Prelims Current Affairs includes India To Participate In Sco Heads Of Government Meeting In Tajikistan, Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (Pm-Ajay), Kaumaracon-2026, Yj-21 Missile, Martian Moons Exploration Mission, Puffins Telescope Mission & Sangeet Natak Akademi Selects 106 Artists For Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar 2024-2025

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. INDIA TO PARTICIPATE IN SCO HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETING IN TAJIKISTAN

Current Context: India’s Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, will represent the country at the 25th Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (CHG) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on 19-20 October 2026 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

ABOUT THE MEETING

• Main Objective: To strengthen economic and practical cooperation among SCO member states and review ongoing initiatives.
• Agenda: Multilateral cooperation in trade, economy, investment, connectivity, innovation and cultural-humanitarian exchanges.
• Previous Meeting: Held in Moscow, Russia, on 18 November 2025. India was represented by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

ABOUT THE SHANGHAI COOPERATION ORGANISATION (SCO)

• Established: 15 June 2001.
• Founding Members: China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
• Predecessor: The Shanghai Five mechanism, established in 1996.
• Permanent Secretariat: Beijing, China.
• Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS): Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
• Nature: A permanent intergovernmental international organisation promoting cooperation in security, politics, trade, economy and culture.
• India’s Membership: India became a full member in 2017, along with Pakistan.
• Iran joined in 2023, Belarus joined in 2024.
• Official languages: Chinese and Russian.
• Current Full Members (10): Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

GOVERNMENT SCHEMES

2. PRADHAN MANTRI ANUSUCHIT JAATI ABHYUDAY YOJANA (PM-AJAY)

Current Context: The Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM-AJAY) has seen 18,093 villages declared Adarsh Grams as of 8 September 2026.

ABOUT PM-AJAY

• Ministry: Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India.
• Launched: 2021-22.
• Nature: Centrally Sponsored Scheme, with 100% Central funding under the current funding framework.
• Target Beneficiaries: Scheduled Caste communities, particularly people living in SC-dominated villages and those requiring socio-economic and educational support.
• Main Aim: To reduce poverty, improve socio-economic indicators, generate livelihood opportunities and ensure better access to basic services and education.

THREE SCHEMES MERGED INTO PM-AJAY

• Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAGY): Focused on the integrated development of villages with a significant Scheduled Caste population.
• Special Central Assistance to Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SCA to SCSP): Supported income-generating activities and socio-economic development for Scheduled Castes.
• Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatrawas Yojana (BJRCY): Supported the construction of hostels for Scheduled Caste students to improve access to education.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

• SC persons living below the poverty line are eligible for benefits under income-generating schemes and skill development programmes.
• For infrastructure development, villages having 50% or more SC population are eligible for grants.

ART & CULTURE / HEALTH

3. KAUMARACON-2026

Current Context: The Vice-President of India inaugurated KAUMARACON-2026 at the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), New Delhi, and launched several AYUSH digital initiatives.

ABOUT KAUMARACON-2026

• Full Name: International Conference on Kaumarabhritya (Ayurvedic Paediatrics).
• Edition: Third edition.
• Organiser: All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), New Delhi.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Ayush, Government of India.
• Theme: “Shaping the Future of Child Health: Global Perspectives, Research Innovations, and Clinical Frontiers in Kaumarabhritya.”.
• Purpose: To promote scientific research, academic exchange and improved approaches to child healthcare through Ayurveda.

ABOUT KAUMARABHRITYA

• Meaning: Kaumarabhritya is a specialised branch of Ayurveda concerned with paediatric healthcare.
• Scope: It traditionally covers child growth and development, nutrition, infant care, immunity and childhood diseases.

KEY FEATURES

• Scientific Validation: Emphasises clinical research to establish the safety and efficacy of Ayurvedic child healthcare practices.
• Holistic Child Healthcare: Focuses on nutrition, growth, disease prevention and emotional well-being.
• Digital AYUSH Initiatives: Launched the AYUSH Start-up Portal, AyuDIVA, Vamana App and Panchakarma Assessment App.

DEFENCE

4. YJ-21 MISSILE

Current Context: Footage released by Chinese state media has for the first time shown the launch of a YJ-21 anti-ship ballistic missile by a Chinese People’s Liberation Army H-6K bomber.

ABOUT YJ-21 MISSILE

• Name: YJ-21, commonly translated as Eagle Strike-21.
• Type: Hypersonic anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM), with an air-launched configuration associated with the H-6K bomber.
• Primary Objective: To attack high-value naval targets, particularly large warships and aircraft carrier groups.

KEY FEATURES

• Solid-fuelled, two-stage missile with unique aerodynamic and propulsion systems optimized for hypersonic flight.
• Cruise speeds exceeding Mach 6 during midcourse, terminal velocities up to Mach 10.
• Maximum range: Approximately 1,500 km.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

5. MARTIAN MOONS EXPLORATION MISSION

Current Context: Japan is preparing to launch an ambitious Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission to one of Mars’ mysterious moons, Phobos, using Japan’s H3 rocket.

ABOUT THE MISSION

• It is a mission of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
• Primary focus: Phobos, a Martian moon that has never been explored.
• It will observe the topography, internal structure, composition and gravity of the moon, and return samples of sand.
• Aims to collect at least 10 grams of material from Phobos and return it to Earth in 2031.
• It will also study both Phobos and Deimos to investigate their origins and evolution.
• Scheduled to reach Mars in 2027.
• Will deploy a small rover, developed jointly by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and France’s CNES.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

6. PUFFINS TELESCOPE MISSION

Current Context: Bengaluru-born astronomer Dr. Ramya Anche will be heading the $20 million NASA space telescope mission PUFFINS.

ABOUT THE PUFFINS MISSION

• PUFFIN stands for Polarimetry in the Ultraviolet to Find Features in INterStellar
• It is a SmallSat selected under NASA’s highly competitive Astrophysics Pioneers programme.
• It is a NASA-funded mission and a joint effort between the University of Arizona, McDonald Observatory and other scientists.
• It involves sending up a small satellite containing a telescope with an aperture of about 10 inches to observe the ultraviolet light of about 70 stars.
• Interstellar dust refers to particles in the space between the stars, with sizes less than 50 nanometers, which cannot be detected using traditional optical or infrared techniques.

AWARDS & HONOURS

7. SANGEET NATAK AKADEMI SELECTS 106 ARTISTS FOR USTAD BISMILLAH KHAN YUVA PURASKAR 2024-2025

Current Context: Sangeet Natak Akademi has selected 106 young artists for the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar 2024 and 2025.

ABOUT THE AWARD

• The Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar was started in 2006 by the Sangeet Natak Akademi to honour young artistes for their exceptional talent in music, dance and drama.
• Eligibility: Artistes under the age of 40 years.
• Categories: Music, Dance, Theatre, Traditional/folk/tribal arts, and Contribution and Scholarship.
• Prize: ₹25,000, a Tamrapatra and an Angavastram.

ABOUT SANGEET NATAK AKADEMI

• It is the National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama in India.
• Formed: 1953.
• It acts as an independent institution within the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.
• Awards include Akademi Ratna (Fellowship), Akademi Puraskar and Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar.

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