Prelims Focus 23rd September 2026

23/09/2026

22 3 minutes read

Kathakali Festival

In News: Kathakali Festival 2016, the 17th, was held under the auspices of Ministry of Culture, Government of India and Kalakshetra Foundation.

The meaning of Kathakali is “Katha” which means story and “Kali” which means play, in Malayalam.
The Kathakali style is said to have been developed in the 17th century in Kerala, India.
Devotion, drama, dance, costumes, make-up and a story that mostly uses hand and facial gestures and expressions are used in Kathakali to retell the great stories of the past.
The Kathakali performances are based on Attakatha literature, and emphasize eye movements, rhythmic footwork, body movements and expression.
The music is in the style of Sopana/Abhinaya Sangeetham, accompanied by instruments such as Chenda, Maddalam, Chengila and Ilathalam.
The singers are called Ponnani and Shinkidi.
Traditionally, Kathakali has been performed overnight, but is often staged as shorter performances.
Usually a performance by a man, women also perform Kathakali at different levels.

CCTV Surveillance at Medical Stores

In News: Union health ministry has put forward the idea of installation of CCTV in retail medical stores and asked for recording for three months in each store.

The proposal aims to stop the misuse and unauthorised distribution of Schedule H, H1 and X medicines, which are used for treating certain diseases, such as antibiotics, psychotropic drugs and other prescription-only medicines.
The measure specifically intends to curb the sale of those medicines to minors without prescriptions and helps reduce prescription-drug misuse.
The Drugs Consultative Committee (DCC) has also recommended the establishment of a centralised Management Information System (MIS)/drug portal to collect pertinent information related to the sale of prescription medicines.
The CCTV would mainly be used to check transactions where there is a complaint or suspected violations.

Rozgar Mela

In News: National Rozgar Mela (NRM) 20 gave appointment letters to 51,000 youth who have been inducted into government departments and organisations.

The National Rozgar Mela is a government initiative that has been launched for quick recruitment to Government posts and to fill up the vacancies in the Ministries, Departments and government organisations.
It aims at the empowerment of young people, timely recruitment and employment and enhancing human resource capabilities in government institutions.
This program started in 2022.

Exercise NOMADIC ELEPHANT

In News: India-Mongolia Joint Military Exercise NOMADIC ELEPHANT began at the Foreign Training Node (FTN), Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand.

Since 2006, the bilateral military exercise has been held alternately in the states of India and Mongolia under the name NOMADIC ELEPHANT. This will be the fourth time the same exercise has been conducted since the first in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia in 2025.
The exercise is designed to strengthen the joint military capability of both parties to conduct Counter-Insurgency Operations in semi-urban and mountainous areas, within the framework of the UN Mandate.

Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM-AJAY)

In News: Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM-AJAY) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme implemented by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. Launched in FY 2021-22, it aims to reduce poverty, generate employment through skill development, and improve infrastructure in Scheduled Caste (SC) dominated areas

About PM-AJAY

The Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM-AJAY) is a central scheme launched in 2021–22 by the Government of India for the socio-economic upliftment of Scheduled Caste (SC) communities.

Overview and Objectives

Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
Core Aim: Reduce poverty, create jobs, and improve living standards for SC populations.
Key Goal: Upgrade infrastructure and basic services in villages with a high SC population.

Merged Schemes

The initiative combines three older central programs into one unified framework for better resource use:

Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAGY)
Special Central Assistance to Scheduled Castes Sub Plan (SCA to SCSP)
Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatrawas Yojana (BJRCY)

Partners for Multilateralism (P4M)

In News: On September 21, 2026, India officially joined the Partners for Multilateralism (P4M) coalition as an initial co-sponsor. India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar, co-chaired the inaugural P4M Summit held on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session in New York.

What is the P4M Grouping?

The Partners for Multilateralism (P4M) is a newly formed, “non-superpower” coalition composed of middle powers, regional organisations, and nations from the Global South.

The Goal: To defend international law, bridge rising geopolitical divides, and drive structural reforms in global governance (including the UN Security Council) away from traditional superpower rivalries.
The Origin: The framework was originally spearheaded by the European Union, Brazil, Canada, and Kenya. It heavily draws inspiration from the Carney Doctrine—a concept advocating for middle-power solidarity to safeguard global cooperation when superpowers clash.
Key Members & Co-Sponsors: The European Union, Brazil, Canada, Kenya, India, Australia, and Barbados.