UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | August 17 to August 23, 2025

QUESTION 1

With reference to the Space Station, consider the following statements:

1. India plans to launch the first module of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) by 2028.

2. The International Space Station is operated by five space agencies, including India’s ISRO.

3. Tiangong space station is operated independently by Japan.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Explanation

— ISRO unveiled a model of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) module during the two-day National Space Day celebrations that began here. India plans to launch the first module of the BAS, its own home-built space station, by 2028, marking its entry into the group of a handful of nations that operate orbital laboratories. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— Presently, there are two orbital laboratories — the International Space Station operated by five space agencies (NASA (United States), Roscosmos (Russia), JAXA (Japan), ESA (Europe), and CSA (Canada)), and the Tiangong space station of China. Hence, statements 2 and 3 are not correct.

About BAS

— India plans to have five modules of the Bhartiya Antariksh Station in place by 2035 as part of its ambitious plans for the space sector.

— The BAS-01 module is expected to weigh 10 tonnes and will be placed in a low earth orbit at 450 km above the earth.

— Salient features of the BAS include, indigenously developed Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS), Bharat Docking System, Bharat Berthing Mechanism, automated hatch system, platform for microgravity research and technology demonstration, viewports for scientific imaging and crew recreation.

— The BAS will also have provision for refilling of propulsion and ECLSS fluids, radiation, thermal and Micro Meteoroid Orbital Debris (MMOD) protection, space suits, airlocks to support extra vehicular activity and plug and play integrated avionics.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 2

With reference to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), consider the following statements:

1. The CEC is appointed by the President of India upon the recommendation of a three-member selection committee.

2. The appointments are made for a tenure of six years or until the age of 60 years, whichever comes first.

3. The CEC enjoys the same services and monetary benefits that are extended to justices of the High Court.

4. The CEC can be removed only on the grounds of proved misbehaviour or incapacity.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

Explanation

— The CEC and election commissioners are appointed by the President of India upon the recommendation from a three-member selection committee comprising the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition (LoP), and one member of the Union Cabinet. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The appointments are made for a tenure of six years or until the age of 65 years, whichever comes first. The CEC enjoys the same services and monetary benefits that are extended to justices of the Supreme Court. Hence, statements 2 and 3 are not correct.

— Article 324(5) of the Constitution states that the CEC can be removed from office only “in like manner and on the like grounds as a Judge of the Supreme Court.” This framing can also be found in Section 11(2) of the 2023 Act. The article further states that “any other Election Commissioner or a Regional Commissioner shall not be removed from office except on the recommendation of the Chief Election Commissioner”.

— With the view of shielding the ECI from political pressures, the bar for removing the CEC is purposefully set to be very high. Going by Article 124(4) of the Constitution, which contains the process for removing a Supreme Court judge, removal can only be “on the ground of proved misbehaviour or incapacity.” Hence, statement 4 is correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 3

Which of the following climate variations can bring anomalously cool waters into the Arctic region and lead to less loss of sea ice or expansion in some areas?

1. Atlantic Multidecadal Variability

2. Pacific Decadal Oscillation

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

— It has long been established that human activities — primarily, the burning of fossil fuels that emit heat-trapping greenhouse gases (GHG) — have led to a rise in global temperatures. In the Arctic, this warming has led to the melting of sea ice.

— Anthropogenic global warming, however, does not do away with natural variations in the Earth’s climate system (although it can affect these). One such variation is the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), which refers to a fluctuation in sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the equatorial Pacific Ocean that occurs every two to seven years. ENSO influences, alters, and interferes with global atmospheric circulation, which, in turn, influences the weather worldwide.

— For the purpose of our study, we would be thinking of climate variations on a longer timescale, such as the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, which is similar to ENSO but on a longer timescale, and Atlantic Multidecadal Variability (a fluctuation of SSTs in the North Atlantic). These climate variations can bring anomalously cool waters into the Arctic region and lead to less loss of sea ice or expansion in some areas.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 4

Which of the following paramilitary forces has been allowed to attend the biannual border talks with Bangladesh in Dhaka?

(a) Border Security Force (BSF)

(b) Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)

(c) Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)

(d) Assam Rifles

Explanation

— The Union Home Ministry has given the go-ahead to the BSF to attend biannual border talks with Bangladesh in Dhaka, beginning August 25. Bangladesh had sent an invitation for the talks earlier this month.

— This will be the first Dhaka visit by an Indian delegation after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government last year.

— “During the course of the conference, discussions will be held on prevention against attack/assault on BSF personnel and Indian civilians by Bangladesh-based miscreants/nationals, how to prevent trans-border crimes, construction of single row fence, action against Indian insurgent groups (IIGs) in Bangladesh, issues related to border infrastructure, joint efforts for effective implementation of coordinated border management plan (CBMP), confidence building measures (CBM) and other issues,” a BSF spokesman said.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 5

With reference to the Crimean Peninsula, consider the following statements:

1. It is bordered by the Sea of Marmara and the Aegean Sea.

2. In the 13th century, it became part of the Mongol Golden Horde.

3. It is known for its fertile land and strategic ports.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Explanation

— Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met President Donald Trump in hopes of ending Russia’s war in Ukraine that began in 2022.

— Crimea, the contested peninsular region of southern Ukraine, has long changed hands between empires. Since the 1990s, Russians and Ukrainians have fought for control over the land.

— The Crimean Peninsula, bordered by the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, has long been coveted for its fertile land and strategic ports. Once known as Tauris or Taurida under the ancient Greeks, it later came under Roman rule, Genoese traders, and briefly the Kievan Rus (the medieval state, which is believed to be a precursor to modern-day Russia, Ukraine and Belarus). Hence, statement 1 is not correct and statement 3 is correct.

— In the 13th century, it became part of the Mongol Golden Horde, evolving into the Crimean Khanate, dominated by Crimean Tatars, the Islamic community now regarded as the indigenous population of Crimea. The name ‘Crimea’ even comes from the Tatar word “krym”, which means “rock fortress”. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 6

The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) was recently in the news. It is led by:

(a) Russia

(b) European Union

(c) United States

(d) United Nations

Explanation

— With the European Union (EU) offering concessions to US manufacturers on contentious climate-related trade rules such as the carbon tax and deforestation regulation, Indian negotiators plan to push for similar relief during the upcoming round of talks in Brussels next month.

— Negotiations on the entire gamut of climate-related trade rules, particularly the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), have been among the most challenging areas in the India-EU trade deal, as India is concerned that EU climate regulations could erode the benefits Indian exporters receive under the trade agreement.

— The EU’s CBAM is not a trade measure. It is not part of trade and the FTA [with India]. It’s about compliance with our climate agenda to accelerate decarbonisation.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 7

Which of the following countries are members of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU)?

1. Armenia

2. Kazakhstan

3. Turkmenistan

4. Belarus

5. Ukraine

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1, 2 and 4

(b) 1, 2, 3 and 5

(c) 2, 3 and 4

(d) 3, 4 and 5

Explanation

— India and the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) kick-started negotiations for a trade deal as talks with the US broke down after US President Donald Trump called India a “dead economy” and raised tariffs on Indian products to 50 per cent, highest globally.

— The trade deal talks with EAEU were stalled in early 2022 after the Ukraine war. The grouping comprises Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, apart from Russia.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 8

With reference to the monsoon trough, consider the following statements:

1. It is an elongated high-pressure area that extends from the heat low over Afghanistan to the Arabian Sea.

2. Its northward movement results in heavy rain in central India and the Deccan.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

— Torrential rainfall continued to whip Mumbai and its neighbouring districts for the fourth consecutive day on Tuesday (August 19). Scientists from India Meteorological Department (IMD) Mumbai attributed the downpour to a combination of several weather systems that bring rain to the city.

— A monsoon trough is an elongated low-pressure area that extends from the heat low over Pakistan to the Bay of Bengal. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.

— It is a semi-permanent feature of monsoon circulation. When it shifts northwards, it causes heavy rain in the Himalayan foothills and northeast India, while central India may have less rain. When it shifts southward, it brings torrential rain to central India and the Deccan, causing extensive flooding. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 9

Recently, India’s 1st Make-in-India Green Hydrogen Plant in the port sector has been commissioned at:

(a) Hubli Port

(b) Kandla Port

(c) Jawaharlal Nehru Port

(d) Kochi Port

Explanation

— Recently, India’s 1st Make-in-India Green Hydrogen Plant in the port sector has been commissioned at Kandla by the Deendayal Port Authority, Kandla. With this, Kandla became the first Indian port to house a megawatt-scale indigenous green hydrogen facility.

— The plant is the first module of a larger 10-megawatt green hydrogen project announced by the Prime minister in May 2025.

— The plant has an annual production capacity of 140 metric tonnes of green hydrogen. The initiative follows DPA’s earlier green success – the launch of India’s first Make-in-India electric Green Tug.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 10

The Sixth Schedule applies to the Northeastern states of:

1. Assam

2. Nagaland

3. Tripura

4. Mizoram

5. Arunachal Pradesh

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1, 2 and 5

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 1, 2, 3 and 4

(d) 1, 3 and 4

Explanation

— The Sixth Schedule under Article 244 provides for the formation of autonomous administrative divisions — Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) — that have some legislative, judicial, and administrative autonomy within a state.

— ADCs have up to 30 members with a term of five years, and can make laws, rules and regulations with regard to land, forest, water, agriculture, village councils, health, sanitation, village- and town-level policing, inheritance, marriage and divorce, social customs and mining, etc.

— The Sixth Schedule applies to the Northeastern states of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram (three Councils each), and Tripura (one Council).

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

Previous Weekly Quiz

UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | August 10 to August 16, 2025

UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | August 03 to August 09, 2025

UPSC Weekly Current Affairs Quiz | July 27 to August 02, 2025

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