New MoD Guidelines for Armed Forces Publications

• The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is creating new guidelines for book publications by armed forces personnel, incorporating provisions of the Official Secrets Act (OSA), 1923.
• The move follows controversy over former Army Chief M. M. Naravane’s unpublished memoir, which discloses sensitive military information.

About Official Secrets Act (OSA), 1923

• The Act is a colonial-era legislation originally enacted to suppress nationalist newspapers and dissent.
• It traces back to the Indian Official Secrets Act of 1889, which was strengthened in 1904 under Lord Curzon and consolidated in 1923.
• Objective: To protect India’s sovereignty, defence, and intelligence infrastructure by penalising espionage and unauthorised possession of classified information.
• Scope: The Act applies to all Indian citizens, including government officials, whether within or outside India, and holds company executives liable.

Key Legal Provisions of the Act

• Espionage Offence: Section 3 criminalises approaching prohibited places or collecting information useful to an enemy (up to 14 years’ imprisonment).
• Prohibited Places include restricted areas like defence establishments, arsenals, and notified infrastructure (e.g., specific railway stations or ports).
• Evidence Standard: Section 4 treats communication with a foreign agent as evidence of prejudicial action towards the State; one is presumed to have communicated if they have their name or address.
• Wrongful Communication: Section 5 punishes unauthorised sharing or retention of official codes and documents (up to 3 years).
• Harbouring Spies: Section 10 penalises knowingly sheltering anyone who commits an espionage offence under Section 3.
• Search Powers: Section 11 empowers a Magistrate to issue search warrants based on reasonable grounds of suspicion of an offence.
• Cognizable Nature: Section 12 allows the police to arrest without a warrant for most offences.

Rashtriya Karmayogi Large Scale Jan Seva Programme

• The Rashtriya Karmayogi Large Scale Jan Seva Programme (Phase-II) concluded under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
• It is a national behavioural transformation initiative by the Capacity Building Commission (CBC), conducted under the broader umbrella of Mission Karmayogi.
• Objective: To instil ‘Seva Bhav’ and ‘Svadharma’ among officials, shifting from a “rule-based” to a “role-based” and “purpose-driven” approach.
• Implementation: Phase I (Jan 2025) covered officials in Delhi NCR, while Phase II (Apr 2025–Feb 2026) expanded nationwide to organisations under Central Ministries.
• Scale: It has successfully trained approximately 10.5 lakh government servants nationwide.
• Significance: This high-impact initiative improves the quality of service delivery, enhances responsiveness, and accelerates the vision for Viksit Bharat 2047.

About Mission Karmayogi

• Mission Karmayogi, officially known as the National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building, was launched in 2020 to create a future-ready workforce.
• Objective: To make civil servants more creative, proactive, innovative, and technology-enabled to deliver citizen-centric governance.
• Digital Infrastructure: The mission utilises the iGOT Karmayogi platform to enable officials to learn “anytime, anywhere, on any device”.
• Competency Framework: It employs the ‘Framework of Roles, Activities, and Competencies (FRAC)’ to map specific roles to required competencies.
• Institutional Structure: Includes the PM’s Public Human Resources Council (apex body), CBC (executive body), Karmayogi Bharat SPV (manages the iGOT platform), and a Coordination Unit.
• Key Achievements: The iGOT Karmayogi platform currently hosts over 1.49 crore registered users and over 7.26 crore course completions.
• Key Achievements: The iGOT Karmayogi platform currently hosts over 1.49 crore registered users and over 7.26 crore course completions.

Scenarios Towards Viksit Bharat and Net Zero

• NITI Aayog’s “Scenarios Towards Viksit Bharat & Net Zero study” highlights that India can simultaneously achieve developed-economy status by 2047 and net-zero emissions by 2070.

Core Strategy for Viksit Bharat and Net-Zero

1. Viksit Bharat @ 2047

• High Growth Requirement: Sustained real GDP growth of ~7–8% is essential to transition into a high-income, developed economy status by 2047.
• Infrastructure Expansion Window: Nearly 85% of India’s 2047 infrastructure is yet to be built, offering a rare opportunity for efficient, low-carbon urbanisation.
• Demographic Dividend Use: Productive absorption of India’s large working-age population remains critical to income expansion, productivity, and fiscal stability.

2. Net-Zero Emissions @ 2070

• Electrification Backbone: Deep electrification across sectors is the single largest driver of long-term emissions reduction under the net-zero pathway.
• Massive Investment Need: Achieving net-zero requires about $22.7 trillion, implying one of the world’s largest long-term climate capital mobilisation efforts.
• Energy System Transformation: Scaling renewables to 6,500–7,000 GW fundamentally reshapes India’s power mix, storage needs, and grid architecture.

Key Challenges Faced by India

• Critical Minerals Dependence: Clean energy technologies could increase India’s lithium demand by over 40 times by 2040, exposing the economy to import concentration risks.
• Supply Chain Vulnerability: Global processing of critical minerals remains highly concentrated, with China controlling ~60–70% of refining capacity for several energy-transition minerals.
• Insufficient Climate Investment: Current climate investment flows of ~$135 billion annually remain far below levels required for long-term decarbonisation and infrastructure expansion.
• Rising Energy Demand: India’s electricity demand is projected to grow at ~6–7% annually this decade, driven by cooling, industrial expansion, and digital infrastructure growth.
• Financial System Constraints: India’s corporate bond market (~16% of GDP) and household financialisation (~60%) remain too shallow for the required capital mobilisation scale.

Macroeconomic and Social Implications

• Investment-Led Rebalancing: Growth structure gradually shifts from consumption-driven patterns toward capital-intensive, technology-led and infrastructure-heavy development pathways.
• Structural Adjustment Pressures: Fossil-fuel-linked sectors employ millions; coal mining alone supports ~12 million livelihoods, raising transition-related reskilling challenges.
• Energy Security Risks: Coal continues to supply ~70% of India’s electricity generation, limiting the pace of decarbonisation without risking supply instability.
• Climate Risk Exposure: Climate shocks already affect growth drivers, and agriculture employs ~45% of the workforce, yet remains highly climate-sensitive.
• Equity and Affordability: Energy costs disproportionately impact lower-income groups, with households accounting for ~25–30% of electricity demand growth.

NITI Aayog’s Strategic Policy Directions

• Demand Moderation: Institutionalise Mission LiFE-driven behavioural shifts to control long-term energy demand growth; E.g., efficiency standards & lifestyle nudges.
• Electrification Push: Accelerate electrification across transport and industry to structurally reduce fossil fuel dependence; E.g., EV adoption & industrial electrification.
• Green Finance Institution: Establish a dedicated national green finance institution to mobilise, aggregate and de-risk large-scale transition capital.
• Renewable Expansion: Scale solar, wind and storage capacity while strengthening grid and transmission networks; E.g., battery energy storage & pumped hydro balancing systems.
• Domestic Market Deepening: Expand corporate bond markets and accelerate financialisation of household savings to mobilise stable long-term capital for climate and infrastructure investment
• International Finance Mobilisation: Deepen integration with global capital markets to bridge the ~$6.5 trillion financing gap through concessional climate finance flows.

Industrial Relations Code (Amendment) Bill, 2026

• Industrial Relations Code (Amendment) Bill, 2026 was introduced in Lok Sabha to remove interpretational doubt on repeal & savings to prevent future legal complications.
• Industrial Relations Code, 2020 brought the Trade Unions Act, 1926, the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946 and the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 under one unified framework.

Key Amendments in the Code

• Repeal Clarification: Makes it explicit that repeal of the three legacy laws happens by the operation of Section 104 itself, not through any executive “repeal power” route.
• Savings Continuity: Reinforces that past rights, liabilities, penalties, notifications and ongoing proceedings continue seamlessly, so transition does not disrupt industrial adjudication.
• Legal Certainty Shield: Tightens drafting so misconceived challenges (delegation/ultra vires arguments) don’t derail the Code’s continuity logic later.

Why the Amendment Became Necessary?

• High Litigation Load: India’s courts carry ~54 million pending cases, so even a narrow interpretational dispute can snowball into years of avoidable litigation over continuity.
• Continuity Risk: Labour disputes often run for long durations; any doubt on “which law applies” can trigger preliminary objections and adjournments before merits are heard.
• Compliance Scale: MSME registrations on the national dashboard show ~7.7 crore enterprises, meaning small ambiguities can multiply into massive compliance uncertainty at scale.

Significance of the Amendment

• Regulatory Predictability: Clear repeal mechanics stabilise the legal base for employers, unions and labour offices, reducing “first-principles” disputes during implementation.
• Faster Dispute Handling: With continuity clarified, tribunals/courts are less likely to waste time on preliminary jurisdiction-and-applicability fights.
• Reform Credibility: Shows course-correction to protect the labour-code architecture from technical derailment, improving trust among investors and organised labour alike.
• Potential Concerns
• Drafting Optics: A clarificatory amendment so soon can be read as an initial drafting vulnerability, inviting a more “technical challenge” mindset in future.
• Residual Ambiguities: Even with Section 104 clarified, other transition questions like rules, subordinate legislation, and forum shifts can still generate disputes.
• Change Fatigue: Repeated small amendments can create a perception of moving goalposts, especially for MSMEs already coping with multi-layer compliance.

PAIMANA Web Portal

• The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has shared updated data in Lok Sabha on the PAIMANA Web Portal, which monitors central infrastructure projects worth ₹150 crore and above.

PAIMANA Web Portal:

• PAIMANA (Project Assessment Infrastructure Monitoring and Analytics for Nation-Building) is a web-based monitoring system developed to track ongoing Central Sector Infrastructure Projects costing ₹150 crore and above.
• It replaces the earlier OCMS-2006 (Online Computerized Monitoring System).

Organisation Involved:

• Developed and managed by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
• Integrated with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) Integrated Project Monitoring Portal (IPMP) through APIs.

Key Features

• One Data One Entry Principle: Automatic data flow from IPMP to PAIMANA via APIs, reducing duplication.
• Covers High-Value Projects: Tracks projects costing ₹150 crore and above across 17 Ministries.
• Real-Time Monitoring: Ministries and implementing agencies update progress digitally.
• Reduced Manual Entry: Around 60% of projects in major sectors (Roads, Petroleum, Coal) auto-updated.

Ayushman Sahakar Scheme

• The Union Minister for Home and Cooperation, provided an update in the Rajya Sabha regarding the implementation and funding framework of the Ayushman Sahakar Scheme.

Ayushman Sahakar Scheme:

• Ayushman Sahakar is a dedicated scheme of the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) to provide financial assistance to cooperative societies for establishing and expanding healthcare infrastructure across India.
• Launched in: 2020 (Notified by NCDC in alignment with National Health Policy 2017)
• Ministry: Implemented by NCDC
• Under the administrative control of the Ministry of Cooperation

Aim:

1. To promote affordable, holistic, and community-owned healthcare through cooperative societies.
2. To strengthen AYUSH and digital health participation in line with India’s public health objectives.

Key Features

• Eligible Institutions: Any Cooperative Society registered under State or Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act with healthcare provisions in its bye-laws is eligible.
• Comprehensive Coverage: Supports infrastructure, modernization, AYUSH services, digital health, telemedicine, insurance, and working capital for diverse healthcare facilities.
• Flexible Financial Assistance: Provides term/investment loans up to 8 years (with 1–2 year moratorium) based on actual project requirements.
• Women Incentive: Offers 1% interest rebate to women-majority cooperatives, subject to timely repayment compliance.
• Structured Funding & Security: Funding through State or direct NCDC route (up to 90% loan) with defined collateral/guarantee mechanisms.

Significance:

• Strengthens Cooperative Federalism: Promotes decentralized healthcare delivery through grassroots cooperative institutions.
• Community Ownership in Health: Encourages participatory governance and accountability in service delivery.
• Boost to AYUSH Sector: Enhances infrastructure for traditional systems of medicine, aligning with India’s integrative healthcare model.

Tamil Brahmi Inscriptions in Egypt

• Researchers have identified nearly 30 Tamil Brahmi, Prakrit, and Sanskrit inscriptions in tombs at the Valley of the Kings in Egypt, dating to the 1st–3rd centuries CE.

Tamil Brahmi Inscriptions in Egypt:

• The discovery refers to ancient Indian inscriptions—primarily in Tamil Brahmi script—found inside Egyptian tombs, indicating the presence of Indian visitors or traders in Roman-era Egypt.
• Located In: The inscriptions were documented in six tombs within the Valley of the Kings, part of the Theban Necropolis along the Nile River in Egypt.

Key Discoveries:

• Nearly 30 Inscriptions Identified (1st–3rd Century CE): Written in Tamil Brahmi, Prakrit, and Sanskrit, suggesting diverse Indian origins.
• Repeated Tamil Name ‘Cikai Korran’: Found inscribed eight times across five tombs, indicating a Tamil individual’s repeated presence.
• Other Tamil Names Recorded: Names such as Kopān, Cātan, and Kiran were identified, linking to Sangam-era Tamil culture.
• Parallel Evidence from Berenike: Similar Tamil names found earlier at the Red Sea port of Berenike reinforce maritime trade links.
• Graffiti Tradition Followed: Indian visitors carved their names alongside Greek graffiti, following local commemorative customs.

Significance:

• Evidence of Indo-Roman Trade Networks: Confirms active maritime trade between ancient Tamilagam and Roman Egypt.
• Cultural Interaction Beyond Ports: Suggests Indian traders travelled beyond coastal ports into Nile valley regions.

About Valley of the Kings:

• The Valley of the Kings is a major ancient Egyptian burial site where pharaohs of the New Kingdom were interred in rock-cut tombs deep within desert hills.

Located In:

• It lies on the west bank of the Nile River near modern-day Luxor in Upper Egypt, forming part of the ancient city of Thebes.
• In 1979, it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Ancient Thebes complex.

History

• Period of Use: Primarily used during the 18th, 19th, and 20th Dynasties (c. 1539–1075 BCE).
• Royal Burials: Served as the burial ground for pharaohs from Thutmose I to Ramses X, along with some queens and high officials.
• Shift in Burial Practice: New Kingdom rulers chose this hidden valley to prevent tomb robbery, moving away from pyramid burials.
• Architectural Features: Tombs include descending corridors, pillared halls, burial chambers, and deep shafts designed to deter robbers.
• Religious Significance: Walls were decorated with funerary texts like the “Book of the Dead,” “Book of Gates,” and “Book of That Which Is in the Underworld,” guiding the king through the afterlife.
• Archaeological Importance: Over 60 tombs have been discovered, including the famous tomb of Tutankhamun (KV62).

Taxpayer Base Expansion in India

• Income Tax data show sustained growth in India’s direct taxpayer base over the last decade.

Taxpayer Base Trends

• Base Expansion: Total taxpayers increased from 5.26 crore (AY 2013–14) to 12.13 crore (AY 2024–25).
• Growth Pace: Taxpayer base recorded a CAGR of ~7.89%, indicating structural compliance growth.
• Individual Dominance: Individual taxpayers rose from 4.96 crore → 11.61 crore, growing at 8% CAGR.
• Pandemic Dip: AY 2020–21 saw ~9% contraction, reflecting COVID-linked economic disruptions.
• Non-Individual Growth: Expanded from 0.29 crore → 0.48 crore, with steady ~5% CAGR.
• Efficiency Gain: Cost of collecting direct taxes declined sharply from 1.36% (FY 2000–01) to 0.41% (FY 2024–25, provisional).

Drivers of Taxpayer Base Expansion

• Digital Filing Systems: Expansion of online return filing reduced compliance costs & widened accessibility. E.g. Income Tax e-Filing Portal enables paperless submissions & faster processing.
• Prefilled Returns: Auto-population of taxpayer data using TDS and financial transaction records improved accuracy and encouraged voluntary compliance.
• Faceless Assessments: Elimination of physical interface reduced discretion & strengthened taxpayer confidence in assessment processes. E.g., Faceless Assessment Scheme & Faceless Appeal mechanisms.
• Economic Formalisation: Growth of digitised transactions & tax-linked systems increased traceability of income and broadened tax participation. E.g., GST regime, & UPI-driven digital economy expansion.

India’s Nuclear Energy Strategy

• Department of Atomic Energy stated NTPC Ltd and Clean Core Thorium Energy (CCTE) are exploring the development and deployment of thorium-based ANEEL fuel for PHWRs.

Key Developments in Nuclear Energy Strategy

• Three-Stage Programme Stability: India continues to anchor its nuclear roadmap on uranium → plutonium → thorium progression, ensuring long-term fuel sustainability.
• Shift Towards Fuel Innovation: Advanced fuels like ANEEL (Advanced Nuclear Energy for Enriched Life) reflect the transition from infrastructure-heavy to efficiency-driven nuclear modernisation.
• Thorium Deployment Reorientation: Earlier strategies focused on designing dedicated thorium reactors, but current thinking prioritises adapting existing PHWR fleets.
• Closed Fuel Cycle Reinforcement: India’s long-standing reprocessing strategy remains central to maximising fissile material recovery and reducing waste burdens.

Reasons for Deployment of Thorium-Based ANEEL Fuel for PHWRs

• Resource Security Imperative: India’s limited uranium reserves contrast sharply with its vast thorium deposits, creating a structural incentive for fuel diversification.
• Existing Fleet Compatibility: PHWRs form the backbone of India’s nuclear capacity, ANEEL fuel enables performance upgrades without costly reactor redesign or reconstruction investments.
• Enhanced Fuel Efficiency: Thorium-based blends offer higher burn-up potential and improved neutron economy under reactor conditions.
• Waste Reduction Benefits: Thorium cycles generate comparatively lower quantities of long-lived transuranic elements, reducing long-term storage challenges.
• Safety & Stability Gains: Thorium’s favourable thermal conductivity and reactor behaviour contribute to safer fuel performance, especially under variable reactor stress scenarios.

India’s Three-Stage Nuclear Programme

• Stage One: Uses natural uranium in Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs); India operates 19 PHWRs, forming the backbone of its current nuclear capacity.
• Stage Two: Fast Breeder Reactors designed to use plutonium-based fuel to breed more fissile material; progress has been slow, delaying scale-up.
• Stage Three: Thorium Phase, which aims to use thorium to produce uranium-233 for sustained power generation, leveraging India’s thorium abundance.
• Current Status: Nuclear energy accounts for roughly 3% of the country’s total electricity generation.
• Long-term Goal: Achieve 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047.

Exercise Vayushakti-26

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) will conduct Exercise Vayushakti-26 at the Pokhran Air-to-Ground Range in Jaisalmer.
• Exercise Vayushakti is a major triennial firepower demonstration that showcases the IAF’s integrated operational capabilities and precision-strike potential.
• The 2026 edition will specifically highlight the performance and effectiveness of modern weapon systems deployed during Operation Sindoor.
• It will be conducted within IAF’s Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) to monitor operations in a simulated wartime environment.
• The display will feature more than 100 aerial assets, including Rafale, LCA Tejas, and transport aircraft such as the C-295.
• It will demonstrate advanced weapon systems, including Short Range Loitering Munitions (SRLM), Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (CUAS), and surface-to-air systems such as Akash.
• The drill includes day and night missions, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) capabilities, Electronic Warfare (EW) systems, and drone swarms.
• It will showcase IAF’s readiness as the “first, fastest, and fiercest” responder in modern combat.

Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2025

• Transparency International has released the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI).
• The CPI is the leading global metric for measuring perceived public-sector corruption.
• It evaluates 182 countries and territories on a scale from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).
• The index aggregates data from 13 external sources and surveys by institutions such as World Bank.

Key Highlights of CPI 2025

• Global Average: The global average score fell to a historic low of 42, with over two-thirds of assessed nations scoring below 50.
• Top Performers: Denmark (89) retained the top spot for the eighth consecutive year, followed by Finland (88) and Singapore (84).
• Bottom Performers: South Sudan and Somalia tied for the lowest rank, making them the most corrupt countries globally.
• Global Trend: Established democracies such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada recorded declines in scores to historic lows due to weakened institutional checks.
• Regional Stagnation: The Asia-Pacific region showed stagnation in anti-corruption efforts and rising public dissatisfaction with unaccountable leadership.
• India’s Position: India improved its ranking by five positions to 91, though its score remains below average at 39.
• Key Concerns: The report flagged high risks for journalists reporting on corruption in India, along with persistent bureaucratic opacity and weak oversight.

India’s First Musical Path

• Mumbai has introduced India’s first “musical path” on the Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Coastal Road, playing the Oscar-winning song ‘Jai Ho’.
• The initiative aims to enhance road safety by encouraging motorists to maintain a steady driving speed.
• The path uses Hungarian technology, with rumble strips carved into the asphalt at precise intervals.
• Mechanism: Vehicles driving over the grooves at 70–80 km/h generate vibrations and sound waves that produce the song’s notes.
• Global League: This marks Mumbai’s entry into a select group of cities with “melody road” technology, joining Japan, Hungary, South Korea, and the UAE.

Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB)

• The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has approved new guidelines for the injection of Compressed Biogas (CBG) into Natural Gas Pipeline (NGPL) and City Gas Distribution (CGD) networks.

Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB):

• PNGRB is a statutory regulatory body responsible for regulating the downstream petroleum and natural gas sector in India.
• Established In: 2006 under the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board Act, 2006
• Headquarters: New Delhi

Aim:

1. To protect consumer interests in petroleum and natural gas markets.
2. To promote fair trade and competition among entities.
3. To ensure uninterrupted and adequate supply of petroleum, petroleum products, and natural gas across the country.

Key Functions

• Regulatory Oversight: Authorizes and regulates entities to build and operate pipelines, LNG terminals, and CGD networks.
• Market & Consumer Protection: Monitors prices, ensures fair competition, and prevents restrictive trade practices.
• Access & Tariff Regulation: Specifies pipeline access codes and regulates transportation rates for common/contract carriers.
• Technical & Safety Standards: Lays down technical standards, specifications, and safety norms for petroleum and gas infrastructure.
• Data & Infrastructure Governance: Maintains sectoral data bank and oversees infrastructure expansion for equitable distribution.

Significance of Recent Approval

• Mainstreams Green Gas: Enables integration of domestically produced CBG into NGPL and CGD networks.
• Enhances Energy Security: Reduces dependence on imported LNG by promoting indigenous bio-gas production.
• Boosts Project Viability: Assured pipeline-based evacuation improves financing and investment prospects for CBG projects.

Disruption of  bear hibernation cycles

• Low snowfall in Uttarakhand has disrupted bear hibernation cycles, leading to increased bear attacks and human-wildlife conflict in early 2026.

About Bear:

• A bear is a large, short-tailed omnivorous mammal belonging to the family Ursidae.
• Scientific Name: Ursus arctos (Brown Bear), Ursus maritimus (Polar Bear)
• Family: Ursidae
• Habitat:Bears are found across North America, Europe, and Asia, primarily in temperate and Arctic regions; in India, species like the Sloth Bear inhabit forested and hilly landscapes.

Key Characteristics:

• Large Omnivorous Mammals: Most species consume fruits, roots, insects, fish, and small mammals; the polar bear is largely carnivorous.
• Strong Climbers & Swimmers: Despite bulk, many species climb trees and swim efficiently.
• Keen Sense of Smell: Olfactory ability is highly developed, compensating for moderate vision and hearing.
• Solitary Behaviour: Mostly solitary except during mating or cub rearing.
• Seasonal Dormancy: Many species undergo winter sleep (often termed hibernation).

Hibernation : What it is?

• Hibernation is a seasonal state of metabolic slowdown where animals conserve energy during cold periods with scarce food availability.

Reasons for Hibernation

• Food Scarcity in Winter: Reduced plant growth and prey availability.
• Extreme Cold Conditions: Conserves body heat and energy.
• Survival Strategy: Ensures energy efficiency during harsh environmental conditions.

How it Works?

• Pre-hibernation Fat Accumulation: Bears consume excess food to build fat reserves.
• Metabolic Slowdown: Heart rate, breathing rate, and body temperature reduce (though bears are not true deep hibernators).
• Energy from Stored Fat: Brown fat helps generate heat during brief arousals.
• Occasional Arousal: Bears may wake intermittently, unlike true hibernators.
• In Uttarakhand, insufficient snowfall has failed to trigger proper dormancy, leaving bears active and increasing human-bear interactions.

India is Set to Get Two New Telescopes

• The Union Budget 2026 has approved two new major telescopes and the upgrade of an existing facility in Ladakh, strengthening India’s global position in observational astronomy.

Two New Telescopes:

• India will establish two advanced ground-based astronomical observatories in Ladakh to study the Sun and the deep universe, alongside upgrading the existing Himalayan Chandra Telescope.
• These facilities aim to enhance India’s capabilities in heliophysics, exoplanet research, stellar evolution, and cosmology, leveraging Ladakh’s high altitude, dry climate, and dark skies.

About National Large Solar Telescope (NLST):

• The National Large Solar Telescope (NLST) is a 2-metre aperture ground-based solar telescope that will observe the Sun in visible and near-infrared wavelengths. It will be located in the Merak region near Pangong Tso in Ladakh.

Key Features

• 2-Metre Aperture Solar Telescope: Designed specifically for high-resolution solar observations.
• Visible & Near-Infrared Observation: Enables study of solar magnetism and dynamic processes.
• High-Altitude Location: Reduced atmospheric distortion enhances image clarity.
• India’s Third Ground-Based Solar Observatory: After Kodaikanal and Udaipur observatories.
• Synergy with Space Missions: Will complement data from Aditya-L1.

Significance:

• Strengthens India’s leadership in heliophysics and space weather prediction.
• Helps monitor solar flares and coronal mass ejections affecting satellites and power grids.

About National Large Optical–Near Infrared Telescope (NLOT):

• The National Large Optical–Near Infrared Telescope (NLOT) will be a 13.7-metre segmented-mirror telescope built in Hanle, Ladakh, making it one of the largest optical-infrared telescopes in the world.

Key Features:

• 13.7-Metre Segmented Primary Mirror: Comprising 90 hexagonal mirror segments working as one large mirror.
• Optical & Near-Infrared Capability: Ideal for deep-space and faint-object observations.
• High-Altitude, Dry Climate Advantage: Minimal atmospheric diffraction ensures superior data quality.
• Global Collaboration Experience: Builds on India’s participation in the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT).
• Frontier Science Potential: Enables research on exoplanets, supernovae, galaxy formation, and origins of the universe.

Significance:

• Positions India among leading nations in large-aperture astronomy.
• Improves access to telescope observation time for Indian scientists.
• Supports Global South leadership in astrophysical research.

Dolphin Census in Odisha

• Odisha has recorded its highest marine dolphin population in five years, with 765 individuals counted in the 2026 state-wide census.

Dolphin Census in Odisha:

• The Dolphin Census is an annual scientific population estimation exercise to assess the abundance, distribution, and diversity of dolphins and other cetaceans in Odisha’s marine and estuarine ecosystems.
• Conducted By: It is conducted by the Wildlife Wing of the Forest, Environment and Climate Change Department, Government of Odisha, involving forest officials, marine experts, and field personnel using boat- and shore-based transect surveys.

Outcomes of 2026 Census:

• Total Population: 765 dolphins (highest in 5 years).

Species-wise Distribution:

1. Humpback dolphins – 497
2. Irrawaddy dolphins – 208
3. Bottlenose dolphins – 55
4. Spinner dolphins – 3
5. Finless porpoise – 2

Key Conservation Zones:

• Chilika Lake – 159 Irrawaddy dolphins (largest single-area concentration globally).
• Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary – 474 Humpback dolphins.
• Indicates stable to improving trends due to habitat protection and community participation.

About Dolphin:

• Dolphins are aquatic marine mammals belonging to the order Cetacea and are known for their intelligence, social behavior, and echolocation abilities.
• Habitat: They inhabit oceans, coastal waters, estuaries, and some freshwater systems. In India, major habitats include Chilika Lake and coastal marine zones.

IUCN Status:

• The Irrawaddy Dolphin is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
• Dolphins are protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

Types Found in Odisha:

1. Humpback Dolphin
2. Irrawaddy Dolphin
3. Bottlenose Dolphin
4. Spinner Dolphin
5. Finless Porpoise (closely related cetacean)

Key Characteristics of Dolphins:

• Highly intelligent with advanced communication systems: Dolphins exhibit problem-solving skills and communicate using clicks, whistles, and body movements.
• Use echolocation for navigation and hunting: They emit sound waves that bounce off objects, helping them detect prey and obstacles underwater.
• Social animals living in pods: Dolphins live in structured groups (pods) for protection, hunting cooperation, and social bonding.
• Slow breeding rate (especially Irrawaddy dolphins): They have long gestation periods and produce few offspring, limiting rapid population growth.
• Indicators of marine ecosystem health: Their presence reflects healthy water quality, fish abundance, and balanced coastal ecosystems.