UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 7 January 2026
Kartavya Desk Staff
UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 7 January 2026 covers important current affairs of the day, their backward linkages, their relevance for Prelims exam and MCQs on main articles
InstaLinks : Insta Links help you think beyond the current affairs issue and help you think multidimensionally to develop depth in your understanding of these issues. These linkages provided in this ‘hint’ format help you frame possible questions in your mind that might arise(or an examiner might imagine) from each current event. InstaLinks also connect every issue to their static or theoretical background.
Table of Contents
GS Paper 2:
• Privatisation threatening India’s public health system
Privatisation threatening India’s public health system
GS Paper 3:
• Grasslands and Climate Change 2026
Grasslands and Climate Change 2026
Content for Mains Enrichment (CME):
• Centre imposes norms for AI-based cancer detection
Centre imposes norms for AI-based cancer detection
Facts for Prelims (FFP):
• Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)
Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)
• Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC)
Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC)
• Constitutional duty of the Election Commission of India
Constitutional duty of the Election Commission of India
• Mpemba Effect
Mpemba Effect
• Indian Railways becomes the biggest electrified rail system globally
Indian Railways becomes the biggest electrified rail system globally
• Biomaterials India
Biomaterials India
Mapping:
• Remarkable New Species Discovered in India in 2025
Remarkable New Species Discovered in India in 2025
UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 7 January 2026
GS Paper 2:
Privatisation threatening India’s public health system
Source: TH
Subject: Health
Context: India’s public health system is under renewed scrutiny due to rising privatisation, chronic underfunding, and regulatory gaps, which are worsening health inequities and patient outcomes.
About Privatisation threatening India’s public health system:
What it is?
• Privatisation in public health refers to the growing role of private hospitals, insurers, and corporate entities in financing, delivering, and training healthcare, often using public funds.
• It includes public–private partnerships (PPPs), insurance-based purchasing of care, and expansion of private medical education.
Trends:
• India spends only ~2.1% of GDP on public health (2023–24), among the lowest globally.
• Over 60% of total health expenditure is out-of-pocket, pushing millions into poverty annually.
• Schemes like Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY increasingly reimburse private hospitals, diverting public funds.
• Private medical colleges charge ₹40–50 lakh+ for MBBS, reshaping medical priorities toward profit recovery.
Need for Privatisation in Public Health
• Bridging tertiary care infrastructure gaps: Private hospitals supplement shortages in ICUs, cardiology, oncology, and renal care where public capacity is inadequate. E.g. In Uttar Pradesh, district dialysis services are delivered through private hospitals empanelled under PPP models due to lack of public renal units.
• Expanding access to advanced diagnostics: The private sector provides nearly 70% of high-end diagnostics (MRI, CT, PET scans), which public hospitals cannot rapidly scale. E.g. Tier-2 cities rely predominantly on private diagnostic chains for cancer and neuro-imaging.
• Driving technology adoption and innovation: Corporate hospitals act as early adopters of advanced medical technologies before public diffusion.
E.g. Apollo Hospitals pioneered robotic surgeries and AI-based cardiac risk tools, later informing national clinical benchmarks.
• Rapid surge capacity during health emergencies: Private healthcare can quickly mobilise infrastructure and manpower during crises.
E.g. During COVID-19, private laboratories conducted ~45% of India’s RT-PCR tests, preventing systemic collapse.
Initiatives taken by the government
• Ayushman Bharat programme PM-JAY for secondary/tertiary care insurance. Health and Wellness Centres for primary care strengthening.
• PM-JAY for secondary/tertiary care insurance.
• Health and Wellness Centres for primary care strengthening.
• National Health Policy 2017 Target of 2.5% GDP public health spending (yet to be achieved).
• Target of 2.5% GDP public health spending (yet to be achieved).
• Digital health push Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission for health records and interoperability.
• Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission for health records and interoperability.
• Medical education expansion Increase in government medical colleges and seats post-2014.
• Increase in government medical colleges and seats post-2014.
Challenges Associated with Privatisation:
• Profit-driven clinical decision-making: Revenue targets incentivise unnecessary procedures and overtreatment.
E.g. Multiple state audits flagged unwarranted C-sections and hysterectomies in private hospitals.
• Weak and uneven regulatory enforcement: Price caps and quality standards vary widely across States.
E.g. The same cardiac stent procedure shows 3–5x price variation across private hospitals.
• Erosion of public health infrastructure: Public funds flow to private reimbursements instead of strengthening government facilities.
E.g. PM-JAY reimbursements often bypass underfunded district hospitals.
• Commercialisation of medical education: High fees distort career choices away from public service and primary care.
E.g. Private MBBS seats costing ₹40 lakh–₹1 crore push doctors toward high-paying urban specialisations.
Way Ahead:
• Rebuild public health as the primary provider: Increase public health spending to at least 3% of GDP with priority to government facilities.
E.g. Countries with strong public systems (UK, Thailand) show lower OOPE.
• Strengthen primary care first: Treat most illnesses locally to reduce dependence on expensive tertiary care.
E.g. Ayushman Arogya Mandirs can address 80–90% of disease burden if fully staffed.
• Tighten regulation of private providers: Enforce Standard Treatment Guidelines, audits, and transparent pricing.
• Reorient insurance schemes toward public hospitals: Use PM-JAY funds to upgrade government infrastructure instead of passive purchasing.
• Reform medical education and workforce policy: Cap fees, mandate rural service, and prioritise skill-based clinical training.
Conclusion:
Privatisation can only be a supporting instrument, not the foundation of public health. Unchecked market logic deepens inequality and weakens state capacity. India’s health future depends on a strong public system with a tightly regulated private complement.
Q. “India’s health transition is exposing the limits of a hospital-centric model of care.” Explain the nature of this transition and analyse the governance challenges it poses. Suggest a reorientation towards preventive and primary healthcare. (10 M)
#### UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 7 January 2026 GS GS Paper 3:
Grasslands and Climate Change 2026
Source: TH
Subject: Environment
Context: The United Nations has declared 2026 as the International Year for Rangelands and Pastoralists, renewing global attention on grasslands.
• Recent climate negotiations continue to prioritise forests, prompting debate on why grasslands must be integrated into national climate plans and NDCs.
About Grasslands and Climate Change 2026:
What are grasslands?
• Grasslands are open ecosystems dominated by grasses, with few or no trees, found across savannahs, steppes, prairies, and rangelands.
• They cover ~40% of Earth’s land surface and support pastoral livelihoods, wildlife, and soil-based carbon storage.
Why grasslands matter in climate action?
• Stable carbon sinks through underground sequestration: Nearly 90% of grassland carbon is stored below ground in deep root systems, protecting it from surface disturbances unlike forest biomass.
E.g. Stanford University (2025) found grassland soil carbon uptake rose by 8% under higher CO₂, while forest soils showed no comparable gain.
• Fire resilience and carbon permanence: Forest fires release most stored carbon instantly, whereas grassland fires leave soil carbon intact, allowing rapid ecological recovery.
E.g. Western US prairie studies (2024–25) show grasslands remain net carbon sinks even under frequent fire regimes.
• Natural climate cooling via albedo effect: Grasslands reflect more solar radiation than dark forest canopies, reducing local heat absorption and surface warming.
E.g. IPBES Land Report (2025) highlights grasslands’ cooling role in semi-arid climate zones.
• Hydrological regulation and drought buffering: Dense grass roots act as sponges, improving groundwater recharge and reducing runoff during extreme rainfall events.
E.g. Senegal’s National Adaptation Plan (2025) restored 2 million hectares of grasslands in the Ferlo Reserve to curb drought–flood cycles.
Global policy bias: forests over grasslands
• Forest-centric climate finance architecture: Global climate funds disproportionately target forests, sidelining grasslands despite comparable mitigation potential. E.g. COP30 (Belém, Brazil) focused heavily on forests through the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF).
• Institutional silos across UN conventions: Climate (UNFCCC), biodiversity (CBD), and desertification (UNCCD) operate separately, fragmenting grassland governance.
E.g. Grasslands receive stronger recognition under UNCCD COP16 (Saudi Arabia) than under UNFCCC negotiations.
• Exclusion from Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs): Most countries mention forests explicitly in NDCs while ignoring grasslands as carbon sinks.
E.g. India’s NDC targets 2.5–3 billion tonnes CO₂ sink via forests, omitting grasslands.
• Misclassification as “wastelands”: Productive grasslands are officially labelled as degraded land, legitimising conversion.
E.g. India’s Wasteland Atlas historically included grazing commons and savannah ecosystems.
Implications of declining grasslands:
• Accelerated biodiversity loss: Open-habitat species face “extinction by afforestation” when trees replace grasslands.
E.g. Brazil’s Cerrado loses grassland area twice as fast as the Amazon, threatening endemic fauna.
• Weakened climate resilience: Degraded grasslands increase vulnerability to desertification and flash floods.
E.g. Australia’s desert rangelands (2024–25) show rising flood–drought volatility due to invasive buffel grass.
• Loss of pollination services: Grasslands support pollinators critical to global food systems.
E.g. FAO estimates grassland-dependent pollinators support ~35% of global crop production.
• Displacement of pastoral and indigenous communities: Conversion restricts mobility and traditional livelihoods.
E.g. Charanka Solar Park, Gujarat (2025) displaced semi-nomadic herders by fencing grassland commons.
The way forward:
• Recognise grasslands as Open Natural Ecosystems (ONEs): Shift policy language from “wastelands” to ecologically valuable systems.
E.g. India (2026) moving toward ONE classification in land-use planning.
• Integrate grasslands into NDCs: Explicit inclusion unlocks climate finance and policy priority.
E.g. Brazilian researchers (2025) urged inclusion of Cerrado grasslands in national NDC updates.
• Adopt ecosystem-based climate planning: Balance forests, grasslands, wetlands, and mangroves in mitigation strategies.
E.g. WWF–IUCN report (COP30) recommended cross-biome carbon accounting.
• Secure community land rights and governance: Indigenous stewardship improves ecological outcomes.
E.g. Indigenous Desert Alliance (Australia) uses cultural burning to protect desert grasslands.
• Incentivise sustainable grazing and PES models: Reward soil carbon enhancement through pastoral practices.
E.g. India’s proposed National Rangeland Utilisation Policy (2025–26) aims to restore 120 million hectares.
Conclusion:
Grasslands are not empty lands but climate-critical ecosystems storing carbon, sustaining biodiversity, and supporting livelihoods. A forest-only climate strategy is scientifically incomplete and socially unjust. Integrating grasslands into NDCs and climate finance is essential for credible, resilient, and inclusive climate action.
Q6. Why is restoring grasslands as ecosystems as important as reforesting degraded woodlands? What are the barriers to grassland conservation in India? Propose measures to mainstream grassland ecology in forest planning. (15 M)
#### UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 7 January 2026 Content for Mains Enrichment (CME)
Centre imposes norms for AI-based cancer detection
Context: The Centre has brought AI-based cancer detection and diagnostic software under formal regulation, classifying them as Class C medical devices.
About Centre imposes norms for AI-based cancer detection:
What it is?
• The government, through the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), has mandated that AI-powered software used for cancer detection and diagnosis (via X-rays, CT scans, medical imaging, etc.) will be regulated on par with medical devices.
• These tools are now classified as Class C medical devices, meant for moderate-to-high risk products.
Key features:
• Mandatory regulatory approval before widespread clinical use.
• Safety validation and performance evaluation to verify diagnostic accuracy.
• Quality management standards applicable to developers and manufacturers.
• Post-market surveillance and compulsory reporting of adverse events affecting patient safety.
• Periodic review of risk classification as AI technologies evolve.
Relevance for UPSC examination
• GS Paper II – Governance & Social Justice
• Regulation of emerging technologies in public health governance. Role of statutory regulators like CDSCO in protecting citizen welfare.
• Regulation of emerging technologies in public health governance.
• Role of statutory regulators like CDSCO in protecting citizen welfare.
• GS Paper III – Science & Technology
• Artificial Intelligence in healthcare: opportunities, risks, and regulation. Balancing innovation with patient safety and ethical considerations.
• Artificial Intelligence in healthcare: opportunities, risks, and regulation.
• Balancing innovation with patient safety and ethical considerations.
• Ethics (GS Paper IV)
• Ethical issues in AI: accountability, transparency, bias, and informed consent in medical decision-making.
• Ethical issues in AI: accountability, transparency, bias, and informed consent in medical decision-making.
#### UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 7 January 2026 Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)
Source: PIB
Subject: Polity
Context: The 79th Foundation Day of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) was celebrated, where Union Minister highlighted BIS’s shift from a regulatory to a facilitative approach, aligned with ease of doing business and quality culture.
About Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS):
What it is?
• BIS is India’s National Standards Body, responsible for standardisation, certification, hallmarking, and quality assurance of goods and services to protect consumers and enhance global competitiveness.
Established in:
• 1987 (came into force on 1 April 1987)
• Currently governed under the BIS Act, 2016
Headquarters: New Delhi
History:
• 1947: Indian Standards Institution (ISI) established (origin traced to a 1946 memorandum).
• 1952–56: ISI Certification Marks Scheme launched (ISI mark).
• 1987: ISI transformed into BIS with wider powers.
• 2016: BIS Act, 2016 strengthened mandate, consumer participation, and global alignment.
Core functions:
• Standards formulation (over 23,300 Indian Standards across traditional & emerging sectors).
• Product certification (including fast-track licensing).
• Compulsory Registration Scheme & Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme.
• Hallmarking of precious metals.
• Laboratory services & recognition; testing infrastructure.
• Consumer awareness & training; sale of Indian Standards; information services.
New initiatives launched:
• Beta launch of BIS Standardisation Portal: End-to-end digital lifecycle for standards (proposal → publication), with dashboards, role-based access, faster timelines, and transparency.
• SHINE – Standards Help Inform & Nurture Empowered Women: Women-centric capacity building via SHGs/NGOs, positioning women as quality ambassadors in communities.
• BIS–SAKSHAM (Annual Excellence Recognition Scheme): Institutional recognition of knowledge, skills, and high-impact merit.
Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC)
Source: NIE
Subject: Government Scheme
Context: Online ticket booking for 170+ centrally protected monuments and museums has been enabled by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) platform.
About Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC):
What it is?
• ONDC is an open, interoperable digital network that enables buying and selling of goods and services across platforms using open protocols, without platform monopolies.
Launched in: April 2022
Ministry:
• Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT)
• Ministry of Commerce and Industry
• Democratise digital commerce by breaking platform silos.
• Create a level playing field for sellers (especially MSMEs), buyers, and service providers.
• Promote inclusivity, competition, innovation, and cost efficiency in e-commerce.
How ONDC works?
• ONDC functions as a decentralised digital network, not a central marketplace. It does not own listings, control sellers, or process orders; instead, it connects independent platforms through common digital rules.
• Using open protocols and standardised APIs, any buyer app can discover products or services listed on any seller app across the network, regardless of the company that built the app. Once a buyer places an order, different specialised participants handle each part of the transaction. Buyer Applications provide the customer interface for search, price comparison, and ordering. Seller Applications manage product catalogues, inventory, pricing, and order confirmation. Logistics Providers handle pickup, delivery, and tracking across regions. Technology Enablers supply the digital infrastructure, integrations, and tools.
• Buyer Applications provide the customer interface for search, price comparison, and ordering.
• Seller Applications manage product catalogues, inventory, pricing, and order confirmation.
• Logistics Providers handle pickup, delivery, and tracking across regions.
• Technology Enablers supply the digital infrastructure, integrations, and tools.
• Because all participants follow the same open standards, any ONDC-compliant app can seamlessly discover, connect, and transact with any other, ensuring interoperability, competition, and freedom of choice for users.
Domains covered so far:
Category Group | Category Group | Category Group
Food & Beverage | Beauty & Personal Care | Mobility (auto, cabs, flights, metro)
Grocery | Health & Wellness | Financial Services (credit, insurance, investments)
Fashion & Footwear | Gift Cards | Services (skilled & subscription-based)
Home & Kitchen | Electronics | Agriculture (inputs, outputs, services)
ONEST – Education & Training | — | —
Constitutional duty of the Election Commission of India
Source: NIE
Subject: Polity
Context: The Election Commission of India (ECI) told the Supreme Court of India that Article 324 grants it constitutional control over the preparation of electoral rolls, including the power to conduct Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
About Constitutional duty of the Election Commission of India:
What it is?
• The ECI is a constitutional authority entrusted with ensuring free, fair, and credible elections in India.
• A core constitutional obligation of the ECI is to maintain the purity of the electoral process, which includes ensuring that only eligible Indian citizens are enrolled as voters.
Constitutional articles associated with the Election Commission:
• Article 324 – Superintendence, direction and control of elections Vests the ECI with complete control over the preparation of electoral rolls and conduct of elections to Parliament, State Legislatures, and the offices of President and Vice-President. Forms the constitutional basis for exercises like Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
• Vests the ECI with complete control over the preparation of electoral rolls and conduct of elections to Parliament, State Legislatures, and the offices of President and Vice-President.
• Forms the constitutional basis for exercises like Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
• Article 325 – One general electoral roll Mandates a single electoral roll for each constituency. Prohibits discrimination in voter inclusion on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, etc.
• Mandates a single electoral roll for each constituency.
• Prohibits discrimination in voter inclusion on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, etc.
• Article 326 – Adult suffrage Restricts the right to vote to Indian citizens aged 18 years and above, subject to lawful disqualifications. Makes citizenship a foundational requirement of voter registration.
• Restricts the right to vote to Indian citizens aged 18 years and above, subject to lawful disqualifications.
• Makes citizenship a foundational requirement of voter registration.
• Article 327 – Parliamentary power over elections Empowers Parliament to make laws on elections, including preparation of electoral rolls, but subject to Article 324, preserving ECI’s operational control.
• Empowers Parliament to make laws on elections, including preparation of electoral rolls, but subject to Article 324, preserving ECI’s operational control.
• Article 328 – State legislature powers Allows States to legislate on elections where Parliament has not acted, again within the constitutional framework.
• Allows States to legislate on elections where Parliament has not acted, again within the constitutional framework.
Significance of ECI’s constitutional duty:
• Safeguards electoral integrity by preventing inclusion of ineligible persons.
• Ensures citizenship-based franchise, a core feature of Indian democracy.
• Balances autonomy of the ECI with legislative oversight, preventing executive overreach.
Mpemba Effect
Source: News on Air
Subject: Science and Technology
Context: Indian scientists have developed the first supercomputer-powered simulation that successfully captures the Mpemba effect, resolving a long-standing scientific paradox of hot water freezing faster than cold.
About Mpemba Effect:
What it is?
• The Mpemba effect refers to the counterintuitive phenomenon where hot water freezes faster than cold water under specific experimental conditions.
• Named after Erasto Mpemba, a Tanzanian student who reported it scientifically in 1969, though it was noted earlier by Aristotle, Bacon, and Descartes.
How it works?
• The Mpemba effect occurs because water’s behaviour is shaped by more than just its temperature. When water is heated, its physical and molecular state changes, which can influence how it freezes later. Evaporation: Hot water loses some mass as vapour, so less water remains to freeze, speeding up the process. Dissolved gases: Heating drives out dissolved gases, subtly changing the water’s freezing characteristics. Convection currents: Temperature gradients in hot water create internal circulation that enhances heat loss. Supercooling: Hot water may begin freezing at a higher temperature than cold water, allowing it to solidify sooner. Environmental effects: Hot containers can alter their surroundings, improving overall cooling efficiency.
• Evaporation: Hot water loses some mass as vapour, so less water remains to freeze, speeding up the process.
• Dissolved gases: Heating drives out dissolved gases, subtly changing the water’s freezing characteristics.
• Convection currents: Temperature gradients in hot water create internal circulation that enhances heat loss.
• Supercooling: Hot water may begin freezing at a higher temperature than cold water, allowing it to solidify sooner.
• Environmental effects: Hot containers can alter their surroundings, improving overall cooling efficiency.
• Since these factors vary with conditions, no single mechanism explains the effect universally; different processes dominate in different situations.
Applications:
• Advances understanding of non-equilibrium physics and phase transitions.
• Improves climate and cryosphere modelling, including ice formation processes.
• Relevant to industrial freezing, food processing, and materials science.
• Demonstrates the power of supercomputing in resolving classical scientific paradoxes.
Indian Railways becomes the biggest electrified rail system globally
Source: News on Air
Subject: Economy
Context: Indian Railways has become the largest electrified rail network in the world, with about 99.2% of its broad-gauge network electrified by November 2025.
About Indian Railways becomes the biggest electrified rail system globally:
What it is?
• Indian Railways is India’s national transporter, operating one of the world’s largest rail networks.
• It has now achieved near-complete electrification of its broad-gauge routes, surpassing other major global railway systems.
Initiative under: Mission 100% Railway Electrification
Launched in:
• The electrification drive began historically in 1925, but Mission-mode acceleration was undertaken post-2014.
• Eliminate diesel traction and shift to cleaner electric traction.
• Reduce carbon emissions, fuel import dependence, and operating costs.
• Improve speed, reliability, and efficiency of train operations.
Key features:
• 99.2% electrification of ~70,000 route km broad-gauge network (as of Nov 2025).
• Electrification pace increased from 1.42 km/day (2004–14) to 15+ km/day (2019–25).
• 25 States/UTs fully electrified; only ~0.8% network pending.
• Massive renewable integration: Solar capacity expanded from 3.68 MW (2014) to 898 MW (2025).
• Adoption of modern technologies like Automatic Wiring Trains and mechanised OHE foundations.
Significance:
• Major reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.
• Electric traction is ~70% cheaper than diesel, lowering operating costs.
• Reduced dependence on imported fossil fuels; increased use of renewables.
Biomaterials India
Source: TH
Subject: Science and Technology
Context: India’s focus on Biomanufacturing and Bio-foundry has reached a climax in early 2026 with the operationalization of massive PLA (Polylactic Acid) facilities.
About Biomaterials India:
What it is?
• Biomaterials are substances derived wholly or partly from biological sources (plants, fungi, bacteria) or engineered using biological processes (fermentation) to replace or interact with conventional, petroleum-based materials.
• They are designed to be either chemically identical to existing materials or entirely novel with unique biodegradable properties.
Origin and Production:
• They originate from renewable feedstocks such as sugarcane, maize, agricultural residues, and even waste like temple flowers or seafood shells.
• Microorganisms like bacteria (Xanthomonas) or fungi are often used in fermentation vessels to convert sugars into building blocks like lactic acid, which is then polymerized into solid materials.
Categories and Types:
• Drop-in Biomaterials: These are the plug-and-play versions. They are chemically identical to petroleum-based plastics (like Bio-PET). Their biggest advantage is that they can be used in existing manufacturing lines without any machinery upgrades.
• These are the plug-and-play versions. They are chemically identical to petroleum-based plastics (like Bio-PET).
• Their biggest advantage is that they can be used in existing manufacturing lines without any machinery upgrades.
• Drop-out Biomaterials: These are chemically unique alternatives, such as PLA (Polylactic Acid). While they replace traditional plastics, they require separate end-of-life systems, like industrial composting facilities, because they don’t mix with standard plastic recycling streams.
• These are chemically unique alternatives, such as PLA (Polylactic Acid).
• While they replace traditional plastics, they require separate end-of-life systems, like industrial composting facilities, because they don’t mix with standard plastic recycling streams.
• Novel Biomaterials: These are the super-materials of the future. They possess properties nature didn’t intend for industrial use, such as self-healing composites for construction or 3D-printed bioactive scaffolds that help human bones regrow.
• These are the super-materials of the future. They possess properties nature didn’t intend for industrial use, such as self-healing composites for construction or 3D-printed bioactive scaffolds that help human bones regrow.
Key Characteristics:
• Renewability: They utilize a “current” carbon cycle; crops absorb CO2 while growing, which offsets the carbon released during production.
• Biocompatibility: Many biomaterials are non-toxic and “immune-silent,” allowing them to be used inside the human body for stents or drug delivery without rejection.
• Tunability: Through genetic engineering of microbes, scientists can “program” the strength, flexibility, or degradation rate of the material.
• Biodegradability: Unlike microplastics that persist for centuries, many biomaterials can be broken down by bacteria into water and CO2 within months under the right conditions.
• Composite Potential: They can be combined (like lignin and cellulose in wood) to create high-strength, lightweight materials for the automotive and aerospace industries.
Applications:
• Packaging: Single-use plastic bans are being met with seaweed-based or corn-starch-based wrappers.
• Agriculture: Mulch films that farmers can simply plow back into the soil after the harvest.
• Healthcare: Dissolvable sutures and tissue engineering.
• Textiles: Vegan leather made from mushroom mycelium.
#### UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 7 January 2026 Species in news:
Remarkable New Species Discovered in India in 2025
Source: MB
Subject: Species in news
Context: In December 2025, scientists in India announced several significant new species discoveries, spanning from the high-altitude Eastern Himalayas to the rainforests of the Western Ghats.
About Remarkable New Species Discovered in India in 2025:
Bridgeoporus kanadii (A “Colossal” Fungi)
• What it is? A “colossal” new species of macro fungi characterized by thick, leathery, and massive fruiting bodies.
• A “colossal” new species of macro fungi characterized by thick, leathery, and massive fruiting bodies.
• Found in: The West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh, specifically growing on old-growth Abies (fir) trees.
• Features: It is remarkably sturdy and large; the lead researcher noted it was strong enough for a person to sit on while remaining firmly attached to the tree.
Rhinophis siruvaniensis (Siruvani Shieldtail Snake)
• What it is? A new species of non-venomous, burrowing shieldtail snake belonging to the Uropeltidae family.
• A new species of non-venomous, burrowing shieldtail snake belonging to the Uropeltidae family.
• Found in: The Siruvani Hills of the Western Ghats in the Palakkad district of Kerala.
• Features: It is a fossorial (burrowing) snake with a specialized tail shield used for digging and defense in high-rainfall rainforest habitats.
Neelus sikkimensis (High-Altitude Springtail)
• What it is? A tiny, wingless arthropod known as a “springtail” (Collembola), marking the first record of the genus Neelus in India.
• A tiny, wingless arthropod known as a “springtail” (Collembola), marking the first record of the genus Neelus in India.
• Found in: The high-altitude, cold-desert soils of Sikkim in the Eastern Himalayas.
• Features: Like other springtails, it possesses a “furcula,” a tail-like jumping organ that allows it to spring away from predators.
• Significance: Identified by ZSI scientists, this discovery expands the global count of known Neelus species to just eight.
Parasynnemellisia khasiana (Bamboo Forest Fungus)
• What it is? A completely new genus and species of fungus that did not fit into any existing biological classification.
• Found in: The dense, humid bamboo forests around Mawsynram in the Khasi Hills, Meghalaya.
• Features: It is uniquely adapted to one of the wettest environments on Earth and grows specifically in association with bamboo ecosystems.
Dolomedes indicus (The Indian Fishing Spider)
• What it is? The first confirmed instance of a “fishing spider” discovered in India.
• The first confirmed instance of a “fishing spider” discovered in India.
• Found in: Streams and rainforests of Wayanad and Lakkidi in Kerala’s Western Ghats.
• Features: These spiders are semi-aquatic and capable of “skating” on water surfaces to hunt small fish and aquatic insects.
Ophiorrhiza mizoramensis (Mizoram Coffee-Family Plant)
• What it is? A new species of flowering shrub belonging to the Rubiaceae (coffee) family.
• A new species of flowering shrub belonging to the Rubiaceae (coffee) family.
• Found in: Murlen National Park, Mizoram, near the Indo-Myanmar border.
• Features: It grows up to one meter high and produces striking dark purplish-pink tubular flowers with uniquely structured stigma lobes.
• Significance: Provisionally assessed as “Critically Endangered,” with fewer than 200 mature individuals found in the wild.
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