UPSC Prelims Current Affairs 17 Jan 2026: Chatham Islands, CSIR Skill Initiative, Womaniya & More (2026)

UPSC Prelims Current Affairs for 17 January 2026

Chatham Islands Latest News

A bloom of phytoplankton—tiny photosynthetic organisms that become visible to satellites when their numbers explode—encircled the Chatham Islands in austral summer recently.

About Chatham Islands

• It is an island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about 800 km east of New Zealand.
• These islands are New Zealand's most easterly territory.
• Composed of 10 islands, they are primarily of volcanic formation, but areas of limestone indicate that they may once have been part of New Zealand.
• Only the two main islands are inhabited: Chatham Island and Pitt Island.

** Chatham Island, the largest of the islands, has a high southern tableland flanked by towering cliffs and a gentle northern portion encompassing extensive waterways, low peatlands and long sandy beaches.
** Pitt Island has a heartland of forest and a coast of wild cliffs, headlands, and sandy beaches.
** Both islands are surrounded by a number of smaller islands, all within a radius of approximately 50 km.

• The Chatham Islands is the first inhabited place in the world to see the rising sun each day.
• The islands were first inhabited by Moriori, who named the islands 'Rekohu' – translated as 'misty skies' or 'misty sun'.
• European sealers and whalers were next to arrive, followed by Māori from New Zealand, who named the islands 'Wharekauri'.
• Descendants of Moriori still reside on the Chatham Islands today.
• The total population in 2024 was estimated to be 720.
• The main settlement is Waitangi. Other settlements are Te One, Port Hutt, Kāingaroa, and Ōwenga.
• The economy of the Chatham Islands is heavily dependent on fishing, farming, and tourism.

Source: SCNASA (https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/blooming-seas-around-the-chatham-islands/)

Chatham Islands FAQs

Q1: Where are the Chatham Islands located?

Ans: The Chatham Islands are located in the South Pacific Ocean, about 800 km east of New Zealand.

Q2: Which country do the Chatham Islands belong to?

Ans: The Chatham Islands are New Zealand’s most easterly territory.

Q3: How many islands make up the Chatham Islands group?

Ans: The Chatham Islands group is composed of 10 islands.

Q4: Which two islands of the Chatham Islands are inhabited?

Ans: Chatham Island and Pitt Island are the only inhabited islands.

Q5: What is the main settlement of the Chatham Islands?

Ans: Waitangi is the main settlement.

CSIR Integrated Skill Initiative Latest News

CSIR Integrated Skill Initiative has trained more than 1.90 lakh individuals through 5200+ skill-based training.

About CSIR Integrated Skill Initiative

• It is a flagship national programme implemented by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
• It is aimed at bridging the gap between scientific research and industry requirements, and employable skills.
• Objective: To seamlessly integrate skill development with science and technology by leveraging CSIR’s vast research infrastructure, widespread network domains, and profound scientific expertise spread across the country.
• It provides inclusive accessibility, catering to a diverse spectrum of beneficiaries ranging from

** Students, young researchers, technical staff, and working professionals to school dropouts, ITI diploma holders, farmers, and rural communities.

• It emphasizes skill training with real-world industrial, societal, and entrepreneurial demands.

Features of CSIR Integrated Skill Initiative

• It provides structured short-term and long-term skill development modules comprising training, internships, certification courses, and hands-on laboratory exposure.
• It equips participants with comprehensive skill development in advanced and rapidly evolving technologies interconnected with industry requirements.
• The programme spans 18 out of 36 key sectoral skills as identified by the National Skill Development Mission (NSDM).

Source: PIB (https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2215162&reg=3&lang=1)

CSIR Integrated Skill Initiative FAQs

Q1: What is the primary objective of the CSIR Integrated Skill Initiative?

Ans: Bridge the gap between scientific research and industry requirements

Q2: Which organization implements the CSIR Integrated Skill Initiative?

Ans: Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

Womaniya Initiative Latest News

Recently, the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) marked seven years of the Womaniya initiative.

About Womaniya Initiative

• It was launched on 14 January 2019.
• It is a flagship programme aimed at strengthening the participation of women-led Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) in public procurement.
• Womaniya was conceived to address the limited access of women entrepreneurs and Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to government markets.
• It spurs Women entrepreneurship by aligning them with opportunities to sell their products to various Government ministries, departments and institutions.

** By providing a direct, transparent and fully digital interface with government buyers, the initiative eliminated intermediaries and reduced entry barriers that had historically constrained participation.

• Impact: The initiative seeks to develop women entrepreneurship to achieve gender-inclusive economic growth.

What is a GeM Portal?

• Government e-Marketplace, shortly known as GeM, is a digital platform that enables buying and selling of goods and services.
• It is the Public Procurement Portal for procurement of goods and services for all Central Government and State Government Ministries, Departments, Public Sector Units (PSUs) and affiliated.
• It was launched in August 2016, by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
• The sole purpose of GeM is to enhance efficiency; transparency and speed in public procurement.

Source: PIB (https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2215001&reg=3&lang=1)

Womaniya Initiative FAQs

Q1: What is the primary objective of the Womaniya Initiative?

Ans: Strengthen participation of women-led MSEs in public procurement

Q2: Which platform is used to implement the Womaniya Initiative?

Ans: Government e-Marketplace (GeM)

Intrinsically Disordered Proteins Latest News

Researchers have developed a deep-learning tool named Disobind that can predict how intrinsically disordered proteins (IDP) latch on to their binding partners.

About Intrinsically Disordered Proteins

• Intrinsically disordered proteins are defined as proteins or regions of proteins that lack a fixed or ordered three-dimensional structure under biological conditions.
• Other Names: Also called natively unfolded or intrinsically unstructured proteins.
• These are important for cellular signaling and regulation.

Functions of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins

• They are shape-shifting molecules vital to cellular communication.
• They don’t form a fixed structure.
• They guide signalling networks.
• They help proteins move and find partners within the cell, regulate which genes are switched on or off,
• IDP supports protein folding and quality control, and assembles flexible cellular hubs called condensates.

Key Facts about Disobind Tool

• It is developed by the researchers of National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bengaluru.

Features of Disobind Tool

• It is open-source and freely available for researchers worldwide.
• It analyses the protein sequences and uses protein language models (a form of AI trained on millions of known protein sequences).
• No structural info needed: It does not require any structural information or sequence alignments, making it super convenient.
• High accuracy: Disobind outperformed popular tools like AlphaFold-multimer and AlphaFold3 in tests on new protein pairs.
• Disobind delivered consistently higher accuracy when tested on new protein pairs it had not seen before.
• Applications of the tool could span from disease biology to drug design.

Source: TH (https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/researchers-develop-ai-tool-to-predict-how-shapeshifting-proteins-connect-inside-cells/article70509429.ece/amp/)

Intrinsically Disordered Proteins FAQs

Q1: What is a characteristic feature of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins (IDPs)?

Ans: Lack of fixed 3D structure

Q2: What is a key function of IDPs in cellular processes?

Ans: Regulating gene expression

Root Wilt Disease Latest News

Recently, phytoplasma-induced root wilt disease has destroyed large tracts of traditional coconut-growing areas in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala states.

About Root Wilt Disease

• It is caused by phytoplasma (bacteria) which is one of the most devastating diseases of coconut palms.
• Origin: It is classified as a non-fatal disease of coconut palm and was first identified more than a century and a half ago in Erattupetta in Kerala.
• It is not lethal; but it debilitates the production potential of the palms.
• Transmission: The disease spreads through insect vectors, aided by the movement of wind and uninterrupted stretches of coconut plantations.
• The root (wilt) disease occurs in all major soil types but the spread is faster in sandy, sandy loam and alluvial soil.
• Factors accelerating spread: Erratic temperatures, especially extremes, and the rise of new sucking pests, particularly whiteflies, have significantly accelerated its spread.
• Symptoms of Root Wilt Disease

** Tapering of the terminal portion of the trunk of Coconut Tree.
** Reduction of leaf size
** Abnormal bending of leaflets termed as flaccidity.
** Flowering is delayed and yield is considerably reduced.
** The characteristic symptom is the flaccidity of leaflets.

• Impact: The tree quickly becomes unproductive, sheds all its nuts, and assumes a distorted appearance.
• Management: Breeding resistant and tolerant varieties remains one of the most successful tools for managing phytoplasma.

Source: TH (https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/why-participatory-science-is-crucial-to-tackling-coconut-root-wilt-disease/article70513728.ece)

Root Wilt Disease FAQs

Q1: What is the causative agent of Root Wilt Disease?

Ans: Phytoplasma

Q2: Which crop is affected by Root Wilt Disease?

Ans: Coconut

Vitamin A Latest News

Researchers recently uncovered new ways a vitamin A-derived molecule can interfere with the immune system's ability to fight cancer.

About Vitamin A

• It is a fat-soluble vitamin primarily stored in the liver.
• There are two types of vitamin A that are found in the diet.

** Preformed vitamin A is found in animal products such as meat, fish, poultry, and dairy foods.
** Precursors to vitamin A, also known as provitamin A, are found in plant-based foods such as fruits and vegetables.

*** These compounds are converted to the active form in your body.
*** The most common type of provitamin A is beta-carotene.

• Foods with the highest levels of vitamin A include:

** Beef liver and other organ meats
** Some types of fish such as herring and salmon and cod fish oil
** Eggs
** Dairy products such as cheese and fortified milk
** Fortified breakfast cereals
** Orange and yellow vegetables and fruits, such as carrots, sweet potatoes, mangos, and cantaloupe
** Broccoli, spinach, and most dark green, leafy vegetables

• Function:

** Vitamin A helps form and maintain healthy teeth, skeletal and soft tissue, mucus membranes, and skin.
** It is also known as retinol because it produces the pigments in the retina of the eye.
** Vitamin A promotes good eyesight, especially in low light.
** It also has a role in healthy pregnancy and breastfeeding.

• If you do not get enough vitamin A, you have more risk of eye problems such as:

** Reversible night blindness
** Non-reversible corneal damage known as xerophthalmia
** It can also lead to hyperkeratosis or dry, scaly skin.

• Vitamin A deficiency can be treated with vitamin A supplements.

Source: SD (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260115022808.htm)

Vitamin A FAQs

Q1: What type of vitamin is Vitamin A?

Ans: Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin.

Q2: Where is Vitamin A primarily stored in the body?

Ans: Vitamin A is primarily stored in the liver.

Q3: What role does Vitamin A play in eye health?

Ans: Vitamin A helps produce retinal pigments and promotes good eyesight, especially in low light.

Q4: Why is Vitamin A also known as retinol?

Ans: It is known as retinol because it produces pigments in the retina of the eye.

Q5: Which vegetables and fruits are rich in Vitamin A?

Ans: Carrots, sweet potatoes, mangos, cantaloupe, broccoli, spinach, and dark green leafy vegetables are rich in Vitamin A.

Gegeneophis Valmiki Latest News

Indian scientists recently discovered a rare subterranean amphibian species in the northern Western Ghats of Maharashtra and named it Gegeneophis valmiki.

About Gegeneophis valmiki

• It is a rare, subterranean amphibian species, discovered in the northern Western Ghats of Maharashtra.
• The name Gegeneophis valmiki honors the historic Maharshi Valmiki Mandir located near the discovery site.
• It belongs to the genus Gegeneophis, commonly called blind caecilians.

** Caecilians, often called “hidden amphibians”, are limbless, worm-like creatures that spend most of their lives underground.
** They look and move so much like earthworms.
** They do not croak or call like frogs, and their eyes are buried beneath layers of skin and bone, making field identification exceptionally difficult.
** Beyond rarity, caecilians play an important ecological role.
** Their burrowing improves soil aeration and structure, their feeding helps regulate soil invertebrates, and they form part of the food web for birds, reptiles and small mammals.
** They also represent a key evolutionary link between aquatic and terrestrial vertebrates.
** Globally, caecilians account for just 231 of the world’s 8,983 known amphibian species.
** India records 42 caecilian species among its 457 amphibians.
** The Western Ghats alone are home to 26 endemic caecilians, with 11 belonging to the Gegeneophis group.
** Gegeneophis valmiki is the first addition to its genus in more than a decade.

Source: TOI (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/scientists-discover-rare-caecilian-species-gegeneophis-valmiki/articleshow/126590856.cms)

Gegeneophis Valmiki FAQs

Q1: What is Gegeneophis valmiki?

Ans: It is a rare, subterranean amphibian species.

Q2: Where was Gegeneophis valmiki discovered?

Ans: In the northern Western Ghats of Maharashtra.

Q3: To which genus does Gegeneophis valmiki belong?

Ans: The genus Gegeneophis.

Q4: What are members of the genus Gegeneophis commonly called?

Ans: Blind caecilians.

Q5: What type of animals are caecilians?

Ans: Limbless, worm-like amphibians that live mostly underground.

Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) Latest News

The Prime Minister recently inaugurated the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) in New Delhi, highlighting India's commitment to sharing open-source tech platforms with the Global South.

About Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC)

• It brings together the Speakers and Presiding Officers of the national parliaments of the independent sovereign states of the Commonwealth.
• It was created in 1969 as an initiative of the then Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada, Lucien Lamoureux.
• Since its inception, Canada has provided CSPOC with a secretariat to support its activities.
• The Conference is an independent group and has no formal affiliation with the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, the Commonwealth Secretariat, or the Commonwealth Heads of Government.
• CSPOC operates on a two-year cycle, holding a conference of the full membership every two years, usually early in January, and a meeting of the Standing Committee at the same time the intervening year.
• The Conference aims to:

** Maintain, foster, and encourage impartiality and fairness on the part of Speakers and Presiding Officers of Parliaments;
** Promote knowledge and understanding of parliamentary democracy in its various forms;
** Develop parliamentary institutions

What is the Commonwealth?

• It is a voluntary association of 56 independent countries, almost all of which were formerly under British rule.
• It differs from other international bodies such as the United Nations or the World Trade Organization.
• It has no formal constitution or bylaws.
• The members have no legal or formal obligation to one another; they are held together by shared traditions, institutions, and experiences as well as by economic self-interest.
• Commonwealth action is based upon consultation between members, which is conducted through