1. ISRO test bootstrap mode start pn CE20 cryogenic engine
Gs paper III-science and technology
Context :ISRO has successfully demonstrated the bootstrap mode start test on the CE20 cryogenic engine, which powers the upper stage of the Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3) rocket.
- This test, conducted under vacuum conditions, is a key advancement for enhancing the restart capability and mission flexibility for future space flights, including multi-orbit and interplanetary missions.
Background: What is the CE-20 Engine?
- The CE-20 is an indigenously developed cryogenic rocket engine by ISRO’s Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) for the upper stage of LVM3.
- It uses liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen as propellants stored at extremely low temperatures, supporting heavy payload launches into high-energy orbits.
- This engine features a gas-generator cycle, with thrust levels between 180 kN and 220 kN, and enables India’s self-reliance in advanced propulsion technology.
Importance of Multiple Restarts
- Multi-Orbit Missions: Enables LVM3 to deploy various satellites into different orbits within a single launch, saving cost and boosting mission efficiency.
- Interplanetary Missions: Allows phase-wise propulsion and navigation in space exploration missions to planets like Mars, Venus, and beyond, enhancing trajectory management.
- Revisit and Re-burn for Precise Orbital Injections: Facilitates precision by allowing engine restarts during flight for accurate satellite placement, revisit, or orbital corrections.
- Restart capability increases mission flexibility and payload efficiency for strategic, commercial, and scientific objectives.
Bootstrap Mode Start: Definition and Working
- Definition: Bootstrap mode start is a method where the engine builds up to steady operation without external start-up assistance, such as stored start-up gas bottles.
- How It Works:
- The engine ignites the thrust chamber and then the gas generator using tank head conditions.
- Turbo pumps are started internally, without the use of an external start-up system.
- The engine reaches steady-state operation autonomously.
- This test is likely the first global demonstration of starting a gas-generator cycle cryogenic engine without any auxiliary start-up system.
Significance & Importance for LVM3
- Enhances the capability of LVM3 for multi-orbit and complex missions through reliable autonomous restarts.
- Reduces mass and hardware requirements by eliminating the need for multiple startup gas bottles, thereby increasing the payload capacity.
- Ensures robust engine performance for missions like Gaganyaan (India’s crewed space programme) and beyond.
Why Test Under Vacuum Conditions?
- Simulates the space environment and ensures the engine’s restart ability under real operational conditions experienced during orbit.
- Vacuum tests validate ignition and function for safety, reliability, and performance in actual mission scenarios.
Strategic Importance
- Empowers India to undertake heavy and complex satellite launches, multi-orbit deployments, and deep space missions independently.
- Reduces reliance on foreign propulsion systems, enhancing national security and technological autonomy in space.
- Bolsters India’s position in the global space sector, enabling advanced scientific, strategic, and commercial missions.
Conclusion
- ISRO’s successful bootstrap mode start test on the CE20 engine is a technological milestone, advancing India’s ability for flexible, efficient, and cost-effective space missions and strengthening its strategic autonomy in space technology
2. Over 2 crore people removed from NFSA list for free grains
GS Paper III -ECONOMY -PDS, buffer stocks, food security, e-governance applications.
Context :Over 2 crore (2.25 crore) ineligible beneficiaries have recently been removed from the National Food Security Act (NFSA) list for free grain distribution, following a major verification exercise by the Food Ministry and State governments.
Background: What is NFSA?
- The National Food Security Act, 2013 ensures subsidized food grains (5 kg/month of wheat/rice) for eligible households as a legal entitlement.
- NFSA aims to provide monthly food security to poor families, covering about two-thirds of India’s population.
Current Scheme Details
- The government offers 5 kg of free food grains monthly to each eligible beneficiary under the scheme.
- Intended recipients are economically vulnerable sections, identified based on social and economic criteria.
Why Were People Removed?
- Unintended beneficiaries, such as owners of four-wheelers, individuals with higher income, or company directors who do not qualify as economically vulnerable, had entered the NFSA list.
- The removal targets improved scheme efficiency and fiscal prudence.
What Exactly Did the Government Do?
Identification of Ineligible Households
- The Department of Food and Public Distribution sifted through beneficiary data to flag households not meeting eligibility norms (wealth, assets, income, etc.).
Sharing of Lists with States
- The Centre shared lists of probable ineligible beneficiaries with State governments for ground-level verification and confirmation.
Deletion After Verification
- States reviewed, verified, and removed these beneficiaries from active lists, ensuring only the rightful receive entitlements.
Key Data
- Total ineligible households identified and removed: Approximately 2.25 crore (over the past 4–5 months).
- Rice and wheat stocks distributed: 5 kg/month per beneficiary under current entitlements.
Why Is This Important?
- Fiscal Savings :Reducing leakages curbs food subsidy expenditure, creating substantial savings for the exchequer.
- Better Targeting of Benefits :More accurate beneficiary identification ensures that resources reach the genuinely needy.
- Data-Driven Governance :Use of data analytics and digital verification enhances scheme transparency and delivery.
- Political and Policy Significance :Demonstrates accountability and rationalization in welfare schemes, a key governance reform.
Possible Challenges
- Risk of Wrongful Deletion :Eligible families may be excluded due to data errors or verification lapses.
- Data Mismatch :Discrepancies across databases (income, assets, Aadhaar) may cause wrongful beneficiary identification.
- Variation in State Capacities :Differences in administrative abilities across States could affect the accuracy of verification and deletions.
- Political Sensitivity :Removal of large numbers may provoke local discontent, affecting scheme acceptability and political outcomes.
Linkages with Larger Issues
- Ties into broader debates on welfare rationalization, direct benefit targeting, and challenges of social registry maintenance in India.
- Highlights need for robust identification frameworks and regular updating for fair and effective scheme delivery.
3. Recognise the critical role of the childcare worker
GS Paper II – Social Justice / Welfare Schemes / Governance
Context :India Childcare Champion Awards 2025 (Oct 28) honoured frontline carers, timed with the UN’s International Day of Care and Support (Oct 29).
- High child stunting (35%) and low female LFPR (~41–42%) show weak care systems and heavy unpaid work burdens on women.
- Time Use data show women doing several times more unpaid care than men, highlighting gendered inequality in care.
Historical evolution of childcare
- Pre-independence: Mostly family/informal care; early reformers (e.g., Tarabai Modak, Gijubai Badheka) built low-cost, child‑centred preschool models.
- Colonial education policy (post‑1813) created elite, exam‑centric schooling; infants and preschoolers of poor families remained invisible.
- Post‑1947: Constitutional and policy focus on holistic child welfare (Article 45, National Policy for Children 1974) gradually led to ICDS and Anganwadis.
ICDS: achievements and gaps
- Launched in 1975 as an integrated nutrition–health–pre‑school programme, now the world’s largest public ECCE platform.
- Anganwadis reach crores of children and women, contributing to reduced infant and child mortality and improved nutrition.
- Gaps: patchy quality, weak services for under‑3s, infrastructure deficits, and limited alignment with NEP 2020’s ECCE vision.
Why childcare workers are undervalued
- Honorarium levels are often below local minimum wages; many domestic and care workers earn far below living‑wage levels.
- Workloads are multi‑dimensional (nutrition, health, preschool, community work) but with poor infrastructure and little leave or social security.
- Care roles are framed as “natural women’s work”, not as skilled early‑childhood education and health work.
- Training, career ladders, and professional standards remain minimal, leading to burnout and high turnover.
Climate change and rising care demand
- India’s high climate vulnerability means recurrent floods, heatwaves, and droughts disrupting households and services.
- Disasters push parents into distress migration and informal work, leaving young children unsupervised and older girls pulled out of school.
- Shocks worsen malnutrition, disease, and air‑pollution exposure, increasing the need for safe, resilient childcare centres.
International Day of Care and Support: relevance for India
- UNGA’s 2023 resolution on the Day urges investment in care systems, recognition of paid/unpaid work, and multi‑stakeholder action.
- For India, it aligns with correcting women’s low, unpaid participation in care and unlocking higher female labour force participation.
- It supports NEP 2020’s ECCE goals and provides a global frame to argue for higher public spending on care infrastructure.
India Childcare Champion Awards 2025
- Organised by Mobile Creches and FORCES, the awards recognise creche workers, supervisors, local leaders, NGOs, champions, and funders.
- They shift childcare from a “charity/welfare” frame to an essential public good enabling work, learning, and resilience.
- Awards also serve as advocacy tools to press governments and employers to invest in quality, accessible childcare.
Structural gaps in childcare
- Under‑3 childcare is the weakest link: few functional public creches; ICDS mainly targets 3–6 years.
- Public spending on early childhood and care is low relative to need and to international benchmarks.
- Policies largely miss informal‑sector workers, where most women are employed with irregular hours and no workplace creches.
Way forward: key policy directions
- Policy: Legally guarantee quality, full‑day creches for informal and formal workers; universalise maternity and parental protections.
- Investment: Raise care spending towards 1–1.5% of GDP; integrate ICDS, NEP 2020 ECCE, health, and urban planning.
- Workers: Ensure at least minimum wages, structured pre/in‑service training, promotions, and pension/insurance coverage.
- Climate resilience: Build disaster‑resilient Anganwadis/creches with backup power, water, and emergency protocols.
- Community & tech: Support community‑run cooperatives, map childcare deserts digitally, and ease enrolment and grievance redressal.
- Data & monitoring: Use hyperlocal data and education/health MIS to target underserved children and track equity outcomes.
4. Time to sort out India’s cereal mess
GS paper III-economy -agriculture
Context: Controversy erupted over Tamil Nadu’s kuruvai paddy procurement due to delays and allegations of corruption.
- Despite surplus rice stocks, India increasingly depends on imports for edible oils and pulses, with edible oil imports accounting for 55% of demand.
- Rice stockpiles reached 536.14 lakh tonnes (October 2024)—five times above buffer norms—showing unsustainable practices.
Key Issues in Current Procurement System
Over centralization on Paddy and Wheat
- State-level procurement led by TNCSC and FCI often results in delays, expanded coverage, and corrupt practices.
- Guaranteed prices push farmers to favor paddy, ignoring market signals and resource constraints.
Excessive Grain Stockpiling
- Central pool rice stocks far exceed policy norms: 536.14 lakh tonnes vs. required 102.5 lakh tonnes (Oct 2024).
- Routine excessive procurement erodes incentives for crop diversification.
Skewed Support Structures
- MSP and procurement are heavily tilted towards rice and wheat, deterring farmers from adopting pulses or oilseeds.
Misalignment in India’s Crop Production
Surpluses in Rice and Wheat
- Persistent overproduction, with average annual rice procurement at 322 lakh tonnes over the past three years.
Shortfalls in Pulses and Oilseeds
- Pulses and edible oils see high import dependency: 55% of oil demand is met via imports despite expanded acreage.
- Domestic oilseed output stagnates, failing to bridge the consumption gap.
Slow Pace of Diversification
- Farmer reluctance driven by weak support systems, lack of assured prices, and insufficient technical guidance.
Consequences of Rising Import Dependence
- Edible oil import bills crossed ₹30,000 crore in 2023-24; domestic production dropped from 157 lakh tonnes to 138 lakh tonnes in ten years.
- Global events—like Russia-Ukraine conflict—have spiked international prices and fueled domestic inflation.
- Despite reforms since 2004, oilseed productivity and self-reliance remain stagnant.
Structural Bottlenecks in Diversification Policy
Poor Agricultural Extension Mechanisms
- Farmers lack timely advice and support for non-cereal crops.
High Risk, Low Reward for Alternative Crops
- Limited MSP for pulses/oilseeds exposes farmers to market risks, restricting diversification.
Fragmented Institutional Framework
- Procurement involves multiple agencies (FCI, State Corporations, NAFED), leading to inconsistent policies and execution.
Need for Procurement Reform
Weak FPO Ecosystem
- Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) remain underdeveloped with limited access to credit, infrastructure, and markets.
System Leakages and Market Distortions
- Paddy diversion to markets with better open prices undermines the integrity of the procurement system.
One-Size-Fits-All Policy Flaws
- Uniform procurement norms ignore region- and commodity-specific agricultural realities.
Conclusion
India’s grain management suffers from excess stocks of rice and wheat, yet relies heavily on imports of pulses and edible oils. Procurement distortions, weak incentives for diversification, and structural imbalances make reform essential. Solutions should focus on agro-ecological cropping patterns, making procurement region- and crop-specific, and strengthening FPOs to rebuild a robust and balanced food security system.
5. QS Sustainability rankings
GS paper III-Economy
Context: The latest QS World University Rankings for Sustainability 2026 were released, with 103 Indian universities included, marking India as having the fourth-highest representation globally.
What are QS Sustainability Rankings?
- Launched in 2023 by QS Quacquarelli Symonds, these rankings assess universities on environmental impact, social responsibility, and governance.
- Indicators span research output, sustainability initiatives, employability, knowledge exchange, health, and wellbeing.
Key Dimensions
- Environmental Sustainability
- Measures research, teaching, and campus operations related to climate and ecological impact.
- Social Sustainability
- Assesses universities’ societal contributions: education quality, employability, knowledge-sharing, and public health.
- Good Governance
- Considers institutional transparency, equality, inclusion, and responsible management.
India’s Position in QS Sustainability Rankings 2026
- India placed fourth globally by the number of universities ranked (103), behind the U.S., China, and U.K.
- 12 Indian universities featured in the global top 500.
Key Facts
- Total institutions assessed: ~2,000 from over 100 countries.
- Top global performer: Lund University, Sweden.
- 30 Indian universities’ ranks declined; 32 improved, and 15 remained unchanged.
Significance
- Showcases India’s growing presence and progress in higher education sustainability.
- Demonstrates commitment to knowledge-sharing, environmental stewardship, and social impact.
Top Performing Indian Institutions
- IIT Delhi: Highest-ranked for Employability & Outcomes (93rd in indicator, 205th overall).
- IIT Kharagpur: 96th for Employability & Outcomes.
- University of Delhi: 94th for Knowledge Exchange.
Best-Performing Indian University
- IIT Delhi led overall among Indian institutions, entering the global top 100 for Employability & Outcomes.
Other Highlights
- Most Indian universities excel in knowledge exchange and environmental sustainability rather than overall ranking.
- 9 of top 15 Indian universities dropped in position compared to last year, including Jadavpur University, IIT Kanpur, IIT Madras, and IISc.
Top 100 in Specific Indicators
- University of Delhi ranks in the global top 100 for Knowledge Exchange.
- IIT Delhi and IIT Kharagpur feature in the top 100 globally for Employability & Outcomes.
Global Scenario
- Top nations by number of ranked institutions: United States, China, United Kingdom, India.
- Institutions from Sweden, Canada, U.K., U.S. lead the global top spots.
Performance Trends for Indian Universities
- 30 institutions dropped in their rankings, 32 saw improvement, 15 stayed the same.
- Indian presence in overall sustainability rankings remains modest despite indicator-level strengths.
Institutions Whose Positions Dropped
- Decline recorded among several prominent names: Jadavpur University, IIT Kanpur, IIT Madras, IISc, and others.
Key Statement from QS
- CEO Jessica Turner: “Indian universities excel in knowledge exchange and environmental sustainability.”
Meaning
- QS Sustainability Rankings highlight holistic contributions of universities beyond academic scores—focusing on broader societal and ecological impacts.
Why This Matters
- Encourages Indian universities to strengthen efforts in sustainability, innovation, and social responsibility.
- Globally benchmarks India’s higher education system, driving reforms and reputation enhancement.
6. What changes are planned for the plant variety Act?
GS paper III-Economy -Agriculture
Context: The Union Agriculture Minister announced upcoming amendments to the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act, 2001 (PPV&FRA), with consultations involving farmers, scientists, civil society, and industry stakeholders.
Overview of PPV&FRA, 2001
- India’s unique law that protects breeders, farmers, and local communities’ rights while incentivizing innovation and conserving genetic diversity.
- Provides an alternative to the more restrictive UPOV model under TRIPS, giving farmers and breeders equal legal status.
Institutional Mechanisms
- Set up the PPV&FR Authority, National Register of Plant Varieties, and National Gene Bank for long-term genetic preservation.
Farmer-Centric Provisions
- Empowers farmers to save, use, sow, resow, exchange, share, and sell seeds of protected varieties (except branded seeds).
- Farmers can register and claim rights over their own developed varieties.
Rights of Plant Breeders
- Grants exclusive commercialization rights over registered varieties, provided benefit-sharing and statutory limitations are met.
Technical Standards: DUS Testing
- Registration based on Distinctness, Uniformity, and Stability; protection spans 15 years for annual crops and 18 years for trees/vines.
Promoting Public Access and Fair Use
- Compulsory licensing ensures public availability and fair pricing where breeders monopolize supply.
- Community rights and benefit-sharing prevent unfair appropriation of local/traditional seed varieties.
Coverage of Varieties
- Encompasses newly bred, extant, farmer-developed, and essentially derived varieties.
Highlights of Proposed Amendments
Expanded Definitions
- ‘Variety’: Now includes combinations of genotypes and vegetatively propagated parts (tubers, bulbs, tissue culture, etc.), aligning with Seeds Bill 2019.
- ‘Seed’: Redefined to cover all planting materials and vegetatively propagated organs for consistency across legislation.
Institutional and Breeder Recognition
- Both public and private sector organizations to be formally recognized as breeders and legitimate institutions.
Enhanced DUS Testing and Transparency
- Adds trait-based registration descriptors, increased transparency, and stricter safeguards to prevent misuse (e.g., njavara paddy controversy).
Curbing Abusive Practices
- Penalties for selling counterfeit, similarly named varieties, or monopolizing breeder rights.
Safeguards for Community and Traditional Varieties
- Community-developed and traditional varieties shielded from private appropriation.
- Prevents registration of farmer-tested varieties without proper disclosure and consent.
Farmer Welfare Provisions
- Strengthened compensation mechanisms for farmers if performance falls short of breeder claims.
International Alignment
- Harmonization with global treaties (International Plant Treaty – MLS) to improve in situ conservation and fair genetic resource sharing.
