About Maya Civilization:

• The term "Maya" refers to both a modern-day group of people who live across the globe and their ancestors who built an ancient civilization that stretched across much of Central America.
• The Maya are probably the best-known of the classical civilizations of Mesoamerica.
• Before the Spanish conquest of Mexico and Central America, the Maya possessed one of the greatest civilizations of the Western Hemisphere.
• Originating in the Yucatán peninsula around 2600 B.C., they rose to prominence around A.D. 250 in present-day southern Mexico, Guatemala, northern Belize, and western Honduras.
• Building on the inherited inventions and ideas of earlier civilizations, the Maya developed astronomy, calendrical systems, and hieroglyphic writing (a system that employs characters in the form of pictures).
  • The Mayans developed a precise and sophisticated calendar that followed the movement of the sun, moon, and stars. The Mayan calendar is so precise that it even includes a leap day adjustment to keep the calendar synchronized with the solar year.
  • The Mayans created a system of hieroglyphic writing that includes more than 800 different glyphs. This writing was used to record the history, astronomy, mathematics, and religion of the Maya culture.
• The Maya were noted as well for elaborate and highly decorated ceremonial architecture, including temple-pyramids, palaces, and observatories, all built without metal tools.
• They were also skilled farmers, clearing large sections of tropical rain forest and, where groundwater was scarce, building sizable underground reservoirs for the storage of rainwater.
• The Maya were equally skilled as weavers and potters, and cleared routes through jungles and swamps to foster extensive trade networks with distant peoples.
• The Maya made paper from the inner bark of wild fig trees and wrote their hieroglyphs on books made from this paper. Those books are called codices.
• The Maya also developed an elaborate and beautiful tradition of sculpture and relief carving.
• Their society consisted of many independent states, each with a rural farming community and large urban sites built around ceremonial centers.
• At its height, Mayan civilization consisted of more than 40 cities, each with a population between 5,000 and 50,000.
• The peak Mayan population may have reached two million people, most of whom were settled in the lowlands of what is now Guatemala.
• After 900 CE, however, the Classic Maya civilization declined precipitously, leaving the great cities and ceremonial centres vacant and overgrown with jungle vegetation.
• The Maya peoples never disappeared, neither at the time of the Classic period decline nor with the arrival of the Spanish conquerors and the subsequent Spanish colonization of the Americas.
• The Maya remain in contemporary Mesoamerican societies, and maintain a distinctive set of traditions and beliefs, combined with more recent practices such as the almost total adoption of Roman Catholicism.

About Swachh Survekshan Grameen 2025  (SSG 2025):

• It is a nationwide rural sanitation survey by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti.
• It will measure the impact of India’s flagship cleanliness program, Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM).
• The survey will rigorously assess the current state of rural sanitation, focusing on sustaining the outcomes achieved under the Open Defecation Free (ODF) Plus Model, as established by the Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin (SBM-G).
• The assessment will include sampling village evaluations, surveying households and public places to gauge their status based on various cleanliness parameters.
• This includes the functionality of Plastic Waste Management Units (PWMU), Faecal Sludge Management (FSM) plants, GOBARdhan plants, citizen feedback, and Swachhata Green Leaf Rating (SGLR) sites.
• The main objective of the survey is to provide a national ranking for all States, Union Territories, and Districts of India based on the quantitative and qualitative sanitation parameters outlined under the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM-II).
• The survey will verify the status of ODF Plus Model villages, schools, public buildings, Common Service Centers (CSCs), and institutions.
• The Department of Drinking Water Supply has engaged an independent agency to conduct the survey.
• A structured approach shall be followed to evaluate the status of States/UTs and Districts on key performance outcomes of SBM Phase-II and they will be ranked across four key components:
  • Service-Level Progress (SLP), based on data from district self-assessment reports and desktop verification of ODF Plus Model Verified villages.
  • Direct Observation of Sanitation Status of Villages, through field-based observation in sampled villages, households, and public places, including schools, CSCs, etc.
  • Direct Observation of Functionality of Sanitation Infrastructure, such as Plastic Waste Management Units, GOBARdhan plants, and Faecal Sludge Management systems.
  • SSG 2025 Citizen Feedback, gathered via a mobile application and one-on-one interactions during the field survey.
• These elements shall be grouped into sub-components to derive a composite score, ensuring a transparent, technology-driven, and community-led assessment process.
• To uphold the data integrity, a geo-fencing feature has been introduced in the Survey and further, to promote public engagement, a dedicated mobile app has been created to gather citizen feedback.

About Advance Authorisation Scheme (AAS):

• Advance Authorisation is issued to allow duty-free import of input, which is physically incorporated in the export product (making normal allowance for wastage).
• The inputs imported are exempt from duties like Basic Customs Duty, Additional Customs Duty, Education Cess, Anti-dumping duty, Safeguard Duty and Transition Product-Specific Safeguard duty, Integrated tax, and Compensation Cess, wherever applicable, subject to certain conditions.
• An export obligation is usually set as a condition for issuing Advance Authorization.
• In addition to any inputs, packaging material, fuel, oil and catalysts which are consumed/utilized in the process of production of export products, are also allowed.
• The quantity of inputs allowed for a given product is based on specific norms defined for that export product, which considers the waste generated in the manufacturing process.
• The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) provides a sector-wise list of Standard Input-Output Norms (SION) under which the exporters may choose to apply.
• Alternatively, exporters may apply for their own ad-hoc norms in cases where the SION does not suit the exporter.
• It is available to either a manufacturer exporter directly or a merchant exporter tied with a supporting manufacturer.
• The authorization is available for the following:
  • Physical exports
  • Intermediate supply
  • Supplies made to specified categories of deemed exports
  • Supply of ‘stores’ on board of a foreign-going vessel/aircraft, provided that there are specific Standard Input Output Norms (SION) in respect of items supplied.
• Advance Authorization is valid for 12 months from the date of issue of such Authorization.
• Export Obligation:
  • Minimum value addition of 15%
  • Period for fulfilment of export obligation: 18 months from the date of issue of authorisation or as notified by DGFT.
• Recent Changes:
  • Even if goods have already been shipped or have arrived in India, they can still be cleared under an Advance Authorisation granted later by the DGFT, provided the importer files the Bill of Entry after the licence date.
  • The relevant date for eligibility under the AA scheme is the date of filing the Bill of Entry. This is a legal Customs document submitted to Indian Customs to get the goods cleared, not the date of shipment from the foreign country.
  • However, this relaxation won’t apply to restricted goods or products that can only be imported through designated government agencies, unless the DGFT gives special permission.

About Ahilyabai Holkar:

• Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar (31 May 1725 – 13 August 1795) was a ruler of the Malwa territory, a part of the Maratha Confederacy, from 1767 to 1795.
• She served first as regent and then as ruler of the Holkar dynasty with its seats at Maheshwar and Indore in central India, in a period considered the zenith of the Holkar dynasty.
• Under her rule Malwa enjoyed relative peace, prosperity, and stability, and her capital, Maheshwar, was turned into an oasis of literary, musical, artistic, and industrial pursuits.
• She passed away on August 13, 1795, at the age of seventy.
• Upon her death, Ahilyabai was succeeded by Tukoji Rao Holkar, who abdicated in his son Jaswant Rao’s favor two years later.
• Jaswant Rao was the last Holkar ruler to remain independent until his 1804 defeat by and subsequent peace with the British.
• Titles:
  • She is known as Punyashlok (“One as Pure as the Sacred Chants”).
  • John Keay, the British historian, gave the queen the title of ‘The Philosopher Queen’.
• Military Contribution:
  • She was military-trained under her father-in-law, Malhar Rao Holkar, and personally led armies into battle.
  • Ahilyabai appointed Malhar Rao’s adopted son, Tukoji Rao Holkar, the commander of the Holkar army.
  • She engaged the Frenchman Chevelier Dudrenec in 1792 to help modernize her army by raising four battalions.
• Administration:
  • She earned a reputation for administering justice fairly during her rule, without partiality or partisanship. Ex: She sentenced her only son, found guilty of a capital offense, to death by being crushed by an elephant.
  • She established courts for justice and arbitration in citizens’ disputes.
  • She also made some landmark decisions during her reign, including the removal of traditional law confiscating the property of childless widows.
  • She was known for being accessible to all her subjects and held daily audiences where people could approach her.
  • Breaking another norm of the time, Ahilyabai did not observe the custom of purdah (seclusion of women).
• Cultural Contribution:
  • She welcomed stalwarts such as Marathi poet Moropant, Shahir Ananta Gandhi, and Sanskrit scholar Khushali Ram into her capital.
  • She made Maheshwar (literally, “abode of Lord Shiva”) her capital and offered employment to several craftsmen, artists, and sculptors.
  • She was a great pioneer and builder of Hindu temples.
  • She built hundreds of temples and Dharmashalas throughout India.
  • Her most notable contribution was the renovation and repair of the famous Kashi Vishwanath Temple in 1780.
  • Ahilyabai also helped construct multiple forts, roads, wells, and rest houses.
  • Promotion of craft: She established a textile industry in Maheshwar, which today is very famous for its Maheshwari sarees.

About Amrabad Tiger Reserve:

• It is located in the Nagarkurnool and Nalgonda districts in the southern part of Telangana.
• It covers a part of the Nallamala Forest, which is part of the Eastern Ghats
• It covers a total area of 2,611.39 sq.km, with 2,166.37 sq.km designated as the core area.
• It is the second largest tiger reserve in the country in terms of core area.
• This expansive reserve was originally part of the larger Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve before the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in 2014.
• The reserve is renowned for its rugged terrain, deep valleys, and dense forests.
• Within the reserve lies the historic Nagalapuram fort.
• Major reservoirs like the Srishailam Dam and Nagarjunsagar Dam are fed by the river Krishna and its several perennial streams that originate in the ATR.
• The Chenchu tribe is one of the major tribal communities that live in the ATR.
• Flora:
  • Amrabad is characterized by dry deciduous forests, primarily made up of sal, teak, bamboo, and acacia trees.
  • The forest is rich in medicinal plants and shrubs, which have long been used by local tribes for traditional remedies.
• Fauna:
  • Major wild animals found are Tiger, Leopard, Wild dog, Indian Wolf, Indian fox, Rusty-spotted cat, Small Indian civet, Sloth bear, Honeybadger, Wild boar, etc.
  • Over 303 bird species have been identified in this region. Some important groups include Eagles, Pigeons, Doves, Cuckoos, Woodpeckers, Drongos, etc.

About Biostimulant:

• These are substances or microorganisms applied to plants or soil to stimulate natural processes and also work by enhancing the plant’s own physiological abilities.
• Biostimulants are products that reduce the need for fertilizers and increase plant growth, resistance to water and abiotic stresses.
• They improve overall plant health and productivity by targeting processes such as root development, nutrient efficiency, stress tolerance (drought, salinity, extreme temperatures), soil microbial activity.
• In addition, biostimulants applied to plants enhance nutrition efficiency, abiotic stress tolerance and/or plant quality traits, regardless of its nutrient contents.
• Common types of biostimulants include: Humic and fulvic acids, seaweed extracts, beneficial fungi and bacteria (e.g., mycorrhizae, rhizobacteria).
• In India Biostimulants are incorporated under the Fertilizer (Control) Order,1985.
• Advantages of Biostimulants
  • Improving plant tolerance to abiotic stress on plants, including drought, extreme temperatures (cold, frost, and heat), and salinity
  • Enhancing uptake and efficient use of nutrients, both applied and existing
  • Improving soil healthby enhancing beneficial soil microorganisms
  • Enhancing crop quality through plant health and vigor
  • Increasing harvestable yields.

About Battery Aadhaar Initiative:

• It aims to provide batteries with secure, digital identities, facilitating traceability and improving lifecycle transparency.
• This system would assign a unique digital identity to each battery pack, enabling the tracking of manufacturing origin, battery chemistry, safety certifications and lifecycle performance
• The initiative seeks to prevent unsafe reuse and mitigate environmental risks.
• This approach ensures compliance with regulatory standards and promotes sustainable practices within the battery industry.
• It is supported by a UNEP-led programme named 'Electrifying Mobility in Cities', coordinated by NITI Aayog and the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India.
• Key features include Digital Product Passport creation, lifecycle mapping, public and private data access, role-based dashboards, and real-time battery analytics such as health prediction and residual life estimation.
• It is built on blockchain, MOBIUS+ ensures transparent data flows and tamper-proof audit trails.
• This support highlights the initiative's alignment with India's broader sustainable mobility goals and efforts to establish circular energy systems.

About Calotes zolaiking:

• It is a species of garden lizard, was first described in 2019 from Mizoram’s Aizawl district by a team of scientists.
• Appearance: These are about 5 inches long and their bodies are various shades of green with dark patches throughout. They are “strongly keeled,” meaning each of the lizard’s long scales has a ridge in the middle, giving it a sharper overall appearance.
• India is home to 14 species of Calotes, nine of which have been recorded in the

What are Calotes?

• These are arboreal (tree-dwelling) lizards of the family Agamidae and are remarkable for their extreme colour changes when excited.
• They are diurnal, run fast on ground and swim in water.
• Distribution: It is found in gardens and forests of India, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, and some Pacific islands.
• Diet: Their diet is made up of insects and other small invertebrates.

About Ayush Suraksha Portal:

• This portal represents a significant advancement in pharmacovigilance and regulatory convergence within the Ayush ecosystem.
• It is developed with the technical support of the Central Council for Research in Siddha (CCRS).
• It is aligned with the National Pharmacovigilance Program, allows consumers, healthcare professionals, and regulatory authorities to report and monitor misleading advertisements and adverse drug reactions through a seamless digital process.
• The system integrates multiple authorities, including the Ayush vertical under CDSCO, MoI&B, CCPA, NCISM, NCH, PCI, FSSAI, and State Licensing Authorities, ensuring coordinated response and enforcement.
• Significance:
  • The Ministry of Ayush now has a centralised and accessible dashboard of reported cases, enabling real-time tracking, swift regulatory action, and detailed data analysis.
  • The system also ensures that citizens have a direct channel to voice their concerns, with transparent visibility into the action taken on their reports.
  • By integrating data from State Licensing Authorities, national pharmacovigilance centres, and key regulatory stakeholders, the portal facilitates real-time monitoring, systematic analysis, and coordinated action on misleading advertisements and adverse drug reactions. 
  • It reflects the Ministry’s unwavering commitment to responsible governance, evidence-based practices, and the safety of millions of citizens who trust and rely on India’s traditional systems of medicine.

About National Florence Nightingale Award:

• It was instituted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India in the year 1973.
• It is a prestigious award given to outstanding nursing personnel employed in Central, State/UTs and Voluntary Organizations.
• It was awarded as a mark of recognition for the meritorious services rendered by the nurses and nursing professionals to the society.
• The nurse in her/his regular job in the hospital or community settings, educational or administrative setting is eligible for the national award.
• It consists of a Certificate of Merit, Cash Award of Rs.1,00,000/- and a medal.

Who is Florence Nightingale?

• Florence Nightingale was an English social reformer, statistician and the founder of modern nursing.
• Nightingale came to prominence while serving as a manager and trainer of nurses during the Crimean War, in which she organised care for wounded soldiers at Constantinople.
• Her efforts to formalize nursing education led her to establish the first scientifically based nursing school—the Nightingale School of Nursing, at St. Thomas’ Hospital in London.

About Tral Wildlife Sanctuary:

• It is located in the Pulwama District of Jammu and Kashmir.
• It forms an important corridor for the movement of
• It is among the few areas outside Dachigam National Park where a population of this critically endangered Hangul deer still survives.
• Vegetation: The vegetation of the Sanctuary is typically Himalayan moist temperate forest, sub-alpine forest, and alpine forest types.
• Flora: Aesculus indica, Fraxinus hookeri, Parrotiopsis jacquemontiana, and Juglans regia. The dominant shrubs include Indigofera heterantha, Lonicera species, Viburnum, Skimmia laurel, Jasminum species etc.
• Fauna:
  • The area harbours Halgul population. Besides, 15 species of mammals, including some rare ones, are also found in the limits of the sanctuary. It is also home to more than 200 species of birds.
  • It functions as a protected wildlife corridor for the endangered Kashmir Stag, also called Hangul.
  • It is home to various endemic species like Kashmir Red Deer (Cervus hanglu hanglu), Kashmir Musk Deer (Moschus cupreus) and Kashmir Gray Langur.

About Yashoda AI:

• It is the initiative of the National Commission for Women (NCW) in collaboration with Future Shift Labs (FSL).
• It will empower women to contribute meaningfully to a Viksit Bharat driven by technology and inclusion.
• The Yashoda AI Abhiyan wants to stand as India's effort to empower women, especially from rural and semi-urban communities, with essential skills in Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Digital Safety.
• The program aims to go beyond traditional learning by hosting in-depth discussions on critical issues such as AI-driven crimes, digital privacy, and practical safety strategies.
• It will actively engaging students, educators, and women from the police force, Yashoda AI Abhiyan wants to experiment in community-driven digital education, ensuring that women are not only participants but leaders in shaping India's tech-savvy future.

Key Facts about National Commission for Women

• It is an autonomous and statutory body established in 1992 under the National Commission for Women Act, 1990, to protect and promote women’s rights in India.
• Composition: The Commission shall consist of a Chairperson, 5 Members, and a Member-Secretary who are nominated by the Central Government.
• Term: The Chairperson and every Member shall hold office for a period of three years.
• Powers: The Commission, while investigating, shall have all the powers of a civil court in respect of the following matters:
  • Summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person from any part of India and examining him/her on oath.
  • Requiring the discovery and production of any document.
  • Receiving evidence on affidavits.
  • Requisitioning any public record or copy thereof from any court or office.
  • Issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses and documents.

About Know Your DIGIPIN’:

• The DIGIPIN (Digital Postal Index Number) is an open-source, interoperable, geo-coded, grid-based digital address system developed by the Department of Posts in collaboration with IIT Hyderabad and NRSC, ISRO.
• Vision: To offer Address-as-a-Service (AaaS) — an array of services associated with address data management to support secure and efficient interactions between users, government entities, and private sector organisations.
• The ‘Know Your DIGIPIN’ portal enables users to:
  • Retrieve their DIGIPIN based on precise geolocation.
  • Input latitude and longitude coordinates to fetch corresponding DIGIPINs and vice versa.
• Advantages:
  • This initiative simplifies location mapping, enhances logistics and emergency response, and ensures last-mile delivery, especially in rural and underserved areas.
  • Incorporating DIGIPIN as an additional address attribute enables the leveraging of GIS capabilities, laying the foundation for future GIS-based digitalisation of service delivery across various organisations in a cost-effective manner.
  • DIGIPIN will enhance location accuracy across multiple sectors by providing precise geographic coordinates, ensuring accurate service delivery and reducing emergency response times.
  • A complete repository of the DIGIPIN technical documentation and source code has been made available on GitHub, promoting open collaboration and nationwide adoption.
• It is now available to all Ministries, State Governments, institutions for integration into their workflows, and users for their own use.

About Know Your PIN Code Web Application

• It is the six-digit PIN Code system, introduced in 1972.
• The Department undertook a national geofencing exerciseacross all postal jurisdictions to geo-reference all the pin code boundaries of the country.
• Features
  • Identify the correct PIN Code based on the location.
  • Submit feedback on PIN Code accuracy for continuous refinement of pin code dataset.
  • The geo-fenced PIN Code boundaries dataset has also been uploaded on Open Government Data Platform under the title “All India PIN Code Boundary geo-json”.

About Kalanamak Rice:

• Kalanamak is a traditional variety of paddy with black husk and strong fragrance.
• It is considered a gift from Lord Buddha to the people of Sravasti when he visited the region after enlightenment.
• It is traditional, non-basmati aromatic rice grown in eastern Uttar Pradesh, particularly in Siddharthnagar, where it has been designated as an ODOP (one district one product) item.
• It is also grown in 11 districts of the Terai region of north-eastern Uttar Pradesh and in Nepal, the traditional variety has been prone to ‘lodging’, a reason for its low yield.
  • Lodging: Lodging is a condition in which the top of the plant becomes heavy because of grain formation, the stem becomes weak, and the plant falls on the ground.
• It is a nutritional powerhouse. It is rich in iron and antioxidants, has a low glycemic index, and is naturally gluten-free, making it a healthy dietary choice, especially for diabetics.
• It is protected under the Geographical Indication (GI) tag system.

About Exercise Nomadic Elephant:

• It is an annual joint military exercise conducted alternatively in India and Mongolia.
• Last edition of the same exercise was conducted at Umroi, Meghalaya in July 2024.
• The Indian contingent comprising 45 personnel will be represented mainly by troops from a battalion of the Arunachal S
• Aim of the exercise is to enhance interoperability between the two forces while employing a joint task force in semi conventional operations in semi urban/ mountainous terrain under United Nations mandate.
• The scope of this exercise involves Platoon level Field Training Exercise. During the exercise, Indian and Mongolian troops will engage in various training activities.
• In addition, to enhance complexity of exercise, aspects pertaining to Cyber Warfare are also being incorporated in this edition of the exercise.
• The exercise underscores the shared commitment of India and Mongolia towards regional security, peace and stability.
• The exercise reinforces the India-Mongolia relationship as a cornerstone of regional cooperation, fostering strong military ties and promotion of cultural understanding.
• A testament to the enduring bond of friendship, trust and cultural linkages between India and Mongolia, the exercise sets the stage for meaningful professional engagement, highlighting the unwavering commitment of both nations to broader defence cooperation.

About Open Interest:

• It is a term commonly used in Futures and Options (F&O) trading, where the number of open contracts changes on a daily basis.
  • In simple terms, every trade has two sides: a buyer and a seller. Whenever an F&O contract is traded, it is considered open until one of the parties closes their position through offsetting.
• Open Interest is the total number of active options and futures contracts that have not yet been settled against an asset at a given time in the trading arena.
• It is primarily used as an indicator to identify market positions of securities that have not yet been closed for an unknown reason.
• To summarise, it is referred to as a measure of liquidity in conjunction with market activity.
• Like any other security traded in the market, it is subject to market changes.
• When new contracts are created or opened, it rises. A rise in the number of them indicates that there are more buyers and sellers for a specific security.
• It decreases when positions in existing contracts are closed out by buyers (or holders) and sellers.
• Investors might make conclusions about the day's market activity by monitoring changes in the open interest at the end of each trading day.
• Importance of Open Interest in Stock Market:
  • Open interest plays a significant role in helping options traders understand the liquidity of an option.
  • It is a measure of market activity. It indicates if a market will trend or be range-bound, often known as choppy.
  • An increase in open interest indicates that the number of new positions is increasing. This suggests that the market is being traded actively and is more likely to trend, while decreasing open interest indicates money flowing out of the market.
  • After a sustained price gain, a levelling off of Open Interest is usually an early indicator of the end of a bull market phase.
  • To summarise, this type of indicator can be a significant piece of information when evaluating a possible investment.

What are Futures and Options (F&O)?

• F&O are the major types of stock derivatives trading in a share market.
• These are contracts signed by two parties for trading a stock asset at a predetermined price on a later date.
• Such contracts try to hedge market risks involved in stock market trading by locking in the price beforehand.
• F&O are contracts which derive their price from an underlying asset (known as underlying), such as shares, stock market indices, commodities, ETFs, and more.
• Futures contracts obligate the buyer to purchase an underlying asset, while the seller must deliver it at a predetermined price and date.
• In options contracts, the buyer has the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell the underlying asset at a predetermined price and date, while the seller must honour the contract if the buyer chooses to exercise their option.
• F&O basics allows individuals to reduce future risk with their investment through pre-determined prices.
• However, since a direction of price movements cannot be predicted, it can cause substantial profits or losses if a market prediction is inaccurate.
• Typically, individuals well versed with the operations of a stock market primarily participate in such trades.

About MPOWER Framework:

• In line with the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), WHO introduced the MPOWER measures in 2008.
• MPOWER are a set of six cost-effective and high-impact measures that help countries reduce demand for tobacco. These measures include:
  • Monitoring tobacco use and prevention policies.
  • Protecting people from tobacco smoke.
  • Offering help to quit tobacco use.
  • Warning about the dangers of tobacco.
  • Enforcing bans on tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship.
  • Raising taxes on tobacco.
• The MPOWER measures have played a significant role in encouraging smokers to consider the most effective way to quit smoking.
• Each letter in MPOWER stands for a measure intended to assist governments in achieving the FCTC's objectives.

Key Facts on WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC):

• It is the first treaty negotiated under the auspices of the
• It is an evidence-based treaty that reaffirms the right of all people to the highest standard of health.
• It was adopted by the World Health Assembly on 21 May 2003 and entered into force on 27 February 2005.
• Since its entry into force in 2005, this international treaty has become one of the most rapidly and widely embraced treaties in United Nations (UN) history.
• To date, 180 countries globally have ratified the WHO FCTC, including 50 WHO European Member States.
• The WHO FCTC asserts the importance of strategies to reduce both demand and supply and provides a framework for tobacco control measures to be implemented at the national, regional, and international levels. This includes actions to:
  • Protect public health policies from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry (Article 5.3).
  • Adopt price and tax measures to reduce the demand for tobacco (Article 6).
  • Protect people from exposure to tobacco smoke (Article 8).
  • Regulate the contents of tobacco products (Article 9).
  • Regulate tobacco product disclosures (Article 10).
  • Regulate the packaging and labelling of tobacco products (Article 11).
  • Warn people about the dangers of tobacco (Article 12).
  • Ban tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship (Article 13).
  • Offer people help to end their addictions to tobacco (Article 14).
  • Control the illicit trade in tobacco products (Article 15).
  • Ban sales to and by minors (Article 16).
  • Support economically viable alternatives to tobacco growing (Article 17).
• In addition, Article 7 of the Treaty requests that the Conference of the Parties (COP) propose guidelines for the implementation of the Convention, with the aim to assist Parties in meeting their obligations under the Convention.

About Quality Council of India (QCI):

• It is a non-profit autonomous organisation registered under Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860.
• It was set up in 1997 jointly by the Government of India and the Indian Industry represented by the three premier industry associations, i.e., Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), with Ratan Tata as its first Chairman.
• It is under the administrative control of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• QCI works as the national accreditation body.
• QCI has been established to create a mechanism for independent third-party assessment of products, services, and processes.
• Besides the role of putting in place the accreditation structure, it also promotes the adoption of quality standards relating to Quality Management Systems (ISO 14001 Series), Food Safety Management Systems (ISO 22000 Series), and Product Certification and Inspection Bodies through the accreditation services provided by the National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB).
• It plays a pivotal role at the national level in propagating, adoption, and adherence to quality standards in all important spheres of activities that have significant bearing on improving the quality of life and well-being of the citizens of India.
• It leads a nationwide quality movement in the country through the National Quality Campaign.
• QCI functions through the governing body and other executive bodies (boards/committees) for implementing the strategy, policy, and operational guidelines as set out by its governing council.
• The council comprises 38 members, with equal representation from the Government, Industries and other stakeholders.
• Indian industry is represented in QCI by three premier industry associations, namely ASSOCHAM, CII, and FICCI.
• Boards/Divisions under QCI:
  • National Accreditation Board for Testing & Calibration Laboratories (NABL)
  • National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH)
  • National Accreditation Board for Education & Training (NABET)
  • National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB)
  • National Board for Quality Promotion (NBQP).
  • Every board is functionally independent and works within its area of expertise.

 About International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (IEEPA):

• It is a United States Act which was legislated on 28 October 1977.
• It gives the president broad powers to regulate various financial transactions upon declaring a national emergency.
• The IEEPA empowers the US President to proclaim an unusual and exceptional threat to the federal security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States that originates in whole or in considerable part outside the United States.
• It also empowers the President to restrict transactions and freeze assets in response to such a statement.
• In the case of an actual attack on the United States, the president has the authority to seize property associated with a nation, group, or individual that assisted in the attack.
• In addition, because the IEEPA is governed by the terms of the National Emergencies Act (NEA), an emergency proclaimed under the Act must be renewed annually in order to stay in existence.
• IEEPA is a treaty that extends executive power over crises during times of peace.
• The IEEPA empowers the president to respond to uncommon and extraordinary risks to national security by altering the United States' economic policy.
• The IEEPA serves as the governing authority for much of the US sanctions regime.
• The US Congress initially passed IEEPA in an attempt to restrict the emergency economic powers granted to the president under the Trading with the Enemy Act, a 1917 law that gave the president expansive authority to regulate international transactions during wartime.
• President Richard M. Nixon used the precursor statute to briefly impose a 10 percent universal tariff in 1971.
• No president has previously used IEEPA to put tariffs on imported goods.
• Instead, presidents have imposed tariffs in response to national security threats using Section 232 of a 1962 trade law.
• That legal provision differs from IEEPA in part because it requires an investigation and report that has to be issued within 270 days.
• The provision also focuses on certain imports that threaten to impair U.S. national security.

About Shangri-La Dialogue:

• It is Asia’s premier defence and security summit that brings together Defence Ministers, Military Chiefs, policymakers and strategic experts across the globe.
• Since its birth in 2002, it has developed into the most influential multilateral security exchange platform in the Asia-Pacific region.
• It is held in June every year in Singapore.
• It is organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in London, UK, and co-organized by Singapore's Ministry of Defence.
• The agenda of the Shangri-La Dialogue is closely related to the security situation and development trend in the Asia-Pacific region, covering traditional and non-traditional security and other fields.
  • These include traditional security issues such as territorial disputes and military cooperation, as well as non-traditional security issues such as terrorism, cybersecurity, and climate change.
  • Such agenda setting enables the dialogue to fully reflect the security challenges and cooperation needs of the Asia-Pacific region.
• Around the above issues, Shangri-La Dialogue is divided into two forms: open general assembly exchanges and closed-door group meetings.
  • Open exchanges at the conference allow delegates to make speeches and discuss issues of common interest, enhancing mutual understanding and trust.
  • Closed-door breakout sessions are more in-depth and specific, allowing participants to discuss and negotiate on a topic in depth and seek cooperation and solutions.

About Pedicularis rajeshiana:

• It belongs to a group of plants known as "Louseworts", which are hemiparasitic, meaning they derive some nutrients from other plants while still performing photosynthesis.
• Features: It consists of unique floral characteristics and pollen structure.
  • Unlike its close relatives P. porrecta and P. heydei, the new species is smaller in size and has fewer flowers and leaflets.

About Nurdles:

• These are small pre-formed masses of moulding material that have relatively uniform dimensions within a specific batch. These pellets are utilised as raw material in moulding and extrusion operations.
• When in the form of microplastics, these pellets are commonly referred to as ‘nurdles’ and serve as the foundational material for manufacturing a wide range of plastic products.
• They are classified as primary microplastics, these pellets and are between 1 mm to 5 mm in diameter. They constitute a major component in the global plastic chain.
• Microplastic nurdles are mainly composed of polyethene, polypropylene, polystyrene, and polyvinyl chloride.
• These pellets are melted and moulded into various products, including packaging, water bottles, toys, and textiles.
• Impact on Environment
  • These pellets remain a dangerous pollutant. Their short- and long-term impacts include habitat contamination and their breaking up into micro and nano plastics and entering the food chain.
  • They could have serious implications for the marine and coastal ecosystems and humans.

About Modified Interest Subvention Scheme:

• It is a Central Sector Scheme
• It is aimed at ensuring the availability of short-term credit to farmers at an affordable interest rate through Kisan Credit card (KCC).
• Under the Scheme: 
  • Farmers received short-term loans of up to 3 lakh through Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) at a subsidized interest rate of 7%, with 1.5% interest subvention provided to eligible lending institutions.
  • Additionally, farmers repaying loans promptly are eligible for an incentive of up to 3% as Prompt Repayment Incentive (PRI) effectively reducing their interest rate on KCC loans to 4%.
  • For loans taken exclusively for animal husbandry or fisheries, the interest benefit is applicable up to Rs.2 lakh.
• No changes have been proposed in the structure or other components of the scheme.
• The scheme is implemented and monitored by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).
• Through Public Sector Banks, Regional Rural Banks (RRBs), Cooperative Banks and Private Sector Banks operating in rural and semi urban areas, they ensure that the interest subvention benefits reach the farmers.

About Stromatolites:

• Stromatolites are organo-sedimentary structures formed from the entrapment of calcium carbonate precipitates by algae and cyanobacteria.
• They are bio sedimentary structures produced in shallow marine seas.
• These structures are usually characterized by thin, alternating light and dark layersthat may be flat, hummocky, or dome-shaped. 
• Stromatolites were common in Precambrian time(i.e., more than 542 million years ago).
• Most stromatolites are marine, but some forms from Proterozoic strata more than 2 ½ billion years old are interpreted as inhabiting intertidal areas and freshwater ponds and lakes.
• Living stromatolites are found in only a few salty lagoons or bays on Earth.
  • The stromatolites at Chambaghat lie within the Krol Group of sedimentary rocks, comprising limestone, shale, and sandstone, formed in a shallow marine environment of what was once the Tethys Sea.
  • This region was once part of Gondwana, the southern supercontinent that included India, South America, Africa, and others.
  • The Indian plate’s northward drift and collision with Eurasia lifted marine sediments, including stromatolites, thousands of meters skyward. 
• Significance
  • These ancient structures offer a window into a time when Earth’s atmosphere was dominated by greenhouse gases, and oxygen was nonexistent.
  • Their presence in the Himalayas, far from any current coastline, reveals a story of tectonic shifts, lost oceans, and the microbial origins of life.

Stromatolites in India

• Chitrakoot, Uttar Pradesh: Known for columnar stromatolites in Vindhyan limestones.
• Morni Hills, Haryana: Features well-preserved stromatolite beds in dolomite formations.
• Mussoorie and Nainital, Uttarakhand: Sites in the Krol Belt showcase Precambrian marine sedimentation.
• Jaisalmer Fossil Park, Rajasthan: A protected area highlighting a range of Mesozoic fossils, including marine life.
• Dharwar Supergroup, Karnataka: Neoarchean stromatolites in the Chitradurga schist belt, over 2.6 billion years old.
• Bhima Basin, Karnataka: Precambrian stromatolites preserved in shallow marine limestones.

About Stingless Bees:

• A stingless bee is a bee that appears very similar to a honeybee, but is incapable of stinging.
• Approximately 550 species of stingless bees are found within several genera that are members of the Meliponini tribe. They are also related to bumblebees and carpenter bees.
• Common genera of stingless bees: Austroplebeia, Melipona, and Tetragonula 
• They do possess stingers, but they are too small to be useful in defense. Instead of stinging, stingless bees use their mandibles to bite their attackers.
• Benefits: Stingless bees can be used for pollination without fear of being stung. They are known for their popular medicinal honey and pollination potential, which paves the way for the formulation of crop pollination calendars to benefit all stakeholders. 
• Distribution:
  • Africa, Australia, Southeast Asia, and parts of the Americas are the main areas where the stingless bee is found. 
  • In India, these bees are reported primarily from the northeastern, eastern, and southern Indian States. In the northeast, these bees are reared traditionally in homestead apiaries.

About Seven Summits Challenge:

• The ‘Seven Summits‘ is a challenge first proposed and then completed by Richard Bass in 1985.
• It consists of climbing to the highest point on each of the seven continents, including
  • Kilimanjaro: Africa (5,892 m)
  • Elbrus: Europe (5,642 m)
  • Aconcagua: South America (6,962 m)
  • Denali: North America (6,194 m)
  • Kosciuszko: Australia (2,228 m) or Puncak Jaya/Carstensz Pyramid: Oceania (4,884 m)
  • Mount Vinson: Antarctica (4,892 m)
  • Mount Everest: Asia (8,848 m)
• The Seven Summits challenge has two options – the ‘Bass’ list or the ‘Messner’ list.
  • The difference between the two lists is that one includes the highest peak in Australia (Kosciuszko), while the other includes the highest peak in Oceania/Australasia instead (Puncak Jaya in Indonesia), respectively.
  • Most will attempt the Bass list, while others will then push on to complete the Messner list too.

About Dag Hammarskjöld Medal:

• It is the highest honour awarded to UN peacekeepers.
• It was established in 1997 as a posthumous award given to members of peacekeeping operations who lost their lives during service with a peacekeeping operation under the operational control and authority of the United Nations.
• Each year on Peacekeeper's Day (May 29), this medal is awarded to any member state that has lost one or more military or police peacekeepers at a ceremony at United Nations headquarters.
• It is named after the second Secretary-General of the United Nations, Dag Hammarskjold.
• On 6 October 1998, the first Medal was presented to the family of Dag Hammarskjöld.
• Dag Hammarskjold was Secretary-General of the United Nations from April 10, 1953, until September 18, 1961, when he died in a plane crash while on a peace mission in the Congo.
• The second medal honoured Commandant René de Labarrière, Military Observer in the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization, who was the first peacekeeper to lose his life in a United Nations peacekeeping operation, in 1948.

Other UN Awards:

• Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal for Exceptional Courage: It is awarded to those military, police, civilian United Nations personnel and associated personnel who demonstrate exceptional courage in the face of extreme danger while fulfilling the mandate of their missions or their functions in the service of humanity and the United Nations.
• UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award: It was started in 2016 to recognise the dedication and effort of an individual peacekeeper in promoting the principles within the UN Security Council Resolution 1325.

India and UN Peacekeeping:

• Since the 1950s, India has sent over 290,000 peacekeepers to more than 50 missions worldwide, making it the largest contributor to UN peacekeeping efforts.
• Today, over 5,000 Indian troops serve in nine of the eleven active missions, often in dangerous and hostile regions, dedicated to upholding global peace and security.
• Beyond deployments, India actively strengthens UN missions through training, capacity building, and technological support.

About Dark Patterns:

• It refers to any user interface that has been deliberately crafted to mislead or manipulate users into actions they might not otherwise take.
• The term "dark pattern" was coined in 2010 by UK-based user experience designer Harry Brignull.
• Dark patterns exploit cognitive biases and psychological principles to influence user behavior.
• They can range from subtle and mildly misleading to overtly aggressive tactics.
• The practice is seen across a wide range of sectors, from retail to travel, health to social media.
• One example is the "sneak into basket" design, where an additional item is quietly added to a user's online shopping cart without explicit consent.
• Another common tactic is presenting a large, brightly coloured "Accept" button for cookies or subscriptions, while hiding or minimising the "Reject" option.
• These interface choices are not accidental, they are calculated to guide users towards choices that benefit the company, often at the consumer's expense.
• Dark patterns can also take the form of hidden costs that only appear at the final stage of checkout.
• Regulation:
  • In many countries, including India, there is no dedicated law that explicitly outlaws the practice.
  • For instance, under India's Consumer Protection Act, 2019, unfair trade practices are prohibited but enforcement depends on proving that a pattern is deceptive, intentional, and has caused harm.
  • This is often difficult in digital contexts, where user interaction is rapid.
  • In November 2023, the Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, released guidelines for 13 dark patterns.
  • According to these guidelines, the use of any of these prescribed dark patterns amounts to a misleading advertisement, an unfair trade practice, or a violation of consumer rights.

About National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS):

• It is a unique institution functioning as an apex body with the objective to foster and utilize academic excellence as its resource to meet medical and social goals.
• It was registered as the 'Indian Academy of Medical Sciences' on 21st April, 1961, under Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860.
• It was renamed NAMS on 16th November, 1976.
• The academy has been recognised by the Government of India as a nodal agency for continuing education for medical and allied health professionals.
• It also advises the Government of India in matters of National Health Policy and Planning.
• NAMS encourages and sponsors nationwide Continuing Medical Education (CME) programmes, symposia, workshops,
• It has made significant efforts to improve the reach of CME programmes by establishing tele-linkages between medical colleges, and it is also connected with the National Knowledge Network.
• The academy serves as a very important tool for dissemination of recent medical advances via journals, monographs,
• NAMS also bestows prestigious fellowships and awards upon eminent biomedical scientists in recognition of their outstanding contributions.

NAMS Task Force Report on Breast Cancer in India:

• India is recording nearly 200,000 new cancer cases each year.
• Sixty percent of the global population resides in Asia, which accounts for 50% of cancer cases and 58% of cancer-related deaths.
• India ranks third in accounting for cancer cases, following China and the United States of America.
• The projected cancer burden in India is estimated to reach 2.08 million by 2040, representing a 57.5% increase from 2020.
• In India, breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women and a leading cause of cancer-related deaths.
• The proportion of patients diagnosed with breast cancer at a younger age is notably higher in India when compared with high-income countries.
• Additionally, patients in India tend to present with later-stage disease compared to the West.
• More than 60% of patients in India present at Stage 3 or 4, while around 60% of the patients in the U.S. are diagnosed in situ or at Stage 1.
• It adds that more than 50% of patients in India experience a delay of over three months before seeking medical care.
• In India the survival rate for patients with breast cancer is lower compared to Western countries due to several factors, including the late-stage presentation, delayed initiation of definitive management, and inadequate or fragmented treatment.

About Churdhar Wildlife Sanctuary:

• It is located in the Sirmour district of Himachal Pradesh.
• It is situated in the Shivalik range of the Himalayas.
• Established in 1985, this sanctuary spans 56 sq.km. and encircles the majestic Churdhar Peak, also known as Choordhar.
• Churdhar peak is the highest peak in the outer Himalayas.
• From the top of the peak, visitors can relish the view of wild Gangetic plains and the Satluj River on its south and Badrinath (a well-known Hindu pilgrimage) towards its north.
• A small temple dedicated to Lord Shiva sits atop the peak, adding spiritual significance to the sanctuary.
• Flora:
  • It is quite renowned for being a habitat of herbal medicine trees and plants.
  • Wild Himalayan Cherry, Aloe Vera (Dhrit Kumari), and Amaranthus spinosus (Chulai) are some of the best aromatic plants which can be found here, and these herbs possess amazing medicinal properties.
  • The main trees in the sanctuary are oak and deodar.
• Fauna: The sanctuary is home to various species, including musk deer, black bears, monals (Himalayan pheasants), and leopards.

About Ghaggar River:

• The Ghaggar River is an intermittent river that flows in India and Pakistan.
• The river flows only during the monsoon
• Course:
  • It rises from the Shivalik Range of northwestern Himachal Pradesh.
  • After passing through the Ambala and Hissar districts of Haryana, it disappears into the Thar Desert in Rajasthan.
  • This seasonal river feeds two irrigation canals that extend into Rajasthan.
  • The Hakra, which flows in Pakistan, is the continuation of the Ghaggar River in India, and they are together called the Ghaggar-Hakra River.
• Historical Significance:
  • Several historians identify Ghaggar with the Vedic Saraswati River.
  • Along the banks of the Ghaggar River, many settlements of the Indus Valley Civilization have been excavated.
  • Hence it is believed that the ancient settlements on its banks are the creation of ingenious Vedic Aryans.
  • It is believed that the rivers Sutlej and Yamuna once flowed into the Ghaggar-Hakra riverbed.
  • Tributaries: The main tributaries of the Ghaggar are the Kaushalya River, Markanda, Sarsuti, Tangri, and Chautang.

About Breakthrough Prizes:

• The Breakthrough Prizes honor important, primarily recent, achievements in the fields of Life Sciences (with a specific prize dedicated to work related to Parkinson’s Disease, and Neurodegenerative disorders), fundamental physics, and mathematics.
• These prestigious awards were founded in 2013 by Mark Zuckerberg and his spouse Priscilla Chan, former Google CEO Sergey Brin, Anne Wojcicki, the founder of the genomics company 23&Me, and tech investors Yuri and Julia Milner.
• Often referred to as the “Oscars of Science”, the mission of the Breakthrough Prizes is to recognize individual accomplishments, celebrate scientists as societal heroes, inspire future generations of scientists, and advocate for "science for the benefit of all" as a global, non-political organization.
• Each Breakthrough Prize carries a monetary award of $3 million, significantly higher than the Nobel Prize.
• Committees of previous laureates choose the winners from candidates nominated in a process that’s online and open to the public.
• They attend a televised award ceremony designed to celebrate their achievements and inspire the next generation of scientists. As part of the ceremony schedule, they also engage in a program of lectures and discussions.
• Those who make fresh discoveries again remain eligible for future Breakthrough Prizes.

About Warrant of Arrest:

• This is a written order issued by a judge or magistrate, supported by a sworn affidavit, authorizing the arrest and custody of a person accused of committing a specific offense.
• A police officer who executes the warrant shall notify the substance thereof to the person to be arrested and if he demands, shall show him the warrant.
• The officer is also obligated to promptly bring the arrested individual before the court without unnecessary delays.
• Valid Warrant:
  • A warrant of arrest should be
    • in writing
    • signed by the presiding officer of the Court and
    • should bear the seal of the Court.
  • It should also contain the name of the accused, his address, the offence with which he is charged.
  • If any of these factors is absent, the warrant is not in order, and an arrest made in execution of such a warrant is illegal.
• Warrants are of two kinds: Bailable and Non-Bailable.
  • A bailable warrant is a Court's order which contains a direction that if the person arrested executes a bail with sufficient sureties for his attendance before the Court, he may be released from custody.
  • In that case it shall further state the number of sureties, the amount of the bond and the time for attending the Court.
  • In case of a non-bailable warrant, the direction for bail will not be endorsed on the warrant.
• Arrest Without Warrant:
  • A police officer is empowered to arrest a person without a warrant if there is reasonable suspicion of their involvement in a cognizable offense.
  • However, in cases of non-cognizable offenses, a police officer cannot effect an arrest without a warrant issued by a magistrate.
  • Cognizable offenses include serious crimes such as murder, rape, robbery, theft, and offenses against the state.
• There are several other situations in which a person can be arrested without a warrant:
  • Probable Cause: If a law enforcement officer has probable cause to believe that a crime has been committed and that the person to be arrested committed it, they can make an arrest without a warrant.
  • In the Act of Committing a Crime: If an officer witnesses someone committing a crime, they can make an arrest without a warrant.
  • Fleeing a Crime Scene: If a person is fleeing from a crime scene and the officer has probable cause to believe they committed the crime, they can be arrested without a warrant.
  • Escaping from Custody: If a person has escaped or is attempting to escape from lawful custody, they can be arrested without a warrant.
  • Violation of Probation or Parole: If a person is on probation or parole and violates the terms of their release, they can be arrested without a warrant.
  • Court Order or Summons Violation: If a person fails to comply with a court order or a summons, they can be arrested without a warrant.
  • Threat to Public Safety: If there is an immediate threat to public safety or if delaying the arrest to obtain a warrant would result in the destruction of evidence or the escape of the suspect, an arrest without a warrant may be justified.

About Invar Missile:

• It is an anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) designed to be launched from tank platforms.
• The Invar missile, capable of being fired from the barrel of T-90 tanks, has been in active deployment by Indian forces and is known for its long-range precision strike capability.
• The missile can neutralise adversaries tanks fitted with Explosive Reactive Armour Protection.
• The Invar missile is built by Rosoboronexport of Russia, and it is produced under license in India by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL).
• Features:
  • The missile is of semi-automatic control system, laser beam riding, and jamming immune.
  • Equipped with a tandem warhead.
  • Can destroy stationary and moving targets with speeds up to 70 kmph.
  • Has a high hit and kill probability.
  • Length : 695 mm (missile), 395 mm (throwing device)
  • Caliber : 125 mm
  • Range : 5 km
  • Flight time : 17.6 sec
  • Weight : 17.2kg (missile), 7.1kg (throwing device).

About Mt. Khangchendzonga:

• Khangchendzonga (also known as Kanchenjunga) is the highest peak in India and the third-highest peak in the world after Mount Everest (Chomolongma) in Nepal and K2 in Pakistan.
• It is situated in the eastern Himalayas on the border between Sikkim state, northeastern India, and eastern Nepal, 74 km north-northwest of Darjeeling, Sikkim.
• It has an elevation of 28,169 feet (8,586 metres).
• It is part of the Great Himalaya Range.
• The name Khangchendzonga has been variously translated as “Five Treasuries (or Strongboxes) of the Great Snow” or “Great Five-Peaked Fortress of Snow.”, a reference to its five separate summits.
• Kanchenjunga has four ridges extending north, east, south, and west. Between them are four glaciers: the Zemu (northeast), the Talung (southeast), the Yalung (southwest), and the Kanchenjunga (northwest).
• The mountain and its glaciers receive heavy snow during the summer monsoon season and a lighter snowfall during the winter.
• To the east, Khangchendzonga National Park in Sikkim is a mountain wilderness with a wide variety of animal species.
• Charles Evans in 1955 led a British expedition up the southwest face in the first successful ascent of Kanchenjunga.

About Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) scheme:

• It was introduced through an amendment to the Foreign Trade Policy 2015-20, and it became effective for exports starting January 1, 2021.
• The primary aim of this scheme is to offset the taxes and duties incurred on exported goods that wouldn't otherwise be credited, reimbursed, or refunded in any way, and are integrated into the exported goods.
• It is designed to reimburse exporters for embedded duties, taxes, and levies that are not otherwise refunded under any other existing scheme.
• It is compliant with World Trade Organization (WTO) norms and is implemented via a comprehensive end-to-end digital platform to ensure transparency and efficiency.
• It was enforced to repeal and reduce taxes on exported products, thereby encouraging exports and increasing the number of exports in the country.
• The scheme will be administered by the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance.
• It replaced the Merchandise Export Incentive Scheme (MEIS), in response to the US challenging Indian export subsidies under the MEIS at the WTO. 
• Tax reimbursement under RoDTEP Scheme:
  • The Scheme provides a mechanism for reimbursement of taxes, duties, and levies, which are currently not being refunded under any other mechanism at the central, state, and local levels, but which are incurred by the export entities in the process of manufacture and distribution of exported products.
  • This not only includes the direct cost incurred by the exporter but also the prior stage cumulative indirect taxes on goods.
• RoDTEP Scheme Eligibility Criteria:
  • It applies to all the sectors involved in the export of goods, irrespective of their turnover, provided the country of manufacturing of the exported goods should be in India.
  • Such an exporter may either be a merchant or a manufacturer exporter. However, such goods should have been directly exported by such a person.
  • Labor-intensive sectors that enjoy benefits under the MEIS Scheme will be given a priority.
  • Special Economic Zone Units and Export-Oriented Units are also eligible to claim the benefits under this scheme.
  • Goods exported through e-commerce platforms are also eligible under this scheme.
  • Re-exported products are not eligibleunder this scheme.
• Process of Refund:
  • Rebate under the scheme is provided to eligible exporters as a percentage of the freight on board (FOB) value of exports.
  • Remission is issued in the form of transferable e-scrips(a type of certificate with some monetary value) maintained in an electronic credit ledger by the CBIC (Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs).
  • e-scripscan be used for paying basic customs duty on the import of goods or may be transferred electronically to another party.

About Bow Echo:

• A bow echo is essentially a line of storms, also called a squall line, on the radar that looks like a bow. Note that this squall line can sometimes be embedded in a larger squall line.
• A bow echo can extend from 20 km to 100 km, and last between three and six hours.
• The term was coined in the 1970s by Ted Fujita, a Japanese American meteorologist known for developing the scale to classify tornadoes.

How does a bow echo form?

• When rain-cooled air comes down to the ground, and spreads out horizontally. As this happens, a boundary called the gust front is created between the rain-cooled air and warm-moist air on the surface.
• This front pushes up the warm-moist air into the atmosphere, which forms new thunderstorms.
• These new thunderstorms produce more rain, thereby creating more rain-cooled air, which helps the gust front to maintain its strength.
• As this process keeps repeating itself, there comes a point when there is an inflow of air on the trailing side of the line of storms and bends it like an archer’s bow.
• The cycle lasts as long as new thunderstorms keep forming at the front, helping the system grow and move forward with strong winds.
• Bow echoes are not a new phenomenon. In 2022, a bow echo was formed over Delhi and Noida. However, it was short-lived, lasting for an hour, and produced winds of up to 100 kmph.

About Gond Painting

• It is a famous folk art of the Gond tribal community of Central India.
• It originated among the Gond tribe in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.
• Themes: It features nature, forests, vibrant animals, sun, moon, and stars. Includes mythological stories of deities like Bhima and Parvati, along with mythical creatures like the Shachi bird.
• Artists use natural materials like charcoal, colored soil, and plant sap. Applied on mud walls, cloth, or paper using twigs and leaves.
• Each Gond artist uses his distinctive pattern and style to fill the images these style signatures are used in collage to make a complete picture such as Dots, fine Lines, Curved Lines, Dashes Fish Scales etc.

About Madhubani Painting:

• It originated in the Mithila region of Bihar and was traditionally created by women.
• Themes: Depicts Hindu mythology, Ramayana, and daily life in India.
• Often depicts deities like Krishna, Durga and Saraswati. Includes festival scenes like Holi and Tussar. Carries symbolic messages related to fertility, good luck, and auspiciousness.
• It was historically done on mud walls and cloth; now found on paper and canvas.
• Artists often use natural pigments like turmeric, lamp black, and cow dung. Features precise linework, double outlining, and intricate geometric patterns.

About Ker Sangri:

• It is a Rajasthani delicacy made using sangri pods sourced from hardy khejri trees and Ker berries that grow on Ker trees. Both these ingredients are native to the arid regions of the Thar Desert.
• Preparation of Ker Sangri
  • Preparing Ker Sangri is a careful and slow process.
  • The Ker berries taste bitter when raw but become delicious after being soaked, boiled, and cooked with Sangri, curd, red chillies, and spices. The final dish is tangy, spicy and full of earthy flavour.
• Ker Sangri is not just tasty but also healthy. It is high in fibre, low in fat and rich in nutrients. People in Rajasthan usually eat it with bajra roti and ghee, making it a filling and balanced meal.
• The Sangri bean grows on the Khejri tree, which is sacred in Rajasthan. The Bishnoi community has protected this tree for hundreds of years and considers it a symbol of life.

Key facts about the Geographical Indication (GI) tag

• It is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.
• This is typically used for agricultural products, foodstuffs, wine and spirit drinks, handicrafts and industrial products.
• The Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, seeks to provide for the registration and better protection of geographical indications relating to goods in India.
• This GI tag is valid for 10 years, following which it can be renewed.

About Dugong:

• Dugongs (Dugong dugon) are the only herbivorous mammals found in India’s marine ecosystems.
• Appearance: It is known as the sea cow, but resembles a cross between a seal and a whale, and is distributed through the Indo-Pacific region.   
• Distribution: They are found along the Indian coastline, primarily inhabiting warm waters around the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Gulf of Mannar, Palk Bay, and the Gulf of Kutch. The dugong is a long-lived species, able to live up to 70 years.
• Habitat: Due to their dependence on seagrass beds for habitat and food, dugongs are restricted to shallow waters, where they spend the day feeding on seagrasses of the genera Cymodocea, Halophila, Thalassia, and Halodule.
• Reproduction:
  • Individuals reach reproductive maturity after only nine or ten years and can give birth at intervals of around three to five years.
  • Due to its slow reproductive cycle, extended time to maturity, and infrequent calving, a dugong population’s maximum potential growth rate is estimated to be just about 5% per year.
• Conservation status
  • IUCN: Vulnerable
  • CITES: Appendix I
  • Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Schedule I
  • Threats: The threats they face worldwide include rapidly declining populations and the ongoing degradation of their seagrass habitats.