In News:

India’s first dedicated Space Astronomy Observatory — AstroSat — has successfully completed a decade of operations since its launch on September 28, 2015. Designed for a mission life of five years, AstroSatcontinues to deliver valuable scientific data, marking a major milestone in India’s advancement in space-based astrophysics research.

About AstroSat

• Launched by: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
• Launch Vehicle: PSLV-C30 (XL)
• Launch Site: Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota
• Launch Date: September 28, 2015
• Mission Life: Originally 5 years, extended due to sustained functionality and scientific output
• Managed by:Mission Operations Complex (MOX) of ISTRAC, Bengaluru

AstroSat represents India’s first multi-wavelength space observatory, capable of observing celestial bodies in Visible, Ultraviolet (UV), and low and high-energy X-ray bands of the electromagnetic spectrum simultaneously — a capability possessed by only a handful of space observatories globally.

Scientific Objectives

AstroSat was conceived to advance India’s capability in space-based astronomy and to deepen understanding of high-energy astrophysical phenomena. Its key scientific goals include:

• Investigating high-energy processes in binary star systems containing neutron stars and black holes.
• Estimating magnetic field strengths of neutron stars.
• Studying star formation regions and energetic star systems beyond the Milky Way.
• Detecting and monitoring transient X-ray sources (brief, bright cosmic events).
• Conducting a limited deep-field survey of the universe in the ultraviolet region.

Key Instruments (Payloads)

AstroSat carries five scientific payloads, each contributing to multi-spectral observations:

• Ultra Violet Imaging Telescope (UVIT):Observes celestial objects in near and far ultraviolet as well as visible wavelengths, helping in the study of star formation and evolution.
• Large Area X-ray Proportional Counter (LAXPC):Detects time variability and spectral properties of X-ray sources in the 3–80 keV range.
• Cadmium–Zinc–Telluride Imager (CZTI):Observes hard X-rays (above 20 keV) and helps study gamma-ray bursts and black hole emissions.
• Soft X-ray Telescope (SXT):Provides soft X-ray imaging and spectroscopy to study compact objects like neutron stars and white dwarfs.
• Scanning Sky Monitor (SSM):Continuously scans the sky to detect new transient X-ray sources and track their variability.

In News:

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has mandated that all foreign nationals studying in Indian Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) must now register on the newly launched Study in India (SII) portal. The move seeks to centralise data, streamline admission and visa processes, and strengthen compliance monitoring for international students studying in India.

Background and Context

Until now, foreign students seeking admission in Indian universities had to apply directly to individual institutions, which also facilitated their visa processes. However, the absence of a centralised database made it difficult for authorities to track foreign student numbers, monitor visa compliance, and address instances of overstaying or misuse of study visas.

To overcome these challenges, the Ministry of Education (MoE), in collaboration with the UGC, has introduced the Study in India portal as a digital one-stop platform integrating admissions, visa processing, and compliance tracking.

About the Study in India (SII) Portal

• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Education (MoE), Government of India
• Implementing Agency: University Grants Commission (UGC)
• Objective: To promote India as a global education hub and simplify access for international students seeking to study in Indian higher education institutions.

Key Features

• Single-Window Digital Platform:
  • Acts as a unified interface for application submission, admission processing, and student visa facilitation.
  • Enables foreign students to explore regular, short-term, and long-term courses across Indian universities and HEIs.
• Comprehensive Academic Directory:
  • Lists undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes available in participating institutions.
  • Includes courses from the Indian Knowledge System (IKS) — such as Yoga, Ayurveda, classical music, and traditional arts — highlighting India’s cultural and intellectual heritage.
• Unique SII-ID Generation:
  • Upon registration, each student receives a unique SII-ID, which must be quoted while applying for the student visa.
  • The visa process is now directly linked to the SII portal, ensuring authenticity and easier tracking.
• Institutional Accountability:
  • HEIs admitting foreign students must appoint a Compliance Officer to oversee adherence to all SII guidelines and data-reporting requirements.
  • Institutions are required to update foreign student details regularly on the portal for regulatory oversight.
• Information Gateway:Provides details about academic facilities, research opportunities, campus infrastructure, and student support services to guide prospective applicants.

In News:

• The Government of Uttar Pradesh has issued a stern directive to all District Magistrates (DMs), warning of strict action against officials who fail to complete farmer registration under the Agri-Stack scheme within the revised deadline.
• Beginning October 16, 2025, DMs have been allotted one month to ensure 100% registration of farmers, a crucial step in the implementation of this national digital agriculture initiative.

About the Agri-Stack Scheme

• The Agri-Stack is a national digital infrastructure being developed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, in collaboration with state governments, to digitally transform Indian agriculture.
• It aims to create a unified database of farmers and farmlands, integrating information on land records, crop patterns, and scheme benefits.
• The system is envisioned to serve as a foundational digital layer for data-driven governance, policy formulation, and targeted service delivery to farmers.

Objectives and Key Features

• Empowerment through Data: Enables the creation of a unique digital identity for every farmer through a Farmer ID linked to Aadhaar, ensuring accurate targeting of benefits.
• Efficiency and Transparency: Digitally connects demographic data, landholdings, and scheme eligibility, minimizing leakages and duplication.
• Customized Services: Facilitates localized advisories, early warning systems for disasters and pest attacks, and timely delivery of inputs and credit.
• Ease of Governance: Provides a single, verified data source for policy planning, monitoring, and feedback management.
• Public–Private Collaboration: Enables authorized access for banks, agri-tech startups, and value-chain companies to offer tailored financial and technical services.

Core Components of the Agri-Stack

• Farmer and Farmland Registries:
  • A federated digital registry of all farmers across India, compiled by states and harmonized at the central level.
  • Each farmer receives a unique, verifiable Farmer ID, dynamically linked to farmland plot data for non-legal, advisory, and planning purposes.
• Unified Farmer Service Interface (UFSI):
  • A technical framework that ensures data interoperability between government and authorized private stakeholders.
  • Enables federated data exchange with consent-based access, improving coordination across sectors like finance, insurance, and agri-input supply.
• Crop Sown Registry:
  • Digitally records seasonal crop data for every farm using smartphone, drone, and satellite imagery.
  • Replaces traditional manual crop surveys with real-time, geo-referenced data for better yield estimation and policy response.
• Agri-Stack Sandbox:A testing environment that allows authorized users (such as agri-tech firms and banks) to safely experiment with sample datasets and digital tools before gaining production-level access.
• Consent Manager:
  • Empowers farmers to control the sharing of their personal data.
  • Data access is granted only with explicit consent, which can be revoked at any time, ensuring privacy and accountability.

In News:

The District Magistrate of Baramulla has ordered the immediate closure of 14 gypsum mining units operating within the prohibited 1-km radius of the Lachipora Wildlife Sanctuary in north Kashmir’s Uri subdivision, following directives from the Supreme Court of India.

Background and Legal Context

• The decision is based on the Supreme Court judgment in State of Uttarakhand & Others vs. Nandan Singh Bora & Others, which mandates that no mining or quarrying activity is permissible within 1 km of any protected forest or wildlife sanctuary.
• Furthermore, if the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) of a sanctuary extends beyond 1 km, the restriction applies to the entire notified ESZ area.
• Subsequent surveys conducted by the Wildlife Warden, North Kashmir Division (Sopore), confirmed that several gypsum mining units were functioning within the restricted buffer zone of Lachipora. Acting on this report, the district authorities ordered the immediate suspension of all mining operations to prevent further ecological degradation.
• Officials emphasized that the move aims to preserve the fragile ecology of the region, which forms a vital part of the North Kashmir forest belt and supports diverse wildlife species. The crackdown also aligns with the Geology and Mining Department’s intensified efforts to curb illegal quarrying across Baramulla district.

About Lachipora Wildlife Sanctuary

• Location: Situated in Baramulla district, Jammu & Kashmir, near the village of Lachipora, on the northern banks of the Jhelum River.
• Established: 1987
• Area: 141 sq. km
• Altitude Range: 1,630–3,300 metres
• Topography: Comprises a varied landscape of alpine meadows, gentle to steep slopes, and rocky cliffs, supporting rich biodiversity.

Ecological Significance

• Flora:The sanctuary hosts extensive coniferous forests of deodar, Himalayan white pine, and blue pine, along with broadleaf species such as birch, horse chestnut, West Himalayan fir, and Persian walnut.
• Fauna:
  • Habitat for endangered species like the Hangul (Kashmir stag) and Markhor, a wild goat known for its spiral horns.
  • Home to Himalayan black bear, snow leopard, musk deer, and several small mammals.
  • Recognized as an Important Bird Area (IBA) for harboring the vulnerable Western Tragopan and other high-altitude avifauna.

In News:

The Indian Navy has successfully concluded the biannual joint amphibious exercise ‘Jal Prahar 2025’ along the eastern seaboard, in close coordination with the Indian Army. The exercise aimed to enhance joint operational readiness, inter-service synergy, and maritime security preparedness.

About Jal Prahar 2025

• Nature of Exercise:‘Jal Prahar’ is a biannual joint amphibious exercise conducted by the Indian Navy in collaboration with the Indian Army.
• Objective:To strengthen coordination, interoperability, and integration between the two forces for effective amphibious operations and coastal defence.

Exercise Structure and Key Highlights

The 2025 edition of the exercise was conducted in two phases:

• Harbour Phase (Visakhapatnam):
  • Focused on the induction and integration of Army troops onboard naval platforms such as INS Gharial.
  • Included onboard training sessions, safety briefings, familiarization with naval operations, and interaction activities to foster inter-service camaraderie.
• Sea Phase (Kakinada):
  • Involved the execution of full-scale amphibious operations, including hard beaching, launching of Landing Craft Assaults (LCAs) and infantry combat vehicles (BMPs).
  • Validated Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Joint Training Protocols, ensuring seamless coordination during real-world operations.