DAILY PRELIMS CA 12 OCT 2026 ENG

𝗖𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗔𝗩𝗔𝗖

Subject: Science

• 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵: WHO granted prequalification to CERVAVAC as India's first indigenous 𝗾𝗛𝗣𝗩 vaccine.
• 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿: Manufactured indigenously by 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘂𝗺 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮 (SII), Pune.
• 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: Gender-neutral quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus preventive 𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 vaccine.
• 𝗧𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀: High-risk types 16 & 18 cause 70-80% cervical cancer + low-risk types 𝟲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟭𝟭 cause genital warts.
• 𝗘𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Licensed for administration to females and males aged 𝟵 𝘁𝗼 𝟮𝟲 years.
• 𝗗𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴: Supports single-dose or two-dose regimens for adolescents aged 𝟵-𝟭𝟰 years.
• 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁: Aligns with WHO 𝟵𝟬-𝟳𝟬-𝟵𝟬 target to vaccinate 90% of girls by age 15 by 2030.

𝗦𝗮𝗿𝘂𝘀 𝗖𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗲

Subject: Environment

• 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵: BNHS announced a nationwide, synchronized survey to estimate baseline population and map breeding strongholds of the Sarus Crane.
• 𝗧𝗮𝘅𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝘆: World's 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘁 flying bird | India's only 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 breeding crane species
• 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗦𝘆𝗺𝗯𝗼𝗹: Official State Bird of 𝗨𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗵
• 𝗛𝗮𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁: Low-altitude agricultural and wetland 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗰𝘀 across northern and central India
• 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗽𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆: Stands up to 𝟭.𝟱 metres tall + crimson-red unfeathered head and upper neck
• 𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝗿: Strictly 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘀 lifelong pairs | Performs synchronized unison calls and courtship dances
• 𝗠𝗶𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Completely 𝗻𝗼𝗻-𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 + breeds during the monsoon season
• 𝗡𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: Constructs elevated mound-nests in flooded 𝗽𝗮𝗱𝗱𝘆 fields and marshes
• 𝗗𝗶𝗲𝘁: 𝗢𝗺𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗼𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘀 feeder consuming aquatic plants, seeds, insects, and small reptiles
• 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗼𝗹𝗲: Functions as an 𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗮 and bio-indicator species for agricultural wetlands
• 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀: Susceptible to high-tension 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 electrocution, pesticide toxicity, and stray dog predation

𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮

Subject: Polity

• 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵: Protests demanding removal of the Chief Election Commissioner raised questions over the institutional structure of the ECI.
• 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗶𝘀: Established Jan 25, 1950 | Article 𝟯𝟮𝟰 | Permanent independent body
• 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲: Conducts elections to Parliament, State Legislatures, President, and 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝗲-𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁
• 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Consists of CEC and other ECs fixed by 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 | Flexible size under Constitution
• 𝗘𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Single-member (1950–1989) + multi-member (1989) + single-member (1990) + multi-member since 𝟭𝟵𝟵𝟯
• 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻-𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴: Decision by unanimity or 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 vote | All three commissioners hold equal power
• 𝗝𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁: 𝗧.𝗡. 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘃. 𝗨𝗢𝗜 (1995) 5-judge bench upheld equality of CEC and ECs
• 𝗧𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗿𝗲 & 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘂𝘀: Term of 𝟲 years or age 65 | Salary equivalent to Supreme Court judge
• 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗲: CEC removed like a 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁 judge | ECs removed only on CEC recommendation
• 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀: Advises President (Art 𝟭𝟬𝟯) and Governors (Art 𝟭𝟵𝟮) on disqualification | Binding opinion on corrupt practices
• 𝘗𝘠𝘎 𝘓𝘪𝘯𝘬: Prelims 2017 (Election Commission of India powers and structure)

𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗥𝗔-𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲

Subject: Misc

• 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵: INS Sahyadri arrived at Vladivostok, Russia to participate in the bilateral maritime exercise INDRA-2026.
• 𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗲: Bilateral maritime exercise | Conducted between 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗡𝗮𝘃𝘆 and 𝗥𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗙𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗡𝗮𝘃𝘆.
• 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Hosted at 𝗩𝗹𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗸 (Harbour Phase) + adjacent 𝗦𝗲𝗮 𝗼𝗳 𝗝𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗻 (Sea Phase).
• 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘁: Naval ship 𝗜𝗡𝗦 𝗦𝗮𝗵𝘆𝗮𝗱𝗿𝗶 represented India.
• 𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: Focuses on surface-warfare firings, anti-aircraft defense drills, and advances India's 𝗠𝗔𝗛𝗔𝗦𝗔𝗚𝗔𝗥 vision.

𝗣𝗠 𝗗𝗵𝗮𝗻-𝗗𝗵𝗮𝗮𝗻𝘆𝗮 𝗞𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗶 𝗬𝗼𝗷𝗮𝗻𝗮 (𝗣𝗠𝗗𝗗𝗞𝗬)

Subject: Schemes

• 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵: Marked its first anniversary on October 11, 2026, recording performance score improvements across Aspirational Agricultural Districts.
• 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: District-centric 𝘀𝗶𝘀-𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 agricultural development mission transforming backward pockets into high-performing hubs.
• 𝗖𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲: Covers 𝟭𝟬𝟬 Aspirational Agricultural Districts across all States and UTs | Minimum 𝗼𝗻𝗲 district per State/UT.
• 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮: Targeted using 𝟯 deficits: low crop productivity, low cropping intensity, and low agricultural credit disbursement.
• 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: Three-tier structure | National: 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗲 (Union Agriculture Minister) | State: State Samiti (Chief Secretary) | District: District Samiti (District Magistrate).
• 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: Integrates 𝟯𝟲 existing Central schemes across 11 Ministries/Departments + State schemes + private partnerships.
• 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Localized 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘀 prepared by District Samitis based on baseline surveys, integrated into State annual plans.
• 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴: Tracked via 𝟭𝟮𝟭 indicators (74 output, 47 outcome) | Monthly rankings published on 𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗜 𝗔𝗮𝘆𝗼𝗴 portal.
• 𝗖𝗦𝗥 𝗔𝗱𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: CPSEs mandated by Department of Public Enterprises to adopt districts for 𝗖𝗦𝗥 investments during FY 2026–27 and FY 2027–28.
• 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆: Centered on 𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗿 𝗢𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 for post-harvest processing, export linkages, micro-irrigation, and agro-processing clusters.

𝗦𝗲𝘅 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹𝘀

Subject: Science

• 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵: A study in Hungary revealed that climate change-induced sex reversal in wild agile frogs causes reproductive disadvantages and extinction risks.
• 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Development of physical sexual traits differing from genetically determined chromosomal sex | Occurs mainly in cold-blooded 𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗺𝘀.
• 𝗠𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗺: High 𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 override genetic signals (XX/XY or ZZ/ZW) during early development | Alters hormone pathways.
• 𝗔𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀: Agile frogs (Rana dalmatina), wood frogs, 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗼𝗻𝘀, clownfish, wrasses, and groupers.
• 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁: Sex-reversed male agile frogs comprise 20% of males but father only 𝟰% of egg clutches.
• 𝗜𝗻𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗩𝘂𝗹𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Offspring of sex-reversed parents show a 𝟲𝟭% sex reversal rate under heat stress vs 17% in normal lineages.
• 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 & 𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Weaker immunity increases vulnerability to 𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗿𝘂𝘀 | Heat stress and disease combine to accelerate population decline.

𝗦𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶 𝗔𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗮

Subject: Geography

• 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵: Yemen's Houthi movement targeted Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport and declared Saudi airspace an operational target.
• 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹: 𝗥𝗶𝘆𝗮𝗱𝗵
• 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: 𝗔𝗯𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝘆 | occupies four-fifths of Arabian Peninsula
• 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀: Bounded by 𝟳 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 — Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Oman, Yemen
• 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗚𝘂𝗹𝗳 (East) | Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba (West)
• 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘀: 𝗥𝘂𝗯’ 𝗮𝗹-𝗞𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗶 (world's largest continuous sand desert) + linked to Al-Nafud via Al-Dahna belt
• 𝗧𝗼𝗽𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝘆: 𝗛𝗲𝗷𝗮𝘇 and Sarawat mountains line Red Sea | Najd Plateau and Tuwaiq Escarpment lie east
• 𝗛𝘆𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆: Zero 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀 | relies on seasonal wadis, aquifers, seawater desalination
• 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝘆 𝗦𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀: 𝗠𝗲𝗰𝗰𝗮 and Medina located in western Hejaz region