Prelims Focus 9th December 2025

11th India International Science Festival (IISF)

In News: The 11th India international science festival (IISF) opened at Panchkula, Haryana.

• International Science Festival of India (ISF) was introduced in 2015 and since then has consolidated as a significant hub of scientific exchange, innovation, outreach, and engagement with the general public, steadily growing over time by adding to each edition diverse programmes, massive participation, and landmark initiatives.
• Theme: IISF 2025 has a theme Vigyan Se Samruddhi: for Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
• IISF 2025 aims at five themes in general:
  • Technology and Ecology of North-West India and the Himalayan Region;
  • Science to Society and Education;
  • Atmanirbhar Bharat in terms of Science and Technology;
  • Biotechnology and Bio-economy; and
  • The combination of Traditional Knowledge with Modern Science.

Shyok Tunnel

In News: Defence Minister launched Shyok Tunnel in eastern Ladakh and 124 other strategic border infrastructures.

• Shyok Tunnel is the 920-metre cut-and-cover tunnel.
• It would have critical strategic importance because it would offer all weather connectivity to parts of eastern Ladakh near the LAC, where India and China had been engaged in a military confrontation between 2020-2024 before both parties mutually declared their desire to de-escalate all sources of friction along the border.
• It will also probably eliminate the reliance on air services, as well as address logistical problems in the challenging topographies.
• It is constructed in one of the most difficult and challenging landscape in the world.

Measles Crisis

In News: The measles vaccine is approximately 97% effective with two doses and 93% with one dose, yet coverage gaps persist. In 2024, only 84% of children worldwide received the first dose, and 76% got both, leaving millions vulnerable, especially in low-income regions like Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean . This under-vaccination, exacerbated by pandemic disruptions and weak health systems, led to about 11 million cases and 95,000 deaths, mostly among unvaccinated children under five .

Key Factors

• Low coverage: Over 30 million children missed vaccines in 2024, nearly tripling large outbreaks from 2021 levels.
• Regional disparities: Deaths dropped 88% since 2000 due to vaccination averting 59 million lives, but cases rose in middle-income areas.
• Health system issues: Funding cuts and access barriers prevent reaching remote or underserved populations 

Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme

In News: The Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme continues to broaden its impact, as highlighted by the Minister of State for Food Processing Industries, who recently noted significant advancements in its core components as of October 31, 2025.

About the Scheme: 

The Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme, launched in 2020 by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, supports unorganized micro food processors by providing financial, technical, and business aid to formalize and scale operations. With a Rs. 10,000 crore outlay over five years (2020-25), it targets 2 lakh enterprises, emphasizing a cluster-based “One District One Product” (ODOP) approach to leverage local produce and reduce wastage.

Objectives

• Enhance competitiveness through technology upgrades, branding, and marketing support.
• Promote employment, especially for women via Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), and cooperatives.
• Build common infrastructure like cold storage and incubation centers.

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