UPSC Current Affairs 24 October 2026

• Status: It is the premier, autonomous Telecom Research and Development (R&D) centre owned by the Government of India.
• Parent Department: It operates under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications.
• Establishment: Founded in August 1984 by the Government of India, with tech visionary Sam Pitroda playing a pioneering role in its inception.
• Locations: Its primary research and development campuses are located in New Delhi and Bengaluru.
• Quality Standard: It is fully compliant with Level 5 maturity on the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) framework.

• Rural Telecom Revolution: Historically hailed as the progenitor of India’s telecom revolution, C-DOT successfully engineered rugged rural digital electronic exchanges (RAX) that withstood harsh Indian weather conditions without air conditioning.
• Core Objective: Its primary mandate is to build self-reliance (Aatmanirbhar Bharat) in telecommunications by designing indigenous technologies suited explicitly to the Indian geographical and socio-economic landscape.

• Emerging Networks: Deeply engaged in the software and hardware design cycles for indigenous 4G, 5G (including 5G Open RAN products), and next-generation 6G ecosystems.
• Core Telecom Hardware: Actively designs Terabit Routers, Wi-Fi solutions, Next-Generation Networks (NGN), and XGS-PON/DWDM optical communication systems.
• Quantum & Cybersecurity: Spearheads the India Quantum Alliance and has indigenously developed Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) systems and Post-Quantum Cryptography to secure critical telecom networks.
• IoT & Smart Cities: Developed the oneM2M-compliant Common Services Platform (CCSP) designed to integrate smart city grids, Industrial IoT, and Machine-to-Machine networks.
• Disaster Management Integration: Created the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) lab, which helps the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) distribute pan-India public safety notifications seamlessly.

• Full form: Broadband Public Protection and Disaster Relief System.
• It is a dedicated communication infrastructure designed to remain reliable during emergencies, disasters, security operations and large public events.
• Unlike ordinary mobile networks, it is intended to provide priority access, resilience and mission-critical communication to authorised responders.
• It will support voice as well as high-speed data, images, live video and location-based operational information.

• Mission Critical Push-to-Talk (MCPTT): Instant, reliable voice communication similar to traditional walkie-talkies but with advanced digital stability.
• Mission Critical Data: Fast transmission of crucial data, maps, location tracking, and real-time database access during operations.
• Mission Critical Video: High-definition real-time video streaming to command centres for better situational awareness during crises.

• Law Enforcement: State and Union Territory Police forces.
• Paramilitary & Disaster Response: Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
• Emergency & Essential Services: Fire services, medical services, and other civil defence or public safety agencies.

• Replacing Legacy Technology: Existing Indian PPDR agencies rely heavily on narrow-band digital trunking (like TETRA and P25) or older analogue systems that are strictly limited to voice communication.
• Breaking Communication Silos: Currently, different state and national agencies operate independent, fragmented networks that are not interoperable, hindering cross-agency coordination during major disasters.
• Modernising Responses: Criminals and emergencies utilize advanced digital tools; BB-PPDR equips first responders with modern broadband applications like real-time mapping, biometric access, and robot remote control.

• Technology Foundation: Expected to leverage 3GPP Public Safety Long-Term Evolution (PS-LTE) standards to ensure high-speed data transmission.
• Dedicated Infrastructure: While a national framework is planned, special attention is aimed at building dedicated networks in metros, border districts, and highly sensitive or disaster-prone zones.
• Coordination Agency: A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) under the MHA is envisioned to manage nationwide facilities and coordinate spectrum allocation with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).

• Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat: The initiative directly promotes the government's policy mandate of national integration and celebrating shared cultural heritage.
• Civilizational Bonds: It reaffirms the age-old links between Tamil Nadu and Kashi, recognized as two of India's most ancient seats of learning.
• NEP 2020 Alignment: The program integrates with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 by promoting multilingualism, cross-cultural learning, and Indian language studies.

• Official Theme: "Thirukkural Payilvom – Thirukkural Abhyas Karen" (Let's Study/Practice Thirukkural).
• Broader Reach: Through multi-language translations, the event intends to take the ethical values of Aram (virtue), Porul (wealth), and Inbam (love) to students and communities outside of Tamil Nadu.

• Knowledge & Portal Partner: Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras).
• Local Host: Banaras Hindu University (BHU Varanasi).
• Implementing Agencies: Co-partnered by the Central Institute of Classical Tamil (CICT) and the Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti.

• Expected Delegates: Around 1,400 selected participants from Tamil Nadu will travel on an eight-day cultural immersion trip.
• Expanded Geography: While centered in Varanasi, the itinerary and events will span across major cultural hubs in Uttar Pradesh including Prayagraj and Ayodhya.

• Literary Traditions: Traced back to antiquity through Sage Agastya’s shared contributions to northern and southern literature.
• The Pandya Kingdom connection: Celebrates the 15th-century Tenkasi Viswanathar Temple built by King Parakrama Pandya to worship Lord Shiva away from Kashi.
• 17th-Century Linkages: Honors the establishment of the Kumaraswamy Mutt in Kashi by Kumaraguruparar Swamigal.

• Classification: It is a vector-borne virus belonging to the Orthobunyavirus genus (specifically under the Simbu serogroup). It is closely related to the Schmallenberg virus.
• Origin: It was first isolated in livestock (cattle) in Nigeria in 1965.
• Historical Presence: For over 60 years, the virus was strictly confined to parts of Africa and Japan, where it sporadically circulated in farm animals without ever infecting humans.

• Insect Vectors: The virus is primarily transmitted through the bites of Culicoides midges (tiny, biting flies).
• Spread in Animals: It easily transmits from midges to livestock and can pass from an infected pregnant animal to its fetus (vertical transmission).
• Human Infection Route: In the rare French case, authorities suspect the patient was bitten by a midge carrying the virus in eastern France.
• Contagion Risk: There is no evidence of human-to-human transmission, nor is there any evidence of direct animal-to-human transmission.

• Arrival in Europe: The virus was detected in European livestock for the very first time in late July 2026, starting in southern Germany and Switzerland.
• Rapid Expansion: By October 2026, it rapidly spread to animals across more than a dozen European countries, including France, Spain, Italy, Austria, Belgium, Ireland, and the Netherlands.

• In Livestock: It causes fever, severe diarrhoea, extreme weakness, and a sharp decline in milk yield in dairy herds. Most critically, it causes reproductive complications like spontaneous abortions, stillbirths, and congenital deformities in newborn calves, lambs, and kids. In some cases, it has caused neurological symptoms in horses.
• In Humans: Because there has only been one documented human case, standard symptoms are not yet fully understood. The deceased patient reportedly exhibited some neurological complications, but his severely weakened immune system was the primary factor in the severity of the illness.

• No Specific Cure: There are currently no dedicated vaccines or antiviral treatments available for the Shamonda virus in either animals or humans. Disease control relies primarily on insect repellents and managing midge breeding grounds.
• Low Risk to the General Public: Both the WHO and French health authorities emphasize that the risk to the general population remains low. Healthy individuals are expected to experience little to no illness if exposed. Furthermore, midge activity naturally declines during the cooler autumn and winter months, lowering transmission risks.

• Ancient Records: The site is historically identified with Govisana, a prominent and prosperous ancient kingdom documented by the famous 7th-century Chinese Buddhist traveler and scholar Xuanzang.
• Cunningham’s Discovery: Alexander Cunningham, the founder and first Director-General of the ASI, initially correlated Kashipur with Xuanzang's descriptions in the 19th century.
• Buddhist Heritage: Xuanzang’s accounts noted that Govisana was home to an Ashokan stupa tradition and multiple active Buddhist monasteries.

• Dronacharya's Abode: According to local tradition and folklore, the region served as the residence and warfare training ground of Guru Dronacharya, who taught the Pandavas and Kauravas.
• Drona Sagar Lake: The nearby Drona Sagar Lake is traditionally believed to have been constructed by the Pandavas as guru dakshina (respectful offering) to Dronacharya.
• Scientific Verification: While embedded deep in cultural memory, archaeologists are using this fresh excavation as an independent empirical test to evaluate these ancient literary narratives.

• Multi-Phase History: The ASI has explored the Kashipur site over multiple historical timelines, including initial phases in 1939–40, 1965–66, and 1970–71.
• Recent Probes: Minor excavation works resumed between late 2024 and mid-2026, which revealed intriguing brick patterns, motivating the current full-scale seasonal dig.

• Bhim-Gaja Mound: Previous digging focused heavily on Bhim-Gaja, the highest point of the 90-acre site.
• Multi-Phase Temple Complex: The site hosts an ancient temple structure built across three distinct eras:
  • Gupta Period: The earliest foundation consists of a soil-and-brick raised platform that supported a central sanctuary (sanctum).
  • 6th to 7th Century CE: The complex expanded into a grand Panchayatana style with two additional enclosing brick walls.
• Circular Formation: Recent digging unearthed a mysterious circular brick structure that the ASI aims to probe deeper into this season to determine its exact functional purpose.

• Iron Age Base: Excavators found Painted Grey Ware (PGW) pottery at the deeper stratigraphic levels, confirming human occupation extending back to the Northern Indian Iron Age. Notably, PGW culture is frequently studied in connection with the timelines of early advanced Indian epics.
• Sequential Settlements: The site shows an uninterrupted sequence of human activity spanning several historical milestones, yielding pottery, coins, and artifacts belonging to the Kushan, Gupta, and early Medieval periods.
• Minor Relics: Over time, the structural layers have yielded copper and glass bangles, terracotta beads, iron nails, chisels, and ancient inscriptions.

• Core Function: The National Mobile Monitoring System is a mobile application launched by the Ministry of Rural Development to capture the real-time attendance of workers at rural development worksites, primarily under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
• Development: The software was originally designed and developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC).
• Methodology: It records attendance twice daily by requiring supervisors to upload time-stamped and geo-tagged photographs of the workers physically present at the site.

• Geo-Tagged Attendance: Captures precise location coordinates alongside photographs to verify that work is happening at the designated government site.
• Facial Recognition Tech: Utilizes refined, regional-adapted AI face verification to match the identity of the worker presenting themselves against government database records.
• Liveness Detection: Prevents fraud by using active camera filters to detect whether a real person is standing in front of the lens rather than a printed or digital photograph.
• Linkage to e-Muster Rolls: Digitally binds the collected attendance data directly to electronic muster rolls, replacing slow paper-based logs and data entry steps.
• Delayed Offline Uploads: When internet access is completely unavailable in remote areas, the app allows local administrators to log attendance locally and upload it as soon as the device re-enters a network zone.

• Reduces Leakages & Corruption: The digital footprint makes it exceptionally difficult for corrupt intermediaries to create "ghost beneficiaries" or siphon money under fake accounts.
• Enhances Citizen Oversight: Workers and public citizens can access and transparently audit who is actively deployed at regional worksites.
• Speeds Up Payments: By eliminating manual log shipments and physical verification delay cycles, data moves directly to the National Electronic Fund Management System (NeFMS) for faster bank transfers.

• Network Infrastructure Constraints: Remote villages frequently face severe internet and server outages, completely disrupting real-time uploads.
• Smartphone & Financial Burdens: Local supervisors or workers are often forced to buy expensive smartphones out-of-pocket without monetary support from the government.
• Language Barriers: Early versions relied heavily on English, creating significant usage friction for rural populations where English literacy is extremely low.
• Wage Denials: When photos fail to cross-verify or duplicate flags are raised, the system automatically triggers a hold on the Fund Transfer Order (FTO), meaning innocent laborers sometimes face extended periods without pay.

• Doubling Trade: Both nations set a clear target to double bilateral trade by 2030.
• Economic Milestones: PM Modi congratulated Poland for crossing the $1 Trillion GDP mark, while Poland recognized India's path toward becoming a $10 Trillion economy.
• EU-India FTA: Both leaders called for the early conclusion, signing, and ratification of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
• Business Collaboration: A high-level India-Poland Business Forum was held, focusing on machinery, pharmaceuticals, infrastructure, mining, and railways.

• Defence Dialogue: The leaders proposed a formal Defence Industry Dialogue to establish a framework for co-development, co-production, and joint industrial ventures.
• Classified Information: Both sides are finalizing an Agreement on Mutual Protection and Exchange of Classified Information to bolster secure intelligence sharing.
• Counter-Terrorism: Heavily condemned terrorism in all forms, demanding an end to cross-border safe havens and urging early adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) at the UN.

• Emerging Tech: Agreed to collaborate on joint research regarding AI, semiconductors, and Quantum technologies.
• Space Links: Recognized space exploration as a core element, pledging closer ties between institutional and industry-level space entities.
• Civil Nuclear Energy: Committed to deeper technical cooperation and joint academic research in the field of civil nuclear energy.
• Critical Minerals: Initiated negotiations for an MoU covering critical minerals, rare earths refining, and battery recycling.

• Global Alliances: India welcomed Poland’s entry into the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and invited Poland to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the Global Biofuels Alliance.
• Clean Energy Mix: Agreed to enhance cooperation in clean energy and sustainable technologies to improve domestic energy security and industrial competitiveness.

• Indo-Pacific: Reaffirmed support for a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific region, with India inviting Poland to join the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative.
• Visegrad Group: Celebrated the first foreign ministers' meeting between India and the Visegrad Group (Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic) under the V4+India format.

• Living Bridges: Highlighted historical links, notably the sanctuary provided by India to Polish women and children during World War II at Kolhapur and by the Maharaja Jamsaheb (the "Good Maharaja").
• Operation Ganga Gratitude: India officially recalled and appreciated Poland's timely assistance in evacuating over 2,000 stranded Indian students from Ukraine.
• Cultural Agreements: Promised an imminent conclusion to a new framework agreement covering culture, science, higher education, and institutional archives.

• Unique Shape: Composed of four elongated, narrow peninsulas separated by three deep gulfs (Boni, Tolo, and Tomini).
• Surrounding Bodies: It is bordered by the Celebes Sea to the north, the Makassar Strait to the west (separating it from Borneo), the Flores Sea to the south, and the Molucca and Banda seas to the east.
• Topography: The island is highly mountainous with limited plains and features numerous active volcanoes, especially in the north. Its highest peak is Mount Rantemario (also called Ratenkombola) standing at 3,478 metres.
• Deepest Lakes: It houses 13 freshwater lakes, including Lake Matano, which is the deepest lake in Southeast Asia.
• Administrative Divisions: Politically split into six provinces: North, Central, West, South, Southeast, and Gorontalo. The largest city and major economic hub is Makassar.

• The Wallacea Zone: Sulawesi sits in a distinct ecological transitional zone between Asian and Australian fauna called Wallacea.
• High Endemism: Because of its isolated evolution, 62% of its native mammals (79 out of 127 species) are completely endemic (found nowhere else on Earth). Notable species include the Anoa (dwarf buffalo), the Babirusa (deer-pig), the Crested Macaque, and the tiny Tarsier.
• Marine Biodiversity: The surrounding coral systems form a segment of the Coral Triangle, a global hotspot for marine life, supporting whales, sea turtles, dugongs, and the rare Sulawesi coelacanth.
• Environmental Challenges: The island's remaining rainforests are under severe threat from habitat fragmentation, logging, infrastructure development, and land clearing for palm oil plantations and nickel mining.

• Demographics: It has a population of over 21 million people. The majority practice Islam (concentrated mainly in the south), while significant Christian populations reside in the central and northern regions.
• Major Ethnic Groups:
  • Buginese & Makassarese: Historically seafaring communities that dominate the southern region.
  • Toraja: Famous for their sophisticated, days-long funeral rites, buffalo sacrifices, and signature stilt houses called Tongkonan.
  • Minahasa: Predominantly Christian tribes located in the far north.
  • Bajau: Often referred to as "sea nomads," many still live traditional, boat-bound lives relying purely on the sea.
• Economy: Beyond global nickel and gold mining, the local economy relies heavily on agriculture (cultivating rice, coffee, and spices) and coastal fisheries.

• Stagnating Volumes: Global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions totaled 58.4 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent (GtCO₂e) in 2025. This is only marginally lower (by 0.16 GtCO₂e) than in 2024.
• Dominance of Fossil Fuels: More than two-thirds of all GHG emissions originate from fossil fuel sources. Fossil CO₂ emissions, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases continued to increase, while methane remained steady.
• G20 Accountability: G20 members (excluding the African Union) collectively account for 76% of global emissions.

• New Target Framework: Because passing the 1.5°C threshold is now imminent and unavoidable, the focus has shifted to a “lowest possible” overshoot scenario.
• Peak & Return: This scenario aims to cap peak warming at 1.7°C–1.8°C by mid-century and leverage aggressive actions to bring temperatures back down to or below 1.5°C by 2100.
• The Danger of Delay: Every additional fraction of a degree or year spent above 1.5°C drastically heightens the risk of irreversible planetary damage, such as collapsing ice sheets, permafrost thawing, and dead coral systems.

• Inadequate Commitments: Fully implementing countries' current climate pledges (NDCs) would only slash emissions by 5% to 8% by 2030 and 11% to 15% by 2035 (relative to 2025 levels).
• The Reality Gap: This creates a massive 16 GtCO₂e emissions gap by 2035. Under existing policies, the planet is on track for a devastating 2.6°C to 2.8°C of warming by 2100.

Milestone / Metric	Required Reduction / Target
2030 Target	Global GHG emissions must fall by 18%
2035 Target	Global GHG emissions must fall by 45%
2040 Target	Global GHG emissions must fall by 69%
Renewable Energy	At least triple global renewable electricity capacity by 2035
Coal Power	Cut electricity generation from coal by at least 75% by 2035
Methane (CH4)	Reduce methane emissions by at least 25% by 2035

• Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR): The world will need to physically extract approximately 320 GtCO₂ from the atmosphere over this century to pull temperatures back down. However, the report notes major uncertainties regarding the technological feasibility, ecological impacts, and financial costs of large-scale CDR.
• Accelerating the Global Stocktake: Countries must build on the first Global Stocktake by establishing much clearer, legally quantified targets for 2035 and 2040.
• Equitable Actions for India: Developing countries like India must balance rapid decarbonisation—accelerating renewable energy, strengthening domestic carbon markets, and cleaner heavy industries—with secured climate finance and the principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR-RC) to protect developmental equity.

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