Prelims Mantra – (11/10/2025)

Science & Technology

Two black holes spotted in orbit circling around each other:

• • Astronomers have directly imaged two black holes locked in orbit around each other in the quasar OJ 287, a first-of-its-kind observation.
  • This system was detected using RadioAstron, a space telescope combined with a global network of ground observatories, achieving exceptional resolution.
  • The two black holes orbit each other every 12 years; their presence was inferred from periodic flickering observed in historic photographic records and confirmed by imaging.
  • Recent research involved collaborative work by ARIES (Nainital, India), TIFR (Mumbai), and international partners, using radio and optical telescopes, including NASA’s TESS satellite.
  • The smaller black hole was observed launching a twisting jet of particles, confirming predictions about its orbital behaviour and jet patterns.
  • This discovery allows scientists to study dynamic black hole interactions and offers insights into gravitational wave production when such objects eventually merge.

 

(PIB)

Geography & Environment

Sawalkote hydroelectric project:

• • Context: An apex committee of the Environment Ministry has accorded a fresh environmental clearance to it.
  • It was proposed to come up on Chenab River in Ramban, Jammu and Kashmir.
  • Key features include a 192.5-meter concrete gravity dam, a run-of-the-river design, and an estimated cost of ₹31,380 crore.
  • The project was first accorded an environmental clearance by a designated committee in 2017.
  • It is projected to have an installed power capacity of 1,856 MW and generate about 8,000 million units of electricity annually.

 

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National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI):

• • It is India’s premier institute for environmental science and engineering, established in Nagpur in 1958 under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Ministry of Science and Technology.
  • Its initial focus was on public health issues related to water supply, sewage disposal, communicable diseases, and industrial pollution, and it continues to drive research on pollution control and sustainable development.
  • It has five zonal laboratories located in Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai, supporting environmental monitoring, waste management, climate change, and impact assessment work nationwide.
  • The institute contributes to major national missions (like Swachh Bharat, clean air, and river rejuvenation) and has created technologies for water purification and pollution mitigation.
  • It provides expertise and assessment for government, industry, and society, and plays a key role in policy, research, and skill development for environmental management.

 

(TH)

Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO):

• • Established on September 5, 1898, it is the nodal agency of the Government of India for regulating the safety of hazardous substances like explosives, petroleum, and compressed gases.
  • It operates under Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
  • It administers key legislation including the Explosives Act, 1884, the Petroleum Act, 1934, and related rules, and is responsible for licensing the manufacture, storage, transport, import, export, and use of these substances.
  • Headquartered in Nagpur, Maharashtra, PESO functions through nine Circle Offices (Agra, Bhopal, Chennai, Faridabad, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, Vadodara) and their subordinate offices across India.
  • It grants licenses for various facilities including petrol pumps, CNG stations, LPG bottling plants, pressure vessels, and explosives manufacturing units, ensuring compliance with safety standards.

 

(TH)

Green fireworks:

• • Also called green crackers, are designed to reduce environmental impact by modifying chemical ingredients to lower emission of toxic pollutants such as barium nitrate, heavy metals, and Sulphur compared to traditional firecrackers.
  • They emit up to 30–50% less particulate matter and air pollutants under ideal conditions but are not pollution-free; all firecrackers produce smoke, carbon dioxide, and trace metals when burned.
  • In India, green crackers (types like SWAS, STAR, SAFAL) feature clear certification labels and QR codes for manufacturer authenticity and are tested for emissions at CSIR-NEERI facilities.
  • Only manufacturers registered with PESO are authorized to produce genuine green crackers, but fake and mislabelled products are common, reducing true environmental benefits.

 

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Captions and Quotations

Security:

• • India’s evolving role in UN peacekeeping operations: India’s role in UN peacekeeping has evolved from a passive observer to an active stabiliser in conflict zones worldwide.

 

(TH)

International Relations:

• • India-China ties are now defined by competitive coexistence.
  • The relationship today is defined by competitive coexistence – a state of armed peace, engagement shadowed by mistrust, cooperation constrained by rivalry.

 

(TH)

Ethics:

• • Leadership neither needed to be loud to be effective nor dictatorial to be decisive.

 

(TH)

Defence and Security

United Nations Troop Contributing Countries’ (UNTCC):

• • India will convene UNTCC Chiefs Conclave between October 14 to 16 at Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi.
  • The gathering will see participation from Army chiefs of more than 33 nations, primarily from the Global South and Europe, in a bid to enhance collective approaches to peace operations.
  • Pakistan and China are not invited.
  • The conclave is a unique platform for UN Troop Contributing Countries to foster dialogue, cooperation, and mutual understanding.
  • Currently, about 5,500 Indian men and women are deployed across nine countries as part of UN peacekeeping missions.
  • The conclave seeks to serve as a forum for sharing best practices, fostering common understanding, and building a collaborative approach.

 

(TH)

Data

Polity and Society:

• • NCRB report for 2023:
    • National Crime Records Bureau’s annual reports on crime and prison statistics comprised of three telling numbers: the 8% decrease in murder cases across the country; a staggering 28.8% surge in crimes against Scheduled Tribes (ST), and a 31.2% increase in cyber crimes.
    • Steep rise in crimes against STs is largely due to the ethnic violence in Manipur, with the registered numbers jumping from just one in 2022 to 3,399 in 2023.
    • Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan also recorded significantly high crime rates against tribals suggesting their vulnerability.
    • With greater Internet penetration across the country, there has been an increase in cybercrime, particularly related to financial fraud and sexual exploitation.
    • Crimes against children rose by 9.2% in 2023 — with the offender known to the victim in 96% of the cases.
    • Crimes against women registered a modest increase of 0.4%, but this masks a 14.9% spike in dowry-related crimes.

 

(TH)

• • Right to Information Act, 2005:
    • 20th anniversary of the Right to Information Act, 2005.
    • There were over 4 lakh pending appeals in 2024.
    • The latest edition of the Satark Nagrik Sangathan (SNS)’s annual assessment shows that six SICs — Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Telangana, Goa, Tripura and Madhya Pradesh — were defunct for varying periods of time between July 1, 2024 to October 7, 2025 as no new Commissioners were appointed upon the incumbents demitting office.
    • CEC is functioning with only two Information Commissioners, with nine vacancies, including for the Chief Information Commissioner, and hearings can take over a year to come up.

 

(TH)

Miscellaneous

Nobel Peace Prize 2025:

• • Maria Corina Machado, Venezuelan opposition leader, was awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her decades-long, peaceful struggle for democracy and civil liberties in Venezuela.
  • Venezuela, once a vibrant democracy, has experienced severe democratic backsliding and autocracy under Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro since 1999.
  • Machado founded organizations like the Atenea Foundation and Súmate, focusing on street children and election monitoring.
  • Súmate’s efforts included organizing a recall referendum against Chávez in 2004; Machado faced criminal charges for her activism and direct confrontation with the regime.
  • Machado led the Coalition for Democratic Unity, ran for president, and became the main figure rallying opposition against Maduro since 2013.
  • The Nobel Committee recognized her leadership, civilian courage, and her movement’s commitment to peaceful and democratic means—even under threats and state violence.

 

(IE)

PRACTICE MCQ’S

 

 

 

Q1. Which of the following statements about black holes is correct?

a) Black holes have a solid surface beyond which light cannot escape.

b) The ‘event horizon’ of a black hole is a boundary beyond which nothing, not even light, can escape.

c) Black holes emit visible light, making them easy to detect using regular telescopes.

d) The singularity of a black hole has zero mass and infinite volume.

Answer: B

Explanation:

The event horizon marks the point around a black hole from which nothing, not even light, can escape due to the immense gravitational pull. Black holes have no solid surface; the singularity at their center contains all their mass in an almost infinitely small and dense point. Black holes cannot be detected by visible light but are studied by how they interact with nearby matter and via gravitational wave observations.

 

Q2. Which of the following statements is correct regarding the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005?

a) Foreign citizens can not file RTI applications.

b) Information concerning the life or liberty of a person must be provided within 48 hours.

c) There is no time limit for public authorities to provide requested information.

d) Private bodies are not covered under the RTI Act.

Answer: B

Explanation:

Under the RTI Act, any citizen of India can request information, and the authority must respond within 30 days for standard queries, but within 48 hours for cases involving life or liberty. Certain private bodies are covered by the RTI Act if they are substantially financed by the government.

 

Q3. Consider the following statements about Sawalkote hydroelectric project:

1. It is proposed to be built on Jhelum River in Jammu and Kashmir.

2. It is concrete gravity dam with a run-of-the-river design.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) 1 only

b) 2 only

c) Both 1 and 2

d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: B

Explanation:

Statement 1 is incorrect: It is proposed to be built on Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir.

Statement 2 is correct: It is concrete gravity dam with a run-of-the-river design.

 

Q4. Consider the following statements regarding the National Crime Records Bureau’s (NCRB) 2023 crime statistics:

1. There was a sharp surge in crimes of murder.

2. The incidence of cyber-crimes also increased, with financial fraud and sexual exploitation being major contributors.

Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?

a) 1 only

b) 2 only

c) Both 1 and 2

d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: B

Explanation:

NCRB data for 2023 shows a 2.8% reduction in murder cases, while crimes against Scheduled Tribes jumped by 28.8%, attributed to violence in Manipur. Cyber-crime cases saw a significant increase of 31.2%, mainly involving financial fraud and sexual exploitation.

 

Q5. Consider the following statements regarding green fireworks (green crackers) in India:

1. They are formulated to reduce emissions of particulate matter and toxic chemicals like barium and sulfur by using alternative, less harmful ingredients.

2. They are certified by the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) and must carry QR codes for authenticity verification.

3. They are entirely pollution-free and do not emit any carbon dioxide or trace metals upon combustion.

4. They are tested for emissions at CSIR-NEERI laboratories before approval.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

a) 1, 2 and 3 only

b) 1, 2 and 4 only

c) 2, 3 and 4 only

d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Answer: B

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: Green crackers use modified formulations that reduce harmful chemicals like barium nitrate and sulfur, lowering particulate emissions by 30–50%.​

Statement 2 is correct: PESO certifies manufacturers, and genuine green crackers carry QR codes for traceability and authenticity.​

Statement 3 is incorrect: Green crackers are not pollution-free; they still emit carbon dioxide, smoke, and trace metals, though in reduced amounts.​

Statement 4 is correct: Emission testing for SWAS, STAR, and SAFAL types is conducted at CSIR-NEERI and its accredited facilities.

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