General Studies Paper -3 Context: Marginalised tribal communities face difficulties in accessing basic healthcare and diagnostics of Sickle cell disease (SCD). About Sickle cell disease (SCD) It is an inherited haemoglobin disorder in which red blood cells (RBCs) become crescent or sickle-shaped due to a genetic mutation. These RBCs are rigid and impair circulation, often leading to anaemia, organ damage, severe and episodic pain, and premature death. India has the third highest number of SCD births, after Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Regional studies suggest approximately 15,000-25,000 babies with SCD are born in India every year, mostly in tribal....Read More

General Studies Paper -3  Context: The Chennai-based space start-up will launch its first rocket Agnibaan Sub Orbital Technology Demonstrator from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. India’s share in Space Industry India constitutes 2-3% of the global space economy and is expected to enhance its share to more than 10% by 2030. With over 400private space companies, India ranks fifth globally in no. of space companies. Private players in space industry Indian start-ups are taking active interest in the space market, from just 1 start-up in the space sector in 2012 to 189 start-ups in 2023.  The funding received by these start-ups reached a total of $124.7....Read More

General Studies Paper -3 Context: The minister of Earth Sciences confirmed that the Samudrayaan mission is scheduled to explore the bed of the ocean by 2025 end. India is on a path to send its scientists to study the deep ocean 6 km under the sea surface under the mission. India’s Deep Ocean Mission (DOM) DOM is implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES)and was approved in 2021 at a cost of nearly Rs 4,077 crore over a five-year period in a phased manner. Samudrayaan Mission As a part of DOM, India’s flagship deep ocean mission, ‘Samudrayaan’, was initiated in 2021 by the Ministry of Earth....Read More

General Studies Paper -3 Context: India recently successfully tested a new Agni-V missile with MIRV (Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle) technology, capable of carrying multiple warheads and striking multiple targets. MIRV technology MIRV (Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle)technology is the capability that allows multiple warheads to be loaded on a single missile delivery system and programmed to hit different targets, thus greatly enhancing the missile’s destructive potential. They can all be made to hit the same location too,one after the other, thus ensuring complete annihilation of the target. The technology was developed in the 1960sand first deployed in the 1970s by the United States....Read More

General Studies Paper -3 Context: There is growing demand from social scientists, governments and international organisations that women’s participation in the economy/labour market should increase to promote economic growth of India. About the Women Workforce in India The participation of women in the workforce is a critical indicator of a nation’s economic health and social progress. In India, the female labour force has been a subject of extensive research and policy discussions. According to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS)conducted by the National Statistical Office (NSO), the estimated Worker Population Ratio (WPR) for women aged 15 years and above was 28.7% in 2019-20. However, the latest....Read More

General Studies Paper -3 Context: The Union Cabinet approved the IndiaAI Mission for the next five years. The Mission will be implemented by ‘IndiaAI’ Independent Business Division (IBD) under Digital India Corporation (DIC). The IndiaAI mission will establish a comprehensive ecosystem catalyzing AI innovation through strategic programs and partnerships across the public and private sectors. Key Features of IndiaAI Mission IndiaAI Compute Capacity:The ecosystem will comprise AI compute infrastructure of 10,000 or more Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), built through public-private partnership. Further, an AI marketplace will be designed to offer AI as a service and pre-trained models to AI innovators. It will act as a one-stop solution for resources critical for AI innovation. IndiaAI Innovation....Read More

General Studies Paper -3 Context: A historic milestone in India’s nuclear programme was achieved, when the process of core-loading the indigenous Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) was started at the Madras Atomic Power Station in Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu. This process marks the beginning of stage II in India’s three-stage nuclear Energy Program. What is India’s three-stage nuclear energy program? Historical Background- The roadmap of India’s three-stage nuclear program was envisioned by Dr. Homi J Bhabha. The program had been conceived with the ultimate objective of utilising the country’s vast reserves of thorium-232. India hosts roughly a quarter of the world’s....Read More

General Studies Paper -3 Context: Prime Minister witnessed the initiation of the core loading of India’s indigenous 500 Mwe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at the Madras Atomic Power Station, Kalpakkam. This marked India’s entry into the vital second stage of the country’s three-stage nuclear programme.  What is the PFBR? PFBR was constructed and will be operated by Bharatiya Nabhikiya. Government approved the creation of Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Ltd (BHAVINI) in The PFBR is a machine that produces more nuclear fuel than it consumes. The Salient Feature of the Reactor: The Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) will initially use the Uranium-Plutonium Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuel.  TheUranium-238 “blanket” surrounding the....Read More

General Studies Paper -3 Context: The government approved proposals to set up three semiconductor units in Gujarat and Assam with an estimated investment of Rs 1.26 lakh crore. Proposed Semiconductors Plants A semiconductor fabrication plant will be set up by Tata Electronics and Taiwan’s Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. (PSMC) in Gujarat’s Dholera. The Tata Group will also set up a chip assembly plant in Morigaon, Assam at a cost of Rs 27,000 crore. CG Power and Japan’s Renesas will also set up a semiconductor plant in Gujarat’s Sanand at an estimated cost of Rs 7,600 crore. What is a Semiconductor? Semiconductors also referred to....Read More

General Studies Paper -3 Context: The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) announced the completion of the ‘10,000 genome’ project. About The project was an attempt to create a reference database of whole-genome sequences out of India. The United Kingdom, China, and the United States are among the countries that have programmes to sequence at least 1,00,000 of their genomes. What is Genome Sequencing? The human genome is the entire set of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)residing in the nucleus of every cell of each human body. It carries the complete genetic information responsible for the development and functioning of the organism. The DNA consists of....Read More