GK One-Liners

What: JANANI — Journey of Antenatal, Natal and Neonatal Integrated Care — is a digital health platform launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) at the 10th National Summit on Innovation and Inclusivity in Chandigarh. It upgrades the existing Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) portal and introduces the Longitudinal Digital Record System (LDRS), which maintains continuous health records for women across all reproductive stages.

How: JANANI integrates with three major national systems: U-WIN (Universal Immunisation Web-enabled Network), POSHAN (PM’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment), and ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account). It features QR-enabled Mother and Child Health (MCH) cards and Aadhaar-OTP authentication for secure, portable health records accessible across healthcare facilities.

Why: JANANI represents India’s push toward a unified maternal-child digital health ecosystem, a key theme in UPSC GS II (Health, Social Sector) and state PSC exams. Key exam facts: full form, launching ministry (MoHFW), three integrations (U-WIN, POSHAN, ABHA), and the LDRS concept. The platform also supports India’s commitments to reducing maternal and infant mortality.

What: IndiaAI, the national AI mission under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), to build a unified AI ecosystem for healthcare. ICMR contributes curated health datasets under its MIDAS (Medical Information Data for AI Solutions) framework.

How: The MoU enables access to AIKosh — a repository of anonymised, ethics-approved health datasets, AI models, and toolkits made available to researchers and startups. This reduces barriers to healthcare AI development by providing quality training data while ensuring patient privacy and ethical compliance. IndiaAI’s mission includes compute infrastructure, datasets, and startup support across sectors.

Why: This MoU is significant for India’s ambition to become a global AI hub in healthcare. It connects two major government frameworks — IndiaAI (MeitY) and ICMR’s biomedical research mandate. Relevant for UPSC Science & Tech, UPSC GS II (Health Policy), and banking exams. Key facts: AIKosh, MIDAS framework, MeitY + MoHFW collaboration.

What: Phoenix Geocell is India’s first geocell made entirely from end-of-life mixed plastic waste, featuring a 3D honeycomb structure used to stabilise road sub-bases. It was jointly developed by CSIR-CRRI (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research – Central Road Research Institute) and BPCL (Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited). It has been recognised by both the India Book of Records and Asia Book of Records.

How: The geocell was piloted on the DND-Faridabad-KMP Expressway (National Highway 148NA) on 11 July 2025, with support from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The 3D honeycomb structure confines road fill material, distributes load, and prevents erosion — while simultaneously diverting plastic waste from landfills into functional infrastructure.

Why: Phoenix Geocell exemplifies circular economy principles — converting plastic waste into infrastructure — a theme increasingly tested in UPSC Environment and Science & Tech sections. Key exam facts: developed by CSIR-CRRI + BPCL, pilot highway (NH-148NA), India and Asia Book of Records recognition, and NHAI support. It also aligns with India’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework for plastic waste.

What: Laura Virginia Fernández Delgado was sworn in as the 50th President of Costa Rica on 8 May 2026, serving a 4-year term (2026–2030). At 39 years old, she is the 2nd woman to hold the presidency, after Laura Chinchilla Miranda (2010–2014). She leads the Sovereign People’s Party (PPSO), which holds 31 of 57 seats in Costa Rica’s unicameral legislature, and succeeds President Rodrigo Chaves Robles.

How: Her party secured a working majority in the unicameral National Assembly with 31 of 57 seats, providing a stable legislative base. Her election reflects a broader trend in Latin America of women leaders gaining executive power through centrist or populist political movements outside established party structures.

Why: International leadership appointments — particularly ‘first’ or ‘second’ women heads of state — are regularly asked in UPSC Prelims and competitive exam current affairs. Key facts: 50th President, 2nd woman President of Costa Rica, sworn in 8 May 2026, Sovereign People’s Party (PPSO), 4-year term ending 2030.

What: With effect from 1 April 2026, the GST Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT) has been designated as the National Appellate Authority for Advance Rulings (NAAAR) under Section 101A of the Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) Act, 2017. NAAAR resolves cases where different States or Union Territories have issued conflicting advance rulings on the same GST question, creating legal uncertainty for businesses.

How: The GSTAT President serves as the Presiding Officer of NAAAR. This dual-function structure consolidates appellate authority within a single body, reducing the need for separate institutional creation. Advance Rulings allow businesses to obtain binding pre-transaction tax determinations, and NAAAR provides a national-level resolution mechanism when state-level rulings diverge.

Why: This is significant for India’s GST architecture and is relevant for UPSC GS II (Government Policies), Law exams, and banking/finance competitive exams. Key facts: effective 1 April 2026, Section 101A of CGST Act 2017, GSTAT President = NAAAR Presiding Officer, resolves divergent advance rulings across States/UTs.

What: The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) hosted the 35th Plenary and Working Group meetings of ISO Technical Committee 20, Subcommittee 14 (ISO TC 20/SC 14) on ‘Space Systems and Operations’ at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi from 4–8 May 2026 — the first time this international meeting was held in India. A total of 131 delegates from 13 countries participated, with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) actively participating.

How: BIS, established in 1986 and functioning under the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA), Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (MoCAF&PD), represents India in international standards bodies including ISO. ISO TC 20/SC 14 develops international standards for space systems, launch vehicles, ground support equipment, and space operations — areas directly relevant to India’s growing launch and satellite industry.

Why: India hosting this meeting signals its increasing role in shaping global space standards, supported by ISRO’s programme maturity and reforms through IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre). Relevant for UPSC Science & Tech and Current Affairs. Key facts: BIS under DCA/MoCAF&PD, established 1986, ISO TC 20/SC 14, 131 delegates, 13 countries, first time in India, Bharat Mandapam, May 2026.