CA-03/04/2026

• Visitor Statistics: It was reported that 1,19,684 visitors accessed museum collections on the portal between April 2025 and March 2026.
• Technological Rebuild: The portal has been completely rebuilt using a modern React-based architecture and a Drupal backend to replace the previous monolithic system. This upgrade allows it to handle large data and high traffic with significantly improved speed and responsiveness.
• Enhanced Accessibility: The portal now functions as a Progressive Web App (PWA), providing an app-like experience on smartphones and tablets without requiring a store download. 

• Originally launched in March 2026, the 2.0 version introduced several advanced tools to "democratise access" to India's heritage: 

• AI Chatbot 'Bharti': An AI-powered assistant that helps users navigate resources, summarize content, and answer queries.
• Multilingual Support: Integration with the Bhashini platform allows the portal to interact with users in 22 Indian languages.
• Immersive Content: New sections include 3D exploration of heritage sites, 360-degree virtual tours, and curated categories like "Iconic Battles of India" and "Folktales of India".
• Unified Gateway: The platform aggregates digital resources from various museums, libraries, and archives across India into a single interface.

• Mappls is a "Swadeshi" (homegrown) alternative to Google Maps, developed by MapmyIndia in collaboration with ISRO. 

• Precise Addressing (Mappls Pin & DIGIPIN):
  • Mappls Pin: Provides a unique 6-character digital code for any location, making complex addresses easy to share.
  • DIGIPIN Integration: First app to integrate India Post's DIGIPIN system, offering a grid-based (3.8m x 3.8m) digital address system for last-mile accuracy.
• Advanced Navigation:
  • 3D Junction View: Realistic 3D previews of flyovers and underpasses to prevent confusion at complex intersections.
  • Multimodal Transport: Provides integrated routes for Metro, Bus, and Rail in key cities.
  • Doorstep Navigation: Offers house-number level accuracy, guiding users directly to a specific building's entrance.
• Smart Safety & Travel Alerts:
  • Real-time Alerts: Notifies drivers about potholes, speed breakers, sharp curves, accident-prone zones, and speed cameras.
  • Live Traffic Signal Timer: Displays the countdown timer for traffic signals up to 500m ahead in cities like Bengaluru.
• Cost Management:
  • Trip Cost Estimator: Calculates fuel and toll expenses before the trip begins.
  • NHAI Toll Savings: Helps identify routes that qualify for the NHAI Annual Toll Pass.
• Immersive Experience:
  • Real View: 360-degree panoramic street-level imagery and 3D landmarks for better orientation.
  • Regional Support: Supports voice guidance and maps in 9+ Indian languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Bengali.
• Privacy & Sovereignty:
  • All user data is stored on domestic Indian servers, ensuring data sovereignty and privacy.
• EV Support:
  • Allows users to find and book EV charging slots through partner integrations.

• Aadhaar-Based: Uses the Aadhaar platform for online biometric authentication (Fingerprint, Iris, or Face).
• Face Authentication: A contactless method where the pensioner uses the Aadhaar Face RD App on an Android or iOS smartphone for a live facial scan.
• Pramaan ID: A unique ID is generated for each successful submission, which can be used to download the certificate from the Jeevan Pramaan Portal.

• General Pensioners (Aged 60–80): Usually required to submit between November 1 and November 30 each year.
• Super Senior Pensioners (Aged 80+): Granted an early window starting from October 1.

• Doorstep Service: Provided by the India Post Payments Bank through a network of nearly 1.8 lakh postmen and Gramin Dak Sevaks for a nominal fee (approx. ₹70).
• Service Points: Pensioners can also visit Bank Branches, Common Service Centres (CSCs), or designated government offices.

• The system is integrated with Bhavishya, Digi locker, and the Central Pension Accounting Office to ensure end-to-end digitization of pension processing.
• Uninterrupted Pension: Successful generation ensures the continued, break-free disbursal of pension funds. 

• The Biotech-KISAN (Biotech-Krishi Innovation Science Application Network) Scheme, launched in 2017 by India's Department of Biotechnology under the Ministry of Science and Technology, connects scientists directly with farmers to address local agricultural challenges using biotech solutions.
• It operates on a hub-and-spoke model across 15 agro-climatic zones and 110+ Aspirational Districts, promoting innovation, entrepreneurship, and women-led leadership among small and marginal farmers.
• Link science labs to farms by identifying farmer-specific issues (Ater scarcity, poor soil) and providing tailored biotech solutions.
• Enhance productivity via demonstrations of improved seeds, bio-fertilizers (PGPR), protected cultivation, and livestock/poultry health management.
• Foster Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), and rural entrepreneurship for better market access.

• Hubs: 52+ established with ICAR collaboration; each includes tinkering labs for R&D and training; initial funding Rs. 60 lakhs/year for 2 years, extendable to 5.
• Women Focus: Mahila Kisan Biotech Fellowship empowers female farmers as local leaders.
• Coverage: Pan-India, prioritizing marginal farmers; interventions include goat/pig/poultry/fishery improvements.
• Training: Hands-on exposure to scientific practices like bio-inputs and irrigation tech.

• Over 200 rural entrepreneurs created; 3+ lakh farmers impacted with innovations like bio-fertilizers and better seeds.
• Hubs act as incubators, generating bio-resource jobs and scaling solutions nationwide.

• Operational Milestones: The government reported significant progress in closing infrastructural gaps in over 63,000 tribal-dominated villages.
• Saturation Progress: The Ministry highlighted the successful convergence of 25 different interventions from 17-line ministries, ensuring that basic services are reaching the most remote tribal habitations.
• Educational Infrastructure: A major focus has been placed on making 728 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) fully functional by March–April 2026, benefiting approximately 3.5 lakh tribal students. 

• Scope: Covers 63,843 villages across 549 districts and 2,911 blocks in 30 States and UTs.
• Beneficiaries: Aims to benefit more than 5 crore tribal citizens.
• Target Areas: Villages with at least 50% tribal population (min. 500 total) and tribal habitations in Aspirational Districts.

• The total expenditure for the scheme is ₹79,156 crore, with the Central share being ₹56,333 crore and the State share at ₹22,823 crore.

• Housing & Infrastructure: Providing pucca houses under PMAY-G, all-weather road connectivity (PMGSY), and electricity.
• Health & Wellness: Setting up Mobile Medical Units, screening for Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), and providing Ayushman Bharat cards.
• Education: Enhancing tribal schools and providing vocational training and skill development.
• Livelihood: Establishing Van Dhan Vikas Kendras (VDVKs) to help tribal communities with value addition and fair pricing for Forest Produce.

• Socio-Economic Upliftment: Improving health, education, and livelihood through a "whole-of-government" approach.
• Benefit Saturation: Ensuring 100% delivery of individual entitlements like Aadhaar, Ration Cards, and Jan Dhan accounts at the doorstep.
• Sustainability: Promoting inclusive growth that respects and integrates tribal culture and traditions.

• Operational Readiness: The fund has completed all post-SEBI registration formalities, including the appointment of a custodian and the formation of Screening and Investment Committees.
• Startup Pipeline: Four space tech startup proposals have already reached an advanced stage of approval following "Pre-Investment Committee" clearance.
• Handholding Support: The government is actively providing "handholding support" to startups to help them align with institutional investment standards and meet due diligence requirements. 

• Corpus: Approximately ₹1,005 crore.
• Anchor Investor: The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) is the primary investor.
• Type: Registered with SEBI as a Category II Alternative Investment Fund (AIF).
• Tenure: A 10-year close-ended fund.

• Target Companies: Innovative Indian space startups at various development stages (Growth and Late Growth stages).
• Technology Level: Focuses on technologies with a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 4 and above.
• Ticket Size: Indicative investments range from ₹10 crore to ₹60 crore per startup.
• Capacity: Expected to support approximately 40 startups over its deployment cycle.

• Risk Capital: Addresses the lack of traditional bank lending in high-risk, long-cycle space tech projects.
• Economic Goal: Supports the national mission to expand India's space economy from $8.4 billion to $44 billion by 2033.
• Talent Retention: Aims to prevent "brain drain" by providing domestic capital so Indian startups do not feel pressured to relocate abroad for funding.

• Includes launch systems, satellite manufacturing, payload design, ground infrastructure, and downstream applications like earth observation and communication.

• Policy Continuity: The extension was granted without any changes to existing guidelines, rates, or eligibility criteria, ensuring a stable regime for long-term trade planning.
• Parallel RoDTEP Support: Alongside RoSCTL, the Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) Scheme was also continued for the same period to cover textile products not included in RoSCTL.
• Support for MSMEs: The extension is particularly aimed at supporting Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), which form a major share of beneficiaries in this labour-intensive sector. 

• Originally launched in March 2019, RoSCTL replaced the older Rebate of State Levies (RoSL) Scheme to provide a more comprehensive tax reimbursement. 

• Primary Objective: To reimburse embedded State and Central taxes and levies that are not otherwise refunded (via GST), ensuring that "taxes and duties are not exported".
• Product Scope: Specifically applies to exporters of Garments/Apparel (HSN Chapters 61 & 62) and Made-ups like bed linens and curtains (HSN Chapter 63).

• Electronic Issuance: Rebates are issued as transferable duty credit e-scrips through the Customs (ICEGATE) system.
• Usage: These scrips can be used to pay Basic Customs Duty on the import of equipment, machinery, or raw materials.
• Transferability: Scrips are freely tradable, allowing exporters to sell them to other importers for immediate liquidity, though they must be transferred in full amount.
• Validity: E-scrips are valid for one year from the date of creation.

• State Levies: VAT on fuel used for transport, electricity duty, mandi tax, and stamp duty on export documents.
• Central Levies: Central excise duty on fuel, CGST on inputs like fertilisers, and compensation cess on coal used for power.

• Agencies: Notified by the Ministry of Textiles and implemented by the Department of Revenue under the Ministry of Finance.
• Compliance: Exporters must maintain original documents for 3 years and ensure foreign remittance is realized within the timeframe allowed under FEMA.

• Museum Inauguration: The newly built facility at the Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra aims to preserve India's rich cultural and spiritual heritage.
• Global Message of Peace: PM Modi highlighted that the museum’s message of Ahimsa (non-violence) is vital in today's era of global instability and unrest.
• Correction of History: The government emphasized its efforts to correct past neglect in safeguarding ancient manuscripts and traditional knowledge systems. 

• Mauryan Emperor: He was the grandson of Emperor Ashoka and the son of Kunala.
• "Jain Ashoka": Known by this title due to his patronage of Jainism, mirroring Ashoka's devotion to Buddhism.
• Reign: He ruled approximately between 224–215 BCE, with Ujjain as his capital.

• Propagation: He is credited with spreading Jainism beyond India into regions like Afghanistan, Persia, and Central Asia.
• Infrastructure: Jain tradition credits him with building 125,000 new temples and installing 1.25 crore icons (idols) of Jain Tirthankaras.
• Monastic Support: He facilitated the travel of Jain monks to "barbarian lands" to spread the teachings of Mahavir.

• Seven Thematic Galleries: Houses over 2,000 rare artefacts, including ancient stone and metal idols, coins, and miniature paintings.
• Rare Manuscripts: Contains a massive collection of centuries-old manuscripts written on palm leaves and paper.
• Modern Technology: Combines traditional displays with state-of-the-art audio-visual installations for an immersive experience.
• Conservation Lab: Features a modern laboratory for the scientific preservation of delicate scrolls and antiquities. 

• Launched in 2019 by ISRO Chairman K Sivan on May 17, it targets Class 9 students (or equivalent) to impart basic knowledge of space science, technology, and applications.
• Annual two-week residential training at ISRO centers like VSSC (Thiruvananthapuram), URSC (Bengaluru), SAC (Ahmedabad), and NESAC (Shillong).
• Fully sponsored by ISRO, including free lodging, meals, and travel for selected participants.

• Develop curiosity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills while encouraging STEM careers.
• Promote equitable participation: 10 students per state, 8 per Union Territory, with focus on rural and underrepresented areas.
• "Catch them young" to build India's future scientists, as stated by officials.

• Based on 9th-grade marks (minimum 80-90% in some reports), an online test or interview, and socio-economic factors like rural background.
• Applications via official portals like jigyasa.iirs.gov.in/yuvika; shortlisting ensures regional balance.
• Around 300-400 students selected annually from across India.

• Classroom sessions on space trends, hands-on experiments with CANSAT, robotics kits, and model rocketry.
• Interactions with ISRO scientists, field visits, and practical demonstrations.
• Covers topics like space applications, emerging technologies, and career guidance.

• "God Squad" Exemption: For only the third time in history, the federal committee overrode wildlife protections to allow expanded offshore drilling, despite the risks to the whale's limited habitat.
• Imminent Extinction Risk: Scientists and environmental groups like the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) warn that the species, with fewer than 50–100 individuals remaining, cannot survive further habitat degradation.
• Legal Challenges: Environmental groups have filed emergency lawsuits to block the exemption, arguing it bypasses mandatory scientific oversight.

• New Species: Officially recognized as a distinct species in 2021; it was previously thought to be a subpopulation of the Bryde’s Whale.

• Three Ridges: Its most distinguishing feature is three prominent ridges on the top of its head (rostrum).
• Size & Colour: A medium-sized baleen whale, typically 10–12.6 meters long, with a dark grey upper body and a pale to pinkish belly.

• Endemic: Found exclusively in the Gulf of Mexico, primarily in the northeastern region (De Soto Canyon) at depths of 100–400 meters.

• Diet: Primarily feeds on silver-rag drift fish near the seafloor.
• Slow Reproduction: They reach sexual maturity at age nine and reproduce only every 2 to 3 years, making population recovery extremely slow.
• Diving Pattern: They spend days diving deep for food and nights resting near the surface, where they are highly vulnerable to ship strikes.

• IUCN Status: Critically Endangered.
• Population: Estimated at fewer than 50–100 individuals, with as few as 16 mature individuals remaining.

• Oil & Gas Industry: Vulnerable to oil spills (the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill killed ~20% of the population) and seismic airgun noise.
• Vessel Strikes: Due to their habit of resting near the surface at night in high-traffic shipping lanes.
• Climate Change: Warming oceans affect the distribution of their specialized prey. 

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