Science and Technology
What to master
Core areas: basic physics/chemistry/biology (units, laws, human body systems), space (ISRO missions - Chandrayaan-3, Aditya-L1, Gaganyaan), defence (missiles, DRDO), nuclear (reactors, PHWR), IT (AI, blockchain, quantum), biotechnology (vaccines, CRISPR, gene therapy), and health (immunity, diseases, vectors). Environment-linked science (renewables, hydrogen) often appears here too. For AP: Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota is in AP - a frequent question.
Traps that recur
- Chandrayaan-3 landed near the lunar south pole (Shiv Shakti point), not the equator.
- Aditya-L1 is a solar observatory at L1, not a lunar mission.
- Vaccine types: mRNA vs viral vector vs inactivated - options swap mechanisms.
- CRISPR-Cas9 is gene editing, not gene therapy delivery per se.
- Confusing PHWR (India's mainstay) with BWR.
- Units: distinguishing watt (power) from joule (energy) and newton (force).
Rule of thumb
Anchor each mission with a one-line tag: Chandrayaan-3 = lunar south pole lander; Aditya-L1 = solar L1; Gaganyaan = crewed LEO; Mangalyaan = Mars orbiter (2013).
Worked example
"Where is the Satish Dhawan Space Centre located?" - Sriharikota, Tirupati district, Andhra Pradesh, on Pulicat lake's barrier island. Trap: choosing Thumba (Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Kerala) or Bengaluru (ISRO HQ).