In News:

A total solar eclipse occurred on 12 August 2026, visible across eastern Greenland, western Iceland, northern Russia, northern Spain and parts of Portugal. The event provided an opportunity to study the Sun’s faint corona, normally obscured by the bright photosphere.

Key Facts

• Solar Eclipse: Occurs when the Moon comes between the Sun and Earth, blocking sunlight.
• Occurs only during a New Moon when the three bodies are suitably aligned.
• The Moon’s orbit is inclined by about 5° to the ecliptic, so eclipses do not occur every New Moon.
• There are generally two eclipse seasons each year.

Types of Solar Eclipse

1. Total: Moon completely covers the Sun; visible from the path of totality.
2. Partial: Only part of the Sun’s disc is covered; occurs within the penumbra.
3. Annular: Moon appears smaller than the Sun, producing a “ring of fire”; associated with the antumbra.
4. Hybrid: Appears total from some locations and annular from others.

Why is a Total Eclipse Important for Solar Studies?

• Corona: During totality, the Moon blocks the photosphere, allowing direct observation of the inner corona, which is difficult for coronagraphs to observe because of scattered light and diffraction.
• Coronal Heating Problem: The corona can exceed 1 million°C, while the photosphere is about 5,500°C.
• Solar Magnetic Field: Coronal structures such as streamers reveal the magnetic processes driving solar activity and the 11-year solar cycle.
• Space Weather: The corona is the source region of solar wind and Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs), which can affect satellites, GPS, communications and power grids.

Historical Significance

• Helium: During the 1868 total solar eclipse in India, Pierre Jules Janssen detected a previously unknown spectral line. Norman Lockyer subsequently identified and named the element helium after Helios, the Greek Sun god.
• General Relativity:Arthur Eddington’s 1919 eclipse observations provided important observational evidence for Einstein’s prediction that gravity bends light.

In News:

The Supreme Court has directed the 19 States/UTs that have not yet notified cancer to consider declaring it a notifiable disease, with the objective of improving cancer surveillance, early detection and patient care.

Key Facts

• 17 of 36 States/UTs have already notified cancer, following recommendations of a Parliamentary Standing Committee.
• The direction came during a PIL seeking uniform and mandatory reporting of cancer cases across India.
• The PIL highlighted gaps in the ICMR’s National Cancer Registry Programme (NCRP):
  • Covers only about 10% of India’s population.
  • Rural coverage is around 1%.
• Mandatory notification can facilitate:
  • Systematic and comprehensive cancer data collection
  • Better disease surveillance
  • Early detection
  • Improved treatment planning and resource allocation
  • Reduction in disparities in cancer care

What is a Notifiable Disease?

A notifiable disease is one that healthcare providers are legally required to report to designated public-health authorities.

• Reporting requirements and disease lists can vary across States/UTs.
• In India, disease notification is largely decentralised, with State/UT governments playing a major role.
• Surveillance is supported by the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) under the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

Constitutional & Governance Dimension

• Public health is primarily a State subject, creating variations in disease-notification practices.
• The issue also raises questions concerning uniformity of healthcare and the right to health and dignity, linked to Articles 14 and 21.
• The PIL has also proposed a centralised, real-time digital cancer registry integrating hospital, state and mortality data.

International Context

The International Health Regulations (IHR), 2005, under the WHO, provide a legally binding framework requiring countries to notify the WHO of public-health events that may have international implications.

In News:

The Government has approved the RBI’s proposal under Section 25 of the RBI Act, 1934 to introduce one billion ?10 notes and one billion ?20 notes made of polymer for field trials.

Key Features

• Denominations: ?10 and ?20
• Quantity:1 billion pieces of each denomination
• Legal status: Polymer notes will be introduced alongside existing paper banknotes, not immediately replace them.
• Purpose of trials: To assess their:
  • Durability and cost-effectiveness
  • Security features
  • Environmental impact
  • Suitability for India’s climatic conditions
• Successful trials could pave the way for regular issuance.

What are Polymer Banknotes?

• Made primarily from biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) rather than the cotton-pulp paper used for conventional Indian currency.
• Generallymore durable, water-resistant and tear-resistant than paper notes.
• Can incorporate transparent windows and embedded security features, making counterfeiting more difficult.
• They can reportedly last 2.5–4 times longer than conventional paper notes.

Why are They Being Considered?

• India spends nearly ?5,000 crore annually on replenishing and maintaining its banknote stock.
• Around 20–24 billion soiled banknotes are reportedly destroyed annually under the RBI’s Clean Note Policy.
• Lower-denomination notes such as ?10 and ?20 experience heavy circulation and therefore deteriorate faster.
• Longer-lasting polymer notes could potentially reduce replacement frequency, waste and lifecycle costs.

In News:

The Government has proposed the Container Manufacturing Assistance Scheme (CMAS) to build a globally competitive domestic container manufacturing ecosystem, reduce import dependence and strengthen India’s maritime supply-chain resilience. The scheme was announced in the Union Budget 2026–27 with an outlay of ?10,000 crore over five years.

Why Does India Need Domestic Container Manufacturing?

• Around 80% of global merchandise trade by volume is transported through the sea.
• Containerised cargo accounts for nearly two-thirds of the value of international trade, making containers crucial to global commerce.
• Geopolitical tensions, shipping-route disruptions and supply-chain shocks have increased freight-rate volatility and exposed vulnerabilities in maritime logistics.
• India’s expanding manufacturing and EXIM trade is increasing demand for containerised cargo movement.
• Domestic manufacturing can reduce import dependence, improve container availability and enhance supply-chain resilience.

What is CMAS?

The Container Manufacturing Assistance Scheme (CMAS) is a targeted government initiative to develop a competitive domestic container manufacturing industry through financial and institutional support.

Key features:

• Outlay: ?10,000 crore over five years.
• Capacity target: Annual domestic manufacturing capacity of up to 7.5 lakh Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs)—around 10 times the existing capacity.
• Greenfield support: Capital assistance for establishing new manufacturing facilities.
• Brownfield support: Assistance for expansion of existing manufacturing units.
• Operational support: Measures to improve the competitiveness of domestic manufacturers.
• Ecosystem development: Support for testing infrastructure, skilling and capacity building.

Employment and Industrial Impact

CMAS is expected to generate around 3,000 direct jobs and more than 50,000 indirect jobs across container manufacturing and allied industries. It can also stimulate demand for ancillary sectors such as corner castings, wooden frames and Corten steel.

Building an Integrated Maritime Ecosystem

CMAS forms part of a broader strategy to integrate container manufacturing, shipping, ports and multimodal logistics.

Bharat Container Shipping Line (BCSL):

• In February 2026, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways signed an MoU for establishing the BCSL.
• It brings together Shipping Corporation of India (SCI), CONCOR, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority, V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority and Sagarmala Finance Corporation Limited.
• It envisages investment of about ?99,149 crore for developing a fleet of 51 container vessels and procuring domestically manufactured containers.

CMAS complements:

• PM Gati Shakti — multimodal connectivity.
• National Logistics Policy — logistics efficiency and lower costs.
• SagarmalaProgramme — port-led development.
• Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 — long-term maritime-sector transformation.
• Make in India — strengthening domestic manufacturing.

Shipping Containers: Prelims Facts

• Shipping containers are standardised freight units that allow cargo to move between ships, railways and road vehicles without unloading and repacking.
• They are manufactured according to internationally recognisedISO specifications.
• Common sizes are 20-foot and 40-foot containers.
• Container capacity is measured in TEU — Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit.

Recent Development

In July 2026, India rolled out its first domestically manufactured EXIM shipping container for A.P. Moller–Maersk at the Maersk–CONCOR Inland Container Depot, Dadri, Uttar Pradesh. The container complied with internationally recognisedISO standards and the International Convention for Safe Containers (CSC).

In News:

The Sanchar Mitra Scheme, launched by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications, seeks to harness India’s youth (Yuva Shakti) as volunteers for digital empowerment and telecom-related public awareness. Under the scheme, students from participating technical institutions serve as “Sanchar Mitras” and conduct awareness activities in communities, educational institutions and public spaces.

Key Features

• Objective: Promote safe and responsible use of digital and telecom services and strengthen citizen awareness.
• Sanchar Mitras: Student volunteers who undertake outreach on:
  • Mobile and telecom security
  • Prevention of telecom frauds
  • Citizen-centric telecom services
  • Responsible use of telecom services
  • Government digital initiatives
• Eligible institutions: Technical institutes having programmes in telecommunications, electronics, computer science, cybersecurity or related fields and formally participating in the scheme.
• Training: Sanchar Mitras receive training from experts and the National Communications Academy–Technology (NCA-T) on areas such as:
  • Cybersecurity
  • Emerging telecom technologies
  • Telecom policies and regulations
  • Digital safety and related issues

Opportunities for Outstanding Sanchar Mitras

Top-performing volunteers may, on a best-effort basis, receive exposure to:

• Research & Development (R&D) projects and telecom start-ups
• Policy and standards-related work
• Field surveys and DoT initiatives
• National conferences and other professional events
• Opportunities to engage with international digital and telecom platforms

Nationwide Implementation

• The scheme is implemented across all States and Union Territories.
• Implementation is facilitated through the Licensed Service Area (LSA) field offices of DoT.
• More than 200 technical institutions are currently participating.

International Linkage: ITU Generation Connect Youth Envoys

In August 2026, three Indian Sanchar Mitras were selected for the third cohort of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Generation Connect Youth Envoys (GCYE) for 2026–2030.

The selected Indian youth are:

• Ankit Kumar Pal — Delhi
• Manish Kumar Mandal — Bengaluru
• Susmita Sain — Guwahati

The Generation Connect Youth Envoys programme provides young people with opportunities to participate in national, regional and global discussions concerning Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), digital transformation and inclusive digital development.

The selection of Indian Sanchar Mitras demonstrates the scheme's potential to connect grassroots digital awareness with global technology and connectivity platforms.