10th, 11th, 12th, 13th April 2024

INDIAN CIVIL SERVICES

PRELIMS
TRAINING ACADEMY QUICK
FACTS
Mysore and Bangalore Branch

S.no Topics IMPORTANT POINTERS

1. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands administration sought assistance from the
Wildlife Institute of India to manage the increasing population of chital (spotted
deer) in Ross Island, officially known as the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island.
Chital (Spotted 2. The Spotted Deer is a species of deer native to the Indian subcontinent.
1 Deer) 3. Spotted Deer inhabit various types of forest habitats, including dry and moist
deciduous forests, grasslands, and open woodlands.
4. The Spotted Deer is classified as a species of Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red
List and Schedule II animal under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

1. Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) to organise Clean Economy

Investor Forum in Singapore.
2. Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) is USA led alternative to
China’s economic statecraft in the region. It was launched in May 2022.
Clean Economy 3. 14 IPEF partners represent 40 % global GDP & 28 % global goods & services trade.
2 Investor Forum 4. IPEF comprises four pillars of cooperation namely: Trade, Supply Chain, Clean
Economy and Fair Economy. India has joined 3 pillars expect the trade pillar.
5. The Department of Commerce is the nodal agency for the IPEF engagements.
6. The IPEF Clean Economy Investor Forum is managed by Invest India, India’s
National Investment Promotion Agency.

1. The World Health Organization recently flagged that Hepatitis is the 2nd leading
infectious cause of death globally, with 1.3 million deaths per year.
2. India accounted for the second-highest number of cases of Hepatitis B and C in
2022 after China, with 35 million (3.5 crore) infections.
Global Hepatitis 3. Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, caused by Hepatitis virus.
3 Report, 2024 4. Hepatitis B vaccine is widely available in India and is an integral part of the
National immunization program. Antiviral medications are available for the
treatment of Hepatitis C. however, no vaccine exists till date for it.
5. Bangladesh, China, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia,
and Vietnam collectively shoulder nearly 2/3rd global burden of hepatitis B & C.

1. Israel for the 1st time deployed the C-Dome, against a “suspicious” target that
entered the country’s airspace near the southern city of Eilat recently.
4 C-Dome 2. The C-Dome is a naval version of the land-based shorter-range Iron Dome air
defence system of Israel. It is used to shield against rocket and missile attacks.
3. It was first unveiled in 2014, and declared operational in 2022.

National 1. NPPA revises ceiling prices of over 800 scheduled drug formulations recently.
2. The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) is an independent regulator
5 Pharmaceutical responsible for fixing & regulating the prices of pharmaceutical products in India.
Pricing Authority 3. Established in 1997 & operates under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.

1. The government has come up with a new platform to disburse subsidies to

horticulture farmers under the Cluster Development Programme (CDP), the
Centre’s initiative to promote horticulture crops.
6 CDP-Suraksha 2. The CDP-SURAKSHA is essentially a digital platform.
3. SURAKSHA – System for Unified Resource Allocation, Knowledge, and Secure
Horticulture Assistance.
4. e-RUPI – The CDP-SURAKSHA platform uses e-RUPI vouchers from the NPCI.
 1. Muria Tribals lack access to primary education, safe drinking water, and social
welfare benefits.
2. Location – They are concentrated in the states of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh,
Chhattisgarh, and Odisha.
7 Muria Tribals 3. Muria settlements are known as habitations of Internally Displaced People (IDPs).
4. The Murias are referred to as ‘Gutti Koyas’ by the native tribes.
5. The held ST status in Chattisgarh but they were not granted ST status in their
migrated states such as Telangana.

1. A curative petition is a petition which requests the court to review its own decision
even after a review petition is dismissed.
2. The Supreme Court’s decision to allow a curative writ petition in the DMRC case
signifies an expansion of its powers beyond constitutionally prescribed processes.
8 Curative Petition 3. The curative writ, a sparingly used judicial innovation, aims to correct grave
miscarriages of justice, as established in the 2002 Rupa Hurra v Ashok Hurra case.
4. Curative petition is entitled, if petitioner establishes – Violation of principles of
natural justice.

1. Mount Etna, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, on the east coast of
Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Italy, is known
Volcano Vortex
9 Rings
for the volcanic vortex ring phenomenon.
2. Vortex rings are generated when gas, predominantly water vapour, is released
rapidly through a vent in the crater.

1. The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy has unveiled Guidelines for the
implementation of an R&D Scheme under the National Green Hydrogen Mission.
2. The National Green Hydrogen Mission was launched in January 2023 to make
National Green India a ‘global hub’ for using, producing and exporting green hydrogen.
10 Hydrogen 3. Hydrogen is an important source of energy since it has zero carbon content and is
Mission a non-polluting source of energy in contrast to hydrocarbons that have net
carbon content in the range of 75–85 per cent.
4. As per International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Hydrogen shall make up
6 per cent of total energy consumption by 2050.

1. Mrs. Jagjit Pavadia (IRS) India’s nominee has been re-elected for a third term to
International the INCB for the period of 2025-2030.
11 Narcotics 2. Headquarters - Based in Vienna, Austria, with a Secretariat supporting its activities.
Control Board 3. Collaborates with UN agencies like WHO and UNODC to address drug-related
challenges.

1. Researchers at the University of Kerala have devised an eco-friendly fuel cell that
primarily utilizes air and seawater to generate power.
Magnesium - 2. A semiconducting layer of Cupric Oxide grown over Copper substrate was used
12 Copper -Cupric in a Magnesium- Sodium Chloride based fuel cell.
Oxide Fuel Cell 3. It breathes air; produces electricity & heat during its operation &emits pure water.
4. A fuel cell is an electrochemical cell that converts the chemical energy into
electricity of a fuel and an oxidizing agent.

1. The White House directed NASA to establish a time standard for the Moon, named
Coordinated Lunar Time (LTC) by the end of 2026.
2. The Moon has its own day and night cycle, which lasts about 29.5 Earth days.
Coordinated
13 Lunar Time
3. Currently, the time on the Moon is measured using Coordinated Universal Time
(UTC), which is the same timekeeping system used on the Earth.
4. UTC is a time standard based on International Atomic Time (TAI), which is
maintained by atomic clocks around the world.

1. The Indian Institute of Spices Research (IISR), located in Kozhikode, has introduced
and validated three new microbial formulations (Bactolime, Bactogypsum, and
Microbial Trichogypsum) aimed at improving agricultural productivity.
14 Formulations 2. It leverages granular lime and gypsum to address soil pH issues while
simultaneously delivering beneficial microorganisms.
3. These are developed using IISR’s proprietary patent-applied technology.
 4. Bactolime, the flagship product, combines beneficial bacteria, specifically plant
growth-promoting Rhizobacteria, with liming material in a single formulation.
5. The other two formulations, Bactogypsum and Trichogypsum, utilize gypsum as a
base material to buffer soil pH to a near-neutral level.

1. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Punjab government to devise
a comprehensive strategy for managing 19.52 million tonnes of paddy stubble.
2. The ban and action against people burning crop residue are regulated under the
Pusa-
15 Biodecomposer
Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
3. Pusa-Biodecomposer is a fungi-based liquid solution developed by the Indian
Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). It softens hard stubble, making it easy to
mix with soil as compost.

1. The Supreme Court refused to condone a delay of 5659 days in an appeal filing,
setting forth eight guiding principles by interpreting Sections 3 and 5 of the
Limitation Act, 1963, in ‘Harmonious Construction’.
2. The doctrine of harmonious construction means figuring out how to understand
Doctrine of different parts of a law that seem to disagree with each other.
3. The Origin of the Doctrine of Harmonious Construction dates back to the
16 Harmonious landmark Judgement of Sri Shankari Prasad Singh Deo v. Union of India (1951),
Construction when there existed conflict between Fundamental Rights and DPDP.
4. The Limitation Act, 1963 is statute enacted by Parliament that prescribes time limits
within which legal proceedings can be initiated for various civil & criminal matters.
5. The Act sets a limitation period of 3 years for filing suits related to recovery of
debts, breach of contract, or injury to a person.

1. Pumped storage plants use the principle of gravity to generate electricity using
water that has been previously pumped from lower source to an upper reservoir.
2. Operation of pumped storage power plants requires two reservoirs viz. upper and
lower reservoir. Water in upper reservoir is used for generating power during peak
demand hours. The water in the lower reservoir is pumped back to the upper
Pumped reservoir during the off-peak hours and the cycle continues.
3. Pumped storage plants are of two types: ‘open loop’, which has an associated
Storage
17 Hydropower
natural-water source (like a river) for one or both the reservoirs; and ‘closed loop’
(or off-river PSH), which does not have a connected natural-water source and the
Projects same water is cycled between the two reservoirs for pumping and generation.
4. Pumped Storage Project, Location – Nagarjunasagar, On Krishna
River,Telangana| Srisailam, On Krishna River on a deep gorge on Nallamala
hills,Telangana| Kadamparai, Tamil Nadu |Bhira, Near Mulshi Dam on Mula
River,Maharashtra |Ghatghar, On Pravara River, a tributary of Godavari River in
Ahmedanagar district, Maharashtra| Purulia (Panchet), West Bengal.

1. The U.N. nuclear watchdog’s Board of Governors will hold an emergency meeting
to discuss attacks on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant(Ukraine).
2. IAEA is the world’s central intergovernmental forum for scientific and technical
cooperation in the nuclear field.
3. Though established independently of the United Nations through its international
International treaty, the IAEA Statute, the IAEA reports to both the United Nations General
18 Atomic Energy Assembly and Security Council.
Agency (IAEA) 4. India is a founding member of IAEA. IAEA has 178 members. HQ: Vienna, Austria.
5. Signature and ratification of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) are not
preconditions for membership in the IAEA.
6. India’s Additional Protocol applies many of the voluntary safeguards provisions
that exist for nuclear weapon states, although India is not recognized by the IAEA
as a nuclear weapon state.

1. Chief Admiral inaugurated a 350-m-long major pier for Offshore Patrol Vessels at
INS Kadamba or Naval Base at Karwar in Karnataka as part of Project Seabird.
Naval Base at 2. Kadamba has become India’s third largest operational naval base, after Mumbai
19 Karwar and Visakhapatnam.
3. Karwar base is a dedicated naval base, between Western Ghats & Arabian Sea.
4. Naval base is being expanded with the aim to make it the largest facility in Asia.
 1. India’s Dr. Gagandeep Kang received the 2024 John Dirks Canada Gairdner
Global Health Award for her influential research on enteric diseases in children,
which has significantly impacted vaccine development and health policy both in
India and globally.
20 Enteric disease 2. Caused by: Micro-organisms such as viruses, bacteria and parasites that cause
intestinal illness. These diseases most frequently result from consuming
contaminated food or water. Transmission: Can spread from person to person.
3. Common types: Amebiasis, Verotoxin-producing E-coli, Botulism, Cholera,Typhoid
,Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, Hepatitis A, Giardiasis, Listeriosis, Salmonellosis.

1. The first edition of World Cybercrime Index has been published by researchers
from University of Oxford.
World 2. Covers five major categories of cybercrime: Technical products/services, Attacks
and extortion, Data/identity theft, Scams, Cashing out/money laundering.
21 Cybercrime 3. India ranks 10th in the World Cybercrime Index.
Index 4. India: mid-tech crimes, specializing in scams, considered a “balanced hub”.
5. The Indian government launched National Cyber Security Policy and the
established Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C).

1. Apple issued threat notifications to iPhone users in India and 91 other countries,
warning of potential attacks by mercenary spyware, including Israel’s Pegasus
Mercenary spyware.
22 spyware 2. Unlike traditional cybercriminal activities, mercenary spyware is often used for
targeted surveillance, intelligence gathering, and espionage purposes.
3. Mercenary spyware attacks are typically highly advanced and difficult to detect.

1. The first Eurasian otter in India was radio-tagged in the Satpura Tiger Reserve (STR)
in Madhya Pradesh.
2. The Eurasian otter was first photographed in the STR in 2016, expanding its known
23 Eurasian Otter range to central India.
3. They are regarded as a flagship species and indicator of high-quality acquatic
habitats. IUCN – Near Threatened.

1. Khavda Solar Park in Gujarat’s Kutch, is the world’s largest renewable energy park
(5 times the size of Paris City). It boasts of 2 GW of commissioned capacity with
Khavda Solar plans to add 4 GW in the current fiscal year and 5 GW annually thereafter.
24 Park 2. The Khavda Solar Park is near Vighakot village in Gujarat’s Kutch district. Situated
near the Pakistan border, it aims to generate 30 gigawatts of electricity from solar
panels and wind turbines across 72,600 hectares of land when fully operational.

1. The NIIF has invested $200 million in iBUS Network and Infrastructure Pvt Ltd., a
connectivity technology firm, to support the growth of India’s digital infrastructure.
2. NIIF is a fund manager that invests in infrastructure and related sectors in India.
3. It is India’s first-ever sovereign wealth fund (SWF), which was set up in 2015.
4. An institution anchored by the Government of India, NIIF is a collaborative
investment platform for international and Indian investors with a mandate to invest
National equity capital in domestic infrastructure.
Investment and 5. NIIF is 49% owned by the Indian government and has more than $4.9 billion in
25 Infrastructure assets under management, making it the country’s biggest infrastructure fund.
Fund 6. The funds are registered as Alternative Investment Fund (AIF)with the Securities
Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and are currently raising capital from domestic and
international institutional investors.
7. The Fund has a target corpus of US$600 million, with the Government of India
contributing 49% and the remaining 51% contributed by the Japan Bank for
International Cooperation, a policy-based financial institution wholly owned by the
Government of Japan.

1. Scientists have for the first time successfully visualized the elusive Wigner crystal, a
strange kind of matter that is made entirely of electrons.
2. A Wigner crystal is the solid phase of electrons, first predicted by Eugene Wigner in
26 Wigner Crystal 1934.
3. It is one of the very first proposed many-body phases stabilized by the electron-
electron interaction.
 1. A new report showed that rice vampireweed (Rhamphicarpa fistulosa) in Africa
affected more than 140,000 farm households and caused losses worth $82 million
Rhamphicarpa per year to the continent’s economy.
27 fistulosa 2. It is a facultative, parasitic weed that grows on rice which is also known as rice
vampireweed. It is not controlled by fertilisers.
3. It also affects sorghum and maize and, potentially, other cereal crops.

1. Close to 100 hectares of forest were destroyed in a fire in the Sulthan Bathery forest
range under the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (WWS) recently.
2. Location: It is located in Wayanad, Kerala, in the southern trenches of the Western
Ghats.
Wayanad 3. It is an integral part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, which is a UNESCO World
Heritage Site.
28 Wildlife 4. It is bordered by the protected areas of Nagarhole and Bandipur in Karnataka on
Sanctuary the northeastern side and Mudumalai in Tamil Nadu on the southeastern side.
5. Tribes living in these forests include some scheduled adivasis, such as Paniyas,
Kattunaikkans, Kurumas, Ooralis, Adiyans, and Kurichiyas.
6. Teak, rosewood, eucalyptus, and silver oakplantations cover roughly one-third of
the sanctuary.

1. The forest department is monitoring an outbreak of mange among a pack of

Asiatic wild dogs in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) in the Nilgiris.
2. It is a skin disease of animals caused by mite infestations, characterized by
29 Mange Disease inflammation, itching, thickening of the skin, and hair loss.
3. The most severe form of mange is caused by varieties of the mite Sarcoptes
scabiei, which also causes human scabies.
4. Asiatic wild dogs IUCN Red List: Endangered.

1. A tiny "sungrazer" comet was discovered, photographed and destroyed during the
recent total solar eclipse.
2. Sungrazing comets are a special class of comets that come very close to the sun
at their nearest approach, a point called perihelion.
Sungrazing
30 Comets
3. To be considered a sungrazer, a comet needs to get within about 850,000 miles
from the sun at perihelion.
4. Most of the sungrazing comets observed follow a similar orbit, called the Kreutz
Path, a single orbit that takes 800 years to complete.
5. They collectively belong to a population called the Kreutz Group.