| Topic | GS Paper | Context & Key Facts |
| Protecting India’s Geriatric Population from the Rising Heat Burden | GS2/GS1: Elderly, Climate | Heat deaths among elderly rose 55% (2000–04 to 2017–21); 10.5% of the population elderly (2022), projected to double by 2050. 71% rural, women outnumber men. Vulnerabilities: weak thermoregulation, comorbidities, social isolation, gendered exposure. Gaps: Policy blind spot, weak surveillance, poor access to cooling. Solutions: targeted subsidies, training, robust data, cooling tech, inter-ministry plans, early warning, climate resilience. |
| Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana: Eleven Years | GS2: Welfare | PMJDY opened 56.2 crore accounts in 11 years, covers 90%+ adults; 56% women, 37.5 crore rural; huge rise in deposits. Supported digital economy (UPI, RuPay), DBT and crisis transfers. Challenges: dormant accts, credit/digital gaps, low awareness. Way forward: revive accounts, increase credit/insurance, push financial literacy, promote tech access. |
| Criminalisation of Politics | GS2/GS4: Polity, Ethics | In 2024: 31% MPs, 29% MLAs face serious criminal charges (up from 14% MPs in 2009). Highest share: Telangana (MPs), Andhra (MLAs); UP leads in numbers. Relevance: Threat to democracy, legal/ethical norms, and governance reforms. |
| Project Aarohan | Prelims | NHAI+SMEC Trust scholarship: ₹12,000/year for 500 toll worker children (Class 11–UG), ₹50,000 for 50 PG aspirants. Focus on girls, EWS, SC/ST, mentorship, skill-building. |
| UPM J1040−3551 AabBab | Prelims: Sci | Rare quadruple 4-star Milky Way system: 2 red dwarfs, 2 brown dwarfs (first such). Aids dark matter/mass studies, unique low-mass brown dwarf binary. |
| MiG-21 | Prelims: Defence | IAF retiring MiG-21 after 6+ decades, 900 units served, played key war roles; last Indian supersonic “interceptor”. Upgraded “Bison” shot down a F-16 in 2019. |
| Digital Services Taxes (DSTs) | Prelims: Economy | DST: Tax on digital services’ gross revenue (India’s: Equalisation Levy—6%, 2%). Most global DSTs withdrawn, India aligned with OECD framework; US threatened tariffs. |
| Sci-Hub Ban & One Nation, One Subscription | Prelims: Policy | Delhi HC blocks Sci-Hub (copyright), spurring ONOS scheme (₹6,000cr, phase-wise) for legal nationwide access: 13,000 journals, targets all institutions by 2026. |
| National Designated Authority for Carbon Markets | Prelims/GS3 | Set up under Article 6 of Paris Agreement: 21-member Environment Ministry body for carbon market regulation, project approval, alignment with NDC, and international credit trading. |
| Mapping: East China Sea | Prelims: Geo | Marginal sea (China, Japan, Taiwan, S Korea), site of EEZ disputes, fishery/hydrocarbon riches, Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands. [Sen. “median line” vs. China’s “continental shelf” claim]. |
