Category: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Context: A landmark study shows that rice plants can adapt to cold by altering gene expression through epigenetic changes—specifically in the gene ACT1

Decoding Context: 

ACT1 is active in warm temperatures, but exposure to cold triggers an epigenetic tag that turns on ACT1, helping the plant tolerate cold by producing a protective protein. Without this activation, rice plants struggle in cold conditions.

Key Findings:

• These cold-induced epigenetic changes were retained across five generations, even when the original cold trigger was absent.
• The process provides evidence supporting Lamarckian inheritance—the idea that acquired traits during a lifetime can be passed down.
• This challenges the traditional Darwinian model, which emphasizes natural selection and DNA sequence mutations.
• The research suggests that plants can adapt rapidly to environmental stress using heritable epigenetic mechanisms.

The Gist:

• ACT1 gene helps rice plants survive in the cold when epigenetically switched on.
• Changes observed support Lamarck’s theory in modern molecular terms.
• The discovery could impact crop improvement strategies, especially for climate resilience.

Implication: This study offers a fresh perspective on inheritance and evolution, showing how environmental factors can trigger heritable changes without altering the DNA sequence itself.

Learning Corner:

Note on ACT1 Gene in Rice Plant

The ACT1 gene in rice (Oryza sativa) encodes actin protein, a crucial component of the plant cell’s cytoskeleton. This gene is ubiquitously expressed in most rice tissues and is essential for various cellular and developmental processes.

Key Features of ACT1 Gene:

• Gene Function:
  ACT1 encodes actin 1, a protein that helps in cell shape maintenance, cytoplasmic streaming, organelle movement, and cell division.
• Promoter Utility:
  The ACT1 promoter is widely used in plant biotechnology as a constitutive promoter, meaning it drives gene expression in almost all tissues throughout the plant’s life cycle.

   

  • It is often preferred in transgenic rice for stable and high-level expression of introduced genes.
• Expression Profile:
  ACT1 is strongly and constitutively expressed in leaves, roots, stems, and reproductive organs, making it ideal for expressing transgenes in both vegetative and reproductive tissues.
• Biotechnological Applications:
  • Used in gene overexpression studies.
  • Employed in CRISPR/Cas9 systems for effective genome editing in rice.
  • Important in studying plant-pathogen interactions and stress responses.

Source: THE HINDU

Category: INTERNATIONAL

Context: India-France Joint Military Exercise Shakti – 2025.

Overview:
A 90-member Indian Army contingent has departed for France to participate in the 8th edition of Exercise Shakti, scheduled from June 18 to July 1, 2025, at Camp Larzac, La Cavalerie, in southern France.

Key Highlights:

• Indian Representation: Jammu and Kashmir Rifles battalion along with personnel from other units.
• French Representation: 13th Foreign Legion Half-Brigade (13th DBLE).
• Objective: Enhance counter-terrorism capabilities, tactical cooperation, and interoperability.
• Significance: Strengthens defense ties and strategic partnership between India and France.
• Nature: Biennial military exercise.

Learning Corner:

Source: THE HINDU

Category: INTERNATIONAL

Context : Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with the Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III, the highest civilian honour of Cyprus.

The award was presented by President Nikos Christodoulides in recognition of PM Modi’s contributions to strengthening India-Cyprus ties and global cooperation.

Significance of the Award:

• Named after Archbishop Makarios III, Cyprus’s first President.
• Established in 1991, it is awarded to distinguished global figures for contributions to peace, diplomacy, and international relations.
• The Grand Cross is among the highest ranks within the order.

Prime Minister’s Remarks:

PM Modi dedicated the honour to 1.4 billion Indians, reflecting India’s cultural values and global commitment to peace and cooperation, invoking the spirit of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” – the world is one family.

Learning Corner:

List of major international awards and honours conferred upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi by various foreign countries, 

Source :  PIB

Category: ECONOMICS

Context : 70% of IPOs Listed at a Premium in 2025

Decoding Context

Key Highlights

• Resilient IPO Market: India saw 80 mainboard IPOs, up from 76 in the previous year.
• Capital Raised: Total capital raised surged to ₹1,630 billion.
• Listing Gains: The average listing gain in Q1 FY25 was around 70%, though not all IPOs gained.
• Premium Listings: 70% of IPOs listed above issue price, while the rest either listed at par or discount.
• Top Performing Sectors: IT, Telecom, and Financial Services showed highest listing-day returns.
• Small vs. Large IPOs: Smaller IPOs (issue size < ₹2 billion) outperformed larger ones in terms of gains.
• Market Volatility: H2 FY25 saw reduced IPO activity due to FPI outflows and global uncertainties.

Conclusion

Despite market volatility, 2025 was a robust year for IPOs in India. However, successful listing outcomes depended heavily on sector, company fundamentals, and timing.

Learning Corner:

Key Definitions: Stocks and Listings

Source: THE HINDU

Category: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is a remote sensing technology that uses microwave radio waves to produce high-resolution images of the Earth’s surface. Unlike optical sensors, SAR can operate day and night, and penetrate clouds, fog, and rain, making it ideal for all-weather imaging.

How It Works

• Mounted on Moving Platforms like satellites or aircraft.
• Emits radar pulses and receives echoes from the ground.
• Uses the movement of the platform to simulate a large antenna—called a synthetic aperture.
• Processes time delay, intensity, and phase of reflected signals to generate 2D images or 3D surface models.

Key Features

• High spatial resolution due to synthetic aperture effect.
• Operates in all weather and lighting conditions.
• Provides detailed imagery even in inaccessible or obscured areas.

Applications

• Earth observation: land use, agriculture, urban mapping.
• Disaster monitoring: floods, landslides, earthquakes.
• Environmental studies: deforestation, glacier tracking.
• Military surveillance and planetary exploration (e.g., imaging Venus).

Learning Corner:

Brief note on different types of radars, 

Types of Radars – Overview

Radar (Radio Detection and Ranging) systems use radio waves to detect, locate, and track objects. Based on purpose and operating principles, radars can be classified into various types:

1. Continuous Wave Radar (CW Radar)

• Function: Transmits a continuous signal.
• Use: Measures speed (Doppler shift), not range.
• Application: Police speed guns, missile guidance.

2. Pulsed Radar

• Function: Transmits pulses and measures the time for the echo to return.
• Use: Measures distance (range).
• Application: Air traffic control, weather monitoring, defense.

3. Doppler Radar

• Function: Detects motion via Doppler shift in frequency.
• Use: Measures speed of a moving object.
• Application: Weather forecasting (storm tracking), aviation.

4. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)

• Function: Uses motion of radar to simulate a large antenna.
• Use: High-resolution 2D/3D images, even through clouds and darkness.
• Application: Earth observation, reconnaissance, planetary exploration.

5. Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (ISAR)

• Function: Target moves instead of the radar (opposite of SAR).
• Use: Imaging moving targets like ships and aircraft.
• Application: Naval and airborne surveillance.

6. Phased Array Radar

• Function: Uses multiple antenna elements; beam steering via electronic phase control.
• Use: Rapid tracking of multiple targets.
• Application: Missile defense, modern fighter jets, naval systems.

7. Over-the-Horizon Radar (OTH)

• Function: Uses ionospheric reflection or surface waves.
• Use: Long-range detection beyond the radar horizon.
• Application: Strategic early warning systems.

8. Monopulse Radar

• Function: Compares signal strength in multiple beams simultaneously.
• Use: Accurate angle measurement.
• Application: Missile tracking, precision targeting.

9. Bistatic and Multistatic Radar

• Function: Transmitter and receiver are at different locations.
• Use: Covert surveillance, anti-stealth.
• Application: Passive detection, networked radar systems.

Source: THE HINDU

Introduction (Context)

India’s pension system is fragmented, inadequate, and largely excludes the informal sector. With rising old-age dependency, inflation, and healthcare costs, there is an urgent need to redesign a universal, inclusive, and sustainable pension system.

What is a Pension?

A pension is a regular payment made to individuals after retirement from active service, typically to provide financial security and dignity in old age. It can be funded by employers, the government, or individuals.

Significance of Pension

• Old-age Security: Offers income continuity post-retirement, especially as earning capacity declines.
• Social Stability: Prevents old-age poverty and promotes intergenerational equity. Pensions empower individuals to be financially independent in their later years, reducing their reliance on family members or charity. 
• Economic Growth: Pension savings can fund long-term investments, supporting infrastructure and national development.
• Health and Well-being: Regular pension income helps the elderly afford healthcare and other essentials, improving their quality of life.
• Encouragement for Formal Employment: A well-designed pension system can incentivise formalisation of jobs and labour compliance, contributing to better workforce organization.

Current Status of India’s Pension System

• Only 12% of India’s workforce is covered under formal pension schemes.
• Public sector and organized private sector enjoy multiple protections, while informal sector workers remain largely uncovered.
• Informal sector coverage depends on voluntary schemes like Atal Pension Yojana (APY) and National Pension System (NPS). These reached only 5.3% of the population in FY24.
• Pension assets in India stand at 17% of GDP, much lower than 80% in advanced economies.

Key Challenges

Fragmentation of Schemes

• Multiple overlapping schemes without unified regulation.
• Gig workers and informal workers are covered through limited voluntary channels or aggregator-based schemes, causing duplication and confusion.
• In contrast, countries like Japan and New Zealand offer universal coverage through flat-rate or residency-based pensions.

Lack of Awareness and Sensitisation

• Pension enrolment is low due to poor financial literacy and limited understanding of long-term retirement planning.
• International examples:
  • Australia integrates pension literacy in school curriculum.
  • UK uses auto-enrolment (opt-out) models.
  • Netherlands provides annual pension disclosures.
  • Nigeria enhances reach through digital pension infrastructure.

Sustainability and Liquidity Issues

• According to the Mercer CFA Institute Pension Index 2024, India scored 44%, reflecting poor adequacy of pension funds.
• Countries like China face unsustainable public pension burdens due to demographic shifts.
• Models from Denmark, Netherlands, and the US highlight the importance of private funds and targeted investments for long-term returns.

Value Addition

Major Government Pension Schemes

• Atal Pension Yojana (APY): A voluntary, government-backed scheme aimed at unorganised sector workers, offering a guaranteed monthly pension (₹1,000–₹5,000) after the age of 60, based on contribution.
• National Pension System (NPS): A market-linked, contributory pension scheme open to all citizens, including private and informal workers, offering flexible investment choices and tax benefits under Section 80C and 80CCD.
• Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS): Mandatory for workers in the organised sector; a part of the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) contribution goes into EPS to provide pension after retirement or on disability.

Way Forward – Three-Tiered Pension Framework

India should integrate fragmented pension schemes under a single regulator to streamline administration and ensure uniform standards across all sectors.

Tier 1: Basic Pension Guarantee

• The first tier would comprise a mandatory basic pension guarantee, offering a flat-rate contributory pension for all, irrespective of employment status. .

Tier 2: Occupational Pensions

• It would cover occupational pensions that may be mandatory, or on an opt-out basis, establishing employer-based schemes with auto-enrolment, subject to minimum contribution standards would cover occupational pensions that may be mandatory, or on an opt-out basis, establishing employer-based schemes with auto-enrolment, subject to minimum contribution standards

Tier 3: Voluntary Pension Savings

• It would include voluntary pension savings, incentivised through tax benefits, market-linked returns, and flexible products to supplement retirement income.

Other Reforms

• Financial Literacy Campaigns: Especially at school and college levels to build pension awareness.
• Digital Access: Easy-to-use platforms for enrolment and pension management, especially for informal workers.
• Annual Disclosures: Mandatory reporting of pension entitlements to improve transparency and public trust.
• Robust investment regulation and performance oversight of pension funds.
• Guarantees long-term liquidity and solvency of pension payouts.
• With India’s ageing population rising, an inclusive pension framework is crucial for retirement dignity, poverty reduction, and economic resilience.

Conclusion

As India transitions to an ageing society, the need for an inclusive, scalable, and sustainable pension ecosystem is paramount. A universal pension guarantee, backed by awareness, digital access, and financial security, will not only reduce old-age poverty but also ensure a dignified retirement for all citizens formal and informal alike. Policymakers must act now to build future-ready pension architecture in line with India’s development goals for 2047.

Mains Practice Question

 Q “India’s pension system is fragmented and inadequately equipped to handle the growing old-age dependency. Critically examine the key challenges and suggest a framework to design an inclusive and sustainable pension system for all sections of society. (250 words, 15 marks)

Introduction (Context)

The first Assembly of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) was held in New Delhi, marking a global initiative led by India to protect big cat species. It was presided over by the Union Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change including nine countries in attendance at the meeting – Bhutan, Cambodia, Eswatini, Guinea, India, Liberia, Suriname, Somalia and Kazakhstan.

What is IBCA?

• Announced by PM Narendra Modi in 2023 (Mysuru) during the 50th anniversary of Project Tiger.
• Established by: Government of India in March 2024 through the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
• Mandate: Conservation of seven big cats – Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar, and Puma.
• Objective: It aims “to facilitate collaboration and synergy among stakeholders, consolidating successful conservation practices and expertise and replicating them in range countries.”
• Funding: The Union government has allocated Rs 150 crore for the purpose from 2023-24 to 2027-28.

Membership & Governance

• Assembly President: Union Minister of India.
• There are 95 range countries (falling within the natural distribution of a species) for the big cats, including Canada, China, Congo, Ghana, Brazil, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia and the United States. 
• Confirmed Members (as of Sep 2024): Twenty-five countries have consented to be members of the IBCA, as of September 2024, including Bangladesh, Nigeria, Egypt, Suriname, Ecuador, Peru, Kenya and Rwanda.
• Membership Criteria: All UN members can join after signing the framework agreement and sending a Note Verbale (diplomatic communication).

Status of tiger population

• Tiger population in India fell from 40,000 (1947) to 1,800 (1970) due to poaching and habitat loss.
• Project Tiger launched in 1973.
• As on January 30, 2025, tiger numbers in India have increased two-fold since 2010. There are now over 3,600 tigers in India; that’s 75% of the world’s tiger population.
• This increase is largely attributed to successful conservation efforts and environmental protection measures that have safeguarded tigers from habitat loss and poaching. 

Significance of conservation of Big cats

Each big cat species Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar, and Puma occupies unique ecological niches across continents. Conserving all seven ensures global ecological balance.

Some are discussed below:

1. Regulation of Prey Population:
   Big cats play a vital role in controlling herbivore populations such as deer and antelope. This helps maintain the food web and ensures no single species dominates the ecosystem.
2. Ecosystem Health:
   By regulating prey, big cats prevent overgrazing, which can cause soil erosion and reduce vegetation cover. Their presence supports the long-term stability of forests and grasslands.

• • Wildfires: Overgrazed land becomes dry and fire-prone; predator presence helps reduce this risk.
  • Spread of Diseases: Balanced animal populations limit disease transmission between overpopulated species.
  • Habitat Destruction: Predators preserve biodiversity and prevent habitat fragmentation by maintaining species diversity.

3. Habitat Protection:
   Protecting big cats means protecting large landscapes, as these species require vast territories. These habitats also support numerous other species, including endangered plants and animals.
4. Climate and Disaster Resilience:
   Healthy ecosystems supported by big cat conservation improve local climate stability and act as buffers during floods, landslides, and droughts.

• • Climate Adaptation: Natural habitats help species and communities adapt to climate variability.
  • Disaster Prevention: Dense forests prevent soil erosion, landslides, and regulate water cycles.
  • Soil & Water Systems: Big cat habitats preserve soil fertility and maintain watershed health.

5. Carbon Storage:
   Forests that support big cats act as carbon sinks, absorbing atmospheric CO₂. This contributes directly to global climate change mitigation goals.
6. Pandemic Control:
   Intact ecosystems limit human-wildlife conflict and reduce the risk of zoonotic disease spillovers, as species live within balanced habitats and natural buffers.

Key Challenges

• Deforestation and land-use change threaten ecological corridors and prey base.
• Expansion of human settlements increases encounters and conflict with wildlife.
• Modern poachers have adopted leaner, more mobile networks with links to narcotics and arms syndicates.

Way Forward

• Strengthen global coordination under IBCA.
• Invest in surveillance tech, community-based conservation, and transboundary cooperation.
• Mainstream biodiversity goals into climate, disaster, and development policies.
• India must lead by example through science-based policy and inclusive ecological governance.

Value Addition 

Project Tiger (India)

• Launched in 1973, Project Tiger is a flagship wildlife conservation initiative by the Government of India to protect the endangered tiger population. 
• It began with 9 tiger reserves and now includes over 50 reserves across the country. 
• The project aims to ensure a viable population of tigers in their natural habitat, protect biodiversity, and reduce human-wildlife conflict. 
• It is implemented by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).

Keystone Species

• A keystone species is one that has a disproportionate impact on its ecosystem relative to its abundance. 
• Its presence or absence significantly affects the structure and functioning of the ecosystem. 
• Big cats, like tigers and lions, are keystone species because they regulate prey populations, maintain ecological balance, and preserve biodiversity. 
• The removal of a keystone species can lead to ecosystem collapse.

Conclusion

The International Big Cat Alliance is a testament to India’s vision of leading global environmental diplomacy. With deep experience in species conservation and ecological management, India now shoulders a greater responsibility to protect not only its own wildlife but to guide and support global efforts to conserve the majestic big cats that define the health of our planet’s ecosystems.

Mains Practice Question

 Q “Apex predators like big cats play a vital role in maintaining ecosystem balance. Examine the role of the International Big Cat Alliance in this context” (250 words, 15 marks)

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Daily Current Affairs Quiz for UPSC IAS Prelims | IASbaba