8th July 2025

Explanation - The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA), also known as the Seed Treaty, is indeed an international agreement aimed at promoting the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture. The treaty recognises the crucial role of these resources in achieving food security worldwide and aims to ensure that these resources are conserved, used, and shared in an equitable and sustainable manner. 

The ITPGRFA covers not only major staple crops but also includes other crops that are essential for food and agriculture. These crops encompass a wide range of plants used for food, feed, and various agricultural purposes. The treaty recognises the significance of not only major crops but also minor crops and forages in maintaining agricultural diversity and resilience. 

Explanation - It is officially named Phenome India-CSIR Health Cohort Knowledgebase (PI-CheCK) is an initiative launched by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) on December 7, 2023. Objective — The main objective of the project is to develop India-specific risk prediction models for cardio-metabolic diseases including diabetes, liver diseases, and cardiac diseases. It is India's first-ever pan-India longitudinal health monitoring study focused specifically on cardio-metabolic health. Participants include around 10,000 individuals—primarily CSIR employees, pensioners, and their spouses—from across 17 states and 24 cities. Collected data includes clinical questionnaires, lifestyle and dietary habits, anthropometric measurements, imaging and scanning data, and extensive biochemical and molecular data. 

Explanation - It will serve as the backbone of a nationwide cohort study, collecting comprehensive genomic, lifestyle, and clinical data from 10,000 individuals across India. It is tailored to capture the country's unique diversity—across geography, ethnicity, and socio-economic backgrounds. It is designed to be a long-term, data-rich study tracking the health trajectories of individuals over several years. It will help scientists uncover disease patterns, gene-environment interactions, and response to therapies—all within the Indian context. It is launched under the Phenome India Project. Researchers believe the initiative will aid early diagnosis, improve therapeutic targeting, and bolster the fight against complex diseases such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular ailments, and rare genetic disorders. 

Explanation - As the Constitution of India does not define the term 'minority', the Central Government notifies minority communities at the national level in consultation with various stakeholders under Section 2 (c) of National Commission for Minorities (NCM), Act, 1992. The Article 29 and 30 of the Constitution provide for protection of interest of minorities which includes linguistic minorities also. The 7th Constitutional (Amendment) Act 1956 inserted Article 350-B which provides for a Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities appointed by the President of India. It would be the duty of the Special Officer to investigate all matters relating to the safeguards provided for linguistic minorities under the Constitution. The linguistic minorities are identified by the respective States/UTs. 

Explanation - It was established in November 1983 to carry out certain regulatory and safety functions in the field of nuclear and radiation safety on a countrywide basis. It was constituted by President of India by exercising powers conferred by Section 27 of Atomic Energy Act, 1962 to carry out certain regulatory and safety functions under the Act. The regulatory authority of AERB is derived from rules and notifications promulgated under Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986. It is headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Its mission is to ensure that use of ionising radiation and nuclear energy in India does not cause undue risk to health and environment. Currently, it consists of full-time Chairman, an ex officio Member, three part-time Members and Secretary.