At a glance
PaperPaper ISubjectCurrent EventsSyllabusCurrent Events of National and International Importance: industry, business, science and technology; General ScienceImportanceMedium
Science TechnologyISROSpaceNuclearDaeDRDOBiotechDigital Public Infrastructure
Science and technology enters current affairs through space launches, nuclear and energy developments, digital-economy milestones, and biotech and health news. The durable layer is the organisations, the named programmes, and the headline missions; the dated layer is the latest launch, the newest record, and the current chief. This note collects the durable structure across space, nuclear, IT and biotech, and flags the security-technology overlap that CAPF rewards. Sources: ISRO, the Department of Atomic Energy, DRDO, MeitY, the Department of Biotechnology, and PIB.
| Element |
Note |
| ISRO |
Indian Space Research Organisation; under the Department of Space; headquartered at Bengaluru; founded 1969 |
| Launch vehicles |
PSLV (the workhorse, polar orbits), GSLV and GSLV Mk III / LVM3 (heavier payloads, geostationary) |
| Chandrayaan |
The lunar programme; Chandrayaan-3 achieved a soft landing near the lunar south pole (2023) |
| Mangalyaan (Mars Orbiter Mission) |
India's first interplanetary mission (2013 to 2014), first nation to reach Mars orbit on a maiden attempt |
| Aditya-L1 |
India's solar observatory at the Sun-Earth L1 point |
| Gaganyaan |
India's planned crewed spaceflight programme (verify the current status) |
| NavIC |
India's regional satellite navigation system |
| Launch sites |
Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh |
| IN-SPACe and NSIL |
The regulator-promoter and the commercial arm enabling private space activity |
| Element |
Note |
| Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) |
Founded 1954; oversees the nuclear programme |
| Three-stage nuclear programme |
Homi Bhabha's plan: pressurised heavy-water reactors, then fast breeders, then thorium-based reactors, to use India's thorium reserves |
| Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) |
Operates the power reactors |
| BARC (Bhabha Atomic Research Centre) |
The premier nuclear research establishment, at Trombay |
| Strategic posture |
A declared "No First Use" nuclear doctrine and a credible minimum deterrent; the arsenal is under the Strategic Forces Command (see durable defence and security) |
| Renewables and hydrogen |
The National Solar Mission, the International Solar Alliance, and the National Green Hydrogen Mission (see durable environment and climate) |
| Element |
Note |
| Digital public infrastructure (DPI) |
Aadhaar (identity), UPI (payments, run by the NPCI), and data-sharing layers; India's DPI is a global reference model |
| 5G and telecom |
Indigenous 5G stack development; spectrum auctions; the move towards 6G research |
| Semiconductors |
The India Semiconductor Mission to build fabrication and packaging capacity |
| Supercomputing |
The National Supercomputing Mission; the PARAM series of machines (C-DAC) |
| Artificial intelligence |
The IndiaAI Mission; the principles of responsible and inclusive AI |
| Quantum |
The National Quantum Mission for quantum computing and communication |
| Cyber security |
CERT-In is the national computer emergency response team; the security overlap with the CAPF and intelligence circuit |
| Body |
Role |
| ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) |
Apex biomedical research body |
| Department of Biotechnology and BIRAC |
Biotech research and start-up support |
| CSIR (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research) |
Network of national laboratories |
| DRDO life-sciences labs |
Defence biotech and high-altitude physiology, relevant to forces in extreme terrain |
| Vaccine capacity |
India's large-scale vaccine manufacturing (the "pharmacy of the world" framing) |
The missile families (Agni, BrahMos, Akash), surveillance and counter-drone systems, secure communications, and indigenous platforms link science and technology to internal security. Counter-drone and anti-UAS technology along the border is a recurring CAPF-relevant theme; treat specific inductions as "verify the latest". For the defence-organisation context see durable defence and security.
- ISRO is under the Department of Space (founded 1969); the DAE was founded in 1954.
- Chandrayaan is the lunar programme; Mangalyaan is the Mars mission; Aditya-L1 is solar; Gaganyaan is crewed.
- PSLV is the polar-orbit workhorse; LVM3 / GSLV Mk III is the heavy-lift vehicle.
- UPI is operated by the NPCI; CERT-In is the cyber-emergency body.
- Specific launch counts, mission dates beyond the named milestones, and current chiefs are dated; verify the latest.
- Which launch site does ISRO use for its orbital launches? (Authored practice, not a verbatim PYQ.) Answer: the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.
- Name India's three-stage nuclear programme's eventual fuel goal. (Authored practice, not a verbatim PYQ.) Answer: thorium, in thorium-based reactors (the third stage).