DAILY PRELIMS CA 9 OCT 2026 ENG

𝗡𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲

Subject: Science

• 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵: The Swedish Academy awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature to Canadian author Anne Carson.
• 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗦𝘄𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗔𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝘆 | Based in Stockholm, Sweden
• 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁: 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 | Canadian poet, translator, and classical scholar
• 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗲𝗱 + The Beauty of the Husband | Blends poetry, philosophy, and classical Greek drama
• 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸: 𝗡𝗼𝘅 | Experimental book using accordion-fold pages, collages, and photographs to explore grief
• 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Established by the 𝟭𝟴𝟵𝟱 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 of Alfred Nobel | Awarded for outstanding work in an ideal direction

𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲

Subject: IR

• 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵: The US Department of Labor suspended several Indian IT companies from filing new applications under the program.
• 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘁: A US employment certification process | mandatory prerequisite for obtaining employment-based 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀
• 𝗡𝗼𝗱𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆: US 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿 (DOL)
• 𝗠𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗢𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲: Ensures qualified 𝗨𝗦 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 are unavailable + foreign employment does not adversely affect domestic wages
• 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗮𝗴𝗲: Wage approval must be obtained from the 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 (NPWC)
• 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲: Employers must conduct 𝗱𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 before sponsoring a foreign worker
• 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: PERM leads to permanent residency | 𝗛-𝟭𝗕 is for temporary skilled employment

𝗝𝗢𝗦𝗛 𝗜𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲

Subject: Schemes

• 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵: Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched Joint Squad for Health teams under the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan.
• 𝗡𝗼𝗱𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆: Ministry of 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗲.
• 𝗢𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲: Achieve a 𝗧𝗕-𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 nation + accelerate progress before the SDG 2030 deadline.
• 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Multi-member squads comprising 𝟱 𝗠𝗬 𝗕𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀 + 𝟱 𝗡𝗖𝗖 𝗖𝗮𝗱𝗲𝘁𝘀 per team.
• 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻: Monitored by a designated 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀-𝗜 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗿 at the Block or Ward level.
• 𝗣𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝟭 𝗖𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲: Deployed across 𝟱𝟱 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘀 in 11 States and UTs | Target to scale to all 804 districts.
• 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀: Uses TB Mukt Bharat App + 𝗞𝗵𝘂𝘀𝗵𝗶 𝗔𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗿 (e-Sangini) AI assistant.
• 𝗔𝗜 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁: Supports medication reminders and queries in 𝟭𝟮 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀.

𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲

Subject: IR

• 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵: India launched the World Bank Group flagship World Development Report 2026 in New Delhi with IndiaAI Mission.
• 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗕𝘆: 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗸 Group | Released annually as a flagship global research publication.
• 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗲: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 | Evaluates macro-developmental opportunities, labour shifts, and regulatory frameworks.
• 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆: Customise 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻-𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 AI models | Recommended over investing in highly capital-intensive frontier models.
• 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗸: Only 𝟰% of Indian jobs face immediate automation risk + South Asian BPO jobs fell by 𝟮𝟬%.
• 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗗𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻: India lost 𝟮𝟬𝟬 elite AI researchers during 2011-2024 | Remains the 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱-𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 AI talent pool globally.
• 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗚𝗮𝗽: Only 𝗼𝗻𝗲 out of 25 low-income economies possesses an active national AI strategy.
• 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗻: Only 𝟭𝟴.𝟴% of Indians express concern about AI | Contrasts with 𝟱𝟬.𝟱% in the United States.
• 𝘗𝘠𝘘 𝘓𝘪𝘯𝘬: The publisher of the 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 was asked in 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗺𝘀 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟱.

𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹-𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲–𝟮𝟬𝟯𝟬

Subject: Environment

• 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵: 𝘔𝘰𝘚𝘗𝘐 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘌𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭-𝘌𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘤 𝘈𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘢 (2026–2030) 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨.
• 𝗡𝗼𝗱𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆: Prepared by the 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲 (𝗡𝗦𝗢) under Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
• 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲: National roadmap implementing environmental-economic accounting over a five-year period from 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲–𝟮𝟬𝟯𝟬.
• 𝗘𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮: Transitions from an annual report to a 𝗯𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗮𝗹 publication cycle starting from 2025.
• 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Directly aligned with the 𝗞𝘂𝗻𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴-𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗕𝗶𝗼𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 (KMGBF) + CBD, Ramsar, and Montreal Protocol.
• 𝗦𝘂𝗯-𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘀: Inter-Departmental Groups for environmental accounting notified across 𝟭𝟴 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗨𝗧𝘀.
• 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲𝘀: Covers nine domains including soil degradation, mineral extraction, 𝗯𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗯𝗼𝗻, and valuation of 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀.

𝗔𝗿𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗢𝗰𝗲𝗮𝗻

Subject: Geography

• 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵: Arctic sea ice reached its annual minimum of 𝟰.𝟲 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗾. 𝗸𝗺 in September 2026.
• 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗰 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀: Smallest, shallowest, coldest ocean | Centered on Geographic North Pole | Area is 𝟭𝟰.𝟬𝟵 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗾. 𝗸𝗺.
• 𝗕𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀: Canada, Denmark (Greenland), Norway, Russia, and United States (Alaska).
• 𝗠𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝘀: Barents, Kara, Laptev, East Siberian, Chukchi, and 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘂𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁 seas sit on broad continental shelves.
• 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘀: 𝗟𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗼𝘀𝗼𝘃 𝗥𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲 separates Eurasia-Amerasia basins | 𝗚𝗮𝗸𝗸𝗲𝗹 𝗥𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲 is active seafloor-spreading zone | 𝗔𝗹𝗽𝗵𝗮 𝗥𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲 is inactive.
• 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Cold, low-salinity surface layer overlies warmer, denser Atlantic waters + blocks upward heat transfer.
• 𝗢𝗰𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀: 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘁 connects to Atlantic | Shallow 𝗕𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘁 connects to Pacific Ocean.
• 𝗖𝗶𝗿𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀: Clockwise 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘂𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗚𝘆𝗿𝗲 circulates freshwater | 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺 moves ice from Siberia to Greenland.
• 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸: Freshwater exchange affects Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (𝗔𝗠𝗢𝗖) + ice loss triggers ice-albedo feedback.