prelims pointers for 11 December 2025

by Vajiram & Ravi - 11 December 2025

Vajiram & Ravi provides Daily prelims pointers for 11 December 2025, tailored for aspirants. We cover all relevant news and events crucial for the exam, ensuring you stay updated & well-prepared.

NewSpace India Limited (NSIL)

December 11, 2025
NewSpace India Limited (NSIL)

NewSpace India Limited Latest News

As on date, M/s. NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) has signed 70 Technology Transfer Agreements to transfer technologies developed at ISRO to Industry.

About NewSpace India Limited

  • NSIL, incorporated on 6 March 2019 (under the Companies Act, 2013) is a wholly owned Government of India company, under the administrative control of Department of Space (DOS). 
  • It is the commercial arm of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
  • Primary Responsibility:
    • Enabling Indian industries to take up high technology space related activities.
    • Promotion and commercial exploitation of the products and services emanating from the Indian space programme. 
  • The major business areas of NSIL include:
    • Production of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) through industry.
    • Production and marketing of space-based services, including launch services and space-based applications like transponder leasing, remote sensing and mission support services.
    • Building of Satellites (both Communication and Earth Observation) as per user requirements.
    • Transfer of technology developed by ISRO centres/units and constituent institutions of the Dept. of Space.
    • Marketing spinoff technologies and products/services emanating out of ISRO activities.
    • Consultancy services.

Source: PIB

NewSpace India Limited FAQs

Q1: NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) functions under which department?

Ans: Department of Space

Q2: NewSpace India Limited is the commercial arm of which organisation?

Ans: It is the commercial arm of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

Q3: What is the primary mandate of NewSpace India Limited?

Ans: Enabling Indian industries to undertake high-technology space activities.

Q4: NewSpace India Limited builds which types of satellites as per user requirements?

Ans: Both communication and Earth observation satellites.

Rhinophis siruvaniensis

December 11, 2025
Rhinophis siruvaniensis

Rhinophis siruvaniensis Latest News

A new shieldtail species, Rhinophis siruvaniensis, has been described with the help of citizen scientists after it was found recently in the Siruvani Hills which fall in both Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

About Rhinophis siruvaniensis

  • It is a new species of shieldtail snake.
  • It was discovered in Siruvani Hills, located in the Western Ghats in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
  • A shiny snake, R. siruvaniensis is brownish black and creamy white in colour, with bold dark blotches. 
  • The tip of its tail is dome-shaped.

Key Facts about Shieldtail Snakes

  • Shieldtails are a group of small-sized, non-venomous snakes that burrow in the soil and mostly live underground. 
  • They belong to the Uropeltidae family of snakes and are also called uropeltids. 
  • They’ve been named shieldtails because the tip of their tails looks like a disc-shaped shield.
  • Distribution: 
    • They are endemic to India & Sri Lanka.
    • In India, they are found in the Western Ghats and some parts of Peninsular India.

Source: MB

Rhinophis siruvaniensis FAQs

Q1: What is Rhinophis siruvaniensis?

Ans: It is a new species of shieldtail snake.

Q2: In which region was Rhinophis siruvaniensis discovered?

Ans: It was discovered in Siruvani Hills, located in the Western Ghats in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Q3: Shieldtail snakes are primarily found in which countries?

Ans: India and Sri Lanka

Q4: What is the characteristic feature of shieldtail snakes that gives them their name?

Ans: They’ve been named shieldtails because the tip of their tails looks like a disc-shaped shield.

Deepavali

December 11, 2025
Deepavali

Deepavali Latest News

Recently, Deepavali has been inscribed on UNESCO’s List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

About Deepavali

  • Deepavali, also known as Diwali, is the festival of lights celebrated across India.
  • ‘Deepa’ means lamp or light and‘Vali’ means string or row, and Deepavali means rows of lights.
  • It is celebrated on Kartik Amaavasya, which typically falls in October or November.
  • The fundamental philosophy of Deepavali encompasses the celebration of prosperity, renewal, and abundance for all individuals.
  • It is added as the 16th Indian element on UNESCO’s List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Celebration of Deepavali

  • It begins with Dhanteras, a day of auspicious beginnings when families buy new metalware or essentials that symbolise prosperity.
  • The second day marks Naraka Chaturdashi, observed with rituals and lighting lamps to dispel negativity and welcome positive energy.
  • The third day is the highlight of Deepavali- the sacred Lakshmi-Ganesha Puja.
  • On the fourth day, families and friends visit one another, exchange gifts, and reconnect, strengthening their bonds and shared happiness.
  • The celebrations conclude with Bhai Dooj, a heartfelt tribute to the bond between brothers and sisters, observed with prayers, blessings, and meaningful rituals.

Source:  PIB

Deepavali FAQs

Q1: On which day is Deepavali typically celebrated?

Ans: Kartik Amaavasya

Q2: What is the significance of Deepavali?

Ans: Celebration of prosperity, renewal, and abundance

SAMPANN Portal

December 11, 2025
SAMPANN Portal

SAMPANN Portal Latest News

Controller General of Communication Accounts (CGCA) recently inaugurated the onboarding of all MTNL employees retiring in November 2025 onto the SAMPANN portal at the Office of Principal CCA, Delhi.

About SAMPANN Portal

  • SAMPANN, or “System for Accounting and Management of Pension”, is a Comprehensive Pension Management System (CPMS).
  • It is an initiative undertaken by the Controller General of Communication Accounts (CGCA), Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications. 
  • It is an online pension processing and payment system for Department of Telecommunications pensioners.
  • It was launched on 29th December, 2018.
  • It brings the pension processing, sanctioning, authorisation, and payment units under a common platform.
  • It provides direct credit of pension into the bank accounts of pensioners.
  • The system has helped the Department in faster settlement of pension cases, improved reconciliation/auditing, and ease of accounting.

SAMPANN Portal Features

  • Direct disbursement of pension on a timely basis without intermediaries.
  • Single window system for complete pension process.
  • Online grievance management for the pensioners, reducing paperwork.
  • Tracking of pension status from home encourages transparency and accountability.
  • Faster processing of arrears and revision of pension.

Source: PIB

SAMPANN Portal FAQs

Q1: SAMPANN is used for pension management of employees from which department?

Ans: Department of Telecommunications

Q2: Under which ministry does the SAMPANN portal operate?

Ans: Ministry of Communications

Q3: When was the SAMPANN portal launched?

Ans: It was launched on 29th December, 2018.

Q4: What is a key benefit of the SAMPANN portal for pensioners?

Ans: Direct credit of pension to bank accounts.

Swasthya Portal

December 11, 2025
Swasthya Portal

Swasthya Portal Latest News

In Rajya Sabha, in reply to a starred question the Minister of Tribal Affairs recently stated that there are no plans to expand the Swasthya Portal to integrate national health databases, district dashboards or AI-enabled analytics.

About Swasthya Portal

  • It is a one-stop solution presenting the health and nutrition status of the tribal population of India. 
  • It was developed under the central sector scheme “Tribal Research Information Education Communication and Events (TRI ECE)” of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
  • The portal is hosted on the National Informatics Centre (NIC) Server and is maintained by the Centre of Excellence for Knowledge Management for Health and Nutrition, established by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
  • It provides information and data as well as curates innovative practices, research briefs, case studies, and best practices collected from different parts of India to facilitate the exchange of evidence, expertise, and experiences.
  • It has a dashboard, knowledge repository, partner segment, Sickle Cell Diseases (SCD) support corner.
    • The dashboard presents data curated from multiple sources for the 177 identified high-priority tribal districts.
  • Information available on Swasthya will provide insights to all stakeholders working with the tribal population of India in the areas of health and nutrition.

Key Facts about Tribal Research Information Education Communication and Events (TRI ECE)

  • It is a Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
  • Under the scheme, financial support is provided to the research organizations, reputed organizations, research institutes, and universities where expertise exists and which have already made a mark by carrying out pioneering research in their respective field.
  • The purpose of the scheme is to create replicable models in areas of education, health, livelihood, digital governance, etc.

Source: PIB

Swasthya Portal FAQs

Q1: What is the Swasthya Portal?

Ans: It is a one-stop solution presenting the health and nutrition status of the tribal population of India.

Q2: The Swasthya Portal was developed under which central sector scheme?

Ans: It was developed under the central sector scheme “Tribal Research Information Education Communication and Events (TRI ECE)” of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

Q3: Which centre maintains the Swasthya Portal?

Ans: It is maintained by the Centre of Excellence for Knowledge Management for Health and Nutrition.

Deodar Tree

December 11, 2025
Deodar Tree

Deodar Tree Latest News

Deodar trees in Himachal Pradesh’s Sangla Valley have revealed the process of climatic shifts from wetter spring conditions that prevailed during pre-historic times to drier conditions from the year 1757 onwards.

About Deodar Tree

  • It is also known as the Himalayan Cedar, is one of the most revered and iconic tree species in the Western Himalayas.
  • The name Deodar is derived from the Sanskrit word Devadāru, meaning “wood of the gods,” highlighting the tree’s cultural and spiritual importance.
  • Distribution:  It is mainly found in the western Himalayan region.
  • Applications: Traditionally, its wood has been used in temple construction, religious ceremonies, and Ayurvedic medicine.
  • Threats: It faced threats from logging, habitat loss, and climate change.

Characteristics of Deodar Tree

  • It is native to high-altitude forests, this majestic conifer plays a critical ecological and cultural role.
  • Soil and climate: It thrives in well-drained soils and moist temperate climates.
  • It is a large evergreen tree found between 1800-3000m altitude. Branches are brown-reddish. Cones are solitary, erect, ovoid, dark brown.
  • Male and female cones are on the same tree.
  • Growth: It reaches heights of up to 50 meters and is characterized by its tall, pyramidal shape, drooping branches, and needle-like bluish-green leaves.
  • Its bark is dark gray and becomes deeply fissured with age, adding to their stately presence in alpine and subalpine forest zones.

Source: PIB

Deodar Tree FAQs

Q1: Where is Deodar Tree mainly found?

Ans: Western Himalayas

Q2: What is the scientific name of Deodar Tree?

Ans: Cedrus deodara

GlowCas9 Protein

December 11, 2025
GlowCas9 Protein

GlowCas9 Protein Latest News

Recently, scientists from Kolkata based Bose institute have created GlowCas9 protein which can track gene editing.

About GlowCas9 Protein

  • It is a CRISPR protein that lights up while performing gene editing.
  • It is a bioluminescent version of Cas9 that glows inside cells.
  • Structure: GlowCas9 is created by fusing Cas9 with a split nano-luciferase enzyme derived from deep-sea shrimp proteins.

Properties of GlowCas9 Protein

  • The GlowCas9 is very stable and maintains its structure and activity at higher temperatures compared to the conventional enzyme.
  • It glows inside cells, allowing for real-time monitoring of CRISPR operations

Working of GlowCas9 Protein

  • The split nano-luciferase enzyme pieces reconnect when Cas9 folds correctly, producing light
  • This glowing activity allows scientists to monitor CRISPR operations in living cells, tissues, and even plant leaves—without harming them.

Benefits of GlowCas9 Protein

  • It can also increase the precision of homology-directed repair (HDR).
    • Homology-Directed Repair (HDR) is a DNA repair process crucial for fixing hereditary mutations that are linked to genetic diseases like sickle cell anaemia, muscular dystrophy and so on.
  • GlowCas9 pioneers the emerging field of theratracking or visualizing molecular gene therapy in motion.

Source: PIB

GlowCas9 Protein FAQs

Q1: What is GlowCas9?

Ans: A bioluminescent version of Cas9

Q2: How does GlowCas9 glow?

Ans: It is fused with a split nano-luciferase enzyme.

Enquire Now