Science & Technology Current Affairs MCQs

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The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the LVM3-M5 rocket from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota at 5:35 pm. The rocket carried CMS-03, India’s heaviest communication satellite weighing 4,400 kilograms. It was the fifth operational flight of the Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3) launcher. CMS-03 was launched into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). The satellite will provide multi-band communication services across India and nearby ocean regions. It will enhance secure data, voice, and video connectivity for civilian and strategic applications. The mission highlights India’s capability in heavy satellite launches and strengthens its communication network.

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In a historic milestone, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled NexCAR19, India’s first indigenous CAR-T Cell Therapy, at the Emerging Science, Technology & Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) 2025 in Delhi. It is developed by ImmunoACT, an IIT Bombay spin-off. It is supported by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC). NexCAR19 is the world’s first humanised CAR-T therapy, truly “Made in India, for the world.” CAR-T Cell Therapy is an immunotherapy that reprograms a patient’s immune cells to fight blood cancers like Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL).

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In November 2025, Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a Joint Venture (JV) under the Ministry of Power (MoP), announced India’s largest Geothermal Energy Technology (GET) pilot project in Andhra Pradesh (AP). The project will be implemented at two tourism hubs — Araku Valley and Visakhapatnam (Vizag). It uses geothermal systems like Earth Air Tunnel (EAT) Systems and Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP). The system works by using the earth’s constant underground temperature at a depth of 7–8 meters (m) for eco-friendly heating and cooling. The technology has a short payback period of 3–4 years, ideal for hotels and tourism infrastructure.

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The Assam Government recently banned inter-district movement of live pigs to stop the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF), a rising concern in the region. African Swine Fever (ASF) is a highly contagious and deadly viral disease affecting pigs and wild boar, with mortality up to 90–100%. It is not zoonotic, meaning it does not infect humans or other livestock. First found in sub-Saharan Africa, ASF is now present across Europe, Asia and Africa, with India reporting its first cases in 2020 in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

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Skyroot Aerospace inaugurated its Infinity Campus in Hyderabad and virtually unveiled Vikram-I, India’s first private commercial orbital rocket. Vikram-I is capable of placing satellites into Earth orbit. This launch marks a major milestone for India’s growing private space sector. The private space sector in India was opened to entrepreneurs three years ago. The development highlights rising startup participation in advanced space technology. It reflects India’s shift toward innovation-driven and private-led space missions.

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Researchers at Indian Institute of Technology Madras developed India’s first Indigenous Vessel Traffic Management System (VTMS) for ports. The system was built by the National Technology Centre for Ports, Waterways and Coasts (NTCPWC) as per guidelines of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoSPW), Government of India. It gives India full control over source code, data, and vessel movement information, ensuring high maritime security. The VTMS is cost-effective, secure, scalable, and easy to maintain.

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The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is declared over after 42 days without new cases, confirmed by Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) health officials and the World Health Organization (WHO). Ebola, caused by orthoebolaviruses, first discovered in 1976 in DRC near the Ebola River, leads to severe hemorrhagic fever with internal bleeding. It spreads from wild animals like fruit bats and non-human primates, and among humans through direct contact with infected body fluids, not through air.

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Ten blackbucks died in Jamshedpur Zoological Park, Jharkhand due to suspected Haemorrhagic Septicaemia (HS). Haemorrhagic Septicaemia (HS) is also called Pasteurellosis and is caused by Pasteurella multocida bacteria. It mainly affects cattle and buffaloes, with young animals more vulnerable. Bacteria survive longer in humid and waterlogged conditions. It spreads through contaminated food, water, air and direct contact.

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Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) has hosted ATMAN 3.0, an eight-week Health Technology (HealthTech) accelerator programme. The programme is conducted by the Technology Innovation Hub (TIH) at IIT Bombay. ATMAN 3.0 is supported by the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST). It aims to transform early-stage HealthTech startups into investment-ready ventures. Thirteen startups were selected from 173 applicants after a competitive pitching process. Each selected startup can receive seed funding support of one crore rupees or more. The programme will conclude with a Demo Day on 9 January 2026 at Novotel, Mumbai International Airport.

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Researchers from Bose Institute, Kolkata, in collaboration with L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, have developed a peptide therapy for fungal keratitis, a severe infection of the cornea. They designed a 15-residue peptide, SA-XV, derived from the host-defense peptide S100A12, previously known to inhibit fungal growth. SA-XV acts by interacting with fungal cell walls and membranes, translocating into the cytoplasm, binding nuclear DNA to halt the cell cycle, and targeting mitochondria to induce apoptosis.