Prelims Focus 4th September 2025

04/09/2025

79 3 minutes read

Vikram Chip

In News: India’s first indigenous chip, named the Vikram 32-bit microprocessor, is a fully indigenous semiconductor chip developed by ISRO’s Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL) in Chandigarh and the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre. It was unveiled at Semicon India 2025 and presented to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This chip is designed specifically for space applications, capable of withstanding the harsh environmental conditions of rocket launches and space missions. It represents a significant milestone in India’s push to become a global semiconductor hub and marks the country’s transition from being just a consumer to a creator of cutting-edge semiconductor technology.

Key Details about Vikram Chip

It is a 32-bit microprocessor designed on a 180 nm CMOS process.
The chip supports floating-point arithmetic and has an Ada programming toolchain; a C compiler is under development.
It is primarily intended for use in launch-vehicle navigation, guidance, and control, with potential applications in satellites and planetary missions.
Vikram-32 is an advanced successor to ISRO’s earlier Vikram-1601 16-bit chip, which has been powering Indian launch vehicles since 2009.
The chip is space-grade, emphasizing radiation tolerance, deterministic behavior, and certifiability rather than just raw processing speed.
The processor has already been tested on the PSLV C60 mission, demonstrating its reliability in space conditions.

Strategic Importance

It marks a big leap in India’s semiconductor capability, aiming to reduce dependence on imported chips, especially for critical sectors like space technology.
The launch reflects the rapid growth of semiconductor infrastructure in India under the India Semiconductor Mission started in 2021.
Multiple semiconductor manufacturing units and projects have been approved in India, signaling the nation’s ambition to become a global semiconductor manufacturing and design hub.

Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS)

In News: The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) organized a one-day national workshop on the e-SAKSHI web portal and mobile application for the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) on September 2, 2025, at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

The workshop aimed to familiarize the personal staff of Members of Parliament with the features, functionalities, and benefits of the e-SAKSHI portal and mobile app, which provide an integrated digital platform for MPs to digitally recommend, monitor, and track MPLADS projects.
The e-SAKSHI portal streamlines the MPLADS processes by eliminating paperwork, offering real-time updates, enabling MPs to recommend works digitally, and allowing citizens to suggest projects.
It also includes an ex-MP module for uploading offline work recommendations made after April 1, 2023, ensuring continuity and respect for past recommendations.
The workshop saw participation from over 800 personal staff of MPs from across India and included technical sessions with live demonstrations and Q&A.

Senna spectabilis

In News: In Wayanad, Kerala, India’s first community-led, science-based eradication of Senna spectabilis has cleared 383 acres of invaded forest.

In Kerala, Senna spectabilis was introduced in the 1980s.
It has overrun the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, suffocating native flora and wildlife prey.
Tropical regions of South America (Brazil, Peru, etc.) are the native habitat.
Decorative use: widely planted for its beautiful yellow blooms (avenue and garden tree).
Invasive species in India: It was brought here as an ornamental plant, but it has since spread throughout the Western Ghats, Kerala, and other parts of the nation.
Concerns: Senna creates dense, lifeless thickets that choke out native flora, change the chemical makeup of the soil, and starve herbivores.
- From Andhra Pradesh, Goa, and sections of Maharashtra, there are reports of Senna proliferation.
- These areas, according to conservationists, may replicate South India’s errors if action is not taken right away.

Exercise MAITREE-XIV

In News: In Meghalaya, the 14th iteration of the joint military exercise between India and Thailand, MAITREE-XIV, got underway.

This year, the emphasis is on counterterrorism at the business level in semi-urban environments under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.
The training modules cover physical endurance, raid operations, weapons skills, joint planning, and tactical drills.
Exercise MAITREE, which was established in 2006, continues to be a cornerstone of bilateral defense collaboration, highlighting the mutual dedication of India and Thailand to regional peace, security, and stability.