Officers IAS Academy - Study Group

Glaw Lake has been designated as India's 101st Ramsar Site, becoming the first Ramsar Site in Arunachal Pradesh. The announcement was made by the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Ramsar designation recognizes the lake as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention, 1971, promoting its conservation and wise use. Important for UPSC: Ramsar Convention, Wetland Conservation, Eastern Himalayas, Kamlang Tiger Reserve, Biodiversity, and Environmental Governance.

Nvidia- a major semiconductor company has partnered with Microsoft to launch a new chip, called the Nvidia RTX Spark to power computers made by the likes of Dell, Asus, and HP. The chip combines a 20-core NVIDIA Grace CPU (co-developed with MediaTek) and a Blackwell RTX GPU with up to 6,144 CUDA cores, delivering up to 1 petaflop of AI performance. Important for UPSC: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Semiconductors, High-Performance Computing (HPC), On-device AI, Digital Technologies, and Emerging Technologies.

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The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 amends the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 to strengthen safeguards against examination malpractices and improve the integrity of public recruitment examinations. The amendment strengthens coordination with Central and State investigating agencies to tackle paper leaks, impersonation, cyber-enabled cheating, and organized examination-related crimes. Important for UPSC: Governance, Public Examinations, Anti-Cheating Laws, Recruitment Reforms, Cybercrime, and Administrative Reforms.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched India’s first dedicated Department of Military Medicine, marking a significant step in strengthening defence healthcare, medical research, and operational medical support. The department supports India’s vision of building self-reliance in defence healthcare, improving operational readiness, and adopting cutting-edge medical technologies. Important for UPSC: Defence Healthcare, Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS), Military Medicine, Disaster Management, Defence Modernisation, and Medical Research.

Answer: (B) Relationship 1 is Correct: Statement I states the objective of PM E-DRIVE, namely promoting electric mobility through incentives and supporting infrastructure. Statement II explains the coverage of the scheme, including different categories of electric vehicles and charging infrastructure. Therefore, Statement II represents the operational reach through which the objective in Statement I is implemented. Relationship 2 is Correct: Statement III connects PM E-DRIVE with sustainable urban transport, Atmanirbhar Bharat, and Viksit Bharat 2047. These are broader developmental and sustainability goals. Hence, Statement III extends the significance of Statement I beyond the immediate objective of EV adoption. Relationship 3 is Correct: Statement I focuses on the immediate policy instruments of the scheme, such as demand incentives and infrastructure support. Statement III highlights the wider long-term outcomes that the scheme is expected to contribute to, including sustainability and national development. Since Statement III expands the scope rather than contradicting Statement I, the relationship is considered correct. Therefore, option D is the correct answer

Consider the following statements with reference to the PM E-DRIVE Scheme of the Government of India: I. PM E-DRIVE promotes the adoption of electric mobility through demand incentives and supporting infrastructure. II. The scheme covers different categories of electric vehicles along with supporting charging infrastructure. III. PM E-DRIVE supports sustainable urban transport and the broader vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat 2047. Which of the following relationships among the above statements is/are correct? 1. Statement II shows the coverage through which the objective stated in Statement I is implemented. 2. Statement III broadens the significance of Statement I by linking electric mobility with sustainability and national development goals. 3. Statement I focuses on immediate implementation measures, whereas Statement III highlights broader long-term developmental outcomes associated with the scheme.

Answer: (A) ● PM-KUSUM (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan) was launched in 2019 by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). It aims to provide energy and water security to farmers, increase farmers’ income, reduce diesel dependence and promote renewable energy. Hence Statement 1 is correct. ● Under Component A, the scheme promotes setting up of decentralised renewable energy power plants on barren/fallow land by: ○ Individual farmers ○ Groups of farmers ○ Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) ○ Cooperatives ○ Panchayats. The electricity generated can be sold to DISCOMs. Hence Statement 2 is correct. ● PM-KUSUM has three components: ○ Component A: Setting up of decentralised grid-connected solar/renewable energy power plants on barren/fallow land. ○ Component B: Installation of standalone solar agriculture pumps for farmers in off-grid areas. ○ Component C: Solarisation of grid-connected agriculture pumps to help farmers use solar energy for irrigation and sell surplus power to DISCOMs. Hence Statement 3 is correct. Therefore , option A is the correct answer.

Consider the following statements with reference to the PM-KUSUM Scheme: 1. The PM-KUSUM Scheme was launched in 2019 by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) to provide energy and water security to farmers, enhance their income and reduce dependence on diesel in agriculture. 2. The scheme allows renewable energy plants on barren/fallow land by farmers, FPOs, cooperatives and Panchayats. 3. The scheme covers standalone solar pumps and solarisation of grid-connected agriculture pumps.

Answer: (D) Inference 1 is correct: Statement 1 defines an NPA as an account overdue for more than 90 days. Therefore, a temporary delay (e.g., a short delay of 15 or 30 days) is within the grace window and does not automatically trigger NPA classification. Inference 2 is correct: Statement 2 notes that the SARFAESI Act, 2002 allows secured creditors to enforce security interests without first obtaining a court decree. By bypassing long judicial/court proceedings, this legal framework directly aims to reduce delays in recovering secured loans. Inference 3 is correct: Statement 3 mentions that banks categorize NPAs into three distinct classes (Substandard, Doubtful, and Loss Assets) based on default duration and severity. Categorizing assets based on how long or severely they have defaulted directly allows banks to distinguish between differing levels of credit risk and provisioning requirements. Since all three inferences logically follow from the given statements, 1, 2 and 3 is the correct option. Therefore, option D is the correct answer.

Consider the following statements about Non-Performing Assets (NPAs): I. A loan account is classified as a Non-Performing Asset (NPA) if the interest and/or principal remains overdue for more than 90 days. II. The SARFAESI Act, 2002 empowers secured creditors to enforce security interests without first obtaining a court decree. III. Banks classify NPAs into Substandard Assets, Doubtful Assets, and Loss Assets based on the duration and severity of default. Which of the following inferences can be drawn from the above statements? 1. A temporary payment delay does not automatically result in an asset being classified as an NPA. 2. The legal framework governing NPAs seeks to reduce delays in the recovery of secured loans. 3. Classification of NPAs enables banks to distinguish between assets with varying degrees of credit risk.

Mission Senehjori aims to strengthen the entire Muga silk value chain—from host plant cultivation and silkworm rearing to reeling, weaving, branding, digital traceability, exports, and tourism. The mission seeks to increase the incomes of Muga rearers and weavers, generate sustainable livelihoods, preserve Assam's traditional silk heritage, and boost exports. Important for UPSC: Muga Silk, GI Tags, Sericulture, North East Development, Rural Livelihoods, Textile Sector, and Atmanirbhar Bharat.