Prelims Pinpointer-12-and-13-DEC 2025-Current Affairs Notes

Prelims Pinpointer

1. Shilp Didi Programme

What it is

• The Shilp Didi Programme is a government initiative to empower women artisans, enhancing income, skills, and market access.
• Implemented by the Ministry of Textiles through the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts).
• Launched in 2024, beginning with a 100-day pilot in June 2024.
• Focuses on creating an ecosystem where women artisans become digital-ready micro-entrepreneurs.

Aim

• To build financial independence among women artisans through design upgradation and business training.
• To integrate artisans with modern marketing systems, including e-commerce platforms.
• To strengthen women’s participation in India’s handicrafts value chain.

Key Features

• Training modules cover entrepreneurship, GST compliance, packaging, social-media promotion, and e-commerce onboarding.
• Provides artisans access to Dilli Haat, craft fairs, curated exhibitions, and online marketplaces.
• Initial inclusion: 100 women artisans from 72 districts across 23 states.
• Represents 30 diverse craft traditions, including textiles, metalwork, pottery, embroidery, and natural fibre crafts.
• Capacity-building integrated with NHDP clusters for long-term support.

Significance

• Helps create sustainable non-farm livelihoods, especially in rural and semi-urban regions.
• Promotes digital inclusion by enabling artisans to use online platforms independently.
• Enhances market competitiveness through design innovation and direct consumer access.
• Boosts income significantly, with some artisans reportedly earning over ₹5 lakh after onboarding.
• Strengthens India’s handicrafts sector, which is a key pillar of the country’s cultural economy and women-led entrepreneurship.

2.Hard Corals (Stony Corals)

What They Are

• Hard corals are marine animals forming calcium carbonate skeletons, creating the structural base of coral reefs.
• Reefs built by hard corals support one-third of global marine biodiversity.

Types

• Hard (reef-building) corals: e.g., staghorn and elkhorn; grow in colonies forming limestone frameworks.
• Soft corals: e.g., sea fingers, sea whips; lack rigid skeletons and do not form reefs.

Key Features

• Coral polyps live in colonies and host zooxanthellae algae, providing food via photosynthesis.
• Form reef structures over centuries, enabling coastal protection and biodiversity richness.
• Thrive in warm, clear, shallow waters with stable environmental conditions.

Threats

• Mass bleaching events from extreme heat (1998, 2005, 2023–24) causing starvation and mortality.
• Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD) threatening >30 species across 30 Caribbean nations.
• Decline of key herbivores like sea urchins and parrotfish → uncontrolled macroalgae growth (+85%).
• Result: Caribbean coral cover declined 48% between 1980–2024.

3.Retail Inflation (CPI Inflation)

Context: Retail inflation rose marginally to 0.7% in November 2025 from historic low 0.25% in October; food price contraction offset marginal fuel inflation acceleration.

More in News:

• November’s inflation is second-lowest ever recorded in current Consumer Price Index series; inflation has slowed in seven of first eight months of this financial year 2025-26.
• Food and beverages category saw prices contract by 2.8% in November 2025 compared to high base of 8.2% in November last year and 3.7% contraction in October 2025.
• Clothing and footwear inflation eased marginally to 1.5% from 1.7%; housing category inflation remained virtually unchanged at 2.95% in November compared to 2.96% in October 2025.
• Edible oils witnessed sharp increases though topline number down to 7.9%; mustard and coconut oil were main drivers of inflation in food basket despite overall food price contraction trend.

Meaning of Retail Inflation

• Retail inflation reflects changes in prices of goods and services purchased by households.
• It is measured through the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for a fixed consumption basket.
• CPI-based inflation indicates the percentage change in the overall price index over time.
• The index tracks the evolving cost of living and daily consumption expenditure patterns.

What CPI Indicates

• CPI shows shifts in the purchasing power of consumers over different periods.
• It reflects the expensiveness of goods and services usually bought by households.
• CPI trends help assess changes in the value of the Indian rupee in real terms.
• It signals how rising prices affect living standards and consumer welfare.

How CPI Is Calculated

• CPI measures price changes relative to a base year, which is currently 2012.
• It compares the cost of a fixed basket of goods and services between two periods.
• Formula: CPI = (Cost in Current Year ÷ Cost in Base Year) × 100.
• The basket may be revised periodically to reflect changing consumption patterns.
• The National Statistical Office (NSO) compiles CPI for Rural, Urban, and Combined sectors monthly.

Uses of Consumer Price Index

• CPI is a key macroeconomic indicator used to track overall inflation trends.
• It guides the central bank and government in inflation targeting and policy decisions.
• CPI serves as a deflator in national accounts for deriving real economic indicators.
• It helps assess the real value of salaries, pensions, and wages over time.
• CPI fluctuations indicate shifts in the purchasing power of the nation’s currency.

4.Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM)

Context: CAQM constituted 15-member committee to control air pollution from vehicular emissions, reviewing clean mobility policies, BS norms, EV initiatives, fuel efficiency standards across Delhi-NCR region.

CAQM

• Statutory Basis and Mandate

• • • CAQM is a statutory body created under the 2021 Act for Delhi–NCR air governance.
    • Its mandate includes coordination, research, identification, and resolution of air-quality issues.
    • The Commission undertakes measures for preventing and controlling air pollution in Delhi-NCR.
    • It addresses pollution sources in adjoining states affecting Delhi’s overall air quality.
    • CAQM must coordinate monitoring activities with Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh governments.

• Powers of CAQM

• • The Commission can restrict activities that adversely affect regional air quality.
  • It may investigate and conduct research to understand pollution trends and challenges.
  • It prepares codes and guidelines for preventing and controlling regional air pollution.
  • CAQM issues binding directions related to inspections, regulations, and compliance measures.
  • All concerned authorities and individuals must comply with CAQM orders without exception.
  • The Commission remains directly accountable to Parliament, strengthening its oversight framework.

• Composition of CAQM

• • CAQM is chaired by a Secretary-level or Chief Secretary-level officer from government.
  • The Chairperson serves a three-year term or until reaching 70 years, whichever is earlier.
  • The body includes five ex-officio members from Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.
  • It also comprises three full-time technical members to support scientific decision-making.
  • Additionally, three NGO representatives contribute public and environmental perspectives.
  • Technical experts from CPCB, ISRO, and NITI Aayog strengthen its analytical capabilities.

5.Indian Knowledge System (IKS)

Context: SCERT Delhi started five-day capacity-building programme for government school teachers on Indian Knowledge Systems at IIT Mandi and Central Sanskrit University, Kerala.

About Indian Knowledge System (IKS)

• The Indian Knowledge System (IKS) is an innovative cell under the Ministry of Education at AICTE, New Delhi.
• It aims to promote interdisciplinary research on diverse dimensions of India’s traditional knowledge.
• The division works to preserve, document, and disseminate IKS for research and societal use.
• IKS intends to highlight India’s rich cultural heritage and traditional intellectual contributions.
• Its scope spans arts, literature, agriculture, sciences, engineering, architecture, management, and economics.

Objectives of the IKS Division

• Promote studies exploring the historical, scientific, and cultural foundations of indigenous knowledge.
• Enable researchers to apply IKS insights for modern societal and technological solutions.
• Strengthen national efforts to integrate traditional knowledge into contemporary academic discourse.
• Encourage younger generations to understand India’s civilizational knowledge strengths.
• Support creation of a sustainable ecosystem for long-term IKS research.

Functions of the IKS Division

• Facilitate and coordinate interdisciplinary IKS-related research among domestic and international institutions.
• Engage universities, national institutes, laboratories, ministries, and private entities in collaborative research.
• Establish and supervise subject-wise interdisciplinary groups comprising researchers and experts.
• Promote awareness and popularisation schemes for wider public understanding of IKS.
• Facilitate funding support for research projects and develop mechanisms for effective implementation.
• Provide policy recommendations to strengthen IKS integration into education and national development.

6.National Green Tribunal (NGT)

About the National Green Tribunal

• The NGT was established in 2010 under the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010.
• It serves as a specialised judicial body to ensure speedy environmental justice in India.
• The Tribunal addresses issues concerning environment protection, forest conservation, and environmental rights.
• It also provides compensation for personal and property damages arising from environmental violations.
• The NGT aims to dispose of cases within six months, guided by natural justice.

Key Features of NGT

• The NGT includes judicial and expert members for scientific and legal clarity.
• It functions independent of the Civil Procedure Code, relying on natural justice principles.
• It operates through regional benches at Delhi, Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata, and Chennai.
• A circuit bench mechanism ensures broader accessibility for litigants.
• The Tribunal commenced formal operations on 4 July 2011.

Composition

• The Chairperson is a retired Supreme Court Judge or Chief Justice of a High Court.
• Judicial members include 10–20 former Supreme Court or High Court judges.
• Expert members include 10–20 specialists with advanced qualifications in science, engineering, or technology.
• All appointments are made by the Central Government, with defined age and tenure limits.

Powers and Jurisdiction

• • The NGT adjudicates disputes under seven major environmental laws, including 

• Water Act, Air Act, Environment Protection Act, Forest Conservation Act, Biological Diversity Act, and Public Liability Insurance Act.

• It functions with civil court powers and follows natural justice principles.
• The Tribunal may impose penalties, order relief, and award compensation.
• It holds suo motu powers to act without formal complaints.
• It aims to decide matters within six months of filing.

Significance

• Provides quick and specialised environmental justice, reducing burden on regular courts.
• Ensures compensation for victims of pollution and ecological harm.
• Strengthens enforcement of environmental laws and compliance norms.
• Promotes sustainable development through strict oversight of EIA processes.

Landmark Judgments

• Almitra H. Patel (2012): Imposed nationwide ban on open waste burning.
• Save Mon Region (2013): Suspended environmental clearance for a major hydro project.
• Vardhaman Kaushik (2014): Directed action against non-compliant industries.
• Uttarakhand Floods Case (2014): Applied “polluter pays” for compensation.
• Art of Living Case (2016): Imposed ₹5 crore fine for floodplain damage.
• Ganga Pollution Case (2017): Ordered strict industrial and sewage regulation.

Challenges

• Limited jurisdiction excludes key laws like FRA and Wildlife Protection Act.
• Financial constraints hinder timely case disposal.
• Inadequate benches restrict reach and efficiency.
• Vacancies and appointment delays increase pendency.
• Lack of a uniform compensation formula complicates damage assessment.

Way Forward

• Increase funding and institutional capacity for effective functioning.
• Expand jurisdiction to cover all major environmental statutes.
• Strengthen transparency and public accountability mechanisms.
• Improve capacity building for handling complex environmental disputes.

7.e-Cigarettes

What are e-Cigarettes?

• E-cigarettes are battery-operated devices that heat a liquid to create an inhalable aerosol.
• The liquid commonly contains nicotine, glycerin, propylene glycol, flavouring agents, and chemicals.
• They are also called Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) or Electronic Non-Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENNDS).
• These devices come in varied designs, including pens, pods, and cartridges.
• They mimic smoking behaviour and often appeal to youth because of flavours and design.

WHO Concerns Regarding e-Cigarettes

• Ineffectiveness for Smoking Cessation

• • WHO states e-cigarettes do not help reduce tobacco use at population level.
  • Growing evidence shows negative health impacts instead of cessation benefits.
  • They remain widely available and aggressively marketed to young people.
  • 34 countries ban them; 88 have no minimum legal age, and 74 lack regulations.

• Impact on Youth

• • E-cigarettes risk early nicotine dependence among children and teenagers.
  • Attractive marketing and flavours increase youth experimentation.
  • Weak regulations enable easy access and long-term addiction.

• Rising Usage Trends

• • Children aged 13–15 years use e-cigarettes more than adults in all WHO regions.
  • Usage among Canada’s 16–19-year-olds doubled (2017–22).
  • In England, youth users tripled in three years, highlighting a global surge.

• Health Risks

• • E-cigarettes emit toxic, cancer-causing chemicals, increasing heart and lung disease risks.
  • They may impair brain development, learning abilities, and fetal health.
  • Nicotine-containing devices are highly addictive and harmful to bystanders.

Arguments in Favour of e-Cigarettes

• Harm Reduction

• • Supporters claim they offer less harmful alternatives to tobacco smoking.
  • They deliver nicotine without many carcinogens found in cigarettes.

• Economic Revenue

• • • Legalizing e-cigarettes could generate tax revenue and enable regulation.

• Consumer Choice

• • Proponents argue adults should access alternative nicotine options when quitting is difficult.

What is Nicotine?

• Nicotine is a plant alkaloid found in tobacco or produced synthetically.
• It acts as both a sedative and stimulant.
• E-cigarettes may contain up to 36 mg/mL nicotine, far higher than cigarettes (1.2–1.4 mg/mL).
• Karnataka has classified nicotine as Class A poison.

Government Initiatives on Tobacco Control

• National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) strengthens monitoring and awareness.
• COTPA Amendment Rules 2023 regulate advertising and supply.
• National Tobacco Quitline Services assist cessation efforts.
• Budget 2023–24 raised NCCD on cigarettes by 16%.
• OTT platforms must display tobacco health warnings during streaming.

Way Forward

• Strong measures needed to curb e-cigarette uptake and reduce nicotine addiction.
• Experts suggest regulating and taxing e-cigarettes like sin goods to discourage misuse.
• Policies should align with national health priorities and comprehensive tobacco control frameworks.

8.Virtual Private Network (VPN)

What is a VPN?

• A Virtual Private Network (VPN) creates a digital link between a user’s device and a remote VPN server.
• It forms a point-to-point encrypted tunnel, protecting personal data from external access.
• A VPN masks the user’s IP address, enabling private and anonymous browsing.
• It helps bypass website blocks, censorship, and restrictive firewalls online.
• The system is called virtual (no physical cables), private (data hidden), and networked (multiple devices connected).

Advantages of a VPN

• Secures Personal Data

• • A VPN scrambles and encrypts user data, making it unreadable without a decryption key.
  • It hides online activity from third parties, ensuring safe and private browsing.

• Bypasses Censorship and Surveillance

• • Users can spoof locations to access restricted websites or services.
  • It helps circumvent government firewalls, regional blocks, and strict surveillance regimes.

• Prevents ISP and Third-Party Tracking

• • ISPs track browsing behaviour using device-specific IP addresses.
  • A VPN routes traffic through a remote server, masking the original IP.
  • This prevents ISP monitoring and protects sensitive personal information.

What is Encryption?

• Encryption is a method of converting readable data (plaintext) into unreadable ciphertext.
• Only parties with an authorized decryption key can restore and understand the information.
• It serves as a fundamental tool for ensuring data security and confidentiality.

9.National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM)

About the Mission

• The National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM) was launched in 2020 by the Ministry of Textiles.
• It aims to expand and strengthen India’s technical textiles sector through innovation and capacity building.
• The Mission period spans 2020–21 to 2025–26, with an outlay of ₹1,480 crore.
• It seeks to enhance domestic use of technical textiles and boost India’s global competitiveness.

Components of NTTM

• Research, Innovation, and Development

• • Supports R&D projects for developing new materials, fibres, products, and innovative processes.
  • Encourages proposals that advance technology and improve performance efficiency in technical textiles.

• Promotion and Market Development

• • Promotes wider domestic adoption of technical textiles across industries.
  • Facilitates international collaborations and market expansion initiatives.

• Export Promotion

• • Focuses on scaling exports of technical textiles by establishing a dedicated export council.
  • Aims to integrate Indian firms into global technical textile value chains.

• Education, Training, and Skill Development

• • Strengthens education in technical textiles through courses, internships, and specialised training.
  • Involves top institutes and industries in creating a skilled workforce.

What are Technical Textiles?

• Technical textiles are materials used mainly for functional and performance purposes, not aesthetics.
• They include industrial, functional, performance, engineering, and hi-tech textiles.
• Classified into 12 categories: Agrotech, Oekotech, Buildtech, Meditech, Geotech, Clothtech, Mobiltech, Hometech, Sportstech, Indutech, Protech, Packtech.
• Applications span automobiles, construction, medical devices, machinery, and safety equipment, helping solve practical and industrial challenges.

10.July National Charter

About the July National Charter

• A political reform blueprint created after the July 2024 mass uprising in Bangladesh.
• Seeks major constitutional and governance reforms in line with the 1972 Constitution.
• Developed through national consensus, involving the interim government under Muhammad Yunus and 30 political parties.
• To be endorsed through a national referendum alongside the 2026 general election.

Aims of the Charter

• To institutionalise democratic reforms after the July Revolution.
• To revise constitutional, electoral, administrative and judicial frameworks.
• To safeguard pro-democracy gains through enforceable constitutional protections.
• To embed reforms within a two-year timeframe after a new government assumes office.

Key Features

• Contains a 28-point reform agenda formulated through multi-party consultations.
• Commits to amendments via constitutional change, legal updates or new legislation.
• Guarantees legal safeguards for uninterrupted implementation and future protection.
• Recognises the July 2024 uprising as a historic event for national democracy.
• Endorsed by the National Consensus Commission and supported by 25–30 parties, reflecting wide public acceptability.

Significance

• Lays the foundation for a new democratic trajectory after Sheikh Hasina’s exit.
• Aims to restore electoral credibility, judicial independence and institutional balance.
• Could reshape Bangladesh’s political architecture and anti-corruption frameworks.
• Represents a crucial step in post-crisis nation building, shifting the system away from authoritarian patterns.
• Offers India geopolitical continuity by strengthening democratic stability in a neighbouring state.

11. Diving Support Craft (DSC) A20

About DSC A20

• DSC A20 is the Indian Navy’s first indigenously designed Diving Support Craft.
• Built specifically for underwater inspection, repair, diving missions, and coastal salvage operations.
• Developed by Titagarh Rail Systems Limited (TRSL), Kolkata.
• Commissioned at Kochi under Southern Naval Command.

Aims

• To enhance the Navy’s operational capability in underwater tasks and coastal support.
• To strengthen indigenous defence manufacturing under Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
• To augment diving readiness, maritime safety, and near-coast operational efficiency.

Key Features

• Catamaran hull ensures high stability, improved seakeeping, and enhanced deck space.
• Displacement of around 390 tonnes, supporting extensive diving operations.
• Equipped with advanced, state-of-the-art diving systems meeting top safety norms.
• Designed following Naval Rules and IRS standards, ensuring high engineering integrity.
• Underwent full hydrodynamic and model testing at NSTL, Visakhapatnam.
• Serves as the lead ship in a five-craft series, marking a scalable indigenous platform.

Significance

• Strengthens India’s capacity for salvage, underwater repair, and mission support.
• Enhances the operational preparedness of the Southern Naval Command.
• Marks an important advancement in domestic shipbuilding and defence innovation.
• Demonstrates smooth cooperation between industry, research institutions, and the Navy.
• Helps reduce reliance on foreign diving-support platforms, bolstering strategic autonomy.

12. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Passenger Vessel

About the Vessel

• India launched its first indigenous hydrogen fuel cell-powered passenger vessel in Varanasi.
• Developed by Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL), showcasing a major clean-mobility breakthrough.
• Operates along the Ganga from Namo Ghat, Varanasi, marking its commercial debut.
• Built as a 24-metre AC catamaran designed for zero-emission passenger movement.

Key Features

• Capacity to carry 50 passengers with full air-conditioned comfort.
• Powered by Low-Temperature PEM fuel cells, ensuring quiet, vibration-free cruising.
• Emits only water, achieving completely pollution-free navigation.
• Endurance of around 8 hours per hydrogen refill for daily operations.
• Equipped with a hybrid system integrating hydrogen cells, batteries, and solar panels.
• Cruises at approximately 6.5 knots, maintaining energy efficiency and operational stability.
• Catamaran hull provides high stability and greater deck space for smooth river operations.

About Hydrogen Fuel Cell

• A fuel cell converts hydrogen and oxygen into electricity, producing only water and heat.
• Hydrogen at the anode splits into protons and electrons via a catalyst.
• Protons cross the PEM membrane, while electrons generate power through an external circuit.
• Reaction at the cathode forms water, completing the clean-energy cycle.
• Offers high efficiency, silent functioning, and no emission of pollutants or particulates.

Significance

• Represents a major step in green inland water transport in India.
• Positions India as a frontrunner in clean marine engineering and hydrogen mobility.
• Supports national decarbonisation goals and future hydrogen-based transport systems.

13. UNESCO Recognition For National Cuisine

What It Is

• UNESCO inscribed Italian cooking on its Intangible Cultural Heritage List, recognising an entire national cuisine for the first time.
• Recognition granted during the 20th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee in Delhi.
• Entry titled “Italian cooking: Between sustainability and biocultural diversity.”

Key Characteristics

• Defined as a cultural and social expression rooted in artisanal practices and respect for ingredients.
• Emphasises conviviality, shared meals, and intergenerational transmission of culinary knowledge.
• Uses seasonal and local produce, reflecting regional diversity and environmental awareness.
• Strong tradition of anti-waste philosophy, embedded in daily cooking practices.
• Skills passed informally within families, particularly through grandparents, and formally through schools and culinary institutes.

Significance

• Makes Italy the first nation globally to receive UNESCO recognition for its entire cuisine.
• Reinforces Italian cuisine as a core pillar of cultural identity and national pride.
• Strengthens political and cultural narratives linking food heritage with national representation.
• Supports preservation of biocultural diversity and sustainable culinary practices.
• Encourages continued protection of artisanal methods amid modern industrial pressures.

14. BlueBird-6

About BlueBird-6

• BlueBird-6 is a 6.5-tonne American communication satellite, the heaviest such payload launched by India.
• Part of AST SpaceMobile’s next-generation LEO constellation enabling direct-to-device mobile broadband.

Key Features

• Equipped with the largest commercial phased-array antenna in LEO (~2,400 sq ft when deployed).
• Belongs to the Block-2 series, which is 3.5× larger and 10× more powerful than earlier models.
• Provides up to 10,000 MHz bandwidth, supporting high-capacity global connectivity.
• Enables non-continuous direct-to-device communication, especially in regions lacking terrestrial networks.

About Launch Vehicle LVM3

• LVM3 is India’s heaviest-lift rocket, supporting 8,000 kg to LEO and 4,000 kg to GTO.
• Selected launcher for Gaganyaan human space missions.
• Features a three-stage design:
  • S200 solid boosters with 204-tonne propellant load.
  • L110 liquid core stage with twin engines.
  • C25 cryogenic stage powered by the CE-20 engine.
• Measures 43.5 m height with a 640-tonne liftoff mass and 5-m fairing.
• Conducts precise staging, injecting payloads into GTO in ~974 seconds.
• Recently launched CMS-3 (4.4 tonnes) successfully.
• Human-rated variant planned for astronaut missions in 2027.

Significance

• Marks a major milestone for India in commercial satellite launch services.
• Enhances global confidence in LVM3 as a high-capacity launcher for heavy payloads.
• Boosts India’s position in the commercial space market.

15. 3I/ATLAS

What it is

• The 3I/ATLAS planetary-defence drill is the world’s largest global simulation testing detection and response to near-Earth objects.
• Led jointly by ESA, NASA and UN-IAWN, with participation from worldwide space agencies.
• Uses real observations of the comet 3I/ATLAS, travelling nearly 60 km/s, adding real-world unpredictability.

Aim

• Strengthen global readiness for high-velocity celestial threats.
• Evaluate early-warning systems, tracking networks, emergency coordination, and public-communication frameworks.
• Identify gaps in international cooperation, data-sharing, and psychological preparedness.

How it Works

• Agencies track 3I/ATLAS using ground telescopes and space-based sensors to refine its orbit continuously.
• Scientists study trajectory deviations from gravity or solar forces to detect potential Earth-intersection risks.
• Thousands of impact-probability simulations test various uncertainty ranges.
• Global teams model responses such as deflection missions, evacuations and civil-defence mobilisation.
• Drill evaluates how fast NASA, ESA, ISRO, CNSA, JAXA and UN-IAWN exchange alerts and coordinate decisions.

Key Features

• Real celestial object adds authentic complexity to tracking exercises.
• Includes planetary-defence modelling, anomaly-response systems, and rapid-coordination protocols.
• Tests management of misinformation and public communication during uncertain high-risk events.
• Occurs amid growing geopolitical interest in space security and Europe’s record ESA budget.

Significance

• Enhances global capacity to handle future asteroid threats, a rising planetary-security concern.
• Reveals systemic weaknesses, such as absence of a global public-guidance mechanism during space anomalies.
• Strengthens coordination among major space powers and builds scientific preparedness for real impact-risk events.

16. Q-day

What it is

• Q-day refers to the moment when a quantum computer becomes powerful enough to break modern cryptography, especially RSA-2048 and ECC.
• Triggered renewed debate after Google’s Quantum Echoes experiment with the 65-qubit Willow processor.

Background

• The risk stems from Shor’s algorithm (1994), which demonstrated that quantum computers can factor large numbers exponentially faster.
• Once achieved, it would undermine the mathematical foundations of public-key cryptography securing global digital systems.

Key Features of Q-day Risk

• Ability to break RSA and ECC encryption, compromising banking, military, and civilian internet security.
• Enables a “harvest now, decrypt later” strategy — storing encrypted data today for future quantum decryption.
• Requires millions of logical qubits, far beyond today’s noisy, error-prone quantum processors.
• Drives the global shift to Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) such as CRYSTALS–Kyber and Dilithium (standardised by NIST).

Significance

• Represents a major turning point in cybersecurity, geopolitics and digital sovereignty.
• Forces governments, banks, and cloud systems to transition to PQC before the end of this decade.
• Critical for protecting defence communications, personal data, identity systems, and national infrastructure.
• Shapes the next phase of the global technology race, as nations invest heavily to secure cryptographic resilience.

17. Western Tragopan

What it is

• The Western Tragopan (Tragopan melanocephalus), also called Jujurana, is one of the world’s rarest pheasants.
• It is the state bird of Himachal Pradesh and a flagship species of the Western Himalayas.
• Recognised for its ecological sensitivity and striking sexual dimorphism.

Habitat

• Occupies moist temperate forests between 2,400–3,600 m elevation.
• Prefers dense ringal bamboo, rhododendron undergrowth, and coniferous forest patches.
• Key distribution areas include Great Himalayan National Park, Kazinag, Limber (J&K), Uttarakhand, and northern Pakistan.

IUCN Status

• Listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
• Global population estimated at 3,000–9,500 mature individuals, forming a single fragile subpopulation.

Key Characteristics

• Male: velvet-black head, crimson breast, white speckling, and bright blue–orange facial wattles used in courtship displays.
• Female: brown, camouflaged, smaller; juveniles resemble females.
• Ground-dwelling, secretive, active mainly at dawn and dusk.
• Omnivorous diet: berries, buds, shoots, seeds, and insects.
• Breeding in May–June, laying 3–5 eggs in concealed nests.

Significance

• An important indicator species for Himalayan forest health.
• Holds cultural symbolism in Himachal Pradesh.
• Sarahan Pheasantry’s captive-breeding programme has stabilised population numbers, producing over 40 individuals, providing insurance against extinction.
• Conservation success demonstrates the importance of habitat protection and scientific breeding interventions.