27th December 2025

Explanation - Launched in 1997, the Cassini mission is a cooperation mission between NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The spacecraft was launched on October 15, 1997. This was the first landing ever accomplished in the outer Solar System. Cassini–Huygens is an unmanned spacecraft sent to the planet Saturn. Cassini is the fourth space probe to visit Saturn and the first to enter orbit. Its design includes a Saturn orbiter and a lander for the moon Titan. The lander, called Huygens, landed on Titan in 2005.

Explanation - Rashtriya Prerna Sthal has been developed as a landmark national memorial and inspirational complex of enduring national significance. It has been dedicated to the life and ideals of former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. It is located on the banks of the Gomti River in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. The complex also features 65-foot-high bronze statues of Syama Prasad Mookerjee and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, alongside the former Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The complex is envisioned as a permanent national asset dedicated to fostering leadership values, national service, cultural consciousness, and public inspiration. The complex houses a state-of-the-art museum designed in the shape of a lotus flower.

Explanation - The QCI has been established as a National body for Accreditation on recommendation of Expert Mission of EU after consultation in Inter-Ministerial Task Force, Committee of Secretaries and Group of Ministers through a Cabinet decision in 1996. Accordingly, the QCI was set up through a PPP model as an independent autonomous organisation with the support of Government of India and the Indian Industry represented by the three premier industry associations, (i) Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), (ii) Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and (iii) Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). Chairman of QCI is appointed by the Prime Minister on recommendation of the industry to the government. The Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (now Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, is the nodal ministry for QCI.

Explanation - The NPR is a comprehensive database containing demographic and family-wise details of residents in India. It was first compiled during the 2011 Census and later updated in 2015 through door-to-door enumeration. The NPR includes information such as name, age, gender, address, and family relationships. The NPR is considered the first step towards the creation of a National Register of Citizens (NRC), although the government has clarified that no decision has been taken to update the NPR during the forthcoming Census exercise. Despite this, the NPR remains one of the largest repositories of personal data in the country.

Explanation - National Intelligence Grid is a platform for the police and investigating agencies to securely access government and private databases in real time. It is conceptualised as a seamless and secure database for information on terrorists, economic crimes and similar incidents to help bolster India’s capabilities. Background — The project was started in 2009 in the aftermath of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. NATGRID was set up as an attached Office of the Ministry of Home Affairs with effect from December 1, 2010. It started its operations on December 31, 2020. NATGRID database is available to — Intelligence Bureau (IB), the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). Superintendent of Police (SP) rank officers. Operation — It has been mandated to maintain a repository of intelligence databases. It works as an integrated intelligence grid that connects databases of core security agencies of the government of India. It will have data related to all immigration entry and exit, banking and financial transactions, credit card purchases, telecom, individual taxpayers, air flyers, train travellers besides others to generate intelligence inputs. It utilises Big Data and Analytics to study huge amounts of data generated to analyse events in order to get a better picture as well as to trail suspects.