Prelims Pinpointer for December 27, 2025

Prelims Pinpointer

Quality Council of India (QCI)

Context: QCI announced next-generation quality reforms to strengthen India’s quality ecosystem. The reforms target healthcare, laboratories, MSMEs, and manufacturing sectors.

About Quality Council of India

• QCI is a non-profit autonomous organisation, registered under Societies Registration Act, 1860.
• Established in 1997 through a joint initiative of Government of India and Indian industry.
• Industry partners include ASSOCHAM, CII, and FICCI.
• Functions under administrative control of DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Mandate and Core Functions

• Acts as the national accreditation body for quality assurance.
• Creates mechanisms for independent third-party assessment of products, services, and processes.
• Promotes adoption of quality standards across sectors.
• Supports Quality Management Systems, Food Safety Management Systems, and product certification.
• Leads nationwide quality movement through the National Quality Campaign.
• Enhances trust, reliability, and global acceptance of Indian goods and services.

Accreditation and Certification Role

• Accredits certification and inspection bodies via NABCB.
• Ensures uniformity, transparency, and credibility in accreditation processes.
• Facilitates international recognition of Indian conformity assessment systems.

Boards and Divisions under QCI

• NABL – Testing and Calibration Laboratories accreditation.
• NABH – Hospitals and Healthcare Providers accreditation.
• NABET – Education and Training accreditation.
• NABCB – Certification Bodies accreditation.
• NBQP – Quality promotion and awareness initiatives.
• Each board is functionally independent and domain-specific.

Institutional Structure

• QCI comprises 38 members.
• Ensures equal representation from government, industry, and other stakeholders.
• Promotes collaborative governance in national quality infrastructure.

Significance

• Strengthens India’s quality ecosystem.
• Improves competitiveness of MSMEs and manufacturing.
• Enhances healthcare and laboratory standards.
• Supports India’s integration with global quality and accreditation frameworks.

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)

Overview

• Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is India’s premier investigative agency.
• Operates under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
• Investigates corruption, economic offences, and serious crimes of national importance.
• Functions as Interpol’s nodal agency for coordination with member countries.
• It is neither a constitutional nor a statutory body.

Origin and Evolution

• Originated in 1941 as the Special Police Establishment (SPE).
• Created to investigate corruption in the War and Supply Department during World War II.
• Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act, 1946 provided legal backing.
• Formally constituted as CBI in 1963 following Santhanam Committee recommendations.
• Shifted later to the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.

Organisational Structure

• Headed by a Director, usually an IPS officer of DGP rank.
• Assisted by Special Directors, Additional Directors, and Joint Directors.
• Organised into specialised divisions:
  • Anti-Corruption Branch for public sector corruption.
  • Economic Offences Wing for financial and economic crimes.
  • Special Crimes Unit for serious and sensitive cases.

Appointment of CBI Director

• Appointed by Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.
• Based on recommendations of a high-powered Selection Committee.
• Committee members include:
  • Prime Minister.
  • Leader of Opposition or single largest opposition party leader.
  • Chief Justice of India or nominee.
• DSPE Amendment Act, 2021 allows tenure extension up to five years, annually.

Jurisdiction and Consent

• CBI requires State consent under Section 6 of DSPE Act.
• General consent allows seamless investigation within a State.
• Specific consent required if general consent is withdrawn.
• Supreme Court and High Courts can order CBI probes without State consent.

Functions

• Investigates corruption involving Central Government employees and PSUs.
• Probes economic and fiscal offences, including customs and foreign exchange violations.
• Handles serious crimes with national or international ramifications.
• Coordinates with State police forces and anti-corruption agencies.
• Compiles and disseminates criminal intelligence and crime statistics.

Judicial Safeguards

• Vineet Narain case (1997) ensured fixed tenure and independent appointments.
• Subramanian Swamy case (2014) struck down prior sanction for senior officials.
• Common Cause case (2018) upheld selection committee-based appointments.

Challenges

• Allegations of political interference undermine institutional credibility.
• Manpower shortages and limited resources affect efficiency.
• Exemption from RTI Act raises transparency concerns.
• Dependence on State consent restricts operational autonomy.

Way Forward

• Enact a new CBI Act replacing DSPE Act.
• Grant statutory status with clearly defined powers and jurisdiction.
• Strengthen capacity building, technology adoption, and parliamentary oversight.

Mediation: “Law’s Highest Evolution”

Context: Chief Justice of India Surya Kant stated that mediation represents law’s highest evolution, not its weakness, while addressing a conference in Goa on Friday. He emphasized mediation as a transition from adjudication culture to participation culture, cultivating harmony through dispute resolution.

More in News

• CJI addressed conference “Mediation: How significant in present-day context” organized by India International University of Legal Education.
• He envisioned transition towards multi-door courthouse as comprehensive centre for dispute resolution, not merely trial place.
• CJI participated in symbolic “Mediation Awareness” walk near Kala Academy in Panaji earlier during the day.
• Mediation is being accepted as successful and cost-effective, providing win-win situation for both parties involved.
• Supreme Court launched “Mediation for Nation” initiative targeting consumers of justice and direct stakeholders with awareness message.

Mediation Act, 2023

• Background and Rationale

• • The Mediation Act, 2023 establishes a comprehensive legal framework for mediation in India.
  • It promotes voluntary, time-bound, and cost-effective resolution of civil and commercial disputes.
  • The Act aims to reduce judicial backlog and strengthen alternative dispute resolution culture.
  • It encourages resolving disputes outside traditional courts, improving access and efficiency.

• Objectives of the Mediation Act, 2023

• • Promote mediation as a first step to prevent avoidable litigation.
  • Ensure time-bound mediation, ordinarily completed within 120 days, extendable by 60 days.
  • Provide legal enforceability to mediated settlement agreements.
  • Strengthen institutional mediation through accredited institutions and regulators.
  • Ensure confidentiality, transparency, and ethical conduct during mediation.
  • Promote online mediation to expand reach and reduce dispute resolution costs.

• Key Features of the Act

• • Makes pre-litigation mediation mandatory for many civil and commercial disputes.
  • Establishes the Mediation Council of India as a central regulatory body.
  • Recognises institutional, community, and online mediation as valid modes.
  • Ensures confidentiality, barring use of mediation statements in subsequent court proceedings.
  • Grants Mediated Settlement Agreements (MSAs) the status of a court decree.
  • Allows challenges to MSAs only on limited grounds, including fraud or coercion.
  • Prescribes a strict challenge timeline of 90 days, extendable by another 90 days.
  • Provides a broad definition of mediation, covering conciliation and digital mediation methods.

• Mediation Council of India: Functions

• • Registers and regulates mediation institutions and service providers.
  • Accredits mediators and prescribes training, qualifications, and conduct standards.
  • Maintains a national mediator panel for transparency and accessibility.
  • Frames mediation rules, guidelines, and quality benchmarks.
  • Promotes awareness, research, innovation, and online mediation frameworks.

• Disputes Excluded from Mediation

• • Non-compoundable criminal offences and cases involving serious violence.
  • Disputes involving minors, unsound persons, or guardianship issues.
  • Matters affecting third-party rights not participating in mediation.
  • Taxation disputes, sovereign functions, and national security matters.
  • Public interest cases and disputes barred under special legislations.
  • Matters requiring urgent judicial intervention or formal investigation.

• Challenges and Concerns

• • Severe shortage of trained mediators, with fewer than 10,000 professionals nationwide.
  • Mandatory pre-litigation mediation may delay access to courts in urgent cases.
  • Low public awareness, with over 65% litigants unaware of mediation options.
  • Digital divide, limiting access to online mediation in rural and low-income areas.
  • Uneven implementation capacity across States, favouring urban regions.

• Impact on Indian Judicial System

• • Helps reduce court pendency, exceeding 4.4 crore cases nationwide.
  • Enables faster dispute resolution compared to prolonged litigation.
  • Offers cost-effective justice, benefiting individuals and MSMEs.
  • Enhances commercial confidence through confidential and predictable settlements.
  • Encourages a collaborative dispute resolution culture, preserving relationships.

Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)

About UIDAI

• Established as a statutory body under the Aadhaar Act, 2016.
• Operational since 12 July 2016.
• Functions under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
• Headquarters located in New Delhi.

Core Functions of UIDAI

• Issues 12-digit Aadhaar numbers to residents of India.
• Provides biometric and demographic authentication services.
• Ensures data security and privacy of Aadhaar information.
• Enables digital inclusion through welfare and financial services access.
• Develops policies for the entire Aadhaar lifecycle management.

Overall Relevance

• The PoC showcases Aadhaar’s potential beyond welfare delivery.
• Strengthens technology-driven governance and secure identity verification.
• Sets a precedent for future exam reforms using biometric authentication.

Camellia Sinensis

Context: FSSAI clarified that a beverage qualifies as “tea” only if derived from Camellia sinensis. This clarification aims to ensure accurate labelling and consumer transparency in tea products.

About Camellia Sinensis

• Botanical Profile

• • Camellia sinensis belongs to the Theaceae family, commonly called the tea plant.
  • It is the primary source of green tea, black tea, and oolong tea.
  • The plant grows as a shrub or evergreen tree, reaching heights up to 16 metres.
  • Tea leaves are processed differently to produce distinct tea varieties, without changing the plant source.

• Climatic and Environmental Requirements
  • Temperature: Optimal growth occurs between 15°C and 23°C.
  • Climate: Prefers warm and humid conditions with at least five hours of sunlight daily.
  • Rainfall: Requires 150–300 cm annual rainfall, evenly distributed across the year.
  • Soil: Grows best in slightly acidic, calcium-free soil with porous sub-soil.
  • Terrain: Sloping terrain is ideal to ensure effective drainage and prevent waterlogging.
  • Altitude: Cultivated on mountain slopes up to 2,200 metres, enhancing leaf quality.

• Reproductive Characteristics
  • Camellia sinensis flowers are complete and bisexual.
  • Flowers contain functional male and female reproductive organs.
  • Reproductive structures include stamens, carpels, ovary, androecium, and gynoecium.
  • These features enable efficient sexual reproduction and genetic variability.

• Global Distribution
  • Cultivated mainly in subtropical and warm temperate regions of South-east Asia.
  • Major producing countries include China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Bangladesh, and Bhutan.
  • Suitable climate and terrain in these regions support commercial tea cultivation.

• Regulatory Significance
  • FSSAI clarification restricts the term “tea” exclusively to beverages from Camellia sinensis.
  • Helps prevent misbranding of herbal infusions as tea.
  • Strengthens food safety standards and consumer awareness in India.

Invasive Mosquito Species

Context and National Targets

• India aims to eliminate malaria by 2030, aligned with global commitments.
• An intermediate goal targets zero indigenous malaria cases by 2027.
• Malaria cases declined from 11.7 lakh (2015) to 2.27 lakh (2024).
• Despite progress, urban malaria resurgence threatens elimination timelines.

Role of Invasive Mosquito: Anopheles stephensi

• Anopheles stephensi is identified as a major invasive urban malaria vector.
• The mosquito thrives in urban environments, unlike traditional rural vectors.
• It breeds in artificial water containers, including tanks, tyres, and construction sites.
• The species efficiently transmits Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax parasites.
• Its adaptability challenges existing malaria control and surveillance systems.
• Urban spread linked to high population density and fragmented healthcare delivery.
• Construction activity and informal settlements increase container-breeding habitats.
• The vector’s expansion poses a global malaria control concern, including India.

Urban Malaria: Emerging Vector-Driven Risks

• Urban malaria, especially in metropolitan areas like Delhi, is rising.
• Traditional rural-focused strategies are insufficient for urban vector control.
• Cities require location-specific mosquito surveillance and control approaches.
• Invasive mosquito presence complicates vector monitoring and insecticide use.

High-Burden and Residual Transmission Areas

• Malaria now persists in localised high-risk pockets, not widespread regions.
• Odisha, Tripura, and Mizoram report persistent malaria burden.
• Border districts face cross-border transmission from Myanmar and Bangladesh.
• Tribal, forested, and migrant settings remain vulnerable due to vector dynamics.

Surveillance and Control Challenges

• Asymptomatic infections enable silent malaria transmission.
• Population movement sustains mosquito-human contact across regions.
• Limited entomological capacity weakens mosquito surveillance.
• Drug and insecticide resistance reduce effectiveness of interventions.
• Inconsistent private-sector reporting hampers accurate mosquito-linked data.

Planetary Science: Re-evaluating Titan’s Subsurface

Context

• Re-analysis of Cassini data questions the long-held assumption of a subsurface ocean on Titan.
• Cassini conducted multiple flybys since 2004, generating extensive gravitational and geophysical datasets.

Basic Profile

• Titan is the largest moon of Saturn and the second largest moon in the Solar System.
• Discovered by Christiaan Huygens on 25 March 1655.
• Radius is about 2,575 km, nearly 50% wider than Earth’s Moon.
• Slightly smaller than Ganymede, Jupiter’s largest moon.

Atmospheric and Surface Features

• Only moon with a dense atmosphere in the Solar System.
• Atmosphere composed primarily of nitrogen, with methane traces.
• Exhibits liquid bodies on the surface, including rivers, lakes, and seas.
• Liquids are hydrocarbons, mainly methane and ethane, not water.
• Possesses an Earth-like liquid cycle involving evaporation, clouds, rainfall, and surface flow.
• Surface features shaped by methane rain and erosion processes.

Orbital and Rotational Characteristics

• Completes one orbit around Saturn in 15 days and 22 hours.
• Tidally locked, always showing the same face to Saturn.
• Synchronous rotation similar to Earth–Moon system.

Scientific Significance

• Considered a key laboratory for studying prebiotic chemistry.
• Dense atmosphere enables complex organic chemical reactions.
• Long suspected subsurface ocean raised astrobiological interest.
• New analysis suggests Titan may lack a global internal ocean, revising earlier models.

Cassini Mission Contribution

• Cassini was a NASA–ESA–ASI joint mission, launched in 1997.
• Included the Huygens probe, which successfully landed on Titan.
• Provided first direct surface and atmospheric observations.
• Data reshaped understanding of planetary atmospheres and icy moons.

Overall Relevance

• Titan remains unique among moons for atmosphere and surface liquids.
• Revised subsurface interpretations refine models of icy moon evolution.
• Continues to be central to studies on habitability beyond Earth.

Himalayan Red Fox

 

Context

• A viral roadside video near Pangong Tso, Ladakh highlighted human–wildlife interaction risks.
• Wildlife officials cautioned against feeding or approaching wild animals in high-altitude ecosystems.

Taxonomy and Identity

• Scientific name: Vulpes vulpes montana.
• A high-altitude subspecies of the widely distributed red fox (Vulpes vulpes).
• Among the most adaptable predators of Himalayan cold-desert landscapes.

Geographical Distribution

• Native to the Himalayan mountain range across India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet.
• In India, found in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and Ladakh.

Habitat and Altitudinal Range

• Occupies elevations between 2,500–5,000 metres.
• Inhabits alpine meadows, grasslands, forests, agricultural lands, and cold deserts.
• Thrives in human-modified landscapes, reflecting high ecological adaptability.

Physical Characteristics

• Medium-sized mammal with body length 50–90 cm and tail 30–45 cm.
• Adult weight ranges 4–7 kg, males generally larger than females.
• Rusty-red coat, white underparts, and a distinct white-tipped tail.
• Dense insulating fur enables survival in extreme cold conditions.

Behaviour and Ecology

• Solitary and nocturnal, reducing direct competition with larger predators.
• Agile runner, capable of speeds up to 60 km/hr.
• Also a competent climber and swimmer.
• Opportunistic feeder, consuming rodents, birds, insects, fruits, and carrion.
• Plays a role in rodent population control in fragile mountain ecosystems.

Conservation Status

• Listed as Least Concern under the IUCN Red List.
• Faces localized threats from human interference and habitat disturbance.

Associated Location: Pangong Tso

• Endorheic high-altitude lake at about 4,350 metres in Ladakh Himalayas.
• Extends 134 km, with one-third in India and two-thirds in China.
• Known as the world’s highest saltwater lake, with striking colour variations.

Minamitori Island (Marcus Island)

Context: Japan will conduct test mining of rare-earth-rich mud from deep seabed areas near Minamitori Island. The initiative focuses on securing strategic minerals critical for advanced technologies.

Location and Strategic Significance

• Minamitori Island, also called Marcus Island, is an isolated Japanese coral atoll.
• It lies in the north-western Pacific Ocean, at Japan’s easternmost territorial edge.
• The island is 1,950 km southeast of central Tokyo.
• It is Japan’s first landmass to witness sunrise, symbolising its extreme eastern position.
• Strategically important for Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) expansion and seabed rights.

Topography and Geological Formation

• The island represents the summit of a massive seamount rising from the ocean floor.
• It is located on the Marcus–Necker Ridge, a significant underwater mountain chain.
• Minamitori is Japan’s only landmass situated on the Pacific Plate.
• Surrounded by deep ocean basins with high mineral potential.

Climate Characteristics

• Falls within a transitional tropical–subtropical climatic zone.
• Experiences an oceanic climate with limited seasonal variation.
• Average annual temperature remains around 25.6°C, favourable for marine ecosystems.

Marine Resource Potential

• Surrounding waters contain rare-earth-rich muds and cobalt-rich crusts.
• These resources are crucial for high-technology and clean-energy industries.
• Japan views the region as key to reducing dependence on external mineral suppliers.

Rare-Earth Mud: Key Features

• Rare-earth muds are pelagic sediments formed from accumulated plankton remains.
• They contain high concentrations of rare-earth elements (REEs).
• Important minerals include neodymium and dysprosium, used in high-performance magnets.
• Such magnets are essential for electric motors, wind turbines, and power generators.
• These muds form a thin seabed layer, unlike deeply buried coal deposits.
• Extraction requires specialised deep-sea mining technology, not conventional excavation.

Overall Significance

• Test mining near Minamitori Island highlights Japan’s push for mineral security.
• The project also raises issues of deep-sea resource governance and sustainability.