Rare Earth Elements

 

Rare Earth Elements

1. What are Rare Earth Elements (REEs)?

Despite their name, these elements are relatively abundant in the Earth’s crust. However, they are called "rare" because they are highly dispersed and rarely found in concentrated, economically viable deposits.

• The Chemistry: REEs are a group of 17 chemically similar metallic elements.

• Composition: It includes the 15 Lanthanides on the periodic table (atomic numbers 57 to 71), plus Scandium (Sc) and Yttrium (Y), which exhibit similar chemical properties and occur in the same ore bodies.

• Extraction Challenge: Because they share almost identical chemical properties, separating them from one another into pure forms is an incredibly complex, capital-intensive, and environmentally hazardous process.

The Core Classification

REEs are broadly divided based on their atomic weight:

Category	Elements Included	Key Applications & Notes
Light REEs (LREEs)	Lanthanum, Cerium, Praseodymium, Neodymium, Samarium, Europium	Widely used in traditional electronics, glass polishing, and catalytic converters.
Heavy REEs (HREEs)	Gadolinium, Terbium, Dysprosium, Holmium, Erbium, Thulium, Ytterbium, Lutetium, Scandium, Yttrium	Highly critical for high-performance magnets, fiber optics, and advanced defense technologies.
Special Case	Promethium (Pm)	Radioactive in nature. It does not occur naturally in mineable quantities in the Earth's crust and must be synthesized.

2. Strategic and Industrial Applications

REEs are often called the "Vitamins of Modern Industry" because while they are used in small quantities, they are completely indispensable.

• Clean Energy: Crucial for manufacturing Rare Earth Permanent Magnets (REPMs) used in electric vehicle (EV) motors and direct-drive wind turbines.

• Defense Systems: Used in electronic displays, guidance systems, lasers, radar, sonar, and stealth technologies.

• High-Tech Consumer Goods: Indispensable for smartphones, hard drives, fiber-optic cables, and medical imaging machines (MRIs).

3. Global Geopolitics of REEs

• Monopoly: China controls the vast majority of global REE processing (over 70%) and production of permanent magnets (over 90%).

• Weaponization of Supply: China has tight regulations and export quotas on rare earth elements to secure its domestic manufacturing requirements, triggering supply chain vulnerabilities worldwide.

• Global Countermeasures: Initiatives like the Mineral Security Partnership (MSP)—a US-led initiative of which India is a member—aim to catalyze public and private investment for resilient critical mineral supply chains.

4. India's Position: Reserves vs. Production

UPSC frequently tests the conceptual line between geological reserves and industrial production capacity.

• The Reserve Paradox: India is not resource-poor in raw REEs. India holds roughly 6% of the world’s rare earth reserves, primarily found in Monazite sands along the coastal stretches of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.

• The Production Gap: Despite these reserves, India has negligible production of finished downstream items (like processed heavy REE oxides and permanent magnets). India relies heavily on imports for its clean energy and electronic sectors.

• Regulatory Oversight: State-owned IREL (India) Limited (formerly Indian Rare Earths Limited) under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) holds a monopoly over mining monazite sands to extract beach sand minerals and thorium.

5. Critical Minerals Framework in India

The Ministry of Mines officially declared a list of 30 critical minerals essential for India's economic growth, defense, and net-zero carbon transition goals.

• Inclusion of REEs: Rare Earth Elements (both LREEs and HREEs) are explicitly designated as a collective block within this 30-mineral list.

• Other Notable Critical Minerals: Lithium, Cobalt, Copper, Gallium, Germanium, Graphite, Nickel, Niobium, Titanium, and Silicon.

• Institutional Drivers: The Geological Survey of India (GSI) and Mineral Exploration and Consultancy Limited (MECL) are actively spearheading exploration projects across the country.

6. Recent Policy and Current Affairs Boost (2026 Focus)

• Financial Incentives: The Union Cabinet approved a landmark ₹7,280-crore scheme specifically aimed at establishing domestic manufacturing facilities for Rare Earth Permanent Magnets (REPMs) to bridge the import gap.

• Domestic Production Timeline: Mining and administrative ministries have fast-tracked implementation plans to commence commercial domestic permanent magnet production.

• Critical Mineral Processing Parks: To resolve the environmental and technical hurdles of processing, the government has announced plans to set up dedicated mineral processing parks across four key states: Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat.

• MMDR Amendment Act: Recent legislative updates have amended the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act to allow the auctioning of atomic and critical minerals to private players, incentivizing domestic exploration.

UPSC Prelims Trap Alert 

1. "India lacks Rare Earth resources" $\rightarrow$ FALSE. India has resources (Monazite sands), but lacks downstream advanced processing technology.

2. "All REEs are non-radioactive" $\rightarrow$ FALSE. Promethium is radioactive.

3. "Private companies can freely mine monazite sands" $\rightarrow$ FALSE. Beach sand minerals containing monazite are strictly regulated under atomic mineral laws; processing is heavily managed by public sector undertakings like IREL.

Would you like to solve a few more statement-based practice questions on India's critical mineral policies or the Mineral Security Partnership (MSP)?

Bureau of Port Security (BoPS)

 

Bureau of Port Security (BoPS)

Key Structural & Institutional Details

• Statutory Status: The BoPS has been established as a statutory body under Section 13 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 2025.

• Nodal Ministry: It functions directly under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.

• Designated Security Agency: Under the BoPS framework, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has been formally designated as a recognized Security Organisation.

• Organizational Model: It has been modeled on the lines of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), adapting a similar centralized regulatory oversight model from the aviation sector to the maritime sector.

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Core Mandate & Functional Roles

1. Centralized Regulatory Oversight

• Acts as a single statutory authority for regulatory oversight and coordination across all Indian ports.

• Aims to eliminate fragmented security protocols by introducing standardisation, unified enforcement, and improved inter-agency communication for maritime security measures.

2. Traditional Maritime Security Challenges

The bureau is explicitly mandated to serve as a coordinating node to monitor, deter, and counter threats including:

• Maritime terrorism

• Piracy and armed robbery at sea

• Illicit trafficking (arms smuggling, drug trafficking, and human trafficking)

• Illegal migration through waterways and illegal poaching

3. Cybersecurity & Critical Infrastructure Protection

• Features a dedicated division specifically tasked with protecting port information technology infrastructure.

• Focuses on monitoring digital threats to shipping networks, automated terminal operating systems, and logistics databases.

• Coordinates directly with national cybersecurity agencies (such as CERT-In) for real-time information sharing and incident response.

4. Intelligence Integration

• Serves as a clearinghouse for the collection, exchange, and analysis of security-related maritime information.

• Coordinates tactical and operational responses among various coastal security stakeholders (such as the Indian Coast Guard, Indian Navy, and State Coastal Police).

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Based on the introduction of the Merchant Shipping Act, 2025 and new regulatory authorities, would you like to explore related topics such as the Coastal Security Architecture of India (the 3-tier structure) or international maritime conventions like the ISPS Code (International Ship and Port Facility Security)? If yes write in message 'YES'.

Practice Questions for UPSC 2026 Prelims Exam.

The Manki-Munda System: Core Structure

 The Manki-Munda System: Core Structure

The Manki-Munda system is a traditional, two-tier indigenous self-governance mechanism practiced primarily by the Ho tribe (and historically connected to the Mundas) in the Kolhan region of Jharkhand.

• Munda: The hereditary head of a single Ho village. They handle local socio-political disputes and administration at the grassroots level.

• Pidh: A cluster of villages (typically consisting of 8 to 15 villages).

• Manki: The head of a Pidh. The Manki is responsible for resolving larger disputes that extend beyond the authority or jurisdiction of an individual Munda.

• Key Feature: Historically, this was an entirely independent tribal system operating without external rulers or formal external tax collection.

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Historical Evolution & British Intervention

1. The Colonial Disruption

• Battle of Buxar (1764) & Treaty of Allahabad (1765): Granted the British East India Company the Diwani rights (revenue collection rights) over Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha (which included present-day Jharkhand).

• The Permanent Settlement (1793): Created a class of landlords (zamindars) with fixed revenue obligations. This led to large-scale land alienation of the Adivasis in Kolhan, as zamindars seized tribal lands due to high taxation demands.

2. Tribal Uprisings

The imposition of external revenue systems, land alienation, and exploitation triggered massive resistance:

• Ho Revolt (1821–22)

• Kol Revolt (1831)

3. Introduction of Wilkinson’s Rules (1833)

To pacify the aggressive tribal unrest and regain administrative control, Captain Thomas Wilkinson (the first agent of the Governor-General in the South-West Frontier Agency) framed 31 rules known as Wilkinson's Rules.

• The Strategy: Instead of dismantling the indigenous setup, the British codified the traditional powers of the Mundas and Mankis.

• The Twist: While it preserved their traditional roles, it effectively turned these autonomous tribal leaders into agents of the British administration responsible for tax collection and maintaining local order, thereby co-opting the system.

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Current Legal Status & Modern Relevance

• Limited Legal Validity: Though Wilkinson’s Rules are still frequently cited in local governance, their formal legal validity is highly constrained. In Mora Ho vs. State of Bihar (2000), the Patna High Court ruled that these rules were customary practices rather than formal statutory law. However, they were allowed to persist informally because no alternative judicial/administrative system had effectively replaced them in those pockets.

• Recent Friction: In 2021, the Jharkhand government proposed a new local justice system called Nyay Manch to modernize dispute resolution in tribal areas. The draft law was never passed, leaving the traditional Manki-Munda framework informally active.

• Protests: Tension persists between state administrative authorities (like the Deputy Commissioner) and tribal groups over alleged interference in traditional self-governance, particularly when customary village heads (Mundas) are removed or bypassed.

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Given the ongoing friction between state administration and traditional tribal laws, what specific aspect of Fifth Schedule governance or tribal autonomy would you like to explore next? If yes write in message 'YES'.

Practice Questions for UPSC 2026 Prelims Exam.

 

Hormuz Mountains 

Hormuz Mountains

• Located mainly in southern Iran near the Strait of Hormuz.
• Famous for:
  • Salt domes
  • Mineral deposits
  • Colorful geological formations
• Formed due to tectonic plate collision.

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1. Geological Formation

Age of Formation

• Formation began around:
  • 500–600 million years ago
• Geological era:
  • Late Precambrian
  • Early Cambrian

This makes them extremely ancient geological structures.

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2. Formation Process (Very Important for UPSC Geography)

Step-by-Step Process

Step 1: Formation of Salt Beds

• Ancient seas evaporated.
• Thick layers of salts and evaporite minerals accumulated.

Main minerals:

• Halite (rock salt)
• Gypsum
• Anhydrite

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Step 2: Burial Under Sediments

• Over millions of years:
  • Marine sediments accumulated.
  • Volcanic rocks covered the salt layers.

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Step 3: Tectonic Compression

• Collision between tectonic plates compressed the region.

Main plates involved:

• Arabian Plate
• Eurasian Plate

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Step 4: Salt Dome Formation

Salt is lighter and more plastic than surrounding rocks.

Under pressure, salt moved upward forming:

• Salt domes
• Fold mountains
• Diapirs

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3. Salt Dome / Diapir Concept (UPSC Favourite)

Definition

A salt dome is a dome-shaped structure formed when underground salt rises through overlying rock layers.

Why does salt rise?

• Lower density
• Plastic behavior under pressure

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Diagram Concept

Sedimentary Rocks
        ↑
   Rising Salt
        ↑
   Salt Bed Below

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4. Strait of Hormuz — Strategic Importance

Strait of Hormuz

• Connects:
  • Persian Gulf
  • Gulf of Oman
  • Arabian Sea

Importance

• One of the world’s most important oil chokepoints.
• Huge percentage of global petroleum trade passes through it.

Countries nearby:

• Iran
• Oman
• UAE

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5. Important Geological Concepts Linked to This Topic

Concept	Meaning
Evaporites	Minerals formed by evaporation
Diapir	Upward movement of less dense material
Fold Mountains	Mountains formed by compression
Tectonic Collision	Movement and collision of lithospheric plates
Sedimentary Basin	Region where sediments accumulate

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6. UPSC Prelims PYQs Related to This Topic

PYQ 1 — Plate Tectonics (UPSC Prelims 2013)

Theme Asked

• Continental drift
• Plate boundaries
• Mountain formation

Key Concept

Fold mountains form due to convergent plate boundaries.

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PYQ 2 — Geological Time Scale

UPSC repeatedly asks:

• Precambrian
• Cambrian explosion
• Paleozoic Era

Important Fact

Cambrian Period:

• Beginning of abundant fossil life.

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PYQ 3 — Strait-Based Questions

UPSC frequently asks map-based questions on:

• Strait of Hormuz
• Bab-el-Mandeb
• Malacca Strait
• Bosporus

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7. Probable UPSC Prelims Questions

Question 1

The Hormuz Mountains are especially known for:

A. Volcanic lava plateaus
B. Salt domes and evaporite deposits
C. Coral reef formations
D. Glacial landforms

Answer:

✅ B. Salt domes and evaporite deposits

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Question 2

Salt domes are formed because:

1. Salt behaves plastically under pressure.
2. Salt has lower density than surrounding rocks.
3. Salt is pushed upward by tectonic compression.

Select the correct answer:

A. 1 only
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 1, 2 and 3
D. 2 and 3 only

Answer:

✅ C. 1, 2 and 3

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Question 3

Which tectonic plates are mainly associated with the formation of the Hormuz Mountains?

A. Pacific and Nazca Plates
B. Arabian and Eurasian Plates
C. Indo-Australian and Antarctic Plates
D. African and South American Plates

Answer:

✅ B. Arabian and Eurasian Plates

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8. Mains Enrichment Points

GS Paper I

• Plate tectonics
• Fold mountain formation
• Geological structures

GS Paper III

• Strategic maritime chokepoints
• Energy security
• West Asian geopolitics

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9. Quick Revision One-Liners

• Hormuz Mountains are located in southern Iran.
• Famous for salt domes and evaporite geology.
• Formation began during Late Precambrian–Early Cambrian.
• Formed due to Arabian–Eurasian plate collision.
• Strait of Hormuz is a major global oil chokepoint.
• Salt rises upward because of low density and plasticity.

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10. UPSC Map Work Linkages

Important nearby regions to revise:

• Persian Gulf
• Gulf of Oman
• Arabian Sea
• Zagros Mountains
• Strait of Hormuz
• Iran–Oman region

 

Sijimali Bauxite Project & Odisha Minerals 

1. Location & Importance

Sijimali Hills

• Part of the Eastern Ghats mountain range.
• Located in:
  • Rayagada district
  • Kalahandi district
• Rich in high-grade bauxite reserves.
• Mining area: nearly 1,500 hectares.
• Estimated reserve: 311 million tonnes.

Strategic Importance

• Close to Vedanta Limited alumina refinery at:
  • Lanjigarh
• Refinery capacity: 5 million tonnes per annum (MTPA).

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2. Bauxite → Alumina → Aluminium (Very Important UPSC Chain)

Flow Diagram

Bauxite ore → Alumina (Al₂O₃) → Aluminium metal

Bauxite

• Principal ore of aluminium.
• Found mainly in:
  • Odisha
  • Andhra Pradesh
  • Gujarat
  • Jharkhand
  • Maharashtra

Alumina

• Refined from bauxite using Bayer Process.
• Intermediate product.

Aluminium

Features:

• Lightweight
• Corrosion resistant
• Good conductor
• Strong yet malleable

Uses:

• Aircraft
• Railways
• Packaging
• Electric wires
• Defence
• Renewable energy sector

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3. Eastern Ghats — UPSC Notes

Eastern Ghats

Characteristics

• Discontinuous mountain range.
• Runs parallel to eastern coast.
• Highly eroded and broken by rivers.

Rivers Cutting Eastern Ghats

• Godavari
• Krishna
• Mahanadi
• Kaveri

Highest Peak

• Jindhagada Peak (Andhra Pradesh)

States Covered

• Odisha
• Andhra Pradesh
• Telangana
• Tamil Nadu
• Karnataka (fringes)

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4. Odisha Minerals — UPSC Facts

Odisha

Mineral Significance

According to Indian Bureau of Mines:

Mineral	Importance
Bauxite	41% of India’s resources
Iron Ore	Major producer
Coal	Large reserves
Nickel	Important deposits
Graphite	Strategic mineral
Gemstones	Rich deposits

Production

• Odisha produced around 73% of India’s bauxite in 2021-22.

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5. Environment & Tribal Issues (Important for UPSC Mains)

Environmental Concerns

• Deforestation
• Biodiversity loss
• Water pollution
• Soil erosion
• Impact on Eastern Ghats ecosystem

Tribal Concerns

The region is inhabited by tribal communities.

Important constitutional/legal protections:

• Fifth Schedule Areas
• Forest Rights Act, 2006
• PESA Act, 1996
• Gram Sabha consent

Famous Related Movement

Niyamgiri Hills

• Dongria Kondh tribe opposed bauxite mining.
• Supreme Court upheld Gram Sabha rights in 2013.

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6. UPSC Prelims PYQs Related to This Topic

PYQ 1 — Minerals in India (UPSC Prelims 2020)

Question

With reference to the mineral resources of India, consider the following pairs:

Mineral	Distribution
Copper	Jharkhand
Nickel	Odisha
Tungsten	Kerala

Which are correctly matched?

Answer

• Copper — Jharkhand ✔
• Nickel — Odisha ✔
• Tungsten — Rajasthan, not Kerala ✘

Correct Answer:

2 only

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PYQ 2 — Aluminium Industry (UPSC Prelims 2013)

Question

Which one of the following is the correct sequence in the increasing order of value addition?

Bauxite → Alumina → Aluminium

Correct Answer:

Bauxite → Alumina → Aluminium

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PYQ 3 — Eastern Ghats (UPSC Prelims Various Concepts)

Frequently Tested Areas

• Discontinuous nature
• Rivers cutting through
• Comparison with Western Ghats
• Biodiversity hotspots

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PYQ 4 — Tribal Rights & FRA (UPSC Prelims 2019)

Themes Asked

• Forest Rights Act
• Gram Sabha powers
• Community forest rights
• Tribal autonomy

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PYQ 5 — Mining & Environment

UPSC repeatedly asks:

• Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
• Sustainable mining
• Forest clearance
• Biodiversity conservation

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7. Important Prelims One-Liners

Geography

• Eastern Ghats are discontinuous unlike Western Ghats.
• Mahanadi cuts through Eastern Ghats.

Economy

• Bauxite is the principal ore of aluminium.
• Aluminium production is highly electricity intensive.

Environment

• Mining causes habitat fragmentation.
• Tribal consent is important in Scheduled Areas.

Polity

• PESA gives powers to Gram Sabha in Scheduled Areas.
• FRA recognizes community forest rights.

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8. Probable UPSC Prelims Questions

Question 1

Which of the following statements regarding bauxite is correct?

1. It is the principal ore of aluminium.
2. Odisha has the largest bauxite reserves in India.
3. Aluminium extraction requires large electricity consumption.

Select the correct answer:

A. 1 and 2 only

B. 2 and 3 only

C. 1 and 3 only

D. 1, 2 and 3

Answer:

✅ D. 1, 2 and 3

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Question 2

Consider the following statements regarding Eastern Ghats:

1. They are continuous mountain ranges.
2. Major peninsular rivers cut through them.
3. They are older than the Himalayas.

Which statements are correct?

A. 2 and 3 only

B. 1 and 2 only

C. 3 only

D. 1, 2 and 3

Answer:

✅ A. 2 and 3 only

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Question 3

Which law gives legal recognition to community forest rights of tribal communities?

A. PESA Act

B. Forest Rights Act, 2006

C. Wildlife Protection Act

D. Indian Forest Act

Answer:

✅ B. Forest Rights Act, 2006

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9. UPSC Mains Linkages

GS Paper I

• Physical geography of Peninsular India
• Eastern Ghats

GS Paper II

• Tribal rights
• PESA
• FRA
• Governance in Scheduled Areas

GS Paper III

• Mining economy
• Mineral security
• Environmental impact
• Sustainable development

Essay Topics

• Development vs Environment
• Tribal rights and resource extraction
• Sustainable mining in India

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10. Quick Revision Table

Topic	Key Fact
Sijimali	Bauxite-rich hills in Odisha
Ore of Aluminium	Bauxite
Intermediate Product	Alumina
Leading Bauxite State	Odisha
Eastern Ghats	Discontinuous mountains
Important Law	FRA 2006
Tribal Issue Example	Niyamgiri Hills
Major Company	Vedanta

 

UPSC Prelims 2026 – Ultra Revision Sheet

 October & November 2025

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1. ONE-LINER REVISION SHEETS

Polity & Governance

• Public Trust Doctrine → Government acts as trustee of natural resources.
• Public Trust Doctrine introduced in India via M.C. Mehta v. Kamal Nath (1997).
• Doctrine of Lis Pendens → Property transfer during court dispute does not affect litigating parties’ rights.
• Lis Pendens → Section 52, Transfer of Property Act, 1882.
• 28th National Conference on e-Governance held in Visakhapatnam.
• National e-Governance Awards 2025 introduced Gram Panchayat category first time.
• CCPA established under Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
• ITAT established in 1941.
• Payments Regulatory Board derives powers from Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.

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Economy

• Enshittification → Decline in quality of digital platforms due to profit extraction.
• UMI aims to tokenize financial assets using CBDC.
• Asset tokenization → Conversion of real assets into blockchain-based digital tokens.
• Retail CBDC → e₹-R for public transactions.
• Wholesale CBDC → e₹-W for interbank settlements.
• NCLT → Quasi-judicial body under Companies Act, 2013.
• Insider trading uses material non-public information (MNPI).
• Front-running → Trading ahead of large client orders.
• ECMS launched in 2023.
• AGR linked to telecom licence fees and spectrum usage charges.
• AT&C losses include technical + commercial electricity losses.
• IIP released monthly by MoSPI.
• Eight Core Industries carry 40.27% weight in IIP.
• FAR route allows unrestricted foreign investment in selected G-secs.
• ECGC works under Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
• Tex-RAMPS is a Central Sector Scheme.
• Limestone fully reclassified as major mineral.
• RoDTEP launched in 2021.
• Mig La Pass in Ladakh became world’s highest motorable pass.

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Environment & Geography

• El Niño weakens Indian monsoon.
• La Niña strengthens monsoon.
• Positive IOD enhances monsoon.
• Negative IOD suppresses monsoon.
• Aravalli Range is older than Himalayas.
• Guru Shikhar is highest peak of Aravallis.
• GEI Target Rules 2025 notified by MoEFCC.
• Axial Seamount → Most active submarine volcano in Pacific Northwest.
• Hayli Gubbi volcano erupted after nearly 12,000 years.
• Zambezi → Longest east-flowing river in Africa.
• Victoria Falls lies on Zambezi River.
• BSI headquarters → Kolkata.
• Crassicaulis middletonii newly reported in India.
• Gujarat confirmed tiger presence after decades.
• Botswana to send 8 cheetahs for Project Cheetah.
• Carabid beetles can indicate soil microplastic pollution.
• Blue Flag Programme managed by Foundation for Environmental Education.
• 2025 IUCN Congress held in Abu Dhabi.
• India’s first Dugong Reserve is in Palk Bay.

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Science & Technology

• Xenobiology studies non-Earth-like biological systems.
• Nafithromycin is India’s first fully indigenous antibiotic.
• SARAL tool launched by ANRF.
• GM crops use foreign genes; GE crops edit native genes.
• Junk DNA generally does not code proteins.
• GPS spoofing sends fake satellite signals.
• GNSS jamming disrupts satellite communication.

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Social Issues & Health

• Siddis are of African origin.
• Siddis mainly found in Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh.
• DEG contamination can cause kidney failure and death.
• Marburg Virus Disease is a haemorrhagic disease.
• IHR is legally binding on 196 countries.

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IR & Security

• Operation White Cauldron targeted narcotics network.
• India is not signatory to 1951 Refugee Convention.
• Meteor is a Beyond Visual Range missile.
• HAMMER weapon system to be manufactured in India.
• I4C functions under Ministry of Home Affairs.
• Swavlamban 2025 focuses on naval indigenisation.
• CSC works for maritime security in Indian Ocean Region.
• ICAO created through Chicago Convention, 1944.
• ICAO headquarters → Montreal, Canada.
• Sevilla Forum on Debt launched during UNCTAD16.

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2. PROBABLE UPSC PRELIMS QUESTIONS

Q1.

With reference to Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), consider the following statements:

1. Retail CBDC is meant for interbank settlements.
2. Wholesale CBDC pilot was launched before Retail CBDC pilot.
3. CBDC carries sovereign backing.

Which statements are correct?

A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3

Answer: B

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Q2.

Consider the following pairs:

Phenomenon	Impact on Indian Monsoon
El Niño	Weak monsoon
Positive IOD	Enhances monsoon
La Niña	Above-normal rainfall

How many pairs are correctly matched?

A. One
B. Two
C. Three
D. None

Answer: C

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Q3.

Which of the following are correctly matched?

1. Blue Flag Programme — Denmark-based Foundation for Environmental Education
2. IUCN Congress 2025 — Abu Dhabi
3. Botanical Survey of India Headquarters — Kolkata

A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3

Answer: D

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Q4.

Front-running refers to:

A. Trading using insider information
B. Trading before execution of large client orders
C. Circular trading in stock exchanges
D. Trading in unlisted securities

Answer: B

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Q5.

Which of the following sectors are covered under GEI Target Rules, 2025?

1. Cement
2. Aluminium
3. Chlor-alkali
4. Pulp and Paper

A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1, 2 and 3 only
C. 2, 3 and 4 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Answer: D

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3. DIFFICULT TOPICS EXPLAINED SIMPLY

Public Trust Doctrine

Imagine rivers, forests, beaches and air as “public property.”
Government is only a caretaker, not owner. It must protect them for people and future generations.

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Asset Tokenization

Suppose a building costs ₹10 crore.
Instead of buying whole building, digital tokens divide ownership into small parts.
People can buy small shares digitally using blockchain.

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Insider Trading vs Front Running

Insider Trading

Using secret company information for profit.

Example:
A company employee secretly knows profits will rise and buys shares before announcement.

Front Running

Broker sees a huge client order coming and buys first to profit from price movement.

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AT&C Losses

Electricity loss =

• technical losses in wires + transformers
• theft of electricity
• unpaid bills

All together = AT&C losses.

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GPS Spoofing vs GNSS Jamming

GPS Spoofing

Fake signals sent → aircraft receives wrong location.

GNSS Jamming

Strong radio signals block satellite communication completely.

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4. COMPARISON OF RELATED CONCEPTS

CBDC vs Cryptocurrency

CBDC	Cryptocurrency
Issued by central bank	Privately created
Legal tender	Usually not legal tender
Sovereign backing	No sovereign guarantee
Stable value	Highly volatile
Regulated	Often decentralized

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GM Crops vs GE Crops

GM Crops	GE Crops
Foreign gene inserted	Native gene edited
Example: Bt Cotton	CRISPR-based edits
Transgenic	Precision editing
More controversial	Comparatively more acceptable

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IIP vs Index of Core Industries

IIP	Core Industries Index
Measures industrial output	Measures 8 infrastructure sectors
Released by MoSPI	Released by Economic Adviser
Wider coverage	Limited coverage
Monthly	Monthly

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Cyclone vs Hurricane vs Typhoon

Name	Region
Cyclone	Indian Ocean
Hurricane	Atlantic & NE Pacific
Typhoon	NW Pacific

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Insider Trading vs Front Running

Insider Trading	Front Running
Uses secret info	Uses advance knowledge of trades
Linked to company insiders	Linked to brokers/fund managers
SEBI PIT Regulations	SEBI Mutual Fund Regulations

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5. PYQ LINKAGES TOPIC-WISE

Environment & Climate

Current Topic:

El Niño / La Niña / IOD

Related UPSC PYQs:

• El Niño effect on Indian monsoon
• Indian Ocean Dipole questions
• Walker circulation

UPSC Trend:

UPSC repeatedly asks climate-ocean interaction concepts.

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Economy

Current Topic:

CBDC

Linked PYQs:

• Cryptocurrency vs digital currency
• Blockchain technology
• Monetary policy transmission

UPSC Trend:

Conceptual distinction questions.

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Governance

Current Topic:

Public Trust Doctrine

Linked PYQs:

• Article 21 environmental jurisprudence
• Precautionary principle
• Polluter Pays Principle

UPSC Trend:

Court doctrines + environmental governance.

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Agriculture & Biotechnology

Current Topic:

GE vs GM crops

Linked PYQs:

• Bt Cotton
• GM mustard
• CRISPR-Cas9
• Gene editing

UPSC Trend:

Statement-based biotechnology questions.

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Security

Current Topic:

GNSS Jamming & GPS Spoofing

Linked PYQs:

• NAVIC
• Satellite navigation systems
• Cyber warfare

UPSC Trend:

Application-based science-tech questions.

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International Relations

Current Topic:

UNHCR & Refugee Convention

Linked PYQs:

• Refugee Convention
• Stateless persons
• UN specialised agencies

UPSC Trend:

International institutions + India’s membership status.