01 July 2026

UPSC GS 1

Maharishi Sushruta

1. News:    A bronze statue of Maharishi Sushruta, revered as the Father of Surgery, has been unveiled at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

2. About Maharishi Sushruta:

a. Maharishi Sushruta was one of the greatest physicians and surgeons of ancient India and is widely regarded as the "Father of Surgery" and the "Father of Indian Medicine."

b. He made pioneering contributions to Shalya Tantra (surgical science), laying the foundation for many modern surgical techniques.

c. According to medical scholars, Sushruta is believed to have lived and practised medicine between 600 BCE and 1000 BCE, with many historians placing him around the 6th century BCE.

d. He is traditionally regarded as a disciple of Dhanvantari, the divine teacher of Ayurveda.

e. He lived and taught medicine in Varanasi.

3. Sushruta Samhita: Sushruta's most celebrated work is the Sushruta Samhita, one of the foundational texts of Ayurveda and the principal source of knowledge on surgery in ancient India.

4. Key Features of the Sushruta Samhita:

a. Comprises 184 chapters.

b. Describes more than 300 surgical procedures.

c. Mentions over 120 surgical instruments.

d. Provides detailed descriptions of:

e. Wounds.

f. Fractures.

g. Dislocations.

h. Diseases and their treatments.

i. Covers branches of Ayurveda such as:

i. Toxicology.

ii. Pediatrics.

iii. Pharmacology.

iv. Documents over 100 medicinal plants, including their properties and therapeutic uses.

5. Major Contributions: Sushruta made remarkable advances in surgery, including:

a. Rhinoplasty (reconstructive surgery of the nose).

b. Removal of a dead fetus.

c. Lithotomy (surgical removal of urinary bladder stones).

d. Development of systematic techniques for human cadaver dissection to study anatomy.

e. Use of herbal anaesthetics.

f. Emphasis on post-operative care.

g. Standardization of surgical instruments and operative techniques.

6. Legacy:

a. Regarded as the Father of Surgery.

b. Pioneer of plastic and reconstructive surgery.

c. Advanced the fields of orthopaedics, ophthalmology, and general surgery.

d. Introduced cadaver-based anatomical training, which remains a cornerstone of modern medical education.

e. His emphasis on practical training and meticulous documentation greatly influenced the evolution of surgery worldwide.

UPSC GS 2

Corporate Mitra Scheme

1. News:  The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has announced that the Corporate Mitra Scheme will begin with 2,000 participants, including 200 candidates from the North-East region.

2.  About Corporate Mitra Scheme:

a. The Corporate Mitra Scheme was announced in the Union Budget 2026–27.

b. It aims to empower Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) by creating a pool of trained and certified Corporate Mitras who will provide affordable professional support to MSMEs in regulatory and financial matters.

3. Objective: The scheme seeks to:

a. Strengthen the compliance capacity of MSMEs.

b. Improve access to professional advisory services.

c. Enhance employment opportunities for youth through structured training.

d. Enable MSMEs to focus on innovation and business growth while meeting statutory requirements.

4. Services Provided by Corporate Mitras: Corporate Mitras will assist MSMEs in areas such as:

a. Regulatory compliance.

b. Goods and Services Tax (GST).

c. Accounting.

d. Financial guidance.

e. Cost accounting.

f. Secretarial services.

5. Key Features:

a. Announced in the Union Budget 2026–27.

b. Initially covers 2,000 participants, including 200 from the North-East.

c. Focuses primarily on Tier-II and Tier-III cities to improve outreach beyond metropolitan areas.

d. Provides affordable professional support to MSMEs.

6. Implementation: The scheme will be implemented in collaboration with three Professional Institutes:

a. Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI).

b. Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI).

c. Institute of Cost Accountants of India (formerly ICoAI).

d. The entire programme will be implemented through the SWAYAM Plus portal, which will serve as the centralized platform for registration, training, monitoring, and certification.

7. Training Structure: The programme consists of 12 months of training:

a. 6 months of Academic Course.

b. 6 months of On-the-Job Training.

8. Academic Course:

a. 144 hours of structured online learning.

b. 6 hours of webinars or physical learning sessions.

9. On-the-Job Training:

a. Conducted in professional firms or LLPs recognized by ICAI, ICSI, or ICMAI.

b. Candidates are free to choose any recognized Member in Practice firm for practical training.

c. Professional firms/LLPs will pay a minimum stipend as per the norms of the respective professional institute.

10. Eligibility:

11. Age Limit: Up to 30 years.

12. Educational Qualification:

a. Graduates from a recognized university, or

b. Students in the final year of graduation (certificate awarded only after successful completion of graduation).

13. Recognition:

a. The participating Professional Institutes will recognize:

b. Best-performing Corporate Mitra candidates.

c. Professional firms and LLPs providing quality on-the-job training. 

UPSC GS 3

Banganapalle Mango

1. News:  The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has facilitated the first commercial sea shipment of premium Banganapalle mangoes from India to Singapore.

2. About Banganapalle Mango:

a. The Banganapalle mango is one of the most popular and commercially important mango varieties cultivated in the Banganapalle region of Andhra Pradesh.

b. It is renowned for its excellent fruit quality and strong export potential.

3. Other Names: The Banganapalle mango is also known as:

a. Beneshan.

b. Baneshan.

c. Benishan.

d. Chappatai.

e. Safeda.

4. Geographical Indication (GI) Tag: The Banganapalle mango received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2017. 

Rewa Sundarja Mango

1. News:  The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority has facilitated the first commercial export of Rewa Sundarja mangoes from Madhya Pradesh to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

2.  About Rewa Sundarja Mango:

a. The Rewa Sundarja Mango is a premium mango variety cultivated in the Rewa region of Madhya Pradesh.

b. It is especially known for ripening only after the arrival of the first monsoon showers, a characteristic that distinguishes it from most other mango varieties.

c. The variety received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2023. 

Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary

1. News:   A rescued Chinese Pangolin and an Asian Palm Civet were recently released into the Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary.

2.  About Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary:

a. The Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected wildlife sanctuary located in Meghalaya, within the Eastern Himalayan Global Biodiversity Hotspot.

b. It was established in 1981 under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

3. Location:

a. State: Meghalaya

b. Lies within the Eastern Himalayan Global Biodiversity Hotspot.

4. Topography: The sanctuary is characterized by:

a. Undulating plains.

b. Low hills.

c. Rugged terrain.

d. Its landscape has been shaped by the Umtrew River and its tributaries:

e. Umran.

f. Umling.

g. Umtasor.

5. River: The Umtrew River forms the western boundary of the sanctuary.

6. Vegetation: The sanctuary is dominated by:

a. Tropical Moist Deciduous Forests.

b. Patches of Tropical Semi-evergreen Forests.

7. Flora: Major tree species include:

a. Shorea robusta (Sal).

b. Tectona grandis (Teak).

c. Terminalia myriocarpa.

d. Gmelina arborea (Gambhari).

8. Fauna: The sanctuary supports rich biodiversity, including:

9. Mammals

a. Chinese Pangolin.

b. Asian Palm Civet.

c. Clouded Leopard.

d. Asian Elephant.

e. Himalayan Black Bear.

10. Birds:

a. More than 400 bird species.

b. Rufous-necked Hornbill (Endangered).

c. Great Hornbill.

d. Indian Grey Hornbill.

e. Wreathed Hornbill.