Prelims Current Affairs includes World Mental Health Day, Josh (Joint Squad For Health) Teams, Ladakh Launches India’s First High-Altitude Snow Leopard Safari, World Bank Ranks India Among Top 10 In Ai Readiness, Indian Coast Guard To Conduct Sarex-2026 Off Paradip Coast, Anne Carson Wins 2026 Nobel Prize In Literature & Himachal Launches ‘Challan2 Pay’ Initiative

IMPORTANT DAYS

1. WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY

Current Context: World Mental Health Day is observed annually on 10 October to raise awareness about mental health issues and mobilise efforts in support of mental health.

ABOUT WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY

• First observed in:
• Initiated by: World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH), an international non-governmental organisation.
• Supported by: World Health Organization (WHO), which promotes mental health awareness and global mental health initiatives.
• Objective: To raise awareness about mental health, reduce stigma and discrimination, and encourage access to appropriate mental health services.
• Theme for 2026: “Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change.” The theme highlights the importance of involving people with lived experience of mental health conditions in shaping mental health policies, services and decisions.

HEALTH

2. JOSH (JOINT SQUAD FOR HEALTH) TEAMS

Current Context: The Centre will launch JOSH Teams across 55 districts in 11 states to strengthen youth-led community mobilisation for tuberculosis elimination.

ABOUT JOSH TEAMS

• Full Form: Joint Squad for Health (JOSH).
• Implementing Ministry: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).
• Collaborating Ministries:
• Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
• Ministry of Defence.
• Associated Programme: TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan.
• Core Objective: To mobilise young people and communities to support tuberculosis prevention, early diagnosis, timely treatment and stigma reduction.

COMPOSITION OF JOSH TEAMS

• Each JOSH Team comprises 10 youth volunteers, including:
• 5 MY Bharat Volunteers
• 5 National Cadet Corps (NCC) Cadets
• Team Leadership: Each team is led by a designated Class-I officer at the Block/Ward level.

KEY FUNCTIONS

• Early Diagnosis: Encourage people with possible TB symptoms to seek timely medical evaluation and testing.
• Treatment Adherence: Promote completion of prescribed treatment and support people undergoing treatment.
• Community Mobilisation: Conduct awareness and outreach activities at Block, Ward and community levels.

ENVIRONMENT & BIODIVERSITY

3. LADAKH LAUNCHES INDIA’S FIRST HIGH-ALTITUDE SNOW LEOPARD SAFARI

Current Context: Ladakh launched India’s first high-altitude snow leopard wildlife safari during Wildlife Week celebrations in Leh.

ABOUT THE INITIATIVE

• Launch Location: Choglamsar Protected Forest, Leh, Ladakh.
• Implementing Organisation: Snow Leopard and High-Altitude Nature Conservation (SHAN) Society, in collaboration with the Department of Forest, Ecology and Environment, Union Territory of Ladakh.
• Nature of Initiative: A guided, high-altitude wildlife safari designed to provide opportunities to observe snow leopards and other wildlife in their natural habitats.
• Ladakh hosts 477 of India’s estimated 718 snow leopards.
• Initial safari routes: Rumbak, Shang and Uley.
• Planned future routes: Hemis National Park, Changthang, Karakoram Wildlife Sanctuary, Nubar, Zanskar, Sham, Kargil and Drass.

ABOUT THE SNOW LEOPARD

• Scientific Name: Panthera uncia.
• IUCN Status: Vulnerable.
• Habitat: High-altitude mountain ecosystems of Central and South Asia, including the Himalayas.

REPORTS & INDICES

4. WORLD BANK RANKS INDIA AMONG TOP 10 IN AI READINESS

Current Context: The World Bank ranked India among the top 10 emerging-market performers in artificial intelligence readiness.

ABOUT THE WORLD BANK REPORT

• Report Title: India and Artificial Intelligence: Seizing the Development Opportunity.
• Published Under: India Development Update (IDU), a World Bank report examining India’s economic developments and prospects.
• Key Finding: India is among the top 10 emerging-market performers in AI readiness, supported by its large technical workforce, globally integrated IT sector and digital public infrastructure.
• Important Clarification: This recognition places India among the leading emerging-market performers. It does not mean India ranks among the world’s top 10 countries overall in every measure of AI development.

INDIA’S AI READINESS: KEY FACTS

• AI Readiness: Refers to a country’s ability to adopt, deploy and scale artificial intelligence through suitable infrastructure, skilled workers, investment, business conditions and governance.
• Private AI Investment: Increased from US$1.2 billion in 2024 to US$4.1 billion in 2025, more than tripling in one year.
• Global Capability Centres (GCCs): Employment increased from 9 million professionals in 2024 to 2.36 million in 2025.
• AI Adoption by Firms: Around 23% of Indian firms reported using some form of AI, compared with approximately 43% in the United States.

DEFENCE

5.  INDIAN COAST GUARD TO CONDUCT SAREX-2026 OFF PARADIP COAST

Current Context: The Indian Coast Guard will conduct the 12th National Maritime Search & Rescue Exercise (SAREX-2026).

ABOUT SAREX-2026

• Conducted Under: National Maritime Search & Rescue Board (NMSARB).
• Location: Off the coast of Paradip, Odisha.
• Theme: “Leveraging Technology to Strengthen SAR Preparedness and Maritime Safety.”
• Scenario: Mass Rescue Operation involving a passenger aircraft ditching at sea with 228 persons on board and a collision impact with container vessel MV Zumba.
• Coordinated by: National Maritime Search & Rescue Board; Indian Coast Guard is the national coordinating authority.
• Participating assets: 15 ICG ships, two Dornier aircraft, three Advanced Light Helicopters, one Chetak helicopter, IAF C-130J and Mi-17 aircraft, two Indian Navy ships, civil and state assets.
• International participation: 32 observers from 30 countries.

ABOUT INDIAN COAST GUARD

• Established: 1977, formally commissioned: 1978.
• Role: Maritime search and rescue, coastal security and disaster response.

AWARDS & HONOURS

6. ANNE CARSON WINS 2026 NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE

Current Context: Canadian poet and essayist Anne Carson received the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature on 8 October 2026.

ABOUT ANNE CARSON

• Profession: Poet, essayist, translator, classicist and scholar of ancient Greek literature.
• Reason for the Award: She was honoured for her “bold and inventive oeuvre that, in playful dialogue with the classical tradition, has created new forms for contemporary literature.”
• Literary Style: Her writing blends poetry, prose, translation, dialogue and classical mythology with contemporary themes.
• Carson is the 19th woman among 123 Nobel Prize in Literature laureates since 1901.

HIMACHAL NEWS

7. HIMACHAL LAUNCHES ‘CHALLAN2 PAY’ INITIATIVE

Current Context: Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu launched the ‘Challan2 Pay’ initiative, enabling people to make secure, convenient and real-time digital payments against transport challans on the spot.

ABOUT CHALLAN2 PAY

• People no longer need to visit government offices to pay challan amounts.
• Implementing Department: Himachal Pradesh Transport Department.
• Banking Partner: Axis Bank, which is providing Point-of-Sale (POS) machines to Transport Department officials.
• Main Objective: To enable people to pay transport challans digitally at the place where they are issued, without needing to visit government offices.
• Nature of Initiative: A digital payment facility aimed at making challan collection faster, more convenient and transparent.

KEY FEATURES

• On-the-Spot Payment: Motorists and other challan recipients can make digital payments at the location where the challan is issued.
• POS Machine Facility: Transport Department officials are being equipped with POS machines supplied by Axis Bank to receive digital payments.
• Real-Time Transactions: The initiative facilitates immediate digital payment and recording of challan transactions.
• Digital Records: A digital record of every transaction will be maintained, improving traceability and accountability.

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