Science and Technology

About 6 min · General Studies and Mental Ability · English

Time worked out from the lesson's 424 words at 150 words a minute, plus a minute for each question.

Science and Technology is a section of APPSC Group II Mains Paper II (Section B, 75 marks) that tests your awareness of India's scientific achievements, emerging technologies, and their applications. This topic carries significant weightage and questions often come from recent developments in space missions, defence systems, IT initiatives, and environmental technologies.

Key ideas

ISRO's Launch Vehicles: PSLV (workhorse for satellites, sun-synchronous orbits), GSLV (heavier payloads, geosynchronous orbits), and LVM3 (formerly GSLV Mk III, for Chandrayaan and Gaganyaan missions). PSLV has over 50 successful launches.
Satellite Categories by Purpose: Communication satellites (INSAT, GSAT series), Remote sensing (IRS series, Cartosat), Navigation (NavIC/IRNSS—Indian regional system covering 1,500 km beyond borders), and Scientific satellites (AstroSat for astronomy).
Nuclear Triad: India's three-pronged nuclear delivery capability—land-based missiles (Agni series), air-delivered bombs (Mirage 2000, Sukhoi), and submarine-launched missiles (K-15 Sagarika from INS Arihant).
Biotechnology Applications: Bt Cotton (Bacillus thuringiensis gene for pest resistance—only GM crop approved for commercial cultivation in India), recombinant DNA technology for insulin, and indigenous COVID-19 vaccines (Covaxin by Bharat Biotech).
Digital India Pillars: Digital infrastructure (BharatNet for rural broadband), e-governance (DigiLocker, UMANG app), and digital empowerment (digital literacy programs).

Watch out for

Confusing PSLV and GSLV capabilities → PSLV is for lighter satellites to lower/polar orbits; GSLV/LVM3 handles heavier payloads to higher geosynchronous orbits. Remember: PSLV = Polar, lighter; GSLV = Geo, heavier.
Mixing up NavIC with GPS → NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) is India's regional system with 7 satellites covering India and 1,500 km beyond. GPS is American and global. NavIC uses both L5 and S bands.
Assuming all nuclear reactors use uranium → India's three-stage nuclear program specifically aims to utilize thorium reserves (world's largest in India). Stage 3 involves thorium-based reactors.

Quick reference

ISRO Headquarters: Bengaluru; Chairman as of 2024: S. Somanath
DRDO: around 41 labs + 5 Young Scientist Labs; HQ New Delhi; develops Agni, Prithvi, Tejas, Arjun tank
NavIC: 7 satellites (3 GEO + 4 GSO); regional coverage; dual frequency
India's first nuclear test: Pokhran-I (Smiling Buddha) 1974; Pokhran-II 1998
Supercomputers: PARAM series by C-DAC; latest PARAM Siddhi among top global systems

Check yourself: 3 questions

1. Which technology is primarily used in the development of Quantum Computers?
2. Which among the following is a biodegradable polymer that can be used in medical applications such as surgical sutures?
3. Which of the following greenhouse gases has the highest Global Warming Potential (GWP) over a 100-year period?

This lesson is cut from the topic's note, not rewritten. Fact-checked on 17 Oct 2026: an AI-assisted check of this note against cited sources; the errors it found were corrected that day. Some errors may remain. The questions are from Shishya's validated question bank.

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