1. Operation Navjeevan — Maoist Surrender in Jharkhand
Category: Internal Security | GS Paper 3
| Key Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Event | 27 Maoists surrendered before Jharkhand Police in Ranchi |
| Organizations involved | Banned CPI (Maoist) + Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad (JJMP) |
| Forces | Jharkhand Police + Jharkhand Jaguar + COBRA (CRPF) |
| Framework | Jharkhand Government's Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy |
Why it matters:
- Union Home Ministry had set a target to eliminate Left Wing Extremism (LWE) by March 2026
- Government LWE strategies: SAMADHAN Doctrine, Operation Octopus, Operation Double Bull, Operation Kagar, RCPLWEA
- COBRA = Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (specialised CRPF unit for anti-Naxal ops)
- Red Corridor districts continue to reduce; a governance dividend in tribal regions
Exam Angle: SAMADHAN stands for — Smart leadership, Aggressive strategy, Motivation and training, Actionable intelligence, Dashboard-based KPIs, Harnessing technology, Action plan for each theatre, No access to financing.
2. RBI's Multi-Pronged Intervention to Defend the Rupee
Category: Economy — Monetary Policy | GS Paper 3
| Key Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Rupee level | Nearing historic low of ₹97 per USD (May 2026) |
| Trigger | US-Iran conflict → crude price spike → imported inflation |
| RBI tool deployed | USD 5 billion Buy-Sell Forex Swap Auction |
| Daily spot intervention | ~USD 1 billion/day sold in spot market |
Key RBI Instruments Explained:
| Tool | Mechanism | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Spot Dollar Sales | RBI sells USD from Forex reserves | Rupee strengthened immediately |
| Sterilised Intervention | Spot sales + simultaneous OMOs (bond purchases) | Prevents domestic liquidity squeeze |
| Buy/Sell Swap | RBI buys USD from banks → gives INR | Injects rupee liquidity |
| LAF Corridor Squeeze | Restricts bank borrowing window | Makes INR shorting expensive |
| NDF Intervention | Intervenes in offshore Non-Deliverable Forward market | Hits speculators in London/Singapore |
| MSS Bonds | Market Stabilisation Scheme bonds issued | Mops up surplus rupee liquidity |
| NOP Cap | Banks' Net Open Position capped at USD 100 mn/day | Limits speculative dollar hoarding |
| Masala Bonds | Rupee-denominated overseas bonds | Brings FX inflows without repayment risk |
| Special Dollar Window | OMCs (Oil cos.) buy USD directly from RBI/SBI | Prevents oil-import demand from crashing INR |
Historical Parallel: 2013 "Taper Tantrum" → RBI opened FCNR(B) window → raised USD 26 billion to stabilise currency.
Exam Angle: A question specifically testing "which tool does NOT help defend the rupee" — Expansionary Monetary Policy weakens the rupee (lowers rate differential), so it is the WRONG tool.
3. Chandrayaan-3 Hop Experiment — Lunar Regolith Findings
Category: Science & Technology | GS Paper 3
| Key Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Experiment | Vikram Lander "Hop" + ChaSTE instrument |
| Hop distance | ~50 cm using residual propellant |
| Key discovery | Two-layered cake-like structure in lunar upper surface |
| Top layer depth | 2–6 cm; hyper-porous, cohesive, acts as thermal blanket |
| Density range | 750 kg/m³ (surface) → 1600 kg/m³ (deeper) |
| Mission name | Chandrayaan-3 (ISRO) |
Significance of findings:
- Clues for subsurface water-ice storage (critical for future lunar habitation)
- Data on rocket plume-surface interaction for safe lunar landings
- Site selection for future lunar bases and crewed missions
- Geotechnical + thermal profiling of the Moon's south polar region
Exam Angle: "Lunar regolith" ≠ "lunar soil" — regolith is shattered rocks and glass-like particles, a more precise scientific term. ChaSTE = Chandra's Surface Thermophysical Experiment.
4. Neuro-Symbolic AI (NSAI) in Indian Education
Category: Science & Technology + Education | GS Paper 2 & 3
| Key Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Concept | Hybrid AI = Neural Networks + Symbolic Logic (Rule-based reasoning) |
| vs LLMs | LLMs: statistical prediction only |
| Key advantage | Eliminates "hallucinations," supports multilingual learning |
| India alignment | Supports NEP 2020 goals — conceptual clarity, multilingualism |
| Edge deployment | Runs offline on low-cost devices — rural-friendly (C3AN framework) |
Why LLMs fail India's classrooms:
- Only 47% of rural schools have functional computers
- Heavy English-bias; weak performance on India's 22 scheduled languages
- "Hallucination Crisis" — AI confidently gives wrong answers
- Promotes rote-learning, not conceptual understanding (anti-NEP 2020)
NSAI advantages for India:
- Hardcoded with NCERT curriculum as a Logic Knowledge Graph → zero hallucinations
- Supports Bhashini initiative via symbolic grammar rules for Indian languages
- "Knowledge Tracing" — pinpoints exact student misconception in a subject
- Must comply strictly with DPDP Act 2023 for student data privacy
Case Studies:
- Project PrahelikaAI (IIT Kharagpur): Logic-puzzle tutor in Hindi & Bengali
- C3AN Framework: Offline-capable, optimised for rural Odisha deployment
Exam Angle: DIKSHA (Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing) is the DPI platform where NSAI can be integrated. NISTHA = National Initiative for School Heads' and Teachers' Holistic Advancement.
5. BSF's First All-Women Everest Expedition — Mission Vande Mataram
Category: Security Forces | GS Paper 3
| Key Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Achievement | BSF's first all-women team scaled Mount Everest |
| Campaign name | Mission Vande Mataram |
| Occasion | BSF Diamond Jubilee + 150th anniversary of 'Vande Mataram' |
| Additional mission | "Clean Himalaya – Clean Glaciers" — collected waste from Everest camps |
| BSF established | 1st December 1965 (post India-Pakistan war) |
| BSF mandate | India's "First Line of Defence" — guards Pakistan & Bangladesh borders |
| Parent ministry | Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) |
Mount Everest Quick Facts:
- Height: 8,849 metres (29,032 feet)
- Location: Nepal–China border (Himalayas)
- Nepal name: Sagarmatha | Tibet name: Chomolungma
- First ascent: 1953 — Sir Edmund Hillary (NZ) + Tenzing Norgay Sherpa (Nepal)
6. India's Rooftop Solar Capacity Reaches 20.8 GW
Category: Environment & Energy | GS Paper 3
| Key Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total capacity | 20.8 GW (as of 2025) |
| New additions | 7.1 GW in 2025 |
| Growth rate | 123% year-on-year increase |
| Leading sector | Residential — contributed 76% of new installations |
Relevance: PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana driving residential solar adoption; India's NDC targets for renewable capacity by 2030.
7. India–Cyprus Elevate Ties to Strategic Partnership
Category: International Relations | GS Paper 2
| Key Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Event | Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides visited New Delhi |
| Outcome | Bilateral ties elevated to Strategic Partnership |
| Date | 22 May 2026 |
| PM | Narendra Modi hosted the visit |
Why Cyprus matters for India:
- Gateway to EU markets and Eastern Mediterranean
- Cooperation in maritime security, trade, and investment
- Potential role in India's emerging European diplomatic outreach post-Operation Sindoor
8. Department of Space Approves Space Facilities in Tamil Nadu & Gujarat
Category: Science & Technology | GS Paper 3
| Key Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Decision | DoS approved Common Technical Facilities (CTFs) in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu |
| Purpose | Support India's private-sector space manufacturing ecosystem |
| Date | 22 May 2026 |
Relevance: Aligns with IN-SPACe framework for enabling private space players (ISpA members); part of India's ambition for a USD 44 billion space economy by 2033.
9. India Records 97 of World's 100 Hottest Cities
Category: Environment & Disaster Management | GS Paper 1 & 3
| Key Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Data | India accounted for 97 out of 100 hottest cities globally on 22 May 2026 |
| Peak temperature | Balangir, Odisha — 48°C |
| Region affected | Northern, Central, and Eastern India |
Relevance: Heatwave frequency increase linked to climate change; India's Heat Action Plans; National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) heat preparedness protocols.
10. High-Powered Demography Mission Announced
Category: Governance & Internal Security | GS Paper 2 & 3
| Key Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Announced by | Prime Minister Narendra Modi |
| Objective | Address illegal immigration, infiltration, and demographic change in border areas |
| Type | High-powered government mission |
Relevance: Concerns about demographic shifts in sensitive border districts; citizenship-related policy discussions; links to NRC, CAA discourse.
11. AIIB Launches USD 10 Billion Support Facility
Category: International Institutions | GS Paper 2
| Key Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Bank | Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) |
| Facility name | Energy, Food Security and Economic Resilience Facility |
| Size | Up to USD 10 billion over two years |
| Launch date | 20 May 2026 |
Quick AIIB facts: HQ — Beijing | India is the second-largest shareholder | Founded 2015 | India is also the largest borrower from AIIB.
12. Pakistan Issues ₹75 Commemorative Coin for China Ties
Category: International Affairs | GS Paper 2
| Key Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Occasion | 75 years of Pakistan-China diplomatic relations |
| Coin value | Rs 75 commemorative coin |
| Issued by | State Bank of Pakistan |
Strategic context: Pakistan-China CPEC deepening; India watches PakChina axis closely in post-Operation Sindoor diplomatic environment.
13. RRP Defense Secures ₹29.83 Crore Order from BEL
Category: Defence | GS Paper 3
| Key Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Company | RRP Defense Limited |
| Client | Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) |
| Order value | ₹29.83 crore (+ GST) |
| Date | 20 May 2026 |
Relevance: Part of India's growing Defence Industrial Ecosystem; Make in India for Defence; BEL is a Navratna PSU under Ministry of Defence.
14. Karnataka to Launch 1,000 Karnataka Public Schools (June 2026)
- Launch location: Shivamogga | Start date: 1 June 2026
- Under School Education Department; targets quality government school infrastructure
15. India Reviews Import Duty on Metallurgical Coke
- Ministry of Steel seeks withdrawal of anti-dumping tariffs on low-ash metallurgical coke
- Key input for steelmaking; impacts domestic steel pricing and competitiveness