GK One-Liners

What: The Union Cabinet approved two new semiconductor projects under the India Semiconductor Mission 1.0 (ISM 1.0) — Crystal Matrix Limited (CML) for Gallium Nitride (GaN) Mini/Micro-LED display manufacturing, and Suchi Semicon Private Limited (SSPL) for semiconductor packaging. Both units are located in Gujarat, with a combined investment of Rs 3,936 crore and creation of 2,230 jobs.

How: ISM 1.0 was launched in December 2021 under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) with a total outlay of Rs 76,000 crore to build a domestic semiconductor ecosystem. These two projects are the final ones approved under ISM 1.0, signalling the programme’s completion and India’s advancing chip manufacturing capabilities.

Why: Semiconductor self-reliance is a recurring theme in UPSC Science & Technology and Economy sections. Key exam angles include: ISM 1.0 vs ISM 2.0, MeitY’s role, India’s chip strategy under Atmanirbhar Bharat, and the significance of GaN technology for display and defence applications.

What: The Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) 2.0 Guidelines were unveiled at the 10th National Summit on Good Practices and Innovations held in Chandigarh. The updated framework is built around the 4Ds — Defects at Birth, Diseases, Deficiencies, and Developmental Delays — and now additionally covers Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and mental health conditions for children from birth up to 18 years of age.

How: RBSK operates under the National Health Mission (NHM), deploying mobile health teams to screen children at anganwadis and government schools. Version 2.0 expands the screening mandate beyond early childhood to adolescents, integrating NCD risk factors and mental health into routine checks, broadening the programme’s public health reach.

Why: RBSK is frequently tested in UPSC Prelims and state PSC exams in the context of NHM, child health policy, and welfare schemes. The 4Ds mnemonic is a direct exam target. The extension to 18 years and addition of mental health are new additions that distinguish RBSK 2.0 from the original programme.

What: The Union Cabinet, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill 2026, which proposes to increase the sanctioned strength of Supreme Court judges from 33 to 37, excluding the Chief Justice of India (CJI). This is a legislative amendment to the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956.

How: The original Act of 1956 set the judge count at 7; subsequent amendments in 1960, 1977, and 1986 expanded it to 10, 17, and 25 respectively. The 2019 amendment raised it to 33. The 2026 Bill responds to the growing pendency of cases in the apex court, aiming to improve judicial capacity and reduce backlog.

Why: This is a high-priority Polity topic for UPSC Prelims and Mains (GS-II). Know the progression of judge strength over time, the distinction between sanctioned and working strength, and the broader issue of judicial pendency in India. The CJI is always counted separately — a common MCQ trap.

What: The 13th edition of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) World Migration Report 2026 revealed that India received over USD 137 billion in remittances in 2024, retaining its position as the world’s top remittance-receiving country since 2010. India is the only nation in the world to have crossed the USD 100 billion remittance mark.

How: Remittances flow primarily from Indian diaspora in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. The IOM, headquartered in Geneva, compiles data from central banks and international financial institutions to publish this report. The top 5 recipients in 2024 were India, Mexico (USD 67.6 bn), Philippines (USD 40.3 bn), France (USD 38.8 bn), and Pakistan (USD 34.9 bn).

Why: Remittances are a major component of India’s Balance of Payments (BoP) and a critical source of foreign exchange. This is tested in UPSC Prelims under Economy and International Relations. Key facts for MCQs: India’s consistent top rank since 2010, USD 100+ billion threshold, and IOM’s Geneva headquarters.

What: NLC India Limited signed a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) with Électricité de France (EDF) in Chennai in April 2026 to explore cooperation on nuclear energy technologies — specifically the European Pressurised Reactor (EPR) and Small Modular Reactor (SMR). NLC India has set a target of achieving 20 Gigawatts (GW) of nuclear capacity by 2030.

How: The NDA is a preliminary agreement to share technical and commercial information before formal cooperation contracts are signed. EPRs are third-generation pressurised water reactors with higher safety margins and fuel efficiency. SMRs are compact modular reactors (typically under 300 MW) that can be factory-built and deployed faster than conventional large reactors. The collaboration is aligned with India’s broader vision under the Supporting Harnessing of Advanced Nuclear Technology in India (SHANTI) Bill 2025.

Why: India’s target of 100 GW of nuclear power by 2047 under Viksit Bharat is a key exam fact. The SHANTI Bill 2025, which opens nuclear energy to private sector participation, and India’s civil nuclear partnerships are high-yield topics for UPSC GS-III (Energy, Environment) and GS-II (International Relations).

What: The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has introduced a 60-day Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) clearance mechanism covering 40 sub-sectors across 6 main strategic segments: capital goods, electronic components, advanced batteries, polysilicon and wafers, rare earth processing, and rare earth magnets. The mechanism applies specifically to investments from land-border countries including China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, and Afghanistan.

How: Under Press Note 3 (2020), investments from countries sharing a land border with India require prior government approval rather than the automatic FDI route. The 60-day timeline is a structured window to fast-track decisions for sectors identified as strategically critical, reducing uncertainty while maintaining security scrutiny for sensitive source countries.

Why: FDI policy, Press Note 3, and India’s approach to Chinese investment are recurring UPSC Economy and GS-II themes. The 6 strategic segments — especially rare earth processing and advanced batteries — link to India’s critical minerals strategy and the clean energy transition, making this doubly relevant for GS-III (Infrastructure, Energy).