27th August 2026

Explanation - Garbhini Mitra Course is a structured healthcare skill-development programme. It is aimed at training personnel to provide health education, lifestyle guidance and community-level support to women during pregnancy and the postnatal period. Implementing Body: It is implemented by the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Ayush. Course Design — It is designed as a six-month offline training programme. It is based on traditional Ayurvedic concepts of Garbhini Paricharya (antenatal care), Sutika Paricharya (postnatal care) and Garbhadhana Vidhi (pre-conceptional care). It equips participants with practical skills in trimester-specific dietetics, lifestyle modifications, pregnancy-safe yoga, emotional support during labour, newborn massage, and basic life support protocols. The curriculum also emphasises infection control, sanitisation, biomedical waste management, and workplace safety. It also covers infection control, sanitisation, biomedical waste management and workplace safety. Eligibility: Candidates who have passed the Senior Secondary (10+2) examination from any recognised board in India and are at least 18 years old are eligible to apply. Candidates awaiting their Class 12 results can also submit provisional applications. After completing the course, candidates can pursue roles such as Garbhini Mitra Assistants, prenatal and postnatal care assistants, antenatal wellness guides and maternal health support workers.

Explanation - UN Mission in South Sudan is a peacekeeping mission mandated in accordance with Chapter VII of the UN Charter. Background — It was established on 8 July 2011, under Security Council Resolution 1996 (2011), following the country’s declaration of independence. Following the outbreak of civil conflict in 2013, the Security Council adopted Resolution 2155 (2014), reprioritising the mission’s core focus toward civilian protection and humanitarian assistance delivery. Key Features of UN MISS — It works to protect civilians, facilitate the safe delivery of humanitarian aid, promote human rights, and build durable peace. Peacekeepers help create a secure environment to enable the safe, timely and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance to people in need across the country. UNMISS uses targeted good offices and facilitates dialogue between the parties in support of the peace process and to prevent escalation of political violence. It also monitors and reports on progress on security sector and legal reforms as well as election-related process and transitional justice mechanisms. It monitors, investigates, and reports on violations and abuses of international human rights and humanitarian law. As of April 2026, India was the top troop contributor to UNMISS, with 1,775 Indian military personnel deployed with the UN mission.

Explanation - UN Mission in South Sudan is a peacekeeping mission mandated in accordance with Chapter VII of the UN Charter. Background — It was established on 8 July 2011, under Security Council Resolution 1996 (2011), following the country’s declaration of independence. Following the outbreak of civil conflict in 2013, the Security Council adopted Resolution 2155 (2014), reprioritising the mission’s core focus toward civilian protection and humanitarian assistance delivery. Key Features of UN MISS — It works to protect civilians, facilitate the safe delivery of humanitarian aid, promote human rights, and build durable peace. Peacekeepers help create a secure environment to enable the safe, timely and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance to people in need across the country. UNMISS uses targeted good offices and facilitates dialogue between the parties in support of the peace process and to prevent escalation of political violence. It also monitors and reports on progress on security sector and legal reforms as well as election-related process and transitional justice mechanisms. It monitors, investigates, and reports on violations and abuses of international human rights and humanitarian law. As of April 2026, India was the top troop contributor to UNMISS, with 1,775 Indian military personnel deployed with the UN mission.

Explanation - National Shipping Board is a permanent statutory body established in 1959, under Section 4 of Merchant Shipping Act, 1958. Function: It advises the Government of India on matters related to shipping including the development. It has played a very distinguished role in the Maritime development of the country, as its deliberation and recommendations have contributed to the evolution of a sound and pragmatic National Maritime Policy over the years. Composition — It consists of Chairman and Members. Six Members elected by Parliament (Four from the Lok Sabha and two from Rajya Sabha from amongst its Members). Such Members of other members not exceeding sixteen as the Central Government may think fit to appoint on the Board to represent the Central Government, Ship-owners, and Seamen. Tenure: The Chairman and other members of the Board held office for a period of two years. Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.

Explanation - Referred to as “white gold” – Lithium metal is soft, white, and lustrous—and several of its alloys and compounds are produced on an industrial scale. Under standard conditions, it is the lightest metal and the lightest solid element. It is highly reactive and flammable, and must be stored in mineral oil. It is an alkali metal and a rare metal. Chile holds the world’s largest reserve of Lithium ((about 55%), followed by India (now after the discovery of 5.9 million tonnes in Jammu and Kashmir). Researchers at the Atomic Minerals Directorate (under India’s Atomic Energy Commission) have estimated lithium reserves of 14,100 tonnes in a small patch of land surveyed in Southern Karnataka’s Mandya district recently.