Why in News?

Recently, At Gangaramaya Temple in Sri Lanka, SAMHiTA Project launched to strengthen Indo-Sri Lanka cultural relation, specially to emphasise shared buddhist heritage.

Note: This initiative pays attention to create a relational database and digital archive of Indian and broadly South Asian manuscripts housed in libraries, archives and repositories outside India — through collaboration with institutional partners worldwide.

Important Facts

1. Here, SAMHiTA stands for South Asian Manuscript Histories and Textual Archive.

2. It aims to digitise ancient manuscripts and preserve their historical, religious and cultural knowledge for future generations.

3. India International Centre, New Delhi is playing important role for this project.

4. Gangaramaya Temple has become the first institution in Sri Lanka to partner with the project.

Why in News?

According to the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2026, India ranked 100th out of 122 countries, while Pakistan ranked 106th. The report highlights persistent nutritional challenges in India, particularly child stunting and wasting.

About the Global Hunger Index

• Released by: Jointly published by Welthungerhilfe (Germany) and Concern Worldwide (Ireland), in collaboration with partner institutions.

• Frequency: The index is published annually, not once every six years.

• Objective: Measures and tracks hunger and undernutrition across countries.

Four Indicators Used in GHI

1. Undernourishment: Share of the population unable to obtain sufficient dietary energy.

2. Child Stunting: Children under five with low height for their age, indicating chronic undernutrition.

3. Child Wasting: Children under five with low weight for their height, indicating acute undernutrition.

4. Child Mortality: Mortality rate among children below five years of age.

Global and Regional Comparison

• South Asia: GHI score of 23.5.

• World: GHI score of 18.1.

• South Asia's higher score indicates a greater hunger burden compared with the global average.

There is no single country that holds the absolute first rank. Instead, 24 countries are collectively tied for the first rank (Rank 1–24) because they all achieved the lowest possible hunger tier with individual scores below 5.0.

Armenia, Belarus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Paraguay, Romania, the Russian Federation, Serbia, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, and Uzbekistan

The last 122nd rank is given to Sudan.

SDG 2: Zero Hunger by 2030

The Global Hunger Index 2026 is a wake-up call for India. Despite being a food surplus, India still faces hidden hunger—malnutrition, stunting, wasting, and micronutrient deficiency. Achieving SDG 2: Zero Hunger by 2030 needs more than just grain distribution.

Why in News ?

1. Every year, 24th October is observed as World Polio Day.

2. This year's theme : One Day. One Focus: Ending Polio"

Important Facts

1. Rotary International, the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) organise the day every year.

2. India was certified polio-free by the WHO in 2014, having recorded its last wild polio case in 2011.

3. Polio (poliomyelitis) is caused by the poliovirus, an enterovirus from the Picornaviridae family.

4. There is no cure for polio once contracted; This disease mainly affects children under five years of age. It attacks the nervous system and can cause permanent paralysis

5. The polio vaccine is the only effective defense.

The major causes and risk factors include:

1. Contaminated water

2. Contaminated food

3. Poor sanitation

4. Poor personal hygiene

5. Lack of vaccination

Why in News?

Recently, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh has inaugurated the Integrated Atmospheric Chemistry and Aerosol Toxicity Analysis Laboratory (AATAL) under The Ministry of Earth Sciences at the Delhi branch of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM). The facility has been established to identify the real-time sources, chemical composition, and potential health impacts of air pollution in Delhi-NCR.

Note: Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh holds different portfolios, such as Ministry of Science and Technology: Minister of State (Independent Charge) and Ministry of Earth Sciences: Minister of State (Independent Charge), as well.

Key Features

• Source Identification: Identifies major pollution sources, including vehicular emissions, industries, crop-residue burning, construction activities, and road dust.

• Chemical Analysis: Analyzes PM2.5, metals, toxic elements, and other atmospheric pollutants to understand their composition and potential health effects.

• Real-Time Monitoring: Goes beyond AQI measurements to identify what is polluting the air and where it is coming from.

• AIRWISE Integration: Integrated with IITM's AIRWISE (Air Quality Warning and Integrated Decision Support System for Emissions) to strengthen air-quality forecasting and source identification.

• Forecasting Capability: AIRWISE provides air-quality forecasts at a spatial resolution of 400 meters for the next 72 hours.

• Policy Support: Provides scientific data to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and other agencies to plan targeted pollution-control measures and assess their effectiveness.

चर्चा में क्यों?

1. प्रोफेसर अशोक सेन को ऑस्कर क्लेन मेडल 2026 देने कि घोषणा की गई है.

2. यह सम्मान पाने वाले वह पहले भारतीय भौतिक विज्ञानी हैं।

3. श्री सेन की सैद्धांतिक भौतिकी (Theoretical Physics) में विशेषज्ञता है.

4. इनका जुड़ाव इंटरनेशनल सेंटर फॉर थियोरेटिकल साइंसेज (ICTS), बेंगलुरु से है.

5. इन्होंने स्ट्रिंग थ्योरी, S-duality, ब्लैक होल एंट्रॉपी की गणना और स्ट्रिंग फील्ड थ्योरी के क्षेत्र में महत्त्वपूर्ण योगदान दिया है.

6. अशोक सेन को यह सम्मान उनके उन शोध कार्यों के लिए दिया गया है, जिन्होंने आधुनिक स्ट्रिंग थ्योरी को विकसित करने और गुरुत्वाकर्षण, क्वांटम भौतिकी तथा ब्लैक होल से जुड़े मूलभूत प्रश्नों को समझने में महत्त्वपूर्ण योगदान दिया है।

ऑस्कर क्लेन मेडल क्या है?

1. स्वीडिश सैद्धांतिक भौतिक विज्ञानी ऑस्कर क्लेन के नाम पर इस मेडल का नाम पड़ा.

2. स्टॉकहोम विश्वविद्यालय तथा रॉयल स्वीडिश एकेडमी ऑफ साइंसेज की नोबेल समिति फॉर फिजिक्स मिलकर यह पुरस्कार प्रदान करते हैं.

स्ट्रिंग थ्योरी (String Theory)

यह आधुनिक सैद्धांतिक भौतिकी का एक ऐसा विचार है, जिसके अनुसार प्रकृति के सबसे सूक्ष्म स्तर पर मौलिक कणों को बिंदु जैसे कणों के बजाय अत्यंत सूक्ष्म, कंपन करने वाली स्ट्रिंग (तार जैसी संरचना) के रूप में समझा जा सकता है।

Why in News?

1. Om Prakash Mathur was sworn in as the 29th Governor of Keralam at Lok Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram.

2. Keralam High Court Chief Justice Soumen Sen administered the oath of office.

Key Highlights

Predecessor: Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, who was transferred to Tamil Nadu.

Constitutional Role: According to Art. 154(1) The executive power of the State shall be vested in the Governor and shall be exercised by him either directly or through officers subordinate to him in accordance with this Constitution.

Legislative Powers: The Governor can summon and prorogue the State Legislature and grant assent to bills, in accordance with the Constitution.

Significance

The appointment marks a transition in Keralam’s gubernatorial office. The Governor plays an important constitutional role in state governance, legislative proceedings and the functioning of democratic institutions.

Why in News?

India’s first Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India (SPAI) estimated 718 snow leopards across the Indian Himalayas, according to Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Kirti Vardhan Singh.

Key Highlights

Total Population: 718 snow leopards across the Indian Himalayan region.

Ladakh: Recorded the highest number, with 477 snow leopards.

Common Name: Popularly known as the “Ghost of the Mountains.”

Conservation Measures: Schedule I under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972; World Wild Life Status: Vulnerable

International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA): India extended privileges and immunities to the IBCA, its representatives and officials under the United Nations (Privileges and Immunities) Act, 1947.

Significance

The SPAI assessment provides an important baseline for snow leopard conservation and habitat management in India. Meanwhile, the recognition granted to IBCA strengthens international cooperation for protecting big cats and their ecosystems.

Why in News?

1. Scientists at the CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB), Hyderabad, have discovered a protein called DZIP3.

2. This protein detects viral RNA and activates the body's immune response against viral infections.

Key Highlights

DZIP3 Protein: Acts as both a viral RNA sensor and an activator of the cell's antiviral immune defence.

Mechanism: After detecting viral RNA, DZIP3 changes its shape and moves to the mitochondria, where it activates key immune defence proteins.

Type-I Interferons: The pathway triggers the production of Type-I interferons, signalling molecules that help inhibit viral multiplication.

Viruses Studied: The research demonstrated protection against several viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, Chikungunya and Japanese Encephalitis.

Significance

The discovery improves scientific understanding of how human cells recognise viral infections and activate early immune defences. Targeting DZIP3 could potentially support the development of broad-spectrum antiviral therapies against multiple viral diseases.

Why in News?

The bilateral naval exercise INDRA 2026 between the Indian Navy and the Russian Federation Navy (RuFN) concluded successfully. Indian Naval Ship INS Sahyadri departed Vladivostok, Russia, on 20 October 2026 following the exercise.

Key Highlights

• Participating Navies: Indian Navy and Russian Federation Navy.

• Location: Vladivostok, Russian Federation.

• Two Phases: The exercise comprised the Harbour Phase and the Sea Phase.

• Harbour Phase: Included senior-level interactions, cross-deck visits, expert exchanges, operational coordination activities, sports and cultural events.

• Sea Phase: Featured coordinated manoeuvring, integrated communications, helicopter operations and medical evacuation drills.

• Operational Cooperation: The exercise enhanced communication, coordination and interoperability between the two navies.

Significance

INDRA 2026 reinforces the longstanding defence and maritime partnership between India and Russia. The exercise promotes naval interoperability, professional cooperation and mutual understanding while contributing to maritime security and a stable maritime environment.

Why in News?

The Indian Navy’s INS Trishul concluded its port call at Lisbon, Portugal, on 21 October aimed at strengthening maritime cooperation and operational coordination between the Indian and Portuguese navies.

Key Highlights

Professional Engagement: The visit facilitated knowledge-sharing and the exchange of best practices between the two navies.

Diplomatic Engagement: India’s Ambassador to Portugal visited the ship and interacted with its officers and crew.

Cultural Exchange: An onboard event brought together Portuguese and Brazilian naval officers, diplomats, members of the Indian diaspora and other dignitaries.

Overseas Deployment: The port call formed part of INS Trishul’s overseas deployment, promoting professional engagement and friendly relations with maritime partners.

Significance

The visit reinforces India–Portugal maritime relations through naval diplomacy, professional cooperation and cultural exchange.

Why in News?

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the corporate office of Sagar Mala Finance Corporation Limited (SMFCL) at the Institute for Studies in Industrial Development (ISID), New Delhi.

What is Sagarmala Finance Corporation Limited (SMFCL)?

• SMFCL is India's first dedicated Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) in the maritime sector.

• SMFCL is a specialized financial institution established to provide long-term financial support to India's maritime sector.

• It aims to strengthen maritime infrastructure, promote shipbuilding, and support port-led economic development.

India's Maritime Vision 2047: SMFCL plays an important role in achieving the objectives of the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, which aims to transform India into a leading global maritime nation.

The initiative focuses on developing world-class ports, strengthening shipbuilding, improving coastal connectivity, and increasing India's participation in global maritime trade.

About NBFCs

• Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) are financial institutions that offer many banking-like services, but they are not banks.

• They are registered under the Companies Act, 1956/2013, and are mainly regulated by the RBI. While banks are the core of India's formal financial system, NBFCs have become important for giving credit to underserved sectors, offering niche financial products and promoting financial inclusion, especially for people and areas not fully served by traditional banks.

• The deposit insurance facility of the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC) is not available to the depositors of deposit-taking NBFCs.

UPSC Prelims 2026 Question:

Consider the following statements about the Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) in India:

1. NBFCs cannot accept demand deposits. 

1. All the NBFCs operating in India have to be registered with the RBI. 

2. NBFCs form part of the payment and settlement system and can issue a check drawn on themselves.

3. The deposit insurance facility of the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC) is not available to the depositors of deposit-taking NBFCs.  

Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 

a. 1 and 4 

b. 1, 2, and 3 

c. 4 only 

d. 2, 3, and 4

Why in News?

The 7th Agrivoltaics World Conference 2026 was recently held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on the theme "Powering the Global South." This is the first time the conference has been hosted in the Global South, and India is the first country in the region to host it.

Agrivoltaics: It means using the same land for both farming and solar power generation, so agriculture and electricity production happen together.

Organizer: Hosted by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), with support from Germany’s BMUV Ministry, in partnership with Conexio-PSE.

Objective: To increase farmers' income, use land more efficiently, promote clean energy, and make agriculture more climate resilient.

Startup Innovation: The Agrivoltaics Pitch Hub gave startups a platform to showcase their technologies and connect with investors.

Knowledge Resources: India Agrivoltaics Alliance's Decision-Making Tool, IWMI's Book of Abstracts, and MNRE's AgriPV Policy Handbook were released.

Annadatas to Urjadatas: It aims to turn farmers from only food providers (Annadatas) into clean energy producers (Urjadatas), creating extra income.

PM-KUSUM Linkage: The government plans to launch a major agrivoltaics program under the next phase of PM-KUSUM so farmers can generate solar power along with farming.

India's Potential: India's agrivoltaic potential is estimated at 3,000 GW to nearly 14,000 GW, with Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, MP, Karnataka, and UP as high-potential states.

चर्चा में क्यों है FSDC?

1. हाल ही में भारत की वित्त मंत्री निर्मला सीतारमण ने वित्तीय स्थिरता एवं विकास परिषद (Financial Stability and Development Council—FSDC) की 30वीं बैठक की अध्यक्षता की। इस बैठक में भारतीय रिजर्व बैंक (RBI) के गवर्नर तथा अन्य वित्तीय नियामकों के प्रतिनिधियों ने हिस्सा लिया।

2. बैठक में वैश्विक और घरेलू आर्थिक परिस्थितियों से उत्पन्न जोखिमों की समीक्षा की गई।

वर्तमान वैश्विक आर्थिक व्यवस्था में कई कारक भारत की वित्तीय स्थिरता को प्रभावित कर सकते हैं:

• भू-राजनीतिक तनाव और अंतरराष्ट्रीय संघर्ष।

• वैश्विक ब्याज दरों में बदलाव।

• अंतरराष्ट्रीय बॉन्ड यील्ड में वृद्धि।

• वित्तीय बाजारों में अस्थिरता।

• AI से जुड़े नए आर्थिक और वित्तीय जोखिम।

नोट: अंतरराष्ट्रीय बॉन्ड यील्ड में वृद्धि के सन्दर्भ में माना जाए कि यदि अमेरिकी बॉन्ड की यील्ड बढ़ जाती है तो ऐसी स्थिति में कुछ विदेशी निवेशक भारत जैसे उभरते बाजारों से पैसा निकालकर अमेरिकी बॉन्ड में निवेश करना अधिक आकर्षक समझ सकते हैं। बॉन्ड यील्ड का अर्थ होता है बॉन्ड की मौजूदा बाजार कीमत के मुकाबले उससे मिलने वाला प्रतिफल।

FSDC क्या है?

FSDC का पूरा नाम Financial Stability and Development Council है। हिंदी में इसे वित्तीय स्थिरता एवं विकास परिषद कहा जाता है।

यह भारत सरकार की एक शीर्ष-स्तरीय संस्था है, जिसका उद्देश्य देश की वित्तीय प्रणाली को स्थिर बनाए रखना, वित्तीय क्षेत्र के विकास को बढ़ावा देना तथा विभिन्न वित्तीय नियामकों के बीच समन्वय स्थापित करना है।

FSDC की स्थापना

• स्थापना: दिसंबर 2010

• अध्यक्ष: केंद्रीय वित्त मंत्री

• प्रमुख उद्देश्य: वित्तीय स्थिरता और वित्तीय क्षेत्र के नियमन में समन्वय

• प्रशासनिक सहयोग: वित्त मंत्रालय का आर्थिक कार्य विभाग (Department of Economic Affairs—DEA)

अभ्यास प्रश्न

'फाइनेंशियल स्टेबिलिटी एंड डेवलपमेंट काउंसिल' के संदर्भ में, निम्नलिखित कथनों पर विचार करें:

1. यह नीति आयोग का एक अंग है। 

2. संघ का वित्त मंत्री इसका प्रमुख होता है।

3. यह अर्थव्यवस्था के समष्टि सविवेक (मैक्रो प्रूडेंशियल) पर्यवेक्षण का अनुवीक्षण करता है।

ऊपर दिए गए कथनों में से कौन सा/से सही है/हैं?

a. केवल 1 और 2

b. केवल 3

c. केवल 2 और 3

d. 1, 2 और 3 (IAS Pre 2016)

चर्चा में क्यों?

1. सरकार नागरिकों और विदेशी नागरिकों के ड्राइविंग लाइसेंस को अलग-अलग रंगों में जारी करने की योजना पर विचार कर रही है।

2. इसके लिए सड़क परिवहन और राजमार्ग मंत्रालय (MoRTH) ने मोटर वाहन नियमों में संशोधन का मसौदा तैयार किया है। ये बदलाव केवल रंग बदलने तक सीमित नहीं हैं, बल्कि लाइसेंस जारी करने की प्रक्रिया, सड़क सुरक्षा और दस्तावेजों के सत्यापन से भी जुड़े हैं।

3. लाइसेंसिंग प्राधिकरण द्वारा जारी या renew किया गया प्रत्येक ड्राइविंग लाइसेंस फॉर्म 7 में लैमिनेटेड या पॉलीविनाइल क्लोराइड (पीवीसी) कार्ड के रूप में होगा

उद्देश्य

1. ड्राइविंग लाइसेंस को आसानी से पहचानने योग्य बनाना, ताकि लाइसेंसधारक की श्रेणी की पहचान करने में मदद मिल सके।

2. भारतीय और विदेशी लाइसेंसधारकों की आसानी से पहचान करना।

3. लाइसेंस पर नागरिकता संबंधी जानकारी दर्ज करना।

4. लाइसेंस की जाँच और सत्यापन को आसान बनाना।

प्रस्ताव के अनुसार, ड्राइविंग लाइसेंस पर निम्नलिखित जानकारियाँ दर्ज करना अनिवार्य किया जा सकता है:

1. रक्त समूह (Blood Group)।

2. मोबाइल नंबर।

3. आपातकालीन संपर्क नंबर (Emergency Contact Number)।

4. नागरिकता संबंधी जानकारी।

उम्र और पते के प्रमाण के नियमों में बदलाव

ड्राइविंग लाइसेंस बनवाने के लिए आवेदक को अपनी पहचान, उम्र और पते से संबंधित दस्तावेज देने पड़ते हैं।

सरकार ने दस्तावेजों के सत्यापन को मजबूत बनाने के लिए कुछ बदलाव प्रस्तावित किए हैं।

इनमें प्रमुख हैं:

• पहचान, उम्र और पते के प्रमाण के लिए स्वीकार्य दस्तावेजों की सूची में बदलाव।

• कार्यपालक मजिस्ट्रेट या नोटरी के समक्ष शपथ लेकर बनाए गए हलफनामों को उम्र और पते के प्रमाण के रूप में स्वीकार करने की मौजूदा व्यवस्था को समाप्त करने का प्रस्ताव।

• जीवन बीमा पॉलिसी को उम्र और पते के प्रमाण के रूप में स्वीकार करने की व्यवस्था में बदलाव।