Recently, Union Government has notified appointment of 4 Additional Judges for the Bombay High Court for a period of 2 years.

About Additional Judges of High Courts

• Appointed by: President of India under Article 224 (1).
• Tenure: Such Period, not exceeding 2 years, as President may specify.
  • Shall not hold office after attaining the age of 62 years.
• Reasons for appointment: If it appears to the President that the number of the Judges of that Court should be for the time being increased due to any temporary increase in the business of a High Court or by reason of arrears of work therein.

Recently, Delhi High Court said that National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) is not empowered to investigate or issue any directions in the nature of a civil or criminal court.

About NCSC

• It is a Constitutional body under Article 338 of the Constitution.
• Composition: Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson, and three other members, appointed by the President of India.
• Tenure: Hold office for a term of 3 years and shall not be eligible for appointment for more than 2 terms.
• Functions 
  • To investigate and monitor all matters relating to the constitutional and other legal safeguards for the SCs.
  • To inquire into specific complaints with respect to the deprivation of rights and safeguards of the SCs.

India is set to build its first convective cloud chamber at Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune under ‘Mission Mausam'.

• Mission Mausam was launched to improve weather forecasting in the country but also ‘manage’ certain weather events such as rainfall, hail, fogs etc.

About Cloud chamber

• A cloud chamber is a closed cylinder where water vapor and aerosols are injected, allowing clouds to form under controlled humidity and temperature conditions.
• It will help in understanding of cloud physics under conditions typical of Indian weather systems.

International Snow Leopard Day was celebrated on October 23.

About Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia)

• Habitat: Mountains of Central and South Asia with 12 snow leopard range countries including India.
  • Snow leopard habitat in India includes UTs of Ladakh and J&K, and states such as Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh.
  • Their distribution coincides closely with distribution of their principal prey, ibex and blue sheep (bharal).
• It is the state animal of Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh.
• Characteristics: Have short forelimbs and long hind limbs for traversing in rugged mountainous environments.
• Conservation Status
  • IUCN: Vulnerable.
  • CITES: Appendix I.
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I.

Recently, Pink cocaine has been seized in many countries.

About Pink cocaine

• Also known as “tusi,” pink cocaine rarely contains cocaine, typically containing ketamine, a drug with entirely different effects.
• Pink cocaine also has hallucinogenic properties.
• Composition: Contains methamphetamine, ketamine, and MDMA tied together with a splash of dye. However, composition is uncertain.
• Health effects: Can cause heart attacks, high blood pressure, stroke, behavioural changes, addiction, anxiety, depression, psychosis, etc.

Vaccine ZyVac TCV received WHO prequalification status, making it eligible for United Nations procurement programs.

About ZyVac TCV

• It is a Typhoid Vi conjugate vaccine that provides active immunization against bacterium Salmonella typhi infection.
  • Conjugate vaccines are a type of subunit vaccine where antigens are linked to polysaccharides (from the outer coat of microbes) to stimulate immunity.
  • Subunit vaccine  only include specific components originating from disease-causing bacteria, parasites, or viruses
• It  is indigenously developed and manufactured by Zydus Lifesciences Ltd. 

Delhi signs MoU with Centre to implement PM-SHRI (PM Schools for Rising India) scheme.

About PM SHRI Scheme

• A centrally sponsored initiative, launched in 2022.
• Objective:  Setting up of More than 14500 PM SHRI Schools (PM Schools for Rising India) by strengthening the existing schools from amongst schools managed by Central government/State/UT Government/local bodies.

• It aligns with National Education Policy (2020). 

• Time Period: 2022-23 to 2026-27
• It is implemented through the existing administrative structure available for Samagra Shiksha, KVS & NVS.

Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment highlighted that impact of PM-YASASVI (PM Young Achievers Scholarship Award Scheme for Vibrant India) Initiative. 

About PM-YASASVI

• Objective: Streamline educational support for socially and economically disadvantaged students.
• It is an umbrella scheme that aims to provide quality education to students from Other Backward Classes, Economically Backward Classes, and Denotified Tribes.
• It subsumed earlier initiatives like Dr. Ambedkar Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme for EBCs and DNTs.