GK One-Liners

What: The Union Cabinet approved SARTHAK-PDS (Systematic Advancement and Reforms Towards Holistic Advancement of Knowledge in the Public Distribution System), an umbrella scheme with an outlay of Rs 25,530 crore over five years (up to March 2031, aligned with the 16th Finance Commission cycle). It merges the intra-State foodgrain movement scheme with SMART-PDS (System for Modernised and Real Time Tracking of the Public Distribution System) and covers 81.35 crore beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).

How: The scheme is implemented by the Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD) under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (MoCAF&PD). It leverages Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Natural Language Processing (NLP), and Blockchain technology to digitise supply chains, reduce leakages, and enable real-time tracking of foodgrain movement from procurement to doorstep delivery.

Why: SARTHAK-PDS is highly relevant for UPSC, SSC, and State PCS exams under themes of welfare schemes, food security, and digital governance. Questions may be asked on its outlay, implementing ministry, technologies used, or its link to NFSA. It also connects to topics like One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) and PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY).

What: The Ministry of Defence (MoD) issued the Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), India’s indigenous fifth-generation stealth fighter jet. The project is led by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), with an estimated Rs 15,000 crore allocated for 5 prototypes and 1 test aircraft. Notably, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has been excluded for the first time from the lead role in this programme.

How: The RFP invites private and public sector firms to bid for manufacturing the prototypes under ADA’s design leadership. The fifth-generation designation means the aircraft will incorporate stealth technology, supercruise capability (supersonic flight without afterburners), advanced avionics, and internal weapons bays — features currently possessed by very few nations globally.

Why: AMCA is a landmark in India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) push in defence. It is relevant for UPSC (GS-III Defence Technology), CDS, AFCAT, and NDA exams. Examinees should note its distinction from fifth-generation aircraft like the US F-35 and Russia’s Su-57, and the strategic significance of India developing indigenous stealth capability.

What: India and the United States signed the Framework on Securing Supply in Mining and Processing of Critical Minerals and Rare Earths on the sidelines of the 11th Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held in New Delhi. The agreement was signed by External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) includes India, USA, Australia, and Japan.

How: The US has mobilised over USD 30 billion through a combination of investments, loans, and public-private support for global critical mineral supply chains. A parallel Quad-wide framework mobilises up to USD 20 billion across the Indo-Pacific region. These frameworks aim to reduce dependence on China, which currently dominates global rare earth processing.

Why: Critical minerals (lithium, cobalt, rare earths) are essential for semiconductors, electric vehicles, and defence systems — making this a high-priority geopolitical issue. This topic is relevant for UPSC GS-II (International Relations), GS-III (Technology and Economy), and essays on strategic autonomy. It also connects to India’s own National Critical Mineral Mission.

What: Indian scientist Dr Ronaldo Laishram and his research team discovered the ‘Loktak Protocluster’, a massive 12.6-billion-year-old proto-cluster of galaxies — informally described as a ‘city of galaxies’. It has been named after Manipur’s iconic Loktak Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Northeast India. The findings were published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

How: The discovery was made using a combination of Japan’s Subaru Telescope and NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). A protocluster is a region in the early universe where galaxies are in the process of gravitationally assembling into a large cluster — observing such structures at 12.6 billion light-years helps scientists understand how the universe evolved in its earliest epochs.

Why: This is significant for UPSC and State PSC Science & Technology sections. The use of JWST (launched December 2021) is a recurring exam theme. This discovery also highlights Indian scientists contributing to global astrophysics. Expect questions on the name, age of the structure, telescopes involved, and the publication journal.

What: India’s foodgrain production has reached an all-time high of 376.563 Million Tonnes (MT) in 2025-26 as per the 3rd Advance Estimates, marking a 5.3% increase over the previous year. Within this, Rice production set a record at 154.024 MT and Wheat at 120.657 MT. The data was released by Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare (MoAFW).

How: The record output is attributed to improved seed varieties, expanded irrigation coverage under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY), greater use of soil health cards, and favourable monsoon conditions. The Advance Estimate system (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th) is a rolling crop forecast mechanism updated progressively through the agricultural year.

Why: Record agricultural output is a key data point for UPSC GS-III (Agriculture), RBI-Grade B, and NABARD exams. It is linked to India’s food security goals under NFSA and export potential. Examinees should remember both the total figure (376.563 MT) and the individual crop records for Rice and Wheat, as these may appear as precise factual questions.

What: Raja Randhir Singh, a five-time Olympian shooter and recipient of the Arjuna Award (1979), passed away at the age of 79. He holds the distinction of being the first Indian to serve as President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) — a position of immense significance in Asian sporting governance. He was also the first Indian shooter to win a gold medal at the Asian Games, achieving this feat at the 1978 Bangkok Asian Games.

How: Randhir Singh represented India at five consecutive Olympic Games as a shooter, and later transitioned into sports administration. He served as Secretary-General of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) for many years before rising to lead the OCA. His administrative career spanned several decades of shaping Asian sports policy and India’s participation in international multi-sport events.

Why: Questions on first Indian OCA President, Arjuna Award recipients, and historic Asian Games gold medallists appear regularly in SSC, UPSC, and State PCS exams. His passing also contextualises discussions around Indian sports administration and the IOA’s evolution. Key facts to remember: five-time Olympian, first Indian OCA President, first Indian shooter with Asian Games gold (1978).