PRELIMS CA 3 OCT 2026

DAILY PRELIMS CA 3 OCT 2026 ENG

𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗮𝘅𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘀 (𝗥𝗼𝗗𝗧𝗘𝗣) 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗲

Subject: Schemes

• 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵: The Department of Commerce extended the RoDTEP Scheme up to December 31, 2026.
• 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: 𝗪𝗧𝗢-𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘁 tax neutrality scheme | Refunds previously un-rebated Central, State, and local levies on exports
• 𝗟𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵: Formally effective on January 1, 2021 | Replaced Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (𝗠𝗘𝗜𝗦)
• 𝗡𝗼𝗱𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆: Notified by Directorate General of Foreign Trade (𝗗𝗚𝗙𝗧) | Implemented by 𝗖𝗕𝗜𝗖, Ministry of Finance
• 𝗖𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲: Reimburses non-GST levies including 𝗩𝗔𝗧 on fuel, electricity duties, mandi taxes, and stamp duties
• 𝗠𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗺: Issued as transferable electronic duty credit scrips (𝗲-𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘀) maintained on 𝗜𝗖𝗘𝗚𝗔𝗧𝗘
• 𝗨𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Scrips pay 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗰 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝘀 𝗗𝘂𝘁𝘆 on imports or can be transferred to other firms
• 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: Based on percentage of Free-on-Board (𝗙𝗢𝗕) export value categorized under 8-digit ITC-HS codes
• 𝗘𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Covers Domestic Tariff Area (DTA), 𝗦𝗘𝘁 units, EOUs, and Advance Authorisation holders
• 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Tied to foreign exchange realization timelines mandated under 𝗙𝗘𝗠𝗔, 1999

𝗕𝘂𝘅𝗮 𝗧𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲

Subject: Environment

• 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘅𝘵: The first translocated tigress from Bihar’s Valmiki Tiger Reserve was released into Buxa Tiger Reserve.
• 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Dooars region of 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗹 | Elevation ranges from plains up to 𝟭,𝟳𝟱𝟬 𝗺
• 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘂𝘀: Declared India’s 𝟭𝟱𝘁𝗵 Tiger Reserve in 1983 + notified National Park in 1997
• 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗼𝗿𝘀: Connects with 𝗕𝗵𝘂𝘁𝗮𝗻’𝘀 Phipsoo WLS | Links Jaldapara NP, Ripu RF, and Manas TR
• 𝗙𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆: Habitat for clouded leopard, marbled cat, and dhole | Hill streams host 𝗺𝗮𝗵𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗿 fish

𝗧𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁

Subject: Environment

• 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵: A translocated tigress was released in Buxa under the ongoing tiger reintroduction programme.
• 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸: Governed under 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 (𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻) 𝗔𝗰𝘁, 𝟭𝟵𝟳𝟮 | Jointly run by WB Forest Dept, 𝗡𝗧𝗖𝗔, and WII
• 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆: Uses genetic mapping for founder selection + initial acclimatisation in 𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁-𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 enclosures
• 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴: Post-release tracking executed via 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗿𝘆 collars, camera traps, and veterinary surveillance
• 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Augmented prey base by introducing 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 + restored degraded grasslands since 2018

𝗧𝗔𝗣𝗔𝗦-𝟭

Subject: Science

• 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵: Satleo Labs launched TAPAS-1 aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket via the Transporter-18 rideshare mission.
• 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: India’s first commercial private 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹-𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 nanosatellite payload | 𝟭.𝟱-𝗸𝗴 modular CubeSat
• 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿: 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗼 𝗟𝗮𝗯𝘀 (Ahmedabad-based spacetech startup)
• 𝗟𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗩𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗹𝗲: 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗫 𝗙𝗮𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗻 𝟵 via Transporter-18 mission
• 𝗢𝗿𝗯𝗶𝘁: Deployed in a 𝟱𝟬𝟬-𝗸𝗺 𝗦𝘂𝗻-𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘀 Low Earth Orbit (LEO) | 𝟯-𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 operational lifespan
• 𝗠𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗺: Captures variations in surface 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 radiation emitted from Earth
• 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: 𝗨𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗜𝘀𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 (UHI) mapping + Crop evapotranspiration and water stress management
• 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: Wildfire tracking through smoke haze | Subsurface geological and 𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 detection via thermal inertia

𝗛𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗻 𝗧𝗮𝗵𝗿

Subject: Environment

• 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘅𝘵: Kedarnath Wildlife Division planned activity regulations in Uttarakhand bugyals after tourist waste altered Himalayan tahr foraging behavior.
• 𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗲: Specialized wild caprid | 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻-𝘁𝗼𝗲𝗱 𝘂𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲 | Locally known as 𝗞𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗵 in Uttarakhand
• 𝗦𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗡𝗮𝗺𝗲: 𝗛𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗴𝘂𝘀 𝗷𝗲𝗺𝗹𝗮𝗵𝗶𝗰𝘂𝘀
• 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Endemic to 𝗛𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗮𝘀 | Found across India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Tibet (China)
• 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗥𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲: Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and 𝗦𝗶𝗸𝗸𝗶𝗺
• 𝗛𝗮𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁: 𝗕𝘂𝗴𝘆𝗮𝗹𝘀 (alpine grasslands) & rocky cliffs | Elevation: 𝟯,𝟱𝟬𝟬–𝟰,𝟱𝟬𝟬 𝗺
• 𝗜𝗨𝗖𝗡 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘂𝘀: 𝗡𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱
• 𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Rubbery 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗮𝗱𝘀 with sharp outer rims for steep cliffs
• 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘁𝘀: Smooth 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱-𝗰𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗻𝘀 in both sexes + exhibits extreme 𝘀𝗲𝘅𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗶𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗽𝗵𝗶𝘀𝗺

𝗞𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗱

Subject: IR

• 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵: Russia cautioned NATO against attempting to isolate or cut off its Baltic exclave.
• 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: Heavily fortified non-contiguous Russian 𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘃𝗲 | Located along the Baltic Sea
• 𝗕𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀: Shares land borders with 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 to the south + 𝗟𝗶𝘁𝗵𝘂𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗮 to the north and east
• 𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆: Formerly known as 𝗞ö𝗻𝗶𝗴𝘀𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗴 | Transferred to USSR via 𝗣𝗼𝘁𝘀𝗱𝗮𝗺 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 (1945)
• 𝗡𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗲: Hosts 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗶𝘆𝘀𝗸, Russia's only year-round ice-free Baltic naval outpost | Base for Baltic Fleet
• 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗼𝗿: Positioned near 𝗦𝘂𝘄𝗮ł𝗸𝗶 𝗚𝗮𝗽, connecting Baltic NATO states while separating Kaliningrad from Belarus

𝗝𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗿 𝗗𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗽

Subject: Geography

• 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘅𝘁: Declared India’s first plastic-free oil terminal by Mumbai Port Authority during Swachhata Abhiyan 2026.
• 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Offshore island in 𝗔𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗲𝗮 | Historically known as 𝗕𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗜𝘀𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱
• 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Situated northeast of Gateway of India + northwest of 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮 𝗜𝘀𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 (Gharapuri)
• 𝗚𝗲𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆: Composed of 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗽𝘀 basaltic bedrock | Late Cretaceous-early Paleogene volcanic origin
• 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: Connects via subsea pipelines to 𝗪𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗹𝗮 + feeds HPCL and BPCL refineries
• 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: India’s 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 single-use plastic-free marine oil terminal