under 20°C.
• It is used in the manufacturing of latex, synthetic rubber, plastic packaging, disposable
cups, intermediate to producecopolymers etc.
• Styrene is found in vehicle exhaust, cigarette smoke, in natural foods like fruits and
vegetables.
• Styrene is classified as a “hazardous and toxic chemical under Manufacture, Storage
and Import of Hazardous Chemicals Rules, 1989 and Hazardous Wastes (Management,
Handling and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2008 for regulating hazardous
substances.
Trinity Test • On July 16, 1945, scientists tested the Gadget-world’s first atomic bomb. This test was
called as the Trinity Test. Bomb was developed as part of the US-led Manhattan Project.
• After this, within a month, an identical nuclear bomb called ‘Fat Man’ was dropped on
the Japanese city of Nagasaki.
• An atomic bomb uses either uranium or plutonium and relies on fission.
82
Moushik • It is indigenous microprocessor, developed by IIT Madras.
• It aims to reduce dependence on other countries and as it is open source the design can
be picked up by start-ups and customised to their needs.
• It can cater to the rapidly-growing Internet of things (IoT) devices, an integral part of
Smart Cities of a Digital India.
WAG-12 • It is first 12,000 horse power (HP) electric locomotive operationalised by Indian
Railways.
• It has been manufactured by Madhepura Electric Locomotive Pvt. Ltd. (MELPL), Bihar.
o MELPL is a joint venture between French rolling stock manufacturer Alstom and
Indian railways.
o With this India became 6th country in world to produce high horse power (HP)
locomotive indigenously.
• WAG12 will allow faster and safer movement of heavier freight trains capable to haul
around 6000 tonnes at a top speed of 120 kmph.
Battery made from • A California-based company has made a self-charging battery by trapping carbon-14
nuclear waste (C14) nuclear waste in artificial diamond-case.
o Carbon-14 (C14), or radiocarbon, is a radioactive isotope of carbon. It also helps in
provides objective age estimates for carbon-based materials that originated from
living organisms.
• The battery works by generating electricity on its own from a shower of electrons as
result of radioactive decay scattered and deposited in the artificial diamond-case.
o The company claims the battery can run for 28,000 years on a single charge.

All rights are reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior
permission of Vision IAS.
83
Table of Contents
1. BIOTECHNOLOGY ___________________ 3 3.11. RFID ___________________________ 29
1.1. DNA Technology (Use & Application) 3.12. Miscellaneous ___________________ 29
Regulation Bill ________________________ 3
4. DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY _____________ 32
1.2. National Guidelines for Gene Therapy __ 3
4.1. Missiles _________________________ 32
1.3. MANAV: Human Atlas Initiative _______ 5
4.2. Submarine and Ships _______________ 33
1.4. Genome India Project _______________ 6
4.3. Aircrafts and Helicopters____________ 34
1.5. GM Crops _________________________ 6
4.4. Other weapons system _____________ 35
1.5.1. Golden Rice ________________________ 7
4.5. Space Weaponisation ______________ 36
2. SPACE TECHNOLOGY ________________ 8
4.6. Drone Regulation__________________ 37
2.1. ISRO _____________________________ 8
2.1.1. Gaganyaan _________________________ 8 4.7. Other important news ______________ 38
2.1.2. Chandrayaan 2 _____________________ 9
2.1.3. Geotail ___________________________ 10 5. HEALTH _________________________ 39
2.1.4. NaVIC ____________________________ 11 5.1. Viral diseases _____________________ 39
2.1.5. GSAT-30 __________________________ 12 5.1.1. Polio _____________________________ 39
2.1.6. GEMINI __________________________ 12 5.1.2. New HIV Subtype Found by Genetic
2.1.7. Indian Data Relay Satellite System (IDRSS) Sequencing _____________________________ 40
______________________________________ 13 5.1.3. Other viral Diseases _________________ 40
2.1.8. Cartosat-3 ________________________ 13
2.1.9. RISAT-2BR1 _______________________ 14 5.2. Bacterial Diseases _________________ 40
2.1.10. Newspace India ___________________ 14 5.2.1. Tuberculosis _______________________ 40
2.1.11. Other ISRO Missions _______________ 14 5.2.1.1. Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria42
5.2.2. Other Bacterial Diseases _____________ 42
2.2. NASA ___________________________ 15
5.3. Other diseases ____________________ 43
2.3. Other Space Missions ______________ 16 5.3.1. Rare Diseases ______________________ 43
2.4. Other Space Related Research & 5.3.2. Lymphatic Filariasis _________________ 44
Development ________________________ 17 5.3.3. Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine ___________ 45
2.4.1. Space-Based Internet _______________ 17 5.4. Livestock and Avian diseases ________ 46
2.4.2. Gravitational Lensing _______________ 18 5.4.1. Initiative to Control Livestock Diseases __ 46
2.5. Other important news _____________ 18 5.4.2. Avian Botulism _____________________ 46
5.5. Pharmaceuticals __________________ 46
3. IT & COMPUTER ___________________ 22
5.5.1. Antimicrobial Resistance _____________ 46
3.1. 5G Network ______________________ 22 5.5.2. Use of Antibiotics in Animal Food ______ 48
5.5.3. Medical Devices ____________________ 48
3.2. Blockchain Technology _____________ 22 5.5.3.1. Government Notifies Medical Devices
3.3. Artificial Intelligence _______________ 23 as ‘drugs’ ____________________________ 48
5.5.3.2. Medical Devices Amendment Rules,
3.4. Quantum Computing_______________ 24 2020 ________________________________ 49
5.5.3.3. National Essential Diagnostic list ___ 49
3.5. Edge Computing __________________ 25
5.5.4. Nano-Pharmaceuticals _______________ 49
3.6. Dark Net_________________________ 25 5.5.5. Traditional Medicine ________________ 51
5.5.6. Vaccine Hesitancy __________________ 52
3.7. Data Localization __________________ 26
5.6. Food and Health __________________ 52
3.8. The Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 27 5.6.1. Food Fortification ___________________ 52
3.9. 3D printing _______________________ 28 5.6.2. Eat Right India Campaign _____________ 53
5.6.3. National Digital Health Blueprint ______ 54
3.10. Biometrics ______________________ 28
1
DELHI | JAIPUR | PUNE | HYDERABAD | AHMEDABAD | LUCKNOW | CHANDIGARH 8468022022
5.6.4. E-cigarettes _______________________ 55 8.4. Optoelectronics ___________________ 65
5.7. Other news ______________________ 55 8.5. Short Wave Radio Transmission ______ 65
6. IPR _____________________________ 57 8.6. Ceramic Membranes _______________ 66
6.1. International Intellectual Property (IP) 8.7. Elastocaloric Effect ________________ 66
Index _______________________________ 57
8.8. Other Important News _____________ 66
6.2. Patent Prosecution Highway Programme
9. AWARDS ________________________ 69
___________________________________ 59
9.1. Nobel Prizes 2019 _________________ 69
7. ALTERNATIVE ENERGY ______________ 60 9.1.1. Nobel Prize in Physics _______________ 69
7.1. Indigenous Fuel Cell _______________ 60 9.1.2. Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine __ 69
9.1.3. Nobel Prize in Chemistry _____________ 69
7.2. Microbial Fuel Cells ________________ 60
9.2. Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for 2019 70
7.3. Hydrothermal Carbonisation ________ 61
9.3. Swarna Jayanti Fellowships _________ 71
7.4. Biofuel from Microorganisms ________ 61
10. MISCELLANEOUS _________________ 72
7.5. Sodium Sulphur battery ____________ 62
10.1. Annular Solar Eclipse ______________ 72
8. RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT ________ 63
10.2. Scientific Social Responsibility (SSR) __ 73
8.1. India Adopts New Definition of Kilogram
___________________________________ 63 10.3. Personalities ____________________ 73
10.3.1. Srinivas Ramanujan ________________ 73
8.2. Superconductivity at Room Temperature 10.3.2. Dr. Vikram Sarabhai ________________ 74
___________________________________ 63
10.4. Other important news _____________ 75
8.3. Proton Therapy ___________________ 64
2
8468022022 DELHI | JAIPUR | PUNE | HYDERABAD | AHMEDABAD | LUCKNOW | CHANDIGARH
1. BIOTECHNOLOGY
o for matters related to establishment of
1.1. DNA TECHNOLOGY (USE & individual identity.
APPLICATION) REGULATION BILL • Collection of DNA: the investigating
authorities may collect bodily substances of
Why in news?
persons.
Recently, the DNA Technology (Use and o Requirement of consent for collection in
Application) Regulation Bill, 2019 was introduced certain situations. For instance,
in the Lok Sabha, which provides for the regulation ✓ For arrested persons- Requirement of
of use of DNA technology for establishing the written consent if the offence carries
identity of certain persons. a punishment of up to seven years. If
the offence carries more than seven
What is DNA?
• DNA stands for Deoxyribonucleic Acid, a
years of imprisonment or death,
hereditary material in human and almost all the consent is not required.
other organisms. • DNA Data Bank- A National DNA Databank and
• Most DNA is located in the cell nucleus (called regional DNA Databanks will store DNA
nuclear DNA) but some small amount of DNA can Profiles in a specified format.
be found in Mitochondria (called mitochondrion • Removal of DNA profiles:
DNA). o The Bill provides for removal of the DNA
• It is composed of two chains, which coil around profiles of the following persons:
each other to form a double helix carrying the ✓ of a suspect if a police report is filed or
genetic instructions used in the growth.
court order given,
• It is made up of 23 pairs of chromosomes and
provides instructions for building an entire
✓ of an undertrial if a court order is
organism and the proteins. given, and
• The information in DNA is stored as a code made ✓ on written request, for persons who
up of four chemical bases: adenine (A), guanine are not a suspect, offender or
(G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T). Human DNA undertrial, from the crime scene or
consists of about 3 billion bases, and more than missing persons’ index.
99 percent of those bases are the same in all • Establishment of DNA Regulatory Board:
people. which will supervise the DNA Data Banks and
• An important property of DNA is that it can DNA laboratories.
replicate, or make copies of itself. Each strand of
• Penalties for various offences, including
DNA in the double helix can serve as a pattern for
duplicating the sequence of bases. disclosure of DNA information or using DNA
sample without authorization have been
provided.
1.2. NATIONAL GUIDELINES FOR

GENE THERAPY
Why in News?
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
published “National Guidelines for Gene Therapy-
Product Development and Clinical Trials”.
Gene Therapy Product (GTP)
• It is defined as any biological entity, having the
required gene, that could introduce modifications
in the genome for therapeutic benefit.
Key Provisions of the Bill • GTPs work by repairing, replacing or deactivating
dysfunctional disease-causing genes aiming to
• Use of DNA Data: DNA testing is allowed only restore normal function.
in respect of matters listed in the Schedule to • GTPs include:
the Bill, such as- o Recombinant viral vectors: adenovirus,
o Offences under the Indian Penal Code, retrovirus
1860. o Non-viral vectors: naked DNA transfection
o for civil matters such as paternity suits.
3
o Microbial/bacterial vectors (Salmonella, E. haemophilia, thalassemia, sickle-cell
coli): recombinant bacteria derived vehicles anaemia etc.
o Modifications resulting from the use of CRISPR
and other similar technologies Key guidelines
o ex vivo genetically modified cells: gene • Applicability: The guidelines apply to all
modified/ augmented stem cells, iPS (induced stakeholders in the field of gene therapy
pluripotent stem) cells, CAR-T cells etc. including researchers, clinicians, regulatory
o Soluble/particulate/emulsion/Nano based committees, industry, patient support groups
interventions containing any form of genetic etc.
material/ nucleic acid for the purpose of clinical • General Principles: Clinical trials on human
gene therapy
participants involving GTPs must safeguard
o DNA vaccines where the final product is nucleic
human rights, safety and dignity. Various
acid and is administered for vaccination/
therapy. principles like Principle of Essentiality,
Voluntariness, Non-exploitation, Risk
As per the New Drugs and Clinical trial Rules (2019)
the GTPs falls under ‘new drug’ and shall always be Minimization etc. need to be followed.
deemed to be ‘new drug’. • Mechanism for Review and Oversight:
o Proposed establishment of Gene Therapy
About Gene Therapy Advisory and Evaluation Committee
• It refers to the process of introduction, (GTAEC)- an independent body with
removal or change in content of an individual’s experts from diverse areas of biomedical
genetic material with the goal of treating the research, government agencies and other
disease and a possibility of achieving long term stakeholders.
cure. o It is mandatory for all institutions and
• It is classified into 2 types: entities engaged in development of GTPs
o Germ-line gene therapy: The concept of to establish an Institutional Bio-safety
germ-line gene therapy is to introduce committee (IBSC).
gene modified cells into the germline, that o Research involving development of new
can be transmitted vertically across GTPs needs to obtain approvals from IBSC
generations. Germline gene therapy is and Ethics Committee (EC). Biological
prohibited in India, due to ethical and material from humans can be procured
social considerations. only from clinics/hospitals that have an
o Somatic cell gene therapy: It affects the Ethics Committee.
targeted cells/tissue/organs in the patient, o All clinical trials are mandated to be
and is not passed on to subsequent registered with Clinical Trials Registry-
generations. It is legal in India. This also India (CTRI). It is an online public record
includes genome modification as done in system for registration of clinical trials
CRISPR-related and other technologies. It being conducted in India.
has two categories: • Responsibilities of various stakeholders
✓ ex vivo- cells obtained from an o Investigators should treat the biological
individual are genetically material with utmost respect and
modified/corrected outside the body adequate care to avoid its misuse.
followed by transplantation into the o Storage and disposal of the GTPs or its
same or a different individual. components should be as per the
✓ in vivo- the gene of interest is Regulations and Guidelines on Bio-safety
delivered directly to target cells/ of Recombinant DNA Research and Bio-
tissues/organs (like liver, pancreas, containment 2017.
muscle, heart etc.) in the patients. o Any GTP of foreign origin or its modified
Gene delivery can be carried out by variants that will be first in human use is
viral or non- viral vector systems. not permissible for direct first in human
• Due to complexity and unpredictability of trials in India.
human diseases and need for ethical o Investigators should demonstrate respect
framework to prevent the misuse of gene for autonomy and privacy of patients.
therapy these Guidelines becomes necessary. • Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)
o Around 70 million Indians are estimated to Guidelines:
suffer from inherited genetic diseases. o It includes Personnel Training,
These include blood disorders such as establishment of quality control
processes.
4
o Waste materials and by-products of the • NGS technologies are different from the Sanger
GTP manufacturing process must be method (Whole Genome Sequencing) in that they
securely decontaminated and transported provide massively parallel analysis, extremely
as per appropriate biohazard disposal high-throughput from multiple samples at much
reduced cost
protocol.
o The NSG would help prenatal genetic screening
Some important terms
and counselling, thereby generating large scale
• Gene: It is a sequence of nucleotides in DNA or RNA.
Some genes act as instructions to make products genomic data critical for diagnosis and therapy.
like RNA or proteins. Recreated Escherichia coli (E coli)
• Genome: It is the entire DNA, or sequence of genes, • Scientists have created the world’s first living
in a cell. Simply put, the genome is divided into organism that has a fully synthetic and radically
chromosomes, chromosomes contain genes, and altered DNA code by replacing the genes of E. coli
genes are made of DNA. bacteria with genomes synthesized in the lab.
o Each genome has approximately 3.2 billion o E coli is a strain of bacteria which is normally
DNA base pairs. found in soil and the human gut and it survives
• Germline: Inherited genetic material that comes on a smaller set of genetic instructions.
from the eggs or sperm and is passed on to
offspring. 1.3. MANAV: HUMAN ATLAS
• Genome mapping/sequencing: It means
deciphering the exact order of base pairs in an INITIATIVE
individual. The way these base pairs are arranged,
or variations and mutations in their pattern, can Why in news?
provide clues about the individual's health or ill Department of Biotechnology (DBT) recently
health, inherited or acquired.
launched MANAV: Human Atlas Initiative.
o It figures out the order of DNA nucleotides, or
bases, in a genome, i.e. the order of Adenine, Details
Cytosine, Guanines, and Thymine that make up
• MANAV Project aims to create an open and
an organism's DNA.
• Genotype: Pattern of genes in an organism’s DNA
interactive atlas of human biology, compiling,
that is responsible for a particular trait curating and synthesizing data at the
• Phenotype: It refers to the observable physical molecular, cellular, tissue and organismic level
properties of an organism. These include the from scientific literature and public databases.
organism's appearance, development, and • For the first time, Indian scientists will be
behaviour. mapping every single tissue of the human
• Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic
Repeats (CRISPR): It is the DNA-targeting part of
body to have deeper understanding of the
the system which consists of an RNA molecule, or roles of tissues and cells linked to various
‘guide’, designed to bind to specific DNA bases diseases.
through complementary base-pairing. • Participating institutes include National
o CRISPR-associated nucleases (Cas9) is the Centre for Cell Science (NCCS) and Indian
nuclease part that cuts the DNA. Institute of Science, Education and Research
o Lulu and Nana are the world’s first gene-
(IISER), Pune. Besides, Persistent Systems
edited human babies using CRISPR gene
editing. Limited has co-funded the project (alongwith
• Stem cells: They are special human cells that have DBT) and is developing the platform.
the ability to develop into many different cell types, • The project can be signed up by students who
from muscle cells to brain cells. are in their final year graduation and above.
• Somatic cells: They are any body cells that are not Even participants having a science background
involved in reproduction. Most cells in body are but not necessarily involved in active scientific
somatic cells. They include skin cells, bone cells, red
blood cells, and many more.
research can be part of this network.
• Germ cells: They are cells that create reproductive • It will be helpful in Physiological and molecular
cells called gametes. They are found only in mapping, Drug discovery, customise and
the reproductive glands (ovaries in females personalize medicine, Skill development of
and testes in males.). student community and Future research.
• Retrovirus: It is family of viruses with RNA as o It will help to understand and capture the
genetic material that can integrate their genome
human physiology in two stages – in a
into the DNA of host cells, they invade.
• Transgene: It is a genetic material that is artificially normal stage and while in a disease stage.
introduced into the genome of another organism. Such a database on individual tissues will
Next Generation Sequencing (NSG) facility be helpful in tracing the causes of a
• Recently, govt inaugurated the NSG facility at the disease, understanding specific pathways
Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology in etc.
Hyderabad.
5
Related News which are not considered representative of all
UMMID (Unique Methods of Management and humans.
treatment of Inherited Disorders) • The project will help India develop indigenous
• Recently, Government launched UMMID initiative. capacity to generate, maintain, analyze, utilize
• It aims to create awareness about genetic
and communicate large-scale genome data, in
disorders amongst clinicians and establish
a scalable manner.
molecular diagnostics in hospitals so that the
benefits of developments in medical genetics could • This will help to understand the type and
reach patients. nature of diseases and traits that comprise the
• It is supported by Department of Biotechnology diverse Indian population and will help to
• Three components of UMMID initiative develop precision medicine.
o To establish NIDAN (National Inherited • It would further improve scientific
Diseases Administration) Kendras (Diagnostic understanding of evolution both from a
Centre)-provide counselling, prenatal testing biological (intra- and inter-species interaction,
and diagnosis, management, and species-ecology interactions, etc.) and
multidisciplinary care in Government Hospital.
sociological (migration patterns, rituals, etc.)
o To produce skilled clinicians in Human Genetics,
and
point of view
o To undertake screening of pregnant women • Predictive and Preventive Healthcare- The
and new born babies for inherited genetic outcomes of the project will help in faster and
diseases in hospitals at aspirational districts. efficient diagnosis of rare genetic diseases.
1.4. GENOME INDIA PROJECT

Why in news?
Union government has given clearance to an
ambitious gene mapping project known as the
Genome India Project with an estimated worth of
Rs 238 crores.
About the project
• The project has been cleared by Department of
Biotechnology (under the Ministry of Science
and Technology).
• It is in line with Budget Speech which proposed
to initiate two new national level Science
Schemes to map India’s genetic landscape to
create a comprehensive database.
• It involves 20 leading institutions including the
Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru and a
1.5. GM CROPS
few IITs. Why in News?
• The Centre for Brain Research, an
autonomous institute of IISc, Bengaluru will Recently, Genetic Engineering Appraisal
serve as the nodal point of the project. Committee (GEAC) asked Maharashtra
• The first stage of the project will look at Government to initiate action to stop cultivation of
samples of 10,000 persons from all over the illegal Herbicide-Tolerant variety of Bt Cotton (Ht-
country to form a grid that will enable the bt cotton).
development of a Reference Genome. About GM crops
• As a precursor to this project, Council of
• A GM crop has a gene artificially inserted into
Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) last
it from another species to give it some desired
year concluded a six-month exercise of
properties like – pest resistance , herbicide-
conducting a “whole-genome sequence” of a
tolerance, drought resistance etc.
1,008 Indians under “IndiGen” programme.
• Currently, only GM crop permitted for
Significance of the project cultivation in India is Bt Cotton. But several
cases of cultivation of illegal GM crops(Brinjal,
• Existing global genetic studies of the Human
Soyabean etc) have been reported from across
Genome Project are based mainly on
states in the last few months.
Caucasian; urban middle class samples (95%),
6
• There is a well established regulatory What is golden rice?
framework for approval of GM Crops as per
• Golden rice is the collective name of rice
“Rules for the
varieties that are genetically modified to
Manufacture/Use/Import/Export and Storage
counter vitamin A deficiency in developing
of Hazardous Microorganisms, Genetically
countries.
Engineered Organisms or Cells, 1989” under
• European scientists developed the first strain
the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
of Golden Rice towards the end of the 1990s.
• Ht-bt cotton
• Golden rice differs from standard rice in that it
o Currently, only GM cotton permitted to be
contains extra genes one from maize and one
grown in India are hybrids/varieties that
from bacterial origin together responsible for
contain ‘cry1Ac’ and ‘cry2Ab’ genes,
the production of provitamin A (beta-
isolated from the soil bacterium Bacillus
carotene) in the rice grain.
thuringiensis (Bt) and coding for proteins
o Provitamin A colors the grains yellow-
toxic to bollworm insect pests.
orange, hence the name ‘Golden Rice’.
o Ht-Bt Cotton/ BG Cotton – III, involves the
o Once absorbed into the body, provitamin
addition of another gene, ‘Cp4-Epsps’
A is converted into vitamin A.
from another soil bacterium,
o Provitamin A is found in many fruits and
Agrobacterium tumefaciens.
vegetables; it is also what makes carrots
o Ht-Bt cotton can tolerate Glyphosate, a
orange, for example.
herbicide variety, whose action kill only
• Research has indicated that one cup of Golden
the weeds (Pink Bollworm), not the crop.
Rice can provide up to 50 per cent of the daily
o In India, Glyphosate is registered for use on
requirement of an adult for vitamin A.
tea and non-crop area.
About Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee • The Golden Rice can be grown just the same
(GEAC) way we grow normal rice. There is no change
• GEAC established under Ministry of in cost of cultivation.
Environment, Forest and Climate Change is the • It reduces water use by up to 30 per cent
apex body for approval of activities involving without any yield loss.
large scale use of hazardous microorganisms • It should not be stored for more than three
and recombinants in research and industrial months. It may lose its nutrients after that.
production from the environmental angle.
• The GEAC is also responsible for approval of International Rice Research Institute
proposals relating to release of genetically • It is an independent, nonprofit, research and
engineered organisms and products into the educational institute, founded in 1960 by the
environment including experimental field trials. Ford and Rockefeller foundations with support
from the Philippine government.
1.5.1. GOLDEN RICE • The institute, headquartered in Los Baños,
Philippines, has offices in 17 rice-growing
Why in news? countries in Asia and Africa. Its regional centre
was opened recently in Vanarasi.
The International Rice Research Institute along
• It is dedicated to reducing poverty and hunger
with its partners has successfully cultivated Golden through rice science; improving the health and
Rice in a controlled environment on IRRI campus. welfare of rice farmers and consumers; and
Vitamin A deficiency protecting the rice-growing environment for
• Vitamin A deficiency generally occurs due to an future generations.
imbalanced diet including limited access to fresh • IRRI is a member of the CGIAR Consortium, a
fruit, vegetables and animal products. global research partnership committed to a
• Persistent deficiency in this vital nutrient can food-secure future
result in blindness, illness and even death. Related information
• Vitamin A deficiency also compromises the Muktoshri (IET 21845)
immune system, which means children die from • It is a commercialised rice variety that is
common diseases including diarrhea, respiratory resistant to arsenic.
tract infections and measles. • It was developed jointly by West Bengal’s
Agriculture Department and National Botanical
Research Institute, Lucknow.
7
2. SPACE TECHNOLOGY
• With this, India could potentially become the
2.1. ISRO
fourth country to send a man to space, after
the erstwhile USSR, the US and China.
2.1.1. GAGANYAAN
• The total programme is expected to be
Why in News? complete before 2022.
• ISRO also plans two unmanned Gaganyaan
Recently, Gaganyaan National Advisory Council
flights — by December 2020 and in July 2021 —
has been created with members from different
before undertaking the manned mission by
institutions and industries.
December 2021.
About Gaganyaan Advisory Council • GSLV Mk III, the three-stage heavy lift launch
• It comprises of multiple senior officials like vehicle, will be used to launch Gaganyaan as it
Secretaries of Department of Space has the necessary payload capability.
&Department of Science and Technology, • The spacecraft is expected to be placed in a
Principal Scientific Advisor to PM, Former
low earth orbit of 300-400 km. Within 16
Chairman of ISRO, Directors of Premier
Academic and Research Institutions, Heads of
minutes of taking off, the crew will be in space,
various Indian Industries etc. where they will remain for five-seven days.
• It discusses overall project status of Gaganyaan, The return journey is expected to take 36
covering technical details as well as collaboration minutes.
with various national stake holders. • Gaganyaan would be smaller in size than the
• It stresses the need for setting priorities at current Russian Soyuz, Chinese Shenzhou,
various National Institutions including NASA's planned Orion spacecraft
Industries to accomplish Gaganyaan. • While formal agreements are not yet in place,
Background ISRO will collaborate with the Indian Air Force
and its Institute of Aerospace Medicine,
• An Indian manned mission to space was first Bengaluru, to train astronauts.
mooted in 2004. o The astronauts on the human space
• The Gaganyaan programme, an indigenous mission 'Gaganyaan' are IAF pilots whose
mission that would take Indian astronauts to training is going in Russia.
space, was announced in 2018. • This project will help in
• Over the years, the Indian Space Research o Enhancement of science and technology
Organisation has developed and tested a levels in the country and space diplomacy
number of technologies that are critical to a o Contribution to economy and Inspiring
human space flight. These include a Space youth
Capsule Recovery Experiment (SRE-2007), o Development of technology for social
Crew module Atmospheric Reentry benefits
Experiment (CARE-2014), GSLV Mk-III (2014),
Reusable Launch Vehicle- Technology Related News
Demonstrator (RLV-TD), Crew Escape System Vyomamitra
• ISRO will send Vyomamitra in the unmanned
and Pad Abort Test. ISRO also recently
Gaganyaan spacecraft.
unveiled a space capsule (crew module) and
• Vyomamitra (vyoma-space, mitra-friend) is an
Space suit prototype. artificial intelligence-based robotic system (half-
• ISRO has signed a pact with the Russian firm humanoid) to mimic crew activity inside the crew
Glavkosmos to select and train astronauts for module of Gaganyaan.
the country’s Gaganyaan project. • It has been developed by scientists at IISc in
• ISRO will receive assistance from the French collaboration with ISRO.
space agency CNES, in terms of expertise Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC)
various fields including space medicine, • It was inaugurated in January 2019 under ISRO to
astronaut health monitoring, radiation coordinate Indian Human Spaceflight
Programme (HSP) and will be responsible for the
protection and life support.
implementation of Gaganyaan project.
About Gaganyaan Mission • It will be involved in all the end-to-end mission
planning, development of engineering systems
• It is a crewed orbital spacecraft which is for crew survival in space, crew selection and
expected to carry three people into the space training and also pursue activities for sustained
for seven days. human space flight missions.
8
• HSFC will take support of the existing ISRO 300 kg to Sun synchronous orbit for launching
Centres to implement the first development small satellites.
flight of Gaganyaan under HSP. • It was developed with the aim of launching small
• Currently, HSP work is split across various satellites commercially at drastically reduced
centres such as the Vikram Sarabhai Space price and higher launch rate as compared
Centre in Thiruvananthapuram and the U.R. Rao to PSLV.
Satellite Centre in Bengaluru. • Designed by ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space
• Recently, ISRO has proposed a consolidated Centre, it can accommodate multiple satellites,
HSFC, which will be established at Challakere, albeit smaller ones.
Karnataka. It will help India in the long run as • Unlike the PSLV and GSLV, the SSLV can be
currently India has to pay large sums of money assembled both vertically and horizontally.
for training and using such facilities in foreign • The first three stages of the vehicle will use solid
countries. propellant, with a fourth stage being a velocity-
trimming module.
Satellite-Launch Vehicles Developed By ISRO
Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)
2.1.2. CHANDRAYAAN 2
• It is designed mainly to deliver the “earth-
observation” or “remote sensing” satellites Why in news?
with lift-off mass of up to about 1750 Kg to Sun-
Synchronous circular polar orbits of 600-900 Km ISRO launched Chandrayaan-2 mission to the Moon
altitude. in July, but its lander failed to reach the lunar
• PSLV is a four-staged launch vehicle with surface.
alternating solid and liquid stages. About mission
• It is the third generation launch vehicle of India
and the first Indian launch vehicle to be equipped • Chandrayaan-2, a completely indigenous
with liquid stages. mission, is India’s second lunar exploration
Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) mission which the following basic
• GSLV is designed mainly to deliver the components-
communication satellites to the highly elliptical o Orbiter- will observe the lunar surface and
(typically 250 x 36000 Km) Geosynchronous relay communication between Earth and
Transfer Orbit (GTO). Chandrayaan 2's Lander.
• Two versions of the GSLV: o Lander (called Vikram)- designed to
o GSLV Mk-II: It is a three stage vehicle with
execute India's first soft landing on the
four liquid strap-ons. First stage using solid
rocket motor, second stage using Liquid fuel
lunar surface.
and Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS) forms the o Rover (called Pragyan)- a 6-wheeled, AI-
third stage of GSLV Mk II. It has the powered vehicle, which will move on the
capability to launch satellites of lift- off mass lunar surface and perform on-site chemical
of up to 2,500 kg to the GTO and satellites analysis.
of up to 5,000 kg lift-off mass to the LEO • Launcher- It was launched by Geosynchronous
(low earth orbit). Satellite Launch Vehicle GSLV MkIII-M1. It is
o GSLV MK-III: It is a three stage vehicle with India's most powerful launcher to date, and
an indigenous cryogenic upper stage
has been completely designed and fabricated
engine (C25) with two solid fuel strap-on
engines in the first stage, a liquid propellant
from within the country.
core as second stage. It has been designed • Some notable features of Chandrayaan 2
to carry heavier communication satellites Mission-
weighing up to 4000 kg into the o 1st space mission to conduct a soft landing
Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit or satellites on the Moon's south polar region.
weighing about 10,000 kg to a Low Earth o 1st Indian expedition to attempt a soft
Orbit (LEO). landing on the lunar surface with home-
✓ The indigenous cryogenic C25 engine grown technology.
helps to keep fuel loads on the rocket
o 1st Indian mission to explore the lunar
relatively low.
✓ India is among six nations — apart from
terrain with home-grown technology.
the US, Russia, France, Japan and China o 4th country ever to soft land on the lunar
— to possess cryogenic engine surface after the United States, the
technology. U.S.S.R. and China.
Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) • Primary Objective: To demonstrate the ability
• It is a launch vehicle developed by ISRO with to soft-land on the lunar surface and operate a
payload capacity of 500 kg to Low Earth orbit or robotic rover on the surface. It seeks to
o foster a new age of discovery,
9
o increase our understanding of space, Chandrayaan-3
o stimulate the advancement of technology, • Chandrayaan-3, the country’s third lunar mission,
o promote global alliances, has been approved.
o inspire a future generation of explorers • It will have a lander, rover, and a propulsion
and scientists. module and will likely attempt another soft-
landing on the lunar surface.
Scientific Objectives of Chandrayaan 2 • The mission, which will cost around Rs 600 crore,
will also try to land in the lunar south pole like
• Moon provides the best linkage to Earth’s Chandrayaan-2.
early history. Spectroscopy
o It offers an undisturbed historical record of • Recently, Indian Space Research Organisation
the inner Solar system environment. (ISRO) released an image from Chandrayaan-2
• Evidence for water molecules discovered by showing measurements from the Moon, carried
Chandrayaan-1, requires further studies on the out by the instrument Imaging Infrared
extent of water molecule distribution on the Spectrometer (IIRS).
Moon. • Spectroscopy is the technique of splitting light
(or more precisely electromagnetic radiation)
• It will also study new rock types with unique
into its constituent wavelengths (a spectrum).
chemical composition. For instance, splitting of white light into its
Why explore the Lunar South Pole? constituent colours by prism.
• A spectrometer is the instrument used to
• The lunar surface area remains in shadow, separate and measure spectral components of a
which is much larger than that at the North physical phenomenon.
Pole. There is a possibility of the presence of • From the reflected solar spectrum, scientists will
water in permanently shadowed areas around look for signatures, including of minerals. This
it. will help map the lunar surface composition,
• In addition, South Pole region has craters that which in turn will help us understand the Moon’s
origin and evolution in a geologic context.
are cold traps and contain a fossil record of
the early Solar System.
Mission Payloads
• Its regolith has traces of hydrogen, ammonia, Orbiter payloads-
methane, sodium, mercury and silver- making • Terrain Mapping Camera-2 (TMC-2),
it an uptapped source of essential resources. • Chandrayaan-2 Large Area Soft X-ray Spectrometer
• Its elemental and positional advantages make (CLASS),
it a suitable pit stop for future space • Solar X-ray monitor (XSM),
exploration. • Orbiter High Resolution camera (OHRC)
• Dual Frequency L and S band Synthetic Aperture
Related News
Radar (DFSAR),
Chandrayan-1
• Imaging IR Spectrometer (IIRS),
• Chandrayan-1 was launched by India in October,
• Chandrayaan-2 Atmospheric Compositional
2009 using PSLV-C11.
Explorer 2 (ChACE-2),
• Primary Objective: To prepare a three-
• Dual Frequency Radio Science (DFRS) experiment.
dimensional atlas of both near and far side of the
Vikram payloads
moon and chemical, mineralogical and photo-
• Radio Anatomy of Moon Bound Hypersensitive
geological mapping of moon.
Ionosphere and Atmosphere (RAMBHA),
• Findings of Chandrayan-1
• Chandra's Surface Thermo-physical Experiment
o Detection of Water – Major finding was the
(ChaSTE),
detection of Water (H2O) and Hydroxyl (OH)
• Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA)
on the surface of the moon. The data
Pragyan payloads
revealed its presence in abundance around
• Alpha Particle Induced X-ray Spectroscope (APXS),
the polar region.
o Magma Ocean Hypothesis – It confirmed • Laser induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS)
the Ocean Magma Hypothesis i.e. the moon • Passive Experiment- Laser Retroreflector array
was once completely in molten state. (LRA)
o New Spinel-rich Rock – Data from
Chandrayaan-1 have led to detection of new 2.1.3. GEOTAIL
spinel-rich rock type on lunar far-side.
Why in news?
o X-Ray signals detected– It detected x-ray
signals during weak solar flares thus Recently Chandrayaan-2 had detected charged
indicating presence of magnesium, particles in Moon’s soil during the orbiter’s passage
aluminium, silicon and calcium on lunar through the “geotail”.
surface.
10
o The manufacturers can now mass-produce
navigation devices compatible with NaVIC
so that users of these devices can easily
access NaVIC signals.
• Acceptance of NaVIC by 3GPP would also bring
NaVIC technology to the commercial market
for its use in 4G, 5G and Internet of Things
(IOT).
• Indian Companies and Startups will have an
opportunity to develop Integrated circuits and
products based on NaVIC.
More on news
• CLASS (Chandrayaan 2 Large Area Soft X-ray
Spectrometer), is an instrument
on Chandrayaan-2, designed to detect
signatures of elements in the Moon’s soil.
• The Moon’s soil can be best observed when a
solar flare provides a rich source of X-rays to
illuminate the surface. This happens when
Moon traverses through geotail.
• Once every 29 days, the Moon traverses the
geotail for about six days.
What is geotail and how is it formed?
• The Sun emits the solar wind, which is a
continuous stream of charged particles (like
electrons, protons, alpha particles etc). These
particles are present in the upper atmosphere
of the Sun, called the Corona.
• Since the Earth has a magnetic field, it
obstructs this solar wind plasma.
• This interaction results in the formation of a
magnetic envelope around Earth called
magnetosphere. (see figure).
• On the Earth side facing the Sun, this
magnetosphere is compressed into a region
that is approximately three to four times the
Earth radius.
• On the opposite side, the envelope is stretched
into a long tail, which extends beyond the
orbit of the Moon. It is this that is called the
geotail.
2.1.4. NAVIC
Why in news?
About 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)
Global standards body 3GPP, which develops
protocols for mobile telephony, has approved • The 3rd Generation Partnership Project
India’s regional navigation system NaVIC. (3GPP) unites 7 telecommunications standard
development organizations (ARIB, ATIS, CCSA,
Details ETSI, TSDSI, TTA, TTC).
• The specification approval will boost • The project covers cellular
commercial use of NaVIC by international and telecommunications technologies, including
domestic mobile device makers. radio access, core network and service
capabilities, which provide a complete system
description for mobile telecommunications.
11
• 3GPP currently has global navigation satellite • The satellite will also be used for bulk data
system support from BDS (Chinese), Galileo transfer for a host of emerging
(European), GLONASS (Russia) and GPS (USA) telecommunication applications.
for cellular positioning systems. • India’s communication satellites system
Related News
includes Indian National Satellite (INSAT)
NAVIC as allied system of US series (e.g. INSAT-4B, INSAT-4CR etc.)
• Recently, the US congress has agreed to and GSAT series (e.g. GSAT-6,7, 8 etc.).
designate India’s NavIC as its allied navigational
satellite system along with Galileo of European 2.1.6. GEMINI
Union and QZSS of Japan.
Why in news?
• Also, US designated Russia's GLONASS and
Chinese Beidou as a “non-allied system”. It Recently, the Government of India has launched
means that US satellite navigation system will the Gagan Enabled Mariner’s Instrument for
not co-operate or exchange data with these Navigation and Information (GEMINI) device, a
satellite navigation systems. satellite-based advisory service for deep-sea
• The designation of India's NAVIC as an “allied fishermen.
system” is part of the American effort to develop
a prototype program for Multi-Global GAGAN
Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver • It stands for GPS Aided GEO Augmented
development. Navigation.
o A Multi-GNSS receiver is the system able to • Developed by- Airports Authority of India (AAI)
calculate position, velocity and time by and Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).
receiving the satellite signals broadcasted • It is a system to improve the accuracy of a global
from multiple navigation satellite systems. navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver by
o It helps to achieve high position accuracy providing reference signals.
with increased number of satellites • It is the first in the world, which has been certified
compared to GPS-only positioning. for approach with vertical guidance operating in
the equatorial ionospheric region.
2.1.5. GSAT-30 • It consists of three geosynchronous satellites
(GSAT-8, GSAT-10 and GSAT-15), and covers the
Why in News? entire Indian Ocean round the clock. It covers the
entire area from Australia to Africa.
Recently, GSAT 30 was launched successfully
• Recently, Real-time Train Information System
Details (RTIS) has been developed by the Centre for
Railway Information Systems (CIRE) which helps
• India’s telecommunication satellite GSAT-30, to monitor precise speeds and movement
weighing 3357 kg, was successfully launched throughout the journey and uses GAGAN to
into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) transmit signal.
from Kourou launch base, French Guiana by
More about GEMINI
launch vehicle Ariane-5 VA-251.
o ISRO hired a foreign launcher as it plans to • It has been developed to disseminate
save GSLV-Mk III (with capacity of seamless and effective emergency
4000Kg) for its upcoming first human information and communication on disaster
space flight Gaganyaan and two preceding warnings, Potential Fishing Zones (PFZ) and
crew-less trials. Ocean States Forecasts (OSF) to fishermen.
• GSAT-30 is to serve as replacement to INSAT- • It has been developed by the Indian National
4A services with enhanced coverage. Centre for Ocean Information Services
o INSAT-4A was launched in 2005 which is (INCOIS), an autonomous body under the
used by cable operators to broadcast their Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) and Airports
programmes abroad. Authority of India (AAI).
• The satellite provides Indian mainland and • This device receives and transfers the data
islands coverage in Ku-band and extended received from GAGAN satellites to a mobile
coverage in C-band covering Gulf countries, a through bluetooth communication.
large number of Asian countries and Australia. • This is in consonance with an effort to achieve
• It will provide DTH Television Services, Digital Blue Revolution. The Meena Kumari
Satellite News Gathering (DSNG), e- Committee had recommended optimum
governance applications, etc. utilization of the Exclusive Economic Zone
(EEZ)— sea between 22 and 370 km from the
coast.
12
Related Information • It will be followed by additional satellites of the
• The government of India has also launched PFZ same design, namely Cartosat-3A and 3B, next
forecasts, newly developed by INCOIS, which will year.
provide advisories on Potential Fishing Zones to
• Orbit Type: Sun synchronous polar orbit
fishermen 3 days in advance.
(SSPO) at altitude of 509 km.
• Currently, satellite based potential fishing zone
advisories are made available by Indian National
o SSPO are polar orbits which are
Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) synchronous with the Sun i.e. in these
on daily basis in local language to the fishing orbits, Earth's surface is always illuminated
community. by the Sun at the same angle when viewed
• The PFZ advisories help in increased fish catch (2- from the satellite.
5 times) and reducing searching time (about 30- • Launch Vehicle: PSLV-C47
70%), which leads to savings towards cost of fuel. • It was navigated for the first time using the
indigenous Vikram processor designed by the
2.1.7. INDIAN DATA RELAY SATELLITE ISRO and fabricated within the country.
SYSTEM (IDRSS) o The Vikram Processor is to be used for
Why in News? rocket's navigation, guidance and control
and also for general processing
India plans for its own space-to-space tracking and
applications.
communication of its space assets this year by
putting up a new satellite series called Indian Data Applications
Relay Satellite System (IDRSS). • It will address the increased user’s demands
for large scale urban planning, rural resource
About IDRSS
and infrastructure development, coastal land
• A set of 2 IDRSS satellites will be placed in use and land cover etc.
geostationary orbit, enabling satellite to • It also has uses in Disaster Management
satellite communication and transfer of data. Support Programmes like Cyclone and Floods
• It will track, send and receive real-time Mapping & Monitoring, Landslide Mapping &
information from other Indian satellites, in Monitoring, Agricultural Drought, Forest Fire,
particular those in low-earth orbits (LEO) Earthquakes etc.
which have limited coverage of earth. • It is expected to help in military
• It will also be useful in monitoring launches reconnaissance and mapping.
and benefitting crew members of the
Gaganyaan mission ensuring mission control Related Information
Cartosat satellites
throughout their travel.
• Cartosat satellites are earth observation
• It is also significant for space docking, space satellites, used mainly for large-scale mapping of
station, as well as distant expeditions to moon, the Earth through high-resolution cameras.
Mars and Venus. • They help to detect changes in natural geographical
• It will also reduce the dependence on the or man-made features.
ground stations in tracking satellites. Previous launches in Cartosat series
• First satellite will be launched by 2020 end and • CARTOSAT–1, launched in 2005, was the first Indian
second one by 2021. Remote Sensing Satellite capable of providing in-
• India will join US, China, Japan and Europe who orbit stereo images.
• Cartosat-2 was launched in 2007, and increases the
already have such DRS systems.
imaging resolution to one meter.
2.1.8. CARTOSAT-3 • It was followed by six more spacecraft designated
Cartosat-2A to 2F, which are believed to be
Why in news? primarily used for military reconnaissance.
Other satellites launched alongside Cartosat – 3
ISRO successfully launched Cartosat-3 and 13
• 13 Commercial Nanosatellites from USA were also
commercial nanosatellites from Satish Dhawan successfully injected into designated orbit.
Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota. • These include 12 SuperDove earth observation
About Cartosat 3 satellites named "Flock-4P", and a communication
test bed satellite called "MESHBED".
• Cartosat-3 satellite is a third-generation agile
• These satellites were launched under commercial
advanced satellite having high resolution arrangement with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL),
imaging capability. the commercial arm of Indian Space Research
• The mission life of the Cartosat-3 is 5 years. Organisation (ISRO).
13
2.1.9. RISAT-2BR1 2.1.10. NEWSPACE INDIA
Why in News? • Recently, the Indian Space Research
Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) marked its Organisation (ISRO), inaugurated its
‘Golden Jubilee’ launch by injecting India’s commercial arm NewSpace India Limited
advanced radar imaging satellite RISAT-2BR1 and 9 (NSIL), in Bengaluru.
other customer satellites into their intended orbits • It was incorporated for commercially utilising
on board PLSV-C48 from Sriharikota. research and development activities carried
About RISAT-2BR1 out by ISRO with an authorised share capital of
Rs 100 crore and initial paid up capital of Rs 10
• RISAT-2BR1 is the second radar imaging crore.
satellite in the RISAT-2B series and along • Main objectives of NSIL:
with the CARTOSAT-3 is part of a group of o To scale up industry participation in Indian
satellites that will boost India's earth space programmes as it will act as an
imaging capabilities from space. aggregator for all space related activities
• RISAT-2BR1 has a powerful resolution in industry and develop private
allowing two objects separated by 35- entrepreneurship in space related
centimetre distance to be distinctly technologies.
identified and will cover a swathe of 5 to 10 o Manufacturing and production of Small
kilometres. Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) and Polar
• The RISAT satellites are equipped with a Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) through
Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) that can technology transfer mechanisms.
take pictures of the earth during day and o Cater to emerging global commercial SSLV
night and also under cloudy conditions. market demand by providing satellite
• The satellite will help in agriculture, mining, building and satellite-based services,
forestry and coastal management, soil including supply of sub-systems for
monitoring, disaster management support various domestic and international
and round the clock border surveillance. application needs.
• The satellite has a mission life of five years. Related information
• In the past decade, ISRO has launched two Antrix
satellites in the RISAT series, beginning in 2009 • Antrix is the commercial arm of ISRO
with the Israeli-built RISAT 2, and the second headquartered in Bangalore. It promotes and
one, RISAT 1, in 2012. The RISAT 1 is no longer commercially markets the products and services
operational. emanating from the Indian Space Programme.
o Risat-2 is a military satellite which was fast • In the year 2008, the Company was awarded
'MINIRATNA' status
tracked after the Mumbai terrorist
incident to boost surveillance capabilities
of security forces.
2.1.11. OTHER ISRO MISSIONS

Aditya-L1 • Aditya-L1 is an important mission planned for 2021, to study the solar corona. The spacecraft will be
mission placed in a halo orbit around the Sun-Earth Lagrangian point (L1), about 1.5 million km from the
Earth.
• It is ISRO‘s first scientific expedition to study Sun to be launched early next year.
• It is a 400 kg-class satellite, that will be launched using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle.
• It will have 7 payloads on board to study Sun’s corona, solar emissions, solar winds and flares, and
Coronal Mass Ejections, and will carry out round-the-clock imaging of Sun.
Astrosat • Astrosat, the first Indian multi-wavelength space observatory which completed four years in orbit
in Sept 2019.
• It enables the simultaneous multi-wavelength observations of various astronomical objects with a
single satellite.
• It is seen as a smaller version of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope.
• It has 5 payloads which includes:
o Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UVIT)
o Large Area X-ray Proportional Counter (LAXPC)
o Soft X-ray Telescope (SXT)
o Cadmium Zinc Telluride Imager (CZTI)
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o Scanning Sky Monitor (SSM)
Geo Imaging • It is planned Indian earth observing satellite to facilitate continuous observation of Indian sub-
Satellite continent, quick monitoring of natural hazards and disaster.
(GISAT-1) • It will be the first of two planned Indian Earth Observatory spacecraft to be placed in a
geostationary orbit of around 36,000 km.
XPoSat • X-ray Polarimeter Satellite, is a planned dedicated mission to study polarisation.
• The spacecraft will carry Polarimeter Instrument in X-rays (POLIX) payload which will study the
degree and angle of polarisation of bright X-ray sources in the energy range 5-30 keV.
• The satellite has a mission life of five years and will be placed in circular 500-700km orbit
• It will study neutron stars, supemova remnants, pulsars and regions around black holes.
Other • Shukrayaan 1 is venusian mission is a planned orbiter to Venus to study the surface and atmosphere
planetary of the Venus.
missions • Mangalyaan-2 is India's 2nd interplanetary mission planned for launch to Mars.
NISAR • NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (Nisar) is a joint project between NASA & ISRO.
• It is the 1st dual band radar imaging satellite.
• NISAR will provide a means of resolving highly spatial and temporally complex processes ranging
from ecosystem disturbances, to ice sheet collapse and natural hazards including earthquakes,
tsunamis, volcanoes, and landslides.
• NISAR is a dual frequency L-band and S- band radar mission, that will map Earth every 12 days from
two directions.
UNISPACE • ISRO launched a capacity building programme on Nanosatellite development named UNNATI.
Nanosatellite • It is an initiative to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first United Nations conference on
Assembly the exploration and peaceful uses of outer space (UNISPACE+50).
&Training • It would provide opportunities to the participating developing countries to strengthen in
(UNNATI) assembling, integrating and testing of Nanosatellite.
programme
Space • ISRO has set up 5 Space Technology Cells (STCs) at Indian Institute of Technologies (IITs) - Bombay,
Technology Kanpur, Kharagpur & Madras; Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru and Joint Research
Cells (STCs) Programme with Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU, Pune) to carry out research activities in
the areas of space technology and applications.
• IIT Delhi is also going to set up an STC in collaboration with ISRO.
• ISRO desires development of high- end technology in collaboration with IITs in the areas of Space
Science, Space Technology and Space Applications. ISRO would fund the identified projects.
2.2. NASA
InSight • Recently, NASA InSight mission detected quakes and magnetic pulses on the planet Mars.
mission • Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport (InSight), is the
first mission dedicated to looking deep beneath the Martian surface.
• It is part of NASA’s Discovery Program.
• It is embedded with seismometer for detecting quakes, sensors for gauging wind and air pressure,
magnetometer and heat flow probe designed to take the planet’s temperature.
• Recent finding
o Mars does not have tectonic plates like Earth, but it does have volcanically active regions, one
of which is Cerberus Fossae, that can cause rumbles.
Voyager-2 • Recently, the NASA fixed a glitch in its Voyager-2 probe.
• Like Voyager 1, Voyager 2 was designed to find and study the edge of our solar system.
• It is the only spacecraft to study all four of the solar system's giant planets- Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus
and Neptune at close range.
• Voyager 2 is 11.5 billion miles from the Earth and, at that distance, light takes 17 hours to reach it or
for messages from it to reach mission control on Earth.
• Voyager gets its power from a radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) which turns heat
from the decay of a radioactive material into electricity.
• It officially entered 'interstellar space' in November 2018. It joined its twin—Voyager 1—as the
only human-made objects to enter the space between the stars.
o This space between the stars is dominated by the plasma that was ejected by the death of
nearby giant stars millions of years ago.
o The sun sends out a constant flow of charged particles called the solar wind, which ultimately
travels past all the planets to some three times the distance to Pluto before being impeded by
the interstellar medium.
o This forms a giant bubble around the sun and its planets, known as the heliosphere.
15
• It was the first human-made object to fly past Uranus in 1986 and Neptune in 1989, making it the
only spacecraft to have had a close look of the icy planets.
Methane on • NASA’s Curiosity rover recently measured the highest level of methane gas ever found in the
Mars Surface atmosphere at Mars’s surface.
• The reading taken at Gale Crater is three times greater than the previous record.
• Presence of methane on Mars is tracked because its presence could be a sign of life.
• On Earth, most methane is produced by living things, although the gas can also come from
geological sources such as chemical reactions involving rocks.
Dragon Fly • NASA has planned a Dragon Fly Mission to Titan, the largest moon of Saturn planet.
Mission • Dragonfly was selected as part of the agency’s New Frontiers program, aimed at understanding
how chemistry gave way to biology.
o Program also includes the New Horizons mission to Pluto and the Kuiper Belt, Juno Mission
to Jupiter, and OSIRIS-Rex Mission to the asteroid Bennu.
• About Titan: It’s the second-largest moon in the solar system (even larger than mercury).
o Its atmosphere is mostly made of nitrogen, like Earth’s.
o Its landscape is dominated by sand dunes and waterways composed of hydrocarbons – liquid
methane and ethane. Its surface is composed of water ice, frozen as hard as rock.
• Previous Mission to Saturn: Cassini Mission was launched through collaboration between NASA,
ESA and the Italian space agency to study Saturn and its system of rings and moons. It was the first
spacecraft to orbit Saturn.
Artemis Lunar • NASA recently unveiled the calendar for the "Artemis" program that will return astronauts to the
Program Moon for the first time in half a century including the first woman astronaut to moon.
PUNCH • Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere (PUNCH) will image regions beyond the Sun’s
mission outer corona. It is expected to be launched in 2022.
• It is focused on understanding the transition of particles from the Sun’s outer corona to the solar
wind that fills interplanetary space.
• Other missions such as NASA’s Parker Solar Probe and the ESA-NASA joint project, Solar Orbiter,
which is due to be launched in 2020, can study the structures of the Sun’s atmosphere. The PUNCH
mission enhances these by tracking these structures in real time.
SnowEx • It is a five-year program launched in 2016-17 by NASA to understand how much water is contained
in each winter’s snowfall and how much will be available when it melts in spring.
Spitzer Space • It is a space-borne observatory, one of the elements of NASA’s Great Observatories Program that
Telescope includes Hubble Space Telescope, Chandra X-Ray and Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory.
• It is designed to detect infrared radiation and was able to reveal cooler objects in space, like failed
stars (brown dwarfs), extrasolar planets, and organic molecules that may hold the secret to life on
other planets.
• It will come to an end since it is low on fuel and has been drifting away from Earth for a few years
now
Starliner • It is a space capsule built to ferry astronauts to the International Space Station.
• The capsule has been built by Boeing and launched by NASA.
SOLar Orbiter • It is a collaborative mission between European Space Agency and NASA dedicated to solar and
mission heliospheric physics.
(SOLO) • It will study about the development of planets and the emergence of life, how the Solar System
works, the origins of the Universe, and the fundamental physics at work in the Universe.
NASA Selects • Four missions are:
Four Possible o DAVINCI+: Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of Noble gases, Chemistry, and Imaging
Missions to Plus- To analyse Venus atmosphere.
Study the o IVO: Io Volcano Observer is a proposal to explore Jupiter’s moon Io.
Secrets of the o TRIDENT: To explore Neptune’s icy moon, Triton.
Solar System o VERITAS: Venus Emissivity, Radio Science, InSAR, Topography, and Spectroscopy- To map
Venus’s surface.
• They’re not official missions yet and some ultimately may not be chosen to move forward.
2.3. OTHER SPACE MISSIONS

Raavana-1 • Sri Lanka’s first satellite ‘Raavana-1’, designed and developed indigenously, was successfully launched
into orbit from the international Space Station.
• It is a Cube satellite (type of Nano satellite), deployed using the Japanese Aerospace and Exploration
owned Kibo experiment module.
Spektr-RG • Recently, Russia launched an all-sky-survey satellite, Spektr-RG.
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• It is a joint project between the Russian space agency, Roscosmos, and the German space agency,
DLR.
Skybot • Recently, Russia sent the humanoid robot Fedor, also known as Skybot F850 to International Space
F850 Station. It will spend 10 days in space to assist astronauts.
• Fedor is Russia’s first robot in space. Previously in 2011 NASA sent up Robonaut 2, a humanoid
developed with General Motors and in 2013 Japan sent up a small robot called Kirobo, developed with
Toyota which holds conversations in Japanese.
Chang’e-4 • It is part of the second phase of China’s lunar programme.
• It is the first mission to land on the far side of the Moon. It landed at the South Pole- Aitken Basin.
• Recently, Cotton seeds have reportedly just sprouted in an experiment aboard Chang’e 4 moon lander.
Hope • It is a Mars mission built by the United Arab Emirates scheduled to launch in July 2020.
Spacecraft • It will orbit Mars and study the dynamics of the martian atmosphere and its interaction with outer
(Emirates space and the solar wind.
Mars
Mission)
Clearspace • The European Space Agency (ESA) is planning to launch a four-armed robot, Chaser, to clean up
-1 Mission Earth’s orbit in 2025.
• Chaser is to be developed by a Swiss start-up ClearSpace under ClearSpace-1 mission.
• Once launched into space, it will grab the chosen piece of space trash, one at a time, using its robotic
arms and fall back towards Earth in a controlled descent.
• The target is a piece of junk called Vespa, around 800km above the Earth.
• Earth’s orbit is home to more than 3,500 defunct satellites and an estimated 750,000 smaller
fragments.
• All of these pieces are flying at a velocity of around 20,000km/h.
• More debris could lead to more collisions - a cascade effect known as the Kessler syndrome which
may render space eventually inoperable for important services like navigation, communications,
weather forecasting etc.
Remove • It is a satellite research project intending to demonstrate various space debris removal technologies.
DEBRIS The mission is led by the Surrey Space Centre from the University of Surrey. Some technologies are:
mission o Net capture: It involves a net that will be deployed at the target CubeSat.
o Harpoon Capture: Which will be launched at a target plate made of “representative satellite panel
materials”
o Vision-based navigation: Using cameras and LiDAR (light detection and ranging), the platform will
send data about the debris back to the ground for processing.
o De-orbiting process: As it enters Earth’s atmosphere, the spacecraft will burn up, leaving no
debris behind.
• Japan earlier launched a cargo ship which will use a 700m long tether to remove some of the debris
from Earth's orbit. The tether, made of aluminium strands and steel wire, is designed to slow the
debris, pulling it out of orbit.
Hayabusa- • It is Japan’s asteroid-sampling spacecraft which landed at asteroid Ryugu in June of 2018 and recently
2 began its journey back to earth.
o It uses beacons that beam coordinated

2.4. OTHER SPACE RELATED signals back to Earth from around (350 km
RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT to 1,200 km) away using Ka and Ku
frequency bands.
2.4.1. SPACE-BASED INTERNET o This allows messages to be sent twice as
fast as the fibers used to connect the
Why in News?
internet on Earth, regardless of the
American company SpaceX recently sent 60 small distance between here and the stars.
satellites (under 500 kg each) into Low Earth Orbit • Space-based internet is the ability to use
(LEO) for building low-cost Internet everywhere on satellites in orbit around Earth to send and
Earth. receive data.
Details o Although satellite internet already exists,
space-based internet is much faster and
• This project, named Starlink network, seeks to
has the ability to work across the globe.
build a 42,000-strong constellation aiming to
supply non-stop, low-cost Internet everywhere
on Earth.
17
o To make it work, thousands of low-cost phenomenon called “gravitational
satellites are deployed into orbit above the lensing”.
Earth. o This programme is called TEMPLATES
o However, they differ from the (Targeting Extremely Magnified
geostationary satellites (35,786 km) more Panchromatic Lensed Arcs and Their
commonly used in satellite internet. Extended Star Formation).
Instead, low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites are
About Gravitational lensing
used in constellations, or thousands of
satellites in a grid-like pattern, to provide • It is a phenomenon, which occurs when a huge
continuous internet coverage. amount of matter, such as a massive galaxy or
• It provides better accessibility, more cluster of galaxies, creates a gravitational field
affordability, 24*7 availability and that distorts and magnifies the light from
revolutionised Internet of Things (IoT) objects behind it, but in the same line of sight.
technology. However, area covered is o These large celestial objects will magnify
comparatively very less in this internet. the light from distant galaxies that are at
or near the peak of star formation. So, in a
2.4.2. GRAVITATIONAL LENSING way these objects act as natural, cosmic
telescopes and are called gravitational
Why in news?
lenses.
Recently, the NASA has announced that plan to use o As a result, the galaxies appear much,
the phenomena of gravitational lensing in its much brighter than they actually are,
research. because they’ve been highly magnified up
to 50 times.
Applications of Gravitational Lensing
• Study the galaxies, which are very far away-
and can’t be seen otherwise with even the
most powerful space telescopes.
• Observe invisible things in the Universe- since
dark matter doesn’t emit or absorb light on its
own, so it can’t be observed directly. Using this
effect, it can be worked out how much dark
matter exists in the universe.
• Understand the star formation- by studying
how those galaxies are forming their stars, and
how that star formation is distributed across
More on news
the galaxies.
• NASA is using the James Webb Space • Understand the past- e.g. The Milky Way today
Telescope to conduct wide range of forms the equivalent of one Sun every year,
investigations across the fields of astronomy but in the past, that rate was up to 100 times
and cosmology. greater. Using this effect, the scientists can
o Recently, NASA announced that they plan look billions of years into the past in order to
to investigate how new stars are born. For understand how our Sun formed.
this, they will take the help of a natural

Bhaskarac • Recently, Cabinet has approved Elevation of Bhaskaracharya Institute of Space Applications and
harya Geoinformatics (BISAG), Gujarat as BISAG(N) under Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology.
Institute of • BISAG was a state agency of the Department of Science and Technology, Government of Gujarat. It
Space will now be an autonomous scientific society under the Government of India instead of the state
Applicatio government.
ns and • BISAG works in close co-ordination with Government departments to facilitate the use of spatial and
Geoinform geo-spatial technologies for the planning and developmental activities pertaining to Agriculture, Land
atics and Water Resource Management, Wasteland/Watershed Development, Forestry, Disaster
(BISAG), Management, Infrastructure and Education.
Gujarat as
BISAG(N)
18
• The elevation of BISAG has been done to maintain efficiency and innovation of services, facilitate
implementation of expanded scope of activities, efficient rollout of GIS projects and facilitate aid,
research and development at the institute.
Longest • NASA’s Astronaut Christina Koch returned to Earth after spending 328 days in space. World record
Space across genders is 438 days by Valery Polyakov of Russia.
Flight by a • Koch's long stay would provide valuable information about long-term effects of space travel on
woman female body as the agency plans to return humans to the Moon under Artemis program and prepare
for human exploration of Mars.
Thirty • The TMT is a proposed astronomical observatory with an extremely large telescope (30 m prime
Meter mirror diameter). It would be world’s largest ground-based telescope.
Telescope • Recently, demand to shift this proposed telescope has been raised due to regular protests at the
proposed site of Mauna Kea volcano in Hawaii.
o It is a sacred location for the island’s native population.
• It is an international project being funded by scientific organisations of Canada, China, India, Japan
and USA.
• Thought Works Technologies-based in Pune developed Telescope Common Software for The Thirty
Meter Telescope.
• The level of contribution determines the amount of viewing time that the member-countries’ scientists
get on the machine. Thus India, in a given year, stands to get 10% of the available slots.
East Asian • India is in preliminary discussions to be a part of the EAO Consortium of eight countries.
Observato • It consists of China, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea as full members and Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and
ries (EAO) Indonesia as observers.
Consortiu • The EAO (East Asian Observatory) is formed by EACOA (East Asian Core Observatories Association) for
m the purpose of pursuing joint projects in astronomy within the East Asian region.
Ploonets • Recently a team of astronomers from Royal Astronomical Society have defined a new class of celestial
objects called ‘Ploonets’.
• Ploonets are the orphaned moons that have escaped the bonds of their parent planet and start
orbiting their stars instead.
• Ploonets could help explain some bizarre exoplanetary features and can also provide details on planet
formation processes.
• Astronomers concede, however, that ploonets still remain hypothetical.
Arrokoth • Recently, Ultima-Thule was renamed as Arrokoth. Arrokoth is a Native American term meaning “sky”
in the Powhatan/Algonquian language.
• It is a contact binary i.e it's a single object, with two lobes, but the lobes are gently in contact.
o NASA had dubbed the larger lobe Ultima, and the other, which is about three times smaller, Thule.
• It is located in the Kuiper Belt- a donut-shaped region of icy bodies beyond the orbit of Neptune.
o New Horizons is the first mission to explore the Kuiper Belt.
o The icy objects of the Kuiper Belt are remnants left over from the formation of the solar system.
o Many Kuiper Belt objects have remained unchanged for billions of years, and could provide clues
to the history of the Solar System, and possibly the conditions that led to the evolution of a
habitable world like Earth.
o Pluto also lies in the Kuiper belt.
• It was discovered in 2014 by a New Horizons team using the powerful Hubble Space Telescope.
o NASA launched the New Horizons mission in January 2006. After crossing by Pluto in 2015, in
January 2019 it flew by Arrokoth.
o This remains the farthest flyby ever conducted.
Accretion • The event is very rare: only three such events have been observed, out of all the billions of massive
Burst stars in the Milky Way.
Event • Recently, rare glimpse of an Accretion Burst in galaxy was caught by Astronomers.
• After first detection of an accretion burst in 2016, astronomers from around the world agreed in 2017
to coordinate their efforts to observe more. To validate and follow up an accretion burst with more
observations a global effort led to the formation of Maser Monitoring Organisation (M2O).
o M2O is an international collaboration of scientists dedicated to flagging masers in order to learn
more about the birth of massive stars, among other cosmic phenomena.
✓ A maser is the microwave (radio frequency) equivalent of laser.
✓ The word stands for "microwave amplification by stimulated emission of radiation".
✓ Masers are observed using radio telescopes and most of them are observed at centimetre
wavelength.
✓ A maser flare can be a sign of an extraordinary event such as the formation of a star.
• With this event, astronomers will be able to develop and test theories to explain how high-mass stars
gain their mass.
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Goldilocks • NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has discovered an Earth-size planet, named TOI
Zone 700 d, orbiting its star named TOI 700 in the Goldilocks Zone.
• Goldilocks Zone refers to the habitable zone around a star where it is not too hot or cold for liquid
water to exist on the surface of surrounding planets.
• Earth is in the Sun’s Goldilocks zone.
New • Twenty new moons have been discovered around Saturn, taking its total number of moons to 82.
Moons of • The moons were discovered using the Subaru telescope on Maunakea, Hawaii.
Saturn • Before this discovery Jupiter with 79 moons was planet with largest number of moons in Solar system.
Discovered Now, Saturn overtook Jupiter.
• Seventeen of Saturn’s new moons orbit the planet in the opposite direction known as retrograde
direction. The other three circle in the same direction that Saturn rotates known as prograde direction.
COMET • It is the first identified comet to have come close to the sun from another stellar system.
21/BORISO • It has become the second interstellar object to be identified till date to have passed through our solar
V system. (First was 1I/Oumuamua spotted in 2017)
• Objects born in our solar system travel in elliptical orbits around the sun while interstellar
bodies follow the hyperbolic path.
• It was confirmed that 2I/Borisov has a more hyperbolic path than any other comet which has been
studied to date.
• Interstellar objects can provide unique data about the star systems of their origin, particularly about
their building blocks.
ASTEROID • NASA’s Osiris-Rex team confirmed a sample collection site designated Nightingale on asteroid Bennu.
BENNU • This site is located near the North pole of Asteroid Bennu. So, temperatures in the region are lower
than elsewhere on the asteroid and the surface material is well-preserved.
• OSIRIS-Rex mission also selected ‘Osprey’ as a backup sample collection site, if any significant
disturbance to Nightingale’s surface would make it difficult to collect a sample.
Hygiea • Recently, the astronomers have suggested that Hygiea may possible be considered as a dwarf planet.
• Currently, there are officially five dwarf planets in our Solar System, namely, Pluto, Eris, Makemake,
Haumea and Ceres.
• The International Astronomical Union sets four criteria for a dwarf planet, which are, it orbits around
the Sun; it is not a moon; it has not cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit and lastly it has enough
mass that its own gravity pulls it into a roughly spherical shape.
• Hygiea, which was considered as an asteroid till now, lies in the asteroid belt between Mars and
Jupiter. Earlier it was thought that Hygiea qualifies only first three criteria.
• But now, new observations made through the European Space Organisation’s SPHERE instrument at
the Very Large Telescope (VLT), show that Hygiea satisfies the fourth criteria too and thus qualifies to
be classified as a dwarf planet.
Helium • Scientists have spotted the helium hydride molecule (HeH+) for the first time in space.
hydride • The helium hydride ion or hydridohelium (1+) ion is a cation (positively charged ion) with chemical
formula HeH+. It consists of a helium atom bonded to a hydrogen atom, with one electron removed.
It can also be viewed as protonated helium.
• It is the lightest heteronuclear ion, and is believed to be one of the first compounds formed in the
Universe after the Big Bang.
Tardigrade • The Israeli spacecraft Beresheet which recently crashed landed on moon had thousands of Tardigrades
on board.
• Tardigrade also called water bear or moss piglet refer to any of more than 1,100 species of free-living
tiny invertebrates belonging to the phylum Tardigrada.
• They are considered to be close relatives of arthropods (e.g., insects, crustaceans).
• They are near microscopic animals about 1 mm (0.04 inch) or less in size.
• It is the only animal to have survived all five extinctions known to man.
Neptunian • It is the region close to stars where no Neptune-sized planets are found.
Desert • This area receives strong irradiation from the star, meaning the planets do not retain their gaseous
atmosphere as they evaporate leaving just a rocky core.
• Recently, rogue exoplanet was discovered NGTS-4b, nick-named ‘The Forbidden Planet’ with its own
atmosphere in the Neptunian Desert.
o It is smaller than Neptune but three times the size of Earth.
Planet • It is a hypothetical planet in the outer region of the Solar System.
Nine • Its gravitational effects could explain the unusual clustering of orbits for a group of extreme trans-
Neptunian objects (eTNOs), bodies beyond Neptune that orbit the Sun at distances averaging more
than 250 times that of the Earth.
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Water • Astronomers have for the first time discovered water in the atmosphere of an exoplanet, K2-18b
Found on orbiting a distant dwarf star K2-18 outside our solar system with Earth-like temperatures that could
Exoplanet support life.
K2-18b • K2-18b, which is eight times the mass of Earth, is also categorised as Super-Earth (exoplanets with
masses between those of Earth and Neptune).
• The results revealed the molecular signature of water vapour while also indicating the presence of
hydrogen and helium in the planet's atmosphere.
Planet • It is the first time any such planet has been found orbiting the white dwarf star.
Orbiting • White-dwarf star represent the endpoint of the evolution of intermediate- and low-mass stars.
White • A white dwarf is what stars like the Sun become after they have exhausted their nuclear fuel. Near
Dwarf Star the end of its nuclear burning stage, this type of star expels most of its outer material, creating a
Discovered planetary nebula. Only the hot core of the star remains.
2020 CD3 • It is small object orbiting Earth, which have been dubbed as “mini-moon” or the planet’s “second
moon”.
• It is actually an asteroid, about the size of a car; its diameter is about 1.9-3.5 m.
• Unlike our permanent Moon, the mini-moon is temporary; it will eventually break free of Earth’s orbit
and go off on its own way.
Stardust • It is the oldest solid material ever found on Earth. It was trapped in a meteorite that fell in Australia
about 50 years ago.
• It is about 5 to 7 billion years old and predates the sun, which is about 4.6 billion years old.
Supergiant • Betelgeuse is a red supergiant star (over 20 times bigger than Sun) in constellation Orion.
star • Using European Space Organisation’s Very Large Telescope, astronomers have noticed unprecedented
Betelgeuse dimming and change in shape of this star.
21
3. IT & COMPUTER
• The Government has launched a program titled
3.1. 5G NETWORK ‘Building an End-to-End 5G Test Bed’. The
program envisages close collaboration between
Why in news?
the universities and small technology companies
Department of Telecommunications has decided to build broadly compliant with the 3GPP
to allow mobile operators to start 5G trials from standards.
June 2020. • Several smaller academic R&D programs around
5G themes have also been funded by DST and
About 5G MEITY.
• Ericsson has installed the first public access 5G
• 5G is a wireless communication technology
test bed at IIT Delhi.
using radio waves or radio frequency (RF) • The report of the Steering Committee of the
energy to transmit and receive data. High Level Forum laid out three priority areas in
• It is the next generation mobile networks 5G:
technology after 4G LTE networks. 5G o Deployment – An early roll out of 5G services
technologies will enter services gradually, to maximise the value proposition of 5G as a
beginning in 2019 and advance to a full range technology.
of services by 2024. o Technology – To build indigenous industrial
and R&D capacity, especially for the design
• 5G will provide the capacity and bandwidth as
and Intellectual Property.
per the need of the user to accommodate o Manufacturing – To expand the
technologies such as Internet of Things. manufacturing base for 5G technologies,
o Thus, it will help to incorporate Artificial which includes both semiconductor
Intelligence in our lives. It can also support fabrication and equipment assembly and
Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality testing.
services. 5G Hackathon
• It will provide Faster Data Speed, Ultra-low • It is aimed at shortlisting India focussed cutting
latency etc. (refer infographics) edge ideas that can be converted into workable
5G products and solutions.
• It is organised by Department of
Telecommunications (DoT) in association with
government, academia & industry stakeholders.
• It is open to developers, students, start-ups,
SMEs, academic institutions & registered
companies in India & NRIs.
• It was organised along side India Mobile
Congress (IMC), 2020, New Delhi.
o India Mobile Congress is the largest digital
technology forum in South Asia organised
by the DoT and Cellular Operator
Related Information
Association of India.
• 2G and 3G mobile networks relied on microwave
wireless backhaul to connect cell sites with the
nearest switching centre. 3.2. BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY
• 4G LTE introduced IP-based connectivity,
replacing copper- or microwave-based cell sites Why in news?
with optical fibre. National Informatics Centre (NIC) has set up the
• 5G deployment is based on optical fibre Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Blockchain
infrastructure. Technology in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
Steps taken
• BharatNet programme: Plans to link 2.5 lakh More on news
gram panchayats through optical fibre network. • It aims to provide Blockchain as a service and
• National Digital Communications Policy 2018, allowing all stakeholders to benefit from
envisages a digitally empowered economy and shared learning, experiences and resources.
society, which essentially means that the
• It will facilitate the Government Departments
information and communications needs of the
in building proof of concepts for use of
citizens and enterprises are met with a
ubiquitous, resilient and affordable digital Blockchain technology in different dimensions
communications infrastructure and services. of governance leading to large scale
deployment of some such applications.
22
• New and previously unforeseen applications of • Department of Science and Technology has
Blockchain in the Government are expected to launched National Mission on Interdisciplinary
enhance transparency, traceability and trust in Cyber Physical Systems (NM-ICPS). It has a
e-governance systems. roadmap to develop Blockchain, AI, Internet of
Things, Big Data Analytics, Robotics etc.

Why in news?
Government inked pact with IBM India for
undertaking a pilot study to utilise Artificial
Intelligence (AI) and weather technology solutions
in agriculture.
About Artificial Intelligence
• It refers to the ability of machines to perform
cognitive tasks like thinking, perceiving,
learning, problem solving and decision making
and execute tasks in real time situations
About Blockchain technology without constant supervision.
• A blockchain is a specific type of data structure • It can be deployed to take over a variety of
which can be used to transact across nodes or tasks, enable connectivity and enhance
participants. The ownership rights are productivity.
recorded in cryptographically stored and • The field of artificial intelligence is essentially
linked blocks which contain records of when machines can do tasks that typically
ownership of assets among the participants require human intelligence.
that can remain anonymous. • It encompasses machine learning, where
• Blockchains are open, distributed ledger that machines can learn by experience and acquire
can chronologically record transactions skills without human involvement.
between two or more parties efficiently in near Application of AI
real time. • Healthcare: increased access and affordability
• The prerequisite for each subsequent of quality healthcare,
transaction to be added to the ledger is the • Agriculture: enhanced farmers’ income,
respective consensus of the network increased farm productivity and reduction of
participants (called nodes), thereby creating a wastage,
continuous mechanism of control regarding • Education: improved access and quality of
manipulation, errors, and data quality. education,
• The blockchain technology generally has key • Smart Cities and Infrastructure: efficient and
characteristics of decentralization, connectivity for the burgeoning urban
persistency, anonymity and auditability. With population,
these traits, blockchain can greatly save the • Smart Mobility and Transportation: smarter
cost and improve the efficiency. and safer modes of transportation and better
It has various applications like in field of traffic and congestion problems.
banking, capital markets, cybers security,
healthcare, agriculture, telecom, governance Various steps taken towards regulation of AI
etc. • OECD Principles on Artificial Intelligence -
Government Steps adopted by 42 countries including OECD
• Ministry of Electronics and Information members and non-members.
Technology (MeitY) has supported a multi Status of India in this regard
institutional project titled Distributed Centre of • National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence- NITI
Excellence in Blockchain Technology with C- Aayog has identified five areas where AI can be
DAC, IDRBT and VJTI as executing agencies. useful. It has noted the lack of regulation around
• Ministry of Skill Development and AI as a major weakness for India.
Entrepreneurship (MSDE) in partnership with • Center of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence
NASSCOM has launched FutureSkills platform. It (CoE in AI) by National Informatics Centre (NIC)
focuses on 10 emerging technologies including which is a platform for innovative new solutions
Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence, etc. in AI space, a gateway to test and develop
23
solutions for projects undertaken by NIC at retirement, and algorithms to quickly direct
central and state level. resources such as ambulances.
• Center of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence Quantum computing and India
(CoE in AI) by National Informatics Centre (NIC) • There are no quantum computers in India yet.
which is a platform for innovative new solutions • In 2018, the Department of Science & Technology
in AI space, a gateway to test and develop unveiled a programme called Quantum-Enabled
solutions for projects undertaken by NIC at Science & Technology (QuST) to accelerate
central and state level. research on Quantum computing.
• Government has begun the use of Artificial Quantum computers vs classical computer
Intelligence on pilot basis for crop cutting and • Classical computers process information in a
yield estimation under scheme Pradhan Mantri binary format, called bits, which can represent
Fasal Bima Yoajana. either a 0 or 1. Quantum computers, in contrast,
• Responsible AI for Social Empowerment 2020 use logical units called quantum bits, or qubits
(RAISE 2020) for short, that can be put into a quantum state
o It is a global meeting of minds to use where they can simultaneously represent both 0
Artificial Intelligence (AI) for social and 1 and their correlations.
empowerment, inclusion and • While the bits in a classical computer all operate
transformation in key areas like Healthcare, independently from one another, in a quantum
Agriculture, Education and Smart Mobility computer, the status of one qubit effects the
amongst other sectors. status of all the other qubits in the system, so
o A Startup challenge- Pitchfest was also they can all work together to achieve a solution.
launched during the event.
• It is organized by Ministry of Electronics and About the mission
Information Technology in partnership with • It will be implemented by the Department of
Industry & Academia. Science & Technology (DST), Ministry of
Science and Technology.
3.4. QUANTUM COMPUTING • It is proposed to provide an outlay of 8000
crore over a period five years.
Why in News?
• The areas of focus for the Mission will be in
The government in its Budget 2020 has announced fundamental science, translation, technology
the largest ever science mission- National Mission development, human and infrastructural
on Quantum Technologies & Applications (NM- resource generation, innovation and start-ups
QTA). to address issues concerning national
priorities.
What is quantum computing?
• Applications which will receive boost include
• Quantum computing is the area of study those in aero-space engineering, numerical
focused on developing computer technology weather prediction, simulations, securing the
based on the principles of quantum theory, communications & financial transactions,
which explains the nature and behaviour of cyber security, advanced manufacturing,
energy and matter on the quantum (atomic health, agriculture, education and other
and subatomic) level. important sectors with focus on creation of
• Quantum Computers encode information as high skilled jobs, human resources
quantum bits, or qubits, which can exist in development, start-ups & entrepreneurship
superposition. leading to technology lead economic growth.
• Qubits represent atoms, ions, photons or
Related News
electrons and their respective control devices • Recent paper from Google’s quantum
that are working together to act as computer computing lab announced that the company had
memory and a processor. achieved quantum supremacy.
• Because a quantum computer can contain • Quantum supremacy means that researchers
these multiple states simultaneously, it has the have been able to use a quantum computer to
potential to be millions of times more powerful perform a single calculation that no conventional
than today's most powerful supercomputers computer, even the biggest supercomputer, can
• Application: Quantum computers could spur perform in a reasonable amount of time.
• Google’s quantum computer, named Sycamore,
the development of new breakthroughs in
claimed ‘supremacy’ because it reportedly did
science, medications to save lives, machine the task in 200 seconds that would have
learning methods to diagnose illnesses sooner, apparently taken a supercomputer 10,000 years
materials to make more efficient devices and to complete.
structures, financial strategies to live well in
24
capacity through a combination of IoT
3.5. EDGE COMPUTING devices and edge data centers.
Why in news?
3.6. DARK NET
According to a research, by 2025 companies will
generate and process more than 75% of their data Why in news?
outside of traditional centralised data centres —
Recently, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB)
that is, at the “edge” of the cloud.
arrested the country’s first ‘darknet’ narcotics
What is Edge computing? operative, who allegedly shipped hundreds of
psychotropic drug parcels abroad.
• Edge computing enables data to be analysed,
processed, and transferred at the edge of a Narcotics Control Bureau
network. Meaning, the data is analysed • It was constituted by the Government of India
locally, closer to where it is stored, in real-time in 1986 under the Narcotic Drugs and
without latency. Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.
o The act provides for the penalty of property
derived from or used in illegal traffic in
narcotic drugs.
• It is the apex drug law enforcement and
intelligence agency responsible for fighting drug
trafficking and the abuse of illegal substances in
India.
• It works in close cooperation with the Customs
and Central Excise/GST, State Police
Department, Central Bureau of
Investigation (CBI), Central Economic
Intelligence Bureau (CEIB) and other Indian
intelligence and law enforcement agencies both
• How it differs from cloud computing? at the national and states level.
o The basic difference between edge • The NCB provides resources and training to the
personnel of India's Drug Law Enforcement
computing and cloud computing lies in
Agencies in fighting drug trafficking. It also
where the data processing takes place. monitors India's frontiers to track down points
o In simple terms, cloud computing means where smuggling activities take place with
storing and accessing data and programs foreign traffickers.
over the Internet instead of your • The Narcotics Control Bureau's national
computer's hard drive. headquarters is located in Delhi and is affiliated
o Currently, the existing Internet of Things to Ministry of Home Affairs.
(IoT) systems perform all of their
What is Dark Net?
computations in the cloud using data
centres. • Also known as Dark Web, Dark Net is that part
o Edge computing, on the other hand, of the Internet which cannot be accessed
manages the massive amounts of data through traditional search engines like Google
generated by IoT devices by storing and nor is it accessible by normal browsers like
processing data locally. Chrome or Safari.
• Benefits of edge computing • It generally uses non-standard
o It offers high speed, reduced latency & communication protocols which makes it
better reliability which allows for quicker inaccessible to internet service providers
data processing and content delivery. (ISPs) or government authorities.
o It offers better security by distributing • The content on Dark Net is encrypted and
processing, storage, and applications requires specific browser such as TOR (The
across a wide range of devices and data Onion Ring) browser to access those pages.
centers, which makes it difficult for any • Dark Net itself is only a part of the Deep Web
single disruption to take down the that is a broader concept, which includes sites
network that are protected by passwords. For e.g.- A
o It offers a far less expensive route person’s bank statements which are available
to scalability and versatility, allowing online but will not be pulled up in generalised
companies to expand their computing Internet searches. Only difference is that while
25
the Deep Web is accessible, the Dark Net is o This will help law enforcement agencies track
deliberately hidden. cyber criminals who sell illegal products and
o The part of internet that is readily available services on such platforms and also track
to general public and searchable on terrorism-related communications and
activities,
standard search engines is called as
• Kerela police have established a specialised
Surface Web.
darknet lab in Cyberdome and four officers have
• It is used by journalists and citizens working in been trained as darknet analysts to monitor these
oppressive regimes (to communicate without activities.
any government censorship), researchers and
students to do research on sensitive topics, 3.7. DATA LOCALIZATION
law enforcement agencies & Access content
blocked. Why in news?
• However, it is surrounded by concerns over In clarification to its directive in April 2018 on
Anonymity, Haven for illicit activity, Technical- ‘Storage of payment system data’, RBI announced
challenges to establish digital evidence in that the payment system providers need to store
courts, Privacy and ethical concerns, use of entire payments data in a system only in India.
crypto currencies etc.
What is data localization?
TOR (The Onion Ring) • Data localization is a concept that the personal
• TOR browser was developed in the mid-1990s by data of a country’s residents should be
the United States Naval Research laboratory processed and stored in that country. It may
employees to protect US intelligence restrict flow entirely or allow for conditional data
communications online. sharing or data mirroring (in which only a copy
• It is termed so as the traffic from the browser has to be stored in the country)
creates several layers like those of an Onion • There is a growing perception that data
before reaching the destination site. In other localization will aid countries asserting
words, unlike normal surfing, the computer does sovereignty in digital domain, ensure
not connect directly to the server where the informational security of its citizens & fare better
website is located. Instead, a whole series of in governance (as it goes digital).
servers are involved in the connection in order to Related information
create the greatest possible anonymity. • Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data (CLOUD)
Act of US seeks to de-monopolize control over
data from US authorities & allows tech
companies to share it with foreign governments.
• General Data Protection Regulation (GPDR) of
European Union allows cross-border movement
of data, but requires destination country to have
stringent cybersecurity rules.
About RBI’s data localization directive

RBI issued a directive in April 2018 advising all
Payment System Operators (PSOs) to ensure that
the entire data relating to payment systems is
stored within databases located in India within 6
months.
• Directives are applicable to Payment System
providers authorized by RBI under Payment
Steps taken in India
and Settlement Systems Act, 2007. This
• The Centre has directed all law enforcement
includes many companies from payment
agencies to have control over foreign-based
content providers of data and meta data and to gateways like MasterCard and Visa to e-wallets
make legislative changes to provide immunity for like PayTM.
cyber hackers, which law enforcement agencies • It includes end-to-end transaction details and
use to counter Dark web transactions. information pertaining to payment or
• Centre for Development of Advanced Computing settlement transaction.
(CDAC) is working with CSIR on developing a • There is no bar on overseas processing of
darknet/network telescope-based cyber security strictly domestic transactions; however in
monitoring and interference framework.
such cases, the data should be deleted from
the systems abroad and brought back to India
26
not later than the one business day or 24 hours transgender status, intersex status, caste
from payment processing, whichever is earlier. or tribe, religious or political belief or
• Data can be shared with the overseas affiliation)
regulator, if required, depending upon the o Critical personal data (military or national
nature/origin of transaction with prior security data and the government can
approval of the RBI. define it from time to time)
• RBI has rejected proposals by overseas service o General personal data- other than
providers to allow data mirroring, which sensitive and critical personal data.
allows them to retain a copy of the data on • Applicability: The Bill governs the processing
their overseas servers as well. of personal data by:
Other measures towards data localization o Government
• In 2018, a draft data protection law by BN o companies incorporated in India
Shrikrishna Committee also recommended that o foreign companies dealing with personal
all personal data of Indians have at least one data of individuals in India.
copy in India. It also defined a category of data
• Obligations of data fiduciary (an entity or
as critical personal data, which must be stored
individual who collects and decides the means
and processed only in India.
• A similar clause was incorporated in
and purpose of processing personal data):
Government’s draft e-commerce policy, which o Personal data can be processed only for
recommended localization for “community data specific, clear and lawful purpose.
generated by users in India from various sources o All data fiduciaries must undertake certain
including e-commerce platforms, social media, transparency and accountability measures
search engines etc.” such as:
• Draft Digital Information Security in Healthcare ✓ implementing security safeguards
Act (DISHA) seeks to empower the health (such as data encryption and
regulator to localize data.
preventing misuse of data)
✓ instituting grievance redressal
3.8. THE PERSONAL DATA mechanisms to address complaints of
PROTECTION BILL, 2019 individuals.
• Rights of the data principal (the individual
Why in news? whose data is being collected and processed):
Recently, the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 These include the right to:
was introduced in Lok Sabha. o obtain confirmation from the fiduciary on
Data protection in India whether their personal data has been
• India does not have any dedicated legal processed
framework for data protection. Presently o restrict continuing disclosure of their
some acts cover the data protection in general. personal data by a fiduciary, if it is no
• Sec 43A of Information Technology Act 2000 longer necessary or consent is withdrawn.
protects user data from misuse but it is It also includes the right to be forgotten
applicable to only corporate entities and not which will allow users to erase their
on government agency. Also, the rules are personal data published online and give
restricted to sensitive personal data only — them the freedom to ask entities such as
medical history, biometric information among Facebook and Twitter to delete any data
other things. they do not want in the public domain.
• Other acts like Consumer Protection Act 2015, • Grounds for processing personal data: The Bill
Copyrights Act 1957 among others also allows processing of data by fiduciaries only if
attempt to protect the personal information. consent is provided by the individual.
• In 2018, a draft version of the bill was prepared However, in certain circumstances, personal
by a committee headed by retired Justice B N data can be processed without
Srikrishna. consent. These include:
o if required by the State for providing
Key features of the Bill
benefits to the individual
• Personal data (data that can identify an
o legal proceedings
individual): The bill talks about various types of
o to respond to a medical emergency
personal data, such as:
• Social media intermediaries: platforms with
o Sensitive personal data (related to
larger number of users and having potential to
finances, health, official identifiers, sex life,
impact electoral democracy or public order,
sexual orientation, biometric, genetics,
27
have certain obligations, which include
providing a voluntary user verification
3.9. 3D PRINTING
mechanism for users in India. Why in News?
o According to official sources, while the
process can be voluntary for users and can Recently, Israel created an world’s first 3D-printed
be completely designed by the company, it heart made from human cells.
will decrease the anonymity of users and About 3D Printing
“prevent trolling”.
• Data Protection Authority: The Bill sets up a • It is an additive process wherein an object is
Data Protection Authority which may: created by laying down successive layers of
o take steps to protect interests of material until the object is created. Each of
individuals these layers can be seen as a thinly sliced
o prevent misuse of personal data horizontal cross-section of the eventual object.
o ensure compliance with the Bill. • It is also known as additive manufacturing
• Transfer of data outside India: which uses materials such as plastics, metals
o Sensitive personal data may be etc. to convert products envisaged on
transferred outside India for processing if computer-aided design to real three-
explicitly consented to by the individual dimensional items.
and subject to certain additional • It allows the creation of lighter, more complex
conditions. However, such sensitive designs that are too difficult or too expensive
personal data should continue to be stored to build using traditional dies, molds, milling
in India. and machining.
o Critical personal data can only be • It has multiple applications like in aerospace,
processed in India. healthcare, automotive, product development
o Personal data other than sensitive and etc. to create 3d object.
critical personal data don’t have such
localisation mandates. 3.10. BIOMETRICS
• Exemptions:
Why in News?
o The central government can exempt any
of its agencies from the provisions of the India has become the first country in the world to
Act: issue Biometric Seafarer Identity Document (BSID),
✓ in interest of security of state, public capturing the facial bio-metric data of seafarers.
order, sovereignty and integrity of More about News
India and friendly relations with
foreign states • The BSID has the dimensions of a smart ID
✓ for preventing incitement to card. It introduces modern security features
commission of any cognisable offence like an embedded biometric chip, as well as
(i.e. arrest without warrant) relating to optical security features such as micro
the above matters. prints/micro texts and Unique Guilloche
o Processing of personal data is also pattern.
exempted from provisions of the Bill for • The new card is in confirmation of the
certain other purposes such as: Convention No. 185 of the International Labour
✓ prevention, investigation, or Organisation on BSID. India ratified the
prosecution of any offence Convention in October 2015.
✓ personal, domestic • It has been developed with collaboration with
✓ journalistic purposes Centre for Development of Advanced
• Sharing of non-personal data with Computing (CDAC), Mumbai.
government: The central government may
About Biometrics
direct data fiduciaries to provide it with any:
o non-personal data • Biometrics are physical or behavioral human
o anonymised personal data (where it is not characteristics to that can be used to digitally
possible to identify data principal) for identify a person to grant access to systems,
better targeting of services. devices or data.
• Each of these identifiers is considered unique
to the individual, and they may be used in
28
combination to ensure greater accuracy of o Morphological (form and structure of
identification. organisms): shape of the hand, palms,
• Biometrics can be divided into three main fingerprints, vein patterns, face, iris, vein,
categories of characteristics: pattern in the retina, voice, ear
o Biological: DNA blood o Behavioral: walking, handwritten
signatures, keyboard strokes.
3.11. RFID
Why in News?
Indian Railways (IR) is taking up Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) project which aims to automatically
and accurately track and trace rolling stock as they move across the country with a special focus on improving
their safety and reliability.
More about News
• All the rolling stock which includes coaches and wagons will be fitted with RFID tags by 2021.
• RFID project has been undertaken under ‘Make in India’ initiative by Centre for Railway Information
Systems.
• It enables enhanced operational efficiency of IR.
RFID technology Bluetooth Near Field Communication (NFC)
• It is an electronic tag that can • It is a wireless technology standard • It works on the Radio waves
exchange data with an RFID used for exchanging data between technology. It is used for small
reader through radio waves. fixed and mobile devices over short information exchange or to do a
distances using short-wavelength UHF small action and such as for
radio waves. contactless card payments.
• In this an antenna broadcasts • It communicates on a frequency of 2.45 • It transmits at 13.56 megahertz with
energy to the tag, which in gigahertz (actually between 2.400 GHz a max speed of 424 kilobits per
turn returns the modulated and 2.483.5 GHz, to be exact). This second. Most tags are passive
energy back in the form of frequency band is one of a handful of devices that contain an antenna
back-scatter. frequencies that has been set aside by and a microchip. The antenna is a
international agreement for the use of coil and NFC device picks power
industrial, scientific and medical from the magnetic field. This power
devices (ISM). is used by the NFC tag to transmit
information. Thus the magnetic
field provides a communication
medium as well as power.
• It is faster connection and its • It is slow connection and its operational • It is faster connection and
operational range is about range is about 40 m indoors and 100 m operational range is very less to
100m. outdoors. close to inches.
• RFID tag typically sends out • In case of bluetooth the connection is • Information is sent in both
information hence only one- based on handshaking which is two directions, the NFC tags not only
way information. way, though it can support broadcast give out info, it can be even written
mode in the latest release. in to by other NFC tags.
Related information
FASTag
• Under a new “One Nation One FASTag” scheme, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) is trying to get
states on board so that one tag can be used seamlessly across highways, irrespective of whether it is the state or the
Centre that owns/manages it.
• It employs Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for payments directly from the prepaid or savings
account linked to it. It is affixed on the windscreen that can enable electronic payment when it crosses a booth
without stopping.
• A FASTag is valid for five years and can be recharged as and when required.
3.12. MISCELLANEOUS
Central • Recently, the CEIR portal has been launched by the government to facilitate blocking and tracing of
Equipment stolen/lost mobile phones in Delhi.
Identity • The initiative is undertaken by the Department of Telecom (DoT) and was first launched in Mumbai.
29
Register • CEIR acts as a central system that connects to the IMEI database of all network Operators to share
(CEIR) black listed mobile devices.
• Devices blacklisted in one network will not work on other networks even if the Subscriber Identity
Module (SIM) card in the device is changed.
• The National Telecom Policy of 2012 called for the establishment of a National Mobile Property Registry
to address the issue of “security, theft, and other concerns including reprogramming of mobile
handsets”.
Broadband • Department of Telecom (DoT) and the Indian Council for Research on International Economic
Readiness Relations (ICRIER) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop a BRI for Indian States
Index (BRI) and Union Territories (UT).
• It will appraise the condition of the underlying digital infrastructure and related factors at the
State/UT level which will be conducted annually until 2022.
• It will provide useful insights into strategic choices made by States for investment allocations in ICT
programmes.
• The BRI consists of two parts.
o Part I will focus on infrastructure development based on the measurement of nine parameters like
state policy, towers, number of fibres etc.
o Part II consists of demand side parameters which will be captured through primary surveys. It will
include indicators such as percentage of households using computers/ laptops with internet
connection, percentage of households with fixed broadband connection etc.
• It is also envisaged in National Broadband Mission by Ministry of Communications.
TechSagar • Recently, the National Cyber Security Coordinator's office and Data Security Council (DSCI) of India
launched TechSagar –an online portal for India’s technological capability.
• The portal will list business and research entities from the IT industry, startups, academia, and
individual researchers.
• TechSagar is a consolidated and comprehensive repository of India’s cyber technology capabilities of
the Indian Industry, academia and research across 25 technology areas such as: Internet of things (IoT),
Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) etc.
• Data Security Council of India
o It is a not-for-profit, industry body on data protection in India.
o Setup by NASSCOM, it is committed to making the cyberspace safe, secure and trusted by
establishing best practices, standards and initiatives in cyber security and privacy.
Wifi • Bharti Airtel recently introduced India’s first Voice over Wi-Fi (VoWiFi). Reliance Jio also followed the
Calling suit.
• VoWiFi is a Wi-Fi-based Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service, which allows users to make high
definition (HD) voice calls using Wi-Fi even in places with poor or no cellular network.
• Calls made over VoWiFi provides users with a shorter call connection time along with superior call
quality compared to calls made over VoLTE or any existing cellular technology.
• Users don’t have to pay extra for these calls as it is using a Wi-Fi network. VoWiFi service does not need
any separate app or a new number or any log-in to work.
• This is similar to a voice call using WhatsApp or any other over-the-top messaging platform, but here
the call is from one number to another, and not using an app.
Wi-Fi 6 • It is the next generation standard in WiFi technology.
• Wi-Fi 6 also known as “AX WiFi" or "802.11ax WiFi” builds and improves on the current 802.11ac WiFi
standard.
• About WiFi technology
• It is a wireless network technology that allows computers and other devices to be connected to each
other into a LAN and to the Internet without wires and cables.
• It is also referred to as WLAN, which stands for wireless LAN, and 802.11, which is the technical code
for the protocol.
• The technology uses radio signals to transmit information between Wi-Fi enabled devices and the
internet, allowing the device to receive information from the web in the same way that a radio or
mobile phone receives sound.
• LiFi is another mobile wireless technology that uses light rather than radio frequencies to transmit
data.
Dark fibre • It is the extra optical fibre laid by companies in order to avoid cost repetition when more bandwidth
is needed.
• In a bid to cut down on capital expenditure, telecom service providers — Reliance Jio Infocomm, Bharti
Airtel and Vodafone Idea — have reached out to Bharat Broadband Network Limited to use dark fibre
laid by latter.
30
• The hitherto unused infrastructure will be used by these companies to expand their presence in rural
India
Deepfakes • Deepfakes refer to manipulated videos, or other digital representations produced by sophisticated
artificial intelligence, that yield fabricated images and sounds that appear to be real.
Pegasus • It is a mobile spyware developed by Israeli cyberarms firm, NSO Group.
• It can infect both Android and iOS phones.
• It is usually deployed by sending a specially created link to the target device. Once deployed, the
hacker has complete access to the data on the victim’s phone.
Strandhog • It is a bug that allows malware applications to pose as genuine applications and access user data of all
g kind.
• Recently, Home Ministry has sent an alert to all States warning them about the vulnerability of the
Android operating system to this bug.
Virtual • NEON is a computationally created virtual being that looks and behaves like a real human, with the
Human ability to show emotions and intelligence.
NEON • The word derives from NEO (new) + humaN.
XENOBOT • It is world’s first ever living, self-healing robot developed by engineering frog embryos in the lab to
behave like living, programmable organisms.
• They are small enough to travel inside human bodies
• Xenobots may lead to novel machines in a wide range of fields like detecting toxic contamination in
environment, gathering microplastic in oceans, scrapping out blocks in blood vessels etc.
Cerebras • It is believed to be the world’s largest processor which has 1.2 Trillion transistors and 400,000 AI-
Wafer optimised cores and 18 gigabytes of memory (A typical PC processor will have about 2 billion
Scale transistors, four to six cores and a fraction of the memory).
Engine • It measures roughly 8 inches by 8 inches that’s at least 50 times larger than similar chips available
today.
• It is mainly built for Artificial intelligence software which requires huge amounts of information to
improve, so processors need to be as fast as possible to crunch all this data.
AJIT • IIT Bombay develop the country’s first indigenously designed and fabricated microprocessor AJIT.
Microproc • It is a medium-sized processor which can be used inside a set-top box, as a control panel for
essor automation systems, in a traffic light controller or even robotic systems.
• This innovation would reduce the country’s imports and make India self-reliant in electronics.
India’s first • Kerala Police has become the first police department in the country to use a robot named KP-Bot (SI-
RoboCop ranked) for police work.
• It will be deployed to perform duties of the front office of the police headquarters which means that
it will receive visitors and direct them to different places as and when required.
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4. DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY
4.1. MISSILES
Astra • Recently India successfully test-fired its first indigenous air-to-air missile ‘Astra’.
Missile • It is designed and developed by DRDO.
• It works on beyond visual range air to air missile (BVRAAM) technology that enables fighter-pilots
to shoot precisely at the enemy targets which are beyond their visual range.
• It was launched from Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jet and will be further integrated with other jets such as
Mirage 2000, the MiG-29 and Tejas.
• With this India joined the league of other countries having this technology such as France, Germany,
UK, South Africa etc.
• Specifications of the missile:
o Speed - over 4.5 mach (5555 km/h). Mach number - ratio of velocity of the jet to the local speed
of sound.
o Advance features-
✓ Electronic Counter-Countermeasures (ECCM)- that improves the missile’s target tracking
capability by reducing the effect of electronic countermeasures of the enemy targets in
jamming environments.
✓ Lock on Before Launch (LOBL) and Lock on After Launch (LOAL). The latter option allows
the fighter aircraft to safely shoot and scoot after launching the missile towards the target.
o It uses an inertial guidance system with an active radar seeker with a homing range of 25 km and
is extremely effective in a multi-target scenario.
BrahMos • Recently, Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), Indian Air Force (IAF) and
supersonic BrahMos jointly successfully conducted two BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles tests one each from
cruise land and air platforms.
missiles • BrahMos is a joint venture India and Russia.
• It is a medium-range ramjet supersonic cruise missile capable of being launched from submarines,
warships, fighter jets or land and has a strike range of nearly 300 kilometres.
• The missile is operational with the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force.
Akash-1S • DRDO successfully test fires Akash-1S surface to air supersonic missile.
missile • It is a new version of the Akash missile fitted with an indigenous seeker.
• Akash has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) under
the Integrated Guided Missile Development Plan along with Agni, Trishul, Prithvi and Nag.
• It has a strike range of about 25 km and can carry a 55- kg fragmentation warhead.
• It can reach an altitude of 18 km and can be fired from both tracked and wheeled platforms.
• The new Akash weapon system has combination of both command guidance and active terminal
seeker guidance.
'Strum • India has signed Rs 200 crore deal to acquire 'Strum Ataka' anti-tank missile from Russia for its fleet
Ataka' of Mi-35 attack choppers (exported from Russia).
anti-tank • The deal was signed under the emergency clauses through which the missiles would be supplied
missile within 3 months of contract signing.
o After the Pulwama attack, government gave emergency powers to the three services to buy the
equipment of their choice within three months at the cost of up to Rs 300 crore per case.
• The IAF had also acquired the Spice-2000 stand-off weapon system from Israel under the emergency
provisions to equip itself for sudden war.
• The Army is also in the process of acquiring the Spike anti-tank guided missile from France and Igla-
S air defence missiles from Russia.
AGNI-II • Recently, India successfully conducted the night trial of Agni-II missile for the first time.
• It is surface-to-surface medium-range nuclear-capable ballistic missile.
• It is developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
• It has already been inducted into the armed forces.
• It is 20-metre-long, and has a strike range of 2,000 km. It has a launch weight of 17 tonnes and can
carry a payload of 1,000 kg.
• It is a two-stage missile equipped with advanced high accuracy navigation system, was guided by a
novel state-of-the-art command and control system and propelled by solid rocket propellant system.
Pranash • DRDO is developing the 200-km strike range Pranash ballistic missile which would be used for tactical
ballistic missions.
missile • It is a surface-to-surface ballistic missile and will be used by the Army and the Air Force for destroying
enemy targets at short ranges.
32
• The missile would be an advanced version of the 150-km strike range Prahar missile developed by
the DRDO.
• It will be a non-nuclear missile and will be propelled by a single-stage solid propellant engine.
• It will be one of the cheapest missiles in the world in its range category.
• The missile could be exported to friendly foreign countries as it is outside the purview of the Missile
Technology Control Regime (MTCR), which places export restrictions on missiles with ranges of
more than 300km.
Pinaka • It was successfully flight-tested from the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur off the Odisha coast.
Missile • It is an Artillery Missile System developed by DRDO and capable of striking up to a range of 75
System kilometres with high precision.
• There are two versions: Pinaka MK-I (40 km range) and MK-II (75 km range)
Quick • QRSAM developed by DRDO has been successfully flight tested from Integrated Test Range in
Reaction Odisha's Chandipur.
Surface To • It is an all-weather, all-terrain surface-to-air missile equipped with electronic counter measures
Air Missile against jamming by aircraft radars.
(QRSAM) • It operates on the move and comprises of fully automated command and control.
K-4 Missile • It is intermediate-range, nuclear-capable submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) with 3,500-km
range.
• It is developed by DRDO and will be inducted to Arihant-class submarines.
Avangard • Recently, Russia deployed first hypersonic nuclear-capable missiles “Avangard”.
• Hypersonic missiles travel faster than Mach 5 (~3,800mph).
o It has enhanced maneuverability and smooth flight path, which is much harder to track than
that of traditional missiles.
o These missiles are capable of delivering conventional or nuclear payloads at ultra-high velocities
over long ranges.
o It consist of a Supersonic Combustion Ramjet, or Scramjet propulsion system to enable such
high speeds.
o A Scramjet engine is an engine that uses “air breathing” technology which means that the
engine collects oxygen Conventional Ramjet Engine from the atmosphere as it is traveling and
mixes the oxygen with its hydrogen fuel, creating the combustion needed for hypersonic travel.
4.2. SUBMARINE AND SHIPS

Scorpene- • The Scorpene-class submarine Vela, the fourth of six underwater warships being built in India with
class French collaboration, was launched in Mumbai recently.
submarine • A contract was signed in 2005, between French collaborator Ms Naval Group (formerly DCNS), and
Vela Mazgaon Dock Limited under Indian Navy's Project-75 for the construction and transfer of
technology for six scorpene-class submarines.
• The first submarine INS Kalvari was commissioned in December 2017 while two other submarines -
INS Khanderi and INS Karanj are in the advanced stages to join the Navy fleet.
• Vagir and Vagsheer are the remaining two submarines in the country's Scorpene Submarine
programme, they are in the advanced stages of manufacturing.
Varunastra • Indigenously-built heavyweight anti-submarine electric torpedo Varunastra has been successfully
inducted in the navy, making India one of the eight countries to have the capability to design and
build such a system.
• It can be fired from the Rajput class destroyers, Delhi class and all future Anti-Submarine Warfare
(ASW) ships capable of firing heavy weight torpedoes.
• The weapon has been developed by the Naval Science and Technology Laboratory (NTSL), a premier
laboratory of DRDO and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) is manufacturer of this weapon system.
• India also intends to sell the heavyweight torpedo to friendly nations.
INS Nilgiri • Recently, INS Nilgiri was launched by Indian Navy.
• It is designed indigenously by the Indian Navy's Directorate of Naval Design, New Delhi
• It is the first major warship in India which is built using an integrated construction methodology
that involves constructing small modules and assembling them together.
• It is the first of seven new stealth frigates under Project 17Alfa.
• Project 17Alfa frigates are a design derivative and upgrade of the existing Shivalik class frigates
with advanced features and indigenous weapons and sensors for improved survivability, sea
keeping, stealth and ship manoeuvrability.
Indian • Recently, Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) VARAHA was commissioned.
Coast • It is a Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Vessel and fourth in the series of seven 98-m vessels.
Guard Ship
33
(ICGS) • It has been designed and built indigenously by Larsen & Toubro (L&T) at its Katupalli ship building
VARAHA yard in North Chennai.
• It has capabilities to operate twin engine Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) and will also carry four
high speed boats including two rigid hull inflated boats for boarding operation, search and rescue,
law enforcement and maritime patrol.
• It is also capable of carrying Pollution response equipment to contain oil spill at sea.
'Yard • It is an Offshore patrol vessel (OPV) that would be utilized for day and night patrol along with anti-
45006 terrorist, anti-smuggling operations in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) as well as Coastal
VAJRA' Security.
• This is the sixth in the series of seven OPV projects being built by Larsen Toubro under the ‘Make in
India’ campaign.
INS • It is a Sandhayak class Hydrographic Survey Ship of Indian Navy.
Jamuna • It has been deployed to Sri Lanka based on a mutual agreement to carry out Joint Hydrographic
Survey off the South West Coast of Sri Lanka.
INS Shivaji • President presented President's Colour to Indian Navy's INS Shivaji.
• President’s Colour is the highest honour that can be bestowed upon any military unit.
• INS Shivaji was established in 1945 and it is one of the premier training establishments of Indian Navy.
4.3. AIRCRAFTS AND HELICOPTERS

ABHYAS • The DRDO has successfully conducted the flight test of ABHYAS - High-speed Expendable Aerial
Target (HEAT) from a test range in Odisha.
• It offers a realistic threat scenario for practice of weapon systems.
• ‘Abhyas’ is designed for autonomous flying with the help of an autopilot.
• The configuration of 'Abhyas' is designed on an in-line small gas turbine engine and it uses
indigenously developed micro-electro-mechanical systems-based system for navigation and
guidance.
Apache • Recently, eight US made Apache helicopters (AH-64E) were inducted into the Indian Air Force.
helicopters • India had signed a deal for 22 Apache helicopters with US Company, Boeing in September 2015 to
(AH-64E) replace Russian-built Mi-25 and Mi-35 helicopters.
• It is the most advanced multi-role heavy attack helicopter in the world and are also known as ‘Flying
Tank’. It is an all-weather helicopter.
• It has a vertical rate of climb of over 2,000 feet per second and a maximum speed of 279km per hour,
making it useful for swift deployment.
• It can deliver a variety of weapons with one helicopter having the capacity to carry 8 missiles.
• It also has modern electronic warfare capabilities to provide versatility to the helicopter in network-
centric aerial warfare.
• The helicopter is capable of flying further lower and faster than other similar machines through
which it cannot be picked up by radar, while skimming the earth.
LCA Tejas • Naval version of India’s Light Combat Aircraft Tejas made its first arrested landing on aircraft carrier
INS Vikramaditya.
• LCA is the smallest and lightest Multi-Role Supersonic Fighter Aircraft of its class.
• It is designed and developed by Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) with HAL as the principal
partner along with DRDO, CSIR, BEL, DGAQA, Indian Airforce and Navy.
Saras • The first-ever indigenous light passenger aircraft Saras will be inducted into the Indian Air Force
aircraft (IAF) from 2024.
• This Saras Mk2 project is led by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)-National
Aerospace Laboratories (NAL). The first attempt to design and develop a multi-role transport
aircraft began in 1999.
• It will have various applications such as troop movement, VIP transport and supply roles during
emergency situations.
• It has low acquisition and operating costs, high aircraft performance abilities and the latest
generation technologies compared to any contemporary aircraft.
• The Saras project will pave the way for the knowledge generation, design and development of the
70-90 seat aircraft for regional passenger connectivity.
• The first successful maiden flight took off in 2004, thus enabling India to join the elite club of five
nations to manufacture the light passenger transport aircraft.
Light • LCH production centre was inaugurated in Bengaluru, under the Make in India initiative.
Combat • LCH is a 5.5-tonne class multi-role combat helicopter designed and developed by Hindustan
Helicopters Aeronautical limited (HAL).
(LCH)
34
• It is powered by two Shakti engines and inherits many technical features of the Advanced Light
Helicopter.
• The features that are unique to LCH are sleek and narrow fuselage, tri-cycle crashworthy landing
gear, crashworthy and self-sealing fuel tanks, armor protection and low visibility features which
makes it agile and survivable.
• LCH has the distinction of being the first attack helicopter to land in Forward Bases at Siachen, 4,700
mts above sea level with 500kg load.
HAL Dhruv • It is a multi-role and multi-mission helicopter, intended for both military and civil operators.
(Advance • Current military operators of the HAL Dhruv are India, Bolivia, Burma, Israel, Maldives and Nepal.
Light
Helicopter)
Sukhoi Jets • Recently, the Indian Air Force (IAF) inducted the first batch of six of 18 Russian Sukhoi-30
MKI fighter jets at Tamil Nadu’s Thanjavur Air Force Station.
• It will bolster India’s offensive capabilities in the Indian Ocean Region against China as they can fly
1,500km without having to refuel mid-air, thus help providing security cover to island territories and
sea lines of communication.
• These fighter jets are equipped with the air variant of the BrahMos cruise missile, with a range of
290km.
• The Indian Navy already has the Boeing built P-8I long-range, multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft
in the area that is armed with Harpoon anti-ship missiles and is capable of conducting anti-submarine
warfare.
C-295 • The Ministry of Defence has concluded the cost negotiations with Tata and Airbus for the purchase
transport of 62 Airbus C-295 transport aircraft.
aircrafts • New C-295 transport aircrafts would replace the IAF's ageing Avro transport aircrafts.
KA-226T • It is a Russian light helicopter with a maximum take-off weight of over 3.5 tonnes and can carry a
Light payload of up to 1 ton.
Utility • Indo-Russian Helicopters Limited (IRHL), a joint venture between Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
Helicopters (HAL) and Russian Helicopters (RH), will assemble the Ka-226T helicopters in India.
Chinook • India has received Boeing Co.’s Chinook helicopters from US that are expected to bolster the heavy-
lift capabilities of its air force and further strengthen the fast expanding defence ties with the US.
• Chinook is a multi-role, heavy lift helicopter, which is used for transporting troops, artillery,
equipment and fuel.
• It is also used for humanitarian and disaster relief operations and in missions such as transportation
of relief supplies and mass evacuation of refugees.
Dornier- • IAF has inducted Do-228 Dornier aircraft which is the most versatile and most advanced high-wing
228 aircraft in its class.
• It has been developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited specifically to meet the manifold
requirements of utility and commuter transport, third level services and air-taxi operations, coast
guard duties and maritime surveillance.
24 MH-60R • Cabinet Committee on Security cleared procurement of 24 MH-60R multi-role helicopters for the
multi-role Navy from USA.
helicopters • This will be procured through the foreign military sales (FMS) route from the US government.
• FMS is the US Government's program for transferring defense articles, services, and training to
international partners and international organizations.
4.4. OTHER WEAPONS SYSTEM

Iron Dome • With the increasing tension between Israel and Ghaza, Israel is using its Iron Dome to intercept
Aerial incoming rockets.
Defence • The Iron Dome is a mobile air defence system developed by Israel to intercept and destroy short-
System range rockets and up to 155mm artillery shells fired from short distances.
• It can be operated in all weather conditions and can respond to multiple threats simultaneously.
• Iron Dome operates both day and night, and can detect tickets 4 to 70 km away to destroy target
mid air.
Airborne • Also named as Netra, it is indigenously designed by DRDO which was handed over to the Indian Air
Early Force (IAF) to augment the service's network centric capabilities.
Warning • It comprises an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, secondary surveillance radar,
And electronic and communication countermeasures, beyond-line-of-sight datalinks, satellite
Control communication systems, and advanced identification friend-or-foe probes.
(AEW&C) • It is used for detecting & tracking of enemy/hostile aircrafts/ UAVs etc.
35
Dhanush • It is also the first long-range (36-38 km) artillery gun to be produced in India. 2020 for Army
• It is the indigenously upgraded variant of the Swedish Bofors gun imported in the 1980s.
Mk-45 • US will sell this naval gun to India for use against warships, anti-aircraft and shore bombardment, in
5inch/62 a move that would enhance the lethal capabilities of the Indian Navy.
Caliber
(Mod 4)
Naval Gun
Integrated • US has approved sale of IADWS to India to modernise its armed forces and to expand its existing air
Air defence architecture to counter threats posed by air attacks.
Defence • This will further be enhancing greater interoperability between India, US and other allies.
Weapon • IADWS package includes a range of sensors, weapons systems, and support equipment.
System
(IADWS)
K9 Vajra-T • It is a tracked self-propelled howitzer (artillery gun) manufactured by L&T.
Gun • The gun weighs 50 tonnes and can fire 47kg bombs at 43-kilometre distant targets. It can also turn
around at zero radius.
Sharang • It is a M-46 artillery gun being upgraded by Gun Carriage Factory (GCF) in Jabalpur.
• With the upgrade, gun’s range has now gone from 27km to over 36km. Indigenously designed
Sharang will be inducted in the Army by this fiscal end.
4.5. SPACE WEAPONISATION Related Laws for outer space

• Outer Space Treaty
Why in News? o The Outer Space Treaty, formally the
Recently, US President has directed the Treaty on Principles Governing the
establishment of the U.S. Space Force (USSF) as Activities of States in the Exploration and
the sixth branch of the armed forces after the Use of Outer Space, including the Moon
Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard and Other Celestial Bodies, is a treaty that
which raises the debate on Weaponization of forms the basis of international space law.
Space. o It was adopted by the UN General
About Weaponization of Space Assembly in 1963 and entered into force in
1967.
• It includes placing weapons in outer space or
o India is a signatory to this treaty, and
on heavenly bodies as well as creating
ratified it in 1982. The Outer Space Treaty
weapons that will transit outer space or
prohibits only weapons of mass
simply travel from Earth to attack or destroy
destruction in outer space, not ordinary
targets in space.
weapons.
o Examples: include the placing of orbital or
o It mandates that use of outer space shall
suborbital satellites with the intention of
be carried out for the benefit and in the
attacking enemy satellites, using ground-
interests of all countries and shall be the
based direct ascent missiles to attack
province of all mankind.
space assets, jamming signals sent from
• Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space
enemy satellites, using lasers to
(PAROS)
incapacitate enemy satellites, plasma
o It is a UN resolution that reaffirms the
attacks, orbital ballistic missiles, and
fundamental principles of the 1967 Outer
satellite attacks on Earth targets.
Space Treaty and advocates for a ban on
• The weaponization of space is different from
the weaponization of space.
the militarization of space, which includes
o It is currently being discussed in the
using space-based assets for C4ISR
Conference on Disarmament (CD).
(Command, Control, Communications,
o Till now, the parties have discussed various
Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and
issues and possible solutions. Some parties
Reconnaissance).
like the Russian federation and Venezuela,
o The militarization of space assists armies
have even pledged to not be the first to
on the conventional battlefield, whereas
deploy any type of weapon in outer space.
via the weaponization of space, outer
o It would prevent any nation from gaining a
space itself emerges as the battleground,
military advantage in outer space.
sometimes referred to as the “fourth
frontier of war.”
36
Related information wide-ranging application from photography to
Mission Shakti agriculture, from infrastructure asset
• In 2019, DRDO tested its first anti-satellite management to insurance.
(ASAT) missile as part of ‘Mission Shakti’ against • Drones range in size from very small and those
a “live” satellite launched by it a few months
that can carry multiple-kilograms of payload.
earlier before this test.
The DGCA has defined five different categories
• India joined a select group of nations USA, Russia
and China with a similar technology. of drones:
• DRDO’s ballistic missile defence interceptor was o Nano: Less than or equal to 250 grams
used. India used Kinetic Kill, a space technology o Micro: From 250 grams to 2kg
in which India has developed capability. o Small: From 2kg to 25kg
o Kinetic Kill: The destructive capability of o Medium: From 25kg to 150kg
the missile is provided by the delivery to a o Large: Greater than 150kg
target of a considerable load of kinetic • The industry value of unmanned aircraft
energy unlike conventional missiles. systems (UAS) in India is projected to
• Mission Shakti was done in a low orbit of less
touch $885.7 million by 2021, while the global
than 300 kilometres and at a particular angle to
market size is expected to reach $21.47 billion.
ensure that minimal debris were disbursed above
into space to avoid damage to other satellites or • However, the number of illegal drones in India
the International Space Station (ISS). is likely to be between 50,000 and 60,000, as
IndSpaceEx on October 2019 which requires a regulation of
• The Indian armed forces are all set to conduct the drones in India.
country’s first-ever simulated space warfare
exercise “IndSpaceEx”. Drone Regulation in India
• The tri-Service integrated defence staff (IDS) • In August 2018, the Centre came up with the
under the defence ministry is conducting the first set of norms Drone Regulations 1.0 which
two-day “IndSpaceEx”, with all military and
are intended to enable visual line-of-sight
scientific stakeholders in the backdrop of China’s
daytime-only and a maximum of 400 ft
rapidly expanding space and counter-space
capabilities. altitude operations of Drones.
• This was first such exercise that is being planned • Under these guidelines, air space has been
after India successfully tested an anti-satellite partitioned into:
(A-Sat) interceptor missile. o Red zone denotes “no fly zone” (include
airspace around airports; near
4.6. DRONE REGULATION international border, Vijay Chowk in Delhi;
State Secretariat Complex in State
Why in news? Capitals, strategic locations/vital and
Ministry of Civil Aviation announced a scheme military installations; etc.)
providing a window up to January 31, 2020 for o Yellow zone is controlled airspace which
voluntary registration of all drones and their signifies airspace requiring Air Defence
operators. Clearance or Air Traffic Control clearance.
o Green zone signifies unrestricted airspace
More about News zones. However, even for the Green zone,
• On successful submission of voluntary there is a need to get clearance from the
disclosure of possessing drone, a Drone Digital Sky Platform.
Acknowledgement Number (DAN) and an • Under these regulations, a process has been
Ownership Acknowledgement Number (OAN) prescribed for drone operators to obtain
will be issued online which will help in Unique Identification Number (UIN),
validation of operation of drones in India. Unmanned Aircraft Operator Permit (UAOP)
• However, the DAN and the OAN do not confer and other permissions.
any right to operate drones in India if it does • Currently, India has a ‘No Permission-No Take
not fulfil the DGCA’s drone regulations. off’ (NPNT) clause, which implies that a drone
• Further, ownership of drones in India without cannot be operated in Indian skies unless the
a valid DAN or OAN shall invite penal action as regulatory permission is received through the
per applicable laws. Digital Sky Platform.
o Users will be required to do a one-time
Drones in India
registration of their drones, pilots and
• As per Ministry of Civil Aviation, drones are owners. For every flight (exempted for
defined as a technology platform that has the nano category), users will be required
37
to ask for permission to fly on a mobile app • FDI: It proposes 100% FDI under automatic route
and an automated process permits or in UAS and RPAS-based commercial civil aviation
denies the request instantly. services. Under Drone Policy 1.0, there is no
• The pilot also needs certification, requiring a mention of FDI.
remote pilot licence before operating a drone.
• In January 2019, a white paper on drone policy
2.0 was released, that paved the way for wider DRDO • Prime Minister dedicated the five
application of drones, such as the delivery of Young Young Scientists Laboratories of
goods beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS). Scientist Defence Research and
• Foreigners are currently not allowed to fly Laboratories Development Organisation (DRDO)
drones in India. For commercial purpose, they (DYSLs) to the nation.
need to lease the drone to an Indian entity who • DRDO Young Scientist Laboratories
in-turn will obtain Unique Identification (DYSLs) are located in five cities viz,
Number (UIN) and UAOP from DGCA. Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai,
Kolkata and Hyderabad.
About Digital Sky Platform • Each lab will work on a key
• It is a software-based self-enforcement advanced technology of
unmanned traffic management (UTM) system importance to the development of
which is expected to facilitate registration and futuristic defence systems viz,
licensing of drones and operators in addition to Artificial intelligence, Quantum
giving instant (online) clearances to operators technologies, Cognitive
for every flight. technologies, Asymmetric
• The Platform regulates all drones in the micro technologies and Smart materials.
and higher categories. • DYSLs will employ only scientists
• It allows operators to apply for a Unique under age of 35 to develop cutting-
Identification Number (UIN), that needs to be edge and futuristic technologies for
issued for all drones and Unmanned Aircraft military weaponry.
Operator Permit online for approval by the civil • It will boost indigenous research
aviation regulator. capabilities in the defence sector by
About Unmanned Aircraft Operator Permit (UAOP) involving youth in defence research
• UAOP is a permit required by the owners of the related activities.
drones to fly them which can be obtained from Government • Army has decided to transfer Army
the Director General of Civil Aviation. Owned Base Workshops (ABW) presently
• These UAOPs are not transferrable and shall be Contractor being operated by the Central
applicable for not more than five years. Operated Government, on the lines of GOCO
(GOCO) model to improve operational
India’s Draft Drone Policy 2.0 (Released in 2019)
Model efficiency.
• New forms of air freight permitted: It
• Under GOCO model, government
recommends expanding operations to beyond
will provide land, infrastructure,
VLOS and beyond the current limit of 400 feet.
plant and machinery, equipment
• Drone corridors: The policy conceives of drone
system support, oversight and
corridors to keep commercial UAS operations
facilitate the contractor.
out of non-segregated airspace in which manned
• The contractor operates and
aircraft operate.
utilises the facilities available,
o Additionally, designated areas known as
manages all types of work and is
‘Droneports’ to facilitate the landing and
also responsible to get required
take-off of drones.
licences, certifications and
• Life cycle for drones: Proposes maximum life
accreditations to deliver mutually
cycle for drones to ensure airworthiness and
agreed targets and maintains the
operators must apply for re-certification at the
plant machinery and services
end of a drone’s life cycle.
integral to the venture.
• Drone Directorate: Recommends establishing a
• It will be operated by the private
Drone Directorate within the Directorate General
industry for agreed upon terms and
of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
will enhance private participation in
• DigitalSky service providers (DSPs): It defence.
introduces new players DSPs which would be
• This model is based on the
public or private agencies registered in India.
recommendations of Lt. Gen. DB
• Permissible Night-time Operations: Permissions
Shekatkar (Retd.) committee to
and other necessary requirements to be “enhance combat capability and re-
obtained to enable night-time drone flights.
balancing defence expenditure.”
38
5. HEALTH
o Oral polio vaccine: It consists of a mixture
5.1. VIRAL DISEASES of live attenuated strains of polioviruses
NOTE: COVID-19 will be covered in detail in of three (now only two OPV 1 and OPV 3)
different types of serotypes.
updated material.
✓ These viruses mimic the immune
5.1.1. POLIO response of the actual polioviruses,
but with a reduced ability to spread
Why in news? and affect the central nervous system
Recently, Global Commission for the Certification ✓ In rare cases, the OPV virus can
of Poliomyelitis Eradication officially declared that accumulate changes over time and
wild poliovirus type 3 has been eradicated. become like wild poliovirus (WPV)
More about news infecting new individuals. These new
• This is the second wild poliovirus to be viruses are called vaccine-derived
declared eliminated — the first was in 2015 polioviruses (VDPV) and can cause
when type 2 wild poliovirus was declared as polio disease.
eliminated. ✓ OPV vaccines also produce a local
immune response in the lining of the
• With two of the three wild polioviruses
mucous membrane of the gut
eliminated, only type 1 wild poliovirus is still in
(developing gut immunity) which is
circulation and is restricted to just two
the primary site for multiplication of
countries — Afghanistan and Pakistan.
poliovirus.
• It opens up the possibility of switching from
o IPV or inactivated poliovirus vaccine is
the currently used bivalent oral polio vaccine
produced from wild-type poliovirus strains
containing type 1 and type 3 to a monovalent
of each serotype that have been
vaccine containing only type 1.
inactivated (killed) with formalin.
• In last one year, polio has made a comeback in
✓ This vaccine is in the form of an
countries such as Myanmar, China, Cameroon,
injection and can be administered in
Indonesia mostly as vaccine-derived polio
combination with other vaccines as
infection (VDPI).
well.
o VDPI is extremely rare and found in children
✓ IPV protects people against all three
with immune-deficiency and among
types of poliovirus.
populations with low immunity levels.
✓ IPV does not contain live virus, so
• Polio remains endemic in three countries –
people who receive this vaccine do not
Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan.
shed the virus and cannot infect
About Polio others and the vaccine cannot cause
• It is highly infectious viral disease which disease.
invades the nervous system and can cause • Status in India
irreversible paralysis within hours. o Though, India is a wild, poliovirus, disease-
• Polio spreads in vulnerable populations in free country currently. But, the cases of
areas where there is no immunity and Vaccine Derived Polio Virus (VDPV)
sanitation is poor. disease, can be seen.
• There are three individual and o In January 2014, India was declared polio-
immunologically distinct wild poliovirus free after three years on zero cases.
strains: wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1), wild o India launched the Pulse Polio
poliovirus type 2 (WPV2) and wild poliovirus Immunisation programme in 1995 brought
type 3 (WPV3). down polio cases from 50,000-100,000
o Symptomatically, all three strains are each year in the 80s to zero in 2012.
identical, but there are genetic and o India introduced the injectable polio
virological differences, which make these vaccine in Universal Immunisation
three strains three separate viruses that Programme to reduce chances of VDPI,
must each be eradicated individually. which continues to happen in the country.
• There are two vaccines used to protect against • Government since March 2014 has made the
polio disease, oral polio vaccine and Oral Polio Vaccination mandatory for those
inactivated poliovirus vaccine.
39
travelling between India and polio-affected • Recent studies comparing DTG to another drug
countries. Efavirenz (EFV) found it to be more effective, easier to
take and having fewer side effects.
Related news • In the present scenario of rising drug resistance, it is
Acute flaccid myelitis important that DTG has a high genetic barrier to
• Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), being referred to developing drug resistance.
as a ‘polio-like condition’, has been tested
negative for the polio virus, according to the 5.1.3. OTHER VIRAL DISEASES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) of the United States. Dengue • Recently, Spanish health
• AFM is a neurological illness, with weakness or authorities confirmed world’s
paralysis of the limbs and inflammation of the first case of dengue being
spinal cord. transmitted through sex, which
• It is a rare but serious condition. The symptoms until recently was thought to be
of AFM, particularly, weakening of limbs, are transmitted only by mosquitos.
similar to polio. • Dengue is a viral disease
• In India incidence rate of AFM was 120 per transmitted mainly through the
million population in 2010. Aedes Aegypti mosquito, which
thrives in tropical climates.
5.1.2. NEW HIV SUBTYPE FOUND BY H1N1 Virus • Swine Flu is an infection of the
(Swine Flu) respiratory tract characterized by
GENETIC SEQUENCING
the usual symptoms of flu
Why in News? — cough, nasal secretions, fever,
Recently, a new subtype of the Human loss of appetite, fatigue, and
headache.
Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) that causes AIDS
• It is called swine flu because it
has been identified through genome sequencing.
was known in the past to occur in
Details people who had been in the
• It is called HIV-1 Group M, subtype L. Such a vicinity of pigs.
discovery was made for first time in two • The virus is transmitted by short-
decades. This subtype is said to have caused distance airborne transmission,
the most infections. particularly in crowded enclosed
• There are two major types of the human spaces. Hand contamination and
immunodeficiency virus. direct contact are other possible
o HIV-1, representing the vast majority of sources of transmission.
infections worldwide, Chickenpox • Health Department has issued an
advisory following a spurt in
o HIV-2 is far less common and primarily
chickenpox cases in the
concentrated in the west and central Alappuzha District of Kerala.
African regions. • It is a viral infection caused by
• Further, strains of HIV-1 can be classified into varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and is
four groups. Of these, M is the 'major' group highly contagious.
and is responsible for the majority of the global H9N2 • Indian scientists have detected
HIV epidemic while other three groups - N, O the country’s first case of
and p-are quite uncommon. infection with a rare variant of the
o Within group M, there are known to be at virus that causes avian influenza,
least nine genetically distinct subtypes of or bird flu.
• H9N2 is a subtype of the influenza
HIV-1 based on genetic sequence data.
A virus, which causes human
These are subtypes A, B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K influenza as well as bird flu.
and CFRs (Circulating Recombinant • H9N2 viruses are found
Forms.). worldwide in wild birds and are
• Group M viruses are responsible for the global endemic in poultry in many areas.
pandemic, which can be traced back to the
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in Sub- 5.2. BACTERIAL DISEASES
Saharan Africa.
Related information 5.2.1. TUBERCULOSIS
Dolutegravir (DTG)
• World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended Why in news?
the use of the HIV drug dolutegravir (DTG) as the
preferred first-line and second-line treatment for all • Recently, World Bank and the Government of
populations, including pregnant women. India signed a loan agreement of $400 million
40
for the Program Towards Elimination of to resistance to any of the
Tuberculosis. fluoroquinolones (such as levofloxacin or
• World Health Organization released its annual moxifloxacin) and to at least one of the
Global Tuberculosis Report for 2019. three injectable second-line drugs
(amikacin, capreomycin or kanamycin).
More about the agreement
o Totally drug-resistant tuberculosis (TDR-
• This program will cover nine States and it will TB): TB which is resistant to all the first-
support the government's National Strategic and second-line TB drugs.
Plan to end TB in India by 2025. Related News
• It will provide financial incentives to private World Health Organization released its annual Global
sector care providers for reporting cases of TB Tuberculosis Report for 2019.
Major findings of the report
and ensuring that their patients complete the
• The world is not on track to reach the 2020
treatment regimen.
milestones of the End TB Strategy. For instance:
• It will also provide Direct Benefit Transfers to o The END TB strategy by the WHO aimed to
patients for acquiring the critical nutrition reduce TB by 20 per cent from 2015-18.
needed during treatment. However, between 2015 and 2018, only 6.3
• It will strengthen the detection, treatment per cent TB cases showed a cumulative
and monitoring of Drug-Resistant decline.
Tuberculosis and will track progress in the o The End TB Strategy milestone of 35 per cent
detection of additional drug resistance. decrease by 2020.
• Under reporting of the cases: Of the 10 million
• The program will help the Government of India
new cases worldwide, 3 million cases went
strengthen the monitoring and
unreported to the authorities. In India 1.99
implementation of Nikshay—the million of the 2.69 million in India were reported.
government’s web-based TB case monitoring • 66 per cent of that burden came from eight
system. countries: India (27%), China (9%), Indonesia (8%),
the Philippines (6%), Pakistan (6%), Nigeria (4%),
About Tuberculosis
Bangladesh (4%), and South Africa (3%).
• It is communicable disease (through air) • Key five risk factors attributable to new cases of
caused by bacteria (Mycobacterium TB: undernourishment, smoking (especially
tuberculosis) that most often affect the lungs among men), alcohol abuse, HIV infection, and
diabetes.
(pulmonary TB) and sometimes also affects
other organs (extrapulmonary TB). Global Efforts for TB
• The total TB incidence rate in India has • Moscow Declaration to End TB: It is the outcome
decreased by 50,000 patients over the past of first global ministerial conference on ending
one year. In 2017, India had 27.4 lakh TB TB, in 2017.
patients, which came down to 26.9 lakh in • WHO- End TB Strategy
2018. o Vision: A world free of TB with zero deaths,
disease and suffering due to TB.
• India’s TB burden is the highest in the world, o It has three high-level, overarching
followed by Indonesia and China. 26.9 per cent indicators and related targets for 2035:
of the global TB burden in 2018 was from ✓ 95% reduction in number of TB deaths
India. In 2017, the figure was 27 per cent. compared with 2015.
• About a 1/3rd of the world's population is ✓ 90% reduction in TB incidence rate
diagnosed with latent TB (without evidence of compared with 2015.
clinically manifested active TB), which means ✓ Zero the level of catastrophic costs for
they have been infected by the TB bacteria TB-affected families.
Related news
from actively sick people without their
TrueNat
knowledge.
• World Health Organisation has endorsed
• Drug Resistant TB: TrueNat, which is a new molecular test that can
o Multidrug Resistance TB (MDR): It is TB diagnose tuberculosis (TB) in one hour as well as
that does not respond to at least isoniazid testing for resistance to the drug rifampicin.
and rifampicin (2 of the most powerful • It has been developed by an Indian firm MolBio
first line drugs). Diagnostics Pvt Ltd.
o Extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis
Govt interventions to eliminate TB
(XDR-TB): It is resistant to at least four of • Under Universal Immunization Programme,
the core anti-TB drugs. It involves Vaccination is provided for 12 life threatening
multidrug-resistance (MDR-TB), in addition diseases: tuberculosis, diphtheria, pertussis
41
(whooping cough), tetanus, poliomyelitis, 5.2.1.1. GLOBAL FUND FOR AIDS, TB AND
measles, Hepatitis B, Diarrhoea, Japanese
MALARIA
Encephalitis, rubella, Rotavirus and Pneumonia
(added in May 2017). • India has announced a contribution of $22
• Under Mission Indradhanush, Immunisation is million to the Global Fund for AIDS, TB and
provided against seven vaccine preventable
Malaria (GFTAM) for the 6th replenishment
diseases namely; Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus,
cycle (2020-22).
Childhood Tuberculosis, Polio, Hepatitis B and
Measles. • About the Global Fund to Fight AIDS,
• Revised National TB Control Programme Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund)
(RNTCP) is being implemented under the o It is an international financing institution
umbrella of National Health Mission which has based on a unique partnership between
achieved global benchmark of case detection governments, civil society, the private
and treatment success and achieved millennium sector and affected communities.
development goals in 2015 of halting and o It was created to raise, manage and
reversing the incidence of TB. disburse large amounts of additional
• TB Harega Desh Jeetega Campaign: Recently,
financing to fight three of the world’s
Ministry for Health and Family Welfare
announced this Campaign to improve and
most devastating diseases (AIDS,
expand the reach of TB care services across the Tuberculosis and Malaria), and to direct
country, by 2022. those resources to areas of greatest need.
o The campaign has three pillars - clinical o It is registered as a Non-Profit Foundation
approach, public health component and in Switzerland and maintains its
active community participation. secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland.
o Other supporting elements of the campaign o The World Bank is the trustee of funds
comprise private sector engagement, contributed to the Global Fund. The Global
patient support, and political and raises funds in multiyear cycles known as
administrative commitment at all levels.
Replenishments.
o The government will ensure that all patients,
at private or public hospitals, receive free-of- o Funding of the Global Fund comes from
cost and high-quality TB care. voluntary financial contributions from all
National Strategic Plan to end TB in India by 2025 sectors - governments, the private sector,
• RNTCP released this framework in 2017 for the social enterprises individuals etc.
control and elimination of TB in India by 2025.
• It provides goals and strategies for the country’s 5.2.2. OTHER BACTERIAL DISEASES
response to the disease during the period 2017-
2025 and aims to direct the attention of all
Glanders • Recently, Ministry of Fisheries,
stakeholders to the most important Animal Husbandry and Dairying has
interventions to eliminate TB. released the National Action Plan
for Control and Eradication of
• It targets to eliminate TB five years ahead of the
Glanders.
global End TB targets under Sustainable
Development Goals to attain the vision of a TB- • Glanders is a contagious and fatal
free India. disease of equines (including
horses, donkeys and mules).
• TB elimination has been integrated into the four
Humans can also get the disease.
strategic pillars of “Detect – Treat – Prevent –
Build” (DTPB). • It is caused by the
o Detect: Find all Drug Sensitive TB and Drug bacterium Burkholderia mallei. No
Resistant TB cases with an emphasis on vaccine is available for the disease.
reaching TB patients seeking care from Salmonella • Recently, the United States Food
private providers and undiagnosed TB in and Drug Administration (FDA) has
high-risk populations. found salmonella bacteria
o Treat: Initiate and sustain all patients on contamination in MDH products.
appropriate anti-TB treatment wherever • It is a group of bacteria that can
they seek care, with patient friendly systems cause food-borne illnesses known
and social support. as salmonellosis that affects the
o Prevent the emergence of TB in susceptible intestinal tract.
populations. • The World Health Organisation
o Build and strengthen enabling policies, (WHO) identifies Salmonella as one
empowered institutions, additional human of four key global causes of
resources with enhanced capacities, and diarrhoeal diseases.
provide adequate financial resources. • In humans, it is generally
contracted through the
42
consumption of contaminated food o diseases requiring one-time curative
of animal origin (mainly eggs, meat, treatment,
poultry, and milk). o diseases which need long-term treatment,
• Other foods, including green but cost is low,
vegetables contaminated by
o diseases that require life-long treatment
manure, have been implicated in its
and cost is high.
transmission.
• Person-to-person transmission can • Standardisation and monitoring: National
also occur through the faecal-oral Registry for Rare Diseases will be created at
route. Indian Council of Medical Research which will
help to arrive at a definition of rare diseases,
5.3. OTHER DISEASES best suited to India.
• Financial support for treatment: Provide
5.3.1. RARE DISEASES financial support to patients of rare diseases
living below the poverty line under its umbrella
Why in news? scheme Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare recently o It will also fund one-time treatment cost to
released the draft National Policy for Rare the tune of ₹15 lakh for certain treatable
Diseases. rare diseases, for patients under its health
insurance scheme, Ayushman Bharat/
What are Rare Diseases? Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, which
• It is a health condition of low prevalence, covers 40% of the population.
affecting a small number of people, as o There is no clarity of Centre and State
compared to other prevalent diseases in the responsibilities and on category III
general population. patients.
• WHO defines rare disease as often debilitating • Institutional framework: Government plans to
lifelong disease or disorder condition with a notify certain medical institutes as Centers of
prevalence of 1 or less, per 1000 persons. Excellence for Rare Diseases.
However, different countries have their own o Constituting an inter-ministerial
definitions. Consultative Committee at National Level
• These diseases are known as Orphan Diseases to co-ordinate and oversee activities on
as the market for its drug development is not rare diseases.
economically viable. o Constituting a Rare Diseases Cell within
• They include genetic diseases, rare cancers, MoHFW, ICMR and DoP in the Ministry of
infectious tropical diseases and degenerative Chemicals and Fertilizers.
diseases. 80% of rare diseases are genetic in • Funding framework: Creating a corpus fund at
origin and hence disproportionately impact Central and State Level for rare diseases.
children. o It recommends crowd funding as a source
• Despite being less prevalent and individually to fund treatment of rare diseases and
rare, collectively they affect between 6% and advises hospitals to report such cases on
8% of total population in any country. digital platforms to gather funds.
Indian Scenario • Awareness generation: developing materials
• In India, about 95% rare diseases have no for generating awareness in the general public,
approved treatment and less than one in 10 patients and their families and for training of
patients receives disease-specific treatment. health care providers.
• Very few pharmaceutical companies
manufacture drugs to treat rare diseases and Related information
India has no domestic manufacturer. Lysosomal Storage Diseases
• The most common rare diseases include • They are a group of about 50 rare inherited
Haemophilia, Thalassemia, Sickle-cell Anaemia metabolic disorders that result from defects in
and Primary Immuno Deficiency in children, auto- lysosomal function.
immune diseases etc. • Lysosomes are a kind of waste disposal system
of the cell. They help to keep the cell clean by
Salient Features of Draft Policy digesting any foreign material as well as worn-
out cell organelles (and hence are called the
• It lists 450 diseases as rare but does not suicide bags of the cells).
provide a detailed roadmap on treatment.
• It creates three categories of rare diseases-
43
5.3.2. LYMPHATIC FILARIASIS
Why in news?
Recently, Union Minister for Health & Family
Welfare inaugurated National Symposium on the
theme ‘United to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis’
and signed the ‘Call to Action to eliminate
Lymphatic Filariasis by 2021’.
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)
• These are a diverse group of communicable
diseases that prevail in tropical and subtropical
conditions in 149 countries.
• They are neglected in the pharmaceutical
industry’s research and development efforts due
to their limited geographical incidence, small
market size of drugs for such diseases.
• These affect more than one billion people and
cost developing economies billions of dollars
every year.
• Populations living in poverty, without adequate
sanitation and in close contact with infectious Lymphatic Filariasis in India
vectors and domestic animals and livestock are
those worst affected.
• Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) is one of the biggest
• Indian government has pledged to ensure that public health challenges that India faces
diseases such as Lymphatic Filariasis (Hathi today. In India, 650 million Indians across 21
Paon) and Visceral Leishmaniasis (Kala-Azar) are states and union territories are at risk of
eliminated from India. lymphatic filariasis.
• The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) • Infection levels have been reduced to below
provide an effective framework for successful the threshold level for further transmission in
elimination of NTDs. almost 37 percent of districts. However, active
About Lymphatic Filariasis transmission persists in 160 districts.
• Steps taken:
• Lymphatic filariasis, commonly known as o India is the first country in southeast Asia
elephantiasis, is globally considered as a to adopt a drug regime to prevent LF.
neglected tropical disease. o Since 2004, India has adopted a twin pillar
• It is a parasitic disease caused by microscopic, strategy - prevention through Mass Drug
thread-like filarial worms. Administration (MDA) using a combination
• There are 3 types of these thread-like filarial of 2 anti-filarial drugs (DEC and
worms of which Wuchereria bancrofti is Albendazole) and providing Morbidity
responsible for 90% of the cases. Management and Disability Prevention
• Infection occurs when filarial parasites are (MMDP) services to those affected by the
transmitted to humans through mosquitoes disease.
such as Culex, Anopheles, and Aedes. o The Government launched the
• Infection is usually acquired in childhood Accelerated Plan for Elimination of
causing hidden damage to the lymphatic Lymphatic Filariasis (APELF) in 2018, and
system. as part of intensifying efforts towards
• It impairs the lymphatic system and can lead elimination later rolled out IDA (triple
to the abnormal enlargement of body parts, drug therapy - Ivermectin,
causing pain, severe disability and social Diethylcarbamazine and Albendazole
stigma. (IDA)) treatment in a phased manner.
• Repeated mosquito bites over several months o India is set to scale-up the use of Triple
to years are needed to get lymphatic filariasis Drug Therapy (IDA) in a phased manner
thus people living for a long time in tropical or from- November 2019 and working with
sub-tropical areas where the disease is state governments and other partners to
common are at the greatest risk for infection. ensure high level of compliance to these
Short-term tourists have a very low risk. drugs by communities living in endemic
districts.
44
WHO Recommendations • Conjugate vaccines combine this weak
• Lymphatic Filariasis is declared by the World antigen with a strong antigen as a carrier so that
Health Organization (WHO) as the second most the immune system has a stronger response to
common cause of long-term disability after the weak antigen.
mental illness.
Pneumonia • It is a lung infection that is most
• The WHO launched its Global Programme to
commonly caused by viruses or
Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF) in 2000.
bacteria. These infections are
• In 2012, the WHO’s neglected tropical diseases
generally spread by direct contact
roadmap reconfirmed the target date for
with infected people.
achieving elimination by 2020.
• Recently, Ministry for Health and
• The GPELF aims to provide access to a minimum
Family Welfare launched ‘SAANS’-
package of care for every person with associated
Social Awareness and Action to
chronic manifestations of lymphatic filariasis in
Neutralise Pneumonia
all areas where the disease is present, thus
Successfully.
alleviating suffering and promoting
improvement in their quality of life. • It aims
o To reduce child mortality due
5.3.3. TYPHOID CONJUGATE VACCINE to pneumonia.
o To mobilise people to protect
Why in News? children from pneumonia,
o To train health personnel and
Pakistan became the first country in the world to other stakeholders to provide
introduce World Health Organisation- prioritised treatment to
recommended typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV). control the disease.
More about the News • Under the campaign, a child
suffering from pneumonia can be
• Pakistan introduced TCV called Typbar TCV in
treated with pre-referral dose of
its national immunisation program against anti-biotic amoxicillin by ASHA
extensively drug-resistant (XDR) typhoid workers.
outbreak. • Health and wellness centres can
• Typbar TCV is being administered in Pakistan use pulse oximeter device to
with funding support from the Global Alliance identify low oxygen levels in the
for Vaccine Initiative (GAVI). blood of a child, and if required,
• Typbar TCV is manufactured by India based treat him by use of oxygen
company, Bharat Biotech. It became the cylinders.
Malaria • Malaria is a life-threatening disease
world’s first conjugate vaccine prequalified by
caused by Plasmodium parasites.
the WHO.
o The parasites are spread to
Global Alliance for Vaccine Initiative (GAVI) people through the bites of
• GAVI is a global health partnership of public and infected female Anopheles
private sector organizations dedicated to mosquitoes, called "malaria
“immunisation for all”. vectors."
• It is backed by several global organisation, o There are 5 parasite species
including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, that cause malaria in humans,
the WHO, the World Bank and the UNICEF, which and 2 of these species – P.
arranges bulk buys to lower vaccine costs for falciparum and P. vivax – pose
poor countries. the greatest threat.
• Recently, Algeria and Argentina
Conjugate Vaccines have been officially recognized by
• Vaccines are used to prevent diseases by invoking WHO as malaria-free.
an immune response to an antigen (the foreign o Certification is granted when a
part of a bacteria or virus that the immune system country proves that it has
recognizes). interrupted indigenous
• This is usually accomplished with an attenuated or transmission of the disease for
dead version of a bacteria or virus in the vaccine, at least 3 consecutive years.
so that the immune system can recognize the o Globally, a total of 38 countries
antigen later in life. Many vaccines contain a and territories have now been
single antigen that the body will recognize. declared malaria-free, with
• However, the antigen of some bacteria does not Maldives and Sri Lanka
elicit a strong response from the immune system, achieving status in 2015 and
so a vaccination against this weak antigen would 2016 respectively.
not protect the person later in life.
45
• E-2020 initiative Brucellosis
• WHO is working with different
countries and other partners on the • It is a zoonotic and contagious disease of
E-2020 initiative to eliminate livestock caused by various bacteria of the
Malaria in these countries by 2020. family Brucella.
• It is part of the Global Technical • It affects cattle, swine, sheep and goats,
Strategy for Malaria 2016-2030 camels, equines, and dogs. It may also infect
endorsed by WHO which aimed to other ruminants, some marine mammals and
dramatically lower the global humans.
malaria burden over this 15-year • Transmission to humans is most often by
period.
drinking raw milk from infected animals,
causing a severe debilitating disease in people.
5.4. LIVESTOCK AND AVIAN • The disease in animals is characterized by
DISEASES reproductive failure. While animals typically
recover, and will be able to have live offspring
5.4.1. INITIATIVE TO CONTROL following the initial abortion, they may
LIVESTOCK DISEASES continue to shed the bacteria.
• In case of Brucellosis the milk output reduces
Why in news? by 30%, during the entire life cycle of animal.
Union cabinet approved initiative to control and
subsequently eradicate Foot and Mouth disease 5.4.2. AVIAN BOTULISM
(FMD) and Brucellosis. Why in News?
Details Recently, Avian botulism became reason for bird
• The Cabinet cleared a total outlay of Rs. 13,343 deaths at Sambhar lake in Rajasthan.
crores for the next five years to fully control Avian botulism
these diseases in order to support livestock
rearing farmers in the country and create • Avian botulism is caused by a bacterium called
better livelihood opportunities for them. Clostridium botulinum. It affects the nervous
• The FMD component of the scheme envisages system of birds, leading to flaccid paralysis in
vaccination coverage to 30 crore bovines their legs and wings and neck touching the
(cows-bulls and buffaloes) and 20 crore ground.
sheep/goat and 1 crore pigs at six months’ • The bacteria Clastridium batulinumis
interval along with primary vaccination in commonly found in the sail, river, and sea
bovine calves. water.
• The Brucellosis control programme shall • Factors that favoured the growth of
extend to cover 100% vaccination coverage of clastridium botulinum include low levels of
3.6 crore female calves. salinity, suitable temperature and high
demand for chemical oxygen.
Foot and mouth disease
• It is a severe, highly contagious viral disease of 5.5. PHARMACEUTICALS
livestock affecting cattle, swine, sheep, goats
and other cloven-hoofed ruminants. It is not 5.5.1. ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE
zoonotic and rarely transmits to humans.
Why in news?
• There are seven strains which are endemic in
different countries worldwide. Each strain Recently, the Interagency Coordination Group on
requires a specific vaccine to provide Antimicrobial Resistance (IACG) has released a
immunity. report titled, “No Time to Wait: Securing The
• The disease is estimated to circulate in 77% of Future From Drug Resistant Infections”, which
the global livestock population. Intensively highlights the financial fall-out of uncontrolled
reared animals are more susceptible to the antimicrobial resistance.
disease than traditional breeds. Interagency Coordination Group on Antimicrobial
• If a cow/buffalo gets infected with FMD, the Resistance (IACG)
milk loss is upto 100% which could last for four • It was convened by the Secretary-General of the
to six months. United Nations after the UN High-Level Meeting
on Antimicrobial Resistance in 2016.
46
• The IACG brought together partners across the (MP-SAPCAR) focuses on a ‘One Health’
UN, international organizations and individuals approach to containing AMR through key
with expertise across human, animal and plant strategic priority areas and multi-sectoral
health, as well as the food, animal feed, trade, involvement.
development and environment sectors, to
o It is in line with the National Action Plan on
formulate a blueprint for the fight against
AMR (NAP-AMR) which calls for states to
antimicrobial resistance.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) provided develop state level action plans to ensure
the Secretariat for the IACG, with contributions on-the-ground implementation.
from the Food and Agriculture Organization of Related news
the United Nations (FAO) and the World Global Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Research and
Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). Development (R&D) Hub
Details • India has joined Global AMR R&D Hub as a new
member.
• Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is the ability of • This expands the global partnership working to
a microorganism (like bacteria, viruses, and address challenges and improve coordination
some parasites) to stop an antimicrobial (such and collaboration in global AMR R&D to 16
as antibiotics, antivirals and antimalarials) from countries, the European Commission, two
working against it. As a result, standard philanthropic foundations and four international
organisations (as observers).
treatments become ineffective, infections
• It was launched in 2018 in the margins of the
persist and may spread to others.
71st session of the World Health Assembly,
• Antibiotic resistance occurs naturally, but following a call from G20 Leaders in 2017.
misuse of antibiotics in humans and animals is • It supports global priority setting and evidence-
accelerating the process. Poor infection based decision-making on the allocation of
prevention and control further accelerate it. resources for AMR R&D through the
identification of gaps, overlaps and potential for
Situation in India cross-sectoral collaboration and leveraging in
India faces a twin challenge of overconsumption of AMR R&D.
antibiotics breeding drug-resistant bacteria while • The operation of the Global AMR R&D Hub is
ensuring that the poor and vulnerable have easy supported through a Secretariat, established in
Berlin and currently financed through grants
access. WHO’s report states that anti-biotic
from the German Federal Ministry of Education
resistance may cause rise in death of Indians to 20 and Research (BMBF) and the Federal Ministry of
lakhs per year by 2050. Health (BMG).
Steps taken Related information
• To strengthen the surveillance of antimicrobial AWare Tool For Battling AMR
resistance (AMR) in the country, Indian Council • It is a new online tool developed by WHO which
aims at guiding policymakers and health workers
of Medical Research (ICMR) has set up a
to use antibiotics safely and more effectively.
National Anti-Microbial Resistance Research • AWaRe groups antibiotics into three main
and Surveillance Network (AMRRSN) to categories based on their strength and potential
enable compilation of National Data of AMR at impact on Antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
different levels of Health Care. o ‘Access’ antibiotics are first- or second-line
• The Drugs and Cosmetic Rule, 1945 were treatments for common infections and
amended in 2013 to incorporate a new should be widely accessible.
Schedule H1. These will be sold on prescription o ‘Watch’ category should be applied only to
only. They are also marked with Red Line (Red a limited group of well-defined syndromes.
o ‘Reserve’ category is last resort to treat
Line Campaign).
multi- or extensively-drug resistant
• Government has formulated a National Action bacteria.
Plan to combat Antimicrobial Resistance in • There is also a fourth category, ‘discouraged
2017 and National Policy for containment of antibiotics’, refers primarily to irrational
antimicrobial resistance in 2011. antibiotic combinations that may negatively
o Recently, MP has become the second state impact AMR and patient safety.
in India after Kerala to develop an action
plan to manage antimicrobial resistance
(AMR).
o The Madhya Pradesh State Action Plan for
Containment of Antimicrobial Resistance
47
replace it with other antibiotics which were
considered safer at that time
• According to the World Health Organisation
(WHO), Colistin is a “reserve” antibiotic, which
means it is supposed to be considered a “last-
resort” option in treatment and used only in
the most severe circumstances, when all other
alternatives have failed.
• It is found that the misuse of colistin in the
poultry industry is said to be a major reason for
the increase in antibiotic resistance in India.
• The ban has been imposed under provisions of
the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.
• The ban follows recommendations by the
Drugs Technical Advisory Board, and the
National Antimicrobial Resistance Action Plan
committee.
• The government also makes it mandatory for
the manufacturers of antibiotic colistin to
write clearly on the label that the drug is not
to be used in food-producing animals, poultry,
aqua farming and animal-feed supplement.
• Reasons for use of Antibiotics in Animal food
o For the treatment of animals that show
clinical signs of an infectious disease.
o As growth promoter to boost the weight
of the animals.
o Easy availability of antibiotics.
o Currently, few laws in India govern
antibiotic use in food animals, and most
pertain only to animal products for export.
Related information
Antibiotics in Crops
• Aureofungin, Kasugamycin, Validamycin and
Streptomycin+ Tetracycline combination are
antibiotics which are registered under the
Insecticide Act 1968 for use as pesticides to
5.5.2. USE OF ANTIBIOTICS IN ANIMAL combat certain fungal and bacterial diseases in
FOOD plants.
Why in News? 5.5.3. MEDICAL DEVICES

The health ministry has banned the manufacture,
5.5.3.1. GOVERNMENT NOTIFIES MEDICAL
sale and distribution of the antibiotic colistin and
DEVICES AS ‘DRUGS’
its formulations for food producing animals and
animal feed supplements. Why in news?
About Colistin Recently, the Union Ministry of Health has notified
• Colistin or polymyxin E is an old antibiotic first that starting from April 1, 2020, all medical
equipment would qualify as “drugs” under the
introduced in 1952.
Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.
• The drug has been used for treating infections
caused by Gram-negative bacilli, which are More on the news
responsible for various diseases such as
• As per the new notification, all devices,
plague, cholera and typhoid.
including instruments and implants, whether
• However, it was revealed that colistin has side
used alone or in combination for various
effects of nephrotoxicity and neurotoxicity,
purposes like diagnosis, prevention,
prompting to restrict the use of the drug and
48
monitoring, among others, will be regulated Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation
under the legislation. (CDSCO)
• Medical equipment under this definition • CDSCO under Directorate General of Health
include implantable medical devices such as Services, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare is
the National Regulatory Authority of India.
knee implants, CT scan, MRI equipment,
• Its headquarter is located at New Delhi.
defibrillators, dialysis machine, PET
• Under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, CDSCO is
equipment, X-ray machine etc. responsible for approval of Drugs, Conduct of
• The manufacture, import and sale of all Clinical Trials, laying down the standards for
medical devices will now need to be certified Drugs, control over the quality of imported
by the Central Drugs Standard Control Drugs and coordination of the activities of State
Organisation. Drug Control Organizations.
• CDSCO along with state regulators, is jointly
responsible for grant of licenses of certain
specialized categories of critical Drugs such as
blood and blood products, I. V. Fluids, Vaccine
and Sera.
5.5.3.3. NATIONAL ESSENTIAL DIAGNOSTIC

LIST
Why in News?
Recently, the Indian Council of Medical Research
(ICMR) finalised India’s first National Essential
Diagnostics List (NEDL).
Details
• This list aims to bridge the current regulatory
system’s gap, which does not cover all the
medical devices and in-vitro diagnostic device
(IVD).
o Even though WHO’s Essential Diagnostics
List (EDL) acts as a reference point for
development of national EDL, India’s
diagnostics list has been customised and
prepared as per landscape of India’s health
care priorities.
• With this, India has become the first country to
compile such a list that would provide
guidance to the government for deciding the
kind of diagnostic tests that different
healthcare facilities in villages and remote
areas require.
5.5.3.2. MEDICAL DEVICES AMENDMENT o It builds upon the Free Diagnostics Service
RULES, 2020 Initiative and other diagnostics initiatives
Why in News? of the Health Ministry to expand this
basket of diagnostic tests.
Health Ministry released Medical Devices o It also encompasses tests relevant for new
Amendment Rules, 2020, by amending the Medical programmes such as Health and Wellness
Devices Rules, 2017 for mandatory registration of Centres (HWCs) under the Pradhan Mantri
medical devices. Jan Arogya Yojana.
More about News
5.5.4. NANO-PHARMACEUTICALS
• Medical devices shall be registered with
Central Licensing Authority through an Why in News?
identified online portal established by CDSCO. Department of Biotechnology under Ministry of
• The registration will remain voluntary for 18 Science and Technology has prepared draft
months.
49
guidelines for evaluation of nano-pharmaceuticals ✓ Nonbiodegradable nanoparticles are
in India. relatively less used in pharmaceutical
products (though these systems are
About Nano-Pharmaceuticals
more commonly used in
• Nanoscience is the study of materials which cosmeceuticals). Almost all non-
are in nanoscale range. biodegradable nanoparticles have
o Conversion of any material in nanoscale potential to toxic effects. Examples:
results in alteration of its physicochemical, titanium oxide, iron oxide, and metals
biological, mechanical, optical, electronic, such as gold, silver, platinum, etc.
etc. properties which can be utilized for o According to nature of nanomaterial:
different useful activities. Nanomaterial may be organic or inorganic
• Nano-pharmaceutical is an emerging field that in nature. It may also be multicomponent
combines nanotechnology with nanoparticle.
pharmaceutical and biomedical science with ✓ Organic Nanoparticles: are the
the goal of targeted drug delivery which may nanomaterials or nanoparticles
improve efficacy and safety profile. composed of organic compounds like
• There are no uniform internationally lipids, proteins, carbohydrates. They
acceptable guidelines for nano- have been primarily developed for
pharmaceuticals. drug delivery to reduce or overcome
• It overcomes the limitations of the the risk of toxicity.
conventional drug delivery systems and ✓ Inorganic Nanoparticles: are more
precision targeting, offer the ability to detect stable than organic nanostructures.
diseases at much earlier stages and reduces They are easier to prepare with a
the cost of drug discovery. defined size and a very narrow size
• However, the main challenges faced by distribution. However, most of the
regulatory institutions in India include: inorganic nanoparticles may not be
regulatory capacity, information asymmetry, biodegradable.
Inter-agency coordination, overlapping roles ✓ Multicomponent nanoparticles are
and mandates etc. the nanoparticles composed of two or
more different materials.
Salient features of the Draft guidelines o According to nanoform of the ingredient:
• They aim to ensure the quality, safety and ✓ A nanocarrier is a nanomaterial being
efficacy as well as encourage the used as a transport module for
commercialization of nanotechnology based another substance like a drug.
innovation with high benefit and low risk ratio. ✓ Some of the conventional/traditional
• Defines nano-pharmaceuticals: as a drugs may be converted into
pharmaceutical preparation containing nanocrystals, thereby increasing their
nanomaterials (size scale range of 1 to 100nm) potential for improved dissolution and
intended for internal or external application bioavailability.
on the body for the purpose of therapeutics, o According to the approval status of drug
diagnostics and any health benefit. and nanomaterial.
o It also includes preparations with the • It mandates that the stability testing of
particle size is >100nm and <1000 nm as nanopharmaceuticals should be done
nano pharmaceuticals under certain according to the general requirements
circumstances. specified in Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945.
• Categorises nano pharmaceuticals: Related information
o According to degradability of Mission on Nano Science and Technology (Nano
nanomaterial: Mission)
✓ Biodegradable nanoparticles have • Ministry of Science and Technology launched the
been used frequently as drug delivery Nano Mission in 2007 as an "umbrella capacity-
vehicles due to its improved building programme".
bioavailability, better encapsulation, • The Mission's programmes will target all
control release and reduction of toxic scientists, institutions and industry in the
country.
potential. Examples: albumin,
• It will also strengthen activities in nano science
chitosan, gelatin, polycaprolactone
and technology by promoting basic research,
etc. human resource development, research
50
infrastructure development, international o Strengthening safety, quality and
collaborations, orchestration of national effectiveness through regulation; and,
dialogues and nano applications and technology o Promoting universal health coverage by
development. integrating Traditional Medicine services
• It is steered by a Nano Mission Council chaired by
and self-health care into national health
an eminent scientist.
systems.
5.5.5. TRADITIONAL MEDICINE Benefits of Traditional Medicine
Why in News? • Addresses gaps in health services: Traditional
medicine therapies are generally available and
Recently, Ministry of AYUSH hosted World Health
commonly used in low- and middle-income
Organization meeting on developing Standardized
countries.
Terminologies and Benchmarks documents for
o According to data provided to WHO, in
Practice for Traditional Medicine.
India 70 percent of the population
More in News depends on Traditional Medicine for
primary health care.
• WHO is developing Benchmarks Document for
o Traditional medicines provide low cost
Practice of Ayurveda, Panchakarma & Unani
services and are perceived to have lower
and International Terminologies Documents in
side effects.
Ayurveda, Siddha & Unani.
• Treatment of major disease: World Health
• Development of these benchmarks documents
Organisation has acknowledged that
is included in the Project Collaboration
traditional medicine and its practitioners play
Agreement (PCA) signed between World
an important role in treating chronic illnesses,
Health Organization (WHO) and Ministry of
and improving the quality of life of those
AYUSH on Cooperation in the field of
suffering from certain incurable diseases.
Traditional and Complementary Medicine
under WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy • Holistic approach to treatment: In Ayurveda, a
2014-2023. human being is seen as a combination of body,
mind, soul and senses. So, in order to treat any
What is Traditional Medicine? illness, the system takes all four into account
• Traditional medicine describes a group of and treats the patient more holistically.
health care practices and products with a long • New drug development: Traditional
history of use. knowledge can provide valuable guidance in
• It frequently refers to medical knowledge selecting and obtaining plant material of
developed by indigenous cultures that potential therapeutic interest.
incorporates plant, animal and mineral-based o Traditional medicines are the source of
medicines, spiritual therapies and manual some modern antimalarial drugs.
techniques designed to treat illness or • Ayurveda is an ancient medicine system of the
maintain wellbeing. Indian subcontinent which focuses more on
• Major traditional medicines in India include: healthy living than treatment of diseases. The
Ayurveda, Yoga, Siddha, Unani, Sowa-Rigpa, main concept of Ayurveda is that it personalizes
Naturopathy etc. the healing process.
o Panchakarma is an Ayurvedic treatment
WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2014-2023 therapy that combines five (panch) different
processes (karma) aimed at removing Ama
• The strategy has two key goals: (toxins) from the body. These processes are
o To support Member States in harnessing Vamanam (Emesis Therapy or vomiting),
the potential contribution of Traditional Virechanam (Purgation), Aasthaapana/
Medicine to health, wellness and people Niruham, Anuvaasan (Oil enema) and
centered health care Nasyam.
o To promote the safe and effective use of • Yoga is one of the six systems of Vedic
Traditional Medicine through the philosophy which is essentially a spiritual
regulation of products, practices and discipline based on an extremely subtle Science
which focuses on bringing harmony between
practitioners.
mind and body. It is an art and science for healthy
• These goals will be reached by implementing living.
three strategic objectives: • Siddha means achievements and Siddhars were
o Building the knowledge base and saintly persons who achieved results in medicine.
formulating national policies; Eighteen Siddhars were said to have contributed
51
towards the development of this medical • ICD-11 is eleventh revision of ICD containing
system. It is largely therapeutic in nature. necessary terminological and ontological
• Unani System of Medicine was introduced in elements for seamless use in digital health.
India by the Arabs and Persians around the Related news
eleventh century. Involving the use of herbal • Union Cabinet approved the establishment of
remedies, dietary practices, and alternative the National Institute for Sowa-Rigpa (NISR) in
therapies, Unani medicine addresses the Leh as an autonomous organization under the
prevention and treatment of disease. Ministry of AYUSH.
• Sowa-Rigpa is an ancient Indian medical system • The Institute will also provide opportunities for
which was enriched in the entire Trans- students of Sowa-Rigpa not only in India but also
Himalayan region. At present Sowa-Rigpa is from other countries.
more popular in Himalayan societies especially in
J & K region’, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh (Lahoul 5.5.6. VACCINE HESITANCY
& Spiti), West Bengal (Darjeeling), Sikkim and
Arunachal Pradesh and other parts of India. It is Why in news?
also being practiced in countries like Bhutan,
World Health Organization, recently included
Mongolia and Russia etc.
‘vaccine hesitancy’ as one of the 10 threats to
• Naturopathy is an art and science of healthy
living and a drugless system of healing based on global health highlighting that overcoming
well founded philosophy. It has its own concept ‘vaccine hesitancy’ can reduce the global spread of
of health and disease and also principle of measles infection.
treatment.
What is Vaccine Hesitancy?
• Homeopathy is a medical system based on the
belief that the body can cure itself. Those who • As per WHO, Vaccine Hesitancy is defined as
practice it use tiny amounts of natural “reluctance or refusal to vaccinate despite the
substances, like plants and minerals. They availability of vaccines” and is influenced by
believe these stimulate the healing process.
factors such as complacency, convenience and
Related news confidence.
ICoSDiTAUS-2020 o Hesitancy in relation to vaccination may be
• International Conference on Standardisation of caused by individual, group, and
Diagnosis and Terminologies in Ayurveda, Unani contextual influences, as well as any
and Siddha Systems of Medicine (ICoSDiTAUS) vaccine-specific issues causing people to
was jointly organized by the Ministry of AYUSH reject it for themselves or their children.
and the World Health Organization (WHO).
• Vaccine hesitancy is a dangerous global trend
• Objective: To mobilize commitment for
International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11)
– in both, populous emerging economies like
implementation and further development of the India and China as well as advanced economies
supplementary chapter on traditional medicine including the United States and Europe.
diagnoses in ICD-11. • Factors responsible for Vaccine Hesitancy like
• The sixteen countries which took part in Rise of the anti-vaccination movement in
conference are: India, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, the West, Fear of risks associated with
Serbia, Curacao, Cuba, Myanmar, Equatorial vaccines, Influenced by religious suspicions
Guinea, Qatar, Ghana, Bhutan, Uzbekistan, and rumours, lack of parental consent etc.
Switzerland, Iran, Jamaica, and Japan.
o A complex web of historical, political,
• Outcome: Adopted ‘New Delhi Declaration on
sociocultural and economic factors
Collection and Classification of Traditional
Medicine (TM) Diagnostic Data” and including everyday community social
emphasised the commitment of the countries to networking processes shape parents’
Traditional Medicine as a significant area of choices not to vaccinate their children.
health care.
International Classification of Diseases 5.6. FOOD AND HEALTH
• ICD is international standard for reporting
diseases and health conditions. It is the 5.6.1. FOOD FORTIFICATION
diagnostic classification standard for all clinical
and research purposes. Why in news?
• ICD defines the universe of diseases, disorders,
injuries and other related health conditions, Department of Food and Public Distribution under
listed in a comprehensive, hierarchical fashion. the Ministry of Consumer Affairs recently
• The ICD is maintained by WHO. approved a centrally-sponsored pilot scheme on
fortification of rice and its dispersal through
Public Distribution System (PDS).
52
More on news o 53.1 percent women in the reproductive age
gro up are anaemic.
• Financial assistance of up to 90 per cent in case o 35.7 percent of children under 5 are
of North-Eastern, Hilly and Island States and up underweight.
to 75 per cent in case of rest of the States has o Around 50-70% of these birth defects
been extended by GOI. are preventable, caused due to
• Government of India has also advised all states deficiency of Folic Acid.
and UTs especially those states and UTs, which Food Safety and Standards (Fortification of Foods)
are distributing wheat flour through PDS, to Regulations, 2018.
distribute fortified wheat flour through PDS. • It has prescribed standards for fortification of
various food products such as All fortified foods
What is food fortification?
must not fall below the minimum level of micro-
• Food fortification is the deliberate addition of nutrients.
one or more micronutrients to food so as to • Quality assurance:
correct or prevent a deficiency and provide a o Every manufacturer and packer of fortified
health benefit. food shall give an undertaking on quality
assurance
• These nutrients may or may not have been o random testing of fortificants and fortified
originally present in the food before food
processing. • Every package of fortified food shall carry name
• According to Food Safety and Standards of the fortificant and the logo to indicate. FSSAI
(Fortification of Foods) Regulations, 2018 has recently introduced +F logo for fortified
fortification of staple foods is not mandatory. staple food products.
• Food fortification is a “complementary • The Food Authority shall take steps to encourage
strategy” and not a replacement of a balanced the production, manufacture, distribution, sale,
and consumption
& diversified diet to address malnutrition.
• Food fortification: 5.6.2. EAT RIGHT INDIA CAMPAIGN
o Can improve the health of a large section
of the population, all at once since the Why in News?
nutrients are added to staple foods that
The ‘EAT RIGHT INDIA Campaign’, with its new logo
are widely consumed.
and tagline ‘Sahi Bhojan, Behtar Jeevan’ was
o is safe method of improving nutrition
released by the Union Health minister.
among people as the quantity added is
very small and well regulated as per About Eat Right India movement
prescribed standards.
• Eat Right Movement was launched in 2018 by
o is a socio-culturally acceptable way to
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
deliver nutrients to people as it does not
to improve public health in India and combat
require any changes in food habits and
negative nutritional trends to fight lifestyle
patterns of people and does not alter the
diseases.
characteristics of the food—the taste, the
• It is built on two broad pillars of Eat Healthy
feel, the look.
and Eat Safe.
o is cost effective and delivers quick results.
• It brings together three ongoing initiatives of
The Copenhagen Consensus estimates
FSSAI that target citizens:
that every 1 Rupee spent on fortification
o The Safe and Nutritious Food (SNF)
results in 9 Rupees in benefits to the
Initiative, focused on social and
economy.
behavioural change around food safety
Why the need for food fortification? and nutrition at home, school, workplace
• Nearly 70% of people in India consume less than and on-the-go.
half of their recommended dietary allowance o The Eat Healthy Campaign focused on
(RDA) of micronutrients. The deficiency of daily intake of salt, sugar, fat, phasing-out
micronutrients is also known as “hidden
trans-fats.
hunger” and leads to various diseases like Night
Blindness (Vit A), Goitre (Iodine), Anaemia (Iron) o Food fortification, focused on promoting
and various birth defects. five staple foods- wheat flour, rice, oil, milk
• According to the National Family Health Survey and salt, with key vitamins and minerals
(NFHS-4): added to improve their nutritional
o 58.4 percent of children (6-59 months) are content.
anaemic.
53
• The Eat Right Movement brings together the inclusive, affordable, timely and safe
stakeholders on both the demand and supply- manner.
side. o Ensuring the security, interoperability,
o On the demand side, the Eat Right confidentiality and privacy of health-
Movement focuses on empowering related personal information.
citizens to make the right food choices. • Institutional Framework: envisages a
o On the supply side, it nudges food specialised organisation, National Digital
businesses to reformulate their products, Health Mission (NDHM), that can drive the
provide better nutritional information to implementation of the blueprint, and promote
consumers and make investments in and facilitate the evolution of a national digital
healthy food as responsible food health ecosystem.
businesses. • Standards and Regulations: Standards related
About Trans-Fat
to exchange of healthcare data, data privacy
WHO has urged developing nations to eliminate man- and patient security are given to enable
made trans fatty acids (TFA) from their food supplies. interoperability.
• TFA are of 2 types- • Action Plan: Expected outcomes like access to
o Natural Trans-Fat- Occur naturally in the Electronic Health Records, continuum of care
dairy and some meat products. etc have been outlined. Methods needed for
o Artificial Trans-Fat- They are created when systematic implementation of the blueprint
the oil goes through hydrogenation, which include:
involves adding hydrogen to the liquid oil to
o a Federated Architecture
make it more solid.
o Unique Health Id (UHID)
• They help to increase the shelf life of oils and
foods and stabilise their flavours.
o Data Analytics
• In India, Vanaspati, desi ghee, butter and o EHR (Electronic Health Record)
margarine are the main sources of trans fat. o multiple access channels like call centre,
Vanaspati is favoured by the industry as it Digital Health India portal and MyHealth
prolongs a food product’s shelf life and is cheap. App.
• The current permitted level of trans fat is 5 per o Legislation and Regulations on Data
cent (by weight) in India. Management, with focus on Privacy and
• FSSAI has further proposed to limit the Security
maximum amount of trans fat in vegetable oils, o Directories of Providers, Professionals and
vegetable fat and hydrogenated vegetable oil to Para-medicals
2 per cent to make India trans-fat free by 2022, a
year ahead of the global target by the WHO for About National Health Stack (NHS)
complete elimination of trans fat. • NHS is digital infrastructure built with the aim of
• WHO has released a step by step guide making the healthcare system more transparent
“REPLACE” for the industry to eliminate trans and robust for the smooth functioning of
fats from the food by 2023. healthcare interventions like Ayushman Bharat.
• Components of NHS
5.6.3. NATIONAL DIGITAL HEALTH o E- national health registry to serve as a
BLUEPRINT single source of health data for the nation
o A coverage and claims platform for health
Why in News? protection schemes like Ayushman Bharat
and to enable a robust system of fraud
J. Satyanarayana committee has recently detection
submitted its report named National Digital Health o A federated personal health records (PHR)
Blueprint (NDHB) to Ministry of Health. framework
o A national health analytics platform to use
About NDHB
health information for evidence-based
• NITI Aayog mooted the idea of National Health policy making
Stack (NHS) last year. NDHB is the o Other horizontal components- unique
architectural document for the digital health ID, health data dictionaries and
supply chain management for drugs,
implementation of the NHS.
payment gateways, etc.
• Vision: • It will be India's first futuristic nationally shared
o To create a National Digital Health Eco- digital healthcare infrastructure usable by both
system that supports Universal Health the Centre and states across public and private
Coverage in an efficient, accessible, sectors.
54
5.6.4. E-CIGARETTES transport, sale, distribution or advertisements
of e-cigarettes a cognizable offence.
Why in news? • Storage of e-cigarettes: No person is allowed
Recently, Parliament has passed the Prohibition of to use any place for the storage of any stock of
Electronic Cigarettes (Production, Manufacture, e-cigarettes. If any person stores any stock of
Import, Export, Transport, Sale, Distribution, e-cigarettes, he will be punishable with an
Storage, and Advertisement) Bill, 2019. It will imprisonment of up to six months, or a fine of
replace an Ordinance promulgated in September up to Rs 50,000 or both.
2019. o Moreover, the owners of existing stocks of
e-cigarettes will have to declare and
Key provisions of the Act deposit these stocks at the nearest office
• Definition of E-cigarette: The Bill defines of an authorised officer.
electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) as • Powers of authorised officers: If an authorised
electronic devices that heat a substance, officer believes that any provision of the Bill
which may contain nicotine and other has been contravened, he can search any place
chemicals, to create vapour for where trade, production, storage or
inhalation. These e-cigarettes can also contain advertising of e-cigarettes is being undertaken.
different flavours and include all forms of The authorised officer can seize any record or
electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), property connected to e-cigarettes found
heat-not-burn products, e-hookahs, and other during the search. Further, he may take the
similar devices. Smoking e-cigarettes is also person connected with the offence into
called vaping. custody.
• Prohibition on e-cigarettes- It makes
production, manufacture, import, export,
5.7. OTHER NEWS

Arogyapacha • Scientist had decoded the genetic make-up of Arogyapacha (Trichopus zeylanicus).
plant • Arogyapacha is medicinal plant endemic to the Agasthya hills, also known as ‘miracle plant’ for its
traditional use by the Kani tribal community to combat fatigue.
• A drug named Jevanni was developed from Arogyapaacha plant and it is patented by the Indian
research institute Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanical Garden and Research Institute (JNTBGRI).
Indian Brain • Researchers at the International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad (IIIT Hyderabad)
Atlas (IBA have created the first ever Indian Brain Atlas known as IBA 100.
100) • To construct this Indian population-specific human brain atlas, the researchers took MRI scans of
100 Indians.
• The study from this atlas has revealed the average brain size of an Indian was smaller in height,
width and volume in comparison to people of the Caucasian and eastern (Chinese and Korean)
races.
• Until now, Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI)'s Caucasian brains were used as standard to
study brain. So, these MNI templates were not ideal for Indian population due to difference in
ethnicity and ran the risk of misdiagnosis due to the difference in size of the brains.
• IBA 100 will help in better/early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and other brain-related ailments.
• The MNI and International Consortium for Brain Mapping (ICBM)had created first-ever digital
human brain atlas in 1993.
3S Project • Centre is planning to expand the reach of the Smart Safety Surveillance or 3S programme.
o It is a project to optimize post-marketing surveillance of priority drugs and vaccines.
o It was recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), considering the limited
safety data on vaccines introduced in India.
• It aims to ensure the vaccines distributed under the universal immunization programme are safe.
• As part of the 3S project, India is evaluating the recently-introduced rotavirus vaccines.
• It is also trying to strengthen the collaboration among key stakeholders, such as Ministry of
Health and Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), to ensure high levels of
vigilance.
National • Recently, tenth round of National Deworming Day (NDD) was conducted by Ministry of Health
Deworming and Family Welfare.
Day (NDD) • NDD was launched in 2015 to make every child in the country worm free.
55
• As part of this campaign, children and adolescents aged 1-19 years are being administered
Albendazole (400 mg) across government-aided schools, anganwadis, private schools and other
educational institutions.
• First round of NDD is conducted on February 10 each year. Bi-annual round of deworming is
recommended in the States where prevalence of STH infection is more than 20%.
• According to World Health Organization 241 million children between the ages of 1 and 14 years
are at risk of parasitic intestinal worms in India, also known as Soil-Transmitted Helminths (STH).
• Soil-transmitted helminths refer to the intestinal worms infecting humans that are transmitted
through contaminated soil (“Helminth” means parasitic worm).
Myeloma • It is cancer of the plasma cells.
• Plasma cells are white blood cells that produce disease- and infection-fighting antibodies in the
body.
• Myeloma cells prevent the normal production of antibodies, leaving the body's immune system
weakened.
Yaravirus • The unusual virus was discovered in a lake in Brazil.
• It infects amoeba and has genes that have not been described before, something that could
challenge how DNA viruses are classified.
• A DNA virus is a virus that has DNA as its genetic material and replicates using a DNA-dependent
DNA polymerase (unlike an RNA virus whose genetic material is RNA).
• Amount of unknown proteins composing Yaravirus particles reflects variability existing in viral
world and how much potential of new viral genomes are still to be discovered.
56
6. IPR
What is Intellectual Property?
6.1. INTERNATIONAL
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (IP) • Intellectual Property (IP) refers to creations of
mind such as inventions, literary and artistic
INDEX works, designs and symbols, names and
images in commerce.
Why in news?
• By striking the right balance between the
Recently International Intellectual Property Index interests of innovators and wider public
2020 was released by US Chamber of Commerce’s interest, the IP system aims to foster an
Global Innovation Policy Centre (GIPC). environment in which creativity and innovation
More on news can flourish.
• IPR are the rights which allow creators of
• India’s ranked 40th among 53 countries, while patents, trademarks or copyrighted work to
in 2019 India was ranked at 36th position out benefit them for their own work or
of 50 countries. investment. These rights have been outlined in
• However, India's score increased from 36.04 Article 27 of Universal Declaration of Human
per cent in 2019 to 38.46 per cent in 2020, a Rights.
2.42 per cent jump in an absolute score. • The importance of IPR was first recognized in
• The US, the UK, Sweden, France and Germany the Paris Convention for the protection of
remained the top five economies on the index. Industrial Property (1883) and Berne
Convention for the Protection of Literary and
Artistic Works (1886) (both administered by
WIPO).
• IP activity in India is showing remarkable
upward movement in the last 15 years with the
number of Patents filed increasing nearly nine
times.
• The Office of the Controller General of
Patents, Designs & Trade Marks (CGPDTM)
supervises the working of the Patents Act,
1970, as amended, the Designs Act, 2000 and
the Trade Marks Act, 1999 and also renders
advice to the Government on matters relating
to these subjects.
o It works under the Department for
Other observations by GIPC with respect to India Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade,
• Since the National IPR Policy 2016, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Government of India has made effort to o In order to protect the Geographical
support investments in innovation and Indications of goods a Geographical
increasingly robust IP protection and Indications Registry has been established
enforcement. to administer the Geographical Indications
• The policy has improved the speed of of Goods (Registration and Protection)
processing for patent and trademark Act, 1999 under the CGPDTM.
applications, increased awareness of IP rights Types of IPR
among Indian innovators and creators.
• However, it noted that “job is not yet done” • Patent
on establishing stronger IP protections. o A patent is granted for an invention which
• India needs to do more in the field of patent is a new product or process that meets
enforcement, compulsory licensing, regulatory conditions of novelty, non-obviousness
data protection, transparency in reporting and industrial use.
seizures by customs, signing Singapore Treaty o Patents in India are governed by “The
on Law of Trade Marks and Patent Law Treaty. patent Act 1970” which was amended in
2005 to make it compliant with TRIPS.
57
• Trademark Varieties and Farmers’ Rights (PPV&FR)
o A trademark means a mark capable of Act, 2001”.
being represented graphically and which Related news
is capable of distinguishing the goods or Global Innovation Index (GII)
services of one undertaking from those of • Recently, India has improved its ranking in the GII
other undertakings. by five places to 52nd in 2019 from 57th position
o Trade marks in India are governed by in 2018.
Trade Marks Act 1999 which was • It has been developed by the World Intellectual
amended in 2010. Property Organization (WIPO) together with top
o Trade Mark Rules, 2017 has been notified business universities like Cornell University,
which provides for ease of filing INSEAD etc.
o It measures the innovative capacity and
trademarks, ratinalised trademark fee etc.
outputs of 129 economies, using 80
o Modalities for determining well-known
indicators ranging from standard
trademarks has been introduced for the measurements such as research and
first time development investments and patent and
• Geographical Indications trademark filings, to mobile-phone app
o It is a sign used on agricultural or natural creation and high-tech net exports.
or manufactured goods as originating or o 2019 GII theme hosted by India was
manufactured in a particular region of a “Creating Healthy Lives: The Future of
country. It denotes its origin where a Medical Innovation” which is important and
relevant for India because we would need a
specific quality, characteristic or
strong focus on medical innovation towards
reputation of the product is essentially
the goal of bringing healthcare and its
attributable to that origin. delivery to all Indians.
o Geographical Indicators in India are World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO)
governed by “The Geographical • WIPO is the global forum for intellectual
Indications of Goods (Registration & property (IP) services, policy, information and
Protection) Act, 1999”. cooperation.
• Copyright • They are a self-funding agency of the United
o Copyright is a right given by the law to Nations, with 193 member states.
creators of literary, dramatic, musical and • India is among its member states.
artistic works and producers of • Their mission is to lead the development of a
balanced and effective international IP system
cinematograph films and sound
that enables innovation and creativity for the
recordings. benefit of all.
o This right allows its creator the rights of • Their mandate, governing bodies and
reproduction, communication to the procedures are set out in the WIPO Convention,
public, adaptation and translation of the which established WIPO in 1967.
work.
o Copyrights in India are governed by “The • The Patent Law Treaty (PLT) was adopted
in 2000 with the aim of harmonizing and
Copyright Act, 1957”.
streamlining formal procedures with respect to
• Design national and regional patent applications and
o An industrial design consists of the patents and making such procedures more user
creation of a shape, configuration or friendly.
composition of pattern or color, or • Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trademarks
combination of pattern and color in three- aims to create a modern and dynamic
dimensional form containing aesthetic international framework for the harmonization
value. of administrative trademark registration
o Designs in India are governed by “The procedures.
Designs Act 2000”. • India is not a signatory to both the treaties.
• Plant Variety Protection: It refers to the National IPR Policy 2016
protection granted for plant varieties. These National IPR Policy is a vision document that aims to
rights are given to the farmers and plant create and exploit synergies between all forms of
breeders to encourage the development of intellectual property (IP), concerned statutes and
new varieties of plants. agencies.
Seven objectives of IPR Policy
o Plant variety protection in India is
• IPR Awareness: To create public awareness
governed by “The Protection of Plant
about the economic, social and cultural benefits
of IPRs.
58
• Generation of IPRs: To stimulate the generation Details
of IPRs.
• Legal and Legislative Framework: To have • With this, the patent offices of India and Japan
strong and effective IPR laws, which balance the have inked an agreement for expeditious grant
interests of owners with larger public interest. of patents to Indian entities and individuals by
• Administration and Management: To modernise entering into the pilot programme on PPH for
and strengthen service oriented IPR a period of three years.
administration. o Under this pilot programme, Indian Patent
• Commercialization of IPRs: Get value for IPRs Office may receive patent applications in
through commercialization. certain specified technical fields only, like
• Enforcement and Adjudication: To strengthen electrical, electronics, computer science,
the enforcement and adjudicatory mechanisms
information technology, physics, civil,
for combating IPR infringements.
mechanical, textiles, automobiles and
• Human Capital Development: To strengthen and
metallurgy while Japan Patent Office may
expand human resources, institutions and
capacities for teaching, training, research and receive applications in all fields of
skill building in IPRs. technology.
• The PPH programme will lead to benefits like:
6.2. PATENT PROSECUTION o reduction in disposal time and pendency of
patent applications.
HIGHWAY PROGRAMME o consistency in quality of granted patents.
Why in News? o more inbound investments by companies.
o introduction of newer technologies
Recently, the Union Cabinet approved a proposal thereby giving fillip to Make in India and
for Bilateral Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) increasing employment opportunities.
Programme between the Indian Patent Office and
patent offices of other interested countries.
59
process, electrons are released which flow
7.1. INDIGENOUS FUEL CELL through an external circuit as an electric
Why in news? current.
• The byproducts of fuel cell include heat and
Recently, India’s first Indigenous Fuel Cell system
water.
was unveiled.
• Fuel cells can vary from tiny devices producing
More about the news only a few watts of electricity, right up to large
• It is developed by Council of Scientific and power plants producing megawatts.
Industrial Research (CSIR) in partnership with
Related Information
Thermax Ltd, a Pune-based engineering firm. Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV)
• It is developed under the flagship program • It uses hydrogen as source of fuel and an
named ‘New Millennium Indian Technology oxidant to create electricity.
Leadership Initiative (NMITLI). • Unlike a battery-electricity vehicle, it does not
• It will be a 5 kW fuel cell system and will use store energy and, instead, relies on a constant
methanol/bio-methane to generate power supply of fuel (Hydrogen) and oxygen.
with 70% more efficiency than other sources. • Unlike the combustion engine cars, there are no
moving parts in the fuel cell, so they are more
efficient and reliable by comparison.
• They produce much smaller quantities of
greenhouse gases.
New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership
Initiative (NMITLI)
• It is an initiative of CSIR and is the largest public-
private-partnership effort within the R&D
domain in the country.
• It seeks to catalyze innovation centered scientific
and technological developments as a vehicle to
attain for Indian industry a global leadership
position, in selected niche areas.
• NMITLI has so far evolved more than 50 largely
networked projects in diverse areas viz.
Agriculture & Plant Biotechnology, General
Biotechnology, Bioinformatics, Drugs &
Pharmaceuticals, Chemicals, Materials,
Information and Communication Technology
and Energy.
Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)
• It was established as an autonomous society by
the Government of India in 1942 under Societies
Registration Act, 1860.
• The Prime Minister of India acts as its President.
• It is an R&D organization known for its cutting
edge R&D knowledgebase in diverse S&T areas.
• CSIR has pan-India presence with a dynamic
network of 38 national laboratories, 39 outreach
centres, 3 Innovation Complexes and 5 units.
• It is mainly funded by the Ministry of Science and
Technology.
About Fuel cell technology 7.2. MICROBIAL FUEL CELLS

• A fuel cell is like a battery that generates Why in News?
electricity from an electrochemical reaction.
• It uses a source of hydrogen as fuel but Zoological Society of London (ZSL) scientists used
involves no combustion. plants to power sensors in the wild by installing
• With the help of oxygen present in the air, microbial fuel cells.
oxidation of hydrogen atoms occur and in the
60
About Microbial fuel cells
7.3. HYDROTHERMAL
• A microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a bio- CARBONISATION
electrochemical device that harnesses the
power of respiring microbes to convert Why in news?
organic substrates directly into electrical
Recently, IIT Kharagpur has developed
energy.
Hydrothermal Carbonisation technology which can
• It transforms chemical energy into electricity
generate energy from solid waste with high
using oxidation reduction reactions
moisture content.
• It relies on living biocatalysts to facilitate the
movement of electrons throughout their About Hydrothermal Carbonisation
systems instead of the traditional chemically
• The technology is aimed at conversion of wet
catalyzed oxidation of a fuel at the anode and
biomass into hydro-char (a coal like fuel)
reduction at the cathode.
under suitable temperature and pressure
• It has various applications especially where
conditions.
there is low power requirement where
• The hydro-char, rich in carbon and high calorific
replacing batteries may be impractical, such as
content, can be utilized as fuel, as an
wireless sensor networks, biosensors etc.
alternative for coal, as feedstock for
gasification, as a soil additive for nutrient
enrichment, or as an adsorbent for activated
carbon.
• Its by-products include ash which can be
applied as a plant nutrient enhancer because
of its phosphorus content, and also a
potassium loaded liquid that can be used for
watering plants.
Why India needs such technology?
• High percentage of wet waste: Of the 55
million tonnes of Municipal Solid Waste
generated every year in India, 85% is
biodegradable waste which has a very high
moisture content ranging between 60 and 70
per cent of the total.
• Realisation of target: the technology will help
How do Microbial Fuel Cells Work? India in achieving the renewable energy target
• Microbial fuel cells work by allowing bacteria of 10 GW bio power by 2022.
to oxidize and reduce organic molecules. • Indegenisation of technology: This technology
• Bacterial respiration is basically one big redox is already in use in Japan and Germany. And
reaction in which electrons are being moved the development has led to India having its
around. own technology.
o An oxidation-reduction (redox) reaction is
a type of chemical reaction that involves a 7.4. BIOFUEL FROM
transfer of electrons between two species. MICROORGANISMS
• Whenever you have moving electrons, the
potential exists for harnessing an Why in news?
electromotive force to perform useful work. Recently, International Centre for Genetic
• A MFC consists of an anode and a cathode Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) scientists
separated by a cation specific membrane. developed a method to improve the growth rate
• Microbes at the anode oxidize the organic fuel and sugar content of a marine microorganism.
generating protons which pass through the
membrane to the cathode, and electrons Details
which pass through the anode to an external • They have successfully engineered a marine
circuit to generate a current. cyanobacterium called Synechococcus sp. PCC
• The trick of course is collecting the electrons 7002, which showed a higher growth rate and
released by bacteria as they respire.
61
sugar (glycogen) content of the cells, which • By doing so, team was able to achieve higher
will help in biofuel production. charge storage capacity (technically called the
• Generally, sugars come from the specific capacity) and nearly zero self-
photosynthesis in plants, that converts carbon discharge when the battery is not being used.
dioxide into biological components such as
sugars, proteins and lipids. About Sodium Sulphur Battery
• However, Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) • It is a high-temperature battery which
can also perform photosynthesis and produce operates at 300°C and utilises a solid
sugar by fixing the carbon dioxide in the electrolyte, making it unique among the
atmosphere. Further, cyanobacterial biomass common secondary cells (rechargeable
provides a nitrogen source in the form of batteries).
proteins.
• It has a high-power density and is suitable for
• Bio fuel is any hydrocarbon fuel that is large-scale energy storage and space
produced from organic matter (living or once applications.
living material) in a short period of time.
• As electrodes are solid are room temperature
International Centre for Genetic Engineering and and therefore inactive when cold and the
Biotechnology (ICGEB) battery can be stored for more than 50 years in
• The ICGEB is an intergovernmental organisation that state. The battery must be activated with
established as a special project of United Nations a heat source and the electrodes become
Industrial Development Organization, in 1983. liquid.
• The Organisation has three Component
• The biggest advantage of sodium is in the cost
laboratories in:
o Trieste, Italy, area, as it is a far more common material than
o New Delhi, India lithium and is much more widely available.
o Cape Town, South Africa. • However, the safety concerns greatly inhibit
• It became fully autonomous since 1994 and is their widespread adoption.
running 46 laboratories and forms an interactive
network with over 65 Member States.
• It operates within the United Nations Common
System, as Centre of excellence for Research,
Training and Technology Transfer to industry to
promote sustainable global development.
7.5. SODIUM SULPHUR BATTERY

Why in News?
• Researchers at the Indian Institute of

technology (IIT) Madras have designed a new
sodium sulphur battery that can be operated
at room temperature.
62
8. RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
• The units shall be stable in the long term,
8.1. INDIA ADOPTS NEW
internally self-consistent and practically
DEFINITION OF KILOGRAM realisable being based on the present
theoretical description of nature at the highest
Why in news?
level.
National Physical Laboratory recently • It will not be bound by the limitations of
recommended updation of definition of Kilogram objects in our measurement of the world, but
in the syllabi and textbooks in India recently. have universality accessible units that can pave
the way to even greater accuracy and
Details
accelerate scientific advancement.
• The 26th General Conference on Weights & • It will not change measurements in our day to
Measures (CGPM) last year redefined World’s day life like in kitchen, trade & transport etc.
standard definition of Kilogram, Ampere, Thus for most people, everyday life will carry
Kelvin, and Mole. on as normal despite the redefinitions.
• Earlier, the kilogram derived its provenance
from the weight of a block of a platinum- General Conference on Weights and Measures
(CGPM)
iridium alloy housed at the International
• CGPM is the highest international body of the
Bureau of Weights and Measures. world for accurate and precise measurements.
• All other prototypes that served as national • India became a signatory in 1957.
reference standards, including the one at New • The CGPM meets usually once every four years.
Delhi’s CSIR-National Physical Laboratory • The International Bureau of Weights and
(NPL), were calibrated to it. Measures (BIPM), the main executive body of
• The NPL institute is also in the process of CGPM has the responsibility of defining the
making its own ‘Kibble Balance’ (in which the International System of Units (SI).
weight of a test mass is offset by an
electromagnetic force), a device that was used 8.2. SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AT
to measure the Planck Constant and thereby ROOM TEMPERATURE
reboot the kilogram.
Why in news?
Recently, a team from the Indian Institute of
Science (IISc), Bengaluru has come up with a
material, which exhibits major properties of
superconductivity at ambient temperature and
pressure.
About Superconductivity
• Superconductivity is a phenomenon in which
the resistance of the material to the electric
current flow is zero. When current is passed
through an ordinary conductor, such as
copper, a part of it is lost to the surroundings
in the form of heat energy generated due to
the resistance offered to its flow by the
material. Low resistance means more of the
supplied power gets to its intended
Impact of changes in definitions destination. With the use of superconductors,
this loss can be cut down.
• It will result in uniform and worldwide
• Significance of the recent development - Till
accessible SI system for high- technology
now, scientists have been able to make
manufacturing, basic science, etc. For
materials superconduct only at temperatures
example, earlier the scientific definition of the
much below zero degree C and hence making
“second” had helped ease communication
practical utility very difficult, as maintaining
across the world via technologies like GPS and
such low temperatures are energy intensive
the Internet.
and, thus, expensive.
63
o The material confirmed by the team is in of precision as compared to other treatment
the form of nano-sized films and pellets options.
made of silver nanoparticles embedded in • It is particularly effective for paediatric cancers
a gold matrix. and tumours affecting the brain, eye, colon,
Applications of such material breast, gastrointestinal area, pelvis, and
prostate and those close to the spinal cord,
• Energy Storage- Unlike conventional batteries,
brain stem and other vital organs.
which degrade over time, semiconductors,
which have zero loss of energy, can be used to
store power. With more and more energy
being produced from renewable sources,
which needs to be stored, the power sector is
looking for options, which have minimum
losses.
• Railways- the trains running on magnetic
levitation (maglev) have the potential to
revolutionary transportation.
• Power Transmission- Currently, in the
electricity grid, with wires running a long
distance, a lot of energy is lost in the form of
heat energy. It can be minimised using
superconductors.
• Other important applications include-
o SQUIDs (Superconducting Quantum
Interference Devices) are used to detect
even the weakest magnetic field. They are
used in mine detection equipment to help
in the removal of land mines.
o Large hadron collider or particle
accelerator - Superconductors are used to
make extremely powerful electromagnets Proton
to accelerate charged particles very fast • Atoms are the basic units of matter and the
defining structure of elements. Atoms are made
(to near the speed of light).
up of three particles: protons, neutrons and
electrons
8.3. PROTON THERAPY • The proton has a positive electrical charge, equal
and opposite to that of the electron.
Why in News?
Advantages over standard radiation therapy
Vice President of India inaugurated India’s first
proton therapy centre in Chennai for the • Standard radiation therapy utilises x-rays,
treatment of Cancer. which deposits the majority of the radiation
dose immediately upon entering the body.
More in news
While X-ray beams are effective in controlling
• The name of the centre is Apollo Proton Cancer many cancers, they also deliver an ‘exit dose’
Centre (APCC) and is launched by Apollo along the path beam. This exposes not just the
Hospitals Group. It is South Asia’s first such targeted tumor to the radiation, but also the
centre. nearby healthy tissues.
• With this India becomes 16th country in the o This exit dose is a cause of concern as the
world to offer the therapy. damage to the normal tissue or organs can
affect the patient’s quality of life post-
About Proton Therapy
treatment.
• It is a type of radiation therapy which uses • In comparison, protons slowly deposit their
protons rather than x-rays to treat cancer. energy as they travel towards the cancerous
• It is considered as one of the most advanced tumor and then due to a unique physical
forms of external beam radiation therapy for characteristic called the Bragg Peak, deposit
cancer treatment in the world. It is also known the majority of the radiation dose directly in
as Proton Beam Therapy and offers high levels the tumor.
64
o Bragg Curve describes energy loss of • Optical Fiber- where data is transmitted in the
ionizing radiation during travel through form of light particles or photons that pulse
matter. through a fiber optic cable.
o Proton beams target the tumour with sub-
millimetre accuracy, leaving the nearby 8.5. SHORT WAVE RADIO
tissues and organs unharmed. Also, there TRANSMISSION
is no ‘exit dose’ in case of proton beam.
Protons stop after depositing the radiation Why in news?
dose in the tumor.
Prasar Bharati has asked All India Radio (AIR) to
Challenges with Proton Therapy come up with a proposal to phase out Short Wave
• Proton Therapy is highly specialised and (SW) transmitters.
expensive treatment.
• It is not applicable to all type of cancers. Short Wave Radio transmission:
• More research and clinical trials are needed to
• It is transmission and reception of information
make this treatment more affordable and
applicable to all types of cancers.
by means of electromagnetic waves of about
10 to 100 m in length having frequencies of
8.4. OPTOELECTRONICS approximately 3 to 30 megahertz.
• Radio waves in the shortwave band can be
Why in News? reflected or refracted by the ionosphere. Such
wave propagation is called skywave or
Recently, researchers from IIT Madras have found
“skip" propagation.
a way of enhancing the optoelectronic properties
• This refraction by ionosphere makes
of tungsten diselenide.
shortwave useful for very long distance
About Optoelectronics communication, sometimes even beyond
continents.
• Optoelectronics is the study and application of
• Dearth of revenue from short wave
electronic devices and systems that source,
transmission and dwindling audience with
detect and control light.
advent of digital mediums has called for
• It is based on the quantum mechanical effects
phasing out of SW transmitters.
of light on electronic materials, especially
• However, AIR is resisting the move arguing
semiconductors.
that it will limit its global reach as short wave is
• It encompasses the design, manufacture and
the only effective way to reach to any part of
study of electronic hardware devices that, as a
the world, FM and other modes don’t work
result, converts electricity into photon signals
always.
for various purposes such as medical
o It cannot be easily blocked, even when
equipment, telecommunications and general
states try to disrupt its signals using
science.
jamming transmitters. It is particularly
• Some materials such as tungsten diselenide
useful in areas where information is
and molybdenum diselenide are being studied
censored or religious broadcasting is
keenly for their optoelectronic properties.
banned.
• A key property of these materials is
• Shortwave is still significant in much of Africa,
photoluminescence, in which the material
South Asia and parts of Latin America.
absorbs light, generating an excited state, and
then light of lower frequency is re-emitted. Medium wave radio transmission
• It covers wavelength of 100 to 1000 metres and
Applications of Optoelectronics frequency of 0.3 to 3 MHz.
• Solar Cells- that use Photovoltaic, which is the • There is very little daytime reflection of medium
wave radio signal from the ionosphere resulting
direct conversion of light into electricity.
in a coverage of about 100 kms only.
• Laser Diodes- which are applied in compact
• It is mostly used for local broadcasting,
disc (CD) players, laser printers, remote- particularly rural communities.
control devices, and intrusion detection Amplitude Modulation Radio
systems. • With AM radio, the amplitude, or overall
• Light Emitting Diodes- using strength, of the signal is varied to incorporate
electroluminescence, emits light when current the sound information.
flows through it.
65
• While changes in amplitude occur on FM radio as abnormalities, neurologic and neurobehavioral
well, they are more noticeable in AM radio disorders, diabetes, hearing loss, hematologic
because they result in audible static. and immunologic disorders.
• Its frequency lies between 500kHz–1.7MHz and • Limitations of available technologies Other
wavelength is 600-170m.
micro water filters available in India such as
Frequency Modulation
RO, UV, UF can remove dissolved impurities,
• Unlike AM radio, sound is transmitted through
changes in frequency. microorganisms, chemicals and salts but are
• Its frequency usually lies between 88-108 MHz unable to remove metal pollutants in water.
and wavelength is between 3.4m-2.8m.
• It is used in community-based radio stations, 8.7. ELASTOCALORIC EFFECT
over a limited geographical area since it has
short-range signal - generally to anywhere within Why in News?
sight of the transmitter, with excellent sound
Recently, some researchers have highlighted that
quality.
if harnessed effectively, Elastocaloric effect may
help find alternatives to fluid refrigerants used in
8.6. CERAMIC MEMBRANES fridges and air-conditioners.
Why in news? Details
Recently, Central Glass and Ceramic Research • The elastocaloric effect occurs when stress is
Institute, Kolkata has developed Ceramic applied or removed inducing an internal
Membranes for treatment of water contaminated transformation in the structure of the material.
with heavy metals. • For instance, when the rubbers bands are
About Ceramic membrane twisted and untwisted, it produces a cooling
effect. When the rubber band is stretched, it
• It is prepared from a mixture of inorganic absorbs heat from its environment, and when
substances such as alumina and clay. it is released, it gradually cools down., and a
• This filter is able to segregate metals such as phase transformation is induced.
Iron, Arsenic, fluoride, Arsenic etc along with • It is because in the elastocaloric effect, the
the other pollutants when water passes transfer of heat works much the same way as
through these membranes. when fluid refrigerants are compressed and
• Its absorption capacity is upto 8 times higher expanded in the similar manner.
than other membranes and minimises water • Elastocaloric materials are those solids, which
wastage and can operate under harsh are capable of stress-induced reversible phase
operating environments. transformations in their structure during which
• These membranes last for around 10-15 years latent heat is released or absorbed.
without replacement. They can also be used in
other sectors like food and beverage, drug and
chemicals, waste recovery and recycling
industries and are especially useful in
petrochemical processing, where it is not
possible to use organic membranes.
Why this technology is significant for India?
• Water borne disease burden According to an
estimate, 50-60% of population in urban as well
as rural areas suffers from water borne
diseases in India. Heavy metals in water causes
cardiovascular diseases, developmental

Global • It is a Public Private Partnership (PPP) between Technology Development Board (TDB),
Innovation Department of Science & Technology (DST) and India’ s apex industry association Confederation
and of Indian Industry (CII).
Technology • GITA will assist DST in implementing Industrial R&D Programme with different countries under
Alliance bilateral & multilateral Science & Technology Cooperation agreements.
(GITA)
66
• The GITA has been envisaged as an industry-driven body for supporting competitive innovation
clusters which in future can be entrusted with administering of Innovation Fund under a PPP
model, IP acquisition by the government for non-exclusive licensing for public and social good,
sectors of R&D and promotion of innovation culture in centres of excellence.
• It focuses on
o Professionally managing Government’s industrial innovation funds,
o Providing flexibility to industry for R&D, including with global partners and
o Delivering commercial products and services to Indian and global markets.
SUPRA • Science and Engineering Research Board has developed a newly approved scheme SUPRA
(Scientific and Useful Profound Research Advancement).
o It has sole objective of funding exploration of new scientific and engineering breakthroughs
with global impact with long-term impact on our fundamental scientific understanding.
o It is designed to attract high quality research proposals consisting of new hypotheses or
challenge existing ones and provide ‘out-of-box’ solutions.
o Funding will be provided normally for a period of three years, which could be extended to 2
years (5 years total) as assessed by an expert committee.
• SERB is a statutory body under Department of Science and Technology to promote and fund
research in different scientific disciplines.
Science For • This Division has been set up under the Department of Science and Technology.
Equity, • It is established with the broad objectives of providing opportunities to motivated scientists and
Empowerme field level workers to take up action oriented and location specific projects aiming towards socio-
nt and economic upliftment of poor and disadvantaged sections of the society through appropriate
Developmen technological interventions especially in the rural areas.
t (SEED) • Under this Division efforts have been made to associate concerned National Labs or other
specialist S&T institutions with each major program so as to build-in expert input, utilize national
S&T infrastructure and link it up with grassroots S&T interventions/initiatives.
National • Theme in 2020- “Women in science”.
Science Day • The Government of India designated 28 February as National Science Day (NSD) in 1986 and theme-
based science communication activities are carried out all over the country.
• It is celebrated every year on 28th February to commemorate the discovery of the ‘Raman Effect’
by Sir C.V. Raman for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1930.
o Raman effect can be defined as change in the wavelength of light that occurs when a light
beam is deflected by molecules.
• Nodal Agency- National Council for Science & Technology Communication (NCSTC), Department
of Science and Technology (DST) acts as a nodal agency to support, catalyze and coordinate
celebration of the National Science Day throughout the country in scientific institutions, research
laboratories and autonomous scientific institutions associated with the Department of Science and
Technology.
ICAR- • Scientists from the ‘Indian Council of Agricultural Research’ (ICAR) have created an innovative
FUSICONT technology called ICAR-FUSICONT to control disease named ‘Panama Wilt’ affecting banana crop
in regions of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
• The disease Panama Wilt is caused by a fungus resulting in the loss of crop by more than 50%.
Chain- • It is newly discovered state of physical matter, in which atoms are both solid and liquid at the
Melted State same time.
• This state was achieved by applying extreme pressure and extreme temperature to metal
potassium.
• Generally, there are three basic states of matter namely – solid, liquid or gas. Further, two more
exotic states of matter – plasma and Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC), both of which only exist in
some extreme conditions.
Artificial • It is also known as Quantum Leaf which was developed by Indian Institute of Sciences’ researchers.
Leaf • It uses water, sunlight and carbon dioxide to produce a widely-used gas syngas (mixture of
hydrogen and carbon monoxide) without releasing any carbon dioxide into the air. This will help in
reducing carbon footprint.
• It is composed of completely biocompatible, earth abundant, semiconductor nano crystals called
Quantum dots which act as catalyst to convert absorbed CO2 into bicarbonate and then ‘formate’
(derivative of formic acid) that can be used as bio fuel.
Carbon • The carbon nitrides like C3N5, C3N6, C3N7 – have unique semi conducting characteristics.
Nitrides • It has led to the development of technologies for conversion of carbon dioxide into fuel using
sunlight and water and clean tech like sodium ion batteries to power electric vehicles.
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• Carbon nitride can be used as a metal free photo catalyst for water splitting, metal free system for
carbon capture and conversion, electrode material for supercapacitors and battery, as an
electrode catalyst for fuel cells, electrode for solar cell.
• It will help in finding a solution for twin problems of pollution and fossil fuel depletion.
Goldschmidt • Recently, a new mineral, Goldschmidtite, has been discovered inside a diamond unearthed from a
ite mine in South Africa. The mineral has an unusual chemical signature for a mineral from Earth’s
mantle.
• Goldschmidtite has high concentrations of niobium, potassium and the rare-earth elements
lanthanum and cerium, whereas the rest of the mantle is dominated by other elements, such as
magnesium and iron.
o For potassium and niobium to constitute a major proportion of this mineral, it must have
formed under exceptional processes that concentrated these unusual elements.
Anthropoge • They are mineral that have been made on Earth, of substances formed as a result of human
nic Mineral activities such as mining and mineral processing.
• There are about 208 human-made minerals which have been approved as minerals by the
International Mineralogical Association.
• Example of Anthropogenic mineral:
o Hydrotalcite are produced when asbestos tailings passively absorb atmospheric carbon
dioxide.
• Other type is True mineral which is naturally occurring and formed by geological processes either
on Earth or in outer-space. True minerals comprise the majority of the approximately 5,200 known
minerals.
o Edscottite, recently in news, was discovered after an examination of the Wedderburn
Meteorite, a metallic-looking rock found in Central Victoria back in 1951. It is made of iron and
carbon, and was likely formed within the core of another planet.
Winter- • Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has launched a special winter-grade diesel for high altitude regions
grade diesel like Ladakh.
for high • In regular diesel fuel, paraffin wax is added to improve for improving viscosity and lubrication but
altitude at low temperatures of -30° Celsius, it thickens or “gels” leading to freezing of diesel.
• The winter-grade diesel developed by IOC has a low pour point of -33° Celsius which means that it
has certain additives that enable the fuel to remain fluid in extremely low temperatures during the
winter months in high-altitude sectors like Ladakh or Kargil.
o Pour Point - It is the temperature below which the liquid loses its flow characteristics.
• It is likely to reduce the hardships faced by the local people for transportation and mobility during
winter months, helping facilitate the local economy and tourism.
High Flash • Indian Oil Corp has developed a special class diesel conforming to NATO grade for use in ships and
High Speed vessels of Indian Navy.
Diesel • It also has lesser environmental impact due to low Sulphur content and would result in the better
(HFHSD – IN performance of engines.
512) • This fuel will facilitate the Indian Navy to enhance its global footprint and will allow India to fuel
the vessels of friendly foreign countries with recommended NATO grade fuel.
Purified • In the recent Budget, government abolished an anti-dumping duty being levied on imports of PTA
Terephthalic in public interest.
Acid (PTA) • PTA is a raw material used to make various man-made fabrics or their components such as,
polyester staple fibre and spun yarn. It makes up for around 70-80% of a polyester product.
• Owing to its properties such as weathering resistance, strength and flexibility, PTA’s usage is
growing across various end-use industries such as food and beverages, electronics, and industrial
fibre.
• Removing the duty will allow PTA users to source from countries like China, Taiwan, Malaysia,
Indonesia, Iran, Korea and Thailand, making it upto $30 per 1,000 kg cheaper.
o The move will also help to make the textiles sector a globally competitive industry.
Torrefaction • India is testing this Swedish technology that can convert rice stubble into ‘bio-coal’.
• The technology involves heating up straw, grass, saw- mill residue and wood biomass to 250°C -
350°C.
• This changes the elements of the biomass into ‘coal-like’ pellets. These pellets can be used for
combustion along with coal for industrial applications like steel and cement production.
Microdot • In the microdot technology, the body and parts of the vehicle or any other machine are sprayed
technology with microscopic dots, which give a unique identification.
• The use of this technology helps check not only vehicle theft but also use of fake spare parts.
• Microdots are "permanent and nearly invisible" that can be read physically with a microscope and
identified with ultraviolet light source.
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9. AWARDS
make more red blood cells to carry more
9.1. NOBEL PRIZES 2019 oxygen around.
• They found that a protein called hypoxia-
9.1.1. NOBEL PRIZE IN PHYSICS inducible factor, or HIF, rises when there’s less
Why in news? oxygen around.
o HIF then bonds to sections of DNA near
The Nobel Prize in Physics 2019 was awarded to
the gene that produces EPO.
three scientists- James Peebles, Michel Mayor and
o Extra HIF protein around the EPO gene
Didier Queloz “for contributions to our
acts like a turbo charge for the hormone’s
understanding of the evolution of the universe
production, which is how the body knows
and Earth’s place in the cosmos”.
to make more red blood cells.
More about the news o When there’s sufficient oxygen available
• James Peebles was awarded for “theoretical again, HIF levels drop, as do red blood cell
discoveries in physical cosmology”. counts.
• Peebles’ theoretical tools are the foundation Significance
of our modern understanding of the universe’s
history, from the Big Bang to the present day. • Understand body functioning- This research
His theoretical tools and calculations helped can help understand the processes behind the
interpret traces from the infancy of the generation of new blood vessels, the
universe. production of red blood cells, certain immune
• Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz were system functions and even fetal and placenta
awarded for discovering “an exoplanet development.
orbiting a solar-type star”. • Tackling diseases- Much more information can
• They discovered the first planet outside our be obtained about the diseases arising from
solar system, an exoplanet, named 51 Pegasi B these pathways, such as cancers that
orbiting a solar-type star in our home galaxy, proliferate using the oxygen-sensing system to
the Milky Way, in 1995. grow tumors.
• It started a revolution in astronomy as more o The new knowledge would help to treat
than 4,000 exoplanets have since been major diseases like cancer and anaemia.
discovered in the Milky Way since then. • Formulation of drugs- Already, a number of
• These discoveries challenged the world’s drugs have been developed on the back of the
existing ideas about planetary systems and understanding of this oxygen-sensing
building up on them in the future might just pathway. More experimental drugs on
help find answer humanity’s eternal quest blocking blood vessel formation, aiming to
about whether life exists outside of the earth prevent tumor growth in some cancers can be
and the solar system. introduced.
9.1.2. NOBEL PRIZE IN PHYSIOLOGY OR 9.1.3. NOBEL PRIZE IN CHEMISTRY

MEDICINE Why in news?
Why in news? The 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been John D. Goodenough, M. Stanley Whittingham
awarded to William Kaelin, Peter Ratcliffe and and Akira Yoshino for their roles in the
Gregg Semenza for discovering the complex development of lithium-ion batteries.
processes behind how human cells respond to More in news
change in levels of oxygen.
• M. Stanley Whittingham: laid foundations of
More on news Lithium (Li) ion batteries in 1970s, when he
• The research has tried to explain how cells used titanium disulphide as cathode and
adapt to higher or lower amounts of the metallic lithium, which is highly reactive, as
molecule in the atmosphere. anode.
• When the body detects that less oxygen is • John B. Goodenough: In 1980s, he replaced
present, the kidneys release a hormone called titanium disulphide with cobalt oxide as the
erythropoietin, or EPO, which tells the body to cathode doubling the battery’s potential.
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However, the use of reactive lithium remained cause transportation restrictions on large
a concern. quantities of Li- ion batteries.
• Akira Yoshino: The first commercially viable o Li-ion batteries require safety mechanisms
lithium-ion battery was developed by him in to limit voltage and internal pressures,
1991. He replaced lithium anode with which can increase weight and limit
petroleum coke anode, which drew Li-ions performance in some cases.
towards it from the Lithium Cobalt oxide o Another factor limiting their widespread
cathode. adoption is their cost, which is around 40%
higher than Ni-Cd.
Related information
Four-Fold Jump in Li-Ion Battery Imports Since 2016
• As per a Government reply in Lok Sabha, India
has quadrupled its imports of lithium-ion (Li-ion)
batteries and more than tripled its import bill on
the product, from 2016-2018.
o Indian manufacturers source Li-ion
batteries from China, Japan and South Korea
and the country is among the largest
importers in the world.
• Steps taken by India
o Union Cabinet in 2019 approved a
About Lithium ion batteries
programme, National Mission on
• A lithium-ion battery is a type of rechargeable Transformative Mobility and Battery
battery. Storage in the NITI Aayog to drive clean,
• Lithium-ion batteries are commonly used for connected, shared, sustainable and holistic
mobility initiatives.
portable electronics (smartphones, laptops
o ISRO has commercialized indigenously
etc) and electric vehicles and for military and developed li-ion battery technology and has
aerospace applications. selected 14 companies for transfer of
• Advantages: technology.
o It is light weight and has high energy o Central Electro Chemical Research Institute
density (i.e. stores more energy per unit of (CECRI), under Council of Scientific &
weight when compare to other kind of Industrial Research (CSIR) and RAASI Solar
batteries.) It is able to store 150 watt-hours Power Pvt Ltd have signed a Memorandum
electricity per kg of battery. of Agreement for transfer of technology
for India’s first Li-ion Battery project in
o Li-ion battery cells can deliver up to 3.6
2018.
Volts, 3 times higher than technologies ISRO has transferred its indigenous technology to
such as Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd) batteries. produce space-grade Li-ion cells to BHEL
o Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries have • In March 2018, BHEL signed the Technology
5000 cycles or more compared to just 400- Transfer Agreement with ISRO for acquiring the
500 cycles in lead acid batteries. Li-Ion Cell production technology.
o Li-ion batteries are also comparatively low • Under the agreement, space-grade Li-Ion cells
maintenance, and do not require manufactured by BHEL are meant for meeting
scheduled cycling to maintain their battery national requirements only.
life. • However, BHEL can also sell the space-grade Li-
Ion cells to parties outside India after obtaining
o Li-ion batteries have no memory effect, a
prior written consent from ISRO.
detrimental process where repeated
partial discharge/charge cycles can cause a
battery to ‘remember’ a lower capacity.
9.2. SHANTI SWARUP
o Li-ion batteries also have low self- BHATNAGAR PRIZE FOR 2019
discharge rate of around 1.5-2% per month.
o They do not contain toxic cadmium, which Why in news?
makes them easier to dispose of than Ni-Cd Recently, twelve scientists have been awarded the
batteries. prestigious Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar award for
• Limitations of Li- ion batteries: science and technology for 2019.
o They have a tendency to overheat, and can About Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar prize
be damaged at high voltages. In some • Awarded by: Council of Scientific and Industrial
cases this can lead to combustion. This can Research. It was first awarded in 1958.
70
• Purpose: It awarded annually for notable and colloids and industrial chemistry. His
outstanding research, applied or fundamental, pioneering research in the field of magneto-
in the disciplines namely: chemistry is acclaimed throughout the world.
o Physical Sciences, • He played an instrument role in the
o Chemical Sciences, establishment of the National Research
o Biological Sciences, Development Corporation (NRDC) of India.
o Medical Sciences,
o Mathematical Sciences, 9.3. SWARNA JAYANTI
o Engineering Sciences and FELLOWSHIPS
o Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary
Science. Why in News?
• Eligibility: Any citizen of India engaged in
Recently, Swarna Jayanti Fellowships have been
research in any field of science and technology
awarded to 14 Scientists associated with projects
up to the age of 45 years. Overseas citizen of
containing innovative research idea and with
India (OCI) working in India are also eligible.
potential of making impact on Research &
• Prize: The prize carries a cash component of Rs
Devlopment in the respective disciplines.
5 lakh each.
More about News
About Dr Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar
• The Swarna Jayanti Fellowships scheme was
• Dr Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar was the Founder
instituted by Government of India to
Director (and later first Director General) of
commemorate India's fiftieth year of
Council of Scientific & Industrial Research
independence.
(CSIR) who is credited with establishing twelve
• Under this scheme, a selected number of
national laboratories. He was awarded the
young scientists, with proven track record, are
Padma Vibhushan in 1954 by the President of
provided special assistance and support to
India.
enable them to pursue basic research in
• He played a significant role in building of post
frontier areas of science and technology.
independent S & T infrastructure and in the
• The awardees are supported by Department
formulation of India’s S & T policies.
of Science & Technology, for fellowship and
• His research contributed to several areas of
research.
chemical sciences including emulsions,
71
10. MISCELLANEOUS
caused by passage of sunlight through the
10.1. ANNULAR SOLAR ECLIPSE rough edge of the Moon.
Why in news? o This is the only time when one can find two
shadows for everything in all the sides
Recently, parts of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil
under the sunlight because the light
Nadu witnessed an annular solar eclipse. Rest of
source during Annularity is a giant
the country witnessed a partial solar eclipse.
illuminating ring.
About Solar eclipse o During an ASE, NASA uses ground and
Solar eclipse happens when the moon, while space instruments to view top layer of the
orbiting the Earth, comes in between the Sun and sun or corona when the sun’s glare is
the Earth, thereby blocking the sun’s light, fully or blocked by the moon.
partially. o During partial and annular solar eclipses, it
is dangerous to view sun without proper
There are four types of eclipses:
equipment and techniques. Not using
• Total solar eclipse: Total solar eclipses are rare proper methods and equipment for
at any particular location because totality viewing can cause permanent eye damage
exists only along a narrow path on the Earth's or severe visual loss.
surface traced by the Moon's full shadow • Hybrid Eclipse: This is a very rare eclipse where
or umbra. the eclipse will only be annular for the first few
o It happens when: seconds. For the rest it will be a total eclipse.
✓ it is New Moon.
✓ the Moon is near perigee (the closest
point of the Moon from Earth).
✓ the Moon is at (or very near) a lunar
node, so the Earth, the Moon, and the
Sun are aligned in a straight (or nearly
straight) line.
o It is visible only from a small area on Earth.
o People who are able to view the total solar
eclipse are in the centre of the moon’s
shadow as and when it hits the Earth.
• Partial solar eclipse: In it the shadow of the
moon appears on a small part of the sun.
• Annular solar eclipse (ASE):
o It occurs when the angular diameter of the
Moon falls short of that of the Sun so that
it cannot cover up the latter completely.
o Since the moon does not block the sun
completely, it looks like a “dark disk on top
of a larger sun-colored disk” forming a
“ring of fire” (or annulus).
o For an ASE to take place, three things need
to happen-
✓ there should be a New Moon
✓ the Moon should be at or very near a
lunar node so that the Sun, Moon and
the Earth all are in a straight line Lunar nodes
• The Moon’s orbit around the Earth is tilted with
✓ the Moon should be near the apogee
relation to the Earth’s orbital plane by 5 degrees
(the farthest point of the Moon from with two intersecting points – ‘Ascending Node’
Earth) so that the outer edge of the and ‘Descending Node.’
Sun is visible. • Thus, despite the Moon being between the Earth
o During one of the phases of the ASE a and Sun on every new Moon, the three do not
phenomena called Bailey’s Beads’ are always come on a straight line or cause an
visible. This is a thin fragmented ring eclipse.
72
• These nodes also rotate around the Earth once in SSR per year for exchanging scientific
18 years. knowledge to society.
• In this way, if a new Moon takes place when a • Appraisal and evaluation: It has also been
node is also between the Earth and Sun, the proposed to give credit to knowledge
three come in a straight line and an eclipse takes
workers/scientists for individual SSR activities
place.
in their annual performance appraisal and
evaluation.
10.2. SCIENTIFIC SOCIAL o No institution would be allowed to
RESPONSIBILITY (SSR) outsource or sub-contract their SSR
activities and projects.
Why in News? o All knowledge workers would be
Department of Science and Technology (DST) sensitised by their institutions about their
released a draft of its proposed Scientific Social ethical responsibility to contribute.
Responsibility (SSR) policy. o There should be an SSR monitoring
About Scientific Social Responsibility (SSR) system in each institution to assess
institutional projects and individual
• India is going to be possibly the first country in activities.
the world to implement a Scientific Social
• Implementation agency: A central agency will
Responsibility (SSR) Policy on the lines of
be established at DST to implement the SSR.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
Other centre & state ministries would also be
• It is the confluence of scientific knowledge encouraged to make their own plans to
with visionary leadership and social
implement SSR as per their mandate.
conscience.
• SSR is about building synergies among all Related news: SATHI
stakeholders in scientific knowledge • IIT Kharagpur has been selected for setting up a
community and also about developing Sophisticated Analytical and Technical Help
Institute (SATHI).
linkages between science and society.
• About SATHI:
• It aims to encourage science and technology o It is an initiative of the Department of Science
(S&T) institutions and individual scientists in and Technology.
the country to proactively engage in science o SATHI will be developed as a state-of-the-art
outreach activities to connect science with the shared, professionally managed science and
society. technology infrastructure facility.
• SR policy would involve four different o They will be equipped with major analytical
categories of stakeholders: instrument and advanced manufacturing
o beneficiaries (students; school/college facility, which is usually not available at
Institutes / Organisations.
teachers; local bodies; communities;
o The aim is to provide professionally managed
women’s groups etc.), services with efficiency, accessibility and
o implementers (institutions, science transparency under one roof to service the
centers, Central Ministries, State demands of industry, start-ups and academia.
Governments etc.), o SATHI facilities will be used for 80% of their
o assessors (Internal assessment cell or available time by External Users i.e. out-side of
external agency) and the Host Institutes.
o supporters (government agency, o IIT Kharagpur will treat the SATHI Centre as its
Corporate bodies etc. providing Social Scientific Responsibility (SSR)
programme to promote the culture of science-
grants/funds).
based entrepreneurship and start-ups in the
• The main objective of SSR policy is to harness country.
the voluntary potential that is latent in the o IIT-Delhi and BHU- Varanasi are other institutes
country’s scientific community to strengthen where SATHI facilities will be located.
science and society linkages so as to make S&T
ecosystem vibrant through Science-society 10.3. PERSONALITIES
connect & cultural change.
Policy directives 10.3.1. SRINIVAS RAMANUJAN
• 10 person-days of SSR per year: Individual Why in News?
scientists or knowledge workers will be
required to devote at least 10 person-days of Scientists from Technion — Israel Institute of
Technology have developed a concept named the
73
Ramanujan Machine, after the Indian • He was instrumental in establishing the
mathematician. Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in
About Ramanujan Machine Ahmedabad in 1947.
• He also founded the Ahmedabad Textile
• It is an algorithm that reflects the way
Industry’s Research Association in 1947 and
Srinivasa Ramanujan worked during his brief
looked after its affairs until 1956.
life.
• After Russia's Sputnik launch, he managed to
o Throughout his life, Ramanujan came up
convince the Indian government on the need
with novel equations and identities
for India, a developing country, to have its own
including equations leading to the value of
space program. For this he established the
pi and it was usually left to formally trained
Indian National Committee for Space
mathematicians to prove these.
Research in 1962, which was later, renamed
• The purpose of the machine is to come up with
the Indian Space Research Organization
conjectures in the form of mathematical
(ISRO).
formulas that we can analyze.
• He helped set up the Thumba Equatorial
• In most computer programs, humans input a
Rocket Launching Station in
problem and expect the algorithm to work out
Thiruvananthapuram, with its inaugural flight
a solution. But with the Ramanujan Machine, it
in 1963. It was later renamed as the Vikram
works the other way around.
Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC).
o Feed in a constant, say the well-known pi,
• He along with other Ahmedabad-based
and the algorithm will come up with an
industrialists played a major role in the creation
equation involving an infinite series whose
of the Indian Institute of Management,
value, it will propose, is exactly pi.
Ahmedabad.
About Srinivas Ramanujan • He had worked on India's first satellite
‘Aryabhata’.
• He was one of India's greatest mathematical
• Some of the other well-known institutions
geniuses born in Madras (1887-1920).
established by Dr. Sarabhai are:
• With very little formal training, he engaged
o Community Science Centre, Ahmedabad
with the most celebrated mathematicians of
o Darpan Academy for Performing Arts,
the time, particularly during his stay in England
Ahmedabad (along with his wife)
(1914-19), where he eventually became a
o Space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad
Fellow of the Royal Society and earned a
(This institution came into existence after
research degree from Cambridge.
merging six institutions/centres
• He discovered Hardy Ramanujan number i.e.
established by Sarabhai)
1729 which is the smaller number which can be
o Faster Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR),
expressed as the sum of two cubes in two
Kalpakkam
different ways- 1729 = 13 + 123 = 93 + 103.
o Varaiable Energy Cyclotron Project,
• Ramanujan made substantial contributions to
Calcutta
the analytical theory of numbers and worked
o Electronics Corporation of India Limited
on elliptic functions, continued fractions and
(ECIL), Hyderabad
infinite series.
o Uranium Corporation of India Limited
10.3.2. DR. VIKRAM SARABHAI (UCIL), Jaduguda, Bihar
• After the death of physicist Homi Bhabha in
Why in news? 1966, Sarabhai was appointed chairman of the
Atomic Energy Commission of India. Carrying
ISRO is planning for a yearlong programme for
forward Bhabha’s work in the field of nuclear
commemorating the birth centenary of its founder
research, Sarabhai was largely responsible for
father Dr. Vikram Sarabhai.
the establishment and development of India’s
About Dr. Vikram Sarabhai nuclear power plants. He laid the foundations
• Born in Ahmedabad in 1919, Dr. Vikram for the indigenous development of nuclear
Sarabhai is considered as the father of India's technology for defense purposes.
space program. Awards and honours
• He was a great institution builder and • He received the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar
established or helped to establish a large Award in 1962, Padma Bhushan in 1966 and
number of institutions in diverse fields. was conferred the Padma Vibhushan
posthumously in 1972.
74
• In 1973, a crater on the moon was named • It showcased the potential of
after him. India’s biotech sector to the
• Lander of Chandrayaan 2, India’s 2nd international community.
mission to moon is named ‘Vikram’ to • BIRAC is a not-for-profit, Public
Sector Enterprise, set up by
honour late Dr. Vikram Sarabhai.
(DBT).
10.4. OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS o It acts as an Interface Agency
to strengthen and empower
Denisovans • Scientists have for the first time the emerging Biotech
restructured Denisovans' skeletal enterprise to undertake
features, using DNA methylation strategic research and
(chemical changes), to understand innovation, addressing
how the long–lost human relative nationally relevant product
looked like, as reported by The development needs.
Nature.
Merger of • The National Institute of Miners’
• Denisovans are an extinct species NIMH and Health (NIMH) has been dissolved
of hominid and a close relative to NIOH and merged with the ICMR-
modern humans.
National Institute of Occupational
o Scientists first identified
Health (NIOH), Ahmedabad.
Denisovan remains from
• National Institute of Miners'
Denisova cave located in the
Health (NIMH) was setup in 1990 as
Altai mountains in Siberia in
an autonomous Institute under
2010.
Ministry of Mines (MoM).
o Denisovans may have ranged
• ICMR-National Institute of
from Siberia to Southeast Asia
Occupational Health (NIOH) comes
during the last Ice Age.
under Ministry of Health & Family
o Denisovans share a common
Welfare (MoH&FW). The focus
ancestor with both modern
area of NIOH is occupational health
humans and Neanderthals.
including occupational medicine
This common ancestor, called
and occupational hygiene.
Homo heidelbergensis, most
• It will lead to enhanced expertise in
likely lived in Africa.
the field of occupational health
Danuvius guggenmosi
coming from both the institutes,
• It is an ape that lived about 11.6
besides the efficient management
million years ago which combined
of public money.
attributes of humans - straight
lower limbs adapted for bipedalism
Sheath • Recently a team of Indian scientists
Blight has deciphered the genomic
- with those of apes - long arms able
disease diversity associated with
to stretch out to grasp tree
branches. aggressiveness of two strains
of Rhizoctonia solani, the fungal
• This indicates Danuvius was able to
pathogen, responsible for the
walk upright on two legs and also
Sheath Blight disease in rice.
use all four limbs while clambering
through trees. • Sheath Blight: It is a fungal disease,
can cause up to 60 per cent
Global Bio- • Recently Global Bio-India Summit,
reduction in rice yield. Due to this,
India 2019’ was held in Delhi. It was
infected leaves senesce or dry out
Summit, India’s first largest biotechnology
and die more rapidly. As a result,
2019 conference.
the leaf area of the canopy can
• It was organised by The
significantly be causing yield
reduction. Plants are more
(under Ministry of Science and
vulnerable to sheath blight during
Technology) and Biotechnology
the rainy season.
Industry Research Assistance
Council (BIRAC).

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75
Table of Contents
1. BIOTECHNOLOGY ___________________ 3 4. IT & COMPUTER___________________ 22
1.1. DNA Technology (Use and Application) 4.1. Data Protection ___________________ 22
Regulation Bill ________________________ 3 4.2. Net Neutrality ____________________ 22
1.2. Human Microbiome ________________ 3 4.3. 5G ______________________________ 23
1.3. Gene Editing ______________________ 4 4.4. Digital Initiatives __________________ 23
1.4. Earth Biogenome Project ____________ 4 4.4.1. National Digital Literacy Mission _______ 23
2. SPACE TECHNOLOGY ________________ 6 4.4.2. Digital Village Programme ____________ 23
2.1. ISRO _____________________________ 6 4.4.3. Digital North-East Vision 2022 _________ 24
2.1.1. Gaganyaan Mission __________________ 6 4.4.4. Digital Payment ____________________ 24
2.1.2. GSAT-11 ___________________________ 6 4.5. Cryptocurrency ___________________ 25
2.1.3. Hyperspectral Imaging Satellite (HYSIS) __ 7 4.6. Artificial Intelligence _______________ 26
2.1.4. Satellite Launch Vehicles by ISRO _______ 7 4.7. Supercomputer ___________________ 27
2.1.5. Young Scientist Programme (YUVIKA) ___ 8 4.8. Cyber-Physical Systems _____________ 28
2.2. NASA Missions in News _____________ 8 4.9. Paris Call_________________________ 29
2.3. Other Space Missions in News _______ 10 4.10. Gravityrat Malware _______________ 29
2.4. Plan to Prevent Asteroid Attack ______ 12 5. HEALTH _________________________ 31
2.5. Other Space Related Development in 5.1. Food and Health __________________ 31
India _______________________________ 12 5.1.1. Food Fortification ___________________ 31
2.5.1. India-Based Neutrino Observatory _____ 12 5.1.2. Eat Right India Movement ____________ 31
2.5.2. Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave 5.1.3. Repurpose Used Cooking Oil (RUCO) ___ 31
Observatory ____________________________ 13 5.1.4. Trans Fat __________________________ 32
2.5.3. Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation 5.2. Pharmaceuticals __________________ 33
(CMBR) ________________________________ 13 5.2.1. Antimicrobial Resistance _____________ 33
2.5.4. India’s First Robotic Telescope ________ 14 5.2.2. Fixed Dose Combinations (FDCs) _______ 34
2.5.5. Sunspot Cycle _____________________ 14 5.2.3. National Medical Devices Promotion
2.5.6. Exoplanet Discovered by India ________ 15 Council ________________________________ 34
2.5.7. Particle Decay _____________________ 15 5.2.4. Animal-Free Testing for Drugs _________ 34
2.5.8. Earth’s Two Extra Hidden 'Moons' _____ 16 5.3. Viral Diseases _____________________ 35
3. DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY _____________ 17 5.3.1. Nipah Virus ________________________ 35
3.1. Integrated Guided Missile Development 5.3.2. Zika Virus _________________________ 35
Plan (IGDMP) ________________________ 17 5.3.3. Polio Virus ________________________ 36
3.1.1. Agni _____________________________ 17 5.3.4. Measles-Rubella ____________________ 36
3.1.2. PRITHVI __________________________ 17 5.3.5. National Action Plan for Viral Hepatitis
3.1.3. NAG _____________________________ 17 Control ________________________________ 36
3.1.4. Akash Missile ______________________ 17 5.3.6. Chikungunya Virus __________________ 37
3.1.5. Trishul Missile _____________________ 17 5.3.7. Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine ________ 37
3.2. INS Arihant ______________________ 18 5.4. Bacterial Diseases _________________ 38
3.3. Project 75(I) ______________________ 18 5.4.1. WHO TB Report and Roadmap ________ 38
3.4. Smart Border Fence________________ 19 5.4.2. Leprosy in India ____________________ 39
5.4.3. Nepal Eliminates Trachoma ___________ 40
3.5. Drone Regulations in India __________ 19
5.5. Other News ______________________ 40
3.6. Other Defence Projects in News ______ 20
5.5.1. Triple Drug Therapy for Lymphatic Filariasis
3.6.1. Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) ______ 20
(ELEPHANTIASIS) ________________________ 40
3.6.2. Missile Prahaar ____________________ 20
5.5.2. Rare Diseases ______________________ 40
3.6.3. Milan-2t Anti-Tank Missiles __________ 20
5.5.3. ‘P Null’ Phenotype __________________ 41
3.6.4. Barak-8 Missile ____________________ 20
5.5.4. Bacteria Wolbachia _________________ 41
3.6.5. National Advance Surface to Air Missile
5.5.5. WHO Publishes Essential Diagnostics List 41
System-II (NASAMS) _____________________ 20
5.5.6. Celiac disease ______________________ 41
3.6.6. Avangard Hypersonic System _________ 21
3.6.7. Pinaka Rocket _____________________ 21 6. IPR _____________________________ 43
3.6.8. LCA Tejas _________________________ 21 6.1. WIPO Treaties ____________________ 43
3.6.9. Chinook Helicopters ________________ 21 6.2. IPrism ___________________________ 44
3.6.10. Artillery Gun ‘Dhanush’ _____________ 21 7. ALTERNATIVE ENERGY _____________ 45
1
DELHI | JAIPUR | PUNE | HYDERABAD | AHMEDABAD | LUCKNOW 8468022022
7.1. India’s First Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) Battery 10.2. Call for Two Time Zones in India _____ 55
Project______________________________ 45 10.3. Coloured X-Ray on Human _________ 56
7.2. Thermal Battery __________________ 45 10.4. International Year of The Periodic Table
7.3. Hydrogen-CNG ____________________ 45 of Chemical Elements __________________ 56
7.4. World’s First Hydrogen Fuel Cell Train _ 46 10.5. Science-Based Targets _____________ 57
7.5. Apsara-U ________________________ 46 10.6. FASTag _________________________ 57
7.6. World’s First Floating Nuclear Plant ___ 47 10.7. Dry Sorbent Injection (DSI) _________ 57
8. RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT ________ 48 10.8. Artificial Leaf ____________________ 57
8.1. Prime Minister's Science Technology and 10.9. 106th Indian Science Congress ______ 58
Innovation Council (PM-STIAC) __________ 48 10.10. Other Important News ___________ 58
8.2. Mission Innovation ________________ 48 10.10.1. New Element with Magnetic Properties
8.3. Atal Tinkering Marathon ____________ 48 Discovered _____________________________ 58
8.4. Recent Initiatives Related to Research _ 49 10.10.2. Formalin ________________________ 58
10.10.3. Bisphenol A (BPA) ________________ 59
9. AWARDS_________________________ 52 10.10.4. Shifting North Magnetic Pole _______ 59
9.1. Noble Prizes 2018 _________________ 52 10.10.5. Firecrackers Developed by CSIR _____ 59
9.1.1. Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine __ 52 10.10.6. Oneer __________________________ 59
9.1.2. Nobel Prize in Physics _______________ 52 10.10.7. Ideate for India___________________ 59
9.1.3. Nobel Prize in Chemistry _____________ 53 10.10.8. Telerobotic Surgery _______________ 59
9.2. Fields Medal _____________________ 54 10.10.9. CUSAT Stratosphere-Troposphere Radar
10. MISCELLANEOUS _________________ 55 (CUSAT ST-205 Radar) ____________________ 59
10.1. Overhaul of SI Units ______________ 55

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8468022022 DELHI | JAIPUR | PUNE | HYDERABAD | AHMEDABAD | LUCKNOW
1. BIOTECHNOLOGY
1.1. DNA TECHNOLOGY (USE AND 1.2. HUMAN MICROBIOME
APPLICATION) REGULATION BILL Why in news?
Why in news? Indian Human Microbiome Initiative, led by The
Lok Sabha recently passed DNA Technology (Use National Centre for Microbial Resource (NCMR) -
and Application) Regulation Bill, 2019. National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS) has been
put up for approval.
More on news
More on news
• The Bill regulates the use of DNA technology
for establishing the identity of persons in • The project will include collection of saliva,
respect of criminal matters and civil matters stool and skin swabs of 20,000 Indians across
such as parentage disputes, transplantation of various ethnic groups from different
human organs etc. geographical regions.
• The bill also provides for: establishment of a • Scientists have found that Indian population,
DNA Regulatory Board; accreditation of DNA particularly tribals, have distinct gut
laboratories undertaking DNA testing, microbiota. Such tribal populations are
analysing, etc.; establishment of the National largely unaffected by “modern” diet and
and Regional DNA Data Banks. have lower prevalence of lifestyle diseases.
• Written consent by individuals is required to What is Microbiome?
collect DNA samples from them. Consent is
not required for offences with punishment of • The collective genome of all micro-organisms
more than seven years of imprisonment or contained within the human body, residing
death. inside tissues & bio-fluids is called Human
Microbiome. It includes
DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid bacteria, archaea, fungi, protists and viruses.
• It is the hereditary material in humans and almost • Most of them have either commensal (co-
all other organisms.
exist without harming humans) or mutualistic
• Most DNA is located in the cell nucleus (where it is
(each benefit from the other) relation.
called nuclear DNA), but a small amount of DNA
can also be found in the mitochondria (where it is • The composition of microbiome is shaped by
called mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA). factors such as genetics, dietary habits, age,
• DNA is made up of molecules called nucleotides. geographic location and ethnicity.
Each nucleotide contains a phosphate group, a • Human microbiome makes up around 2% of
sugar group & a nitrogen base. The four types of the body mass of the adult. There are 10 times
nitrogen bases are adenine(A), thymine(T), as many outside organisms as there are
guanine(G) & cytosine (C). human cells in human body.
• DNA is a double helix formed by base pairs
attached to a sugar-phosphate backbone. Importance of the Human Microbiome
• Application:
• Microbial communities play a key role in many
o It can almost accurately ascertain the identity
of a person, establish biological relationships
aspects of host physiology:
between individuals etc. Thus, useful in o Metabolism of otherwise complex
investigations of crime, identification of indigestible carbohydrates and fats
unidentified bodies, or in determining o Production of essential vitamins
parentage. o Maintaining immune systems
o It can also reveal person looks, eye colour, o Acting as a first line of defense against
skin colour as well as more intrusive pathogens.
information like their allergies or susceptibility o Determines how one responds to a
to diseases.
particular drug treatment
o It can be used in biometric identification in
addition to Iris scanning, Retinal scanning and About Human Microbiome Project (HMP)
Voice recognition.
• It is a research initiative of US’s National
Institute of Health with the mission to
generate the resources and expertise needed
3
to characterize the human microbiome and o It is faster, cheaper, more accurate, and
analyze its role in health and disease. more efficient than other existing
• Launched in 2007, it is focused on identifying genome editing methods
and characterizing human microbial fauna and o CRISPR is the DNA-targeting part of the
elucidating their roles in health and diseases. system which consists of an RNA
• Some methodologies used in HMP are: molecule, or ‘guide’, designed to bind to
o Metagenomics, a sequence-based specific DNA bases through
approach that allows the genetic material complementary base-pairing.
from the complete collection of microbes o Cas9 is the nuclease part that cuts the
to be analyzed in their natural DNA.
environment without needing to cultivate Related information
the microorganisms. • Gene: A gene is the basic physical and functional
o Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) to unit of heredity. Genes are made up of DNA.
provide a "deep" genetic perspective on o Some genes act as instructions to make
molecules called proteins.
aspects of a given microbial
o Every person has two copies of each gene, one
community, i.e. individual bacterial inherited from each parent.
species. o Alleles are forms of the same gene with small
Related news differences in their sequence of DNA bases.
SALSA o These small differences contribute to each
• Recently, an international team of scientists began person’s unique physical features.
a research named SALSA (SUBGLACIAL
ANTARCTIC LAKES SCIENTIFIC ACCESS) for study 1.4. EARTH BIOGENOME PROJECT
of microbes and living specimens in a Subglacial
Lake Mercer of Antarctica. Why in News?
• This project could add to understanding of the
evolution of life in these extreme environments on International biologists have launched an
earth and other celestial bodies such as habitats ambitious Earth BioGenome Project at an
deep inside Mars or on the ice-covered moons of estimated cost of $4.7bn.
Jupiter and Saturn.
• A subglacial lake is a body of liquid water located in About Earth BioGenome Project
between an ice sheet and the continental land • It aims to sequence, catalog and characterize
mass. The water remains liquid because the ice the genomes of all of Earth’s eukaryotic
sheet above the water acts as an insulator and
biodiversity over a period of ten years.
traps geothermal heat from the Earth’s crust.
• It involves projects by various countries:
1.3. GENE EDITING o US-led project to sequence the genetic
code of tens of thousands of vertebrates.
Why in news? o Chinese project to sequence 10,000 plant
genomes.
Recently a Chinese scientist claimed that he o The Global Ant Genomes Alliance, which
helped make the world’s first “genetically-edited” aims to sequence around 200 ant
babies in whom a gene linked to HIV was remove genomes.
using CRISPR technique. o UK participants, led by the Wellcome
What is gene editing? Sanger Institute, will also sequence the
genetic codes of all 66,000 species
• Genome editing (also called gene editing) is a inhabiting Britain in a national effort
group of technologies that give scientists the called the Darwin Tree of Life.
ability to change an organism's DNA. • The initiative would produce a database of
• These technologies allow genetic material to biological information (shared online for
be added, removed, or altered at particular free), that provides a platform for scientific
locations in the genome. research and supports environmental and
• A recent approach to genome editing is conservation initiatives.
known as CRISPR-Cas9, which is short for • The participating institutions would raise their
clustered regularly interspaced short own funding as far as possible. However, the
palindromic repeats and CRISPR-associated project has the backing of the World
protein 9. Economic Forum.
o It was adapted from a naturally occurring
genome editing system in bacteria.
4
Related Information
• Genome: It is an organism’s complete set of DNA, including all of its genes. In humans, it is contained in all cells that
have a nucleus.
What is Genome sequencing?
• It is figuring out the order of DNA nucleotides, or bases, in a genome.
• It may provide new information on the genetic basis of poorly understood diseases, with the potential to provide
new therapies.
Eukaryotes
• These are organisms whose cells have a nucleus enclosed by membranes.
• These are animals, plants, fungi and protozoa, which encompass all of life except simple microbes (bacteria and
archaea, which are prokaryotes).
Human Genome Project (HGP):
HGP-Read:
• This was an international and multi-institutional effort that took 13 years [1990-2003] to produce a blueprint of the
human genome.
• The HGP has revealed that there are probably about 20,500 human genes composed of over 3 billion base pairs.
• India did not participate in HGP-read.
HGP-Write:
• This project was launched in 2016 to write or build an artificial human genome from scratch with sophisticated
bioengineering tools.
• Potential applications include growing transplantable human organs, engineering immunity to viruses in cell lines,
engineering cancer resistance into new therapeutic cell lines, and accelerating high-productivity, cost-efficient
vaccine etc.
Genome India Project
• It was launched in 2017 by the Centre for Brain Research at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in collaboration
with Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (a national institute of the Department of
Biotechnology).
• It seeks to carry out Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) of over 2,000 individuals spanning different ethnic, linguistic
and socio-cultural sections of the northeastern states.
• It would help in understanding the genetic origins of the different ethnic groups and also an increased
understanding of the genetic disease burden which would help in the development of personalised medicine.
100k GenomeAsia Project: A group of Indian scientists and companies are involved with a 100k GenomeAsia project, led
out of the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, to sequence the whole genomes of 100k Asians,
including 50,000 Indians.
5
2. SPACE TECHNOLOGY
• ISRO Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) at
2.1. ISRO
Bengaluru will be responsible for
implementation of GAGANYAAN Project.
2.1.1. GAGANYAAN MISSION Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), 1969.
Why in News? • It’s the pioneer space exploration agency of the
GoI, with headquarters at Bengaluru.
Prime Minister in his Independence Day speech • Vision: To develop and harness space technology
announced that ISRO will be sending its first in national development, while pursuing planetary
human spaceflight mission into the space by 2022. exploration and space science research.
• ISRO replaced its predecessor, INCOSPAR (Indian
Background National Committee for Space Research),
• In 2004, the manned space mission was first established in 1962 by India’s first Prime Minister
Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru and scientist Vikram Sarabhai.
endorsed by the ISRO Policy Planning
• It operates through a countrywide network of
Committee.
centre such as Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in
• ISRO has successfully demonstrated some of Thiruvananthapuram, ISRO Satellite Centre in
the technologies required for the mission Bangalore, Satish Dhawan Space Centre on
such as Space Capsule Recovery Experiment Sriharikota Island, near Chennai, Space
(SRE-2007), Crew module Atmospheric Applications Centre in Ahmedabad, National
Reentry Experiment (CARE-2014), GSLV Mk-III Remote Sensing Centre in Hyderabad etc.
(2014), Reusable Launch Vehicle- Technology • ISRO’s commercial arm is Antrix Corporation,
Demonstrator (RLV-TD), Crew Escape System which has its headquarters in Bangalore.
(2018) and Pad Abort Test (2018).
2.1.2. GSAT-11
• ISRO also recently unveiled a space capsule
(crew module) and Space suit prototype. Why in News?
• ISRO has also finalized the layout and design GSAT-11, the heaviest satellite built by ISRO was
of Environmental Control & Life Support launched from French Guiana by Ariane-V Rocket
System (ECLSS). of Arianespace (a joint venture of Airbus and
• A successful implementation of the mission Safran).
could provide with multiple benefits such as: About GSAT-11
development of newer technologies, • It weighs around 5855 Kg, double the size of
increased understanding of functioning of biggest satellite built by ISRO till now. ISRO’s
human body, understanding of effects of most powerful launcher GSLV-Mk III can
microgravity and cosmic radiation on bio- launch satellite weighing up to 4000 kg only.
organisms ranging from bacteria and plants to • It is part of ISRO’s high-throughout
large mammals etc. communication satellite (HTS) fleet that will
drive the country’s Internet Broadband from
Specifications space to untouched areas. It is built to provide
• Launch Vehicle: GSLV Mk-III launch vehicle will throughput data rate of 16 gbps.
be used to launch Gaganyaan. Two unmanned • It carries 40 transponders in Ku (32)/ Ka (8)
Gaganyaan missions will be undertaken prior Band. For the First time use of Ka-Band is
to sending humans, with first unmanned flight introduced in India through GSAT-11.
within 30 months. • It will be placed in a circular geo-stationary
• Cost: It’s expected to be less than Rs. 10,000 orbit almost 36,000 Km away and settle at 74°
Crores. E in India.
• Aim: To send a three-member crew to space • It has a lifespan of 15 years.
for a period of five to seven days. The GSAT
spacecraft will be placed in a low earth orbit • A GSAT is a series of geosynchronous satellite
of 300-400km. placed in geosynchronous orbit, with an orbital
period same as the Earth's rotation period.
• This will be the first human mission
• Such a satellite returns to the same position in the
indigenously developed by ISRO. sky after each day.
• It will comprise of a crew module and service • A special case of geosynchronous satellite is the
module that constitute an orbital module. The geostationary satellite, which has a geostationary
crew will do microgravity experiment during orbit – a circular orbit directly above the Earth's
the mission. equator.
6
o Geosynchronous satellites have the advantage be used to characterize the objects in the
of remaining permanently in the same area of scene with great precision and detail.
the sky, as viewed from a particular location on • Hyperspectral images provide much more
Earth. detailed information about the scene by
o Geostationary satellites have the special
dividing the spectrum into many more bands
property of remaining permanently fixed in
exactly the same position in the sky, meaning than a normal color camera, which only
that ground-based antennas do not need to acquires three different spectral channels
track them but can remain fixed in one corresponding to the visual primary colors
direction. Such satellites are often used for red, green and blue.
communication purposes. This orbit is present • It was first tried by ISRO in an experimental
at an altitude of approx. 35,786 km in the satellite in May 2008 and later on
equatorial plane. Chandrayaan-1 mission for mapping lunar
Related information mineral resources.
Sun Synchronous Orbits (or Low Earth Orbit): These • Application: Hyperspectral remote sensing is
orbits allows a satellite to pass over a section of the used for a range of applications like
Earth at the same time of day. These satellites orbit at agriculture, forestry, soil survey, geology,
an altitude between 700 to 800 km. coastal zones, inland water studies,
Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO) is an elliptical orbit, environmental studies, detection of pollution
with an apogee (high point) of 35,784 kilometers and from industries and the military for
an inclination roughly equal to the latitude of the
surveillance or anti-terror operations.
launch site, into which a spacecraft is initially placed
Related Information
before being transferred to a geosynchronous or
Spectral Imaging
geostationary orbit.
• It is imaging that uses multiple bands across the
Ku vs Ka Band electromagnetic spectrum like using infrared, the
• Ku band ranges between 12-18 GHz while Ka Band visible spectrum, the ultraviolet, x-rays, or some
ranges from 26.5-40 GHz. combination of the above.
• Most satellites today use Ku Band Transponders Hyperspectal imaging vs multi spectral imaging
because it is difficult to build hardware and • The main difference between multispectral and
software for Ka Band Transponders. hyperspectral is the number of bands and how
narrow the bands are.
2.1.3. HYPERSPECTRAL IMAGING • Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) uses continuous and
SATELLITE (HYSIS) contiguous ranges of wavelengths (e.g. 400 - 1100
nm in steps of 0.1 nm) whilst multispectral imaging
Why in News? (MSI) uses a subset of targeted wavelengths at
chosen locations (e.g. 400 - 1100 nm in steps of 20
PSLV C43 recently launched India's first
nm).
Hyperspectral Imaging Satellite (HysIS) from • Hyperspectral imagery consists of much narrower
Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. bands (10-20 nm). A hyperspectral image could
More on news have hundreds or thousands of bands. In general,
it comes from an imaging spectrometer.
• HysIS is an earth observation satellite built
Related news
around ISRO’s Mini Satellite-2 (IMS-2) bus.
• The Indian Air Force (IAF) has commissioned the
• It was placed into polar sun synchronous development of a Hyper Spectral Programme for
orbit and has mission lifespan of 5 years. monitoring suspicious moments along the
• One micro and 29 nano satellites from eight international border and some parts within the
different countries including USA, Australia country.
and Canada were also launched along Hysis by • This hyper spectral programme, a first for the
PSLV- C43. nation, will help detect or identify the presence of
a human below trees, dense foliage, shrubs or
About the Hyperspectral Imaging Technology inside a structure, whether it is day or night.
• It can detect human presence from air even if
• It combines the power of digital imaging and
there is clouds cover, dense fog or snow cover.
spectroscopy to attain both spatial and
spectral information from an object. 2.1.4. SATELLITE LAUNCH VEHICLES BY
• This result can be then used to identify, ISRO
measure and locate different materials and
their chemical and physical properties. Every Why in news?
pixel in the image contains a continuous
• Recently, ISRO launched satellite-GSAT-29
spectrum (in radiance or reflectance) and can
through the launcher GSLV-Mk III D2.
7
• Recently, India's Polar Satellite Launch weighing about 10,000 kg to a Low Earth Orbit
Vehicle (PSLV-C44) successfully injected (LEO).
Microsat-R and Kalamsat-V2 satellites into o The indigenous cryogenic C25 engine helps to
keep fuel loads on the rocket relatively low.
their designated orbits.
India is among six nations — apart from the
More on news US, Russia, France, Japan and China — to
possess cryogenic engine technology.
• With a lift-off mass of 3423 kg, GSAT 29 is a
multi-beam, multiband communication 2.1.5. YOUNG SCIENTIST PROGRAMME
satellite of India and is the heaviest satellite (YUVIKA)
launched from India. It will bridge the digital
divide of users including those in Jammu & Why in News?
Kashmir and North Eastern regions of India.
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has
• PS4 in PSLV C-44: Normally, the last stage of a recently launched Young Scientist Programme/
PSLV rocket after releasing the primary YUva VIgyani KAryakram (Yuvika) for school
satellite in space becomes dead and students.
categorised as debris. However, in PSLV-C44,
the fourth stage (PS4) of the vehicle would be About the Young Scientist Programme
moved to higher circular orbit so as to • It aims to inculcate and nurture space
establish an orbital platform for carrying out research fervor in young minds
experiments. • Under this 1-month program, 3 students from
o Payload: Kalamsat (Nano-satellite), a each of the 29 States and 7 UTs will be
student payload will be the first to use selected.
PS4 as orbital platform. Microsat-R is a
• Students mostly from class VIII will be given
military imaging satellite.
lectures and access to R&D labs and practical
Satellite-Launch Vehicles Developed By ISRO
experience of building a small satellite.
PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle): It is designed
mainly to deliver the “earth-observation” or “remote- • Eligibility: Students who have just finished
sensing” satellites with lift-off mass of up to about 1750 9th standard (in the academic year 2018-19)
Kg to Sun-Synchronous circular polar orbits of 600-900 and waiting to join 10th standard (or those
Km altitude. who have started 10th Std just now).
• PSLV is a four-staged launch vehicle with • All the expenses of travelling and boarding
alternating solid and liquid stages. will be funded entirely by ISRO.
• PSLV is classified into its various versions like • Under this, six incubation centres will be
corealone version (PSLV-CA), PSLV-G or PSLV-XL
established in various parts of the country -
variants depending on the number of these
strapon boosters
North, South, East, West, Centre and North-
• PSLV is also used to launch the satellites of lower East, and the first such centre has been
lift-off mass of up to about 1400 Kg to the elliptical established in Agartala in Tripura.
Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).
GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle): GSLV 2.2. NASA MISSIONS IN NEWS
is designed mainly to deliver the communication
satellites to the highly elliptical (typically 250 x 36000 Mission Details
Km) Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). Two Parker Solar • It is first to fly direct into the Sun’s
versions of the GSLV: Probe atmosphere known as corona. The
• GSLV Mk-II: is a three stage vehicle with four liquid Sun’s unstable corona produces:
strap-ons. First stage using solid rocket motor, solar winds, flares, magnetic and
second stage using Liquid fuel and Cryogenic plasma explosions.
Upper Stage (CUS) forms the third stage of GSLV • It will take measurements of the
Mk II. has the capability to launch satellites of lift- Sun’s electric fields and waves.
off mass of up to 2,500 kg to the GTO and satellites InSight Mars • First spacecraft designed to
of up to 5,000 kg lift-off mass to the LEO (low Lander explore the deep interior of the
earth orbit). red planet.
• GSLV MK-III: It is a three stage vehicle with an • The landing site is Elysium Planitia,
indigenous cryogenic upper stage engine (C25) close to Mars’ equator.
with two solid fuel strap-on engines in the first Opportunity • It has been recently declared as
stage, a liquid propellant core as second stage. It Rover complete. It confirmed that water
has been designed to carry heavier communication once flowed on the Mars.
satellites weighing up to 4000 kg into the Cassini- • It was launched through
Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit or satellites Huygens collaboration between NASA, ESA
8
Mission and the Italian space agency to present a remarkable similarity
study Saturn and its system of with the ones recently obtained by
rings and moons (Saturn’s largest the JAXA Hayabusa2 mission
moon is Titan) (Japanese mission) of another
• It was first spacecraft to orbit primitive asteroid, Ryugu.
Saturn. Lucy Mission • To be launched in 2021, it will be
Voyager 1 • Voyager 2 has become the second the first space mission to study
and 2 human-made object in history to the Jupiter’s Trojan Asteroids and
enter the interstellar space after will fly by six Trojans and one Main
crossing the heliopause (region Belt asteroid.
where the tenuous, hot solar wind • Trojan Asteroids are any one of a
meets the cold, dense interstellar number of asteroids that occupy a
medium). stable Lagrangian point in
• Voyager 1 was the first spacecraft a planet’s orbit around the Sun.
to have entered interstellar space Interstellar • It aims to learn more about the
New • It recently completed the flyby of Mapping generation of cosmic rays in the
Horizons the Kuiper Belt object nicknamed and heliosphere. It is too be launched
probe Ultima Thule and set the record for Acceleration by 2024.
the most distant object ever visited Probe
by a spacecraft. (IMAP)
• It is the first mission to the Pluto mission
System and the Kuiper belt. Kepler • Kepler is a space observatory
• The farthest ever trajectory Mission launched by NASA to discover
correction maneuvers (TCM) or Earth-size planets orbiting other
course correction has been stars. It was recently retired.
performed on this spacecraft. • The Kepler telescope detects the
• Ultima Thule is a contact binary i.e presence of planets by registering
it’s a single object, with two lobes, minuscule drops in a star’s
but the lobes are gently in contact. brightness that occurs when a
NASA dubbed the larger lobe planet crosses in front of it, a
Ultima, and the other, which is movement known as a transit.
about three times smaller, Thule. • Transiting Exoplanet Survey
• Kuiper Belt is a donut-shaped Satellite (TESS) is its successor.
region of icy bodies beyond the Chandra X- It entered protective “safe mode” due
orbit of Neptune. ray to a malfunction. It is one of NASA’s
o The icy objects of the Kuiper Observatory original “Great Observatories” projects
Belt are remnants left over along with Hubble, the Compton
from the formation of the Gamma-Ray Observatory and the
solar system. Spitzer Space Telescope.
o Many Kuiper Belt objects have Hubble • It is a joint venture between NASA
remained unchanged for Telescope and the European Space Agency
billions of years, and could (ESA) — was launched in its orbit
provide clues to the history of 552 km above Earth.
the Solar System, and possibly • It is the first major optical
the conditions that led to the telescope to be placed in space.
evolution of a habitable world • It has the ability to see in multiple
like Earth. wavelengths — near infrared,
o Pluto also lies in the Kuiper visible light and near ultraviolet.
belt. James Webb • It is a joint project of the NASA,
Dawn • Only mission ever to orbit two Space the European Space Agency and
mission extraterrestrial targets - giant the Canadian Space Agency.
asteroid Vesta and the dwarf • It will be the successor of Hubble
planet Ceres. Space Telescope and 100 times
• Ceres is the largest body in the powerful than it.
asteroid belt between Mars and Spectro- • It is space telescope scheduled to
Jupiter. It is only dwarf planet Photometer be launched in 2023. It is part of
located in the inner circle of the for the NASA's Explorer Program and is
solar system, rest all are located History of planned as a two-year mission with
on the outer edges. the a twofold aim: to understand the
OSIRIS-REx • It is a space probe launched for a Universe, evolution of the universe and how
near earth asteroid Bennu in 2016. Epoch of common the ingredients for life
• These first images of Bennu
9
Reionization are in our galaxy. the south.
and Ices • It will survey the entire sky every 6 • It is the first of nine sounding
Explorer months from low-Earth polar rockets to be launched over the
(SPHEREx) orbit, in optical as well as near- next 14 months as part of the
infrared light, creating the first Grand Challenge Initiative (GCI),
spectral all-sky survey at infrared an international collaboration to
wavelengths. explore the unusual portal
• The mission will create a map of between Earth and space.
the entire sky in 96 different
colour bands, far exceeding the 2.3. OTHER SPACE MISSIONS IN
colour resolution of previous all-
sky maps. NEWS
ICESat (Ice, • It is a recently launched
Mission Details
Cloud, and benchmark Earth Observing
BepiColombo • It is Europe's first mission to
land System mission for measuring ice
Mission Mercury, set off in 2018 and
Elevation sheet mass balance, cloud and
reach there in 2025.
Satellite)-2 aerosol heights, as well as land
• It is a joint mission between
topography and vegetation
ESA and the Japan Aerospace
characteristics.
Exploration Agency (JAXA).
Gravity • It's a joint mission by NASA and
• Mercury is the smallest
Recovery the German Research Centre for
planet in our Solar System.
and Climate Geosciences (GFZ) to map Earth's
Till now only NASA’s Mariner
Experiment gravitational fields and study
10 and US Space Agency’s
Follow-On changes Earth’s gravitational pull
Messenger have flown past
(GRACE-FO) due to moving water.
the planet.
• It is a successor to the original
Aeolus satellite • It’s an European Space
GRACE Mission (2002-2017). It was
Agency’s Earth Explorer
the first mission to measure the
satellite and world’s first
amount of ice being lost from the
space mission to map the
Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets.
Earth’s wind on a global
Visualizing • It is a sounding rocket mission to
scale.
Ion Outflow get a closer look at the how the
• It is part of the ESA's Living
via Neutral Earth’s atmosphere is slowly
Planet Programme which
Atom leaking into space.
include various missions like:
Sensing-2 o A sounding or probe rocket
o Gravity field and steady-
(VISIONS-2) makes brief, targeted flights
state Ocean Circulation
Mission into space before falling back
Explorer (GOCE)
to Earth just a few minutes
o Soil Moisture and Ocean
later and is designed to probe
Salinity
atmospheric conditions and
o CryoSat mission
structure at heights (80–160
o Swarm magnetic field
km).
mission
• The aurora borealis is of keen
European • European Southern
interest to the VISIONS-2 team as
Southern Observatory (ESO) recently
they are fundamental drivers in the
Observatory sighted hyperion the largest
process of atmospheric escape.
ever galaxy proto-
o The auroras are formed when
supercluster sighted till date.
energetic electrons,
accelerated in the electric and • ESO is an intergovernmental
magnetic fields from sun in organisation with 16
near-Earth space, crash into Member States along with
and excite atmospheric gases, the host state of Chile and
which emit bright hues of red, with Australia as a strategic
green, and yellow as they partner.
relax back to a lower energy Chang’e-4 • It is part of the second phase
state. spacecraft of China’s lunar programme.
o The lights are seen above the • It is the first mission to land
magnetic poles of the on the far side of the Moon.
northern and southern It landed at the South Pole-
hemispheres. They are known Aitken Basin.
as 'Aurora borealis' in the • Far side is the hemisphere of
north and 'Aurora Australis' in the Moon that always faces
10
away from Earth. spacecraft carry people to
• From Earth, only 59% of the ISS after USA retired its
moon is visible over a period space shuttle in 2011.
of time due to: Ibuki-2/ • Recently Japan launched
o Tidal locking: Moon Greenhouse gases greenhouse gas observation
takes nearly same time Observing satellite Ibuki-2.
i.e. 27 days, to come one SATellite-2 • Japan also launched the
orbit around the Earth United Arab Emirates’ first
and also to rotate once locally made satellite, the
on its own axis. Thus, KhalifaSat Earth observation
same side of the moon is satellite.
visible from Earth while • Other Environmental
the farther remains Satellite
dark. o Orbiting Carbon
o Lunar vibrations: due to Observatory-2, or OCO-2
tidal locking, ideally 50% by NASA, is designed to
of the moon should be monitor carbon dioxide in
visible but we see 59% our planet’s atmosphere.
because of north-south o Geostationary Carbon
rocking and east-west Observatory (GeoCarb),
wobbling of moon – will build on the success of
called as lunar OCO-2 by NASA, will map
vibrations. concentrations of key
• There are more impact carbon gases above the
craters on the far side of the Americas from
Moon than the near side as geostationary orbit.
near side has much thinner o Gaofen 5 environmental
crust which has allowed monitoring satellite by
volcanoes to erupt and fill in China, to survey global
ancient large basins. land and water resources,
• The Earth partially shields air pollutants, greenhouse
the near side of the Moon gases and other
from incoming asteroids. environmental
Tiangong • Recently China presented parameters.
replica of its first o Venus Satellite: It's Israel
permanently crewed space first environmental
station. research satellite, jointly
• Tiangong (‘Heavenly Palace’) built by Israel and France.
is a space station program of X-Calibur • Recently, Washington
China to place the Chinese University launched telescope
large modular space station named X-Calibur, from
in Low Earth orbit by 2022. Antarctica.
• International Space Station • It intends to measure the
(ISS) is expected to be de- polarization of X-rays arriving
commissioned in 2024 and from distant neutron stars,
CSS will fill the vacuum in black holes, etc.
Space Station based • The observations will also test
research. two of the most important
o ISS is a habitable theories in modern physics
artificial satellite in low under extreme conditions:
earth orbit operational quantum electrodynamics
since 1998. It is and general relativity.
collaborative effort • Quantum electrodynamics - is
between space agencies a quantum field theory of
of the United States, the electromagnetic force.
Russia, Canada, Europe Taking the example of the
and Japan. force between two electrons,
Soyuz • The Soyuz is a Russian the classical theory of
spacecraft which carries electromagnetism would
people and supplies to and describe it as arising from
from the space station. the electric field produced by
• Currently only this Russian each electron at the position
11
of the other. The force can be streak of light in the sky (meteor shower). They are
calculated from Coulomb's then called Meteors or shooting stars.
law. • Meteorites – When the meteors do not vaporise
o The quantum field theory completely after entering the Earth’s atmosphere,
approach visualizes the they are called Meteorites.
force between the • Comet – A chunk of ice and rock originating from the
electrons as an exchange outer solar system, often accompanied by a coma
force arising from the and tail.
exchange of Related news
virtual photons. Scientist found an asteroid known as 2015 BZ509 which
• General Relativity - it explains is supposed to be the first interstellar body to stay in
that what we perceive as the our solar system.
force of gravity in fact arises • Its orbit is "retrograde," i.e. 2015 BZ509 moves
from the curvature of space around the sun in the opposite direction (clockwise
and time. if seen from Sun’s imaginary North Pole) of Jupiter,
Earth and most other bodies in the solar system.
2.4. PLAN TO PREVENT ASTEROID • The orbit of the asteroid almost coincides with the
Jupiter.
ATTACK
Why in news? 2.5. OTHER SPACE RELATED
NASA has released a document, titled "National DEVELOPMENT IN INDIA
Near-Earth Object (NEO) Preparedness Strategy
and Action Plan". 2.5.1. INDIA-BASED NEUTRINO
More on news OBSERVATORY
• It is a 10-year plan, to enhance NEO Detection, Why in News?
Tracking, and Characterization Capabilities
and develop Technologies for NEO Deflection The National Green Tribunal (NGT) upheld the
and Disruption Missions. environmental clearance granted to the India-
o Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) are comets and based Neutrino Observatory (INO).
asteroids that have been nudged by the What is INO?
gravitational attraction of nearby planets
• The project includes:
into orbits that allow them to enter the
Earth’s neighborhood. o Construction of an underground
laboratory at Pottipuram in Bodi West
• It calls for increased international cooperation
hills of Theni District of Tamil Nadu.
to prepare for potential global impact threats.
Related information
o Construction of an Iron Calorimeter
Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment (AIDA) (ICAL) detector for studying neutrinos,
Mission which will include the world's largest
• It a proposed first-ever mission that will deflect a magnet.
near-Earth asteroid to protect the planet. o Setting up of National Centre for High
• It is an international collaboration among the Energy Physics at Madurai, for the
European Space Agency (ESA), NASA and others. operation and maintenance of the
• AIDA involves two independent spacecraft: NASA’s underground laboratory, human resource
Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) Mission development and detector R&D along
and ESA’s Asteroid Impact Mission (AIM).
with its applications.
• Its target is the binary near- Earth asteroid Didymos.
• NASA has also designed a spacecraft named • It is located within 5 km of Madhikettan Shola
HAMMER (Hypervelocity Asteroid Mitigation National Park in Idukki district of Kerala and
Mission for Emergency Response), which could hence also requires specific approval by the
deflect a asteroids. National Board for Wild Life.
Asteroids, Meteoroid, Meteors, Meteorites and Comet: What are Neutrinos?
• Asteroids are small bodies of rocks which revolve • The neutrinos are second most abound particles in
around the sun. The Asteroid belt in our Solar System the universe.
is found between the Mars and Jupiter. • They interact very little with anything and pass
• Meteoroids – When asteroids smash into each other, through everything that’s why it’s hard to detect
small fragments break off. These fragments are them.
called Meteoroids. • They carry no electrical charge and nearly
• Meteors – When these meteoroids come closer to massless.
Earth and enter its atmosphere they vaporize with a • It occurs in 3 different types/flavors, separated
12
based on mass (electron-neutrino, muon-neutrino, • It is planned as a collaborative project
tau-neutrino). between a consortium of Indian research
• It is produced in the core of the sun & millions of institutions and the LIGO Laboratory in the
them roam around in the solar system. USA, along with its international partners
• Neutrinos can also be made artificially. They are
Australia, Germany and the UK.
produced in radioactive decays and in nuclear
reactors.
• The LIGO project operates three gravitational-
• Benefits: understanding the particle, wave (GW) detectors. Two are at Hanford and
understanding the evolution of the universe, Livingston in USA.
understanding of dark matter (as they interact • The proposed LIGO-India project aims to
with it), role in nuclear non-proliferation through move one Advanced LIGO detector from
remote monitoring, study of Geoneutrinos might Hanford to India. It would be stationed at a
help creating an earthquake warning system, map perpendicular direction to the detectors in
natural resources inside the earth. USA.
• They are least harmful of elementary particles, as
• LIGO-India is funded by the Department of
they hardly interact with matter. In fact, trillions of
Atomic Energy (DAE) & Department of
solar neutrinos pass through our body every
second without doing any harm to us. Science and Technology (DST).
About Anti-neutrinos • It proposed to be built in Maharashtra’s
• They are antiparticles of neutrinos and are Hingoli District.
produced in the negative beta decay.
What are Gravitational Waves?
• Antineutrinos (as neutrinos) are very penetrating
subatomic particles, capable of passing through • Gravitational waves are distortions or 'ripples'
Earth without any interaction. in the fabric of spacetime caused by some of
• Neutrinos and antineutrinos belong to the family the most violent and energetic processes in
of leptons, which means they do not interact via
the Universe such as such as the explosion of
strong nuclear force.
Related news
giant stars, the collision of ultradense dead
The IceCube observatory at the South Pole has ones, and the coming together of black holes.
discovered that a “blazar”, a galaxy with a • Albert Einstein predicted the existence of
supermassive black hole at its centre, also produces gravitational waves in 1916 in his general
neutrinos. theory of relativity.
• It is a cubic kilometre in size and uses deep • The effect is very weak, however, and only the
antarctic ice as a target for the neutrinos. biggest masses, moving under the greatest
• Neutrinos can produce a charged particle when accelerations, are expected to warp their
they occasionally do interact with the fundamental
surroundings to any appreciable degree.
particles that make up ice.
Other neutrino study projects
• The LIGO detectors discovered the first
• LAGUNA (Large Apparatus studying Grand gravitational waves produced by two giant
Unification & Neutrino Astrophysics) in Europe. merging blackholes in 2017.
• Hyper Kamiokande Detector at Kamioka • Nobel Prize for Physics, 2017 was awarded to
Observatory in Hida (Japan). Scientists Rainer Weiss, Barry Barish and Kip
• DUNE (Deep Underground Neutrino) project in Thorne for contributions to the LIGO detector
South Dakota (US). and the observation of gravitational waves.
• China proposed Neutrino Observatory in Jianmeng
Province 2.5.3. COSMIC MICROWAVE
BACKGROUND RADIATION (CMBR)
2.5.2. LASER INTERFEROMETER
GRAVITATIONAL-WAVE Why in news?
OBSERVATORY Scientists from the Raman Research Institute in
Bengaluru have conducted an experiment for
Why in News? detection of Cosmic Microwave back ground
LIGO-India (INDIGO) Observatory is scheduled to radiation in Timbaktu in Andhra Pradesh.
be operational in 2024. More about news
Details • Timbaktu was chosen as it is described as
Radio Quiet — an area where there is virtually
• It is a planned advanced gravitational-wave no interference from signals produced by
observatory to be located in India as part of modern technology like mobile, TV etc. which
the worldwide network. makes it most suitable place to detect even
faint electromagnetic signals from the sky.
13
Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation cosmic explosions (supernova), small near-
(CMBR) earth asteroids and the electromagnetic
• It is an all-pervasive, but weak, identification of gravitational wave sources.
electromagnetic radiation from the early • It is a fully robotic optical research telescope
universe, about 3,80,000 years after the Big which has been designed to capture cosmic
Bang when matter was still to be formed. events occurring in timescales much shorter
Most cosmologists consider this radiation to than light years like years, days and even
be the best evidence for the hot big bang hours.
model of the universe. • Partners: Universities and research institutes
• This radiation does not come from any of the from the US, the UK, Japan, India, Germany,
objects that we see in the universe, like stars Taiwan and Israel are part of the initiative.
or galaxies but from a time when matter and What are transient events?
radiation were in thermodynamic • These are short lived burst of energy in a system
caused by a sudden change of state.
equilibrium.
• The events are caused due to several factors such
• The spectrum produced by CMBR is very as relatively benign flares of stars, accretion of
smooth. It does, however, contain small matter on compact objects, stellar merger and
wiggles, or deformities, in its shape. explosions.
• Each of these wiggles has valuable encoded • All these result in a flash in the sky for a period and
information about specific events that took then slowly fade away.
place as the first stars were born. • Through these electromagnetic signatures,
astronomers try to gain an insight into the cosmic
2.5.4. INDIA’S FIRST ROBOTIC objects as well as physical processes that govern
TELESCOPE their evolution.
What is Time Domain Astronomy?
Why in news? It is the study of how astronomical objects change with
time. Changes may be due to movement or physical
Recently, India’s first robotic telescope – Global
changes in the object itself. Examples include pulsar
Relay of Observatories Watching Transients variability, and the variability of accreting black holes,
Happen (GROWTH)-India, began its operation at variable stars, and the Sun.
the Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO) in Himalayan Chandra Telescope
Hanle in Ladakh. • It is a 2-m Telescope at IAO, Hanule, ladakh.
GROWTH-India • It is remotely operated using dedicated satellite
communication link from the Centre of Research &
• It is a joint project of Indian Institute of Education in Science and Technology.
Astrophysics, Bangalore and the Indian
Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB). 2.5.5. SUNSPOT CYCLE
• It is fully funded by the Science and
Engineering Board (SERB) of the Department Why in news?
of Science and Technology, under the PIRE Recently, scientists from Indian Institute of
project, administered by the Indo-US Science Science Education and Research have developed a
and Technology Forum. way of predicting the intensity of activity in the
• It is a 70cm telescope and the primary next solar cycle (approximately from 2020 to
objective of the project is the time domain 2031).
astronomy.
• It is mainly an imaging telescope. What is Sun-spot Cycle?
• The first targets for the telescope were • The amount of magnetic flux that rises up to
chosen from the Messier catalogue (a the Sun's surface varies with time in a cycle
catalogue of nearby, bright astronomical called the solar cycle. This cycle which lasts 11
sources accessible from the northern years on average is referred to as the sunspot
hemisphere). cycle.
About GROWTH Initiative • Sun spots are darker, magnetically strong,
cooler areas on the surface of the sun in a
• It is a part of multi-country collaborative region called the photosphere.
initiative to observe transient events in the • It will help in understanding of the long-term
universe. variations of the Sun and its impact on earth
• The initiative focus on three scientific themes climate which is one of the objectives of
in the field of time-domain astronomy – India’s first solar probe – ‘Aditya L-1 Mission’.
14
About Aditya L1 2.5.7. PARTICLE DECAY
• It will be placed in a halo orbit around a vantage
point in space known as L1 Lagrange point. Why in News?
o Halo Orbit is periodic, three-dimensional orbit
near the L1, L2 and L3 lagrange point
Recently, Scientist at CERN observed the Higgs
(unstable) in a three body system. boson decaying to fundamental particles known
o Lagrange Point is the point where the as bottom quarks.
combined gravitational force of two large More on news
bodies is equal to the centrifugal force that is
• Higgs bosons decay into pairs of the following
felt by a third body which is relatively smaller.
There are about 5 such points in a two body particles in the following percentages: bottom
system. quarks (58 percent), W bosons (21 percent), Z
o The point L1 has the major advantage of bosons (6 percent), tau leptons (2.6 percent)
viewing the sun without any occultation/ and photons (0.2 percent).
eclipses. • Significance: It validates the theory of
• The mission will carry seven payloads including the Standard Physics which states that about 60%
main payload the Visible Emission Line of the time a Higgs boson will decay to a pair
Coronagraph (VLEC). of bottom quarks.
• Aditya L1 is to be the first satellite to study the
o Standard Model: It’s built upon the idea
magnetic field of the sun’s corona.
• It is expected to help study that why the
that the Higgs field endows quarks and
photosphere, the deeper layer of the sun is at other fundamental particles with mass.
much lower temperature than the corona. o Standard Model doesn't include dark
• It will also study aspects that affect space weather, matter that makes up 85 percent of mass
the origin of solar wind ions, their reaction to in the universe—or a description of how
coronal mass ejections, the distribution of these in gravity works at the quantum level.
the heliosphere- the space around the sun that • A quark is one of the fundamental particles in
extends up to Pluto. physics. They join to form hadrons, such as
protons and neutrons.
2.5.6. EXOPLANET DISCOVERED BY • The study of quarks and the interactions
INDIA between them through the strong force is
Why in news? called particle physics.
• The antiparticle of a quark is the antiquark.
Recently Indian scientists discovered a sub-Saturn Quarks and antiquarks are the only two
or super-Neptune sized exoplanet. fundamental particles that interact through
More about the news all four fundamental forces of physics:
gravitation, electromagnetism, and the strong
• The discovery was made by measuring the interaction and weak interactions.
mass of the planet using the indigenously • A quark exhibits confinement, which means
designed PARAS (PRL Advance Radial- that the quarks are not observed
velocity Abu-Sky Search) spectrograph independently but always in combination with
integrated with a 1.2m telescope at other quarks. This makes determining the
Gurushikar Observatory in Mount Abu. properties (mass, spin, and parity) impossible
• The name of the host star is EPIC 211945201 or to measure directly.
K2-236 and the planet will be known as EPIC • There are six flavors of quarks: up, down,
211945201b or K2-236b. strange, charm, bottom, and top. The flavor
About Exoplanet of the quark determines its properties.
• An exoplanet or extrasolar planet is a planet
outside our solar system around a different host About Higgs Boson
star than sun.
• It is popularly known as the God particle and
• Around 3500 exoplanets have been discovered.
Some of the exoplanetary system are Trappist-1 is responsible for giving mass to fundamental
planetary system, kepler-11 planetary system, subatomic particles.
TrES-4. • It was discovered by Large Hadron Collider
• Kepler 90 is the first star system to have as many (LHC) at CERN, the European Organization for
planets as our solar system. Nuclear Research.
• CERN is the world’s largest nuclear and
particle physics laboratory. At CERN, scientists
and engineers are probing the fundamental
structure of the Universe.
15
• LHC accelerator hosts two large-particle • It is essentially an illuminated satellite which will
physics detectors capable of observing Higgs bear a reflective coating to cast sunlight back to
bosons — the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) Earth at night.
and A Toroidal LHC Apparatus (ATLAS). • It would orbit at about 500km around the Earth,
compared to the moon’s 380,000 km.
2.5.8. EARTH’S TWO EXTRA HIDDEN • It would be eight times brighter than the Earth’s
moon.
'MOONS'
• The satellites' brightness and service time are both
Why in news? adjustable, and the accuracy of the lighting can be
controlled.
Recently, a group of Hungarian scientists • However, China is not the first country to try
confirmed a long-standing astronomical beaming sunlight back to Earth. In the 1990s,
speculation—the Earth has three natural Russian scientists used giant mirrors to reflect light
satellites or moons. from space.
The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has
• The new moons are entirely made up of assigned the name Hippocamp to Neptune’s smallest
extremely tiny dust particles of less than one moon S/2004 N1 discovered in 2013 through Hubble
millimetre size and reflect light rather faintly Space Telescope.
making them difficult to observe and study • IAU is an International Association of Professional
even when they are located at around the astronomers active in professional research and
same distance as the Moon from the Earth— education in astronomy.
400,000 kilometres. • With the exception of Earth, all of the planets in
our solar system have names from Greek or Roman
• They were observed for the first time in 1961
mythology.
by Kazimierz Kordylewski, a Polish scientist
• Similarly, the natural satellites of planets are
and they were later named after him as mostly given names based on Greek or Roman
Kordylewski Dust Clouds (KDCs). mythology. Satellites of Uranus are an exception as
• These were found close to Lagrange point L5 they are named after literary characters and not
of the Earth-Moon gravitational system. mythological characters.
Related news
China is planning to launch its own ‘artificial moon’ by
2020 to replace streetlamps and lower electricity costs
in urban areas.
16
Agni-IV • Two-stage solid propellant engine
3.1. INTEGRATED GUIDED • Intermediate range ballistic missile
MISSILE DEVELOPMENT PLAN • Coverage: 4000 km
(IGDMP) Agni-V • Powered by 3 stage solid, all composite
rocket motors
Why in news? • It is an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile
(ICBM)
Recently several missiles, such as Agni V, • Coverage: 5000 km
Dhanush, Prithvi-II and Nag, being developed • Maximim speed: 24 times speed of
under IGDMP were successfully test fired at sound
various locations. • Canister-launch for quick-response,
higher reliability, longer shelf-life, less
Integrated Guided Missile Development Plan maintenance and enhanced road
• It was envisioned in 1983 by former President Dr. A mobility
P J Abdul Kalam to help India attain self-sufficiency
in the field of missile technology. 3.1.2. PRITHVI
• Five missile systems have been developed under
this programme namely Agni, Akash, Trishul, • Both Prithvi-I and Prithvi-II are short range
Prithvi and Nag. surface-to-surface ballistic missile.
• In 2008 DRDO announced the successful • While Prithvi I has a range of 150km (used by
completion of the program. Army), Prithvi II has a range of 350 km (used
Defence Research & Development Organisation by Airforce).
(DRDO)
• Dhanush (also known as Prithvi III), a naval
• It was formed in 1958 by the merger of the
Technical Development Establishment and the
variant of this Prithvi missile, has a range of
Directorate of Technical Development & 350 km.
Production with the Defence Science Organisation.
3.1.3. NAG
• It is under the administrative control of the
Ministry of Defence. • It is a third generation “fire and forget” anti-
• It works for enhancing self-reliance in defence tank guided missile.
systems and production of world class weapon
• It can be launched from land and air-based
systems and equipment in accordance with the
expressed needs and the qualitative requirements platforms.
laid down by the three services. • The helicopter-launched configuration,
designated as helicopter-launched NAG
3.1.1. AGNI (HELINA), can be fired from Dhruv advanced
light helicopter (ALH) and HAL Rudra attack
• It is an intercontinental surface-to-surface, nuclear
capable ballistic missile. helicopter.
• At present, US, China, Russia, UK, France and Israel • The land based version (NAMICA) has
are known to have ICBMs. maximum range of 4 km while air based
• It has been equipped with very high accuracy Ring version has a maximum range of 7 km.
Laser Gyro based Inertial Navigation System
(RINS) and Micro Navigation System (MINS). 3.1.4. AKASH MISSILE
• India has reportedly also been working on multiple
• It is a supersonic surface-to-air missile.
independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRV)
for the Agni-V in order to ensure a credible second • It has a strike range of about 30 km and can
strike capability or credible minimum deterrence. carry a 55- kg fragmentation warhead.
Missile Details • It's designed to neutralise multiple aerial
Agni-I • Single-stage engine powered by solid targets attacking from several directions
fuel simultaneously.
• Short-range ballistic missile. • The system is autonomous and its operation is
• Coverage: 700 km fully automated.
Agni-II • Two stage solid propellant engine.
• Medium-range ballistic missile 3.1.5. TRISHUL MISSILE
• Coverage: 2000 km
Agni-III • Two-stage solid propellant engine • It is a Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missile.
• Intermediate range ballistic missile • It can be used as an anti-sea skimmer from a
• Coverage: 3000 km ship against low flying attacking missiles.
17
• It employs dual thrust propulsion stage using Nuclear Triad
high-energy solid propellant. • A nuclear triad refers to the three components of
atomic weapons delivery: strategic bombers,
Related information intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and
Types of missile submarine launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs).
• Cruise Missile: A cruise missile is an unmanned self- • A nuclear triad gives a country the ability to launch
propelled guided vehicle that sustains flight nukes from land, air and sea. India’s nuclear triad
through aerodynamic lift for most of its flight path. consists of multiple deterrants such as Agni and
They fly within the Earth’s atmosphere and use jet Prithivi missiles for Army, Sukhoi-30MKI and
engine technology. Classification on the basis of Mirage-2000 for Airforce, INS Arighat for Navy.
speed
o Subsonic cruise missile flies at a speed lesser
than that of sound. It travels at a speed of
3.3. PROJECT 75(I)
around 0.8 Mach.
Why in news?
o Supersonic cruise missile travels at a speed of
around 2-3 Mach. The combination of Recently the Defence Acquisition Council
supersonic speed and warhead mass provides approved indigenous construction of Six Project
high kinetic energy ensuring tremendous 75(I) submarines under strategic partnership
lethal effect.
model.
o Hypersonic cruise missile travels at a speed of
more than 5 Mach. Many countries are More on news
working to develop hypersonic cruise missiles.
• Ballistic Missile: A ballistic missile is a missile that • Project 75 India (P-75I) is follow-on of the
has a ballistic trajectory over most of its flight path, Project 75 Kalvari-class submarines for the
regardless of whether or not it is a weapon- Indian Navy.
delivery vehicle. • Under this project, the Indian Navy intends to
acquire six diesel-electric submarines, which
3.2. INS ARIHANT will also feature advanced Air-independent
propulsion (AIP) systems to enable them to
Why in news? stay submerged for longer duration and
The indigenous INS Arihant, India’s first nuclear- substantially increase their operational range.
powered submarine successfully completed its first • Six Scorpene-class submarines are currently
deterrence patrol. With the completion of the being built under 'Project 75' of the Indian
patrol, India have finally achieved the Navy.
longstanding ambition to have a nuclear triad. o The submarines, designed by French firm
About INS Arihant Naval Group are being built by Mazagon
Dock Limited in Mumbai.
• INS Arihant is a part of Indian Navy's secretive o The first of these, INS Kalvari was
Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project commissioned in Dec 2017 and INS
operated under the supervision of the Prime Khanderi and INS Karanj are undergoing
Minister's Office and closely monitored by sea trials.
agencies such as the Department of Atomic • The P75I project is part of a 30-year submarine
Energy and the Submarine Design Group of the building plan that ends in 2030. According to
Directorate of Naval Design. this, India has to build 24 submarines — 18
• The INS Arihant was built at the Ship Building conventional submarines and six nuclear-
Centre at Visakhapatnam. powered submarines (SSNs).
• It is capable of carrying nuclear-tipped ballistic Strategic Partnership (SP) Model
missiles. • Under this policy an Indian private company would
• The vessel will be able to carry 12 Sagarika K 15 be selected in each segment which would tie up
submarine launched ballistic missiles that with shortlisted global Original Equipment
have a range of 750 km. It can also be armed Manufacturer (OEM) to manufacture the
with four K-4 submarine launched ballistic platforms in India under technology transfer.
missile with a range of 3,500 km. • The SP model has four segments — submarines,
single engine fighter aircraft, helicopters and
• There is also provision to launch non-
armoured carriers/main battle tanks — which
nuclear tipped BrahMos supersonic cruise would be specifically opened up for the private
missile as well as the 1,000-km sub-sonic sector.
cruise missile Nirbhay, which can be • It was first suggested in 2015 by Dhirendra Singh
configured for both nuclear and non-nuclear Committee and was introduced by Defence
warheads. Procurement Procedure 2016.
18
• A 49 per cent FDI cap has been kept for setting up What are drones?
ventures under this for the production of defence
platforms and the companies have to be in control
• Drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)
of Indian entities. have been defined as “Powered, aerial
vehicles that do not carry a human operator,
3.4. SMART BORDER FENCE use aerodynamic forces to provide vehicle lift,
can fly autonomously or be piloted remotely,
Why in news? can be expendable or recoverable, and can
Recently Union Home Minister inaugurated the carry a lethal or nonlethal payload”.
smart border fencing pilot projects under the • They can be used for: damage assessment in
Comprehensive Integrated Border Management areas affected with natural calamities,
System (CIBMS) programme. surveillance and crowd management,
monitoring of wildlife etc.
What is CIBMS?
Various Defence UAV developed by DRDO
• It is a robust and integrated system that is • Nishant: It was designed for battlefield surveillance
capable of addressing the gaps in the present and reconnaissance.
system of border security by seamlessly • Panchi: It wheeled version of UAV Nishant.
integrating human resources, weapons, and • Lakshya: It is a surface/ship launched reusable
high-tech surveillance equipment. aerial target system.
• It has three main components: new high-tech • Rustom-2: It's used by all three services of Indian
armed forces, primarily for intelligence,
surveillance devices, an efficient and
surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) operations.
dedicated communication network and a o It can fly missions on manual as well as
command and control centre. autonomous modes.
Related news
BOLD-QIT Key features of the Regulations for Civil Use of
• Government inaugurated BOLD-QIT (Border Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS)
Electronically Dominated QRT Interception • The Digital Sky Platform is the first-of-its-kind
Technique) under CIBMS on India-Bangladesh national unmanned traffic management
border in Dhubri District of Assam. (UTM) platform that implements “no
• It enables BSF to equip Indo-Bangla borders with permission, no takeoff”.
different kind of sensors in unfenced riverine area • All civil RPA, shall require to obtain Unique
of Brahmaputra and its tributaries.
Identification Number (UIN) from DGCA.
Project Network for Spectrum (NFS)
The Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure approved
• As per the regulation, there are 5 categories
substantial hike in the budget for the Network for of Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS)
Spectrum (NFS) project. categorized by weight.
• It was launched to establish the alternative • Operators of civil drones will need to get an
communication network for exclusive use by Unmanned Aircraft Operator Permit (UAOP)
defence services to boost the communication from the DGCA with certain exceptions.
capabilities of defence forces. • RPAS shall be flown only by someone over 18
• The project is result of an agreement reached in years of age, having passed 10th exam in
2010 between Defence ministry and Dept. of
English, and undergone ground/ practical
Telecom (DoT) in which DoT agreed to vacate 25
training as approved by DGCA.
MHz of 3G spectrum and 20 MHz of 2G spectrum in
phases solely for defence communication purpose • DGCA has also clarified that no remote pilot
• The project is being implemented by state-run can operate more than one RPA at any time.
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL). • The basic operating procedure will restrict
drone flights to the daytime only and that too
3.5. DRONE REGULATIONS IN within “Visual Line of Sight (VLOS)”.
• An insurance will be mandatory to cover
INDIA
third-party damage.
Why in News? • Restrictions placed such as:
o RPAS cannot be flown within 5km of the
Ministry of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has for the first perimeters of the airports in Mumbai,
time released a set of rules regulating the civil use Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and
of drones in India which will be effective from 1st Hyderabad and within 3km from the
December, 2018. perimeter of any other airport.
o It cannot fly within “permanent or
temporary Prohibited, Restricted and
19
Danger Areas” and within 25km from 3.6.2. MISSILE PRAHAAR
international border which includes the
Line of Control (LoC), Line of Actual • India recently successfully test-fired missile
Control (LAC) and Actual Ground Position Prahaar off Odisha coast.
Line (AGPL). • It is a surface-to-surface short-range tactical
o It cannot fly beyond 500 m into sea from ballistic missile developed by DRDO with a
the coast line and within 3 km from strike range is 150 km.
perimeter of military installations. • It can carry warhead up to 200 kg. It uses
o It also cannot be operated from a mobile solid propellant and travels at a speed of
platform such as a moving vehicle, ship or Mach 2.
aircraft.
o Eco-sensitive zones around National Parks 3.6.3. MILAN-2T ANTI-TANK MISSILES
and Wildlife Sanctuaries are off-limits
• The Defence Acquisition Council gave
without prior permission.
approval for acquisition of 5,000 Milan 2T anti-
Related news tank guided missiles (ATGM) with a range of 2
• Government has setup the Drone Task Force under Km.
the chairmanship Jayant Sinha which will provide • Milan-2 is a French 2nd-generation man-portable
draft recommendations for Drone Regulations 2.0.
ATGM which is produced in India by Bharat
Dynamics Limited in partnership with a French
3.6. OTHER DEFENCE PROJECTS firm.
IN NEWS • Some of the indigenous anti-tank missiles
include: NAG, HELINA, SANT (Stand-off Anti-
3.6.1. SOLID FUEL DUCTED RAMJET Tank) Missile, Cannon-launched Laser Guided
(SFDR) Missile (CLGM), SAMHO, AMOGHA-1,
AMOGHA-2, AMOGHA-3.
• Recently, DRDO successfully flight tested the
second indigenously developed ‘Solid Fuel 3.6.4. BARAK-8 MISSILE
Ducted Ramjet (SFDR)’ propulsion-based
• The Barak 8 missile defence system will be
missile system. procured by the Israeli Navy to protect its
• Started in 2013, it’s an Indo-Russian R&D economic zones and strategic facilities.
project which has been established to • Barak 8 (the Hebrew word for Lightning),
develop a long-range air-to-air missile and a jointly developed by India and Israel, is a long-
surface-to-air missile system in near future. range surface-to-air missile (LRSAM).
• SFDR technology, based on the ramjet • It is designed to defend against any type of
propulsion system depends only on its airborne threat including aircraft, helicopters,
forward motion at supersonic speed to anti-ship missiles, and UAVs as well as cruise
compress intake air missiles and combat jets.
• Unlike solid rocket propellant whose • Its main features include:
formulation is approximately 20% fuel and 80% o Capability to take down an incoming
oxidizer, the solid ramjet fuel is 100% fuel and missile as close as 500 meters away;
obtains oxidizer from air, with the result o Maximum speed – Mach 2
being approximately four times the specific o Operational range - 70 Km (which has
impulse (the product of thrust and time been increased to 100 Km)
divided by propellant weight) as compared to o Simultaneous Engagements on multiple
solid rocket propellant. targets in all weather conditions.
• Hence, this air breathing ramjet propulsion
technology helps propel the missile at high 3.6.5. NATIONAL ADVANCE SURFACE
supersonic speeds (above Mach 2) for TO AIR MISSILE SYSTEM-II (NASAMS)
engaging targets at long ranges. • Recently, Defence Acquisitions Council (DAC)
• Consequently, it has inherent simplicity, approved the acquisition of National Advance
reliability, lightweight, and high-speed flight Surface to Air Missile System-II (NASAMA) for
capability not possible with other air- the security of Delhi.
breathing engines. • NASAMS was developed by Raytheon in
partnership with KONGSBERG Defence and
Aerospace of Norway.
20
• It quickly detects, tracks & shoots down refueling. It is pegged as world’s smallest and
multiple airborne threats such as cruise lightest supersonic fighter aircraft in its class.
missiles, aircraft and drones. • It has limited reach of little over 400-km and
• It consists of a radar, short and medium range will be mainly used for close air-to-ground
missile launchers and fire distribution centres, operations (unlike Russian-origin Sukhoi-
• It is deployed in US, Israel, Russia and various 30MKIs or Rafale which have deep strike
NATO countries. capability into enemy territory due to their
long range).
3.6.6. AVANGARD HYPERSONIC • It is equipped with state-of-the-art Satellite
SYSTEM aided Inertial Navigation System.
• It is not the first indigenous fighter to be
• Recently, Russia successfully test fired inducted into the IAF. In April 1967, IAF had
Avangard Missile. formed the first operational squadron with
• It’s liquid-fueled intercontinental-range the indigenous HF-24 Marut fighter.
ballistic missile (ICBM), with the ability to fly
as fast as Mach 20 (more than 15,000 miles 3.6.9. CHINOOK HELICOPTERS
per hour), and can carry nuclear and
conventional warheads. • India received Boeing Co.’s Chinook
• Avangard deployment by 2019 will make it the helicopters that are expected to bolster the
first operational hypersonic glide vehicle heavy-lift capabilities of its air force and
system deployed anywhere in world. further strengthen the fast-expanding
defence ties with the US.
3.6.7. PINAKA ROCKET • It is a multi-role, vertical-lift platform, which is
used for transporting troops, artillery,
• An upgraded version of Pinaka rocket was equipment and fuel. It is also used for
recently successfully test-fired from humanitarian and disaster relief operations
Chandipur in Odisha. and in missions such as transportation of
• The upgraded Pinaka system, Pinaka mark-II, relief supplies and mass evacuation of
is a guided one unlike the earlier version and refugees.
has navigation, guidance and control kit. • It is also expected to give a significant boost
• The range of new version is more than 70 to infrastructure development along India’s
kilometre which was earlier only 40km. borders given the Chinook has the capability
• It is a multi-barrel rocket launcher which can to ferry heavy cargo like road construction
fire a salvo of 12 rockets in 44 seconds. equipment over difficult terrain.
3.6.8. LCA TEJAS 3.6.10. ARTILLERY GUN ‘DHANUSH’
• Recently, India's Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) • It is the first long-range artillery gun to be
Tejas has received the final operational produced in India.
clearance for induction into the Indian Air • It is an upgraded version, based on the
Force (IAF) as a weaponised fighter jet. original design of the Swedish 155-mm Bofors
• It is indigenously built fighter aircraft and has howitzers, which India procured in the mid-
been designed by Aeronautical Development 1980s.
Agency (ADA) and produced by Hindustan • It is the product of joint efforts by the
Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Ordinance Factory Board and the Army with
• It is single-seat multi-role jet fighter, powered contributions from the DRDO, DGQA etc. and
by single engine and can also carry out mid-air several private enterprises.
21
4. IT & COMPUTER
4.1. DATA PROTECTION 4.2. NET NEUTRALITY
Why in news? Why in News?
Recently, B. N. Srikrishna committee submitted its The Telecom Commission, the highest decision-
report on a Data Protection Framework and also a making body in the Department of Telecom has
draft bill on data protection. recently approved the principles of net neutrality
recommended by TRAI last year.
Key features of Data protection framework as
provided by Sri Krishna Committee What is Net Neutrality?
• Fiduciary relationship: The relationship • The basic principles of net neutrality is that
between the individual and the service nobody owns the internet and it is free and
provider must be viewed as a fiduciary open to all and that Internet Service Providers
relationship. (ISPs) must treat all internet traffic equally
• Defined personal data: as data from which an without any regard to the type, origin or
individual may be identified or identifiable, destination of the content or the means of its
either directly or indirectly. transmission.
• Consent-based data processing except in • According to TRAI net neutrality principles,
certain cases. any form of discrimination or interference in
• Ownership of personal data: Through rights the treatment of content, including practices
such as right to access, confirm & correct like blocking, degrading, slowing down or
data, right to object data processing and right granting preferential speeds or treatment to
to be forgotten. any content is prohibited.
• Regulatory authority: to inquire into and take • Other recommendations include:
action against any violations of the data o Specialised Service: are exempted from
protection regime. neutrality framework such as tele-surgery,
• Amendments to other laws: Minimum data Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and
protection standards should be adhered to for IPTV services etc.
all data processing in the country authorized o Content delivery Network (CDN)
under various laws such as Information platform: should not be included within
Technology Act, Census Act etc. the scope of any restrictions on non-
• The Draft Personal Data Protection Bill 2018 discriminatory treatment.
follows the recommendation of the o Regulatory Body: TRAI suggested DoT
committee and also provides for may establish a multi-stakeholder body
establishment of a data protection authority, with framework for collaborative
mandates data localization, offences and mechanism among the stakeholders for
penalties, recognition of privacy as a monitoring the net-neutrality.
fundamental right etc. Related news
Data Protection in India Inclusive Internet Index 2019
• India does not have any dedicated legal • Recently, India ranked 47th in Inclusive Internet
framework for data protection. Presently some Index 2019.
acts cover the data protection in general • It is the third edition of Inclusive Internet Index,
o Sec 43 A of Information technology act 2000 prepared by The Economist Intelligence Unit.
protects user data from misuse but it is applicable • It covers 100 countries, representing 94 per cent of
to only corporate entities and not on government the world's population and 96 per cent of global
agency. Also the rules are restricted to sensitive GDP. Sweden has topped the ranking and Congo is
personal data only — medical history, biometric on the last spot.
information among other things. • It measures inclusiveness based on four categories:
o Other acts like consumer protection Act 2015, Accessibility (network coverage), Affordability
copyrights act 1957 among others also attempt to (pricing), Relevance (availability of local-language
protect the personal information. content) and Readiness (capability to access
Related news internet).
Recently European Union has adopted General Data
Protection Regulation 2018 which mandates that every
EU citizen’s data be stored within the EU. GDPR also
regulates exportation of this data outside the EU.
22
Parliamentary Standing Committee on
4.3. 5G Information Technology.
Why in news? Background of Government Initiatives
The Steering Committee, headed by AJ Paulraj, • National Digital Literacy Mission (NDLM) was
for identifying the 5G deployment roadmap for launched to realize the vision of ‘Digital
India recently submitted report titled 'Making India’, which aims for transforming India into
India 5G Ready'. a digitally empowered society and economy.
What is 5G? • Under the mission, beneficiaries undergo a
• 5G is a wireless communication technology 20-hour training programme in using
using radio waves or radio frequency (RF) computers and other digital devices, browsing
energy to transmit and receive data. the Internet and sending and receiving emails.
• 5G technologies will enter services gradually, • The original deadline for the NDLM was 18
beginning in 2019 and advance to a full range months but it was extended to 27 months
of services by 2024. before it was scrapped in June 2016. While the
• The final standard for 5G will be set up by the programme was still running, the government
International Telecommunications Union introduced the Digital Saksharta Abhiyan, or
(ITU). DISHA, in January 2015.
• Technical specification for 5G – • In 2017, the government launched the
o high data rates: While 4G tops out at a Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta
theoretical 100 megabits per second Abhiyan by improving upon previous two
(Mbps), 5G tops out at 10 gigabits per schemes.
second (Gbps). Related Information
o massive connectivity of 1 million Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan'
connections per square kilometer (4G- 100 (PMGDISHA)
thousand conncetions/km2). • It was launched in 2017 to make 6 crore rural
o ultra-low latency of 1 millisecond (4G has households digitally literate by March 2019.
a latency of 10 ms). • It is expected to be one of the largest Digital
o high reliability (99.999% for mission Literacy Programmes in the world.
• Under the scheme, 25 lakh candidates will be
critical ‘ultra-reliable’ communications),
trained in the FY 2016-17; 275 lakh in the FY 2017-18;
and
and 300 lakh in the FY 2018-19.
o Mobility at high speeds (up to 500 km/h • To ensure equitable geographical reach, each of
i.e. high-speed trains). the 250,000 Gram Panchayats would be expected
o 30 Ghz of available spectrum in to register an average of 200-300 candidates.
comparison to 3Ghz of 4G.
Related information 4.4.2. DIGITAL VILLAGE PROGRAMME
• The Government has launched a program titled
‘Building an End-to-End 5G Test Bed’. The program Why in news?
envisages close collaboration between the
Recently, it has been decided to expand Common
universities and small technology companies to
build broadly compliant with the third generation
Service Centres (CSC) to 2.50 lakh gram
partnership projects (3GPP) standards. panchayats.
• Ericsson has installed the first public access 5G test More on news
bed at IIT Delhi.
5G in World • The CSC model has adopted six villages in the
• South Korea has become the world's first country country in the pilot phase to be developed as
to launch 5th-Generation (5G) networks. Digital Villages.
• Shanghai Becomes World's First City With 5G o Common Service Centres (CSC) scheme is
Network Coverage. one of the mission mode projects under
the Digital India Programme.
4.4. DIGITAL INITIATIVES o CSCs are the access points for delivery of
essential public utility services, social
4.4.1. NATIONAL DIGITAL LITERACY welfare schemes, healthcare, financial,
MISSION education and agriculture services, apart
from host of B2C services to citizens in
Why in News? rural and remote areas of the country.
Recently a report on review of National Digital • DigiGaon or Digital Village is conceptualized
Literacy Mission was laid in Parliament by the as a connected place in a rural and remote
23
part of the country where citizens can avail
various e-Services of the Central Government,
state Governments and private players.
• Aim: Promoting rural entrepreneurship and
building rural capacities and livelihoods
through community participation and
collective action.
• The digital villages have been equipped with
solar lighting facility in their community
center, LED assembly unit, sanitary napkin
unit (with active participation on Asha and
Anganwadi workers) and Wi-fi choupal.
4.4.3. DIGITAL NORTH-EAST VISION

2022
Why in News?
Recently government released 'Digital North East:
Vision 2022', that aims to leverage digital
technologies to transform lives of people of the
northeastern states and enhance the ease of
living.
More on news
• The Vision document aims to consolidate all
the disparate digital initiatives with a view to
restructure, refocus, and fast track
implementation in a synchronised manner.
• Launched under the Digital India programme
it will be coordinated by the Ministry of
Electronics and Information Technology and
will be implemented by various central
government ministries and governments of
north eastern states,
• The document identifies eight digital thrust
areas -digital infrastructure, digital services,
digital empowerment, promotion of
electronics manufacturing, promotion of IT
and IT enabled services including BPOs, digital
payments, innovation & startups, and cyber 4.4.4. DIGITAL PAYMENT
security.
Why in news?
NITI Aayog recently pointed out that the digital
payments market in India is set to become a
trillion-dollar industry in the next five years, led by
growth in mobile payments which are slated to
rise to $190 billion by 2023 from $10 billion in 2017-
18.
About Digital Payment in India
• The Payment and Settlement Act, 2007
defines Digital Payments/electronic funds
transfer as any transfer of funds which is
initiated by a person by way of instruction,
authorization or order to a bank to debit or
credit an account maintained with that bank
24
through electronic means and includes point spearheading the development of the retail
of sale transfers; automated teller machine payments system.
transactions, direct deposits or withdrawal of • Initiatives by the NPCI: Launching of grid-wise
funds, transfers initiated by telephone, operations of CTS, RuPay (a domestic card
internet and, card payment. payment network), Aadhaar Payments Bridge
• The payment system can be bifurcated into System and Aadhaar Enabled Payment
two main segments: System, National Unified USSD Platform
o The first segment consists of instruments (NUUP), UPI and the BHIM application.
which are covered under Systemically • Settlement at half-hourly intervals was
Important Financial Market introduced in the National Electronic Funds
Infrastructure (SIFMIs) and the second Transfer (NEFT) system.
segment consist of Retail Payments. • Rationalisation of Merchant Discount Rate
o Financial Market Infrastructure (FMI) is (Rate charged to a merchant for payment
defined as a multilateral system among processing services on debit and credit card
participating institutions, including the transactions) was undertaken to provide a
operator of the system, used for the boost to digital payments.
purposes of clearing, settling, or • Furthermore, non-bank entities have been
recording payments, securities, introduced in the issuance of pre-paid
derivatives, or other financial instruments (PPI), including mobile and digital
transactions. Under this segment there wallets.
are four instruments of payments: Real • DigiShala: Free Doordarshan DTH educational
Time Gross Settlement (RTGS), channel for creating awareness regarding
Collateralized Borrowing and Lending various forms of electronic payment.
Obligation, Forex Clearing and • Vittiya Saksharta Abhiyan of Ministry of
Government Securities. Human Resource Development aims to
o Under the Retail Payments segment actively engage the youth/ students of Higher
which has a large user base, there are Education Institutions to encourage and
three broad categories of instruments. motivate all payers and payees to use a
They are Paper Clearing, Retail Electronic digitally enabled cashless economic system
Clearing and Card Payments which for transfer of funds.
includes Cheque Truncation System (CTS),
National Electronic Funds Transfer, 4.5. CRYPTOCURRENCY
Unified Payments Interface, Immediate
Payment Service etc. Why in news?
Benefits The Reserve Bank of India released a statement
• It reduces cost of transactions: Digital directing all regulated entities, including banks, to
payment is faster, easier, more convenient stop dealing with individuals and businesses
and enables financial participation and involved in virtual currencies.
inclusion. What is Cryptocurrency?
• It promotes more transparency and
accountability as it helps to keep black money • Cryptocurrency is a type of digital currency
under control and increases tax compliance. that uses cryptography for security and anti-
• It hinders the terror financing network and counterfeiting measures.
circulation of counterfeit notes. • It is normally not issued by any central
Challenges authority, making it immune to government
interference or manipulation.
• Low internet penetration and Low levels of • The control of each cryptocurrency works
digital literacy leads to unbanked population: through distributed ledger technology called
About 19 percent of the Indian population is blockchain.
still outside the banking net.
• Examples include Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple
• Cyber threats: It cost the global economy 1% etc.
of annual GDP.
Initiatives taken to promote digital payments:
• The National Payments Corporation of India
(NPCI) was established in 2008 to
25
the status of transactions in real time. Even NITI
Aayog is reportedly building a platform called
'IndiaChain' — a shared, India-specific blockchain
infrastructure to leverage the trinity of Jan-Dhan-
Yojana, Aadhaar and the mobile.
• Healthcare and pharmaceuticals: It involves a lot
of sensitive clinical data which demands a secure
and reliable system.
• Insurance sector: It may play a crucial part in
health or agriculture insurance claims management
by reducing the risk of insurance claim frauds.
• Education sector to ensure time-stamped
repository of pass-outs and job records of students
to enable easier verification of candidates by the
employees.

Why in News?
Recently NITI Aayog released a ‘national strategy
for artificial intelligence’, to suggest ways to
promote adoption of machine learning in key
areas of the economy.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• It refers to the ability of machines to perform
cognitive tasks like thinking, perceiving,
learning, problem solving and decision
making.
• It enables computer system to carry out task
on their own that otherwise requires human
intelligence.
Importance of AI
• AI has the potential to overcome the physical
limitations of capital and labour and open up
new sources of value and growth.
• AI has the potential to drive growth by
enabling:
Use of blockchain beyond cryptocurrency o Intelligent automation i.e. ability to
It has the power to transform business processes and automate complex physical world tasks.
applications across sectors — from financial services to
For e.g.: A recent study found that a
agriculture, from healthcare to education, among
others. Some examples include:
Google neural network correctly
• Blockchain-powered smart contracts where every identified cancerous skin lesions more
piece of information is recorded in a traceable and often than expert dermatologists did.
irreversible manner would enhance ease of doing o Labour and capital augmentation:
business, augment the credibility, accuracy and enabling humans to focus on parts of
efficiency of a contract and reduce the risk of their role that add the most value,
frauds substantially. complementing human capabilities and
• Property deals which are still carried out on paper improving capital efficiency.
making them prone to disputes, can be benefitted o Innovation diffusion i.e. propelling
through in-built transparency, traceability and
innovations through the economy.
efficiency in this system
• Role in social development and inclusive
• Financial services: For example, Yes Bank adopted
this technology to fully digitise vendor financing growth: access to quality health facilities,
for one of its clients which enables timely addressing location barriers, providing real-
processing of vendor payments without physical time advisory to farmers and help in
documents and manual intervention while tracking increasing productivity, building smart and
26
efficient cities and infrastructure to meet the • Recently an Indian version of humanoid robot
demands of rapidly urbanising population are Sophia (Hong Kong) was made and is named as
some of the examples that can be effectively Rashmi.
solved through AI. • Rashmi can speak Hindi, Bhojpuri and Marathi
along with English.
• It is claimed to be as world’s first Hindi speaking
realistic humanoid robot and India’s first lip-
synching robot.
• Rashmi uses linguistic interpretation (LI), artificial
intelligence (AI), visual data and facial recognition
systems.
4.7. SUPERCOMPUTER
Why in News?
Recently PARAM Shivay, the first super computer
designed & built under the National
Supercomputing Mission by C-DAC (Center for
Development of Advanced Computing) at IIT-BHU
was launched.
About National Supercomputing Mission
• The Mission, launched in 2015, envisages
empowering our national academic and R&D
institutions spread over the country by
installing a vast supercomputing grid
comprising of more than 70 high-
2-Tier Research Architecture proposed by NITI Aayog performance computing facilities.
to address India’s AI Aspirations
• These supercomputers will also be networked
It is focused on It is entrusted with a
developing better mandate of developing and on the National Supercomputing grid over
understanding of deploying application- the National Knowledge Network (NKN).
existing core research based research. Private • The Mission would be implemented jointly by
and pushing technology sector collaboration is the Department of Science and Technology
frontiers through envisioned to be a key (DST) and Department of Electronics and
creation of new aspect of ICTAIs. Information Technology (DeitY) for over a
knowledge. period of seven years, through the C-DAC and
Also, it has proposed setting up AIRAWAT (AI Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru.
Research, Analytics and knowledge Assimilation
• The Mission also includes development of
platform) to be utilised effectively to support
advancement of AI-based developments. highly professional High Performance
Computing (HPC) aware human resource for
Related News
meeting challenges of development of these
National Informatics Centre’s (NIC) Command & applications.
Control Centre (CCC) and Center of Excellence in o PARAM Shavak has been deployed to
Artificial Intelligence (CoE in AI) provide training.
• The Government of India has setup Command and • Application areas: Climate Modelling,
Control Centre (CCC) at NIC with the aim to Computational Biology, Atomic Energy
provide single window solution for monitoring, Simulations, National Security/ Defence
troubleshooting and technical support for Cloud Applications, Disaster Simulations and
and Data Centre Infrastructure.
Management, Computational Material Science
• In addition, Centre of Excellence in Artificial
and Nanomaterials, Cyber Physical Systems,
Intelligence (CoE in AI) by NIC, was inaugurated.
• CoE in AI by NIC has been established with the
Big Data Analytics etc.
motto of ‘Inclusive AI' for responsive governance, Related Information
to work towards improving Government service Top-500 Project
delivery to citizens. • Started in 1993, it ranks the 500 most powerful
• CoE in AI will be a platform for innovative new non-distributed computers in the world.
solutions in AI space. • It publishes an updated list of the supercomputers
Rashmi twice a year.
• Currently, China dominates the list with 229
27
supercomputers, leading the second place (United ‘Parashakti’ which is an advanced
States) by a record margin of 121. microprocessor for super computers. It can be
• Since June 2018, the American “Summit” is the used in desktops and if 32 such
world's most powerful supercomputer, based on microprocessors are attached together then it
the LINPACK benchmarks. could be used in supercomputer.
• LINPACK benchmark are a measure of a system’s
floating point computer power. It measures how 4.8. CYBER-PHYSICAL SYSTEMS
far a computer solves a system of linear equations.
• India has 4 supercomputers in the Top-500 list of Why in News?
the world’s top 500 supercomputers with Pratyush Recently cabinet approved the launching of
and Mihir being the fastest supercomputers in
National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-
India.
About C-DAC Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) which is to be
• It is the premier R&D organization of the Ministry implemented by Department of Science
of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) &Technology for a period of five years.
for carrying out R&D in IT, Electronics and What is Cyber-physical system (CPS)?
associated areas.
• CPS is an interdisciplinary field that deals with
• PARAM 8000, first supercomputer of India, was
built by CDAC. the deployment of computer-based systems
• C-DAC has also signed an agreement with ATOS that do things in the physical world. It
(France based Company) for designing, building integrates sensing, computation, control and
and installing BullSequana – the supercomputer in networking into physical objects and
India. infrastructure, connecting them to the
o ATOS will supply BullSequana XH200 super Internet and to each other.
computer to India to create a network of over • Examples of cyber physical systems are Smart
70 high-performance supercomputing Grid Networks, Smart Transportation System,
facilities with a cumulative computing power
Enterprise Cloud Infrastructure, Utility Service
of more than 10 petaflops, for various
academic and research institutions across
Infrastructure for Smart Cities, etc.
India. • CPS and its associated technologies, like
o BullSequana will be set up in India under the Artificial Intelligence (Al), Internet of Things
National Supercomputing Mission (NSM). (loT), Machine Learning (ML), Deep Learning
(DP), Big Data Analytics, Robotics, Quantum
Related news Computing, Quantum Communication,
• Spiking Neural Network Architecture Machine Quantum encryption (Quantum Key
o Recently world’s largest brain like Distribution), Data Science & Predictive
supercomputer called Spiking Neural analytics, Cyber Security for physical
Network Architecture (SpiNNaker) was infrastructure and other infrastructure plays a
turned on for the first time. transformative role in almost every field of
o SpiNNaker mimics the working of human human endeavor in all sectors.
brain with the help of about thousand About National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-
interconnected circuit boards. Physical Systems
o It has computational capability of more than • It is a comprehensive mission which would address
200 million actions per second. However even technology development, application
at this rate it has achieved only 1 percent of
development, human resource development, skill
scale of human brain and that too with lots of enhancement, entrepreneurship and start-up
simplifications. development in CPS and associated technologies.
• Shakti Microprocessor Implementation:
o It’s India’s first microprocessor developed by • It aims at establishment of Technology Innovation
IIT Madras. Hubs, Application Innovation Hubs and
o Shakti is an open-source initiative by the
Technology Translation Research Parks (TTRP).
Reconfigurable Intelligent Systems
• These Hubs & TTRPs will connect to Academics,
Engineering (RISE) laboratory at IIT Madras
Industry, Central Ministries and State Government
with funding by Union Ministry of Electronics
in developing solutions at reputed academic, R&D
and Information Technology.
and other organizations across the country in a
o Earlier, an initial batch of 300 chips named
hub and spoke model.
RISECREEK was fabricated free at Intel’s
• They mainly focus on four areas: Technology
facility at USA to run on the Linux System. But
Development, HRD & Skill Development,
now fabrication also in the country has made
Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Start-ups
the microprocessor completely indigenous.
Ecosystem Development and International
o The Shakti team is also almost ready with
Collaborations.
28
CPS Internet of things • Multilateral Model (supported by Russia and
• They are physical and • It is the network of China)
engineered systems devices such as o Governance model based on agreements
whose operations are vehicles, and home between multiple governments with
monitored, appliances that
limited involvement of non-state actors.
coordinated, contain electronics,
controlled and software, actuators,
o Holds sovereignty of nation state in
integrated by a and connectivity managing cyberspace and provides the
computing and which allows these scope for the exercise of inherent right of
communication core. things to connect, self-defense and the law of state
• CPS engineering has a interact and responsibility, including countermeasures
strong emphasis on exchange data. in the cyberspace.
the relationship • IoT has a strong
between emphasis on uniquely 4.10. GRAVITYRAT MALWARE
computation and the identifiable and
physical world. internet-connected Why in news?
• They are not devices and
Maharashtra Cybercrime department has
necessarily connected embedded systems.
with internet. • They are connected reported the malware “GravityRAT”.
Ex: It may be to internet. Background
individual system • IoT forms a • The ‘RAT’ in the name stands for Remote
which integrates the foundation for the
Access Trojan, which is a program capable of
physical and cyber cyber-physical
technology like smart systems revolution.
being controlled remotely and thus difficult to
electricity meters. Ex: Smart Home in trace.
which all appliances • It was first detected by Indian Computer
are connected to Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) in 2017.
each other through • Malware, or malicious software, is any
internet like TV is program or file that is harmful to a computer
connected to mobile, user. It includes computer viruses, worms,
lights are connected Trojan horses and spyware.
to mobile etc.
• These malicious programs can perform a
variety of functions, including stealing,
4.9. PARIS CALL encrypting or deleting sensitive data, altering
Why in news? or hijacking core computing functions and
monitoring users' computer activity without
At UNESCO Internet Governance Forum (IGF) their permission.
meeting convened in Paris, “The Paris Call for CERT-In
Trust and Security in Cyberspace” was • It is the national nodal agency under Ministry of
commenced, aimed at developing common Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)
principles for securing cyberspace. for responding to computer security incidents as
and when they occur, operational since January
Details 2004.
• Participants: More than 190 signatures were • In the IT Amendment Act 2008, it has been
obtained on the Paris Call, including 130 from designated to serve following functions-
o Collection, analysis and dissemination of
private sector and more than 50 member
information on cyber incidents.
nations. Prominent countries like India, US, o Forecast and alerts of cyber security incidents.
China, Russia did not sign the agreement. o Emergency measures for handling cyber security
Prominent Models of Internet Governance incidents.
o Coordination of cyber incident response
• Multi-stakeholder Model (supported by activities.
western nations like US) o Issue guidelines, advisories, vulnerability notes
o Decentralized governance institutions and whitepapers relating to information security
where non-state actors like corporates, practices, procedures, prevention, response and
NGOs & civil society have a say in making reporting of cyber incidents.
globally acceptable norms regulating Additional Information
cyberspace. • Bot: Bots are software programs created to
o Gives recognition to technical expertise of automatically perform specific operations. While
corporates. some bots are created for relatively harmless
29
purposes (video gaming, internet auctions, online malware. A Trojan can give a malicious party
contests, etc), it is becoming increasingly common remote access to an infected computer.
to see bots being used maliciously. • Virus: A virus is a form of malware that is capable
• Ransomware: It is a form of malware that of copying itself and spreading to other
essentially holds a computer system captive while computers. Viruses can be used to steal
demanding a ransom. The malware restricts user information, harm host computers and networks,
access to the computer either by encrypting files create botnets, steal money, render
on the hard drive or locking down the system and advertisements, and more.
displaying messages that are intended to force the • Worm: Computer worms are among the most
user to pay the malware creator to remove the common types of malware. They spread over
restrictions and regain access to their computer. computer networks by exploiting operating
• Spyware: Spyware is a type of malware that system vulnerabilities. Worms typically cause harm
functions by spying on user activity without their to their host networks by consuming bandwidth
knowledge. Spyware spreads by exploiting and overloading web servers. Worms often spread
software vulnerabilities, bundling itself with by sending mass emails with infected attachments
legitimate software, or in Trojans. to users’ contacts.
• Trojan Horse: A Trojan horse, is a type of malware
that disguises itself as a normal file or program to
trick users into downloading and installing
30
5. HEALTH
• Quality assurance:
5.1. FOOD AND HEALTH o Every manufacturer and packer of fortified
food shall give an undertaking on quality
5.1.1. FOOD FORTIFICATION assurance
o random testing of fortificants and fortified
Why in news? food
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India • Every package of fortified food shall carry name of
(FSSAI) has recently released a report on food the fortificant and the logo to indicate.
fortification. • The Food Authority shall take steps to encourage
the production, manufacture, distribution, sale,
What is food fortification?
and consumption of fortified food.
• Food fortification is the deliberate addition of
one or more micronutrients to food so as to 5.1.2. EAT RIGHT INDIA MOVEMENT
correct or prevent a deficiency (Hidden
Hunger: Deficiency of Micronutrients). Why in News?
• Food fortification is a “complementary The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
strategy” and not a replacement of a (FSSAI) recently organised the Swasth Bharat
balanced & diversified diet to address Yatra, a key element of the ‘Eat Right India
malnutrition. Movement’.
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
• FSSAI, under the Ministry of Health & Family Eat Right India movement
Welfare, has been established under Food Safety • It is multi-sectoral effort with primary focus
and Standards Act, 2006. on daily intake of salt, sugar, fat, phasing-out
• It has responsibility of laying down scientific trans-fats from diets and promoting healthier
standards for articles of food and to regulate their
food options.
manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import
to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food • It is built on two broad pillars of Eat Healthy
for human consumption. and Eat Safe.
• It brings together three ongoing initiatives of
Food Fortification in India FSSAI that target citizens:
• Fortification is being promoted through both open o The Safe and Nutritious Food (SNF)
market and government schemes like ICDS, MDMS, Initiative, focused on social and
PDS,etc. behavioral change around food safety and
• In National Nutrition Strategy (Kuposhan Mukt nutrition at home, school, workplace and
Bharat), food fortification has been given a major on-the-go.
thrust. o The Eat Healthy Campaign focused on
• FSSAI has operationalised standards for
daily intake of salt, sugar, fat, phasing-out
fortification of:
o wheat- flour-rice (with iron, Vitamin B12 and trans-fats.
folic acid) o Food fortification, focused on promoting
o milk & edible oil (with Vitamins A and D) five staple foods- wheat flour, rice, oil,
o double-fortified salt (with iodine and iron). milk and salt, with key vitamins and
• It has also introduced the +F logo to identify minerals added to improve their
fortified foods. nutritional content.
• It has also launched the Food Fortification • Under the movement, “Aaj se thoda kam
Resource Centre (FFRC) to promote large-scale campaign” was launched to encourage
fortification of food across India.
citizens to adopt healthy food habits through
• Indian Food Laboratory Network system
social media and mass media.
(INFoLNET): It’s an initiative with bringing all the
stakeholders to a common platform for the
5.1.3. REPURPOSE USED COOKING OIL
establishment of a transparent food testing
network by FSSAI. (RUCO)
Food Safety and Standards (Fortification of Foods)
Why in news?
Regulations, 2018
• It has prescribed standards for fortification of Recently, FSSAI launched Repurpose Used
various food products such as All fortified foods cooking Oil (RUCO) initiative.
must not fall below the minimum level of micro
nutrients.
31
About RUCO Initiative About Trans-Fat
• Aim: To enable collection and conversion of • Also known as Trans Fatty Acids (TFA), they
used cooking oil to bio-diesel. are of 2 types-
• Under this around 64 companies at 101 o Natural Trans-Fat- Occur naturally in the
locations have been identified to enable dairy and some meat products.
collection of used cooking oil. o Artificial Trans-Fat- They are created
• Significance: when the oil goes through hydrogenation,
o India has the potential to recover 220 which involves adding hydrogen to the
crore litres of used cooking oil for the liquid oil to make it more solid.
production of biodiesel by 2022 if co- • They help to increase the shelf life of oils and
ordinated actions are taken. foods and stabilise their flavours.
o It is environment friendly because as of • In India, Vanaspati, desi ghee, butter and
now cooking oil is either not discarded or margarine are the main sources of trans fat.
disposed in an environmentally hazardous Vanaspati is favoured by the industry as it
manner, thereby, choking drains and prolongs a food product’s shelf life and is
sewerage systems. cheap.
o It would promote public health as the • The current permitted level of trans fat is 5
initiative would prevent diversion of UCO per cent (by weight) in India. FSSAI has
to smaller restaurants, dhaabas and further proposed to limit the maximum
street-vendors. amount of trans fat in vegetable oils,
About Used Cooking Oil (UCO) standards vegetable fat and hydrogenated vegetable oil
• According to FSSAI regulations, the maximum to 2 per cent to make India trans-fat free by
permissible limits for Total Polar Compounds (TPC) 2022, a year ahead of the global target by the
in cooking oil have been set at 25 per cent. WHO for complete elimination of trans fat.
• TPC is formed due to repeated frying and usage of
edible oil which changes its physiochemical and Health Hazards due to Trans-Fat
nutrition properties making it unfit for human
consumption. • According to various studies, a 2% increase in
• TPCs above the set level cause hypertension, energy intake from trans-fat has been
atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, liver disease associated with a 23 % increase in the risk of
etc. heart disease and according to another
• FSSAI is working in partnership with Biodiesel estimate by WHO.
Association of India (BDAI) and the food industry o Its consumption increases the risk of
to ensure effective compliance of UCO standards. heart disease by raising the level of low-
• FSSAI is also implementing a ‘Triple E strategy’ - density lipoprotein (LDL), also known as
Education, Enforcement and Ecosystem to divert the “bad” cholesterol and at the same
UCO from the food value chain and curb current
time it reduces the level of high-density
illegal practices.
lipoprotein (HDL) which is the “good”
Related information
• Cooking oil may have saturated fatty acids (palm cholesterol.
oil) or unsaturated fatty acids (soyabean). • They are supposed to be the main cause of
• The saturated fatty acids such as in palm oil are Type-2 Diabetes and linked to insulin
more stable that the unsaturated fatty acids which resistance, that is why WHO recommends that
decompose easily at high temperature forming no more than one per cent of a person's
polar compounds. calories come from trans fats.
• Thus, it makes oils with saturated fatty acids fit for “REPLACE” by WHO
frying. However, oils with unsaturated fatty acids • WHO has released a step by step guide for the
are healthier provided they are used just once for industry to eliminate trans fats from the food by
frying. 2023.
• The guide, called REPLACE, has six actions, which
5.1.4. TRANS FAT include
o Review of dietary sources of trans fats,
Why in News? o Promoting replacement with healthier fats,
World Health Organization has urged developing o Legislation and Setting up a regulatory
framework,
nations to eliminate man-made trans fatty acids
o Assessing and monitoring trans fats content in
from their food supplies. food,
o Creating awareness and
o Enforcing regulation.
32
Related News • Inadequate public sector diagnostic
• Heart Attack Rewind: It's a mass media campaign by laboratory and Unaffordability of private labs
FSSAI, calling for the elimination of industrially- • Mass bathing as part of religious occasions
produced trans fat in the food supply.
• Antibiotics as growth promoters in food
• Denmark was the first country to restrict
animals and poultry
industrially-produced trans fats in food and it has
witnessed a sharp decline in deaths due to • Effluents from the antibiotic manufacturing
cardiovascular diseases. units leading to contamination of rivers and
lakes
5.2. PHARMACEUTICALS • Disposal of untreated sewage into water
bodies
5.2.1. ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE • Prevalence of various Hospital Associated
Infections (also called nosocomial infections).
Why in news?
Policy/Initiatives of Government
Government has proposed a ban on the use of
antibiotic colistin that is widely for non- • National Policy for Containment of AMR 2011
therapeutic purposes such as growth promotion provided regulations for use of antibiotics for
and disease prevention in poultry, farming and humans as also for veterinary use along with a
aquaculture in India which increases antibiotic hospital based surveillance system for
resistance in humans. monitoring antibiotic resistance.
Details • Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has
set up a National Anti-Microbial Resistance
• Colistin belongs to a group of antibiotics Research and Surveillance Network
called polymixins which are termed “critically (AMRRSN) to enable compilation of National
important by WHO. It is used when no other Data of AMR at different levels of Health Care.
antibiotic works • FSSAI has set certain guidelines limiting the
• Other countries that do not permit the use of antibiotics in food products such as fish and
the antibiotic, both for therapeutic and honey.
growth promotion in animals are European
• Ministry Of Health has notified an amendment
Union (banned colistin in 2006), while
to the Food Safety & Standards
Malaysia and China banned it in 2018.
(Contaminants, Toxins & Residues)
Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Regulations, 2011, to set maximum
permissible limits for the presence of
• It occurs when microorganisms such as
antibiotics and other drugs in meat and meat
bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change
products, including chicken.
in ways that render the medications used to
• Red Line Campaign on Antibiotics 2016, was
cure the infections and causing them
launched to create awareness regarding
ineffective.
rational usage and limiting the practice of self-
• It is the broader term for resistance in
medication of antibiotics among the general
different types of microorganisms and
public.
encompasses resistance to antibacterial,
• National Health Policy 2017 envisions a holistic
antiviral, antiparasitic and antifungal drugs.
framework against AMR.
It occurs naturally but is also facilitated by the
• The National Action Plan on Antimicrobial
inappropriate use of medicines.
Resistance (NAP-AMR) 2017 has assigned
• Microorganisms that become resistant to
coordinated tasks to multiple government
most antimicrobials are often referred to as
agencies involving health, education,
“superbugs”.
environment, and livestock to change
• It affects the, medical procedures such as
prescription practices and consumer
organ transplantation, cancer chemotherapy,
behaviour and to scale up infection control
major surgeries etc. making them very risky.
and antimicrobial surveillance.
Factors responsible for antibiotic resistance in o The strategic objectives of NAP-AMR are
India aligned with the WHO’s Global Action Plan
on AMR (GAP-AMR).
• Self-medication (to avoid financial burden) WHO “Global action plan on antimicrobial
• Access to antibiotics without prescription resistance” 2015: it has 5 strategic objectives:
• Use of pharmacies and informal healthcare • To improve awareness and understanding of
providers as sources of healthcare. antimicrobial resistance.
33
• To strengthen surveillance and research. Drug regime in India
• To reduce the incidence of infection. • Drugs are regulated by the Drugs and Cosmetics
• To optimize the use of antimicrobial Act, 1940 and Drugs and Cosmetic Rules, 1945.
medicines. • Central Drugs Standard Control Organization
• To ensure sustainable investment in (CDSCO), under the MoHFW, is the authority that
countering antimicrobial resistance. approves new drugs for manufacture and import.
• State Drug Authorities are the licensing authorities
5.2.2. FIXED DOSE COMBINATIONS for marketing drugs.
(FDCS) • Drugs Technical Advisory Body (DTAB): It is the
highest statutory decision-making body under the
Why in news? Union Health ministry on technical matters related
to drugs. It is constituted as per the Drugs and
Recently, the Ministry of Health and Family Cosmetics Act, 1940.
Welfare (MoHFW) in exercise of powers
conferred by the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 5.2.3. NATIONAL MEDICAL DEVICES
has prohibited the manufacture for sale, sale or PROMOTION COUNCIL
distribution for human use of 328 FDCs and
restricted the manufacture, sale or distribution of Why in News?
six FDCs subject to certain conditions. To give a fillip to the medical device sector, a
About FDC National Medical Devices Promotion Council will
be set up under the Department for Promotion of
• An FDC is a combination of two or more Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
therapeutic drugs packed in a single dose. About National Medical Devices Promotion
Several cough syrups, painkillers and Council
dermatological drugs in India are FDCs.
• Benefits: They are known to offer specific • The Council will be headed by Secretary, DPIIT
advantages over the single entity and will have representatives from concerned
preparations, such as increased efficacy, departments, health care industry and quality
and/or a reduced incidence of adverse effects, control institutions.
possibly reduced cost and simpler logistics of • It will act as a facilitating and promotion &
distribution relevant to situations of limited developmental body for the Indian Medical
resources Devices Industry (MDI). It will give a boost to
• Cheaper for consumer: Patient can buy just domestic manufacturing and for exports.
one FDC medicine to treat multiple illness • It will identify redundant processes and
symptoms. render technical assistance to the agencies
and departments concerned to simplify the
Brief Background approval processes involved in medical device
industry.
• In 2016, the health ministry had banned 349
FDCs, claiming they were "unsafe" and 5.2.4. ANIMAL-FREE TESTING FOR
"irrational" for consumption on the DRUGS
recommendation of Chandrakant Kokate
committee (2015). Why in News?
• Later, Drugs Technical Advisory Board Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) has
(DTAB) on a direction from Supreme Court, approved modern, animal-free tests for drug
formed Nilima Shirsagar committee to review manufacturers.
the safety, efficacy and therapeutic New Guidelines
justification of 344 fixed dose combination
• In the 2018 edition of Indian Pharmacopoeia,
(FDC) drugs. The committee also
the IPC has replaced the pyrogen test carried
recommended the continuation of the ban
out on rabbits and the abnormal toxicity test
along with other observations such as:
carried out on guinea pigs and mice.
o FDCs were formulated without due
• Pyrogen test will be replaced by a bacterial
diligence, with dosing mismatches that
endotoxin test or a monocyte activation test
could result in toxicity.
which can be carried out in test tubes.
o Over the years, India has become a
"dumping ground" for irrational FDCs • Abnormal toxicity test can be waived by
that are not approved in other countries getting a compliance certificate from the
for consumption. National Control Laboratory.
34
Pyrogen Test • Transmission of Nipah virus also takes place
through direct contact with other NiV-
• A pyrogen is a foreign substance that causes
infected people.
a fever (temperature elevation) in an animal’s
Related Information
body. Vaccines and other injectable drugs What are Zoonotic diseases?
must be confirmed to be pyrogen free • A zoonotic disease is a disease that spreads
according to regulatory requirements. between animals and people.
• For the test, the drug is injected into a rabbit • They can be caused by viruses, bacteria, parasites,
(Food and water is withheld to rabbit and fungi.
overnight) and the animal is closely observed • Important Zoonotic diseases in India are: Nipah
for feverish symptoms. virus, avian influenza, rabies, Japanese
encephalitis, leptospirosis, Hanta virus, SARS,
Abnormal Toxicity Test cysticercosis, anthrax, plague, echinococcosis and
schistosomosis, Kyasanur forest disease (KFD) etc.
• This test is carried out to check potential
Why is there an increase in Zoonotic diseases?
hazardous biological contamination in vaccine
• Due to dramatic increase in population, mobility
formulations i.e. the degree to which a and the associated social and environmental
substance can damage living or non-living changes like habitat destruction in the past 70
entity. years.
• The scientists observe if there is death of any Way forward: We need to adopt “one health”
animal during the tests. approach particularly to fight zoonotic diseases. The
Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) One Health Initiative defines One Health as ‘the
• It is an autonomous institution of the Ministry of collaborative efforts of multiple disciplines working
Health and Family Welfare. locally, nationally and globally to attain optimal health
for people, animals, plants and our environment’.
• It is created to set standards of drugs in the
country.
• It publishes official documents for improving
5.3.2. ZIKA VIRUS
Quality of Medicines by way of adding new and Why in News?
updating existing articles in the form of Indian
Pharmacopoeia (IP). Few cases of Zika virus disease have been
• It also promotes rational use of generic medicines reported in Bihar.
by publishing National Formulary of India. About Zika
Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP)
• First identified in Uganda in 1947 in monkeys,
• It contains a collection of authoritative procedures
of analysis and specifications for Drugs.
Zika was detected in humans five years later.
• It has got legal status under the Second Sporadic cases have been reported
Schedule of the Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940. throughout the world since the 1960s, but the
first outbreak happened in 2007 in the Island
5.3. VIRAL DISEASES of Yap in the Pacific.
• In 2015, a major outbreak in Brazil led to the
5.3.1. NIPAH VIRUS revelation that Zika can be associated with
microcephaly, a condition in which babies are
Why in news? born with small and underdeveloped brain.
Recently, there were several cases of deaths due • Some countries that have had a Zika outbreak,
to 'Nipah' (NiV) virus in Kerala. including Brazil, reported a steep increase in
Guillain-Barré syndrome — a neurological
Nipah virus disorder that could lead to paralysis and
• Nipah virus was first identified in Kampung death, according to WHO.
Sungai Nipah, Malaysia in 1998. • In India, the first outbreak was reported in
• The first outbreak in India was reported from Ahmedabad in January 2017 and second
Siliguri, West Bengal in 2001. outbreak in July, 2017 from Krishnagiri District
• The natural host of the virus is the fruit bat in Tamilnadu.
but it can also infect pigs or any domesticated • Vulnerability of India to Zika due to:
animals. o Poor health facilities.
• The virus is present in bat urine, faeces, saliva, o Lack of effective vaccination against Zika
and birthing fluids which then transmits it to virus.
Humans climbing trees or drinking raw palm o Lack of awareness.
sap covered in it. o Lack of after care in case of microcephaly
occurrence.
35
• However, samples from some states showed
the presence of Type 2 vaccine derived polio
virus (VDVP), which had undergone ten
nucleotide changes.
• If six or more nucleotide changes happen
then it is called vaccine-derived poliovirus
(VDVP).
• VDVP is extremely rare and found in children
with immune-deficiency and among
populations with low immunity levels.
5.3.4. MEASLES-RUBELLA
Why in news?
Recently, Global Measles and Rubella Update
stated that India had 56,399 confirmed measles
cases and 1,066 confirmed rubella cases in 2018.
About Measles-Rubella
• Measles and Rubella are highly contagious
viral diseases that are spread by contact with
an infected person through coughing and
sneezing.
o Measles weakens the immune system and
opens the door to secondary health
5.3.3. POLIO VIRUS problems, such as pneumonia, blindness,
diarrhoea etc. This virus is an exclusive
Why in news? human pathogen and has no animal
Recently, the Union Health Ministry has ordered reservoirs or vectors. It occurs only in
an inquiry into the type-2 polio virus humans.
contamination detected in the vials used for o Rubella, also known as German Measles,
immunisation in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and is generally a mild disease but can have
Telangana. serious consequences for pregnant
Polio women and their children as it may cause
• Polio (or Poliomyelitis) is a highly-infectious congenital rubella syndrome in the
viral disease which mainly affects young foetus.
children and can result in permanent paralysis. • Measles-rubella (MR) vaccine is given at 9-12
• The virus is transmitted by person-to-person months and 16-24 months of age for
spread mainly through the faecal-oral route preventing both measles and rubella diseases
or, less frequently, by a common vehicle (e.g. in the child as no specific treatment is
contaminated water or food) and multiplies in available for the disease.
the intestine, from where it can invade the • To eliminate measles and control rubella, over
nervous system and can cause paralysis. 95% immunisation of children or
• There is no cure and it can only be prevented strengthening of Herd Immunity is required.
through immunisation. • It is a form of immunity that occurs when the
• Types: Of the 3 strains of wild poliovirus (type vaccination of a significant portion of a
1, type 2, and type 3), wild poliovirus type 2 population (or herd) provides a measure of
was eradicated in 1999 and no case of wild protection for individuals who have not
poliovirus type 3 has been found since 2012. developed immunity.
• Difference between Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV)
and IPV: OPV is made up of attenuated or 5.3.5. NATIONAL ACTION PLAN FOR
weakened poliovirus and there is a risk of VIRAL HEPATITIS CONTROL
vaccine derived polio. IPV is made up of
inactivated (killed) polio virus and will provide Why in News?
immunity from all three strains of polio. Recently, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
• India status: India was officially declared Polio launched National Action Plan for Viral Hepatitis.
free by WHO in 2014.
36
About National Action Plan for Viral Hepatitis hepatitis B &C through standardized
testing and management protocols with
• The Plan provides a strategic framework,
focus on treatment of hepatitis B and C.
based on which National Viral Hepatitis
Control Program was launched in 2018 under 5.3.6. CHIKUNGUNYA VIRUS
National Health Mission.
Why in News?
About Hepatitis
Recently, Indian scientists have developed a
• It is an inflammation of the liver often cause biosensor technique to detect chikungunya virus.
by virus and other infections, toxic
substances (e.g. alcohol, certain drugs). About Chikungunya
• There are 5 main hepatitis viruses, referred to • Chikungunya is a viral disease (genus
as types A, B, C, D and E. Alphavirus) which is transmitted to humans by
o Viral hepatitis types B and C can cause infected mosquitoes – including Aedes
chronic hepatitis and are responsible for aegypti (also transmit dengue and zika) and
96% of overall hepatitis mortality while Aedes albopictus.
Hepatitis A and E usually cause acute • There is no cure for the disease. Treatment is
hepatitis. focused on relieving the symptoms.
o Hepatitis A and E are typically caused by • Current Detection Techniques: It’s detected
ingestion of contaminated food or water. through RT-PCR (Real-time polymerase chain
o Hepatitis B, C and D usually occur as a reaction) from serum samples and by
result of contact with infected body fluids determination of serum anti-bodies which are
such as during receiving blood, invasive time consuming and cumbersome.
medical procedures using contaminated
equipment, transmission from mother to About the Biosensor technology
baby at birth, sexual contact etc. • Scientist made a Molybdenum disulphide
o Also, Hepatitis D virus (HDV) infections nanosheet which is absorbed onto the screen-
occur only in those who are infected with printed gold electrodes and then used in the
Hepatitis B Virus. detection of chikungunya virus DNA using
o There are vaccines to prevent hepatitis A, electrochemical voltammetric techniques.
B and E. However, there is no vaccine for • Advantages: Used to develop a point of care
hepatitis C. device for rapid identification of disease. It is
• The challenge in eliminating chronic viral suitable for mass production, has low cost,
hepatitis is due to the infected person being higher disposability and design flexibility as
unaware of their chronic carrier status and to compared to traditional electrode materials.
the potential for them to continue to infect
others for decades. 5.3.7. QUADRIVALENT INFLUENZA
National Viral Hepatitis Control Program VACCINE
• It aims to reduce morbidity and mortality due Why in news?
to viral hepatitis.
WHO recently for the first time recommended the
• Goal: Ending viral hepatitis as a public health
use of quadrivalent influenza vaccine.
threat by 2030 in the country
• Key strategies under the programme are: More on news
o Preventive and Promotive interventions • Sanofi Pasteur’s injectable influenza vaccine
with focus on awareness generation. (FluQuadri) has been recommended for use in
o Safe injection practices and socio-cultural the 2018-2019 northern hemisphere influenza
practices. season.
o Sanitation and hygiene like safe drinking • The quadrivalent vaccine will contain four
water supply, infection control and influenza virus strains (two A subtypes and
immunization. two B subtypes — H1N1 and H3N2, and
o Co-ordination and collaboration with Victoria and Yamagata respectively), while
different Ministries and departments. trivalent influenza vaccine used to contain
o Increasing access to testing and both A subtype viruses but only one of the B
management of viral hepatitis. subtype virus.
o Promoting diagnosis and providing • Quadrilateral vaccine was approved for active
treatment support for patients of immunisation of adults of age 18 to 64 years
37
in 2017 by the Drug Controller General of Related News
India (DCGI). New Influenza Research Programme
Influenza Recently, Indian and European Union (EU) collaborated
• Influenza (flu) is a contagious respiratory for new influenza research programme to develop Next
Generation Influenza Vaccine.
illness caused by influenza viruses,
About the programme
transmitted from person to person via • The programme will get fund of EUR 15 million
droplets. under EU funding programme for research and
• It is characterized by sudden onset of high innovation called 'Horizon 2020'.
fever, aching muscles, headache and severe • It aims at further advancing the next generation
malaise, non-productive cough and sore influenza vaccine with improved efficacy and
throat. safety, duration of immunity, and reactivity against
• There are four types of influenza viruses: an increased breadth of influenza strains.
types A, B, C and D: Horizon 2020
• It is the biggest EU Research and Innovation
o Influenza A viruses infect humans and
programme with nearly €80 billion of funding
many different animals. The emergence of
available over 7 years (2014 to 2020).
a new and very different influenza A virus • It is helping to achieve research and innovation on
with the ability infect people and have excellent science, industrial leadership and tackling
sustained human to human transmission, societal challenges.
can cause an influenza pandemic.
✓ Subtype: They are classified 5.4. BACTERIAL DISEASES
according to the combinations of
different virus surface proteins 5.4.1. WHO TB REPORT AND
Haemagglutinin (H) and
ROADMAP
Neuraminidase (N). Avian influenza
virus subtypes A(H5N1), A(H7N9), and Why in news?
A(H9N2) and swine influenza virus
Recently, World Health Organisation (WHO)
subtypes A(H1N1), A(H1N2) and
released World TB Report 2018, with collaboration
A(H3N2).
of UN’s first high-level meeting (HLM) on TB.
✓ Tamiflu/ Oseltamivir Drug to treat
influenza A (including H1N1) and Findings of the World TB report 2018
influenza B.
o Influenza B viruses circulates among • TB is the 10th leading cause of death
humans and cause seasonal epidemics. worldwide, and since 2011, it has been the
o Influenza C viruses can infect both leading cause of death from a single infectious
humans and pigs but infections are agent, ranking above HIV/AIDS.
generally mild and are rarely reported. • India accounted for 27% of the total new
o Influenza D viruses primarily affect cattle infections of TB in 2017, which is the highest
and are not known to infect or cause among the top 30 high TB burden countries in
illness in people. the world.
Vaccines • Concept Notes from report
• Vaccines are substances that stimulate the body’s o Triple-Billion Goals: It is associated with
own immune system to protect the person against WHO General Programme of Work 2019-
subsequent infection or disease. 2023 linked to SGDs health goals. This
• Vaccines contain antigen (which generates the stressed the need of:
protective immune response) that may be a ✓ 1 billion more people are benefiting
weakened or killed form of the disease-causing from Universal Health Coverage.
organism, or fragments of the organism.
✓ 1 billion more people are better
• They can be broadly classified as live or
protected from health emergencies.
inactivated.
o Live vaccines are made using ‘wild’ viruses or ✓ 1 billion more people are enjoying
bacteria that have been attenuated, or better health and well-being.
weakened, before being included in the Related Information
vaccine and create a strong and long-lasting Facts about TB
immune response. • TB is communicable infectious disease caused by
o Inactivated vaccines use the killed version of the bacillus Mycobacterium Tuberculosis.
the germ that causes a disease and usually • It typically affects the lungs (pulmonary TB) but
don’t provide immunity (protection) that’s as can also affect other organs (extrapulmonary TB).
strong as live vaccines.
38
Drug Resistant TB studied showed gene mutations conferring
• Multidrug Resistance TB (MDR): It is TB that does resistance towards drugs such as rifampicin,
not respond to at least isoniazid and rifampicin (2 dapsone and ofloxacin.
of the most powerful first line drugs). • Non-adherence to drugs: Due to various
• Extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB): It
reasons a significant number of patients
is resistant to at least four of the core anti-TB
become irregular and default from MDT.
drugs. It involves multidrug-resistance (MDR-TB),
in addition to resistance to any of the • Issues with 2005 declaration of Leprosy
fluoroquinolones (such as levofloxacin or elimination: It led to the diversion fund,
moxifloxacin) and to at least one of the three leading to poor research and the frontline
injectable second-line drugs (amikacin, workers stopped making household visits to
capreomycin or kanamycin). identify undetected cases.
• Totally drug-resistant tuberculosis (TDR-TB): TB • Stigma about leprosy: Fear of stigma, and the
which is resistant to all the first- and second-line TB resulting discrimination, discourages
drugs.
individuals and their families from seeking the
Global Efforts for TB
help they need.
• Moscow Declaration to End TB: It is the outcome
of first global ministerial conference on ending TB, Leprosy
in 2017. • It is a Neglected Tropical Disease, caused by
• WHO- End TB Strategy: A world free of TB with Mycobacterium leprae bacteria.
zero deaths, disease and suffering due to TB. It has • Affects the skin and peripheral nerves.
three high-level, overarching indicators and related • Long incubation period generally 5-7 years.
targets: • Timely diagnosis and treatment of cases, before
o 95% reduction by 2035 in number of TB deaths nerve damage has occurred, is the most effective
compared with 2015. way of preventing disability.
o 90% reduction by 2035 in TB incidence rate • Mycobacterium Indicus Pranii (MIP), is an
compared with 2015. indigenous vaccine for leprosy.
o Zero the level of catastrophic costs for TB- • India has the highest burden of leprosy with about
affected families by 2035. 60% of the world's new leprosy cases reported each
year.
5.4.2. LEPROSY IN INDIA India’s National Leprosy Eradication Programme
• It is a centrally sponsored Health Scheme of the
Why in News? Ministry of Health and Family Welfare which aims
Initial reports of Leprosy Case Detection to eradicate leprosy from India.
• Strategies for Leprosy elimination:
Campaign of the National Leprosy Eradication
o Decentralized integrated leprosy services
Programme (NLEP) indicated an all-time high of
through General Health Care system.
nearly 50,000 new leprosy cases in Bihar. o Early detection & complete treatment of new
Current scenario leprosy cases.
o Carrying out house hold contact survey in
• India was officially declared to have detection of Multibacillary (MB) & child cases.
eliminated leprosy in 2005, yet India still o Early diagnosis & prompt MDT, through
accounts for the largest number of leprosy routine and special efforts
affected people in the world (58 per cent). o Involvement of Accredited Social Health
o According to WHO, ‘elimination’ implies a Activists (ASHAs) in the detection & complete
treatment of Leprosy cases for leprosy work
prevalence rate of less than one case per
What are Neglected Tropical Diseases?
10,000; whereas 'eradication' means to
• WHO defines NTDs as a diverse group of
reach zero level — a condition where no communicable diseases that prevail in tropical and
infection remains, and there is no subtropical conditions in 149 countries.
possibility of further transmission. • Vulnerability: Populations living in poverty,
• Indian research contributed to the without adequate sanitation and in close contact
development of Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT), with infectious vectors and domestic animals and
now recommended by WHO, which led to the livestock are those worst affected.
shortening of treatment and higher cure • Situation in India: Diseases that are most prevalent
rates. in India include lymphatic filariasis, soil transmitted
helminthiases, trachoma, visceral leishmaniasis,
Challenges in eradicating leprosy dengue, rabies, cysticercosis, Japanese
encephalitis and intestinal worm infections
• Antimicrobial resistance in leprosy: Global (hookworms, whipworms and Ascaris worms).
data shows that a total of 8% of the • Uniting to Combat NTDs: Leaders of several
Mycobacterium leprae bacterial strains prominent global health and development
39
organizations, together with industry partners, Trachoma also known as Alliance for Global
met in London in 2012 and pledged to unite in their Elimination of Trachoma by 2020.
efforts to support the achievement of the WHO • Vision 2020 of WHO and IAPB (International
2020 goals in respect to 10 NTDs. Agency for the Prevention of Blindness) - includes
o Pledge is known as London Declaration on Trachoma as a priority under its disease control
NTDs. component.
• 10 NTDs are: Guinea worm disease, lymphatic
filariasis, blinding trachoma, sleeping sickness, 5.5. OTHER NEWS
leprosy, helminthes, schistosomiasis, river
blindness, Chagas disease and visceral
leishmaniasis (Kala Azar).
5.5.1. TRIPLE DRUG THERAPY FOR
LYMPHATIC FILARIASIS
5.4.3. NEPAL ELIMINATES TRACHOMA (ELEPHANTIASIS)
Why in news? Why in news?
Recently, WHO has announced that Nepal has
Recently Triple Drug Therapy regime for
eliminated Trachoma and became the first
eradication of Lymphatic Filariasis was launched.
country in South East Asia to do so.
What is Trachoma? Details
• It is a chronic infective eye disease caused by • Triple Drug Therapy involves combination of
infection with the bacterium Chlamydia three drugs Ivermectin, Diethylcarbamazine
trachomatis which is transmitted through Citrate and Albendazol (Known as IDA).
contact with eye and nose discharge of • Lymphatic filariasis, a neglected tropical
infected people, particularly young children disease caused by three species of thread-like
who are most vulnerable to the infection. nematode worms, known as filariae –
• It is also spread by flies which come in contact Wuchereria bancrofti (responsible for 90%
with the infected person and is most common cases), Brugia malayi and Brugia timori.
under poor environment, low personal • It’s transmitted to humans through
hygiene and inadequate access to water. mosquitoes.
• It is one of the causes of the avoidable • The larval stages of the parasite (microfilaria)
blindness and one of the 18 Neglected circulate in the blood and are transmitted
Tropical Diseases (NTD). from person to person by mosquitoes.
• During 1950s, India was a hyperendemic to • Manifestation of the disease after infection
Trachoma. About 50%-80% children from takes time and can result in an altered
North-west India were affected by it. lymphatic system, causing abnormal
• Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of India enlargement of body parts (like feet, arms,
had recently National Trachoma Survey breasts, genitals) leading to severe disability
Report (2014-17) and declared India infective and social stigmatization and poverty of those
Trachoma free under WHO GET2020 affected.
program, however it has not been yet
announced by WHO. 5.5.2. RARE DISEASES
Criteria used by WHO for assessing a country’s claim
for having eliminated trachoma as a public health Why in News?
problem. After withdrawing the National Policy for
• less than 5% of children aged 1–9 years have signs
Treatment of Rare Diseases (NPTRD), the Minister
of active trachoma which can be treated with
of Health and Family Welfare has approved a
antibiotics, in each previously-endemic district;
• less than 0.2% of people aged 15 years and older proposal for adding a sub-component under the
have trachomatous trichiasis, which requires eyelid umbrella scheme of Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi
surgery, in each previously-endemic district; and (RAN) for provision of one-time financial
• A health system which can identify and manage assistance to those below threshold poverty line
new cases of trachomatous trichiasis. for specified rare diseases which require one-time
Global Initiatives for Trachoma treatment.
• WHO’s SAFE (Surgery, Antibodies, Facial
cleanliness, Environmental improvement) strategy About Rare Diseases
(1997) and Global Elimination of Blinding Trachoma • There is no universally accepted definition of
by 2020 to eliminate Trachoma.
rare diseases and the definitions usually vary
• GET2020- a WHO International Alliance of
across different countries. However, generally
interested parties who work for elimination of
40
rare diseases are defined as a health 5.5.4. BACTERIA WOLBACHIA
condition of low prevalence that affects a
small number of people compared with other Why in news?
prevalent diseases in the general population. Recently successful experiments were conducted
• WHO defines rare disease as often in Australia, which demonstrated the positive
debilitating lifelong disease or disorder correlation between presence of Wolbachia
condition with a prevalence of 1 or less, per bacteria in mosquitoes and reduced spread of
1000 population. diseases such as Malaria and Dengue.
• 80% of rare diseases are genetic in origin and
Details
hence disproportionately impact children.
• Wolbachia is a tiny bacterium that is present
• These are also called ‘orphan diseases’
in up to 60% of all species of insects, including
because drug companies are not interested in
several mosquito species (except Aedes
adopting them to develop treatments due to
aegypti mosquito: responsible for
low profitability.
transmitting dengue, chikungunya and Zika).
• The most common rare diseases include
• The World Mosquito Program introduces
Haemophilia, Thalassemia, Sickle-cell
Wolbachia into Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.
Anaemia, auto-immune diseases, etc.
Once Wolbachia carrying mosquitoes are
• Karnataka is the first state to release a Rare
released, they breed with wild mosquitoes
Diseases and Orphan Drugs Policy.
and over time, the majority of mosquitoes
5.5.3. ‘P NULL’ PHENOTYPE carry Wolbachia.
• This new method provides bio-control
Why in news? approach to handle these diseases.
A team of doctors from Mangaluru's Kasturba
Medical College (KMC) has identified a rare blood 5.5.5. WHO PUBLISHES ESSENTIAL
group called “pp” or “P null” phenotype for the DIAGNOSTICS LIST
first time in India.
More about the news Why in news?
• ABO and Rh are the common types of blood World Health Organization (WHO) published its
group systems. However, there are more than first Essential Diagnostics List (EDL) – which
200 minor blood group antigens known catalogues tests to diagnose the most common
besides A, B and Rh. conditions and a number of global priority
• A blood type is considered rare if fewer than diseases.
one in 1,000 people have it. A person is said to Details
have rare blood group when he lacks the high
frequency antigen or multiple common • EDL consists of 113 products – 58 tests for a
antigens. range of common conditions and the rest 55
• The ‘P null’ blood group has anti-PP1Pk
test for “priority” diseases such as HIV, TB,
antibody that has the potential to cause acute HPV, syphilis, malaria and hepatitis B and C.
intravascular haemolytic reaction to • It is intended to serve as a template for
incompatible blood transfusion. This antibody countries to develop their own list. WHO will
is also known to cause recurrent abortions in support the countries for its local adaptation.
women.
5.5.6. CELIAC DISEASE
• Finding compatible unit for such case is a near
impossible task without a well-established Why in news?
rare donor panel, hence Rare donor registry Recently there have been calls to raise awareness
should be maintained for managing such regarding celiac disease.
cases. Details
• Celiac disease also called sprue or coeliac, is
an immune reaction to eating gluten, a
protein found in wheat, barley and rye.
• It is a kind of an autoimmune disorder (where
the immune system mistakes healthy cells and
substances for harmful ones and produces
antibodies against them (antibodies usually
fight off bacteria and viruses) occurring in
people who are genetically predisposed.
41
• In celiac patient, eating gluten triggers an weight loss, bloating and anemia, and can
immune response in small intestine. Over lead to serious complications.
time, this reaction damages small intestine's • There's no cure for celiac disease.
lining and prevents absorption of some • India has many Gluten free grains grown
nutrients (malabsorption). The intestinal locally- Jowar, Bajra, Makki, Ragi, Kuttu.
damage often causes diarrhea, fatigue,
42
6. IPR
World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO)
6.1. WIPO TREATIES • It is a specialised self-funding United Nations
agency which acts as global forum for intellectual
Why in news?
property services, policy, information and
GOI has approved accession to the World cooperation.
Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) • It was established under the WIPO Convention in
Copyright Treaty and WIPO Performers and 1967 and currently has 191 member states. India
Phonograms Treaty. joined WIPO in 1975.
• The importance of IPR was first recognized in the
About WIPO Copyright Treaty
Paris Convention for the protection of Industrial
• It is a special agreement under the Berne Property (1883) and Berne Convention for the
Convention (for protection of literary and Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (1886)
artistic works) that deals with the protection (both administered by WIPO).
of works and the rights of their authors in the o The Paris Convention covers: Inventions
digital environment. (patents), trademarks and industrial designs.
o Works protected under Berne Convention
• It grants following rights:
include novels, short stories, songs, musicals
o the right of distribution and drawings, paintings and sculptures.
o the right of rental
o a broader right of communication to the
Other IPRs
public Patent
• Any Contracting Party must comply with the • A patent is granted for an invention which is a new
substantive provisions the Protection of product or process that meets conditions of
Literary and Artistic Works. novelty, non-obviousness and industrial use.
• The WCT mentions two subject matters to be • Novelty means inventive step is the feature(s) of
protected by copyright: computer programs the invention that involves technical advance as
and compilations of data which constitute compared to existing knowledge.
intellectual creations. • Non-obviousness means the invention is not
obvious to a person skilled in the art.
• The term of protection must be at least 50
• Industrial use means that the invention is capable
years for any kind of work.
of being made or used in an industry.
About WIPO Performances and Phonograms • Patents in India are governed by “The patent Act
Treaty 1970” which was amended in 2005 to make it
• It deals with the rights of two kinds of compliant with TRIPS.
Trademark
beneficiaries, particularly in the digital
• It refers to graphical representation of goods or
environment: services to make it distinguishable from the others
o performers (actors, singers, musicians, • It can be words, symbols, sound, colours, shape of
etc.); and goods, graphics representation or packaging etc.
o producers of phonograms (persons or • They are governed under Trademarks Act, 1999
legal entities that take the initiative and (amended in 2010) under aegis of DIPP.
have the responsibility for the fixation of • The ‘fair usage’ of certain trademarks for the
sounds) purpose of education, research etc. is not available
• It grants them these economic rights: the under the Trademarks Act. Therefore the third
right of reproduction; the right of distribution; party is required to seek permission from the
owner every time.
the right of rental and the right of making
Design
available.
• An industrial design consists of the creation of a
• The term of protection must be at least 50 shape, configuration or composition of pattern or
years. color, or combination of pattern and color in three-
Related Information dimensional form containing aesthetic value.
Copyright • An industrial design can be a two- or three-
• Copyright is a right given by the law to creators of dimensional pattern used to produce a product,
literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works and industrial commodity or handicraft.
producers of cinematograph films and sound • Designs in India are governed by “The Designs Act
recordings. 2000”.
• This right allows its creator the rights of Plant Variety Protection
reproduction, communication to the public, • It refers to the protection granted for plant
adaptation and translation of the work. varieties. These rights are given to the farmers and
43
plant breeders to encourage the development of National Intellectual Property Rights Policy
new varieties of plants. Main objectives of the policy are –
• Plant variety protection in India is governed by • IPR Awareness and outreach
“The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ • Stimulate the generation of IPR
Rights (PPV&FR) Act, 2001”. • Strong legal and legislative framework
NOTE: GI has been covered in Culture booklet. • Modernize and strengthen service-oriented IPR
Administration
6.2. IPRISM • Commercialisation of IPR
• Enforcement and Adjustment for combating IPR
Why in news? adjustment
Recently, Cell for IPR Promotion and Management • Human Capital Development for teaching, training,
(CIPAM) in collaboration with ASSOCHAM and research and skill building in IPRs.
Adoption of this has led to following achievements-
ERICSSON India, launched the second edition of
• Strengthening of Institutional Mechanism –
‘IPrism’.
Except for Plant variety Protection (which is
Details administered by Ministry of Agriculture), other
• IPrism is an Intellectual Property (IP) IPRs are now administered by DIPP.
competition for students of schools, • Creating Awareness - Recently, Ministry of
Commerce and Industry launched Intellectual
polytechnic institutes, colleges and
Property Rights (IPR) Mascot - IP Nani to create
universities. This competition is for residents awareness among people specially children.
of India only. • Technology and Innovation Support Centres
About CIPAM (TISCs) - In conjunction with WIPO, 6 TISCs have
been established in various institutions across
• It has been created under the aegis of
different states.
Department for Promotion of Industry and
• Global Innovation Index (GII) - India’s rank in the
Internal Trade to take forward the GII Report issued by WIPO has improved from
implementation of the National IPR Policy 81st in 2015 to 57th place in 2018.
2016. • IPR Enforcement Toolkit for Police - to assist
• It assists in simplifying and streamlining of IP police officials in dealing with IP crimes, in
processes, apart from undertaking steps for particular, Trademark counterfeiting and Copyright
furthering IPR awareness, commercialization piracy.
and enforcement. • ‘Institution Innovation Councils’ (IICs) - set up in
Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) through the
Innovation Cell at AICTE under the Ministry of HRD.
• IP Process Re-engineering, clearing backlog,
reducing pendency and increase in fillings.
44
Related Information
7.1. INDIA’S FIRST LITHIUM ION Graphene Based Supercapacitors
(LI-ION) BATTERY PROJECT • It is being produced by the waste/discarded lithium
ion battery.
Why in News? • Graphene oxide collected form lithium ion battery
Recently, Central Electro Chemical Research showed high specific capacity at low current and it
is novel energy storage system that combined high
Institute (CECRI), under Council of Scientific &
energy and power density.
Industrial Research (CSIR) and RAASI Solar Power
• The process involves conversion of graphite into
Pvt Ltd have signed a Memorandum of graphene oxide by oxidation and subsequent
Agreement for transfer of technology for India’s exfoliation which is then further converted into
first Lithium Ion (Li-ion) Battery project. reduced graphene oxide.
About Lithium Ion Battery • Supercapacitor are now being used explicitly, in
wind turbine pitch control, rail, automobile, heavy
• These are rechargeable batteries having high industry, telecom system and memory backup.
energy density and commonly used in
consumer electronics. 7.2. THERMAL BATTERY
• It uses intercalated lithium compound instead
of metallic lithium as its electrode and is able Why in News?
to store 150 watt-hours electricity per kg of World’s first-ever thermal battery plant was
battery. inaugurated in Andhra Pradesh.
• Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries cycle 5000
Thermal Battery
times or more compared to just 400-500
cycles in lead acid. • Conventional battery technology is based on
• When a LIB is discharging, lithium ions move the system of charging/discharging cycles that
from the negative electrode (anode) to the are driven by electricity while thermal
positive electrode (cathode). When a LIB is batteries, uses thermal energy to operate, i.e.,
charging, lithium ions move in the opposite the energy created by temperature
direction, and the negative electrode differences.
becomes the cathode, while the positive • A thermal battery consists of two parts: a cool
electrode becomes the anode. zone known as sink, and a hot source called
source.
• Both these sides consist of compounds
known as phase-changing materials (PCMs),
which can change their state of matter on the
basis of a physical/chemical reaction.
• When the sink of a thermal battery receives
heat, it transforms physically or chemically,
thereby storing energy, while the source cools
down.
• During operation, the sink is cooled down, so
it releases the stored energy, while the source
heats up. Depending on the nature of the
battery, the system can derive heat from any
source, which makes a thermal battery very
versatile.
7.3. HYDROGEN-CNG
Why in News?
Delhi is set to be India’s first city to launch
hydrogen-enriched CNG (HCNG) buses in 2019.
45
What is HCNG? • At the cathode, the protons, electrons, and
oxygen combine to produce water molecules.
• HCNG is a vehicle fuel which is a blend of
• Unlike traditional combustion technologies
compressed natural gas and hydrogen,
that burn fuel, fuel cells undergo a chemical
typically 8-50% hydrogen by volume.
process to convert hydrogen-rich fuel into
Advantages of HCNG electricity.
• No retrofitment required- It does not need • Fuel cells do not need to be periodically
any modification of the engine or recharged like batteries, but instead continue
retrofitment. to produce electricity as long as a fuel source
• Lower pollutant emissions- It has potential to is provided.
reduce nitrous oxide (NOx), carbon dioxide
(CO2), carbon monoxide (appx 70%) and
hydrocarbon emissions (appx 15%) vehicle
emissions compared to traditional CNG.
o Hydrogen addition to natural gas can
decrease engine’s unburned
hydrocarbons and speed up the
combustion process.
• Improves fuel economy- It improves the
engine efficiency, lowers fuel consumption
upto 5 per cent as compared to a CNG bus.
• The thermal efficiency of both Natural gas
and HCNG increases with increase in load
which makes it an ideal fuel for high load
applications and heavy-duty vehicles.
7.4. WORLD’S FIRST HYDROGEN

FUEL CELL TRAIN
Why in News? 7.5. APSARA-U
Germany has rolled out world’s first hydrogen fuel Why in news?
cell powered trains called Coradia iLint.
A research reactor “Apsara-upgraded” has
About Hydrogen fuel cell
become operational at Bhabha Atomic Research
• It is a fuel cell that combines hydrogen and Centre (BARC), Trombay.
oxygen to produce electricity with water and
steam as the only biproducts. Research reactors
• The excess energy can be stored on board in • Research reactors are simpler nuclear
ion lithium batteries. reactors used for research, radioisotope
• It is a climate friendly fuel as it does not emit production, education, training etc, operating
carbon dioxide or particulate matter as the at low temperature.
case with conventional fuels like diesel, coal • Like power reactors, the core needs cooling
etc. and usually a moderator is used to slow down
How the hydrogen fuel cell works? the neutrons.
• They produce neutrons for use in industry,
• A fuel cell is composed of an anode, a medicine, agriculture, forensics, etc which is
cathode, and an electrolyte membrane. their main function. Hence most research
• A fuel cell works by passing hydrogen reactors also need a reflector to reduce
through the anode of a fuel cell and oxygen neutron loss from the core.
through the cathode.
More about Apsara-U
• At the anode, the hydrogen molecules are
split into electrons and protons. • It has been made indigenously.
• The protons pass through the electrolyte • It is the upgraded version of “Apsara”, the
membrane, while the electrons are forced first research reactor in Asia which had
through a circuit, generating an electric became operational in 1956 and was shut
current and excess heat. down in 2009.
46
• It uses plate type dispersion fuel elements o This would be a thermal breeder reactor, which
made of Low Enriched Uranium (LEU). in principle can be refueled after its initial fuel
• Owing to higher neutron flux, this reactor will charge using only naturally occurring thorium.
PHWR FBR
increase indigenous production of radio-
Purpose Electricity, Electricity,
isotopes for medical application by about 50%. plutonium plutonium
Related Information production production
Other Research reactors Coolant Heavy water Molten, liquid
• Kamini (Kalpakkam Mini) (D2O) sodium
o KAMINI is the only reactor in the world Moderator Heavy water Not required
operating with 233U fuel which is produced by (D2O)
the thorium fuel cycle harnessed by the Fuel UO2 or metal Plutonium dioxide
neighboring Fast Breeder Test Reactor. and UO2 in different
• Dhruva (at BARC in Trombay) combinations
o It is India's largest research reactor. Enrichment Not-enriched Various mixtures of
India’s three-stage Nuclear Power Programme level P-239 and U-235
• Stage 1: Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor
o In this natural uranium (0.7 % fissile U-235 and
the rest is U-238) fuelled pressurised heavy 7.6. WORLD’S FIRST FLOATING
water reactors (PHWR) which produce NUCLEAR PLANT
electricity while generating plutonium-239 as
by-product. Why in News?
• Stage 2 – Fast Breeder Reactor
o In the second stage, fast breeder reactors Russia has created world’s first floating nuclear
(FBRs) would use a mixed oxide (MOX) fuel plant (FNPP) named as Academik Lomonosov.
made from plutonium-239, recovered by
reprocessing spent fuel from the first stage, and About the Plant
natural uranium. • It is owned by the state-run nuclear energy
o In FBRs, plutonium-239 undergoes fission to
corporation Rosatom, which is also the
produce energy, while the uranium-238 present
equipment suppliers and consultants for the
in the mixed oxide fuel transmutes to additional
plutonium-239. Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project in Tamil
o Thus, the Stage II FBRs are designed to "breed" Nadu.
more fuel than they consume. • Upon its connection to the Power grid,
o Recently, India’s first indigenously developed Akademik Lomonosov will become the
prototype FBR at Kalpakkam achieved northernmost nuclear installation in the
criticality, which means reactor is fully world and it is expected to be put into service
operational and safe. in early 2019.
• Stage 3 – Thorium Based Reactors
o A Stage III reactor or an advanced nuclear
power system involves a self-sustaining series
of thorium-232- uranium-233 fuelled reactors.
47
8. RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
Initiatives taken
8.1. PRIME MINISTER'S SCIENCE
TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION • Mission Innovation Champions Programme
was launched by MI countries to felicitate
COUNCIL (PM-STIAC) clean energy innovators.
Why in news? • Hydrogen Innovation Challenge was
announced to reduce costs along the value
Union Government recently constituted new 21- chain and further expand the deployment of
member advisory panel on science, technology hydrogen.
and innovation called Prime Minister’s Science, • India announced setting up of First
Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM- International Incubator for clean energy in
STIAC). public-private partnership at a total
More on news investment of around US $ 5 million in Delhi.
• It will be chaired by the government’s Mission Innovation

Principal Scientific Advisor, Dr K. Vijay • It was launched at COP21 of UNFCCC in Paris in
Raghavan. November 2015. It is a global platform of 23
• It will replace two scientific advisory countries and European Union aimed at
committees for the prime minister and the accelerating clean energy innovations
cabinet, and is aimed to streamline as well as through-
cut down the number of committees and o Enhanced Government funding,
councils. o Greater public-private sector partnership
• The council includes secretaries from various and
departments/ministries and is expected to act o Enhanced global cooperation.
as a high level advisory body to several • It seeks to double investments in clean
ministries and execute mission-oriented energy innovation over five years.
programmes. The new panel will advise the • India is founding member of Mission
PM on all matters related to science, Innovation and part of the Steering
technology and innovation, and would also Committee besides co-lead of innovation
monitor the implementation of the PM's challenges on smart grids, off grids and
vision. sustainable bio-fuels.
• It will also advise government on developing • Department of Biotechnology (DBT) is nodal
‘Clusters of Excellence’ in science including agency of this mission in India.
city-based R&D clusters. It will work to bring • The first Ministerial meeting was held in June
together all science and technology partners 2016 in San Francisco. 4th MI Ministerial will be
from academia and institutes to industries hosted by Canada, Vancouver in May 2019.
near such centres or cities. The eight Innovation Challenges under Mission
• Recently, it has identified nine national Innovation are the following:
science missions aim to address major • Smart Grids
scientific challenges to ensure India’s • Off-Grid Access to Electricity
sustainable development - Natural Language • Carbon Capture
Translation, Quantum Frontiers, Artificial • Sustainable Biofuels
Intelligence (AI), National Biodiversity • Converting Sunlight
Mission, Electric vehicles, Bioscience for • Clean Energy Materials
Human Health, Waste to Wealth, Deep Ocean • Affordable Heating and Cooling of Buildings
exploration, AGNIi (Accelerating Growth of • Renewable and Clean Hydrogen (recently added)
New India's Innovations)
8.3. ATAL TINKERING MARATHON
8.2. MISSION INNOVATION Why in news?
Why in News? A six-month long Atal Tinkering Marathon has
India recently participated in the 3rd Mission been organized by Atal Tinkering Lab of Atal
Innovation Ministerial Meeting held in Sweden. Innovation Mission (AIM) of NITI Ayog.
48
Details of the Atal Tinkering Marathon: • Employment Skills and Rural Transformation.
• Its aim is to find out the best student • Governance, Innovation and Public Policy.
innovators of India. • Growth, Macro Trade and Economic Policy.
• The marathon puts nation-wide challenge in 6 • Agriculture and Rural Development.
thematic areas namely Clean Energy, Water • Health and Environment.
resources, Waste management, Healthcare, • Science and Education.
• Social Media and Technology.
Smart mobility, and Agri-tech.
• Politics, Law and Economics.
• The Top 30 teams selected for their
innovation, were being awarded with several SPARC — Scheme for Promotion of Academic
prizes including a three month-long ATL and Research Collaboration
Student Innovator Program (ATL SIP) in
• Aim: To boost joint research with global
partnership with industry and start-up
universities from 28 countries and get
incubator.
international expertise to solve major national
Atal Innovation Mission
• It is a flagship initiative set up by the NITI Aayog to
problems, train Indian students in the best
promote innovation and entrepreneurship across laboratories, deepen academic engagement
the length and breadth of the country, based on a and improve the international ranking of
detailed study and deliberations on innovation and Indian Institutes.
entrepreneurial needs of India in the years ahead. • Eligibility: All Indian institutions ranked in top
• It shall have two core functions: 100 of National Institutional Ranking
o Entrepreneurship promotion through Self- Framework will be eligible for this scheme
Employment and Talent Utilization (SETU), that targets PhD and postdoctoral
wherein innovators would be supported and
researchers. Foreign institutions in top 100 to
mentored to become successful
top 200 of global academic rankings from the
entrepreneurs.
o Innovation promotion: To provide a platform 28 target countries will be eligible.
where innovative ideas are generated • A set of Nodal Institutions (NI), from India,
through- for each participating foreign country has
✓ Atal Tinkering Labs been identified to help, handhold and
✓ Atal Incubation Centers coordinate with willing Participating Indian
✓ Scale-up support to Established (PI) Institutions to forge alliance with the
Incubators Institutions of concerned participating foreign
ATL Student Innovator Program
country, for academic and research
• It is an effort to institutionalize a mechanism,
collaboration.
where high school students can work with
university incubators to pursue their innovative
• Implementing Agency: IIT Kharagpur will be
and entrepreneurial ideas along with their the National Coordinating (NC) Institution.
education. Thrust Areas under SPARC Scheme
• Fundamental Research: Those which attempt to
8.4. RECENT INITIATIVES provide new knowledge and understanding or
address open unsolved problems of international
RELATED TO RESEARCH importance.
• Emergent Areas of Impact: Those which look at
IMPRESS — Impactful Policy Research in Social new and emerging areas like Artificial & Machine
Sciences Learning, Cognitive Science, Human Signal
Processing, Digital Humanities, etc, that can
• Aim: To identify and fund research proposals potentially bring about a major impact cutting
in social sciences with maximum impact on across disciplines and domains.
the governance and society. • Convergence: Those which bring together multiple
• Eligibility: To provide opportunity for social disciplines of basic, engineering, economic, social
science researchers in any institution in the science and humanities to solve critical problems
country, including all Universities (Central and of today in a holistic integrated manner.
State), private institutions and ICSSR • Other areas like Action Oriented Research,
funded/recognised research institutes. Innovation-Driven and other proposal of high
• Implementing Agency: Indian Council of potential.
Social Science Research (ICSSR). Augmenting Writing Skills for Articulating
Identified domains under IMPRESS are: Research (AWSAR)
• State and Democracy.
• Urban Transformation. • The scheme has been initiated by National
• Media, Culture and Society. Council of Science and Technology
49
Communication (NCSTC), Department of innovations and start-ups. The policy aims at
Science & Technology (DST) to encourage, identifying the innovative and entrepreneurial
empower and endow popular science writing potential of students and transforming them
through newspapers, magazines, blogs, social into start-up entrepreneurs. This can be done
media etc. by young PhD scholars and post- by developing an ideal entrepreneurial
doctoral fellows during the course of their ecosystem and promoting strong inter-
higher studies. institutional partnerships among technical
• Under the scheme best articles which would institutions, other ecosystem enablers,
be selected would be provided monetary different stakeholders, programs, market and
incentives. society.
• Significance: IMPRINT – II
o Increase supply of informed science
writing • Impacting Research, Innovation and
o Encourage the students to write about Technology or IMPRINT is a national initiative
their work and help them secure the of Ministry of Human Resource Development
resources (MHRD) which aims to address engineering
o tap the potential of young scholars challenges in 10 technology domains relevant
o Inculcate scientific temperament in the to India through an inclusive and sustainable
masses. mode.
o Improve the future science • The 10 domains include: (i) Health care (ii)
communication and popularize science in Information and Communication Technology
India. (iii) Energy (iv) Sustainable Habitat (v) Nano-
technology Hardware (vi) Water Resources
Innovation Cell at All India Council of Technical
and River systems (vii) Advanced Materials
Education (AICTE)
(viii) Manufacturing (ix) Security and Defense
• Aim: to encourage, inspire and nurture young (x) Environmental Science and Climate
students by exposing them to new ideas and Change
processes resulting in innovative activities in • IMPRINT was launched in 2015 as a joint
their formative years fostered through initiative of IITs and IISc.
Network of Innovation clubs in Higher • The round two of IMPRINT – IMPRINT II, will
Educational Institutions. Major Program under be jointly funded and steered by MHRD and
it are: Department of Science and Technology.
• Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation • Key features of IMPRINT-II include–
Achievements (ARIIA) - to systematically rank o Principle objective is to translate
education institutions and universities knowledge into viable technology
primarily on innovation related indicators. It o MHRD and DST will be equal partners in
will primarily focus on 5 main parameters - the scheme
o Budget expenses and revenue generated o It will be open to all MHRD funded Higher
through innovation and entrepreneurship Education Institute (HEI)/Centrally Funded
o Facilitating access to advance Technical Institution (CFTI). Its scope has
centres/facilities and entrepreneurial been extended to private institutions as
support system well.
o Idea to entrepreneurship o Projects with industry support will be
o Development of innovation ecosystems preferred
supported through teaching and learning Startup Academia Alliance Program
o Best innovative solutions developed in-
house for improving governance of your • It is a unique mentorship opportunity
institution between academic scholars and start-ups to
• Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2019 - to provide promote the spirit of entrepreneurship in the
students a platform to solve some of pressing country.
problems we face in our daily lives, and thus • It aims to reduce the gap between scientific
inculcate a culture of product innovation and research and its industrial application in order
a mindset of problem solving. to increase the efficacy of technology and
• National Student Startup Policy (NSSP) - widen its impact.
launched in 2016 to guide AICTE approved • It strives to implement the third pillar on
institutions to promote student driven which the Startup India Action Plan is based -
50
Industry Academia Partnerships and communities in the coastal and ocean sectors,
Incubation. The other two being namely, fisheries, offshore industry, coastal
Simplification and Handholding & Funding states, Defence, Shipping, Ports etc. This
Support and Incentives scheme also provides necessary scientific and
• It has been partnered by Regional Centre for technological background required for
Biotechnology, The Energy and Resources implementation of various aspects of Blue
Institute (TERI), Council on Energy, Economy.
Environment and Water, and TERI School of
Stars Scheme
Advanced Studies to provide mentorship and
guidance to relevant start-ups in the field of • Recently, Ministry of Human Resource
renewable energy, biotechnology, healthcare Development launched STARS Scheme
etc. (Scheme for Translational and Advanced
Research in Science) on National Science Day.
Ocean Services, Technology, Observations,
• Under this, 500 science projects would be
Resources Modelling and Science (O-SMART)
funded.
Scheme
• The project will be coordinated by the Indian
• It's an Umbrella scheme under Ministry of Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore.
Earth Sciences and encompasses a total of 16 Related Information
sub-projects addressing ocean development National Science Day
activities such as Services, Technology, • It is celebrated every year on February 28 to mark
Resources, Observations and Science. the discovery of Raman Effect by physicist
Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman (honoured with
• Key missions under O-SMART:
Bharat Ratna, Nobel Price and Lenin Peace Prize).
It encompasses a total of 16 sub-projects
• Theme: This year theme was ‘Science for the
addressing ocean development activities such People and the People for Science’.
as Services, Technology, Resources,
Observations and Science. The services
rendered under the O-SMART will provide
economic benefits to a number of user
51
9. AWARDS
9.1. NOBLE PRIZES 2018 9.1.2. NOBEL PRIZE IN PHYSICS
• Nobel Prize in Physics 2018 was awarded for
9.1.1. NOBEL PRIZE IN PHYSIOLOGY OR groundbreaking inventions in the field of
MEDICINE laser physics with one half to Arthur Ashkin
for the optical tweezers and their application
• It has been jointly awarded to James P.
to biological systems, the other half jointly to
Allison and Tasuku Honjo for their discovery
of ‘immune checkpoint therapy,’ a cancer Gérard Mourou and Donna Strickland for
their method of generating high-intensity,
treatment.
ultra-short optical pulses. Donna Strickland is
• Working: By stimulating the inherent ability
third women to win Physics Nobel.
of our immune system to attack tumor cells
by releasing the brakes on immune cells.
• James P. Allison studied a known protein
that functions as a brake on the immune
system. He realized the potential of releasing
the brake and thereby unleashing our
immune cells to attack tumors. He then
developed this concept into a brand new
approach for treating patients.
• Tasuku Honjo discovered a protein on
immune cells and, after careful exploration of
its function, eventually revealed that it also
operates as a brake, but with a different
mechanism of action. Therapies based on his
discovery proved to be strikingly effective in
the fight against cancer.
Human immune system

• The Immune system is a complex network of cells
and organs that work together to defend against
foreign substances (antigens-bacteria, virus etc.).
Various cells associated are:
o B-cell – It is a type of white blood cell that
makes antibodies. Antibodies are large Y-
shaped proteins which bind to specific
antigens. This signals the other cells of the
immune system to get rid of the invading
microbes.
o T-cell – These are designed to recognise the
molecular signatures of particular proteins,
such as those from bacteria, in order to
activate an immune response.
o Macrophage – It is the first cell to recognize • Application:
and engulf foreign substances. It may break o Optical Tweezers have been used to trap
down these substances and present the
dielectric spheres, viruses, bacteria, living
smaller proteins to the T lymphocytes .
cells, organelles, small metal particles,
52
and even strands of DNA. Applications Sir Gregory P. Winter for the Phage Display of
include confinement and organization peptides and antibodies. Ms. Arnold, only the
(e.g. for cell sorting), tracking of fifth woman to win a chemistry Nobel.
movement (e.g. of bacteria), application • Application:
and measurement of small forces, and o First directed evolution of enzymes,
altering of larger structures (such as cell which are proteins that catalyse chemical
membranes). reactions, has been used in manufacturing
o Chirped Pulse Amplification (CPA) for of chemical substances, such as
subsequent high-intensity lasers. Its uses pharmaceuticals, and the production of
include the millions of corrective eye renewable fuels for a greener transport
surgeries that are conducted every year sector.
using the sharpest of laser beams. o Phage Display, where a bacteriophage – a
virus that infects bacteria – can be used to
evolve new proteins. It has produced anti-
bodies that can neutralise toxins,
counteract autoimmune diseases and
cure metastatic cancer. Adalimumab, a
first protein evolved through phage
display, is used for rheumatoid arthritis,
psoriasis and inflammatory bowel
diseases.
✓ Phage display allows scientists to
study protein interactions on a large-
scale and select proteins with the
highest affinity for specific targets. It
provides a means to identify target-
binding proteins from a library of
millions of different proteins without
the need to screen each molecule
individually.
9.1.3. NOBEL PRIZE IN CHEMISTRY

• The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2018 was
divided, one half awarded to Frances H.
Arnold for the directed evolution of enzymes,
the other half jointly to George P. Smith and
53
• The prize was inaugurated in 1932. Each
9.2. FIELDS MEDAL
winner is awarded with a cash of 15000
Why in news? Canadian dollars cash prize.
• The medals and cash prizes are funded by a
Recently, Indian- Australian mathematician trust established by John Charles Fields at the
Akshay Venkatesh was awarded Fields Medal, University of Toronto, which has been
also known as the Nobel prize for math. supplemented periodically.
About Fields Award • Venkatesh was recognised for his use of
dynamics theory, which studies the equations
• It is awarded every four years on the occasion
of moving objects to solve problems in
of International Congress of Mathematicians
number theory, which is the study of whole
to recognise the outstanding mathematical
numbers, integers and prime numbers.
achievements for existing work to the
mathematicians under the age of 40 years.
54
10. MISCELLANEOUS
International System of Units (SI Units)
10.1. OVERHAUL OF SI UNITS • The SI system was adopted in 1960.
• There are seven fundamental units. Every other unit
Why in News? of measurement can be derived from one or more of
The 26th General Conference on Weights & these seven units: the unit for speed, for instance,
Measures (CGPM) in a historic decision unanimously factors in the units for distance and time.
redefined World’s standard definition of kilogram,
Ampere, Kelvin, and Mole. 10.2. CALL FOR TWO TIME ZONES
Impact of Change IN INDIA
• It will result in uniform and worldwide Why in news?
accessible SI system for high- technology Council of Scientific & Industrial Research’s National
manufacturing, basic science, etc. For example Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL), which maintains
earlier the scientific definition of the “second” Indian Standard Time (IST), has published a research
had helped ease communication across the article describing the necessity of two time zones.
world via technologies like GPS and the Internet.
Need for two time zones
• The units shall be stable in the long term,
internally self-consistent and practically • At present, the country observes a single time
realisable being based on the present zone based on the longitude passing through
theoretical description of nature at the highest 82°30′E.
level. • India extends from 68°7’E to 97°25’E, with the
spread of 29° representing almost two hours
• It will not be bound by the limitations of objects
from the geographic perspective. Early sunrise
in our measurement of the world, but have
in the easternmost parts- (as early as 4AM in
universality accessible units that can pave the
June) in the Northeast - causes the loss of many
way to even greater accuracy and accelerate
daylight hours by the time offices or educational
scientific advancement.
institutions open, and that early sunset (4PM in
• It will not change measurements in our day to
winters), for its part, leads to higher
day life like in kitchen, trade & transport etc.
consumption of electricity.
Thus for most people, everyday life will carry on
• The researchers estimated energy savings at 20
as normal despite the redefinitions.
million kWh if we follow two time zones. This
will have ecological and environmental benefits
too.
• It will have an impact on circadian rhythm of the
body and thus would have health benefits due
to better leisure time and sleep. This, in turn,
would enhance the productivity of people.
Proposal for new time zone
• The proposed line of demarcation is at 89°52’E,
the narrow border between Assam and West
Bengal. States west of the line would continue
to follow IST (to be called IST-I). States east of
the line — Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland,
Arunanchal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura,
Andaman & Nicobar Islands —would follow IST-
II.
Related Facts
• Since independence in 1947, the IST has been the
official time for the whole country.
General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) • India’s time zones were first established in 1884. Pre-
• CGPM is the highest international body of the world independence India had two time zones. In the East,
for accurate and precise measurements. Calcutta Time was 5:30:21 hours ahead of GMT, while
• India became a signatory in 1957. Bombay Time in the West was 4:51:00 hours ahead of
• The CGPM meets usually once every four years GMT.
• The International Bureau of Weights and Measures • Calcutta Time was abandoned in 1948 and Bombay
(BIPM), the main executive body of CGPM has the Time in 1955.
responsibility of defining the International System of • Assam already has a Bagaan (tea garden) Time, set an
Units (SI). hour ahead of Indian Standard Time (IST).
55
Related Information o Future version may enable complete image
• Circadian rhythm of a human, which may help in 3D printing a
o It is a pattern that guides our bodies when to lost limb or a malfunctioning organ
sleep, rise, eat and regulating many physiological o Customised medical care to individual
processes.
needs as it would not just show fractures,
o Biological clocks produce circadian rhythms and
regulate their timing.
surrounding tissues, blood and nerve supply
o It is affected by environmental cues, like sunlight but also structures exactly as they are.
and temperature.
o It regulates the periods of tiredness and 10.4. INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF
wakefulness during the 24-hour cycle.
o The biological clock is generated by a structure
THE PERIODIC TABLE OF
of neurons, which is found in the hypothalamus CHEMICAL ELEMENTS
in the brain.
o Biological clock associated factors include High Why in News?
alertness, Fastest increase in blood pressure.
Deep Sleep, Fastest reaction times etc. The United Nations General Assembly has
• Countries with most number of time zones proclaimed 2019 as the International Year of the
o France: 12 Periodic Table of Chemical Elements to celebrate its
o United States of America: 11 150 years.
o Russia: 11
o United Kingdom: 9 About the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements
• Russian scientist Dmitry Mendeleev published
10.3. COLOURED X-RAY ON the first periodic table in 1869. He organized all
HUMAN chemical elements by the atomic mass (number
of protons & neutrons) and other chemical
Why in news? properties.
o Mendeleev’s Periodic Law: The Properties
New Zealand scientists have performed the first-ever
of elements are periodic functions of their
3-D, colour X-ray on a human.
atomic masses.
About Colour X-ray • However, the shortcomings of Mendeleev’s
Periodic Table were uncertain position of
• The device is based on the traditional black-and-
Hydrogen and no place for isotopes (similar
white X-ray and incorporates particle-tracking
chemical properties but different atomic
technology developed for CERN’s Large Hadron
masses) which were discovered later.
Collider.
• Thus, Modern periodic table, managed by the
• The CERN technology called Medipix is like a
International Union for Pure and Applied
camera detecting and counting individual sub-
Chemistry (IUPAC) is arranged on the basis of
atomic particles as they collide with pixels while
atomic number rather than atomic mass.
its shutter is open. This allows for high-
o It is a tabular arrangement of the chemical
resolution, high-contrast pictures.
elements, arranged by atomic number,
• When X-rays travel through your body, they're
electron configuration, and recurring
absorbed by denser materials (bones) and pass
chemical properties, whose structure
right through softer ones (muscles and other
shows periodic trends.
tissues). The places where the X-rays couldn't
o The Seven rows of the table, called periods,
pass through appear solid white.
generally have metals on the left and non-
• Instead of recording the X-rays as either passing metals on the right.
right through the body or getting absorbed by o The columns, called groups, contain
the bone, this scanner is better as it records the elements with similar chemical behaviours.
precise energy levels of the X-rays as they hit o The elements from atomic numbers 1
each particle in your body. It then translates (hydrogen) through 118 (oganesson) have
those measurements into different colours been discovered or synthesized, completing
representing your bones, muscles, and other seven full rows of the periodic table.
tissues. o It is an exceptional tool for scientists to
• Thus, it clearly shows the difference between understand, and even predict, the
bone, muscle and cartilage and also the position properties of all the elements and elements
and size of cancerous tumours as well. that are yet to be discovered.
• Other benefits include:
o More accurate diagnosis as it would
produce clearer and more accurate pictures.
56
o It is capable of 360 degrees (omnidirectional),
10.5. SCIENCE-BASED TARGETS high speed reading.
o QR Code can store up to 7089 digits as compared
Why in news? to conventional bar codes which can store max
Sixteen Indian companies have recently committed 20 digits.
• Bluetooth technology
to set science-based targets.
o It is a high speed low powered wireless
More on news technology which uses radio waves to link
phones, computers and other network devices
• The science-based targets initiative is a global over short distance.
team comprised of people from all partner o Wireless signals transmitted with Bluetooth
organisations – the United Nations Global cover short distances, typically up to 30 feet (10
Compact, CDP, WWF and World Resources meters).
Institute. o Bluetooth sends and receives radio waves in a
• Targets adopted by companies to reduce band (frequency band of 2.45GHz ) of 79
different frequencies and can connect up to
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are considered
“eight devices” simultaneously
“science-based” if they are in line with the level o It overcomes the constraints of line of sight and
of decarbonization required to keep global one to one communication as in other mode of
temperature increase below 2 degrees Celsius wireless communications like infrared.
compared to pre- industrial temperatures. o It guarantees security at bit level. When a group
• In March 2018, Mahindra Sanyo Steel became of two or more Bluetooth devices are sharing
the first Indian company to set its science-based information together, they form a kind of ad-hoc,
target. Globally, it is also the first steel company mini computer network called a piconet.
o It removes the problem of radio interference by
to set a target.
using a technique called Speed Frequency
Hopping. This ensures that the interference
10.6. FASTAG won’t take place as each transmitter will be on
different frequencies.
Why in news?
Centre is proposing to make FASTag compulsory for 10.7. DRY SORBENT INJECTION
all commercial vehicles -- trucks, taxis and buses. (DSI)
Details
Why in News?
• FASTag is a device which uses RFID technology
for making toll-payment directly from the NTPC is opting for dry Sorbent Injection (DSI) system
prepaid account. for controlling sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions.
About RFID About DSI
• Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) is the use • Dry Sorbent Injection (DSI) system is a pollution
of radio waves to read and capture information control system for the reduction of SOx (SO2,
stored on a tag attached to an object. A tag can SO3), HCI and heavy metals like mercury.
be read from up to several feet away and does • It is a dry process in which a sorbent (a material
not need to be within direct line-of-sight of the used to absorb or adsorb liquids or gases) is
reader to be tracked. It is applied for tracking injected into the coal fired boiler where it
items or as a pass. interacts with various pollutants like SOx, HCl
Other related technologies and the resultant dry waste is removed via
• Near Field Communication (NFC) is a shortrange high either an electrostatic precipitator (ESP) or a
frequency wireless communication technology that fabric filter baghouse.
enables the exchange of data between devices over • It offers various advantages in comparison to
about a 10 cm distance. It is used in credit card related traditional acid gas scrubber technology such as:
payments, e-booking etc. lower capital cost, wide range of favourable
• Barcode scanner detects the light reflected from the operation conditions, and much lesser time for
barcode. This needs to be kept in range of several completing installation and commissioning.
inches to several feet to read the code.
• QR code (Quick Response code)
o It’s a two-dimensional (matrix) machine 10.8. ARTIFICIAL LEAF
readable bar code made up of black and white
square. Why in news?
o It carries information both horizontally and Indian Institute of Sciences’ researchers have
vertically. It has error correction capability and
developed an artificial leaf recently.
data stored in it can be restored even if it is
partially damaged or dirty.
57
About Artificial Leaf or Quantum Leaf tradition has been carried on by successive PMs
for the last 70 years.
• It will help in reducing carbon footprint as it
• The theme this year was “Future India: Science
absorbs carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to
and Technology”. PM emphasized on
generate fuel and oxygen in the process,
connecting science, technology and innovation
simulating the process of photosynthesis.
with the people, in his address.
• While most plants convert less than one per
cent of the available solar energy into chemical
energy, the leaf can convert about 20 per cent
of the incident solar energy into chemical
energy. Also, it is 100 times more efficient than 10.10.1. NEW ELEMENT WITH
a natural leaf in absorbing carbon dioxide during MAGNETIC PROPERTIES DISCOVERED
the process.
• It is composed of completely biocompatible, • Researchers at the University of Minnesota (US)
earth abundant, semiconductor nano crystals have discovered magnetic properties in
called Quantum dots which act as catalyst to chemical element Ruthenium (Ru).
convert absorbed CO2 into bicarbonate and • Ru belongs to the platinum group, has atomic
then ‘formate’ (derivative of formic acid) that number 44 and is mostly used in the electronics
can be used as bio fuel. industry for chip resistors and electrical
• It uses copper aluminium sulphate and zinc contacts.
sulphide as semiconductors. • It is the fourth element to have unique
• The bio fuel generated is not only 100% magnetic properties at room temperature.
combustible but the carbon dioxide emitted in Other than this only three elements have been
the combustion of the fuel can be recycled by found to be ferromagnetic at room temperature
the quantum leaves too. - iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), and nickel (Ni).
Quantum Dot • It is one of the rarest metals on the earth,
• It is a semiconductor nano crystal which is made of resistant to oxidation, and additional theoretical
specific materials. predictions claim it has a high thermal stability.
• It has a discrete quantized energy spectrum. Related Information
• It contains a small finite number of conduction band Ferromagnetism
electrons, valence band holes, or excitons. • It is the property of material by which certain
• They are typically between 10 and 50 nm in size materials (such as iron) form permanent magnets or
• They glow a particular color after being illuminated by are attracted to magnets.
light. • The magnetism in ferromagnetic materials is caused
• The color they glow depends on the size of the by the alignment patterns of their constituent atoms,
nanoparticle. The smaller the nanoparticle, the higher which act as elementary electromagnets.
the energy difference between valence band and • Ferromagnetism is explained by the concept that
conduction band, which results in a deeper blue color. some species of atoms possess a magnetic moment—
For a larger nanoparticle, the energy difference is that is, that such an atom itself is an
lower, which shifts the glow toward red. elementary electromagnet produced by the motion of
• It has many applications in several areas such as solar electrons about its nucleus and by the spin of its
cells, transistors, LEDs, medical imaging electrons on their own axes.
and quantum computing.
10.10.2. FORMALIN
10.9. 106TH INDIAN SCIENCE • Formalin is being used in the fishing industry to
CONGRESS increase the shelf-life of fish.
• Formalin (formaldehyde) is colorless flammable
Why in news? chemical, used as an anti-decomposition agent.
The 106th session of the Indian Science Congress was • Usage: In pressed wood products, fabrics,
held recently at Jalandhar. insulation materials and as fungicide, germicide
& disinfectant and as a preservative for bodies
Details and organs to ensure the specimen doesn’t
• It is conducted annually by the Indian Science decompose.
Congress Association (ISCA), under Department • Impact: International agency for research on
of Science and Technology. cancer and US FDA both classify formaldehyde
• Its first session was held in Kolkata under the as a human carcinogen. It increases risk of
General Presidentship of Ashutosh Mukherjee in leukaemia, blood cancer etc.
1914. In 1947, Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime • Short term damages for formaldehyde are
Minister, was the General President. The watery eyes, coughing, wheezing, nausea and
skin irritation.
58
10.10.3. BISPHENOL A (BPA) releaser (SWAS), safe minimal aluminium
(SAFAL) and safe thermite cracker (STAR).
• Scientists have created tiny spheres of Titanium • It has unique property of releasing water
dioxide that can catch and destroy BPA. BPA vapour and /or air as dust suppressant and
being hydrophobic is attracted to the cavity diluent for gaseous emissions and matching
where it is degraded into harmless chemicals. performance in sound with conventional
• Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical produced in crackers.
large quantities for use primarily in the
production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy
10.10.6. ONEER
resins. • Council of Scientific and Industrial Research,
• Polycarbonate plastics have many applications Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-
including use in some food and drink packaging, IITR), Lucknow has developed an innovative
e.g., water and infant bottles, compact discs, technology for “Drinking Water Disinfection
impact-resistant safety equipment, and medical System” with Trade name “OneerTM”.
devices.
• BPA can leach into food from the protective
10.10.7. IDEATE FOR INDIA
internal epoxy resin coatings of canned foods • Recently, Minister of Electronics & IT launched a
and from consumer. National Challenge for Youths, “Ideate for India
• BPA is an endocrine system disruptor and it can - Creative Solutions using Technology” with an
interfere with the production, and function of aim to give school students (class 6-12) an
natural hormones. It also contributes to high opportunity to become solution creators for the
blood pressure. problems.
• BPA can also be found in breast milk. Its • The Challenge has been designed by the
Prolonged exposure is suspected of affecting National e-Governance Division, Ministry of
the health of children. Electronics & IT in collaboration with Intel India,
with support from the Department of School
10.10.4. SHIFTING NORTH MAGNETIC Education and Literacy.
POLE • Top 50 students will be declared Tech Creation
Champions.
• Recently, World Magentic Model was updated
and the location of the Earth’s magnetic north 10.10.8. TELEROBOTIC SURGERY
pole was changed.
• India became the world's first to successfully
• It is estimated that this wandering point is
perform a telerobotic heart surgery.
moving away from the Canadian Arctic and
• Some other application of Tele-robotics include:
towards Russia. Therefore, the magnetic
o Space and marine exploration
declination, or the difference between the
o Use in Agriculture: Robinsects/ Nova-
magnetic north and the true north, is said to be
Crafters which are GPS and Artificial
changing with time.
Intelligence enabled small robotics drones
• The location of the poles, especially the
programmed to carry out the pollination.
magnetic north, is important for individuals
They are based on the concept of
using GPS systems and compasses on their
‘Biomimetics’ which is the use and
smartphones. In addition, several technological
implementation of concepts and principles
inventions in the field of communications also
from nature to creating new materials,
rely on Earth’s magnetic poles.
devices and systems.
• World Magnetic Model was initially developed
by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric 10.10.9. CUSAT STRATOSPHERE-
Administration and the British Geological Survey
developed to keep track of the changes of the
TROPOSPHERE RADAR (CUSAT ST-205
shifting poles. RADAR)
• The wandering pole is driven by unpredictable • The indigenously built CUSAT ST-205 Radar
changes in liquid iron deep inside the Earth. recently became operational.
• It is designed to scan the stratosphere over the
10.10.5. FIRECRACKERS DEVELOPED Indian ocean for movement of air for precision
BY CSIR of weather, especially the monsoon. It uses
radio waves to detect the atmospheric
• CSIR scientists have developed Less Polluting
perturbations.
Firecrackers which are environment friendly
• It is situated at the Cochin University.
and 15-20 % cheaper than the conventional ones.
• The project was financially supported by the
These crackers have been named as safe water
Department of Science and Technology (DST).
59
(May 2017 – February 2018)
Table of Contents
4.1.4. Akash Missile _____________________ 28
1. BIOTECHNOLOGY ___________________ 4 4.1.5. Trishul Missile_____________________ 28
1.1. Gene Therapy ______________________ 4 4.2. Other Missile Tests_________________28
1.2. Genome Sequencing of Ragi __________ 4 4.2.1. BRAHMOS Tested From Andaman Islands28
4.2.2. Nirbhay Subsonic Cruise Missile_______ 29
1.3. Three Parents Baby _________________ 5 4.2.3. Astra Missile ______________________ 29
1.4. Stem Cells Therapy _________________ 6 4.3. Air Defence Systems _______________29
4.3.1. Advanced MRSAM _________________ 29
1.5. Bio-Ink____________________________ 6
4.3.2. Endo-Atmospheric Interceptor Missile _ 30
1.6. Biotechnology in North East Region ____ 7 4.3.3. Quick Reaction Surface-To-Air Missile
(QRSAM)______________________________ 30
1.7. Embryo Transfer Technology _________ 7
4.4. Surveillance Technologies ___________30
2. NANOTECHNOLOGY ________________ 9 4.4.1. NETRA___________________________ 30
2.1. Nanotechnology ____________________ 9 4.4.2. Rustom-2 Drone ___________________ 31
4.4.3. Muntra, India's First Unmanned Tank __ 32
3. SPACE TECHNOLOGY _______________ 10
4.5. Technological Developments in Navy__32
3.1. ISRO_____________________________10 4.5.1. Scorpene Class Submarine ___________ 32
3.1.1. Missions ________________________ 10 4.5.2. Arihant Class Submarine ____________ 32
3.1.2. Launchers _______________________ 13 4.5.3. Project 28 ________________________ 33
3.1.3. Satellite _________________________ 14 4.5.4. First Indigenously Built Floating Dock __ 33
3.1.4. Space Activities Bill, 2017 ___________ 15 4.5.5. Naval Offshore Patrol Vehicle (NOPV) __ 33
3.1.5. Village Resource Centres ___________ 16
4.6. Defence Related News______________33
3.1.6. Saraswati: A Supercluster of Galaxies __ 16
4.6.1. Comprehensive Integrated Border
3.1.7. NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar
Management System (CIBMS) _____________ 33
(NISAR) ______________________________ 17
4.6.2. ‘SAMADHAN’ Doctrine for Naxal Violence34
3.2. NASA ____________________________17 4.6.3. Aaddhar Security __________________ 34
4.6.4. NTRO Under Intelligence Act _________ 35
3.3. Other Space Related Developments___19 4.6.5. Merger of NCRB with BPRD __________ 35
3.3.1. Blue Moon_______________________ 19 4.6.6. Creation of Space, Cyber and Special
3.3.2. Meteor Shower ___________________ 20 Operations Commands __________________ 35
3.3.3. Solar Flare _______________________ 21 4.6.7. National Authority for Chemical Weapons
3.3.4. Half of The Universe's 'Missing Matter' is Convention (NACWC) ____________________ 36
Finally Found__________________________ 21 4.6.8. Thermobaric Bomb ________________ 37
3.3.5. Bosons__________________________ 22 4.6.9. Laser weapons system (LAWS)________ 37
3.3.6. India Neutrino Observatory (INO)_____ 22
3.3.7. Most Ancient Spiral Galaxy Found ____ 23 5. IT AND COMPUTER ________________ 38
3.3.8. Spacex’s FaLcon Heavy Launched _____ 23
3.3.9. Venus Satellite ___________________ 24 5.1. Big Data__________________________38
3.3.10. Water as Propellant in CubeSat _____ 24 5.2. Maharashtra’s Public Cloud Policy ____38
3.3.11. The Removedebris Mission_________ 24
3.3.12. National Large Solar Telescope______ 25 5.3. Block-Chain Technology_____________38
3.4. Important Terms Related to Space ____25 5.4. India Joins Quantum Computing Race _39
4. DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY_____________ 27 5.5. Supercomputers Pratyush and Mihir __40
4.1. Integrated Guided Missile Development 5.6. Panel for AI Roadmap ______________40
Plan (IGDMP) _________________________27 5.6.1. Project Brainwave _________________ 41
4.1.1. AGNI ___________________________ 27 5.6.2. Humanoid ________________________ 41
4.1.2. PRITHVI _________________________ 27 5.7. Telecom Sector ____________________41
4.1.3. NAG ____________________________ 27 5.7.1. Bharat Net Project _________________ 41
1
DELHI | JAIPUR | PUNE | HYDERABAD 8468022022
5.7.2. 5G _____________________________ 42 7. PHARMACEUTICALS________________ 61
5.7.3. Free Space Optical Communication ___ 43
5.7.4. RFID ____________________________ 44 7.1. Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients ____61
5.7.5. Tarang Sanchar Portal ______________ 44 7.2. Price Cap on Knee Implants__________61
5.7.6. TRAI Favours Net Neutrality _________ 45
7.3. Digital Therapeutics or Digiceuticals __62
5.8. Nation-Wide Hackathon
#OpenGovDataHack Launched___________45 7.4. Use of Pet Bottles for Medicines _____62
5.9. Cyber Issues ______________________46 7.5. Biosimilar for Cancer _______________62
5.9.1. NIC-CERT ________________________ 46
7.6. National BioPharma Mission _________63
5.9.2. Budapest Convention ______________ 47
5.9.3. Digital Police Portal Under CCTNS ____ 48 8. IPR ______________________________ 64
5.9.4. Cyber-Security Index _______________ 48
8.1. International Intellectual Property Index
5.10. World Congress on Information 2018 ________________________________64
Technology (WCIT) ____________________49
8.2. Geographical Indication_____________65
6. HEALTH __________________________ 50
9. ALTERNATIVE ENERGY _____________ 67
6.1. Vector Borne Diseases ______________50
6.1.1. India and Zika Virus ________________ 50 9.1. Solar Technology __________________67
6.1.2. Monkey Fever ____________________ 50 9.2. India's Three-Stage Nuclear Power
6.1.3. Elephantiasis _____________________ 51
Programme __________________________67
6.1.4. Kala Azar ________________________ 51
6.1.5. Japanese Encephalitis (JE) ___________ 52 9.3. Cold Fusion _______________________68
6.2. Neglected Tropical Diseases _________52 9.4. Graphene Based Battery ____________68
6.2.1. National Deworming Mission ________ 52
9.5. Lithium-Ion Battery ________________69
6.3. Polio Vaccine _____________________53
9.6. Artificial Leaf _____________________69
6.4. Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV__53
9.7. Supercritical CO2-Brayton Cycle ______69
6.5. Norovirus at Winter Olympics _______54
10. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT_____ 71
6.6. Bird Flu __________________________54
10.1. India's Spending on R&D ___________71
6.7. H1N1 Virus (Swine Flu) _____________55
10.2. Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship
6.8. Tuberculosis ______________________55 Scheme ______________________________72
6.9. Home Grown Vaccine for Leprosy: 10.3. ATL Community Day ______________72
Mycobacterium Indicus Pranii ___________56
10.4. Schemes for Brain Gain ____________73
6.10. Intensified Diarrhoea Control Fortnight
____________________________________56 10.5. Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhayay Vigyan Gram
Sankul Pariyojana _____________________73
6.11. First India-Designed Vaccine Passed Who
Test _________________________________56 11. AWARDS ________________________ 75
6.12. New Developments in Non- 11.1. Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace,
Communicable Diseases ________________57 Disarmament and Development, 2014 ____75
6.12.1. India Hypertension Management Initiative 11.2. Nobel in Chemistry _______________75
(IHMI) _______________________________ 57
6.12.2. Jeevan Bindi ____________________ 57 11.3. Nobel Prize in Physics _____________75
6.12.3. Thalassemia ____________________ 57
11.4. Nobel Prize in Medicine ____________76
6.13. Antibiotic Resistance: WHO Revises
12. RECENT DEVELOPMENT IN S&T _____ 77
Antibiotics Protocol ___________________58
12.1. Xfel generates First X-Ray Laser Light_77
6.14. Plant diseases____________________59
12.2. Sohum-Hearing Screening Device
6.15. Fortified Foods to Tackle Malnutrition60
Launched ____________________________77
6.16. Milk Adulteration_________________60
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8468022022 DELHI | JAIPUR | PUNE | HYDERABAD
12.3. New Matter ‘Excitonium’ Discovered 77 13.8. Kalamsat ________________________81
12.4. World’s Thinnest Hologram ________78 13.9. CHESS __________________________82
12.5. Raman Effect ____________________78 13.10. HWASONG-15___________________82
12.6. Triboelectric Nanogenerator________78 13.11. ATAGS _________________________82
13. MISCELLANEOUS _________________ 80 13.12. KUNLONG ______________________82
13.1. Jigyasa Initiative__________________80 13.13. Stratolaunch Plane_______________82
13.2. Proposals for High-Tech Public Transport 13.14. Smart Robo Cop _________________82
____________________________________80 13.15. Google Lunar Xprize ______________82
13.3. Private Participation in Defence _____80 13.16. Chang’E 4 ______________________82
13.4. India’s First Private Missile Production 13.17. Gaia mission ____________________82
Facility Unveiled ______________________81
13.18. TAbby's Star ____________________82
13.5. Liquid Nitrogen in Food and Drinks __81
13.19. Kimberly Process Certification Scheme
13.6. Novel Molecule to Treat Cancer - Disarib ____________________________________83
____________________________________81
13.7. Bacteria Named After A P J Abdul Kalam
____________________________________81

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Vision IAS.
3
1. BIOTECHNOLOGY
1.1. GENE THERAPY Human immune system?
The Immune system is a complex network of cells and
Why in news? organs that work together to defend against foreign
substances (antigens-bacteria, virus etc.). Various cells
Recently, U.S Food and Drug Administration associated are:
(USFDA) approved a Yescarta (axicabtagene • B-cell – It is a type of white blood cell that makes
ciloleucel) therapy to treat adults with certain antibodies. Antibodies are large Y-shaped proteins
types of large B-Cell lymphoma (blood cancer). which bind to specific antigens. This signals the
other cells of the immune system to get rid of the
Yescarta uses CAR (chimeric antigen receptor) T- invading microbes.
cell therapy for treatment. • T-cell – These are designed to recognise the
molecular signatures of particular proteins, such
as those from bacteria, in order to activate an
immune response.
• Macrophage – It is the first cell to recognize and
engulf foreign substances. It may break down
these substances and present the smaller
proteins to the T lymphocytes .
1.2. GENOME SEQUENCING OF

RAGI
Why in news?
Recently, Genome sequencing of Ragi has been
About Yescarta therapy done.
Ragi/Finger Millet:
• It is a type of gene therapy that turns cells in • It was introduced to India in around 3,000 BC.
the patient’s body into a “living drug” that • It has a low glycemic index, so preferred by
targets and kills cancer cells. diabetics.
• It has been given Orphan Drug Designation, • Ragi is drought resistant and is the main crop of
dry land farmers.
under which it will be provided with financial
• It occupies 12% of global millet cultivation area.
incentives to encourage the development of
• Karnataka, which has the second largest drought-
drugs.
prone crop land after Rajasthan, leads in its
• Living Drug - Genetically modified cells are that are cultivation.
infused back into patients in CAR T-cell therapy,
What is Genome sequencing?
continue multiplying to fight disease for months or
years. That’s why these immunotherapy • Genome sequencing is figuring out the order
treatments are called “living drugs.” of DNA nucleotides, or bases, in a genome
• Orphan Drug - A biological product or medicine i.e. the order of As (Adenine), Cs (Cytosine),
that is intended to treat diseases so rare that Gs (Guanine), and Ts (Thymine) which make
sponsors are reluctant to develop them under
up an organism's DNA. The human genome is
usual marketing conditions. According to WHO,
disease having fewer than 100 patients per
made up of over 3 billion of these genetic
100,000 population is described as rare disease letters.
and fewer than 2 patients per 100,000 is described • It may provide new information on the
as ultra rare disease. Examples of the rare diseases genetic basis of poorly understood diseases,
are haemophilia, thalassemia etc. with the potential to provide new therapies.
• Genes – They are the biological templates the body
DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid
uses to make the structural proteins and enzymes
• It is the hereditary material in humans and almost
needed to build and maintain tissues and organs.
all other organisms.
Humans have about 20,000 genes bundled into 23
• Most DNA is located in the cell nucleus (where it
pairs of chromosomes all coiled up in the nucleus
of nearly every cell in the body. is called nuclear DNA), but a small amount of DNA
can also be found in the mitochondria (where it is
called mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA).
4
• DNA is made up of molecules called nucleotides. high-productivity, cost-efficient vaccine
Each nucleotide contains a phosphate group, a and pharmaceutical development using
sugar group & a nitrogen base. The four types of human cells and organoids.
nitrogen bases are adenine(A), thymine(T), • The project could encourage broad
guanine(G) & cytosine (C) intellectual property access via patent
• DNA is a double helix formed by base pairs
pooling.
attached to a sugar-phosphate backbone.
• It can almost accurately ascertain the identity of • But, the HGP-write will require public
a person, establish biological relationships involvement and consideration of ethical,
between individuals etc. Thus, useful in legal, and social implications.
investigations of crime, identification of The Genome Asia 100k initiative:
unidentified bodies, or in determining parentage.
• It can also reveal person looks, eye colour, skin • A non-profit consortium called Genome Asia
colour as well as more intrusive information like 100K based in Singapore has announced an
their allergies or susceptibility to diseases. ambitious plan to sequence 100,000 Asian
• It can be used in biometric identification in individuals in hopes of accelerating precision
addition to Iris scanning, Retinal scanning and medicine applications for Asian populations.
Voice recognition.
• Bangalore-based MedGenome has also
Biological computing
teamed up with it.
• For a long time, it was known that DNA can be
used for data storage.
• This may be used in future to build biological
1.3. THREE PARENTS BABY
computers that use biological materials such as Why in news?
RNA, DNA and proteins, mimic biological
organisms or are used to study biological UK became the first country to have officially
organisms approved procedures to create “three-parent”
• The biological computer may be an implantable babies.
device that is mainly used for tasks like
monitoring the body’s activities or making simple About “three-parent” babies
calculations or inducing therapeutic effects, all at • Mitochondrial Replacement therapy (MRT)
the molecular or cellular level.
is used to replace mother’s faulty
Some other genome sequencing projects Mitochondrial DNA with healthy
Mitochondria from a donor woman during
Human Genome Project (HGP):
IVF process, thus the name- “three-parent”
1. HGP-Read: baby
• This was an international and multi- • The donor’s mitochondria contribute just 37
institutional effort that took 13 years genes to the child, compared with more than
[1990-2003] and $2.7 billion to produce a 20,000 from the parents. That is a negligible
blueprint of the human genome. amount and far less than one would gain
• The HGP has revealed that there are from a blood transfusion or organ transplant.
probably about 20,500 human genes • No other characteristics in terms of
composed of over 3 billion base pairs. intelligence, eye colour, hair colour, height
• India did not participate in HGP-read etc. are changed.
2. HGP-Write:
• This project was launched in 2016 to
write or build an artificial human
genome from scratch with sophisticated
bioengineering tools.
• HGP-write will aim to address a number
of human health challenges. Potential
applications include growing
transplantable human organs,
engineering immunity to viruses in cell
lines via genome-wide recoding,
engineering cancer resistance into new
therapeutic cell lines, and accelerating
5
those that are lost through normal repair, disease,
or injury. ASCs are found throughout ones lifetime
in tissues such as the umbilical cord, placenta,
bone marrow, muscle, brain, fat tissue, skin, gut,
etc.
• Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells: These cells
are produced by genetically manipulating somatic
cells to produce embryonic-like stem cells
Importance
• Stem cells offer new potentials for treating
diseases such as diabetes, and heart disease.
• To screen new drugs and to develop model
systems to study normal growth and identify
causes of birth defects.
• Study how an organism develops from a single cell
and how healthy cells replace damaged cells in
adult organisms.
Immunosuppressants are a class of drugs that suppress
the immune response through various mechanisms. In
organ transplantation, they are used to prevent the
body from either recognition or attacking the foreign
organ.
Draft Guidelines for Stem Cell Research
• The Indian Council of Medical Research
(ICMR) in association with the Department of
Biotechnology recently released the revised
Draft Guidelines for Stem Cell Research, 2017
which calls for:
o conducting research in an ethical and
scientifically responsible manner
About Mitochondrial Disease
o involving various stakeholders in research
• The mitochondria are organelles inside cells that
are involved in releasing energy by producing
of human stem cells.
adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the key energy o option of sharing IPRs
currency that drives metabolism. o ensuring compliance with the national
• Mitochondria are inherited solely from the guidelines through National Apex
mother and this results into cases of babies been Committee for Stem Cell Research and
born with rare mitochondrial diseases if mother Therapy which currently monitors and
has the faulty mitchochondrial DNA. oversees research activities at the
national level.
1.4. STEM CELLS THERAPY
1.5. BIO-INK
Why in news?
Recently, miniature eye-like organs have been Why in news
successfully grown using induced pluripotent • Recently, a new printing material called flink
stem (iPS) cells. (functional living ink), has been developed by
Stem Cells: Stem cells are a class of undifferentiated scientists using bacterias.
cells that are able to differentiate into specialized cell About Bio-Ink
types. Commonly, stem cells are of the following
types: • Bio ink consists of a hydrogel biomaterial. It
• Embryonic stem cells - derived from the inner cell temporarily mimics the natural extracellular
mass of an embryo and these are capable of matrix environment of mammalian cells,
forming any cell types of the body. giving them time to produce their own
• Adult stem cells – also known as somatic stem cell milieu.
and it refers to non-reproductive cells in the body • Bio inks are ideal for 3D bioprinting, thus
(eggs or sperm). They generate cells to replace
provide a 3D environment for culturing cells.
6
• The bio-ink contains two different polymer packaging technology for export market,
components: a natural polymer extracted Production of safe efficacious phyto-
from seaweed, and a sacrificial synthetic pharmaceutical drugs following global
polymer used in the medical industry. standards.
• Application: It can be used for printing • Brahmaputra Biodiversity and Biology Boat
complex tissues using the patient’s own stem (B4)
cells for surgical bone or cartilage implants, o It is an effort towards conservation of
which could be used in knee and hip world’s largest riverine island and India’s
surgeries. first island district – Majuli facing
excessive erosion, in collaboration with
3D printing
DONER.
• 3D printing or additive manufacturing is a o Under this program, large boats will be
process of making three dimensional solid set up in the river which will have a well-
objects from a digital file. equipped laboratory along with cold
• It is an additive process wherein an object is storage facility to store samples. It will
created by laying down successive layers of also have a number of satellite boats and
material until the object is created. Each of rafts will also venture in the river to
these layers can be seen as a thinly sliced collect samples.
horizontal cross-section of the eventual • Human Resource Skilling Programs
object. o Twinning R&D Program – Under this
• 3D printing produces complex (functional) program DBT has initiated establishment
shapes using less material than traditional of link institutes in NER with the rest of
manufacturing methods. the country. This has resulted in 252
research publications and 600 junior and
Application
senior fellowship being awarded to the
• Manufacturing: Mass customisation, Rapid students in biotechnology research.
Prototyping, Rapid manufacturing, cloud- • Infrastructure and Resource binding –
based additive manufacturing. through establishment of biotech hubs,
• Medical applications: Printed prosthetics, animal house facility for critical animal
use of bioprinting in tissue engineering, high experiments, Advance Animal Disease
dose pills manufacturing. Diagnostic & Management Consortium
• Industrial applications: Apparel, (ADMaC) for surveillance of pathogens from
customisable art and jewelry, in automotive NER, collaborating for conservation of
industry as 3D printed cars, construction, fire delicate ecology of NER.
arms etc.
1.7. EMBRYO TRANSFER
1.6. BIOTECHNOLOGY IN TECHNOLOGY
NORTH EAST REGION
Why in news?
Why in news? Department of Animal Husbandry launched
Recently Department of Biotechnology (DBT) Embryo Transfer Technology to increase the
under Ministry of Science and Technology has livestock productivity.
announced a series of new programs and Embryo Transfer Technology (ETT)
missions for North Eastern Region (NER).
• It is a technique of assisted reproduction in
Recent Programs and Missions Launched by DBT which the embryo or zygote is collected from
• Phyto-Pharma Plant Mission a donor animal with higher genetic merit and
o The mission would work towards transferred to a recipient animal which serves
conservation and cultivation of as surrogate for rest of the pregnancy.
endangered and threatened species • Government has undertaken a Mass Embryo
o Major objectives of the mission are: Transfer programme in Indigenous Breeds
Captive cultivation of selected medicinal under the scheme, National Mission on
plants of NER, Development of Bovine Productivity.
7
• The programme is implemented with the About National Mission on Bovine Productivity
objective of conservation and development
• Aim: Enhancing milk production and
of indigenous breeds under Rashtriya Gokul
productivity and thereby making dairying
Mission.
more remunerative to the farmers.
• Indigenous Cow Breeds such as Sahiwal, Gir,
• Mission components:
Red Sindhi, Ongole, Deoni and Vechur will be
o Pashu Sanjivni- It includes identification
the recipient surrogates under the program.
of animals in milk using UID, issuing
• Benefits of ETT health cards to all animals in milk and
o Farmers may get 5-6 times increased uploading data on INAPH data base.
number of off springs o Advance reproductive Technique- Under
o Calves will be of high genetic merit and the component sex sorted semen
born disease free. production facility is being created at 10
About Rashtriya Gokul Mission A graded semen stations and 50 Embryo
Transfer Technology Labs with IVF
• Aim: Development and conservation of
facilities are being created in the country.
indigenous bovine breeds to enhance milk
o Creation of E Pashu Haat Portal- For
production and productivity through:
linking farmers and breeders of
o Induction of high genetic merit bulls for
indigenous breeds
semen production,
o Establishment of National Bovine
o Strengthening of bulls mother farms.
Genomic Centre for Indigenous
o Setting up of Gokul Grams.
Breeds(NBGC-IB): For enhancing milk
o Generating awareness among farmers for
production and productivity through
rearing of indigenous breeds.
genomic selection among indigenous
breeds.
8
2. NANOTECHNOLOGY
organic manures or biogas and fertilizers
2.1. NANOTECHNOLOGY
can also be quickened through use of
Nanotechnology is science, engineering, and Nanoparticles (such as Iron oxide
technology conducted at the nanoscale, which is particles).
about 1 to 100 nanometers. The physical,
chemical and biological properties exhibited by a
material changes at this size level is unique and
peculiar way, i.e. it follows the laws of quantum
physics which is very different from the laws of
Newtonian physics we see and feel. As
nanotechnology allows manipulation of
properties at a very small scale, it can have many
applications such as:
• Medical field: Nano scale diagnostic devices
are more efficient in detecting cancer or
infection, Nano size drugs can be delivered to
targeted areas which can also help fight
cancer. For example - Recently, a new
technology for safer and cheaper diagnosis
and treatment of cancer has been found by
turning nano-particles of calcium phosphate
• Agriculture: Food processing industry can get
into fully biodegradable radio frequency (RF)
better packaging, presentation with least
agents that can be imaged in MRI and CT waste and minimum moisture flow and
scans. growth of bacteria. Also, Silver Nanoparticles
• Combating climate change: by developing which exhibit antifungal, anti-bacterial, anti-
nanomaterial which can effectively help to inflammatory, antiviral and antiplatelet
reduce the Carbon Dioxide in the air and properties can be used to increase the shelf
trigger bioremediation to get rid of toxic life of agricultural products.
waste such as dyes, oil spill etc.
• Defence: Use in intelligence gathering
o Combating Carbon Emission: The Nano
through difficult to detect sensors/cameras/
CO2 Harvester can capture more CO2 recording devices, precision guiding tools etc.
than usual and is more efficient fuel
• Construction: as nanomolecular structures
converter.
can make asphalt and concrete more robust
o Cleaning Water: The magnetically
to water seepage, heat-resistant
charged nanoparticles have been proved
nanomaterials can block ultraviolet and
potent in researches to have effectively
infrared radiation etc.
carried on adsorption process to remove
• Energy: such as Novel hydrogen storage
heavy & toxic metals, dyes from and oil
systems based on carbon nanotubes and
spills from water bodies.
other lightweight nanomaterials,
o Accelerating Biodegradation (Solid
Nanocatalysts for hydrogen generation etc.
Waste Management): They accelerate
the conversion of organic waste into
9
3. SPACE TECHNOLOGY
Development for the year 2014 for the
3.1. ISRO
successful Mars Orbiter Mission and for
• The Indian Space Research Organization strengthening international co-operation
(ISRO) is the pioneer space exploration
3.1.1.2. CHANDRAYAAN-1
agency of the Government of India based at
Bengaluru. Why in news?
• It aims to develop and harness space Recently, scientists from Brown University, USA
technology in national development, while have created the first map of water trapped in
pursuing planetary exploration and space the uppermost layer of Moon’s soil using the data
science research. captured by instrument on Chandrayan-1.
• Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
operates through a countrywide network of More on news
centre such as Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre • Scientists have stated that the water thus
in Thiruvananthapuram, ISRO Satellite Centre detected by the Chandrayan-1 lunar mission
in Bangalore, Satish Dhawan Space Centre on mostly concentrated around the polar region
Sriharikota Island, near Chennai, Sensors and is present everywhere and not just polar
payloads Space Applications Centre in region.
Ahmedabad, National Remote Sensing Centre • It was also found that the concentration of
in Hyderabad etc. water changes over the course of Lunar Day
• ISRO’s commercial arm is Antrix Corporation, at latitudes lower than 60 degrees i.e. wetter
which has its headquarters in Bangalore. in morning and evening and dry during lunar
3.1.1. MISSIONS noon with fluctuations up-to 200ppm.
Findings of Chandrayan-1
3.1.1.1. MARS ORBITER MISSION • Detection of Water – Major finding was the
detection of Water (H2O) and Hydroxyl (OH) on
• Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), has completed
the surface of the moon. The data revealed its
four years in space since its launch on
presence in abundance around the polar region.
November 5, 2013 • Magma Ocean Hypothesis – It confirmed the
• It was India's first interplanetary mission, Ocean Magma Hypothesis i.e. the moon was once
launched by using a Polar Satellite Launch completely in molten state using HySi and TMC.
Vehicle (PSLV) rocket. • Evidences of landing site of Apollo 15 and 17 –
• First Asian Nation: India had created global TMC found the anomalies in Lunar surface about
history by becoming the first Asian nation to the landing of USA’s Apollo-15 and 17.
reach the Mars orbit in a space mission. • New Spinel-rich Rock – Data from TMC, HySI, M3
• Proved the capability and efficiency of ISRO: and SIR2 have led to detection of new spinel-rich
rock type on lunar far-side.
ISRO has become the fourth space agency to
• X-Ray signals detected– C1XS have detected x-ray
reach Mars, after the Soviet space program,
signals during weak solar flares thus indicating
NASA, and the European Space Agency presence of magnesium, aluminium, silicon and
• MOM was aimed to explore and observe calcium on lunar surface.
Mars surface features, morphology, ISRO is planning to launch a fully indigenous
mineralogy and the Martian atmosphere Chandrayan-2 in October this year. This would include
• It carried 5 instruments for Atmospheric an orbiter, lander and a rover.
studies (Lyman-Alpha Photometer (LAP), About Chandrayan-1
Methane Sensor for Mars (MSM)), Particle
environment studies (Mars Exospheric • Chandrayan-1 was launched by India in
Neutral Composition Analyser (MENCA)), October, 2009 using PSLV-C11.
Surface imaging studies (Thermal Infrared • The primary objective of the mission was to
Imaging Spectrometer (TIS), Mars Colour prepare a three-dimensional atlas of both
Camera (MCC). near and far side of the moon and chemical,
• ISRO was presented with the Indira Gandhi mineralogical and photo-geological mapping
Prize for Peace, Disarmament and of moon.
10
• It had made almost 3400 orbits around the An atomic clock is a clock device that uses an
moon before it lost contact with Earth in electronic transition frequency of the electromagnetic
2009. spectrum of atoms as a frequency standard for its
• Chandrayaan-1 had payloads from India timekeeping element.
namely: Atomic clocks are the most accurate time and
o Terrain Mapping Camera (TMC) frequency standards known and are used as primary
standards for international time distribution services,
o Hyper Spectral Imager (HySI)
to control the wave frequency of television
o Lunar Laser Ranging Instrument (LLRI) broadcasts, and in global navigation satellite systems
o High Energy X-Ray Spectrometer (HEX) such as GPS.
Moon Impact Probe (MIP).
A rubidium atomic clock is a frequency standard in
Lunar Day which a specified hyperfine transition of electrons in
• Lunar Day refers to time taken by the Earth’s rubidium-87 atoms is used to control the output
moon to complete one rotation on its axis and it is frequency. It is the most inexpensive, compact, and
also the time taken by the moon to complete one widely used type of atomic clock.
orbit around the Earth.
• One Lunar Day equals to 27 Earth Days, 7 hours, More on news
43 minutes and 12 seconds.
• It is usually the phase between two new moons. • IRNSS-1A is the first of the seven satellites
comprising the Navigation with Indian
3.1.1.3. NAVIC Constellation (NavIC) - (IRNSS-1G; IRNSS-1F;
Why in news? IRNSS-1E, IRNSS-1D, IRNSS-1C, IRNSS-1B; and
IRNSS-1A)
Recently, IRNSS received setback due to failure of • It has been designed to support vehicle
the atomic clocks on board IRNSS-1A and tracking, fleet management, disaster
unsuccessful launch of navigational satellite management and mapping services besides
IRNSS 1H. terrestrial, marine and aerial navigation for
India and its neighbourhood.
• It was carried on by PSLV (Polar Satellite
Launch Vehicle)-C39 to augment the existing
seven satellites of the NavIC constellation.
NAVIC or IRNSS (Indian Regional Navigation
Satellite System)
• It is an independent indigenous regional
system developed by India on par with the
US-based Global Positioning System (GPS),
Glonass of Russia, Galileo by Europe, BeiDou
by China and Quasi-Zenith Satellite System
(QZSS) by Japan.
• IRNSS will provide basically two types of
services:
o Standard Positioning Service (SPS) for
civilian users
o Restricted Service (RS), is an encrypted
service provided only to specific users
• It offers services like terrestrial and marine
navigation, disaster management, vehicle
tracking and fleet management, navigation
aide for hikers and travellers, visual and voice
navigation for drivers and marine & aerial
navigation for India and its neighbourhood.
11
3.1.1.4. ASTROSAT • Various paylods carried by it are: Large Area
X-ray Proportional Counter, Ultraviolet
Why in news? Imaging Telescope, Soft X-Ray Telescope,
Astrosat is indulged in observing major events Scanning Sky Monitor, Cadmium Zinc
such as merging of two Black holes, gamma ray telluride Imager.
burst etc. Major objectives of ASTROSAT
Background • Understand high energy processes in binary
• US-based LIGO group had detected star systems containing neutron stars and
gravitational waves emanating from the black holes.
merger of two massive black holes located • Estimate magnetic fields of neutron stars.
nearly 3 billion light years away. It was also • Study star birth regions and high energy
confirmed by Hawaii-based ATLAS group. processes in star systems lying beyond our
• However, AstroSat team in collaboration with galaxy.
the GROWTH network of observatories, has • Detect new briefly bright X-ray sources in
concluded that this event is due to a gamma the sky.
ray burst, which was confirmed by POLAR
project. 3.1.1.5. CREW MODULE ATMOSPHERIC
REENTRY EXPERIMENT (CARE)
• A gamma ray burst is light emanating from a
bursting star, that may lead to the formation • It's a module developed by ISRO to carry
of a black hole. human beings to space.
GROWTH (Global Relay of Observatories Watching • ISRO tested it's ability to re-enter the Earth's
Transients Happen) atmosphere with thermal resistance,
• GROWTH is an international scientific collaborative parachute deployment in cluster formation,
project in astronomy studying the physics of fast- aero braking system and apex cover
changing events in the cosmos like supernovae, separation procedures.
neutron stars or black hole mergers, and near-
earth asteroids. It is partnership of eleven 3.1.1.6. ADITYA L1
universities and research institutions from US,
Why in news?
India, Sweden, Taiwan, Japan, Israel and Germany.
• It continuously gathers data of cosmic transient • India is set to launch its first solar mission
events in the first 24 hours after detection to build Aditya-L1 in 2019.
a more complete picture and better understand
the physical processes of their evolution. About Aditya L1
• It jointly operates 17 observatories in the northern • The Aditya L1 will be placed in a halo orbit
hemisphere. Girawali Observatory – IUCAA in
around a vantage point in space known as L1
Maharashtra (near Pune) is part of this network.
POLAR project Lagrange point.
POLAR is an international mission of China and • The point L1 has the major advantage of
European collaboration is dedicated to establishing viewing the sun without any occultation/
whether the photons from Gama-ray bursts (GRBs) — eclipses.
thought to be a particularly energetic type of stellar • The mission will carry seven payloads
explosion — are polarized. including the main payload the Visible
About ASTROSAT Emission Line Coronagraph (VLEC).
• Aditya L1 is to be the first satellite to study
• It is India’s first dedicated multi wavelength the magnetic field of the sun’s corona.
space observatory. • The Aditya L1 is expected to help study that
• It observes universe in the optical, why the photosphere, the deeper layer of
Ultraviolet, low and high energy X-ray regions the sun is at much lower temperature than
of the electromagnetic spectrum, whereas the corona.
most other scientific satellites are capable of • It will also study aspects that affect space
observing a narrow range of wavelength weather, the origin of solar wind ions, their
band. reaction to coronal mass ejections, the
• It's dubbed as a smaller version of NASA's distribution of these in the heliosphere- the
Hubble Space Telescope
12
space around the sun that extends up to spectral imagery for agricultural crop
Pluto. monitoring and disaster management
• Halo Orbit: It is periodic, three-dimensional orbit support applications. Nanosatellites or
near the L1, L2 and L3 lagrange point (unstable) in nanosats weigh between 1 kg and 10 kg.
a three body system. Significance of the launch
• Lagrange Point: It is the point where the
combined gravitational force of two large bodies • The launch marks the roll out of the 100th
is equal to the centrifugal force that is felt by a satellite by ISRO
third body which is relatively smaller. • It is also significant in the sense that India
• There are about 5 such points in a two body failed in its last attempt to launch its backup
system. navigation satellite IRNSS-1H on board PSLV-
• Corona: The outer layers of the Sun, extending to C39 failed.
thousands of km above the disc (photosphere) is
• It is the second time that ISRO will be
termed as the corona. It has a temperature of
more than a million degree Kelvin which is much
achieving the two orbits feat. This was done
higher than the solar disc temperature of around through the “multiple burn technology”
6000K. under which the rocket’s engine is switched
off and then switched on to control its height.
• It reinstates India’s position as a successful
multiple satellite launcher.
• Government recently also announced funding
to develop an exclusive Small Satellite
Launch Vehicle (SSLV) to cater mini and
micro satellites exclusively.
3.1.2. LAUNCHERS
3.1.2.2. GSLV MK III
3.1.2.1. PSLV C40 Why in News?
Why in news? • Recently, GSLV MK III D1 rocket (GSAT 19)
• ISRO’s through PSLV C40 has successfully was launched successfully.
placed 31 satellites (second highest number Background
launched by ISRO using a single rocket)
including main payload Cartosat-2s series • The first experimental flight of LVM3-
and 28 foreign satellites in two different X/CARE mission successfully tested the
orbits. atmospheric phase of flight. Crew module
• It also includes the Indian nano satellite, Atmospheric Reentry Experiment was also
NIUSAT which belongs to Tamil Nadu's Nooral carried out in this flight. This was the first
Islam University. This will provide multi- testing of the indigenous cryogenic engine.
13
Cryogenic: Cryogenic propellants are liquefied gases launch satellites of lift-off mass of up to 2,500
stored at very low temperatures, most frequently kg to the GTO and satellites of up to 5,000 kg
liquid hydrogen as the fuel and liquid oxygen as the lift-off mass to the LEO (low earth orbit).
oxidizer. 2. GSLV-III: It is a three stage vehicle with an
• The liquid fuel and oxidizer are pumped from the indigenous cryogenic upper stage engine
storage tanks to an expansion chamber and (C25). It has been designed to carry heavier
injected into the combustion chamber where they communication satellites weighing upto up to
are mixed and ignited by a flame or spark. 4000 kg into the Geosynchronous Transfer
• The fuel expands as it burns and the hot exhaust Orbit.
gases are directed out of the nozzle to provide
thrust. 3.1.2.3. REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE–
Features TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATOR (RLV-
TD)
• It is the heaviest rocket to be launched from
India till now. • It is one of the most technologically
• Apart from the upper cryogenic stage, the challenging endeavors of ISRO, that is,
vehicle has two solid strap-on motors (S200) developing essential technologies for a fully
and a core liquid booster (L110). reusable launch vehicle
• For the first time there will be no • If developed, it would enable low cost access
transponders on the satellite. It will be using to space. The configuration of RLV-TD is
a new way beaming data down using similar to that of an aircraft and combines the
multiple frequency beams. It is therefore complexity of both launch vehicles and
called "a high through put satellite". aircraft.
• For the first time, it would have indigenously 3.1.3. SATELLITE
made Lithium ion batteries.
• This spacecraft would have advanced There are various types of satellite in India
technologies including miniaturized heat • Communication satellite - The Indian
pipe, fibre optic gyro, Micro Electro- National Satellite (INSAT) system is one of the
Mechanical Systems (MEMS) accelerometer. largest domestic communication satellite
Satellite-Launch Vehicles Developed By ISRO.
systems placed in Geo-stationary orbit. GSAT-
PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle): It is designed 17 joins the constellation of INSAT System.
mainly to deliver the “earth-observation” or “remote- The INSAT system provides services to
sensing” satellites with lift-off mass of up to about telecommunications, television broadcasting,
1750 Kg to Sun-Synchronous circular polar orbits of satellite newsgathering, societal applications,
600-900 Km altitude.
weather forecasting, disaster warning and
• PSLV is a four-staged launch vehicle with first and Search and Rescue operations.
third stage using solid rocket motors and second
GSAT
and fourth stages using liquid rocket engines.
• A GSAT is a series of geosynchronous satellite
• PSLV is classified into its various versions like core-
placed in geosynchronous orbit, with an orbital
alone version (PSLV-CA), PSLV-G or PSLV-XL
period the same as the Earth's rotation period.
variants depending on the number of these strap-
on boosters • Such a satellite returns to the same position in the
sky after each day.
• PSLV is also used to launch the satellites of lower
lift-off mass of up to about 1400 Kg to the • A special case of geosynchronous satellite is the
geostationary satellite, which has a geostationary
elliptical Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).
orbit – a circular orbit directly above the Earth's
GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle): equator.
GSLV is designed mainly to deliver the communication- o Geosynchronous satellites have the
satellites to the highly elliptical (typically 250 x 36000 advantage of remaining permanently in the
Km) Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). same area of the sky, as viewed from a
• Two versions of the GSLV: particular location on Earth
1. GSLV Mk-II: is a three stage vehicle with four o Geostationary satellites have the special
property of remaining permanently fixed in
liquid strap-ons. First stage using solid rocket
exactly the same position in the sky,
motor, second stage using Liquid fuel and
Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS) forms the third meaning that ground-based antennas do not
stage of GSLV Mk II. has the capability to need to track them but can remain fixed in
14
one direction. Such satellites are often used imaging and science missions within a quick
for communication purposes. This orbit is turn around time.
present at an altitude of approx. 35,786 km in • Student satellite - ISRO has influenced
the equatorial plane. educational institutions by its activities like
o Sun Synchronous Orbits (or Low Earth Orbit):
making satellites for communication, remote
These orbits allows a satellite to pass over a
section of the Earth at the same time of day.
sensing and astronomy etc.
These satellites orbit at an altitude between 3.1.3.1. HYPERSPECTRAL IMAGING
700 to 800 km. SATELLITE
o Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO) is an
elliptical orbit, with an apogee (high point) of Why in news?
35,784 kilometers and an inclination roughly
equal to the latitude of the launch site, into ISRO plans to launch HySIS (Hyperspectral
which a spacecraft is initially placed before Imaging Satellite) – an earth observation satellite,
being transferred to a geosynchronous or using a critical chip it has developed called
geostationary orbit. “optical imaging detector array”.
GSAT-7 or Rukmini
• Rukmini was the first military communication
What is hyperspectral imaging?
satellite launched by the ISRO in 2013, for the • Hyperspectral imaging, or imaging
Indian Defence forces, with the Indian Navy being spectroscopy, combines the power of digital
the primary user. imaging and spectroscopy. Hyperspex
• It's a multi-band military communication satellite,
imaging is enabled by an optical imaging
placed into a geosynchronous orbit, to secure
detector chip
real-time communication
• For each pixel in an image, a hyperspectral
• Earth Observations satellite - ISRO has camera acquires the light intensity (radiance)
launched many operational remote sensing for a large number of contiguous spectral
satellites such as CARTOSAT 2, RESOURCSAT bands.
1, OCEANSAT 2 etc. in sun-synchronous orbit • Every pixel in the image thus contains a
and INSAT-3D, Kalpana etc. in geo- continuous spectrum in the visible and near
synchronous orbit. The data from these infra-red regions and can be used to
satellites are used for several applications characterize the objects in the scene with
covering agriculture, water resources, urban great precision and detail.
planning, rural development, mineral • Significance: Hyperspectral images provide
prospecting, environment, forestry, ocean much more detailed information about the
resources and disaster management. scene than a normal color camera, which only
• Navigation satellite - To meet the user acquires three different spectral channels
requirements of the positioning, navigation corresponding to the visual primary colors
and timing services. Example – IRNSS, GPS red, green and blue.
Aided GEO Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) • Hyperspectral imaging leads to a vastly
to meet civil aviation requirements. improved ability to classify the objects in the
• Space Science satellite - research in areas like scene based on their spectral properties.
astronomy, astrophysics, planetary and earth
sciences, atmospheric sciences and 3.1.4. SPACE ACTIVITIES BILL, 2017
theoretical physics. For example – Astrosat,
Why in news?
Chandrayaan-1 2, MOM
• Experimental satellite - ISRO has launched • The government of India has come up with
many small satellites mainly for the Space Activities Bill 2017, a draft law meant
experimental purposes such as Remote to regulate the space sector.
Sensing, Atmospheric Studies, Payload Background
Development, Orbit Controls, recovery
technology etc. For example AryaBhata, • Department of Space(DoS) is the nodal
APPLE etc. agency for space activities in India which
• Small Satellite – It is envisaged to provide include:
platform for stand-alone payloads for earth
15
o Space Infrastructure: spacecraft for 3.1.5. VILLAGE RESOURCE CENTRES
various applications and associated
ground infrastructure Why in news?
o Space Transportation systems: various ISRO has established around 473 Village Resource
class of launch vehicles and associated Centres (VRCs) on a pilot basis, in association
ground infrastructure Space applications: with selected NGOs, Trusts and State
for various national requirements Government Departments.
through establishment of necessary What is Village Resource Centres (VRC)?
ground infrastructure and coordination
This is one of the unique initiatives that use
mechanisms.
Satellite Communication (SATCOM) network and
• Space activities in India till now have been
Earth Observation (EO) satellite data to reach out
governed by Satellite Communication Policy,
to the villages to address the needs of the local
2000 (which enacted a framework to provide
people in villages itself.
licenses to private sector players to operate
communication satellites over India) and the Applications: VRCs provide wide varieties of
Remote Sensing Data Policy, 2011. services in rural areas:
• Internationally, the outer space activities are • Tele-medicine concept connects the sick
governed by relevant chapters of people in villages, through VSAT network, to
international law in general and by United the doctors, who located in cities/urban
Nations’ (UN) Treaties and principles areas or the Super-speciality hospitals, for
evolved under UN Committee on Peaceful providing health services.
Uses of Outer Space (UNCOPUOS) in • The Tele-education uses SATCOM to provide
particular a virtual classroom facility to far-flung villages
About Space Activities Bill 2017 or remote areas in the country and helps in
imparting education to the needy, career
• It is needed to encourage the participation of guidance to rural students etc.
private sector agencies in space activities in • Advisories related to agriculture like crop
India. This will supplement the manpower pest and diseases, fertilizer/pesticides,
requirement of ISRO. organic farming, crop insurance etc.
• The draft law includes provisions such as • Skill development and vocational training to
providing non-transferable licence to carry the rural population.
out commercial space activity, supporting • Other areas of application include Panchayat
such activities professionally ad technically, planning, Weather information, Marketing
regulating their operations, penal provisions information, Watershed Development,
for undertaking such activities without Drinking water etc.
authorization etc.
UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), 1958. 3.1.6. SARASWATI: A
• It promotes international cooperation in peaceful SUPERCLUSTER OF GA LA XIES
uses of Outer Space. Why in News?
• It serves as the secretariat for UNGA’s UN
committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space A team of Indian scientists has reported the
(COPUOS). discovery of a previously unknown ‘supercluster’
• It also establishes UN register for Objects of galaxies, some four billion light years away
launched into Outer space. from Earth, and named it Saraswati.
• It manages the UN Platform for Space based
Information for Disaster Management and What are Superclusters?
Emergency Response (UN -SPIDER). • Galaxies are like the building blocks of the
Outer Space Treaty, 1967.
universe, they contain a huge number of
• Aim: To preserve space for peaceful uses by
stars. Galaxy clusters have 3-100 galaxies,
prohibiting the use of space weapons, the
development of space-weapon technology, and and super clusters are the clusters of clusters.
technology related to “missile defense.” • Within superclusters, clusters are connected
• It would prevent any nation from gaining a by filaments and sheets of dark matter with
military advantage in outer space. galaxies embedded in them
16
• Sarawati has 42 clusters and it is 4000 million Mission Observations of the Limb and
light years from earth. Disk (GOLD) and Ionospheric
Connection Explorer (ICON)
3.1.7. NASA-ISRO SYNTHETIC respectively
APERTURE RADAR (NISA R) • Ionosphere region to
understand more about
What is NISAR mission? hurricanes & geomagnetic
storms
• It is the world's most expensive earth
New Frontiers • Explore the solar system. Two
imaging satellite till date ($1.5 billion), being program recently selected missions:
jointly developed by India and USA and Comet Astrobiology
expected to be launched around 2021. Exploration Sample Return
• NISAR is a dual frequency L-band and S- (CAESAR) for visiting comet
band radar mission, that will map Earth 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko
every 12 days from two directions. Dragonfly: spacecraft to study
• NASA and Jet Propulsion Laboratory will be Titan, Saturn’s largest moon
responsible for the design & development of • Three older missions:
L-band SAR, while ISRO will be responsible Juno Mission: Juno spacecraft
to orbit Jupiter. Earlier,
for the design & development of S-band SAR
Galileo probe in its mission
• It will make global integrated measurements had found evidence of
of the causes and consequences of land subsurface saltwater on
surface changes. Jupiter’s moons Europa,
• NISAR will provide a means of resolving Ganymede and Callisto
highly spatial and temporally complex OSIRIS-Rex: Origins, Spectral
processes ranging from ecosystem Interpretation, Resource
disturbances, to ice sheet collapse and Identification, Security-
natural hazards including earthquakes, Regolith Explorer is NASA’s
first unmanned asteroid
tsunamis, volcanoes, and landslides.
sampling mission heading
• Post completion, NISAR will be integrated towards a near-Earth asteroid
with ISRO’s spacecraft and launched on board called Bennu.
India’s GSLV. New Horizons Spacecraft: To
NASA AND ISRO: study Pluto, its moons (such
• The two space research organisations signed a as Nix and Hydra) and the
framework agreement in 2008 that called for Kuiper belt
cooperation in the exploration and use of outer SOFIA Mission • Stratospheric Observatory for
space for peaceful purposes. (Flying Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) is
• Under the agreement, both ISRO and NASA have Observatory) world’s largest airborne
executed an implementing arrangement for astronomical observatory
cooperation in NISAR mission, which is valid until built as a joint project of NASA
2034. and the German Aerospace
• The arrangement provides scope for joint Centre to observe celestial
activities on science & applications of NISAR data magnetic fields, star forming
after the launch. regions, comets and Saturn’s
Earlier collaborations between NASA and ISRO: giant moon Titan
• Chandrayaan-I mission, 2005: Moon Mineralogy Cassini Mission • launched through
mapper from NASA accompanied the mission, collaboration between NASA,
resulting in “joint-discovery” of water on moon. ESA and the Italian space
• Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan), 2014: where agency to study Saturn and its
NASA’s navigational expertise in deep space system of rings and moons
trajectory and maneuverability aided the mission. (Saturn’s largest moon is
Titan)
3.2. NASA • first spacecraft to orbit
Saturn
NASA MISSIONS MATTER OF STUDY Exploration • It will be the first integrated
Parker Solar • Solar corona, solar wind and Mission-1 test of NASA’s deep space
Probe solar energetic particles exploration systems: the
GOLD & ICON • Refer to Global-scale Orion spacecraft and Space
17
Launch System (SLS) rocket binary system, classified as a
(most powerful rocket in the potentially hazardous
world asteroid.
• Orion Spacecraft is designed • NASA has also designed a
to take astronauts beyond spacecraft named Hammer
low-Earth orbit and explore (Hypervelocity Asteroid
the Moon, Mars and other Mitigation Mission for
destinations Emergency Response), which
could deflect a asteroids, if it
Voyager 1 and 2 • Year 2017 marked 40th
happens to hit Earth.
anniversary of its journey
SPARCS • Star-Planet Activity Research
• They have explored all the
CubeSat (SPARCS) is a space
giant planets of our outer
telescope to study the
solar system, Jupiter, Saturn,
habitability and high-energy
Uranus and Neptune; 48 of
environment around M-dwarf
their moons; and the unique
stars.
system of rings and magnetic
TESS • Transiting Exoplanet Survey
fields
Satellite (TESS) to study
• Voyager 1 was the first
exoplanets in orbit around the
spacecraft to have entered
brightest stars in the sky. TESS
interstellar space
will monitor more than
Kepler Mission • Kepler is a space observatory 200,000 stars for temporary
launched by NASA to discover drops in brightness caused by
Earth-size planets orbiting planetary transits.
other stars. InSight Mars • for Mars (Red Planet) which
• The Kepler telescope detects lander will study the interior
the presence of planets by of Mars and listen for
registering minuscule drops in Marsquakes
a star’s brightness that occurs ICESat-2 and • to continue the long-term
when a planet crosses in front GRACE Follow- record of how Earth’s ice
of it, a movement known as a On sheets, sea level, and
transit. underground water reserves
DAWN Mission • only mission ever to orbit two are changing
extraterrestrial targets - giant
asteroid Vesta and the dwarf
planet Ceres Roll-out Solar • It is a collaboration between
• Ceres is the largest body in Array (ROSA) NASA and two private
the asteroid belt between companies with an aim to
Mars and Jupiter. It is a dwarf develop flexible solar array
planet, the only one located in (adaptable to different sizes)
the inner circle of the solar that could one day power
system, rest all are located on satellites and spacecraft.
the outer edges. • It is 20% lighter and four times
AIDA (Asteroid • It is the first-ever mission that smaller in volume than
Impact and will deflect a near-Earth traditional solar panels.
Deflection asteroid to protect the planet Imaging X-ray • The proposal for this mission
Assessment) • It is an international Polarimetry was accepted under NASA’s
Mission collaboration among the Explorer Explorers Programme which
European Space Agency (ESA), mission provides frequent, low-cost
NASA and others access to space for
• AIDA involves two investigations.
independent spacecraft – • This mission is aimed at
NASA’s Double Asteroid studying some of the most
Redirection Test (DART), and extreme and exotic
ESA’s Asteroid Impact Mission astronomical objects by
(AIM). studying the polarisation of X-
• Its target is the binary near- rays emitted from their
Earth asteroid Didymos, a surrounding environments as
18
direct image cannot be taken of Telescope and the Canadian Space
such as objects like black holes, Agency.
neutron stars etc. • It will be the successor of
New Aviation • It aims to commercialise ultra- Hubble Space Telescope and
Horizons efficient subsonic 100 times powerful than it.
initiative transportation • One of its main goals is to use
• Recently, NASA has completed spectroscopy to determine the
preliminary design review of atmospheric components of
the Quiet Supersonic Transport alien worlds.
(QueSST) aircraft, initial design Kilopower • It's a small nuclear reactor that
stage of planned Low Boom project can generate a reliable power
Flight Demonstration (LBFD) supply which can be used to
experimental airplane, provide safe and plentiful
otherwise known as an X-plane energy for future robotic and
human missions for Mars and
Joint Polar • It is a partnership between
beyond
Satellite NOAA (National Oceanic and
System-1 Atmospheric Administration)
(JPSS) and NASA
3.3. OTHER SPACE RELATED
spacecraft • It’s first in NOAA’s series of DEVELOPMENTS
four, next-generation
operational environmental 3.3.1. BLUE MOON
satellites designed to circle the
Earth in a polar orbit. Why in news?
Backyard • On January 31, 2018, a rare Blue Moon event

• It is a citizen science project was experienced on large parts of the globe.
Worlds project
which lets anyone with a
computer and an Internet About the news
connection flip through images
taken by NASA’s Wide Field • It was a rare moment as blue moon, a
Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) supermoon and a total lunar eclipse fell on
spacecraft. same day after more than 150 years.
• WISE is a space telescope • Blue Moon: When two full moons appear in
launched in 2009 by NASA to the same calendar month, the second is
map the entire sky in infrared termed a “blue moon". First full moon
wavelengths. Its goal was to occurred on Jan 1, 2018.
find objects that had not been • Super Moon: occurs when the full moon is at
imaged before, including very
the closest point of its orbit to the Earth,
bright galaxies, very cold stars,
and nearby asteroids and
which is also called the perigee. The moon
comets. appears 30% brighter and 14% bigger than
the apogee full moon
Hubble Space • It is a joint venture between • Blood Moon: The moon turns into red color
Telescpe NASA and the European Space during the height of the eclipse as some light
Agency (ESA) — was launched
does reach it even though the moon is in the
in its orbit 552 km above Earth
• It has the ability to see in shadow of the Earth. Fine particles in the
multiple wavelengths — near- atmosphere scatter (Rayleigh scattering) the
infrared, visible light and near- blue component of solar spectrum, & what
ultraviolet reaches us is the longer wavelength red light.
• It has recently discovered seven • A lunar eclipse happens whenever the moon
Earth-sized planets orbiting the passes through Earth’s shadow, also known
ultracool dwarf star TRAPPIST- as its umbra.
1 making it the planetary
system with the largest number
of Earth-sized planets
discovered so far.
James Webb • It is a joint project of the NASA,
Space the European Space Agency
19
• Geminid meteor shower fell on Earth on
December 12.
Asteroids, Meteoroid, Meteors and Meteorites
Asteroids – Asteroids are small bodies of rocks which
revolve around the sun. The Asteroid belt in our Solar
System is found between the Mars and Jupiter.
Meteoroids – When asteroids smash into each other,
small fragments break off. These fragments are called
Meteoroids.
Meteors – When these meteoroids come closer to
Earth and enter its atmosphere they vaporize with a
streak of light in the sky. They are then called Meteors
or shooting stars.
Meteorites – When the meteors do not vaporise
completely after entering the Earth’s atmosphere,
they are called Meteorites.
Comet – A chunk of ice and rock originating from the
outer solar system, often accompanied by a coma and
tail.
What is a Meteor Shower?

• Earth in its yearly motion around the Sun
passes through a debris trail left behind by a
comet. The meteor shower is caused when
debris heat up as they enter the atmosphere
and burn up in a bright burst of light.
• When the debris is in space, they are called
“meteoroids,” but when they reach Earth’s
atmosphere, they’re designated as
“meteors.”
What is Perseid Meteor Shower?
• Perseid meteor Shower is the dust of Comet
Swift Tuttle which passes through Earth every
Solar eclipse year.
• The meteor shower is caused when debris
• A solar eclipse occurs when the moon gets heat up as they enter the atmosphere and
between Earth and the sun, and the moon burn up in a bright burst of light.
casts a shadow over Earth. • When the debris is in space, they are called
• It can only take place at the phase of new “meteoroids,” but when they reach Earth’s
moon, when the moon passes directly atmosphere, they’re designated as
between the sun and Earth and its shadows “meteors.”
fall upon Earth’s surface.
• However, eclipses do not happen at every Comet Swift-Tuttle
new moon because the moon’s orbit is tilted • Comet Swift-Tuttle, having a nucleus of about
just over 5 degrees relative to Earth’s orbit 16 miles (26 kilometres) wide, is the largest
around the sun. Thus, the moon’s shadow object known to repeatedly pass by Earth.
usually passes either above or below Earth. • The Comet last passed nearby Earth during its
orbit around the sun in 1992. It will next pass
3.3.2. METEOR SHOWER by the Earth in 2026.
Why in news? About Geminid Meteor Shower
• Perseid Meteor Shower fell on Earth in • Usually meteor shower happens due to the
August peaked on August 12. debris left behind by a Comet. However, it
20
can happen due to an asteroid as well such as HARPS: High precision spectrograph mounted on
in the case of Geminid Shower. European Southern Observatory's 3.6m telescope at
• Geminid Meteor shower is the dust particle La Silla Observatory in Chile.
of constellation of Gemini. Earth passes
3.3.4. HALF OF THE UNIVERSE'S
through the path of its parent asteroid 3200
Phaethon every year.
'MISSING MA TTER' IS FINALLY
FOUND
About 3200 Phaethon
• It is an Apollo Asteroid and has characteristics Why in news?
close to a comet. • In a world’s first, the elusive ‘missing’ half of
• Sometime the orbits of an asteroid intersect with
the universe’s observable matter has been
the orbit of Mars and Earth. The earth orbiting
asteroids are called Apollo Asteroids.
found.
Background
3.3.3. SOLAR FLARE
• The universe is made up of regular 'visible'
Why in news? matter, dark matter and dark energy- though
• Proxima Centauri (the second closest star to experts are yet to detect the latter two.
Earth) was found to be sending out massive • Measurements of radiation left over from the
solar flare. The finding diminishes the chance Big Bang showed that about 5% of the mass
of life expected in Proxima Centauri b, a in the universe comes in the form of ordinary
planet revolving in the habitable Goldilocks matter, with the rest being accounted for by
zone of this Red (Cool) Dwarf Star. dark matter (25%) and dark energy (70%).
• The 3 space based observatories (Astro-sat, • Dark matter has never been directly observed
Chandra (X-ray observatory managed by and the nature of dark energy is almost
NASA), and Hubble Space Telescope) and a completely mysterious, but even tracking
ground based Observatory HARPS (High down the 5% of ordinary matter has proved
Accuracy Radial Velocity Planet Searcher) more complicated. Counting up of all the
participated in the multi-wavelength observable objects in the sky – stars, planets,
observational campaign and observed the galaxies and so on –only accounts for
solar flare in Proxima Centauri. between a 10th and a fifth of what ought to
be out there. The deficit is known as the
What is Solar/Stellar Flare? “missing baryon problem”.
• It is a dramatic increase in brightness of a • Now missing matter has been discovered. It is
star thought to be due to the magnetic made of particles called baryons linking
energy stored in the star's atmosphere. galaxies together through filaments of hot
• When observed in Sun, they are often gas.
accompanied by coronal mass ejection. Hot Gas Filaments
• The distribution of ordinary matter in the universe
• Solar flare ejects clouds of electrons, ions and
is not homogeneous.
atoms along with electromagnetic radiations.
• Instead, under the action of gravity, matter is
• Bombardment with such huge amount of concentrated into so-called filamentary
energy (as observed in Proxima centauri) can structures, forming a network of knots and links
strip water from the atmosphere or Oceans called the 'cosmic web'.
and sterilise the ground. • Gas filaments between some galaxies contain
subatomic particles called baryons.
Impact of Solar Flare of Sun: What Is a Baryon?
• They occur in active regions around sunspots. • Leptons and quarks are the basic building blocks
• When flare is ejected in the direction of the earth, of matter
the particles hitting the upper earth's atmosphere
• Baryons are subatomic particles made up of three
may cause AURORA/Polar light (Aurora Borealis- even smaller particles called quarks
Northern light and Aurora Australis- Southern
• Quark-based particles, baryons take part in the
Light).
strong interaction between particles, whereas
• X-rays and UV rays may affect ionosphere and
leptons, which are not quark based, do not.
disrupt long range radio communication.
• The most familiar baryons are the proton and the
• The radiation risks posed by solar flares are one of
neutron, which make up the central body of
the major hurdles in manned space missions.
atoms. Baryons therefore comprise most of the
21
mass of the visible universe. 3.3.5. BOSONS
• The best known lepton is the electron.
Related information Why in news?
• Anti-matter: Every matter has its corresponding
anti-matter. It shares the same mass as
Recently 125th birthday of famous physicist
their matter counterparts, but qualities such as Satyendra Nath Bose was celebrated after whom
electric charge are opposite. For example, Higgs Boson was named by CERN.
positively charged positron is the antiparticle to Higgs Boson
the negatively charged electron and proton has • It is popularly known as the God particle.
the negatively charged anti-proton. • It was discovered by Large Hadron Collider (LHC),
Dark Matter and Dark energy the world’s largest and most powerful particle
accelerator, at CERN
NASA defines it in the form of what it is not than what • CERN is the world’s largest nuclear and particle
it is. physics laboratory. At CERN, scientists and
• First, it is dark, meaning that it is not in the form engineers are probing the fundamental structure
of stars and planets that we see. of the Universe.
• Second, it is not in the form of dark clouds of • Satyendra Nath Bose worked with Albert
normal matter, matter made up of particles called Einstein to develop the Bose-Einstein
baryons.
statistics according to which bosons can
• Third, dark matter is not antimatter, because we
do not see the unique gamma rays that are
overlap and coexist with other bosons.
produced when antimatter annihilates with Fundamental of bosons
matter.
• Finally, it does not include large galaxy-sized black All fundamental particles in nature can be divided
holes. into one of two categories, Fermions or Bosons
It doesn't interact with baryonic matter and it's • Particles that make up matter called
completely invisible to light and other forms of Fermions
electromagnetic radiation, making dark matter o Examples: electrons, protons, leptons,
impossible to detect with current instruments. But quarks, neutrinos.
scientists are confident it exists because of the
• Particle that carry force called Boson. They
gravitational effects it appears to have on galaxies and
obey Bose-Einstein statistics.
galaxy clusters.
o Bosons are sometimes called force
Dark energy particles because they control the
Dark energy, discovered in the 1990s, is even more interaction of physical forces
mysterious. Scientists have no plausible explanation o Examples: photons, 4He atoms, gluons,
for dark energy. According to one idea, dark energy is W Boson, Z Boson.
a fifth and previously unknown type of fundamental
force called quintessence, which fills the universe like 3.3.6. INDIA NEUTRI NO
a fluid. OBSERVATORY (INO)
During 1990s, the scientists realized that instead of Why in news
decelerating, the universe is expanding more rapidly.
Scientists assume that the accelerated expansion of Recently, Ministry of Environment and Forests
the universe is driven by a kind of repulsive force (MoEF) granted environmental clearance to
generated by quantum fluctuations in otherwise India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) project
"empty" space. Also, the force seems to be growing to be setup in Bodi West hills, Tamil Nadu with
stronger as the universe expands. For lack of a better certain conditions.
name, scientists call this mysterious force dark energy.
About Neutrino
Difference: • Neutrinos are one of the fundamental particles
• Dark matter attracts, dark energy repels. which make up the universe and second most
• While dark matter pulls matter inward, dark abundant particle in the universe after photon.
energy pushes it outward. • Neutrinos are similar to the electron, with one
• While dark energy shows itself only on the largest crucial difference: they do not carry electric
cosmic scale, dark matter exerts its influence on charge.
individual galaxies as well as the universe at large. • Neutrinos are of 3 types - electron neutrino,
muon neutrino and tau neutrino.
22
• Neutrinos can be created in several ways, o Gravitational Lensing is a phenomenon
including in certain types of radioactive decay, in in which the gravity of a massive object
nuclear reactions such as those that take place in (like a galaxy or a cluster of galaxies)
the Sun, in nuclear reactors. bends and amplifies the light from an
• It’s Nicknamed as ‘blueprint of nature’ by object that lies beyond it.
scientists.
• The galaxy, known as A1689B11, existed just
About Anti-neutrinos
• They are antiparticles of neutrinos and are
2.6 billion years after the Big Bang, when the
produced in the negative beta decay. universe was only one fifth of its present age.
• Antineutrinos (as neutrinos) are very penetrating • In a spiral galaxy, the stars, gas and dust are
subatomic particles, capable of passing through gathered in spiral arms that spread outward
Earth without any interaction. from the galaxy's center.
• Neutrinos and antineutrinos belong to the family • Spiral galaxies are exceptionally rare in the
of leptons, which means they do not interact via early universe, and this discovery opens the
strong nuclear force. door to investigating how galaxies transition
India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) Project from highly chaotic, turbulent discs to
tranquil, thin discs like those of our own
• It is a multi-institutional effort aimed at Milky Way galaxy.
building a world-class underground
laboratory with a rock cover of approx. 3.3.8. SPACEX’S FA LCON HEAVY
1200m for nonaccelerator based high energy LAUNCHED
and nuclear physics research in India.
Why in news?
• It and will have a 50,000-tonne magnetic
detector to study neutrinos that are Recently, Falcon heavy rocket lift off from Cape
significant in particle physics. Canaveral.
• In the 1960s, India had a neutrino More about Falcon Heavy
observatory located at the Kolar Gold Fields
in Karnataka. However, the laboratory was • Falcon Heavy is the most powerful rocket in
shut in the 1990s because the mines were the world after NASA’s Saturn V.
being closed. • It has been developed by private spaceflight
• Significance: Determination of neutrino company SpaceX and is 230 feet tall and can
masses is the most significant open problem lift nearly 64 metric ton pay load to low Earth
in particle physics today and is the key goal of Orbit at a cost of 90 million USD.
the INO project. • The engine can be started multiple times to
• Benefits: understanding the particle, place payloads in various orbits such as low
understanding the evolution of the universe, Earth, geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO)
role in nuclear non-proliferation through and geosynchronous orbit.
remote monitoring, study of Geoneutrinos • Mongolia’s first satellite, Mazaalai is
might help creating an earthquake warning accompanying SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket
system. o It was launched through Joint Global Multi-
Nation Birds Satellite Project funded by
3.3.7. MOST ANCIENT SPIRAL UNCESCO and JAPAN.
GALAXY FOUND o Project is a cross-border interdisciplinary
satellite project for non-space-faring nations,
Why in news? aimed at supporting developing countries to
build and launch their first satellite.
Scientists have recently discovered the most
o It is named after a Mongolia's endangered
ancient spiral galaxy in the universe that existed gobi bear.
11 billion years ago.
More about the news
• The discovery was made by using a technique
that combines gravitational lensing with the
Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph
(NIFS).
23
3.3.10. WATER AS PROPELLA NT IN
CUBESAT
Why in news?
• Engineers at Purdue University in the US have
designed and tested a micropropulsion
system that uses liquid water as the
propellant for orbital maneuvering of tiny
satellites called CubeSats.
• Pure water is chosen as the propellant since
it is green, safe, easy to use and free from the
risk of contaminating sensitive instruments
by the backflow from plumes as in the case of
thrusters using chemical propellants.
3.3.11. THE REMOVEDEBRIS

MISSION
Why in news?
University of Surrey, UK has decided to launch
Remove Debris mission this year to remove space
debris.
Significance
• There is almost 7,000 tons of active space
debris—from old satellites and spacecraft to
lost components and spent rocket parts-
3.3.9. VENUS SATELLI TE
orbiting Earth at any given moment which
Why in news? may take years to disintegrate.
• More debris, could lead to more collisions - a
• Israel has launched its first environmental
cascade effect known as the Kessler
research satellite, Venus satellite which is
syndrome which may render space
built jointly by Israel and France.
eventually inoperable for important services
More on satellite like navigation, communications, weather
• It is placed in sun-synchronous orbit and its forecasting etc.
goal is to obtain high-resolution photographs • The Remove Debris satellite platform
of specific sites to track various will showcase four methods such as Net
environmental issues capture, Harpoon Capture, Vision-based
• It will also monitor Earth's vegetation to navigation, De-orbiting process for release,
distinguish plants planted at as little as five capture and deorbit two space debris targets,
meters apart. This makes possible “precision called DebriSATs:
agriculture,” in which farmers would be able International Space debris Committee
to accurately plan for water, fertilizer, and
It is an international governmental forum for the
pesticide needs.
worldwide coordination of activities related to
• The mission will also test the operation of an
the issues of man-made and natural debris in
innovative electric propulsion system based
space to facilitate opportunities for cooperation
on the Israeli-designed Hall Effect Thrusters.
in space debris research, to review the progress
of ongoing cooperative activities, and to identify
debris mitigation options.
24
3.3.12. NATIONAL LARGE SOLA R Induced Currents (GICs) in the power grid
TELESCOPE and pipelines.
• Kuiper belt: It is flat ring of icy small bodies
Why in News? that revolve around the Sun beyond the orbit
Wildlife panel of the Union Environment of the planet Neptune. It is home to three
Ministry had in 2017 cleared plan for diversion of officially recognized dwarf planets: Pluto,
Ladakh forest area for national large solar Haumea, and Makemake. It is thought to be
telescope (NLST). the source of most of the observed short-
period comets, particularly those that orbit
Why Ladhak Region for NLST the Sun in less than 20 years
• High altitude region which will fundamentally
• Exoplanets: Planets outside our solar system
enhance the NLST capacity.
are called exoplanets. Most of these are part
• Prolong region of sunshine, clear sky (high
visibility) with low sessional variation.
of star systems. There are some “rogue”
• Low concentration of aerosol and dust particles in exoplanets, which are not attached to any
sky. star system. The first exoplanet, 51 Pegasi b,
• Lower wind speed and presence of mild gusts and was discovered in 1995.
direction; also the laminar winds blowing in • “Goldilocks” zone: The exoplanets must orbit
favourable condition. within a distance of their stars in which liquid
What is National Large Solar Telescope (NLST) water can exist on the planet’s surface,
receiving about as much sunlight as Earth.
• It will be a 2-m class, multipurpose and state- This distance is called the “Goldilocks” zone
of-the-art solar telescope (NLST). because it is neither too far or too close to
• NLST will be the largest solar telescope in the the star that life becomes impossible.
world. • Dwarf Star: A relatively small, low mass star
• The project of NLST would be implemented that emits an average or below average
by Bangalore based, Indian Institute of amount of light, when compared with Giant
Astrophysics (IIAP). or Super-Giant Stars.
Features of National Large Solar Telescope o The colour of dwarf stars can range from
blue to red, the corresponding
• It is capable of doing both day and night temperature varying from high (above
astronomy because of unprecedented high 10,000 K) to low (a few thousand K)
spatial resolution. o Red Dwarfs are the most common star in
• It will fill the longitude gap between Japan milky way.
and Europe. Currently, there is no telescope o Our Sun is a Yellow Dwarf Star.
between these regions. o A white Dwarf star is a remnant of Red
• It will help in understanding the formation Giant Star which has exhausted all its
and decay of sunspots by using fuel. The maximum mass of a stable
Helioseismology, which is a powerful white dwarf star can be 1.44 times the
technique for probing the solar interior using mass of the sun also known as
acoustic Oscillations. Chandrasekhar limit
o A mass greater than the limit will turn the
3.4. IMPORTANT TERMS star into a neutron star or black hole at
RELATED TO SPACE the end of its life.
• Brown dwarfs, sometimes called “failed
• Geo Magnetic Storm: A geomagnetic storm is stars”, are spread throughout the Milky Way.
a major disturbance of Earth's They are strikingly similar to Jupiter.
magnetosphere that occurs due to exchange Scientists study their atmospheres in order to
of energy from the solar wind into the space look at what weather on other worlds might
environment surrounding Earth. They create look like
beautiful auroras or the Polar Lights, but • Tidal Locking – It is the name given to the
they also can disrupt navigation systems such situation when an object's orbital period
as the Global Navigation Satellite System matches its rotational period. A great
(GNSS) and create harmful Geomagnetic example of this is our own Moon. The moon
25
takes 28 days to go around the Earth and 28 USA, Russia, Europe, Canada and Japan. It is a
days to rotate once around it's axis. This habitable artificial satellite in low earth orbit
results in the same face of the Moon always and is the largest single structure humans
facing the Earth. Recently, discovered hottest ever put into space. Astronaut time and
known planet, designated KELT-9b is also research time on the space station is
tidally locked to its star. allocated to space agencies according to how
• International space station: It is a multi- much money or resources that they
nation project with contributions from 15 contribute.
nations. However, 5 major partners include:
26
4.1. INTEGRATED GUIDED •
rocket motors
It’s an Intercontinental Ballistic Misille
MISSILE DEVELOPMENT PLAN • Coverage: 5000 km
(IGDMP) • Maximim speed: 24 times speed of
sound
Why in news? • Canister-lauch for quick-response,
higher reliability, longer shelf-life, less
Recently several missiles, such as Agni II,
maintenance and enhanced road
Dhanush, Prithvi-II and Nag, being developed mobility
under IGDMP were successfully test fired at
various locations. 4.1.2. PRITHVI
Integrated Guided Missile Development Plan • Both Prithvi-I and Prithvi-II is surface-to-
• It was envisioned in 1983 by former President Dr. surface ballistic missile
A P J Abdul Kalam to help India attain self-
• Prithvi-II is indigenously developed and
sufficiency in the field of missile technology.
• Five missile systems have been developed under
nuclear-capable surface-to-surface missile. It
this programme namely Agni, Akash, Trishul, is a short-range ballistic missile (SRBM)
Prithvi and Nag. developed by DRDO.
• In 2008 DRDO announced the successful • It is capable of carrying 500-1,000 kilogram of
completion of the program warheads.
• It uses advanced inertial guidance system
4.1.1. AGNI with manoeuvring trajectory to hit its target.
• It is an intercontinental surface-to-surface, • Dhanush (also known as Prithvi III), a naval
nuclear capable ballistic missile developed variant of this Prithvi missile, has also been
by DRDO tested recently.
• At present, US, China, Russia, UK, France and Prithvi-I Prithvi-II
Israel are known to have ICBMs. Short-range, road- Short-range, road-mobile,
• It has been equipped with very high accuracy mobile, liquid liquid-propellant ballistic
Ring Laser Gyro based Inertial Navigation propellant ballistic missile
System (RINS) and Micro Navigation System missile
(MINS). It uses a single-stage, It uses a single-stage, liquid
liquid propellant propellant twin engine.
• India has reportedly also been working on
engine
multiple independently targetable reentry
It has a minimum It has a maximum range of
vehicles (MIRV) for the Agni-V in order to range of 40 km and a 350 km
ensure a credible second strike capability or maximum of 150 km.
credible minimum deterrence. MIRV means
one missile can carry several warheads, each 4.1.3. NAG
for different targets.
Missile
• It is a third generation “fire and forget”
Agni-I • Single-stage engine powered by solid ATGM (anti-tank guided missile) developed
fuel by the DRDO.
• Short-range ballistic missile. • The missile is equipped with highly advanced
• Coverage: 700 km Imaging Infrared Radar (IRR) seeker and has
Agni-II • Two stage solid propellant engine. integrated avionics technology in its arsenal.
• Medium-range ballistic missile • Nag can be launched from land and air-based
• Coverage: 2000 km platforms. The land version is currently
Agni-III • Two-stage solid propellant engine available for integration on the Nag missile
• Intermediate range ballistic missile carrier (NAMICA), which is derived from a
• Coverage: 3000 km BMP-2 tracked infantry combat vehicle.
Agni-IV • Two-stage solid propellant engine • The helicopter-launched configuration,
• Intermediate range ballistic missile designated as helicopter-launched NAG
• Coverage: 4000 km (HELINA), can be fired from Dhruv advanced
Agni-V • Powered by 3 stage solid, all composite
27
light helicopter (ALH) and HAL Rudra attack
4.2. OTHER MISSILE TESTS
helicopter.
• The land based version has maximum range 4.2.1. BRAHMOS TESTE D FROM
of 4 km while air based version has a ANDAMA N ISLA NDS
maximum range of 7 km.
Why in news?
4.1.4. AKASH MISSILE
The land-to-land configuration of BRAHMOS
• Developed by the Defence Research and Block III, missile was launched from a Mobile
Development Organisation (DRDO), its a Autonomous Launcher (MAL) for its full-range
supersonic surface-to-air missile. testing in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• Akash has a strike range of about 25 km and
can carry a 55- kg fragmentation warhead
• It's designed to neutralise multiple aerial
targets attacking from several directions
simultaneously.
• The system is autonomous and its operation
is fully automated.
Defence Research & Development Organisation
(DRDO)
• It works under Department of Defence Research
and Development of Ministry of Defence.
• DRDO was formed in 1958 through the
amalgamation Technical Development
Establishment (TDEs) of the Indian Army and the
Directorate of Technical Development &
Production (DTDP) with the Defence Science
Organisation (DSO)
• Mission: DRDO dedicatedly working towards
enhancing self-reliance in Defence Systems and
undertakes design & development leading to
production of world class weapon systems and
equipment in accordance with the expressed
needs and the qualitative requirements laid down About the Missile
by the three services. • It is a joint venture between India and Russia
and is named after the Brahmaputra and
4.1.5. TRISHUL MISSI LE
Moscowa rivers.
• Developed by DRDO, It's a Quick Reaction • The first stage of the system takes the missile
Surface to Air Missile. to supersonic speed and the second stage
• It can be used as an anti-sea skimmer from a with liquid ramjet accelerates it to 2.8 mach.
ship against low flying attacking missiles. • Brahmos ALCM (Air Launched Cruise Missile),
• It employs dual thrust propulsion stage using is the heaviest weapon to be deployed on
high-energy solid propellant. India’s Su-30.
• Trishul, with its quickest reaction time, high Significance
frequency operation, high manoeuverability,
high lethal capability and multi-roles for three • With this test launch, India becomes the first
services, is state-of-the-art system providing country to have the capability to have a multi-
considerable advantage to the Armed forces. platform weapon.
• It can be used for multi-mission roles,
including precision strikes on terror camps
across the border as well as against high value
naval targets in the Indian Ocean.
• After India became a member of the Missile
Technology Control Regime (MTCR) in 2016,
India and Russia are now planning to jointly
28
develop a new generation of Brahmos Organization (DRDO) together with Indian Air
missiles with 600 km-plus range. Earlier range Force (IAF).
was restricted to sub-300 kms. • It is an all-weather weapon’s system capable
of destroying an enemy target 60 to 70 km
• Ramjet: A ramjet engine does not have any far away. In a typical Astra engagement both
turbines unlike the turbojet engines. It achieves
the launcher and the target move at a speed
compression of intake air just by the forward
speed of the air vehicle. in excess of 1000 kmph.
• Scramjet engine The first experiment towards the • Built indigenously, development of ASTRA
realisation of an Air Breathing Propulsion System missiles will provide major business
in Scramjet Engine was conducted in 2016. It uses opportunities for Indian players.
Hydrogen as fuel and the Oxygen from the
Types of missile
atmospheric air as the oxidiser.
• Cruise Missile: A cruise missile is an unmanned
• Fire and Forget: It means the missile guidance
self-propelled guided vehicle that sustains flight
does not require further guidance after the launch
through aerodynamic lift for most of its flight
and still hit the target without the launcher being
path. They fly within the Earth’s atmosphere and
in line-of-sight of the target.
use jet engine technology. Classification on the
4.2.2. NIRBHAY SU BSONIC CRUISE basis of speed
o Subsonic cruise missile flies at a speed lesser
MISSILE than that of sound. It travels at a speed of
Why in news? around 0.8 Mach.
o Supersonic cruise missile travels at a speed
Recently, DRDO successfully test fired NIRBHAY of around 2-3 Mach. The combination of
missile. supersonic speed and warhead mass provides
high kinetic energy ensuring tremendous
About the Missile
lethal effect.
• NIRBHAY is India’s first indigenous Long o Hypersonic cruise missile travels at a speed
Range Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile, developed of more than 5 Mach. Many countries are
and designed by Defence Research and working to develop hypersonic cruise
missiles.
Development Organisation (DRDO).
• Ballistic Missile: A ballistic missile is a missile that
• It can carry a warhead of 200 kg to 300 kg at has a ballistic trajectory over most of its flight
a speed of 0.6 to 0.7 Mach with a launch path, regardless of whether or not it is a weapon-
weight of about 1500 kg. delivery vehicle.
• It can avoid detection as it has ability to
cruise at heights as low as 100 m. 4.3. AIR DEFENCE SYSTEMS
• It is powered by solid rocket motor booster
and has a range of 1000km. 4.3.1. ADVANCED MRSAM
• The successful development would provide a
Why in news?
definite boost to armed forces, indigenous
defence industry and India’s capability to • The Indian Army has signed a MoU with the
design and develop lethal weapons of Defence Research and Development
strategic importance. Organisation (DRDO) to raise one regiment of
• With the successful launch of NIRBHAY, India the advanced Medium Range Surface to Air
joins the select league of nations that possess Missiles (MRSAM),
the ability to make sub-sonic cruise missile. Recently tested Missiles:
• Maitri: This is also a QRSAM being developed by
4.2.3. ASTRA MISSILE DRDO with the help of France.
• The final Development Flight Trials of Astra - • SPYDER (Surface to Air Python and Derby) missile
system is a Low level QRSAM (15km range)
Beyond Visual Range Air to Air Missile
developed by Israel's Rafael Advanced defence
(BVRAAM) were successfully conducted over
system and is to be deployed on Pakistan border.
the Bay of Bengal, off the Coast of Chandipur,
Odisha recently. About MRSAM
• The missile has been developed by the • It is an advanced, all weather, mobile, land-
Defence Research and Development based air defence system.
29
• It is capable of engaging multiple aerial 4.3.3. QUICK REACTION SURFACE-
targets at ranges of more than 50 km. TO-AIR MISSI LE (QRSAM)
• The system will be jointly developed by Israel
and DRDO with the involvement of private Why in news?
sectors and DPSUs. The system will have The DRDO has successfully test fired indigenously
majority indigenous content, giving boost to developed QRSAM recently.
the Make-in-India initiative.
• The MRSAM is a land-based variant of the Details
long-range surface-to-air missile (LRSAM) or • It is a canister-based high-speed and short-
Barak-8 naval air defence system, which is range weapon system
designed to operate from naval vessels and • It is a highly mobile air defence system
has range upto 100 km. which can destroy multiple targets at a
• Barak-8 was also jointly developed with Israel distance of 25 km in less than one minute.
• It can also deceive enemy radars making it
4.3.2. ENDO-ATMOSPHERIC
difficult to be detected
INTERCEPTOR MISSILE
• Considered to be a unique system in its
Why in news class, the missile is expected to supplement
medium range surface-to-air missile Akash.
Recently, India successfully test-fired it’s
• It is an all-weather and all-terrain missile
indigenously developed Advanced Air Defence
having electronic counter measures against
(AAD) supersonic interceptor missile.
all known aircraft jammers.
Advanced Area Defence (AAD) Interceptor • The missile uses high-energy solid
Missile propellant.
• It is an indigenously developed single stage
4.4. SURVEILLANCE
missile powered by solid propellant.
• The interceptor missile has a navigation TECHNOLOGIES
system, mobile launcher, secure data link for
interception, independent tracking and 4.4.1. NETRA
sophisticated radars. Why in news?
• The missile is capable of destroying incoming
ballistic missile at low altitude within 30 km • Recently, for the first time mid air-to-air
of the earth’s atmosphere. refuelling of the Embraer transport aircraft
was carried which is mounted with NETRA.
Ballistic Missile Defence System
• It is being developed by DRDO in order to develop Significance
multi-layered ballistic missile defence system to • Air-to-air refuelling allows the aircraft to stay
protect the country against rouge attacks.
airborne much beyond their limits, allowing
• India has developed a functional ‘iron dome’
better exploitation of capabilities and
Ballistic missile which comprise of Endo and Exo
Atmospheric Missiles. boosting the force’s capabilities.
• It consists of two interceptor missiles namely: About NETRA
o Prithvi Defence vehicle (PDV) missile for exo-
atmospheric ranges - capable of destroying • It is a first indigenously developed airborne
targets at a high altitude of more than 120 early warning and control system (AEW&C),
km mounted on a Brazilian Embraer-145,
o Advanced Area Defence (Ashwin) missile for developed by Defense Research and
endo-atmosphere - capable of intercepting Development Organization (DRDO).
incoming targets at an altitude of 15 to 25 • AEW&C is also called eye-in-the-sky which is
kms
capable of long-range surveillance and a
• India is the fifth nation in the world to have a
robust Ballistic Missile Defence system. Other
force multiplier.
countries are US, Russia, Israel and China. • India is only 4th such nation after United
States, Russia and Israel that have such
technology on their own.
30
• Currently Indian Air Force using 3 Israeli Background
Phalcon AWACS (Airborne Warning and
• DGCA in October 2014 restricted the use of
Control System) which are mounted on
drones and unmanned aircraft system by
Russian IL-76 heavy-lift planes. These Phalcon
civilians.
AWACS has a range of 400 kms and 360-
• Current aircraft rules also do not cover use of
degre coverage.
drones for civilian purposes as well as their
Important features of NETRA are: sale and purchase.
• Range of 200 kms (Capability to detect aerial • Unregulated usage poses Security Threat and
threats from incoming aircraft and missiles). chances for air collisions and accidents.
• 240 degrees coverage (simultaneously scan the
area on both sides of aircraft) Directorate General of Civil Aviation
• State of the art active electronically scanned radar • DGCA is the civil aviation regulatory body
and Secondary surveillance radar. responsible for regulating of air transport services
to/from and within India.
• Electronic and communication counter measures.
Key Functions
• Line of sight and beyond line of sight data link.
• Registration of civil aircraft and licensing of pilots
• Voice communication system and self-protection
and aircraft maintenance engineers.
suit.
• Coordination with ICAO (International Civil
4.4.2. RUSTOM -2 DRONE Aviation Organization).
• Safety oversight and surveillance.
Why in news? • Advising government in matters of air transport
including those related to bilateral air services
Recently DRDO successfully carried out test flight
agreements.
of Rustom-2 drone.
Various Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in India
More about Rustom-2
• Nishant: It was designed for battlefield
• Rustom-2 is medium-altitude long-endurance surveillance and reconnaissance and has been
drone (MALE) designed and developed by designed and developed by ADE.
Aeronautical Development Establishment • Panchi: It wheeled version of UAV Nishant and
(ADE) of the DRDO, Hindustan Aeronautics has been designed and developed by ADE.
• Lakshya: It is a reusable aerial target system.
Ltd and Bharat Electronics.
• Daksh: It is a land based drone used for bomb
• It can fly up to an altitude of 22,000 feet and
disposal developed by DRDO.
has endurance of over 20 hours.
• It can carry variety of payloads like Electronic Provision under Regulation
Intelligence (ELINT), Synthetic Aperture Radar • Definition: A remotely piloted aircraft (RPA)
(SAR), Communication Intelligence (COMINT) is defined as an unmanned aircraft which is
and Situational Awareness Payloads (SAP) for piloted from a remote station.
performing missions even during the night. • The DCGA has divided the drones into five
• It will be used by all three services of Indian categories based on their Maximum Take-Off
armed forces, primarily for intelligence, Weight (MTOW)
surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) o Nano: Less than or equal to 250 grams.
operations. o Micro: Greater than 250 grams and less
• Rustom 2 can fly missions on manual as well than or equal to 2 kg.
as autonomous modes. o Mini: Greater than 2 kg and less than or
More about Drones equal to 25 kg.
o Small: Greater than 25 kg and less than
Recently, Director General of Civil Aviation or equal to 150 kg.
(DGCA) released the Civil Aviation Requirements o Large: Greater than 150 kg.
(CAR) for the operation of civil Remotely Piloted • A Unique Identification Number and radio
Aircraft System (RPAS) or Drones in India. frequency tags would be a mandatory
UAVs: It operates without a human pilot. UAVs are requirement for operating drones.
commonly used in both the military and police forces • Exemption: Drones in nano category-
in situations where the risk of sending a human piloted weighing up to 250 grams- and those
aircraft is unacceptable, or the situation makes using a operated by government agencies would not
manned aircraft impractical. require any permit.
31
• Pilot: The remote pilot for any drone must be Types of Muntra tanks:
at least 18 years old and has to go through a • Muntra S: For surveillance mission
prescribed training process. • Muntra M: For detecting mines
• No Drone Zones: • Muntra N: For operation in areas where there is
o Drones are barred from being operated nuclear or bio-weapon risks.
within 5km of an airport, within 50km Tanks used by India: T-72M, T-90S, Arjun Mark 1,
from international border and beyond Arjun Mark-2 etc.
500 metre (horizontal) into sea along the
coastline. 4.5. TECHNOLOGICAL
o Drones would not be allowed within 5 km DEVELOPMENTS IN NAVY
radius from Vijay Chowk (in national
capital), over eco-sensitive zones like 4.5.1. SCORPENE CLASS SUBMARINE
national parks and wildlife sanctuaries
Why in news?
and from a mobile platform such as a
moving vehicle, ship or aircraft. Indian Navy recently launched Scorpene-class
o Due permissions would also be needed (conventional diesel electric attack submarines)
when drones are being used over densely submarine INS Karanj.
populated areas or near an area affecting More about INS Karanj
public safety or where emergency
operations are underway. • INS Karanj is the third of the six Scorpene-
• Penalties: Any violation of rules shall attract class submarines under the Project 75
penal actions including penalties under the programme of Indian navy
Indian Penal Code • The first one, INS Kalvari (named after the
tiger shark) was commissioned on December
Advantage of UAVs 2017.The second one, INS Khandari is
• Damage assessment of property after undergoing sea trials. Remaining three
natural calamities, use by Armed Forces for submarines Vela, Vagir and Vagsheer are in
tactical purposes at border, Surveillance and various stages of outfitting.
Crowd Management, Monitoring of • The Scorpene submarines can undertake
wildlife, SENSAGRI (SENsor based Smart various missions such as anti-surface warfare,
AGRIculture), many e-mmorce use it for anti-submarine warfare, intelligence
delivering products. gathering, mine laying and area surveillance.
4.4.3. MUNTRA, INDIA'S FIRST 4.5.2. ARIHANT CLASS SUBMARINE

UNMANNED TANK
Why in news?
Why in news? Aridhaman the second Arihant-class nuclear-
• Muntra, the first unmanned, remotely powered ballistic missile submarine was slated to
operated tank of India has been made by be launched and inducted into services.
DRDO (the Defence Research and INS Arihant
Development Organisation) for surveillance • It is India’s first indigenously built nuclear
missions, mine detection and reconnaissance powered submarine which was built under the
in areas with nuclear and biological threat. It Advanced Technology Vessel project
can be used in Naxal-hit areas as well. • It is based on the design of the Russian Project
971 Akula I-class nuclear powered attack
• Features: The tank has radar, an integrated
submarine.
camera along with laser range finder which
can spy on a ground target 15km away. The More about INS Aridhaman
tank is tested at Mahajan field firing range in
• It is nuclear-power ballistic missile
Rajasthan under dusty desert condition.
submarine indigenously built under the
• Other details: Indian defence Ministry has Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project
relaunched an ambitious Future Combat at Visakhapatnam.
Ready Vehicles (FCRV) program to find a
• It is powered by a pressurized water reactor
cutting edge tank for the mid-2020s and
beyond.
32
• After the induction of INS Arihant and INS • These ships are part of 5 ship project being
Aridhaman India has become 6 th country in built by Reliance Defence and Engineering
the world to have nuclear powered Limited.
submarine after UNSC permanent members - • The NOPVs would increase the ocean
USA, UK, China, Russia and France. surveillance and patrolling capabilities of the
Indian Navy.
4.5.3. PROJECT 28
Why in news? 4.6. DEFENCE RELATED NEWS
Recently INS Kiltan, Anti-Submarine Warfare 4.6.1. COMPREHENSIVE
(ASW) stealth corvette was commissioned into INTEGRATED BORDER
the Indian Navy. MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (CIBMS)
Details Why in News?
• INS Kiltan is third of the four kamorta class • Recently Border Security Force (BSF)
anti-submarine warfare corvettes being built personnel detected a fifth (since 2012)
under naval modernisation project P-28. cross-border tunnel in the forest area of
• INS Kamorta and INS Kadmatt which were Jammu which has intensified the demand
two ships constructed earlier under the same for CIBMS.
project. The fourth ship INS kavaratti is still
under construction. Background
• It is India’s first major warship to have a • The trigger for implementing the CIBMS was
superstructure of carbon fibre composite the Pathankot terrorist attack followed by
material resulting in improved stealth warning by the Punjab and Haryana High
features, lower top weight and maintenance Court. Following this the MHA sanctioned the
costs. implementation of CIBMS through two pilot
• It was designed by Directorate of Naval projects (stretches in Jammu sector of India-
Design and constructed by Garden Reach Pakistan Border).
Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited, Kolkata. • Further a committee under Madhukar Gupta
(2016), was explicitly tasked to recommend
4.5.4. FIRST I NDI GENOUSLY BUI LT
technological solutions to secure the
FLOATI NG DOCK
international border.
Why in news? What is CIBMS?
• It is a robust and integrated system that is
The Indian Navy’s first indigenously built Floating capable of addressing the gaps in the present
Dock (FDN-2) was launched at shipyard in system of border security by seamlessly
Kattupalli, Near Ennore port, Chennai. integrating human resources, weapons, and
high-tech surveillance equipment.
About the dock
• It has three main components:
• The floating dock is 185 metres long and 40 o New high-tech surveillance devices such
metres wide. It will enable docking of all as sensors, detectors, cameras, etc. as well
kinds of vessels. as existing equipment for round-the-clock
surveillance of the international border.
• This will include naval ships and submarines
o An efficient and dedicated communication
of up to 8,000 tonnes displacement.
network including fiber optic cables and
• It would include draughts of up to seven satellite communication for transmitting data
metres, during both day and night. gathered; and
• FDN-2 will be based in the Andaman and o A command and control centre to which the
Nicobar Islands. data will be transmitted providing a
composite picture of the international
4.5.5. NAVAL OFFSHORE PATROL border.
VEHICLE (NOPV) • This would improve prevention of infiltration and
smuggling attempts, cover gaps at rivers and
• Two diesel engine driven NOPVs named nullahs, providing all-round security in even
Shachi and Shruti were launched at Pipavav, adverse climatic conditions & give relief to BSF
Gujarat. troops.
33
4.6.2. ‘SAMADHAN’ DOCTRINE FOR • For better safety of Aadhar Data, all
NAXAL VIOLENCE Authentication User Agencies (AUAs) will be
divided into two categories:
Why in news? o Global AUAs – Agencies whose services,
• Recently, 25 jawans lost their lives in the by law, require them to store the
Sukma attack, the deadliest Naxal strike on Aadhaar number will be qualified as
the CRPF in years. In answer to Naxal Global AUAs and will enjoy access to full
problem, Ministry of Home Affairs launched demographic details of an individual
Operation 'SAMADHAN' along with the ability to store Aadhaar
• Operation Samadhan involves Smart numbers within their system.
leadership, Aggressive strategy, Motivation o Local AUAs – They will neither get access
and Training, Actionable intelligence, to full KYC, nor can they store the
Dashbord based key performance indicators, Aadhaar number on their systems.
Harnessing technology and No access to Instead, they will get a tokenised number
funds to LWE groups. issued by UIDAI to identify their
customers. UID token will be a unique
4.6.3. AADDHAR SECURITY 72-character alphanumeric string for
each Aadhaar number for each particular
Why in News? AUA entity.
Recently, Unique Identification Authority of India What are AUAs?
(UIDAI), announced introduction of a two-tier • It is an entity that provides Aadhaar Enabled
security system in the wake of alleged data Services to Aadhaar number holders, uses the
breaches of Aadhaar. authentication as facilitated by the
Authentication Service Agency (ASA).
Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) • An AUA may be a government, public, or private
• It is a statutory authority established under the legal agency registered in India that uses UIDAI’s
provisions of the Aadhaar Act, 2016. Aadhaar authentication services and sends
• It works under the aegis of Ministry of Electronics authentication requests to enable its services or
and Information technology. business functions.
• It is responsible for Aadhaar enrolment, • ASAs are entities that have secure leased line
authentication, developing the policy, procedure connectivity with the CIDR and transmit
and system for issuing Aadhaar numbers etc. authentication requests to CIDR on behalf of one
• It consists of a Chairperson appointed on part- or more AUAs
time basis, two part-time Members and a Chief
Executive Officer who shall be the Member-
Secretary of the Authority.
Proposed two tier security system
• Virtual IDs
o It is a 16-digit temporary number (like an
OTP) which can only generated by
Aadhaar holders in place of Aadhaar
numbers to validate their identity.
o It can be generated through UIDAI’s
portal, enrolment centres, Aadhaar’s
mobile app, etc.
o There will be only one active and valid
VID for an Aadhaar number at any given
time.
• Limited KYC: It involves giving an agency- • Security features in physical Aadhaar card –
specific UID ‘token’ for e-KYC authentication. There is no hologram or digital signature but
It eliminates the need of many agencies rather a QR code, which is just an image
storing Aadhaar numbers while still enabling representation of a text. Thus, in its physical
their own paperless KYC. form, its coloured photocopy may look as
good as the original.
34
4.6.4. NTRO UNDER I NTE LLIGENCE domestic intelligence gathering. After the
1962 war with China, the external intelligence
ACT
function was taken away from it.
Why in News? • It also executes counter intelligence and
counter terrorism tasks.
• Recently, the Home Ministry issued a 3. Directorate of Revenue Intelligence
notification listing National Technical • It is the apex anti-smuggling agency of India,
Research Organization (NTRO) under the working under the Central Board of Excise
Intelligence Organizations (Restriction of Customs, Ministry of Finance.
Rights) Act, 1985. • It is tasked with detecting and curbing
smuggling of contraband, including drug
Intelligence Organizations (Restriction of Rights) Act trafficking and illicit international trade in
1985 wildlife and environmentally sensitive items.
• The aim of this act is to prevent leakage of • It also combats commercial frauds related to
information by intelligence agencies. international trade and Custom duty evasion.
• It prevents employees of a notified agency - 4. Narcotics Control Bureau – It was formed in 1986
o From forming unions/associations. as per a provision of The Narcotic Drugs and
o Puts restrictions on the employee’s freedom Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. It is an
of speech intelligence agency and coordinates actions of
o Bars any communication with the press or concerned authorities over trade of illicit narcotics
publishing a book or other document without from the country.
the permission of the head of the intelligence
organization. 4.6.5. MERGER OF NCRB WITH BPRD
About NTRO Government has recently notified the merger of
• The NTRO was created after the 1999 Kargil National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) with
conflict as a dedicated technical intelligence Bureau of Police Research and Development
agency. It was finally constituted in 2004. (BPRD).
• NTRO reports to the Prime Minister’s Office • NCRB is an attached office to the Ministry of
(PMO) and the National Security Advisor Home Affairs which was established in 1986
(NSA). to empower Indian Police with the power of
• It functions under the National Security information Technology solutions and
Adviser. criminal intelligence to enforce the law
• It also includes National Institute of effectively.
Cryptology Research and Development. • BPRD was established in 1970 as a national
Various Intelligence Agencies in India police organisation to study, research and
1. Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) – develop on subjects and issues related to
• It was founded in 1968 to counter Chinese policing.
influence but over time its focus has shifted • Reason for merger
to Pakistan. o boost crime data collection and research
• It is India’s premier external intelligence efforts
agency. o improve administrative efficiency
• It reports directly to the Prime Minister and
o optimum utilisation of resources
not to the Department of Defence.
o Better outcome to crime data collected
• It’s primary objectives include
o Monitoring the political and military by NCRB and research work done by
developments in adjoining countries, which BPRD.
have direct bearing on India’s national
security and in the formulation of its 4.6.6. CREATION OF SPAC E, CYBER
foreign policy. AND SPECIAL OPERATIO NS
o Seeking the control and limitation of the COMMA NDS
supply of military hardware to Pakistan,
mostly from European countries, the Why in news?
United States, and China. • Recently, three new formations under
2. Intelligence Bureau Defence Ministry namely Defence Cyber
• It was founded by the Britishers as an
Agency, Defence Space Agency and a Special
intelligence agency for both external and
Operations Division have been proposed.
35
• Joint military Doctrine of the Indian armed • Each State Party is obliged to designate or
forces, 2017 and Naresh Chandra Task Force establish a representative called National
2012 had also underscored the need to Authority to ensure that the Convention is
prepare the defence forces for the “emerging implemented effectively.
triad” of space, cyberspace and special • The main responsibilities of the National Authority
operations. are:
o Escorting OPCW inspections of relevant
Details industrial or military sites;
o Submitting initial and annual declarations;
• The three organisations will be developed as
o Assisting and protecting those States Parties
Tri-service organisations to promote which are threatened by, or have suffered
integration and jointness among military, air- chemical attack; and,
force and navy in respective domains. o Fostering the peaceful uses of chemistry.
• Defence Cyber Agency (DCA) will work in
close co-ordination with the National Cyber About NACWC
Security Advisor. It will focus on non-civilian • NACWC was set up as an office of Cabinet
cyber issues, including safeguarding critical Secretariat to fulfil obligations under
infrastructure. Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).
• Defence Space Agency (DSA) will work • It was established under Chemical Weapons
closely with ISRO and DRDO for better Convention Act, 2000. It acts as national focal
utilisation and integration of space resources point for effective bond with Organisation
including information from surveillance for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
satellites. (OPCW) and other State Parties.
• Special Operations Division (SOD) will have
What is a chemical weapon?
central pool of personnel from the Special
Forces of the Army (Para commandoes), Navy • A chemical weapon is any toxic chemical that
(Marcos) and IAF (Garud’s). They will be can cause death, injury, incapacitation, and
equipped and trained together for sensory irritation, deployed via a delivery
unconventional warfare capabilities. system, such as an artillery shell, rocket, or
ballistic missile.
4.6.7. NATIONA L AUTHORI TY FOR • Chemical weapons are considered weapons
CHEMICAL WEA PONS CONVENTION of mass destruction and their use in armed
(NACWC) conflict is a violation of international law.
Why in news? • Primary forms of chemical weapons include
nerve agents, blister agents, choking agents,
• The National Authority for Chemical and blood agents.
Weapons Convention (NACWC) has been o Choking Agents: chlorine and phosgene,
awarded ISO 9001:2008, Certificate which is a o Blister Agents (Or Vesicants): mustard
recognition of successful performance of the and lewisite,
authority with enhanced administrative o Blood Agents: hydrogen cyanide,
efficiency and accountability. o Nerve Agents: sarin, soman, VX.
• The ISO 9001 Certificate makes the NACWC About VX nerve agent
the first among all 188 members nations of
OPCW to attain this distinction. It is also the • It acts on the nervous system (hence the
first Government of India department to have name nerve agents), typically the nerves that
qualified for ISO 9001:2008 certification. control breathing.
Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) • It is a clear, tasteless and colourless liquid
• It is an arms control treaty that outlaws the with a consistency something like engine oil.
production, stockpiling, and use of chemical • Just one drop containing 10 milligrams of VX,
weapons and their precursors. absorbed through the skin, is enough to
• The Convention opened for signature in Paris on cause “fatal disruption of the nervous system
13 January 1993. It is administered by the • It inhibits the enzyme acetylcholinesterase,
Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical which breaks down the neurotransmitter
Weapons (OPCW), an intergovernmental acetylcholine which overstimulates the
organization based in The Hague, Netherlands.
36
tissues, resulting in respiratory paralysis and • Salient Features of Hydrogen Bomb:
death. o The energy released in a Hydrogen bomb
• The VX nerve agent is banned under is several magnitudes higher than an
international law because it’s a chemical Atom bomb.
weapon as defined in the Chemical Weapons o A fusion bomb is more sophisticated and
Conventions. difficult to make, since it requires a much
higher temperature -- in the order of
4.6.8. THERMOBARIC BOMB millions of degrees centigrade. So a
Why in news? fission is carried out first to produce
more energy, which is then used to
• US recently dropped GBU-43 Massive initiate fusion.
Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) bomb on o It is easier to make Hydrogen bombs in
Afghanistan. small size, so it is easier to place them in
More on news missiles.
o Hiroshima and Nagasaki both were
• GBU-43 Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), atomic bombs and till date Hydrogen
popularly called the Mother of All Bombs has bombs have never been used in war.
been developed by United States military. It
is a thermobaric bomb Atomic Bombs
• Thermobaric bomb uses oxygen from the • Atomic bombs differ from hydrogen bombs
surrounding air to generate an intense, high- primarily due to the fact they are fission
temperature blast wave that packs an bombs. It develops its energy from the fission
incredible amount of energy into a small, of heavy, unstable nuclei.
localised area. • Radioactive forms of elements such as
• It differs from conventional bombs in terms plutonium and uranium are especially
of weight of explosives packed in it. For susceptible to fission
example: GBU-43 packs in 8,000 kg of • In fission reactions, heavy nucleus breaks up
explosives. In comparison, the average when it is bombarded with neutrons. The
weight of most deployed conventional bombs reaction that follows also releases neutrons
which is roughly 250 kg. along with two lighter nuclei. These 2 nuclei
• Russia also possesses thermobaric bomb, are then bombarded with the neutrons
popularly known as Father of All Bombs generate making it a chain reaction.
which is four times more powerful than the
U.S. weapon. 4.6.9. LASER WEA PONS SYSTEM
(LAWS)
Other types of bombs
Hydrogen Bombs • Laws is world’s first laser weapon, launched
by US
• Hydrogen bombs are thermonuclear • It releases photons at the speed of light
weapons which employs fusion of isotopes of silently hitting their target and burning it to a
hydrogen. temperature of thousands of degrees.
• The result is greatly increased explosive • It is completely invisible
power when compared to single-stage fission
weapons.
37
5. IT AND COMPUTER
Justice B.N. Srikrishna which came out with a
5.1. BIG DATA
white paper on Data Protection Framework for
Why in news? India. Earlier in 2016, CAG finalized a Big Data
Management Policy to make itself future ready.
• Big data is being increasingly used by the
government in policy formation. 5.2. MAHARASHTRA’S PUBLIC
What is Big Data? CLOUD POLICY
• Big data is a term that describes the large Why in News?
volume of data – both structured and
unstructured beyond the ability of commonly Maharashtra became the first state to mandate
used software tools to capture, curate, its departments to shift their data storage onto
manage, and process data within a tolerable the cloud unlike currently where government
elapsed time. departments have their own data storage
• Big data can be analyzed for insights that lead facilities.
to better decisions and strategic business Details
moves.
• Cloud Storage- Cloud storage is a service
• Big data is characterized by 4Vs – Variety,
model in which data is maintained, managed,
Volume Velocity and Value. Additionally, two
backed up remotely and made available to
more concepts have been added – Variability
users over a network or cloud services
and Complexity
platform (typically the Internet).
• Interesting insights from big data can be got
• Apart from storage, cloud computing also
using data mining.
involves on-demand delivery of compute
Data mining power, applications, and other IT resources
• It’s defined as a process used to extract usable
data from a larger set of any raw data by Similar Government initiatives
analysing data patterns in large batches of data • Digilocker Service- It is a part of goverment’s
using one or more software Digital India Initiative, to enable Indian
• It involves effective data collection and
citizens to store certain official documents on
warehousing as well as computer processing.
the cloud.
• It uses sophisticated mathematical algorithms for
segmenting the data and evaluating the • GI Cloud Initiative (Meghraj): To accelerate
probability of future events. delivery of e-services in the country while
• Data mining is also known as Knowledge optimizing ICT spending of the Government.
Discovery in Data (KDD). The National Informatics Centre (NIC) is
providing National Cloud services under this.
Applications of Big Data
• Better understanding and targeting of 5.3. BLOCK-CHAIN
customers. TECHNOLOGY
• Optimization of Businesses processes
• optimizing treatment and even predicting Why in news?
diseases The Finance Ministry recently issued a statement
• Analyze and improve the performance of warning against investing in bitcoin and other
individuals cryptocurrencies (CCs). These currencies use a
• Prevent cyber-attacks, detect credit card technology called blockchain.
fraud, foil terrorism and even predict criminal
What are cryptocurrencies?
activity. • A cryptocurrency is a digital or virtual currency
• optimizing the heating or lighting in our that uses cryptography for security. Hence it is
homes, the traffic flow in our cities, or the difficult to counterfeit. It is not issued by any
energy grid across the country. central authority, rendering it theoretically
immune to government interference or
In the wake of challenges for Big data in India,
manipulation.
government had constituted a committee under
38
• The first cryptocurrency to capture the public • Crypto currency (CC) is just one use of
imagination was Bitcoin, which was launched in Blockchain technology. The other possible
2009 by an individual or group known under the uses are – streamlining payment mechanism,
pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. Bitcoin's success eliminated the need for trust. Programmable
has spawned a number of competing money to not allow using products of
cryptocurrencies, such as Litecoin, Ethereum,
company flouting norms, promoting artificial
Namecoin, PPCoin etc.
• Advantages: easier to transfer funds with minimal intelligence and internet of things etc.
processing fees, safety from hackers due to block- Challenges:
chain technology and difficult to counterfaeit The main challenges today are the missing
• Disadvantages: well-suited for illegal activities standards, the unclear legal and regulatory
such as money laundering, tax evasion due to framework, lacking confidence and technical
anonymous nature of transactions, rate of issues. Current blockchains have trouble with
exchange of cryptocurrencies fluctuate widely and scalability and latency (i.e. verification speed).
a digital cryptocurrency balance can be wiped out
by a computer crash. Recently concerns are being 5.4. INDIA JOINS QUANTUM
raised on its immunity to hacks as well.
• Various countries have adopted use of bitcoins
COMPUTING RACE
with regulations such as China, South Korea, Why in news?
Japan etc.
• Some countries are also coming up with their Department of Science and Technology is
virtual currencies such as PETRO by Venezuela, planning to fund a project to develop quantum
SOV (Sovereign) by Marshall Islands etc. computers.
• India does not consider crypto-currencies as legal
tender or coin. What is quantum computing?
What is it? • In a classical computer, information is stored

using binary units, or bits. A bit is either a 0 or
• Blockchains are basically digital ledgers or 1. A quantum computer instead takes
decentralized database of financial advantage of quantum mechanical properties
transactions that are immutable and instantly to process information using quantum bits,
updated across the world. or qubits.
• Distributed database: The blockchain • They function according to two key principles
database isn’t stored in any single location, of quantum physics: superposition and
meaning the records it keeps are truly public entanglement.
and easily verifiable. • Superposition means that each qubit can
• Whenever a financial transaction happens, it represent both a 1 and a 0 at the same time.
is grouped in a cryptographically protected • Entanglement means that qubits in a
block with other transactions and sent out to superposition can be correlated with each
the entire network. other; that is, the state of one (whether it is a
• The members in the network then validate 1 or a 0) can depend on the state of another.
the transactions by solving complex coded • Using these two principles, qubits can act as
problems. more sophisticated switches, enabling
• The new validated block is then added to the quantum computers to function in ways that
chain in a linear, chronological order and allow them to solve difficult problems that
linked to older blocks making it a chain of are intractable using today’s computers.
blocks that show every transaction made in • The computing power of a quantum
the history of that blockchain computer increases exponentially as the
• Thus, the blockchain cannot be controlled by qubits are increased.
a single entity and has no single point of • It can be used in research in new medicine
failure and organic materials as quantum computers
Importance would require 3.5 million fewer steps as
compared to a traditional machine.
• The World Economic Forum in 2015, predicts • Other uses – efficient logistics and delivery
that 10% of global GDP will be stored on the mechanism, more secure platforms for
blockchain by 2027. banking transactions, revolutionize artificial
39
intelligence by faster processing of More on news
complicated data, faster communication etc.
• MoES has acquired a high performance
Quantum mechanics (QM): QM deals with sub-atomic computing (HPC) system which is an array of
particles viz electrons and photons. It is used in computers jointly hosted by IITM, Pune and
making products such as integrated circuit chips and National Centre for Medium Range
fibre-optic lines for global, instantaneous Weather Forecasting, Noida.
communication.
• The HPC at Pune is named Pratyush with a
Quantum cryptography: It is a recent technique that capacity of 4 petaflops (a measure of a
can be used to ensure the confidentiality of computer's processing speed expressed as a
information transmitted between two parties by quadrillion floating point operations per
exploiting the counterintuitive behavior of elementary second) and HPC at Noida named Mihir with
particles such as photons. Quantum cryptography is
capacity of 2.8 petaflops giving a total
different from traditional cryptographic systems in
that it relies more on physics, rather than capacity of 6.8 petaflops.
mathematics, as a key aspect of its security model. • It is India’s first multi-petaflop
supercomputer and is the fourth fastest
QUESS super-computer in the world which is
• China launched the world's first satellite under dedicated to weather and climate research
the Quantum Experiments at Space Scale
after Japan, U.S.A. and United Kingdom.
(QUESS) mission, to test the fundamentals of
quantum communication in space. • It will also take India up from the present
• It is known as Micius, after an ancient Chinese 365th position to top 30 in the
philosopher. infrastructural ranking of Top 500 HPC
facilities in the world.
5.5. SUPERCOMPUTERS • Other top five super computers of India are
PRATYUSH AND MIHIR SahasraT (Cray XC40), Aaditya (IBM/Lenovo
system), TIFR Colour Boson (Cray XC-30), IIT
Why in news? Delhi HPC and Param Yuva 2.
Recently, the Minister for Earth Sciences (MoES) • Sunway TaihuLight is the World’s fastest
unveiled India’s fastest supercomputer named computer, belonging to China
Pratyush and high performance computer system
‘Mihir’.
5.6. PANEL FOR AI ROADMAP
National Supercomputing Mission Why in news?
• It’s implemented and steered jointly by the • The government has formed a high-level
Department of Science and Technology (DST) and
panel under the chairmanship of Rajiv Kumar
Department of Electronics and Information
to lay out a roadmap for India’s research and
Technology (DeitY)
• Mission envisages empowering our national
development on AI and its applications.
academic and R&D institutions spread over the Artificial Intelligence
country by installing a vast supercomputing grid • It is branch of computer science dealing with
comprising of more than 70 high-performance simulation of intelligent behavior in computers vis-
computing facilities. a-vis visual perception, speech recognition,
• These supercomputers will also be networked on decision making and translation between
the National Supercomputing grid over the languages.
National Knowledge Network (NKN) under • It enables computer system to carry out task on
Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology. their own that otherwise requires human
• The NKN is another programme of the intelligence.
government which connects academic institutions • Robotics is also a major field related to AI.
and R&D labs over a high speed network
• The Mission also includes development of highly Other Developments
professional High Performance Computing (HPC) • Recently, Department of Defence Production
aware human resource for meeting challenges of
constituted a task force headed by N
development of these applications.
Chandrasekaran, to study use of artificial
intelligence in military.
40
• Commerce and Industry Minister Sets up Task European university), Poppy (france), Lexy &
Force chaired by V. Kamakoti on Artificial Tess (Germany), Actroid-Sit (Japan) etc.
Intelligence for Economic Transformation. About Sophia
• Sophia is a social humanoid robot developed by
5.6.1. PROJECT BRAINWAVE Hong Kong-based company Hanson Robotics
under David Hanson.
• Microsoft has launched “Project Brainwave”, • Sophia is conceptually similar to the computer
a deep learning acceleration platform for program ELIZA, which was one of the first
real-time artificial intelligence (AI). attempts at simulating a human conversation.
• It uses the massive field-programmable gate • The software has been programmed to give pre-
array (FPGA) infrastructure. written responses to specific questions .The
• The system architecture allows very high information is shared in a cloud network which
throughput, with the FPGA processing allows input and responses to be analysed with
requests as fast as the network can stream blockchain technology.
• She also made surprise appearance at UN and also
them.
joined meeting on artificial intelligence and
• Significance: Real-time AI is becoming sustainable development.
increasingly important as cloud In Artificial intelligence, turing test is a method of
infrastructures process live data streams, inquiry for determining whether or not a
whether they be search queries, videos, computer is capable of thinking like a human
sensor streams, or interactions with users. being.
About deep learning
5.7. TELECOM SECTOR
• It is a subset of machine learning which
utilizes hierarchical level of artificial neural 5.7.1. BHARAT NET PR OJECT
networks to process unstructured data.
• Neural networks are a set of algorithms, Why in news?
modeled loosely after the human brain, that As of now, over 1.04 lakh gram panchayats have
are designed to recognize patterns been made “service ready” for providing
• A hierarchical neural network is an broadband connectivity as on March 11 under
artificial neural network(ANN) with multiple Bharat Net project
hidden layers between the input and output
About International Telecommunications Union
layers
• ITU is the United Nations specialized agency for
5.6.2. HUMANOID information and communication technologies –
ICTs.
• A humanoid robot is a robot with its overall • It allocates global radio spectrum and satellite
appearance based on that of the human orbits, develop the technical standards that
body. ensure networks and technologies seamlessly
• Features of Humanoid Robots interconnect, and strive to improve access to ICTs
o Self-maintenance to underserved communities worldwide.
• Members: It includes both public and private
o Autonomous learning
sector membership i.e 193 UN Member States
o Avoiding harmful situations to people, and ICT regulators, many leading academic
property, and itself institutions and some 700 tech companies.
o Safe interacting with human beings and
the environment Bharat Net Project
• Androids are humanoid robots built to • In 2011, National Optical Fibre Network
resemble a male human, and Gynoids are (now called Bharat Net Project) was
humanoid robots built to resemble a human launched to provide broadband connectivity
female. to 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats with an
• Recently, Humanoid Robot Sophia became affordable broadband connectivity of 2 Mbps
world's first robot citizen as Saudi Arabia to 20 Mbps.
granted citizenship to her in a bid to promote • It is being implemented by a special purpose
artificial intelligence. vehicle (SPV) named Bharat Broadband
• Other Example: Unplugged (USA), Asimo Network Ltd (BBNL) set up under Companies
(Japan), Icub (Cognitive Universal Body by Act.
41
• It is funded through Universal Service What is 5G?
Obligation Fund (USOF)
• 5G is a wireless communication technology. It
• Bharat Net Project is also significant for is the next generation mobile networks
generation of as much as 5 lakh jobs during technology after 4G LTE networks.
the installation of Wi-Fi hot spots.
• The final standard for 5G will be set up by the
• Some issues involved are high usage of International Telecommunications Union
internet through mobile phone, cyber (ITU).
security, high cost of services, low internet
education. What is spectrum and how does it work?
Universal Service Obligation Fund: • Spectrum refers to the radiowaves that are
• It aims to provide non-discriminatory access to used by mobile phones to transmit data.
quality ICT services at affordable prices to people • The spectrum has been divided into bands by
in rural and remote areas through subsidy support the government for uninterrupted
to incentivizing telecom service providers to transmission of data.
venture forth and provide services to such target
• Carriers in India use airwaves in the 800 Mhz,
beneficiaries.
900 Mhz, 1800 Mhz, 2100 Mhz, 2300 Mhz
• It was envisaged in National Telecom Policy, 1999
and was given statutory status through Indian and 2500 Mhz bands.
Telegraph (Amendment) Act, 2003. Generation Year
• The resources are raised through a 'Universal 1 generation • First wireless communication.
Access Levy (UAL)', which would be a percentage (1G) • Voice Calls.
of the revenue earned by the operators under
• Limited capacity, not secure,
various licenses.
background interference
Optical Fibre Technology • 2 Kbps
• Fibre optics, is the science of transmitting data,
2 Generation • Digital version of 1G technology
voice, and images by the passage of light through (2G) • Voice calls, Short messages,
thin, transparent fibres.
browsing (partial)
• Optical fibre is made up of semiconducting
• Low network range, slow data
materials and usually has a cylindrical structure. In
rates
inner core there is material of higher refractive
• 64 Kbps
index than in outer core resulting in Total Internal
Reflection (TIR)
3 Generation • Digital broadband, speed
(3G) increments
• When light passes from a medium with one index
of refraction (m1) to another medium with a • Video conferencing, mobile TV,
lower index of refraction (m2), it bends or GPS
refracts away from an imaginary line • High power consumption, Low
perpendicular to the surface (normal line) network coverage, High cost of
• However at critical angle, the refracted light spectrum licence.
travel along the surface between the two media • 2 Mbps
and at angle greater than critical angle, the 4 Generation • Very high speeds, All IP
refracted beam will be reflected entirely back into (4G) • High speed applications, mobile
m1. This phenomenon is known as total internal TV, Wearable devices
reflection. • Hard to implement, complicated
• Optical fibers allow data signals to propagate hardware required
through them by ensuring that the light signal • 1 Gbps
enters the fiber at an angle greater than the 5 Generation • Cell densification, software
critical angle of the interface between two types (5G) defined network, low signal
of glass. traffic
• Hologram TV, Augemented
5.7.2. 5G reality, Ultra large and high data
transfer, energy saving.
Why in news? • More than 1 Gbps
• The government has set up a high level forum Low-frequency transmissions can travel greater
to evaluate roadmaps and formulate a distances before losing their integrity, and they
strategy to adopt 5G in the country by 2020. can pass through dense objects more easily. Less
data can be transmitted over these radio waves.
42
Higher-frequency transmissions carry more data, accessible on a nondiscriminatory basis, to
but are poorer at penetrating obstacles. The provide on demand, affordable and end-to-
higher the frequency, the lower the wavelength, end broadband connectivity for all
and thus the more energy that's required to households, institutions & Offices. It is being
cover the same distance. implemented by Andhra Pradesh State
Fibernet Limited
Wireless Planning and Coordination (WPC) Wing,
under Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is X is a research and development facility founded by
responsible for spectrum management at the national Google in January 2010.
level.
It has been working on several projects including
driver-less car, product delivery through flying
About The internet of things (IoT) vehicles, Project Loon, Google glass among other
• The internet of things (IoT) is the network of technologies.
physical devices, vehicles, buildings and other
items-embedded with electronics, software,
What is Free Space Optical Communication?
sensors, and network connectivity that enable
these objects to collect and exchange data. • It is an optical communication technology in
• Thus IoT creates opportunities for more direct which data is transmitted by propagation of
integration of the physical world into computer- light in free space allowing optical
based systems, and resulting in improved
connectivity.
efficiency, accuracy and economic benefits
• Working of FSO is similar to OFC (optical fiber
• IoT is one of the platforms of today's Smart City,
and Smart Energy Management Systems. It can
cable) networks but the only difference is
also be used to improve crop yield to help feed that the optical beams are sent through free
the world’s growing population. air or vaccum instead of glass fiber.
About Array of Things (AoT): • It is a Line of Sight (LOS) technology. It
• It’s an urban sensing project, a network of consists of an optical transceiver at both ends
interactive, modular sensor boxes that will be to provide full duplex (bidirectional)
installed around city to collect real-time data on capability.
the city’s environment, infrastructure, and activity • It is capable of sending up to 1.25 Gbps of
for research and public use.
data, voice, and video communications
• It is expected to provide localised information to
simultaneously through the air.
the authorities enabling them to act quickly in
emergencies and warn citizens of environmental • Advantages: low initial investment, flexible
threats. network that delivers better speed than
VoLTE (Voice over Long Term Evolution) broadband, security due to line of sight
• It is an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem operation etc.
(IMS) specification which enables a variety of • Challenges: misalignment errors, geometric
services to operate seamlessly on the network losses, background noise, weather
rather than having to switch to different attenuation losses and atmospheric
applications for voice or video. turbulence.
• Volte offer high definition (HD) quality voice calls,
lesser call drops and calls get connected Light-fidelity (LiFi)
significantly faster, in comparison with standard • It is a high speed wireless communications
voice calls over 3G and 2G networks. through light emitting diodes (LEDs).
• It uses both visible and near-visible light for free-
5.7.3. FREE SPACE OP TICAL space communication.
COMMUNICATION • LiFi is not strictly a line-of-sight technology i.e.
data rate is not dependent on the line of sight but
Why in news? on the signal quality at the device.
• X Development LLC, a subsidiary of Google’s Parameters Light Fidelity Wireless Fidelity
Speed for >1 Gbps Upto 15 Mbps
parent company Alphabet will supply and
data
deploy two thousand cutting-edge Free
transfer
Space Optical Communication (FSOC) links Carrier Light as a carrier Use Radio
for Andhra Pradesh (AP) fiber-grid. spectrum
• AP Fibre Grid project is aimed to establish a Cost Cheaper than WiFi Expensive due to
highly scalable network infrastructure, radio spectrum
43
Operating Hundred to Tera Hz 2.4 GHz network devices over short distance
Frequency without wires.
Coverage About 10 metre About 32 metre o Wireless signals transmitted with
Bluetooth cover short distances, typically
5.7.4. RFID
up to 30 feet (10 meters).
Why in news? o Bluetooth sends and receives radio waves
in a band (frequency band of 2.45GHz ) of
Recently National Highways Authority of India
79 different frequencies and can connect
launched two mobile apps MyFASTag and
up to “eight devices” simultaneously
FASTag Partner to facilitate Electronic Toll
o It overcomes the constraints of line of
Collection. FASTag is a device which uses RFID
sight and one to one communication as in
technology for making toll-payment directly from
other mode of wireless communications
the prepaid account.
like infrared.
About RFID o It guarantees security at bit level. When a
group of two or more Bluetooth devices
• Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) is the
are sharing information together, they
use of radio waves to read and capture
form a kind of ad-hoc, mini computer
information stored on a tag attached to an
network called a piconet.
object. A tag can be read from up to several
o It removes the problem of radio
feet away and does not need to be within
interference by using a technique called
direct line-of-sight of the reader to be
Speed Frequency Hopping. This ensures
tracked. It is applied for tracking items or as a
that the interference won’t take place as
pass.
each transmitter will be on different
Other related technologies frequencies.
• Near Field Communication (NFC) is a short-
range high frequency wireless 5.7.5. TARANG SA NCHAR PORTAL
communication technology that enables the Why in News?
exchange of data between devices over • The Telecom Department launched a portal –
about a 10 cm distance. It is used in credit Tarang Sanchar Portal that will allow people
card related payments, e-booking etc.
to track radiation emitted from mobile
• Barcode scanner detects the light reflected towers within a locality.
from the barcode. This needs to be kept in • The portal will empower consumers to know
range of several inches to several feet to read about the towers working in a particular area
the code. and whether they are compliant to the
• QR code (Quick Response code) Electromagnetic field (EMF) emission norms
o It’s a two-dimensional (matrix) machine- defined by the government.
readable bar code made up of black and • In general, mobile tower emissions rules in
white square. This code can be read by India are ten times more stringent than the
the camera of a smartphone.
global norms
o It carries information both horizontally
and vertically. It has error correction About radiation
capability and data stored in it can be Energy emitted from a source is generally
restored even if it is partially damaged or referred to as radiation. There are two types of
dirty. radiation:
o It is capable of 360 degrees (omni-
• Ionizing radiation is radiation with enough
directional), high speed reading.
energy to cause chemical changes by
o QR Code can store up to 7089 digits as
breaking chemical bonds. This ionization
compared to conventional bar codes
process results in the formation of two
which can store max 20 digits.
charged particles or ions: the molecule with a
• Bluetooth technology
net positive charge, and the free electron
o It is a high speed low powered wireless
with a negative charge. This effect can cause
technology which uses radio waves to
damage to living tissue.
link phones, computers and other
44
o Examples include heat or light from the • These were opposed by IT industry body
sun, microwaves from an oven, X rays Nasscom as it violated net neutrality
from an X-ray tube, and gamma rays from principles by differentiating internet access
radioactive elements for certain types of services.
• Non-ionizing radiation is the term given to
Recommendation
radiation in the part of the electromagnetic
spectrum where there is insufficient energy • Non-Discriminatory treatment: irrespective
to cause ionization but may have enough of sender, receiver protocols used etc.
energy to excite molecules and atoms causing • Specialised Service: are exempted from
then to vibrate faster. neutrality framework such as tele-surgery,
o Example: It includes electric and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and IPTV
magnetic fields, radio waves, services etc.
microwaves, infrared, ultraviolet, and • Content delivery Network (CDN) platform:
visible radiation. should not be included within the scope of
any restrictions on non-discriminatory
Application of Radiation
treatment
• Medical Application: X-Ray, CT, and PET • Reasonable traffic Management practices:
machines use X-ray (X-ray and CT) and by framing appropriate regulations time to
Gamma radiation (PET) to produce detailed time.
images of the human body, • Regulatory Body: TRAI suggested DoT may
• Industrial Application: to examine welds for establish a multi-stakeholder body with
defects or irregularities, or examining other framework for collaborative mechanism
materials to locate structural anomalies or among the stakeholders for monitoring the
internal components. net-neutrality.
• Food irradiation is the process of using VoIP
radioactive sources to sterilize foodstuffs.
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), is a technology
• As a disinfectant: Ultraviolet light is used to that allows you to make voice calls using a broadband
disinfect drinking water in some homes. Internet connection instead of a regular (or analog)
• Pollution Abatement: Radiation is used to phone line.
help remove toxic pollutants, such as exhaust CDN platform
gases from coal-fired power stations and
CDN is a system of servers, deployed at the edge of (or
industry. For example, electron beam within) the terminating network of an access provider,
radiation. that content provider can use to distribute their
content.
5.7.6. TRAI FAVOURS NET
NEUTRALI TY
5.8. NATION-WIDE
Why in news? HACKATHON
• Recently, Telecom Regulatory Authority of #OPENGOVDATAHACK
India (TRAI) has favoured net neutrality. LAUNCHED
• Also, Washington has become first state
recently to enact its own net-neutrality rules Why in news?
Net Neutrality Recently, Ministry for Electronics & Information
• Net Neutrality or Network neutrality is the idea Technology launched nation-wide hackathon
that Internet service providers (ISPs) should treat #OpenGovDataHack with an aim to support and
all data that travels over their networks fairly, showcase great ideas or talent and enable them
without improper discrimination in favour of to develop apps or infographics by use of Open
particular apps, sites or services. Government Data.
Background Background
• The debate on net neutrality in India started • #OpenGovDataHack is an on-site 24Hrs
from Facebook launching Free Basics and Challenge which will be held at 7 centres. The
Airtel launching Airtel Zero. participating teams will be required to submit
the App prototype and info-graphics, out of
45
these selected apps will be taken up for About National Information Centre
further development and the winner will be • It comes under Ministry of Electronics and IT
awarded. The theme of the Hackathon was (MeitY) and has a key role in e-governance at the
“Drinking Water & Sanitation, Transport, national, state and district levels. Almost all
Education, Crime and Health”. Indian-government websites are developed and
managed by NIC
Open Government Data (OGD) Platform
Background
• OGD has been set up by the National
• In May 2017, a ransomware called
Informatics Centre (NIC) in accordance with
Wannacry, infected more than 100,000
National Data Sharing and Accessibility
computers all over the world.
Policy (NDSAP) 2012.
• Indian Computer Emergency Response Team
National Data Sharing and Access Policy, 2012 (CERT-In) in June, 2017 issued an advisory
• The Policy aims to provide an enabling provision about Petya or Petrwrap, in the series of
and platform for providing proactive and open ransomware attacks affecting computer
access to the data generated through public funds systems across the world whose spreading
available with various departments of mechanism were similar to attack such as
Government. EternalBlue, Psexec, Windows Management
• The policy also facilitates the access to
Instrumentation.
Government shareable data readable and
machine readable form though an all India Effect on India
network within the framework of various policies,
acts and rules. Government steps to tackle cybercrime
• The principle of data sharing and accessibility is Setting up NIC-CERT
based on openness, flexibility, transparency,
quality, security and machine-readability. • NIC-CERT is a dedicated body to detect,
• It is a platform which provides prevent and mitigate the impact of cyber-
o single point access to open data sets, it attacks, by monitoring data across the NIC
also provides web based workflows to platform, including communication between
departments so that they can publish all the levels of government and between
their datasets through a predefined governments to citizens.
metadata. • It will help in real time data monitoring and
o better visualization tools, better user operate in close coordination and
experience and efficient discoverability of collaboration with sectoral CERTs and CERT-
resources. IN.
o Community participation through blogs, • Securing Digital India Initiative: NIC-CERT will
info-graphics, visualizations, mobile and help in securing digital initiative of
web apps etc. government by preventing the threats and
• OGD platform is currently being vulnerabilities arising due to cyberspace.
supplemented by various sectors such as
• Malware: Malware is short for malicious
health and family welfare, home affairs, software, meaning software that can be used to
agriculture, rajya sabha, statistics and compromise computer functions, steal data,
programme etc. bypass access controls, or otherwise cause harm
to the host computer. Malware is a broad term
5.9. CYBER ISSUES that refers to a variety of malicious programs.
• Bot: Bots are software programs created to
5.9.1. NIC-CERT automatically perform specific operations. While
some bots are created for relatively harmless
Why in news? purposes (video gaming, internet auctions, online
Government inaugurated the new body National contests, etc), it is becoming increasingly common
to see bots being used maliciously.
Information Centre-Computer Emergency
• Ransomware: It is a form of malware that
Response Team (NIC-CERT) to prevent and
essentially holds a computer system captive while
predict cyber-attacks on government utilities. demanding a ransom. The malware restricts user
access to the computer either by encrypting files
on the hard drive or locking down the system and
46
displaying messages that are intended to force enforcement agencies to collaborate on
the user to pay the malware creator to remove cybersecurity challenges and work towards an
the restrictions and regain access to their appropriate and agile regulatory framework on
computer. cybersecurity.
• Spyware: Spyware is a type of malware that Global Conference on Cyber Space (GCCS)
functions by spying on user activity without their • Theme: “Cyber4All: A Secure and Inclusive
knowledge. Spyware spreads by exploiting Cyberspace for Sustainable Development”.
software vulnerabilities, bundling itself with • Aim: to establish internationally agreed ‘rules of
legitimate software, or in Trojans. the road’ for behavior in cyberspace, and create a
• Trojan Horse: A Trojan horse, is a type of malware more focused and inclusive dialogue between all
that disguises itself as a normal file or program to those with a stake in the internet on how to
trick users into downloading and installing implement them.
malware. A Trojan can give a malicious party • It has set up an institutional mechanism – Global
remote access to an infected computer. Forum on Cyber Expertise – to enhance capacity
• Virus: A virus is a form of malware that is capable building, share best practices and expertise on
of copying itself and spreading to other cyber capacity.
computers. Viruses can be used to steal
information, harm host computers and networks, Section 69B of IT Act, 2000, talks about the power to
create botnets, steal money, render authorize to monitor and collect traffic data or
advertisements, and more. information through any computer resource for Cyber
• Worm: Computer worms are among the most Security.
common types of malware. They spread over
5.9.2. BUDA PEST CONVENTION
computer networks by exploiting operating
system vulnerabilities. Worms typically cause Why in news?
harm to their host networks by consuming
bandwidth and overloading web servers. Worms Ministry of home affairs recently called for
often spread by sending mass emails with infected signing of the Budapest Convention on
attachments to users’ contacts. cybercrime owing to the surge in cyber-crime.
Two recent initiatives About Budapest convention on cybercrime
Cyber Surakshit Bharat Initiative • This convention of the council of Europe is the
• It has been launched by Ministry of Electronics only binding international instrument on this
and Information Technology (MeitY), in issue.
association with National e-Governance Division • It is the first international treaty on crimes
(NeGD) and industry partners, to strengthen committed via the Internet and other computer
Cybersecurity ecosystem in India. networks and deals with issues such as
• It is first public-private partnership of its kind and infringements of copyright, computer-related
will leverage the expertise of the IT industry in fraud, child pornography and violations of
cybersecurity. network security.
• The founding partners include leading IT • It aims to pursue a common criminal policy,
companies such as Microsoft, Intel, WIPRO. Its especially by adopting appropriate legislation and
knowledge partners include Cert-In, NIC, fostering international police as well as judicial co-
NASSCOM and consultancy firms Deloitte and EY. operation.
• It will be operated on three principles of • It provides for procedural law tools to make
Awareness, Education and Enablement. investigation of cybercrime and securing of e-
• It aims to spread awareness about cybercrime and evidence in relation to any crime more effective
build capacity of Chief Information Security • The Convention has 56 members, including the US
Officers (CISOs) and frontline IT staff across all and the UK.
government departments. Steps taken by Government
Global Centre For Cybersecurity
• It has been launched by the World Economic • Information Technology Act, 2000(amended
Forum (WEF) with headquarter in Geneva. in 2008) provides a legal framework for
• It will function as an autonomous organization transactions carried out by means of
under WEF. It will serve as laboratory and early- electronic data interchange and other means
warning think tank for future cybersecurity of electronic communication.
scenarios and help to build a safe and secure
• Indian Computer Emergency Response Team
global cyberspace.
• Its aim is to establish first global platform for (CERT-in): established to enhance the
governments, businesses, experts and law security of India’s Communications and
47
Information Infrastructure through proactive • The access has been restricted only to
action and effective collaboration. CERT-fin authorized officials to protect Privacy of
has also been launched exclusively for individual and concerns of National security.
financial sector. • The portal also generates various thematic
• National Cyber Security Policy 2013: reports of trends of incidence of crime
proposes to set up different bodies to tackle across the country to facilitate policy analysis
various levels of threats, along with a and undertaking targeted interventions.
national nodal agency, to coordinate all
Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems
matters related to cyber security. (CCTNS)
• National Critical Information Infrastructure
It is a project of MHA launched in 2009 which aims to:
Protection Centre (NCIIPC) to battle cyber
• Provide Citizen Centric Police Services via a web
security threats in strategic areas such as air
portal.
control, nuclear and space. It will function
• Pan India search on National database of Crime &
under the National Technical Research Criminal records.
Organisation (NTRO) • Crime and Criminal reports at State and Centre.
• National cyber coordination centre (NCCC) is • Computerization of Police Processes.
being set up to scan internet traffic coming Inter-operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS)
into the country and provide real time • It is a component of CCTNS
situational awareness and alert various • ICJS aims to integrate the CCTNS project with the
security agencies. e-courts and e-prisons databases initially and
• Indian cyber-crime coordination centre (I4C) later to all components of criminal justice system.
and Cyber Warrior Police force has been
established under newly created Cyber and 5.9.4. CYBER-SECURITY INDEX
Information Security (CIS) Division (under Why in news?
Ministry of Home Affairs) to tackle internet
crimes such as cyber threats, child • India is ranked a high 23rd out of 165 nations
pornography and online stalking. in The Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI).
• Digital Army Programme: a dedicated cloud Background
to digitize and automate processes,
procedures and services for the Indian Army, • The second Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI),
launched as a part of Digital India. This is released by the International
similar to Meghraj, the national cloud Telecommunication Union (ITU), said only
initiative. about half of all countries have a
cybersecurity strategy or are in the process of
5.9.3. DIGITAL POLIC E PORTAL developing one
UNDER CCTNS • The top 3 most committed countries to
cybersecurity are Singapore United States
Why in news?
and Malaysia.
Recently Home Minister launched a digital police • India has been listed in the "maturing"
portal under the CCTNS project. category, which refers to 77 countries that
More on news have developed complex commitments to
cybersecurity and engage in cybersecurity
• CCTNS has originally aimed at maintenance of programmes and initiatives.
crime and criminal records of individuals
About ITU
through a national database, and delivery of
• ITU, based in Geneva, Switzerland, is the leading
web based police related services to all UN agency for ICT.
citizens. • As the global focal point for governments and the
• Digital Police portal is a SMART policing private sector, ITU's role in helping the world
initiative of government with aim to provide communicate spans 3 core sectors: radio
Services to Citizens at a National level communication, standardization and
o Report a Crime development.
o Request for person verification ITU also organizes TELECOM events and was the lead
o Links to State Citizen Portal organizing agency of the World Summit on the
Information Society.
48
5.10. WORLD CONGRESS ON • WCIT is a biennial event and considered as
the biggest event of its kind. It aims to
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY provide single platform to IT experts, policy
(WCIT) and decision makers and Government
officials from all over the world together to
Why in news?
discuss various challenges and and possible
Recently World Congress on Information solutions to them.
Technology (WCIT) 2018 or the ‘Olympics of IT’ • It is unique in its global perspective on ICT
was held in Hyderabad for the first time in India. issues and its ability to draw users, providers,
More about the news media and academia from around the world.
• It was first held in 1978 since then held after
• The theme of this edition of conference was every two years. The 2014 WITC 2016 edition
‘Future Enterprises.’ was held in Brasilia, Brazil.
49
6. HEALTH
6.1. VECTOR BORNE DISEASES About zika virus
• Zika virus disease is caused by a virus transmitted
Define: Vector-borne diseases are human primarily by Aedes mosquitoes. Aedes aegypti is
a known vector of several other viruses
illnesses caused by parasites, viruses and bacteria
including yellow fever virus, dengue virus and
that are transmitted by mosquitoes, sandflies, chikungunya virus.
blackflies, ticks, tsetse flies, mites, snails and lice • Zika can be passed through sex from a person
etc. with Zika to his or her partners.
Example: Diseases such as malaria, dengue, • People with Zika virus disease can have symptoms
including mild fever, skin rash, conjunctivitis,
Visceral leishmaniasis, kala-azar/ Dumdum
muscle and joint pain, malaise or headache. These
Fever), yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis,
symptoms normally last for 2-7 days.
Chikungunya, Zika etc. • There is scientific consensus that Zika virus is a
National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme cause of microcephaly and Guillain-Barré
(NVBDCP) syndrome.
• It is an umbrella programme for prevention and • An additional area of concern is the difference
control of vector borne diseases and is subsumed between Zika on the one hand and dengue or
under National Health Mission. chikungunya on the other. While the latter
• Directorate of NVBDCP is the central nodal agency conditions occur soon after a mosquito bite, the
for the prevention and control of vector borne presence of the Zika virus will be known six
diseases months later, after the birth of microcephalic
• Vector borne diseases that are being targeted: infants.
Malaria, Dengue, Lymphatic Filariasis, Kala Azar,
• US scientists have developed a plant-based Zika
Japanese Encephalitis, chikungunya
Directorate of National Vector Borne Diseases vaccine that could be more potent, safer and
cheaper to produce than other medicines being
Control Programme
developed for the disease.
• It’is the central nodal agency for the prevention
• It is developed using tobacco plant and targets a
and control of vector borne diseases i.e. Malaria,
Dengue, Lymphatic Filariasis, Kala-azar, Japanese key protein called DIII, which envelopes the
outside of the Zika virus and plays a key role for
Encephalitis and Chikungunya in India
the virus to infect people.
• It is under the aegis of Union Ministry of Health
and Family Welfare.
6.1.2. MONKEY FEVER
• Function: National level Technical Nodal office for
framing technical guidelines & policies as to guide Why in news?
the states for implementation of Programme
strategies. Scientists have traced the source of a re-
emerging disease, Kyasanur Forest Disease
6.1.1. INDIA AND ZIKA VIRUS (KFD) or “monkey fever”, to cashew plantations
in Goa.
Why in news?
Monkey Fever Symptoms
Recently the United States sent out an advisory • High fever with headache, followed by
informing its citizens in India about the number haemorrhagic symptoms such as bleeding from
of confirmed Zika infections in India. the nose, throat and gums
Background • Gastrointestinal bleeding,
• Muscle stiffness, tremors, absent reflexes and
• The WHO has placed India as a ‘Category-2’ • Mental disturbances.
country for Zika risk.
What is monkey fever?
• A Category-2, the second highest on a four-
point scale and that also includes 2015 Zika- • It is caused by Kyasanur forest disease virus
hotspot Brazil, indicates that the virus is (KFDV), a member of the virus family
being actively transmitted within the country. Flaviviridae, which also causes yellow fever
• Until April, India was a Category-4 country. and dengue.
• It was first detected in 1957 in Shimoga,
Karnataka and is endemic to South Asia.
50
• Monkey fever is so named because it 6.1.4. KALA AZAR
primarily affects black-faced langurs and red-
faced bonnet monkeys and result in death. Why in news?
Even when the monkey dies still the KFD virus India has missed the deadline (December 2017)
gets transmitted through ticks thriving on of eliminating Kala Azar (Visceral leishmaniasis
monkeys. or Black fever or Dum Dum fever).
• The Hard ticks (Hemaphysalis spinigera) are
the reservoir of KFDV. These ticks are known Background
to thrive in the Western Ghats and transmit • In 2017 budget speech, the Finance Minister
the disease to humans. had announced for elimination (reducing to
less than one case in 10,000) of Kala Azar by
6.1.3. ELEPHA NTIASIS
2017. It was also reiterated by the National
Why in news? health policy 2017.
• In 2014, the government launched the Kala
Recently, it was speculated that Government will
Azar Elimination Programme with support
miss out the set deadline to eliminate
from various international agencies.
Elephantiasis.
• However, endemic blocks have increased
Elephantiasis or Lymphatic Filariasis from 61 to 68 in 17 districts of Bihar and
• It is a parasitic disease caused by the Jharkhand.
parasitic worms called filial worms which is Ancient remedy for Kala Azar
spread by the bite of the infected black flies
• Scientists from Indian Institute of Chemical
and mosquitoes.
Biology in Kolkata tested ancient remedy
• The disease parasite is usually acquired
described in Charaka Samhita to fight drug-
during childhood. The larvae in the human
resistant kala-azar.
can live in human beings for up-to 5-8 years
• The compound called mahanine was isolated
without showing any symptoms; however the
from leaves of curry plant commonly used in
lymphatic system is damaged.
Indian kitchens has been found to inhibit the
• Elephantiasis leads to severe swelling in
growth of kala-azar parasite.
arms, legs, knees and genitals causes
disfigurement and disability.
Burden of Disease
• India alone accounts for 40% of world’s
disease burden with over 31 million
microfilaraemics, 23 million cases of
symptomatic filariasis, and about 500 million
individuals at risk of contracting the disease.
• India had set the ambitious target to
eradicate the disease by 2020 which was
earlier set at 2015 under the National Health
Policy 2002.
Efforts to eradicate the Disease in India
• In 1995, government launched National
Filaria Control Program
• In India, since 2004, Mass Drug
Administration (MDA) is being carried on as a
part of the Hathipaon Mukt Bharat (Filaria
Free India) programme for preventive
medication.
51
6.1.5. JAPANESE ENCEPHALI TIS (JE) visceral leishmaniasis, dengue, rabies,
cysticercosis, Japanese encephalitis and
Why in news intestinal worm infections (hookworms,
In August 2017, around 30 children affected by JE whipworms and Ascaris worms).
admitted at Gorakhpur's BRD Medical College National Programmes in relation to tropical
had died over shortage of oxygen supply. diseases are being implemented:
Encephalitis: It is a non-communicable disease that • National Vector Borne Disease Control
results in inflammation of the brain. The patient's Programme (NVBDCP): For control of Dengue
central nervous system is affected. It can be caused
and elimination of Kala-azar and Lymphatic
due to bacterial or viral infections of the brain,
injection of toxic substances or increased
Filariasis.
complications of an infectious disease. • National Leprosy Eradication Programme:
• It’s transmitted by the infective bite of the Culex India has achieved the elimination of leprosy
species of mosquitoes at national level in December 2005. Focus is
• It belong to the same genus as dengue, yellow now to achieve elimination of leprosy at
and West Nile viruses district level.
• Japanese Encephalitis is covered under Universal • National Programme for Control of
Immunisation Programme (UIP). Blindness: Services are provided for the
Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) including Japanese control of Trachoma.
Encephalitis (JE) is a group of clinically similar
• School Health Programme: services are
neurologic manifestation caused by several different
viruses, bacteria, fungus, parasites, spirochetes,
provided for the prevention of Soil-
chemical/ toxins etc transmitted Helminthiases.
o It is characterized by an acute onset of fever • National Deworming Day (February 10):
and clinical neurological manifestation that Children between ages 1 to 19 through
includes mental confusion, disorientation, schools and anganwadi centres were
delirium, or coma. dewormed in order to improve their
JENVAC: It’s first indigenous vaccine to protect nutritional status and well-being
children from Japanese encephalitis. It’s also the • WASH strategy: It’s a critical component of
first vaccine to be manufactured in the public- prevention and care for all NTDs. Provision of
private partnership mode between the Indian safe water, sanitation and hygiene is one of
Council of Medical Research and Bharat Biotech. the five key interventions in the global NTD
road map.
6.2. NEGLECTED TROPICAL • WHO NTD roadmap: It outlined bold targets for
DISEASES the control, elimination or eradication of 17 NTDs
by 2020
Why in news • Uniting to Combat NTDs: Leaders of several
prominent global health and development
WHO (World Health Organisation) in it's report
organizations, together with industry partners,
on neglected tropical disease (NTD) applauded met in London in 2012 and pledged to unite in
the progress made on elimination of NTD. their efforts to support the achievement of the
What are Neglected Tropical Diseases WHO 2020 goals in respect to 10 NTDs.
o Pledge is known as London Declaration on
• WHO defines NTDs as a diverse group of NTDs
communicable diseases that prevail in o 10 NTDs are: Guinea worm disease, lymphatic
tropical and subtropical conditions in 149 filariasis, blinding trachoma, sleeping
countries. sickness, leprosy, helminthes,
• Vulnerability: Populations living in poverty, schistosomiasis, river blindness, Chagas
disease and visceral leishmaniasis (Kala Azar).
without adequate sanitation and in close
contact with infectious vectors and domestic 6.2.1. NATIONAL DEWORMING
animals and livestock are those worst MISSION
affected.
• Situation in India: Diseases that are most Why in news?
prevalent in India include lymphatic filariasis, Recently government celebrated the National
soil transmitted helminthiases, trachoma, Deworming Day.
52
About National Deworming Day in the intestine, from where it can invade the
nervous system and can cause paralysis.
• It was started in 2015 as a part of the
• There is no cure and it can only be prevented
National Health Mission, implemented in 11
through immunisation.
States/UTs across all Government and
Government-aided schools and Anganwadi • Types: Of the 3 strains of wild poliovirus (type
centres. 1, type 2, and type 3), wild poliovirus type 2
was eradicated in 1999 and no case of wild
• It entails single fixed day approach to treat
poliovirus type 3 has been found since 2012.
intestinal worms in all the children from 1 to
19 years on February 10 and August 10 each • Difference between Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV)
year. and IPV: OPV is made up of attenuated or
weakened poliovirus and there is a risk of
• Along with administering Albendazole
vaccine derived polio. IPV is made up of
tablets, some other activities are also
inactivated (killed) polio virus and will
performed such as behaviour change
provide immunity from all three strains of
practices, cleanliness and hygiene guide, use
polio.
of toilets, wearing shoes or slipper, washing
hands before eating food and after using • India status: India was officially decalred
toilet, etc. in order to reduce the incidents of Polio free by WHO in 2014.
re-infection. • However, samples from some states showed
the presence of Type 2 vaccine derived polio
Soil Transmitted Helminth (STH) infection virus (VDVP), which had undergone ten
• It is caused by different species of parasitic worms nucleotide changes.
which can live and replicate in the gastrointestinal
• If six or more nucleotide changes happen
system.
then it is called vaccine-derived poliovirus
• The STHs (hookworms, roundworms, whipworms)
are transmitted by eggs present in human faeces, (VDVP).
which contaminate the soil in areas where • VDVP is extremely rare and found in children
sanitation is poor. with immune-deficiency and among
• Infected children are nutritionally and physically populations with low immunity levels.
impaired. While deworming has been shown to
reduce absenteeism in schools; improve health, 6.4. MOTHER-TO-CHILD
nutritional, and learning outcomes; and increase TRANSMISSION OF HIV
the likelihood of higher-wage jobs later in life.
What is it: HIV transmitted from a HIV positive
6.3. POLIO VACCINE mother to her child during pregnancy, delivery or
breast feeding is called mother-to-child
Why in news? transmission (MTCT).
• The World Health Organization has declared National Aids Control Organisation (NACO)
Gabon a "polio-free country", given the lack It is an organisation which was set up under Ministry
of new reported or suspected cases in the of Health and Family Welfare for formulation of
central African country. policies and implementation of programs for
prevention and control of HIV/AIDS.
• Now the disease is endemic only in
Afghanistan and Pakistan, where the WHO Child Friendly HIV Drug
recorded four cases this year—two in each • Recently, Central Drugs Standard Control
country. Organisation (CDSCO) has registered the child-
friendly and heat-stable oral pellet formulation of
Polio: A fact sheet the HIV drug lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r).
• Polio (or Poliomyelitis) is a highly-infectious • Significance: The lack of child-friendly HIV
viral disease which mainly affects young formulations is a major reason for a large
children and can result in permanent treatment gap between adults and children. Due
to this gap paediatric HIV is considered neglected
paralysis.
disease. The registration of the pellets is a
• The virus is transmitted by person-to-person positive sign as the needs of children are being
spread mainly through the faecal-oral route addressed.
or, less frequently, by a common vehicle (e.g. About CDSCO
contaminated water or food) and multiplies • It is the national regulatory body for Indian
53
pharmaceuticals and medical devices under
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
6.5. NOROVIRUS AT WINTER
• Major functions include: Regulatory control over OLYMPICS
the import of drugs, approval of new drugs and
clinical trials, meetings of Drugs Consultative Why in news?
Committee (DCC) and Drugs Technical Advisory At the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South
Board (DTAB), approval of certain licences as Korea, there have been many cases of infection
Central Licence
with Norovirus.
Mother-to-child-transmission Details
• Intervention in MTCT cases usually involves – • Norovirus is a very contagious virus. It’s a
o Antiretroviral treatment for the mother common cause of gastroenteritis, or
and a short course of antiretroviral drug inflammation of the intestine.
for the baby.
• It spreads from an infected person mainly by
o Counselling and psychological support to
direct contact (such as shaking hands), by
help mothers safeguard their children
touching an infected surface or though
against the infections.
contaminated water and food.
• Steps being taken in India:
o Earlier in India, ‘Single dose therapy’ was 6.6. BIRD FLU
being practised wherein the ART was
administered 72 hrs before birth. Why in news?
However, in 2014 WHO recommended
‘multidrug therapy’ was adopted. • India has declared itself free from Bird
o Multidrug Therapy is a combination of Flu (highly pathogenic Avian Influenza - H5N1
three drugs — Tenofovir, Lamivudine And and H5N8) and notified it to the World
Efavirenz (TLE) which the infected mother Organisation for Animal Health.
is required to take throughout their lives • The move will help it resume export of
except nevirapine which is supposed to poultry products to the countries which had
be taken by new born only for six weeks. banned trade in such items early this year.
o In 2002, Prevention of Parent to Child Avian Influenza
Transmission of HIV/AIDS (PPTCT)
program was launched. • There are 3 types of influenza viruses: types
A, B, and C. Influenza A viruses infect humans
About HIV and many different animals
• The Human Immunodeficiency Virus targets the • Influenza type A viruses are classified into
immune system and weakens people's defence subtypes according to the combinations of
systems against infections and some types of
different virus surface proteins
cancer making infected individuals
immunodeficient gradually.
Haemagglutinin (H) and Neuraminidase (N).
• The most advanced stage of HIV infection is • Influenza A viruses can be classified as avian
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), influenza, swine influenza, or other types of
which can take from 2 to 15 years to develop animal influenza viruses
depending on the individual. AIDS is defined by • Examples include avian influenza "bird flu"
the development of certain cancers, infections, or virus subtypes such as A (H5N1) and A(H9N2).
other severe clinical manifestations.
• It can be transmitted via the exchange of a variety World organization for Animal Health
of body fluids from infected individuals, such as • It is recognised as a reference organisation by the
blood, breast milk, semen and vaginal secretions. World Trade Organization (WTO) and in 2017 has
• Individuals cannot become infected through a total of 181 Member Countries.
ordinary day-to-day contact such as hugging, • It maintains permanent relations with 71
shaking hands, or sharing personal objects, food other international and regional organisations.
or water. • Ban is lifted after 90 days of the surveillance is
done by the organization.
54
6.7. H1N1 VIRUS (SWINE FLU) • Government had issued a specific guideline
for paediatric TB under Revised National TB
Why in news? Control Program (RNTCP).
• RNTCP aims at diagnosing and treating TB
• Government removed antiviral drugs-
throughout the country. It uses DOTS
oseltamivir and zanavir - from schedule X
(Directly Observed Treatment Short course)
category allowing all pharmacies to sell and
and DOTS-plus strategy (where there are
stock these drugs.
significant cases of MDR-TB)
• These drugs were earlier restricted as their
misuse and overuse can lead to drug Recently, Moscow Declaration was also adopted
resistance. in WHO Global Ministerial Conference on Ending
Tuberculosis with an aim towards achieving SDG
• Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945: Any sale of
medicine in the country is regulated under this Goal 3.3.2 to end epidemic of TB incidence per
act. 1000 population.
• Drugs specified in Schedules H, H1 and X cannot Drug Resistant TB
be sold except on, and in accordance with the MDR-TB
prescription of a Registered Medical Practitioner • It is TB that does not respond to at least isoniazid
from a licensed premises. and rifampicin (2 of the most powerful first line
About H1N1 Virus drugs)
• It is developed due to
• It is a contagious respiratory disease caused o Inappropriate or incorrect use of
by Type A strains of the Swine Influenza virus. antimicrobial drugs,
• It enters body through inhalation of droplets o Use of ineffective formulations of drugs (such
or is transferred from a contaminated surface as use of single drugs, poor quality medicines
to eyes, nose or mouth and can spread from or bad storage conditions)
o Premature treatment interruption.
human to human.
• Recently, Ministry of Health has approved
• It is called swine flu because in the past, the Delamanid drug in order to combat the increasing
people who caught it had direct contact with burden of MDR-TB.
pigs. • Delamanid will be inducted parallel to Bedaquiline
under Revised National Tuberculosis Control
6.8. TUBERCULOSIS Program (RNTCP) and not replace it
XDR-TB
Why in News? • It is resistant to at least four of the core anti-TB
drugs such as levofloxacin or moxifloxacin,
• A joint study conducted by Foundation for
amikacin, capreomycin or kanamycin.)
Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) and
• Developed due to same mechanism as MDR-TB.
Revised National TB Control Programme
TDR-TB or XXDR-TB
(RNTCP), has found that the Multi-Drug • TB which is resistant to all the first and second
Resistant (MDR) TB is higher among children line TB drugs.
than expected. • This makes it almost but not totally impossible to
treat.
Paediatric TB GeneXpert MTB/RIF Test
• Paediatric MDR-TB cases had not been • It detects the presence of TB bacteria
documented so far. (Mycobacterium tuberculosis), as well as tests for
resistance and genetic mutation to the drug
• Children are more prone to primary MDR –TB
Rifampicin.
infection as they are in close contact with
infected person.
• TB diagnosis in children is complicated due to
challenges associated with sample collection
and poor sensitivity of tests like the Acid fast
bacilli (AFB) smear.
• Thus, the foundation FIND started rolling out
GeneXpert to diagnose TB
55
6.9. HOME GROWN VACCINE • Apart from oral medicine Health ministry
introduced Rotavirus vaccine under UIP will
FOR LEPROSY: also help in reducing diarrhoea mortality.
MYCOBACTERIUM INDICUS
What is Diarrhea?
PRANII • Can be causes by virus, bacteria and parasite.
Why in News? • Diarrhea is having frequent, loose stools which
causes dehydration
• National Institute of Immunology has • Can be spread from affected person,
developed Mycobacterium Indicus Pranii contaminated food or drinking contaminated
(MIP), an indigenous vaccine for leprosy. water.
• Can be prevented with safe drinking water,
What is Leprosy? sanitation, breastfeeding/appropriate nutrition
• Bacterial disease caused by Mycobacterium and hand-washing.
leprae, What is ORS (Oral Rehydration Salt Solution)?
• Affects the skin and peripheral nerves. • ORS is a glucose-electrolyte solution containing
• Long incubation period generally 5-7 years. salt and sugar water.
• Timely diagnosis and treatment of cases, before • It can be simple, cheap and effective for all age
nerve damage has occurred, is the most effective groups.
way of preventing disability. • Supplemented with Zinc tablet, the duo is called
ORS Jodi.
Highlights National Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT) Program in
• India has been declared Leprosy free country 1985-86
in 2005 because of less than one case per • Improving maternal knowledge related to the use
10,000 population. of home available fluids.
• Ensuring availability of ORS packets at health
• MIP is now being introduced into the
facilities.
National Leprosy Elimination Programme • Integrated part of Child Survival and Safe
(NLEP). It will boost the immune system Motherhood (CSSM) Program.
against the bacterial disease.
6.11. FIRST INDIA-DESIGNED
6.10. INTENSIFIED DIARRHOEA
VACCINE PASSED WHO TEST
CONTROL FORTNIGHT
Why in news?
Why in news?
Recently, India made ROTAVAC vaccine and
• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Typbar Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine received
has launched the Intensified Diarrhea
Control Fortnight (IDCF) in order to reduce WHO pre-qualification.
child deaths due to diarrhea. ROTAVAC Vacccine
Background
• It is a low cost vaccine developed by Bharat
• WHO estimated diarrhea is second leading Biotech Limited under an innovative PPP
cause of death under five year age of children model involving Ministry of Science and
worldwide. Technology, institutions of the US
• Despite of consistent decline in Infant Government and various NGOs.
Mortality Rate (IMR) and Under-Five
Mortality Rate (U5MR) there has been 1 lakh • It has been included in India’s Universal
deaths due to diarrhoea in India. Immunization Program in 2016.
Intensified Diarrhea Control Fortnight (IDCF) Typbar Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine
• ASHA worker would undertake distribution of • It is the world’s first typhoid vaccine,
ORS packets to households with under-five developed by Bharat Biotech limited that can
children in her village. be given to infants older than six months. It
• ORS-Zinc Corners will be set-up at health care and confers long-term protection against
facilities and non-health facilities such as typhoid fever.
Schools and Anganwadi centres.
56
Significance of Pre-Qualification • This initiative will strengthen the
cardiovascular disease component of the
• Accelerate availability of the vaccine to the Health Ministry’s National Program for
developing countries with highest burden of Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular
diseases Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) and is aligned
• Increases the scope for credible industrial, with WHO’s Global HEARTS Initiative and
scientific and regulatory processes to National Guidelines.
develop more vaccines in the country. 6.12.2. JEEVAN BI NDI
• Necessary for United Nation agencies like
Why in news?
UNICEF, the Pan American Health
Organization (PAHO) and GAVI (a vaccine A Singapore based marketing agency and
alliance) to purchase the vaccine in Maharashtra based NGO developed a Vermillion
(Bindi) named Jeevan-Bindi which contains
partnership with developing countries.
iodine.
Rotavirus Iodine
• It is the most common cause of diarrhoea among • It is a trace mineral and a nutrient found naturally
infants and young children. in the body and can be easily fortified with salt.
• It usually transmitted by the faecal-oral route and • Humans need iodine for the production of thyroid
infects and damages the cells in the small hormones.
intestines and causes gastroenteritis. • It needed for the cells to convert food into energy.
Typhoid • Deficiency leads to goiter, hyperthyroidism,
• It is caused by the bacteria Salmonella typhi. stunted growth or intellectual disabilities.
• The infection is often passed on through • Source: seafood, daily products, and other protein
contaminated food and drinking water, and it is food.
more prevalent in places where hand washing is National Iodine Deficiency Disorders Control
less frequent. Programme 1992
• It aims at bring the prevalence of IDD( to below
6.12. NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN 5% in the country
NON-COMMUNICABLE • It ensures 100% consumption of adequately
iodated salt (15ppm) at the household level.
DISEASES • Iodate the entire edible salt in the country.
According to India State Level Disease Burden Jeevan Bindi
Report, over the past 26 years the pattern of
diseases has shifted from communicable, • It is medically enhanced version of regular
maternal, neonatal, and nutritional diseases bindi, embedded with iodine along with the
(CMNNDs) to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) adhesive base.
and injuries. • Bindi delivers the daily requirement of iodine
100-150 adsorption through the skin.
6.12.1. INDIA HYPERTENSION • It needs to be worn every day for up to eight
MANAGEMENT INITIATIV E (IHMI) hour to be effective.
• This initiative is supplemented with iodine
Why in news?
pills available at community health centre.
Ministry of Heath and Family Welfare (MoHFW) • The initiative focus pregnant women because
and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) the effects of iodine deficiency are most
launched IHMI. severe in them and reflected in new-born.
More about IHMI
6.12.3. THALASSEMIA
• Aim: To reduce disability and death related to
Why in News?
cardiovascular disease (CVD), by improving
the control of high blood pressure • On World Thalassemia day (May 8) various
(hypertension), reducing salt consumption researchers and health experts called for
and eliminating artificial trans-fats, leading National Policy on Thalassemia.
risk factors for CVD.
57
What is Thalassemia? Other International Initiatives
• It is a genetic blood disorder with no cure except • ‘One Health’ approach: to designing and
bone marrow transplant (BMT). implementing programmes, policies, legislation
• Characterised by abnormal production of and research in which multiple sectors
haemoglobin in the body. The abnormality results communicate and work together to achieve
in improper oxygen transport and destruction of better public health outcomes against the food
red blood cells. safety, the control of zoonoses (diseases that can
• Lead to iron overload, bone deformities and in spread between animals and humans, such as flu,
severe cases can cause heart diseases. rabies), antimicrobial resistance etc.
• It requires regular blood transfusions as an • World Antibiotic Awareness Week.
effective measure to prolong life. • The Global Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance
• Thalassaemia is now considered as a disability System.
under Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016, • Interagency Coordination Group on Antimicrobial
rather than a health issue. Resistance.
Details
6.13. ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE:
WHO REVISES ANTIBIOTICS WHO has divided the drugs into three categories:
access, watch and reserve.
PROTOCOL
• The ‘access’ category includes commonly
Why in news? used antibiotics. They will be available at all
WHO has revised antibiotics protocol to curb times as treatment for a wide range of
antibiotic resistance. This is the biggest revision common infections.
of the antibiotics section in the essential • The ‘watch’ group covers antibiotics that are
medicines list (EML) recommended as first or second choice
treatment for a small number of infections.
Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)
Prescription of these drugs should be
• It occurs when microorganisms such as bacteria,
viruses, fungi and parasites change in ways that reduced to avoid further development of
render the medications used to cure the resistance.
infections and causing them ineffective. • The ‘reserve’ category includes antibiotics
• It is the broader term for resistance in different that are considered last-resort options and
types of microorganisms and encompasses used only in the most severe circumstances
resistance to antibacterial, antiviral, antiparasitic such as for life-threatening infections due to
and antifungal drugs. multidrug-resistant bacteria.
• It occurs naturally but is also facilitated by the
inappropriate use of medicines. Recently, Ministry of Science and Technology
• Microorganisms that become resistant to most have released the Scoping Report on
antimicrobials are often referred to as Antimicrobial Resistance in India.
“superbugs”.
Highlights of the report
• It affects the, medical procedures such as organ
transplantation, cancer chemotherapy, major • In 2014, India was the highest consumer of
surgeries etc. making them very risky. antibiotics, followed by China and the United
WHO (World Health Organization) States. However, the per capita consumption
• It is a specialised agency of UN concerned with of antibiotics in India is much lower than in
international public health. several other high income countries.
• It was established on 7 April 1948, headquartered • India has some of the highest antibiotic
in Geneva, Switzerland.
resistance rates among bacteria that
• The WHO publishes World Health Report.
commonly cause infections in the community
WHO “Global action plan on antimicrobial resistance”
2015: it has 5 strategic objectives: and healthcare facilities.
• To improve awareness and understanding of • It has also pointed that the resistance to
antimicrobial resistance. carbapenem class of antibiotics (one of the
• To strengthen surveillance and research. last-resort antibiotics to treat serious
• To reduce the incidence of infection. bacterial infections in humans) among
• To optimize the use of antimicrobial medicines. various bacteria was extremely high.
• To ensure sustainable investment in countering • Antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections are
antimicrobial resistance. also increasingly reported among neonates.
58
• Essential medicines are the medicines that Policy/Initiatives of Government
"satisfy the priority health care needs of the
population". • National Policy for Containment of AMR
• These are the medications to which people should 2011 provided regulations for use of antibiotics
have access at all times in sufficient amounts. The for humans as also for veterinary use along with a
prices should be at generally affordable levels. hospital based surveillance system for monitoring
• The WHO publishes Model List of Essential antibiotic resistance.
Medicines (EML) every two years since 1977. It is • Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
used by countries to develop their own local lists has set up a National Anti-Microbial
of essential medicine. Resistance Research and Surveillance
Network (AMRRSN) to enable compilation of
Factors responsible for antibiotic resistance in
National Data of AMR at different levels of
India
Health Care.
• Self-medication (to avoid financial burden) • FSSAI has set certain guidelines limiting the
• Access to antibiotics without prescription antibiotics in food products such as fish and
• Use of pharmacies and informal healthcare honey.
providers as sources of healthcare. • Recently, Ministry Of Health has notified an
• Inadequate public sector diagnostic amendment to the Food Safety & Standards
laboratory and Unaffordability of private labs (Contaminants, Toxins & Residues)
• Mass bathing as part of religious occasions Regulations, 2011, to set maximum
• Antibiotics as growth promoters in food permissible limits for the presence of
animals and poultry antibiotics and other drugs in meat and meat
• Effluents from the antibiotic manufacturing products, including chicken.
units leading to contamination of rivers and • Red Line Campaign on Antibiotics 2016, was
lakes launched to create awareness regarding
• Disposal of untreated sewage into water rational usage and limiting the practice of
bodies self-medication of antibiotics among the
• Prevalence of various Healthcare Associated general public.
Infections (HAI). • National Health Policy 2017 envisions a
holistic framework against AMR.
Hospital Acquired Infections (HAI)
• The National Action Plan on Antimicrobial
• Also called nosocomial infections, HAI are passed
onto the patients after being admitted at the
Resistance (NAP-AMR) 2017 has assigned
hospital facility. coordinated tasks to multiple government
• International Nosocomial Infection Control agencies involving health, education,
Consortium is an international scientific environment, and livestock to change
organisation that works to fight against healthcare prescription practices and consumer
associated infections. behaviour and to scale up infection control
Implications and antimicrobial surveillance.
• Creates additional suffering for patients and o The strategic objectives of NAP-AMR are
comes at a high cost for their families. aligned with the WHO’s Global Action
• It increases hospital stays and creates long-term Plan on AMR (GAP-AMR).
disability
• Increases resistance to antimicrobials 6.14. PLANT DISEASES
• Increases cost burden for healthcare systems and
causes unnecessary deaths. Plant disease is an impairment of the normal
Causes of HAI state of a plant that interrupts or modifies its vital
• Lack of proper Equipment, Understaffing and functions. Types of Plant diseases.
Overcrowding, Lack of knowledge of injection
and blood transfusion safety, Prolonged and • Rust: Fungal disease that attacks roses,
inappropriate use of invasive devices and hollyhocks, snapdragons, daylilies, beans,
antibiotics etc. tomatoes and lawns.
Recently, a Bengaluru firm received the international • Wheat blast: Fungal disease that attacks the
CARB-X grant to develop antibiotics to treat HAI.
standing crop. Fungus responsible for the
CARB-X a public-private international partnership to
wheat blast disease is known as
address the gap in antibiotic R&D and to improve
diagnosis & treatment of drug-resistant infections. Magnaporthe oryzae
59
• Pink Bollworm: It is a type of insects attack through agronomic practices, conventional plant
on cotton which has severely impacted cotton breeding, or modern biotechnology. It aims to
plantations in various parts of the country. increase nutrient levels in crops during plant
• Blight: Blight is easily recognizeable by the growth rather than through manual means during
processing of the crops.
suddent death of all plant tissue including
• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
leaves, stems and flowers. Blight is typically
(FSSAI) released a set of standards and a logo (+F
casued by wet and humid conditions. logo) last year for all fortified packaged food.
• Cotton Whitefly: Whiteflies are sucking
insects and their feeding removes nutrients 6.16. MILK ADULTERATION
from the plant
• Chlorosis (discoloration): Chlorosis is when a Why in news?
green tissue turns yellow. It has many causes A recent study on milk samples in Delhi found
including pathogens, lack of nutrients, and wide adulteration.
lack of water.
• Leaf Spot: Leaf spots are yellow or brown Adulteration: Most common harmful adulterants
lesions (often look like burn marks) that takes include starch, chlorine, hydrated lime, sodium
place on leaves. These are caused by carbonate, formalin and ammonium sulphate.
pathogens, fungi, pesticide damage and Milk producers use these to scrimp on milk
insect feeding. portions and prepare “synthetic milk” by mixing
urea, caustic soda, refined oil and common
6.15. FORTIFIED FOODS TO detergents.
TACKLE MALNUTRITION Common Adulterant Used for
Calcium Carbide and Copper For ripening of
Why in news? Sulphate Fruit
• Targeting children, Rajasthan, MP, Haryana Colours (Metallic- not permitted) To enhance the
appearance of
and Himachal Pradesh governments have
Fruits & vegetable
begun using fortified oil for their mid-day
Oxytocin (triggers early puberty Induce growth in
meal schemes. among girls, male breast etc.) Vegetable and
• West Bengal and A&N Islands are distributing animals
fortified wheat flour through the public Saccharin Induce sweetness
distribution system. in fruits
• Enrichment of food is a process by which Parrafin Wax For Shiny
nutrients are added. Typically, the added appearance of
nutrients were present in the food in its original fruits
form, but were removed at some point during Metanil yelllow For colouring
processing. yellow dal
• Fortification of food is the practice of deliberately Related facts
increasing the content of an essential • Neutralizers are substances added to prevent
micronutrient, i.e. vitamins and minerals (such as curdling and increase the shelf life of milk. They
iron, iodine, zinc) in a food, so as to improve the could be added in the form of caustic soda, sodium
nutritional quality of the food supply bicarbonate and sodium carbonate.
• Biofortification is the process by which the
nutritional quality of food crops is improved
60
7. PHARMACEUTICALS
7.1. ACTIVE PHARMACEUTICAL 7.2. PRICE CAP ON KNEE
INGREDIENTS IMPLANTS
Why in News? Why in News?
Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) has • Recently, NPPA capped the prices of knee
sought support from other government implants, in a move to reduce product prices
departments to reduce India’s import by as much as 69%.
dependence on Active Pharmaceutical
More on news
Ingredients (APIs).
• The central drug regulator has requested the
More on news
Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
• Bulk drugs or APIs are the active raw to set up a committee to work out ways to
materials used in a drug that give it the bring heart valves, orthopaedic implants and
therapeutic effect. intra ocular (eye) lenses under the National
• V.M. Katoch committee was formed to List of Essential Medicines (NLEM).
formulate a long-term policy and strategy for • In response, US firms have approached the
promoting domestic manufacture of United States Trade Representative (USTR)
APIs/bulk drugs in India. against the price capping with a request to
• Recently, Heavy Water Board has signed an either suspend or withdraw India’s benefits
agreement with an Indian firm for supply of under Generalised System of Preferences
Heavy Water for development of deuterium (GSP).
labeled compounds, NMR Solvents, d-labeled o GSP is a preferential tariff system
Active Pharma Ingredients (APIs). extended by developed countries to
developing countries involving reduced
Heavy Water Board (HWB),
• It’s a constituent unit of Industries and Minerals MFN tariffs or duty free entry of exported
Sector under Department of Atomic Energy. products of beneficiary country into the
• It is primarily responsible for production of Heavy donor country.
Water (Deuterium Oxide-D2O) which is used as a o MFN status is given by one country to
'moderator' and 'Coolant' in the nuclear power as another country with which it is
well as research reactors. interested in increasing trade. This status
What is Heavy Water? gives specific trade advantages such as
• It is a form of water in which the hydrogen in the reduced tariffs. However according to
molecules is partly or wholly replaced by the WTO MFN principle, if one country is
isotope deuterium. granted a special favour, the same has to
• Heavy water may be deuterium oxide, D2O or it
be done for all other WTO members.
may be deuterium protium oxide, DHO.
• Heavy water occurs naturally, although it is much National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM)
less common than regular water. • NLEM 2015 contains 376 medicines.
• Non-nuclear uses: Preservation of Oral Polio • Criteria for inclusion into this list includes public
Vaccines, for enhancement of biological efficacy, health emergency, cost effective medicine etc.
for enhancing life of lubricants, • Core Committee formed by the Ministry of
improving mechanical and chemical properties of Health, reviews and revises the medicines in the
polymer etc. NLEM
Difference with normal water: • Once a drug or medical device is included in
• High boiling and freezing point NLEM, its price can be capped by NPPA
• More density National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority [NPPA]
• High temperature to achieve maximum density • It is an independent body under Department of
• High pH i.e. more basic in nature Pharmaceuticals under Ministry of Chemicals and
Fertilizers.
• Its functions are:
o To fix/revise the controlled bulk drugs prices
and formulations.
o To enforce prices and availability of the
61
medicines under the Drugs (Prices Control) photographic film and magnetic recording
Order, 1995/2013. tape.
o To recover amounts overcharged by • Also made into fibre filling for insulated
manufacturers for the controlled drugs from clothing and for furniture and pillows.
the consumers.
• Industrial applications of PET are automobile
o To monitor the prices of decontrolled drugs
in order to keep them at reasonable levels. tire yarns, conveyor belts and drive belts,
reinforcement for fire and garden hoses, seat
7.3. DIGITAL THERAPEUTICS belts, nonwoven fabrics for stabilizing
drainage ditches, culverts, and railroad beds,
OR DIGICEUTICALS
and disposable medical garments.
Why in news? National Institute of Nutrition
America’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) • The National Institute of Nutrition (NIN),
has given its approval to some digital established in 1918 and presently located in
therapeutics. Hyderabad, is India’s premier nutrition research
institute. It is one of the oldest research centers in
More about Digital therapeutics India under the Indian Council of Medical
Research.
• It can broadly be defined as a treatment or • Mission: To enable food and nutrition security
therapy that utilizes digital and often conducive to good health, growth & development
Internet-based health technologies to spur and increase productivity, so as to achieve the
changes in patient behavior to treat a national nutrition goals as per the national
medical or psychological condition. It uses nutrition policy.
methods rooted in cognitive behavioral • 2018 marks NIN Centenary (1918-2018)
therapy to spur patients to make lifestyle Celebrations. It is organising Conference on
changes. “Nutrition Before, Beyond and During First 1000
• It is often used as a preventive measure for Days of Life – Evidence to Action”
patients who are at risk of developing more
serious conditions. For instance, a patient 7.5. BIOSIMILAR FOR CANCER
with prediabetes may be prescribed digital Why in news?
therapeutics as a method to change their diet
and behavior. Recently, Biocon became the first Indian
• It can also be used to treat patients with company to get a US Food and Drug
psychological and neurological disorders. Administration (USFDA) nod for a biosimilar drug
Ogivri.
7.4. USE OF PET BOTTLES FOR More from news
MEDICINES
• Ogivri is a biosimilar to Herceptin, used for
Why in news? treatment of breast cancer or stomach
cancer and second for cancer.
National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) will assess
the health impact of the use of polyethylene What are biosimilars?
terephthalate (PET) or plastic bottles to package • A biosimilar medicine is a biological medicine
medicines. that is developed to be highly similar and
About Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) clinically equivalent to an existing biological
medicine.
• PET is a strong, stiff synthetic fibre and resin,
• A biosimilar contains a version of an active
and a member of the polyester family of
substance of an already approved biological
polymers.
medicine, which is referred to as the
• It is produced by the polymerization of ‘reference medicine’ or ‘originator medicine’.
ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid.
• They are different from generic medicines,
Applications because they contain simpler chemical
structures and are identical, in terms of
• It is a major industrial polymer and is used for
molecular structure, to their reference drugs.
making disposable beverage bottles,
62
• Development of Biosimilars is challenging as 7.6. NATIONAL BIOPHARMA
it requires high investment and much longer
time as compared to generic drug MISSION
manufacturing. Recently, Innovate in India (i3) i.e. the National
Biological Medicines Biopharma Mission was launched by the
• Biological medicines are derived from living cells government to make India a hub for design and
or organisms. development of novel, affordable and effective
• These medicines are proteins, such as hormones biopharmaceutical products and solutions.
or antibodies that the human body produces but
in certain diseases, their production shuts down About Biopharma mission
or weakens. • Currently India has only 2.8% share in the global
• The most important biological medicines are used biopharmaceutical market, the program would
to treat elevate this to 5% resulting in an additional
o Diabetes by substituting for the body’s own business opportunity of 16 Billion USD.
insulin production • The Mission to be implemented by Biotechnology
o Various cancers, difficult skin and joint Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), a
diseases, asthma etc. Public Sector Undertaking of Department of
Biotechnology, will bring together expertise from
national and international corridors to provide
strategic guidance and direction to move
promising solutions through the product
development value chain.
63
8. IPR
8.1. INTERNATIONAL Highlights of the IIPI 2018
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY • USA topped the list followed by UK and
INDEX 2018 Sweden.
• India has been ranked 44 out of 50 countries
Why in news?
up from 43 out of 45 in 5th edition.
Recently, Global Innovation Policy Centre (GIPC)
Steps taken by Government to improve the
of US Chambers of Commerce had released the Intellectual Property Rights ecosystem
International Intellectual Property Index (IIPI).
• A comprehensive National IPR policy has
What is Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)?
been put in place. (please refer to the box)
• Intellectual Property refers to creation of mind
such as inventions, literary and artistic works and • Integrated approach and synergy had been
symbols, names and images used in commerce. adopted through transferring various IP
• IPR are the rights which allow creators of patents, offices and Acts under DIPP and also merging
trademarks or copyrighted work to benefit them Copyrights Board with Intellectual Property
for their own work or investment. These rights Appellate Board.
have been outlined in Article 27 of Universal • Cell for IPR Promotion and Management has
Declaration of Human Rights. also been established for assisting in
• The importance of IPR was first recognized in the simplifying and streamlining of IP processes
Paris Convention for the protection of Industrial as well as creating IPR awareness,
Property (1883) and Berne Convention for the
commercialization and enforcement.
Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (1886)
(both administered by WIPO). • A Scheme for facilitating Start-up Intellectual
Property Protection (SIPP) has been
National Intellectual Rights Policy launched for encouraging innovation and
It is a vision document which aims to create and creativity of Start-Ups.
exploit synergies between all form of intellectual
• India has also become the 90th member of
property, concerned statuses and agencies.
Madrid Protocol.
Main objectives of the policy are –
• IPR Awareness and outreach Madrid Protocol
• Stimulate the generation of IPR • It is an international treaty that allows a
• Strong legal and legislative framework trademark owner to seek registration in any of the
• Modernize and strengthen service-oriented IPR countries that have joined Madrid Protocol by
Administration filing a single application.
• Commercialisation of IPR • International Bureau of the World Intellectual
• Enforcement and Adjustment for combating IPR Property Organisation administers the
adjustment international registration system.
• Human Capital Development for teaching,
• The Department of Industrial Policy and
training, research and skill building in IPRs.
CIPAM, a professional body created under DIPP has Promotion (DIPP) has inked agreement with
been entrusted with the implementation of the Punjab State Council of Science and
National IPR Policy 2016. Technology to establish India’s first TISC
(Technology and Innovation Support
About the Index Center).
• It is an annual Index which examines a o TISC is WIPO’s (World Intellectual
country’s Intellectual Property (IP) framework Property Organisations) program that
across eight categories of indicators – provides innovators in developing
patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade countries with access to locally based,
secrets and market access, enforcement, high quality technology information and
commercialisation of IP assets, systemic related services.
efficiencies and ratification of international o The program will help innovators to fully
treaties. exploit their creative potential and also
protect their Intellectual Property Rights
(IPRs).
64
o CIPAM (Cell for IPR Promotion and • About the Nilambur Teak
Management) has been designated as o It is also known as Malabar teak and the
the national focal point for the TISC Mecca of Teak.
network. o It is the first forest produce to get GI tag.
• Scheme for IPR Awareness –Creative India; o It is known for its durability, earthy
Innovative India has been launched by colour and larger size.
CIPAM to raise IPR awareness across India o It exhibits high resistance to fungal decay
• CIPAM has also launched IPrism, an and shows antioxidant properties
Intellectual Property Competition for college making it ideal for usage in construction
and university students to foster a culture of purposes like Buckingham Palace, the
innovation and creativity. Kabba building in Mecca, the Titanic etc.
o It is also known for hydrophobicity and its
WIPO
oily nature.
• WIPO is the global forum for intellectual property
services, policy, information and cooperation.
o Teak also has the highest capacity for
• It a specialized a self-funding agency of the United carbon sequestration among trees in
Nations, with 189 member states. India.
• It was established in 1967 and is headquartered in About the Gobindobhog rice
Geneva, Switzerland.
• A speciality from Burdwan district of West
8.2. GEOGRAPHICAL Bengal.
INDICATION • It is cultivated late and therefore not much
affected by rains.
Why in news? • It is less prone to pests as well.
Recently, Geographical Indication (GI) registry • The productivity per area is high and farmers
granted GI tag to: get better prices for of this variety.
• Stone sculptures of Mamallapuram GI Tag for other Rice variety in India:

• Kalanamak Rice: Uttar Pradesh
• Etikoppaka toys.
• Basmati rice: Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh
• Banglar rosogulla (West Bengal). and Uttarakhand and parts of Uttar Pradesh and
• Gobindobhog rice, a speciality from Burdwan Jammu & Kashmir
district of West Bengal. • Ambemohar Rice: Maharashtra
• Nilambur Teak: grown in Nilambur region • Palakkadan Matta Rice, Navara rice, Pokkali Rice,
Wayanad Jeerakasala Rice, Wayanad
Gandhakasala Rice, Kaipad Rice: Kerala
Other GI product from WEST Bengal
Darjeeling Tea, Santiniketan Leather Goods, Laxman
Bhog Mango, Fazli Mango, Himsagar (Khirsapati
Mango), Santipore Saree, Baluchari Saree, Dhaniakhali
Saree, Joynagarer Moa, Bardhman Sitabhog and
Bardhman Mihidana.
Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and
Protection) Act, 1999
• As a member of the World Trade Organization
(WTO), India enacted the Act to comply with the
Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of
Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).
• GI is covered as element of intellectual property
rights (IPRs) under Paris Convention for
Protection of Industrial Property.
• The Act is administered by the Controller General
of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks, who is also
the Registrar of Geographical Indications.
How are GI protected
• Sui Generis Systems (i.e. special regimes of
protection)
• Using Collective Or Certification; and
65
• Methods focusing on business practices, including • Copyrights in India are governed by “The
administrative product approval schemes. Copyright Act, 1957”.
What is GI tag?
• It is an indication that is definite to a specific Trademark
geographical territory. It is used for agricultural, • It refers to graphical representation of goods
natural and manufactured goods having special or services to make it distinguishable from
quality and established reputation.
the others
• For a product to get the tag, it needs to be
produced or processed or prepared in that region. • It can be words, symbols, sound, colours,
• The registration of a GI is valid for 10 years after shape of goods, graphics representation or
which it needs to be renewed. packaging etc.
• GIs support local production and are an • They are governed under Trademarks Act,
important economic tool for the uplift of rural and 1999 (amended in 2010) under aegis of DIPP
tribal communities. • The ‘fair usage’ of certain trademarks for the
• GI is a collective right. Producers can use the purpose of education, research etc. is not
collective GI mark to commercially exploit the available under the Trademarks Act.
products. Therefore the third party is required to seek
• Geographical Indicators in India are governed by
permission from the owner every time.
“The Geographical Indications of Goods
(Registration & Protection) Act, 1999”. Design
Types of IPR (apart from Geographical • An industrial design consists of the creation
Indications) of a shape, configuration or composition of
Patent pattern or color, or combination of pattern
and color in three-dimensional form
• A patent is granted for an invention which is containing aesthetic value.
a new product or process that meets • An industrial design can be a two- or three-
conditions of novelty, non-obviousness and dimensional pattern used to produce a
industrial use. product, industrial commodity or handicraft.
• Novelty means inventive step is the feature(s) • Designs in India are governed by “The
of the invention that involves technical Designs Act 2000”.
advance as compared to existing knowledge.
Plant Variety Protection
• Non-obviousness means the invention is not
obvious to a person skilled in the art. • It refers to the protection granted for plant
• Industrial use means that the invention is varieties. These rights are given to the
capable of being made or used in an industry. farmers and plant breeders to encourage the
• Patents in India are governed by “The patent development of new varieties of plants.
Act 1970” which was amended in 2005 to • Plant variety protection in India is governed
make it compliant with TRIPS. by “The Protection of Plant Varieties and
Farmers’ Rights (PPV&FR) Act, 2001”.
Copyright
NOTE: Stone sculptures of Mamallapuram, and
• Copyright is a right given by the law to
creators of literary, dramatic, musical and pur Etikoppaka toys are covered in culture
artistic works and producers of booklet
cinematograph films and sound recordings.
• This right allows its creator the rights of
reproduction, communication to the public,
adaptation and translation of the work.
66
9.1. SOLAR TECHNOLOGY • How it works: When sunlight strikes the PV
module, made of a semiconductor material,
Why in news? electrons are stripped from their atomic
bonds. This flow of electrons produces an
Recently, world's largest solar park of 2,000 MW,
electric current. Types of solar cell
named as 'Shakti Sthala' set up at Pavagada in
o First Generation solar cells are made
Tumakuru district, Karnataka.
from silicon, are usually flat-plate.
Solar Park scheme o Second-generation solar cells are called
thin-film solar cells because they are
• Launched by Ministry of New and renewable
made from amorphous silicon or
Energy (MNRE) and implemented by Solar
nonsilicon materials such as cadmium
Energy Corporation (SECI).
telluride.
• Objective: To create at least 50 solar parts
o Third-generation solar cells: They are
with a capacity of 500 MW and above by
made from a variety of new materials
2019-20.
besides silicon, including solar inks using
• Solar Park: It’s a concentrated zone of
conventional printing press technologies,
development of solar power generation
solar dyes, and conductive plastics.
projects and provides developers an area that
is well constructed, with proper Perovskite Solar Cells
infrastructure, access to amenities and by • What is Perovskite: A perovskite is a material
minimizing paper works for project that has the same crystal structure as the
implementation. mineral calcium titanium oxide (also known
Solar Energy Corporation of India ltd" (SECI) as Perovskite).
• It’s a CPSU under the administrative control of the • Perovskite Solar Cell is one that includes a
MNRE, perovskite-structured compound, most
• Objective: It’s responsible for implementation of commonly a hybrid organic-inorganic lead or
a number of schemes of MNRE, major ones being tin halide-based material, as the light-
the VGF schemes for large-scale grid-connected
harvesting active layer.
projects under JNNSM, solar park scheme and
grid-connected solar rooftop scheme etc
• Perovskite captures energy from a different
• It is the only CPSU dedicated to the solar energy part of sunlight’s wavelength than silicon.
sector. • Perovskite solar cells in last few years have
Sunrush: It’s a 25-year period (1992-2017) in which outpaced all other third-generation solar
solar power has grown exponentially, transforming the technologies in terms of efficiency and cost.
technology from rarefied oddity to the world’s fastest-
growing energy source. 9.2. INDIA'S THREE-STAGE
Solar technology NUCLEAR POWER PROGRAMME
• Solar energy is the cleanest, most abundant It was formulated by Dr. Homi Bhabha in the
renewable energy source available. 1950s to secure the country’s long term energy
• Three primary technologies by which solar independence, through the use of uranium and
energy is commonly harnessed by: thorium reserves found in the monazite sands of
o Photovoltaics (PV): It directly convert coastal regions of South India.
sunlight to electricity.
Objective: To utilize the known resources of
o Concentrating Solar Power (CSP): It uses thorium reserve found in India (India has 25% of
heat from the sun (thermal energy) to world thorium reserves but only 1-2% global
drive utility-scale, electric turbines.
uranium reserve), to provide safe and reliable
About Solar Cells/Photovoltaic (PV) Cells: PV electric power for the country’s social and
gets its name from the process of converting light economic progress and to be self-reliant in all
(photons) to electricity (voltage), which is called aspects of nuclear technology.
the PV effect.
67
STAGE 1: PRESSURISED HEAVY WATER REACTOR Moderat Water water Heavy Not
or water required
• In this natural uranium (0.7 % fissile U-235 (D2O)
and the rest is U-238) fuelled pressurised Fuel Uraniu Uranium UO2 or Plutonium
heavy water reactors (PHWR) which produce m dioxide metal dioxide and
dioxide (UO2) UO2 in
electricity while generating plutonium-239 as different
by-product. combinatio
ns
STAGE II – FAST BREEDER REACTOR Enrichme Low- Low- Not- Various
• In the second stage, fast breeder reactors nt level enriche enriched enriched mixtures of
d P-239 and
(FBRs) would use a mixed oxide (MOX) fuel U-235
made from plutonium-239, recovered by
reprocessing spent fuel from the first stage, BWR – boiling water reactor // PWR – pressurized
and natural uranium. water reactor.
• In FBRs, plutonium-239 undergoes fission to
produce energy, while the uranium-238 9.3. COLD FUSION
present in the mixed oxide fuel transmutes to
Cold Fusion
additional plutonium-239.
• Thus, the Stage II FBRs are designed to • Cold fusion describes a form of energy
"breed" more fuel than they consume. generated when hydrogen interacts with
various metals like nickel and palladium.
STAGE III – THORIUM BASED REACTORS
Excess heat is generated by the interaction
• A Stage III reactor or an advanced nuclear that can be used to turn the turbine.
power system involves a self-sustaining • Cold fusion seeks to produce nuclear energy
series of thorium-232- uranium-233 fuelled without harmful radiation, complex
reactors. equipment and the application of very high
• This would be a thermal breeder reactor, temperatures and pressures.
which in principle can be refueled after its • The major challenge is to control the
initial fuel charge using only naturally reaction.
occurring thorium.
• According to the three-stage programme, 9.4. GRAPHENE BASED
Indian nuclear energy could grow to about 10 BATTERY
GW through PHWRs fueled by domestic
uranium, and the growth above that would Why in news
have to come from FBRs till about 50GW. Recently, Scientists have developed a new
About Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) graphene-based battery material with charging
speed five times faster than lithium-ion batteries.
• Atomic Energy Regulatory Board is a
statutory body created by the President About Graphene
under Atomic Energy Act, 1962 to carry out • Graphene form of carbon consists of planar
the regulatory and safety functions under the sheets (2D structure) which are one atom
Act. thick, with the atoms arranged in a
• It derives its regulatory powers from the rules hexagonal lattice (honeycomb-shaped
and notifications promulgated under the lattice).
Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and the • Very good conductor of electricity and heat
Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986. • About 200 times stronger than steel and
BWR PWR PHWR FBR nearly transparent.
Purpose Electrici Electricit Electricit Electricity, • Impermeable to gases
ty y, y, plutonium
nuclear plutoniu production • Applications: It can be used as/in Paints and
powered m coatings, lubricants, oils and functional fluids,
ships producti capacitors and batteries, thermal
on management applications, display materials
Coolant Water water Heavy Molten,
and packaging, solar cells, inks and 3D-
water liquid
(D2O) sodium printers’ materials and films etc.
68
Types of Batteries • Cost: Despite the higher upfront cost of
Alkaline batteries lithium-ion batteries, the true cost of
• They are non-rechargeable, high energy density, ownership is far less than lead acid when
batteries that have a long life span. considering life span and performance.
• Electrolyte used in it is alkaline (non-acidic).
• Environmental Impact: Lithium-ion batteries
• Generally, it has zinc as anode and a carbon
are a much cleaner technology and are safer
rod/manganese dioxide as cathode with
potassium hydroxide as the electrolyte. This is for the environment.
similar to dry cell where only electrolyte is Common usage of Li-ion battery: Pacemakers,
different, i.e., ammonium chloride. digital cameras, Smartphones, Solar Power
Non-alkaline batteries: They are similar to alkaline Storage, battery backup systems, Rocket launcher
batteries except the electrolyte used is acidic in etc.
nature, generally a mixture of ammonium chloride and
zinc chloride. 9.6. ARTIFICIAL LEAF
• In lead acid battery, the reaction of lead and lead
oxide with the sulfuric acid electrolyte produces a Why in news?
voltage
Scientists at CSIR have developed an artificial leaf
Fuel cell
that absorbs sunlight to generate hydrogen fuel
• A fuel cell uses the chemical energy of hydrogen
or another fuel to cleanly and efficiently produce from water.
electricity. If hydrogen is the fuel, electricity, CSIR
water, and heat are the only products. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research is India’s
• Fuel cells work like batteries, but they do not run premier national R&D organisation established in
down or need recharging. They produce electricity 1942.
and heat as long as fuel is supplied. • It operates as an autonomous body under
• Fuel-cell vehicles use a completely different Societies Registration Act 1860 and comes broadly
propulsion system from conventional vehicles under purview of Ministry of Science and
that can be two or three times more efficient Technology.
• Hydrogen as a pure gas is not easily available. • Prime Minister of India is the chairman of CSIR.
Thus, making it very costly source of energy. Bionic Leaf uses solar energy to split water molecules
into oxygen and hydrogen, and hydrogen-eating
9.5. LITHIUM-ION BATTERY bacteria to produce liquid fuels from CO2.
Why in news? Mechanism
• Recently, ISRO has approved commercial use • Artificial leaf is an ultra-thin wireless device
of lithium-ion battery technology. that consists of semi-conductors stacked in
such a manner as to simulate the natural leaf
Advantages of lithium-ion batteries over lead system.
acid batteries
• When visible light strikes the semi-
• Weight: Lithium-ion batteries are one-third conductors electrons move in single direction
the weight of lead acid batteries. thus producing electric current which almost
• Efficiency: Lithium-ion batteries are nearly instantaneously splits water into hydrogen.
100% efficient in both charge and discharge • A palm size artificial leaf can produce six litres
while the lead batteries have the 70% of hydrogen fuel per hour thus making it
efficiency. extremely environment friendly.
• Discharge: Lithium-ion batteries are
discharged 100% versus less than 80% for 9.7. SUPERCRITICAL CO2-
lead acid. BRAYTON CYCLE
• Cycle Life: Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries
cycle 5000 times or more compared to just Why in news?
400-500 cycles in lead acid. Indian scientists have developed a super critical
• Voltage: Lithium-ion batteries maintain their carbon dioxide Brayton test loop facility that
voltage throughout the entire discharge would help generate clean energy from future
cycle. Lead acid voltage drops consistently power plants.
throughout the discharge cycle.
69
Brayton cycle - A thermodynamic cycle using constant • The term “supercritical” describes the state
pressure, heat addition and rejection to spin the of carbon dioxide above its critical
blades of a turbine, which can be used to generate temperature of 31°C and critical pressure of
electricity. 73 atmospheres making it twice as dense as
Key facts steam.
• Today’s thermal power plants use steam to
• This is India’s first test-bed for next carry heat away from the source and turn a
generation, efficient, compact, waterless turbine to generate power. However, it could
super critical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle generate more power if, instead of steam,
test loop for power generation. supercritical CO2 (SCO2) is used.
70
10. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
10.1. INDIA'S SPENDING ON Details
R&D • While India spent 0.69 per cent of its GDP on
Background R&D in 2014-15, other major countries spent
much more.
As per a study of the National Science and • India topped the list with regard to the
Technology Management Information System government’s participation in R&D but hit the
(NSTMIS), India's gross research spending on R&D bottom in terms of participation of
has consistently been increasing over the years. institutions of higher education.
Recently Ministry of Science & Technology announced • The central government accounted for 45.1
four new schemes to promote young scientists and per cent of total expenditure, followed by
researchers in the country. private sector industries (38.1 per cent), state
Teacher Associateship for Research Excellence (TARE) governments (7.4 per cent), higher education
Scheme sector (3.9 per cent) and the public sector
• It aims to tap the latent potential of faculty industries (5.5 per cent).
working in state universities, colleges and private • Women’s participation in extra mural R&D
academic institutions who are well trained but
projects has increased significantly from a
have difficulty in pursuing their research due to
reasons like lack of facilities, funding and
mere 13% in 2000-01 to 29 % in 2014-15.
guidance. • The country's share in global research
• The scheme facilitates mobility of such faculty publications increased from 2.2 per cent in
members to carryout research in well-established 2000 to 3.7 per cent in 2013 while the
public funded institution such as IITs, IISc, NITs, number of researchers per million population
CSIR, ICAR, etc. Up to 500 TAs (Teacher increased from 110 in 2000 to 218 in 2015.
Associates) will be supported under this scheme.
Overseas Visiting Doctoral Fellowship (OVDF) Other scheme launched
• This has been instituted for enhancing the NIDHI (National Initiative for Development and
international mobility of Indian research Harnessing Innovations),
students with potential to create a talented pool • It’s an umbrella program by the Department of
of globally trained manpower. Science & Technology (DST) for nurturing ideas
• It offers opportunities for up to 100 PhD students and innovations (knowledge-based and
admitted in the Indian institutions for gaining technology-driven) into successful startups.
exposure and training in overseas universities for • Aim: to provide technological solutions not only
period up to 12 months during their doctoral to the pressing needs of the society but also
research. targets to create new avenues for wealth and job
Distinguished Investigator Award (DIA) creation.
• This has been initiated to recognize and reward KIRAN (Knowledge Involvement in Research
Principal Investigators (PIs) of Science and Advancement through Nurturing)
Engineering Research Board/Department of • Implemeted by Department of Science &
Science and Technology projects who have technology
performed remarkably well. • Aim: To bring gender equality to the field of
• It is a one-time career award devised to science and technology and build leadership
specifically cater to the younger scientists who positions for women
have not received any other prestigious awards or • Objective: To increase the number of lady
fellowships. researchers in the country, and to provide
Augmenting Writing Skills for Articulating Research research grants, especially to those who are
(AWSAR) scheme female researchers and technologists taking a
• This has been initiated to encourage, empower break in their career due to household or
and endow popular science writing through domestic compulsions.
newspapers, magazines, blogs, social media, etc.
by young PhD Scholars.
• The scheme aims to tap the tremendous potential
in the country to popularize & communicate
science and also to inculcate scientific
temperament in the masses.
71
10.2. PRIME MINISTER’S businesses and other self-employment activities,
particularly in technology areas.
RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP Two core functions of AIM:
SCHEME • Entrepreneurship promotion through Self-
Employment and Talent Utilization (SETU) where
Why in news? innovators will be supported and mentored.
• Innovation promotion – to provide a platform
Cabinet recently decided to implement “Prime where innovative ideas will be generated.
Minister’s Fellowship Scheme”.
Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL) Community Day
About the Scheme
• It is an initiative under which 25 young
• It is a public-private partnership (PPP) mentors will interact with over 200 children
between Science & Engineering Research not enrolled in formal education system by
Board (SERB), which is an autonomous body
conducting brief sessions.
under the Department of Science and
• It is aimed at maximising the impact of Atal
Technology (DST), Government of India, and
Tinkering Lab by extending innovation to
Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
children with a purpose to provide them with
• It aims to improve the quality of research by same educational tools as the students in
attracting the best talents across the country
ATL to enable them to become problem
and reduce brain drain.
solvers and inspire the spirit of innovation.
• Under the scheme around 1000 students who
have completed B.Tech or integrated M.Tech Atal Tinkering Labs
or M.sc in Science and technology streams • They are dedicated innovation play
will be offered direct admission in PhD workspaces for students between class 6-12
programme in the IITs/IISc with a fixed to learn innovation skills and develop ideas
amount of fellowship. for stimulating innovations.
• Apart from this, a research grant of Rs.2 lakhs • Atal Innovation Mission supports
will be provided to each of the Fellows for a establishment of ATLs for realising the need
period of 5 years to enable them to to create scientific temper and cultivate the
participate in international research spirit of curiosity, entrepreneurship and
conferences and present research papers. innovation among young minds and achieve
Science & Engineering Research Board the vision of “Cultivate one Million children in
• It is a statutory body established through an Act India as Neoteric Innovators.”
of Parliament. • Under ATLs children will get a chance to work
• Supporting basic research in emerging areas of with tools and equipment to understand
Science & Engineering are the primary mandate of what, how and why aspects of STEM
the Board. (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math)
• The Board is vested with both financial and
• These labs are equipped with state of the art
administrative powers to enable quicker
technology like 3D printers, robotics, sensory
decisions on research issues, greatly improving
thereby our responsiveness to the genuine needs technology kits, Internet of Things etc. and
of the research scientists and the S&T system. are designed to spur the spark of creativity
and go beyond regular curriculum and text
10.3. ATL COMMUNITY DAY book learning.
Why in news? Other Initiatives under ATLs
Recently Atal Innovation Mission celebrated • Unbox Tinkering – It is a training workshop

Community Drive Initiative as a part of ATL for ATL In-charge to make them understand
Community Day under aegis of NITI Aayog. the philosophy of the Labs and technically
equip them to guide the students.
Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) • ATL School of the Month Challenge– These
• It is government’s endeavour (including Self- were conducted to engage the ATLs.
employment and Talent Utilization) to promote a
• Atal Tinkering Marathon – They are a 2
culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.
• Its objective is to serve as a platform of world- month long events that align with national
class Innovation Hubs, Grand Challenges, Start-up mission and focus on clean energy, health,
72
smart mobility, smart agriculture, waste contractual research positions to Indian
management and water resources. The top citizens and people of Indian origin including
performer in the event gets to participate at NRI/PIO status with PhD (in science,
multiple external events such as World engineering, pharmacy, medicine, and
Robotics Olympiad and Maker Faire. agriculture related subjects) from any
• Mentor India programme: It’s a strategic recognized university in the world.
nation building initiative to engage leaders Department of Biotechnology (DBT)
who can guide and mentor schools students
in over 900 Atal Tinkering Labs established by • Ramalingaswami Re-entry Fellowship for
Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) in schools Indian Nationals who are working overseas
across India. in various fields of biotechnology and life
sciences and are interested in taking up
10.4. SCHEMES FOR BRAIN scientific research positions in India.
GAIN o It allows fellows to work in any of the
scientific institutions/ universities in the
Department of Science and Technology (DST)- country and would also be eligible for
• VAJRA (Visiting Advanced Joint Research) regular research grant through
faculty scheme extramural and other research schemes
o It is being implemented by Science and of various S&T agencies of the
Engineering Research Board to enable Government of India.
NRI and overseas scientists community to • DBT also runs Welcome Trust Fellowship
participate and carry out R&D in the Program (Indian scientists, physicians
country. researchers and bio-engineers), and Energy
o International Faculty/ scientists/ Biosciences Overseas Fellowship (scientists
technologists including Non-resident of Indian origin working outside India to
Indians (NRI) and Persons of Indian Origin pursue R&D in an Indian scientific institute
(PIO) / Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) are /university in fields of energy related
offered adjunct / visiting faculty biological sciences and bio-energy).
positions in Indian Institutions/ Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO)
Universities for a period of 1-3 months BIO is the world's largest trade association
under this scheme. representing biotechnology companies, academic
o The faculty can also undertake the role of institutions, state biotechnology centers and related
teaching /mentoring apart from R&D. organizations across the United States and in more
o Public funded institutions and national than 30 other nations. BIO members are involved in
laboratories are allowed to host the the research and development of innovative
VAJRA faculty. healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental
biotechnology products.
• Ramanujan Fellowship Program:
o for Indian scientists and engineers from The BIO International Convention, hosted by BIO
since 1993, is the largest global event for the
all over the world, especially those who
biotechnology industry and attracts the biggest names
wish to return to India, to take up in biotech, offers key networking and partnering
scientific research positions at any of the opportunities, and provides insights and inspiration on
scientific institutions and universities the major trends affecting the industry. The BIO
in India. International Convention helps BIO fulfill its mission to
o All areas of science are covered under help grow the global biotech industry.
this Fellowship and the Fellowship is
given for 5 years duration with financial 10.5. PT. DEEN DAYAL
support. UPADHAYAY VIGYAN GRAM
o This along with other schemes were
referred by Indian delegation to the SANKUL PARIYOJANA
Biotechnology Innovation Organization Why in news?
(BIO) 2017 held in San Diego
• Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Recently, Ministry of Science and technology has
Research (INSPIRE) Faculty Scheme: offers a launched Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhayay Vigyan
Gram Sankul Pariyojana in Uttarakhand.
73
About Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhayay Vigyan Gram • Areas of intervention would include –
Sankul Pariyojana. o Processing and value addition in milk,
honey, mushrooms, herbal tea
• Under the scheme Department of Science
horticulture, forest produce etc.
and Technology will adopt and develop a
o Traditional handicraft of Uttarakhand
cluster of villages into self-sustainable in time
o Post-harvest processing of Kiwi,
bound manner.
strawberry, cherry, tulsi etc. through
• In this the local resources and manpower will
solar drying
be utilised which will be further imparted
o Extraction of apricot through cold press
value addition in local produce and services.
technology
• At present four clusters have been identified
o Stringent intervention in product and
namely - Gaindikhata, Bazeera, Bhigun (in
process control will also be maintained
Garhwal) and Kausani (in Kumaon) which will
for energy and water conservation.
be expanded further after validation of these
clusters.
74
11. AWARDS
•
11.1. INDIRA GANDHI PRIZE Neutron stars are created when giant stars die in
supernovas and their cores collapse, with the
FOR PEACE, DISARMAMENT protons and electrons essentially melting into
AND DEVELOPMENT, 2014 each other to form neutrons.
• Black holes: It is a place in space where gravity
• The Indian Space Research Organization pulls so much that even light can not get out. The
(ISRO). gravity is so strong because matter has been
• Amul and ISRO have signed a MoU for fodder squeezed into a tiny space. This can happen when
assessment through satellite technology. a star is dying.
• The main objective is What are Gravitational Waves and LIGOs?
identification/discrimination between food
crops and fodder crops and identifying • Gravitational waves are distortions or
suitable areas of current fallows and ‘ripples’ in the fabric of space-time caused by
some of the most violent and energetic
cultivable wastelands at the village level.
processes in the Universe (star explodes
11.2. NOBEL IN CHEMISTRY asymmetrically (called a supernova), when
two big stars orbit each other, when two
Why in News? black holes orbit each other and merge).
• These ripples travel at the speed of light
• Nobel Prize for Chemistry has been awarded
through the Universe, carrying with them
to Jacques Dubochet, Joachim Frank and
information about their cataclysmic origins,
Richard Henderson for the development of
as well as invaluable clues to the nature of
high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy.
gravity itself.
More on News • Albert Einstein predicted the existence of
• Cryo-electron microscopy is a method for gravitational waves in 1916 in his general
imaging frozen-hydrated specimens at theory of relativity
cryogenic temperatures by electron • To detect these waves scientists developed
microscopy. the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave
• Specimens that are to be analysed would Observatory or LIGO.
remain in their native state without the need Significance
for dyes or fixatives, which would allow the
study of fine cellular structures, viruses and • It offers a new way to observe the cosmos,
protein complexes at molecular resolution. helping scientists explore the nature of
mysterious objects including black holes and
• Contrary to earlier electron micro-scoping,
neutron star.
cryo-electron miscroscopy can view solutions
(as water would not evaporate under • It helps in solving some big mysteries in
microscope’s vacuum). astrophysics – including the cause of bright
flashes of light known as “gamma ray bursts”
• It helps researchers to freeze biomolecules
and even the origins of heavy elements such
mid-movement and visualise the processes
as gold.
they have never previously seen.
• Indian contribution played a major role,
• It has been used to image the elusive Zika
especially in extracting signal from noise, in
virus and its medicine associated research.
detecting the gravitational waves with the
11.3. NOBEL PRIZE IN PHYSICS engagement of 40 scientists from 13 Indian
institutions.
Why in News?
Gravitational wave detector in India: INDIGO
• Nobel Prize for Physics has been awarded to
• India-LIGO project will be a replica of the two
Scientists Rainer Weiss, Barry Barish and Kip
LIGO detectors and would be stationed at a
Thorne for contributions to the LIGO
perpendicular direction to the detectors in
detector and the observation of
USA.
gravitational waves.
75
• It is piloted by Department of Atomic Energy More on News
(DAE) & Department of Science and
• The discoveries explain how plants, animals
Technology (DST).
and humans adapt their biological rhythm so
• It will be jointly coordinated and executed by that it is synchronised with the Earth’s
three Indian research institutions: the Inter- revolutions.
University Centre for Astronomy and
• The scientist used fruit flies to isolate a gene
Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune and Department
that controls the normal daily biological
of Atomic Energy organisations: Institute for
rhythm and showed how this gene encoded a
Plasma Research (IPR), Gandhinagar and the
protein that accumulates in the cell during
Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced
the night and degrades during the day.
Technology (RRCAT), Indore.
• The LIGO lab in India will be built in Circadian rhythm
Maharashtra’s Hingoli District. • It is a pattern that guides our bodies when to
sleep, rise, eat and regulating many physiological
11.4. NOBEL PRIZE IN processes.
• Biological clocks produce circadian rhythms and
MEDICINE regulate their timing.
Why in News? • It is affected by environmental cues, like sunlight
and temperature.
• Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2017 • It regulates the periods of tiredness and
was awarded to Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael wakefulness during the 24-hour cycle.
Rosbash and Michael W. Young for their • The biological clock is generated by a structure of
discoveries of molecular mechanisms neurons, which is found in the hypothalamus in
controlling the circadian rhythm. the brain.
• Biological clock associated factors include High
alertness, Fastest increase in blood pressure.
Deep Sleep, Fastest reaction times etc.
76
12. RECENT DEVELOPMENT IN S&T
12.1. XFEL GENERATES FIRST • If detected at early age, other problems such
as impaired communication skills and even
X-RAY LASER LIGHT possible mental illness can be prevented.
Why in news School of International Biodesign
• SIB is a flagship Program of the Department of
• European XFEL, the world's biggest X-ray
Biotechnology (DBT) aimed to develop innovative
laser has generated its first beam of light. and affordable medical devices as per India's
About XFEL unmet clinical needs and to train the next
generation of medical technology innovators in
• The European XFEL is the largest and most India.
powerful of the five X-ray lasers worldwide, • It is implemented jointly at AIIMS and IIT Delhi in
with the ability to generate the short pulses collaboration with International partners.
of hard X-ray light. • Under this programme, Department has
• It is 3.4-kilometre-long and most of it is authorized Biotech Consortium India Limited for
located in underground tunnels in Germany management of its Intellectual Property and other
and kept at a temperature of just 2 degrees techno-legal activities.
above absolute zero. Noxeno (Developed under SIB)
• The X-ray light has a wavelength of 0.8 • It is the first dedicated tool for anterior nasal
nanometre – about 500 times shorter than foreign body (NFB) removal that allows doctors in
that of visible light. any setting to quickly and safely remove objects
LASER: Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of that people (mostly children aged 2-10) put into
Radiation their noses.
• It is device that generates an intense beam of • Noxeno has been 100% invented, designed,
coherent monochromatic light (or other engineered and manufactured in India.
electromagnetic radiation).
• It means unlike the conventional light, LASER has 12.3. NEW MATTER
radiation of only one wavelength
(Monochromatic) and they are always in same
‘EXCITONIUM’ DISCOVERED
phase in space and time (Coherent). Why in news?
Free-electron lasers
They create coherent light by constantly accelerating a Researchers have proven the existence of the
beam of electrons. Free-electron lasers can produce new form of matter ‘excitonium’ which exhibits
radiation with a very short-wavelength, down to just a microscopic quantum phenomenon like a super
few tenths of a nanometre i.e. to the level of an atom. conductor and is formed of excitons
12.2. SOHUM-HEARING Excitons

• When an electron which is seated at the edge of
SCREENING DEVICE LAUNCHED the crowded electron valence band gets excited
Why in News? and jumps over the energy gap into an empty
conduction band, its leaves behind a hole in the
SOHUM, an indigenously developed newborn valence band.
hearing screening device has been launched by • The hole in the valence band acts as a positively
the Union Ministry of Science and Technology. charged particle and attracts the escaped
electron.
More about Sohum • When the escaped electron with negative charge
• It has been developed by School of pairs with the hole, a composite bosonic particle –
exciton is formed.
International Biodesign (SIB).
• It measures auditory brain waves via three
electrodes placed on the baby's head. When
stimulated, electrodes detect electrical
responses generated by the brain's auditory
system. If there is no response, it indicates
child cannot hear.
77
12.4. WORLD’S THINNEST • When light is scattered by matter, almost all
of the scattering is an elastic process. Only a
HOLOGRAM very small percentage of scattering is an
Why in news? inelastic process
• Raman Effect tendency is shown strongest in
• Australian scientists have created the world’s solid material and weakest in gaseos
thinnest hologram that can be seen without molecule.
3D goggles.
Application of Raman Effect: As it helps in
Applications of Holographic Technology understanding molecular properties better it has
• In medicine – Holographic imaging is used in applications in:
the field of medicine to create a 3D image of • Studying catalysts, monitoring chemical
a certain interior part of a patient’s body purity etc. in chemical industry
(such as the heart) and project it in real time. • Studying nanoparticle and developing
• Tradeshows – It is highly useful in microelectronic devices
tradeshows as a holographic display can help • Conducting Invivo studies of the skin,
launch and present a product without identification of cancer, bone studies etc. in
bearing transporting costs. medical field
• Holographic Telepresence – Prominent • detecting narcotics and explosives such as
personalities have used it to address people TNT, RDX
at different places simultaneously keeping • It can be used to create a database of every
the personal connect intact through substance for easy identification.
telepresence. Achievements of Indians in the Field of Modern S&T
• Engineering and Architecture – Displaying 3D Physics
holographic models of buildings and • S Chandrashekhar: He was awarded the 1983
engineering designs gives a real time Nobel Prize for Physics for his mathematical
experience. theory of black holes and on the basis of this
Chandrashekhar Limit was defined.
12.5. RAMAN EFFECT • Tessy Thomas: She is also called the missile
woman of India who spearheaded the programme
Why in News? on the Agni IV missile.
• Jagdish Chandra Bose: He is a noted scientist who
Recently, National Science Day was celebrated on
invented microwave components like waveguides,
February 28, to commemorate the invention of horn antennas etc.
the Raman Effect by the Indian physicist Sir CHEMISTRY
Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman on February 28, • Praffula Chandra Ray - He was a noted chemist
1928. He has been honored with Bharat Ratna who set up the first chemical factory of India -
and the Lenin Peace Prize. Bengal Chemical and Pharmaceutical Works Ltd.in
1901
What is Raman Effect
• Har Gobind Khurana - He was an Indian American
• For molecules, two types of scattering can who shared the Nobel Prize of Medicine of 1968
occur for the research on cell’s synthesis of proteins.
o Rayleigh scattering, an elastic scattering MATHS
process in which a photon emerges with • S. Ramanujam: He was the second Indian to
become Fellow of Royal Society of London.
the same energy as it entered.
December 22 is celebrated as National
o Raman scattering, an inelastic scattering Mathematics Day after him.
process in which the light scattered by a
molecule emerges having an energy that 12.6. TRIBOELECTRIC
is slightly different (more or less) than the
incident light. This energy difference is
NANOGENERATOR
generally dependent on the chemical Why in news?
structure of the molecules involved in the
scattering process. For the first time, wireless transmission of
electrical energy has been achieved using
triboelectric nanogenrator
78
About Triboelectric nanogenerator mechanical stimuli, physical touching, and
biological movement.
• It is based on organic material to convert
• It can be applied to harvest all kinds of
mechanical energy into electricity. It is a
mechanical energy available in our daily life,
sensor that directly converts a mechanical
like motion, walking, rotation, wind,
triggering into a self-generated electric signal
automobile, flowing water, etc.
for detection of motion, vibration,
79
13. MISCELLANEOUS
13.1. JIGYASA INITIATIVE transportation system.
Electric vehicle
• “JIGYASA” (means curiosity) is one of the • Recently, Nagpur becomes first city with electric
mass mobility system.
major initiatives taken up by CSIR at national
• With this, Maharashtra also has become the first
level, during its Platinum Jubilee Celebration
state to provide various incentives to e-taxis.
Year.
• CSIR is widening and deepening its Scientific 13.3. PRIVATE PARTICIPATION
Social Responsibility (SSR) further with the
programme.
IN DEFENCE
• It is a student- scientist connect programme Why in news?
which will be implemented by Council of
Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in • Recently, the Defence Acquisition Council
collaboration with Kendriya Vidyalaya (DAC) has simplified ‘Make II’ procedure.
Sangathan (KVS). More on news
13.2. PROPOSALS FOR HIGH- • Make II procedure will amend the existing
‘Make Procedure’ in Defence Procurement
TECH PUBLIC TRANSPORT Procedure (DPP)-2016.
Why in News? • This will allow Ministry of Defence to accept
suo-motu proposals from the industry and
• NITI Ayog cleared six new proposals for public also allows start-ups to develop equipment
transportation system of India. for Indian Armed Forces.
• These technologies include metrino, stadler • The minimum qualification criteria to
buses, hyper loop, pod taxis, hybrid buses participate in ‘Make II’ projects have been
and freight rail road. relaxed and projects involving cost of less
About new technology than three crores will be reserved for MSME.
• Metrino: It is fully automatic small pods Other Steps taken by Government in indigenous
travel independently suspended over an defence manufacturing
overhead network • Under Defence Procurement Procedure
• Pod Taxis: Small automated vehicles cable (DPP)-2016, preference to' Buy (Indian-
cars or pod cars equipped to carry a small IDDM)' ‘Buy (Indian)’, ‘Buy & Make (Indian)’
group of passengers. & ‘Make’ categories of acquisition over ‘Buy
• Hyperloop: Pod-like vehicle is propelled (Global)’ category. IDDM stands for
through a near-vacuum tube connecting Indigenously Designed Developed and
cities at speeds matching that of an aircraft. Manufactured with a minimum of 40% local
• Stadler Bus: Tram like high frequency bus content.
service for end to end connectivity. • The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC)
• Hybrid Bus: Transport system uses hybrid approved the broad contours of the Strategic
propulsion systems, consisting diesel and Partnership Model (SPM). The policy is
electric ones. intended to engage the Indian private sector
• Freight Rail System: Under this, Elevated in the manufacture of hi-tech defence
corridors would be built with rail lines where equipment in India.
freight trucks can be placed. It would move • Foreign Investment upto 49% is allowed
on rails at high speed, reducing freight time through automatic route and above 49%
and increasing freight quantity. under Government route on case-to-case
Hyperloop basis. Moreover, Government is thinking of
• Recently, Hyperloop Transportation Technologies 100 percent FDI in defence through
(HTT) has signed an agreement with the Andhra automatic route.
Pradesh government to connect the city centres
of Amravati and Vijayawada.
• It’s the first agreement in India for the new
80
to severe internal damage, destroying tissue
13.4. INDIA’S FIRST PRIVATE
in the mouth and intestinal tract.
MISSILE PRODUCTION • Liquid nitrogen also has an expansion ratio of
FACILITY UNVEILED 1:694 at 20 degree Celsius, meaning one litre
of liquid nitrogen at 20 degree Celsius can
Why in news?
expand to 694 litres of nitrogen gas. If it is
Recently, India’s first private missile production swallowed and gets into a person’s stomach,
facility was unveiled near Hyderabad. it could explode
India's first private sector small arms manufacturing • According to experts, food and drinks that
plant are prepared with liquid nitrogen should be
• It is a Joint Venture (JV) between Punj Lloyd and consumed only after all the smokes have
Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) at Malanpur in evaporated.
Madhya Pradesh.
• It’s the first JV under the Make in India initiative. 13.6. NOVEL MOLECULE TO
Details TREAT CANCER - DISARIB
• The missile sub-section manufacturing • Disarib is a novel small molecule, designed
facility has been established as a joint and synthesised by Indian researchers which
venture (51:49) between Kalyani Group and has shown promise in targeted killing of
Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defence System Ltd. cancer cells.
• The Kalyani Rafael Advanced System Facility • The molecule (Disarib) works by binding itself
will initially manufacture Anti-Tank Guided to a protein called BCL2, which suppresses
Missile (ATGM) Spike. the death of cancerous cells while sparing
• The facility has been established in line with normal cells.
‘Make in India’ initiative and Defence • However, the Disarib molecule would be
Procurement Policy, 2016 to ‘Make (Indian)’ ineffective in cases where expression of BCL2
and ‘Buy and Make (Indian)’. is low in cancer cell lines such as breast
cancer, cervical cancer etc.
13.5. LIQUID NITROGEN IN
13.7. BACTERIA NAMED AFTER
FOOD AND DRINKS
A P J ABDUL KALAM
Why in news?
Why in news?
• The Haryana government recently banned
the use of liquid nitrogen in drinks and food, • Scientists at NASA have named a new
reacting to a cocktail accident at a Gurgaon organism – a bacteria as Solibacillus kalamii
pub that burnt a hole in a man's stomach. in honour of Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam.
• The Haryana food and drugs administration • This form of bacteria has only been found on
department issued an order that any eatery the International Space Station and not on
found using liquid nitrogen with any drink or earth as of yet.
food will be booked under Food Safety and
Standards Act, 2006.
13.8. KALAMSAT
About Liquid Nitrogen • NASA launched the world's smallest satellite
(weigh= 64 grams), built by 18-year old Tamil
• Liquid nitrogen (nitrogen in a liquid state at Nadu student Rifath Sharook and his team.
an extremely low temperature) is colourless • Named as Kalamsat, after former President
and has a boiling point of -195.79 °C. It is APJ Abdul Kalam, it’s a 3-D printed satellite
used in bars to quickly chill glasses, freeze and equipped with nano Geiger Muller
ingredients, provide a smoky effect to drinks. counter for measuring the radiation in space
• Due to its low temperature, liquid nitrogen • Objective: To demonstrate the performance
can be extremely damaging to body tissue, of 3D-printed carbon fibre as it's for the first
causing frostbite and cryogenic burning on time that 3-D printing technology is being
contact. Moreover, if ingested, it could lead used in space.
81
Hyderabad by H-BOTS, a Hyderabad-based
13.9. CHESS
start-up
• NASA launched a sounding rocket CHESS • ‘Robocop’ can assist police in handling law
(Colorado High-resolution Echelle Stellar and order, and traffic management.
Spectrograph) to study vast interstellar • It can move, recognizes people, takes
clouds and know about the earliest stages of complaints, detects bombs, identified
star formation. suspects, interacted with people, and
• It studied Beta Scorpii — a hot, brightly answers peoples queries.
shining star in the Scorpius constellation to
probe the material between the star and our 13.15. GOOGLE LUNAR XPRIZE
own solar system.
• Recently, $30-million Google Lunar XPRIZE
13.10. HWASONG-15 (GLXP) organizer has called off its 10-year-old
challenge, as no team competing will make a
• It is a two-staged, liquid-fuelled launch attempt to reach the moon by March
intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), 31.
developed by North Korea. • Competing Team: SPACEIL from Israel, Moon
Express from USA, Synergy Moon, an
13.11. ATAGS international team, Hakuto from Japan and
Team Indus from India.
• Recently, Advanced Towed Artillery Gun
• Team Indus is India’s first privately funded
System (ATAGS), has set a new world record
start-up and if its moon mission is successful,
in range by hitting targets at a distance of 48 then it would have become the first private
km. Indian startup to land a craft on the moon. It
• It is being jointly developed by the Defence
had planned to send a lander-rover to the
Research and Development Organisation moon on an ISRO launcher.
(DRDO) and the private sector.
• ATAGS is a 155mm, 52 calibre towed artillery 13.16. CHANG’E 4
gun being developed in mission mode by
DRDO as a part of the Army’s artillery • It is China’s lunar probe on the dark side of
modernisation programme. the moon.
• It incorporates a orbiter, lander and rover.
13.12. KUNLONG
13.17. GAIA MISSION
• It's the world’s largest amphibious aircraft
capable of carrying 50 people and can stay • It is a mission of European Space Agency
airborne for 12 hours. which aims to chart a three-dimensional map
• It's also known as AG600 and makes China of about 1 billion stars throughout our
among the world’s few countries capable of Galaxy, the Milky Way and beyond.
developing a large amphibious aircraft.
13.18. TABBY'S STAR
• Application: Millitary, firefighting and marine
rescue. • It is also known as Boyajian’s star
• It is a part of the Cygnus constellation which
13.13. STRATOLAUNCH PLANE shows anomalously large fluctuations of light
• It's an airplane with the world's largest intensity i.e its light intensity drops by more
wingspan, has successfully completed its than 20% at times, with regular smaller
initial engine tests. fluctuations which are also in excess of that
• It's designed to serve as a launching platform seen in many other stars.
for sending rockets into low-Earth orbit.
13.14. SMART ROBO COP

• A life-sized robot, claimed to be the world's
first smart policing robot was launched in
82
creation of an international certification
13.19. KIMBERLY PROCESS
scheme for rough diamond. It also finds
CERTIFICATION SCHEME mention in the United Nations Security
Why in news? Council resolutions.
• India is one of the founding member of KPCS.
Recently, Kimberly Process Certification Scheme At present, KPCS has 54 members
Plenary was held at Brisbane which resolved to representing 81 countries including the EU
create an Ad hoc Committee on Review and with 28 members.
Reform with India as the chair. • KPCS enables the participating countries to
About Kimberly Process Certification Scheme certify the shipment in rough diamonds as
(KPCS) ‘conflict-free’ and prevent entrance of
conflict diamonds in legitimate trade.
• It is a joint Government, International • According to the KPCS terms, member states
Diamond Industry and Civil Society initiative have to meet the ‘minimum requirements’
to stem the flow of Conflict Diamonds (rough
and also put in place national legislations and
diamonds used to finance the conflicts and institutions, export, import and internal
topple the established government). controls, commit to transparency and
• It was started in 2003 after the United exchange of statistical data.
Nations General Assembly adopted a
landmark resolution in 2000 supporting the

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JUNE 2016 – March 2017
NOTE: April 2017 to 15th May 2017 current affairs for PT 365 will be updated on our website on third week of
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IAS.
Table of Contents
3.1.2. Remote Sensing Satellite RESOURCESAT-2A
1. BIOTECHNOLOGY _____________________5 Launched _________________________________ 16
1.1. Human Genome Project-Write (HGP-Write) 5 3.1.3. ISRO Launches 20 Satellites _____________ 16
3.1.4. Successful Testing of Scramjet Engine _____ 17
1.2. LUCA _______________________________ 5 3.1.5. GSLV F05 and INSAT 3DR _______________ 17
3.1.6. PSLV Successfully Launches 8 Satellites ____ 18
1.3. First Human Genetic Editing Trial ________ 6
3.1.7. GSAT 18 Satellite Launched _____________ 18
1.4. Biotech-Kisan and Cattle Genomics _______ 6 3.1.8. ISRO Rover on Lunar Surface ____________ 18
3.1.9. Telemetry and Telecommand Processor (TTCP)
1.5. Biofuel from Aquatic Weeds ____________ 7 _________________________________________ 18
1.6. Mitochondrial Gene therapy ____________ 7 3.1.10. ISRO Signs Deal for First Privately Built
Satellite __________________________________ 19
1.7. G-Protein Coupled Receptors (GPCR) _____ 8 3.1.11. Hypersonic Wind Tunnel ______________ 19
1.8. DNA-Tagging of Convicts _______________ 8 3.1.12. ISRO’s Future Interplanetary Missions ___ 19
1.9. The Regional Centre for Biotechnology Act 3.2. India’s First Private Moon Mission ______ 19
2016 ___________________________________ 8 3.3. Gravitational Wave Telescope: NGARI ___ 20
3.3.1. China Sets Up First 'Dark Sky' Reserve _____ 20
1.10. Agricultural Biotechnology-Rice Varities __ 9
3.4. Space Technology for Roofs - CASPOL ____ 20
1.11. Biomolecule Sequencer Experiment _____ 9
3.5. Sofia ______________________________ 21
1.12. Gelator ____________________________ 9
3.6. Five-Hundred-Meter Aperture Spherical
1.13. RIDL Technology _____________________ 9
Radio Telescope_________________________ 21
1.14. Yamanaka Genes ____________________ 9
3.7. Quess Satellite ______________________ 21
1.15. Cybathlon 2016 ____________________ 10
3.8. Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission _____ 21
2. IT AND COMPUTERS __________________11
3.9. James Webb Telescope _______________ 21
2.1. Internet of things ____________________ 11
3.10. First Ligo Site ______________________ 22
2.1.1. Industrial Internet _____________________ 11
2.1.2. IOT India Congress ____________________ 11 3.11. China’s First Space Station ____________ 22
2.2. Aquila _____________________________ 11 3.12. Sherloc Technique __________________ 22
2.3. Param-Ishan Supercomputer Launched __ 12 3.13. Largest Metal Asteroid-Psyche ________ 22
2.4. First Augmented Reality (AR) Institute ___ 12 3.14. pulsar navigation satellite ____________ 22
2.5. QUANTUM Communications ___________ 12 3.15. Kirameki-2 Satellite _________________ 23
2.6. Sunway Taihulight ___________________ 13 3.16. 100 Years Programme _______________ 23
2.7. Unstructured Supplementary Service Data 13 3.17. Chandra X-Ray Observatory ___________ 23
2.8. Project Alloy ________________________ 13 3.18. Deep Space Atomic Clock Mission ______ 23
2.9. Software Robotics ___________________ 14 3.19. Copernicus Earth Observation Programme
2.10. Lakshmi Robot _____________________ 14 ______________________________________ 23
2.11. Bharat QR Code ____________________ 14 3.20. CYGNSS Satellites ___________________ 24
2.12. Millimeter Wave Technology __________ 14 3.21. Restore-L Spacecraft ________________ 24
2.13. Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta 3.22. TANSAT Satellite____________________ 24

Abhiyan _______________________________ 15 3.23. ALMA Telescope Array _______________ 24
3. SPACE AND DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY _____16 3.24. Launch of Agni-V ___________________ 24
3.1. Latest Developments at ISRO __________ 16 3.25. Launch of Agni IV Missile _____________ 25
3.1.1. Launch of 104 Satellites in A Single Flight by
3.26. Other Important News _______________ 25
PSLV-C37 _________________________________ 16
3.26.1. Planet 9 ____________________________ 25
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3.26.2. LISA Pathfinder ______________________ 25 4.13. Mcr-1 Isolated in India _______________ 39
3.26.3. MoU for Geo-Tagging Assets ___________ 26
3.26.4. Einstein Ring ________________________ 26 4.14. Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness and
3.26.5. Circumbinary Planet __________________ 26 Innovations ____________________________ 39
3.26.6. New Horizon’s Mission ________________ 26 4.15. Chikungunya Vaccine ________________ 40
3.26.7. Nasa’s Juno Begins Orbit of Jupiter ______ 27
3.26.8. The Dwarf Planet Ceres _______________ 27 4.16. Diagnosis of Dengue and Chikungunya __ 40
3.26.9. Flooded Canyons Found on Saturn’s Moon
4.17. Curbing the Growth of Malaria Parasite _ 41
Titan ____________________________________ 28
3.26.10. Stephen Hawking’s Prediction about Black 4.18. Ebola Vaccine ______________________ 41
Holes ____________________________________ 28
3.26.11. Proxima B _________________________ 28 4.19. Jeevan Rekha: E-Health Project ________ 41
3.26.12. OSIRIS-Rex_________________________ 29 4.20. New Human Organ Found: Mesentery __ 42
3.26.13 World’s Largest Radio Telescope Begins
Operations _______________________________ 29 4.21. Hyperbilirubinemia _________________ 42
3.26.14. More Than a Billion Stars Mapped _____ 29
4.22. India’s National Vaccine Regulatory
3.26.15. Rosetta: Updates ___________________ 29
3.26.16. Slowest Magnetar Spotted ____________ 30 Authority ______________________________ 42
3.26.17. Point Nemo-the Point of Inaccessibility on 4.23. Predator Found for Dengue Causing
Earth ____________________________________ 30 Mosquito ______________________________ 42
3.26.18. Mystery Behind Birth of Saturn’s Rings
Solved ___________________________________ 30 4.24. PFSPZ Vaccine ______________________ 43
3.26.19. NASA Probe to Hunt for ‘Trojan’ Asteroids
4.25. CYSVAX Vaccine ____________________ 43
_________________________________________ 31
3.26.20. Innovative Magnetic Tether for Slowing 4.26. BGR-34 ___________________________ 43
Space Junk ________________________________ 31
3.26.21. China opens first fully-owned satellite 4.27. Zika Replicon System ________________ 43
ground station ____________________________ 32 5. NANOTECHNOLOGY __________________ 44
3.26.22. Exoplanet: Wolf1061C _______________ 32
3.26.23. NASA Mission to Explore Asteroids _____ 32 5.1. Draft Guidelines on Safe Handling of
3.26.24. The Great Red Spot _________________ 33 Nanomaterials __________________________ 44
3.26.25. Mars Ice Home _____________________ 33
3.26.26. BLAZARS __________________________ 33 5.2. Nanogenerator ______________________ 44
3.26.27. “Vampire” Star _____________________ 33 6. AWARDS AND INDIGENIZATION OF
3.26.28. ISRO Aided by India's Entry into MTCR __ 33
3.26.29. Trappist-1 _________________________ 34
TECHNOLOGY _________________________ 45
3.27. Grapes-3 Experiment ________________ 34 6.1. Inspire Awards ______________________ 45

6.2. NIDHI______________________________ 45
4. HEALTH ____________________________35
6.3. Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award ________ 45
4.1. Potassium Bromate __________________ 35
6.4. Advanced Ultra Super Critical Technology
4.2. Maltitol ____________________________ 35
(AUSC) ________________________________ 46
4.3. Zika Vaccine: DNA Vaccine (GLS-5700) ___ 35
6.5. Solar Power Tree ____________________ 46
4.4. Yaws Free Status for India _____________ 35
6.6. Divya Nayan ________________________ 46
4.5. Charge Syndrome ____________________ 36
7. IPR ________________________________ 47
4.6. Need for an HPV Vaccine ______________ 36
7.1. Copyright Infringement: Govt Policy and
4.7. Made-in-India Leprosy Vaccine _________ 36 Measures ______________________________ 47
4.8. Foot & Mouth Disease (FMD) __________ 37 7.2. Right to Photocopy ___________________ 47
4.9. Klebsiella Pneumoniae Bacteria ________ 37 8. SOME RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN SCIENCE
4.10. Superbugs _________________________ 38 AND TECHNOLOGY _____________________ 48
4.11. Anti-Malaria Battle__________________ 38 8.1. Exploring Metals in Indian Ocean _______ 48
4.12. Genes Behind Intellectual Disability ____ 38 8.2. LIDAR _____________________________ 49

8.3. Bionic Leaf _________________________ 50 9.11. Photosynthesis to Increase Crop Yield __ 62
8.4. Bio-Ink for 3D Printing ________________ 50 9.12. India-UK Newton Fund Research
Programme ____________________________ 62
8.5. DNA: Data Storage ___________________ 50
9.13. Disanet-Disaster Communication Network
8.6. Self-Driven Cars _____________________ 50
______________________________________ 63
8.7. Nobel Prize in Medicine/Physiology _____ 51
9.14. Jet Stream in Earth’s Core ____________ 63
8.8. Nobel Prize in Physics 2016 ____________ 51
9.15. Dead Zone in Bay of Bengal ___________ 64
8.9. Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2016 __________ 51
9.16. Leap Second to be Added to Final Minute
8.10. Himansh __________________________ 52 of 2016 ________________________________ 64
8.11. Other Important News _______________ 52 9.17. Floating Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) Plant
8.11.1. Researchers Dissolve Silver Using Glucose ______________________________________ 64
Water ___________________________________ 52
8.11.2. Cognitive Digital Radio ________________ 53 9.18. Ashalim Project ____________________ 65
8.11.3. Scientists Recycle CO2 to Create Usable Fuel 9.19. E-Cigarettes _______________________ 65
_________________________________________ 53
8.11.4. Maharashtra Govt to Use Drone to Monitor 9.20. Cloud Seeding ______________________ 65
Traffic ___________________________________ 53
8.11.5. Use of Fungi to Recycle Batteries________ 53
9.21. Switch to Digital Terrestrial Transmission
8.11.6. Making Brackish Water Potable _________ 54 by 2023 _______________________________ 66
8.11.7. Solution to Marine Oil Spills ____________ 54 9.22. Why Doesn’t Earth’s Inner Core Melt? __ 66
8.11.8. Hyperelastic Bone ____________________ 54
8.11.9. Indian Researchers Produces Stable Solar 9.23. Thor Experiment ____________________ 66
Cells _____________________________________ 54
9.24. Uranium Reserves Found in Meghalaya _ 67
8.11.10. NASA’s New Instrument- BILI __________ 55
8.11.11. CSIR’s Technology For Leather Processing 55 9.25. VX Nerve Agent ____________________ 67
8.11.12. Solar Cells from Human Hair __________ 56
8.11.13. Electric Paper ______________________ 56 9.26. First Zero Emission Train _____________ 67
8.11.14. EM Drive __________________________ 56 9.27. Project 22220 ______________________ 67
8.11.15. World’s First Water-Wave Laser _______ 57
8.11.16. Superconductivity Found in Bismuth ____ 57 9.28. World’s First Electric Road ____________ 67
8.11.17. Graphene from Soybean _____________ 57 9.29. Brown Carbon ______________________ 68
9. MISCELLANEOUS ____________________58 9.30. Thubber __________________________ 68
9.1. India to Become an Associate Member of 9.31. India International Science Festival (IISF) 68
CERN__________________________________ 58
9.32. Dynamic Monsoon Model ____________ 68
9.2. International Continental Scientific Drilling
Program _______________________________ 58 9.33. Deception Detection Tests ____________ 69
9.3. PAVA Shells_________________________ 59 9.34. Mitochondrial DNA and Nuclear DNA ___ 69
9.4. Fossils Found Points to Life on Earth 3.7 9.35. Vertical Farming ____________________ 69
Billion Years Ago ________________________ 59 9.36. Safe Drinking Water Technologies by CSIR
9.5. ICGS Ships Commissioned _____________ 59 ______________________________________ 69
9.6. Fast Neutron Reactor _________________ 60 9.37. Thor 3D Aircraft ____________________ 70
9.7. Mushroom Cultivation ________________ 60 9.38. Decision Review System (DRS) ________ 70
9.8. Tobacco Faming _____________________ 61 9.39. AG600 Amphibious Aircraft ___________ 70
9.9. Aquaponic Farm _____________________ 61 9.40. Blue Light Emitted by LED is Harmful ___ 70
9.10. International Conference on Brucellosis _ 62 9.41. New Elements on The Periodic Table ___ 71

1. BIOTECHNOLOGY
1.1. HUMAN GENOME PROJECT-WRITE (HGP-WRITE)
Why in news?
On June 2, 2016, scientists from multiple academic institutions in the US published a perspective in the
journal Science proposing a second human genome project, called Human Genome Project-Write (HGP-Write)
Background
 The original Human Genome Project was referred to as HGP-Read.
 HGP-read aimed to “read” a human genome. Many scientists now believe that to truly understand our
genetic blueprint, it is necessary to “write” DNA and build human (and other) genomes from scratch.
What is the Genome Project-write? The Human Genome Project (HGP) Read was a
 It will be an open, academic, international scientific large, international and multi-institutional effort
research project led by a multi-disciplinary group of that took 13 years [1990-2003] and $2.7 billion
to produce a blueprint of the sequence of genes
scientific leaders who will oversee a reduction in the costs
and spaces between genes that make up a
of engineering and testing large genomes, including a typical human genome.
human genome, in cell lines by over 1,000-fold within ten
years,
 They will also be developing new technologies and an ethical framework for genome-scale engineering as
well as transformative medical applications.
 The overarching goal of such an effort is to further our understanding of the blueprint for life provided by
the Human Genome Project (HGP-read).
How will HGP-write benefit humanity?
Some potential applications include, but are not limited to:
 Growing transplantable human organs, thus saving the lives of thousands of patients globally who die
waiting for donated organs from those who die from disease or accidents
 Engineering immunity to viruses in cell lines
 Engineering cancer resistance into new therapeutic cell lines
 Enabling high-productivity, cost-efficient vaccine and pharmaceutical development using human cells and
organoids that makes precision medicine more affordable and universal
How will HGP-write benefit biomedical research?
 Similar to sequencing and computation, DNA synthesis is a foundational technology. HGP-write is therefore
expected to accelerate research and development across the spectrum of life sciences, supporting basic
research and the development of new bio-based therapies, vaccines, materials, energy sources, and foods.
 Additionally, the project will develop enabling tools of broad applicability throughout biomedical research
 Computational tools, which allow the redesign of any genome, followed by compilation and testing of
the redesigned code in silico before hitting the print button
 Phenotypic screening platforms such as organoid cultures, which allow characterization of performance
of synthetic DNA and variants of unknown significance
 Cheaper, more accurate and longer DNA synthesis and assembly.
 Targeted delivery to specific cell types or systemically throughout multiple organ systems.
1.2. LUCA
Why in News?
 A team of scientists led by William Martin from Heinrich Heine University, Dusseldorf have discovered the
ancestor of all things on earth and its name is LUCA.

About LUCA
 LUCA stands for Last Universal Common Ancestor.
 It is the most recent organism from which all organisms now living on
Earth have a common descent. Thus, it is the most recent common
ancestor (MRCA) of all current life on Earth.
 As such, it should not be assumed to be the first living organism.
Highlights of the study
 Two of three major life domains: Bacteria and Archae share common
genetic features with LUCA.
 Scientists went through 6.1 million protein encoded genes and identified 355 genes that trace to the last
ancestor by phylogenetic criteria.
 LUCA is no less that 4 billion years old and was a single cell An autotroph is an organism that produces
organism. complex organic compounds from simple
 The study suggests that LUCA lived in a “geochemically substances present in its surroundings,
active environment”. i.e. it did not necessarily need generally using energy from light or inorganic
oxygen and can feed off hydrogen, carbon dioxide and chemical reactions.
iron.
 LUCA would have inhabited volcanically active places or areas where tectonic plates are moving apart, ocean
basins, and hotspots.
 The study also suggests autotrophic or self-nourishing origin of life.
 It also proves Charles Darwin propose theory of universal common descent through an evolutionary process.
1.3. FIRST HUMAN GENETIC EDITING TRIAL

Why in News?
 Chinese scientists are set to perform the world’s first genetic editing trial on humans in August 2016 in
order to find a cure for lung cancer.
 Oncologists will inject patients with cells that have been modified using a specific gene-editing technique.
What is it?
 The process of genetic editing will be carried out through CRISPR-Cas9 technique.
 CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) is a collection of DNA sequences that
lets scientists to selectively edit genome parts and replace them with new DNA stretches.
 Cas9 is an enzyme that can edit DNA allowing the alteration of genetic patterns through genome
modification.
 CRISPR directs Cas9 where to cut and paste.
How will it work?
 Doctors will extracts T-cells (a type of immune cell) from lung cancer patients and edit them.
 The edited cells will then be multiplied in the laboratory before being reintroduced into the patient’s body.
 T-cells are then expected to attack tumour cells.
 This technique has been approved in the UK as a way to bypass a baby inheriting harmful mitochondrial
diseases.
1.4. BIOTECH-KISAN AND CATTLE GENOMICS

Why in News?
 The Ministry of Science and Technology has launched two farmer-centric initiatives known as Biotech-KISAN
and Cattle Genomics.
Biotech-KISAN (Krishi Innovation Science Application Network)
 For Farmers: The Biotech-KISAN is a Farmer centric scheme launched by of the Department of
Biotechnology, where scientists will work in sync with farmers to understand problems and find solutions.

 By Farmers: Developed in consultation with the farmers. Biotech-KISAN aims to link farmers, scientists and
science institutions across the country in a network that identifies and helps solve their problems in a
cooperative manner.
 Empower women: The scheme includes the Mahila Biotech- KISAN fellowships, for training and education in
farm practices, for women farmers. The Scheme also aims to support the women farmers/ entrepreneur in
their small enterprises, making her a grass root innovator.
 Connects Globally: Biotech-KISAN will connect farmers to best global practices; training workshops will be
held in India and other countries.
 Hubs and Spoke. In each of these 15 regions, a Farmer organisation will be the hub connected to different
science labs, Krishi Vigyan Kendra and State Agriculture Universities co-located in the region. The hub will
reach out to the farmers in the region and connect them to scientists and institutions.
Cattle Genomics
 Through this programme, the government aims to improve the genetic health of the cattle population
through genomic selection. Genomic selection will ensure high-yielding, disease-resistant, resilient livestock.
 Genome sequencing of indigenous cattle breeds from all registered cattle breeds of India by involving
various stakeholders is to start soon.
 The programme also envisages development of high-density DNA chips. This will reduce the cost and time
interval for future breeding programmes and productivity of indigenous cattle would be enhanced.
1.5. BIOFUEL FROM AQUATIC WEEDS

Why in News?
 Scientists at IIT Kharagpur found a way to ramp up yields of biofuel sourced from commonly found aquatic
weeds such as water hyacinths.
What is Biofuel?
 A biofuel is defined as any fuel whose energy is obtained through a process of biological carbon fixation.
Biofuel can be characterized on the basis of their source biomass.
What is Aquatic weed?
 Aquatic weeds are those unabated plants which grow and complete their life cycle in water and cause harm
to aquatic environment directly.
 Some limitations of Aquatic weed are that it reduces water storage capacity in reservoirs, tanks, ponds. It
also impedes flow and amount of water in canals and drainage systems.
 It also reduces fish production by lowering oxygen levels and promoting nutrient assimilation. It also
interferes with navigation and aesthetic value of water body. It also promotes habitat for mosquitoes.
1.6. MITOCHONDRIAL GENE THERAPY

Why in news?
 The world’s first baby using a controversial new technique developed by US
scientists to include DNA from three parents in the embryo has been born.
 Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority (HFEA) of United Kingdom
has allowed the first mitochondrial replacement therapy (MRT) by allowing
creation of a “three-parent baby” - a child in which the vast majority of
DNA comes from the mother and father and a small amount of DNA comes
from a female donor.
 The procedure was done through the pronuclear transfer technique.
About 3- parents’ technique
 It is a mitochondrial transfer technique that creates embryos that carry the
chromosomes of two parents, but the mitochondrial DNA of a donor.

Significance and types of the MRT
 The benefit of MRT is that it helps in preventing mitochondrial diseases which can be passed on from the
affected mother to the offspring.
 The process can be done by two methods - Pronuclear transfer and the Spindle transfer.
1.7. G-PROTEIN COUPLED RECEPTORS (GPCR)

Why in news?
 Researchers from IIT Kanpur have found that regulation of GPCRs by the drug molecules can be far simpler
than earlier thought by simply engaging with end (tail) of receptor.
Background
 Presently, for any drug to be effective it has to bind at
two sites of receptors – at the tail, outside the cell and at
the core, present inside the cell.
 However researchers were able to prove drug could be
equally effective by just binding at one of the site i.e. at
the tail of receptor. They through specific engineering,
made the other site i.e. core of the receptor ineffective.
How GPCRs works?
 Receptors are found on the cell surface with a part of it
embedded in the cell membrane and other part
protrudes outside membrane and inside of the cell.
 These Receptors reacts to external stimuli by changing
their shape which brings a corresponding change in the shape of receptors inside the cell. This change in
shape inside the cell allows the receptor to bind to a particular protein called G-Protein triggering a specific
change in the cell which brings physiological changes in our body.(G- Proteins are a family of proteins, which
act like a switch mechanism inside cell and is activated by GPCRs).
 These external stimuli can be brought about by any hormones, drugs, photons, neurotransmitters, growth
factors or glycoproteins.
 In a person with high blood pressure, a prescribed drug binds to receptor and activates corresponding
protein inside cell arrestins (effector proteins of these particular GPCRs).
 As a result arrestin pulls the receptor inside the cell (Process called receptor endocytosis). This prevents the
angiotensin (hormone responsible for increasing blood pressure) from binding to the receptor even if it is
present in blood and thus interrupts signaling process, thereby helping in controlling the blood pressure.
1.8. DNA-TAGGING OF CONVICTS

Why in news?
Andhra Pradesh is drafting a legislation that will enable collection and storage of genetic fingerprints in a
centralized database to track offenders.
What is DNA fingerprinting?
 DNA fingerprinting is a laboratory technique used to establish a link between biological evidence and a
suspect in a criminal investigation.
 DNA fingerprinting is also used to establish paternity, seed stock identification, the authenticity of consumer
products, and medical diagnosis.
1.9. THE REGIONAL CENTRE FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY ACT 2016

 To serve members of UNESCO as per its obligation under an agreement by India in 2006 with UNESCO the
government had set up the Regional Centre for Biotechnology Training and Education in Faridabad, Haryana
through an executive order in 2009.

 The Act gave legislative backing to the Regional Centre. It confers upon it the status of an institution of
national importance.
 The objectives of the Regional Centre includes
o Disseminate knowledge by teaching and research facilities in biotechnology
o Facilitate transfer of technology and knowledge in the SAARC region and generally Asia
o Create a hub of biotechnology expertise
o Promote cooperation at the international level.
1.10. AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY-RICE VARITIES

 Assam Agricultural University (AAU) has developed two rice varieties, namely Ranjit Sub-1 and Bahadur Sub-
1 – it is an extension of the Ranjit and Bahadur varieties being used by the farmers currently in Assam.
 The objective is to get better yields under submerged conditions in Assam mainly in the Barak Valley.
 The state is prone to periodical flash floods particularly during the monsoon season.
1.11. BIOMOLECULE SEQUENCER EXPERIMENT

 NASA successfully sequenced DNA in microgravity under Biomolecule Sequencer experiment.
 This experiment was done abroad the International Space Station.
 It used a MinION sequencer that is the only real time device for DNA and RNA sequencing.
 With this knowledge, astronauts could diagnose an illness to help protect themselves against health
problems during long duration missions like journey to Mars
 Future explorers could also potentially use this technology to identify DNA-based life forms beyond Earth.
1.12. GELATOR
 Gelator is a compound developed by researchers at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research
(IISER) Thiruvananthapuram.
 It is a compound to recover marine oil spills with a simple, efficient and cost-effective method.
 It is partly hydrophobic and partly hydrophilic - hydrophilic part forms gelator fibres, the hydrophobic part is
responsible for diffusion into the oil layer.
 Gelator congeals oil i.e. making oil semi-solid, from an oil-water mixture.
 Unlike other alternatives, the gelators are in a powder form and can be easily applied over oil-water mixture
thus avoiding any environmental damage.
 It can be re-used several times.
1.13. RIDL TECHNOLOGY

 Release of Insects carrying Dominant Lethal genes (RIDL) technology is a technology using genetically
modified mosquitoes to suppress wild female Aedes aegypti mosquito populations that transmit dengue,
chikungunya and Zika.
 It uses genetically modified male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes carrying a dominant lethal gene.
 When male GM mosquitoes mate with wild female mosquitoes, the lethal gene is passed on to offspring that
kills the larvae before they reach adulthood.
 Since male mosquitoes do not bite humans, the release of GM males does not increase the risk of dengue,
chikungunya and Zika.
1.14. YAMANAKA GENES

Why in news? About Yamanaka Genes
 Recently, scientists have found a ‘stress factor,’  They are the four essential genes that can reprogramme
the cells in our body and can be used to regenerate old
a pro-inflammatory molecule called
cells or grow new organs.
interleukin-6 (IL6) that may be responsible for
 Collectively known as OSKM (for the initials of the
reducing the efficiency of the Yamanaka genes. genes, Oct4, Sox2, Klf4 and Myc), these Yamanaka genes
are named after Japanese scientist Shinya Yamanaka.
 With this finding the Yamanaka genes may finally
About iPSCs
result in practical therapy. iPSCs are body (somatic) cells which have been
Significance of Yamanaka genes reprogrammed to function like embryonic stem cells,
thereby sidestepping the controversial use of killing the
 The introduction of these genes can convert adult embryos while harvesting the stem cells.
cells into pluripotent stem cells.  This is done by introducing four regulatory factors
 Can be used for RBC generation as type O red (pieces of DNA) into the cells.
blood cells are synthesized from iPSC developed  Scientists at the Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine
with Yamanaka genes. and Health, China have claimed that they have
 A big revolution as they can use for investigation improved the efficiency of Shinya Yamanaka’s
invention of producing induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
of diseases and drugs.
(iPSC) which won Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2012.
 Can be used to synthesise new from stem cells.
 Can also be used to grow & repair tissues & vascular vessels.
Challenges
 The genes are not very efficient at reversing cell-ageing.
 There is a risk of incomplete programming.
 They may also induce a particular type of tumour (known as teratoma) that makes cell reprogramming
incompatible with its potential clinical use.
But the supplies of autologous cells is unlimited & bypass the need for embryos, better understanding of these
genes may lead to greatest achievements in medical treatments & research.
1.15. CYBATHLON 2016

Why in news?
 For the first time, Cybathlon was organized in Zurich
 It will feature six disciplines:
on October 8 last year.
 Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES)
About Cybathlon bicycle race
 Powered Leg Prosthesis Race
 It will host 74 athletes from 25 countries.  Powered Wheelchair Race
 Unlike the Paralympics, the Cybathlon looks for  Powered Exoskeleton Race
excellence and innovation in the way of interfacing the  Powered Arm Prosthesis Race
human and the robotic components.  Brain-computer interfaces game (BCI Race).
 It intends to promote the development and
widespread use of bionic technology.
 An Indian team, trained and supported by Riselegs (a Bengaluru-based organization that specializes in
devising prosthetic legs and mobility devices made of cane) will participate.
Bionics Technology in medicine
 In medicine, Bionics usually means the replacement or enhancement of organs or other body parts by
mechanical versions or electrical add ons.
 Bionic implants differ from mere prostheses by mimicking the original function very closely, or even
surpassing it.

2. IT AND COMPUTERS
2.1. INTERNET OF THINGS
2.1.1. INDUSTRIAL INTERNET
What is Industrial Internet?
 IoT’s industrial applications are called as the ‘Industrial Internet’.
 The Industrial Internet closely linked to enterprise IoT is likely to radically transform and overhaul business
segments including manufacturing, oil and gas, agriculture, defence, mining, transportation and healthcare
etc. Collectively, these sectors account for over two-thirds of the global economy.
How Industrial Internet works?
 The industrial Internet draws together fields such as machine learning, big data, the Internet of things and
machine-to-machine communication to absorb data from machines, analyze it (in real-time), and use it to
adjust operations.
 It holds great potential for quality control, sustainable and green practices and overall supply chain
efficiency.
 The Industrial Internet also is applied to transportation projects, such as driverless cars and intelligent
railroad systems.
About The internet of things (IoT)
 The internet of things (IoT) is the network of physical devices, vehicles, buildings and other items-embedded with
electronics, software, sensors, and network connectivity that enable these objects to collect and exchange data.
 Thus IoT creates opportunities for more direct integration of the physical world into computer-based systems, and
resulting in improved efficiency, accuracy and economic benefits
 IoT is one of the platforms of today's Smart City, and Smart Energy Management Systems. It can also be used to
improve crop yield to help feed the world’s growing population.
2.1.2. IOT INDIA CONGRESS

 IOT India Congress aims to bring together stakeholders across the value chain and verticals to collaborate on
a common roadmap for IoT implementation.
 First session of IOT India Congress was held at Bengaluru.
2.2. AQUILA
Why in news?
Free Basics Banned in India
 Facebook successfully completed its first test flight of its  Facebook tied up with Reliance
solar powered internet drone Aquila. Communications to launch the Free
 Also, the company hopes to develop a fleet of Aquilas that Basics program in India in 2015.
can fly for at least three months at a height of 60,000 feet  However, the Telecom Regulatory
Authority of India (TRAI) banned Free
and communicate with each other to provide internet access.
Basics in early 2016 supporting net
About Aquila neutrality and against differential data
pricing for content services.
 Aquila project is part of the Facebook’s Connectivity Lab, a
department which is creating new technologies including aircrafts, satellites and wireless communication
systems.
 Facebook is trying to bring internet access to areas where internet connectivity is bad or non-existent.
 One of the other initiatives that the company has taken to achieve this goal is by providing pared down
version of the internet in poor areas. It is called Free Basics or internet.org.
 Similarly, Google’s parent company Alphabet Inc. has also invested to provide internet access to under-
served areas through Project Loon. The project aims to use high-altitude balloons to create an aerial wireless
network.

2.3. PARAM-ISHAN SUPERCOMPUTER LAUNCHED
 Union Human Resource Development Minister launched the supercomputer PARAM-ISHAN at IIT Guwahati.
 Param-Ishan has the power of 250 Teraflops and three hundred tera bites capacity.
 This supercomputer can be used in application areas like computational chemistry, computational fluid
dynamics, computational electromagnetic, civil engineering structures, nana-block self-assemble,
optimization etc.
 It can also be used for weather, climate modelling and seismic data processing.
2.4. FIRST AUGMENTED REALITY (AR) INSTITUTE

About
 India’s first augmented reality (AR) education and training institute will be set in Varanasi.
 The institution will be established by the central government in partnership with Eon Reality, an augmented
reality company based in the US.
What is Augmented Reality?
 Augmented reality is a computer technology that functions on computer vision-based recognition algorithms
to augment sound, video, graphics and other sensor based inputs on real world objects, using your device’s
camera.
 It layers digital enhancements to enrich an existing real life setting by appealing to the senses.
 Augmented 3D information helps workers on assembly lines, or during maintenance work and repair to carry
out required tasks.
2.5. QUANTUM COMMUNICATIONS

Why in news?
China recently launched a 712-km quantum communication line, stated Quantum communication is a field of
to be the world’s longest secure telecommunications network, which applied quantum physics closely
related to quantum information
boasts of ultra-high security making it impossible to wiretap, intercept
processing & quantum teleportation.
or crack the information transmitted through them.
What is it?
 The technology allows one to distribute sequence of random bit sequence of photons whose randomness
and secrecy are guaranteed by the laws of quantum physics.
 These sequences can then be used as secret keys with conventional cryptography techniques to guarantee
the confidentiality of data transmissions.

Applications
 Protecting information channels against eavesdropping by means of quantum cryptography.
 Its applications have been found into niche markets, and many university labs are working on futuristic
quantum networks.
 Quantum communication, and more generally quantum information science and technologies, are here to
stay and will have a profound impact on the 21st century.
2.6. SUNWAY TAIHULIGHT

 It is a new Chinese supercomputer that can make 93 quadrillions calculations per second.
 It has been developed by the National Research Centre of Parallel Computer Engineering and Technology
(NRCPC) using processors entirely designed and made in China.
 It is twice as fast as Tianhe-2 (the previous fastest supercomputer) of China. Tianhe-2 is an Intel based
Chinese supercomputer but Sunway Taihulight is made of indigenous processors.
 USA’s Titan supercomputer is now at third in the Top 500 supercomputer list.
 It is the first time since the inception of the TOP500 that the U.S. is not home to the largest number of
systems.
2.7. UNSTRUCTURED SUPPLEMENTARY SERVICE DATA

 Union Bank of India has recently launched USSD based mobile application for banking needs with NCPI.
 USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) is a Global System for Mobile (GSM) communication
technology that is used to send text between a mobile phone and an application program in the network.
 It is a protocol used by cellular phones to communicate with a service provider – especially in retail
payments for utility bills, money transfers etc.
 With Short Messaging Service (SMS), messages can be stored for several days. USSD is similar SMS, but,
unlike SMS, USSD transactions occur during the session only.
2.8. PROJECT ALLOY

 It is a device made by IBM that creates ‘merged reality’.
 It is a headset that enables people to interact with elements of the virtual world. There is no need for
cables to connect to the computer.
 It goes beyond virtual reality, in that it digitizes the real world and allows people to experience the virtual
world without coming into conflict with the real world.

2.9. SOFTWARE ROBOTICS
 ICICI Bank has deployed ‘Software Robotics’ in over 200 business processes across various functions of the
bank.
 Software Robotics emulates human actions to automate and perform repetitive, high volume and time
consuming tasks across multiple applications.
 It would reduce the response time to customers and increase accuracy, thus sharply improving the bank’s
productivity and efficiency.
 It also helps the bank’s employees to focus more on value-added and customer-related functions.
2.10. LAKSHMI ROBOT

 It is India’s first banking robot. It has been launched by City Union Bank, Kumbakonam.
 It will be capable to answer queries related to account balance, loans, fixed deposits, payments etc. Apart
from generic questions, it can also deal with core banking solutions like history of payment transaction by
any user etc.
 Sensitive financial information will only be displayed discretely and not announced out loud.
 It is currently adept in English. Also, unlike other banking robots, its speech is more relaxed and casual rather
than being formal.
 Since it is based on artificial intelligence, it also has the capability to learn from the consumers. It can also
give real time updates on currency exchange, interest rates etc.
2.11. BHARAT QR CODE

 Bharat QR code has been developed jointly by National QR code (Quick Response code)
Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), Visa, MasterCard and  It is a two-dimensional (matrix)
American Express under instructions from Reserve Bank of machine-readable bar code made up of
India (RBI). black and white square. This code can
 It works as common interface for the MasterCard/Visa/RuPay be read by the camera of a smartphone.
platforms and also facilitate acceptance of Aadhaar-enabled  It is capable of 360 degrees (omni-
directional), high speed reading.
payments and Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
 QR Code can store up to 7089 digits as
 It eliminates the need of using card swiping machines for compared to conventional bar codes
digital payments. which can store max 20 digits.
 Interoperability-Using BharatQR code, the merchants will be  It carries information both horizontally
required to display only one QR code instead of multiple ones. and vertically. It has error correction
 It will also eliminate the uncertainty of entering a wrong capability and data stored in it can be
amount as all a customer would have to do is scan and restored even if it is partially damaged
authenticate or dirty.
2.12. MILLIMETER WAVE TECHNOLOGY

 Facebook plans to bring the internet to new areas without the need to dig holes, install towers, and
stretch expensive wire lines across the planet.
 Millimeter waves are smaller in wavelength than the radio waves that transmit cell phone and Wi-Fi
signals.
 Since millimeter waves are not as widely used as others, Facebook will now use it to send much larger about
of data.
 The only challenge would be the higher power consumption by millimeter wave setup relative to the radio
wave technology.

2.13. PRADHAN MANTRI GRAMIN DIGITAL SAKSHARTA ABHIYAN
Why in news?
The Union Cabinet has approved 'Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan' (PMGDISHA).
Background
 As per the 71st NSSO Survey on Education 2014, only 6% of rural households have a computer.
 This highlights that more than 15 crore rural households (@ 94% of 16.85 crore households) do not have
computers
 Thus a significant number of these households are likely to be digitally illiterate.
About PMGDISHA
 PMGDISHA is expected to be one of the largest digital literacy programmes in the world.
 Under the scheme, 25 lakh candidates will be trained in the FY 2016-17; 275 lakh in the FY 2017-18; and 300
lakh in the FY 2018-19.
 To ensure equitable geographical reach, each of the 250,000 Gram Panchayats would be expected to
register an average of 200-300 candidates.
 The implementation of the Scheme would be carried out under the overall supervision of Ministry of
Electronics and IT in active collaboration with States/UTs through their designated State Implementing
Agencies, District e-Governance Society (DeGS), etc.
 The PMGDISHA being initiated under Digital India Programme would cover 6 crore households in rural areas
to make them digitally literate.
 This would empower the citizens by providing them access to information, knowledge and skills for
operating computers / digital access devices.

3. SPACE AND DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY
3.1. LATEST DEVELOPMENTS AT ISRO
3.1.1. LAUNCH OF 104 SATELLITES IN A SINGLE FLIGHT BY PSLV-C37
 PSLV-C37, ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV
has successfully launched the 714 kg Cartosat-  The PSLV is one of world's most reliable launch vehicles
2 Series Satellite along with 103 co-passenger consisting of four stages.
satellites.  It has been in service for over twenty years and has
 The total weight of all the 104 satellites carried launched historic missions like Chandrayaan-1, Mars
on-board PSLV-C37 was 1378 kg. Orbiter Mission, IRNSS etc.
 This was the thirty eighth consecutively  It can take up to 1,750 kg of payload to Sun-Synchronous
Polar Orbits of 600 km altitude and payload of 1,425 kg
successful mission of PSLV.
to Geosynchronous and Geostationary orbits.
 International customer satellites from USA (96)
and one each from The Netherlands, Switzerland, Israel, Kazakhstan and UAE were also carried among co-
passenger satellites.
3.1.2. REMOTE SENSING SATELLITE RESOURCESAT-2A LAUNCHED

Why in News?
 In its 38th flight PSLV-C36 successfully launched RESOURCESAT-2A satellite from Satish Dhawan Space Center
in Sriharikota.
About RESOURCESAT-2A
 It is a remote sensing satellite which will provide information on water bodies, farm lands, crop extent,
forests, mineral deposits, and coasts, rural and urban spreads for the next five years.
 The satellite was launched into the Sun Synchronous Orbit at 825 km height.
 Much like its predecessors RESOURCESAT 1 and 2, RESOURCESAT-2A also has a three tier imaging system.
 It is equipped with an Advanced White Field Sensor (AWiFS) that provides images of 56 metre resolution,
(LISS-3) Linear Imaging Self-scanning Sensor and LISS-4 provides image of 23.5m and 5.6m resolution
respectively.
Significance of the Launch
 RESOURCESAT-2A will be useful in crop area and production estimation, drought monitoring, soil mapping,
cropping system analysis and farm advisories generation.
 For the first time ISRO used cameras on-board that showed the separation stages during the flight and the
deployment of solar panels of the satellite.
3.1.3. ISRO LAUNCHES 20 SATELLITES

Why in news?
 ISRO has created a new record of launching 20
satellites from a single rocket, including those of US,
Germany, Canada and Indonesia, from the Satish
Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota.
 This has brought India into the elite club of USA and
Russia who have also launched more than 20
satellites in a single launch.
 ISRO has broken its own record of launching 10
satellites in 2008.

About the mission
 The PSLV-34 vehicle was used to launch 3 Indian and 17 commercial foreign satellites.
 Among the 3 Indian satellites there is CARTOSAT-2 series which has potential uses in geological surveying,
border management, disaster management etc.
 The other two Indian satellites - SatyabhamaSat and Swayam were made by college students.
 They will be used to collect data on greenhouse gases and provide point-to-point messaging services
 The foreign satellites are LAPAN-A3 from Indonesia, Brios from Germany, M3MSat and GHSSat-D from
Canada, SkySat Gen 2-1 and 12 Dove satellites from the United States.
 The payload or total weight of all the 20 satellites carried on-board PSLV-C34 is 1288 kg.
3.1.4. SUCCESSFUL TESTING OF SCRAMJET ENGINE

Why in News?
 SRO'S Advanced Technology Vehicle (ATV) - It is
 ISRO carried out successful testing of scramjet engine the vehicle which was used to test the scramjet
from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. engine. It is a sounding rocket.
 India became only the fourth country to successfully  Sounding rocket - Sometimes also called
test the scramjet engine after United States, Russia a research rocket, it is an instrument-
and the European Space Agency. carrying rocket designed to take measurements
and perform scientific experiments during
What is Scramjet? its sub-orbital flight.
 Scramjet stands for Supersonic Combustion Ramjet.
 Scramjet breathes air and uses high speed vehicle to forcefully compress the incoming air before
combustion.
 Conventional aircraft engines on the other hand
compresses air using fan before combustion.
 It is also called the air breathing engine as it uses
atmospheric oxygen to burn the hydrogen fuel.
 Scramjets are efficient only at supersonic speed.
Significance of the Launch
 The fact that scramjet uses atmospheric oxygen to burn
the fuel in the first phase will considerably reduce the
amount of oxidiser to be carried aboard.
 This in turn will reduce cost-to payload ratio.
 A rocket using scramjet engine would be significantly lighter, smaller and therefore cheaper. It will also be
able to carry more payloads.
 Scramjet also has many other applications in cruise and other missiles.
3.1.5. GSLV F05 AND INSAT 3DR

 ISRO’s GSLV F05 spacecraft has successfully placed INSAT 3DR satellite into a Geostationary Transfer Orbit
(GTO) for eventually stationing in geosynchronous orbit.
 INSAT-3DR:
 It is an advanced weather satellite which is expected to provide a variety of meteorological services to
the country.
 It can provide imaging in Middle Infrared band to provide night time pictures of low clouds and fog.
 It can also provide Imaging in two Thermal Infrared bands for estimation of Sea Surface Temperature
(SST) with better accuracy.
 GSLV F05:
 GSLV-F05 was the tenth flight of India's Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle.
 This is the third successful launch with the indigenous cryogenic engine in GSLV.
 It is a three-staged vehicle and cryogenic engine is used in the third and final stage. GSLVs are used to
carry heavy satellites (usually 2 to 2.5 tonnes) into Geostationary Transfer Orbit.

 Significance
 It was the first operational flight of GSLV carrying Cryogenic Upper Stage.
 A successful launch will make ISRO engineers more confident about the GSLV-MkIII.
 This successful launch will increase ISRO’s market value and confidence in her satellite capabilities.
 INSAT-3DR satellite continues the mission of the INSAT-3D satellite, which was launched in 2013.
 INSAT 3DR will be able to map vertical changes of humidity, temperature and ozone content in Earth’s
atmosphere. Thus enhancing nation’s meteorological capabilities.
3.1.6. PSLV SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHES 8 SATELLITES

Why in News?
 ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) launched eight
satellites in orbit in longest ever launch mission. GSAT Satellites
 It is for the first time that satellites in two different orbits were These satellites are India’s indigenously
placed by the same rocket, PSLV-C35 (Polar Satellite Launch developed technologies of communications
Vehicle). satellites used for digital, audio, data and
 There was one weather satellite, SCATSAT-1 and seven others. video broadcasting.
More on the Launch

 The advanced weather satellite was placed in polar sun synchronous orbit at an altitude of about 730km.
 SCATSAT-1 will now succeed the now defunct Oceansat-2 satellite launched in 2009.
 The data sent by the satellite SCATSAT-1 will help provide weather forecasting services.
 The rest of the seven satellites include PRATHAM from IIT Bombay and Pisat from PES University, Bangalore.
 There were five international customer satellites from Algeria, Canada and United States.
3.1.7. GSAT 18 SATELLITE LAUNCHED

 India’s latest communication satellite, GSAT 18 was successfully launched from the spaceport of Kourou
in French Guiana, South America.
 It is been built by ISRO and ISRO’s Master Control Facility at Hassan, Karnataka is controlling the satellite.
 The Master Facility will also perform the initial raising manoeuvres using the Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) of
the satellite, placing it in a circular Geostationary Orbit.
 India does not have any launcher capable of carrying heavier satellites like GSAT-18.However, Indian
scientists are developing GSLV –III to overcome the challenge.
3.1.8. ISRO ROVER ON LUNAR SURFACE

 ISRO is planning to deploy a rover on the lunar surface in the
Chandrayaan-2 mission.  Chandrayaan 2, India’s second mission
to the Moon, is an advanced version of
 After reaching the 100 km lunar orbit, the Lander, containing
the previous Chandrayaan-1 mission.
the Rover, will separate from the Orbiter.
 It consists of an Orbiter, Lander and
 The Lander then will soft land on the lunar surface at a specified Rover configuration.
site and deploy a Rover.  It is expected to be launched during the
 The six-wheeled Rover will move around the landing site in first quarter of 2018.
semi-autonomous mode as decided by the ground commands.
 The instruments on the rover will observe the lunar surface and send back data useful for analysis of the
lunar soil.
 Collection of soil and rock sediments is not planned in this mission.
3.1.9. TELEMETRY AND TELECOMMAND PROCESSOR (TTCP)

 TTCP is used in Integrated Spacecraft Testing of Low Earth Orbit, Geostationary Orbit and Interplanetary
Spacecraft.
 The Low earth orbit spacecrafts typically use ISRO formats for telemetry and telecommand, for which
indigenous equipments are being used.

 However, the interplanetary spacecraft use an international standard known as CCSDS (Consultative
Committee for Space Data Systems).The equipments are being imported for this purpose.
 As part of ‘Make in India’ campaign, indigenous development of TTCP was taken up by ISRO.
 This system now is able to meet the requirements of both CCSDS and ISRO standards.
3.1.10. ISRO SIGNS DEAL FOR FIRST PRIVATELY BUILT SATELLITE

Why in News?
 ISRO for the first time has signed an agreement with a consortium of six companies to deliver India’s first
industry-built satellite by 2017.
What is it?
 The deal has been signed between ISAC (ISRO Satellite Center) and six private companies.
 ISAC assembles India’s satellites for communication, remote sensing and navigation.
 The agreement includes assembly, integration and testing (ATI) of two spare navigation satellites in a row in
around 18 months.
3.1.11. HYPERSONIC WIND TUNNEL

 ISRO commissioned the world’s third largest hypersonic wind tunnel at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre
(VSSC) in Thiruvananthapuram.
 With future missions like the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV), Air breathing propulsion systems etc.
hypersonic wind tunnel will help in the aero-thermodynamic modelling of such vehicles in a hypersonic
environment.
 A wind tunnel is used to:
o Study the effects of air flowing past a solid object like space vehicles.
o Simulate the aero-thermal environment
 It has been named after former ISRO chairman Satish Dhawan.
 It has been indigenously designed, developed and made in India with the support of Indian industries.
 One metre hypersonic wind tunnel can simulate flow speeds of Mach 6 to 12.
3.1.12. ISRO’S FUTURE INTERPLANETARY MISSIONS

 Pursuing its interplanetary missions, ISRO is planning to go to VENUS planet apart from revisiting the MARS
again.
VENUS
 The Budget 2017 has allowed MARS mission which  Venus has a very inhospitable environment like it
is planned by about 2021 or 2022. The French Space is the hottest planet in the solar system, it has a
Agency CNES might also collaborate with ISRO in carbon dioxide pressure of about 100 times than
this pursuit and may provide with rover for this. that at Earth etc.
 The Venus mission is proposed to be only an orbiter  But 31 miles above the surface of Venus, it
mission. It is proposed to be a technology resembles more Earth-like conditions like optimum
demonstrator mission like the MARS mission taken temperature (for liquid water to exist), adequate
the first time by ISRO. amount of sunlight, CO2 for plant growth etc.
 ISRO proposes to study Venus’s carbon dioxide rich atmosphere for insights into the buildup of the
greenhouse gas in our planet’s atmosphere.
3.2. INDIA’S FIRST PRIVATE MOON MISSION

Why in News?
 Team Indus, a Bengaluru-based private aerospace company will be sending a spacecraft to the Moon on
December 28, 2017 aboard an ISRO rocket.
More about the Mission
 The aim of the mission is to land this aircraft on moon, have it travel at least 500 metres, and beam HD
videos, images and data back to the Earth.

 Except for the launch vehicles, all the technology to be used under the mission has been developed in-house
by the company
 It is one of the four international teams running for the Google Lunar XPRIZE, a $30 million competition to
encourage private companies to take up space missions.
 ISRO’s PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) would launch the spacecraft in a three-day window after
completing a rotation around the earth.
 The space craft would land on Mare Imbrium, a region in the North western hemisphere of the moon.
3.3. GRAVITATIONAL WAVE TELESCOPE: NGARI

Why in news?
 China has started the construction of two-phase Ngari wave
observatory in Ngari territory of Tibet close to Indian border,
which will house world’s highest altitude Gravitational Wave
Telescope.
 The main aim of this project is to find more about the Big Bang
theory which is about the birth and configuration of the cosmos.
Highlights of the Project
 Phase 1 of the project consists of a telescope located at 5250m
above sea level and expected to be operational by 2021.
 It will be able to detect and gather data on gravitational waves in northern hemisphere.
 Phase 2 consists of series of telescopes to be constructed at 6000m above sea level and will expand the
observation frequency band to improve accuracy.
 Ngari is one of the world’s best spot because of high altitude, clear skies and minimum human activity.
3.3.1. CHINA SETS UP FIRST 'DARK SKY' RESERVE

 China has launched its first "dark sky reserve" for astronomical
Light pollution is excessive, misdirected, or
observation in the Tibetan prefecture of Ngari, bordering
obtrusive artificial (usually outdoor) light.
Nepal and India. Too much light pollution washes out starlight
 The reserve covers an area of 2,500 square kilometres and in the night sky, interferes with astronomical
aims to limit light pollution by stepping up protection of dark- research, disrupts ecosystems, has adverse
sky resources for education and tourism development. health effects and wastes energy.
Why Ngari is famous?
 Ngari is among the best sites for astronomical observation on earth, due to its high altitude and large number
of cloudless days throughout the year.
 However, the recent inflow of people from other areas has given rise to increasing urbanisation, and thus the
associated risk of more light pollution.
3.4. SPACE TECHNOLOGY FOR ROOFS - CASPOL

Why in News?
 Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), have developed the ceramic-polymer hybrid (CASPOL) that could
protect public transport systems and poor men residing in thatched homes from fire accidents.
 The water-based ready-to-coat product was originally developed to protect the rockets from high
temperature and fire to which they are exposed during the initial moments of launch.
Potential applications of Caspol
 Caspol can withstand up to 800 degree Celsius. Seats in automobiles, public transport system and seat
cushions of railway coaches can be made fireproof when Caspol is applied.
 Besides its ability to protect against fire and high temperature, Caspol can also make surfaces waterproof.

3.5. SOFIA
 The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) is a joint German-US space science project.
 It is the largest airborne observatory in the world that makes observations that are impossible for even the
largest and highest ground-based telescopes.
 It carries a 2.5-metre telescope inside a modified Boeing aircraft.
 It performs astronomical observations in the infrared and submillimetre wavelengths, high above the
disturbance of Earth's atmosphere.
 Its scientific objective is to understand the development of galaxies and the formation and evolution of
stars and planetary systems from interstellar clouds of gas and dust.
3.6. FIVE-HUNDRED-METER APERTURE SPHERICAL RADIO TELESCOPE

 It is the world’s largest ground based radio telescope located in China.
 Its aim is to gather radio signals from the cosmos, probe gravitational waves and dark matter and listen for
transmissions from aliens.
 It is located in the Guizhou province and is built in karst depressions.
 Its collecting area is twice of the second largest radio telescope located in Peurto Rico.
3.7. QUESS SATELLITE

 China has launched the world's first satellite under the Quantum Experiments at Space Scale (QUESS)
mission, dedicated to test the fundamentals of quantum communication in space.
 It is also called Micius and will try to communicate with earth using the principle of quantum entanglement -
whereby subatomic particles become linked or “entangled” in such a way that any change in one disturbs
the others too.
 Because of its principle of working, it is also believed to be impossible to hack.
 It will demonstrate quantum key distribution (QKD) between the satellite and ground stations. A quantum
key is a string of ones and zeros, representing the quantum states of particles. These are used to encode
and decode messages, which is secure from eavesdroppers.
3.8. MAGNETOSPHERIC MULTISCALE MISSION

 It is a mission by NASA.
 It consists of four spacecrafts that orbit Earth to study a lesser known phenomenon called magnetic
reconnection – when magnetic field lines of Earth cross the Sun’s magnetic fields and release a burst of
energy, reconnection process taps this field energy stored and coverts it into heat and energy in the form of
charged particle acceleration and large-scale flows of matter.
 The 4 spacecrafts are arranged in a tetrahedral or a pyramid pattern.
 Magnetic reconnection is a phenomenon unique to plasma, that is, the mix of positively and negatively
charged particles that make up the stars and fill up the space.
 It recently set Guinness record for highest altitude fix of a GPS signal.
3.9. JAMES WEBB TELESCOPE

 The construction of the largest ever space telescope – James Webb telescope, has completed and will be
launched in further 2 years.
 It has been developed by NASA and would be supported by European space agency and Canadian space
agency.
 It would be the successor of the NASA’s Hubble space telescope.
 It will rest on the Lagrange point 2, which would be directly behind the Earth from the Sun’s perspective.
 One of its main goals is to use spectroscopy to determine the atmospheric components of alien worlds.
Webb will especially seek chemical biomarkers, like ozone and methane that can be created from
biological processes.

3.10. FIRST LIGO SITE
 Maharashtra’s Hingoli is proposed to be the first site outside USA to have a Laser Interferometer
Gravitational wave Observatory (LIGO) lab.
 LIGO is a large-scale physics experiment aiming to directly detect gravitational waves. This detector
recently underwent upgradation which would make it ten times more sensitive that would provide a 1000-
fold increase in the number of astrophysical candidates for gravitational wave signals.
3.11. CHINA’S FIRST SPACE STATION

 In 2016, China has launched an unmanned Tiangong-2 (Heavenly Palace) space lab to Earth orbit.
 Like Tiangong-1 which ended operations in 2016, Tiangong-2 will act as a testbed for China to test the life
support and docking exercises needed to build a permanently staffed space station.
 China aims to have its own permanent space station by 2022.
 China is the third country, after the United States and Russia, to carry out its own crewed missions.
3.12. SHERLOC TECHNIQUE

 MIT scientists have developed a novel spectroscopic
Raman spectroscopy
technique to help NASA’s new Mars rover, to be
 It provides information about molecular
launched in 2020, find signs of present or vibrations that can be used for sample
former extra-terrestrial life on MARS. identification.
 It will help the rover quickly and non-invasively  It involves shining a monochromatic light source
identify sediments that are relatively unaltered, and on a sample and detecting the scattered light.
that maintain much of their original composition. o The majority of the scattered light is of the
 The 2020 Mars rover would include SHERLOC same frequency as the excitation source - this
(Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman and is known as Rayleigh or elastic scattering.
Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals), an o A very small amount of the scattered light is
shifted in energy from the original frequency
instrument that will acquire Raman spectra from
due to interactions between the light and the
samples on or just below the Martian surface. energy levels of the molecules in the sample.
 It would enable scientists to more accurately interpret This is Raman scattering.
the Raman spectra, and quickly evaluate the ratio of
hydrogen to carbon - an indicator of presence of alien life.
3.13. LARGEST METAL ASTEROID-PSYCHE

 Psyche is an asteroid orbiting the sun between Mars and Jupiter. Unlike most other asteroids that are rocky
or icy bodies, Psyche is thought to be comprised mostly of metallic iron and nickel, similar to Earth’s core.
 It is believed to have originally been an early planet, but through time its rocky exterior was stripped off
through collisions with other space material.
 NASA is sending a robot mission to arrive in 2030 at psyche. This mission is part of the Discovery Program, a
series of low-cost missions to new places never before explored by man.
 Scientists estimate that the metal Psyche may be worth $10 quintillion which is the same as 100,000 times
the GDP of the whole earth.
3.14. PULSAR NAVIGATION SATELLITE

 China launched a navigation satellite - X-ray pulsar navigation satellite called XPNAV-1 - which will conduct
in-orbit experiments using pulsar detectors to demonstrate new technologies.
 It would operate in a Sun-synchronous orbit.
 Periodic X-ray signals emitted from pulsars would be used to determine the location of a spacecraft in deep
space.
 It will help reduce the spacecraft’s reliance on ground-based navigation methods and is expected to lead to
autonomous spacecraft navigation in the future.

3.15. KIRAMEKI-2 SATELLITE
 Japan has recently launched its first military communications satellite, Kirameki-2, to provide impetus to the
broadband capacity of its Self-Defence Forces.
 The new satellites will allow military units to communicate directly with each other on a high-speed and
high-capacity network
 The satellite means 'sparkle' in English.
 It will enable Japan to quickly share information about ballistic missiles launched by North Korea or videos
of Japanese troops deployed overseas.
3.16. 100 YEARS PROGRAMME

 UAE will build the first city on Mars as part of the 2117 Mars project in collaboration with specialized
international organizations and scientific institutes.
 As part of a 100-year national programme, the UAE will set a plan to prepare national cadres that can
achieve scientific breakthroughs to facilitate the transport of people to MARS.
 It will involve scientific research programmes to nurture national cadres specialized in space sciences at
universities in the UAE.
3.17. CHANDRA X-RAY OBSERVATORY

 It is a NASA mission which was launched in 1999.
 It is a space telescope specially designed to detect X-ray emission from very hot regions of the Universe such
as exploded stars, clusters of galaxies, and matter around black holes.
 Because X-rays are absorbed by Earth's atmosphere, Chandra must orbit above it and therefore is a space
based telescope.
 It has imaged the remains of exploded stars, has observed the region around the super massive black hole in
the center of our Milky Way, and found black holes across the Universe till now.
 Recently it was in news for discovery of a never before cosmic explosion for which sufficient research is still
pending.
3.18. DEEP SPACE ATOMIC CLOCK MISSION

 The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will send its next-generation atomic clock into
space by 2017. It will be smaller, lighter with magnitudes more precise than any atomic clock flown in space
before.
 The Deep Space Atomic Clock was developed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California.
 Most spacecraft are tracked using “two-way” methods - the ground-based antenna ‘pings’ the spacecraft
and waits for the signal to return. It measures the time taken by the signal to travel and by this the distance
to the spacecraft can be calculated.
 But the clock enables “one-way” tracking, where the spacecraft need not send the signal back to Earth. The
tracking measurement is taken onboard and determines the path and manoeuvres needed to stay on course,
 The benefits of this would be:
o It will advance safe navigation for future human exploration of the solar system by providing astronauts
with their position and velocity when they need it.
o It will lighten the load on the antennas in NASA’s Deep Space Network, allowing more spacecraft to be
tracked with a single antenna.
o It would also improve the precision and quantity of the radio data used by scientists for determining a
planet’s gravity field and probing its atmosphere.
3.19. COPERNICUS EARTH OBSERVATION PROGRAMME

 Copernicus earth observation system is set of dedicated satellites (the Sentinel families) designed to meet
the needs of the users of European Union. The European Union space agency (ESA) would put up a
constellation of almost 20 more satellites in orbit before 2030.

 It can be used to create better forecasts of the ocean and the atmosphere. Maps are created from imagery
collected by the Sentinel satellites where features and anomalies are identified of different regions.
 The Copernicus programme is coordinated and managed by the European Commission in partnership with
European Space Agency.
3.20. CYGNSS Satellites

 NASA's Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) mission has been completely developed.
 It will be a constellation of eight microsatellites and will collect data for the 2017 hurricane season.
 It will make periodic measurements of ocean surface winds in and near a hurricane's inner core to better
understand how storms intensify
 Over the years, forecasters have improved hurricane path prediction significantly but predicting the intensity
of storms has lagged behind. Because GPS signals are able to penetrate the storm's eye wall, CYGNSS uses
these signals reflected off the ocean surface to calculate wind speeds.
 The CYGNSS mission is led by the University of Michigan.
3.21. RESTORE-L SPACECRAFT

 Restore-L is a robotic spacecraft equipped with the tools, technologies and techniques needed to service
satellites currently in orbit.
 It is a product of NASA.
 It has recently been involved in the refuelling of the spacecraft sent by space agencies.
3.22. TANSAT SATELLITE

 China has launched a satellite to monitor carbon dioxide levels called TANSAT satellite.
 By this, China has become the third country (after USA and Japan) to track carbon dioxide emissions leading
to global warming from space.
 It will trace the sources of greenhouse gases and help evaluate whether countries are fulfilling their
commitments to reduce pollutants under environmental pacts.
 It is a three-year mission that will take readings every 16 days.
 It can distinguish changes in atmospheric CO2 as small as 1%.
 It will allow China to collect carbon data from all over the world, all year round, and record the carbon
contributed by both developed countries and the developing countries.
3.23. ALMA TELESCOPE ARRAY

 Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array (ALMA) is an array of radio telescopes being deployed in
Chile
 It is composed of 66 high precision antennas.
 It would allow the scientists to unravel important astronomical mysteries, in search of our Cosmic Origins.
One of the goals of these new technological innovations is to image a black hole.
 It is an international partnership of the European Southern Observatory (ESO), the U.S. National Science
Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan, together
with NRC (Canada), NSC and ASIAA (Taiwan), and KASI (Republic of Korea), in cooperation with the Republic
of Chile.
 It will be a part of VLBI (Very Long Baseline Interferometry) to link a group of radio telescopes around the
globe.
3.24. LAUNCH OF AGNI-V

Why in News?
 India successfully conducted the final test of its indigenous ICBM, Agni-V from Wheeler Island off Odisha
coast.

About AGNI V
 The nuclear-capable missile has a strike range of over 5,000-km.
 It has been developed by DRDO
 It can be transported and swiftly launched from anywhere on land. It can even be launched from canisters.
 It is a surface-to-surface missile having new technologies incorporated than previous Agni counterparts in
terms of navigation and guidance, warhead and engine.
 It is one of the most accurate ballistic missile in the world and therefore has high kill efficiency.
Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme
 It was conceived by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam for self-sufficiency in missile technology in 1983
 DRDO is its implementing agency
 It has a time bound objective to develop the following missiles -
 Short range surface to surface ballistic missile - PRITHVI
 Intermediate range surface to surface ballistic missile - AGNI
 Short Range low level surface to air missile - TRISHUL
 Medium range surface to air missile - AKASH
 Third generation anti-tank missile - NAG
 In 1990s the programme was expanded to include Sagarika (ballistic missile), Dhanush (naval version of Prithvi) and Surya
missiles
 In 2008 DRDO announced the successful completion of the program
3.25. LAUNCH OF AGNI IV MISSILE

India successfully conducted the test firing of its indigenous strategic ballistic missile, Agni IV from Dr. Abdul
Kalam Island formerly known as Wheeler Island off Odisha coast.
About Agni IV
 This nuclear capable missile has a strike range of 4000 Km.
 It is two stage, surface to surface missile with both stage powered by solid propellants.
 The missile has the capacity to carry a one-tonne nuclear warhead.
 It is equipped with Ring Laser Gyro-based Inertial navigation system and has features to correct and guide
itself for in-flight disturbances
 Before this Agni-IV has undergone five successful flight tests over the course of five years

3.26.1. PLANET 9
 Astronomers have claimed that the mysterious Planet 9 may have been stolen from its original star by our
Sun some 4.5 billion years ago, possibly making it the first exoplanet to be discovered inside the solar
system.
 Planet Nine is a hypothetical large planet in the far outer Solar System, the gravitational effects of which
would explain the improbable orbital configuration of a group of trans-Neptunian objects that orbit mostly
beyond the Kuiper belt.
 The predicted planet would be a super-Earth, with an estimated mass of 10 Earths, a diameter two to four
times that of Earth, and a highly elliptical orbit with an orbital period of approximately 15,000 years
3.26.2. LISA PATHFINDER

Why in News?
 ESA’s LISA Pathfinder mission has demonstrated the technology needed to build a space-based gravitational
wave observatory.
 Results from LISA Pathfinder, show that the two cubes at the heart of the spacecraft are falling freely
through space under the influence of gravity alone, to a precision more than five times better than originally
required to detect gravitational waves.

About LISA
 LISA would be the first dedicated space-based gravitational wave detector. It aims to measure gravitational
waves directly by using laser interferometry.
 The LISA has a constellation of three spacecraft, arranged in an equilateral triangle with million-kilometer
arms flying along an Earth-like heliocentric orbit. The distance between the satellites is precisely monitored
to detect a passing gravitational wave.
 As a prelude to the massive LISA mission, the smaller LISA Pathfinder was launched by ESA in 2015.
3.26.3. MOU FOR GEO-TAGGING ASSETS

 A MoU has been signed between the Rural Development Ministry and ISRO, for geo-tagging the assets
created under MGNREGA in each gram panchayat.
 It will help in online recording and monitoring of assets to check leakages and for effective mapping of terrain
for future developmental works.
 A Gram Rozgar Sahayak or junior engineer will take a photo of an asset created by beneficiaries of the
scheme and through a mobile app created by ISRO, upload the photo on the Bhuvan web portal run by ISRO’s
National Remote Sensing Centre.
 When the photo is uploaded, the location and time will get encrypted and there will be an option to add
more information according to a few parameters.
3.26.4. EINSTEIN RING

Why in news?
 Einstein Ring has been discovered at the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias in Chile. The team used a
spectrograph on the Gran Telescopio CANARIAS to confirm the discovery, which is now being called the
"Canarias Einstein ring."
 A pair of distant galaxies 10,000 and 6,000 million light years away happen to be in the perfect position
relative to Earth to create a rare 'Einstein ring'.
What is an Einstein ring?
 "Einstein Ring", first predicted by Einstein's theory of General Relativity, is a rarely observed, astronomical
phenomenon that occurs when two distant galaxies are perfectly aligned, millions of light years apart.
 It is a distorted image of a very distant galaxy, which is termed 'the source'. The distortion is produced by the
bending of the light rays from the source due to a massive galaxy, termed 'the lens', lying between it and the
observer.
 Because the two galaxies are aligned so perfectly, light from the most distant, or source galaxy, is being bent
by the gravity of the closer one. This makes the light from the furthest galaxy appear as an almost perfect
circle when viewed from Earth.
3.26.5. CIRCUMBINARY PLANET

 Scientists, using NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope, have discovered a Jupiter-like planet Kepler1647b, orbiting a
system of two stars, making it the largest transiting circumbinary planet ever found.
 Planets that orbit two stars are known as circumbinary planets.
 The planet Kepler1647b, located in the constellation Cygnus is 3,700 light-years away and about 4.4 billion
years old, roughly the same age as the Earth.
 Like Jupiter, Kepler-1647b is a gas giant, making the planet unlikely to host life
3.26.6. NEW HORIZON’S MISSION

Why in news?
 Following its historic first-ever flyby of Pluto, NASA’s New Horizons mission will now fly onward to an object
deeper in the Kuiper Belt, known as 2014 MU69.
 2014 MU69 is considered one of the early building blocks of the solar system

What is Kuiper belt?
 Kuiper belt is flat ring of
icy small bodies that revolve
around the Sun beyond
the orbit of the planet
Neptune.
 It comprises hundreds of
millions of objects-
presumed to be leftovers
from the formation of the
outer planets-whose orbits
lie close to the plane of
the solar system.
 The Kuiper belt is thought to be the source of most of the observed short-period comets, particularly those
that orbit the Sun in less than 20 years
3.26.7. NASA’S JUNO BEGINS ORBIT OF JUPITER

Why in news?
NASA’s Juno spacecraft has successfully entered into the orbit of Jupiter and started orbiting it.
Salient features
 The spacecraft's name comes from Greco-Roman mythology.
 It will orbit Jupiter from pole to pole, 5,000 kilometers above planet’s cloud tops.
 Mission Life: Juno will have mission life of 20 months from July 2016 to Feb 2018.
 It is second spacecraft to orbit Jupiter,
after Galileo probe that had orbited
from 1995–2003.
Aim
 To understand the origin and evolution
of Jupiter.
 Investigate the existence of a solid
planetary core.
 Map Jupiter's intense magnetic field,
 Measure the amount of water and
ammonia in the deep atmosphere and
 observe the planet's aurora
Galileo probe in its mission had found
evidence of subsurface saltwater on Jupiter’s
moons Europa, Ganymede and Callisto.
3.26.8. THE DWARF PLANET CERES

Why in News?
 Pictures from the NASA’s Dawn Mission show permanently shadowed regions on Ceres.
 The permanently shadowed regions do not receive direct sunlight and are identified as extremely cold. They
have been cold enough to trap water ice for billions of years.
 The pictures indicate that water could exist in these shadowed craters even today.
Significance of Dawn Mission
 The goal of the Dawn Mission is to characterize the conditions and processes of the earliest history of the
giant proplanet Vesta and the dwarf planet Ceres.

 In March, 2015, Dawn Spacecraft became first probe to orbit the two solar bodies.
 It explored the giant proplanet Vesta in 2011-2012. Now, it is studying Ceres.
More about Ceres
 Ceres is a dwarf planet, the only one located in the inner circle of the solar system, rest all are located on the
outer edges.
 It is the largest object in the asteroid belt.
3.26.9. FLOODED CANYONS FOUND ON SATURN’S MOON TITAN

Why in News?
 NASA’s spacecraft Cassini has discovered steep sided canyons flooded with hydrocarbons on Saturn’s
Moon Titan.
 The canyons have been found to be hundreds of metres deep.
 The findings are the first evidence of both liquid filled channels and deep canyons on Titan.
NASA’s Cassini-Huygen’s Mission
 NASA’s Cassini’s Mission is one of the most ambitious missions ever launched into space.
 The spacecraft was launched in two elements: the Cassini orbiter and the Huygens probe.
 The spacecraft is loaded with powerful instruments and camera.
 It is capable of taking accurate measurements and detailed images in a variety of atmospheric conditions
and light spectra.
 Cassini-Huygens reached Saturn and its moons in July, 2004.
3.26.10. STEPHEN HAWKING’S PREDICTION ABOUT BLACK HOLES

 Scientists who created a virtual black hole in the lab claim to have Antimatter-Antimatter is a material
observed for the first time a phenomenon according to which composed of antiparticles, which have
some particles can escape black holes. the same mass as particles of ordinary
 It was predicted by British physicist Stephen Hawking more than matter but opposite charges, as well as
other particle properties.
40 years ago.
 Before this, it was believed by scientists that nothing could ever escape from a black hole, not even light.
 However, in 1974, Stephen Hawking suggested particles, that are now called Hawking radiation, could
escape black holes.
 As per him if a particle and its antimatter appeared spontaneously at the edge of a black hole, one of the
pair might be pulled into the black hole while the other escaped, taking some of the energy from the black
hole with it.
3.26.11. PROXIMA B
Why in news?
It is recently discovered Earth-like planet
orbiting Proxima Centauri (the closest star
to our solar system), in its Goldilocks Zone.
Features
 It is 4.22 light-years away.
 Its "year" is only 11 days.
 The planet is in a “temperate” zone
compatible with the presence of liquid
water.
 It is 25 times closer than Earth is to our
sun, but since its star is only 12 percent

as massive as our sun and much dimmer so it’s in the habitable zone.
 The find has been called "the biggest exoplanet discovery since the discovery of exoplanets."
Associated fact: “Breakthrough Starshot”
 The mission by Russian billionaire Yuri Milner who pledged US$100 million toward a plan to visit another star
system.
 Initially their destination was to be Alpha Centauri. But the recent discovery of a nearby planet Proxima
b could switch things up for Starshot.
3.26.12. OSIRIS-REX
 NASA has successfully launched a space probe - OSIRIS-Rex (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, and Resource
Identification-Regolith Explorer) for a near earth asteroid Bennu.
 This will be NASA’s first asteroid sampling mission.
 This spacecraft will reach Bennu by 2108 and then without landing on the asteroid capture 2 ounces of dust
with its robotic arm and then begun its return trip to earth.
 This $1 billion mission will help scientists unravel how life began on Earth, how the solar system formed, and
how to protect our planet from stray asteroids like Bennu.
3.26.13 WORLD’S LARGEST RADIO TELESCOPE BEGINS OPERATIONS

Why in News?
 World’s largest telescope, Aperture Spherical Telescope or FAST began operations from China’s Ghinzou
Province.
What is it?
 Measuring 500 metres in diameter, the telescope is stationed in a natural basin in the county of Pintang.
 It took five years and an investment of $180 million to complete.
 The telescope surpasses the 300 meter Arecibo Observatory in Peurto Rico.
Significance
 The telescope would search for signals from stars and galaxies as well as extra-terrestrial life.
 The project demonstrates China’s rising ambitions in space.
3.26.14. MORE THAN A BILLION STARS MAPPED

Why in news?
 A European satellite named Gaia space probe has mapped the precise positions and brightness of more than
1.14 million stars in the Milky Way.
 It is being lauded as the most accurate three dimensional map of the Milky Way.
 It has also pinned down the distances and motions of more than 2 billion stars.
More about the Mission
 Gaia, the European space probe was launched in 2013 and started collecting data in July 2014.
 It was launched to log the position, colour and brightness of a billion stars sending it an orbit around the sun,
close to 1.5 million km from Earth.
 It has been able to map the star with so much accuracy thanks to its twin telescopes and a billion pixel
camera.
 Gaia has not only mapped the distribution of the stars but also the neighbouring Small and Large Magellanic
Clouds.
3.26.15. ROSETTA: UPDATES

 Europe’s Rosetta spacecraft, carried eleven scientific instruments and a lander named Philae to sniff and
photograph the comet, 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko from all angles for 12 years.

 Rosetta’s cameras show that comet 67P resembled a rubber bath duck with a distinct “body” and “head”,
and a crack through its “neck”, a shape created by a low-velocity impact billions of years ago between two
objects which fused.
 The comet’s surface surprisingly was less “fluffy” and much harder than expected, and was super-dark and
non-reflective by a thin layer of dust.
 The comet had much less water ice than thought, was littered with pebbles and rocks ranging in size from a
few centimetres (inches) across to five metres (18 feet), and pocked with deep craters.
 The water on comet is of a very different “flavour” than that on our planet, with three times more
deuterium, a heavy hydrogen isotope.
 67P has no measurable magnetic field which implied that magnetism played no part in debris in the early
Solar System clumping together to form planets, comets, asteroids and moons.
3.26.16. SLOWEST MAGNETAR SPOTTED

 NASA astronomers have found the slowest magnetar- magnetised neutron.
 The magnetar known as 1E 1613 is at the centre of RCW 103, the remains of a supernova explosion located
about 9,000 light years from Earth.
 Neutron stars are created when giant stars die in supernovas and their cores collapse, with the protons and
electrons essentially melting into each other to form neutrons.
 Magnetars have magnetic fields a thousand times stronger than the average neutron star. The resulting drag
causes the star to take longer to rotate.
3.26.17. POINT NEMO-THE POINT OF INACCESSIBILITY ON EARTH

 The furthest point from land also known as the "oceanic pole of inaccessibility" is nicknamed as Point Nemo,
meaning "no-one" in Latin and was first discovered in 1992.
 This remote oceanic location is 2,688 kilometers from the nearest land—Ducie Island.
 As Point Nemo lies in the South Pacific Gyre and the region is so isolated from land masses that wind does
not carry much organic matter, there is little to feed for survival.
 Thus, no material falls from above as "marine snow", turning the seafloor lifeless and making the region, one
of the least biologically active regions of the world ocean.
 In this extreme environment, some bacteria thrive, gaining their energy from chemicals released by the
eruptions as the region marks the boundary of the Pacific and Nazca tectonic plates, which are gradually
moving apart.
3.26.18. MYSTERY BEHIND BIRTH OF SATURN’S RINGS SOLVED

Why in news?
 A study conducted by researchers at Kobe University and Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan have
concluded that planetary rings that surround Saturn, Neptune and Uranus were formed 4 billion years ago.
 Researchers believe that these were formed when large objects passed very close to the planets and got
destroyed by them.
What is it?
 The giant planets in the solar system have very diverse rings.
 While that of Saturn is made mostly of icy particles, the rings of Uranus and Neptune are darker and may
have higher rock content.
 Researchers used computer simulations to study the disruption of kupier belt objects by tidal force when
they passed by the planets.
 Researchers calculated that this happened during the Late Heavy Bombardment.
 It is thought that Pluto-sized objects from the Kupier belt existed beyond the Neptune.

3.26.19. NASA PROBE TO HUNT FOR ‘TROJAN’ ASTEROIDS
Why in News?
About OSIRIS-REx spacecraft
 National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) ● The full form of OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is
OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is set to search for elusive “Trojan” Origins, Spectral Interpretation,
asteroids. Resource Identification, and Security–
Regolith Explorer.
What are asteroids? ● The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft by NASA is on
 Asteroids, sometimes called minor planets, are rocky a seven-year journey to rendezvous
remnants left over from the early formation of our solar with, study and bring a sample of
asteroid Bennu to Earth. This sample of
system about 4.6 billion years ago. Most of this ancient space
a primitive asteroid will help scientists
rubble can be found orbiting the sun between Mars and
understand the formation of our solar
Jupiter within the main asteroid belt system more than 4.5 billion years ago.
 As they revolve around the sun in elliptical orbits, the
asteroids also rotate, sometimes quite erratically. Scientists continuously monitor Earth-crossing asteroids,
whose paths intersect Earth's orbit, and near-Earth asteroids that approach towards Earth. NASA's Dawn
spacecraft, launched in 2007, orbited and explored asteroid Vesta for over a year.
About Trojan Asteroids
 Trojans are asteroids that are constant companions to planets in our solar system as they orbit the Sun,
remaining near a stable point 60 degrees in front of or behind the planet.
 Since they constantly lead or follow in the same orbit, they will never collide with their companion planet.
 There are six planets in our solar system with known Trojan asteroids—Jupiter, Neptune, Mars, Venus,
Uranus and Earth. The Earth Trojan is elusive; to date, scientists have only discovered one Earth trojan
asteroid—2010 TK7
3.26.20. INNOVATIVE MAGNETIC TETHER FOR SLOWING SPACE JUNK

Why in news?
 Japan has launched a cargo ship which will use a half
mile long tether to remove some of the debris from
Earth's orbit.
 The tether, made of aluminium strands and steel wire,
is designed to slow the debris, pulling it out of orbit.
 The automated cargo ship - called Stork or Kounotori -
which is carrying the junk collector is bound for the
International Space Station and blasted off from
Tanegashima Space Center in the North Pacific.
 The junk collector is the latest in a series of ideas put
forward to tackle the problem, including harpooning,
sweeping, lassoing and dragging debris into the
atmosphere for burning.
 Limitation: Japanese scheme will only work for bigger
pieces of junk.
What is space junk?
 Space junk is the term used to describe man-made rubbish floating in space – often litter from space
exploration (even natural objects like asteroids are a part of space debris).
 The majority of the debris in space is believed to consist of small particles but some objects are larger
 They all travel at speeds up to 17,500 mph, fast enough for a relatively small piece of orbital debris to
damage a satellite or a spacecraft.

3.26.21. CHINA OPENS FIRST FULLY-OWNED SATELLITE GROUND STATION
 China has launched its first fully- owned overseas satellite ground Gaofen Project
station in Sweden which will enable China to collect satellite data at It is an ambitious space project of China
a very high speed than its current capability. that aims to launch seven high-
 This would play an important role in China's Gaofen project - a definition observation satellites before
2020. It will also support Beidou project
network of observation satellites orbiting the Earth to provide global
which is a navigation project to give a
surveillance capabilities - which is due to be completed in 2020. domestic positioning system of China
 This project would halve the time taken to download the satellite as an alternative to GPS.
data from present scenario.
3.26.22. EXOPLANET: WOLF1061C

 Recently astronomers have studied an Exoplanet called Wolf 1061c and found that this celestial body could
be habitable in the future as it in within habitable zone (goldilocks zone) of its star.
 Wolf 1061c is a rocky planet more than 4 times the mass of earth, and part of Wolf 1061 system.
 Wolf 1061c might have a chaotic climate because it changes orbit at much faster rate than earth which have
slower variations in its orbit around sun. It could cause freezing or heating of the planet quite frequently.
 They believed that Wolf 1061c could sustain life only under one condition – the short time scales over which
its orbit changes could be enough that it could actually cool the planet off.
 More research needs to be conducted to fully understand this exoplanet surface and atmosphere.
Exoplanet (Also known as Extrasolar planet)
 It is any planet that orbits a star other than the Sun, they can orbit their stars at any distance.
 Some of them orbit just at the right distance from star that they are in “habitable zone”, which means they
have the right temperature to have liquid water at their surface.
Wolf 1061 system
 It is an M class red dwarf star located 14 light years away in constellation Ophiuchus.
 It has 3 planets called Wolf1061 b, Wolf 1061c and Wolf 1061d.
 All there planets are super earths (Super-Earth is an exoplanet with a mass between 1 and 10 times that of
Earth. The super-Earth classification refers only to the mass, and not surface conditions or habitability).
3.26.23. NASA MISSION TO EXPLORE ASTEROIDS

Why in news?
 NASA has announced launch of two missions to explore asteroids in search of clues about early solar system.
 The first mission named Lucy, scheduled to launch in 2021, will explore Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids while
second named Psyche, to be launched in 2023, will explore a giant metal asteroid known as 16 Psyche.
 Lucy is slated to arrive at its first destination, a main belt asteroid, in 2025. From
2027 to 2033, Lucy will explore six Jupiter Trojan asteroids.
About 16 Psyche Asteroid
 It is massive asteroid in the primary asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
 Its distance from the sun is three times the distance of the earth from the sun. It
measures 130 miles (210 km) in diameter.
 It is made of mostly iron and nickel, not ice and rock like other asteroids.
 Some researchers think that it may be the exposed core of early planet that lost
its rocky exterior during a series of violent collisions not long after it was formed.
Significance
 This mission will help in gaining more information about our earth core like how it separated into layers of
crusts, mantle and core.
 It will also help in understanding how the sun and its family of planets formed, changed over time, and
became places where life could develop and be sustained and what the future may hold.

3.26.24. THE GREAT RED SPOT
NASA has released a new view of a crescent Jupiter which shows the iconic Great Red Spot, along with a series of
storms shaped oval known as the ‘string of pearls’. String of Pearls
What is Great Red Spot? These are massive counterclockwise rotating storms
that appear as white ovals in Jupiter’s southern
 The Great Red Spot is a giant, spinning and hemisphere. Since 1986, these white ovals have varied
persistent storm in Jupiter’s atmosphere. in number from six to nine. There are currently eight
 It is like a hurricane on Earth, and is more than twice white ovals visible.
the size of our planet and is observed since 400 JUNO
years. Juno is a NASA space probe orbiting Jupiter to measure
 These are found in southern hemisphere of Jupiter. its composition, gravity field, magnetic field.
3.26.25. MARS ICE HOME

 NASA scientists have suggested an ingenious concept of constructing a sustainable habitation on red planet
for astronauts using planet’s own water ice called Mars Ice Home.
 It will be large inflatable torus, a shape similar to an inner tube that will be surrounded by a shell of ice.
 To control temperature inside the Ice home, layer of carbon dioxide gas, also available on Mars, would be
used to provide insulation between the living space and ice layer.
 This concept balances the need to provide protection from radiation, without the drawbacks of an
underground habitat that would require heavy robotic equipment to be transported from earth.
3.26.26. BLAZARS
Why in news?
NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray space telescope has identified the farthest gamma-ray blazars.
What are blazars?
 A blazar is a galaxy which, like a quasar, has an intensely bright central nucleus containing a supermassive
black hole.
 In a blazar, however, the emitted light sometimes includes extremely high energy gamma rays, sometimes
over a hundred million times more energetic than the highest energy X-rays.
 The overall emission has several other unique properties as well, including that its intensity can vary
dramatically with time.
3.26.27. “VAMPIRE” STAR

 India’s first dedicated space observatory,
ASTROSAT is India’s first dedicated multi wavelength
ASTROSAT, has captured rare phenomenon of a
space observatory.
small, 6-billion-year-old “vampire” star “preying”
on a bigger celestial body. ASTROSAT observes universe in the optical, UV, low
and high energy X-ray regions of the electromagnetic
 The smaller star sucks mass and energy out of the spectrum, whereas most such satellites are capable of
bigger companion star and it becomes bigger, observing only a narrow range of wavelength band.
hotter &bluer and hence is called a vampire star.
3.26.28. ISRO AIDED BY INDIA'S ENTRY INTO MTCR

 MTCR has facilitated access to high-end testing technology for its solid rocket booster propulsion system,
which fires up the first stage of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).
 Earlier, testing this system was a slow process due limited technology access.
 Many key components to upgrade the technology were in controlled items lists under MTCR due to their
dual military use.
 Access to MTCR’s controlled items has led to major efforts in making India a bigger player in the $300-
billion satellite launch market.

3.26.29. TRAPPIST-1
 Recently NASA has discovered a new Exoplanet system having seven earth sized planets orbiting a cool
dwarf-star known as TRAPPIST-1, which is 39 light years from Earth.
 TRAPPIST-1 (The Transiting Planets and Planetesimals Small Telescope) is named after a robotic telescope in
the Atacama Desert of Chile used to study the star.
 It is a small star with 8 per cent the mass of the sun and only slightly bigger than the planet Jupiter, lyingin
the constellation Aquarius. It is an “ultracool dwarf planet” with surface temperature much less than sun.
 Six of the planets of the system lie in the habitable or goldilocks zone with ambient surface temperature to
support life.
 Out of these six planets at least three planets classified as TRAPPIST-1 e, 1 f and 1 g have an ocean.
 All seven planets’ planetary orbits are closer to their host star, than Mercury is to our sun.
 This is the first time so many habitable-zone planets found around a single star outside our solar system.
3.27. GRAPES-3 EXPERIMENT

 The GRAPES-3 (Gamma Ray Astronomy PeV EnergieS phase-3) experiment is a special telescope-array
established in Ooty.
 Its aim is to detect muons from cosmic ray showers. Solar Storms
 It is an Indo-Japanese collaboration where Tata Institute of  Sun gives out bursts of energy because
Fundamental Research of India and the Japanese Osaka City of its fusion reactions, in the form of
University and Nagoya Women’s University are collaborating solar flares and coronal mass ejections.
with each other.  This phenomenon can disrupt satellites
 It can be used to study solar storms and space weather at and various electronic communications
distances up to two times the earth’s radius, unlike satellite- present on Earth.
 It sends a stream of electrical charges
based studies that give information only about what is
and magnetic fields toward the Earth.
happening in their vicinity.

4. HEALTH
4.1. POTASSIUM BROMATE
 The government banned the use of potassium bromate as a food additive following a Centre for Science and
Environment (CSE) study that found its presence in bread
According to the CSE, potassium bromate typically
caused cancer.
increases dough strength, leads to higher rising
 As far as potassium iodate is concerned, it has been and gives uniform finish to baked products.
referred to a scientific panel.” Potassium iodate is a flour treatment agent.
 Potassium iodate is also used as a food additive and it
too is said to be carcinogenic, it has been also referred to a scientific panel
 A CSE study had found that 84 per cent of 38 commonly available brands of pre-packaged breads, including
pav and buns, tested positive for potassium bromate and potassium iodate.
 The two food additives are banned in many countries and are listed as “hazardous” to public health.
 According to the CSE, potassium bromate typically increases dough strength, leads to higher rising and gives
uniform finish to baked products. Potassium iodate is a flour treatment agent.
4.2. MALTITOL
 Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has developed a bone reconstruction method similar to Joints of bone.
 They have used maltitol- derived from maltose, a sweetening agent found in most sugar-free foods such as
ice-creams.
How it Works?
 Maltitol is combined with other components to make long chain-like structures that become plastic. This is
then used to fill in the bone gap caused by fracture, instead of the traditional rod.
 Maltitol would be a huge advantage over metal rods, which do not allow growth of the bone, especially in
infants and adolescents.Drugs can also be injected into it for faster healing.
4.3. ZIKA VACCINE: DNA VACCINE (GLS-5700)

 The first Phase-1 human clinical trial of a vaccine for the Zika virus is set to begin soon.
 The DNA vaccine (GLS-5700) has already been tested on animals and found to elicit “robust” antibody and T
cell responses.
 The human trial will be carried out on 40 healthy adults to evaluate safety, tolerability and immunogenicity
and the interim results are expected before the end of the year.
About Zika virus
 Zika virus disease is caused by a virus transmitted primarily by Aedes mosquitoes. It is a cause of
microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome.
 Microcephaly is a condition where a baby’s head is much smaller than expected. Guillain-Barre syndrome is a
rare condition in which immune system attacks nerves, leading to muscle weakness and even paralysis.
4.4. YAWS FREE STATUS FOR INDIA

Why in news?
 Recently, India received the official citation from WHO and UNICEF for being YAWS-free.
 India is the first country to be officially acknowledged as being Yaws-free.
 India has achieved this important milestone of being Yaws-free much before the WHO global target year of
2020.
What is yaws?
 Yaws is a chronic infection that affects mainly the skin, bone and cartilage.
 The disease occurs mainly in poor communities in warm, humid, tropical areas

 It affects mainly children below 15 years of age.
 It is caused by the bacterium - Treponemapallidumm and transmitted by skin contact.
 Yaws occurs in overcrowded communities, with limited access to basic amenities, such as water and
sanitation, as well as health care.
4.5. CHARGE SYNDROME

Why in news?
 Scientists from the Delhi-based CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology are a step closer to
bringing hope to children born with CHARGE syndrome.
 The results of a study were published recently in the journal Human Molecular Genetics.
What is Charge Syndrome?
 It is a rare disorder in which multiple life-threatening problems such as deafness and blindness, heart
defects, genital problems and growth retardation and facial bone and nerve defects that cause breathing
and swallowing difficulties.
 A mutation in the CHD7 gene is responsible for 60-70 per cent of all CHARGE defects. The expression of the
gene peaks in the early stages of embryo development, starting from 2-4 cells.
 There is a high death rate in the very first year in children born with CHARGE.
 About 1 in 20,000 people in the world, and an estimated 50,000 in India alone, are born with CHARGE
syndrome.
4.6. NEED FOR AN HPV VACCINE

Why in News?
 It is being debated whether HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) Vaccine should be included in the universal
immunisation programme or not.
What is it?
 The vaccine offers protection against sexually transmitted Human Papilloma Virus.
 The vaccine also averts the risk of contracting cervical cancer.
 It needs to be administered before the first intercourse.
 WHO (World Health Organisation) recommends two doses of the vaccine preferably in the age of 9-13
years.
4.7. MADE-IN-INDIA LEPROSY VACCINE

Why in news?
A first-of-its-kind leprosy vaccine developed in India is to be launched on a pilot basis in Bihar and Gujarat.
Significant Facts
 Vaccine name is Mycobacterium Indicus Pranii (MIP).
 It is developed by National Institute of Immunology (NII).
 This vaccine will be administered as a preventive measure to those staying in close contact with leprosy
patients.
Important facts about leprosy
 Leprosy, caused by Mycobacterium leprae, affects around 127,000 people in India every year. About 59 per
cent of the world’s leprosy patients live in India.
 National Leprosy Eradication Programme was launched in 1983.
 India achieved the goal of elimination of leprosy as a public health problem in Dec 2005.
 Chhattisgarh and Dadra & Nagar Haveli have still not achieved elimination.

4.8. FOOT & MOUTH DISEASE (FMD)
Ministry of Agriculture has allocated 100.00 crore rupees for FMD control under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana in
order to achieve the objective of FMD Mukt Bharat’ in next few years.
Background
 Foot & Mouth Disease (FMD) is one of the most economically devastating contagious viral animal diseases
affecting all susceptible cloven-footed animals.
 In order to prevent economic losses due to Foot and Mouth Disease, a programme named ‘Foot and Mouth
Disease Control Programme (FMD-CP)’ is under implementation since 10th Plan Period.
4.9. KLEBSIELLA PNEUMONIAE BACTERIA

Why in News?
 A US woman died from an infection that was resistant to all 26 available antibiotics, raising new concerns
about rise of dangerous superbugs.
 The bacterium found was Klebsiella pneumonia that contained the enzyme called as New Delhi metallo-
beta-lactamase (NDM-1) in its gene.
What is a superbug?
 Bacteria can carry genes that allow them to survive exposure to the antibiotics we currently have. These are
called superbugs or antibiotic resistant.
 There are two reasons for emergence of resistance:
 Spontaneous mutation of bacterium’s DNA
 Transfer of ABR genes from one bacteria to another
 Major reason for increasing number of superbugs’ emergence is the misuse or overuse of antibiotics.
How can we stop the spread of superbugs?
There is a lot we can do as individuals and as a community, through our governments, to improve the situation
and reduce the risk of being infected with a superbug.
 Reducing individual risk
 Maintain good personal care and hygiene
 Limit the antibiotics you receive
 Use in this in animals to be avoided: Worldwide, about 80% of all antibiotics are used in food animals but
many a times antibiotics provide no or marginal benefit.
 Renew our focus on safe water- NDM-1 is found in New Delhi’s chlorinated water supply.
 Research and development can only be the long term solution for the problem
 Awareness among the individuals regarding the spread of superbugs and International cooperation.

4.10. SUPERBUGS
Why in news?
 World Health Organization(WHO) has recently
provided a list of twelve “Superbugs” which pose an
enormous threat to human health.
 WHO further urged medical experts and
pharmaceutical researchers to focus first on fighting
the most dangerous among these pathogens.
Superbugs
 They are a strain of bacteria that has become
resistant to battery of antibiotic drugs after their
prolonged exposure to antibiotics.
 Hence, the medicines become ineffective and
infections persist in the body, increasing the risk of
spread to others.
 Overuse (consuming more antibiotic than
prescribed) and Misuse (taking prescribed antibiotic
incorrectly or taking antibiotic to treat viral
infection) of antibiotics are the major reason for
formation of Superbugs. Human consumption of
antibiotic-treated chicken and livestock further
increasing resistance.
 Few prominent superbugs highlighted by WHO are
MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus),
Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Klebsiella, E. coli.
 Klebsiella Bacteria has recently developed resistance to a powerful class of antibiotics called carbapenems.
4.11. ANTI-MALARIA BATTLE

Why in News?
 Scientists have discovered a new compound named bicyclic azetidine series that was found to act on all
three stages of the malaria parasite, according to a study published in the journal Nature.
About The Discovery
 The compound was found to cure the disease with a single, low dose treatment.
 Also, it can provide prophylaxis; prevent disease transmission both in lab and in animals.
 The compound works by targeting the parasite’s protein translation machinery. Protein translation is vital at
every stage of the plasmodium life cycle.
 Since protein translation is quite vital for the parasite’s functioning, mutation is quite unlikely. Therefore,
there are less chances of parasite developing drug resistance against the compound.
 This discovery can be a stepping stone in the treatment of the disease and will also pave way for more
therapeutic arsenals in the coming year.
4.12. GENES BEHIND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY

Why in News?
 Researchers have for the first time identified 30 recessive inherited genes that play a role in intellectual
disability as well as other brain disorders, according to the journal, Molecular Psychiatry.
 The research was carried out by scientists from Radboud University Medical Centre in Netherlands and
University of Health Sciences in Pakistan.
 The research was carried out for five years and across three continents.

Intellectual Disability: Fact File
 Intellectual disability or ID (previously known as mental retardation) limits an individual’s intellectual ability
and practical skills.
 As many as 213 million people are affected by neuro-developmental disorder.
 It is measured by intelligent quotient below 70.
 Today, close to 1-3 percent population has some form of ID.
 Half of ID can be linked to poor nutrition and environmental causes while the other half is due to genetic
disorders such gene mutations.
 This research can be applied for DNA screenings and determine the possibility of a couple producing an ID
child.
4.13. MCR-1 ISOLATED IN INDIA

Why in News?
 Scientists have isolated resistance causing mcr-1 gene in a strain of E.coli in India.
What is it?
 Mcr-1 gene is responsible for resistance against the antibiotic, Colistin- the last mile antibiotic that the
human race has currently access to.
 Colistin belongs to a group of antibiotics called polymixins which are termed “critically important by WHO. It
is used when no other antibiotic works.
 Colistin resistance has been previously detected only in mutations in the chromosomal/genetic path. And
mutations do not spread from one patient to another.
 On the other hand, mcr-1, the gene is found in the plasmid medium, a small DNA molecule outside of the
chromosomal DNA.
 In other words, the infection can spread in hospitals and the community now.
 Mcr-1 has already been detected in China, USA and Brazil.
4.14. COALITION FOR EPIDEMIC PREPAREDNESS AND INNOVATIONS

Why in News?
 India will lead the global fight against epidemics as it is a member of the newly formed Coalition for Epidemic
Preparedness Innovations (CEPI). It will be headquartered in Norwegian Institute for Public Health, in Oslo.
Why the need?
 Recent outbreaks: SARS, Ebola and Zika - reveal gaps that partnerships like CEPI should fill.
About the coalition
 It was officially launched in Jan 2017 at World Economic Forum (WEF) at Davos with an initial investment of
$460 million from the Germany, Japan and Norway including Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
 CEPI aims to finance and coordinate the development of new vaccines to contain infectious disease
epidemics that are usually neglected (like some neglected tropical diseases)
 The coalition will not focus on diseases that already have adequate attention like rotavirus, but will be
guided by WHO’s R&D blueprint (2016), which lists eleven illnesses to focus on like Chikungunya, Middle East
Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) etc.
 The steering agencies of the coalition are - Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology,
GOI; Government of Norway; Wellcome Trust; Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; and World Economic Forum.
Benefits of the Coalition
 It will provide a permanent, sustainable model for epidemic vaccine development through sharing of risk and
benefits of vaccine development.
 CEPI would provide the opportunity to leverage vaccine development capacities in India,
 CEPI will increase access to vaccines. It will also bolster India’s status of pharmacy of the world.

 It will help protect our population and help lower preventable deaths.
 It will boost our ability to have a competitive vaccine industry and help India build on its pharmaceutical
economy.
 In the era of antibiotic resistance, this initiative will help finance the development of vaccines for resistant
infections.
4.15. CHIKUNGUNYA VACCINE

Why in news?
 US researchers have developed a About Chikungunya
vaccine for chikungunya made from  It is caused by virus. The virus is transmitted by the bites of
an insect-specific virus Eilat virus since infected female mosquitoes, commonly Aedes aegypti and Aedes
it only infects insects and has no albopictus.
 It is characterized by fever and severe joint pain in hands and feet,
impact on people, making the vaccine
and may include headache, muscle pain, joint swelling or rash.
safe and effective.
 The disease shares some clinical signs with dengue, and can be
Significance of the vaccine misdiagnosed.
 There is no cure for the disease. Treatment is focused on relieving
 There is currently no commercial the symptoms. This is the first vaccine treatment which may
chikungunya vaccine. become a viable treatment in future
 Traditionally, vaccine development
involves trade-offs between how quickly the vaccine works and safety.
 The newly-developed vaccine quickly produces a strong immune defence and completely protects mice and
nonhuman primates. It is still unable to prove effectiveness in humans.
4.16. DIAGNOSIS OF DENGUE AND CHIKUNGUNYA

Why in News? Biomarker: A biologic feature that can
be used to measure the presence or
 Researchers have identified specific metabolites that can potentially
progress of disease or the effects of
be used as biomarkers for distinguishing dengue and chikungunya
treatment.
infections as well as co-infections by these two viruses.
 The research was carried out at Delhi’s International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology and
has been published in the journal Scientific Reports.
Background Antibody is a protein produced by immune system
to fight outside invaders. Since the enemy
 Antigen and Antibody-based diagnostic tools are substance triggers the production of antibodies,
available for dengue and the diagnosis can be made such substances are called antigens-anti- being
within the first few days of infection. short for antibody, and-genmeaning "producer".
 However, antigen-based diagnostic tools are not (Similarly, an allergen produces an allergy, and
approved by the government and are therefore not used a pathogen produces a pathology or disease.)
in government hospitals.
 On the other hand, only antibody-based diagnostic tools are available to detect chikungunya making it
difficult to diagnose it early. (Antibodies take time to develop).
 Both chikungunya and dengue exhibit similar and overlapping symptoms making it challenging to diagnose
and more so in the case of a co-infection.
 Currently, there are no tools for the diagnosis of a co-infection by chikungunya and dengue.
Significance
 Diagnostics based on metabolites is highly sensitive making it easier to detect even the minor changes at the
molecular level both in case of mono and co-infection.
 The metabolic clusters can be used for various applications- biomarkers, studying disease progression,
evaluating therapeutic potential of drugs and disease management.

4.17. CURBING THE GROWTH OF MALARIA PARASITE
Why in News?
 Scientists are using chirality of molecules to cheat the malaria parasite
from causing infection in humans.
What is Chirality?
 Biomolecules are symmetrical in nature. This property is called
chirality.
 In case of a chiral structure, the carbon atom is central to the molecule
while all other elements can be arranged in left handed or right
handed way.
How This Property is Being Used?
 The constituents of proteins i.e amino acids have a chiral structure and all naturally occurring proteins are
made up of L-amino acids.
 Chiral properties of the L-amino acids are being used to curb the life cycle of Plasmodium Falciparum
 Plasmodium Falciparum is one of the malaria parasites that causes particularly virulent form of the disease.
 This parasite has a complex life cycle and one of the important steps is the invasion of red blood cells by this
parasite.
 During the invasion of RBCs, two proteins (AMA1 and RON2) form a junction known as apical membrane.
 It is at this juncture chiral property of biomolecules can be used by cheating the malarial parasite.
 Chemically synthesized mirror image of the protein is replaced with the L-amino acid rendering the protein
dysfunctional for forming the junction.
4.18. EBOLA VACCINE

Why in News?
 A new Ebola vaccine has been proved to give 100 percent protections in its final test results.
 The trial was carried out in Guinea and the test results were released in The Lancet.
What is it?
 The vaccine called rVSV-ZEBOV was developed over a decade ago by the Public Health Agency of Canada and
United States Army.
 The Ebola trial of this vaccine was led by World Health Organization, The Guinean Health Ministry and the
Norwegian Institiute of Public Health.
4.19. JEEVAN REKHA: E-HEALTH PROJECT

Why in news
 Recently Kerala government launched the World Bank aided e-health project called JEEVAN REKHA.
About the project
 This is first of its kind initiative in the country. It has two components –public health component and
hospital automation module.
 Main aim of the project is to create integrated healthcare cloud that will contain the health records of all its
citizens in electronic form.
 Public health component envisage the development of Electronic health records (EHR) of the population
while hospital automation module envisage the digitization of all government hospitals.
 System will automatically provide a unique identification number for any person who will access the
healthcare system and also store his health record in electronic form (EHR) in central server.
 It has a privacy clause to ensure that patient health records are not leaked in public domain.

4.20. NEW HUMAN ORGAN FOUND: MESENTERY
 A new human organ has been classified by Ireland scientists, known as the Mesentery.
 It's a double fold of peritoneum - the
lining of the abdominal cavity - that
attaches our intestine to the wall of
our abdomen, and keeps everything
locked in place.
 This new organ is found in our
digestive systems, and earlier thought
to be made up of fragmented,
separate structures. But recent
research has shown that it's actually a
one continuous organ.
 It carries blood and lymphatic fluid
between the intestine and the rest of
the body. It also maintains the position of the intestine so that it's connected with the abdominal wall
without being in direct contact.
 Its reclassification will help in better understanding about what kind of role does it play in abdominal and
digestive diseases which could further lead to less invasive surgeries, fewer complications, faster patient
recovery and lower overall costs.
4.21. HYPERBILIRUBINEMIA
 Researchers from IIT Kharagpur developed a technology that uses thumbprint to detect Hyperbilirubinemia.
 Hyperbilirubinemia is a condition when there is too much bilirubin in the blood and turns sclera of eye, urine
and even skin yellow.
 It is commonly seen in people and newborns suffering with jaundice when the bilirubin concentration in the
blood typically exceeds 12 ppm in adults and 50 ppm in a newborn.
 Researchers have used Luminescence property of Gold Nanoclusters which are extremely sensitive to
presence of molecules in the environment.
 When a person has jaundice, bilirubin gets deposited on the surface of skin. So when she presses the thumb
on gold nanocluster coated membrane having copper deposited on its surface, bilirubin forms a complex
with copper and restores the luminescence curtailed by copper.
4.22. INDIA’S NATIONAL VACCINE REGULATORY AUTHORITY

WHO recently declared Indian National Regulatory Authority functional and awarded it highest rating 4 which
means 100% compliance with the WHO benchmarking , good result with sustained improvement trend and
stringent regulator of vaccine as per developed countries and European Union.
What is NRA?
 As Specified by WHO, NRAs are national regulatory agencies responsible for ensuring international standards
of quality and safety in vaccine production either for export or for public distribution.
 It comprise of Central drugs standard control organization, State Drug Regulatory Authorities, Pharmaco-
vigilance Programme of India (PvPI) and Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) structures at the
Central and States levels.
4.23. PREDATOR FOUND FOR DENGUE CAUSING MOSQUITO

 Dengue affects more than 390 million people each year. In 2016, more than 1 lakh confirmed cases of
dengue were reported in India (WHO Estimate).
 Researchers at the Calcutta University recently found that the Lutzia fuscana larvae demonstrated a
preference for feeding on Aedes aegypti larvae (the dengue-causing mosquito)
 “Lutzia fuscana” mosquito is a natural predator of Aedes aegypti.

 Thus, Lutzia larvae, being a potential biological control method, can be the better solution than using
dangerous chemicals to kill Dengue mosquito.
 Since 1928 India has been using Gambusia afinis or mosquito fish as a biological control agent against
mosquito larvae. It is an exotic species and has been distributed throughout the warmer and some
temperate parts of the world.
4.24. PFSPZ VACCINE

 PfSPZ (Plasmodium falciparum sporozites) is Malaria
an injectable vaccine being developed by  Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites which spread
Sanaria Inc. to people through the bites of infected
 It is undergoing clinical trials and recently it female Anopheles mosquitoes, called "malaria vectors."
got US FDA fast track designation to help to  There are 5 parasite species that cause malaria in humans.
develop this vaccine earlier for the patients.  2 of these species – P. falciparum and P. vivax – pose the
 It will be able to use it to halt transmission and greatest threat.
eliminate Plasmodium falciparum malaria  P. falciparum is the most prevalent malaria parasite on
from geographically defined regions. the African continent.
 P. vivax is the dominant malaria parasite in most countries
 It would help provide protection against
outside of sub-Saharan Africa.
malaria to travelers and military personnel
visiting malaria endemic regions
4.25. CYSVAX VACCINE

 It is a vaccine to fight tapeworm in pigs – first such in the world.
 It has been developed by India Immunologicals Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Dairy
Development Board.
 This would help in improving the food safety of processed foods like pork. Sometimes humans can get
infected by ingesting the eggs of the tapeworm in meats like pork.
4.26. BGR-34
 CSIR launched BGR-34 - India's first anti-diabetic
Lukoskin
ayurvedic drug.  It is a drug launched by the partnership of
 Its full form is Blood Glucose Regulator 34 where 34 DRDO and Aimil Pharceuticals (PPP).
represents the number of active phyto-constituents  It is used for the safe treatment of leucoderma.
from herbal resources.
 BGR-34 is designed for Type 2 Diabetes mellitus.
 BGR-34 has been jointly developed by National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) and Central Institute for
Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP).
 The modern diabetes drugs cause side-effects and toxicity while BGR-34 works by controlling blood sugar
and limiting the harmful effects of other drugs.
4.27. ZIKA REPLICON SYSTEM

 Replicons are segments of viral genome that can replicate on their own, independent of the cellular
chromosome.
 University of Texas has developed a Zika replicon system which replicates the basic structure of the Zika
virus, stripping it of the genes that makes the virus infectious. It was engineered by attaching genes allowing
researchers to tag the interested parts of the virus.
 The altered Zika virus is no longer infectious, lowering the safety risk.
 It uses genetic tools to study how the virus multiplies and causes disease. This is especially important
because the Zika virus behaves differently than many other viruses.

5. NANOTECHNOLOGY
5.1. DRAFT GUIDELINES ON SAFE HANDLING OF NANOMATERIALS
 The Nano Mission under the Department of Science and Few Applications of Nanotechnology
Technology has come out with the draft “Guidelines and Best  Desalination of water
Practices for Safe Handling of Nanomaterials in Research  Wastewater treatment
Laboratories and Industries”.  Other Nanoremediation.
 The guidelines, intended as standard operating procedure (SOP)  Nanomedicine is being used to treat
for handling nanomaterials in research laboratories and disease and prevent health issues.
industries, prescribe a combination of engineering controls, work  Nanoparticles are used in sunscreen,
practices and personal protective equipment as part of a robust cosmetics and food packaging.
exposure control strategy.
 These lay down the process for identifying hazards, taking note of the specific effect of surface chemistry,
shape, size and morphology on toxicity caused to various organs.
 The guidelines also lay down set of best practices related to the making and handling of Nanopowders and
use of products relating to food and healthcare.
About Nano Mission
 The Government of India, in May 2007, has approved the launch of a Mission on Nano Science and
Technology (Nano Mission) with an allocation of Rs. 1000 crore for 5 years.
 The Department of Science and Technology is the nodal agency for implementing the Nano Mission.
 Capacity-building in this upcoming area of research will be of utmost importance for the Nano Mission so
that India emerges as a global knowledge-hub in this field.
 Equally importantly, the Nano Mission will strive for development of products and processes for national
development, especially in areas of national relevance like safe drinking water, materials development,
sensors development, drug delivery, etc.
5.2. NANOGENERATOR
About
Piezoelectricity is the electric charge that accumulates in
 Pune based Indian Institute of Science Education certain solid materials (such as crystals, certain ceramics,
and Research (IISER) and the National Chemical and biological matter such as bone, DNA and proteins) in
Laboratory have developed a nanogenerator response to mechanical stress. It refers to electricity
that could produce up to 14 volts of electric resulting from pressure.
power when thumb pressure is applied.
 To produce the nanogenerator, the researchers electrospun a piezoelectric polymer [P(VDF-TrFE)] directly
onto a flexible, conducting carbon cloth.
 The carbon cloth was produced by heating a cotton cloth at 800 C for several hours in an inert atmosphere
Significance
 Currently, there is considerable research emphasis to develop flexible or wearable devices like digital
watches, health gear etc. Such devices should be portable, lightweight, shock-resistant, and inexpensive.
 An essential condition for these devices is that they should be powered by harvesting easily available
mechanical or vibration energy, making battery or related wiring redundant.
 Thus, the development of such piezoelectric material is increasing. This invention can pave the way for
further development in this field.

6. AWARDS AND INDIGENIZATION OF TECHNOLOGY
6.1. INSPIRE AWARDS
Why in News? More on Inspire Programme
 The Inspire Awards have been  The programme aims to attract talent towards the excitement
and study of science at an early age and to build the critical
renamed as MANAK (Million Minds
resource required for expanding the S&T system and the R&D
National Aspirations and base. The programme has three components:
Knowledge).The Inspire Awards is part  Scheme for Early Attraction of Talent
of the larger Inspire programme.  Scholarship for Higher Education
What Are the Inspire Awards?  Assured Opportunity for Research Careers.
 The Inspire Awards is an outreach programme of Department of Science and Technology that was started
in 2010 to encourage children to develop interest in science
and research through innovation.
 Every year 2 lakh students between the ages of 10-15 years
are identified for the Inspire Awards. Each Inspire Award
envisions an investment of Rs. 5000/- per child.
 Since its inception, it has funded 13.85 lakh students.
 In 2016, 60 of the best ideas would be worked by
professional engineers and designers for potential commercial development with intellectual property right
for children.
 The programme aims to bring out ideas that use science and innovation to solve problems. To be certain
that this happen, the programme will employ National Innovation Fund (NIF). NIF is to make sure that
recycled ideas are eliminated and original ones emerge.
6.2. NIDHI
 NIDHI (National Initiative for Development and Harnessing Innovations) is an umbrella programme
pioneered by the Department of Science and Technology.
 It works towards nurturing knowledge-based and technology-driven ideas and innovations into successful
start-ups.
 It also aims to provide technological solutions to the pressing needs of the society and create new avenues
for wealth and job creation.
 NIDHI, by design connects and strengthens all the links of the innovation chain- scouting, sustaining, securing,
scaling and showcasing.
 The key stakeholders of NIDHI includes various departments and ministries of the central government, state
governments, academic and R & D institutions, mentors, financial institutions, angel investors, venture
capitalists, industry champions and private sectors.
 Components of NIDHI that support each stage of a budding start-up are:
 PRAYAS (Promoting and Accelerating Young and Aspiring Innovators & Start- ups), which aims to support
innovators to build prototypes of their ideas by providing a grant up to Rs.10 lakhs and an access to
Fabrication Laboratory (Fab Lab).
 The Seed Support System which provides up to One Crore rupees per start-up and is implemented
through Technology Business Incubators.
 With a view to drive the innovation and start-up centric new initiatives in a scaled up manner for its wider
outreach across the country, a 450% increase in allocation (Rs. 180 crores) has been made in the
Department’s budget.
6.3. SHANTI SWARUP BHATNAGAR AWARD

 The government announced the recipients of the prestigious Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award for Science
and Technology, which is the most coveted award in multidisciplinary science in India since 1958.

 It is given annually by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) for notable and outstanding
research, applied or fundamental, in biology, chemistry, environmental science, engineering, mathematics,
medicine and Physics.
 Partha Sarthi Mukherjee bagged the award in the Chemical Sciences category while Sunil Kumar Singh in
the Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences category.
 Avinash Kumar Agarwal from IIT Kanpur and Venkata Narayana Padmanabhan of Microsoft Research India
have bagged the award in Engineering Sciences category.
 Amlendu Krishna from Mumbai-based Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) and Naveen Garg from
IIT Delhi have been selected in the Mathematical Sciences category.
 Subramanian Anantha Ramakrishna from IIT Kanpur and Sudhir Kumar Vempati from IISc have jointly bagged
the award in the Physical Sciences category.
6.4. ADVANCED ULTRA SUPER CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY (AUSC)

Why in news?
 Govt. approved Rs 1,554 crore to develop advanced ultra-super critical (AUSC) technology for power plants.
 It will be used for thermal power plants of future, envisaging reduced coal consumption and CO2 emission.
 This will be the first time large power plant equipment will be manufactured with advanced technologies
without any technological collaboration/licensing agreement with foreign companies.
Other important facts
 Conventional coal-fired power plants, which make water boil to generate steam that activates a turbine, have efficiency
of about 32%.
 Supercritical (SC) and ultra-supercritical (USC) power plants operate at temperatures and pressures above the critical
point of water, at which point there is no difference between water gas and liquid water. This results in higher
efficiencies of above 45%.
 SC and USC power plants require less coal per megawatt-hour, leading to lower emissions (including carbon dioxide and
mercury), higher efficiency and lower fuel costs per megawatt.
6.5. SOLAR POWER TREE

 It has been developed by the CSIR-Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-CMERI).
 It will harness the solar energy to produce electricity with an innovative vertical arrangement of solar cells.
 It thus reduces the requirement of land as compared to conventional Solar Photovoltaic layout. Eg. It takes
only 4 square feet of land for a 5 KW Solar Power tree, whereas in a conventional layout, it requires 400
square feet of land.
 Even the cultivable land can be used in this arrangement along with farming at the same time. The
innovation finds its viability both in rural and urban areas.
 As a future prospect, the Solar Power Tree would be developed in a rotatable module, which would have a
motorized mechanism to align itself with the movement of the Sun during the day. Hence, it would be
possible to harness 10-15% more power over and above the current capacity.
6.6. DIVYA NAYAN

 It is a standalone text to speech portable reading machine that has been developed for the visually impaired
to help them read normal texts without any third person involvement.
 It has been developed by a CSIR lab - Central Scientific Instruments Organization (CSIO), Chandigarh.
 It is based on the principle of contact scanning of a printed document and converts into speech.
 Presently, it supports English and Hindi language. It will be further programmed for other Indian and Foreign
language.
 It will be completely wireless device. It uses open source hardware and software.

7. IPR
7.1. COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT: GOVT POLICY AND MEASURES
Why in News?
 The government has planned for strict enforcement of copyright law to tackle piracy in the country through
its IPR (Intellectual Property Rights) Policy.
Penal Provisions of the Copyright Act
 A nation-wide awareness campaign is set to be  Section 63 deals with offence of infringement. It
launched on IPR by the Department of Industrial provides that any person who ‘knowingly’ infringes
Policy and Promotion (DIPP). copyright or is party to it may be punished with
 The government has issued strict warning against imprisonment and fine.
copyright infringement online stating the  The minimum imprisonment is of 6 months
punishable offences under its copyright law. (extendable up to 3 years) and a fine up to Rs. 3
lakhs.
Common Copyright Infringements  Section 63-A deals with repeat offences and
 Making infringing copies for sale or hire or selling provides for a higher fine and imprisonment for a
repeat offenders.
or letting them for hire.
 Section 65 deals with the possession of plates for
 Permitting any place for the performance of
the purposes of making infringing copies.
works in public where such performance amount  Section 65-A deals with digital rights management.
to copyright infringement.
 Distributing infringing copies for the purpose of trade or to such an extent that is harmful to the interest of
the owner of copyright;
 Public exhibition of infringing copies by way of trade.
 Importation of infringing copies into India.
Positives of the Government Initiative
 Awareness campaigns are expected to sensitize the public about intellectual property rights.
 The new IPR policy puts a legal framework in place for the IPR regime.
 It has also reduced the time taken by govt. to approve a trademark from about a year to a month by 2017.
7.2. RIGHT TO PHOTOCOPY

Why in news? Copyright Law in India
 The Copyright Act, 1957 governs the subject
Delhi High Court handed out a landmark verdict for IP and
matter of copyright law in India.
Access to Knowledge, holding that the educational exception
 It has been amended 6 times since 1957, the
under Section 52(1)(i) – the reproduction of a work by a latest being in 2012.
“teacher/pupil in the course of instruction” – of the Copyright  India is a member of many important
Act was broad enough to cover the photocopying and international conventions governing the area
creation of course packs. of copyright law. They are Berne Convention
of 1886, The Universal Convention of 1951,
Arguments supporting Delhi HC verdict
The Rome Convention 1961 and the
 To balance copyright protection with public interest in Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of
ensuring access. Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).
 Ensures affordable access to expensive foreign quality educational material.
 Already Section 52(1) of copyright protection permits making of copies of literary works by a teacher or pupil
in the course of instruction. Photocopying is just an extension as the material is mostly limited to university
campus.

8. SOME RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY
8.1. EXPLORING METALS IN INDIAN OCEAN
 Cabinet approved signing of a 15 year contract between its Earth Sciences Ministry and the International
Seabed Authority (ISA) for undertaking exploration and other developmental activities related to
polymetallic sulphides in the Indian Ocean.
 The exploration will be done in the allotted area of 10,000 sq km in parts of Central and South - West Indian
Ridges (SWIR), in the Indian Ocean.
 This comes after the ISA, under the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), approved an
application submitted by India for allotment of 10,000 square km area along with 15 years plan of work for
exploration of polymetallic sulphide (PMS) along these two areas.
 The program will be implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences with the participation from various
national institutes and research laboratories and organizations.
Related Information:
International Seabed Authority (ISA)
 The International Seabed Authority is an autonomous international organization established under the 1982
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 1994 Agreement relating to the Implementation of
Part XI of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
 The Authority, which has its headquarters in Kingston, Jamaica, came into existence on 16 November 1994,
upon the entry into force of the 1982 Convention.
 It was established to organize, regulate and control all mineral-related activities in the international seabed
area beyond the limits of national jurisdiction, an area underlying most of the world’s oceans.
Polymetallic nodules (manganese nodules)

 These are small potato-sized (from millimetres to tens of centimetres in diameter) lumps of material
precipitated from seawater and sediment pore water at slow rates over millions of years and occur mainly
on the deep-seafloor.
 They contain approximately 24% manganese, compared to 35 to 55% manganese in land ore bodies, so they
do not offer solid economics as a manganese source, but they also contain iron (14%), copper (>1%), nickel
(>1%), and cobalt (0.25%).
Cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts

 Cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts occur at shallower depths of <400 to about > 5000 meters in areas of
significant volcanic activity.
 The crusts grow on hard-rock substrates of volcanic origin by the precipitation of metals dissolved in
seawater in areas of seamounts, ridges, plateaus and where prevailing currents prevent deposition of
unconsolidated sediments and occupy large areas on top of these topography highs.
 In many cases, the deposits occur within the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the countries.
 Similar in general composition to the polymetallic nodules, cobalt crusts are attracting investment in
exploration for higher cobalt percentage (up to 2%), platinum (0.0001%) and Rare Earth Elements (REE)
besides Nickel and Manganese.
Polymetallic sulphides (PMS)

 PMS are formed by precipitation of metals leached by hydrothermal fluid as it interacts with the cooler
ambient seawater at or beneath the seafloor at hydrothermal vent sites.
 PMS are typically composed of iron pyrite, but contain varying proportions of pyrrhotite, pyrite/marcasite,
sphalerite/wurtzite, chalcopyrite, bornite, isocubanite and galena.

 Copper and zinc are the most likely metals to be recovered, but some deposits exhibit significant gold (0–20
ppm) and silver (0–1200 ppm) grades as well.
 Submarine massive polymetallic sulphide bodies are principally found along the earth’s major tectonic belts.
8.2. LIDAR
Why in News?
 Unprecedented new details of medieval cities in Cambodia near Angkor Wat have been revealed using Lidar,
shedding new light on the civilisation.
 In Telangana, the State government proposes to use LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology in
preparation of high resolution maps for use in various engineering works and projects that the State is
planning.
 Last year, the Telangana State government had conducted Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) survey on
the river flow of Godavari last year
 Recently Google has accused Uber of stealing its LIDAR designs in developing its own autonomous vehicles.
Autonomous vehicles use LIDAR for obstacle detection and avoidance to navigate safely through
environment. LIDAR is highly sought after technology used by companies like Google and Uber.
Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR)
What is it?
 It is a remote sensing method that uses narrow beam of lightinstead of radiowaves in the form of a pulsed laser to
build a 3-D image of surrounding landscape. The narrow beam of laser makes it possible to map objects with high
degree of resolution.
 It measuresand analysesthe distance from the sensor to the object by determining the time between the release of
laser pulse to receiving of the reflected pulse.
 For terrestrial mapping LIDAR uses near infrared wavelength laser(900–1064 nanometers) and water penetration like
sea bed mapping it uses green light (532 nanometers).
 A typical LIDAR instrument principally consists of a laser, a scanner, and a specialized GPS receiver.
 There are three ways to collect LIDAR data – airborne, satellite and ground. Airborne LIDAR data are the most
commonly available LIDAR data.
Utilities of LIDAR
LIDAR data has multiple applications. Like:
 Urban planning:Helps in creation of large area models in short time. It is also used to create digital elevation models
and surface models of surrounding buildings.
 Coastline management: Producing accurate shoreline maps, detecting coastal erosion.
 Archeology: Help in creation of high resolution digital elevation models to reveal micro-topography.
 Oil and Gas exploration:It is used totrace amount of gases above the hydrocarbon region. This tracking helps to find
exact area which has Oil and Gas deposits. Thus saves both time and money.
 Quarries and Minerals:
 Helps in quick surveying the mining area to check its suitability.
 Give an accurate indication of environment impact.
 Cellular network planning: Can be used to provide analysis for determining line of sight for proposed cellular antenna.
 Forestry management and planning: It provides the height of canopy, its density and ground elevation. It is also
increasingly used for managing forest fire by mapping possible fire area.
 Flood modeling:
 Helps in creation of accurate flood prediction models.
 Can be incorporated into relief, rescue and flood simulation software to provide advanced topographical
information.
 Pollution modeling:
 Helpsin detection of pollutants like carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide and methane.
 Detection of noise and light pollution.
 Mapping and Cartography:
 Assist in mapping of roads, buildings and vegetations.
 Useful in developing high-resolution contour maps.
 Transport planning: Help in mapping transport corridor facilitating seamless navigation.
 Agriculture:

 Helps in crop mapping and indicate which areas to need fertilizers for maximum crop yield.
 Helps in creating a topographical map of the fields and reveals the slope and sun exposure of the farm land.
 Spaceflight and Astronomy:
 It may be used in mapping the surface of any celestial body.
 It is used for atmospheric studies from space.
 Atmospheric remote sensing:It is used to determine cloud profiles, measuring winds, studying aerosols and
quantifying various atmospheric components.
8.3. BIONIC LEAF

 A team of scientists from Harvard University has created a unique “bionic leaf” that uses solar energy to split
water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen, and hydrogen-eating bacteria to produce liquid fuels.
 Bionic leaf 2.0 can convert solar energy to biomass with 10 percent efficiency - a number far higher than
efficiency of photosynthesis in the plant.
 The bionic leaf 2.0 is placed in water and, as it absorbs solar energy, it's able to split the water molecules into
hydrogen and oxygen. These can be harvested and used in fuel cells to generate electricity.
 With the help of an engineered bacterium, the hydrogen can also be used to produce liquid fuels.
8.4. BIO-INK FOR 3D PRINTING

 Scientists have developed a new stem cell-containing bio-ink Potential Applications of Bio-ink
that allows 3D printing of complex living tissues that may be It can be used for printing complex tissues
used for surgical implants. using the patient’s own stem cells for surgical
 The bio-ink contains two different polymer components: a bone or cartilage implants, which could be
natural polymer extracted from seaweed, and a sacrificial used in knee and hip surgeries.
synthetic polymer used in the medical industry.
 The special bio-ink formulation was extruded from a retrofitted benchtop 3D printer, as a liquid that
transformed to a gel at 37 degrees Celsius, which allowed construction of complex living 3D architectures.
How it works?
 The synthetic polymer causes the bio-ink to change from liquid to solid when the temperature is raised, and
the seaweed polymer provides structural support when the cell nutrients are introduced.
 The team was able to differentiate the stem cells into osteoblasts - a cell that secretes the substance of bone-
and chondrocytes, cells that have secreted the matrix of cartilage and become embedded in it, to engineer
3D printed tissue structures over five weeks.
8.5. DNA: DATA STORAGE

 A team from Microsoft and the University of Washington along with Twist Bioscience, a San Francisco start-
up, reached a milestone by successfully storing 200 MB of digital data in DNA.
 DNA has been carrier of genetic data for generations.
 Significance
 DNA possesses some of the attractive properties important for storing data.
 It is very stable; synthetic DNA can remain intact for thousands of years.
 DNA is never going to become obsolete as it holds blueprint of the living system.
 It has high packing density- 1 kg of DNA is enough to store all the data available in the world.
 Limitations
 Encoding and decoding data in DNA is a complex task, it requires more time and money.
 However this limitation is fast erasing as with technological advancements storing data into DNA structure
will only become cheap, quick and less complicated.
8.6. SELF-DRIVEN CARS

 nuTonomy, a small firm, made history of sorts when it introduced a self-driving taxi service in Singapore.
 These cars powered by AI (Artificial Intelligence) can revolutionize the transport industry worldwide.

 An autonomous car (driverless car, self-driving car, robotic car) is a vehicle that is capable of sensing its
environment and navigating without human input. Autonomous cars can detect surroundings using a variety
of techniques such as radar, lidar, GPS, odometry, and computer vision.
8.7. NOBEL PRIZE IN MEDICINE/PHYSIOLOGY

Why in News?
Yoshinori Ohsumi, a Japanese cell
biologist was awarded the 2016 Nobel
Prize in Physiology or Medicine for “his
discoveries of mechanisms for
autophagy”.
About Autophagy
 Autophagy is a greek term for “self-
eating”.
 It is a fundamental process for
degrading and recycling cellular
components.
 This discovery of the mechanism of
autophagy will aid in the fight
against diseases such as cancer, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s.
8.8. NOBEL PRIZE IN PHYSICS 2016

Why in News?
The Nobel Prize 2016 in
Physics was awarded to David
J. Thouless, F. Duncan M.
Haldane and J. Michael
Kosterlitz for “theoretical
discoveries of topological
phase transitions and
topological phases of
matter.”
What is it?
 Topology refers to the
study of geometrical
properties and spatial
relations unaffected by
the continuous change of
shape or size of figures.
Significance
 The study is being applauded as the meeting point of topology and phase transitions.
 It will help make the study of phase transitions easier.
8.9. NOBEL PRIZE IN CHEMISTRY 2016

Why in News?
 The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2016 was awarded to Frenchman Jean-Pierre Sauvage, British-born Fraser
Stoddart and Dutch scientist Bernard “Ben” Feringa for “developing miniscule machines at the molecular
level.”

Significance
 These molecular machines with controllable movements can perform a task when energy is added.
 Machines will eventually prove to be invaluable - doing things no other machines can do.
8.10. HIMANSH
Why in News?
A high-altitude research station in Himalaya called HIMANSH has been established by the National Centre for
Antartic and Ocean Research, under the Ministry of Earth Sciences at 13,500 ft (4000m) in a remote region in
Sipti in Himachal Pradesh.
Objective
The centre has been established as a part of Indian government’s initiative to study and quantify the Himalayan
glacier responses towards the climate change.
Significance of HIMANSH
 Help researchers to quantify the glacier melting and its relation to changing climate.
 For undertaking surveys using Terrestrial Laser Scanners (TLS) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV).
 Help indigitizing the glacier motion and snow cover variations with utmost precision.
 Some of the glacier that are already being studied under this project include Bada Shigri, Samudra Tapu,
Sutri Dhaka, Batal, Gepang Gath and Kunzam.

8.11.1. RESEARCHERS DISSOLVE SILVER USING GLUCOSE WATER
 IIT Madras researchers have found that silver can slowly dissolve in water if heated to about 70 degree C in
the presence of glucose. As much as 0.5 weight per cent of a silver plate can get dissolved in glucose water
within a week.

 Like gold, silver is a noble metal and is therefore supposed to be inert (resistant to chemical corrosion,
especially to chemical reagents used in daily life).
 But, IIT Madras team found that silver atoms gets released from a plate in a simple, two-step mechanism —
silver ions are first formed at the metal surface, which later form specific metal complexes with sugar.
 The team has been studying the effect of metals in food and how toxic metals get into our food chain from
soil, water and fertilizers.
 An offshoot of the study is that the method can be used for developing novel and green extraction processes
for noble metals. In general, toxic chemicals such as cyanide are used for extracting silver.
8.11.2. COGNITIVE DIGITAL RADIO

 A new app calculator has been found on smart phones of terrorists infiltrating into Jammu and Kashmir
which helps them to remain in touch with their handlers in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) without being
detected by technical surveillance by army.
 The technology is based on the concept of cognitive digital radio that enables users to turn their
smartphones into peer-to-peer, off-grid communication tools. It was first used by a US-based company
during Hurricane Katrina so that the affected could remain in touch with each other.
 The Army's signal unit relies largely on technical intercepts - usage of wireless and mobile phones.
8.11.3. SCIENTISTS RECYCLE CO2 TO CREATE USABLE FUEL

Why in News?
 According to a study published in journal Science, Scientists have developed a highly effective method of
converting carbon dioxide into methanol.
 Methanol can be used as low emission fuel for vehicles.
What is it?
 The gas produced by the burning of fossil fuels can be converted into usable energy source by using
sunlight, similar to the way plants convert CO2 into sugar.
 Plants use catalysts in the conversion; similarly here scientist used tungsten diselenide as catalyst to convert
carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide being highly reactive can then easily converted into
useful fuel such as methanol.
 Significance: This method directly targets the conversion of CO2 making it highly effective for environment
protection.
8.11.4. MAHARASHTRA GOVT TO USE DRONE TO MONITOR TRAFFIC

Why in News?
 Drones were used for the first time on the Mumbai-Pune expressway to monitor vehicular traffic.
Need
 Drones are being used keeping in mind the increasing number of accidents on the Mumbai-Pune expressway
due to rash driving and indiscipline of vehicles.
 Also, drones are better at monitoring the traffic than CCTV cameras.
8.11.5. USE OF FUNGI TO RECYCLE BATTERIES

 Scientists are working to use naturally-occurring fungi for a green recycling process to extract cobalt and
lithium from waste batteries.
 Fungi naturally generate organic acids, and the acids work to leach out the metals.
 About 85 per cent of the lithium and up to 48 per cent of the cobalt - from the cathodes of spent batteries
were extracted using the organic acids generated by the fungi.
 Three strains of fungi - Aspergillus niger, Penicillium simplicissimum and Penicillium chrysogenum are to be
used for the purpose.

8.11.6. MAKING BRACKISH WATER POTABLE
Why in News?
 Researchers at IIT Madras have devised a method that can convert brackish water into potable water in less
than 12 paise per litre.
What is it?
 Researchers used a stack of tissue paper to make graphene.
 Graphic electrodes were then covered with graphene.
 The electrodes are then dipped in brackish water.
 A potential of 1.8 volt is applied to the electrodes, the water gets deionised to become potable water.
8.11.7. SOLUTION TO MARINE OIL SPILLS

 Indian researchers have developed a membrane with exceptional hydrophobic and high oil-loving
(oleophilic) properties.
 The membrane acts like a filter. When water-oil mixture is passed through the membrane, the oil permeates
by rapid absorption while water is retained above the membrane. The oil permeation is 100 percent in the
case of oil-water mixture.
 Water-oil emulsification takes place in the seas when water gets mixed with oil under high water current
conditions. The membrane is effective in separating oil and water from an emulsion and in solving the
problem of oil spills.
8.11.8. HYPERELASTIC BONE

Why in News?
Researchers from Northwestern University in Illinois have developed a 3D printable ink that produces a
synthetic bone implant that rapidly induces bone regeneration and growth.
Hyperelastic vs autograft
 An autograft is an option where a bone piece is taken from the patient’s body usually from hip or rib, and
implanted where it’s needed elsewhere in the same patient’s skeleton.
 Hyperelastic bone is a synthetic material that can be implanted under the skin for new bone to grow on, or
used to replace lost bone matter altogether.
Significance
 Hyperealstic bone is made of hydroxyapatite, a naturally occurring mineral in our bones and teeth will
provide strength to create bones.
 The hyperelastic material can be easily customized to any shape.
 This discovery is a breakthrough in reconstructive surgery.
8.11.9. INDIAN RESEARCHERS PRODUCES STABLE SOLAR CELLS

Why in news?
 In a first, a researcher from Pune’s Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) has successfully
produced a stable, high-efficiency, all-inorganic perovskite nanocrystal solar cells.
 The team replaced methyl ammonium, the organic component, with cesium to produce the material of
cesium lead iodide. The size and developed nanocrystals was reduced which made the now all-inorganic
material stable.
 Reducing the size of material to nanometer range, increases the surface to volume ratio tremendously,
resulting into high surface energy making the high-temperature cubic phase crystal structure stable even at
room temperature

Significance
 Silicone-based solar cells available currently are extremely expensive, so research to reduce their cost and
increase efficiency is going on.
 Traditional research on solar cells has been around a hybrid organic-inorganic halide-perovskite material
which has a high efficiency of 22%, but is stable under ambient conditions for a very short time.
 In earlier efforts on such a material the scientific community was developing bigger size crystals which made
the product undesirable. Materials with perovskite structure have been the frontrunners in order to make
solar cells cost-effective.
 The researcher was able to remove the organic element and introduce nanocystals of cesium to develop a
completely inorganic material which was also thermally stable.
8.11.10. NASA’S NEW INSTRUMENT- BILI

Why in News?
 NASA has developed a new instrument that could search for signatures of life on Mars.
What is it?
 NASA will be using BILI- Bio Indicator Lidar Instrument, fluorescence based remote sensing instrument.
 It is similar to radar in principle and operation but instead of using radio waves, it uses light to detect and
ultimately analyze the composition of particles in the atmosphere.
 This instrument is currently in use by the U.S military to remotely monitor the air to detect potentially life
threatening chemicals, toxins and pathogens.
 Although NASA has used fluorescence-instruments to detect chemicals in Earth’s atmosphere, it has never
been employed in planetary studies.
How does it work?
 Positioned on a rover’s mast, BILI would first detect dust plumes.
 Once detected, two ultraviolet lasers from the instrument would pulse light at the dust.
 The illumination would cause the particles inside these dust clouds to resonate or fluorescence.
 By analysing the fluorescence, scientist could determine whether the organic particles in the dust have been
created recently or in the past.
 BILI can detect small levels of complex organic materials from a distance of several hundred metres.
 Therefore, it could detect bio-signatures in plumes above recurring slopes – even the areas that are not
easily accessible by a rover.
 Also, it could do ground-level aerosol analysis from afar. This reduces the chances of contamination of
sample.
 BILI’s measurements do not require consumables other than electric power and can be conducted over a
broad area.
8.11.11. CSIR’S TECHNOLOGY FOR LEATHER PROCESSING

Why in News?
 Central Leather Research Institute has come out with a game changing technology to make leather
processing environmentally stable and to reduce chromium pollution load.
 The technology is called “Waterless Chrome Tanning Technology” and is a first of its kind.
Significance
 CSIR “Waterless Chrome Tanning Technology has been accepted PAN India.
 This technology completely eliminated two processes after and before tanning.
 It also eliminates the use of water in tanning.
 This process reduces the total dissolved solids in wastewater by 20%.
 It also brings down the usage of chromium by 15-20% resulting in material saving.
 Such technological interventions will help realise the vision of Make-in India.

 It will promote environment friendly leather processing.
 It will help promote global fashion forecasting for colours, design thus leading to increased trade and
exports.
8.11.12. SOLAR CELLS FROM HUMAN HAIR

About
 Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) in Kolkata have used human
hair to produce cost-effective, metal-free cathodes for use in solar cells.
 Metal-free cathodes or carbon cathodes have been produced in the past however they lag behind the metal
ones in terms of efficiency and performance. This human hair based graphitic porous carbon cathode, on the
other hand, is at par with the metal ones and more commercially viable.
 The porosity, along with high surface area to volume ratio, plays an important role in adsorption-desorption
of electrolyte.
Significance
 This is a simpler, quicker and relatively cheaper process. Unlike in the case of other synthetic porous
carbons, no physical or chemical activation process or templates is required.
 The cathode was found to generate high open-circuit voltage, which is at par with conventional platinum and
activated carbon cathodes. Thereby, the power conversion efficiencies can also be enhanced.
 This is the first instance where a bio-waste-derived electrode has been used as cathode in a quantum dot
sensitized solar cell device.
8.11.13. ELECTRIC PAPER

What is it?
 E-paper is a technology that mimics the appearance of ordinary ink on paper. The “paper” is similar to the
Kindle tablet.
How does it work?
 The e-paper is less than a micrometre thin, bendable and gives all the colours that a regular LED display
does.
 It isn’t lit up like a standard display, but rather reflects the external light which illuminates it. Therefore, it
works very well where there is bright light, such as out in the sun, in contrast to standard LED displays that
work best in darkness.
 At the same time, it needs only a tenth of the energy that a Kindle tablet uses, which itself uses much less
energy than a tablet LED display.
8.11.14. EM DRIVE
What is it?
The EmDrive (Electro Magnetic Drive) is a microwave thruster developed by British engineer Roger Shawyer that
aims to replace the rocket engines of today.
How does it work?
 Conventional rocket engines require propellant fuel like liquid oxygen and kerosene to be burnt in the
engine in order to make them move forward.
 EmDrive requires no propellant at all. Instead of using heavy, inefficient rocket fuel, it bounces microwaves
back and forth inside a cone-shaped metal cavity to generate thrust.
Controversy
 Some academics argue that the EmDrive cannot possibly work because according to the law of conservation
of momentum (every action has an equal and opposite reaction).

 In order for a thruster to gain speed in one direction, a propellant must be expelled in the opposite one, and
since the EmDrive is a closed system with no propellant, it is seen to violate understanding of physics.
8.11.15. WORLD’S FIRST WATER-WAVE LASER

Why in news? What is a laser?
 Scientists of Technion Institute (Israel) have created the first Laser is an acronym for “Light
‘water-wave laser’ that emits a beam through the interaction of Amplification by Stimulated Emission
of Radiation”. It is a coherent,
light and water waves. The biggest impediment till now was the
unidirectional beam of perfectly
large difference in frequencies of water waves and light waves.
monochromatic light (therefore having
Applications of the discovery greater energy than normal light) having
a range of application like sensors,
 Water wave laser can be controlled better in terms of emissions optical communication sources etc.
and therefore it may be used in ‘lab-on-a-chip’ devices to study
cell biology and test new drug therapies.
 It can be used to develop cheap nano-laser sensors having range of applications like security.
8.11.16. SUPERCONDUCTIVITY FOUND IN BISMUTH

Why in News? Bismuth is a high-density, silvery, pink-tinged metal.
 A team of researchers at the Tata Institute of Bismuth metal is brittle and so it is usually mixed with
Fundamental Research have discovered other metals to make it useful. Its alloys with tin or
cadmium have low melting points and are used in fire
superconductivity in bismuth at a fraction of
detectors and extinguishers, electric fuses and solders.
degree above absolute zero (-273.16° Celsius)
 The research has been published in the journal “Science”.
Background
 Scientists have been trying to discover superconductivity in bismuth for decades but in vain.
 Scientists in the past have found superconductivity in bismuth in amorphous or crystalline forms.
 The current theory of superconductivity says that superconducting material must be abundant in free
flowing mobile electrons.
 However, Bismuth has only one mobile electron for every 100,000 atoms.
 As one electron is shared by 100,000 atoms, the carrier density of bismuth is very small.
Significance
 It invalidates the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer Theory of Superconductivity. According to which, bismuth can
only achieve superconductivity at a much lower temperature.
 With this discovery, bismuth has broken a 50 year old record of strontium titanate of being the lowest
carrier density superconductor.
 This discovery will inspire more research and theoretical work on how low density superconductors work.
8.11.17. GRAPHENE FROM SOYBEAN
Why in news? Properties of Graphene

Scientists have used a soybean to make the world's strongest  Stronger than the steel.
material graphene commercially more viable.  Good conductor of heat and electricity.
 About 200 times stronger than steel
About Graphene  Better conductor compared to Copper
 Nearly transparent.
Graphene form of carbon allotrope consisting of planar sheets (2D
structure) which are one atom thick, with the atoms arranged in a honeycomb-shaped lattice. It is composed of
carbon atoms linked in a hexagonal lattice.
Applications of Grpahene includes Paints and coatings, lubricants, oils and functional fluids, capacitors and
batteries, thermal management applications, display materials and packaging, solar cells, inks and 3D-printers’
materials and films.

9. MISCELLANEOUS
9.1. INDIA TO BECOME AN ASSOCIATE MEMBER OF CERN
Why in news?
 India recently became an associate member of the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN), the
world’s largest nuclear and particle physics laboratory.
 India can choose to apply for full membership after two years or continue with this status for five years.
About
 India is set to become an associate member of CERN, the world's biggest laboratory of particle physics in the
next few months.
 CERN (European Organisation for Nuclear Research) operates the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the world's
largest and most powerful particle accelerator and is associated with the discovery of the Higgs Boson
(popularly known as the God particle).
 India currently holds "observer" status CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research)
that allows non-member states to  CERN is based in Geneva on the French-Swiss border.
attend council meetings and to  It was founded in 1954.
 It has 22 member states and four associate member states and
receive council documents without
other associate members transitioning to full member status.
taking part in the decision-making
 It is best known as operator of the Large Hadron Collider, which
procedures of the organisation. found the elusive Higgs boson in 2012.
 As an Associate Member, India would  India was inducted as an ‘Observer’ at CERN in 2004.
be entitled to attend open and Projects at CERN
restricted sessions of the organization. o Large Hadron Collider - The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is the
world’s largest and most powerful particle accelerator. It aims to
Other facts about CERN membership
study the fundamentals of universe.
 India will also have to contribute 11.5 o Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) - It is a general-purpose detector
million Swiss francs every year to the at the LHC. Its studies the Standard Model (including the Higgs
capital or to the operating costs of boson). It is also searching for extra dimensions and particles that
make up dark matter.
CERN’s programmes, which the
o ALICE is the acronym for A Large Ion Collider Experiment. It
country did not have to as an observer
researches in the physics of matter at an infinitely small scale. Eg.
member. Research on quarks which make protons and neutrons.
 Being associate member status Indian
industries, now, can bid for tenders and procurements.
India’s contribution to CERN
 Many Indians have made contributed to the construction of the LHC accelerator, ALICE and CMS
experiments at CERN.
 Indian scientist’s role in LHC helped in the discovery of Higgs Boson.
 In the field of large-scale computing, India has designed, developed and deployed software for the
Worldwide Large Hadron Collider Grid (WLCG).
9.2. INTERNATIONAL CONTINENTAL SCIENTIFIC DRILLING PROGRAM

 The Union Cabinet has given its approval for Indian
membership of the International Continental Scientific Drilling The Koyna Dam located in Maharashtra,
western India is the most outstanding
Program (ICDP) consortium by signing an MoU (for a period of
example of Reservoir Triggered Seismicity
five years) with the Helmholtz Centre Potsdam GFZ German (RTS), where triggered earthquakes have
Research Centre for geosciences. been occurring in a restricted area of
 It will enable India to engage with internationally renowned 20x30 sq km since the impoundment of
experts with profound expertise in different aspects of Shivajisagar Lake in 1962.
scientific drilling in order to accomplish deep drilling and
associated investigations in Koyna region.

About ICDP
 It is an infrastructure for scientific drilling that facilitates outstanding science.
 It is the only international platform for scientific research drilling in terrestrial environments.
 It provides the means for conducting cutting edge research:
 It brings together scientists and stakeholders from 23 nations to work together at the highest scientific and
technical level.
9.3. PAVA SHELLS

Why in news?
 PAVA, a chilli based non-lethal munition will replace pellet guns in Jammu & Kashmir, decided an expert
panel of the Home Ministry.
What is it?
 PAVA stands for Pelargonic Acid Vanillyl Amide. It is also called Nonivamide.
 It is an organic compound characteristically found in natural chilli pepper.
 On the Scoville scale (the degree to measure the power of chilli), PAVA is categorised as “above peak”.
 It has the ability temporarily but severely irritate and paralyse humans.
9.4. FOSSILS FOUND POINTS TO LIFE ON EARTH 3.7 BILLION YEARS

AGO
Why in news? Stromatolites are calcareous mound
built up of layers of lime-secreting
 Scientists have found fossils of a tiny structure called stromatolites
cyanobacteria and trapped sediment,
in ancient sedimentary rock along the Greenland’s ice caps. found in Precambrian rocks as the
Significance earliest known fossils.
 The finding has push back the date of origin of life on earth by hundreds of millions years. (Note: In
geological terms, earth was originated 4.5 bn years ago)
 The structure and geology of the rock in which the stromatolite fossils has been found points to a rapid
emergence of life on earth.
 The finding will also through light on the kind of earliest form of life that existed on earth and how they
evolved.
 The finding will have great implication on our understanding of life on Mars and other planets. Probably a
very basic life might have existed of Mars.
9.5. ICGS SHIPS COMMISSIONED

Why in News?
 Two Indian Coast Guard Ships: Aryaman and Atulya have been commissioned into the service.
What is it?
 These coast guard ships are eighteenth and nineteenth in the series of twenty fast Patrol Vehicles (FPVs).
 Aryaman and Atulya have been built by Cochin Shipyard Limited.
 Atulya will be based at Kochi while Aryaman will be based at Vishakhapatnam.
 Special features include Integrated Bridge Management System (IBMS) and Integrated Machinery Control
System (IMCS).
 Integrated bridge system (IBS) is a kind of navigation management system which links other systems to
provide all the details pertaining to ship’s navigation at one place. (in box)

9.6. FAST NEUTRON REACTOR
Why in News?
 Russia has invited India to join it in developing the next generation nuclear reactors and to participate in its
fast-reactor research project.
 The multipurpose fast reactor project, known by the Russian acronym MBIR, is coming up at the
International Research Centre in Dimitrovgrad located in the Ulyanovsk region in Russia.
What Are Fast Reactors?
 A fast neutron reactor/fast reactor is a type of reactor in which nuclear fission chain reaction is sustained by
fast neutrons.
 Such a reactor does not need any neutron moderator such as water which serves such a purpose in thermal
reactors.
 Fast reactors are beneficial in the sense that it can help in the reprocessing and deactivation of radioactive
waste material and produce energy as well.
 MBIR, the fast reactor project follows the closed fuel cycle.
 Transitioning to closed fuel cycle which is based on fast neutron reactors can solve five essential problems:
safety, competitiveness, shortage of fuel, reprocessing and refabricating the used nuclear fuel and
radioactive waste.
 It also addresses the non-proliferation of fission materials and weapon technologies.
More on MBIR
 The main purpose of the MBIR is to conduct large no. of reactor studies of Generation-4 nuclear systems.
 MBIR’s design includes three independent loops that can be used to test different coolants like gas, lead,
molten salt and others.
Where Does India Stand?
 The country is currently developing breeder reactors which will be fuelled by the country’s vast thorium
deposits.
 The Advanced Heavy Water Reactor (AHWR) is the latest Indian design for a next-generation nuclear reactor.
 Russia has also offered India a new breed of reactor units – the VVER-Toi (typical optimised, enhanced
information design) for the third and fourth units of Kundakulam project in Tamil Nadu.
9.7. MUSHROOM CULTIVATION

Why in news?
 The first Indian Mushroom Growers Association (IMGA) was launched recently in national mushroom
industry interface meet made possible by the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Bengaluru.
Reasons why is it well suited to India?
 Mushroom production is indoor activity using vertical space. Hence, does not compete with agricultural land
and thus well suited to small farmers & landless labourers.
 Many of its agricultural wastes can be utilised to produce quality food and organic manure for field crops.
Besides, mushroom has high bio-efficiency i.e. conversion of dry substrate into fresh mushroom.
 It can generate self-employment, alleviate poverty and improve socio-economic status of women, youth and
unemployed in the rural areas.
 It can provide nutritional security particularly to poor people through incorporating mushrooms in their
diets.

9.8. TOBACCO FAMING
Why in news?
COP7 meet for WHO's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) was held in New Delhi recently, health
authorities and Governments across the Southeast Asia region — and the world — explored how best they can
support tobacco farmers as demand-targeted initiatives make their mark.
Background
In the backdrop of declining demand for tobacco products among wealthier countries and measures to roll-back
tobacco consumption in the developing world supporting the tobacco farmers and finding alternative livelihood
has become necessary to secure their future.
Steps that can be taken by the government and local authorities-
 Providing training that gives the skills needed for tobacco farmers to diversify their crops and income, while
also emphasising tobacco's harmful environmental and health outcomes for consumers and farmers.
 Industry strategies to promote tobacco farming must be identified and regulated and policies should be
developed to protect tobacco growers and workers from industry practices that fix prices or create
conditions that are disadvantageous.
 Raising awareness among tobacco farmers so that they can increase their autonomy, as well as creating a
network of civil society organisations able to monitor industry malpractices.
 Appropriate research on market opportunities
About Tobacco Farming in India
 In India, Tobacco crop is grown in an area of 0.45 M ha (0.27% of the net cultivated area) producing ~ 750 M
kg of tobacco leaf. India is the 2nd largest producer and exporter after China and Brazil respectively.
 In the global scenario, Indian tobacco accounts for 10% of the area and 9% of the total production.
 It is grown largely in semi-arid and rain-fed areas where the cultivation of alternative crops is economically
unviable.
 The distinctive and positive features of Indian tobacco include the lower levels of heavy metals, very low
levels of Tobacco Specific Nitrosamines (TSNAs) and pesticide residues compared to the other tobacco
producing countries in the world.
 Further, endowed with varied agro-climatic conditions, India has the capacity to produce different styles of
tobacco ranging from coloury neutral filler to flavourful leaf catering to the needs of a wide variety of
customers globally.
 In addition, production and processing costs of tobacco are also quite low in India, thus making the Indian
tobacco price-competitive and value for money.
9.9. AQUAPONIC FARM

Why in news?
In the backdrop of a huge demand for organic farming in the country and reports of high level of chemicals and
toxic in the vegetables the concept of kitchen gardening has come up. One such initiative is Aquaponic in
Gurugram Haryana.
What is it?
Aquaponics, a technique that marries horticulture and aquaculture, helps the farmer raise fishes while he also
grows plants.
How does it work?
 In aquaponics fish and plants are grown together in a tank. The tank has fishes in it and on the sides of the
tank there are beds for plants. The water from the fish tank which is rich in nutrients due to the fish waste
goes into the plants.
 The beds for supporting the plants can be made using material such as thermocol sheets or gravel.

Significance
 The setup cost of aquaponic farm might be higher than conventional farms, but the operational cost is much
less
 There is no need for fertilizers and the water requirement is 90% less than that required in conventional
farming.
 Suits greatly to the demand of organic fruits and vegetables
 The yield from aquaponics is two times higher than that of conventional farming.
 However, there remains one restriction that fruits and vegetables which grow underground cannot be grown
using aquaponics.
9.10. INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON BRUCELLOSIS

The International Research Conference on Brucellosis held About Bercellosis
in New Delhi recently.  Brucellosis is a dreadful zoonotic disease caused
India on Brucellosis by the genus of the bacteria known as Brucella
infecting various species of Brucella cows,
 India is a brucellosis endemic country with buffalos, sheep, goats, deer, pigs, dogs and
approximately 3 to 5% of cattle and buffaloes, and other animals as well as humans.
~4% sheep and goats are infected with Brucella  People acquire the infection by consuming
abortus and Brucella melitensis respectively. unpasteurized milk and other dairy products,
and by coming in contact with the contaminated
 Infected animals abort in late stages of pregnancy,
animal secretions and tissues.
leading to loss of milk production, loss of calves and
spread of infection from the infected discharges and aborted fetal tissues to other animals. Also, transfer the
disease to the next generation animals in the herd.
9.11. PHOTOSYNTHESIS TO INCREASE CROP YIELD

Why in news?
 Recent trial on tobacco plant has shown that GM techniques can be used to increase efficiency of
photosynthesis which could help meet the global demand for food.
 The scientists modified three genes with the aim of increasing the levels of three proteins that could help
ramp up the efficiency of photosynthesis more quickly after exposure to bright sunlight.
What is the Natural process?
 Crop leaves exposed to full sunlight absorb more light than they can use. Chemical changes within the leaf
allow the excess energy to be dissipated as heat, in a process called nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ).
 While plants switch on the quenching mechanism almost instantaneously – similar to the way in which the
pupil in the human eye contracts in bright light – it takes much longer for it to switch off again.
 When a cloud crosses the sun, or a leaf goes into the shade of another, it can take up to half an hour for that
NPQ process to relax. In the shade, the lack of light limits photosynthesis, and NPQ also wastes light as heat.
 The energy wasted after quenching reduces overall crop productivity drastically, by 7.5 to 30%, depending
on the plant type and sunlight conditions.
9.12. INDIA-UK NEWTON FUND RESEARCH PROGRAMME

 India and the UK have announced a Newton Fund research programme worth up to USD 80 million to jointly
address global societal challenges.
 An annual USD 1 million Newton Prize was also launched recently. The prize will recognize the Newton
Fund's best science or innovation that promotes economic development and social welfare of partner
countries.
 For 2017, the prize is open to entries from India, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam which focus on the grand
societal challenge of public health and well-being, covering issues such as anti-microbial resistance, disease,
healthcare, and nutrition.

9.13. DISANET-DISASTER COMMUNICATION NETWORK
Why in news?
 IIT Madras team is developing a low-cost communication system named DISANET.
 It will allow basic services such as voice, text and video communications to be exchanged within its network
of rescue workers, Master Operation Centre and the NDMA.
Why the need?
 One of the first things to get affected during natural disasters and accidents is the communication network.
In a country where over a billion use mobile phones, providing mobile connectivity during a disaster, at least
for emergency usage, is a priority.
 The plan is also to enable citizens within the reach of this system to communicate essential messages, such
as “I am safe” or basic information – name, age, gender, etc, of persons discovered.
 The whole system is compatible with basic model mobile phones, as most users in India do not own smart
phones.
 At present, people who are involved in rescue operations, such as police personnel, use walkie/talkie
handsets (VHF/UHF) but VHF/UHF handsets are expensive.
Components of the network
 The design has four subsystems - WiFi, a satellite link, single-carrier GSM and LTE (Long Term Evolution).
Rescue workers with GSM handsets, WiFi cameras and WiFi nodes can spread out over an area of 12-25
square kilometre to form the primary deployment area. These workers supply communication between the
affected area and the Master Operation Centre (MOC).
Benefits of the initiative
 The rescue team will be able to directly communicate with citizens about the arrangements using FM
broadcast, which citizens receive on their mobiles.
 This enables the flow of authenticated information from the authorities to the citizens and prevents rumour-
mongering during times of disaster.
9.14. JET STREAM IN EARTH’S CORE

Why in news?
 European Space Agency’s Swarm satellites have found out an occurrence of Jet streams in the outer core of
the Earth’s interior. It is like an accelerating band of molten iron circling the North Pole, like the jet stream in
the atmosphere.
Jet Streams
Significance of the finding Jet streams are fast-flowing air currents in the
 It will help the scientists to understand more about the atmosphere (usually in upper troposphere) that
meander too. Jets streams play a key role in
interior mechanisms of the earth and also delve deeper
determining the weather because they usually
into the phenomenon like earthquakes and volcanism. separate and push colder and warmer air. Jet
 This proves a previous research that found out that iron streams that commonly occur in India are -
in the outer core is moving faster in the northern 1. Subtropical westerly jet streams are most
hemisphere, mostly under Alaska and Siberia. prominent in winter season
2. Easterly jet stream which are most dominant
Swarm Satellites
in monsoonal season.
 ESA's Swarm satellites measure and track the different
magnetic fields caused by the Earth's core, crust, oceans, mantle, the ionosphere and the magnetosphere.
By monitoring magnetic fields, the satellites give scientists a way to figure out how the core's layers move.

9.15. DEAD ZONE IN BAY OF BENGAL
Why in News?
Dead Zones
 The Bay of Bengal hosts a ‘dead zone’  Dead Zones are areas inside the ocean that lack oxygen and cannot
of an estimated 60,000 square support the complex life systems that allow marine life to flourish -
kilometres - Scientists have uncovered most marine life either dies, or, if they are mobile such as fish,
evidence that this area is showing leave the area - forming a biological desert.
signs of one of nature's most lethal  There are many physical, chemical, and biological factors that
create dead zones, but nutrient pollution is the primary cause of
marine features.
those zones created by humans.
Significance of the finding  Dead zones are well-known off the western coasts of North and
South America, Namibia and India in the Arabian Sea.
 It can be a reminder of the rising
artificial eutrophication and steps that needs to be taken to make the coastal communities eco-friendly.
 These hypoxic situations and formation of dead zones supports microbial processes that remove vast
amount of nitrogen from the ocean.
 Bay of Bengal is close to large human populations that need food produced by nitrogen based fertilizers -
there are fears of more oxygen depletion in the ocean waters which can cause removal of excess nitrogen
hurting the food security.
9.16. LEAP SECOND TO BE ADDED TO FINAL MINUTE OF 2016

Why in news? Leap Second
 This year will last a second  Leap Second is added to give Earth the opportunity to catch up with the atomic
longer as a “leap second” time.
will be added to the  Earth’s time is measured by Astronomical time/Universal time (T1) and the
atomic time is measured by International Atomic Time (TAI)
world’s clocks on New
 International Earth Rotation and Reference System Service (IERS) of Paris tells
Year’s Eve by timekeepers
the world when to add leap seconds on the basis of difference between T1 and
around the world. TAI.
Significance of the move  They’re inserted at the end of the last day of either June or December.
 Presently the world uses precision atomic clocks in many applications like satellites, where time is kept by
measuring the movements of electrons in cesium atoms.
 Consequently, atomic time is constant, but the Earth’s rotation slows by about two thousandths of a second
per day. For example - At the time of the dinosaurs, Earth completed one rotation in 23 hours and it has
gained 1 hour since then.
 So leap seconds are essential to ensuring atomic time does not move away from time based on the Earth's
spin. If it isn't corrected, such a drift would result in clocks showing the middle of the day occurring at night.
9.17. FLOATING LIQUIFIED NATURAL GAS (LNG) PLANT

Why in news? Liquefied Natural Gas
 Recently a Chinese company has developed its  It is natural gas converted into a liquid by cooling it to -
own version of system for floating LNG plant. 260°F (-162°C).
 Each plant, as single unit will have all features  LNG is 85 to 95% methane, along with few percent
like loading and storage facilities for LNG, ethane, even less propane and butane, and trace
nitrogen.
Regasification and Power generation.
 It is odorless, colourless, non-corrosive and non-toxic
 Smallest floating plant will have a capacity to
liquid.
generate 10 MW while largest will generate  The volume of gas is contracted by 600 times during
800 MW of electricity. liquefaction, making it easier and safer to store and ship.
Advantages  In liquid state, it does not ignite
 It provides a clean alternative to coal based power plant with far less environment footprint because of less
carbon emissions.

 Investment friendly and cost effective as it minimizes land acquisition process and also involves less civil
works.
9.18. ASHALIM PROJECT

Why in news?
 Israel is building its largest solar power station in Negev HELIOSTAT: It is an apparatus containing a
movable or driven mirror, used to reflect
desert called Ashalim Project.
sunlight in a fixed direction. As the sun
Highlights of the Project moves across the sky, a heliostat makes small
adjustments to the position of a mirror in
 Ashalim solar Tower will be encircled with 55000 projecting order to keep reflected light on a target. The
mirrors called Heliostat larger the mirror, the more energy and light
 It will house world tallest solar tower standing at 250 m (820 is delivered to the target.
feet).
 The project will generate 310 MW of power enough for 130,000 households.
 It will use Solar-thermal method where these mirrors will focus sun’s rays to heat the boiler creating steam
to spin turbine and generate electricity.
9.19. E-CIGARETTES
Why in News?
 A study by University of California says that E-cigarettes are attracting a new population of adolescents who
might not otherwise have smoked tobacco products.
About E-cigarette
 It is a type of Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS).
 It is a battery-powered device using electricity to vaporize a nicotine containing fluid.
 These do not have tar like conventional cigarettes.
 It resembles a cigarette by having a red LED to simulate the tip of a real cigarette.
 It also produces a bluish vapour that resembles cigarette smoke.
 It can be an Electronic non-nicotine delivery system (ENNDS) too where the liquid is not nicotine. The liquid
here is dissolved into propylene glycol or/and glycerine to create an aerosol.
 WHO has termed both ENDS and ENNDS as ‘vaping’ — a ‘tobacco-free’ version of the cigarette in which a
liquid is inhaled through a vaporiser.
Who Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) 2003

 WHO FCTC is the first global public health treaty in response to the globalization of the tobacco epidemic.
 It is legally binding to its members. India has also ratified it.
 Its recommends demand side measures of tobacco control like
o Price and tax measures to reduce the demand for tobacco.
o Non-price measures like Packaging and labelling of tobacco products; public awareness and Tobacco
advertising etc.
9.20. CLOUD SEEDING

Why in news?
Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune
 Maharashtra government has decided to conduct  It was formed in 1962 and is under
cloud seeding experiment next three year to tackle the administrative control of Ministry of Earth
problem of frequent droughts in Vidarbha region. Sciences.
 This programme will be coordinated by the Indian  It is a premiere research Institute to generate
Institute of Tropical Meteorology and is part of larger scientific knowledge in the field of
meteorology and atmospheric sciences.
experiment of Earth Science Ministry to understand
 It functions as a national centre for basic and
how clouds and aerosols interact and influence climate. applied research in monsoon meteorology.

Cloud seeding
 Cloud seeding also known as weather modificationTechnique, is an artificial way to induce moisture in the
clouds so as to cause a rainfall. In this processeither silver iodide, potassium iodide or dry ice (solid carbon
dioxide) is dumped onto the clouds causing rainfall.
Application of cloud seeding
 This method can be used to cause significant amount of rainfall over a
specified area especially in location where rain is badly needed.
 It can be developed as an effective tool to safeguard from the effect
of vagaries of monsoon on agriculture as it is timely rain, rather than
a lot of it, which is more important for crops.
 Timely and ambient rain results in maximum farm yield. Thus it helps
in boosting local economy and feeding people.
9.21. SWITCH TO DIGITAL TERRESTRIAL TRANSMISSION BY 2023

Why in news?
 The broadcast regulator, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), has recommended introduction of
digital terrestrial transmission for broadcast services in a phased manner and complete shutdown of analog
transmission by end of 2023.
 TRAI has recommended that DTT should be
deployed in metros by December 2019 in phase
1, cities having more than 10 lakh population as
per Census 2011 should be covered by December
2021 and rest of India by December 2023.
Basic facts about DTT
 Terrestrial transmission is a type of broadcasting
in which signals are transmitted by radio wave
from a terrestrial transmitter. It is of two type:
 Analog terrestrial transmission (ATT): In
analogue terrestrial television broadcasting only
one signal is transmitted on a given frequency
channel.
 Digital terrestrial transmission (DTT) Digital Terrestrial Transmission (DTT) broadcasting allows the
transmission of about 10 or more digital services in a single frequency channel, depending on the technical
parameters used and the quality of services desired.
9.22. WHY DOESN’T EARTH’S INNER CORE MELT?

 Spinning within Earth's molten core is a crystal ball, almost pure crystallized iron, nearly the size of the
moon. Scientists have been trying to know the atomic structure of these crystals for years.
 The iron atoms are packed differently at room temperature and at high temperature.
 However, researchers have found that this packing of iron atoms remains the same at Earth's core.
 Due to high pressure, on the edge of the inner core, pieces of crystals’ structure continuously melt and
diffuse only to be reinserted in the original configuration like “shuffling deck of cards”.
 This energy distribution cycle keeps the crystal stable and the core solid.
9.23. THOR EXPERIMENT

 The THOR experiment aims to investigate electrical activity from thunderstorms.
 The interaction between charged particles, at the height of 10 to 100 Kms in the atmosphere, produces a
variety of dazzling electric phenomena from blue jets to red sprites.

 The Thor experiment will look at them with a thundercloud imaging system from the vantage point of the
International Space Station.
 It will help to understand how these discharges influence water vapour levels, cloud formation, and
eventually changes in climate.
 The experiment is called ‘Thor’ after the god of thunder, lightning and storms in Nordic mythology.
9.24. URANIUM RESERVES FOUND IN MEGHALAYA

 Uranium mineralization in Meghalaya has been found over a large area around Domiasiat, Wahkyn, Lostoin
etc.
 Uranium Corporation of India Ltd. (UCIL) under Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) has already made a plan
to develop the mineral resources at Domiasiat.
 The project has the potential to generate substantial nuclear fuel for the atomic power plants of the country.
9.25. VX NERVE AGENT

Why in news?
 The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) is an arms control treaty
A preliminary report from Malaysian which outlaws the production, stockpiling, and use of chemical
authorities has found that Kim Jong- weapons and their precursors.
nam, the half-brother of North Korean  It is administered by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical
dictator Kim Jong-un, was killed by the Weapons (OPCW), an intergovernmental organization based in The
banned nerve agent VX. Hague, Netherlands. The treaty entered into force in 1997.
 India ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) in 1996.
About VX nerve agent
 It acts on the nervous system (hence the name nerve agents), typically the nerves that control breathing.
 It inhibits the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, which breaks down the neurotransmitter acetylcholine secreted
by the cholinergic nerves. This results in more acetylcholine, which overstimulates the tissues, resulting in
respiratory paralysis and death.
 The VX nerve agent is banned under international law because it’s a chemical weapon as defined in the
Chemical Weapons Conventions.
9.26. FIRST ZERO EMISSION TRAIN

 The Coradia iLint is the world’s only fuel cell passenger train that can be used for mass transit system.
 It has been made by a French company Alstom.
 It is considered to be an environmentally-friendly rail solution. It is a significant milestone in environmental
protection and technical innovation.
 The Coradia iLint is silent and can reach speeds of up to 140 km/h.
 It is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, which produces electrical power for the traction.
9.27. PROJECT 22220

 It is a project of the Russian government to build nuclear powered icebreaker ships to explore the Arctic
region.
 NS Arktika, NS Sibir and NS Ural are ships in this project.
 NS Arktika has been launched recently and will be commissioned in 2019 while the two others are building.
NS Arktika is the world’s biggest and most powerful icebreaker.
 Russia is improving its icebreaker fleet as part of its strategy to militarize the Arctic Circle and deny it to
NATO.
9.28. WORLD’S FIRST ELECTRIC ROAD

 The world´s first electric road will be inaugurated in Gävle city in central Sweden.
 It was a partnership between the Swedish Government and the private sector.

 It will permit the trucks to operate as electric vehicles when on the electrified road and as regular hybrid
vehicles at other times.
 Trucks would receive electrical power from a pantograph – it is a metallic structure that collects power from
overhead lines. Trucks can freely connect and disconnect from the overhead wires while in motion.
 When the truck goes outside the electrically-powered lane, the pantograph will be disconnected and the
truck will then be powered by the combustion engine or the battery- operated electric motor.
 Sweden’s ambition of an energy-efficient and fossil-free vehicle fleet by 2030.
9.29. BROWN CARBON

 Brown Carbon (BrC), emitted mainly by biomass combustion whereas the Black Carbon (BC) is emitted
mainly by high-temperature combustion processes (diesel engines, etc.).
 These are the two most important light absorbing substances in the atmospheric aerosol.
 Recently IIT Kanpur has produced study which says that although brown carbon is 10 times more than black
carbon in terms of mass, the absorption capacity of black carbon is 50 times more than brown carbon.
9.30. THUBBER
 Carnegie Melon University has developed a thermally conductive rubber nicknamed “thubber”. (Rubber is
usually an insulator)
 It exhibits a combination of metal-like thermal conductivity and elasticity similar to soft, biological tissue that
can stretch over six times its initial length.
 Applications could extend to industries like athletic wear and sports medicine. It is an area of research in
flexible electronics too. (Flexible electronics is also a part of Make in India).
 The key ingredient in “thubber” is a suspension of non-toxic, liquid metal micro droplets. The liquid state
allows the metal to deform with the surrounding rubber at room temperature.
9.31. INDIA INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE FESTIVAL (IISF)

 IISF-2016 is was held at CSIR-National Physical Laboratory (NPL), Delhi.
 This is the second edition after the 2015 success.
 IISF-2016 showcases India’s S&T prowess, technological developments, history of Indian Science and
science education involving more than 10000 young researchers, school students, academicians and top
level Indian scientists.
9.32. DYNAMIC MONSOON MODEL

 From 2017, India Meteorological Department (IMD) would use a supercomputer running a dynamical model
(Coupled Forecast System version 2) that is being tested at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology,
(IITM) Pune.
 A dynamical monsoon model works by simulating the weather on powerful computers and extrapolating it
over particular timeframes.
o This method is normally effective in forecasting weather over a few days.
o Dynamic models have been used for research purposes but not for weather forecast.
o It can also be more easily tuned to account for rapidly changing global weather conditions.
 The IMD relies on an ensemble model, a statistical technique that uses an average of six meteorological
values correlated to the monsoon such as sea surface temperatures in the Pacific, and North Atlantic sea
level pressure.
o These values are derived from old meteorological data linked to the historical performance of the
monsoon.
 It will be a precursor to giving monsoon predictions over India’s 36 sub-divisions rather than only four
broad geographic regions that encompass them.

9.33. DECEPTION DETECTION TESTS
Deception Detection Tests (DDT) are used by investigating agencies to solve crimes. They help investigators to
deduce if a person is lying or not. They are preferred to ‘third degree methods’ because of their non-invasive
character.
Types
 Lie Detector test:
 It is also called polygraph test which records physiological changes of a person under test.
 Sensors are placed at various points to record parameters like blood pressure, breathing rate, heart rate,
sweating palms etc.
 It is still not fool proof because the physiological responses of general fear, underlying mental disorders
etc. can give false readings. Also a trained person can bypass the test easily.
 Narco Analysis:
 It is also called truth serum test which involves the use of chemical compounds to get information from a
subject.
 A range of psychoactive drugs are given to the person under test like Thiopental and Sodium amytal etc.
These make the person goes under semi-conscious test.
 Under drugs, the imagination power is reduced and lie fabrication is difficult.
 Brain Mapping:
 It is also called Neuro-imaging technique.
 Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) helps map the centres of the brain that get activated
while a person fabricates a lie.
 It also notes the time lapse that is present between a truth and a lie.
9.34. MITOCHONDRIAL DNA AND NUCLEAR DNA

 While the bulk of DNA is in the nucleus in the form of 23 pairs of chromosomes, the mitochondrial DNA is
contained in only one circular chromosome that code for the energy production.
 While the nuclear DNA exists only as one copy, a mitochondrial DNA contains 2-10 copies of its DNA (each
cell contains hundreds of mitochondria).
 While one copy of nuclear genes are inherited from both the mother and father, both male and female
offspring almost always inherit mitochondrial DNA only from the mother. The reason for this is that nuclear
DNA is delivered to the egg but not the mitochondrial DNA.
 Both nuclear and the mitochondrial DNA can undergo mutations.
 Generally, mutation rates are higher in mitochondrial DNA than in nuclear DNA. This is because the nuclear
DNA have a more efficient DNA replication error checking ability, thus removing mutation possibilities.
 During each cell division, the number of mitochondria doubles.
9.35. VERTICAL FARMING

 It means growing crops in racks placed vertically in multi-storeyed apartments.
 It is the need of the hour with increased demands of food due to rising urbanization and also to feed the
global population which goes hungry.
 In case of Vertical Farming, the plants get their nutrition either ‘Hydroponically’ (through nutrient enriched
water) or 'Aeroponically' (through nutrient enriched air). The source of sunlight is Blue and Red LEDs which is
the optimal light for photosynthesis.
9.36. SAFE DRINKING WATER TECHNOLOGIES BY CSIR

TERAFIL
 It has been developed by the CSIR lab - Institute of Mineral and Material Technology (Bhubneshwar).
 It is a low cost burnt red clay porous candle for filtration and treatment of turbid raw water in domestic
applications.

 It can separate raw water from suspended particles, sediment, iron, micro-organisms, colour and bad odour.
‘O’ NEER
 It has been developed by the CSIR lab - Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (Lucknow).
 It is solar operated water purifier eliminating the need of changing filters.
Electrolytic De-flouridation Technology
 It has been developed by the CSIR lab - National Environmental Engineering Institute (Nagpur).
 It is a solar powered technology which removes fluoride from water.
9.37. THOR 3D AIRCRAFT

 Airbus has manufactured the world’s first 3D printed aircraft called Test of High-tech Objectives in Reality –
THOR.
 The aircraft is completely 3D-printed, except the electrical elements, which are built from a substance
called polyamide.
 It is like a windowless drone of the size of a small aircraft.
 It is light and can reduce the costs of air travel in future years.
9.38. DECISION REVIEW SYSTEM (DRS)

 BCCI agreed to use DRS on trial basis in the home test series of India v/s England. Some changes in the DRS
have been approved by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
 It would include the introduction of ultramotion cameras to calculate the predictive path of the ball so that
its tracking becomes more accurate.
 Ultra-edge has also been introduced to determine the frame of impact.
o It is upgraded version of the Snickometer for edge detection.
o Structurally, it is similar to the Snickometer which works with sound feed from the stump mic and visual
evidence however it uses live sound feed and its ultra-motion cameras.
 Hawkeye has developed to record and save all images so that the images can be rewound and replayed.
 Additional cameras have been installed so that there is redundancy and also provide 100 per cent reliable
spin vision for DRS.
 Some of the other components of the DRS includes:
o Snickometer- It includes the stump microphone which picks up the live sound, filters it and relays it to
trace the relevant sound waves. In the meantime, cameras record the visual and replay it in slow
motion.
o Hotspot-
 It is a more accurate solution to detect edges than the Snickometer as it is not a sound-based edge
detection system.
 The principle behind it is that contact between bat and ball creates friction and in turn temperature
is increased appearing as a bright spot in the infra-red image.
9.39. AG600 AMPHIBIOUS AIRCRAFT

 It is the world’s largest amphibious aircraft.
 It is amphibious because it can run on both land and water.
 It will mostly be used in forest fires and marine patrols.
 It is a part of Chinese military modernization programme. It can be used in maritime patrolling and is
considered strategic due to the dispute on the South China Sea.
9.40. BLUE LIGHT EMITTED BY LED IS HARMFUL

 According to a report recently released by the American Medical Association (AMA) Council on Science and
Public Health, excessive blue light emitted by light emitting diodes (LED) can adversely impact human health.

 Blue light directly affects sleep by suppressing the production of the hormone melatonin, which mediates
the sleep-wake cycle in humans.
 The excessive blue wavelength contributes to glare effects as a result of larger scattering in the human eye.
 Glare forms a veil of luminance that reduces the contrast, thus in turn reducing the visibility of a target.
 The report also notes that unshielded LED lighting causes papillary constriction, leading to “worse night-time
vision between lighting fixtures.” Intense blue spectrum can even damage the retina.
 As per the report, contrary to the popular notion that bright LED lighting increases road safety, discomfort
and disability glare caused by unshielded, bright LED lighting negatively impacts visual acuity, thus
“decreasing safety and creating road hazards”.
9.41. NEW ELEMENTS ON THE PERIODIC TABLE

 The IUPAC has announced the proposed names for elements 113, 115, 117 and 118: nihonium, moscovium,
tennessine and oganesson. The names are on five-month probation before things are made official.
 All four elements are not found in nature, and were synthetically created in laboratories.
 Until now, these elements had temporary names and symbols on the periodic table as their existence was
hard to prove. Because they decay extremely quickly, scientists found it difficult to reproduce them.
About IUPAC
 The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is the world authority on chemical
nomenclature and terminology, including the naming of new elements in the periodic table; on standardized
methods for measurement; and on atomic weights, and many other critically-evaluated data.

IAS.

VISIONIAS
www.visionias.in
Classroom Study Material

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
JULY 2015 – MAY 2016
NOTE: June 2016 current affairs for PT 365 will be updated on our website on second week of July 2016.
IAS.
Table of Contents
A. DEFENCE AND SPACE TECHNOLOGY _________________________________________________ 5
A.1. Akash Air Defence Missile System ______________________________________________________ 5
A.2. India Successfully Tested Interceptor Missile ______________________________________________ 5
A.3. Amogha-I Missile ____________________________________________________________________ 6
A.4. Barak 8 ____________________________________________________________________________ 6
A.5. Nirbhay Missile _____________________________________________________________________ 6
A.6. The Indian Naval Indigenisation Plan 2015-2030 __________________________________________ 7
A.7. INS Vikrant _________________________________________________________________________ 7
A.8. INS Astradharini _____________________________________________________________________ 8
A.9. Karwar- World’s Largest Naval Base East of The Suez Canal __________________________________ 8
A.10. Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) ______________________________________ 8
A.11. Heron - Drone _____________________________________________________________________ 9
A.12. Multi-Billion Dollar Defense Deal With Boeing ___________________________________________ 9
A.13. Reusable Launch Vehicle-Technology Demonstrator _______________________________________ 9
A.14. SAARC Satellite ___________________________________________________________________ 10
A.15. GPS-Aided Geo Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) System _________________________________ 11
A.16. Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS): NavIC ________________________________ 11
A.17. GSLV D6 Successfully Launched ______________________________________________________ 12
A.18. GSAT-6 (Geosynchronous Satellite) ___________________________________________________ 13
A.19. ISRO Conferred Gandhi Peace Prize 2014 _______________________________________________ 13
A.20. UN Kalam Global Sat _______________________________________________________________ 13
A.21. Semi-Cryogenic Launch Vehicle_______________________________________________________ 14
A.22. Astrosat _________________________________________________________________________ 14
A.23. Lapan A2/ Orari ___________________________________________________________________ 15
A.24. NASA’s SERVIR-Mekong project ______________________________________________________ 15
A.25. Mission on Mars __________________________________________________________________ 16
A.26. Nasa’s Space Launch System (SLS) ____________________________________________________ 16
A.27. Aditya - India’s Scientific Mission to Study the Sun _______________________________________ 16
A.28. GSAT-15 Communication Satellite Placed in Orbit ________________________________________ 17
A.29. Space Parks: ISRO _________________________________________________________________ 18
A.30. Astrobiology Mission _______________________________________________________________ 18
A.31. NISAR Mission Collaboration of ISRO And NASA _________________________________________ 18
A.32. Sakaar ___________________________________________________________________________ 19
A.33. NASA Detects Another Powerful Gamma Ray Explosion ___________________________________ 19
A.34. Philae-rosetta_____________________________________________________________________ 19
A.35. Strong Solar Winds Stripped Mars’ Atmosphere: NASA ___________________________________ 20
A.36. Helium Microscope ________________________________________________________________ 21
A.37. Kepler -62F _______________________________________________________________________ 21
A.38. Planet X _________________________________________________________________________ 22
B. POLICIES / PROGRAMMES / INITIATIVES ____________________________________________ 23
B.1. Draft Guidelines on UAV’s ____________________________________________________________ 23
B.2. Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan __________________________________________________________ 24
B.3. Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) And SETU ________________________________________________ 25
B.4. Imprint India Program _______________________________________________________________ 25
B.5. Disha (Digital Saksharta Abhiyan) ______________________________________________________ 25
B.6. Kisan (Crop Insurance Using Space Technology and Geo-Informatics) _________________________ 26
B.7. 103rd Indian Science Congress and Technology Vision Document 2035 ________________________ 26
B.8. 23rd National Children Science Congress (NCSC) __________________________________________ 27
B.9. Regulation of Explosives in India _______________________________________________________ 27
C. TECHNOLOGIES/NEW DICOVERIES _________________________________________________ 29
C.1. Gravitaional Waves _________________________________________________________________ 29
C.2. Smart Grid ________________________________________________________________________ 30
C.3. HVDC Technology ___________________________________________________________________ 30
C.4. Cloud Computing and Big Data ________________________________________________________ 32
C.5. Bio-Glass __________________________________________________________________________ 32
C.6. Nanotechnology to Recreate Bones ____________________________________________________ 33
C.7. 'Li-Fi' _____________________________________________________________________________ 33
C.8. Augmented Reality Technology________________________________________________________ 34
C.9. Kalpakkam Fast Breeder Reactor ______________________________________________________ 34
C.10. Cloud Seeding _____________________________________________________________________ 35
C.11. Aerial Seeding ____________________________________________________________________ 35
C.12. Powerwall________________________________________________________________________ 36
C.13. Project Loon ______________________________________________________________________ 36
C.14. Hybrid Vacuum Toilets ______________________________________________________________ 36
C.15. Dark matter and Dark Energy ________________________________________________________ 36
C.16. 15 Years of Human Presence on ISS ___________________________________________________ 37
C.17. Multi-Application Solar Telescope (MAST) ______________________________________________ 38
D.1. Superbug in USA ___________________________________________________________________ 39
D.2. India's Red Line Campaign on Antibiotics ________________________________________________ 39
D.3. Gene Database Project ______________________________________________________________ 40
D.4. Quercetin _________________________________________________________________________ 40
D.5. Hypoxia and Frostbites ______________________________________________________________ 41
D.6. Zika Virus _________________________________________________________________________ 41
D.7. Experimental Medicines Under the Exceptional Circumstances ______________________________ 42
D.8. Gene Editing (CRISPR/Cas9) __________________________________________________________ 42
D.9. Clone Buffalo ______________________________________________________________________ 43
D.10. Universal Immunisation Programme for Cervical Cancer __________________________________ 44
D.11. Development of Artificial Liver Tissue By3-D Printing _____________________________________ 44
D.12. New Influenza Viruses Likely to Infect Indians ___________________________________________ 44
D.13. Parthenogenesis/ Virgin Birth ________________________________________________________ 45
D.14. Injectable Polio Vaccine (IPV) ________________________________________________________ 45
D.15. Brucella _________________________________________________________________________ 46
D.16. mtDNA __________________________________________________________________________ 46
D.17. Opogenetics And Clarity ____________________________________________________________ 46
D.18. CSIR Succeeds in Whole Genome Sequencing of Holy Basil (Tulsi) ___________________________ 47
D.19. Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) _________________________________________________________ 47
E. MISCELLANEOUS _______________________________________________________________ 48
E.1. Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 2015 ______________________________________________________ 48
E.2. Nobel Prize in Physics for 2015 ________________________________________________________ 48
E.3. Nobel Prize in Physiology _____________________________________________________________ 49
E.4. Maggi Row ________________________________________________________________________ 49
E.5. Mukhota __________________________________________________________________________ 50
E.6. Geo-Targeting in Advertisements ______________________________________________________ 50
E.7. Lohafex Project_____________________________________________________________________ 50
E.8. Facebook’s Free Basics Tussles with TRAI ________________________________________________ 51
E.9. Call Drop Issue _____________________________________________________________________ 51
E.10. Minamata Convention on Mercury ____________________________________________________ 52
E.11. Silage____________________________________________________________________________ 52
E.12. Tsunami Early Warning System _______________________________________________________ 52
E.13. Whitefly Problem __________________________________________________________________ 53
E.14. Hydrogen Bomb ___________________________________________________________________ 53
E.15. Road Assets management System_____________________________________________________ 53
E.16. World’s Highest Terrestrial Research CEntre ____________________________________________ 54
E.17. Contributions of Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata RAman _____________________________________ 54
E.18. Khoya-Paya Web Portal _____________________________________________________________ 55
E.19. Neem Coated Urea (NCU) ___________________________________________________________ 55
E.20. Meldonium Drug __________________________________________________________________ 55
A. DEFENCE AND SPACE TECHNOLOGY
A.1. AKASH AIR DEFENCE MISSILE SYSTEM
 The Akash SAM (surface to air missile) is a medium range (30-35 Km, 18 km
altitude), nuclear capable, all weather system that can be launched both from
both static and mobile platforms and employ multiple air targets while
operating in fully autonomous mode.
 The Akash system can protects a moving procession of vehicles using an
electronic counter countermeasures (ECCM) system.
 Developed under the integrated guided-missile development programme
(IGMDP).
 Built by India's state-owned Defence Research and Development Organisation
(DRDO).
 It uses high-energy solid propellant for the booster and ram-rocket propulsion
for the sustainer phase.
A.2. INDIA SUCCESSFULLY TESTED INTERCEPTOR

MISSILE
Why in news?
 DRDO has come up with
a new indigenously
produced Advanced Air
Defence (AAD)
interceptor missile,
Ashwin.
 The missile was tested
on the newly named
Abdul Kalam Island
located in the Balashore
district off the Odisha
coast. This was the 12th
test in the series to
develop interceptor
missiles.
 The test involved the
launch of the single-
stage Ashvin Advanced
Defense interceptor
missile from a mobile
launcher and the
successful destruction
of an incoming nuclear-capable Dhanush ballistic missile at endo-atmospheric
altitudes of 20-40 kilometers.
 The ‘kill’ effect of the interceptor was ascertained by analyzing data from
multiple tracking sources.
Salient Features
 7.5-metre-long, single stage solid rocket propelled, guided, supersonic missile.
 It is capable of destroying any incoming hostile ballistic missile.

 The missile comes with an inbuilt navigator, an advanced computer and an
electro-mechanical activator.
 The technology in the missile is encrypted using a secure data link independent
tracking and homing capabilities and sophisticated radars.
 After the successful test, India became the fourth country in the world to have
full-fledged multi-layer Ballistic Missile Defence system. Only United States,
Russia and Israel are in the same league.
 The new supersonic missile interceptor will soon become a part of the Indian
Army's arsenal.
About India’s BMD
 India began developing a multi-tiered Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) system in
1999, after the end of the Kargil War in reaction to Pakistan’s growing missile
arsenal.
 A consortium of 40 Indian companies were involved in the development of the
missile defense shield.
 India’s BMD shield is a two-tiered defense system
 Prithvi Air Defense (PAD) / Pradyumna Ballistic Missile Interceptor
destroying missiles at exo-atmospheric altitudes of 50–80 kilometers (31–
50 miles),
 Advanced Air Defense (AAD)/ Ashvin Advanced Defense interceptor
missile endo-atmosphere at altitudes of 20-40 kilometers (12-24 miles).
 In addition to the indigenously developed BMD system, India has procured six
regiments of Russian S-300 air defense systems and is negotiating for five
regiments of more advanced S-400 systems with Russia.
A.3. AMOGHA-I MISSILE

 Indigenously developed
 Second generation anti-tank guided missile.
 Range - 2.8 km
 Developed by Bharat Heavy Dynamics Limited (BDL)
 Other anti-tank missile: Nag
A.4. BARAK 8
 Indo-Israeli long range surface-to-air missile (MR-SAM)
 Designed to defend against any type of airborne threat including aircraft,
helicopters, anti-ship missiles, and UAVs as well as cruise missiles and combat
jets.
 The radar system provides 360 degree coverage and the missiles can take down
an incoming missile as close as 500 meters away from the ship.
 Maximum speed Mach 2
A.5. NIRBHAY MISSILE

 It is Indigenous, surface-to-surface, nuclear capable subsonic cruise missile.
 Range of around 1,000 km.

A.6. THE INDIAN NAVAL INDIGENISATION PLAN
2015-2030
 This plan aimed at enabling the development of equipment and systems
through the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and
Indian industry over a 15-year period.
 According to the plan, Navy will achieve full indigenisation in all phases of
warship construction, from ship-building to systems to weapons.
 Aim : 200 ship navy by 2027.
 The Navy wants to involve private industry in a big way in this initiative.
 Current status: A warship can be broadly divided into three segments — float,
move and fight.
 Float category- 90% Indigenisation,
 Move (propulsion) - 60%
 Flight (weapons) - 30%
A.7. INS VIKRANT

 The maiden indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant was undocked on completion
of structural work.
 The successful completion puts India in the elite group of four nations - the US,
Russia, the UK and France - in the world capable of designing and constructing
aircraft carriers.

A.8. INS ASTRADHARINI
What it is: India’s first totally Project Seabird -1985
indigenously designed (95%) and
 A 25000 cr project to build a naval base at
built torpedo launch and recovery
Karwar which is to be commissioned
vessel (TLRV).
progressively from 2005 onwards.
Features:  Phase I – INS Kadamba naval station
 Phase II- INS Vajrakosh naval station.
 Speed upto 15 knots.
 It can operate on high sea states and its stability makes it very suitable for
carrying passengers.
 It is an advanced replacement for Astravahini.
A.9. KARWAR- WORLD’S LARGEST NAVAL BASE EAST

OF THE SUEZ CANAL
 Together with INS Vajrakosh and INS Kadamba (another station 20 km away),
the naval base at Karwar is spread out over 1000 acres making it - the world's
largest naval base east of the Suez Canal.
 It will base two aircraft carriers, 40 submarines, amongst other ammunitions.
 Repair Centre - 6,500 ton ship lift capacity to move all our major warships -
except the aircraft carriers - to the dry docks for repairs.
 INS Vajrakosh will be the biggest missiles, ammunition and spares dump on the
Western Sea Board. It will be a station that will equip all warships and airplanes.
Why Karwar was chosen
 The Bombay and Cochin Harbours - the two major Naval stations in the Western
Sea Board - are over-crowded with commercial traffic.
 Conceived to be out of range of Pakistan’s Airforce. (Not the case now)
 From Karwar, deployment can be done simultaneously in a very short time.
A.10. INTEGRATED AIR COMMAND AND CONTROL

SYSTEM (IACCS)
The government has cleared the proposal for a nearly Rs 8,000-crore project for
IAF's Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS).
Features
 IACCS is an automated command and control system for Air Defence (AD)
planned by the Indian Air Force.
 It will detect and tackle enemy and terror aerial threats in real-time by putting in
place a composite and enhanced surveillance capability.
 With the help of this the air headquarters will get a composite air situation
picture since it will be integrating Air Force, Army, Naval and civilian radars.
 It enables the surveillance of national airspace for airspace safety and Air traffic
operations.
 It helps in real time transportation of data, voice and images among stations and
aircrafts.

A.11. HERON - DRONE
 Government approves $400-million plan to procure 10 missile armed Heron TP
drones from Israel
 It is capable of reconnaissance, combat and support roles.
 It will enhance India's cross-border military strike capability
A.12. MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR DEFENSE DEAL WITH

BOEING
 The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) cleared a multi-billion dollar deal with
American aviation giant Boeing.
 Items in the deal: 22 Apache attack helicopters and 15 Chinook heavy-lift
choppers.
 The deal for Apache is "a hybrid one", with one contract to be signed with
Boeing for the helicopter and the other with the US government for its weapons,
radars and electronic warfare suites.
 Earlier deals with USA in last decade includes aircraft like P-8I maritime
surveillance planes, C-130J 'Super Hercules' and C-17 Globemaster-III in the
transport category.
A.13. REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE-TECHNOLOGY

DEMONSTRATOR
Why in news?
 RLV-TD was successfully flight tested
recently, validating the critical technologies
such as autonomous navigation, guidance &
control, reusable thermal protection system
and re-entry mission management.
Features and significance
 A reusable launch system (RLS, or reusable
launch vehicle, RLV) is a system capable of
launching a payload into space more than
once.
 The model is 6.5 metres long and weighs
about 1,750 kg and design is that of a delta-winged aircraft.
 The working RLV will be about 40 metres long and it will need a five km-long
landing runway. It might be 2030 before it is fully operational.
 It demonstrated the success of hypersonic flight, re-entry aero thermodynamics,
autonomous mission management and hot structures for thermal protection.
About RLV-TD
 The cost of access to space is the major deterrent in space exploration and space
utilization. RLV is the solution to achieve low cost, reliable and on-demand space
access.
 RLV-TD is part of a series of technology demonstration missions that have been
considered as a first step towards realizing a Two Stage To Orbit (TSTO) fully re-
usable vehicle.

 The configuration of RLV-TD is similar to that of an aircraft and combines the
complexity of both launch vehicles and aircraft.
 A Winged RLV-TD has been configured to act as a flying test bed to evaluate
technologies like hypersonic flight, autonomous landing, powered cruise flight
and hypersonic flight using air-breathing propulsion.
 These technologies will be developed in phases through a series of experimental
flights. The first in the series of experimental flights is the hypersonic flight
experiment (HEX) followed by the landing experiment (LEX), return flight
experiment (REX) and scramjet propulsion experiment (SPEX).
 Objectives of RLV-TD
 Hypersonic aero thermodynamic characterisation of wing body
 Evaluation of autonomous Navigation, Guidance and Control (NGC) schemes
 Integrated flight management
 Thermal Protection System Evaluation
About Hypersonic Technology & SCRAMJET Engine
 Hypersonic aviation technology
involves speeds greater than 5
mach.
 To fly at hypersonic speed a
different type of engine such as a
supersonic-combustion ramjet, or
scramjet is required.
 Unlike in a jet engine where the
rotating compressor and turbine
are used, in a scramjet engine air is
compressed and expanded by complex systems of shockwaves under the front
of the aircraft, inside the inlet and under the fuselage at the rear.
 It uses oxygen from the atmosphere for fuel.
 This makes it lighter and faster than fuel-carrying rockets, making it an
alternative to rockets for putting satellites into space.
 It will also help making air travel in earth’s atmosphere faster and cheaper.
A.14. SAARC SATELLITE

 SAARC Satellite is a proposed communication-cum-meteorology satellite
by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for the SAARC region. It is planned
to be launched in December, 2016.
 Even though all the countries had supported the idea during the 18th saarc
summit in nepal, not all have given their approval. Countries like bangladesh, sri
lanka have given their approval.
 Pakistan has raised a concern with respect to this project. Pakistan believes that
this satellite could allow india to have access and secure key data on pakistan's
sensitive information database infrastructure
Features
 Will have twelve 'Ku' transponders.
 It will have the capability to interconnect all these eight countries.
Interconnection will be like
 Hot contact for the political level
 MEA interconnection
 Disaster monitoring constellation
 Meteorological data decimination

A.15. GPS-AIDED GEO AUGMENTED NAVIGATION
(GAGAN) SYSTEM
 The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and Airports Authority of India
(AAI) have implemented the GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation-GAGAN
project as a Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS) for the Indian
Airspace.
 It works by augmenting and relaying data from GPS satellites with the help of
augmentation satellites and 15 earth-based reference stations.
 3 Geostationary Satellites: GSAT-8, GSAT-10 and GSAT-15
 GAGAN system corrects any anomalies in the position data and gives accurate
routes, landing guidance and time saving information to the pilots.
 Improved efficiency, Direct routes, Increased fuel savings, all weather
capabilities.
 Accuracy – 3m and would be available to SAARC nations.
A.16. INDIAN REGIONAL NAVIGATION SATELLITE

SYSTEM (IRNSS): NAVIC
 The space segment consists of the IRNSS
Satellites Launched
constellation of seven satellites, NavIC.
 Three satellites are located in suitable orbital PSLV-C22/IRNSS-1A Mission
slots in the geostationary orbit and the remaining PSLV-C24/IRNSS-1B Mission
four are located in geosynchronous orbits with PSLV-C26/IRNSS-1C Mission
the required inclination and equatorial crossings PSLV-C27/IRNSS-1D Mission
in two different planes. PSLV-C31/IRNSS-1E
PSLV-C32/IRNSS-1F
 All the satellites of the constellation are
PSLV-C33/IRNSS-1G
configured identically.
 The satellites are configured with I-1K Bus to be compatible for launch on-board
PSLV.
 IRNSS is an independent regional navigation satellite system being developed by
India.

 It is designed to provide accurate position information service to users in India
as well as the region extending up to 1500 km from its boundary, which is its
primary service area.
 An Extended Service Area lies between primary service area and area enclosed
by the rectangle from Latitude 30 deg South to 50 deg North, Longitude 30 deg
East to 130 deg East.
 IRNSS will provide two types of services,
o Standard Positioning Service (SPS) which is provided to all the users
o Restricted Service (RS), which is an encrypted service provided only to the
authorised users.
 The IRNSS System is expected to provide a position accuracy of better than 20 m
in the primary service area.
Some applications of IRNSS are:
 Terrestrial, Aerial and Marine Navigation

 Disaster Management
 Vehicle tracking and fleet management
 Integration with mobile phones
 Precise Timing
 Mapping and Geodetic data capture
 Terrestrial navigation aid for hikers and travellers
 Visual and voice navigation for drivers
A.17. GSLV D6 SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED

 The GSLV D-6 is the second successful consecutive launch (earlier launch GSLV
D-5 in January) of the GSLV series with indigenous cryogenic upper stage.
 ISRO is planning to test GSLV Mk III capable of carrying payload up to 4 tonnes
by end of next year.
Difference between Cryogenic stage and other stages
 The cryogenic
stage is
technically a very
complex system,
as compared to
solid liquid
propellant
stages, due to its
use of
propellants at
extremely low
temperature
(cryo) and the
associated
thermal and
structural
challenges. A cryogenic rocket stage is more efficient and provides more thrust
for every kilogram of propellant it burns.

Significance
 GSLV will cost just one third of money spent on foreign agencies, which will
reduce satellite launch cost as well as will save forex.
 It will enhance India’s capability to be a competitive player in the multimillion
dollar commercial launch market.
 The GSLV will help ISRO put heavier communication satellites of GSAT class into
orbit.
A.18. GSAT-6 (GEOSYNCHRONOUS SATELLITE)

 It is aimed at primarily benefiting the country's strategic users and other specific
authorised users.
 It has life of nine years and 2 tonne launch mass.
 It will provide S-band communication services in the country.
 It includes a first-of-its-kind S-Band antenna with a diameter of six meter. This is
the largest antenna ISRO has ever made for a satellite.
 It will offer a Satellite Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (S-band) service, via
mobile phones and mobile video/audio receivers for vehicles.
 It can also be utilized for strategic and social applications.
A.19. ISRO CONFERRED GANDHI PEACE PRIZE 2014

The ISRO has upheld its mission of bringing space to the service of the common man
and in the service of the nation.
ISRO through space technology has immensely helped in:
 Improving the mapping of agricultural land and water-shed areas.
 Providing advisories to fishing communities.
 Creating data base of heritage sites.
 Improving disaster management support.
 Policy planning, monitoring and Implementation by gathering relevant data from
remote sensing satellites.
 Communication and connectivity.
These contributions have led to social, economic and political transformation

through non-violence.
A.20. UN KALAM GLOBAL SAT

A global satellite for earth observation and disaster risk reduction — GlobalSat for
DRR — proposed under the UN framework is to be dedicated to A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
by naming it as UN Kalam Global Sat.
 Launched on third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction held at
Sendai in Japan in March 2015.
 The GlobalSat was proposed in response to the need for a globally
interconnected disaster and environmental management system since no single
country can afford to develop a complete set of sensors and satellite systems
needed for forecasting, monitoring and mitigating disasters like floods, drought,
typhoons, earthquakes, wild fires, windstorms, or tidal events.

 It will provide a common platform that will allow sharing of space and data
segments, with an ability to serve individual nation’s disaster management and
development needs.
A.21. SEMI-CRYOGENIC LAUNCH VEHICLE

 ISRO signed MoU with Russian space agency to boost its plan for Semi-
cryogenic launch vehicle.
 ISRO's third rocket development programme.
 Cost: Rs. 1,800-crore
 Fuel: space-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen
 Capacity: six to ten tonnes to heights of 36,000 km.
 Currently only the U.S. and Russia have this technology
 Future: According to ISRO it will be ready with the engine [SCE-200] in six to
eight months.
 This would be double the lifting power of the GSLV and triple that of the PSLV.
A.22. ASTROSAT
Astrosat is India's first dedicated astronomy observatory to study distant celestial
object. ASTROSAT is seen as a smaller version of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope.
The Space Observatory will be able to detect objects in multiple wavelengths such
as X-rays and UV, but with far lower precision than Hubble.
Launch Vehicle
 It was launched by PSLV-C30 along with six tiny satellites from foreign countries
including US.
 This is the first time that an Indian rocket launched satellites from the US.
 30th consecutive successful launch of PSLV.
Main scientific focus on
 Understand high energy processes in binary star systems containing neutron

stars and black holes.
 Estimate magnetic fields of neutron stars.
 Study star birth regions and high energy processes in star systems lying beyond
our galaxy.
 Detect new briefly bright X-ray sources in the sky.
 Perform a limited deep field survey of the Universe in the ultraviolet region.
Significance
 An open observatory (after one year) with proposal driven research approach.
 Will provide useful data and big boost for the country’s astronomy community
with self-reliance of scientific data.
 It will put India in an elite orbit with the U.S., Europe, Russia and Japan.

Components of ASTROSAT
FIVE PAYLOADS
A.23. LAPAN A2/ ORARI

An Indonesian satellite launched by India, along with ASTROSAT onboard PSLV C30.
Functions and Features
 Multi-Spectral remote sensing satellite

 To monitor land-use, natural resource and in disaster mitigation, ship
movements, sea resources and fishing explorations.
 Successor to LAPAN A1 (also launched by India in 2007)
A.24. NASA’S SERVIR-MEKONG PROJECT

 Launched by NASA and the US Agency for International Development (USAID)
 Countries that will be benefitted: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and
Vietnam.
 It will provide timely weather, climate and other Earth related data.
 It will enable to better address issues of natural resource and disaster
management.
 It is intended to support climate resilience studies, providing early warning of
dramatic changes in regional water, food security, weather and climate, and
land use of the entire Mekong River Basin.

A.25. MISSION ON MARS
 MOM was aimed to explore and observe Mars surface features, morphology,
mineralogy and the Martian atmosphere.
 Further, a specific search for methane in the Martian atmosphere will provide
information about the possibility or the past existence of life on the planet.
Features
 It was launched by using a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket C25.
 It costs 450 crore, weighed 1350 kg, travelled for 300 days covered 65 crore km
@ 7Rs/km
 It Carried 5 instruments
o Lyman-Alpha Photometer (LAP),
o Methane Sensor for Mars (MSM)),
o Particle environment studies (Mars Exospheric Neutral Composition
Analyser (MENCA)),
o Surface imaging studies (Thermal Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (TIS),
o Mars Colour Camera (MCC)
Key Findings
The data filtering in from the payloads is yet to be fully analyzed and published by
scientist involved. Initial outcomes include:
 Water on Mars
 Increasing possibility of life on Mars.
 High quality images published in Mars Atlas.
A.26. NASA’S SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM (SLS)

 The most powerful rocket ever built.
 The SLS launch vehicle is to be upgraded over time with more powerful versions.
Its initial Block 1 has lift capacity of 70 metric tons to low Earth orbit (LEO). The
next version Block 2 will be having lift capacity of 130 metric tons.
 The first SLS mission—Exploration Mission 1—in 2017 will launch an uncrewed
Orion spacecraft to demonstrate the integrated system performance of rocket
and spacecraft prior to a crewed flight.
 It will also be used for explorations on Mars.
A.27. ADITYA - INDIA’S SCIENTIFIC MISSION TO

STUDY THE SUN
 A joint venture between ISRO and
leading institutes of the country.
 The mission aims to put a heavy
satellite into what is called a halo
orbit around a point between the
Sun and the Earth. This point is at a
distance of about 1.5 million km
from the earth.

Importance of mission
 Help in understanding the origin of solar storms and also for constraining how
the storms evolve and what path they take.
 Help us to understand the corona and solar wind’s impact on environment.
ISRO’s planning to add another spacecraft under Aditya to observe the sun from a
different stable orbital position called L5.
 Adding another orientation viz L1 and L5 would provide more clarity.
 Older L1 sun missions by US and Japan could not yield much result/information.
What is L1, L5?
 Lagrange point is a position in space where the combined gravitational forces of

two large bodies, such as Earth and the sun or Earth and the moon, equal the
centrifugal force felt by a much smaller third body.
 The interaction of the forces creates a point of equilibrium where a spacecraft
may be “parked” to make observation.
 These points are named after Joseph-Louis Lagrange, an 18th-century
mathematician.
 There are 5 such points between the earth and the sun namely – L1, L2, L3, L4
and L5.
A.28. GSAT-15 COMMUNICATION SATELLITE PLACED

IN ORBIT
What is GSAT
 A GSAT is a series of
geosynchronous satellite placed in
geosynchronous orbit, with an
orbital period the same as the
Earth's rotation period.
 A special case of geosynchronous
satellite is the geostationary
satellite (36000 KM), which has a
geostationary orbit – a circular
orbit directly above the Earth's
equator. Such satellites are often used for communication purposes.
GSAT-15
 GSAT-15, India's latest communications satellite, was launched successfully from

Kourou in French Guiana in South America.
 It will be controlled by ISRO's Master Control Facility (MCF) at Hassan in
Karnataka.
 Design life of 12 years and carries a total of 24 communication transponders as
well as a GPS-Aided GEO Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) payload.
 Its 24 transponders will mainly cater to public and private direct-to-home (DTH)
broadcasters, VSAT operators and radio navigation services.

A.29. SPACE PARKS: ISRO
• The Indian space agency will open a 100-acre Space Park in Bangalore where
private industry players would be allowed to set up facilities to make
subsystems and components for satellites.
• ISRO wants to groom and engage domestic industry in the launch vehicles area
from integrating sub-systems up to assembling, and even launching the PSLV.
• On the spacecraft front, ISRO plans to increasingly support small and mid-sized
industries at its 10-year-old second spacecraft complex, the 100-acre ISITE, at
Marathahalli in Bengaluru.
• The Space Park will also contribute to the government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative
as the private industry and HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd) have been helping
us in making rockets and satellites over the years.
• Also in the pipeline is allowing private players to make satellites and providing
them facility at Sriharikota for launch.
A.30. ASTROBIOLOGY MISSION

 A team of scientists from the
What is a Space Bound Programme?
NASA, the Mars Society Australia
 Spaceward bound is an educational program
and the Birbal Sahni Institute of
developed at NASA Ames.
Palaeobotany, Lucknow, will  The objective of this programme is for the
mount an expedition to Ladakh participating scientific researchers,
this August. educators and students to visit the remote
 The aim is to study the and extreme environments in different parts
similarities of certain parts of the of the world and conduct the astrobiological
region’s topography and experiments, make observations and learn
microbial life to Martian about the origin, sustenance and adaptation
surroundings. of the living organism within such
biospheres.
 This is the first time India is part
 Previous Spacebound experiments have
of a Spaceward Bound
been conducted in Mohave Desert, USA,
Programme. Nambian Desert, Antarctica, etc.
A.31. NISAR MISSION COLLABORATION OF ISRO

AND NASA
 The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission will be the biggest
collaboration between these two space organizations
 The mission is to build a 2,600 kg satellite for detailed view of Earth by using
advanced radar imaging
 It is expected launched from Indian launch vehicle by 2020
 Payload
o L-band (24-centimeter wavelength): To be produced by NASA
o S-band (12-centimeter wavelength): To be produced by ISRO
Functions of NISAR:
 Observe and take measurements of some of the planet's most complex

processes, including ecosystem disturbances, ice-sheet collapse, and natural
hazards such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes and landslides.
 To Predict changes in Earth’s topography
 To create the world’s largest freely available remote sensing data set

Earlier collaborations between NASA and ISRO:
 2005 Chandrayaan-I mission where Moon Mineralogy mapper from NASA

accompanied the mission, resulting in “joint-discovery” of water on moon.
 2014 Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan) where NASA’s navigational expertise in
deep space trajectory and maneuverability aided the mission.
A.32. SAKAAR
Sakaar is Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) Augmented Reality (AR)
application designed for Andriod devices.
 It consists of 3D models of MOM, RISAT, rockets (PSLV, GSLV Mk-III); videos of

INSAT 3D-predicting cyclones, GSLV D5/Cryo, Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) orbit
insertion, launch video of MOM, 360 degree animated view of MOM; Anaglyph
of Mars surface.
A.33. NASA DETECTS ANOTHER POWERFUL GAMMA

RAY EXPLOSION
Background
NASA's swift spacecraft has detected its 1,000th gamma-ray burst (GRB).
What is GRB?
 GRBs are believed to consist of a narrow beam of intense radiation released
during a supernova or hypernova as a rapidly rotating, high-mass star collapses
to form a neutron star, quark star, or black hole.
 They are the brightest electromagnetic events known to occur in the universe.
Bursts can last from ten milliseconds to several hours.
 The initial burst is usually followed by a longer-lived "afterglow" emitted at
longer wavelengths (X-ray, ultraviolet, optical, infrared, microwave and radio).
Significance of GRB
 Gamma-ray bursts can be and observational tool for cosmologists as it could
help us to understand the form and evolution of the Universe.
A.34. PHILAE-ROSETTA
 What is Philae: It is a robotic European Space Agency lander that accompanied
Rosetta spacecraft until it landed on comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko,
more than ten years after departing Earth.
 The probe achieved the first-ever soft landing on a comet nucleus.
 What is Rosetta: Mothership (spacecraft) orbiting Comet 67P. Philae
communicates with Rosetta, which sends the received data to the earth.
Goals of the mission
 To focus on elemental, isotopic, molecular and mineralogical composition of

the comet

 The characterization of physical properties of the surface and subsurface
material
 The large-scale structure and the magnetic and plasma environment of the
nucleus
 The mission seeks to unlock the long-held secrets of comets — primordial
clusters of ice and dust that scientists believe may reveal how the Solar System
was formed.
Rosetta Findings
 Ingredients regarded as crucial for the origin of life on Earth have been
discovered at the comet that ESA’s Rosetta spacecraft has been probing for
almost two years.
 The Rosetta spacecraft sent a probe, which discovered some basic building
blocks of life on comet 67P, including phosphorus and the amino acid glycine.
 Glycine is commonly found in proteins and phosphorus is a key ingredient of
DNA.
 The important point is that comets have not changed in 4.5 billion years, so they
have the same ingredients that can be formed without our Sun or planets. This
means that amino acids are kind of universal.
 Crucially the finding suggests that if comets transported the ingredients of life to
Earth, they may have transported them elsewhere, raising the prospect of life on
other planets.
 The comet probably contains all necessary ingredients for life, except one thing,
and that's energy.
A.35. STRONG SOLAR WINDS STRIPPED MARS’

ATMOSPHERE: NASA
 According to NASA strong solar winds likely played a key role in the transition of
the Martian climate from an early, warm and wet environment that might have
supported life to the cold, arid planet Mars.
 NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission data has
enabled researchers to determine the rate at which the Martian atmosphere
currently is losing gas to space via stripping by the solar wind.
 Ancient regions on Mars bear signs of abundant water - such as features
resembling valleys carved by rivers and mineral deposits that only form in the
presence of liquid water.
What is a solar wind?
 The solar wind is a stream of energized, charged particles, primarily electrons

and protons, flowing outward from the Sun, through the solar system at speeds
as high as 900 km/s and at a temperature of 1 million degrees (Celsius).
 It is made of plasma, 4th state of matter. Its particles can escape the Sun's gravity
because of their high energy.

How does it affect earth?
 They collide with the magnetic field of the Earth and cause it to change its
shape. The particles then leak through the magnetic field of the Earth,
particularly near the north and south poles.
 The effects of solar winds on the earth that are visible to naked eye are the
Aurora Borealis (the Northern lights) at the North Pole and the Aurora Australis
(he Southern Lights) at the South Pole.
 Astronauts and cosmonauts suffer serious radiation related health conditions if
they are caught in the path of solar winds.
 Radiation from solar winds is known to cause chromosome damage and cancer,
and these conditions may be fatal for humans in outer space.
 Disrupt radio and television communication and satellite based internet services
and destabilize or power grids.
A.36. HELIUM MICROSCOPE

 This device would enable scientists to study human, animal and plant samples,
as well as computer chips and pharmaceutical drugs, without damaging or
changing them.
 This would be able to see much smaller objects with a much higher resolution.
 It may be helpful in clean up of toxic or radioactive spills, without harming the
surrounding flora or fauna.
 It could lead to the development of stealth technology and new explosives.
A.37. KEPLER -62F

 It is a planet which is about 1,200 light-years away from Earth and, in all
probability, has surface liquid water is a good prospect for a habitable world.
 Kepler-62f, which is in the direction of the constellation Lyra, is in the Goldilock
zone.

 It is the outermost of five
What is Kuiper Belt?
planets orbiting a star that is
smaller and cooler than the  It is flat ring of icy bodies that revolve round
the Sun beyond the orbit of Neptune.
sun.
 It is home to three officially recognized dwarf
 There are multiple
planets: Pluto, Haumea, and Makemake.
atmospheric compositions
that allow it to be warm enough to have surface liquid water.
 Further research is being done with simulations varying the amounts of carbon
dioxide required to keep the planet warm enough for liquid and life to exist on
its surface.
A.38. PLANET X
 Researchers at the California Institute of Technology have found evidence in the
outer solar system of an object that could be a real ninth planet.
 Nicknamed Planet Nine, it has a mass about 10 times that of Earth and orbits
about 20 times farther from the sun than Neptune.
How was the inference made?
 Its presence has been inferred from the peculiar clustering of six previously
known objects that orbit beyond Neptune (Kuiper belt).
 It is said that there’s only a 0.007% chance, that the clustering could be a
coincidence. Instead, a planet with the mass of 10 Earths has shepherded the
six objects into their strange elliptical orbits, tilted out of the plane of the solar
system.

B. POLICIES / PROGRAMMES /
INITIATIVES
B.1. DRAFT GUIDELINES ON UAV’S
Why in news?
Last month, the draft guidelines for civil UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) operations
were announced by the DGCA (Directorate General Of Civil Aviation).
Need of guidelines
 UAVs or Drones have the potential for use in a large number of civil applications.
Its use, besides being a safety issue, also poses a security threat, and has the
potential for invading privacy.
 The airspace over Indian cities already has a high density of aircraft traffic and
unregulated use of drones poses a grave threat for air collisions and accidents.
 Further, in view of technological advancements in UAS (Unmanned Aircraft
system), it has become necessary to develop guidance material to regulate its
activity.
Regulations
 All unmanned aircraft intended to be operated in India will require a Unique
Identification Number (UIN) issued
from DGCA. Case Study: UAVs used by Karnataka
Police:
 All civil UAVs have to obtain
Karnataka Police Department is the first
operator permit (UAOP) from DGCA. to own and operate drone fleet. About 20
 UIN to be granted to policemen have been trained and given
an Indian citizen or a company the exclusive task of operating the
whose chairperson and two-thirds drones. The UAVs have already helped the
of its directors are Indian citizens. police identify sand mining along the
 UAVs with an UIN shall not be sold border of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh
or disposed to any other person or due to its night visibility.
firm without permission from DGCA.
 The policy also lists out guidelines for training remote pilots who should have
completed 18 years of age as well as the regulations on controlled airspace.
 Import of drones will require prior approval from DGCA based on which DGFT
shall provide license for import.
 UA operations at or above 200 feet AGL (above ground level) in uncontrolled
airspace will require permit from DGCA. Operations below 200 ft AGL in
uncontrolled airspace will not require a UAOP.
 International operations of civil UAS (flying across territory) and/or over water
shall be strictly prohibited.
Uses and benefits of UAVs
 Damage assessment of property and life in areas affected with natural
calamities, surveys, critical infrastructure monitoring.
 The benefits are immense - for government, security agencies, companies,
researchers, retailers and aviation enthusiasts.
 Other commercial and recreational uses.

Issues and Suggestions
 The operational limits of micro as well as the mini UAVs range is 500m which is a
limiting factor for purpose of mapping and monitoring of large infrastructure
projects such as power lines, highways, river basin, etc.
 The DGCA regulations must provide for a level playing field for the private sector
so that innovation, growth and adopting of UAV technologies by end users can
become commonplace.
 It must initiate multi stakeholder engagement process to develop a framework
for privacy, accountability, and transparency issues of commercial and private
UAV use in line with the policy of ease of doing business.
 Visual line of sight (VLOS) restrictions should go - it restricts the utility of a UAV
fitted with camera and product delivery capability.
 Issues of security, enforcement and penalty have not been adequately dealt
with. For e.g. without adequate monetary fines, the penalty provisions in the
guidelines will lack the bite to be taken seriously.
Conclusion
UAVs of today are a precursor to next generation aerospace technologies. Unless we
bring in the right set of regulations, the investors would be reluctant to take a leap
of faith in the development of the UAV industry.
B.2. RASHTRIYA AVISHKAR ABHIYAN

Aim: to inculcate a spirit of inquiry, creativity and love for Science and Mathematics
in school children.
 Developed by the Ministry of Human Resource Development

 It seeks to Develop Scientific Temper Among School Children,
 To encourage students to learn sciences beyond the classrooms.
 Under Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan, government schools will be mentored by
Institutes like IITs/ IIMs/ IISERs and other Central Universities and reputed
organisations through innovative programmes, student exchanges,
demonstrations, student visits, etc. to develop a natural sense of passion
towards learning of Science and Maths.
Major interventions
 Sensitization of Parents and Community

 Organised visits to Science Museums, Innovation hubs and Science fairs and
Mathematics Melas
 Participation of Students in Inter-school, State/ National Science and
Mathematics competitions/ Olympiads etc.
 Expand outreach of programmes of Ministry of Science and Technology to
promote science learning
 Science, Mathematics and Technology Clubs for Children
 Promotion of Science & Mathematics Teacher Circles
 School Mentoring
 Strengthening teacher support institutions through use of technology
 Use of Technology in Science and Mathematics teaching

B.3. ATAL INNOVATION MISSION (AIM) AND SETU
 AIM is an Innovation Promotion Platform in the NITI Aayog, involving academics,
entrepreneurs and researchers and draws upon national and international
experiences to foster a culture of innovation, R&D and scientific research in
India.
 It has an initial fund of 150 crore for R&D .
 It will provide funds to a network of institutions to conduct research on
innovations that can improve economic growth and job creation.
 It has replaced the National Innovation Council, a significant difference
between the two will be the powers to disburse funds.
 Self-Employment and Talent Utilisation under NITI Aayog. SETU will be a Techno-
Financial, Incubation and Facilitation Programme to support all aspects of start-
up businesses, and other self-employment activities, particularly in technology-
driven areas.
B.4. IMPRINT INDIA PROGRAM

 A joint initiative of Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institute of
Science (IISc).
 Imprint India seeks to develop a road map for research to solve major
engineering and technology challenges in 10 technology domains relevant for
the country.
 The move will motivate technical institutions to conduct research in advanced
area of SnT.
 The objectives of the initiative
o Identifying areas of relevance to society that require innovation.
o Ensuring higher funding support for research into these areas.
o Measuring the research’s impact on people’s standard of living.
B.5. DISHA (DIGITAL SAKSHARTA ABHIYAN)

 Central Government launched a programme to invest Rs 500 crore on providing
basic computer education to about 50 lakh people over next 3 years with the
help of private companies.
 The programme offers two-hour, 10-hour and 20-hour courses in local
languages.
 The scheme targets to train Anganwadi and ASHA workers and authorized ration
dealers in all the States/UTs across the country apart from one person from
every eligible household
 Government would deliver various services such as e-education, e-health and e-
governance through a national broadband network which is expected to be in
place by 2017.
 Disha Mobile App will help people learn about computers and Internet through
self-learning.
 In order to offer digital literacy to tribal and Dalit women in Bihar, govt. awarded
tablet computers to women who received training from common service centres
in the state.

B.6. KISAN (CROP INSURANCE USING SPACE
TECHNOLOGY AND GEO-INFORMATICS)
 Under this programme govt. will use satellite and unmanned aerial vehicles to
collect crop yield data and to assess damage from natural calamities.
 The scientific data collected by drones and collated with satellites imagery will
be matched with traditional crop cutting experiments to arrive at a fool proof
data.
 In earlier system, there has always been a problem in getting timely and
accurate data, due to which payment of claims to farmers were getting delayed.
 Initially, KISAN programme will be tried out as a pilot study in identified districts
in Haryana, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
 Mobile application to help farmers: Govt. launched an Android mobile phone
application (developed by ISRO) to assess large-scale damage to crops from hail.
 Using this application, farmers can immediately send photos of their crop
damage to officials concerned for immediate relief. This will cut the red tape in
reaching assistance to farmers.
 Need of such mobile application: Hailstorms cause large-scale damage to
standing crops. However, there was no comprehensive approach to collect
hailstorm data.
B.7. 103RD INDIAN SCIENCE CONGRESS AND

TECHNOLOGY VISION DOCUMENT 2035
Why in news?
• 103rd Indian Science congress in Mysuru was organized with the focal theme
‘Science and Technology for Indigenous Development in India’.
• It has been prepared by Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment
Council, (TIFAC)
Aim of Technology Vision Document 2035:
Focus of ‘Technology Vision Document 2035’:

1. Technology Leadership – ex: Nuclear Energy, Space Science.
2. Technology Independence – ex: Defence sector.
3. Technology Innovation – ex: solar cells patterned on chlorophyll based synthetic
pathway are a potent future source of renewable energy.
4. Technology Adoption – ex: foreign collaboration in the sectors of rainwater
harvesting, agri-biotech, desalination, energy efficient buildings.
5. Technology Constraints –eg: Genetically Modified (GM) Crops.
The Vision Document gives a ‘Call to Action’ to all the key stakeholders
• Technical Education Institutions .

• Government enhances financial support from current 1% to long-envisaged 2%
of the GDP.
• Academia-Intelligentsia-Industry connect is established via idea exchange,
innovative curricula design, based on the needs of the industry, industry-
sponsored student internships and research fellowships inter alia.
• Creation of a Research Ecosystem to achieve translation of research to
technology product/process by integrating students, researchers and
entrepreneurs.

B.8. 23RD NATIONAL CHILDREN SCIENCE CONGRESS
(NCSC)
• 23rd NCSC (started in
Objectives of NCSC:
1993) was based on the
 Forum for young scientists to pursue their natural
theme of 'Understanding curiosity and to quench their thirst for creativity by
Weather and Climate' experimenting on open-ended problems.
• Nearly 1,400 students in  To make children feel that science is all around
age group 10 to 17 years, and you can gain knowledge as well as solve many
problems.
from various schools
 To encourage children to visualize future of the
presented projects under nation and help build generation of sensitive,
various categories responsible citizens.
depicting the problems
faced by world due to climate change or possible solutions.
• More than 300 scientists and researchers from Department of Science and
Technology also participated.
B.9. REGULATION OF EXPLOSIVES IN INDIA

Regulating Acts/Rules
 Explosives Act, 1884

 Inflammable Substances Act, 1952
 Explosives Rules, 2008
Issues related to regulation

Why in News?
 The sale and transport of explosive Recently, illegally stored gelatin
materials is regulated by the Petroleum sticks exploded in Madhya Pradesh,
and Explosives Safety Organization (PESO), claiming about hundreds of lives and
under the Union Commerce and Industry raising questions about regulation of
Ministry. the sale, purchase and subsequent
 This centralized regulation raises question monitoring of explosive materials
about the ability of a Central agency to across the country.
monitor all explosive substances
everywhere in the country.
 The agency is still to computerize its What is Gelatin Stick?
operation which is very crucial for efficient
It is a blasting material invented by
regulation
Alfred Nobel (who also invented
 A system is yet to be worked out for a real- Dynamite). It cannot explode without
time tracing and tracking programme detonator and thus, it can be stored
enabling police and district collector to safely.
monitor sale and purchase of explosive in
their area.

PESO - Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization
Objectives
 To administer the responsibilities delegated under the Explosives Act 1884 and
Petroleum Act 1934 and the rules made thereunder related to manufacture,
import, export, transport, possession, sale and use of Explosives, Petroleum
products and Compressed gases.
 Providing operational and technical Advice and Assistance to the Central
Government, States, Local Bodies, Law Enforcement Agencies, Industry, Trade
and end users of these products.
 Ensure public safety in the areas of manufacture, transport, storage, etc. of
Explosives, Petroleum, Carbide of Calcium, Inflammable substances etc.
 Framing National Standards concerning public safety in collaboration with BIS,
OISD & other apex bodies and harmonizing Indian standards with international
standards.

C. TECHNOLOGIES/NEW DICOVERIES
C.1. GRAVITAIONAL WAVES
Why in news?
 Gravitational waves have been discovered by the U.S.-based LIGO (Laser

Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory).
 India is an important partner in the LIGO project and the announcement was
simultaneously made at the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and
Astrophysics (IUCAA) in Pune.
What are gravitational waves?
 Gravitational waves are distortions or 'ripples' in the fabric of space-time caused

by some of the most violent and energetic processes in the Universe.
 Albert Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves in 1916 in his
general theory of relativity.
How it is detected in the lab?
 The basic principle for detection is interference – when two waves combine,
they produce a pattern based on relative positions of peaks and troughs in those
waves.
 In LIGO, a high powered laser beam is split and sent down two L-shaped vacuum
tunnels, each 4 Km. long. They get reflected from two high precision mirrors and
reach back at the base. They come back in such a way that they completely
cancel out each other. No light is detected at the photo-detector.
 But when a gravity wave passes-by, it distorts space and changes the distance
that the beams have to travel. No longer are the peaks and troughs of the two
reflected waves perfectly aligned. As they do not cancel out each other now,
some pattern is detected at the photo-detector.
Gravitational wave detector in India: INDIGO
 India-LIGO project will be a replica of the two LIGO detectors and would be
stationed at a perpendicular direction to the detectors in USA.
 LIGO-India project is piloted by Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and
Department of Science and Technology (DST).
 The LIGO-India project will be jointly coordinated and executed by three Indian
research institutions: the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and
Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune and Department of Atomic Energy organisations:
Institute for Plasma Research (IPR), Gandhinagar and the Raja Ramanna Centre
for Advanced Technology (RRCAT), Indore.
 It will enrich technological areas like precision metrology, photonics and control
systems.

C.2. SMART GRID
About the Smart Grid project: The NDMC is coming up with a Rs 500-crore
"Smart Grid" project aimed at reducing losses
 The project is a part of the smart through better power distribution and
city initiative. checking thefts and faults in transmission.
 The project has been divided into
three phases
o Replacing old equipment and cables

o Installing smart meters in households
o Developing software to improve the efficiency of electricity distribution.
 A major highlight of the NDMC’s Smart City proposal is its plan to upgrade its
electricity network into a smart grid system.
 A smart grid network will facilitate two-way communication between the
consumers and the power utilities.
 It will bring synergy between generation, transmission, distribution systems,
consumers and also renewable sources by integrating all into one seamless
system.
 An important aspect of the system is to have 100 per cent Advance Metering
Infrastructure (AMI), which will give the consumers real-time data about power
consumption thereby allowing them to make informed choices about their
usage.
 A basic example of how it will help the consumers is that they will be able to give
commands right in their energy meters including troubleshooting.
C.3. HVDC TECHNOLOGY

What is HVDC?
 High-voltage direct current (HVDC) is a technology developed to increase the

efficiency of power transmission over long distances by using Direct current
transmission at high voltage.

Background and Technology:
• Power stations generate alternating current (AC) and most power lines carry AC
that oscillates with 50 or 60 cycles per second, whether for the high, medium or
low-voltage distribution grid.
• Power also reaches consumers in homes, industries and offices as AC.
• Direct current doesn't oscillate, so less energy is lost during transmission using
DC.
• The current is changed in a converter station and transmitted to the receiving
point by an overhead line or cable.
• It is then restored to AC in another converter station and injected into the
receiving AC network.
• A 2,000-km long DC transmission line at 800 kV loses about 5 percent of its
power, while the power losses in an AC line of similar voltage are about twice as
high.
Why HVDC demand is increasing?
• rising energy needs

• less electricity is lost in transmission than with conventional AC technology
• requires fewer transmission lines, meaning that less land has to be cleared
 Why HVDC only for longer transmission?
• Because special equipment is needed to convert electricity from alternating
current to direct current, HVDC is cheaper only over long distances, typically
more than 600 kilometers for overhead lines and more than 50 km for
underwater cables
India’s first HVDC transmission line
• India’s first high-voltage, direct-current (HVDC) transmission line was built by the
state-owned PowerGrid connecting the northern states with the north-eastern
ones.
• The HVDC corridor would facilitate transfer of 24,000 Mw from future power
generation projects in the northeastern region and Bhutan.
• The corridor would help resolve the issue of congestion in the north and
northeast regions.

C.4. CLOUD COMPUTING AND BIG DATA
 At the 103rd Indian Science Congress,
experts said that Cloud computing can be
the solution to Big data problem.
What is Big Data?
• Big data is a term that describes the large

volume of data – both structured and
unstructured beyond the ability of
commonly used software tools to capture,
curate, manage, and process data within a tolerable elapsed time.
• Big data is characterized by 3Vs
Applications of Big Data
How is cloud computing related to Big data?
• Cloud computing is very important in BIG data analytics due to its application
sharing and cost effective properties.
• Large centralised servers and processing power would be crucial to harness the
full potential of big data.
C.5. BIO-GLASS
Why in news?
 Scientists from Imperial College London Cartilage is the flexible connective
tissue found in the joints and between
in the UK and University of Milano-
vertebrae in the spine. Compared to
Bicocca in Italy have developed a bio-
other types of connective tissues, it is
glass material that mimics the shock- not easy to heal when damaged.
absorbing and load bearing qualities of
real cartilage.
 The material can also mimic cartilage and encourage it to re-grow, which will be
helpful in damaged cartilage replacements between discs in vertebrae.
 The bio-glass consists of silica and a plastic or polymer called polycaprolactone.

Features
 It can be made in a biodegradable ink form, enabling the researchers to 3D print
it into structures that are tiny, biodegradable scaffolds.
 It also displays self-healing properties when it gets damaged, which could make
it a more resilient and reliable implant. When implanted, the combination of the
structure, stiffness and chemistry of the bio-glass would encourage cartilage
cells to grow through microscopic pores.
 Thus it has the potential to encourage cartilage cells to grow in the knees, which
was not possible till now.
 Over time the scaffold would degrade safely in the body, leaving new cartilage in
its place that has similar mechanical properties to the original cartilage.
 Bioglass also finds application in drug delivery, as antibacterial agent, as
remineralization element and in bone tissue engineering.
C.6. NANOTECHNOLOGY TO RECREATE BONES

Scientists at the Indian
Institute of Science (IISc),
Bengaluru suggests that
‘3D Blocks’ of graphene
composites can be used
for bone tissue
regeneration as they
mimic the environment of
the bone.
 Graphene will be used
for strengthening
Polycaprolactone
(PCL) - a
biodegradable
polymer which will be
used for bone support
 The purpose of the PCL is to provide only a temporary home for the
regenerating cells & allowing for healthy tissue to eventually replace the
scaffold.
 Nanotechnology will be used to create 3D structure of Graphene
What is Graphene?
Graphene form of carbon consisting of planar sheets (2D structure) which are one
atom thick, with the atoms arranged in a honeycomb-shaped lattice.
C.7. 'LI-FI'
 Until now, wireless data was facilitated by Bluetooth (for low-speed, short
distance wireless communication,) cellular signals (wide range 3G, and soon 4G
etc.) or WiFi (broadband wireless within rooms, buildings and open areas).
 Recent developments are pointing to a new-generation technology that uses
LED light to transmit data known as Li-Fi (loosely expanding to Light-Fidelity).

 Using precisely controlled light modulation, data can be transmitted using
regular, visible light.
 Its speeds will between 10 and 100 times faster than current-generation WiFi.
 Transmission range of this technology is limited compared to a radio frequency
based technologies like Wi-Fi.
 Range is inversely proportional to frequency
Current applications
 Used in enabling of household appliances and devices communication

 Used in high-speed point-to-point networking devices that deliver backbone
network support.
 Data-laden lights can continue to function for regular illumination.
C.8. AUGMENTED REALITY TECHNOLOGY

 Augmented Reality is a live direct view of a physical, real-world environment
whose elements are augmented (or supplemented) by computer-generated 3D
models, animations, videos etc.
 It enhances user’s current perception of reality.
 The AR requires three elements - Android device with back camera, AR
application and AR markers.
C.9. KALPAKKAM FAST BREEDER REACTOR

 The 500-MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam is getting
ready to be commissioned in September.
 It will signal India’s entry into the second stage of its three-stage nuclear power
programme.
 Fuel: plutonium-uranium oxide ; Coolant: liquid sodium
 What is FBR: A reactor, which produce more fuel than it consumes.
 Current status: The PFBR construction had been completed and equipment
energised. The agency is awaiting clearance from the Atomic Energy Regulatory
Board (AERB) for sodium charging, fuel loading, reactor criticality and then
stepping up power generation.
 Who build reactors: Bharatiya Nabikhiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI), a
public sector undertaking of the Department of Atomic Energy.
India’s 3 Stage Nuclear Programme

 India's three-stage nuclear power programme was formulated by Dr. Homi
Bhabha in the 1950s to secure the country’s long term energy independence,
through the use of uranium and thorium reserves found in the monazite sands
of coastal regions of South India.
 Motivation behind this programme: India has 25% of world thorium reserves but
only 1-2% global uranium reserve. So it will enable the thorium reserves of India
to be utilised in meeting the country's long term energy requirements.
 The recent Indo-US Nuclear Deal and the NSG waiver, which ended more than
three decades of international isolation of the Indian civil nuclear programme,
have created many hitherto unexplored alternatives for the success of the three-
stage nuclear power programme.
C.10. CLOUD SEEDING

Cloud seeding, a form of weather modification, is an attempt to change the amount
or type of precipitation that falls from clouds, by dispersing substances into the air
that serve as cloud condensation or ice nuclei.
 Chemicals used: Silver iodide,
potassium iodide and dry ice (solid
carbon dioxide). Liquid propane
Uses:
 To increase rainfall in a particular

area.
 To prevent hail and fog
C.11. AERIAL SEEDING

What it is:
Aerial seeding is a technique of sowing seeds using helicopters and aeroplanes to

scatter them.
Why in News:
Andhra Pradesh govt. launched aerial seeding of nearly 1,500 hectares of degraded
forest on hill slopes in Guntur and Krishna districts that are not suitable for
traditional methods of sowing.
Significance
 In the aftermath of a wildfire – reforestation.

 Can be used where terrain is extremely rocky or at high elevations or otherwise
inaccessible
 Efficient coverage of a large area in the least amount of time

C.12. POWERWALL
 Powerwall is rechargeable lithium-ion battery product manufactured by Tesla
Motors for home use.
 It charges home appliances using electricity generated from solar panels when
sun goes down.
 Automated, compact and simple to install, Powerwall offers independence from
the utility grid and the security of an emergency backup.
 Powerpack is a bigger variant available for industrial consumers with a storage
capacity of 100 kWh.
C.13. PROJECT LOON

Project Loon is a network of balloons traveling on the edge of space, designed to
connect people in rural and remote areas, help fill coverage gaps, and bring people
back online after disasters.
 The initiative has already been tried out in Brazil, New Zealand and Australia.
 Around 1,000 Internet balloons have already been deployed worldwide, and had
flown nearly 20 million km while some of them had circled the world 20 times.
Significance:
 The system aims to bring Internet access to remote and rural areas poorly
served by existing provisions.
 It will improve communication during natural disasters to affected regions.
 A recent UN study claimed that a 10 percent rise in internet penetration would
mean a 1.4 per cent annual increase in a country’s GDP.
C.14. HYBRID VACUUM TOILETS

 It is combination of vacuum toilets and bio-digester in which the discharge of
the vacuum toilets is transferred into biodigester.
 The biodigester tank is fitted underneath the coach and contains anaerobic
bacteria that convert human fecal matter into water and small amount of gases
before discharging the same on the ground/track.
 This concept of hybrid vacuum toilet is developed by Indian railways.
 Water uses: Appx. 500 ml of water for flushing while conventional toilets
consume 10-15 lt water/flush.
C.15. DARK MATTER AND DARK ENERGY
 Roughly 80 percent of the mass of the universe is made up of material that

scientists cannot directly observe known as dark matter.
Background
 Studies of other galaxies in the 1950s first indicated that the universe contained
more matter than seen by the naked eye.
 The familiar material of the universe, known as baryonic matter, is composed of
protons, neutrons and electrons. Dark matter may be made of baryonic or non-
baryonic matter.

 To hold the elements of the universe together, dark matter must make up
approximately 80 percent of its matter.
 The missing matter could simply be more challenging to detect, made up of
regular, baryonic matter.
 Most scientists think that dark matter is composed of non-baryonic matter.
Proof
 Scientists calculate the mass of large objects in space by studying their motion.
 Astronomers examining spiral galaxies in the 1950s expected to see material in
the center moving faster than on the outer edges.
 Instead, they found the stars in both locations traveled at the same velocity,
indicating the galaxies contained more mass than could be seen.
 Studies of the gas within elliptical galaxies also indicated a need for more mass
than found in visible objects.
 Clusters of galaxies would fly apart if the only mass they contained were visible
to conventional astronomical measurements.
 All of these methods provide a strong indication that the most of the matter in
the universe is something yet unseen.
Dark matter versus dark energy
 Although dark matter makes up most of the matter of the universe, it only
makes up about a quarter of the composition. The universe is dominated by dark
energy.
 After the Big Bang, the universe began expanding outward. Scientists once
thought that it would eventually run out of the energy, slowing down as gravity
pulled the objects inside it together.
 But studies of distant supernovae revealed that the universe today is expanding
faster than it was in the past, not slower, indicating that the expansion is
accelerating.
 This would only be possible if the universe contained enough energy to
overcome gravity - dark energy.
C.16. 15 YEARS OF HUMAN PRESENCE ON ISS

 The International Space Station (ISS) has completed 15 years of continuous
human presence.
 Expedition 1, the first station crew, docked inside the Soyuz TM-31 spacecraft on
2nd November 2000.
 Its first component launched into orbit in 1998 but the first Expedition
arrived on 2 November 2000. Five different space agencies representing 15
countries built the $100-billion International Space Station and continue to
operate it today. NASA, Russia's Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos),
the European Space Agency, the Canadian Space Agency and the Japan
Aerospace Exploration Agency are the primary space agency partners on the
project.
 The International Space Station (ISS) is a space station, or a habitable artificial
satellite, in low Earth orbit.
 Moon is the largest body orbiting the earth. ISS is the largest artificial body in
orbit and can often be seen with the naked eye from Earth.

C.17. MULTI-APPLICATION SOLAR TELESCOPE
(MAST)
Purpose and significance
 Detailed study of the Solar activity including its magnetic field. This study of solar
activities would facilitate space weather predictions in the future.
 Capable of capturing three-dimensional aspects of the solar magnetic fields
further enabling the scientists to get a better understanding of the solar flares
and eruptions taking place in such twisted magnetic fields.
 USO is a part of Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), which is an autonomous
unit of the Department of Space.
 The observatory is situated on an island in the middle of Fatehsagar lake.
Features of MAST
 50 cm aperture
 Off-axis Gregorian-Coude telescope
Other Telescopes in India
Name/Observatory Aperture Year Location

National Large Solar Telescope 200 cm Proposed Merak Village, Ladakh,
ARIES Observatory 15 cm 1961– Nainital,
Solar Tunnel Telescope, Kodaikanal Solar 61 cm 1958– Kodaikanal,
Observatory (24 in)

D. HEALTH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
D.1. SUPERBUG IN USA
Why in news?
Recently, a woman in the U.S. was detected with E.coli bacteria, bearing a new gene,
MCR-1, resistant to a last-resort antibiotic like colistin.
Why is it being called as Superbug?
 Though resistance to colistin had been detected in several countries in the past,
it was overlooked as such resistance was brought about by gene mutations that
cannot spread easily between bacteria.
 But MCR-1 poses a threat of an entirely different order; in this case a small piece
of DNA (plasmid) found outside the chromosome carries a gene responsible for
antibiotic resistance. Since the gene is found outside the chromosome, it can
spread easily among different types of bacteria, as well as among patients.
 If this gene spreads to bugs treatable by only last-resort antibiotics, it could
create the superbug.
 It could well lead to an era without effective drugs to treat bacterial infections —
the post-antibiotic age.
 The unchecked use of antibiotics in livestock is a major reason for the
development of drug resistance.
D.2. INDIA'S RED LINE CAMPAIGN ON ANTIBIOTICS

Why in news?
The Global Review on Antimicrobial Resistance, commissioned by U.K. Prime
Minister in 2014 in its report, has praised this campaign of India.
What is the Red Line Campaign?
 Consumption of antibiotics in India increased sharply, while the effectiveness of
these to treat bacterial infections has been steadily declining. India consumed 13
billion units of antibiotics, the highest in the world.
 A much-needed public awareness campaign called ‘Medicines with the Red
Line’ to highlight the dangers of misuse and irrational use of antibiotics was
launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
 Now, packs of certain medicines carry a 'red line' differentiating them from
other drugs.
Way forward
 Drug companies manufacturing irrational fixed-dose combination drugs should
be checked.
 The government should also regulate drug companies discharging antimicrobial
waste into the environment and use of antibiotics in animal feed.

D.3. GENE DATABASE PROJECT
Why in news?
 Bangalore-based Medgenome has teamed up with a Southeast Asian consortium
to sequence 100,000 Asian genomes which could include at least 30,000 Indian
genomes and could help understand the wide genetic variety in India’s various
ethnic groups.
 This would be the largest database of Indian genomes.
 Need: Indian populations are neglected in databases like 1000 Genomes Project,
Asia genome Projects etc.
Some details about the project
 The project will develop in phases with initial 1000 genomes, consisting of India
and East Asian populations, sequenced within this year and the entire database
to be ready by 2020.
 Nearly 60 petabytes of data - equivalent to 30 trillion pages of text - are
expected to be churned out.
 By utilizing big-data parsing tools and artificial intelligence, researchers can
apply precision medicine to multiple goals, including cancer prevention.
 These projects can help in innovative clinical drug trials for cancers, reduction in
drug resistance, understanding direct ties between diet and genetics.
 The genome database can help to compare known healthy DNA to the DNA of
diseased tissue to identify minute differences in case of such complex diseases.
D.4. QUERCETIN
Why in news?
 Quercetin is a
 IISc Bangalore concluded study on quercetin recently flavonoid (plant
and found it to be extremely useful for cancer pigment) commonly
patients. found in fruits and
vegetables,
especially onions,
citrus, and apples.
 The primary benefit
of quercetin is that it
possesses potent
antioxidants.
Antioxidants fight
against free radicals -
chemically reactive
compounds that
damage cell
membranes and DNA
and also cause cell
Why is it called a Green Way to cancer treatment?
death.
 Quercetin, known to cause anti-cancer and anti-
inflammatory activity, reportedly induces ‘apoptosis,’ a process by which cells
commit suicide in a controlled manner.
 The compound may also prevent multiplication of cancerous cells by blocking
the process of cell division.
 It can even kill the highly aggressive leukaemia cell line K562, which is resistant
to most anti-cancer drugs.

 It is an originally purified compound, which is now also commercially purified
and sold.
 It was found to have no adverse effects on the non-cancerous cells even while
killing the cancerous ones, including in the experimental animals.
D.5. HYPOXIA AND FROSTBITES

Consequence of High Altitude on human health:
 Hypoxia: It is a condition in which the body or a region of the body is deprived of

adequate oxygen supply.
 Frostbites: It is an injury that is caused by exposure of parts of your body to
temperatures below freezing point. The cold causes freezing of your skin and
underlying tissues. The fingers, toes and feet are most commonly affected but
other extremities including the nose, ears, and the cheeks can also develop
frostbite.
 Hypothermia: It is a potentially dangerous drop in body temperature, usually
caused by prolonged exposure to cold temperatures.
 High-altitude pulmonary edema: It is a medical condition in which excess fluid
develops in the lungs, either in the lung tissue itself or in the space normally
used for gas exchange.
High-altitude cerebral edema: It is a medical condition in which the brain swells

with fluid because of the physiological effects of traveling to a high altitude.
D.6. ZIKA VIRUS

Origin
• It was first identified in monkeys in

Uganda in 1947.
• The first human case was detected in
Nigeria in 1954 and there have been
further outbreaks in Africa, South East
Asia and the Pacific Islands.
Countries Affected
• In May 2015, it was reported in Brazil

and has spread rapidly.
Cycle of Spread
• It is spread by Aedes mosquitoes.

• They are found throughout the
Americas except for Canada and Chile
where it is too cold for them to
survive.
• If mosquitoes drink the blood of an
infected person they can then infect
subsequent people they bite.

• Unlike the mosquitoes that spread malaria, they are mostly active during the
day, so bed nets offer limited protection.
Affected People
• Most virus carriers are symptomless.

• It is a silent infection in a group of highly vulnerable individuals – pregnant
women which in turn is associated with a horrible outcome for their babies.
• The virus causes microcephaly, a condition that causes babies to be born with an
abnormally small head.
D.7. EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINES UNDER THE

EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES
Why in news?
• World Health Organization (WHO) in August 2014 declared that it was not
unethical to use experimental medicines (Zmap and convalescent plasma
therapy) under the exceptional circumstances as witnessed in West Africa during
Ebola outbreak.
• West Africa has been defined as including the 18 countries Benin, Burkina Faso,
the island of Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast,
Liberia, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, the island of Saint Helena, Senegal, Sierra
Leone, Sao Tome and Principe and Togo.
What is convalescent plasma technique and how does it work?
• The rationale of techniques is that the plasma taken from survivors will have
antibodies (against the virus) that would fight the virus. It is similar to passive
immunity (which results when a person is given someone else’s antibodies)
technique.
• However, its potential depends on amount of antibodies introduced. There is a
direct correlation between antibody level and its effectiveness.
• It had once been used successfully to treat measles, mumps, pneumonia,
influenza and diphtheria.
D.8. GENE EDITING (CRISPR/CAS9)

Recently, scientists from the United Kingdom's Francis Crick Institute got approval to
start research on human embryos using a new genome editing technology
called CRISPR/Cas9.
There are currently four families of
What is Genome editing? engineered nucleases being used:
1. Meganucleases.
 It is a type of genetic engineering in 2. Zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs).
which DNA is inserted, deleted or
3. Transcription Activator-Like Effector-
replaced in the genome of an organism
based Nucleases TALENs).
using engineered nucleases, or
4. CRISPR- Cas system.
"molecular scissors”.
 These nucleases or enzymes create site-
specific double-strand breaks (DSBs) at desired locations.

 The induced double-strand breaks are repaired through end
joining or recombination, resulting in targeted mutation.
What is CRISPR/Cas9?
 It is a revolutionary gene editing

technique that scientists have
borrowed from nature.
 CRISPRs (clustered regularly
interspaced short palindromic
repeats) are sections of DNA,
while CAS-9 (CRISPR-associated protein 9) is an enzyme.
 Bacteria use them to disable attacks from viruses.
How it works?
 Crispr scans the genome looking for the right location and then uses the Cas9
protein as molecular scissors to snip through the DNA.
 Cas9 endonuclease - guide RNAs direct it to a particular sequence to be edited.
 When Cas9 cuts the target sequence, the cell repairs the damage by replacing
the original sequence with an altered version.
 Unlike other gene-editing methods, it is cheap, quick, easy, safer and more
accurate to use because it relies on RNA–DNA base pairing, rather than the
engineering of proteins that bind particular DNA sequences.
Germline Editing
 “Germ line” refers to the egg and sperm, which combine to form an embryo.
 Germline editing is a genome- editing technology that can, in principle, be
developed to make specific and targeted genetic alterations in embryos, which
will be carried by all the cells of a resulting child and passed on to his/her
offspring, a part of the human gene pool.
 All other techniques of genome editing currently in various stages of clinical
development focus on modifying the genetic material of somatic cells, such as T
cells (a type of white blood cell).
 These are not designed to affect sperm or eggs.
D.9. CLONE BUFFALO

• ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes (CIRB) has produced cloned calf
called ‘HISAR GOURAV’.
• This cloned buffalo calf is distinct from the earlier clones produced in India, as
this is produced from cells of ventral side of tail of superior buffalo bull.
• This part is least exposed to sunlight and may have less mutation rate, and can
be good choice for isolation of donor cells to produce healthy clones.
• With this achievement CIRB becomes world’s third and India’s second institute
to produce cloned buffalo. National Dairy Research Institute in Karnal was the
first in India.

D.10. UNIVERSAL IMMUNISATION PROGRAMME FOR
CERVICAL CANCER
The health ministry is going to introduce Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine in the
universal immunisation programme .
 The virus is believed to be responsible for most cervical cancer cases
 After breast cancer, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among
women in India.
 National cancer registry data has registered around 90,000 cases for year 2013.
What is HPV?
HPV is a group of 150 viruses, known to cause warts or papillomas. Some can cause
cancer, particularly cervical cancer. HPV vaccine should be administered at 11-12
years of age.
D.11. DEVELOPMENT OF ARTIFICIAL LIVER TISSUE

BY3-D PRINTING
 Recently, Pandorum Technologies
Pvt. Ltd, a biotechnology start-up What is 3D printing?
focused on tissue engineering, has 3D printing, also known as additive
made India’s first artificial human manufacturing (AM), refers to various
liver tissue with the help of 3D processes used to synthesize a three-
printing technology. dimensional object.
 The tissue performs critical In 3D printing, successive layers of material
are formed under computer control to create
functions of a human liver tissue
an object.
including detoxification,
These objects can be of almost any shape or
metabolism and secretion of geometry, and are produced from a 3D
biochemicals such as albumin and model or other electronic data source. A 3D
cholesterol. The tissue can grow printer is a type of industrial robot.
and survive up to eight weeks
D.12. NEW INFLUENZA VIRUSES LIKELY TO INFECT

INDIANS
 India should be prepared for the invasion of new influenza viruses H9N2 and
H7N9, which is currently very active in poultry markets in Bangladesh and China
 Earlier Indians were infected by H5N1 virus in 2006 that came from china.
What does H and N stands for in Inflenza virus
 Influenza viruses are divided into subtypes based on two proteins on the surface
of the virus:
o the hemagglutinin (H) and India will introduce injectable or
o the neuraminidase (N). inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) in
There are 18 different hemagglutinin subtypes its universal immunisation
and 11 different neuraminidase subtypes. programme (UIP) in a phased
manner from November, 2016.

D.13. PARTHENOGENESIS/ VIRGIN BIRTH
It is the first time this phenomenon has been seen in a vertebrate (Smalltooth
Sawfish) in the wild. There have been a number of cases in reptiles, birds and sharks
of ‘virgin birth’ in captivity. It is reproduction without mating.
Process
 In this a female’s egg cell can develop into a baby without being fertilized by a
male’s sperm cell.
 In making an egg cell, a precursor cell divides into four cells.
 The one that eventually becomes the egg cell retains key cellular structures and
the gel-like cytoplasm.
 The other three hold extra genetic material. One of these cells essentially acts as
a sperm cell and fuses with the egg.
 This “fertilized” egg possesses about half the mother’s genetic diversity, a trait
allowing parthenogenesis to be detected through genetic testing.
D.14. INJECTABLE POLIO VACCINE (IPV)

Difference between Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) and IPV:
OPV is made up of attenuated or weakened poliovirus and there is a risk of vaccine
derived polio. IPV is made up of inactivated (killed) polio virus and will provide
immunity from all three strains of polio.
Advantages
 As IPV is not a 'live' vaccine, it carries no risk of vaccine-associated polio

paralysis.
 IPV triggers an excellent protective immune response in most people.
Disadvantages
 IPV induces very low levels of immunity in the intestine. As a result, when a
person immunized with IPV is infected with wild poliovirus, the virus can still
multiply inside the intestines and be shed in the faeces, risking continued
circulation.
 IPV is over five times more expensive than oral polio vaccine.
 Administering the vaccine requires trained health workers and sterile injection
equipment and procedures.
Indian Scenario
From April, 2016 the trivalent polio vaccine was replaced by the bivalent variety. It
will reduce incidence of vaccine-derived polio virus.
 Suggestions to enhance immunization: Drawing up comprehensive micro-plans
for routine immunization.
 Intensively training frontline health workers who will carry out vaccinations.
 Putting in place monitoring systems so that corrective measures can be taken
when needed.

D.15. BRUCELLA
 It is a bacteria
 It is potential bioweapon of low intensity
 It is a causal agent for Malta fever.
 Recently in the Gulf of Mexico, dolphins were found to be infected with these
bacteria.
D.16. MTDNA
 Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is the DNA located in organelles called
mitochondria. Most other DNA present in eukaryotic organisms is found in the
cell nucleus.
 In humans, mitochondrial DNA (having 16569 base pairs) is solely inherited from
mother.
 Scientists in the Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI) have been studying
mitochondrial DNA of various tribal communities in India under National Project
“DNA Polymorphism of the Contemporary Indian Populations Phylogeny
Studies” to construct the maternal phylogeny and prehistoric population
movements of human beings in the Indian sub-continent.
D.17. OPOGENETICS AND CLARITY

• Prof. Deisseroth (Professor of
Bioengineering and of Psychiatry and
Behavioural Sciences at Stanford
University) was recently awarded
prestigious Life Sciences Breakthrough
Prize for 2016.
• He has devised two path-breaking
techniques that are changing
understanding and control of the brain.
What is Optogenetics?
• It is combining genetics and optics.

• It is a neuromodulation method employed in neuroscience that uses a
combination of techniques from optics and genetics to control and monitor the
activities of individual neurons in living tissue-even within freely-moving
animals-and to precisely measure the effects of those manipulations in real-time
 Use of optogenetics
• It has potential to treat disease like Parkinson’s disease.
• It can also be used to cure blindness.
What is CLARITY?
 CLARITY (Clear Lipid-exchanged Acrylamide-hybridized Rigid Imaging /

Immunostaining / in situ-hybridization-compatible Tissue hydrogel) is a method
of making brain tissue transparent using acrylamide-based hydrogels built from
within, and linked to, the tissue.

D.18. CSIR SUCCEEDS IN WHOLE GENOME
SEQUENCING OF HOLY BASIL (TULSI)
CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal & Aromatic Plants (CSIR-CIMAP), has published
whole genome sequence of Tulsi.
Other names: Ocimum sanctum, the wonder plant ‘Holy basil’
Significance of Tulsi
Medical benefits
 It is used in several systems of traditional medicine, including Ayurveda, Greek,

Roman, Siddha, and Unani.
 It is used in the preparations to cure various diseases like bronchitis, bronchial
asthma, malaria, diarrhea, dysentery, skin diseases, arthritis, painful eye
diseases, chronic fever, insect bite.
 It has also been described to possess anti-fertility, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic,
anti-fungal, anti-microbial, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, anti-emetic, anti-
spasmodic, analgesic, adaptogenic and diaphoretic actions.
D.19. ACUTE FLACCID PARALYSIS (AFP)

A Case of Vaccine Derived Polio Virus (VDPV) was reported from New Delhi recently.
The polio virus causes paralysis — medically known as an acute flaccid paralysis
(AFP) — which is characterised by sudden muscle weakness, and fever in one or
more limbs.
AFP can occur due to many reasons, one of which is vaccine-linked.
Why increase in the AFP cases?
 Oral polio vaccine (OPV) contains an attenuated vaccine-virus. This weak form of
the virus is used to activate an immune response in the body, which protects the
child when challenged by WPV.
 But when the child is immunised with OPV, the virus replicates in the intestine
and during this time, the virus is excreted.
 In areas of inadequate sanitation, the excreted vaccine-virus can quickly spread
in the community and infect children with low immunity.
 This excreted vaccine undergoes genetic changes as it circulates in the
community and causes VDPV.

E. MISCELLANEOUS
E.1. NOBEL PRIZE IN CHEMISTRY FOR 2015
 The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2015
is awarded to Tomas Lindahl, Paul
Modrich and Aziz Sancar for having
mapped, how cells repair damaged
DNA and safeguard the genetic
information.
 They found that a host of molecular
systems continuously monitor and
repair DNA.
 Aziz Sancar mapped nucleotide
excision repair, the mechanism that
cells use to repair UV damage to
DNA. People born with defects in
this system will develop skin cancer if exposed to sunlight.
 Paul Modrich has demonstrated how the cell corrects errors that occur when
DNA is replicated during cell division. Congenital defects in this process causes a
hereditary variant of colon cancer.
Significance
 Their work has provided fundamental knowledge of how a living cell functions.
This work can be used for the development of new cancer treatments.
E.2. NOBEL PRIZE IN PHYSICS FOR 2015

 It was awarded jointly to Takaaki
Kajita (Japan) and Arthur B.
McDonald (Canada) for the
discovery of neutrino oscillations,
which shows that neutrinos have
mass.
Neutrino
 Neutrinos are subatomic particles

produced by the decay of
radioactive elements and are
elementary particles that lack an
electric charge.
 Neutrinos are of 3 types - electron neutrino, muon neutrino and tau neutrino.
 Neutrinos can be created in several ways - radioactive decay, in the Sun, in
nuclear reactors.

E.3. NOBEL PRIZE IN PHYSIOLOGY
 To: Satoshi Ōmura, William C. Campbell and Youyou Tu
 For: Exceptional effective treatment against parasitic disease: malaria and
Elephentitis.
 Campbell and Ōmura won for their discoveries concerning a novel therapy
against infections caused by roundworm parasites.
 Youyou Tu for her work on a therapy against malaria. Tu discovered one of the
most effective treatments for malaria while working on a secret military project
during China’s Cultural Revolution.
 Tu Youyou who turned to traditional herbal medicine to develop novel malaria
therapies, should inspire India to focus on scientifically validating and promoting
its rich heritage of folk medicine.
E.4. MAGGI ROW

What Is The Controversy
Around Maggi? MSG
 MSG, is a glutamate, or salt of glutamic acid, a
“non-essential” amino acid, which means it is
 A Gorakhpur lab tested maggi
produced by the body, and thus not required in
for monosodium glutamate our diet.
(MSG) to check Nestle’s claim  In its pure form, MSG is a white crystalline
that Maggi had none. The test powder. Among different varieties of
found MSG in Maggi and a glutamate, sodium glutamate is the most
soluble and the easiest to crystallize.
complaint was lodged in
 MSG is naturally occurring salt in tomatoes,
Barabanki court. potatoes, seaweed, etc. But today, instead of
 In addition, the Kolkata lab extracting it from seaweed or other natural
found “very high quantities” of foods, MSG is produced by fermentation of
starch, sugar cane etc.
lead — 17.2 parts per million.
 MSG is a neurotransmitter — transporting
messages from one nerve cell to another.
What Rules Govern “Instant Because it is said to enhance flavours, some
Noodles” (Such As Maggi) Under scientists believe it “excites nerve endings”. In
FSSAI? cases of excessive stimulation, this can result
in killing or damaging of nerve cells, inducin
 According to Food Safety and headaches at best and Alzheimers at worst.
Standards Rules, 2011, MSG, a  It is a major factor in causing obesity.
“flavour enhancer”, should not
be added to food for infants below 12 months.
 MSG is not permitted in over 50 items, including Pastas and noodles (only dried
products) but is allowed in the seasoning used for noodles and pastas.
Why Do Noodles Have MSG And Lead?
 MSG stimulates the nervous system and makes food appear tastier. It is widely
used in “Indian Chinese” food.
 The US FDA says MSG is “generally recognized as safe”, same as salt, pepper,
vinegar and baking powder. Glutamate is present in many natural foods
including tomato, mushroom, and cheese.

E.5. MUKHOTA
 Fishing crews mainly from Porbandar, Verawal and other parts of Gujarat being
arrested for accidentally crossing international maritime boundaries.
 To help these fishermen, a Mumbai-based NGO ‘Work in India’ and a digital firm
Kinetic India and have come up with a device called Mukhota.
 It is GPS-enabled and coded in such a way that once it comes near the coastal
border, it sends out an alert.
 For now, each device costs Rs 5,000 but after receiving grants from state
governments, the cost will be reduced to make it more easily affordable.
E.6. GEO-TARGETING IN ADVERTISEMENTS

 With the trend of geo-targeted advertising catching on, more companies are
making use of technology to beam adverts to only areas where their products
have strong presence.
 Airing of region-specific content on websites is determined by triggers like the
user’s GPS location or the mobile tower location of the user.
 In case of television, the trigger for the geo-targeted ad comes from a unique
watermark inserted on the video, which gives the cue to the smart box to run
the local ad.
 Watermark is an invisible and inaudible identifier, like a product barcode.
 The technology for geo-targeted advertising has helped small advertisers get
access to the national channels.
E.7. LOHAFEX PROJECT

Why in news?
 Recently, Indian scientists discovered 3 new clusters of bacteria not related to
any other bacteria.
 The discovery happened during LOHAFEX experiment in the Southern Ocean,
Antarctica, which was aimed at increasing CO sequestration through ocean iron
fertilisation as part of studies on global warming mitigation.
 Among the three new LOHAFEX clusters that were discovered, the first was
related to class of Bacteroidetes while the second and third belonged to
Firmicutes.
 A unique feature of the three clusters was their differentiated response to the
presence of iron in the ocean.
What is LOHAFEX all about?
 The Indo-German project (Loha means iron in Hindi while Fex is an acronym for
fertilization) in the Antarctic assumed that the algal bloom (algae need iron to
grow) induced by iron fertilization would suck up a lot of carbon dioxide from the
environment and sink it.
 Experiments in oceans near Antarctica have indicated that seeding the oceans
with iron might not help to suck up carbon dioxide from the environment in
sufficient quantities as to check global warming.
 Also, Environmentalists have opposed it as the effects on marine ecosystems are
unknown and they violate the norms of CBD (Convention on Biological
Diversity).

E.8. FACEBOOK’S FREE BASICS TUSSLES WITH TRAI
What is Free Basics?
• Internet.org was rechristened Free

Basics. TRAI’S Consultation paper:
• According to Facebook, it is an open The consultation paper on differential
platform that gives Indian developers pricing of data services raises concerns
the opportunity to make their over zero-rating tariff models — a practice
services and websites available free wherein service providers offer free data
of cost to those who cannot afford to users for select applications and
internet access. websites. According to Internet activists,
• However, this free access is limited to this model violates the principle of net
partner websites and applications. neutrality as it restricts access to free,
• It was launched two years ago open Internet for users, making the paper
globally in partnership with Samsung, key to the ongoing debate on net
Ericsson, MediaTek, Opera Software, neutrality.
Nokia and Qualcomm.
What’s the problem with Free Basics?
• It doesn’t offer equal and unbiased access to all services.

• Facebook is partnering with ISPs to provide preferential and selective access to a
set of app developers and services.
• Critics argue that the internet should be free and equal for all users. This is also
the cornerstone of net neutrality.
E.9. CALL DROP ISSUE

Reasons:
 The root of the problem is inadequate spectrum — a telco in India has 12 MHz
of spectrum compared to the global average of 40 MHz which reduces the
capacity.
 Hoarding of spectrum by the government .
 Though the Centre recently approved a spectrum-sharing policy, the rules are
too constrictive to bring change.
 Civic authorities have forced about 10,000 towers to shut down across major
cities due to various reasons.
Govt. steps and Solutions:
 To address the scarcity of cell phone towers — there are about 5,50,000 towers
in India at present and approximately 1,00,000 more are needed.
 Govt. has agreed to allow them to be set up on top of government buildings
dispel some of the misinformation on radiation from them.
 TRAI raised the penalty on telecom operators to up to Rs. 2 lakh for poor mobile
service quality, including call drops.

E.10. MINAMATA CONVENTION ON MERCURY
The Convention obliges government Parties to take a range of actions, including
addressing mercury emissions to air and to phasing-out certain mercury-containing
products.
Mercury pollution
Sources
 Burning coal for power and heat a major source of mercury.

 Products like: batteries, measuring devices, such as thermometers and
barometers, etc
Impact
 Exposure to mercury – even small amounts – may cause serious health

problems, and is a threat to the development of the child in utero and early in
life.
 Mercury may have toxic effects on the nervous, digestive and immune systems,
and on lungs, kidneys, skin and eyes.
 Skin rashes and dermatitis; mood swings; memory loss; mental disturbances;
and muscle weakness.
E.11. SILAGE
What it is?
Silage, a green fodder compacted in air tight conditions to be used as substitute for
green fodder during the lean period for livestock.
 It can be used as fodder for livestock living in the rain shadow areas or during
dry period
 It has potential to increase the milk yield.
Method of Silage Preparation
 Green grass mass is stored in large sacks made from polythene.

 Once the bag is filled, the material is pressed to remove the air and thereby
preventing decomposition.
 After that it is fermented by adding diluted molasses and preserved for 60 days
at appropriate moisture levels.
E.12. TSUNAMI EARLY WARNING SYSTEM

The Indian Tsunami Early Warning System (ITEWS) has the responsibility to provide
tsunami advisories to Indian Mainland and the Island regions. ITEWS also provide
tsunami advisories to the Indian Ocean rim countries along with Australia &
Indonesia.
 Managed by the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS),
an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Earth & Sciences (MoES),
Government of India.

Features:
 The Warning Centre is capable of issuing Tsunami bulletins in less than 10

minutes after any major earthquake in the Indian Ocean.
 Near-real time determination of earthquake parameters
 24 X 7 operational warning centre to detect tsunami genic earthquakes, to
monitor tsunamis and provide timely advisories following the Standard
Operating Procedure (SOP)
E.13. WHITEFLY PROBLEM

 There is large-scale crop damage from whitefly infestation this year, especially in
northern India.
 There are over 250 Bt cotton hybrids on the shelf in North India. More than 90
per cent of these are susceptible to whitefly and leaf-curl.
What is Whitefly?
 It is a small (1-2 mm) white coloured insect affecting cotton, and also occurring
on vegetables and other crops in tropical and sub-tropical regions.
 The whitefly sucks sap from the phloem or living tissue carrying organic
nutrients, causes yellowing and upward curling of the leaves.
Control measures:
 Beneficial insects that can control the whitefly naturally.

 Therefore, broad-spectrum insecticides such as synthetic pyrethroids and
mixtures should be strictly avoided.
 It is better to rely initially on water sprays, followed by soap sprays, sprays with
preparations of neem oil, castor oil, fish oil and rosin soap.
E.14. HYDROGEN BOMB

 Hydrogen bombs are thermonuclear weapons.
• A thermonuclear weapon is a nuclear weapon that
uses the energy from a primary nuclear fission
reaction to compress and ignite a secondary
nuclear fusion reaction.
• The result is greatly increased explosive power
when compared to single-stage fission weapons.
• It is colloquially referred to as a hydrogen bomb or
H-bomb because it employs fusion of isotopes of hydrogen.
E.15. ROAD ASSETS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

 NHAI is developing a road assets management system (RAMS) for the entire
national highways network. This project is funded by World Bank.
 GAGAN and BHUVAN satellite systems, drones (for difficult terrains) will be used
to prepare a 360-degree mapping of all national highways by 2017.
 Accurate and scientific planning and finalising of road projects

E.16. WORLD’S HIGHEST TERRESTRIAL RESEARCH
CENTRE
Height: 17,600 feet, Location: Changla near Pengong lake in Ladakh.
Purpose:
 The Centre will serve as a natural cold storage for preserving rare and
endangered medical plants for generations to come.
 A large number of scientific activities are proposed to be undertaken in the
Centre including designing, testing, validation and demonstration of mobile and
portable greenhouses, soil-less micro-farming technologies for fresh food in
remote landlocked posts.
E.17. CONTRIBUTIONS OF SIR CHANDRASEKHARA

VENKATA RAMAN
Notable works
 Raman Effect: Explained the scattering of light passing through a transparent

material. He won the 1930 Nobel Prize in Physics for this discovery.
 Experimental and theoretical studies on the diffraction of light by waves of
ultrasonic and hypersonic frequencies.
Raman Effect: Applications

February 28 marks the National
What is Raman Effect? Science Day that celebrates
physicist CV Raman's discovery of
A change of wavelength exhibited by some of the Raman effect.
the radiation scattered in a medium. The effect
is specific to the molecules which cause it, and so can be used in spectroscopic
analysis.
Some of the Applications:
Chemical Industry
1. To study catalysts
2. To monitor chemical purity in petro chemical industry
3. Control of polymerisation reaction
NanoTechnology and material science
1. To study nonparticles
2. To develop microelectronics devices and novel photovoltaic cells.
Biomedical Application
1. Invivo studies of the skin

2. Transdermal drug transfer
3. Cancer identification
4. Bone studies
Detection of Narcotics and explosives
1. Hand held Raman scanners to detect narcotics

2. Handhelp Raman scanners to detect explosives such as TNT, RDX, HMX

E.18. KHOYA-PAYA WEB PORTAL
'Khoya-Paya', is a web portal for citizens to report children sighted as abandoned,
lost or with suspicious person. It has been developed by the Ministry of Women and
Child Development and the Department of Electronics and Information Technology
(DeitY).
Features
 Any parent whose child is missing can update information on this portal which
will be shared with the cops and authorities in real time.
 Anyone in the country can also update information on any missing children they
are aware of.
 The reporting can be done through text, photographs, videos and other means
of transmitting and uploading information
 The website is not a substitute for registering First Information Report (FIR) or
police action.
E.19. NEEM COATED UREA (NCU)

 The Union government’s recent decision making it mandatory for domestic
manufacturers to produce 100 per cent NCU.
 Urea from now on will be coated with neem oil. The move will not only benefit
the environment and improve farmers’ lives, but curb illegal urea diversion for
industrial use.
 The normal urea is a highly soluble and volatile material and is up to 40 per cent
less efficient than NCU. NCU, on the other hand, acts as a physical barrier,
slowing down the process of solubility and volatility.
 NCU also reduces the amount of nitrogen released from the soil. It destroys the
Roundworm parasite found in the soil and kills the bacteria which de-nitrifies
and produces nitrogen in the atmosphere.
 Indian Agricultural Research Institute study reveals the use of NCU will reduce
consumption by 10-15%. Less usage will reduce the levels of nitrous oxide and
other harmful gases during the production of urea.
 Industries use urea to prepare formaldehyde, which is used in vaccines,
furniture, flooring, automobile industries and packaging materials etc.
E.20. MELDONIUM DRUG

 Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova recently failed a drug test for meldonium at
the Australian Open this year.
 Meldonium is most commonly used in Eastern European and ex-Soviet countries
as a drug for people with heart conditions. Meldonium is used to treat
ischaemia: a lack of blood flow to parts of the body, particularly in cases of
angina or heart failure.
 Meldonium was banned because it aids oxygen uptake and endurance by virtue
of carrying more oxygen to muscle tissue
 There are also signs that a sizable minority of athletes were using before it was
banned. The World Anti-Doping Agency monitored the effects and use of
meldonium before announcing in September that it would be declared a banned
substance from January 2016.


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SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Copyright © by Vision IAS

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Copyright © by Vision IAS

1.2. GENOME SEQUENCING

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