UPSC Prelims Current Affairs for 25 August 2026

Mongolia

August 25, 2026

Mongolia Latest News

Recently, the Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change held high-level bilateral meetings with South Asian counterparts on the sidelines of the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification at Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia.

About Mongolia

Location: It is a landlocked country located in north-central Asia.
Bordering Countries: Mongolia is bordered by two nations: China (South) and Russia (North).
Capital City: Ulaanbaatar

Geographical Features of Mongolia

Climate: It has continental climate because of its high latitude and elevation and distance from oceans.
It has four main vegetation zones that run from north to south and from mountains to basins: forest-steppe, steppe, semidesert, and desert.
Major Mountains: Khentii Mountains, Khangai Mountains, and the Altay Mountains.
Highest Point: The highest point of Mongolia is Nayramadlin Orgil at 14,350 ft. (4,374 m)
Major River: Orkhon River (Orkhon River valley was inscribed by UNESCO in the World Heritage List).
Major Lake: Hovsgol Nuur, one of Asia’s largest freshwater lakes, is located on its border with the Russian Federation.
Natural Resources: It possesses large deposits of coal and fluorite (fluorspar) and of copper, gold, silver, and other metallic ores.

Source: News On Air

Mongolia FAQs

Q1: What is the Capital of Mongolia?

Ans: Ulaanbaatar

Q2: Mongolia is landlocked between which two countries?

Ans: China and Russia

Dihing Patkai National Park

August 25, 2026

Dihing Patkai National Park Latest News

Recently, a male tiger was camera-trapped in Assam's Dihing Patkai National Park.

About Dihing Patkai National Park

Located: It is located in the Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts of Assam.
It lies in the Dehing Patkai Landscape, which is a dipterocarp-dominated lowland rainforest.
It is situated at the foothills of Patkai Hill Ranges, on the banks of the River Dehing (Tributary of Brahmaputra), and adjacent to the Namdapha Wildlife Sanctuary.
It is famous for its largest stretch of tropical lowland rainforests in India.
It was declared a wildlife sanctuary on 13 June 2004. On 13 December 2020, Government of Assam upgraded it into a national park.
Tribal Communities: indigenous Assamese communities, particularly Tai Phake, Khamyang, Khampti, Singpho, Nocte, Ahom, Kaibarta, Moran and Motok, Burmese, and non-indigenous Nepali people.
Vegetation: The Park is a deciduous rainforest with semi-evergreen and lush green flora.
Flora: It is dominated by species like Hollong, Nahor, Mekai, Paroli, Simul, various orchids, ferns, cane, and bamboo.
Fauna: The rich biodiversity includes diverse species such as slow loris, pig-tailed macaque, stump-tailed macaque, capped langur, Indian leopard, Asian elephant, royal Bengal tiger, etc.

Source: TH

Dihing Patkai National Park FAQs

Q1: Where is Dihing Patkai National Park?

Ans: Assam

Q2: Which river flows through Dihing Patkai?

Ans: Dehing River

Adi Vaani Platform

August 25, 2026

Adi Vaani Platform Latest News

Recently, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs today began the three-day National Conclave on Tribal Languages & Museums in Mysuru, Karnataka in which a full-fledged Adi Vaani Platform was launched.

About Adi Vaani Platform

It is India’s first AI-powered translator for tribal languages.
It is designed to bridge communication gaps between tribal and non-tribal communities, while safeguarding endangered tribal languages using advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI).
It is developed by a national consortium of premier institutions led by IIT Delhi with BITS Pilani, IIIT Hyderabad, and IIIT Nava Raipur in collaboration with Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) in Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Meghalaya.
AI Language Models: Refined deployment of models such as No Language Left Behind (NLLB) and IndicTrans2 for low-resource tribal languages.
It aims to:
- Enable real-time translation (text and speech) between Hindi/English and tribal languages.
- Provide interactive language learning for students and early learners.
- Digitally preserve folklore, oral traditions, and cultural heritage.
- Support digital literacy, healthcare communication, and civic inclusion in tribal communities.
- Awareness of the government schemes and important speeches
Features
- Multilingual Translator: It converts images and documents to editable text in seconds.
- Audio files to Text: It transcribes live speech or audio files into text and translates into indigenous languages instantly.
- Speech to speech Translation: Speak or upload speech in English or Hindi and listen to real-time voice translation in Santali, Mundari, or Bhili.

Source: PIB

Adi Vaani Platform FAQs

Q1: Which AI models used in Adi Vaani?

Ans: NLLB and IndicTrans2

Q2: What is Adi Vaani?

Ans: India's first AI tribal translator

Dak MITRA and Dak Sewa Apps

August 25, 2026

Dak MITRA and Dak Sewa Apps Latest News

Recently, the Union Minister for Communications launched the revamped Dak Sewa App and Dak MITRA App at a function in New Delhi.

About Dak MITRA App

The upgraded Dak MITRA (Mobile Interface for Transactions & Rural Assistance) application serves as a unified operational platform for more than 1.4 lakh Branch Post Offices.
It is developed indigenously by the Centre for Excellence in Postal Technology (CEPT) under the Advanced Postal Technology (APT) platform as part of DoP IT 2.0 Modernization,
It enables Branch Postmasters to undertake paperless and real-time postal and financial transactions.
- It includes mail booking, OTP-based doorstep delivery, Core Banking Services, insurance services, Aadhaar-based biometric e-KYC, cash deposits and withdrawals etc.

Key Facts about Dak Sewa App

It provides citizens with 24x7 access to postal services, including tracking, booking, complaints; Post Office and PIN code locators, and financial calculators.
It supports 23 Indian languages through BHASHINI.

Source: PIB

Dak MITRA and Dak Sewa Apps FAQ's

Q1: Dak Sewa supports how many languages?

Ans: 23 languages via BHASHINI

Q2: Which organisation developed Dak MITRA App?

Ans: It is developed indigenously by the Centre for Excellence in Postal Technology (CEPT).

Lead

August 25, 2026

Lead Latest News

Researchers at the ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN), Hyderabad, have found that exposure to lead can significantly disrupt the natural waste-clearing and recycling system of nerve cells.

About Lead

It is a naturally occurring element found in small amounts in the earth’s crust.
Properties
- It is a soft, silvery white or grayish metal in Group 14 (IVa) of the periodic table.
- Lead has a bright lustre and is a dense, ductile, very soft, highly malleable, bluish-white metal that has poor electrical conductivity.
- It is also highly resistant to corrosion and because of this property is used to contain corrosive liquids (e.g. sulphuric acid).
Occurrence: It is usually found in ore with zinc, silver and copper and is extracted together with these metals.
The main lead mineral is galena (PbS). Other common varieties include cerussite (PbCO3) and angelsite (PbSO4).
Uses of Lead
- It is used for lead-acid batteries for vehicles, backup emergency systems, the telecoms sector and fork lift trucks.
- It is also used in rolled and extruded products, compounds in the glass and plastics industries, shot and ammunition and for radiation shielding.
Impacts of Lead on Human Health
- It is highly toxic to humans and the environment.
- Exposure to lead can affect multiple body systems and is particularly harmful to young children and women of child-bearing age.

Source: TH

Lead FAQ's

Q1: What is the chemical symbol of lead?

Ans: Pb - Plumbum

Q2: What is the major use of lead?

Ans: It is majorly used in Lead-acid batteries.

Information Technology Resilience Index

August 25, 2026

Information Technology Resilience Index Latest News

Recently, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has introduced an Information Technology Resilience Index (ITRI) for market infrastructure institutions (MIIs).

About Information Technology Resilience Index

It is introduced to assess the functioning and resilience of information technology systems of market infrastructure institutions (MIIs), including stock exchanges, depositories and clearing corporations.
It is an initiative of the Securities and Exchange Board of India.
Aim: It is aimed at strengthening oversight of the resilience of IT systems and identifying emerging weaknesses at an early stage, so that timely corrective measures can be taken.

Key Features of IT Resilience Index

Parameters: The ITRI will be computed using a uniform set of nine parameters, each carrying a specific weightage to ensure comparability across MIIs.
- These parameters are namely availability, security, integrity, governance, reliability and monitoring, business continuity, modularity and flexibility, scalability, and other relevant factors.
Weightage: Availability and security will carry the highest weightage of 20 per cent each, followed by integrity, governance, reliability and monitoring, business continuity, and modularity and flexibility at 10 per cent each.
MIIs would be required to calculate the index on a half-yearly basis within 60 days of the end of each half-year.
They would also have to submit a comparative analysis of two consecutive half-years on a rolling basis, along with details of corrective actions taken or proposed, to their Standing Committee on Technology (SCOT) and governing boards.
MIIs will also develop an Early Warning System (EWS) to detect any deterioration in ITRI parameters that could potentially lead to performance issues, system slowness or other disruptions, and take remedial measures.

Source: TH

Information Technology Resilience Index FAQs

Q1: Which organisation introduced IT Resilience Index (ITRI)?

Ans: SEBI

Q2: What is the objective of Information Technology Resilience Index?

Ans: Assess functioning and resilience of IT systems of MIIs

Doronicum sanctum

August 25, 2026

Doronicum sanctum Latest News

Researchers from the CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT) have announced the discovery of a new plant species and named it as Doronicum sanctum.

About Doronicum sanctum

It was discovered in the high-altitude wilderness of Arunachal Pradesh.
It is the new plant species belonging to the sunflower family.
It is the first time a member of the Doronicum genus, commonly known as Leopard’s bane, has been documented in Northeast India.
Nomenclature: The researchers chose sanctum name because the plant’s type locality is situated near the Chumi Gyatse Holy Waterfalls, a site held in high spiritual regard by the local population.
It was found at an elevation of approximately 4,086 metres above sea level in the Tawang district.
Characteristics
- It possesses pubescent ray cypselae, which are tiny, hairy seeds at the edge of the flower head, and a caducous pappus, a feathery structure that falls off easily.
- It has dilated flower stalks (peduncle apex) and flat, lance-shaped green bracts that cup the flower.
- It has vibrant yellow flowers and heart-shaped leaves, the species appears to be extremely rare.

Source: RM

Doronicum sanctum FAQs

Q1: What is the Family of Doronicum sanctum?

Ans: Asteraceae

Q2: Arunachal Pradesh is part of which biodiversity hotspot?

Ans: Himalaya, Indo-Burma

Q3: Doronicum sanctum discovered from which state?

Ans: Arunachal Pradesh

Gen-Next Support for Innovative Startups Scheme

August 25, 2026

Gen-Next Support for Innovative Startups Scheme Latest News

Recently, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology through MeitY Startup Hub (MSH) has launched Gen-Next Support for Innovative Startups (GENESIS) Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) Cohort 3.

About Gen-Next Support for Innovative Startups Scheme

It is a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) Startup Hub.
It is designed to discover, support, grow and accelerate startups across India's Tier-II and Tier-III cities.
Focus: Through its Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Pilot (EIR), Investment and DeepTech funding components, GENESIS supports startups and innovators from early ideation and experimentation through to validation, investment and scale.
- The EIR component specifically provides funding of up to Rs 10 lakh per startup to help innovators, students and entrepreneurs at the ideation and prototype stages develop their ideas into pilot-ready solutions.
Financial Assistance: Total budget outlay of ₹490 crore,
The scheme seeks to unlock the entrepreneurial potential of emerging regions and connect them more deeply with India’s growing innovation ecosystem.

Key Facts about GENESIS EIR 3.0

It will support innovations in areas including artificial intelligence and machine learning, Internet of Things, semiconductor and VLSI technologies, cybersecurity, blockchain, quantum technologies, and augmented reality, virtual reality, spatial and immersive technologies.
Eligibility for GENESIS EIR 3.0
- Applicants must be Indian citizens and may include entrepreneurs, innovators, researchers, students or founders and co-founders of early-stage startups.
- The proposed innovation must be at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 1-4, covering stages from ideation and proof of concept to prototype, MVP or early validation.
- For incorporated startups, the company must be less than two years old as of the date of application and must be based in a Tier-II or Tier-III city.
- Applicants are also required to ensure that the proposed idea or startup has not received financial assistance exceeding Rs 10 lakh under any Central or State government scheme.

Source: PIB

Gen-Next Support for Innovative Startups Scheme FAQs

Q1: Which ministry launched the Gen-Next Support for Innovative Startups Scheme?

Ans: Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology

Q2: What is the total outlay and target of GENESIS?

Ans: Rs 490 crore - 1,600 startups

Guggal Plant

August 25, 2026

Guggal Plant Latest News

A Kutch-based non-profit is planting Khara and Mitha Guggal across five villages to restore native medicinal heritage and biodiversity on community grazing lands.

About Guggal Plant

It is a spiny shrub or small tree belonging to the Burseraceae family.
Distribution: It is native to India, Arabia and Pakistan.
In India, it is found in the arid, rocky tracts of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka in India.

Characteristics of Guggal Plant

It has an ash-colored bark that comes off in large rough flakes, exposing the under bark that also peels away.
The tree remains without any foliage for most of the year.
The plant prefers arid and semi-arid climates and is tolerant of poor soil.
It grows well in sandy to silt loam soils, which are poor in organic matter and rich in other matters and also considered as drought and salinity resistant plant.
Guggal seeds do not germinate easily and the saplings take a long time to mature—about 10 years

Uses of Guggul Gum

Traditional Uses: Gum guggul is used as incense, to make lacquers, varnishes, and ointments, as a fixative in perfumes, and in medicine.
Modern Uses: Modern therapeutic uses of guggul include nervous diseases, hemiplegia, leprosy, marasmus, musclespasms, neuralgia rtc.
Guggal-gum extract targets the Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR) that regulates cholestrol and checks bile acids produced from cholestrol by the liver.
The resin from the Guggal tree, known as guggul, is valued in Ayurvedic medicine for treating various ailments.

Source: DTE

Guggal Plant FAQs

Q1: What is the Scientific name of Guggal?

Ans: Commiphora wightii

Q2: Guggal is found in which states?

Ans: Rajasthan, Gujarat, MP, Karnataka

Q3: Which organization prioritizes Guggal as top medicinal plant for conservation?

Ans: National Medicinal Plants Board

Waterspout

August 25, 2026

Waterspout Latest News

Recently, a rare weather phenomenon resembling a waterspout was observed over the Brahmaputra in Assam’s Barpeta district.

About Waterspout

A waterspout is a large column of air and mist rotating over a water body.
It is less intense and typically lasts for around five minutes — occasionally it can last up to 10 minutes.
The average waterspout can be around 165 feet in diameter, with wind speeds of 100 kilometres per hour.
They occur when there are high levels of humidity and relatively warm water temperatures compared to the overlying air.

Types of waterspouts

Tornadic waterspouts
- These are tornadoes that form over water, or move from land to water.
- They have the same characteristics as a land tornado.
- They are associated with severe thunderstorms, and are often accompanied by high winds and seas, large hail, and frequent dangerous lightning.
Fair-weather waterspouts
- These are usually formed under calmer conditions along the dark flat base of a line of developing cumulus clouds.
- It is generally not associated with thunderstorms.
- It is developed from the water’s surface upward. (While tornadic waterspouts develop downward in a thunderstorm)
- Typically move very little due to light wind conditions.

Source: IT

Waterspout FAQs

Q1: How many types of waterspouts are there?

Ans: 2 types - Tornadic waterspout and Fair-weather waterspout

Q2: What is Waterspout?

Ans: A waterspout is a large column of air and mist rotating over a water body.