1. Tejas LCA Mk1A

GE Aerospace Begins Delivering Jet Engines for Tejas LCA Mk1A After Delays

Why in the News?

GE Aerospace has started supplying F404-IN20 jet engines to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Tejas LCA Mk1A fighter jets following delays.

• The first engine was dispatched from GE’s facility on March 26, 2025, and is expected to reach India in April.

• HAL plans to deliver 12 Tejas Mk1A jets in 2025, with production scaling up to 24 jets annually.

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) currently operates only 31 fighter squadrons—far below the sanctioned 42.5—emphasizing the urgency of these deliveries.

About Tejas LCA Mk1A

The Tejas LCA Mk1A is an enhanced version of India's indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, developed by HAL.

• It features over 40 improvements over the Mk1 model, enhancing combat effectiveness, survivability, and operational efficiency.

Key Upgrades in Tejas Mk1A

• Advanced Avionics: Equipped with both Israeli EL/M-2052 AESA Radar and India’s indigenous Uttam AESA Radar.

• Enhanced Electronic Warfare Systems: Includes a Unified Electronic Warfare Suite (UEWS) and an Advanced Self-Protection Jammer Pod for increased survivability.

• Digital Fly-by-Wire System: Features an upgraded Flight Control Computer (DFCC Mk1A) for better maneuverability and stability.

• Weapons Capability:

  • Nine hardpoints for carrying a variety of weapons, including:

    • Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missiles.

    • Air-to-Air and Air-to-Ground missiles.

    • Advanced Short-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (ASRAAM).

• Operational Efficiency: Lighter weight and improved maintenance features enable quicker mission turnaround times.

About the F404-IN20 Jet Engine

• The F404-IN20 engine, built by GE Aerospace, powers the Tejas LCA Mk1A.

• Originally selected in 2004, it is a high-thrust variant of the F404 engine family.

• Features include high-flow fans, single-crystal turbine blades, and components customized for the IAF.

• Enabled Tejas to reach Mach 1.1 in its maiden test flight in 2008.

2. PM SHRI Scheme

Parliamentary Panel Calls for Release of Pending Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) Funds

Why in the News?

A Parliamentary Standing Committee has urged the Union Ministry of Education to release over ₹4,000 crore in pending SSA funds to Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and West Bengal.

• These funds have been withheld due to the states’ refusal to sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the PM SHRI scheme.

• The report emphasizes that SSA predates PM SHRI and is crucial for implementing the Right to Education (RTE) Act.

What is the PM SHRI Scheme?

PM SHRI (PM Schools for Rising India) is a centrally sponsored initiative under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

Objective:

• Establish 14,500 model schools focusing on:

  • Experiential and inquiry-driven learning.

  • 21st-century skill development.

  • Eco-friendly infrastructure (green buildings, water conservation, and waste recycling).

  • Competency-based assessments rather than rote learning.

Key Features:

• Enhanced Infrastructure: Labs, libraries, and art rooms.

• Technology Integration: Smart classrooms and digital learning tools.

• Holistic Learning: Play-based education in early years with flexible teaching approaches.

• School Quality Assessment Framework (SQAF): Ensures high standards through regular evaluations.

• Selection Process: Schools apply under the Challenge Mode based on performance criteria.

• Budget: ₹27,360 crore allocated for five years (2022-23 to 2026-27), with ₹18,128 crore as the central share.

What is Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)?

• SSA is a centrally sponsored program aimed at universal access to quality education from pre-primary to higher secondary levels.

• It supports states in implementing the RTE Act, which mandates free and compulsory education for children aged 6-14.

Focus Areas:

• Infrastructure development.

• Teacher training and recruitment.

• Improving learning outcomes.

• Inclusive education for disadvantaged groups.

3. Section 44(3) of the New Data Protection Law

Concerns Over Amendments to the Right to Information (RTI) Act

Why in the News?

Section 44(3) of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 has sparked concerns among activists, who claim it weakens the RTI Act, 2005.

• Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has called for its repeal, arguing that it undermines transparency.

• RTI activists, including Aruna Roy, Nikhil Dey, Prashant Bhushan, and Anjali Bhardwaj, warn it could limit access to critical public information.

What is Section 44(3) of the DPDP Act?

• The DPDP Act, 2023, signed into law on August 11, 2023, regulates digital personal data processing while balancing privacy rights with lawful data usage.

• Section 44(3) amends Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act, 2005, expanding the scope of exemptions for personal data disclosure.

The Change:

• Previous Section 8(1)(j) (RTI Act): Exempted personal information from disclosure only if it was unrelated to public interest or caused an unwarranted invasion of privacy—unless a larger public interest justified its release.

• Revised Section 8(1)(j) (DPDP Act): Removes the "larger public interest" clause, broadly exempting all personal information from disclosure under RTI.

4. GSAT-18

Parliament Panel Flags Financial Mismanagement in GSAT-18 Satellite Launch

Why in the News?

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has criticized the Department of Space for an avoidable expenditure of ₹17.27 crore on the GSAT-18 communication satellite launch.

• The PAC also raised concerns over the underutilization of six transponders until 2027.

• A revenue loss of ₹117 crore was reported due to idle transponders.

About GSAT-18

• Launch Date: October 5, 2016.

• Launch Vehicle: Ariane-5 VA-231 rocket from Kourou, French Guiana.

• Weight: 3,404 kg at liftoff.

• Mission Life: 15 years (until 2032).

• Orbit: Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).

• Control Facility: Managed by ISRO's Master Control Facility (MCF) in Hassan, Karnataka.

Key Features:

• Transponders: 48 across Upper Extended C-band, Normal C-band, and Ku-band.

• Services: Supports television, telecommunication, VSAT, and digital satellite news gathering.

• Fleet Strengthening: Enhances ISRO’s operational telecommunication satellite fleet.

• Backup Role: Replaces ageing satellites to ensure service continuity.

5. Neutrinos

AMoRE Experiment Finds No Evidence of Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay

About Neutrinos

• Electrically neutral, nearly massless subatomic particles.

• Weakly interact with matter and belong to the lepton family.

• Sources: Radioactive decay, supernovae, solar nuclear fusion, and cosmic ray interactions.

• Abundance: Second most common particle in the universe after photons.

Neutrinos and the Majorana Hypothesis

• If neutrinos are Majorana particles (their own antiparticles), it could explain the universe’s matter-antimatter imbalance.

AMoRE Experiment Findings

• Conducted in South Korea using molybdenum-100 (Mo-100).

• Result: No signs of neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ).

• Implication: If 0νββ exists, it occurs over at least 10²⁴ years—far longer than the universe’s age.

6. Bandipur Tiger Reserve

Karnataka has declined Kerala’s request to increase the number of state-owned buses operating through Bandipur Tiger Reserve at night, maintaining the current limit of four buses per state.

About Bandipur Tiger Reserve:

• Located in the Mysore and Chamarajanagar districts of southern Karnataka.

• Lies at the tri-junction of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala, serving as an ecological bridge between the Western and Eastern Ghats.

• Historically, it was a hunting ground for the rulers of Mysore.

• Forms part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

• Bordered by:

  • Nagarahole Tiger Reserve (Karnataka) to the northwest (separated by the Kabini Reservoir).

  • Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (Tamil Nadu) to the south.

  • Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (Kerala) to the southwest.

• Major Rivers: Kabini (north), Moyar (south).

• Climate: Tropical with distinct wet and dry seasons.

• Flora: Includes dry deciduous and mixed deciduous forests with species such as rosewood, Indian kino, sandalwood, laurel, and bamboo.

• Fauna: Home to the largest population of wild Asian elephants in South Asia, as well as Bengal tigers, gaurs, sloth bears, golden jackals, dholes, and four-horned antelopes.

7. Vertically-Launched Short-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (VLSRSAM)

India has successfully test-fired the Vertically Launched Short-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (VL-SRSAM) from a defense test facility off the Odisha coast.

About VLSRSAM:

• An indigenously developed short-range missile by DRDO.

• Designed for quick response against various aerial threats, including sea-skimming targets.

• Originally developed for the Indian Navy with a strike range of 40 km, later upgraded to target threats up to 80 km.

• Now being modified for the Indian Air Force to enhance air base protection.

Key Features:

• Size & Weight:

  • Length: 3.93 meters

  • Diameter: 178 mm

  • Wingspan: 508 mm

  • Weight: ~170 kg

• Performance:

  • Uses solid propellant for propulsion.

  • Maximum speed: Mach 4.5.

  • Can reach an altitude of 16 km.

• Guidance System:

  • Mid-course: Fibre-optic gyroscope-based inertial guidance.

  • Terminal phase: Active radar homing.

• Deployment:

  • Features an integrated missile and weapon control system (WCS).

  • Supports a twin quad-pack canister configuration, allowing multiple missile storage and launch.

8. Gounsa Temple

Devastating wildfires in South Korea’s southern regions have severely damaged the Gounsa Temple complex, destroying two buildings designated as national treasures.

About Gounsa Temple:

• Meaning: "Solitary Cloud Temple."

• A 1,300-year-old Buddhist temple situated in Uiseong, South Korea, at the foot of Deungun Mountain.

• Established in the 7th century during the Shilla Dynasty.

• While it lacks structures from ancient times, it houses significant cultural heritages built in later periods.

• Unlike many Korean temples, Gounsa survived the Japanese invasions.

• Underwent large-scale reconstruction in 1695 following the Imjin War.

• Serves as the headquarters of the 16th District of the Jogye-jong Order, the largest Buddhist order in Korea.

9. Senkaku Islands

Japan has expressed serious concerns over a prolonged incursion by Chinese Coast Guard ships near the disputed Senkaku Islands, marking one of the longest intrusions into Japan’s territorial waters.

About the Senkaku Islands:

• An uninhabited island chain in the East China Sea.

• Located 90 nautical miles north of Japan’s Yaeyama Islands (Okinawa Prefecture) and 120 nautical miles northeast of Taiwan.

• Known as:

  • Diaoyu Islands (China)

  • Diaoyutai Islands (Taiwan)

  • Pinnacle Islands (international observers)

• Comprises eight islets, with Uotsuri Island being the largest (3.6 sq. km).

• Geologically, the islands consist of sandstone, tuff, and andesite, with elevated coral outcroppings.

• Situated in a volcanically active region, leading to notable land formations.

Dispute & Administration:

• A longstanding territorial dispute involving Japan, China, and Taiwan.

• Japan incorporated the islands in 1895 and currently administers them as part of Ishigaki City, Okinawa Prefecture.

10. Baalpan Ki Kavita Initiative

The Union Education Ministry has launched the “Baalpan Ki Kavita” initiative to revive and restore traditional Indian nursery rhymes and poems.

About the Baalpan Ki Kavita Initiative:

• Aimed at creating a comprehensive collection of nursery rhymes and poems in all Indian languages and English.

• Seeks to make foundational education more engaging while helping young learners connect with their cultural roots.

• Collaborating with MyGov, the ministry is inviting public contributions.

Contest Details:

• Participants can submit existing folklore rhymes, popular regional poems, or newly composed joyful poems.

• Categories:

  • Pre-primary (ages 3-6)

  • Grade 1 (ages 6-7)

  • Grade 2 (ages 7-8)

• Accepts entries in all Indian languages and English.