Indigenous Malaria Vaccine 'Mal-Free' Approved for Mass Production
India's drug regulator has approved the mass production of 'Mal-Free', the country's first indigenous vaccine against malaria.
2-Minute Summary (TL;DR)
- 'Mal-Free' is India's first indigenous malaria vaccine.
- Developed by ICMR and Bharat Biotech.
- Approved by CDSCO for mass production.
- To be included in the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP).
How This Topic is Tested in Competitive Exams
| Exam | Frequency | Approx. Marks | What Gets Asked |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPSC / State PCS | Medium | 5–8 | UPSC tests Science & Technology through governance: space policy, biotech regulations, cyber security. |
| SSC (CGL / CHSL / MTS) | High | 4–8 | Basic science, space missions, ISRO launches, and defence technology are standard SSC GK topics. |
| State PCS / PSC | Medium | 3–5 | Space missions, defence acquisitions, and health research appear regularly. |
| Railway (RRB NTPC / Group D) | Very High | 6–10 | Science and Technology is one of the largest GK sections in Railway papers. |
What to Memorize from This Topic
- ISRO missions: satellite name, purpose, launch date, orbit type
- Defence acquisitions: system name, origin country, inducted into which force
- COVID/health research: vaccine names, institutes involved, approval status
- Technology achievements: first-ever milestones, world records, India-specific achievements
- Scientific organizations: HQ, head, purpose (CSIR, DRDO, BARC, ICAR)
Practice Questions
Q1. Which organization developed the indigenous malaria vaccine 'Mal-Free'?
- Serum Institute of India
- ICMR and Bharat Biotech
- Zydus Cadila
- Panacea Biotec
Explanation: The 'Mal-Free' vaccine was developed by ICMR in collaboration with Bharat Biotech.
Q2. Malaria is caused by which type of organism?
- Bacteria
- Virus
- Protozoa
- Fungi
Explanation: Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites, which are protozoa.
How to Prepare Science & Technology for Government Exams
For Railway exams, make flashcards for every major ISRO launch — name, payload, purpose, date. These repeat frequently.
For SSC, focus on defence acquisitions and their strategic significance rather than technical specs.
For UPSC, connect every scientific development to policy — climate targets, digital India, health policy.
Related Current Affairs
Test Your Knowledge on Today's Current Affairs
10 questions · 10 minutes · Based on today's GK updates. See how prepared you really are.
Start Daily Quiz