UPSC Prelims Current Affairs for 9 July 2025

by Vajiram & Ravi - 9 July 2025

Vajiram & Ravi provides Daily UPSC Prelims Current Affairs for 9 July 2025, tailored for aspirants. We cover all relevant news and events crucial for the exam, ensuring you stay updated & well-prepared.

Panna Tiger Reserve

July 9, 2025
Panna Tiger Reserve

Panna Tiger Reserve Latest News

Vatsala', considered to be Asia's oldest elephant, died recently at the age of more than 100 years at the Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh.

About Panna Tiger Reserve

  • Location: It is located in the Vindhyan mountain range in the northern part of Madhya Pradesh.
  • Standing over an area of 542 sq.km., it is the only tiger reserve in the entire Bundhelkhand region.
  • It falls in biogeographic zones of the Deccan Peninsula and the Biotic Province of the Central highlands.
  • It was declared a Project Tiger Reserve by the Government of India in 1994. 
  • Landscape:
    • It is characterized by a ‘Table Top’ topography.
    • It consists of extensive plateaus and gorges.
    • Two plateaus run parallel to each other from southwest to northeasterly direction. 
  • River: The Ken River flows from south to north through the reserve.
  • The reserve is also dotted with two-thousand-year-old rock paintings.
  • The region surrounding the reserve is home to various indigenous tribes, each with its distinct culture and traditions. The Baiga and Gond tribes are among the prominent ones. 
  • Flora:
    • The dominant vegetation type is dry deciduous forest interspersed with grassland areas.
    • In the north, it is surrounded by teak forest, and in the east, it is surrounded by Teak-Kardhai mixed forest. It is the northernmost boundary of the natural distribution of teak (Tectona grandis).
    • The tree species Acacia catachu dominates the dry, steep slopes of the plateaus here.
  • Fauna:
    • It supports a sizable population of Tiger, Sloth Bear, Leopard, and Striped Hyena.
    • Other prominent carnivores are Jackal, Wolf, Wild Dog, Jungle Cat, and Rusty Spotted Cat.

Source: TH

Panna Tiger Reserve FAQs

Q1: Which state is Panna Tiger Reserve in?

Ans: Madhya Pradesh

Q2: Which major river flows through the Panna Tiger Reserve?

Ans: Ken River

Q3: What is the dominant vegetation type in the Panna Tiger Reserve?

Ans: Dry deciduous forest interspersed with grassland areas.

Q4: What is the approximate area of Panna Tiger Reserve?

Ans: 542 sq.km.

Ekalavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS)

July 9, 2025
Eklavya Model Residential Schools

Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) Latest News

Nearly 600 students from Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) across 12 states have cleared top entrance examinations for undergraduate studies in medicine and engineering this year, according to the Tribal Affairs Ministry's performance assessment.

About Eklavya Model Residential Schools

  • It is a flagship intervention of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India, to provide quality residential education to Scheduled Tribes students from Class 6th to 12th in remote areas to enable them to access the best opportunities in education and to bring them at par with the general population.
  • The programme has been in operation since 1998 and was revamped during the year 2018-19 to expand the geographical outreach and enhance the quality of facilities.
  • EMRSs will be set up in every block with more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons. 
  • Accordingly, the Ministry has set the target to set up 728 EMRSs across the country by the year 2026.
  • The National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS), an autonomous organization, has been set up under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs to establish and manage EMRS across the country.

Eklavya Model Residential Schools Features

  • EMRSs are co-educational residential schools from Class VI to XII.
  • Eklavya schools will be on par with Navodaya Vidyalayas and will have special facilities for preserving local art and culture besides providing training in sports and skill development.
  • The school infrastructure will include classroom, administrative block, hostels for boys and girls, playground, accommodation for teaching and non-teaching staff, Labs etc. facilities catering to the need of academic education as well as extracurricular activities. 
  • CBSE curriculum is followed in these schools, and education is completely free.
  • Each school has a capacity of 480 students with an equal number of seats for boys and girls.
  • Non-ST students can be admitted in these schools on seats up to 10% of the total seats.Reservation of 20% of seats under sports quota for deserving ST students who have excelled in the field of sports.

Source: TH

Eklavya Model Residential Schools FAQs

Q1: What is the main objective of the Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) scheme?

Ans: Provide quality residential education to Scheduled Tribes students in remote areas.

Q2: Under which ministry does the Eklavya Model Residential Schools scheme operate?

Ans: Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

Q3: From which class levels do Eklavya Model Residential Schools provide residential education?

Ans: Class VI to XII

Q4: Which organisation is responsible for establishing and managing Eklavya Model Residential Schools?

Ans: The National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS), an autonomous organization, under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

Nyangai Island

July 9, 2025
Nyangai Island

Nyangai Island Latest News

In less than a decade, Nyangai island has lost two-thirds of its surface area, and now measures only about 200 metres long and 100 metres wide.

About Nyangai Island

  • It is a small island off the coast of Sierra Leone. 
  • It is one of a cluster of islands that make up the Turtle Islands archipelago. 
  • It is low-lying and situated off a part of the coastline subject to strong currents. As such, they have always been vulnerable to erosion. 
  • In less than 10 years, the island has lost two-thirds of its surface area, and now measures only about 200 metres long and 100 metres wide (approximately 650 by 330 feet).
  • The island has traditionally been a crossroads for trade, agriculture, fishing and maritime transport in addition to a tourist spot, particularly for its ruins dating back to the slave trade.

Key Facts about Sierra Leone

  • It is a tropical country in West Africa, on the Atlantic coast.
  • Borders: It is bordered on the north and east by Guinea, on the south by Liberia, and on the west by the Atlantic Ocean.
  • Geography: The nation is largely made up of lightly wooded hills with a concentration of mangrove swampsalong the coast. 
  • Rivers: Some of the major ones include the Rokel River, Taia River, Moa River, and Sewa River.

Source: TH

Nyangai Island FAQs

Q1: What is known as an archipelago?

Ans: An archipelago is an area that contains a chain or group of islands scattered in lakes, rivers, or the ocean.

Q2: What is a mangrove swamp?

Ans: Mangrove swamps are coastal wetlands found in tropical and subtropical regions. They are characterized by halophytic (salt loving) trees, shrubs and other plants growing in brackish to saline tidal waters.

Vera C Rubin Observatory

July 9, 2025
Vera C Rubin Observatory

Vera C Rubin Observatory Latest News

The Vera C Rubin Observatory in Chile has released its first breathtaking images, showcasing the power of its 3,200-megapixel digital camera—the largest ever built.

About Vera C Rubin Observatory

  • It is located 8,684 feet above sea level atop the Cerro Pachónmountain in the Chilean Andes.
  • Cerro Pachón was selected as the site for Rubin Observatory because it’s an excellent place to conduct high-quality astronomical and astrophysical science.
  • It is named after American astronomer Vera C Rubin, who provided evidence about dark matter for the first time in the 1970s
  • It is partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and National Science Foundation (NSF).
  • This observatory will provide comprehensive images of the night sky unlike anything astronomers have seen before.
  • It will constantly scan the sky of the southern hemisphere for 10 years, gathering 20 terabytes of astronomical data each night.
  • The observatory’s software will automatically compare new images with older ones and generate an estimated 10 million alerts per night for each change detected in the sky.
  • The centrepiece of the observatory is the Simonyi Survey Telescope. This device is unique for three main reasons.            
    • Wide Field View: Astronomers typically use the size of the visible surface of the full Moon to describe a telescope’s field of view. The Hubble Space Telescope observes around 1% of the full Moon’s disc, and the James Webb Space Telescope around 75% — using such telescopes is like looking into space through a straw.
    • Largest Digital Camera:The telescope has the world's largest digital camera, which is the size of a small car, weighs 2,800 kg, and boasts a staggering resolution of 3,200 megapixels.
    • Rapid Movement: The Simonyi Survey Telescope is the fastest-slewing telescope in the world, and takes just five seconds to move and settle from one target to another. This speed is due to the telescope’s compact structure (owing to the three-mirror design), and its mount which floats on a film of oil.
  • The observatory will also play a crucial role in expanding our knowledge about the nature of dark matter and dark energy.
  • While galaxies, stars, and planets make up 5% of the universe, dark energy makes up about 68%, and dark matter about 27%.

Source: IE

Vera C Rubin Observatory FAQs

Q1: Where is Vera Rubin telescope?

Ans: Northern Chile

Q2: Who discovered dark matter?

Ans: Fritz Zwicky

Miniature Plasma Loops

July 9, 2025
Miniature Plasma Loops

Miniature Plasma Loops Latest News

Astronomers at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), and their collaborators used high-resolution imaging and spectroscopy to catch miniature plasma loops elusive structures in action.       

About Miniature Plasma Loops

  • These miniature loops are about 3,000–4,000 kilometers long and have a width of less than 100 kilometers.
  • These are so small and short-lived, that they have stayed hidden until now.
  • They hold clues to one of the Sun’s deepest mysteries --how it stores and unleashes magnetic energy.
  • They offer a new window into how magnetic energy is stored and released in the solar atmosphere on small scales.
  • Among the most intriguing features of the Sun’s outer layer are coronal loops, arc-like beautiful structures of hot plasma that glow at a temperature over a million degrees.
  • While these large loops in the solar corona, or outer atmosphere, have long been studied, scientists are now also paying attention to miniature counterparts of these loops.
  • This makes them challenging to study, as they stay hidden in the lower layers of the Sun's atmosphere and are mostly unresolved by earlier telescopes.

Source: PIB

Miniature Plasma Loops FAQs

Q1: What are plasma loops that connect two sunspots called?

Ans: Solar prominences are the plasma loops that connect two sunspots.

Q2: What is corona in the Sun?

Ans: The Sun's corona is the outermost part of the Sun's atmosphere. The corona is usually hidden by the bright light of the Sun's surface.

Extended Range Anti-Submarine Rocket

July 9, 2025
Extended Range Anti-Submarine Rocket

Extended Range Anti-Submarine Rocket  Latest News

Recently, user trials of Extended Range Anti-Submarine Rocket (ERASR) were successfully carried out from INS Kavaratti.

About Extended Range Anti-Submarine Rocket

  • It was designed for the indigenous rocket launcher (IRL) of Indian naval ships.
  • It was completely built in India. It is an anti-submarine rocket which can combat submarines.
  • It is fired from the onboard IRLs of naval ships.
  • It was designed and developed by the DRDO’s Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE), Pune, in association with High Energy Materials Research Laboratory and Naval Science & Technological Laboratory.

Features of Extended Range Anti-Submarine Rocket

  • It has twin-rocket motor configuration to meet a wide spectrum of range requirements with high accuracy and consistency.
  • The ERASR uses an indigenously developed Electronic Time Fuze.
  • A total of 17 ERASRs were successfully test evaluated at different ranges.
  • All the specified objectives of the trials such as Range performance, Electronic Time Fuze functioning and Warhead functioning were successfully demonstrated.
  • Bharat Dynamics Limited, Hyderabad and Solar Defence& Aerospace Limited, Nagpur are the Production Partners for ERASR Rockets.
  • With successful completion of User Trials, Indian Navy is expected to induct the ERASR System soon.

Source: PIB

Extended Range Anti-Submarine Rocket FAQs

Q1: What is the long range anti-submarine?

Ans: LRAW can be described as a missile that will be fired from Mk 41 VLS cell capable of delivering an ASW torpedo beyond the range of existing submarine-launched heavyweight torpedoes.

Q2: Is BrahMos hypersonic or supersonic?

Ans: Supersonic cruise missile

Great Hornbill

July 9, 2025
Great Hornbill

Great Hornbill Latest News

In a rare and remarkable sighting, the Malamuzhakki Vezhambal (Great Hornbill), Kerala’s State bird, was spotted in the coastal belt of Kakkampara, near Ezhimala in Kannur, an area far from its usual forested habitats.

About Great Hornbill

  • The great hornbill, also known as the concave-casqued hornbill, great Indian hornbill, or great pied hornbill, is a large bird and one of the larger members of the hornbill family. 
  • Scientific Name: Buceros bicornis
  • Distribution: 
    • It is found in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. 
    • In the subcontinent they are found in a few forest areas in the Western Ghats and in the forests along the Himalayas.
  • Habitat: Great hornbills reside in wet evergreen and deciduous old-growth forests at elevations of 600 to 2000 meters (1968.5 to 6561 feet). For nesting, they prefer trees that tower above the canopy level.
  • Features:
    • They are fairly large, ranging from 95 to 120 cm in length and featuring a wingspan of 151 to 178 cm. On average, they weigh 3 kg. 
    • They are vividly colored and easily recognizable. The body, head, and wings are primarily black; the abdomen and neck are white. The tail is white and is crossed by a subterminal black band. 
    • A preen gland near the tail secretes tinted oil, which is spread across the feathers by the bird during grooming. This may give the bill, neck, casque, and tail and wing feathers coloration varying from yellow to red. 
    • The most recognizable feature of hornbills is the casque, which is a hollow structure located on top of the bill. It may be used by males to fight with other males and attract females. 
    • Like many other hornbills, these birds have prominent eyelashes.
    • Males and females are similar except that the irises of males are red while those of females are white, and males have slightly larger bills and casques.
    • It is predominantly frugivorous, but is an opportunist and will prey on small mammals, reptiles, and birds.
  • Conservation Status:
    • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable

Source: TH

Great Hornbill FAQs

Q1: Where is the Great Hornbill found in India?

Ans: Western Ghats and in the forests along the Himalayas.

Q2: What is the IUCN Red List status of the Great Hornbill?

Ans: Vulnerable

Q3: What is the scientific name of the Great Hornbill?

Ans: Buceros bicornis

Q4: What type of forests does the Great Hornbill prefer for nesting?

Ans: Old-growth wet evergreen and deciduous forests.

Magnetometer

July 9, 2025
Magnetometer

Magnetometer Latest News

Researchers at the Raman Research Institute (RRI), an autonomous institution of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), have devised a novel Raman-Driven Spin Noise Spectroscopy method for magnetometry in an all-optical quantum magnetometer that could address these challenges.  

About Magnetometer

  • A magnetometer is a passive instrument that measures changes in the Earth’s magnetic field.
  • The most promising methods for magnetic field measurement are based on detecting polarization rotation of a probe light passing through alkali atoms in a very weak magnetic field.
  • Magnetometers based on this method, referred to as Optically pumped atomic magnetometers (OPAMs) and Spin Exchange Relaxation Free (SERF) magnetometers.
  • Typically have high sensitivity but demand sophisticated magnetic shielding and have a lower dynamic range.
  • Magnetometers are useful devices with applications in areas ranging from fundamental physics to medical imaging and navigation.

What is Raman-Driven Spin Noise Spectroscopy (RDSNS)?

  • It uses laser light to listen to the tiny quantum jitters of Rubidium atoms.
  • These jittery movements, called spin noise, are random fluctuations in the spin of atoms—fundamental quantum properties like tiny bar magnets.
  • When exposed to a magnetic field, the pattern of this spin noise shifts in predictable ways. By shining lasers and analyzing the noise, researchers can accurately measure the magnetic field without touching or disturbing the atoms. 
  • RDSNS enhances the dynamic range considerably without significant loss of sensitivity.
  • This method could transform the way we measure magnetic fields—making the process faster, portable and precise even in noisy, real-world environments.
  • This method exhibits potential for field-deployable applications of magnetic field measurement with broadband capability and fast time response, extending across various scientific, industrial and exploratory fields.

Source: PIB

Magnetometer FAQs

Q1: What is a Magnetic Field?

Ans: Magnetic Field is the region around a magnetic material or a moving electric charge within which the force of magnetism acts.

Q2: What is rubidium used for?

Ans: It has been used as a component of photocells, to remove traces of oxygen from vacuum tubes and to make special types of glass.

Erasmus+ Programme

July 9, 2025
Erasmus+ Programme (1)

Erasmus+ Programme Latest News

A total of 101 Indian students, including 50 women, recently received the Erasmus+ scholarship for master's programs in Europe.

About Erasmus+ Programme

  • The Erasmus+ programme, launched in 1987, is the European Union’s flagship initiative supporting international academic mobility. 
  • The scholarship allows students to study at two or more European universities and earn joint, double, or multiple degrees. 
  • It covers tuition fees, travel costs, and living expenses.
  • It will support young people, students, and adults in education, training, traineeships, or volunteering abroad, enabling them to expand their skills and competence. 
  • Erasmus+ also offers educational institutions and organisations opportunities for European cooperation with their international partners.
  • In addition to offering grants, Erasmus+ also supports teaching, research, networking and policy debate on EU topics. The sports chapter promotes grassroots activities in sports.
  • The objectives of the Erasmus+ programme are to
    • support people’s educational, professional, and personal development in the fields of education, training, youth, and sport in Europe and the partner countries;
    • promote growth, employment, social cohesion, and innovation;
    • strengthen European identity and active citizenship.
  • In addition, Erasmus+ promotes: 
    • learning mobility of pupils, students, teachers, and trainers, and cooperation, participation, excellence, creativity, and innovation at the level of organisations in the field of education and training;
    • non-formal learning and active participation of young people and youth workers, and the cooperation, participation, creativity, and innovation of youth organisations;
    • learning mobility of sport coaches and staff, and cooperation, inclusion, creativity, and innovation at the level of sport organisations;
  • As a student, you have the possibility to:
    • Study abroad (2 to 12 months)
    • Do an internship abroad (2 to 12 months)
    • Take part in Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (1 to 2 academic years)
  • The programme is managed by the European Commission (the EU's executive body), the Education, Audiovisual, and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), a series of National Agencies in Program countries, and a series of National Offices in some partner countries.

Source: ET

Erasmus+ Programme FAQs

Q1: What is the main objective of the Erasmus+ Programme?

Ans: Support international academic mobility and cooperation in education, training, youth, and sport.

Q2: In which year was the Erasmus Programme launched?

Ans: The “Erasmus” programme was originally established by the European Union in 1987. It looked to promote closer cooperation between universities ...

Q3: Which body primarily manages the Erasmus+ Programme?

Ans: European Commission (the European Union's executive body)

National Maritime Domain Awareness (NMDA) Project

July 9, 2025
National Maritime Domain Awareness (NMDA) Project

National Maritime Domain Awareness (NMDA) Project Latest News

The Indian Navy recently signed a contract with M/s Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bengaluru for the implementation of National Maritime Domain Awareness (NMDA) Project.

About National Maritime Domain Awareness (NMDA) Project

  • It is aimed at strengthening maritime and coastal security.
  • The project will bring in an integrated approach to data collation, analysis, and information sharing amongst the various maritime stakeholders. 
  • The project entails upgradation of the existing National Command, Control, Communication, and Intelligence (NC3I) Network to the NMDA Network along with the incorporation of AI-enabled software for smarter surveillance and decision-making. 
  • As part of the project, the existing Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC) at Gurugram, which is the nodal centre of the NC3I Network, will also be upgraded into a Multi-Agency NMDA Centre.
  • This upgraded centre will host personnel from 15 agencies spanning seven key ministries — including Defence, Shipping, Petroleum, Fisheries, and others — to ensure seamless coordination and information sharing.
  • The NMDA project will link various maritime agencies, coastal states, and union territories for a unified operational picture of India’s vast coastline and surrounding seas. 
  • It will also integrate data from sectors such as commercial shipping and fisheries, improving response capabilities to maritime threats, search-and-rescue missions, and environmental incidents.
  • The project, set to be executed on a turnkey basis, will be administered by the Indian Navy.
  • Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) will serve as the lead integrator, providing state-of-the-art hardware and AI-enabled software solutions.

Source: PIB

National Maritime Domain Awareness (NMDA) Project FAQs

Q1: Which network will be upgraded as part of the National Maritime Domain Awareness (NMDA) Project?

Ans: The project entails upgradation of the existing National Command, Control, Communication, and Intelligence (NC3I) Network to the NMDA Network.

Q2: Where is the Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC), the nodal centre of NC3I Network, located?

Ans: Gurugram

Q3: Which organization is responsible for administering the National Maritime Domain Awareness (NMDA) Project?

Ans: Indian Navy

Q4: Which company is the lead integrator for the National Maritime Domain Awareness (NMDA) Project?

Ans: Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL)

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