PRELIMS CA 17 OCT 2026

DAILY PRELIMS CA 17 OCT 2026 ENG

𝗣𝗨𝗙𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗦 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻

Subject: Science

• 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵: Indian-origin astronomer Dr. Ramya Anche was selected to lead NASA’s $20-million PUFFINS space mission.
• 𝗙𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺: Stands for Polarimetry in the Ultraviolet to Find Features in 𝗜𝗡𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗿 dust.
• 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: Low-Earth orbit 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗦𝗮𝘁 hosting a 10-inch ultraviolet space telescope.
• 𝗡𝗼𝗱𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆: Funded under NASA’s 𝗔𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗣𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀 programme | Led by University of Arizona.
• 𝗢𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲: Measures starlight polarisation to study composition and magnetic alignment of 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁.
• 𝗧𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗦𝗶𝘇𝗲: Investigates nanometre-sized dust particles smaller than 𝟱𝟬 𝗻𝗺 across diverse galactic environments.
• 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁: Paired with the 𝟴𝟮-𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗢𝘁𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘃𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗼𝗽𝗲 at McDonald Observatory.
• 𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: Acts as a technology precursor to NASA’s proposed 𝗛𝗮𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝗢𝗯𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆.

𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗦𝗦𝗥)

Subject: Polity

• 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵: ECI announced the SSR schedule across 17 States and UTs with 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟭, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟳 as the qualifying date.
• 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗶𝘀: 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝟯𝟮𝟰 vests superintendence, direction, and control of electoral roll preparation in the ECI.
• 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲: 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟭(𝟮), 𝗥𝗣𝗔 𝟭𝟵𝟱𝟬 mandates roll revision before elections and annually by qualifying date.
• 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸: 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗥𝘂𝗹𝗲𝘀, 𝟭𝟵𝟲𝟬 governs statutory procedures, claims, objections, and voter application forms.
• 𝗔𝗱𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆: prepared constituency-wise under statutory supervision of 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗿 | assisted by Assistant EROs and BLOs.
• 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘀: 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝟲 for newly eligible electors + 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝟴 for residence shifting and demographic corrections.
• 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗿𝗱: proposed deletions require mandatory individual notice and 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 | summary removals prohibited.
• 𝗦𝗦𝗥 𝘃𝘀 𝗦𝗜𝗥: SSR is an 𝗮𝗻𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 revision retaining existing electors | SIR is an occasional comprehensive re-verification of all electors.

𝗜𝗡𝗦 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗸

Subject: Misc

• 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵: Indian Navy commissioned INS Samarthak, the lead ship of indigenously designed Multi-Purpose Vessels.
• 𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗲: First ship of the 𝗠𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶-𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗹 class | 107-metre auxiliary fleet platform.
• 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗿: Built by 𝗟&𝗧 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘆𝗮𝗿𝗱 at its Kattupalli facility.
• 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Features over 𝟳𝟱% indigenous content via modular construction.
• 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀: Testbed for developmental weapons/sensors + mothership to launch and recover 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘀 systems (AUVs/USVs/UAVs).
• 𝗨𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Surface and aerial target towing for fleet firing drills | rapid conversion to hospital ship for 𝗛𝗔𝗗𝗥 missions.

𝗣𝗠-𝗦𝗘𝗧𝗨 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗲

Subject: Schemes

• 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵: National Steering Committee approved Strategic Investment Plans worth ₹1,194.92 crore to modernize ITI clusters.
• 𝗙𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺: Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs.
• 𝗡𝗼𝗱𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆: 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 (MSDE).
• 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗹𝗮𝘆: ₹𝟲𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗿𝗲 over five years | Tripartite funding by Centre, States, and industry + multilateral bank support.
• 𝗧𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁: Modernize 𝟭,𝟬𝟬𝟬 Government ITIs into high-tech training institutions.
• 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹: 𝗛𝘂𝗯-𝗮𝗻𝗱-𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗸𝗲 cluster model | 1 lead Hub ITI shares infrastructure and expertise with 4 Spoke ITIs.
• 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: Private sector co-investment + cluster administration via 𝗦𝗣𝗩 (Special Purpose Vehicle) framework.
• 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴: Instructor training executed through National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs).
• 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸: Mandates ISO certification + integration of at least one 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀-aligned trade.

𝗞𝗮𝗺𝗰𝗵𝗮𝘁𝗸𝗮 𝗣𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝗮

Subject: Geography

• 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵: A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck off the eastern coast of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula.
• 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Russian Far East | Flanked by 𝗦𝗲𝗮 𝗼𝗳 𝗢𝗸𝗵𝗼𝘁𝘀𝗸 (west) and 𝗕𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗲𝗮 / Pacific Ocean (east).
• 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗰𝘀: Subduction of 𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲 under Okhotsk microplate | Forms the deep 𝗞𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗹-𝗞𝗮𝗺𝗰𝗵𝗮𝘁𝗸𝗮 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗵.
• 𝗣𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝘆: Sredinny and Vostochny ranges run parallel + separated by central rift valley of 𝗞𝗮𝗺𝗰𝗵𝗮𝘁𝗸𝗮 𝗥𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿.
• 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗺: Hosts 𝗞𝗹𝘆𝘂𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘃𝘀𝗸𝗮𝘆𝗮 𝗦𝗼𝗽𝗸𝗮 (~4,750 m), highest active volcano in Eurasia | Site of hydrothermal 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗲𝘆𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘀.
• 𝗔𝗱𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Main deep-water port and urban centre is 𝗣𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗮𝘃𝗹𝗼𝘃𝘀𝗸-𝗞𝗮𝗺𝗰𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘀𝗸𝘆.