Anchor Under Discussion

Indian Institute of Technology Madras creates ANCHOR: Atlas of Neurochemical Characterization of the Human brainstem with 3D Reconstruction. 

ANCHOR

»     World’s most detailed 3D Atlas of human brainstem, comprising most comprehensive, multi-modal, 3D maps and atlases to date spanning from prenatal period to childhood and adult brains.

»     Encompass more than 200 brainstem nuclei and fiber tracts, reconstructed from hundreds of serial sections. 

»     Brainstem is the structure that connects cerebrum to spinal cord and cerebellum.

       o   Composed of (descending order):  midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata. 

       o   Functions: breathing, consciousness, blood pressure, heart rate, sleep,  contains many critical collections of white and grey matter, etc. 

Article 329 in News

The Supreme Court dismissed the writ petition filed by Congress members against Rajya Sabha Nomination Rejection, citing the Constitutional bar on judiciary as per Article 329.

Article 329

»     It prohibits the interference by courts in following electoral matters:

       o   Laws related to delimitation of constituencies or allocation of seats in Parliament and State Legislatures.

       o   An election can be challenged only through an election petition after the election is completed.

BMD System of India

DRDO conducted three consecutive missile tests, validating advanced ballistic missile defence and anti-ship strike capabilities of India.

»     Also, the maiden flight test of the Naval Anti-Ship Missile–Medium Range (NASM-MR) successfully demonstrated maritime strike capability.

Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) System

»     Purpose: Defends against aerial threats such as ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, aircraft, and drones using interceptor missiles.

»     India’s BMD Programme: Launched in 1999-2000 (after Pakistan’s maiden nuclear test in 1998), it is a two-layered system (endo-atmospheric and exo-atmospheric) ranging from 30 km till around 5,000 km.

»     Development: Rocket-powered at launch and then follow a ballistic trajectory; characterized by long range, high speed, large payload capacity, and difficult interception (e.g., Prithvi and Agni series).

Caracal Updates 2026

India’s rarest wild cat Caracal spotted in Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh after several decades. 

Caracal

»     Coverage: It is widely distributed across Africa, Central Asia, and south-west Asia into India.

»     Habitat: Forest, Savanna, Shrubland, Grassland, Desert.

»     Characteristics:

       o   It is naturally shy and elusive, living in harsh landscapes that are difficult to monitor.

       o   Adults spend much of their days alone, hunting for birds, rodents, rabbits, and gazelles.

       o   Mom caracals (which usually have three babies in each litter) cuddle with their young.

       o   Also known as the "flying cat" as they can leap up to 3 meters into the air to snatch birds.

»     Protection Status:

       o   IUCN status: Least Concern

       o   Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I

Global Labor Standards for Gig Workers

The ILO Convention No. 193 ‘Concerning Decent Work in the Platform Economy’ was adopted at the 114th session of International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva. 

»     Enforcement: The convention will take effect 12 months after at least two member states ratify it, requiring governments to establish effective dispute resolution and enforcement mechanisms.

Key Features of the Convention

»     Comprehensive Coverage: The protections apply to all formal and informal platform workers (both online or location-based such as delivery, taxi).

»     Worker Classification & Fair Pay: Governments must ensure gig workers are correctly classifiedbased on how their work is performed, preventing misclassification. 

       o   Workers must receive timely pay and, if considered employees, at least theminimum wage.

»     Fundamental Rights & Safety: Guarantees core rights such as freedom of association, non-discrimination, and access to social security. It also ensures a safe working environment, allowing workers to refuse dangerous tasks without penalty.

»     Algorithmic Transparency: Platforms must be transparent about automated systems used to monitor workers. 

       o   Workers have the right to request a human review of significant automated decisions, such as account deactivations or withheld pay.

»     Data & Vulnerable Groups: The treaty mandates strict safeguards for personal data privacy and includes specific measures to protect migrant and refugee platform workers from recruitment and employment abuses.

ILO

»     Establishment: In 1919 under Treaty of Versailles; became the first specialized agency of the UN in 1946.

»     Members: 187; India is a founding Member and has been a permanent member of the ILO Governing Body since 1922.

»     Mandate: Promotes social justice, decent work, and internationally recognized labour rights, based on the principle that lasting peace rests on social justice.

»     Global Recognition: Awarded the 1969 Nobel Peace Prize for advancing workers'' rights, social justice, and international cooperation.

»     Key Reports: World Employment and Social Outlook (WESO), Global Wage Report, World Social Protection Report, etc.

»     ILO Conventions: India has ratified six out of the eight core/fundamental ILO Conventions, except -

       o   Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87).

       o   Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98).

India Releases Draft Telecom Rules 2026The MoU aims to facilitate exploration and The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has released draft rules to bring India’s broadcasting services under a unified regulatory framework governed by the Telecommunications Act, 2023.

Key Highlights of the Draft Rules

»     Unified Framework: The new rules will consolidate six existing policy frameworks including Satellite TV Channels, DTH, Headend-in-the-Sky (HITS), Private & Community Radio Stations and Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) Services into one harmonized rulebook.

       o   Exempted Entities: Parliament of India and Prasar Bharati.

»     Strict Oversight & Compliance:

»     Set License Durations:

       o   10 years for TV channels, teleports, and community radio; 

       o   15 years for private FM radio; 

       o   20 years for TV distribution services like DTH and HITS.

»     Mandatory Public Content: Private TV channels (for 30 minutes) and Private FM radio stations (for 1 hour with 20% local content) must broadcast public-interest programming daily on themes of national importance, such as education, agriculture, etc.

»     Renewals: Broadcasters are ineligible if they commit more than five rule violations.

»     Ownership Changes: Require prior government approval, continuous security clearances, and a 30-day notice for any shifts in shareholding or FDI.

»     Penalties: Breaches risk civil penalties, encashment of bank guarantees, or the suspension and revocation of the authorization.

The Telecommunications Act, 2023

»     Purpose: Replaces archaic colonial-era laws, including the 1885 Indian Telegraph Act.

»     Key Features of the Act

       o   Right of Way (RoW): Establishes a non-discriminatory framework that legally separates telecom infrastructure from the property it sits on.

       o   National Security: Mandates strict standards for telecom services and network security.

       o   Innovation & Funding: Uses the Universal Service Obligation Fund for R&D and creates "Regulatory Sandboxes" to test new tech.

       o   User Protection: Fights spam and sets up formal grievance redressal systems.

       o   Digital First: Adopts "digital by design" operations, including online dispute resolution.

Masroor Rock Cut Temples Highlighted

Called the “Ellora of the Himalayas”, Masroor Rock-Cut complex of temples are lesser known architectural gems of India. 

Masroor Rock Cut Temples

»     Location: Kangra Valley of Beas River in Himachal Pradesh. 

»     Period: Early 8th-century.

»     Architectural Features

       o   Style: Version of North Indian Nagara style. 

            Ø  Example of temple mountain-style embodying earth and mountains around it (faces northeast, towards Dhauladhar range). 

       o   Carved out of monolithic rock with shikhara, sacred pool of water; has three entrances (two incomplete); 

       o   Entire complex is symmetrically laid out on square grid, where main temple is surrounded by smaller temples in mandala pattern. 

       o   Features reliefs of major Vedic and Puranic gods and goddesses. 

       o   Dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu, Devi and Saura traditions of Hinduism. 

       o   First reported by Henry Shuttleworth in 1913. 

NTF Releases Interim Report on Student Mental Health

Supreme Court constituted the NTF in 2025 in Amit Kumar V. Union of India case. to address the Mental Health Concerns of students and prevent commission of suicides in Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs).  

Key Findings on Student Suicide (NTF)

»     Vulnerability of Youth: 75% of mental health conditions begin before 24 years of age. 

»     Student suicides in India: Comprised 7.6% of total suicides in India(NCRB 2022).

       o   Lack of Support: 65% of institutes surveyed (2,119 HEIs) currently do not provide access to any mental health service providers. 

»     Key Reasons for Student Suicide (NTF)

»     Overlooking Silent Burdens: Conditions like depression are often-overlooked and pose significant challenges to early recognition and timely support.

»     Massification of Higher Education: Gross Enrolment Ratio increased from 8% in 2001 to 28.4% in 2021-22, bringing persistent structural inequalities in access and outcomes. 

»     Geographical Imbalance:  Students from rural and remote areas face additional barriers concerning access to institutions along with increased financial and social costs. 

»     Barriers to Substantive Participation: From marginalised communities like inequitable conditions of educational pathways, stigma of caste, reservation, lower ranking, low social esteem, etc. 

»     Absence of direct statutory, regulatory or institutional framework: Mostly interventions are generic and reactive. 

       o   Existing ‘Suicide Prevention Strategy’ (2022) by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare), is abstract with no clear implementation guidelines. 

Key Recommendations

»     Streamline Data on Suicide: Data on Suicide in HEI to be centrally maintained with clear categorisation. 

»     Strengthen Accessibility: For marginalized groups (persons with disability;  transgender students, etc.). 

»     Reporting of Student Suicides: Time-bound uniform reporting by HEIs of all such cases. 

»     Others: Student friendly mental health services; less stress inducing campus, etc. 

Spotlight on Project Kusha

Union Defence Minister called the indigenous Project Kusha, a “game changer” for India’s security architecture.

Project Kusha

»     Being Developed By: DRDO 

»     Aim: Provide a comprehensive shield against a wide range of aerial threats.

»     Key Features: 

       o   Long-range indigenous surface-to-air missile (SAM) system. 

       o   Designed to rival advanced platforms like Russia''s S-400  Triumf. 

       o   Features 3 interceptor Variants: M1 (150 km), M2 (250 km), and M3 (350–400 km).

       o   Includes counter fighter aircraft, including stealth platforms, drone, cruise missiles, precision-guided munitions and certain ballistic Missile threats. 

       o   Linked to broader "Mission Sudarshan Chakra", for building a multi-layered air and missile defence shield for India by 2035.

Spotlight on Tapanuli Orangutans

A climate change-driven cyclone in 2025 killed nearly 7% of global Tapanuli orangutan population within just four days, highlighting the species’ extreme vulnerability to extreme weather events.

Tapanuli Orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) 

»     Population: World''s rarest great ape, with fewer than 800 individuals (2019) remaining in the wild.

»     Classification: One of the three orangutan species, alongside the Bornean and Sumatran orangutans.

»     Habitat & Distribution: Endemic to the Batang Toru Ecosystem, North Sumatra (Indonesia).

»     Characteristics: Tiny population, slow reproduction (6–9 years between births), and dependence on dense forest canopies.

»     Conservation Status: Critically Endangered (IUCN).

Spotlight on Varya

India AI Mission launched the Indigenous Varya. 

Varya

»     Distilled video model built to make frontier video AI affordable, accessible and relevant. 

»     Developed with support from IndiaAI Mission by the company Avataar. 

»     Features: 

       o   Varya uses distillation technique that reduces video generation from 50 steps to 4 steps, while maintaining comparable output quality. 

            Ø  Distilled video generation is a model compression technique from machine learning where a compact "student" model replicates outputs of larger, slower "teacher" model transferring capabilities while eliminating redundant computation.

       o   Can generate video at ₹0.48 per second, upto 10x more cost-efficient. 

       o   Product experience is designed around: Idea → Video → Story. 

Supernovae Updates 2026

A study of the evolution of supernova SN 2023zcu can help estimate the distance of the local universe.

»     SN 2023zcu is a Type IIP core-collapse supernova.

Supernovae (SNe)

»     A supernova is colossal explosion of a star. 

»     Types: 

       o   Core-collapse supernovae: Occurs when massive star exhausts its nuclear fuel and can no longer support itself against gravitational pull. 

       o   Thermal Runaway Supernova: Occurs when two stars orbit each other, and one or both of those stars is a white dwarf. 

»     Significance of SNe: Vital to evolution of cosmos because they act as giant recycling centers, creating and scattering heavy elements that eventually become building blocks for new stars, planets, etc. 

UK Makes Headlines

Recently, Riots broke out across Belfast in Northern Ireland, part of United Kingdom.

United Kingdom (Capital: London)

Political Features

»     Island country located off northwestern coast of mainland Europe. 

       o   Separated from Europe by the English Channel. 

»     Comprises four geographical Parts: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

       o   Northern Ireland is separated on east from Scotland, by the narrow North Channel. 

»     Maritime Boundaries: English Channel; North Sea; Irish Sea; Atlantic Ocean; Celtic Sea. 

»     Land boundary: Republic of Ireland.

Geographical Features

»     Climate: Temperate maritime

»     Major Rivers: Severn, Thames.

»     Major Lakes: Lough Neagh (Northern Ireland), Loch Ness(Scotland), Windermere.

ZSI Identifies Coral Translocation Sites in Great Nicobar

These sites would include Coral colonies and giant clams that will be impacted due to transhipment port proposed at Galathea under Great Nicobar Island (GNI) mega project. 

»     Along with this, ZSI will maintain systematic data on translocated colonies with GPS tags to monitor their survival. 

»     Obtain necessary approval under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 before handling any Schedule-I species (coral colonies and Giant Clams). 

Coral Translocation

»     Meaning: Physical relocation of coral from site of inhospitable conditions to an area where it is more likely to thrive to improve reef quality, biodiversity and topographic complexity.

       o   Previously, India’s Coral Translocation project in Marine National Park, Gulf of Kachchh, Gujarat was the first of its kind attempt to transplant and restore coral in turbid environment. 

Corals

»     Invertebrates that belong to a large group of animals called Cnidaria. 

       o   Each individual coral is made of  polyp and obtain their colour from microscopic algae, called zooxanthellae. (Both having symbiotic relationship between them).

»     Significance: Ecosystem for life underwater, protect coastal areas from storms, provide a source of income, etc.

»     Key Conditions for Corals thrive:

       o   Warm water temperatures between 23°C and 29°C. 

       o   Sunlight penetration, essential for symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) living in coral tissues.

       o   Clear, shallow waters, generally less than 50 meters deep.

»     Threats to Corals: Changes in ocean temperature and acidification, with local pressures like pollution, overfishing and declining water quality, etc.